#rwbyween

“... so then she said “I thought it was a nice jester” but the others didn’t find it very funny I guess.” Ruby shrugged, setting down the pumpkin on the newspaper-covered table. “And that’s how we got kicked out of the venue. Weiss wasn’t happy with Yang, but I think they reconciled by now.” Pyrrha caugt herself staring a second too late to not make it awkward. She cleared her throat. “Yang seems to have a talent for that. Getting you kicked out of places, I mean.”

“Yeah… sis just has a temper. But it’s okay, most of the clubs that ban us weren’t that great to begin with. If all else fails, Blake can call her girlfriend and get us in. She owns half the town. The part that doesn’t belong to Weiss’ sister, I mean.” Ruby shot her a smile and she swore she could hear her heart skip a beat. “You can put yours down on the table too, you know”, she added as an afterthought, pointing to the pumpkin that was still comfortably nestled in her arms.

“Aren’t we gonna… crack them or something?”, Pyrrha asked, confused. It was getting a little heavy.

Ruby blinked. “You.. you don’t crack a pumpkin, Pyrrha, uhm. It’s not a coconut. Have you never carved pumpkins before?”

“I… no, actually.” She sighed. I really just wanted to spend time with you. “We never really celebrated Halloween in my family. I never went trick-or-treating and I don’t think I’d survive one of those haunted houses you guys always go to.”

Ruby was rendered speechless for a second, her mouth half-open in shock and Pyrrha briefly panicked over the possibility that she might have offended her in some way or other.

But when her lips curved into the biggest, most elated grin and her eyes got that certain glint people feared so much, she suddenly had other things to worry about.

“This is awesome! I’m gonna make this your first and best Halloween ever, we’re gonna do so much fun stuff, I can’t wait! You’ll love it, I promise.” Pyrrha had trouble holding onto the pumpkin when Ruby more or less jumped at her, hugging and twirling her around.

Her own cheeks felt flaming hot for some reason.

“Ruby - the pumpkin -”

She backed off immediately, looking a little embarrassed. “Sorry, sorry, I got a little overexcited maybe. I just love my birthday season.” She took the pumpkin from Pyrrha and set it down next to her own before grabbing one of the chairs. Once she’d taken her place, she motioned Pyrrha forward.

“Come on, I’ll show you how it works.”

Slicing the pumpkin open would’ve been less difficult if Ruby wasn’t guiding her hand, but the sensation of her skin pressed against her own, her hair brushing her cheek as she leaned over to hold the knife steady left Pyrrha tingly and warm and soft inside. And not a word left her lips.

She struggled not to let her disappointment show once Ruby was done.

“Scoop the pulp into that bowl over there, we’re going to turn it into pumpkin pie later. And we might even get to eat it if Yang doesn’t come home early”, she joked.

“Can you blame her? You’re a great baker, Ruby.”

Ruby smiled brightly and Pyrrha couldn’t help but notice the slight tinge of her cheeks under the halogen lights. Lights. Trick of the light.

“Alright, now take the marker and draw a face on the front of your pumpkin.”

She frowned. “Any face?”

“Yes. Well, it’s supposed to be scary, but you can make it friendly if you want.”

Pyrrha nodded absently, trying to draw something that looked remotely like a face. She wasn’t very good at this and it didn’t help that her eyes kept darting to the girl on her left, watching her screw her face up in concentration as she worked. It’s something she admired about Ruby. That she always put so much passion in everything she did.

Her pumpkin’s eyes weren’t the same size and his nose looked sad and crooked, but at least he had a face at all.

“Looks great, Pyrrha!”, Ruby piped before handing her a carving knife.

“Now make sure you don’t cut too close to the top or the bottom while you carve.”

Cutting out the face proved easier than expected and she actually started having fun with it - before she remembered what she had promised herself to do today.

Nervousness swept over her in a sudden, nauseating wave and the knife in her hand seemed to slip out of her grasp before she caught it with her fingertips inches away from the blade. Well, she was as good as done anyway.

Pyrrha hadn’t really planned how to go about this but she knew that if she didn’t do it soon, she’d never work up the courage again. But what to tell her? Ruby was stunning, sweet, brilliant and beautiful, she was all of these things but so much more and the sheer weight of trying to fit all of her feelings into a single sentence felt heavy on her shoulders.

Maybe she should just keep it simple. Ask her out like a normal person. After all, Jaune wouldn’t ler her hear the end of it if she messed this up. Pyrrha put down her knife.

“Ruby? There’s something I’d like to ask you.” Well, here’s your moment of truth, Pyrrha.

“Mh?” She looked up from her carving with a smile and she really wished her nerves wouldn’t start to flatter like mad just now. “What is it?”

Breathe. You can do this. You’ve done worse. “I was wondering if you would like to go out with me sometime?” The words felt rushed on her tongue, spilling onto the table in front of her as if she’d tipped over a glass of water, but she didn’t stutter, didn’t stumble, didn’t falter.

For an agonizing second, Ruby just stared at her. Pyrrha couldn’t help biting her lip. “What?”

The lump in her throat felt like ice. “A date. You and I.”

She could barely bear to look at her but she forced herself to keep her gaze steady.

Ruby cleared her throat. “I-I mean I… I’m… that’s… -” This time, Pyrrha was sure it was not just the lights that made her blush.

“It’s okay Ruby, if you don’t want to that’s totally -”

“No!”, Ruby hastily intercepted, shaking her head. “It’s not that. I just... I thought this already was... kind of... a-...a date?” She laughed nervously, looking anywhere but at her.

She frowned. Wait, what?

Pyrrha would’ve liked the world to swallow her whole. How had she misread the situation so completely? What in the world was wrong with her that she didn’t realize this earlier? “Oh”, she mumbled, averting her gaze. “Well now I feel very stupid.”

“Please don’t! I could’ve made it clearer I guess, I just.. you’re always so cool and nice and I thought you must’ve noticed for sure how much I’m into you by now and I was so happy when you accepted I kind of didn’t even stop to consider that maybe you didn’t think this was a date, so…” She trailed off, looking sheepish.

Pyrrha paused. Did she hear that right?

How much I’m into you.

Warmth unfurled in her chest, spread through her stomach into her knees and she was sure Ruby could see it on her face too but for once, she didn’t care. She liked her. Nora just lost her bet against Jaune. She liked her. How she imagined this to end, she wasn’t sure, but this felt surreal, too good to be true and if she was honest with herself, it might just be one of her favourite feelings.

She didn’t have a backup plan anyway.

Silence passed between them for a heartbeat, maybe three and when Pyrrha began to snicker, she was relieved to hear Ruby join in soon after.

“I can’t believe this was all just one big misunderstanding. I mean I was so nervous over nothing and - and now it turns out I simply misread the situation.” She shook her head in mild disbelief.

“You were nervous?” Pyrrha wanted to justify herself, but relaxed when Ruby added: “Me too.”

“Still, that doesn’t really answer my question”, she said, noticing the fresh blush colouring the other girl’s cheeks. It suited her so well.

Ruby sighed happily. “Yes, of course, I’d love to.”

Pyrrha glanced at the mismatched face of the Jack-o-Lantern before her and a giddy smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

“Ruby?”

“Mmh?”

“It already is the best Halloween ever.”

This story can also be found on AO3.

The roadside diner was packed on the eve of Halloween.

Cinder idly circled the grass beneath them, let one of her flames dance between her fingers and burn everything in its path while they waited, hiding out at the forest’s edge. A safe enough distance to watch but not to be seen.

Urban myths ranked around this place ever since the great massacre of 1978. 15 people died, slaughtered with a butcher’s knife and the killer was never identified. So as is law, stories sprawled like poison ivy, passed down from parents to children in blurrier details every time they were told, of evil spirits cursing the person sitting in the spot of those who were once murdered there and ghosts wandering the kitchen aimlessly.

Of course, this attracted particularly daring (meaning: drunk) teens wanting to experience the „haunted“ place for themselves, especially during this time of the year.

Little did they know that it wouldn’t be ghosts they’d need to fear.

„Would you please watch out with your magic fingers? This is Versace“, Roman whispered next to her, scandalized, the tone of voice he only used when something was expensive and utterly meaningless. Still, she hadn’t noticed just how she had accidentally burned a small hole in his too-fancy-for-the-occasion shirt and went to inspect the damage when something on their right suddenly grabbed her attention.

A satisfied smirk tugged on the corner of her lips as she watched the rusted red Chevy pull into the driveway, reverse and shakily come to a halt in one of the parking spaces. It looked like it would fall apart at any second. And who knew if it would ever turn on again?

„I’ll buy you a new one.“ Her mumbling was barely audible, absent-minded because her eyes had just locked onto the target. Cinder’s smirk turned horrifically sharp in a matter of milliseconds.

„Them?“, Roman asked, one eyebrow raised as he followed her gaze and sized up the passengers emerging from the vehicle one after the other. „Really?“

„Yes. I want them.“ Her voice left no room for uncertainty.

He sighed and clicked his tongue. „I don’t know Cinder, they don’t seem like the sharpest tools around - I can already predict how this is going to go down. Hyperactive over there is a screamer, Pink Streak will die trying to protect his girlfriend even though he knows it’s a lost cause, Blond Boy will pathetically beg for mercy with his big, blue puppy-dog eyes and panic once we crush his spirit. The only one making for a real challenge is Scarlet and I already know you want to take her on. So what’s left for me, huh?“

Cinder shook her head at the annoyance in his voice. „Your inability to perceive nuance continues to amuse me, Roman. For somebody that speaks with such arrogance, you inexplicably missed how the quiet boy and the blonde one hold hands. What an obvious detail to disregard."

Roman hastily leaned forward to get a closer look and groaned when her words proved to be true. He despised that, she knew. „Does it really matter which one he’s fucking? They’re still dreadfully boring.“

She whipped her head around to stare him down. „We’re here to collect souls. Our fun is of marginal importance.“ Her glare immediately increased in vitriol when she saw him mouth along to her words.

„Funny how you keep saying that same sentence when all I hear is „I’m the boss, my rules, I decide“. The key to successfully run a business is to keep your employees happy, Cinder and do I look very happy to you right now? I need some goddamn variety on this month’s victim menu or else I’m gonna starve. And fuck do I hate starving.“

Her expression softened as she exhaled, reached out to caress his cheek with her fingertips gently, softly, with just a hint of warmth lingering beneath. She offered him one of her rarer, fonder smiles and his gaze turned suspicious. „You’ve been so patient thus far. This is one more kill in a series of kills. We’re so close we can taste it. Do you not also think endangering our goal by searching for more… exotic victims isn’t worth the risk it poses?“ She leaned forward, impassive at his irate expression, and stopped mere inches from his ear. „Soon. I promise. And meanwhile, I’m sure I can keep you entertained in.. other ways.“ He visibly shivered when she started toying with his hair, stealing the wind out of whatever word it was he had planned to throw at her. „Your tricks get cheaper every time you use them“, he said, closing his eyes. „Oh, but they work.“

Cinder cut off his reply with her lips, her hands curled around his neck and her body pressed against his, flush, close, hot. Swept up in passion, she even went as far as to allow him to put his hands around her waist, enjoying his touch, the heat, the faint taste of smoke. Fire. She liked everything Fire. She also liked playing him but she was no fool. Despite what he might try to make her believe, he wasn’t this easily distracted, this easily silenced. He may have decided to let it go for tonight, but if they didn’t manage to follow up on their plan soon, he wouldn’t waste time in betraying her. She was sure of that. Roman didn’t pledge allegiance to anyone, especially not to her.

Good thing he wasn’t aware of what she knew. Cinder separated from him with the first honest, wicked grin of the evening, her eyes glowing like embers as she held onto his collar to keep him close. “Let’s go hunt some kids, Roman.” He rolled his eyes. “Fine, but I get Miss Hyperactive. And you pay for dinner tonight. Murder leaves me hungry.” She took his hand and pulled him after her.

This story can also be found on AO3 (where you’re also very free to comment by the way).

He should’ve known.

He should’ve known the moment she crossed paths with him after six months of seemingly vanishing out of thin air, reappearing in a deserted street right behind him on Halloween night, her eyes alight with excitement and her face as pretty as it always was, maybe even more so.

She smiled when he noticed her and in retrospect, he would’ve preferred the usual scowl.

Why did you leave? The question passed between them unsaid, settled in the smoke of his lit cigar that he kept close as always. He forgot to take the next drag when she looked at him with something akin to regret. Does it matter? as she smoothed down the collar of his coat that he had turned up against the freezing October air, maybe the most affectionate of her habits. Out loud, she said:

“I missed you.” She said?

He raised his eyebrows. He really should’ve known then and there, he was a fool, he never paid attention, she had told him he never paid attention when it mattered and yet -

“Missed me?” Disbelief. “Well there’s something I never thought I’d hear you say.”

Her smile was secrets, promises, her smile was strange, familiar, sin dripping from the corners of her lips. She wasn't here to talk but what that really meant, he wouldn't understand until much later. “Things change. I know I did.”

“Enough to tell me to go fuck myself, turn around and leave?”

Blake responded by pulling him forward eagerly, her lips pressing against his in their usual- cold, cold, so cold . She flinched when he did.

He watched her in mild confusion for a moment, saw her contemplating things he wouldn't attempt to make sense of - Blake's mind always raced a mile a minute and slowing her down never ended well for him - and when she turned, a smirk to rival his own carved into her expression, he was pretty sure he could hear his stomach drop.

Roman felt strangely hazy.

“Well, that’s unfortunate.” She ran her hand along his cheek, down his neck to his collarbone, watching him shiver in response to her touch with admiration. Then, her fingers hooked into the gap between the first button of his coat and the shirt beneath, yanking it off with no effort at all. "And it wasn't meant to happen. I'm sorry. You know I mean that, right?" It unsettled him how she was neither lying nor telling the truth.

Blake put her hand where his heart should be. He somehow wished he missed the way she licked her lips.

“I can’t read minds, Kitty", he hissed impatiently, pushing her hand away. He never intended to make her angry but then, he was angry himself now.

Her head snapped back, expression grim as she sized him up. “I thought I had it under control.”

The temptation to ask what, exactly, she thought she had under control hung heavily in the air between them. But Roman didn’t think he wanted to know.

She slammed his head back against the concrete wall behind them with so much force that it took his breath away for a few terrible seconds. Her hand fisted in his hair when he tried to move.

“Blake -”, he choked out, not sure whether to be scandalized or terrified. Blood pounded in his ears, adrenaline rushing through him while he fought the faint sensation at the back of his mind telling him to pass out while he still had the chance. His head hurt. It was cold. They weren't going anywhere for a few hours.

“As they say, never trust a black cat crossing your path.” He watched the cigar stub land in a nearby puddle after she flicked it from his fingers. Her smile deepened into something sinister, something not quite human. Roman swallowed when he noticed the glint in her eyes, the dangerous tilt of her head.

“You’re shit at remembering sayin -” The words died in his throat when she bared her fangs at him.

“Oh... fuck... me."

She laughed at his choice of words, piercing, alluring, nothing like herself before she leaned close, tugging his head to the left almost gently as she silenced him with a hand to his mouth. Her lips brushed his ear as she whispered:

“Happy Halloween, Roman.”

I should’ve known , he thought when teeth broke skin and muffled screams broke the night.

This story can also be found on AO3.

In celebration of my favourite holiday (that is not a holiday at all where I live but nevermind that), I’ve decided to post some Halloween-themed drabbles throughout the month!

Starting today please pretend that it’s still the 7th okay, you’ll get two drabbles on every date with the number seven in it (not counting the 2017, don’t get your hopes up) as well as Friday the 13th and of course Halloween itself, October 31. That makes for ten drabbles in total. They’ll vary greatly in length and quality, some will be spooky, some will be cute, most of them will be one hell of a ride.

The ships will be a surprise but if you’ve been following me for a while, you probably know what to expect.