Cinder Falls... For Ruby Rose (ch21)

2-DAY EARLY RELEASE FOR ALL MY PATRONS! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

This will be our final chapter. I think you'll all enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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												Chapter 21. Courtship And Conclusion

Ruby wasn't often serious about many things. Of course she got very focused and intense about missions and about the safety of her friends and teammates in serious situations, but that was about it.

She didn't get very serious about exams or chores or other tasks she needed to do.

Until now.

The surprise she was throwing for Cinder was the most anyone had seen her focus on for something that wasn't life-threatening.

First it was the matter of using the obsidian she'd obtained from Salem as she'd hoped. She spent many hours in her dorm room using her amateur blacksmithing skills, along with a bit of help from her teammates, to carve and shape and prepare it as she'd envisioned.

The piece had been mostly round when Salem had given it to her, but Ruby had taken meticulous care to shave it into a particular shape and make it smooth.

When she was finally finished, Weiss provided her with a beautiful silver chain. And with a bit of fire from Yang, and with Blake's help in positioning and holding it in place, the heart-shaped necklace finally came into being.

Ruby admired her work with shimmering eyes, with accomplishment and sadness, gazing in the tiny gem which was all that was left of Cinder's childhood village. She got teary-eyed, and her teammates moved in to comfort and hug her until she'd composed herself again.

From there, it was a matter of making more arrangements. Ruby went to Ozpin to ask his opinion and permission on her idea. Amused and always willing to provide opportunities for further bonding between students of different kingdoms, he allowed it.

Team RWBY got right to work.

Weiss immediately took charge of gathering people to help set things up and gave them all their marching orders. Blake supported her and helped with whatever she could. Yang video called Neo in Haven and explained Ruby's idea, and from there Neo made her own arrangements.

By the end of the day everyone in Beacon and Haven Academy knew, except for Cinder, and that was exactly what Ruby wanted.

She called her girlfriend up that night after her plan was well underway and invited her over for the weekend as she so often did.

"I wanna take you out someplace kinda fancy," she said. "So you can dress formal and stuff!"

"Very well. I can't wait to see you again, Ruby."

"Me either!"

Ruby was all but bursting with excitement, but she made sure to keep herself in check, constantly reminding herself not to slip up or give any hints.

Throughout the remainder of the week she would text and call Cinder as per usual, trying not to mention their little date more than she needed to. As far as Ruby could tell Cinder had no suspicions. Yang informed her that Neo affirmed the same thing.

All week long Ruby's teammates and other friends helped with arrangements. It was going to be an event for the entire school, but not only theirs. Students from all Academies and all kingdoms were invited. They just didn't make it publicly known. The students merely contacted their companions from overseas via texts and calls and invited them quietly, without making a fuss.

And in this manner, by the end of the week, every student in not just Beacon and Haven, but now in all the kingdoms' Academies, knew about Ruby's surprise.

Except for Cinder.

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Cinder packed her things for the weekend in an empty dorm room. Emerald, Mercury and Neo had made plans for the day since they'd known Cinder would be leaving for Beacon on her own. So after wishing her well and saying goodbye they'd headed out.

It gave Cinder some peace and quiet for once as she decided what to wear. Ruby had told her to dress formally, but she wasn't sure if she should wear that outfit upon arrival or simply bring it to change into later.

Cinder checked the clock again. By the time her ship landed at Beacon it would be early evening. So she opted to put on her dress now and travel in it.

It was a long crimson piece that fell down to her ankles, which she adorned in ruby-red shoes. The dress had no sleeves, only straps, and dipped modestly around her collar. She'd already showered and now let her drying and slightly-curled hair fall freely across her shoulder as always.

She had everything packed already except for her panther plushie, which she gave a quick peck on the nose before tucking it into her suitcase. She sent a message to Ruby that she would be boarding her ship shortly, and then headed off.

She felt the halls of Haven Academy were a bit emptier than they usually were, or than she expected them to be. Being it was a weekend, most people were out and about, but even then she got the feeling it was quieter than usual.

But Cinder didn't dwell long on the abnormality and made it to her ship without incident, and even that was almost empty.

She rested for a while as she was flown across the kingdoms, wondering what Ruby's definition of 'fancy' would be.

The flight took several hours as always, and Cinder woke just before the ship landed, feeling rather rested. When the ship lurched in its docking she picked up her suitcase and stretched a bit before exiting.

She found it odd that there weren't very many people wandering Beacon's campus either. In fact, there was only one other person visible right now.

Ruby was standing there waiting for her, wearing a short poofy red party dress lined with black lace around the edges and frills along the short sleeves and collar. Her hair had been curled slightly and clipped back with a rose pin.

It was the most dashing Cinder had ever seen her.

But of course the formal attire was charmingly shattered by her excited, childish shout.

"Cindeeeerr!"

She shot her arm up and flailed it eagerly in a wave as Cinder stepped onto solid ground. Ruby dashed forward, nearly stumbling because of her heeled shoes, but made it to her girlfriend without falling. She threw her arms around Cinder's shoulders and squealed in delight.

"Yaaay you made it! And you look suuuper pretty! Wow!"

Cinder put down her luggage and wrapped her arms around the girl in a solid embrace. Ruby squeezed her back and gave a kiss to Cinder's cheek.

Cinder nuzzled her a bit before taking her lips. Ruby sighed and giggled, and Cinder could feel the energy pouring out of her. When they pulled apart Ruby was gabbing a mile a minute again.

"How was your flight? Did you eat something? Are you tired? Do you wanna take a little nap before we go?"

"I'm fine, thank you." Cinder smiled and picked up her bag. "There's no need. I don't want to delay whatever plans you've made."

"You sure? Okay, okay! Then come follow me! We can drop off your stuff and then I gotta make a quick stop, but then we can go! It's gonna be another air ship ride, but it won't be long! Just into Vale!"

So Cinder followed her girlfriend inside to find that Beacon was as quiet as Haven had been today. Cinder vaguely wondered if there was some sort of holiday she'd forgotten about.

"Where is everyone?" she wondered. "Haven was quite vacant as well today."

"Huh? Oh, I'm not really sure. Maybe there's like an event in town or something?"

"Perhaps."

They made a quick stop at Ruby's dorm room to drop off Cinder's bag. Ruby encouraged her to bring out her plushie and together they positioned the wolf and panther on top of Cinder's bag with their noses touching. Ruby chuckled and then kissed Cinder again before leading her out the door.

"Okay! Just one more place I gotta stop by real quick. Sorry!"

"No trouble at all."

Ruby took Cinder's hand and laced their fingers together as she led her down the halls. She paused outside a pair of large closed doors.

"Okay!" Ruby said. "It's gonna be real quick, I promise!"

"Take all the time you need, Ruby."

Ruby nodded and reached for the door with her free hand.

Cinder didn't know what she was expecting.

But it certainly wasn't what she got.

The giant doors opened inward to a massive ballroom. But unlike the rest of the school, it wasn't empty. Just the opposite, in fact.

There were tables nicely decorated lining the walls and filled with food, flowers hanging on the walls, and a large space in the middle for dancing. All of Beacon and Haven Academy seemed to be there, along with various people from other kingdoms, wearing suits and dresses, smiling as a chorus of voices rose up to meet her.

"Surprise!"

Cinder nearly stumbled in her shock, and had it not been for Ruby's excited grip on her hand she might've fallen to the floor. Baffled, her jaw dropped as her eyes scanned the room of faces, finding not only Ruby's teammates but her own as well. They waved and called out to her.

"Bet ya didn't see this comin', huh boss?" Mercury said.

"Though she almost did," Emerald scowled. "Since you nearly let it slip, you moron."

//Glad we got to see her so surprised for once.//

Everyone was laughing and smiling as they relished in their success of surprising Cinder. Not even she could keep her composure in that moment and simply blinked and shook her head in disbelief.

"Ruby..." she mumbled. "What... is all this?"

"Surprise!" Ruby piped again. "It's for you, Cinder!"

"For me? But why...?"

"Because!" Ruby grabbed her other hand so she was now holding both and pulled Cinder a step inside the ballroom. "I wanted to do something special for you, Cinder! Something no one else has ever done for you before! Something you'll remember forever and ever!"

By now music had started playing and everyone else had broken their silence to chat and eat and dance. Ruby and Cinder enjoyed a private moment alone at the side of the room.

Cinder was still baffled.

"Ruby... you didn't need to go through so much trouble. I already have so many moments with you I'll never forget."

"Same here!" she said. "But I just wanted to do something special. To show you how much I really love you!"

"So you did all of this... for me...?"

"Well, kinda! It was my idea and I got permission and stuff! But Weiss got it all decorated and Blake and Yang sent out invitations and stuff. I just kinda came up with the plan and made sure you wouldn't suspect anything." She grinned. "Oh! And I got you a little something..."

She let go of Cinder's hands just for a moment as she reached into her dress pocket. From it she pulled out a small box. Her hands cupped it very carefully and almost trembled now as she presented it to Cinder.

Cinder's heart swelled as she accepted the box and opened it with great care.

Inside was a necklace of volcanic stone, beautifully sculpted into a shape of universal affection.

She didn't understand why, but upon looking at it a pang of nostalgia and memory twinged in her chest, and tears rose up to her eyes.

"Ruby..."

"I got it from Salem," she said softly. "It's a piece of your home village."

"Ruby-"

Cinder choked. She couldn't recall the last time she'd cried – not like this. The tears spilled down freely, though she was sure to maintain a tight grip on the gift.

Their teammates noticed the moment of exchange and dutifully positioned themselves around the couple as a sort of barrier to prevent anyone else from encroaching on the private moment.

Cinder was at a loss for words. She could only whisper Ruby's name over and over in her shock.

It was painful, and yet so so wonderful. She cradled the heart-shaped obsidian in one palm as she drew Ruby to her with the other.

Ruby hugged her softly, crying just a little bit herself but with a smile on her face. She rested her head on Cinder's shoulder and stayed close.

"I just wanted you to know..." she murmured. "How much I love you. I really love you, Cinder. And no matter what happens... I'll always wanna be with you. I'll always find a way to be with you. Always."

Cinder all but whimpered as she pulled the precious girl close.

"Thank you, Ruby... I never imagined that... meeting you so long ago during the Vytal Festival... could ever result in something as wonderful as this. I am so very glad I met you that day, Ruby Rose."

She eased herself back and kissed Ruby's lips, cupping her cheek and pulling her up close.

Ruby went onto her tip-toes despite the fancy shoes and kissed her as deeply as possible in return.

The last of the tears fell as they parted, and Cinder offered the necklace to Ruby. Ruby gladly accepted and clipped it on for her.

The obsidian heart dangled just above Cinder's own, which was full and bursting with more emotions than she'd ever experienced before in all her life. She pulled Ruby in tight again, and Ruby happily complied.

At last they parted, but not for long. Ruby offered her hand and dipped forward in a slight bow.

"Miss Cinder Fall, may I have this dance?"

Cinder smiled and rested her hand in Ruby's palm.

"This one, and every one that follows."

Ruby grinned that big beaming smile that had always dazzled Cinder, and that still dazzles her to this day. She returned it with one of her own, a smile she'd never been able to show much of before she'd met Ruby.

Cinder leaned down once more to kiss her, brushing their noses together in the process so that they mirrored a certain stuffed wolf and panther.

They chuckled, then turned toward the festivities and all of their waiting friends.

Hand-in-hand they made their way forward together towards a bright and wonderful future.

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A/N: Wow! I'll admit I never thought this little monthly P-atreon reward would go on for so long and become one of my most popular RWBY fics! I'm so honored everyone enjoyed and kept reading for this long! It was so fun writing Cinder and her team being nice and wholesome.

Thanks again to my patron s22132 for the ideas and the support, and thanks to everyone who read until the end! Here's to the next story!