Cinder Falls... For Ruby Rose (ch10)

I was excited to write this chapter! My patron and I'd planned it out a while ago and now I can finally bring it to life.

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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												Chapter 10. Missing The Catch

For several weeks, Ruby and Cinder kept in contact like that.

Whenever they could spare a moment to make a call or do a video chat or even send a text message to one another, they would.

They often texted before (or sometimes even during) class, during lunch breaks, and then would call before bed. It was never much they had to talk about, usually just the daily going-ons in their lives, but that never prevented them from enjoying listening to one another talk.

A sense of normalcy began to form for both them and their teammates as they get used to their leaders' long-distance relationship.

Yang and Neo kept in touch as well, though they tended to text message more than anything else. Sometimes, Cinder and Neo would video call with the sisters together for a while.

Cinder's being in a relationship greatly improved her mood overall, which both delighted and slightly terrified Emerald and Mercury respectively.

Cinder was smiling a lot more often, and almost everyone in Haven noticed. Even though she wasn't going to let her new relationship get in the way of her studies or her fighting lessons, it still had an affect on her – but one that no one minded.

Once she and Ruby had gotten used to the way their new schedules worked and figured out the best ways and times to incorporate each other into their daily lives, every day felt better than the one before.

Because in the near-distant future, there was a long weekend coming up.

Cinder didn't tell Ruby of her plans to come visit her back at Beacon, as she wanted it to be a surprise for Ruby. But she notified the administration as required, and kept her teammates up-to-date on her plans as well.

She didn't really show it – at least not in ways that anyone else would recognize – but Cinder got more and more excited with every day that drew nearer to their break from school.

And before they knew it, it was time for her to go back to Beacon.

She pulled out her suitcase and packed her clothes and necessities the night before, only planning to stay for a night or two in one of Beacon's guest dorm rooms. She had invited Neo to come along as well, but the smaller girl was suffering from a small cold, and had to refuse.

The morning of her flight, Cinder woke early, got herself freshened up, dressed in her uniform, and was ready to depart. The others woke up just before she left, pushing themselves out of bed in their sleep clothes to see her off.

"Have fun, boss."

"We'll miss ya, chief."

/Please tell Yang I said 'hi' as well./

"I will," Cinder assured Neo, gently resting a hand atop her head as the girl sniffled. She looked to Emerald. "Take care of her while I'm away."

"You got it." Emerald reached out to hug her smallest teammate from behind, resting her chin on Neo's head. "Don't you worry about a thing, chief. We've got everything covered here, so you just enjoy yourself! Have a good time!"

"Yeah," Mercury yawned. "Just give us a call when you get there so we know you made it."

Cinder dipped her head to him, then turned to the door. "I will be back in a few days. Make sure you all behave."

"No promises," Mercury smirked. Emerald rolls her eyes before giving Cinder another smile.

They saw their leader off, and Cinder headed out the door and down the hallway.

The air ship was already waiting on the dock, and she boarded and took a seat by the window. After a few moments they took off, and Cinder gazed out into the wispy clouds. The sun was just beginning to rise, coating the outside world in pinks and yellows.

She rested her eyes for a little while, knowing it would be a while before she got to Beacon. So for now, she simply daydreamed about the look on Ruby's face when she showed up at her door unannounced and gave her the best surprise of her life.

She knew Ruby would squeal and sing and bounce around, and then hyperactively begin planning out what she wanted to do and where she wanted to take Cinder around Vale. They would take another air ship to town, Ruby would give her the grand tour, they would have lunch and maybe even dinner together...

Cinder's chest felt warm just imagining it. But before long it would get to become a reality.

She rested on the ship until they were only twenty or so minutes away from Beacon Academy.

At that point, Cinder prepared herself, stretching her arms and legs and pulling out her scroll to send Emerald a message she would be arriving soon.

The ship began to lower onto the intended platform, and Cinder stood from her seat, already halfway to the door before it had even opened.

She stepped out onto Beacon's campus once more, and it almost felt like she had never left. The school was a bit less hectic now that the festival was over, but there were still plenty of students out and about.

Cinder longed to go straight to Ruby's dorm room, but she had to stop herself and be responsible. She first entered the building and headed to the administration's office to inform them of her arrival. They confirmed with Haven Academy that she had permission to be there, and they gave her a key to a guest dorm room. Cinder thanked them respectfully, then as soon as she was out of sight, all but scurried down the hallway with her bag in-tow.

She made it to the guest dorm rooms, found hers, put her bag inside and then was out roaming the hallways yet again, seeking Ruby's hallway from where she was. It didn't take very long.

Cinder made sure her hair was smooth and her uniform looked nice. She calmed herself with a deep breath, then strutted up to the designated door, calm and collected. A few other students were out in the hallway, murmuring in surprise that someone from Haven was here. A few of them even recognized her as Ruby's girlfriend.

Cinder paused outside of the door and lifted her hand to give a few firm knocks. There was a voice she only knew wasn't Ruby's that sang out "Coming!", and after a bit of rustling and rummaging, the door clicked and started to open inward.

Cinder put on a pleasant smile as two of Ruby's teammates greeted her. She recalled their names were Weiss and Blake, and both looked a little disheveled with their clothes ruffled, as though they'd been in bed all morning. Weiss was in the middle of a greeting when she cut off.

"Did you two forget- oh!"

"C-Cinder?" Blake stammered.

Cinder puffed out her chest.

"Good morning. I'm sorry for the surprise, but may I please see your leader?"

She watched as Weiss and Blake looked to one another, jaws dropping, speechless.

And then, both of them brought hands to their faces and let out a huge, simultaneous groan.

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Back in Haven, Cinder's teammates had spent the hours without her getting ready for the day, having breakfast, and making plans of what they should do on their days off.

"Well," Emerald was saying to Mercury. "You should actually do your assignments before you flunk. But with Neo under the weather, guess we can't really go out today."

Neo looked up from her seat on the bed.

/You two can go somewhere. I'll be fine./

"No way," Emerald said. "Cinder gave me the job of taking care of you, and I'd do it whether she told me to or not. Here." Emerald picked up a glass of water from the table and brought it to her teammate so she could drink.

Mercury reluctantly got started on some of his homework while Emerald made sure Neo didn't have a fever.

She'd just finished ensure her teammate was fine when a knock came on the door. She perked up and looked to Mercury.

"Cinder already texted and said she made it there, so it can't be her... Are we expecting anyone?"

"Not that I know of," he shrugged.

Emerald went to the door, putting on a neutral expression as she opened it.

"Yes?"

And her jaw nearly hit the floor.

"Hi!"

"Yo!"

Two familiar sisters were standing outside with suitcases in their hands and giant grins on their faces.

Neo couldn't scramble quickly enough from the bed to hurry across the room and throw her arms around Yang, peppering kisses all over her face.

"Neo!" Yang sighed, kissing the top of her girlfriend's head. "It's so good to see you! How's that cold?"

"Surprise!" Ruby beamed. "We had a small holiday, so Yang and I came to visit! So Neo and Cinder can show us around Haven! Is Cinder in the shower? Can I hide under her bed and jump out and scare her?"

It all happened so quickly, the sisters' surprise visit. Neo was happily occupied with Yang and neither of them were thinking about anything else in the world right now.

But it took Emerald and Mercury a moment to comprehend what was happening. Mouths dangling open, they looked at one another, then back to Ruby, beaming and bursting with excitement in front of them.

And then it finally hit them. That they would have to break the news to her.

Emerald gulped and slowly made her way over to put a hand on Ruby's shoulder.

"R-Ruby... it's so nice of you to come all the way here, but..."

And so she explained exactly what Weiss and Blake were explaining to Cinder hundreds of miles away in Beacon.

Evidently, Cinder and Ruby had gotten the exact same idea to surprise one another with a visit for the long weekend. And they'd missed each other by a few hours.

As soon as everyone knew what had happened, Cinder and Ruby called one another to apologize and laugh about it all.

Cinder decided to fly back to Haven as soon as possible so she and Neo could show the sisters around Vale. Ruby happily agreed to stay put until she arrived.

So Emerald and Mercury invited Yang and Ruby in to get them settled and wait for Cinder to come back.

After thanking Weiss and Blake, she turned and started heading back to the administration building. She explained the situation and handed back the key to her guest room, before going back outside.

Cinder went back to the air ship docks to wait for the next flight. She let out a long sigh, but there was still a smile on her lips, amused by the little incident that she and Ruby had both thought along the same wavelength.

It was definitely something they'd all be laughing about for a while to come.

Before long, another ship docked, and Cinder stepped on board. She texted Ruby and let everyone know she was on her way back. Ruby replied that they were all eagerly waiting.

Despite the morning's mishaps, she was still smiling.

She'd get to be with Ruby soon.

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A/N: I thought this was a really cute idea, to have them try to surprise each other and miss. But don't worry, they'll see each other next.

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