RWBY: Grimm Slayer (Vol.1) (Male Reader x RWBY)

Chapter 23

(The City of Vale)

The next day, Ruby and Blake are shopping for camping supplies. They're heading for an expedition for the Forever Fall Forest and their grades in Survival Class end up dictating their budget for supplies in order to teach them the importance of learning and success in the profession, leaving the struggling Team RWBY quite strapped for cash.

Blake: "Can't believe we were only given 100 liens, while the other teams get like 300 or 500 liens."

Ruby: "Well, at least is better than having 0 lien, right?"

Despite the stressful situation they're in, Blake and Ruby are oddly high-spirited, able to bond over a number of different book series that they talked about while they shop for camping equipment at a local store. Blake is even surprised when Ruby mentions some of her choices as they convey much darker and complex themes that Ruby initially doesn't  seemed to be able to handle. Ruby goes a bit deeper into her own thinking on the subject.  

Ruby: "I love old stories but, when I look them up myself, I often find the originals and not the modern versions that were taught to kids which opened my eyes to how scary the world can be."

Blake listens to her respond as she continues.

Ruby: "I looked to how each story was pacified to younger audiences and found an underlying truth to them. How something fun and enjoyable can be born from something more twisted. I look at the world as something that is plagued by monsters and people like Huntsmen are the force that will slowly change that reality into a more fun and friendlier one."

Blake was quite surprised in her leader's perspective. Ruby, realizing what she said, decide to clarify her statement in a simpler version. 

Ruby: "Like, if the world is a sick patient, then the huntsmen are the doctors and nurses that will cure that sickness."

Admittedly, she doesn't articulate this quite as well as she's still not 100% able to comprehend her own thought process but, Blake learns to respect the surprising amount of maturity that Ruby has. Blake decides to challenge Ruby by asking.

Blake: "Is Weiss being so difficult to work with is comparable to your way of thinking?"

Ruby: "Oh... Uh..."

She ponders for a moment before speaking. 

Ruby: "Okay, I admit I never really thought the process would necessarily be easy. Weiss is just the first indication that this is the kind of world I'll have to work within in order to change it in the first place."

Blake: "I see. Hey, Ruby, how come we don't have Y/N join us? We could use the extra pair of hands."

Once Blake asks this, Ruby's expression turns deadpan as she looks away from Blake's gaze, rubbing her elbow.

Ruby: "He's probably busy with Yang. No need to bother him."

Blake gives off a worried look before asking.

Blake: "Did something happened between you two?"

Ruby: "We... I guess we had an argument... disagreement... yeah, that."

Blake: "You... want to talk about it?"

Ruby let out a sigh before speaking.

Ruby: "I want to a hero like in the storybooks. Y/N think heroes shouldn't exist. We argue and I get what he's trying to say, and I know he doesn't mean to insult me, but... ugh, things just got awkward since then."

Blake puts a hand on her shoulder, giving her a warm smile.

Blake: "Ruby, there's always going to be people who disagree with you and what you think. Does that make them the bad person?"