Two For One

Chapter 6

Yang finished up her last order of the night at 11:40pm. The moment she was ready, she slipped the pizza bag off the back of her bike and brought it inside as she clocked out. She moved fast, deliberately trying to avoid the sight of the boss.

She'd fought for weeks to end her shift early tonight. Normally, she wouldn't finish up until 2am or later, but she wanted to be there at midnight for Ruby's birthday. It had been a huge point of stress for her for weeks, and she didn't want it to turn into a huge argument right as she left.

Luckily for Yang, the door to the boss's office was closed. Unluckily for whichever poor soul was inside, as the shiny nameplate of Cardin Winchester could only be seen on the closed door whenever he was reprimanding an employee.

Reprimand was far too kind of a word. Yang decided that screaming at was a better description of what usually happened behind that closed door as she slid back over her bike, fastening her helmet on for the last time that night.

Within a few minutes, Yang found herself in her parking spot in the apartment parking lot, right next to Ruby's car. She smiled at the sight. For once, she was going to come home on a Friday night to a still-awake Ruby, or at least she hoped so.

Once she entered apartment number 636, Yang found her little sister fast asleep on the couch, TV still running.

"Wakey, wakey," Yang said, closing the door behind her and hanging up her helmet and coat.

Ruby did not stir. Yang smiled, creeping over closer to her little sister. She glanced up at the clock. 11:55 pm. Oh, she was totally going to wait this out.

She waited, sitting on the ground next to the futon, bouncing her eyes back and forth between the clock and the sleeping face of her little sister.

11:56 pm.

11:57 pm.

11:58 pm.

11:59 pm.

Yang smirked, readjusting so she was now crouching on the ground next to Ruby.

12:00 am.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUBY!" she yelled at the moment the clock changed.

"WAH!" Ruby screamed, tumbling off the futon... and directly into a laughing Yang.

"Happy birthday Ruby!!" Yang repeated, hugging her still-startled sister close.

"Yaaaaang!" Ruby exclaimed, trying to push away. "Why'd you scare me like that?"

"It was just too easy," Yang replied, ruffling her little sister's hair before finally loosening her grip.

Ruby huffed before looking at the clock. "Oh wow, it really is my birthday."

Yang laughed again. "You really thought I just screamed happy birthday at you for no reason?"

"I fell asleep like... three hours ago, maybe?" Ruby blinked, her eyes suddenly growing wide. "Penny! I never replied!" She scrambled back onto the futon, fumbling for her scroll in the messy blanket.

"I'm sure Penny will understand that you just dozed off," Yang replied, giving Ruby a small smile before standing up from the ground. "Speaking of, do you want to open your present from her now, or in the morning?"

Ruby tossed her scroll back aside after finishing her message to Penny. "Now!" she exclaimed excitedly, jumping off the futon and bouncing up and down.

"Easy there, squirt. Let me go get the package and the cards." Yang wandered towards the kitchen area, where Penny's package and Qrow's card had sat since their arrival last week. Yang's card had been added to the small pile, but there was no sign of Yang's real present. She scooped them up in her arms, carrying them back over to the futon. "Sit, sit," Yang instructed, taking her own seat on the futon as Ruby sat down next to her.