The Cursed Heart and The Hopeful Light: Ruby Rose x Male Human(RWBY)

Musical Magic

My eventual return to classes was one welcomed by both RHSN and RWBY, and even JNPR showed up for the festivities. As I stood outside the door to the room Professor Goodwitch had let us use for my welcome back party, Ranger stood next to me.

"I know you're not one for parties and being around people, so you don't have to be here if you don't want to," she said.

I zipped up my leather jacket and let out a deep breath.

"Ruby's on the other side of this door. And I know she'd be disappointed and would be dragging me through those doors if I don't," I said.

Ranger lifted her eyebrows and nodded, knowing that I was right. I took a deep breath, and decided I was going to go all in with this. I threw the doors open, and walked through with a swagger like I had just robbed a king blind.

"Gonna take more than a fall to keep me down," I bragged as applause ran through the room.

Ruby ran up to me and wrapped me in a hug.

"Haly! You came!" Exclaimed Ruby.

"Haly?" I questioned.

Ruby let go of me and blushed a little, holding her arm.

"Oh, yeah. I came up with a little nickname for you... do you not like it?" Asked Ruby, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

I gave her one of the first genuine smiles I've had in a long time.

"I like it," I said.

Ruby lit up and wrapped me in another hug.

"Yay!" She cheered.

The party started, with a cover band that they likely found on campus providing music. Ruby pulled me over to the makeshift dance floor and stood next to me as everyone else around me started dancing, except Ranger of course. Ruby stood with me in the center as we looked in each other's eyes.

"So, do you want to dance?" Asked Ruby.

"I don't really know how to dance," I answered.

Ruby took my hands and brought them over to her.

"That's ok, no better time to learn than now," said Ruby.

As Ruby and I went to start dancing, I heard the sound of a string snapping and a small noise of pain. I looked over to the stage and saw the lead guitarist holding his wrist. Ruby and I both walked over to the stage and saw that when the string snapped, it had slashed the guitarist's wrist.

"Let's get him to the medical ward," said Ruby.

Yang and Weiss took off with the boy and the rest of the band started talking.

"What are we gonna do? We need a guitarist for all our music," said the drummer.

I overheard their conversation and remembered that I had my guitar sitting in my dorm. I made up my mind and walked up to the band.

"If you guys need a guitar, I can fill the role," I offered.

The band looked at me skeptically, and I sent Ruby up to get my guitar.

"Are you even good at guitar?" Asked the Drummer, a little cockily.

Ruby must have used her semblance to get my guitar because she was already back. I threw the guitar sling across my back and plugged into their aux.

"Fingers fail me not," I thought to myself.

As soon as my pick struck that first string, it was like I was riding a bike. My fingers flew across the neck and my pick hand hit the strings more precisely than a sniper. Even after almost a year without playing, she was still in tune and I hadn't lost my touch. The entire band's jaws hit the floor as I let the last chord fade out. They all looked at each other, before focusing back on me.

"You need to get on stage now," said the Drummer, now a believer.

I nodded as I walked out on stage with them. The bass guitarist showed me the music lineup and the gods must be smiling on me for once in my forsaken life, I knew every one of them practically by heart. The drummer counted off for the next song and I was in perfect sync with them from the very beginning. It felt good to rock out like this again, it had been so long since I had done this. As I looked out unto the group before me, I saw them all with an air of compassion and enjoyment surrounding them. As I reached the guitar solo that the band had lined out for this song, my focus was firmly taken by a certain hood laden girl. My genuine smile mirrored in her silver eyes matched her own, and as I stared into her mythical eyes, any focus on my guitar was gone, but even so my fingers did their own thing, not even slowing down. As I struck the last chord for my solo, returning to the tune of the song, I stepped back from the edge of the stage, gesturing with my head for Ruby to join me on stage. Ruby hesitated, as though she was asking if it was really alright for her to do that. We finished the song and the band looked over to Ruby, beckoning for her to join us as well. The drummer began to count off again as I helped Ruby onto the stage. When the tune filled her ears, she recognized the song instantly, being handed a microphone by the band's lead singer. Ruby hesitantly took the microphone, as we approached the beginning of the lyrics, Yang giving her a look and hand signal that said 'Go for it'. At the perfect moment, Ruby started to sing the lyrics to the song, and together we rocked through the night. Ruby sang nearly every song we played and I played my guitar enough I was worried my strings would fall apart with any strum. This was the greatest night I have had in years, and it was all thanks to Ruby. As our last song of the night rang through the air, I leaned over to Ruby and left a light peck on her cheek to thank her. Her face turned redder than her hood, and a light murmur through the teams and Ruby looked over at me with an innocent smile. The song ended and Ruby walked right up to me, looking up at me with her innocent, yet scheming smile.

"If you're going to kiss me..." she started over the microphone.

In a sudden and unexpected moment, Ruby grabbed my shirt and pulled my face to hers, my lips landing on hers. She held us there for a moment, and as she trailed away my head tried to follow her, craving more of her kiss.

"...you should at least do it right," finished Ruby.