What Remains ~ RWBY

Part 10

Ruby's P.O.V.

I wake up with a terrible idea.

Pure fucking garbage, truly.

The voices are back again. The screaming. After last night, I really thought that I'd escaped her. Today has been so perfect, like old times. But the sweat is dripping down my temples again and the crescent moons on my palms are blood red. Tears slip down my face as the images of her death flash through my mind, brighter than ever.

I just want it to end.

I slip out of my bed, tiptoeing across the floorboards as to not make a sound.

My mind is screaming, at me to go back to my room. This is insane. And yet, it worked last night didn't it? I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to convince myself everything's fine, that I don't need to do this. I don't need to make a fool out of myself. But all I see is Pyrrha's dead eyes, staring back at me.

I steel myself. I cant live like this.

Steadying my nerves, I creep across the hallway and peek my head inside his room. The door's open just enough for me to see him sitting silently on the end of his bed.

Why isn't he asleep?

The floor board creaks and his silhouette shifts slightly. I can't see his face, but I can see the shimmer of water on his cheeks.

"Ruby?"

"Yeah, its me." I whisper. I take a step forward hesitantly and the moonlight illuminates his face. He looks broken, the gold flecks in his eyes long gone again.

"Can't sleep?" I ask gently, sitting down awkwardly beside him. I don't know what I'm doing, or why I'm here. Not really.

"Nope. You?" He replies, wiping the tears from his face. I shake my head. We sit in silence, both staring at the glowing white moon outside his window.

"Hey Ruby?" He says quietly. I turn to him, unnerved by how raw his voice is.

"Do you think it'll ever go away?"

The question leaves room for speculation. Will what go away? The fear? The loneliness? The emptiness? The pain?

"I don't think so." I admit, realising that no matter what he's referring to, the answer stays the same.

"But I think we'll learn how to live with it." 

He stares at me deeply, the both of us letting what I just said sink in. It's a hard truth, but that doesn't make it any less truthful.

"So I'm guessing your nightmares are back?" He says, changing the topic and staring back at the moon.

I shrug sheepishly.

"Yeah...I don't know. I thought maybe because last night..."

"You thought they were finally gone?"

I nod.

"Well," he says, smiling gently at me, "Maybe you could stay here tonight. Being alone is kind of new to me, so I wouldn't mind the company."

He sees my expression and turns bright red.

"Oh, I'd sleep on the floor. I didn't mean..."

I laugh at his awkwardness, so childlike and pure. Such a stark contrast to everything else in our world. Its's refreshing.

"Sometimes I forget how young you are." I smile. He furrows his eyebrows angrily.

"I'm nineteen. Besides, you're only two years older than me."