I'm still caged inside

Red, Ruby, whatever's fine. Twenty-eight. Still a waitress at Granny's. Regina gave us a chance to start over, and I want to take it.

[wantedmynametostandforlife-deac]

"Yes, at this hour.” Viktor mutters, his gaze trained anywhere but on Ruby’s face. He felt guilty, though he knew he had no reason to. He should have expected it. People always let him down. “The weather’s bad, there could be an accident…it’s better if I’m there.” He pauses, finally looking at her as he slides out of the booth, making a beeline for his jacket that was hanging by the door. “I’m sorry. Thank you for the pie.”

[itsmethewolfruby]

Ruby frowned slightly, but tried not to look too disappointed. “Oh...right...” she got up as he did, following him over to the hanger. “Don’t be. Let me walk you? I’m going to lock up and I can’t sleep, anyway. Better not to go out there all alone.”

[sportyriot]

“Killian,” she said. “Wait, should I call him hook? I thought it was more respectful to call him Killian, is that weird?” she then asked, mentally recounting her conversation with Killian. “Really?” she asked, her tone tending to breach a somewhat surprised level. “I can believe you have a date, but with Graham? That’s great, Red”

[itsmethewolfruby]

“It’s not weird. I don’t think he minds Hook, though.” She shrugged. “Thanks, Snow! We’re going on a second date, actually.” She bit her lip. Should she tell her about Dr. Whale? “I uh, I’ve got one more thing to confess, but you’ve got to promise not to tell anyone, alright? I don’t even know where it’s going.”

[couplehundredyears]

"Well, there’s always hang gliding."

[itsmethewolfruby]

“What’s that?”

[princeyprincephillip-deactivate]

This is all very disconcerting. 

[itsmethewolfruby]

The last thing we need in this town are people turning into flying monkeys.

[wantedmynametostandforlife-deac]

Ruby’s answer wasn’t what Viktor wanted to hear. She saw them as friends. Friends, and nothing more. He lets out a sigh, suddenly not in the mood for pie and small talk and games anymore. “Yes, of course. Of course we are. Of course we do.” He mutters, his jaw clenching slightly. “I should get back to work.”

[itsmethewolfruby]

“At this hour?” She looked over at him, you said something wrong. Ruby fiddled with her hands. “You’re always on call, right? Can’t you stay until someone calls? We can dance again! Or...whatever you wanna do.”

[wantedmynametostandforlife-deac]

Viktor’s eyebrows knit together as he tries to think of a way to eloquently word his answer, finally stealing the answer Ruby ha given. “Because I wanted to.” He murmurs, smirking across the table at her. “Though If I’m being frank, I wanted to long before now.” He pauses, his eyes flicking down to his half-eaten slice of pie. Why had he admitted that? It was likely too much. “Are we really just friends?”

[itsmethewolfruby]

Cheater. She smirked and basically made this face,

“Well I’m glad we both got what we wanted, then.” She utters, finishing her food and setting her fork down. Now she had no distractions. She had to look at him, her eyes could no longer avoid his gaze when he admitted to wanting to kiss her for a while now. She didn’t know how to respond. Before she could, she was thinking about her answer to his question, fumbling to find the words. “I...I mean...yes. We are. Aren’t we?” Answering a question with a question. Solid. She knew she was breaking the rules, but didn’t care, dodging facing the question altogether. Were they moving too fast? Under the curse, the lines between friends and not friends, married and single, in a relationship and not, were all blurred. She didn’t ask, the people she slept with didn’t tell, and she woke up and slipped out just in time for breakfast at Granny’s. But this? This she couldn’t just treat like she would another hook-up. “I mean, of course we’re friends. We understand each other like friends should, right?”

[wantedmynametostandforlife-deac]

“It’s alright. We went over that earlier, remember?” Viktor replies, shrugging his shoulders over at her. He eats a few bites of his own pie, licking whipped cream from his lips as he tries to think of something to ask. Both forms of himself had never been any good at small talk, but there was a first time for everything, he supposed.

“Why did you kiss me back?” He finally askss, deciding to just forget the silly questions and go for what he wastruly wondering. 

[itsmethewolfruby]

“Right,” she nodded. She’d always been awful at finding a subject to talk about. Ruby wasn’t one of those people who didn’t appreciate silence. She liked it, honestly, she saw nothing wrong with two people being silent. Her ears, most of the time, had so much to focus on, especially with hearing as precise as hers.

His question caught her off-guard. She blushed, pausing for a moment before finally answering, “because I wanted to.”

“Why’d you kiss me in the first place?”

[itsmethewolfruby]

Round 2 || Ruby + Graham

When Graham asked her out again, Ruby had the perfect idea for their second date. She was Red Riding Hood for a reason, right? Carrying a basket with food and a picnic blanket, she walked to her favorite part of the woods, right beside the lake. Quickly setting up, she shot Graham a text to let him know to meet her at the edge of the forest. An expert tracker, Ruby knew she could easily find her way back to this spot. 

When he’d texted her back that he’d arrived, she was already waiting for him. “I was thinking about blind-folding you, but you can just close your eyes if that’s easier.” Ruby grinned, wanting it to be a surprise.

[wantedmynametostandforlife-deac]

"Sit, put your feet up. Let me serve you.” Viktor smirks slightly, going to get places, forks, and something to cut the pie with. “Do you want ice cream on top? Or whipped cream? What does your granny keep here?” He was sure they had both, but he wasn’t sure of her preference. As he waits for her answer, he slices two pieces of  pie putting Ruby’s preferred topping on top before he brings the plates over to where she’s seated. “For you, my lady.”

[itsmethewolfruby]

“I like where this is going,” she smirks back, doing as she’s told. “Whipped cream, for sure. I’m a whipped cream kinda girl.” She nearly winks, but offers him a grin instead, stuffing her face when he gives it to her. “Thank you kindly, sir.” She laughs, her manner of eating nothing like her choice of words. “I’m not very lady-like when I eat, am I?” She knew the answer but laughed it off, pointing at him with her fork. “You should go first. Ask me anything. I promise I shall answer truthfully.”

[wantedmynametostandforlife-deac]

"As long as we can have some of that pie you baked.” Viktor murmurs, nodding in agreement. Ruby felt the change too, but maybe they could fix it still. “It’d be a shame to let it go to waste.” He pauses, motioning towards where itt sat. “Shall I? I’ve been told I’m good with a blade.”

[itsmethewolfruby]

“Yes, great idea. You shall!” She nodded in agreement. “I’d like to see you work a blade, to be honest. I’m very rarely ever being served. Can’t say I don’t like the attention.”

[wantedmynametostandforlife-deac]

Viktor’s smile falters for the briefest second before he recovers, nodding ever so slightly. “And friend.” He murmurs as the pain spreads, reaching up to rub the back of his neck. The moment was gone now, the mood changed, and he shifts from foot to foot, unsure of where to go from here.

[itsmethewolfruby]

Did I say something wrong? Ruby’s smile faltered as well, her sharp senses noticing a change in his expression. Way to go screwing the moment up, Ruby. She decided to make things more relaxed again, lifting herself to sit on the counter and pulling him in closer. “I’ve got an idea, but I’m not sure you’re gonna like it.” She added the last bit with an air of mystery, lightening up the mood again. “We should play a game! Y’know, to learn more about each other. Like the basics. Maybe something like twenty questions?”

[wantedmynametostandforlife-deac]

He smiles at the sound of his name coming from her lips, a real, genuine smile, one that hadn’t graced his face in far too long. “I don’t think I could have stayed away.” He had braved the poor weather to see her, the food only a ruse. “You are truly something else.” Viktor murmurs, exhaling slowly. “I’m not any of those things, Ruby. I’m merely a confidant.” And a friend, though the last thought sends a pang through his chest. “I’m glad that you no longer feel that you have to hide.”

[itsmethewolfruby]

“And friend.” Ruby added, correcting him with a grin. Do friends kiss each other like that? A voice in the back of her mind asked with a scoff, though she shook it away. Dating, she could handle. But thinking about the answer to that question? She wasn’t ready to even indulge. 

[wnq-writers]

Tell me your story Not about what you did yesterday or today. About what you’re feeling. I want to know what runs through your mind. I want to wander around every corner of your heart. To feel you through your words. Tell me of your scars, your joys, your downfalls. Show me the world that lives within you. I want to see it all. I want to feel it all.

thezeediaries (via wnq-writers)

[wantedmynametostandforlife-deac]

He kisses her back slowly, and then all at once, his instincts outweighing his mind for once. Viktor’s fingers run through her hair, his hands finding the small of Ruby’s back after a few moments, pulling her body closer to his. He was lost in the moment, lost in her, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

[itsmethewolfruby]

As it got heated, Ruby pulled away to take a breath, grinning at him. “Viktor...” she plays with his name on her lips, as if saying it for the first time. They connected on a deeper level now, emotionally, they just became one and she could feel it, silently wondering if he could too. “I’m really glad you came by, y’know? I’ve been holding all of this in for so long. But now...I feel a lot better. You’re more than a doctor, you’re a miracle-worker.”

[annie-takahashi]

Yeah really. Why wouldn’t I?

[itsmethewolfruby]

I don’t know, this is just the first time anyone ever asks me out on a second date. How about I pick the place this time? I’ll surprise you.

[couplehundredyears]

Neal grinned as Ruby exuded excitement. “You are in luck, Miss Ruby Lucas. I happen to know all things about code…making and reading it,” he told her. “So, yeah…I can be your teacher. When would you like to have our first lesson? I’m free tonight if you’d like to grab a bite under the stars.”

[itsmethewolfruby]

“Oh yeah and how do you know that?” Ruby questioned, mock-accusingly. “Are you a pirate, Mr. Cassidy? Should I be worried?” She laughed, shrugging slightly. “I’m free whenever you want. Tonight sounds great. I’m off in like 5. Should I make us sandwiches to go?”

[princeyprincephillip-deactivate]

Are you alright?

No, I don’t think anyone knows just yet.

[itsmethewolfruby]

Fine. Granny’s been feeling under the weather, though.

I heard something about flying monkeys, but that’s about it.