#aroace!ruby

[bridgyrose]

Ruby paced around the library as she muttered to herself, still not sure what she was even going to tell Blake and Weiss. Coco hadnt exactly made any of her feelings any clearer, only really muddying things up more. And yet, it wasnt like she could say Coco was wrong even if she wanted to. All she could do was pace and feel her heart race as she waited for her teammates to show. 

The minutes ticked by and soon Ruby found herself sitting down as she waited, fingers tapping against the screen of her scroll as she watched the time. An hour had passed since she texted her teammates, an hour of waiting as her nerves started to get the better of her and still no closer to having the words she wanted to tell them. A sigh left her lips and she leaned back in her chair. “Maybe this was a mistake.” 

“What’s a mistake?” Weiss asked as she walked over. “Sorry it took us so long to get here.” 

Blake nodded and sat down next to Ruby. “Yang wouldnt let us leave until we gave her our opinions on a few items for the dance. Not that she’ll really listen to us anyway.” 

“Yeah, she does get pretty excited about this stuff,” Ruby said as she rubbed the back of her head. “Though, I’m sure the dance will be fine.” 

“So, what did you want to talk about?” Weiss asked. “You made it sound important.” 

“Y-yeah,” Ruby nearly stammered with a blush. “I-I wanted to talk to you both about… us.” 

“Us?” Blake asked. “What about us?” 

Ruby went quiet as her words escaped her, not that she had all the words together. “I-I uh… I think we make a good team! And that we should… talk about… maybe spend more time together and…” her voice trailed off for a moment as she felt her heart race. “And to help me be myself again.” 

“Yourself again?”

“You mean like how you havent been focusing in class and the way you’ve been trying to avoid us?” Weiss asked. 

“I havent been trying to avoid you,” Ruby said as she looked away. “Ive been distracted and-” her words started to quiet as she tried to find the right words again. After a moment of silence, she slowly stood up. “Actually, I think this is a mistake. I’m sorry for-” 

“Ruby, what’s going on?” Blake asked as she put a hand on her shoulder. “Whatever it is, Weiss and I can help.” 

Weiss nodded and flashed a small smile. “If you dont tell us what’s going on, then we cant help.” 

“*Its not anything you can help with,*” Ruby thought to herself as she sat back down. “Its not… you cant… I’m… I’m distracted… by both of you.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I cant get either of you out of my head.” Ruby took a breath to try to slow her heart as she felt it pound again, her fingers shook as she clutched the fabric of her skirt. “Maybe I’m sick or something but… at some point I couldnt stop thinking about either of you. My heart flutters when I’m near you, my cheeks heat up, and then I-I lose focus and… and then I…I…” She stopped once she felt her words get caught in her throat, more nervous than she’d been before. 

Blake smiled and rubbed Ruby’s back. “Sounds like love to me.” 

“Its not love!” Ruby half yelled. “Its… its not love, its… its something else. I want you both close and I want to be with you both but not… I dont love you, I just like you both.” 

“And we like you too,” Weiss said, a small blush crossing her own cheeks. “And I know we both want you in our lives too.” 

Blake nodded. “Though we should start getting back to the dorm. Its almost curfew and we dont need to get in trouble again.” 

“Yeah, we should head back.” Ruby stood up with Blake, her heart no longer pounding in her chest but her blush still just as deep as it’d been. And yet, she still didnt feel any less nervous around Blake or Weiss, the two of them still in her mind as she walked with them.

Prev

[bridgyrose]

Ruby let out a soft sigh as she looked out towards Blake and Weiss, still not quite sure how she felt about what her relationship with them was. After she talked to them, they had both asked her to be their girlfriend, and yet, she didnt quite feel… right. Sure she was happy that the two wanted her with them, but the more she thought about it, the more she didnt really know what she wanted. To have them close and in her life, but everything else… 

“Everything alright, Rubes?” Yang asked. “I figured you’d be a bit more focused after talking to them.” 

“I thought so too but I… I dont know, maybe there’s something I’m missing.” 

“Missing?” 

Ruby nodded as she watched Weiss and Blake talk with each other and hold hands. “I always thought that maybe getting into a relationship would fix me and let me be like the other girls. But now that I’m with them, I still feel… broken.” 

Yang shook her head and lightly tapped Ruby’s shoulder. “You’re not broken.” 

“And how would you know that? I’ve watched how Blake and Weiss are around each other and I… I cant do the same. I dont mind holding hands, but every time I try to kiss them, it feels like I’m missing something. Like I’m not feeling the same things that they are.” 

“Maybe you’re not really into girls?” 

“No, I am, I want nothing more than to be with them. But I-” Ruby leaned forward and put her head on her desk. “I cant give them the love that they want.” 

“Have you asked what they want?” 

“Yes-” 

“I mean really ask them what they want.” Yang smiled a bit as she looked out towards Blake and Weiss. “If you ask me, I think they just want you to be in their lives just as much as you want them in yours no matter what that means. Even if that means you cant give them the love you think they want.” 

“And if they dont?” 

“If they dont, then maybe they’re not right for you. Though, I think I know how you feel a lot more than you think.” 

Ruby looked up, curious. “You do?” 

Yang nodded. “Sun’s a bit… handsy for the most part. Not that I really mind, but its not something that I go after.” 

“I dont need to hear about that.” 

“Dont worry, I have a point. My point is that I’m happy without going any further than dates and hand holding. But it did mean that we had to talk things out and figure out what kind of relationship that we wanted.” 

“Yeah, but… I… I still dont know what I want or why I feel so… broken.” 

Yang shrugged. “I cant exactly give you an answer on that one, but if you never talk to them, then you’ll always be second guessing yourself anyway. And maybe you’ll be able to figure out the words you need to tell them.” 

Ruby nodded and looked back at Weiss and Blake. “Do… Do you think you can give me a bit of privacy with them?” 

“Sure thing. Dont take too long.” 

Ruby smiled nervously as Yang walked off, not quite sure what she was going to say to either of them. Not that she really had any of the words to describe the relationship she wanted. Still, Yang had a point, she would need to talk to the two of them before things got out of hand for her. Even if it meant having a conversation that she’d much rather not have. 

She shakily got up, heart pounding in her chest as she walked over to Blake and Weiss. She held her arm to her chest, her voice quiet as she stumbled over a few of her words. “Blake, Weiss, can… can we talk?” 

“About what?” Blake asked. 

“About us.” Ruby swayed a little as she tried to keep the words going, stuttering as she continued. “I-I wanted… I wanted to talk about what you… what you both wanted out of our, um, our relationship.” 

Weiss looked at her curiously. “Where is this coming from? I thought you were happy with what we have together.” 

“I am! But I… I dont…” Ruby went quiet for a moment as she looked at her two girlfriends, her body trembling as she tried to find the right words. “I dont want sex,” was a bit too blunt and too early to try to talk about, and it wasnt entirely what she wanted the conversation to focus on. “I… I dont… I want… I want to be close to you but kissing-” 

“Feels weird?” Blake interrupted. 

Ruby nodded. “I dont mind it, but I… it still feels weird and it doesnt feel… right to me.” 

“So no more kissing?” Weiss asked. “Then what would you like to do?” 

“That’s… what I dont know,” Ruby admitted quietly, holding her arm. “I like the cuddling and being close, spending time with you both, but once it comes down the romance stuff, its… awkward for me. I cant get into it like the two of you do. I love you both but not… like that.” 

“If you cant be romantic-” 

“Then we’ll work with you on what does work,” Blake cut Weiss off and gave her a smile. “Right Weiss?” 

Weiss sighed and rolled her eyes. “Right, we’ll work with what works for you. Even if that means less romance.” 

A small smile crossed Ruby’s lips and her hand moved away from her arm. “Thanks for understanding.” 

Blake nodded and pulled her into a hug. “I’m fine with taking care of the romance stuff with Weiss. And if you’re not into it, then we’ll do what makes you feel good. No obligations on anything else.” 

“I still want to be kissed,” Weiss said. “Just to be clear if we’re making our wants known.” 

“Will hugs work for now?” Ruby asked. “I’m still trying to figure out the rest of this, but if I get more comfortable with kissing, then I’ll try to do that more.” 

“Hugs are acceptable for now.” 

Ruby giggled as Weiss winced as she pulled her into a tight hug. “Once I have better words for how I feel, I’ll let you both know.” 

“I’ll hold you to that.”

Prev

[bridgyrose]

Ruby comes out as aromantic and asexual and her team is supportive

Ruby practically squealed in delight as she rushed back into the dorm holding her small package. Sure, it had ended up costing her everything she made on her first couple missions, but since it was her final year at Beacon, she figured it was time to finally treat herself to something she’d been wanting for years. And by years, she totally didn't mean since Beacon started when she figured herself out. Ruby opened the box, pulling out two rings: one that was pure black and the other a black and green. A smile crept up onto her face as she laid back, holding the rings up and admiring them. “These came out perfect!”

“What has you so excited?” Weiss walked into the dorm, setting her things down and getting ready to study and relax. After a long week of classes, she was ready to blow off a bit of steam over the weekend. Although, Ruby's excitement had started to pique her interest. “I don't see any new weapons around.”

Ruby quickly put the rings onto her middle finger, jumping down from her bed. “Oh, I custom ordered a couple of rings and they finally came in.” She held out her hand, a grin coming on her face as she channeled her aura into them. The solid black ring lit up with small, purple etchings while the green and black one seemed to glow vibrantly. “It was worth every penny.”

Weiss still seemed a bit confused as she looked at the rings. “So… what exactly are they for?”

For a moment, Ruby paused a bit, trying to decide how she wanted to explain things. She knew Yang would have no problem accepting her, but Weiss and Blake… part of her didn't think they’d understand what it meant to be asexual and aromantic. “O-oh, well… they’re… you know… me.”

“They’re… you?”

“Yes. They’re special to me because… they show others like me, who I am.”

Weiss’s confusion still didn't fade as she looked between Ruby and the rings, trying to make sense of everything Ruby had just said. “I… don't think I understand.”

Ruby sighed and took a deep breath. “I’m asexual and aromantic. These rings… are to… you know… be able to show off who I am without going out of my way to say who I am.”

“...why didn't you just say it like that instead of being cryptic?”

“W-well… because I wasn't entirely sure how you’d take it…” Ruby rubbed the back of her head nervously as she sat down. “And truthfully, I’m worried that you’ll look at me differently.”

Weiss rolled her eyes and sat down to start studying, opening up her book. “Why would that matter? You’re my doltish partner. Nothing you do will change that. Besides, my sister is sorta like you.”

Ruby tilted her head slightly. “She is?”

Weiss nodded, pulling out a piece of paper to take notes. “Yeah. She’s never told me the specifics, but the person she’s dating… well, I’m actually not sure “dating” is the right term. The girl she’s with, they’re like friends… but… more. I don't fully understand it, but if it makes her happy, I don't see an issue with it.”

Ruby nodded slowly, looking down at the rings, smiling a bit. “So… you don't think I’m broken?”

Weiss sighed and turned around, keeping a deadpan expression on her face. “The only part of you that’s broken is the fact that you refuse to take notes and insist on doodling.”

“I focus better when I do that! And Professor Port’s class is boring.”

Weiss turned back to her book, starting to try to study again. “But anyway, at this point, I really don't care who you are just as long as you’re not trying to hurt anyone.”

Ruby smiled and quickly rushed up to Weiss, pulling her into a tight hug. “Thanks Weissy.”

Weiss shook her head and pressed into Ruby. “Dolt.”

Ruby pulled away, a smile still on her face. “I’m going to find Blake and Yang. Then I’ll study. Promise.”

Weiss nodded, waving Ruby off. “Don't take too long.” She smiled a bit as she saw a few petals float by, knowing Ruby had taken off with her semblance. She stopped studying for a moment, putting her hand to the neck of her blouse and pulling out a black ring on a chain. A small smile came across her face as she played with the ring, one she had gotten years ago for herself. “Maybe its time I quit hiding, too.”