Get on with it!

Today was a special day. Not that Yang and Blake have been basically inseparable throughout the entirety of the previous week, nor the fact that they have slept with you in the same bed for just as long, with sleep completely optional of course. It wasn't about being worshiped by the thousands of redeemed White Fang you spirited away to Menagerie, nor the claiming of their current High Leader Sienna Khan, though obviously that one was very high up on the to-do list that you wanted to fill in as soon as possible. It wasn't even the peaceful tranquility of the Beacon Cliffs overlooking the Emerald Forest at sunset. No, today was special for a simpler, more honest soul.

"Hyaaaaa!"

Ruby brought Crescent Rose down upon you with a shrill battle cry, the mighty scythe crashing upon an upheld crossguard of Adam and Eve with a resounding clang. You could feel the kinetic energy ripple through your body, a testament to her hidden strength, the ground beneath your feet splintering with a spider web upon impact. Ruby didn't let up on her advance, though. With a spinning flourish, she presses the attack, swinging and carving with precision accuracy that challenged even your enhanced reflexes. One particular swipe nearly took your head, save for three minuscule strands of hair that fluttered away in the wind. With the Vytal Tournament fast approaching, Ruby was quick to approach you to help her train more after the group exercises with her team. The experience was truly exhilarating.

Two more swings came for you, both aiming for your legs which you effortlessly avoid with a backstep. It was then that Ruby swings one more time down upon you, her scythe plummeting like a waterfall only for you to step forward, catching the shaft with your shoulder and pressing yourself as close to her as possible without making contact.

"Don't let me get within your guard," you chastise whilst poking her forehead, earning an embarrassed eep from the startled Rose.

She bursts into a flurry of petals as she calls upon her Semblance to put some distance between you, stumbling slightly with her landing a scant few meters away. Her arms wave about comically while she tries to regain her balance, pouting cutely as you giggle at her expense.

"Quit laughing at me you big bully! You said you'd help me train, not make fun of me..."

"I know I know, I meant nothing mean by it," you say apologetically between chuckles. "Really though, you're still too impatient. When you're with your team, and even on your own when you fight one of your peers you're just fine, but against me it's almost like you lock up and anxiety takes over. You rush in as if to get it over with as quickly as possible and it leaves too many gaps in your form. Habits like that will cost you your life. Something you want to talk about?"

You already knew the answer, having picked up enough hints along the way. Prom night was definitely telling, but you still wanted to hear it directly from Ruby herself. A deep blush colors her cheeks, making her almost as red as her hood. Her mouth flaps momentarily as if to say something, but just as quickly as it came, it was gone with a shake of her head. Her gaze hardens into streamlined focus as if the warrior inside was taking over. In retrospect, you'd go so far as to say the normally quirky, adorably awkward girl had become intimidating.

"No, you're right. Let's keep going."

If the look wasn't enough of an indication, the tone in her voice certainly was. There was a serious side to the young Rose Bud as well, the side who wanted more than anything to be the greatest Huntress in the world, and she had fully resolved to prove it to you. In the blink of an eye, she was gone, vanished from thin air with a flurry of rose petals. Your intuition screamed at you to duck and you promptly obeyed, narrowly dodging Crescent Rose as it passed overhead within a hair's breadth, but she didn't stop there. Planting the head of her scythe into the ground, Ruby struck once more with a drop kick, the heels of her boots impacting heavily against your hasty guard. The shock sent you skidding backwards, but before you could respond, she was gone again. That's when it dawned on you exactly why in the show she skipped ahead two years.

"So this is what she's like when she gets serious," you muse to yourself. "Looks like I touched a nerve. I'd hate to see her truly angry. She might even give Yang a run for her money."

Were it not for your enhanced senses, you would never have been able to track her scythe through the dizzying array of flourishes she sent your way. She was relentless in her ****, battering down upon you with tireless abandon, yet not a single movement was wasted. Her skill and expertise with such an unwieldly weapon was shining through in spades now that she wasn't allowing her crush on you to cloud her judgement. It brought a smile to your face, knowing she was more woman than girl after all.

Deciding to match her, you too vanish from the spot with a twist of your heel. It was her turn to be pressed onto the defensive as you began your counter attack, your katars a blur of jabs and thrusts that poked at the old weakspots you had brought to her attention mere minutes ago. She caught on quick to the lesson, keeping Crescent Rose tight to her body and making full use of the shaft (no pun intended) to batter away your blades before you could find your mark. A quick study; her Uncle would be proud.

Back and forth the two of you went, the thunderous crashing of your blades echoing out across the Emerald Forest below, the glint of steel flashing against the setting sun. With each passing second she pressed harder, moved faster, and inched closer and closer to finally landing a hit on you, yet always seemed to be just within an inch short. Sweat was beading upon her brow from the vicious pace of your spar and you could see fatigue setting in, yet still she pushed herself ever onward, ignoring the pain and weight in her limbs. Did she always have this kind of stamina? The only other person you could think of that could endure such a drawn out bout was Pyrrha, and she'd trained for as long as she could walk.

Curiosity growing, you allow the duel to continue long past your intended stopping point and take a focused look at her soul itself. Much to your surprise, and in contrast to her weary body, her Aura was only growing stronger, brighter, and more potent than ever before, a glorious energy that mirrored your Divine smiting of Grimm back at Mountain Glenn. That's when you saw it, the imperceptible yet distinct flashing of silver light in her irises. Her bloodline was awakening right here and now in your spar.

You couldn't help it. This milestone in her development as a Huntress distracted you long enough for her to take advantage of your lapse in focus. Time stood still as you watched her slip within your guard with an uppercutting swing of Crescent Rose, the razor-sharp tip coming to rest gently against the underside of your jaw. It was your turn to sweat, as well as internally chastise yourself at your own oversight as Ruby looked up at you, her heavy panting doing nothing to quell the triumph in her eyes.

"Finally... gotcha..." she manages to say in between gasps.

"Looks like it," you manage to say with a mutual smile, composing yourself as best as you could to maintain appearances.

She giggles at your admission, following shortly afterwards with stumbling into your chest in a daze. Catching her was awkward to say the least, what with an oversized scythe sandwiched between you two, but with a bit of reflexive shifting, you manage to respectfully place Crescent Rose on the ground with one hand while cradling your sparring partner against you with the other. With some backpedaling, you manage to lean up against a nearby tree and sit down, allowing her to lay back against you as she caught her breath. Out of instinct, you wrap your arms securely around her and over her shoulders in a comfortable hug, one she eagerly returned as she nuzzled her face against your arm.

"This feels nice..." she hums against you, eyes closed.

"Yeah..." came your simple answer.

It really did feel nice. Pure, innocent, simple and unspoiled. This was Ruby, a young girl blossoming into a strong and beautiful woman, still yet untainted by the horrors of her world. It reminded you of memories back when you were her age, eyes still wide with wonder and ambition, ready to take on whatever the world could throw at you and make your dreams a reality. At least Ruby would never have to deal with the fatal error that was a 9-5 lifestyle that ruined your own dreams back home, yet you couldn't argue further considering how drastic of a turn your life took when a certain Deity came knocking about in your head. Without Him, this adventure of yours would be nothing more than a fantasy that could only come to life through written word, and Ruby would forever remain a fictional character on your computer screen.

A pang of guilt suddenly strikes you as you ponder your feelings regarding Ruby Rose. Just what were your intentions with her, exactly? Obviously you didn't just want to make her another addition to your harem like so many of the other girls, otherwise you would already have done it, and even then it wasn't as if you treated those girls like meat anyway. Most, if not all of them you could say you cared for genuinely, especially Emerald and Pyrrha who not only readily accepted your true nature but in the case of the former, was also carrying your child. Blake too would soon be carrying, and you worried Ruby would react poorly when she found out about your man-whoring.

Why did you even worry about that in the first place when reality could be whatever you wanted it to be? Isn't that what a God would do? Disregard any and all consequences simply because he could render them moot with a snap of his fingers? Shake the etch-a-sketch like it never happened? So why then couldn't you approach her with the same level of detachment like you did everyone else? This conundrum was quite frankly baffling to you, even when in reality you already knew the answer. Ruby was simple and honest, it was what you loved about her, and you wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible. But also then again... a part of you really wanted to ruin that innocence and see her "O" face...

"Hey Michael? What's poking me?"

Her voice cuts into your thoughts like shattering glass, and sure enough you could feel yourself stiffening against her back. Crap! Why did your thoughts have to wander to something lewd now of all times?! You nervously glance down to find inquisitive silver eyes staring back up at you. At least she didn't seem mad, but she was expecting an answer.

"Uh... that's just... uh... my gun!" you blurt out abruptly.

Her face lights up.

"Ooooh a gun? Can I see? Can I? Can I?" she asks eagerly.

Stupid!

"No!" you answer, a bit too harshly if the hurt on her face was any indication.

"I mean..." you backtrack with a sigh. "I'm sorry, I mean it's just... private..."

She giggles cutely at you.

"I'm just messing with you," she says happily. "I know what a penis is."

"... eh?" you say dumbly.

She fixes you with a pointed stare.

"Hey! Yeah I'm awkward with people but that doesn't mean I don't know the difference between girls and boys..." she says with an embarrassed pout. "Besides, I wouldn't even bring it up if it wasn't with someone I like- EEP!"

She catches herself midsentence, slapping her hand over her mouth as if it would change things but the thought was already out in the open. You could feel she was getting ready to bolt, so you hug her tighter to you, boner temporarily forgotten.

"Wh-wh-wh-wh-what are you doing?" she stammers out, unable to shake your embrace.

"Stay," you say quietly in her ear.

"Al-... alright," she relents.

A deep blush colors her cheeks and she hides her face in your chest. She was too adorable for her own good, and to think not even minutes ago she could take your head off. Was this really the same girl? No of course she was. What kind of ridiculous question was that? She was a vicious warrior on the battle field, but here in your lap her innocence and inexperience showed itself in spades. Despite growing up with a girl like Yang, Ruby remained relatively unspoiled, and you found yourself with the monumental task of introducing her to a lewd, new world of adult love. She trusted you this much at least and you doubted she was as close with anyone else beyond family. This natural power you held over her both excited and frightened you. If you wanted an opportunity to ease her in gently that would secure her eternal devotion to you, here it was.

"Michael? Do... do you like me too?" comes her shy and timid question.