Ruby sat up in her hospital bed looking at the bouquet of roses Rosita, the angelic healer placed on the vase while the said woman listed down something on her clipboard. Geneva was peeling an apple sitting on a chair beside her bed talking to her about something Gallen gave her for their anniversary. The witch pretended to pay attention making a few remarks here and there but is currently too consumed in her own thought to really understand her friend.
"And so he did this thing we saw from a movie and it was really cute but also annoying cuz he doesn't have originality but it still melted my heart because of all the effort he placed in doing it for me." Geneva babbled while the apple she was peeling nearly lost all the flesh because of the thick peeling she did.
"Getting inspiration is not a bad thing since you are pretty inspiring." Ruby commented smiling at her weakly. Even though she's resting for two days already she still feels extremely tired and listening to Geneva talk incessantly is making her head hurt a bit.
"Aww, you're such a sweetie pie." the mage replied, handing her the plate with the sliced apple. The fruit was reduced to odd ill proportional shapes that she couldn't distinguish.
"Your vitals are fine and your injuries are healing exceptionally well. I don't think that it will even leave a scar even though it looked deep. Anyways your mana is nearly replenished but I suggest that you make no excessive movements especially those that involve combat. It's really funny how I sensed that you're dead two days ago only for you to rise up the other night crying about Adrian although he seems fine. Tell me if he was messing with you or anything I'm giving him an earful." Rosita interrupted.
"No, don't worry. We're fine. I just remembered someone I used to care for who had the same name." Ruby reassured taking a bite of an apple slice.
"Okay, I'll leave you two then." Rosita excused herself before heading out to the door.
"I hate to cut our bonding short but I only dropped by to chit chat a little. I still have a few things on my plate. See you later, dear." Geneva said before standing up and getting her bag from the bedside table.
"It's okay. I think I'll sleep a little more. Rosita was right. I really cried a lot last night, that's why I'm so tired. Take care on your way there, Gen." Ruby replied, faking a yawn.
"Okay. I will. Take care as well." Geneva kissed her cheeks before taking her leave.
Ruby closed her eyes and laid back on her bed. Manticat slept soundly beside her. According to her friend, it's been a week since the Blood Moon. Phoebus and the others haven't found the demon that 'harmed' her yet and she wished that they never do.
For some reason, even though Aleister was a great pain in the ass, Ruby still worries for him. She can't feel his presence in their bond as master and familiar but she wants to believe that he's still alive and healing himself. Ruby was afraid that he might bleed to death or one or more of his vital organs were damaged by Phoebus' lethal bullets but she still prayed for his safety wherever he is in Macedonia.
A knock suddenly interrupted her thoughts and she gave the person permission to enter her room, curious to see who it was. The door opened to reveal Phoebus, ever so dashing in his Lightbringer uniform of white coat and pants with gold accents and blue linings. Instead of his gun and weapons case, he held a paper bag of a cafe take out and a bouquet of blue orchids. A huge blush suddenly decorated her cheeks as he approached, her heart beating wildly in her chest in anticipation.
"Are-are those for me?" she mumbled, sitting up from her bed.
"No, the cake is actually for Heriette and the flowers are for Firrer who is staying in the other room." he replied with a straight emotionless face.
"Ohh." She managed to say in both disappointment and shame of her false assumption.
"I'm just kidding. These are all for you." he handed her the bouquet and placed the paper bag on her bedside table.
"Oh, hahahaha, thank you." she laughed awkwardly accepting his gifts.
"It was really hard to tell that you were joking. Your face was so stiff and serious." Phoebus seemed to take a gloomy aura at this as he stared at the ground.
"I'm not very good at socializing, especially making jokes. I can fight in groups but when it comes to talking casually I suddenly don't know what to say." he said dejected, taking a seat on the chair Geneva previously occupied. His mood made her feel guilty so she patted his shoulder and tried to console him.
"It's fine. Your actions speak louder than your words. I really appreciate you going all the way to my cottage in a monster-infested forest with a looming danger present. You're just too brave and selfless. You're strong and determined, you went all out to save someone like me who was hated by society and condemned into damnation. You're just too kind. If I wasn't a scandalous witch I would have married you already in the blink of an eye if you proposed." Ruby suddenly realized the magnitude of her words making her pale skin turn a bright shade of red. She grabbed the blanket and hid under it to hide her shame.
Why did she have to confess like that? She let her emotions get the best of her and now he thinks she's a total creep. She wanted to die right here now or to be swallowed by the ground.
"Stupid Ruby saying stupid things. That's totally awkward. I wish Zeus would just blast me with his lightning into oblivion!" she reprimanded herself under her sheets. Phoebus watched her fondly, amused by her childish charms and honesty.
Ruby pushed the blanket off of her face and looked back at him completely flustered.
"Please forget about the last part. It was a joke! I didn't really mean it! Oh my Gods, I feel so weird!" His chuckle interrupted her monolog.
"So if I proposed to you right here and now you would refuse me?" Phoebus asked in his cool and suave voice looking her directly in the eyes with an intense stare that hypnotizes her soul.
"You're kidding, right?" she asked with a shocked awkward smile. The only reply Phoebus gave was producing a small velvet box from his coat and Ruby instantly passed out after seeing it.
"Rubisviel? Ruby? Ruby!!" And she's out cold.
"Clear!! Buugshhuu!" Ruby woke up to see a beautiful golden-haired woman looking down at her, assessing her features. She had large white wings and a halo as well as an ethereal glow that blinded her for a second before she got accustomed to it.
"Am I dead? Are you an angel?" she asked looking at the lady.
"Yes, I'm an angel, dear. I'm Rosita. I was just here 15 minutes ago checking your vitals. And Narisa please put down the defibrillator, she's alive and well."
"Awww, but we never get to use this." the rabbit faunus said dejectedly before putting away the said equipment.
"And you?! You made my patient pass out. She could have had a heart attack, she's still recovering from all those fresh injuries as well as replenishing her mana. You should be more careful at playing tricks with her." the angel reprimanded, hitting the marksman with her staff.
"Ouch, sorry but Ruby was just damn cute I couldn't resist it. Don't worry, it wouldn't happen again." Phoebus apologized, scratching his head.
"It better not or I'll have Argus throw you down Pandora's Chasm!" Rosita yelled, hitting him again with her staff.
"And that is for playing with a girl's heart." she seethed before exiting with Narisa.
"I probably deserve that. Are you okay? Sorry for shocking you so much that you fainted. Here, have some water." Phoebus handed her a bottle of water.
"You really got me there. I felt my heart jump literally out of my chest." Ruby sighed handing him back the water bottle which he placed on her table.
"Sorry again for pranking you. I didn't think that you'd take it too seriously. I guess I went a little bit overboard this time." He sighed, looking a bit guilty. "Here, I kept this safe for you." Phoebus handed her the box and Ruby opened it to see her butterfly ring. A smile made its way to her lips due to his thoughtfulness.
"Thank you." She said putting the ring on.
"Uhmm, can I ask you something?" she began.
"Sure, go ahead."
"Why did you save me? We're barely friends and yet you went all the way just to save me." Ruby tilted her head in curiosity.
"Well, you were the only girl I can talk to comfortably other than my teammates because you don't whimper away from me or fawn excessively at me. You're such a good girl Rubisviel." Phoebus smiled, patting her head fondly making the girl blush pink.
"Oh, that's so sweet. Thank you." she smiled in flattery. "Uhhm, by the way, did you have any leads yet about Aleister?"
"I'm sorry, who?" Oh shit. She slipped.
"The purple demon."
"Ohh, I see. How did you know his name exactly? Did he announce it in a big glamorous speech ?"
"I guess so? He said that his minions called him that and then he came from the 7th Circle of Inferno and then he asked me if he could eat Manticat."
"Did he sexually harass you? You were very revealing when we found you and your undergarment was gone. Did he rape you before we got there?" Phoebus asked with menacing eyes.
"Oh, no, he didn't. A goblin did that but I killed it instantly. Those bastards also shot me with poisonous arrows luckily I activated revitalize before anything else."
"And the monsters did you kill them all by yourself? The cause of death of a lot of them is very suspicious. Some were tortured, some were blasted into bits, and a number of them had claw mark punctures instead of scythe slashes." Ruby's blood runs cold but she kept her cool in answering his questions.
"Well, Manticat helped a lot. I guess he went a bit wild, but while I was out cold I guess that's the time that the demon arrived for some unknown reason. I think I heard him killing the monsters and he looked so happy in satiating his bloodlust. The blood moon seemed to affect his mind greatly at the time." Well, she's not completely lying, she's just hiding the fact that she has something to do with the demon being his summoner and all. She's barely lying and not telling him about her affiliation with Aleister is called selective omission not lying. But still, she's paling a bit in the prospect of the marksman asking more questions. They say that the fish is often caught by its mouth so to keep her good image she should disclose no more information to him.
"Thank you. That is relevant information. As for his whereabouts, I presume that he went to the northern part of the empire since that's the direction where he went after I shot him. The Lightbringer squad is-- You're looking a bit pale. I should let you rest." Granger said standing up from his seat, quite alarmed.
"Oh yes. I'm feeling a bit dizzy. Maybe I should take a nap." Ruby lied, smiling weakly.
"That's good. I will leave you be for now. I'll try to visit you again soon when you're much better. Take care, Rubisviel." The witch was surprised when Phoebus kissed her forehead before leaving.
When the door clicked into place Ruby suddenly grabbed Manticat and brought him closer to her face, squeezing him in a tight hug while squealing her fangirl heart out in joy. A huge blush covered her cheeks while butterflies fluttered inside her stomach. The poor cat monster looked like he was going to die of choking constantly begging her to let him go.
"Ahhhhhh!! That was so sweet!! He brought cake and flowers and kissed me! Although I wish that he did it on the lips, but beggars can't be choosers! You're getting a new daddy Manti!" And that's how the great cat monster passed away.