Conflict of Interest - Chapter 22 (Patreon)

Weiss made it to the office and sat through several appointments, but Ruby was the only thing on her mind.  Last night had been, in a single word, incredible.  Incredible, amazing, overdue, and...ill-advised.  But in that moment, with so many emotions swirling around after the trial, giving in had been too easy and felt too good.

After last night, Weiss was forced to admit that she’d gotten in over her head.  She wasn’t just meeting Ruby for lunch or events outside of work anymore; they were romantically involved.  They were sleeping together.  At least, they slept together once.

And it was incredible.

Incredible or not, she should have stopped this a long time ago or at least prevented it from progressing this far.  Now, her feelings were wrapped up in the situation and untangling them would be just as messy as it would be painful.

Did she have to?

The persistent question haunted her thoughts and ruined what should have been a day of walking on sunshine.  And, after spending the last two hours poring over her employment agreement as well as the police department’s terms of service, she had to say yes.

Yes, she had to untangle herself from the situation.  Yes, she had to stop any future romantic engagements.  Because if she couldn’t find a loophole, there wasn’t one.  And if she couldn’t come up with an argument that would save them should this ever come to light, then it was all for naught.

But did she have to?

Shaking her head, she leaned back in her chair.  While doing so, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the office window.  Her appearance was nothing unusual for a workday - a black blazer and matching black skirt coupled with a soft pink blouse.  But knowing what she wore underneath, and knowing that Ruby picked every piece, made her skin tingle and her heart flutter.

Was this what it was supposed to feel like?  Was this what it meant to ‘like’ someone?  That something as simple as picking an outfit made her feel treasured and desired?  That she could hardly look in the mirror without her heart jumping at the memory of Ruby standing in her closet?

These were just feelings.  Just emotions.  Usually, she had no problem brushing them aside and moving on.  Usually, she had no problem convincing herself that they weren’t worth her time.  With Ruby...she couldn’t escape the sense that this was really, truly special.  That if she tried to separate herself from the situation, she would hurt herself.  She would hurt Ruby.  And, realistically, she might never find something - or someone - like this again.

But her job…

Turning away from her reflection with a sigh, she looked into the main floor of the office and watched the activity taking place.  Attorneys hurried out for appointments or stood in their office doorways giving orders to the paralegals.  The paralegals rushed around completing whatever tasks were assigned to them.  Through the hustle and bustle ran a self-righteous belief that everything they did was important.

A familiar face drew Weiss’ attention away from those thoughts, as Candace caught her gaze while passing by her office.  Rather than the customary nod or brief acknowledgment, however, Candace paused and tapped her skirt before making an ‘ok?’ symbol with one hand.

Noticing the longer skirt - more appropriate for a professional but still short enough to be an advantage - Weiss felt a hint of a smile lift her lips as she nodded.  Happy with that response, Candace grinned and hurried off to complete her tasks while Weiss watched her go.

A wardrobe change was the easiest part.  What Weiss actually wanted to see was if Candace took the initiative and cut her teeth on some real work.  That was entirely up to her though.  If she wanted to be an attorney, she would take the advice.  And if she struggled…well, Weiss might have a few more easy pointers to offer.

At the moment, she was just relieved to have remembered the girl’s name.  Somehow, she knew that would make Ruby happy, and making Ruby happy made her happy in return.  That was a recurring theme though - Ruby made her feel amazing in so many ways but made her want to be better at the same time.

Ruby might be a distraction, but she was also the best motivation Weiss had ever had.  If Ruby asked for something, Weiss would do it - no matter what it was or how impossible it may be.

If Ruby was actually a motivation...why did Weiss have to let go?  She didn’t want to let go.  Whenever she thought about not seeing Ruby again, or saying that they couldn’t see each other anymore, a gaping hole opened where her heart should be.  It was the right answer, but was it the right answer for her?

Which would be worse - waking up and not having her job to go to, or waking up and not having Ruby to talk to?  Would she rather never see her office again or never see Ruby again?  Money wasn’t an issue; she could retire now if she wanted.  Besides, it wasn’t as if she couldn’t find another job.

In that case, why did she stay?  Was she only here because her father said she would never succeed without him?  Did she just like being great at something and proving him wrong?  Was becoming a partner so important that she couldn’t accept that her feelings had changed?  That she wanted something else?

She left home to spite her father.  She became an attorney to spite her father.  She became a damn good attorney to spite him even more.  What had she done for herself?

Deciding she’d had enough for the day, she downloaded the two employment documents onto a portable drive and gathered her belongings.  She knew what she wanted, and she knew it was ludicrous, but she couldn’t make any decision without talking to Ruby.

Before leaving her office, she composed a message, then double-checked and overthought it for several minutes before finally pressing send.

‘Any chance you’re at home?’

Considering the time, chances were Ruby was still at work.  If that was the case...

‘I will be in five minutes.’

The response sent a tingle of anticipation down Weiss’ spine, but she embraced the rush of emotions while typing a quick, ‘Can I come over?’

Fortunately for her burgeoning nerves, an ‘Of course!’ arrived mere seconds later.  With permission granted, she wasted no time leaving her office behind.

“Hey Weiss!” Jeff said as soon as her door closed behind her.  “Like my new partner card?”

Unprompted, he flashed the holocard in her face, but she just rolled her eyes and brushed past.

“They’re beautiful,” she called over her shoulder before erasing him from her thoughts.  She had somewhere more important to be, and more important matters to think about than his trivial promotion.  Before leaving the office, however, she caught sight of Damon and paused.

Finding him hard at ‘work,’ she ground her jaw back and forth before clenching her fist and walking to his door.  With two knocks she earned a wave inside, and she was careful to close the door behind her.  What she was about to say, she didn’t want her coworkers to overhear.

“Sorry to interrupt,” she began, but Damon leaned back in his chair and waved off the polite greeting.

“Always have time for you, Weiss.  Good job yesterday, by the way - Will was happy.  Called me personally to say what a great job you did.”

“Thank you.”

She managed a small smile, but his praise meant very little to her today.  Actually...she might have just realized that his praise meant nothing to her at all.

“I wanted to update you on Ruby,” she added as determination and certainty flowed through her veins.  This was something she’d never wanted to admit, but now she couldn’t believe she’d waited so long.  “I’ve decided that you’re right - she won’t leave the department.”

“You’re giving up?”

His brow rose, but she frowned at the word.  She hated the idea of giving up on anything, but in this case...hadn’t she given up long ago?  And, in return, gained something far better than a pointless promotion from a man and company she secretly loathed?

“It means she won’t leave the department,” she reiterated.  “Not now.  Probably never.  Her reasons for staying go beyond anything we could ever offer.”

Left unspoken, but obvious for anyone reading between the lines, was that the recruitment attempts were futile, and they should stop.  Everyone should just leave Ruby alone.

“Well,” Damon said while tapping his fingers together.  “I’m sure you made a valiant effort.  I guess you’ll be waiting for that next partner position to open up, after all?”

“Of course.”

Offering a polite nod and forced smile, she backed out of his office and left the conversation at that.  Today, his response didn’t bother her.  They both knew that she deserved to be partner based on skill alone, and they both knew that partner positions weren’t earned through skill alone.  Ultimately, why should she care?   Did she really want to become like him - an old, wealthy has-been divorced three times with children who hated him?

In denying her the chance to be partner, he’d unwittingly shown her the path to becoming a better person, not just a better attorney.  She could be successful - she would be successful - at whatever she put her mind to, but she could have a better life in the process.

It began and ended with Ruby.  Ruby, who didn’t belong in this office any more than a fish belonged out of water.  Ruby, whose desire to help others went far beyond her day job.  If there was anyone worth emulating, it was her.

Weiss’ greatest wish no longer lay in the hands of greed and power.  Now she could only hope that somehow, someway, Ruby saw enough in her to make her worth the risk.  She knew that she was difficult.  She knew that she had done some questionable things in the past to prove that she was the best.  But she was willing to change - she would change - if that meant she could have the warm, happy life Ruby’s eyes always hinted at.

Weiss’ answer would come soon enough, as her car was already waiting for her in front of the building.  No sooner had she slipped into the cabin and closed the door did it whisk her off to Ruby’s apartment, giving her a few more minutes to dwell on what she planned to say.

It wasn’t often that she felt anxious or nervous, but she couldn’t deny those were her current emotions.  After having a day to think about it, and a day for last night to sink in, and a full day to miss Ruby, she understood what bothered her so much about the goodbye they shared that morning - the way they left things was very...grey.

Typically, Weiss liked the grey areas.  That was where she did some of her best work.  That was where she cast doubt, raised suspicions, and implied that things weren’t as they seemed.  That was where she convinced people to see her way rather than their own.

With Ruby, ambiguity was the last thing Weiss wanted.  Now, more than ever before, she wanted something black and white.  She wanted to know exactly what Ruby thought about her, what Ruby wanted from her, and what Ruby expected of her.  If, by some miracle, they wanted the same thing…

Jumping to conclusions would do no good right now.  First, she had to talk to Ruby.  Then...she would have a better idea as to what came next.

As soon as Ruby’s building appeared in the distance, she slipped on her holomask - still working through the unique set Ruby had gifted her - slipped out of her blazer, and waited to be dropped off around the corner.  The secrecy was probably unnecessary, but the short walk gave her more time to second-guess her decision.

By the time she stood on the sidewalk looking up at the building, her resolve faltered.  What compelled her forward now, same as every time before this, was simply knowing Ruby was near.  Just a few more steps, a few more doors...just an elevator ride and a few floors...and they would be together once more.

Weiss had never been drawn to someone the way she was drawn to Ruby, but that was the only explanation for how she found herself standing in front of Ruby’s door, lifting her hand to press the bell only for it to unlock before she did so.  The door swung inward and, just like that, Ruby was standing there.  She was already smiling, her eyes bright and happy, and Weiss knew both of those reactions were for her.  Because Ruby was happy to see her.

“Hey!” Ruby said before taking Weiss’ hands and pulling her into the apartment.

The casual intimacy sent a tingle down Weiss’ spine, and she reminded herself to breathe when Ruby let go to close the door behind them.  That brief moment of separation gave Weiss time to remove her holomask and try to collect herself, because being in Ruby’s presence reminded her so much of last night.  Kissing...touching...laying their feelings out to be seen, felt, and heard...

“I’m glad you messaged me,” Ruby added once she returned to Weiss, reaching for Weiss’ hand yet again.  “I was about to ask if you were free, but you beat me to it!”

When Weiss opened her mouth to respond, Ruby leaned forward, pressed a soft kiss to her cheek, and backed away with a grin.  The impromptu affection erased the words she’d been about to say and unleashed another round of butterflies in her chest.

She’d never expected herself to be a butterflies type of person, but that was how Ruby made her feel.  And that feeling only confirmed how much she wanted to be with Ruby...if Ruby wanted to be with her too.

“How was your day?” Ruby asked while gently leading Weiss further into the apartment.  They were holding hands now, but Ruby didn’t seem to notice and Weiss didn’t dare let go.  Why would she let go when it was one of the best feelings in the world?

“Good.  The usual, kind of.”  God, apparently she couldn’t talk now.  “It was good,” she tried again.  “How was yours?”

“Pretty normal, except I thought about you every half second.”

Again, Ruby was far too honest.  This time, however, the admission hit Weiss’ heart like an arrow, and she knew she would ruminate on every word later on.

“I...thought about you often too,” she admitted while averting her gaze from Ruby’s.  Those pools of liquid silver were so genuine right now she couldn’t look at them without wanting to return to last night.  And she couldn’t return to last night - not yet, at least - without saying what she needed to say.

“I was thinking we could go out to dinner?” Ruby suggested after several seconds of silence, drawing Weiss’ attention back to her.  “Or we can order in and watch a movie?  We never got around to watching last night…”

When the most adorable blush spread across Ruby’s cheeks, Weiss knew she had to get this conversation out of the way sooner rather than later.  If she dawdled too long, Ruby would do something so cute or so sweet that they would spend the rest of the night speaking in actions rather than words.

“Dinner and a movie sounds nice,” she replied with a smile that grew with Ruby’s.  It sounded like a date, actually, but she didn’t say that out loud.

“Yeah?  Cool!  We can - um, do you want to go out or stay here?  There’s a few places I’ve wanted to try…”

When Ruby started pulling away to find the names of these places, Weiss squeezed her hand to make her stay.

“Before we do that, I was hoping that we could...talk.  About...this?”

The moment Weiss gestured between the two of them and worry sprang into Ruby’s eyes, she considered abandoning the conversation.  Why should they talk and potentially ruin what they had?  Why couldn’t she just leave things as they were instead of overanalyzing everything?

Because she wanted more, that’s why.  She wanted to think about Ruby, and look at Ruby, and kiss Ruby, and know that this was special.  She wanted to know that they both understood what this meant, and were both willing to accept the consequences.

“Ok…sure.”

Ruby was hesitant, but she nodded for Weiss to continue.  Before Weiss did, she took a deep breath and tried to calm her suddenly racing heart.  The effort only minorly helped, but she moved forward anyway - this time by pulling out the small memory drive and handing it to Ruby.  Curious, Ruby accepted the drive and carried it over to her computer.  After setting it on the scanner, she pulled the two documents onto the screens and stepped back to read them.

“That’s my firm’s employment agreement,” Weiss explained with a wave to the document on the left.  “And that’s the agreement you signed when you joined the department.”

After motioning to the document on the right, Weiss gave Ruby a moment to look over them.  It was only several seconds, however, before Ruby turned back to her with a questioning look.

“Page ten and fifteen,” Weiss added before watching Ruby scroll to the pages.

Weiss had already highlighted the relevant sections, and Ruby read each carefully - first, the police department’s, then Weiss’ employment agreement.  Her brow creased with each sentence, and a frown pulled at her lips while she read the strict language governing Weiss’ career.  She was smart enough to understand what those words meant, but she turned around with an expression suggesting she didn’t know what Weiss was saying.

That was why Weiss was here.  This was what she wanted to make clear.

“If we keep doing this,” she explained in a soft voice.  “We could lose our jobs.  Everything we’ve worked for...our reputations, our livelihoods...all of that is at risk.”

More than anything, she needed Ruby to understand the dangers of not putting a stop to this.  They were on opposite sides of the law, and the law was unforgiving.  They knew that better than most.

While Ruby frowned at the screen, Weiss wished that they were still holding hands.  The wait was torturous and, without that physical reassurance, part of her believed that Ruby would agree the risk was too great.  That they should call this off and not see each other anymore.

“Do you know what my mom wanted me to be when I grew up?” Ruby asked before turning around and sweeping Weiss up in a soft, thoughtful gaze.

“A detective?” Weiss guessed, but Ruby shook her head.

“She never said anything about joining the department.”  In the brief pause that followed, Ruby reached out for Weiss’ hand, and Weiss willingly offered it.  Hope sprang into her chest the moment their fingers intertwined.

“She wanted me to be happy,” Ruby whispered, her gaze never leaving Weiss.  “She said life’s too short to be anything else, and that if I find something that makes me happy, I shouldn’t let go.”

When Ruby squeezed Weiss’ hand, a soft breath slipped through Weiss’ lips.  Her heart almost hurt with happiness right now, but she needed to hear Ruby say it.  She wanted to hear the words that would change everything she’d ever wanted in her life.

“I love being a member of the department,” Ruby continued while reaching for Weiss’ other hand.  “I love helping others.  I love making my family proud.  But when I’m with you...I feel I just woke up and found out there are no more criminals.  Like the world is suddenly brighter and more exciting and I can’t wait to share it with someone...with you.”

After taking a deep breath and letting it out in a long, slow exhale, Ruby smiled.

“You make me happy, and I don’t want to let you go.”

That was everything Weiss feared yet hoped for at the same time.  Looking at their joined hands, however, she felt nothing but happiness.

Her father told her that without success, she was nothing.  He couldn’t have been more wrong.  She didn’t need success to have everything.  All she needed was...this.  This feeling swirling through her heart when Ruby smiled at her.  The warmth racing through her veins while Ruby held her hands.

Even without her job, Weiss could have everything.  Everything she’d ever wanted.  Everything she’d dreamed about that she’d never been able to put into words.  It wasn’t fame, it wasn’t money.  It was happiness - the one thing she couldn’t buy no matter how rich or successful she became.

“You make me happy too…” she admitted, her certainty expanding when joy sparked in Ruby’s eyes.  “You make me so happy...and if you want to be with me in that way -”

“I do.”

“You do,” Weiss repeated, her smile growing when Ruby nodded.

“I do.  And I know what could happen.”  Stepping closer, Ruby ducked her head to more fully meet Weiss’ gaze.  “But the way you make me feel is worth it.  You’re worth it.”

“Even though at work, I’m -”

“You’re different,” Ruby finished for her, but with a smile.  “And that’s ok.  Attorney Weiss and my Weiss are different - I’m fine with that.”

When Weiss’ brow rose at the comment, Ruby’s eyes widened.

“Not that you’re mine or anything.  I didn’t mean to like, imply possession.  It’s just that -”

Before Ruby sputtered any further, Weiss raised a hand to stop her.  In the silence that followed, a warm feeling spread through her chest - a feeling she’d only ever felt with Ruby.  Honestly, she had no idea what Ruby saw in her.  She was ornery, hot-headed, demanding, snobby, and...incredibly, incredibly lucky.

“If I agree to be your Weiss…” she replied slowly, her heart beating painfully fast.  “Will you be my Ruby?”

Ruby’s smile was more than enough of an answer.

“I’d love to be your Ruby,” she said regardless.

“Are you sure?”

“Are you trying to convince me out of it?” Ruby replied with a laugh.  “Because you can’t.”

Under ordinary circumstances, the suggestion that Weiss couldn’t do something was enough to make her go out and prove the naysayer wrong.  In this instance, however, she was more than willing to accept defeat.

“Ruby…”

She couldn’t fully believe this was happening, but she knew it was what she wanted.  Reaching up, she touched Ruby’s cheek and smiled when Ruby beamed back at her.

“Your Ruby,” Ruby whispered, making Weiss’ heart stutter while she leaned in for an overdue kiss.

As soon as Ruby’s lips met hers, any worry about getting caught or fired flitted away.  Instead, her mind was consumed by thoughts of Ruby - how she felt, how she tasted, and what her words meant.  She agreed to be Weiss’, and Weiss would be hers.  They wouldn’t deny these feelings or this attraction between them.  They would accept it and the risks that came with it.

“Besides,” Ruby whispered in Weiss’ ear before smiling at her.  “Maybe I’m overconfident, but I don't think anyone will find out if we don’t want them to.”

Running her fingers through Ruby’s hair, savoring every bit of closeness between them, Weiss laughed.

“That sounds like something I’d say,” she pointed out before pulling Ruby’s lips back to hers, feeling a rush of energy when Ruby greedily returned the kiss.

When she thought about it, Ruby was right.  If the two of them put their minds to something, who could outsmart them?  But, regardless of what happened, there was no one she’d rather take this risk with than Ruby.

Her Ruby.