Unique Love

Ruby Invites Elsa to her Place

That afternoon, Elsa walked from the Convent where she was staying to the diner to see Ruby. The brunette immediately ran outside when she saw her. "Hey, you!" She greeted her. "Let's go to my place." They walked arm and arm to the inn next door. "My granny owns this place too, but we let someone else manage it now. I have my own room." She walked up the stairs and unlocked one of the doors. It looked like an unkempt hotel room. Near the door, Elsa saw a kitchenette and two chairs around a tiny, magazine-cluttered table. A TV hung on the wall, perfectly situated for viewing from the unmade queen-size bed against the wall. "It's not much, but I'm hardly ever home 'cause I work a lot."

"It's cozy," Elsa told her. "Good thing you have all afternoon off today."

"Nah, I have to go back at three. This town is so small, we have trouble staffing people. Can I get you something to drink?" She opened the mini-fridge. "I have a lot of different energy drinks. You like cold brew coffee?"

"What is that?"

"Cold coffee in a bottle. Here." Ruby handed a glass bottle for Elsa to try.

The blonde took a sip and grimaced.

"I'm guessing you've never had coffee before?"

"It's so bitter!"

Ruby took the bottle from her. "It is, at first, but you get used to the taste." She drank the coffee. "I need the caffeine if I'm gonna work later." The brunette looked into the fridge. "What about a smoothie?"

"Sure." Elsa took the plastic bottle of green liquid from Ruby and drank. "Much sweeter."

Ruby drank the entire bottle of cold brew, then sat on her bed. She motioned for Elsa to sit beside her. Elsa hesitated. Ice shot out of her hands, making her smoothie thicken. "It's okay, Elsa. I don't bite." The blonde set down her drink at the table and sat beside Ruby on the bed. Snowflakes softly cascaded from the ceiling and the blonde felt her lower body dampen. A snowflake drifted into Ruby's hands. "That's a neat trick. Can you show me something else?" After thinking for a minute, Elsa created a tiny ice sculpture of a wolf. When Ruby saw it, she gasped.

"I saw a wolf the other night," Elsa explained quickly, "And I thought it looked really cool."

"I didn't know you were such a talented artist," Ruby told her.

Elsa looked into Ruby's pine-colored eyes. "Can I use your bathroom?"

"Sure." Ruby pointed to the door.

Elsa used the bathroom, feeling ashamed by having unexplained feelings about Ruby. She washed her hands and looked in the mirror. What am I, some kind of freak? I'm supposed to be the queen of Arendelle, not some demon ice witch. I should be leading my people and be keeping better tabs on my sister. Instead, I'm lost in a strange land with this...fascinating woman in the other room who somehow understands me like no one else.

Elsa opened the bathroom door and found Ruby asleep in the middle of the bed, leaving no room for Elsa to sit beside her. Thinking that Ruby needed her sleep, Elsa decided not to disturb her. The blonde took one of the chairs at the table, finished her smoothie, and watched the sleeping brunette. She needs her sleep with all the hours she's worked.

Ruby rustled above the sheets, almost as if she were chasing something on all fours.

The full moon probably wore her out, too. I don't want to tell her that I know she's a werewolf. If she wants me to know, she'll tell me. I hope she understands that she can trust me. Ruby, you're wonderful to me. It doesn't matter that you're a werewolf. What's different about you makes you special.

Just before Ruby's shift, Elsa walked over to the bed and gently shook the brunette. "Ruby. You should get up now. It's almost time for you to go to work." Ruby stayed sleeping. Elsa squeezed her hand, and Ruby immediately sat up on the bed.

"Hey! Why'd you do that?" Ruby rubbed her hands together to warm them. "You sent a shiver up my spine."

Elsa looked down at the floor. "Sorry. It's just that you'll be late for work."

"Oh," She yawned. "I fell asleep. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I know you were really tired."

Ruby left the bathroom door open while she touched up her makeup in the mirror. "I shouldn't be sleeping when I have a guest."

"I didn't mind." Elsa blushed a deep shade of red. "You looked cute."

Ruby put on her shoes. "If you liked it so much, you could have let me sleep."

"But the restaurant. And your granny."

Ruby took out another bottle of cold brew to drink on the way to work. "I can deal with my granny."

"When can I see you again?"

"Um. Is tomorrow night okay? I'll be closing the diner."

"Sure."

"Then, come by after nine. It'll just be me there."

"Okay."

They smiled at each other before leaving the apartment and parting ways.