Limelight (Ruby Rose fan fic)

One

The first time I met Ruby Rose I was standing on the kitchen counter having a hard time trying to change a light bulb. She came in through the garden door and she caught me like that: with my arms above my head, my breast almost poking out the neckline of my tank top, jeans placed lower on my hips with the waistline of my panties clearly visible and part of my lower belly tattoo exposed. In other words, looking terrific (ironic mode on) With her eyebrows raised in surprise she looked from my bare feet, all the way up through my long legs, noticing my tattoo, and then staring at my face before asking:

- Hello?

I was petrified, my mind went blank and my mouth dropped open... I mean... suddenly I was in front of an amazing beauty: Ruby Rose herself and her hypnotic eyes standing six feet away from me. I swallowed hard and answered:

- Good morning Miss Langenheim – because even when I'm about to pass out because of an unexpected surprise I can be very polite.

I already knew that she was in good terms with Liz, she told me that they were neighbours and they became friends while she decorated Ruby's home. Liz is an interior designer in LA and a good one if you ignore her tendency to overuse the last trends and neutral tones that I find so boring. We met accidentally in my hometown when she was on holidays in Spain, both running across the beach sand. In order to avoid the collision and prevent her from stepping on the wet sand (I'm very polite, do you remember?) I moved to one side at the exact moment she was doing the same. We bumped into each other and a wave soaked our trainers.

After having a drink in a close coffee shop and chatting for two hours we found out that we had a lot of things in common and we became friends. Sometimes happens like that, you just met someone and it feels like you know her your whole life. During the two weeks Liz was on holidays I took her to every interesting place and monument and we share our life's story.

She was taking a break to travel through Europe after years of putting up with wealthy celebs and actors, fickle persons that change their minds every few minutes so decorating the smallest room turns into a hell. I explained her how 8 years of dealing with my abusive ex-boyfriend led me to fight with the usual consequences in such cases, after working up the courage to leave him: panic attacks, food issues, insomnia, depression and years of therapy trying to get back the cheerful girl that I had once been. I was feeling better lately but it was clear that I needed a change in my life and stay away from my dramatic family. They're lovely but they almost drove me crazy worrying about me.

Liz took a rapid decision. She's like that, she acts and never thinks about the consequences; I don't know how she's managed to survive this whole time without getting in trouble. She hired me as her personal assistant and she invited me to live with her in LA. After three months, it has been proven that it was a good idea. I have a degree in History of Art and I serve as the perfect counterpoint for her excessive tendency towards last trends with my love for antiques, colourful fabrics and carpets and noble materials. I introduce a little touch of European style influenced by Italian and French old palaces. Our mixed styles have enabled us to be a smashing success and our friendship has reached a new level, making us inseparable.

Friends without benefits, I'm afraid. Well, I'm not denying that maybe on a couple of occasions we've been fooling around and making out on the sofa, after drinking too much in some nightclub, but I have no intention of having a serious relationship and it may be that, thanks to my asshole ex-boyfriend, I'll never be ready for that. I've never been into one-night stands: first I need to know a person and establish and emotional link, going out dinner, dancing, talk about things... just to think about all the effort involved makes me feel tired. If you had asked me years ago I would've answered you that I was bisexual but now I've stablished a new category: I'm lazy-sexual. Yes, it's a thing.

Where I was? Oh! Yes, on the kitchen counter and with an extremely beautiful Ruby Rose looking at me in shock. That was the right time Liz chose to enter the kitchen, preventing me from making a fool of myself, God bless her.

- Hey Ruby!!! – She's so exuberant and effusive every time she opens her mouth – How did your European DJ tour go? Iselen honey, have you finished playing the hottie electrician role? Is the lightbulb fixed?

- I think so Liz, I've followed those Internet instructions you gave me. Turn on the light please.

As soon as she did what I had requested, the lightbulb was lit over me surrounding me with a halo.

- And then there was light - I said smiling.

- Great honey, now get off the counter and clean it please. Why don't you offer Ruby a piece of your delicious Red Velvet cake with berries? I may even take a piece too, a big one.

"You two have a sweet tooth" I thought to myself while I took the cake of the fridge. I could hear Ruby sitting on a stool behind me when she said:

- I'm vegan – "I know beautiful, everybody knows, believe me. If aliens have Instagram access in outer space, they know it too" But as I said I'm very polite so I answered:

- And I'm lactose intolerant, which is close enough. Don't worry, this cake is dairy free, refined flour free and sugar free. You can eat all that you want.

A genuine smile played across her face, so beautiful that she almost missed the opportunity of trying the cake because I almost dropped the plate on the floor due to the shock.

- I'm Ruby Rose.

- I'm Iselen, personal assistant of this rude friend of yours that forgot to introduce us before.

- What? – Said Liz with her mouth full of raspberries and vegan cheese - I thought you'd already done it.

Shaking my head I placed a generous portion of my Red Velvet cake in front of Ruby and I handed her a fork. She asked me:

- What it says? – Seeing my confused expression she specified – your tattoo, the one that was poking out your underwear.

Oh! That tattoo. I could have told her but I didn't want to miss out on an opportunity to show my lower belly to Ruby Rose so I moved close to her, unbuttoned my jeans and I let them slide a little down my hips, showing my dark red lace panties (thanks God that day I wasn't wearing granny underwear) I let her read the sentence placed a little above my pubis in beautiful cursive handwriting:

- "I do not take prisoners" – Ruby read with her lovely accent, then she looked into my eyes and smiled again – Good to know it. Cake is delicious, by the way.

"Look who's talking" I thought to myself.