War of Hearts [Gang!Calum AU]

Part 1

Part 1

As soon as the door opened, Ruby couldn't even bring herself to flash a smile to her soon-to-be sister-in-law as she stormed into the house, demanding an aggravated, "Where is he?"

Crystal sighed, shutting the door behind Ruby as she ran her fingers through her blonde hair and said, "Backyard."

Ruby walked through the house towards the back of it, hearing the dogs let out a bark in greeting as the heels of her boots clicked against the sleek wooden floorboards. Her muscles were tense with frustration and worry, knowing that while her brother was alive and breathing, he still put her through intense worry because of his stupid actions. It's been years but Ruby would never not worry about him. Even going to school in a different state had her always wondering over Michael, checking in on her older brother and while her life was a lot more subtle than his, he'd do the same. And after the passing of their mom when Ruby was a junior in college, her dad already gone years prior, their sibling bond grew all the more.

Still, Ruby wished Michael would stop voluntarily putting himself in life or death situations.

Stepping out to the backyard, Ruby squinted her green eyes against the sunlight, immediately catching sight of Michael peacefully resting on the hammock hung between two trees off on the side. With her lips pressed together and exhaling sharply, Ruby made her way over in purposeful strides, the soft grass silencing the sounds of her heels as she approached him. Michael lay with his tattooed arm over his eyes, letting the sunrays soak into his pale skin, headphones in and completely unaware of his sister looming over him.

Irritatingly pouting her lips, Ruby stepped took a step away before gripping the hammock with both of her hands, Michael still oblivious, and mustering up all of her strength with a sharp inhale, gave it a violent turn. She jumped back, watching in satisfaction as her big brother let out a startled yell before flinging off the hammock and landing on the grass with a painful groan.

She stood over him with her arms crossed over her chest, making her feet tall in her 5'5" stature as her six foot tall brother looked up at her from where he lay on his stomach, glaring against the sun. While the scowl on his face would send practically every person in town running away, Ruby merely scowled right back. "What the fuck did you do that for?" Michael demanded, the anger and annoyance clear in his grunt as he pushed himself up, movements ever so slightly sluggish as he stood to his full height, towering over her. "You do know I'm injured, right?"

Ruby scoffed, unfazed. "You've been worse," she pointed out matter of factly, knowing he couldn't argue with her. She tilted her head to the side, frowning. "Let me ask you, Michael—you are living to see your wedding day, right?"

Michael's lips curled in annoyance. "Of cou—"

"Then why would you put yourself in the literal line of fire just days before it?" Ruby burst out, staring at him in incredulity, giving a shake of her head as if she didn't understand his thought process. Most days, she didn't.

Michael let out a sigh, rolling his green eyes that matched Ruby's. "Trust me, Rubes, Crystal's given me an earful already—"

"As she should," Ruby cut in, the glare returning to her face.

"—But no one else was available to make the drop and it was supposed to be a milk run," Michael continued through her interruption, brushing the grass off his thighs. "How was I supposed to know it'd be an ambush?"

Ruby's expression fell flat save for the dubious raise of her eyebrow. "Do I really need to answer that? You know what you do, right?"

Michael smirked, though Ruby failed to see how the circumstances called for that. "Why do you think the Sabers are down ten men?"