Aveline
I don't know what's happening to Ruby.
No, that's a lie — I do.
Something inside her cracked after that day… after everything.
She's gentle now. Not cold, not distant, not even for a moment when it comes to me.
She's protective in a way that hurts — like she's guarding glass that's already shattered.
When I woke up in that hospital bed, I saw everyone's faces — Mireline, Mom, Dad, Ruby's father, Max, even Grandma. They all smiled, but it wasn't real. Their eyes looked heavy, their voices too soft.
Like they were hiding something.
Like every word was dipped in fear.
Ruby was sitting beside me.
Her sleeves rolled up, red hair falling into her face, those tired red eyes fixed on me — not blinking, not moving, just watching.
She wasn't the Ruby Sun who once walked through fire with a smirk.
This Ruby… she was quieter. Softer.
Like she'd lost something she couldn't name.
"You should rest, rabbit," she said, voice rough but gentle. "Your body's still weak."
That tone — that low, steady hum — it melted into my chest like a heartbeat. I wanted to ask why she sounded like that. I wanted to ask what she was hiding. But her hand was on mine, warm and steady, and all my words died somewhere between fear and love.
Days passed like that.
Ruby doing everything — bringing food, checking my medicine, even brushing my hair sometimes when she thought I was asleep.
She never complained, never raised her voice.
Just… took care of me like I was something precious.
And everyone — Mireline, Mom, Dad, even Grandma — they kept exchanging these silent looks.
Like they knew a truth I wasn't supposed to.
But here's the thing — I'm not stupid.
And I'm not broken.
Every time Ruby touched my ankle, there was something in her eyes — guilt, maybe.
Her hands trembled a little too much when she wrapped the bandage.
Her lips moved like she wanted to say something, but she swallowed the words.
"Ruby," I whispered one night as she adjusted my pillow. "You're acting weird."
"Weird?" she murmured, her tone sharp but quiet.
"Yeah… you're too nice."
"That's a problem now?" she asked, the corner of her mouth twitching into a smile.
But it wasn't the usual Ruby smile.
It was tired. Cracked.
I reached for her wrist, felt her pulse running too fast under my fingers.
"You're hiding something."
She froze.
Didn't deny it. Didn't confirm it. Just leaned down, pressed her forehead against mine, and whispered —
"You just need to heal first, rabbit."
That was all. No explanations. No answers.
Just a wall — a gentle one, but still a wall.
I hated it.
I hated how her gentleness scared me more than her anger ever did.
Because the Ruby Sun I knew — the one who burned everything in her path — she was gone.
And this one?
She was holding something heavy behind those quiet eyes.
Something I was terrified to name.
But whatever it was — guilt, grief, or secrets — I knew one thing for sure.
I wasn't going to let it break me.
Not again.
I'm not broken, I whispered to myself. And neither is she. Not yet.
---
Ruby took me back to our villa—my house, my cage once—but now it felt softer, like someone had breathed warmth into the walls. Mr. Han, our butler, greeted us, and Leon—our husky, grown and wild with joy—came running, circling around me.
Ruby's arm tightened around my waist. Her voice came low, that dangerous, cold tone of hers, "Leon, don't. Your mommy's sick."
I looked at her—those red, tired eyes—and whispered, "What happened, Ruby?"
She only shook her head, guiding me toward the couch. Leon flopped at my feet, his tail thudding softly.
"You shouldn't scold Leon, Ruby." I murmured, barely above a breath.
---
My ankle still ached. A dull, heavy kind of pain that reminded me with every step that I wasn't the same dancer I used to be. The doctor's words echoed in my head like a curse I couldn't silence.
"Two months minimum, Mrs. Sun. No bandage removal, no over-walking. Just rest and gentle massage — nothing more."
Two months. It sounded small, but to me — it was eternity.
Ruby had been overprotective ever since that appointment. She wouldn't let me walk without her hand on my waist.
---
After a while, my ankle started throbbing again. Ruby wasn't around — probably locked up in her study. Mr. Han was in the garden somewhere, humming like always.
I bit my lip; it hurt more than before.
"Ruby," I called out softly, hoping she'd hear me. Nothing.
I tried again, a little louder this time. Still no response.
So yeah… dumb me decided to stand up.
Just a few steps, I told myself — just a few.
But the pain shot through like fire, and before I could even balance, I tilted forward—
only to land in Ruby's arms.
Her grip was firm, her voice sharp but trembling with worry.
"Are you crazy? I was coming! Why are you walking?"
---
I couldn't help it — I laughed, grinning like an idiot.
"My hubby's gonna catch me every time I fall," I teased, my voice half breathless.
Ruby just smirked, that quiet dangerous kind of smirk that could melt or kill at once, and without saying a word, she scooped me up in her arms.
"Put me down, Ruby!" I whined, kicking a little — playfully, not really wanting her to.
But instead of letting go, her hold tightened. Her arms were firm around me, like even gravity had no right to touch me anymore.
And for a second, I forgot about the pain.
Her voice dropped low, almost a whisper near my ear.
"You fall, I catch. That's how it works, Mrs. Sun."
And in that moment — with her hair brushing my cheek and her heartbeat steady against mine — I forgot about the pain. I forgot everything except her.
---
I whispered this time, softer — like the words were just meant for her ears.
"Helpless in love…"
Ruby's breath hitched, and she whispered back, her tone low and rough in that beautiful way that made my chest tighten.
"Yes, Mrs. Sun… I'm hopeless — helpless — in your love."
I giggled, brushing my fingers through her damp hair. Her scent — that faint vanilla smoke of hers — mixed with the rain still clinging to her skin. My gaze drifted to the dragon ink curling down her arm, sliding up the side of her neck. God, I was obsessed. The art, the power, the quiet burn under her skin — all of it was her.
And for the first time in forever, Ruby Sun wasn't untouchable. She was right there, close enough that I could feel her heartbeat racing against mine.
Ruby tilted her head slightly, catching me staring. The corner of her mouth curved in that smug little smirk that used to drive me crazy.
"Keep staring like that, Mrs. Sun," she murmured, voice low, teasing, "and I might forget you're injured."
I grinned, refusing to look away. "Maybe that's exactly what I want, Mr. Sun."
She laughed, the kind that rumbled softly from her chest—warm and dangerous—and pressed her forehead to mine.
"You're trouble," she whispered.
"And you love it," I shot back, giggling.
Ruby sighed like she'd given up fighting the truth, and for a moment, the world went quiet—just us, her heartbeat, my laugh, and the rain tapping against the window.
---
---
Ruby carried me to the bedroom, her steps unhurried but her hold firm—like I was the most fragile thing in the world. She placed me down on the bed, her fingers brushing over my skin with that tenderness that always left me breathless. Then she leaned in, her lips finding mine—soft, unhurried, almost trembling.
Between the kiss, I whispered against her mouth, voice barely there,
"Ruby… promise me something."
She paused, her breath mingling with mine, eyes steady on me.
"What is it, rabbit?" she murmured, her tone warm, careful—like she already knew this wasn't a small promise.
"Don't you dare lie to me," I whispered, my voice shaking a little. "Never. If there's ever something I need to know—you'll tell me."
For a moment, she just looked at me. That silence—the kind that says a thousand things. Her eyes flickered, something deep, maybe guilt, maybe fear, maybe love twisted with both.
And instead of answering right away… she leaned down again. Her lips pressed softly to mine—gentler this time, lingering—like she was sealing something she couldn't say.
When she pulled back, her breath brushed against my ear.
"I promise," she whispered.
But the way her voice trembled just a little… I knew there was something behind that promise she wasn't ready to let me see.
---
She stood up, her voice low but steady.
"I'll go change, okay? You rest."
I just nodded, watching her disappear into the bathroom. The sound of the water came a moment later — that sharp hiss that always told me what words couldn't. Cold water again. She always did that when she was hiding something inside her… when the storm was too loud to speak of.
I lay there, half awake, half fading into sleep, my ankle still aching but my heart heavier than that. The sound of the shower stopped, then silence — the kind that fills the whole room.
A few minutes later, Ruby walked back in. Her hair still damp, shirt clinging a little to her skin. She didn't even look my way — just opened the balcony door quietly and stepped out.
Through my half-closed eyes, I saw the faint glow of her cigarette in the dark — a tiny spark against the night sky. Smoke curled around her like ghosts she couldn't shake.
And I knew.
She was fighting again — not with the world this time, but with herself.
---
I stood up, ignoring the sharp pain shooting up my ankle. Every step felt wrong, but I knew this one was worth it.
The cold breeze hit my face as I walked out to the balcony. Ruby was there, back turned, smoke curling around her like a ghost she refused to let go of.
Without a word, I slipped my arms around her waist from behind — a soft back hug, fragile but full of everything I couldn't say.
She froze for a second… then quietly crushed her cigarette, letting the ash fall away with the wind.
Neither of us spoke.
The night said enough.
Then she turned, slowly, and pulled me into her arms — tight, desperate,
trembling a little. Her heartbeat was uneven against my ear, like it was trying to confess something she never could.
And in that silence, it felt like the world had stopped… just so she could breathe again.
---