Lovely (Ruby x Dyrroth)

twenty-five

The five of the entered the house together, and Ruby was hit by a sudden wave of joy. Everything looked so familiar, as if nothing had changed since the last time she'd stepped in here. She was truly glad to be back. 

'Guys, you have no idea how thankful I am that none of you are hurt,' said Lesley with a tone of immense gratitude, turning to Ruby, Kagura and Harley. 'If you were, I'd never forgive myself for not being able to stop those wretched demons from taking you.'

'Lesley, it wasn't your-' Ruby and Kagura began to say indignantly, but were both interrupted by Harith. 

'Do we really have to talk about that?' said the white-haired Leonin, looking sympathetic but a little irritated too. 'Isn't it all in the past now, Lesley. If anything, you should be glad they've turned out okay instead of blaming yourself for what happened. Even if I wasn't there, I'm pretty sure none of it was your fault.'

Lesley bit her lip, looking conflicted. 'I know I couldn't have done anything,' she said. 'But sometimes I just wonder if I really was trying my best. Maybe I still could've been more useful even if I wouldn't have been able to save them.'

'Stop it,' said Ruby firmly. 'You're great enough as you are, Lesley. Let's not talk about that again.'

'Yeah,' said Harith. Then, suddenly, he broke into a wide grin. 'Also, Harley,  you said you would tell me about your experience in the Abyss earlier, right?' he asked excitedly, leaping over to the amber-haired kid and grabbing him by the wrist. 'Come on. You're not allowed to do anything till you've told me the entire story.'

Harley shot him a defiant look, and Ruby saw his gaze self-consciously drop to the boy's hand around his wrist. 'Harith, I wanna get some sleep first!' he protested, sounding embarrassed.

'Nope, that's not happening. Tell me about everything that happened first. I can't believe you got to experience something so cool and didn't take me with you.'

Ruby, Kagura and Lesley stared at the two boys with matching withering looks. Ruby knew that Harith was only slightly younger than, but it certainly didn't look to her as if he were any more mature than Harley was. 

 Lesley turned to Ruby and Kagura, an expectant look on her face. 'So, who's gonna sleep on the couch and who's gonna use the guest room?'

'I'm taking the guest room!' blurted Ruby, making Kagura shoot her an 'are-you-serious?' look. 

She grinned sheepishly at her friend. 'Actually, on second thought, Kagura, I'd be fine with taking the couch. After all, you're only gonna be staying here tonight, right?'

'Yeah, all the more reason why you should sleep in the guest room,' answered Kagura wryly. She swatted Ruby's shoulder. 'Just take the guest room, Ruby. Trust me, you don't wanna be sleeping on a couch in the same room as Harith.'

Confusion must've flickered across Ruby's face for a brief moment, because Kagura gestured to the smaller couch in a corner of the living room and Lesley spoke up, 'That red sofa is where Harith usually sleeps whenever he stays the night here.' Then, much to Ruby's surprise, she lowered her voice and added in a cheeky tone, 'sometimes I catch my brother cuddling with him, too.'

Ruby and Kagura both looked appalled. 'Lesley, I don't think that's something you're supposed to know,' hissed Ruby in an undertone. 

Lesley hid a snicker behind her hand. 'Yeah, I know,' she said a little sheepishly. 'Not my fault they've been failing to be secretive about it, though.'

Ruby blew out a sigh through her lips, smiling wryly. 'Well, I'm gonna go take a shower, since I haven't done that in precisely a hundred years,' she said. 'I probably stink.'