Compromising Emotions

                                    

                                          


                          
Ruby both anticipated and dreaded days like today. It was the time of her weekly lunch date with Belle and she was on her way to the library. They would sit together, eat what Granny packed in a bag for them and talk about their lives. It was an amicable arrangement, which Belle seemed to look forward to, but left Ruby feeling lonelier with each encounter. She stood in front of the door; her hand braced against the handle, and took a deep breath before plastering the biggest smile she could muster. There was no need to have Belle know that anything was any different from before.
                          
"Belle?" Ruby stepped inside and found the front desk empty. She looked around and found that there was no one sitting at the tables either. She heard the distinct sounds of someone shuffling in the back and figured that Belle was probably restacking books.
                          
Ruby proceeded to walk past the aisles taking a quick glance down each, trying to find where Belle was. Reaching the end, Ruby found her stood atop a shaky ladder, unsuccessfully trying to reach for a large book. She was just about to announce her presence, when she saw Belle's foot slip from the rung and watched as she was plummeting to the ground. Ruby was never as thankful as she was at that moment for her inhuman strength and speed. She caught Belle within her arms and pulled her close to her. Ruby wondered if, being so close, Belle could feel how fast her heart was beating. Yet, when Ruby looked at her, all she found was Belle with a sheepish smile on her face. Realizing that she still had Belle in her arms, Ruby quickly set her down.
                          
"Are you alright?" Ruby asked as she ran her hand nervously through her long hair.
                          
"My goodness, I'm so glad that you were here. Yes, I am fine. Are you?" Belle noticed how her friend's hands were shaking and could only attribute it to the scare she had given her. Looking up to where she had just been, Belle felt her own fear at what would have happened had Ruby not caught her. She could not help but remember how she had suffered an exactly equal situation, but with Rumple who had caught her. Funny, she thought, how that memory had suddenly occurred to her.
                          
"Yeah, I'm ok. Wolf powers, remember?" Ruby laughed, and then suddenly realized what had just happened. "Are you crazy?!" Ruby shouted."What were you doing up so high? And why couldn't you have waited until I got here? I am a lot taller and I could have gotten you that stupid book. Not to mention, if I fell I wouldn't get hurt or nearly killed like you could have been."
                          
Belle watched as Ruby ranted about how irresponsible she had been and how badly things could have gotten had she not been there. Belle could have been angry at Ruby for shouting, but found all she could do was smile. Belle sometimes forgot how much Ruby cared about her and that her safety mattered to someone other than Rumple. She stepped forward and laid her hand on Ruby's cheek, silencing her immediately.
                          
"I'm sorry, ok? And I promise I will not do anything so foolish again."
                          
Ruby was still. Forgetting what she was just saying. The only thing that held her attention was the warmth coming from the soft palm against her cheek. She took a deep breath and reveled in the smell of old books and wild flowers which was distinctly Belle.
                          
"No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bite your head off." Ruby smiled, placing her hand against Belle's. Neither of them moved, caught in the other's gaze. Ruby was the first to pull away.
                          
"Well, how about we go and have our lunch? Being a hero works up quite the appetite."
                          
Belle laughed and nodded, following Ruby back to the front of the library.
                          
"So, what's so special about this book?" Ruby said in between bites of her burger.
                          
"Well, I'm not sure. Rumple asked me to look for any unusual volumes. Ones, I may not have not read or come across before." Belle continued to look at the pages as she ate her salad.