Hmmmm. This is a Red Lotus fic prompted by a friend on a FB page called RWBY of Remnant. He's the Ren Admin. This is from Ruby's perspective, too. So, without further ado, here's a one-shot for you.

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Ugh. Professor Port just left us here to go to lunch. I have so much work to do. Man, this is so unfair. I mean, Weiss even helped me with some of it, and I still couldn't finish on time. I should have just asked for an extension thingy for this project. I sigh and turn around to watch the door. Movement, though, catches my eye, and I see Ren sitting in the corner, writing. What is he doing in here?

With a burst of my semblance, I make it to his side in less than a second. "Hey, Ren!" I have a big smile on my face when he looks up at me.

He puts down his pencil and the corners of his mouth lift slightly. "Hello, Ruby."

"What are you doing here?" What is he doing here? Did he not do his project? Is he in detention? Where's Nora? She's, like, always with him. Did they have a fight? Nah, I can't believe that they'd have a fight. They're too close for that sort of thing.

As if he can read my thoughts, he looks me in the eye and says, "I didn't finish my project because I was helping Nora with hers. She's currently bothering Yang about smashing things, I believe."

My smile drops to be replaced by a thoughtful expression. "Huh. Really? I thought you were, like, uber smart and all. I mean, Weiss helped me start mine and finished her own. I woulda thought you coulda gotten yours done. I mean, no offense or anything. You are smart, like I said, but you're here, and you don't have it finished. Why did you help Nora?" I was so totally rambling. I can't believe it, well I can believe it, but it's still not good. Wait, why isn't it good? I do it all the time. Is it because it's Ren? But why would that be? Huh. Confusion kind of sets in until I'm snapped out of it by Ren.

He has an amused glint in his eye, but it doesn't much show on the surface. "You know how Nora is. You have to have her keep an active part in anything, and schoolwork just isn't her forte." This is, like, some of the most that I've ever heard him talk, like ever. Wow. You know, he has a really nice voice. It's so smooth and stuff. I could definitely listen to it forever. I blush at this thought, but I don't really know why. I shake my head and try to focus.

"Oh." I look off into the distance and just get lost in thought. Wow, what was I even supposed to be doing? Oh, right, my project. Why did I have to pick the Nevermore. There's just so much research to do. Migrations, anatomy, etc… etc… Ugh. Hmm, I wonder what Ren's doing his on? I bet it's the Ursai. I have a feeling that that's what Nora's project was about, too. "Um, well, I better get back to my project before Port comes back. Uh, talk to you later?"

He offers me a small smile. "Of course. What's your project on?"

"The Nevermore." I sigh, dejected. Why didn't I convince Weiss to help me more? "Why?" Why is he taking such an interest? What is he thinking right now? He always has such a neutral face on, like he's constantly drained of energy. Why don't we talk more. I mean, Nora and I talk all the time, but Ren hardly ever joins in. Why do I want Ren to join in? Maybe it'd make it more interesting?

Ren nods at me as he picks his pencil back up. "Ah, the Nevermore. That one might not have been a good choice. You better get started if you're going to finish it within the allotted time Port has given us." He looks down at his papers and starts to write again. i guess that that's the end of him talking. I really wish that he hadn't just stopped. I really like his voice and his attention.

"Um, yeah. I'll get right on that." I slowly make my way to my chair, head hanging. I really thought that Ren would offer help or at least a distraction. Ugh. I sit down and try to focus on all of the work set out in front of me. Try is the key word there, though. I can't even focus. Man, this is really hard. I start to chew on my pencil, utterly bored. My mind is constantly wandering off to think about what my teammates are doing. What if they find my cookie stash? Will they eat them, throw them out? Oh god, the horror! I'm snapped out of my thoughts by a tap. The tap is so low that I thought I had imagined it, but when I look up, i see Ren looking around the room curiously. What's wrong? Is something wrong? Why is he just looking around? I blink as these questions run through my head. Why do I even care?

Ren's head goes back down, and he starts to write again. With that, I return my attention to my previously forgotten work. I sigh in dejection at the amount of work. I start to write, putting down the things that Weiss has practically drilled in my head. I'm about three pages into the five required when I hit a small snag in my words. I look up to see Ren reading over my shoulder. I about fall out of my seat in startlement. "Sheesh, Ren. Why did you have to go all ninja on me?" My heart is beating so fast now. Oh man, that was so scary. How'd he even learn to move that fast?

A small smile flitters across his lips. "I apologize, Ruby. I had just finished when I noticed that you're still working on yours. I just came to see if you'd like any help."

I look up at him, lost in his words as his voice soothed my quickened heartbeat. "It's fine. Just try to make some noise next time."

That ghost smile is back, there then gone is less than a second. "No promises."

I sigh. I guess that's the best I'm going to get. He leans over me, and for some reason, my heart starts to beat faster again. I narrow my eyes in confusion and just put it all aside. I have to finish this project, or really paper, by the time Port comes back. I do not want to be stuck in here with him the next free period.

I feel him let out a breath, and I blush at his closeness. "Well, it seems that you've covered most of the suff. Elaborate of the migration habits a bit, add in their main nesting locations and the mating habits and you should fill at least five pages. That should help." That voice again. How many times can it enrapture me?

I gulp, trying to hide my blush. All he does is quirks his eyebrow at me and moves away. This weird feeling is getting more and more confusing. I look up at him and give him one of my best smiles. "Thanks, Ren. That does help." Oh god, why does he have to smile now? What the heck is even happening to me? Am I sick?

Ren nods his head. "Well, I better get going. i have to make pancakes before bed."

I smile a teasing smile at him. "Nora?" He just nods again and exits the room. I breathe a strange sigh of relief, and also disappointment, at his exit. I don't even know anymore. I quickly finish the paper and put it on Port's podium before leaving the room in a trail of rose petals. I don't know what's wrong with me, but I bet Yang could tell me.

Luckily, I find her in the dorm alone. I look up at her in a small panic. She hops off of her bed with a concerned look in her eye. "What's wrong, Ruby?" She comes over and puts her hands on my shoulders.

I take a deep breath and tell her the gist of what's been going on in the past half hour or so. "And I think I'm sick, sis. What's happening?"

She looks me up and down really slowly. "So, what you're saying is that your heart beat fast when he was near you, you blushed when he got close, you were overly curious about him, and you liked his voice?" Then, she crushes me to her, cutting off my oxygen. "Oh, my little sis has a crush!" Her voice is pretty high pitched on that last word, and I swear that i just lost the hearing in my left ear, but that word keeps ringing in my head.

I tap her shoulder, our sign for her to let me go. I breathe in much needed air, gasping for breath. As soon as it felt like my whole body wasn't going numb anymore, I speak. "Crush?"

"Yep." She accentuates the p sound, dragging it out a bit. "That's exactly what it sounds like, sis." She quirks her eyebrow at me. "So, who's the lucky, or unlucky, whichever way you want to look at it, guy?"

I poke my forefingers together a couple of times. "Um, Ren." I say it so low, though, that I hope she doesn't hear me. I'm blushing just thinking about it. To think, I have a crush on Ren, the quiet guy, they guy who I have barely ever spoken to.

SHe cups her had behind her ear and leans closer. "Come again. I couldn't hear you."

I clear my throat, blushing even more. "I said Ren." This time, I'm loud enough, and the shock on her face is just disturbing.

She shakes her head and put her finger in her ear, pretending to clean it out. "Run that by me one more time, Rubes."

I take a deep breath. "I said Ren, Yang. You heard me."

The shock is still there. "Oh. Really?" The confusion and surprise is just too much for her. "I really would have thought you went for guys more like Jaune or something. You know, the dorky, self conscious, socially awkward type."

"I don't know." My voice is so small that I don't even think she heard me.

"Well, I'm happy for you, sis. Your first crush. OMG!" She crushes me to her again, and this time, I let her. This one isn't nearly as painful as the last, not cutting off my oxygen as it is. I just go with it and start to think what all of this means. I have a crush on Ren, quiet, antisocial, always with Nora, Ren. I sigh. This is going to be hard, isn't it? Why couldn't my first crush just have been on Jaune?