Mild Ruby/Sun. Mafia AUish.

Glass exploded in a shower of metal and shrapnel as the bomb went off.

Windows were thrown open as neighbours stuck their heads out to gape at the smoking crater in the middle of the street. Ruby slowly peeked out from behind the counter. One hand reached up, gingerly inspecting her face as she swept her eyes over the interior. The rainstorm of glass left a couple of shallow cuts on cheek, with the exception of one deep gash near her left temple.

"Oh my god." Ruby ran a trembling hand through her hair. "A bomb? Did I sell mouldy bread to a mob boss?" She couldn't have… though there'd been one man draped in a heavy, leather coat who bought a day-old loaf a couple of weeks ago.

An assassination attempt over a bread? Death by wheat can't be a good way to go.

That absurd thought sanded off the edge of hysteria building inside her. She got to her feet and gazed blankly at the carnage visible through her windows, or the lack of them.

Bodies were strewn across the road like bits of coloured confetti from a party popper. The air was thick with smoke, accompanied by the nauseating smell of burnt rubber. Before Ruby could stop herself, she stumbled out of her shop and onto the sidewalk.

There might be survivors, her mind insisted when she tried to turn back. The injury she sustained flared in agreement, and she stood there, momentarily dizzied by the pain. Ruby gritted her teeth. Fighting the urge to lay down, she let go of the streetlamp and forged on.

The body furthest from the wreckage drew her attention. It lay sprawled on the step between cement and tarmac, both legs twisted in odd angles resembling weathered vines. Ruby moved in to inspect the body, eyes watering when a strong breeze swept smoke and ash in her direction, and prayed she wouldn't spew the contents of her stomach.

She dropped to her knees. "Hey, can you hear me?"

The man – no, woman – let out an agonized groan. A set of eyes, dulled amber rimmed with black, fluttered open. To her dismay, they shut just as quickly, and stayed that way. Ruby raised her head, coming to eye level with a pair of feline ears, furred insides caked with blood.

The thought of being a Faunus and getting caught in the radius of a bomb made her wince. Her ears already stopped ringing but if the explosion had affected her at a distance, she shivered to think what it felt like for someone with ultra-sensory perception.

"At least you're alive," She gently ran her fingers over the woman's coat. "I'm sorry I can't say the same for your friends."

The thick, sturdy material had protected most of the woman's body. Singed rather than outright burnt, it was likely she'd stepped away from vehicle before it exploded. "You have the devil's own luck." Ruby muttered. The force had thrown her against the ground, thus the legs, but at least she survived.

A thorough once over revealed no other injuries save for minor abrasions on her exposed arms. Ruby contemplated on moving her somewhere safe to give her a more thorough examination, but she want to worsen the condition her feet were in. She didn't want to cripple a woman due to a hasty decision.

The uneasy silence draped over the street was abruptly chased away by the distant roar of engines. A rumble of thunder foretelling the snap of lighting that would split the sky in two. Personal experience told Ruby these arrivals would be just as dangerous. Windows were quickly slammed shut, as if the owners heard her thoughts.

Ruby wished she could disappear just as easily. Whoever did this to her would have no qualms about finishing the job. She looked down at the injured woman, a miniscule part of her screaming expletives, stoking the urge to dump the woman like a sack of rotting potatoes.

"Christ, I hope I know what I'm doing."

Too bad it wasn't in her nature to leave someone who needed help.

Ruby hoisted her as gently as she could. The woman loosed a pained, whinnying gasp which elicited a prick of guilt, but there was no time to waste and she ignored her conscience as she briskly made for her shop. The main interior was devoid of areas to hide in so she burst into the kitchen, mentally going through every cabinet and storeroom large enough for shelter.

Her eyes caught on the burnished door half her size squeezed between two refrigerators. I keep the flour in bags, there should be enough space to lay her down.

After the woman was safely secured, she shut the door with a quick twist of the knob and returned to the kitchen with a small bag of flour in tow. She destroyed the trail of soot by throwing flour where appropriate. She rubbed the remaining flour on her face and clothes and took a moment to breathe when she heard footsteps.

"Come out. We know you're here."

A man's voice. Pinching herself to calm her nerves, she hobbled out of the kitchen, trying her best to look disoriented.

A group of men – four in total, the butt of their guns jutting from their coat pockets – stood waiting. They looked worse for the wear, their suits covered in rips and tears. Two had patches of blood on their chests, still wet. It only served to make them more menacing.

Ruby cleared her throat. "Are you with the police? I can give you my statement now, if you'd like. I was baking when I heard a bomb go off," she gestured to her face, "I tripped into my shelf. Not the best reaction, but at least I'm in one piece."

The tallest man, sporting eyes like red rubies, glowered at her. "You left footprints. We followed the trail in here," he said. "A child could have come up with a better excuse."

Ruby internally shrieked. Stupid! How could she have forgotten?

"I'll be gentle if you tell the truth." He feigned ignorance, his thunderous scowl replaced with a plastic smile that made him look like a mannequin. "Are you hiding someone?"

Ruby was the picture of innocence. "Yeah, I'm hiding dust bunnies in the back. Want one?"

His smile fell. Qrow was right. Her sass was going to get her killed, and today was that day.

"Kill her." Red-eye barked. "Find whoever she hid and finish the job."

His men burst into action. They were blindsided by an apron as Ruby dived behind the counter. She reappeared with her trusty shotgun, flashing a smirk at the three stooges who froze in at the sight of it. The first gobsmacked idiot was reduced to meat chunks, the bullet spray blasting through his bulk and out his back in a burst of crimson fireworks.

She made a face. The bloodstains were going to take forever to scrub off the tiles. Honestly, with all the turf wars and gang fights in this city, she'd thought people in the trade would spring for a bulletproof vest. Or something thicker than tanned leather. It was an untapped market waiting to be exploited.

Red-eye howled with rage. It stopped short of a animalistic roar and was ridiculous rather than intimidating. She would have laughed but this place would be her grave, they would be the ones to get the last laugh. The remaining men fell back at his order and begun firing at her.

They probably hadn't expected a civilian to pull a gun on them, let alone fire without hesitation. Ruby smiled helplessly. Thanks for the lessons, Uncle. Having a family member who worked as a drug hustler was finally paying off. They were overly paranoid and extremely violent when threatened, Qrow most of all.

She ducked behind the counter to avoid the spray, and poked her head up when they paused to change their magazines. "Come at me like real men!" she hollered, hoping they didn't have another bomb, or enough smarts to raze her bakery to the ground. Her insurance didn't cover getting burnt to crisp.

One of the remaining lackeys threw himself on the ground to avoid her gunfire. His head was promptly crushed when the rope holding the overhead sign was severed by a stray bullet. A fitting end. The last man joined the rest, half his face shaved off, the result of failing to roll out of her line of fire.

It was then Red-eye sprinted toward her, closing the distance in a frightening burst of speed. She stumbled back as he neared, trying to take aim.

Ruby raised the muzzle of her shotgun but it was knocked aside as he threw himself over the counter. Her attempt to brain him with the butt of her gun failed when he easily leaned out of the way, and he caught her by the collar, lifting her with one hand till her toes hovered above ground.

A heavy fist smashed into her jaw. Pain blossomed, bright and wild like a naked current. She had no time to breathe he threw punch after punch, whaling on her exposed face. Between his gravelly snarls and her pitched screams, Ruby's flailing hands caught the flesh of his neck. Digging her fingernails in, she pulled.

The world spun like a kaleidoscope as she was dropped on the floor, bullet shells digging into her ass. Her nose was busted, one eye swollen shut from the intensity of the beating. "Lesh my haw isnd boken," she mumbled. Never mind, it was definitely broken. She wanted to cry. Dental in this city would cost an arm and leg, she'd have to sell a minimum of three hundred croissants.

Red-eye's clumsy attempts at stemming the bleeding proved unfruitful. It seemed doing anything with a hole in your throat was kind of difficult. On par with trying to touch your elbow with your tongue. Ruby took one look at the mass of bloodied flesh in her palm, and ewwed.

As she watched him fumble to put pressure on the wound, an idea popped into her mind. Maybe she could make neck armour while she was on the run? She'd probably make a fortune.

BANG.

A shot rang out. It was a single clear note that ended the chaos. Red-eye dropped a puppet with its strings cut, brain matter oozing from the hole in his head. If her jaw didn't feel like crushed glass, Ruby would have whistled. It was a clean shot. And merciful, because having part of his throat torn away probably hurt like a menopausing bitch.

She stumbled to her feet and found herself greeted by the sight of an entire entourage of people in suits. When had they gotten here? Watery eyed and concussed, Ruby tried to gather her bearings, wheezing horribly through her broken nose. Her face grew numb, which was welcome despite the possible severity of her injuries, returning her enough sense to focus her gaze on the newcomers. Catching sight of the logo emblazoned on their breast, she shivered.

A snowflake, the tips alternated with the colours gold and black. Ruby raised her hands, trying to make herself seem non-threatening. Terror welled within her chest, threatening to spill over. It was just one terrible situation after another, but with this particular crew, Ruby knew death was imminent. She stared down the barrels of a sea of machine guns, staying as still as she possibly could. But to her immense relief, she wasn't immediately torn apart by a hail of bullets.

Just as she mentally reviewed her last rites, a man with sand coloured hair stepped forward. Her eyebrows rose as she took in his outfit, delicious looking abs visible between the sinking neckline of his shirt, before her eyes snapped to the curved, yellow tail behind him.

She put two and two together. "Shez un herr," Ruby managed to say, pointing to the kitchen.

The man gave her a tight nod, and the machine guns trained on her were stowed away. He followed her into the kitchen, and bless his heart, said nothing when she nearly slipped on the flour covered floor. Ruby opened the door to the flour room, revealing the woman she'd hid.

The man lurched forward. "Blake!" Cradling her head in his arms, he looked back at Ruby. She faltered under the intensity of his stare and rubbed her arms.

"Thank you." The emotion behind his words cemented the thought that she made the right choice. Ruby nodded, trying to smile. She winced as blood dribbled down her chin, becoming aware of the state she was in.

"Ren," the man called after they walked out, everyone in the vicinity honing in on the limp body in his arms. "Give the lady some first aid, I'm rushing Blake to the hospital." His shoulders were tense as he stared down at the woman called Blake. "Scarlet, report back to Weiss. She'll want to know."

Weiss… Ruby cocked her head. Now why did that name sound familiar?

The man with styled red hair turned and stalked out of the door. Or what was left of it. Ruby fidgeted as the remaining people clad in black scrutinized her, conversing in a register too low for her to hear. Or maybe it was because her ears were still ringing.

Another man dressed in a prim looking suit approached her, a tiny green dragon on his left cuff and a pink one on his right. He held a first aid kit. He – Ren? – gave her a gentle smile that instantly put her at ease.

Gesturing at her to sit, Ruby felt a wave of embarrassment as her legs dangled above the floor. It wasn't that large of a distance, but in the presence of someone nearly a head taller, it stung her pride. Ren rummaged through the kit and spoke in a calm, lilting tone that could put her to sleep.

"You are quite brave."

Ruby cocked her head. "Auh am?"

He chuckled. "You could have left her for dead, or given her up when they asked. The fact that you didn't speaks volumes of your strength of character." He prepared a cotton swab, dabbing it in the small jar of alcohol. His movement was quick and precise, like a bartender transferring liquid from shaker to glass.

Ruby mulled over his words. A contemplative air settled around them. He was giving her too much credit, she thought. She just did what any empathizing person would. This city was home to wretched folk, but it didn't mean bravery, justice, or courage were lacking in the rest of them. Still… it was nice to know she'd managed to save a life. Even if the woman belonged to a terrifying group capable of plunging Vale into chaos with a mere flick of a finger.

Red-eye and his crew hadn't been in Ruby's good graces from the start. The type of people who saw fit to set off a bomb in the middle of a street net them her disgust rather than respect. If it hadn't exploded at such a peculiar timing, that was to say, after midday, when crowds were thin and children still saw four beige walls and a chalkboard, the casualties would have been immense. To kill innocents for the sake of few, those were the lowest of scum.

It'd been how her mother died. Ruby wouldn't wish that fate on anyone. The Schnee's employed underhanded tactics, but they followed a code of honour that included never hurting civilians.

Ren was careful as he disinfected her various cuts and bruises, even setting her nose after she pointed it out. Unluckily for her, the gash on her temple required more than just a thorough cleaning. She doubted the small jab of morphine he'd given her wouldn't be enough to dull the feeling of a needle barbing flesh.

"This will sting," Ren warned as his hand hovered above her. Ruby whimpered, earning her a quiet laugh. "Sorry," he said when she glared. "Hold still. I'll do my best to make this as painless as possible."

Predictably, Ruby passed out. He'd tried his best but it was simply too much. Ruby's last thought as she succumbed to the darkness was, Oh well… at least I get to catch up on my sleep.

Indeed, the life of a baker slash business owner was tough one.

Weiss, as it turned out, was her Uncle's boss. It was no wonder the name sounded familiar, she'd heard him grumble about her when he occasionally got dead-ass drunk.

Another thing she'd discovered was that he was no ordinary drug dealer. Ordinary didn't deal with the head of a entire mob, ordinary was hanging by the corners of the street peddling vices in tiny plastic squares. It turned out Qrow oversaw a vast majority of individual peddlers, though he sometimes partook in similar jobs.

Ruby needn't have worried about her dental, after all. Her medical fees were fully paid, her recovery spared no expense.

When she'd protested to the special treatment, Qrow lightly slapped her shoulders, sporting a bemused expression. "You saved Weiss' trusted aid. Paying off your bills is nothing more than chump change. Her coffers are loaded, kid, how did you expect her to pay me otherwise?"

His gravelly laugh made her roll her eyes. "It just doesn't feel right." She told him as they exited the hospital.

Today had been her last check-up. The past two months had been spent recovering, holed up in a private hospital with a fancy name she couldn't pronounce. It'd been mind numbingly boring but she managed to make the most of it.

She managed to draft a number of good ideas, new recipes to try. Her business was probably going to suffer when she reopened – especially with the rumour mill working overtime about her run-in with violent mobsters – so she needed to make something so delicious it would be impossible not to come by.

"What was it your dad used to say?" Qrow scratched his chin as they crossed the street. "Oh yeah. Good deeds deserve a reward." He ruffled her hair, "You work too hard. The money she gave you will last a long, long time."

"Wait." Ruby halted in the middle of the sidewalk. She tossed him an incredulous look. "What money?"

"Your reward money. She sent it straight to your bank account, no need to worry about the specifics." He pulled her along, resting one hand on her shoulder as they weaved through the oncoming crowd. "That's not the only thing. She also –"

"Uncle Qrow!" Ruby squeaked. "She's already forked out a ton for my medical expenses!"

"Ruby, you're dealing with the boss of the mafia here." Qrow replied, thoroughly enjoying how his niece was reacting. She was a spitting image of Summer, in more than just appearance. "Two thirds of the city is in her pocket. She runs a protection racket on her rival's home turf, and they can't do crap about it. Distribution of–" Ruby put up her hand.

"You couldn't say no." She concluded with a small sigh.

"Not that I would have." Qrow shrugged. They took a turn down the next street where Ruby's bakery was located. The familiar sight of her neighbourhood provided her with a feeling of ease. She had missed this place.

"Weiss also paid to renovate your shop." He pointed. "Look."

Her bakery looked better than ever. The scorch marks on the road still remained, but everything else after the pavement had been touched up or entirely replaced. That was the only feasible assumption considering how untouched it looked. Uncle and niece crossed the street, and the closer they got, the more it dawned on Ruby how her benefactor had gone overboard.

She gaped at the enormous sign stretched above the length of the shop's display window. It was ridiculously ornate, entirely out of place, and most importantly, "This looks too freaking expensive!" Ruby wheezed, "Your boss had someone nail a work of art over my shop?!"

"Relax, it didn't cost much." He put a cigarette between his lips, lighting it. He drew in a breath as he waited for his niece to settle down. "Sides' no one refutes the boss's orders."

"I can't believe this…" she muttered, "I better not find the interior replaced with white marble or solid gold." Qrow's answering smirk only served to rile her further, and they both entered the shop after she spent several more seconds stewing in slight apprehension.

Once inside, she found herself relaxing. Thankfully, everything looked normal. The insides were an eerie replica of the previous, and it hit her that Qrow might have known she'd throw a fit. He must have provided references to base their work on.

But one thing stuck out, and it was the smartly dressed man leaning against the counter top. Ruby eyed him in mild curiosity before her uncle spoke.

"Wukong?" Qrow said, a hint of surprise in his voice.

A sleek yellow tail popped up from behind him, causing Ruby to start. Now she knew why he looked familiar.

"Nice seeing you again, Qrow." Wukong inclined his head in a polite greeting. "What are you doing here?"

"Escorting my niece. You've been glued to Blake ever since the rescue op. Didn't think I'd see you here of all places."

"I came to thank the owner." The faunus turned to her, smiling. "Hi! I'm Sun Wukong, one of your Uncle's buds." Qrow rolled his eyes. s

"Oh!" Ruby waved her hands, "There's no need to thank me, helping your friend was honestly no trouble at all." She paused. "If you exclude being shot at."

Sun smirked. "Don't worry. They won't be bothering anyone else." The glee in his voice was almost palatable, and Qrow grunted in agreement. "They moved against Weiss, which was enough reason for her to wipe them from the city. The Grimm no longer exist."

Ruby mulled over the information. The Grimm were a notorious high profile group. Bank robberies, murderers for hire, they had fingers in every seedy underworld operation, according to her uncle. If she'd felt guilty about painting the wall with their guts months prior, she certainly wouldn't feel any now.

"I'm sorry you had got caught in the crossfire, though." Sun said, rubbing the back of his head.

Ruby returned his smile with a casual shrug. "Anybody who lives in Vale would be caught in something someday. I count myself lucky I didn't end up in a body bag after what happened." Sun nodded in agreement. The lady was certainly right about that.

Ruby mulled over her next question, deliberating on whether to ask. She didn't want to be nosy. But curiosity got better of her and she prodded, "I hope your friend doing well?"

At the mention of the woman she'd saved, the man brightened considerably. "Blake's recovery has been great! Weiss and Yang have been mothering her the entire time, so she's kind of miffed about that. But as her brother, I can tell she's enjoying the attention." He chuckled.

Qrow must have sensed her confusion. "He's adopted," her uncle supplied.

Ruby rounded on him and slapped his arm. She looked absolutely mortified. He smirked at her, raising both eyebrows. "What? You looked like you wanted to ask."

"It doesn't make it any less rude." She gave Sun an apologetic look.

The Faunus waved her off. "No offense taken. I'm used to Qrow snarking at me. I know the old fart loves me, deep down." He winked.

Ruby and Sun shared a laugh while Qrow shook his head, letting out an undignified snort. He ran a hand through his salt and pepper hair, trading a thoughtful look with Ruby. "Well, since I've done my job, I'll head off. Tell your Dad I'm coming over tomorrow for poker."

"He knows." Ruby smiled, "Dad wouldn't miss curb stomping your ass."

"He wishes. He hasn't won a game since…" Qrow's face fell. "Well. Since he and your mom got together."

After he left, Ruby turned back to Sun. The man had his hands in his pockets and was curiously examining his surroundings. Ruby cleared her throat. "Sorry about that."

"Hey, it's fine. Family stuff, I understand." His demeanour was an entire one eighty from their first meeting. Without the promise of death in his eyes and the lack of impending doom for his sister, Sun seemed like a fun person to be around. "There's another thing I came here to ask. Do you want to visit Blake? She mentioned wanting to meet you."

His boyish grin felt bright and blinding. Ruby allowed herself to take a closer look at him, noting with admiration how well built he looked. Broad shouldered and tall, practically oozing charm. He would have women falling over themselves when he smiled.

Ruby found some amusement in the fact that even she was not immune to his good looks. She usually leaned to the fairer sex, but there were always exceptions. "I wouldn't want to impose. I stand by what I said, I think anyone in my shoes would have saved her." She confessed.

Sun held up a hand and waggled his finger. "Blake and I would fight you on that. Views on Faunus are worse in small towns, but they aren't completely absent in Vale, either." At Ruby's understanding nod, he continued. "And no, you won't be imposing on her. I promise. The only thing she does is lie in bed, having someone to talk to would really brighten her day."

Ruby had plans to solidify, ingredients to order, and bread to bake. There was a hopefulness in his gaze, and it made her hesitate.

Ah hell, why not?

"Sure," she finally said. "I'll even bring cake." It wouldn't hurt to get to know some of her Uncle's colleagues. Ruby also suspected that Blake was indirectly responsible for the makeover of her bakery, it wouldn't hurt to thank her for that if it were.

Sun's entire face lit up. "I hope you're open to suggestions. Qrow is always rambling on about how good the stuff you make tastes."

Ruby's chest flared with pride. She grinned. "What have you got in mind?"

It was the beginning of a beautiful relationship. Funny, how things worked out.

AN: I'm pretty surprised how long this took. It went through quite alot of revisions. This is the first male/Ruby pairing for this series so far, I hope you guys don't hate it? I know a lot of fans dislike Sun (mostly due to Blacksun, which I'm neutral about) but he's honestly kinda cool. Vol 1 gunchucks scene was freaking awesome.

I still haven't decided what pair to go for in the next chapter. I was thinking Ruby/Ilia though! Chameleon girl so darn cute.

Thanks for reading! Hope you guys enjoyed it.