Ruby had a bad habit of mumbling.
It made trying to listen to what she had to say almost impossible more often that not because Sapphire had to strain to hear anything she was saying. It meant that the red gemmed of the two would have to repeat herself, and this quickly led to getting frustrated. Sitting with her on the couch now, the other three out, Sapphire wasn’t sure how well she would react if she asked her to repeat herself again because she kept mumbling while they were trying to talk.
When Sapphire had asked Rose to take Pearl and Amethyst out so she could talk with Ruby alone, she had given her the smile. The smile that meant she knew exactly what was going to go down, even if she wasn’t around. All Sapphire could bring herself to do when confronted by the smile was blush and stammer until Rose had chuckled and patted her head before saying she’d take them to the beach.
So now, the two were alone like she wanted, but talking with Ruby was hard. Especially when the smaller gem was nervous, like she was now. She needed to raise her voice, and speak clearer, but Sapphire wasn’t sure how to get her to do so.
“I’m sorry, but Ruby dear, you need to speak up.” A sigh slipped from the smaller gem’s lips and she swung her feet slowly. Once, twice, three times, before she looked up at Sapphire.
“I’m sorry. I… I’m really trying not to mumble. I uh… I just don’t like talking too much, and you…” She started mumbling again, and Sapphire furrowed her brows. Again? Really? She pulled the other close, causing her to yelp and blush furiously as she held her into a tight and loving hug.
“Try that again?” And again, she mumbled a few words, her eyes on her red boots. Sapphire tilted her head up, and Ruby’s eyes wouldn’t meet hers. “Speak slowly and clearly, so I can hear you.”
“I… I said you’re really pretty, okay? And, I think that maybe I kinda… I kinda want to… Kiss you and maybe some o-other things too… But you’re so pretty, an-and you…” She started mumbling, and Sapphire had had enough. She pressed her lips to the other’s, cutting off every word that was going to come next before she felt the tight press of Ruby’s arms around her neck, pulling her in close.
Internally, she jumped for joy while she held onto the other. Ruby had said that she thought she was pretty and she wanted to kiss her, so that was a giant leap in the right direction. Maybe they could go out on a date later, and she could try to get Ruby to actually talk to her instead of mumbling like she always did. It would be absolutely perfect, and maybe she could figure out what all the other gem had been trying to say.