"I suppose you must touch life in order to spring from it."

[littlerubyred]

Ruby had gone to her room smelling of cheeseburgers often enough that one might assume she grew tired of them, though the one piled high in front of her could easily make a lie out of that. She had the day off from the Smoking Room but was still tucked away in one of its booths, a plate bearing a half-eaten cheeseburger and a scattering of fries next to a mostly smeared ketchup puddle in front of her. In one hand was a copy of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Tender is the Night, and while she kept glancing up and around to see who had joined her for lunch in the bar, she was enjoying the book very much. Reading was not a past time she made enough time for, she’d decided, and her New Year’s resolution had been to tackle the knee-high pile of “To Read” books that had gathered on her side of the bed she shared with Graham before she or he tripped over them for the millionth time.

She glanced up and around at the bar once more as she selected another fry and swirled the tip in ketchup, bringing it to her mouth for a bite before casting her attention back down to the book. She had heard somewhere that Fitzgerald’s wife Zelda was allegedly responsible for a good deal of his work, this book included, and she thought she could believe it. This book had the sort of prose that was not frilly but touchable, the sort of “fiction” one might write after taking a good, long look at both themselves and their marriage. A definite feminine touch, but who really knew in the end? All she was really sure of was that the story had proven to be brilliant and insightful and sad, and while Ruby usually preferred adventure stories and this one was definitely not that, it was holding her attention marvelously.

Idly, she moved to wipe the salt from her fingers on a napkin before turning a page, glancing up once again between the break of one chapter and the start of another. She’d opted for a pint of beer with her burger, and nearly jolted at the realization that she’d been neglecting it all too much between her people watching, her burger, and her book. She sat the book face down on the table, still open and far away from her food to keep from either wetting the pages or getting them dirty, and picked her beer up for a nice, long drink.

Comments

[afeastofstarlight]

She had been resting. It had been difficult, with all that she knew; but her room had suited her well, with a high ceiling that did not close her in, and even the furniture reminded her of home - all wood furnishings shot through with glowing amber. It had made staying abed easier, which was a chore at the best of times, but seeing as how she would not be returning home again she had to take what she found.

She was not Eldar nor even Sindar, but her healing was quick regardless, quicker than a Man's; soon she felt strength coming back to her, the fissures in her bones sealing and her weariness fading. But she had too many thoughts, too many emotions, so that as soon as she felt well enough to move she left her room and explored. She was restless, and Tauriel sometimes felt that things became clearer if she was doing something. She was not sure that this would be the case now, but she could try. She was slowly beginning to understand the hotel itself, though it was so strange, and it seemed to change quicker than night and day.

She had not spoken to many people, though she gathered that as an Elf she was a rare thing indeed. However upon passing by a woman, she could not help but pause, debating for a moment if she should engage her in conversation. "I do not mean to interrupt," she said, curiously, deciding she may as well. "But what is that you are eating?"

[littlerubyred]

Ruby caught the scent of the woman before she ever spoke, not to say that she stunk or there was anything displeasing about it, only that she smelled faintly of the forest to Ruby, and that was a place Red had always called home. She smiled when she met the woman’s gaze, warming to her instantly as she was so often prone to do. She had kind eyes, and the sort of long, red hair that made Ruby envious, and while she wanted to blurt out a compliment, she bided her time. Working in the bar had brought Ruby face to face with plenty of the residents of the Nexus who were from worlds where not all the amenities the Nexus offered existed, and therefore there was nothing overly strange about the question to Ruby.

“These are called fries,” she said. “Potatoes that have been prepared so that they’re crispy and hot. They’re very delicious.” She twisted the plate so that the fries were facing the woman. “And this big thing is a cheeseburger. Cow meat that’s been ground up into a patty and grilled over a fire.” Ruby scrunched her nose. “Sounds kinda gross when you say it like that, but you can try one of my fries if you like. Those are just vegetables.” She pointed toward the ketchup. “Dip them in ketchup first. Ketchup is kinda like a tomato paste, I guess, but more flavorful.” She nudged the plate forward and, unable to help herself, smiled big again. “I love your hair, by the way. So long!”

[afeastofstarlight]

Tauriel did not miss the fact that the woman answered her as if her questioning was completely legitimate; there were some out there completely closed to the idea that their culture may not be known to one and all. The food she showed and described was definitely not the type of fare Tauriel was used to - while the folk of Mirkwood were certainly not adverse to many things created by the race of Men, their tastes did run slightly different. She had already noticed that the water tasted different here, not quite right.

The ale the woman drank, however, she recognized quite well. There was something very slim and angular about her, almost Elvish; but there the resemblance ended, for she truly was unlike any kind of person Tauriel had ever seen before. She had covered her face with something and made her lips shine like rubies, and her eyes were dark and sooty. It was not a displeasing result, but Tauriel was unused to such decoration. "Ah," she said, absorbing that information. In the end it wasn't that foreign, at least when it came to ingredients, and that was comforting. Certainly it wasn't something that couldn't be found in Esgaroth, or the other cities of Men.

At the remark on her hair, she unconsciously touched the strands hanging, untucked, in front of her ear. "Thank you," she said, smiling faintly. "It's had time to grow."

[littlerubyred]

Ruby's hand lifted to her own hair, shifting through the thickness of it and pulling a strand out as though to measure the length of it. Her own hair was quite long, well past the middle of her back, and thick enough that she wasn't sure she could've managed it if it were as long as this woman's. Still, the pretty lady's hair was quite admirable in both length and shade, and Ruby thought it suited her. "I could never get my hair to grow that long," she said wistfully, still smiling. "And yours is so shiny! I'm envious, truly."

She sat her glass of beer aside with one hand as she dropped her hair with the other, then folded both of them in front of her on the table as she looked at the newcomer a tad closer. Her ears caught Ruby's attention first; the delicate point of them bringing to mind fairies, though nothing of this woman's demeanor indicated mischief. Ruby was naturally curious as to where she'd come from and what she was, but those were hardly questions for just then.

"I'm Ruby," she said instead. "I work here more often than not, so if you stop back in again you're bound to see me. Have you been at the Nexus long?"

[afeastofstarlight]

Tauriel was not vain, nor overly concerned with her appearance. She was aware that she was a member of a beautiful race, though certainly not everyone thought so. But even so, Tauriel knew she was not beautiful in the way the great Elven queens and ladies were. She was not a brightly shining star, nor golden as the sun. She was a simple Silvan Elf, running through the trees, and she was content with that. To receive compliments for traits she considered less than noteworthy was a surprise, yet certainly not unwelcome. "You're very kind," she said, with a smile. "I admit I do not think of it much. Your hair is more suited to praise, I think. I have not often seen a shade that dark."

The woman's name was certainly apt; she seemed just as deep and shining as the gems that dotted a King's hoard. She dipped her head courteously. "Tauriel," she answered, "of Mirkwood. I have been here no more than a week, but most of it has been abed."

Admittedly, the chance to talk to someone not of her world tugged at her curiosity, enough to make her wish to tarry. In any case, she was beginning to feel weary again. She hoped she would feel more like herself again soon, but until then she must be patient. "May I sit?" she asked. "I've no wish to impose on you."

[littlerubyred]

There was a formality to the woman’s speech that brought to mind both Loki and Sif, though Ruby knew instinctively this woman was different from the both of them. There was something a touch soft to her, not in the way that would make her seem weak or that she needed protecting, but something more sad than not. Ruby wondered if she’d recently been hurt or had gone through some other sort of calamity that still hung about her, and it made Ruby want to reach out and offer a helping hand. The woman was kind and smiled easily and was obviously a bit out of her element in the Nexus. Ruby was not sure how much assistance she could offer nor how much the other woman needed, but she was prepared to help where she could.

“Thank you,” Ruby said after her hair was complimented and Tauriel had introduced herself. “You’re very kind, Tauriel. I hope you weren’t abed because you were injured or sick?” The woman bore no obvious injuries that Ruby could comment on or offer to aid specifically, so she left the question open-ended to allow Tauriel to divulge as much or as little as she liked. Ruby meant to help, though doing so at the expense of Tauriel’s personal comfort did not seem the quickest way to spark a friendship.

“Of course!” Ruby said and smiled widely again. “Please do. I would love that.” She leaned forward and picked up her book, marking her page with a clean napkin and setting it aside so that it was out of Tauriel’s way. “Would you like something to eat? Something to drink?”

[afeastofstarlight]

Tauriel gave Ruby a wry smile. "Unfortunately, injury is really the only thing that can convince me to remain in bed - I don't lie still so easily. But I am much recovered, now," she assured her. She supposed she should be grateful, after all that had happened - to arrive here, fresh from battle, and be given time to rest and recuperate. And even, perhaps, a new start.

Ruby's energy was admittedly very infectious, and Tauriel found herself smiling more easily, now, and relishing the chance to speak to someone without the responsibility of being a warrior of Mirkwood looming behind her. She had never been able to travel much outside her home's borders, and when she did she was always aware that there was a firm difference between her and everyone else. Outside of Mirkwood she was the outsider, and it had made her feel separated, distanced, unable to really absorb everything going on around her.

Strangely, and refreshingly, she felt no such thing from Ruby. "Is there wine here?" she asked. While she had never been one for such a drink, normally, she was used to seeing it around, as King Thranduil had favoured it immensely. And, truly, the water here still tasted a bit strange to her, and she was curious about what else there was.

[littlerubyred]

“Oh no,” Ruby said at the news that Tauriel had arrived at the hotel injured, her brow knitting in sympathy. She herself had arrived at the hotel without any injuries or illness and it had still been frightening and unsettling to find herself there. She could only imagine how poor Tauriel had felt, and she hoped that someone had been there to meet her upon her arrival to help her orient herself and find her way. “Well I’m so glad to hear you’re doing better,” Ruby said. “That must have been distressing for you to be injured and find yourself in an entirely new place like this.”

The Nexus was not often kind when it came to moving its residents about, though Ruby tended to believe that people found the hotel for a reason as that had certainly been the case for her. That Tauriel had arrived injured indicated that the woman at least had a story, and while it could’ve been something as simple as Tauriel needing the Nexus in order to give herself time away from her life to heal, Ruby thought that perhaps may not be it. Still she wasn’t going to ask for the details then, as it also seemed to her that Tauriel needed companionship more than she needed to rehash all that had happened to her.

“They do!” Ruby said, smiling brightly. “A few different types, actually. I prefer wine that is sweeter, but what about you? Do you like your wine sweet, or would you prefer something less so?” Ruby could technically probably go behind the bar and get the wine for herself if she wanted, but there was a waitress nearby and Ruby called her over with a bright smile and a gesture in anticipation of Tauriel’s answer.

[afeastofstarlight]

Tauriel just shrugged. She was fine, now, and they had been, at the end of the day, easy wounds. No poison had leeched its way into her body, no vile magics had been called forth. She had simply taken a beating, a hard one.

Tauriel did have some coin; not much, but enough to stop her from being too concerned for the time being. The hotel had yet to demand any cost from her, though she was waiting for it. "Something heavy, and sweet, please," she requested. She wasn't sure how strong it would be, but she was willing to try. She was going to have to try to connect with that light-footed elf maiden she used to be who enjoyed revels and dancing and drinking, letting her thoughts drift skyward and out into the night. The world had gotten dark very fast, but she supposed now was the time for it to lighten.

She rubbed her fingers over the back of her other wrist, finger the edge of her sleeve. She was not armoured; at the moment it was too heavy and constrictive for her, and she didn't see a point in it, either. "Are you of the race of Men?" she asked, curiously; it did not strike her as an impolite question, not when she came from a world as diverse and old as hers. "You look it, but at the same time, you do not."

[chippedteacup]

When Belle had first found herself in Storybrooke – really in town, and not just at Rumple's house – she never forgot who had really given her support when it hadn't even been hinted at, let alone asked for. True kindness could be hard to find, and she counted Ruby as one of her firm friends based on that first meeting. It had been a real turning point for her. She'd forgotten what the world was like, and Ruby had reminded her of what it was and could be.

And there she was. Belle almost couldn't believe it, but after meeting Charming she was more than willing to embrace it. She wasn't sure if anyone could sneak up on a werewolf, but she did her best, leaning over the back of the booth from behind Ruby. “I don't think I've read that one,” she said, playfully. “Any good?”

[littlerubyred]

The shift of the seat behind her and the scent of a familiar face caught at Ruby, but she was so far from home and it’d been so long that her brain could not quite process it. The chirping voice, the pretty drawl of her accent, and the warmth that sprang up in Ruby at the sound were unmistakable, and she turned with her mouth agape to look into the face of Belle, her friend from Storybrooke, who she had not seen in so long.

“Oh my God!” Ruby said as she twisted in her seat, climbing up onto her knees on her booth so that she could grab Belle up in a big, admittedly awkward but earnestly meant hug. “Oh my God!” She said again, her eyes getting a touch wet as she squeezed Belle. “Belle! How are you? When did you get here?” She pulled back to look at her friend, grinning madly. “Gah, you look so pretty! Come sit down with me and tell me what you’ve been doing!”

[chippedteacup]

Ruby's reaction to Belle was so strong that she couldn't help but notice it as something of an anomaly. Not that they weren't close friends - only that Belle had seen Ruby very recently, and this seemed more like a greeting after a long absence.

She squeezed Ruby back in the hug, a bit concerned by the fact her friend seemed a little overwhelmed. Even if they were almost-tears of joy, that was still something for her to be worried about. "I'm great!" She exclaimed. "I got here about a week ago, maybe? I mean, I've been going back and forth. When did you get here? And why didn't you tell me about this place?" Not that she thought Ruby had to, of course - she definitely hadn't told anyone back home about the door she'd found. It was just that she didn't think Ruby had been sneaking into the rooms above the library lately, so that meant there had to be doors elsewhere in Storybrooke. Was everyone in town going through and just not talking about it? No, that was a bit too insane. If there was one thing Belle had learned by now about small towns was that they talked. About everything.

"I've just been waiting at Storybrooke with everyone else," she explained, further puzzled. Ruby, being one of those people, ought to know that. Hm. "Am I missing something?"

[littlerubyred]

As the rush of Ruby’s excitement blended and shifted to take on the form of a more generally warm happiness, reality leaked in about the edges and she realized that Belle was looking at her with cautious concern – as though Ruby’s excitement in seeing her was entirely unexpected. Ruby understood that the Nexus played with time on both sides, though she could never be quite sure how it worked. Upon arrival she had come from a time later than Graham, and Charming from a time later than the both of them. Belle was obviously from a different time than Ruby, but how different?

“I’m so glad,” she said in reply to Belle’s exclamation that she was doing great. “So glad.” She picked up Belle’s hand and gave it a squeeze before gesturing to the table and the meal she’d forgotten behind her in her excitement. “Come sit with me and we’ll talk.”

She let go of Belle so that she could shift down off of her knees and return to a proper, seated position, thankful for the slightly longer drape of her red sweater dress that had prevented her from showing her panties to the entirety of the room in her excitement. She waited for Belle to sit, and once she had Ruby smiled at her again. She could be nothing but happy at the presence of her friend as, while she did not regret staying away from Storybrooke as much as she had, she missed her friends dearly. “I’ve been here for about a year, as far as time runs here,” she said, “but time seems to run funny. Charming is here too, if you haven’t seen him yet, along with Sheriff Graham from Storybrooke, though I don’t think you ever met him. We all came here from Storybrooke from three different places in time. I’m not sure how it works, but Charming is from the future as far as I’m aware of events, and Graham is from the past.”

[chippedteacup]

Belle shifted to move around and get into the booth that Ruby had commandeered, sliding onto the leather seat opposite her friend. Before she did so she caught sight of Ruby's footwear. "Nice shoes," she commented.

Despite how unexpected the greeting was, it was never bad to have someone that excited to see her, and Ruby had a grin that could put the big bad wolf to shame (or, well, Ruby was the big bad wolf, if they were going to get technical). "Oh, is that what it is?" She asked, smiling teasingly. "I just thought you were overwhelmed from your book. Well, where I'm from, Emma and Snow and everyone left on a mission and I've been waiting in town for them to come back. You're there, too."

She tipped her head to the said, thoughtfully. "Though if you're from a different time than me, I wonder how that works?" she asked. "Time travel, from what I recall, is impossible. Or at least nobody's done it yet."

[littlerubyred]

"Thanks!" Ruby said, momentarily distracted by the compliment as she lifted her leg in order to be able to look at the black heels she wore once again and show them to Belle more obviously. They were the only pair of Alexander McQueen shoes she owned and she adored them unreservedly. Loki had done some fine work when he'd given them to her for Christmas. "My friend Loki that I met here gave them to me for Christmas," she said. "They're Alexander McQueen. Gorgeous, right? I think I fell asleep holding them the night he gave them to me," she joked.

She dropped her leg and crossed them under the table again, picking up her beer for another drink as Belle gave a brief explanation of what had been happening in Storybrooke when she left. Ruby knew nothing about which she spoke, and since she was apparently present it was safe to assume Belle came from the future as well. "No idea how it works," she said with a shrug. "The last time I went home to visit I was there for months, but when I came back here no time had passed at all." The same had been true when she'd gone through Graham's door to retrieve his heart, but then she hadn't stayed there long enough for a substantial amount of time to pass in the Nexus anyway. "How are things where you come from?" She asked. "You said Snow and Emma and some others went on a mission? Did something happen?"

[chippedteacup]

Belle stopped to admire the shoes - because if there was one thing she loved as soon as she had made the leap into Storybrooke, it was shoes. They were so unlike any type of decoration she had ever dealt with, and she loved them. They made her feel more adventurous, a bit more dangerous when she walked, and that was something she adored. "They look worthy of the right to share your bed," she said, her voice serious but her face broken with a grin.

However, shoes aside, the information Ruby was giving her was equally riveting. "I'd love to find out how this is happening," she mused. She foresaw a trip to the library - then again, she was always going on trips to the library during the rare occasions she wasn't already there.

When it came to everyone's safety and what they were doing, well, she wasn't sure what to say. Partially because it was so crazy, but also because she honestly had little idea of what was happening. "Henry was kidnapped," she explained, figuring that was the safest place to start. "By some newcomers to Storybrooke. They took Hook's ship and followed. Charming, Snow, Emma, Regina. Rumple went too." She paused, trying to decide if she wanted to say her boyfriend was apparently on a suicide mission, but decided that even if she didn't want to say it, Ruby ought to know. "I don't think Rumple expects to come back," she said, flatly.

[littlerubyred]

“Oh girl, yessss,” Ruby replied to Belle’s comment on her shoes, tipping her head back and laughing in a way that felt very good and very familiar when peppered with the brightness of Belle’s smile. Ruby had been far from lonely while at the Nexus, but each of her friends were special to her in their own way and while she loved all of them, one could not replace the company of another in her heart. She had missed Belle something fierce, and was stupidly glad to see her.

“Good luck,” Ruby said, not knowing whether or not the library would have any books explaining the phenomenon of the Nexus or not. She’d never thought to look, but she figured if it was left up to anyone to unearth such a book, Belle would be the one. “Until then, be careful with the doors here. That’s my advice. I don’t know if you’ve stumbled through any yet, but there are some nasty ones that lead to other worlds that are full of monsters and danger. I haven’t gone through any myself, but I work in here,” she gestured at the bar in general, “and I’ve heard some things from other customers. Of course there are fun ones too, like a door to Vegas. That one I have gone through. We’ll have to go sometime!”

Ruby’s smile faded as Belle went on to discuss the events in Storybrooke, a wrinkle of concern appearing between her brows as she learned of Henry’s kidnapping, and Belle’s thought that Rumple didn’t expect to return. Ruby was of course upset to learn that Henry was in danger as she was fond of the kid in the way that so many of Storybrooke’s residents seemed to be, to say nothing of Snow and Emma who had to be out of their minds with worry. Ruby admittedly had no great love for the Dark One but she did care very much for Belle and her happiness, and for whatever reason Belle found that happiness in Rumpelstiltskin, so Ruby stayed quiet on the matter. “Aww, Belle,” she said when Belle had finished, leaning forward to cover Belle’s hand with her own and give it a squeeze. “I’m sure he’ll come back to you if there’s any way at all. He loves the heck out of you and who can blame him? I'm sorry. I hate that all of this has happened.”

[hylianqueen]

Zelda often enjoyed spending a long day with a book as well and while she intended only to stop in the Smoking Room for something to eat, the woman with a book in hand made her smile a little. When she put down the book, Zelda took the opportunity to draw a little closer and say hello.

"Is that one very good? I am woefully behind in reading, it seems that whenever I finish a book, three more I want to read appear and I will never finish them all."

[littlerubyred]

Ruby looked up at the newcomer, her smile appearing bright and wide in greeting. “Right? That seems to be how it is for me, too. I have a knee-high stack of books in the ‘To Read’ pile by my bed and I just keep acquiring more. This is a good one, though,” she said, reaching out so that she could turn the book on the table top to better show the cover and title to the woman. “I’ve only just started it this morning, but I’m tearing through it. It’s not my usual sort of story, but it’s so well written it doesn’t seem to matter.”

Ruby sat down her beer and extended her hand toward the pretty blonde woman, her smile remaining firmly in place as she said, “I’m Ruby, by the way. You look familiar to me, but I don’t think we’ve met before.” Ruby saw many of the hotel’s patrons thanks to working in the bar and always tried to be friendly and accommodating, though she didn’t quite get to meet everyone on a personal level. “It’s nice to meet you now, of course. If you were looking to get some lunch you’re welcome to have a seat and join me.”

[hylianqueen]

It had been a little while since Zelda had gotten out and about in the hotel. Of late, she had been mostly keeping to herself and that was something she sought to remedy. When Ruby extended her invitation, Zelda gladly accepted.

"I am Zelda," she said, shaking her hand. It was a custom that she was unused to back in Hyrule but one she was rapidly discovering was the norm among the people here in the Nexus. She had acclimated, somewhat, in that it did not shock her any longer when a hand was proffered in greeting. "And yes, I've been here for quite a while. I just normally keep my own company."

[littlerubyred]

“Zelda,” Ruby repeated as though to aid in the process of memorizing it, though she needed no such thing. She’d just been thinking of Zelda Fitzgerald, so the coincidence of it would surely make the other woman’s name spring easily to mind for quite a long time. “That’s such a pretty name,” Ruby said as Zelda took her seat, then moved to pick up her cheeseburger and have a big bite as Zelda continued to speak.

“Ahh, I see,” Ruby said, smiling. “Probably more safe than not with some of the doors you can fall through around here. Where do you come from?”

[hylianqueen]

"I come from a kingdom called Hyrule," Zelda explained happily enough. She had been unable to go back to Hyrule and see it restored to its former glory but she had faith that eventually, they would prevail. Until they did, she had a home in the Nexus that was safe and away from those who might wish to do her harm. It was more than she could have possibly asked for.

"It is...not as modern as this place, I'm afraid. There is something of a learning curve when it comes to learning how things work around here."

[littlerubyred]

“Ah, yeah,” Ruby said with a bit of a commiserating smile. “This place is a lot to handle. I’ve made some friends here that come from worlds far different than this one, and I know it was an adjustment for them at first.” Of course, when Ruby had first come to the Nexus she had also never been anywhere quite like it, but the hotel and its amenities were also similar to things that had been offered in her own world.

“Have you been here very long, then?” She asked. “And are you adjusting well?”

[hylianqueen]

"I've been here, hmm. Several months now," Zelda said. She had not realized just how much time had passed until she sat down to think about it and over the past several months, she had gotten used to her new lot in life. Strange, how something so foreign could now feel like home.

"I have adjusted, I think, but I do not think I realized just how well I had adjusted until you made me think about it. Strange, isn't it?"

[littlerubyred]

"It creeps up on you sometimes," Ruby agreed with a smile. The brain was an astoundingly adaptive thing, that was something that had spanned all races of beings that Ruby had come in contact with, and that was a comfort. "But a nice, adaptive trait to have. Especially in a place like this. I've heard tales that sometimes you can be stuck in one of those doors for days. A real nightmare, given where some of them lead."