#osscar silva

[novannna]

Best of Friends

Word count: 1663

@renegadesnet event 4: osby october ↪ [ Ruby’s Pov-she is in love with Oscar, but doesn’t think he loves her back.  Takes place sometime before Renegades.  Yearning, kinda angsty, a little bit of fluff between sketch’s team.   ]

Ruby watched Oscar from across the lounge while he was talking to Adrian.  They had just gotten back from their patrol, and were relaxing in HQ.

“Ruby!”  She heard someone snap.  Danna was standing right next to her, an irritated expression on her face.  

“Sorry,” she said sheepishly.  “What were you saying?”

Danna sighed. “I said Adrian wants us to meet at his house later for a movie.”

“Oh.  Will Oscar be there?”  Ruby asked hopefully. 

 “Probably.  Adrian asked the whole team.  And you should come.  It’ll be fun.”

Ruby shrugged.  “Sure, sounds good.”  She turned back to glance at Oscar.  

Danna sat next to her.  “You two are perfect for each other.  Why don’t you just ask him out already?”

Ruby blushed beet red.  “What- I, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she stammered.  

Danna raised an eyebrow.  

“Oscar is just a friend.  He’s just another member of the team.  I don’t like him like that.”

“Then why do you keep looking at him like he’s the only thing in the world?”

Ruby ducked her head.  “I don’t like Oscar.”

Danna chuckled.  “Of course you don’t.  Silly of me to think any different.”

Ruby nodded her head sharply.  “Exactly.  Quite silly of you.”  

“Hey guys,” Adrian’s voice cut into their conversation.  “What are you talking about.”

“Nothing!”  Ruby said quickly as she saw Oscar right behind Adrian.  

“I was just telling Ruby about movie night,” Danna said smoothly.

“Oh.  Are you going?”  Oscar asked.

“I think so.  Are you?”  Ruby asked.  

Danna and Adrian exchanged an eyeroll.  

“Yeah!  It’s gonna be fun.”  Oscar slung an arm over Adrian's shoulder.  “Adrian’s promised me lots of popcorn and red vines, so you bet I’ll be there.”

Adrian shook his head.  “Don’t worry, Oscar will have his own bowl.  Otherwise we wouldn’t get any.”

Oscar laughed.  “You know me too well.”  

“Well, I’ve spent enough nights crying myself to sleep because you took all my food to know that you get your own, and we share the rest,” Adrian joked.  

“Unless he runs out, and eats ours too,” Danna added.  

“Hey, I make no promises.”  Oscar laughed.  “In fact, I’m hungry right now.  I’m going to go change, then does anyone wanna go to Mcdonalds with me?”

Danna wrinkled her nose.  “Mcdonalds?  I’m good.  I don’t understand how you like that crap.”

“You can have your own opinion,” Oscar said haughtily.  “But mine is obviously the right one.” 

“I’ll go,” Adrian said.  “I’m pretty hungry as well.”

“Ruby, what about you?”  Oscar asked.  

She felt a burst of excitement rise inside her.  Oscar wanted her there!

“Oh, I don’t know.  My mom probably wants me home soon…” she said, trying her hardest to keep the quiver of glee out of her voice.  

“Please,” he begged.  “I want to hang out with my best friends.”

And just like that, Ruby’s excitement withered away to nothing.  She tried not to look crestfallen.  Best Friends.

That was all they were.  That was all they were going to be.  Just best friends.  Not anything more.  Oh, that cut deep into Ruby’s heart.  If only he knew how much she yearned to be with him.  If only he knew that she fell in love with him the moment she saw him, just the boy with a cane, standing in the center of a studium, screaming fans all around.  She fell apart every single time he reminded her what they were.  And she still wanted so badly.  She was in love with the renegade who could control smoke.  She was in love with the boy who loved all sorts of food.  She was in love with the boy who loved to play video games with her.  She was in love with the brave, kind, selfless, smart, handsome, reckless, funny, charming, awkward boy Oscar was.  

But he did not love her back.  

He never would

They were always going to be best friends.  She heard that enough, you would have thought that it would begin to hurt less.

Danna winced next to Ruby.  

“Yeah, come on Ruby!  I’m sure your mom won't mind too much,” Adrian chimed in.  

“... I guess.”  Ruby shrugged.  “But I can’t stay out for too long.”

“Yes,” Oscar cheered.  “Danna you coming?  You can watch us eat, and be sad about how wrong you are.”

“No.  My dad needs help around the house today.  Some other time though,”  Danna said.  

“Okay.  We’ll miss you!”  Adrian said.  

Danna nodded. “Of course you will.”  She waved goodbye, then burst into her black and gold butterfly swarm.  

“I’m going to go change.  I’ll meet you guys here,” Ruby said.  

“Yeah.  See you soon.”  

Ruby smiled, and hurried off to the changing rooms.  

---

Ruby knocked on the door to Adrian’s house.  The mansion’s windows were bright against the dark evening sky.  

“Ruby!”  Hugh said brightly, as he opened the door.  “I assume Adrian invited you over?”

“Yeah,” she replied, trying to sound brave.  She knew that he was Adrian’s dad, but he was also the most important person in the city.  It was hard to not be intimidated by the man.  

“Go on down.  Danna and Oscar are already there,” he said warmly.  

“Thanks.”  she hurried down to the basement, where Danna, Adrian and Oscar lay sprawled across the floor.  An assortment of snacks and blankets were scattered everywhere.  

“Hey guys,” she said brightly.  

They all started.  

“Ruby, you scared me!”  Oscar said.  He put a hand on his chest.  

Her face reddened.  “Sorry,” she said sheepishly.

“Oh, it's fine,” Oscar replied, his face red as well.  

“Come on, we were just deciding which movie to watch,” Adrian said, patting a spot on the ground next to him.  

Ruby plopped down, and shoveled a handful of popcorn from a nearby bowl into her mouth.  

“What are the options?” 

“Avengers, Up, or The Sound of Music.”  Adrian gestured to the TV.  “You choose which one.”

“Oh, ummm, how ‘bout Avengers,” she suggested.  “I haven’t seen that in a while.”

“Sounds good,” Adrian said.  He picked up the remote, and started to turn on the TV.  

“Ruby, can you pass me the cheez its?”  Oscar called out.  He was now sitting on the couch, a pleading expression on his face.  

Ruby laughed.  “Alright.”  She leaned over and stretched her fingers out to snag the red box.  She stood, and walked them over to Oscar.  

“Thanks,” he said, while grabbing a huge handful from inside.  

“No problem,” she replied.  Ruby sat down next to him, fully conscious of the thin layers separating him.  She leaned backwards, and tucked her feet up underneath her.  

Danna smirked when she saw the two of them right next to each other.  She discreetly made a heart shape with her hands, then pointed to the two of them.  Ruby raised her middle finger in reply, while Oscar remained oblivious.  

The starting music sounded, and Ruby focused on the screen, desperately trying to think about anything but the boy sitting next to her.  And it almost worked.  But the warmth from his body pressed against hers was another painful reminder that she was ever going to get what she wanted more than anything.  Ruby sighed to herself.  

Why couldn’t she settle for just friends?  Why did she have to want something more?  It was never going to happen, and she was just breaking her heart more with every passing minute.  

“No Ruby,” she thought to herself.  “Don’t think about Oscar.  Don’t do this to yourself.”  Her eyes remained firmly focused on the screen, but her brain was not paying any attention at all.  It was too busy constructing wild fantasies in her head.  

After a while, soft snores filled the room.  Adrian had fallen asleep, his face pressed against the floor.  Danna raised her eyebrows, and stifled a small giggle.  

But she fell asleep next.  After another twenty or so minutes, Ruby looked over to see her slumped against a bean bag, her blonde dreadlocks spread across her face.  

“Just you and me, huh?”  Oscar whispered to her.  

“Yeah.”  Ruby’s voice was calm, but on the inside her heart was racing.  She had never been alone with Oscar before.  Granted, Adrian and Danna were there, but it was just the two of them, sitting next to each other, the movie playing quietly in front of them.  .  

“I wonder which of us is going to fall asleep next?”  Oscar chuckled.  

“I wonder,” Ruby echoed.  “The movie’s pretty close to ending.”

Oscar nodded.  “Yeah.  It is.”  He yawned.  “I don’t know if I’ll make it that long though.  I’m pretty tired.”

Ruby laughed softly.  “Sleep then.  It’s not like you haven’t seen this movie before.”

“Maybe I will.”  He rested his head on her shoulder, and closed his eyes.  “You’re a good friend Ruby,” he murmured, right before his breathing slowed, and he fell asleep.  

Ruby was glad no one else was awake to see the anguish on her face.  To see the pain of just one more reminder that Oscar did not love her the same way she loved him.  

“I love you Oscar,” she whispered into the darkness.  “Every time I see you, it makes my heart hurt.  I love you more than I could ever love myself.  But for some reason, you can’t see it.  I wish that you could tell me if there was the slightest chance you might return my feelings.  Then maybe I would know how pointless this stupid crush is.”  She screwed her eyes shut, and felt tears leaking out the corners.  

“I love you so much, and I will always love you.”  Ruby opened her eyes, and swiped the tears away with the back of her hand.  He looked so beautiful sleeping.  She smiled softly.  She placed a gentle kiss on his forehead, then rested her head on his and closed her eyes.  

Ruby was closer to him than ever before, but at the same time, she was farther than she could ever imagine.