Ruby was sitting on a wooden stool with an easel and canvas in front of her. The end of the paintbrush was resting against Ruby’s upper lip before she recommenced the drawing of her model.

Ruby: “Yup, looking fiiine, my mans!”

Centurion, who had been posing for the past few hours and was trying not to collapse due to cramps and exhaustion, looked over at his girlfriend.

Centurion: “Can we take a small br-?”

Ruby: “HUT HUT HUT, my guy! Remember the Lacklan rules.”

Centy sighed.

Centurion: “Can we take a small break? I’m dying over here.”

Ruby: “Just a few more minutes! I almost got you down. Painting with watercolors ain’t easy. It takes a lot of skill and practice. Besides, I told you I wanted to give you a handmade portrait for your birthday, which is tomorrow. So hold on, I’ll give you a massage where it hurts the most afterwards, pinky promise.”

That prospect seemed to appease the XWF legend, so he kept calm and carried on as the Super Dear’O finished her portrait. After a few more minutes she took it off the easel and walked over to Centurion who relaxed and almost collapsed to the ground. Ruby showed him the end result.

Ruby: “Whaddya think, my man?”

In all honesty, it wasn’t half bad. Ruby was big into comics and especially as a teen she had spent a lot of her free time making drawing of things that interested her. Like superheroes. Which was why in this particular ‘portrait’, Centurion basically looked like a true comic version of SuperCent, complete with abs that were visible through his tight shirt.

Centurion: “Not bad. Although I’m surprised you didn’t want me to pose nude.”

He smirked.

Ruby: “Hey, we are putting this above the mantelpiece. I don’t want everyone who walks in to stare at your junk first thing when they walk through the front door. That’s my privilege.”

Centurion: “Fair point. Although I think ‘crown jewels’ is a more appropriate term.”

Ruby giggled and gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. Centurion started to stretch, and Ruby quickly joined in. She slightly winced when she stretched her neck and Centurion looked over with a bit of worry. He knew Ruby was tough, but had been in the business long enough to realize that nobody was truly invincible either.

Centurion: “Are you okay?”

Ruby: “I’m fine. What’s one B.O.B. assault more to add to the list, eh?”

Centurion: “I’m being serious. I don’t like to see you hurt, especially not after such a stab in the back.”

Ruby: “More like brass knucks to the dome! But honestly, I appreciate the worry, but it just proved how desperate they are. At this point the “Join B.O.B.” motto is basically like the Catholic Church’s stance on birth control, they just want to keep on growing as a group. Not that it’ll gain them much sympathy or respect. And hey, Osira Themis? I do believe I beat her so badly she disappeared from Anarchy altogether last time we faced off. Maybe this was her way of flipping me off a few months after the fact. Who knows? But I don’t regret going out there. Kenzi’s a good egg and worth taking some steel to the face for. I’d do the same for a lot of people. That’s the hero bizz, you know?”

Centurion: “And I’d do the same for you. Sorry I wasn’t there by your side during that...”

Ruby: “…kerfuffle?”

Centurion: “That’s one way to put it.”

Ruby smiled. She appreciated the fact Centy kept his language low-key around her. Even IF he could have QUITE the potty mouth away from her. And she wasn’t sure if her angry “WHAT THAT MOUTH DO?” questions afterwards actually discouraged him.

Ruby: “Look, the B.O.B. has been trying to take over Anarchy for months now. And despite the fact they’ve kept on growing like a soufflé in the oven, they collapse time and time again. Miss Fury’s anarchy reign? A failure. They have strength in numbers, but there’s no brotherhood of baddies. Just a lot of egos in a queue. Beating up people side by side doesn’t create a bond, it creates a group of bullies. And we all know bullies are just sad and lonely individuals who are too scared to strike without knowing they have someone supporting them. How about we fire up the jacuzzi?”

Yes, Centurion’s Chicago pad was equipped with a jacuzzi. Ruby was still not truly accustomed to this kind of upper class life, but her boyfriend had money and she enjoyed the perks… even if she’d still love him if they had to live in a cardboard box out on the street. Once the bubbles were whizzing past their bodies, Ruby leaned into Centurion’s embrace.

Ruby: “Ya know what? Flip the B.O.B. They’re a waste of time anyway. You know who deserves respect? Ned Kaye. Now hush, my mans, ‘cause I know you’re opinionated in your own right, but Ned actually seems alright at times. He’s basically Anarchy’s Kermit, if this were a Muppet show. And it sort of is at times. But he’s always at the forefront, always there, but mostly just a gateway to get to the main players. Even if he’s billed as one himself. But like, he hasn’t won on Anarchy yet in 2021, but a no contest due to interference and a loss to Boris? Not disgraceful, if you ask me. And it won’t be disgraceful for him to lose to the Anarchy Champ. It won’t be easy, especially ‘cause the Lack-snack wants to cramp my style, but them’s the rules and the rules are the Rubes! But I can beat Ned like I’ve beaten everybody. By playing by the rules. By playing fair. By being the better competitor. Because Anarchy is the A-show, and it deserves nothing less.”

Ruby closed her eyes, letting thoughts of Anarchy, Ned Kaye and B.O.B. slip away. The present was much nicer.