``I Won't Die of Deception, {Jax!} {Complete!}

[Ruby]

With mild interest (though not any real surprise), she noted that Jax seemed a bit taken aback by her attitude towards what he'd done. Yeah, most people might have been very disturbed by what they'd just seen, but...Ruby most certainly wasn't most people. On some level, she could relate: she knew what it felt like to be angry, just...so angry..that only hurting people really made it better. And she was hardly going to discourage the progress that Jax already seemed to be making - from what she could see, he didn't regret a thing. He didn't look stunned, or distraught, or like he was going to be ill. All things considered, he actually looked pretty casual about the whole thing. Ruby was definitely in no position to judge him, so she didn't - all she cared about was the knowledge that he was capable of doing this sort of thing without remorse holding him back. That had been Sam's problem: too much compassion. His tragic flaw. ...Or perhaps it had been more tragic for her.

But Jax was right: at this point, it'd be best to split up. Trying to focus again on the situation at hand, Ruby nodded. In this first meeting, she'd accomplished everything she'd needed to. She'd established...well, she wasn't sure if it was trust just yet, but some basis of a relationship, at least. She'd seen what Jax could do - had seen that he was worth her time. And she'd even learned a little bit about what made him tick, though...a lot of that still remained a mystery to her. Ruby was half-tempted to telepathically brush his mind, if only for a moment - but no. An action like that would shatter any trust that might be forming, and besides...it was more interesting getting to know him the long way.

Oh, right - and it was probably time to work up another smile, if only a faint one. Doing this, she replied to his final question. "Coffee sounds...great. I'll be in touch." Ruby told him, keeping her calm, confident gaze levelly trained on him. Not self-confident this time - more like confident in Jax himself, encouraging, even, now that she'd seen what he could do. If anything, she wanted him to feel proud...and hey, technically he had just done this city a favor. Stepping back, the demoness wordlessly watched him take off into the night, unflinching even as the loud roaring of the engine tore past her and gradually faded as Jax's image did. It was a moment or two before Ruby moved again. For awhile she just stood in her usual quiet, oddly still manner, her eyes narrowed thoughtfully but her face otherwise expressionless.

Then she glanced back at the still-burning building and gave a last, satisfied smirk. Potential. She had a feeling that Jax burning down a demon bar was only the start of it. In a particularly good mood, the demoness turned and walked back to her car.