爸爸笑话

"I... I... fine. Fine, I..."

He was running out of steam, and Qrow could probably tell. His hand was limp in Qrow's, but he didn't pull it away. There were no new calluses, or burns, or blisters, as far as could be felt, so that was a bonus. Probably because he hadn't had the energy, honestly. There were a few more small sparks of aura around his eyes, and then there was another pop, another burst of sparks over his entire body.

"... okay. Fine."

He spotted the way Qrow's face twitched: he knew fully well what Qrow was thinking.

He did trust Qrow with their girls. The state they were in was not Qrow's fault, and he knew that. Qrow might not believe it, but it was true. But whether he trusted Qrow didn't matter if Ruby was running off to face down the person that made the Grimm. It was more likely that either Ruby would die first and Qrow would follow, or the other way around.

"I..." But, Qrow didn't bring it up. So he wouldn't. He would just keep to the topic at hand. Flash. "I just... have to watch her, Qrow, it's... I just have to sit with her, okay? I... I'm..." Flash. Flicker. "I won't be able to sleep anyway, better that I just. Sit with her. If I'm..." Flash. Flicker. Pop. "... if I'm up anyway."

Did he even notice?

"Plus, Zwei won't leave Ruby, so..."

fatedmuses

Enough. He's not watching Taiyang run himself ragged again over unfounded anxiety. Well. Maybe it's not entirely unfounded. But it's to the point his aura is starting to fail. If anything did happen, he'd be useless.

"Tai, that wasn't a suggestion. Go to bed. You're useless in this state." Harsh maybe, but not untrue. Qrow's gaze softened after a moment, pleading with him wordlessly. "Please. Go to sleep. At least lie down, better than nothing." How many nights had Qrow decided to just lie down and ended up at least getting some shut eye? It was always better than nothing.

"Zwei will go with you if you call him. I can take care of the girls tonight."

Useless. Yeah. Couldn't protect their girls now if he needed to. As usual.

"I... she's bigger than the last time she had the night terrors, Qrow. Stronger. I don't... I don't want her to hurt you if she... if something happens."

That was another part of it. Yang had had night terrors after that night in the woods, and when he'd come in to help her, she'd been so terrified that she'd lashed out and nearly broken his nose. She'd swung hard enough for it to hurt. And she'd felt awful about it. He couldn't imagine that would be any better now. It'd probably be worse.

There was another flicker of aura, small pops around his eyes like the flashes produced by a lighter that sparks but doesn't ignite.

"I can handle it. You need to recover too."

#forget your high society. i’m soaking it in kerosene | prompts

kingxfthejungle-blog

Gentle Pain Starters

godyoureafox-blog

kingxfthejungle:

“Hey, I need you to open your eyes. Can you do that for me?” “Hey, I need you to sit up. Can you do that for me?” “Hey, I need you to lay down. Can you do that for me?” “Shh, rest, you will wake up just fine.” “Be gentle on yourself, you’re doing the best you can.” “Lay back. I’ll patch this up in no time.” “You are so strong, just try and stay with me alright?” “I will be fine, just focus on yourself.” “Don’t be scared, it’s all okay.” “Oh my-…it’s fine, just don’t look at it.” “Y-Yeah…it might leave a mark.” ”Shhh, you’re fine.” ”You can’t walk. Up you go.” “You’ll have to bite the bullet.” “It’s almost over.” “Just a little more…done!” “It’s all over, you can open your eyes.” “I know it hurts.” “Stay strong.” “It won’t take long to fix.” “This will take a while to fix…” “I’m gonna try and heal you as best I can.”

"I believe that you'll do everything you can. I do. I believe you'll do whatever you have to."

At the question about sleeping, he swallowed, and his aura flashed again. He shook his head, though.

"I... it's... Yang's been having night terrors and I... don't know, I've... got a sleeping bag in the guest room with her, I don't mind hanging out on the floor, you know that." He'd done it before: he'd "slept" (there was a sleeping bag, but it was clear even then that he wasn't sleeping) on the floor next to Yang's crib for months when she was a baby. Yang had had colic until she was three months old, so he'd used that as an excuse to stay with her.

After that... well, he'd had a few different excuses until Summer had intervened.

"If she tells me she doesn't want me in there, I'll just camp out outside the door, no big deal."

fatedmuses-archive

Tai didn't trust him to keep her safe. Qrow felt he should be angrier about that, than he was. Mostly, he just felt resigned. Why would Tai trust him? It wasn't like he'd been able to keep Summer safe. Like their girls hadn't almost died at Beacon, when he was right there.

But this was different. He'd be watching over her personally, not just in the area.

"Tai," he said, in slight exasperation. Because of course he's doing this again. "Go to bed. Your actual bed. I'll stay up tonight. If she needs you, I'll come get you. You're literally right down the hall."

If he could get Taiyang to sleep even for a few hours, he'd count that as a win. "Take Zwei with you."

He spotted the way Qrow's face twitched: he knew fully well what Qrow was thinking.

He did trust Qrow with their girls. The state they were in was not Qrow's fault, and he knew that. Qrow might not believe it, but it was true. But whether he trusted Qrow didn't matter if Ruby was running off to face down the person that made the Grimm. It was more likely that either Ruby would die first and Qrow would follow, or the other way around.

"I..." But, Qrow didn't bring it up. So he wouldn't. He would just keep to the topic at hand. Flash. "I just... have to watch her, Qrow, it's... I just have to sit with her, okay? I... I'm..." Flash. Flicker. "I won't be able to sleep anyway, better that I just. Sit with her. If I'm..." Flash. Flicker. Pop. "... if I'm up anyway."

Did he even notice?

"Plus, Zwei won't leave Ruby, so..."

"I... just... she's fifteen, Qrow. Fifteen. I was still getting tangled up in my weapon at that age, I had never even left Patch by then, I was still forgetting my locker combination at Signal. I just..."

Of course Tai noticed. He always noticed. But he was... too tired to say much of anything about it. At least Qrow wasn't doing it in front of the kids, that was an improvement. He guessed.

"... the world made you grow up faster than you should have. It made... it made her mom grow up too fast too. And that... that sucks, and I hate that that happened to you. And if there was anything I could do to fix that, or make it so it never happened, you can bet that I'd do it, whatever it took. But... they should be picking out notebooks for next semester, or... worrying about finals, not... this. I... I know I can't stop her, but..."

His aura glittered, scalelike, over his skin: flashed, but didn't pop. He's been running on fumes since the girls came home, and Qrow knew that.

"I'm just so tired of losing people that I love. And if it happens to my daughters, Qrow, I just... I don't know what I'll do."

fatedmuses-archive

"I know," Qrow said again. What else was there to say? Tai was right, of course. They should get to be kids, not... not have to do this. Not have to save the world because their parents had failed at it before them.

At the flash of Tai's aura, Qrow stood, reaching for the other man. He cupped his face gently, pulling his forehead down to his. "I'll keep her safe, Tai. I promise. You know I will."

They couldn't stop her, but Qrow could damn well go after her. Keep the worst of the grimm off her and her friends. He was like a fucking beacon for grimm, honestly. He wouldn't even have to get that close.

"When was the last time you slept? Let me keep an eye on things tonight."

#was i a monster from the start? | fatedmuses #the one that wins will be the one who hits the hardest | swear jar

"I believe that you'll do everything you can. I do. I believe you'll do whatever you have to."

At the question about sleeping, he swallowed, and his aura flashed again. He shook his head, though.

"I... it's... Yang's been having night terrors and I... don't know, I've... got a sleeping bag in the guest room with her, I don't mind hanging out on the floor, you know that." He'd done it before: he'd "slept" (there was a sleeping bag, but it was clear even then that he wasn't sleeping) on the floor next to Yang's crib for months when she was a baby. Yang had had colic until she was three months old, so he'd used that as an excuse to stay with her.

After that... well, he'd had a few different excuses until Summer had intervened.

"If she tells me she doesn't want me in there, I'll just camp out outside the door, no big deal."

fatedmuses-archive

@allourdays asked: this affects me, too, you know. (surprise me)

"...I know," Qrow said softly, gazing at Tai over the cup of hot chocolate the man had placed in front of him. He'd poured some liquor in it when the other wasn't looking, although Tai probably noticed anyway. He was like that.

"But you know Ruby. She's just like..." he paused, unsure if he should continue that thought. Skipping over the rest of it to get to the next sentence. "She's going to try to save the world, whether we want her too or not. You can't stop her, Tai."

"I... just... she's fifteen, Qrow. Fifteen. I was still getting tangled up in my weapon at that age, I had never even left Patch by then, I was still forgetting my locker combination at Signal. I just..."

Of course Tai noticed. He always noticed. But he was... too tired to say much of anything about it. At least Qrow wasn't doing it in front of the kids, that was an improvement. He guessed.

"... the world made you grow up faster than you should have. It made... it made her mom grow up too fast too. And that... that sucks, and I hate that that happened to you. And if there was anything I could do to fix that, or make it so it never happened, you can bet that I'd do it, whatever it took. But... they should be picking out notebooks for next semester, or... worrying about finals, not... this. I... I know I can't stop her, but..."

His aura glittered, scalelike, over his skin: flashed, but didn't pop. He's been running on fumes since the girls came home, and Qrow knew that.

"I'm just so tired of losing people that I love. And if it happens to my daughters, Qrow, I just... I don't know what I'll do."

littleblackqrow

"I have four open drinks of various types and levels of drunk right next to me, and I remember opening none of them. I thought I was supposed to stop doing that once I got sober."

“I don’t know how to tell you that that’s also a thing sober people do. If I’ve had a drink sit open too long I can’t finish it.”

#littleblackqrow

“Hey you,” Tai grins, wrapping both arms around Qrow’s middle and tucking his face as much against Qrow’s neck as he can once they’re separated. “What’s got you in a mood?”

Qrow rested his head against Tai’s, letting out a soft sigh as he relaxed into the others warmth, arms wrapping around Tai in return. “What, I can’t come get snuggles from my favorite husband just because?”

#was i a monster from the start? | scareqrowbranwen #numbed the pain at the expense of my liver | fireball

“Oh, I see, I’m your favorite,” Tai teases him. “Out of your many, many husbands, I’m the favorite. I’m honored.”

“Hey you,” Tai grins, wrapping both arms around Qrow’s middle and tucking his face as much against Qrow’s neck as he can once they’re separated. “What’s got you in a mood?”

#was i a monster from the start? | scareqrowbranwen

littleblackqrow

allourdaysrp:

Don’t mind him, he’s just picking up an idiot corvid before Zwei tries to herd him off the lawn.

Yes good, thank you Tai, he’d quite forgotten about Zwei and his desire to play with the birds.

Continue not to mind him mumbling under his breath as he sets the birb safely into a laundry basket and continues hanging clothes up to dry.

#littleblackqrow

littleblackqrow

oh sure I “did not know” how to “calcluate” that were “too many chips” to “eat” and “can not fly now” what am I a rocket sciencetist?????????? (x)

Don’t mind him, he’s just picking up an idiot corvid before Zwei tries to herd him off the lawn.

#littleblackqrow

allourdaysrp:

“H-Hey–”

Tai caught her easily again, wrapping strong arms around her as tightly as he dared and pulling her in, even though it put him at an awkward angle. She didn’t have anything to apologize for, and she had to know that, but… he had time to tell her that now.

“C’mon, Summer, don’t… don’t cry, you’re gonna make me cry and then we’ll both be stuck like that, huh…?”

She sniffed, burying her head in Tai’s shoulder. “I-I just, I was so stupid!” She clung to him as tightly as she could, which wasn’t very, lifting her head back so she could look at him. “I-I thought I could take her on my own and- and, I wanted to protect our girls, but I couldn’t!”

Summer let out a small wail, hiding her face in his shoulder again. She shouldn’t have left. She should have stayed, with him and Qrow and their girls. She was stupid, thinking she could do something even Ozpin couldn’t do. With her eyes she thought… well she thought she was invincible.

#was i a monster from the start? | scareqrowbranwen

“... you made a mistake. That’s... that’s all. You tried to... do the right thing. You didn’t...”

His aura flared protectively, as if to envelope them both, as Tai let his head rest against Summer’s. The girls, Qrow, they’d been through so much after Summer had disappeared, and a small, quiet part of him had found the audacity, several times over the years but never for very long, to be upset with her about it. But now that she was here... now that she was back, and he could see her absence eating her up right in front of him... all he could think of was the one member of their... team... that hadn’t come home.

“... you didn’t just run away.”

allourdaysrp:

Tai swallowed a little, and Zwei looked up toward his human in obvious concern.

How did he tell Summer that it had been in the neighborhood of fifteen years? About fifteen years since she’d walked out the front door with her mission pack, telling the girls she’d see them soon. Since he’d watched their girls stand at the end of the front path waving goodbye to their mother until they couldn’t see her anymore. Thirteen since she’d been presumed dead, ten since she’d been legally declared dead.

“… Ruby’s going to be eighteen in a few weeks,” he admitted. “And Yang turned twenty almost two months ago. She’d just turned five and Ruby was going to be three when you left.”

Summers’ hands came up to her mouth, which had dropped open in shock. Ruby was almost 18? And Yang was 20? Oh gods it had been 15 years? She’d missed so much.

Tears welled up in her eyes, falling down her cheeks. Gods, no wonder Tai was so awkward. They had all probably thought she was dead. And she didn’t blame them.

She buried her head in her hands, letting out a sob. “T-tai, I, I didn’t, gods I’m so sorry.”

#was i a monster from the start? | scareqrowbranwen

“H-Hey--”

Tai caught her easily again, wrapping strong arms around her as tightly as he dared and pulling her in, even though it put him at an awkward angle. She didn’t have anything to apologize for, and she had to know that, but... he had time to tell her that now.

“C’mon, Summer, don’t... don’t cry, you’re gonna make me cry and then we’ll both be stuck like that, huh...?”

@allourdaysrp from here

Qrow sighed happily, nuzzling against Tai’s shoulder. The only way this would be more perfect was if Tai had his arms wrapped around him. Well, that was for later. When Tai wasn’t cooking. “Just missed you.”