Mother's Day was always hard for ruby, but since being at beacon any day that was hard for her they went through the same routine. every time it would be the same. She'd dream about her mother and wake up crying and yang would come and comfort her. Throughout the day yang would be there for her sister with a smile, trying to make her feel better, but shed keep her head down and cry throughout the day, and as soon as the school day ended, shed curl up under her blankets and sleep ready to wake up the next day her happy cheerful self. At least that how it normally goes for, that was when yang could keep her own emotions undercover until her sister was asleep at night when she could go and drink her pain away, but one year ruby got to understand her sisters true pain, and Blake would always make sure yang shared it, so it never consumes her as much as it did that day.
It all began the night before Mother's Day in their second year of being at beacon. Yang had been a little quieter all day but not so much that the others noticed. But they did notice her leave beacon as soon as possible after school, only giving a quick reasoning of 'have to go town' before she was gone. No one was too worried, she often went off on her own into town and they all had homework to focus on so they payed no more mind to it. They weren't even concerned when she didn't make it back by the time they were in bed, remembering how much she loved to party.
When she made it back everyone was asleep, but she was too drunk to notice or care. She slammed into the dorm door forcing it to open and crash into the wall. The sudden noise woke her teammates.
Weiss grumbled while the other 2 only shifted in their bed. Yang didn't seem to mind that shed woken them as she proceeded to stomp around the room, getting ready for bed but by this point Weiss was very angry.
"OY! Be quiet, I'm trying to sleep here." She whisper yelled.
"oh, I'm sorry princes. Did I disturb you? "the blond replied, not bothering to keep her voice down.
"yes, now be quiet!" Weiss tried to keep her voice quiet although her anger made it very hard.
"sorry for ruining your perfect little life princes. "yang yelled and jumped onto her bed "better?"Her only reply was a few angry sounds from Weiss and then the room became silent again
The next morning, ruby woke up in tears like normal, but unlike normally, yang wasn't there to comfort her. The younger girl called out for her sister but got no reply. So she carried on sobbing in her bed alone for the first time in her life.
Soon after blake woke up and was confused as to where the blond was, but chose not to think about it too much, in favour of comforting her distressed team leader.
About an hour after Blake woke up, it was time to get ready for school, and yang still wasn't in the dorm.
"hey ruby, do you know where yang is?" Blake asks her, in a sweet, motherly voice.
"who cares where she is, we have to go." Weiss replied in a harsh tone.
Blake decided to not say anymore taking ruby's silence as a no, so she followed Weiss to there first lesson hoping yang would be there. She wasn't.
When they got there, JNPR was already in their seat and yang was nowhere to be they sat down and started talking to the other team, phyrra was the first to bring up her absence.
"where is yang? Is she ill? "she questioned Blake, knowing from ruby having her head down, and Weiss being… Weiss, neither of them would answer.
"not sure. She wasn't in the dorm this morning."
"wait you mean she's missing? We have to find her!" Nora exclaimed jumping to her feet.
"I'm sure she'll be fine, yangs a big girl. "Weiss replied.
"Weiss she's our- "Blake was cut off by the bell signifying the beginning of class, so they all settled back down ready to learn. Although the others seem to forget the previous convocation when the lesson begins, ruby is still concerned about her missing sister.
Yang hadn't appeared all day so before beginning her mountain of homework, she send the one person she knew could help a text.
'hey uncle qrow, I haven't see yang all day and no one knows where she is could you make sure she is ok?'
'of course, short stack' he replies almost immediately.
Yang woke up early on Mother's Day morning, 4:36 to be exact but she didn't care about the specifics. All she cares about was getting out of this stupid school and escaping her emotions.
While the rest of the dorm slept, she silently got out of bed, still in her clothes from yesterday, and left the dorm leaving no clues as to where she was going. While walking down the halls lit by the sunrise, she slowed her pace as she thought of her sister. She knew Ruby struggled today but she kept walking, knowing if she stayed her emotions would make her hurt them more.
After a long trip down to town, yang found her way to a small cafe where she got a drink and carried on walking out of the city. She walked and walked with no real set destinations,she just wanted to get away from people,from everyone and their happiness.
As she walked on, she reached the cliff edge, where her grave was. She really hadn't meant to come here, nor did she really want to. She hated coming to the grave, it held too many memories and yet being here now she didn't really mind it, she just sat down next to it and started to cry.
"Hey mum" she whispered "I miss you. So do dad and Ruby. Ruby's taken everything really bad... And I'm not sure what to do"
Yang sat quietly by the headstone for a while, the only sound that could be heard was the occasional sobs that wrecked through her.
After about an hour she spoke again"...I tried mum... Tried to be strong for her but it was so hard. With you gone aswell I've lost 2... I never let that get to me though... But now it all hurts so much and I'm not sure what to do about it..." Yang broke into strong sobs after that letting herself cry for another hour.
After the hour was up she collected herself a bit and with the day fully underway decided the best thing to do next was find a way to forget what she felt... By drinking.
The walk back into the city seems to take longer but she doesn't mind, she doesn't care about when she gets back, she doesn't even know the time now she doesn't have her scroll after all.
When she did reach the city,she noticed the clock tower and growled. The time was 3:30 meaning the school was out and people would be on there way into the city to shop, she'd have to walk fast to reach her favourite bar before anyone saw her. So she speed walked to the bar and made it in a few minutes.
When she stepped inside the place was nearly empty. It made sense, it was still the middle of the day most people don't drink at this time. She wouldn't normally but this was… different. She wanted to forget why she was there so say down at the bar and ordered a glass of there strongest stuff. Which she proceeded to down in one go. She repeated this a few times until it started to hit her, when she switched to her favourite drink, a strawberry sunrise and continued drinking for the next few hours.
Meanwhile, qrow had received a text off ruby worried about yang at 3:30, he was more than worried. He knew this day was hard on both the girls, but normally they stuck together. For yang to leave Ruby alone today of all days and not tell anyone where she was going was more than a worry. He knew he had to find her, before anything bad happened. So he headed out to the first place he could thing shed go, the grave.
When he reaches the grave it's clear to see someone had been there… and was crying. The ground next to the grave was damp. But looking around it was clear they left so qrow knew he was too late. He knows yang is smart enough to not go any further away from the city so he headed back thinking if where she could have gone.
When he reached the city he had no idea where to look and decided he needed a drink so he Pulled out his flask and froze.
"That's it" he yelled and ran off towards yangs favourite bar. When he reached the door he was really in need of that drink, but to deal with what was on the other side of that door, he would need to be sober.
Back inside the bar.
Yang had been drinking for half an hour, and was already a mess. She sat alone at the bar,siping on of her many strawberry sunshine and letting tears fall down her face, as the door opened. She didn't bother to look up, she didn't really care who else came in and she didn't care about anyone else at the moment. That was until that someone sat down next to her and started talking.
"Hey firecracker" it was qrow. She didn't even want to reply or look up. She didn't want his pity.
"Want to tell me why your here?" He tried.
Yang just stayed silent as she sipped her drink. He opted to put his arm around her knowing she would always talk in his hugs, but she began sobbing.
"Hey-hey firecracker what's this about?" He asked her as this was the first time he saw the brave girl break down like this.
"I-I can't do this anymore qrow"she said In between sobs.
"What can't you do sweetie?"
"I can't stay strong for her anymore...I can't shove down what I'm feeling..." After saying this she broke down into more sobs.
Qrow broke hearing the strong girl he new so broken. He put his other arm round her and pulled her into his chest but stayed silent at a complete lose as to what to say.
After a few minuets of this he noticed yang fell asleep and he relaxed slightly. He stood up and paid her tab and then carried her out of the bar and off towards an airship heading out of the city.
When yang woke up realised she wasn't in the bar. She knew she was in a bed somewhere, but her eyes were too heavy to let her see where she was so she lied there trying to remember what happened. Then it hit her. Qrow found her,she told him. She sat suddenly and flung her eyes open looking around trying to work out where she was. Looking around she realised she was in her room. Her room on patch, not her dorm room. This confused her. She had school why would qrow take her here?
She looked around to find the room empty but she could distantly hear talking so decided to find them. She climbed out of her bed, head pounding with the sudden appearance of her hangover. Steadying herself, she walked to the door and quietly exited and snuck down the hall towards the sound of voices. Reaching the top of the stairs she could see qrow and tai talking, qrow sat on the sofa, tai pacing, tension thick in the room.
"How could it get this far qrow? We didn't noticed she hurt so much. I'm such a bad dad"
"Come on tai you know that's not true,she's too much like her mother it's not your fault."
"Is it really not because unless I'm mistaken my daughter has just been carried back from a bar after drinking her sorrows away without me noticing. I think that's bad parenting qrow"
Tai's voiced rose with anger and yang let out a groan as the noise hurt her headache, catching the attention of both the adults.
"O-oh your awake! Come down here yang,please." Tai says running other towards the stair.
"Ok..." She makes her way down the stairs and her dad leads her towards the sofa pushing her down on to it.
"Do you need something for that hangover kid?" Qrow asks in his usual carefree manner.
"What I don't-" yang stops her protests when qrow gives her a knowing look.
"I could do with something for my head"
"I'll go grab something from the kitchen for you"tai says rushing off to the kitchen.
Ones he is out of the room qrow breaks the silence" why didn't you tell us firecracker?" Using a caring voice that yang hasn't heard in years.
That statement angered yang so much tell them? How could she do that? It's not like they cared before anyway. They only cared because she wasn't at school looking after Ruby.
"Tell you? How could I? your never here and when you are your always with Ruby!I bet Your only trying to talk to me about it so I'll go back to school to look after Ruby like ive done for years. Well I'll save you the hassle of Having to deal with me and just go back now!"And upon saying that yang stands up and starts to head towards the door.
Before she can reach the door however, qrow grabs her arm and holds her there
"I'm sorry you feel I spent more time with Ruby than you but I really care about you. I don't just want you to look after Ruby I never wanted you to have to look after her to begin with,I just want to make sure your ok. Yang it's ok to not be strong all the time."
Yang pulled her hand away from qrows grip and stepped away from him"ITS FINE. I am strong. I'll stay strong."
"You weren't strong yesterday. It's not healthy to push everything down yang. Let us help you."he put his hand on her shoulder and turned her around to look her in the eye.
But when she turned around she had silent tears streaming down her face. He pulled her into a hug and she finally broke, letting out large sobs into his shirt.
"I'm not strong. I can't stay strong." She cried I between sobs.
"That's ok yang. It's ok not to be strong sometimes" qrow replied holding her close with one arm while the other stroked her hair.
Suddenly there is another pair of arms around yang but instantly she can tell who it is. Her dad.
"Oh sweetie I'm so sorry I didn't know. I'll pay more attention in the future I promise"
Tai was crying. Yang was crying. And qrow was on the verge of tears but it was all worth it as they stood there together finally yang felt she didn't have to always be strong around others.