It was well past midnight when Qrow finally started to drift off to sleep. He always has trouble sleeping but it seemed to be worse whenever he stayed at Taiyang's place.
He'd been called over to watch the girls while Tai went on some errands. Unfortunately, those errands took a lot longer than Qrow had expected. It was already dark out by the time Taiyang returned so he offered the spare bedroom to Qrow for the night. Ruby and Yang were thrilled at the idea. They insisted on staying up later and watching a movie with their uncle to which he obliged of course. It wasn't long after that the girls fell fast asleep and were tucked snug in their beds.
"Daddy?" A small voice called from the darkness. Qrow's eyes shot open at the sound. He listened for a moment and when he didn't hear it again he closed his eyes. Probably just a bird or something outside.
"Just your imagination Qrow." He told himself. "You're tired and now you're hearing things. That's all."
"Daddy!" Came the voice again. This time slightly louder. Qrow sat up and listened intently to the darkness. He heard it again, "Daddy!"
"Ruby?" Throwing off the covers Qrow jumped out of bed. He stopped at the door and rested his forehead against the wood. "What the heck am I doing? She wants her daddy not her uncle. Besides, it's probably just a nightmare, Tai will handle this."
As he started back toward his bed froze when he heard sniffling from the hallway. "Daddy?" Qrow clenched his hand in a fist as he listened to the soft patter of small feet walk down the hall. "Daddy where are you?" Asked the tiny voice. It sounded you frightened and it took all of Qrow's strength not to open the door and wrap the small child up in his arms.
With his back to the door he slid down to the floor and closed his eyes. "What the heck are you doing Tai? Can't you hear Ruby calling for you?" Sure Taiyang was probably asleep but Ruby's been calling for him for awhile now. Surely he should have woken up by now.
The quiet sobbing behind the door almost broke him but he managed to hold back. But barely. "Be strong Qrow." He told himself. "You're not her father you're her uncle."
Standing back up Qrow made his way back to his bed. "You are not her father." He told himself one final time.
"I don't wanna be alone." Sobbed Ruby from the hallway. Screw it thought Qrow as he threw the door open.
Ruby looked up at her uncle tears making her silver eyes shine even more. Qrow fell to his knees before the child and wrapped his arms around her small form.
"Don't cry kiddo. I'll always be here when you need me. I promise." He said.
"I love you Uncle Qrow." Ruby said as she wrapped her tiny arms around Qrow's neck.
"I love you too. Now," He said standing up with Ruby in his arms. "Let's go back to bed, okay?"
"Can I sleep with you tonight?" Asked Ruby as she wiped her eyes.
Qrow chuckled as he wiped the remaining tears with his sleeve. "Sure thing kid. Just promise me you won't hog the bed like last time."
Ruby grinned at her uncle. "No promises." And with that Qrow walked back in the spare room and sat Ruby on the bed. She scurried under the covers as Qrow climbed in from the other side then snuggled up to her uncle once he was under the covers as well. "Goodnight Uncle Qrow."
"Goodnight Ruby." Maybe he shouldn't have responded and let Tai handle it. After all, she wanted he daddy.
But then again, some instincts are hard to ignore.
The End