The golden hair peered around the door, her violet eyes blinking slowly, the large man knelt before the mother of his newest child, murmuring gentle and loving words to the woman's large stomach, her white cape wrapped around her, a gentle smile on her lips.
Her silver eyes looked up, spotting the golden girl, who hid behind the door frame a touch more, knowing very well she was not meant to be awake at this time. Her hair was down, instead of in its usual pigtails, the soft curls falling around her face.
"Yang." Her voice was gentle, a soothing feeling ran through Yang's heart at the utterance of her name. Her tense shoulders began to relax as she slowly moved from behind the doorway, her father turning with a smile, motioning her over.
"Come say hello to your baby sister." His voice was low, gritty, a deep rumble in his barrelled chest, and Yang padded over, a soft yawn tugging at her jaw.
"How do you know she's a she?" Yang murmured softly, reaching out a small hand to press against Summer's covered stomach, feeling her own, larger, warm hand covering hers and guiding her small hand to the area where her baby sis was kicking, Summer chuckling gently as a gap-toothed smile lit up Yang's face.
"We just do, m'dear." Summer hummed, feeling Yang softly press her ear to her stomach, Summer's fingers running through Yang's golden tresses, a soft hum of a song in her chest.
That night, Yang fell asleep in front of the fire, her father and adoptive mother watching over her, watching as she dreamed of the fun and antics she and her baby sis would get into, all of the trouble she could help her out of, and how she was gonna be the best big sis in the whole of Patch, maybe in the whole of Remnant.
A month later, Yang woke to a scream. Her feet were running as she hit the floor and she sprinted into her parent's room, to the source of the scream, her heart hammering in her small chest, adrenaline coursing through every fibre of her being. She saw Summer laying with blood between her legs, sweat on her body and a small creature being washed and wrapped in warm blankets in the nurse's arms, she had been staying the past few days. She saw her Father look to her with worry in his eyes, opening his mouth to tell her to leave before she could gain the breath to ask why her baby sis wasn't crying, she was meant to be crying, wasn't she?
Then, a perfect sound struck Yang's ears, a loud, wailing cry from the baby in a bundle of red cloth. Summer gave off a tired, relieved sob and her father was immediately at her side. Yang slowly moved beside him, straining to see the child. Slowly, Taiyang took the baby, kneeling down to allow
Yang to see her baby sister, a small, wrinkled face. Small hands reaching to the air, gurgling cries still being heard. Yang slowly reached down, feeling her baby sister take her fingers, and slowly silence into soft sighs.
"Meet Ruby Rose, Yang. She's your baby sister."
Yang looked up to Summer who had spoken, a smile gracing her lips. Yang slowly looked back down at the small bundle who was still gripping her fingers.
"Welcome to your life, Ruby Rose." Yang murmured, a sob scratching its way up her throat, not that she could quite understand why. She slowly leant forward, her golden curls brushing against the baby, her lips murmuring a soft promise against her forehead. "I'll always be here, Ruby. I'll never leave you, forever."
It was the first day of Ruby going to school. Her silver eyes looking up at Yang expectantly. Yang simply smiled and fixed her hair and uniform, her calloused thumb running across Ruby's cheek, in the comforting gesture she had become so accustomed to doing. "Remember our song, Ruby?" Ruby nodded quickly, tugging at her bright red, plush cape.
"I will stay with you, all of our days."
Ruby sang gently, a nervous warble in her tone and Yang nodded with a smile. "I'll just be across the school, Rubes. If anyone gives you trouble, let me know who they are and I'll take care of it." Ruby gave a brave nod, swelling her small, thin chest and she began to walk towards the gates, her dog-faced backpack high on her back. Yang's own being slung over one shoulder as she walked forward, her hair tired back into a low ponytail to keep it from her face.
Yang watched with Pride as Ruby introduced herself to the kids of her class, becoming fast friends with them all. Yang began to move to her own class, taking in a deep breath of air, more nervous about her sister's first day than what she ever was about her own.
"Why would she do that, Yang?" Ruby sobbed into her sister's growing chest, who gave a slow shrug.
"Some people are just, bad Rubes. I'm sorry." She murmured into her sister's hair, Ruby's hands gripping tight to the back of her shirt, her small shoulders trembling with sobs as she spoke about the person who was supposed to be her oldest friend embarrassing her before the whole school. A girl who, Yang wouldn't lie, she currently wanted to pound the face of.
"Friends come and go, but I will always stay." Yang murmured gently, kissing her sister's head once again, who's sobs began to slow, her grip began to loosen, instead comforted just by the warmth of her older sister.
Yang watched as Ruby bounced from wall to wall, screaming her excitement as she tried to explain what had gotten her so happy. When she managed to settle long enough to explain the full situation, their father swept his youngest daughter up into a tight hug, laughing loudly and holding her close to his barrelled chest. He ruffled her hair with one large hand, a grin wide on his features, Yang stayed silent, watching te interaction with an almost maternal sense of pride. Also a sense of sadness, a sadness hidden deep within her chest, which pulled her heart down like a stone.
Ruby was no longer the little redhead that she had watched grow up, that she had hugged close when she hurt, that she had helped train, the young girl who struggled under the weight of the scythe under their Uncle's tutoring, she wasn't the little girl that Yang used to play Chase The Beowulf with, she was fifteen now, not ten, or twelve. Five short years and she had grown so much. Had grown so strong, had protected her so many times. Had shown herself living up to the hero's paint she had drenched herself in. At the very least in Yang's eyes.
She must have looked especially wistful as Ruby cocked her head, calling her sister's name. Yang blinked slowly and grinned, opening her arms for Ruby to rush into them, screaming congratulations about being accepted into Beacon.
"I'm going to beacon with you, Yang!"
And growing up without me.
The first few years had passed, Ruby had gained scars and friends. Had lost her need for her Bi Sis to protect her. She could protect herself now. Yang was so, so proud, her chest swelled every time she saw Ruby do a new flip, every time she saw Ruby cut swathes through Grim, every concise order she gave to her team, how her relationship with Weiss was blossoming, how much she had grown.
Yang glanced back at the red cloak on the floor, she had been knocked unconscious by a stupid mistake on everyone's part, most of all their intel. "Just a pack of Beowulves my ass." Yang hissed, dancing away from the stinger to the Deathstalker, firing off shots and trying to lure it away from the red girl. She watched Ruby stir, a low groan echoing from her.
"Ruby! Run!"
Ruby's head snapped to Yang, silver eyes quickly assessing the situation as Yang yelped from a particularly close strike, the Deathstalker hissing in frustration. Then Ruby ran, but not in the direction Yang was hoping for.
With a singing blade, Ruby came into the fray, and after a few short moments of bait-and-hit tactics, with Yang already acting as the bait, the Deathstalker had fallen. Ruby panted, the blade of her scythe embedded in the mud. Yang laughed, full of joy and worry, letting it loose as she looked to her sister, who frowned and approached her, having caught her breath.
"We did it Rube-"
"Don't you DARE, EVER tell me to leave you."
Her voice had dropped into a low growl and Yang felt her jaw snap shut. Ruby had grown in the past few years, easily hitting six foot, all broad shoulders and lanky arms, taught muscle under the layers of fabric bunching with anger sparking in her eyes.
"I will never leave you, Yang. If you go down, so do I. I will never sacrifice you for anyone. Not only re you my teammate but you're my sister. Do you not remember our song?"
She was snapping now, advancing slowly on Yang, who took slow steps backwards, her jaw flapping uselessly.
"I will stay with you, all our days Yang. Do you know what that means?"
Yang gave a slow nod.
"Then don't ask me to break that promise, and don't break that promise you made to me."
Ruby gave off a shuddering sigh, her eyes closing before she felt Yang's strong arms envelop her, and she felt herself slouch into the touch, Yang's fingers running gently through Ruby's matted hair, her own hands dropping her beloved weapon to wrap around her sister, sobs wracking her form as Yang sang gently to her, a low lullaby in her ear as she comforted her little sister.
Her brave, mighty little sister who was probably gonna save the world, but nonetheless, the little girl who needed her big sister so much. Slowly Ruby pulled away, giving a watery smile and batting the tears from her eyes.
"Hungry?" Yang asked softly, and Ruby nodded quickly, picking up her weapon and gently taking Yang's hand, just the ring and tittle finger, as she always used to when she was a child, drawing comfort from the hold. Yang smiled and ran her thumb across Ruby's fingers, feeling the scarred knuckles and walking with her back to Beacon, both of them singing a soft lullaby.