She found him after about his fourth round. He wasn't exactly sure, over the years he found it was usually best if he didn't count. There was something off about seeing the girl in a bar. A fully grown woman by societies' standards at 25 years, the spitting image of her mother, mature in beauty and grace, incredibly powerful, yet the most humble person in any crowd. He saw it, it was hard not to, but as the years went forward he found himself more and more longing for her to remain the enthusiastic six year old with the strange obsession with dangerous weapons. Of course, the strange obsession stuck with her, but over time, it became out of necessity to understanding her allies and enemies. It was no longer for the fun of it all. And though he loved her no matter what, he missed the kid that had turned into the woman sitting next to him.
She took the seat next to him. He didn't acknowledge her, if she wanted to talk he'd let her. She ordered a drink from the bartender. He hated it when she drank, and he'd venture that most people who knew her did too. After all, it meant that she actually was old enough to, that the little six year old was long gone. He knew better than most the price payed trying to drown one's sorrows in alcohol. But he would never call her out on it, she was of age and it would be too hypocritical to try and stop her.
He turned and looked her way and saw her staring at her hands. Her shoulders trembled slightly under the material of her cloak. He wondered why she came to him. When they were together she could talk about anything and everything but when she sought him out, she had something specific in mind. And if she came to him, she must be out of options. That plus the alcohol, well, this must be bad.
"Hey Uncle Qrow." It was a start. She sounded nervous, something he hardly ever associated with his little speed demon. At least around him.
He took a swig of his drink, this was going to take some time, "Hey kiddo."
Ruby laughed lightly, but there was a sadness behind it, "I'm not much of a kid anymore."
He sent her a smirk, "Tell me that when you're pushing fifty and then we'll talk."
"I'll keep that in mind." She swirled the liquid in her glass, "I need a favor."
He chuckled, "Where's the body?" She sent him a playful glare. He shrugged, "Come on, if you of all people feel the need for alcohol to get through this conversation, something must be bad. What can I do for you?"
She looked back at her hands, "You love me right?"
Qrow couldn't figure out where this line of questioning was headed, "Yeah, I do. I may not be the best at showing it but I do."
Ruby swallowed heavily, still staring at her glass, "I know, you do just fine. In your own Qrow-y way, but yeah…" She sighs.
He copies her, "Listen kid, I don't think you traveled all the way here to ask me something you could have over scroll and already knew the answer to. So what do you need?" He's trying to be gentle, but he was always a get to the point kind of person. Ruby always had this habit of running circles around a problem until she was forced to confront it head on. Good for scythe wielding, annoying for conversations.
"You mean a lot to me. A lot. After Mom died, and Dad shut down, you helped pick up the pieces. You were there for me. You taught me, guided me, kept me safe. All my life, when everything was falling apart, you were there. You made things better." Ruby might be within arms' reach of him, but one look at her silver eyes told him that she was miles away.
He put a hand on her shoulder, "Hey, what's wrong?"
She turned to look at him, eyes blurred with tears, "Nothing," She breaks eye contact with him and her fingers clench around the glass, "Nothing, everything is as good as can be expected with our line of work. Better even." She lets out a joyless laugh, "It's just, everything is changing, every second of every day. Sometimes you can't even tell until you look back and you realize things aren't the same." Tears slipped from her eyes and she hurriedly whipped them away, she smiled, "Sorry, this isn't how I expected this to go."
"Okay Sprout, there is obviously something I'm not getting here. Care to fill me in?"
She looked back at him, but he could tell she was fighting everything in her just to keep looking him in the eye, "Will you…?" She swallowed thickly, "Will you give me away?"
Okay so it might have been more than three rounds. He removed his hand from her shoulder and stared long and hard at her, just to make sure he heard what he thought he did. "What?"
"I want you to give me away."
So he did hear right. On another note did he just swallow a golf ball? "Like… for the…"
"Wedding, yes." Ruby shifted her gaze around the room and wrung her hands together, a habit she picked up when she was 12 and never fully grew out of. "I want you to give me away at my wedding."
He laughed and shook his head, he must be really drunk, "Good one kid, but I'm pretty sure ole Tai Yang has that covered for you. Father's right and all that."
As soon as he said it he knew he shouldn't have. From the look on his niece's face, he might have just told her that her best friend was dead. Her voice sounded strangled, "I want you, though. And who made up that stupid rule anyway? And it's not like anyone really follows it. I can count on one hand the number of people I know who were given away by their fathers. "
The bar was empty enough for them not to worry about causing a scene. Not that he really would have cared either way. "In case you missed it, you've only been to six weddings so the one hand thing doesn't have that big an impact. And those girl's fathers were either dead or jerks. Now I know I may not get along perfectly with your father but I'm sure he's neither."
Ruby's shoulders dropped, "Do you not want to do it?"
Qrow sighed and rubbed his eyes, he was never good at 'feelings', that was always Summer. Like mother, like daughter. "Sprout, I'm honored, truly. But this isn't my place and even so you can do so much better than me." And she really could, all she'd have to do was ask.
"I don't want 'better,' I want you." Ruby closed her eyes and buried her face in her hands, "That came out wrong."
Qrow forced out a chuckle, "Don't worry about it, kid." He took a drink to try and wash down the thing in his throat.
They sat in silence for a moment that seemed to stretch on forever. "Will you really not do it?"
Those eyes threatened every inch of his resolve, but he had to stay strong. "Sorry kid, that territory is for your dad."
Ruby shook her head, "Dad got his turn with Yang. They always had each other. But I had you, and I want you to have me."
"Listen kid…"
"What are you afraid of? My dad? You spent more time raising me than he ever did. And I get that circumstances were bad, and I'm not mad at him for it. Honest, I'm not. But you're just as much my dad as he is, and I don't like that he automatically gets 'dibs' because he's my blood father." Ruby looks at him, "This should be my choice. And I'm choosing you." Her hand clenched around the still untouched drink.
Qrow couldn't break eye contact with those silver eyes, "Sprout… Ruby…" he sighed, "You really want this don't cha?"
"More than anything." Her eyes sparkled.
And people wonder why he couldn't see her as more than a six year old most days. She's been taken, beaten, pushed to every limit known to man (and several unknown), faced unimaginable horrors, and yet in 25 years her puppy dog face hadn't changed one bit. Eyes that could make Grimm freeze in fear, and melt even the coldest of resolves. He never stood a chance, "Well alright then."
Before he knew anything else, she launched herself into his arms, "Thank you, thank you, thank you."
He wrapped his arms around her, "Yeah, yeah, don't go all mushy on me."
She laughed against his chest, "You like it." She wasn't exactly wrong.
He smirked, "Well, then clearly you don't know me at all." Then something occurred to him, he frowned at her, "But you're breaking the news to Tai Yang. I'd like to live."
She broke free, and smirked at him, "Coward."
"I'll have you know, that deeply offends me."
She sits back and grabs her glass, smiling at him, "Just keeping you honest." She laughed, "But yeah, I'll talk to Dad and tell him not to violently murder you." She said without a hint of irony or sarcasm, and he wondered how serious she was being. She often used her apparent innocence to mess with people, enemies who would underestimate her mostly, but honestly Qrow thought that there was some sadistic part of her that deeply enjoyed playing with people. It would certainly be just his luck.
There was a twinkle in her eye that let him know she was kidding, he just shook his head and took another drink. "Much obliged."
"You're welcome." And the smile she wore, he hadn't seen it on her in years, and though he probably would never admit it; it made him happier than words that it was him who brought it out of her. Because to a point she was right. He loved the little girl turned woman more than he'd loved anything in this world. He cared for her, watched over her, protected her, half-raised her. He'd never take back all the time he spent with her for the world three times over. He wanted to show her the world, he wanted to see the beauty she saw, he wanted to be the man she saw when she looked at him. He might not be her father, but she was his. And anything he could do to ensure his girl's happiness, he'd do it. Even if it meant facing years of things left unsaid between him and his eldest friend. Tai Yang would be upset, but hopefully his love for his daughter and respect for her wishes would keep him from violently murdering Qrow.
One could hope.
AN; and that's that, hope you enjoyed it, please review if you have time. ensia.