Chapter 10:

In Which Ruby Learns a New Word

The nanny had done passably and Summer left the next morning before the girls woke up without a hitch. Qrow got most of the forges set up before the plumbers and electricians showed up and ripped the entire building to shreds. He was assured that everything would be put back where it belonged by the electrician, a young faunus man with grey eyes and claws.

Term started in 3 weeks, which his superintendent continuously reminded him of, and about which the electrician and plumber both extensively complained. "We're on a time crunch here, if you have any modifications you best make 'em now. We aren't going to have time later."

Qrow felt like rolling his eyes, but he just set up meetings with the blacksmith to set up a better in-class lesson plan for weapon descriptions and build ideas in younger students and design help in older students. He finally got the blacksmith's name, too, Landon.

"For god's sake, please stress that not everything has to be a gun," Landon finished up his side of the discussion on design.

Qrow felt a bit personally attacked, his fingers absently running over the trigger on his scythe and his cheeks getting warm. He would never forget that. After all, Tai didn't have a gun or a sword, he only had the cross bow and explosive dust in his vambraces. Raven had never even entertained the idea of a gun.

"I'll have you know two of my teammates don't have guns," Qrow said.

Landon grunted, Qrow could tell it didn't matter to him, Qrow was inherently a gun enthusiast because he put a shotgun in his handle. Trust me to find a blade purist for a blacksmith, he thought. He spotted the short handled hammer hanging at the guy's hip. Nevermind, he's just anti-dust.

The rest of the day passed in the stuffy office he had been given as an instructor, researching different weapon fighting techniques and brushing up the lesson plans. He made a mental note to put up some posters and throw out the stock images that the previous instructor(or perhaps the headmaster) had left in here for him. He also needed to go through weapons storage and simplify it. They didn't need a weapon for each child, the kids didn't take them with them, for goodness's sake. They were way too young to be armed 24/7 for the most part, and the weapons fabrication course would take care of the kids who were old enough. He'd have to give up drinking during the term, it would already be dangerous enough for these kids to be learning how to handle their first blades, guns, hammers, and maces around him just with his semblance alone. If he were to be drunk, he wouldn't be able to respond in time to keep them safe. His safety he could jeopardize. Other people's kids' safety? Not so much.

He dragged his feet on his way out of the building, intent on getting something to eat. It was difficult to be a loner and sober, he decided. He missed the times when his team was younger because they nearly never did solo missions then, he had always had someone he trusted around.

It was as he was stopping in at burger joint that he realized Tai was still at home with Ruby and Yang. They wouldn't mind him stopping in, at least he hoped not. He was fairly certain he had a standing ovation to spend time with his family.

Family. The thought left an odd taste in his mouth, something akin to soap. His brother-in-law, his niece, and his kid, not that his kid would ever know she was his if he had any say in it, so his other neice. Unless she actually did inherit his luck, or she suddenly realized she was too small and too dark haired to be Tai's kid. He scoffed. Blond and blue eyed were recessive traits, he reminded himself. No one would ever know.

He pulled out his scroll and called Tai just to be sure.

"Yo!" Tai yelled. Qrow could hear Ruby crying in the background. Yang was yelling in the background..

"Is this a bad time?" he asked.

"No, no! It's… well. Yes, actually, I can't get either of these two to sit down for dinner," Tai sounded resigned.

"Oh." Qrow had no idea what to contribute to this particular problem. The last time he had needed to get a child to eat, Yang had been an infant, he had just plopped her in a high chair and made her think she was getting chocolate instead of carrot puree.

"Anyway, what did you need? It's not that big of a deal." Tai had to raise his voice to be heard over the kids.

"I was going to ask if I could eat with you guys. It's depressing to have to eat alone without at least a stiff drink," Qrow began, "but I don't want to intrude."

"No, no, head on over. I'll set a plate."

Qrow could hear the click of Tai's scroll as he closed it.

Qrow went through an alley and past the treeline, checking for people behind him before he was flying off.

He heard his scroll hit a tree root and was back on two legs in a second. "Damn nerves," he muttered as he picked it up. This time when he took off, he made sure to think about what it felt like to have feathers rather than worrying about whether or not he was domestic enough.

When he got to the house the first thing he noticed was some kind of sauce on the kitchen window. He knocked loudly at the door to be heard over the two little girls he could hear screaming inside.

Tai opened the door looking flushed, a suddenly quiet but very red Yang hanging off one of his legs. "Hey," he panted.

"It took me 15 minutes to get here and they're still not calmed down?" Qrow asked.

Tai shook his head and began chuckling, sounding a little hysterical. "Dude, they haven't been quiet since before the nanny left. I think they finally figured out Summer is not coming home tonight."

Qrow frowned. "Wasn't Yang used to that before?"

Tai scoffed. "You think she remembers things from when she was one? Yeah, no. She barely remembers that she peed the bed three days ago, and that actually upset her. Do you remember anything from when you were a baby?"

Qrow shrugged. "I always just figured I didn't want to remember, considering I was raised by a bunch of bandits. There's no telling if my mom was actually my mom or just happened upon us in a raid, honestly."

Tai frowned. "You know, I feel there's a lot I should have learned about your family before I dove headfirst into a marriage with your sister," he said. He was barely audible over the girls.

"I would make a comment, but it's my sister and I don't even want to think about it," Qrow told him. He pushed past Tai and into the kitchen, where Ruby was laid flat on her back on the floor, holding a table leg and staring at the ceiling. She looked like she was tired.

"Did the nanny remember their nap?" he asked Tai.

"How do you remember nap?" Tai asked incredulously. "She said she did…"

"Summer stressed the importance of naps repeatedly yesterday. Seemed to think you would need help. Also seemed to think a man who flies around the world sleeping in trees and drinking more whiskey than is healthy could help you, which may not have been the best idea."

Tai turned red. "It's like she forgets that I've been doing this whole parenting thing longer than she has."

Qrow shrugged. "She's a mom."

Not that I know much about how moms act. Mine used to leave me in the care of whatever kid was too young to raid, but old enough to boss us around.

This made him think of Raven's insecurity in being a mom, about his own surety that he could never be a father to Ruby. Maybe Tai should have asked more questions before he jumped into a marriage with my big sister, and maybe it was a good thing I wasn't around. Summer might have wanted Ruby to know the truth, and that could have been... bad.

Qrow crouched next to Ruby and picked her up, surprised when she cuddled into his neck. She's probably just tired.

"She hasn't let me pick her up since I broke out the highchair," Tai grumbled.

Qrow began to rock her, not really knowing what he was supposed to do but remembering calming down Yang with Summer hanging over him this way. He turned to Tai and Yang. Yang was wearing a completely impractical mass of fluffy fabric in the brightest pink he had ever seen. There was peanut butter and crumbs all over it.

He was struck by an idea and before he knew it, he was crouching so he could look Yang in the eyes. "Hey, kiddo," he tried. "How'd you like to have a princess tea party?" he asked.

Yang sniffled one more time before she nodded. Qrow breathed a sigh of relief.

"Please tell me you have a tea set?" he said in a sweet voice directed at Tai, but still smiling at Yang.

"Uh… I think so," Tai said. "I think Oz gave Summer one last year some time." Tai turned to look through the cupboards while Qrow led Yang to the table.

The tea set was found and filled with milk "tea", the table set, and the food cut into tiny "hors d'oeuvres" before Yang could catch on to the plan. Qrow was grateful she wasn't old enough to realize tea wasn't typically served with full meals.

He was getting ready to sit down himself when Tai got his attention. "You may want to go put her to bed. She's out like a light." It took Qrow a moment to figure out what he meant. Ruby was splayed against him, her head against his(bony, uncomfortable) shoulder and her arms thrown haphazardly around his neck, barely holding on.

Qrow went to set her in bed and felt completely uncomfortable with the entire situation. Still, he took a breath. He would not be his sister. He would not run away. If he felt this uncomfortable without anyone but Tai knowing the truth, he could only imagine how Summer had felt as an unwed woman who was quiet and reserved, who was considered ruthless even among others who shared her profession, and who's biological partner in this had not only been unreliable, but completely MIA for two years. He could figure out how to be the best uncle possible, the most helpful he could be to Tai, Summer, and these kids.

No matter that it makes me feel constantly like I'm going to hurl, pee my pants, and have a heart attack all at once.

He went back into the kitchen to sit at the table, serving himself a plate after asking permission from Princess Yang. His appetite had all but vanished even though he had been ravenous beforehand and flying usually made him a glutton.

It wasn't long before Yang fell asleep while eating. Tai cleaned her up with practiced ease, took off her costume dress, and took her up to bed without her making a peep. When he came back Qrow's chin was propped up on one hand, his eyes distant and shoulders slumped.

"That kinda day?"

Qrow nearly jumped. Nearly because he had known Tai was there, he just had not expected him to speak. "If one more person reminds me that term starts in three weeks, I'm going to lose my mind."

It wasn't what was really bothering him, but it was better than telling Tai he was angry, hurt, anxious, scared, and jealous. It was certainly better than telling him that he felt left out. He had always known there was a small chance he'd end up a father, especially because he had gotten comfortable with Summer. He was always more careful with random girls, but he had known Summer so long, and he legitimately trusted her with his life. She had saved his life multiple times, as a matter of fact. The entire point of the act to begin with is in fact procreation, he reminded himself. He felt like an imbecile for being scared, or angry, or in any way surprised. The kid was already a toddler, the family situation figured out before he even knew she was alive. It still bothered him.

All of these thoughts happened within a few seconds, which he was immensely grateful for considering that if they hadn't, he would have missed the sound of Tai's startled, but quiet "Shit!"

Qrow was alert in an instant. "What?" he asked.

"I only have three weeks?" Tai was incredulous. "Three weeks until the start of term?"

Qrow relaxed. "Yes, Tai, three weeks until we are up to our eyeballs in armed children." If his voice was dry, it was excusable considering he had thought there was an emergency.

"Shit. Fuck. Heavens bless me," Tai was full on panicking. "I was supposed to turn in the new year's lesson plans two weeks ago."

Qrow felt a moment of surprise at having been more responsible for Tai for the first time in his entire life. Then a little voice came from behind them. "Chit fug."

His spine went cold. Summer was going to blame him for this one. He turned his head to the doorway. There stood Ruby, clutching the damned stuffed dog to her chest, staring at Tai with a puzzled expression.

"I am not taking the blame for this," Qrow said. He got Ruby and set her in a chair, serving her a bowl of cereal and beginning to feed her. Certain foods she could feed herself, but Qrow was not up to finding out if cereal was one of them, considering all the liquid involved he doubted it would result in anything but a mess. Tai glared at the bowl. "The food's been out too long," Qrow told him.

Tai went to put the dishes in the sink. "She'll forget it by morning," he assured Qrow. "I can't believe I forgot to turn in my lesson plans."

Qrow couldn't either. "Is this the first time?" he asked.

"Well, yes, but-"

"Are you changing much?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Tai, it'll be fine," Qrow's tone bore no room for arguments. "I'll take it with me back to Signal tomorrow."

"Alright."

It was a little longer before Ruby finished eating, and when Qrow went to bring her out of her seat he noticed her diaper was soaked. He held her away from himself a bit, honestly not sure he remembered the last time he changed a diaper or how one went about doing so.

"Uh... Tai?" he asked.

Tai didn't even look. "This one's all you, man. She's a squirmer."

"Tai, I don't know how to change a diaper," Qrow was a bit exasperated.

"Sure you do. The part with the picture goes in the front, the tabs go in the back. Unfold the tabs and stick them to the front," Tai said flippantly.

"So do I just stand her up or...?"

Tai shot Qrow a look. "You lay her on her back, doofus."

Qrow's shoulders began to hunch, a sure sign he was feeling defensive. "I don't know how to do this," he insisted.

"It's not even a poo, Qrow. You used to change Yang's."

"I prepared myself for months before I changed Yang's diapers," he began, "and she didn't move this much. I only fou-" he cut himself off, but the expression on Tai's face spoke volumes.

So much for keeping the worst to himself.

"Get over yourself and go change her diaper, man. How did you get through a day of watching them without changing her even once?" his voice was incredulous. He handed Qrow a diaper from a bag hanging off the back door.

Qrow took it and began making his way to the living room. A couch would probably be more comfortable than the floor, he decided. "She didn't have any accidents when I watched her," he called.

It was a bit like riding a bike, he discovered. As soon as he set her down he remembered the basics: wipe front to back, put the new diaper under the old one before you move it so if they pee there is less mess, etc. He was pulling her pants back up, a bit uncomfortable. Summer's voice in his ear, "if you put your thumb on her hip gently, she can't roll." The advice had been about Yang, but it seemed just as effective for Ruby.

"Hold up," Tai said, coming into the room and looking confused. "She didn't have any accidents? Qrow, she isn't even potty training, much less trained."

"Look, every time Yang went, I just kinda held her over the toilet and waited until she peed," Qrow was red.

Tai looked confused.

"You didn't tell me where the diapers were and I just figured it was a back-up measure. I don't know. Do I look like I spend a lot of time around kids?" Ruby was laying on the couch still, looking as if she was about ready to fall back asleep.

"You're wearing a pink tutu right now, do you want me to answer that?"

"Yeah, well, it was fine. Awkward. But fine. Ok? So let's just not..."

Tai picked up Ruby and took her to bed, he came back down and went into the kitchen, grabbing a couple of glasses and a bottle of juice.

"Can't drink with two kids to watch," he said with a smile.

Qrow chuckled. "I'm trying to quit until the next break."

Tai snorted. "Good luck with that. Even I have some every few weekends. It makes grading easier."

Qrow shrugged. "Last thing I need is a kid poking an eye out their first time holding a weapon."

There was a grunt of agreement and a long pause.

"So you're taking it that bad?"

Qrow's shoulders got tense. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing."

He drank some of his apple juice. "Summer should be back in three days?" he asked.

Tai nodded. "She's still in Vale, just a day or two south of here. She might be back early, or late. It depends on if the Grimm population is particularly strong."

"She'll be back early if not on time," Qrow assured him. "She's out of practice, but she's still Summer."

Tai smirked. "Yeah, that's definitely true. She still hands my rear to me on training days."

"Armed or unarmed?" Qrow asked.

"Armed, Qrow," Tai seemed offended. "I am a hand-to-hand instructor, you know."

Qrow chuckled. "Give me your lesson plans and I'll head out and slip them into the headmaster's office tonight rather than making you do it in the morning.

Tai went upstairs and got them. Qrow walked back to the school, careful to hold on to the envelope. The headmaster had already gone to bed when he got back, which made it easy to slip the lesson plan in between his own and the science teacher's lesson plans. Sometimes he forgot that Signal had to meet the general education requirements every other school did. Not all of these children would go on to be hunters, after all.

When he flopped onto his bed it took him hours to fall asleep.