It had been three weeks and still Silver had stayed in Patch with her Xiao-Long/Rose family. The days were spent in peace, but also mostly in silence. The three Huntsmen knew that Yang needed time to recollect herself. Yet none of them knew how long that would take - could be months or even years. It all depended on Yang's state of mind.
Taiyang sighed as Silver practiced her expert crafting skills in the art of tea in the kitchen. The water was at the right temperature, the amount of tea leaves perfectly measured, seeping at the perfect amount of time. She couldn't be more impressed with herself as she concocted this masterpiece. He sat not so far away from Silver and her earshot, at the dining table where they'd have meals together in the past - Silver, Qrow, Taiyang, Summer and the girls.
"I can't believe Qrow," he started, "giving information to the kids like Yang about her mom…"
"Doesn't she have a right to know? It is her mother after all."
"Raven has gone down a path I don't think Yang is ready to really learn about."
Silver watched the water change color from translucent to brown, thinking about the day Qrow told her where he came from. And why he was in Beacon to begin with. The twins came from a bandit tribe, where they learned how to fight. They could fight any sort of Grimm, but the only thing they couldn't seem to beat were Huntsmen. So the tribe sent the two youths to Beacon, to learn to be Huntsmen and learn how to kill them.
"I think Qrow is leaving that for you to tell her."
After thinking about that possibility, Tai's voice became softer, "...Maybe."
"Besides," Silver poured some tea from the teapot she was making it from into two beautifully designed cups, a wedding present from Silver to Taiyang and Summer, "there are worse things he could tell them."
"Can it get worse than Qrow giving hints to Ruby about where those kids, who at fault for the destruction of Beacon, are located? Or possibly be located?"
Silver turned toward her dear friend, "Tai-"
He interrupted her, his voice still soft so that it could not be heard by anyone else, "maybe he'll just tell the girls about the Maidens. Now that's something I'd like to avoid. They don't need that impending thought on their minds. That mess is just messy."
Silver brings the teacups to the table, setting one in front of Taiyang and the other in front of herself. "You and I both know that is something he wants to keep away from them. We all do." She sat with him at the table, cupping the warm teacup in her hands, feeling its warmth as the days get colder. "But… I do know he told her about the Silver Eyes."
Her hand lifted in front of Tai's face before he can say another word, "She's her mother's daughter. Petal also has the Silver Eyes, much like Sunnie did. It only makes sense for her to know what she did to the Dragon Grimm in Beacon. And… what happened to her friend. She's a lot like her mother. Everytime I look at her, I am reminded of Sunnie. Of the light and love that she radiated from every smile, every word she spoke. I only wish I could have the same for the others. A piece of them from before."
Without desire for speaking another word about the current subject, the two sipped their tea. To Silver, it was pure perfection of the essence of the leaves she had chosen. A taste of what a part of the earth of Remnant is and the secrets it holds. To Taiyang, it was just another cup of tea made by a tea fanatic. A little too bitter for his taste. He reached to grab a cube of sugar, only for it to stop midway from the mere glance of said fanatic. His hand retracted and suddenly, they both share a small laugh together before taking several more sips.
In the middle of a conversation they started about their school days, a blonde teen with her hair in a tangled mess emerged, groggy and sleepy. The adult's conversation ended abruptly as they watched the teen move from the kitchen entrance to the cupboard. She had tried to grab with what wasn't there anymore, as if she had forgotten previously. Her eyes widened as she realized, and remembered how it happened.
"Want some tea, Yang?" Silver asked, trying to get her mind off of the memories that will haunt her for a long time. And even worse, the person who will haunt her. However, no answer came from Yang as she used her other hand to open the cupboard for a glass.
She tried again, "Is there anything I can-"
"What do you want?" Yang's irritation flared at the Silver Huntress, "better yet, why are you still here?"
Taiyang rose from his seat to scold his eldest daughter, "Yang, you shouldn't bite the hand of someone who just wants to help you."
"Why? There's no reason she needs to stay. You can just go and leave me alone. You're really good at that. Birds of a feather, you three are." She looked over to the glass she grabbed and angrily just left it there, not caring about the drink she was going to grab anymore. Her mood was diminished as she angrily went back to her room. Silver's amethyst eyes were widened in horror as she stood there, thinking about what Yang had just said to her. It was just as Qrow and her had predicted. She had remembered her, yet only stayed quiet about the knowledge. Yet her heart was still hurting as she felt left behind by another person in her life. But the newest in her list of disappointment was not her - but her own niece.
Tai put a gentle hand on her shoulder, shaking her out of her inner thoughts - from delving deeper into that hole of self-hatred. Self-hatred that was new to Tai concerning the strong-minded Silver Soteria. But as Qrow said, confiding in him weeks ago, "she blames herself for so many things. If it ever continues, or gets worse, she will break. And if that happens… I don't think we'll ever save her from herself." Tai only hoped he was wrong.
Silver lifted her hand from her cup to be on top of her friend's, signaling to him that she will be fine. She will just need some time to calm and center herself. Knowing what would make her feel better, Tai grabbed her teacup and walked over to where Silver had left the teapot, on the kitchen counter. As she watched her friend gently pour the tea, the way she had showed him years ago, a knock was heard. Taiyang almost moved towards the noise, but stopped when he noticed Silver was to be the inquisitor in his stead.
Just outside the kitchen door frame was the spacious living room, furnished with several couches, a T.V., a fireplace with a mantle that held many family photos and several lamp fixtures. Silver walked living room into the foyer, reaching for the door handle to the front entrance of the home. She had no idea who was behind the door, the house was nearly secluded from the main town that held Signal Academy. When she swung the large door open, she was more surprised than she suspected to be.
A young man stood before her in the doorway. His dark clothing were rumpled and slightly torn, his usually kept dark hair released itself into a wild look. Even his stubble was thick from the usual clean shaven appearance he kept himself to be. Dark circles hung around his eyes, from a lack of sleep, Silver suspected. All of these things worried the Huntress, she knew this young man went through a time of Hell after the Fall of Beacon. He spoke no words as he lifted his tired head to see her eyes with his red ones. It was clear to her that he had not expected her to be here, as she felt the same way about him.
"Noir Harceleur? Wh-what are you...?"
Behind the gruff looking boy was a gruff looking man, who glanced at his lover with solemn eyes. "I found him in town, while I was… uh… shopping." She knew he meant for booze.
Taiyang couldn't keep himself in the kitchen from his curiosity as he stepped closer to the door, behind the white-haired woman. He had only seen this boy whom he knew as Noir Harceleur of Beacon Academy from the Tournament Broadcasts he stopped to watch when he had the time from his mission at the time. Who this kid who stood before him, he had no clue. But he suspected Qrow and Silver did from their reactions.
Yet without another thought Taiyang smiled kindly, "No use keeping you outside in the cold, is there? C'mon inside, young man. Let's get you," he gestured to the bat faunus's overall appearance, "cleaned up, shall we?" He gestured for Noir to come into his home.
However, for a long moment Noir simply stared at Taiyang as though he could not trust the invitation, or perhaps processing the resemblance between him and Yang. But in the end, he simply nodded silently, stepping into the house and taking a moment to look around the roomy residence.
In the middle of his fascination with the architecture of the house, a hoppily Ruby emerged down the stairs. She stopped when she saw a face she, just the like others, had not expected to see.
"Noir? What are you-" her questions were the same as everyone else's.
"Not now, Ruby," her father gently commanded, "give him some time." At Noir, Tai gestured to the stairs Ruby came from, "the bathroom is this way."
As Taiyang escorts the young huntsmen-in-training to the upstairs, the Huntress glanced over at the Huntsmen with concern. Qrow felt the same way, but was able to have more time processing than she. However, he too, was conflicted.
"Where exactly did you find him?" Her inquires began. Ruby, not far from the conversation, listened in.
Qrow instinctively reached for his flask inside his pocket yet took no drink from it, "Remember that park near Signal? The one with both kiddy swings and adult swings? The one with the metal jungle gym?"
Silver tsked at him, "Of course I do, we'd take-" she stopped herself as she realized Ruby was within earshot, and restarted. "Yes. Why?"
"He was there. Just sitting on the swing. As if he was tired from running away from something. Kid hasn't really spoken a word, just head nods and whatnot. Not even when I told him to follow me here. Honestly, how does a kid like that get into that sort of state?"
Silver sighed, "I have a few ideas…"
It took a good while for Noir to emerge from the bathroom, his face shaved clean and hair much more tame than before, yet still somewhat wild. Tai had found some clothing for him to wear - all Noir had were the ones he had on his back; though he still wore his overcoat due to his wings. For the safety of the family's belongings, Noir kept said wings closer to his body.
Tai stood just outside of the bathroom as he waited for the young man to come out. "Heh, you're looking better already, kid." When he didn't receive a response from the muted kid, Tai cleared his throat and escorted him back downstairs to the kitchen.
Noir sat at the family dining table besides a seated Ruby and across from a lounged Qrow with a cup of whiskey in hand. Taiyang seated himself on the other side of Noir, grabbing the teacup that he drank from previously. The lightest-haired woman poured a cup of her finest tea for their new guest and set it in front of him. The pot she made previously had gotten too cold to serve, so she was happy to make a new pot; she knew she was going to drink the rest of what the others didn't.
Noir, still silent, inclined his head slightly for the tea she had brought him. He takes a moment to inhale the steam before sipping it, the others watching him in anticipation. For what seemed like forever, he simply sat still, his eyes gazing downward at the teacup in his hands as though fixated with the elixir within. He gave the impression to the others, he isn't in the state of mind to start a conversation right now.
But Taiyang was, "What happened?" His words were slightly hesitated, but he knew that the kid wasn't going to talk unless asked directly, where no one but him knew the answer.
As if prepared for that question like one would for a test, Noir set the teacup to the side, "Vale… it.." He paused, they heard a voice hoarse and broken, as if it hadn't been used for months. And it hadn't. So Noir tried again, "After what happened at Beacon, I began to wander around Vale. I wasn't sure where to go or what to do, and...I heard about Yang. I went to look for her, while I was still around Patch. Just to make sure she was alright." His voice trailed off back into its silent state, his expression showing exactly what he was feeling in his heart - anger, grief, despair - all while trying to hold those same emotions within. His voice stayed leveled as he continued, "Beacon...it's gone. Everything it stood for, all the ideals that kept it erected as a light for the wanderers of the world...gone." An inhale and exhale of breath. "The building may be standing. But its light is gone and remains so. And while most of the students there had homes to return to. I didn't."
He's silent for a very long moment as this fact sinks in his soul, as though he himself still tried to process it. "So. I returned to my usual state. A wanderer. Nowhere to go. No one to go to...perhaps I could have stayed...if I'd wanted, but….but…" His voice finally breaks and he falls silent in earnest.
As if it were an everyday reflex, Silver walked to him to bring his head on her chest to cradle him. Much like what she did for Pyrue months ago, she tried to calm the fears and sadness within this one child's heart. She spoke no words, nor did any noises come from her mouth - but soft, gentle tears fell down her cheeks as she simply holds him to her.
Noir made no move to resist the embrace, silently sitting there as his head is being cradles, and even though his own tears threaten to fall, not a one does. He continued to hold himself at least somewhat composed. However, not a single person in that room was deceived. The faunus's heart was on his sleeve for the first time since any of them had known him.
The room stood quiet for a while, all processing what was being told before them about this one lone faunus. Without family. Without a home. Without much hope.
Taiyang was the first to cut the silence, "I don't know what happened in your past, nor will I ask unless you want to tell it. And no one will ask," He quickly glanced over to Ruby who nodded at his unspoken command. "Thank you for being concerned for my daughter, she's slowly recovering physically. But mentally, she still has a ways to go. You both seem to. If you need a place to stay, I know we have a spare room we can set aside for you. Of course -" His lips curve in a very dad-like smile, " - if you help around the house that is."
Qrow snorts at this Tai-like gesture, helping out a kid in exchange for chores, "That'll go well for you since the kid's nocturnal." He joked before sipping his whiskey.
"Not anymore. The SUN WILL BECOME YOUR BEST FRIEND!" He laughed at his own joke, trying to lighten the mood in the room. And fortunately for him, he succeeded. It even got Noir to crack a small smile over this, "Can't imagine where I've heard that before." Noir replied, his voice still cracking a little.
Taiyang shrugged at this, "Well then, let's get to know each other and then I'll break you!"
With a horrified look on her face, Silver holds the young man tighter to her chest. A little irked, Qrow takes a bigger swig from his cup of booze while glaring at the kid with eyes that said, "those are my boobs, you lucky twat". Recognizing that face from years past, Tai adds, "or he will".
Noir's smile fades slightly after the same words he heard upon first meeting Yang Xiao Long from her father's mouth. His voice comes out soft, but with Silver's acute hearing, it was audible, "Miss Soteria, you can let go of me now… I'm losing air."
Realizing her breasts were practically suffocating the poor lad, she lets go of him with a word of apology. Afterword, she stridden over beside her gruff man who continued to glare at a helpless kid, her cup of tea being near him. Once she was within arms range, his arm wrapped around her thin waist, then looking up at her in his soundless eye-language speaking, "do that to me later." She rolled her eyes at her lover's childish jealousy before lifting her cup from its plate and taking a long sip from it.
Ruby's voice perked up in the middle of the silly, yet awkward situation that occured, "I can give you a tour of the house, if you'd like! We can also say hi to Yang, she's in her room."
"Please, do. If I'm staying here, I should know where everything is." He replied.
As the two huntsmen-in-training leave the kitchen, Tai said, "Welcome home, Noir."
The dark-brooding Noir paused at the doorway, his tone much softer than before, "Thank you."
Waiting till they're somewhat out of earshot, the three Huntsmen sit still, sipping their tea. In a matter of minutes, they heard a story of a boy with little to his name and no hope in his heart. Silver thinking aloud, "Was that a good idea?"
Tai shrugged, "Doesn't matter. He's a kid who needed help. You'd do the same thing. Actually, you have done the exact same thing as I just did. Even went a little further. Besides, who better to help the broken but another broken? We three are best suited to help him."
The other two agreed with the blonde Huntsmen before taking more sips of their respected drinks.
Despite their best efforts, none of this goes unheard by Noir thanks to his hyper-hearing. He smiles a bit to himself, genuinely touched by Tai's generosity. He then returns to reality, following closely behind Ruby as she shows him around her childhood home.