Chapter 8

…

Eyes slowly, heavily fluttered open, and then came the first breath he registered with a conscious mind. It stung, and made him yelp.

"Just stay still."

Came a voice from his right, and he felt someone's hand on his chest. Squinting his eyes, he first noticed the serene, tranquil whiteness of his surroundings. Then, someone got hold of his hand, and he looked to his right. His vision, slowly but surely, returned to crystal clear, his gaze met with a scolding grimace. Not the least of which were her piercing, red eyes.

"You were way too reckless," She chastised him, and her wrinkles deepened when he smirked in response.

"I was my usual self. Besides, I've been through worse."

"I can't remember you looking any worse than this."

"I was simply unlucky this time. But hey, I had my angel beside me, so no big deal."

She glared at him like she wanted to finish what grimm and rogue huntsman couldn't. He then squeezed her hand and lovingly smiled, a smile free of mischief or mockery, she parted her lips to give him a piece of her mind but couldn't. Instead, she sighed and lovingly smiled back.

"I'm just asking you to be more careful."

"That's asking a lot."

"Please." She cupped his face with her other hand. "What if I'm not around when all hell breaks loose, and you're amidst of it?"

"But you will be."

Her eyes shined with invisible tears, she gently kissed him.

"Just take a rest for now. You really need one."

"But I just woke up."

"Please." She pleaded again, softly. "Take a rest and promise me, you'll be more careful from now on." She finished, and he realized that for the first time ever, it truly seemed like she begged him.

"…Okay, I'll go back to sleep. And I'll try to be more careful," He said, and she could tell he was being sincere.

She softly smiled, kissed him again, and waited till he would fall asleep.

When he woke up, his gaze wasn't met with hers.

Actually, he didn't see her ever again. Only her wedding ring was left.

…

Slowly and groggily, his eyelids fluttered open. Some moments later, and after enduring a few passing headaches, he realized that eventually, he did manage to get some shut-eye. During the morning, that is. Rubbing his eyes, he released a wide yawn. His ears prickled, he heard a sound of a kettle whistling, and turned to face it.

"Good morning, dad. I mean, as good a morning as it can be for someone who looks so terrible," She said, her lilac fixed into his increasingly widening eyes.

Crap!

It was a bad idea to fall asleep here, and he was a total fool for making a simple mistake like that.

"Yea, I-I had a bad day and was searching for Ruby and-"

"Stop." She cut him short. "Just…stop. I'm well aware how hurt you are right now," She said, her jaw, eyes, lips, her entire face hardened.

He froze. A solid statue. He wanted to disappear. Wished that the ground beneath his feet would crumble apart and he-

"Relax." Her voice reached him, she put a hand on his shoulder.

He didn't have the courage to meet her eyes still, but at least he wasn't frozen anymore.

Her features softened. "Listen, dad, it's…it's okay to be hurt. It's okay to feel defeated, to feel lost. And it's okay if you're not invincible. None of us are. So please just, just stop pretending," She said, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"…"

For a while, he couldn't utter a single word. Plenty of memories and thoughts appearing and fading. Choices he made and ones that he didn't. His mistakes. But at the end of it all, he saw his two daughters. Them holding each other's hand, while they also held his.

Tai let out a sigh, his face awash with resignation. Also a wisps of relief.

"Did you know all along?"

"I don't remember when exactly, but it's been years at this point."

"Well, at least now I know I'm a shitty actor."

"You're a human, dad. And humans get hurt and there's nothing wrong about that," She said, and he took a moment to think to himself.

"…You're right. I mean, I knew myself I was overdoing it. Putting on a brave face in all the situations, and…I don't know, not showing the human side of me to you, girls." His roaming eyes searched for a place of comfort, but he couldn't find any. "And I'm really sorry about that," He said, his eyes still wandering about.

"You did it because you thought it'd protect us. You don't have to be sorry," She said, her lilac gentle and voice soothing.

"Thanks, lil'cracker," He said, mustering a smile just above empty.

To be honest, there was a sense of relief, but so there was vulnerability he wasn't at all familiar with. It drew him in, and pushed him back all at the same time, and he knew it would take some time to get used to this.

"Also, I will ask this just one more time," He started, his eyes finally meeting hers, "Do you or that boy, Jaune, really don't know where Ruby's at? Or where she's heading to?" He pleaded.

"We don't." She lied a perfect lie, and he bought into it.

"Okay, lil'cracker. I believe you," He said, showed an empty smile, and let his eyes drop down to the floor. Felt how the faintest of hope he was still clinging onto, was now beginning to slip away.

She stood still for a moment. Tense and afraid, but then seated herself close to him, and took his hand into hers.

I promised.

She promised to Ruby she wouldn't tell, and had no intentions of breaking her word. However, she at least could be beside him.

That's why I'm here, dad.

And she was determined not to cower away. Even as he started to shiver and cry, she'd remain where she was. Unlike in the past, when she walked away when he grieved.

When he thought there was no one around to see him.