"I see that the bike is still here."
"I'm lining up to sell it." Qrow stepped off the porch. "Getting used to the car has been weird, but it works for now."
"Are you going to be able to find something soon? It's only another week before we start charging you for that rental car." Ozpin brushed past him towards the door.
"Once I sell the bike, I should figure something out." Qrow, followed him inside, pulling the door shut behind them. "I've been scoping some in the papers. Found a truck I was gonna go look at soon."
"That's good."
Zwei barked, nails clicking as he dashed from the kitchen.
"Uncle Qrow, can you help me with this math problem?" Ruby called from the dining table.
He smiled, Zwei trotting after him as he walked to the table. "Sure thing, kiddo, let me see."
Ozpin watched as he leaned over, scanning the problem, and doing his best to help.
"You're not very good at this, are you?" Ruby asked, tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth as she worked.
"It's been a while since I've done this kind of math." Qrow half-smiled. "Not since high school."
She smiled. "Thanks for trying, though."
Qrow looked over at Dr. Ozpin. "I'm sorry, I forgot. Would you like something to drink?"
"Just some water is fine."
"Oh, hi Dr. Ozpin." Ruby swung her legs, looking over her shoulder. "Do you know very much about math?"
"Not really." Oz smiled. "But can we talk?"
"Sure." She set her pencil down. "Are you staying for dinner?"
"No, just stopping in for a visit." Ozpin sat at the table.
Qrow started dinner while they talked, Zwei trotting at his heels with each step as he cooked in hopes that he might drop something.
"And you're settling in okay?" Ozpin asked, watching Ruby as she finished her last problem. "You like living with Qrow?"
"Yeah." She smiled. "I mean, it's different. But he's great. He's been doing a good job."
"That's good." Ozpin smiled. "So you'd say that you'd want to keep living here?"
"Absolutely." She smiled back. "I like it here. Plus, Uncle Qrow has Zwei. He feels like family now, too."
The corgi trotted over at the sound of his name, nudging Ruby's foot. She giggled and scooped him up, pulling him into her lap. "He's such a good boy."
"Ruby, not by the table." Qrow looked over his shoulder from dinner. "That's the only place I've managed to keep him off, and I don't want him getting any ideas."
She laughed as Zwei licked her face before setting him back down. "Sorry, Uncle Qrow."
He couldn't help the smile that ghosted his lips.
"Well," Ozpin stood, straightening his jacket. "Thank you for the talk, Miss Rose. Would you mind letting Qrow and I talk for a moment?"
"Sure." She smiled, getting up. Zwei followed her up the stairs to her room.
"She seems well." Ozpin walked over, watching Qrow cook.
"Yeah." Qrow nodded.
"And you still haven't—"
"No." Qrow took the lid off the pot. "I haven't gotten around to it."
"I'd recommend telling her sooner rather than later, Qrow." Ozpin looked at him. "She should know."
Qrow looked at the social worker before looking back to dinner. "I know that."
"I have another visit to make." Ozpin looked at his watch. "I'll see myself out."
Qrow stood at the stove, cooking for a few more minutes before Ruby wandered back into the kitchen.
"Did Dr. Ozpin leave?"
"Yeah, kiddo." He smiled. "Are you ready for dinner?"
She nodded. "Let me just put my homework away."
He set the table and put the food on the table as she trotted back down, sitting.
"You're getting better at this." She sat down, Zwei curling at her feet.
"So everything looks okay?"
"Yeah." She picked up a fork. "Mom used to make this for me."
"Open wide, Qrow!" Summer leaned forward in her chair, holding a fork with pasta twisted around it. "Come on, say 'Ah'!"
He rolled his eyes before opening his mouth. "Ah." And taking the bite.
She smiled as he chewed. "Well, how is it?"
"It's good."
She giggled. "Yay!"
"Yeah." He smiled, watching Ruby as she chewed with a smile. "Me too."
She finished her bite, twirling her fork in the pasta for a moment before looking up at him. "What did Dr. Ozpin want to talk to you about?"
"Just asking how I was doing." He smiled.
"Asking if you wanted to keep me?"
Qrow stopped, looking up at her. "Um, yeah. Something like that."
"You do, right?"
"Of course, I do, kiddo." He smiled. "I like having you here with me."
She looked down and poking at her food. "Dr. Ozpin said there was something I should know…" She looked back up at him. "I was scared it was that you didn't want me to live with you."
Qrow reached over and ruffled her hair. "No, I love having you here with me."
She laughed, pushing his hand away. "Then what should I know?"
He looked down before looking at a picture Ruby had hung up in the kitchen of her and Summer. They were standing together near a forest with dark red trees. It looked like a vacation picture.
"Ruby…" he turned back to look at her. "Look…I'm…I used to be an alcoholic. And I'm trying to stop drinking. I haven't since a few days after I met you. Dr. Ozpin thinks I should let you know so you can help look out for me."
"Uncle Qrow." She blinked at him before getting up and wrapping her arms around him from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder. "I'll look out for you."
"Because I love you, Qrow." Summer whispered.
He smiled, patting her arm until she let go. "Thanks kiddo."