Edited by: Marethyu, Priapus

"That's basically how it works," I say, finishing my explanation, watching Weiss and Blake sparring in the training grounds. "I know, it sounds like something straight out of erotica, but I'm not lying."

"No, no. I believe you." Ozpin sighs, taking his glasses off to rub the bridge of his nose. "Though, I'll admit, I would've found this more fascinating had it not been so ridiculous."

After Yang and Raven's less-than-satisfactory reunion and my very polite warning to the latter, I took Ozpin aside so I could explain to him the whole magic semen thing. After all, he sensed the blond's magic going haywire after she started to lose her cool.

I can't hide it much longer than that, but oh well. I was planning to tell him about it now that I'm almost sure Salem saw one of my girls casting spells. If my biggest enemy is now in the know, then I probably should tell my ally.

I also thought I'd show him the magic in action. Even though Blake hasn't figured out what kind of magic she has, Weiss is becoming very familiar with hers, even integrating it into her glyphs, which is very interesting. Dust is just crystalized magic, after all. Why shouldn't her semblance be compatible with her magic?

I've also admittedly told him about the other world I can access through dungeons because hiding that any longer is pointless. The magic I use, while similar, is still different compared to Ozpin's or the Maidens'. He obviously sensed the difference from me, but now that my girls have it, it's too suspicious.

I didn't get into details, but that's mostly because I don't really know all that much about Teralos. More accurately, I haven't experienced it enough. Collectively, I think I've been there for about twenty hours. I usually take three to ten minutes to finish a single dungeon, which isn't a lot.

At first, Oz didn't really believe me, but there's no denying my story now that Ozpin had seen two of my girls wielding magic. The same type I use. Pure mana, untainted by any element or influence.

"To think you've hid that much from me." He mutters then smiles, putting his glasses on. "It's no wonder I couldn't find anything about you back when you first emerged. You've quite literally appeared out of nowhere."

"I thought you'd be angrier at me." I point out.

"No, that would make me a hypocrite." Ozpin shook his head. "Everyone has their secrets, Mr. Astera. Though, I will say, from a tactical perspective, you've made the right decision by telling me now that you seem certain about Salem knowing about this gift you have."

Calling my magical cum a 'gift' is really fucking funny to me. It's stupider every time I think about it, even though it's very useful. Without it, I don't think Ruby would've defeated the Titan. Hell, Weiss and Blake could've died in the mine.

"Yeah, I've never really met Salem personally, but she's frightening," I respond. "The fact that she saw the entire battle without me noticing is offputting."

It reminds me that I'll have to finish that legendary dungeon soon. I've already called Velvet to let her know that I'm taking the entire week off. I don't think I'd need that much time for a dungeon, but I thought I'd prepare first, obviously.

First, I will make my golem armor magnum opus using that divine ice metal I found. I know I said I wanted more powerful materials to mix and match everything to create something ultra-strong, but I can always just improve it later, right?

Then, I'll make a few enchanted trinkets, empower the enchantment on my gauntlets, stock up on potions since the goddess' warning made me think that something could be messing with my inventory, and finish up one water spell I've been meaning to create. It's taking a bit because it's surprisingly advanced, but I saw it in a video game, and I wanted to recreate it.

"Though, this does make me think."

"Yeah?" I glance at Ozpin, who has a thoughtful frown on his face.

"Hmm, besides Ms. Schnee, just who else would be a suitable consort?" Ozpin says, making me pause.

"What?"

"Restoring magic into this world is certainly the main goal, but perhaps we could offer you even more political power," he continues.

"What are you talking about?" I blink, looking at him weirdly.

"Arranged marriages, of course." He answers like it's the most obvious thing ever. "You have more incentive to spread your bloodline than most. It'll help share your gift with others."

"What the fuck?!" I jerk in surprise. "What is wrong with you?! That's an insane thing to say to someone!"

"It is?" For some reason, he doesn't see the issue. "You said you despised the gods for taking away magic."

"I-I did, but—"

"Then, logically, wouldn't you want to reverse what they did?" He argues. "Of course, I'm not telling you to leave the relationships you're already in. Simply, I'm asking you to continue growing your harem while making connections at the same time. I'm sure a man of your age would love such a prospect, yes?"

…I know he means well, and a big part of me kind of wants that too, but that's not really a good idea. Maybe in a vacuum, yeah, but this will only cause more problems than it'll solve. It's extremely irresponsible.

"I disagree with that."

"Oh?"

"The more I share it, the easier it becomes for Salem to get her hands on it, and it just puts people at risk," I argue. "That's why I'm training the girls to use Haki first. To make them more capable in case things get tough. Magic is kinda secondary in this case."

I mean it. If anything, I think teaching Haki would be significantly more helpful in the long run because, unlike magic, Haki is an excellent indicator of one's character. The stronger it is, the more potential someone has. The more tenacious and determined one is.

And it's not easy to steal Haki. Compared to magic, where a simple Grimm parasite can do the job, Haki is personal. How do you steal someone's willpower? You can't. It's not that I regret giving them magic. Of course not.

But I don't think carelessly sharing it around makes a lot of sense.

I look at the girls.

"Magic is a great gift; I know that," I add. "But if it's in the wrong hands, then there's nothing more destructive. I don't want Salem getting my brand of magic, and I don't want any poor girl to suffer because of my own shortcomings."

Besides, if I'm growing a harem, I'm going to do it organically. I don't want anything forced on me. I don't want to half-ass it in any way. These are people's lives we're talking about.

"Hmm, I suppose you make a valid point."

"Though I won't lie, I don't think I'd enjoy it very much," I say. "Call me corny, but there's something magical about enjoying my time with someone I actually love."

The occasional swing here and there is fine, but I don't want it getting too extreme.

"It's your choice, Mr. Astera. I cannot force you." Ozpin replies. "Though, this gives me another idea."

"Please, nothing weird."

"Not at all." He smiles. "Would you be interested in a teaching position at Beacon Academy?"

"Huh?" This catches me by surprise. "A teacher?"

"Yes. You're already teaching a handful of students, no?" Ozpin states. "And, as we've seen already, your students have far surpassed even the best of professional hunters in this generation."

"I already told you I'm not gonna share my magic just because you asked me to."

"I'm not telling you to do that. However, this Haki of yours…" He looks at the sparring match between Weiss and Blake, prompting me to follow his line of sight, watching the Faunus handling Armament with relative skill. "...Is entirely different."

I guess that's true…? Haki is impossible for the people of Remnant to sense, seeing that it never existed here in the first place, so Salem finding out what it is might not be as risky. After all, at first glance, it can be chalked off as a semblance.

And by the time Salem knows what it is, it'll be tough for her to kidnap one of my students to try to understand it. As my students' Haki grows, so do all their physical stats. They'll become powerhouses that nothing short of Titans and Salem herself could bring down.

It sounds fun, but it's still one more thing to worry about.

"I dunno…"

"I realize that you're busy enough as it is, so how about a compromise?" Ozpin proposes. "You'll be a teacher for one term, starting once the second term begins."

"And when is that?"

"After the Vytal Festival," Ozpin says, offering a hand. "So? What do you say?"

Should I accept? I know Pig Emperor's big slave auction starts during the festival, which I'm planning to take care of, so that'd be one less thing to worry about. After all, the rest of the underworld should be easy to sweep, according to Roman. The pig is the biggest obstacle.

…Ah, what the hell? Training my own elite squadron – that aren't golems – sounds awesome.

"Alright." I take his hand and firmly shake it. "I accept."

"Excellent." Ozpin looks pleased. "Then I shall take my leave now. I should prepare the paperwork and the like."

"Sure." I nod. "See you, Oz."

"Farewell, Mr. Astera."

With that said and done, Ozpin takes the elevator and leaves the training grounds. He seemed really excited there. Was this some kind of plan of his? I don't care what he's scheming, I'm not gonna start fucking the students.

…Or, well, not any more than who I'm already fucking. Right? Right. I will definitely show restraint.

"So you finally told Ozpin everything, huh…"

I glance down at Ruby, who stands next to me.

"Yeah," I confirm. "Not that I wanted to, mind you. A certain someone forced my hand."

"Right. Well, at least everyone is on the same page now." She frowns, crossing her arms. "Almost. You still haven't told us anything about what we're preparing for, and I, as the second Titan Slayer, demand an explanation."

"Aye, aye, Miss Rose." I snort, ruffling her hair. "I can't hide it much longer anyway. But if you'll let me…"

"Ughhhh, more stalling!" She complains.

"Listen." I stop her before she continues ranting. "I just want Yang to be here when I tell you the whole story. So I don't have to repeat myself."

Ruby's annoyed frown turns into a concerned look at the mention of her sister. I sent her and Tai a couple of messages explaining Yang's issues before coming over, so they already know about Raven and everything. I only told her and their father because they're Yang's family.

Tai was not happy with me for some time, but he understood my intentions once he became aware of Raven's coma.

I thought I'd give the blond space after what happened. I didn't want to overwhelm her right now, not when she probably needed time to think about her encounter with Raven. Well, either that or she spends it sleeping. Either way, I don't think bothering her at the time would've been a good idea.

"...Yeah, okay. You're right." Ruby agrees. "...I hope she's okay. She's not answering my calls."

"You know where she is?"

"I think she's back home—my home. My dad is there with her," she replies. "Are you going to go see her?"

"Yeah."

"I'm coming with you."

"Ruby—"

"No, Reid. She's my sister." She quickly shuts me down. "She's always been there for me; I need to be there for her."

"...I can't argue with that." I concede. "Alright. Let's go."

I didn't know meeting Raven would affect her this much, but I don't regret my decision. I'm sure she'll become stronger once she's over it.

I think Ruby's presence might help. I don't really know how to handle a problem as delicate as abandonment issues, but if there's one person who can drag Yang out of her funk, then it's her sister.

– Yang –

With her poor state of mind, she found it challenging to keep track of time at all. Even her monotonous journey back to Patch felt like days rather than the typical two-hour ride. And to make matters worse, Yang couldn't sleep.

She sat up on her bed, covering her face with her hand, and let out a quiet sigh. The orange hue from the setting sun barely penetrating the curtains was the only source of light in her room. Yang felt like she'd been in this same place for weeks.

Even though she felt so mentally tired and physically exhausted, she couldn't get a wink. As if to torture her, she kept replaying that same damned scene in her head, over and over again like a broken record.

She kept turning in her bed; her mind stuck as she heard that cruel sentence for god knew how long. She was unwanted. Born out of pity. Pity. How was she supposed to cope with that? Was she seriously that worthless?

Why do I care? She kept asking herself. I don't understand.

Was she so emotionally starved for a parental figure that she'd look to Raven to get what she wanted? But she already had Tai and, for a few years, Summer. They were parents she wouldn't give the world for. How come Raven, a disgusting, vile, and evil person, was so important to her? Why did her words hurt Yang so much? It didn't make sense.

I don't understand. She thought again, feeling her anger and resentment bubbling once more.

Yang clenched her fists, trying and failing to control her boiling rage, as she eventually punched another hole in the wall, only barely stopping her magic from blowing up so as not to burn the entire house down.

"I don't fucking get it!" She hissed. "Why am I like this?!"

All her problems would be solved if she just stopped caring, and yet, she couldn't, even though it didn't make sense to care so much about a deadbeat parent who not only hurt her beloved father but was also a literal bandit. Something that Yang was supposed to be hunting down to either execute or imprison.

It was a simple choice. To not care. That was all it would take to stop her from feeling this miserable. Not even her dad's words of encouragement and insistence that he loved her did anything. Not that she didn't believe him, of course.

But it didn't fill this newly-formed hole in her heart.

Gods… She let out shakily, the coldness overpowering the heat of her magic as her anger evaporated again. She curled up and rested her head on her knees, feeling despair as she started to tear up. What am I supposed to do?

Why hadn't she listened to her uncle? She'd just had to pretend to be all big and mature, wanting to confront Raven herself. All that had done was break her heart and utterly annihilate her self-esteem, and she hated it.

She wanted to hang out with her team again now that everyone was together. Maybe have fun playing games with Ruby or have a nice date with Reid. But she just couldn't stop thinking about it. If Yang were to ignore it and go out pretending she was okay, she knew she'd be a total bore. Her depression would bring everyone's mood down. It'd make her undesirable and unwanted.

It would be better for everyone if she stayed here until she didn't feel so pathetic. Yang knew it would pass— she only had to give it some time. The wound was still fresh, and time healed all wounds, didn't it? Nobody had to see her like this. It felt shameful with how childish it was.

All of that was because Mommy didn't give me the attention I wanted. She thought. Maybe she was right. Maybe I am—

The knock on her door made her flinch at its suddenness, and as she expected her dad to try to convince her to leave the room and get some air, it was Ruby who was on the other side.

"Hey, Yang?" She called. "You okay in there?"

Yang said nothing.

"Reid already told me everything. About Raven and stuff." Her sister continued. "Is it okay if I come in?"

The blond didn't respond to that either, remaining dead silent. She overheard some muttering from Ruby, Reid, and her dad. She couldn't make out what they were saying, but it was clear once Ruby spoke to her again.

"I'm coming in, alright?"

The door slowly creaked open, and her beloved sister walked in with a concerned frown. She closed the door behind her and approached Yang with slight hesitation, standing right next to the blond.

Yang glanced at the younger girl, making her smile.

"Hey," Ruby said.

"...Hey," Yang replied tiredly.

Ruby sat on the bed beside her and said nothing for a little while, but admittedly, Yang felt more at ease with her sister's presence, even with her awkward fidgeting. She always felt this way— even with how anxious her sister usually was, merely being next to her was enough for the blond to feel better.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Ruby asked after some time.

"...No, not really." The blond answered.

"Oh, okay." Her sister didn't press her.

The two sisters stayed quiet for a while, Ruby respecting her older sister's wishes and not pressuring her to speak. She hadn't left the room, however, opting to keep Yang company even if it meant being silent the entire time.

But Yang didn't want her to waste her time here, so she eventually spoke.

"What's the point anyway?" Yang said. "I know I'm being a crybaby about it."

"That's not true." The younger girl disagreed. "It's okay to feel like this."

"It's not." She sighed. "It doesn't even make sense why I care about what she thinks about me so much."

"Well, I think it does," Ruby said, surprising her a little. "I mean, maybe she was never there for you, but she's still your mom. Isn't it natural to feel this way about her?"

"No, it's not." Yang frowned. "My mom— my real mom is Summer. Not Raven."

"I know Summer is our mother. She's the one that took care of us." She responded. "I'm saying that thinking Raven is your mom too is okay because it's true."

"Stop. No. It's not true." The older girl said, denying it vehemently. "The fact that I'm related to that heartless bitch in any way is making my skin crawl. She's no mother; she's just an egg donor."

"Yang—"

"No, Ruby. You're not going to convince me to forgive someone like that."

"That's not what I'm saying," Ruby replied patiently. "I just think that it's okay to feel hurt. Anyone would feel this way."

"It's not okay to feel hurt! Not by her!" Yang huffed in frustration. "The fact that I care AT ALL is the problem! It's wrong and downright pointless!"

"Yeah, but you can't help it, can you?" She accurately described.

Yang hated that her sister was right. The fact that she couldn't help it even though it's stupid.

"I'm not supposed to feel like this." The blond replied. "I know I'm not—"

"No, Yang. It's fine to feel hurt. It's okay. It's natural." Ruby said. "Trying so hard to convince yourself that it's a you problem when it was Raven that hurt you isn't fair, Yang. You're just gonna feel worse."

Yang's bubbling anger simmered down as she stared at her sister's silver eyes. Ruby always had this effect on her. The blond had always had trouble controlling her temper since her childhood, but the pure-hearted girl in front of her was precisely why she became good at it.

She didn't know if it was a big sibling thing, but her little sister's presence was soothing.

"I…but I don't understand." Yang sighed shakily. "Why do I care? It doesn't make sense. She's never been there for any of us. She's a horrible person."

"Well, I can't answer that, to be honest." Her sister scratched her cheek. "Maybe, deep down, you still love Raven. Maybe you think she can still be a mother to you. I know it sounds bizarre, but feelings make no sense."

That she could agree with.

"All I'm saying is that it's okay to care and to feel upset," Ruby added. "Obviously, I never said you have to care about Raven, but since you can't help it, you might as well learn how to handle it, right? You can't just stop feeling that way at the drop of a hat, and beating yourself over being human isn't going to fix anything."

"You think feeling like this is human?"

"Well, yeah!" She grinned. "Humans are just big yarn balls of feelings. They look complicated, and every layer makes less sense than the last."

Yang couldn't help but burst out laughing at the Ruby-like analogy.

"Haha, that's so dumb!"

"Hey, it's true!" Ruby pouted. "You ever tried to make a yarn ball before? It's hard!"

Yang continued laughing until tears began rolling down her cheeks. At first, she laughed out of mirth at her sister's silly way of viewing things. Seriously? Yarn? That was the best she could come up with. Eventually, the laughing felt less joyful and more painful.

Now, what was this? Why did it hurt to laugh? Couldn't she catch a break these past few days? She'd been at constant war with her feelings since Blake had left Vale, and the first time she laughed for real, it hurt?

It wasn't until Ruby embraced her that Yang noticed that her laughs had become sobs. She found it shameful. Crying in front of her beloved sister was embarrassing. So she didn't understand why she buried her head deeper into Ruby's chest or why she couldn't stop the stream of tears coming from her eyes.

"Shh, it'll be okay," Ruby whispered gently. "You can tell me all about it, Yang. I'm here for you. I'll always be here."

This was the first time it had ever happened. Sobbing like a baby in front of Ruby, that is. She'd cried before, but she'd done it alone or beside her dad. She didn't want Ruby to see her like this. Yang was supposed to be a role model.

But at the same time, Yang poured out everything she'd been bottling ever since Raven had left the first time, and she felt great—unburdened. She'd never spoken about this to anyone else, not her dad, her uncle, or Reid. It was freeing.

From her biological mother leaving to Blake's sudden disappearance to her reunion with Raven and everything it entailed, Ruby listened to everything, speaking words of assurance and telling Yang everything she wanted to hear from Raven: that she was loved, she was wanted, and she mattered.

Eventually, her sobs stopped as she was slowly being put to sleep by the exhaustion from her emotions running wild and Ruby's comforting presence. She didn't know if acknowledging her love for Raven was the way to go, but she felt much better now.

She'd figure it out once she woke up.

– Reid –

"How is she?" Tai suddenly asks as we stare at the ocean from a cliff.

I tear my eyes off the reflection of the broken moon on the surface of the calm ocean to look at the man. We left the house after Ruby entered Yang's room because, well, I didn't feel comfortable listening in on them like that. Feels wrong.

And because of my enhanced hearing, staying in the living room wasn't an option either. I initially left the house alone, but Tai caught up shortly after, saying he wanted to talk to me for a bit. I thought he wanted to scold me for letting Yang and Raven meet at first, but apparently, he didn't.

I'm unsure why he's asking about his ex-wife's well-being.

"Raven?" I blink. "Well, she's better now that she's awake."

"Right. That's good." He nods.

"Good?" I raise a brow. "I thought you hated her."

"Hate is a strong word." He says. "I knew that she was going to leave me at some point. She's too attached to her tribe to care about a guy she's known for a short four years. I just hate that she had to abandon Yang as well. The girl didn't deserve it."

Huh. That's it? I thought he'd be a lot more vengeful about it. I imagine after getting with Summer, he'd fall out of love and start viewing Raven in a less-than-favorable light. Or something like that.

"I know, I know. I should be a lot angrier at Raven for what she did. There hasn't been a day without Qrow telling me that at least four times." Taiyang chuckles. "But I like to think that I know Raven more than most."

"Really?"

"Yup. First and foremost, don't let her looks and behavior fool you. Raven is a complete idiot." He claims. "She's a grown woman with the emotional maturity of a ten-year-old, and that's being generous."

I snort.

"I thought you said 'hate' is a strong word."

"It is." He insists. "I'm just being honest here. See, the thing that scares her the most isn't death or Salem or whatever else is part of this dumb shadow war. Instead, Raven is terrified of change."

"Change?" I repeat.

"Yeah. Raven is quick to dismiss anything that's not part of the status quo. She's that kind of person." He continues. "That's why she's stuck in that silly 'might makes right' mentality. She's been raised that way her entire childhood, even though she's yearning to love someone for who they are."

I pause for a little to absorb this information. If that's really true, then I guess it explains a lot.

"Is that why she said all those terrible things to Yang?" I ask. "Even though she doesn't believe in any of it."

"Probably. Knowing her, she's trying to push Yang away so she doesn't get attached to her like she was to our team." Tai shrugs. "She already rejected this life, so she'll do so again at every opportunity. Otherwise, it'll be admitting that she was wrong the first time."

"That's so dumb." I frown. "She's so stupid. What the hell is wrong with her?"

Is she seriously going to keep refusing the offer for an objectively better life because she doesn't want to admit she was wrong? Does she think her pride is worth that much, even though I utterly shattered it in front of her eyes earlier today?

"Like I said, she's a dumbass." Tai agrees. "And a massive coward to boot. You have no idea how many times Summer tried to bring her back, only for her to get flipped off and kicked out. And with my late wife being as stubborn as a mule, Raven was constantly on the move. For a bandit queen, she was terrified of confrontation."

I'm admittedly impressed at Taiyang's ability to explain Raven's thought process so thoroughly, especially since he has not seen her in a long time. I'm convinced— he might know her even better than Qrow. Though Qrow hates her, so his view of her might be a little muddied.

Still, that doesn't mean I see her in a different light just because someone explained how she thinks to me.

"I don't think that really excuses what she did to Yang. Or you, for that matter."

"Of course it doesn't." He agrees. "If it were in my hand, I'd throw her in jail. She's still a bandit."

His quick response surprises me. He didn't even hesitate.

"Is that so?"

"Yup. I might not hate Raven. Not like you or Qrow." He says, surprising me again. How does he know I hate her? "But she's been up to no good ever since leaving us, and I can't in good conscience try to justify what she did just because she's my ex-wife. If I'm ever going to 'forgive' her, then she'll have to serve her sentence first."

"Who knows how long that'll take," I say. "Assuming she doesn't get a death sentence."

"At best? A hundred years." Tai snorts. "...It's what Summer would've wanted, y'know? To prove that Raven will have a real family to come back to whenever she decides to ditch the criminal life."

I stare at the older man for a few seconds before giving a response.

"You're a better man than me," I admit.

"Am I?" He laughs. "You're the Titan Slayer here, not me."

"I would've killed Raven," I say seriously. "Hell, I almost did."

"Did you?" Surprisingly, Tai doesn't sound upset.

"Seeing her face after what she said to Yang, I felt angry." I make a fist with my right hand. "I almost lost it. I barely stopped myself from burning her to death."

"Why didn't you?"

I pause before answering. Why didn't I, indeed? I'd lose the spring maiden and the relic of knowledge with it, but I don't particularly care about either. The maidens don't really interest me very much, and that relic has the least priority out of all of them since I don't need knowledge right now.

Now, I need power. Materials. Resources. Knowledge is secondary, especially since I'm around 90% sure Jinn knows nothing about Teralos. Hell, she doesn't even know anything about Remnant's future. Only present and past. It's pointless knowledge. One might argue that I can figure out Salem's plans with it, but Salem's plans can just change. The relic can only be used three times every one hundred years.

It's a useless relic, all things considered, so it's not why I spared Raven. Obviously, Raven is still alive purely because of her daughter.

"Because it wouldn't be fair to Yang," I answer Tai's question. "I can't just let my own emotions and hate dictate my choices, not when Raven is important to Yang, for better or worse."

Tai waits for me to finish.

"Whether Yang decides she's better off without Raven and makes peace with it or if she wants to reconcile with her… I can't just choose for her." I add. "That's all. Even though I don't think Raven deserves a speck of the love that Yang has for her."

"You're right; Raven doesn't deserve it at all. No deadbeat deserves the love of their children." He agrees. "Makes you wonder why Yang is so attached."

I blink.

"The way you say that makes me think you know why."

"Of course I do. She's my daughter." He laughs. "It's simple. Yang was forced to grow up for her baby sister."

"After Summer's passing. I know."

"Yes, so she spent much more time acting like a mother than knowing what it's like to have one." He explains. "That's why Ruby doesn't have many problems missing a mother. Yang filled that role."

"And Yang had nobody to fill it for her."

"Precisely. Though, I guess I'm not blameless in this situation." Taiyang sighs. "I neglected my girls after Summer passed away. I spent all of my time drinking and sleeping for a while. Yang took care of the house in my stead, and even after I got better, that kind of stuck with her. I guess that might've been why she didn't listen to me or wanted to anyway."

"It's not like you could've filled both parental roles," I say, trying to make him feel better. "It would've been impossible."

"I could've tried. Being depressed isn't an excuse to shirk my duties as a dad." He argues. "But, well, you're right. It probably wouldn't have helped them much. Yang would've looked for Raven anyway. She'd still want a mother in her life."

"Yeah, there's no denying that." I rub my neck. "...I guess. I don't know. I'm not a dad."

"Yet."

"Dude."

The rustles of the bushes behind us interrupt our conversation, prompting us to turn around to face Ruby. I don't sense any distress from her, making me think that she has everything under control. Good.

"There you are." She said before smiling. "Why'd you go so far?"

"Super hearing." I point at my right ear. "So, how's everything with Yang?"

Her smile widens as she gives me an OK sign, making me sigh in relief. I was hesitant to let Ruby have a crack at it before me, but thankfully, that was the right choice. Yang and I are close, true, but they're sisters. They've known each other their whole lives.

"Heh, knew it." Taiyang grins. "You two have been inseparable since you were little. Yang always listened to you."

"I guess I wasn't needed after all." I snort.

"Nah, I think she'd be happy if you came to see her later." Ruby winks. "Just like we promised on the way here."

Right, Ruby came up with this plan herself, but after she comforted Yang, it'd be my turn to do that by taking her to a dungeon with me. I already showed it to Blake and Weiss, so why not Yang? A literal out-of-this-world experience might help her reorganize her thoughts.

It's a good idea. A little adventure away from everything else sounds relaxing to a thrill-seeker like Yang. Someone like her wouldn't wanna stay in one place for too long, I assume.

"What's she doing now?" I ask.

"Sleeping," Ruby answered. "I think she needs a nap. She looked pretty tired when I saw her."

Yeah, a nap would do her well. I thought she already had one, but apparently not.

"Well, if that's the case, I better get back," Tai says. "You two can go back to the mansion. I'll stay with Yang. I'll give you a call once she wakes up."

"Bye, Dad." Ruby waves. "Don't stay up too late."

"I won't."

"Thanks, Mr. Taiyang."

"Sheesh, drop the 'Mister' part. You're family." He responds playfully. "Feels weird being called that by my son-in-law."

"Dad!"

"October 31st," I say cryptically. "I promise."

"What?" Ruby looks at me quizzically. "That's my birthday. What about it?"

"You better not get cold feet." Taiyang gives me a knowing smirk before walking away.

"What does that mean?" Ruby frowns suspiciously as her dad is out of view. "What do you promise?"

I shrug.

"Ughh, you're so annoying when you do that." She groans. "I'm a Titan Slayer, too! I demand to know!"

"Kill two more, and I'll tell you."

"Jerk." She pouts adorably, and then she pauses. "Wait, I forgot to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"It's about the uniform." She tugs the collar of Senketsu. "Can you change it?"

"Change it?" I blink. "What do you mean?"

"Um, well, I don't really like that it leaves me half-naked every time I use it." She admits, face growing red. "Can you make it so it doesn't do that? I-I don't wanna sound ungrateful, but I think only you should see me like that…"

Saying that, with her deep blush as she twiddles her thumbs, makes it almost impossible not to fall to my knees, but I barely manage. You know what? She's right. No one deserves to look at my Ruby half-naked except me. And my other girls, but that's not important right now.

I don't think I want to show off my girlfriend that way, especially not when she's uncomfortable with it. She's too beautiful to be looked at lustfully by anyone else other than me.

I'm not sure how I'm going to change Senketsu like she's asking, but I'll figure something out. Probably. Maybe give it a new mode or something.

"Well, sure. I'll try." I nod, making her beam. "Give me the uniform, and I'll see what I can do."

"Okay!"

Ruby takes off her uniform.

"At home, Ruby." I sigh. "Not here."

"Oh, right. Sorry." She giggles sheepishly but then stops before wearing Senketsu again, wiggling her eyebrows at me. "Unless you wanna do it~?"

God, I love her so much.

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