It is 6:30 in the morning and Yang is at the kitchen table making sandwiches for school. Ruby isn't up yet and Yang makes a mental note to bug her in ten minutes at the latest. Distantly she wonders if Daddy will come out today then decides she doesn't care; Uncle Qrow promised to drop after school and teach them some simple hand-to-hand forms.

Sandwiches done and bagged, Yang climbs off the chair she's been kneeling on and drags it over to the counter. From there she's able to get down two bowls for breakfast. A glance at the full sink reminds her that she needs to do the dishes and get more soap.

Ruby, she calls over the sound of cereal clattering into their bowls. It's time to get up!

A glass of milk by Ruby's bowl and orange juice by hers and then Yang goes to stand at the bottom of the stairs yelling, Ruby!

No answer.

With a sigh Yang climbs to the second floor and knocks on the bedroom door.

Silence.

Inside Ruby is still burrowed into her blankets, only the top of her head visible. Yang smiles fondly then goes to shake her sister awake, swallowing the lump in her throat that comes with the thought that Mom should be here in her place.

Ruby. It's time for breakfast, sleepy-head. Now c'mon; you don't want to be late for school, do you?

…

Yang lets Ocean walk Ruby home after he promises to say Yang is getting help with Language Studies if Qrow is there and asks.

There's a sale on Ruby's (second) favorite chocolate chip cookies (after Mom's) and Yang hesitates when she sees it. After a moment she decides she might as well; it can be her excuse if Qrow finds out she went to the store alone.

The lady behind the checkout counter gives her an odd look but says nothing. Yang is grateful for this and thanks the woman as she takes her bag and goes.

Qrow is out front with Ruby and Ocean must have gone home because Yang doesn't see him. She approaches the house through the woods and goes in the back door so Qrow won't ask after the bag. She goes out once her purchases are squared away. Ruby sees her and lights up.

Yang! C'mon, Uncle Qrow is teaching me how to punch without hurting my hand! Ruby's smile is infectious and Yang can see their uncle grinning over her sister's head.

Hey, he says, holding one arm out to her.

Yang slides into the offered space and says, Hey, burying her face in his side. He stinks of alcohol as usual and Yang drinks in the scent, wondering why something all her teachers say is bad is so comforting. She decides that it's because it's Uncle Qrow and he makes everything awesome and that is that.

…

They do the dishes mostly in silence, Qrow washing, Yang drying and stacking everything on the counter - Qrow says he'll put it all away when they're done. Ruby sits at the table, carefully scratching out the answers to the maths problems her teacher had given the class for homework. Yang and Qrow call out what is meant to be help but just ends up confusing Ruby when all is said and done.

Qrow sends Yang to sit with Ruby after the last plate is dried. The two actually make some headway to the clinking of ceramics as Qrow finishes up. The silverware is clinking into their assigned bins when Qrow says in a deceptively casual tone, So, how's your Dad? Haven't seen him yet.

Ruby looks up from her paper to stare at Qrow then look to Yang, unsure of what to say. For her part, Yang is forcing herself to act natural. In the back of her mind she knows it would be better to just tell Qrow the truth but her mouth is already opening and the lie is spilling out.

He's fine, she says, nudging Ruby to point out a mistake in an addition problem. Just tired.

From what?

O, you know, Yang shrugs, finishes vaguely with a barely held in wince, stuff.

Qrow leans against the counter, arms crossed and Yang is glad her hair is down and blocking his view of her face. She's never been very good at lying.

The silence lingers in the modest kitchen, broken only by the occasional hesitant rasp of Ruby's pencil. Qrow watches Yang quietly help her, waiting. Yang sets her jaw and turns a bit more away from him, towards Ruby. Finally he sighs and says, How do you girls feel about spaghetti?

Spaghetti! cheers Ruby.

Sounds great, says Yang, stamping her relief out before it has a chance to show on her face.

…

Ruby huddles as close as she can get, whimpering softly as the fight downstairs ramps up another notch. Yang strokes her hair soothingly and wishes Mom were here to make them stop fighting.

Beneath the floor Daddy roars and Uncle Qrow gets dangerously quiet. Yang buries her face in Ruby's hair and prays for morning to come quicker this time.

AN: There might be more coming, depending on how quickly I can get my butt in gear and write. This will not be a happy story. You have been warned.

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