5

Black Rose Blooms SilverCyberQueen_JolyneChapter 5

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Life with the Rose/Xiao Long/Branwen family was… interesting to say the least. In Cinder's eyes, it was chaotic, loud, full of lots and lots of puppy begging, and also resulted in Yang- precocious ten year old that she was- clinging to Ruby almost obsessively as if afraid that the younger girl would disappear the moment she let go. Considering that Qrow (who was, at the moment, technically her legal father even though he'd told her to call him "Uncle" and to call Taiyang "Dad") often took Ruby out on grimm culling trips either on the island of Patch or its surrounding areas (or further abroad when duty called and it wasn't too dangerous for him to bring an eight year old child that was one half nightmarish shadow goo and one half weirdly prodigious huntress in training)... well. Cinder could see why Yang would want to cling to her sister as much as possible.

That didn't mean that they were never apart… but it did mean that Yang stayed as close to Ruby as physically possible, and even when they were doing different things they had a tendency to gravitate towards each other.

From what Cinder could tell, it was because Ruby had an overdeveloped protective instinct towards her family (which apparently included her now???) so she never wanted Yang to go off anywhere unless she was there as well, and because Yang had a misguided sense of responsibility to keep Ruby safe because of something she'd done in the past that resulted in Ruby being how she was now.

And all of that figured out within a week of Cinder's arrival, when things were still awkward and there were a lot of explanations that had to happen because she was anxious and terrified that this new family would be just like the last, even though Ruby had promised that no one would ever hurt her like that again.

She'd spent the first few days sleepless and nervous, wondering desperately when she'd be punished, when she'd be forced to work for her keep, when she'd be treated like a slave again.

But it hadn't happened. A month into her stay, and the only thing that anyone had asked of her was whether she was okay- how she was doing, did she need anything, was she feeling alright, how did she sleep? There was some talk of her catching up on the schooling she'd all missed- she was basically competent up to the point that the orphanage stopped teaching her, so while she could understand basic names and communicate decently well, she was… still a little behind where Ruby would have been had she not been, apparently, on a ridiculously accelerated course in some areas (how an eight year old girl was that good at making and maintaining weapons was lost to Cinder, and it was frankly terrifying).

Hell, she and Ruby still had about the same reading level (except when it came to technical manuals) so they spent a lot of time sitting with Taiyang and reading books while Yang was at school. Granted, Ruby and Cinder were also at school, but that mostly meant that she and Ruby hung out in Taiyang's office while he was lecturing for the third year Signal students (while Yang was barely a first year) and read whatever stuff that her not-quite-dad gave them. Which involved a lot of basic history, reading comprehension, basic to intermediate level math, and a working knowledge of practical sciences that were applicable to daily life.

Cinder enjoyed some, hated others, thought some subjects were mind-numbingly boring, and was overall actually having a lot of fun with this whole "having a family that cares" thing. It was… nice.

Different.

Ruby also sparred with her and Qrow (her actual, technically dad) a lot on the weekends- she spent a lot of time hiding herself or her grimm features from other people, which she'd learned was just a factor of her not wanting to accidentally scare people, hurt someone on accident, or do something otherwise stupid that would result in consequences that Cinder didn't even want to think about. She was also frighteningly silent when she actually had to talk to people when she wasn't in hero mode- something Yang had come up with and explained about two weeks in when they were all out shopping in Patch and Ruby had elected to stay behind with Zwei to explain how Ruby got way more energetic, talkative, and generally applied herself more when she was helping someone else as opposed to doing things for herself- and Cinder… well.

Cinder didn't know how much an ordinary kid was supposed to talk, but she knew it was probably supposed to be more than being completely silent whenever the family was out in public. She hadn't yet figured out why Ruby seemed to be so hesitant around kids her age or younger, but… well. She didn't really need all the details. Grimm instincts on a small child? Definitely not a good thing. Add on an unlocked Aura? Bad things could happen to regular people if she lost control for even a moment.

Either way- all that to say that Cinder was very quickly growing attached to her new family. They were loud, messy, bright and cheerful and warm in ways that no one had ever been to her before. Even Qrow, as much as he claimed that he was just supposed to be her cool uncle, went out of his way to check in on her, to make sure she was eating properly, sleeping properly, was learning at a comfortable rate that she still felt properly challenged by instead of being overwhelmed with. He let her look at Harbinger, helped her and Ruby learn the basics of dual sword wielding (apparently he picked up the usage of a lot of weapons before he went to Beacon, though he never really said where he learned, just that he started out wanting two weapons to be like his idol, Maria Calavera), and helped her through the nightmares that were, thankfully, starting to fade a little after spending a month in the Rose/Xiao Long/Branwen home.

She still sometimes thought that it was too good to be true- kept expecting them to ask her to do the chores, cook for them, clean for them, wash the dishes, entertain the guests, provide room service- but those moments were becoming… slightly less now. She couldn't help but still flinch at loud noises, couldn't help but to want to scream at the injustice of what had happened to her… but well. It wasn't as if justice hadn't already been done. The Madame was dead. Her "stepsisters" were scattered to the winds and likely in much, much less glamorous and upscale foster care homes now. She had Ruby to thank for that.

Cinder didn't ever think she'd be able to work off the debt she owed to her new youngest sibling- didn't know how she'd even begin to work that out. Ruby was her first friend, the source of so many sudden firsts for her, was someone who had given Cinder the gift of freedom . 

Well. She could repay it by being the best big sister she could manage to be. Whatever that meant. Even if it also meant competing with Yang for the spot of "favorite big sister". Yang may have had a lead, but Cinder had a secret up her sleeve: She had already won because she was also aiming to be Yang's favorite big sister too! Ha! Take that!

…

Cinder palmed her face, looking to the side as she interrupted her own train of thought with a quiet groan. She ignored Ruby's questioning eyebrow raise, and tried her best to quell the weird rush of emotions going on inside of her head- it was one part embarrassment, one part confusion, one part awkward laughing, and one part "oh gods, they've infected me already, I never stood a chance!"

That last part was Cinder screaming internally, which made Ruby laugh somehow because of course the little grimm child was both a natural empath and could turn herself into the gods' perfect therapy animal on a whim. 

Curse her new little sister for being able to turn into the cutest little corgi (okay, maybe second. Zwei was really cute) and for always jumping into her lap and cuddling her every time she felt down. How was she supposed to be a good big sister if she had to use her little sister as a therapy dog!? A literal therapy dog! 

Wait- frick-

"Ruby- no- we're supposed to be doing homework right now!" Cinder yelped as she felt Ruby jump across the intervening space between them, the smaller girl having completely vaulted over the kitchen table and careened into Cinder's lap in corgi form, panting and making adorable puppy noises as she settled and nuzzled up against Cinder's torso with those weirdly cute, weirdly uncanny looking eyes staring up at her- seriously, she understood why Ruby's eyes would be red and yellow, but why silver? Was that her original eye color or something? "Ruby- please! I don't need a puppy cuddle right now, we have to do our homework before Qrow and Uncle Taiyang get back!"

"Nope! You were feeling sad!" Ruby barked, resolutely staring up at Cinder as she pressed her snout into Cinder's chest, keeping her all but pinned to the chair as the little cape on her back started to writhe and move as though it was alive (which, it was. It was a part of Ruby, literally). "Don't make me blankie wrap you! You know the rules, Cinder! Sad people get puppy cuddles until they feel better!"

Cinder sighed, knowing that Ruby would blankie wrap her anyway- and was proven right a moment later as the crimson, fluttering fabric wound around her body and ensconced both her and Ruby (and… wait was that Zwei making his way up her leg???) in a cocoon of warmth that pulsed gently in time with Ruby's nonexistent heartbeat. Well. This might as well happen.

".... I guess this is my life now."

Notes: