[It shouldn't be take Qrow too long to notice something is off. Afterall, Ruby doesn't immediately claw for the funnel cake. Or she doesn't say anything wistful or poetic about their time in the dream. There's no nudge with her elbow, or a smile to say hello.
Instead she's just rigid and still. Her mismatched eyes fixed out on the distance.]
[Not going for the funnel cake is in fact the first sign that something is very wrong. He blinks, some kind of teasing joke to draw a reaction on the tip of his tongue when he turns to her and sees her still blankly staring, as though she doesn't even see him.
Qrow's expression furrows into a concerned frown as he nudges her shoulder lightly with her own.]
...Ruby?
[Ah. It's a curse, isn't it. He's not sure how to start with this one, if she can't talk to him -- the Pthumerians always seem to want them to talk. So he just ... places an arm around her shoulder, in case the contact helps, and starts the talking for her.]
You know...even though we decided to start a new life here, I find myself thinking about Remnant a lot, this time of month. The people we left behind, especially. Yang, Tai...Emerald. It's kind of weird to think we might never see them again.
[Everything feels a little faint to Ruby like this. Her uncle's touch. The wind against her hair. Even his words at first- That is until he brings up Remnant, their old home. And the people that they had left behind there. Those words echo through her mind at first and it feels like over bearing loneliness that had a grip on her might become all consuming.
Qrow will feel her loosen up at first from the contact of his touch. But she becomes a little more rigid as he talks about never seeing them again.]
[He's briefly relieved when the contact seems to make some progress, but then she stiffens up again, and he wonders if he took a wrong approach, if there's something else the curse needs of him.
It's always honesty, isn't it? Vulnerability. Maybe it needs him to admit something he's never told her. He hesitates, and then tries:]
I don't know if we did the right thing. If it was okay to just let Remnant go, and hope some version of us has it covered.
[. . .]
...Not that I regret it, either, but I do know it was selfish, at least for me. I couldn't bear to lose you, too, after everything.
["I couldn't bear to lose you, too, after everything." It feels like she's being pulled out of the depths of her misery on a line when she hears that. And it comes just as sudden in reality- there's a brief moment where he limbs had been held so firmly and all the pressure let's loose all at once. She fidgets and shifts to keep an awkward sort of balance, leaning in a little harder against her uncle to steady herself.]
It was a little selfish. Wasn't it?
But- I wouldn't want to loose you either, Uncle Qrow.
You. And everyone else there, and here. They mean the world to me.
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Instead she's just rigid and still. Her mismatched eyes fixed out on the distance.]
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Qrow's expression furrows into a concerned frown as he nudges her shoulder lightly with her own.]
...Ruby?
[Ah. It's a curse, isn't it. He's not sure how to start with this one, if she can't talk to him -- the Pthumerians always seem to want them to talk. So he just ... places an arm around her shoulder, in case the contact helps, and starts the talking for her.]
You know...even though we decided to start a new life here, I find myself thinking about Remnant a lot, this time of month. The people we left behind, especially. Yang, Tai...Emerald. It's kind of weird to think we might never see them again.
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Qrow will feel her loosen up at first from the contact of his touch. But she becomes a little more rigid as he talks about never seeing them again.]
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It's always honesty, isn't it? Vulnerability. Maybe it needs him to admit something he's never told her. He hesitates, and then tries:]
I don't know if we did the right thing. If it was okay to just let Remnant go, and hope some version of us has it covered.
[. . .]
...Not that I regret it, either, but I do know it was selfish, at least for me. I couldn't bear to lose you, too, after everything.
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It was a little selfish. Wasn't it?
But- I wouldn't want to loose you either, Uncle Qrow.
You. And everyone else there, and here. They mean the world to me.