Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Cowboy with spurs,” a moderately tall blonde woman with lavender eyes yelled into the kitchen. 

“Why doesn’t anyone order normal food?” the red eyed man growled as he grabbed the egg carton from the fridge. 

“You made the menu,” the woman joked with a grin as he raised an eyebrow at her. 

“I distinctly remember it said ‘made by Robyn Hill' attached at the bottom of the menu. You were rather proud of it,” the man reminded her. 

‘Robyn’ smirked at that as she held up a ringed finger. “Shame there’s no Robyn Hill to blame anymore," Robyn asked as she leaned forward. "Is there five o'clock?" 

The man sighed fondly as he took his seasoned pan, and cracked the first egg into it before flipping an egg timer to four minutes, and dunking a basket of fries into a vat. 

“Besides, it’s the late crowd, when do they ever want normal?” Robyn reminded him as she looked around the small diner to make sure no other customers were waiting. 

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Your niece, and friends are still convinced you serve werewolves, or something,” Robyn remarked. 

“Ruby has quite the imagination…”

“She’s always going on ‘Uncle Qrow makes the best waffles, and he has to serve werewolves, or the weeping woman!”

Qrow gave her an amused look in response. “You, and I both know her little shadow said that. Ruby has no way of knowing about Mistrali folk legends.”

Robyn just smirked in amusement as she pushed off the wall to go refill a customer's coffee.

He’d just gotten the omelet done, and pulled up the basket of fries when he heard it. 

Someone had just knocked over a trash bin, or run into the dumpster. 

“Something is in the dumpster,” he called out as Robyn raised a hand to signal she heard him, and would handle things inside as she mimed he should take the bat. 

He plated the order, and grabbed the bat by the back door just in case, and because as a smart man he listened to his wife. Not that he expected it was more than an animal, or drunk, but it was still important they check. 

He wasn’t paying a fine for vandalizing property he didn’t even get the fun of vandalizing!

He opened the door silently, and peered out into the darkness of the alley. With the light above the back door, and the street light a bit further away he could generally make out what he thought was a pair of legs sticking out of the dumpster. 

He frowned, and lowered the bat, although he didn’t drop it entirely as he got behind the person. 

He estimated it was a young teenager, maybe a half decade older than his youngest niece, and cleared his throat. 

The young waif gasped, and fell backward out of the dumpster onto her rear as she looked up at the man with the bat in worry. 

To his credit, Qrow seemed to understand, and lowered it completely before he explained. 

“My wife, and I run the diner. We heard something in the dumpster, and thought it might be an animal, or drug addict.”

“Oh, well I’m not,” the young woman said, the sass in her voice at odds with where he'd found her. 

“Right,” Qrow agreed as he discreetly looked at the clothes with holes, which combined with the too thin appearance, and dirt all over her suggested a lot of things, most of them bad. 

Deciding to take a chance he shrugged casually. “Fair enough. If you want food you can come in, and have a plate before we throw it out. We always have too much every day.”

He saw her eyes widen for a brief moment before they narrowed at him trying to work out his angle, and it made him more upset than he could say that she’d had to be that cautious already. 

He also understood pushing would likely just alienate her, or make her refuse so he shrugged, and offered a bored wave as he turned to go back inside to explain to his wife what he’d seen. 

Robyn took it well, or as well as he expected her to, which is to say more venom toward the current system in place in between peering out, and looking toward the door every few minutes. 

“Hey,” Qrow said as he washed dishes, the diner currently only home to one overnight worker who had the day off, and no desire to cook for themselves, nursing a plate of thankfully normally waffles, and coffee in the corner watching one of the tv’s on display.

“Right, doing it again,” Robyn intuited. “Do you think?” 

“She’s sharp, clever, but she is hungry. Do you want to take some of your old things, or maybe firecrackers?” 

Robyn paced for a moment, and nodded. “I’ll just be upstairs, and grab a few things. Hold down the fort,” Robyn commanded before she gave him a quick peck on the lips, and vanished up the stairs in the back that led to the second floor where they lived. 

Qrow nodded, and after trading nods with the sole customer he set got to work making some hash browns, and a few slices of ham, and toast. 

While she might devour anything in front of him, his own experiences, ones he, and his sister shared growing up, said that her stomach likely couldn’t handle much. A bit of protein, potatoes which was almost always easy on the stomach, and simple buttered toast along with some water, or maybe something else if she was careful. Otherwise she’d be throwing it up in short order. 

In time she could eat more, but if she’d been trying to eat from dumpsters this was a much safer option for her that wouldn’t make her sick. 

The toast could wait, but the hash browns would take the longest so those went in first as the ham cooked to the side, gently sizzling as he masterfully manipulated the stove, and cutlery to get it all ready. 

He had just pushed the toaster down when the door opened, the small sound of a bell making whoever was opening the door flinch, and cease movement for a moment. 

Rather than make a big deal out of it Qrow walked from the kitchen back to the front wiping his hands off. “You here to eat?” 

“I…yeah,” the young woman said, amber eyes darting around as she spied the lone man in the corner who made no move to even pay attention to her, which seemed to make her less tense. 

“Got some extra breakfast food if you’re not too picky,” Qrow offered as the young woman nodded, and sat on the small stool at the front of the diner. The one closest to the door so she could easily run, or leave, he assumed. 

Qrow tried not to smile as he heard her start turning in the stool, an action his nieces often did. At least there was something left in her, some small spark of joy to appreciate silly things like that. 

He snatched the toast, buttered it in a few moments, and brought out the plate, and a fork to her. “What do you want to drink?” 

“I…what do you have in the back?” the woman asked clearly still leery, but desperately wanting to believe this was on the level. 

Qrow hummed. “I think my brother in law left some of his fancy sports drinks over here. My nieces, and I can’t stand them. Let me get one for you,” he offered as he took a berry flavored drink, and set it in front of her.

“I can really?” 

Seeing her struggle Qrow took the lead, and misinterpreted what she’d said on purpose so as to not embarrass her. “Right, a glass with ice of course.”

She only nodded as she tried to clear her throat. 

He grabbed a clean glass, dropped in a couple of ice cubes, and made a big show of pouring the sports drink like it was a fancy shot of whiskey which drew the tiniest of grins she tried to hide. 

He’d take it though. 

“Hey, sorry it took so long. I couldn’t decide on what to, ah hey,” Robyn said with a wave introducing herself to the young woman who’d just shoved a piece of toast into her mouth, and returned the awkward greeting. 

“This is my wife-”

“Robyn Branwen, formerly Hill, but still baddest bitch around,” Robyn boasted as she offered a hand the young woman flinched away from it. 

Robyn drew back, and made sure her hands were visible. “Anyway. Sorry for whatever horrible first impression my husband made on you. If you need anything, more food, or what have you let us know.”

The woman merely nodded her head as she pulled the plate closer, clearly not sure what to say as they left her to it. 

Unsurprisingly, the young woman had vanished taking the rest of the sports drink with her, but at least clearing her plate. 

Robyn was a bit put out by it, but she had conceded it was just about the best they could hope for. 

When she came in nearly a week later Qrow made her the same plate, and the scene repeated itself. 

Eating, leaving with a drink, and saying nothing. 

It took almost a month of sporadic visits before they’d even learned the name of their new guest. Cinder. No last name, or at least not one she wanted to share, but it was more than they had. 

Robyn had passed on the information they did have with a plea for discretion, and one of her friends was off looking into it. 

Acting on a whim, Robyn made sure to leave the box of ‘lost and found’ on the counter, making sure the clothes they’d picked out for her, that should fit, were easily visible, and that LOST AND FOUND was written in large lettering. 

Sure enough, the clothes which consisted of a pair of long pants, it was Atlas after all, a hoodie with a cartoon character on it, and a shirt were gone. 

They needed to get her underthings, and other products, but well those should be new, and it would be beyond suspicious to leave those in the box. 

Seeing her warily enter wearing the hoodie the next night, and looking a bit healthier was worth it to them anyway. 

It took another month, or so before Qrow was able to set up another idea. “You know anything about kids, or what they like?” 

“What?” Cinder asked, the plate of pasta, she’d moved on from breakfast foods last month to more filling, and solid food. 

Qrow sighed. “My nieces are coming to visit, and bringing along a few of her friends. I need a gift, but I don’t understand what’s popular for kids her age these days,” he admitted making sure to look embarrassed so it wasn't obvious what he was doing. 

“I mean…how old are they?” Cinder asked not warily, but cautiously. 

“Maybe five years younger than you?” Qrow replied easily with a shrug. “I know it’s a hassle, but I’d pay you for your time, and you can keep the change.”

Cinder’s eyes were canny. “How much?” 

Of course after that she had to give the present to the ‘niece’, but sure enough Ruby had adored it, although the glare her shadow had given Cinder thinking the girl was moving in on ‘her turf’ was adorable. In time it might be threatening, but an eight year old wasn't really threatening to anyone.

That basically ceased when Ruby had declared her to be a new big sister, or as she’d said when Yang had pointed it out. 

“You’re my big sister, and she’s my big Cinder!” 

The piece of bread halfway to Cinder’s mouth as she froze, and looked over was absolutely saved in Robyn’s phone next to the picture of Ruby trying to copy Cinder's 'cool move' by standing next to her. 

Then of course there was Ruby begging for a sleepover, which Qrow excused himself from his own home for, for propriety’s sake as he spent the evening with Tai, and a few other locals as Robyn let the kids make popcorn, watch movies, and hang out. 

She’d apparently even extended the offer of the guest room for Cinder if she ever needed it. 

Not that they expected her to take it anytime soon, but planting the idea was more important than anything else. 

With a trio of kids a little younger than she was, Cinder opened up a bit more quickly, although the way she quickly turned them into her little minions was slightly worrisome. At least at the moment it was plots for snacks, and how to get a scary movie from the shelf without being caught. 

Ruby’s answer of asking for it turned out to work best as Robyn figured that would dissuade her faster than anything else. As she’d said, ‘sometimes the best way to win is to give someone exactly what they want.’ 

Before long she'd started sneaking in through the unlocked window, or smuggling food in, but with time that had ceased, and she came in the normal way. 

So the years passed...

“Welcome to…oh it’s you again,” Cinder said with a roll of her eyes as she put down a pair of glasses in front of the two 'customers'. 

“Did you miss us?” Maria teased her. 

She and Ruby were now nearly thirteen, and Cinder herself nearly eighteen.

She’d taken a job, been given it really when she turned sixteen herself, wanting to pay back the married pair who had, in hindsight basically rescued her from a life on the street, feeding, clothing, and giving her a place to sleep just because it was the right thing to do. 

Robyn had been a bit flighty recently, but in a way she’d almost classify as good. How she didn’t know, but Cinder knew the woman’s moods, hell when she’d had her first period, and been terrified Robyn was the one who walked her through the entire thing, explaining every question she had without poking fun, and merely giving her facts, and advice she’d gained from her own experience, and told her about the secret stash of chocolate for when she 'really needed it'.  

It was a remarkably refreshing turn around from…she shook her head, and focused back on the idiot twosome. 

“Like a rash. Tip bigger,” Cinder ordered as Ruby giggled, and put out a twenty lien note that Cinder snatched, and secreted into her pouch in one moment before pouring soda into her glass. 

“This is why she gets service,” Cinder purposefully riled up Ruby’s ‘shadow’ aka the woman she was sure she’d one day at least date, and maybe marry. 

Once you figured out how she worked you could get her to do most things almost every time. Sometimes she’d buck the trend just to be difficult, but outside of Ruby herself who didn’t even realize it, she had the most control over Maria Calavera. 

She almost pitied the father that had to put up with her. 

“It’s ok, we can share!” Ruby said brightly to reassure her, silver eyes gleaming as Maria’s retort died on her lips when Ruby put a second straw into the glass. 

Either the kid really had no idea, or she knew exactly what she was doing. Cinder reserved the right to be impressed either way depending on which one it was. Impressed she was that clueless, or that she was that good at pretending to be. 

Good for her though. They both needed someone to match their weird. Then again…they probably needed someone to keep them in line too. 

Oh well, their deal not hers. Speaking of. “Same orders?” Cinder asked as they both nodded, and she finally filled in Maria’s glass. 

Now she could either remove her straw, and Ruby would pout, or she’d end up sharing that one too which really helped them both in the long run. Say what you wanted to about her taking tips, but she damn well earned them. 

There was supposed to be some rich fancy elite school trip through the downtown area today so they might be busy in a bit with hopefully rich kids with wallets that needed lightening. 

She put the tickets up when Robyn called out to her from the side. 

“Hey, you got a second?” Robyn asked, somewhat nervously as her hands clenched. 

“What’s up? Did someone complain because I threw a salt packet at them? Because I didn’t,” Cinder answered preemptively.

Qrow snorted at that. “I’m sure, just like I’m sure they deserved it if you did.”

Cinder nodded. That bitch absolutely had. Insulting the Branwens was not something you got to do in earshot of her. 

“You’re way more nervous than usual. You finally dumping him for an upgrade?” Cinder teased hooking a thumb at an amused looking Qrow, knowing that wasn’t the case. 

Qrow rolled his eyes as Robyn merely made a considering hum. “I’ll keep him for now. The footrubs are killer.”

“Gross.”

Robyn shrugged before she refocused. “Look, kid. When Qrow found you outside we didn’t know what to think. We had no idea what would happen, or if you’d even show back up.”

"We thought we might get a few meals in you at best,” Qrow admitted. 

“Right,” Robyn agreed, and took back over. “The thing is that it’s really hard to understand just how much you dug into our lives.”

“The kids think of you like another sibling. Tai and the others send you gifts at Solstice, your teachers call us to complain,” Qrow explained with an amused grin as he counted off on his fingers. 

“Right. A while back I had a few friends look into things. To find out where you were supposed to be. Why the system had failed you, and your parents.”

Cinder rolled her shoulders for the lack of anything else to do at the fairly awkward news. “And?” Was this the part where they told her she’d been abusing their hospitality for too long, and to get? She was about that age after all. 

Robyn took out two envelopes. “This is information on your birth family. Everything we could find on them, and the woman who was supposed to watch out for you. It might please you to know that ‘Madam’ is currently enjoying the inside of a prison cell.”

“Really?” Cinder asked in glee. She didn’t like to think on her past life at all, but she would absolutely make an exception for that. 

“Right,” Robyn agreed. “As much as you’d think they wouldn’t care about an orphan it turns out that claiming benefits for said orphan that you’re supposed to use to provide for them isn’t above board.”

“Some concerned citizens likely informed them of that oversight. Who knows who it could have been?” Qrow said with a shrug that said he likely phoned in the tip himself. “Turns out when a decade of fraud is on the line they can move fast to recover the money.”

“The government took most of it back, well what they could recover, but there’s a small trust with a few years worth of checks for you that you can access once you turn eighteen. You’ll have to go file some paperwork, but hey,” Robyn explained as she took out a final envelope, somehow even more nervous. 

“You are nearly eighteen. Soon you can go, and make your way into the world, and while you don’t have to, and you don't need to, or really it’s stupid, but-” Robyn was cut off as Qrow laid a hand on her arm, and opened the envelope. 

He pushed the papers toward her. 

Curious, she picked them up, and nearly dropped them in shock. “Are these?”

“Right,” Qrow agreed gruffly. “If you wanted to, this would make it official. You don’t hav-”

He was cut off as Cinder gleefully ripped the pen she used in her notebook, and signed the empty spaces officially making her their adopted child. 

“You guys took me in when no one else would, why not make it official? Besides, I gotta make sure I stay on your good side to inherit the diner one day,” Cinder joked as she tried to hide the tears in her eyes, that were mirrored in Robyn’s. 

She grabbed Qrow, or dad she guessed, at least in her own mind, and gave him a quick hug before Robyn came in from the side to encompass them both. 

“I’m not sure when I’ll be ready to know who they were,” Cinder said as she stepped back gesturing to the first envelope. “But when I am…will you?” 

“We’ll be there,” Qrow promised with a calming grin. 

The moment was cut short by the sound of the bell going off indicating new customers. 

“We’ll celebrate later,” Robyn promised with a stupid looking grin Cinder was sure she was also wearing. “Get back in the kitchen, Qrow,” Robyn teased as she bumped their hips together, and left, leaving Cinder to share a quick grin with the man for a moment before she too left to the front.

Cinder stepped out front ready to earn some big tips that didn’t come from her now official kinda younger sister with a spring in her step. 

It was real, they really did want her.

The first thing she noticed was the idiots at the counter both watching someone. 

A young woman with white hair, and blue eyes. They traded looks, and called over to her, indicating a spot between them. 

The woman rolled her eyes before she really looked at them, flushed, and shyly walked over. 

Cinder blinked. That was fast. Good for them. 

She turned to look at the counter, and holy shit. Who was that? She had to be related to the young girl the idiots were speaking with meaning they’d actually potentially done something useful for her for once. 

She felt a quick vibration from her phone, and saw Maria had sent her a text message. 

She says the her sister is named Winter.

Ruby followed up a second later. 

And she didn’t mention her dating anyone!

God. Damn. She swore when this was over she’d…actually give Maria a free refill for once. Just one, but still. 

“Welcome to-” Cinder said as Winter interrupted her. 

“Who is Weiss speaking with?” 

“I don’t know who that is,” Cinder answered honestly with a slight trace of annoyance at being brushed aside. 

“I…apologize. My sister. I worry, and am supposed to help chaperone the field trip. I wanted her to make friends, but…” Winter gestured to where Weiss was red faced sandwiched between the two idiots, and were they holding hands? 

Why wasn’t she getting to do that?

"Those are basically my kid siblings. I work here, Cinder Fall, and you are?" Cinder asked already knowing, but wanting to just talk to this gorgeous woman. 

"Winter Schnee. Pleasure to meet you," the woman said shaking the offered hand. "Your siblings you say?" 

Cinder nodded. 

"I suppose they can't be all that bad then," Winter admitted after looking Cinder up and down before he eyes went wide as she seemed to realize what she'd said, and done. 

Cinder smirked as a cheshire smile formed on her face. Oh she would be hers, oh yes she would be. Life was certainly looking up for one Cinder Branwen!