RWBY Through Worlds (End)

BC69: Respite (Heroes)--1

Winter and Qrow's house had a guest room and a den, where the unexpected guest were able to crash.

Cinder was left in the living room. She thought it was weird they'd just agreed to let them all stay--she didn't understand the familial urge to keep your siblings or friends close after such an ordeal just to see if they were okay. She was a stranger to that kind of care.

But not, unfortunately, to the repercussions of the stress of the day. It took her a while to fall asleep--and then she had nightmares.

It was a blur, as nightmares tend to be, but one thing that was clear was it was about what happened.

She was reliving killing that bandit, only, in the dream, instead of the others saying it was okay, they were scared and running away from her, and the other bandits and Grimm turned to her and attacked as one.

She woke up with a sharp cry. It wasn't that loud, as often our voice is more hushed when we're speaking in a dream.

The walls of the living room, hung with pictures and lined with bookshelves or other decor, met her instead of the woods.

So it had just been a dream.

She put her hand to her heart. Her pulse was racing.

"Is something wrong?" Winter almost made her jump off the sofa by walking into the room.

She was carrying one of the twins...Whitney, judging by the pajamas and blanket.

"What are you doing up?" Cinder asked the stupid question.

Winter chose not to acknowledge it was stupid. "She didn't want to go back to sleep yet. We have to walk her around.... It's my turn."

Cinder turned away.

"I thought I heard a cry. Are you all right?" Winter asked.

"Fine." Stiffly.

Winter glanced at Whitney, who was not crying at least and was staring at her like even she thought the crabby lady was a bad liar. [If she takes after Raven, that'll be reality in a few years.]

"You know," she said in a nonchalant tone, like it was about the weather, "it's funny, they have such different temperaments even now. Nick never gives much trouble about sleeping.... They say everyone is different, but I never truly had to try to adjust my approach before now."

She sat down in an armchair to prop Whitney up. "You don't even realize how set you are in your ways until you have to have a family to live with.... Other people just hold up the mirror. It was simpler to be alone...but the trouble is, it was lonely."

She seemed to be implying something.

Cinder glanced up. "What do you want?"

"I suppose this is my attempt at offering to help," Winter said. "You'll forgive mey lack of practice at it. I'm not in the habit."

"I don't want your help." Cinder frowned at her.

"I know that," Winter said. "You never have. But I suppose Miss Likstar would not let that stop her with any of us, so we shouldn't allow it to be an obstacle either."

Cindre didn't answer that. She didn't really want to get into a battle of wits with Winter, and not at this hour especially.

Whitney made a squeak but didn't actually cry. Winter adjusted automatically.

"Isn't it weird, suddenly having two kids and living a boring home life?" Cinder said.

Winter raised an eyebrow. "I'll choose not to be insulted by that."