The Vault Dweller Of Mountain Glenn: Yang Xiao Long X Male Vault-Tec Reader

Vol. 4 Ch. 24 Family

3rd Person POV

After Yang had been woken up by a nightmare, she realizes that she is still in her room, lying on top of her bed. The robotic arm given to her by General Ironwood rested on her bedside table, out of the box. Yang looked at it for a moment before turning her face away as she heard laughter coming from downstairs. She got up and headed downstairs to discover Doctor Oobleck and Professor Port sitting at her kitchen table and laughing with her father. Port continued his story as he said, "And, and, and then, in comes Qrow, wearing a skirt! I was just a TA, I-I didn't know what to do, so I just... I just left the room to laugh!" Yang came to the kitchen door while the three laughed. Then Tai said, "We told him it was a kilt! He'd never worn a uniform before, so he didn't know!" Oobleck replied, "That is terrible! What is wrong with you!?" Tai chuckled and said, "Hey! The girls all said he had nice legs! I did that jerk a favor! Besides, that's not even the best part! See, then we─" Port put his right leg on the tabletop, cutting off Taiyang, and said, "Like what you see?"

The three of them laughed and Port lost his balance. He tried to save himself from falling, but ended up on the floor, saying, "Whoa-oh!" There's even more laughter. Taiyang clapped from mirth and Port joins in the hilarity from the floor. They heard some giggles from the doorway, alerting the three of them to Yang's presence. Oobleck stood while Port got up off the floor and said, "Oh, uh, Miss Xiao Long! Uh, please, join us." Yang entered while Oobleck laughed, a little bit embarrassed, and said, "Oh, yes, yes, pull up a chair. Please, pull up a chair." She replied and said, "I'm good." She hoisted herself backward up onto the kitchen counter, beside where her father was standing. Port and Oobleck sat back down and Yang asked, "So, what are you doing here?" Oobleck replied, "Despite popular belief, teachers do have a life outside the classroom." Port continued, "Professor Goodwitch is working 'round the clock to restore Beacon to its former glory! But, Mistral wasn't built in a day. And we all need rest from time to time." Tai spoke up and said, "Now look, let's not worry about that right now. So, there we were, standing in the auditorium, looking at Qrow, wearing a skirt. Then Oz tells everyone, 'It's time to work on our landing strategy!'"

Oobleck replied, "The Branwen twins have always been... interesting, to say the least." Port said, "That sure didn't seem to stop young Tai." Tai responded, "Hey, come on, man, she's right here." Port replied, "Oh, please! She's a mature young woman! If she can handle combat, she can handle a few jabs at her old man!" Tai argued, "That's not the issue, Pete! And besides, she's still a teenager!" Yang spoke up and said, "'She' is also in the room, and can be directly spoken to. And I think I've been through enough to be considered an adult at this point." Tai sighed and said, "Adult or not, you've still got a long way to go before you're ready for the real world." Yang replied, "Oh my gosh! Does every father figure have the same three condescending phrases?" Taiyang answered, "Yeah! But we only use them when we mean it!" Port and Oobleck looked at each other as the father and daughter argued, a touch uncomfortable. Oobleck took a sip from his mug while Port pulled at his collar. Yang said, "Is that so?" Tai replied, "As a matter of fact, it is so! If you honestly think that you're ready to go out there on your own, ha, well I guess you lost some brain cells along with that arm." Yang gasped and pulled back from her father's face while a stunned Port leans forward, Oobleck's mouth drops open and his glasses slip down.

There's a pause before the mug slipped out of Oobleck's hand to safely land on the table. All three of them stared at Taiyang for a few seconds, before Yang said, "You... jerk!" Yang playfully punched Taiyang, and the father and daughter laughed together. Oobleck whispered, "Are we finally talking about the Goliath in the room?" Taiyang and Yang looked at each other and then laughed. Relieved laughter comes from Port and Oobleck, and Port said, "Oh, Miss Xiao L─Yang, if you don't mind me asking, why haven't you tried on the arm yet?" Oobleck nodded and said, "Oh, yes, yes! A piece of Atlas technology given out like that is rare indeed! Not to mention the effort it took to deliver it here. It seems a great many people want to see you returned to normal." Yang looked down and said, "I'm... scared." Taiyang took a sidestep closer to Yang, watching and listening.

Yang continued, "Everyone keeps talking about me getting back to normal. And I appreciate it, but... this is normal now." Oobleck and Port both exchanged sad, knowing glances. Then Yang added, "It's just taking me a while to get used to it. Taiyang replied, "Well, normal is what you make of it." Yang looked at him and said, "What is that supposed to mean? Do you want me to just pretend like nothing happened? I lost a part of me. A piece of me is gone. And it's never coming back."

Tai looked at her and said, "You're right. It's not coming back. But that doesn't have to stop you from becoming who you wanna be. You're Yang Xiao Long, my sunny little dragon." Then Tai put his hand on his daughter's shoulder and added, "You can do whatever you put your mind to. So whenever you're ready to stop moping, and get back out there, I'll be there for you." Yang just stood there and said, "I-I..." Then Port said, "Fear is like any other emotion. It comes and goes. It's all in how you handle it. Why, even I find myself wrestling with that emotion from time to time." Yang looked at him unconvinced and said, "Really? You?" Oobleck replied, whispering, "He's afraid of mice." Port then said, while pounding the table, "They bring only disease and famine!" Yang laughed while Port ranted about the creepiness of mice. Port continued, "And don't even get me started on their tails! So hairless, and simply unnatural!" Oobleck said, "Port, I assure you, you are safe. There's no mice here right now."

Later that night, as Yang was taking the last steps at the top of the stairs, she turned partially and lifted her hand to those below as she said, "Goodnight!" The arm on the bedside table was the first thing she saw when she walked into her room. She looked at it for a moment but then moved to the window when she heard the front door to the house open, followed by the voices of the three men. She decided to stand out of side beside the window and listened as Port said, "Thanks for having us over, Tai." Tai replied and said, "Any time. You're always welcome." Oobleck spoke next and said, "It may be a while before we return. There is still much work to be done at the school." Port nodded in agreement and then said, "I hesitate to ask, but is there any word from young Miss Rose?" Behind Tai, Yang moved into visibility at her bedroom window as her father answered and said, "Not yet." Oobleck replied and said, "Have you thought about going after her? Trying to bring her home?" Taiyang sighed and said, "I've got to... look after some things."

Yang's POV

As my dad glanced toward my bedroom window, I moved out of sight again and squeezed my right upper arm, looking dejected. As I reached up and held the bottlecap on the necklace that Y/N had given me, I heard a familiar beep from the doorway and turned to see ED-E there. I looked at him and said, "Hey, Eddie. I know I'm not able to fully understand what you're saying, but do you think that Y/N would ever forgive me?" He let out an affirmative sounding bleep in response and I said, "If my memory serves me right, that's a yes." He let out the same affirmative sounding bleep and I said, "Either way, I just hope he'll forgive me someday." ED-E let out a somber whirl before he left.

The Next Day

3rd Person POV

Taiyang was outside the house, watering his bed of sunflowers. Yang came out, wearing the robotic arm. She used it automatically to shade her eyes from the sun, and then looked down at the metal hand interestedly, moving the fingers around. Taiyang stood up and said, "Okay. Let's get started."

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.
Master out.