I'M NO ONE'S BLESSING.

                        things were a bit tense between them, he had to admit. after the whole bodyswap, there were some things that still lingered in qrow’s mind despite his insistence in letting them go. the intrusive thoughts kept coming back, but they were quickly fading away, soon to be forgotten. what he didn’t forget was the unfortunate victim of the bodyswap. he walks up to her, smile on his face as he greets her with his usual smile.

                      despite how much time he’s gotten to think, how much space he’s gotten from the other  ---  things are still complicated between them. ozpin’s memory only brings a dull sense of hurt qrow’s been trying to look away from  ---  a pain he feels ever so strongly once he remembers the good times they once had, the amount of trust qrow felt just by having the certainty that ozpin was counting on him.

          he’s reflected on his own, he’s thought and he’s managed to slowly but surely come to understand ozpin. perhaps qrow never could understand the other, after all  ---  they were too different, but the least qrow could do was attempt at mending things together. even if it was something haphazardly put, even if it was something that wouldn’t even resemble the trust qrow once felt for the other  ---  it was something, it was a start.

                    “ hey there, ruby. ” it’s been a while since he last spotted her. or rather, it’s been a while since he actually came around these parts of the city. these past few weeks had gone flying by --- he didn’t even realize how much time had gone by so quickly. after the whole body swapping incident, he felt he needed time to rest.

It felt as if she had awoken from an unpleasant dream; one that filled her with a heavy haze of uncertainty and uneasiness. Her body feels heavier than she remembered as she slowly got up from bed and opened her eyes to…a completely different room. A stranger’s bedroom? A man’s?

This can’t be.

Odd, she didn’t remember drinking last night, but a splitting headache began to sink in. Running a hand through her hair, she froze midway. Did someone cut her hair short?

Something was terribly wrong.

With her heart nearly stopping, she stormed into bathroom, only to find an irritatingly familiar face looking back at her in the mirror.

❝  QROW? Oh my god, how–??  ❞

Her jaw would’ve been hanging ajar for quite awhile longer until the ringing of the phone snapped her out of a trance of utter disbelief. Jabbing the phone screen to hit the call button, her now raspy voice began speaking before she could hear her own voice answer the phone.

❝  Stay EXACTLY where you are, Qrow — I’ll be there. GOD, why did I have to switch with you of all people?❞  Hanging up and jamming the phone into shallow pant pockets, the door slammed behind her. To say she was in a bad mood was a major understatement.

                  it doesn’t come as a shock. her anger’s justified --- and yet his lack of anger isn’t. once upon a time, he would’ve been just as angry as her, but both being in her body and his own emotions made him feel... numb. 

        “Got it.” he answers, plain and simple. winter’s mannerisms are quickly catching up to him, and he feels a level of discomfort he hasn’t felt in a long time. it reminds him the first time he turned into a crow, the first time his body suddenly wasn’t his own  ---  and he was in the air. he looks at his gloved hand as if to really prove the situation. unfortunately, for both of them, everything seems to be far too real.

        he figures winter would get much more angrier if he did anything out of the ordinary --- so he doesn’t, instead he tries to find some solace in the books she planned to read until this happened. qrow picks one up, mindlessly trying to take his focus off the situation even for a minute  ---  the headache he felt minutes ago feels stronger, menacing.

        “Ugh.” he quickly puts the book down, trying to support his own head with one hand. he grimaces as the headache seems to jog a few memories. he’s heard of this being able to happen, but he doesn’t want to learn anything about her past. not because of his past dislike for her, but because it seems intrusive --- he already feels awful enough for troubling her that doing anything more would be too much for the both of them. if anything, he’d like to hear what her life was like from her own mouth, not from the forced machinations of the gods of the city.

            ...Huh?

      The moment he suddenly blinks and the world is something else, something different --- he knows something is up. From the safety and comfort of his room to... the library, it seemed? He’s visited it once or twice, but he manages to recognize it nonetheless. Qrow’s heard and seen the stories of people swapping bodies --- thinking it wouldn’t happen to him in a blind luck.

      Right now he feels like a fool for thinking he, of all people, wouldn’t be hit with it. First things first, he should look into a mirror, see if the person he swapped is familiar or not. He doesn’t even get to stand up before he looks at his hands, recognizing the familiar gloves that he remembered just by chance.

      Oh. Oh no.

      Qrow would be lying if he said he wasn’t used to body changing experiences. After all, changing into a bird slowly became a second nature once he got the hang of it --- but he was fairly certain Winter wasn’t used to it. He quickly grabs his --- Winter’s phone, and texts himself... Or rather, Winter.

      txt. Winter.       txt. Winter, you there?

                ❛   You were expecting me, then ?  How unlike you.   ❜

            THERE   was a time — although it feels like a lifetime ago — that the Branwen twins could communicate quite a bit without saying a word. A glance, a gesture — a shared feeling. That connection, that ‘sameness’… It was strained at best, but it lingered all the same. The changes in his demeanor, no matter how minute, weren’t lost on her; she doubts her true turmoil is lost on him, either. He isn’t in the mood to argue, or deflect — or even throw a smartass remark her way. Not even a cocky smirk that just barely contained his disapproval… Or the disdain she’d wholeheartedly been expecting. 

              It brings her a small sense of vindication, but there is no relief. It brings her a small sense of anger — the sort that always comes hand-in-hand with being proven unequivocally correct, no matter how long you’ve been branded a traitorous coward… But there is no smugness. For once, shocking even to her, she can’t muster the energy to be righteous.  ❛   So…   ❜   Raven begins, steps slowing to a stop. Her question lingers in the air, watching his form a few moments before shifting into a seat beside him. Not across, as per their custom. 

                 ❛   How much do you know ?   ❜

                The connection they share never truly faded. Qrow could tell when she was observing him back in Remnant, and he’s sure she could tell when he kept guard of her at the tribe. Any disdain he might feel is pushed behind the conflicting emotions he’s feeling. There’s too much happening, and he was never the best at dealing with problems.

            After she speaks, what comes from the man is silence   ---   cold and empty, tired. Maybe it was the exhaustion of keeping everything bottled up, or maybe it was the fact that she could tell he knew the truth. No matter, he felt as if the air was leaving his body the more he. The heavy feeling in his chest   ---    a ever so painful  anxiety  only grows as he begins explaining what happened.    “We found out that there is no beatin’ Salem.”     He replies, in the same intonation that she utilized in their last encounter. 

            His ever so distant demeanor doesn’t let up, his eyes focused on a fixed point as he tries to recall everything.     “Found out how she came to be... What happened to her. It’s... it’s a long story.”     He sighs, anger tainting his memory. He recalls how he reacted, how crushed he felt. Perhaps it’s the strain on his face, but it’s obvious the truth hurt.     “Ozpin kept a lot hidden from us, didn’t even have a plan.”     Perhaps it’s the stress getting to him, maybe it’s the fact that this may be his only chance to say it, but he blurts it out, fragile and weak.     “...Sorry.”     For the things he said and for the things that were left unsaid   ---   he owes her an apologies for god knows how many years of stubbornness and vitriol. 

                  While he didn’t have many plans for Christmas, he knew he wanted to spend them with family. Despite having grown close to many of the people back at his world, there was always going to be a underlying awkwardness within him. Many years of going out alone into missions did have an effect on Qrow, even without his semblance. The self doubting thoughts suddenly vanished as he felt someone collide right into him — Qrow immediately knew who it was.

           Qrow felt his usual smile on his face once again. “Merry Christmas, kiddo. Hope yer’ havin’ a good one.” He took the present gently in his hands. He was still not used to the whole… gifting and giving, but he was slowly growing accustomed to it. He slowly opened the gift, his eyes opening in a bit of surprise. They’re very cute, and Qrow can’t help but almost smile a little too brightly at them. It’s much more kinder than his usual smirk, it’s something genuine and almost too fragile. He’s always made sure to keep up his image, but maybe today he won’t care so much.

        “…Thank you, Ruby. I…” He briefly chokes up, okay. He tries to play it off, but it’s clear he got a little emotional. “Dunno’ if I’m gonna’ be able to eat ‘em, though! They’re real cute.” He chuckles a bit, hoping she wouldn’t tease him too much for his sudden burst of emotions. “You don’t even gotta’ ask, I’m always up for hanging around with brats.” He pauses, holding the box of cookies with one hand, and rummaging behind his cape with the other. “And I’m sure he does too.”

@luckbinds​

Back here again. The white cloaked figure skates gracefully over the lake, eyes trailing on the ice and the sights below them. It’s just as mesmerizing as ever which makes it slightly dangerous as he just narrowly avoids running into someone else. Hm. Maybe he should’ve gone to Savior’s Respite. There’d be less people to worry about bumping into there.

Breath materializing in the chilly air around him, Oz sighs before moving to do just that. Suddenly however he stops short as he recognizes someone on the shoreline.

“No.” No No No. Not like this. Ozpin knows for a fact that a meeting now wouldn’t end well, especially not while he’s in Summer’s body. Swiftly he dons her hood. Maybe he hasn’t been noticed yet. Part of him doesn’t want to run, a part he recognizes as Summer’s guilt for leaving them behind before, but a larger part can’t bear disappointing Qrow Branwen again.

                  Perhaps it’s how the cold settles in that Qrow seems to be growing more fond of spending his time exploring the city. While he didn’t stay locked in his room, he didn’t find himself out every single day. Today, it seemed like things were a bit different. Perhaps it was something in the air, or maybe he just wanted to take a breath of fresh air.

        And so he ends up at the frozen lake, checking the place out. Snow wasn’t something he witnessed every day, so he might as well take the chance to explore things. In the distance, he spots someone familiar --- he recognizes the white hood and he’s fairly certain it’s her.

        It’s been a while since he managed to spot her. Qrow’s been fairly busy, so he didn’t have much of a chance to catch up to her. So, unfortunately for Ozpin, he starts approaching 'Summer.’  ---  calling out to her in the sametone he’s used for her since she arrived in the city. “Hey, Summer!” Although things had gotten better, there were still some feelings of awkwardness between them  ---  but Qrow still considered her a dear friend. “Been a while, huh? This place’s been kinda weird for the past few days.” 

Here’s some info on Qrow if you want to swap with him! I’ll make a small starter call in a bit, but if you had some ideas, feel free to IM me!

he can’t help but smile as he sees her arrive. the night was beginning to settle in, and he definitely had fun — most of all, he was glad to have spent it peacefully and with the people he loves. she was the only one who he was missing, and he greeted her with open arms. “Heh, it’s fine —”

he cuts himself off the moment he sees the present. he doesn’t verbally show it, but it’s clear by the look on his eyes that he really likes it. the sheer nostalgia of seeing harbinger in one piece, alongside the tiniest red bow puts a smile on his face. “This looks real nice, Ruby. Thank you for thinkin’ ‘bout your uncle.” he’s always had problems emoting, but he hopes she knows he appreciates it. he even goes as far as to look at it closely, eyeing it with a smirk. “Learned from the best, huh?”

—————-

When he receives the small package, he immediately wonders who could’ve sent it. A part of him felt weary, but he opened the package anyways — curiosity and wonder overwhelming anything else. He looks at the paper, a small smile appearing on his face. He was happy people wished him a happy birthday at all, it was strange — but not unwelcome.

“…Huh.” Qrow carefully takes out the wooden box, looking at it closely. Noticing how carefully it was made, he does feel a pang of guilt. He’s never had a proper birthday before, so receiving something so carefully made him feel a tad guilty, but thankful nonetheless — he’s not too used to presents yet.