SFW Alphabet (Romantic) with Crow (From Destiny 2) - Crow x Guardian, Gender-Neutral
Summary: this is a SFW alphabet for Crow from Destiny 2 (in the scope of a romantic, non-platonic relationship, but there are some friendship-building details scattered in here).
Paired With: gender-neutral for basically any type or gender of guardian. I've kept the physical descriptors of 'your guardian' to be relatively ambiguous.
Rating: GEN/TEEN β SFW - with some vague references to what could be considered mildy suggestive, but very little.
Warnings: slight mentions of trauma/hyper-vigilence/coping mechanisms, etc.
Note From The Author: I love reading these little SFW (and in some cases, NSFW) alphabets for fictional characters. It's so cool to see how others interpret the characters and how they would handle things. So here's my own rendition for one of my favourite characters from the Destiny universe (and one of my current obsessions) - Crow (very specifically not Uldren, but that should be obvious, I think).
The entries are long. So be prepared for a lengthy read, y'all. I pulled out all the stops on this. I hope you have as much fun reading it as I did making it! Okay. Eyes up, guardians.
(Image Credit - Kathi Langley / owlcath)
A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show their affection?)
Crow is... careful at first. Very careful. So careful, in fact, that you assumed he either greatly disliked you, or even feared you - even well after he'd realized he'd started to like you.
Considering how he'd been treated by other guardians regarding the whole 'Cayde' situation, he was understandably one of the most guarded people you'd ever met, and it's not that he didn't want your affection, he simply didn't feel as though he deserved it (even when he does start to show affection, and even when you have reminded him countless times how much you adore him. Deep down, he still doesn't feel worthy).
His affection works more like a dance; you lead, he follows the silent boundaries you set.
It started small.
It started with a friendly wave. As you happened to pass by him during an event at The Tower, he assumed he would be ignored by everyone (and that would have been the best case scenario as far as he was concerned); but still, you locked eyes and gave him a genuine smile and a friendly wave as you passed by - as if you were actually happy to see him. This was a tiny gesture that caused him to overthink the short interaction for the rest of the day. The next time he passed by you days later, he bucked up the courage to go as far as saying 'hello,' and the friendly greeting you gave him in return made him feel warm and fuzzy for the rest of the day.
This would set the pace for the rest of your relationship. You were the first to start complimenting him; so he started doing the same for you. You were the first to put your head on his shoulder; so he put his arm around you to pull you a little closer.
That being said, the one thing that he was the one to instigate was the first kiss - but we'll get into that later in this post.
Finally (and adorably), much like his name ironically suggests, he is always keeping his eye out for little trinkets he thinks you may like; interesting looking stones, pieces of wood he's whittled into unique animals or shapes, little tokens and tools from any marketplaces he's come across - he's always got a space for you on his mind.
B = Best Friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)
As was mentioned under 'Affection,' it really started with a simple wave and a smile. From there, you slowly became one of his only friends outside of Glint and Amanda.
Once he trusts you, he is a fiercely loyal friend, and he has your back no matter what. He's a fantastic listener, he's incredibly considerate, and despite his introverted disposition, you are one of the only people he can spend lengthy amounts of time with without feeling as though he needs to mentally recharge afterward.
C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)
The first hug shared between you two was not specifically romantic. He had told you about something that had happened to him that was, in a word, incredibly traumatizing. You didn't know what to say, so you just gave him a hug instead.
At first, he didn't know how to respond, and put his arms out as if he were afraid to touch you, but after a few seconds, he realized you weren't letting go. He remembers feeling your warmth and your heartbeat against his chest, and slowly, he wrapped his arms around you in return for a long hug that he so desperately needed.
Some time later, much farther into your friendship, he came to you with the intent of venting to you, or asking for advice, but as he tried and failed to find the words to describe what he had been going through, he gave up and just pulled you into his arms for another much-needed hug.
As he has gotten more and more comfortable with you, he has become more bold with you, and has gotten to the point where he always wants to be in some form of contact with you - be it holding hands, curling an arm around your waist, or his personal favourite, touching his forehead to yours.
Even if you're in a situation where you need to be more professional or reserved, you'll find that he's subtly standing shoulder-to-shoulder with you.
D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)
As much as Crow enjoys wandering and exploring, seeing new things and having new experiences with you, he can also be quite the home-body.
You two start living together pretty early in your relationship. Not on purpose, mind you; you just found yourself spending time together, and having him stay with you that it just naturally happened on it's own. At first, it was an open invitation from you to raid your fridge (even though he would still always ask for permission), then it was a couple spare drawers in your dresser for a few of things. Then it was a keycode so he could allow himself in whenever he pleased - things just kind of happened from there.
Being together as often as you were just felt right; natural.
As for his 'domestic skills,' he's not particularly good at cooking, but he's not necessarily a 'bad cook' either.Β He has a handful of his favourite dishes that he's pretty good at preparing (and later on into your relationship, he went out of his way to learn a couple of your favourites, too).
That being said, he makes some of the best drinks that you've ever had; be it coffee, tea, hot chocolate, smoothies, cocktails, you name it - he could open his own little cafΓ© for that reason alone (he is shockingly talented at latte art, and likes to top your drinks off with a little 'bird' symbol).
He is a very tidy housemate, however. He naturally just kind of picks up after himself. He's not one to keep everything 'spotless,' but things never look messy, either. The one thing you will find is little collectables and kitch that the two of you have picked up over time scattered all around your place.
Living with Crow is easy and in a word, effortless.
E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)
If he were ever to end things with you (which is unlikely - but hypothetically), it truly would hurt him as much as (if not more) than it would hurt you. He wouldn't do so without a very good reason, but he is the type of partner who would always rather work things out with you than call it quits.
BUT. If he ever did, he would try to do so gently and privately, and would most likely go little-to-no-contact with you outside of obligations like missions and large events. Not because he wants nothing to do with you, but simply because being around you but not being with you is nearly unbearable to him now.
It will take him a very long time to move on, and even when he does he will always have a bit of a sore spot for you, regardless of how the two of you parted ways.
F = FiancΓ© (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)
Commitment comes naturally to Crow. Once you two become an item, you are never not on his mind in some fashion.
As for marriage, this is a different story. It's certainly not that he doesn't want to get married. He sees his relationship with you as a 'forever' situation already, and after such a long period of time where he felt as though he didn't deserve a happy relationship, much less a happy marriage, well... it just hadn't crossed his mind.
After a few years, someone ends up asking him about it, and his response is:
"I'm not sure. I haven't really thought about it; our relationship just feels so natural as it is. Do you... do you think they'd say yes if I asked...?"
After that, it's in his head rent-free, and it's really only a matter of time before he asks you.
It's nothing flashy, but one day, he arranges a small, low-stakes mission with you at your favourite spot (be it The Dreaming City, Neomuna, Europa - some place where you personally like to spend time, or a place that is significant to the two of you).
You do your thing as you would during any other mission; an unstoppable duo - effective and efficient. That night, you both decide to set up camp.
As you're chatting and enjoying a quiet moment together by the fire, he seems to be fidgeting with his hands more than usual. You're about to ask about it when he abruptly says:
"Oh! I, uh... I downloaded a new projection for Glint. It reminded us of you, so I couldn't resist. Glint, would you be so kind?"
You turn your head to Glint who chatters and nods excitedly; above his shell, hovering in the air, is a light blue projection of what appears to be a diamond ring. At first, you're confused, but as you turn your eyes back to Crow, you see him crouched on one knee, and in his hands is a small wooden box that he'd carved himself.
He doesn't even have time to get the question out, much less even open the ring box before you've tackled him to the ground with a resounding 'yes' that brings him a wave of relief.
When he does show you the ring, it turns out to be made of obsidian, and set with a small cutting of your favourite stone.
The wedding itself is intimate - only your closest friends are permitted to attend; and it's perfect. He's a nervous wreck up until the moment he turns to see you walking down the aisle, and his heart melts; all he can see in that moment is you. Your vows have his eyes glistening with tears; and as for his...
Crow's Vows:
"My beloved. When we first met, I was empty; just jumping from one situation to the next, waiting for things to fall into place. It felt like every time I thought things may be getting better, the rug would be pulled from under my feet, and I'd feel as though I was right back where I started. Like I was in an endless black pit, trying to move toward any trace of light I could find.
Then there was you. You were warmth. You were pure sunlight. You were - are, everything. Even after all this time, there are days where I look at you and I find myself expecting to wake up to find that this has all been a beautiful dream. Yet still, here you are.
I'm watching you become stronger, wiser, better... I'm in awe of you every day, and when you look at me the way you do, I realize that I have become a better version of myself, too.
I was born a new man in an old vessel under the Traveler; and I have become a different man all over again just by being by your side. I can't wait to see who we become, and how we grow together in the vast eternity before us; and I can't believe how lucky I am to get to be the one who gets to go on this adventure with you. I love you - more than yesterday, less than tomorrow - forever."
G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)
There are times you could swear Crow thinks you are made of glass. He is always checking in with you to make sure you're comfortable, and the very thought of ever hurting you is entirely foreign to him.
Emotionally, he's very in tune with the reactions of the people around him (due to his hyper-vigilance around others as a defense mechanism and trauma response), so with you, he can't really help it. Sometimes he may overdo it a little; he may ask if you're okay or if he did something wrong when he feels like you haven't spoken for a while, constantly worried that one day he'll mess this up. So obviously, he needs a fair amount of reassurance from you.
That being said, he can read you like a book the rest of the time. He notices the little things; the way you slightly part your lips when you're taken aback, the way your pupils dilate when you feel a twinge of fear, the way you shift your weight slightly to your other foot when you're anxious, the way your brows furrow when you're focusing, the way your eyes light up when you're excited - he notices it all.
H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it and what is it like?)
At first, Crow couldn't have cared less about hugs - until you gave him his first hug he could ever remember receiving, and he then realized just how touch-starved he was. It was like medicine for him - no matter how bad things were, a hug from you would never fail to bring him some much-needed comfort and security.
When he starts getting comfortable enough to be the one to initiate them, you realize he gives great hugs. He manages to hold you securely in his arms, but never too tightly so as to make you uncomfortable, and he always lets you decide when to stop; he's never the first to break a hug with you. He's especially fond of resting his chin on the top of your head when he's hugging you.
I = "I Love You" (How fast do they say the L-word?)
Crow knew that he loved you before the two of you even started a more romantic relationship; in fact Glint was the one to point it out to him one day, and the realization just clicked into place for him.
However, knowing this and actually telling you are two very different things. He kind of agonized over it for a while, worried that if he tried to say it too early, that it may either end in you pushing him away or feeling pressured to return the phrase if you didn't feel the same. He came close to saying it many times, but losing his nerve each time.
A few months into your relationship, and much to his surprise, you said it first.
You had been sent away on a long mission on Europa where the two of you were apart for months. You were able to use the comms to stay in touch for the first week or so, but as things got more and more intense, there were little to no opportunities to continue doing so. When you and your fireteam were successful and finally made it back, he was there to greet you at The Tower.
You dropped your pack and immediately rushed forward to throw yourself into his arms. You were so relieved to feel his warmth after months of bone-chilling temperatures, to feel his weight of his chin resting on your head, and to feel the reverberation of his soft chuckling in his chest at your reaction - it just kind of slipped out, muffled into the fabric of the mantel of his cloak.
You felt his entire body immediately tense for all of a second before he let out a sigh of relief and an:
"I love you, too."
He was riding the high of that moment for weeks after that, and frankly, so were you.
J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they get jealous?)
Crow isn't one to get particularly jealous or petty, but he does like to make it relatively clear that you're with him, and he's with you. Nothing crazy, he's not one to be a meathead about it, but when you're out together, he like to keep in physical contact with you.
At first, he would keep quiet and distant out of fear that you would be judged harshly if others saw you two being too close and showing any kind of affection, but once he realized you were proud to be seen with him, he couldn't keep his hands off of you.
He trusts you implicitly, and he never feels the need to worry that you'll give him a reason to feel jealous.
K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)
At first, Crow's kisses are delicate and uncertain. In the beginning, he spends the majority of the relationship waiting for you to decide you've changed your mind about him, and he almost seems as though he's trying not to scare you off by being 'too much,' as he puts it.
As he gets more comfortable, however, he kisses you with more certainty; still gentle, but he allows more of that heat and passion to come through. You can literally feel how much he adores you through every kiss - and it always leaves you a little light-headed.
His favourite place to kiss you really is your lips; he finds your mouth hypnotizing most of the time, but aside from that, he's especially fond of kissing your collarbone and neck area (and during spicier times, he especially likes to kiss your inner thigh, but that's a detail we can explore another day).
As for him, he takes any affection and kisses he can get from you, but he's discovered that he loves it when you raise his hand to your mouth to kiss the inside of his wrists and fingertips; something about it just puts him on cloud nine every time.
L = Little Ones (How are they around children?)
Crow feels as though he's awkward around children, and says he never knows how to respond or talk to them, but children (whose views on him have not already been tainted by their parents) are naturally drawn to him.
Something about him makes them curious; fascinated. They feel safe around him, and they enjoy being around him because he doesn't talk down to them, but rather, talks to them like he would any other person, just with even more patience and understanding.
You once happened across him at The Tower to see him giving a small group of children piggyback rides, each of them clamoring to be up next. You found yourself chuckling, and stopping to watch them for a while before continuing on your way. You're not sure whether or not he saw you, but you decided not to bring it up.
M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)
Mornings with Crow are warm and tender. When he's the first to wake up, he likes to watch you as you dream away beside him, drifting his fingers gently over your jawline, careful not to wake you right away. If you're the first to rise, whenever you've decided to wake him up, he always pulls you into a groggy hug with a huff and a sigh. It can be a challenge to get him to fully come to, mainly because he feels like he could just stay curled up in bed with you the whole day if he could.
After that, he's up making your favourite morning drink, whatever it may be (he has an affinity for it, after all), while you get started on breakfast. He loves to try to sneak in a few kisses during the process, though.
N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)
Nights with Crow range from warm and cuddly to passionate and spicy, depending on his emotional needs. Either way, he likes to take some time to ask about your day while he does something nice for you, be it rubbing your shoulders, or even just holding you. You two have been known to chat all hours into the night - but time means almost nothing when you're together.
Though he will never turn down a massage from you, he loves to give you massages every night - it's almost as much for his own enjoyment as it is yours; but you have to admit, he is fantastic with his hands (take that however you'd like).
O = Open (When will they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or do they reveal little things slowly?)
At the beginning, Crow is an island. Always quiet, always mysterious, always completely out reach; and he keeps it that way for quite some time before he starts noticing your kindness is a pattern not born of pity or habit, but simply because that's who you are.
After that, it's breadcrumbs; his process of opening up to you is painfully slow, but all the more rewarding as you continue to get to know him, and in turn, watch him learn to become more and more comfortable in his own skin.
P = Patience (How easily are they angered?)
Crow is seemingly more measured to the naked eye, but he's more hot-headed than people think, and despite his calm demeanor, he has quite a temper deep down.
You've learned to notice the signs; his chest rises and falls a slightly heavier than usual, his jaw tenses a little, his eyes seem to take on a brighter tinge of orange, and most of all, you can feel the heat off of him.
He is, however, very adept at managing his anger; he is terrified of ending up just like Uldren Sov, allowing his anger to turn him cruel and tyrannical, and he refuses to allow this to come to pass.
Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every detail or forget the minor things?)
Sure, he forgets things on rare occasion; so does everyone. Still, he is a wonderful listener who genuinely wants to know everything about you. In fact, the only one who knows you better than Crow is your own Ghost.
He knows all the basics; your favourite colour, how you like your coffee (if you even like coffee in the first place), your favourite place to be alone, your favourite weapons... he could go on about you for hours to anyone who would listen.
Above all else, though, he knows your touch and scent in a room of hundreds. He could be blindfolded and know how your hands feel on his skin immediately.
R = Remember (What is their favourite moment of your relationship?)
Crow has many moments that could be considered 'favourites.' Your first two-person mission together, the first time you stood up for him against another guardian who saw him as nothing more than Uldren reborn, sharing a round drinks with you and Amanda as friends, the time you accidentally fell asleep and rested your head on his shoulder; there are endless examples.
Still to this day however, your first kiss takes the number one spot for him.
You were on one of many missions together, and the two of you hadn't started anything romantic yet (though you had both been dancing around the idea for a while at this point). You had been separated from the rest of your fireteam. On your way back to them, the two of you encountered one of the biggest squadrons of Vex you'd ever seen. It was going to be a long, difficult fight - but you both fought together as if you were born to do it.
It was almost as if it were a choreographed dance.
The fight ended with you and Crow - practically nose-to-nose, each letting out one final shot to two approaching Vex goblins from behind you.
Chests heaving, the two of you locked eyes in a breathless moment of silence - then his lips were on yours. He quickly started to pull away with an apology before you pulled him back in.
As a broken Vex goblin twitched on the ground beside you, he loosed a final shot from his handcannon into it before tucking it away and wrapping his arms around you; sharing a kiss with you that would put most movie romances to shame.
S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)
Crow is highly protective of you. He's protective of all his friends, really, but he truly fears something happening to you. He wasn't particularly used to the idea of protecting or being protected himself when he was first resurrected. Working under Spider wasn't exactly the kind of employment that inspired selflessness.
However, not only were you instrumental in getting him away from Spider, he remembers the first time another guardian attempted to attack him during one of his earlier visits to The Tower, and he was left in awe when he watched you tear a strip off of them and lay them flat.
You protected him on many occasions, even when he told you not to worry about it - you simply wouldn't tolerate that disrespect under any circumstances.
At one point, the two of you were on a mission where you had been separated, with you having crash-landed your ship in a crater field on The Moon. There was no response from you on the comms, but you were stuck under a piece of the wreck, and badly injured. Even more concerningly, there was no response from your Ghost, either. Crow immediately started following the trail of smoke to your location on his own.
When he arrived, a group of Hive had started to advance on your location. You were completely unconscious and to his horror, he watched as a Hive knight wrapped their claws around your then-battered, and barely-responsive Ghost. The knight started to attempt to crush them before Crow severed the arm and retrieved your Ghost faster than the Hive could blink.
Your consciousness started to return just as Crow was in the midst of fighting them off. You had never seen Crow fight as ferociously as he had that day. You had seen him in the field before, and he was very impressive in his own right, but it was nothing like this. This was one of the only times you could recall seeing him enraged.
T = Try (How much effort do they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)
This man has so much try. Every date, he's practically breaking his back to try to pamper you in every way he can (even though you tell him he can just relax and enjoy himself). He insists this is part of enjoying himself - taking care of you makes him exceedingly happy.
"I know we're together, now; but don't think that means I'll ever stop trying to win your heart all over again."
Anniversaries are special to him - it marks the day where your adventure together started when you took things to the next level, and he likes to reflect on how fortunate he feels to have made it another year with you. He prefers to plan anniversaries with you rather than surprise you; planning trips or escapes together with you brings him so much excitement. He does, however, but a great deal of effort into finding or creating something special for you, and he somehow manages to outdo himself again and again every year.
Gift-giving is one if his love languages; especially when it comes to things he finds or makes himself. Sure, he'll bring you things he's bought on occasion, but he especially likes to bring you interesting trinkets he's hunted down or created.
As for everyday tasks, he's subtle; when you two start living together, you both have your own little 'tasks' around the place that you do to keep the place tidy and liveable, but sometimes, you'll have gotten home feeling particularly exhausted, and he makes sure you're fed and comfortable before quietly finishing the task himself, insisting that you relax tonight.
"You'd do the same for me."
U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)
Crow, though he's consistently working on this, is painfully doubtful of his own worth both as a guardian and as a partner. This leads him to be habitually self-sacrificing even when there's no reason to be. He sees the value and strength in all others, but he's blind to his own, and though he does get a little better at it as he goes on, he has a hard time accepting compliments.
On a lighter note, he also can not hold his liquor; his tolerance is incredibly low.
V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)
He tries not to let it show, but he gets a little bit insecure about his appearance, and he does fret about his looks more than he cares to admit - especially now that he has you. He knows you would never judge him for his physical appearance, but he can't help but want to look good in front of you.
He's already an effective hunter in his own right, but if he's teamed up with you, he is a little flashier than usual in a subtle attempt to show off for you a little bit.
A comment had been made once about his haircut, and it wasn't long before he'd decided to change it. If you were to ask him why he made such a decision, his response would simply be:
"No reason - I just felt like I was ready for a change, that's all. Why? Do you... do you like it?"
W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)
Entirely. He had started to accept his solitude before he met you - before he met Amanda. There was a time he'd decided that some guardians weren't made for fireteams and comraderie- that some guardians were meant to accomplish far more on their own.
Once he started to realize that he was worthy of friendship, respect, understanding, compassion, and love, he realized that his connections with the people closest to him made him feel complete.
Of course, losing any of his friends and teammates would weigh heavily on him; but especially once you two grew closer, he knew that losing you would leave a deep wound in him that he would never be able to mend. It would, in a word, shatter him entirely.
He would do his best to move on, but it would be a very long time before he would feel like himself again.
You are his lifeline - and he is endlessly devoted to keeping you safe at all costs.
X = X-tra (A random head-canon for them)
Crow likes to collect things; little interesting trinkets and things he comes across during missions and excursions.
Being a relatively anxious person, he also tends to fidget - a lot. He feels like he always needs to be doing something with his hands. Sharping his dagger, doing little knife tricks, tinkering with something, writing in a notebook, whittling pieces of wood into interesting shapes; he's never completely still, even if he always seems outwardly calm.
He is also just very good with his hands in general, and as far as you're concerned, gives the world's best massages.
Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn't like, either in general or in a partner?)
Generally, there are a few things Crow doesn't like; unnecessary conflict, and he's not huge on eggs (for the texture, not the flavour, he says). Most of all, crowds - he does not like crowds. They make him feel unsafe and overwhelmed.
He is able to enjoy crowded events and celebrations to an extent, but he's usually one of the first to be ready to leave, and he will be in need of some quiet solitude to recharge.
As for partners, he has a few pet peeves; loud chewers would be one of his more minor ones, but he couldn't tolerate a partner with no compassion. He fully understands that sometimes difficult decisions need to be made for the greater good, but someone who can easily be callous and heartless for the sake of progress or personal gain is not a person he feels safe around.
"I know I've made some bad choices in my past - we all have. But at least I have the decency to feel some way about it when I do. It eats me up inside - and I think it should. I think it makes us less likely to take those decisions too lightly in the future."
Z = Zzz (What are some sleeping habits of theirs?)
Crow is a borderline insomniac and a very light sleeper. He's always been plagued by nightmares, but they'd gotten much worse after The Season of the Haunted. Despite finding a certain amount of closure by the end of the season, his nightmares remain an issue, and he's simply been learning to deal with them however he can - Glint would usually wake him up so he could get himself calm enough to try to sleep again.
Having you to cuddle up to at night has not made them any better, unfortunately, but waking up to feel you there beside him has made the process of finding his footing in reality much faster and far more pleasant. Despite his nightmares, he wakes up feeling far more rested than he ever did before; and he's eternally grateful to you for that.
(Image Credit - Wesley Gardner)
That's all, folks! Thanks for reading. See you next time, o guardian mine.
~ Pyretta Wychwiggin
