#th aubade

"fate, it’s beyond mortal understanding."

I won't have to run now.

That's all you'll ever do.

Cinder gave a noncommittal hum. The witch carried herself with the same uncanny air Salem had: something in the eyes, or perhaps in the way they moved, marked both women as ancient—and powerful.

"Hey, you didn't have any better ideas." Keeping Nora fed was a full time job, even at Beacon where they'd had a literal cafeteria to eat at whenever they wanted. Now on the road, whenever supplies became scarce they had to do what they had to do.

Especially when Nora wanted pancakes.

He grinned though, bumping his shoulder gently into hers in return. "Maybe the next town will have a tavern with actual food and not just whatever they can find in the back." A boy could dream.

"You're right, it won't change anything." Weiss said in agreement. Ruby was right to some extent, nothing they said would change the fact that Qrow had taken her in. But regardless, Weiss wanted to talk about it. It was clearly affecting Ruby, and Yang and Blake were noticing the tension between the two, it didn't matter that they tried to hide it. They were teammates, they were bound to notice the tension that was beginning to rise.

"I would be a fool to truly consider this." He chuckled, amused. It's just a silly game. Nothing of significant meaning. Brothers forbid man has a hobby.

Truthfully, Qrow was too relieved to notice at first, that Ruby wasn't behaving like... well, Ruby. He'd thought she was dead. Gone. Her and Yang. If it wasn't for Robyn, he might have given into despair the moment they arrived in Vacuo.

And now, all that was bubbling up, despite his best efforts to keep it contained. He held her tightly to him, wishing he could never let her go.

That he hadn't ever let her go.

It was only when he finally pulled back that he could see the set of her shoulders, the spark of anger in her eyes. Fuck.

"Glad you're back, kiddo," he said quietly. He scrubbed at his eyes, putting a bit more space between them. Placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, anyway, to keep that connection. "You look like you got something you want to talk about?"

He didn't know where she had been or what she had learned. But it was usually best to get these things out. To keep them from festering. Usually.

"Ozpin didn't even warn you," Salem murmured, rising languidly on newly-regrown feet to regard the young huntress before her. "Did he?"

She hadn't lifted a finger to defend herself, yet. Let the poor girl hack her to pieces and witness the futility for herself: the pain meant nothing, and experience was the best teacher.

The fairytale's gift was teeth.

Her mouth curved into a faint, chilly smile. "'Long, long ago,'" she said, her tone silken and almost chiding, "'in a faraway land, there lived a cruel lord and his beautiful daughter…'"

So began dear Ozpin's latest rendition of the Girl in the Tower; Salem scoffed, and took a gliding step closer. One pale hand shot out faster than human eyes could track to grip the axe, forcing it down and to the side with implacable strength.

It meant Dear Leader should ask Raven's advice, because Summer might have the grit and decisive can-do attitude and the (ugh) heart of the team or whatever, but Raven was the brains.

(Not that she was up against stiff competition, here. Taiyang? Her idiot brother? Please.)

@th-aubade

"You don't need to do any such thing, Glynda," the headmaster reminds her, a somewhat sad smile on his face. Oh, if she could see herself through his eyes. "I am but a man, as extraordinary as my responsibilities may be. And just as imperfect as you are."

One could argue, perhaps, that their imperfections fit together perfectly, and so they made a good pair. He certainly thought so.