Thequietcanadian

The soft leather gives way as he sits down into it and he clears his throat to get the other man's attention. Their eyes move away from the window front; he can only assume they had been looking at the designs hanging on the wall, the alternative was to watch as the sky let loose onto the city. He’s struck by their eyes for a moment, a shade of green that James had only ever seen in between the pages of novels. This is not what draws his attention though, it's the emotion behind them or lack of it really. The smile they gave him didn’t reach his eyes, didn’t even scratch the surface of it and it made James pause as he opened his notebook. 

“How can I help you?” James rumbled out fiddling with his pencil so he could pretend he didn’t see the way the man flinched when he’d been spoken to. He’d need to be careful with this one.

“I’d like a tattoo of course” The man said teasingly and James tried not to roll his eyes at the response, he’d gotten that line one to many times over the years for it to be even remotely funny now. The man rubbed his hand awkwardly behind his neck, his fingers scratching across the expanse of skin in a way James would find uncomfortable. 

“Sorry, my nieces recommended this place. I uh and well I just wasn’t sure-” James lifted his hand to stop him and the man's hands fell flat into his lap before he seemed to pick at the skin around his nails. A nervous habit by the looks of it. 

“Your nieces?” He prompted after the silence grew between them. He’s shoulders seemed to sag in relief at the change of topic yet still James saw nothing reflected within those eyes. 

“Maybe you’ve tattooed them? Yang’s the eldest came here when she was-”

“Nineteen. I remember her. Didn’t ink her though I believe Elm actually had the pleasure” He remembers what she wanted, yellow Chrysanthemums trailing down her arm, followed by a black dragon that would snake around her arm. Normally it would have been a job he’d take but he’d been busy with other clients, fully booked till several months out so he’d passed it onto Elm. He remembers the sister too. She’d sat in the seat holding her sister's other hand through the session, talking their ear off. It didn’t explain why their uncle would be here now though.

“Right, are you looking for something similar?” He watched as he shifted in his seat, eyes narrowing. 

“If they have convinced you to get tattoo I would advise against it unless you're absolutely certain”

“No. I’m sure just… nervous I guess”  James settled back into his seat reaching into his shirt pocket before lifting his glasses to his face. He had a feeling this consultation was going to take longer than he had initially thought it would, better to be ready now rather than later. 

“If I could get your name?” The man looked at him startled, the first sign of real emotion he’d seen since he’d met him and James wasn’t certain that was a good thing.

“Clover Ebi-Branwen” James wrote it down at the top of the page, pencil poised as he looked back up at him.

“What are you looking to get?” Clover doesn’t respond for a moment, a flash of pain running across his face there and gone before he looks down at his lap.

“A crow on my left shoulder for my husband” James has to physically stop himself from rolling his eyes but refrains from telling his client why that was a bad idea. The man was old enough to make his own bad decisions if he wished. He hummed in acknowledgment, starting a rough sketch as he waited for Clover to continue. 

“I want roses, this shade of red, they’re the color of my husbands” Clover hands him a piece of cloth the colour of wine a brilliant shade if it wasn’t soured by why this particular shade had been chosen. Still James jots down the colour, putting the piece of cloth in his notebook for reference. 

“Anything else” Clover seems to pause for a moment, debating if there would be anything else.

“I want the wings open, as if they were in flight, He’s always running off somewhere” James feels the wooden pencil creak in his hands lets it go so he doesn’t break it in front of his client. This job very much seemed like it was more for the husband then for Clover himself. Normally James didn’t have a problem with this except usually couples would do them together. Clover was here alone.

“Right.that's doable.” He waited to see if Clover would add anything else, hoping he added a touch of himself to it even if it was something small. 

“Can I… I’d like-” James waited patiently for Clover to come to a decision, picking up his pencil and tapping it against his notebook. Finally he seems to have come to a decision.

“I’d like sweet peas, purples and blues, maybe snaking up the wings?” James nodded he could work with that it would contrast nicely with the darker tones.

“I think we have a lot to work with. I’ll send you over the design and then we can finalize it.” Clover nodded before standing moving to shake Jame’s hand a moment later he was gone and James was left wondering who his work had really been for. Clover or the husband who’d never shown his face. 

James sees Clover again two months later and he looks just as hesitant as he had the day he’d first meet him.. He doesn’t comment and leads him over to his work station at the back of the studio.He’d listened when he’d told him to wear something comfortable and easy to take off a baby blue tank top, and a pair of sweatpants. James would have thought he was coming from the gym if he didn’t know any better. The sound of the tattoo gun starts up shortly after a sound that has James mind relaxing on instinct. It was here that he truly got to work his magic, turning ink into a work of art and letting it guide him across his clients skin. Most of his clients didn’t mind that he liked to work in silence, it allowed him to concentrate better. Yet Clover didn’t seem to catch the hint at his noncomental hums in response to him, he just continued to chat away. 

“I went to the greenhouses the other day, it's beautiful in there , it's a nice break from all the cold” the comment grates on his nerves and he grunts in response, eyes never leaving Clover's shoulder. watching as the muscles twitch as the machine glides across.

“My husband used to take me there all the time” James gritted his teeth, pressing the tattoo gun a little bit too hard into the skin before easing off. 

“He’d show me the flower, we’d sneak into the back” James couldn’t see the expression from the angle he was working in, glancing into the mirror beside his desk though he saw a wistful expression on his face. 

“He’d always by me a bouquet of flowers right after he’d tell me he loved me” 

“Then why isn’t he here?” James snapped. Clover goes oddly silent and James relaxes into the quiet, red roses blooming across Clover's shoulder.

“He’s dead” James hand halts where it’s working, eyes widening as guilt crashes into him like waves on a shore.

“I’m sorry” James says after a moment because what else could he say? 

“It’s okay… you didn’t know”

It never got easier. Every time he had to tell someone. There was always pity, always an apology. As if they were sorry. It had always confused him. They hadn’t known Qrow, didn’t have a reason to mourn and yet every time he could see it was as if they were trying to. It always made the ordeal harder even after all the time that had passed and somehow it  always surfaced memories he’d rather forget. Nights spent up late waiting endlessly for Qrow to come home. The quiet hours of the night would ebb into dawn and it was usually then he would hear the door creak open, the shuffle of feet accompanying it. He’d get off the couch then his anger overshadowed by worry as he made his way to the doorway. At first Clover would try and coax him to tell him where he’d been all night. Would lead Qrow up to their bedroom the smell of alcohol invading his senses as they shuffled up the stairs. He’d pleaded later on, begged even later than that. None of it had worked besides he knew it was his own fault for how things had turned out. He’d known what he was getting into when he married him. And even though Qrow would come home drunk off his ass most nights, He’d stayed. Even as Qrow’s apologies were repeated over and over and over again and every so often when Clover would get home from work Qrow would wrap his arms around Clover’s waist chin resting on his shoulder.

“I’ll try to stop again” He’d tell him roughly the smell of alcohol still lingering from the previous night. The first few times he’d been delighted, ecstatic even. He’d gone out and bought every book he could find on the recovery process. It only ever lasted a few months before Qrow would need to press a bottle to his lips again and then the cycle would start all over again. Clover had lived for those few months of peace, of having his husband to himself before the shadows of the past would drag Qrow from him once again. There would be laughter between the two of them, joy that had Clover nearly bursting from the seams. It was this man he’d first fallen in love with, but it was the other he was stuck with because even despite the pain Qrow’s addiction brought him, he’d still loved him. Loved the way Qrow would snark at him no bite to the words as they’d banter. Flowers when he hadn’t been expecting it, dinner made when it had been a bad day. He’d loved him despite all the faults. 

He couldn’t really blame Qrow for wanting to escape reality either unlike Clover he’d been dealt a shit hand in life. A sister who’d left her daughter in his care, his best friend who’d been murdered in cold blood leaving a daughter and husband behind. That alone would make most people falter and it had taken its toll on him. If that had been the end of it Clover things Qrow would have been able to heal… but it hadn’t. It had gone from bad to worse. His friend's husband had disappeared, his daughter along with him. They’d searched tirelessly for several days, which slowly turned to weeks. Nothing turned up and Qrow had been left with little to no hope of seeing them again. Several months later he’d gotten a call. Tai had been found dead in a motel room, assumed to be a suicide his daughter found in the same room screaming alive but witness to so much violence at such a young age. He’d told Clover once while he was so far gone from his drink, that he didn’t think Tai had killed himself.

“It wasn’t his writing Cloves” He’d said, Red eyes staring at him wide from their bed as Clover had tucked him in. 

“The letter it wasn’t his writing but… it had looked like hers Cloves” He’d shushed him then, pushing him down into the bed. He’d never asked who he was referring to and even so he had an idea. He’d wondered at one point if the guilt of hiding his sister's secret was what led him back each time to his drink, drowning out the guilt of knowing that one of his niece's mother had abandoned her only to kill the parents of the other. It wasn’t an excuse of course, Clover can’t even be sure that his suspicions were true. Not then and not now.

It was the drinking that killed him in the end. The doctors said his liver just couldn’t take it anymore. Clover wishes he could say he was surprised. But he hadn’t been. He knew how it would end before it had even begun. Even still Clover had been devastated the girls too. They’d been away at school when he’d passed, had tried desperately to make it home before it happened but they hadn’t been able to get an earlier flight from Vale to Mistral. Clover had been the only one there when he’d passed.

I’m Sorry Cloves”  Clover gasped as pain shot up his arm, James cursing behind him. For only a brief second he worried that the man had messed up, that there would be a line of ink that would drip down his back; he didn't think he really cared if there was. 

“Are you okay? I can stop for today if it's too much” That wasn’t something Clover thought he could deal with; he'd barely gained the courage to go through with the ink in the first place, a half baked idea of wanting something to remember Qrow by.

“I’m fine. I just want it done.” the small space is plunged into silence again. He doesn’t try to make small talk again; he supposes it's better this way, less likely for James to mess up on the piece on his back. It means though he’s left to continue in his thoughts, his mind pulling him back to what he’d been thinking about the last few months.

Qrow had left him money. so much that Clover is genuinely curious on where it came from. Qrow had constantly been asking him for money, had riffled through his drawers and pockets when Clover had started saying no. Had taken his wallet at one point when he’d started hiding the cash he’d had on him.clover can’t bear to use it, it sits gathering dust at the bank. It feels too much like an apology, too much like Qrow trying to make amends from the grave and Clover wasn’t positive he wanted to accept this apology. Not now, not ever. So it sat there or it had been. Maybe now though would be a good time to use it. He’d thought about giving it to the girls and had sat them down and paced before blurting out what he intended. except they’d told him Qrow had left them money too, more than enough for them to finish school and then some. It left him with more questions ones he didn’t voice to the girls. 

The buzzing of the machine stops, the pain in his shoulder lessens considerably as James wipes off the excess ink.

“Well?” James asks roughly, nearly impatient. Maybe James wanted this session done as much as he did. He turned himself towards the mirror, eyes roaming over the skin once bare and empty now filled with the memories of the past. As he’d asked, the crow’s wings were open in flight, going from the bottom of his shoulder blade to the top. A rose was tucked in between bright red, contrasting against the black feathers. Petals bright and glistening fell from it, before fading. And wrapped around both were sweet peas locking around the bird's body and wings as if pulling it back down to the ground, begging it to return to the earth. The hues of blue and purple get lost and faded within the feathers and Clover thinks it's fitting. He’d always been lost within Qrow’s embrace. It acted as a comfort and a burden, a reminder of everything that was and could have been.

“We can change it if it’s not to your liking. It’ll just need time to heal” Time to heal. Clover had heard that one before. He’d get over the heartbreak, the hurt, the anger and yet even two years later he still felt it not as deeply, it didn’t cut as it once had the barbed wire around his heart no longer held in a vice grip.

“It’s fine” He replied, eyes glancing for the first time around the small space. Noticing the small drawings around the room, intricately drawn snowflakes, swords in every shape and form, there’s soft peonies and pastel daisies. Beautiful in their own ways just not what Clover would ever put on his body. Not now at least, not after he felt so jaded by everything that had happened. No these would have been for him when he’d been much younger and bright eyed before a broken bird had slowly chipped away at him.

“Just fine.” Clover doesn’t turn, realizes he’s probably insulted the man, but he doesn’t know what to say so he says nothing. Simply waits until James wraps up his masterpiece, talks him through how to take care of it and sends him on his merry way.

“Know what today is birdie” Of course he did. How could he forget? But he couldn’t help but tease his husband, it was part of the way they worked. A little bit of joking laced with affection. 

“I don’t think I do.Why don’t you enlighten me husband?” Qrow looks down to see the corners of his eyes crinkle in amusement. There’s more of them than there had been a few years ago, unsurprisingly age could do that just as it had drained the colour from their hair, Clover’s chestnut locks dulled to a gray, his own hair mostly silver now. 

“Your memory that bad now?” Clover teased right back, the response muffled as he rested his head on his chest. He’d done that a lot as of late. Tiredness caused him to rest more often, Qrow couldn't complain when it meant Clover curled around him as he regained his strength. 

“I could never forget my love,” Qrow said gently, the words carrying on the wind, mingling with the leaves that fell around them. It would be winter soon, he realized belatedly and their time outside would end, the quiet time outside exchanged for the couch by their firepit. Qrow didn’t mind all that much as long as he was with Clover. He knew his husband would miss it though.

“I don’t know about that” Clover replied, nearly drowned out as the leaves stirred up. Qrow moved to rest a hand on his husband's knee, but Clover moved, going to rest on the other side of the bench. Something felt odd about the action, something he couldn’t quite place. It doesn’t really matter though when Clover’s laughter fills the air, removing the pout that was on his lips and turning it into a smile. 

“If you remember husband of mine, then tell me,” Qrow huffed, rolling his eyes at his husband's antics. Clover waited though, eyes alight with his own mischief almost as if he was saying “you did this to yourself pretty bird, now finish the game you started”. He stretched, joints cracking as he stalled for time watching as Clover raised an eyebrow. Arms crossing as Qrow fluffed the pillow behind his back.

“Today Clover. Is the day I-” 

“We” Clover interjected, green eyes dancing in delight as he corrected him. It was something he loved about the other man. The additions he’d make to his stories, adding small details he’d forgotten or mentioning something he hadn’t noticed the first time around.  Qrow’s hand lifted from under the blanket, finger tapping against his cheek as he pretended to think.

“Huh was it both of us, now?” 

“Yes it was.” 

“Huh. I guess it was” 

“Today was the day we proposed to each other” A grin spreads across Clover's face, one that Qrow matched. That day had been a combination of his bad luck and Clovers good fortune, the restaurant Qrow had reserved for them that night had lost their reservation but down the street was a small family run business with a beautiful rooftop terrace, fairy lights flickering in the vines that snaked up trellises that blocked out the city around them. Qrow had watched as Clover's expression filled with wonder, grabbing his hand and dragging them to their table. It had rained on them as they’d walked home. The weather hadn’t predicted rain, Qrow had checked and double checked. It hadn’t mattered Clover had laughed as the heavens opened up on them, arms outstretched as he’d spun in a circle head tilted back. He’d splashed in puddles down the road as they walked on in no rush to get home dragging Qrow into them, jumping into ones and having them splash mud up their pants. They’d laughed and laughed and laughed and even though it had been far from the way Qrow had wanted to propose but he could argue it was better. So as they stood on the porch steps of their home Qrow had turned, grabbing Clover's hand.

“Clover-”

“Qrow-” they both stopped laughing, as water dripped into their eyes.

“Marry me” They stared wide eyed at each other as the words rang out and died around them before they stared at the other in disbelief.

“You didn’t-” Clover began fishing around in his pants pocket “I did-” He’d replied, reaching into his jacket pocket, swearing as he realized the box had opened and spilled its contents into his pocket. He pulled the ring out just as Clover did. 

“Well I guess this answers my question” Qrow couldn’t help but laugh, something warm and bright burning in his chest. The day had been burned into his memory since then something he could never forget.

“Do you remember-” 

“Uncle Qrow?” Qrow looked up and watched as Ruby came up the porch stairs slowly, the wood creaking under her steps. He should get someone up here to fix it, better that then it break while one of them was coming up it. He smiled at her and watched as her expression turned sad. she stepped towards the bench without saying a word, kneeling and grabbing his hand wrapping it in her own.  Her hair hand grown to nearly her shoulders since he’d last seen her, a scar across her cheek that hadn’t been there before. 

“Uncle Qrow, who are you talking to?” He stared at her, he didn’t understand what she meant. It was obvious who he was talking to. It must have been a joke. He laughed, arm moving to rest on her shoulder but Ruby didn’t laugh instead her expression seemed to get sadder.

“I’m talking to Clover of course” Ruby’s expression only grew sadder before she pulled him into a hug. He shivered as he was enveloped in warmth for a moment, which should have been odd because Clover had been curled up with him only a few moments before. She let go eyes weary.

“Uncle Qrow… Clovers gone, remember?” No. No she was wrong. He was right there. Sitting with him. He glanced over to ask Clover to tell her she was wrong. Except… he wasn’t there, but he’d been, he’d been right there. It all came back to him at once.

“I remember” Qrow replied, tears slipping down his face, he’d been gone for years now. A mix of Clover’s good fortune and his misfortune. Clover hadn’t had to live alone with a void in his life but Qrow. Qrow had to live everyday without him.

“Uncle Qrow?”

“I’m fine Ruby” He wasn’t fine. He hadn’t been since Clover had been taken from him and he wouldn’t be until he met him on the other side.

“I thought i’d stay with you for a bit you know with it being-” he turned wrapping the blanket around his shoulders.

“I don’t want you here” He wanted to be left alone. Left to his grief that never went away even as Clover's memories drifted further and further into the past while he continued unendingly forward.

One. There were four walls that made up his prison, each made of solid concrete. There was an iron door on the south facing wall, one that had nail marks and dried blood on it from his attempt to loosen the screws to try and escape. It hadn’t worked. Had left his fingers bruised and bloodied, nails ragged and red as they dripped blood. The East most wall had a chip in it with a crack running down the middle. It was there before he’d gotten here he thinks, he’s not sure he can’t quite remember… but that’s not what’s important. What’s important is that the crack in the wall is there as it's always there right in the middle of the wall, not a inch higher or lower and it was… it was on the… it was on the West facing wall. Opposite the North wall with the door, yeah yeah that sounded right.

Two.He could walk the room in twelve paces vertically and horizontally, fifteen diagonally. He could do it in six if he lengthened his strides but he didn’t like doing that because it made the room seem smaller and it wasn’t it wasn’t small he reminded himself it was perfectly suitable for someone his size. 

Three. There was only one bed in the far corner of the room. The middle of it was sunken in the mattress graying. The springs dug into his back, some painfully digging into the bruises on his hip, and others pressing down on the open wound across his shoulder blades. It doesn’t help that there aren’t any sheets on the bed. It had never bothered him before but at least it would give him more of a protective layer against his wounds or at the very least wouldn’t stain the mattress when his injuries inevitably opened again. He ignored the fever making everything feel cool against his clammy skin, he knew it was an infection but as long as he pretended as long as he didn’t think about it then it was fine. The blanket they had thrown at him was threadbare, barely covering his shaking frame but he made do. Curling up as tightly as he could, to get some warmth from it when he tried to sleep.

Four. Food came sporadically. The hunger pangs in his stomach usually beat in tune with the pain from his broken rib and in turn that beat with his heartbeat. It came only when he was certain that he couldn’t go on without it, when his eyes felt heavy and his throat was beyond parched and it felt like his body was collapsing in on itself that's when the food came. When the door opened with a heavy thud and food was thrown onto the ground haphazardly. He’s not sure where he gets the strength from to lift himself to reach it but he does. Food comes more often in these instances and he takes what he can, knows that his captors do it only so they can make him suffer more. 

Five. There is a single light bulb that lights his room, never reaching all the corners but enough for him to see… most of the time. It flickers, casting shadows further and sometimes… sometimes it turns off. These times are when he has to remind himself not to panic, that the light will come on again. That the room will be the same when he wakes up, Door to the East. chip to the North. Bed in the corner. He crawls there when he can’t manage anything else and tries to sleep even as it becomes more difficult, airways closing as the darkness grows oppressive, closing in and he can’t see, he can’t see, He can’t see! The lights turn back on.

Six. Nobody was coming for him. Not this time and it was his own damn fault for it. Every time he remembered that the feeling of helplessness grew just a little more, beginning to overshadow the hope that someone, anyone would come. He stared up at the ceiling, pain radiating from his leg. He thinks they broke it the last time they tried to pry information out of him, or maybe the time before that, he’s not quite sure all he knows is he can’t move it or pain bright and burning snakes up his leg and through him until he’s left breathless, bruised fingers trying to dig into the mattress to release the feeling somewhere else, to something less focused. It doesn’t help, reminds him that if he’d just listened, if he’d listened instead of storming off he would be home wrapped up under the covers of their bed. He’d steal Clovers pillow grumble as he asked for it back before letting him have it. He’d hook a leg around James to stop him from reaching for his scroll yet again that night. He could be home but instead he’s here locked behind the metal door in this room where the light flickered off.

James had told him this would happen and that he needed to stop disappearing and going off on his own, and had assigned him Clover in the beginning as a way to stop him from doing it. It had worked at the start, brought the three of them closer until one night spent together turned into two, and two to three until Qrow couldn’t remember the last time he’d been to his quarters and James reaching for the fruit on the counter and Clover leaving the bed unmade had become his new normal. The thing was… he was a spy at heart, it's what Oz had trained him to do and as much as he liked working with Clover, as much as he enjoyed going on missions with the kids. It wasn’t what he’d been trained to do. 

So in the dead of night he’d slip out of their bed and descend down to Mantle to gather intel. Each time had a thrill rushing through them as it always had just as the alcohol had once numbed him. They caught on eventually, it wasn’t surprising. Honestly Qrow had expected them to figure it out sooner when the information started becoming more plentiful and reliable. A small part of him wondered if they had known the whole time and chose to ignore it.  Ignored the tired smile he gave them in the morning, the sleepy yawns, the drop in his aura. James had been livid, had ranted and raved about the danger he was putting himself in, one he had simply replied was necessary, needed if they were to continue. Clover had stood behind the kitchen counter, mouth drawn into a thinline, arms crossed as his eyes darted between the both of them. 

“If you just vanish, how are we supposed to know if you need help?” 

“I can look after myself” He’d replied, nearly rolling his eyes at the mere mention of needing help. He hadn’t needed it before he’d reached Atlas and he hadn’t needed it then.

“Because that's worked so well for you before.”  He hadn’t been able to reply before James continued, his eyes, like ice, cold and unforgiving.

“ Tell me could Summer look after herself as well or-” He didn’t hear the rest of what James had said, the world turning to white noise at the mention of his partner. His heart aching at the reminder. Out of habit he reached for his breast pocket, coming back empty when his mind finally caught up with him.

“James” Red and blue eyes looked over, to see green looking between them uncertainty, shifting his stance. Qrow watches as the two seem to share something through their gaze, the gesture that reminded him that they had years of trust between the two of them, one built on the stability of what their jobs had asked of them. It is something Qrow would never understand. They turned to him after a moment 

“You’ve been doing so well” Clover said kindly, eyes darting to James as if seeking approval to continue before looking back over to him. They didn’t hold the openness they usually did when they spoke privately, instead Qrow can see the wall there, the captain facade. Qrow feels his own guards go up waiting for him to continue.

“We’d just hate to see you ruin that by… exposing yourself to it” Clover's words are spoken softly as if he’s telling him some grand secret only the two of them share. Rage bubbled in his skin, burning bright and hot as it clouded his judgment. He hadn’t told Clover about his struggles with quitting to have them used against him. Not when he hadn’t even touched a single bottle when it had been offered to him, time and time again as he gathered information. It hadn’t even crossed his mind. His hands turned to fists at his side before he released it. Getting angry would mean they’d win. So instead of yelling like they expected him too, instead of giving them more fuel to use against him he took a deep breath, before looking between the two of them.

“Fuck you” The suprise on their faces are worth it. At least it had been in the moment, now he’s not so sure. He’d walked out after that, Harbinger strapped to his belt hastily as he’d left his home. Neither asked where he was going, he wasn’t sure if it was out of shock or because they genuinely didn't want to know. He’d turned on his tracker as he’d done countless times before that way if he did get captured, if he got in too deep they’d know where to find him. Still they never come. In the end it isn’t James or Clover who saves him.

By the time help comes Qrow’s so far gone he doesn’t register the gunshots coming from behind the door, nor the commands yelled to the fighters on the other side. No by then he’d barely been lucid, the lights having flickered and gone out long ago. He's shivering on his bed, vomit dripping down his chin and covering part of the mattress when they open the door. The light blinds him, before beginning to shift and sway colours blending together as shapes begin to move closer. By then the infection from his injuries had caused the fever to spike high enough to make the world around him feel artificial passing him by in a blur. He doesn’t know what's happening, doesn't think he ever will as words buzz around him incomprehensible. 

He doesn’t know how much time he’s lost when he wakes up to the beep of a heart monitor. For a sickening second he thinks that this is further torment hooking him up to keep him alive so they can torture him more. He rips the needle out of his arm, the steady beep of his heartbeat flatlining. He tries to scramble out of the bed, to reach for a scalpel to end his suffering before it can start again, but he can’t move his leg. 

People rush into the room trying to get him to settle down and relax but he can’t, won’t if it means he has to return to the hell he’d been in. He’s told when he comes too again that it took four nurses and two security guards to restrain him so they could put the IV back in again and after it didn’t take long for the drugs to kick in. They'd left him to rest for another day before waking him again, this time with restraints on his arms so he wouldn’t hurt himself or one of the nurses trying to help him.The restraints stay on for several days and only get taken off once they are certain he isn’t going to try and harm one of them. There’s indents on his wrists from them, one shaking fingers go to rub at. 

They don’t keep him awake long enough to eat, and stretch before they put him back under and Qrow goes willingly letting the drugs pull him down into the depths of oblivion only briefly feeling a hint of shame. He’d failed his girls, had promised he wouldn’t succumb to this darkness again and yet here he was. 

The next time he wakes it's dark in the room, the only light coming from the monitors and panic fills him. He doesn’t realize he’s screaming until the lights come back on and the nurse that rushes in trying to settle him back against the pillows. She pushes his chest gently and it's the first contact he’s felt that hasn’t tried to hurt or harm in ages.

“The lights, the lights, the lights” His voice is a croak from disuse but continues because he can’t be in the dark he can’t. It reminds him too much of that room, of four walls, one door,one bed and so much pain.She shushes him gently, and his panic lessens when he sees her reassuring gaze. She tucks the blanket around him carefully, never moving too quickly and allowing him to see her at all times. Tiredly he leans back into the pillows as she finishes brown eyes shining brightly as she looks at him, the corners of her eyes crinkling as she smiles at him softly.

“I’ll make a note here that you want the lights on while you sleep okay Honey?” He nods relief rushing through him at the words. She pats his shoulder gently before passing him a cup of water. It sloshes in his grip before she wraps her fingers around his helping guide it to his mouth. The water drips down his chin as he greedily takes it, the liquid soothing the ache in his throat. 

“Easy does it” She says as she wipes his chin, embarrassment crashes through him, cheeks reddening. He knew he couldn’t care for himself in the state that he was in but it did not make being taken care of any easier.

“Do you have a name?” The question seems so odd coming from her, they should know, it should be on his paperwork for the hospital except, his scroll had been taken when he’d first been captured and well the only downside to all your identification being on a network was when you lost access to it.

“Q-Qrow Branwen” She smiles at him writing it down on the clipboard at the foot of his bed. She checks on the IV while he’s up, checks his pulse even though the beep is still steady on the screen. Changes his bandages. He hadn’t realized the extent of damage until she pulled out large rolls of gauze. One goes to his shoulders, another to both of his forearms. Half of a roll to his side. An ointment goes onto one of his cheekbones and he hadn’t realized it had even hurt until it the ache disappeared.

“Got some bruises there dear, should clear up in no time. Same with the others” She swiped a piece of hair behind her ear as she gestured to the other injuries before she points a finger at his forehead tapping it lightly. 

“These ones may take a little longer and it may be frustrating but they will heal too” silver hair slipped down the side of her face. He doesn’t know what she means, she hadn’t moved to change any bandages on his head and it doesn’t hurt. 

“Rest. We’ll contact next of Kin for you and hopefully they’ll be here the next time you wake” He listens eyes closing shut and this time sleep comes easier the weight of his mistakes laying less heavily on his shoulders even if it was just for a moment.

Nobody is there when he first wakes up and his heart drops down into his stomach. He knows he’s failed them but he’d hoped that he could be forgiven. He’d made a mistake and and-

“Uncle Qrow!” There’s a scattering of petals in the air right before Ruby is by his bedside hands gripping the rails on the hospital bed. Her eyes glisten with unshed tears, her hair is mess and he realizes that she’s still in her pajamas. They must have come as soon as they heard and he doesn’t think he deserves it and yet the simple act of it shows how much they care. A moment later Yang appears expression unreadable as she steps through the door. She’s a little more put together than Ruby, a Jacket around her shoulders, her hair brushed, but just like Ruby she’s in her night clothes, fuzzy slippers on her feet. There’s a beat of silence as the three look at each other, tension stifling until Qrow finally cracks.

“I’m sorry” He says meekly, tears coming to him unbidden before his eyes go to his lap, fingers twisting in his grasp.

“I’m sorry, I failed- I” His throat constricts as the words stick in his throat he can’t look at them, doesn’t dare to see the disappointment in their eyes. He made them a promise and yet he’d still returned to the numbness that the alcohol had given him.

“I-I promised you I wouldn’t again and and now” He waves his arm that's attached to the pain medicine, watches it drip slowly down and into his body. Knows its whats making his head foggy even now.

“I promised you I wouldn’t try to find an escape again and”

“Your sorry” Qrow flinches at the anger in Yang's voice, tears dripping down his cheek as he nods. They were going to leave, realize that he wasn’t worth it, that- Two pairs of arms wrap around him in a crushing embrace and he feels dampness on his shoulders. They were crying. They were crying because of him.

“You didn’t do anything wrong” Ruby said, voice unwavering even as he can feel her shake in his arms.

“I-”

“Ruby’s right. You aren’t running from anything. Your hurt Uncle Qrow.” They stay like that for a while, neither of them willing to move away. They let him go eventually, Ruby sitting at the end of the bed, while Yang leans on the railing. They tell him he’s been missing for nearly two months. At first they thought he’d started drinking again but a few days had turned into a week then into several.

“We asked Ironwood to send someone to come find you” Yang said, fury in her eyes as she told him. Her eyes shade red for a moment before settling into the purple hues again. She doesn’t have to tell him James' answer. It's evident enough as is. He pushes the thought aside for the time being. They catch him up on the things he’s missed, small things at first ones that wouldn’t necessarily be important but make him smile nonetheless. They move away from the mundane talk about the tension between the ace operative and the two teams since his disappearance. They don’t give him details and he doesn’t ask for them. It would be an issue he could help deal with once he was out of the hospital.

“We should go, the others probably want to see you” for a fleeting moment Qrow thinks they mean James and Clover, that they’d be waiting impatiently for the girls to have their turn and so they would be allowed to come up. 

“Nora’s probably bouncing off the walls by now” His heart sinks and he tries to hide his distress behind a tentative smile. He’s not sure either of them buy it, especially when both glance at each other.

“We could stay a bit longer if you’d like Uncle Qrow” He swallows behind the lump in his throat. Shakes his head before looking at both of them. They give him one last hug before leaving and Qrow swears it's darker without them as if they’d taken the light with them. The other kids came up in pairs after that all teary eyed and worried both quelled once he reassured them he’d be fine. There is a moment while Oscar is there with him where he swears he sees Ozpin glimmering through as if checking to see if he’s okay, if he’s alive but it's gone before he’s certain. 

They visit often, sometimes in the morning, other times in the evening by themselves or with a partner and Qrow is thankful for the company as the days drag on. Not once does either of his boyfriends make an appearance even as the first week drags on. He’s bored by the end of it, wanting to move and do something but he can’t. His leg is wrapped up and he hasn’t seen the damage but he’s felt it. It could take months for it to heal. Normally it would but as the second week comes they offer him aura boosters. Enough to heal his broken leg so he could walk. It wouldn’t fix the damage to his arms or legs but it would be enough to get him out of the hospital. He takes the offer even knowing it will leave him knocked out on his ass for at least another two days. Aura boosters were tricky things, amplifying the body’s natural healing but leaving a person tired from the extra strain. 

By the time they finish using them he can barely keep his eyes open. They wheel him out to the patient discharge, a nurse waiting quietly beside him. They’d told him if he wanted to leave he’d need someone to come get him and that he’d need to be looked after in the coming days to make sure he’d be okay. He wasn’t going to ask that of the kids. So he’d lied or rather he had now. Some part of him still hoped that one of his boyfriends would come for him. They hadn’t though, instead a transport truck stops in front of them and Qrow shakily, wobbly hobbles into it, ignoring the concerned expression the nurse gives him. He slams his hand against the close button before collapsing to the ground, struggling to stay awake as the vehicle begins its journey. He doesn’t know how he makes it the rest of the way once the transport drops him off. It's foggy, a combination of pain and exhaustion clouding his mind. What he does know is he does not go home or he doesn’t go back to the place he once called his home. Instead he taps his scroll; brand new and undamaged, against the door of the accommodation he’d been given when they’d all first arrived.

The space is darker than he remembers and he flicks the light on hastily watches as the shadows recede to the corners of the room. He sways where he stands his vision causing the white couch to double. He makes it to the side table before his feet tangle into the carpet. He goes down hard, his knee throbbing as he sinks down into the plush carpet. He doesn’t have the energy to get back up and try and make it onto the couch so he lies there. Tears dripped down his face because somebody should have been here, somebody should have helped him but they hadn’t and now all he could do was lie on the ground and wait till he had the strength to get back up.

He wakes to a throbbing in his shoulders, clearly his body hadn’t appreciated sleeping on the cold floor. He struggles to get his arms up under him so he can push up off the floor but he manages somehow, leaning against the couch for support. His scroll vibrates in his pocket and he lifts it to see several concerned messages from the kids. It seemed Blake and Yang would be coming to check in on him shortly. He wasn’t sure that was a good thing considering the state he was in but if he told either of them not to come it would worry them further.There was still no messages from James or Clover and he tried to ignore the ache that was growing in his chest taking root and spreading with each beat of his heart.

He manages to pull himself onto the couch before the girls get there but even those small actions take up all of his energy. By the time he hears the whoosh of the door signalling them entering he’s barely managing to keep his eyes open, head resting on the cushion.

“Uncle Qrow?” He hums in acknowledgment and a blur of yellow comes into view followed by a black smudge. He’s pushed upwards until he’s leaning against one of them Blake by the looks of it as he watches gold shimmer in the kitchen. He eats in a daze half slumped on one of them as the other feeds him. He gets bits and pieces of conversation between the two not really listening as he tries to eat. Yang is angry he understands that much and he thinks Blake is as well but he’s not sure doesn’t know her well enough to be certain, which was something that would need to be corrected once he was better.

“I’m not sure we should leave him like this” He cracks his eyes open to see Blake looking at him with concern. He manages to push himself up enough so he’s not leaning on her.

“I’m fine” he says before hastily adding.

“I just need to rest” He was needing a lot of it lately, and would need plenty more in the coming weeks but what he didn’t need was for them to watch over him when it happened. They had their own lives to live and he didn’t need them to watch him sleep.

“Fine but one of us will come check in on you” he nodded. It was a fair compromise and it seemed to ease some of the tension in both of the girls. They must have thought he was going to argue.

“Come on Uncle Qrow we’ll help you to your bed” the only problem arises when Yang tries to turn off the light. He yells unintentionally as fear grips him. She stops eyes wide before her expression turns crestfallen. She leaves a remote beside him mumbles something about being able to lower the brightness before she's gone leaving him.

Slowly things get easier. He’s able to leave his bed for short periods of time. The quaking in his hands slows before eventually stopping on the fourth. By the end of the week he’s able to change the bandages on his arms without help. By day nine he’s able to leave the house for a short time but has to rest by the time he comes back. At the two week mark Qrow goes down to the infirmary for an examination. He knows he should attempt to go back into the field so quickly but… he’s restless, the constant reminder that the bed is empty, that the space beside him is cold instead of warmed by one of his lovers. 

It's worse when he sleeps though. He sees them there in his dreams, sometimes it's simple things, Clover cutting vegetables as he cooks dinner, a smile on his face as he looks up before leaning over and pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. James in the doorway of the bathroom as he comes out of the shower a surprised look on his face as Qrow moves to hug him, arms wrapping around Qrow slowly. Other times though they morph James addressing them in his office except… had he always looked at him with disapproval when they had discussions or was his mind just making it up. Had Clover’s words always been that sharp and judging as they’d played poker or was Qrows resting mind making him hear things that weren’t there? Between that and the nightmares any rest he’d managed to get was fleeting. Still he marched himself down to the infirmary. He barely passed the exam and the doctor had put him down for light duty until he was fully healed. He didn’t change his status however for another two days and when he did his scroll pinged. James. His heart pounded wondering if maybe all his misgivings about everything that had happened were unfounded. Maybe they hadn’t known. Maybe the girls didn’t tell them and they were still worried, still thought he was out there. It was nothing more than a daydream he knew even before he read the message. It contained nothing out of the ordinary, a simple order to meet the next day at twelve pm sharp. No terms of endearment. No relieved response. No, I love you. It was professional and to the point. Qrow waits until he’s in the comfort of his own quarters to break down.

The next day comes sooner than he would have liked. He lingers in his quarters, not ready to see either of them yet... he knew he had too. There was work to be done after all and the world wouldn’t wait even if he was having a crisis. Still he waited till the last possible moment to head down. He isn’t sure what he’s expecting when he steps foot into Jame’s office. A greeting perhaps an acknowledgment of what's happened and inquiry about his health. He doesn’t get any of those questions though. Instead James gets right to the point ignoring the tension in the room as he states in rapid succession what would need to be done for that week and what was expected of both of them. Qrow can’t help but let out a derisive snort as James reaches his tasks, more than half of what’s on there are things the doctor hasn’t cleared him for and the rest are near impossibilities for him at the moment. Both of them look over to him and he does his best not to squirm in his spot as two pairs of eyes bore into them.

“Is there a problem Qrow” He wonders if James is being serious and realizes that he is when James only stares back at him. His eyes drift to Clover briefly only to see them staring straight ahead face expressionless.

“Yeah. there’s a problem” He finally says after the silence grows heavy in the air. James' eyes never waiver from him but Qrow can see something shift there and gone again before he continues speaking.

“I can’t do any of that. not right now”

“And who’s fault is that?” There’s heat to the words, an anger waiting to erupt one that Qrow knows should be his. Not James. He digs his nails into the palm of his hand to keep from yelling, he couldn’t give into the bait.

“I’m not doing something i’ve been explicitly told by the doctors not to do James” Qrow watches as James expression shifts smile turning vicious, eyes hardening as his hands move to rest off the table. Clover goes rigid beside him, arms crossing as he looks over.

“It’s good to know you’ll listen to someone at least” Clover's words, although said kindy  is laddled with meaning and Qrow is transported back to that night so long ago.  

“Is that what this is about?” He already knew the answer before either of them replied because everything that had happened leads back to that night. To the anger and mistrust. To the hurt.

“Of course it is. If you’d simply admitted you were wrong. If you’d apologize you could come home” He could come home. If he apologized. If he apologized. His self control snapped and he turned grabbing the first thing his hand wrapped around from the book shelf. He doesn’t see what it is as he throws it with as much force as his tired body can muster. There’s a resounding thunk a moment later, the sound of something cracking and breaking as it hits the ground. Diatantly Qrow remembers there’d been a decorative bust of the previous headmaster there.

“Qrow!” Clover says shock written across his features. He doesn’t care. Gods he doesn’t care and he isn’t sure if that’s good or not.

“Fuck you! Fuck the both of you” Qrow wiped tears from his face as he glared at both of them, hands shaking.

“I could have died. I could have died and you want an apology? Fuck you” Clover stepped towards him and Qrow pulled harbinger out on instinct and he watched as Clover’s expression changed as he pointed the weapon at him.

“Qrow” He didn’t move his eyes away from Clover as James spoke his name. It had been drilled into him to never take his eyes off the enemy in front of him. That thought alone made his heart clench, because in this moment that’s what the people he loved… once loved were.

“You know one of the first thoughts when Ruby and Yang came to the hospital was that you must have been worried, waiting your turn downstairs but you weren’t. You never came. Either of you. I was in the hospital hurt and neither of you came because you” he pointed a finger at James grip tightening on Harbinger as it wavered a moment. 

“You wanted a fucking apology” Clover’s expression seems to crumple hand reaching out.

“Qrow I-”

“Don’t you dare say you wanted to see me. Don’t you fucking dare because you went along with it” Qrow feels his anger leave him, draining what little energy he had left. He shoves Harbinger back onto his belt.

“I thought you cared, that’s my mistake. Because if you cared you wouldn’t have  left me to rot in that place for two months, if you cared you would have come and seen me” He pauses taking a breath as his vision swims. 

“You would have come and picked me up from the hospital so I didn’t have to lie. Taken me home and looked after me” He blinked back tears as James rounded the table and he couldn't help but step back. It was only ten steps to the door if he needed to run. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to but at least he’d try.

“Instead I came home and passed out on the floor. Instead I had to wake up alone and scared because you assholes didn’t fucking care and you never did” 

“Qrow that’s not-” James' expression was stricken as he steps forward and Qrow isn’t filled with feelings of adoration he once had. 

“Whatever this was, it's done. I’m done. I… I deserved better than this” He turns even as his instincts scream at him not too. He doesn’t hear either of them follow him, not as the door whooshes open and not as it closes shut.

His mind races for a moment, unsure what to do next before coming to a decision. He catches the elevator up to one of the higher floors. It's silent as he steps into the hall as it should be since this floor is only meant for one person. At the end of the hall is a plain white door as innocent as could be one he’d grown familiar with in the last few months. He presses his scroll against the scanner beside the door hoping they hadn’t locked him from it completely. It blinks red for a moment before there’s a spark as it short circuits and goes green. The house is just as he remembered it. Simple blue walls that held several photos, a kitchen that looked like it was hardly ever used. Besides their being a single gray throw put across the couch it was in nearly the same condition as the kitchen. It was almost as if he had never left. It was almost as if he’d never been there to begin with. He doesn’t linger on it, instead he grabs bags out of the closet next to the door. It didn't take long to fill them; he hadn’t had much here to begin with still as each item was placed in the bag it made his heart grow heavy.

He wasn’t any better than his sister now was he? Sneaking around the house, packing his things without them knowing. Just like Raven had. The thought alone has him hesite a moment as he’s stuffing a pair of pants into the bag. No. No he wasn’t the same as her. This was different. Wasn’t it? Raven had left out of fear and selfishness had abandoned them without looking back. He was leaving because he had too. Then again Raven had said the same thing when she left.

A high pitched trill startled him out of his thoughts, glancing down he saw Jame’s name appear on his screen a message waiting to be answered. He ignored it, scooping up the remaining items in their… in Jame and Clover’s bedroom. He wrapped his comforter around his shoulders because he was petty like that and it was his blanket. A second sound chimes from his pocket and he ignores that too stepping out of the room.  He makes it halfway down the hall before he hears something crash.  He pauses, turning to see that one of the photo’s had fallen from the wall. It's one of the three of them, the girls had taken it as they’d lounged on the couch a movie playing in the background. There’s a crack through the middle spider webbing out wards. The frame is broken at the top and wood splintered in the corner. He doesn’t bother picking it up, instead he exits out the entrance lugging out his things. It’s exhausting and his vision swims as he steps back into the elevator. He leans heavily against the wall as the door closes, he thinks he’s going to pass out as the world swims around him. 

Arms wrap around him, yellow eyes concerned before the rest of their face comes into focus. Blake takes one of the bags from him before reaching for the other. He doesn’t bother protesting, considering he hadn’t even realized someone else was in the elevator with him he knew he needed the help.

“You should have asked one of us for help. It’s opened your wounds” He swore. He didn’t even have his semblance to blame this time around because it was his own stupidity that had done this. A ding rang out through the elevator before the door opened and Qrow stared down the hallway that would lead him back to his quarters. He wasn’t sure he had enough energy in him to make it the rest of the way. An arm wrapped around him before beginning to lead him out, neither of them commented on it. Not as they walked down the hall and not as Blake helped him settle back into his house. She hesitated once she helped him sit down on the couch, dropping the bags by the door. 

“I can stay-” He cut her off before she could continue.

“I’ll be fine” He wanted to be alone. Even for just a little bit. He knew once she found her nieces that both of them would be here and from there the rest of them would follow. He’s not sure if that’s what he needs right now but he wouldn’t have much of a choice.

“It’s for the best you know” The words rang out across the room, and Qrow closed his eyes as it faded leaving the room uncomfortably quiet. 

“I know” Just because he knew it was for the better though didn’t make it any easier, didn’t make his heartache any less. It wouldn’t make the longing leave either and he just wanted to wallow in it for a bit, let his heart and mind come to the same conclusion. The door shut behind her with a click, a beat passed then two before his breath hitched a sob wrenching itself out of him. He gasped between them, arms curling around himself protectively like it could stop the pain. 

He’d thought for the first time in a long time that he could be happy. That things were turning around for him. He’d been a fool. He knew how these things always ended and yet he had still tried. His scroll rang in his pocket and he grabbed it, fumbling it as he tried to press silent. He pressed answer instead.

“Qrow love please-” Clover’s voice came from his scroll, tone desperate. It only made the tears fall faster.

The sound of his footfalls ricocheted off the marble walls, as he walked through the empty castle halls. Light spread out from where he walked, molten liquid dripping down the halls. It had hurt at first the transformation from a man made of flesh and blood, to that of the stars. He’d burned for nearly a millennium before he could begin to manipulate himself back into a human form. Even longer to control his outbursts that scorched the palace walls that were his prison.

He got visitors from time to time, stars that would orbit a little too close and crash down into him. They never stayed, would take one look at his vessel, see the cracks that could not contain the light he’d been cursed with and run. Never even speaking a word to him. It made him ache deep down to his core resting heavily in his chest, something looked so deep within him that even the word loneliness could not cover how he felt.

He tilted his head as he began to descend the southern staircase, something felt off, he closed his eyes as he hit the landing, taking a deep breath and casting himself outwards. He saw himself, blue light burning for thousands and thousands of light years reaching far off planets that shifted towards his gravitational pull. It wasn’t here he felt the shift though it was closer, much closer. He pulled himself back through his light, travelling quickly back to himself. All the moons that orbited the nearest planet were still in order, each rocking correctly and within its orbit.  He frowned, still not certain where the change was coming from.  

James startles when he feels his palace shake, hand coming down to clutch the banister as his world shakes for a moment. He sighs as it stops, resigns himself to the fact that whoever had crashed down onto him would be on their way shortly. Nevertheless he marches himself down the hallway, heating the stone around him with a flick of his wrist. He could at least repair the damages as he checked to see what had happened. There’s a hole in the ballroom or well with how large it was it was more like his ballroom had turned into a conservatory. James stared at it a moment he wondered if he had anything to make that a possibility. Some starlight might be nice as he walked through his estate.

“I told you we were getting too close” The voice reverberates off the walls, not upset per say but hmm James thinks it may be annoyance. He wasn’t quite sure he hadn’t exactly had a lot of practice with others to determine tone.

“We were drifting apart… i didn't want to lose you” Something in James center squeezes at the words. He misses something as he steps through the threshold feet crunching on the debris littering the floor.  In the center of the mess sat two men and even now James couldn’t feel them orbiting the distant planets or even himself. It confused him immensely, no star simply stopped existing once their vessels landed in his domain.

“Where are we exactly?”  James doesn’t think the questions directed at him. He answers anyway.

“Northernmost point in the universe” Both of them freeze as the words ring out from the room, looking away from each other for the first time since James had entered the room.  He keeps several paces back observing them from afar, it would likely be the only glimpse of another celestial being for the foreseeable future. The first one who had spoken first was shorter than the other, his frame lithe but James did not let that fool him. He’d seen beings far smaller bend the universe to their will. His vessel wore simple black pants worn in some places but that was to be expected, a matching top accompanied it, one that showed off the beings arms. Which was where things began to get...interesting. The being was fair skinned, and due to this the fissures that spread across his form like spider webs were barely visible. From them though James watched as they glimmered reflecting the light. A long time ago, James thinks he would have thought that important, a missing piece to a cosmic puzzle he needed to solve. Right now though all it did was draw his eyes towards them. Further down wrapped around the beings wrists a deep red bloomed across the skin there, almost like a bracelet. Except if he looked closer he could see that the colour seemed to be imprinted into their skin rather than exposed to the outside world. James drew his eyes further up, noticed how their lips quirked upwards. James couldn’t remember what that meant, the emotion lost to him, it was likely nothing good so he moved on, until he could see the beings eyes. Their eyes seemed to shimmer, as if liquid resided deep within. The colour of them has James pausing, looking far longer than was likely polite to be doing. They were a deep crimson, a colour that spoke strongly of life. James’ core boils in jealousy before he manages to gain a handle on it. It was not this being's fault that all he could remember seeing for all of his long existence was shades of icy blue and endless white.  

A throat clears and James eyes rove over to the other being. This one was darker than the other as if exposed to starlight far longer than the other. Their outfits were nearly identical except instead of being the endless pitch black of the universe this one was a plain white. James' attention moved elsewhere almost immediately, nearly sighing at the sight of the shade. Unlike his companion there was no shimmer that trailed across his skin. It did not mean there was anything ordinary about him though. James just couldn’t place what, until he looked up towards their face. James can’t contain himself this time as he sees their eyes. Molten liquid pools at his feet, shining bright as his emotions flare hot and sharp. It is these eyes that he will remember for eons after their departure. Their eyes were a startling green, like nothing James had seen since the start of his cursed existence. Life. Like nothing James had seen before, it nearly brought him to his knees. His eyes took him in for a second time, eyes catching the small spots off green patches across his skin. A pair of… of what? Of stars meant to give life? it  didn’t make any sense James could still not feel their celestial presence.

“Damn we got caught way out here?” James' shoulders slumped even as his core continued to leak molten lava across the marble floor. They hadn’t meant to crash here. He reminded himself the colours that they brought were temporary a blip on his unending existence. An accidental stop on their travels, and unlike James who couldn’t forget the colours they brought they would forget him.

“It appears so” James finally managed, stepping out of the building rock around him. He heard it crack and break falling to the ground as he moved.

“I can lead you to the exit, come this way” He made to turn wanting this to be over so the ache in his chest would lessen to something more manageable.

“Who says we want to leave?” That gives him pause and he turns curious. The shorter one is leaning against the taller one, arms crossed and eyebrows raised. The other does not even glance James' way, a look of contemplation on his face.

“Like it here birdie?” the other hums in acknowledgement, eyes roaming around the room before he looks back to his partner.

“Yes I think here will do quite nicely” the two look back at him, something shining in their eyes before the taller ones seem to soften, crinkling in the corners. Smiling. James realized all of a sudden, the word coming back to him as the being stood before him. They were smiling at him.

“Do you mind if we stay?” No. No he did not but stupidly, words spill forth before he can think them through.

“Why?” Both of their heads tilt curiously as if James has given them a riddle to be solved. The question was a genuine one though. There was nothing here for them, not this close anyways.

“Because there's nothing here” James wants to tell him that is his point. The closest planet is hundreds of thousands of light years away, held on by the loosest of strings and soon not even that. It’s orbit was slowly being pulled towards other stars another millenium or two and the last and then he would truly be alone.

“That’s kind of the point big guy” Confusion muddles his mind for a moment. Making thoughts difficult to articulate into words. There was nothing here, the closest celestial palace outside of his own was unreachable. They would not be able to visit it, they would be stuck here.

“The only comets in the northern sky, I like the ring to it”  and just like that it was decided. One simple sentence that changed James' world.

James learned about them slowly but with eternity on his side he didn’t quite mind. Clover was a comet made up of stardust from the Solstice cluster. An explosion of stars that had been perfect to bear life. His siblings who had split off as he had, had settled along time ago, most of them towards the southern quarter of the sky.

“The stars there are huge… but not as big as you”  the comet had said, the last part almost bashfully cheeks shading a deep green. James wasn’t quite sure why. He knew his celestial body was large, it was part of why his sentence had been such agony. A star whose gravity should have held thousand held none.

The other comet Qrow was less open then Clover but James was patient. He waited till the young one was ready to talk on his own terms. Let him open up bit by bit. Qrow hadn’t had as much fortune as Clover had. He’d been made within the Mistrally constellation in the east quarter. He’d been a simple asteroid flying through with hundreds of others, colliding and fighting for space. It was only thanks to another comet that he was able to be flung across galaxies and by the fondness in his expression James supposed this was a good thing. Like Clover though he’d been gifted with a piece of life. Under rock and stone laid water. It didn’t explain why the two were so attached to stay together though James could guess. While separately they both had a decent shot at helping give a planet life together it was more likely to work. There was something else though. Something that James didn’t quite understand.

Clover would get this look on his face when he looked at the other comet. It was fondness that much James understood but at the same time there was something else, something that James could only describe as more. James had seen a similar look on Qrow’s face, one that spoke more than words ever could. It made something in his core squeeze painfully, his body missing whatever it was the two shared. He did his best to ignore it. It was no use getting accustomed to the feeling when they would leave. He knew deep within himself they wouldn’t stay. They would get bored and then he’d be alone again. It was only a matter of time.

“What are you doing?” James startled, the part of the ceiling he’d been working on shattering, glass raining down and breaking further on impact. He sighed, dragging a hand tiredly down his face. He’d been working on that section for nearly two hours, and would have to work on it again for another two.

“Shit sorry, Jim Jim didn’t mean to scare you” James snorted, a smile coming to him. He wasn’t scared, couldn’t even fathom what that would even feel like. He didn’t think the comet would understand that though, The comets were mere children in comparison to his long and ever marching existence. James turns as he hears glass crunching underfoot Clover stepping through the threshold.  His arms were wrapped around him and James watched as the comet shivered, eyes darkening just a tad.

“It’s cold” The comet dared say it was cold in the northernmost part of the world. Cold. Who would have thought. James didn’t voice this thought and knew on some level that the comet may not take kindly to his statement.

“No fair James you're so warm” James bristled at the statement. He didn’t mean to be, tried keeping himself distance from the two comets so he wouldn’t hurt them. Even still he knew he radiated heat from a large distance. Lost in thought James didn’t see the way both comets tiptoed closer and then the comet did something unthinkable, something nobody had done since he’d come into existence. They’d hugged him. He’d stiffened at the touch even as the nerves across his vessel screamed in joy at the contact. James was the most powerful star in all of the northern hemisphere; nobody had ever dared to touch him. Nobody had ever wanted to touch him. The two curled in closer eyes closing as a content hum came from the both of them.

“Nice and warm” Clover said and James latched onto the words as if they were the only thing left keeping him grounded in this moment. Qrow hummed in agreement, his fingers running idle patterns into his hip.

“Feels like home” James breath stutters in his chest, feels his vessel heat further and he tries desperately to contain the outburst. He doesn’t know what's caused it, only knows that the comets have something to do with it. It terrifies him and yet… he wants them to make it happen again.

Time passes as it always does, but now James thinks it turns faster than it had before. Wishing it didn’t for every day the comets are with him is a day that the ache of loneliness eases just a little more. They had been with him for… James isn’t sure he’s stopped counting the days after several months. It feels like ages even though he knows it’s been much shorter.

“Starlight!” James turns eyes softening as he sees the pout on Qrow’s face. He’s learned it means one of two things. The first being that he’s worked far too long on the palace that he calls his home. Qrow he had learned very much believed there would always be time to work later and if James was being honest he knew the comet wasn’t wrong.

“What is it Qrow?” The comet frowned at him just as he stepped off onto the main floors landing. The comet’s arms crossed sadness crossing onto their face and James would do anything in his power to make it leave. Without thinking he raises his hand to cup the comet's cheek running a thumb across it.

“Missed you” Qrow said quietly and James froze, the feeling he’d felt in the ballroom only a short time ago. He was lonely James realized Clover was busy using one of the smaller rooms to try and bring something into being and had asked to be left alone locking the door to even his counterpart.

“Apologize I will make myself more available when Clover is absent” A look passes over Qrow’s face before changing back into neutrality.

“Clover finished sometime ago, I missed you James” James brows furrowed in confusion he didn’t understand.

“I missed you. Clover is nice to be around but I like being around you too” that didn’t make sense. Why would the comet enjoy being around him?

“I told you James you feel like home” James blinked down at the comet who stared up at him fondly. He hadn’t realized he’d spoken out loud. His core shuddered as the words finally hit and he felt tears slip down his face.

“When are you leaving?” He can’t hide the waver in his voice and doesn't try too. If they stayed much longer James wasn’t sure he could keep distancing himself like this. Already they had wormed their way into his every day activities making the most mundane of tasks bearable. Qrow doesn’t hesitate in his answer though his eyes open and honest as he looks back at him.

“We aren’t going anywhere starlight”  the words settled over James' core wrapping around his charred heart and quelling the ache that had resided there since the miserable start of this existence.

“Not now. Not ever” foolishly James believed him. However over time James came to realize that the blind trust he had given him wasn’t unfounded. Other stars had tried to take his comets from him, enticing them with pretty worlds of far off galaxies. James worries, he knows his light does not shine as bright as others. That his light has dimmed with age and younger stars burned far brighter, far warmer. Yet they did not falter in their answers, did not hesitate in saying no to others advances and each time James believed them a little more let his heart guarded from others cruelty to be laid bare.He told them about his curse. About the start of existence, had assumed that the two of them would abandon him at once. Who would stay with a star that did not want to be a star? Who existed due to a mistake he could no longer remember.

“Mistakes happen James” Clover had said gently resting a hand on his shoulder as Qrow wrapped his arms around him resting his head against his shoulder blades.

“Not to gods,” James replied, yet something felt off about that statement. Had he always been an immortal being or had he been shifted into one to live through his cruel punishment.

“Maybe you were mortal James,” Clover replied, taking his hand in his, James felt anticipation fill his being for what he wasn’t quite sure. It wasn’t until he laced them together that his core stuttered cooling for a moment as Clover looked up at him cheeks dusted a dark green. James thinks there is a word for this feeling but it doesn’t come to him. All he knows is that the loneliness he felt feels distant as if it was never there at all.

James isn’t a fool. He knows with how little is in his corner of the universe that the comets are bound to get restless. They wander the halls restlessly for sometime and James wishes he could fix the problem but he can’t.

“James, we're bored. Let's do something fun” James didn’t understand the concept of fun, wasn’t exactly sure what his comet meant as they stared up at him hopefully. James' eyes roamed around the living quarters as if they would give him the answer he sought. So he answered the only way he thought he could.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea” Qrow pouted at him and already James felt himself crumbling a little willing to give them whatever they wanted. When had he become so weak willed? James wasn’t sure.

“Come on James please just a little bit make something with us” So he made a planet out of stardust and let his comets give it life. Watched as Qrow filled the planet with water giving it deep oceans, the water blue and beautiful. Clover coaxed plants to life, simple vegetation that James knew would one day be something more. Together though he saw them bring about the beginnings of mortal life. He watched the two of them work, saw them design the mortals, Qrow granted them gills, while Clover graced them with a tough skin to protect themselves from the harsh environment.

“Give them something James” They said one day, he’d frozen taking a step back out of the room they used to build their creations. He did not wish to ruin their hard work and knew that whatever he added would only harm them. The two did not let him get very far, each tugged on one of his arms pulling him forward.

“Come on give them something” James looked at their fine work and tried to withdraw himself once more.

“I don’t want to destroy what you’ve created i’ll just watch” The two frowned at him arms holding on tightly to him.

“But this will be your planet too”

“The two of you have already gifted me with what I did not have before and that is enough”  The two didn’t seem content with that answer though.

“You don’t want to help more… You don’t want to create with us?

“That’s not what I said” James knew he was missing something vital here because he could see the upset on his… on the comet's faces he just didn’t know why it was there. It nagged at him, there was sadness yes but on top of that… there was another feeling.

“Then tell us, if you could give them one thing what would it be?” James crossed his arms thinking for a second, foot tapping the ground.

“Your eyes” he finally blurted out, face heating up as the words left him. If the mortals were to have anything he wished that they had their eyes. So that if his comets were ever taken from him he could look to the mortals and find them there. Qrow and Clover's eyes softened at this, putting down their tools before coming over to him. James' head tilted curiously as both moved into his space.

“James, can we kiss you?” James doesn’t recognize the word Clover uses but nods as his core quivers in anticipation, molten lava dripping from his hands as he waited.Both of them leaned forward, Their lips touch his heated skin cooling them for the first time in eons. He nearly wept at the sensation.

“Was that okay?” James blinks down at Clover, sees the uncertainty in Clover's eyes, sees the same reflected in Qrows. He does the only thing he can think of. He copies their actions leaning down and placing a delicate kiss on each of their foreheads. They beam up at him, and James feel’s his own vessel begin to smile, eyes going soft and for a moment all his worry is gone. Only to be replaced with a new one.

James knows deep deep in his molten core that one day he will become a yawning nothingness, bound to destroy what life he has created. That he will one day destroy his darling comets. He tries to make them leave, tries to fling them out of his orbit but stubbornly they stay. When that didn’t work, he chose to ignore them spending countless hours avoiding them. It hurt in a different way than his loneliness had but he knew it was for their own good. Except his… the comets didn’t seem to agree. Qrow had barged into his workroom on the tenth day expression angry, Clover not too far behind. He sat himself on Jame’s desk, the wood beginning to rot as Qrow unintenitaly used his abilities.

“If you didn’t want us to kiss you, then just fucking say so. stop avoiding us” James core clenches in his chest, steady beat turning rapid at Qrow’s words. Clover is gentler, resting a hand on his shoulder expression soft. It did not hide the pain James saw behind his eyes.

“What Qrow means is you could have spoken to us since we made you uncomfortable, we won’t do it again” James selfishly,foolishly didn’t want that and before he could think his next words through he spoke.

“That’s not why i’ve been avoiding you” Surprise filters through both of his comets expressions.

“Then why”

“One day I will be nothing and in that process I will hurt you. I won’t allow it” Both of the comets stared at him in disbelief.

“James, that won’t be for a very long time” James needed his comets to understand. It didn’t matter whether the end would come in many eons or in his next rotation.

“If you stay you won’t leave, i’ll i’ll end up- James brows furrowed there was a word he was looking for, one he couldn’t remember. One that seemed to elude him so he settled on something that was insufficient.

“I’ll end up feeling” The comets seemed to understand though, moving closer into his space.

“Sometimes that’s a good thing”

“James. This is our choice.” James hadn’t had a choice when he was forced to become the star he was now, even now he did not have a choice in being the celestial body that he was. He would not do the same thing to his comets. He pulled Qrow into his lap, arms wrapping around him. He felt Clover’s own wrap around his shoulders.

“Your our Sun, James our worlds revolve around you quite literally” James let out a soft laugh at that.

Still even with their talk James could not let his fear go. Even more so he felt their time was running short. Like something was to happen. He ignored it for a while and let his comets lead him about showing him the other worlds they created, some much more hostile then the first some less so and slowly the North sky began to fill. His comets filled his empty space in the sky with unimaginable worlds. He adored them for it.

One day however while his comets worked he heard it, the sound of a chime down a hall he had dared not venture into since his recreation. He wanted to ignore it yet he felt his vessel inexplicably drawn to it. He walked past the walls he’d  melted into molten rock never able to try and fix them, passed the charred doorways, feet leaving marks into the ash on the ground. His breathing picked up speed panic thrumming through him even though he did not know what was ahead. He stopped short of the space he’d been reborn into. In the middle of the room the first planet his comets had created hung suspended in a glowing light. He approached it slowly.

“Your time has come James” He looks around the room to try and locate the voice. He hears a laugh one that sets him on edge.

“He doesn’t remember, how peculiar” James scowled at the second voice wanted to tell them he couldn’t remember everything in his unending life. He reframes.

“Time for what?”

“You may return to your mortal life. All you must do is touch the planet” James nearly trips over himself in his haste, hand mere centimeters away from what could grant him his freedom but stops. He turns mind racing back to his comets.

“No. They cannot join you unfortunately. You would make the journey alone.” Alone. James hadn’t felt anything for millenniums but something he could not explain glowed when he saw his comets” Something deep, primal and cosmic like his gravity had been changed to to revolve around them. His hand moves away from the planet before him. He knows the choice he needs to make.

“What if I gave them my place instead.”

“You’d choose this existence? Would give them a mortal life?” James nods. He would give them anything even if it meant he would suffer. Besides, they deserved it more than he did. They’d given him everything the least he could do was gift them mortality. To live without the worries of a grander plan, without having to worry about a blackhole.

“Yes.” There's a pause and James wonders momentarily if they are arguing. Finally there's a loud sigh.

“Very well” the world disappears from the room throwing him into a yawning darkness one he hasn’t seen for a very long time. He doesn’t like it rushing out of the room. He walks down the halls, quieter than they were moments before. He pushes the door to their workroom open and even though he knows what to expect he is still devastated. Their tools are gone, the only thing left is the planet in the middle of the table spinning slowly.

James ached down to his very core the molten liquid that bubbled and boiled feeling as if it had gone cold even though he knew he still ran hot. He wished to fade, for his existence to stop because they were gone. They were gone and it... it hurt. He wished to become a black hole so at least he’d be the centre of something’s existence instead of alone in this vast unending loneliness. Distantly he feels himself sink to his knees.He remembers the word now. The one he couldn’t before. Love. He’d fallen in love with his comets. Had given them the one thing he wanted most in the world to them and now. Now he was alone again.

Time seems to continue on unyielding, slower than it had before. James can barely manage to get up off the floor much less continue on around his home. He walks aimlessly, eyes unseeing chest squeezing as he walks through the halls. Memories returned unbidden he finds himself in the room where they first appeared in the cracks in the floor, the only thing left of their arrival. He sits himself down in front of a pillar head tilted back legs splayed out and arms dangling uselessly.

This was worse. He had forgotten the loneliness that had resided in him, the feeling pushed far away as his comets filled him with happiness. Now though he knew what it was like for it to be gone and the yawning nothingness was unending.

He’s suffered enough starlight” James doesn’t know where the voices come from, but he hopes, prays they can make it so that he can return to the ones he cherishes, adores, he don’t think he can survive another millennium without them. He tilted his head to the side to try and hear the voices better He hears cracking and realizes it's coming from himself. In his anguish molten liquid had spilled outward encasing him. He didn’t care.

“I don’t think he has” He would weep if he could but even that seemed too difficult at the moment so he just let his shoulders slump in defeat.

He’s spent millennium alone and sacrificed his chance to be human again, I think he’s learned”

“Fine moonlight if we must.” Between one breath and the next James is no longer in his home. Instead he is in a field, and can feel cool grass across his skin. He lifts his hand up, tilts it back and forth. There are no cracks, no molten lava coming from his skin. He grins reveling in his mortality before his blood runs cold. they had sent him down to earth but done the cruelest thing imaginable. They hadn’t told him if they were here he could be thousands of light years away human but alone unable to find them, he’d never find them-

“JAMES”

He hasn’t needed to because they found him As they always did. He stands eyes searching before he’s thrown back down to the ground, arms wrapped around him tightly as the both of them fling themselves at him.

“I love you” He says as they cry before saying it again and again and again like a mantra. He knew they would need to talk after. That his comets were likely mad with him, but for now it could wait. Even as he looked up and saw the northernmost star burning brightly on its own. The two looked up as well entwining their hands before guiding his hand to the next closest ones.

“Sorry didn’t mean too” He sees foliage moving far off to the left and assumes it’s decided to leave them alone. From beside him his Pokémon let’s out it’s own disgruntled sound trying to shake off the water. It’s long ears dripped down water red eyes looking at him in misery. He pulled a tarp out from his bag wrapping it around his Pokémon.

“Not what you expected when you came with me huh stormflower” the Raboot crossed its arms rolling its eyes before tugging on Ren's leg pulling him closer. It was perfect timing too as the rain came down harder. Ren leaned against the tree, they had no choice but to wait it out; he wasn’t familiar enough with this forest to walk through it without a map. Thunder blasted from far above them and Ren shook in his spot. He didn’t like storms, hated them with a passion. It’s why he’d been trying to get to the next city before it hit. His Pokémon rested a comforting hand on his knee, the heat radiating off of them. 

The ground shook and for a moment he thought it was him again. Except it happened again the ground shaking and Ren swore he could see the rocks in front of him jump off the ground. Fear radiated off of him, something that big was dangerous and he was in no position to currently take on whatever was coming.

“LETSSSS GOO” Trees crashed down from in front of them, a hug Feraligatr bounding forward on all four legs. Sitting on top of it was a girl maybe a year or two older then himself. she wore a huge smile on her face as the rain poured down around them her hair sticking to her face. 

“Magnhild, we’ve gone faster in storms then this come on!” Her Pokémon didn’t move, eyes turning them as it stopped sitting up onto its haunches.

“WHOA” the girl fell off,mud splatter around her before she popped back up. 

“Hey come one let’s move!”she pushed down on the Pokémon’s leg. It huffs before its arm comes down surprisingly gently for a Pokémon so fierce. It turns her around until she can see them, her eyes widening.

“Oh! Shoot! Sorry I missed you there, Good boy Magnhild” the giant blue crocodile let out a sound of contentment as she scratched its front.

Ren blinked at them as water dripped down his bangs, he wiped water from his eyes blinking to see if what he was seeing was real. Through the onslaught of water she still stood their bright orange hair impossible to miss.

“Do you uh need help? Are you hurt” Ren shook himself out of his staring, before drawing the tarp a little closer.

“Just got caught in the rain, I have a map but well” 

“OH I mean your not far from town I can take you if you’d like?” She stuck her hand out to him, a wide smile lighting up her face. Stormflower tapped him on the knee, bouncing on the spot before shaking the water out of its fur. He liked the suggestion not surprising that the fire type pokemon would want out of the rain.

“Yeah alright we’d appreciate that” 

“Oh my goodness! You are so cute!” Ren didn’t have time to warn her to not touch them. His pokemon only ever let a select few people touch them and it had taken a while for them to even let Ren touch. He was about to apologize for the inevitable disaster but instead he watched as Stormflower let her pet his head, foot tapping happily as she did. Surprise worked its way through him as the girl lifted his pokemons ears cooing about how adorable they were.

“Oh your fur is so soft your trainer must take very good care of you! But you take care of him too huh bunbun?” Stormflower chirped in approval, nodding furiously at the girl.

“Of course you do, that's what partners are for!” Ren eyed the giant pokemon wearily as Nora helped them climb up onto its back. Stormflower curled up in his arms, letting out little chirps of excitement that Ren hadn’t heard since they had evolved.

“Heading to the gym I take it?” Ren looked over at her pushing his hair out of his eyes futilely. 

“Yes but not for the reason you’d think” Nora’s head tilted in curiosity.

“I work for Professor Branwen, his sister owns the gym and he needed a letter dropped off” the girl's eyes seemed to light up at that.

“I’m heading there to pick up a letter! Do you think it’s the same one?” Ren thought about it for a moment. It was possible. The professor knew quite a few people and if he needed more than one person to see it.

“I’m Nora by the way” She stuck out her hand again to him and he took it, feeling warmth as he took it.

“Ren” It’s quiet for only a second before the girl begins to chatter away.

“If the letter I'm picking up is the one you're dropping off, maybe we can travel back together! Stormflower seemed to light up at the idea, foot tapping enough that it had the giant water type growling.

“Hey stop that! You’re rowdy when you're too big guy” Nora stuck her tongue out the pokemon's tail, swishing in the mud behind them. 

“Don’t even!” There's a muffled splat as the mud flies through the air and lands on the trainer, a pout coming to her face.

“No treats for you” Ren can’t help it then he lets out a small laugh that catches the young woman's notice so that her pout is directed at him.

“ I apologize but it just reminds me of a fight me and Stormflower had when I was younger” The girl's eyes lit up.

“Oh?”

“We needed to build a fire, it was freezing and they didn’t want to start it, kept kicking dirt over the wood” Ren pet between the rabbit pokemons ears, reassuring them he wasn’t upset as he spoke fondly.

“But you got along eventually?” Ren looked down at his pokemon and remembered every burn that scorched his skin, every scratch that the young pokemon had given him. It had been frustrating up until he realized why the small pokemon was doing it.

He knew he’d been bad with expressing himself and had felt when he’d first met them that the bond wouldn’t stick. Stormflower liked to chirp when happy, ears flopping when sad. Feet burning spots into the grass when angry. They were more expressive than Ren had ever been. It wasn’t until they’d gotten sick that he realized why the small bunny had acted out though. They couldn’t tell he cared. He’d barely praised them, rarely smiled or gave rewards. It wasn’t until Ren nursed them back to health with his own hands that the fire type had settled. From then on though Ren knew what he needed to do. It was still difficult. The pokemon loved attention while Ren shied away from it but they seemed to have reached a middle ground.

“Yes we did eventually” The girl seemed to regard him for a moment bright eyes considering the both of them.

“Okay i’ve decided” trainer and pokemon looked at each other in confusion before looking back over to the girl.

“Uh decided what” 

“You're the one I'm going to marry one day!” Ren felt his cheeks heat up at the sudden declaration, hands stilling on his pokemons head.

“Excuse me?” 

“I have a good feeling about you, better than I have for anyone else. So i’ve decided i’m going to marry you one day” Ren sat there speechless for a second not exactly sure what to say to that.

“My instincts aren’t ever wrong. Your the one” 

“Shouldn’t I have a say in this?” Nora’s head tilted to the side leaning her cheek onto her hand.

“Do you not want to marry me?” 

“I didn’t say that” Ren doesn’t know where that came from surprising himself with the statement.

“Then what's the problem?” His pokemon tapped him on the knee ears perking up and it was enough to have him pausing before speaking next. Stormflower had liked her. Had let her touch him. They trusted her.

“I… i don’t know anything about you” Stormflower chattered unhappily at the weak excuse, eyes staring up in disapproval.

“So if I took you out on a date, then would you marry me?” 

“We’ll see” He dragged his hands over his face as he heard the girl whoop in excitement, felt Stormflower press its body into them in reassurance. His pokemon trusted her and even if whatever the girl had decided didn’t work out at least he’d have a friend. Except as the forest blurred around them and they got closer to the city, he doubted that’s what would happen. After all, his pokemon rarely led him astray.

From there the game seems to crawl by slowly, the last remaining five minutes agony to both the viewer and player alike. Mistral’s team doesn’t let up for a moment knowing that as long as the other team doesn’t get the best of them they win. Atlas’s team however doesn’t falter; they keep attacking with a brutality that Ren hadn’t seen from them before. 

Two of Atlas’s players get a red card but not before taking out both Yang and Blake. While their substitutes were strong they weren’t quite up to par with the seasoned players yet and several times Atlas’s forwards got the best of them.

It’s in the ninetieth minute that Ren’s heart drops down into his stomach. As it does every time he watches. See’s number four racing down the left side of the field with nothing in her way. The defenders try to race back, try to make it in time but they can’t. Bree is faster than most, even more so when she was determined.

He can’t take his eyes away as he watches her leg swing back making contact and flying through the air. His breath caught. He waited for the inevitable waiting for the referee to call the goal but it never came.

 Instead he sees Nora, his brilliant strong Nora fly through the air, gloved hands reaching out and shoving the ball back towards where it came. She has just enough time to recover as Bree tries again. It’s not as strong; the kick is desperate and Nora bodily throws herself towards the ball, nearly hitting the fence post as the momentum carries her. 

There’s one terrifying moment where nobody knows where the ball is. Then Nora stands ball firmly tucked into her arms and the crowd bellows again as Mistrals goalie stands proud. She holds the ball long enough for her teammates to recover, kicking it as far away from her net as she can. Atlas gets a handle on it again but it doesn’t really matter, the referee signals the end of the game after only a few short steps. 

Mistral’s team explodes into a round of cheers and from off the field someone has grabbed the water dispenser dumping it over them as they scream and cry in joy. His eyes instinctively try to find Nora in the mess of bodies and excitement. Doesn’t see her mixed in with them, it had concerned him the first time he’d watched it happen but then the T.V. the crew panned over towards the net and there was Nora. On her knees with a look of absolute wonder on her face. Tears spilt down her face freely as she came back to herself. She sobbed as Ruby wrapped her arms around her, both smiling even through their tears.

It was always here the news crew cut the feed. Choosing instead to show the team up on the podium gold medals wrapped around the women's necks as their smiles lit up their faces. It was here again that they’d cut the feed going to the girls' statements post game. Nora was nowhere to be seen until they panned out eyes transfixed on the T.V screen as she flipped through channels

“Come on, where is it?” The news anchors shared curious looks before getting closer. She hadn’t even bothered taking off her cleats.

“Ms. Valkyrie aren’t you going to celebrate with your team” Nora looked over at them for only a second eyes alight with joy.

“Of course I am! After I watch my husband win!” The news anchor's eyes widened, shock filtering through their expressions, one he could only laugh at.

“Your husband?” They prompted and it was here that he saw Nora’s smile turned wicked.

“Yes, Lie Ren. The swimmer” its quiet for a moment as the information filtered through the room whispers turning into roars of excitement. The media circuit had been trying to figure them out for ages. 

“Ms. Valkyrie are you confirming that Lie Ren is your husband” She sighed rolling her eyes.

“That’s what I said isn’t it?

“Are you watching this again?” Nora stared down at him fondly before hopping over the back of the couch and curling up in his arms. She  Turns the T.V. off before snuggling closer.

“Did you really have to tell them right after” Ren asks amusement in his tone as he looks down at her. She pouts one Ren leans down and kisses off her face.

“You said if we won gold I could tell the world” Ren sighs fondly running his fingers through her hair.

“I did, didn't I?” She nods into his shoulder before relaxing, falling asleep. He doesn’t blame her because she'd had a hard day, they both had. He glanced at the hotel's bedside table and saw their medals gleaming in the dim light, before settling in and falling asleep.

It had been two months since the tragedy at Atlas. Two months of searching for their missing friends with nothing to show for it. They don’t know what happened that night and have no leads on how to find them other than the markings burned into the sand and blown away in the wind. She felt eyes staring at her as she made her way up the steps into the main hall, stepping inside and feeling the temperature drop. That was another thing she needed to get used to. Before people would watch her because of how loud she was. Using her enthusiasm to protect herself from people seeing who she truly was. Used it to bury the uncertainty she felt from herself. Now though. It was becoming harder and harder to do as the days faded into one another. It was also infinitely harder to ignore others' stares because they were looking at her, looking at the scars that ran over more than half her body. She saw their pitying looks, disgust, sorrow, awe. She saw all of it and she hated it. At least before she was in control of what they saw now? Now she just had to endure it counting down the minutes until she could escape to her room and hide herself away. “Nora” She turned trying to will a smile to her face as Ren came into view. He’d been less distant the last few months. More open with her, talked more. It was odd the change like meeting someone again after a very long time. Yet he was still her Ren he still had to be pushed to wake in the morning, still thought through his words carefully. It was hard sometimes to reconcile that this new Ren and the Ren who she’d known her whole life were the same but she was learning. Just as he was. “Where’ve you been all day?” there's concern in his voice one he wouldn't have shown her before. It makes it impossible to lie to him. “I went into town. I just needed some time alone” He nods his head and she sees the tilt that she’s beginning to understand means his semblance is active. She knows it's not intentional; he's still learning to use it to its fullest. Doesn't mean it is any less frustrating when it happens. He’s hesitant when he speaks next almost as if he isn’t sure he should be speaking. “Are you...okay?” She could end this here. He’d been respecting her wishes. Giving her space to figure herself out. It didn’t mean they couldn't still talk though, didn’t mean she had to give up her best friend completely. “I don’t know” He wraps his arms around her and gives her a quick squeeze before letting go. Lacing their hands together before leading her away. The touch was new. She was the one who used to initiate everything but then again she’d been distant lately. Grief had a tendency to do that. They passed the dorm rooms, stared at them with a heavy heart. It felt like eons since they’d been in the ones in Atlas even longer since Beacon. Had it really only been a few years since they last stepped foot in Vale? Since they were students? There’s whispers in the halls as they pass and she wants to shrink away from it, wants to walk faster. She wants to be far from their judgmental stares but as always Ren is a steady presence beside her. Past the halls that hold so much hope and down towards the lodging for traveling huntsmen. It’s quieter here, the walls dull and muted almost as if they have weathered the unfathomable challenges its patrons have seen.He lets her go steps away to give her space.

It’s here that he always falters. Normally she’d put on a brave face, smile and ramble about something, anything just to disperse the tension but she was tired. Body, mind and soul and it was getting harder to not let it consume her. Still she didn’t want him to worry so she tried to smile knows it doesn’t work when she sees him frown. “I got you something” Her head tilts curiosity sparking that old excitement she used to feel. He pulls a little string bag out of his pocket, and she takes it, hands trying not to shake as she opens it. Another side effect of the shock she’d taken, the doctors had assured her that it would stop at some point once her nerves had settled somewhat. He doesn’t comment, never does instead he grabs her hands and helps her open the bag so the wrapped present inside falls into her hands. She stares at it a moment, imagining for a moment what it could be. “I know you want to rip it so just do it Nora” There’s fondness in his voice one she so long ago had pretended wasn’t there. She does as told, tearing and ripping the paper to shreds. She nearly drops what's sitting inside. She wraps the chain around her fingers, before she looks at the pendent in her palm. It was a simple thing in a teardrop shape. Black like the night sky but embedded in it was dust. A Gold that shone from it and spiderwebbed out of it. Like lightning. “It reminded me of you” “I-” “Nora?” She can feel the tears dripping down her cheeks, breath coming in heaving gasps. She was crying over a rock. “It reminded me of you” She looks up, sees the uncertainty in his eyes as he looks back at her before he continues. “Strong, beautiful, resilient ” She had to close her eyes. Was that how he saw her? She didn’t feel like she was any of those things, not since Atlas, not since before she’d stepped into that electrical field. Not since the scars had marred her body and acted as a constant reminder at what she had done. “You like me like this?” Her hand closed around the pendent as she gestured at herself, and saw something shift in his eyes. “Yes” “Why” She didn’t even like herself like this, she couldn’t comprehend why he would. “Because you're still Nora, you're still-” He stops for only a second. “Because you're still the person I love” It takes her a second to register the words. Even longer to think on them as she watches his face dust a rosy red. She hugs him then buries her face in his shoulder as her arms grip him in vice grip. His arm came up comfortingly as they stood there. It didn’t get rid of the ache. It didn’t get rid of the stares she’d have to endure but it did serve as a reminder. Through thick and thin, through pain and suffering. Ren would always be there and he would always love her.

The issue started nearly two weeks ago, he’d gone up onto his usual study spot, a small hidden alcove at the back of the thirteenth floor. His favourite professor had mentioned how it was almost always empty and drily quiet. He’d jumped at the chance to find it hadn’t paid attention to a very important part. It was almost always empty. 

Except it wasn’t two weeks ago as he was studying for his midterms she slipped into the left side of the booth. It had startled him enough that he’d looked up.

She hadn't said anything to him had pulled out a worn looking textbook and a laptop that had seen better days out of her backpack.He’s ashamed to admit he’d stared for far too long.

“What think I’m a ghost or something?” He knew he’d turned a deep shade of red and was about to apologize when he saw a soft smile on his face. It took a minute for him to realize she’d been teasing. 

“I-“ 

“Already forgiven” she’d said cheerfully the sound echoing in the quiet space. They hadn’t talked after that in fact they hadn’t really talked since but he thinks she wants to. By the way she glances up every few seconds, mouth parting open before stopping going back to her book. It had put him on edge at first. He wasn’t good at talking, in fact most people would likely say he was antisocial if it weren’t for the few friends that had adopted him. As the days slowly passed though the anxiety it brought lessoned and instead he found himself longing for the question. What would she ask? How would she ask it? Would she hold that same teasing tone or would it be different? He didn’t know the answer and it was slowly driving him mad. Especially since he didn't even know her name.

An answer to the predicament came in an unusual and unfortunate way. After the first week of studying together Ren had noticed a pattern. At half past seven the girl's stomach would gurgle, not unusual he got hungry around then too but she wouldn’t make a move to get up and leave. In fact she’d continue to sit there stomach growling louder the only indication that she felt it being her hand pressing itself to her stomach. He could only come up with one reason she’d been ignoring it. She didn’t have the money to grab something to eat. 

Which is what had brought him to the predicament he was in now. How did he give it to her without insulting her? Could he just give it to her. Would it be odd considering they’d only talked once? He didn’t know and that was the worst part. He’d need to figure it out and soon he was because he was nearly at their meeting place. Five feet.four, three. He saw the top of her head as he turned the corner. He clutched the paper bag to his chest as he got closer took a deep breath and opened his mouth. Nothing came out as he halted in front of the table. She glanced up for a second before going back to her textbook. He moved without thinking, pulling his things out before sitting down. His mind screamed at him to say something. Say anything but the words didn't come. The silence he usually welcomed was stifling but he couldn’t do anything about it not now. So they did what they always did while stuck in the library. They studied hours ticking by at a snail's pace, coffee slowly going cold as it sat there. Ren glanced at the clock and as if on cue her stomach grumbled. Ren pushed the pastry towards her without thinking the paper bag it was wrapped in crackling on its way over. She blinked at it a moment before looking up eyes wide.

“I bought too much, you can have it” She didn’t move for a second, before her hand darted out taking the bag off the table. She scarfed it down, tearing the bread into pieces and chewing furiously. He pushed the coffee towards her and she didn’t even hesitate in taking it, chugging it before slapping it back onto the table. 

“Thank you!” There’s a wide smile across her face and he can’t help returning it. He pushes the other one towards her. She hesitates this time hand a little more hesitant as she reaches for it.

“You sure?” He nods and watches her eat the second one with a little less enthusiasm. In between bits of food she gives him her name.

“I’m Nora” She sticks her hand out and he takes it and feels the stickiness from the pastry but doesn’t comment on it.

“Ren” She hums eyes, lighting up as she regards him. She starts to talk, filling the usual silence and he doesn’t know when it happens but both their textbooks are closed and packed up. Laptop screen light dimming before they started to power down. He listened as she rambled, watched as her hands moved as she talked excitedly. Seven turned to eight o’clock and eight to nine and before either of them realized it, it was midnight.

“Hate to break this little gathering up but unless you move to the lower floors you guys have to get out” Both of them look up at the tired looking janitor before getting up shoving their things into their bags and heading out.

“Can I have your phone number?” He’s pulling out his phone before he can think about it handing it over and watches as she types furiously. As she passes it back he sees two different emojis by her name, a silly photo connected to it.

“See you tomorrow?” Her eyes are hopeful as they walk down the steps of the library. 

“I’ll be there”

Ren blinked his eyes open, squinting from the sun as he wiped water droplets from his cheek, a frown coming to his face as he heard giggling coming to his left. He sat up just as there was a loud clap of water rushing up then raining down on him. He sighed as he wrung out his shirt, leaning over the rock he had been resting on. He didn’t see her at first, the murky water revealing nothing for a time. It isn't until he’s about to go back to lie down that he sees it, a flash of red almost like a flame receding into the dark before disappearing. 

‘I know you're there Nora” the only sound was the seagulls screeching high above him but slowly and surely he saw something rise from the water. 

“Hiya Ren” The words send a shiver down Ren’s spine, the melody not completely gone from her voice as she speaks for the first time that day. She seems to realize this lets out a small tune that has him leaning closer before she scratches pushing him further onto the rock.  He shook his head, trying to get his bearings back before he looks over at his companion. 

Unlike the merfolk he’d been told about growing up the one before him had short hair that only went to about her shoulders, it clung to her neck above water but he knew from the few glimpses he’d had of her underwater that it flowed in the current dancing almost like a flame. It left him enraptured most times until she’d disappear into the sea. Her eyes were no less captivating, aqua gleaming with something that Ren could only place as inhuman. White Iridescent scales trailed from her eyes to her cheek bones and Ren knows if he’d reached, if he’d touched them they’d be cool against his fingers. Her tail swayed in the current a deep crimson slowly fading into a light pink. Her fins were practically invisible. 

“What’s this!” Before Ren can respond his arm is snatched up making him lose his balance and sending him tumbling forward. Webbed fingers prodded at the green and yellow bracelet that was there. 

“It’s a friendship bracelet, humans make them for each other wear them until the fray and fall off” Nora stared at it reverently hand twisting it around his wrist over and over again as a pout came to her face. He pulls out two similar ones green and pink intertwined.

“Here give me your arm” Nora releases him before sticking out her own arm hastily and Ren has to grab it to make her stop shaking in excitement. He tied the first one around her wrist, the trill that comes from her making him smile for a moment.

“You got to put this one on me or the magic won’t work” Nora tilted her head curiously reaching for the bracelet.

“Magic?” Ren nodded and he didn’t need to explain further as Nora finished tying the threads.

He couldn’t connect the stories that he’d been told all her life with the women he’d know for ages. He’d met her by accident when he was eight. Had been going to look for seashells for his mother but had come across Nora instead. She’d been wedged in between two rocks, blood slowly trickling through the sand and trailing back to the sea. He’d thought he’d find a person had been started when he had come across her tail nearly twice the size of her body. There was an arrow sticking out of her side, the wood broken harshly. 

She’d screeched loudly as he came into view and he’d had to shove his hands over his ears as it rang out. 

“Stop. I won’t hurt you”  she’d blinked at him tail curling closer to her body to protect herself. Ren realized she was scared. 

“We need to get this taken care of ''  He hadn’t know what he was doing. He only knew that he needed to help her. Nobody deserved to be hurt like that and even if she did drown him at least he supposed he’d die doing some good. Still the Mer had shimmied forward inch by inch a pained hiss leaving her until she was out from the rocks.

“This is going to hurt” she’d whimpered, eyes filling with tears and Ren pulled her towards him.

“When it hurts too much bite” he hadn’t warned her when he began pulling out the arrow. His hand falters as he feels razor sharp teeth dig into his shoulder and he has to bite down hard on his tongue so he doesn’t scream before he continues. Inch by slow inch the wood leaves her body, blood dripping down her side. She cries weakly as the lay of it slips free, teeth sinking deeper before finally releasing him. His hand goes autocratically to his shoulder feels the teeth marks and he wants to cry, wants to go back to his mother and get her to patch it up but to do that would mean to leave her here alone, susceptible to others who would kill her. So instead he tears off a piece of his shirt doing his best to use it to press down on her wound and stop the bleeding. 

“I hurt you”  he’d looked up at her then aqua eyes filled with tears and he’d reach out grabbed her hand and squeezed it in reassurance. 

“You didn’t mean too” 

Since then Ren had been coming to the seaside late in the night when nobody else would find them. Maybe it was unwise to be friends with a mermaid but Nora hadn’t ever harmed him not on purpose and she certainly hadn’t tried to draw him out to sea. In fact Ren was certain she’d saved him on several occasions.

“Ren” He looked over as she whined seeing the pout on her face once again as she rested her arms on the rock. The scales on her arm shimmered in the sunlight.

“I’m bored, tell me a story. A human story” He racked his brain for something simple enough to entertain her, he’d once spent several hours explaining the function of a hula hoop that had been interesting. Something gleamed on her upper arm distracting him and before he realized it he was reaching out touching the piece. 

“What’s this?” The object is small, a simple silver with an indent in the middle that looked to have a sort of symbol on it. Not one he recognized, tying it together are thick bands of kelp, slimy to the touch.

“Someone gave it to me” Ren shifted trying not to frown, Nora didn’t often talk about other Mer’s in fact she always seemed to skirt around the topic which was fine but this time something made his gut twist and by the way Nora wasn’t meeting his eyes she wasn’t telling him something.

“Why?” He almost immediately wants to take the question back, sees the way Nora’s tail swishes nervously and he hates it but it was too late now. Nora seems just as surprised as he is by the question he didn’t often ask about other Merfolk, not when she asked nearly a hundred questions a minute.

“It’s a gift” and he must frown this time because hastily she adds.

“It's a courting gift” it’s almost as if he’s been doused with cold water, the feeling seeping into him and through his whole body. He knew logically that something like this would occur, that as they grew older they would find other people and grow apart. That one day these secret meetings would be no more; he just didn’t think they would come this soon.

“ I have to go” He pushed off roughly from the rock, wiping the sand off of himself quickly as his heart pounded in his chest. 

“You're upset” He was but he wasn’t going to tell her that. It wasn’t her fault that he was. The fact of the matter was time was moving endlessly forward and he’d stupidly thought that they would remain here together forever unchanging even as they grew older. There was another part of him however that told him that this wasn’t really why he was upset. The one he tucked down far far away. The one that told him he was in love with her, that he had been for a long time now.

“I’m not” it was a weak response he knew but he didn’t want her to think this was her fault if anything it was his.

“ You're lying” He flinched, forgetting that she would know when he was lying. Something to do with body language and body heat apparently? When he’d asked her about it once she’d simply said he looked warmer.

“You never lie, why are you now” 

“I just need to go. Now. I’ll see you tomorrow” He doesn’t turn around as he hurries off, not like he normally would. The sound of crashing waves disappears as he hurries off the beach, only stopping when he hears a devastated shriek.

He wasn’t supposed to be on the beach when it happened. In fact he was supposed to be out shopping with his mother at the market but his father had asked him to go out before the storm came in. So he’d done as asked, paddling out of the bay and into deeper waters. From a ways off he could see a large shipping vessel nearly five times his little dingy. Which was fine with him he never wanted to step foot on one of those bigger ones anyway. He enjoyed the rocking of his boat as the waves hit. It was calming. Yet right then it only served as a reminder of why he’d ran last night weighing on his mind heavily.

From far out he hears a siren wail and he stares out at the horizon as the sun just about to hit its peak. He sees something bright flash to his left, catches the end of fins and he freezes and looks out to the ship as it speeds towards space. He sees another splash of water pink peeking out of the water for a second before it goes back under and his heart pounds in his chest. He knows Nora looks out for him in the water but he didn’t think she’d be close by today, not after the last night and not when this was an unplanned visit. She must have been waiting for him the whole time and now… she was in terrible danger. 

Ren couldn’t paddle fast enough the waves the large vessel stirred up making it more and more difficult to fight against it. Another wail from their siren goes off and Ren doesn’t care no can’t care because if he listens it means they’ll shoot her. He sees her surface just as he sees from the corner of his eye the ship hands ready a harpoon.

“Re-” He doesn’t hear the rest, he lunges just as he hears something swish through the air before he’s underwater. Pain radiates from his middle as he sinks, the water running red around him. He closes his eyes tiredly before opening again, his lungs screaming at him as he watches the sun's rays fade as he sinks deeper in the water's depths. 

He supposes the stories were right in their own way. He’d drown but not because of her but for her. One final act to save the person who was dear to his heart. It’s only when his vision starts to go spotty around the edges that he sees a flash of pink come into view, tail using powerful strokes to shoot powerfully downwards. It reaches him just as he can no longer fight then instinct to inhale, lungs screaming as they fill with water.  The last thing he sees before everything goes dark are black eyes, ringed with the barest of aqua.

Ren doesn’t know how he’s alive, in fact he knows he should be dead thinks he may be except there is still pain radiating from his body not as strong as before a deep ache but still present. He breathes or tries to feel something move on his neck and freezes. His hands come up running over his neck and there and instead of smooth skin he feels ridges: gills. His hands draw back and he stares in confusion at the webbing in between his fingers before he notices the scales. Panic begins to set in and he goes to move his legs but instead a green tail slaps against the sand bed. What was going on? 

“Ren!” water whooshes around him before Nora is squeezing the life out of him. He can feel her shake in his arms and he does his best to reassure her.

“I’m fine” 

“You weren’t, you, you jumped in front of the harpoon” He vaguely remembers that side throbbing painfully at the reminder.

“How am I alive?” Nora seemed to freeze as she sat in his lap, tail laying flat against his own, which was something he’d need to get used to.

“Because” Ren glanced up and saw a figure in the cave's entrance leaning against the rock. Their tail blending with the shadows.

“Nora decided to give you a gift” Ren tilted his head confused.

“A gift?” the figure sighed and seemed to run a hand down their face.

“A mermaid blessing. It means your one of us” 

“Usually the person is given a choice. The transformation isn’t reversible” That’s why she looked so guilty.

“Well I guess it’s your turn to help me learn isn’t it Nora”

“You're not mad” He thought about it for a second, he couldn’t go back but did he really want to? There wasn’t much waiting for him above anyways.

“No i’m not” she perked up at this.

“You're not mad anymore?” The oddest thing happened normally he knew his face would heat up at the words but instead the scales on his arms shifted darker and he watched as Nora stared at them.

“You're embarrassed why”  His eyes darted to her arm where the gift no longer rested.

“I told you kiddo he was jealous” it was horrifying as he watched the scales on his arms go even darker, nearly black from their translucent white.

“Do you like me Ren”  How was he supposed to answer that, less than a day ago he thought he was going to lose her and now he was apart of her world

“I-”

“Give him a break Nora kids got a lot to figure out” Nora tilted her head as the figure left before turning back to him.

“Do you?” Ren nodded eyes not meeting hers before her tail was wrapping around him a squeal leaving her. He would have a lot to learn in the coming days but he thinks with her at his side he’ll be able to figure it out.

Nora Valkyrie was none of these things. She was loud and boastful, challenging anyone who was looking for a fight. Nobody would deny that she worked hard but not terribly so in fact most days the people wondered how she had gotten where she was as oftentimes they’d see her running to and fro with no particular purpose in mind. It left the court wondering when she had time to properly train with her hammer. Unlike Lie Ren she wasn’t shy in the spotlight, her name stretched across lands near and far and it was rumored that even the soldiers on the isles whispered her name.

It was these differences that confused the people of the court of Thorns the most.  Why did the Grand Wizard put up with the over the top knight? She’d talk loudly in his ear at breakfast, arms moving erratically as she told him some grand tale while the wizard seemed to nod off into his meal of oatmeal. She’d come pounding on his workshop door more often than not citing boredom and wishing the wizard to entertain her. The people thought it was childish. The wizard had more important things to do than to indulge her and yet… he always did. A small light display, shape shifting, minor illusions. Nothing to grand but each time the knight would squeal in glee, eyes gleaming before thanking him and running off again. They often see the wizard sigh before shutting the door quietly. The two’s friends were no help in the matter

“Sir Arc? Why don’t you stop Knight Valkyrie from pestering the grand wizard?” Jaune Arc would smile at the sardonically as if he knew something they did not. It left many at the court feeling peeved by his attitude but they dare not speak about it to the Queen. The knight was close friends with her majesty's daughters Princess Yang and Ruby respectively. They would never dare to upset either of them. So they moved on to other targets, ones who were less likely to stay quiet on the subject.

“Lady Weiss? A moment if you will” The young woman had paused arms folding in annoyance before turning her dress, swishing in the summer air. The gems on the corset shimmered in the noon light refracting across the large space.

“Do you have a moment to speak about-” They didn’t get to finish as she gave a deversive snort.

“No, I care not on the subject. Now if you’ll excuse me” The lady had walked away in large strides turning down the castle halls to the committee room and far from the prying ears of the rest of the court. Each encounter with the rest of the Knight and Wizards friends went in a similar fashion, and they were not closer to how the quiet Wizard put up with the Bubbly Knight.That is until one day something goes wrong at the borders.

It’s a simple dispute for territory one the queen does not hesitate to send men and women to fix in her steed. Of those men and women Valkyrie is one of them. It's not surprising that besides Sir Arc and Lady Knight Xiao Long she is the strongest. Her brute strength gets her through most enemy soldiers and she is battle smart in her own right. With Sir Arc away helping with the sickness in the north and Princess Xiao Long in Menagerie negotiating an alliance through marriage. With both gone she is the obvious choice. She sets out from the heart of the kingdom leading her fellow soldiers a content smile on her face.

 Of the small company that she leads only twenty five of them return and even then just barely. All have varying injuries. Some have been blinded, others bones broken and bent in odd angles. All of them come back with blistering skin and burn marks. The worst of them is Lady Knight Valkyrie. She had not come home to them consciously; instead her men had dragged her body off the battlefield and onto a horse carrying her even as her breathing became more painful and laborious. She’d been brought to the royal infirmary immediately placed on a cot gently. Even so she had whimpered in pain.

Of what the court could see of her the knight would never be the same again. Her hands had to have had at least third degree burns. Her arms and legs were in little better condition and in some places people swore her skin was nearly black. Of what they could see of her face the side was blistered and peeling her hair singed. 

As healers rush around the room on lookers come to a startling realization. Lady Knight Valkyrie may not make it through the night. This may be the battle that takes her life. Sorrow crashes through many of them as they come to the realization. For as annoying as the knight could be, she brought the court great joy.

They hear the tale of what happened in short spurts from soldiers who had been deemed okay to leave the infirmary. They had been tricked. The small force that they had been told about had been far larger than expected, nothing they couldn’t handle but still it made them weary. They had attacked around midday on their fourth night when they’d watched the soldiers cross borderlines and steal cattle. They were expecting them, had met them head on the sound of metal on metal rushing through the air. The company had been winning at the start of the battle until the witch appeared. Her eyes glowed as hot as coal dark hair curling like smoke in the wind that she summoned and her arm. It was as black as night. They had faced the malevolent witch Cinder and lost. 

She had set the field on fire subjecting not only them to the burning flames but her own men as well. It had circled them, keeping them trapped as Cinder watched on from atop the hill. The soldiers had despaired at their fate but began to accept they would not be making it home, that they would die for their country. Except Nora Valkyrie was not a knight to give up. She’d hoisted one soldier onto her shoulders and ran through the fire. Then she’d done it again and again and again. She ran through hellfire to save them. One by one she carried them across, subjecting herself over and over again to the flames and once she had gotten every last one of those left alive both ally and enemy alike she’d collapsed. 

“At least the Grand Wizard will no longer be troubled by her” nobody knew where the words came from especially since it was spoken after her tale of heroics. 

“What did you just say” The group of them turn to see The Grand Wizard Lie Ren standing before them, his cape fluttering in a strong wind. His eyes stared murderously at the lot of them enough so to have each of them stepping back. He rushed past them and into the room, the large doors shutting behind him with a loud bang. They stare standing there for sometime coming to the startling realization that it was the first time The Grand Wizard had shown anything other than indifference. They flinch as there’s a blood curdling scream from the other side of the door and the group disperses hastily. Lady Knight Valkyrie had earned the dignity of suffering without them trying to gossip.

In the coming days the castle is quiet and the atmosphere tense. The queen had called Sir Arc back immediately on seeing the state of her knights. It would still be several days before his arrival and those days could not pass by fast enough. Valkyrie had not woken in the time since her arrival and there were rumors she was steadily declining; they could only pray to the gods that she would make it until Sir Arc could heal her. They could only pray harder that it would work. The Grand Wizard Lie Ren had not left her side since her arrival not to eat, not to sleep and not to work. It came as a shock to all of them for they did not know how deeply the wizard had cared for the bubbly knight until now. What was shocking further was what the nurses whispered while off duty. 

“He’s begging her to hold on” One whispered eyes filled with grief as they walked down the hall, shoulder sagging in exhaustion. The knights injuries were taking a toll on the infirmary staff.

“I saw him cry the other night” The other whispered eyes darting around the room and realizing their audience not that it mattered they would have heard eventually for nothing ever went unsaid a second time. The nurses rushed by their words hushed and whispered as they scampered off but not before they caught one final sentence. 

“He pleaded with her not to leave him in this life alone” The words seem to echo through the room carrying weight to them. One thing was certain for the people of the court: if Nora Valkyrie did not make it through this trial, their grand wizard would never be the same.

Sir Jaune Arc arrives two days early looking frazzled and tired but determined. He does not waste a moment once his armour is off, rushes through the stables and the palace steps straight to the infirmary. Just in time the knight was fading faster then she had been but with his arrival The Grand Wizard is kicked from the medical ward. Tears falling down his face as the door shuts behind him. Even still they see rage under his sorrow. 

It takes four days for Sir Arc to stabilize Nora Valkyrie and in that time the Queen announces another dispute at the border with another sighting of the witch. As before a team readies themselves to head out but this time instead of heading out right away they are halted. One of the Kings tells them to retire until commanded to head out again. The knights are as confused as they are but obey the order retreating back to their quarters. They find out why four days later, when a waterlogged messenger arrives at the castle's doorsteps.

The northernmost border, one that was once endless plains that went for miles, had been flooded. A storm the worst the people had ever seen had come through and raged. Black clouds going for miles upon miles, winds whipping up and uprooting the few trees that had riddled the land. Lightning had cracked through the land for days, the rain pounding until the earth was water logged and was nothing more than mud and even then it continued. One meter of water turning into two, then three, then four. Their enemies had tried to retreat but the storm had them walking in circles lost and deserted and the witch cinder? It was said she disappeared, she’d slipped as tried to continue walking through the mud feet sticking in the ground with each step. The earth had claimed her, quickly devouring her under mud and water. It was a relief to hear but they didn't think it was a coincidence.The grand wizard had not left his office in that short time and from his workspace they’d heard the tell-tale signs of him at work. He emerged only when sir Arc had come knocking telling him that Valkyrie had lived. He’d rushed down the hall nearly taking a page out as he did so but he did not seem to care.

Of the few passersby that were there when he reached the nurses they would swear till their dying days that these were his exact words that left his mouth.

“Take me to my wife”

While tragedy had not struck completely for the knight she did not go unscathed. The marks on her body would never leave her and her hands shook, an effect they supposed from the sustained damage she took from the flames. She seemed less lively once back in action, slower to smile, less likely to pull one in to chat. It did not last long though. One day as the court was holding dinner The Grand Wizard came in with a flourish startling all of them and garnering all of their attention. He paused for only a moment, cheeks blazing as he strided to his knights table. All eyes were on him as he pulled her up, the confused expression on her face disappearing as he leaned down and kissed her arms locking around her. The crowd gasped around them with shock on many faces but the two paid it no heed as they rested their foreheads together. Then to all of their surprise the grand wizard's voice reverberated off the dining halls walls.

“I was not ashamed of you before and I am not ashamed of you now, you are and always will be the most beautiful women I have ever seen and my love will never falter” and then without warning the wizard retreated out of the hall leaving all of them stunned.

The court hadn’t known why the grand wizard put up with the knight Nora Valkyrie. They hadn’t known about the wizards' unfaltering love so powerful it created a storm that lasted weeks and hadn't realized that it wasn’t annoyance that the wizard showed her but fondness. One he held for only his Knight.

Of the few times Qrow had meet him, the blonde hadn’t been the worst. He told the worst jokes and unsurprisingly his temper could be a bit short, but he was kind, gentle, warm. Qrow wasn’t sure it was the best match, especially since both of them could have short fuses but not for the first time Qrow wondered if the fire elemental would be able to temper his sisters ire. He hoped so other wise this marriage was going to go up in flames and lots of them. It would be unlikely that either of them would come out on scathed.

To the east of the Corvid tribe were the air elementals and from where he stood at his own temporary tent, he could see Summer. His best friend watched the revelry around them with a sullen look, eyes following Tai as he danced, arms fluid in their movements before they would explode into a flurry. Qrow felt a pang of sadness in his chest, Summer had confided in him last autumn that she’d fallen for the other elemental so when the announcement had been made that the Corvid tribe and the tribe of Fire were to forge a stronger bond through marriage she’d been devastated. She’d put on a strong front, all smiles in front of the two but in private when it was just her and Qrow she’d end up in his arms sobbing.

He hated it but there was nothing to be done. Raven had agreed to the marriage the moment she knew the benefits they would give to their tribe. She hadn’t thought for a moment about love or happiness Qrow knew. He’d asked her and she’d scoffed at him, told him it was foolish to even think about. What was important she’d insisted was that the tribe would gain not only more resources from their new allegiance but power.

“It will be you next time this year” bile rose in Qrow’s throat as his father slapped down a hand on his shoulder. His father the chief had announced during the previous tribe assembly that Qrow was to marry into the Tribe of Ice to James. He’d been horrified and by the fury on James face he’d been equally as upset by the announcement. The two of them barely tolerated each other on a good day, on a bad day their fights easily turned to sharing blows. He couldn’t fathom why his father had thought that arrangement would be a good idea.

“Right” Qrow’s eyes drifted over the bonfire in the middle of the encampment resting on the water tribes tents. Of all of the tribes they’d seemed the least enthusiastic about the marriage, had watched in quiet contemplation. The Corvid’s since Qrow had been born had grown more vicious and according to the whispers power hungry. Raven’s wedding wasn’t the first political marriage they’d managed to obtain but it was the strongest.

He’d grown with the brutality, had told it was kill or be killed over and over again by his father. No room for mistakes or they’d fall. He’d grown tired of it and the marriage between him, and James had finally been the last straw. He wasn’t getting married in a year… he was getting married at dawn.

It was fairly easy to slip out of his tent unnoticed. Maybe it was the copious amounts of alcohol they’d drank last night, or it could be the teeny tiny rest spell that Qrow may have ‘accidently’ created. Either way it was quiet as he stepped out and took in the predawn air.

His stomach swooped nervously as he made his way west towards the sea. Only for a moment did he look back at what he was leaving behind. If he did this he would be shunned from his tribe, never able to speak with his family again. Yet he knew if he stayed, he’d never be happy, instead he’d be trapped in a marriage that would simply end in tragedy. He took one final look at what he was leaving behind, eyes roving over the black canvas of the tents, white outlining the birds of their tribes small blue jays on the outer tents, magpies in the second ring, crows drawn on the third and finally one large raven in the very middle. The chief surrounded by his flock.

He turned and took a step into the forest. For a moment Qrow was gripped with fear, what if his beloved decided he didn’t want to go through with this? That the ire of his tribe was to much and he wasn’t worth it? If he never showed up Qrow wasn’t sure if he could take it, not only would he have to come back to his tribe in shame, but there would also be no way for him to escape after.

A loud raspy caw broke him out of his panic, the bird swooping down low and shooting forward to the paths that would lead him to the cliffs. If it were any other tribe, he knows that they’d see a crow as a bad omen but Qrow knew differently. For a member of the corvid tribe, it was a sign of approval. That the flock members of the past gave their consent to his actions.

He followed the bird at a run, the forest around him blurring until all he saw was splotches of greens and browns as he passed. From around him he could hear the flapping of wings grow louder around him, the songs of the birds beginning to pick up. A blessing. Qrow couldn’t help the grin that came to his face as he saw the break in the tree line.

He stopped right where the trees meet the outlook catching his breath. Distantly Qrow heard the crash of waves and he remembered that far below the sea met the land and right on the edge of the bluffs stood Clover. From where he stood, all he could make out was his figure, waiting for him. He strode over eyes not leaving him for a moment.

Even in the dark Qrow could make out the crinkles at the edges of his eyes as he smiled at him. The spark of joy in the other man’s eyes were all for him. Clover reached out his hand as he got closer and Qrow gripped it firmly, before pulling Clover down and resting their foreheads together.

“your late” Clover said softly, eyes fluttering closed and shoulder relaxing. Guilt swirls briefly in his stomach at making him worry.

“Sorry, I was nervous” A blush blooms across his face as he sees the shy smile Clover gives him, his heart picking up in speed. He’d meet Clover by accident only three years ago, but those three years felt like a life time. At first Qrow would admit he hadn’t seen anything particularly special about Clover not like he did know. His fighting skills were average by Corvid standards and Qrow liked to tease that he could take him in a fight any day. Clover merely smiled most of the time but there was a dangerous glint in his eyes one Qrow hadn’t understood until he’d fallen into one of Clovers traps. While Qrow was the better fighter, Clover was the smarter one, using his surroundings to his advantage. In the corvid tribe they would have said he was cheating, using cheap tactics to win. The Tribe of water didn’t, fight smarter not harder was their motto one that had kept them afloat for a long time.

It was as he was swinging from a tree, foot caught in yet another trap blood rushing to his head that he realized that maybe Clover was just a little pretty. It was a revelation that he took in stride ignoring it most of the time until he couldn’t. They’d been forced together as partners for a longer hunting mission. A hunt that had them together for nearly a week alone.

They’d come back with the most amount of game than anyone else who’d gone out that week but more importantly They’d come back and been nearly inseparable. It had been difficult for them when their respective tribes had parted ways, and it never became any easier.

When they got the chance to see each other they’d stay up late into the night, talking and laughing. Not even realizing that the people around them had gone to bed. It left the both of them tired the next day but Qrow had never regretted it.

It was Clover who initiated their relationship or at least that’s what Clover liked to tell people who asked. Qrow would argue that technically, technically! It was him. After that first year he’d give Clover small trinkets, beads in turquoise blue, intricately carved sea glass. Rings for all his fingers, necklaces in gold and silver, anklets that’s chains were weaved in patterns that represented waves. They were all standard courting gifts for the Corvids! How was Qrow suppose to know that, that wasn’t how the elementals did it? After countless gifts representing his feelings with none given in return, he’d been just about ready to give up.

It wasn’t until Clover took him down to a cove that he realized the mix up. The waves had been lapping at the beach languidly, the sun’s rays warming their skin. Qrow had been dozing, one arm cushioning his head while the other lay limply to his side. He’d been startled awake as a cold wet hand intwined with his own. His heart had stuttered in his chest, eyes looking on in confusion.

“Will you ride the waves with me?” Clover had asked his cheeks growing a rosy red. He’d glanced out at the water, even though the waves were small where they sat, further out they were large enough to sweep him under.

“Uh right now” Qrow asked his mouth dry. Clover had simply nodded eyes staring resolutely at the sand.

“Could we uh wait till it’s a bit calmer?” Clovers head had shot up, eyes looking at him in disbelief.

“What why?” Qrow had looked at him dubiously before glancing back at the open water that looked no less intimidating then it had a moment before.

“Doesn’t exactly look safe”

“I’ll keep you safe” if Qrow had left it at that then they wouldn’t be where they are now, they’d still be dancing around each other, neither of them being direct enough for the other to know their true feelings but he had opened his mouth.

“For somebody not returning courting gifts you’re asking a lot from me” The response he gets from Clover is not the one he was expecting, surprise at first, then joy before it melts into confusion.

“Courting gifts? Wait! The jewelry?” He’d nodded trying not to pout. He assumed if Clover hadn’t figured out that’s what it was then it clearly wasn’t good enough.

“I can make you something better, if you don’t like them” Qrow tried not to let the hurt show through his words. He’d worked hard on each piece a representation of his feelings, each delicate part put together with meticulous care.

“I like them Qrow I just… I thought we were already courting” it was his turn to be confused, he was sure Clover hadn’t given him anything to start actual courting.

“When, the water tribe is courting someone we don’t give gifts we give our time and well you’ve never said no to seeing me, so I thought” Clover had thought they’d been courting, while Qrow had thought they hadn’t been.

“riding the waves with somebody, it’s a big deal. It means your serious about the courtship. That you trust the other person to bring you back to the land unharmed”

“But clearly were not there yet especially since-”

“I want to ride the waves with you” there was no doubt in Qrow’s mind.

“Look Qrow this isn’t a joke its really damn important to me”

“like giving me a gift in return is important to me? You accepted my gifts, but you never returned them. I thought this was all one sided, but I know I’m serious I wouldn’t… I wouldn’t have given your rings if I weren’t” He paused just for a moment needing Clover to understand that they’d both come to the same conclusion just in different ways.

“rings?” Clover prompted after a moment and Qrow looked at him ruefully, before lifting Clovers hands up.

“rings are the hardest piece of jewelry to make you don’t give one away to just anybody and they normally mean something.” Qrow lifted Clovers left index finger up slowly seeing the green ring shine in the sunlight.

“I made this one out of  sea glass, it took ages to find the colour I wanted but it matches your eyes. It took even longer to carve.” He draws Clovers other hand to him, pulling out his pinky finger.

“I weaved the metal of this one together, so it looked like the knots you use on your traps.” Finally, he pulled up Clovers right index finger.

“I put seashells in this one because I know you like collecting them.”  

“rings are the last courting jewelry you give before giving up. They mean the most” Clover slumped over where he sat, shaking his head in disbelief.

“So, let me get this straight we’ve both been courting each other but you thought I didn’t reciprocate your feelings and I thought we were already passed knowing that” Qrow hummed in response that sounded about right.

“glad that’s cleared up. Now can I kiss you?”

Everything since then had slotted together like puzzle pieces. Almost like they’d been meant for each other. Which is what ultimately had led them to the cliffs. it was where both of them could feel the heart of their respective tribes. Clover could hear the waves crashing far below, could feel the power it unleashed. Qrow could hear the sounds of the crows carrying to him on the wind. It was the perfect place to elope.

“The two of you ready then?” The two looked up to see Ozpin slowly approaching, the morning light just beginning to peak over the horizon illuminating him in a soft orange glow. Qrow smiled at the older man, he was the only one he trusted to do this for them. Any other adult would have laughed at them, spouted something about being too young to know what love was. They would have told their respective chiefs and been kept from each other.

Ozpin wouldn’t. the older man knew better than anyone that the arranged marriages rarely worked among the tribes. His own failed marriage was a testament to that. So, when the two of them had asked him, hesitantly if he’d officiate, he’d just smiled at the two of them a wistful look in his eyes.

“Yeah, we’re ready” Ozpin wrapped one blue ribbon around their joined hands, before weaving a red one in between it. Qrow feels the crackle of magic flare between their joined hands and subconsciously holds on tighter. Ozpin is just finishing up the first part of the binding spell, when Qrow feels a rush of air, the crows around them cawing in warning before he sees her. Her white cloak billows behind her snapping in the wind, her silver eyes stare in shock, before she’s moving again. One minute she’s at the tree line and the next she’s gripping their arms trying to tear off the ribbons.

“What are you doing?!”

“What does it look like I’m doing Sum?”

“It looks like your being an idiot!” Clover snorted and Qrow glared at him before breaking out into his own grin. He would admit Clover could at times make him be a bit of a fool, but it wasn’t like it was one sided.

“Your going to ruin your sister’s wedding! Undo these now!”  She tugged uselessly at the glowing ribbons. There was only two ways the ribbons would come off the first being if one of them called it off, the second being they finish the ceremony.

“No, Summ. This is my only shot at this”

“at what? Making the worst decision of your life? I can’t let you do this I’ll scream, so help me Qrow I will” Qrow took a deep breath in the hopes of quelling the panic beginning to grow in his chest. They’d have most of the tribes here in mere moments if she did that and then it would be too late.

“I love Clover, Summer. I won’t be married off to James as a bargaining chip for more power and if I don’t do this now, I’m going to be unhappy for the rest of my life.” Summer’s hands fall uselessly to her sides, her mouth open in shock.

“your my best friend Sum. Please don’t ruin my life” There’s arms around him a moment later, the back of his shirt growing damp as she cries.

“Damn it. You could have told me! To think I was going to miss my best friend’s wedding because he was to stupid to tell me” Qrow snorted at that, before Ozpin cleared his throat, amusement dancing in his eyes.

“Now that we’re done with the theatrics. I believe we should finish this up before any one else is able to interrupt” Summer steps back allowing Ozpin to finish the spell that will bind their hearts together. The ribbons colour drains from the silk fabric until all that’s left is a dull gray. Together the two of them slowly unwind the ribbon. What’s underneath makes Qrow’s heart flutter. In a deep crimson is the outline of a crow and peeking out from a horizon in bright gold was the sun. from below it green waves crashed together. Qrow looked down at his own arm to see a matching one. There was no going back now Clover was stuck with him forever. Clover pulled him into a gentle kiss, one Qrow returned easily. They break apart only a moment later, two sets of eyes sparkling in joy.

He’d been bedridden for nearly two weeks, the fever causing him to sweat through most of his clothes, and the chills making it hard for him not to have at least two layers covering him. His mother watched over him diligently, even as the rest of the tribe began to say he was a lost cause, that it would be more merciful for her to let him pass instead of keeping him here. His mother had ignored them, using every trick she knew to slowly nurse him back to health.

Qrow knew now that the most likely reason he’d been sick for that long was due to his semblance. Always trying to bring him one step closer to the end even when he’d barely experience the world. The other times he’d been sick hadn’t been any easier, he’d always be sick for at least two weeks, but the worst cases could last nearly a month. He’d learned since the first time how to take care of the worse of the symptoms. Ginger and honey tea for sore throats, eucalyptus for helping clear sinuses, oranges to boost the immune system. All things he’d picked up from the tribe.

Modern medicine on top of that though had been a life saver. The first time he’d gotten sick while at beacon he’d pushed through the day, head pounding, rooms spinning stomach rolling. It hadn’t been until Summer had pinned him to the training hall floor and he hadn’t gotten up that she began to fuss.

“you took some ibuprofen, right?” it took him a minute to answer trying to focus on her rather than the room spinning around her. What he could catch of her wavering expression hadn’t been good. A mix of concern and irritation. He closed his eyes for a moment the light in the training halls far too bright.

“did I take what?” He tried to recall if he’d ever heard the word before and what exactly it would do but he kept drawing a blank. From his pocket he pulled out a small vile, and in it contained a small bit of lavender flower and peppermint leaves. He drew it up to his nose breathing in deeply and felt the tension in his head lessen slightly.

“For the love of… come on” She’d dragged him back to their dorm room, expression stormy as she pulled out a bottle of pills and shoved two into his hands. He’d stared at her like she’d had a second head.

“take it” Qrow shrugged before swallowing them, coughing as one lodged itself in his throat before managing to continue down. He’d felt better within the hour. Still tired but that was to be expected. He recovered in a week, faster than he ever had before.

“Qrow” Qrow looked over at the pitiful whine that had come from the bedroom and sighing getting up from his spot on the couch. He moved to pick up a box of tissues and the glass of orange juice on the table from earlier.

When he makes it to their bedroom, Clovers tucked under the warm green covers, his eyes indicating just how miserable he was. The box on the night stand was empty, the trash full of snotty tissue that had Qrow grimacing. The bed didn’t seem to be fairing any better, as several tissues littered the top of the blanket.

“come here” Clover pleaded as he sat down gingerly on the other side of the bed. When Clover had first gotten sick Qrow had been surprised, but than concluded that even if you were the luckiest person in the world, germs didn’t really care about that. Clover hadn’t been either, but he had been whiny, the cold apparently changing him from confident dependable captain to needy and clingy boyfriend. Which was fine Qrow didn’t mind taking care of him, what he did mind was Clover trying to cuddle with him while he was as sick as a dog.

“told you lucky charm. I will. After your better” the pout he got nearly dissuaded. Nearly, but the coughing fit that Clover had a second later had him moving off the bed and to the other side of the room and throwing the tissue box at him. It landed on his legs with a soft thump.

“s’not that bad please?” Qrow’s eyes stared at the headboard behind him so he couldn’t see the pleading look Clover was giving him. He knew he would cave if he didn’t.

“no Cloves. You may get better by tomorrow, but I’ll be sick for at least a week and I really don’t want to be” Qrow watches as Clover sinks into the pillows propping him up, drawing the blanket over his head, before curling up slightly. There’s sniffling coming from under the blanket, one at first Qrow assumes is Clover just needing to blow his nose. A moment later though he knows that’s not the case as Clover’s breath hitches and pitiful sniffling comes from under the blankets. Shit.

“Clover?” Qrow rests a hand on one of his feet through the blanket, Clover curls into himself further under the covers. An arm reaches up blindly searching for a moment for the tissue box before his hand lands on it and squirls it away. He sighs placing the orange juice on the bed side table before sliding under the covers. He knows he’s going to regret this come morning. Can already practically feel the pounding headache he was going to have.

“Come here” He wrangles the other man into his arms, legs tangling together. He tucks Clover into his side, brushing away a stray tear before handing him a tissue.

“I’m sorry” Clover whispers burying his face into Qrow’s shirt. He tries not to grimace as he sees snot and tears begin to seep through the fabric.

“It’s just…” Qrow tilts his head curious but waits patiently, he doesn’t think pushing Clover to talk would be fair. He’s rewarded a moment later.

“at the orphanage…nobody cared enough to take care of me when I was sick, but you have and it makes me…” Clovers arms tightened around Qrow’s middle as if trying to make sure Qrow wouldn’t leave, Qrow had no intention too.

“makes me scared that you’ll just leave me like this” Qrow shushed him sinking down slightly until they were face to face. Tired sea green eyes meet crimson red. Nearly a year ago an admission like this would have sent him running. He hadn’t been good with emotional situations, but he’d been getting better since being sober.

“can’t you go any faster?” Qrow snorted purposely slowing his pace, and sticking to the shadows, eyes darting down the western corridor to see if a professor was lurking around,. thanks to Clover it looked like luck was on their side as it remained completely empty.

“I could. If I wanted to get caught” Qrow whispered, eyes alight with mischief. Clover seemed undeterred from his comment, twirling in a circle in the middle of the hallway before sticking his tongue out at him. Brat. Clover pulls him into the moonlight, hall a glow.

“practically nobody’s here pretty bird. Everyone’s out partying in the city after the ‘battle of the century’” Qrow laughed at that. It had only been a few hours ago that he’d been standing in a stadium a crowd cheering for him, a crowd cheering against him as he faced off against atlas’s finest. His and James fight had lasted nearly an hour and a half and according to the records it was the longest fight in the Vytal tournaments history. It’s unsurprising given James semblance, he’d had to wear him down over an extended period of time, he’d done it but just barely.

“Even your team went out, didn’t they?” They had. Had nearly taken him with them except Qrow had feigned exhaustion. Which hadn’t been a total lie. He had been tired, but he’d also had plans. Plans that apparently involved following a boy with sea green eyes to get ice cream at one in the morning.

“And your teammates went to study, right?” Clover let out an unamused snort before nodding. Tugging him along, before stopping in front of the giant double doors. Clover pulled out some hair pins, ones that looked just a little to extravagant to have been his teammate Elm’s. He raised an eyebrow at him one Clover only returned with a sheepish grin.

“Winter forgot them in class the other day… she won’t miss them, right?”

“Clover. I’m saying this because I need you to know, that of everything we’re doing tonight, this is by far the stupidest decision you’ve made. Ice Queen’s hair pins? Seriously. I swear she counts them” Clover gulped nervously, eyeing the pins in his hands. Qrow had only been partially joking, Winter had nearly taken his arm off from just merely touching one of them. Had yelled at him for daring to touch one of her precious hair pins. Which wasn’t fair! Summer had the exact same one and he’d though she’d dropped it. The yelling had been uncalled for.

“right. Return them. got it. after operation midnight snack”

“I’m a snack” Clover tried to contain his laugh as Qrow smirked, it was a dumb joke, and he knew it, but it had worked all the same. After Clover had gotten a hold of himself, which had been quite difficult apparently with him standing there, he crouched down to get a better glimpse of the lock. At the same time however, a tingle raced up the back of Qrow’s spine. It gave him pause as Clover kneeled there trying to figure out how to use the pins to get in.

“I don’t think we need them” Qrow said quietly reaching for the handle. He wasn’t one hundred percent sure but… he had a feeling the door wasn’t locked. Clover looked up at him quizzically but moved none the less. He turned the handle and pushed just a little. The door moved with a deep groan that reverberated through the empty cafeteria. Clover blinked up at him before a smile lit up his face and he was scrambling to his feet.

“How’d you know it was open?” Qrow rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Until recently he hadn’t known how to tell when his semblance was set off, just assumed that he didn’t really have control over it and had to deal with the consequences.

“Professor Karma had me doing meditation exercises the last few weeks to focus ‘tipping the scales in the negative’” the professor refused to call his semblance bad luck. Had only said that his semblance tipped the scales in the negatives making it more likely an unfavorable outcome were to occur. He thought it was just a really lengthy way of saying bad luck, but he’d grown tired of arguing about it.

“It helped? I I don’t know I just had a feeling” Clover jumped up and wrapped him up into his arms, giving him a bone crushing hug before letting go.

“the class is helping then?” Qrow nodded as they stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him so it looked like it was closed before the two of them ran down to the other end, pulling the door to the kitchen open and stepping through. Clover flicks the switch on unafraid of getting caught and at this point Qrow’s starting to think he’d been worried for nothing. The light reveals an island in the middle of the space, the metal surface shinning under the lights glare. On one side of the room sat several stoves and ovens, and on the other a huge walk-in freezer. Clover didn’t waste anytime going to open it.

“chocolate, vanilla or strawberry?” He rolls his eyes, pointing to the chocolate. A moment later a frosty bowl is shoved into his hands. Clover had taken vanilla which was fine except he was putting so much chocolate syrup on it that it might as well have been chocolate ice cream. Qrow rolled his eyes, they’d been over this argument one to many times for Qrow to care at this point. Clover plopped himself down onto the ground, legs crossing as he rested the bowl on his knee gesturing for Qrow to do the same.  He didn’t hesitate, moving to sit right beside him their shoulders touching. They eat in peaceful quiet for the most part only the occasional squawk of displeasure leaving him when his treat decided to jump ship off his spoon.