Despite the constant threat of rain in the distance, the skies over Beacon Academy stayed mercifully clear. The hours of time spent prepping her hair and makeup weren’t going to waste this night, it would appear. But the lightning popping just outside the campus made her move with alacrity from cover to cover towards the main hall.
Slipping into the front door, she breathed a sigh of relief. All the rest of her teammates had already arrived to the dance, but she had insisted upon finishing up her last few pieces of class work.
That’s what leaders are supposed to do, right? she reasoned, it wasn’t like I had a date. Not like the rest of them.
The main hall had been transformed. It was awash with the glitter of a thousand crystals. In the intended darkness and gloom of the dance floor, the flashing of the not so distant lightning caught the facets of the crystals spread about the room. For a moment no one noticed her arrival, and she allowed herself to be overwhelmed. Team CRLN had done a beautiful job.
In her solace, she watched her teammates flutter about the room.
Tai and Raven were the couple to be, in sweeping colors, light and dark, yin and yang across the floor. Ever the debonair, Tai twirled his striking woman, instilling envy in all the other men and women present. Eyes sparkling, Raven was a glorious sight to see.
Qrow… was Qrow. A beautiful lady in arm, one she recognized by face, not name, was different than the one she had met last week. Blushing away as he whispered something most likely scandalous in her ear, it was obvious that she was under the slight haze of alcohol, no doubt supplied by her partner.
Elsewhere about the room, the crowd undulated and swarmed, colors and sparkles of every kind hypntoizing to the beat. The sensation was beginning to overwhelm the petite young woman, pressing, pushing. A clear voice broke through the static, pushing back on the masses.
“Slightly overwhelming, is it not, Miss Rose?”
Shaking her head to clear it, she took a moment to respond to the speaker.
“Yes, Professor Ozpin, it can be.”
“It’s quite obvious to see the Atlesean influence in CRLN’s design, wouldn’t you agree?”
Nodding, she reveled in the peace and quiet that proximity to the headmaster seemed to invoke.
An eyebrow raised, the Professor was the first to break the silence.
“I’m glad you took this time to come. I was concerned when your teammates arrived without you.”
“Well, they had reasons to be here.”
“Oh?”
The young woman raised an arm to the dance floor, gesturing to her teammates and their dates, preoccupied.
“Ah. I see.” Clearing his throat, the professor shuffled slightly, as if nervous. “Well, Miss Rose, I would warn you to not diminish your worth as to a companion. Or the worth of a gathering of this sort without said companion.”
A slight smile tugged at her lips. “I’m here, aren’t I?”
“Indeed, you are. I am still surprised that you had none ask you…”
“I never said that I wasn’t asked, Professor.”
Finally turning to actually face the young woman, the older man’s brow shot up, an unspoken question across his eyes.
She sighed, considering how best to explain her thoughts. Settling in to an answer that both answered and was polite enough, she continued.
“There was none that I wanted to be here with.”
It was the headmaster’s turn to offer up a slight smile.
“I see.”
“Professor… I’ve seen when two people aren’t picky on who they choose. I am intimately familiar. I have no desire to live like that.”
“And why waste time when you don’t see any potential to begin with?”
A slight blush creeped up to the woman’s cheeks.
“That makes it sound so very callous…”
A thoughtful look crossed his face.
“Not callous. Merely… far-seeing. Not a bad trait.”
“I just…” The redheaded woman, at loss for words, glanced out into the dance floor, where an inebriated young woman giggled uncontrollably as she stepped on her partner’s toes. Qrow was beginning to show signs of frustration. It dawned on Summer what she was trying to define.
“I don’t want to be like Qrow.”
For the first time in her life, she heard the headmaster laugh.
“Miss Rose, I don’t think you would ever be viewed like Qrow.”
She puffed out a breath, frustrated. “I don’t want to just take what’s offered by any and everyone. Qrow jumps from one girl to the next. I don’t even know the name of this most current girl, and I doubt she’s going to last the night… That’s what I mean by not being like Qrow.”
“Quite honestly, I don’t think Qrow wants to be like Qrow.”
“What do you me–”
“As for you, Miss Rose, it’s a good way to be. And I am certain you will find someone that you will wish to spend this time with you, and vice versa. Someone you will not ‘settle’ with, but rather choose.”
Turning distinctly away, he signified the end of their conversation.
“In the meantime, I hope you do get at least a single dance. Grace in battle is often a sign of grace in dance, wouldnt you agree?”
“I’ll try my best, Professor.”
—
Qrow heaved out a deep sigh as he stepped out of the door and on to the balcony. Glancing down at the scuffed toes of his shoes, he looked angrily back to the ballroom where his inebriated date was loudly searching for him. He shut the door behind him.
Pulling his flask from it’s hidden pouch in his jacket, he swirled it, contented to find it mostly full still.
What a freakin’ lightweight. She had one, maybe two shots, and she’s sloshed.
Taking a swig, he glanced down the length of the balcony. He noticed a student - a young woman - at the far end. Her face turned away, her slight form was draped with a deep red, flowing gown, gathered at her neck, elbow and wrist, but hugged at all the right spots. Hair tucked up into intricate pulls and tacks, the bandit found himself wondering why he had missed this beauty inside.
Tucking his flask away again, his lopsided smirk fell into it’s usual place, and he began his walk towards the young woman.
“Hey the–” she turned at his voice, and he knew instantly why he hadn’t seen her. “–re, Sum.”
He quickly shifted gears. “What are you doing out here?”
She raised a brow. “I could ask you the same.”
“She was a lightweight. You?”
Shrugging, she turned back to gaze out into the horizon where the storm was still raging. He joined her in leaning against the balcony edge.
“Your date?”
She scoffed. “What date?”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. Somebody had to have asked?”
“Oh they asked. I just…” She seemed nervous to confess whatever was in her mind. “I didn’t want to come with any of them.”
Not sure how to respond, Qrow joined her in watching the storm for a moment. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his flask.
“Nip?”
He was surprised to have their team leader wrench his flask away so quickly.
“Hell yes.”
—
The empty flask laid on it’s side between them on the stone barrier.
“What is that stuff, Qrow??” Summer chuckled contentedly, her face awash in an alcohol induced blush.
“Just a little something from back home.” Flushed himself, he was smiling genuinely at the young woman. “I can’t believe we just finished that flask and you’re still standing. It’s like 150 proof…”
She waved a careless hand. “Eh, reminded me of home.”
His eyes glinted mischeviously. “If that’s how your home is, I think I’d like it there.”
“You would.”
From the inside ballroom, a loud clear voice called out last song. Furrowing his brow, the lanky young man turned to his teammate.
“Did you dance at all?”
The young woman shook her head.
“Did you want to?”
She shrugged, trying too hard to seem uninterested in the conversation. Setting his jaw, he grabbed her hand, pulling her away from the edge of the balcony and into his arms.
“Qrow, what are –?”
“It’s a dance, isn’t it?”
“… Yes…”
“And you’d like to dance, right?”
“I guess, yeah…”
“Then let’s dance.”
“But-”
“Will you stop talking about this and just dance with me, Rose?”
Her face pulled into a look of false offense, before morphing into a smile.
“Yessir.”
Pulling her gently closer, the soft music wafted out on to their private balcony, twisting and wrapping about them on the increasing wind. Slowly, the stiffness in her shoulders eased and she began to melt into his touch.
There was something intoxicating about his touch on her, she found, as he moved them across their private dance floor. Maybe, she thought, just maybe she was finding who she wanted to be around. To be held by. To…
No.
She willed that thought away, firmly forcing her mind into enjoying a moment. A comfortable, inebriated moment. Summer dropped her head to his chest, watching with detached contentedness as the distant storm neared.
Still, when he continued to hold her even after the song’s last few notes had died off, swaying to the completed melody, she didn’t want him to stop. And when he did stop, she didn’t want him to let her go.
Raising her head finally, she found him gazing down at her, her own expression mirrored. Silver met garnet and she was lost.
His hands on her bare arms, gently gently on her shoulders. They were calloused. She didn’t realize how calloused they were before. But the touch- so gentle, so kind. Cupping her jaw, thumbs brushing her cheeks. The haze…
So softly his lips on hers. Patient, inviting, tender. Her body no longer wanted her weight, so she leaned into him. A turn, and the kiss started to deepen and–
Krak-thoom!
The nearby lightning strike jolted her out of her stupor. Both shared a glance, and before either could speak, the clouds opened up on them.
A blush burst forth on Summer Rose’s cheeks as they both laughed, soaked already in the sudden downpour.
“Cold shower, got it!” Qrow yelled out at the heavens.
Summer smiled back at him, but stepped away.
“We should go inside…”
“Yeah,” Raven called as she opened the balcony door to them. “that might be smart if you prefer to be alive.”
Summer was the first in, Qrow on her heels, pausing first to snatch up his empty flask.
Raven gripped a soggy lapel of his, turning him to her as she closed the door behind him.
“Strings…”
Qrow rolled his eyes.
“Says the girl who’s screwing over who again…?”
“Strings don’t tangle me up like they always have you… Don’t forget your mission.”
Both of his hands shot up.
“Listen, sis, it was just a kiss. Nothing more.”
She eyed him suspiciously.
“Trust me, once the liqour is out of her system, she’d rather have kissed Port.”
His sister’s nose crinkled.
—
The clock on the wall beat out every second like a drum. Summer Rose laid awake in her bed, fully aware of every moment passing. It was twelve past three in the morning. She had counted every second. The liquor had long dissipated, but she was certain of the migraine in the morning.
Her silver eyes pierced the darkness, accustomed to the gloom. He slept soundly across from her, his head turned towards her.
She knew it was passing.
She knew it was the liquor.
She knew he wasn’t really interested.
She knew it was all a game for him.
But in that one evening, she knew she had found who she wanted to be with. Who she was having a hard time imaging not being around.
“Your mother once said those words to me… she was wrong”
More and more I feel that this shot of Summer we keep seeing isnt a memory. It’s more like Rubys mental image of Summer.
The first one is what she thinks of when she activated her silver eyes. A huntress. Slayer of monsters and baker of cookies. This ideal that Ruby has tried to live up to.
The second is after Salem tried to shake her resolve. Your mother had this sentiment. She thought she could stop me but she failed. Just like you will.
Huntsman. Uncle. Twin. And a self-titled “bad luck charm.”
I have so many feels over Qrow fucking Branwen.
Qrow’s semblance, revealed in Volume 4, is “bad luck.” Here’s what the RWBY Wiki has to say.
“Qrow’s Semblance brings misfortune wherever he goes, and unlike most Semblances, his is always active and uncontrollable. This leads to incidents as small as a glass being knocked onto the floor in “New Challengers” or as significant as a blocked attack chopping off the corner of a building in “Punished”. His Semblance can come to his advantage in a fight, such when Tyrian Callows falls through an old roof. His Semblance does not discriminate on who it affects, which causes him to keep his distance from the people he cares about.”
Qrow freaking Branwen.
Can you even beginto imagine what kind of hellthis man must live each day?
No, you really can’t. You really, really can’t.
You probably think, “Yeah, it would suck to have constant bad luck.”
Allow me to elaborate for you.
Imagine a young Qrow, perhaps part of a happy family, crying because his sister, Raven, tripped and hurt herself while they were playing. In the weeks following, Raven is more careful when she’s playing.
Imagine a slightly older Qrow, now in school, watching his close friends get into freak accidents and sustain random injuries. His friends are in the hospital or kept home, healing, more and more often.
Imagine tween Qrow, hearing that close family members are passing away suddenly and unexpectedly. His relatives don’t visit much, they’re all grieving.
Imagine teen Qrow, finding out that his first girlfriend was in an accident and is now on life support. When Qrow goes to visit, her life support shuts down and the doctors are too late.
Imagine 17-year-old Qrow, starting his life as a Hunter at Beacon. During the relic retrieval in the forest, he makes eye contact with Raven, just as a Grimm attacks. Qrow wheels Raven onto the stage in a wheelchair when Ozpin announces Team STRQ.
Imagine Qrow, now on Team STRQ, grow more and more reserved as his teammates experience troubling accidents and strange injuries. They ask Qrow what’s wrong. He says he’s fine. He starts wondering if he’s the one causing the accidents and injuries.
Imagine Qrow, doing research with Raven, having recently discovered their ability to transform into their respective bird namesake. Qrow learns that his bird form, a crow, is a symbol of bad luck. Something begins to grow in the back of his mind as the WiFI goes out and many students doing last minute homework are unable to finish. Instead of celebrating finding his supposed semblance, Qrow is lost in dark thought.
Imagine 20-year-old Qrow, graduated from Beacon, watching Taiyang and Raven date, and seeing the small accidents that endanger their relationship whenever he hangs out with them for too long. Qrow refuses to date. Summer wants to help her teammate. Qrow say’s everything’s fine. Depression begins to set in.
Imagine Qrow, beside Taiyang, each holding one of Raven’s hands as she goes into labor in the hospital. Nearly 18 hours later, Yang is born, and Raven is in a very dangerous condition. The doctors say they’ve never seen such a healthy pregnancy go so wrong at the very end. Qrow, with his new title of Uncle, excuses himself, and goes to the nearest bar.
Imagine Qrow, tears in his eyes, as Taiyang and Raven and Summer have the biggest fight in the history of Team STRQ’s fights. Yang plays with Qrow in the living room, calling him “Uncle.” The fight is broken up by Yang screaming in pain. Qrow doesn’t know how the TV fell, but the weight in his heart tells him that it was his fault. Raven and Taiyang make sure their daughter is alright while Summer tries to speak to Qrow as he makes an excuse to leave. He ends up at another bar. The bartender is starting to recognize him.
Imagine Qrow, hiding the scent of alcohol on his breath watching TV with Team STRQ and little Yang. He sits apart from them, and the weight in his heart grows when the news report. The local bar burned to the ground, most of the employees still inside. Qrow’s depression and want for a drink only grow.
Imagine Qrow, biting back tears as the fight from a few months ago comes to a front and ends with Raven walking out, Taiyang heartbroken, Summer in tears, and Qrow trying to comfort Yang while touching her as little as possible. All of them think that it’s their fault that Raven left, but Qrow knows the true blame resides with him.
Imagine Qrow, now without his twin and best friend. Summer and Taiyang find out about his growing reliance on alcohol, and they do their best to help him. He finally tells someone what he’s been feeling for so many years. He’s a bringer of bad luck. Summer and Tai are trying to reassure him as the power goes out, and Yang cries for hours. Qrow wishes for a drink and answers.
Imagine Qrow, as he goes on long hunting trips, and on one return discovers Taiyang and Summer have begun a relationship. He hesitantly agrees to be the best man at the wedding. Raven doesn’t show up, despite Summer reaching out to ask her to be the maid of honour. Several small mishaps occur at the wedding, but Qrow makes it through without a single drop of alcohol. Maybe, just maybe, things are looking up. Maybe the hunting helps.
Imagine Qrow, hunting more and more, rushing back when he hears the news. He arrives a few minutes after Ruby Rose is born, beaming as he hears the pregnancy was quick and easy. No repeats of last time. Yang holds Ruby, already strong enough, and asks with wide lilac eyes if “Uncle Qrow” wants a turn. He can’t refuse, and takes the small bundle, wrapped in a red blanket. Qrow feels the weight in his heart, knows he should hand Ruby off before anything happens, but he doesn’t want to let the little bundle go. In several nearby rooms, doctors rush to save patients who are flatlining for no reason.
Imagine Qrow, uncle of two beautiful girls, turning down babysitting in favor of hunting. He notices a pattern as he kills Grimm after Grimm after Grimm. He finds them fighting each other, already wounded, and sleeping. During fights, Grimm stumble on thin air, wound fellow beasts, miss openings for attacks. Qrow uses his bird form more and more, but the question of his semblance hangs in the balance. Where does the bad luck come from, and why? When there’s no Grimm around to fight and Qrow is alone, the weather is always terrible.
Imagine Qrow, unable to do anything but drink after Summer dies. Taiyang would join him, but his two girls need him. Ruby and Yang ask for their uncle, but Qrow doesn’t want to be around anyone he cares about. It’s too risky. A car accident kills several people outside the bar. Qrow drinks into oblivion.
Imagine Qrow, still ridden with grief, helping Tai bury Summer. Raven doesn’t show up. Yang gets expelled from school for fighting. Ruby gets bullied after Yang is gone. Qrow drinks. Tai tries to cope. The bad luck continues.
Imagine Qrow, finally cracking under so much pressure. He goes to talk to Ozpin at Beacon, something Summer suggested several years ago. Ozpin has answers. Qrow’s semblance isn’t his bird form. Ozpin calls him “a strange case.” His semblance is always active, and it cannot be controlled. Qrow breaks down right there in Ozpin’s office. Ozpin offers to help, staring down at the remains of his favourite coffee mug.
Imagine Qrow, struggling to stay sober, teaching his first class at Signal, thanks to Ozpin’s good word. He’s every student’s favourite teacher. His classes are practical and hands on, and the students are heavily independent, since Qrow distances himself from nearly everyone. It gets harder once Ruby joins Yang at signal. The accidents stay at a minimum. Qrow feels like maybe he’s figuring this out.
Imagine Qrow, helping Ruby put the finishing touches on Crescent Rose. Ruby has already cut and bruised herself several times during the construction, but Qrow fears Ruby’s adoration and idolization more than the injuries. He needs to distance himself. He helps Yang with her motorcycle once she gets her permit. He really needs to distance himself, but he enjoys spending time with the girls. Ruby goes to the hospital when a dust cartridge explodes in Crescent Rose and Yang ends up in the bed next to her after getting in an accident on her first spin. Qrow swears never to be so selfish again. They could have died. Everything was his fault. Depression and alcoholism return. He quits at Signal, to the dismay of everyone.
Imagine Qrow, putting all of his time into hunting, honing his skills. His semblance is uncontrollable. The Grimm, attracted by the stench of negative emotion rolling off of the single Huntsman, soon discover this. He hunts several species of Grimm to near extinction in parts of Remnant. Taiyang sends the occasional update. Qrows notices that everything seems to be going smoothly, and that gives him a dark sense of satisfaction.
Imagine Qrow, in very recent events, hearing a glass shatter after being knocked over, getting Winter Schnee caught acting out line, and playing video games that the girls lose, despite having more experience. Small things. Nothing too big. He’ll take off soon and the bad luck will fade.
Now, remember. Qrow, watching Ironwood deal with prosthetic malfunctions, hearing reports of Amber getting worse. Hearing the news that Yang is disqualified. That Penny Polendina is dead. Grimm are attacking. The Fall Maiden’s powers are in the hands of the enemy. Amber, Penny, and Pyrrha Nikos are dead. Ironwood’s army is destroyed. The Grimm dragon is awake, but quickly frozen by Ruby’s silver eye powers. Ruby is in a coma. Yang is dragged to safety, bleeding to death, missing an arm. Her teammate is also badly wounded. Qrow watches Team RWBY get torn apart as Weiss Schnee is taken home by her father, Taiyang arrives to take Ruby and Yang, and Blake runs away. Ozpin is dead.
Qrow drowning in the belief that everything was his fault.
Remember Qrow following Team RNJR, keeping several miles between them, the horrifying memories of everything so fresh. He knows he can keep Ruby safe from a distance. But Tyrian attacks, and he’s nearly too late. He’s not exempt from his semblance. Far from it. Wounded. Too close to Team RNJR for their own good. Having to take more of their innocence and carefree lives by explaining what was happening. The quiet shame he hides as he reveals his semblance, not meeting Ruby’s eyes for fear that she will see him as a monster. Poison setting in. Unable to protect Ruby and her friends. Unconscious, but still causing bad luck.
Understand Qrow. Despite the terrible things his bad luck does to those around him, the bad luck affects him worst of all. Because he knows. He knows that it’s hissemblance, and he believes that it’s all his fault. And he can’t do anything to stop it.
Commission for @canonseeker based on a post answered by @bridgyrose of Summer and Tai trying to set Qrow up with someone now that they have been together for a while
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