My internet was out for 3 days and this fanfic was born from boredom and my interest in a popular RWBY theory. I have my own opinions on its validity but we'll save that for the last chapter.
For now, let me guide you through a complicated love story I weaved during my 72 hours without internet.
"Why?" Summer breathed as a thousand unseen pins and needles plunged into her heart.
Qrow, the man in question, held his head down like a child who just got caught doing something bad.
"I...I just don't feel the same way." He mumbled, ruby eyes refusing to meet Summer's.
"Liar," Summer spat venomously. "Friends don't kiss each other for no reason."
"That was...a mistake."
"A mistake?" She choked. It felt like he'd ripped her heart out and cut it into two.
"That came out wrong," he mumbled to himself. "I was drunk and you...well you looked...nice that night." A red hue flushed his face as he responded, sparking a glimmer of hope within Summer.
"That's not a good excuse, Qrow. There was something there that night."
Even now she could remember the words he whispered in her ear, the touch of his lips under a starry sky. And now to hear him shrug it off as a mistake hurt more than any sword could inflict.
"That was a one-time thing. I...I just don't feel the same way." His persistence turned Summer's heartbreak into boiling anger.
"If you didn't feel the same way then why do you constantly volunteer to go stargazing with me?!"
"You know how loud Tai and Raven can get." He insisted in a heartbeat. "There's no way in hell I'm listening to that."
"Oh please, like you're any better." Summer blurted. "You and your girlfriends always made it hard for everyone to get a good night's sleep."
It also made it tremendously hard for Summer to be around him knowing he found so many other girls more attractive than her. As if being the shortest girl in the school wasn't bad enough.
"That was during our first year, give me a break." Qrow's voice thickened with annoyance. "Look, there's not much to say. I need to head back and...study."
Qrow's turned his back to her, but before he could take another step Summer's hand shot out from under her white cloak and grabbed onto his hand.
Qrow's sighed," Summer, I already told you-"
"Do you remember when we lost during the Vytle Festival?" She squeezed his hand. "Do you?"
An icy breeze blew past them, sending goosebumps up Summer's arms and legs.
"It was our first Vytle Festival." She continued after an awkward pause," we weren't the best team at Beacon yet, but we weren't pushovers either. Back then, I really thought we had a good chance at winning. I even had a party planned for our victory...Of course, that's not how things turned out..."
Summer sat on the rooftop of Beacon Academy with nothing but her thoughts to keep her company. She kept her silver eyes glued to the twinkling sky as her inner demons chastised her, relentlessly tearing down her confidence and self-worth.
'It's not fair,' she thought grimly to herself. 'How can they shine so brightly after our defeat?'
She pulled her knees up to her chest, wincing as the small movement irritated the gash on her stomach.
'I underestimated our opponents. If I hadn't been so focused on beating that sniper then I would've noticed how much my team was struggling. I should've backed down and articulated a better strategy...'
Summer rested her forehead on her knees as tears began to burn her eyes.
"Why was I so stupid? This is all my fault..." Her hands curled into shaking fists. "I knew Ozpin made a mistake when he chose me as a leader. H-how could I be so selfish and let my friends down?"
"And Raven calls me the emo one."
Summer's heart practically leaped out of her chest at the voice behind her. She twisted her body around to face her unexpected guest, grimacing as pain shot up from her wound.
"Q-Qrow?" She squinted her flooded eyes at the dark figure. This time she couldn't tell if the tears were from their defeat or her burning injury.
"I thought you said that you'd take it easy," he continued nonchalantly
"I-I'm just enjoying the view," she frantically wiped her eyes dry with her cloak. "I-it's really relaxing. S-so it's technically taking it easy."
Summer tore her eyes away from her teammate, though she could still feel his gaze locked onto her.
"Right..."
Butterflies tickled Summer's stomach as Qrow casually took a seat beside her. Despite being on the same team, they've never talked outside of training or class. In fact, the only thing Summer knew about Qrow was that he was Raven's twin brother and he was a bit of a player.
"Geez you look like I'm holding you hostage," Qrow broke the silence first. "Will you relax a bit?"
"W-what are you talking about? I haven't felt this relaxed since the whole festival started. N-no more fighting for us, s-so that means more sleep...yeah."
She didn't dare look at Qrow during her little ramble. She hated having to lie to her team mate's face; she was their team leader for Gods' sake! She was supposed to be trustworthy and reliable, two things she'd failed to live up to.
"S-so, what are you doing up here?" She asked with a nervous giggle.
Qrow leaned back on his hands and answered, "Raven asked me to check up on you before leaving to get a late night snack with Tai. You can imagine my surprise when I came into an empty room and an opened window. I figured you didn't get far so I decided to check up here...you could call it a lucky guess." He chuckled at the last part.
"O-oh, well I'm here and safe. I'll head back after-"
"Cut the bullshit, Summer."
Summer snapped her mouth shut. It was unusual for Qrow, or any of her teammates for that matter, to use vulgar language against her.
She fidgeted with the edge of her cloak. If it weren't for her injury she would've leaped up to her feet and ran.
"Look," he shifted himself into a more comfortable position." It's just one defeat-"
"It was our biggest defeat!"
"So?"
"So?!" She shot him an incredulous look. "Our defeat was embarrassing! If I had just paid more attention to you guys I would've noticed how much trouble we were in...I-I would've come up with a better strategy."
The lump at the back of Summer's throat seemed to grow. She bit the inside of her cheeks, desperately fighting back the fresh tears blurring her vision.
Qrow, on the other hand, looked perfectly relaxed as he scanned over the starry night sky. If he was bothered by their loss then he certainly wasn't showing it.
"It's not your fault, Summer. Those guys are way more experienced than us-"
"We still could've won, Qrow. There...there was still a chance and I blew it."
He shrugged," I suppose, but we would've gotten out from that fight with some serious injuries. You can see this defeat as...sort of a blessing."
Summer arched her brow at him. He dropped his gaze down onto his lap, fingers tapping rhythmically against the rooftop. If this were any other circumstance Summer would've laughed at him. He was never the type to be nervous, not even when he confronted a cute girl. Yet here he was, acting like an awkward middle-schooler trying to ask out their crush.
"Look, I'm not good at...this." He scratched the back of his head and looked back up at the sky. "I...uh...don't think it's your fault. None of us do."
"But...we still lost because of my incompetence as a leader."
"We're not going to get any better if you sit around and mope all day either. I don't blame you for our loss, hell not even my asshole of a sister thinks it's your fault. The only one who's blowing things way out of proportions is yourself." His words managed to quiet most of the demons gnawing at her anxieties. She felt a great weight lift from her chest.
"We'll get our revenge next year, shortie." He playfully punched her on the shoulder. "Now stop moping out here alone. It doesn't suit your style."
A single tear managed to escape from her watery eyes. Summer bit on the inside of her cheeks so hard she could taste iron, though that wasn't enough to stop the rest of the tears to come rushing out.
Qrow mumbled something under his breath before replying," okay, what did I say wrong?"
Summer shook her head," I'm...I'm just grateful you're here right now."
"Yeah well don't get used to it," his signature smirk now stretched on his face. "I'm not too fond of stuff like this."
For the first time since they left that arena, Summa cracked a genuine smile. She returned her eyes to the diamonds in the sky, their twinkling light now welcomed in her heart.
"Qrow?"
"Hm?"
"Can you...stay with me for a little bit? I don't want to go back yet."
He forced out an exasperated sigh," fine, but you owe me."
"...thank you."
"I like to think that was the time we really started to be friends." Summer explained, her nails were practically digging into his hand at this point.
"Summer..."
"I was really happy when we started talking and hanging out outside of class. I...I was so glad to see you opening up to me just a little bit more."
"Don't overthink it," he answered coldly. "It's...only logical that I try to get along with my team leader. We need to work with each other, after all."
Summer held back every urge punch him; scream at him to turn around and look her in the eyes.
"Sorry if I gave you the wrong idea." He added curtly.
Summer opened her mouth to protest, but before the words could leave her mouth she spotted Tai and Raven heading towards them. Qrow cursed under his breath and practically ripped Summer's hand off of his.
'What are they doing here?!' She thought as a wave of fear rushed through her. 'I thought Tai was going to take Raven out for a dinner date. And even if the date ended early why walk to the back of the school?'
Tai took quick notice of Qrow and Summer. He waved and called out to them, completely oblivious to the thick tension entangling them.
Summer gasped as the puzzle pieces fell perfectly together," you're scared."
"Excuse me?" Qrow looked back at her, seeming genuinely shocked at her statement.
"Your semblance," she elaborated softly. "You're scared that your semblance will hurt me."
"No," he looked away from her again. "I already told you that I only see you as a friend. You're overthinking again."
"I always wondered why you ended all your relationships early," Summer continued, completely ignoring his previous claim. "And why you barely come out to group hangouts. You're terrified something bad will happen to us-to me."
"Seriously, you're blowing this way out of proportion!" He turned around to face her, eyes flaring with anger. She knew she'd hit a sensitive subject, though she was too stubborn to back down now.
"I'm not scared of your semblance." She took a step toward him. "I've been on the same team with you for years, I know how to handle it."
"Look, how many times do I have to tell you?! I never have and never will see you as more than a friend! Stop trying to assume there's a reason why I don't feel the same way!"
"I don't have to assume! I know you well enough to tell whether or not you're lying to me or not! Why don't you stop assuming I'm too helpless to look out for myself?"
"Ugh! Why do you have to be so stubborn?!"
"Why do you have to be so paranoid?!"
"Um...are we interrupting something?"
Neither Summer nor Qrow noticed the remainder of their team standing beside them, both Tai and Raven looked equally as shocked at their screaming fit. Summer bowed her head and quickly pulled her hood over her head. His words still lingered in her head, each sentence shooting venom into her already damaged heart.
Qrow backed away from Summer and folded his arms," Summer and I were just having a small disagreement. I was trying to clarify some things with her."
Raven shot her twin a skeptical look before looking over at Summer," is he telling the truth?"
Summer swallowed," y-yeah." She noticed Raven furrowing her brows in concern.
"Summer-"
"He clarified everything for me." Before anyone could ask any more questions she burst into white rose petals and ran.
She stopped promptly on the roof, the same spot they sat several years ago. When she was sure no one was following her she collapsed onto her knees and bawled. She remained there for hours, screaming out from the bottom of her shattered heart.
This is why I called it a "complicated love story". If you're interested to see how everything else plays out, follow this story! New chapters will be coming out soon!