Don't look back you're safe now
Unlock your heart drop your guard
No one's left to stop you now

You know you're dealing with an old-school fanfic author when they're unironically using an Evanescence song as the title.
But seriously, the song did inspire this fic, so that's why I'm using it for the title.
Winter's also about seventeen at the beginning, just a couple months away from turning eighteen, so this starts sometime around June 2155 (four-ish years before canon. I also headcanon Winter's birthday as 4 Sept). Qrow's about 37/38. I know Winter still being underage is squicky/uncomfortable for some people, but they're literally just talking and that's about all they'll be doing for quite some time to come. That's it. There will also be time jumps that'll easily put her over eighteen in the very near future.
Also a warning for implied/referenced abuse.

Qrow groaned as he looked in the mirror, swearing as he threw the piece of black cloth down on the nearby chair. Fancy parties were not his thing and never had been. He understood why Ozpin had sent him to Atlas, but it didn't mean that dealing with the upper-class blowhards and the damn monkey suits required for their parties made it any easier. Summer or Raven had always been the one to deal with his time since he'd never bothered to—

A knock on the door startled him and one of the overhead lights shattered , making him rub the bridge of his nose. "Who's there?" Seriously, who would be bothering him?

"Qrow, can I come in?"

Damn it all, of course it was blowhard Ironwood.

"What do you want, Jimmy?" The man was the last person he wanted to talk to after the day he'd had.

"Do you need any help getting dressed?" Qrow just rubbed his temples. His pride said no, but he also didn't want to look unpresentable. With a heavy sigh, he picked up the strip of cloth and walked over to the door, shoving it into Ironwood's hands. "A bowtie? That really doesn't seem to be—"

"Just shut up and help me. Then tell me why you're here." Ironwood was not a man that was skilled with subtlety in the least when it came to his dealings with Qrow. He was about as subtle as the skyscraper-dwarfing Goliaths he had grown up around. Stiff, rigid, and uncompromising—just like the culture that had produced him.

There were was a reason they were grudging allies at best.

Ironwood just sighed and closed the door behind him, making quick work of the bowtie. "I Really will never understand how you see through me so well, Qrow—" He just grunted. "—but you're right; I do have something to ask of you. One of my personal aides is here tonight and I wanted to ask you to be kind to her if you see her. I know I can't stop you from getting drunk while here in Atlas, but please at least try to be considerate if you see Major Schnee."

Qrow's head snapped up, eyes wide as he looked at Ironwood. " What ?! I knew you sunk low, Jimmy, but to take on a Schnee ?! You expect me to be nice to some pampered—"

"That's enough out of you. Major Schnee is on the way to being the best Atlas' military has to offer. She's gotten where she is on her own merits, perhaps not unlike a certain former teammate of yours."

Qrow's hand balled into a fist as he shook, head bowing. Several lightbulbs shattered overhead and he felt Ironwood flinch away. "If you come near me again this evening, you'll be lucky if your other arm is the only thing you'll be missing. And we both know there isn't a damn thing you or anybody else could do to stop me." His tone remained calm and stead, but his soft red eyes turned to ice. He saw the blood drain from Ironwood's face but the man straightened up, clearing his throat.

"I would suggest calming down a bit before joining in the main festivities, lest that Semblance of yours burn this whole place to the ground while you go drinking." Ironwood offered a bow of his head before leaving the room, a bit more briskly than he normally would have.

Qrow growled and drove his hand into the bed, one of the legs splitting as it buckled under the pressure and his Semblance. How dare he? How fucking dare he bring up Summer like that when he'd never even met her?! How dare he compare Summer to a good-for-nothing Schnee of all things?! It was obvious he was trying to kiss Gelé's ass by making him be nice to Winter. What better way to get access to rare types of dust than using the eldest daughter and promoting her to high ranks? Playing nice with Gelé to advance Atlas' military was all Jimmy cared about and he knew it.

But he sighed and ran a hand through his hair, breathing in and out for a few moments to try to calm himself. He started muttering a couple of mantras in Branwae, feeling his raging aura begin to settle.

"Self-knowledge is freedom."

"Calm is truth."

"Self-actualisation is power."

He hated having to call on the tenants instilled into him by the tribe, but they were the quickest way to calm down. The tribe stressed knowing one's self for calm because it brought out the greatest potential as a warrior and it did have some truth behind it. The better one knew themselves, the more control they had over aura and the more techniques they could use. He'd been extremely good with the advanced techniques at one point, but ever since Summer's death…

He rubbed the bridge of his nose and made his way out of the room, keeping his presence suppressed with his aura as he made his way over to the refreshment table. He picked up a few glasses of champagne, heading up to the viewing area above the ballroom. He really didn't like this bubbly, frufru stuff but it seemed to get him drunker faster than wine, so it was worth putting up since it made these excessively long events marginally more tolerable. At least these upper crusts knew not to bother him by this point with as much as he went off on them when he was piss-ass drunk.

He approached one of the darkened corners of the viewing area when he sensed another aura spark, though the person in question had tucked behind the plant he'd planned on spending the rest of the night behind. He really didn't feel like hauling his ass across the room to the other plant in the next corner… "All right. Why is a Hunter hiding there?" Everyone had an aura spark, sure, but he could only sense those from active aura users. Why would a Hunter be hunkered down like this…?

Tension clouded the air for a few moments before the plant shifted minutely and white caught his attention. A young woman in a simple, tasteful evening gown that started white and slowly faded into a pale blue at the very bottom stepped out. It flattered her upper body well, a shawl wrapped around to chase away the chill from where the thin straps sat on her shoulders. Gloves that matched the white-to-blue gradient went up to her shoulders. Her white hair framed her pale face, her sharp blue eyes fixing on him.

Damn it.

Of fucking course he'd run into Winter Schnee first thing. He did have to admit she was very pretty, but he just wanted her gone.

She smoothed out the dress' skirt before offering a polite curtsy. "Good evening sir. Do you have some business with me?" Her tone was polite but curt he could see her shift a bit, her gaze drifting down to the glasses in his hands. Even beneath the makeup, he could detect the slight paling of her cheeks and he sighed, putting them on the tray of a passing sever.

So much for getting shitfaced tonight.

Something was clearly upsetting the young woman and it'd likely be up to him to reassure her that things were fine.

Damn it.

"All right, what the hell were—" He saw her tense a bit more under his tone and he ran a hand through his hair. This was just reminding him a bit too much of how Raven had acted when they'd left the tribe and someone raised their voice to her for the longest time.

Damn him and his bleeding heart.

He leaned against the railing and sighed, forcing his body to relax. So alcohol and anger were her triggers, huh…? Not the worst thing he'd ever had to deal with at least. Some of Summer's had been a lot worse. Raven at least had at least desensitised after quite some time.

"So what's a Schnee doing hiding behind a plant? Usually you guys are the life of the party." It was subtle but he saw her shoulders relax a bit as he softened his tone and cast a glance out at the dance floor. Blacks and other colors sat on the right and left sides respectively, only a few only a few colors mingled with black towards the lower part of the floor. Damn Atlassian culture…

He caught Winter look down a bit, squeezing her hands in front her. "I…" He'd clearly caught her off guard so she wasn't sure how to respond. A slight tremor went through her body and he sighed. He had to get her to calm down before they could even talk to at all apparently…

"Name's Qrow Branwen, professional Huntsman. A pleasure." He kept his tone polite and and curt, only keeping her in the corner of his eye. He needed to keep an eye on her body language, but he didn't want to freak her out by having his full attention on her. Of course, he was less than please to meet a Schnee, but if it'd calm her down…

It was enough to get her to square her shoulders and offer another curtsy, her expression cooling and hardening. "Major Winter Schnee, personal aide to General Ironwood. I've heard of many of your exploits, Mister Branwen, and I know you and the general work together. It's a pleasure to formally meet you." He could feel his skin crawling with the uppity, superior tone she took, but he let out a breath to force it to pass. Something had clearly happened to her for the reaction she'd had earlier and Ironwood's unusually strong reaction, but he couldn't pin it down right now. Plus she seemed to be getting on her feet now so…

What in the hell was he supposed to do?

Damn it; he wasn't cut out for this.

Winter walked over the railing next to him and hooked some loose hair behind her ear, the simple motion one of pure grace. Not an ounce of muscle was wasted or out of place. It was…perfect, for lack of a better word.

He shifted so his elbows leaned against the railing and she looked at him. "So I assume you came here to get drunk, but why exactly are you at this party? Judging by how you were slinking off, this is not your usual sort of thing." Qrow sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose at her superior tone. How did anybody stand Schnees? Even if something had happened to her, it didn't men he liked having to be nice to her.

But he'd seen how scared she was, so he'd try .

"I'll answer that if you'll answer my question. Fair's fair, right?" He kept his tone nonchalant and Winter sighed, just tucking her hair behind her ear again. She then folded her hands over the railing in front of her, though she kept her gaze focused on the wall instead of looking at the floor. She seemed like the type that would people watch, so why wouldn't she…?

The music came to a stop a few minutes later and all attention drew toward the front entrance. Even with her watching the wall, Qrow could see the tension in Winter's body.

There was really only one person in Atlas who could draw such attention when arriving so terribly late.

He didn't miss the tremor going through Winter's body.

The pieces clicked into place and he held his hand out to her. "C'mon, let's go out to the balcony." HE kept his tone soft and gentle as Winter face him, visibly shaking at this point.

Summer's unease around Gelé made far too much sense now.

Winter stared at Qrow with wide eyes, the fear far too real in them. She just gave a nod and he swore mentally. Damn it, he was a trigger just through sheer virtue of being a man, wasn't he…? What had Gelé done that scared her this badly …?

He shoved his hands in his pockets as he led the way out to the balcony, holding the door for her. She gave a wary look for a heartbeat before going through. He left it slightly ajar as he followed, hoping it would be enough to give her some solace he wasn't completely isolating her from everyone.

The cool night air wrapped around them and they both leaned against the banister, an awkward silence hanging between them. Damn it, he wasn't good with people because he pushed them away. He'd been fairly okay with the tribe since he'd known everyone there, but once outside of it? He was horribly awkward and didn't know how to handle people. His team had been one thing since he'd known them so well, but shit like this? So, so beyond him. Why had he tasked himself with trying to comfort Winter…? Damn it, he was way too much of a bleeding heart. He'd tried to kill it with alcohol following Summer's death, but it hadn't worked…

"…Is something troubling you, Mister Branwen?" Winter shifted to face him and he sighed.

"I'm just not good with anything social. I avoid sh— stuff like this for a reason, but this is gonna be my reality for a while." He groaned and dropped his head. They had to find the Winter Maiden and didn't have Summer to help. She'd been trained enough to know how to sense another nearby Maiden as long as she was close enough, but now, they had only the Autumn and Summer Maidens, neither of who were keen to try to search for the others. The Winter Maiden hadn't been seen for some eight years now and Spring since Summer had died. There was the possibility of it being Raven, but Summer wouldn't have done that to her best friend especially not when Raven wanted nothing to do with the war. But Salem's forces were pushing closer, they needed to find the Winter and Spring Maidens and Atlas was the most likely place for the Winter one.

But one kingdom was an awfully big place for one person to search alone…

"…Likewise." Qrow raised an eyebrow at Winter's response but said nothing more. He fell silent as well, looking up the light-polluted sky, letting out a sound of disgust. "Is everything okay, Mister Branwen?"

Qrow looked over at her and blinked. "Eh, nothing big. I just forget how awful the skies over cities are…especially Atlas." It was objectively the worst. Even with the floating city being so close to the sky, the smog and disgusting pollution from the former city of Mantle still drifted upward and blotted out most of the stars. Tonight was a good night due to how the wind blew, but the city lights still choked out all but the brightest ones.

"…What do you mean?" A bitter retort rose in his throat, but the look on Winter's face silenced it. Her eyes stretched with curiosity, her lips pursed slightly. The look was almost that of an innocent child and it was hard to snap at that.

Qrow just sighed and turned his attention back to the sky. "…I grew up in a backwater tribe in central Mistral. We didn't have running water, electricity, CCTS access… None of the conveniences you grew up with, Winter. Our only source of light was fire and night tended to be my favorite time." He smiled and let out a small noise.

"My sister and I would always sneak out to look at the stars. We loved imagining what it'd be like to soar through the sky and touch them. We'd recite the old legends and sing the yukar we knew while tracing the constellations.

"Because the lack of artificial light, the pictures you see of the night sky by astronomers going out and studying the stars in the middle of nowhere are what I grew up seeing. Coming back to cities like this reminds me of how much I can hate them at times." His smile shrank a little as he remembered the first night they'd looked up at the sky from Vale. It'd looked like sixty or more percent of the sky had simply vanished . Even heading down into the Emerald Forest hadn't alleviated the light pollution. It'd taken them a long time to get comfortable with the light pollution, but they'd never entirely gotten over it.

Even around thirty years later, he didn't entirely like it.

"…I hope I can see the sky like that some night." the comment was soft and surprisingly innocent from the young major. "Do you think you could tell me some of the tales from your tribe?" He looked at her, seeing nothing but a wide-eyed innocence in her expression.

…She really hadn't seen much outside of Atlas, had she? He was loathe to talk about the Branwen tribe, but…it was effectively keeping her mind off Gelé.

He sat in silence for a few minutes, sifting through the various stories he knew and gave a brief description of each before his shaky tenor launched into the yukar proper in Branwae. He wanted to keep the meter and everything proper, so he couldn't translate. The most he could offer was a brief description of the content for Winter and hoped she'd understand why.

He wasn't sure how long it went on, but he only snapped out of it when he heard the door to the balcony open. He instinctively went for a dagger he'd hidden on his waist and Winter started. He stepped in front of her, but he relaxed when he saw who it was.

"Winter, Qrow, the party ended some time ago. Are you quite done with Major Schnee?" Ironwood looked at Qrow, blue eyes set, and Qrow just folded his arms behind his head.

"Yeah, yeah, go on. I should probably head back to my hotel anyway." Plus, he could stretch his wings after Ironwood left him. The grounds were deserted, so there was no chance of him being seen.

"…Thank you for your kindness, Mister Branwen." Winter's voice was cool, but he could still detect a faint trace of gratitude in it. She slipped out from behind him, offering a small curtsy, then disappeared into the manor. Ironwood raised one eyebrow and Qrow just gave a dismissive flick of his hand.

"You want me to play nice with her, right, Jimmy? Well I did what you asked. See you next party." He gave a mocking, two-fingered salute before he transformed into a bird and took off into the sky.

"Qrow!"

It didn't take long for Ironwood to disappear into the manor as he rose higher into the sky, pulling away from the smog. The stars glittered like diamonds against an onyx cloak, offering pure silence after the noisy evening.