A/N: This is an angsty one-shot inspired by the song Sunspots by Carbon Carousel. Great song, so look it up if you feel like bawling your eyes out while reading.
Alternate ending to Volume 4
Sunspots
Summary: There's one last thing he wants to see…
Qrow coughed, holding his side and grimacing. He could dimly hear the sounds of his niece and her friends fighting the Grimm in the remains of Kuroyuri, and his red eyes were hazy with the poison coursing through his veins. 'Heh. I should've figured my carelessness would catch up to me sooner or later. I guess I never believed it would happen.'
He coughed, purple poison splattering onto his hand, and he heard the monster let out another deathly screech. 'Ruby…' Qrow longed to join his niece and aid in quelling the beast; this thing, whatever it was, was more than a match for four huntsmen-in-training, and they would need someone of his experience.
If only he wasn't crippled.
If only he wasn't so damn careless, and let that wretched scorpion Faunus scratch him with his stinger when he was distracted by his semblance almost mortally injuring his niece.
Qrow could feel himself ebbing away. It was slow, painful, and not the way he would have preferred to go. 'Damn. I always held onto the belief that if I did buy the damn farm, I'd go out in style. I certainly didn't picture me going out with a whisper like some wounded deer.' Another cough, this one more ragged than the previous.
The monster's death shrieks chilled him to the bones, and he hated feeling so useless. If it was anything else, he would've thrown himself into the fray, scythe ready to tear the Grimm to shreds with the skill of a veteran huntsman.
But this, whatever was now in his veins, was killing him faster than he could drain an entire bar.
He hung his head, tempted to let out a bitter laugh. He had faced death in the face many times before, from being outnumbered ten to one fighting Grimm to fighting off bandits trying to attack villages in the mountains of Mistral. And yet, Qrow always survived. He had to.
'Not this time, Branwen,' a little voice in his head said. Qrow slumped in defeat, and he wished it was less painful; he could really use a drink right about now. Drinking usually helped take his mind off of his own mortality.
The sounds of gunfire increased in volume, and yet, there he sat, leaning against the remains of a house slowly waiting to die. 'Talk about pathetic.'
Qrow let his head hit the rotting wood, and he heard it creak against the strain. It could've given out at any minute, with his bad luck. Yet it held, and the screeches of the monster ended abruptly, as well as the sounds of Team RNJR's weapons.
It appeared that they had finally overcome the beast, whatever it was. They were probably exhausted, and still clung onto the hope that they could reach Haven Academy in Mistral in time to warn Leo of the possibility of an attack.
But it was too late. For Qrow, at least.
He heard footsteps running towards him; he knew by the stride and sound of her boots hitting the stones that it was Ruby. 'Ruby…I'm sorry. I tried. I really did.'
He managed to look his youngest niece in the eye, the red orbs threatening to leak with tears of regret. "It's quiet…good job, kiddo."
He coughed again, more poison staining his hand purple. Ruby gasped, and she fell to her knees with her eyes as wide as saucers. "Uncle Qrow! Hold on! You can make it, just hang on!"
Qrow coughed again, and he could feel it beckoning him closer as he painfully shook his head. "N-no…not this time, Ruby. I'm sorry…"
He raised his other hand to brush the wetness from his eyes, patting her on the head with a sorrowful smile. "Y-you have your mother's eyes…" He winced as a painful spasm rocked his body, and he could see the sun starting to break through the gray clouds above. "I can see the sky again. It's light now… and I get to see it one last time…"
"Uncle Qrow!"
Qrow's eyes drooped, and he finally succumbed the inky darkness.
-0-
Ruby sank to the ground, sobbing. Her beloved uncle, who had put his life on the line for her time and time again, had died. "N-no…Uncle Qrow! Wake up, please! Wake up!" 'No, he can't be dead! Please, anything but dead!'
"Ruby…he's gone," Jaune put a hand on her shoulder, his blue eyes filled with nothing sympathy for the young leader. "I'm sorry. I wish I knew him better. He seemed like he really cared for you, and I regret saying the things I did to him."
Ruby didn't hear his words; she laid her head down on her beloved uncle's chest, hoping to feel even the faintest trace of a heartbeat. But nothing but stillness answered her silent pleas. 'First Penny, then Pyrrha.'
'And now you…' Letting out silent sobs,Ruby wrapped her arms around his still body, rapidly cooling. "Uncle Qrow…" She paid no attention to Ren and Nora joining them, heads lowered in their final respects to the selfless man who just died.
The sun shined down on them, breaking through the clouds as the sky itself opened up as if mourning the loss of the huntsman with them. Rain fell upon them, the sun shower washing the poison from Qrow's limp hands.
He at least got a chance to see the one thing he wanted to before he passed.
He got to see the sun one final time…
A/N: Feel free to hate me for the feels. I wanted to do this ever since I heard the song mentioned above, and I felt it could be applied to RWBY if an important character to Ruby herself died, like a family member or something. Feedback is appreciated.
-DPLxBeAsTxSnIpE