Teaching with Winter Schnee wasn't so bad. She was actually a very good assistant teacher and she kept the students on track. The students all loved him, of course. He always tried to make learning more interactive and fun and there were always things to be sarcastic about. Sometimes he would notice his semblance in the classroom, and he knew Winter did too. He couldn't help but be happier that they weren't on the battlefield. A broken vase or a cracked window were nothing compared to a shattered bone. Winter's injury against that ursa still haunted him. He couldn't sleep at night. When his room was dark, and veiled in shadows, he could only think about her. He saw the same thing, over and over again. The ursa's claws scraping across her back, his semblance- like a dark shadow- covering her and stealing her away from him. He couldn't close his eyes, because, for some reason, Qrow Branwen couldn't imagine Winter really being gone. The thought of it, and the thought that he had almost caused it, made him feel sick.

So, instead of sleeping, he wandered. The city was mostly quiet at night, especially with all that had happened at Beacon. Most everyone tried to stay inside after dark. So, he was alone, and happy to be. Still, something seemed empty inside of him. Something was lacking, in a way it had never been before. He wandered through the gardens of the city, past tall and elaborate fountains and flowering trees. He didn't know where his feet were taking him until he stood in front of the door leading to Winter's quarters.

"Stupid, stupid…" He muttered under his breath, turning away before he could mindlessly enter the room, but before he took another step the door opened, and there was a soft gasp of surprise.

"Qrow?" Qrow turned slowly, his red eyes meeting Winter's blue ones.

"Schnee…"

"What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing?" They were both silent for a moment before Winter gave in, looking down at her feet.

"I can't sleep. Sometimes… I have nightmares…" Qrow wanted to insist that she go back inside and try to sleep but he couldn't even think straight. He hadn't expected this at all.

"I… couldn't sleep either." He managed to spit out, and then he grinned, "So, I guess we're in the same boat, Ice Queen."

"I have a name you know." Winter stepped out into the street, softly shutting the door behind her. She was wearing simple clothes, an oversized white knitted sweater and dark gray pants, with knee-high white boots.

"I know." Qrow said, with a shrug. They started walking, almost automatically, side-by-side.

"Where are we going tonight, Branwen?"

"Tonight? Are you implying that this should become some sort of tradition?" There was a long pause before Winter answered him.

"I like walking with you, Qrow. Sometimes I catch myself almost thinking you're good company."

"Not really a compliment, but I'll take it." Qrow chuckled. They were moving beyond the city now, almost mindlessly. Fields and forests were spread out before them, an eternity of endless wandering. Qrow wanted to ask her what she had nightmares about but he thought that maybe he was getting too close to her, too close to this whole situation. It felt too much like prying.

"I always loved the stars. When I was younger I would imagine I could fly…" Winter stopped walking, staring up into the endless deep blue. Qrow sighed, sitting down in the tall grass and stretching out so he could stare up at the stars. Winter looked down at him with a small laugh and slowly lowered herself to the ground with a grimace. Her arm was still in its sling, and Qrow was certain her back wasn't completely healed. Qrow sat up, gently holding out his hand and she gratefully took it.

"Are you alright?" Winter nodded, the soft pink returning to her cheeks.

"I'm sorry. I suppose Weiss is right about these things not being fully healed."

"Don't apologize." Qrow gently squeezed her shoulder. "I know how it feels, being… slow and broken because of a stupid mistake." Winter looked up at him with surprise in her eyes. He realized too late that there was hate in his voice, self-hate. He gritted his teeth and lay back down to look at the stars.

"Qrow…" He interrupted her and started talking, and this time he couldn't stop himself.

"When I was younger, and I figured out that my semblance was just an enormous… bad luck charm… I used to curse the stars." Winter looked back up at the sky briefly before looking back down at him with concern. "All they represented to me was… was hope that was so far out of reach. If only I could grasp it… if only I could reach it…" He felt tears stinging the corners of his eyes and he blinked to push them away. A warm and gently hand pressed against his cheek, and Winter looked down at him from where she sat.

"Stop. There's always hope, Qrow. Always."

"How can you say that? How can we know?" He whispered.

"You and I are still breathing." Winter smiled, leaning forward and gently brushing her lips against his forehead. "We choose our own destinies." Qrow sat up with a frown,

"You're acting...disturbingly nice." Winter laughed, brushing a strand of hair away from his eyes.

"I try to be, you know? I never wanted to… fight with you. I think we might be more similar in character than either of us really can imagine. Besides, you saved my life, Qrow Branwen, doesn't that at least deserve some civility?"

"I suppose I could stand for some civility. Barely." He chuckled. "You're something else, Winter Schnee."

"I know." She stood slowly, and then grabbed his hand with her good arm, pulling him up after her. "Forget about the stars. Forget about all that stuff about them being hope and out of reach. We're more like wildflowers."

"How do you figure that one, Princess?" Winter rolled her eyes at the nickname.

"Look!" She gestured out to the fields around them where wild daisies were sprouting up everywhere. "We can take root anywhere. We're stronger than our surroundings. There's always hope because we're strong." She gently pressed her hand to his chest. "You're breathing. I'm breathing. I think that's pretty good luck, don't you?" Qrow reached out and gently touched the petals of a daisy.

"Tangible hope."

"Here." Winter laughed a little, gently weaving a daisy into Qrow's hair just above his ear. "Now you'll always have a little hope with you."

Qrow grinned, "This is embarrassing. Winter Schnee teaching me important life lessons? Aren't I eleven years older than you?"

"Maybe you should start acting like it." Winter grinned, with a raised eyebrow.

"Hey. Easy now. I think I've had enough lessons for today."

"Thanks for walking with me, Branwen. I guess it's better than walking alone."

"Admit it, you enjoy my company."

"Not on your life. But I do like having someone to talk to, even if it's just you."

"Ouch. You really don't pull your punches, do you, Princess."

"Hey, it's queen to you, Mister." Winter laughed a little and then sighed, "I have to go now, before Weiss finds me missing. Besides, we should probably at least try and get some sleep. I'll see you in class tomorrow."

"Yeah, I'll see you then, Ms. Schnee." She waved, but didn't respond as she moved back into the city. Qrow sighed, following her at a slow, ambling walk. When he got back to his room he pulled the daisy out of his hair and gently set it on his bedside stand. Hope, and Winter Schnee, in wildflowers.


Replies to Reviews:

Nina Vale: Okay, I'm going to be completely honest. I haven't seen the WoR yet. I know, I knowwwww. But I have good reason! I literally JUST got introduced to RWBY... like... at the end of June. So I basically watched ALL four seasons, and ALL the RWBY Chibi in like... three weeks. And then I was like: "I'm gonna write a fanfiction..." Soooo... yeah, talk about insane. But I can imagine based on some of Qrow's storytelling in the series. Hehe. He is a good storyteller. And yes, Qrow is definitely adorable. This is the seventh post I've made on this story. I think I've written close to eleven or twelve. The one I'm writing right now is also really adorable. :) Can't wait to see what some of you have to say about it. Ah, they're just so cute!

Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!