Words just in italics are used for emphasis. Sentences in italics are private thoughts. Italics in " " are Sent/Spoken thoughts. Thank you too: nothing-is-ever-in-my-favour for your review. As per usual this chapter is heavy cut to fit the M rating and the full version can be found on Ao3 and again I have to highly recommend that version of this chapter as many characterization and plot points have to be cut here.
My Hands are Red
Qrow landed on the bench with a thump and raced to Ruby's side, the rose cradled in her hands as she poured her Aura into it. He could feel his Semblance still running rampant, blood, fire, destruction all played out behind his eyes. His Semblance finally free and feeding on a lifetime's worth of despair and pain. The way it battered around his mind and burst through gaps made from panic and anger felt like a damn and he couldn't patch the holes containing his Semblance. He grabbed Ruby's hands with his bloody ones and poured his Aura through to Oz. The storm he had created cracked and boomed around them, ice rain falling to stab at them.
He could feel Oz fighting Naga, heard a roar of Grimm, then he was in the middle of a town corpses all around him torn apart, Nevermores, Beringels, Griffons, Ursa, Beowolves. He could hear them, he almost reached back to grab his sword but instead clutched the rose so hard that Ruby's fingers started to hurt.
She looked up to him and fear stabbed at her heart, her Qrow, wasn't home. His eyes were near completely black, she could see just the thinnest circle of red, flickering around unfocused. Oh no. Her worry must of flowed on to Ozpin, because she felt a sharp almost stab of pain from him occupied by a frantic emotion and the word " ENOUGH!" Ruby cut the flow of her Aura she didn't have much left anyway and tried to let go of the rose, but Qrow's hands held hers and he clearly hadn't heard Oz. "Qrow let go." Ruby tried again, nothing, his grip tightened and pain danced up her nerves. "Qrow let go! You're hurting me!"
Qrow never felt his nails puncturing her soft skin or her small bones breaking. His hands slippery and smelling of death held on despite the coppery substance while his semblance reaped havoc and his ears rang with screams of pain and suffering. Blood, blood everywhere, he tightened his grip on his sword, his Aura blazed around him protecting him. His Semblance twisted with sick glee, fires raged higher, more Grimm were called to his despair.
Ruby felt a finger fracture shouting she tried snap him out of it. "Qrow PLEASE!" She let a desperate flare of Aura reach Oz, she leaned up and kissed him, but he didn't respond, eyes wide black and unseeing.
He lashed out with his sword, clicking the lever unfolding out into it's scythe form. "DIE!" He roared leaping into the fray, another whole village, burning lost to bandits and Grimm. If he ever saw Raven again he was going to kill her.
A roar reached Ruby's ears and fear grabbed her, a Nevermore was descending on them. She snapped her gaze back to Qrow. "QROW PLEASE SNAP OUT OF IT!" She squeezed her eyes shut then a BOOM reached her ears with a loud crack.
Ruby had never been so happy to see her Dad before in her life. Tai's blazing fist smashed into the Nevermore's head shattering it like glass. He vaulted off the fading Grimm, landing beside them, Ruby filled him in before he could speak. "He did something with his Semblance, now he's lost and I can't reach him."
Tai knelt and pried Qrow's fingers off of Ruby, her hands were purple and bruised.
"Shit." He hissed under his breath and grabbed Qrow's chin forcing the other man's gaze to him. His brow shot up, he'd never seen Qrow's eyes like this, they looked demonic. "Qrow!" He yelled, nothing he yanked Qrow to his feet and threw him over his shoulder. "Can you run?" He asked Ruby.
Ruby held her hands to her chest, rose still between them and nodded. They raced home, Ruby growing more and more worried when Qrow didn't struggle over Tai's shoulder.
Yang raced over when Tai kicked the front door opened. "Go get the med kit!" Yang ran to do as she was told, Tai put Qrow down on the sofa, the man hunched over and stared unseeing at the floor. Tai took Harbinger from him, before a memory made him grab it. Yang came back and Ruby sat on the coffee table letting her sister tend to her hands, while Tai grabbed Qrow by the hair, trying to get some reaction out of him.
"What happened?" Yang asked.
Ruby shook her head and sneezed, the cold getting to her, she was very thankful for the blazing hearth. "It's a long story, and I'm not really sure." she hissed and Yang felt along her fingers checking the bones. "They're fine, just need a little Aura."
Tai let Qrow go and stormed over to the liquor cabinet, grabbing a vodka that was barely drinkable. He grabbed Qrow by the back of the head and forced his lips open before pouring a mouthful worth down the black eyed mans throat.
Qrow coughed and sputtered, blinking and coming around, he could feel his Semblance around him, tendrils of it shadowed the room. In the distant part of his mind he registered the sound of wood splitting as the table Yang sat on broke under her weight, a window cracked behind him and the fire roaring in the heath flickered sparks into the room. He panicked grabbing at it like water in his hands forcing it back inside and closing that door that had it had broken free of. His mind putting back locks that had held his Semblance back.
Qrow started feeling that same presence less as it went back quietly. The black faded from his eyes and the first thing he saw was Ruby's purple hands. "How?" He rose to go to her but Tai shoved him back on his ass. "You've done enough." Tai growled.
Pain and rage overran Qrow, he'd done that, he'd broken her hands, he didn't remember when but Tai's actions made him sure that it was his fault. "Ruby." He reached out and his voice turned soft, Tai put himself between Qrow and Ruby. Shame and guilt seized Qrow's heart, memories came unbidden, ones his mind had locked away so he didn't have to face them. He fled from the three, grabbing the bottle of vodka and racing up the stairs to his room, kicking his door shut with this foot.
Qrow brought the bottle to his lips and chugged, the liquid burning down his throat.
He grabbed Sanguira's arm twisting around behind her back hissing in her ear. "You sick bitch!"
She laughed. "Everyone knows you Branwen and your sister, you are no better than I." She screamed when Qrow tore her arm from its socket. "You and I are nothing alike." He snarled, discarding his sword and grabbing her other arm as he dropped the other bloody limb.
Sanguira knew she was about to die, she might as well burn this moment into his mind, she'd have the final victory that way. "What you didn't like the girl? I think she looked a rather lot like your niece? Is that what pushed you over? You couldn't bare the thought of your niece bending over without a fight for a man, on her knees so willing and ready for a cock to be shoved down her throat?"
Qrow roared and kicked the faunus square in the hip a loud crack filled the air as her hip shattered, shoulder dislocated and she tumbled away. "Don't talk about my Ruby." Blood dripped off his fingers as he prowled over to the dying woman.
Sanguira laughed with a pained wheeze. "'Your' Ruby? My my my, Qrow you do like them young, maybe you intervened with the sale because you want a chance with my little girl. You only had to ask, and pay a small fine." Oh this was too good, she hoped someone was witnessing this. Seeing the great Qrow Branwen tearing a woman's body apart like a ferocious animal; and they call Faunus animals, they had nothing on this man.
Qrow kicked her over and wrapped his hands around her head, she knew it was over but she would have the last word. "Think of this when you fuck your little Ruby, think of this moment when she is on her knees before you. Know that I was right, the only reason you saved that girl tonight is because you want her. You'll hurt her, you'll give in one day and you'll take her and you'll hurt her. Because that's the only thing you know how to do." Qrow tightened his hands shoved his thumbs into her eye sockets so he would have to look at them anymore.
He stared at her as he tightened his hands more and more, listened to her screams with a smile when her skull cracked and exploded brains and bone fragments splattering his face and slipping through his fingers.
Qrow took another long pull and yanked the door open stumbling into the bathroom, he barely made it to the toilet before he threw up, over and over till there was nothing left in his stomach. Qrow distantly felt his Semblance flare back to life, push against the door he locked it behind. He lifted himself just far enough away from the toilet to drink again, long deep pulls the bottle rapidly emptying. Oh Oz where are you, make it stop! He thought in vain.
Qrow snarled, her words ringing in his ears, she was right damn her, one day Ruby would just be too good to hold back from. He was a hunter, fighting and killing were the only things he knew, he'd take her and he'd hurt her. Damn this bitch! He grabbed the remaining arm and ripped it from the corpse, tossing it away carelessly. He wanted to kill her again, again and again, tears ran down his cheeks, she was right, she was right. He balled his fists and smashed them down on her rib cage, it splintered and shattered cutting up his hands. Over and over he brought his hands down, pulverizing the body. She was right, she was right, he screamed and lurched to his feet, barely aware he grabbed Harbinger and fired at her, the shot shatter the remains even further.
He spun around seeing, keen eyes seeking any other threats, his eyes fell on the slaves, their wide fearful faces snapping him out of it. He blinked once twice, finally starting to see the world around him, he looked over to what he had done, fell to his knees and heaved.
The bottle shattered as Qrow drank the last of it and threw it against the far wall, the drink turned in his stomach instantly and he grabbed the toilet again and threw up. Shaking, snot and tears ran down his face as the memory replayed, he heaved over and over again. Sometimes it went further, sometimes he chased down the buyers and cleaved them in half.
He could feel his hands slick with blood, sometimes the memory twisted and he let the girl be bought, hunted her down and had her, a sorry replacement for the woman he couldn't have. He broke her just like Sanguira said, and he loved every minute of it. Over and over it cycled, Qrow's Semblance leaking out more and more.
He didn't hear the bathroom door be smashed open, couldn't feel Tai's hands on him. Didn't feel the needle go through his shoulder, but he welcomed the dreamless oblivion.
"Dad?" Ruby asked as she watched Tai clean Qrows face and picked him up again and carry him to his room.
"He was stuck, sedating him was the best thing to do." Tai said soberly. He hadn't had to sedate Qrow in years, but he recognized the cycle saw it growing in power, saw Qrow's eyes turn black again. Gods they needed Oz, neither Ruby or he was equipped to handle this.
Ruby followed Tai to Qrow's room and sat on the edge of the bed as Tai stripped Qrow. "I'll stay with him." She said.
"Ruby-." Tai began, he didn't want her staying with Qrow, there was no telling the state the man would be in when he woke up.
Ruby shook her head. "I'm not going to leave him, he needs help and I think I can help him."
"Why?" Tai asked.
"I've always been able to help him dad and I've only been learning more with time." Ruby said reaching out to pet Qrow's arm. "Please let me help him. Just give us a few days alone."
Tai rubbed his hands over his face, he knew that Ruby was right. That she did help. "Yang and I will stay in town for the next two days. If things don't go the way you planned Ruby, don't continue to try, Qrow will never forgive himself if he actually hurts you and I don't think he would survive it. Just promise me you're be careful." He stared down his youngest with a look of desperation until she frowned and nodded at him. With that he got up and closed the door behind him.
Ruby let out a long sigh and looked over to Qrow, naked save his boxers and sleeping peacefully, she knew what wouldn't last as soon as the sedative wore off... She pulled the rose from her hair carefully, a few of her fingers had only been fractured not broken. Her Aura was drained as she was so very tired, but she summoned up a whisper of Aura, the last few minutes of memory and sent them to Oz with a plea for help.
The response was near instantaneous, green Aura flowed through her mending her hands in seconds. Next were snippets of memories, instructions, guidance, emotions came last, fear, hope, pain, guilt and finally love. Ruby smiled and sent her love through the Rose, trying to communicate that she did not blame him for what happened. She pulled the bandages off her hands and set about following Oz's directions, first she stripped then put the Rose back in her hair. Pulled off Qrow's boxers as they would only get in the way later, then she laid down beside him and pulled him over so his head was on her chest. She sent the image to Oz and got a confirmation and another feeling that simply said to call for him if she needed help.
Qrow curled up around her in his sleep, snuggling his face between her breasts with a purr. Ruby petted his head, hoping she'd be a good enough distraction, she knew she was no dom. So she'd have to present herself as a distraction, till he was ensnared enough to do what he needed.
Ruby was moaning under him, as he snapped his hips to hers over and over, Gods she was so glorious. Qrow leaned down and kissed her chastely his heart stolen by her bright eyes and loving smile. "More, please!" Qrow chuckled and obliged her, speeding up going a little harder, he brought a hand up and woven it into her hair. She let out a yelping moan, "Harder!"
Qrow groaned and went harder and harder, oh she felt so GOOD! He reached down with a hand and grab her hips tilting them up for him, harder oh gods this was soooo good. He tucked his face to her neck and bit down gently on her neck. She moaned long and loud in his ear, hands crawling at his back leaving long red welts. "Please Qrow, Qrow more! Harder!"
He did as she asked, and a wet crack filled air and Ruby screamed pushing him away. He glanced down her hip was turning purple, he threw himself off of her his hands were red with blood…
"Qrow! Qrow! Wake up!" Ruby shook him as he started to thrash. "QROW!" She yelled at the top of her lungs, grabbing his chin and forcing him to look into her eyes.
Qrow blinked his vision blurry, slowly she came into focus. "Ruby?" He asked his speech slurred, he shook his head and pushed her away. He rolled trying to get away, no no no, he couldn't deal with this, he needed a drink a lot of drinks. The memory leaped back into his mind, ohh he was going to be sick.
Ruby grabbed him and pulled him back to her chest, his hands fell to his sides he didn't dare touch her. "Let go of me." Qrow muttered against her chest, he could feel her breasts on his cheeks, she was soft and warm. He closed his eyes and subconsciously pressed his face into her chest.
"No." Ruby said weaving her fingers through his hair, wrapping it around them. "What do you need?" She asked, she couldn't make him submit but she had Oz's memories to guide her through the tones to turn her voice too.
Qrow's eyes widened, Oz had… shit, he tried to pull away but her fingers pulled at his hair. "Ruby no, I won't, not like this, not with you."
"Did I make it sound like you had an option? Tai and Yang are gone. What. Do. You. Need?" Ruby pulled his head back and forced him onto his back, slipping hands out of his hair to rest on his neck, holding him down almost painfully but not quite there.
"You're hands are better." Qrow realized, when the tiny things closed around his neck. Her touch was too light to really be a threat, but he could tell she was trying. He balled his fists he wasn't going to touch her, he didn't deserve to touch her. He'd have to end this, it would break her heart but she'd be safe, at least from him.
"Oz sent me Aura, you haven't answered my question." She squeezed his neck slightly, it was probably one of only two parts on his body she could use to hold him still.
Qrow narrowed his eyes and glared at her, the image of Sanguira's girl behind his eyes, his hands were red. "I need you to get off me, I need a drink."
"No. I know you. You'll run." Ruby shifted her weight pressing down on him.
Qrow grabbed her by her waist and tossed her off of him and onto the bed. He lunged to his feet going for his clothes, as he yanked them on a voice he knew very well sounded directly into his mind.
"Muninn!"
The black swam into Qrow's eyes though they now retained the red iris. He turned back to Ruby glaring at her. "Don't call me that." He yanked his trousers on and stormed over to the door.
"Then don't leave! Please Qrow!" Ruby ran over to him and reached for his hand.
Qrow yanked it away before she could touch him. "Don't touch me, we should have never done this. I hurt you, my Semblance could have killed you! I could have killed you and not even noticed!" He tried not think about how easily it had become to send thoughts directly to her.
"You would have! Qrow please it wasn't your fault." Ruby chased him down the stairs as he fled.
"I lost control! Of course it's my fault! You were in danger and I lost it, I remember what happened Ruby! If Tai hadn't come we'd both be dead and I would be the one to blame." Qrow grabbed Harbinger from the living room table.
"Running away won't help! I love you, nothing you can accidentally do will change that." Ruby followed him hot on his heels. "I know you love me too, we are together and we should work this out like the partners we are."
"Don't delude yourself into thinking we are equals! I will always be stronger than you! Despite what I look like I am older than you, I've killed more than you'll ever know. My Aura is stronger, darker, I could rip you apart with my bare hands. It doesn't matter what I feel for you! You are better off without me! Safer...without me." Qrow shuddered violently remember the last time he had killed someone with just his hands. His blood soaked hands had no right to touch her.
"That's a lie! You've always protected me! Do you think I would have trusted you, loved you like I do if I thought you'd ever hurt me? One accident doesn't change that."
Qrow yanked the door open and frozen winter air invaded the house. Ruby recoiled and shivered as Qrow grabbed a thick woolen cloak. "It doesn't change the fact that I almost killed you." He transformed into a crow and flew off before Ruby could react.
"Qrow!" Ruby raced to the eve of the door and screamed for him. The wind picked up and she shivered, she grabbed her own winter cloak and wrapped herself up in it. There wasn't time to grab any other clothes. "Qrow please come back! We can talk about this!" She raced out into the snow her feet screamed against the cold.
Qrow didn't respond and Ruby activated her Semblance flying up above the trees, looking for him. She landed in the uppermost branches of a tree but couldn't see him. "Qrow! Please come back! I know you can hear me!" She activated her Semblance again and flew towards Vale, she knew him well enough to guess where he'd go. She came back into her solid form upon the snowy beach. "QROW! Where are you?"
Ruby scanned the water between her and Vale, the black crow was almost impossible to see but she felt drawn to it. "Come back, please! Don't do this, think of Ozpin! Losing you once almost broke him, don't go to Vale come back. You can't leave us like this over one accident!"
Nothing. Ruby looked out over the churning waves, her Aura was already tired. Ozpin hadn't restored her completely but with every second Qrow got farther and farther away. She couldn't do nothing. She took a deep breath and took a running start towards the water jumping into the sky and calling on her Semblance.
"No Ruby turn back. You can't follow me."
The words drove Ruby to try, she wouldn't let him go to Vale. It would be his death and they both knew it. The wind gusted and blew Ruby off course, she lacked the strength to fight back against it. Her petals came dangerously close to the waves before she recovered. She flew straight up after him.
Snow started to fall from the sky, heavy icen flacks that felt almost like hail. They battered Ruby's poor petals and forced her back into her human shape… several dozen feet above the waves.
"RUBY!" Qrow screamed into her mind as she fell, he spun and dived after her.
Ruby had never felt like this before, to fall without Aura or Semblance protecting her. To see those dark clouds above her. She impacted full on her back into the freezing water. White and red blotches danced over her vision and her body jerked in shock. The cold made her skin burn and ripped a scream from her lungs which forced water into her mouth as she sunk into the water. Immediately she clamped her mouth and eyes shut. She tried to straighten her body so she could swim upwards but between the heavy coat dragging her down and the waves rolling her body round in circles she was helpless to take back any control. With nothing to grab onto and her lungs starving from oxygen Ruby made a desperate attempt at removing her coat as it was dragging her further down but the freezing cold made her hands clumsy and her movements went lax.
Qrow transformed and dived straight into the black water, his eyes danced around seeking her in the darkness. He caught sight of her pale body just as her chest jerked and the last of her air escaped her. He swam for her his Aura adding to his strength, he wrapped an arm around her chest under her arms and kicked up for the surface.
They breached the rolling waves just enough enough for him to catch his breath before a wave crashed down over them. He coughed the saltwater up and turned the woman in his arms around, her already pale face was blanched white, her eyes closed in exhaustion and shivering. The beach was still several hundred yards away from them and without the ability to fly he was forced to swim the distance, lugging Ruby's near unconscious body with him. Every time a wave crashed over them it dragged him a few feet back, like the sea was trying to reclaim them both, pulling at them with icy fingers. The currents pull was strong but Qrow was stronger and eventually was able to pull both himself and Ruby from the waves and onto the wet sand.
Ruby's body lurched to the side coughing and spewing water from her mouth, her body shivering uncontrollably, teeth chattering from the cold. Seeing her unable to stand Qrow scooped her back up, ignoring the blistering cold around his limbs and started running back towards the cabin. There was no thought in his mind other then to get them out of the cold and wet clothes before either of them caught hypothermia.
The house was dark when they finally got back and Qrow stumbled inside, practically throwing himself towards the hearth, almost dropping the soaking woman in his arm in the process. His knees caved forcing him down, his lungs heaving as he with care lay Ruby down on the floor. His hands shaking as he dripped water over all the floor, throwing kindle and wood in the hearth, his fingers almost too cold to work properly in starting the fire. "Come on, come on." he chanted, twice the fire went out before he got a flame, quickly adding for kindling before putting the guard up.
Ruby was starting to come around, soft groans and coughs catching his attention. Qrow pulled her freezing body closer and began peeling away her cloak as quickly as possible. Cursing under his breath when he saw she wore nothing beneath it. She had been in too much a hurry to chase after him. Damn her feet are so cold.
He hadn't even removed any of his own clothes yet, instead he was taking her hands and feet into his hands and blowing on them softly, trying to warm her up. The room started to warm up quickly and Ruby shifting around on the floor was enough for him to start taking his own clothes off, soaked as they were and had already dropped puddles worth of water all over the floor. Only then did he scoop up all their clothes and run to the bathroom, depositing them into the hamper and grabbing as many towels as he could before returning to Ruby.
Ruby was just attempting to sit up when he arrived back and Qrow immediately helped her, wrapping two of the towels around her body. Just as he was about to stand back up Ruby's hand launched out and gripped his arm. "Qrow, please don't leave me." Her voice was hardly a thread of its normal pitch, sounding broken and sad. It pained him on a level he couldn't describe and after fastening the remaining towel to his hip, covering his modesty he knelt back down. He carefully used the towel to rub the remaining moisture and cold from her skin. Ruby tried to reach out to him, to help him but every-time she made contact Qrow would stop, push her hands back to her and start drying again. By the time he got to her hair Ruby had grown warm again and worried her lip at the way Qrow's body was still shaking with the cold despite the warm room and the fire blazing near them.
"Please let me touch you. I'm okay." Ruby grabbed another towel and started on his arms as they were closest to her.
"Why do you do that?" Qrow asked.
"Because I know this way you have to hear me." Ruby sent.
Qrow sat putting his back to the fire. "I always hear you."
"Fine. Then listen to me."
Qrow huffed at that and chose to speak aloud. "That was stupid, following me."
"Not as stupid as going to Vale right now." Ruby reached up and dried his hair. "If the storm didn't down you the Grimm would have killed you. You aren't invincible."
"Says the one who ran out of here almost nude." Qrow grumbled.
"If you had stayed I wouldn't have needed to chase after you." Ruby said.
"See being in love with me is bad for your health." Qrow said and pulled the towel out of her hands and set about drying the rest of himself.
They both warmed quickly now. Ruby glared at him. "It wouldn't be if you didn't keep trying to run away whenever you are afraid."
"For goo-" Ruby cut his words off with a kiss.
"Here is totally a bad place for this." Qrow sent into her mind as she occupied his lips.
"Then take me back to bed."
The mix of love, lust and sheer yearning for him had him obeying without thought. He picked her up and carried her up the stairs. "You are going to be the death of me."
"Seeing as you're immortal I find that unlikely."
Qrow broke the kiss and dropped her onto their bed with a scowl. Ruby grabbed his hand and hooked a foot behind one of his knees pulling it out from under him and him down upon her. The red eyed man just barely caught himself as Ruby took advantage of his momentum and flipped them. Ruby pounced onto him straddling him with her hands on his chest.
"You know sex doesn't solve everything."
"You've got to see the irony in that statement coming from you." Ruby traced over his chest to play with his nipple piercings. "These must feel cold."
Qrow hissed and bit his lip rather then respond, Ruby smirked and dipped her head down and teased over the chilled metal with her tongue. "Fuck Ruby!"
"Will you please tell me what had gotten you so upset? You never used to run so darn hard from me, what changed?" Ruby sucked gently on a nipple.
"No, I can't say that." Qrow's fists balled in the sheets.
"Then send it to me, like this."
"I-..." Qrow let out a strangled moan. Ruby had wrapped a hand tight around his growing erection his hips bucked up into her hand, his gaze fixed on her.
"Show me. Show me so this fear of yours, show me so we can face it together and move on. I love and trust you."
"You won't love me after you see."
"Let me be the judge of that."
Her words, her soft voice called to his soul. He let the memories flow, let her see what he did. Images like a slow moving film showing countless young girls, all standing in a line as they were appraised and sold, beaten and raped. His wanted to gag from them, to pull back and drop shields over every part of himself but he didn't. He wanted Ruby to see him as the monster, sending her the images of the things he had seen, done. His hands coated in a red, hot flowing blood and fearful eyes staring back at him. A monster.
The movements upon his cock stopped as Ruby braced herself over him pressing their foreheads together. The images were horrific, seeing her Qrow so angry, watching through his eyes as the Faunus tormented him, burrowing into his brain with poison and clawing into into his never forgetting memory.
"You are not the monster Qrow, you saved those lives, even in the midst of anger and desperation, they would never have been safe and so many others would have suffered had you not done what you did. Does wanting a monster to suffer make you one? No or we would all be monsters. What are you afraid of?" Ruby asked.
"You, she was right. I'm afraid I'll hurt you."
"No you won't. Let me prove it to you. Let me guide you for once." She took him in hand and stroked him tightly till he was erect again.
()
Qrow woke up with a groan, he was sore in places he forgot he had and pulled an arm under him and pushed himself up. He blinked a few times before Ruby's features came into focus under him, she was still out cold, sweat stuck to them both and her hair was a mess. "Oww." He groaned out his voice gravelly, throat dry, he was soft but still in her.
He pulled out with a wince, he was very sore, he flopped over onto his back stretching out his legs. His groin was sticky and he was sure she was worse, he took a deep breath and let his head flop over to look at her.
Ruby woke when he did, but willed herself to be still when he pulled out, she was soo not going to be able to walk today. She felt him turn to look at her and slowly opened her eyes, smiling her soft little smile and stretching her own legs out. "Hey." She said softly.
Oh how could he have ever thought to leave her? "Hey." He said softly then rose a brow when she giggled.
"Nothing." She blushed and continued when he cocked his head interested. "Was just thinking if I wasn't protected, I'd so be pregnant by now."
Qrow shook his head to banish that image he wasn't the fathering type. "Don't even joke about that."
Ruby giggled and rolled over to him. "What? You're not getting any older, Oz isn't, we have a long future ahead of us. Would it really be so bad to sire a baby or two in a decade or two?" She reached out and petted his chest, tracing her fingers along the firm muscles.
"I'm fine with the siring bit, clearly." He gestured to her nude, well fucked state. "It's what comes after that I want no part of. Summer almost lost you twice, after that I stopped coming around. There are way too many things to go wrong with a pregnancy and I am never risking you like that."
Ruby blinked, she had never known that. "What do you mean?"
"About what part?" Qrow asked.
"What do you mean almost lost me? Twice?" Her Dad had never mentioned that, her mom had a rough time carrying her.
"Tai never told you?" Qrow couldn't believe that, but then maybe he had wanted to shield Ruby from that mess. "Love, you weren't Summers first child, she had a silver eyed boy first but he was near two months early and didn't make it to the end of his first day."
Ruby's eyes widened, no one had never mentioned she could have had a big brother. "Why didn't Dad or Yang say something?"
Qrow reached out to her and brushed her hair back then resting on her cheek. "Sweety, we barely named him before he past on. Yang was barely a year old, I doubt she knows either."
Ruby closed her eyes covered his hand with her own. "Why haven't I seen a grave?"
"You see it every time you look out the window." The red eyed man said softly, Ruby opened her eyes confused. "There's only an Ash Tree…"
"Summer named him Ash, she didn't want to put him in a cold grave instead she choice burying him out back and Tai got her a seed. Now Ash, gets to keep living as a tree." Qrow stroked her cheek. "Summer liked to be poetic like that."
"I'm I anything like her?" Ruby asked.
"Who?" Qrow asked knowing fully well who.
Ruby shook her head slightly with a smile."My mother."
"No, not at all, you have her hair and eyes, but everything else is a pretty even mix of her and Tai. You're short like her, but you're only seventeen and you are way curvier and bustier than she ever was. Personalities you're poplar opposite." Qrow shifted closer to her, so their faces were level.
"So you don't think about her when you look at me?" Ruby asked, as Qrow slid his hand free of hers and down the curve of her body to her waist and pulled her to him. "Never." He kissed her lips softly. "You stopped being anything like her when you demanded I teach you how to use a scythe."
Ruby giggled and smiled at that, leaning forward to kiss him again, a hand finding its way into his hair. Qrow let out a purr and held her as they kissed softly, they parted and Ruby asked softly. "Will you tell me about it, well why did Mom have trouble with me? I know Jaune has seven sisters, but I haven't really looked into any of that stuff beyond passive stuff."
"I'm not sure whether or not to be be relieved." Qrow said with complete honesty. "Why the sudden interest?"
"You and Dad don't talk about mom, and you did just fu-, well you were very thorough. I am so not moving for a while yet." Ruby blushed and wrapped a strand of his hair around her finger.
"You pick the weirdest pillow talk." Qrow said, which wasn't completely true, she wasn't wrong given their youth and his flavour of frequent sex. Yeah she would totally be with child by now if she wasn't protected, well that wasn't entirely true either. He took a deep breath. "After Ash, your mom went to Oz, him being the authority on lore in Vale. There aren't many silver eyes in the world, one would think that would be because most of them die in battle, but you know with festivals like the Wylde Hunt. One would think their numbers would be a bit higher, as best as Oz figured out. Silver eyes only passes on down through the mother, a silver eyed father won't have silver eyed children. At least that was one theory he had, no actual proof of that. But for some reason, silver eyes are also less fertile than what would be considered normal. It of course varies from woman to woman like normal, but your mom had trouble conceiving Ash and you took a whole year after. That's a bit odd Ruby, normally after giving birth a woman normally can't get pregnant again till she stops breastfeeding. That never happened with Ash, your Mom should have been have been able to conceive you within a few months. Eventually after a great deal of effort on Tai's part." Ruby scrunched up her face, that was a thought she didn't need. "You mom caught you, she miscarried twice beforehand, always blaming it on stress or her work. I stopped visiting after her first miscarriage and only stopped by after confirming she wasn't pregnant yet. She almost lost you once about two months in, we never found out why but Tai got her to the hospital in time to save you. The second time was five months in, and again to the hospital she went and was put on bed rest and watched like a hawk. At eight months you were determined to come into the world, the doctors managed to hold you back for a week but you were still premature. Tai called me to come and look after Yang while he stayed with Summer, he lost one child he wasn't going to stand by for two."
Ruby thought that over, she had never known and she couldn't begin to imagine what her mother went through. "I get that puts the baby at risk, but you said you'd never put me through that. What else can happen?"
Qrow scoffed and looked up resting his head on a pillow. "It's a long list, beyond miscarrying, an agonizing experience so I've been told. Just in the act of birthing, if the baby is facing the wrong way, well that can kill mother and child. If the cord gets wrapped around the child's neck again, your baby dies. Shit can just go wrong, you can hemorrhage and bleed to death. In a city, sure there are doctors, but if you're just in a town or worse between towns, well the birth rates aren't good. Then there is the pain involved, it's not uncommon for a family to hire a extra huntsman to linger nearby. Labours can last days sometimes, especially first ones, the mother is bound to attract Grimm from just being in pain for so long. Pregnancies are a risky business, and there are many many things that can go wrong."
Ruby hadn't known any of that, the romance novels she had read made it look like a happy go lucky affair. While they did teach about it at Signal in science class, again they didn't talk about all the things that could go wrong. "Wow." She said softly, now understanding why Qrow refused to sire any children, she knew he got around enough that she would have been surprised if she didn't meet at least one of his bastards some day. Now she understood why he took protection into his own hands when he messed around, he didn't want to force that onto any woman. Ruby hummed playing the bell of one of his piercings.
"What are you thinking?" Qrow asked petting up and down her back.
"Nothing really, just working it all over in my head." She kissed the middle of his pectorals. "I think someday we should try, I bet we'd make a very pretty baby and silver eyes are rare. If anything ever happens to me, I'd be happier knowing I extended a Silver Eyed line."
"Nothing is going to happen to you." Qrow kissed her forehead.
Ruby purred pulled away and moved up so she could kiss him again. "You know you can't know that right?"
Qrow kissed her again. "Doesn't mean I can't try." Ruby purred into the kiss and parted her lips, let his tongue slide into her mouth. Qrow's hand came up into her hair as he leaned forward deepening the kiss and rolling her onto her back. She broke it with a soft moan, feeling a familiar twitch against her thigh. "You can't seriously be wanting more."
Qrow chuckled, "No, even I'm sore, but you do look extra lovely on your back." he kissed her neck and she blushed, he grazed his teeth along her neck. "Also love, never underestimate the sex drive of a huntsman in his prime. When we get back to Oz we're going to have to work on your stamina, because then you will have two huntsmen in their prime at your beck and call."
Ruby melted at that idea, if their previous round was any indicator she wasn't going to last long. Qrow smiled against her skin, before shifting to the side and scooping her up.
"Hey!" She protested, wrapping her arms around his neck as he stepped off the bed carrying her.
"Come on, you said Tai and Yang were gone and we're both desperately in need of a shower." He shifted her to hold her in one arm so he could open the door then strode out into the hall bold as brass.
"I don't think I want to try and stand." Ruby said, then giggled at another thought. "Nude Day!"
Qrow chuckled pushing open the bathroom door with a foot and went straight for the tub. He set her down on the edge and set the shower running, making sure that it was warm enough before letting the spray hit her. He offered his hand and Ruby took it and very very warily stood up, or attempted to. Qrow caught her before she fell more than a few centimeters, moving a hand to the small of her back to support her as she leaned on his front, warm water pouring down over them. She purred wrapping her arms around his waist, she could feel his seed leak from her and was a little surprised it took so long, but then he had pretty much folded her over, he couldn't have gotten any deeper if he tried. They stood for a few minutes just enjoying the water before Qrow kneeled before her, being careful to hold her the whole while.
Ruby grabbed both of his shoulders as he gently coaxed her legs apart. "You okay?" He asked, reaching over to the soap and turning it over in his hand a few times. Ruby nodded and let out a little gasp as he very gently washed her core, starting at her pearl and moving back. He could feel that she was still a little swollen, but considering what he did to her she was in excellent shape. She wasn't torn anywhere, and didn't appear to have any bruising. He washed the soap off his hand and looked up to her and asked. "You do mind if I check inside? I want to make sure you're not hurt anywhere and just not noticing it yet."
"I'm fine, but go ahead." She gasped, her legs wobbling when he slipped a finger inside, gently pressing in till his last knuckle, he slowly made a complete circle, feeling for any irregularities before gently removing it. "You seem fine."
"Told you you wouldn't hurt me." She reached over and grabbed her wash cloth and offered it to him. Qrow took it and kissed her belly, "I just wanted to check." he took the cloth and rubbed the soap into it before putting the soap back.
Ruby ran her fingers through his hair. "Well if it makes you happy, you can check as much as you like."
Qrow pressed a few more kisses to her belly, he instantly liked that idea, it wasn't that he didn't trust her to say something if he hurt her. It was just having open ended permission for whenever he liked did ease his mind a great deal. "That will help." He muttered pressing more kisses to her belly.
Ruby giggled as his scruff rasped against her belly. "I thought you were washing."
"I am, I'm just using my lips first." Qrow turned his head and rubbed his cheek against her stomach, Ruby giggled and stroked his head. "Puddy cat." He drew away and kissed her belly again. "I prefer panther, thank you very much." He rumbled out and started washing her stomach with the cloth. "Mind if I do all of you?"
Ruby leaned on his shoulders and parted her legs a little more, feeling more steady now. "Go ahead." She bit her lip when he pressed the cloth between her legs again rolling it gently, it was harsher than his hands had been. He gently slid it back between her butt cheeks and rubbed in little circles, knowing their fluids would have dried there.
Ruby shivered in his embrace as she felt the cloth against her, this felt very imitate, she wasn't sure why but the simple act of letting him clean her... Qrow removed the cloth and shifted closer so she could lean on him more easily as he started with her ankles and worked his way up. Warm water poured down over them, collecting on their lips and skin, he took his time, making sure he got every millimeter. She liked the feel of his hands on her, these weren't teasing touches, just firm cleansing strokes. He couldn't help but pause at her breasts, wrap his arms around her and feather kisses along them. He heard a "Hmm." from above him. "What?" he asked kissing her right breast. "What about my breasts do you like so much? You mentioned liking breasts, but why?"
Qrow paused at that, he had never thought about it. "Don't know, I just do." He nipped at her nipple before drawing it into his mouth. Ruby drew a long shaky breath, moving her hands from his shoulders back into his hair. "Why do you like doing that?" She asked, she felt him shrug, letting her go long enough to speak. "It's calming, feeling you trembling and listening to the sighs is just a bonus. If you didn't cover them up all the time, I'd probably play with them all day. You could probably just walk by and I'd pounce on you."
Ruby giggled, she liked that idea, watching a movie with a breast massage, now that sounded like heaven. "I'd be completely okay with that." She could see him smile as he shifted his attentions to her other breast, sucking softly on the nipple. "If you just want to do that for a while, you could pass me the shampoo, I could do your hair then."
Qrow grumbled, he was quite happy where he was thank you very much, but he drew away, reached back and grabbed the bottle handing it to her before returning his attention to her breast. He rubbed the flat of his tongue back and forth over her nipple, tightening his grip when she wobbled in his arms.
Ruby gasped softly, give her another hour and she'd be aroused by the action but for now her body was still recovering. She poured out a small dollop of shampoo into her hand, set down the bottle and rubbed the lavender scented cleaner between her hands before massaging them in big circles through Qrows raven hair. He tilted his head back slightly so they wouldn't have to worry about it running into his eyes and purred. Ruby kept petting him long after his hair was clean, thinking he was so utterly cute like this. She smiled thinking she had a new tool in her kit for the next time he needed help getting out of a hole. "Come on you." She said fondly. "You can play with them all you want after we are clean."
Qrow cupped her breasts pushing them up and burying his face between them. "But I have them right now." He whined softly, he was tempted to water board her but he didn't want her squirming.
"And the water is going to get cold and you still need to wash." Ruby said with a smile, he was just too adorable.
Qrow sighed she was right and he could get his snuggles in later, she just oozed calm and he loathed to be fair from her. He carefully stood up and they finished washing, he let her clean him and they finished just as the water temperature started to dip.
Ruby let Qrow wrap her up in a big fluffy towel much too big for her, before drying himself and picking her up again. "You know, I'm sure I can walk now." She snuggled up to his chest and made no move to move.
"While I am sure that is true, this is more fun." Qrow smirked and put her down on the bed, moving to get dressed.
Ruby watched him pull on slacks and pick out one of his tailed shirts. "You know you don't have to put a shirt on." She dried her hair a devious plan forming in her mind.
Qrow raised a brow. "It's cold though." He licked his lips when Ruby dropped the towel and stood up, she carefully walked over and took the grey tailed shirt from him and pulled it on. She buttoned up the shirt while Qrow watched the wheels turning in his mind, as she paused doing a button right between her breasts but no more. Qrow stepped over and picked her up and set her on the dresser and kissed her soundly.
Ruby let out a little merp and grabbed his shoulders, the kiss was slow and chaste. When he drew back she asked. "What was that about?"
Qrow shook his head. "Nothing, just you being you."
Ruby moved her hands cupping his jaw, she petted through his scruff. "Are you really better now?"
Qrow nodded and closed his eyes. "When I really sleep I can put the memories away, lock them up. I just need a distraction so I can get to that point, being sedated never works right for clearing them away." He gently took ahold of her hips sliding his hands under the shirt, "With Oz half of it giving into him, knowing he'll protect me when I can't protect myself." he petted her with his thumbs. "Some of it is touch, just to feel something outside of the memory to fall into different sensations. Oz is so good at just casing it all away..." He trailed off.
Ruby leaned up and kissed his lips softly. "Go on."
Qrow rested his forehead against hers, it was easier to talk to her now. Like some wall had been torn down between them, she'd proven him wrong, he wouldn't harm her and she could help him. "Those memories had been what caused me to fall out of touch while you were at Beacon. But I didn't remember them, my mind had repressed them, then Naga threatened you and.." his throat closed.
"Hey shhh, it's okay. I'm okay you okay, there is no one here but us, we are both safe." She spoke softly petting him as she felt his hands tighten on her hips.
"I don't know what happened with my Semblance, that's never happened before but when it did, I remembered things that I hadn't before. Memories repressed and not dealt with and then I hurt you and that just brought it all crashing down." Ruby parted her legs so he could stand between them, she lowered her hands and pulled him into a hug, resting her cheek against his collar. Qrow squeezed her tightly, wanting to never let go again. "And you saw the rest, thank you for stopping me. If you hadn't been there I'd probably be halfway to Beacon by now and very drunk."
Ruby closed her eyes and took a deep breath letting his scent fill her. "I'll always be here for you." Qrow closed his eyes and tightened his embrace, sharing the same sentiment.