Before this starts I'd like to say that this chapter title is also the title of a fic called Snowbirds Must Fly by CeruleanSquirrel. She's a friend of mine and her fic is really good. So if you haven't read it, you should.

Qrow and Winter had been practicing their combination attacks for a few hours.

Even though Qrow was a professional hunter and Winter was a skilled pureblood, they needed breaks, too.

They decided to practice one more move. It was difficult, considering it required both partners' unyielding attention.

All Qrow wanted to do was relax since they'd been at this for a while, but Winter was insistent, saying that if they were going to perfect the combination, it would need to be nailed down to the last detail.

Qrow smiled at how determined she could be. It might've been slight OCD, but he concluded that Winter was just a perfectionist and wanted to do things to the best of her abilities.

It was admirable… considering all he wanted to do was drink.

"Hello?" Winter drawled, standing a few feet away from him in a combat stance. "Qrow? Are you ready?"

That's when Qrow snapped out of his stupor. He failed to realize he was staring at Winter this whole time when she was getting ready for the next pair combination.

"Yeah, my bad, ice queen," Qrow apologized, a mischievous glint now in his red eyes. "I can't stop thinking about how beautiful you are," he sent a playful wink.

Although Qrow wouldn't admit it, there was always some truth in his teasing.

And there was the reaction he loved. Heat immediately rushed to Winter's cheeks and she lowered her rapier.

"Would you stop that? It's a miracle I've survived with your merciless teasing."

"You know you can't resist this," Qrow gestured to his body, his eyebrow perked in amusement. "Admit it."

"Focus," Winter huffed, but not too harshly. She was in no mood for his jokes, especially when they had one more thing to practice. "Ready?"

Qrow held his scythe in the air after a slight sigh. "Snowbirds must fly!"

Before Winter could begin to sprint, she almost tripped up on her feet from the call. "What?"

"The attack name," Qrow informed levelly. "It fits."

Winter seemed to contemplate the name. The fact that it wasn't shot down the moment she heard it was a good sign. Maybe she would accept it?

"It's too lengthy."

Nevermind.

"What?" Qrow quipped. "Don't give me that, it's perfect!"

"How about just a hand wave, or some sort of gesture?" Winter suggested. "That way, our opponent won't see it coming."

The professional hunter weighed her words. Something like a gesture certainly would be easier to follow than blurting out an attack name.

"A whistle?" Qrow asked. "Would that be suitable for your majesty the ice queen?"

Winter gave him a disapproving look before she carefully considered it. "Very well. Can you whistle loudly?"

Qrow didn't reply and just stuck his fingers in his mouth with a wry grin. After watching her confused reaction, he blew as hard as he could.

The noise pierced the air and stung Winter's eardrums, so much so that she had to clutch her ears for them not to ring.

Satisfied with her reaction, Qrow stopped the ear-piercing screech and smirked.

"A whistle it is," Winter almost smiled.

"Glad you could see it my way for once," Qrow quipped casually, his grip tightened on his scythe.

Reading his posture, Winter got in her combat stance, crouching lower to the ground, her rapier lowered at her side.

After the whistle signal, Winter used her glyphs to shoot towards him like a rocket. While gliding across the ground, she coated her body in a thin layer of ice. Once she was closer to him, she used another glyph to hop off the ground and her heels met the end of Qrow's sharp scythe.

Qrow didn't even flinch from the extra weight that was now Winter on top of his weapon. To aid Qrow when he started to spin around, Winter conjured another glyph below his feet to make him twirl at an intense speed.

She crouched lower to the weapon, her hands clutching it. The ice around her body allowed her to not be cut. It was like a layer of protection from the sharp scythe.

Soon enough, the two spun so fast it got a little hard to breathe. That's when Qrow barely managed to look up at her.

"Ready?!"

Winter's gaze never wavered, the ice allowed her to not be affected by the intense winds.

"Ready!"

With a final spin, Qrow swung his scythe towards the end of the glistening white training room.

Winter took that as her cue to angle her heels carefully as she launched off the tip of his weapon. From the intense pressure, Qrow's feet dented the marble-covered floor.

She glided just above the ground. The ice that covered her body weighed her down a little. She was impressed with Qrow's strength when she soared across the entire training room, which was about the length of a football field.

Winter brought her rapier up like she would attack someone and hardened the ice on her arms. Since she was met with air, and no target, she simply flipped elegantly and landed sideways on the wall.

Surprisingly, no dent formed from the harsh impact, leaving Qrow to wonder just how skilled she was.

"Nice landing," Qrow praised after watching Winter dust herself off. He noticed she was a little worn out from using a lot of her zehn. Sweat clung to her skin and she was starting to breathe raggedly. "Can we take a break now?"

"One more-"

"No," Qrow shut that thought down. Winter would go overboard with training sometimes and he was there to make sure she wouldn't over-do it. "We're taking a break."

From his tone, Winter could tell there was no point in arguing with him. She usually came on top when the two bickered, but she could tell he cared for her well-being and didn't want to worry him.

"Very well."

"That's what I like to hear."

Winter slightly pouted, her poker face failed her. That was something Qrow was proud to accomplish, especially since he didn't have to tease her.

For their break, Qrow suggested they watch a movie. At first, Winter didn't want to, saying she had to fill out some paperwork for the company.

However, Qrow was insistent, saying that just taking a shower didn't count as a break.

After practicing, the two cleaned up so the sweat didn't cling to their skin.

Currently, Qrow somehow managed to make Winter sit down and relax for once. The two were in the common area living room on the large couch with a T.V. in front of them.

The pureblood couple had left for the vacation a while ago, so right now the two were alone in the vast castle. It was kind of lonely, but the two were never alone and always had each other.

Since Winter had taken a shower, she didn't bother putting her hair up in its usual bun. This allowed her snowy tresses to be a waterfall of pure white. Her hair wasn't normally worn down, but when it was, Qrow found himself entranced by it. Instead of watching the movie, he found himself stealing glimpses of the woman next to him.

Winter's gorgeous… Qrow couldn't help but think. That bun she normally has makes her look so uptight, but with her hair down she's… she's stunning… like she's not a pain in the ass sometimes.

When he pretended to watch the movie, the scent of lavender filled his nostrils. It was such a pleasant aroma, one that Winter emitted.

Even though the couch was large, they sat right next to each other and for some reason he felt nervous.

To ease his nerves, he pulled out the flask from his pocket and casually took a swig. Little did he know, Winter gave him a disappointed look when she knew what he was drinking.

"Qrow, put it away," she said in an almost harsh tone. "If you keep drinking as much as you do, it will negatively affect your health."

Sensing she was more concerned than anything, he set the flask on the table.

"Hm?" he hummed, egging her on. "Is the ice queen worried? For me?"

Winter timidly looked away, her voice now tinged with sadness and concern. "I'm just stating the facts…" she trailed off, not at all affected by his teasing tone.

Sensing she was genuinely worried for his wellbeing, he sighed heavily and stared at the flask, and then to her, making an internal decision.

After that, he stood and stretched his arms above his head. It didn't take long for his wandering red eyes to find her form again, which was still filled to the brim with concern.

"I'm getting tired of this place," Qrow broke the silence. "Let's go out."

That snapped Winter out of her stupor. "What?" she looked at him like he was crazy for suggesting such a thing.

"Blake and Weiss did. Hell, they left for Beacon. I don't see why we shouldn't stroll around town for a little bit."

Winter crossed her arms in defiance. "No, I don't think so. I still need to finish the paperwork and afterwards there's-"

She didn't even finish her sentence when Qrow grabbed her forearm and dragged her off the sofa, but not forcefully.

"Yep, out of everyone in Remnant, you need a break the most."

Ever since the purebloods left for a vacation, Winter was constantly cooped up in her study room. It was painful for Qrow to watch, especially since she was in her prime and should be focusing on other things instead of work.

Qrow pitied her for having to stay at home all the time. In the end, he was just glad to be with her to relieve any loneliness she would feel if he wasn't around.

Winter would never admit it, but she was fond of his company. Whenever he was around, there was never a boring moment. Sometimes, he even managed to make filling out paperwork entertaining.

Qrow wouldn't take 'no' for an answer and almost literally dragged her out of the castle. At first, she tried to struggle out of his grip, but it was for naught so she trotted along, making sure he was well-aware she'd rather be in her study.

But she knew she was lying to herself.

A few hours later, all the pureblood and bodyguard did was walk around town.

Northern Vale was bustling with people. Both humans and faunus were just living out their everyday lives in the busy town. Joining them, were Qrow and Winter.

This time, Winter wore her hair down mainly to fight off the cold. She never really got too cold, but her white waterfall was like a layer of protection from the chilly breeze. Qrow wore his typical outfit, his cape fluttering in the wind every now and then. His body was naturally warm, so he didn't need to worry about things like a simple breeze.

Qrow was surprised he could drag her out of the castle without much of a fight. So far they enjoyed themselves.

The castle was located in northern Vale, so it was a little chilly outside. Since the Schnee family had an affinity for ice, it was difficult for them to actually get cold, but they always felt cold.

Qrow caught something in the corner of his vision, something Winter had failed to see.

If Winter saw the establishment, Qrow was sure she would have wanted to check out the place. Knowing his assumption was right, he grabbed her hand swiftly to lead her to the building. However, he instantly recoiled when he made contact.

Winter's hand was freezing, so much so that it sent shivers up Qrow's spine. He wouldn't call it an unpleasant feeling, it was just unexpected.

"The ice queen has lived up to her name," Qrow chuckled.

"Why did you grab my hand?" Winter questioned, trying to stop herself from stammering. "And why must you always call me that?"

"What else would I call you?" Qrow asked. He seemed completely baffled by calling her anything else, something that made Winter's eye twitch.

"My actual name?" Winter suggested levelly.

"Where's the fun in that?" Qrow said like it was obvious he loved teasing her.

Winter just playfully rolled her eyes and then she felt his hand grab hers again.

"This way."

She didn't particularly like the nickname he bestowed upon her, but she supposed it was okay. No one else had ever called her 'ice queen.' No one ever had the guts to. And yet, the first day Qrow and Winter met, he dismissed the idea of calling her by her name, dismissed her status as a rare pureblood and didn't call her 'my lady,' and dubbed her 'ice queen.'

It was an interesting way to address her and she had grown used to it. She just wondered if he would ever call her by her real name.

Did he even know her real name?

Knowing Qrow, it was entirely possible.

Winter reluctantly allowed the contact and let him lead her into a building that was foreign to her.

The hunter held out his arms to gesture all around him. "A bakery!"

It was a humble bakery, like the one closer to Beacon. It was a welcoming establishment and only had a few people in their seats while eating various types of bread.

The scent was pleasant, and now Winter wanted to eat some food. She'd been drinking blood for the last several weeks and had been wanting to mix her diet.

Besides, bread and soup were the only things vampires could eat besides blood, so why not?

"You want some?"

Winter glanced at Qrow, who had a grin. A nod was all he needed to go to the cash register.

"Tell me what you want," the hunter said as he pulled out his wallet.

At the sight of his wallet, Winter quickly replied. "I won't let you pay for me," her tone was stern like there was no changing her mind.

"Fine," he said, a mischievous glint in his red eyes as he slowly slid the wallet back in his pocket. "Then just tell me what you want."

Thinking he gave up, she looked at the menu above the register and made her decision. She absentmindedly told him and reached for her own money in her purse.

However, she failed to notice Qrow had handed the cashier money before she could even touch her currency.

"Qrow!" she chided. "You know I can afford something like this."

"Would you look at that?" Qrow grinned smugly, already grabbing his change from the order. "Too late."

"Why you…"

"Just let me be a gentleman," the hunter replied with a wink. "I wanted to pay and I did exactly that," from his reply, she frowned and he went on. "Are you going to keep scowling like that or do you want to enjoy this nice bread?" he held out the treat.

After a sigh, Winter hesitantly grabbed the food. It was nice and warm compared to her cold hands.

"Thank you."

From her reply, Qrow smiled genuinely. Not the typical smug grin he normally adorned. Winter thought it was nice to see him so sincere.

"No problem. Come on, let's grab a seat."

The two retreated to the corner of the bakery with their snacks in hand at a table for two. Even though Qrow didn't like bread particularly, he somewhat enjoyed the snack he picked out. They traded casual conversation in between nibbles every now and then.

He could tell something was bothering Winter. He was about to question her, but she decided to speak up.

"What's your plan?"

"Huh?" Qrow asked, not understanding what she was referring to.

"The plan to tell Weiss and Blake's teammates about vampires," Winter replied in a whisper, baffled that he forgot about something so important. "Yang found out about our existence. I can't believe you forgot something so urgent."

"Oh, that," Qrow said, amusement in his tone. "Trust me, it's nothing to worry about."

"Why's that?" Winter was beginning to grow irritated. This was an important matter and Qrow was treating it as anything but.

"In short…" Qrow prepared himself for the revelation. "Ruby and Yang are my nieces."

Winter almost spit out the water she was drinking. She choked on it and she pounded her chest to breathe properly again.

"Excuse me?!"

"You heard me. As you know, Weiss and Blake are my kiddos," Qrow easily replied, liking her reaction. "But so are their teammates Yang and Ruby."

Winter still couldn't believe it. "What?!"

"Woah, that's a better reaction than I expected," Qrow chuckled in mirth. It was obvious he had been waiting for this day to come for a long time. He could only grin knowingly, waiting for her to compose herself.

"You knew them this whole time!?" Winter was exasperated. Now that she thought about it, she didn't know much about the huntsman's family life.

"Yep."

"Do you know how frantic I was when Weiss told us the news that Yang found out?"

"Uh-huh."

The huntsman just wanted to see how she'd handle the situation. Back then, it took hours of wondering what to do and him constantly reassuring her everything would be alright. Only then had she allowed herself to finally calmed down.

A little.

It all made sense to Winter. "That's why you don't care so much."

"Bingo," Qrow replied. "Yang and Ruby can be trusted. Even though Yang's the biggest extrovert you'll ever meet and Ruby is a troublemaker, they're dependable."

"I bet you think you're so sly. Keeping that a secret this whole time..." Winter mumbled.

She felt a little betrayed, but as she stared at his arrogant grin, she felt at ease. The deception she felt withered away. She couldn't stay mad at him, someone who had been by her side constantly. Something told her she could trust his nieces.

Why was she so surprised Qrow knows the whole team?

The man was full of surprises as far as she knew.

She should have expected as much.

"I'm so sneaky," Qrow said in a teasing manner.

"Do you know how much easier this would have been if you just told me?" Winter quipped, setting the bread aside. After that revelation, she lost her appetite.

"Where's the fun in that?" Qrow asked. "Watching your reaction was entertaining."

"Entertaining…" Winter muttered, not liking what he said. "Is that all I do for you? Entertain you?"

Qrow had to admit, her reactions to… life... were actually pretty entertaining. He supposed he worded that wrong and felt guilty.

"I was going to tell you sooner or later, it was just a matter of when," Qrow informed. "Since I know the whole team, this will be easy."

"So I'm assuming your plan was to just tell them?"

"Yep."

"I can't believe this…" Winter murmured.

Maybe she could. This is the kind of bullshit Qrow would pull.

After watching him give her his signature smirk again, she sighed.

"Nevermind. I can."

The attack move coincidentally fit the title and again, go read CeruleanSquirrel's fic!

I know both Ruby and Yang aren't Qrow's nieces, but he said, "In short." There's no need to explain tedious details that don't matter. It's about time Winter found out! She's not too mad at Qrow, just a little frustrated.

They're finally ready.

Stay dandy,

~Toto