-xxx-

Qrow awoke with a grimace. His head hurt, his face hurt and his stomach absolutely hated him. Out of habit he half sat up, grasping for his hip flask on the nightstand. The room tilted as the nausea rose in an all-encompassing wave and he groaned softly and let his head fall onto the pillow again. That's right. No flask.

No drinking.

Fucked that up, didn't I?

Qrow curled in on himself and tried to stop his stomach cramping. He felt SO awful. His body was hot and shaking and wracked with cramps and acid sweat and his mouth tasted like sick. He'd forgotten what a real hangover was like… he never used to sober up long enough to get one.

And then the other part of the bed, the warm part, snooched over towards him and wrapped him up in a possessive embrace.

Oh…

Clover.

And his whole body thrummed with the heat of Clover's skin and the feeling of his bare chest pressed tight.

He swept his arms around the man and glowed in his embrace.

It feels so good just to be touched again…

And then he remembered the taste of those lips.

And…

Oh no…

It was part of the curse of his misfortune, he supposed. No matter how drunk he got, he always remembered. Not every single second but most of them. And always, always the bad bits.

His mind raced back to the previous night… going to James's office… trying to talk some sense into the General. It had ended in a screaming match. Qrow had said… some things. He knew they were right but maybe he didn't have to shout them in the man's face…

James had said some things too…

And it had all been suddenly too much.

So he did what he had always done. He succumbed to the urge to just leave the pain behind for a few hours. A few blissful hours of denial.

Except it never worked out that way, did it?

And now… the memories came rushing back. Clover's lips…

Oh no… I kissed Clover…

But then he felt the echo of a hand grabbing his shirt, pulling him forwards…

No… he kissed me.

And then I threw up all over the street.

Oh fuck.

But… he's here.

Qrow wriggled a little, just to be sure. Clover's embrace tightened and he felt the hard muscles press into him, flush against his whole side.

I think I'm too sick to even feel horny… maybe I am dying after all.

It might be better if I did… I mean…

The words swirled around in his head. You don't know what you do to me…

I pretty much begged him to fuck me.

Wonderful.

… but we didn't. I mean I might have been drunk but I would absolutely remember that.

He groaned; nausea and shame rising in waves.

I should go.

Slowly, he extricated himself from Clover's tight embrace. He wiggled out of the bed and snuck out to the bathroom. He swirled his mouth with toothpaste and finally managed to bring himself to look in the mirror. He looked better than he felt (unsurprising, a month old slice of meatloaf would look better than he felt)… but not by much.

You really need to get your shit together, he told the tired looking face in the mirror.

"Qrow?" Clover's sleepy voice floated out behind him.

"Uh…"

Clover was in the doorway. He was just wearing pyjama pants and he looked slightly ruffled, but perfect. Because of course he did.

"Hey… you should come back to bed. It's still so early…"

"I… uh…"

Shit! What do I say?

Qrow just stood, slightly shaking with the force of his hangover, and wished the earth would open up beneath his feet.

"Please…" Clover said; his voice soft and sad. He walked up to Qrow and reached out his hand, as if he didn't want to get in Qrow's space too soon, "Come on…"

"I…" Qrow looked at the outstretched hand. He kissed me. He brought me home.

He didn't fuck me.

But I shouldn't hold that against him…

He reached out one hand and Clover's face split into the biggest, goofiest smile. He took the hand and pulled Qrow gently into his arms.

"You must feel awful."

"I do."

"Come on then, I have some vitamins and stuff. Let's get you something," Clover fussed briefly and came back with a weird orange drink and some tablets, "It's an old cure from my academy days, works a treat."

Qrow struggled but managed to get most of it down.

Clover took the glass and then returned, gently ushering Qrow back to bed. Qrow lay on his back, a little unsure and Clover lay beside him, propped on one elbow. He let his other hand drape on Qrow's chest, "Is that ok?" he asked softly.

"Uh… yeah…"

"I don't want to make you too nauseous."

"No, I'm... ok…"

Qrow took a deep breath and just focused on the heat in the hand on his chest. Warm, steady, reassuring.

"Clover… I'm so sor.."

Clover cut in, "No. Don't."

"But I.."

"I don't want to hear it. You're doing something really hard and one little slip up makes no difference. I really admire all the work you've put in and I know you'll get there …and you were pretty adorable at times."

"I'm pretty sure I hurled on your shoes."

Clover's green eyes twinkled as he smiled down, "They were old shoes. Anyway, look where we ended up."

"In bed…?"

"Yep. Not bad for a first date."

"You can't count this as a date! What is wrong with you?" Qrow finally managed a smile.

"Oh I don't have a list; I just add stuff as I go along."

Qrow let himself wriggle just a little closer, "Thank you."

"It was my pleasure," Clover smiled down and his thumb stroked across Qrow's chest gently.

"Oh geez I forgot about the girls, they'll be worried…" Qrow half-rose.

"I told them you were ok. It's fine."

"Oh…" Qrow sunk back, "Thank you…" he shook his head, trying to disperse the disappointment which welled in his chest. I let them down again.

Clover's green eyes sought his, "Actually, I think I owe you an apology."

"You reckon?" Qrow gaped, "What the hell for?"

"You said some things last night whi.."

"Oh no… I don't want to think about any of the things that I said. Gods… Cloves…"

"No, I should apologise. You were right. I've been… leading you on. I did really want to… but I have a real hard time with rejection. I guess I haven't gotten over it like I thought. I'm sorry I wasn't more… honest with you."

Qrow felt a tiny flicker of his old cockiness returning.

There's life in the old crow yet…

"Well… I've spilled my guts…" he smirked over the deliberately unfortunate choice of words, revelling in the shame as only he could, "…so maybe it's time you spilled yours. Tell me how you feel."

"Oh… Qrow I can't," Clover's eyes widened in horror.

"Yes, you can. How bad could it be? I remember almost everything I said last night and I regret everything… so?"

"Everything?" Clover breathed.

"Almost everything."

"No… you regret everything?"

"I don't regret you kissing me," Qrow looked up; Clover's face was so close. His gaze so tender and intense, "but you are trying to change the subject. Come on… just a little hint so I don't feel like such a douche bag over here."

"A little hint… about how I feel?"

Qrow nodded. He lifted his head and slipped one arm over Clover's shoulder, turning into his embrace so they were completely wrapped up in each other.

Clover's arms enveloped him and pulled Qrow closer.

"How about a big hint?"

"Not exactly what I had in mind," Qrow grinned, enjoying the not-so-subtle presence between them.

"Alright then…" Clover took a deep breath, "I want you like I've never wanted anything and when you said I want you bad… I swear Qrow; don't ever do that to me again because it nearly killed me just lying here next to you all night."

"That bad, huh?" Qrow smiled, a lazy hand finding its way to Clover's chest.

"Worse," Clover leaned forward and let his lips brush Qrow's.

Qrow lifted his chin and let the heat of desire wash through him. It rose in waves, up from his toes, through his hips to his stomach… oh no that's not…

"Oh no, I'm going to be sick," Qrow leapt to his feet and raced off, slamming the bathroom door behind him.

Clover flopped onto his back and looked at the ceiling, a stupid smile slowly taking over his face.

Typical Qrow.

Well, my beautiful bad luck charm, I guess we are destined to take the slow road after all.

-xxx-