A/N: Here's an angsty chapter to celebrate two weeks of absolute chaos. Got hired to my dream job, got a greater placement than expected in my dream job, found a new apartment after a good 30 min of looking, aced final projects, and only had about five terrifyingly-long panic attacks. Woot.

Thing We Said

…with too many miles between us

"What the fuck do you think you're doing, James?"

"Qrow, please understand."

This wasn't supposed to happen.

Clover had long lost track of the point of the conversation. It had begun as a comment to rebuild Mantle's wall, to stall the completion of Amity's control tower for just a little while to make sure the citizens were safe. Too many Grimm had been getting through the wall for anyone's comfort. It was a fair argument, and Clover could see where it had come from; however, when he had first entered James' office, he had initially expected to share a report, then file the paperwork for his team.

The anger etched in Qrow's face and the weary resignation in James' made it clear that the report would have to wait.

James stood, holding his arms behind his back. Clover watched him worriedly, tracing the fatigue clear in his stance as James wandered to the large, floor-to-ceiling window behind his desk. "Look, Qrow," James said quietly, "I don't want to be doing this either."

Clover turned to Qrow, heart cracking as he saw the bitter snarl on Qrow's lips, the anger in his eyes. "If you think I'll side with you if do that," Qrow hissed, "you'd best think again."

Do what? He had truly lost what was happening. "Qrow-" Clover said, stepping forward to lay a reassuring hand on Qrow's arm. He had been able to calm Qrow down in the past- perhaps his touch would help him here, too-

But Qrow shrugged him off without a second glance, storming up to the desk and slamming his hands down onto it. "I'm not doing this, James. You protect your people. If you want to be better than Oz, then fucking prove it. Don't let them die."

The way people did at Beacon, Clover's mind supplied.

It startled him, how that simple thought managed to clear up so much in his mind. He hadn't ever really thought of how the Fall of Beacon had impacted Qrow, or how he must've felt watching the place that he loved fall to the darkness. Clover had seen Ruby and Yang and their friends crying every once in a while, lamenting the loss of their home when things became too overwhelming and they thought no one was looking- did Qrow also feel like that?

Is that why he looked so close to breaking, desperation adding an edge that no one could ignore?

As he thought on this, Qrow turned back to him at last. "Clover, you tell your fucking idiot boss that this needs to change. We can't just let the people down there suffer."

Clover didn't respond, simply looking back and forth between Qrow and James. How was he supposed to respond? Follow his commander, or appease his first love- how could he possibly choose-

I love him.

The realization numbed him from head to toe. More words were exchanged between Qrow and James. Clover didn't hear a word.

…since when?

But suddenly, Qrow snarled, "Fine," and he stormed out of the office, leaving Clover and James behind.

James turned to look at Clover, sadness echoing in his eyes. "I… We'll continue as planned, Clover. No need to change anything on our schedule," the general said quietly.

Mutely, Clover nodded before beginning his report, trying to ignore the creeping understanding in his heart: that his feelings ran deeper than he could've ever realized; that his silence had been an admission, a wordless agreement with James; that he would follow James no matter what, and that was truth; and that the scathing look in Qrow's eyes as he left had been full of betrayal and frustration and loneliness, and Clover didn't know how to take Qrow's hand again if he couldn't truly stand by his side.