footprints in the carpet
"Is…" Ruby's voice trails off, eyes glancing downwards, a worried twist to her lips.
Qrow elbows her playfully, softly replying, "What's up, kiddo?"
She sighs. "Did something happen between you and Clover?"
He freezes, sighs, and shakes his head. "No, why?" he lies, pasting on a strained smile.
"Because you're acting weird," Yang says bluntly.
"Yeah," Nora chimes in, "you've been acting like he's… like he's not to be trusted or something."
Qrow stiffens, shoulders locking. He scans the room, finding expressions from mildly curious to deeply troubled, their stances all on edge, eyes speaking the same silent words simultaneously.
If you tell us not to trust him, we won't.
He takes in a deep breath, then lets it out slowly, feeling his shoulders relax bit by bit, his headache pounding all the more fervently. They are right to be wary of anyone and everyone in Atlas, especially after Ruby's decision to hide the truth about Salem and Jinn from James; however, his own personal issues aside, Clover has truly yet to show any indication that he is not to be trusted.
Whether that means Clover will guard his back should anything happen, Qrow does not know. For now, however, he knows that they are fighting the same enemy, and that is enough.
…it does not mean that Qrow needs to like him.
"For now, he's safe," Qrow says quietly. "We need to work together, kids. Don't forget that. Salem wants to divide us."
Their faces pale, their nods, slow and knowing. They understand. They cannot afford to allow a chasm to form between them all- not after they've seen the demon haunting their footsteps.
So what- I should just suck it up?
He knows the answer is 'yes'. He also knows he cannot do that. Is it embarrassing? Yes- he feels as if he has been transported back to his first few years in Beacon with the amount of bitterness he tastes whenever he sees Clover, for back then he had been far angrier, far more hurt by anything and everything- and yet, he cannot put his baseless frustrations aside. He is jealous of Clover's ease. He has not felt the kind of confidence and pride which Clover always displays for far too long; the mere thought of it causes his head to ache, for he is sick of seeing Clover's overly-confident smirk on the field when Qrow has proven to be the better Huntsman time and time again.
These thoughts linger in Qrow's mind all the way until their next mission- a stakeout. The goal to find a Grimm nest goes a little too well, leaving them both surrounded by Teryxes before they can call for backup. As the battle commences, however, he realizes that he should not be on the battlefield that day. Each movement feels sluggish, his head spinning as the battle draws on, for he is both dehydrated and nauseous and nothing he has eaten that day is settling in his body when all his brain craves is the same old depressant which he has been avoiding.
My damned luck, Qrow thinks as he slices through another beast, jumping away from its corpse before the noxious fumes can enter his nose. A quick leap backwards is more than enough to clear the area, a shifting from a sword to a scythe allowing him to reap his blade straight through the bases of spindly wings of another monster like stalks of wheat in the field; the felled beast screams, guttural and raw and horrifying in its candor, and all Qrow can do is wince as the sound drives itself right through the center of his skull.
Through his distraction, however, he does not realize the approach of yet another Grimm from the side until it is too late. He tenses pre-emptively, his body unable to react in time; he is still too weary, too broken, to move away.
To his surprise, the swipe of claws is blocked by a sturdy silhouette and a long, thin metal rod. Clover grits his teeth as he glances over his shoulder and spits, "Keep focused!"
Qrow grimaces and totters back to his feet, then throws himself back into the fray.
Once the monsters are cleared- thankfully, with the help of a few of their backup Huntsmen who had arrived on the scene just in time- Qrow and Clover are left to fill in the reports. They both silently open up their Scrolls, preparing to at least begin them on the journey back. It isn't like they have anything else to do in the daunting silence which always separates them on the trips back to the academy.
Today, however, it seems that Clover has something to say. "What, no 'thank you'?"
Qrow raises a brow, glancing up from the form he is filling out. "For what?"
"For that save. You would've been injured pretty badly if I hadn't caught that blow for you."
Rolling his eyes, Qrow quips, "Look, boy scout, I would've been able to take it just fine."
Clover looks up at last, staring deadpan at him. "With your Aura?"
Frowning, Qrow quickly opens up his Aura gauge. A lance of cold, unfiltered discomfort stabs through his heart as he sees his Aura hovering dangerously above the red. "What…?" he breathes, baffled. "I- I barely took any hits though-"
"I don't know what the hell is going on with you," Clover says tightly, "but your Aura's been down to nothing since this morning. Either rest, or I'll remove you from the roster."
Before he can stop himself, Qrow puts down his Scroll, raising his chin in challenge. "You think I'm scared of your orders?" Clover opens his mouth to respond, but Qrow's eyes fall upon Clover's hand. It rests upon his hip- upon Qrow's fallen feather, still hanging so innocuously upon the same chain as Clover's lucky rabbit's foot. He cuts Clover off and adds, "I've said it to Jimmy and I'll say it again- if I was one of your men, I'd shoot myself."
Clover's eyes snap wide open, expression twisting into an annoyed snarl. "Why are you complaining?" he whispers after a moment. "What is the problem, Qrow?" Shaking his head in annoyance, he says under his breath, "You'd think you'd be happy to have someone cleaning up after you with that Semblance of yours-"
The pilot announces over the speakers that they are landing, and within a breath, the airship settles down upon the ground. It is a good thing, too; Qrow does not feel like going to an Atlesian prison for attacking one of their senior officers, even if Clover deserves it- even though every bone in his body is screaming out to strike at this younger man who has no idea what he is going through.
He does not allow the frustrated tears which well up into his eyes to spill until he is back in his quarters. He knows he is a liability, but Clover does not get to see that weakness. Not today.