I do not own RWBY or the cover image
Being born in a tribe of bandits and taught to steal, kill, and destroy since he was young created a ruthless Huntsman who would do anything to protect the few people in this world that saw him as a good man. Maybe that was why it was so easy to see Summer as the light in his world, she would never taint her hands the same way that he had. From the look on her face, his sister felt the same; watching their leader smile and laugh was the only thing they lived for. Even the cynical part of Raven treasured the bright and happy woman who didn't care how many people they'd killed.
In a way they were both in love with the woman, however, their love was darker than Tai's. Where the blonde would fight for Summer and never back down, the twins would kill for her; they already had. None of them knew how it happened, not even Summer, but eventually it was hard to tell the difference between the dark love that the twins felt and the warmth of Summer's light. Even Tai noticed eventually that there was something dangerous between the three of them that none of them would ever let go of.
The first time Tai asked if Raven loved Summer the woman had glared at him with scolding crimson eyes that told him everything he needed to know. In response, he'd laughed and admitted that life would be dark without their leader. It was the first and only time he'd seen Raven smile at him as if he'd hung the moon in the sky. Her love for him was far different than what she felt for Summer. He didn't mind knowing that she loved Summer more than she loved him since he loved the woman too. The only issue was that Tai didn't understand the twins the way Summer did; of course, he knew that they were born and raised in a tribe of killers but he didn't understand the blood they had on their hands. He wanted them to be normal, he tried to change them without truly seeing what was wrong with that. It was the reason his relationship with Raven failed. Still, Raven cared enough to have a child with him if for no other reason than so he would have someone to love.
Raven was cold, cruel, and in a way terrified. She'd never loved anyone, even her brother, with the same force that she loved Summer. She knew that one day they would have to leave the silver-eyed woman who cared far too much for the people around her but not enough for herself. Waking up to see Summer's vibrant eyes and hear her laugh was the only reason Raven stayed with her team after graduating Beacon. She didn't trust Ozpin or care about saving the world, she only wanted to protect Summer even if that meant staining her hands red.
It was during a mission to save a town that Raven released the darkness that she kept so well hidden. They were working with another team of Huntsmen when the leader of the second team cornered Summer who'd been weakened from fighting the grimm. According to the man he'd wanted revenge for the woman winning against him in the Vytal festival two years earlier apparently it had been a humiliation to lose to a woman especially one so small and weak. In truth Raven had been planning to let her leader handle him, then he'd made the mistake of striking the smaller woman. The red-eyed woman had painted the alley walls with his blood before he'd realized she was there. It was that moment she'd expected Summer to reject her or react by screaming, instead, the silver-eyed woman had fallen into her arms and clung to her. Even Qrow would've been afraid of her but Summer just clung while mumbling words of gratitude. That night she basked in the warmth of her leader without thinking about the consequences.
Qrow had never meant to fall in love with Summer, he was meant to become the Bandit King and lead his people. Then she smiled, after that, there was no chance that he would leave her. In a way that made his choice to pass the crown to Raven much simpler than it should've been. He'd chosen Summer over his tribe, his family, however, his sister didn't care. She approved of the loyalty he showed their leader since she felt the same. When his silent love for the silver-eyed woman became too much he'd almost ran away; it was terrifying to love someone so like the sun. In truth-loving Summer was like playing with fire and hoping not to get burned. Every smile, every touch, every word, lit up his entire world dragging him closer to the edge.
She was overbearingly warm at times. Sometimes the quick acceptance she had for their actions felt more like a noose around his neck while at others it made his heartbeat like a drum. She was his light, the only person who mattered more to him than his sister. Maybe that was why it had been so easy to try and run from her. It had gotten too hard to look at her without wanting to watch her come undone, but he wasn't supposed to give in to the instincts that pushed him to press his lips against her own. Then she chased him down making it oh so easy to give into those instincts he'd tried to push away.
Neither of the twins were good people, but they were drawn to Summer who shinned like the sun. Accepting their faults and sins, she gave them a home that they greedily wanted. They would've done everything and anything to keep her safe. Killing, stealing, destroying in her name was all too easy for them when she smiled like they were the most important thing in the world. Raven knew that Qrow loved Summer just like Qrow knew how she felt. It was fine since they were twins and they could share Summer just like they shared weapons, battlegrounds, and homes. As long as Summer gave them someone to love, they were fine with not having all of her.
Not even Summer was perfect, but she tried so hard to be everything they needed without asking them for anything. When the lights went out turning the world dark she was just as ruthless as the twins if not more. She cried where no one would see then smiled when they would. In truth, she was a liar, a hypocrite, who knew exactly how easy it would be to manipulate the twins into giving her the world. Instead of asking them for the world she just asked that they stay with her; that was more than enough for her despite how incomplete she'd always felt.
When she had Ruby, they'd all accepted the girl as their daughter. The little girl was lucky, she had four parents ready to destroy the world if she so much as got a paper cut. Of course, being an adorable toddler, she had no idea how many people were ready to murder for her. Even Yang was a bit overprotective of the girl given that the blonde was at the teething age that included a lot of biting. Somehow that was more terrifying than anything they could've ever done.
Still, they had a family now making these missions they kept going on much more dangerous than normal so they decided to quit. One last mission then they were done; honestly Raven always thought that Ozpin took the news a bit too well. Maybe that was why when he showed up at their doorstep six years later she was more murderous than shocked. The feeling didn't fade when he got down on his knees and begged Summer to lead an expedition into the Grimmlands and recover the relic of destruction.
Summer Rose was a hero even if she didn't want to be so of course she agreed just as Raven and Qrow decided to follow her into battle again. Setting off with a group of forty Huntsmen and Huntresses they dived right into the deep end without hesitation leading to both the slaughter of the team along with the recovery of the relic. They'd won but the price was far too high.
Laying in a pool of her own blood, Summer stared up at the sky knowing that she was going to die yet unable to stop it. She wasn't ready, just as the twins on either side of her weren't ready to lose her. Her cloak turned dark as it soaked up her blood and their tears, but they couldn't stay. Clutching the relic in her hand, Raven made the choice that could've driven her brother away forever, she pulled him through a portal leaving their leader behind. They never saw the life leave her eyes, yet they felt something inside shatter the instant her heart stopped beating.
In another world, Qrow would've stayed beside Ozpin forsaking both his sister and the family they'd built.
In another world, Raven would've walked away out of grief and guilt leaving behind everything.
In another world, Tai would've raised their children despite his own struggles.
In another world, only Raven had seen the victorious smile that Ozpin wore when he held the relic in his hands. Only she would've known that he cared more for victory than for the people he used. In this world, both the twins saw the expression causing what little faith they had in the man to shatter becoming replaced with hate and distrust. Tai never understood why they hated the man who should've been their greatest ally, but they never understood why he lost himself in the grief of Summer's death. Perhaps it was because he didn't know how death truly felt until that moment.
From the moment they were born, the twins knew death and destruction they thrived in it; so losing Summer hurt like hell but they could survive it. For a while, that was all they did. Raven watched over both her daughter and Ruby knowing that her brother needed time before he could look at the little girl with Summer's eyes. She could accept that he wasn't ready to see Ruby even if that led to him spending hours in the woods tearing apart the grimm in an effort to get stronger. What she couldn't accept was the way Tai fell apart.
While Qrow might be spiraling he was still trying to make sure this never happened again, however, Tai simply shattered becoming nothing more than a house ornament. Day after day he sat on the couch staring at the wall as if it knew the answer to life. She hated it, but every time she confronted him he claimed she was a heartless bitch so she learned to leave him alone. In all the time she'd known him, she'd never thought he would strike at a child much less his own child, so she didn't think to keep the girls away from him. Not until it was too late.
Ok so new story, this one will have short chapters. So, where did this idea come from? I watched a Qrow is the best bird dad video on Youtube and had an idea. Anyway, what did you guys think of this first chapter?
stay safe and have a good day
-Shyla