Disclaimer: RWBY and all characters associated belong to Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth. Not GrimGrave.
Let's face it, Tai deserves to be happy and Willow deserves a better husband.
Also, this became way longer than I had intended it to be. Uh. Yay?
Full Genres: Hurt/Comfort/Romance/Friendship/Family
The Anthologies of a Sun Dragon
Finding Happiness
The riot in Atlas had been bordering on a civil war; Mantle, after many a years of living under the shadow of the City of Atlas, had finally had enough.
First it was the strike on the Dust labour; Mantle decided that if they are the ones slaving away in the Dust mines, they are the ones who get to keep the fruits of their labour. This lead to Atlas not getting any cargo for ammunition, heating, and anything else between military and civilian usage.
Then it was the rejection of the damn-near useless robots and what little humanoid soldiers the military had bothered to "lend" Mantle in the first place. More and more Huntsmen and Huntresses from the academy, specifically those born in the city below, had chosen to stay and defend their home, acting as the city's police-and-security force. In an act of spite, they dumped all the destroyed robot guards into the crater of the mines.
With tensions rising as a result the situation eventually escalated when Mantle began to openly fight against Atlesians; humans and Faunus banded together for the first time in Mantle to become independent, and eventually they took the fight to the city in the skies.
The City of Atlas burned for a full night. Mantle demanded independence and they would get it through force if necessary. While The Happy Huntresses were not too happy about this escalation and tried to dampen the ire to prevent any losses from both sides, they still fought for Mantle.
Unfortunately that didn't happen once the rioters reached Schnee Mansion. As the home of the CEO of the SDC, it was an obvious target for a myriad of reasons.
Qrow Branwen and his nieces, along with their team, had been in Atlas at the time and aided Weiss try to defuse the situation and defend her home, but alas a single, stray arrow unluckily took the life of Jacques Schnee as the man tried to escape in the chaos.
Following the riot being put down and with SDC's future uncertain, Willow Schnee became the new CEO, being the daughter of the founder and wife of the now deceased Jacques. The following, long, arduous months were complete turmoil for the poor woman and the fate of the company was up in the air.
Eventually, the news came out via a public statement from Willow herself;
"I'm hereby stepping down as the CEO and renounce my claim to the SDC; my youngest child and son, Whitley, will inherit the company when he is of age. Until then, a board of directors, chosen by me and who knows how my father ran it in the past, will be in charge."
And so Willow Schnee removed herself from the public eye. It was no secret that they had an unhappy marriage. Now that the SDC was in better hands and the mansion having taken one too many hits from the riot, Willow entertained the thought of finding out what a normal life was like.
Upon Ruby and Yang's suggestion about Patch – far away from Atlas and a humble, quiet little village – and offering her a place to recuperate, Willow was fairly reluctant to accept at first. With Weiss supporting her decision no matter what, she began to make preparations.
The welcome had been small, but surprisingly heart-warming once she had arrived. A small number of people had thrown a humble bbq-party to her surprise, but what had made the event memorable was the tall, blond man who had approached her.
"I heard we're going to be neighbours," he stated, offering his hand. "My daughters told me everything; I'm so sorry to hear about the riot, Mrs. Schnee. The name is Taiyang Xiao Long, but you can call me Tai."
"...Willow Schnee." She accepted the proffered hand. "Charmed."
x.x.x
It had been three weeks since Willow moved into Patch; her humble cabin, while modern, had provided a simple life, the complete opposite of living in the mansion back in Atlas.
Her cabin was just a stone's throw away from the Xiao-Long-Rose house. It didn't even take five minutes to walk from one to another, allowing Taiyang, her neighbour, to check in on the fellow widow every now and then…which proved to be highly necessary.
"It's like living with Qrow all over again…" the blond man thought to himself out loud as he poured a bottle of Atlesian red wine down the kitchen sink. "Mrs. Schnee, we've talked about this. Drinking is not a way to cope with anything."
"Miss." The aforementioned woman was leaning against the doorway, arms lazily crossed over her chest as she watched on. "And on the contrary, Mr. Xiao Long, I find that alcohol numbs the pain quite efficiently."
"As if I haven't heard that before…" He sighed. "I know that losing your family home is a heavy blow, and that the loss of your husband—"
"`Loss´?" She asked incredulously with a scoff. "I would hardly call it a loss. It's a closed chapter, a sense of freedom and relief, nothing more. I couldn't possibly be happier."
"Then forgive me for asking, but why are you still drinking like a sailor? You're meant to start anew here and yet I hear from both of your daughters that you have barely left the house since you arrived." He let out another sigh. "Weiss can check in on you since she attends Beacon, and Winter has one week per month free to come visit you while your son is still attending his boarding school in Atlas, but I was asked as your neighbour and father to Weiss' teammates that I checked in on you. Your kids are worried about you, you know."
The snow-haired woman glanced towards the window. The sunlight filtered in beautifully. "I have my reasons."
Tai didn't respond and began pouring another bottle, this one half-empty.
"If you would just take a moment to go outside and enjoy what Vale has to offer, I'm sure you'll find something more fulfilling than drinking in the dark. I'd be happy to show you around, give you the grand tour of Patch and the city of Vale!"
She eyed him with an immovable, narrow gaze, taking her time with an answer. "Very well. I suppose I need to get out of this house."
"There we go! How about we start right away? I'll show you what Patch has to offer!"
She took another moment seemingly mulling it over as she looked him over. "Okay then."
"Hahah! Great! Let me just finish up here and then we'll hit the town so to speak! You're going to love it, I promise."
Willow studied him rather than replying. His cheerful attitude and warm-hearted kindness was…intriguing. He was friendly and welcoming, and fairly handsome; Willow had had the pleasure of meeting with Taiyang every now and then when he wasn't inviting himself over to check up on her and he was not only considerate, but rather dapper to boot with his facial hair that was better than a damn moustache, and she had spotted his interesting tattoo once.
To have someone like him watch over her like this was nothing short of heart-warming.
And Brothers know that she hadn't felt like this in many years.
x.x.x
The village of Patch during winter was quite the sight, Willow had to admit; the blanket of snow over meadows and rooftops with not even the sound of the breeze to disturb the tranquillity wasn't something she would've enjoyed as much back home despite Atlas' perpetual winter.
Taiyang showed her around the village with spring in his steps, showing off their small market square first thing first. While most homes were scattered here and there, while others were more close together, the market square was the place where everyone gathered and socialized. Aside from a few homes there was a humble café, a relatively small mall centre, butcher-shop, and other shops and stores for anyone's needs.
"Every summer there's a farmers' market taking place here," Tai explained as he gestured at the plaza. "And during autumn there are similar fares stopping by. My kids used to love those. So did my partner…She absolutely adored them."
Willow tugged at the collar of her dark-blue coat as she eyed the blond. He was smiling, but his eyes couldn't hide the hurt the memory caused him.
"…My husband would never have thought of going to these kinds of events unless it was for `charity´ that made for good headlines in the papers that is."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Miss Schnee…"
"I grew numb to it over the years. It's fine."
"No, it's not! That's…that's sad, to be honest."
Willow shrugged. "Yes, I suppose it is."
She had just come to accept that's how it was.
Tai furrowed his brow worriedly before his expression brightened. "Oh! How about we pop in to the café real quick? They have the best cakes and coffee this side of Vale. My treat!"
She met his gaze and her heart jumped a little; it was like witnessing the dawn after a long, dark night. His smile almost made her want to mirror it and her heart stirred in a way she hadn't felt in years: hummingbird-frantic, nervous, and wonderful.
Willow tugged at her crimson scarf and averted her gaze. "…That sounds nice."
The café's interior was stunningly inviting with the firm wooden walls and floor. It made you feel like you were in a cabin up north, skiing or otherwise, and with the season abound you might as well really be at a resort. Log tables with hand-knitted tablecloths and wooden chairs with colourful cushions made the place even more charming, and the large hearth at the northern wall made for a cozy atmosphere with the crackle of fire accompanying the soft tunes of music in the background.
Taiyang had gone ahead and ordered two Patch apple-cakes with coffee and Willow had to admit that the cake looked rather delectable. It certainly smelled delicious.
"Trust me on this; one bite and you'll want to come here at least once a week," the blond man commented with a cheeky grin.
"We'll see about that," Willow replied matter-of-factly and dug her small fork into the piece of cake in a manner which would befit a Schnee. She brought the piece to her lips, sniffing in the aroma of a freshly-baked pastry, and let it slip past her parted lips with a gentle hum.
"Mm…!" She slowly nodded, chewing properly before swallowing. "Oh my. You weren't exaggerating, Mr. Xiao-Long."
He softly laughed. "I told you."
"I take it you're a regular here, then?" She asked him, carefully sipping her coffee. The blend was surprisingly exquisite, a stark difference to what little coffee she had inhibited back in Atlas before favouring the pain-nullifying embrace of alcohol.
"Naturally. They know me by name," Taiyang replied and chuckled; the sound was smile-inducing. "My partner became a regular here as well not long after I introduced her. She would always stop by here on her way home…Eventually I had to take a few extra minutes into account because she would never be on time."
Willow gently laughed. "Oh dear. She got side-tracked then, huh?"
"You wouldn't believe it. It was one of her many charming quirks though," he told her, his gaze cast to the floor as he stopped the mug right before his lips. "…She always brought a take-away mug and a small cake with her home when she stopped by. She was such a sweetheart."
"…My condolences for your loss." When the blond looked up at her she cocked her head slightly to the side and offered a smile. "I couldn't help but notice the past tense."
"Oh. Right…" He sighed, dejected. "Thank you. It wasn't easy, what with raising two daughters alone, but…I managed to pull through, somehow, and- No, sorry. I'm so sorry; I shouldn't be talking about her right now. I dragged you out here to have fun, not to listen to my sad reminiscence."
"It's quite alright. I suppose one of us has to mourn and it is certainly not going to be me," Willow stated with a hint of a smile, however forced, and sipped her coffee with a content hum. "If only I could that fondly of that man like you speak of your partner. Alas, we've lived completely different lives."
Tai raised his mug. "Ain't that the truth."
Willow's lips quirked at the corners into a genuine expression, but a thought took root and bloomed into a peculiar curiosity.
Ever since the offer of moving away from Atlas – to a remote village in Vale of all places – she had been wondering what a normal life would be like; her assets, though wealthier than the common man, were still limited and her new home did not reflect the luxury she had been used to. And listening to Taiyang talk about the humble events the ordinary folk looked forward to, the joy in the small things, and about his former partner made her further curious…and a smidge envious.
Taiyang had lived a happy, normal life, though not one of marriage, but still a life with someone the way two people should have. The first years of her married life with Jacques had been, Willow thought, great! He had been attentive to her needs and showered her with affection and at the time she had thought of it as him being genuine.
What a fool she had been, she thought to herself. It had all been a sham; a means to get to her, snare her in, and trap her as she gave away her birth-right and inheritance to a power-hungry, greedy snake. And it had costed her a good amount of years, her physical and mental well-being, and her previously good relationships with her children. Weiss aside, it was a miracle that Winter and Whitley even talked to her anymore after her years of self-loathing and depressive compliance while letting Jacques continue his amoral actions.
And here she had a man before her who hadn't known her that long and yet was kinder to her than Jacques had been even before the truth came out about why he had married her. Willow didn't have access to the Schnee fortune anymore, so there was nothing to gain from marrying her now…surely Taiyang knew this.
And hearing him go on about his former partner, the things they did for each other, spoken with such affectionate inflection in his voice, made Willow wish she had met a man like him instead.
Her heart thudded suddenly in a double-tap.
"Mr. Xiao-Long—"
"You can call me Tai," he interrupted with a playful grin. "Honestly, I feel pretty old when people call me Mr. Xiao-Long."
"Very well then…Tai." She offered a small smile. "…Would you find it bothersome if I asked you if we could do this again? Come here and chat, I mean."
Tai expression went from taken aback to beaming from ear-to-ear in a second. "Oh, gladly! Hehe, I told you that you would like it! You know what, if you ever want to hang out, you just call me!"
"Oh my. Are you sure you can afford to dedicate yourself to my selfish requests like that? Because you're the only one around here I even remotely know."
Tai nodded without missing a beat. "Absolutely! I'm not going back to Signal Academy until early spring and I can always make the time," he said cheerfully. "And I would hardly call your request selfish; I know what it's like to be in the slump and if I can be there for someone, I'd be happy to, Miss Schnee."
Her heart skipped a happy little beat.
Goodness.
"I…think we can skip the formalities at this point. Please, call me Willow."
He beamed at her. "I haven't mentioned it before, but that's a lovely name. Well then, Willow; it's a date."
Whether it was the coffee, the hearth, or the compliment that warmed Willow's cheeks she would never know for sure, but the smile on her face was the biggest one she has had in many years.
As they spent some more time in the café, talking still, she already couldn't wait until next time.
x.x.x
Following the next two weeks the two of them had made it a habit of visiting the café and chatting about anything that came to mind; Willow learned more about Tai's job as a teacher at Signal combat school and his past as a Huntsman (and having ended up romantically involved with nearly his entire team to boot) while Willow told him stories of her father, the founder of the SDC, and her childhood. She told him about how she on accident awoke her Semblance, but never enrolled in any Huntress academies or schools and instead having favoured studying for her role as the next CEO of the company (…which had tragically gone largely unused.)
Little by little she was beginning to come out of her shell – out of her funk as Tai's presence brightened up her day. It was honestly a great motivation to get her out of bed throughout the week.
"…And I ended up having to cook everything," Tai explained and chuckled. "And that's when I decided that Qrow was never allowed back in my kitchen!"
Willow softly laughed and put down the mug lest she accidentally spill the coffee. "Forgive me, I don't mean to laugh at your mishap. It sounds like everything turned out well in the end however."
He nodded. "Yeah, it did. Good thing I know how to cook or else we would've been forced to order takeout." He sipped on his coffee before continuing. "How about yourself?"
She blinked. "Pardon?"
"Do you cook?"
She gently scoffed. "There was a time when I would help my parents in the kitchen. Not because they needed the help, I just thought it was fun to do things together. I have some of my mother's old recipes left, but…Well, eventually I had professional chefs prepare meals so I haven't cooked anything myself in a long time."
"…You don't cook?"
"Only really simple stuff I'm afraid, with various results. Trial and error, you know. Mostly errors," she said and chuckled. "Winter came by and offered to cook me something that could last a few days in the fridge, but—"
"That won't do, Willow! You need to eat properly!" Tai firmly told her. "Tell you what; how about I cook you dinner at your place? I can teach you a few simple, but hearty recipes—"
"Oh, but Tai, you don't need to go that far for me! I'll manage. But thank you for the offer. I appreciate it."
"No, no! I insist!" He then told her. "I love to cook, I don't mind. Really."
"…I suppose it would be nice to have a proper meal for once."
"There you go! How about tonight? I can get the ingredients along the way."
"Oh! Uhm…" She was taken aback. "Well, why not. But at least let me pay for them."
"That's not necessary—"
"If you're going to cook food for me then the very least I can do is to reimburse you. I won't accept no for an answer, Tai."
She allowed a hint of smugness adorn her smile as the blond man hung his head in good-natured defeat.
"Alright, alright, I yield. Have it your way, Snow-Fairy." He chuckled to himself.
Willow scoffed and shook her head, ignoring the way her body and face responded to the nickname.
x.x.x
One grocery shopping trip later, Tai and Willow were back in her cabin with the blond working his magic in the kitchen, showing the Schnee matriarch a couple of easy-to-do recipes that still delivered a hearty, tasty experience as he promised.
To see him so focused and working like he was in his true element was kind of palpitating.
-and if you boil the potatoes a few minutes before putting them in the oven you'll get the crispy, golden-brown texture on the outside and the fluffiness on the inside. So delicious." He let the potatoes boil in peace and sighed, taking a breather. "So simple yet delicious."
"Interesting. I'll be sure to remember that," Willow replied as she sat by the dining table watching him. "Honestly, this makes me want to try out my mother's old recipes again."
"I'd love to be here when you do. Only fair you trade me some recipes of your own!" Tai laughed and winked at her.
The looked away and smiled.
"Quick question, Willow."
"Yes?"
He chuckled. "Out of sheer curiosity; as a mother, have any of your kids ever asked if you any of them were your favourite? I remember Ruby asking me when she was little and it was just as I was cooking; she tugged at my pant leg, demanding an answer and it was the cutest thing."
"Aw. That sounds adorable." She crossed one leg over the other and mulled it over. "No, that never happened…I suppose things turned for the worst before we got to that part. I wouldn't say our manor was the warm, wholesome home like yours I'm afraid."
"Oh, uh…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"
"But if they had asked me," she continued and winked and pointed at him. "I would've told them that I Schneed more time to think."
The blond stared at her for a moment before letting out a hearty guffaw. "Hahah! Look at you, cracking jokes! You have no idea how good it is to see you lighten up like this after having spent weeks pouring alcohol down the drain, let me tell you!"
"Don't expect it to be a common reoccurrence," she replied and chuckled.
"I'm serious! It's like day and night," he commented. "By the way, I've been meaning to ask you something else, Willow."
"Hm? Is it about my children again?"
"No, no…" He leaned against the kitchen counter. "Do you, uhm, have any plans for Winter Eve?"
Oddly enough she hadn't even thought of it, she realized.
"No… No I haven't." She pondered for a moment. "I know my son and my daughters talked about visiting, but I haven't really thought of anything special to be honest."
"Well…" He rubbed his neck bashfully. "Would you and your family like to come over for dinner?"
Her brows raised in surprise.
"We've been getting along well if I do say so myself. And Weiss and my daughters are close friends and teammates after all. I figured if your kids are coming to visit, Yang and Ruby might want to invite her so I thought why not invite all of you and…I'm rambling, aren't I?"
Her heart skipped a happy beat.
"I think that would be wonderful, Tai. I— We would love to come over for dinner!"
His blue eyes brightened. "O-Oh? That's great! I'll, uh, let my daughters know."
Willow nodded at him and smiled. Her heart was pounding against her ribcage that she thought it might leap out of her chest. The poor blond was saying something, but her mind wasn't there to process it as she absentmindedly began to plan for what to wear.
She couldn't wait until Winter Eve.
x.x.x
"I have to admit, I'm surprised you would want to socialize with other people, mother," Whitley commented, his hands buried deep in his jacket pockets. "I figured you would want to be alone or perhaps trying and see if we could summon the servants to cook us something…"
"I think it's great for her to have made acquaintance with Mr. Xiao-Long," Winter intervened, back straight and head held high as she trekked through the snow-covered path. "I hear he's been helpful with mother's recuperation."
Willow chuckled softly. "He certainly has."
"From what I've heard of him from you and Ruby, Yang, I'm not surprised," Weiss then commented and giggled. "It was sweet of him to invite us along, but it does feel a bit strange to not celebrate back home..."
"It's going to be fun," Willow then replied. "And just you wait until you've tasted his cooking. It's amazing."
Her children exchanged looks of varying gratifications which didn't go unnoticed as the matriarch eyed each of them.
"What is it?"
Whitley chuckled. "Well…"
"It's just…so refreshing to see you smile like this, mom," Weiss confessed. "It's been so many years since we've seen you happy and excited for something."
"Or someone," Winter added with a slightly lopsided smirk that prompted the rest's attention. "So, how many do you reckon we'll be?"
"Oh, uh, he invited us and then there's his daughters…I believe he mentioned his brother-in-law from his first marriage would arrive as well. So eight."
"Wait…His brother-in-…" Weiss' words trailed off. "Do you mean their uncle Qrow?"
"Qrow?! Qrow Branwen?!" The oldest sibling rubbed her temples with a heavy sigh. "Oh goodness gracious. I'm going to start drinking from this."
"Is he that bad…?"
Weiss cleared her throat. "He's…quite the character. To be honest he is…was like how you used to be."
"What do you mean?"
"He has a drinking problem," Winter stated.
"…Oh."
So Tai had dealt with someone like her before.
"Had a drinking problem," Weiss corrected.
"That's their house up ahead, right?" Whitley pointed out. The building was decorated as befitting the season, though not gaudy unlike some of the other homes they had passed along the short trip. The lights were dancing inside the house and Willow spotted the certain blond briefly.
With a bit more enthusiasm than she had meant to show Willow knocked on the door.
Light poured out and illuminated the entryway with a series of colours as the blond man came into view, dressed in a sleeveless black vest and white shirt, with black slacks. His shirt was rolled up by the sleeves, revealing his tattoo, and his facial hair was kempt and hair groomed.
"Heya! Welcome to the chaos!" He exclaimed and stepped aside. "Come on in from the cold! We've got some eggnog and mulled wine to warm you up!"
"Such a graceful host," Willow commented as they let themselves in. "Tai, you've met my daughters, and this is my son, Whitley."
"Pleasure to meet you, young man. And welcome!" He held out his hand, prompting the youngest Schnee to shake it firmly.
"Likewise, sir. And thank you for inviting us."
"Weiss!" Ruby and Yang chirped from the living-room. "Welcome!"
The middle-sibling giggled and hung her coat before stepping inside to join them. "Hello Ruby, Yang."
Winter and Whitley joined them shortly after, creating a buzz from the living-room followed by the oldest sibling groaning upon meeting Qrow. With the five of them creating a hubbub in there, Tai and Willow found themselves alone and suddenly rather awkward around each other.
"Ah, uh, should I take your coat?" He asked.
"Oh, thank you." She undid the belt and buttons keeping the snowy-white coat together, allowing the blond to gently pull it down from her shoulders—
A gasp escaped his lips. "Ah… Wow. You look… stunning, Willow."
With her bodycon dress in blue, which then gradated to ice-blue before further gradating to white with matching elbow gloves and choker, heeled dress shoes, and finer touches of subtle lipstick and light-blue eyeshadow, she damn well hoped so. Her hair, neatly kempt, slicked back, and wounded into proper ponytail was the finishing touch.
Her cheeks flared up a little, her heart pitter-pattering against her breast. "Thank you…You look rather dapper yourself, Tai."
"Haha…thanks…I hadn't really thought of dressing up this much, but my kids insisted that I put in a bit more effort for once."
And given the effort his daughters (and her own children for that matter) had put into their own clothing for the evening, it was understandable why.
"I'm glad they did. The look suits you."
He bashfully scratched his cheek. "Thank you. It certainly feels more worthwhile now…"
"Oh? What do you mean by—"
"Hey, Tai," a slightly gruff voice interrupted as a somewhat scraggly man poked out from the living-room. "Do you need any help in the kitchen?"
"NO! You stay out of there, Qrow! I've told you!" Tai shouted back. He turned to Willow, slightly flustered. "Right, uhm…I need to look over the food-"
"Do you mind if I accompany you?" She asked, hopeful.
"Heh, eager to pick up some cooking tricks? Sure, I don't mind!"
"Yes…cooking tricks." Willow smiled at him.
The rest of the evening had gone smooth from there on; Willow and Tai enjoyed each other's company in the kitchen as they talked about anything and everything from Winter Holiday traditions to recipes, while never missing a chance to complement each other repeatedly.
Ruby, Weiss, and Yang exchanged gifts while Whitley mostly kept to himself. Winter and Qrow bickered, but the oldest Schnee sibling found herself less frustrated with the older man due to him not partaking in any alcohol.
Dinner had been somewhat chaotic with the eight of them gathered around, but it was certainly an evening to remember as the jovialness effectively spread around to each and every one around the table; Weiss had entertained them with a song and Yang never missed a chance to crack festive puns together with her old man (though one could argue people only laughed due to how terrible they were.) The food had been delicious and Willow had picked up a few tips and tricks from watching the blond work his magic, which in itself had been stimulating to behold.
Throughout the long evening, Willow barely took her eyes off Tai.
After some lengthy rounds of board-games, Qrow had been the first to head home. Winter, having time off from the military, headed back to Willow's cabin where she stayed, preferring to call an early night while Yang dragged Ruby, Weiss, and even Whitley off to a party a friend of theirs was hosting on the other side of Patch.
The music themed for the season played softly in the background as Tai and Willow, the only ones left, merrily chatted over a glass of wine (moderate amount of course.)
"-and I remember Winter looking so proud of herself as she finished her fencing lessons. You could see it brimming in her eager eyes!"
Tai chuckled. "I know what you mean! The look on Yang's face hen she managed to take me down the first time is one I will never forget. And she was still in combat school!"
"They grow up so quickly, don't they?"
"Yeah…yeah they do. Time really flies."
"Mm…" Willow moderately sipped on the wine as she glanced at the clock. It was already 02:31; had they really been talking for this long? "It certainly does."
"And yet all we can do is to make the most of the time given to us," Tai added.
"…I suppose that's true even if it doesn't feel like it's enough."
"Not enough? Willow, you haven't been in Vale all that long and you're already a changed woman! You don't need a lot of time to change, to start over; you just proved it to yourself."
Willow sighed and put the glass away on the coffee table. "…It's not so easy to just start over – to recuperate. I have you to thank for helping me by simply being there for me, you know. It has helped me clear my head, but I've also come to a realization."
When Tai didn't reply she took at a cue to continue. "The years have escaped me and the best ones were robbed by…that man... I'm free yet I didn't know where to begin. I was dreading that it was too late with too little time left and fell back on my depressive stupor, but…having spent this time with you I feel that maybe that's not the case."
Tai put his own glass away and scooted closer across the couch. "Willow, listen to me; your best years are not gone. I was in a similar destructive spiral myself when I lost not only my wife, but my partner, but I managed to get out of it. I'm glad that I've helped you see that it's not too late to find happiness."
"Oh, Tai…" She chuckled gently, akin to somber. "You've been so kind to me and I've come to like you a great deal… Perhaps I'm entertaining a fool's hope, but…I…"
It dawned on them that they were both really close.
"Willow…"
Her eyelids slowly lowered in a heated gaze.
Tai rested a hand on her thigh. His breathing slowed down.
"Would you…show me the same affection you showed your partner? Would you show me how it feels to be…loved?" She caressed his cheeks with her fingers.
His breath hitched in his throat. His hand drifted from her thigh and over her hip.
Her heart was racing.
"Willow, I…Brothers, I didn't think-"
Their lips grazed and their eyes snapped wide open for quick, fleeting moment before dipping low, lips pursing for a chaste, brief osculation; the contact blossomed, rippling outwards in a flush of shuddering heat across their bodies through nerves that made fingers twitch in response. It was a swirl of emotions dancing through tepid warmth with a mixture of sweet and bitter, sour and tannins taste waltzing on their tongues that gradually asked for entrance, deepening the kiss.
She was pulled closer by the hip as she rested a hand over his neck—
The jangle of keys fumbling to fit into the lock and the pulling of the front door alerted them as they quickly separated just in time, flustered and rather hot around their faces.
"I think- oh shit, they're still up?" Yang's voice could be heard as she stepped inside and immediately caught notice of the adults. "Oh, uh. Hey dad! Didn't know you were still up! We totally forgot about the curfew, really!"
"Uh-oh…" Ruby squeaked from behind her sister.
"Yes, ah, we ended up talking for a lot longer than we had meant to," Tai blurted out. "You kids had fun at the party?"
"Uhm, yeah!" Yang exclaimed as she eyed her sister, puzzled about the lack of chastising regarding curfew. "It was awesome! Sorry about getting home so late—"
"It's fine," Tai reassured. "But I think we all need to get to bed."
"I should return home," Willow promptly stated as she got up perhaps a little too quickly.
"I'll walk you home. A woman shouldn't be out by herself at this hour."
She smiled at him. "Thank you."
x.x.x
The short walk to Willow's cabin had been quiet and awkward. The gentle crunch of the layered snow beneath their shoes was the only thing aside from the wind to break the silence.
Tai cleared his throat. "Time really flew by, didn't it?"
"…Yes. A bit too quick to my liking."
Her cabin was just a few steps away.
"I should be quiet in case others have managed to fall asleep already," she stated.
"Yeah…" he sighed. "Say, Willow."
"Yes?" She quickly replied.
He smiled shyly at her. "We usually host a small party before we all gather at the plaza to celebrate around midnight. Would you like to come over again and celebrate with me?" He caught himself. "I-I mean, your family are welcome, too!"
She chuckled. "I would love to. Perhaps…we could continue where we left off? Unless I somehow mistook—"
He hugged her close and pressed his lips against her eager ones. The cold air suddenly couldn't touch them as they lingered in the contact.
Once they parted, Tai struggled to form words, stumbling over them. "I…had a lot of fun tonight. I'm glad you came over, Willow."
"My thoughts exactly, Tai." She pecked him on the cheek. "…I'll see you at New Year's eve then."
"If not sooner?"
They both softly laughed. "Definitely sooner," she replied.
She had a funny feeling that she would have to stop by the café and bring something over for her impromptu(?) visit.
"Then…Good night."
"Good night, Tai."
With one last chaste kiss the two parted ways, but not without a brief, longing glance over their shoulders as they returned to their respective homes, hearts pounding frantically.
As soon as Willow closed the door behind her she slumped against it and slid into a sitting position, face buried in her hands as she softly wept.
Her early years into marriage, which she had thought to be what happiness was like, had nothing on the unbridled elation of this evening.
x.x.x
The days between Winter Eve and New Year's Eve had gone by in a flash. Willow had been invited over the day before, surprising Tai with a cake and cups of coffee from the café. With his daughters still around nothing had happened aside from the lingering looks they had exchanged and the subtle, playful brushing of legs beneath the table.
When his daughters were out of sight, she'd peck him on the lips before leaving.
Eventually it was New Year's Eve and the Xiao-Long Rose house was roaring with sounds as the eight of them gathered again for a hearty dinner.
Willow made certain to wear similar attire, replacing the bodycon for a lace up dress that was certainly bolder than the previous with its laced up front showing off the valley between her endowed, shapely breasts, down to her navel where a wide belt was in place, all with with the same gradating colour-scheme as the bodycon. Her elbow-length gloves were translucent, the patterns akin to snowflakes, and her hair was donned up into a messy updo, with the front pouffed up and several strands framing her face. Black nylon stockings clad her legs and to finish things up she had chosen an ice-blue/white lace choker. Her tried-&-true makeup was the same light-blue eyeshadow and deceptively vague lipstick matching her lips.
The long looks Tai had given her throughout the evening was certainly a boost to her confidence, if not ego. The blond's attire hadn't really changed, but then there was no need to in Willow's opinion.
It had been a trial to not overdo the otherwise subtle flirting with six more people around. Qrow's semblance, Willow had learned, was not to be underestimated as the man was damn near a health hazard, but otherwise a good man. Winter had almost caught them when they thought they had the kitchen to themselves, forcing them to stay away from each other a bit more.
All they could do was trade longing looks and silent appreciation.
When there was only two hours left before midnight, the party was declared over as more and more people were gathering at the village plaza; bonfires would be lit up and a massive firework show was going to take place at the stroke of midnight.
Qrow, Ruby, Weiss, and Whitley had gone ahead while Winter and Yang had stayed and helped taking care of dishes and cleaning up a bit before they too head out together, with Tai mentioning that he would finish up the rest and join them later.
Willow, of course, had offered to help him.
"Hello," she purred as she sidled up to the blond, arms draped around his neck. "You look really good in these clothes, you know."
"And you look absolutely breath-taking," Tai told her, holding her close. "I love what you did with your hair. It looks good on you."
"Thank you~ I wanted to look extra special tonight." Her smile faltered a smidge. "…I hope you don't think I've been too…well, forward."
Tai blinked, puzzled. His brows rose. "What? No! No, not at all! If anything, I…I have to confess, I was rather smitten by you when I first met you. If I hadn't been asked to help look after you I would've gone over and introduced myself all over again…"
"Oh? Is that right? That makes me happy to hear."
He chuckled against her lips, grazing them softly with his own as she pursed hers, before they kissed, breathless and heartfelt. Warmth seeped into them akin to imbibing something hot and coursed through their bodies, overtaking and basking them in a cloudy haze.
It was roughly eighty minutes left until midnight.
x.x.x
They hadn't meant to do this now. Affection, a desire to be loved, brought along Lust which guided the pair from the kitchen up to Tai's bedroom, the blond having carried Willow bridal-style up the stairs.
Their kissing, open-mouthed and wanton, was without pause even as their itching hands began to roam and strip each other.
He zipped down her dress as she unbuttoned his vest. Willow shuddered when she snuck a hand underneath Tai's shirt, the fruit of his Huntsmen days evident to the touch.
She rubbed her legs together and quivered. This was a man.
Tai's course hands roamed over her bare back, eagerly feeling her up as he caressed her hip and slope to her rear. She bucked into his touch and unbuttoned his shirt until she could push the article aside—
They broke the osculation and eyed each other affectionately for a moment before Willow's gaze was glued to the blond's bare chest; a tapestry of lean muscles and faded scars.
"Oh my…"
She helped him out of shirt and vest, the clothing forgotten on the floor before Tai helped ease her out of her dress—
His breath hitched in his throat with a dry gasp. Blue twin pools widened, pupils dilated further with a rush of heated lust.
Willow let out a husky chuckle. "I decided to go all out for tonight, just in case. I bought these a long time ago, but this is the first time I've gotten the chance to wear them." She smiled shyly. "It's the first time I've been bold enough to wear them…"
More blood rushed to his throbbing shaft as Willow cradled her chest, puffing out her gifted breasts; pale, malleable mounds, like snowy hills, capped with the sweetly pink nipples that stood at attention as they poked out of the light-purple bra which was designed so that it left those pebbly buds exposed.
"Oh, by the way," she continued as she unbuckled her wide belt. "The underwear matches."
His gaze narrowed hungrily. It was a look she hadn't ever experienced and it sent shivers down her spine.
Tai helped her out of the dress in a mild hurry, but there was a practiced motion to his handling of her. The dress pooled at her feet as she stepped out of her shoes and his mouth salivated.
Black nylon stockings hugged snow-pale thighs which rubbed together before spreading just enough for him to glimpse the same light-purple fabric…and the designed exposure of the base of snowy curls crowning a flushed, swollen little bundle of nerves above equally flushed labia lips leaking onto her inner thighs.
"Do you…like it?"
Tai pushed her onto the edge of the bed and fell to his knees in front of her. He splayed her loins and in a single beat pressed his face against Willow's sex.
Her eyes lit up, a rippling sensation of bliss culminating into a rumble in her throat and spreading out to her legs and toes, and resulted in a shrill moan.
"Aaahh~!"
Her toes curl, legs twitching. She had expected a touch, accompanied by a kiss; Jacques had never been one for foreplay.
Tai's tongue lapped over her slit, collecting her gushing excitement from her outer labia with relish. He kissed her mons at intervals with the same passion he would kiss her upper lips, and his tongue flicked and swirled over her sensitive clit. Each time he dedicated attention – nay, worshipped that small part of her – the rippling effect intensified and Willow clutched at the sheet in an attempt to ground herself through hoarse cries.
"Ahh! Ahh! Ooh! T-Tai!
His touch was firm, yet careful as he caressed her nylon-clad thighs and bare hips. He ate her out with gusto, a wanton desire, but was tender and venerable. It was the kind of attention Willow had never been given; he was worshipping her and her body. Tai was praying at her temple, pleasuring her to his heart's content.
She clenched her thighs around his head and shuddered with a throaty moan upon her lips, fingers buried in blond tresses and digging into his scalp as the swift ecstatic orgasm crashed over her.
Trembling, she released him from her cushiony hold. Her breasts heaved with each breath as the bliss slowly faded.
"That…was…Oh I've been missing out…"
"Your late husband never did this for you?" Tai asked, incredulous. He licked his lips.
"The snake could never, huff, be bothered with anything outside the, ah, necessary. It's a wonder I even have my three children…"
Her gaze drifted from Tai's eyes to his chest (and her heart skipped a beat, her pussy clenching) and down to his belt, and she propped herself up.
"Allow me…"
She reached for his belt.
"Ah, that's not necessary…"
She glanced up at him. "I want to."
His expression darkened with lust, mirroring hers. "Alright."
Willow flashed a slight smirk and tossed the belt aside. She pulled the zipper down and with little assistance helped the man shimmy out of his pants while he kicked off his shoes—
The front of his black boxer-briefs caught her attention.
Tai slowly shed himself of the article and Willow fanned herself.
"Oh my…"
Her outstretched hand gently grasped his length as she leaned closer.
"Jacques could never compare," she stated and parted her lips, her tongue darting out and pressing against the crown.
The blond shuddered, his shaft throbbing in response. He rested a hand over her head, nestled in her snowy hair as she swirled her tongue around the head, lubricating it as best as she could. She wasn't used to this – she knew it, he knew it – and it showed, but he wasn't going to stop her from trying.
"Mm…" She pursed her lips and kissed the tip before licking alongside the length of the shaft down to midway before repeating the motion on the opposite side. Her hand slowly pumped his cock, working up a steady friction as she took the first few inches into her mouth and applied suction. It slid back out soundlessly. "Forgive my inadequacy. This never really happened…"
"You're doing well," he huskily replied.
Encouraged, Willow continued, bobbing her head along Tai's dick and sucking the top. She jerked him off faster, her saliva creating a smoother friction.
Tai tossed his head back and contently breathed out. His cock pulsated and his body tensed up as Willow continued, testing what worked and what didn't and the eager awkwardness was a turn on in of itself.
x.x.x
The moment of the penetration was like an epiphany. It was shallow, just the first couple of inches of his cock reaching into sodden, velvety depths, but the connection was more real than anything Jacques had offered at the beginning of their marriage.
Willow was lying on her side, hugging Tai close as her left leg draped over his hip. He thrusted gently, unhurried. He touched the small of her back as he kissed her softly and breathlessly.
"Tai…" she whispered and kissed him again. They moved their body in synch, coiling against each other hugging one another closer still in a heated embrace.
Was this what lovemaking was supposed to be? Brothers above, she had missed out on so much!
She felt up his broad back, shivering as she felt the muscles shift beneath his skin. Where had this stud been all her life? She had been wet long before he even touched her. This wasn't even about pure physical needs!
Willow liked Tai – she really liked him. A lot. Their friendship was real. She enjoyed his company regardless of what they were currently doing at the time. She liked his humour. She liked the way he smiled. She liked the way he had worried about her and looked after her – the way they made each other laugh and their shared interests and anything they could still learn about each other.
Willow liked a lot about Tai.
This wasn't just physical or a need to feel loved. It was a compatibility of the mind and body through the senses in a passionate waltz, and connection of the souls.
She hugged him closer, deepening the kiss, and the pair rolled over. Willow was flat on her back as Tai hovered over her, pressing up against her as he thrusted faster. There was strength behind his hips as he hammered them, penetrating her deeper and stretching her inner walls as he stimulated her clitoris with each thrust.
"Oohh! Tai!" Willow sharply moaned out. "Oh Heavens, Brothers, it, oh, feels incredible!"
"So, unf, good," he grunted. He lifted his upper body, arms fully stretched and legs lose together as he thrusted slower, but more thorough all the way down to the base. "Oh Willow…!"
"Tai…" She propped herself up with her elbows, face-to-face with the blond, and kissed the corner of his mouth.
He picked up the pace and reciprocated the peck, then kissed her fiercely on the lips. He angled his head and kissed the side of her neck above her lace choker, burying his face against her skin.
"I'm close, mmh, Willow…!"
Just hearing his voice strained by pleasure made her cum a little. To know that it was her who made him feel good and simultaneously feel just as good in return…
"Me too, ah! Together…! Ngh!"
He blanketed her upper body. Tai pumped his hips faster and she could see his muscle tautening in his body.
Willow's sex clenched tight as pleasure swiftly raked at her senses; years of neglect had left her sensitive and her orgasm's approach was swift and strong. The sweet friction of their sexes made them her buck her hips against him even as pleasure washed over her with a shuddering cry, and soon Tai nearly fell forward as he joined her, thrusting further as he ejaculated.
He pressed up against her heaving chest. For a moment it was as if Remnant stopped turning and held its breath just for them – for just this moment as they came together in ecstasy.
"Willow..." he murmured, tremoring deep inside of her.
"Tai…Oh goodness…" She shivered when he kissed below her earlobe. "That was wonderful, darling."
He pressed his lips against the cheek and kissed a trail down and along her jawline-
"Oooh Taii…"
-and up to her lips, osculating her softly, then hard: open-mouthed, energetic.
Willow moaned into him and found herself lowered down onto her back as Tai hovered over her. His body pressed against hers as he moved his hips, his shaft stirring—
She broke the kiss, his lips instead smooching against her throat. "Ahh…! Are you still…able to keep going…?!"
He kept thrusting, pushing her forward with sudden vigour.
"OH!"
She trembled, pussy clamping down mightily as her already overloaded pleasure-receptors fritzed anew.
"T-Tai! Heavens, I'm—Nngh!"
Willow bucked and arched into the bed, and tossed her head back with a throaty utterance only to find air greeting her head. Her hair undone into a snowy, wavy curtain, the Schnee matriarch stretched her arms towards the floor in a weak attempt to brace herself as Tai straightened and held onto her thighs with a dreamy look in his azure eyes.
Then he began hammering his hips.
"Nnmmh!"
The bed creaked.
"TAI!"
His shaft reached spots Willow didn't even know about or though possible. Her body lit up as if engulfed in fire that burned with the sweetest of ecstasy as frissons broke out over her skin.
"Willow…!" His husky, deep utterance made her toes curl. "You feel so fucking good…!"
He moved rougher and faster. His cock was like an engine-piston and her pussy was taking a battering that obliterated the pleasure-centre of her brain where all the blood rushed to given the position.
And his language…
"Unf! Oooh Taaai! Tai! Oh! Aahh!" She shouted in her ecstatic throes. "Oh Brothers, I l-love yoouu~!"
He stopped for a single, heart-pounding moment—
"I love you too, Willow Schnee."
-and just as quickly resumed pounding away, the cacophony of their wild lovemaking resonating through the entire house as they worked themselves into a frenzy of a swiftly approaching orgasm.
x.x
The heated afterglow of their continued lovemaking was fading to the sound of fireworks in the distance.
They were sweaty, naked, and dishevelled. Despite the sheen of sweat glistening on their bodies, the pair had snuggled underneath the covers. They stared at each other, exchanging dreamy stares as their hands interlaced. The moonlight filtered through the window and lit up the room.
"You know, I hate to break the peace and quiet, but…" Willow fell quiet for a moment, looking away. She met his gaze. "I…truly mean what I, well, shouted earlier. I've come to like you a lot, Tai, and I…"
"I've come to like you a great deal too, Willow. I care about you." He gently squeezed her hand and smiled. "I feel a connection with you that I dare say I haven't felt since…I mean, not exactly, but-"
"I understand."
Words failed him. She understood; it was difficult to convey through words what they felt – what they were right now.
And that was just fine.
"You know, even though we're late, we can still enjoy the fireworks," Tai said.
Willow softly laughed. "Window seat it is then."
They got up and the blond pulled the cover with him, wrapping them both in it as she hugged him close. The view from the window was a far cry from what the people at the plaza was witnessing, but seeing the myriad of colours illuminating the black winter sky from a distance wasn't bad.
"Happy New Year, Willow," he said to her. "Here's to a bright future full of happiness for the both of us."
"Happy New Year, Taiyang," she replied and met his lips.
They knew what they were to each other, deep down. They both just needed a little more time.
"You know, we should probably tell the others fairly soon. Even though they're going back to Beacon in a couple of weeks, I don't know if we should keep this a secret…"
Willow leaned up against him under the cover and tugged it closer. "I suppose you're right. Again." She chuckled. "But maybe not right away?"
"I think- Oh. Uh-oh."
"What is it?" She followed his wide-eyed gaze out the window and down to the front of the house-
Their children gawked at them in various expressions of disbelief while Qrow merely smirked at Tai and offered a thumb's up.
"Oh."
"I think we're gonna have to tell them."
The next time they witnessed the fireworks show, Tai and Willow were happy to celebrate their second-year anniversary. They've had their shares of ups and downs, but what relationship didn't?
Of course there had been some surprises along the way…
"Wait, does this mean we're one big family now?" Ruby asked.
"I suppose we are one extended family by now, yes," Winter replied.
"Huh…I mean, it's going to feel a bit weird in the beginning, but- Hey, uh, Weiss?"
Weiss chuckled. "Yes, what is it?"
"…Why are you looking at me like that and smirking?"
"Oh nothing – nothing at all, little sister."
"Oh no. No."
Weiss grinned from ear to ear.
"Noooo!"
"That's hardly the tone you use against your big sister, Ruby."
"NOOO!"
"Don't worry, Ruby! I won't let Weiss bully you!" Yang exclaimed. "Back off, We- Uh, Weiss, why are you smirking?"
"Tell me, Yang. When's your birthday?"
"Uh…July 28th."
"Mhm. Mhm. I'm born May 15th. That's earlier than July."
"…No…!"
"Oh what fun! I've got two little sisters! Now be good and do as Big Sister Weiss says, okay?"
"NOO!"
"Big sis Winter, save us!"
"Yeah, save us, big sis Winter!"
Winter chuckled. "Oh my. Looks like I'm the favourite."
"HEY! Don't gang up on me using Winter!"
Whitley sighed from his corner. "This is going to be tiresome."
Epilogue
Years down the line, a certain student joined Beacon Academy with top scores from Signal Academy combat-school. She was said (and observed) to be outgoing, friendly, and towards fellow female students, flirtatious. With her long, snow-white hair and blonde streaks donned up in a Mistral-inspired staircase braid, pale-white complexion, clear blue eyes, and a slender-yet-muscular build, she was the object of respect and envy amongst the other students her year as she proved herself valiantly in the Emerald Forest.
Distinguished by well-worn combat boots, white cargo-pants, and an ice-blue, hooded and thin, elastic sweater with a collar that could be pulled up into a face-mask over a simple white dress-shirt, she stood out from the general crowd. A single leather vambrace, yellow fingerless gloves, and a single metal heart-protector with leather straps were further adorned over her getup, and a Fire Lance slung across her shoulders.
Kind, considerate, and having an unfortunate habit of cracking horrible puns, she went on to be rather well-known even before the test in the forest. With a good head on her shoulders and a penchant for quick decisions, she was called up to the podium along with the usual three other students as the old headmaster declared their team name, the four of which would eventually be focus for her infamous `entire team!´ line-
"…led by; Yuè Xiao Long Schnee!"