Ruby woke up slowly, the fire had burned low, dark warm embers were all that remained now. She took a deep breath a pleasant musky scent accented with pine filled her nose, blinking she realized that she was still atop of Qrow, the tall man's arm holding her snugly as he slept. Blush bloomed over Ruby's cheeks but as the petite woman tried to sit up, Qrow's arm tightened around her and he grumbled in his sleep. The silver eyed woman giggled and rested back down again, well she sure wasn't going to say no to more cuddles. She licked her dry lips wetting them, he looked so much happier as he slept the lines in the corners of his eyes fading. Ruby reached up she brushed a finger through the scruff along his jaw. The hairs felt rough but as she stroked along one jaw she found she liked the texture, Oz had always been clean shaven, she's never got to touch a beard before. Curious she added a couple fingers to her petting and giggled she defiantly liked the feel of it.
Qrow shifted under her with a grumble twitching, jerking his head away from her fingers. "No, please⦠Raven." One arm tightened painfully around her waist, his other came up and over her back and held her tightly. Ruby gasped at the sudden pressure on her ribs, suddenly made very aware of just how strong he was. What he wore often hid his physical attributes, but as his arms tightened around her she had no doubt he was MUCH stronger then her. "Qrow!" Ruby squeaked as she tried to push up and off of him. She looked up to him and saw that he was still asleep, his arms strengthened around her again as he mumbled. "No please." Seeing as trying to get away was only making it worse the petite woman laid back down, her breathing slightly strained and resting her head over his heart, listening to it pound. His pleas looped over and over, like it was the same nightmare over and over, his arms loosening and constricting around her in a pattern.
Ruby wiggled and pursed her lips, she didn't think he'd be alright with her seeing him like this but as she tried to get up again his arms tightened like a vise around her. With a red flicker she activated her Aura to keep him from crushing her ribs into powder. "Qrow!" Ruby called out again, only for Qrow to turn onto his side trapping her between him and the back of the couch. The silver eyed woman reached up and stroked through his hair, pressing the tips of her fingers flat against his head along the pressure points. There were knots in his hair now and he didn't waken as she pulled them gently out, before massaging along the points again. "Qrow." Ruby whispered out softly, being loud didn't seem to help, so maybe a gentler wake up would.
Ruby stretched up and rested her cheek against his, feeling his breath against her ear, petting all the while through his thick feathered hair. "Shhh, whatever it is has long past." She bit her lip hesitating for a minute then kissed his cheek. "Please wake up, my Aura can't take much more of this." In response his arms loosed and he grumbled in his sleep, Qrow curled up around her, a leg moving up to trap hers under pulling her flush to him. Colour rose in Ruby's cheeks no one but Oz had ever held her like this, but it didn't frighten her. Qrow wouldn't hurt her, at least not intentionally even now his grip had loosed, she still wouldn't be able to get away but it was a comfortable hold now. The redhead thought she could just use her Semblance turn into rose petals and slip from his grasp but it was nice to be held, she didn't feel trapped but cherished instead. Ruby kissed his cheek against, his scruffy beard scratching against her chin. "Qrow." She called his name against softly. "Please wake up, it's just a nightmare."
"It's all your fault!" Raven screamed at him, tears streaming from her eyes. She was wearing casual clothes her belly straining against her shirt, Yang well on her way to coming into the world.
"I know! I'm sorry alright!" Qrow reached for his sister, he could understand her position. It was his fault the birth control hadn't worked, he had been in the waiting room while she had tried to get the abortion, of course the power had to go out and of course she hadn't been able to reschedule till the baby was too far along to safely abort. The kitchen around them was empty the light low, Summer and Tai were out getting supplies for dinner.
"I don't want this!" Raven gestured at her round belly. "I shouldn't have to keep it!"
"Her, Raven." Qrow reached out and pressed his hands to her sisters belly, he felt the tiny baby girl kick. He couldn't understand why she didn't want it, Tai was so happy. Qrow knew he'd never have a family, maybe he did want to live that through his sister a little on that front.
Tears streamed from her eyes as Raven stomped her foot, but didn't push him away. Qrow wondered if she wished his Semblance would act out and kill the baby for her. "I don't care that it's a HER! I don't want IT!"
"Please Raven, think of Tai! He loves you and he loves this baby." Qrow knew it would be bad to say it, but he loved it too, he wished for Raven to birth it.
"I don't care! I'm leaving! There must be some doctor somewhere willing to help me get rid of it!" Raven yanked herself away from him and stormed over to the door.
Qrow leaped forward and grabbed her hand pulling her back. "No please Raven! You can't!"
"Yes I can!" Raven snapped at him. "What do you care anyways?! Is it because you love Tai? You wish you could be in my shoes?"
Qrow let go of her and retreated with all his eminence speed, blushing crimson. "I-."
Raven's jaw dropped as she approached him like a wolf cornering it's prey. "Oh my Gods, that is it!"
"Please Raven, don't kill her." Qrow's eyes dropped to the floor shame welling up in his chest. Yes he did like Tai, he'd never ever say or act on it though, he wasn't even sure how he loved Tai, only that he did.
Raven studied her brother, the bad luck charm that had plagued her for her whole life. "I'll make you a deal, you leave now. You don't tell anyone why, I refuse to live with you anymore and I refuse to risk my life by having this baby while you are around. So go and I promise I'll do my best for this," She wrinkled her nose and spat the word. "baby and I won't tell Tai you are crushing on him."
Qrow jerked awake as he felt kisses being peppered gently over his cheek, little strong hands in his hair. "Ruby?" He asked groggily, blinking his pale red eyes open. Bit by bit he felt the situation, at her body was pushed up tight against his, he was instantly very aware of how her breasts were squished into his chest. Her legs trapped under on of his and he could feel her Aura against his skin, his eyes widened and he pushed away from her scrambling to put some distance between them. Qrow fell painfully on his butt with a crush and scrambled backwards knocking his table off it's book legs and sending the kitchenware flying. Ruby barely had time to sit up before Qrow had shot to his feet and was racing for the door. Shit, shit, shit , he was near blind in his panic.
Ruby leaped to her feet and chased after him as he ripped the door open shoving his feet into his boots and grabbing his coat at the same time. Cold blasted into the cabin as the door open and was snuffed out when Qrow slammed it shut behind him. Ruby scrambled into her clothes, there was no way she was stupid enough to go outside in the middle of the night without being properly dressed.
The cold bit at his exposed flesh as Qrow walked forth as fast as the heavy drifts of snow allowed. His Aura crackled to life almost automatically, it would protect him for a time. Tears flowed down his cheeks, why was he remembering? He had worked so hard not to remember! Making things, hunting Grimm, even fucking, all to forget the worst deal he had ever made! Qrow stumbled over to a thick pine tree and collapsed against it, his breath hiccuping in his chest as he sobbed. He should have just TOLD Tai, they would have found some way to protect little Yang from her mother, but no. Raven was Raven, she would have told Tai first and not in a way the other man would have been able to cope with. At the time Qrow hadn't been able to understand his feelings for Taiyang, there had been some lust yes, but it had been dwarfed by how safe and happy Tai made him feel. Something that to this day was an alien feeling to him, Ozpin had been more of a mentor figure and a friend. Tai was a grey area in Qrow's heart where the red eyed man still wasn't sure where to put him.
The wind whipped at Qrow's coat and the tall man fell to his knees curling up against the tree letting it shelter him. He rubbed at his cheeks he had no idea how cold it was but his Aura was weakening very quickly, his cheeks were already starting to hurt. He thought back to the women he had dated trying to fall in love, constantly failing miserably. Qrow thought back to the pictures on his mantle, Yang with her bright blonde hair like her father but long like her mother. The red eyed man smiled weakly, it had been worth it though, Raven had kept her word. He had thought so often about going back, but he never did. Afraid Raven would tell Tai, afraid he'd give away his affection for Tai or that he'd love Yang a bit too much that he'd unwittingly try to replace Raven and that would give him away. Over the years he had managed to put Tai away in his mind, the affection dwindled till he now knew it had just been a crush. Qrow had come to the conclusion early in his life, that even if he did return Tai wouldn't love him like he wanted to be loved. One Tai wasn't into men, two Qrow was just a bad luck charm.
"They'd all regret the day I came to call." Qrow whispered under his breath starting to shake with the cold, like he had done a thousand times before. Taiyang knew what his Semblance was and something would happen to Yang or to Ruby, and Tai and Qrow would both know it was Qrow's fault. "It's always your fault." He whispered in endlessly practiced words. As if just to pound that point home the branch above him broke only just missing from cracking his head open, instead covering him in snow. His Aura broke and the cold raced into him, his body started to shake even harder.
I should go back inside. Qrow mused, but then what would be the point? His body was so far past cold that he stopped shivering and his eyelids started to fall. But then who cares? There is no point to going back, it's nice here so nice and I am so tired. No one will ever care, I looked and looked and looked. As soon as I say what my Semblance is they all run. Tears froze on his cheeks, near half his life spent and he was just some hermit too cowardly to go back to the only family he'd ever known. To old and tired to keep looking for love, you're just a bad luck charm, the world would be a better place without you in it. Qrow smiled at that thought, now that was a truth he could face. What was the point of carrying on when he didn't have anything to live for? Living for the sake of it, spreading misery wherever he went, was getting very old and he was tired of watching his Semblance bring pain to all those around him. The cold was making his thoughts snugglish as he mused to himself. I'll just take a nap here, no one will miss me.
"QROW!... QROW!" Ruby spun on the spot staggering forward, the wind battering at her from all directions as she held her lantern up but the snow reflected the light back at her. "QROW WHERE ARE YOU?!" Ruby yelled at the top of her lungs, I'm taking too long, too long! He left without putting proper clothes on! She was sure the wind chill made it at least minus seventy celsius, their Aura's would buy them both time but not much. The silver eyed woman staggered forward and fell, the wind blowing into her back so hard she fell off balance. Ruby's eyes lite up when she saw what had made her trip in the first place, a trench of foot prints. "Oh thank the Gods! QROW!" The silver eyed woman yelled again, pushing herself back up to her feet and running through the trench Qrow had created it was so much easier to travel when someone else had already made a path.
When she came to his tree a minute later she didn't see him right away, it was only when the wind blew again lifting some of the snow she saw a black strand of hair. "Oh no." Ruby raced over and set her lantern down, she reached up and brushed the snow off of him. She uncovered his face to find it white and his eyes closed. "No, no, no, why did you leave?!" Tears collected in her eyes but it was too cold for them to fall. Ruby grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled with all her strength and much of her Aura. She ripped him free of the snow drift cold loving embrace and paused, then raced over to his legs and grabbed back turning him around so she could tuck his feet under her arm and brace them against her shoulder then grabbed the lantern. Ruby ran as fast as she dared for not wanting to risk him hitting his head on a icy drift.
Thankfully Ruby managed to find her way back without any trouble, she was forced to pull him through the door the same way she had through the snow, he was just too big for her to carry. Ruby set him down in the middle of the room, slammed the door shut and ripped her gloves off before grabbing him by his ankles again and pulling him before the fire. Panic filled her as he didn't even grumbled through the whole processes. Using her Aura she moved as fast as if she was fighting Grimm, she put two logs on the fire and raced into his bedroom and grabbed his pillows and duvet she zoomed back and dumped them on the couch. She grabbed his coffee table and shoved it out of the way, she didn't bother to take the sodden frozen clothes off of him nicely. Instead Ruby just ripped them off making free use of her strength, then she pulled hers off, the outer layers were cold and wet and tossed them aside but her warm inner layers she put on him. Her wool and underarmour shirt was wrapped around his chest as best she could, her two layers of pants went around his belly, socks wrapped tight around his frozen hands. Shivering herself now she grabbed the duvet and tucked it tight around him making sure there were no air pockets and shoved the pillow under his head.
All this she accomplished in seconds, only then did she stop and check for his breathe and pulse. A hand quick as lightning grabbing his wrist and feeling for the pulse the other hovering over his mouth. She let out a sigh of relief a instant later when she felt both Qrow's breath and pulse. Zipping up she grabbed her new house coat and wrapped it tight around her then raced to the bathroom, his wastewater barrel was propped up on two clay bricks. She yanked both out with so much speed and force that the barrel fell onto the floor with a BOOM and raced into the kitchen. Ruby shoved both into the oven, filled the range with firewood and ran back into the hearth and grabbed a brand. She was forced to be slower returning to the kitchen, but the fire in the race roared to life as soon as she added the flaming brand, she blew on it a few times coaxing it into a blaze all the more quickly before slamming the grate shut and racing back to Qrow.
Carefully Ruby slipped under the duvet creating as little draft as she possibly could and pulled off her housecoat, now warmed by her body and wrapped it tight around his legs before sliding out again. Qrow let out a pained groan as heat started to seep into him. "You're gonna be okay." Ruby looked up to him with a smile and tucked the duvet tight around him again and moved down to his feet, pushing it up out of the way. His toes were pink but not seriously damaged thankfully, she grabbed them with a hand on each but knew not to rub. Rubbing she remembered damaged the cells and would slow his healing.
The silver eyed woman's hands quickly chilled and when they did she pulled the duvet back over his feet and shoved her hands into her armpits till they warmed again and repeated the process. She only did this till they had turned from red to white, then she raced up and raided Qrow's bedroom, first clothes, socks, underwear, pants, shirts, coats, she raced several layers of each into the other room. Then she grabbed all his blankets and ran back into the living room.
Beside him she unfolded two blankets that were longer than he was and set them down beside him, the rug was okay but it was far from ideal. She quickly walked over and lifted him up grabbing him under his shoulders and lifting him with a grunt onto the thicker sheets, it took her three actions, one for his hips and one for his feet to get him on the thick sheets to better protect him from the cold floor. Qrow flinched and his head fell to the side but that was all, his breathing remained shallow. Next the redhead grabbed the pile of socks and set about carefully putting them on his feet. Ruby had to smile a little when she managed three pairs before they refused to stretch any further. The next bit was harder, first she wiggled a pair of thermal underwear onto him, lifting and moving him as she needed, moving the existing garments warming him as little as she could. Modesty wasn't a concern of hers, as far as she was concerned worrying about it in such a situation as this was beyond stupid. Thankfully she managed to get the underarmour and wool pants on easier. When she was done she took her housecoat back and pulled it on, it was much too cold for her to be racing around with not but her Aura and underwear.
Getting three layers onto his chest was easier, she then wrapped her shirt and pants around his head then grabbed his thick fur lined leather toque from the chair by the door and pulled it on over them. Next she raced into the kitchen and checked on the bricks, now they were hot the the touch using her Aura to protect herself she grabbed both and closed the oven again raced back to Qrow. She wrapped both up in sheets and put one between his feet, resting it under the arch of both. The other blunted by the sheet she put on his pelvis under the duvet and put both of his hands on it.
Only now did Ruby stop and let out a sigh, sitting on the floor to catch her breath. She could see him breathing now, it deepened as he warmed. The silver eyed woman let out a even longer sigh, letting her head fall back as she ran her hands through her damp hair closing her eyes for a moment. Her hands fell limply back into her lap as she gazed upon him. "Why did you do that? Why did you leave?" Ruby's breath shook as it now caught up to her what he had done, he should have known to come back. So why didn't he? Why was he sitting against a tree? He hadn't even tried to come back, why? Why did his life mean so little to him that he'd throw it away on a whim.
She sniffed as tears started to flow, she was very well acquainted with death now, but that was battlefield death. This was altogether different, Ruby hugged herself bending over her tears falling down on the floor the fabric beneath her darkening with them. "Why, why?" She croaked through her tears, rocking herself. "Why throw your life away?"
