Part Eighteen
New Year's was usually spent at Tai's, watching Times Square and seeing how long the girls could actually stay up before they fell asleep under a pile of blankets on the couch. With all the contact with Winter and the Belladonnas this year, however, the Belladonnas had invited them over to watch the Ball Drop for a New Year's party. The Pines were invited, as was Winter, and theirs was the only house big enough to manage that many adults and teenagers in one spot.
Qrow and Tai arrived at eight, Yang and Ruby's arms filled with bags. "Weiss! Blake! Your presents!" Meanwhile Tai had brought over finger food and Qrow had bought fish sticks for Blake and crackers for the Belladonnas.
"Hello, welcome!" they said, Ghira in a thick white turtleneck and hoodie. Kali was in jeans and sweater with an exaggerated turtleneck. Qrow figured there was probably some fancy name for it. They moved to the kitchen where there were all kinds of casseroles and pizza, tiny little cupcakes with gold frosting, buttered noodles and two kinds of salads.
"We tried to be thoughtful of everyone," Ghira said, "but I know Blake will love the fish sticks."
"How's she doing?" Tai asked.
"A little better every day," Kali said. "She says she asked a question in class, which for her is huge. I can't thank your daughters enough for everything they've done." In her hair were cat ears, clearly meant to be in solidarity with her daughter, and she pulled out glasses. "What can I get you?" she asked, "Wine? Champagne? Beer?"
Qrow immediately raised his hand, Tai simultaneously pointing to him. "Designated driver," they said in chorus.
Kali laughed. "Oh, that's assuming you don't stay the night," she said brightly. "But if you're going to be the sober man here make sure you get any good compromising pictures of Ghira and send them to me, would you? I like to have something over him once in a while."
"Kali."
"Don't even start, honey, you know you like it when I blackmail you."
"I'll have some wine," Tai said. "I don't usually indulge, this is a treat."
"Of course. Here, let me show you the selection."
Qrow turned to Ghira as Tai and Kali moved to the other side of the kitchen. "You keep a lot of alcohol in the house?"
"It's not uncommon for us to have a bottle of wine at night to unwind," Ghira said. "New Year's is when we really go all out though. Kali has it in her head that alcohol has an expiration date and she wants to make sure it's all gone at the turn of every year."
Qrow offered a flat gaze. "You know that's a load of bull, right?"
"I do, and she says she does, but somehow every year we have a party and it all just… disappears. Good thing it's a weekend. Tomorrow will be terrible, but all in the best ways."
Qrow snorted and moved to the living room. Lights were still hanging around the walls and fireplace, and Blake and Weiss were admiring their matching cat-ear headphones, black and white, or rather "Blake and Weiss," as Ruby was explaining.
"They're bluetooth, so no more chords."
"These are expensive, how long were you saving?"
"Since the first day I saw you wearing the headband!" Ruby said brightly. "Yang helped. We wanted to make you feel better, and you and Weiss are so close now so we figured better to make them match!"
"That's so thoughtful," Weiss was saying, pulling them out of their casing and trying them on. "They're even noise canceling…"
"Oooh, you look so cute! Blake, try yours on!"
"Do you two have matching ones, too?" Blake was asking.
"We didn't have enough time to save up," Yang explained, and Qrow watched his niece's face turn bright pink once the cat ears were on. God, she had it bad. He smiled and shook his head, pulling out his phone to snap a picture.
The doorbell rang shortly thereafter and Qrow said he'd get it.
Winter was there, wrapped tightly in a coat and glaring as soon as she saw who was at the door.
"Well, look what the cat dragged in."
"Well," she replied, "Look what the birdbrain managed to accomplish."
They shared a smile and Qrow let her in. She immediately grabbed a glass of wine and offered a bottle of her own. Qrow filched a plate of food and found Tai sitting in the dining room talking to Ghira about work. "... And now that young Winter's class action suit has three hundred signatures we might actually see real change. Schnee can't pay off that many people, the door to door really got the word out. We found more people…"
Qrow debated on listening to the story of Screwing Jacques-ass Schnee or avoiding Vaguely Political Talk before Ruby darted past him, Blake in tow, shouting "But we brought fish sticks!" and nearly knocking him over. Chuckling, he moved back to the living room and kicked back in one of the chairs, Yang talking to Weiss about school starting on Monday and if the last of their homework was done. He turned on the TV and set the station to Times Square but kept it on mute - they still had a couple of hours before the good entertainment came on - but he had a position to watch the girls wander in and out of the room, sometimes watching the TV, sometimes sequestered in a corner somewhere gossiping. Winter called Weiss over to the kitchen as Kali came in with a glass of wine to talk to Ruby and Yang. Tai came in with a can of beer and the funny smile that said "I'm totally tipsy" as he sat on the couch for an animated conversation with Kali about the good bars around town.
Qrow listened and smiled, knowing where most of Tai's stories came from, and he took pride in the fact that even with everything around him he wasn't tempted. How could he be? The girls were having the time of their lives chasing each other around the house, Tai was animated and happy, and he was surrounded by good friends. The only thing missing was-
"Hello, Professor!"
"Sorry we're late. It's starting to sleet outside and that always makes driving slightly precarious."
"You mean it's snowing now instead of last week? That's just cheap!"
"Yang, I don't think nature cares about numbers on a calendar."
"Doesn't matter, Oscar, it's still cheap!"
Oz came in and Tai immediately got up to offer his seat for the professor. "Kept it warm for you!" he said. "They've got some good booze here, you want any?"
"If there's some champagne I will partake."
"Okay, I'll hook you up-"
"We got the house!"
Weiss ran into the room and almost fell into the other girls, Oscar ducking out of the line of fire. "The closing is next week! I get to live with my sister!"
"Oh my god, I don't believe it!"
"That's amazing!"
"Congratulations!"
"Dad, can we have champagne to celebrate?"
"Absolutely not."
"Damn, had to try."
"Oscar, did you hear the good news?"
"... I think the entire house did."
"I'm going to live with my sister!"
"Here," Kali said, "This is cause for celebration."
Drinks were passed around, Qrow putting his immediately on the end table as far away from him as possible - where Oz took it and pulled it closer to himself - and they all gave toasts and congratulations to the Real Schnees for life without the Jacques-ass.
"It's hardly a complete victory," Winter said, even as she sipped her champagne. "We still don't have Whitley and the custody battle is still a long way from finishing, but now one more step has been made."
"And it's not an insignificant step," Oz said from his seat, lifting his glass in toast. "Finding a place to live after a sudden break is not easy, and the accomplishment should be celebrated for what it is and not demurred for what is still to come. I remember what it was like when I finally found a home here, and the relief should be treasured."
"I'll drink to that," Qrow said, lifting his can of soda. He got up for a second round of food, but by then it was ten and everyone moved into the living room to watch the TV. Kali was giving Winter a hand massage, kneeling at the executive's seat to do so and explaining what she was doing while Ghira and Tai were discussing martial arts, somehow, and what styles were the best. Oscar was curled next to his dad watching the TV and the girls were all spread out on the floor, discussing moving strategies and packing strategies and what day the move would be and how they could help. After the hand rub Kali moved to Oz and offered to give him a foot massage, something the professor considered for a long moment before assenting. Kali carefully moved his bad leg to the floor, removing both shoe and sock and began her work.
Qrow watched Oz's face, knowing he wouldn't make much noise, but he barely gave any indication that he was being serviced by a massage therapist.
"Am I gonna get one, too?" Qrow asked, lifting a foot up and wiggling it.
Kali turned from her ministrations and gave a narrow, calculating gaze. "You strike me as a shoulder type," she said. "All that slouching must be terrible on your spine. I'd need you flat on your stomach for that."
Qrow offered a sideways grin. "I'm not against it," he said, "but wouldn't your husband be a little jealous? I mean, you would be seeing me shirtless."
"He wouldn't have to know, now, would he?"
"Hey, Ghira! Just so you know your wife wants to see me shirtless. Should I oblige?"
"... What?" Ghira asked, having been totally lost in his conversation with Tai and Winter. Qrow dutifully snapped a picture and sent it to Kali with the caption, when your husband doesn't realize you're propositioning someone. Kali's grin was downright evil, and Qrow had the sudden suspicion that Ghira was about to have a very difficult future.
"Don't worry," Tai said, nodding sagely, "there are a lot of people who want to see Qrow shirtless, and he's not very picky about who he shows off to."
"Hey, I have standards," Qrow countered.
"Now you do, but I could tell everyone here about some of your disasters."
"Do that and I tell them about the corset and thong."
"Do that and I tell them about your failed plan for a winter speedo."
"Why do adults have to be so embarrassing?"
"Why do teenagers need to be so prudish?"
"Please, let them stay prudish," Oz said politely. "Some of us want to survive the next ten years."
Everyone laughed.
Qrow started checking the clock, but Ruby and Yang did a good job staying up. Blake was struggling and Weiss was literally nodding off; Oscar was long gone, curled into his dad and slowly sliding to his lap. Oz watched with a gentle smile on his face, running a free hand through his son's hair as he sipped his wine. The countdown started and Ghira and Kali were already sharing a kiss, Yang flailing in glee that they'd finally made it and startling Weiss awake. Tai took a drink from his beer to avoid Ruby shouting that everyone needed to kiss and Winter was doing the same. Qrow laughed, and just like that it was the new year.
"Can we go to bed now?"
Wait, what?
"Designated driver, remember?" Qrow said. "I thought we were going home."
"Yeah, but… it's really late, and it's still sleeting out, and Blake said she wanted to have a sleepover. Weiss said she can put her things in Blake's room so you guys can have her room and-"
"Go ahead and stay over," Ghira said. "This is a three bedroom house, there's a pullout sofa in the office and some sleeping bags in our camping gear. There's enough room for everyone, and Kali has a great hangover cure for the morning."
"Yes, please, if the roads are dangerous this isn't the time for anyone to be driving." She got up from her husband's lap and quickly finished her glass of wine. "Let me get the sleeping bags… The boys can all sleep in Weiss' room if she's sleeping with Blake, and Winter can have the pullout bed in the office."
"Well," Winter drew out, finger sliding down her cheek. "If you insist." She pulled out her bun, hair falling in thick tresses around her face and suddenly looking completely different. Qrow noticed Tai double taking, as did Ghira, and Qrow quickly snapped another pic for Kali, When you realize someone half your age is hot before putting his phone down.
The adults moved upstairs - sans Oz and his bad leg - to set up the arrangements. As the designated sober member of the group, Qrow made sure Oz and Oscar had the full bed so he and Tai could have the sleeping bags. He and Tai pulled out the sofa bed for Winter as Kali wandered in with blankets and Ghira gently assembled some of Weiss' things to move into Blake's room. Tai was curled up and asleep in seconds as Winter closed the door to set herself up.
The girls were already filing upstairs, Ruby and Yang still bright-eyed but not completely bushy-tailed, and murmuring to themselves. Qrow went downstairs, but Oscar and Oz were still on the couch, the latter trapped by the former because he was still asleep.
Smiling, Qrow leaned over and gave the boy a gentle shake on the shoulder. "Hey," he whispered, "Time for bed."
Oscar mumbled something, but eventually stirred and sat up, rubbing his eyes.
"Don't wake up too much," Oz said gently. "You're just going to bed."
"Mm," was all Oscar could produce, and Qrow started maneuvering him upstairs and to the guest bed. Oscar pulled off his shoes and socks and curled into the blankets.
"I'll be right back with your dad," Qrow said, pulling the covers up. Tai was already snoring softly in his sleeping bag, making Qrow smirk to know what a lightweight he was.
Back downstairs again, and Oz was still on the couch, foot still up on the coffee table. Two empty glasses were next to him - actually three, with Qrow's toasting glass apparently having been emptied, and he was spinning one of the glasses in his lap, so relaxed he appeared to be half sunk into the couch, head resting on its back. His eyes were open and mostly alert, brows creased in a small frown.
Qrow caught his gaze, and Oz smiled. "One of the burdens of being an academic," he said, "is that sometimes the mind simply will not quiet."
Qrow sat next to Oz, sitting at an angle to see him better. "What are you thinking about?" he asked.
"Several things," Oz answered, "The dreaded Wintersession next week. My schedule for next semester - I won't be able to pick up Oscar every day, and I know he won't like that. Determining how to muster up the energy to get up and navigate the stairs. Wondering if skipping my evening medication will affect my sleep tonight, or if my recent consumption will act as a sufficient counteragent." The last he said while holding up his empty flute before going back to softly spinning it in his hands on his lap. "Mostly, though, I'm reminiscing."
"Good memories, I hope," Qrow said, putting his head in his hand, watching the lamplight highlight Oz's white hair in profile.
"... I had so carefully planned my escape," Oz said, looking down at his glass. "I had picked the day she would be driving to the main office in the city. I didn't account for her forgetting something and coming back. She drove into the garage as I was putting our suitcases in my car."
… Bad memories then. Qrow settled in for the story, setting himself up in case he needed to interject.
"We fought, but I can say now that it was the first time I did not give ground. I did not even explain myself, simply said there was no reason to stay, nothing to salvage. I don't think she really knew how to react to that, but she let me go. She even said, 'I'm letting you leave.' Even then she was taking control of the situation. I drove - somewhat recklessly - to school and signed Oscar out of school. He was so brave, he didn't say anything until we were on the highway and he realized we weren't going home. Once we were at Oakland International he realized he was taking his first flight, and for him it was an adventure."
Silence descended, the empty silence of a house totally asleep, giving the sensation that he and Oz were the only people in the world. It was soft, mostly comfortable but the look on Oz's face gave an edge to it.
"Must've been hard," Qrow offered.
Oz closed his eyes and smiled, still half sunken into the couch. "I hadn't found a place to live," he said. "When we landed I had no idea where to go. I had wanted to book a hotel but I wasn't sure how long I would be staying. I'd already been to the bank back home to get myself pre-approved for a mortgage, but my first priority was getting to Ms. Hill and start filing the divorce. The semester had just ended, and I had three months to find a job, find a home for Oscar, get his name changed for school, and pay for… everything. I'd liquidated my retirement into a separate account but that money was finite.
"I was lucky in some respects. Beacon hired me almost on the spot, and I taught both summer sessions. I had to bring Oscar with me because I didn't have anyone to look after him. It was the better part of a month to find a home far enough away from campus that I felt like she wouldn't find it, and I put the house in Oscar's name to obscure it even further. We moved in the second week of school. By then… even with summer teaching the money was gone, and I was in debt. Salem took everything in the divorce, except for Oscar."
Qrow swallowed, picturing it. No wonder his hair went white.
"I went six months without time or money for physical therapy," he continued, "And I will pay for that for the rest of my life." He looked down at his leg, still bare from the footrub.
"Hey," Qrow said, voice soft. "It's a little cheesy, but… I'm sorry you had to go through that."
Oz shook his head minutely, and his fingers finally stilled around the wine glass. "It was worth it," he said, "because Oscar is safe, and healthy." He took a long, slow breath through his nose. "My only regret," he continued, "was that, after the move, I was so lonely."
Then, at last, he turned his head minutely to the side, catching Qrow's gaze, and the dim lamplight made his brown eyes look almost gold. "Then I met you."
…. What?
Qrow bit his lip and looked down, instantly hard and holding himself back from jumping the professor immediately. That was so corny, but it was also so sincere and Qrow had no idea how Oz could just say stuff like that. He dragged a hand down his face and firmly reminded himself that sex was not a thing Oz was interested in, but he had to give a crooked grin and say, "Keep saying stuff like that, Oz, and I'm gonna end up kissing you."
The thoughtful frown from earlier drifted across Oz's features, as if he were actually considering the statement. He looked at Qrow again.
"I think I would like that," he said softly.
Fuck there was no helping it after that.
Qrow leaned in and pressed his lips to Oz. There was a spark, static electricity, probably, but it jolted right down Qrow's back. Oz gave a soft hum, somewhere in his throat, low and relaxed, and Qrow slid his tongue along his lips in askance. Oz parted his lips but not his teeth, a silent boundary and Qrow respected it, for now savoring the taste of sugar cookies and champagne. A hand reached up and cupped Oz's cheek and Jesus Christ this felt good, good, good, good and it was only sheer force of will that he managed to pull back and stop himself from just fucking Oz to next week. A hundred filthy thoughts and pictures blew through Qrow's mind and he held his breath, knowing he would have to finish off later.
Oz was staring at him, gold eyes dilated, considering the kiss. Languid on the couch for the entire time, he finally summoned the energy to sit up more fully, to meet Qrow at a level.
"I enjoyed that," he said. "Please do it again."
He was going to fuck him to next fucking year he swore to god…
"Oz, I swear to god, if you're too drunk to remember this tomorrow…"
"I assure you I'm well within my faculties. I would not want to forget this if I tried."
Jesus how could this guy still sound like a fucking professor right now and still be so fucking hot… Qrow leaned in again.
Oz did part his teeth this time, and Qrow found more subtle tastes in his mouth as he explored. Oz explored as well, not nearly as experienced and Qrow smirked into the kiss, holding his libido for a moment so Oz could explore. The idea of battling teeth and tongue was hot as hell, but one thing at a time. He pulled back, eventually, and kissed along Oz's cheekbone, first one side and then the other. He nipped at an earlobe and Oz hummed again, even lower in his register, and Qrow planted a hand on Oz's chest to feel the vibration, which was a fucking turn on, and he moved to put an open mouthed kiss on Oz's neck.
The professor, languidly relaxed, immediately froze, muscles stiffening up and snapping his spine straight as hands grabbed at Qrow's shoulders. Qrow himself froze, the shock of the sudden turn killing the mood. He saw wide eyes, dark brown now, almost black, and the loss of color in his face. He was frozen, stock still, and he was utterly silent.
"Oz," Qrow said. "Oz."
Finally the eyes closed, and he let out a slow breath. "I'm sorry," Oz said, one hand reaching to pull at his green turtleneck, and Qrow caught a glimpse of the mess of scars there, and he realized what happened.
Fuck that fucking BITCH…!
Qrow took a breath of his own. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't put it together."
"How could you?" Oz said, color returning and then flooding his cheeks. "Fetishes are not exactly a common topic of conversation."
"Fetish? Oscar has those same scars."
"Fetishes are not always sexual," Ozpin said, taking another breath. "But seeing them on him was the last straw."
The moment drew out, mood killed but so much untapped potential pooled between them.
"I suppose this means I now know where I fall on the heteronormative scale," Ozpin muttered, and the sentence was so incongruous with what had happened that Qrow snorted a laugh.
"We gotta talk about this."
"Yes," Oz agreed. "In the morning, perhaps, when you've cooled down and I can think more coherently."
Qrow stood, still half hard, but he helped his significant other up to his feet, grabbing his long forgotten shoe, and started helping him up the stairs. Oz shed a few layers and slid into the sheets by his son, Oscar instinctively curling into his father, and Oz held him close. Qrow made one stop to the bathroom and much, much later, he went to bed in his sleeping bag.
The question had been posed after coming out to his son, months ago: If being demi means you don't want the (eugh…) sex until you know someone, then how do you know when you love them?
It had sent Ozpin into something of a mental tailspin, and he had told his son honestly that he didn't know, because he was still figuring himself out. It left him wondering all over again where he was on the ace spectrum, if he was grey instead of demi, why wasn't he in a new relationship four years after the move, and so on. He wanted the relationship - the hour drive home was always so long, so isolating, and on weekends he would sit on his front porch or his backyard, Oscar working on something, and he would feel so lonely. It was after Oscar had asked that question, however, that he had realized that loneliness no longer lingered around him.
After Salem… he had just assumed he would be celibate for the rest of his life. He had thought he would be okay with that, heaven knew he wasn't desperate for any kind of physical relationship, save for those moments of intense isolation. That had always made him uncertain where he was, that loneliness. And if, indeed, he was romantic, how would he know if he had found someone he loved? Media of every shape and form projected the idea that true love brought carnal desire, that physical intimacy was some kind of zenith to achieve, and without that particular drive Ozpin was a little put out to know if he was in love or not. But, that was why he was demi, wasn't it? He would not feel desire until he knew someone.
He thought he knew Salem. He thought he loved her. Those assumptions had been wrong on too many levels to count.
Hearing of Weiss' impending move had left him reminiscent, and as he spoke with Qrow he slowly realized what an over-thinker he was.
He no longer felt lonely.
That was because of Qrow.
Did it really need to be more than that?
Everything cemented with the kiss, because for the first time in years it was soft, chaste, pleasurable. Salem had never made him feel that good, and Qrow was more than happy to provide a second experience.
He still wasn't exactly desperate to have sex, but he was content now, knowing that he wanted to be in a relationship with Qrow. A romantic-gray-demi-bisexual? … He felt the definition too technical but he at least now could describe himself, and that felt good.
Their chance to talk hadn't arrived yet - after New Year's Qrow had a very hungover Tai and two girls to take care of, And Ozpin himself had a headache that he did not for one moment regret but was suffering under. They agreed with a look to wait and in the time since then Ozpin felt somewhat like a giddy schoolboy anticipating a date. He shook his head at the unbecoming nature of it all, but he was self-aware enough to allow himself to enjoy the feeling in privacy.
The first three weeks of January were always a special kind of hell, teaching for hours at a time to a schedule that prevented him from picking up Oscar; assigning an entire semester's worth of work in those three weeks and then grading those assignments in a timely manner. A "quieter" campus didn't prevent the influx of work that he undertook. Moreover, he missed time with Qrow to talk in the middle school parking lot - the perfect chance to discuss boundaries, histories, whatever important information one needed when entering an adult relationship.
Still, he had Martin Luther King Day, a three day weekend, and he and Qrow planned to take the children to the movies to watch… something, giving them several hours to figure things out.
They bought tickets for the teens, sent them on their way with Qrow telling Yang specifically, "Don't get frisky!" making the teen turn bright red and look immediately and the much more relaxed Blake.
"Little hard to do with a cast!" she called back.
"I've done better with worse!" Qrow called after her, making both nieces utterly cringe as they all but ran to the theatre. Not for the first time Ozpin was envious of the casual honesty Qrow could generate when talking about his prior exploits, but the two of them walked across the parking lot to the mall, moving in comfortable silence through the crowds before getting something at the eatery and sitting at one of the space's many tables.
For a moment they were quiet. Qrow was leaning back in his chair, always so loose and relaxed about any- and everything. Ozpin wasn't nervous, per se, but he felt awkward; he didn't know where to start.
"I suppose in the interests of being forthright I should admit that I'm not overly experienced in this part of a relationship," he confessed. "What things should we even discuss?"
Qrow smirked. "Couple of salient points," he said, leaning forward and putting his elbows on the table. "Awkward stuff first: I only had unprotected sex once in my life, when I was sixteen and stupid. As soon as Tai and Summer heard - don't ask - they dragged me to a doctor and had me checked out for everything under the sun. Got checked out again in rehab - blackout drunk meant I couldn't assume I hadn't done something stupid, but I came back clean again. No relationships since then, but if you're not comfortable with that I'll get another check up."
"No," Ozpin said, "I trust you. You've always been very open about your… experiences. I fear I'm not that informative. I was in a monogamous relationship for fifteen years and we were hardly… experimental. I've no transmitted illnesses that I know of, but it never occurred to me to get tested."
Qrow nodded. "Figured as much. Next awkward question: you got any triggers I need to know about?"
Ozpin had been expecting that. "Of that I am uncertain except for the one you already know: my neck."
"What'd she use?"
"Whatever was handy, usually a belt or sheet, but sometimes it was a sleeve of a shirt or twine or a power cord. Whatever she could get her hands on."
"She got off on it?"
Ozpin shook his head. "Sometimes there was no intercourse," he said, "she said she enjoyed the feeling of power it gave her, and she said asphyxiation would make the pleasure more intense."
"And did it?"
"She would usually wait until just seconds before I blacked out, so: no. Sometimes I did black out. It was never pleasant."
"Fucking bitch. If I ever meet her I'll be changed with murder."
Oz smiled. "Then it's a good thing she's no idea where I live. But… I'd rather not talk about her."
"No argument here," Qrow said. "I'm a toucher, I like my hands everywhere. I love sucking dick or having my dick sucked. Anal is great but I gotta be in the mood for it. I curse a lot, and I've been told I bite hard if I'm really going."
"I regret to say I have no experience in any of those categories. I fear I won't be very satisfactory as a lover."
Qrow openly laughed. "Trust me, Oz, I won't have any problems being 'satisfied' fucking you. I was ready that night to do you for all eternity."
The word association made Ozpin smirk. "You wanted to 'fuck my life?'" he asked dryly.
Qrow blinked, then laughed even louder, and Oz found himself feeling flattered that someone was that interested in him. Qrow hadn't been particularly subtle, granted, but now that it was out in the open, his unrepressed regard for Ozpin made him smile - he felt like a schoolboy again, and he covered his mouth before he said something even more inappropriate.
"Anything you do like?" Qrow asked, "Other than existential debate over innuendo?"
"... I don't really know," Oz replied. "I always did as Salem requested, and aside from the one fetish we never really branched out. For now I suppose I'll be satisfied with simply not passing out from asphyxia."
"Heh, trust me. We'll work on that. Next question," and here Qrow paused, shifting his weight in his seat. Discomfort? Now, after everything else that had been said? "Not sure how to ask, really, but as a demi, how often are we talking here?"
Ozpin blinked, surprised - not at the question itself but that it was even asked, and what it said about Qrow. Salem had never considered Oz being in the "mood," outright denied that he wasn't always interested in the sex. To have someone actually ask him how often he wanted… Oz couldn't remember ever having that level of sensitivity granted him.
"Qrow," he said, reaching out. "I will be more than happy to inform you when I have an urge to be intimate with you. But don't think that means you have to practice some kind of abstinence until that moment. If you are in that mood, I will be more than happy to please you. You forget that sex is an excellent form of exercise and does provide a rush of dopamine when done correctly. I look forward to that particular uptick in my neurochemistry, but there's something neither of us have mentioned."
"And what's that?"
Ozpin tapped his cane to his leg. "I don't know how much of a hindrance this will be."
Qrow leaned over the edge of the table, studying Oz's leg, a pouting frown on his face. "How much weight can you really put on it?" he asked. "Like if you lost your cane could you walk?"
"Yes," Oz said, leaning back. "But it's very painful, and as you've no doubt observed, bending it is less than pleasant. The accident shattered my femur, two pieces are somehow in my knee, the spread of bone fragments were so bad. I was going to have surgery to remove them but…"
"Can you get it now?"
"I'd rather be out of debt first," Ozpin said, sighing. "I'm still some time out from paying off the last of my debts, not the least of which is the 'irreparable damages' Salem levied against me during the divorce. She said my leaving in the manner that I did was psychologically traumatizing. Ms. Hill wanted me to fight that but by that point I just wanted it over with."
"Just when I think I can't hate the bitch more… How did you even fall for her?"
"She puts on a very good public face," Ozpin said, resting his head in his hand. "Regardless, I worry - again - that I won't be very satisfying."
Qrow gave a large, roguish smile. "I'm not too worried," he said. "I'll take that as a creative challenge. I think it's safe to say blowjobs and handjobs won't stress you out too much. We can start there and branch out." He waggled his eyebrows. "I await your cummand."
Ozpin offered a flat look and worked to keep his lips from twitching. Then Ozpin raised his brow imperiously. "Are you cumming?"
Choking, Qrow quickly set down his drink and crossed his legs. "Oh, you talking dirty is definitely going to be a joy."
That actually made Ozpin blink. Qrow was getting turned on? By Ozpin? He shook his head. Salem had always been about power. She didn't get flustered like this, even when they were dating. It was… odd to have that power over Qrow. And pleasing in a way Ozpin was too scared to think more deeply about at the moment.
"There's another aspect that I doubt you've had to discuss," Ozpin said. "Oscar."
Qrow still squirmed, but his face was all business. "I know. My nieces have been telling him for what, a year? That we've been dating."
"But now we are," Ozpin nodded. "Oscar comes first. No matter what. His safety is paramount."
"Ditto for my girls. Though you have to know they'll be thrilled to see us together."
"Well, they haven't exactly been subtle," Ozpin smiled. "But Oscar has only known having me in his life or back when Salem was in our lives. I don't know how this will affect him."
"So do we tell him together or what?"
Oz frowned, mulling it over. "I should talk to him myself, I think," he said finally. "For a very long time it was just the two of us, and I think it appropriate that this be the last 'just the two of us' moment we have."
"So we don't exactly go back to the movie holding hands," Qrow said with an easy smile. "I think I can handle that. And with Wintersession and stuff he has some time to get used to it all, and I have time to make plans."
That made Ozpin flush more than he wanted. He confessed, "I am equal parts frightened and intrigued by that sentence."
"And that's the right reaction to have," Qrow said with a downright lecherous grin, and Oz wondered just what he had gotten himself into. "Another question, and we're getting uncomfortable again: what was she like?"
Oz blinked. "I don't understand."
"I told you what I like, you don't know what you like. What did she do - vanilla just says you two weren't creative. Did she use her mouth or her hands? Both? Was she a scratcher or a stroker? That kind of thing. You've said it was never pleasant, and I for one have no intention of doing anything she did."
"I see," Oz replied, reaching back to his memories. He shifted uncomfortably - this was not something he even liked thinking about, let alone talking to someone he loved with. "If we're assigning labels… No, she never used her mouth all that much; now that I think of it she was not much of a kisser at all. She did a lot of pinching, she thought discomfort was pleasurable. For her, perhaps it was. Sometimes there was scratching - she always kept her nails long. She was never…" He frowned, trying to find the right way to explain, shifting in his seat again. "She was never soft, if that's an appropriate word."
"It is," Qrow said, nodding. He shifted his chair, moving it so that he was next to Ozpin. "Gotta say, you've had a time of it. We'll go slow, get you comfortable first and see what you like second. For now, like I said, I'm a toucher." He reached out and wrapped an arm around Ozpin's shoulders. He tensed for a moment, but it was soft, and he relaxed. Qrow put his head on Oz's shoulder, and it fit perfectly. Qrow was warm, and Oz tilted his head to rest on his partner's. Yes, he thought, this will be very soft.
Author's Notes: (self-indulgent blissful sigh) Aaaah, how do we gush about this chapter without sounding self-congratulatory? This chapter makes us smile more than any other chapter in the fic - including the ending - because it's all OzQrow fluffy goodness.
We get quite a few more details from Oz's Year of Hell, and the checklist is getting pretty long. Like Weiss and like us, he had a plan when he escaped, but unlike Weiss he got caught and, well, real life happened. Imagine having nowhere to stay while looking for a job and starting a divorce at the same time. Has anyone ever been homeless in a hotel? God it was stressful.
But that's all tertiary: they finally, FINALLY, got together. Aaaaaah it makes us smile even thinking about it let alone reading it. We have a few small crunches of drama here and there but who even cares, Oz is equal parts corny and sincere, Qrow can't get enough of him, and it's all soft and warm and happy. They even have an adult conversation about expectations as they go into a relationship! Do other fanfics do that? We feel like we're the first...
Oz still has a lot to learn about himself, but Qrow has experience and all the patience in the world to make Oz happy. It's so sweet it's saccharine! Just... augh, we gotta stop now before we embarrass ourselves.
Next chapter: Tai and Clover tag-team Qrow, and Oscar tries to figure out what to think about Qrow. That's SURE to go well...
