A/N: My unhealthy love of Qrow is showing, yikes.

Leave a comment if you're reading along!

Cameo Lover

Disappearing Mountains

A few days later found Clover alone in the mess hall long after dinner hours were over. The place was barely lit up, without even any students milling about. He had just returned from Mantle after a particularly strenuous mission, so all he wanted was to get some hot tea and go back to his quarters.

Instead, after making his tea, he found Qrow sitting by a window facing the moon, the pale light casting a hauntingly-beautiful glow across stark white skin, the shadows on one side of his face only elongated by the brightness of the moon. On the table in front of the man was a glass of water- untouched, but present. He tapped ringed fingers against the table, the vibrations sending ripples across the water's surface.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Clover asked gently, swallowing his chuckle when Qrow leapt out of his seat, only to groan in irritation once he saw who it was. "Or, I guess I should say 'Clover for your thoughts'. Penny's busy spending time with Ruby, after all. They're inseparable these days."

Qrow merely grunted, eyes falling back to the serene view outside the mess hall's floor-to-ceiling windows. In the distance, they could see the tundra extending for miles and miles on the continent's unforgiving surface, the snow glittering like a rippling ocean.

Clover slid into the seat across from Qrow, leaning his chin into his hand and examining the man's expression. There was a calmness in his face, a quietude in his narrowed eyes. His silhouette was striking despite the perpetual stubble, the weary creases around his mouth. In this light, his red eyes looked almost black, thick lashes obscuring the colour from Clover's view.

"…Like what you see, Mr. Good-luck-charm?"

It was Clover's turn to jump, the words so soft that he could scarcely see Qrow's lips moving. Gulping, he brushed off his surprise with a smile. "Always. I thought I made that obvious by now?"

Qrow sat up, raising his eyebrows in amusement. A hint of a smile played on his lips as he shook his head wryly, leaning back in his chair. "Alright, slow down there, fishing boy," Qrow groaned, but the good-natured grin and the light dusting of pink on his ears proved that the words had had an effect on him.

Clover's smile only grew. "So. What brings you here? Isn't staring out into the moonlit night something that angsty teens should be doing?"

"Meh. I doubt anyone really grows out of that phase."

He chuckled. "I suppose not." He sipped his tea, the warmth soothing some of the stress he had accumulated over the day. "But what are you doing here? Need to get anything off your chest?"

Qrow took a moment to ponder that question, hand reaching out to grab the glass of water. He raised it up to his mouth, took a sip, grimaced, and put it back down, going back to drumming his fingertips upon the table. Then, he muttered, "I… don't know."

"Don't know…?"

"What to do, I guess."

Clover frowned. "What do you mean- did something happen?"

Qrow shook his head, finally meeting Clover's gaze for the first time that evening. His eyes were confused, but earnest. "I guess I just don't know what to do with all this free time."

Clover snorted. "You were out on missions all day, weren't you?"

Qrow chuckled dryly, but there was no heart in it. "Yeah. They were straightforward. Cleaned the whole place out of Grimm, then came back here, and… yeah. You can only play so many rounds of that brawler game with the kids, after all."

Clover laughed, sipping his tea again and wrapping his hands around the mug. It was warm, the heat shooting up his arms and relaxing the tensed muscles in his shoulders. "I mean, video game tournaments with the kiddos are all well and good, but there are other things to do- the facilities here are all free for your use, so why not do whatever you want to do?"

But Qrow didn't respond, expression still as befuddled as before.

Gently, he asked, "Qrow… what do you like to do? When not on a mission, I mean?"

"I…"

Clover sighed. "I mean, I like to fish. And hike. I'm good at board games. I've got a bike I tune up, although I can't ride it very often due to work."

Qrow snorted at that. "You should show it to Yang. She just lost her bike, right before we got to Mantle. She probably wouldn't mind seeing it."

Hesitantly, Clover reached out a hand, and then withdrew- then, steeling his resolve, he grabbed Qrow's hand, stilling his fingers as they tapped on the table. "I'm not asking about your niece, Qrow," he murmured. "Tell me- what did you used to do between missions?"

Qrow froze in his touch for a moment, but soon relaxed, leaving his hand under Clover's. "Honestly?" Qrow sighed, slumping over. "After missions, I'd just… go to bars. Drink. Try and meet someone, then leave the next day. Repeat that for about 20 years, add in some visits to the kiddos, and… you've got my life as a Huntsman."

Clover grinned, standing up. "Then let's go have a drink!" he offered. "The officer's mess is still open till 2, and we don't report for duty till 0900 tomorrow, so we've got more than enough time-"

But Qrow held up a hand, stopping him in his tracks. "No!" he cried. "I- I can't drink. I'm quitting."

Clover softened, sensing the other man's pain. Quietly, he took his seat again, sipping his tea before asking, "Why quit?"

Qrow's brow furrowed together. Clover's fingers twitched, itching to smooth away that crease.

"I just…" Qrow began.

Then, down the hall, they heard familiar voices and giggles and peals of laughter, and Clover's heart could only melt as he watched Qrow's expression immediately soften into one of rueful tenderness. Ruby's high-pitched, squealing laughter rang through the air, Yang's teasing voice breaking through the rabble as well. The Ace-Ops leader reached up, clutching his chest, feeling his heartbeat quicken as he took in Qrow's soft gaze.

Just why did he feel so attached to this man, anyways?

Qrow finally whispered, clearly still focusing on the joy in those voices as they disappeared down the hall, "I just… want to be better for them."

That's why.

Clover reached out for Qrow's hand again. This time, the man didn't jump. "Then do it," he murmured. "But remember- there's nothing wrong with moderation. Showing them healthy habits is good too, right?"

Qrow rolled his eyes, but he didn't pull himself away, looking back out at the quiet moonscape below. And the next day, when Clover ran into Qrow before heading out on an Ace-Ops task, Qrow's smile towards him arrived unprompted. The man looked… lighter. Sweeter.

And Clover's heart felt it, too.