A/N: I'm moving tomorrow so updates next week might be spotty while I build a new setup for a home office. Wish me luck in packing today 'cause I've not started :(

Let me know what you think if you're reading along!

Cameo Lover

Upstairs Neighbour

Every night, Clover retired in his private quarters. Being the leader of the Ace-Ops, he was privileged to have a one-bedroom apartment all to himself, with a tiny kitchenette tucked in the corner which he rarely used. It was sparsely furnished, but he didn't mind- he only used it to store his non-work-related belongings and sleep, after all.

The one thing he truly loved about his quarters was the view. Being on the top floor of the Huntsmen's barracks, he had a beautiful view of Atlas Academy's campus. Well, it's more a base, but… Either way, with its incredibly tall spires and layered design, the campus was a sight to behold, and looking down upon it every morning with his tea before his morning workout was always a treat.

However, Clover found himself recently waking up throughout the night. He had never been one for nightmares or fitful sleep, so this situation was new to him- this bleary-eyed, befuddled haze in which he found himself sitting upright in his bed in the wee hours of the night. Why did he keep waking up?

And then, he'd hear it. Footsteps.

They always only lasted only a few paces, but the sound echoed in the tall halls of Atlas. However, it only ever lasted a few steps- it just didn't make sense. How was someone only walking around for a few paces?

The first few nights when he awoke, he assumed it was just the stress getting to him. Robyn's team had been acting up as of late, and so he and his men had had to engage in far more stringent patrols- not to mention that serial killer who seemed hell-bent on making James look like a villain…

So, he just sighed and went back to bed.

One night when he was returning home particularly late, however, he heard the footsteps clearly. Without the blanket of sleep to confuse his senses, the sounds, albeit faint, were distinct. Four paces atop the roof, and then, nothing.

He grabbed Kingfisher and ran out to the fire escape. Something was going on, and he didn't like it. The roof was off-limits to everyone aside from maintenance personnel- who was up there?

What he found wasn't an intruder, nor a Grimm- not even just a few mischievous students. Instead, he saw Qrow sitting on the rooftop in the frigid night air, looking out into the distance with all the weight of the world on his shoulders. The man's face glowed amidst the eternally-bright lights emitted from lower Atlas and from the waning moon.

Before Clover could call out to him, however, Qrow stood, stretched, and wiped his face. Clover's heart shattered as he saw just how damp the man's cheeks were, how his eyes glittered with tears. Qrow made a move to walk to the other end of the rooftop- right above Clover's room, of course- and then, before Clover's very eyes, Qrow's body suddenly shifted and transformed into a black bird. The bird took off, its piercing crimson eyes bright even in the darkness of night.

All Clover could do was gape at the space where Qrow had just been seconds before. I knew that magic was real, thanks to the Relics and Maidens, but… Qrow as well? He can just transform like that? It had all happened so fast.

Suddenly, many things began making sense. On missions, Qrow was always able to travel distances between squads with ease, as long as they were out in the open. He often managed to gain intel on Grimm quantities, or reinforcements, or weak points. It was almost as if he had always had a-

"Bird's eye view on the battle," Clover breathed aloud.

Was he always able to do that, or is that something that Ozpin gave him the ability to do? He had so many questions and absolutely no way of answering any of them.

One final question which popped up into his mind didn't actually have anything to do with the transformation, though. …Why was he crying?

Now that- that was something Clover could get to the bottom of.

So, the next time he heard telltale footsteps faintly echoing across the rooftop of the barracks, Clover was ready. He scrambled to get dressed, grabbed what he had prepped beforehand, and bolted up the fire escape, exiting onto the roof silently. Qrow had sat down in the same spot as before, still looking solemnly out into the distance.

"Qrow," he called out gently. No point giving him a heart attack, Clover mused, smiling when Qrow glanced his way. The man's eyes widened as he recognized Clover in the shadows, then immediately cleared his throat and wiped his eyes on his sleeve. Clover walked over, taking a seat beside him while the man fussed about, trying to dry his eyes.

"Wha-what're you doin' here, Clover?" Qrow croaked out. "How did you even know-"

Clover chuckled, unfolding one of the blankets he had brought with him and wrapping it around Qrow's shoulders. "You're gonna get sick if you stay out here too long, and what then?" he teased when Qrow looked up at him, utterly confused.

"Answer the question, Clover," Qrow mumbled. However, he didn't hesitate to bury his nose in the blanket, hiding his tears away from Clover's sight.

Clover chuckled, pulling out the thermos he had brought with him, along with two small cups. He had been prepping tea before he went to bed for days now, just waiting to hear the footsteps again. It felt good to have a use for it. So, he poured out some tea and handed over the warm cup to Qrow before he murmured, "Your footsteps echo, y'know. My quarters are right below here."

Qrow's cheeks tinged pink. "Ah, shit- I didn't know. Did I wake you?" He knocked on the rooftop below with a knuckle, trying to force out a smile and failing miserably. "I just… needed to clear my head for a bit."

It's been hard, huh? He couldn't imagine what it must've been like for Qrow to have to face his demons like this. According to Ruby, he'd never done it sober before.

A strange sense of pride began welling up within Clover's chest. He's changes his ways for the better.

Clover shrugged. "No, but you did wake me up last week when this whole thing started," he murmured. If he could put a name to the emotion on Qrow's face, it would've been embarrassment, in its purest form. Qrow attempted to stand, but Clover put his hand on his shoulder. "I don't mind. I just wish…"

"Hm?"

He smiled, holding up his own cup of tea in a toast. "Just tell me next time you need to sit out here to cry, okay? I'm happy to keep you company. I won't ask questions, don't worry." Although I want to, I'll hold them back.

So, he sipped his tea and looked out into the beautiful Atlesian night, laughing silently to himself as Qrow buried his face in the blanket, shoulders shaking. The laughter wasn't directed at Qrow- it was to himself.

I've got it real bad, huh?

But when he shuffled closer to Qrow, and Qrow didn't pull away, he knew that he didn't mind if this strange, older, magical creature was the one to whom he wanted to give his heart. It wasn't how he'd imagined it to go, but… all's fair in love and war, right?