A/N Alternate Ending 1

Warning for minor gore near the end of the chapter.

He watched you fall, faster and faster, down the cliff side. You dare not look up, for you didn't want the last thing you see to be Qrow's horrified expression. Out of the blue, you stopped falling. Strong arms wrapped around your torso and you looked over in surprise to see Qrow with his scythe firmly planted into the cliff side. He was breathing heavily, and quite frankly he looked terrible.

Regret and guilt washed over you as you hung numbly from his arms. "Let me go, please." Your voice was very quiet, but it cut through the deafening silence like a hot knife. He wasn't supposed to find you this quickly. You were supposed to be gone by the time he came here, and then everyone would move on with their lives. Without thinking, you must have spent too much time staring at the sky thinking about his eyes.

Qrow was silent. You tried again. "I just want to…go away." His grip tightened around you and you felt him start to ascend slowly up the cliffside. Panic set in, and suddenly you felt like throwing up. "Qrow, please!" you pleaded.

Nothing you said made him even consider listening to you. Qrow held on tight and didn't let you out of his grasp. Even when you both were securely on the ground again he still kept his hands on your shoulders.

You were facing each other, but you just stared at the ground. He'd said nothing since saving you but you could tell he was looking directly at you. It felt like a storm was brewing and you were in the center of it.

"Look at me, (Y/N)." You frowned and picked at the grass. A couple moments went by until his grip on your shoulders got harder. "I just want to know this is real," he whispered. His soft tone did nothing but break your heart even more. With every ounce of willpower, your eyes met his.

Qrow's eyes were red and puffy, but the determination behind them astounded you. Behind that you could see the pain and sorrow swirling around, even if he tried to hide it. You felt his thumb brushing against your cheek, and it was only then that you realized you were crying too.

An odd look appeared in his eyes now, as he slowly shuffled closer to you. Your heart started racing when Qrow got closer and closer, and showed no signs of stopping. Your noses touched and his breath felt hot against your lips.

Despite how much your heart wanted this, you leaned back. His expression quickly turned into confusion, shame, and then regret. Clearing your throat, you spoke quietly to him.

"Don't get me wrong…I want this. I want you, but…don't do this just for my sake. I want your…" you faltered, unable to choke out the 4 letter word that had been plaguing you for so long. "I want your affection only if you truly have some for me. If this is pity, if this is just because you feel bad for what just happened, don't."

Qrow soaked up your words with attentiveness you had not seen before. His eyebrows furrowed at your words, but you could tell he was taking you seriously. After a couple moments of thinking, he opted to instead lightly touch his own forehead to yours.

"Honestly, it's hard to tell what I'm feeling at the moment. I feel bad for all of this but trust me when I say this isn't out of pity. I don't think it needs to be said that I'm fine with waiting until you feel comfortable, but I'll say it anyway so you know for sure."

He shifted slightly and wrapped you in an embrace. "I know for certain I'm never letting go of you again," Qrow muttered. It wasn't over at all, but in that moment you felt all the worries and pain that had built up in the past years start to melt away. Your own arms found their way around him.

Peace, you decided, is what you felt right now. A gust of wind blew through your hair as you both stayed there. Neither of you shifted for one reason or another. Above all, Qrow enjoyed the feeling of you against his chest, as something precious was in his arms now.

After a couple minutes, you two finally separated. Reality started to kick in again, and soon you were a blushing mess in front of him. "M-maybe we should go back to my place now? It's closer and you look like you could really use a good wash-up and some whiskey."

Even now, you only cared about him. It simultaneously infuriated him and melted his heart. A low chuckle escaped from his throat and he rose to his feet, offering his hand to you at the same time. You took it and felt him pull you up swiftly.

"You're right that we're going to your place, but don't think for a second that tonight is going to be about me. I know your kitchen is always stocked with your favorite foods and drinks, so expect a lot of that tonight and whatever sappy movie you want to watch."

"But- hey! What makes you think it will be a sappy one? I think we've both done enough crying for today."
"Well, whatever movie you want then. And no buts, we're doing what you want whether you want it or not."
"What if I want to do what you want to do?"
"Don't be a smartass," Qrow quipped.

The banter continued the whole trek back to your house. You wondered why Qrow didn't start grilling you on why you jumped, but you were relieved that he didn't. He would know the truth, when you felt ready to tell him.

Much to your embarrassment, Qrow didn't let go of your hand since grabbing it to help you up. Perhaps he was telling the truth when he said he would never let go of you. A smile graced your lips at the thought, and you gave his hand a little squeeze. He returned it back with an equally brilliant smile.

xxx

Almost a week had gone by since the incident, and it has been one of the best weeks in your life. It took some getting used too, but Qrow finally started to keep his eyes more on you than the bottle in his hands. In fact, you didn't see his flask on him very much anymore. The withdrawal symptoms were surely there, but anytime they spiked you were always there to help him out.

Along with staying at your house constantly, he also acted like a mother hen around you now. Sometimes you even had to tell him to tone it down a bit, even if he meant well. Nonetheless, he had changed since that day. He was still the same sarcastic friend you knew, but he seemed more present than before.

Knowing how he feels now, you wouldn't dream of going back to the cliffside. It's not like your depression magically went away, but now you had something to live for. It was more tangible than just an idea, and you were always reminded of it when he was around. You had seen the heartbroken look on Qrow's face when he pulled you up and you never wanted to see him like that again, so the thought of going back to that cliffside to jump again didn't cross your mind nearly as often as it did before.

You didn't know how long it would take, and maybe these feelings would never fully disappear, but at least now you felt the strength of those around you. The burden on your shoulders weighs less when you have others to share it with you. Not only did you have Qrow to help, but once you broke the news to Taiyang he was more than willing to be at your side.

At first you were apprehensive to tell him that you had attempted suicide, but something about his caring nature and fatherly aura made you spill everything. Qrow is your best friend, but you and Tai were no strangers. All of that combined made it much easier to inform him without the fear of being judged. After all, you wouldn't be surprised if he had the same dark urges after both of his lovers had left him alone.

As you expected from the big-hearted man, he literally took you into his arms and told you everything you needed to hear. It didn't matter if your love for each other wasn't romantic, you felt closer to him than any of your own family members. If there was anything you had learned from the Xiao-Long-Rose family was that your bonds can run deeper and stronger than blood.

Speaking of family members, you hadn't told anyone of what transpired. You didn't plan on telling them either. You wouldn't say your relationship was particularly strained, but moving a continent away to go to an academy for being a huntress never sat well with them. They never thought you would make it, and it was one of your proudest moments when you proved them wrong. If you tried to tell them now, they would surely blame the path you took instead of the real issues.

The sound of footsteps roused you from your deep thoughts. Taiyang rounded the corner from his kitchen to the living room with two cups of your favorite tea. You grinned at the revelation that you wouldn't be having hot chocolate for the millionth time.

"Why so happy?" Taiyang questioned as he handed you the hot beverage. You shrugged and moved over on the couch, making room for him to sit.

"Well, ever since Qrow has stopped drinking, the only thing he can replace it with is hot chocolate. I have an abundance at my house and it's the only thing he can seem to stand. Coffee is too bitter, tea is like drinking dirt water, and all of it is hilariously ironic to me seeing as the man drank glorified gasoline for years now."

That earned a laugh from Tai, who wholeheartedly agreed. "Sometimes I don't get that man. For as long as I've known him, as much as I know about him, he's always been peculiar about certain things. Especially lately," he emphasized. That earned a suspicious glance from you.

"He did quit drinking, it can drastically change someone-" you started, but didn't get to finish as Tai waved his hand around. "I don't think that would make someone have the tell-tale signs of falling in love." You almost choked on your drink.

"L-love?" you coughed out. The shit-eating grin Tai was flashing at you made you want to leave this conversation as quickly as possible.

"Did I stutter?" Rhetorical, of course.
"You must be going crazy, Qrow isn't in love."

Once again, he laughed at your denial. "Yes he is! Have you even seen how you two act around each other? He looks like a lost puppy whenever you're gone."

Your eyes cast downward at the worn out rug as you gave Tai a half-hearted shrug. You would have been wringing your hands if they weren't currently holding a mug full of hot tea. Qrow did say he would never be letting go of you again, but that could be taken a couple different ways. He also said that he didn't know exactly what he was feeling, so you weren't looking to get your hopes up only to be disappointed.

"I don't know Tai. It sounded like he confessed something at the cliffs, but we were both emotional and I think he was just feeling guilty about everything. That's no way to start a relationship." Tai hummed softly and mulled over your words.

"True, that's not a good way to start a relationship, but I don't think that is what is happening here," he took a short pause to gauge your reaction, and he was satisfied with your enraptured attention. "Sure he felt guilty, who wouldn't, especially because he is your best friend. As someone who has known Qrow for years, and might see a different side of him than you do, let me tell you three important things I've learned about him."

Tai paused again, making sure to emphasize his point and keep you anxious for more.

"One, Qrow is not very good with words. If he said something then I'm sure he meant a lot more. Two, Qrow doesn't date out of pity, or else he would have dated half the girls at Beacon with us. He is surprisingly picky when it comes to actual relationships, because of his semblance and all his baggage with that."

You nodded, taking in every word he spoke. Most of these you got glimpses of, but perhaps being on a team with Qrow made Tai see these things much more often. In Beacon, due to the focus on teamwork, you still had plenty of time to hang out with Qrow and the others but you definitely spent the most time with your teammates.

"Lastly, number 3, he is oblivious when it comes to himself. Hard to believe right, for someone who specializes as a spy? But it's true, so if you argue that Qrow has only started to like you recently, you're wrong. We could tell for years that you both liked each other, but somehow you got the impression that Qrow didn't like you and Qrow couldn't even figure out that he did like you! Sounds weird, I know, but think of it like…" he paused, trying to think of a good way to put it.

"We all like it when the sun is out right? It's nice and warm and all of that good stuff, but we don't really think about that often, we just naturally feel that way. The only time we consciously think about it is when it's gone, when it's raining and we want the sunshine back. Qrow never thought you would be gone, so he never realized how much it hurt to think of you not being in his life anymore. That's why it might seem like he just started liking you, because he just started noticing it consciously."

His words stunned you into silence. You had never quite thought of it like that, but upon closer look you knew it was truer than you would like to admit. Qrow had always been there in your life, so naturally you didn't actively think about a time where he wouldn't be. What had tipped you off that you liked him was the racing heartbeat in your chest and the urge to never let him go. Perhaps Qrow wasn't as in touch with that side of him because of his past, it wouldn't surprise you.

However, no matter how moved you felt at Tai's words, one doubt stayed with you. The downcast look on your face made your blonde friend tilt his head. "What, not enough for you?" he joked. A soft chuckle escaped your lips as you shook your head.

"No, your speech was quite moving. It's just that…I haven't told him why I wanted to..." the words died in your throat as you swallowed a lump. You willed yourself to keep talking, or else this would never be solved.

"I haven't told him why I jumped yet." Tai's expression softened and he shifted in his seat. "You know you don't have to tell him. I'm sure he would understand if you didn't, and it's only your business anyway."

His words were true, but that fact didn't satisfy the churning of your stomach.

"I know…but I want to tell him, I just don't know how. What if I hurt his feelings? That's what I'm most afraid of, but if I don't tell him it will just get in the way of us being together…and that's something I really want." You breathed a sigh of relief, finally having said your true thoughts out loud.

Taiyang smiled brightly at you. "Well if you ask me, it sounds like you already made up your mind."

Maybe it was his fatherly instinct, or maybe because he was like a brother to you, but somehow Tai could always read you like an open book. He was right, and now all you needed to do was build up the courage to go through with it.

The conversation slowed a bit, but before completely changing the subject, Tai rested a hand on your nearby knee. "I'm really proud of you, just so you know. You really don't have to tell anyone, but it's so brave that you want to and that you are. I know I sound like a sappy old lady right now, but I wanted to say it anyway." You felt yourself getting choked up at his words, and he offered a comforting squeeze to your knee before retracting his hand.

You and Tai continued to chat for a couple more hours. Many jokes and a few cups of tea later, you were ready to go home. Qrow was about to get back soon, and you knew he would innately worry if you weren't home when he got there. Hopefully you could break him of that habit soon, but it might just be something he's stuck with for a long time.

With a goodbye hug and some reassuring words, you were set on the path back to your house. On the way back, you started to think of when the perfect time to tell him would be.

xxx

You couldn't feel the breeze across your skin, and the light blue hue of the sky seemed more surreal than before. The cliffs were particularly windy today, but you didn't mind. The grass was so soft against your bare feet you almost forgot about the blood dripping down your ankle. Qrow's fingers dug deep into your skin, trying to pull you back from the edge to no avail.

He wailed and pleaded so much that your ears started to hurt. Every step his nails dug deeper and deeper, but you kept marching onward. Looking back at him with disdain, you stomped on his wrists until they broke. The crunch of his bones only added to the cascade of screams pounding into your head.

Qrow wouldn't stop, so you went to his fingers next. Once he physically couldn't hold you back anymore, he took to writhing and shouting on the grass behind you. You couldn't take it anymore and your own ears started to drip a scarlet liquid. Willing to do anything to make it stop, you covered your ears and let a gust of wind carry you off the edge. Your free-falling body approached the water quicker than you expected, and the last sensation you felt was your breath being stolen from your lungs and the sight being stolen from your eyes.

The darkness that surrounded you when you woke did nothing to calm you down. Barely registering the sleeping body beside you, you rushed to your feet and into the bathroom. The inside of your throat felt raw from breathing so hard, and it didn't make your chest feel any better.

Thankfully it only took a couple minutes for your heart to finally stop racing. A couple gulps of water later and your throat was already feeling better too. The floor felt cold against your feet as you made the silent walk back to the couch you had previously sprung from. Once you turned the corner, you saw another figure on the couch. Briefly you panicked before the memories of tonight flooded back to you.

Qrow had been at your house when you arrived from visiting Tai, and again he insisted on doing whatever you wanted. However, unlike last time, you made a loophole in his logic and said what makes him happy is what you wanted, so tonight both of you settled down with an action movie and microwave popcorn. It was late into the night when you both fell asleep on the couch, limbs loosely tangled around each other. The TV had turned off automatically and all that you were left with now was silence.

Once the adrenaline rush died down, relief washed over you as you sat down on the couch. Qrow rubbed his hands over his eyes as he got into an upright position.

"Is it already morning? I felt like I barely slept," he yawned. You took a quick glance at the clock and it read 2:46am.

"Not quite, I just…woke up." Qrow raised an eyebrow at you and you only lasted a couple more seconds before conceding.

"I had a nightmare…about the cliff. I'm sorry if I woke you up," the apology slipped out without you realizing it. Instead of comforting you with words, the black haired man wrapped his toned arms around you. After your initial surprise wore off, you hugged him back.

"Can I ask you a question?" Qrow said suddenly. A knot formed quickly in your gut, and you felt as if you were swallowing a lead ball after hearing the question. You feared what would go wrong with having this conversation, but deciding to face your fear you spoke out a determined "Of course."

"Do you still want to go back to the cliff?" His question didn't surprise you, but it made you clutch onto Qrow a little more tightly. He reciprocated back.

"No…unless it's to sit there peacefully with you, like the old days. I wasn't in a good state of mind that day, or many days before that, but I don't think I can express how relieved I am that you didn't let go of me," you carefully considered your words, and added on, "What I want is to be here with you. As long as you'll have me."

In the dim light of the moon, you could see the corner of Qrow's eyes pricking with tears. Without a word, you lifted your hand and lightly rubbed them away. His eyes met yours and you could see nothing but relief and warmth fill his gaze. The next thing you knew was the taste of his lips on yours.

They were warm, soft, and only partially chapped from the decreasing temperature in the house. You tried to take in everything you could about the moment, but it was gone much too quickly. Qrow pulled back and stood up, and his hands immediately went to clutch his head.

"I'm so sorry, not that I didn't like it, but you…I should have asked first. I-" you cut off his rambling with a light giggle. Here your best friend, and apparent womanizer, Qrow Branwen was freaking out over not asking permission first. It was cute how soft he was deep down, even if he denied it.

You reached up to grab his arm and pulled him into another hug. "It's alright, I enjoyed it. I…hope we can do it again sometime," you said boldly, even if your face felt hotter than it had ever felt before.

"O-of course! Anytime you want," Qrow chuckled happily. The grin on your face somehow grew even more. You knew that the reasons for why you were going to jump were still in the air, and that they needed to be spoken about eventually, but tonight you were finally going to enjoy the moment in the arms of the love of your life.

"I love you," he whispered into your ear in the softest tone you had ever heard. You embraced him tighter and spoke into his chest, so that only he could hear.

"I love you too. Forever."