This chapter has been cut to fit the M rating, for those wishing the whole story come find us on Ao3 under the username KryHeart_Ardy.

Ruby watched as the picture of snowy Patch was carefully removed from its seat on the wall and taken into another room to be packaged. Through the ajared door she could see a few of the workers. They were mostly Faunus and they wrapped pieces of artwork in bubble wrap and attached receipts to the outer packaging. A pair of brown rabbit ears twitched as a young woman saw Ruby peeking through the door, the Faunus waved at her before continuing her work.

The main room of the Gala was slowly emptying, only a dozen or so people were still hanging around as they waited to be ushered out. The young woman rubbed her hands up and down her arms, the lack of warm bodies and the late hour sent goosebumps over her skin. Suddenly a thick white and blue lined coat swaddled her shoulders, James adjusting the wide coat to better fit her smaller body. "Thank you." She gave him that sweet smile and held the coat closer to her.

The General felt his face melt into a warm expression. "No problem."

"Well as great as it's been to meet all of you, I'm afraid our time together has come to an end, for tonight at least." Roman, still acting as Romulus sauntered over to the pair, bored out of his mind. His hand slipped into one of the jacket pockets feeling the jeweled watch he just lifted from a woman as she and her husband left. That and a few other small shiny objects would appease him for the night but the main target was still in his sights. Ozpin returned to his mates with a smile, his ashen hair swept over his left eye. He had just escorted Glynda to his private car, letting the Headmistress take it home while he returned to the estate with James.

"We should also be going." Ozpin took his place beside James, not evening bothering to sigh when the General shifted slightly to keep a measure of space between them. "Ruby can we escort you home? It's getting rather late."

"Oh no, that's fine. Someone is coming to pick me up." Ruby glanced out the main door, though it remained empty.

"Hmm, are they running late? We don't mind staying with you until they arrive."

"I'll be fine, my Dad is suppose to be picking me up."

"Well I'd be happy to wait with you Red until he turns up." Roman gave her another of his 'charming' smiles, though to Ruby he looked sly as a snake. She also hadn't missed the way his eyes kept traveling over her cleavage and not for the tenth time that night did she wish her dress cut higher over her bust.

Finally there was a voice calling her name. "Hey Rubles, long time no see." That rumbling voice resonated with her for a moment before her smile stretched from ear to ear. Spinning round and her modestly sized heels forgotten Ruby raced for the pair of lithe arms clothed in grey.

"QROW!" Immediately her arms went around his neck as he pulled her up from the ground and into his arms, any remnants of etiquette forgotten. "Your here! Why are you here? Oh it's sooo good to see you!"

"It's good to see you too pipsqueak. Well look at you, I go to work for two years and come back to this." Qrow smirked nuzzling their foreheads together. "I'm so proud of you Ruby."

Coming from anyone else Ruby would have just shrugged the compliment off, everyone was always telling her how well she was doing in her career. Her work was being praised by the masses, even her family would look at it and give her the words. However when Qrow said it she knew he meant every word. Qrow Branwen never lied and he also never gave compliments unless he truly meant it.

Whenever Qrow was around Ruby always felt happy. She often wondered why they had not been Soulmates and once some years ago she had asked him about it. The Huntsman had only sighed and shown her his wrists. Qrow was truly the most unlucky person in Remnant, to be born with a void mark. No Soulmate was ever going to be waiting for him so matter how long he lived. It was exceeding rare, almost impossible to be born without a Soulmate yet Qrow existed. Ruby had never once heard of someone with no mate and in a way that seemed to shed a light on him, for he was the loneliness person in the whole world.

Perhaps that was why she felt so close to him. Both of them suffered with the loneliness that came from not wanting to be around people very much. Ruby because of her fears and Qrow because of his misfortune. Ruby breathed in deeply, the scent of whiskey was faint but comforting, it seemed Qrow had not been able to kick his habit while he was away.

"Thanks Qrow but what are you doing here, is Dad okay? He was suppose to be picking me up." The young woman wiggled slightly silently asking to be put back down.

The avain man gave her a secret grin, one he reserved just for her. "He's fine, I sent him home early. We were sparring but he overdid it, retirement may be a decent look on him but it's also made him sloppy and slow so I sent him home."

"Bet that went down well."

"Yeah, well that's what you get when you let all that training go. Anyway he mentioned that you would be needing a lift home but since we've already missed the last ferry, I figured you wouldn't mind keeping a dusty bird company for the night."

"That's a great idea. Oh I have missed you." Ruby clobbered him in another hug, only remembering when she felt the presence behind her that she had run off on her Soulmates.

Ozpin took in the somewhat scruffy looking man and tried not to scowl at him. The way Ruby had flown across the room and into his waiting arms, it had been like a wall had dropped and she were open to him, only to him. Her smile was even more radiant then it has been when they had spoke of their Soul Bond. Just who was this man that he could pull that kind of light from Ruby.

Ruby sputtered a moment, she had forgotten all about the three men she had met tonight. She had no option but to introduce them to Qrow, how would he react? "Ruby?" His calming tone had her looking up. Behind her were Ozpin and James, where had Romulus gone? She glanced around but couldn't see the snake like ravenette anywhere. Did it make her a bad person that suddenly she was able to breath and relax easier now that he was gone?

Thankfully she was saved from introducing them to him by James. "Oh dear no, not you!"

Qrow's lip turned up into a smirk, Ruby recognised that distasteful teasing tone in his voice. "Well hello there Jimmy, long time so see."

"Not long enough it seems." James added with clear dislike for the other man. "What are you even doing here, I thought you were still up in Mistral."

Qrow scratched his head. "I finished that assignment last week and been traveling back since. I just got back yesterday and wanted to see my favorite girl."

Oz had heard enough as he stepped in. "Since you all seem to know each other, would someone do the honor of introducing me?"

Qrow sized up the unfamiliar man, the ashen hair looked good on him. Releasing Ruby from his hold he reached over to shake his hand. "Qrow Branwen, Huntsman."

Now Ozpin could see it and he was reminded of the war he had turned his back on many years ago. "Ozpin of Clockwork Enterprize." They shook firmly then let it drop, neither seeing any reason to prolong the contract. "James and I are Ruby's Soulmates."

Qrow felt his stomach drop, Ruby had found her Soulmates, not one but two of them. "I see."

James felt a smirk grace his face at Qrows barely contained shock. "There was another of us but it seems Romulus has already left. So tell me Qrow how do you know Ruby?"

Qrow schooled his face but the news he had just received had shaken him so he ruffled Ruby's hair earning a "Hey!" to buy him time, all the while trying to calm his pounding heart. "My sister and Ruby's dad were Soulmates so I have known her for the longest time."

"So you two are family?" James lifted a brow looking between the two. Ruby all but glowed with in Qrow's presence.

"Nah not really. We're more like close friends, though with my job I travel often and haven't gotten the chance to see her in awhile. So when Tai asked me to pick up Ruby I was only too happy to spend time with my girl."

"But your her Uncle right?"

Qrow made a face. "No more than your could be, Raven rejected her partner and she and I were never close to begin with. I don't see Ruby as a niece."

Ruby pounced on that, hugging Qrows arm. "And I don't see Qrow as my uncle. We just get along really well and always have so it just made sense."

The dark haired man beside her patted her shoulder again. "Well it's been nice meeting you Ozpin and to see you again Jimmy, but I need to get this one to bed. Ruby you're practically falling asleep on your feet."

Now that he said it Ruby could feel the tiredness drag at her body, her eyes were blinking back sleep. "Okay."

"Come on, I got a pizza cooling in the car, I bet you haven't eaten anything either have you?"

"Heh heh heh, not really. The food here wasn't very nice." As if on cue there was a rumble that echoed between the four of them. It was loud enough to be mistaken for a Beowulf's growl and Ruby's cheeks burned with embarrassment as she turned back to her Soulmates. "I will be in touch soon, is that okay?"

"Absolutely. Here take this." Ozpin passed the young woman a small green card with his contact information on it. "I hope to hear from you soon Ruby."

The two men watched as Ruby and Qrow left the building arm in arm. It was a sweet sight to Ozpin but was that struck him as different to what he had expected. Qrow had said he wasn't family but the implication of his sisters relationship said otherwise. They were both obviously very comfortable in each others company so much so that at first Ozpin had put down their interaction as a kind of family bond but something about that didn't quite fit. The two of them were close that much was obvious, he just wondered 'how' close.

"You know, we spent quite some time with her and I never even noticed how tired she looked." James said watching the red of Ruby's dress disappear, she was still holding Qrow's arm and even from here he could see he was supporting her as well.

"Same, she refused the food the waiters came round with, how did we not notice she was hungry." Ozpin admitted, he had tried but she just smiled and waved off the concern.

"Qrow seemed to have no problem recognising those signs and he had only been there for a few minutes too." James pulled a face when he spoke of Qrow, almost like he had something sour in his mouth. It was an expression Oz didn't see on his mates face very often.

"So how do you know Qrow Branwen? He's not someone you've ever mentioned." Ozpin turned back to the main entrance but Qrow and Ruby had already left.

"Urgh, if you want to know about that dusty crow, I'm going to need something stronger to drink. Shall we head back?" James turned with Ozpin in tow towards the valet where he had left his vehicle.

"You should be happy I have a spare key to your place. How did you lose it again?" Ruby asked pulled out the key from her purse.

"I told you I didn't lose it, they're just 'gone'." Qrow balanced the pizza box while he searched each of his pockets again for the missing key.

"I'd just blame your Semblance and leave it at that." Ruby pulled out the key and let them into the flat. Qrow just mumbled behind her as they entered the main room. Qrow's apartment was rather empty, as he spent only a year or so in Vale at a time he never saw any reason to keep it more homely. There was a grey couch that sat in front of the Tv, a reading chair in the corner of the room and a single bookcase stuffed with books and dust.

The kitchen was no better though he had made sure to clear it before he left so it sat empty except for a single bottle of whiskey. The cupboard held a bit more, some powdered milk, coffee and a few tins of soup. Qrow kept his plates and other utensils in a lower cupboard so they were less likely to break but for tonight they would eat the pizza from the box.

Ruby headed straight for the bedroom searching through the bottom drawer where she kept some spare clothes just in case she stayed here. There were a number of long T-shirts and she pulled one out with the Beacon Academy logo on it. She glanced over to the rumpled bed, Qrow had already turned it back and de-dust it. Ruby let out a shiver run through her, suddenly cold and nervous. Being back here after Qrow had been gone for nearly two years felt strange, Ruby remembered the last time his work had kept him in Vale. He had stayed close for over a year and during that time their relationship had changed, become intimate. Qrow had been her mentor in all things around sex and when it had been time for him to travel again she thought the tears would never stop coming. Now that he was back the nights events kept playing in her mind, the thought of letting him go killed her inside. She set the shirt back down and called out. "Qrow."

He had been waiting. His step was near silent as he strode into the room. "Ruby." The word was the barest of utterances, of prayers. Qrow felt it too, the impending pain of separation, their arrangement was that he would teach her. It wasn't uncommon for one to have relationships outside of waiting or even while having Soulmates. Ruby had never thought that she would find hers but she had wanted to know how to make love and have sex. Not wishing not to be ignorant in the ways of sex if she ever found them. These types of pairings were not intended to be forever, they were to teach the fine art of intimacy. Neither of them wanted to admit when teaching became something more. When they joined together for love, not for knowledge.

"Help me with my dress please." The silver eyed woman asked and sucked in a sharp breath when Qrow's hands pulled smoothly at the lacing. Like he had done it a hundred times before. Tears pricked at her eyes, they would end her apprenticeship now. He had long since taught her how to be a good lover, but now they wouldn't be able to maintain the appearance of it. "Qrow." Her voice was thick with tears.

Qrow closed his eyes as they grew wet, his lips found her shoulder. He would never have the ability to feel as much of her as he wished for. He had tasted every millimeter of her skin, he knew what spots brought out a high cry or a long wistful sigh. The last lace came loose and Ruby pulled the dress from her shoulders, not caring as the beautiful garment pooled at her feet.

She turned to Qrow, his hands rose to rest over her waist as she cleared her eyes with a thumb. Ruby reached out to tall man, brushing the back of her fingers over his cheek before drawing the pads down it. Tracing though his scruff to his chin, she touched the bow of his lips with her middle finger. Qrow kissed it with the tiniest movement of his lips. Ruby looked down to his chest, that crooked cross she knew so well.

Ruby blinked a few times and took several long deep breaths. Elegantly undoing the buttons of his shirt with each breath, it helped her to calm. His belt came off with practiced ease, she had no idea how many times she had done this. She pushed the trousers and underwear down in one movement and Qrow kicked them away. His hands came up to her face cupping her cheeks with his thumbs upon the high bone.

The kiss was long and slow, the light in the room was sparse but it was enough to illuminate them. Lips met and parted, then met again, there was no frenzied rush, no tongue making things complicated. These were the kisses of practiced lovers who had nothing to prove to each other. No petty battle for dominance required.

()

Qrow moved to rest his cheek against hers as he started a slow stroke. "I don't want to let you go." Tears leaked from his eyes as he felt Ruby wrap her arms around him. She didn't know what to say, she didn't want to say that this would be the end of their relationship. That she should at least try with her Soulmates, in the end she settled on the truth.

"I love you." She whispered, pushing her head against his, kissing his jaw, she'd miss the scruff of it. She rolled her hips up to his, moving with his slow strokes. The pleasure was a slow burn inside of her, one ache fulfilled by having him within her. Another ache building in her heart and her sex.

"I know." Qrow cleared his eyes one last time and kissed her again. If this was their last time he'd make it a time to remember. He side a hand up her thigh to behind her knee and pulled it up and let her hook it over his hips. Ruby pressed back against him tilting her hips for that subtle change of angle that had them both inhaling sharply. In time with his driving thrusts she rotated her hips in small circles. Qrow pulled away from the kiss, bracing his weight more firmly upon his arm as his hand tightened on her thigh. He needed to breathe as she added to the effort of it, smiling with her as she looked up at him.

Ruby reached up and stroked through his beard before leaning up and kissing him. She played down over his shoulders and wrapped her other legs around his hips pulling her to him. Qrow knew what she wanted and wrapped his arms around her and lifted.

He settled with his legs crossed and her in his lap, his hands moved to cup her behind. Ruby moved her legs to lift herself and started to rock in his lap. A little lift and rotation of her hips while tightening her core muscles around him, she arched her back her hands gripping the tight muscles of his shoulders. Their eyes meant again and their lips followed suit.

The lovers moved together, their movements small and flowing as they knew what felt best for each other. They made love long into the night letting their pleasure build slowly. Their lips roamed over each other, cheeks, lips, necks, chest. Qrow's capable strong hands guiding their rhythm as Ruby caressed him with her subtler ways. They came together holding desperately tight one another, tears mutley shed in the aftermath. After they laid together, touch and exploring, trying to commit the skin of the other to memory. Morning would come soon enough but that was tomorrow and tonight they had each other.

The fire burned low in hearth as Ozpin looked around the room, he stood behind the couch. The fine coat had been discarded and the tie around his throat undone as well as the few buttons on the top of his shirt. Oz wasn't sure what to do as James decanted the brandy. James had come home with him because for once they had something to talk about. Now of course he wasn't sure what to say, how to break the ice. He picked his way around the couch and sat in his favourite corner pull his feet up beside him.

James poured two fingers of the brandy into crystal cups for each of them before walking over and offering one to Ozpin. He watched Oz hesitate, James sighed now he remembered Ozpin didn't like to drink. He had once gone through that phase but had dwindled with time… when it no longer helped with the nightmares. "Just one Oz, it will help you sleep."

Ozpin damped his lips and took it slowly from James uttering a soft. "Thank you." He held the cup in both hands cradled between them but did not drink.

James sat down beside him, he was also missing his coat and had loosed up his formal wear. He had a sip of the find brandy and sighed. "Soo, Ruby is nice, tiny but nice."

The copper eyed man smiled looking down into the brandy. "She is, I like her. I don't know how to go about courting her but I have every intention of doing so." Those silver eyes were imprinted into his memory, he remembered the stories of their power but Ruby was no Huntress.

"I think you'll do fine, you two do have the same mannerisms." James sipped his brandy thinking about what he wanted. His largest turn off about having a soul mate in Ozpin was that the other gentleman was male, with Ruby in the mix that changed everything. "You know I can't make a constant home here Ozpin, not with my work."

"Yes and I will not move to Atlas, Vale is my home James. If Ruby wanted it I'd consent to moving farther north but being close to the city is the safest place." Ozpin said, they had this discussion before.

"It wouldn't be that much trouble to put in a landing platform." James had another sip of his brandy letting the suggestion linger between them.

Ozpin's gaze snapped over to him, that was a new turn to this conversation. "Because of Ruby?" Oz wasn't so deslisioned to think that James was suddenly opening to trying to pursue a relationship with him.

"You know I don't like men, however I think with her involved perhaps it would be worthing trying to figure this out." James said diplomatically, he turned attention to his drink, he didn't want to see Ozpin's hopeful expression.

Colour tinted Ozpin's cheeks as he remembered the fool of himself he had made when he and James had first tried to connect. He took a very small sip of the brandy to try and chase the colour away from his cheeks. "I would appreciate the effort on your part. I'll look into the addition tomorrow."

"Thank you." James finished his brandy and put the cup upon a coaster on the mahogany table. He rotated his mechanical wrist and frowned. "Did Romulus give you the same… distasteful feeling as he gave me?"

Ozpin nodded and lifted the cup of brandy looking through the crystal seeing James's reflection in it dozens of times over. Sometime he wondered if he got the angle just right if he would see the reflection of James's soul. "Yes, I do not like him or trust him. I think Ruby fears him as well."

"Do we keep him away then? He seemed determined to insert himself earlier." The blue eyed man pursed his lips thinking on the last member of their little quartet. For once he was thankful for the missing parts of his body as it prevented most of their bond. He remembered the occasional moments of panic and unease when he looked down at his right hand. The metal limb replacing his own flesh one when he'd been in an accident that had cost him more then just a trip to the hospital. He wondered if as the soul bond had fractured, had Romulus felt anything?

Ozpin had another small sip while offering James his right wrist, the green was very lightly woven around it. The darkness of the colour reflected the strength of the bond, he was sure Ruby's silver upon his chest would be much more vibrant. James reached for it with his mechanical hand then reconsidered. Gently he wrapped his left hand around the offered wrist, he brushed his thumb over the sensitive skin just to feel the pounding pulse under it then pressed on the green wave.

The bond to Romulus was distant but through Ozpin James could tug on it bringing it to life. He felt that same sly self-centredness he had observed in the owner of the bond. Romulus was focused on something that made him excited and James could tell it involved them. He lifted his thumb away from the green weave and brushed it over the pulse point again before letting go. "It's hard to tell anything with the bond being so weak."

Ozpin traded hands on his cup and pressed the wrist with James's bond to his chest. "I agree, I'll hear him out but I do not think we should trust him."

"Can you do that though Oz?" James pulled away slightly to look at the old soul. "If it turned out that he or Ruby or even I was using you, would you turn a blind eye to those actions? Even if it means that we don't love you like you love us?"

Oz turned towards the fireplace, watching the flames flicker and crackle in the hearth and took a sip of the brandy. "I am not a fool James, nor do I think you believe me to be one. Just because I don't fight on the battlefield anymore doesn't mean I don't understand war. Everyone deserves a chance but trust is not infinite and it is not casually given. If Romulus does intend to use me or Ruby or even you, be sure that our Soul bond will not get in the way of my brand of justice." Taking another small sip he grimaced, drinking didn't really do it anymore for him. "And I would like to keep him away from Ruby if possible. If he does mean to use and harm her I don't think she is the type to see when she is being used."

"What about you Oz? Do you know when your being used?" Oz only gave the other man a tight smile but it held a cruel curve to it that James hoped to never be on the receiving end of. James offered his hand and Ozpin gave him the brandy. The General finished the drink and put the cup on the table. "It's late we should head to bed, form some sort of plan tomorrow." He stood up and looked down to Ozpin who remained seated. "Are you going to bed?"

"I think I'll read for a bit, it's been a busy night and I need to unwind." Oz looked over to a bookshelf wondering what to read tonight. James frowned, Penny had told him that Oz wasn't sleeping much of late. 'Deteriorating' was the word the Android had used to describe Ozpin. James took the step over and before Ozpin could react placed a quick kiss on the man's cheek before walking away. "Goodnight Ozpin." He licked his lips, the rapid gesture had left Oz's taste upon his lips and he'd never admit it to anyone not even himself. However he found it to be a good taste, something he could probably get used too.

Ozpin's head whipped around as James walked away his features changed by shear shock. "Goodnight James." He uttered softly as the tall man vanished around the doorway. Oz reached up and touched his cheek, he could still feel James's lips upon it. He looked down to the blue wave around his wrist, a tiny fraction darker than before. The old soul smiled warmly and got up, he might as well go to bed too.

Roman Torchwick sat on his bed in just his underwear, with a laptop sitting before him. The blue light from the screen reflected on his eyes as then scanned over the pages. He had already looked up James Ironwood and Ruby Rose, there was next to nothing personal about either of them. However Ozpin Wōđanaz had a pretty extensive public history. As a teenager he had attended Beacon and proved to be a prodigy. He'd worked in the field before becoming a Professor for a few years before breaking away to start his own company. Clockwork Enterprises logo was a single gear with a raven eye in the middle. Now he was one of the leading developers of technology. Everything from the best Scrolls to agriculture, he was a multi billionaire. Interestingly he didn't trade in Dust, he wondered if Ozpin didn't think it was worth going up against the Schnee Dust Company.

Over time the articles about him grew fewer and farther between them till he disappeared entirely after stepping down as CEO. Well up to last night the press was having a field day with last night. Roman shut the laptop off and set it aside flopping back into his bed. Well this really didn't help him figure out how to wiggle under their guard, what he could do with just access to Ozpin's bank accounts. He'd never have to steal again! The thief frowned at that, part of the fun was stealing though, he'd probably get bored without it.

Was this even worth it? Roman wondered if maintaining his disguise was going to be a pain in the butt. There were definitely easier things to steal, then he remembered the word 'billionaire'. He had access to a billionaire, that was a once in a lifetime opportunity. He'd be a fool to turn away from that.