The sun warmed Qrow's back as he slowly woke, his arms tightened on reflex around the woman who slept quietly in his embrace. He didn't opened his eyes as he stirred, knowing that when he did he was one step closer to having to let her go. A flicker of hope curled around his mind, perhaps her Soulmates wouldn't pan out. Maybe someday she'd welcome him back, but until that day he knew it was time for him to step aside. Qrow kissed the crown of her head and Ruby let out a sleepy mumble snuggling in tighter and pressing kisses to his chest.
"We should get up." Qrow said in a sleepy mumble.
"I don't want to." Ruby moaned softly, she was warm and happy. Part of her wished she hadn't met her Soulmates, that things would stay the same. That she didn't have to try and learn about them, but she didn't want her bonds to go black. She wouldn't be the one to reject the potential for a connection that was simply not possible without the bonds. She loved Qrow with all her heart, but she also knew he would want her to see this through. To make use of the chance he never got to have, for him she would try.
Qrow shifted and turned over grabbing his Scroll from the bedside table. There had been a midnight snack attack upon the pizza, he had cleaned up their clothes at the same time. "You should at least make a date. Ozpin doesn't strike me as the busy type."
Ruby sighed and took the Scroll then the card with Ozpin's number upon it. She dialed it and put it on speaker phone, she didn't want this to be a private conversation.
"Hello?" The voice on the other side of the line was tinted with excitement.
"Hi, uh, it's Ruby, I wanted to know if you have anything to do today?" Ruby asked nervously, Qrow reached out and started petting over her thigh and hip to calm her.
"What work I had I just completed, would you like to meet somewhere for lunch? I could contact James as well if you wish."
"That sounds good, how about Cliffside view park?" Ruby looked over to Qrow who nodded, he would tail her for today. He would make sure she was safe.
"I will bring lunch, 12:30?" He'd have Penny make something, his culinary skills left a great deal to be desired currently.
"Sounds good, I will see you by the main gate. Goodbye." Ruby suppressed a sigh of relief, she hated thinking about what to feed people.
"Goodbye Ruby."
Ozpin hung up and Qrow kissed her head again. "See that wasn't so bad. Public place even, I'll trail you either way but do you want to introduce me as an escort?"
"I'd like that, I'd feel safer with them knowing if they try anything you'll be close." Ruby gave him the Scroll and he set it aside, Ruby leaned up and stole another kiss. "We should get going shouldn't we?"
"We should, that pizza you had isn't going to last you forever and there is scarcely anything else in this place." Qrow purred and stroked up and down her back. Ruby tipped her head to kiss his neck. "Just once more?"
Qrow chuckled. "You know that is a slippery slope."
Ruby hooked a leg over his hips and pulled him over her. "I know, but it's morning and good things always happen with you in the morning." Qrow moved with her and stole another long kiss. "Alright love~."
Eventually they hauled themselves out of bed and got dressed. Both dressed in riding leathers as Qrow's favoured form of transportation was a big black motorbike. It was built for speed but did have storage for long trips as well. They had leftover pizza for breakfast as the silence started to settle over them. Qrow put his plate in the sink as Ruby washed her hands, those silver eyes looked up to him.
Ruby leaned up on her toes and kissed his neck. "Ruby." Qrow said with a sigh, gently taking ahold of her shoulders and keeping her still as he put a few centimeters of distance between them. "We should stop with know I love you, but you have to at least try with these Soulmates. I don't want you to throw the opportunity away and it wouldn't be right to carry on behind their backs."
"I know, but-." Qrow put a finger on her lips silencing her. The pale red eyed man took a deep breath then said. "What if I said it would make me happy to see you really try with them."
Ruby deflated, her shoulders sagging low as the leather upon them creaked. "You are really determined aren't you."
"Ruby, you've always had the wish. To someday meet them, I agreed to teach you because I was fond of you. But I knew going into this that this day could come. I love you and you love me, but think about it like this. I never had got my wish, never dared to dream I'd find someone suited to me. You are a gift to me, one that I will always cherish. You've been given the gift of meeting your Soulmates and you have no idea what I would give for that same chance. For me, try, really try to make this work. Make strong bonds and love them like you love me. We'll always be friends and we'll always have our memories of being together." He raised his hands and cupped her head pressing a quick kiss to her forehead before withdrawing.
"If we had just been Soulmates I would know-" Ruby tried to blink the tears from her eyes.
"Shhhh, trust me, you aren't the only one who has wished for that. But I guess it wasn't meant to be." Qrow rubbed at the inner corners of his eyes. "Please try Ruby, for me."
"And if doesn't work out?" Ruby asked looking away.
"Then I'll marry you. Anyone with a problem with that can shove it up their ass. But only if you don't cause the break, I won't marry a black bonded woman." The statement started in a kind tone but turned into a steel Ruby never questioned.
The gravity of his words made her looked up to him in shear shock, a smile bloomed over her features. "Deal. I'll do my best, I promise." Qrow's smile warmed her to her toes, make her feel young and hopeful again. "That's all I can ask pipsqueak." He ruffled her hair earning a giggle.
James and Ozpin waited at the gate of the park, Ozpin had been a little surprised to hear from Ruby so soon and James had still be at his home. Penny had made a lunch for them before wishing the two a wonderful time as they headed out for the park in awkward silence. A motorbike rumbled into the parking lot and came to a stop in a parking spot to the left of them. As the engine turned off the petite woman riding behind a man in black leathers pulled off her helmet.
Both men were a little bit appalled to see Ruby in the riding gear. She hopped off the bike with the grace of someone who had done it hundred of times. Qrow followed suit, pulling off his helmet and storing both away. He pulled Harbinger off the side of the big black bike with a metallic click and returned the weapon to his hip.
Ozpin schooled the scowl from his features, even if James lacked the care to do the same. "Ruby." Oz greeted her with a dip of his head.
"Ozpin, James." She got right to it. "I asked Qrow to be my escort."
"So I see." Ozpin said neutral tone.
"Is that really necessary? You surely can not think we'd do anything to harm you." James said crossing his arms and glaring the smaller man down.
"I've been protecting her for a long time Jimmy. Her happiness is my concern, if she wants me here then here I will be." Qrow spoke with such firm finality that had James almost doing a double take. He had never heard Qrow be so firm before, then again all of Qrow's body language was outside of the norm for the red eyed man. He stood tall, proud even with his chin in a defiant raise. Qrow refused to back down from this, while his words were not aggressive, the rest of his body language was.
"Fine." James said, seeing that there would be no point in arguing with the man.
"Good." Ruby said and tucked her hands behind her back. "I like the maze here, shall we start there?" The other motive to picking that place was she knew that Qrow would give them space, but the maze would allow him to still be close at hand if she needed him.
"That sounds like an excellent idea Ruby." Ozpin offered his arm, he knew exactly what she was doing. For some reason as annoying as it would be to have Qrow around, he could also appreciate her taking this so seriously. That regardless of their positions she was caring for her own safety. As unnecessary as the paranoia was, he could understand it.
Ruby took his arm and they headed off into the park, James flanking her other side. Qrow hung back and eventually disappeared from sight. James visibly relaxed when the Huntsman appeared to depart. "So Ruby just want is your relationship with Qrow? I haven't seen him take anything so seriously before."
The silver eyed woman smiled slightly and said. "We are very good friends and he was my teacher in a lot of things. He's the kindest man I've ever met."
"Teacher?" Ozpin asked, he wondered just what a Huntsman would have to teach her.
"He taught me to draw, I used to do weapon designs but after Yang left I didn't have anyone to do drafts for anymore. I thought about becoming a Huntress as a kid, but after Mom died Dad didn't want me to become a Huntress. Yang was already going down that path and I didn't want him to always be worrying about me too. So art was what I chose." Ruby spoke softly though she knew Qrow was close enough to hear her. She also knew that by omitting the true nature of their relationship that Qrow would hold his tongue on it as well. The General seemed a traditionalist to her and she didn't want to give him another reason to dislike Qrow.
"I'm sorry for your loss." Ozpin said solemnly. "How did she die?"
"Grimm. My mom was a Huntress."
The Huntsmen were silent for a long minute then James spoke. "It's a shame you did not become one yourself. I get the feeling you would have been magnifest."
"She is magnifest." Ozpin interjected.
"You know what I meant." James said with a sigh.
Ruby giggled, pressing a hand to her mouth. "It's alright Ozpin. Sometimes I wish that I had decided to become a Huntress." She left out that was because it would have been possible to go traveling with Qrow. "But it's too late to change anything now. I make people happy with my art that is good enough for me."
"Still I looked into your fathers history last night-"
"James!" Ozpin snapped out, he could barely believe that James would be so rude.
"As I was about to say his resume is very impressive. I am sure you would have made a wonderful huntress. You're mother was Summer Rose?" James said matter-of-factly. "Her resume was even more impressive. After looking into her I see many similarities between you two."
"Yet another reason I chose not to be a Huntress. I'd be forever walking in her shadow, I already look too much like her. I don't want to replace her." Ruby shook her head and looked up to the clear blue sky, she was determined to not be her mother. She would not leave her children to live without her, even if that had not been her intention.
"A wise choice I believe." Ozpin said before James could dig himself into a deeper hole. He shot a glare over Ruby's head at James, James pursed his lips but dropped the subject.
"What about you? Did you set out to become both Headmaster and General of Atlas?" Ruby looked over to James, he was still dressed overly formally but she had a feeling that was just his natural state of being.
"No, however I proved to have the skill set for both tasks and with both our military and Hunters under one command we are the most efficient Kingdom for Grimm disposal." James spoke a bit too warmily, like he was addressing the masses not having a private conversation.
"And because of that there is now an imbalance in the politics of Atlas. It was supposed to be three heads to a Kingdom, not one person holding the majority of a Kingdoms power. The only person that holds you in line appears to be Jacques and that's only because he fuels your army." Ozpin said with a shake of his head, part of him wondered if he should have found a system that wouldn't have been so easily abused.
"Which wouldn't be a problem if you set Clockwork Enterprise into the Dust trade. You and I both know that Jacques having a monopoly on the Dust is… unwise. Introducing some competition to the global economy would improve everyone's lives. Drive Dust prices down with a little luck." James said, this wasn't the first time they had touched on this topic but it was worth revisiting.
"Which I can not do without stooping to Jacques level. Clockwork Enterprises is a workplace of equal treatment and fair wages. Do you have any idea what it would cost to start into Dust? The research and mapping alone would be an enmonous expense. Beyond that I would have to find new Dust desposts untapped by the Schnee Dust Company. We don't even know how Dust occurs, for all we know it's a finite resource and what I have been doing is finding ways to create electricity without the use of Dust." Ozpin started listing things off his fingers. "As it is, I am working to create better batteries to store wind and solar power. With time I am confident I can replace Dust in households, remove some of the demand thus drive the prices down. My hope is to get into the transport industries, while I am making progress on cars… the energy requirements for levitation." He paused and picked his words carefully. "They exceed what I've been able to create and store. Not to mention batteries are much heavier than Dust and while I have a hundred percent rate of recycling James, they remain constantly difficult to create and maintain." Ozpin threw his hands up exasperated. "And don't even get me started on the building requirements for solar or wind farms. Grimm alone! Arg!"
James blinked a few times utterly stunned his jaw dropping slightly. "You actually have been busy since we last talked about this."
"Of course James, just because I do not agree with you on what needs to be done. Doesn't mean I have not been looking into the problem. I should thank you for bringing it to my attention." Ozpin smiled shyly and then shook his head. "I fear that Dust will always be required for military applications but I do believe it is possible to remove the civilian dependance." He looked down to Ruby and blushed. "I apologize, this must be terribly dull to listen too."
Ruby shook her head. "I don't mind, it's actually kind of cool. Not something I think I will ever be interested in but it's nice to see you so passionate about something."
Ozpin blushed slightly and fixed the cowl of his shirt so it covered his jaw. "It's a complicated topic that I enjoy. I first trained as a Huntsmen but I quickly grew frustrated at how little effect we have. I tried being a teacher but… having been in the field I couldn't bare to think about how many people I was sending to their graves. So I quit and tried to make something that I believe will truly make a difference." He shrugged. "Fortunately the education of a Huntsman translated nicely over and while there was a great deal to learn from when I started. But I had a good foundation to work with."
"It does make a difference Ozpin." James said a little stunned, sure it wasn't what he had wanted Ozpin to do but now he could see it.
The colour in Ozpin's cheeks darkened and Ruby found it very cute. She looked around as they entered the maze, though maze as a bit of a poor name for it. It was rather difficult to get lost in but had many hidden sitting areas. They walked in silence, mostly because James was still working through all that Ozpin had said. He still wished to get Clockwork Enterprises into the Dust business, even just in a minor way. He loathed that the Schnee Dust Company controlled the market and he'd love for Ozpin to light a fire under Jacques butt. Even if Ozpin just bought and upgraded current Schnee operations that would be a start. They have to talk again about this later, maybe he could assign a few of his Atlas Specialist to Vacou. See what mines were costing Jacque enough that he could be convinced to sign them over for the right price.
Ruby pulled away from Ozpin and poked her head around a few corners. She had a place she was taking them but wanted a few backup options if it was occupied. The silver eyed woman bounced forward with a skip in her step her hands clasped behind her back. They turned a corner and came to a massive golden willow tree. The grasses vivid green and thick, the wind picked up and set the whole clearing dancing. "This is my favourite spot." She reached out and let the leaves dance over her palm.
"I can see why." Ozpin said his eyes roaming over the clearing, it didn't seem special to him. The greens seemed dull, but the wave in the grass as the wind blew caught his eyes. He turned his gaze back to Ruby, she always held colour to him.
James walked over to a extra thick spot of grass and sat with a flop. He inhaled deeply as the cool air carried sweet scents. "I love autumn in Vale."
Ruby walked over and leaned down above his head. She reached out and booped his nose with a finger. "You look good without a scowl."
The General chuckled, tilting his head up to kiss her lingering digit. "Sorry, I don't mean to scowl. After all this time I think it is just my natural state."
"I disagree, I think this is it." Ruby pulled off her leather jacket and put it down beside James before sitting on it with her legs out beside her. She did mean what she said, it seemed to her that a weight had been lifted off her Soulmate. With a curious cock of her head she reached out and traced through the white shocks of hair around his temples. "How old are you?" She asked offhand.
"Thirty five, I blame my work for the hair." James hummed as Ruby petted.
"Oh you'll only two years younger then Qrow." Ruby commented offhandedly, then stifled a giggle, clapping a hand over her mouth.
"What?" Ozpin asked sitting down across from her putting their lunch down.
"Oh nothing!" Ruby said a bit to quickly.
"Ruby." James sat up and looked her over, her skin was starting to flush.
"Nothing… just I think Qrow would ask if that is the only thing that happens prematurely with you." She clapped both hands over mouth trying to hide her grin. Ozpin broke down into a laugh at that, like Ruby his brain took a flying leap for the gutter!
"Ughhh." James facepalmed with his flesh hand. "Gods not you too. It's bad enough Qrow making those jokes when we have to work together." His cheeks burned and he gestured out out point upwards. "And for the record I've never had a problem with that."
"Can I get a second opinion on that?" Ruby asked Ozpin while James groaned again and excalmed. "Definitely taught by Qrow!"
Ozpin chuckled his heart left lighter in a way he couldn't recall happening in years. "Well I'm afraid I can't help you there Ruby. He doesn't even let me kiss him. I'm sure I could make him very happy, my oral skills have been praised by many a partner."
"Oh!" Ruby slapped her jaw lightly in surprise. "Why ever not? I've also been extensively schooled on the topic, maybe we should try together sometime?"
James groaned again and tried not to react to the suggestion. Ozpin grinned purring out. "That sounds like a wonderful idea, maybe your accompaniment would have him more inclined to stand too at the idea."
Ruby glanced over at James with a Qrow worthy smirk. "I think it already has." Ozpin followed her gaze and smirked, it wasn't quite as mischievous as Ruby's but it wasn't bad. James looked rapidly between the two of them and raised his hands in a stopping gesture. "Oh no, don't you dare! We're in public!"
"So?" Ozpin and Ruby said in the same breath then looked over to each other. Ruby purred out. "Oh we are going to get on just fine ."
"Like fire hoses."
"Oh?" Ruby asked
"When we get turned on there is bound to be flames." Ozpin rumbled, how he made such a old school corny line sexy. Ruby didn't know but she really wanted to find out.
"Gods with you two in the same room I'm doomed." James said looking at them, Ruby's eyes had partly closed and she looked like a kitten. He just itched to find out if he petted her how she would purr. Ozpin looked like he wanted to make good on every word, the way the titled to her so close it would be easy just to leaned forward and kiss her. General Ironwood tried not to notice how utterly gorgeous Ozpin looked. He wasn't into men, he wasn't! The mere idea of the General of Atlas army being anything other then straight as an arrow was unthinkable.
Still the erection straining against the confines of his trousers was very difficult to ignore. It was because of the teasing conversation, yes that was it! Not because some small suppressed corner of his mind was curious what sex with Ozpin would be like. It would just be oral sex of course, nothing else! James shook his head trying to get the ideas out of it. "So how about lunch before you to get us arrested for public indecency."
"This isn't Atlas James." Ozpin said but leaned back putting his hands on the ground so he could look up at the sky arching his back.
"He is from Atlas though, you'll have to forgive him some shyness." Ruby reached over and opened the basket. "Ooo cake!"
Nice one Rubes. Qrow smirked as he held his weapon on his lap up high in one of the trees. After splitting off from the trio he had jumped into the canopy that surrounded the maze and settled himself in a tree rather close to the three as they sat at Ruby's favorite spot. He couldn't make out all the conversation but from the colour in James' face he could hazard a guess as to where their talking had led.
James Ironwood huh, what luck he thought miserably and a billionaire, two of the most powerful men in Remnant. Things had become so very different now and Qrow wasn't sure how he felt about any of it. He hadn't expected to return to Vale to find Ruby with all three of her Soulmates found alive and well. In a way he kinda wished he had made it back earlier so as to prevent her from finding them.
No he sighed. Ruby deserved this, this love that came from the bonding of souls. He had often wondered growing up why he had no Soul mark. Then when he discovered the reason why all he wanted to do was cry with the unfairness about it. To have a Void mark was to have no Soul Mate ever waiting to be discovered. Raven had been both cruel and kind in telling him the truth about his mark and for years he had envied her duel marks.
Then Ruby had brought light back into his life, she had been that bright wonderful person for him. It had been impossible not to grow, to have feelings for her. The best part had been when she told him she had those same feelings for him. They had come together for that first time and afterwards she had asked him to be with her. However knowing she had three Soulmates waiting to be found Qrow had refused. Ruby had broken down his walls over time and they soon came to their agreement.
Ruby was everything he had ever wanted in a mate, it was just a sad and lonesome thing that he had not actually been one of hers. Qrow wished it could have been so. He just prayed that the other three men treated her as she deserved and if they didn't . . . he smiled but it didn't reach his eyes, he would be there.
The front door shook as he violently slammed it open breaking the lock again. Where the hell was she?! He knew he should have watched over her at the Gala but he hadn't wanted to take the risk of being caught. How could he have been so stupid, what if his little rose had gotten hurt? What if she had gone home with someone else? Suddenly the fear and annoyance gave way to a wave of anger as the Faunus kicked over a side table. It flew across the room and splinted on impact. Tyrian tilted his head at the broken table remains, had he done that?
Where was she, My rose?
His ponytail whipped across his back as he turned to the chair closest to him. Ruby made him feel special. She made him happy when she was happy, that little smile on her face could grow and grow, so warm and bright. He was sad when she was, how she cried those bright glittery tears and all he wanted to do was lick away the salty water so she could smile again. Tyrian thought of her day and night, when he worked, when he slept, when he ate. He threw the chair after the table at the wall watching it bounce off the wall with a thud. Bits of plaster and paint came away from the wall like a small crater.
It made him feel better breaking that chair so he did it again, this time lifting a plain wooden stool before smashing it against the table with enough force to snap the legs off. As the table fell to the side he walked to the nearest window and punched a leather strapped fist through it and didn't THAT feel good, the glass shattering was music to his ears. He went to the TV intending to lift that next when a knock on his door brought him out of his destructive trance. He gave a look around the room and sighed once at the mess wondering if anyone had heard the episode but then remembered where he was. He had no neighbors close enough to hear him and the sound proofing he put in the house should drown out anything else. Walking back to the broken door and using his body to block the view of the destroyed room he opened it.
A man with a blue and white cap covering his head stood in front of the door holding out a company signing scroll. "D-delivery for Mr. Callows, got a p-package for you, where do you want it?" The man was trying desperately to keep his quivering knees from showing. Just as he was pulling up he heard a commotion inside and the window being broken by a fist. Now as he took in the hard yellow eyes and the scorpion tail poking out the worker wanted to be anywhere but here. He just wanted to get away as fast as possible.
Unfortunately Tyrian noticed the effect he had on the other man and his bored expression gave way to a smirk. Slowly like a snake his tail lifted over his head to sign the scroll, it came within an inch of the other man's hand. Tyrian saw the size of the package and internally giggled.
"Are you sure? Its pr-pretty heavy." The delivery guy shook visibly now, something about the Faunus was terrifying. When the Faunus only smiled again he started taking a few steps back. "H-have a nice d-day." The delivery guy almost ran back to his van.
Tyrian scoffed and waited until the van was out of sight before dragging the large package into the house. It needed assembling so he cleaned up his mess from earlier and set about putting together Ruby's present
A few hours later it sat in the empty spare bedroom and Tyrian giggled again, it was getting closer to that time. His present took up most of the small room but that was okay, he wanted only the best for his rose. The cool metal was soothing on his sweat dripped skin and he was pleased with his handiwork and couldn't wait to use it. Tyrian was sure Ruby would grow to love it just as much as he already did. Now he just had to do was bring her here. Making his way to the bathroom and cleaning off the sweat he had worked up Tyrian couldn't help giggling again, it was SO GOOD to be alive , all his earlier anger was forgotten in favor for excitement.