Monday, February 4th, PGW78, King's Park, Commercial Section of Vale, 0:12 Hours.
A small 'thump' echoed in the night, breaking the stillness of the trees with the rustle of branches and stirring of leaves. Roman Torchwick looked up from his Scroll, eyes narrowing as he sat atop a blanket on a small hill in the center of the park. He raised an eyebrow as the noise continued. Crunch, crunch, crunch went the careless, confident footsteps, a mocking act of incompetence for anything too stupid to attack.
It wasn't like the Hunter's Guild allowed any Grimm to leak in from Forever Fall to King's Park, anyways, but Roman couldn't begrudge Qrow for trying to bait out any attackers. 'It's not like I'd do any different,' Roman thought with a small, tight smile. It soon blossomed into something more, however, as the Hunter himself emerged from the underbrush. Qrow's hands were stuffed in his pockets and his lips were twisted in his usual pouty frown. Qrow's gaze swept across the park, and once his eyes landed on Roman he jerked his chin up as if it passed as some form of proper greeting.
Roman sat up straight, setting his Scroll to the side as he raked his eyes up and down Qrow's form. Qrow's sword hung heavy on his back, but what else was he to expect? Melodic Cudgel was only an arm's reach away from Roman himself, after all. Roman grinned up at Qrow, motioning the Huntsman closer with his left hand and patting the empty space next to him with his right. "Well, fancy seeing you here. I almost didn't expect you to come."
Qrow didn't disappoint. "I'm alone," he affirmed, eyes narrowing. "Just like you asked."
"What, would you prefer company?" Roman asked, turning up his nose with a scoff.
Qrow set his jaw, sighing and shifting his stance. "Right," he conceded, glancing around one last time before heading up the slight incline to meet Roman. King's Park had been established as an area in honor of the late King of Vale after the Great War, with fountains and pathways and secluded little groves - just like this one. Qrow couldn't help but sigh as he lowered himself next to Roman, tossing his head back and gazing up at the sky. Shattered moonlight fell on them both, bathing the clearing in a dappled silver sheen.
"So, what do you want?" Qrow asked after a moment had passed, cutting his eyes over to Roman. The kingpin merely shrugged in response, leaning back on his hands and staring up at the moon, mimicking Qrow's pose.
"Just wanted to spend some time with you," Roman answered after a pause, not really meeting Qrow's eyes. "It's not like there's much time we can get to ourselves." He gestured to a small basket on his left, and Qrow peered around Roman's torso to see a bottle of wine in a bag and two glasses. His lips twitched up in a smile; as much as Qrow didn't trust Roman, the man at least knew how to get him happy.
"As much as I don't wanna be doing this, I'll take a glass," Qrow said, leaning back and pretending not to notice the flash of resignation in Roman's eye. As Roman poured, Qrow got a good look at the man's back. For once, his signature coat was cast by the wayside, leaving Roman in a tight black shirt that was very kind to his muscular structure. But that didn't detract from the pale slope of his neck, the flash of hip as his shirt rode up when he bent over to grab the drink, the gentle curve of his ear. . .
Qrow shook his head, taking a breath and trying to clear his thoughts. Everything about this was wrong, there were no bones about it, yet the truth remained: Roman Torchwick was an unfairly attractive man. Qrow sighed as he accepted the glass of wine from Roman, fighting back a shiver as their Auras brushed over each other. Gods, his was so warm.
Qrow downed half his glass in one go, ignoring the huff of annoyance from Roman, who, in turn, had politely sipped his own. "You're supposed to savor it," he scolded, which Qrow also ignored.
"If you brought me here to get me tipsy, you're gonna need a lot more than that," Qrow said, shooting Roman a sleazy smile. "Grigio isn't gonna get me drunk."
Roman's mouth fell open into a surprised little 'o', his head snapping back over to the bottle. "I - how did you know that!" he demanded, swiveling back to Qrow, confusion shining in his eye. Yet Qrow could still see the slight tinge of awe buried deep behind that emerald sheen.
"I know what I'm about, and this -" Qrow hefted his half-empty glass, "tastes like lime." Qrow leaned back, now half lying down, and took another sip. "Figured it had to be Grigio." He raised an eyebrow at Roman, lips set in a confused frown and brows furrowing. "I would've taken you more for a Chardonnay fan, actually."
"Too common," Roman shot back with a scowl, before taking a sip of his own drink. He lowered his glass, letting his eyes wander over Qrow's body. A wry smile slipped onto his lips. "I have, ah - unique tastes."
"Yeah, I'm pretty fuckin' unique," Qrow muttered sourly, downing another fourth of his wine. Roman rolled his eyes and put his own glass aside, reaching into the basket to grab the bottle and top off Qrow's. As he did so, Qrow met Roman's eyes, nearly causing him to spill the drink from the intensity of his gaze. An embarrassed silence later, Roman had corked the bottle and put it back, hiding his slight blush. "I have a question," Qrow said when Roman finally picked up his glass again, getting the man to focus all his attention on the Hunter laid before him.
"Go on," Roman said, raising an imperious eyebrow. He took another sip.
"Why me? Out of all the people you know, why ask a Huntsman on- on -" Qrow floundered for a moment before finding his words. "On what's basically a moonlit date?"
Roman flushed now, and Qrow barely restrained a curse. He could only hope it was the wine getting to him more than he expected, even though Qrow knew that couldn't be true. He'd only had what, a glass and a half? No, the truth was, quite simply, that in the moonlight and wine and such a lovely shade of red, Roman Torchwick of all people looked downright amazing.
Gods, if only Qrow could turn him that shade. . .
Roman was speaking, and Qrow pulled himself out of his lustful trance to pay attention. Roman traced the edge of his glass with a finger - ungloved for once. Roman's hands were pale and thin, belying the strength and dexterity Qrow knew they possessed. " - and I'm not the type of man to resist temptation," Roman finished, flicking his gaze back up to Qrow.
There was a slight smile there. Qrow returned it.
Qrow held up his glass for a fake toast, and Roman clinked his own against it with a musical chime.
The glass didn't break.
Qrow let his eyes flutter shut in relief, breathing out a sigh before taking another sip. There'd been too many close calls already, putting Qrow on a dangerous edge. He rubbed his eyes, downing more of his drink so he didn't have to think about it and spiral even deeper. Emotions to Aura to Semblance to him fucking up to -
"Want more?" Roman asked, breaking Qrow out of his spell. Qrow blinked and looked up, holding out his glass out once again. Grateful for the opportunity to simply not think, Qrow leaned on one arm, parallel to the ground as he stared at Roman. 'The man's a damned tempter,' Qrow thought, unable to resist leering as Roman shifted, grabbing the bottle so he could pour him more. Roman turned back, now cross-legged to keep the glass still as he let the wine flow, and Qrow pretended that Roman wasn't sitting like that on purpose.
"Might as well keep the bottle out," Roman teased as he passed the glass back. Qrow smiled up at him, taking a drink before setting it down. Roman gently topped off his own before setting the bottle aside, and shimmying down to lay next to Qrow.
Qrow grinned back, but it didn't last. "I -" he fell silent and sighed, looking down at the blanket he and Roman were atop.
"Let me guess," Roman began, speaking for him. Qrow's gaze flicked up. Roman's bittersweet smile gave him nothing to work with, but his words more than filled in the gaps. "We're on different sides, and we can't see each other."
"Pretty much," Qrow affirmed, grabbing his glass and swallowing more down. Something inside him burned, and it wasn't poison.
"I raise another option. We don't."
Qrow's brow furrowed, and he sat up slightly, shoving his glass to the side. Some sloshed on the blanket, but he didn't care. "Isn' tha -"
Before Qrow continued his slurred sentence, Roman's hand touched his cheek. He too had set his glass aside, and Qrow blinked as Roman held his chin. "I propose we do this," Roman said, and before Qrow got a question out, Roman's lips had met his.
Just like with their first kiss, Qrow went slack in Roman's grip. However, before he even reacted, Roman had pulled back. "And nothing more. Meet up. Fuck. Go about our business."
Heat rose in Qrow's cheeks. "Who said I'd fuck you?"
Roman's predatory smile sent a thrill through Qrow in a way he hadn't even known was possible. "I like your thinking, chickadee," he teased with a wink. Something intense, hot, an ultimately unfamiliar gathered in Qrow's chest, skipping a beat in his heart and drying his mouth. Roman kept talking without a care in the world. "Don't pretend like you weren't looking. I know I'm fantastic. So, I say we have our fun and go about our merry way, with none the wiser." Roman looked down at Qrow, who licked his lips reflexively in thought. "We're both the type of man to keep secrets, Qrow Branwen."
"I -"
"I'm not saying agree now," Roman interrupted, before Qrow shot him down. "Just an option." His voice changed from grandiose to gentle, and that visible eye with the expert mascara softened. Roman looked over to the side. "Something to consider."
". . . I can consider it," Qrow decided, after a pause. He shot a smirk up at Roman. "I'm taking the rest of the Grigio as insurance, though."
Roman's laugh wasn't as maniacal as the witnesses described it. Low and deadly, sure, but a hint of genuine entertainment colored his mirth, and the smile he gave in Qrow tugged one out of his lips in return. "You can have it," Roman reassured. "But I want another kiss."
"I think that can be arranged.~"