The Xiao Long-Rose household loomed before the pair, glowing softly as the sun set behind it. Roman sighed as he followed Qrow up the pathway, gaze impassive as the Hunter rapped his knuckles against the wood. Qrow stepped back, rocking on the balls of his feet as he shot Roman a small, tight smile.

Roman's face, conversely, remained impassive, even as the door swung open. Taiyang ushered them both in with a smile, and Roman responded with a polite nod, but there was no mistaking the flash of suspicion in his blue eyes. Out of the corner of Roman's eye, he noticed the pair exchange a hug, and he let a smile slip loose. At least their evening wouldn't be awkward.

"So," Qrow began, separating from Taiyang and heading off to the living room. He plopped down on the couch, motioning Roman over to him. Roman gracefully took a seat after leaving Melodic Cudgel next to where Qrow had dropped Harbinger. "Where's Yang and Ruby?"

"Off at a friend's house," Taiyang answered, dragging in a chair from what was evidently the kitchen. "Birthday party/sleepover mix. The girls took Zwei with them, too." Taiyang took a seat to the left of Roman and Qrow, and Roman decided not to focus on the fact that he was sat between two deadly Huntsmen.

"Sounds perfect," Qrow said, cracking a smile. He knocked Roman on the arm lightly as he leaned forward to grab the remote from the coffee table. "Lighten up, Rome." Qrow got comfortable on the couch, flicking through the channels. "He's not gonna hurt you."

"We simply haven't been introduced," Roman said, shrugging off any tension in his shoulders. He held his hand out to Taiyang, who took it and shook it with intimidating strength. "Roman Torchwick," he said with one of his classic smiles.

Taiyang returned his smile with equal warmth, dropping his hand. "Taiyang Xiao Long. I gotta say, you have quite the reputation. It's hard not to have heard of you."

Qrow rolled his eyes to the sky. "I didn't bring you here so you could scare him, Tai."

Roman raised an eyebrow, unable to keep from responding in kind. "Most people have." He cocked his head, a smirk on his lips. "And I've heard of you."

Taiyang shot Qrow a playful glare. "All good things, I hope?"

"Well, I'm not gonna call you a bastard behind your back," Qrow said, perking up and grinning back at Taiyang. "I'd say it your face."

Roman repressed a laugh, hiding it behind his hand. Taiyang, on the other hand, didn't hesitate, snorting and shaking his head. "Oh, please. Which of us didn't have parents again?"

As Qrow sat fully up and shot back at Taiyang with equal mirth, Roman blinked in surprise. It wasn't often he learned things about Qrow, let alone something so personal about his past. He settled back on the couch, giving Qrow and Taiyang more room to banter between each other. Roman smiled as the pair exchanged barbs, cutting in every once and a while to help Taiyang tease Qrow.

Eventually, Qrow groaned and threw his head back, slouching against the cushions in mock defeat. He grabbed Roman's hand, staring at the him with betrayal in his eyes. "You're supposed to be on my side," Qrow accused, glaring. He raised their conjoined hands and shook them, staring Roman in the eye. "This is supposed to mean something, you know!"

"And give up on this?" Roman asked as Taiyang guffawed. Roman shook his head and dropped Qrow's hand, a chuckle leaving him. "I don't think so."

"You're both evil, y'know that?" Qrow asked, fake hurt entering his voice. He shook his head and stood, heading to the kitchen and waving them off. "I'm getting us drinks. Maybe you two will be a bit nicer!" he called over his shoulder, but Roman heard the smile in his voice.

He ducked his head with a laugh, allowing the mood to mellow as Qrow messed about in the kitchen. Roman relaxed back into Taiyang's couch, and he shot the man a smile. However, Taiyang didn't return it, choosing to look over at where they could see Qrow's figure, before switching his gaze back to Roman. Roman kept his expression unfazed, raising an eyebrow.

Taiyang sighed and crossed his arms, raising his own eyebrows in return. "Lemme ask you a question."

"Go on."

"You really don't know much about him, do you?"

Roman blinked, a small frown forming. "I don't see why I should."

Taiyang finally returned the smile, uncrossing his arms and leaning forward, elbows on his knees. "It'll help," he promised, cutting his eyes over where Melodic Cudgel lay. Taiyang looked at Roman, and the smile on his face gave Roman nothing but a strong sense of suspicion. "How long have you and Qrow been together?"

Roman, distinctly unsettled, responded, "Soon to be half a year. Why?"

Taiyang nodded and settled back on his chair, regarding Roman with a worldly eye. "I think it's time you heard The Story, then."

"What story?" Qrow asked re-entering the room, while Roman remained flabbergasted.

Taiyang shot Qrow a completely innocent smile that neither man trusted for more than a second. Qrow sat the drinks tray down, eyes narrowing with suspicion, and with what Roman thought looked oddly like hate. Taiyang reached forward and snagged a cup, taking a sip before replying. "You know the one."

Qrow went still, his hand freezing as he reached for his own drink. Roman watched as red slowly crept up and into Qrow's cheeks. Slowly, Roman started to smile. Whatever Taiyang was on about, it was definitely going to be fun.

"What's he talking about, chickadee?" Roman asked casually, grabbing his own liquor and settling back down on the couch.

Qrow turned even redder at the nickname, shaking his head and trying to bury himself back-first into the couch. He clutched his drink in his hand, refusing to meet Roman's eye. "Nothing. Don't worry about it."

Roman turned to Tai, doing his best to keep his poker face up and not let the wide smile he was fighting back break through. Fake concern wrought its way over his face. "Qrow's not usually this shy," he confessed, perfectly playing the part of worried boyfriend. "Did something happen?"

"Oh, something definitely happened.~"

"I'm going to kill you," Qrow said, a petulant note entering his voice. His brows knit together as he scowled, taking a fortifying sip of his whiskey.

"And what, leave Ruby and Yang bereft?"

"They don't need you."

"Qrow!" Roman scolded, letting his scandalized tone speak for itself. Roman knew it was just banter, of course -Tai was still smiling, after all- but the path they were on seemed just too delicious to deny.

"Pretty rude of you," Taiyang affirmed, taking another drink. "Should probably tell that story as an apology."

"You can't make me," Qrow spat, sitting up straighter. The red had vanished a tad from his cheeks, but defiant embarrassment still colored his tone.

"I can."

Qrow chirped in surprise, turning to Roman with a shocked whine. "Roman!"

"Am I incorrect?" the man in question asked, raising a brow as he took another sip from his drink, proper as could be.

Qrow grimaced, setting his jaw and looking toward the floor. "Well, no," he admitted, voice going back to its usual gruffness as he fell back on the couch. He took another drink from his glass. "I just don't like talking about it. It's embarrassing."

"I can see that."

By this point, Taiyang had gotten comfortable in his chair, drink in hand and smile on face. It was damn near impossible for Qrow to find a man he was willing to date, what with Raven having run interference at school, his hang-ups about his Semblance, and his workload for Ozpin. For Roman to be six months in and able to redden him with just a name was a miracle at the least. And with a weapon like that. . . Well, Taiyang wasn't the type of man who would miss out and let this opportunity slide without helping. "Well?" Taiyang prompted, as Qrow ducked his head to avoid Roman's gaze. "I'll tell if you don't.~"

Qrow sighed and drank again, shifting a bit in his spot. He gestured toward Taiyang with a flippant hand, defeated. "This bastard tricked me into wearing a skirt for like, the entire first week at Beacon. Initiation, landing strategy, all of it."

Taiyang turned his gaze to Roman, who had set his drink down back on the tray. His eye had widened, and his mouth had fallen into a shocked little 'o'. Unbidden, he frowned. If this went south, Taiyang wouldn't hesitate to toss Roman right into the sea. However, Roman had instead tilted Qrow back on the couch by his shoulder, holding him to the plush cushions. Roman, now lost in his own world, drank in every detail of Qrow's legs, before leaning back with a predatory smirk. Qrow's own eyes went wide, and he wet his lips, breathing now labored.

Roman turned back to Taiyang with such a cheery expression on his face that he suddenly wondered if the man had been possessed. "You made the right decision. He'd look fantastic!"

"What!" Qrow chirped, voice cracking slightly. Conversely, Taiyang burst out laughing.

"I think I actually might have it lying around somewhere, packed up with all our old Beacon stuff," Taiyang teased, to Roman's utter delight. Qrow meanwhile, had sat up and sat his drink down, glaring daggers at Taiyang and trying to interrupt before their conversation could humiliate him even further.

"No need," Roman said gaily, picking up his drink and crossing his legs. One sip and a twinkle later, Roman was looking at Qrow like he couldn't wait to undress him. "I know a good seamstress. Beacon's skirt color is red, right? Matches his eyes."

"That it is," Taiyang affirmed, much to Qrow's horror.

"Absolutely not," Qrow interjected, finally putting his two cents in. "I'm not wearing it again. You had your fun twenty years ago."

"Oh, but chickadee, you'd look so good," Roman said, and his tone made Qrow falter. "You definitely have the thighs for it."

"The girls back at Beacon said the same," Taiyang pointed out.

Qrow huffed and downed the rest of his whiskey, refusing to engage with their nonsense.

Roman shrugged and shot Tai a smile, letting Qrow ignore them both. Red still colored his face, but Roman had an amazing eye for detail. Taiyang chuckled and placed his own empty glass down next to Qrow's, and Roman's soon followed. Taiyang grabbed the tray and stood, making his way back to the kitchen. Qrow had settled himself into the couch cushions, arms crossed and his lips screwed up in consternation.

"Thank you," Roman said after a small silence had passed between them. Qrow started and looked up, mouth falling open. Roman reached over and grabbed his hand, raising it up and pressing his lips to Qrow's knuckles. "You really didn't have to share. Teasing is only teasing."

Qrow looked off to the side before closing the distance between their bodies. "Yeah, well. . ." he stopped himself, taking a deep breath. "I would've never admitted it on my own. So I'm glad you like it." Roman opened his mouth, but Qrow cut him off by brushing their lips together. "If you really want, I'll wear it," he whispered, glancing over his shoulder to spy Taiyang running water into the glasses. Qrow looked back to Roman, going red once more. Thankfully, this time it was due to wicked delight.

Roman sighed and leaned his forehead against Qrow's, a slight laugh leaving him. One hand travelled up the back of Qrow's shirt, causing a shiver. "Oh, chickadee, do I.~"