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It starts as a joke.
Or at least, Qrow is pretty sure it's a joke. It's hard to tell, sometimes, with Clover. The man is too straightforward to be a liar, too flirtatious to be serious, and too mischievous to be anything but an absolute little shit.
So it's... confusing, at best.
Regardless, though, it starts as... probably a joke.
They're the last two to leave the airship during a mission, and Clover stops Qrow from jumping with a hand around his bicep. When Qrow looks to him, expecting some important bit of information or instruction, he instead gets a waggle of Clover's eyebrows and a cheeky, "Kiss for good luck?"
Qrow blinks in surprise for a few moments; for all that Clover has flirted with him since the moment they met, this is far more blatant than he's dared to get before now. He's sure that it's just meant to fluster him, and it's definitely working. He refuses to give Clover the satisfaction of seeing that, though, so he covers it up with a slow smirk and fires back, "Sure, gods know I could use a little more of that."
Clover's eyes go wide, and his cheeks turn a brilliant red that Qrow hasn't had the pleasure of seeing on his face before. It only makes his smirk grow.
Rather than backing off with some muttered excuse as Qrow expects, Clover darts forward with a small, nervous grin and kisses his cheek. Then he's swan diving off the airship before either of them can say another word.
Qrow stares after him for a long minute before taking a deep breath and jumping out the other side.
He's rather proud of himself for not giving away his embarrassment or his excitement throughout the mission, even if they can't quite meet each other's eyes for the rest of the day.
There's an awkward moment at the start of their next mission together, in which they stand too close and wait a minute too long before jumping.
To his own surprise, Qrow is the one to brave it, eyes focused somewhere over Clover's left shoulder as he grins and taunts, "What, no luck to spare for me this time? Seemed to work pretty well last time." It isn't even really a lie; that last mission went spectacularly by Qrow's standards, none of his usual mishaps sending things off course.
Clover straightens slightly, his reaction not nearly as obvious or as satisfying as last time, and grins back. "All you had to do was ask," he teases as he steps closer. He tips Qrow's chin up, forcing him to meet his eyes, and for a moment Qrow genuinely expects to feel lips against his own. They land on his cheek again instead, and he tells himself that he's not disappointed by that.
Not one bit.
Clover slowly walks backward, holding his gaze, until he reaches the edge of the transport and backflips off in an even more show-offy move than usual. Qrow snorts and doesn't bother to hide the stupidly fond tint to his smile as he follows.
Somehow, it becomes a kind of ritual.
After that second time, they stop bothering with words, Clover just casually walking up to kiss Qrow's cheek before every mission.
One time, when the airship actually bothers to land, they don't realize that they aren't the last ones off for once, but Blake just politely averts her eyes and Yang doesn't even bother to act surprised, just raises an eyebrow and waits for them to move out of the exit.
Qrow wishes he was surprised by his niece's lack of surprise.
He also wishes that he wasn't so painfully aware that every single one of the kids will have heard about this by tomorrow morning. And every single one of them will believe that he and Clover are together.
That knowledge is what finally pushes him to seek Clover out back at Atlas Academy, after several weeks of very carefully Not Talking About It. If the kids are going to start asking questions, he should probably know some of the answers himself... if for no other reason than to know which ones to avoid telling them.
Blessedly, the Ace-Ops lounge is empty of anyone but Clover when Qrow enters it—probably Clover's Semblance at work again.
Clover glances up at the sound of footsteps and gives him a warm smile. "Good evening, Qrow," he says, sweeping the cards he'd been playing Solitaire with back into one neat pile. He holds the deck up. "Care to play a few rounds?"
Qrow chuckles and shakes his head. "Thanks, but I don't really feel like losing all my money again tonight."
The other man's brow furrows, clearly worrying over whether he's exaggerating or not. "We don't have to play for money."
Qrow huffs but gives him a small smile. "Thanks, lucky charm, but that's not why I'm here. I, uh..." He glances away for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck, then forces himself to meet Clover's eyes again. "Just thought we should talk."
Clover's eyes widen, his surprise evident, and Qrow can't even blame him. He has been avoiding this at all costs, after all.
"Is this about Yang seeing us today?"
Qrow laughs weakly. "Yes," he admits, "And no."
Clover nods as if this makes perfect sense and doesn't push further. "Alright, so... What do you want to talk about?"
He glares, for some reason irritated with Clover for not taking the lead, but it falls away after a few seconds. Qrow sighs and rubs his eyes. "...What the hell are we doing?" he asks tiredly.
Clover glances to Qrow and then down to himself. "...Talking?" he tries. When Qrow just gives him an unimpressed look, he chuckles. "Okay, okay, sorry." Lowering his voice, he says, "Well... I think we've been flirting, and kissing a little... and I've been trying to get a date with you."
"You have," Qrow says flatly, not quite the question it was meant to be.
"I have," Clover confirms with a charming smile.
"...Then why didn't you ever just ask?" Exasperated, Qrow rubs at his eyes and the bridge of his nose, where he can feel a headache building.
Clover shrugs, still grinning. "What can I say? You're just too beautiful; I got tongue-tied every time I tried!"
Despite the blush that's quickly rising up his neck to his cheeks and the tips of his ears, Qrow says disbelievingly, "You. Tongue-tied."
"Mmhmm." Qrow makes a skeptical sound, but Clover just continues, "But, since we're on the topic..." He pauses to pull Qrow's hands away from his face, holding them gently in his own and waiting for the other man to meet his eyes. "Qrow, would you do me the honor of going on a date with me?"
Qrow chuckles to hide his embarrassment and glances away. "You don't have to be so dramatic about it, lucky charm..." he murmurs. After a moment, he shrugs, trying to fake nonchalance. "Sure, why not?" A little voice in the back of his head whispers that it's a bad idea, but he pushes it down, reminding himself that it's just one date. How much damage could that really do?
Clover's eyes brighten, shocked and excited. "Oh, thank the gods," he rushes out, "You have no idea how—”
Qrow cuts him off with a kiss, lips pressed together for a few brief but perfect moments. He figures it's only fair that he be the one to initiate it, for once. They part reluctantly after a few seconds, and when he sees the dazed look on Clover's face, he has to resist the urge to lean back in and kiss him again and again and again until their lips go numb. "I..." he starts, gently untangling his hands from Clover's grip, "I should go check on the kids."
"Right. Of course," Clover agrees, almost managing to hide the disappointment in his voice.
As he stands and heads for the door, Qrow tells himself that he's not running away, he's just trying to slow things down and avoid past mistakes. And to make it true, he stops in the doorway and says over his shoulder, "Message me the details of that date once you've got it worked out."
Clover's smile returns. "Of course. Have a good night, Qrow."
"Goodnight, Clover."
Their first date is casual and, much to Qrow's surprise, public. He's only been with a couple of men in the past, but they weren't exactly eager to show him off. So when Clover holds his hand all the way to a cozy little coffee shop, it sends his heart into a confused little jittery dance in his chest.
They chat about family and food and their pasts, anything and everything that they haven't gotten to know about each other while working together, and it's... nice. It feels pleasant and calm and not like either of them could be killed at any moment.
The feeling of Clover's foot brushing up and down his calf isn't exactly unwelcome. Nor is the barely-concealed hunger in his eyes, or the warmth of his hand as he walks Qrow back at the end of their date.
When Clover leaves him at the door with a gentle kiss like a true gentleman, Qrow tells himself he isn't disappointed.
He's surprised to realize that it's actually true; the building tension and anticipation is half the fun, after all, and it's the half that he's never really gotten to experience before. One-night stands and a few longer-term lovers who jumped into his bed from day one have always been more his style.
Change isn't always a bad thing, though.
Their tradition of good luck kisses before missions continues, with a few changes. Now, Clover kisses him on the lips rather than the cheek. Now, they don't have to wait until they're alone. Now, there are wolf whistles and cat calls from all of his children, and although he flips them off to make them laugh, he knows they are only happy for him. Or rather, they are relieved to finally see him happy.
Their second date isn't so much a date as it is an impromptu sleepover, Qrow stumbling into Clover's rooms with him almost drunkenly after a night of Grimm battles that lasted far too long. They're both completely dead on their feet, but still running on too much adrenaline to actually fall asleep. So they keep each other company long after the sun rises instead, half-forgotten movies playing in the background as they exchange body heat and lazy kisses.
Qrow falls asleep on Clover's chest eventually. When he awakens a few hours later to the sight of a blissfully sleeping Clover, face slack but arms still wrapped tight and warm around him, he decides that it's the best date he's ever had.
For their third date, Clover takes Qrow up onto Atlas Academy's rooftop, to the highest point in all of Solitas.
The city lights and snowy fields below are beautiful, but the stars above are the truly breathtaking sight. Qrow lowers himself onto his back, staring up at the starry skies that he hasn't seen so clearly since his own childhood in the Branwen tribe, living far away from the lights that could obscure them. He wraps his cape around him to stay warm, and Clover settles in beside him, sneaking peeks at Qrow nearly as often as at the stars.
They stay there for a long time, until the moon is directly overhead and Qrow's cape becomes useless against the chill seeping deep into his bones. He takes a deep breath and lets it out on a sigh, reluctant to leave behind the view but eager to discover other ways for them to... enjoy themselves.
"It's getting pretty cold out here," Qrow says, aiming for suggestive but not sure if he hits the mark with the way his teeth are chattering.
"I'd offer my jacket, but..." Clover trails off, looking pointedly at his bare arms and laughing.
Qrow chuckles but simply says, "I've got a better solution... Why don't you come back to my place?" He knows he's hit the mark this time, because Clover's eyes widen minutely before darkening. He nods and stands, holding a hand out to help Qrow up. "Damn, it really is cold," Qrow mutters as he struggles to make his numb feet remember how to walk. Clover just huffs out a fond laugh and moves behind him, rubbing his arms to warm them as they head inside and down the stairs.
When they reach his rooms, Qrow lets Clover in and locks the door behind him, not bothering to flick on the lights. They stand there for a minute, staring at each other as their eyes adjust to the darkness, and then they're surging forward, lips and teeth clashing together when they meet in the middle. Qrow's arms come up to wrap around Clover's neck, and then there are strong arms lifting him straight off the ground, and the sudden rush of arousal nearly makes him dizzy. He growls into Clover's mouth and wraps his legs around him to find his balance, uncaring of where Clover's taking them as long as he doesn't stop kissing him to do it.
Before he knows it, he's being set carefully on the edge of his own bed, a little disappointed that Clover hadn't used all that damn muscle to just throw him onto it. Clover clearly has other ideas for the night, though, because suddenly things are moving slower, softer. Qrow's mind stutters, freezing for a few moments as it tries to catch up with the change in pace, and he just watches as Clover kneels before him, carefully removing his boots and socks. The rest of his clothes follow, Clover unwrapping him like a gift that he wants to savor.
"Hey there, lucky charm, slow down a minute," Qrow murmurs once he's naked, even though this is already moving far slower than he expected. "Your turn now." Clover nods in acceptance and watches Qrow stand, watches him untie his armband and unbutton his vest with the same careful reverence he'd undressed Qrow with.
When he finally gets Clover naked, Qrow stares unabashedly. The man is so gods-damned attractive that it makes his head spin, but it's those eyes that his gaze keeps going back to, curious and beautiful and filled with a love so strong that Qrow can't deny that's what it is, even inside his own head.
They kiss again, and Clover murmurs against his lips, "I want to make you feel good."
Qrow bites his lip and nods, and the gentle way that Clover lays him out on the bed and begins to slowly unravel him is not exactly how he foresaw this night going (he'd expected more of the usual, a few stolen moments, a full mouth and rough hands in his hair and on his skin and dirty words falling from the lips of both him and his partner), but he can't quite bring himself to complain.
Clover takes his time as he makes his way down Qrow's body, stopping to kiss each and every scar he finds along the way. A part of Qrow which has been wanting this since the day they met begs him to push and prod and do whatever it takes to speed things up, to find the release he is so desperate for. The rest of him shushes that voice and waits it out, quietly fascinated by the way that Clover kisses him, soft and meaningful and almost worshipping. Qrow melts under his lips and fingers, burying his face in his arms as he finds an entirely different kind of release than he was expecting.
"Shh, it's okay," Clover whispers, equal parts soothing and anxious. He gently pulls Qrow's arms away, and Qrow allows it, allows Clover to see him in all of his messy and emotional and oh-so-human glory. Much to his own shock, Qrow trusts him, in ways that he has never trusted anybody. And Clover proves himself worthy of that trust yet again, simply whispering sweet nothings as he presses kiss after kiss to Qrow's cheeks, his eyes, his forehead. "There you are," he murmurs when Qrow smiles, laughing despite himself.
"Here I am," Qrow agrees, voice rough despite the amusement in it. He wraps a hand around Clover's neck to pull him down and kiss his lips, and then Clover is slipping away to continue his mission of kissing each of his scars. When he makes it to the one on Qrow's stomach, the wound and poison and Tyrian still all too fresh in his mind, Qrow curls his fingers into Clover's hair, squeezing tight to ground himself. He does not push him away, though, does not hide or distract or distance himself.
Clover glances curiously to his face in response to the fingers in his hair, but whatever he finds there must be enough to convince him not to ask; there will be plenty of time for questions later, for stories and confessions and soothing wounds both physical and emotional. For now, he simply kisses that scar, lingering there a few moments longer than the others, and moves on to the next.
By the time that Clover's lips have mapped out every scar on the front of his body, Qrow's patience is wearing thin. He yanks Clover back up to his face, hands just short of desperate in the way they clutch at him, and stares into his eyes. "C'mon," he whines.
Fuck me, he wants to growl, but it doesn't feel quite right, and he has a feeling that Clover would have words for him if he did, words that would flay him open in a way that he seems to be far too good at doing, in a way that he cannot handle right now when he is already so raw and vulnerable.
Make love to me, he wants to whisper, but they are not words that he can force out of his own mouth, no matter how hard he tries.
So instead, he simply pleads, "Hurry up," and hopes that his meaning shows clear in his eyes.
Clover smiles and presses another kiss to his lips, nuzzling their noses together when they part. "Okay," he agrees quietly, then glances around. "Do you have anything...?"
Qrow nods and jerks his head toward the nightstand. "In the top drawer," he answers, voice breathy with something like relief.
Clover stretches over him for a few moments and comes back with the lube, but Qrow has a sudden flash in his mind's eye of what will happen next and snatches it out of his hand. The tension is growing unbearable, and he cannot stand any more of the slow, sweet torture that Clover will undoubtedly put him through. Maybe another night, he will allow him to take as much time as he pleases, to drag him to the edge and back again and again, but not tonight. Tonight, he is strung out and impatient, so he will take matters into his own hands.
He prepares himself as quickly as is possible while still being thorough, basking in the way that Clover stares, the way that his eyes are more pupil than iris, the way that his fingers twitch and clench around Qrow's shin as if he's physically restraining himself from reaching out to touch any more. And when Clover finally pushes inside of him, Qrow sighs and thanks himself for not making himself wait any longer.
Clover fills him perfectly, and Qrow moans, eyes rolling back in his head as he clings to him. A bit of that perfect military composure finally, finally falls away, Clover's hips snapping faster, harder, and Qrow grins, egging him on with words murmured in his ear and nails digging into his skin. Soon enough, the bed is rocking, a quiet creak following each thud of it hitting the wall, and Qrow silently hopes that the walls are soundproofed, or at least that his neighbors are heavy sleepers.
When he comes, it is with his teeth sunk into Clover's shoulder to muffle his own voice. Clover follows him over the edge within moments, and they spend a long minute just catching their breath and watching each other, completely open and unguarded.
It is then that the ominous creaking suddenly grows loud enough to catch Qrow's attention, and he glances around with furrowed brows just as the bed collapses beneath their weight. They stare at each other with wide eyes for a long, long moment. And then they laugh, louder and louder until their entire bodies are shaking with it, voices muffled in each other's necks as they cling to each other in the midst of the wreckage.
Their time together is some of the best he has had in his life, but when it comes time for Qrow to leave with his kids and seek out the last two relics, he knows that they'll have to say goodbye.
It's harder than he ever expected, than he ever wanted.
Before he can even find the words, though, Clover cuts him off, explaining that the Ace-Ops are being sent with them to help them on their journey.
Explaining that they don't have to say goodbye. Explaining that he has no intentions of ever doing so.
Qrow gulps in a huge breath, the first that it feels like he has taken all day. He clings to Clover with all his might, kissing him and whispering against his lips, "I love you."
"I love you, too," Clover replies, his smile as bright as the sun itself. It is not the first time he's said those words, but it's the first time he's heard them from Qrow, and it clearly means the world to him.
Qrow melts into that smile, into Clover, and realizes that he does not have to be alone.
Not anymore.
It takes many months to defeat Salem and her minions, but they do.
With their mission finally fulfilled, there are plans to be made.
Harriet, Elm, Vine, and Marrow return to Atlas before the dust has even settled, to make their reports and sleep in their beds and enjoy the comfort of the friendships they have finally allowed themselves to build.
Yang and Ruby decide to return home to Vale, to spend time with the father who has missed them dearly and help with the efforts that began a year ago to rebuild Beacon Academy. Salem may be gone, but the Grimm are not, and Vale will need more Huntsmen and Huntresses eventually.
Blake returns to Menagerie to visit her own family and friends, but she promises to return to Vale soon. To her school, to her team, to Yang. To her home.
With her father gone, Weiss is finally free to take up her family name. However, she cannot bare to leave the family she chose for herself behind, so she gives it up. It was technically left to Whitley, after all, and he has proven in recent times that she can trust him to uphold it well. Weiss cries as she says goodbye to him, and to her mother, and most of all, to Winter. Winter is the one who finally stems her tears by reminding her that the Schnee family has more than enough money and prestige to charter flights up to Atlas whenever she wants to visit. And with Jacques gone, there is no one to stop her from leaving again if she does so.
Ren and Nora return to Beacon to join the restoration efforts, because they have nowhere else to go. Their home is with each other, but Beacon was the closest they'd had to a physical home in a long, long time. So long as they stick together, that is all that matters.
Jaune leaves them and Team RWBY with hugs and smiles and promises that they'll see each other soon. He will join them after paying visits to all of his sisters, and to the parents who haven't seen him in far too long. He has grown so much since last they saw each other, has so much to tell them, so much to be proud of. And on the way, he promises, he will stop at Pyrrha's statue and leave his prayers and promises for her, as well as everyone else's. If there is some kind of afterlife from which she can see them, she will never be able to doubt that she is loved and missed, that she is as much a member of Team JNPR as she was on the day they met.
Oscar chooses to return to his home, to his aunt and uncle. He is ready for rest, and he knows that it will be rare once Beacon is rebuilt. After all, his soul is intertwined with Ozpin's now, and neither of them can resist the call to return to the clocktower, to impart wisdom and hope on young minds again. He only hopes that his influence and Salem's absence will temper some of Ozpin's more... difficult habits.
Maria decides to head for Vale, with the excuse that she needs to keep training Ruby to use her powers and has nothing better to do. Besides, she adds with a wink to Qrow, it's never too late for one more adventure.
Pietro and Penny follow her, for he is in love and she misses her friends even after spending every day with them for so long. Although they won't have Atlas's funding anymore, there are plenty of people in other parts of the world who could use his services, and plenty of people who need her protection.
Which only leaves Qrow. Torn between the family that he's tied to by blood and the one that he's made for himself, he spends the days leading up to Yang and Ruby's departure pacing and wringing his hands and going back and forth and back and forth in his mind.
And then Clover makes his mind up for him. Now that the war against Salem is over, he says, Ironwood is retiring. And along with him, the Ace-Ops are being disbanded. They are free to go anywhere, do anything. And so, he will follow wherever Qrow goes. "So go to them."
Qrow gapes at him for a long, long time before throwing his arms around him and kissing him hard. He will never admit to the fact that he's crying as he buries his face in Clover's shoulder, and Clover will never tell another soul.
They pack their bags and are ready to meet the others at the train station first thing in the morning. They are greeted by face-splitting grins and excited shouts and bone-crushing hugs, and Qrow cannot wait to finally go home again.
The proposal, when it comes a year later, is quiet and private.
Given Qrow's love of shiny things, Clover isn't suspicious of the ring until Qrow slips it onto his finger, murmuring words of love and balance and hope and promises for the future.
It's a testament to Clover that Qrow has no doubt in his mind that he'll say yes. And of course, he does, grinning and squeezing Qrow tight and kissing him until they're both breathless.
The wedding, on the other hand, is loud and busy and chaotic.
The kids (not kids anymore, Qrow has to keep reminding himself, though they will always be his kids. He finally understands why Taiyang cried on so many of Yang and Ruby's birthdays) run between him and Clover, determined to help out but also keep them apart until the ceremony. Every time he turns around, he trips over one of them, or over one of the last minute streamers getting thrown up everywhere.
They have planned for misfortune.
The ceremony is held indoors to avoid the chance of it being ruined by rain. (Lightning flashes outside as they say their vows.) Spare suits are ready to go if needed. (Qrow's pants split straight down the crotch as he gets ready, and Tai cackles as he goes to find the extra.) The flower centerpieces are plastic so they cannot wilt where they lay.
They have not planned for all three tiers of the cake crumbling when they try to cut it, but when it happens, they only look to each other and laugh. Yang snickers and volunteers herself to go buy a cheap replacement from the store, dragging a happily blushing Blake onto her bike behind her.
Qrow kisses Clover again, and again, and again, just because he can, and when he glances out the window and sees the sun suddenly reappearing from behind the clouds, he decides that the day was as perfect as they ever could have made it.
One destroyed cake could never weigh up against a lifetime of joy and love, after all.