#qrow branwen fic

[renabe4life]

Day 4 - Weapons | Hands

put your hands on me strip me down to nothing distract me distract me

~~Colour version below the cut. Partner piece for my fic, Distraction.

[access-point]

Everyone thinks that Qrow is the one likes to collect rocks, trinkets, and shiny things. Mostly because of how often he's seen doing it, and slightly because of the running joke that crows do the exact same thing.

But the fact of the matter is: Clover is the one with a four-leaf clover charm, a horshoe, and a rabbit's foot. That's not one, not two, but three different trinkets right there. Who's to say he doesn't have more good luck objects? Who's to say he doesn't have a pair of special, lucky dice? Maybe a shiny gold coin that he secretly carries around in his pocket? Maybe even a piece of decoration or jewlery (a ring, perhaps?) that's encrusted with a jade, a gemstone believed to bring good luck?

TLDR: Clover is the one who collects trinkets, not Qrow. Qrow is just the one to find them for him, because everytime he sees something like that, Clover is all he can think about, so he takes it to bring back to him.

[artsykidwolf-2000]

Anyone wanna be RWBY friends? I've been getting back into it recently bc I love the concept n stuff. I have OCs too.

My fave characters are Ironwood, Clover, Qrow, Tyrian, Watts, Winter, Penny, Yang, Weiss, Nora and Glynda.

[rwac96]

Prompt

Fallout AU

In the middle of the fight Hazel was going put the final blow on jaune he got distracted when someone hit him with bottle from the spectators, a wastelander shouted at jaune"Hey kid I bet 500 caps on you better win, also throw some dirt in eyes" the wastelander throws a pair of spiked knuckles and a 2 chems that has hydra, jet, buffout and psycho that he gladly took.

"Oh, Gughs!" Jaune heaved, as he spat out a tooth loosened during the fight. "Thish ishn't guggd."

The BoS Knight could barely see out of his swollen eyes as Hazel marched towards the blonde, barely any bruises on the brute. Jaune kneeled forward, his arms feeling heavy due to the pain he endured thanks to his opponent. He realized that these fights were fixed, at worse, the spectators encouraged drug use. In the Old World, such things were frowned upon, but such morals were wiped away in nuclear fire. He slowly lifts his head up, seeing Hazel rearing back his left fist; preparing to finish him off.

"HEY KID!" Screamed a scruffy Wastelander, throwing a bottle at the back of Hazel's head. The bottle shattered on impact, making the brute slightly wince. "I bet 500 caps on ya, so ya better win!" The scruffy man then tosses a pair of spiked knuckles and two Chems, Jet and Buffout in a Hydra package.

"Sergirougly," Jaune coughed, quickly picking up the Buffout and Jet.

"Also," the scruffy spectator, Qrow says with a smirk, "throw some dirt in his eye."

Left with no choice, Jaune takes the Buffout first, then inhales the Jet. Suddenly, a monstrous scream leaves the Knight's lips, causing him to charge towards Hazel while he picks up the spiked knuckles. This caught Hazel off guard, leaving an opportunity for the blonde to deliver a spiked uppercut to his chin, leaving a noticeable scar. Jaune then follows that with a right hook, leaving holes in Hazel's cheek. Like a blur, he pummeled the brute with animalistic fury; spraying more blood upon the arena.

"Oh, my God!" Weiss said with widened eyes, covering her mouth. While many looked on with glee, she could only look in horror as her lover bloodied his opponent, even after he fell to the arena floor, even after there were signs that he wasn't getting up. "Jaune..."

[zacs-of-rwby]

Day 1: Scars/Healing

Home is Where Your Wounds Heal

Summary: Oz needs some help completing his physical therapy routine, Qrow finally learns the whole story behind Oz's disability.

Categories: Hurt/Comfort, Disabled Character, Disabled Ozpin, Angst, Established Relationship, Oz's Halfway House AU

Author's Note: The Vytal Festival is upon us! I'm so excited for this event to start! Here is my one and only creative contribution to the week; a Cloqwork fic set in my Halfway House AU (I may or may not have already had this idea and was rooting for this prompt to win specifically so I could have an excuse to write this XD). I hope anyone who decides to read this enjoys it! I loved writing it and was super proud of the results!

[strqyr]

harbinger has gears. def something qrow picked up from ozpin, so if he already had harbinger before attending beacon, it would have had to look different.

thinking about younger qrow, hearing stories about the grimm reaper and wanting a weapon similar to hers. maybe he had a sword similar to omen at first ( hence the hidden red blade that is only seen in harbinger's scythe form, cut into parts to account for the curved blade ), but after scavenging enough parts, he starts to build up from it. with lots of trial and error, he finally succeeds in creating something... workable, though the mechanism he has in place still jams more often than not.

just... the thought of harbinger that looks more like scrap put together that still works but isn't quite what he expected it to be, just because qrow wanted a scythe and that's not something you just find laying around, so he did himself with what little he had.

and then he gets to beacon and can upgrade harbinger to his heart content, taking inspiration from around him; harbinger finally becoming how he always imagined it to be.

[thewhiteraven2020]

Fair Game Week Day 6: Secrets/Confessions

Based on Chapter 13 of @faultyparagonfiction’s Jigsaws and Pieces We Made To Fit one of my favorite fics of all time!!

[multifunctionalnitroglycerin]

RWBY Fanfic Idea

Long time no see, huh? Hope you are all doing well.

So, it's been a while since I watched RWBY Vol9 and we got those epilogue bits and pieces, and I'd like to propose an idea, that for me might have made the show a tad more interesting (Nothing wrong with it essentially, I am just dying for some time travel angst. But that's what fanfics are for).

Because our main heroines find themselves in a journey of self discovery in what seems to be an alternate sub-dimension within the world of Remnant. And then they return to the exact point in time and space where they were supposed to be, missing for a few hours or days pretty much.

So what if, and I say what if, that wasn't the case? What if time flowed differently in the Ever After?

Well then, we have three delicious angst and drama filled scenarios.

Case 1

It works pretty much like Narnia did. I don't rly care much for Salem I must admit, but let's say our heroines get stuck there for a few years. A decade or so. They learn to adapt to the Ever After and its ever-changing tumultuous nature, they make a life for themselves (Perhaps as 4 guardians, each for a season, or a point in the horizon) and become more a family than they ever were. Because all they have from their world is each other. And they learn to function as a unit, never far from one another, always knowing, always caring, always pushing each other to new heights, becoming better and more in sync. And they form this deep intrinsic knowledge of each other, with each duo (and I mean all duos, not just the partner pairs) having its own quirks and habits. So yes, they are a team, yes they are partners or teammates, or girlfriends, but at the same time they are something more, something you cannot exactly put in words.

And somehow, someday they find a way out. The tree finally accepts them or idk what. And when they return to Remnant, they end up in Vacuo, when they left and...they are kids again. They are 18 and 20, instead of 30 and 32. Their bodies feel wrong. Too awkward, too small (R:Ugh, do I have to be the shortest one AGAIN?) cause they aren't theirs anymore. And Yang might find herself tracing across a scar that Blake doesn't have anymore, Weiss' eyes lingering on the missing chunk of an ear that magically is whole again, and rejoicing at looking in Ruby's eyes. Both her eyes. And Ruby can see her teammates, her family, whole again without any scars to show for what they went through, but for those engraved in their souls.

But for the people outside this neat little arrangement, RWBY fell to their deaths, and miraculously returned a few days after, but they came back wrong. There is something stiff and worn in he edge of their expressions, like they have seen too much, like they know too much, and have lost what little innocence they had left. There is danger glinting in their eyes, steely and cold, and downright unsettling. They are different, there is no denying it. They seem more mature, as people and as huntresses, knowing things only experienced huntsmen faced with impossible odds would.There is this aura following them too, one that screams danger and demands respect.

Weiss seems more authoritative than ever before, comfortable in her own skin and creativity, not measuring her worth by her achievements. Ruby is still her optimistic self but she is more confident and sure of herself, like something within her has settled, and finally found its place, nothing like the lost girl hanging by a thread before the fall. Yang's temperament has evened out. No longer fueled by anger and hurt, but by an unbreakable resolve to persevere and will to protect what matters the most to her. And that's not the past that is long gone, not the old grudges that have no worth left in them, but her team, her family. And where Yang has learned to let go, Blake has learned to hold on, to chase for what she wants, to grasp it with both hands and not let go. To face her fears, the trials and tribulations of growing and changing alongside someone, trusting they will stay, and not run away from the monster. And she has learned to face overcome her own shortcomings, and stay. Even when things get rough .

And then there are their interactions with each other, as if they cannot bear to breathe when one of them is not near, eyes frantically searching for their mirror, for the reassurance that it's all okay. The impossible training regimes and semblance evolution. They complete each other as if the four are one, and anything less than that would be incomplete. The constant whispers, and wary glances, the countless inside jokes, and meaningful smiles, only they can interpret. The silent communication, the wordless gestures of comfort, gestures too intimate to be discounted at first glance. But they are oblivious to the raised eyebrows, and the questions hanging from the edges of people's lips. What matters is that they are back and they are together.

They are back, and they look the same, but they are not the same people they were before, and while everyone sees it, no one really dares to say anything. Because there are nightmares. And more often than not, a scream will echo in the desolate camp in the dead of night, followed by a gun shot, or the sound of sth tearing, and the four will huddle together, comforting each other with soft words and sweet nothings that make no sense.

They are the same and yet different, and Winter knows it, because there are times Weiss seems impossibly older in her eyes, so much so that she feels like the little sister instead. Qrow sees Summer in Ruby's steely gaze and rueful smile, and Tai's unbreakable resolve in Yang's smirk. (The sharpness at the edge of it reminds him of Raven a few years back, when the girls were still young, and his sister was the biggest Grim-slaying force this side of Mistral, but he doesn't want think about it.) And when Blake meets her parents again, they think she looks worn and tired, her soul too old for the body it's occupying, but she will always be their little girl, and she has come back and she loves them, melting into their embrace as if she was ten years old once more...

Case 2

They are stuck in the Ever After for 10 or 15 years again. Only this time when they find a way out, they don't change back. And then suddenly in Vacuo, a few days after Atlas falls, while Winter, Qrow Oscar, Nora, Ren and the rest mourn all those they have lost, four strange women appear. (The outfits will have obviously changed, unless somehow they wanted to wear the same thing for 10 or 15 years).

The strangers are huddled together, and check each other for injuries first and foremost before even thinking of facing the other people. And when they do, their breaths hitch and they all collectively freeze. Because the strange travelers, those peculiar women dressed in unfamiliar fabrics, covered in a million and one little scars, look like team RWBY.

But they cannot be, they could never be, for Winter lost her sister three days ago, and the white clad woman looking at her with Weiss' eyes, tear-filled and wide, (so much so that the small vertical scar over the left one wrinkles), could never possibly be the little sister she lost.

Winter spares a glance to the rest of the strangers, never lowering her sword, eyes burning with the chill of a wintry fire, and feels more than hears the spring maiden - Raven Branwen, (the woman who had abandoned her family and then had flown in Vacuo as soon as she felt her bond with Yang snap), whisper a half broken "Summer", her first tightening over Omen's hilt, as she took in a sharp breath - the most unsettled Winter had ever seen her.

The strange woman with silver eyes, clad in red and black instead of white, her face so familiar and yet so different, gives her a small rueful, remorseful smile,

"Not quite." she responds and Winter recognizes that tone, different though it was from mere days before.

"Hey, Uncle Qrow." The golden one smiles and winks, and there's something lingering in her amethyst hued eyes, something like nostalgia 'long time no see' and 'I missed you'. She is impossibly tall, taller than the last time Winter saw her, and somehow broader and more muscular. She reminds her of Elm a bit if the other Ace Op was built like a bear and shone like the Sun. A strong hand was settled comfortably over the shoulders of the woman's black and indigo clad faunus partner, bringing her close.

Winter's head reels, and her gaze hops from one to the other, her mind trying to make peace with what her soul already knew. Blake Belladonna's golden gaze (because it could be no one else, standing tall and resilient, long black hair swaying in the hot desert wind, studded cat ears stiff and alert, long graceful fingers wrapped along the hilt of her obsidian colored blade) stays on her. It is sharp and inquisitive, curious, heavy with experience and knowledge, and it weighs on her shoulders, as she remains still with her sword extended, examining the unlikely band of not so strangers.

They were women now. Full grown, and different, nothing like the kids that fell into the void what felt like an eternity ago.

Qrow's half choked "Firecracker?" and Raven's disbelieving curses barely reach her ears as she hones in on the white-haired woman again, letting her gaze linger on the scar on her collarbone and the shoulder length white hair fashioned in a low ponytail not unlike the one she sported herself. Her eyes, blue like the summer sky, and so much brighter than her own were still wide, as if drinking the sight of her, as if she hadn't seen her three days before, Winter's visage being the last thing she saw before falling to the void.

"Winter?" it's barely more than a whisper, and Winter doesn't know how to feel because it sounds so much like her sister and so much like Willow (I hc that of the sisters Weiss is more similar to Willow appearance wise.) that she lowers her sword and collapses on the ground half sobbing her sister's name (I think it would make a great parallel to when she fell and Winter called it out so brokenly... top tier voice acting)

They'll probably call Robyn to verify their story and when they do there will be a loooot of tears and confusion and hurt and pain and anger and DRAMA, so much drama, I think I could right a book abt the Schnee family drama and trauma if that ever happened.

Things will be hard from then and on, because Winter's little sister is now older than her, and she can spy the crows feet starting to appear at the edges of her eyes, and the laugh lines around her mouth, her skin tanner than Winter could ever imagine it would be. She carries herself like a leader, like she never had to step from someone's shadow, much less Winter's own. She looks like she finally knows her worth and has another three people being there for her unconditionally when she needs it. I won't even start on Whitley who lost another decade from his sister's life without either their input, just when he had started bonding with her again, or Willow. Man, I think that Willow seeing Weiss as a thirty something grown woman (that looks so much like her before Jacques, before her own life started going downhill) would warrant a relapse. A big one.

Qrow is probably going to get himself hammered after all this and Raven will join him. Like imagine them looking at a Ruby that is now as old - if not older - than Summer was when she died. A Ruby that looks almost exactly like Summer, but has grown into herself as a huntress and a team leader, that has learned to bear the burden and share it when it gets too much. A Ruby Qrow can no longer call squirt - she is almost as tall as him now, and built with the lean hard muscle of someone that sprints for a living - and Raven cannot underestimate. A Ruby that reminds her so much of Summer, but is so different from her old leader, that has found her own brand of strength and settled into it in ways neither she nor Summer could.

And then there is Yang. Yang that has Raven's face, but Tai's golden complexion and has grown into his strong broad built (I imagine her more like a strongwoman than a calisthenics type of muscular). Yang that does finger-guns at Qrow like she is sixteen, and looks at Raven with little anger in her amethyst hued eyes. Yang that looks so much tired when the chaos settles down, and embraces her team clinging desperately to them, whispering "we are home, we made it", when things get too much for them. That has taken to mothering Nora and the rest of the kids, because they are kids. What for them was 3 days for RWBY was 15 years. And they haven't been kids in a long time. She still has her playful side don't worry, the puns are being served with a Yang.

And last but not least Blake. Blake that has found her home with the others, that has learned to trust and be trusted, that doesn't hide who she is for anyone's benefit. A brilliant tactician, a creative bright mind, a spirit writhed in shadows. Lean, tall, positively feline, a stealthy predator at its best, she has fallen into her role with the others easily enough, and it's plain for all to see that she offers her quiet support, with soft words that cut at the edges and tender embraces with the undertone of protection and support. Blake who ran away from home at 12 (I think) only to come back at 18, and then disappear again at 20. And just the amount of pain the Belladonnas must have experienced losing her for a second time, and then having her appear again, only she has aged another 15 years since they last saw her. They probably feel like their daughter's life is slipping by them, and they'll never rly have enough time with her. Their little girl comes back an independent teenager and then a grown woman, with a bit of Ghira's imposing build and all of Kali's feminine guile. A cat Faunus that moves like a panther, sharp liquid gold eyes honing in every minute detail. A woman whose heart sings of pain and loss, and perseverance and love, a stranger with their blood in her veins they could not be prouder of.

Yeah, that family pain hits hard in this one. And lastly,

Case 3

The gang does stay in the Ever After for a few days indeed, but out in Remnant it has been years. Salem is over with idk how, and yeah our friends go to the blacksmith and everything but when they return to Remnant, everything is different. The world has moved forward and changed without them.

Menagerie is a kingdom now apparently, and has its own huntsmen academy. Ghira and Kali have thrown themselves into making this work, overcome as they were with the second and final loss of their only child. So imagine when they get a call or see Blake for the first time in more than a decade. But their little girl looks exactly the same as she did when she fell, and they are...old. Ghira's beard and hair has been going gray and he's lost some muscle mass, and Kali's proud stature is diminished, and the ever present smile on her lips has barely made an appearance in years. So I suppose it will be painful as heck for them to accept that Blake is back. They;ll never let her go when they do though...So angst, yeah.

Tai will have shut down. He has no one left apart from Qrow. And well I d like to give it a twist here and say that when Raven feels her bond with Yang snap, and realizes that well her daughter is not coming back, she does a bit of a reevaluation of her priorities and either completely loses herself, trying to keep that strength facade, or gets her shit together, cause her brother and ex need her, and STRQ kinda reunites. No Ozpin though, that would be too far. And then Ruby and Yang appear, as old as the day they left, and well... I think Qrow would get drunk, Tai would melt into a mess, and Raven would deny it all. Seeing Ruby and Yang reacting to their family being so old will be interesting. As well as Yang's relationship with Raven given the revelations that yes, her selfish, coward, asshole of a mother actually has a heart in there somewhere.

The Schnees will be again the most angsty I think. I say Willow managed to pull herself from the bottom of the bottle for Winter and Whitley,and took back the SDC and is now on the way to retirement. Winter is the new General, and even has a family of her own perhaps and Whitley is practically next in line for the company. And then Weiss appears. And its a shock. Because Whitley is now older than her. Taller, though still with the dancer's built he sported since he was a kid. Only he has activated his aura and semblance now and has a goatee. And a partner. And a kid on the way.

Winter on the other hand is head of the Atlas military has introduced a bunch of new policies with Robyn and they both work toward stabilizing Atlas and making sure to avoid the whole Ironwood thing. Or well ironwood 2 at this point. And Winter loves Robyn( It's mutual). They are all but married at this point, having spent too many nights with Winter drowning in her own guilt, paralyzed by feelings too big for her heart to contain. Too many desperate moments when things are tight, with Winter gripping Robyn's hand like a lifeline saying that she isn't turning to another Ironwood and that she is doing what she can with whatever supplies she has, visibly relaxing and melting in relief when it flashes green. With Robyn whispering sweet nothings to her ear and Winter encouraging her when things seemed dire, with them reminding each other to take it slow and relax for it to be any different.

Winter has made up with May, and the Happy Huntresses are her own little family, a home away from home. They have probably adopted a bunch of kids probs from Mantle and raise them all together. And then Weiss appears. And it's one of the little ones that notices and asks, tugging at the coat Miss Winter is wearing, asking her why the girl in blue looks so much like her. And then angst I suppose. It would be interesting exploring their dynamic a bit more, especially if we go with the route that Winter helped raise Weiss quite a bit before she left for the military, and how that sisterly/motherly relationship changes- if it does at all - now that her sister is back from the dead. Seeing Winter grapple with her guilt, or her anger years after and all that jazz.

Well, that's the post folks! Let me know what you think! If anyone takes these ideas and actually writes a fic pls @ me so that I can read whatever wonderful things y'all come up with!

Till the next one! Take care and stay hydrated!

[samyelbanette]

LIKE A BULLET THROUGH A FLOCK OF DOVES

Pairing: Winter Schnee x Qrow Branwen

Word Count: 1,790

Summary: Winter has been an undercover agent, posing as a member of the Mob, for over two years now. But she’s still shocked, when Raven, the leader of the local Mob, puts a hit out on her own brother, Qrow Branwen.

She knows that Qrow will have to leave town fast, if he wants to avoid sleeping with the fishes. But what she didn’t expect, was how much she would hate to see him go.

Written for @qrowin-week Day 2. The prompt was “Mafia AU.”

Tags: Alternate Universe - Mob, Alternate Universe - FBI, Assassination Attempts, Witness Protection, Feelings Realization, Possibly Unrequited Love, Bittersweet Ending

[gamingmint]

Fair game week 2023 Day 5: Magic/Traditions

Inspired by @whatacartouchebag ‘s amazing fic Icarus from a while back, which I definitely recommend if you missed it or want something to reread.

Just Qrow getting used to transforming himself to have wings as a human while pretending to be playfully annoyed at Clover playing with his wings.

[luckyharbinger]

Chapters: 6/? Fandom: RWBY Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi, Ace Ops & Clover Ebi Characters: Qrow Branwen, Clover Ebi, Elm Ederne, Marrow Amin, Vine Zeki Additional Tags: Vampires, Human/Monster Romance, Vampire Hunters, Poetry, Blood, Blood Drinking, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sexual Tension, Flirting, Anal Sex, Mutual Masturbation, Hand Jobs Chapter Summary:

Clover scratches a deep, insatiable itch.

[renabe4life]

“Put me down before you hurt yourself,” Qrow says, still laughing. He wipes mirth from eyes, a futile effort when another quick glance at green eyes so bright draws more to the surface. Oh, but had he known the man would react like this, he would have suggested it so much sooner.

“No.” Those eyes close as Clover buries his face in Qrow’s middle. The smile absolutely refusing to fall from lips as he holds the world in his arms. How could he, when all he wants to do is spin them both silly. He tilts his head back to gaze up at red eyes all over again. “Didn’t I tell you? I’m not on weight limits anymore.”

[sarahshot1st]

“Hey Weiss, do you think I could impress that quiet emo girl if I flex my muscles?”

The Schnee-company heiress looked up from her homework, stifling a sigh.

“Probably, Yang. It would depend largely upon her sexual orientation.”

The blonde-haired brawler lowered her arm, eyebrows scrunching up in concentration.

“What?” Weiss asked, stifling a stab of disappointment that the well-muscled limb was no longer being proffered for display. Yang wasn't that attractive - she happened to look particularly fetching today.

“I mean …” Yang seemed at a loss for words. “I kinda just assumed that every girl who went to Beacon was gay. You know. Cuz’ of all the weapons and fighting and stuff.”

Weiss let out an exasperated sigh. “Yang, just because someone is good with weapons doesn’t mean they’re a lesbian. Your mom is a perfect example of that.”

“I mean, to hear my Uncle Qrow tell it, my moms were kinda gay for each other.”

“Yang! Qrow is not a reliable source in these matters.”

Yang frowned, crossing her arms defensively. “Well, why not?”

Weiss rolled her eyes as if it was obvious. “Your uncle refuses to own up to his own homosexual tendencies because he’s trying to play the part of the ‘cool uncle’ to his nieces.”

“That’s a bit harsh, even for you.”

“His frequently regales us," Weiss powered on, unwilling to let the subject drop, "with tall-tales of his exploits involving young barmaids. These are clearly some sort of juvenile attempt to pass as heteronormative. Face it, Yang: the man couldn’t walk straight if it would save his life - which, if his posture does not dramatically improve, might actually become the case.”

“Oh, who’s stereotyping now?”

“I’m just saying,” Weiss said, turning back to her desk, “that he pings my gaydar harder than anyone I’ve ever known - and you haven't met my siblings yet.”

Yang frowned for a moment, mulling over what Weiss had said. Finally, her face broke into a shit-eating grin. In what Weiss would describe as a proactively-hopeful tone of voice, Yang prodded:

“So if you have a gaydar, does that mean you’re gay?”

Weiss suddenly snapped her book shut, rising to leave.

“That, Yang Xiao-Long,” she proclaimed, “is a statement which I can neither confirm nor deny. Good day to you.”

Yang didn’t bother hiding her look of satisfaction as the snowy-haired girl brushed past her out the door.

[artsykidwolf-2000]

Anyone interested in some RWBY stuff? I've recently gotten back into it bc of a friend and it grabbed me by the ankles lol.

I'm willing to do requests like art and write little one shots or something (just depends on what I'm feeling)

I do plan on making a "series/story" of basically a crossover with my own story bc I used those characters before in RWBY rps way back when and they just fit anyways and I do have RWBY OCs.

Feel free to use my asks to make requests or something (please take a look at my introduction and request posts for basic rules n such and please nothing too inappropriate)

[lyriquette]

Scars / Healing - @remnants-of-rwby-events

----

The post could mostly be read standalone. It's a future chapter of a RWBY AU (that's been sitting around in the harddrive since 2021-ish maybe) where Salem does the reincarnation thing, and both Ozma and Salem reincarnate in the same person. Antics ensue. Butterfly effect eventually causes Willow to finally divorce Jacques.

However, Ironwood as a condition of custody required Willow for treatment of her alcoholism, and he asks Headmistress Goodwitch to help get in contact with the biggest recovering alcoholic he knows. And the two meet.

The chapter's been sitting in my hard drive for years, and I touched it up a bit. But it's definitely my best offering for this prompt.

------------------------------------------------------

Chapter ???:

Despite the clear evidence, Willow didn’t quite get custody of the kids. Jacques didn’t manage it either. Turns out being an extreme alcoholic who neglected her kids for a good number of years worked against her. Though at this point, anything would be better than awarding custody of the Schnee kids to the man willing to sacrifice them to save his own hide.

It didn’t stop the Atlasian Government from trying though. The man had nearly won custody because he had the “means to take care of them”, and it took an anonymous e-mail in General Ironwood’s inbox depicting all the recent financial transactions of the jurors and judge that made the head of Atlas finally act.

Willow just wanted her kids out of the house, even if they couldn’t come with her. It would hurt, but she’d understand. What probably prevented Jacques Gele from fighting as hard as he could was that she offered to let him keep everything so long as he never interacted with them again. Faced with both his greed and an Ironwood ready to lay down the law, Jacques reluctantly let go of his rights to his children.

However, Ironwood was also uncomfortable with letting a woman who, by all counts, seemed to have neglected her children for a greater part of their life, a lot of it because of alcoholism. So he required her to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and get detoxed and set her up with a mentor who had beaten his alcoholism, though he didn’t come willing at first. He had to call in a favor from Headmistress Goodwitch who threatened Professor Ozpin who in turn called the man in question, Qrow Branwen.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Qrow and Willow slowly test the waters in their first meeting and eventually have a heart-to-heart. He begins to tell her his tale.

Like Willow, Qrow had to pick up his life after alcoholism. He was one of the rare Hunters in the business along with his sister after Mantle cleaned up the local bandits in the area. Going on the run, they sought refuge in Vale and eventually enrolled into Beacon under Headmistress Goodwitch and Assistant Headmaster Oobleck. Team STRQ was going well until they encountered the real world.

There was no such thing as fighting the good fight, just eliminating the enemies of the Kingdom – people who have been neglected and oppressed by society and could only survive by fighting back – people that he could empathize with from living as a bandit before.

He eventually quit being a Hunter but because he had no physical reason for why he couldn't perform his duties, Vale forced him into a dishonorable discharge and prevented him from getting benefits during his long stint in the military.

He eventually got into an unfulfilling bodyguard gig and sunk deep into his alcoholism because of the unfairness of it all. When he started arriving to work drunk, he got fired. He probably would’ve been out on the street if it weren’t for his savings he accumulated over the years from the military.

--

“How did you decide enough was enough?” Willow asked.

“…”, Qrow shifted uneasily, the question clearly uncomfortable for him.

“Err. I’m sorr-“

"No. No. It’s a valid question,” Qrow waved a hand shaking his head, “I just…I just never told anyone about it before.”

“I wish I could say it was a piece of cake. That I did it through my own strength of will and flipped my alcoholism off as though I flicked off a switch,” Qrow said with a rueful grin before sighing, “But it’d be a disservice to you. And as much as James and I dislike each other, he trusted me enough to give you sound advice.”

“You’ve met my niece earlier, Ruby,” Qrow said.

Willow furrowed her brows at the sudden change in topic.

“Yes. She’s a nice girl, even if my youngest daughter doesn’t want to adm-“

“What if I were to tell you that I nearly pointed a gun at her when she was 8?” Qrow deadpanned.

Willow stopped speaking upon hearing that, her words caught in her throat and her eyes wide in horror.

“And that I nearly did it over a stupid prank?” Qrow took another breath as he continued, “Because all she wanted was attention from her favorite uncle who ignored her for most of the weekend cause he was drinking?”

His hands shook as he quietly pulled out a silver flask from his vest.

“So she hid all the alcohol in the house while her uncle was asleep,” Qrow frowned deeply as he stared at his reflection in the well-polished flask. Loathing and hatred and a burning urge to hurt could be seen in his eyes, causing Willow to step back instinctively. “And when he woke up in need of something to curb the hangover and figuring out what his niece did…” the man then bellowed, “he started to demand where his drinks were and began to lose his patience with his niece who still thought everything was still a game.”

“And then it stopped being a game. Because in that moment all I saw was an enemy who had to be dealt with so I could get what I needed.” Qrow let some of the tension in his limbs go and sighed, “And I think she saw the difference too," he looked back at Willow, "because she started looking at me the same way you’re looking at me now.”

Willow’s breath caught in her throat.

He closed his eyes and then smiled faintly.

“I’m grateful,” Qrow started with a whisper that slowly became louder, “for that tiny bit of clarity that stopped me from pulling out my pistol that day.”

“When I saw the fear on Ruby's face, the only thought that ran through my head was ‘what the hell was wrong with me?!' I hugged her and apologized and played everything off as a joke and promised to take her out for pancakes, and everything was okay again.”

“But it wasn’t okay. Only I knew that day how close I came to pulling my weapon on my niece,” Qrow closed his eyes solemnly before opening them again to look at Willow.

“And now you do too.”

“Qrow…” Willow truly didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t reconcile the playful, rogueish man as a guy who would pull a gun on a kid, much less a niece as adorable as his own. And though he didn’t direct his emotions at her specifically, she could feel the anger and rage and self-loathing he felt as he recalled his painful past for her own sake.

“I checked myself in to a rehab facility as soon as Tai picked Ruby up,” Qrow continued on, running a hand through his hair, “During my first year alone, I relapsed twenty-two times and sent myself to the hospital around half of those cause my alcohol tolerance no longer matched my bingeing.”

He fidgeted uncomfortably in the chair, lips pursed, clearly trying to figure out what one recovering alcoholic should be saying to someone who wanted to stop.

“It’s going to be hard at parties,” Qrow continued, “Seeing everyone around you enjoying their drinks while you’re forced to sip on some non-alcoholic Tomato-Lime Sipper will eat at you inside.” He frowned at the mention of the drink before he added, “It’ll be even harder when you’re stressed out, knowing that blissful numbness is only two blocks over.”

“You’re probably going to fail. Multiple times even. Other people won’t understand,” Qrow said, “They don’t understand how much we…need this. How unnatural being without drink is; they can’t appreciate that we choose to go without anyway. Others will judge you for being ‘too weak’ or ‘not having enough willpower’ or that we don’t care for the reasons we stopped drinking enough."

"It’s why us recovering alcoholics stick together, because we can at least understand each other’s struggle.”

“It’s going to be hard. But as long as you remember the reason why you stopped drinking – and keep picking yourself up when you fail, things will get easier. I promise you that.”

A pensive silence but not an awkward one. Qrow sitting quietly and looking at his flask and Willow sitting down and digesting what he said.

“…Thank you, Qrow. For sharing. For everything,” Willow said sincerely, “I think I understand a little bit better now.”

“Don’t mention it,” Qrow said with a faint smirk, the playful rogue returning before her eyes.

He opened up the flask and took a sip from it.

Willow could only look on incredulously with wide eyes.

Qrow glanced at Willow confusedly and then at his flask with an understanding expression. His teeth lined up in a grin.

Closing the flask and tossing it to her, Willow caught it awkwardly in her hands, and prompted by a nod of his head, she opened it and took a sniff.

“Apple juice?”

“You really think I’m that shameless to drink alcohol after everything I said?” Qrow said with a chuckle.

Willow couldn’t help but laugh to that before closing her eyes and nodding her head.

“To apple juice then,” she said before taking a swig of Qrow’s flask.

“To apple juice,” Qrow laughed.

[zacs-of-rwby]

Home is Where Your Light Shines Brightest

Chapter 19: What's Broken Can Be Fixed

Story Summary: Ozpin works tirelessly in his pursuit: to make Beacon of Hope a safe place for kids to grow up. With a bigger location and more kids to take care of, Ozpin starts to feel the weight of responsibility crushing him, and he plans to carry the whole thing himself.

For Qrow, volunteering for Beacon of Hope had only one purpose: to get Summer off his back for a little while. When he meets the polite, friendly, and handsome man in charge, he wonders if he could actually get something out of this whole ordeal after all.

With Qrow’s support, maybe Oz will be able to reach his goal of turning this house into a home.

Story Categories: Mental Health, Recovery, Slice of Life, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Slow Burn, Friends to Lovers, Found Family, LGBTQ+ Themes, Alternate Universe, Ozpin’s Halfway House AU, please check Ao3 tags for potentially triggering topics

Chapter Summary: Blake and Yang struggle to close the rift that’s growing between them.

Chapter Categories: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Relationship Problems

Author’s Note: Now the conclusion to the Bumblby saga! Pretty much just a continuation of the last one, so I don’t have much else to say other than I hope you guys enjoy :)