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spectralscathath · 4 years

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Foxglove

Five times Captain Robyn, decorated leader of the elite Ace Operatives, almost caught Mantle’s Resident Smartarse, Clover Ebi. And one time he wasn’t so lucky.

[A Lucky Shot roleswap au gift ft. Fox!Robyn and Sassy!Clover]

Robyn looked out the front window as the van slowed to a halt, barely holding back a curse when she saw Clover Fucking Ebi standing in front of their truck, bold as brass. “Alright, rookie. Looks like we’ve got an obstruction of justice in our way. Keep an eye on our six, but stay close. I’ll do the talking.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Marrow nodded, starry eyes determined to prove he had what it took. He was a bit young for an Ace Op, having only really graduated Atlas two years ago, but his raw potential and earnest belief in justice had Robyn practically camped out in Ironwood’s office, petitioning for the pup to be given a shot.

Robyn shot him an honest grin for a moment and hopped out of the transport, adjusting the longbow strapped to the back of her uniform. Her fox tail swept behind her as she walked to the front of the van, a casual smirk curving her lips. “Clover. Hi.”

“Robyn!” Clover grinned and spread his hands, lucky pin glinting on his waistcoat. “Well, if it isn’t the Captain of Ironwood’s Ace Ops. It’s good to see you.”

“Cut the crap, Clover.�� She put her hand on her hip. “Is there a reason you’re blocking an official military transport?”

“Here I was thinking you could explain to me why these Knights that are meant to be defending Mantle’s outer wall are being driven out to the middle of nowhere.” Clover quirked a brow, crossing his arms. “Got turned around out here?”

“Easy thing to do, Biceps. I’m sure you got lost trying to set up this cute little ambush.” She glanced at the sheep faunus and gave her a mischievous little wave. There were bound to be others.

“Everything looks the same,” Clover admitted carelessly. “You’re going to keep brushing me off?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She cocked her head. “Right, Marrow?”

“Uh- right!” His tail wavered behind him in the lie. He’d really have to work on that.

Clover glanced at him and back to Robyn, a muscle twitching in his jaw. “Will you just tell me why Ironwood’s been sending so many robots to this dust mine?”

“It’s a mine, it’s full of grimm, it needs to get cleared out.” She stared him down, refusing to admit his plans to revamp Amity. “And that’s all you need to know.”

“Is Ironwood seriously thinking of letting the SDC open another mine after what happened here?” Clover’s smile dropped. “People died there, Robyn. These robots are needed for Mantle’s defences, at least until we can get the supplies to patch up the outer wall.”

“Then you can put in a request for those supplies and for more bots when you get elected.” If Jacques got elected instead of Clover she was going to pitch a fucking fit. “Until then, you should stop sticking your nose in military business.”

“So what is Ironwood planning?” Clover stepped forward. “Should I make a lucky guess? How about you, kiddo, want to tell the class why Mantle’s being neglected for Ironwood’s schemes?”

Marrow bristled, the fur spiking up on his tail. “The General’s doing the best he can, we’re trying to help!”

“Can it!” Robyn snapped, stepping in front of Marrow, the fur on her tail bristling. She noticed his eyes flick behind them, watching their backs just like she said. “Clover, it’s time you and your pal there let us through. Right, sheepskin?”

Clover’s hand dropped to his hip, and his fishing line, at the nickname, Thyme’s sheep ears twitching in annoyance as she readied her weapon. “These robots are going to Mantle, Robyn.”

“Like I said, Biceps, formal request, proper channels, now move, or I’ll move you.” Her winged buckler was ready if she needed to get in close, but she’d rather just stick with her longbow for a fight. She really didn’t want a fight, however.

Clover smirked at her. “That a threat, Robert?”

“Don’t pick a fight you can’t win,” she warned him, her and Marrow’s hands both twitching towards the weapons on their backs.

Clover’s grin grew downright wicked, mischief sparkling in teal green eyes. “I dunno, Rob, I’m feeling lucky.”

Her hand closed on one of the fletchings in her quiver when Marrow turned on his heel, arm stretching out as he clicked his fingers and thundered, “SIT!”

Instantly, Robyn heard two thumps and some vicious cursing, the weight of Marrow’s command slamming the missing Huntresses from Clover’s gang to the snow. Marigold and Greenleaf. Of course.

Robyn didn’t even look behind her, instead just giving Clover an unimpressed look, quirking a brow. “Really? A sneak attack? That’s a little sly for you, Biceps.”

Clover blinked at the younger faunus in some shock, before he clapped a hand over his mouth, shoulders shaking in a vain attempt to hide his laughter. Thyme looked at him like he was off his rocker as he bit his lip to control himself, grinning wide as he fixed his flat cap. “Okay, wasn’t expecting that.”

Robyn smirked. Take that, Ebi. “Clover, this is Ace Operative Marrow. Marrow, say hi to Mantle’s hometown hero. Who was just leaving. Weren’t you, Clover?” She eyed him, warning him to back down.

Clover winked back at her, like the smug arsehole he was. She scowled back, almost wishing he’d pick a fight now just so she could knock that cocky look off his face.

However, he wasn’t stupid. He sighed and shrugged, tucking his hands into his pockets with a soft chuckle. “Alright already. Joanna, May, come on out. Fiona, get the gate.”

Two Huntresses appeared behind them, both sprawled in the snow in a rather undignified manner. Robyn patted Marrow’s shoulder, her fox tail wagging slightly in amusement.

“Not bad, pup,” she complimented. “Let ‘em up.”

He pulled his hand back, giving his fingers a quick flex. “Sorry about that!”

One of the Huntresses made a very rude gesture at him, a light blue glow still dancing at the ends of her fingertips before it disappeared. Robyn let the two get to their feet as she gave Marrow a light nudge back onto the transport, looking back at Clover. “Hope you win the election.”

“Looking forward to seeing my handsome face up in Atlas, are you?”

“I take it back. Suffer the loss.”

“No can do, Robster.” Clover doffed his cap at her as he stepped aside, gesturing for the convoy to pass through. “I’m-”

“One more luck joke and I’m telling them to run you over.” She stepped back inside, closing the door as she heard him laugh again. The convoy started up, driving through the makeshift blockade as she and Marrow sat back down again.

“You did good there, rookie,” she smiled at him, shifting to make sure her tail wasn’t squashed.

“Really?” He perked up, tail thumping against the seat.

“Really,” she snorted and reached over, ruffling his hair. He was fucking adorable. “Don’t let it go to your head though. You still have a lot to learn.”

He nodded, rocksteady determination in his eyes, before he startled at the sound of her scroll going off. She reached for it, seeing a private message come through that simply stated ‘your place at 8?’

She rolled her eyes, waving Marrow off and letting him get back to watching the tundra go by. Clover was a cocky bastard. ‘If you break in again I’m arresting u’

The reply was near-instant. ‘Lucky me ;)’

She smiled slightly. Oh yeah. She was gonna kill him. Semblance be damned.

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

Robyn had been fourteen when she first met Clover. She was a poacher of sorts, stealing, shoplifting, pickpocketing, doing what she had to do to keep Lien flowing for her dads.

The riskiest thing she did was taking military supplies to sell on Mantle’s thriving black market. Her tactic was simple, an unfletched arrow fired into a wheel to puncture it, and when it was being changed she’d see if there was a chance to steal a box off a truck.

It usually ended in a chase, but that was fine by her. She had a tail for balance and knew Mantle like the back of her hand. The military could never keep up.

Except for the one time they did, and she ended up with her back to a wall and a hood shadowing her face as her main protection from recognition.

“Put down the box and raise your hands,” the soldier barked at her, a visor over his face. “You’re under arrest.”

Robyn bristles, eyes darting around for an escape when she saw something glint, a flicker, and there was a fishing hook dangling right in front of her nose.

“Grab on!” She heard from above her, and decided to show a little trust, her hand closing on the fishing line before she was yanked up out of the alley. She heard the soldier cussing, snapping orders into his coms.

A warm hand grabbed hers with a casual trust that no one gave her when they knew what her hands did, and the green-eyed boy helped her up onto the rooftop. “Hi, I’m-”

“Save it for later, we gotta run,” she tightened her grip on his hand as she took off like an arrow from a bowstring, darting across rooftops as she pulled her new ally with her. He laughed as they ran, the sound infectious enough to make her grin, before she slid down a rickety fire escape and into the relative safety of the miner’s district. The military didn’t usually chase her this far.

“That was fun!” He grinned, freckles dotting his skin, a warm jacket and a beanie sheltering him from the cold. Was he a tourist?

She pulled her hood back, her flyaway hair messy as ever. “Thanks for the save. I’m Robyn.”

“Clover. Can I have my hand back?” He quirked a brow, giving it a light tug against her grasp.

She let go pretty instantly. “Sorry, blanked.”

“It’s fine,” his eyes sparkled. “I kinda was watching them chase you for a bit, once I saw you running away from the truck. Glad I could help out.”

“Sure,” she looked him over, before deciding picking his pocket was probably rude and she really shouldn’t do that. Especially not after she got him out of a bind. “Guess I owe you one.”

“Make it up to me by helping me figure out where I am?” His smile turned a touch sheepish. “I’m new in town.”

“No problem. Just let me drop this off and I’ll get you home.” She couldn’t bring stolen goods home, her dads would kill her. She had a hiding place for them, a bolthole where she hid her cache until she could sell it at the next black market.

“Sure. So you steal from Atlas military often? Isn’t that illegal?” He put his hands in his pockets as he followed her, and she pretended not to notice how his eyes dropped down to take a gander at her tail. “Am I a criminal now for helping you?”

“You really like talking, huh?” She hopped a fence to an abandoned property, the house in the middle long since ruined by a grimm attack, slinking around to the back of the place.

She noticed Clover pause as he looked at the ruin and walked back to him. “It’s been like this for a while, before they beefed up the outer walls.”

“Sherwood inn,” he gestured at what was left of the sign, broken in two from the attack. “Were there people here?”

“Apparently they all got evacuated. The Atlas military might be job thieves, but they know how to protect people from grimm.” She patted his shoulder. “Come on, there’s a cellar that stayed pretty undamaged, it’s a good hiding place.”

“Spoken like a true outlaw,” he chuckled. “No seriously, am I a criminal now?”

“I won’t turn you in,” she booted aside the planks, dropping the stolen goods in where she could come back for them later. “So as long as you don’t get caught, then you’re not a criminal.”

Clover raised a brow. “Good to know.”

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

Robyn perched on a rooftop as she watched the transport, the cowl of her hood shadowing her face as she waited for Clover to strike. He’d gotten ballsy about it, and it was annoying. He was a civilian, technically, he couldn’t expect Ironwood to just hand out military secrets like candy. Especially when the Whole Fucking Point of hiding the CCT was to make sure fucknuts like Tyrian didn’t get their hands on it.

She just really wanted to get her hands on Clover and shake him down a little bit, let him know that once the damn CCT was done, they could work on fixing shit in Mantle. Didn’t he realise that this was her city too? Of course she wanted to help it.

Playing the long game was just the best way to do that.

She let the transport move a little more before it came to a sudden stop, one of the tires letting out a dying whistle, and Robyn nearly let out a massive sigh. Pop a tire? Please, Clover, she invented that move. Be more original.

She spotted a figure walking up towards the front of the transport and drew back the arrow on her bow, taking a breath as she lined up the shot, the fletching brushing her cheek.

There was a flicker of light on the Huntress’s hands before a blue dome spread outwards, encasing the transport and the other three figures that disappeared into it, before all of them vanished.

Robyn breathed out entirely, emptying her lungs before she released the arrow. She was on the move immediately after, her aim straight and true as she tapped her coms. “This is Ace Operative Robyn, I’ve sighted Ebi, engaging now.”

She turned her coms off again before she could hear the reply, focused on the path of her shot. She smirked to herself as she watched the arrow vanish in thin air, quickly followed by some loud cursing as it met the mark. The invisibility field disappeared as she lined up another arrow, this one laced with dust as she took aim at Thyme.

Clover’s hand shot out to catch it right before it hit his follower, and he turned in the direction it had come from, trying to spot her. “Nice try, Rob!” He called out, using the arrow to tip up the brim of his flat cap.

She flipped over a gap between rooftops, pressed a button on her bow, and her arrow detonated, the explosion blowing him and Thyme off their feet.

Robyn took the leap, landing in a crouch in front of the four outlaws. She stowed her bow on her back, extending the wings of her buckler, a crossbow bolt ready for the close quarters. Her other hand grabbed a set of bolas from her hip. “Clover Ebi, you and your cohorts are under arrest. Stand down so we can do this peacefully.”

Clover popped his hat back on and flipped Kingfisher in his hand, shooting the harpoon function at her. “Scatter!”

The three Huntresses took off, Clover picking an entirely direction as he hopped the transport and gave her the choice of who to chase.

Her tail fluffed in irritation as she realised that there really was only one obvious choice. “You son of a bitch!” She yelled at him as she bounded over the van, tossing her bolas at his feet to try and trip him up.

The lucky bastard had the sense to jump at that moment, clearing the bolas as he turned on his heel for just a moment and shot her a finger gun. “You’re welcome!”

She scowled as she fired her crossbow at him, the shot ricocheting off the wall and barely missing his stupid hat. He held it on his head as he ran, his long strides quickly clearing the distance between them as he led her on a merry dance through the alleys.

Robyn scanned the area as she pursued him, judging angles and distance before she swapped the bolt in her crossbow for a different shot, her anger sharpening into a sly grin. She lined up her shot, using a combat roll to bleed off excess momentum and steady her stance,to make her aim perfect, before firing.

The bolt hit the railing of a fire escape and bounced back down, hitting the ground in front of Clover before a thin sheet of slippery ice coated the pavement in every direction.

Clover’s boot hit the ice, and not even luck could fight physics. He hit the ground, sliding across the ice in an undignified heap. He recovered quickly, latching Kingfisher’s hook onto the edge of a rooftop as he prepared to reel himself away.

Which was, of course, the moment Robyn careened into him with a flying tackle, causing him to lose his grip on his weapon and knocking them both away from the ice.

She waited for him to register the new position he was in, teal eyes fixing on the tip of the crossbow bolt resting lightly under his chin, before she gave him a vulpine grin. Her ponytail was messy and askew, the red-feathered hair-tie never quite able to keep up with her Huntress duties.

“Gotcha.” And fuck. She’d dropped her bolas.

Clover tried a grin. “I don’t suppose a heartfelt apology would get you to let me go, Robert?”

She levelled him with a glare. “Just tell me why you’re stealing like this. I mean, for one thing, that was my move with the tire.”

“Well, if it ain’t broke,” he shrugged at her, eyes flicking to the side, where Kingfisher was a bit too far for him to run for without getting a crossbow to the aura.

“Don’t even think about it,” she cautioned him. “Stealing these supplies isn’t helping Mantle, Clover.”

Clover’s eyes darkened, a downright vicious snarl twisting his features. “I’m not going to let Ironwood hoard them for his pet project,”he spat vehemently. “I’m not some military dog like you.”

Her glare turned thunderous as she watched him process that, before he cringed slightly. “That… came out wrong.”

She pointed her crossbow between his eyes this time, voice going velvet soft with lethal threat. “I’m going to let that slide, just this once. And I’m going to ask that you leave the supply trucks alone. You might not trust Ironwood, but you can trust me.”

“Can I?” Clover challenged, reaching up to push her crossbow to the side. She let him. “I’m not a mind reader, Robert. I can’t just know if someone’s word is good or not.”

“You might not read minds, but I can. If I wanted you arrested, I could just get the evidence I need out of your head.” She twiddled her fingers. “But I’m not going to do that. Not to you.”

“Going soft on me, Robbie?” Clover grinned flirtily at her. She wanted to knock the look off his face, but it wasn’t exactly wrong. She was letting him go, just this once, because she wanted to trust him. He was short-sighted and too focused on the ‘now’, but he wasn’t an idiot. He wanted to protect people, protect Mantle, just like she wanted justice.

She wished that they could work together to do that, but she couldn’t if he was going to continue to be an obstinate jackass. Still. One shot. Then all bets were off. Lucky him. “One last chance. Leave the supplies alone, and trust me, or next time I’m going to drag you up to Atlas in handcuffs-”

“Kinky.”

“Shut it. And then I’ll get what I need to know out of you.” She looked into his eyes as she let him stand up. “I don’t want to do that. So for once in your fucking life, stop being such a little shit.”

Clover walked over to Kingfisher, picking up the handle as he tested the line. It was still hooked onto the rooftop he’d aimed for. “I’ll consider it.”

“Don’t fucking ‘consider’ it, you knobhead, just do it!” Her tail poofed out in agitation as she barked the order at him.

“No promises, cap’n!” He blew her a kiss before he reeled himself away, leaving her to fume. Fucking bellend. Next time she was just gonna break his aura and let Ironwood’s semblance drag the truth out of him.

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

The lock clicked as Robyn turned the key, opening her apartment door to darkness and a visitor. She didn’t even bother reaching for the light switch as she closed the door behind her, shutting out all the light. He could suffer.

“Trespassing is illegal, you know.” She crossed her arms, unsure if she was meant to be irritated or not at the sight of him sprawled over her couch like he owned it, an arm resting casually along the back.

“Well,” he tossed a grin in what he probably assumed was her general direction. “It’s only illegal if you get caught.”

She turned on a light at that, just so she could hold up her gravity bolas and gesture silently at them, looking entirely unimpressed.

Clover glanced at them before his eyes flicked to Robyn’s stony expression. “Come on, Robert, I’m here as a friend. Like old times.”

Her tail swished as she felt a touch of guilt tug at her, hanging up her jacket, weapons, and bolas beside her door. She walked over to the couch and sat down, letting him shift to make room for her.

“Friends, are we? You’ve been running my team ragged, you know. We have a job to do and I don’t want to keep having to try bother catching your Huntresses.”

“Well, if supplies actually went to Mantle instead of Amity, I wouldn’t have to steal them,” his tone sharpened. “What’s so important about Amity anyway?”

“That’s confidential,” she replied automatically. “I know you all think you’re doing the right thing, but you’re not actually helping anyone in the long-term. You’re so focused on instant results-”

“Working in the short term is important, Robyn. People could die in the short term.” Clover interrupted, malachite eyes boring into her.

“As I was saying,” she glared at him, baring her teeth the tiniest bit. “Helping Mantle is the long term goal for all of this.”

“Why should I believe that?” Clover crossed his arms, lucky pin glinting on his chest.

“I trust Ironwood, but I also want justice for Mantle. Real justice. I wouldn’t work with James otherwise.” She pushed a few stray strands of hair out of her face. “What you’re doing isn’t helping. It’s actually impeding our best chance to really help Mantle, for good.”

“I hear what you’re saying but there is a fucking hole in our defences and no updated security system.”

“Problems that are going to be fixed, once the Atlas military is done with Amity.” Robyn argued. “James gave me his word.”

“Because that means so much,” Clover rolled his eyes.

“He shook on it.” She twiddled her fingers, his posture immediately shifting to take notice of that simple gesture. “And you know his word is good. He’s not a liar at heart.”

“So why is he hiding everything? The people of Mantle deserve to know why no one up in the sky cares about us.”

“I care,” Robyn’s tail drooped. “Clover, Amity is… more important than you know right now. We just need to keep quiet until it’s complete, or else there will be people who try fuck everything up. We can’t fix things without Amity, and we can’t protect Amity without keeping a few secrets.”

“And you’re okay with that? You? You’ve always been a shit liar, Robyn, there’s no way you actually like hiding things.”

She didn’t reply, instead looking at her scroll as she set it into Do Not Disturb, password locked it, and set it on the table. Her silence was enough to tell him everything.

“Of course you hate it.” He sighed and ran his hand over his hair, his usual cap hanging on her coat stand. “Why are you doing this, Rob?”

She took out her coms, setting it aside. “I believe Ironwood’s doing the right thing. We’re doing the best thing for Remnant. And all of us have to make sacrifices along the way.”

“Is that what this is? A sacrifice? Mantle’s some tribute you can offer up to slaughter?” His hackles rose. “Robyn, do you even hear yourself talk?”

“You think I like the fact that my home gets invaded by Grimm all the time? My dads are down there, Ebi, don’t you dare say I don’t care.” She stared through him. “Sometimes the right thing to do is the hardest thing to do.”

“The right thing is always the easy thing to do, Robyn. It’s making sure people don’t die.”

“Clover, if you knew what was really going on, then you’d know that’s what Ironwood’s doing is right.” She pressed a hand to her chest. “What I’m doing is just.”

“I want to believe you.” He looked in her eyes, and she wondered if he was as drawn to her as she always was to him. “Tell me what’s going on.”

“I have orders not to. You’re a civilian, Clover.”

“I’m a Huntsman.”

“An unaffiliated Huntsman. You don’t have clearance for this information, but Ironwood’s willing to make a deal if you just let us take you in.”

Clover scoffed. “Does that deal involve a prison cell with my name on it?”

“It involves trust. That’s kind of Ironwood’s thing.” She crossed her arms, tail swishing irritably. It was like debating with a brick wall.

“Just because his semblance forces people to tell the truth, that doesn’t mean he’s always honest,” Clover pointed out. “Just because your semblance lets you read my mind, doesn’t mean anything about who you are.”

“You know I don’t use my semblance.” Her fingers dug into her biceps a little bit.

“Anymore,” Clover corrected, voice quiet and not as condemning as it once had been.

She really shouldn’t have been so bothered by it. “I made a mistake.”

“I know.” He hesitated before he took one of her hands, pulling it out of her arm fold. “I forgave you for it.”

“That doesn’t mean it wasn’t a mistake.” One she wasn’t going to repeat. Stealing into his head the way she had, pilfering what information she’d found there, even if she thought she had been trying to help, it had been wrong. It was invasive, and cruel, and to do so without his knowing?

She didn’t think she’d made many errors in her life, but her pride could own up to this one. Only took a drop of wrong to fuck up two good people.

Clover traced circular designs on her palm, eyes dropped from her piercing lavender stare. “I know. You changed, though. I can see it. You’ve become a better person. Loyalties aside.”

She ignored that jab and focused on the first part.“We both did. We’re not a pair of lovestruck teens anymore,” she shrugged at him, her fox tail curling around her.

Clover quirked a brow before a sly smirk curled on his face, his voice still a touch softer than what matched the flirty expression implied. “You don’t love me, Robert? Ouch.”

She snorted and reached out, grabbing his shirt as she pulled him in, close enough to kiss if he wanted to. “Suffer.”

He laughed and closed the distance. “For you, Rob? Any time.”

She kissed him back, both of them aware that he’d have to be gone before morning for his own freedom. It only took two lonely people to fuck love up, but they’d already fucked it up once.

No way they’d fuck it up again.

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

Robyn walked back from the chase looking rather dishevelled, tail swishing in what she hoped read as annoyance to anyone watching. Clover had apparently considered her request to stop being a brat, and summarily ignored it like the jerkface he was. This was the third heist he’d tried to pull since she’d let him go.

Elm waited by the transport back to Atlas, Timber slung over her shoulder. “Didn’t catch them?”

“Ebi got away.” She walked past Elm, practically collapsing onto one of the benches inside. Her hair was a mess, loose and wild as it pooled in the fabric of her hood.

“Uh-huh,” Elm nodded as she took her seat across from Robyn, the transport starting up.

“Nothing I could do.” She looked out the window as she tied her hair back up, trying to pretend she wasn’t being surveyed by the pair of very intelligent brown eyes that were currently sparkling with humour.

“Of course.” Elm was hiding a smile behind her hand.

“He’s a nuisance, but he can’t run forever.” She adjusted the collar of her jacket a little bit, a very conspicuous mark on her clavicle that her lilac aura was wiping away.

“Right.” Elm nodded, looking like she didn’t believe a word of it.

“I’m sure we’ll catch him next time.”

“Yep. You got it, captain.”

Robyn nodded in silence as she watched Mantle disappear under the smog from the heating system, going through the clouds and into Atlesian skies, her feather back in her hair band. “Yup.”

“Anyway your shirt’s inside out.”

“... Fuck .”

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

Robyn yawned herself awake, a stray hair in her mouth that she blearily pawed away. She debated staying in her warm blanket nest a little longer, her pillow soft and the air heady with the fog of sleep.

And with eggs. She smelt eggs.

Fuck sleep, she wanted food.

She flinched at the cool floorboards against her bare feet and grabbed a shirt that was too big for her, shrugging it on as she pushed her hair out of her face. She stretched, clicking out her back and doing a few quick twists, waking herself up before she padded lightly out into the kitchen.

She smirked at the sight in front of her, Clover’s old Atlas Academy sweatpants hanging low on his hips as he stood in front of the stove. She looked over some of the scars that marked his bare back, more than most people would think for his semblance.

But then, having his luck run out was a literal thing in his case.

The kitchen floor was still cold, and all of Atlas’s heating couldn’t stop the ambient temperature from failing to match up to her deliciously warm bed, so she slank forward until she could wrap her arms around his waist. She leaned against his back, soaking up some of his body heat as her white-tipped tail wagged back and forth. “Gotcha.”

He laughed, the sound reverberating through his chest and through her. “You sure did, cap’n.”

“What’s cookin’, good lookin’?” She grinned slyly, getting another chuckle out of him.

“Let go of me before I burn it, Rob, and you’ll see.”

“Bullshit. You never burn anything in the kitchen,” she argued. Fuck off, Clover, he was a cozy radiator and he could deal with it.

“And I don’t plan on starting today. Besides, kettle’s boiled. I’ll have a tea, if you’re making it.”

“Whatever you say, Biceps.” She snorted, setting up her usual coffee and his tea, because he was unnatural and somehow functioned on the stuff. “Got too hungry to stay in bed?”

“I can only be your pillow for so long.” He started plating up breakfast. “You’d sleep until the day was over unless I used food as a lure.”

“What am I, a fish?” She mixed honey into her coffee.

“A very pretty fish,” he assured her, setting down two plates of toad-in-a-hole. It was like they were a normal couple. Like everything that had happened hadn’t existed. “Breakfast is served.”

She handed him his cup of tea, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Her movements were somewhat stiff, the cold metal in her chest and back restricting her motion slightly. She was still getting used to the mechanical heart, but it kept her alive after Tyrian had run her through. She couldn’t complain. “Fucking yum .”

“Eloquent as usual.” He blew on his tea as she tucked in.

“Fuck off,” she barked through a mouthful of crispy toasted bread and fried egg, a runny golden yolk spooling over her plate. “ ‘m hungry.”

“I can tell,” he grinned at her, sipping his tea before he started in on his plate. “What’s the plan for today?”

“We keep fixing things.” There was still more to be done. Salem may not have been there anymore, but the aftermath was horrific on an epic scale. But they weren’t dead. Atlas may have fallen, but not to ruin. Despite the loss of the skies, Atlas and Mantle still stood, broken and damaged but not destroyed. They could get strong again, together. Together, the twin cities could be unstoppable once more.

They were one kingdom, after all. Atlas held together.

Clover reached to take her hand in a show of support, very quickly retracting it as she growled at the digits approaching her plate, an arm curling protectively around the food. Sure, she loved him to pieces, but his timing was terrible.

Clover blinked at her and laughed, raising his hands. “Way to say ‘I love you too’, Robert.”

“Maybe if you’d actually say it, I’d say it back,” she teased, waving the end of her fork at him. No more lying now. No more hiding secrets. The lines between Atlas and Mantle had dissolved. Old ranks weren’t important. They were a pair of Huntsmen and that was all that they needed to be.

“I love you, Robert.” He grinned, linking his arms behind his head.

“Love you too, jerk.” She rolled her eyes, glad that this time, at least, they were on the same side.

#rwby #robyn hill #clover ebi #lucky shot #we multiship in this theologically invisible household I have decreed it #my writings

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