Volant moved first, running, full speed at Qrow, pressing his shotgun into Qrow's sword. "You reek of smoke." "You reek of booze.". Gale stumbled backward, falling over onto his back. The torn, slightly burnt duster Volant wore fluttered, revealing an array of lighters, cigarettes, and canteens of what smelt like kerosine. A scabbed hand moved towards a canteen, making Qrow push back with his sword, sending Volant flying back. He landed on his feet, hissing like a cat through a murderous smirk. Sudden light appeared in Volant's hand, small, but he was reaching again for a canteen. Qrow shot at the lighter, sending it sailing into the air, and landing in the bushes. Lighting struck. The light began growing, slowly at first, but getting steadily faster and faster. Gale pulled at Qrow's cape, "Let's just go!". Qrow nodded, not turning around but taking a few steps back, as the fire came towards them both, circling Volant, who was laughing. Laughing, and laughing, and laughing. The sound carried, and blended with the roar of the fire.
Winter held her head up high towards the grey-blue sky, watching the clouds form blurry pictures above her. "Winter?" Weiss stood, looking slightly nervous but determined and holding a tray with cream, sugar and coffee on it. "Um...do you want...to..." "I'd love to have a drink." Her little sister's face glowed with joy, which she immediately tried to mask. Smiling to herself, Winter closed the windows behind her, and Weiss hurriedly started pouring steaming coffee into the porcelain cups. "What do you want in your coffee?" "Cream, one sugar.". Weiss nodded, and shakily tipped the pitcher of cream over her sister's cup. Both women quietly sipped their coffees. "Weiss?" "Yes?" She jumped and nearly spilled her hot drink over her lap. "Do you want to talk to me about something?".
Gale vomited into a wet bush. Smoke coated the already cloudy sky, but now it was distant. The sun was trying in vein to break through the clouds, turning smoke and clouds alike deep and bright reds, muddy and clear yellows, and royal and lilac purples. Rain was still falling, but lightly, and stopping every so often. Qrow walked over and patted Gale's heaving back. "There, there, kid...there, there." "Oh my-hurffff-Gods...oh my freaking-hurffff-Gods..." "You aren't much of a fighter, are you?" "How'd you-huraffff-guess?". Falling backwards onto his back, Gale took out a canteen and splashed water onto his face. "It was always Lee who was good at this sort of thing." "Yeah?" "Yeah." Qrow sat down, tilted his head back, and watched the sky turn its array of colors. "She sounded pretty cool." "She was amazing!" "Lucky you." "Why? Do you have a sister?" "Depends on how you look at it." "What?" "Biologically speaking, I do have a sister." "But...?" "But, I will never accept her as family." "But you need your family!" Gale's eyes were wide, and innocent, shocked. It almost made Qrow laugh out loud. "I have another family-a better one." "Ooooh..." the younger man's wry smile was too understanding. "What?" "So, you, like, got a girl~?" "No!" "You answered waaaaay too quickly." Qrow glared. Gale's smile widened, before shooting back on his feet, lurching over and turned his guts out again in another bush. "Karma!" Qrow called, laughing.
"Are you okay?" Weiss blurted out, then turned brick red. "I-I mean, I just wanted to make sure that you were mentally fit after such a-a devastating blow-not that you're weak! That's not it! I just-I was just-I wanted to-" "Weiss." Winter raised her sister's chin, so that their eyes met. "Weiss. It's okay for you to worry about me. I worry about you too, so don't ever hesitate to talk to me." Weiss's shoulders relaxed. "As for my mental state," Winter said, closing her eyes, "I am functioning, maybe not up to full capacity, but still above average.". The sisters stayed there, not breaking eye contact, until Weiss asked, "Did you care about him?". 'I've loved you for so long.' '...your college crush...' '...you'll think this is just a dream.' 'This, Schnee, this, "great love" of yours...' 'Was it a good dream?' '...will be the death of you, you know that?' 'Yes.'
"No. No, Weiss, I didn't. But that doesn't mean that we haven't lost a skilled an valuable fighter."
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Life Without You
FanfictionQrow is dead. It is up to Winter to bring this heartbreaking news to those fighting Salem and WTCH, and to his family. Consumed by grief but determined to finish what Qrow begun, Winter sets out to replace him as a protector of the Maidens. Little d...
