Fatal Attraction [Qrow X Reader]

Surprise!

"Look, Oz, I hope you've got a successor in mind, because Amber isn't looking so good."

"Yes, right, I know Qrow," Ozpin sighed, "but we have a lot weighing on this... I have to be sure that this is the right decision to make. I think I've found someone perfect for the job, though she may lack practical experience, but I don't want to ask this of her just yet." Subtle undertones of guilt crossed his contemplative face as he leaned on his cane, the weight of the world behind him.

"This isn't all on you, she'll still have a choice, Oz," Qrow said more gently. "I trust your judgement, whatever you decide on. Just tell me how I can help."

"Actually, there are a few things I needed to ask of you."

"Another mission?" Qrow inquired.

"Well, in a sense, yes." Qrow raised an eyebrow. "There are a few individuals I would like you to investigate. But it will be close to home. Something is off, I can feel it."

After receiving his orders, Qrow flew out the back window, suddenly disturbed. It was just an intelligence mission, nothing he hadn't done before, so why did he feel so much pain? Just an intelligence mission... It was "just an intelligence mission" that fateful day when [Y/N] fell.

But this was different. He was alone, not a liability to anyone, and not responsible for anyone's life but his own. Why couldn't he move on?

This was why he worked alone. Because that way, no one got hurt.

----

It had been weeks since Qrow left you that day, a look of pain and regret in his eyes. You had been spending your time outside a lot more than usual lately, becoming increasingly drawn away from your quiet life, out into the unknown and even dangerous world. Somehow that didn't bother you as much as it once had. This felt more like the real you, the one that had been hiding for as long as you could remember, forgotten, waiting for an opportunity to come out.

Wielding Silver Destiny was becoming more natural, a part of you, though you still felt like something was missing. Comfortable with your swordsmanship, you wanted to do something more. Of course there was still work you could do to strengthen your aura, and you had yet to unlock your semblance, despite Qrow's encouragement, but this urge went beyond that. Your proficiency with the sword was progressing faster than you could have dreamed, and you felt ready to begin training with other weapons as well. Of course, it would be harder without Qrow around to help you. Where was he anyway? Somehow that made you even more determined to succeed.

It was funny. As you started to feel more self sufficient, you didn't feel the need to be alone as often. You were less afraid of the new people and places you might encounter, and even wanted to seek them out. Maybe that could start with the dance at Beacon. It was about time you socialized.

Taking a deep breath, you pulled out your scroll, about to call Ruby, but hesitated for a moment. Looking over the horizon, you could see Beacon in the distance. Maybe you should just walk there. You had time, and fresh air was always nice.

The forest was gorgeous this time of year, the leaves an ombre of reds and yellows. The walk to Beacon was a relaxing one. It took you most of the afternoon to get there, so by the time you arrived in the city you were certainly ready to get a bit of rest. Almost expecting to see Ruby waiting for you, you looked for her on the lawn outside the school, then realized she wasn't expecting you and called her on your scroll. 

"Ruby? I'm at Beacon now, come outside!" 

"Wait what?!" You could hear Zwei barking in the background, followed by an exclamation from Yang. "[Y/N]'s here? Why didn't you tell me she was coming?!" 

"I didn't know either, Yang!" Ruby retorted, Yang laughing at her sister's obviously flustered state. "Not that it's a problem!" Ruby quickly added, "though I hope you don't mind that I'm still wearing my pajamas..." She paused. "Hey, it's a Saturday! I can do what I want!"

"I didn't say anything," you shrugged. "Anyway, see you soon."

A/N: I finally updated! Sorry it took so long... I meant to move the plot along a bit with this chapter, though I'm not sure how successful I was at doing that. Like I literally almost titled this chapter "I Didn't Know What To Title This Chapter So Here's the Title I Guess" or "Insert Arbitrary Chapter Title Here" so seriously, I've been in a weird mood today. In all honesty though, I do need to get better with chapter titles. I usually end up settling on something just to get it published, planning to change it later, but then I forget. Anyway, expect more of this story in the (hopefully near) future! Also, question for you guys: Would you rather have chapters added more frequently but they'd be shorter, or have longer chapters but more time between updates? I can't promise that I can stick with a specific length of chapters because things often end up different than I planned them once I actually write them (can't tell you why, honestly), but I can certainly try to shoot for a minimum or maximum word count... I don't know, maybe I'm overthinking this, but I'm happy to do what I can to make this story more enjoyable to read. Let me know if you have a strong preference I guess. Hope you enjoyed my mini rant/brainstorm/whatever you want to call it (insight into my creative process perhaps?) and I hope you're all doing well. Stay safe and healthy!