Chapter Text
“Miss Rose,” Winter greeted her sister's team leader as she flew to the top of the academy to find the younger woman already there.
“Hey Winter,” Ruby greeted in return, her eyes shining brightly enough that even the maiden was taken aback by them for a moment. “You can call me Ruby, you know?”
“It…if you’re sure,” Winter agreed as Ruby nodded, and moved over so Winter would have a space to sit, which she did in short order.
“Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be with your team?” Winter asked plainly. It’s not that she’d ever found the younger woman disagreeable, but she’d been wanting to spend some time in solitude.
“I just needed time to think, about everything,” Ruby said solemnly as she used a hand to gesture at the academy, and city beyond.
Winter frowned, understanding the feeling as she searched for something to talk to the woman about. For all she knew about her, for as open as she seemed, Winter was at a loss for what to actually say. She'd never been quite as social as she should have been.
“Penny thought you were her best friend,” Ruby spoke first, startling Winter.
“Pardon?”
“She thought of you for the powers, right? She knew you’d need them, and you were her best friend. You supported her in Atlas when none of us could.”
“I’m afraid I wasn’t a very good friend in return,” Winter admitted somewhat bitterly as she clutched a hand to her chest, and tried to feel for her friend's presence inside her. It was there, a bit muddled, but it gently answered her in return sending a small pulse, a thrum through her chest that made her own loneliness fall to the background for just a moment before Ruby spoke, and drew her back into the present.
“Really? You did your best, right? You don’t seem like the type who’d do less than that, at like, anything,” Ruby accurately guessed as she gently elbowed her.
Winter snorted for a moment at that very accurate summation. “I can be a bit competitive.”
“Guess it’s a family trait,” Ruby joked. “That’s all Penny wanted, or expected from you. If you weren’t meeting her expectations I’m sure she’d let you know,” Ruby admitted softly.
“Most likely. More efficient ways to improve our friendship,” Winter joked as Ruby giggled in return.
“Do you…would you like to talk about her?” Ruby asked seeming to be only slightly awkward about offering.
“Would you?”
“Only if you want to. I’d like to talk to another one of her friends,” Ruby admitted. "The others...they didn't really know her as well as I did so it's kinda hard to talk to them about it."
“Perhaps I’ll tell you about the time she tried to steal the ace ops dinner as they were eating it to display her ‘stealth’ skills,” Winter teased as Ruby nodded excitedly, and leaned in to hear better.
“You seem…pleased,” Robyn remarked as Winter appeared inside the entrance of Shade for another meeting later that evening.
“I had an enjoyable conversation, and might have found a new friend,” Winter admitted after a long moment where she debated even speaking with Robyn at all.
“Good for you. I know you got me, and five o’clock, but more friends ain’t a bad thing.”
“Qrow, and I,” Winter corrected as Robyn smirked, showing that was the exact reaction she’d been looking for. “What do you see in him?”
Robyn sighed as she saw there was still a bit of time before the meeting. “If I give you a serious answer it never leaves this room. No jokes, no using it against him if you get into one of your yelling matches with him, no nothing, or maiden, or not I will find a way to hurt you,” Robyn threatened looking entirely serious.
Winter blinked, but nodded in agreement with the terms as Robyn pulled her into a side room, and closed the door.
“He just, cares, so damn much. His team broke apart. Tai went catatonic after Raven left, and Summer…vanished, and yet despite that he took a job as a teacher when he hates kids to be closer to them. He knew about all this, Salem, and still put the kids above it all,” Robyn explained as she waved one arm around herself vaguely.
“He has a semblance he used to think made him impossible to be around, and still raised the girl’s well enough that Ruby adores him, and wanted to be just like him, wanted to use his weapon.
So he taught her, and despite worrying about it, it never hurt her. He gave up drinking for her, for them. His team fell apart, his life fell apart, and no one was there for him, but he kept going.
Drinking wasn’t great, but again no one cared besides the kids. It was all he had.
He’s a good man, and a great huntsman. I got to see it in Atlas first hand. The world can use more people like him.”
Winter blinked, taken aback by Robyn’s passionate rant. “I hadn’t realized you felt so…strongly about it.
Robyn laughed. “On the transport, before everything went to shit, Ironwood put out an arrest warrant for Qrow, and the others.
As soon as Clover stood up, I had my weapon pointed right at his face. No hesitation, almost without realizing what I was doing.
Qrow was the one who tried to talk us both down if you can believe it,” Robyn sighed with a self deprecating smile. “He might have managed it, if not for Tyrian. Then we were locked up, and just…”
“Things changed?”
Robyn shook her head. “Solidified. I realized what I’d done, what it actually meant, and tried to put it out of my mind for the time being. Then he wanted to get revenge for Clover on Ironwood, and I talked to him about it, and he listened.
He’d been dead set on it, but he listened to me, just like I listened to him. I hadn’t realized how much power he had over me, or me him I guess,” Robyn remarked as she shrugged, and leaned against the wall.
“I looked back, and realized all the times he’d taken a blow for me, or when the room was blown up, and his first instinct was to help me, and now here when I made the monument for him, it all just kind of slid into focus. I hadn’t realized I was falling until I’d already landed. Kinda lame, right?”
“I don’t think so,” Winter disagreed with a shake of her head. It actually sounded rather wonderful truthfully.
“Well it doesn’t matter anyway, he’s mine now, so no trying to steal him from me,” Robyn ordered as she pointed her finger at her.
“Excuse me?” Winter asked in disbelief as she reeled back in surprise at the accusation.
“I heard about your attempts at flirting with him. Trying to cross swords with him at Beacon, thinking you were clever. Not clever enough, Schnee!” Robyn accused, although her voice was clearly joking, Winter was flustered as she backed away.
“I despise…did despise him back then!” Winter insisted. She couldn’t say she despised Qrow as he was now, and now that she knew more of what he dealt with it was hard to say he’d ever really deserved her ire even back then.
“Uh, huh. Hate is only one step from love,” Robyn teased.
“You are infuriating! No wonder you’re interested in him. The two of you will be the death of me.”
Robyn cackled as she left the room. Winter followed if only to get the meeting over with so she could escape the madhouse she was clearly in.
Not having much else to do after the meeting, Winter left to wander the grounds. Perhaps some practice would be of use to settle her still roiling emotions.
She’d wanted to speak to Weiss, but apparently Miss Belladonna, and Xiao-Long had already claimed to need to speak with her urgently. She had secured a promise for Weiss to call on her when she was free however.
She made her way to the training pits, and blinked seeing Miss…Ruby, and an older short statured woman.
Maria. Of course. Winter respected the elder huntsman to a degree.
Anyone who could live to that age in such a dangerous profession was clearly not to be trifled with, but she was also one of the most immature people she’d ever met, and despite knowing of the magic she now wielded, the only thing she had to offer when she’d seen her fighting was ‘needs work’.
Who was she to-
“Winter?”
She cursed herself for spacing out.
“You know her?” Maria asked as she adjusted her prosthetics slightly.
“Kinda sorta. We…talked about Penny earlier. It helped me feel a bit better,” Ruby admitted shyly as she rubbed the back of her head.
“Ah. Grieving is important, but don’t forget to live for yourself too,” Maria advised with a gentle pat on Ruby’s shoulder.
Ruby nodded, absorbing the lesson even as Winter scowled. She could tell she was speaking more to her than Ruby.
“We can live once Salem is defeated,” Winter said seriously before she grimaced as the cane slammed into her shin.
“Miss Calavera what is the, ouch,” Winter gasped as the same shin was hit again. She hadn’t even seen her move!
“And if we fail here? If this is it? Then you’ll go to the grave with nothing. I thought you were done with Atlas thinking? With following Ironwood's lead?” Maria asked.
“I am,” Winter growled as she rubbed at her shin to help soothe it.
“Then why are you doing what he’d want you to do?” Maria asked back as Winter mentally reeled back in shock, her mind barely noting Ruby flinched at the question.
“I…how do you mean?”
“Protecting the city is important,” Maria began as she tapped her cane against the ground with a nod. “But you are doing what he would have wanted you to do.
Always going out, always at the front, always fighting, never taking time to sleep, or take care of yourself. You’re wearing yourself down to the bone, and no magic is going to stave that off forever.”
“You must be mistaken,” Winter growled. The old woman was far too close to home.
Maria sighed. “Suicidal ideation. You don’t care if you live, or die. Not really,” Maria shrugged. “If you die then the powers go to Weiss, and you’ve done your part, and if you die taking down Salem? All the better because you’ll be well remembered, and have helped Weiss redeem your family name,” Maria explained.
“You both have a lot more in common than I thought,” Maria said openly as Ruby flinched to the point Winter noticed, clearly having heard something similar before.
“I’m not losing two young promising huntresses because they can’t be bothered to have fun, or relax for once in their lives. No training tonight,” Maria declared seriously. “Go get something to eat, and play in one of those arcade things,” Maria waved them off.
“Excuse me,” Winter began before pain blossomed in her other shin.
“You should have seen that coming,” Maria chided her before she spun, and with a speed that belied her age swung at Ruby’s side although the cape wearing huntress managed to put up an arm to block it.
“Better,” Maria praised lightly with a nod, “but not as good as you should be. You’re both too keyed up. You won’t talk to anyone else, but you did talk to each other earlier. So congratulations, you’re now friends. Go do something fun for tonight, and I’ll train you tomorrow.”
“You mean it?” Ruby asked excitedly, and Winter had to admit her excitement was infectious.
“Aye. I promise, but only if you promise to take tonight off, and have fun with ‘buzzkill’ over there.”
“Excuse you?” Winter growled, and then stepped back to save her shins from the pain of being whacked again.
“Sorry I keep forgettin’ your name so I just used the name of your swords.”
“That’s not their name!” Winter growled.
“Huh, really? Neat,” Maria remarked casually as Ruby giggled. Even Winter glaring at her didn’t help her.
“Winter,” Maria remarked, seriously gaining her attention as she walked over to whisper to her. “Take it from someone with a long lifetime of seeing, and making mistakes. You won’t help anyone for very long like you are now, and neither will she. If not for yourself then do it for her,” Maria implored her.
Winter bit her tongue, but sighed in defeat. Truthfully, she was rather tired, and somehow hadn’t noticed it. She blinked when she felt a pouch be put into her hand.
“Take her somewhere nice,” Maria advised before in a flash she vanished.
How did she even do that?
Ruby stretched, and Winter averted her gaze for a moment before she coughed to gain her attention.
“She give you the resting speech?” Ruby asked as Winter nodded in response.
“I guess we gotta then. Any idea where you want to go?” Ruby asked clearly ready to 'hang out' in order to get training the next day.
“I…not particularly. Do you have a recommendation?” Winter asked in return.
Ruby hummed as she thought about it. “Are you allergic to anything?”
Winter blinked, but was pleased by how concerned, and attentive she was, even if Maria was practically forcing them into what was essentially an outing.
“I’ve never been one for anything fancy,” Ruby admitted. “I’d say noodles, but I’m actually kinda hungry for like a full meal.”
Winter realized she was rather famished herself, and nodded. “That sounds acceptable. I believe I remember your uncle mentioned there was a restaurant he took Miss Hill to,” Winter spoke as she tried to recall the specifics of the conversation.
“Wait, like on a date?” Ruby asked, her voice filled with something resembling awe, and excitement.
Winter blinked at her exuberance before her mind wandered back to what Robyn had said. Ruby likely saw how much her uncle sacrificed, and was just happy to have some good news about someone she loved.
That in mind. Winter felt her lips curve into a slight grin as she nodded.
Ruby squealed in a manner that was far too adorable for someone her age, and grabbed Winter’s hands as she jumped up, and down.
The passersby turned irritated looks their way until they saw Ruby was the one making the sound, and they smiled fondly instead.
“Is that why…oh man this is great!” Ruby gibbered excitedly. “Sorry, I just…I’m glad he’s happy. He’s happy right? I should have asked,” Ruby remonstrated herself.
“None of that. I get the feeling Robyn is waiting on him to be more sure of things before they say anything ‘official’, but I spoke with her, and she’s quite…besotted with him,” Winter admitted as she tried not to let her face show any negative feelings she might still have toward the man.
“That’s really great,” Ruby agreed with a bright grin, and again her eyes seemed to shine just the slightest bit before the younger woman pointed out a random restaurant a few blocks away, and tugged on their still joined hands.
“Race you there,” Ruby challenged only for Winter to raise an eyebrow at her in challenge.
“I mean if you don’t think you can handle it,” Ruby joked only for Winter to fly by, the magic responding to her desire in an instant.
“Hey, that’s cheating!” Ruby pouted before she sped after the white, and blue blur, the mass of red petals swiftly closing the distance.
Despite herself, Winter felt a laugh bubble out of her as she avoided the swarm of petals, and continued on to the restaurant they were rapidly approaching.
Neither one noticed the exceedingly annoyed blue eyed woman watching from a nearby rooftop who grit her teeth, and growled.
So that’s how Winter wanted to play it? She'd gotten dressed up for nothing? Oh this meant war.