Fair Game Week Day 6: Atlas Ball/Mantle Battle
Why couldn’t it have just been a ball? Qrow would’ve given anything for a stuffy Atlas ball to be the most of their worries.
No, instead Salem’s agents had infiltrated Mantle and everything, and he does mean everything, had gone to shit. Now, he and his kids and the Ace Ops were in Mantle, fighting Grimm and evacuating the city while James scrambled to get the military ready before Salem got here. Because yeah, Salem was on the way.
Surprisingly, though, things were going well so far.
With Robyn and Clover’s help, the three of them took down Tyrion and all-too-happily handed him over to the Atlas prison. From there, he and Clover were sent back on evac duty with Robyn, who eventually split off to find her Huntresses and head to the breach in the wall. A breach that was, ultimately, their fault, but the Huntresses were being kind enough to not mention it at the moment. He had no doubt that as soon as Robyn took her seat on the Council there would be words, though.
He was checking in with his kids whenever he had the chance, and everything seemed to be going as well as it could. He was more than thankful that they were all teamed up with an Ace Op. He knew they were all talented Huntsman in their own right, but it eased Qrow’s worries a bit that they had some extra help.
Jimmy was checking in whenever he could, so, like he said, things could be going worse.
In fact, he was actually having some fun. By the time the sun was rising, Mantle was free of civilians. All that was left in the city was Grimm and all the Huntsmen that were in the kingdom when the attack started. He and Clover fought like a well-oiled machine; playing off of each other like they’d been partners for years. No one would ever replace Summer, of course, but he thought she would’ve loved Clover.
She definitely would be bugging him about finally making a move if nothing else.
Qrow gave one final shot to the sphinx in front of him before the street went quiet, the only sounds being their labored breathing and the distant shriek of other Grimm dying. He took the chance to bend over, resting his hands on his knees as Clover called in this sector being clear. He gave a chuckle at Qrow’s position. “Getting tired, old man?” He teased, and Qrow glared from under his fringe.
He stood up, flicking his bangs back from his eyes like he used to do at Beacon, before shooting him a smirk. He took a bit of pleasure from the light flush on the Ace Ops face. “We’re the same age, boy scout.” Clover waved his hand, and Qrow had to bite back the grin wanting to slip onto his face. He was way too head over heels for his Ace Op, he had to admit.
Just as they were about to move onto the next sector, Clover’s earpiece dinged again. He held a finger to his ear a moment, a look passing over his face too quickly for Qrow to decipher before he was turning back.
“Mantle’s clear, for the moment. All Huntsmen in the city have orders to stay and guard the breach, so the city doesn’t get overrun again.” Clover hesitated for a second, before continuing. “The Ace Ops have been called back to Atlas.” Qrow let out a breath through his nose, nodding.
“So, this is it, huh?” He tried for a grin but it fell flat. He wasn’t afraid, but he was. He wasn’t afraid of the battle; he’d been in plenty enough to know what to expect, roughly. No, the only thing he was afraid of was the man in front of him, or rather, him not coming back. He knew it was a possibility; Qrow was going to be fighting Grimm but Clover was likely to be in the shit. He knew Salem would go for Atlas first. For the Winter Maiden, and for the Staff.
He wasn’t worried about that part, though. Penny was powerful enough on her own, but with the Maiden powers? He almost felt sorry for Salem.
No, he was worried about collateral.
Clover hesitated a bit before walking forward, setting both hands on Qrow’s shoulders. “We’re going to win this.” And he sounded so sure, for a second Qrow actually believed him. He knew life wasn’t that black and white, but if he had learned anything from the brave, beautiful man in front of him, is that hope wasn’t always a bad thing.
So instead of saying something snide and cynical like he usually would, he smiled, softer than he normally would, and skated his fingers across Clover’s cheek. “You bet.” Clover returned the smile, and for a heartbeat, they were the only people in the world, staring at each other on this empty street as the world fell apart around them.
Then an alarm sounded, high above them, and they were snapped back to the present. Clover dropped his hands and Qrow backed away, giving Clover a two-fingered salute as he headed toward the breach. He had only made it a few steps before Clover called out behind him.
“What, no kiss for good luck?”
And Qrow was never one to take chances. Little ones, sure. Some gambits he ran in combat, a few flirtations with a cute barmaid or a handsome waiter to see if he could get lucky, but he never took the big leaps. And maybe it was the battle high, or his nieces rubbing off on him, or how he hadn’t tasted alcohol in months and for the first time in awhile he didn’t want any, but before he could even question it, he was striding toward Clover with a thought that was something like ‘fuck it’ in his head.
He fisted his hands in Clover's collar, dragging him into a searing kiss that almost made him forget the snowflakes dusting his arms. They were surrounded by death and destruction and facing the biggest battle of their lives, but Qrow could say without a doubt that his first kiss with Clover was somehow perfect.
By the time they finally pulled away, Clover was out of breath and chuckling. His arms were tight around Qrow’s waist, and Qrow was cupping his face in a way he would deny later if anyone saw them. Their foreheads were pressed together, and Qrow could feel every breath Clover took fanning over his kiss-wet lips. Clover pulled back a bit, just enough to look in Qrow’s eyes directly.
“You better come back to me, pretty bird.”
Qrow dropped another lingering kiss on his lips.
“Only if you do too, boy scout.”
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