Follow the Beacon Qrow—A Place in This World
[Link to Masterpost] [Two chapters this week! Make sure you read the other one first!]
Finally, it was over.
All the pain faded after Raven stabbed him. And now he… he wasn’t sure, exactly. It just felt like floating. Far away, the doctor and Ozpin were doing something to his body, but he couldn’t tell what. Not like it mattered. He was dead.
Should he try to find Bones? …No. Bones wouldn’t want an apology. Probably better to avoid him, if possible.
The doctor left with a needle in hand. As he watched, Ozpin moved from the chair to sit on the bed next to his body. Carefully, gently, he pulled it into a sitting position and leaned its head on his shoulder. Rubbed its back and murmured quietly, a constant stream of words Qrow couldn’t quite hear. He kind of wished someone had held him like that while he was still alive, but this was nice too. They wouldn’t be fussing over his body if they weren’t going to bury it, right?
…Maybe he had a mom here that would want him. Could he find her if he did, without knowing a name or face? And he'd betrayed the tribe. …No, she’d hate him too, if she even ever wanted him at all.
The only other dead people he knew were the ones he’d killed. He was definitely too much of a coward to look for any of them.
Ozpin rocked, and the universe almost seemed to sway with him. The murmured words grew louder, almost understandable.
…He did know of someone else. If he found Summer’s dad, Qrow could at least tell him how great she was.
"Qrow"
He paused to listen. Every few seconds, his name managed to stand out from Ozpin’s mumbling. More words started to resolve themselves, heavy and cold. "Safe… Qrow… back… safe now…" Weighing him down. He was so tired…
"…all right, Qrow… safe now… move… all right, Qrow. You’re safe now. Nobody’s going to hurt you. You’ll be able to move soon, just rest. You’re safe, Qrow, it’s all right. Everything’s going to be all right."
He could feel Ozpin’s hands on his back, hear the words clearly. His body breathed and he felt part of it again.
"You’re safe, and you’ll be able to move soon. It’s all right."
Ozpin was right, he couldn’t move. What was happening? What was Ozpin doing to him? He was supposed to be dead—
"You’re safe, you’re safe…"
After an eternity, Qrow’s fingers twitched.
"There you are, there you are… Just a few more minutes, everything will be fine."
He could blink, and then he could breathe, and finally he could turn his head, shakily move his limbs. Where was the wound? He couldn't see any blood, feel bandages, but from the pain Raven’s knife must have cut even deeper than Sanguin’s. At least she had gotten away—her body wasn't on any of the other beds.
"It’s all right, it’s all right," Ozpin soothed, taking Qrow’s good hand. "You’re safe. Can you speak?"
All he managed was a small noise in the back of his throat. He was so tired…
"Can you tell me how you’re feeling?"
It took every ounce of energy he had to answer, "Cold."
"Let’s get you under the blankets, then." He leaned forward, gently lowering him away—
A whimper escaped his throat before he could stop it. Ozpin paused, and pulled him back into his arms. Awkwardly, still holding Qrow secure, he wrenched the covers free and pulled the blanket over his back. "Is that better?"
He managed a nod, relieved the professor wasn’t angered by his weakness.
"I’m very glad." Ozpin rubbed his back again, through the blanket. "Qrow, can you tell me why you hurt yourself?"
He hadn’t really… meant to die. At first. He wanted the brand gone, wanted any small part of his guilt gone—but then it was so easy to just… not call for help. Curl up in the tub where he wouldn't leave a mess. Go back to sleep, and… "I don’t want to hurt anyone else."
"Isn’t that why you came to Beacon? You don’t have to anymore."
"It’s—it’s—" It didn’t matter anymore. Nothing mattered anymore. He was weak. He was a murderer. He didn’t want to be a bandit and he didn’t deserve to be a Huntsman. "Y-you don’t understand. My, my Semblance, I—I can’t stop it."
Ozpin’s hand stilled on his back. "Your Semblance?"
The effort of keeping the tears back made him shake. "I—I make bad things happen. I-I attacked Azraq, I hurt Tai’s ankle. I broke Raven’s arm. I ki—I k-kill— k-killed o-our dad—" His throat closed over, he couldn’t speak or even breathe. Ozpin’s arms tightened, and he managed a few strangled gasps. "I can’t—stop—I, I can’t…"
He could leave the tribe, stop raiding and stealing—but no matter what he did, he would never be able to stop hurting people.
"...I can’t be a good person."
"Qrow—"
"Please." His eyes squeezed shut. "This is b-better for everyone. P-please, just… just leave the room a-and, and let me go."
Ozpin started to rub his back again. "No. No, we don't do that here."
"Please—"
"We are going to help you."
"I'm not—I can't—"
"Semblances respond to our emotions, Qrow, and I think you've been very hurt for a very long time. There have been others before you who did immense good for all of Remnant, despite… similar setbacks. It's unlikely you'll ever master it completely but as you start to heal it will improve. "
He whined, tears leaking out despite himself. Ozpin believed him.
"It's all right," he soothed, the motion of his palm on Qrow's back uninterrupted. "Just let it out, you'll feel better."
Qrow turned his face into the professor's shoulder and sobbed, shuddering with each gasp for air. Ozpin didn't scream or hit him, even when seconds turned into minutes or he wailed out loud.
"I need you, Qrow," the professor murmured as he tried to catch his breath. "Your teammates' parents and I are part of an organization dedicated to protecting Remnant. If doing good is your goal, you have unique gifts that could help our fight. I believe your Semblance is one of them. …The world needs you, Qrow, please don't leave it yet."
Ozpin wanted him.
Slowly, he dared to wrap his arms around the professor's back. After endless minutes his breathing finally settled and the tears stopped. Ozpin continued to hold him, regardless.
"What...what do you need me to do?" Qrow rasped.
Ozpin wiped the last of the water from his face with a half-curled hand. "For now, stay in school. Learn and heal. I've set an appointment with Beacon's health services for you tomorrow afternoon. We're going to help you."
He nodded, closing his eyes.
"Do you promise not to hurt yourself?"
He nodded again.
"...I need to hear you say it."
"I promise."
Next Chapter: Raven—Killed us Both
[Ozpin—no—stop—
Anyway. This is what I think happened that led to Volume 6 I don't think Ozpin was trying to manipulate him, he just didn't realize this kid would sell his soul for a hug and a kind word.
Ozpin is immortal, ancient. Impossibly wise and kind. Qrow didn't see Ozpin as a leader, general, or strategist—Ozpin was his god.
You can see it in the Battle of Haven, the way he protected Oscar. They way he spoke to them when the battle was over. He had kept faith, and his god delivered them. And, at the time, I thought "…uh-oh."
Then the kids asked what the Relic of Knowledge could do, and Qrow looked at Ozpin as expectantly as any of them, and I got even more nervous.
And then Jinn showed up and all hell broke loose
Up until The Incident Qrow was always shown as trying to Do Good and Be Good—punching Oscar was wrong (obviously) but I always thought the scene worked well because it illustrated how badly Qrow was shaken by Ozpin not trusting him the way he thought.
It also sets upreally really good parallels between Salem&Ozpin and Tyrian&Qrow. Currently Salem and Ozpin have both set themselves up as gods—and they are both terrible gods—but Ozpin is a good man, so when he stops playing god things will improve. Then you look at the two followers, Tyrian is not following Salem blindly the way Qrow's been worshipping Oz, and every time they fight Tyrian wins. —they're all really good foils ok? I love these four
Basically, the whole fic was inspired by Vol6, don't @ me. Anyway. Ozpin and Qrow are fantastic characters and I hope they find happiness at the end of all this]