"past the black where the sirens sing"
[part 4 of "between our hearts"]
18+ - no incest; step-relatives - explicit sex
“This is what you did, and that is who you are…"
Ruby and Qrow have reunited after a couple of weeks apart.
Their planned discussion about their relationship status would have happened two weeks out from then. And perhaps they could have made it that far… could have flown under the radar and stayed safe. Weathered the war memorial and Yang's birthday with none the wiser…
…But intimacy has made them careless.
And unfortunately for them, Ruby's team is home.
Takes place immediately after "on the eve of bittersweet"
There is a beat of stillness, just long enough for her to clue in to her trembling, her racing heart– Then Qrow's lips are crashing into hers.
The stubbled edges of his beard scrape and burn, and Ruby welcomes it. Some part of her wonders if it will show later, pink patches on her skin. Wonders if she’ll need concealer. But that’s only skin-deep. She has to find a way to conceal his effect on her, too.
And that’s always much more difficult, isn’t it? If only it could be disguised so easily. She’ll give them away to the whole world if she’s not careful. But even then…
Let this not be the last time, oh no. No. No.
He is solely focused on making her feel seen. And loved. And she pays him back in murmured praise, in clinging fingers. Tracing out hot paths with her tongue, biting lightly whenever he does something particularly pleasing. Then he's targeting her neck again, drawing blood to the surface with twists of his lips, delicate wrenches from the tips of his teeth, his canines- She is in pure euphoria, squirming and moaning and whining until he takes pity on her and kisses her fully.
Qrow’s lips are soft and warm like he’ll always be from here on out… Slow and hungry, both a reminder and a promise. Pressing in–
–until there is a thunderous crash in the undergrowth, and for one insane moment Ruby’s old training resurrects and she thinks: It’s a Grimm, come to take this away–
It dumps them out into reality. They both snap towards the noise…
…But no. No, it's way worse, holy shit. Her eyes focus on the intruder, then horror deluges her so firmly that goosebumps break out. Mouth parting-
She takes them both in, mouth parted too. Frozen to the ground, blinking rapidly, looking so fucking shocked. Bewildered and disoriented. Shading towards sheer disgust. Toward rage.
Her eyes narrow as she makes a series of rapidfire assessments. Crescent Rose and Harbinger are equidistant from all three of them, discarded and tangled in together. Qrow is watchful and wary, eyes flashing from his niece to their weapons, muscles coiling tight as his grip on Ruby lessens…
… and Ruby is flushed, hair mussed, lips swollen and aching. Caught in the crosshairs. She watches the light of realization flare up in Yang’s eyes. No–
And she can just see Blake and Weiss, busy preparing for brunch. Weiss waving off Yang’s offers to help. So Yang had probably messaged her and Uncle Qrow– and had gotten only silence. Well, fine, she might have thought. I can just walk over there. Fetch them both… Looked around and realized, right. Must be sparring too, so let me just–
Let me just find them, and all will be well. We’ll all be together again– her family.
–her coming alone is their only saving grace, Ruby understands with a cold drip of trepidation. Air fleeing her fast and hard as reality hits again.
And as Yang’s body and hair sparks up purple-red-yellow, Qrow lets go of Ruby, turning–
Gods, Ruby mourns as she drops down to her feet. This is going to hurt.
Part I: "but where's your heart?"
Part II: "on the eve of bittersweet"
Part III: "we can find a little hope"
Part IV: "past the black where the sirens sing"
Part V: "so here's my heart"
