#I can’t not add cloqwork ok? not when the bodyguard/councilman dynamic is RIGHT THERE.

[rwby-necro-au-archive]

WELL NOW WE GOTTA KNOW! How DID Winter and Qrow’s first meeting go?

Two very different sides, to a very similar coin.

ASK AND YE SHALL RECIEVE. Anyways, to this anon, I am sorry that this took so long. This got buried in my inbox.

“I thought the point of leaving Atlas as kids was to, y’know, leave.” Qrow grumbled as the heels of his uncomfortable dress shoes clicked against the cold concrete, the man walking aside him sighed “I am aware love, believe me, I’d rather not be here either, but you know how dear General Ironwood feels about it.” Venom slipped into Ozpin’s tone at the mention of the General.

“General Ironwood. Aka the biggest pain in the ass you’ll ever meet.” Qrow rolled his eyes at the thought. He truly was just that, a dick. A misogynist, homophobic, racist, classist, the man checked all the wrong boxes. And let’s add the death of what was probably tens of millions at this point to the top of that list. Qrow mumbled as for the people around the two not to hear, “So what does Jiminny irondick want with you?” He could see Oz hold back a laugh, mentally celebrating his achievement at making Oz happy.

Ozpin spoke equally quiet “I’m not sure, you know how just great he is at communicating. It could be anything from discussing country relations to him ranting for a few hours at a party about how necromancers are “evil” and terrible.” Qrow piped up at the last part of Ozpin’s sentence, “Party?” He questioned, “Unfortunately.” Ozpin shook his head and laughed sadly “See, and I can’t even dance with you to make it even a little bit better for the both of us.” Qrow’s cheeks would’ve heated up from the comment if it weren’t for Atlas’s blistering cold.

He groaned anyway, “God is that why I’m dressed like this?!” He tugged at the coat he was wearing, Ozpin pouted at his reaction “I even picked that one out for you!” Ok. That was true. “Yeah and that’s the only reason I’m wearing it.” He sassed back, waving his hand at Oz.

“We’re here…” Ozpin grumbled. As the two stepped inside the mansion that was Ironwood’s “house”, it was a whole lot of what Qrow was expecting and a lot more. And not in a good way. Immediately one of his urges surfaced. Alcohol. The place smelled of smoke and alcohol. Great.

He looked up to see Ozpin with a similar expression to his own and quickly decided to mumble something to him, “If I can’t, neither can you.” Ozpin looked down at him and sighed before whispering back “I can’t promise he won’t offer anything. But I won’t.” “Good.”

Ignoring the smell, Qrow looked around, everything was white, the furniture, the lights, literally everything, it was almost sickening. The other guests practically blended into their surroundings like chameleons because of the colors, not like Qrow needed to acknowledge their existence anyway.

Before he could comment, Ozpin politely guided him over to who they would be talking to. Ironwood, but he wasn’t alone. Qrow cocked an eyebrow, “Whose that next to him?” Ozpin peered over to who he was referring to. She was a young woman, probably only in her mid to early twenties, with platinum white hair, pale complexion, and ice blue eyes. “Uniform.” Ozpin directed. Qrow looked at her uniform, right, of course. “Pursuer.” He muttered with disgust “Correct. His personal pursuer to be exact. She stays by him twenty four seven.” Ozpin explained.

So this chick was Ironwoods personal attack dog and protector. Ironic, you could’ve called Qrow the same thing, since that’s also his job. Although Oz doesn’t order him around like how Ironwood probably does that pursuer. As they approached, Ironwoods painfully loud and egotistical tone rang out “Well! If it isn’t Ozpin! You always were good with arriving directly on time!” “It’s good to see you too, General.” Ozpin replied bluntly and coldly.

Qrow hated this side of Ozpin, the cold and distant one, the one who rarely showed any emotion, empathy, or interest. But he had to in order to even have a chance at staying professional around Ironwood. Qrow’s gaze wandered away from Ozpin and to the young woman who was now on the other side of the mansion speaking with someone unimportant. He had still been listening to the conversation that the other two gentlemen were having when Ozpin introduced Qrow to Ironwood. That’s right, this was the first time he was ever meeting the man— correction, monster, in person.

“I don’t think you’ve met my personal protector, General, this is Qrow Branwen, Qrow, General Ironwood.” Ozpin introduced the two. Qrow said a quick hello and reluctantly shook the other man’s hand. He was throwing these gloves in the wash when they got back to the hotel. “If we’re doing introductions then here, Winter!” Ironwood barked and the young woman practically speed walked over to the 3 men. Ironwood glared at her before he turned to the other two, “My personal pursuer, Winter. Winter, these two men are Headmaster Ozpin and his personal pursuer Qrow.” Qrow mentally gagged at the title.

Winter saluted before speaking “It is a pleasure to meet both of you.” She replied in a monotonous voice. Qrow couldn’t help but look at her, there was nothing. Absolutely nothing behind those eyes, blank, husk like. No identity, no opinion, this was probably as close to a robot as you could get without them being an actual robot. It would’ve been disgusting if it wasn’t so sad.

Ozpin and Ironwood said their farewells to the other two as they both walked into Ironwoods office. If looks could burn, Qrow would’ve burned a hole through that stupid mahogany door. “I have heard that you pursuers in Vale have time to yourselves. It is customary that I ask what it is you do in that time.” Winter spoke in the same husk like voice from earlier, Qrow decided to humor her, if she could even feel humor. “Not that much, just lay around and relax. Sometimes I go visit family, sometimes I go out somewhere and do whatever they’ll let me do there.” Winter looked up at him out of the corner of her eye, “What is it like to “relax”?” She questioned, actually sounding slightly curious.

“Well, you’re not as tense, you get to do whatever you want with your own privacy. Stuff like that.” He mentally kicked himself at the last part, she wouldn’t know what other stuff was like that. She looked down, showed a slight shimmer of emotion, the most she had felt throughout their entire meeting, “It sounds nice. I cannot do that though.”

Qrow decided to try and get to know her better “So when did you join the battalion?” “8th grade, I was 13 years old.” “What was training like?” “Difficult. But I excelled in it, becoming the youngest pursuer to reach such a high rank.” Huh. Youngest and best, wish he could’ve said the same about his childhood. Speaking of childhood,

“What was your life like before you joined the battalion?” He asked. Winter opened her mouth to respond but then shut it. Qrow cocked an eyebrow at the reaction before looking directly at her expression. He couldn’t make out was she was feeling, was she confused? Hesitating? Conflicted? Or was it all 3? She swallowed and responded back, voice slightly shaking “I do not remember.”

Y’know, Qrow had always figured that they fucked up pursuers pretty bad, but to hear that they don’t even remember their life before they became pursuers still broke him in a way. These people weren’t just manipulated, they were fucking brainwashed.

Let’s add that under yikes and reasons to hate Ironwoods guts.

As Qrow and Ozpin stepped out of the mansion, Qrow couldn’t help but be disturbed by what he learned, his disturbance did not go unnoticed though. “What’s wrong love?” Ozpin spoke, tenseness in his voice, probably from speaking with Ironwood. Qrow shook his head “I’ll tell you when we get back to the hotel. It’s better that way, to not be in public.” He looked behind him at the people around them. Ozpin gave him a concerned look but nodded.

Once they arrived at the hotel, Qrow did what he mentally promised and threw his gloves in the wash, quickly putting another pair on. This was no place to take a chance like having his gloves off. As he walked out of the laundry room he found Ozpin flopped face down on the bed. He snickered at his boyfriends reaction, Ozpin moved his head so that he could see Qrow “Don’t laugh at me. Ironwood is bloody miserable to be around.” Ozpin grumbled.

Qrow walked over and sat on their shared bed, “Ok but can I tell you what was bothering me earlier then?” Ozpin rolled over onto his back and looked at Qrow “Go ahead love”. Ignoring the very very shirtless Oz in front of him, he swallowed down his flusteredness and spoke “These pursuers aren’t just being manipulated. They’re being straight up brainwashed. Ironwood’s personal pursuer, Winter? Can’t even remember her life before she became a pursuer.” Ozpin’s eyes widened in surprise and horror.

He put a hand over his face “Bloody hell… if Winter dealt with that then I wonder what the others have dealt with….I’d hate to think…” Ozpin rambled, “I’m glad you told me before you did anything because now I’m even more tense.”

Qrow raised an eyebrow, “did anything?” Ozpin uncovered his face and pointed at Qrow “You, are going to be a good boyfriend and give me a massage with your magic hands.” He spoke matter-of-factly.

“So we’re just gonna ignore what I said?” Qrow laughed, “We can worry about that later when I’m not as tense.” His boyfriend whined “Fine, brat.” Ozpin pouted at the comment.

Qrow couldn’t help but lay in bed wide awake that night. He couldn’t stop thinking. He just couldn’t. Not when Atlas is brainwashing people into being their own personal husks.

This was becoming a lot bigger than just the necromancers. And it wasn’t looking good. Especially since the healers look like Atlas’s next target for forcing into their military and/or persecuting.

Ironwood really will do anything to get what he wants huh?