#vanta branwen

[mlmshipbracket]

Fourth MLM Ship Bracket Propaganda Submissions

Below you will find all of the submitted and approved ships for the Fourth MLM Ship Bracket Tournament along with the form to submit further propaganda at the bottom

This is another opportunity to submit propaganda for your favorite ships. Wether you were unable to submit propaganda for them in the initial form or you spot your favorite ship who has no propaganda submitted. Ships with a strikethrough have propaganda submitted, I will continue to update this post as propaganda is submitted. I will accept further propaganda for ships with already submitted propaganda but please prioritize those with out.

The goal is to have propaganda for all ships but I understand that may not be possible. Therefore I will be leaving the form open for a few weeks to see if we receive propaganda for at least half the ships.

Note: Please reach out to me if you spot any mistakes in character or fandom names, even if it is only formatting or spelling issues.

Monkey D. Luffy/Roronoa Zoro (One Piece)

Kyojuro Rengoku/Akaza (Demon Slayer)

Mikhail”Misha” [Heavy]/Dr. Ludwig [Medic] (Team Fortress 2)

Dave Strider/Karkat Vantas (Homestuck)

Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng (Guardian, 2018)

Oliver Marks/James Farrow (If We Were Villains)

David Starsky/Kenneth "Hutch" Hutchinson (Starsky & Hutch)

Tinn/Gun (My School President)

Loki Odinson/Mobius M. Mobius (Loki)

Jaime Reyes/Bart Allen (DC Comics)

Levi Schmitt/Nico Kim (Grey's Anatomy)

Ren Amamiya or Akira Kurusu/Goro Akechi (Persona 5)

Wallace Price/ Hugo Freeman (Under the Whispering Door)

Daffy Duck/Bugs Bunny (Looney Toons)

Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan (Guardian, 2018)

Isak Valtersen/Even Bech Næsheim (SKAM)

Henry "Monty" Montague/Percy Newton (Montague Siblings)

Nico di Angelo/Will Solace (Camp Half-Blood Chronicles)

Argos/Mr. Plant (The World of Mr. Plant)

Richard St Vier/Alec Campion (Swordspoint Universe)

Klaus Hargreeves/Dave Katz (The Umbrella Academy)

Woody/Buzz Lightyear (Toy Story)

Victor Lawson/Hap (In the Lives of Puppets

Charlie/Babe (Pit Babe The Series)

Fred/Shaggy (Scooby-Doo)

Simon Snow/Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Grimm-Pitch (Carry On)

Gaius Octavius/Jedediah Smith (Night at the Museum)

Sound/Win (My School President)

Pat/Pran (Bad Buddy)

Mike Wazowski/James "Sulley" P. Sullivan (Monsters, Inc.)

Nicholas “Nick” Bell/ Seth Gray (The Extraordinaries)

Evan 'Buck' Buckley/Edmundo 'Eddie' Diaz (9-1-1)

Sean/White (Not Me: The Series)

Vegas Theerapanyakun/Pete Saengtham (Kinnporsche: The Series)

Runaan/Ethari (The Dragon Prince)

Larry Daley/Ahkmenrah (Night at the Museum)

Tintin/Captain Archibald Haddock (Tintin comics)

Bai Lang/Jin Xun An (My Tooth Your Love)

Napoleon Solo/Illya Kuryakin (The Man from U.N.C.L.E)

Wario/Waluigi (Mario franchise)

Peter Parker/Miguel O'Hará (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse)

Steve Rogers/Anthony "Tony" Stark (Marvel Comics)

Dave Miller/Jack "Old sport" Kennedy (Dayshift at Freddy's)

Boston/Nick (Only Friends)

Kinn Theerapanyakun/Porsche Kittisawasd (Kinnporsche: The Series)

Satoru Gojo/Suguru Geto (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Craig Cuttlefish/Octavio Takowasa (Splatoon)

Tulio/Miguel (The Road to El Dorado)

Sun Wukong/Neptune Vasilias (RWBY)

Zachary Ezra Rawlins/Dorian (The Starless Sea)

Fox Mulder/Alex Krycek (The X-Files)

Thomas/Newt (The Maze Runner)

Fulgrim/Ferrus Manus (Warhammer 40k)

Kim Theerapanyakun/Porchay Kittisawasd (Kinnporsche: The Series)

Alec Lightwood/Magnus Bane (The Mortal Instruments)

Tan/Bun (Manner of Death)

Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi (RWBY)

Rhy Maresh/Alucard Emery (Shades of Magic)

Yashiro Isana/Kuroh Yatogami (K Project)

Jaskier/Geralt of Rivia (The Witcher)

Dustfinger/Mortimer "Mo" Folchart (Inkworld series)

Brandon/Sky (Winx Club)

Phineas Taylor “P. T.” Barnum/Phillip Carlyle (The Greatest Showman)

Alfred Hillinghead/Henry Ashe (Bodies TV Show)

Baal/Inanna (The Wicked + the Divine)

Timothy "Tim" Drake/Bernard Dowd (DC Comics)

Vash the Stampede/Nicholas D. Wolfwood (Trigun Stampede)

Anthony Lockwood/Quill Kipps (Lockwood and Co)

Henry Winter/Francis Abernathy (The Secret History)

Crowley/Aziraphale (Good Omens)

Dainix/Falst (Aurora Comic)

Prince Rupert/Prince Amir (The Two Princes)

Finn/Poe Dameron (Star Wars)

Jean Luc Picard/Q (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

Will Stronghold/Warren Peace (Sky High)

Heart/Li Ming (Moonlight Chicken)

Wallace Wells/Todd Ingram (Scott Pilgrim Takes Off)

Sunai/Veyadi Lut (The Archive Undying)

Linus Baker/Arthur Parnassus (The House in the Cerulean Sea)

Aaron Slaughter/Jace Boucher (House of Slaughter)

Hercule Poirot/Captain Arthur Hastings (Hercule Poirot)

Phaya/Tharn (The Sign)

Hercules/Iolaus (Hercules: The Legendary Journeys)

Todd/Black (Not Me: The Series)

Julio "Rictor" Esteban Richter/Shatterstar (Marvel Comics)

Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishu (Word of Honor)

Siffrin/Isabeau (In Stars and time)

Kendall Knight/Logan Mitchell (Big Time Rush TV Show)

Yuichiro Hiyakuya/Mikaela Hyakuya (Owari no Seraph/Seraph of the End)

Palm/Nuengdiao (Never Let Me Go)

Khatha/Dome (Midnight Museum)

Asterix/Obelix (Asterix Comics)

Bowser/Luigi (Mario Franchise)

Lucien "Luc" O'Donnell/Oliver Blackwood (London Calling)

Kazuki Kurusu/Rei Suwa (Buddy Daddies)

Benjamin “Ben” Tennyson/Kevin Ethan Levin (Ben 10: Alien Force)

Lumière/Cogsworth (Beauty and the Beast)

Damian Wayne/Jon Kent (DC Comics)

Spy/Dell Conagher [Engineer] (Team Fortress 2)

Shanks/Buggy (One Piece)

Jesper Fahey/Wylan Van Ecks (Six of Crows)

Harold Finch/John Reese (Person of Interest)

Ulrich Stern/Odd Della Robbia (Code Lyoko)

Vincent Freeman/Jerome Morrow (Gattaca)

Eustass Kid/Killer (One Piece)

Christopher Hitchcock/Jalil Sherman (Everworld)

Frodo Baggins/Samwise Gamgee (Lord of the Rings)

Edgin Darvis/Xenk Yendar (Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves)

[asukafigure]

My kin sheet, larger images are stronger kins

Be afraid !!!

Names Under Cut.

Stanley Pines - Gravity Falls

Asuka Langley Sohryu/Shikinami * - NGE

Thistle - Dungeon Meshi

Cairngorm - Hoseki No Kuni

HERA - Wolf 359

The Knight - Hollow Knight

Misa Amane - Death Note

Natsuki - DDLC

Rarity - MLP

Tsumugi - DR3

Kokichi - DR3

Kotoko - DR UDG

Fuyuhiko - DR2

Toko - DR1 + DR UDG

Celeste - DR1

Weiss Schnee (+ other Schnee siblings) - RWBY

Rue - Princess Tutu

Neopolitan - RWBY

Sayaka - Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Nazuna Hiwatoshi - Brand New Animal

c!Tommyinnit - DSMP

Monoma Neito - BNHA

Karkat Vantas - Homestuck

Gamzee Makara - Homestuck

Pacifica Northwest - Gravity Falls

Vriska Serket - Homestuck

Anya - Mouthwashing

Grimm (all) - RWBY

Raven Branwen - RWBY

Haruhi Fujioka - OHSHC

The Thing - The Thing

Bakugou Katsuki - BNHA

Light Yagami - Death Note

*Asuka doesn't really count as a kin since I'm a fictive of her, but i put her on anyways.

[fire-the-headcanons]

Follow the Beacon Raven—Strictly Girl Time

[Link to Masterpost]

[Get in loser we’re going shopping (jk I love you all)]

"This one’s nice, but the red’s a little bright," Summer said, waving a sleeve in Raven’s face.

She backed away on reflex and swatted at it. "What are you doing?"

"Checking the color against your eyes. Ooh, this one’s not bad," Summer said, lifting one in a darker shade from the rack—though it had some ugly green ruffles along the cuffs and hem. "The lace wouldn’t be too difficult to pick off, and then we could put on some black trim instead. Unless you’d rather have black for the main color and use red for accents? There’s always lots of options in black."

"Um… I think I’d prefer long sleeves," she said, eyeing the dress’s thin straps. Gauntlets covered her brand most of the time, or the long-sleeved Beacon uniform, but either of those would be out of place at a party.

"Let’s look at black, then," Summer said, replacing the dress on the rack and rifling through the others. "I don’t see anything over here."

"...Why did you learn to sew?" Raven asked, following her down the aisle. From what she’d gathered, most students shared Tai’s attitude toward the skill—and then there was Summer, who could rival a lot of small towns’ tailors. She almost hated to admit it, but Summer was probably a little better with making new things, even if Raven was far more experienced with repair.

"The first year after we moved to Vale was hard. Dad had just died, and I couldn’t talk to any of my old friends…" she went quiet for a moment, hands hesitating on the fabric. "And we were living at Signal with our uncles while we looked for a house. Mom’s family made armor, so she grew up sewing. We made my Halloween costume together that year—she was trying to make me feel better, and help me get used to Vale since it was so different, and it just… we got a lot closer." Summer looked back up, beaming. "Halloween’s been my favorite holiday ever since!"

"That’s nice," Raven said, inspecting one dress that had good sleeves, but the gold applique on the waist looked too difficult to remove so she put it back. "We only learned so we could fix things. But it’s probably more fun when you’re not doing everything by hand."

"Ooh, what about this one?!" Summer demanded, holding up a long, flowing gown. It was fairly plain but the fabric was good quality. "It's practically a blank canvas!"

"I'll try it on and make sure it's big enough."

"I'll see if there's any curtains or skirts in your red we can take apart," Summer cackled, speeding out of the row.

Raven let her face slide back to neutral as the Huntress vanished. She still hadn't said anything about that night—but she would, there was no question. Raven had never seen her so angry.

The fitting room door creaked as she pulled it closed and slid the flimsy latch into place.

What did Summer expect from her? Qrow would know what to do—this all came so naturally to him. Talking to the teachers. Joining in Summer and Tai's jokes. Raven only felt lost.

If they got caught it would be her fault.

If they died it would be her fault.

The dress slid easily over her head, hanging loose on her shoulders as she tugged the skirt down over her pants. It was a little too big—perfect for altering—and the sleeves were form-fitting enough to hide her wrist. It would have to be enough.

"Raven?"

"Here." She didn't give herself time to think about it and headed back out into the store.

Summer beamed. Red spilled from her arms—she'd found the curtains she hoped for. "Do you like it?"

"Um—" Raven glanced down at her arms. The thought hadn't even crossed her mind. But the style was simple and elegant, and the silky fabric draped in a way that was…well, dramatic, fluttering around her ankles when she moved. "Yes. I do."

Summer squeaked happily, clapping awkwardly but excitedly around the bundle. "Perfect! That was easy. Change back and let's grab something to eat, I'm starving."

Raven nodded, retreating back into the little stall. It was a nice dress… and it would be good to have something in her own colors. The armor that Beacon let her commission was the best clothing she had ever owned. And probably worth more than everything she'd ever stolen.

Most Branwens wore raided farmers' clothing, and that went double for the children. No point in making something better for someone who would grow out of it in a year.

She pulled her hair out from under her collar and finished tugging her shirt into place, staring at the dress hanging from the back of the door. Someone in Vale had thrown it away, basically. Something richer than Raven ever had before entering the Academy. She'd never thought of the tribe as poor, but now the idea sat as out of place in her mind as a parrot in a snowstorm.

"Come on," Summer said eagerly, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the line for the cashier. "Any ideas how you want to spruce it up?"

Raven stared at the dark silk in her hands. The Huntress had to be doing this for a reason, and she couldn't stand the waiting anymore. "Is this about Qrow?"

"Nah, I wouldn't ask him to wear a skirt again."

"...You know what I mean." Her fury that night, shoving Raven away from her brother. Sitting with him until they both fell asleep in each other's arms. She didn't really think either of them had done anything, but it still… felt like it meant… something.

What if it meant he wouldn't need her anymore?

Summer's brightness dimmed slightly, to a more manageable level. "…No, it's not about Qrow. It's about you."

Finally. They could get it over with.

"Yeah, see? That's what I mean. You hate me." She frowned, reconsidering for a moment. "...Or you hate everyone and I'm just next to you. I don't think I've ever seen you talk to someone who's not on our team…"

"I—I don't—"

"Raven, you don't have to like me," Summer said. That was… unexpected. "But we need to be able to work together and we can't do that if we're always at each other's throats. ...I'm the team leader, I'm responsible for making sure the three of you are okay. I just… I need to understand you better. What… what do you really think about me?"

About Summer? She was a Huntress. Completely at home in battle and fearless of flying in ways that made Raven feel ill just to think about. There was fire inside her—the same roaring blaze Bones had, and that Raven and Vanta could only ever hope to imitate. She was flawless strength. A forceful leader. Everything Raven wished she could be.

And yet, she coddled a man while he cowered and cried because of a dream.

"I don't…" Raven scowled at the dirty white flooring, trying to find words for the frustration. "I can't understand you. So many people in our class have never even left the cities—they have no idea what the world is like, but… you do. You've lost people. Lost your home. You've lived at the edge of the wild and at least have the sense to understand that there are things you don't know, things you haven't seen. And yet you still… you still hold onto childish things. Like the comics." She looked back at the Huntress's face. "I don't get it. What good is that fantasy?"

"I know the world is dark and horrible." Summer stared her square in the eye. "I'm going to make it better."

Raven snorted, without thinking. "What makes you think you can fix the world?"

"I didn't say fix." The words were as unyielding as her stance. "As long as we have Choice, some people are going to make bad ones—but I'm not going to stand on the sidelines and watch it happen. I'm going to make things better."

"...and the comics?"

"Gotta know what I'm aiming for. And, y'know, it's fun."

"But you'll never win."

"Well, all the best goals are unattainable."

Raven blinked. "…Huh?"

"I'll never be the best Huntress on Remnant, but I'll be better for trying. We can't eradicate the Grimm but we can't stop fighting. Nothing will ever be perfect—but that's not an excuse to give up. It's the reason that we can't."

Raven's hands tightened on the fabric as her gaze slid back to the floor. "...I don't think things can get better."

"But they have!" Summer said, surprised. "Look at what humanity has done in the past sixty years! The four Kingdoms are working together, fighting the Grimm instead of each other. You know two years ago had the lowest number of Grimm fatalities in recorded history? People are living longer. There's less hunger. Things are slowly improving between humans and the faunus. Child mortality is the lowest it's ever been. We're eradicating diseases—everything has gotten better."

The cashier beckoned them forward, and Raven set the dress on the counter while Summer handed over a few Lien. "...You didn't... really want to become a huntress, did you," she murmured. "You came here because of Qrow."

There wasn't a reason to lie. "...Yes."

"Well… what would you do? If you could do anything you wanted, what would you be?"

Anything? She'd get out of this den of lions and go back where she belonged, with Qrow and Vanta and Bones, where she was free and powerful, with the promise that one day they would lead their people.

But Bones was dead. Their only way forward was to kill Vanta. And Qrow…

"I can't do whatever I want," Raven said. "That's not how the world works."

Summer snorted. "And that's not how the game works. Come on—you're both safe no matter what you choose. You can go anywhere in the world and do anything you want. Even if it sounds silly." She scanned around the store, looking for something, and her eyes fell on a poster. "You could be a, a movie star! Or a Councilwoman!"

A Councilwoman. Raven nearly laughed—wouldn't that be rich.

"Okay, okay, I get it," Summer said, accepting their bag and thanking the cashier. "What about a teacher, like Professor Mesánychta—you like working with her, right? Or—oh, or a sailor! You could work on boats and see the world. And they're always hiring Huntsmen for protection, Qrow could go with you." beat "Being a Huntress or a farmer aren't your only choices."

...It had been nice. The salt smell of the ocean. Wind strong enough to make her feel like she was flying, without the sick twist in her stomach. Nothing on the horizon to hide attackers and some kind of Dust machinery scanning for Grimm below.

But no. The tribe—her family—needed her. She'd go home.

Wouldn't she?

"I don't know," Raven said, praying it was a lie. "...What about you?"

"Me? I—I've always wanted to be a Huntress. I…" her voice trailed off, brow furrowing. "...I'd go back to Anima and visit my dad."

"The… one that died?"

Summer snorted, but somehow in a way that didn't make Raven feel stupid. "No, the one that can fly and shoot lasers from his eyes."

How did she always do that? No matter what she said it never felt like an accusation. "I… I meant… why haven't you?"

"Mom always said it wasn't safe." She glared at her knees, hands tightening on the bag. "I guess… I guess I always knew someone killed him. I just didn't want to believe it."

Gods, what was she supposed to say? People weren't supposed to talk about the dead. "...I'm sorry."

"You two don't talk about family besides each other. ...Did you ever… get to meet your parents?"

"We knew our father." Raven answered, but the Huntress seemed to expect more. "He… started our training. Before the Huntsman. ...He was good to us."

"Let's write them letters."

Raven was startled enough to meet her eye. "Huh?"

"Since Mom and I can't visit him we both write him letters instead, and burn them so they'll reach the afterlife." Summer dug the receipt out of the bag and tore it in half, leaving two hand's length pieces. "I promise it helps. Here—" she grabbed a couple pens from the basket next to the register and passed one to Raven along with half the paper.

"But—"

Summer grabbed her hand and dragged her over to the furniture section near the front window, plopping down on a little couch and dragging Raven with her.

But it was stupid to talk to someone who couldn't talk back, and weakness that she still wanted to. "...I wouldn't know what to say."

"Just tell him you miss him," she said, spreading out her scrap on the short table placed between the rows of seats and beginning to write.

Raven stared down at the pen. This was objectively pointless.

Hello— she hesitated for half a moment, but no. It was too strange. —Bones. The words were tiny, too small for Summer to read over her shoulder. I miss you. I know it makes me weak. I don't want to stay in this place. Her eyes stung. They're going to kill Qrow and it's going to be my fault because I can't pretend to be one of them. I don't understand them. I don't understand him anymore either. He wants to die. It hurt when you died. It hurt so much I can still feel it burning sometimes. I wanted to learn from you and not Huntresses. If I tell Qrow how to control the tribe then he won't need me anymore. If I stay here they'll kill me. Did it hurt when yo

Raven gritted her teeth, resisting the urge to throw the pen aside and leave. This was stupid—she sounded like a frightened child.

Something brushed her shoulder and she recoiled, but the Huntress pulled her into an embrace anyway.

Next Chapter: Taiyang—A Glass of Punch

[fire-the-headcanons]

Oh hey it's Vanta's name and allusion on my dash again

if you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to live in the midwest, this is it. 

[horrorhare]

EVERYTHING AT ONCE

—

HOOOLY shit it’s finally done. I think I started this piece in June??? It took a lot out of me but god damn I’m so happy to have it be done. This piece was inspired by Shintaro Kago’s artwork, considering I’d see it a lot in the thumbnails of breakcore songs. Tell me in the tags your favorite thing you recognize 👁

[fandom]

2020′s Top Ships

Basically, there is only one OTP, and it's whoever you like together best. 

Reylo +6 Rey & Kylo Ren, the Star Wars universe

Catradora +10 Catra & Adora, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

Reddie +1 Richie Tozier & Eddie Kaspbrak, It

Geraskier Geralt of Rivia & Jaskier, The Witcher

Ineffable Husbands -4 Aziraphale & Crowley, Good Omens

Zukka Zuko & Sokka, Avatar: The Last Airbender

Lumity Luz Noceda & Amity Blight, The Owl House

Supercorp +5 Kara Danvers & Lena Luthor, Supergirl

Jikook -4 Park Jimin & Jeon Jungkook, BTS

Destiel +10 Dean Winchester & Castiel, Supernatural

Kiribaku +3 Kirishima Eijirou & Bakugou Katsuki, Boku No Hero Academia

Bumbleby +3 Yang Xiao Long & Blake Belladonna, RWBY

Wangxian +61 Lan Wangji & Wei Wuxian, Mo Dao Zu Shi

Jonmartin Jonathan Sims & Martin Blackwood, The Magnus Archives

Bakudeku +3 Bakugou Katsuki & Midoriya Izuku, Boku No Hero Academia

Drarry +6 Draco Malfoy & Harry Potter, the Harry Potter universe

Gallavich Ian Gallagher & Mickey Milkovich, Shameless

Stucky -2 Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes, the Marvel universe

Zutara Zuko & Katara, Avatar: The Last Airbender

Klance -18 Keith & Lance, Voltron: Legendary Defender

Preath +6 Christen Press & Tobin Heath, Athletes

Korrasami +38 Korra & Asami Sato, The Legend of Korra

Bellarke -14 Bellamy Blake & Clarke Griffin, The 100

ZaDr +23 Zim & Dib, Invader Zim

FinnPoe Finn & Poe Dameron, the Star Wars universe

Buddie Evan Buckley & Edmundo Diaz, 9-1-1

Tododeku -6 Todoroki Shouto & Midoriya Izuku, Boku No Hero Academia

Entrapdak +60 Entrapta & Hordak, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

Sasusaku -1 Uchiha Sasuke & Haruno Sakura, Naruto

Wayhaught +21 Waverly Earp & Nicole Haught, Wynonna Earp

Ballum +50 Ben Mitchell & Callum Highway, EastEnders

Harringrove -1 Steve Harrington & Billy Hargrove, Stranger Things

Kagehina Kageyama Tobio & Hinata Shouyou, Haikyuu!!

Joe x Nicky Joe (Yusuf Al-Kaysani) & Nicky (Niccolò di Genova), The Old Guard

Erasermic +4 Aizawa Shouta & Yamada Hizashi, Boku no Hero Academia

Maribat Marinette Dupain-Cheng & Damian Wayne, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir x The DC Universe

Hannigram +31 Hannibal Lecter & Will Graham, Hannibal

Shirbert Anne Shirley & Gilbert Blythe, Anne with an E

Wolfstar +6 Remus Lupin & Sirius Black, the Harry Potter universe

Harlivy  Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy, the DC Universe

Phan -35 Daniel Howell & Phil Lester, YouTubers

Merthur +17 Merlin & Arthur Pendragon, Merlin

Larry Stylinson +30 Harry Styles & Louis Tomlinson, One Direction

Rayllum +42 Callum & Rayla, The Dragon Prince

Malex -1 Michael Guerin & Alex Manes, Roswell, New Mexico

Adrienette -13 Adrien Agreste & Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir

Ladynoir -7 Ladybug & Chat Noir, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir

Connverse Connie Maheswaran & Steven Universe, Steven Universe

Sterek -3 Stiles Stilinski & Derek Hale, Teen Wolf

Marichat -14 Marinette Dupain-Cheng & Chat Noir, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir

Stony -32 Steve Rogers & Tony Stark, the Marvel universe

Dabihawks Dabi & Hawks, Boku no Hero Academia

Villaneve Villanelle & Eve Polastri, Killing Eve

Prinxiety +30 Princey & Anxiety, Thomas Sanders

IronStrange -30 Tony Stark & Dr. Steven Strange, the Marvel universe

Robbe x Sander Robbe Ijzermans & Sander Driesen, WTFock

Percabeth Percy Jackson & Annabeth Chase, Percy Jackson & the Olympians

Taekook -23 Kim Taehyung & Jeon Jungkook, BTS

Kataang Katara & Aang, Avatar: The Last Airbender

Bughead -19 Betty Cooper & Jughead Jones, Riverdale

Kaylor -23 Karlie Kloss & Taylor Swift, celebrities

Sprousehart -32 Cole Sprouse & Lili Reinhart, Actors

Narumitsu Phoenix Wright & Miles Edgeworth, Ace Attorney

Fair Game Clover Ebi & Qrow Branwen, RWBY

NaLu -12 Natsu Dragneel & Lucy Heartfilia, Fairy Tail

Caryl Carol Peletier & Daryl Dixon, The Walking Dead

Beaujester Beauregard & Jester Lavorre, Critical Role

Dramione Draco Malfoy & Hermione Granger, the Harry Potter universe

Radiodust Alastor & Angel Dust, Hazbin Hotel

Deckerstar Chloe Decker & Lucifer Morningstar, Lucifer

Bokuaka Bokuto Kotarou & Akaashi Keiji, Haikyuu!!

Malec -64 Magnus Bane & Alec Lightwood, Shadowhunters

Spirk +18 Spock & James Kirk, Star Trek

Davekat +24 Dave Strider & Karkat Vantas, Homestuck

Charlastor Charlie Magne & Hazbin Alastor, Hazbin Hotel

Elsamaren Elsa & Honeymaren, Frozen II

Clexa -1 Clarke Griffin & Commander Lexa, The 100

Cloti Cloud Strife & Tifa Lockhart, the Final Fantasy franchise

Kylux Kylo Ren & General Hux, the Star Wars universe

Glimbow Glimmer & Bow, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

WhiteRose Weiss Schnee & Ruby Rose, RWBY

Juliantina -79 Juliana Valdés & Valentina Carvajal, Amar a muerte

Snowbaz -13 Simon Snow & Tyrannus Basilton Grimm-Pitch, Carry On

Vmin -19 Kim Taehyung & Park Jimin, BTS

Zelink +12 Zelda & Link, The Legend of Zelda

Elu -60 Eliott Demaury & Lucas Lallemant, SKAM France

Lukanette -32 Luka Couffaine & Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir

Tarlos TK Strand & Carlos Reyes, 9-1-1: Lone Star

Peraltiago -4 Jake Peralta & Amy Santiago, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Widojest Caleb Widogast & Jester Lavorre, Critical Role

Dimileth +9 Dimitri & Byleth, Fire Emblem

Solangelo Will Solace & Nico di Angelo, Percy Jackson

Iwaoi Iwaizumi Hajime & Oikawa Tooru, Haikyuu!!

Johnlock -27 John Watson & Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock

Pynch Adam Parrish & Ronan Lynch, The Raven Cycle

Reed900 Gavin Reed & RK900, Detroit: Become Human

Cazzie Casey Gardner & Izzie, Atypical

Frenrey Gordon Freeman & Benrey, Half-Life VR but the AI is Self-Aware

Todobaku Todoroki Shouto & Bakugou Katsuki, Boku no Hero Academia

Kristanna Kristoff Bjorgman & Anna, Frozen

The number in italics indicates how many spots a ship moved up or down from the previous year. The ones in bold weren’t on the list last year.

[eldritchdraaks]

Ikkicon XII - Day One (7⁄7) Judy & Nick ~ @gottcosplay Spongebob ~ @sparklevamp Tyrian! Karkat ~ @6scorpiansarcasm9 Qrow ~ @aimedcrit

[fire-the-headcanons]

Follow the Beacon

Raven—A Mother’s Love

[Link to Masterpost]

[TW for abuse, self-harm]

Raven turned the page, scowling. As if A Prison of Soil hadn't been melodramatic enough, the sequel was somehow worse. When were these morons going to fight, already? It was a miracle they hadn't attracted every Grimm between them and the next village with all their whining and crying. She had a sneaking suspicion whoever made up the story had never left the city in their life.

She paused, glancing over her shoulder as the door creaked open and Qrow slouched in. He seemed exhausted, and less than pleased. Maybe the day's work hadn't gone well. Figures he'd want a weapon so complicated it didn't even work correctly while it was still in the forge.

"How's the toy?" she asked, trying to sound unconcerned.

"Finished the frame," he mumbled, leaning his current sword against the bed before crawling onto it. "How's the book?"

"Finished it." She held up What Lies Beneath long enough for him to see the cover. "This one's terrible too. "Did you eat?"

"Maybe later."

She shrugged, turning back to the story. Qrow would see she was right eventually—and if things continued this badly he'd come around sooner rather than later.

".....Raven?"

"What?" she set down the book, hoping he'd want to get food or have some other reprieve from the boredom, but he didn't speak again. She sat up, letting her legs hang off the side, staring at the back of his head. Still nothing. Irritated, she asked again, "What?!"

"If…if they find out what we are..." he mumbled like a frightened child, setting her teeth on edge. "If they come for us…leave me behind."

Shock rooted her in place. "...what?"

He spoke again, steadier. "If they find out, go back to Anima and leave me here."

"They'll kill you!"

"We have to protect the tribe, that was the whole point of this," he said, certain now, though he didn't sit up or face her. "You can't risk us both if something goes wrong. One of us has to make it back."

"Did Vanta put you up to this?" she demanded, grabbing his shoulder and dragging him around to face her. He yelped, shoving her away, and massaged it with his other hand.

"No," he hissed, finally sitting up. "But if you ask her she'll agree. Because I'm right about this."

"I'm not leaving you to die!"

"Hopefully you won't have to. It's just a precaution," he said lightly, as if discussing homework. He pushed past her to his closet, opening it and rifling through. "I'm gonna get some sleep. You should too, aren't you leaving early with Port and Mesánychta tomorrow?" He threw a change of clothes over his shoulder and left the room before she had regained enough sense to move.

It was just stupid, it took her less than a second to open a portal. One jump to him, one jump home, and then they were free and safe.

But those words didn't sound like his, either. Hissing under her breath, she reached for a different lifeline and pulled.

"What did you say to him?" she demanded, stepping into the predawn darkness of Vanta's tent. She sat on her bedroll, cleaning her knives from the night's work.

"How lovely to see you as well, Raven," she replied icily, a moment before something struck the back of Raven's head. She spun away, whirling to face the new threat, her knife in her hand instantly.

"You should treat your leader with more respect," Sanguin hissed.

"Enough," Vanta said, holding a hand out. "Leave. The poor child is clearly confused. I'll speak with her." He smirked, but followed her order.

Raven tucked her knife away again. "You seem to be enjoying yourself."

"And you seem to have forgotten the apparent danger you're in. Are you able to report to me or not, Raven?"

"What did you say to Qrow."

Vanta scowled. "Nothing. I can't speak to him without your Semblance, idiot girl. What are you learning in that school?"

"You went to Mistral, you sent a message," Raven decided. "The plan makes no sense—you're just trying to find a way to get rid of him!"

"What plan?" she demanded. "I haven't seen the little shit since he ran out of here a month ago with his tail between his legs."

"I'm not leaving him behind!"

A flash of white light blinded her, and she stumbled back with knife raised. The back of her leg hit something and she fell, hard, pressure on her wrist wrenching the weapon from her grip.

"Either start talking sense, or get out of my sight!" Vanta seized her hand and Raven's eyes flew open as claws tore at her raised arm. The whip coiled around her waist, over her shoulder and around her right arm all the way to the wrist. Talons of air Dust dug into her skin where Vanta's Semblance disrupted her shields, sending waves of fire up to her shoulder.

"He—" she bit back another cry of pain as another shard broke her skin. "He told me to leave him if we get caught!"

"Did he," Vanta murmured, and the whip uncoiled almost of its own accord, the Dust glowing lazily. Raven struggled to her hands and knees to let it uncurl from her waist. "And why's that?"

"He—said it was too much of a risk—it didn't make sense," Raven said, hugging her arm and forcing aura into the still-stinging cuts.

Vanta smiled into the distance as her whip curled itself at the small of her back. "So. Qrow's finally decided to accept some responsibility for the safety of the tribe."

"W-what?"

"And you want to stop him?" she demanded, turning on Raven again.

"They'll—they'll kill him."

"They'd better, if they can't teach him to control himself."

Raven's eyes widened. "B-but—"

Vanta glared at her. "Qrow is weak. He only survived because Bones protected him, and look where that got him. He was stronger than any of us." She crossed to the small chest at the foot of her bed and rummaged inside it, withdrawing a ceramic jug. "Your brother needs to toughen up on his own, Raven. If you take over for your father you'll only meet the same fate."

She fought to keep her expression neutral. ...Qrow had come too close to killing her too many times. Vanta was right—but Raven was even weaker. She depended on him.

"But there's always a chance he's planning to betray us," she murmured, rummaging through her things. "I want to speak to him. Bring him to me."

"What…" her voice was barely a squeak. "What if he won't come?"

Vanta fixed her with a furious stare. "Then you know what we do to traitors. Get him."

Next Chapter: Summer—Trust

[fire-the-headcanons]

Follow the Beacon Qrow—Kill Me Yourself

[Link to Masterpost]

[Wait where did the fluff go]

"I'm coming to Vale with you."

Qrow paused, glancing up from the bottom of his closet and forgetting the search for his wallet for a moment. "Why?"

"You shouldn't go alone."

"I'll be fine," he muttered, shoving it in his pocket before straightening up and closing the door.

"She's right," Summer said quickly. "And it's not like she's going to study anyway."

He scowled at his sister. Last thing he needed was to give her a chance to drag him off to Anima again—he hadn't even been alone with her in a week.

"You can decide where we go," Raven murmured. "I just want to get out of the castle for a while."

"Fine," he muttered, brushing past her and out of the room. Just his luck. Two thousand miles from home and they were still getting ordered out on missions together. 

Neither of them spoke again until they were safely lost in the crowd of Vale's streets, easily ignored by the sea of people around them.

"She's just trying to make you stronger."

"I don't want to talk about her."

"Qrow, she raised us!"

"I know you've been going to see her." Most nights, just before dawn—he'd seen her leave a couple of times. Now that Bones was dead there was only one other person on Remnant that she could portal to.

"She's concerned about the mission. We've attracted a lot more attention than we planned, and your grades are too high. It'll attract even more."

Qrow tensed. He needed those grades—needed to earn Valian citizenship.  Nowhere in Anima would be safe once Vanta figured out he'd betrayed the tribe and Vacuo probably wouldn't be much better. "And how exactly does Vanta know what my grades are?"

"Is this some kind of game to you?" Raven snapped, seizing his arm. "I'm not going to get caught and killed so that you can keep up your stupid rivalry with Dan. We need to blend in, stay beneath notice. I think Ozpin is onto us."

His heart squeezed painfully. "What? Why?"

"His extra testing doesn't seem strange to you?" she demanded. "He's never had any of the others do the course in pairs, only STRQ."

"He's just trying to make a point about teamwork," Qrow muttered, stepping forward again. "You're reading too much into it."

"Even if you're right, it's attention we don't need. And he wouldn't have singled us out if we didn't have the best time."

"I'm not sabotaging Summer and Tai."

"You mean the Huntress and Huntsman whose job it is to destroy us?" Raven demanded, yanking him to a stop. "If you won't listen to me, Vanta will want to talk to you again. I'm trying to protect you."

He wrenched his arm from her grasp. "If you want to protect me, tell her it's too dangerous to keep visiting. Tell her you're worried about getting caught coming back and you can't contact her anymore."

"Fine. If you let your grades drop."

Qrow gritted his teeth, rubbing his face as he hissed in frustration.

"You're acting like a child!"

"You really think my grades are more dangerous than your visits? Which one do you really think is going to attract more attention?"

She fell silent, fuming, and he turned and toward their usual shop. Out of the crowd she'd have to stay quiet. After a moment she followed, staying just a step behind him. He watched her reflection in the store windows they passed, ready to fight her off this time if she tried to shove him through a portal, but he made it into the store without incident.

"...How do you do it?"

"Do what?" he snapped, locating Summer's shampoo and snatching a bottle from the shelf.

"You're not afraid of them."

"Of course I…" he trailed off. That wasn't true, was it—he'd felt safer with the two of them than with his own sister for the past week. "…They're not looking for a reason to hurt us. Not like she does."

"She's trying to make you strong enough to survive."

"She's trying to keep us weaker than her," he growled, stepping back toward the storefront. They quietly paid for their things and headed back out onto the street before he continued. "The first thing you said when I suggested coming to Beacon was that we could lead the tribe if we could fight like Huntsmen. Where's Vanta in that little fantasy?"

"I thought that was the point of all this," she snapped. "Without Bones, the tribe needs us. I thought you were trying to make up for killing him."

It was like a fist to the gut, a physical sensation, and he nearly doubled over. Without a word he turned and walked in the opposite direction, not really caring where he was headed. Even Raven. Even Raven blamed him. ...She was right to but it still hurt. 

How long until she turned on him too?

"Qrow. Qrow!"

She grabbed his shoulder, dragging him down a side street, and adrenaline surged through him like a spark of electric Dust. He sprang away, drawing his sword and watching for a portal under or behind him.

"Qrow?" she looked bewildered, lost. Satisfied she wouldn't jump him again, he folded the blade down and clipped it under his cape.

"I'm not talking to Vanta and I'm not sabotaging my grades," he snapped. "So you can stop telling her my business or you can kill me yourself."

She shook her head, still disbelieving, but she didn't try to attack or use her Semblance. With a grunt of frustration, she turned back toward the mouth of the alley. "I need a drink."

I don't want to steal anymore, he wanted to shout, but he was asking for too much already. He sank against the wall as she walked back out of the alley. She was right, he shouldn't trust Summer and Tai. If—when—they found out…

The sound of Raven's portal opening sent a second flash of panic through him, but the rend wasn't even big enough for a dog to step through. A bottle fell from it instead, falling a couple inches and landing unbroken with a loud clink. Slowly, he released the hilt again.

Another minute passed, and she reappeared at the mouth of the alley with a faint smile. "See? Easy. I didn't even have to get near the shelf." 

Qrow just passed her the bottle and watched as she uncapped it. Gods, he wanted a drink. When she passed it back he couldn't resist, just let the whiskey burn away all the worry and panic with the promise that he wouldn't care about it in a few minutes.

"Slow down, we have to be able to get back into school," Raven snapped, snatching it back. "Someone will ask questions if you can't walk a straight line."

[I want the fluff back]

Next Chapter: Raven—Separate Ways

[fire-the-headcanons]

Follow the Beacon Qrow—Empty Threat

Proceed with caution.

[Link to Masterpost]

"Vanta wants to talk to you."

He paused in the open door—Raven sat curled up on her bed, book abandoned next to her. Her bangs hanging over her face didn't quite hide the redness. She'd been crying.

"Does she want to kill me or thank me for doing it for her?" he muttered, tossing his uniform in the bottom of his closet.

"Do you think this is funny?"

"I just want to know what I'm walking into," he groused, reaching for his belt, intending to throw it on over the old clothes he was wearing—but changed his mind, opening his closet again to grab his combat gear. Armor wasn't a bad idea. And if she was going to kill him, he wanted to die like a Huntsman.

"She agreed with you."

Somehow, being right didn't make him feel any better. "Then what does she want?" He changed quickly, leaving the cape hanging in the closet.

"She didn't say."

He started tidying his hair, with a nervous twinge in his gut at what Vanta might say about the color. "And you still disagree?"

"It only takes a second for me to grab you. It's ridiculous."

"They know how your Semblance works," he said dully, returning the comb to the drawer and stringing his sword's magnetic clip onto his belt. He'd had plenty of time to puzzle out the details of his story. "They'll come for me first. Use me as bait."

"Then we should just go!" she shouted, jumping to her feet. "There's no way we can keep our cover for four years, Qrow! Look at how much has already gone wrong!"

"You can go if you want. I'm staying."

She grabbed him by the bad shoulder again, yanking him around, and he seized her wrist with a hiss of pain.

"Do you want to die?!"

"No." He gestured at the blank space between his desk and the closet door. "Best not keep her waiting."

Raven scowled, gesturing at the wall, and the portal hissed open.

"The Huntsman returns." They were in her tent again, and she was sitting on a mat in front of a low table bearing a couple cups and a jug. She gestured to a second mat. "Take a seat."

He knelt, ready to spring back to his feet at a moment's notice. The rest of the camp was quiet—it would probably be sometime in the early morning here—but he didn't trust that Sanguin or one of the others wasn't waiting just outside the tent.

"Raven tells me that you've finally decided to take some responsibility for my brother's death." She reached out and unstopped the bottle, and instantly the moonshine's fumes hit his nose like a blow to the face. As she poured, he did a few mental calculations on how much he could have and still be able to function at the forge tomorrow. Assuming he made it out of this meeting.

"I'm proud of you," she continued, handing him a glass. "Raven will come to understand in time."

He poured the liquor down his throat and set the cup back on the table.

"I wanted to apologize for your last visit… my temper got away from me. I'll not the leader that he was." She drained her own before pouring them both a second round. "But aren't you glad now that you listened, and lowered your grades? I don't say things just to say them, Qrow. I really do know what's best. I'm just trying to look out for you—I don't understand why you have to fight me so much."

Her tone made his blood boil. He was never sure if she was trying to goad him into attacking her when she talked like that, but he certainly didn't dare rise to it.

"What is your plan of escape?"

"Oh, y'know. See if I can get lucky," he lied, and emptied the second glass. "Without Raven there I don't exactly have to hold back. Then stow away on a ship, make my way home." Vanta reached out to take the cup again, but he avoided her hand, setting it rim down on the table. "I have to work early tomorrow."

"And if you're captured?" she asked quietly. "How are we to know there won't be any surprises?"

Ah. So that's why she wanted to talk. "I have no clue where we are," he said, slowly and clearly. "Besides. I wouldn't do that to Raven."

"There are other things you could tell them."

"They already know how your Semblance works," he snapped. "The tribe will be safe as long as you leave the Mistral road alone. They're more concerned with protecting their trade networks than dirt-poor farmers that can't afford to buy them votes. You'll have a few years to prepare, at least."

She smiled, reaching out to run her hand through his hair. "I'm so glad you've found your purpose, little bird. I think my brother would be proud, don't you?"

Would Bones want him dead? Qrow's eyes drifted across the little scrap of fabric covering his brand, and swallowed the memory of how he'd earned it. Months of blistering fury and burned villages, revenge for the Mathon tribe. "…Yeah. Maybe."

"You should take the rest home," Vanta said, re-stopping the bottle and pressing it into Qrow's hands. "I imagine it's been hard on you, hiding behind enemy lines."

"I'm strong enough to handle it," he said evenly, getting back to his feet. "But thanks."

"Goodbye, little bird. Take care of your sister."

He paused, an inch from the portal, and glanced back. "…I'm going to watch over Raven, after."

She exhaled sharply, a quiet, derisive snort.

"If you turn on her…" he grasped for something that could make Vanta feel anything other than contempt. "...Watch your luck. It might run out on you someday."

She only smiled. Qrow turned and stepped through the portal—it hardly mattered. One way or another, he wouldn't see her again.

"What did she say?" Raven demanded.

He set his sword on the desk and took off his shoes before crawling onto the bed to stash the jug. "Just wanted to make sure I wouldn't lead the Huntsmen to the tribe if I get caught."

"Qrow—"

"Good night." He pulled the blankets over himself, still facing away from her. "Have fun hunting tomorrow, if you leave before I'm up." He forced himself to think about the Mk. II, and what they had to get done the next day, ignoring Raven's sniffles from the next bed over.

[I see Shit and Fan are becoming good friends!]

Next Chapter: Taiyang—A Taupe Choice

[fire-the-headcanons]

The door had barely closed behind them when Raven hissed, "Why did you have to tell him bandits killed our parents? If you had just kept your mouth shut he'd fail us on the assignment and be done with it."

"He could tell we were upset," he mumbled.

"I don’t want to tell some Huntsman how to kill our family," she spat, almost throwing the door open ahead of her. The light outside was just beginning to dim, the days getting shorter as it got colder. "I need a drink."

"We don't have much left," Qrow murmured. "...Now I wish I'd saved Tai's beer."

"I think it's about time we got some more."

"How?"

"Easily," she said with a smile. "I go into a convenience store, walk past the liquor, and a couple bottles disappear off the back of the shelf. Don't even have to touch them."

Oh. Right. "...Do we have to steal?"

She didn't respond, and he glanced up at her face—twisted with rage. "Well, there's somewhere else we can get it."

Follow the Beacon Qrow—Mother Knows Best

[Link to Masterpost]

[This chapter contains angst. And the world is melting down, right? Who needs more of that right now? But the next chapter is fluff! And comfort! I dunno, I just couldn't bring myself to edit this. It's still not polished.

So far my family and I are ok, and I'm still employed. It's just a lot. Of all the time periods in history we could visit I would not have picked 1918.

I'm going to post the angst chapter today and the comfort chapter tomorrow. If this nonsense is stressing you out, read them both tomorrow because it will end on a high note.

Or go play some Stardew Crossing Moon. Preferably with a friend or two—isolate, but don't be isolated.

Warnings: abuse, self-harm, mortal terror. TLDR at the bottom.]

"That will be all for today. Make sure you turn in the write-up by Saturday afternoon," Professor Lionheart called over the racket of students packing away their things. "Mister and Miss Taupe, please wait for just a moment."

Qrow's heart sank. A full week after the bandit essays were due, he'd hoped Lionheart wasn't going to bring it up. Of course his luck couldn't be that good.

At least the Professor waited for all the other students to file out of the room, pretending to shuffle though papers on his desk, before beckoning the two of them down. Qrow stiffly grabbed his bag and forced himself down the steps to the floor.

"I suppose you know why I called you?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," Raven said, voice completely flat.

He nodded with a look of sad understanding. "I understand the topic may be… difficult for you, after what happened to your family. But it is important, as Huntsmen, that you have at least a rudimentary understanding of bandit tactics. Do you understand?"

Qrow nodded once. "Yes, sir."

"It doesn't have to be an essay, it doesn't have to be well organized. Just give me at least a page that tells me you understand how dangerous these people can be. If it's easier, you can explain face-to-face."

He couldn't think of anything harder.

Lionheart sighed. "It's true that the old tribes are in decline, but they will still be around for decades more. And bandit activity has been increasing in Sanus as new technology makes homesteading easier. I won't set a specific due date on the assignment, but I will check back with you in a couple of weeks."

Qrow forced himself to nod again.

"I'd also like to give you this," he said, drawing a small piece of paper from a drawer. "I know firsthand how difficult it can be to find mental health services in Anima, especially so far from Mistral… If you've never had the chance to speak to a professional about your experiences, I'd highly recommend going to the school facility at least once."

Qrow took the pamphlet against his better judgement, tucking it into his bag with the rest of his books. "Thank you."

"If there's anything I can do, please let me know," he said, smiling warmly.

The door had barely closed behind them when Raven hissed, "Why did you have to tell him bandits killed our parents? If you had just kept your mouth shut he'd fail us on the assignment and be done with it."

"He could tell we were upset," he mumbled.

"I don’t want to tell some Huntsman how to kill our family," she spat, almost throwing the door open ahead of her. The light outside was just beginning to dim, the days getting shorter as it got colder. "I need a drink."

"We don't have much left," Qrow murmured. "...Now I wish I'd saved Tai's beer."

"I think it's about time we got some more."

"How?"

"Easily," she said with a smile. "I go into a convenience store, walk past the liquor, and a couple bottles disappear off the back of the shelf. Don't even have to touch them."

Oh. Right. "...Do we have to steal?"

She didn't respond, and he glanced up at her face—twisted with rage. "Well, there's somewhere else we can get it."

"What—" His stomach turned over. "Wait. Raven, you're not—"

"I'll meet you back in the dorm," she said, shoving her bag into his hands.

"Raven, don’t—"

She stepped backwards into a bush and vanished. Qrow forced himself to turn and walk, his shoes thudding on the path blending in with his heartbeat hammering in his ears. Plenty of students walked around him, but no one paid him any mind.

Their dorm room was dark. Summer and Tai were probably with Dan again. He set Raven's bag on the foot of her bed, dropping his own on his desk along with his jacket, vest and tie.

Stomach churning, he sat on his bed to wait. It didn't take long.

The shadow of the tree outside swam, growing and stretching  until it was large enough for his sister to step through. "Vanta wants to talk to you."

Heart pounding in his ears, he frantically shook his head—Vanta would be able to hear if he spoke. Raven scowled, gesturing at the portal.

"I'm waiting!"

Qrow winced—he'd hoped he'd never hear that voice again—and Raven leapt forward, grabbing a fistful of his hair and dragging him from his seat.

Crying out, he grabbed at her hand—she let go and slammed into him, sending him sprawling through the portal and into the dirt floor of Vanta's tent. He scrambled to his feet, painfully aware of his sword's missing weight. They weren't supposed to bring their weapons to history and it was waiting patiently in a weapons locker a continent away.

"Didn't want to come, little bird?" He would have yelped if Vanta's hand hadn't clamped over his mouth, her sharpened nails digging at the skin of his cheek and sparking his aura under the sustained pressure. "Your sister's always been the good one. I know she didn't take that moonshine, whatever she says."

Her hand turned the color of tar as she activated her Semblance, draining his aura like water from a leaking bag and disrupting his defenses enough for her nails to draw blood.

"Do I need to remind you what will happen if those self-righteous crusaders find out what you are?" Vanta spat, kicking his right knee and throwing him to the ground. His head slammed into the dirt with a muted thud. By the time he'd regained enough sense to even twitch she'd already pinned him, nails digging into his neck, working faster. "What were you going to say if you got caught?"

"I—" Qrow could barely breathe, let alone speak.

"Your sister would be far better suited to do this assignment alone," Vanta hissed. Qrow swallowed a dry sob as her other hand dug into his bad shoulder, tearing through his shirt as he struggled under her weight, aura petering out like a candle in a closed jar. "If they catch you, they'll make you tell them everything you know about us before they kill you. The blood of the entire tribe will be on your hands." He twitched again as her hand tightened on his throat, pinching off his breath.

"But you've never cared about the tribe, have you, traitor?"

No— He jerked, lungs already burning, each motion twisting her nails in his skin. Not again—please—

"You've only ever brought us misfortune."

Please, gods, let me die quickly.

His aura trickled away in a sea of red sparks.

And Vanta let him go.

Qrow sucked in a horrible, croaking breath and clutched his bleeding throat as she stood. "If you do anything to threaten this family, I will make sure you pay if it is my last act on Remnant. Am I understood?"

All he could manage was a painful rasp. He kept his eyes on her boots and nodded.

"Then get back to your school," she snapped, turning away. "And find a use for yourself. You can start with getting your damn Semblance under control."

She swept from the tent into the dark. Qrow released his neck and bit down hard on his hand, holding back a sob as he dragged himself through the portal onto the floor of STRQ's room at Beacon.

"Qrow?" Raven's voice barely made it through his own breathless gasps. He ignored it, pushing himself up painfully and collapsing back to the floor as his injured knee refused with searing pain to hold his weight.

Her hand brushed his bad shoulder and he slapped it away with a curse.

"Let me patch you up."

"Go away," he rasped, pushing himself into a sitting position against the nightstand between their beds.

"D-don't be stupid." At least she had the decency to look ashamed. He tried to stand again, using the little table for support and ready for the pain this time. The leg wobbled but held.

Raven reached for him again and he swatted at her arm, staggering past toward the door and the bathroom. "I said go away." Thankfully the hallway was empty, aside from Raven quietly following behind him. The bathroom too. Apparently everyone else had gone to dinner.

She didn't follow him in, at first. He stared at his reflection in dismay for a moment—he looked even worse than he felt. The uniform was ripped at the shoulder and bloody on the collar, caked with dust from his fruitless struggle to escape. Bruises were already forming on his neck. He could hide them, and the cuts, if he wore his collar like a jackass for a couple days while his aura recharged. But how did Vanta expect him to hide the damn claw marks on his cheek?

Well. She didn't, obviously. She'd already pretty much told him to die here—she was probably just annoyed that Raven hadn't come home without him yet.

The door creaked, opening only a crack. "Qrow?"

"Fuck off, Raven." He pressed a paper towel against the marks on his cheek, trying to stop the bleeding.

"Qrow?" The door creaked open and then closed, her shoes clicking on the tile. He stared into the sink

"She's going to kill me."

"She's just trying to make you stro—"

"She. Wants. To. Kill. Me," he snapped, pain shooting through his arm as he turned to face her directly. "And the only reason she hasn't is that it would piss you off. Or have you forgotten she already tried?"

Raven's gaze fell to the tiles.

"Give me your knife," he snapped, tossing the bloodied paper into the trash, and she pressed it into his hand. Letting the water get as hot as it could, he washed it twice with soap before drying it on a new towel.

He forced his muscles to relax—tensing would only make the pain worse—and carefully cut over his injuries, turning each set of separate marks into a single, jagged line. It looked kind of like he'd tried to shave with a large rock. Perfect. His aura would take care of it in the next couple days and if past experience was anything to go by, it wouldn't scar.

He handed the knife back to her still covered in his blood and went to get the first aid kit.

Next Chapter: Summer—Care Package

[TLDR: Lionheart noticed that the Taupe twins didn't turn in their bandit essays and tries to work with them on a version of the assignment that will be easier for them to manage, what with the trauma of losing their parents to the Branwen tribe. He also recommends that they take advantage of Beacon's mental health services. Immediately after leaving the room, Raven decides to get drunk and tells Qrow her plan to steal alcohol. Qrow is reluctant, which makes her angry, so she portals to Vanta to ask for some instead. Vanta uses the opportunity to violently remind Qrow she doesn't want him to come back. Qrow won't let Raven patch him up. Raven clearly feels terrible (but "sorry doesn't change anything" so she doesn't say it).]

[fire-the-headcanons]

Follow the Beacon Raven—They’re On to Us

[Link to Masterpost]

[tw: this chapter is disturbing. I’m putting up several today, so skip if you need to]

Qrow was avoiding her.

He cowered behind their teammates, never more than a few steps away and always within earshot. Made sure Taiyang sat between them during Grimm Studies, worked next to Summer in the forge.

She thought she’d be able to corner him on their way to history but as soon as Professor Mikado dismissed the class he vanished like morning fog. When she reached Lionheart’s classroom he was already sitting attentively on the first row, surrounded by students, refusing to meet her eye.

If he thinks this is going to work, she scowled, then he’s even weaker than I realized.

She turned heel and stalked from the classroom, storming through the empty grounds to their dorm. As soon as their door closed behind her she let her bag fall to the ground, reached for Qrow’s lifeline, and pulled.

A tear opened near the ceiling, and he plummeted through with a yelp, landing on the floor with a heavy thud and a crackle of red lightning. He jumped to his feet in an instant, knife in hand and panting as he stared around the room.

"Thought you stopped carrying it," Raven snapped. He straightened up, but didn’t lower the weapon. "What the hell do you think you’re doing?" Her fists tightened. "Carrying a knife to protect yourself from me?"

"Thought you were taking me to Vanta."

"The great Huntsman, pulling a knife on his big sister. What a hero."

"Oh, shut up," he snapped, finally putting it away.

"No. I think you’ve forgotten who we are, and where we are." She folded her arms to hide her shaking hands, fingers aching with strain in her fists. "You’re acting like this is some comic book. We came here so we could get strong enough to survive, and you’re playing stupid games with a farm tool while the teachers close in on us."

He paled. "What do you mean?"

"Professor Mesánychta keeps trying to get me alone on the hunting trips, asking about how we learned—where we came from— they are on to us, Qrow. This is about to fall apart!" She stood up straighter, staring him down. "If you don’t wake up from your stupid little fantasy soon, you’re going to die in it."

He scoffed, unconvincingly. "What fantasy."

"You’re not a Huntsman!" she shouted. "You’re not a hero!" He stiffened, a half-grimace frozen on his face, and she knew she’d hit a nerve. "Who have you saved since you got here? You’re no better than the rest of us, you’re the same liar and killer you’ve always been! Everything you’ve done here, you did for yourself. We have to leave , Qrow. Now ."

All the defiance drained out of him, shoulders and head sagging. Raven sighed in silent relief. She’d expected him to put up more of a fight, but—

"No."

She stiffened. "What?"

"...I want to die here."

"What?!"

"I am weak. And a coward, and…" he shook his head. "If our mission fails, I want to die here. I already told you, I want a bullet and a burial." Rubbing his shoulder, he grimaced. "Not this. Not again."

White-hot anger boiled in her stomach. What did he expect her to do at home, on her own, with only Vanta as an anchor? You don't have the right to kill us both! "They wouldn't have hurt you if you just—"

"Just what?!" he snapped. "What could I have possibly done?! They don't want me, Raven!"

This wasn't working, and she had a pretty good idea why. "But Tai and Summer do, right?"

His eyes widened. "I—I didn't say th—"

"You didn't have to," she growled, taking a step closer, forcing him a step back. "Did you take her last night, or did you just let her have you?"

His face twisted with a rage Raven hadn't thought he was capable of, and he leapt forward to shove her against the door. Their auras crackled against each other where they made contact. "I WOULD NEVER DO THAT TO HER!"

It was a bad angle for a punch, and she couldn't get any weight behind it, but that didn't matter. One solid hit to his bad shoulder and he was down with a whimper. "So you rolled over, then. Got it. Should have known when you suggested this plan that you'd end up as a Huntress's plaything."

"N-neither of us did anything!"

"I have to say, though, I thought you'd end up under Tai, the way you've been staring at him all year."

"Shut up!" he whined, dragging himself back to his feet, still clutching his arm. "You don't know what you're—"

"Do you really think they like you? They don't want you either, Qrow. Do you really think either of them could stand to look at you if they actually knew you? As soon as they find out the truth, they're going to cheer along with everyone else at your execution." He cringed away with a dry sob, and Raven smiled at a new idea, knowing she'd won.

"Maybe they'll even ask if they can pull the trigger." His face slackened, eyes wide and mouth hanging open in horror. She had him. "I bet it'll be Summer, she's stronger than Tai. The team leader. I wonder what it feels like to be shot with a sniper rifle at point blank range? Probably not much. Bet it looks pretty impressive, though." He shrank away as she advanced, cowering like a beaten dog. "Do you think they'll do it in the main courtyard, or maybe the auditorium?"

"Stop," he whimpered, back hitting the side of his bed.

"You're right, the auditorium makes more sense. That's what it's for, isn't it? Everyone in the school should get to see you fall. You lied to all of them. They'll drag you out with your hands behind your back, shove you down on your knees, and if you're lucky Summer will put a bag over your head before she puts a bullet through it."

He stumbled back, onto the mattress, and pushed himself away from her until curled with his back against the wall. Shivering, he reached down into the gap and drew out a familiar ceramic jug.

"Where did you get that?"

"...Vanta gave it to me. When I told her I wasn't coming back." He stared at it, running his thumb over the glaze. "Remember when Cinereous got stabbed?"

She did. Bones had kept her drinking until she forgot she was injured, and when the infection had run its course he dragged the body back out of camp.

The cork came free with a hollow pop and Raven could smell the fumes from three paces away. "That's all you're going to say?!"

There was a moment of deliberation in his face, and then he looked up and met her eyes. "Goodbye, Raven. In case I don't get to say it later."

Her fists clenched. Qrow raised the little jug, pausing when it was halfway to his mouth with an almost silent laugh. "Good luck."

Next Chapter: Qrow—A Way Out

[fire-the-headcanons]

He hadn't known there were any photographs. The tribe hadn't exactly had a camera.

Bones smirked up at him from the page, hair and beard only just starting to gray. Another of Lionheart’s other ‘supplemental sources’ lay over Vanta’s face. A reporter had gotten lost, according to the book, and stumbled across the tribe. By some bizarre stroke of good fortune they were allowed to leave with a couple dozen photos. Including one of the tribe's leaders.

The photo had then been used to try and track them down for the next twenty years. Luckily, their eyes were too dark to make out the red, and the beard disguised just how similar his face was to Qrow‘s.

...He probably needed to be more careful about shaving.

Follow the Beacon Qrow—Just Like Home

[Link to Masterpost]

[TW vomit, panic attack, abuse, sexual harassment]

He hadn't known there were any photographs. The tribe hadn't exactly had a camera.

Bones smirked up at him from the page, hair and beard only just starting to gray. Another of Lionheart’s ‘supplemental sources’ lay over Vanta’s face. A reporter had gotten lost, according to the book, and stumbled across the tribe. By some bizarre stroke of good fortune they were allowed to leave with a couple dozen photos. Including one of the tribe's leaders. 

The photo had then been used to try and track them down for the next twenty years. Luckily, their eyes were too dark to make out the red, and the beard disguised just how similar his face was to Qrow‘s.

...He probably needed to be more careful about shaving. 

"Qrow?"

Summer's voice yanked him from his thoughts. "Yeah?"

"Are you okay? You look kind of sick too," she said, frowning.

He just wanted to get Lionheart's essay over with and stop thinking about it or the tribe. Problem was, he kept getting… stuck. "I'm fine. Too much homework. You know." The essay was in worse shape than even his notes, with random half-formed thoughts littered over the page.

It didn't help that there weren't really any differences between the tribes in the history textbooks and the nightmares he'd rather not think about. It wasn't like the they had adopted the new technology of the Kingdoms after the Great War.

Maybe that was the point, maybe the tribe hadn't gotten any weaker. Like Lionheart said, the Huntsmen were just getting better at hunting them down—

He pushed back from his desk, barely getting his head over the trash can in time to avoid making a mess.

"Not you too!" Summer cried in dismay. "…I hope it wasn't the ramen yesterday…"

"If it were, you and Tai would be sick," he croaked, knotting the liner shut.

"Brother, what are you doing," Raven groaned, pulling the covers further over her head.

"Lionheart's essay."

She struggled to push herself upright, glaring at him through her hair with bloodshot eyes. "You're not actually doing it."

"Yeah, if you're getting sick too you should rest—" Summer began.

"I'm fine," he said quickly, getting to his feet and heading for the door with bag in hand. "I just want to get it over with."

"Why do you even care about your History grade?"

"What?" Summer blurted.

"It's one dumb assignment. Just ignore it," Raven muttered, retreating back under her blanket.

Summer looked appalled. "Raven, our grades affect what jobs we can take after school! You can't just start skipping assignments!" 

Qrow ignored them, pulling open the door—and walked right into the person on the other side. There was a loud POP, and the wetness on his shirt and pants told him his Semblance had just made a poor decision on his behalf.

"Oh gods, WHAT IS THIS?" Dan gagged, staggering back, wringing it off his arms onto the floor. Tai stood frozen with a look of horror, scroll hovered over the pad to unlock it.

Qrow took off for the bathroom, his stomach churning again. He barely made it to the stall in time, not bothering to close the door behind him.

It wasn't fair. Bones had kept him alive, had literally given them life, he didn't deserve to die like that—except he did, he was a terrible person who killed so many—why couldn't he just be one thing? He… he… 

He should have gotten a burial. They all left him there in the freezing mud—his children, sister, tribe—

CRACK

Qrow reeled, aura sparking in his eyes as he slumped to the bathroom floor, head ringing from slamming into the toilet seat.

"You stupid hick," Sanguin spat, hand curled into a fist and crackling with the sickly yellow-green of pond scum. No… not Sanguin. Dan. 

Dan hit him from behind. But… he was a Huntsman.

The door creaked open, out of sight at the opposite end of the bathroom. "Hey Dan, I got your clothes." 

He grabbed Qrow's arm, dragging him back onto his knees, shoving him around so he was bent over the toilet again. As his aura settled from the hit, he felt just how much energy it had taken to soften the blow—how could he have done so much damage?

"There you go, let it out," Dan said silkily, rubbing his back, making Qrow's skin prickle like he'd slept on an anthill. His stomach clenched again, but at least it was empty now.

"I hope this isn't from the ramen," Tai muttered. Qrow was shaking and couldn't stop, chafing under Dan's arm.

"You all right?" he asked with convincing concern, digging his fingers into Qrow's shoulder. "You slipped pretty badly there."

It took him a second to catch his breath, the pain in his shoulder growing every second. "I'm f-fine." 

"No you're not, you're sicker than Raven," Tai said. "Here, Dan, go clean up before you catch it too."

His fingers bit into Qrow's shoulder once more, until the tiniest breath of a whimper escaped his throat. Finally, finally, he pulled away and his footsteps retreated toward the showers.

Qrow dry heaved again, his stomach muscles screaming in protest. When it was over he slid sideways, sitting on the tile and leaning on the toilet for support, trying to catch his breath.

Tai stood in the stall door, looking concerned and a little nauseated. "You gonna be okay long enough for me to grab you a change of clothes?" 

Qrow glanced up, briefly meeting Tai's eye before another convulsion ran through his abdomen, nearly sending him back to the toilet bowl. "…M' fine."

"'K. I'll be right back."

"N-no, I'm fine."

Tai paused, looking down at him like he was crazy. "Dude. You can barely sit up. I'll bring you some clothes."

He leaned his head against the wall as Tai vanished, letting his eyes close. After a few seconds the bathroom door swung shut with a quiet thunk behind him.

"Gods, you're pathetic." He jerked back up, but Dan wasn't in sight. "How'd a coward like you get into Beacon? The rest of us have worked our whole lives for this. You think you can just come in halfway through?"

Qrow didn't say anything. Talking to Sanguin or Vanta always, always made it worse. Far better to let him blow off steam, and be ready to run when it got violent.  …He just hadn't expected it from a Huntsman.

"I don't think your aura can take more than a couple hits from my Semblance." He sneered. "Gods, you don't even have a Semblance. How did you get in?"

"Do you hurt Tai?"

He hadn't meant to say it. He hadn't even thought about saying it, it would have made more sense to just ask Tai anyway –

Dan laughed, and the shower hissed to life at the other end of the room, covering any reply he might have made. Qrow curled in on his stomach as it tightened painfully, trying to keep from losing it again.

He still hadn't caught his breath when Tai finally got back.

"…This was all I could find," he said uncertainly, holding out Qrow's worn-out sleep clothes.

"Thanks," he murmured, taking them. Tai…Tai was okay. He and Summer trusted Dan, right? They didn't flinch away when he was angry, weren't afraid to disagree with him. He backed off when they told him to. 

Qrow was an impostor, he didn't belong here. Someone was bound to pick up on that, and with his luck, it just happened to be Dan.

Right?

He couldn't bring himself to speak. Dan was right, he was a coward. The Grimm Reaper would have fought back, made sure her teammate was safe, but Qrow could only sulk and hide like he had in the tribe.

Tai offered a hand. "Come on, I'll help you over to the shower."

 "I'm okay, really," he rasped, forcing himself to his feet without Tai's help. "I'll meet you in the room in a few minutes."

Tai shrugged, looking at him with something resembling pity. "If you're sure."

He forced a smile that probably looked more like a grimace. "Yeah. Thanks." 

The lock on the stall was flimsy, but better than nothing, and he couldn't change in front of Summer or Tai. No way was he showering with Dan here. He wiped himself down as well as he could with his soiled clothes, and hurried back to STRQ's room long before Dan finished.

The essay was still waiting on his desk when he got back.

Next Chapter: Taiyang—Dannit

[fire-the-headcanons]

"...Are you drunk?"

"No!" Someone could be listening! "That's ill-ye-gal." The word tripped her tongue on her teeth. It had too many Ls, she decided, taking another drink.

"Is anyone else in there?"

"Dunno. It's dark." It wasn’t—at all— but the right words were gone.

Qrow's feet appeared under the door. "Can you come out?"

Follow the Beacon Raven—Liquid Courage

[Link to Masterpost]

[TW: Panic, anxiety, BAD coping mechanisms, alcohol, underage drinking, self harm, more profanity than usual]   

I learned something about each of you.

Raven rolled over again. The bed was even less comfortable than usual—it had already been two hours and she was no closer to sleep. 

I learned something about each of you.

Even the nights after Bones died, when Qrow was too injured to keep watch, had been easier to sleep through. She still wasn't certain why they'd survived… Then again, the rest of the tribe had probably been afraid of what Vanta would do if someone else killed them first.

I learned something about each of you.

 Months of waiting and hiding and fear, with nothing to numb it, all brought to a close in a humiliating public spectacle when someone inevitably guessed the truth. 

I learned something about each of you.

No wonder Vanta agreed to this plan, they'd come up with a far worse torture for themselves than anything she could ever have dreamed of.

I learned something about each of you.

They all knew how her Semblance worked, they'd incapacitate her first and—

We're going to die here.

It was too much. She needed it. With a furtive glance over her shoulder at their teammates, Raven slid from her bed and eased Qrow's closet open with shaking hands. The flask didn't feel any lighter than the last time she'd caved. Had he really not had any since the second day? Or was he watering it down too?

I learned something—

Raven turned heel and raced from the room, slipping through the door as quietly as she could, craving the scant privacy of the bathroom stalls almost as much as the moonshine. She needed to be alone sometimes—or at very least alone with Qrow, who wouldn't kill her deliberately. 

As hard as it was to pace herself, every sip was a painful reminder that they couldn’t get more for three years. She'd stolen… two drinks? More? Gods, the thing should be nearly empty by now. No wonder it wasn't working as fast, it had to be more water than alcohol.

Stolen… 

They couldn't buy any for three more years, but… Raven held her hand in front of her face, twirling her fingers as a little cloud of darkness swirled across her palm. Maybe her stupid Semblance could be useful after all.

I learned something about each of you.

"Shuttup."

I learned something about each of you.

"Fuck ovvf. " She banged her head against the thin wall a couple times, trying to shake Summer's voice loose, but the words kept running through her mind.

"Raven?"

She jumped at the sound of Qrow's voice, the little portal closing with an audible snap. Oops. "Probably his stupid Semblance woke him up anyway," Raven muttered, tongue flopping like a dying fish. But if she could steal more, she didn't have to hold back, right? Just for a few hours, she could feel warm and safe again… maybe get a good night's sleep…

"Raven?"

She stared at her palm again. The portal had closed, why could she still hear Qrow?

"Are you in there?"

Oh right. The door, outside. "Shh, I'm hiding."

"...Are you drunk?"

"No!" Someone could be listening! "That's ill-ye-gal." The word tripped her tongue on her teeth. It had too many Ls, she decided, taking another drink.

"Is anyone else in there?"

"Dunno. It's dark." It wasn’t—at all— but the right words were gone.

Qrow's feet appeared under the door. "Can you come out?"

"Somebody will see!"

"It's just me in here. And I locked the door. We're safe."

He probably wanted booze. It was his, even if he wouldn't get mad about it. Stupid Qrow never got mad at anyone. He was gonna get killed and then she'd die too. Nearly falling off the toilet seat, she managed to lean forward and slide the latch open. "Your turn," she muttered, holding out the flask as he pushed it open. "The Grimm are gonna find us."

Qrow sighed, taking a sip as he leaned against the wall. Frowning, he squinted at it. "Did you water this down?"

Dammit, he noticed. "Make it last longer."

He sighed, putting the cap back on. "I thought you had fun today." For fuck's sake, get angry. Do something. "Come on, Raven, what's wrong?"

"Summer wants to know about us." Dumbass. 

"We're on a team together. That's normal."

Comic book dumbass. "If she finds out, she'll tell Ozpin. And the police. And the Huntsmen. And then they'll shoot us." Qrow didn't answer, pouting at the floor. "You want to be friends with them." Wanted to make things worse. That's what he did, he took bad things and made them worse, it was in his fucking soul.

And hers would always be a stupid, scared little kid that needed other people to protect her. Both of them together were almost a whole Branwen.

She reached for the flask in his hand again. "What're you gonna do when they kill us, Qrow?" 

He took another drink before capping it and shoving it in his pocket. "Come on, Raven, let's get you to bed," he said, scooping her up and carrying her toward the door. He paused, kicking something out of the way—

—and it flew open, barely missing them.

"Mr. Taupe! What are you doing in the ladies' room?! And at this hour?" Port demanded.

He did it, his stupid Semblance killed them both.

"Raven's sick," Qrow said.

"Is she drunk? "

She buried her face in his shoulder, eyes burning. They were going to die.

"I had to clean her up with rubbing alcohol," he lied, walking around him. "Sorry, I gotta put her down!" He shuffled away as quickly as he could, and she kept her head down and waited for the Huntsman to attack.

"It's okay," Qrow whispered, leaning forward. Panic at the sudden movement shot through her, and she rolled from his grip—back into bed. "I think he fell for it."

"I don't—I don't wanna die."

"...It's gonna be okay." He pulled the blanket up to her shoulder before returning to his own bed.

[I don’t drink, so feedback is appreciated. Am I doing this right?]

Next Chapter: Qrow—Just Like Home

[fire-the-headcanons]

“Oh, if I make Vanta Branwen able to outright negate aura that would be way too overpowered, and jarring compared to the canon characters! I’ll keep the idea, but it takes like thirty seconds of sustained contact to drain them completely. That’s a long time in a fight, so it’s not too OP. Yeah.”

DAMMIT

[fire-the-headcanons]

Qrow. He wondered vaguely if he'd had a name before that. Probably not, most of the kids under five were just called "hey, you" or "runt"—no point in naming them if they wouldn't be strong enough to unlock their Semblances anyway. Still, sometimes it was nice to pretend he could have been someone else. 

Follow the Beacon Qrow—For the Tribe

[Link to Masterpost]

[TW for abuse, PTSD. There’s a summary at the bottom as usual]

"…and if we leave when you move the camp, we couldn't give away your position even if we wanted to," Qrow said evenly, though his heartbeat nearly drowned out the words. Vanta had sat stony-faced through their entire plan, watching like a Nevermore in a tree.

"But that's just a precaution," Raven added quickly. "You know how fast I can be with my portals. If anyone suspects, we'll take what we've learned and vanish."

They held their breath—

—and Vanta's icy expression finally thawed. "I'm so proud of you." She each of them by the shoulders, and Qrow's legs went wobbly with relief. "Your father would be proud, too." It hurt, a twist in the gut, the same as every other time she brought it up. He shoved at the thought, but it stuck to his mind like lumpy porridge on a spoon. 

Bones may have been kind, but he was still a murderer. Anyone outside the tribe would be thanking me—but does that make it right to kill him? And I didn't even mean to, I—

He bit down on his tongue and forced himself to listen to Vanta. "…to Mistral and speak to Fallow. He can get you the papers you'll need, and safe passage to Sanus when the time comes.  When do you intend to leave?"

"For Mistral, as soon as possible. If we have to head straight to Sanus from there, I'll let you know."

"Then we'll stay in this valley and wait for your word." Vanta nodded. "I'd hate to move twice. Get some rest," she said warmly, squeezing their shoulders before finally letting go. "You have a long journey ahead of you."

"Thank you," Raven replied, and Qrow followed suit, still keeping his gaze down.

He was halfway to the door when Vanta spoke. "Oh, Qrow, a word."

He froze with a panicked glance at Raven, who paused for only a moment before disappearing outside.

"I have no doubt in your sister's capabilities, but I want to make sure one thing is clear," Vanta murmured, stepping right up next to him and speaking too quietly to be overheard. "Don't come back without her."

He didn't intend to come back at all. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good boy," she murmured, taking his other shoulder this time, the one they had cut. He couldn't quite stop a whimper from worming its way from his throat as pain shot down from his neck to his fingertips despite her light touch.

It had taken him months for his aura to fully recharge after that day, signaling that he was done healing, but he still got stiff and sore for no reason. Some days he could barely conceal it, and Vanta had noticed. It was good they were leaving.

She smiled wolfishly, knowing she'd broken him, and let go. "Safe travels."

"Yes, ma'am."

He waited until he was outside to rub at his shoulder, scowling at the ridges and bumps he could feel even through his shirt. Scars had never bothered him before, but then, enduring a tough fight was something to be proud of. This was something he wanted desperately to forget.

"What did she want?" Raven hissed.

"It's nothing," he muttered, letting his hand drop. "Are we still leaving tomorrow?"

"Unless she stops us."

"I don't think she will," he muttered. "My aura's back. Things will start going wrong again any minute. She wants me gone."

"She wants you to control it," Raven snapped, stepping over a puddle.

Maybe it's already going wrong. It had rained nonstop for three days—not far from plausible for mid-spring, but Qrow couldn't help feel like his curse was celebrating its return.

"I'm going to pack," he muttered, turning toward their tent.

"There won't be any food left."

"It won't take long." He needed a moment, just a few minutes to himself, and he was relieved when she shrugged and continued on without him.

Three months. Three months since Bones' death, and things had only gotten worse. The tribe had always hated him, but now it was more than that. They were scared. So was he, to be honest.

Assuming they got in, should he even tell the school about his Semblance? On the one hand, there was a chance they could teach him to control it. On the other…maybe they couldn't. And then he'd be right back to being blamed for everything, until they ran him out too.

Qrow. He wondered vaguely if he'd had a name before that. Probably not, most of the kids under five were just called "hey, you" or "runt"—no point in naming them if they wouldn't be strong enough to unlock their Semblances anyway. Still, sometimes it was nice to pretend he could have been someone else.

He'd barely touched the tent flap when he felt something was wrong, his hand flying to the hilt of his sword before his mind could catch up with his instincts. ...It was far too bright inside, and the wrong color for lamplight. Dragging the tent flap open further, the back of his throat tightened painfully.

The tarp had been slashed open right over each of their bedrolls, and the rest of their belongings had been tossed from their packs into the mud. Everything was soaked, the water reflecting the weak evening light that made it in through the massive holes in the roof. They had no dry clothes or blankets, and the tarp would take several hours to repair. Or longer—there were only a few minutes of daylight left.

"Ooh, bad luck, Qrow."

His hand tightened on his sword as he whirled toward the voice, but Sanguin was a good five paces back and leaning against the logs of the camp wall, twirling a knife between his fingers. Qrow's stomach plummeted—he wasn't even trying to hide that he'd done it. No one would stand with them and he knew it.

"Well." Sanguin brought the knife to a halt, holding it steady. "Best of luck on your big mission." Without warning, his arm blurred and Qrow didn't have time to react before it hit him between the eyes, blinding him with his own aura. He staggered back, and then fell into the mud as Sanguin tackled him to the ground.

"Just don't forget what happens to traitors and deserters," he breathed, kneeling painfully on Qrow's stomach. His vision finally cleared just as Sanguin pressed a second knife to his bad shoulder. A fresh shock of pain ran down from his neck to his fingertips, even though his aura stopped the blade a couple inches away from his skin. "If you were too delirious the first time, I'd be happy to teach you again." 

Qrow pooled his aura in his arms, augmenting his strength and shoving the larger man back. He slid easily back to a crouch rather than falling in the mud. Winded, Qrow struggled to get the words out. "We're doing this for the tribe." 

"And don't forget it," Sanguin snarled, sheathing his knives and stalking off into the gloom.

Wonder if Vanta sent him. He rubbed his shoulder as he forced himself into a sitting position—the shooting pain had left a dull numbness behind it, and his arm tingled unpleasantly as he tried to move. Probably not, he'd do it on his own just for fun.

His throat tightened further as he knelt, prodding at a soggy wad of dull paper. He couldn't even tell which of his comics it had been—they were all printed on cheap paper, with poor ink. 

My reaction time's gotten slower. I need to practice on the way to Mistral.

.

[Thanks for your patience! The commute is still terrible. Maybe I posted the last chapter on mobile at work and that’s why I couldn’t find it, who knows.]

[Summary: Qrow and Raven tell Vanta their plan and she agrees readily. However, after Raven is out of earshot Vanta tells Qrow not to come home if anything happens to his sister. Qrow goes to their tent to pack and the place has been trashed.  In the tribe, kids aren't named until the age of five when they unlock their Semblances.  A man named Sanguin threatens him and Qrow realizes his reflexes have slowed during his months of recovery. He vows to practice on the way to Mistral.]

Next Chapter: Taiyang—Questions, and More Questions