Till Ashes do we Part

"Love is not a feeling of happiness. Love is a willingness to sacrifice." –Michael Novak

Chapter 11

Following the events of the almost-wedding-but-thank-god-it-just-turned-into-a-party, it was fairly quiet around the castle. Winter found herself reading in the garden in the evening before the sunset and then wandering back inside for breakfast. She continued to bicker with Qrow and she would avoid the library at all costs after an incident of Yang and Ilia deciding the bedroom was much too boring. Despite the scaring moment she still found herself laughing and smiling at the memory with fondness.

Weiss and she exchanged text messages regularly (now that they were able to exchange phone numbers since they managed to actually remember that when they saw each other last) and she now had a folder filled with photos of Weiss smiling and laughing with Whitley, her friends, and her newly found boyfriend. Though Winter wasn't sure how she felt about Neptune yet, he seemed nice enough and he made Weiss happy, but she supposed that was all that mattered when you're young and in love.

There was one final habit that had formed since that night. And that was one that Winter would take to her grave and go after anyone who found out and breathed a word of it. Something that made her face heat up even just thinking about it.

She had started sleeping in Qrow's bed at night.

How did this start you may ask? Well, in this case, Winter would always blame the bottle of vodka she swiped at the party on her way out the door.

It hurt more then she expected it to. Watching her sister and brother leave her behind to go with their friends. Seeing them grow up right before her eyes, as they changed from small and clumsy to tall and sophisticated young adults. When had Whitley become so smart and tell? When did Weiss become so mature and beautiful?

Was she going to be left behind? As she stayed in the shadows, a life she had chosen to save them, and watched them play in metaphorical sunlight. She could join them in the sunlight, she had been given permission. But something held her back. Duty? Pride? Something else entirely? Whatever was chaining her to the shadows she didn't know, but it still managed to long for her family as she turned to leave.

It hurt, it hurt so bad that it felt like glass shards were somehow burrowing its way into her chest. She wanted it to stop. Even if just until the morning when she would be alone to lick her wounds and process the emptiness she felt from her siblings, who she raised as if they were her children, leaving the nest and growing up.

Before she knew it she snatched up a bottle of vodka behind the open bar and twisted the cap off the bottle, throwing the cap in the trash and leaving before the bartender could even say anything, though from what she could see of his face she guessed he wouldn't have said anything anyway.

The car ride was a blur from where she sat in the back seat. Qrow and Tai didn't say anything as they drove back to the house, knowing that Yang and Ilia would find their own way home they had left without the two young girls.

Once they were back in the castle, Winter didn't head to her room as she planned, instead, she found herself following Qrow. Tai didn't say anything as he went in the opposite direction of the two to his own room and Qrow waited till it was just the two of them before he said anything.

"What are you doing ice queen? Your room is the other way." Qrow looked back at Winter as he talked or maybe they had stopped. Winter wasn't sure as the vodka settled into her system and made the pain in her chest dull for a bit.

"I stayed with you when you wanted to feel human," Winter replied with no hesitation. Her inhibitions running off with her common sense, a bottle between the two of them. "Now, I need you to tell me why I stay here instead of leaving."

Qrow blinked at her a few seconds. Before in a flash, he had his arms wrapped around Winter and burrowing his head into the nest of white hair on her head. His breath felt warm against her skin despite his chilled flesh. She wrapped her arms around him in turn and nuzzled her head under his jaw and into the crook of his neck.

"I wish I had an answer for you," Qrow replied, his voice sounding harsh. "I wish I could tell you it was because you loved it here, that was family to you as well now. I wish I could tell you it's because of the deal your father made before you even knew your own name. I wish I could give you an answer. But all I can give you is comfort in some way."

"You're better at this then you give yourself credit for," Winter remarked with a bit of a laugh, a few tears falling down her cheek. She was always an emotional drunk.

"Not really, I just mimic what I saw from those who were good at it."

"Can I stay with you tonight?"

"Could I ever say no to you?"

"No."

"Then I guess you can."

Winter had woken up the next morning just as embarrassed as the first time, but as she felt the sorrow sink in again, she found herself going back again and again, not under the influence of alcohol. She found herself drawn to him as one goes to a familiar coffee shop or bakery that makes them feel safe and happy.

There were a few instances where Winter would wake up after Qrow and on those rare occasions she would find a white rose from the garden in his place. She now had a small collection of the flowers drying in her room.

But much like her life before, her life soon was coming to a calm before the storm. A letter arrived, only signaled to her by the sound of Qrow cursing under his breath.

"Language," Winter muttered, not expecting anything it to have any result after months of her reminding him and him ignoring her. It was more habit now than actual scolding.

Qrow sighed before handing the letter over to Tai, who whistled in response. Tai then handed it to Yang, who cheered and then Ilia who just shrugged in confusion and finally to Winter.

The paper was heavy and the ink was shaped into beautiful, handwritten calligraphy.

"To the Branwen Clan," Winter started to read out loud, quietly to herself. "You are cordially invited to the Blood Harvest Ball."

BRK: Just a little fluffy content before we dive headfirst into some angst. So, please enjoy this post-holiday stress chapter. I know it isn't long but I hope it does tied you over. Until next time, see you later gators!