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The shade of Mantle's wall cast the snow below in a deep, grey-blue colour. Beyond the shadows, the colour faded up in a smooth gradient to a soft pink, the same colour as the thick, hazy clouds drifting through the early morning sky. The edge of the icy tundra blended with the horizon, nearly seamless. Shafts of sunlight peeked out from behind the clouds, illuminating a far-off part of the snow field with shimmering speckles of light.
Qrow turned his head back to look down at the sprawling expanse of buildings within the walls, his feet dangling over an empty outer street. It was quiet, the city just waking up with the dawn. A few flakes of snow drifted on a light breeze, sparkling as they passed through beams of sunlight.
With a contented sigh, Qrow leaned into the man sitting on the wall next to him. His partner, Qrow thought warmly. Clover had his legs stretched out on the wall and his head tilted back, nestled in Qrow's shoulder. Their arms were interlinked, Clover's left around Qrow's right, his elbow resting on Qrow's knee.
It had been six weeks since Clover had left Atlas and joined their ragtag group of fighters defending Mantle. Since he had found Qrow again. Once Clover told them of Ironwood's plan to lure Penny back to the city, their teams had been able to much more effectively handle the Grimm attacks while dodging the Atlesian forces. Having another capable huntsman on their side didn't hurt their odds either.
Especially when he and Clover were in the field together.
He thumbed at the scarlet, black, and silver pin sitting on his lapel. Clover had continued to help him train his semblance, and with the new focus, Qrow could feel he was really making strides. In quiet moments like this, his semblance was a soft rumble in the back of his mind. Present, but a steady whisper compared to it’s arbitrary and indiscriminate outbursts in the past. Whereas in combat, it was getting easier to direct its influence.
And together, with their probability-shifting semblances combined, Qrow and Clover were nearly unstoppable. That effect, along with their versatile weapons and years of combat experience, made them almost the strongest asset their group had, behind only Penny's Maiden abilities. Together, they were powerful.
It had been so long since Qrow felt comfortable being on a team with anyone, but now he could never envision leaving Clover's side, in war or peace.
A breeze snapped up from the south, carrying the frigid cold of the tundra behind them. Clover shivered as it passed over the wall, and cuddled in closer to Qrow.
The huntsman smirked. "You know," he drawled, running a finger down the bare arm, snug against his chest, "there are these things called sleeves that some of us wear. I hear they help with the cold." He gave a light tug to the red armband tied around Clover's bicep.
"Hmm," Clover tilted his head to lock eyes with Qrow, a pensive look on his face. He glanced upwards, appearing to mull Qrow's words over, before confidently declaring, "No, sleeves are bullshit."
Qrow burst out in a peal of mirthful, nearly uncontrollable laughter. He bent over at the waist, pulling a grinning Clover with him by the arm.
Planting his left hand on Qrow's thigh to steady himself, Clover was clearly barely keeping his own laughter contained as he said, "I'm fine, I've got you to keep me warm, right? Besides, you're the one staring at my arms all the time."
"Alright," Qrow said, still choking down his laughs, "yeah I guess I can't argue with you on that. I just - heh - I didn't expect you to say that!"
"I'm glad I'm still surprising you," Clover said, pressing a kiss to Qrow's cheek before hauling them both back upright. Qrow returned to looking at the scenery, but glanced back at Clover every so often.
Clover had returned his gaze upwards. Qrow realized he was staring at the edge of Atlas; at this angle, the gleaming white of the outer wall was a thin sliver against the pink sky.
"...any regrets?" Qrow asked, voice small. It was something that had worried him for a while, whether Clover had in any way regretted leaving Atlas. He still wasn't used to talking about these things, but he and Clover had made a promise, shortly after he arrived in Mantle, to be open with each other.
Clover hummed, taking a moment to think before replying. "Not really. I mean, I miss people, the Ops, Winter. There are little things I miss, like hearing the other Ops in the break room, that flower garden."
"That coffee shop?" Qrow supplied.
"Yeah," Clover said with a smile. "Haven't found a place in Mantle as good as that. But those are all things I miss. There haven't been many things I've done that I regret." He swallowed. "I mean, other than what happened on the Manta."
"It's ok," Qrow says, taking a hold of Clover's hand and squeezing. "I have regrets about that night too. But not since then."
Clover squeezed his hand back.
They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, before Clover spoke again, "Actually, there was one thing." He glanced back at Qrow. "I regret not asking you to dance at the ball."
"Oh?" The huntsman blinked at his partner. "The Schnee banquet?"
"Yeah. When we were going to meet Jacques, and you flirted back to me?"
"I remember," Qrow murmured, smirking.
"I told myself I was going to ask you for a dance, after that meeting." He sighed, "But then everything went to hell."
Qrow let his thoughts wander, imagining how it would have felt to dance with Clover. “I probably would have said yes.”
“Only probably?”
“Then? Yeah, I was a bit of a moron when it came to you.”
Clover shook his head, elbowing Qrow in the ribs. “No you’re not, Qrow.”
An idea suddenly sprang into Qrow’s head. He turned and looked at the top of the wall they were sitting on. It was wide enough. “Hm, you’re right. At least not anymore.”
He unhooked his arm from his partner's and stood. Clover laid one hand on the edge of the wall and turned his torso, looking up at Qrow, confused. "Everything alright?"
Qrow leaned down and held his hand out to Clover.
Teal eyes tracked from his face down to his open hand. Realization bloomed. "Here, right now?" Clover asked with a laugh.
"Why not?" Qrow shrugged. "Might not be as fancy as the Schnee manor, but I doubt I would have paid attention to all of that anyway. I think I would’ve only been looking at you."
Clover grabbed Qrow's hand and stood. Now that he was closer, Qrow could see the faint pink flush over his cheeks and ears. Probably not from the cold. Qrow laid a hand on a broad shoulder, and felt Clover's hand at his waist.
With no music, they found a simple rhythm, tracing out a circle as wide as the extent of the wall would permit. They started out a hand-width apart, trading little chuckles at the charming absurdity of them dancing on the wall of Mantle. As their dance went on, they naturally drew closer to each other, until eventually Qrow leaned into Clover's shoulder, their chests flush.
He had no idea how much time they spent waltzing away in each other’s arms. One of them always kept a sharp eye on the horizon of the city, but otherwise Qrow was content to focus his attention on Clover.
They slowed at a gradual pace, eventually just swaying in place. "That was quite romantic," Clover whispered, breath tickling Qrow's ear.
"Well, nice to know I've still got some moves that work."
Clover stilled, then turned in a fluid motion, shifting a foot behind Qrow's ankle and bending him back into a low dip. Qrow's heart skipped a beat as he looked up at Clover, teal eyes shining and hair slightly disheveled from the breeze. Against the pale pink backdrop of the sky, he was breathtakingly handsome.
"And so do I," he said with a wink, before lifting Qrow up -- with only one arm -- to press a kiss to his lips. Slowly, he guided his partner back upright.
"Show off," Qrow grumbled as he smiled against Clover's lips.
Clover laughed as he pulled back, "You love it."
"Hmm, that I do."
A flash nearby caught his attention. Both he and Clover turned to watch two flares shoot into the air, near the wall on the south-east side of Mantle. One was a deep green, the other a pale blue.
"Flying swarm, and megoliaths," Qrow said, hand leaving Clover's shoulder to grasp Harbinger's hilt.
"They're attacking earlier in the day now, as well as the night raids," Clover shook his head. "She's getting more aggressive."
"Yeah," Qrow sighed, the nervous energy of anticipated combat settling through his bones.
"Well," Clover said, unfurling Kingfisher and tilting his head towards the descending flares. "Could I ask you for a second dance?"
"Absolutely," Qrow grinned.
They set off towards the battle together.