Love (And Other Difficulties)

Winter Writing Challenge Day 2: Home for the Holidays (Qrow Branwen)

"You know, I'm not even slightly surprised to find you here."

"I'm not even slightly surprised you came lookin' for me." Qrow gives you a lopsided grin, which serves as another hint that he's been drinking for at least a few hours. He knew he was about to get an earful, quickly downing the rest of his drink before motioning towards the empty seat in front of him. "Would appreciate the company."

You take a seat across from him and Qrow pushes the empty cup away, knowing he was most likely done drinking for the night. It was the holiday season and you had mentioned to him multiple times about heading to Taiyang's for some special feast, but he hadn't showed up, and you were without a doubt there to ream him out for it. You'd think he'd need more alcohol to deal with that, but he figured it'd only make you angrier.

"Why didn't you show up to be with your family?" He scoffs, but quickly straightens out and changes his expression when you send a glare his way.

"Havin' me around when everyone just wants to have a good time isn't a good idea."

"You know that's not true! Plus, you do stuff with the girls all the time."

"I'm sure I wasn't missed."

"Are you ever going to be done this endless self-pity party?" Well, he hadn't expected that, but you weren't entirely wrong either. He'd loved you for such a long time because you'd always known when to kick him in the ass to get him into gear, and you were unwilling to hold back if he was proving to be an idiot. "The girls miss you, and I miss you! We're always busy and this is the one night that I thought I could've pinned you down for and I do not want to spend it in this bar!"

Qrow looks away from your gaze because he can tell how upset you are, and it makes him feel guilty; all he did was pull away whenever you tried to bring him closer, sometimes without him even realizing it. After years of constantly distancing himself from the people he loved its become second nature to take himself out of the picture, to think that it's far better that way for everyone. But with you sitting across from him now, clearly upset, he's starting to think maybe his way of thinking was flawed.

Maybe.

He was too stubborn to change how he thought and felt in just one night with just one conversation, but...

"Girls are still up, right?"

"'Course they are. They ate so much dessert I think the sugar will keep them up for the next three days."

"Let's head on over then." He pushes the chair back, stumbling a bit but you're quick to stand up to steady him. "Thanks."

"I'm always here for you Qrow." It was cute how serious you could look when you said such corny things, but he still feels his heart flutter like he's some type of young school child experiencing love for the first time. "Let's go home."