RWBY Through Worlds

172: Not Control Us

Qrow immediately regretted his impulsiveness

He wasn't supposed to do that. D--- it, why didn't he have more self control?!

He stepped back at once.

To his great shock, Winter did not immediately punch him.

She just stared at him in abject astonishment and put a hand to her mouth.

"I'm sorry." Qrow heartily wished he could sink through the ground. "That was stupid. I should have known better."

"Why did you do that?" Winter didn't sound very calm right then.

Not that he could blame her.

"I told you, it was stupid," Qrow said. "I didn't want to talk about this for a reason, okay? It was--something I thought I could control better if I just...ignored it."

Winter regained her power of coherent thought.

"Wait, is that what this was about?" she said. "I...you--so what did that mean?"

"Nothing," Qrow said.

"Nothing!?" Winter sounded angry then.

"Nothing. I mean, I didn't mean to," Qrow said hastily.

Winter was like other women in one way--that was not the thing she wanted to hear after a kiss.

"Well, what did you mean to do then?" she said. "Explain."

Qrow put a hand to his eyes. "I'm such an idiot..."

"Qrow!" Winter said in a harsh military whisper. "Stop saying nonsense and explain yourself right now."

That jolted him a little bit.

"I guess I'm more of a cur if I don't explain after that..." he said, more subdued. "The truth is..." But he paused.

Now he was just stalling, period.

Winter drew a deep breath.

"I'm just going to ask," she said. "Just answer yes or no." She paused. "And I feel ridiculous asking this question, by the way, but do you have some sort of...I suppose the word to use is...attraction...towards me?"

Wow, she'd never asked someone that in her entire life.

"You could say that." Qrow wasn't making eye contact.

"Oh...I see," Winter said.

Well... she supposed that wasn't... as insane as she'd thought.

Vara had been right? What a strange turn of events.

"You could say it might be a little more than just an attraction..." Qrow was miserable.

He never imagined he'd be doing this in his entire life--normally he didn't have to tell girls his feelings out right; they just kind of assumed it.

But of course Winter wouldn't have let him get away with that. That's why he didn't want to have this conversation. But now he was stuck having it.

"How much more?" Winter raised an eyebrow.

"D---it, do you have to ask that?" Qrow said.

"Yes!" she snapped.

"A lot more," Qrow said, almost angry--but really it was nerves. "Look, do you really want to hear this?"

He just got a look in return.

"I didn't think it would turn into anything serious," he said with a long sigh. "So I wasn't careful. And then it did. Feel free to say how ridiculous it is to talk about this now of all times, but I honestly was going to try not to let it get in the way. But I'm as bad at that as I am at everything else--"