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Nora couldn’t sleep.
Despite her hyperactiveness during the day, sleeping had never truly been an issue for the girl. All it would usually take was lying in a mildly comfortable position for a few seconds before she slipped off into pleasant dreams of fluffy clouds and infinite pancakes. Yang had compared her to a lightbulb once, blindingly bright when on, but completely conked at the flip of a switch.
So why did sleeping seem like such an impossible task these days?
Nora huffed and turned over in her bunk for the hundredth time in the past hour. She had tried everything; switching sides, fluffing her pillows, shifting her blankets. Alas, no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t fall asleep. Her mind was wide awake, her thoughts racing.
Mantle. Atlas. Ironwood. Salem. The relics.
Ren…
“Ugghhhh…” she groaned into the void that was team JNOR’s dorm at 2am. Finally accepting defeat, she forced herself up and out of her bunk. As her feet hit the floor, she cast a look over to the bunk below her own. Ren lay there, curled up and facing the wall. He was just as quiet in his sleep as he was in his waking life.
Typically, during the very few times she had trouble sleeping, she would just wake Ren up and bother him until she eventually slipped off. His calm, silent presence never failed to comfort her in the past. Now though…
“Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes sir.”
Nora shuddered at the memory. Ren, her strong, kind Ren, declaring loyalty to that...that tyrant was a nightmare in and of itself. At that moment, she hadn’t recognized her childhood friend. She knew they were changing, but she never expected them to grow in such opposite directions. The feeling of that rift growing between them, right when they were on the road to a real relationship nonetheless, was haunting her more than an immortal witch looking to destroy humanity ever could.
With a sad sigh, she turned away from Ren and made her way out of the room. No comfort would be found with him tonight, but maybe food would help. Her love for food is the only thing that even comes near her love for Ren, after all.
Nora made her way out of the student dormitories and into the hallway occupied by the Ace Ops. Students weren’t allowed in this area, but as official hunters and huntresses now, she and the others were given permission to use the operatives’ common room and kitchen. Hopefully, their selection of food wouldn’t be as lame as the rest of Atlas.
Finally arriving at the kitchen, she stepped into the dark room and blindly flicked the light switch. She then proceeded to let out a short, surprised shriek when the light illuminated a hunched-over figure sitting at the table a few feet away. At the same time, the figure startled from his position and quickly straightened up. His arms jerked in surprise, sending the half-empty glass next to him crashing to the floor. The noise brought Nora back to her senses, and she calmed down as the figure, who she now recognized as Qrow, stared dejectedly at the shattered glass scattered across the floor.
“Well, that was unfortunate,” he joked weakly, before kneeling down to clean up the mess. Nora apologized and made to help, but she was waved away by Qrow as he started collecting the larger shards. “I got this kid, don’t worry about it. Can’t have a new recruit showing up to missions with her hands all sliced up.”
Nora noticed the sweat on Qrow’s brow and the shakiness in his hands and tried to subtly inspect the clear liquid puddled on the floor. Her look didn’t escape Qrow’s eyes, and he gave a sigh.
“It’s just water, kid,” he said tiredly. Nora felt a rush of relief, followed by a bit of guilt by her own lack of faith. Qrow was doing so well in fighting his addiction, and they were all so proud of him, but none of them had yet forgotten the image of him passed out and useless on the stairs when they needed his help.
Nora liked Qrow, she really did. Trust, however, was a hard thing to earn, and an even harder thing to earn back.
The redhead found herself shaken from her thoughts at the sound of a throat clearing.
“So what’s got you up at this hour, Sparky? Professional hunters should be getting their sleep right about now. You don’t want to get mauled on the field ‘cause you couldn’t keep your eyes open,” he commented. Nora lips quirked up.
“You’re really gonna tell me that when you’re up too?”
“Eh, I’ve never been professional once in my life, and I’ve been at this for decades. I’m too old to be changing habits now. You’re young though, so you should take that health crap more seriously before you become a lost cause like me.”
Nora frowned at Qrow’s self-deprecation. Sure, it was nothing new, but that didn’t make it any more pleasant to hear.
“I don’t think you’re a lost cause,” she said firmly, and they both knew she wasn’t just talking about sleep habits.
Nora saw Qrow’s eyes widen for a second before he hunched in on himself and hung his head, his messy hair falling to hide his expression.
“Err, thanks, I guess,” he muttered, and Nora felt a sense of accomplishment when she realized that he hadn’t completely deflected the compliment. It was a small change, but a step in the right direction. That Captain Ebi really was doing a world of good for Qrow.
The man stood up from his hunched position and disposed of the broken glass, returning with a rag to wipe up the spill.
“Really, kid. What’re you doing up?” he asked seriously as he crouched back down. The pride Nora felt for the man before her faded as she recalled her own struggles. Gods, it really was so much easier to focus on someone else's problems than your own.
“Couldn’t sleep. Hungry,” she intoned softly, not quite lying but definitely not telling the whole truth. She finally moved from her spot to inspect the rest of the kitchen. After scavenging through the fridge and the cabinets, she groaned defeatedly. The options were just as boring and impersonal as the rest of Atlas. Qrow raised an eyebrow at her as he made his way to the sink to wring out the rag.
“Nothin’ good?”
“Nah, just the basics. Gods, this place is so lame. Is individualism a punishable offense here or something?” she complained. Qrow snorted as he laid the rag down to dry.
“Yeah, gotta agree with you there kid,” he grumbled. A moment of silence passed before an idea seemed to come to him. Nora watched curiously as he looked inside the spice cabinet, seemingly intent on finding something. He smirked when he appeared to find what he was looking for.
“Hey, how d’ya feel about cinnamon?”
Nora’s eyebrows raised, and then a smile touched her lips.
“I love it.”
“Good. Take a seat, I’ll put something together for you.” After waving her over to the table, he began to pull out a few ingredients. Cinnamon, sugar, butter, bread. It wasn’t hard to guess what he was making.
A comfortable silence fell over them as Qrow popped the toast down and began mixing some cinnamon and sugar together in a cup. Nora typically hated the quiet and went out of her way to fill every moment with her chattering, but in this moment, she liked it. It felt nice, just sitting back and letting an adult take care of her.
It occurred to her that no adult had ever gone out of their way to make food just for her. Sure, cinnamon toast was simple to make, but Qrow was under no obligation to do anything for her.
It made Nora feel warm.
After a few minutes, a plate with two pieces of toast was placed before her. The smell of cinnamon was heavenly, and the generous amount of butter gave the simple dish a beautiful shine. Nora was exaggerating when she said that she was hungry, but now her stomach was growling. Nora dug into her snack without hesitation, and in that moment, it was the most wonderful thing she had ever tasted. Qrow smirked as the girl stuffed her face, and he leaned back in his seat, placing his hands casually behind his head.
“You know,” he began, “these people are nowhere near as perfect as they try to seem. This kitchen is really just for show. They actually have their own mini-kitchens in their rooms. Saw Clover’s first hand, and let me tell you, Atlas’s golden boy is definitely not following the food pyramid. He had junk food all over the place, and I’m willing to bet that the rest of them are the same way.” He gave a small laugh at that. Nora giggled at the image of the tidy and composed captain stuffing his face with chips until the implications of his statement caught up with her.
“Wait…you were in Captain Ebi’s room?” she asked, and she smirked evilly when Qrow’s face suddenly grew red.
“Err, well, yeah. Professionally ,” he stressed. Nora’s smirk grew wider.
“I thought you said you never acted professional in your life,” she asked innocently. She was rewarded with a grumbled “brat” and a flick to her forehead.
“You better keep that to yourself, kid. Don’t you dare tell anyone that, especially Ruby and Yang. Last thing I need is those two on my case,” he said with a sigh.
“My lips are sealed!” Nora replied, both of them knowing full well that Nora would tell everyone the moment she got the chance. Nora took another bite of her snack while Qrow rubbed at his eyes, seemingly resigning himself to his fate. “Anyways, topic shift! Are you, like, a toast making god? This is amazing!” she exclaimed with her mouth full. Qrow rolled his eyes at her childish display and pointedly slid a napkin over to her.
“It’s just cinnamon toast, you don’t exactly have to be a professional chef to make a decent slice,” he huffed with amusement. “But I used to make it for the girls all the time when they couldn’t sleep. It’s a great comfort food.” A smile pulled at his lips as he began to reminisce of times long passed. “Whenever I was out on missions, Tai would try to make it for them instead. They always complained that it wasn’t right, that I made it the best. I never stopped holding that over him,” he chuckled. A moment later though, his smile was falling and a more serious look took hold.
“To be honest, I didn’t deserve that honor. It wasn’t me that started the tradition. It was Ruby and Yang’s mom...Summer.” He sighed. “She used to make it for the rest of Team STRQ. Whenever we were down, she would always be there with a plate. We tried to make it for ourselves, but it never tasted right. She just had a magic touch for it, and for comforting people in general. She would make it for Yang too, but I think Yang was too young at the time to remember. Heh, if she was still here, the girls would definitely want nothing to do with my version. Summer...truly was the best of us. In all ways.”
Nora hesitated for a second, and then decided to share her thoughts.
“Hers was probably wonderful, but yours is awesome too. Thank you, Qrow. Seriously.”
His smile returned and he nodded his head at her before silence fell once again. As Nora finished up her plate and began picking at the crumbs, she thought about what Qrow had said. Despite not even knowing what Summer looked like, she could picture it. Her kind presence, her soft smile, her understanding eyes. The look a parent gave their children. A look she had always longed for, and the comfort she wished she would be given.
Suddenly, her earlier anxieties began to creep back up. She knew she had to return to her dorm soon, and she didn’t want to keep Qrow up when she knew how much he was struggling with his withdrawal, but she wasn’t ready to let go of the fuzzy feelings the cinnamon toast had ignited inside her.
“Hey Qrow?” she called for his attention softly. He removed his hand from his face and hummed for her to continue. She swallowed deeply and finally voiced the question that’s been haunting her since they arrived in Atlas.
“Are we...doing the right thing?”
Qrow’s eyebrows raised in surprise, and he straightened up into a more serious pose.
“How do you mean?” he asked as Nora stared intently at her empty plate.
“I mean, here we are helping Ironwood with the Amity project, but really, what is he doing for anyone else? The people of Mantle are suffering, they need supplies, and Ironwood isn’t doing anything about it. I know it isn’t that simple, that he has a lot on his plate, and I know our main job is to protect the relic, but everyone seems to be ignoring all of the bad stuff, and I just can’t do that. How can everyone just be okay with this?” How could her Ren be okay with this?
At this point, Qrow too was staring down at the table, a troubled look on his face. Nora felt bad for burdening someone else with her own struggles, but she just couldn’t keep it in anymore. Another question came to mind, one she desperately needed the answer.
“You’re friends with Ironwood, right? Please be honest, do you trust him?”
With that question, Qrow shut his eyes and took a deep breath. When he lifted his head to look Nora in the eyes, he looked somber.
“Me and Jimmy, we go way back. Friendship might be too conventional a term to describe our relationship, but I know the guy well. I, well, I trust that his heart is in the right place. Unfortunately, the guy has a nasty habit of not seeing the forest for the trees. I know he’s trying his best, but I’m not blind to what’s been going on. So, do I trust him? Honestly...I’m not sure.”
A frown appeared on Nora’s face. It was the answer she was expecting, but not the one she wanted. What she so desperately wanted was an adult to comfort her, to tell her that her fears are unfounded and that everything would be okay. She needed to know that there was light at the end of this tunnel.
Before she could sink any deeper into her fears though, a single statement broke through all of her thoughts.
“I trust you, though.”
Nora's eyes flew open and she whipped her head up to stare at Qrow, who now had a small smile, a real smile, on his face.
“Huh?” she said dumbly.
“I said I trust you. All of you. You kids...you hunters are some of the most amazing people I’ve ever had the pleasure to know, and I know hundreds of people. You’ve all taken on a burden that would crush most people, and yet here you guys are, standing strong. And through all of it, you’ve all stayed optimistic. I...wish I had the strength you guys have.” This final sentence was whispered, the words more honest than she had ever heard from Qrow. He was quiet, contemplative, for a second before he shook his head and continued.
“The thing is, you guys made it this far, even when I was practically doing my damndest to drag you down. You have a drive to do the right thing, and as long as you keep that drive, I honestly believe that things will work out. There’s a lot of shit happening in the world right now, but with time, you guys are gonna make Remnant a better place. And if James isn’t doing the right thing? Well, I trust that you guys can lead him onto the right path. You led me there, after all.”
Nora’s mouth had now fallen open, shocked at Qrow’s sudden openness.
Qrow...trusted them. Qrow Branwen, legendary huntsman, actual hero, a man she truly looked up to despite his faults, an adult , trusted them. Believed in them.
The warm feelings from the toast came back tenfold, and she smiled widely as her eyes began to sting. Unable to hold it in, she jumped up from her chair and rushed to his side. She threw her arms around him in a hug, his body stiffening in shock.
“You never dragged us down,” she whispered into his ear, tightening her hold. “You’re human, and you made some mistakes, but you have sooo made up for them. You’re way more awesome than you give yourself credit for, and I...I trust you. And I think the others do too. We all know that if we fall, we’ll always have our Uncle Qrow to catch us.” Qrow let out a gentle gasp at this, and a second later, Nora finally felt the hug being returned. The man was shaking, but so was she. A minute passed, and then two, and Nora was perfectly content here with the only adult she ever felt completely safe with.
After a bit longer, they finally pulled away from each other. Nora pretended not to see the tears Qrow was holding back, and she looked away as he wiped furiously at his eyes. Once they were sufficiently dry, he huffed out a small laugh.
“Whelp, I don’t know about you, kid, but I’ve certainly reached my “feeling-emotions” quota of the week. All this sappiness is cramping my style, so I’m gonna have to go extra hard on you kids during training tomorrow. Better go get some sleep, you’re gonna need it.” He gave a lopsided smirk and mussed up her hair before standing and making his way out to the hallway, Nora right on his heels. Before they parted ways, he turned back to her.
“Things will get better eventually, so don’t stay up worrying. Go sleep like the brick you are, be a kid, cuddle up with Ren and let us adults do the worrying for you,” he said with a smirk that Nora happily returned.
“Yeah, I think I will cuddle with Ren...if you promise to cuddle with Captain Ebi,” she replied mischievously. Qrow’s cheeks reddened once again and he gave her a playful push.
“Yeah yeah, buzz off,” and with that, he turned away and began making his way back to his room. Before he got too far, he looked over his shoulder one last time, showing another one of his rare smiles.
“‘Night, Sparky,” and with that, they went their separate ways.
Nora eventually reached her dorm and she tip-toed over to the bunk-bed she shared with Ren. Before she pulled herself up onto the top bunk, she glanced down at the boy. He had turned over in his sleep and was now facing Nora. He looked so peaceful in his sleep, and Nora smiled at the beautiful face she loved more than anything.
Things were tense between them right now, and it might stay like that for a while, but things would get better eventually. Qrow believed that, and she believed in Qrow. For now, that was all the reassurance she needed.
Nora climbed up to her bed and the moment her head hit the pillows, she was out like a light. She smiled in her sleep as she dreamt of Ren, of cinnamon toast, and of father figures.