Aegean

(Set in a not too distant future, roughly ten years.)

Evening settles in and swaddles around the modest but no less elegant pagoda style house. The amber glow of lamps surges through the windows, diffused by the frosted glass within the squared designs of the frames. There is the heavy thump of boots on the front deck, an overwhelming contrast to the gentle knock of the bamboo wind chime dangling nearby. They stop just shy of the front door, the tall man settled inside them pushing the hood back over his head and mussing his hair before knocking three times with the back of his hand.

The thumping comes from inside the house this time, from equally heavy steps in quick succession that almost skid to a stop before crashing through the door. The barrier swings back and out jumps a blur of red and pink and freckles.

"Jaune!"

"Ah-hey, Nora," he grunts, steadying his feet to take the impact of her lunging embrace. "Good to see you too. Can you let go please?"

"Nope."

He clears his throat as she squeezes just a little more. "Having trouble breathing,"

"You can breathe when you're dead." she protests, an obvious smile in her voice.

For a moment he simply can't respond, his expression twisted, then he puts his hands on her smaller shoulders and pushes. Not that it helps.

"So glad you could make it." Ren appears in the doorway, hands behind in his back, the smallest of smirks on his mouth. "Won't you come in?"

"I would love to but," he pushes against Nora again.

His grin stretches a little further. "The spring rolls are ready."

Nora straightens and turns away from Jaune almost immediately with a squeaking "Ooh!", hurrying back inside.

Jaune gives a little shrug of relief. "Speaking of which, Ren, thanks for the invitation."

"Of course." he nods. "I know a half empty house can seem a little large at times. Now, please come inside, make yourself at home."

With a nod he steps inside, finding it comfortably warm enough to pull his hooded coat over his head and fold it over his arm. Jaune works the clasp of his sword belt apart, tucking it beneath his arm and following Ren further in. Hardwood floors creak under his weight as he comes into the living area, seeming content to prop his sword and fold his coat to set down near the wall beside Nora's hammer.

"Have a seat anywhere, there are a few more things to do before dinner is ready. Something to drink?"

"Oh, no thanks," Jaune pulls out a chair at the table, "I can wait."

Ren dips his head, shifting to make his way back into the kitchen, caught mid stride as Nora comes from the opposite direction to catch him about the waist and kiss his cheek, leaving a bright colored smear of sauce.

Nora skips a little as she approaches the table, red hair tossing side to side, leaning against one corner as she pulls a chair back. "So, how've you been? Where's Pyrrha gone to this time?"

A little laugh, a tired half-sigh. "About half a kingdom away...might as well be the other side of the world. Otherwise I'm fine, how about you two?"

"Fabulous." She props her elbows on the table, her chin resting between her palms. "Just last week, Ren and I saved a neighboring village from an entire nest of King Taijitu!"

"They were Creepers." Ren corrects from the kitchen.

"And I saved Ren from being digested by tearing him from the monster's stomach with my bare hands!"

"No she didn't."

Jaune just laughs and shakes his head. "You don't say? Sounds like you guys are having all the fun without me."

"What, protecting that town of yours isn't enough anymore?" a rosy brow lifts.

"Oh no, it's just right, trust me. I'm just joking."

Nora cocks her head to one side, that one eyebrow still up. "Something wrong?"

Jaune Arc is a bad liar, has always been a bad liar, and it was mostly his body language that gave him away anymore now that he was older and his voice had stopped cracking. The way he bunches his shoulders and dips his chin, shaking his head with a practiced denial of "nothing important" doesn't fool her for one second.

"You're funny," she chuckles. "Just who are you trying to kid?"

"Huh?"

She laughs a little harder. "You're so full of crap."

"What's that about crap?" Ren's face quirks as he shoulders through the doorway with a massive wok in his hands, steam billowing out of it as he brings it to the table and sets it down on a spread of dense fabric. "Not exactly good dinner conversation."

"Jaune's trying to tell me there's nothing wrong,"

"And he's failing miserably. I see."

"Really? What are you two, psychic?" Jaune musses his hair again, caught somewhere between amusement and mild indignation. "It's not a big deal, not so big that we can't put it off until after dinner. Okay?"

Nora reaches out without all the casual comfort of speaking and squeezes his face with one hand, his lips puckering outward. "Spill it." Jaune scowls in response.

"Come on, Nora, let him tell us when he's ready. Now pass me your bowls."

Ren and Jaune tried their best at conversation, but all the while Jaune could feel Nora's eyes boring into the side of his head. At first she wouldn't even say anything as they ate and chatted and sipped tea, but that only lasts only so long. Nora would make several more attempts to wrench information out of him, prying between mouthfuls of stir fried noodles and hearty vegetables. She almost chokes on the third attempt at bringing up what's under her former team leader's skin. Thankfully she aborts her personal mission after that.

In the beginning Ren wasn't too certain if Nora was on to something, thinking it was just her imagination which was never off the table as a possibility. But then he notices the way Jaune eats, the way he stalls and just stirs his food absently with his fork as he talks. He is definitely preoccupied with something, whether or not something is wrong remains to be seen.

"Superb, Ren. As always." Jaune pats his belly as he lounges back in the chair, satisfaction written on his contented features. "Thanks again."

"You're always welcome." he nods. "So what's on your mind?"

His expression dissolves into something uncertain, his hand curling over the back of his head to scratch his scalp. "Well,"

"It's about Pyrrha, isn't? It is! What did you do?!" Nora points an almost accusatory finger at him, eyes narrowing.

"What? No! Well...kinda...maybe...it's mostly me but...it isn't not about Pyrrha. If that makes any sense."

Ren nods, his fingers lacing together beneath his chin. He notices Jaune's discomfort at the subject, his own thoughts turning. "Are you two having problems?"

"I wouldn't call it a problem, but," he can't meet Ren's eyes, uncertain. "You think we could talk, Ren? Just us guys?"

"Oh," he straightens, "um...sure. Nora, do you mind taking the wok to the kitchen?"

Her expression sours, even her freckles darkening as her cutting gaze exchanges between them. Without breaking eye contact with Jaune she takes hold of one of the wok's handles, lifting out of her chair. She takes a few seconds to collect the bowls as well and carry them in her other hand. He could still feel her judging him as she turns her back and disappears into the next room.

"So?"

Jaune clears his throat, turning his head this way and that, anything to keep from meeting his eyes and acknowledging this conversation.

"Is it because she's gone so long?"

"No." he finally says. "That's probably the last thing we talk about. I mean, we knew what we were getting into from the start, it's what Hunters do, you know?" Sad to leave, happy to come home. "So, it's not that."

"Money?"

"Heavens no." Jaune laughs a little. "Pyrrha makes more than enough hunting and competing -when she has the time for it. And I make a little something here and there so...no, it's not that either."

"Then what?"

"I," his face reddens almost instantly, "I...you and Nora are...you know...together, right?"

His thin charcoal brow lifts, eyes inquisitive. "Meaning...?"

"You know," he repeats, almost whispering. "Are you two...sleeping together?"

"Oh." a little laugh, realization in the sound. "I see. Yes, we are."

"How long?"

"Before you were married." he nods.

"Oh...wait, really?"

"Yes. You didn't know?"

"No." Jaune almost feels disappointed in himself. "Did everyone else?"

"I just assumed they did. It's our business anyhow so I didn't pay it much mind." he exhales with an amused grin. "So what's your question?"

"Well," his face gets redder from his eyebrows to his chin. "I...I feel like I'm not satisfying her."

His features stretch, one sharp jump across his face. "Oh. Have you two talked about it?"

"I try bringing it up, but she just tells me everything's fine."

"But you don't believe that?"

"I just...I feel it, you know? Not that I don't trust her to tell me when she's unhappy...our communication is good like that. But,"

"What makes you say she isn't satisfied?" and Ren waits. Several moments Jaune doesn't say a word and just scratches the back of his head. Finally he continues with "You're going to have to give me details."

"Really?" He cringes, leaning forward to put his elbows on the table.

"If you want my help, yes." Ren turns his head over his shoulder. "Nora, come sit with us."

"What, why?! This is supposed to be guys only!" Jaune hisses, as if Nora wasn't already eavesdropping from the other room anyway.

"Who better to ask about pleasing a woman than another woman?"

Jaune almost protests, but stops himself and shrinks back. Conceding.

"Just trust me."

"So what's the big secret?" Nora strides back into the dinning room, grinning like a cat.

"Sex."

"Ooh! So do you need to fill me in or can we just take it from here?"

"Oh my god." Jaune drops his forehead to the table. "This was a bad idea."

Ren tries not to laugh as he attempts to quiet Nora's giggling with a stilling hand on her thigh beneath the table. "Apologies for our immaturity, we're not laughing at you, Jaune. In all seriousness, please continue."

It was so hard to speak about this now that Nora was staring at him, waiting oh-so intently. Like showing up for an exam naked and you know everyone's looking at you. But, on the other hand, he wanted help. And, in reality, this was for Pyrrha. The discomfort would be more than worth it.

"Does she not reach climax with you?" Ren eventually continues for him.

Jaune swallows hard, nodding. "She does." he starts smiling and looking at his hands folded in front of him. "No problem there...I mean...not really."

"You're still not making sense." Ren shakes his head.

"She tops you all the time, doesn't she?" Nora still grins from ear to ear as she asks, still fights a fit of giggles.

"No, she doesn't." he grumbles. To the contrary, control and dominance wasn't much of a factor to his and Pyrrha's intimacy. "We can tell each other what we want, we don't try to force anything...you know...nothing like that."

"But there's something she wants that you're not able to give her? Am I getting warmer?" Ren tries.

"Yeah." Jaune takes a deep breath, scratching the back of his head one more time. "Have you ever felt like this, Ren? I mean, you sound so confident,"

"Because I am. Nora and I are quite comfortable with each other." his eyes slide to her for a split second. "But as for your question; yes I have. Remember when I broke my jaw last year? Had to have it wired shut?"

"Oh yeah, I do." he cringes a little. That injury looked bad, half of Ren's face having turned purple.

"So does Nora."

Her face changes immediately, no longer blushing from holding in laughter but completely neutral. She straightens her back, crosses her arms and swings her gaze to him. "We agreed not to bring that up ever."

"I know, but this is important."

Jaune actually felt a little better at the admission, once he realized what he was alluding to. It made Ren seem a little more qualified for this situation. Maybe Ren really did know what he was talking about.

"Okay, let me try again." he takes a deep breath, back straight, and exhales. "You can tell when you do something Nora particularly likes, right?" he watches as Nora and Ren nod in unison. "I'd like to think I know what Pyrrha likes -and for the most part she would probably agree." he laughs a little to himself. "I know...I feel she enjoys it most when we're...together," he gestures with his hands, the first couple fingers twining, "but I can't make her climax that way. I try...I've tried several things and I just can't pull it off. I know it disappoints her...hell, it disappoints me- especially if I just can't last long enough. She won't say anything, but I know."

Much to Jaune's surprise, Nora has no puns to jab his way. In fact the both of them look back at him with noticeable empathy.

"So what have you tried?" Ren began. "What's foreplay like for you two?"

"Kind of like you in the kitchen, Ren. We're comfortable, confident. We know what we're doing." he swallows again, pictures flickering in his mind. "Equal give and take."

Ren nods, processing the answer.

"Can you get her off like that?" Nora never was one to mince words.

Jaune's a little surprised at how blunt she is. "Ah-yeah. I feel a little obligated to since I can't...you know. But yeah."

"What about you?"

"Are you kidding? Pyrrha's amazing," Jaune smiles. "She...plays me like a fiddle. My god,"

"Maybe that's part of the problem." She continues. "You're overstimulated."

"Over-what now?"

"Take a little less, give her a little more," she tilts her head to one side, then the other, "it's a start. You could always try getting her from behind, give her less leverage with her hands."

Jaune's features stretch, his eyes wide as more images start rolling through his head. Not that he hadn't ever done something like that with Pyrrha before, just not like that with purpose. Not for a reason other than convenience, yet his wife had never protested being made love to from behind. But...

"That's going to be difficult. I mean, isn't half the fun in just touching each other?" And touching Pyrrha -her touching him- was a dream come true.

"That's true," Ren nods slowly, knowing the thought as it having been his own once. "But no one's saying you have to stop letting her altogether. Just be more conscious of where your limit is. Have a little self-discipline. Besides, there's always after."

Jaune smiles, his eyes lowering to the table. The afterglow was almost as good as the sex, in his mind anyway. Feeling Pyrrha's heartbeat just slightly arrhythmic of his own, the pulsing warmth of her entire body...

"Eyes up here, buddy." Nora snickers. She loves watching him blush and shift around in his seat. Especially after her next question. "What positions have you tried?"

"Um," he thinks a moment, "you mean there's more than...four...ish?"

Nora and Ren make matching expressions, eyes wide and mouth stretched open in a sort of cringe, their eyes sliding to meet each other's before going back to his.

"Four-ish?" Nora can't believe it. "Are you serious? I'd laugh, but that's just...sad."

"What do you mean sad?" Jaune scowls, looking to the only other male in the room for some much needed reassurance.

"She's right. Sad."

"You really do need help."

"Okay, I get it, now could you stop judging and start helping?"

Nora's face scrunches a little in the middle, curious uncertainty that she holds on to for nearly a minute, like she was trying to look right through him.

"You're not expecting us to...show you...are you?"

"What? No! Whoa no, not at all, no!" Jaune waves his hands in front of him, head shaking and eyes screwed shut. "We're friends, but not those kind of friends."

"That and I think we've embarrassed you enough tonight, don't you think?" Ren then catches Nora's attention, smiling at her in an almost knowing way. Like they were communicating without saying a word as she smirks back at him. "I can send a few things to your scroll before you leave in the morning, how about that?"

"Sure, anything to keep you two from swallowing each other's face right here."

"Oh no, this is happening." Nora smiles from ear to ear as she twists in her seat and leans forward to take Ren's face in her hands.

"Get a room." Jaune is smiling, so it isn't so much a complaint as it is a poor attempt to tease them.

But Ren takes it in stride. "Not a bad idea." In a particularly impressive show of grace he stands up without breaking contact with Nora, hooking his hands beneath her thighs and pulling her up against him. Her legs wrap around him and they both laugh to each other while disappearing into the next room. Most likely the bedroom.

Before Jaune resigns himself to some alone time on the living room sofa he briefly wonders if Pyrrha would like it if he held her the same way.

(-)

Jaune does his best to stay busy whenever Pyrrha is away. He patrols just outside the village three times every day; early morning, afternoon, and just before dark. It was rare for Grimm to be out here, but a Hunter can never be too careful. Between patrols he manages the house. With colder weather on its way in he begins storing wood for the fireplace, tossing away hours of light with chopping and stacking like he had year after year with his father. Once satisfied with his progress, he moves on to his other outdoor chore which was tending to the blossoming ivy that circles between and around the lattices he and Pyrrha had built behind the house. It is a Nikos family tradition to grow the ivy not only for its alluring indigo blossoms, but for the small batches of wine that could be made from them. It is Pyrrha's hobby, something she could easily pick up and put down between hunts. It is also something she and her husband could do together. Jaune never got tired of how proud she was of him for taking such good care of it when she was away.

Not that he cares much for the wine, but that isn't important. What's important is the contentment on her face when she inspects the blossoms every Spring and Autumn, the way she looks at him with so much quiet approval. That's what matters to him, that look. The same look he was hoping to get from her in the bedroom soon.

He takes a much needed break between that and his evening patrol, cleaning himself up just enough not to stink of sweat before coming to rest on the sofa. With his lunch resting in his lap he opens his scroll and begins to browse through any messages he may have gotten. His blond eyebrows lift at the sight of Ren's name and the little paperclip symbol alerting him to the attached file he could download. It takes less than half a minute for him to access the file. Everything appears business as usual as he skims through the first few lines of text, the file appearing to be some sort of digitized book. He almost nodded in approval until he scrolled to the next page. He chokes a little, closes the file, and calls Ren.

"Lie Ren speaking."

"You sent me porn?!"

"Jaune?" a quiet laugh creeps over the line, hushed as if he was meaning for Jaune not to hear it. "It's not porn. It's educational."

"There's naked people in it, having sex, it's porn!"

"And you were expecting...?"

"Not porn! Pyrrha's going to flip!"

"Possibly in a good way," one could almost hear Ren grinning on the other end of the line, "depends on how it goes."

"This isn't funny."

"I'm not laughing. I'm serious. Trust me, this book comes highly recommended."

"Oh yeah, by who?" And he waits as Ren starts listing names, a majority of which he knows as close friends and acquaintances, his eyes steadily getting bigger and his mouth hanging farther open. After a moment he just puts his hand over his face. "What would Pyrrha say?"

"'This looks fun.'" and he actually laughs this time, like he had been holding it in for far too long. "Come on, Jaune, just relax. I'm sure Pyrrha will be more approving than you think, especially if she experiences the ends before discovering the means."

"I don't know," he pushes his fingers through his hair, shrugging gently.

"Well, in the end it's your choice. You could always delete it."

He almost does it right that second, pulling the scroll away from his ear and looking at the screen. But he pauses, taking a deep breath. Then "I'll think it over."

"It couldn't hurt. That's all I'm saying," Ren continues. "Sleep on it."

"Yeah, maybe you're right. In any case...thanks. Sorry I tried to bite your head off."

"It's okay. Just let me know how it turns out."

Jaune scowls. "I'll sleep on that too." and he hears a quiet chuckle just before the connection ends.

Jaune decides to put the matter aside for now and continue about his usual routine. After a short nap on the sofa he works himself back into his outdoor clothes and armor to do his evening patrol. There's nothing much to speak of as the sun goes down and the stars begin dotting a velvet black sky with pinpoints of light. A fog bank coming from the north demands his attention for all of a minute as he spots shapes darting in and out of the mist, a closer look assuring him it was only a few deer. Completing his rounds leaves him with the usual conflict of how to bide his time until he was tired enough to go to bed. Sometimes he took his guitar into town to play at the inn; you know, just for fun. The other option was to go back home and be by himself, semi-consciously waiting -hoping- that Pyrrha would call. It has been a month now since she left and he has yet to hear anything.

Not that it was out of the ordinary for that to happen, just that he's only human and he worries.

Two weeks later he would receive a text from her on his scroll, a concise selection of quick words telling him that the signal was weak and the hunt would take longer than expected. In a way it soothed his concerns yet failed to make him actually feel better. True, it was better to hear this than nothing at all, but satisfaction is a fickle thing. One always wants something more. Something he will have to wait another four weeks for.

It is supposed to be the last few warm days of the year, meaning it was time to collect the blossoms from the ivy before they wither from the cold. Down on his knees Jaune carefully clips the stem of each flower before placing it into a woven basket, the inside of which was actually stained a dark blue from years of use.

Jaune can almost feel a shadow come across his back, giving him pause until he looks to the side and sees it. He smiles to himself, recognition immediate, the silhouette unmistakeable.

"Can I help?"

His smile widens a little more as he shifts his weight to his feet. He leaves the basket on the ground as he stands up, turning. "Welcome home." Before Pyrrha can say another word he has her in his arms, pulling her body to align with his as she laughs into his shoulder. Even before she walks in the door she feels at home, his embrace more secure and comforting than any four walls could ever be.

"You didn't answer my question."

"I know." his response is a contented hum, his fingers twining in that amazing crimson ponytail."I thought this was a little more important."

"Ah yes," a little sigh as she presses a little more against him, head turning that she might kiss his neck, "there's that."

Jaune feels the shiver up his back at the warm but all too brief press of her lips to his skin. It's part of the almost customary hypersensitivity that comes with Pyrrha's return home. Something he always welcomes but does his best to reign in. He swallows, kissing her temple in response before straightening and leaning back to meet her eyes. "I actually have things under control, though."

"I can see that, now that I look," her head turns this way and that. "You've done a great job."

"Thanks." he blushes just a little, hoping it's hidden beneath the slight redness of the sun heating his skin. "But it can wait. Let me take your stuff inside so you can relax."

"That's not necessary, I can carry it." she's still smiling, even as she tries to back away but his grip around her waist won't relent. "Really, I can do it."

"I know you can," he puts a small kiss to her lips, brief and without warning, "but I want to."

She protests per the usual, albeit gently with an air of amusement, and he insists. He bars her path when she tries to walk by and pushes back a little when she pushes her palms against his chest, all the while the two go back and forth with "let me" and "I can do it". Eventually Jaune bends down and catches her beneath the knees and around her shoulders to pick her up, garnering a shrill laugh from his wife. He carries her inside without another thought to the basket full of blossoms.

Jaune sets her back on her feet in the living room, taking advantage of her inability to stop laughing to pull her hefty backpack from her shoulders and set it down. Still standing in front of her he just looks at her for a moment; she's so damn adorable when she's laughing. The way she covers her mouth with one hand as if that helps at all. He hooks one finger around her wrist to pull her hand away that he might kiss her again, longer this time, and her giggles quiet into a slow, sighing moan into his mouth. Jaune's hands then move toward the small of her back, over brass and leather to find the knot holding Pyrrha's bodice in place.

She tucks her chin, looking down. "You always go for that one first," comes her heated whisper.

"It's easier to reach, that's all." he admits, smirking a little. "I'm sure you'd like to get into something more comfortable." And she needed a bath, but he wasn't about to say that to her face.

"Always so thoughtful." she rests her head against his shoulder, letting him carry her weight as she loosely holds him about the waist.

The piece of armor comes apart at the back, Pyrrha's body stretching with arms raised as Jaune eases the article over her head. With only marginal reverence he puts the bodice on the sofa just behind them. He would take care of it due time, once he had collected all of her gear. Piece by piece he would do just that, all of his attention on her as he knelt to undo the clasps at her thighs. Pyrrha sits on the sofa as he pulls the armor as well as her boots down, setting them aside to kiss the gentle bend of her knee. Jaune inches forward, between her thighs and kisses her again as he takes her hand. He waits, savoring the taste of her and the feel of her fingers in his hair before starting to pull the long gloves from her arms.

Jaune can't help but to let his mouth curl in an almost stupid smirk. He looks her over, now in nothing but the skirt and sash about her waist, and doesn't resist asking "Can I help with anything else?"

Pyrrha rolls her eyes, her hands on his shoulders. "Not at the moment, thank you."

"You're sure? I bet you're exhausted and it might be too much for you," that grin just gets dumber and dumber, his hands skimming up her sides and smoothing over her ribs.

She squirms a little, trying not to laugh as his gestures tickle her. "I think I can handle it, thank you."

Jaune eases forward and nuzzles her neck, nipping the tender flesh there with just enough pressure to make her jump. "If you insist. I'll unpack your things, you go relax."

"Thank you." she whispers, accepting a parting kiss before Jaune allows her to stand up. She can still feel his eyes on her as she leaves the room to go about her routine.

Jaune is true to his word and begins gathering her things. Her armor and weapons are the first to be stowed away in their proper place, a room no larger than a closet where his own were usually kept. Initially her gear looked none the worse for wear, though tomorrow he would likely get up early to clean the articles and make any repairs. With the spear and shield perched upon their respective hooks he leaves the room, returning his attention to the backpack.

He takes it into the bedroom before opening it, emptying its contents on the bed. He subconsciously notes the sound of the bath running as he takes account of the dirty clothes that came spilling out. He tucks it all under his arms to dump into a basket at the foot the bed. He gives the backpack another good shake after that, making sure he got everything. Pyrrha's billfold flops to the bed and he puts it on his wife's bedside table where she would expect it to be. After that he simply shoves the bag beneath the bed with his foot, trying to convince himself he would put it away in its proper place later. As a last consideration, he lays Pyrrha's night clothes out on the bed.

"Do you need anything?" he calls through the door once the sound of rushing water stops.

"No, but thank you." comes a tired sounding response.

He nods and goes back to what he was doing, only half focusing on his previous task. Even as he finishes pruning the blossoms from the ivy, part of his mind lingers behind in the house, waiting.

Jaune comes back inside a half hour later, leaving the basket on the dinning table as he passes through the room. He finds his wife stretched across the sofa, hands folded over her stomach and eyes closed as if sleeping. Her hair is in a loose braid the lays over her right shoulder. One would think she would simply go to bed, and were she the typical sort of tired, she would. But the sofa is much more soft, more welcoming to the type of fatigue that still hums through her body.

He looks her over slowly, a little smile on his mouth, then chuckles quietly. "I set out your nightgown."

One eye opens, brilliant green settling on him for half a second before she smiles. "But your shirts are decidedly more comfortable." And she shifts, seeming to nestle deeper into the cushions, hugging the oversized t-shirt that much tighter to her frame. "Do you want me to change?"

"Don't be ridiculous." he bends over, curling one arms under her ankles to lift them up. He lets them lay across his lap once he's settled on the sofa. From here he notices she isn't wearing anything other than his shirt and swallows. He knows she won't be up for that; the next few hours were meant for the two of them to reacquaint with each other, for her to feel at home again. Which is just fine, considering he feels a desperate need to refresh himself on his...studies. So he finds contentment in keeping his eyes focused on his hands as they stroke the soft skin from her knees to her ankles, eased by the pleased hum that emerges from her.

"You're not hurt, are you?"

"No. Just sore."

"Oh?"

"I fell. Nothing serious."

"You're sure?"

"Mm-hm." and she slowly nods.

Perhaps it's these moments that make it all worth while, being away so often. Pyrrha wouldn't readily admit that she gets cabin fever, a certain wanderlust -but she does. And it certainly isn't that she enjoys being away from home...it's hard to explain. But coming home, knowing someone is waiting for you and willing to simply sit and be with you -the weeks disappear along with the thought of why she had left in the first place. But that's what a Huntress does.

"I missed you." Jaune says, hushed on the off chance she actually had fallen asleep.

"Missed you too." she responds after a moment.

"Do you want a blanket or something? So you can sleep?"

"In a minute."

Though it isn't a minute, more like half of one as she dozes right off. Somehow he manages to slip from underneath without disturbing her, and moves between the living room and bedroom to fetch her favorite quilt -a wedding gift from his mother covered in panels of various birds and flowers. She stirs beneath the blanket for a moment, half rolling onto one side, and then stills.

Jaune just smiles, pausing for only a moment before finding something quiet and tedious to occupy himself.

Pyrrha doesn't move again until after sundown, eyes opening to the dark stillness of the living room. With the quilt around her shoulders she rouses herself -albeit a little half-assed- and moves to the bedroom. It has to be late if Jaune is already in bed asleep. Before letting herself fully wake she folds the quilt over the foot of the bed, then she peels off the shirt and slips under the covers to the cool of fresh linens. Nary anything better to feel against your skin after having worn constrictive leather and bronze for over a month.

She barely has a second to settle on the pillow before Jaune rolls towards her, arms blindly searching to curl about her. His body lines up behind her, face tucking against her neck and in her hair, and one half-lax hand settles over one bare breast. Warm and almost comforting.

Home.

She falls asleep without even trying.

Jaune subconsciously makes a habit of getting out of bed before his wife, especially for the first few days after her return home. It's just barely morning when he carefully -carefully- slips out of bed and starts moving about the house with all the hush of a field mouse. His first chore is whatever maintenance Pyrrha's armor might need, which is thankfully minimal yet a little time consuming. After that he moves to the kitchen to start breakfast, knowing Pyrrha will be nigh on ravenous when she comes around.

Which she does almost as if on cue. Always so regimented she gets out of bed around the same time regardless of what taxing events may have happened the previous day. Scratching her head and shuffling her feet she works her way towards the smell of food and the sound of pans knocking together, once again in her husband's shirt. Jaune looks over his shoulder, watching for a moment as she moves to the small dining table and sits down, pulling on the messy braid idly -perhaps in an attempt to focus her mind to catch up with the rest of her. He leaves the stove for all of a minute to take her a steaming cup of tea and place it in front of her with a kiss on the cheek.

Her acknowledgment is given in a half grunt. Her eyes are still mostly closed as she takes the mug between both hands and almost cautiously tips it towards her mouth. The warmth seeps through her and her sleep-stiffened frame softens with a contented hum. "Oh...thank you."

"Of course." his smile is smug, but you can't hear it in his voice. "Food's almost ready."

"You know you don't have to do this, right? You could have slept in."

"Yes, I know." And he continues without another word.

Only a few minutes pass before he brings a pair of plates to the table, one of them he sets in front of Pyrrha and the other he holds a moment longer until he can bring the only other chair around so he can sit beside her. She barely has a chance to take her fork in hand before she smiles with a little laugh at the pair of heart shaped pancakes on her plate. A sound he simply adores, like a favorite song.

The two of them eat in relative silence, playing footsie under the table and pausing for occasional kisses between bites. Jaune puts a syrup-covered finger to her nose just to hear her laugh again, to watch the incredible blush come over her face as she wipes it away. When his own plate is clear he turns in his chair towards her, perching his chin lightly on her shoulder so he can easily kiss at her neck, quietly confessing how much he missed her and how happy he is that she's home. Then, for good measure, he blows a raspberry against her throat just to hear her laugh once more. She has to push his chair away so she can finish the last few bites in relative peace.

Now fed and fully awake, Pyrrha finds it in her to carry on with her typical morning routine, starting with the mess her hair had become in the night. Looking in the bathroom mirror she unwinds the braid, fingers working without much thought. The firm brush fibers push through the strands with little effort, pulling the wayward tresses to their proper places again.

"Can you leave it down?"

Minor surprise at the sound of her husband's voice shows in a wide eyed blink as she focuses on his reflection in the mirror. She smiles and watches his hand, the white of his fingers broken up with thick red ribbons that he brings to his nose and rubs against his cheek.

When she gives no sufficiently prompt answer, "Let me rephrase: I want you to leave it down."

Her smile widens, curling at the edges in a way that telegraphs her suspicion. Her hands lower, setting the brush down before curling over the edge of the sink. "Oh? Something on your mind?"

"Mmm." the sound rumbles in his chest as he tucks closer to her, the round of his cheek bone now pressing into her hair. "Would you be up to it? I'm sure you're still tired...it's okay if you want to wait."

A quiet chuckle as she leans back into the warmth she feels through the barrier of thin cotton. A shiver creeps through her as she feels his free hand settle over her stomach, his arm cinching around her waist to pull her closer. Amusement is bright bubbles in her chest; normally she's the one to initiate this sort of thing.

"I'm sure I could warm up to the idea," she reaches back and hooks her arm around his neck, "with the proper encouragement."

Jaune holds in a knowing laugh that almost leaps right out of him. "I think I can manage that." After all, he had done his homework. Both arms are around her waist as he takes the soft lobe of her ear between his teeth and presses. She must not have expected it as her body shivers against him, knees giving but an inch to accentuate the soft but punctuated exhale. His hands fan open and work upward, not beneath the shirt but over it, searching out and molding around the swell of her breasts. Just when she steadies herself she's trembling again as his fingers work so practiced over her, rousing gooseflesh and heat to her skin in spite of the thin barrier between them. She tips back her head, lean throat exposed -a silent invitation for his lips which he takes almost too quickly. A sign of his hunger which only grows as Jaune chances to watch her in the mirror. Her body bows, taught but hidden beneath the shirt; but his mind peels it back like a veil. He swears he knows every inch of her, and it shows in the way he touches her. Intentional, methodical, drifting upward from her breasts to her tightened throat where his fingers map the tendons and her pulse. Then down again, thrumming gently over her hardened nipples in a way that makes her shudder.

He pushes against her, hips surging forward to maintain his balance. Jaune's hands are on her stomach again, slowly easing his fingers in to the furrows of the sculpted musculature there. He tries to keep his focus as her head turns, her mouth near his ear as she exhales with a quiet gasp, shutting his eyes for a brief moment to keep the balance of stimulation in check.

Give a little more, take a little less.

Jaune's eyes snap open again at the pinch of her fingernails at the base of his neck, both of her hands reaching back to hold onto him when his hands finally touch her bare skin. He cups the upper curve of her hips, snug, like it is their place. Her warmth surges through him, a fire in the dead of winter. It draws him in, makes him wish for fangs and claws so he can dig in a little deeper, maybe get underneath it and let it smother him.

His unhindered touch sets her flesh alight with a buzz of energy, of need. He's that much closer, but not nearly as close as she wants him to be. She tenses as she feels her body lean too far in way or another, trying to maintain her own balance as well as contact with him. But he makes it so difficult. Part of her wishes he would just get on with it and bend her over the sink right now. Pyrrha presses her bottom lip between her teeth almost too tightly to ground herself. Her toes curl against the floor as Jaune's hands sink lower, converging on the junction of her legs only to separate and smooth over her thighs. She can't keep back the primitive grunt of frustration.

Jaune has to catch her as her knees give again when his hands ease further back then upwards, fingertips just grazing the skin where thigh and backside meet. Which suits him just fine as his hand flexes into her plump bottom and he settles to grin cat-like against her shoulder instead of laughing. Pyrrha twists and nips at his neck, cautionary, making sure he knows her tolerance for his playfulness is only going to go so far. Without hesitation he comes to heel, moving his hands with a little more intent as they press upward and take the hem of the shirt with them.

"Kiss me." a gentle demand she expects him to meet once the article of clothing is pulled over her head. When no such response comes she takes it for herself, a firm hand tightening in his hair to pull his lips to hers. Her tongue forges ahead to meet his own, the heat already surging in her belly spiking sharply. She turns to face him for better leverage, the one hand staying at the back of his head while the other hooks into the waistband of his lounge shorts. "Bed."

Jaune's reply is half of a nod and a groan as he steps backward, not wanting to break contact before he has no other choice. He does his best to let her lead him, staying just behind her as she holds his hand and walks to the bed. He knows she's going to try to take control, now that she's in such a mood she's going to want to do it her way. Were this any other day, he would let her.

Before her grip can tighten on his wrist to -most likely- force him on his back, he pulls with enough gumption to free himself. He anticipates her sharp turn towards him, her puzzled expression, and catches her by the shoulders and pushes. Pyrrha bounces on the mattress in a fit of giggles, legs and arms drawn inward. He wastes no time, ignores her inquisition as to what he is up to, and kneels at the edge of the bed. With a grin he snatches her ankles and pulls her towards him, pulling free another burst of laughter as well.

Pyrrha props herself on her elbows and watches him, holding his cobalt gaze even as he dips his chin and nips the toned flesh of her stomach. They smile at each other as he shoulders between her legs, one flaxen eyebrow rising knowingly. He kisses and nips at her, lower and lower, his hands move to the crease behind her knees and push them back, holding them there. Pyrrha's face reddens, though she's still smiling as the edge of her lip catches between her teeth. Jaune's gaze breaks after he wets his lips, lowering his head and pressing a kiss to her heated center. Her head falls back, face tightening into a satisfied, leisurely and smug look of getting exactly what you want without having to say a word. She has been craving this for weeks.

Jaune can feel her permeating his senses. Her energy, her heat, he feels it wrap around him like a skein of crimson silk. The taste of her sets the small hairs on his body on end, and the sound of his name on her breathy whimpers makes his hard cock jerk against his thigh. He pushes back against the instinctive resistance of her legs as his tongue eases inside of her, curling just so. He feels the muscles contracting, arousal tugging harder at both of them. The firm tip of his nose brushes her clit, making her back arch in one sharp jump of movement. She doesn't have the time to settle into the new sensation before he shifts just slightly, testing her entrance briefly with his finger before probing deeper.

"J-Jaune," she chokes his name, her fingers threading his hair and gently starting to pull.

"More?"

"Yes."

He adds a second finger and turns his hand palm-up, then bends it upward at the wrist to give the digits proper leverage. Time to see if what he read is true after all.

Pyrrha feels the first jolt of his touch deep within her, eyes wide as she looks down, only to see the top of his head between her legs. He sets a steady pace, the gentle thrusting of his fingers with an upward press and a mixture of broad and pointed strokes of his tongue. Steady like the growing tightness of his wife's fingers against his scalp. It's almost painful, though he clearly didn't care. All that matters is her.

Never one to swear, Pyrrha almost does just that as her orgasm hits hard and fast. Her body bows, almost putting her upright as her thighs try to come together with Jaune still settled between them. She can't help but pull his hair, the only anchor she can focus on as her hips simply refuse to stop bucking -as he simply refuses to stop licking.

Jaune lifts his head when the tremors finally stop, a stupid grin on his face as he looks up at her. Her flushed features are so charming, doubly so when she manages to open her eyes and smiles back at him.

"More?" he asks again.

"Come here." she cups his face with her hands and pulls him up. A small snap of static as their lips join. She starts to pull him onto the bed by leaning back, he reciprocates by pushing against her thighs with his own to get her further from the edge of the mattress.

"You're over dressed." she works out between kisses.

"Guess I am." but before he can reach back he feels Pyrrha's hands tugging on the legs of his shorts. "Well, if you insist,"

"I do."

They laugh together as he kicks out of the garment, careless of where it lands. He settles between her legs again, propped on his palms and looking down at her. Seeing Pyrrha this way makes his entire body weak in the best way; the flush of her naturally tanned skin, the way her crimson hair spreads across the linens, her willing vulnerability always humbles him.

Their bodies line up as he lowers himself to her, his elbows taking most of his weight so his fingers can wind into her hair. Her nails gently hook over his shoulder blades, legs bending until she crosses them at the ankles just over the small of his back. A small shudder works through her, she can feel him probing her entrance, teasing.

Jaune nuzzles her neck, kissing in lines along her throat and jaw. "You trust me, right?" he asks, almost whispering.

He can't see it, but her brow knits in the middle, green eyes centered on the ceiling. "...Yes? Of course I do. Jaune, what-,"

"You'll let me take care of you? You won't try and top me like usual?"

"I don't try to-," but she stops herself when he shifts to look her in the eyes again, one blond brow arched and a quirk to his mouth. "...All the time." She can't hold his gaze, her face flushing deeper still.

A little chuckle. "Of course you don't. Still...you promise?"

"I promise I'll try. Does that count?"

"It'll have to do."

Confusion stretches her features after one last brief kiss when he lifts himself up and away from her, smirking the entire time as he moves her legs from around his waist. With gentle guidance he turns her hips, keeping his hands on her as he tucks in behind her. Her curiosity shifts into distinct interest, the expression holding even as he holds her in place, not allowing her upper body to turn in a way that lets her keep an eye on him. She closes her eyes and takes a breath, resigning to do as she said she would. Trust him.

Jaune's blood sings through his body, a pulsing heat that makes him feel so alive. His forehead presses into her shoulder, lips pressing to her skin with a little tongue and teeth behind them. He tilts Pyrrha's hips just so, lining them up with his before letting his palm smooth upward and settle over her breast. His entire body tenses, lips pulling back in a half snarl as he pushes easily passed her entrance, meeting Pyrrha's staggering gasp with one of his own. He pulls her closer, loving the feel of her body squirming in his embrace at his gentle intrusion. For the moment he hardly moves, half-hearted thrusts between a flurry of kisses to her neck are all he allows himself. He wants her to be comfortable, he wants her to feel good.

Pyrrha tries to move with him, hips churning in time with his. She wants him deeper, wants to feel the lines of their bodies blur together like watercolors.

"Jaune," she forces out. There are more words but they just wont work themselves together. Her hand finds his, fingers curling against his knuckles in an almost desperate clutch. The other hand hooks his backside and tries to force him.

"Don't rush me." he breathes, trying not to snap and make it sound like a direct order. He wonders for a brief moment if she might actually like it if he did. Still, slow and steady helps him keep it together, helps him focus. He knows how badly she wants this, his need surely matching hers, but he wasn't going to stomach the risk of disappointing her again.

Jaune stills once their hips become flush together, nipping at her neck and shoulders in an attempt to ignore the little pain of her nails in his skin. He's chanting I love you in his mind, under his breath as he eases into a steady rhythm. His arm around her tightens just so as she meets his easy thrusts, his hand moving from her breast to fan across her stomach.

Yes, yes, yes. The words are only able to form in her mind -she can't even say his name-, bouncing through her alongside the sharp sparks of electricity that make her jump every time he pushes in to the hilt. Sweet dust, how she had missed him.

"Faster."

"Not yet." His arm around her cinches tighter when she resists, bucking her hips in the tempo she wants. "Pyrrha,"

"Please,"

"You promised." His back bends in one sharp motion, forcing hers to mimic the same posture, robbing her of what little leverage she had. "Now let me."

Jaune both hates and loves the growl of frustration that vibrates through her, making him feel partially guilty and somewhat powerful at the same time. Although it wouldn't be the first -or last time- he briefly marvels at the idea of having the great Pyrrha Nikos in his bed.

He starts again with the same easy pace, almost sensing how badly she wants to wrest control away from him. It's a strange static prickling between their auras that almost makes him itch. He even feels it on the soles of his feet and the only way to even bank it is to give in. He gives a little more, moves with a noticeable but not-so-great urgency. Jaune pushes his hand lower, his two middle fingers bending between her legs. The first gentle circle of his fingertips around her clit has her body bowing away from him, rigid with a delighted, surprised gasp. He pulls away for a split second to wet his fingers with his tongue before sliding them back into place. Pyrrha almost swears again

"You like that?"

No words in response, only feverish sounds that he can only half interpret through the lusty haze working his senses. He just smiles against her shoulder and continues.

Pyrrha's hands hook into the sheets. Her body is steadily tensing, tight like a drawn bow with her back pressing hard to his chest. She can feel it, the advent of that desperate flight, something she had only ever drawn perilously close to before with him inside of her.

Closer. Closer. Closer...

One corner of the fitted sheets pops free as she pulls on it, a reflex action as the rest of her body shudders through a powerful climax. Her hips buck hard against him in spite of how he tries to keep her still, she feels his teeth pressing a bit of skin between them. A delicious pain that makes her core clench that much tighter around him.

Jaune can feel it, and it's beautiful, humbling. Satisfaction blossoms in his chest that reminds him of their wedding day. He tries to focus on that instead of the rippling pressure of Pyrrha's body all around him. He doesn't want to be finished yet.

Pyrrha goes still, panting, body buzzing with warmth and tiny tremors. She follows her husband's lead when he pulls back on her shoulder, allowing her to see him and kiss his hungry lips.

"Again?" he asks, smoothing her cheek with the back of his hand.

She smiles, green eyes bright. "Can we?"

"We can certainly try."

She frames his red, sweat speckled face with both hands and kisses him again. "I want to watch you this time."

Jaune agrees and sits upright, anxious in the best way to see what she has in mind. One brow raises when she actually steps off the bed, moving with little delay to stand in front of him and offer her hand. He takes it and she pulls him forward until his feet are on the floor, keeping hold as she eases onto her knees and settles into his lap.

"This is nice," he nods, approving. "Much better."

"Glad you think so."

He catches her hips in his hands, palming her backside all the while looking up at her, watching her features morph as she lets him penetrate her again. Juane takes a nipple into his mouth when she settles, one arm circling her waist and the other lining up with her spine to keep her steady as she begins to churn her hips.

"Lean back." Even though he knows it's rude to talk with his mouth full.

"What?"

"Just trust me. I've got you."

She keeps a firm grip on his forearms, easing back just so far. His secure embrace keeps her confident, but no less curious. Then her eyes threaten to roll back when he manages a solid thrust, forcing a loud, breathy exaltation of his name to fly past her lips. They're quick to find a mutual rhythm, neither of the mind to wait any more. Pyrrha braces herself on his knees as his thrusts quicken. She focuses on the droplets of sweat rolling down his neck and chest, watches them roll all the way down to where their bodies meet so perfectly.

"Pyrrha," it comes out as an almost vulgar grunt, "I'm sorry, I'm close."

"It's okay, just don't stop."

They climax together, just like in romance novels.

They refuse to separate right away, willingly stuck together, wrapped around each other. Jaune eases onto his back, swallowing Pyrrha's whimper as he disengages. He shivers at a sudden chill that rushes through him in the span of second. With her still in his arms he rolls onto his side, pushing stray strands of crimson away from her face.

"I love you." she whispers, palms against his chest and pressing a brief kiss to his lips. They're swollen and chapped, just like hers.

"Love you too." Her head is pillowed on the bend of his arm that's somewhat trapped beneath him. His fingers find a nest of silken locks to disappear into. "You okay?"

"Just fine." her response comes as a contented sigh. "You were wonderful."

"Oh yeah? That's quite the compliment; keep it up and it might go to my head." he grins, matching her expression.

"I guess I'll just have to put you in your place, then."

"As intriguing as that sounds, I'm not much in the mood for being tied up again."

"That's too bad, I thought it was interesting." she averts her eyes for just a second, remembering.

"Maybe you should give it a try then."

"There's that." red brows jump with interest. She looks back at him, suddenly curious. "So...what are the chances of...perhaps...another go?"

"Good god," Jaune laughs a little, sounding sleepy, "today isn't going to be another marathon, is it?"

She fights back a fit of giggles. "Depends, what time is it?"

"Wow." he scratches the back of his head with his free hand. It had been just before she left on this most recent hunt. Five times in one day. "Well...what are the chances of me waking up with you straddling me?"

She blinks, surprised. "When you put it that way...rather high. Can I put hickeys on your neck?"

"Next to impossible to cover up?"

"That's the plan."

"Well, if it makes you happy," he shakes his head a little and pulls her close for another long, almost lazy kiss.

"You make me happy."

They cuddle and coo at each other until the dragging desire to sleep becomes too much. The two of them settle in the middle of the bed, not bothering with a blanket as the mutual warmth of their bodies is enough. Pyrrha coils almost cat like in the center of the mattress, secure with her back to Jaune's chest. In his sleep he still coils her hair in his fingers. His last conscious thought is to remind himself to thank Ren.

Author's Note: Been working on this for a while, like most things anymore it seems like forever and a day goes by before I can finish anything. I started this some time before the volume three finale aired, but I still wanted to finish it. Been bittersweet at best. Hope you enjoyed it all the same. Thanks for reading.