"You two are dating, right?"

Pyrrha's head tilted as it was clear to everyone there what the answer was. "Yes, we are, Nora."

"Then how come you guys never flirt with each other?" When confused emerald and silver eyes stared at the short, orange haired girl, Nora merely shrugged her shoulders. "Like, you never, ever do anything other than hug or hold hands. You never flirt."

We do far more than that, Pyrrha's face burned bright red at the thought, but that stays behind closed doors… wait, is that technically even flirting? Honestly, Pyrrha didn't quite know as she turned it over and over in her head.

Neither did Ruby, if the confused look that she was giving Pyrrha was anything to go by. "I… guess we could flirt more?" Pyrrha asked awkwardly. "That's what normal, healthy couples do… I think?"

"I…guess?" Ruby scratched her head. "Should I try… flirting with you more…?" When Pyrrha hesitantly nodded, a small blush spread across Ruby's face as silver eyes stared deeply into emerald ones. "Your hair is so long and red and pretty just like Crescent Rose..."

"And your eyes are gray like my favorite brand of bullets." Never before had Pyrrha had such trouble trying to keep a straight face as she said a single sentence.

"…you're mocking me." Silver eyes narrowed as Pyrrha apologetically threw up her hands in surrender. "Pyrrhaaa, I wasn't joking around."

"I'm sorry! I'm just not used to it, is all?" Pyrrha sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck.

"Soooo, I was right, you two never flirt!" Nora pointed an accusing finger at them. "I knew it!"

"They do far more than flirt." Weiss muttered under her breath. "Clearly, you've never walked in on th-"

"-when we are cuddling." Ruby zoomed over to the white-haired teen so fast, that Pyrrha could have sworn that rose petals were fluttering behind her before she put her hand over Weiss' mouth.

Nora shrugged, accepting it while Pyrrha was grateful for the save; I really don't want to discuss the time that Weiss walked into Ruby marking me… wait. Emerald eyes zeroed in on Ruby as Pyrrha stalked towards her with a type of hunger that the smaller teen understood immediately.

…and proceeded to shyly put her hood over her head. The hunger in Pyrrha dimmed as she immediately knew why Ruby was turning it down. Ruby's really shy around doing stuff like that in public. Which was probably why Nora was even bringing this question up in the first place. Pyrrha wasn't going to make her rose uncomfortable, instead settling for hugging her tightly.

"I don't see what the problem is." Weiss stated after a moment. "They seem to be quite happy with how things are… right, Ruby? Pyrrha?" Both nodded, albeit it was hard to tell since Ruby was engulfed in Pyrrha's embrace. "Why does it even matter, Nora?"

"Well, I just like seeing them happy, and happy couples flirt, but they don't flirt, so they aren't happy…"

"Hmm… I guess we could try something else?" Pyrrha nodded, prompting Ruby to go on. "Um… uh…" Ruby turned towards Weiss, obviously looking for a lifeline of some kind. "What do people do when they flirt?"

A white eyebrow arched in surprise, Weiss clearly wasn't expecting to be asked for any kind of advice. "I suppose couples have terms of endearment for each other?"

"Hm, I could always call you glykia mou?" Pyrrha offered after a moment.

"Gluck moe?" Ruby's head tilted in confusion, prompting a giggle from Pyrrha.

"No, glykia mou, it means 'my sweet' in Mistralian… although, maybe my rose would be better…" Pyrrha tapped her chin in thought. "I just like calling you by your name the most."

"Ooo, I know!" Nora interjected before shoving her scroll at them. "I looked up a list of nicknames for couples, you could try out some of them?" Emerald and silver eyes met before giving a small shrug, sure, why not?

A moment later, both had picked out a name, with more than a little encouragement from Nora. "Okay, go!"

Seeing as how Ruby was visibly nervous, Pyrrha opted to go first. "I love you, my, er, snugglewuggles."

Ruby looked like she was about ready to disappear into her hood as she barely whispered back, "I-I-I love you too, m-my… uh, s-stud muffin…"

Peals of laughter erupted, not from Pyrrha or Ruby – both of who were beet red with embarrassment and trying their best to avoid each other's eyes, the smaller of the two succeeding with her hood. Nor from Nora, who was the only one with a completely straight face, but from Weiss.

It was only after a good half minute, and three pairs of eyes focused on her that Weiss finally started to calm down, coughing into her hand as if nothing had happened. "Well, I think those are perfectly acceptable names."

"Then how come you were laughing?" Ruby asked from underneath her hood. When no answer was forthcoming, she pulled it off to watch Weiss innocently whistle as if nothing had happened before turning towards Pyrrha. "Maybe we should come up with our own nicknames?"

Pyrrha shook her head after a moment. "I like it when you call me by my name, and just that." There was a reason for that – Ruby was someone who accepted Pyrrha for who she was, not as some 'Invincible Girl' or some other moniker. "Pyrrha will be fine for me… would you mind if I called you my rose?" A deep shade of crimson crossed Pyrrha's face as she fidgeted with her sash mirrored by her girlfriend. "Sorry if it sounds a little generic…"

"B-being your rose sounds pretty nice…" Ruby had a huge, dopey smile etched across her face at the suggestion. "I g-guess I wouldn't mind." Ruby closed the distance – a jump to each step, a far cry from the embarrassed girl moments ago - so that when she stood on her tippy-toes their foreheads touched. "C-can I be your rose, then?"

The tall redhead answered with a long, lingering kiss. "Of course you can. You'll always be my rose." Ruby's face was shadowed by the looming teen's tall figure, yet Pyrrha could see the loving look all the same that those silver eyes held for her. "I love you."

"I love you too." Ruby stretched up to kiss her girlfriend again, only to give a disappointed, if slightly playful, frown. "Even if you won't be my stud muffin."

"Do you really want me to be your stud muffin?" Questioning emerald eyes stared down with some incredulity. "I mean, if you really want me t-"

"Hehe, it's okay." Ruby shook her head ever so slightly, "It is sorta ridiculous. I'll be happy as long as you're my Pyrrha."

"I'll always be your Pyrrha." The tall redhead whispered lovingly. "Just as lo-"

"Are you two lazy butts gonna keep flirting or get moving?" Nora called back. "We have a mission to finish still!"

"You were the one that told us t-"

"WE. STILL. NEED. TO. FINISH. TH-"

"We're coming!" Instead of breaking their embrace, Pyrrha scooped up Ruby into her arms and ran towards the white and orange duo that was far ahead of them.

"Seriously, can someone please explain why Nora is the leader for the mission?"

AU: Part two of the mission!

People wanted more, so here ya go. In hindsight the ramp up to them becoming disgustingly lovey-dovey at the end was really quite fast. Did it turn out bad?

GOOD NEWS EVERYONE! SOMEONE, and by someone, I mean Exkage, commissioned a comic of the previous Spoon Equality chapter! It's already out. Sadly, this website doesn't allow links, but the artist is Lonelybus on tumblr. I'd check it out, it's pretty great! :D

There were references in this chapter to other Pyrrha/Ruby things, namely Xekstrin's dialogue for them flirting (the Crescent Rose and brand of bullets line) as well as to NarfoOnTheNet's own Milk & Cereal short, Glykia Mou!

Dilation should update either Monday or Thursday. It's up in the air at the moment due to how busy real life has gotten.

Thank you for reading and I hope everyone has a wonderful day! :D