A/N: WARNING: There are puns littered throughout this story. If you can't stomach a bunch of jokes that poke fun at these two, feel free to skip out. I blame my friend for influencing me on this one, but I still enjoyed the outcome like some of masochist. Ember has always been my most used frame and I absolutely adore her, and Zephyr was always a frame I was fond of, but never could use in most missions because of how badly she needed a kit upgrade. So you can imagine how happy I was when Digital Extremes revisited her kit and finally made her a Prime.
Rated M to be safe, per usual. All characters belong to Digital Extremes and Warframe.
"Ember, you should just deploy an archwing charge. It's across the plains." Amber eyes blinked, but said owner waved it off with a simple flourish of her hand.
"I'm fine. I'll keep up."
"….."
Ember raised an eyebrow when her companion stared at her in mild disbelief. She shrugged her shoulders and made a small, disgruntled noise. "Chickens can't fly, but they can sure as hell flit reasonable distances."
"You are not a chicken. I prefer 'phoenix', it's more appropriate."
"Zephr, you are absolutely a bore. I'm only ruffling your feathers." The pyromancer struggled to hold her giggling when Zephyr groaned at her cheesy jokes. She covered her eyes when the sky master shot up in the air and took off in the direction of their mission objective. Being one of the oldest soldiers enlisted with their Commander meant needing to find some kind of positive in the grim world they lived in. Humor had been her fallback once she accepted her fate as the cornerstone of a long-running stream of 'fowl' jokes onboard. Initially, Ember hated it. Back in the early days her hair stood up just long enough to mimic that of a rooster's crown and her preference towards trip-tipped, steel boots resembled that of a hen's feet. The choice of style left her bearing the brunt of mockery and disdain. How could people be so shallow to compare her decisions to that of a mostly-grounded avian?
Her views changed dramatically when the Commander trusted her with matters so grave, she danced with Death itself. After that, Ember simply took things in stride and went with the flow of life on the Orbiter.
The pyromancer checked her weapons, ensuring they were set to go before taking off across the plains herself.
For a flightless bird, she sure as hell could travel quickly on foot.
Zephyr stared down.
No, not at the enemy patrols wandering the encampment below. Not at the Vruush turrets scanning the area for targets to knock out of the air. She could easily cast Turbulence and laugh in the enemies' faces as they tried futilely to fire at her.
The sky master stared down at her chest.
Needless to say, the new armor she received fitted her far better than anticipated. Everyone with already modified equipment told her adjusting would take time, but she felt oddly naked without a solid chest plate. That was her primary concern, since she lacked the same durability compared to her counterparts. Zephyr couldn't deny the benefits outweighed the cons – the lack of extra, bulky gear meant better aerodynamics and maneuverability.
She did not miss the Void-forsaken cod-piece on her old armor. Removing it from the original design would have compromised its integrity and for the longest time she compensated for the additional weight and flexibility. She had to thank whomever helped redesign her armor to better fit her frame.
"Not used to it?" The purple-haired woman spun her head around to find the pyromancer balancing perfectly as she walked up to her. They were perched on the bones of a long-deceased sentient overlooking a Grineer encampment – the location of their capture target. The sky master was impressed, seeing as she found her roost not more than a few minutes prior. She turned her attention back to the camp, noting a couple of Tusk Lancers breaking from the normal route. "I feel lighter, faster, but also struggling with control."
Ember plopped herself beside the sky master, legs crossed and thrown over the edge. "I felt the same way when I finally had an open helmet. Honestly, I don't think I could go back since it keeps me from overheating." Zephyr snuck a glance out of the corner of her eye. The pyromancer carried a distinct look few could mimic and pull off. Crème-colored hair spilled over one side of her head, cleanly shaven on the other. Out here she let her energy run free, proof of it at the ends burning brightly like flames. An ornate headpiece complimented her dark complexion, and her piercings only added to the ferocity to herself. Perfectly arched eyebrows, full painted lips, even the scorch marks across her nose and cheeks enhanced her beauty.
Not to mention a rocking body. In all honesty, Ember did look amazing the way her armor fit her. Skin-tight carbon fiber hugged her curves, accentuating all the parts that drew attention. Most people that complimented her focused on her more generous assets; namely her thighs, ass, and breasts. The sky master appreciated all this, but it was the care the pyromancer took to make sure her entire form was balanced. She may not press as much as Atlas, but her arms sure as hell looked like they could rip a bursa in two and her back was respectable enough to earn Rhino's praise.
Zephyr really loved her shoulders most of all; she'd run her hands and sank her teeth in them more times than she cared to keep track of to know how solid they were.
Oh sweet Lotus…. The sky master wondered how the males managed to control themselves around Ember. Her old armor would have been perfect for any of them – the way the pyromancer leaned back against her arms and stretched made her loins stir in ways she didn't think possible for a woman. Maybe that was part of the reason why cod-pieces had been designed in the first place, to help men who popped a random boner in the middle of combat keep it under control. "You know, you are welcome to more than ogling."
Golden irises snapped straight back to the soldiers below. She'd been caught staring, probably not as discreet as she assumed. Zephyr could feel amber eyes boring into the side of her head, expecting her to actually do something with the offer. Her fingers twitched at the notion, but she kept her hands in respectable places. "I wasn't." A blatant lie, but Ember let it slide by. "I… was wondering how you managed."
"Managed what?"
Zephyr held up a hand, a small tornado forming in her palm. "Adjusting to… well, this." It was an abrupt shift in conversation but one she welcomed completely. "Between new equipment and getting hit by the Void Flare, I feel overwhelmed. It's been weeks and I'm still not used it at all."
"You'll get used to your armor fairly quickly. Everyone does, they are better suited to our needs." Relief washed over her, but remained short lived when the pyromancer sidled up and placed her chin on her shoulder. "As for your powers, I can help with that."
Zephyr let out a noise resembling a soft squawk before going into a straight nose-dive towards the ground.
Ember found the capture mission entirely comical. One moment she had a terrified baby chick at her side, and the next a hawk zeroing in on its prey below. She pushed herself off the edge into free fall right behind the sky master, slamming her fist in the ground as Fireblast surged from her body. They incinerated everything in its path and she reveled in the morbid screams and cracking of skin as the Grineer units became charcoal in mere seconds. She whipped out her pistol – an ornate modification of Sicarus – and fired of several bursts into the nearest soldier who evaded the blast. Zephyr was nowhere to be found despite them landing within seconds of each other, so where was she now?
"He's headed towards Renthi Spring!" The pyromancer acknowledged Zephyr's call over their comm units. She sprinted up the hills and leaped over the boulders, spotting the escaping target trying to get to the next camp. She still didn't see her companion but as she came down from a bullet jump, whistling caught her attention.
A Tusk Hellion had fired multiple rockets at her. She wasn't ready to be fried chicken for someone's dinner tonight.
"GO!" A body slammed into hers as she skidded a few feet away. The sky master had come down from above, and by the time Ember regained her bearings, the ground exploded with dirt and fire. Zephyr disappeared completely beyond the edge of the rocks but her voice came clear over the comm device. "Don't worry about me, go after him before he gets away!"
Well, their objective wouldn't be going very far seeing as the purple-haired woman managed to shoot his leg before she vanished. Ember pulled out the extraction device – a small, compact teleporter designed to dematerialize bodies and reconstruct them on the other end. It sounded like an incredibly gruesome process, but for most who went through it actually reported no side effects. Nothing compromising at least. Any units closing in on her location were promptly taken out and the last one lost their head to a clean throw of her Glaive.
Now… where are you? Ember walked up to the cliff side where she last saw her teammate. Sure enough, she spotted Zephyr dragging herself towards the shoreline. The pyromancer slid down on her side of the river, hopped across the boulders, and landed a few feet away from where the sky master lay with limbs akimbo. "How was your bird bath?" she asked, mirth spilling over in her voice.
Gold eyes met amber orbs. "Really?"
"Of course." She offered a hand out, helping Zephyr to her feet. She took care to avoid those razor-sharp feathers on her arm lest she lose a finger. "I do enjoy a well-preened woman."
If Zephyr's eyes could roll any harder, she might have made a roller ball jealous.
"I don't know how I haven't throttled you for your terrible puns." Ember smirked, picking out stray leaves and twigs from the sky master's hair and uniform. "You love them, admit it."
Zephyr scoffed, but the both of them knew fully well she secretly indulged in the corniness that was Ember's humor.
The pyromancer let out a soft sigh, pulling her lower lip between her teeth.
After-mission shower stalls were shared between males and females, due to the Commander's insistence (and in general) on hygiene and cleanliness. Most the soldiers were immune to a number of diseases and their leader herself incapable of getting sick, but the rules were still set in place. It seemed like a terrible idea at the start to have members of the opposite sex being in close quarters without some semblance of privacy, but after serving together for so many long years and enduring relentless wars, a little skin was their least of their worries.
It just made certain things easier. A lot easier.
Zephyr pinned her to the shower wall, teeth scraping along the column of flesh serving as her neck. The pyromancer always got a little hot under the collar whenever they burned through a good number of missions back to back. It took a little coaxing to get the sky master's head out from under her wing, but well worth the effort when she exerted her dominance. Fingers dug into her hips and instinctively she hooked her legs around the woman's waist, grinding slick flesh against anything for friction. Teeth turned into lips trailing along her collarbone, then sucking her pulse point.
"Zeph…." She groaned out eagerly, her hands seeking out and stroking the patch of feathers starting at the base of the wine-haired woman's hairline down to her mid back. A spike of heat hit her core at the strained whimper leaving Zephyr's lips – in their less heated moments, she discovered a little weak point that only served to make her fall in love even more. The sky master absolutely loved the attention Ember gave to her feathers.
Zephyr came up for a moment, and Ember locked eyes with the woman keeping her upright at that moment. She drank in the sight of dilated pupils and muscles strained in her jaw and neck. She knew that look any day – the younger woman wanted to devour her like a hungry hawk. "Someone's anxious."
"It's because of you. I can't help it." Ember laughed quietly when Zephyr brushed noses with her. Even in passionate moments like these, somehow she was capable of bringing a gentleness and honesty Ember found appreciating more and more. It was easy to find someone for a quick fuck – Atlas was a solid pick for days she didn't care about foreplay, Frost helped her cool off, Nyx made her mind melt, and Volt could thrust like a Void-damned machine. She never imagined Zephyr making it on the list nor slowly erasing other options from it.
The sky master was a recluse at the start. She came to them like a young brancher abandoned by her parents because she fell out of her nest. As much as she didn't want to admit it, it pulled the motherly hen out of Ember and in their earlier days they spent quite a bit of time training and sparring together. Her powers remained mostly out of her control – wind was a finicky element and fires blazed far too quickly because of it. Ember stopped training her altogether when the damage control couldn't keep up with them and since then hardly heard from Zephyr. Some days, she greeted her passing in the corridors or a nod of her head when they encountered each other in the arsenal, but for the most part they went their separate ways.
It wasn't until they finalized Mirage's new armor did the Commander notice an anomaly in their records – why hadn't Zephyr's armor been updated?
Somehow, the sky master flew under the radar. No one even noticed her lack of presence on the ship when she went through fitting except the pyromancer herself, and that had only been due to the fact she share minor relations with Zephyr to begin with. Coupled with the fact she grew tired of the other soldiers' persistence (read: harassment) for lust-filled nights, Ember didn't think twice when the Commander asked her to accompany Zephyr on a low-ranking mission. Initially she was excited to be out of the Orbiter, and another part wondering how the sky master held up since they last spoke.
She did not expect confidence to ooze from her in waves. Even more impressive was the level of control Zephyr had over her natural element. Summoning Tornado like breathing air, deflecting bullets with nothing more than a vortex of air and uplifting her teammates to run a little faster, and actually hovering like a bird of prey should. The sky master earned her title fully, but it wasn't just her skill that captured Ember's attention again.
She remembered Zephyr's confession, one that sparked a recent change in her perceptions.
"Thank you." Ember blinked in confusion as she locked her armor away. Zephyr stood there, holding bladed feathers carefully in her hands and smiling at them. Had she always been that attractive before?
"For what?"
"For being my inspiration." The pyromancer actually recoiled slightly. "If it weren't for you back then, I wouldn't have pushed myself to where I am today. I know we haven't spoken much since…. 'then'-" Ember remembered clearly that day – the day Zephyr had accidentally sent a Fireball back into her face and burned her nose. She never held it against the sky master, but one look at Zephyr's face made her want to run up and sweep her in a tight hug. "-but I wanted to show my appreciation and apologize for then."
"You have nothing to blame yourself for." Ember didn't know when she moved, but she found herself cupping Zephyr's cheek and smiling up at the younger woman. "You were still learning and you've grown. That's what matters most."
The warm smile on her lips made Ember's heart combust.
"Em?" The pyromancer blinked, drawn out of her memories to the worried woman. She realized they were still in the shower and her libido died down enough for her to feel like a human being instead of an animal in heat. She drew Zephyr into a slow, sensual kiss before pulling away. "Sorry, I was just reminded of how much I love you."
Oh how much she loved the pink that dusted lavender-tinted skin. "Since when did you become a sap?"
"When you Divebomb'ed back into my life." Ember laughed when Zephyr slapped her ass for the joke. "Here, let's get out of here before the next person decides to join in." The crème-haired woman snickered at how quick the young bird switched off the water and handed her a towel. Someone really didn't like sharing.
On the other hand, it only fanned dying embers to a growing flame. There were days she swore Zephyr had a permanent Turbulence to drive away anyone flocking in their space. That kind of dedication burned her core hotter than her own fire. Before Zephyr got far,sShe pulled the taller woman into a heated kiss to convey her feelings. When they separated, she leaned in to whisper quietly in Zephyr's ear.
"Your room right after this."
Zephyr swallowed a needy moan coming from the woman underneath her. Somehow the both of them managed to find their way to her quarters without trying to feel each other up along the way, partially due to the fact she really wanted to hold Ember's hand. There were times she wasn't sure if the pyromancer would put up with her overly romantic tendencies, but when she went along with them it made her a lot more confident in what she was doing. Especially right now, having learned a few of the woman's weak points.
"Fuck, Zeph!" Her stomach fluttered when the woman parted her legs. She settled between them comfortably, pressing a knee into Ember's core and drawing another hiss. With hands pinned above her head, the sky master prevented her from doing anything else but grind.
She paused for a moment to stare down at the fire-charged woman when her brain stopped functioning for all of two seconds.
"What?" Ember wasn't just beautiful – stunning. Light hair fanned out like rays of the sun and lidded eyes tamed the wild hunger in Zephyr's stomach. When one looked like a goddess demanding absolute pleasure, it was hard to breathe sometimes. "Stop that."
"Stop what?" The sky master almost groaned when Ember responded with wrapping her legs around her waist. She wondered if the older woman did this on a regular. "Being loveable."
The pyromancer laughed, wriggling her wrists a little so Zephyr could release her hands. The moment she did, Ember pulled her lover even closer and kissed her fully on the lips. "Never. And as much as I love you Zephyr, please for the love of Mother Lotus, I need you to fuck me." The visceral, raw lust laced in her voice both amused and emboldened Zephyr like Flash Accelerant. For the fact that she lacked the proper equipment that comes natural to men, she couldn't understand how a replacement strapped to her hips made Ember crave her more than them.
What she did know was how much warmer Ember's body became whenever Zephyr dominated her, and tonight she clearly wanted nothing short of it. The crème-haired woman crooned appreciatively as lips sought purchase on a dusky peak. Zephyr felt fingers dig into her wine tresses, encouraging and guiding her to the places she already knew like the back of her feathers. She remained patient, unyielding, but kept fanning the fires relentlessly.
For Ember, Zephyr brought a whole new meaning to the concept of "making love." The sky master fueled her flames and desires steadily with every kiss burning her skin hotter than lava and every teasing stroke making her wetter than Hydroid's Undertow. She didn't need to flaunt the sway of her hips or entice with a coy wink – the way Zephyr just looked at her made her feel sexy, desirable, loved. For someone who stopped caring about how others viewed her, Ember damned sure held the sky master's opinion of her in high regard.
Zephyr crawled back up to steal another kiss from the woman under her. They moved against each other in a steady rhythm, earning a heated, smoke-filled whimper. "Zeph…" A low chuckle left her lips at Ember's desperation. She only spared a brief moment from the woman's lips to properly align the phallus-like object saturated with the woman's arousal. Hands went to hold firm thighs apart at just the right distance that made the pyromancer weak and crumble – enough to give the sky master free reign in absolutely demolishing any semblance of rational control.
Anyone passing by knew to steer clear or else risk facing the wrath of fire and wind.
"Mmm…." Ember stretched sore limbs out like a cat waking up from a nap. The pleasant burn in her loins kept her from getting up, as did the dead weight of an arm around her waist. She did prop herself on her front to study the sky master sound asleep barely a hair-breadth's away. Never had she seen Zephyr so relaxed except when they shared private airs together, and always after satisfying the pyromancer's primal hunger. It felt as if she truly enjoyed pleasing Ember more than receiving herself, which always left a small twinge of guilt in her stomach. Maybe the fact she wasn't a man she could also satisfy while taking care of herself that kept her around. Maybe it was the fact that Zephyr was a woman as well, had needs just the same as her, yet always delayed her own pleasure so Ember could have her own that twisted her gut in an uncomfortable knot.
Eyes roamed over the half-covered woman, tracing over her back with some measure of amazement. Where there weren't feathers, red lines mapped an intricate layout of her indulgence. Part of her felt bad for marring such flawless skin, but a greater portion enjoyed the way she marked her mate.
Mate…. When did she start developing such thoughts?
"Em?" Golden irises revealed themselves to the pyromancer, drawing out a small smile from the woman herself. "Sorry, did I wake you?"
Zephyr shook her head and buried her face in the pillow. Something along the lines of "already being awake" came out between muffled grumbles and Ember laughed at how cute the woman was being. She allowed the sky master to drag her back down into a strong embrace, humming quietly at soft kisses peppering the back of her neck. Silky feathers lining Zephyr's body made her feel like being wrapped up in exquisite sheets, a luxury would never take for granted. "Someone's cuddly tonight."
"Tonight?" She felt the sky master shift to look at the clock on the wall. "Damn, we didn't sleep long did we?"
"It's not like we have another mission anytime soon." Even if they did, Ember was hard pressed to leave their little, warm nest to begin with. "Arans will just have to make do with someone else, if that's the case."
Zephyr shifted and loomed over the pyromancer, face disbelieved. "You're actually staying?"
The surprise and confusion in her voice actually irked Ember. "Duh, why would I leave?"
"You normally do." The simply statement stopped all other trains of thought. Ember opened her mouth to retort, but the truth of it hit home hard. It was true – up until that point she stayed around long enough to converse with the sky master some, but always left to tend to other things. It hadn't occurred to her how much more comfortable she felt with Zephyr until now, to not have remembered leaving all the other times. She reached up to cup a cool cheek, watching dark eyelids flutter shut. I never knew she wore eyeshadow… it suits her.
"You're absolutely sweet, you're confident, and you put up with my puns. I'll admit – it gets more and more difficult staying away long and looking anywhere else even when it tempts me." Zephyr still accepted her even when the Void Flare hit Ember hardest, leaving her abilities in question and her relevance to a lot of the following missions. She stuck up for her despite the shit she threw at the sky master in the past, and even went as far as to indulge in nights of raw lust without batting an eye. Ember didn't think much of commitment, but with Zephyr it came naturally.
The pyromancer leaned into press a kiss so full of love and passion, it burned the oxygen in their lungs. "I really do love you Zephyr. It's just taking this hardhead a bit longer to break that shell."
She laughed at the following groan. "Way to ruin a romantic moment. Then again, I wouldn't expect any less of you and your puns."
Ember hummed while she flipped over the steak in the pan. Zephyr always put her in a particularly good mood to do anything, though it took a lot of convincing to keep the woman in bed while she went to get some food for the both of them. Something about the sky master cooking for the both of them didn't sit well with her – after pampering her so much, she felt she needed to show her appreciation somehow. Thankfully despite her tendency to incinerate everything on the battlefield, the pyromancer was actually a capable chef in the kitchen.
Someone had to cook for the few idiots on board at that time. And Cephalon-made food just didn't cut it sometimes.
So wrapped up in her thoughts, when she felt arms around her waist Ember naturally leaned up to press a kiss to what she assumed to be her little eagle's cheek.
Only to find that it wasn't Zephyr who surprised her.
"Someone's happy to see me." Ember smiled politely, but stepped away slightly to give herself space from the assassin. "Good evening Ash."
Thankfully enough he had enough respect to release her, but not without coping a feel of her ass. Normally she basked in the attention. Right now it felt wrong. Ash leaned against the counter space beside the stove, arms folded across his bare chest. The cheeky bastard enjoyed flexing his less-than-impressive muscles which wooed the attention of a few but not for her. She liked someone more modest to compliment her loud-and-proud nature, and he desired control where she enjoyed her freedom. So the fact he was half-naked and feeling her up meant only one thing. "Are you free tonight?"
Ember quirked an eyebrow. "No, I have plans." While she didn't have anything set in stone, she did promise Zephyr food. He loomed over her, eyes sharp and filled with hunger. "Forget them. I want to fuck." Of all the people on board, he was her least favorite and she'd only slept with him once. There was a reason why she never went back to him after that, and the memory of cuts and bruises never faded from memory. His insistence he could be gentler fell on deaf ears, and it was a wonder he even managed to stay on board after that.
"I told you, I already have plans tonight. Why do you think I'm cooking?" He growled, grabbing her wrist but she met him with a defiant stance. "Come. With. Me."
"She's not going anywhere with you Ash."
A firm, but gentle hand rested on Ember's waist, drawing her back against a body that eased her worries. Zephyr had nerves of steel to stand toe-to-toe with one of the most feared soldier on board. Golden eyes steeled against his snarl and he relinquished his grip on her wrist, much to her relief. "Go makes amends with Nezha, not take out your frustration on someone else." Ash narrowed his eyes at her when the subject of the demigod came up, but Zephyr never stood down. "Ember is mine."
A shiver ran the length of her spine at the word "mine."
The assassin scoffed and stormed off. "Fucking lovebirds."
The two women stared at each other in complete bewilderment before breaking down and erupting in laughter. Of all the people to crack jokes, Ash was the last person on that list. Even Ivara, one of the quietest people on board, had some measure of humor as awkward as it could be. Ember wiped away the tears from her cheeks when slender digits took a hand, smiling when the sky master kissed each finger delicately. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come off overprotective."
Ember leaned in to brush noses with Zephyr, ghosting her lips over dark-painted ones. "You couldn't have picked a better time. I love it." Her lips only widened more when the sky master snuck her arms around her waist, holding her from behind while she focused on the sizzling pan. "I never pegged you for the gossiping type."
"I'm not." Ember craned her neck when Zephyr began to idly nibble on her neck. "I got tired of being alone and ran into Nezha on the way here. Got his whole life story in two seconds. Apparently he forgot to Safeguard him during a mission and the man's been pissed ever since. Top it off, Ash is a bit jealous of Nezha and his ungodly man-crush on Volt."
The comical image of a broody assassin lamenting over one of their most enigmatic soldiers on board almost made her forget to cut the stove off before burning the food. "That explains his frustrations."
"I'd rather it not be on you though." The pyromancer felt her breath hitch when Zephyr pressed fully against her backside. Oh you naughty little- Somehow the sky master managed to sneak out with her little toy still attached and having that press up against her thigh made her muscles jello. Leave it up to the sky master to know her weaknesses. The electrifying contact left her brain pleasantly buzzed, but it was their linked fingers that drew her attention the most. Why was she just so…. cute? "Else I'll have to start Airbursting people across the ship."
"I don't mind if you do." Ember turned around in those arms and looped hers around Zephyr's neck. "Although I wish you could use your 'tailwind' instead, to send a clearer message."
"You are absolutely horrible with those puns." Zephyr paused, before adding an afterthought. "Wait, you're being serious."
Ember grinned. "As serious as me wanting to get you fed so we can go back."
"Why not here?"
And Ember thought she was the needy one.