The Light that Shadows in the Night

by RandomHeroX

With storms blanketing the streets of Vale, Yang has been confined to her dorm room and her dreary thoughts about the holiday season surrounding her. Unable to break from the gloom of being alone on Hanukkah, she found herself needing someone to talk to, not knowing it would be the person who was the source of her melancholy. College AU anthology. Arkos and White Rose represented.

2. In the Passing of Light

Happy Hanukkah to all the Jewish brethren that read and a Merry Christmas to the rest. This was supposed to be a one shot, but I had a lot of fun writing the Bumblebee piece and decided to continue in this College AU so long as I could figure out another one shot idea. In my brainstorming I came up with a trilogy and a follow up to Blake and Yang. Unfortunately, I will only post these chapters once a year at the beginning of Hanukkah, so it may be a slower turnaround time than The Venture Bros. Those who get that reference get a catbug plushie. Each year would focus on a couple and this year I did Jaune and Pyrrha cause I've always wanted to do something with them in my main story, Underneath The Surface. Also, some may have noticed a change in rating. The last third or so of the story is exactly what you think it is. So if it's not your bag, feel free to skip it once you've hit the logical conclusion to the story for the little wrap up at the end. I'll say it again cause the good vibes we get from this time of year, Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas. See you with White Rose next year.

In the Passing of Light

"And neurotransmitters contained in vesicles enter the synapse through," Jaune led on.

"Umm... exocytosis," Pyrrha answered with little difficulty.

"Last card. Which of the following best describes the primary function of chlorophyll in an organism?"

"To absorb light energy to power oxygen production," the redhead proudly exclaimed, Jaune throwing the mountain of flashcards in the air as they finished the lightning round.

"You did it! We're finally done!" The man yanked Pyrrha out of her desk chair and got her jumping up and down with him, the man's joy contagious that had the fatigued woman belting out laughter with him.

"I'm pretty sure I'm the one who should be bouncing off the walls. I'm the one with the exam tomorrow," Pyrrha gleeful pointed out, Jaune getting dizzy and slowing the twister dance to a stop.

"I want a little credit though. I had to burn through your notes and write down any and all question that could have been on the exam," the man pointed out, Jaune feeling his fatigue as he was awake with Pyrrha the entire time. It was a solid week of training and studying for the two students. Jaune had it much easier as he didn't have to exert any physical stamina for an ice-skating competition like Pyrrha, the time in the rink managing her body was spent writing out what turned into a tower of index cards for her biology final. Pyrrha, who was having her time eaten up by her extensive training for the competition, requested his help. Jaune went above and beyond the call for a friend. Seeing how stressed and worried she was for the grade, he put in more effort than he does for his exams. And it was hard to say no to her brilliant green eyes, eyes that were bleak in doing it alone.

"You do get a lot of the credit," Pyrrha thanked, giving a congratulatory pat on the back, Jaune wincing from the strength in the the woman's slap. "I probably would be drowning in tears frantically scribbling down on index cards still. You're a lifesaver."

"Oh please," the man sheepishly appreciated the gratitude. "I think I would have been kicked out last year if it wasn't for you working with me. This is the least I could do. Besides, this all kept me busy with all my finals being done early."

"Still, no matter how good of friends we are, I wouldn't have blamed you if you ducked out of this one. Maybe we can make this a regular thing need semester. I mean... not this horrible regiment, but like, studying," the redhead stuttered out. Jaune felt a twinge of guilt run through him as he secretly enjoyed his friend getting flustered. He had no idea why it happened around him, the pinnacle of woman that is Pyrrha not faltering even with television cameras and reporters bearing her down with questions. It was almost like a double life, the real Pyrrha only comfortable to be this modest, easy-going woman around him and their friends.

"We'll see. I hope, but hope not. I'd rather spend time with you where we aren't killing ourselves with textbooks," Jaune joked, the women sharing a smile with him as the two basked in the warmth. The man picked up his phone and checked the clock, it almost dark and was sure the only food him and Pyrrha ate was a massive bag of baby carrots and water. "It's dinner. Want to go get food?"

As if not realizing it herself, upon Jaune's question, Pyrrha felt her own hunger, rubbing her stomach sorely. "Yeah. Just give me a second." The redhead brought out her phone, pulling out her menorah app. It was crude and the light effects moved at three frames a second, but it was better than nothing as she prayed with her illusion.

Raised as a Catholic boy, Jaune was in the dark with all Jewish holidays and customs until he met Pyrrha. Like Easter, which deceivingly changed months every once in awhile, Hanukkah does that too, the blonde man not even knowing Pyrrha was Jewish until six days ago because she went home for those eight days last year. She seemed more devote than Yang across the hall, even though he knew Ruby and her would conference with their dad and properly light their candles. He felt awkward sitting back watching today, pausing Pyrrha before she began her prayers.

"Hey," the woman turning back from her phone screen to acknowledge him, "mind if I join in this time?"

Her eyes lit up wild with surprise, the good kind, as she scooted over and her phone was center between them. "Sure, Jaune. The prayers are short so you can parrot what I say."

"Alright. My annunciation with English isn't so great, so me speaking Hebrew the first-go will be trash. If I say anything horrid in your language, I am deeply and sincerely sorry."

Pyrrha snorted as she clearly was enjoying an inside joke, Jaune holding his smile, nervous he might become part of the laugh. "You'll do fine. I'll be impressed if you messed up fifty words. Now, repeat after me. Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu."

"Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu," Jaune hacked out, almost clearing his throat of phlegm with how embellished his accent was.

"Melekh ha'olam..." Pyrrha continued, flicking on the candle on her virtual menorah, "...ha'heim ba'z'ma ha'ze."

"Ha'heim ba'z'ma ha'ze," Jaune lastly repeated. Curious as to what he took part in, he asked, "so what does it all mean?"

"The gist of it is we thank God for the miracle He performed for our ancestors and the miracles He continues to preform today. I don't know whether to bless or scorn Him. I don't think I'm allowed two miracles."

"Two? What's the first one?"

"You," she confidently assured. "May I remind you of all of this?" she pointed towards the mass of textbooks and parer on the desk. "It may not be what you call a conventional miracle, but the way I see it, you were the light that pulled me from the darkness when I was running around for an answer." The truth from the heartfelt requital brought red to Jaune's face. The excessive praise was part of it, but a beautiful girl saying it with honest eyes hit the man's heart harder. "And that's why I'm buying dinner tonight," the redhead blindsiding him with the generous action, already grabbing her bronze winter coat before he could register the compliment.

"Whoa, hold your horses there," Jaune scrambling for his black hoodie and marigold beanie, stuffing it on Pyrrha's head as he knew she'd get cold walking in the snow. "I'm a fan of equality and all that, but you're not eating my food. I'm fine with paying for my half."

"Then how about one drink? I need to build up karma and calm my nerves," she confessed, the women not showing worry in her face, but her voice shook as she thought about the competition.

"A drink is fine, but you promise to drink because you want to celebrate, not to enable some fear you'll lose the competition. I've watched you train. I'm not some expert on ice skating, but you're like red thunder in the rink. Everyone else is playing for second," the blonde boy bolstered up his friend, the confidence rubbing off a little as she smiled back.

The booming Beacon campus opened a lot of new and unique culinary experiences. All would be passed by for a bar. Jaune may have been one of the oldest in his extensive family, but was the youngest of his friends, his age constantly brought to the forefront whenever they wanted to go to a bar. Since his birthday, Jaune has been playing catchup and repenting with his friends and frequenting Yang and Blake's favorite bar.

With classes still in session, the streets were busy with students, although Jaune couldn't help but notice the amount of couples that were about. "It is the holidays. It's natural to want to be with the people you love most during this special time of year. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the most time they spend together once finals are over and then it's gong back home to their families. What I wouldn't give to have a girlfriend so I can go stay with her. I love Mom, Dad, and all of my sisters, but it's been nice to only have to share the shower with three other people. Still, they all look happy too, it's... it's been awhile."

He'd glance over to Pyrrha as they chatted and walked through the snow, reminded that they looked no different from the couples traveling around, aside from hand holding and the one overtly-risque couple who couldn't keep their hands out of their back pockets. Not that Jaune wanted just the touch. It's human nature to want that loving touch, but he was culpable on more than one occasion to monopolizing Pyrrah's time because he saw the Schnee heiress so enraptured in love with Ruby Rose. He didn't believe that he was opaque enough to fool Pyrrha whenever his sadness would flare and he'd glue himself to the effervescent woman. It was to both their detriment that she was complacent with the situation and he was a coward running from it. Jaune knew what people were whispering about them, having to dispel rumors constantly so Pyrrha could find someone and force him to move on from Weiss.

"A drink or two wouldn't be the worst thing, at the moment," he thought, opening the door for him and Pyrrha to the pub. The coat racks were already full, the bar busy, but not too busy that they couldn't snag a booth upon entry. Jaune usually liked the spots next to the bookshelf, but he was tired of seeing any textbooks, him admiring some of the models of planes and cars.

The waitress came over and took their orders, Pyrrha quick to plug in that any of Jaune's drinks would be put on her bill, the man surrendering to the redhead's charity and letting go. "One drink, you got me?"

"As many as you like, within reason. The last thing I want is you stumbling back and thinking the dumpster in the back alley is your bed." A twinkle in her eye hinting at her future tipsiness with her exam in the afternoon. Food and drinks came, the misleading effect of intoxication getting the better of him as the woman across from him became infinitely more appealing. Her emerald eyes sparkled in the dim light of the mini-lantern on the table. Fiery red hair favorably muted, the dark tracings of her long locks giving her a demure manner that he was finding hard to resist. Her fair skin, basking in the warmth of the establishment, her lips glossed a fine sheen that Jaune had to shake his gaze away from.

Even with all the perfections of Pyrrha, Jaune saw the bigger picture, how each of them were able to smile so effortlessly around each other, even in the darker times like these. "I don't know what else to tell you other than skate faster than everyone else," the man laughed off. "Sitting from the sidelines a lot, I don't know what else I can do. I mean... I'm sure I can get some 'performance-enhancers' from Cardin, but..."

"Oh my goodness, too soon to joke about that. I 'lost' to a girl last year until it was proven with a drug test she had stimulants in her system. I barely scratched by with the prize money before tuition was due for the next semester," Pyrrha recanted, taking a large swig of her swill.

"Fair enough. But aren't you all paid up for the next semester?"

"For the most part. A lot of my equipment could use an upgrade and there's a lot of bills that are creeping up next month. I don't want my car repossessed and I need my car insurance. It already paid for itself when I got to that fender bender last month."

"You are so good at everything, but I'm sort of terrified when I'm in the passenger seat," Jaune teased, knowing he was pressing hard on Pyrrha's buttons as she shied away from the comment. "Is the third place money good enough to cover it all?

"Not even and that's assuming I pass will flying colors on the exam tomorrow to ensure my grant status. I'd have to take a loan out, which is fine, but the whole point of being a student athlete is to make enough money to not do that."

"I can feel ya," Jaune sympathized. "That looming possibility of not being let back is daunting, but you're Pyrrha Nikos. You don't stumble across the finish line by accident. You've earned all those awards and accolades that go with it. Even if one of your opponents bashes your knee in with a baseball bat, you'll still finish second."

Pyrrha slumped her head into her hand, reaching towards his side of the table and grabbed the back of his. "I wish you were there this weekend. I don't know if it's considered cheerleading if only one person is screaming and holding a sign, but it would be nice to not go it alone."

"With as big a family and as little drivers as mine, proper coordination is key so I got to go home when they tell me. I'll be sure to send you a text before your race. It's the least I can do, right?" Jaune promised, twisting his hand around hers and held the frightened hand delicately. His heart quickened as the mood set in, his mind not doubting what the situation looked like, but not dismissing it either. It was pleasant to feel some form of love again. Which is why he hated his roommate and bubbly friend as she slammed her hands on the table.

"Hey you two!" Nora startled the duo, Jaune spilling a bit of his beer on the openings of his sleeves. "I can't believe you guys didn't check with us to see if we didn't want to go out."

'Us' clued Jaune to look around, the last and mild-mannered roommate coming from the rear, the truest of gentlemen and carrying Nora's coat. "You don't mind if we join?" Ren covering up his best friend's intrusion.

"Not at all," Jaune wavering his arm to allow the other two to sit. Like grade school, the table was divided by the sexes.

"It's good to finally see you two out of the room. I was always nervous that I'd come back to you'd be studying anatomy hands on and clothes off. I mean... anatomy is part of biology, so it wouldn't be that much of a stretch if you two..."

"Nora!" Ren raised his voice to the air-headed woman. "You really need to know when to stop the joke." Jaune could feel his face getting red. He was forlorn with love unrequited, but he was still a man with a sex drive. It crossed his mind on more than one occasion at what Pyrrha would look like naked. Winter clothing may not reveal the most skin, but it clung to all the right places, the redhead bearing superb sets of womanly features. It was natural, but he still felt wrong to blatantly stare whenever Pyrrha would bend over in her seat, the crest of her thong peaking past her jeans.

"You start off strong and then take a left turn on inappropriate," Jaune added. "You guys didn't have a reason to be in there. You were helping Ren with his programming."

"Which I can satisfyingly say is finished," he proudly announced. "When our drinks come we are having a toast because hundreds of hours later, I can say it's done. And it's beautiful."

"So you finished your animation program?" Pyrrha chimed in.

"Yes. With the help of my lovely assistant, we were able to record and program over ten thousand unique animations. We covered from pulling cookies out of the oven to mangled body that got hit by a car. I'm making you the A.I. Interface, Nora. You deserve to not just have some lined skeleton be the only part of the final product."

"Aww, you're the best, Ren," the sprightly woman reached over the table and giving his an affectionate, but hard hit to the arm.

The waitress came back with Jaune and Pyrrha's dinner to see two new faces. She was annoyed at first, but Ren believed in the twenty percent tip. Hard work would be appreciated, especially around this group whose blood, sweat, and tears were paying off. The group was often turned off by how turned on Nora seemed to be at all times, but today, she would only exponentially increase the relief of that home stretch now that they were over the hump. Like a cavalcade of classmates funneling in, the quiet brunette from down the hall almost passed them before Nora grabbed her by the arm.

"Velvet," Nora teased out, the woman two drinks in and already getting that buzzed feeling as she pulled her into the booth. "Were you really going to pass us without saying hello?"

"No-no. I was just recounting Coco's order in my head. I forgot it now. I better send a text," Velvet stated. Pyrrha had to coerce Nora to let the woman go so she could order. Velvet did come back, cramming together on the girl's side of the table. Velvet was also in Pyrrha's biology class, Jaune feeling like part of the club with how much he learned through osmosis when helping Pyrrha. "I'm not too worried. I've always been good with memorization."

"My nerves are a bit calmer too. Jaune did a lot of the grunt work so I could practice."

"You're also way smarter than you give yourself credit for. A couple hours of review tomorrow and the information should flow like water," Jaune reassured, Pyrrha's confidence on the surface until their friend let out a small detail.

"So did you guys also study for the extra credit questions?" Velvet announced, Jaune and Pyrrha feeling their accomplishment sink as they looked over to each other, no indication of what the brunette was talking about.

"Wh-what extra credit?" Pyrrha's voice shook.

"Professor Oobleck sent out an email last night. He said the test he made was quite difficult and said the last chapter that couldn't be covered would be easy points if you read the material."

Jaune saw his friend and knew immediately what going through Pyrrha's mind. She didn't need more pressure than she was already feeling from the competition, the man getting up and remained certain of his duty. "Stay here, Pyrrah. I'll go make some more flash cards."

"Jaune, no," the redhead appealing to his softer side. "You already did so much. I can't ask you to do much more."

"Then don't. I'll do it of my own will. Just sit tight, enjoy yourself, and I'll get this done," Jaune pleaded more with his eyes than his words, not wanting to lay it out on the table how wound tight she's been with all she'd been juggling. Pyrrha saw that, letting him go with a promise.

"If you ever need a ride home, let me know."

"I will. Velvet, take my spot while you're waiting," the man offered and zipped out the door before the redhead could stop him further.

Jaune had one too many beers, this walking pattern a staggering zig-zag as his boots crushed the snow underneath him. He made it back to the room, flicking on the desk lamp, cracking open to the final chapter, and stared at the pages for a time until he came to this conclusion, "I'm too drunk for this."

A small bletch erupted from his gullet, Jaune going to the bathroom and inhaling water to try and sober up before writing. He read and re-read the pages, making sure he wasn't skipping vital details due to his concentration waning. He checked the fridge, their supply of energy drinks run dry from the week of studying. With no way of gaining more energy, he powered through as much as his body could, giving way as he burned out.

---

Jaune's eyes peeped open, a puddle of drool underneath him as he woke form his slumber. A string of saliva stretched with him as he groggily lifted his head from the textbook, the thick pages slobbered on by his unconventional bed. He wiped his face of spit, noticing fabric draped around his shoulders. He examined the quaint fabric, the wooly texture only belonging to one person. He stretched his body, muscles thanking him for relieving them of the cumbersome seating arrangement. The room was still. Well, not completely still. The dorms weren't always the warmest place, girls packing extra blankets for the winter, Pyrrha gifting hers last night when she came home and must have seen him passed out. The index cards he worked out were on the shelf next to her, a couple new, clearly Pyrrha's writing, scribbled underneath his drunken attempts. Half-assing and false appearances were the old Jaune, the man making it up to her as soon as she woke up.

The early hours of campus life had the population sparse, only grad students and the insomniacs up at this hour made it easy for Jaune to prepare and bring back coffee and breakfast for his friend. His attempt was sound, but the clatter of ceramic to wood was loud enough to wake the redhead. She gave the defeated moan of being waked from a wonderful dream, eyes catching him as he was finishing changing out of his clothes. "Thanks, Jaune."

He jumped as he was getting underneath the covers, the soft whisper eerily loud enough for him to hear. "Not a problem, Pyrrha. Thanks for the blanket last night."

"You were shivering. You also deserved sleep, even if it was bent over on a desk."

"Hey, I'm going to nap because it's possibly the least restful sleep to have your body in pain all night. I'll be up to help you review." Jaune slipped into the sheets and quicker into sleep, his body relaxing to his cushiony mattress. The sleep was sound, but felt short, Nora and Ren waking him up from the woman's boisterous 'indoor' voice. He was glad today it woke him, Jaune running short as he got ready and met Pyrrha down by the library. She was already diligent in her last-minute cramming, Jaune feeding her the new and old information until the minutes whined down. So lost in their review, the two were frantically sprinting down to the lecture hall.

"When the... when the chromosomes line up in mitosis, this is known as which phase?" Jaune asked, wishing he hit the gym more often as Pyrrha's stamina was impossible to keep up with.

"Meta," she answered correctly, breaching the door.

"Which of the following is considered a model for enzyme action?" Jaune's attention to the cards had him waltzing in, the redhead having to pull him by his hoodie before he tumbled down an intimidating amount of steps.

"Lock and Key Model." Pyrrha's flawless lightning round untarnished.

"Correct. Well, I guess this is the last I'll be seeing of you. Good luck tomorrow."

"What about now?"

"You see these cards?" Jaune tossing them in the waste bin next to them. "You got this."

Jaune smiled deep at his friend, the redhead warmly reciprocating at his jaunty farewell. With professor Oobleck already giving instructions, Pyrrha leaped into the man's body, giving a warm embrace as she shared her gratitude. "Bye, Jaune. See you next year."

He felt his heart skip a beat with her body so close, her cheek pressed against his heat his face. She darted to a seat, leaving Jaune dumbfounded at his body's new reaction. "Yea-yeah, see you."

He left the hall, a multitude of emotions swirling in him, but the greater one was the clemency for helping out Pyrrha. "You did good, Arc," he muttered to himself, patting himself on the back as he headed home.

There was nothing left for him to do now, but to wait for a call from one of his sisters. The crisp air was nipping at his face, the heat still resonating with him as he thought more about Pyrrha, the redhead's smile still flickering in his head, Jaune unconsciously zeroing in on her lips.

"Don't be lollygagging around, Ruby," the familiar voice reminded. "I didn't arrange to get Achieve Men backstage passes for you to squander them."

"I'm coming. I'm coming," the red-jacketed girl hollered as she was catching up to her girlfriend. "I was packing some CDs for them to sign."

"I better not hear, 'wait I for forgot something' now," the heiress advised. Ruby grabbed her by the frills of her parka, pulling her in for a zealous kiss.

"You won't. I love that you are punishing yourself for my sake. I know you're not a fan."

"Yes, but what kind of girlfriend would I be to pass these up. Happy Hanukkah, Ruby," the heiress buttoning her gratitude with a peck.

"This is so much for a present though. My Christmas present will pale in comparison."

"Don't worry about your gift. Whatever you got me, I'm sure I'll love it. You're very thoughtful when it comes to things of this sort," Weiss praised the shorter girl. Jaune averted his gaze as they were drinking in each other's expressions. "You're hard not to love, my little dolt."

The other woman giggled, happily expressing her adoration back. "I love you too, Weiss." Jaune heard the recognizable sound of smoothing and await for the metaphorical dagger to pierce his heart. Waiting for that painful cycle of sadness, regret, and misery as he was reminded of how happy the heiress was with someone else. He made it back to the room, his heart not wrenching in agony, mind clear of any negative thoughts. He was fine. Happily confused, however.

"That's weird."

"What's weird?" the redhead roommate inquired as she bounced out of the bathroom. Ren was on his bed reading, the blonde man realizing he wasn't alone.

Jaune was hesitant in mentioning it, but Nora and Ren had been there since day one and picked up his blubbering mess when Weiss and Ruby started dating. Some resolution to that blight was worth them knowing. "I-I saw Weiss and Ruby."

"Jaune, not again," Nora already at his side. "You're going to get through this, you massive teenage girl, you."

"Not why I'm bringing it up. I think... I think I'm over Weiss."

Ren's interest piqued past his book, Nora and him shocked and awed. "What? Really?"

"Yeah... It didn't hurt this time. I just walked past that like I would any other couple ridiculously in love with each other. It was borderline gross," he laughed off, Ren setting down his book and putting an encouraging arm around the recovered man.

"I'm very happy to hear that, Jaune. It's been an odyssey; a long and eventful journey, but you've grown a lot since that cold January day." Ren was responsible and didn't embellish more on the memory, Jaune fearing he could relapse if transported back. "To be honest, you weren't man enough for someone of her caliber."

"You're supposed to be good with words. Not Nora who blows down character in a sentence."

"Hey!" the woman shouted.

"Don't worry. I'm making my point. You weren't worthy of someone like Weiss. So elegant, sophisticated, intelligent, beautiful..."

"I get it," Jaune interrupted. "She's way out of my league."

"She is, but you're within her reach," the Asian man continued. "Be honest with yourself. You weren't the greatest student, not in shape."

"And your style was bad, you still had some ache from high school, still weary about..." the redhead continued.

"If all I'm going get is reminders of why I'm a loser, I'm going to move out."

"Were a loser," Ren distinctly pointed out. "You have overcome all of these discrepancies and are a relatively good gentleman."

"It's true. A couple girls from my English class know you as 'the blonde with the hot butt.'" Nora added, Jaune bewildered at the left turn this conversation was taking, finding that it was truthful. He wasn't that gawky kid he used to be. He'd grown into a viable candidate for dating women, not girls, as he grew up in the past year.

"Well, I have been working on my glutes. I'm glad it shows."

"A lot of good qualities shine from you. I'm surprised it's taken you this long to notice. Pyrrha certainly has or else she wouldn't have asked you to be around her so much." Ren mentioning their other roommate flushed the blonde, their semi-intimate hug back a few ago still resonating in him.

"Pyrrha was helping the sad, pathetic boy just like you two."

"And what did she do? Take you to the gym, study with you, went shopping with you once you got a job, and gave you gallons of acne cream from a sponsorship."

"And you got better at talking with women from hanging with her and me. She saw a potential in you that's paid off. Well, kind of paying off..." Nora trailed off, Jaune pouncing on what she meant.

"Paying off? What?"

"Nora," Ren sternly and lowly spoke, giving hand gestures to keep her mouth shut. Jaune pieced it together and all of what's been going on between him and her the last year.

"Wa-wait, wait a minute. Are you saying I should go after Pyrrha?" he blurted out.

"We didn't say that per se, but Pyrrha was out of your league too. She has many of the same qualities of Weiss, but she was there for you when the 'Ice Queen' shot you down," Ren calmly explained.

"And let's face it, she could have any guy she wanted despite the rumors that float around you two. Last time I checked, you were the only one dousing the flames," Nora asserted. Jaune only did his part because he thought he was helping his friend. He didn't think that she didn't mind the idea of them dating. Today's hug was different. He felt it, but it was trumped by the multitude of the reminders that they were friends. All the pats on the back, tousling of hair, and meals they shared with no moves from either of them made Pyrrha feel like one of his sisters. As Jaune mulled it over, it wasn't Pyrrha keeping them at arm's length, it was him.

"What if I did let her in?" Jaune questioned. "Would she not resist my advances? Would she make her own moves?"

As Jaune was deep in thought, his phone rang, a call of his eldest sister on the other end. "Yeah... I'm free right now...Could you hold one a minute? Nora," he hushed out as he clasped the phone's speaker. "Pyrrha's team manger still has a crush on you, right?"

"Yes," a puzzled look growing on the roommate as she didn't know what to expect next.

"Excellent," he announced before returning to his sister. "You can go ahead and cancel picking me up. Something came up and... and I think I need to make up for lost time."

*-Pyrrha-*

The bus could have all the comforts of a luxury flight, but it still couldn't rid any passenger of getting a little stir crazy. That, coupled with her smartphone's charge that's was battered from streaming video, had her racing for a charger. She passed the Atlas city limits, taking off her headphones and giving her mind a rest as their hotel was minutes away. Pyrrha loved nature, snow having its fair share of fun as she grew up in colder cities. The ponds were a magical place, the ice too thick that she'd play hockey with the boys, her speed unrivaled and set her on a course for skating professionally. She owes a lot to Winter as it did house some of the more special memories.

The trees were bare, but the fresh powder had them glazed with a white outline. The streets were still in need of a thawing, speckles that the snowplow missed still evident on the asphalt and sidewalks. The people who had to be out on the weekend were bundled up. The conditions were ripe for her event, even though her race would be taken indoors.

Her heart picked up its pulse, the thought of the competition still making her anxious. "You got to have more confidence in yourself, Pyrrha. You didn't qualify for this if you weren't one of the best. Who knows, there could be a scouting agent there and the next platform I perform on could be the next Olympics. It'd be nice, but I don't know if I can slavishly adhere to only skating for years and years. Life is more than skating. Do those athletes even have friends? Romantic relationships?"

As the redhead's mind wandered into romance, she buried her face as she thought about the blonde man who stole her heart over a year ago. "Well, at least that part wouldn't change. I still can't get him to notice me. I want to hate Weiss, but she's way more than just a pretty face. I wouldn't be surprised if she's the speaker for our graduating class. I could've tried instead of shy away every time I'd pump myself up about kissing him whenever we'd go out, but I wouldn't have felt like I was taking advantage of him because of how hooked he was on Weiss. I wouldn't want those meddling, negative emotions running through him if I was trying to start something."

She thought back to the blonde boy she left behind, thinking of the almost month that will pass before she'd see him again and have another chance to ask him out. Her face burned red as her mind shifted to yesterday morning where Jaune was changing as she was pretending to be asleep. "I'm despicable. That was so underhanded of me to watch him undress. I mean... I didn't get to see everything. No... even if it was just his tight butt, I can't justify it. I need to grow a backbone and not be this pathetic. Jaune will stop looking at Weiss one day and I ought to make sure it's me."

The bus stopped, Pyrrha grabbing her luggage and heading down the steps to the hotel. She had to admit, athletes get massive perks when it comes to hosting them. The competition being sponsored by this five-star resort hotel helped in this arrangement, but she's stayed at many other resorts and was floored by the amenities that are complimentary to the sports. Getting her room key is always a pain, but being one of the few female athletes granted her a room to herself. She tossed her suitcase on the bed, grabbed the essentials for her training and went down to the rink for her scheduled practice time.

It looked boring, but shaving milliseconds off your best time was one of the most exhilarating moments when your coaches give a congratulatory scream. "Way to go Pyrrha!" he yelled in his comically hoarse voice, the redhead wondering how he's going to last the weekend with three other teams to coach.

"Thanks, coach," Pyrrha catching her breath as she felt she broke mach speed.

"You give me one more lap like that and you can take the rest of the day off." Pyrrha was ready for that break from skating for over an hour. Now only one thousand meters away, she was determined to give it her best just to be able to sit down one second earlier. Pyrrha stretched out the wedgie riding her backside. The red and orange outfit, although stylish, acted worse than a second skin and allowed flexibility only when she wasn't coated in sweat. She wiped her brow and readjusted her yellow helmet before getting position ready.

The whistle blew and Pyrrha jettisoned herself out of the starting line. She did service to herself by pretending others were around her, both being cautious to not fall and assuming at she wouldn't be in first and dominating the match. The ice had grooves from her previous laps, the Zamboni sure to refine those for a smoother ride. The wind whipped in her face, hands balancing her out on the turns and mind laser-focused on reaching that goal, Pyrrha forgetting what lap she was on until she heard her coach cry out in victory. "Incredible, kid. One minute and fifteen seconds. You could go to the world stage with these kind of times."

"Yeah... absolutely. Water," she instinctively was driven to quench her thirst. She shambled to the cooler, sucking down half the bottle as she was unlacing her skates. Her feet were overjoyed as her toes were alleviated from their bound confines. A towel was thrown on her head, Pyrrha not knowing who did it.

"You tore up that ice out there," the high-male voice praised, Pyrrha ripped the towel off her head to see none other than Jaune Arc

"Jaune!" she exclaimed in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

"Your manager came down with a serious bout of... diarrhea. I just so happened to be in the area and your coach has seen me around and asked me," he clarified, Pyrrha wanting to be pinched as she couldn't believe he wasn't some apparition brought on by her love sickness.

"That's uhh... unfortunate, but... I'm a little conflicted. I don't want you doting on me just because it's your job. And didn't you have to go home?"

"I won't just be doting on you. I'm here for everybody and you did say you would offer me a ride," Jaune revealed, him taking her skates and sharpening them with a grinder. Pyrrha basked in the awkwardness, the blonde man smiling deep as he was doing hard labor. "You said it was lonely out here. I would've regret going home to my massive happy family when I knew you'd be lonesome during the last nights of Hanukkah."

Pyrrha held back her laughter, the corniness in his response so transparent that she would hate herself if something didn't happen this weekend. She was waiting for him to take the initiative, but the coach caught his attention and kept him distracted for such an action to occur. She debated on meandering around and giving him the opportunity to do so, but coach was always much harder on his assistants than his athletes. Jaune was wringing out Pyrrha's sweat towel as she gently grabbed him by the arm, her words almost stuck in her mouth as she met his cool blue eyes. "Jaune, I've been to this resort before. Whenever you get off, you want me to show you around? Maybe even grab some dinner at this restaurant I tried last year?"

She kicked herself for embellishing more than needed for asking someone out to dinner, but had to stop herself from jumping up-and-down as he answered, "Sure, ab-absolutely. I'll probably be done around eight, so a late dinner at nine would be best."

"I'll be ready by then," Pyrrha almost stumbling her way out of the stadium as the giddy was bubbling out of her.

---

Pyrrha wished she had a third hand, juggling a hairdryer and a brush to straighten hair that was longer than her arms could be a competition event in and of itself. Her mind was in a frenzy, not wanting a stray hair out of place after she meticulously scrubbed all of the sweat off. Every inch of her body was dutifully looked under a a magnifying glass as she was getting ready for the date. Skin properly moisturized, eyebrows plucked, body shaven, deodorant applied; the definition of fresh.

She was preparing for some competition so she dug into the depths of her luggage for something a little less like grandma panties. Unfortunately, she wasn't expecting a date. A lace-trimmed thong with pink striped print wouldn't be the worst confidence booster. Also, a little hope that Jaune would see them tonight wasn't the worst way to get him to take the next steps. She gave a breath of relief as she rejoiced that her reflexive packing did pack her nicer underwear. The redhead slipped into her cerulean panties, content with the lace trim at the legs. As she snapped her teal bra into place, the neurosis in her brain got to her, pushing up and tightening the straps to further increase her already natural big bust.

Pyrrha dabbed in her makeup kit. She wasn't one to alter her appearance too much. Although, Jaune was not the best at noticing how much effort she puts in. Hints with light eye shadow and fire engine red coat for her lips, a light smack to settle in. Layers weren't sexy, but tight fitting brown sweater over her white t-shirt would do. Tight leggings under a deep blue skirt would seal the heat for the most part. "I'll risk getting too cold tonight. It gives me an excuse to get closer to him."

She stuffed her feet into woolen high boots before taking one last look in the mirror. She wanted her hair down, but it was too straight and looked awkward with her snug getup. She wrapped her hair in her ponytail, spritzing on a dab of her crisp perfume, and headed out. She regret not bringing mittens, the short trip feeling like a foray into the arctic tundra with the temperatures dipping past freezing. She ran to the nearest bus stop and welcomed the warm sanctuary as she headed downtown. It was awkward getting off a fairly expensive bus in a wealthy town, all of the public services seemingly tailored for comfort instead of convenience as the city was laboriously tended to the wealthy residents' reputation. Still, she didn't have to run miles to get to the restaurant, the heavenly smell mixing with a multitude of other eating establishments. If it weren't for reservations for Jaune, Pyrrha would have fumbled following her nose as each scent intrigued her.

She approached the hostess and she escorted her to the back of the restaurant, the tables fit for two. Pyrrha took her seat as the waitress lifted the glass bulb in the middle, her lighter igniting the tiny wick burred in the oil. She unfolded her napkin, resisting herself from checking her phone for the time as it was a few past the reservation. What kept her anxieties down was the fact Jaune would have called if he wasn't going to show. Then the prospect of him getting hit by a car or mugged in an alley sprung in her mind and got her worried again. A nervous fiddling of her lap mat she was wringing dry until a man came up next to her, her blonde boy wonder out of breath, but also one to never disappoint.

"Jaune, I hope you didn't run from the hotel. There are shuttle services."

"I didn't, but I was running late. If I casually strolled, you probably would've called," he clarified, the redhead glad to see him in one piece.

"I-I would've been fine with a call ahead. Please sit and have some of my water," Pyrrha offering him her glass of purified ice water, the woman being unusually juvenile as Jaune sipped from the same straw as she. The indirect kiss, she hoped, wouldn't be the only swapping of saliva tonight. The usually disheveled man had a more proper appearance. Even though he still looked like he rolled out of bed, there was clear indications he meant it to look it a certain way. His hair had a sleek, possibly wax to keep it to that odd spiky flair. On his indigo sweater and red v-neck was sprayed, maybe one too many times, was a pleasant cologne that reminded her of the ocean air. The worn jeans were the same she always knew, but were spruced up with his new shoes she and him picked out. The charmed woman was already won over by Jaune's effort, now just waiting for that moment to make her move.

Jaune and Pyrrha sat in an uncomfortable silence, the woman now too nervous with the intentions of turning this romantic. She had her food chosen before he showed up, letting him scan the menu in peace. The waitress came over and took their orders. Now, with the blinders gone, Pyrrha could see the calming blue irises glimmering in the soft light, his self-assured smile heartening the young woman that he was still Jaune. The motives might be different, but the person she was the best of friends with was still there. She did want more for a very long time, but, if she made that kiss her target, she was probably going to miss. She laughed at his cheeky joke about the snow and frozen butts, letting the conversation flow.

She regret getting something so messy, but she was craving seafood. She guessed she looked ridiculous taking such small bites and dabbing her mouth every time, but the red she wanted to leave on Jaune would be her lipstick, not the spicy tomato sauce from a scallop. Jaune seemed to be enjoying his steak, Pyrrha impressed by the astute choice in his selection. With Jaune's budget constrained by loans and his fair-paying job, she was happy to see him splurge when usually he's so responsible with his money.

As the meal went on, it was hard not to gossip about school and their roommates when no one within earshot could ever relay it back. "So, Nora and Ren... like, seriously how long did you think they were a couple until Ren sent us straight," the man jokingly asked.

"Longer than it should have," she replied as she hid her chuckle. "When we became roommates, she was all over him and I assumed that he was just not fond of PDA. Two months in, we were all friends as friends could be and Nora never hinted to stay out of the room or Ren and her wanted to use it for privacy. It wasn't until I walked into the awkward wall when she was mentioning other guys, and I asked when did she and Ren broke up, which lead to the most dumbfounded look and explanation of how they were old buddies from their neighborhood."

"That easily rivals mine. I thought Ren and I were comfortable about talking with women and I start asking him some questions. That man turns an absurd shade of red if you ask the right ones. I feel so guilty. We were no different from the gossipers that spread rumors around us." Jaune and Pyrrha erupted into laughter, her cheeks hurting from the rounds of holding back howls of joy. Her date did bring up the rumors so causally, Pyrrha never minding them as rumors were thoughts with only a single basis, but she did have to give some credit to those who spread them. If she didn't keep hearing them, her crush on him might have lost its flame and she wouldn't be here, enjoying a cordial meal with Jaune, believing the glint shining in his eyes weren't from the flickering flame on the table, but the one rising in his heart.

"Did you... did it bug you that much that you had to be so vocal about us not being a couple? I mean... not that I wasn't doing it either, but you seemed adamant about it," the redhead curiously asked, Jaune beating his chest as he almost chocked on a piece of meat.

After engulfing half a glass of water, he manically apologized, "It-it wasn't like that. If it came off like that, I'm so sorry. I was making it obvious so guys knew that you were available. And I was sort of doing it so Weiss knew I was still single. Point being, I didn't want potential boyfriends to pass you up because the scraggly blonde boy was always by your side."

"You're not some scraggly blonde boy. You're my friend, Jaune. A friend that carries my back pack while I use him as a crutch on the days I pushed myself too hard. If anything, those rumors had most attention on you. People asking if this guy can't get close to her, then what hope to I have?" Pyrrha laughing, bringing her date's spirits up too with the observations. "You're a catch. It's why is didn't bother me too much when I heard them. Any girl would be lucky to have you."

"That's awfully nice of you to say, but that almost sounds like pandering coming from you."

"When's the last time I talked down to you?"

"I think about a week ago when I was trying on boxing gloves and pithily hitting the bag. You said I could be a boxer," he snarkily came back, Pyrrha worried that her encouragers might be too much even with a genuine quality about them. "But... umm, your voice usually upticks when you're stretching it. So, thank you. It's nice for a woman to compliment me and them not be one of my sisters."

"I can't be the only one. I know I've heard girls who were jealous. I guess... oops. I probably should have been more vocal too."

"Please. Unlike the rumors about us, the sad fact that I was still hung up on Weiss was just underneath the surface, making it easy for someone who was even mildly interested in me to be turned off immediately. On the ride over, I got thinking about her. I think I spent too much time thinking about her and I don't know why."

"Because Weiss is beautiful, intelligent, wealthy, an impossibly hard-worker, and quite generous with her time. People may not know that because of her venomous tongue at first, but I wasn't astonished that you were one of many that liked her. At least you liked her for the right reasons, making it cute..." Pyrrha chose her next words carefully as it seemed premature to bring up that lonely phase, "at first. It'll get better."

"I think it already has," he admitted, smiling into another morsel of food as he polished off his meal. "I saw her yesterday with Ruby and it didn't hurt. I don't know why I'm having this change of heart, but I'm mad at myself it didn't happen sooner. Like, it wasn't hard to see she wasn't that into me, but... you know, optimism kept me believing that if I showed up enough, she'd turn around. That's fine to believe until she got serious with Ruby. If I was better at reading signals, I would have saved myself a lot of heartache. And something tells me that I would have already been with someone who makes me happy."

Pyrrha almost had her own choking spasm as she noticed Jaune's stare. The strong determined gaze, one both upbeat and contrite in his naivete over the last year. The redhead felt a chilled run up her spine, the joyous glow running through her as her date elevated from casual food friend to a serious contender to ending tonight the way she always envisioned. If Jaune were to atone for his absent-mindedness, Pyrrha would fervently shed her rules for dating to make up for lost time.

The redhead slipped away to use the restroom, nature calling and wanting her heart to slow down as Jaune was mystifying her in a way that hadn't happened yet. As she was gussying up in the mirror, she locked eyes with her reflection, worry present, but subsiding. "I do love this man. It took awhile while he was looking elsewhere, but there's no point to deny it any longer. I'm in love with my best friend, and... I think he loves me too."

The woman left the bathroom, confident in her fancy. Pyrrha was charmed more as Jaune sneakily paid the waitress, a little chivalry every now and then perfectly acceptable by her standards. "What happened to only paying for your part of the meal?" she coyly queried.

"Oh, you know... just being polite and all that," the man lied, redness flushing as he was caught red handed being so courteous. "Don't feel indebted. It felt... appropriate given it's your competition."

Pyrrha welcomed the tactlessness, his nerves calming her own as she saw they were together, hopelessly stumbling in their enamored state.

The night was young, Pyrrha taking her date around the snowy town before she had to head back to get a restful sleep for the match. The lamps bathed the artificially white glow across the streets, the moon peeking itself between the sky blotted with clouds. The nightlife of Atlas, she guessed, was more tame without the population of a small city growing overnight. Pyrrha could tell which athletes had their events. The drunken staggering coupled with gratuitous attempts at having a fling with other competitors was the obvious sign. The clouds of smoke hovering around the outside of businesses being the other with breathing being a non-issue the other. Pyrrha wasn't innocent to the debauchery, a few times getting drunk and waking up in a hotel room that wasn't hers a gainful experience. As wild as it was, it was nice to be more stable.

The streets were stung up with Christmas lights,or as the non-offending residents would want to address them as holiday decorations, were lining the small bracket of the downtown area. Even some of the classier businesses deciding in participate in the fun. As non-offensive as they weren't being, Pyrrha did find it awkward that they had to dance around the subject. They are, by all intents and purposes, Christmas lights and she was glad that the Jewish population jumped on the bandwagon and created their own sect of lights. The redhead noticed one establishment was celebrating the seventh day, blue and white lights were the subtle way to honor the holiday. But this bar took it one step higher and had a menorah burning bright at the center bay window, only one candle less lit.

"Got to give props to that guy for not following in the political correctness line," Jaune admired as he took in the scenery. "And those guys with the Christmas trees."

"I wouldn't be surprised if those are Nondenominational Winter Shrubs," the redhead joked, both laughing at the absurdity of it all.

"Regardless, this feels like Christmas. All those TV specials, commercials, songs even, mention the snow. Vale's snowfall is fair, aside from that massive storm last year. This," he paused to scoop up fresh powder from the ground, "is authentic. How about you? Any Hanukkah you feeling around here."

"Not like you're experiencing," she referred to. "We don't have too many songs, definitely no ads, and I can count on my fingers the amount of TV specials that have Hanukkah in them. My family sort of assimilated into Christmas because why fight it? It's not like we don't do our traditions. It's fun. The messages of the holidays are different, but the spirit is the same. It's about togetherness. At the end of the day, when I'm lighting the next candles and reciting the prayers, I'm with my family, the people I love. Isn't it similar for Christmas?"

"Kind of. I guess you can say all of that pressure, that perfect idea of Christmas, all lies within buying a gift. It may be tainted, but it still gets me and all my sisters in a room together. I can't be too mad at it," the optimism ever-flowing as he smiled back. Pyrrha noticed his hands were deep within his pockets, back hunching slightly as she could see him trying to keep his body warm.

"Did you forget mittens too?" the redhead asked, her date abashed by his negligence.

"I was given this job within an hour of getting on a bus to here. I forgot a few things, but no way I would have thought mittens were necessary. It's amazing how the elevations of five thousand can dramatically alter the chill factor," he complained, Pyrrha was also feeling her fingertips get cold. Her leggings also fighting against frigid weather, but she was far better clothed than him. She wanted to dip into a place and warm up next to a fire, but all of the businesses were bursting from the seams with people who had the same idea. Surveying the area, she saw the biggest building just a street over. It wasn't the warmest, but it was better than nothing.

Jaune cupped his hands and huffed his visible breath into his palms. Pyrrha took action after witnessing the feeble attempt. "Come here," she meekly beckoned. "You need to keep your core warm." She drowned out her nervousness and wrapped her arm around the man's waist. She felt a jolt from him at first, but he reciprocated as he placed his arm around her.

"Thanks," he appreciating the warm immediately as he brought her in closer. "I apologize in advance if you trip over my feet. I may not be the gawky blonde boy anymore, but my footwork didn't get any better."

His humbleness gave Pyrrha an idea, the stadium a perfect place to work on his balance. Past the glass doors was a heat haven, the temperatures differentiated to the point she was sweating from the contact. They walked through the hallways, the overnight crew supervising and readying for the second day of matches. The redhead used her badge to give her access to rental skates. With a promise she wouldn't practice with them, she handed over the pair to Jaune.

"Lace them."

"Pyrrha, I don't want to trip and end up cutting you," he cautiously warned.

"I've once collided with three other skaters an not a scratch on any of us. Not saying it doesn't happen, but I'll take my chances with you," she reassured, the woman more scared of her own feet messing up and falling.

With her skates fitting nice, she happily obeyed the condition. She spun around to face her date. "Take my hand."

"Your faith is so low," he responded, tip-toeing his way to the ice.

"Athletes get an equal amount of time to practice. I've used mine. They let me have these only if I was shackled to you."

"What? Don't I look like a speed skater," he cheekily said as he lurched onto the ice, Pyrrha catching him before he hit the cold surface.

"Does that answer your question?" she cheerily responded. "We'll take it slow. Exercise gets the blood running." It seemed Jaune's blood was already warm as his hand clasped hers, the warmth spreading to both their faces as they took to the ice. He was bad, but not terrible, Pyrrha not afraid of him floundering about and hurting himself. She did have to hold back bursting into laughter, first time skaters all looking like toddlers who are still learning how to walk; toes pointed in, arms fanned out, and eyes glued to the ground."You're doing fine. Have more confidence in yourself."

"Is the parrot mimicking what I've been saying all this week?"

"It worked for me. Tomorrow, second place is secured."

"What about first?"

"I'm confident, but there's one actual contender that could beat me. Now, lower your arms a bit. I'll be your balance. Bend your knees and kickoff with your strong foot diagonally," she instructed. As expected, it wasn't graceful, but he was gliding slowly at her speed. "Keep your legs loose and steady. Locking your knees will cause you..." Jaune lurched forward at the comment. She couldn't get mad at him for following instructions to a tee as she caught him falling on his face. She hoisted the puppetted limp body back up his his skates. "To fall."

"Point taken," he reluctantly said.

"It's like walking except you push off from the side." Pyrrha let Jaune find his legs, the two slowly going around the rink, the redhead being the support as she skated with him. She glanced over, bemused by his efforts and charmed by his charisma, his toothy grin and sparkling eyes showing fear and complacency as he was with her. There may have been people around them, but Pyrrha forgot the world, the match, and people as it was just she and him.

As they made unhurried laps around the rink, she couldn't take her eyes on him and, as soon as he found his footing, neither could he. His placid blue hues were calming, but making her heart race as it was one of many fine features of her date. His smile was so effortless, but so was hers as they were enjoying the mood. His lips were a distraction all night, only getting worse as Pyrrha was being cautiously flirted with. "Flirt back," she goaded herself, hating that the time he was obsessed with Weiss made her this guarded to making a move.

She tousled his hair, the silky stands held up by a thin layer of wax. "You need to stop reminding me of that. Everyone gets food poisoning."

"Not everyone has green eyes that make them look like a monster either," Jaune twisting the knife deeper. Pyrrha had to laugh at herself, with that 'pork belly incident' being over six months ago. It was then she really considered having her hair cut, the red strands almost a disaster area if it wasn't for Jaune, Nora, and Ren keep it out of the vomit zone. "But, your eyes look... lovely the rest of the time."

Her date held his stare, the straightforward advance having his cheeks flush first before her. "Umm, yours too, Jaune," her brain stunned from the comment. Pyrrha moved a little closer to him, the intimate contact having the man fall over his feet. The redhead caught him, but not without twisting herself as his weight shifted hers. Pyrrha found a comfortable angle to pivot on, but not the most ideal. Her arm caught Jaune behind the back, hoisting him as he was dipped on one leg. Her ponytail curtained the spotlight silhouette on his face, the shade unable to hide his burning cheeks as he gazed back at her. He was vulnerable, but so was she. Pyrrha leaned in closer, Jaune not turning away. Her heart raced wild, letting herself give into what she was feeling and lead her lips where they desired to be.

A vibration in her pocket had her trance broken, along with her balance, the redhead accidentally dropping Jaune to the ice. "So-sorry." She hand-trucked him up as she dread the caller on the other end. "Yes... No, I'm not dead asleep and that's why I'm not answering my door... You're right. Sorry, coach... I'll come back to the hotel immediately."

The redhead begrudgingly ended the call, the time past when she wanted to be asleep. Looking back at her date, the same lonesome expression on him made her regret not making a move one second sooner. "I didn't mean to keep you out so late."

"Don't worry about it, Jaune. Let's just move before I get another call." Pyrrha hailed a cab with her phone, the ride ready outside by the time they laced into their shoes. The drive was short, but Jaune's hotel was a block over, insisting that he not waste the redhead's generosity and run back.

"I'll be fine. Judging from this community, I don't think crime is an issue," he joked off, Pyrrha having to admit, the only thing that would kill him is the cold.

"You're... you're right. Have a safe walk back," she meekly replied. Jaune opened his arms for a hug, the redhead reciprocating the gesture. Her conscious told her to let go from the usual adieu, but her unconscious held on, fingers snagging the hems of his sweater. As he was about to protest, his eyes popped as he met hers, a glossy haze of longing heavy in her stare. She yanked on his person, Jaune enraptured by his date's lure. Her hands grazed upwards, placing them firmly on his shoulders, her head lifted by the chin, her lips lined with his.

One final push of her doubt out of her mind had her close the gap, pressing her lips to Jaune's with a soft pucker. Their lips overlapped, a bit of stubble grazing her lower lip as she kissed him. She had desired it for so long, and she melted into the loving act as natural lust was coursing through them. Her fingers rung around his neck, pulling him in deeper. His hands stayed amiably on her waist, his fingers indicating he wanted more too as they dug into her hips.

Getting light headed from the altitude and shortened breathes taken, they broke the kiss, chests heaving from the passionate pecks. Pyrrha felt the heat in her face, Jaune's not fairing any better. The redhead was glad it wasn't out of embarrassment, but out of excitement, the heat between them having to subside as her match was calling. Her heart was beating in her ears, almost missing the dampened compliment, "So, that was... that was a thing."

"But a... but a very good thing, right?" she asked with with honest inquiry. A mistake not made as Jaune grinned wide as he traced his lips with his fingers.

"Yeah... very good," he replied. Pyrrha's heart swelled, placing her hands on her lips in disbelief of what had transpired. "So... so I'll see you tomorrow. Good night, Pyrrha."

The redhead took steps forward and gave him one last kiss before letting him go. "Night, Jaune." She watched him disappear around the corner, both of longing and wanting to see his tight butt in his jeans. Pyrrha had to hush her screams until she got to her room, burying herself in the pillows and giving herself a victory howl in her sheets, so elated she was finally able to get that off her chest. "I don't know if this counts as telling him how I feel, but that has to count as something. 'I love you' will come one day. Until then, I think I'll have more fun with Jaune, let it all roll out naturally."

---

"You absolutely crushed it out there," Jaune proclaimed, setting the first round of drinks on the table.

"I wouldn't put it like so. It never felt like I was 'crushing it' when I was racing," Pyrrha humbly swatting away the high praise.

"That's because you couldn't see the massive gaps in lead you had. Your rival almost caught up to you in the end, but that performance was unmatched. There should have been smoke trails from how fast you were."

The redhead was used to a certain amount of acclaim from sports writers, commentators, and friends alike, but Jaune was the one that always made her flush the most, his words carrying an honesty that couldn't be forced. She twiddled her gold medal around her fingers, wishing it was her winnings cash prize more, but the high of a victory would do for now. She peered across the table, the blonde boy a better prize she hoped to earn tonight.

"Thank you, Jaune... not just for this though. I really appreciate that you came out here. I've celebrated by myself and it doesn't have that kind of revelry than it does with someone else." Both laughed at the self-deprecation. With a sip of her liquid courage, she took a blunt step forward. "But... I'm really glad that it's you that came out. I wouldn't have wanted it to be anyone else."

Jaune smiled big back at the woman across from him, hand hesitantly reaching across the table to grasp hers. His deep blues gazed into hers before professing, "You know I'd do anything for you, Pyrrha. Also, with it being the holidays and all, I didn't want to leave you alone or a job half finished. I'm your Hanukkah miracle after all."

Pyrrha loved Jaune's goofiness, but she was going to pull out why he really rode five hours on a bus and away from a home-cooked meal to commend a friend on a skating competition. "That kiss last night says a little more though, don't you think?"

The redhead shied away, but her heart compelled her to keep her eye contact, Jaune's expression genuine as he said, "That's probably ninety percent why I came here. Yes, I was in love with Weiss, but all that time we spent together wasn't for nothing. Once I wasn't blinded, I saw someone special who's been there the whole time. I'll be the first to say this isn't love after falling flat on my face, but I wouldn't mind trying something with you. That kiss... I felt something during it and it certainly wasn't regret. It meant something, don't you think?"

The man tossed the question back at her, Pyrrha responding with a resounding, "Yes," she endearingly sighed out. "I've... I've been crushing for awhile, so that was... gratifying to say the least."

She blushed hard, the redhead finding it more difficult than she realized admitting that embarrassing secret. Her fingers twisted and twined with his as Jaune stilled reciprocated some of what she had felt. "I wouldn't know. My last crush literally crushed me and I... I wouldn't mind knowing what it's like to feel gratified... That came out so poorly I think I might just pack up my bags and leave with my head hanging low."

Jaune played along with his act and threw bills on the table for the drinks and was getting up before Pyrrha yanked him back to the seat. "No no no. You stay. I won't make any promises, but if you stay, there will be some gratifying... moments. I mean... more moments where... Nevermind, I'll just leave."

The man tugged her to keep her in place. "Fine, we're both bad at this."

"I'm bad. You're actually a very good charmer, Jaune, but you can't bat a thousand. With me, you're at a nine-nine-nine," the redhead reassured.

"With your natural beauty and everything else, you do just fine," Jaune giving a tongue-and-cheek answer to settle the mood. "Here's what I propose. I laid about eighty bucks on the table. I say we drink this money away and go back to enjoying ourselves."

Pyrrha couldn't find a crack in his logic, taking a hefty sip of her beverage and abide to the man's plan. As the tension barriers of 'what to do next' were dissolving with the alcohol coursing through them, the redhead found herself being more bold with her flirtatious actions. She snuck off her shoe and ran it up Jaune's pant leg, the cottony fabric teasing his rough hairs under his jeans. Jaune, unfortunately, didn't have the tools to be as forward from across the table, his aura and conversation picking up that slack as he dropped hints that he wanted to kiss again.

She couldn't believe how she looked down one minute with a full drink and, in another, there was three empty glasses, the alcohol not only lubing the date and time as it slipped past her. Pyrrha couldn't blame it all on the fun, Jaune still very attractive being the glorious distraction. The constant touching on the arms at the table had Pyrrha craving his lips... his chest... She couldn't see what lied below the table, but she'd be denying herself what her drive was telling her if she said she didn't want that too.

The bill came, Pyrrha throwing money for the tip and dragged Jaune out of the bar. The redhead didn't want to not take advantage of a room to herself and hailed a cab back to her hotel. By the hand, she led him up the elevator. As soon as the stragglers left the lift, Pyrrha cupped his face and dove right into what she needed. A few fervent pecks were had before the elevator doors opened, the two giggling and stumbling their way to Pyrrha's room as they kept making out. The redhead had to dig into her wallet and find her key card, the task harder as Jaune was nipping her neck and digging into the woman's scent.

They almost tripped on the threshold with their weight on the door. Pyrrha collected herself and slammed Jaune up against the panel, sealing themselves to a private chambers for some carnal fun. She mashed her lips against his surprised, willing mouth parted to allow her tongue to slip past, glazing his tongue with hers. The muscle teased his back into hers, a drunken, sloppy exchange charged with their unchained lust for one another. Her nubs dug into his scalp, playful tugs had between the closed gaps of her fingers. Each quick pull elicited a spirited moan from him, his arms wrapping tightly around her and pressing her body against his.

Jaune wanted more. She could feel it in his motions, hands fighting their way into her skirt and gliding up her bare back. She was reluctant to break the kiss, but she had to set the night right. He was taken aback as Pyrrha pressed a single digit against his mouth. Her body was grateful for the break, her skin crimson from the carnality in her moves, lungs begging for air as she placed her hands on his pecks. "Your eyes are saying keep going or am I misreading that too?"

Pyrrha buried her smiling face into his neck, impassioned by his vacillation. "No. By all means, I want this to end well, but in the long run, you know what I mean." Pyrrha leaning into what she wanted, but Jaune's confused face means he didn't get it. Getting less cryptic, she straightforwardly asked, "Do you have a condom?"

The light bulb might as well exploded out of his head with the explicit, "Ooo! I get it now. Ye-yeah. I got a few."

The man pulled his wallet out to reveal a selection of three tucked in the back of the bills. The redhead was relieved, Jaune as responsible as he came off. "I almost want to be mad at you assuming you'd need them."

"I was thinking on the way back to my hotel last night that what if this happens? What if I am lucky enough to spend a night with you and the mood is ruined as I'm running in the frigid night, locating the nearest gas station, praying that it's open?" Jaune proposed that scenario, Pyrrha going even a step further and using the plastic lining of the waste basket and a rubber band if it would have to come down to it. Happy to see the rubber rings in their packaging, she placed her hands over his, giving a sensual, but restrained kiss.

"I'd give you a pass if you didn't, but... since you did, go throw on the light on the desk over there," she requested, the bright lights on the nightstands not the best mood lighting. With bells on his toes, he leaped to the other side of the long room, the lamp shade casting a warm and soft light across their bodies. Pyrrha was having a hard time kicking off her boots, Jaune vigorously wrenching them off. He kicked off his as he crawled on top of the redhead, Pyrrha dragging him by his loose sweater collar up to her lips. The eager consent had Jaune adventuring new places, hands glazing up Pyrrha sweater, his calloused hands raking across her soft stomach. She felt a length brush up her thighs, resting at her core. The jean fabric was thick, but satisfying to grind on as her hips moved along his leg.

Pyrrha's hands flew back upon him, pressing him against her, the man taking his queue for initiative, the woman readily allowing his as his lips trailed down, faint bites being left as he made his marks on her. Her fingers hooked around the trim of his sweater, Jaune aiding the woman in her mission to disrobe her partner, the urge to feel his skin on hers escalating as her fingers were tracing the length of his strong back. He flung the wooly article to the floor, Pyrrha joining him as she lifted her dress sweater over her head.

"Tights... off," she breathlessly ordered as she was unbuckling her shorts. The man zestfully grabbed from the top and peeled her bottoms and rolled the clothing off of her. The redhead was flattered that her choice in lingerie had Jaune stop and stare, the lace design accenting the cerulean material did leave enough for the imagination to have the man marveling at her almost naked form.

"Hey," she huskily asked for his attention, nodding her head for the permission to do what his eyes were screaming. She held her hand over her mouth as Jaune's misreading of signals lived up to its reputation as he took off his maroon shirt. His top was bare, Pyrrha perfectly copacetic as the new view was inviting. Jaune was no athlete, not a gym rat, nor a person that particularity pays attention to his health, but his body showed tone from the times he'd join the redhead for a workout.

"That wasn't exactly what I meant, but come here," her finger curling as the hypnotized Jaune was drawn to her. His tongue gently meshed against her lips before she allowed it entrance. Her hands grazed the hem of his jeans, roaming around the smooth muscle and trailed upwards his strapping body. She'd seen it across the room, the man losing his worries about Nora and her seeing him topless early in their school year. Seeing, feeling it this close to her had her body radiating heat. Her heart pounded, chest almost bursting as she motioned his head down, putting weight on his shoulders to a destination he was needed more.

His lips kissed through the cloth of her blouse, fingers slowly sliding beneath her shirt as he gripped her tight. The woman writhed with anticipation, the fire inside stoking ever further as her nether lips met his. Even though the fabric, Pyrrha's mouth couldn't contain the moan that escaped her. The rough digits coiled on either sides of her thong, the redhead arched herself, the slick wetness between her legs clinging to the cloth as Jaune undressed her.

Shyness got the better of her and she adeptly moved her hand over her entrance. She didn't predict her own brushing of the supple flesh would feel so good, her sex on fire, yearning for a touch that wasn't hers. She peered up, down the valley of her chest she could see Jaune inspecting the cavern, Pyrrha giving his gaze passage as she spread the pink folds, the wetness leaking out on the sheets. A twinge of cold air of the room stung the hotness as he pushed her legs wider, his hand removing hers as Jaune explored the outermost layers. The rough trade of his thumbs surprised her as they left, the gentle fibers of his tongue replacing them.

A surprised shriek filtered through her, back arching as the flat muscle ran up her cleft, the tip flicking her bud at the end of its run. Her body misbehaved, Pyrrha's attempts to keeps still to give the man more time to thrill her were failing. His strong shoulders kept her legs in place, her hands rooting her, her vice grip twisting the sheets with Jaune's efforts pushing her to towards that loving bliss. She bit down on her lip, her attempt to stifle the pleasurable sounds casting out from her futile as Jaune dove deeper, his thumbs pulling back her outer lips and plunging his tongue into the recess of her being.

She was beginning to lose control of herself, the elegant woman unraveling to her animal basis with each lap from Jaune's slick tongue. The methodical nature of his strokes created a rhythm that her hips were grinding to. She burrowed her fingers to his head, straining his hair to lock him into place as her back arched forward to press his lips against hers. Jaune pushed back, diving into her, thirsty for her climax as she. A final flick of her clit drew out a powerful cry of ecstasy, legs clamping around Jaune as he continued to milk her honey pot for all its worth, riding the convulsions and spasms with her until she was spent.

The sheets were dampened with her sweat, the juices that Jaune couldn't catch coating the edge with the intensity of her arrival. The room spun as she sunk into the mattress, the orgasm coursing through paralyzed her, body and mind savoring the sensations. A shift in the bed had Jaune up to her face, his nose burying itself in her red locks, peppering pecks along her face to her shoulder as he nurtured her. Her body was still too heavy and lazily curled an arm around him, Jaune's libido driving him to kiss her. Pyrrha's second wind started brewing with the fulsome kiss, her sweet vigor lacing the embrace.

The two lay on the bed, unhurried in their passion as Pyrrha recovered. Her fingers traveled down his body, from his head to his jeans, the redhead glancing down and the bulge in his bottoms, Enjoying the wordless splendor, Pyrrha broke the silence. "That looks like it hurts."

Jaune was unaware of her question until he followed her eyes. "You can say that. It's physical, yes. These jeans are horribly constricting, but it's more psychological for me at this point."

"Why's that?" Her head was brought up by her chin, his blue eyes a richer hue in the low light.

"Because I want you, Pyrrha," he spoke under his breath. "Perhaps, a lot longer than I've realized. Like I said, I don't know if this is love, but this feels right. It's perfect in some ways."

His words were shaky, but authentic as Jaune was figuring out his emotions on the spot. It was more of a step forward than she hoped for, also feeling the pure aura of this night. She quietly expressed her grace, pressed her lips and hips into his, clumsy kisses connecting as she worked on him. Her idle hand bent under his chin. Her other hand roved the jean fabric, surging deep into the outline of his erection to repay the man who galvanized her. Having seen his wondrous behind mere days ago, she wanted to know what he stored down there. A flick of her wrist, she unclasped the button, his member almost bursting through the zipper with how far it protruded.

Pyrrha's heart was in a frenzy as she helped Jaune out of his tight wears, his boxers too flimsy to hold back his prominent hardness. The man found fair that she be the one to undress him, their cheeks burning more from excitement than embarrassment as Jaune was stripped of his last article of clothing. Her eyes followed his smooth skin, the first hairs poking out were well landscaped, Pyrrha now understanding his unusually long turns in the bathroom as his lower half was well-groomed. The sleek skin of the shaft came into view, her eyes hungry to see the rest and ripped down his dotted-heart boxers.

As his length sprung from the cloth, unveiled for her to see, the heat inside her renewed to the heat that matched his. Her normal reaction of pandering to a man's ego and exclaiming how big it was stopped with a little 'O' that formed around her mouth. She guessed it was an illusion, Jaune's lean legs making the penis look bigger than it really was. As he stood up, reaching for a condom in his wallet, she was relieved that it wasn't a monster that would bash against her cervix, exceptional and non-threatening.

He tore through the foil with his teeth, spitting it out and revealing the protective measure. He hopped back onto the bed. Sitting on his knees, he wrangled the rubber out of the cramped square. She scooted on the spread to join him, stopping him as the contraceptive hit the tip. His eyes darted towards her, the green irises tenaciously driving her titillating actions. She rubbed her thumb aggressively against the tip, the bell end slick with a meager amount of his own natural lubricant. A breath hitched in his throat, shuddering gasps escaping as the small, slender fingers worked down his tool, securing the broad edge to the base.

Her lips locked with his as she imprisoned his sex in her grip, sloppy swapping of saliva swaying the girl to take the next move, Jaune rendered passive to her influence. Pyrrha climbed on top of him, relinquishing her prize and taking it now.

"Hey, wait," he whispered out. "Don't you think this is a tad unfair?"

Jaune patted his chest, the redhead almost forgetting her top half was still clothed if it wasn't for the chill of the room's air cooling her sweat. She crossed her arms, hooking to the bottom of her auburn blouse. She could tell she was making the same disconcerted expression he had as she was revealing her top to Jaune. Her blouse caught the band of her teal bra, her large breasts bouncing in the under wire. The man was transfixed, eyes wanting confirmation he could gawk. Pyrrha nodded, reached behind her back, and unhooked the garment. She took a breath as she slid her shoulders out of the straps, blinking away as she tossed the last article to the floor, both now totally exposed.

"Beautiful... I mean, you," Jaune corrected himself, genuine as he repeated. "You're beautiful."

Pyrrha's cheeks flushed harder, praise coupled with embarrassment and excitement added to her hue. "You're... you're beautiful too." The redhead content with her painfully, amateur compliment as he grinned back.

She wrapped her arms daintily around him, Jaune's blonde bangs meshing with hers as she composed herself. Her hardened tips stood straight, her arousal at its peak as she straddled Jaune's toned body, her size clearing the gap between them and rubbing her buds on his muscular chest. While mounting him, she couldn't ignore the the hard sensation hitting her opening, the throbbing shaft bouncing on her slit, greasing itself in her secretions as it slid slowly between her. Jaune leaned away, his face asking permission as he lined the tip with her hole. Pyrrha nodded back, her hands securing themselves on his taunt shoulders as she braced herself.

She deeply inhaled, Jaune rubbing his tip to part her nether lips. He found the sinking center once more, sliding his hands around her hips adjusting her decent as he slid into her. A breath trickled out of her, each inch of his manhood being taken as she lowered herself onto him, only stopping when she felt her thighs fully slack onto his. Pyrrha was tall for a women, but Jaune beat her by a few inches, always looking up at him. In this new frontier, she stood over him, his face holding it as best he could with her tightness wrapped around him. She wanted him uninhibited, no constraints of holding back for her sake. Her hips lifted and gently pressed down again, a whimper escaping her, signaling Jaune to moan as well.

She captured his lips with hers, tongue diving in, matching breath for breath as she continued her slow, small movements. Her warm vessel started accommodating his cock, the tingles of pleasure pouring out of her, trailing up her spine to her vocal chords as she continued. She unconsciously tightened her thighs around his waist, the redhead's hips taunt in hitting her most erogenous spot. Her flanks writhed in restlessness, her orgasm building as Jaune's hands meandered, one finding a way to her breasts, the other to her love button. Each orchestrated around the pink beads like a conductor, the crescendo coming down as she was reaching her climax.

A weak wail erupted from her. "Jaune! Please, don't stop! More!" The man acknowledged with his heavy grunts, Jaune followed her thrusting pattern, pairing with hers. Pyrrha gripped his body tight, hands running through his head as she fervently tried kissing him. To her felicity, neither could be coherent as the pressure built up in her core, Pyrrha panting out her muddled demands on his mouth. His own breathing paced hers, their bodies and minds in sync.

His manhood pulsated within her, the thick tissue consumed by her vagina, the walls constricting it, memorizing it as Pyrrha rode Jaune. Beads of sweat rolled down her, their bodies fusing humidifying the room with their balmy air. Threaded red marks Pyrrha trailed down his back, the dam full readying to burst. His soft hairs on his pelvis tickled her swollen clit, grinding against with each pivot of her decent. Jaune's crowning head the ideal extent as his ridges would rub hardest on her most desired spot, Pyrrha quickening her bucking when she found that invigorating width.

Pyrrha felt it and with one last immersion onto his sex, she called out his name. Light dotted her vision, her walls contracting around him violently as the orgasm surged out of her. Every inch of him was loved and caressed by her crease. After the electrifying effects wore off, her body limped into his arms. Jaune's moans were conveying the same. He clutched her hips, ramming quick stabs and finishing himself off, a potent grunt beckoning his arrival. Pyrrha felt the waves of heat splashing into to her, the reservoir tip full from the pulsing member draining inside. The redhead fell with Jaune, his body hitting the backboard hard, but the euphoria running through him didn't feel it.

She slumped up next to him, her body returning to a normal state as the chemicals subsided. Lazy pecks grazed his face, her tongue slipping in and out of his mouth, lavishing his. Her body rested on his, chests heaving, lungs thankful for the reprieve as they leisurely were readying themselves for more. Jaune was her saddle, he still inside her, Pyrrha welcoming their unending merging. He was still hard inside her. Not as much as prior, but still engorged enough to still feel him. It was an odd, comforting feeling that she wished didn't have to end.

"Could you get off me please?" The man politely asked, Pyrrha grunted her disapproval of moving from such a loving state, but removed him from her. Her juices drenched their laps, the slick, sticky ropes glistening in the soft light as she lifted from him. The redhead grabbed a fistful of sheet, dabbing herself down before Jaune rejoined her, condom free. "It gets weird leaving that thing too long afterward. It's like wearing your socks to bed."

"When you put it that way, I strangely understand." Pyrrha glanced down, his tool at half-mast. She wanted more. The redhead could go all night with the fire burning between them. She knew Jaune worked harder than her today, his face tired after the night's activities, but his spirit blazing high behind his eyes. "I don't think I need to give you much coaxing to have you continue. Anything in particular you want me to do?"

"You literally could do anything. Sitting here long enough would eventually work," Jaune chortled, Pyrrha joining him and adjusted her body for more of his eye to wander. She watched intently, seeing his eyes dart back-to the same features that had many a men stumble over when they were doing their double-take as they passed. With her desire burning, she didn't hesitate bringing his hand to where it wanted to be, stroking it to reassure he could grab as much as his palm could hold.

The man scooted over, lightly circling the pert peak, each titillating tweak revving her libido up again. His rugged hands left his teasing actions, his palm resting atop her right breast, his fingers palpating the region. She could feel his pulse in his digits, Jaune impressed at how fast her heart was beating. "This almost seemed dangerous with how fast this is pumping." He placed his other hand over his heart, "Correction, how fast ours are pumping."

She reached up to cup his face. "Only you can do this to me... Well, you and racing, but that's a moot point," she answered, both quietly admiring each other. Jaune's gaze went quiet, contemplative as he lowered his head dipping his mouth onto the pink areola. She mewled her affirmative moan, his lips claiming the other breast to give it the same attention. One hand moved to the other and rolled the puffed nipple around his knuckles, kneading the massive mounds. Jaune didn't leave her top untouched, his fingers sauntering over soft bit of flesh her breasts had to offer. He worshiped at the temple of Pyrrha, only wishing to please her with each flick and fondle.

Between her thighs, she felt Jaune growing, the second coming ever-near. Her body shuddered away, her back arching into his mouth inviting him to rouse her more, his tongue understanding and curling around the hardened bud. She traced her hands down his side, gliding down to meet his meat, Jaune's hot breath hitting into her as she grasped and stroked his full erection. A glib of her nether lips had her hands deluged in her fluid, hands retreating back to his penis and slicking the pole.

Jaune's virility thus far proven, Pyrrha letting her man be dominant after her term was set so satisfying by his participation. With little reluctance, an arm slid beneath her back, rolling her over and firmly fixing his shaft to her backside. Her oily solutions brushed against her taunt bum, Jaune delicately squeezing her cheeks as his lips trailed down. Pyrrha haunched forward on all fours, shifting her hips upwards her presented herself for his viewing pleasure, Jaune dipping his fingers in the well and licking them clean before he started.

Drips of her vitality leaked onto the sheets, his mild touches stimulating her channel like no other. He grabbed her hind, Pyrrha hearing the tearing of the wrapping from behind her as he applied another jimmy to his jimmy. With her already adapted to his mighty intrusion, he gave a deep thrust into her. Pyrrha gasped, her sheath nearly hitting the back of her as she was granted all of Jaune's length.

His ministrations were deep, the man burying himself into her, Pyrrha feeling the electricity expanding from her crotch to the rest of her body as his head was flittering through her ridges. Each trust would bring another wave of pleasure over her, each a little more intense than the last. He hunched over her, bringing her head to crane over her shoulders as he mercilessly lay loving, clumsy kisses on her lips. Their ebbed breathes were heaving into each other as they were losing control of themselves, Pyrrha finding hers was driving up faster. The sheets beneath her were knotted betwixt her hands, drool lingering from her kisses joining her secretions pooling on the other end of the bed.

She didn't know how loud she was, only knowing her voice was ringing back into her ears as he rocked himself again and again into her. Jaune pulled back on her hair, freeing her ponytail from her band and her long red locks flowing onto her back, dampening in the sweat that glazed her. Aware of that sweet bliss encroaching, her hips submitted to his control, reflexively beating into his thick member to hit that lustful spot. Growing impatient, her hand reached down to her inflamed button, mashing it as fast as she could, incoherent sounds straining her vocal chords.

A final push sent her over the edge, an electric bolt striking her brain, reducing her to a quivering disarray as the tremor hit her legs, quaking through the whole of her as her arrival ruptured her core. The waves of ecstasy crashed around her, the aftershocks resonating within, arms and legs giving out, Jaune catching her by her hips as he lowered her to the sheets. He peeled their perspiring bodies apart, positioning his body over her, clearing the sweat-soaked bangs from her face, laying pecks to her form and face as he sustained her pleasure as long as he could.

Her vision had the toughest time coming back, her mind fried with the chemicals a frenzy. Her fuzzy sight focused to the front of the room, the big, black dot the television. Her ears were potentially deafened by her last shriek, the only sound heard was her panting reverberating through her bones. Jaune slipped his penis out, her contents spilling onto the wet sheets. He dabbed her lower half and himself before joining with a couple pillows next to her. She nudged her face up to the headrest, Jaune hoisting her body to join him. He cupped her face, her hand caressing his as they gave a steady kiss to the other. After what had transpired, both still exuding the essence of sex, she felt a little tingle of naughtiness that rushed to her face, the good kind. The kind only lovers can share.

"That was a thing," Jaune said, Pyrrha giving a short and tired chuckle.

"Most certainly." The redhead scanned his body, her eyes peering down as his semi-hard self was still hitting her thigh. "You didn't finish. Anything I can do?"

"No. It's fine. I think we're done for tonight," an solemn smile spreading on his face. "Besides, on the happenstance that the night would end like this, I prepared extensively so I wouldn't be a disappointment in the last bastion of my life you haven't experienced."

Pyrrha smiled deep into the pillow, impressed by his consideration. However, she needed to reassure Jaune wouldn't have to take a proactive measure like that again. She maneuvered her arm around his body, pulling his ear to her lips. "Next time, I could teach you a sensate technique in skating that'll help you." She backed away, Jaune's face curious to answer. "It's called confidence. Your skills aren't some happy accident either."

Jaune smiled into her, his lips still curled as he gave a soft kiss before tucking himself into the crook of her neck. She cradled her hand into his blonde locks, suppressing a laugh as he passionately inhaled the scent, Pyrrha able to smell a pungent mixture of him and her. His last motion was a nibble on her neck, the redhead able to delay her slumber as her mind was racing from what had developed. "I want this moment to last forever. I've already had two miracles and asking for another seven days in bed with him would border something divine. We are the miracles, though. Jaune put in his best foot as did I. All that needed to make this happen was the patient blow on the embers that were already set, our tinder ablaze, and I'll never let it go out."