Woke up together, for the first time, and for the first time, this place didn't seem so bad. The wind wasn't howling, just blowing, and Peppy was thankful for all the little sounds of this place running itself. This box of a room felt cozy instead of confining, the grey walls peaceful instead of lifeless. Was enjoying the solitude, the wilderness, for the first time.

Jim had an arm thrown over his chest, realized neither of 'em was wearing anything, had never bothered putting clothes back on again yesterday, or whenever that had been, whatever date and time it was now, but that didn't bother him either.

Could tell Jim was awake, just resting with his eyes closed, and for awhile, Peppy was in no hurry to move or speak either, just laid there himself for awhile, but the more he woke up, the more he wondered if he was just putting off the inevitable, was worried what to say and do after all that, now that he wasn't half asleep, so when he felt Jim stirring some more, starting to move, he decided to speak.

"Mornin'." His voice was more drowsy than he'd thought it would be, but it was a pretty standard greeting. Hard to go wrong with that.

"Mornin'." Jim replied back, and hearing his voice made Peppy smile. Sounded amused, but so warm, as he sat up and planted one of his hands across Peppy next to his hip, leaning over him. Looked at each other, and was starting to get the idea maybe they wouldn't be getting out of bed, except Peppy's stomach started growling in protest, and then Jim was smiling too.

"Breakfast?" Jim asked.

"That'd be good." Peppy replied.

They walked back to the kitchen. Thought maybe it'd be bad being back in here together but it wasn't. Jim must have come in here and cleaned the pantry up, 'cause everything was back in place. Standing at the counter, waiting for the food to heat up, Jim sidled up next to him and without a word wrapped his tail around Peppy's waist.

Was way more charming than Peppy wanted to admit.

Felt his stomach give out when he did it.

Falling for him.

Felt that same drop when Jim said he wanted to shower after eating. Peppy said he'd do the same, and Jim gave him a funny look, and Peppy couldn't figure out why, until Jim clarified.

"Together."

If Peppy thought the rooms were small, the two of them in one shower stall was an even tighter fit.

Practical part of him was saying this was a disaster made to happen, one slip and the two of them were going down. Also that it would have been a whole lot faster if they'd each gone in solo, since they weren't actually doing a whole lot of washing, but he liked the steam, the sound of the water, how the water looked running down Jim's fur, the way it changed the color of it, and they had worked up a sweat the night before.

Except they were gearing to work up another one, as Jim backed him up into the shower wall, and then he didn't have the water on him anymore, Jim's back was taking the brunt of that, while he had the cool tile against his.

Didn't stay cool very long though, since he was heating up like a torch, with Jim nudging his knee between his, having him lean back more against the wall, and with the soft bites Jim gave – never piercing the skin, just holding him there, wasn't even sure how he managed it but he did on his shoulders, his neck – the hotter they got.

Got out, dried off, then ended up right back in bed. Did a whole lot more purring, which never failed to go unnoticed by Jim. In fact, got such a rise out of him they usually ended up going again.

Started wondering though, where they were going to go from here. Would this only be a memory, never to be spoken of again, when they got back to Corneria? Despite what Jim said about this not being about slim pickings, Peppy couldn't help thinking it was.

His ma was right. Jim was handsome. Hadn't gone unnoticed by Peppy either. Also didn't go unnoticed the smiles and looks Jim got when they were out together, and the ladies generally giving him those weren't nothing to scoff at. They were lookers too.

Peppy wasn't shallow enough to think it was all about looks, but even Jim couldn't deny them shacking up like this was not something decided under duress. Couldn't argue that they never would have done this if they hadn't been stranded here.

So, by Peppy's logic, if they'd only done this 'cause they were here, when they left here, it would probably be over too.

Didn't want to think about that too much though, 'cause every time he did his heart ached something awful. He put it aside, best he could, just focused on where he was, but the more lined up they got, hips and arms and legs, hearts beating hard and fast with each other like this, the worse that heart ache got, and the harder it got to look the other way.

Was what made him pause, when Jim was looking his way with something different in his eye. Peppy knew what it was, had been building up for awhile, this question. Jim hadn't pushed it, and Peppy hadn't asked, hadn't wanted to ask truly, wasn't sure if it was worth it, if he wanted this memory, if everything went astray later. But maybe he was being too sentimental, drawing some line in the sand where there wasn't one.

Must have just been in the air, as Jim was looking down at him, and he was looking up, downtime between rounds, because before he knew it, his mouth was opening, like a puppet's, lips were moving and he outed what he'd been trying to hide away.

"Let's go all the way."

Couldn't help admiring the way Jim's eyes lit up, right before he leaned down to kiss him.

Looked so damn beautiful.

Was easy talking a big game. but when it came around time to try it, felt like all his courage was gone. Jim had some supplies with him, didn't ask about it, wasn't any of his business, was more just glad to have something to grease things along.

Did some practice runs, which Peppy also didn't ask about, was funny, was adventurous flying around in an Arwing, but had never been adventurous in the bedroom. Hurt some, what Jim was doing, tried not to show it much but Jim never took his eyes off him, always knew, whether his breathing changed, how he tensed his muscles, something in his eyes, but it got easier, after awhile, enough that eventually Peppy was back on Jim's lap, with Jim asking.

"Ready?"

Held on to Jim's shoulders from the front, and closed his eyes, but that didn't last long, wrapped 'em around back, the further in he got, was more than he was expecting, enough that he was clinging by the time Jim was all the way in, another jolt when the knot formed and then he felt like all his strength left him, just sagged right there on Jim's lap.

Took him awhile to come back, Jim was nuzzling his neck. Thought back to his first time with Viv. They'd fooled around but waited until their wedding night to go all the way. Was scared about her old man coming after him with a shotgun if she'd gotten pregnant. They were young and in love and it was a whole mess of things: sweet, awkward, sexy.

Between he and Jim, didn't have to worry about anybody getting pregnant, they weren't young, and though he knew Jim cared, was pretty sure he wasn't in love with him, and knowing that while they were knotted together brought about a rush of grief he had not been expecting, had his eyes tearing up, tried to reposition himself, get himself under control, but that only made him more aware of the fact that Jim was inside and that he'd gotten himself into another inexplicable situation with him, and Jim was trying to keep him steady, couldn't figure out why he was moving all the sudden, meanwhile Peppy was getting panicky, felt like some other version of the kitchen, of instincts he couldn't control, and Jim pulled away to get a look at his face, and then there they were, looking at each other once again, could see Jim's confusion, then concern at his watery eyes, just like before, knew he couldn't do anything, they were stuck like this until the knot went down, just like they were stuck at this base until someone came to get them, and Peppy really hadn't wanted Jim to know he couldn't handle this, just like he hadn't wanted to admit he couldn't handle being on this moon, that he'd needed to go to his room all those nights, but this was the worst of them all, he was the one who'd suggested doing this after all.

"I'm going to put you on your back, alright?"

Peppy nodded, and down he went.

Did help some, letting his weight rest against the bed and he nodded, to Jim's visible relief, except just like when he wasn't so cold he could finally notice the tension, now that he wasn't worried about having to steady himself on top he went back to feeling the most embarrassed he could ever remember being in his life, bare as the day he was born, his legs spread apart with Jim between them, could feel his muscles trembling and spasming around Jim inside him, and there were those damn shakes coming on again, and Jim was looking at him with alarm now.

"I'm fine. R-Right as rain." Tried to reassure him with a joke, why he didn't know, considering how ineffective it was.

"Bear it a little longer, Pep." Jim muttered, before leaning down to kiss him, and he tried, he really did, to focus on Jim's lips on his, his tongue rubbing against his, knew what Jim was trying to do, distract him, give him something else to focus on, and maybe it would have worked, except now Peppy's breath was getting uneven, then erratic, then gasping, until Jim pulled away, and Peppy spoke before he could ask, with trembling words.

"Oh, who am I foolin'. I'm sorry, Jim. It's real overwhelming being with ya like this. Caught me way off guard. I love ya so much."

Did it again. Said the thing he hadn't wanted to say, and in the stunned silence that followed that declaration, the widening of Jim's eyes, that steely blue he'd been looking into for days and nights now, Peppy heard the small hics of sobs in the back of his throat before he felt them, when that declaration went unanswered, saw the now full on shock in Jim's eyes and had to look away, over his shoulder, off to the side, anywhere but at those eyes that made him lose all sense every time they connected with his.

In fact, he figured it'd probably be better if he just closed his eyes at this point. Only good thing he could say was he'd done a right splendid job of digging himself a hole so deep there was no getting out of it. What'd he been expecting, he knew they were just friends, should have just left it at that.

Closing his eyes didn't work. Could feel Jim looking at him, too bad he couldn't stitch his mouth shut, but since he'd never learned to sew, he found himself rambling, backtracking.

"Sorry Jim, I shouldn't have said that, I… just forget it, I'm okay, I'll be okay."

Paused, went shock still when Jim dug his hands into his thighs and growled.

"Know we've been in bed a lot, Pep, but I haven't screwed you senseless. The hell are you talking about? Look where we are, dammit. I didn't have to knot you. 'Course I love you. Thought you knew. Can't keep my hands off you."

"...You had all that gear on you." Peppy stated, but it was a question too. Somehow unwilling to believe what Jim had just said.

"Never hurts to be prepared. Helped us, didn't it?" Jim answered, and Peppy could tell he was struggling too, to say what he needed to say.

"What about when we get back home?" Peppy asked.

"We'll do this on a bed that isn't crap." Jim shot back, frustration creeping in.

"...You mean it?" Peppy asked, his voice small with hope.

"I'll get you a goddamn ring if it'd make you feel better." Jim growled back, lips started to raise up, and Peppy wasn't sure if that was a joke or not.

"Y-you don't have to do that." Peppy stuttered, once again embarrassed. Had never really stopped being embarrassed, and that only increased when Jim continued on, once again like he hadn't heard him.

"Then I'll screw you senseless."

Peppy felt his ears start to flop around, didn't know know how to respond to that, meanwhile Jim leaned down, kissed him on the side of the head, before sighing, his lips settling back down, then continuing in a low voice:

"I'm sorry. I know it's more complicated than that, and I know I'm not particularly talkative, but I'm somewhat overwhelmed myself at the moment. Can we talk about this later?"

"Sure can." Peppy said, in a tone matching his namesake.

"Except I'm not sorry about that last part. I really am going to screw you senseless. You're so damn beautiful. Light up the whole damn place, wretched as it is."

Started biting down on his lower lip at that, had already gotten emotional, didn't want to do it again.

"You don't need to sweet talk me, Jim." he added, in hopes that Jim wouldn't say anymore. Didn't think he could keep his composure if he did.

"Want to."

Reached up with his arms and Jim obliged, lowered himself down so Peppy could grab him around the shoulders. Kissed, long and deep, with Jim pulling away to ask one more question.

"By the way, this is supposed to be enjoyable for you. Is it?"

Nodded 'cause he still didn't trust himself to speak.

Jim, however unusually, was doing alright in that department, and once again managed to get the last word in.

"Good. Is for me too."