Bliss of a Late Summer Night

by Cosmic Sky

Here they were on the last breath of summer, yet it also seemed like the start of something, something that had been building between them for a while. Skadi had never been one for the water, but Chaldea, and a certain human Master, had changed that. Likewise, that same Master-that man-had given her a reason to enjoy the beach. Skadi wanted to return the favor for Ritsuka.

Hey, everyone. Sorry there was such a long wait between now and my last Grand Order Lemon. I ended up focusing on a couple of other stories and kind of fell of Fate for a little bit. Honestly, I did have a few summer lemons planned, but things didn't quite pan out as I'd hoped (again). Still, no use in dwelling on regrets. Finally, I can present to you all the first solo Skadi lemon!

To have the Norse goddess of ice and skiing appearing in a summer event was quite an unexpected move, but hey, it's given me something to write. As a heads up, this One-Shot is completely stand alone from my previous Scáthach/Skadi stories. I decided that would make things more interesting that way. Now, without further delay, I hope you all enjoy the story!

I do not own anything.

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Bliss of a Late Summer Night

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"Heads up, Ritsuka, it's coming your way!"

To the eyes of an average human the volleyball speeding toward their way would have seemed like a bolt of lightning. Getting hit though would be like getting smashed in the face with a wrecking ball.

Ritsuka beat it back with all the ease one would a tough but normal volleyball, sending it sailing over the net back to the other side. If he'd been the same as he had been when he first came to Chaldea, he wouldn't have even attempted such a feat. He never even would have agreed to get into the game in the first place; Ritsuka knew he'd be sitting on the sidelines watching.

As the ball fell to the other side, he temporarily diverted his gaze toward the sidelines. Expectedly, the stands were packed with spectators, all of whom were cheering for both sides. Or almost all of them.

She wasn't just an outlier because she was drawing in her sketchpad. She was an outlier because…well, she was Skadi. She stood out amongst all the Servants in Chaldea, including the Celtic Lancer whose appearance she'd burrowed. That extended to her "summer" form; thankfully, the original hadn't seemed to mind. In true Scáthach fashion, she'd let it go complimenting Skadi saying she did look nice, but her beauty still paled in comparison to her own. Like everyone else present, Ritsuka had agreed. Unlike them though, he lied through his teeth. Between the two of them, he believed with all his heart that Skadi was the more dazzling of the two. She was still dazzling, even now-arguably more so considering that she had a look of focused passion on her face.

That passion was broken as she noticed he was staring at her. The Norse Servant looked up from her sketchpad-she looked straight up at him. From several feet away he watched her entire body freeze as if she was subject to her own freezing powers, but only temporarily. Ritsuka saw her pale cheeks redden in a visible display that left little to the imagination. Seeing it, he felt his lips curl into a smile. He watched her blush deepen as she smiled back at him.

Their mutual exchange lasted no more than a fraction of a second, then it was over. He was back in the game and she was back to her sketches. Everything was seemingly back to normal, not a thing out of place. Their mutual stare and smiles were seemingly swept away like one of the many grains of sand on the beach shore.

Ritsuka watched the volleyball come roaring back to his side. It was far away, maybe too far for him, but he had a feeling he could make it if he sprinted. Luckily, there wasn't a need to as Diarmuid move to spike it back. Once again, Ritsuka could have sworn that the Irish warrior had sparkles dancing around him. Bishie sparkles. Not for the first time, he wondered would happen if he had an entirely new class to go with his summer look, he'd have them for real just like ( ). Considering Diarmuid's legendary and downright troubling beauty, he'd have bet on it. Women had swooned over the sight of him dressed in normal clothes and armor; him wearing nothing but a pair of dark blue swim trunks and nothing else? The Lancer had left dozens of women swooning when he stepped onto the beach, much to the chagrin of several others, including Diarmuid's own former master.

Said master quickly darted to the left, meeting spiking the ball right back. Fionn would have liked to believe he had the same stellar beauty about him as he hit the ball back. Ritsuka would say that he had some…coolness to him, it just wasn't a match for Diarmuid's. As it happened, he wasn't the one he aimed the ball at. It was Boudica. The redheaded rebel's eyes blazed with focus as she sprung off the ground; she hit the ball back with just as much fervor as her similarly-haired counterpart. Like him, he aimed for a different target-her most hated foe.

"Ah, how bold of you as always Boudica! Alas, your efforts are in vain as I, Nero Claudius-"

"Just hit the damn ball before it touches the ground already!" Shouted a decent amount of the audience, including Ishtar who was rooting for his side. The blonde emperor looked peeved for a fraction of a second, but hit the ball back none the less. It was fast, but it lacked the raw force that her teammates had hit it with. That was a boon for his side, the so-called Blue Shields. Their opponents' name? The Crimson Crowns, a name chosen by the loud-mouthed Roman emperor and agreed upon by the King of Conquerors.

The former tasted disappointment as Robin hit it back, a bright smile on his face. Like the rest of them, the famous archer was enjoying himself, especially since their opponents were all rulers of some sort-his natural enemies.

"Hahaha! It figures that you chose to go for the druid instead of me. Feeling fearful of me, are you?" Tamamo's boast got a rise out of Nero. Her eyebrow twitched as the words bounce around in her skull. It was undoubtedly enough to get her to move, and that movement threw the Crimson Crowns' plans out of whack.

The Roman Servant rushed forward, jumping up and spiking the ball back, much to the chagrin of her teammates.

Tamamo seized on the opportunity, running up and countering the ball with the force of a crashing tidal wave. A point for the Blue Shields was scored causing the crowd to go wild, not to mention the shields themselves.

Grinning, Ritsuka high-fived Robin and Boudica. Despite some distance, he looked back toward the stands. He and Skadi had about a second of smiling at each other before Tamamo slammed into him, shouting about how she'd done the team proud. Well, she was right.

"Hehehe, better be careful, Master. Your favorite cheerleader might just switch to the other team at this rate." The orange-haired Archer cackled.

"Oh, no need to be jealous, Robin. Prove yourself and maybe I'll give you something special too." The pink-haired Lancer giggled. "Then again, I doubt you'll be able to measure up to our Master, the team captain he is." And like that, the temporary reprieve Ritsuka had evaporated like a puddle beneath the summer sun.

"Okay, okay, let's get our heads back in the game, guys. We're ahead by a point now, the match is over with yet." The Japanese teen stated pushing the foxy-eared girl off of him.

"It's about to be though. Barely fifteen minutes left on the clock." Robin remarked with a grin. "All we have to do is hold the lead we've got."

"A feat that will prove far easier said than done, trust me, Archer."

The encroaching coldness Ritsuka felt was banished by the rumbling declaration of the Crimson Crown's captain-Artoria Alter. She stepped forward with her golden yellow eyes brimming with quiet confidence. Her arms were crossed in a further show of it; when they unfurled and her hand went for the ball, that's when the storm would hit in full force. That'd been the case for the past few times she'd stepped forward.

"Now that the game's in its final stretch, it's high time we got serious." The corrupted king stated with a daring smirk. It was shared by the rest of her teammates. Together, they seemed to radiate the aura of soon-to-be victors; for the Blue Shields, it was a challenge that they'd rise to as they had before.

"You've talked tough, now's the time to prove it." Ritsuka called back. Like Artoria Alter, he didn't shout, he merely spoke with benign confidence that his team would be the victors. His confidence spread out and was infused into his teammates. They all stood beside him, looking just as determined as him.

"Ah the resistance of a bunch of plebians!" Nobunaga yelled. Flames danced around her as she held up her hands, which were too cackling with fire. "Bring it on! We'll show you lot why we're the Crowns and you all are the-"

Artoria Alter raced forward and spiked the ball as it was served, a sound comparable to a thunderclap. All the talking ceased as the sonic boom shook that side of the beach. For the Blue Shields, it was also a combination of them collectively realizing that they had to move to counter the serve.

"Boudica!" Ritsuka yelled analyzing the ball's trajectory. The redhead tried, she really did, but alas, she wasn't fast enough. The crowd went wild as the score was tied up, again.

"You don't seem surprised." Diarmuid remarked as the cheers died down.

"I'm not. Once she stepped up, I knew this was going to come down to the wire." He replied. His gaze remained locked on Artoria Alter, who stared back at him with that same confident smirk. "We bring our A-game from here on out."

"I'd say we've been doing that all along, but hey, you've got a point." Robin offered.

"Now's the time for us to go one-hundred-and-twenty-percent!" Tamamo proclaimed with near literal fire dancing in her eyes. Boudica joined her, her failure swiftly forgotten about and in its place a determination on part with the rest. "Go on, Master, lead us to victory as usual!"

"The only place he'll be leading you will be to defeat!" Nobunaga barked!

"Alas, Master, you picked the wrong side in this game!" Nero seconded.

The next round began with the ball being served from their end. Instead of a lightning-fast scoring, the ball passed over the net several times. As far as Ritsuka was concerned, that was a good thing. Better them matching the Crowns than them fumbling and them scoring a point putting them over the lead. Each of the Shields knew that and agreed with him, following his commands as normally as they did in battle. A battle, that's what the volleyball match turned into, now in its full stage more so than before.

Despite the best efforts of both sides, points were gradually accumulated as the final fifteen minutes vanished, second by second. The crowd alternated between cheers and boos, the latter of which came from bouts of…un-sportsman gloating. Or just when someone they didn't like scored. Beneath it all, the crowd rumbled with anticipation as they too knew that the match was approaching its climax.

Ritsuka knew that and so did Artoria Alter. Their gazes rarely broke from each other; even when they diverted their attention to the ball, they quickly returned to one another. Ritsuka could say that he felt a type of attraction toward the swim suited Alter Servant. Not for the first time, he saw her as something else, as something more. There on the interdimensional beach, a black dragon rose atop the stands, its fierce bellowing shaking the shore, the sea, and the sky itself. Despite feeling those vibrations reaching into his bones, Ritsuka remained undeterred. As the dragon struck, he struck back, returning the ball to her side where she did the same. His hand stung as the seconds passed, but he pushed past the growing pain.

The dragon gave another bellowing roar as it launched the ball directly toward him. Turquoise lines raced up his arms, visual representation of the power that he summoned into his limbs. With it, the hit the dragon's fireball back. The beast grumbled in approval at his retaliation, but it wasn't finished yet. Back over the net the fireball sailed again, and once again it was beat back-this time by Boudica. It didn't come without cost as the ancient rebel woman was left cradling her hand in pain. Ritsuka could sympathize-like him, she tightened her fist, fighting through the pain.

The black dragon ordered her allies to renew their attack, and the Shields responded with an iron-clad defense, the same one they'd been running before. Despite their best efforts, the cracks in its fortitude showed as evident by the ball hitting the ground on their side. No one said a word as the crowd, and especially the Crowns, erupted into cheers. From across the net, the black dragon grinned at Ritsuka, the gleam of her fangs glowing bright.

Don't give up. Do not even consider the possibility. You can still win!

Shock temporarily broke Ritsuka's stony vestige leading him to look back at the stands. Skadi had seemingly stopped her writing and was staring back at him with all the intensity of a winter storm. Her bright red eyes glistened with fervor that made his heart race more so than it already was.

You…really think so? The human teen asked with a hint of amusement.

I know it to be so. Came her quiet yet determined reply. Ritsuka felt like he was losing himself in her ruby-colored eyes. If he didn't know any better, he'd claim that she was casting another spell on him.

You're not interfering with the game, are you, Skadi?

Of course not! I would do no such thing, not to mention there is no need to do so! The Norse Servant immediately fired back. It seemed that her anger extended beyond just the implication she was messing with the game. Ritsuka didn't have to think hard as to the underlying reason for her anger. Speaking of which, this is a private channel!

What's supposed to be private is our Master's mind while in the midst of one of the greatest contests of his life. Artoria Alter cooly fired back.

For a minute, Ritsuka thought he was watching her squabble with Jeanne Alter. He quietly considered it a blessing that she'd chosen to spend time with her "sisters" instead of joining in on the volleyball match. She promised she'd catch the highlights-namely the highlights of her rival's defeat. That had been her bout of encouragement to him.

Ladies, he called out. The growing tension between the pair cooled, if only a little. Ritsuka found himself the focus of the two monarchs' attention-it wasn't the first time he'd been in a situation like this. How's about we just let the game go on? Artoria Alter, I promise you, Skadi's not doing anything…except for being the best cheerleader a guy can ask for.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Skadi's cheeks turn beat-red. Even if Artoria Alter kept her focus on her, she scuffed at the slight flirting attempt. He wondered if she was upset that she wasn't the recipient of it; luckily, that thought was buried deep within his mind, deeper than either of the girls could probe.

As usual, show me, Ritsuka. Thundered the Tyrant King's voice. It came with a broad grin that burned bright as the ball was raised then spiked to her side. She moved like a lightning bolt, appearing in front of it and then heating it back. Naturally, Ritsuka disappeared in a blur, moving in front of the ball and hitting it back.

"You know, I could have taken that one, but it's clear that you've got something to prove." Diarmuid remarked with a cool grin. From his tone Ritsuka knew that he at least had some inkling to what was going on between him and Skadi, and maybe Artoria Alter too. Thankfully, being the loyal man he was, he stayed mum about it. "Get ready! It's coming back again!"

"Heads up, people!" Robin yelled, a bit of worry in his eyes. It was warranted as this time the ball was literal on fire, courtesy of Nobunaga.

"Oh, leave it to me! Everyone knows to beat fire all you need is a little water!" Tamamo yelled. True to her word, water coiled around her palms. The left of which was used to spike the ball back to the opposing side. The flames that once coated the reinforced volleyball had been quenched. Thanks to a little bit of the fox's witchcraft, the water that had soaked the flames now soaked the ball. It'd make hitting it back difficult. Or it would have, if it'd been anyone other than Artoria Alter.

Ritsuka sensed the flare up of her mana. He responded with flaring up his own, his body glowing with a series of turquoise lines flaked by arcs of electricity. Though he sensed several look to him, he kept his gaze on his opponent. Without a word being said, his teammates knew that this was personal-captain vs. captain. Peasant vs. king. Human vs. dragon.

The dragon's fireball seemed massive, ten to maybe hundreds of times bigger than him. It was daunting, but Ritsuka's face didn't wobble, nor did his eyes falter.

BOOM!

Flesh met rubber, both empowered beyond their normal fortitude. Sparks flew as the pair clashed against one another, sparks and embers. Blankets of sand blasted outward in all directions. Hands rose to shield faces from the whipping gale and specs of sand. Regardless, they kept looking on, eager to see the results of the clash. It was undoubtedly the climax of the match.

BOOM!

As Ritsuka descended to the ground, he hardly felt the burning pain in his hand for he was too high on the pride of his accomplishment. The volleyball buried itself in the sand on the Crimson Crowns' side, the rulers staring slack-jawed at it, including their team captain. Her jaw briefly hung off its hinges as she realized that her Mana Burst enhanced shot had just been deflected, and the score was now tied up. The latter realization made her regain her wits quickly, moments before the whistle sounded signaling the final round.

Iskandar took hold of the ball and spiked it to their side. He wiggled his hand to free it of the lingering pain. As he did so, Boudica moved to spike it back. A brief glance at the clock told him they were down to the last twenty seconds of the match. Now it was really down to the wire. He knew that, and so did Artoria Alter, who quickly stepped up to the plate again. Seeing her, the rest of his teammates spaced themselves out. All of their hopes rode on him, just as the same went for their opponents and their captain.

Once again, the dragon roared, unleashing yet another blazing fireball at him. The teenager did as he did before-summon all his strength and channel it into his left hand. A small part of him wanted to be proud and use his right hand, but he knew he had to be just a little bit practical. Arcs of lightning cackled around his left arm as it was reeled back then launched forward, slamming into the ball like a hammer to an anvil. Yet another shock wave spread through the beach-jaws dropping as the clash drew everyone's focus, even those on the water. The waves themselves shook as the shock waves reached the sea.

With a roar, Ritsuka made the final push, and with it, the ball moved. Sparks of green and yellow lightning danced about its rotating form as it shot backward. For the second time in a row, it slammed straight into the ground, kicking up loads of sand with the impact. It preceded the gong that signaled the end of the match.

"Al-fucking-right! That's how our Master!" Boudica yelled, tackling Ritsuka the second he touched down. She was quickly followed by Tamamo and Robin, Diarmuid simply giving him applause. His was tailed by the rest of the crowd. They'd won-thanks to him. The rest of his teammates said as such with the crowd's cheers reinforcing it. All of it hit him harder, leaving him feeling like he was still up in the air. With all the hugging and jumping everyone was doing, there was a pretty good chance he might have actually been lifted off his feet. Despite their feminine appearances, especially Tamamo, he knew that she and Boudica were stronger than they looked.

By the time the shock of his winning shot wore off he realized that he was surrounded by a cheering crowd. Chuckling, Ritsuka welcomed it, returning high-fives even as he felt the residual pain in his arms. Depending on the person he did it with, the pain intensified, but not to the point it became unbearable. If anything, what he really felt eating away at them was exhaustion.

And then those negative feelings were gone, swept away as if by the wind. As it happened, a warm, wintery wind.

The soft coldness of Skadi's skin immediately stood out to him. He still remembered the first time he'd felt it-not long after summoning her to Chaldea. Ever the dignified woman, she took her new station in strides, promising to serve Ritsuka faithfully, partially on the grounds that he'd proven himself to be a worthy opponent, thus she would follow his leadership. Unknown to her, and he hoped remained so, was the joy he felt in having her as an ally instead of an enemy. A long-term ally. In shaking on it, Ritsuka had felt her snow-like skin for the first time. Out of all the Servants had beings he'd interacted with, something about that handshake just…stood out to him. He subconsciously inscribed the sensation into his memory where it would never leave. Not only had it hadn't left him, it'd been added onto-including just now.

She stood in front of him, gently gripping his left hand while wearing the sweetest smile he'd ever seen. She smiled a lot more often than Scáthach, something that everyone had eventually pointed out. The Shadow Queen herself had taken note of it, and "allowed" it to slide. Ritsuka had noticed that after it was pointed out, the Lancer had actually tried smiling more around other people, him included. While he appreciated the effort, deep down he felt like there was just something that put Skadi's smile over the top.

Seeing that smile again was the greatest prize Ritsuka could have asked for. As the adrenaline pumping through him slowed, it was replaced with a calm euphoria that threatened to excite his heart all the same. It didn't slow down as the rest of the crowd fell away leaving only Skadi. Now more than ever, it just seemed to be her, her looking at him, her smiling at him with such heartfelt warmth.

For a winter goddess, she wore a bikini well, some would say too well. The pink frilly swimsuit matched the flowers that kept her hair hung up in pigtails. While different, he saw a resemblance to Scáthach's summer form. Ritsuka wondered if the flowers were actually liked to some inner aspect of Scáthach or if by sheer coincidence, she and Skadi shared a floral interest. Either way, in his opinion, Skadi wore them better.

Maybe after this, I can work up the confidence to tell her that. A voice in the back of his mind warned him that now would be the time. They were not only at the end of summer, they'd cleared most of the Lostbelts, five out of the seven of them. Only two more remained, the so-called most dangerous ones. What if what they found there-

"It seems your faith in our Master was not misplaced, Skadi."

"Oh? You believed that it ever was? For shame, Artoria Alter, I would have expected more from you."

The tension-filled exchange brought his mind out of his inner musings, his cynical musings. He was more than a little grateful for it. Realizing that he could still feel Skadi's icy warm touch, he looked down and saw she was still holding his left hand. Both her hands were holding it, bathing it in her chilly yet inviting embrace.

Even though Artoria Alter didn't look at it, he knew she took notice of it. Same thing went for the others, namely Tamamo and Nobunaga, who were openly pouting at the small but affectionate gesture. "Bold words for one who's time in Chaldea still pales in comparison to mine."

"Be that as it may, I believe my faith in Ritsuka spoke for itself." Skadi calmly defended. She was willing to play this little game with Artoria Alter, but she was making sure it was going to end in her victory as well. That was the pride of a queen at work. It was quite a thing to watch up close.

Smirking, Artoria Alter turned to Ritsuka. "Until our next game, Master." The pale-skinned woman declared before turning her back to him and trotting away. Even in defeat, she maintained her regal dignity.

"And thus, the tyrant dragon was slain, and peace and justice were restored to the land."

Chuckling, he finally turned around to face the pigtailed woman. "Peace and justice?" he repeated.

"Well, your opponents were cruel and heartless despots who trampled over the lives of many in their quests for glory." Skadi proclaimed with a beaming smile.

"Hey!" Came the shout of a certain demon king knowing she was being called out. There was a rumble of amused laughter that drowned out the angry huff that the warlord let out.

"I guess you were right." The modern-day Japanese native remarked turning his focus back to Skadi. "Thanks for cheering for me, Skadi. It meant a lot."

"Oh, I'm happy to hear that. It is not every man that a divine queen such as myself gives her favor to." She replied in a joyous voice. He was so caught in the glow of her eyes that he almost failed to notice how she moved in closer to him. Almost.

Despite the ninety-minute game od dodgeball he'd just played, he still felt coherent. His arms didn't even hurt that badly despite the back-to-back super spikes he'd launched in other to beat Artoria Alter. It'd all taken a good chunk of his energy, but he could still stand strong on both his feet. All it took was a simple kiss from Skadi for that fortitude to leave him. Ironic considering that she'd given him such strength during the match.

"That's the paradox of being in love. That person can give you such strength, yet they also have the potential to rip every last fiber of it from your body." Shakespeare had once poetically waxed to him. Ritsuka knew the full meaning of his words, after all, he'd heard it from Servants whose downfall had been the ones they loved in some form or another. It was a terrible fate, one that he'd quietly wondered if he'd fall to one day.

In the seconds which his lips and Skadi's were connected, the possibility was banished from his mind. No, not banished. Frozen to a subatomic level then smashed to pieces leaving it as if it never existed in the first place. Likewise, the somewhat complicated history they shared as former enemies. Even the still looming danger of the Lostbelts and Foreign God all vanished with the cold yet warm and utterly tantalizing taste of her lips on his. His heart both accelerated and calmed. Ritsuka impulsively moved his arms up, only to feel Skadi still holding onto them. Still maintaining the kiss, he squeezed them back, letting his mortal warmth flow into them. They were caught in this blissful, erotic loop from which there was no end, nor was there anything else in it but them.

Alas, it wasn't eternal.

They parted lips, an overwhelming heat present on both. Still high on adrenaline they looked over one another's face-the blushes on their respective cheeks was all consuming. Ritsuka and Skadi's eyes drifted back to their lips; immediately, they felt the temptation to kiss again. Their hearts practically screamed for it-an outcry that they felt themselves subconsciously heeding to. They would have done it if a rather loud and thoroughly displeased cough caught their attention.

As one, they began looking around. While in opposite directions as first, they eventually, mutually, settled on the originator of the cough-Tamamo.

Behind her, a crowd had formed including Robin and Diarmuid and Fionn. The blond Lancer was looking away in mock dismay at the scene, but his sideways smirk was all too visible. Ritsuka felt his cheeks burn redder as the Irish warrior subtly beamed at him with pride. His ever-loyal subordinate did the same, winking at him in approval.

"Ohoho! That's quite a victory prize, Ritsuka! I must admit, a small part of me is a little bit envious." Boomed Iskandar having joined them. "Hmm, perhaps that was merely the first taste of your hard-earned prize." He added with a knowing grin.

"There'll be time to enjoy that latter. For now, Master's hands need tending to!" Tamamo cried. Her gaze zeroed-in on Ritsuka, her foxy ears twitched and her tail swayed in naked eagerness. It all but advertised her true intentions to everyone, including him.

And Skadi. "While true, I will be tending to his hands, and any other injuries he might have procured during the match." Her voice was calm but everyone caught the underlying firmness in it, especially Tamamo, who was also the recipient of the subtle glare Skadi shot her way. The Lancer glared back at her, again not hiding her discount. That said, it transformed into resigned sorrow.

"Oh, fine, but make sure to take good care of our Master. We're here to relax, after all." The blue-bikinied Servant conceded.

A thin smile formed along Skadi's face. It grew as she turned back to Ritsuka. He felt like his heart was on the verge of exploding from the sheer radiance she emanated.

"Ready?" She asked.

"Ready, I'm in your care, Skadi." He replied.

He felt the pulse of magic around him. A singular rune appeared beneath their feet, sparkling water bubbles rising from it. Ritsuka felt water pooling at his feet, cool and refreshing. Feeling bold, possibly from his recent victory, he leaned forward and connected his lips with Skadi. She immediately returned the kiss while still keeping the activation of her Noble Phantasm going. If anything, the kiss magnified it as she willed the sparkling water to rise up and envelope them. At her command, the sea came, and by her magic, it welcomed him into its embrace, acting as an additional set of arms for the goddess he was kissing, and kissing him back.

---

Skadi had never liked the water. It'd been her intense dislike of it that had caused friction with her marriage with Aegir. Some had expressed surprise at that-ice and water were commonly seen as two sides of the same coin. While they might have been, that didn't mean that the two sides had to like each other. That had certainly been the case with her and Aegir. With all that in mind, a part of her found herself asking why? Why now? What had changed?

As she and Ritsuka ascended toward the surface, bursting through it with the speed of a rocket, she found herself greeted to the sight of the evening sun. Some eighty-percent of it had disappeared beneath the horizon turning it into a mass of dying embers. It was actually quite beautiful. She took a few seconds to admire it before feeling her attention drawn to her right. There lay something even more breathtaking than the sunset.

Ritsuka had ridden a great many things during his adventure. Matter of fact, it was commonly joked amongst the Servants that his Riding ability was either A or even EX, the latter on account of how he'd somehow managed to tame dragons. Tame them to a certain degree. With that in mind, it was unsurprising that he'd quickly came to master riding atop her aquatic familiars. The mystical fish were large enough to mount and quick enough to outpace a jet ski, a fact that had made them a wonder to ride on, as they were currently doing.

The second during which Ritsuka looked back at her seemed to stretch onward indefinitely. It was just like back at the volleyball game. Once their eyes locked, the rest of the world simply fell away leaving just the two of them.

Long before they met in battle, Skadi knew of Ritsuka Fujimaru's exploits. He was a hero the likes of which Odin would have salivated to get his hands on and have as his champion. Ultimately, he had, and for good reason. Despite having no stellar background or seemingly impressive abilities of his own, he'd proven himself time after time to be the best humanity had to offer. Quite fitting as he was also their last hope; Odin had chosen right, as had the fates. As for Skadi herself, well…if she had to choose between the Crypters and Ritsuka and Chaldea, the latter would be her choice every time.

He would be her choice.

His face glowed like the sun so far out of either of their reach; the difference between them though was Ritsuka's face would continue shine bright while the latter disappeared for several hours. Skadi was more than happy the brilliance of his face and frankly his entire life, would linger. Without it, the world would be a far, far darker place.

Even as they dived back into the water, the luminesce of his face remained. Before she realized what she was doing, Skadi was reaching out to it-to him. Upon seeing her, he reached out himself.

Subconsciously, she commanded the fish to break the surface once more. They obediently did so, giving them one last view of the sunset, or they would have seen it if they weren't focusing on each other.

The moment she felt his hand clenching around hers, she threw herself onto him. In retrospect, she might have been better off planning it out a little more. After all, she practically knocked Ritsuka off his mount. A second later, he did exactly that.

"G-Gah!"

"S-Sorry, So sorry, Ritsuka!" She pleaded as they found themselves floating in the water, entangled in each other's arms. It wasn't so bad though given he hand his arms wrapped around her waist, and her hands rested against his chest. "I…I…I got a little emotional."

"You know, I don't think that's so bad. I mean, I'm hugging a beautiful woman while watching an awesome sunset. Besides, you look great when you get emotional." He said.

Such flirtatious words would have normally had no effect on her, but coming from Ritsuka, it was a different story. Her cheeks burned red as she felt the heat of love rising within her. His words had brought that feeling surging upward like a geyser. Skadi had a feeling that there was little she could do to force it down, not that she entirely wanted to. "Are you…only thinking about that and nothing else?"

His joyful expression changed as her words silently penetrated deep into him. "S-Skadi," he stammered. "I…"

Raising her hand, she cradled his cheek. "It was brief, but I've felt it stirring within you. That sense of anxiety at what awaits us. You are not alone in feeling it, but is the point of us coming to this watery realm not to relieve ourselves of such anxieties?"

The smile returned to his face, but it was still pained. "You're right. Still, I guess on some level, I…just can't let go of the weight I'm still-"

"We're carrying." She corrected. Her other hand rose to caress his other cheek, now fully framing his face in her hands. In doing so, Skadi felt like she'd perfectly captured the charm, the light, and the weariness that made up his being. The latter was what she wanted to drive away, and she'd use every ounce of her power to do so. "You carry this burden not alone, Ritsuka. Even though I am not a resident of the Proper Human History, I will fight to see it restored. As for why…because it is your home, it is precious to you, thus it is precious to me as well."

"Skadi," he whispered again. "You…you're too kind."

She knew exactly what he was referring to. Her Lostbelt was far from a paradise, but it was hers. After Surtr's defeat, it had the potential to be something more, a place where lives wouldn't have to be sacrificed to maintain peace. It was a real possibility…but it wasn't to be. Skadi had accepted that in her last moments, and fully accepted it as she was summoned to Chaldea. While some sorrow lingered in her heart, Skadi was a realist-she recognized her situation and knew to move on. Getting to know her Master had helped her do so, as well as given her reason to fight.

"Proper Human History, I…want to see it myself. Namely, I…I want to see the home that produced so great a hero as yourself." She admitted. It was the truth. Glimpses of his birthplace and home through his memories was one thing, but what she desired was to see it with her own eyes. More importantly, she wanted to meet Ritsuka's family: the parents that raised him, the twin brother he grew up alongside, and the rest of the family that had loved him and been loved by him. Perhaps most importantly, Skadi wanted to know if any of them had any…objections to hear being a part of Ritsuka's life.

Rather presumptuous considering she'd yet to ask Ritsuka if he wanted her to be a part of his life post-Chaldea.

Optimism wasn't her forte, but fighting alongside the human had given her reason to indulge in it.

"It kind of goes without saying that the world's changed a lot since you've been around." He coyly offered.

"Yes, I'm aware, but I'm certain I can brave it if it is beside you." A moment of doubt fell upon her. Worry struck like a viper, infecting her with its poison. Had she said too much? Had she presumed too much? "I mean, that is…if you would take this goddess out into the modern world."

His smile brightened considerably. It made her heart flutter with joy. She hardly noticed or carried how the daylight vanished completely. The blazing bright sun that was Ritsuka still shined bright. Drawn by that light, she leaned forward, connecting their lips in a tender kiss. Her body lit up with the warmth of euphoria that only love could bring. She'd only ever felt it coursing through her veins around Ritsuka. Skadi had an inkling of what that meant. As the kiss went on, the warmth circulating through her like lightning, she became increasingly aware of what that feeling truly was.

High above, the stars came out, but again, their light was overshadowed by the resistance of the man she was kissing. Skadi's hands moved to wrap around his neck, holding him in place so she could continue the kiss. His hold on her waist continued to hold-it was as if he never wanted to let her go. That was fine as she felt exactly the same way about him.

They clung to each other as the waves came and went around them. They hardly noticed it, even when they separated for air. This time, the short silence that ensued went completely undisturbed. There was no one around to call them out, just each other. Their lips found each other again, their tongues following suit. Jolts of ecstasy raced through them as this new kiss went on. It seemed to stretch onward for eternity, but just like with their kiss on the beach, it had an end. One that left the Master and Servant breathless.

They stared into one another's eyes, turquoise blue and ruby red, each realizing just how much desire they held for one another as if for the first time.

Skadi felt something propel her to act on those shared feelings. Luckily, Ritsuka didn't seem to mind the intensity of the next kiss. A muffled moan of approval rolled off his lips. She grinded her body against his while they were both submerged from the neck down. In doing so, she felt something poking at her loins. Feeling it made her feel like she'd been struck by lightning in the middle of the water.

Panting, they separated for air, losing themselves in each other's eyes.

"How…do my lips taste?" She asked. It was the first thing her mind could come up with. The statement was also laced with a twinge of anxiety.

"Like…strawberries. Nice, cool strawberries, perfect treat for summer." He answered with a loving smile. Skadi smiled in relief. Not once did she analyze his smile for any falsehoods; she knew Ritsuka well enough to know that he wouldn't lie to her over something like this. A tiny voice chuckled that if he disliked how her lips tasted he couldn't have kissed her back so many times. "What about me? How do my mortal lips taste?"

"Utterly perfect, so perfect that I, Skadi, Queen of Ice and Snow, will not stand for another to lay claim to them."

"So," he happily chirped. "Does that meant that you're going to do so yourself?"

"Hmm, I believe I already have." A shudder of excitement shot through her as her right leg rose, sensually grinding against her Master's left side. "I can do so again, if you would like."

The grin he shot her was answer enough, but she hungered to hear him say it. He was about to-he would have-if a rogue wave hadn't come along and splashed into both of them. Her hair ornaments remained in place, though she felt her stick to her face in a somewhat annoying manner. The same went for Ritsuka, whose brow furrowed in surprise concentration. All it took was a look for her to realize one of the other Servants was talking to him.

Sighing, she looked away with a very undignified pout. "You're needed back on the shore."

"Kind of…but I'm pretty sure I can take my time getting back." His gaze turned skyward, where the black sky stared back with its myriad of celestial lanterns. "It's a beautiful night, don't you think, Skadi?"

Giggling, she mentally summoned one of her familiars. Manifesting beneath them, the crystalline fish immediately began swimming toward the east, in the direction of the shore. As they swam toward home, they felt the cold breeze of the night assailing them. It wasn't a problem for either of them. Though the creature was hers, Ritsuka was the one in front, seemingly steering it. She leisurely sat behind him, keeping her arms wrapped around his waist and her head comfortably resting on his back. Skadi for the life of her couldn't remember the last time she'd done such a thing. Had it been centuries? Millennia?

Notions of time faded from her mind like grains of sand on the approaching shore. She longed for it as she knew that the open sea probably wasn't the best place to…do what she had in mind. That said, she did retain a bit of her ice magic while in this summer form. With so much water, she could have formed a nice little ice castle for them in the middle of the ocean. Alternatively, a simple rune could have transported them back to the shore. Those were wonderful and even practical ideas, but Skadi chose neither of them for one simple reason. She liked listening to the tranquil rhythm of the waves, as well as watching them ebb and flow while the stars glistened above them. Most importantly though, she simply loved clinging to Ritsuka's back as they rode back to shore. The goddess became so lost in it she hardly noticed the transformation her body subconsciously underwent.

Not until they reached the shore and he stepped off their aquatic boat did she realize what had happened, she'd undergone Ascension. Ritsuka's jaw dropped as he drunk in the sight of her new, near ethereal swimsuit. Skadi looked away, embarrassment eating away at her.

"I-I can change back if you-"

"N-No, I…I…I'd rather…I mean you look…you look…" Peeking at him, she saw him steel his will, a rather cute sight. Once it was done, he stretched his hand out to her. Hours ago, that right hand had been red with burns that would have normally taken a day to heal at the most. Thanks to her, it'd only taken mere minutes. That hand had been through much, yet it lay stretched out to her, like a beckoning to an unknown yet prosperous future. Adding to it was the light of hope that was his smile. "You look divine, Skadi."

Feeling that familiar fluttering in her heart, she finally reached out and took hold of her hand. That sweet warmth she'd come to adorn returned in full force. "Only for you, Ritsuka, my dear Master." She laughed allowing him to pull her out of the water onto land.

Together, they walked forward, still holding one another's hands. Behind their calm but affectionate smiles, their hearts raced with the speed of lightning amid a storm.

---

"Skadi,"

"Y-Y-Yes, R-R-Ritsuka? A-A-Are you finished? Please, h-h-hold nothing back in giving me your honest opinion. As you know, I am mature enough to take it."

His response was halted by the absolutely adorable look of confidence she was putting up. It wasn't exactly a front as he knew she meant every word, well, almost. Her pride was wrestling with her feelings for him, feelings that had obviously gone into her doujins.

Even though she'd been patient in presenting them to him, he'd sensed how eager she was to show them to him. Seeing the others, including Jeanne Alter, present theirs had lit a fire in her. It was a fire that was solely for his viewing pleasure though. Skadi held her sketchpad close to her chest as he looked up from Da Vinci's to her, sitting just a table away. The way her eyes lit up with excitement and worry told him all he needed to know. He couldn't help but find something unapologetically cute in it.

Waiting until they were at her own private beach house turned out to be the best chance. More so since she'd chosen a nice spot by one of the windows through which moonlight trickled in. It added to the majesty of the sketches that he browsed through. As of her question, he'd finished his browsing.

"They're all great, Skadi. Better than words could describe." He answered with serene honesty. They lit up the ruby-colored eyes of the woman across from him, her cheeks too. "You, uh, you really went all out on giving me some Norse style armor though, not that I'm complaining."

"Well, I did glimpse you wearing some of my land's clothing, and I must say, you looked rather…dashing in it." She confessed with a blush that was too cute for words. "I know that such clothing has gone out of fashion in your time, but…perhaps…"

"I can find some European magazines for you to browse through if you like." Having seen Scáthach doing the same, Ritsuka suspected that the interests of Skadi's host were bleeding into her. Not that he had a problem with that or so any harm in it. "Looking through them all, you…really see me as a hero."

There was a brief pause as she stared into his eyes. Ritsuka felt like he temporarily lost himself in those crimson orbs; he almost failed to notice her moving closer to him. Her body glistened in the moonlight, even as she joined him on the couch. Feeling her lean against him lit yet another fire in him, reaching all the way up to his cheeks. Now he was the one blushing beat red, especially as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"I drew you as I saw you, a hero, Ritsuka." She quietly affirmed. Her hand reached out to caress his cheek, and turn his face her way. He felt all the air leave his lungs as he stared at the utterly exposed expression of the ice queen. There was nothing cold in her vestige, nothing at all. "One reason why I was able to accept defeat at Chaldea's hand was because of you, Ritsuka. You are a man that I can accept losing to, and a man that I will gladly follow. These illustrations show why-you are a hero. You are a good and honest man, far nobler than most gods. Heh, myself included." He briefly joined her in her self-decapitation. Once it ended, she reached toward the sketchpad and began flipping the pages.

Ritsuka's gut tightened and a sense of relief and tension swirled within him as he stared down at the page. It was an illustration that almost brought tears to his eyes.

Skadi's drawing of the entrance to his family home wasn't perfect, perhaps because she hadn't had a clear image of it. The same arguably went for his family, who were standing at the door waiting to welcome him. Regardless, he recognized them all.

"This is what will be." Skadi declared.

"I hope so." He spoke with a mixture of hope and slight worry. Once again, he felt the gentle touch of the goddess on his cheek turning him sideways. His blue eyes locked with hers. "Thank you, Skadi." As a smile formed on his face he could have sworn he felt tears swelling up in his eyes.

"You are welcome, Ritsuka." Came her tender reply. "I know for a fact that not all hero's tales end in happiness, but I have long since vowed to do everything in my power to ensure that yours would. It is what you deserve."

"Sometimes I…question myself about that." He admitted, a bit of that inner darkness poking through. "I mean, in order to get my home back, I've had to…destroy those of others."

"Yes…but…I would argue what you have done is also free people from the misery of their existence. Not something to take pride in, but something that had to be done. Proper Human History, no matter how flawed, is comparable to some of the Lostbelts that we have encountered, including my own." He looked to her with a modicum of surprise. That was quite a humble thing to say for a former Lostbelt King, but she'd done it, and meant it. "Your world is one worth fighting for, and I-"

"Want you to have a place in it." The words flew from his mouth without any prior thought. Even once they were out, Ritsuka decided there was no point in trying to take them back; he honestly didn't want to. Sitting up, he placed the sketchpad down on the table before them so he could give Skadi his full attention. She seemed surprised at this, yet her eyes lit up with excitement. "What I mean is, that sketch," he briefly looked back to it, then to her. "I…I want you to have a place in it, Skadi. I want you to have a place in my life when all of this is over with. I want to spend a full summer with you. One where we can just do whatever we want without having to worry about anything."

Her red eyes twinkle with tears. "Not having to worry about anything…you know, I honestly can't remember the last time that I've had that privilege. As a goddess and as a queen, I've always had so much to worry about."

"Well, nowadays, that's what summer break is for. We don't have much left, but we do have next summer." He offered with a chuckle that she quickly joined.

"Next summer," she repeated with a smile. A lone tear slipped from her eye as she envisioned the prospect. Feeling a rush of optimism that he knew would be long lasting, he reached forward and wiped it away. As he did so, Skadi raised her hand up and used it to grasp his. "Yes, I, the Queen of Ice and Snow, would be more happy to spend it beside you, Ritsuka. Next summer, and the summer after it…"

"All the summers, all the time I can give you." He declared, that flood of joyful optimism remaining strong.

Skadi moved first. There was a obvious desperate hunger in her kiss, like if she didn't take it then she'd never have the opportunity again. Easing that fear was the reason why Ritsuka gently wrapped his arms around her waist and kept his end of the kiss gentle. They were opposites, her cold yet eager lips and his warm and tender lips, yet they perfectly fused together. Skadi found herself relishing Ritsuka slow and steady approach to her kiss. She could tell that her affectionate sentiments were returned, all through Ritsuka's gentle response. The goddess felt her entire body tingling with excitement as she felt Ritsuka's fingers gently press down and glid along her bare skin.

His always gentle touch ignited the fire that had been stirring within the snow goddess. Her body responded to the contradiction with extreme prejudice. She kissed him with more fervor thus letting him know what his actions were resulting in.

Surprisingly, the human maintained his gentleness. Even more miraculous was that he'd managed to roughly hold his breath throughout the entire kiss. There was a part of Skadi that would have liked nothing more than to keep on kissing him, to keep their lip-lock going until the sunrose in the morning. She'd have liked that, the primal part of her screamed for her to do it, but a flicker of rationality won out. Ritsuka was still a mortal no matter how great his endurance. With great reluctance she pulled away from him. Despite the sorrow at the loss of his mouth against hers Skadi felt an incredible afterglow from the kiss. She could feel the residual warmth of his mouth on her lips; maybe helping it was the thin saliva bridge that still connected their mouths.

"Skadi," Ritsuka whispered first.

She was completely enamored with his turquoise-colored eyes as she had been countless times before. Looking into them left her more breathless than she already was. The ability to speak completely left her, all she could do was gape and pant at him. Skadi was pretty sure she looked like a love-struck maiden who'd just received her first kiss from her beloved. While it hadn't technically been their first kiss, it was certainly the most intense one she'd ever experienced. Judging from the look on Ritsuka's face that went for him as well.

His hand moved up to gently caress her face, the seemingly innocent move sending jolts of ecstasy rippling through her. The goddess felt like her brain was on the verge of short circuiting; that wasn't the only organ that seemed to be on the fritz though, she could feel her heart about to implode as well. Each passing second Skadi felt like her normally icy being was on the verge of shattering into a million pieces, yet ironically the reason for that ended up being what held her together.

Ritsuka came at her with silence and swiftness, but his kiss was filled with fiery vigor. Euphoria surged through Skadi as she quickly and intimately returned the kiss. Her hands shot to his, her cold fingertips gently dragging across his cheeks until they were on his chest. Skadi moaned as her entire body was pressed against his; she relished the return of that intoxicating body heat that she'd quietly grown addicted to.

When the kiss ended, she allowed Ritsuka only a few seconds to catch his breath. Those few seconds were enough as he was ready for her when she came back at him. His tongue was there, stopping her own like a fortress wall to a battering ram. The wall became a ram of its own as it pushed back against her. Jolts of ecstasy rippled across her body as the human slowly but surely took command of the kiss. Skadi was too high on the euphoria of the kiss to care; she actually rather liked it. Her mortal Master's hands slid down to her waist where his fingers began rubbing her bare skin.

"A-Ahhh~" The red-eyed woman softly moaned while breaking away from his lips. It was Ritsuka who was the impatient one, or perhaps the lustful one. Within seconds their lips were reattached; he kissed her with a newfound vigor that she found delightful. Skadi stretched her arms up, wrapping them around his neck so that they'd never be separated again. She went an extra step and pushed herself against him, resulting in the Japanese teen ending up on his back with her atop of him. "Mmmmmm~!" The dominant position appealed to her as she began eagerly grinded herself against him. Skadi felt the constant poke of his erection, it further fueled her erotic actions.

They were likewise fueling Ritsuka's as the human teen began to either consciously or subconsciously thrust his hips upward. Given their positions his clothes-covered tip was hitting her own covered entrance. Skadi felt the male organ constantly poking at her…and it excited her to no end. As best she could she funneled that excitement into the kisses she rained down upon her human lover. They were spurred along by his hands, drumming and clawing at her lower side. Ritsuka's warm touch was never ending and all consuming. The chill of the coming night was practically nonexistent.

She found herself looking up at him, into his gentle blue eyes. The goddess' breath was utterly taken away. One heartbeat later and air flowed into her from Ritsuka's mouth. Upon realizing she was being kissed Skadi happily returned it, her legs rising and tenderly grinding against her beloved's hips. Once more his erection poked at her, stirring up a wetness within her that grew by the second. Before she knew it her arms and legs were fastened tightly around him; there was no getting away from her.

Not that Ritsuka wanted to get away. He was closer to Skadi than he ever thought he'd possibly be, and he wanted to remain there at all costs.

The teenager's kisses gradually moved from soft to vigorous. Lust once suppressed and channeled was now running wild through him, surging out of control. His ongoing kiss was certainly helping fuel it, but so too was the constant presence of Skadi's body; a body that he was sandwiching between himself and the ground. It was a scenario that he'd thought of only in his dreams over the past few days, yet here he was living it as his reality. His happy reality. Ritsuka broke from the kiss and managed to pull his body away from Skadi's. Either her grip wasn't so strong, or he was stronger than she expected. Either way, she showed no visible dismay at the sudden end of the kiss; the goddess continued to look up at him with awe and amorous admiration.

Those were the same things held in Ritsuka's eyes as he gazed down upon her.

Her fingers were gently gliding against his cheeks. Very little remained of their once characteristic icy feeling, they were warm, and so too was the rest of Skadi's body.

"Ritsuka," the Norse goddess called.

He took that as a sign. Down he went again, capturing her lips in an intimate kiss. This one was frenzied, like the slumbering beasts within the both of them had been awakened. They rolled over, Skadi atop and eagerly taking advantage of her position atop the human. Not that the latter was idle. Ritsuka rose up, tightening his arms around Skadi's waist while she moved her hands across his head while kissing him. Their hearts beat in wild yet perfect tandem. The same could be said for their bodies, sensually grinded against one another like a pair of gears. The ocean waves leisurely beat against the shore, either heedless or encouraging of the pair's romantic endeavors.

Deep within her, Skadi knew something was going to give. Between Ritsuka's kisses and the rest of his body she could sense an orgasmic burst building within her. With each passing second it grew more inevitable. Two sides of her were born from that realization: a side that welcomed it and another that called for her to stop this. She wondered about the latter. Was it because it would be undignified to cum in her swimsuit or because she wanted her essence to spill forth into Ritsuka? Skadi hardly had any time to contemplate the answer as she found herself on her backside, her mortal lover above her and back in control of the kiss. All thoughts of anything but his lips went away as she once more wrapped her limbs around him to deepen the intimacy.

Except it wasn't quite so simple this time.

Between the kisses Skadi looked down, seeing Ritsuka's left hand having wedged itself between their bodies. She felt it sliding further and further down until it reached its destination. She contained her moan of pleasure in Ritsuka's mouth.

"Hhhhmmm~ Hmmmmm~ Ahhhh~" They went on together. Skadi's fingers dug into her Master's backside as his dove deeper into her pussy.

Ritsuka's turquoise eyes locked with hers, placing her in a momentary trace. "You're so wet down there, Skadi."

Before answering she kissed him. It felt like something she just had to do. "It's…because of you, Ritsuka." Skadi breathlessly explained after pulling away from him. His smile was one of triumphant pride; it was entirely earned. Smiling back, she rubbed her legs against him, curious as to what his reaction would be. "Haaaahhh~ Ahhhh!" His fingers rammed themselves deeper into her cunt, her vaginal walls squeezing hard on them. It was a wonder she didn't cum right there, but the next few seconds looked even more likely as his fingers kept on working her pussy. Sensual heat swirled around her with the epicenter being her vagina. It well and truly felt like it was on fire, and any second the fire was going to erupt into a mighty blaze.

While his left hand fingered her pussy Ritsuka moved his right hand to her left side breast. He was too mesmerized to stop and after hearing Skadi's louder cry of bliss he didn't want to stop. He had her completely, the goddess beneath him was his.

"Aaaahhhh~!"

Ritsuka let the sweet carnal moans hang in the air for several seconds before he moved in to silence them. Silence them he did, swiftly kissing the goddess beneath him. Skadi's immediate response was to wrap her arms and legs around him. His hands were squeezed against her body, yet they didn't stop. The earth-shaking tremors emitted by his fingering continued to make her tremble, aided by the erotic squeezing of her left side breast. She longed to feel Ritsuka's bare skin touching hers, but she was too caught up in her current euphoria to consider stripping. She would get around to it though, eventually. Skadi was absolutely confident that Ritsuka wouldn't let midnight pass without having stripped her nude and claimed her for his own. As she envisioned such a thing her pussy quivered in anticipation; it perfectly paralleled the sudden and mighty thrusting of his fingers straight into her core.

"AAAH!" Skadi screamed, her back perfectly arching upward. Already loud, her scream was magnified by the deeper intrusion of Ritsuka's fingers and the pinching of her nipple through the fabric. It was either perfectly timed or one hell of a happy coincidence.

Likewise, a mighty wave crashed against the shoreline. Ritsuka almost felt it physically crashing against him, pushing him against the cool force of Skadi's orgasm. In that moment Ritsuka felt a mixture of harmony and absolute bliss. He looked down at the woman he had to thank for it, still howling in ecstasy. The wave at his backside pushed him, slamming his lips down atop hers.

"Mmmmm~!" She happily sounded out through her muffled lips. Skadi's icy tongue shot out, colliding against his warmer one. They flickered against each other, unending as they were fed by the erotic energy pumping through them. It was an endless wellspring for them. "Rit…Ritsu…Ritsuka…more. Oh, please, more~" Whispered the purpled-haired woman. Her plea was immediately answered with a kiss and a new fingering of her pussy. Skadi knew that a waterfall had formed between her legs, she could feel the growing wetness of the ground beneath her. She wanted it to grow, she wanted her legs to feel so squishy that they were practically liquid. "Mmmmmm~!" Her wish came a step closer to realization as she felt another mind-numbing orgasm seize her, her juices spurting out in another creamy white explosion. It was so incredible that she hardly noticed when Ritsuka pulled his fingers from her pussy; at least she still had his lips, for a little while longer at least.

Panting, Ritsuka pulled away, sitting upright while the gorgeous ice goddess lay beneath him. Moonlight shined down upon her, illuminating her ethereal dress bikini. Skadi really did seem like a goddess…even with cum flowing from beneath her undies and her eyes completely glazed over. His cock twitched as they stared at him with undented longing; Ritsuka wanted nothing more than to quench that thirst, but he felt like he needed a minute to catch his breath. Almost literally as he felt like all his air had gone into the kiss. A sweet aroma caught his nose and led him to look down at his left hand. He seemed to take note of the feminine juices that had stained it for the first time. Ritsuka brought his hand up and licked the tip of his index finger. That single lick turned into many, all within clear view of the goddess beneath him.

Ritsuka briefly flicked his eyes in her direction. Sensual knowledge flowed into him leading him to put on a show for the Nordic goddess. He took his time in licking up his finger, doing so like it was an ice-cream cone. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Skadi's panting magnify. She knew what this tactic was, she'd used it herself to get a rise out of him. Grinning, he let her know that he was very much enjoying giving her a taste of her own audience.

He was aware of her gradually sitting up, her eyes holding an ever-growing hunger within her. It was amazing how he could so keenly split his focus between licking up her love nectar and watching her. Ritsuka felt a somewhat perverted but empowering sense of pride in being able to get her so riled up. Not to mention making her cum twice. He had every intention of going for a third time, and then a fourth; he may even go into the double digits if he can find the strength to do it. And Skadi can hang on that long.

She was on the verge of leaping up and kissing him when he made the first move. It was so sudden that he could still see the surprise on her face as he stroked her violet-colored hair. Her red eyes gradually closed as she accepted the kiss.

Incredible. Came her star-struck voice in his mind. You're simply…incredible, Ritsuka.

The space between their lips was miniscule, enough for him to catch some quick breaths while still being close to her. "So are you, Skadi." Ritsuka whispered back. She smiled, her eyes seemingly getting watery before she moved toward him. He did the same resulting in a mutual kiss that had them both moaning in delight. Ritsuka's hands moved to her chest, fondling her clothed breasts. He separated from Skadi's lips, a sliver of caution gnawing at him. It was wiped away by Skadi cupping the back of his head and pressing his face back against hers. Simultaneous to the kiss he squeezed her breasts even harder. Skadi cried into his mouth, erotic fire making her entire body shiver.

Her shivers continued when they separated, saliva thinly connecting their mouths.

Skadi's eyes locked with her human Master's. "I-I-It's okay, Ritsuka." Came her whispering voice. "I-I…know you want to undress me. Go ahead, do it. I want this to happen. I want you." She didn't exactly make the undress part easy, what with kissing him at the end of her declaration. Still, she did make it clear that she wanted him. Ritsuka returned the kiss, his hands sliding from her chest down to her waist. They eventually reached her butt, which he groped to his heart's content. "Aaaahhh~ R-R-Ritsuka…" The burning sensation intensified to previously unseen heights. Her nails dug into his skull as she looked him in the eye; her gaze was one of erotic pleading. "Ritsuka, just…take me."

"I will." He immediately responded. No sooner after he spoke, did he kiss her. Skadi would have liked for the kiss to go on even longer, but apparently the Japanese teen had something else in mind.

"A-Ahh!" Skadi exclaimed. It wasn't like she'd actually been tossed into the clouds, yet she felt like that had actually happened. Ritsuka's arms were akin to the height of the skies, the throes of heaven itself. Heart pounding, she looked into his turquoise-eyes, her jaw hanging open in awe of him. The human laughed, then put a quick kiss on her lips. It snapped Skadi out of her temporary stupor. Any other time she'd have been a little miffed, embarrassed, or both, but in this moment, she just found herself laughing in joy. "You're such an incredible man, Ritsuka."

"Thanks, Skadi. I appreciate hearing that, especially from you." For as much as he wanted to be "gentlemanly", a part of him wanted nothing more than to take her here and now on the cliffside. He had a feeling that Skadi wouldn't mind, but he wanted something a little…more. Not to mention he thought that Skadi deserved a little more.

Was he overthinking this?

It didn't really matter since his feet were already moving, going from grass to the house patio.

"Ritsuka," The Norse goddess whispered having realized what he was planning. Her red eyes shimmered with joy, then she trapped his mouth in a kiss. Within seconds it reached smoldering hot levels. As much as Ritsuka wanted to get to the bedroom, he found himself stopping to return it. He felt his back hitting the couch arm, becoming sandwiched between it and Skadi. She was throwing everything she had into the kiss like she wanted to do it right then and there. He wouldn't have been surprised if she did, hell, he could see the desire burning in her eyes. "Ritsuka," she murmured when they broke apart. Skadi hiked her legs up and Ritsuka hooked his arms beneath them. The bikini-clad goddess aggressively rubbed herself against the Japanese teen, grinding their bodies together.

The Master felt his cock straining in his shorts while the Servant could feel her pussy threatening to explode again. Her undies were utterly stained thanks to her previous orgasms. If she came again she wondered if they'd be able to contain the orgasmic eruption.

Suckling Ritsuka's lips she thought of another sort of eruption, one coming from the harden spear between his legs. As she grinded against him she longed to truly impale herself on it. It would be the first mortal cock she took into her, and Skadi was certain it'd be the only one. Likewise, she wanted to be the only woman who gave Ritsuka the carnal pleasure that he'd earned.

Suddenly, she broke off from him. Gasping, the human watched the goddess sink to her knees and grab at his waist; his erection had formed a massive bulge in-between his legs that the goddess was staring straight at. Her eyes reminded him of a starving wolf who happened about a nice, juicy lamb. The beast wouldn't be denied…but Ritsuka did so anyway.

"W-W-Wait! S-Skadi!" Ritsuka shouted, holding back her head and thus stopping her hands. She looked up at him with wide, worried eyes. "N-N-No! I-I-It's okay! I-I-It's just…well…" It was like fishing out in open water. Words were there but picking one out was difficult, especially as they slipped out of his hook-like grasp. Eventually, he gave up completely and decided to just act. Reaching down he hooked his hands beneath her legs and brought her back up into his embrace. Skadi's unease vanished with the smoldering kiss Ritsuka put on her; she quickly melted into it, combing his spiky black hair as he carried them down the hallway.

Skadi held onto him when he dropped her onto the bed. If anything, it made her squeeze him even tighter. Maybe she realized that now that they were where Ritsuka wanted them to be there wasn't going to be anymore interruptions. That was good because Skadi wasn't sure that she could handle anymore interruptions. She wanted Ritsuka Fujimaru, and she wanted him now.

He wanted her as well.

His hands were used to hold hers in place, his fingers lacing through hers. Skadi intensified her grip, wrapping her legs around his waist and sensually grinding her lower half against his. It was a race to see which of them would break first, or at least that's what it seemed to be at first.

Panting, Ritsuka tore his mouth away from hers. "Skadi, I…I wanted this to be…special. I wanted to take you in a better place than…outside, in the wilderness."

Her joyful laughter filled the moonlit bedroom. "Ritsuka, I am aslo the goddess of hunting. To be taken in the wild would be nothing new for me, nor would it be anything demeaning." Smiling, she sat up, caressing his face ever so gently. "Let's do that…after tonight. Speaking of which," The kiss was long and tender, the goddess communicating all of her feelings into it. Both their hearts raced as they withdrew from each other. "I appreciate your courtesy, Ritsuka. I'd be more than happy to make love indoors just as much as I would outdoors. Besides…maybe it's better this way. I want you, Ritsuka Fujimaru, no one else but you."

Hearing that made him lunge forward, capturing her lips in a sudden and searing kiss. Skadi again melted into it. Both of them seemed more smitten with each other than before. The goddess moved one hand to his backside, dragging her nails across his backside. Seconds later and they dug into his backside, not that Ritsuka minded. He groaned into her mouth.

Skadi covertly moved her right hand down to her lover's waist, feeling his erection pressing against her. Just as they separated, she flipped them over. Quickly straddling him, she felt his cock up through his swim trunks. A deeply masculine groan bubbled up from Ritsuka's throat.

"Let me treat you to something special, my love." Skadi whispered to him. She didn't wait for him to respond, she just acted. Feeling her continuous heartbeat, she pulled down his black and blue swim trunks. "Odin's beard!" Gasped the former Lostbelt King.

Contrary to whatever he said or thought of himself, Ritsuka Fujimaru was a warrior. As such, he had a warrior's body…that included a…warrior's "blade". And what a blade it was. Skadi gapped at the thick, seven-inch tower of flesh that hung between Ritsuka's legs. While not as large as her ex-husband, Skadi could say it was undoubtedly cleaner, not to mention more appealing. Before she knew it her right hand was squeezing it, pumping it. Ritsuka gasped and groaned, his back arching a little off the bed. His member pulsated within her grasp making her squeeze it even tighter. Skadi absent-mindedly began stroking it with both hands, feeling an overwhelming urge to make it erupt in that creamy white nectar.

"Skadiiiii~!" Groaned the Japanese youth.

"This is your first time, isn't it, Ritsuka?" The goddess questioned.

"Y-Y-Yes!" He answered while his knuckles tightened. Locking eyes with her, Ritsuka saw erupting joy on Skadi's face.

"Would you be happy for me to be your first and everything up to your last?" Skadi asked, a maniac fire in her eyes while her voice remained surprisingly calm.

Despite the euphoria racing through him from his member Ritsuka was focused and calm in his response. "I'd want no one else but you, Skadi. You're…you're someone I want to show my world to, and share it with, maybe for the rest of my life. I know that-mmmh~"

She didn't care to think about their lifespan differences. She didn't care that he had perhaps a hundred years at best and she had thousands. Well, she could actually change that via her magic, or through some other means.

Sitting upright, she began to daftly remove her ornaments. Ritsuka kept his eyes on her while his cock twitched and hardened at the erotic sight before him. "Your life, is all that I want, Ritsuka. In turn…I'll give you mine." Her bra came undone revealing the pristine, flawless breasts that they'd been hiding for the last several days. Ritsuka's jaw dropped at the sight of them. Giggling, Skadi briefly played with them, groping and twisting her nipples for his amusement. She was silently amazed at how little she was embarrassed by the act. Instead of shame, she felt downright proud. If she had any doubts that Ritsuka was the one for her, they completely evaporated in those wondrous seconds.

His cock continued to pulsate at the erotic show that was being put on for him. Ritsuka recognized that he was lucky, so very lucky.

Skadi considered herself lucky as well. She'd tried her hand at love before, and it'd ended so poorly she was inclined to just give up on it. When she as literally the last god left alive, she'd definitely given up on it. Now, here she was, head over heels in love, and with a mortal of all people.

Her right hand fell atop his penis. Instead of a tight grip she stroked it with the gentleness of a feather. Those gentle strokes still did the job in getting a rise out of him. Ritsuka groaned and gasped at the snowlike touch of his divine lover. A few times he could have sworn he managed to say her name, but he might have slurred it. The euphoria she was pumping into him was making his mind turn to mush, and with it, his ability to speak coherently. Normally, such a thing would have been shameful before a prim and proper woman like Skadi, but he could see she was enjoying herself. She was certainly enjoying playing with his cock.

An erotic, mystified gleam danced in her eyes while she pumped him with her hand. Every second that passed felt like he was being caressed by snowflakes. He wasn't sure how long it'd gone on before he finally threw back his head and screamed. As he did, he felt Skadi's grip on his penis tighten just a little. His scream died down and he lifted his head back up-just in time to see the violet-haired woman leaning down.

"Aaaaahh~!" Once again, his head fell back, an ecstasy-laced scream bursting from his lips. "S-S-Skadi!"

"Hmmm~ Aahh~ Aaaah~" The Norse goddess moaned as she planted kiss after kiss across his penis. Each one was a fluttering, snowy kiss that had Ritsuka wiggling and wreathing atop the bed. He was utterly putty in the goddess' hands, and lips. It was a much deserved boost to her pride. "You're spear…or shall I call it your sword?" Skadi whispered after running her tongue up his length all the way up to his tip.

Any second now, he fully expected himself to cum. It was fast approaching like a tsunami in a storm. All the storm clouds where there while he stood on the shores, eagerly waiting for the inevitable. "C-C-Call it…w-w-whatever…y-y-you want." He answered. "J-J-Just…p-p-please, k-keep going, S-S-Skadi."

What he really meant was he wanted her to keep on kissing his cock. While he answered her, her hands had still been at work in tending to his cock. Ritsuka shut his eyes and groaned feeling her hands wondering down to his balls, massaging them with that same tenderness. They wondered back up his length, further pumping him. He gripped the bedsheets around him as he struggled to maintain control. If she started kissing his cock again, that control was going to slip.

In a brief answer to his prayers, Skadi did exactly that. She leaned down and pecked the mushroom tip of his member-but only once. Ritsuka felt himself on the verge of cumming from that mere second-long kiss. Skadi pulled away, her hands too; she fixed him with a lewd smile. Her hands rose to her breasts, briefly playing with them for his viewing pleasure. Watching them, the Japanese teen felt his cock twitching like a bull rearing to be set loose.

Within the next second, it was caged on either side by the Ruler's flawless breasts. Ritsuka shut his eyes and groaned-the ecstasy that crashed into him was too good for words. Those groans turned into a scream that bounced throughout the room.

"So, I take it you like that, Master? Having your Servant's breasts being used to service your manhood?" She sensually asked.

Holding fast onto the sheets, he looked to her. "Y-Y…Yes."

"Did you think about this the second that you saw me in a bikini? When we returned to shore?" Skadi pressed.

He honestly couldn't tell if she was joking or being serious. Either way, he had to make a decision on answering her. The teenager just hoped it didn't land him in trouble with the divine beauty who'd opened herself up to him, almost quite literally.

"I-I…I-I'll admit…it…k-kind of…c-c-crossed m-m-my mind." He grounded out through the pants. For a few seconds he looked away from her and her pillowing breasts to the ceiling. It was only a brief reprieve as he felt the continued squeezing of her tits against his dick. He'd have sworn it intensified. Going off that hunch, he looked down and found Skadi still servicing his cock. He noticed how there was a certain glint in her eyes.

"Only me, correct?" She somewhat heatedly asked.

An idea quickly formed in his head. Sucking in a breath, he griped the sheets then thrusted his hips upward. The move caught Skadi off-guard, but she kept her breasts wrapped around his member. "Yes, Skadi. The only woman whose breasts I thought of…were yours." He had no idea how long this clarity would last, probably only as long as this orgasmic buildup was going on.

Skadi's cheeks turned bright red, practically matching the color of her eyes. Within the next second, she brought her lips down atop his tip, which protruded out from the valley of her tits. One lick swept across it like the sweep of a blade, then came another. Ritsuka slammed his eyes shut and groaned.

"S-Skadi…Skadi! Skadi!" he yelled. All he heard was her continued sucking of his cock. His eyes briefly popped open to stare at the ceiling, which he swore had countless stars dancing across it. The brightest one flashed, like the north star itself. "SKADI!" Ritsuka thundered at the top of his lungs. The restraint finally came undone, and with it his seed shot forth from his tip.

It shot straight up into Skadi's face, and eventually her mouth. A feminine gasp slipped from her lips before she regained her wits. It was just in time as she opened her mouth and let his cum shot straight up into her opened hole. Just barely finding the strength to open his eyes, he watched his juices spray across her mouth and her face. The face of his former enemy, a metaphorical and literal ice queen; she melted into a puddle of ecstasy from the touch of his masculine seed.

After what felt like several hours of watching the erotic show, his head fell back, hitting the pillows. He breathed hard while still feeling the residual pumping of his cock. Ritsuka quietly wondered just how…pent-up he truly was. He supposed he was getting an answer as he felt his dick continue to pulsate, spraying his seed across the former Lostbelt King. She eagerly lapped up his juices as if she'd been starving for it.

Once he was finished, she sat up, touching her cum-soaked face. Bathed in moonlight, Ritsuka was at a complete loss for words. Evidentially, Skadi was as well. She silently stared down at him with an awe-struck face, her heart racing just as quickly as his.

"…I…um, I…enjoyed that, Skadi." He coughed up.

Yet again, he'd seemingly said the right words, much to his relief. Skadi smiled through the cum on her face. "That's…so good to hear, Ritsuka. I enjoyed that as well. I enjoyed it very much." Emphasizing her words, she began to wipe the cum off her face, and then lick it off her hands. Once she was finished with her face, she moved onto her breasts, which had also been doused in his cum-a result of the titfuck she'd given him. Watching her seemed to get him hard all over again. He couldn't help but envision her breasts wrapped around his dick again, bringing him to a new climax.

No, it's time I did the same to her. Ritsuka thought to himself. "Skadi," he called. Her attention turned from her tits to him. With his hand, he beckoned her upward. That hungry glint returned as she crawled toward him. Their lips met in a long, sensual kiss. Amidst it, their bodies bumped and grinded against one another. Wrapping his arms around her slender waist, Ritsuka rolled them over so he lay on top and the goddess beneath him. At the kiss' end, he pulled away and stared down at her. Skadi nodded, silently understanding what he aimed to do. Still, her arms rose, wrapping around his neck and bringing him down for another kiss. "Greedy," he whispered to her.

"I-I'm sorry." She whispered.

Chuckling, he pecked her on the lips and the cheek. "It's fine. After all, I'm yours, my queen."

Hearing that sent a flutter of excitement through Skadi. Such a simple declaration, yet filled with such loving honesty. She'd never gotten anything even remotely like it from her previous husband. He'd never been willing to give himself to her in the same way Ritsuka was.

"A-Aahh~ O-Ohhh~ Ohhhh~" She moaned feeling his kisses eventually reach her chest. The same bountiful mounds she'd used to service his cock were now being serviced by his lips and hands. It was an experience Skadi couldn't put into words, coherent words anyway. "Haaahhh~! Aaaaahh~! R-R-Ritsu~ka~!" OOOOOHH~!" His right hand tended to her left nipple while his mouth laid claim to her right breast. She shuddered and moaned feeling him dragging his tongue across it, slathering it in his saliva. Eventually, that licking turned into a sensual bite. Coupled with the pinching of her nipple, Skadi screamed. "AAAAAYY~!"

"Making a goddess scream like that." He mused with a chuckle.

Her arms rose to wrap around his head. "You have…much to be proud of, Ritsuka." She spoke. As she panted, she felt him switch breasts, his mouth was now on her left, yet her right tit was no strangely unoccupied. Her momentary curiosity was answered as she felt something rubbing against her lower lips. "A-A-Ahh~! R-R-Ritsuka~!"

"Can I, Skadi?" he asked while pressing his mouth against her breast.

"Y-Y-Yes! Gods, yes!" She yelled. In truth, she really wanted him to stick his cock in her-she wanted to feel it filling up her pussy in ways her finger and no toy ever could. Sadly, she didn't get that, but his fingers still delivered an incredibly new and wondrous sensation that left her gasping for breath. "Ohhhhh~! Haaah~ Haaaahh~!"

His fingers got to work near immediately-pumping in and out of her pussy with purpose. Skadi practically felt the room spinning around her. Ritsuka had only just started fingering her, but already she could have sworn she was on the brink of orgasming.

I-If…t-t-this is…w-w-what his fingers a-a-are like…how will I fair with his cock inside of me?! The Norse goddess thought with a mixture of desperation and anticipation. As she did so, Ritsuka jammed his fingers in, causing her back to arch and her walls to tighten.

She barely felt the loss of his mouth on her breast. Just as she truly began to register it, she felt its reappearance against her vaginal lips. Tears slipped from her eyes as she threw her head against the pillows and screamed the name of her mortal lover. It wasn't just his fingers, now it was his tongue, driving deep into her pussy as well.

"R-R-Ritsuka…Ritsuka~!" She panted. Her naked legs kicked up before wrapping around his head. In turn, her hands gripped his head, holding onto him despite the mortal also being the source of fierce turbulence hitting her. "I-I'm going to…oh, blasted Odin, I'm going to…cum at this! I'm going to cum!" She yelled again. Her words must have motivated him as he pushed deeper into her, his tongue flicking across her cunt like flashes of lightning. "R-Ritsuka~! RITSUKA~!"

With that scream, the goddess came, her juices spilled forth like a creamy avalanche. Ritsuka was there for it, welcoming it with an open mouth. Skadi felt the tears sliding from her eyes as she came hard for the first time in centuries.

It was better than she could have hoped it'd be.

Her hands rested atop Ritsuka's head as he licked up her juices. She felt one of his hands come to rest atop hers, but otherwise, she continued to float atop that cloud of ecstasy; she'd heard the humans call it cloud nine. Personally, she'd have renamed it Cloud Fujimaru.

Even as he rose from in-between her legs, she continued to float on it. His turquoise eyes beamed down at her. "You taste like ice-cream, sweet, strawberry ice-scream."

Giggling, she stretched up her leg. "Well, it is my favorite, you know."

"I think it's going to become my favorite too." He laughed falling beside her. Skadi turned to her side and hugged him. She felt his growing erection brushing against her wet pussy. That skin-to-skin contact didn't go unnoticed by Ritsuka, who kept his focus squarely on Skadi. "So, Skadi-"

"Ritsuka," she cut him off. "P-P-Please, I-I…I need you inside of me. I want you to-w-w-wooah!" Like a wolf, he loomed over her, staring down at her with that hungry gleam in his eyes. His fully erect cock poked at her loins. Just feeling it brushing against it sent Skadi's mind into a frenzy of lust. "Y-You as well…"

"Y-Yeah." He admitted.

With a smile, the goddess spread her legs out beneath him. "Then let us no wait any longer."

Grinning, he gripped his cock, lining it up with her entrance. Her orgasm was not that long ago, so that should make his entry into her easier. Ritsuka remembered that despite Skadi's reactions, she technical wasn't a virgin as her host wasn't one either.

Following a steady breath, he pushed his hips forward; his cock indeed slid straight into Skadi's pussy, the residual juices around her walls acting as lubrication for his dick.

"Ohhhhhhh~!" The Norse goddess cried.

"A-Aaaaaahhhh!" Groan the Japanese youth who took her. "S-S-So…S-S-Skadi, y-y-you're w-w-warm! Y-You're warmer than I thought you'd be!"

Hearing that made Skadi help for the strangest reason. Rather than dwell on it, she simply embraced the feeling of Ritsuka's cock finally being inside of her, filling her to the brim. It was wonderful beyond measure. Her arms and legs immediately coiled around his body as he rocked his hips against hers. Each thrust made Skadi's walls tighten around his dick.

"Y-You're…ahhh~! Aaaaahhh~! R-Ritsukaaaa~!" She cried.

"I…I'm not…I'm not stopping, Skadi." He whispered. It was just as much to himself as it was to her. From the moment he entered her vaginal silt, Ritsuka knew he couldn't bring himself to pull out. He wouldn't until he came within the goddess and claimed her for himself-just as she wanted. "Oooohhh, Skadi!"

"Don't you dare stop! P-Please! Keep going, Ritsuka! Keep going until you've emptied all your seed into me!" Logically speaking, they had nothing to fear; she was ultimately a Servant thus incapable of getting pregnant. Ironically, as her Master thrusted into her, a part of her found something disappointing in that fact. I…I truly do…want to…with him. With him, my Master, my… By sheer coincidence, the spiky-haired youth atop of her lifted himself up. In doing so, they were able to gaze upon each other's faces as they made love. "My Ritsuka," she whispered.

"That makes you…my Skadi, my goddess, my queen, my…my woman." He answered back, each one brimming with growing confidence.

Feeling her heart on the verge of bursting with joy, Skadi looped her arms around his neck and brought him down for another kiss. While his face came down, his hips raised, his cock sliding half-way out of her womanly silt. She moaned into his mouth as it suddenly reentered her, penetrating her with the swiftness of a mighty spear. Skadi's hold on him tightened, especially as Ritsuka's hips repeated the action again and again. He was setting her whole body ablaze, and despite being a goddess of frost, she welcomed it. Breaking the kiss, she cried out for more.

Ever the honorable and overachiever, Ritsuka answered her. This time, he near totally pulled out of her. Skadi had just a second to brace herself before her Master-turned-lover rammed himself back in.

"AAAAAAAAYYYY~! R-R-RITSUKA, OH GODS, RITSUKA~!" Bellowed the northern goddess.

"I'M NOT…STOPING, SKADI! I'M TAKING…ALL OF YOU!" He growled, keeping up the numerous hard thrusts. Each one drove Skadi to the brink of insanity.

"YES~! YES~! MORE, MORE, RITSUKA~! OH, BY THE GODS, GIVE ME EVERYTHING YOU HAVE~!"

The bed shook from the continued thrusts just as their bodies did. Sweat poured from their shaking forms as they raced closer and closer toward their shared orgasm. They felt it was coming with every passing second of their coupling. While they inevitably raced toward it, they enjoyed every second of the journey, hugging and kissing each other like their lives depended on it.

"I…I LOVE YOU, RITSUKA FUJIMARU! I LOVE YOU~!" Skadi's hips had acted off her innermost thoughts, her desire overwhelming any rationality or hesitation that might have still lingered in her. She didn't care that she was a goddess and the man whom she'd just confessed to was a human. He was so much more than that. "I SWEAR, I WILL DO WHATEVER I MUST TO STAY BESIDE YOU UNTIL THE END!"

"I know you will, Skadi, I know you will." Came his quiet yet determined response. It was a momentary acknowledgement of the difference between them-seemingly as wide as the gap between the sky and the earth. As he pulled back, Ritsuka's blue eyes locked with Skadi's, barefoot of worry or sorrow. What loomed in them was solely love and determination. "MY LIFE IS YOURS, SKADI! I'LL GIVE YOU MY VERY BEAST!"

Try to that promise, he drove his hips forward, hitting the goddess' g-spot. The icy glacier shattered down to its foundations.

"RITSUKAAAAA~!"

"SKADIIII~!"

His seed shot forth from his tip straight into the violet-haired beauty's womb. Her nails tore into his skin, but Ritsuka was too drunk on the bliss of orgasming to care. Likewise, Skadi was too high on her own to notice what she'd done, not that her intrusions were that deep. She felt hold onto her mortal lover as his cock shot thick ropes of his essence into her. With it came a surge of mana that renewed whatever spent energy she had. Minutes later, it'd be used as she flipped them over and rode the man who'd shown her love and whom she'd came to love herself.

Her hands would hold fast onto his chest as she rocked herself against his bucking hips. The human would do the same to her hips, his head would remain back atop the pillows watching her glorious breasts shake and bounce as she rode him like a beast. Ritsuka made sure the ride was anything but boring, still having plenty of energy left to burn after their previous orgasm. Watching goddess' boobs bounce about seemed to further revitalize him. Without warning, he sat up and latched onto those breasts with his lips. Skadi screamed in further bliss, clenching his head against his chest while still bouncing atop his hips. Seemingly hours later, their voices shook the room in another mutual scream of orgasmic bliss.

The goddess fell onto Ritsuka, breathing hard just like him. One would have said she looked as far from divine as possible, breathing so hard and being coated in sweat, but he'd have disagreed. He held her close against him as the gentle ebb and flow of the waves outside became their lullaby.

"The beaches of Japan," Skadi whispered. "What are they like?"

"Great. There's so many of them, but there's a handful I really want to show you, including visit myself like Onjuku. It's a great place for surfing." He replied with a hint of laughter. Like many skills, Ritsuka had learned how to surf in a rather unconventional way. Even better, he'd learned alongside others, several of whom had no idea what surfboard even was.

Skadi's lips curled into a playful smirk as she tried to picture the beach and him on it, surfing amongst countless other humans. "Do you think…I could…also give it a try?"

"I'd be more than happy to help teach you, Skadi. After all, that's what a boyfriend does." The black-haired teenager happily answered.

"Boyfriend," Skadi murmured looking up at him with shimmering eyes. His own held a similar light to hers. Guiding by that shared light, they leaned toward one another and kissed. In it was a promise that they would eventually move beyond simple boyfriend and girlfriend-there was also excitement in that absolute certainty.

For now, though, they were content with what they were, inseparable none the same. The bond they now shared would undoubtedly weather all that awaited them in the final Lostbelts, and even the Foreign God. They would emerge beyond it to enjoy another summer together, one from start to finish and beyond.

Beyond another summer, another life together where they gave each other all they could give.

---

Skadi's something of an odd one for me. All my previous stories involving her featured a threesome between her, Ritsuka, and Scáthach. While writing them I decided that I would eventually do a few solo stories featuring her and Ritsuka; I wasn't quite expecting that first one to be (late) summer themed, but hey, I'm glad with how things turned out. For those of you who've read my profile "Thawing Frost" is still coming out and will be a separate story from this one. That said, I may come back to what I started in this one since I enjoyed writing it. I actually started writing this story last summer, but things came up and by the time I was able to come back to it, well, the time window had come and gone. That almost happened here too, but I suppose I managed to slip by just a little bit. I'll try to get another summer Skadi story out earlier now that I've done this one.

With all that said, I hope you all enjoyed this piece! Leave your thoughts in the reviews and have a happy and hopefully safe Labor Day!