A/N: Here is another first chapter from my stockpile. More is on the way so keep an eye out. Please enjoy and let me know with a comment/review.
Chapter 1
Tag(s): Stripping, Kissing, Dry-Humping.
Girl(s): Pyrrha.
Words: 9,494.
"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee."
Jaune listened with numb fascination as he felt something inside him swell with Pyrrha's words. Power, raw and unfiltered, seemingly poured from the center of his being in waves that shattered the physical form he used to consider himself. And what remained was a creature born anew.
He gasped at the difference, eyes closing against the light that streamed from behind his eyelids. It was momentarily blinding. But when his eyes opened, it was gone. And he was once again simply a boy named Jaune Arc. Lost in a forest where he had no right standing in the first place.
"Woah," Jaune steadied himself, staggering a bit. Not because he felt weak but from the difference in strength. Compared to his previous self, it was like the stride between a child and a fully grown adult.
He only realized after the fact that he was alone in his celebration and that his new partner looked weaker than she had a minute ago. "Pyrrha!" he jumped forward, his hand outstretched. But she waved him away, pulling herself back up to her full height. The redhead's gentle smile brightened, seeing his newfound glow.
"I'm alright," she assured, "I used my aura to unlock yours, but the power that protects you is now your own." Pride showed in her eyes as they watched the cut on his cheek instantly heal. "You have a lot of it."
Jaune could feel her approval and helplessly returned her grin. She barely knew him, but it was the first hint of support he'd received since he'd decided to become a huntsman. She was the first one who hadn't told him to give up or that it was impossible, which made all the difference.
"Wow," he managed, turning his attention to himself. The glow from his awakening was just beginning to reside. From everywhere…except his left hand, which continued emitting and drew the redhead's attention. And when he opened his clenched fist, his eyes widened at the sight of five glowing rings of light resting in the center of his palm. Almost as if they'd been created from his aura.
"Okay, I'll admit it, I don't actually know anything about aura," Jaune stated the obvious. He held out his palm, feeling the small pieces of light shift with surprising weight. "Is this normal?" But from the look of bewilderment on his partner's expression, he had a feeling the answer was no.
"Not typically?" She tried not to worry him. "At the very least, I've never seen…whatever those are." A moment of silence stretched as she tried to find an answer. Her emerald green eyes flashed a handful of seconds later.
"You know what they are?" Jaune excitedly assumed.
"I might?" She hedged, far less inclined to get his hopes up. "Unlocking aura can lead to semblances manifesting right away. It's rare, but it does happen." Asking for permission with a gesture, when Jaune offered his open palm, she gingerly plucked one of the glowing rings between two fingers to get a closer look. But as her fingers tested the strength of the shape, the radiant light refused to yield, offering a blunt edge.
"Wait," Jaune's brow scrunched, "but I thought semblances were, like, cool superpowers?" He held up the other four to his face, distinctly unimpressed. "How will making rings that glow help me kill Grimm?"
At the very least, he had a profitable business supplying raves to look forward to if the whole huntsman thing didn't work out.
"Erm," Pyrrha made a dubious sound, "Semblances aren't always exactly…helpful. It feels disingenuous to call them random; most like to believe that they reflect their bearer as an extension of their soul, but the truth is that semblances can do anything, really."
She held the ring closer to her face, peering at the blond boy through the hole. "I can't say what these are yet. But if I had to guess, they must have something to do with your semblance. What that is, you might have to find out on your own."
"That blows," he grumbled.
His partner put on a sympathetic grimace. "If it makes you feel any better, it takes most people years before they discover their semblance. You should be grateful you've gotten a hint, odd as it may look." Her attention returned to the ring.
Pyrrha's eyebrows drew together once she dared to dip a finger inside the hole. "Funny," she mused, "it almost looks like it would fit perfectly on my-," and that was as far as she got, sliding the glowing ring the rest of the way up her finger. At that very moment, the small shape's light burst into an explosion of white.
"Woah!" Jaune jumped back, half convinced his semblance had blown his partner's arm off. But when the light receded, Pyrrha stood before him with the same number of limbs as before. Although her expression was undoubtedly a bit frazzled as her eyes locked on the ring of light glittering against her left index finger.
Which…hadn't she put it on her right hand?
"Jaune?" The blond's stunned expression turned up towards Pyrrha, who looked at him with quite possibly the largest smile he'd ever seen on a girl. He found himself…distracted by the affectionate gleam in her eye.
She'd already been a very pretty young woman as it was. But she seemed to glow in front of him, and not because of her aura. Her rosy cheeks dimpled as she took a step forward, and the next thing he knew, her leathered hands were grasping at his shoulder. Then that pretty face he'd found so distracting was too close to do anything about.
"I do…" she whispered half a second before Jaune found her lips pressed against his in a firm kiss, utterly obliterating whatever coherent thought he might have been able to piece together.
Jaune sucked in a shocked gasp but otherwise failed to respond. Well, okay, that was a lie. He definitely responded. Just not in the way he knew he should have. After all, when a pretty girl kisses you out of nowhere, you should probably push her off and ask what in Remnant was going on, right? And he meant to!
But, she was pretty…and soft… and warm. And despite the stiff leather of her armor pressing into his chest, Jaune could smell the soft accent of cinnamon lingering beneath the natural smell of her sweat from running around in the forest. The two mixing together was far more alluring than it had any right to be.
As if that wasn't enough to draw him in, the sensation of her mouth closing around his bottom lip and sucking gently all but demanded he shut up and enjoy what she was offering, whatever the reason.
Jaune eventually did just that. Forget the questions, and forget the Grimm that could jump out and kill him at any second. He had a pretty girl kissing him, and there was a very small chance of that happening again any time soon.
Jaune pulled Pyrrha against him, luxuriating in the petite shape of her waist. He could feel her smile against his mouth, and the encouragement sent a thrill directly to his crotch. Pyrrha answered his need with her own, allowing her arms to lift up over his shoulders and cross behind his neck.
The two teenagers held that loving pose for what felt like a lifetime. Barely moving, not breathing, and allowing their mouths to open and close with a slow, lingering purpose that anyone would call intimate at a glance. And when Pyrrha finally pulled away, her smile no less radiant, Jaune's expression was left somehow more dazed and clueless than usual.
"Wow!" he eventually managed, much to his partner's amusement. He was treated to another of her giggles, this one somehow bubblier than before. Jaune giggled right along with her, painfully aware of how she'd yet to back away. And the way she was looking at him, eyes lidded and satisfied, made the rest of the world fade away.
"Ah…so, was that part of the aura unlocking, or…" he trailed off, telling himself repeatedly not to get his hopes up and that there was a reasonable explanation for all of this. But then Pyrrha kissed him again, much more briefly but no less passionate. This time he was the one smiling like an idiot, groaning with a complaint when she pulled away a second time.
"I should hope not," she teased him. Pyrrha's hand had worked itself into the back of his messy blond hair, twirling the golden locks playfully, "considering mine was unlocked by my mother." And although Jaune knew his partner hadn't been trying to arouse him, the mental image of this beautiful woman locking lips with an older, mature version of herself was immediately summoned to the front of his mind.
His eyes blinked rapidly to dispel the perversion, and he shook the distraction away.
"Then, what was that for?" he foolishly asked, looking the horse he'd so generously been gifted directly in the mouth. "Not that I, you know, mind getting kissed by a beautiful woman. I only want to make sure I'm not, er, misunderstanding anything?"
Because he knew he wasn't the most intelligent or aware guy out there. But he really hoped he couldn't misunderstand what they'd just done. Thankfully, Pyrrha appeared far too delighted hearing him call her beautiful to consider his slow-witted idiocy. A third kiss was proof of that. And Jaune was quickly growing addicted to the warm, fluttery sensations that followed.
"Silly Jaune," she cooed, "since when does a wife need an excuse to show her husband how much she loves him?" And when she put it like that...
Wait-.
"H-Hold on," Jaune laughed, slightly less bubbly and significantly more confused, "did you say you're my wife?" But his smile didn't fall, and neither did Pyrrha's.
'Oh! She was joking,' he reasoned. 'She's being funny. She's a funny girl. A funny girl who kisses me on the lips.' And that was the part that mattered to him the most, at least until she answered.
"I know!" she enthused, whispering against him like it was an incredible secret. "And you're my husband. Isn't it incredible? I've never been this happy." And then her lips were on him again, except Jaune couldn't respond with the same carefree indulgence he'd been enjoying until that point. In fact, much of the warmth Pyrrha's kisses inspired had cooled considerably.
She…she was joking…right?!
"We're going to be so happy together, Jaune," the redhead whispered, nuzzling the tip of her nose along his jaw and closing her eyes as she held him closer. Jaune stood stalk still, no longer laughing. Instead, his face transformed into a mask of worry and disorientation.
She pulled her hand back from his neck and onto his shoulder. Glancing down, he nearly doubled over at the sight of the ring on her finger. No longer a band of pure light, it had seemingly transformed into a ring of solid gold. At the center of which stood a pure green emerald. The perfect shade to match her eyes.
Jaune's face lost the confusion, retaining the worry. Pyrrha made no notice, fitting her head against the crook of his neck and resting her new ring gently above the racing pace of his heart. A gentle sigh flittered free.
He…didn't think she was joking.
Oh no.
XxX
Okay! So…his partner might be a little insane. And yes, that might sound harsh. But it felt like the fitting conclusion to come to when a girl you met…five hours ago? And for like…seven minutes? To suddenly claim that you were married.
His mother warned him about that kind of girl. And his sisters too! The girl you go on one date with, and the next thing you know, they have your entire life together planned out. Except, there was a good chance that this might not have been Pyrrha's fault, which made everything about his situation about a thousand times worse.
Faced with this obvious issue, Jaune had spent a long time wondering what he was going to do about it. And to answer that, all he needed was to remember how he solved all his problems. He avoided it! And he'd had an entire initiation to distract himself and his new "wife."
That didn't mean he'd given up on the chance that this was all some big mistake! Or a joke. A cruel but ultimately preferable prank that his new partner had decided to play on him to kickstart their new partnership at Beacon.
And Jaune, being the lovable idiot he was, honestly tried to believe that. He tried to believe it after stumbling into a death stalker's cave. He tried to believe it as he helped kill said deathstalker. And he'd succeeded…for a bit. But reuniting with his new friend Ruby, her sister, and the rest of the students that had teamed up to fight the deadly Grimm had proved to be his fantasy's downfall as soon as his partner felt the need to introduce herself as "Pyrrha Arc."
And it was pretty much downhill from there.
Sure enough, his new friends were quite shocked that he was married and that he'd failed to bring it up. It wasn't like he could argue with the fact that he hadn't known about it either. And explaining his semblance when even he didn't understand it seemed as helpful as anyone could expect.
So instead, he decided he'd run with it. Yeah, sure, Pyrrha was his wife. Whatever. He just needed to buy enough time to get back to Beacon and figure out what the fuck he was supposed to do. But, as it would turn out, getting catapulted into a forest of monsters was merely the start of a very long day.
Getting the relics and running back to Beacon alone took three hours of the afternoon. After that was lunch in the cafeteria, followed by team placement, room assignment, and then dinner. Heck, he barely had enough awareness to recognize he'd been made leader somewhere in all that mess. But a mighty slap on the back from his newest teammate, Nora, and a proud kiss on the cheek from his oh-so-supportive wife made it difficult to miss.
Which-. Cool! Awesome. Great. Radical, man! Just another thing to freak out about when he finished panicking over the seven other things he had stacked up on his plate.
You'd think sneaking into a huntsman academy would be enough, illegally, without any combat training, after running away from home. But, nope! Not for him! Not for this guy! And his Dad called him an underachiever. Well, jokes on him!
Suffice to say that by the time he eventually made it back to what would be his room for the next four years, Jaune was in no mood to plan or consider anything. In fact, Jaune Arc was of the mind to climb into bed, close his eyes, and try to forget most of the day had happened—if only to earn a few hours of peace.
But of course the universe couldn't so much as give him that much. Or, more specifically, the wacky couple that apparently wasn't a couple that he'd found himself teamed up with for the entirety of his stay at Beacon. However long or short that would turn out to be.
"What…what are you guys doing?" Jaune almost didn't want to ask. The second half of team JNPR had begun to hang blankets in a sort of fort that split the room in half. Nora and Ren spared a second to glance at each other before Nora spoke up, unusually bashful for her brash personality.
"Ah, well," she hemmed, setting the blanket in her hand down to twiddle her thumbs, "me and Rennie were talking, and we thought it would be a good idea to set up some privacy for you and Pyrrha, you know?"
Ren nodded by her side, although he'd taken a pointed interest in the nearby wall.
"And…" Jaune pinched the bridge of his nose, "why would me and Pyrrha need extra privacy?"
"We…recognize that the two of you are together," Ren explained. His tone didn't belie any judgment; he was simply stating facts.
"Together-together," Nora helpfully supplied, her eyes wide for emphasis. "Super together-together. Like, as together-together as you can be together-together."
"Married," Ren finished, earning a longing sigh from his own partner. If the Mistralian boy noticed the lingering stare the redhead sent his way or her jealous frown, he tactfully managed to avoid giving himself away.
"Which is fine. We're not against being partnered with people in such a committed relationship. But it's important to recognize that a newly married couple could come with affection better left unobserved by outside parties. And we feel like this is a much better solution than wrongly demanding you hold back."
"We even got earplugs!" Nora cheered, going so far as to hold the spongy items out, proudly displaying the awesome teammates that they were. "So you two can feel free to go all night long! Don't worry about us one bit."
"What she means," Ren insisted, "is that it might take some time to get used to sharing your bedroom with two other people. But we will be a team for the next four years, and it may take time on both our parts to find an equilibrium. This additional privacy is our attempt to take that first step."
It was nice of them. Painfully nice. Way nicer than most teammates should have been, considering the circumstances. And once again, Jaune found himself in no position to try and convince his new friends that he was as married as they were.
"Thank you," he offered instead, his voice becoming drawn and as pale as his expression. "So, so much. Really, you're the best teammates a guy could ask for. Pyrrha and I appreciate it. But ah," he flinched, "you don't have to worry about that with us. We would never be so inconsiderate of our roommates like that. We'll just have to control ourselves…somehow."
It shouldn't be too hard, considering they'd never had sex, slept next to each other, lived under the same roof before, or had done anything an average married couple might. And that was because, you know, they weren't married! But no matter how much he wanted to scream out, his smile remained as pleasant as ever.
Nora and Ren answered with another shared glance. "We appreciate it," the young man nodded, "but don't hold back on our account."
"Yeah, we'll set up the wall anyway. You know? Just in case!" Nora bounced with casual enthusiasm, picking her blanket back up from the floor. Within seconds, the two of them managed to set up a relatively basic wall of blankets, draping them over a long rope pinned to opposite sides of the room.
It was more than thick enough to protect the other side from being seen and simple enough to sweep aside and walk under if you needed to pass through. And the pair finished just in time, considering Pyrrha picked that moment to step out of the bathroom.
"Thanks for letting me go first," Jaune heard from the other side of the wall. He was only half paying attention, far more interested in his pillow than the woman of his nightmares. "Nora, feel free to hop in next. The boys already agreed to take their turn in the morning."
There was a sound of enthusiasm before the same door clicked shut. Then, a rustle of patchwork fabric announced Pyrrha had stepped onto "their" side of the room. He didn't bother to spare her a glance, silently hoping to be spared another bout of playing husband. If he had any luck, she would think he'd already fallen asleep, and he could pretend his life wasn't spiraling out of control for a few hours.
But this turned out to be a mistake and one that Jaune didn't realize until the sound of wet fabric slumped to their carpeted floor.
He really should have known better. Seriously, you hear a towel fall, and what do you expect to see when you turn around? Personally, he'd thought she would have already changed before she ever left the bathroom. That was his plan after he found out he was sharing a room with three other students. But Pyrrha didn't seem to share his modesty as she stood before him, her towel at her feet and her naked body exposed for all the room to see.
'Look away!' his mind immediately screamed, impossibly aware of how wrong this was. But his body wouldn't listen, and his eyes fixed in Pyrrha's direction, greedily drinking in the soft curves and pleasing shape of a woman who apparently had no issue showing him. And though he did his best to hold out, temptation eventually won out as he gave into the pleasure.
'Look away…after a small peek?' he amended. And peek, he did.
It didn't hurt that she was gorgeous. Well, all Huntresses tend to be. It was a little hard not to when you were at the peak of physical ability. But even by their impossible standards, Jaune was left with the impression that his partner stood out as particularly attractive.
She stood with her back to him, oblivious to his vast and hungry stare taking in every detail of her toned and muscled back, flexing easily with the smallest gestures. Wrapped in soft milky skin that flowed down into trim hips and broad thighs, they did nothing to detract from her femininity. Simply displaying the strength and power Jaune had recognized from the start.
That same taut definition carried into her backside as much as her arms and legs, making the broad width of her hips curve out with firm but malleable flesh that shook ever so slightly as she swayed from side to side. The happy gesture made Jaune recognize the young woman was humming to herself as she looked for something to wear to bed. Although, whether that was her bed, or his, he feared the answer.
It was the same daunting joy she'd been offering since she put that ring on her finger. Pyrrha was the personification of a young woman in the throes of wedded bliss. It was the kind of joy that sucked you in. She wore a smile that made it impossible not to return. And she'd been showering it on him all day. Utterly blissful to call herself his wife at the slightest provocation and to anyone that would listen.
And although he knew it wasn't real and that he needed to focus on how to fix this, he couldn't help but marvel at it all. And how nice it felt for a girl to care about him that much.
He sighed to himself, his expression taking on a pitiful quality as he swept his eyes across her nudity one last time. Damn, how did he ever get so lucky as to marry a girl like her?
Jaune didn't recognize the thought until the melancholic chagrin weighed heavily on his shoulders. And that was all it took to shake out of his lapse of judgment, a terrified gasp tearing its way from his throat as he realized how utterly shameless he was acting.
Pyrrha turned at the garbled sound, catching her husband's wide-eyed embarrassment. And if the adorably curious tilt of her head wasn't enough to sweep away the last of his composure, the hint of a breast peeking over her arm and the soft pink nipple on its center abruptly sent his heart stuttering in his chest.
"Jaune?" her gentle tone prompted, "are you alright?" She moved to turn towards him and exposed the rest of her glory. "You're looking a little-."
She didn't get a chance to finish. One moment, Jaune was on the bed, and the next, he was standing in front of her, holding her discarded towel up to shield her body. And whatever else she might have said was forgotten in the ensuing confusion as she stared, trying to understand what on Remnant was wrong.
"You're naked!" Jaune answered as if that should have explained everything. He did his best to keep his tone hushed enough that the other side of the room wouldn't question what they were up to. Then again, if Ren had heard anything, he probably wouldn't have come peeking over regardless. At least, Jaune hoped he wasn't the type…
By the time he turned back, Pyrrha's expression hadn't changed, nor had she adopted a fraction of the alarm a girl in her position should have.
It was as if it was the most natural thing in the world for him to see her naked. And to Pyrrha's brain, that was probably true, which meant she had no comprehension of what was making Jaune so…twitchy.
Changing for bed, she hadn't given her husband much thought. They were married, so of course she didn't need to hide her body from him. However, this wasn't the reaction she had been expecting.
Fear tickled behind her vivid green eyes. Could he possibly be disappointed? The thought lingered in the back of her mind like a looming shadow. Just because they were married, it didn't guarantee that he would be attracted to her. There was every possibility in the world that she wasn't his type, for one reason or another. Maybe her breasts weren't the proper shape, or perhaps he preferred women who weren't so pale.
One glance toward his flushed expression managed to erase her doubts. Especially once she remembered how he'd had no issues enjoying her figure throughout the day. Jaune had done his best to be discrete, but she'd caught him peeking at her legs once she'd changed into her skirt. But more importantly, she'd seen him looking enough times to recognize interest.
No, she was confident enough in her appearance to know that it was unlikely he'd cover her from disgust. But then, what? What could it be? Pyrrha genuinely couldn't imagine why Jaune was so upset, forcing her to draw a different conclusion altogether.
A soft "oh," flittered from a relieved smile as she glanced toward the other side of the blanket.
"Jaune," she soothed, placing a delicate hand over his, "don't worry. Ren didn't see anything. I made sure to be very careful." She laughed then, utterly delighted by her husband's reaction to the idea of another man seeing his wife. He must truly cherish her! It was enough to warm her already glowing heart.
The touching moment didn't extend beyond the warped confines of Pyrrha's semblance altered brain. And suddenly, it was Jaune's turn to stare in disbelief as he looked from the blankets to his partner multiple times before violently shaking his head.
"But I can see you!" he reminded her. Something that made total sense to him since, you know, they'd only met just that day and all? Yet, Pyrrha dared to look at him like he was the crazy one, taking her hand from his to cup his face in a tender caress.
"But," her smile returned, small and almost sad, "you're my husband, remember? Of course you get to look at my body. Why would I ever hide myself from the man I love more than anything?"
And as her smile widened into something far more heartfelt, Jaune stared into the shimmering green orbs, utterly frozen by the honesty inside. Maybe that was why, when he felt her hand start to pull the towel from his hands, he did nothing to stop her. The fabric slipped through his fingers right along with his sanity.
Jaune's eyes were still on Pyrrha's when the towel fell back to the floor. She was bared to the room once again. And not only did Pyrrha not mind if her husband saw her, she wanted his attention. She wanted him to look at her, his wife, and enjoy her body as a married couple was meant to do.
Jaune felt his jaw open, and he couldn't do anything to bring it back up. Pyrrha could see the temptation in his eyes, how much he wanted to look at her, and did nothing to ease his worry. She simply waited, staring deep into the apprehensive blue pools quivering with fear and uncertainty that she had no way of understanding. But neither did she need to—not to know that this was right.
"We're not married!" he insisted, face tense against Pyrrha's calm ease. He'd let this go on for too long. He recognized that now. He should have sat her down and explained things the moment she put on the ring, but he'd chickened out. "Pyrrha, do you hear what I'm saying? We. Aren't. Married."
"But we are married!" she disagreed, saying the words as if they were a fundamental aspect of the world as surely as the sky above and the Grimm they were meant to kill. "You see? I have the ring!"
She held it up for him proudly, like he could forget the damned thing. The gold band sparkled as if to mock him. She merely looked away from him for a moment, long enough to spare the physical proof of their love a joyful glance.
It was so beautiful. Pyrrha never got tired of looking at her ring. It was so perfect that it was almost like it had been made for her. Whereas Jaune shrank back from the jewelry like it was some horrid weapon he'd unknowingly unleashed against the world.
"But we're seventeen!" Jaune reminded her, desperate for her to comprehend his words. "Can't you see how that's a little weird? How many seventeen-year-olds do you know who get married?"
"When you know, you know?" Pyrrha shrugged at his concerns, seeing no issue with their ages. "I mean, what's the point of waiting when you already know you've met the person you want to spend the rest of your life with? If we're in love, and you know there's no one else you'd rather be with, I feel like it makes more sense to make it official as soon as possible to show your commitment to the entire world."
Her brilliant and clueless grin was like a knife straight to Jaune's heart.
"When!?" Jaune threatened to explode, his frustration peaking. "When could you have known that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with me, Pyrrha?"
Nothing Jaune was saying was getting through to her. He'd tried being gentle because he didn't want to have to hurt her feelings if he could help it. But leaving her like this was unarguably worse. He refused to be responsible for ruining her life when she'd been the only one to trust him. She shouldn't be punished for kindness. No one should.
"We met today, remember? We met a few hours ago before initiation. Are you seriously telling me you can't see how that's a little strange? Are you telling me that you can't remember how you went from having zero interest in me to suddenly being married? It's my semblance, okay? It fucked with your brain, and you have to remember."
He closed his eyes, praying to the gods, both light and dark, that it worked and that Pyrrha could break out of this magic bullshit. Hopefully, before he did anything that he regretted. To his relief, she didn't immediately refute him this time, frowning and appearing to reflect on everything he'd pointed out.
Jaune's knees almost gave out, and he had to stop himself from reaching out to catch himself on her shoulders. 'Yes!' He mentally cheered, 'remember! You're stronger than this. I know you can do it!'
But if he was expecting her to grab her head in pain or for the ring to start to crack and shatter as the real Pyrrha burst forth, Jaune was left disappointed. Instead, she answered with something that utterly crippled Jaune's carefully constructed resistance against the temptation of her companionship.
"But…" her eyelashes fluttered with confusion, "but that's not true. I was interested in you before the ring." And when she looked back up at her husband, the frustration in Jaune's expression was replaced by profound disbelief.
"What?" he stared, dumbfounded. "You wanted to get married…before you put on the ring?" Because that might change things. Not enough for him to actually marry her. Crazy was still crazy. But he might be much more comfortable ogling her lady bits like she'd been so generous to offer.
He'd been strong enough to resist up to this point, but he could already feel his eyes dangerously skirting the edge of her collar. A little too eager to fall the rest of the way and drink in her young curves. Unfortunately, Pyrrha quickly shook her head, and Jaune was momentarily taken aback at how disappointed that made him feel.
"No," she admitted, "but I liked you! I liked you a lot. I even rigged initiation so we could become partners. You seemed kind and genuine when we talked in the locker room."
Pyrrha stepped forward, swallowing the tiny space that used to exist between them. And finally, Jaune didn't need to look at her body because he could feel the softness of her naked breasts press into his chest through the single layer of his shirt. Her hands rested up on his shoulders in an intimate embrace.
"And you know what?" she cooed, pressing her face into his neck, "I was right. And I was so happy. So when you proposed, I knew it was the right choice to become your wife." And as she fell silent, Jaune was unable to argue further. He became frozen in the combination of firm strength and soft skin that seemed to define the red-haired warrior who he'd somehow claimed as his own.
She'd…liked him before the ring? That was somehow the most surprising thing he'd heard all day.
Honestly? He'd had a little crush on her, too. In the way that boys got crushes from seeing a pretty girl across the room. But the short time they'd spent together in the forest had only built on those feelings until he'd felt something more genuine stirring in his chest.
Part of him felt he should mourn his semblance's abilities all the more after this fact. Left to his own devices, it was impossible not to try and think about what could have been if the day hadn't been ruined by his power. They could have had a real relationship. He could have actually asked her out on a date! They could have really gotten to know each other. And after enough time, well, who knows?
But at the same time, he knew without a doubt that his semblance hadn't ruined anything. At least, nothing real. He knew himself well enough to recognize that no matter how his feelings might have developed, he'd never have been able to build up the courage to do anything about them. It was much more likely he'd have spent four years pining after a girl far too good for a guy like him.
Maybe that was why he'd let things go on for so long? It wasn't a proud rationalization, but it was impossible to ignore that he might not have hated her attention quite as much as he'd tried to insist. Having Pyrrha by his side, hanging on his arm, professing her love, he'd loved it. Because, of course he had. What guy wouldn't? He just refused to let himself enjoy the intimate moments, guilty and afraid of what would happen once life turned back into a pumpkin.
Jaune felt a shudder trail goosebumps along his arms and back as he finally admitted to himself the real issue he'd been facing. He did feel bad about what he'd done to Pyrrha. He did feel guilty. But it hadn't been why he'd been fighting her affection all day.
Instead of being afraid it would last forever, the truth was that he'd been anxiously waiting for Pyrrha to come to her senses. Because if it did end after he accepted her affection, the happiness he'd allowed himself to fall for would be ripped out from under him. And if that was all he could look forward to, it was better if she woke up before he let himself get used to the company of a pretty girl.
And why wouldn't it end? It already felt too good to be true. This entire scenario felt like a fairytale from one of his books back home. He was simply too happy. And that kind of stuff never lasted —not for him.
But…maybe it was time he tried to think a little more positively?
This was still a terrible thing that happened, and there was nothing he could do or say to change that. But maybe it was time he recognized that this ring's effects might be permanent. And that if he'd changed this girl's life forever, it was up to him to take responsibility.
No, he wasn't exactly thrilled at the idea of getting married before he was allowed to drink at his own reception. No matter how cute his wife turned out. But that ship had pretty much sailed by this point. And as much as there was to hate about the idea, if today taught him anything, it was that being a husband could be more fun than he thought.
And no, he wasn't only saying that because his so-called wife was literally hugging him as naked as the day she was born.
And even if he was…shut up, it wasn't his fault.
She made it way too easy to accept all of this madness, and to shrug his shoulders and go along with it because it was easy and made them both happy. And if nothing else, Jaune could admit that there was certainly enough of a physical attraction to make that part of the marriage no issue.
Unfortunately, he must have been dwelling on her assets for longer than he thought as the evidence began to stir. And having changed into a loose pair of sweatpants, Pyrrha was notified immediately of her husband's growing problem.
"Hmm," Pyrrha cooed, leaning back in a way that kept his attraction pinned between their bodies. But she needed to look into his eyes as she grinned coyly. "My, is that for me, I wonder?"
Jaune took a moment to recognize that he was the second person to notice he'd grown an erection. But as she felt him tense in her arms, Pyrrha soothed the worry away with a gentle kiss against his cheek. Just like in the forest, he was helpless against her lips. The boy relaxed into her touch, savoring the warmth pressed against his rigid front.
"S-Sorry," he shuttered, unable to help the apology. But Pyrrha's smile remained, taking on a humorous edge.
"You don't need to apologize to me," she answered with some appreciation, "I'm happy you want me. That's how a husband should feel for his wife, don't you think?"
Jaune didn't answer. He couldn't answer. Not when he realized his "wife" smelled even more incredible out of the shower than she had in the forest. The cinnamon smell from that afternoon was still there. But now, it was hidden beneath a heavy mask of flowery sweetness that drifted from her red locks.
He quickly leaned deeper into her, temptation, exhaustion, and a natural weakness all working against him to find relief in her lithe and towering figure. Pyrrha was all too happy spurring the young man on. Grasping his hands, she drew them up to hold the small of her waist. Her pale skin visibly flushed at the innocent touch.
"Don't be afraid to touch me," she invited him with another of her smiles, although this one stood out as especially shyer than the rest of her affection. "When you offered me that ring, you married me. And that means you get to touch me whenever you want. I won't ever turn you away if I can help it. I…you're the only man I want to touch me."
As her cheeks flushed and her eyes broke away to hide her embarrassment, the last of Jaune's resolve melted away like the slime that he was.
For the first time since their initiation, Pyrrha sucked in a breath at the sensation of Jaune's voluntary touch. His much larger hand cradled her cheek against his palm, the surprisingly smooth pad of his finger appreciating the squishy softness of her round face. A gentle urging forced her eyes back onto his, where she found his excitement and nervous energy pleasantly similar to hers.
He didn't say anything for a long time, content to admire Pyrrha's beautiful features and come to terms with the fact that this same creature was his wife.
Honestly? It didn't work. And all it really did was make him feel like a child playing at being an adult. But the love in her eyes was real. Magically induced or not. And if that was all he focused on, he felt he could return it. If only a fraction.
As he leaned in, slowly allowing his face to drift towards her, that was precisely what he tried to convey.
He gave her time to pull away if she wanted to, but she didn't. Instead, she met him before he could make it halfway, responding to his affection like she'd been starved. And this time, he made no move to push her away or avoid her. He tightened his hold on her waist, pulling her against him as he enjoyed the sensation of her kisses.
Pressed against each other in the middle of the room, the two became of one mind as they drifted towards something more solid to lean into. In this instance, that something turned out to be their dresser. A dresser full of sharp corners and knobby handles that met Jaune's back with the same eagerness as Pyrrha's curves.
It was proof of how utterly Pyrrha had captured his attention in how he barely noticed the sharp pain stabbing at his spine. Jaune was far more aware of the soft lips and the sensation of Pyrrha's hands slowly stroking up and down the meager muscle of his arm.
Eventually, Jaune was treated to a delighted hum as she pressed those fingers between their bodies to spread out against the flat plane of his stomach. She tested her nails against the admittedly firm muscle he'd managed to earn. And as they drew down, scratching ever so gently, Jaune shivered into her lips as goosebumps prickled in her path.
The appreciation didn't go unnoticed—far from it. Jaune visibly brightened at the approval, disbelief, and joy sparking through his gangly form at the idea of a beautiful woman showing attraction in him.
Not that it was that hard to believe. It wasn't like Jaune considered himself unattractive or out of shape. Just a little on the average side. Unimpressive. When in reality, most would view him on the upper end of fitness. Well, as far as civilians went, anyways.
His height and the length of his limbs merely made him look awkward. But he'd done his best to train himself before setting off for Beacon. As best as a young man can without instruction.
And yet, what he'd managed to build up was still nothing compared to ninety-nine percent of the other young men he'd seen since arriving at the huntsmen academy. With boys who had muscles that made Jaune's arms look like toothpicks.
It had only been a day, and he was already growing something of a complex. Part of him was worried that his less than impressive physique might give him away before his lack of talent and skills ever could.
But Pyrrha didn't seem to care. In fact, she appeared happy with his body. Pleased, even. Becoming excited to touch him and be touched by him in a way he didn't want to believe could be faked.
It was certainly enough for the small scraps of confidence he'd piece together to swell. And apparently, enough for him to add his tongue into their embrace, giving into the temptation constantly teasing at the back of his brain ever since he'd first gotten a taste of Pyrrha's soft lips. It turned out to be a pleasant surprise that turned Pyrrha's low hum into a sharp squeak of delight.
The noise was quickly followed by a more muted but prolonged moan as he felt the tip of her tongue meet his in the minty fresh confines of her mouth. It started with a taste, followed by a boulder sweep that drew the unique texture of her tastebuds against his own. And as the flavors of their saliva mixed, the shock of pleasure was enough to draw them even closer into their embrace until the room was filled with the wet smacks of lips and tongues so uniquely adolescent.
It was not the graceful dance you'd expect from a husband and wife. It was awkward, clumsy, and with more enthusiasm than either of them had any idea what to do with. But that was fine. After all, they had the rest of their lives to map out their partner's body.
It wasn't any surprise that Pyrrha was the first to take that step. After a single day of marriage, it was already pretty clear that her husband wasn't the assertive type. At least, not yet.
She didn't mind taking the initiative. Even though her face erupted with heat at the idea of what she was about to do. But it was technically still their wedding night, and she fully intended to gift her new husband everything she had to offer as a proper wife should.
"Jaune," Pyrrha broke the kiss with regret, already missing the stifling heat of his breath filling her mouth. Unfortunately, her husband had far less patience in letting his partner escape.
He quickly made do, shifting his attention from her lips towards her jaw and then her neck, letting his teeth graze her sensitive flesh the entire way. The effect threatened to wipe Pyrrha's mind of what she'd been about to say as her toes curled against the carpet.
"Jauune~!" She groaned, begging for his attention. And when that still wasn't enough, she had to physically extract herself from his hands, a move that proved far more challenging than she'd expected, despite her superior strength. Feeling her struggle, Jaune pulled enough blood back into his brain to release his grip and watch her slip away.
"W-What happened, what?" he blinked, the haze over his vision clearing. "Did I do something wrong?" That was his initial assumption. But when he looked at her face, he was relieved to see Pyrrha was still smiling and seemed receptive. Although, he wouldn't know just how receptive until he watched her back away, making a point to stay facing him until the back of her legs met the edge of his bed.
She lowered herself daintily, her smile wide and eyes bright as her hand gently patted the spot beside her hips. It was an unmistakable gesture. Yet, Jaune's eyes sought hers for confirmation, forcing her gaze to shyly duck toward her lap.
"I…think we'd be more comfortable on a bed, don't you?"
"Oh," Jaune answered intelligently. He hadn't really thought about where all that kissing could lead, which was pretty dumb now that he had a second to think. Pyrrha was already naked. Not to mention, she still thought of tonight as her wedding night.
He swallowed against his throat, painfully aware of the drop of sweat trickling down his temple. Now that he had brought it up, he couldn't stop thinking about Pyrrha's nakedness. And this time, there wasn't anything to stop his eyes from sweeping down to admire her.
Their silence stretched as he admired the delicate slope of her breasts and wide nipples. And seated on his bed, bashful and adorable, she looked to be, quite literally, the perfect blushing bride waiting to be devoured.
"Unless…you don't want to?" It seemed he'd been quiet too long. And along with his stunted response, she'd begun to fear the worst. "I've tried to ignore it, but I feel like you've been so distant all day. I... hope I haven't done anything to make you upset?" He rushed to reassure her.
"I-I do!" he blurted, like any child about to get his newest toy taken away. But the emotion reached his wife, who brightened at the urgency. "I mean, I do want to. Absolutely. That's not the issue. I just…" he trailed off.
'I just feel like if I do this, it will really start to feel like we're married. And I don't know if I'm ready for that.' He didn't say the words. He couldn't. But they were as close to his true feelings as he could express.
But then again, wasn't that the least he owned this girl whose life he'd irrevocably changed? She truly, genuinely believed she was his wife. All because of him. And ready for that kind of commitment or not, he owed it to her to try and be the man she so clearly saw in him. A man who'd proposed to her, who loved her, and who'd chosen to spend the rest of his life with her.
That…that wasn't him. But it could be. He could be. Maybe. If he tried. At this point, it felt like the only honorable option he had left. To become her husband and to make up for brainwashing her in the first place. With all that it entailed, good and bad. It just so happened that this moment was very, very good.
Besides, it wasn't like Pyrrha was reluctant to his company. Heck, if she were blushing any brighter, she might disappear into that beautiful red hair of hers. He had to accept that his enjoyment wasn't the only thing to consider, and one of his husbandly responsibilities was ensuring his wife was satisfied in all areas. And considering his wife's feelings sure seemed like the first step towards being a good husband.
"I just…" he repeated, searching for a response, "I want to make sure this is something you want too? I know it's our first night together since I…" he winced, "married you, but you don't have to do anything because of that, you know? This is all happening so fast. I would understand if you wanted to take a week or month to get to know each other first."
But while he said that, he could practically feel his body reject his gesture. Or, well, one part of him at least. Which was expected after a good thirty minutes of grinding the shit out of his cock against Pyrrha's leg. The pang that ran along his balls screamed at him, "oh, so now you want to be the good guy?"
But he did. Even if he messed everything up at the start and was expected to spend the rest of his life making up for the fact, the least he could do was try and think of Pyrrha beyond a hot girl he wanted to sleep with. Even if, at the moment, that part of her seemed the most important.
"Jaune," Pyrrha cooed. And any blue balls on his part thawed at the picture of her touched expression; one hand pressed above her breast. "Thank you for thinking about me. I can't tell you how happy it makes me to know my husband is so considerate. But, ah…" and this time, her cheeks flushed for an entirely different reason.
"But?" Jaune prompted, tickled by her embarrassment.
She answered with a considering sound. "Well, you're…pretty dense, aren't you?"
And Jaune, utterly failing to expect that answer, blinked owlishly. Pyrrha couldn't stop herself from openly giggling despite her apologetic wince.
"Jaune, I was ready to jump you in that forest before you insisted we finish initiation," she explained, offering a sympathetic smile. "Don't get me wrong. It was the right thing to do. But that doesn't explain why we couldn't have snuck away afterward during lunch, and not to mention dinner!" Her eyes rolled in a dramatic curve to convey her exasperation. "I mean, did you really think I needed to use the bathroom five times in an hour? I was trying to get you to follow me so we could run upstairs before Ren and Nora settled in. I must have elbowed you a hundred times!"
Jaune's dumbfounded expression didn't change. Oh…huh, yeah. That made sense. And it was also kind of a relief. He'd assumed the cafeteria food wasn't agreeing with her.
"I thought it was weird you kept inviting me to follow you," he mused out loud. And it took everything in his wife to keep from slapping her palm to her face.
"Why would I ever actually invite you into the bathroom?" she pleaded. Marveling at the conclusion he'd reached. It was enough for Jaune to blanch, backpedaling to explain himself.
"I-I don't know!" he argued, "I thought it was a girl thing. Don't girls always have other girls with them when they go to the bathroom?"
"The key word being other girls, yes! I don't think the school would be very forgiving if you followed me. And that still wasn't the most obvious sign!" She shook her head, too amused to show any real anger. Jaune was almost too afraid to ask.
He did it anyway. "It wasn't?"
Rather than answer, Pyrrha's back straightened as her eyes shifted away before she gestured towards his crotch. He did his best to follow her direction, only to realize she was pointing out a very large and apparent dark spot that had somehow appeared on his thigh.
He was ashamed to say it still took him a few seconds to realize what he was looking at. But as soon as his two brain cells managed to rub together, his eyes slowly traced the carpet until his gaze landed on his wife's legs, purposefully and shyly pressed together. The same legs she'd had wrapped around him in the heat of their make-out...
"Wow," Jaune eventually answered, but only after letting the room marinate in awkward silence.
If anything, his words urged Pyrrha's face to brighten as she contemplated hiding under the covers for relief. She'd done her best to stay confident thus far, but any girl would get a little bashful exposing herself for the first time, even to her husband. Fortunately for her, Jaune finished the thought before she completely caved to her embarrassment.
"Wow," Jaune sucked in a breath, "I am an idiot."
It was enough to earn a peek from the lady, who only turned back completely after seeing his utterly pathetic expression. Jaune stared at her with an open apology, shrugging his shoulders as if to ask, 'what are you gonna do?'
"Sorry that you had to marry an idiot. I, ah, won't blame you if you still wanted to back out." he offered in half jest. In reality, seeing that she was that aroused all but sealed away his conscience for the night.
His wife was telling him that she wanted him, and he'd seen physical proof. It turned him on in a way he'd never experienced. He couldn't hold back anymore, so he was giving her one last chance to back out.
Pyrrha didn't linger on the thought for a second. "It's not so bad," she teased, "I certainly feel I could have done much worse for myself. I'd even say that it's quite adorable," there was a brief pause, "most of the time." Hopefully, next time he'd catch her hints a little sooner.
"Man," Jaune breathed a huge sigh, "if you think dense is adorable, it's no wonder you're in love with me." It got the desired effect as the room was once again filled with Pyrrha's tinkling laughter. The mirth remained as she sent him an utterly loving stare.
"No," she agreed, "there really isn't." And she meant it, much to Jaune's continued disbelief.
Another moment followed, this one much warmer than the last. And the two spent the entire time gazing at each other, warmth steadily filling their chests. So when Pyrrha spoke up, Jaune knew that he was ready.
"Jaune?" her voice had taken on an ever-softer tone. "Would you please…get the lights and come to bed with your wife?"
And damn him, he hated how much he was starting to love the sound of that.
A/N: Another new story and another first chapter. For those of you who didn't read my last author's not in Bonded and Bound, every two weeks I'm going to be posting a chapter from the stockpile of stories I built up during my absence. Some stories have more written than others, and I'll be posting out of order randomly rather than focusing on one at a time. I Thee Wed does already have a second chapter written and completed, but I'm not yet sure when it will go up so be sure to follow/subscribe if you want to be notified. Or, better yet, follow/subscribe to my profile to be notified when any of my stories are posted. You won't be disappointed.
Also, please remember that while this story will be going up on FF, many of my stories don't. It's at my discretion and I choose what's appropriate for what site. For instance, I already have the 26th's story planned out and it will be exclusive to Ao3 due to content. That said, all of my work does end up posted on Ao3 so if you want to read more of my work, that is where you'll look.
Hopefully you enjoyed the first chapter and are looking forward to more. Be sure to let me know.
