Jaune woke to a crack of thunder.

It is so sudden that he is confused, heart racing – and it takes several long moments to recognise the sound of rain pounding against the roof of their makeshift hut. If not for the plastic sheet, they'd have been drenched in seconds, it is coming down so hard. Next comes the howling wind and the entire structure creaks but ultimately holds, the sound deafening as the leaves of the trees above whip against one another.

A storm had rolled in during the night.

It was still dark, pitch black; so deep that he couldn't make out a single shape. That was until a flash of lightning lit up the entrance, so brief that if he blinked, he would have missed it. Then another crack of thunder sounded, rumbling deeply overhead.

They'd gotten lucky. If the storm had blown in off the water, the wind and rain would have lashed them through the doorway. The sheet would have been little protection. Since it hadn't, Jaune could only think that it must have come across from the other side of the island, the winds driving the worst of it overhead. A small blessing but one all the same.

Thankful for the small mercy, Jaune shifted. Weiss was still curled against him, soft and warm, but Blake was rigid, the line of her body stiff like a plank of wood. He knew she was awake at once, muscles coiled and tense. As if she were ready to flee at any moment, if the need should arise.

He leaned her way, until his lips brushed against the top of her head.

"Blake?" he whispered.

She jumped, startled, and Jaune felt her ears flutter against his cheeks as they flick.

"Jaune?"

He can barely hear her over the rain and wind, and when another thunderclap booms, she flinches. Without thinking about it, he curls his arm around her back, pulling her body more firmly against him.

"Don't like storms?"

It's small but he feels her shake her head against him, her face buried in the crook of his arm.

He had a sister – Violette – who was absolutely terrified of them. She was older than Jaune by two years so she loathed showing weakness to her little brother but her fear was such that even her pride could not win out. When he was younger, no older than eight or nine, he could first remember times when she would crawl into his bed. He wasn't sure why she chose him over all of their other siblings; he wasn't exactly known for being especially brave, and the storms had oftentimes scared him as well, but maybe it was as simple as him being a boy. It had carried on for years, even as they aged – the last time he recalled such a thing happening, he was fifteen and she was seventeen. Their other sisters teased her so horrendously that it never happened again but he remembered the comfort he provided in just being there with her.

He could do the same for Blake.

She might not have been his sister but she was a friend, and he didn't want to see his friend scared.

Weiss slept on, dead to the world as he untangled himself from her hold and rolled Blake's way. He couldn't see her but he could feel her surprise as he embraced her fully, hugging her to his chest as he enveloped her in his arms.

"It's fine," he told her. "I'm here."

"I'm not a child," she bristled, her tone sharp.

"I know," he soothed. "Believe me, I know."

"Now you're being condescending," Blake muttered.

His next words were cut off as their small hut lit up, followed quickly by a deafening crack. That one was close, Jaune's ears ringing. It must have been way worse for Blake, a cat faunus with four ears instead of two.

"My sister hates storms as well," he told her, trying to divert her attention. "Whenever she'd crawl into my bed, we'd just talk to keep her distracted. There was lots of hugging, as well."

Blake scoffed.

"Jaune?" a sleepy voice called. Weiss was awake. That last thunderclap had been too much for her to sleep through. "Where are you?"

"I'm here," he said loudly and he felt her roll into his back, spooning him. "Sorry – Blake is having trouble sleeping. I'm trying to calm her down."

"Now you're making me sound like a pet," Blake grumbled.

Jaune felt Weiss reach around him and start patting Blake on the head.

"There, there," Weiss said through a yawn. "Everything will be alright."

"I hate both of you," Blake sulked. "So much."

It didn't really have much sting in it, especially when he could feel every little shiver and shake as the weather progressively got worse. Between gusts of wind, he could hear the waves crashing upon the beach in a violent swell.

In opposition to Blake, Weiss seemed completely at ease. Even when the thunder boomed loudly, she didn't even twitch. She simply snuggled against his back, her breath gusting across the nape of his neck.

Jaune swallowed thickly.

She had been very... affectionate lately. Both of them had been. He couldn't remember the pair ever being so touchy but when they were sitting around the fire, they'd both leaned into him. When they slept, it was expected – for warmth, and because when you slept, you couldn't control where you ended up.

It was... nice.

He liked it.

This was nice, too.

He sighed and Blake wiggled in his arms, the top of her head rubbing the underside of his chin. Whenever her ears moved, it tickled him like little feathers teasing his skin. Without thinking, he nuzzled her, inhaling deeply. After bathing in the fresh spring, she smelt clean, the hint of salt from the sea gone but there were no artificial scents either. No shampoo, no body wash, no perfume – just Blake.

Then he froze.

"Uh," he tried to play it cool.

He failed.

But she didn't seem to notice anything amiss, one of her arms sliding around his waist and across Weiss.

"We get bad storms on Menagerie," Blake shared unexpectedly. "Bad enough that it can damage the village. When I was little, there was a particularly bad one. A cyclone crossed over and made landfall, and it destroyed a lot of homes. I can still remember how the wind sounded as it howled past my window, and the cracking of wood as trees were felled around us."

To a young girl, that must have been terrifying. Even as an adult, that would be a harrowing experience.

"It's stupid," she continued. "I'm training to fight Grimm for a living and I'm scared of a little bad weather."

"It isn't stupid," Jaune admonished. "What good is Gambol Shroud against a storm? What good is your semblance? Sure, having aura helps against getting hurt but nature can be much more perilous than Grimm. We all almost drowned, remember? All our training and the ocean was what nearly killed us in the end."

She was silent for a beat.

"You think so?"

"Everyone is scared of something," Weiss was the one that spoke up, resuming her patting of Blake's head. The cat faunus huffed but allowed it. "There are much more silly things to be frightened of than mother nature. Military personnel, Huntsmen – every year, the harsh conditions on Solitas claim more than a few lives. Be it through a blizzard or some other weather event. Even the Grimm are given pause when such things occur. Anything that can stop those creatures in their tracks isn't something to dismiss."

"...I still feel dumb, feeling this way."

"Maybe you're just dumb then."

Blake fired up at once.

"Excuse me? I didn't ask."

She'd taken the clear provocation without thinking and Jaune held back a grin. It might have been dark and she had her face pressed into him but Blake could see in the dark.

"I hate spiders," Weiss shared unhelpfully.

"I don't care."

"They have too many legs and eyes," Weiss continued, unconcerned. "They scuttle around and make webs, trapping prey. Doesn't that seem a little creepy? Other animals just hunt things. Why can't they do that?"

"Some do," Jaune piped up.

She ignored him.

"They're only small but they always freak me out when I see them," Weiss then huffed. "But then there are those Grimm that look like spiders; those are worse. Why are those even a thing? I'd take any other type of Grimm – even that stupid Kraken that attacked our ship."

When the thunder clapped next, Blake's reaction was a lot less severe.

"It's too cold in Solitas for many spiders to thrive. There are a few species but none of them are venomous. I suppose that is a small comfort but I always made sure that my butler, Klein, kept an eye out for any that decided to settle in the Schnee Manor. I refuse to share a space with them."

She was beginning to ramble but it was working. It wasn't a total thing; Blake still twitched whenever the sky flashed, anticipating the crack to follow, but she was no longer quivering in fear as Weiss continued to share her hatred of spiders. It was almost like she was reading from an encyclopedia, the knowledge pouring out of her non-stop and Jaune realized that yeah, Weiss was totally the type of girl to study what she hated until she knew everything about it, in an effort to help her understand her fear.

It was cute – and one of the things he'd loved about her, this pedantic behavior of hers.

Maybe loved wasn't the right word. It wasn't like he didn't still love that part of her, it was just that... it was different now.

"There are spider faunus," Blake eventually spoke, cutting across Weiss' rambling. The heiress paused.

"Are there?"

Even though they couldn't see it, Blake nodded. Jaune only knew because her face was buried in his arm.

"Yes."

"...how many legs do they have?"

He couldn't suppress it. Jaune snorted, his entire body shaking. Weiss jabbed him in the back with her fingers, hard enough to actually hurt.

"What are you laughing at, huh?" she said haughtily. "What about this is funny?"

He wanted to say everything but he was vulnerable in this position, so chose to remain silent.

"That's what I thought."

"They have two legs," Blake sounded very amused. "All the ones I've met can make web, though."

Jaune thought about that statement for a moment and judging by Weiss' silence, she was as well. He tried to imagine what that might look like but he could only think of the most ridiculous examples. The types of examples that he didn't dare share because there was no way Blake didn't think poorly about him for.

Weiss was more brave.

"Ew," she finally said.

"Hey..."

Wasn't that a bit rude?

"What do you mean 'ew'?" Blake asked heatedly. "It is a perfectly normal bodily function."

"...no it isn't."

These girls...

"Weiss," Blake said in disbelief.

"Where does it come out of?"

"Okay..." Jaune tried to intervene. What was wrong with her?

"Her wrists," Blake said exasperated. "It comes out of her wrists!"

That was definitely better than the alternatives that he had been thinking of. He was glad he'd kept his mouth shut.

Weiss hummed. "I still think it's creepy."

The storm continued to rage as they bickered back and forth with him trapped right in the middle. Funnily enough, it was their arguing more than anything else that lulled him back to sleep. The last thing he remembered was Blake admonishing Weiss and then the next moment, he was waking to the sun peeking through their curtain.

The rain had stopped, as had the thunder and lightning. While it wasn't as strong, Jaune could still hear the wind whipping around their shelter. Not quite howling but powerful gusts that would stir up with little warning. He had ended up on his back again, Blake and Weiss almost on top of him. Thankfully, his morning wood had decided to skip a day but feeling the way their thighs were clamped around his legs threatened to bring it to life.

They were both clothed but he could feel the heat of their cores, pressed into his thighs. Weiss' legs were slender but strong, sculpted with lithe muscle while Blake's were toned but a little plumper in the thigh. They both squeezed him firmly, molded to him perfectly – and he loved it, even if he maybe shouldn't.

For a short moment in time, he could pretend that maybe he meant something more to them. That this wasn't just a result of circumstance. What guy wouldn't want two gorgeous women to desire him?

Then he shook his head, chasing that fanciful thought away.

Dreams were free. At least it wouldn't cost him anything.

He needed to get up but there was no way of escaping this predicament without waking them.

"Weiss," he whispered, giving her a little shake. "Weiss, wake up."

Her face scrunched cutely and he watched fondly as her eyes fluttered open. She gazed up at him lazily, the blue of her irises seemingly even paler than usual; like clear ice.

"Morning," he greeted.

"Morning," she returned, nuzzling his chest. Then she tensed, feeling his leg between her own. "Um..."

There was a moment where they just stared at each other, wordless. Then she wiggled her hips, almost like she was grinding against him and he felt his mouth run dry as her pupils visibly dilated. His length twitched, threatening to rise.

"Mmm'orning," Blake moaned as she awoke, stretching – and the moment was lost, Weiss quickly untangling herself and rolling away. Blake rose up on all fours, looming above him. "Mm – the storm...?"

She became much more alert, glancing around.

Her position was doing very interesting things to her chest. She clearly wasn't wearing a bra, her ample tits hanging loosely against the salvaged shirt. Jaune looked away as he felt his loins stir – first Weiss, now Blake.

What a wonderful problem to have.

"It appears to have passed," Weiss said, answering Blake. When he glanced her way, he noticed that her ears were a little red. "Only the wind remains."

The beach was a mess.

Branches and leaves from trees littered the sands while clusters of coconuts had fallen all around their hut. The sky was overcast but the sun was trying its best to break through. The sea still churned with fury, the waves crashing violently upon the shoreline, the turbulent waters frothy. They had to shield their eyes as another gust of wind rolled through, kicking up grains of sand that pelted them remorselessly.

"Well, this is a lovely day, isn't it?" Weiss asked sarcastically.

"At least it isn't hot," Blake tried to find the bright side.

The temperature had dropped, that was for sure. It wasn't cold, though. Not unless you were buffeted by the wind.

The signal fire they'd lit the night before hadn't even burned halfway down before the pouring rain had doused it, the blackened stack of wood collapsed to the side in a very pathetic heap.

They dressed quickly into their combat attire and began clearing up the area immediately around their camp. They ate coconuts for breakfast, taking advantage of the bounty mother nature had prepared for them before Jaune inspected their shelter for any damage. A few of the palm leaves on the roof had been torn free but otherwise, it was in perfect condition. The hardened mixture of mud and clay had done its job well, the walls sturdy and waterproof.

Weiss and Blake had decided to search down the beach and came rushing back only ten minutes later.

"Jaune!" Blake called and the urgency in her voice had his heart rate spike. "Jaune!"

"What? What is it?" he asked, thinking the worst.

"You have to see this."

This was a hell of a lot more debris washed up. The storm had brought in more wreckage; a lot more.

That wasn't a good sign.

He tried not to think about it but his thoughts immediately went to Ren.

They searched through it but didn't find much. It was mostly twisted metal, plastic and wood. There were a few more suitcases, waterlogged – but that was it. Thankfully, there were no bodies.

"Wait, this is mine," Blake exclaimed and Jaune turned, watching her drag a piece of luggage out of the sand where it was half buried. When she opened it, an assortment of familiar garments met their eyes.

Aside from the clothing, there were more dust cartridges for Gambol Shroud packed inside. Blake removed those and put them in her satchel for safe keeping. Weiss leaned down and picked up a small triangular piece of lacy black material with some very thin strings, holding it up with a smirk.

Blake snatched it back, mortified.

Jaune pretended like he didn't see a thing.

He cleared his throat. "Let's get these back to camp."

When they got back, a light drizzle of rain began to fall. They retreated back inside where it was dry – and proceeded to lose their minds to boredom.

They had nothing to do.

Jaune removed his armor and lay back down on their bed, a little lost. They usually had things to do to occupy their time but with the bad weather, they were essentially trapped inside unless they wanted to get soaked. All they had was each other.

They didn't even have a deck of cards.

"This sucks," Blake said and Weiss snickered.

They sat in silence for some time, listening to the rain fall. Blake dozed lightly, catching up on any sleep she had lost due to the booming thunder but Jaune was wide awake. Tucking his arms behind his head, he stared up at the ceiling – and blinked in surprise when Weiss settled in next to him, placing her head on his chest.

"Weiss?" he asked.

"You're comfortable," she said.

One of her small, dainty hands rested on his stomach. For some reason, this felt different but he couldn't place his finger on why. When she began doodling shapes on his hoodie, her nail lightly pressing in so he could feel it more acutely, he felt his blood thrum beneath his skin.

"Tell me more about your family," she ordered.

Jaune chuckled. "Okay."

So he did. He talked about their duties on the farm and how with so many kids, their parents never needed to hire any farm hands. They had bred their own little workforce into existence. He told her about the different animals they kept. Cows were the main livestock they dealt with, selling their meat and milk but they also had chickens for fresh eggs, goats to help keep any unruly brush from overgrowing fences around the edges of their land and sheep from time to time, the meat from which they kept for themselves. Weiss listened while continuing to draw shapes on his stomach, drawing closer until he could feel one of her feet toying with his own.

Combined with what she'd done that morning, it felt very intimate – almost like she was his girlfriend.

"Saphron moved away as soon as she able," he said. "She met a girl on an online course and as soon as she turned eighteen, she flew the coop. They're married now and have a kid in Argus. She hated the farm and couldn't wait to get away from it."

"Did you like it?" Weiss asked softly. "Working on the farm?"

He didn't have to think about his answer.

"No, not really," he confessed. "I mean – I loved the animals and I didn't hate it because it was hard work, though cleaning out the hen house was horrible. I just felt... restless. I wanted to be a Huntsman so badly that it was all I ever thought about. But there are no combat schools out where we live and my parents weren't going to send me away to one, not when there was work that needed doing. I felt trapped."

"Like a songbird in a cage," Weiss mused though he knew she wasn't talking about him.

"I won't lie, though. Sometimes I find myself missing it," Jaune mused aloud. "There is something... calming about doing that type of work. It is also very satisfying in a way that few things are."

He wondered what his parents were doing right this minute. Calving season would be at an end soon and then it would be time for lambs. The last he spoke to his father, he'd been planning on getting more sheep. There had always been talk of expanding, maybe getting into wool or selling the meat rather than keeping it for themselves but they had never gone through with it. Maybe it was finally time.

Jaune hoped he was able to get back before Beacon was forced to pronounce him 'Missing in Action'. He didn't want his family to experience that kind of worry.

"What are you thinking about?" Weiss asked.

"Just my parents. I hope we're found soon so they don't hear about it and worry."

Weiss hummed.

He had a thought.

"Sing for me," he said abruptly and her hand paused.

"What?"

"Sing for me," he repeated and daring to dare, he placed a hand on her arm, caressing her soft skin. "I've only ever heard recordings. I want to hear the real deal."

When she didn't answer, he was afraid that he had overstepped somehow. The more he learned about Weiss' upbringing, the more he understood that even the most innocuous things could in fact hold great weight for her.

"I mean, if it isn't too much trouble," he added. "You have such a beautiful voice and – I mean, er – I just thought it would be a good way to pass the time." He was putting his foot in his mouth. "Uh – and there is no cage here. You are free..."

What was he even talking about?

She laughed, a cute giggle that shook her body.

"How is it that you can have such a way with words sometimes but then you speak like this."

Jaune groaned. "If I knew, I would stop. Trust me."

"...so you've heard my songs?"

He wasn't sure but she sounded... hesitant.

"Some of them," he said. "Uh – after initiation, I did a little digging around. You made Pyrrha sound like such a big deal so I searched her name and I found a ton of stuff about her professional fighting career – and then I searched yours, since it seemed like you were also well known. That's how I found your music."

She peered up at him with half-lidded eyes, her chin resting on his chest.

"You really are a country bumpkin, aren't you? Not knowing who I was... honestly."

Weiss didn't appear displeased, though. She looked happy about it.

"What did you think of those songs that you heard?"

If he was being completely honest...

"I loved them... and hated them."

The surprise was clear on her face.

"How so?"

"They sounded amazing. Like I said, you have a beautiful voice," there was no lie there. "Soon as I heard it, I was a goner; seriously. I typically listen to rock and stuff like that but... nothing had ever made me feel that way before from just sound alone. When I actually listened to the lyrics, though..."

It made him feel horrible.

"It was very lonely."

Without warning, she threw a leg over his waist and straddled him. Jaune stared at her, startled as her combat skirt rode up her magnificent legs, showing off her creamy thighs. Her weight was slight and warm, settled directly on his crotch and he recalled how hot she had felt, wrapped around his leg just this morning, her core flush on his leg.

"Weiss?"

"I was very lonely," she said, her eyes shining. Slender fingers cupped his cheeks, nails lightly raking through his stubble. "But I'm not any more."

And then she leaned down, her lips meeting his.

For a split second, he thought he had fallen asleep and this was some type of dream – or if he was still awake, a hallucination. Once upon a time, he'd had a similar fantasy as this play out in his sleep. One where Weiss had kissed him and told him she loved him, and wished to be with him. It had been so fantastic that even within the dream, Jaune had known it wasn't real – and yet he hadn't awoken, holding onto the fragment of bliss his imagination had conjured up.

But this wasn't a dream. He knew because in that dream, Weiss had been perfect. She had kissed him until his toes curled, so feather soft and sure. This Weiss was clumsy, uncertain. She pushed too hard, and when he opened his mouth, their teeth clashed painfully.

She pulled away, a worried expression dominating her face and Jaune stared at her stupidly.

"I've never – that was – my first kiss," she tried to explain, face turning red. "Oh god, I ruined it. I didn't mean-hnm~!"

He didn't let her finish, a hand curling around the back of her neck and pulling her down. This time when their lips met, they moved together, slowly coaxing their passion. Her fingers clawed at his neck as he deepened their liplock, opening his mouth and sucking on her lower lip. Weiss moaned deeply, a sound that shot straight to his balls and Jaune felt his length begin to swell. When her tongue hesitantly peeked out, he met it eagerly.

She tasted of coconut – he supposed he probably tasted the same way.

Her mouth was hot and wet, her tongue small, slender. Jaune pulled her more firmly against his body, a hand settling on her waist as she wiggled her hips, grinding on his growing erection. Weiss gasped, opening her mouth even further and he devoured her, their tongues gliding together.

He was kissing Weiss Schnee.

It was almost too much to believe. This was the girl of his dreams, the girl he had spent and devoted so much of his heart to, only to let go of when it was clear she didn't return his affections.

She made little cute sounds of exertion as she began to rock her hips, her panty-clad core riding up and down his clothed cock. He could feel the scorching heat of her pussy, blazing through his trousers, her hot mouth moving faster, with more urgency. When he sucked on her tongue, she groaned into his mouth.

"Mmm – that's it," he whispered during a brief lull, breathing deeply as his heart jackhammered against his ribcage. His arousal bloomed, hot and heavy, his cock throbbing as it grew even further. "Mmm, Weiss."

She became almost frantic with her movement, rutting against him powerfully as she squeaked and moaned into his kisses. Her tongue swirled in his mouth, trying to taste everything all at once. Jaune bit her lip and she shuddered, her breathing labored, chest heaving against him. When he squeezed her waist, her body jumped against him.

They kissed and kissed and kissed until his jaw felt numb, his lips burning and begging for respite – and then they kissed some more. His cock was now at full mast, painfully hard, trapped by his jeans with no way out. Pressing his heels against the floor, he began thrusting up against her heated snatch, creating even more delicious friction between their crotches. Weiss sobbed in bliss, seething with repressed feelings.

"It f-feels so good," she uttered breathlessly, her lips swollen and red. They were glossy with their spit, plump and inviting. He snatched them back, consuming her cries as she began to swivel her hips in a circular motion. "Mnng~! Mwah~! Mmgggg—Jaune~!"

"Weiss," he hissed, the hand on her waist slipping lower. Grabbing her thigh, he squeezed it, relishing her soft, smooth skin before moving up. When his fingers sunk into the soft flesh of her magnificent ass, her hips stuttered.

He helped guide her movements, pulling on her bubble butt to force her crotch even harder against his straining cock. He could feel her wetness now, soaking through his pants and underwear, drenching him and it only made his dick harder. She'd found a good spot, focusing her movements there until broken gasps escaped her lips between kisses.

"I'm close," she whined, face twisted in ecstasy. "Oh, I'm so close."

He saw the moment she reached her peak play out on her face, eyes rolling up as she inhaled sharply. Expression crumpling in pure pleasure, he swallowed her climatic cries as her hips jolted and swung wildly against him in orgasm, dry humping into oblivion. Jaune groaned, pumping against her twat furiously, forcing tortured screams of passion from her throat, which he muffled with his mouth and tongue. As she shattered in his arms completely, he wondered – what would she do if he freed his erection and pulled her sodden panties aside, and claimed her virginity in one, brutal thrust?

But in the end, he didn't take that plunge.

All the while, neither one noticed the wide amber eyes that watched them in a state of disbelief – and envious desire.

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