AN: So this one is a bit short and I glaze over a lot in it because not much happens in the return of their third year before their winter break.

I also didn't detail the Bracket Games this time around. It was just a personal choice.

There is smut in this chapter. It's not their usual intimacy but more of a desire driven sudden moment.

Ch 39: Returning

The Bracket Games would be going on again. Team JSSN were in the training rooms with Ruby and Yang, working on their continued improvements. Weiss had even joined them to work with Spadix on her timing with her bow and dust arrows, zipping around on glyphs to keep the owl on her toes.

The team were excited for this go round even if the pool of potential opponents was the same. As they ended training worn out, Yang gave Indi a hand off the ground and Ruby and Sterling were talking happily about some possible improvements for Petal Thorn to raise the rifle efficiency. Jin and Spadix got to the benches for water first. Jin was getting better at staying calm. they stood there for water as the other two joined them, Indi falling onto the bench with a worn out grunt.

Spadix merely patted her friend's back as Indi whined, "I'm never going to beat her am I?"

Jin chuckled, "Oh definitely not. But that is not your fault. I can't beat her either and I'm way stronger than you and much better at close combat. Try not to let it get you down."

Indi whined, stretching sore muscles and groaning at bruises. Their instructors waved them off as they left the team to it. Spadix watched them go before turning to the others, "Dinner?"

They all seemed to weakly but unanimously agree, dragging their feet to the dinning hall. Even if Jin had mostly mediated the entire session, her brain was exhausted from trying to focus for so long. Over dinner, they discussed the tournament coming up as well as their new set of course work. In traditional fashion, Indi and Sterling began passing study material between them, their tired eyes focused on the work.

Jin and Spadix just ate and watched the two before they all turned in for the evening. The usual fight for the showers commenced but eventually everyone had their turn. Spadix was reading with Jin resting her head in her lap like they often did, talons running through Jin's long hair to help the dragon relax and wind down.

Jin and Sterling agreed to participate in the partner games this year again.

—-

This year, Team JSSN didn't make it past the semi-finals in the games, landing in third place for their year. Everyone had been working hard to improve after all, not just their team. While it was a blow to their pride, they were at least relieved that Jin and Sterling came out on top again in the partner games and at least now they could just comfortably watch the tournament and enjoy the lack of classes. To no one's surprise, Team SLVR was first place in the fourth years.

They managed to celebrate Indi's birthday too, all going out to eat together this time and Spadix taking her for the cupcake afterwards. And just like that, they were back to classes and exams the following week. The study duo were putting in extra library time on top of all their extra training, trying to keep up with the more advanced study material.

Spadix continued to study alone in the dorm while Jin had taken to simple workout routines in the dorm during that time. Spadix often found herself distracted by this but pushed through it. This particular night however, Spadix couldn't stop from watching Jin doing push ups from over the top of her book.

Eyes glancing over tense muscles and sweating skin as Jin pushed herself to hit a higher goal count. The owl bit her lip. They hadn't really been very close beyond a few fleeting moments since the emotional night over the summer. It wasn't that they were avoiding it, they just were more overwhelmed with school work, small missions on weekends, and exams then they were used to, putting a damper on any time alone together.

Spadix let out a very quiet whine as she watched, hoping to get the dragon's attention. It worked. Jin glanced up with a wicked grin and pushed through a few more before sitting back against her bed on the floor, panting a bit from the exertion. She locked eyes with Spadix over the book and could see the beckoning in the owl's eyes.

Jin got up and moved closer, leaning in and over the owl's book, placing her lips against the other's. Spadix let out a gentle moan as their kiss deepened, Jin's tongue sliding along her own, the owl's curving around the odd shape of it playfully. Jin pulled Spadix into her lap after joining the owl on the bed, nuzzling into her neck as hot hands caressed toned thighs.

Spadix's breath hitched as those burning hands found their way under her shorts and slid closer and closer to her center. She could feel the playful growl in Jin's chest pressed into her back and couldn't help but twitch, legs giving Jin more access as they parted eagerly. Spadix leaned her head back against Jin's shoulder when she felt the gentlest of brushes across her covered slit.

Jin's fingers slowly stroked up and down along her sex, refusing to give any more or any less and Spadix writhed in her lap, hips squirming, her voice trembling as she whispered the dragon's name. Jin shivered at that, her other hand reaching to lace her fingers under Spadix's waistband. She removed the bothersome shorts and underwear before laying the owl back, nipping and kissing along her neck before she moved herself down, nipping at those smooth thighs.

Spadix whimpered and twitched, moaning when Jin's tongue ran across her wet slit up to her clit. The wet muscle circling around the bud and stroking it as Jin brought a finger to tease the owl's entrance. It had been a bit since she had enjoyed Spadix's flavor like this and while she'd love to drag things out, they both knew Sterling and Indi weren't going to be gone as long as usual.

Spadix's hips bucked slightly as the invading finger curled with its thrusts as the dragon sucked at her clit. She scratched her talons against Jin's shoulders making the woman moan against her bundle of nerves which in turn only stirred Spadix on more. In no time, the owl was digging her talons into Jin's shoulders and squirming her hips up against Jin, inner walls clamping down as she came. Jin slowed her actions once Spadix relaxed and pulled away, grinning at the owl, "yummy."

Spadix blushed and reached, pulling Jin close and kissing the dragon, trembling legs locking into Jin's waist. She wasn't deterred by the taste of herself on Jin's lips. Jin groaned and slid out of her pants and underwear eagerly, kissing Spadix more intensely as she situated her own hips and ground into Spadix. The two panting and breathing heavily between groans of pleasure. Spadix scratched her talons against Jin's back as Jin nipped at her flesh. The dragon's hips were not merciful, rolling and grinding rapidly, eager for release. She could feel every time Spadix's hands tensed more, the talon's digging deeper each time along her back and only lighting her own fire hotter and hotter.

The two moaned as they fell over the edge together, Jin grinding through the tense experience before slowing to a stop as she kissed Spadix's face and neck sweetly now. Panting, they rested against each other before Jin pulled away and pulled Spadix along with her into the shower. They got cleaned up and dressed just in time before the other two returned to the dorm, the faunus couple exiting the bathroom to rest on a bed. Glad to have that moment as they would be super hard to come by moving forward as they tried to maintain grades and course load.

Jin held her close, kissing lightly at Spadix's covered shoulder as the owl played with her golden mane, whispering sweetly, "I love you."

Jin smiled and tightened her grasp around the owl's waist, kissing her cheek softly, "I love you too Little Bird. Let's get some sleep."

—-

As expected, the team stayed way too busy for much personal time. Even has Spadix's birthday rolled around they were buried in exams and had just gotten back from a long intense mission cleaning up an infestation of Grimm in a small area outside a town that took them almost a week to complete.

For the owl's birthday, they simply ate their dinner in the room after Spadix went with Indi for a cupcake and then the owl snuggled into Jin for a movie with everyone in their dorm, all too exhausted to even do much else. It was lackluster but Spadix actually found it was the relaxation she really needed right now so it turned out to be quite perfect.

Sterling groaned sorely as they enjoyed the evening, body battered and bruised much like his teammates, though without being able to push his aura to heal, he definitely looked worse then the rest. He was propped up on the floor against Jin's bunk with Indi doing the same, Jin on her bunk leaned back into the wall with Spadix curled up in her arms.

Jin whispered, "you sure you don't want anything else for your birthday?"

Spadix nodded, dozing in and out of sleep from exhaustion, "This is perfect…"

Jin just smiled and nodded, kissing the top of Spadix's head. Everyone passed out before the movie was over, awkwardly leaned in their places. Thankfully, school evened out after this and things began to return to a more familiar pace. The work was still hard but things weren't as piled up.

Spadix woke the next morning to Jin's hand rubbing her back lightly. She peered up into that toothy smile as the dragon spoke gently, "good morning Little Bird."

They sat like this for a while, Spadix cuddling into Jin's warmth while the other two were still asleep sitting up on the floor. Jin rested her head against the top of Spadix's, "So far this school year feels like it's killing me. And I feel like I almost never get to spend any time with you alone. It sucks."

Spadix hummed in response, interlocking her fingers with Jin's free hand, "Yea but… it's supposed to slow down now. And at least we are doing really well in our courses this year even if it's hard."

Jin just nodded lightly but Spadix could sense her frustrations, especially in the way the hand on her back occasionally drifted almost to her ass and how tense Jin felt against her. She rubbed her thumb over Jin's fingers and leaned to kiss her jaw lightly, "Take a deep breath Jin and cool down please."

Spadix heard the deep slow irritated intake of air and felt Jin's chest expand against her before it was released shakily and slowly. Jin stilled her hand a bit, looping it along Spadix's waist instead. The owl glanced over at their sleeping partners before moving over Jin's waist and kissing her softly.

Jin's body tensed up a bit again, arms around the small of Spadix's back as she pushed the kiss further. She could feel Spadix's hands run along her chest up to her shoulders then around her neck lightly. The dragon squirmed beneath Spadix, a light whine against the owl's lips. Her hands slid to Spadix's thighs, kneading the sore muscles and flesh. Jin felt Spadix tremble a bit in her lap but with the owl sitting still and making no further efforts Jin knew this was meant to be light and sweet, with no intentions of any sexual outcome, so she didn't move her hands any higher on those smooth legs she loved.

Spadix let out a deep breath against Jin's neck and whispered, "thank you Jin."

Jin leaned back looking into her girlfriend's eyes, "Yea, I know. I'll behave… just stay here. Please?"

A smile was given in response, simple, light and sweet. Spadix slid a hand from Jin's neck along her jaw and cupped her cheek, leaning in and kissing the dragon again deeply before resting her head into the crook of Jin's neck. Jin's patience was really stirring her up but she just wasn't in the mood at the moment and just wanted to enjoy the intimate embrace.

The others stirred, Indi whining at the creak in her neck and Sterling groaning as he stretched his sore body. Spadix just watched them with a light giggle. Indi turned to her and smirked, "I'm sorry are we interrupting something?"

Jin was still massaging Spadix's thighs while Spadix was still straddling her lap, leaning into her body to relax. The owl blushed darkly but Jin smiled, "Not really. Just snuggling while we wait for you two to wake up to go eat."

The two got up, getting ready for the day while the couple waited their turn. "Jin… I hope you know that there isn't much that will happen between us like that for a while right? Everything is just really tiring right now."

Jin bit her lip to keep herself from whining a complaint but nodded, "yea… I figured."

Spadix pulled her into a kiss again, pressing her body into Jin close, talons dragging fleeting touches against Jin's arms. Jin moaned lightly into the kiss, but restrained herself. In the days to come, they shared many intimate moments like this without going much further.

While it was pleasing and mostly satisfying, Jin and Spadix both at times felt the pains of sexual frustrations. It made the winter break almost unbearable, knowing they would not be able to even see each other let alone touch. At the end of class that last week before the break, Jin was sparring with Scarlet in a training room. They had been back to sparring for a while now, Jin's frustrations making her too much for anyone on her own team to handle taking the beating from.

When they stopped for water, the two were covered in sweat and feeling the effects of their training hard in their aching bodies. Jin finished a long sip and leaned into the wall sitting on the floor. Scarlet stayed standing but leaned into it as well. Jin started out across the empty room, "hey so… I've been curious. How is your heat when you actually give into it?"

Scarlet chuckled, "Are you considering letting go to instincts Jin? I'm shocked."

Jin reached and shoved her leg some, "I'm serious. I'm just curious how different it is if you don't fight it."

Scarlet sat down next to her and messed with her water in her hands, "Well for one, it doesn't ache. The ache just immediately is sated when you engage with someone. You also tend to be more clear headed throughout the cycle since the urges are being quenched fully. The haze still comes and goes and it's still extremely hard to control anything you do but you will have more moments of clarity in between. And as someone who also has a more dominant inner beast, there's nothing, nothing like another faunus in heat dying to submit to you and feel you take them. god it's exhilarating. There's nothing else on this planet like it, I'm convinced. Works best if they are bent forward under you though. It's annoying but it's carnal so it just hits the right spot. It's really what you want anyway so it's fine. Able to sink your teeth into the back of the neck like scruff and latch them still for you… mm it's great."

Jin was listening intently. It all sounded really great to her and a much better way to spend it then locked up in her stuffy bedroom alone only able to half soothe the ache. Scarlet watched her carefully, grinning slyly, "Considering it with your girlfriend this year?"

Jin didn't respond right away before shrugging, "Dunno. Probably not. She hates how it makes her feel really disconnected from control of her body. But I was just really curious mostly."

Scarlet chuckled, standing up, "Riiighhht. Sure. Come on, let's get in a few more round before we call it quits. You're clearly a bit wound up still."

Jin took her hand and got to her feet but before they could start she got a call on her scroll.