Didn't quite make it for Christmas, but one more chapter before the end of the year, anyways. Hope the holidays are treating you well.

The kiss had changed things between them.

In a good way.

… Probably.

Yuuji had picked up clues here or there from Alleyne's words, over the two-ish months that he'd lived with her, that she was likely centuries old, so it had him a bit puzzled how… innocent she was about the whole thing.

To be fair, he had no idea how long it took elves to reach maturity, but Alleyne was most certainly all woman, and not secretly a two century old teenager or something.

Up until that point, Alleyne had only been touchy in a manner befitting a drill sergeant- in other words, most of the physical contact initiated by her was either her smacking him around in a spar, or using her own bodyweight to add challenge to whatever exercise he might have been doing.

That had changed in the several days following the incident in the bath, and now, among other things, every time they sat together, it seemed as if she would unobtrusively find a way to eliminate gaps in proximity.

It wasn't as if Alleyne would drape herself over him or anything like that, it just always seemed that whenever they sat together, the distance between them would slowly vanish.

Yuuji could only conclude that Alleyne was uselessly skilled at being touchy in a way that didn't bother someone who didn't like being casually touched.

When she was in 'teacher mode' Alleyne's touches were bolder but almost unfailingly practical (Yuuji was becoming more flexible because he didn't have an option not to be), outside of lessons her seeking of contact was shy yet persistent.

Alleyne, he had come to understand, was someone who never held back without a clear purpose for doing so.

And whatever 'purpose' she was holding back for, well… he really had no idea.

Because he thought he had a good idea of what Alleyne wanted, but…

Holding back from what she wanted didn't seem much like Alleyne at all, either.

As both an elf and a warrior, Alleyne was very much in tune with her instincts, such that it was no strange thing for her body to act before her mind had caught on.

Surely that was the most likely explanation.

Towards how the physical distance between them seemed to frequently vanish, seemingly of its own accord.

But if Yuuji did not seem to mind, surely there was no harm in it?

In truth, Yuuji's brief disappearance had… unsettled her, far more than she would have imagined, and it would be much, much more difficult for him to disappear from her presence the more of her senses were engaged in keeping track of him.

Thus, it could not be helped.

Truly, the deep comfort and contentment she drew from his warmth was hardly relevant.

Truly.

… When she closed her eyes, it was as if she could still feel the warmth of his lips against her own.

Yet even with her student sitting so close, such that all that was required of her to experience that once more was a turn of her head and a lean of her body, it was a distance that Alleyne hadn't the faintest inkling of how to cross.

First and foremost, she was aware that Yuuji had committed himself to following her lead, and thus would continue to do so, his own wishes ever coming out the loser to her own, when it came to setting order of precedence.

But hesitancy was not his way, and thus, it led to his slowly mounting frustration as her hesitancy bogged them down.

How contemptible of her, to lead him on so, expressing her swiftly growing affections in such meager ways.

All it would take to end that odd stalemate was a turn of her head and a lean of her body, and she would once more feel that soothing, maddening warmth upon her lips.

Why, when she thought of it that way, she could almost feel it already, almost as if she had already done so, and…

"I was beginning to wonder if you'd changed your mind, Master," Blinking big blue eyes slowly, Alleyne took note of how their faces had grown much closer than they had been just moments earlier, and that her dear student was wearing that mockingly gentle half-smirk of his once more.

Slowly, Alleyne's delicate fingertips pressed themselves to her lips, to discover that yes, a faint warmth did linger there.

Then her gaze naturally dipped to those smiling lips in front of her, and the actions of her body were belatedly identified by an addled mind.

An entirely different sort of 'warmth', or rather 'heat' swept through her then, divided between the curve of high cheekbones and the tips of sharply pointed ears.

To hide her embarrassment, Alleyne kissed Yuuji again.

While it did not serve to lessen her embarrassment in the slightest, it felt like the correct choice, nonetheless.

Bathing together became a daily habit that neither really went out of their way to establish. Alleyne would tell Yuuji to join her, and Yuuji would comply, and that was it.

For Alleyne, their daily routine was a seemingly contradictory mixture of calming and thrilling- being in Yuuji's presence had become a great source of contentment for her, of that there was no doubt. And yet, being in Yuuji's presence, when he was wearing nothing but a towel, made her heart beat fast, her blood stirring in a way not all that dissimilar from the thrill she felt at the prospect of a good fight.

Actually, the more she thought of it, the more that blessed contradiction could be said to define the entirety of their relationship, at least for her side of things.

Yuuji's presence in her life stirred her warrior's heart, the part of her that sought challenge and conflict, the wildness within her that defied the threat of death by growing ever more alive.

Yet he also soothed the gentle side of her heart, that within Alleyne that desired warmth and companionship, craving tranquility, and savoring every fleeting moment of peace.

In summary…

In summary… what?

The answer eluded her still, yet Alleyne felt it was close at hand.

Closer still though, was her student, sitting quietly at her side.

She had… hesitated before, and felt greatly embarrassed for even having considered it.

But they had made… 'progress'.

What 'progress' she was not entirely sure of, but nevertheless, an idea that had seemed dreadfully embarrassing just a few days prior, now seemed like nothing to make a fuss about.

Honestly, she should just do it- if Yuuji found it unpleasant he would surely make it clear, and it was not like her to hesitate.

Unaware that her student was trying to puzzle out what had gotten his teacher so fired up, Alleyne led with a quick 'pardon me'.

Swinging her legs over with nimble movements, while being careful not to disturb or dislodge either of their towels, Alleyne calmly seated herself sideways in Yuuji's lap with nothing but a few ripples to mark the motion.

Alleyne mentally gave herself a point as Yuuji looked at her with a raised eyebrow, yet showed neither discomfort nor a desire to dislodge her from her new and more comfortable seat.

"I wished to sit closer to you, my student," Alleyne patiently began to explain, her expression giving nothing away. "If we were on dry land, I would lend my lap to rest your head, but alas, I do believe that being forced to hold your breath underwater would mar the experience, somewhat."

Though now that she had spoken it aloud, the mental image of Yuuji resting his head in her lap was rather charming. Seated in the shade, evading the hottest part of the day, he would slowly doze off, and she could finally achieve her yet unspoken wish to run her fingers though his hair-

"Well, alright then." Yuuji said mildly, wrapping his arms around Alleyne's waist, and pulling her in that much closer, with the same casual aplomb.

Alleyne stiffened a bit at the sudden increase in contact, the tips of her ears reddening ever so slightly.

What was she, some bashful maiden!?

That samee redness appeared upon Alleyne's cheeks as it dawned on her that yes, that was precisely what she was.

For far longer than she cared to remember, having 'time to herself' meant solitude.

She had offered her life in service to her people, and serve she had, devoting herself to duties that would outlive even her.

If what she had spent the centuries doing could even be called 'living' at all.

It was a bitter thought to have, and it made her feel so terribly small.

As if it had simply been awaiting her attention, Alleyne came to the sudden realization that the spring water was unusually cold that day.

But as ever, her student's arms were so very warm, and the act of leaning in closer left the chill as naught but a memory, destined to fade.

Things were quiet, too quiet, as they got themselves dressed.

Alleyne had seemed to relax somewhat, as they clung to one another, but still, a forlorn shadow clung to his usually confident savior.

As if listening to his thoughts from the outside looking in, Yuuji noted with passing interest that he hated the idea of her feeling that way.

Bitterly, to the point where if that feeling were a person, nothing would have stopped him from doing his very best to strangle them to death on the spot.

With shocking ease for one who was determined to live beholden to the will of another, Yuuji took action to overturn the status quo, and in a manner not the faintest bit subtle.

"M-my student!?" Alleyne gave a shocked cry as a firm hand gripped her shoulder and spun her around, the skirt she had been in the process of tying in place sliding down her hips to pool at her feet. "What do you think you are~!?"

Almost roughly, Yuuji claimed her lips, his strong arms wrapping around her body and forcing the shorter woman into a lean.

Alleyne's moan of protest became an altogether different kind of moan as Yuuji's tongue invaded her mouth, and the proud guardian of the forest melted in his embrace as her body lost strength all at once.

… If Alleyne's brain hadn't mushed along with the rest of her body, she might have noted the significance of Yuuji being the one to initiate the kiss for the very first time.

Or marveled at how thoroughly she'd been rendered helpless by such a simple tactic.

But Alleyne in that moment could not think, only feel.

Cloudy blue eyes grew heavy-lidded as a sweet delirium gripped her, and her slim arms coiled themselves around Yuuji's broad shoulders with all the desperation of a drowning woman who had found a piece of floating driftwood to cling to.

Saying Alleyne was good at kissing would have been overly generous, but her tongue clumsily seeking his served only to egg Yuuji on.

Before, Yuuji had restrained himself, easily able to identify that Alleyne was either out of practice in that regard, or had little practice to speak of.

At that moment, he simply didn't care, kissing Alleyne ferociously as if he could kiss away both her unease and his.

He succeeded splendidly, if one ignored the fact that Alleyne would have collapsed had he not held her.

When Alleyne's shapely form began to shudder, and her muffled moans grew increasingly less coherent, some of that fierceness cooled, and Yuuji broke the kiss, leaving her gasping and trembling in his arms.

Her own arms had fallen limp, dangling bonelessly in the air.

"Haa~ … ha~~ Y…Y… Yuuji… whatever has… come over… you?" Alleyne managed to pant out with great effort.

"... I'm right here, Alleyne." Yuuji said, the words strangely thick in his throat. "So don't look so goddamn lonely."

Eyes as clear as the blue sky above snapped back into focus as they widened to their limit.

Gently, a slim hand rose to softly caress Yuuji's cheek as Alleyne's expression softened.

"Forgive me, my student… no, forgive me, Yuuji." Lips still glossy with shared saliva curled readily into a tender smile. "But right now, things like loneliness feel further away than they have ever been."

No, an apology was not what she owed to her precious student, so strong in some ways yet so brittle in others.

No, the only thing she should be offering him was reassurance.

And that was not something she needed to offer with words.

Alleyne's second hand joined the first, cupping his cheeks between them.

With gentle motion but clear intention, Alleyne pulled Yuuji's face down to her own, until the distance between her lips and his was once more reduced to zero.

Emboldened by receiving her student's affections to the point where they'd needed another bath, Alleyne had taken a big step forward in…

In their budding relationship.

She could call it nothing else, and she would not disrespect Yuuji by dancing around it any further.

And so that night, she had invited him to share her bed.

Not in the sense that they had… made love.

She was not quite ready for that.

Though she would be.

Soon.

Very soon.

Alleyne had given voice to the small but earnest wish of falling asleep in her students' arms.

Yuuji had accepted without hesitation, and, when Alleyne was occupied with suppressing the strange urge to shout for joy, had revealed that once more, her hidden dilemmas were as plain as day in his eyes.

He'd smiled that soft half-smile, and told her "one step at a time, right?"

Alleyne was beginning to believe that they were straying into territory where she would be the student, and Yuuji the teacher.

… How exciting.

At first, her heart had been pounding so strongly that Alleyne was certain falling asleep in Yuuji's arms would be impossible, in truth, she was out before she knew it, and that night, she did not dream at all.

Even in over a thousand years of life, Alleyne was certain she had never slept better than she did that night.

The light of the morning sun eased its way through the window of her abode, softly illuminating the interior.

Humming softly to herself, Alleyne worked her comb through her long platinum blonde tresses, a morning ritual that was meaningful, but admittedly served less purpose than it would for a human woman with thigh-length hair.

Among the many secrets that contributed to elves being considered the most beautiful race on the continent was the fact that elven hair defied knots and bedhead.

The usual braid she kept dangling in front of her left ear undone, Alleyne brushed aside a few long strands hanging loose, inadvertently exposing a 'war wound' of sorts, the muted red nonetheless vivid against the fair skin of a slim neck.

When her eyes fell upon the 'wound', Alleyne couldn't help but let a small giggle escape, the composed smile she wore loosening into something a bit more earnest, as her shapely body twisted lightly to and fro.

What was it that Yuuji had referred to that 'mark' as, again? The one he had given her, while demonstrating that the potential targets of a kiss were many and varied?

A… 'hickey' she believed it was?

… Such a charming little word.

From somewhere close by, Alleyne heard a tiny, lyrical giggle in a voice that sounded vaguely akin to her own, but paid it scarce attention, lost as she was in reminiscence.

Though Alleyne's conduct scarcely conveyed the full extent of the giddiness she was feeling, it was perhaps for the best that Yuuji wasn't there to notice, as notice he most certainly would have.

When an ogre had come lumbering in from the south, Alleyne had done what any good teacher would have done.

Cheerfully told her student to give fighting it a shot.

It was only a small ogre, after all- scarcely nine feet tall at the crown of its lumpish head.

Yuuji certainly had the skills to tip the odds in his favor, despite the mismatch in reach and strength.

Truthfully though, the ogre could not serve its most useful purpose in a lesson, on account of her student's nature.

Facing an opponent that dwarfed you in stature and might for the first time, especially when it was a brutish beast like an ogre, was a frightful experience.

Or rather, it should be a frightful experience.

And yet Yuuji faced down the brute without hesitation, calmly assessing the reach of those long arms as it laid about with that splintered sapling.

Stronger, sturdier, heavier. In a direct contest of strength, the ogre would surely squash her pupil.

But it was just strong and just tough.

The ogre was no warrior, and she would be genuinely impressed if it had trained a day in its life.

So in the end, it was nothing but an abnormally large thug.

Nothing for her student to fear, even if he was capable of being intimidated.

A cool head, a trained hand, and nimble feet.

That was all that was necessary to reduce that hulking beast from a challenge to a chore.

A heavy two-handed swing that could have smashed a bear's skull came howling in to bat aside the annoying human that refused to be squashed.

To the ogre's beady eyes, it must have seemed as if the human vanished, and Alleyne allowed herself a small smile as she watched Yuuji use the brute's own log-like arms as shelter to allow him to close unobserved.

A sturdy black blade that did not reflect the midafternoon sun, bared like a fang in the dark.

An echoing bellow and a spray of murky blood as Yuuji hewed open a thick tendon, not quite hamstringing the brute, but cutting through enough that the weight of its own useless bulk did the rest, bringing it first to one knee, and then-

A pulse of mana shoved both air and ogre, toppling the off-balanced brute to the earth in a crash like distant thunder, the impact raising a great puff of dust.

The ogre flopped, rather than rolled, onto its back and pushed itself up into a half-sitting position, ponderous head casting to and fro with eyes as wide as they could go, bewildered by how such a small creature had bit it so badly, no doubt.

Ogres never seemed to understand that there was more to power than size.

Yuuji, standing casually behind it, ripped one of its carotid arteries open with his knife, backing away to let the brute bleed to death.

Having more throat to slit served little use when that throat was slit.

The ogre had gurgled its way into stillness by the time her student had returned to her side.

"75 points, but only because you spent too long indulging your curiosity." Alleyne said with clear approval. He had swiftly and safely surmounted the obstacle of being unable to reach the ogre's vitals, and even after having felled but not killed the brute, he had only turned away once it was beyond saving.

"I've never seen an ogre," Yuuji shrugged. He'd taken longer than he needed to get a feel for its attack patterns, but it couldn't be helped when it was the first monster he'd ever seen.

It had moved kind of like a person and was mostly shaped like one, but had the appearance of a gorilla crossed with a toad, all green and lumpy, with dragging knuckles and a big gut.

He'd fight that over another angry bear any day.

"But as you have no doubt surmised, challenging an ogre carries with it a certain danger, yet that danger is much reduced if you keep your wits about you," she'd battle an ogre over an angry bear any day.

An ogre would usually best an 'ordinary' bear if it had a decent club in hand, but the bear was much faster, and thus more dangerous to people.

"With that aside, I do believe congratulations are in order," Alleyne said, her stern expression giving way to a slight smile. "Well done, my student, I am proud to have witnessed the first monster to fall by your hand."

Yuuji lowered his head and gave her a quick peck on the lips before walking off.

"Thanks, Master. Wasn't so bad, but I still worked up an appetite so let's head home."

Alleyne remained frozen, the tips of her ears pointed a good deal higher than usual.

"... Fool," she quietly huffed. "Why did you stop there?"

No… far more importantly, when he said 'wasn't so bad', did he mean the fight, or the kiss!?

Using 'that' in a live combat situation hadn't felt so bad.

Even if it was still kind of nonsense.

His very own Art… his very own Howl.

Truth be told, Yuuji didn't know why his Art was called that- even though it was 'his', he hadn't named it that on purpose- the name had just come to mind the first time he used it.

In simple terms, it was a short 'pulse' of mana that was more of a strong 'shove' than an impact.

Simple and effective for blowing away both teachers, a teachers' wind mana, as well as deflecting other projectiles.

Where the nonsense came into play was that it was completely silent even to keen elven ears, and was activated by a feeling like taking a deep inhale (that involved no air), followed by 'shouting'... inside of his head.

Yuuji was aware that he wasn't exactly a noisy person, but weaponizing a silent yell felt like a bit much, even for him.

He was working on reducing the windup, but even then, Howl was pretty quick to activate, and at the moment, he could activate it in one or two ways, depending on how he 'howled'.

The first method was to 'raise his voice', aiming for volume, which would result in an omnidirectional pulse with about a twelve foot radius.

The second method was to 'project his voice', which resulted in something like a directional wave or 'cone' that kind of made him imagine a bat's echolocation. The area of effect was naturally much more narrow than the first method, but the force and range were almost doubled.

And… Yuuji still wasn't entirely sure if he'd imagined it, but something about his Art seemed to bother Alleyne, somewhat, and in a way that had nothing to do with how the first time he'd hit her with it had sent her flying, flipping her skirt inside out in the process.

… Maybe one day he'd ask Alleyne 'why leaves', given how the quality of the rest of her clothing.

Hopefully if his Artl bothered her, she would tell him about it in time.

But his wish did not come true.

Alleyne did not 'tell' him anything of the pale hound that prowled through her dreams.

Instead, Alleyne took action, and that was impossible to miss.

"My student, it has been precisely six weeks since you have begun learning under me," Alleyne declared one morning with hands on her hips, her tone and posture suggesting a lecture was taking place but her words not matching up. "Truthfully, though to start it was naught but 'observation' done as part of my duties as Chief Guardian of this forest, within that time, you have continually surpassed and exceeded my expectations."

Yuuji listened in silence, seemingly disinterested, but Alleyne could proudly assert that her audience was an attentive one.

"But as of late, it has dawned on me that though I have offered a suitable gift to support your efforts," blue eyes glanced towards his sheathed knife, "it is far past time that I offer a suitable reward for your achievements."

Part of him had been expecting that he was getting kicked out, with the way she was leading into things, but this was much better.

Alleyne drew in her breath, closing her eyes as she puffed out her considerable chest.

"And, after some deliberation, I have decided that the only suitable reward is myself."

"Oh thanks, I love it." That was the only warning Alleyne got before she was scooped up in a princess carry.

"M-m-my s-s-student!?" Alleyne stammered out, her voice a little shrill and her cheeks red.

"Hardly the place, right?" The immediate answer brought her thoughts to a screeching halt, and Alleyne covered her face with both hands as she was being carried off.

… What was she to make of this situation?

If someone could explain things in a concise and easy to understand fashion, she would be most grateful.

Alleyne had been carried off by her student to their shared home, and dumped on the bed.

All of that was simple enough to comprehend.

What had her so baffled was how she remained sitting on said bed while wrestling with the earnest wish to hide beneath the covers, curled up in a ball.

Perhaps she should crawl under the bed?

Or rather, if the floor would just swallow her, she would be eternally thankful?

Being chastised by a boy some fifty times younger than her had birthed within her a poignant desire to die of shame.

"Rewarding someone with something so vague as 'myself' is bound to cause misunderstandings."

"..."

"And a gorgeous woman like Master is the last person who should be using lines like that."

"..."

"Treasure yourself more than that, what were you going to do if I decided I wanted your body or something?"

"... Do you?" Alleyne went red as the words slipped out unbidden.

"Obviously."

Alleyne's air of meek repentance vanished immediately, her drooping ears perking up and her breathtaking eyes sparkling with joy.

Then the meekness returned just as quickly, but for a different reason, as the furiously blushing elf began to fidget and squirm, peeking at him bashfully from behind the shelter of her long eyelashes.

"I was… beginning to fear that my feelings would not reach you, my student," Alleyne whispered softly, a catch in her voice.

He had been giving her every chance to back out, that was all.

"It's not like you to be so hesitant, Alleyne," Yuuji sighed. "If there was any time to be upfront, this is it."

With a soft sigh of her own, Alleyne smiled, and spread open her arms to beckon him to her.

"I wish for you to embrace me, my dear student," Alleyne tenderly urged. "Won't you indulge your fool of a master, Yuuji?"

Pushing Alleyne down gently onto her back, Yuuji crawled onto the bed, and over top of her.

A glint in his dark eyes, as if silently asking if that was the answer she was hoping for.

Alleyne slowly reached her arms up to wrap them around Yuuji, and draw him into her embrace.

Every dream ended, and so Alleyne prayed with all her heart that it was no dream that had claimed her.

… 'Claimed'.

'Claimed' by her student… claimed by Yuuji.

What a delightful thought that was.

Nearly as delightful as having her student on top of her while they kissed- just as it did the first time they'd found themselves in that position, it birthed the odd, but not unpleasant thought, that she was being pinned down by his mouth alone.

Absorbed in the kiss, and the recent and enchanting discovery of how nimble tongues could be, Alleyne failed to notice the way Yuuji was moving carefully atop her.

That distracted state ended abruptly and pleasurably when one of Yuuji's big hands found its way to her breast, giving it an exploratory little squeeze.

The muffled moan that followed brought the heat rushing to her face, and also pooling somewhere a good deal lower in her body at the same time.

The low cut nature of her top meant that while his plan rested upon fabric, his fingers were sinking lightly into Alleyne's smooth exposed skin.

Gasping as Yuuji broke the kiss, Alleyne shivered beneath his hand as he sat back, casually kneading her breast by flexing his fingers in small motions.

Yuuji's unoccupied hand joined in to attend to her other breast, and a knee pushed its way between her thighs, pressed carefully in such a way that most of the 'rubbing' was Alleyne's own doing, owed to the wriggling of her round hips.

Yuuji watched the elf squirm for him with something like a professional interest, slowly getting a feel for her body.

Pleasure, a hint of neediness, and… a consistent, but seemingly eager sense of confusion?

Alleyne, eyes lidded, missed Yuuji's slow blink.

Sliding his hands off her bust and leaving it jiggling in his wake, Yuuji slid his fingers down her bare midriff, taking a moment to appreciate how solid Alleyne's core was beneath the silk of her skin.

And then he brought his hands back up, hooking the hem of her tight halter top to pull it up and over her breasts.

Alleyne gave a little gasp at the sudden feeling of exposure, slim arms coming up to conceal her bosom on reflex.

Yuuji raised one eyebrow and Alleyne's delicate features flushed, slowly but with clear intent, he took her wrists one by one and pressed them to the bed, exposing her.

Flustered both at Yuuji's confidence and her own lack thereof, Alleyne averted her gaze, eyes wet with dismay.

Releasing her wrists, Yuuji shifted so that he was above her on hands and knees, swinging his leg over so that he was straddling both her legs rather than just one.

"Alleyne."

Her head snapped back his way as her name was spoken, and she looked at him with clear confusion, lips parted slightly with the disarray of her breathing.

How was he supposed to ask the question delicately?

"Has it… been a while?"

Alleyne didn't seem to understand what he meant, reminding Yuuji in blatant fashion how bad he was at being delicate.

Knowing that, in typical Yuuji fashion, he promptly abandoned a tactic that wasn't working at all.

"Master, when was the last time you had sex?"

The reply he received was something like a squeaking noise, accompanied by a full bodied flinch.

This time, calling her expression 'ashamed' did not quite seem to cover it.

"... have not." Came the muffled murmur, past the hands now covering her face.

"... Huh?"

"I said I haven't, you brute!" Alleyne shouted at him, too mortified to control her tone. "I have never laid with a man, I'm a virgin you fool!"

Yuuji just stared, and Alleyne once more found herself wishing the floor would just swallow her, bed and all.

"I-is it truly so… shocking?" Alleyne managed, the heat of shame withering away to leave her feeling cold. It rarely bothered her, and she rarely thought about it, 'that' woman's intermittent harassment aside.

Now it bothered her deeply, he must have thought something was dreadfully wrong with her, and perhaps he was right…

"Look Alleyne, any guy would be a little surprised, if you told him he was the luckiest man in the world with no warning at all."

"Of course, I… I… p-p-p-p-pardon me, Yuuji, I am uncertain if I heard you correctly?"

"You heard me correctly."

"I-I see… I see…" Alleyne nodded slowly, her eyes strangely glassy.

Even a casual observer would have been able to pinpoint the exact moment when the implications of Yuuji's words hit Alleyne in full.

It started with a giggle, lyrical and sweet. Not really looking at anything in particular, Alleyne put her hands to her cheeks, twisting to and fro on the bed and seemingly having forgotten that Yuuji was above her as she murmured quietly to herself, the words all tumbling together.

"'The luckiest man in the world', is it? Ehehe~ oh my dear student… such a charmer… lucky? Lucky? No… rather, the luckiest woman in all the world is, of course, myself~"

Her twisting body finding itself on its back once more, Alleyne's giddy blue eyes happened to settle on Yuuji's face.

Yuuji, who was smiling warmly down at her. Truly smiling, not the half-formed expressions she had grown accustomed to.

The first real smile she had observed from her precious student, and it was aimed squarely at her.

Every inch of Alleyne's delicately sculpted face, and every inch of her sharply pointed ears, turning a vivid and lovely shade of pink, and the hands that had been covering her fiercely burning cheeks slid their way up to cover her eyes.

"Please do not look at me, Yuuji," Alleyne begged. "I haven't the faintest idea what kind of expression I am making."

Yuuji's response was something as equally rare as a proper smile from him, even as it confirmed her worst fears.

Yuuji laughed.

… At her.

With her dignity as a teacher reduced to tatters, Alleyne could only guess at the meaning behind the deep sense of accomplishment she was feeling, at that moment.

Gently, carefully.

Though the knowledge that he was the first man to get to touch Alleyne as he pleased was driving him wild with excitement, overriding that excitement was the commitment to make Alleyne's first time every bit as special as she deserved.

Adding to the many reasons that he'd probably used up multiple lives worth of luck was the simple knowledge that this was a better way to convey his feelings than words would ever allow.

He'd always been better with his hands anyways.

A kiss here, a caress there, keep the smile on and take it slow- those big blue eyes blinked, and those delicate cheeks scrunched up in confusion, as Alleyne belatedly discovered that he'd undressed her while exploring her body.

Once again, the blush started at the tip of her ears, and this time, Yuuji let himself give into temptation, just a little.

Ever so gently, he captured the tip of one pointed ear between his lips, careful not to use his teeth at this early point of the game.

Supple, naked curves shuddered beneath him as Alleyne moaned, low and throaty.

"I've been wanting to do that for weeks, you know." Yuuji admitted, a teasing undertone present in a voice usually bereft of tone of any sort.

"T-they are sensitive," Alleyne gasped, "so be careful, please."

Yuuji nodded solemnly, and then gave her other ear the exact same treatment.

"M-my student, by chance are you enjoying teasing me?" Alleyne not-quite pouted up at him.

"Immensely," Yuuji flatly returned without shame or hesitation.

Alleyne's expression of a 'not-quite pout' lost the 'not-quite' part.

Yuuji was actually a little taken aback by how cute the expression was, and needed a moment to reign himself in.

In that moment, Alleyne proved that he only needed his gaze to make her squirm, as he took the time to admire her naked body in full.

Soft, creamy skin was stretched tightly over a beautifully proportioned body that was slender without being delicate, taut muscle revealing itself here or there as if teasing the eye with its presence. Alleyne's breasts were firm enough not to lose their shape much even when she was on her back, but still jiggled pleasantly with the rise and fall of her chest. Her hips flared gracefully out from her small waist, gentle indents present on her stomach to show her subtly broadcast her strong core.

Alleyne's long legs were perfectly sculpted both for aesthetics and athletics, and all of that reminded Yuuji to make sure he took ample time to play with her butt, which was just as incredible as the rest of her body.

"F-flattering though it is to have you admiring my body with such intensity, I find myself wondering when you intend to disrobe? Being the only one naked is, as expected, somewhat embarrassing."

"Well, I thought you might enjoy helping me out of my clothes."

"My student…"

"Yes, Master?"

"You say some good things, some times."

Following her student's wordless prompting, it was Alleyne's turn to straddle him, kneeling overtop of his legs as he sat up.

Hoping he didn't notice the slight quiver in her fingers, Alleyne reached out and began undoing the clasps of his loose tunic, one by one.

Her mouth was strangely dry as she exposed his sleek but chiseled torso and rock-hard abdominals, and when her hands guided him to slip free of his sleeves, Alleyne found her eyes glued to his body.

Did that make her a pervert?

No, more importantly, would Yuuji prefer it if she was?

Her hands had begun to move on their own, and Alleyne found herself grateful for their purity of purpose, even if there was very little 'pure' about wishing to feel up her student's muscles.

Yuuji didn't seem to mind, or rather, he occupied his own hands, and Alleyne felt a little thrill at how comfortably those strong hands cupped the curves of her hips, stroking gently now and then.

Light as a feather, Alleyne's thin fingers roamed muscles like steel, marveling at how solid a body with no unneeded bulk could be.

But if anything could distract her from Yuuji's bare torso, it was parts of his body she had yet to bare, and gradually, her gaze found itself pulled lower and lower.

With a gesture, Alleyne bid Yuuji to stand upright on the bed, and, with a quiet breath, began to undo his belt, her fingers feeling strangely thick as she did. It felt like it took her a shamefully long time, but it wasn't nearly as shameful as the little shriek she made when 'that' sprung free and nearly struck her in the face.

Alleyne was the most surprised by the first words out of her mouth as 'that' was exposed in full, though her gaze remained anchored as Yuuji knelt back down.

"M-m-my student, are you quite certain that will… fit?" It was very large, and Alleyne was feeling rather small all of sudden. If she was seated on his lap, 'that' would likely be poking her in the belly, which was… hardly an unwelcome thought, if she were to be truthful.

For Yuuji, Alleyne looking just a little intimidated by his erection was a good way to remind him that he was a sadist.

"You'd be surprised," Yuuji said in reply, reluctantly reining himself in. "It might hurt a little, but we'll take it slow, and we can stop at any time, alright?"

Alleyne looked a little offended by that, then was taken aback when Yuuji gave her a stern look.

"This isn't about being brave, this is about making sure you actually get to enjoy your first time."

After a moment of silence, Alleyne's expression softened.

"How fortunate I must be, to have been granted the chance to give myself to someone so gentle." Gripping his shoulders, Alleyne fell back, pulling Yuuji down with her so that he was above her on all fours.

Being beneath someone larger than her was not something Alleyne had ever expected to draw comfort from.

"I trust you, Yuuji, and I shall follow your lead," Alleyne said. "In this, you are the teacher, and I am the student." Her smile turned sultry.

"And I find myself so very eager to be taught~"

Her student held himself back, gentle even when he did not wish to be.

Alleyne swore to herself to become a woman that could respond to his desires in full.

Though it was an oath she made the morning after.

At that moment, she was much more occupied with discovering how much variety one's tone of voice could possess, as she moaned in a new way for every new inch Yuuji pushed inside her womanhood.

It was a strange thought to have, and Alleyne blamed it on the mushy pink haze that had gripped her senses, but…

There was something beautiful in how two lovers could 'embrace' in a way that could not be seen, only felt.

Then that stiff heat easing its way inside her rubbed in just the right way, and Alleyne's awareness skipped a beat.

The next thing she knew, Alleyne could tell without looking that Yuuji was fully inside her, that they had 'joined together' in the most intimate way possible.

"I-I suppose it did fit, after all," Alleyne managed to quip, strangely short of breath even when Yuuji had done all the moving.

"That it did," Yuuji agreed. It felt very… snug, but her body had welcomed him in readily enough. "Need a minute, or can I start moving?"

Alleyne promptly smothered that little flicker of trepidation she felt.

"If you are ready." She bravely replied.

… Perhaps it was only for a moment, but she could have sworn her student gazed at her like a predator gazed at its prey?

As if cheerfully denying her the chance to ponder, Yuuji's hips began to move.

Alleyne had not, in fact, been ready, but it would take a good deal of effort to convince her that was a bad thing.

His hands finding comfortable resting spots on the curve of her hips, Yuuji began to thrust into Alleyne at a slow, measured pace.

She seemed to wish to reciprocate but was puzzled by how to do so, so Yuuji flashed her a smile and she relaxed, somewhat.

He'd picked missionary for that exact reason though, he wanted to let Alleyne focus on enjoying the sensations instead of figuring out how to move with him.

… Come to think of it, was it still called the 'missionary position' in Gainos?

No, that wasn't important right now, what was important was that Alleyne was quick on the uptake.

As fantastically skilled at moving her body as she was, the elven beauty began her mutual involvement the moment she realized that she had muscles she could use even while being penetrated.

It took a few thrusts to get the hang of it, but Alleyne began to gently clench her inner muscles whenever he hilted, her slick folds squeezing his cock to hold it briefly in place.

It felt pretty good, and it must have shown on his face a little, because hers lit up with pride.

That smile melted when he shifted the angle of his hips just a little bit, but really, it was Alleyne's own fault for letting him find out that her pouty face was cute.

As Alleyne adjusted, he picked up the pace, until he was thrusting into her pussy fast enough that watching her boobs bounce was actually making him just a little dizzy.

… And it was totally worth it.

"Y-Yuuji!? I f-feel rather s-strange!" Alleyne managed to stammer out, eyes wide and cheeks flushed.

Knowing exactly what kind of 'strange' she meant, Yuuji leaned down, covering her body with his and placing his hands on either side of the bed.

Alleyne's hands snapped up to wrap around his body and her long legs coiled around his waist, clinging to him for dear life as a blissfully strange pressure began to build within, a boiling heat that stole her breath away.

Yuuji thrust his cock in hard as he claimed her lips in a searing kiss, muffling Alleyne's scream of passion as the long-lived beauty marked the loss of her virginity with a squirting orgasm.

He was probably going to have finger shaped bruises on his back, and it was definitely worth it.

Feeling no shame in her utter defeat, Alleyne went limp, powerless limbs releasing Yuuji to flop to the bed as she lay beneath him, shuddering, unable to see straight, and completely satisfied with that state of affairs.

Yuuji maintained the kiss for a few teasing seconds, Alleyne's lips remaining breathlessly parted as he withdrew.

Sitting up, he pulled out of her (managing not to chuckle at the little moan of protest), and settled back to admire his handiwork.

"Master, have I ever told you how ridiculously sexy you are?" Yuuji asked in that toneless way of his.

Alleyne's cheeks colored, but there was a bashful sort of pride there as she replied.

"You have not, my student, so feel free to tell me as often as you wish." It was impressive how dignified she managed to make a line like that, especially considering that all she was wearing was a thin sheen of sweat.

Yuuji gave a snort, but remained silent, letting Alleyne set the pace.

"F-forgive me, my student, but I noticed you have not… 'f-finished'?" His cock was still jutting out rather aggressively, and Alleyne felt the heat in her core rise as she realized that the wetness glistening upon his hardness was her own.

Easily seeing through the hidden question, Yuuji shrugged, opting to answer with actions first.

Offering his hands to Alleyne, he pulled her into a sitting position, her legs spread apart on either side of his.

"Put your hands on my shoulders and then kneel."

Following his instructions, Alleyne did just that, flushing as the position left her straddling his lap, close enough to have his shaft resting low against her abdomen.

Not needing to be led by the hand at that junction (though she'd hardly complain about Yuuji's hand around her own), Alleyne, using Yuuji's broad shoulders for support, carefully rolled her hips forward, aligning herself.

A stroke of inspiration striking her, Alleyne reached down between her legs with one hand, carefully taking Yuuji's length in hand to better line herself up.

Exhaling, Alleyne gradually lowered herself down onto Yuuji's lap, panting a little as that fierce heat stretched and filled her once more.

Hilted, Alleyne wriggled her hips, body left quivering both from having Yuuji inside her, but also from how the close proximity of their bodies had brought the aching buds of her breasts scraping their way down his chest.

Their faces close enough that she could taste his breath upon her lips, Alleyne wasted no time in tasting a little more, clinging tightly to Yuuji as they kissed.

The position was very similar to the one they had been in before, with the principle difference being that she had her legs beneath her, meaning she would be able to move as well.

Alleyne broke the kiss as the implications dawned on her, and met Yuuji's small smile with a brighter expression in return.

It took only a moment's consideration before Alleyne began to move her body, relishing in the opportunity to return some of the pleasure she had been given.

Her experience as a lover may have been counted in minutes, but her experience with moving her body could be counted in centuries, and it was a pleasant surprise to discover how easy it was to find a rhythm.

Using Yuuji's shoulders for support as she shifted into a partial kneel, Alleyne began to slowly bounce up and down in his lap, keeping her inner muscles slightly tense to grip his length firmly, but not tightly, as she did.

Adapting to the motion easily enough, Alleyne's hips began to gently gyrate, recalling how the slightest shift in angle could create a marked shift in sensation.

The width of her hips made swaying them a rather comfortable motion, but 'comfort' wasn't exactly the sensation she wished to create, and she was being cautious with horizontal movement.

It wouldn't do to forget that, for all its intimidating appearance, a cock was a weak point by design.

So Alleyne shifted her attention somewhat to her 'grip'- exploring the ways her vaginal folds could squeeze and wriggle against the welcome invader nudging deep inside her body

With Yuuji as far inside her as he could go, on a whim, Alleyne clenched her pussy, as hard as she could.

Yuuji grunted, and his arms around her waist tensed.

Blue eyes locked onto black, and Alleyne felt a sweet rush of excitement as she realized, beyond all doubt, that she had just made Yuuji feel good.

With her body, no less.

To distract herself from the sudden, maddened urge to scream her success to the entire forest, Alleyne settled for a kiss, instead.

But the dancing of her hips didn't, or perhaps couldn't, stop.

With some regret, Alleyne was forced to concede that, for all her success in pleasuring her dear one, she was wearing through her own resistance at a faster pace.

Aware that her ability to speak with coherence would soon desert her, Alleyne hugged Yuuji close, leaning in to whisper in his ear.

"Forgive me, Yuuji," she gasped. "It seems keeping pace with you remains beyond me."

She would have to practice frequently and thoroughly to change that.

"But I believe you have perhaps been a bit too gentle. This former maiden is not as frail as you may think."

Alleyne closed her eyes, aware that she was about to speak some dangerous words.

"And so, my dear student, I think it is past time that you stop holding back~"

An exhale that was more like a hiss.

… Hm?

How strange, whenever had she found herself face down on the bed?

That was hardly a complaint, the spidersilk sheets felt simply divine, squashed beneath her bosom.

A loud, throaty moan in a voice Alleyne dazedly recognized as her own filled the hut as Yuuji slid back into her, despite how she'd been unaware he'd slid out.

With some effort, Alleyne looked over her shoulder, and her breath caught in her throat at what she found.

A lust that bordered upon hunger, burning into her as it swirled about in murky dark eyes.

He wanted her.

Badly.

Alleyne had never felt more desirable in all her life, and had no regrets at all with the way she flashed him a little smirk to egg him on.

Crazy woman.

Damn fool had no idea how much self-control it was taking not to fuck her so hard it hurt.

Well, he'd have to give her at least some of what she wanted.

Thrusting into Alleyne at a brisk pace, Yuuji relentlessly hammered away the dregs of her composure and left her drooling into the mattress, dainty fists knotted tightly into the sheets.

It was taking a lot of willpower not to spank that ass every time he made it ripple, but even then, Yuuji was deliberately avoiding stimulating her in too many ways at once.

Her greedy snatch was quivering more than it clenched, which meant she was just as close as he was, so it was going to be a little tricky, but-

Yuuji slammed into her with the most forceful thrust yet, and Alleyne's supple white back arched with a convulsive scream as the orgasm smashed apart her senses.

Gritting his teeth hard, Yuuji yanked his hips back, prompting another wail of bliss from the still climaxing elf as he wrenched his throbbing shaft out of her, a heartbeat before he blew his load.

Ropes of hot white splattered all over the round swell of Alleyne's perky ass and across the taut lines of her lower back, and the sharp groan from her suggested that he might have given her another orgasm before the last one ended.

Honestly, he was genuinely impressed with himself for getting her hair out of the way, with how backed up he was.

And Alleyne was… well, given how she was trembling like a soon to be dead body, she was probably done for the time being.

The towel against her skin felt so exquisite that Alleyne suspected she might have experienced another orgasm in the process of Yuuji cleaning her off, but the first question she managed to voice surprised even her.

"Why did you pull out?"

'Pull out', what a dreadful phrase.

"My bad, that's something we should have discussed before we had sex, but I let myself get swept up in the moment."

Ehehe~ they'd had sex~

Alleyne gave an embarrassed cough, shaking free of the fluttery thoughts.

"I see the wisdom in that, so I shall retract my question." She wasn't feeling ready to get up, but Yuuji was at her side rather than between her legs, and was stroking her upper back so it was quite pleasant. Feeling spoiled was a new and strange sensation for Alleyne, so there was no harm in enjoying it while it lasted, surely?

"And I suppose I have yet to get that far in our lessons, but warriors often have a hard time getting one another pregnant."

Pregnancy was a 'drain' on the body, and the warrior's mana, geared towards keeping the body in tip top shape, was less than keen on allowing such things.

… Though there were certain 'loopholes', that were neither here nor there at the moment.

The impromptu 'lesson' had allowed Alleyne to regain her center somewhat, which also allowed her to recall an important detail she should have mentioned.

"Ah, and I did remember to take the appropriate herbs and medicines to prevent any 'accidents'," Alleyne recounted. Her experience with sexual intimacy may have been counted in minutes, but certain things were handy for any adult woman.

Her knowledge of herbalism and the healing arts was by no means small, mana protected from much, but help was distant should the worst occur, making such skills a matter of life and death for a solitary warrior.

"Well, now we know for next time," Yuuji shrugged.

"... Next time, you say?" Alleyne repeated with a smirk you could hear. "And does my student intend for that next time to be soon?"

"Soon, and often." Yuuji nodded easily. "Well, only if my master is feeling up for it."

Alleyne applauded the pillow's efforts at concealing the maidenly blush upon her cheeks (and forgot that her ear tips had no such protection).

"I'm afraid there is no other choice, my student," Alleyne twisted to give him a grave, sidelong glance. "How else am I to grow in skill as a lover if you don't make love to me?"

"Hands-on experience is the best way to learn," Yuuji agreed with a sage nod. "Must be even more true when you use more than just your hands."

"I suppose it must, and it will truly be a pleasure to discover that for ourselves." Alleyne murmured. "But for now, my student, it seems my eyes have grown rather heavy."

Obeying the wordless tug on his hand, Yuuji turned and stretched out on the bed at her side, Alleyne smiling blissfully as she snuggled in against him.

It didn't take long for her to begin to doze off, happily exhausted by her new and wonderful experience.

Her last thought for the night was of how irreplaceable the warmth in her life had become.

Yuuji took much longer to drift off, but his thoughts were much the same.

In a way, that sweet night marked not a turning point in their lives, but a new beginning that would add its color to every moment to come.

Time carried them onwards, even as the forest slept.

… In a land both near and far to any other, tepid shadows were being stirred and swirled about by the tip of a bone white finger.

…. The yearning.

…. The voracious.

…. The obsessive.

…. The envious.

Four makeshift toys to shake up the board, and mask the greater games being played.

Only a fool would expect them to work together for any length of time (and two could not be expected to do so at all), and thus, she would simply reward them when their antics amused her, and punish them when they did not.

Perhaps if they were fortunate, they would still be in one piece if she acquired a suitable right hand to hold their chains in her place.

But it mattered little how many toys she kept or discarded, as she worked towards her goals.

In regards to her final, ultimate victory, the only true uncertainty was when it would occur.

When, and not if.

Surprise, there are other characters doing other character things.

Not evil things though, definitely not.

Good vibes only.

This chapter marks the first 'fall of a queen', the first of many as Yuuji seduces his way through the cast. Obviously he's not gonna have sex with every QB cast member, just… well, a number of them.

And naturally, some cast members have more 'experience' than others, so that will affect things too.

With Alleyne, it's always kind of been implied that she's 'married to her work', which is why she's so unfamiliar with love and romance. But neither she nor Yuuji are really the type to hesitate when they know they want something, so it turned out more or less like this.

Originally, I had anticipated it taking a few more chapters for Yuuji and Alleyne to cross that line, but that was one of two 'milestones' left in the introductory arc, and there's a difference between taking things slow and dragging things out.

With the revised timeline, I'm expecting the intro arc to be done in a chapter and a bit.