The keys jangled in the lock for a solid five seconds, now that's a long time for the mentally drained Pyrrha Nikos-Arc. She finally heard the lock click and spun the key, shoving the front door open with her hip.

The first thing to greet her was the smell. A smell that over the two weeks away had become absent. Now it hit her full on. A beautiful concoction that only your home emits, tugs on your heart strings and warms your insides. You're home, that's how it smells.

Freshly diced onions wafted from the kitchen. They stung the eyes a little, sure. But to know that somebody was prepping dinner for her return? That homely warmth was back. Her muscles hummed with jet lag, her mind achy. Still, she managed to call out.

"Hello? I'm home!" Her voice cracked a bit, considering she hadn't had to say anything to anyone for the last two hours back from the airport.

And almost a second after her regal yet tired tones echoed off the walls, a squeal of delight came from upstairs.

"Mommy's home!"

Pyrrha smiled and felt her throat thicken. The heavy footfalls running upstairs, then clopping down the steps.

As soon as that head of red and yellow hair appeared through the banisters, she dropped her suitcases with a thump and dropped to a knee, arms held out.

"Hello, my love!"

"Mommy!" The little eight year old damn near leapt into Pyrrha's arms, almost knocking the tired woman over.

"Whoa! Has somebody missed me?" Pyrrha giggled, burying her face in her daughter's hair. She felt her nod against her neck. Pyrrha, kissing the brightly coloured hair several times, soon retreated from the hug to look into her daughter's vivid blue eyes. "Have you been a good girl for daddy?"

She nodded enthusiastically. Then ensued what could only be described as a kid trying to cram two weeks worth of stories into a solid minute. You know what they're like, they want to tell you everything, all at once. Pyrrha felt bad for zoning out slightly, but she was captivated by her daughter in front of her. Gods, she'd missed her family so much.

"… A-And then Daddy burned the chicken, but it was okay bec-because Auntie Weiss came over and helped and-Oh and I got a boo boo on my finger and-

"What?" Pyrrha snapped to attention, taking the little digit in hand, looking over it. A small band-aid decorated with strawberries wrapped around her tiny finger.

"Mommy! s'fine!" Her baby girl giggled. Pyrrha let go of the finger, chuckling lightly.

"Sorry. So… where is your father?" Pyrrha looked around. Her little girl suddenly became sheepish. Pyrrha raised an eyebrow. "Oriana Nikos-Arc, what are you keeping from me, huh?" She prodded her daughter's belly, making her giggle.

"Nothing. H-He's in the garden." Oriana gingerly gestured behind her. "Daddy s-said you would be back late tonight."

"Well, I got lucky. My flight came early. Seems the pilots wanted me to get home as soon as possible, all so I can squeeze those cheeks!" Pyrrha took her daughter's face in her hands as she giggled. "Look at you, so cute!"

"Mo-Mommy!"

Pyrrha smiled and gave her daughter a kiss on the brow, before standing up. "Shall we go see your Father?"

"N-Not yet!" Oriana tugged at her mother's billowing sash, stopping her from taking another step.

"Why not, sweetie?"

"Be-because… umm… beeeeeecause…Ummmmmmmm"

"Ori?" Pyrrha giggled.

"H-He's not in the garden."

"But you said he was?" Pyrrha turned to her daughter, crossing her arms. Oriana looked bashful.

"I… told a fib."

"You told a fib?" Pyrrha snorted. "Oh well, the punishment for that is very severe." She suddenly scooped her daughter up in a fit of giggles, blowing raspberries into her cheek. "Why don't you want me to see Daddy in the garden?"

"He said not to." Oriana played with the chains on Pyrrha's circlet.

"Is that so? What are you up to, Jaune." She chuckled, carrying her daughter through the kitchen. She admired the stew that was bubbling away in a pot, taking a long and deep inhale, the sort that causes your stomach to growl loudly.

She pushed the back door open to see her Husband knelt on the grass, his tools strewn all around him. He was humming absentmindedly, the sweet yet sharp smell of freshly cut wood in the air. Sawdust covered the grass.

Pyrrha, holding back her mirth, bounced her daughter and cleared her throat. It was so odd, but… she felt nervous? Why! He was her husband, it had only been two weeks and yet… her heart was hammering.

Jaune snapped his head up and stumbled to his feet, standing in front of whatever it was he was building.

"P-Pyr? Pyrrha! Y-You're home! Early!" Jaune laughed, scratching his beard, covered in sawdust flakes. Pyrrha smiled brightly and set her daughter down, pacing up to Jaune. He met her halfway, picking her up off the ground in a hug, burying his face in her neck. "Oh I missed you."

"What are we like, huh? Two weeks apart and we're like this." Pyrrha whispered into his bristly chin. "I missed you so much."

Jaune kissed her neck, making her convulse and giggle at his tickling beard. Pyrrha felt a pressure on her ankle, looking down at her giggly daughter holding onto it.

Pyrrha and Jaune broke the hug so Pyrrha could crouch down to her daughter.

From behind, Jaune mouthed to his daughter. "Keep her busy, bud!"

Oriana nodded, before taking her Mother's hand. "C-Come see the drawings I did! Daddy said they were so good h-he let me put them on the fridge!"

Pyrrha, being dragged along by her daughter, laughed. "Oh yeah? Well that sounds lovely, show me what you've made, sweetie."

"Y-Yeah, you girls go on ahead, I'll be right in!" Jaune laughed, before quickly turning to his project. "Shitshitshit I thought I had longer!"

He finished sanding it smooth and rounded the corners. Having a hip height daughter meant that was a necessity. He had Pyrrha pissed at him so many times over the years because of the lumps on his daughter's head. "Stop using our daughter's head to find sharp corners!" she'd yell at him.

He looked at the house, through the window to the kitchen, where Ori was showing Pyrrha her drawings.

Jaune quickly hefted it up and carried it to the patio, setting it down and pulling the lengths of thick rope from his tool box. He was thankful he'd attached the brackets earlier. Having the drill going now would definitely bring Pyrrha back outside. Curse his wife's adorable curiosity!

Finally, he attached it and hefted it up to swing gently. With a pleased sigh, he stepped back and wiped the sweat from his brow.

Just in time, as Pyrrha opened the patio door. "Jaune? What have you been up to? I thought you'd…" She trailed off at the sight.

"Ta da!" Jaune chuckled lightly.

"Yeah! Ta da!" Ori appeared behind her breathless Mother.

"Oh Jaune." Pyrrha smiled, hand over her heart. It was a suspended bench, rocking gently in the breeze, hanging from the sturdy brackets on the rafter's above on the patio shelter.

"Well, I know you wanted one, circled a few in the catalogue. But… I wanted to make you one. My dad came over and let me use his tools. We got the bulk of it done yesterday. I uhh… wanted to stain it up before you got home, but… here you are. N-Not that I'm not happy you're here! I am! J-Just I… why haven't you said anything? You hate it don't you, I knew I should have just ordered one, I mean-"

"Ori?" Pyrrha said, staring intently at Jaune.

"Yeah Mommy?"

"Cover your eyes sweetie."

"Okay Mommy." And the little girl did. Pyrrha paced over and damn near shoved her tongue down Jaune's throat, holding him against her frame, relaying how much she'd missed him and how much she appreciated this into the deep and long kiss.

She broke away, panting. Jaune, dazed and wobbly on his feet sat on his swinging bench. "W-Well… it works!"

Pyrrha bit her lip and smiled.

"So umm… do I get husband points?"

"Oh… so many husband points." Pyrrha smiled, sitting beside him on the bench, sighing contently.

"Can I look now?"

Both parents looked to their daughter. "Y-yes, sorry baby!"

"C'mere little one." Jaune pat his knee, Ori giggling as she ran over and leapt up onto him. He helped her up with a chuckle, sitting her between them both.

"This, this right here?" Jaune sighed contently, looping his arm around Pyrrha and kissing her cheek. "This is the life."

"Yeah." Pyrrha hummed. "Happy to be home, with my lovely little family."

Content silence reigned, until Pyrrha snickered.

"So… you burned the chicken, huh?"

"Oh Ori! You told her?!"

"Sowwy. Mommy asked." Ori shrugged, playing with her Mother's sash.

"W-Well, I mean it wasn't charred all the way through, I mean-"

"I never want to hear another joke about my cooking ever again." Pyrrha giggled.

"Aw, damn."