The Grass is Always Greener 006 (Patreon)

“You’ve done well,” Cinder praised, scrolling through the document Emerald had put together. Amber eyes regarded her appreciatively. “I did not expect you to gather so much information so quickly.”

Emerald tried not to preen but it was difficult not to when her mentor was praising her efforts. Such words did not come from Cinder Fall often.

Mercury made a sound low in his throat, something mocking but not even that was enough to dampen Emerald’s spirits. She sat up straighter, a feeling of satisfaction welling up inside her.

It had been almost a week since she’d made first contact with Jaune Arc and his friends, and things were going well. Emerald had exchanged contact details with most of them and it wasn’t unusual for her to be in correspondence with one or more of them at various points during the day. While they hadn’t gone out on any more trips to Vale, it wasn’t unusual for her to spend her lunch break with them, in varying combinations; sometimes it was just her and Ruby, while at other times she had eaten with the entire friend group, and at others with just Jaune. She had cultivated their trust in her, little by little and now they felt comfortable with her presence, even inviting her to sit with them in class when she decided to attend.

Even Pyrrha Nikos was lowering her guard, though not nearly fast enough.

It was a success.

But she still had a long way to go.

Mercury leaned in and glanced at the tablet in Cinder’s hands, reading through the information. He didn’t look impressed. Not in the slightest.

“I’m not sure how this is meant to help us get to the Maiden,” he said doubtfully. “Why does it matter if we know what their favorite food is or where they like to train?” He leaned back, shaking his head. “I mean, sure – if we were trying to assassinate them, I could use this. But aren’t we trying to figure out where the Maiden is and who the old codger is going to use as a scapegoat.”

“The information is not important,” Cinder said sharply before Emerald could speak. “The fact that she was able to gather it with little to no effort is. She has seamlessly inserted herself into their friend group and has gained their trust. Surely someone of your skill set can see the advantages this presents us.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he huffed. “So – they say anything important?”

No – they hadn’t.

It was becoming increasingly obvious to her that she was going to have to step it up a notch, though this was an expected outcome. While they did consider her a friend now and were willing to open up, that didn’t mean they were ready to spill everything to her. Even though Pyrrha was lowering her guard, she was still a rather closed off person. Blake was still running herself into the ground and not really even speaking to her own team, and as well as her connection with Jaune was coming along, he was still hesitant to speak about his partner more than necessary.

That was going to have to change.

And she knew just how to do that.

There was no denying his attraction towards her. More than once, Emerald had caught him checking her out, those baby blue eyes lingering in not so innocent places. Not lustful but more admiration for her body, a hint of desire but respectful. It was exactly what she’d been working for.

Emerald had waged a campaign on his libido with gentle caresses, scorching looks and flirting, doing everything in her power to seduce him away from the Schnee heiress and firmly into her camp. It was a lot more difficult than she first thought it would be. His feelings for Weiss appeared to be true and he wasn’t so easily swayed, but it was working. The fact that half the time, it was his suggestions to hang out rather than hers told her everything she needed to know.

He was interested.

But he wasn’t all the way there. Not yet.

Emerald needed to take the next step.

“Not yet,” she confirmed. “But I think I know how to get one of them to talk.”

Cinder arched an eyebrow, intrigued. “Oh?”

“Pyrrha Nikos is opening up to me but she appears to be a reserved person by nature,” Emerald began laying out her plan. “Even with her friends, she withholds herself – with one exception. Her partner.”

“John, wasn’t it?”

For some reason, that annoyed her.

“Jaune,” Emerald stressed, glaring at Mercury. “She is close with him. Closer than anyone else. I guess it should be expected since they are partners but her friendship with him is very different than her friendship with even her other teammates. I’ve been focusing on Jaune since he is much more likely to trust my intentions but I believe I may have to push harder.”

Cinder smirked, clearly already knowing where this was going. “Go on.”

“I have to seduce him, ma’am.”

Mercury gave a startled laugh, almost doubling over.

“What?” he asked incredulously.

Emerald ignored him.

“I have already laid the groundwork. His crush on the Schnee heiress is all that stands in the way of claiming his devotion, so I need to offer something she cannot.”

That thing was physical intimacy.

“You’re going to have sex with him?” Mercury stared at her in disbelief, mouth falling open. “Tell me you aren’t seriously considering that?”

“No,” Emerald denied at once. “I don’t have to go that far.”

“So – what? A handjob?” he snorted, and soon he was laughing hysterically. “Oh my god, what the hell are you thinking? This is fucking hilarious.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Emerald snapped irritably. “He might not be a pig like you but if a hand on his dick gets him to spill, then I’ll do it.”

Though she hadn’t even planned on going that far. A few kisses and Jaune Arc would be putty in her hands, free to mold and shape however she pleased. Trust Mercury to jump straight to the most extreme option.

“He’ll spill, alright,” Mercury guffawed. “All over you.”

She’d walked right into that one.

“Oh fuck off.”

“Children,” Cinder sighed but the warning was clear.

Emerald calmed down, shunting her annoyance to the side. It wasn’t so easy for Mercury to contain his amusement, having to cover his mouth with a hand to stifle his laughter. Those sarcastic eyes never left her, taunting.

Cinder shook her head before focusing on Emerald. “And you think this Jaune Arc knows something?”

“If Pyrrha Nikos has been selected by Ozpin, she might just keep it to herself,” Emerald acknowledged. “But if she does speak to someone about it, that someone will be her partner. I have no doubt in my mind.”

Cinder hummed. “I’m impressed. You’ve taken my lessons to heart and have always been a keen learner but you never appeared enthusiastic about the art of seduction. Do you believe you are up to this task?”

Mercury’s shoulders began shaking and she had to stop herself from lashing out and kicking him. The only reason she didn’t was because of Cinder.

She may have never kissed anyone before but how hard could it be?

“I am.”

Cinder smiled. “I see. You may proceed with this course of action.”

There was a sudden knock on the window, putting them all on guard. Mercury spun around, ready to move at a moment's notice while Emerald reached for her weapons. Cinder’s hand clenched, ready to form one of her glass blades should the need arise only for her stern expression to melt away as a girl with black twin-tails and green eyes waved at them through the glass.

“Ah,” Cinder stood. “Neo, welcome.”

Emerald watched as the small, limber woman opened the window from the outside and slipped through like a cat, cartwheeling over the desk and landing on Mercury’s bed with a little bounce. She smirked at them cheekily, each blink changing the color of her eyes; they cycled through varying combinations of brown, pink and white before settling back on green.

“Fuck sake, are you trying to give us a heart attack,” Mercury complained.

Neo tittered silently.

“I was not expecting you again so soon,” Cinder stated. “I do not like surprises.”

Neo – or rather, Mint – smirked, pulling out her scroll and tapping away. Flipping the screen around, they all saw the message.

There has been a little hiccup. ;)

Cinder sighed. “Roman, Roman, Roman – I am growing tired of these excuses,” Cinder and Neo stared at one another silently. “Emerald, continue with your task. I believe I have something troublesome to settle.”

Emerald stood. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Mercury,” Cinder pinned him with her eyes. “I wish to see some results soon. You mock dear Emerald yet I’ve seen nothing from you.”

Mercury scowled. “It’s not my fault that Goodwitch hasn’t called her up to fight yet.”

Amber eyes glittered dangerously. “Then find another way.”

He grimaced. “Right, fine. Got it.”

“Now leave,” she waved her hand.

Emerald was out the door in a flash, Mercury right behind her.

The hallway was silent, though as they passed by some of the doors, she could make out voices from within. She was hoping that Mercury would go his own way but she wasn’t so lucky.

“Are you really going to fuck him just to impress Cinder?”

Emerald aimed an elbow at his side and missed, Mercury dancing away effortlessly.

“Didn’t I tell you that I’m not doing that,” she hissed. “Just because you want to get your cock wet doesn’t mean I’m going to spread my legs, asshole.”

“Hey, I mean – if that Xiao Long bird wants to wrestle, I won’t say no,” Emerald rolled her eyes as he waggled his eyebrows infuriatingly.

“Then go find her and leave me alone.”

He didn’t leave her alone.

“So what are you going to do?” Mercury mused, tapping his chin mockingly. “I guess you could suck his cock. You’ve got a nice pair of lips.”

“You’re such a piece of shit, this is why you can’t get laid.”

“I think you are projecting a little bit, Em. Have you ever kissed a boy before?” he kept speaking before she could answer. “Probably not. Girls are more your lane, aren’t they? Have you ever kissed a girl?”

Red eyes narrowed into slits. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“I’ve seen the way you look at other women sometimes,” he shrugged carelessly. “Hey, no judgment here. I like looking at ass as much as anyone.”

“I’m sizing up who to pickpocket, not that,” she growled. “Women are easier to target because they often have shitty pockets. Their scrolls poke out halfway, practically begging to be taken.” That was if they weren’t just carrying a handbag. The younger generation tended to just stuff their scroll in their back pocket.

He wasn’t entirely wrong about her preferences, though. Emerald was attracted to both men and women, with a heavier leaning towards women, though she’d never pursued such desires before. It was just something she knew. She’d never been in love with anyone, just as no one had ever been in love with her.

No one loved trash, after all.

“Sure, sure,” Mercury scoffed. “Looking at their pockets. Riiiight.”

She’d had enough of this.

As they approached the exit to the dorms, she met his eyes and cast her semblance with nary a thought. Emerald passed through the doors without issue. Mercury walked straight into the wall. He shouted in a mixture of surprise and pain as his face slammed into the door jam, body jerking from the unexpected impact. Flailing, he hit the ground hard and everyone in the lobby turned to stare, even some laughter breaking out.

Mercury glared at her furiously as she joined in, laughing heartily.

“You fucking bitch,” he quickly climbed to his feet, marching towards her. The red welt on his face quickly receded as his aura healed it before it could bruise.

“You really should pay more attention to your surroundings,” she needled.

She could tell he wanted to hit her but the impulse passed just as quickly as it appeared.

“Fine,” he stuffed his hands in his pockets, walking away. “Go swap spit with your new toy. Hope you don’t embarrass yourself too much.”

“Prick,” she said, watching until he vanished from sight before sighing.

Why’d he have to be such a jerk all the time?

But now that she was alone, her mind started going there. Emerald had never kissed anyone before and while she knew the basic mechanics, she had zero experience. A few touches here and there, a few looks, that had been easy. The flirting had been harder but she’d made it work. Jaune wasn’t exactly a ladies man and even though he liked the Schnee heiress, his attraction to Emerald was plain as day to see.

Could she take the next step and accelerate her plans?

She could. She wouldn’t have told Cinder if she wasn’t able. But that didn’t mean she didn’t feel a sliver of trepidation. He would have to enjoy it, right? If he didn’t, then all of the ground work she had prepared would be for nothing. If she sucked at it, it could ruin everything.

She couldn’t believe it but this was her life right now. Worrying about how well she could kiss someone. Unbelievable.

Emerald almost looked up a guide. Almost.

She stopped herself at the last second, her finger hovering over the search button before collapsing her scroll and stuffing it in her pocket; her very deep pockets, she wasn’t an idiot. She also wasn’t so pathetic that she was going to search for kissing advice on the internet. Even if no one else would ever know, she would.

“This is fucking stupid,” she huffed. “Just press your lips to his, no biggie. Add a little tongue. It isn’t difficult.”

And there was no time like the present to test it out!

Scowling, she pulled out her scroll again and sent Jaune a quick message. He usually answered pretty fast and not even a minute had gone by when she received a reply.

Jaune Arc: Hey, just getting some training in. If you wanna hang, I’m just out in the forest beyond the old storage shed.

Emerald blinked.

What storage shed?

But he had taken care of that, sending a follow up with a bunch of directions. Shrugging, Emerald followed the path he laid out. She passed by the library before taking a right turn, following the path through the nearby courtyard and garden, then up some stone steps before coming across the storage shed he’d mentioned in the text. A mechanic was working on a ride-on lawnmower while another member of the groundskeeping staff loaded a wheelbarrow with bags of manure. To the left was a small dirt track that she followed between some trees, the winding path taking her south-east.

She heard him before she saw him.

Emerald stepped through some overgrown bushes into a small clearing ringed by trees, the grass here short and ground hard, the soil compact. Standing in the middle was Jaune, sword in hand as he went through a series of well practiced, repetitive motions, grunting from the effort. At just a glance, Emerald could tell he must have been at this for quite awhile, having removed his armor and hoodie, leaving him in nothing but a sweat soaked shirt. His shoes scuffed against the ground as he spun, flowing into the next stance, forearms like iron as the muscles locked tightly, his eyes focused. His blade whistled as it cut through the air. It took him a few seconds to register her presence, pausing mid-swing as the focus bled from his expression, a smile stretching his lips.

“Hey,” he said happily, straightening up. He was breathing deeply, not quite panting. “You got here faster than I thought you would.”

The late afternoon sun cast shadows through the trees, his skin glistening from the fruit of his efforts. For some reason, his eyes appeared even more blue, watching her with a vibrancy that rendered her speechless. As he approached, she caught a whiff of his musk on the gentle breeze that rushed through the leaves of the forest around them, his musk mixing with the scent of nature.

Her mouth went dry.

“What’s up?” he asked, walking by her to set his sword against a tree before reaching down for a water bottle. Unscrewing the top, he took several long pulls, sighing in relief as he pulled it away. “Damn, I was thirsty.”

Emerald shook her head, confused. What the hell was wrong with her? She was acting like a fool. Mercury’s words must have made her brain stupid. That was it. His dumb voice was turning her into an idiot.

“I see you’re hard at work,” she said, trying to sound coy but her voice came out weird. She cleared her throat. “Are you alone?”

“Yeah, just me,” he grabbed a towel from his things and began wiping down. “Pyrrha was with me for a little bit but she had some things she had to do. With the festival coming up, there are a bunch of companies that want to use her to promote their items.”

The life of an internationally renowned fighter.

“Oh? That sounds pretty cool.”

“I told her if Pumpkin Pete’s come calling again, she should take it,” Jaune laughed. “Free cereal for a year sounds awesome. She wouldn’t even have to eat it all alone.”

“You’ve got it all figured out.”

“You have to as team leader, you know,” turning to face her, he gifted her with a smile. “You’re meant to be the brains of the operation.”

“And how is that going for you?” Emerald smirked. “Are you the mastermind of Team JNPR’s success?”

Jaune snorted. “Nah – my teammates are just too damn good. I feel like I got placed in the easy mode team. The biggest problems we have to deal with is when Nora eats too much sugar or who gets to use the shower first,” he rolled his eyes. “We’ve got a schedule and everything but no one ever follows it.”

“How’s your training coming along?” she looked around the clearing, as if trying to search for some visible sign of his improvement. A couple of trees had some very obvious signs of sword damage, the bark slashed to ribbons, sticky sap leaking from the wounds inflicted upon the trunk.

“Fine, I think,” Jaune frowned. “It’s hard to tell when you’re alone. Pyrrha’s left me with a bunch of video instructions to follow but without anyone around to critique your form, you don’t know if you are beginning to slack from fatigue or whatever.”

“She makes videos for you?”

Jaune flushed at the surprise in her voice. “I’m learning a lot from her.”

It wasn’t unusual for partners to help each other grow but this sounded more like a mentorship than a partnership. It was clear to Emerald from the fight she witnessed in combat class that Jaune’s experience with fighting was low. It did strike her as strange, considering that many of the students at these Huntsmen academy’s had years of attending preparatory schools like Signal and Sanctum. The ones that didn’t were either recommended by sponsorship from a fully licensed Huntsman or scouted directly by the school.

In all cases, he should have had his fair share of fights under his belt.

Having Pyrrha Nikos as a partner gave him a very unique opportunity though. Being as good as she was, Emerald was sure the crimson haired girl could teach even experienced fighters a thing or two. For someone like Jaune, she could teach him a lot. One of the best educations he could hope for anywhere in the world.

“You’re a pretty lucky dude, getting to learn from Pyrrha Nikos.”

He chuckled sheepishly. “Trust me, I know. I just don’t want to let her down.”

Emerald thought of an idea. “Well – how about we test out your skills?”

Jaune blinked. “What?”

“Train with me,” she said, patting her weapons. “As you can see, I’m ready for it.”

“Really?” he asked, perking up. “You’d do that for me?”

Emerald shrugged. “Why not? It sounds like fun – and we’re friends, aren’t we?”

“It’s just… we’ll be competing against one another. I thought maybe you wouldn’t want to show your hand.”

He was cute, thinking that if he saw her fight, he would somehow have an advantage in the future against her. It would take more than a brief training session to figure her out.

“Think you might have me all worked out after only one fight, huh?” she taunted lightly. “You shouldn’t take me so lightly.”

“I’m not!” he said quickly, grabbing his sword. “I just – urgh, don’t worry about it. Thank you for doing this.”

“It’s no problem. Like I said, this will be fun, right?”

Jaune took his place across from her, deploying his shield and holding his sword out in front, legs firm and body tense, ready. Emerald lazily removed her weapons, giving Thief's Respite a twirl. She watched the way his eyes widened when they mecha-shifted into their sickle form, the curved blades long and wicked.

“So – let’s dance,” she gestured to him, lowering her stance with a grin on her lips.

The first thing Emerald learned was that Jaune was strong. Much stronger than she had been anticipating. As their weapons came together in a ringing clash, Emerald felt the strength of his swing travel through her hands and up her arms. He wasn’t a huge guy by any means, even though he was tall and lean with muscle, and yet he hit like someone that was twice the size. She quickly adjusted, deflecting his sword strokes away by angling her blades rather than meeting him head on, though even then she could feel echoes of the impact through her hands.

He had some power to him. That was interesting.

Unfortunately for him, that was where the surprises ended. While his swordsmanship was sound and his footwork impeccable, it was very basic. Emerald easily spun away as he lunged at her with an overhead strike, knocking his weapon aside before counter-attacking with a lazy slash. His shield managed to meet it, a loud rasp sounding as her blade slid across the face. When he tried to stab at her, she moved to the left, side-stepping and attacked from his exposed side. Aura flashed as her blade ripped at him and he grunted.

“First blood to me,” she grinned cheekily.

Another thing she learned is that he didn’t appear to tire easily. She wasn’t sure how long he’d been out here, working on his sword forms but it had been long enough to work up a serious sweat. For the next several minutes, he went on the attack, Emerald avoiding and countering with very little effort, yet the constant movement didn’t appear to be wearing him down. No matter how many times she deflected his slashes or forced him to block with his shield, he just kept coming.

Executing a perfect parry, Emerald lashed out with a foot, Jaune tanking the blow on his shield. She felt her leg jar, almost as if she’d just kicked a wall instead of a person, quickly retreating as he advanced. His swing was swift and clean, coming at her from the left side but she was much too fast, stepping back before darting in. This time she aimed her kick low, her heel slamming into his leg just below the knee. His leg buckled – but only for a moment, Jaune stumbling but regaining his footing faster than she expected. Emerald was forced to block as his sword came back around in a back-slash, her twin blades catching his sword together. The strength of his swing forced her to step with the blow, bleeding off the excess power.

“Nice one,” she said before twisting her wrist, trapping his weapon before sweeping his legs with a powerful kick, this time putting everything she had into it. Jaune hit the ground with a grunt, flat on his back and had to roll away as she skewered the dirt.

Hastily getting back to his feet, Jaune charged but Emerald swiftly danced out of the way, slashing up his exposed side. When he turned to meet her, she ducked under his swipe and rose up with a brutal knee, striking him in the chest. He was forced back a few steps and without his armor, he was momentarily winded, gasping for breath.

She could see the frustration beginning to build.

Try as he might, he just couldn’t catch her. His blade always missed her by the barest of margins and when she was forced to block, his own strength carried her out of harm's reach. She was an expert at using an opponent's momentum against them, her light steps carrying her effortlessly around him.

Knowing that it was useless to continue the way he was, he tried to bait her into attacking first but that didn’t change the results. She was just way too fast for him, her weapons flashing as they carved out his aura as he tried to defend and counter, the movements unfamiliar to him. He even tried that shield trick he’d used in class but it was no use, Emerald rolling through with her swing as the shield fell away, quickly finding her feet and spinning back around to meet him in a clash of steel.

“I’ve already seen that one,” she mocked lightly as she disengaged, giggling for show.

“I suppose you have,” he sighed, looking annoyed with himself. “I’m not exactly putting up much of a fight, am I?”

He wasn’t. Emerald could easily pick him apart, even without the use of her semblance. Jaune just wasn’t in her league. But many of the students here at Beacon were in the same boat. She could defeat most of them without much effort. It was only the very best that could give her trouble, and even then, Emerald was confident of victory.

Only Pyrrha Nikos gave her pause. She was the type of fighter that even Cinder might have trouble against, if all the rumors about her were true.

But not all of it was bad.

“Your foundation is sound,” she found herself saying, unexpectedly.

“What?”

“Your swordsmanship,” she explained, keeping her weapons ready in case he decided to attack, though it was unlikely. “Your foundation is sound. Your problem is a lack of experience. You aren’t used to this, are you?”

For a moment, a panicked expression crossed his face.

“Uh…”

“I can tell you’ve trained really hard and you are constantly thinking on your feet,” she continued, interested at what could provoke that sort of reaction from him but that could wait for later. “That is a good thing. The problem is you don’t know how to execute moves you haven’t planned for in advance. Am I right?”

He hesitated before nodding, almost ashamed.

“When you try, you leave yourself wide open. That isn’t so unusual for a beginner,” when had she become the teaching sort? But this was something Emerald knew from experience. When Cinder had been training her at the beginning, there had been many occasions where she’d tried to surprise her mentor, only to be countered brutally because she hadn’t had long enough to work out the weaknesses she exposed in moving a certain way. “I know this from experience.”

“Oh…”

“The only way to learn is to experience it first hand,” she said. “You can’t hesitate – and for someone like you, failing again and again is perfect.”

He looked confused.

His other strength was his ridiculous aura. Emerald had quickly noticed that even though she’d landed several consistent blows on him, he still kept coming. She’d dug her weapons in hard, raking the razor sharp edge over his skin and yet the power of his soul continued to endure. Many of her attacks had hit vulnerable areas.

He should have been put down by now.

He wasn’t.

“What is your aura at?” she asked.

A light appeared to go off in his mind. Pulling out his scroll, he checked before flipping the screen around so she could see. Even after all the damage she’d inflicted, he was still only just in the yellow. Emerald blinked.

Seventy percent.

Not even she had been expecting that.

How was that even possible? She’d been expecting it to be closer to halfway, maybe even a little lower.

“Pain is a good motivator,” she said blankly, mind still trying to comprehend just how much aura he must have. “In training, that is the time to be reckless. In a real fight, it is already too late.”

In a real fight, it could mean death.

“You want to push your limits and test every part of yourself. Understanding what you can do and what you can’t do is important. That means taking risks.”

Jaune appeared to take her words to heart, nodding. Picking up his shield, he readied himself.

The next time they crossed blades, he was much more aggressive. Her weapons found purchase more often, slashing across his arms as he overextended, her kicks slamming against his hips, and yet Emerald found herself exerting more effort as he pushed the tempo, driving her back. His swordsmanship suffered, less polished and refined, and yet his movements were faster, swifter, almost like he was trying to anticipate where she was going to be.

He still didn’t hit her but Emerald was forced to pay more attention to his attacks, his patterns more unpredictable than before.

It culminated in a furious exchange of blows, her weapons tearing across his face as he charged in. Instead of flinching away, he advanced, his sword whistling by her head as she ducked, and in a repeat of earlier, she rose with a furious knee, slamming it into his sternum. Only this time, powerful hands seized her arms, fingers digging in as he discarded his weapons, red eyes widening as he dragged her down with his superior physical strength.

Emerald hit the ground hard, Jaune looming above her, gasping as he tried to breathe. In a brief moment of panic, she thrashed, kicking her legs wildly but he was much too strong and heavy, pinning her down even as he struggled to fill his lungs with air. Trapping her with his body, he ended up between her splayed legs, pelvis pinning her lower body while his chest trapped her upper body, arms locked to the ground.

She was stuck.

Fear lanced through her, so sudden that it made her dizzy. Blue eyes met red – and if not for the kindness found within, she would have turned completely feral. A flashback to years past, of another girl being pinned down in an alleyway as Emerald ran, tears stinging her eyes as she heard that other girl scream and beg for help.

But this wasn’t that.

“Caught ya,” he finally managed to get out, wheezing.

His face was a little red as he tried to inhale deeply, filling his lungs. Emerald stared at him blankly, partly furious that she’d let some novice bring her down, partly frozen with indecision as her eyes darted down to his lips, knowing that there was no better chance than now.

And yet she hesitated.

Her heart thudded loudly in her ears, her mouth going dry. Her skin prickled where his hands grabbed her, restraining her, an odd warmth rolling through her, up her neck, across her cheeks, her ears burning furiously. She tried to swallow but it made her throat lock up, her breathing becoming erratic.

What was happening?

Jaune’s breathing in comparison had settled, his eyes holding hers. Emerald felt like she was drowning in their depths, so blue and open. All she had to do was lean up and claim his lips, and he would be hers to manipulate as she saw fit. The distance between them was short, a matter of inches, and yet…

...she couldn’t cross it.

Why couldn’t she do it?

Her mouth opened, and what she was going to say, she didn’t even know. It was instinct more than anything; was she going to tell him to get off her? Congratulate him on taking her down? But before the words could form, those blue eyes of his darted down to her lips and she gasped when he leaned down and kissed her.

He kissed her.

His lips were softer than she expected, pressing against her mouth gently. They were warm and moist, and when her lower lip slipped between his lips and he sucked, her whole body trembled. His hands released her arms, shifting his weight until he balanced himself on his elbows, and then he pulled away, looking for something; approval or disgust?

“Emerald,” he said, voice low – and she moved on instinct, hands reaching for his face, pulling him down. This time they kissed longer, harder, their mouths moving together. When his tongue brushed along the seam of her lips, she gasped, opening up in an instant. Hot and wet, his tongue slipped into her mouth, and her own tongue met it gladly.

He was so big; his body, his tongue, dominating her. He licked into her mouth, beating her own tongue into submission as he tasted her deeply. His mouth moved enthusiastically, lips sucking at her, licking her teeth, the roof of her mouth, devouring her with a hunger that was unexpected. Emerald felt as if she was overheating, his hot mouth filling her with heat, her insides coiling tight. When he shifted his hips, pressing against her, she felt it; something hard, grinding into her crotch.

His cock.

Emerald moaned as pleasure sparked, his dick right against her pussy. When his teeth seized her lip, she writhed, overwhelmed. She bit him back, harder, and the sound he made went straight to her cunt, her arousal building out of control as her vaginal muscles squeezed.

She’d never felt like this before. Shivery, as if her heart was going to leap out her throat, her lower belly melting.

She needed to slow it down.

This was about her dominating him and bringing him to her side, so she could control him. As good as it felt, having his mouth against hers, this wasn’t about pleasure.

Firming her resolve, Emerald knew she needed to take the upper hand. As much as she loathed to admit it, Mercury was her inspiration here. Worming one of her hands between their bodies, she gripped his erection firmly, giving it a hard squeeze. Jaune groaned into her mouth before pulling away, his lips slick with saliva. Emerald panted, struggling to breathe as she felt him throb in her grasp.

...he was big here too.

“Emerald,” he uttered again, her name almost like a prayer on his lips. She didn’t dare look him in the eye, instead reaching for his belt, unbuckling it hastily before opening up his jeans and plunging her hand inside before he could protest. Jaune tensed above her as she palmed him through his underwear before pulling them down, exposing his cock.

She felt it slap against her covered mound, the weight of it surprising. She looked down, trying to see it – and felt the air rush from her lungs as her eyes glimpsed it for the first time.

He wasn’t just big. He was huge.

Long and fat, the shaft was riddled with bulging veins. It curved upwards off where it rested on her body, the crown slightly wider than the shaft, almost like a cap, thick and flushed red with blood. From the tip, pre-cum oozed thickly, dripping down and wetting his skin and for a moment, she was rendered senseless. Every time it throbbed, it visibly twitched, her insides coiling in unison.

Now what did she do?

“W-Wait,” he tried but in a moment of madness, she grasped him, stealing his words with a touch.

She couldn’t believe how silky smooth the skin felt against her palm, and how hot it was, the heat seeping into her hand. It was paradoxically soft and hard; when she tightened her hold, she felt a little give until all she could feel was pure steel. Her fingers traced across the bulging veins, mapping them out, stroking them as they pulsed.

This was his cock. A man’s cock. A man’s weakness.

This is how she would win him over. This is how she would complete her mission.

Jaune hissed as she began to stroke him slowly, hand moving up and down his shaft. Whenever the top of her fist grazed the prominent ridge of his glans, he would groan low in his throat, his cock flexing powerfully. He was much too big for just one of her small hands to handle, so she brought her other hand into play, grasping him lower, pumping him down near the base.

“Oh god,” he groaned, resting his head against her. His panting breath gusted over her face. “Emerald.”

The way he said her name made her feel weird, a tightening in her chest that she found hard to ignore. She pumped him faster, feeling his pre-ejaculate coat her hand, hot and velvety smooth, allowing her hand to move with greater purpose. She had no idea what she was doing but he seemed to like it, her lower hand reaching further down until she encountered his balls.

They felt like twin eggs, large and fit to burst, a light fuzz covering his scrotum. They tightened when she grabbed them, squeezing them gently before moving back to his shaft. If possible, it felt like his cock was stiffening even more, and the sounds he started making held an urgency to them that they didn’t have before.

“Fuck, you’re going to make me cum,” he moaned into her hair, hips rolling with the movements of her hands.

She pumped him harder in response, her hand now wet and gliding over his crown, stroking the very end of him. Emerald wasn’t sure how long she jerked him off but suddenly, he was kissing her again, ripping a gasp from her throat as he plundered her mouth aggressively, sucking her tongue, biting her, wet smacks filling the space between them as he tried to swallow her whole.

His cock tensed, almost seeming to lengthen – and then something hot and wet was lancing across her belly, scalding her, three, four, five, six, seven volleys painting her stomach as he groaned into her mouth. Emerald squealed as she felt his cum jet across her tummy, burning her, his dick throbbing wildly. She didn’t stop her movements, pumping him, wringing his length until his jumping balls had nothing more to give.

And then she continued all the same, milking his dick beyond his orgasm until he couldn’t take it any more, his groans becoming slightly uncomfortable as he reached for her hands, stilling them.

“No more,” he sighed as she finally stopped, blinking up at him stupidly. “I’m – it’s too much.”

Emerald stared at him, taking in his flushed cheeks and too bright eyes. The way he was looking at her was too much, her chest tight.

“That was amazing,” he said. “You’re amazing.”

He leaned back off her, his cock still jutting from his body lewdly. Even after all that, he was still hard. Was he meant to be still hard? Emerald thought guys got soft after they blew their load.

His load.

Propping herself up on her elbows, she looked down and saw the mess he’d made all over her exposed stomach. Her abs tightened, streaks of pearlescent semen contrasting sharply with her dark skin. Reaching for it, she touched the thick liquid with a finger, swirling it around.

It was hot and gelatinous, and there was so much of it.

Was this normal?

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Mhm.”

She was a little taken aback, that was all. Yep. This was her first time, so of course she was a little out of sorts. But she’d done her job.

...he was hers now.

Right?