“Aye,” she said as she looked at his face. She felt bad for punching him that hard but it had been more of a reaction. “Thank the gods I don’t punch as hard as Grandma.” They sat there hugging for a long time as he told her about how long he had been suffering.

Once they got to the bed she took the katana and threw it off to the side. She sat by his side and listened to his story. She pulled him into her and kissed the top of his head. “I think we all think like that after bad things happen Jace.” She pulled the blankets up on them and moved down so she could put her head on his chest. “But, if you weren’t here right now… I would be all alone.” It was true she had family but she was so distant from them… but with Jace, she had opened up.

Her eyes went up to him and she smiled at him. “You have me, Jace. I’m not going to go anywhere. I promise that even when the one year is up if you’ll have me I’ll stay. I’m not trying to replace everyone you’ve lost or asking you to replace who I have lost… but I think that if we stay together and we try and figure out what this is that we won’t be alone anymore.” She kissed his cheek and nuzzled him softly before she closed her eyes.

“You look like you need sleep. I’ll stay up until I know you are safe… Okay? Get rest.” In the morning he was holding her and it was a weak enough grasp that she was able to pull herself free. She saw he woke up and kissed him gently. “Rest a bit longer okay? I’m going to make you food.” She nipped the tip of his nose before sliding out of bed and getting the dragons to cooperate with her. “Eggs… ham… The good stuff.”

She cooked him a whole breakfast and while she burned bits here or there she was rather pleased with herself as she put it out on the table. “Breakfast is done,” she didn’t have to yell because of how small the cottage is. The barricade from the night before was still up. She rolled up her long sleeves and set to work as crashes filled the cottage from her throwing things into an unused corner. “Thank you,” she said to one of the dragons who brought her some juice for breakfast. She set that onto the table. “I think we did a lot of work this morning already,” she commented as she opened the door to see the water trickling off the trees.

Jace curled around Remedy and nodded at her words. She was telling it how it was. Truth was, the void she filled in him was a very different void that the one that had been created by the losses he had suffered. Nothing could replace them. Not in that way at least. But he was still glad to have her there with him. He obeyed her direction to sleep and within minutes of curling up with her fell into the most restful sleep he’d had in what felt like years.

He only stirred again when Remedy slipped from his embrace the next morning, and he looked up as she left the bed, but let his head fall back when she reassured him she was only making breakfast. A faint smile curled at the corner of his lips when she nipped his nose, and he curled back up into his pillow. The smell of cooking food was what really woke him up, mostly when she was cooking things a little too well. When she alerted him that everything was done, he slowly sat up and climbed out of bed and staggered over to the small table where she had sat there meal.

“It looks good,” he said as he looked at her where she stood by the door, the pale morning light illuminating her in a beautiful radiant halo. “But… I see something that looks even better,” he mused. He moved up behind Remedy and slipped his arms about her waist. He pulled her tight against him, and kissed her neck. As if picking up where he had left off with her in the hot springs, he began kissing her a little harder, even nipping softly.

“You were so soft and warm last night,” he breathed in her ear, his hands roaming across her figure, but this time venturing where they hadn’t the night before. He pulled her back away from the door but didn't bother shutting it and kissed her fiercely, his claw sliding up beneath her shirt. 

Remedy enjoyed the faint smile on his face as she pulled away. The morning was spent cooking breakfast for him that was edible. Sure there were a few burnt pieces of but as the granddaughter of Fire who wouldn’t burn a few pieces? At least that’s what she told herself to feel better about it. “I tried not to burn it but face it Grandma isn’t the best cook in the world to learn from.”

Her green eyes scrunched up a bit as she tried to figure out what he was talking about. Then he was behind her and it made a bit more sense. “I don’t know… I wouldn’t consider myself appetizing.” Again she was reeling into him and accepting his neck kisses. Her hands went to his arms as she ran them up the best she could from how he had her positioned in the doorway.

“You weren’t too bad yourself,” it left her lips almost in a whisper as she controlled herself. Control wasn’t her best skill. She found herself wanting to go all out or not at all. The situation with Jace was making her regret never learning to control herself better especially because she knew what she wanted. The half angel was quick to get his shirt off after she turned towards him and accepted his kiss just as fierce as he had given it.

Letting her fingers feel every inch of him available to her at that point it was easy enough to immediately tell where this was going as the dragons went and hid away. He deftly picked her up and put her against the wall near the loft. Clothes were thrown randomly about at that point. It easy to keep someone as light as Rem pinned to the wall while doing so.

All of their actions spoke of how much they wanted each other's company or otherwise. Even the trees seemed to lean and look into the door way to see what they were doing. Which probably would have bothered Rem if she wasn’t so invested in making Jace feel good. From the wall to the bed she quickly sealed her wings so they were in the way. It made things easier and less uncomfortable and awkward.

That was how their whole morning was spent. When they were finally done Remedy held onto Jace. He was still over top of her but she gave them a good roll and kissed his neck. “Now, what was the point of cooking breakfast if you were going to waste it?” She joked before kissing his lips tenderly. Finally, her eyes moved to the doorway. “Next time we close the door… the dryads are watching us.” She made a noise in her throat that was more like an ‘excuse me’ and watched as the dryads went back to their normal business. There was a silly grin on her face as she laughed about it and snuggled herself into him. She liked the way she smelled like him now, it was relaxing to her.

Jace exhaled in contentment and laughed low in his throat as Remedy rolled so that she was sitting on top of him. He kissed her back, and looked toward the door where he could see several of the dryads peeking but when to go about their business when Remedy growled at them.

“Can you blame them. I think we put on one hell of a show,” he chuckled as he shifted his body against hers. He grinned at her as she laughed and snuggled up against him. He rested his claw over her back and lightly traced shapes on her skin.

“Sorry about breakfast. I know you put a lot of effort into it,” he said sheepishly. “But honestly, you were a lot better than anything I could have actually eaten,” he growled at her. He caressed her thigh gently before he kissed her. “That was something that was much needed. I feel better than I have in what feels like years.”  

Rem chuckled and shook her head at him. “I didn’t realize that you were happy with putting on a show for dryads… If that’s what gets you off.” It was a great joke as she kissed the tip of his nose. She relaxed under his claw drawing on her back. It was weird but she would get used to it.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about it.” She winked a bit after what he said. The half angel growled right back at him. “Should have just taken me before breakfast in that case. Or was it something I did or said?” She nipped at his lip as he kissed her. “If you aren’t careful you are going to be a second breakfast… and then we’re going to lose our entire day.”

It was perhaps the first time she noticed how small she actually was compared to Jace. He had at least a foot on her if not more. She was so much lither than him as well. A blush crossed her face as she watched him. “You know… why not.” She took him and brought him down to her level kissing him softly. “I’ll make you feel even better I promise. Breakfast can wait… I burned it anyway.”

The next year was going to be interesting. She wondered if her grandmother knew the dangers of putting two young people together… but then Rem realized that the old woman was probably only thinking of their health. Remedy found so much more on Horae Island. She found Jace and quite possibly their future together. Something she thought had avoided her until now. The half angel was happy for once.