WARNING: "Slight" mature content up ahead

(//∇//). Read at your own risk. ​​

***

Sensing a powerful, impending strike from behind, Ethan barely manage to dodge it. A small part of his flesh on his left cheek was grazed. He can nearly feel it turning purple from the hit.

"Too slow."

Ethan jumped back to retreat and think of his next attack. Unfortunately, his opponent didn't give him the chance.

Fighting with a person who lacks bloodlust was difficult. Ethan had a hard time predicting where the next hit will land.

Below?

His leg successfully block the attack, but his world suddenly turned upside down. It took him a second to realized that Lillie made him lose his balance.

Lillie composed herself and breath deeply to unknot her muscle.

"This isn't even an ounce of what the real fight with the master would be." Inside the house gym, Lillie and Ethan had just begin their practice match.

"The master is known for his fluidity and speed. You will lose if you rely too much on brute strength." She pointed out. "That is why I'm fighting you with the master's style so that you will learn how to deflect him."

Lillie and Ethan are equally strong.

The practice match had been going on for three hours after they got home from work, and they're barely losing their breaths.

The reason why Ethan lost was because this was the first time he fought someone whose style is as graceful as the air and calm as the water, yet dangerous at the same time.

But Ethan adapts quickly.

If Lillie would fight him in this style continuously, Ethan will get the grasp of it and change his fighting style to be on par with his opponent.

"Senior brother would've been a better teacher. Sadly, he's too adamant on not teaching anyone." Her palm lunged forward, plotting to strike his solar plexus, but Ethan swiftly dispelled the attack by swatting it with his wrist.

"Who wants to be his teacher." Ethan grumbled. He imagined Death to be the kind of teacher who would mock you for your mistakes.

Lillie blinked momentarily and found Ethan to have disappeared from her tunnel vision.

"I can detect your bloodlust." She said before ducking when a leg swoop in from above.

Lillie wasted no time and grabbed his leg, about to flung him to the floor.

However, she grabbed nothing but air.

"Caught you." She heard him whisper from behind.

And before Lillie knows it, she was trapped under him. Both of her hands were pinned above her head, his hands gripping her wrists, and her legs were wrapped with his.

Lillie was rendered immobile. She struggled for a few minutes before concluding that his hold on her was too tight.

"You won." She breathlessly muttered. "Let go."

"Hm...I think I like this position." Lillie glanced up and saw the sly grin on his face.

She then only realized how inappropriate their position was.

"Y-you! Stop making it sound perverted!" Red spread on her cheeks in embarrassment. "This is defense martial arts, not something else!"

"Hoh? What something else?" Ethan smirked down at his flustered wife. "I wasn't saying anything perverted, it's all in your head."

"You're twisting my words," Lillie struggled again but quickly stopped when she felt something hard twitch on her thigh.

"Now you've done it." Ethan leaned his head down until his lips reached her ear. "I think this training regimen is over. How about we change it and move somewhere...comfortable?" He bit her ear.

Ethan was not done teasing his wife. After biting her ear, he traced his lips down until it loomed over her neck.

Lillie shivered at the sensation. "S-stop...you won't advance with your training when you're like this." Her heart thumped rapidly, her legs quivered at the arousal.

"We got plenty of time." His voice muffled on her neck as he gave his wife light kisses.

"The—there's no room for slacking..." Lillie bit her lips to not let the moan escape.

"Oh there's room everywhere."

"That's...not what I'm referring!"

Lillie thought he finally gave up when he let her go, but only to find herself being hurled over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Etha—ah!" Her face was like a ripe tomato. Her eyes and mouth gaped at Ethan's boldness.

"Did—did you just slap—ah!"

Ethan smacked her well-rounded peach a second time.

"We've been training for three hours, babe. Time to take a break." The glee and mischief in Ethan's tone was not hidden.

Lillie gripped onto his shirt. "W-wait, we're both sweaty..." She must've been so muddled that she cannot think of a better excuse.

"We'll be sweaty, regardless." He effortlessly countered.

Lillie surrendered and let Ethan carry her to wherever.

It's his turn to win the next round.