January 1st
20 weeks into the first semster
"3… 2… 1! Happy New Year!" The crowd amassed at the Vale city plaza chanted in unison as the clock hit midnight.
The members of Team TAPE jumped and cheered in unison as fireworks set the sky ablaze with color.
"Whooo, happy New Year!" Eve screamed joyfully as she bounced in place beside Automne.
Automne laughed at her hollering and gave her a small nudge. "You're going to be so hoarse tomorrow!" He chuckled, trying to shout over the wild crowd at the same time.
"Automne, it's the New Year!" Eve cheered, now rocking beside him energetically. She beamed at him warmly, her periwinkle eyes glowing under the amber party lights.
"I know!" Automne shouted with a warm smile, pocketing his hands. "Happy New Year, Eve."
Eve gave an almost inaudible giggle. "Happy New Year, Automne." Eve gave a few absent-minded blinks as the surrounding crowd vigorously surged and bobbed. "Where're Ty and Petunia? They were here a minute ago."
"I don't know, maybe they… oh." Automne gasped in surprise. He pulled his hands from his pockets to awkwardly scratch at his face.
"What?"
"Ummmm… that." Automne gestured in shock. His pointed finger directing Eve to Ty and Petunia who were quite occupied in the act of tongue kissing. Automne took a moment to glance around at the crowd around them where dozens of others were brushing up on their tongue-wrestling. Except for one man in a seafoam green hoodie who was kissing his left hand.
Eve gave an audible gasp. Her cheeks burning a bright pink as she averted her eyes from her teammate's intimate display of affection. "I… I forgot about this custom." Eve shyly admitted as she tried to avoid looking Automne in the eye.
"Yeah… It's-uh… I forgot about it too." His eyes scampering around every centimeter surrounding Eve. His tan cheeks had quickly begun to turn a rosy red. "So… umm… Sh-should we…"
"I-I-It's just a custom, we don't have to-" Eve reasoned, playing with some of her hair.
"Yeah, customs are goofy anyways, I mean seriously where did that even start?" Automne agreed, running his fingers through his hair.
The two fell silent while the party around them continued to rage. As random citizens cheered and danced Automne and Eve's eyes, while scampering across each other, met.
Eve fidgeted nervously, her gloved fingers twirling strands of hair as she bit into her bottom lip.
A cold sweat began to form on Automne's head. As it threatened to drip down across his skin a spark popped in his brain. Slowly, Automne took a small breath as his mind conjured up an idea. "Eve, uh…"
"Yes?" Fear flickering behind her glasses.
"How abo- Why don't-" Automne stopped. At a lack for words he extended his arms out toward the dark haired girl. "Hug it out?" He asked, his arms wide open.
Eve stared at him fondly as bright red fireworks illuminated the sky above them. Without hesitation she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. Her glasses rubbing and scraping against her face as she pressed herself against his chest.
Eve's warmth and sweet scent flowed through Automne as he rested his chin on the top of her head. He gave a content sigh as the vibrations of Eve's heart shook him gently.
"… Okay, that's enough!" Eve pleaded, releasing her hold and writhing in protest.
"Of course," Automne chuckled, releasing her from his arms as if she were a caged bird.
Eve stepped back quickly and readjusted her glasses. A soft smile sat upon her lips as she looked to the ground and shuffled her feet. "Automne," She whispered, inching herself closer. "That was-"
"Noire!" A familiar, stern voice called out from the crowd.
Breezing past his lips like steam Automne released a groan. "Sienaerde," He mumbled to himself. He plastered a serious look to his face as he turned on his heel to see the brown haired girl making a bee-line for him. "Look, I don't know what you want, but can you-Mmf!" The last part an incoherent mumble as Sienaerde stepped forward and pressed her lips against his.
Her arm wrapped around his waist and her hand grasping his dirty blonde hair she elicited soft sensuous moans which ran pleasantly through Automne's body. The world failed to melt away under him, on account of how utterly stupefied Automne was, but the soft sensual moan she produced as she pulled away almost caramelized Automne from the inside-out. Calmly, Sienaerde withdrew, her hands slithering across Automne's body and face as she did.
She stopped to pull her brown, cocoa colored hair back into a tight bun. Once she had finished she pulled a glove from her jacket pocket and slapped it across Automne's face. "That's for not inviting me to your Christmas party." She said with a sour smile as she pushed the glove into Automne's pocket. "Return that when you can." She whispered before casually walking off.
"Wha… What just happened?" An utterly confused Automne slurred, glancing over his shoulder to confirm that Sienaerde wasn't a figment of his imagination.
"Automne," An equally astonished Eve yelped. "Let me wear your scarf, please!" She politely demanded, her hands darting to the fabric around his neck.
"Why do-" Automne stammered as her small hands swiftly unraveled the scarf and swiped it away.
"I'm chilly and you've said before that it's technically mine." Eve said quickly, wrapping the scarf around her neck and pulling it up to her face.
"O-Okay…" Automne stuttered, uncertain as to what exactly was happening.
"Now, let's head back to the dorm. An-and I think we should hold hands, sss-so we don't get separated on the way back." Eve tried to reason in a high pitched squeak as she wrapped herself around his arm, ushering him through his pure bewilderment.
"That idiot!" Petunia shouted, glaring at Automne through the crowd. "Why didn't he kiss Eve when he had the chance?! What do I have to do to make those two have sex?!"
"I feel like I should be concerned about your obsession with making those two a thing,… but I'm not." Ty shrugged with a half-smile as he lifted a potato chip into his mouth. "So, do you wanna go get some coffee or-"
"Dude, it was just a kiss. You know the saying; 'What happens at the New Year's party-'"
"'Stays at the New Year's party… And isn't technically canon.'" Ty said with a disappointed frown. As disappointment began to set in he looked down at his chips and gave them a grin. "At least I still have you shawarma flavored chips."
