Mishap Two

The Festival of Yule was one of Finral Roulacase's favorite days of the year. Not just because of the beautiful colors of the holiday, or the gifts, or the fact that he had a day off and get to enjoy the camaraderie between all of his fellow Black Bulls unhindered by any sort of mission or busy work. Those are all great things, of course, and he loved all of that as well!

However, what he really enjoyed about the holiday was the tradition of the mistletoe. It was the one time of the year where he could enjoy the company – and the smooches – of pretty ladies, even for only a few brief seconds. Not that he actually had much experience with succeeding in enjoying said tradition, but still... he liked it all the same.

Yes, every year, he would attempt in the few days before the festivities would come along to try and convince several ladies to kiss him under the magical sprig of greenery, although his efforts were namely met with rejection, both physically and verbally. And so, by the end of the holiday night, usually he would have his cheeks being nursed with ice with a sympathy peck on the least swollen cheek by the typically inebriated Vanessa. He had never let all of the rejection or pain get him down, trying again year after year, figuring one year he'd actually succeed in at least getting a not-so-sloppy drunken kiss on the cheek. It was almost like a personal goal, he mused at times, thinking that it'd be an amazing gift to himself if he finally succeeded to convince someone to kiss him under the mistletoe.

This year wasn't anything different, that was for sure, as Finral returned from his shopping trip to Kikka, his last batch of gifts in one hand and a box containing a fresh stem of mistletoe in the other. After using a portal to transport the gifts to his room – making sure that no one had seen him to prevent any extra snooping about – he opened up the box, taking it in deft fingers and posing with it above his head, smiling like the goofball he was at the thought of his personal goal.

Putting the box away in one of his trouser pockets, he pondered about his next move. Going back to Kikka was obvious, but wondering where he should start. After all, all of the restaurants and bars would be crawling with lovely ladies sharing good cheer, as well as those wandering around to see the beautiful decorations of the holiday strewn about the city. Of course, he could just set up a random portal in town and just see where his feet would take him... yes, that was probably the best plan.

"Going out for some holiday debauchery?"

Ah, he knew that voice very well, but he greeted it all the same: with a sweat drop and a wide grin. "Ah, Noelle! That's such a mean thing to say, you know!"

"Hmph... I don't see how saying a fact is mean," the Silva replied, one hand on her hip while the other brushed back one long pigtail from her shoulder, "After all, what else would you be doing with mistletoe?"

Finral was clearly caught, but honestly, it wasn't as though it was some sort of secret – even to the newest members of the Black Bulls – that he held great interest in desiring feminine company. And so, he didn't bother to correct the observant royal, rubbing the back of his head as he sheepishly laughed.

"I suppose so... but I promise, I have no such intentions like you are implying! I merely wish to participate in a well-loved holiday tradition!"

"I didn't know being slapped with rejection was a holiday tradition for you. I thought that was a weekly occurrence."

"You know, you really are too cruel to your superior," he chagrined with fake tears, although all Noelle did was let out a loud "hmph!" in response.

"Aww, Noelle, it's just harmless fun, I swear. The Festival of Yule is full of little intricacies and long-held traditions that are meant to give us all a reprieve from the daily troubles we have the rest of the year," he explained with vigor, quickly sobering up from his joking cry, "If you like, I could give you this sprig so you could try and snuggle up with a boy of your fancy. Like maybe Asta?"

Noelle blushed very profusely, stiff arms and fists at her side as she screamed, "A-as if I'd ever let that insect near me like that!"

Finral laughed, smirking as he felt satisfied in his attempt to fling some of her sass back at her. Just as his pursuits for female company wasn't as much of a secret as one would think, her over-the-top feelings for the resident anti-magic swordsman wasn't much of a secret either, and so it was the perfect thing to hit her back with. She huffed again, crossing her arms over her chest, making more comments to try and discard any sort of notion that she would "ever have feelings" for Asta, the bright red glow on her cheeks betraying her words, and the spatial mage just shrugged his shoulders to her flustering, although it seemed to only make her pouty cheeks puff out more in anger.

"Well, if you don't want to take up my offer, I suppose I'll be off then."

Noelle eyed him, violet eyes scanning as he made one last check over himself, tucking the mistletoe behind one ear. He grinned at her, making one more jab at her, "The offer still stands to borrow this, when I get back. In case you decided to change your mind."

She made another pouting "hmph!" at his commentary, stomping one foot on the stone floor in anger at this teasing of his. "As if I would!" she yelled at him again, and he just laughed at her childish act.

Ah... this was proving to be more fun than he would've thought, but alas, he had to stick a pin in it for now. After all, there was only so few hours left in the day; he couldn't waste too much more time playing this tit-for-tat game with the junior mage. And so, with one more tap towards the mistletoe to make sure it would stay in place, he outstretched an arm towards the wall next to him, preparing to make a portal.

However, before he could make said portal and make his way back towards the bustling Kikka, the sound of heavy footsteps approached, with one dainty hand grabbing at his outstretched arm, pulling it down with strong pressure, followed by force that made him turn around to face his assailant. The other hand went up to the side of his head, yanking the mistletoe from its place behind his ear, and Finral's eyes went extra wide as a pair of lips slammed upon his own.

One... two... three... that was as long as the kiss took, not even giving him a chance to react in any sort of way other than sheer shock, Finral's entire body turning red hot, although perhaps not as bright as what Noelle's was once she had pulled back and allowed him a full glance. The sprig he had bought was crushed very violently in her fingers, turning to a mush of greenery that couldn't be saved, and she hummed with an annoyed – but yet oddly satisfied – noise as she stepped back onto her heels.

"N-n-n-n-n-noelle! Wha-wha-what was that for!?" he stammered out, entirely unable to form any more of a complete sentence.

"You were under the mistletoe, you idiot. I did what you're supposed to do. Don't read anything more into it."

"Wha- B-but- Th-th-that-"

Noelle rolled her eyes at Finral's lame attempt to try and speak, but it's not like she had much else she could say either. It was a rather bold move on her part, and she wasn't even sure why she did it herself, trying to rationalize it out in her mind and coming up with no answers. Instead, she just flung back her pigtail again as she usually did, turning around with stomping footsteps back down the hall in which she had initially came, still holding onto the crushed plant in tight fingers. Finral could only watch her retreat, covering his lips with one hand as steam practically came from his ears as he tried to process every aspect of what just happened, unable to come up with any sort of answer as to the whys and whats.

… But he would eventually realize that, at long last, his personal goal every holiday had finally been met. Even if how it happened didn't make any sort of sense. That was worth all of the blushing, headaches, and weird glances from Noelle for the rest of the day.