It was a normal, uneventful day in the magical town of Magnolia.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S OUT OF STOCK?!"
"SIR, YOUR CLOTHES!!"
Well, almost.
Storm huffed, exiting the grocery store (Why even call it grocery store if it didn't have the goddamn essentials?) just as Gale yelled "Pick the pace, prick! I have a book to get to!"
He rolled his eyes, "Gee, talk about priorities."
He sauntered forward, crimson eyes unimpressed. "Less talk, more walk."
The Demon-slayer frowned at him. "Go right ahead, I need to find another store for my damn gum!"
"Yeah no, Team Storm needs the goddamn leader to sign off the register or it's invalid," He shot him a dirty look, "Which one of you oafs decided on that rule again?"
"Hey, it's a good rule! Especially since the pyrofreak gets motion sick and takes like an hour to recover. Win-win!" He rubbed his hands evilly.
The archive mage deadpanned, "Right."
"Moodkill."
Storm scanned the street for any signs of that familiar blue vending machine but to no avail.
What the heck?! Wasn't it supposed to be an icon? Disrespect is what it was. Storm himself featured in their advert a few months ago and it sold quite a few million copies. (Nashi still glared at him whenever he brought that up. She'd received quite a few threats and demands to lay off the Ice Demon Slayer back then. Mira was thrilled. She however, was not.)
"Uh, Storm. You might want to get a look at this."
He waved a sheet of paper, his face a little too smug for the news to be good. The raven head squinted at him and proceeded to snatch it.
There, in bold black letters, was the title of his nightmare track.
FIORE GUM BANNED
"Fiore gum has now been officially banned after research suggested the carcinogen vinyl acetate was present in staggering amounts-"
Storm Fullbuster was a simple man, he had only 3 basic needs: Food, a roof over his head and Fiore gum (Bah, who needs clothes?) One pack per day, was that so hard a request?
"Well, considering the serious health violations here, it seems logical to ban it before it's released worldwide. Isn't that in like a month?"
He glared at the Archive mage, "Not helping, Gale."
"I wasn't exactly trying to," Storm flipped the bird at him for that, "But what exactly was it that you said before? Ah, priorities. Sweet, sweet irony."
Right now the ice mage had the urge to rip him a new one. Nothing would be sweeter. Ugh, Nashi was never going to let this go, was she? She'd smirk at him, bite that annoying little lip of hers, and say "Serves you right, Frostbite, for all the shit I went through. Cheers." And go celebrate while he was out there, maybe in prison-
"Dude, clothes."
"Fuck em, we have no time! We have to stock up on gum!" He jumped forth, causing an old lady passing by to shriek and swing her cane threateningly. Again, it was his Constitutional right to get the choice to wear (or not wear) whatever he wanted to! Talk about judgemental!
He could already feel the uncomfortable sweat on his brow. Damn withdrawal symptoms. He'd gone through this hell once before (When his mom decided to ground him the hard way for destroying a town) and was NOT going to go through that again. Nope.
"New mission: We find a pack of Fiore gum or die trying!" He pumped his fist in the air. "ALL ABOARD!"
"Oh bother," Gale grumbled.
One rabid Chihuahua (those things were nasty, how the hell did people own them willingly?!) and an armada of Rune Knights later, the duo gave up.
"FINE! IF THE UNIVERSE WANTS TO PLAY DIRTY, I WILL NOT ENGAGE! NOPE! I'M GOING BACK!"
Gale huffed, "If only you were struck with this realisation 3 hours ago, I'd be at home. Content. Free. With no fear of a goddamn puppy pouncing at me from any corner." They collectively shuddered.
"And that kids, is how you cartwheel!" Nashi's giggle followed from in front of the guild quarters.
Typical, she'd be here having the time of her life while he suffered.
Okay, that was mean of him. It wasn't as if she truly had anything against him. He just loved messing with her. She was nice when she wanted to be.
"ETHAN! NOT THERE-"
Bang. Crash. Screech. The notorious triplet's head popped out of the trash pile near them, covered in grime. Nashi grimaced through her hands (God, her annoying nose was all scrunched up! Don't even start with her damn eyes!)
She sighed, pulling him out with one hand. "Your mom is gonna skin you alive, you know that, right?" The 7-year old shrugged in response and his relatively well-mannered brother Elijah facepalmed. How they were even related was beyond any of their understanding.
She ushered them in, and turned back to hoist herself on one of the railings upfront and swing her legs.
Oh, look at that, Gale left already.
He strode forth with a smirk that he knew she detested from her very being and tapped her shoulder, despite the fact that he knew she sniffed him a mile away.
She narrowed her eyes. "What?"
"Nothing." He smirked again.
She rolled her eyes and continued to- chew?
He raised an eyebrow, "Whatcha eating, dumbass?"
Which is when she proceeded to pop a bubble at his face. Oh no.
She grinned at him like the cat that got the cream, "Not that it's any of your business." Pop. "But it's Fiore gum."
3 hours. He could feel the sweat and his fingers twitched impatiently. "Oh."
There were two ways he could play this.
Way one. Ask the dragon nicely. She was usually extra generous with her friends. It's not like she even liked gum.
"Mind if I borrow a piece?"
She blinked. "Uh, I mean, sure."
He couldn't help but smile as she fiddled with her pockets taking out papers and wrappers of all shapes and sizes. Despite all their banter, and her one sided hatred, Storm knew he like-liked the Fire Dragonslayer the second she punched him in preschool for being 'stupid'.
And now?
With her hair set back, and her bangs framing loosely in that annoying way she liked because it made her look 'Nashi', and her cute *cough* annoying *cough* lip that she was nibbling on, and her chocolate brown eyes-
Okay, she just said something. Abort!! Mission!! Abort!!
"Yes?" he blinked. God, was he pathetic or what?
"I saidddd," she drawled, "I have only one piece left." She twirled it around her slender fingers. Damn seductress. "And I really do like this flavour, so-" Without a word of warning, she popped it in her mouth.
She popped it in her mouth.
She popped-
She popped-
SHE POPPED IT IN HER MOUTH?!
"Did you just eat it in front of me?" He gaped at her.
Her hazel eyes narrowed, "Uh, yes? Sorry bub."
Okay, Storm Fullbuster did not fight a possibly rabid Chihuahua, escape a bunch of Rune Knights and climb a wall just to be defeated this easily. This was another way the universe wanted him to prove his worth.
Oh, only for you Fiore gum.Way two, here I come.
And then he kissed her.
Okay, so he might have lied. Maybe he was kind of looking for a reason to kiss the pinkette too. And damnnnnnn, did he not regret it.
Papers rustled in the wind from when she'd dropped them in shock. He cradled her face tenderly, keeping his eyes open to admire her flushed face and half lidded eyes (And also to make sure he'd be ready when she decided to sucker punch him) and lightly sucked on her lower lip.
Oh fuck, she just moaned. He counted his blessings and maybe her freckles too as his tongue nudged her own and they fought for dominance. She tasted like cinnamon and apple and strawberry. (Was this how the forbidden fruit tasted like? If so, he'd dive headfirst into that pile of- was it apples? Not strawberries? Strawberries...)
Her hands were now gripping his forearms. He grinned into the kiss, aware of the effect he now had on the pinkette. Hopefully his. If she'd like.
Back!! To!! Mission!!
Right! He swiped the gum from her and broke the kiss, pausing for a few seconds as she struggled to catch her breath (Hoe!! He!! Finally!! Did!! That!!) He stroked her lip gently with his thumb, making her breath hitch. She still hadn't opened her eyes.
Time for the quick getaway. "OKAY! BUH-BYE BABE!" He kissed her forehead and rushed in the guildhall like a man possessed.
He actually did it! Fuck yes! Also Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!
Wait, why wasn't she chasing him?
He paused and turned to face the door. His guildmates stared at him curiously.
One second. Two.
"STORM FULLBUSTER, YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!!" She bellowed out, and he winced, sending a prayer above as he ran, once again.