Title: Twisted Fate
Disclaimer: I do not own black clover or any of it's characters.
Hey again! This is the sequel to 'The space in Fate' I promised. I thought I'd make it a Christmas gift for you all, so as such this is a Christmas themed chapter. I'm very loosely following the manga, so there will be a couple of spoilers. Anyways, I hope you enjoy and hope it was worth the wait!
"Charmy! How's that turkey coming?!" Yami yelled as he sat with his cigar and newspaper secretly watching the chaos around him.
"It's going good Captain, you can't rush perfection but it should be ready on time. No worries here!" Charmy answered as she and her sheep chefs prepared a banquet fit for a king. Of course she was having a casual bite here and there, but she had to taste test everything to make sure it was perfect right?
Christmas had arrived at the Black bull hideout and the whole place was full of noise and excitement as everyone got into the Christmas spirit. It was their first Christmas as an exiled squad and they were trying to make the best of things. After months of trials on who was to blame for the recent attack on the Clover Kingdom, the news came just after everyone found out about Finral's and Vanessa's relationship, that it had been decided Asta was at fault. Of course knowing this not to be true, the other Black bull members weren't willing to let him take the blame. Now in order to clear his name, they were travelling to find other devil threats and investigate them.
Gauche was talking to his little sister Marie through the enchanted mirror they both kept. He had given her the last of his money with the help of Finral and his portals. He would have liked to have given her actual gifts, but shopping would have proven to risky with the whole Kingdom looking for them. A quick trip through a portal was all he could manage so she was now thanking him whilst he told her how much he wished he could spend the day with her. If anyone dared to look at the image of his precious sister for to long, they would receive his famous death stare. A quick 'Merry Christmas' was all he would allow them. Gordon was happily mumbling Christmas Carol's to himself as he wore his Santa's hat and scribbling drawings of him and his friends eating dinner and swapping presents around a big bright Christmas tree. Magna and Luck were pulling crackers, they had stock piled to make a game out of who could win the most items. Every time Luck won he would give Magna an electric shock and laugh loudly. If Magna won, which was rarely and convinced him that some kind of cheating was going on, he got to take one of Lucks favourite treats. Grey was watching Zora through her fingers from where she sat opposite Yami. He was acting suspiciously around the table of presents that was waiting for everyone. She couldn't quite see what he was doing because of Yami's head blocking her view, but he looked pleased with himself.
"Hey, Merry Christmas!" Vanessa cheerfully greeted Noelle and kissed Finral on the cheek as she sat next to them at the bar, "Where's Asta?" she asked quizzically.
"He's keeping Henry company before they come down for dinner" Finral answered.
Henry was able to join them for dinner as Charmy would be infusing her food with magic so that Henry's ability of draining peoples magic wouldn't matter. Like when they were fighting against the elves, the food would keep replenishing them. Obviously Asta was unaffected by Henry, so was able to spend more time with him.
"Why?" Noelle asked curiously.
"Oh, just because I've got this mistletoe here that I thought you could try out with him" Vanessa answered with a grin.
Noelle immediately became flustered.
"Wh...why would I want that? She stuttered.
"So you can kiss him" Vanessa teased, "It's the perfect time of year to get your man. After all, I've got mine" she wrapped her arm through Finral's and snuggled into him smiling. Finral became bashful but looked pleased none the less.
"It's true... you two do look happy" Noelle muttered, then catching what she had just said and going into defensive mode, "That doesn't mean I want to kiss Asta!"
She shouted the last part a little to loudly and this caused everybody to turn and look in her direction.
"Sure you don't..." Yami raised an eyebrow before going back to his paper, "Just make sure it doesn't effect your work"
Noelle became so red, it made up for the lack of Christmas decorations.
"Santa doesn't need Rudolph anymore!" Luck laughed heartily.
"Are you saying I look like a reindeer?" Noelle screeched.
"I was talking about his nose" Luck giggled.
"So your saying I look like a nose?!" she fumed.
"Is that what I said?" Luck asked himself confused, "Oh well" he shrugged then excitedly suggested, "Let's have a fight, I've been wanting to go against your new water armour!"
"Only you could offend someone and then ask them for a fight" Magna commented exasperated, "It's supposed to be the other way round, idiot"
"Hey Luck? Come over here!" Vanessa suddenly demanded with a glint in her eye.
"Why?" he asked excitedly, "Do you want to fight?"
"Just come here"
Luck obeyed, though his usual smile was still on his face, inside he was as lost as Noelle, Finral and Magna.
"I don't want to fight!" Noelle panicked thinking that this was the reason Vanessa would invite him over.
"Relax" she winked.
Once Luck was in front of them she placed the mistletoe over Noelle's head.
"Wh...what are you doing?!" Noelle yelped.
"Go on Luck, kiss Noelle to make it up to her. You have to. It's the law of mistletoe" Vanessa grinned smugly.
Magna, who had followed Luck over, laughed loudly at the sight of Luck and Noelle both burning a crimson red. It was the first time he had ever seen his best friend in such a state, and he was loving it. Finral laughed slightly until he found the said mistletoe above his head.
"It's easy" Vanessa spoke, "You just do this"
She proceeded, to Finral's surprise, to kiss him squarely on the lips, lingering a little before moving away and leaving him with a slight tinge to his cheeks.
"Did you have to do that in front of everyone?" he stammered.
"Oh please they don't care" she giggled before turning back to Noelle and Luck, "Now you both look like Rudolph's nose"
"Your just cruel" Noelle squeaked, finding that dreaded plant above her head once again.
"Come on Luck it's not like you to back away from a challenge!" Magna joked.
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Noelle shouted, throwing an empty cup at his face and smacking him squarely in the middle of it.
As she sat with her arms folded, a look of distaste on her face, she felt a sudden soft touch to her cheek. Eye's wide and mouth slightly open, she placed her hand to her cheek and turned to see Luck stood there. He had quietly took the opportunity to kiss her cheek before smiling at her.
"I'm sorry, you don't look like a nose or a reindeer" he apologized before turning away.
"Th...thanks" Noelle stuttered in a daze.
"Your welcome" he finished before turning to Magna who was still picking himself up, "Hey Magna! Challenge complete! What's next?"
"Why you little!" Noelle saw red before going on a murderous rampage, shooting water with her wand as she tried to hit the lightning mage.
Vanessa and Finral were in fits of laughter. However that all stopped when one of Noelle's missed shots hit Captain Yami's paper causing it to slosh into clumps of mush. After that, the room emptied pretty quickly as he silently rose from his seat emitting pure rage.
Dinner was a huge success, though Yami wasn't happy about being forced to wear a Santa hat, he soon perked up when it came to carving the turkey. That is, until Charmy took over as the Captain was about to carve it with his sword.
"Then why the hell am I wearing this damn hat? If I can't carve the turkey the way I want, I don't see why I should!" Yami sulked.
"That's because your the Captain and we, as your team, are your elves. So you have to wear the hat" Vanessa slurred as she downed another drink, "Don't ruin our fun Captain!"
"Don't joke about elves after what happened" Grey shuddered, "I still haven't recovered"
"Don't worry we'll make sure it never happens again" Asta announced confidently and loudly as he banged his fist onto the table.
"Quit it with the noise you delinquent!" Zora groaned, "I want to enjoy my food without you shouting spit at it!"
"I want to carve the Turkey!" Yami whined from his seat. He had drank a little to much.
"Who would have thought the Captain could be such a baby?" Finral commented.
"What was that?!"
"Nothing!"
"Why's my food all burnt?" Luck giggled as he poked at his blackened meal.
Magna was sat beside him failing to look completely innocent.
"Burn any more food and it'll be the last thing you ever do!" Charmy warned as she narrowed her eyes at him causing him to cower and apologise.
Gordon happily mumbled his way through more Christmas Carol's when his mouth was free of food. Henry sat beside him trying and failing to keep up, though it was a surprise that he could even hear Gordon. Gauche sat quietly with a picture of his sister as he pretended to feed her food off of his fork, he failed to notice the weird look Noelle was giving him.
"Damn it! I'm carving that turkey!" Yami declared jumping from his seat. He tried but failed to wrestle the knives from Charmy's hand.
"If you try to butcher this meat again, I'll carve you instead!" Charmy threatened.
"Well this meal just took a dark turn..." Finral commented with a nervous grin.
"I know it's great!" Luck laughed excitedly earning him confused glances.
"She's scary" Yami whined as he slumped back into his chair watching as Charmy carved.
"The big bad Captain defeated by a little girl and her bird" Zora taunted as he patted Yami on his shoulder in comfort.
"Here have another drink Captain" Vanessa offered as she handed him his favourite beer.
After the eventful meal, it was time for the present giving. They couldn't get anything to extravagant for each other as money was hard to come by since they were exiled. Never the less, they all at least got one present each from the team.
Yami was the first to get his present which was a polishing kit for his Katana. He had told the group not to bother getting him anything and to just concentrate on each other. So the fact that it might not have seemed like much to others, it meant the world to him that they had still got him something meaningful. He still pretended to scold them for going against orders however. Charmy received various chocolate treats. Her mouth watering, she nibbled on them throughout the rest of the presents. Grey was given a shawl. Considering she had opened the gift with one hand so she could hide her face, the group thought it would be perfect for her to hide away completely in. This was demonstrated when she immediately put it on and hid away giving her thanks in the process. Gordon was given some new drawing pads and pencils. He teared up as it was explained that now he could draw more adventures with his friends. He hugged the presents tightly to his chest picturing the next picture he could draw. Henry, to his amusement, was given toy building bricks. It was so when he was bored in his room and the others weren't around to keep him company or Charmy couldn't make the magic food that restored them all, he could build small structures with them without having to use magic. Luck was more then a little bit hyper over the tokens he got off everyone. They had each wrote out a note for one free fight with them that he could use at any time he liked. He almost burst with excitement when he saw he had gotten one off the Captain as well.
"Don't think I'm going to go easy on you!" Yami warned.
"That's what I'm hoping" Luck replied with a grin spreading from ear to ear. Noelle and Grey were less then a little enthusiastic about their fight with him.
Magna was given a broomstick. It had a note attached to it that read, 'Now you can stop flying around on that monstrosity you call a ride!'
"You guys are arses" Magna complained.
"Don't worry Magna, I prefer the crazy cyclone. These guys just don't know what style actually is!" Asta stuck up for him.
Gauche received a new gold frame for his picture of Marie, if anything it was mainly to keep his blood off of it when he got a nose bleed. He still complained that not even the finest of frames could show off her true beauty, but looked happy none the less. Zora, much to his surprise, was given a coat. As he stared at it perplexed, Vanessa spoke up.
"It was my idea. You barely wear any clothes, so I thought that you probably get cold sometimes"
"I wear more clothes then you! Never mind, I appreciate it. It's in my style I guess...thank you" he answered sincerely.
Noelle received a pendant. It was on a silver chain and in the shape of an eagle with a little sapphire eye. As she gazed at it lovingly it was revealed that Asta had picked it. He had gotten the idea from Vanessa's cat pendant and also so she felt closer to the family she had left behind to help his sorry arse. Noelle thanked everyone with tears brimming her eyes. She had to stop herself from throwing her arms around Asta in gratitude for finding something so fitting.
"I can get the mistletoe again if you want?" Vanessa whispered into her ear with a wink.
"That won't be necessary!" Noelle blushed and pushed her away.
"My turn!" Asta declared before grabbing his present and unwrapping it.
Inside was a toy crown and a long red cloak with fur trim. There was also a toy sceptre. Everyone laughed at their joke but Asta smiled with glee as he put on the outfit.
"This makes me one step closer to becoming Wizard king!" he shouted.
"Well I think he likes it guys" Yami grinned.
"I didn't think he'd take it so seriously..." Finral commented as Asta stood tall and proud with one leg up on a stool and his hands on his hips.
"Let's just... leave him there..." Noelle suggested, "Anyways, let's see what Vanessa and Finral got"
"Yeah, you two have a joint gift" Yami said as he handed them it.
Confused but grateful they each opened one side each. It was a small, plain box and inside was a key.
"A key?" They both asked confused.
"It's a key to your new room" Yami explained, "You two are a couple after all and you do what all couples do. So now you have your own room to do it in"
Both Finral and Vanessa immediately blushed a deep crimson red, giving Yami the exact reaction he was after. They weren't the only ones as a few of the black bull's also became embarrassed for them.
"I don't get it...what do you mean?" Asta asked confused removing the crown and staring at them intently.
"Seriously? Are you that dumb?" Zora asked exasperated.
"When two people love each other very much. They make kissy face and this sometimes leads to se..." Yami began to explain in a dumbed down tone for Asta before being promptly cut off.
"Don't finish that sentence!" Finral half yelled and half squeaked at the same time.
"Yeah, spare the room the embarrassment please" Vanessa sighed.
"Besides...we haven't even..." Finral trailed off.
"Haven't even what? Speak up will ya!" Yami grunted.
"N...nothing"
"Oh I see!" Realisation hit Yami's face, "You two haven't had sex yet!"
The whole room became more then a little flustered now as Yami laughed heartily at everyone's discomfort. Even Asta had now caught on and was the reddest in the room, besides Finral.
"Kill me now" Finral pleaded quietly.
"Hey it's nothing to be embarrassed about!" Vanessa broke in confidently, "We're doing things at our own pace. That's the end of that! Thank you for the room, we'll both move in immediately"
"R...right" Yami looked stunned at her brashness, "We all did the best we could to make it more presentable. It's up to you guys to make it your own"
"Thank you" Finral accepted quietly still wanting the ground to swallow him up.
Vanessa took it as her opportunity to give him the present she had gotten him and change the subject.
"It's nothing to fancy, but I think they'll really bring out your eyes"
FInral took the small box she had handed him and opened it. Inside were two earrings. One was a small gold hoop like the ones he already wore, and a studded one with a purple stone in it.
"Wow" Finral gasped a little, "Thanks Vanessa. I've been wanting a new pair for ages. How did you even afford them?"
"That doesn't matter. Here let me put them in"
She brought herself close enough for Finral to feel her breath on his face, he tried but failed to not blush. She removed both of his old earrings and placed the new ones in there place.
"There" she finished, "I was right, they do bring out your eyes"
"What a beautiful gift" Magna teased, "I thought it was the woman that was supposed to receive jewellery. Not the ma..."
That was all he managed before a spatial portal appeared beneath him causing him to fall through to some unknown place. This earned laughter and applause from the rest of the black bulls and as they slowly recovered Finral handed Vanessa his gift to her.
"I wonder what this could be!" she exclaimed excitedly pulling the decorative paper off. Once the box was opened and she set her sights on what was inside. After a brief pause she asked slightly confused, "A...are you sure you wanted me to open this in front of everyone?"
"What do you mean?" Finral asked, Vanessa's confusion mirrored on his face.
Vanessa pulled out the item that was inside the box and presented it to the room. Gasps echoed through the hideout, blushes from the far to innocent could be seen for miles. Voices of approval, mainly Yami's, swam through Finrals head, because what Vanessa was holding, was a very strappy, very revealing, black lingerie outfit.
"I...I did not get you that!" Finral squeaked.
"Now, now, no need to lie. Your a man and you know what you like. To be honest, it makes me wish I had a woman to see her in that" Yami commended, "You have good taste"
"But I..."
"You sure you didn't already know about the room?" Magna asked quizzically, having re-joined the room ready for a fight but stopped in his tracks once he saw what Vanessa was holding, "If you didn't want us to see that, you've obviously mixed up the gifts dumbass"
"But I didn't buy..."
"Well I like it" Vanessa declared cutting Finral off yet again, "It's definitely going to look good on me"
"Shame on you, presenting a gift like that to your girlfriend in front of all these innocent eyes" Zora cut in with a mischievous grin, "Poor Noelle looks like she's about to explode"
"B...but I didn't buy that outfit" Finral protested, now beginning to sweat in his embarrassment.
"You sly dog" Yami added, whacking him on the back. All Finral wanted to do was disappear at this point, secretly wishing Yami's pat had made his spirit leave his body.
"Erm..." Grey quietly began to speak, "I saw...I saw Zora over near the presents earlier. It looked like he had been messing with something"
"So it was you?" Finral snapped, "What did you do with the actual present I got her? You better not have messed it up!"
"That is the present you got her. Grey was just seeing things" Zora defended unconvincingly.
"No I really did" Grey whimpered from inside her shawl, "I know I saw you near them"
"Near" he exaggerated, "Not messing with them" Zora reasoned at which Grey couldn't argue.
"I swear I'll send you to the worst place I can think of if you don't give it back!" Finral threatened.
"Oh and where would that be?" Zora asked sarcastically.
"Over a cliff comes to mind" Finral huffed.
"Calm down guys, no need to be throwing anyone to their deaths., and no need to be embarrassed Finral. Vanessa said she likes it" Yami broke into the situation "Now whether it was supposed to be given in private doesn't matter now, we've all seen it"
Finral gave up defeated, his embarrassment won and now he had to deal with his friends thinking he was some kind of pervert. Seeing this, Zora laughed loudly.
"As it happens, I did also find this very similar package under the table" he spoke presenting another neatly wrapped present.
"You arsehole!" Finral fumed as he snatched it from Zora's hand, "It's the only present I got her!"
"What ever you say" was the come back.
Finral chose not to argue back but rather gave the gift to a rather amused Vanessa.
"Well I don't know how your going to top that last one but I suppose you can give it a go" she joked.
Once the box was unwrapped and she saw what was in it, her heart instantly melted. Inside was a slightly misshapen love heart cake. It had been home made by Finral himself. It may have seemed stupid to others but to Vanessa it meant everything. Not only was it a reminder of when she had baked Finral a cake back when they first started having feelings for each other, she thought maybe the shape could mean something else.
"D...does the shape mean what I think it means?" She stammered.
Finral nodded bashfully, "I love you" he confirmed.
Everyone went quiet with surprise and anticipation to see how the pink haired witch would respond. They needn't have worried about it however as she wore the biggest smile they had ever seen.
"Really?" she beamed.
"Of course" he replied nervously, "I wouldn't have said it otherwise, especially in front of all these. So...erm...what about you?"
Everyone waited with bated breath, even Yami was edge.
"I love you to!" she squealed excitedly, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him so hard he couldn't breathe.
"Aww you guys are gunna make me cry!" Asta sniffed whilst dabbing his eyes, "I'll bake Sister Lilly a heart cake to. Maybe she'll finally tell me she loves me to then marry me"
"Stupid Asta" Noelle scoffed whilst trying to hide her Jealously, "Women of the cloth can't marry"
"Well on that note" Yami spoke, "I'm gunna go take a dump"
"Way to ruin the mood" Gauche commented as he stared at his newly framed picture.
Everyone began to get on with their own thing after they had cleaned up. Once they were all busy, Vanessa grabbed Finral by the hand and dragged him off to find their new room. Standing outside the door, she turned to him.
"How about we go try out our new bed?" she asked in a seductive tone whilst pushing her body to his.
"Wh...wh...what?" Finral stuttered shyly.
"You know what I mean" Vanessa giggled, "I'll even put on that outfit for you"
Finral said nothing as he stood in shock taking in what she was suggesting. He didn't know if he should be jumping with joy or dying with nerves. Vanessa took the lead and broke him out of his stupor by kissing him before dragging him willingly into the room and slamming the door behind them.
Well there it is. As always please forgive any mistakes and feel free to review. I'll try to update regularly like last time but the next chapter will likely be after new year. So Merry Christmas and I hope you have a great New year!