So, I haven't been updating due to a lack of reviews or general public interest. So anyway please review if you want me to continue, else I will not. Since every story so far and most likely the rest of the chapters will be romance as well, I've decided to change this to a romance fic. I want to try and write a different story for each couple I can come up with in Avalon. Keep giving me ideas, couples and words though and I will incorporate them.

Word: Mistletoe

Submitted by: SunshineGirl177

Tasha ran her fingers through her midnight hair for the hundredth time that night, tugging at any rebelling strands. She stared at her reflection condescendingly in the mirror.

"I can't do this…" she mumbled to herself, poking and prodding at her figure, trying to find any imperfections and coming up with far too many. Baring her teeth she checked to make sure she hadn't gotten any food stuck in them, though all she had eaten for the last hour was white mint leaves.

With a sigh she straightened up, an instant image of Kara leaping to her mind. She pictured the blonde beauty with her perfect figure, not too plump and not too skinny, with her ridiculously flawless hair that never seemed ruffled no matter the situation. Tasha on the other hand was an entirely different story.

She stared sadly at her pudgy little figure. Well maybe not pudgy, she reasoned with herself, but she was defiantly no Kara. Her fat seemed to be in all the wrong places. Tasha felt as if she looked more like she was ten years old, not fifteen. She was far too short too, with stocky legs that made her instantly regret the homemade white skirt she'd chosen to wear that evening. And why hadn't she worn heels? Wasn't she short enough without wearing flats? Another sigh and she leaned against the counter behind her, she couldn't wear heels though, she couldn't walk in heels and wearing them tonight would be far too suspicious.

Scrutinizing herself, she leaned in close to the mirror again. "What are you doing?" she jumped and squeaked in surprise, whirling around with bright purple cheeks to face her unannounced company.

"Lorren!" she gasped. The goblin prince sat comfortably on a countertop, hidden in the shadow of a large wooden cabinet. An amused smile slid across his face while he arched an eyebrow questioningly. "Nothing," she assured hurriedly, too hurriedly "what are you doing?"

"Trying to figure out what you're doing," he shot back without missing a beat. Easily, almost lazily he threw his palms down on the table beside him pushed himself out of the sitting position and too his feet in a manor that looked rather feline. He stretched to his full height, making her feel even shorter as always occurred when she was in his presence. Her eyes only came to about his collarbone.

"Show off," she muttered, turning to look back in the mirror for a second before thinking better and turning back to him.

"Besides, you told me to be here, remember?" he widened his eyes at her teasingly.

"I remember, I remember," she assured in mock annoyance, trying to act as if this was just any other night. Apparently, it wasn't working.

"Are you alright?" his smile disappeared as he surveyed her with concern. "You look a little flushed," he cocked his head as he looked directly into her eyes, searching for any signs of something amiss. He took a few steps forward to get a better look, leaving inches between them. Quickly Tasha closed her eyes and looked away; taking a few subtle breaths so he wouldn't see.

"I'm fine," she insisted, shuffling back a few steps. "Took my temperature just an hour ago, 102," she nodded with a fake smile. She was finding her false bravado fading fast under his intense gaze. As much as she chided herself for being so silly, those green eyes never ceased to dazzle her.

"Alright," Lorren gave in uncertainly before moving past her and towards the open doorway, leading to the gardens. "Let's go," he called over his shoulder.

Tasha called back and watched his lanky form retreat. As soon as he was out of sight, she clutched her hand to her heart. With a deep, harsh breath she tried to calm herself. She just had to do it quickly, get it over with and then, what happened, happened. Or, another part of her reasoned, you could just not do it. Her mind instantly flashed to an image of Lorren and Kara, her smiling that ridiculously beautiful smile of hers and him grinning stupidly back. No way was she going to let the greatest guy in her life be taken away in an instant by some pretty faced little fairy princess!

"Tasha!" Lorren's silhouette stood out against the doorframe, moonlight pouring in behind him "Are you coming?" he sounded impatient but she couldn't rightfully blame him.

"I'm coming," gathering every ounce of courage she had, and finding it was a sadly small lot, she followed after him into the gardens.

"What's with you tonight?" his arms were crossed as he stared at her confused.

"Nothing," she assured him trying to sound exasperated. "I am fine, now are you going to help me find the plants I need or not?"

"You're so weird," he deduced, pushing lightly past her. A bit more roughly she pushed back and he laughed. "Are you going to fight with me now?" He mocked, turning and walking a few steps before he tripped over a root and stumbled a minute before catching himself. Tasha cupped her hands over mouth to keep from laughing.

"I would but it looks like the tree wants a round first," he scowled and without warning pounced at her. She screamed as he easily scooped her up and flipped her over his shoulder.

"PUT ME DOWN RIGHT NOW LORREN!" she shrieked, now fully regretting the decision to wear a skirt.

"I thought you said you wanted to go?" he laughed.

"NOW!" she pounded on his back until he placed her gently back on her feet. Fuming she crossed her arms and glared him down as he smirked back.

"Sorry," he apologized sheepishly, trying to cover the bold smile on his face. With a fierce smack at his arm she strode past, inconspicuously sliding her hand into her skirt's pocket. Feeling a small cool vile she breathed a sigh of relief and continued walking.

"Idiot," she spat but just he laughed and followed quickly, leaves crunching under his feet as he hurried to keep pace.

"I'm sorry Tasha," he laughed again "but you insinuated it. Anyway what am I looking for?"

"Faerie Clover, Wolf Tail and Masenith," she repeated as if reading from a script. "They look like-"

"I know what they look like," he waved her off, already ignoring her and scanning the foliage. "Aha!" with a swift leap that would have left Tasha on her face he cleared a bush that separated paths and disappeared into another section of the garden. Tasha just rolled her eyes with a smile as she bent down to pick a few sprigs of Masenith off the side of the path.

Plucking the bright yellow plant she thought hard now that she was alone again, how long should she wait? Now, she decided, she couldn't hold it off, she needed to do it or she'd loose her nerve. With a deep breath she scanned the garden and saw a tree, perfect for her plan.

"This is it, right?" She turned a bit preoccupied, briefly registering the long, bushy, blue plant in his hand as Wolf Tail.

"Yeah, that's it," she nodded, brushing her hands quickly on the sides of her skirt. "I think I saw some Faerie Clover over this way," she took a step towards her destination but his hand shot out, encasing her wrist and pulling her back.

"No, I saw the Faerie Clover over there," he jerked his head back the way he had come, she peered around him, it was all bushes and flowers, no trees.

"No, it's defiantly this way," she corrected him gently as if he was a small child.

"But-"

"It's this way!" she turned and strutted off, finalizing the statement.

"Alright, alright, we'll go over here, geez…"

She let her eyes wander across the different plants, pretending she was searching for the Faerie Clover, as she edged her way towards the old tree. Dropping down she pretended to be looking around its mangled roots as she subtly slipped a thin vile out of her skirt's pocket and uncorked it. Swiftly she emptied the contents into the ground before slipping the vile back out of sight and standing up again.

"Find anything?"

"Nope," she sighed, feigning disappointment.

"I'm telling you, it's over there," he took a step away but she grabbed his arm.

"No, no, it's here, I know it is!" he eyed her curiously at the slight plea in her tone.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine!" she responded a little too quickly and the suspicious look on his face only grew. Gazing swiftly over his shoulder she saw the slender vine inching its way up the tree, heading for the lowest branch just above their heads. "Umm," desperately she grasped for something to distract him for just another minute. "Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed.

"What?" he jumped, looking off in the direction she had gasped at, hand instinctively at his sword's hilt, ever hanging from his belt. There was of course, nothing there; she only needed to keep him occupied for a few more seconds.

"I'm sorry, I don't know, I saw something in the moonlight, it might have been a bat, out for a flight. It just startled me," she had to credit herself to getting pretty good at this lying thing. For a moment she stared up at the bright full moon, something about it was almost hypnotic to her. Slowly pulling herself away she turned back to Lorren, preparing for what she was about to do when suddenly and out of nowhere, he kissed her softly on the cheek.

She gasped and started in surprise and he laughed. "What…"

"Mistletoe," he indicated the green and white little sprout hanging above their heads.

"Huh?" she asked, her mind still whirling, her plan had been completely overthrown in a second by Lorren's observation.

"It's an Earth tradition, if you're under the mistletoe with someone, you have to kiss them. I don't quite know what it's doing here though…" he trailed off, squinting at the plant in confusion.

"Ok, no problem," she thought a bit panicked to herself "Plan B." Actually there was no Plan B but very quickly she haphazardly threw it together, if this didn't work, she was truly in trouble.

"Well no wonder you've been single for the past two years!" she exclaimed in pretend exasperation. Lorren looked at her confused and a little annoyed.

"What?"

"Well if that's what you call a kiss…" she trailed off. Not daring to even consider what she was doing she pressed on, one second of realization of what she was insinuating and all her confidence would be lost, and so would all of her hopes.

Lorren leaned back an inch so as to scrutinize her better with arched eyebrows. "You…want me to kiss you?" Tasha tried her best not to let his tone of incredulity get the best of her but it knocked her confidence down a point or two. Turning away so he wouldn't see her blush she pulled her final card.

"Like you'd have the guts," she scoffed teasingly.

"Oh really?" he laughed.

Tasha had known with almost absolute certainty that her bait would work, Lorren could never resist a challenge, but it still took her breath away when he turned her around and put his mouth to hers. Instantly her mind leapt back a few years; an eight year old Lorren giving her a clumsy kiss after they had seen adults do it a hundred times. She had loved it then and she loved it now. After a few short seconds Lorren pulled away, moving back only a few inches to look at her.

Both of them stared tensely at one another with bright purple highlighting their features, neither knowing quite what to say. Tasha swallowed hard and smiled as best she could "That was…better," she nodded and he laughed nervously back.

"Thanks…" He swallowed hard as well and then with tentative uncertainty he slowly leaned down and with a pounding heart she closed her eyes and they kissed again. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his own tightened around her waist. It was a soft and innocent kiss but still the blood pounded in her ears. His lips parted against hers for a second before a sudden cry from a nocturnal bird frightened them apart.

Embarrassed the two refused to meet each others eye "Tasha?" Lorren's voice risen a few octaves, as she had known him to do when he got nervous.

"It's getting late," Tasha stated, turning away from him "we should go back in." So much for staying cool she thought to herself, but she couldn't help it, she had just kissed her best friend. The realization was a lot to take in, even if she had been planning it for days.

"What about the-the faerie thing?"

"What?" her mind went blank "Oh, the Faerie Clover! Just…forget it; it's fine," she began to lead the way back in, suddenly ashamed at herself. It had been a dumb idea, she shouldn't have done it, she shouldn't have messed with the good thing she had with Lorren! Now she was too embarrassed to even find out how he felt.

Trying her best to seem calm after the whole event she held her head high and her shoulders back but jumped when Lorren's hand gently captured her own. Startled she looked up to his face, a shy smile on his lips as he squeezed her hand and she smiled timidly back.

Maybe it hadn't been such a dumb idea after all.

XXX

So this couple gets NO recognition though I think they're adorable. Anyways, as always reviews are appreciated as well as pointing out any mistakes/typos I made have made in this piece.