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Christmas was closely approaching, and like any other family, Advent was busy ‘gearing up’ for the special holiday too.
Going out to buy gifts, placing festive decorations all around the house, participating in the holiday cheer, snowball fights that may or may not have gotten extremely serious and perhaps a little dangerous near the end – there wasn’t a single thing they missed out on doing so long as they could help it.
And this year for this holiday in particular, Nerissa Ravencroft had a very special mission in mind involving a very specific plant and a very specific Archiver. Or in layman’s terms; operation get Shiori Novella under a mistletoe so Nerissa Ravencroft has a good excuse to kiss her.
The Demon of Sound had grinned and mentally given herself a pat on the back when she first came up with such an ingenious plan that was definitely never before thought by anyone else in the past.
That was a little over a week ago. In the present, Nerissa was humming a little christmas carol to herself as she neatly tied the mistletoe to the top of the doorway leading to the kitchen, her height making it easy to reach while helped along by a little stool.
Nerissa lets out a dreamy sigh, her hands mindlessly doing the work as her mind drifts off to imagining just how this planned scene with Shiori will play out. Being so absorbed in her daydream, she fails to take notice of Biboo and the twins as they enter the kitchen, all three of them giving each other looks before turning to stare at Nerissa.
“Is she okay?” Mococo asks innocently with genuine concern in her voice. “Just another one of her moments,” Fuwawa waves off before going to grab some snacks from the pantry. The whole reason they were there in the first place.
Biboo had already gotten hers and she snickers before taking a bite out of the Christmas cookie she snagged from one of the trays. “Someone deserves to be on the naughty list for trying to do this to Shiori,” she comments.
Nerissa doesn’t seem to hear at first and even if she did hear it, Biboo’s next comment definitely captures her attention.
“Hey Nerissa, what if I helped you and waited under the mistletoe to lure Shiori in?”
Nerissa snaps her head around and Biboo is unperturbed as red eyes narrow at her. “Don’t even think about it!” she huffs haughtily, “There’s no way I’m risking you taking this from me!”
“But what if we want a kiss from Shiori too?” Mococo says and Nerissa rolls her eyes before stepping down from the stool then moving it to the side. “You can get one, after I get one.”
“Why does it have to be after you huh?!”
Nerissa groans as she crosses her arms over her chest and lifts her chin up high. “Look Fuwawa, I’m on a very special mission. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. When else can I find an excuse to ask this from Shiori hm?”
Biboo snorts, “Is that you admitting you’ve been failing at rizzing her then?”
Nerissa chokes on air and her composure completely slips as she starts stuttering for a retort. While Nerissa is busy panicking, the twins' ears perk up at the sound of footsteps approaching and Biboo catches sight of this.
They all share a glance and reach a wordless agreement.
“-easy okay? I swear I’ve tried and nothing has worked yet so why is it so bad that I– HEY!” Without a word and in the middle of her tangent, the Diamond Dogs hurry out of the kitchen while shouting their farewells which causes Nerissa to watch completely flabbergasted. She lets out an exasperated sigh and just as she’s about to call out to them in a last ditch effort to defend her dignity, it takes another hit.
Her breath hitches in her throat as another familiar face appears a few steps away from the doorway.
“What was all that about?”
“Shiorin–!” Nerissa blurts out before quickly following it up with forced laughter. She musters her best nonchalant smile and places her hands behind her back if only to hide the way they quiver uncontrollably. “When did you get back? I thought you’d be out longer.”
The demon briefly looks up at the doorway. Her lip twitches. Just a few more steps, come on.
“Oh that? Let’s just say I entered a parallel universe and stole all these items from an alternate version of myself,” Shiori says, which earns her a look from Nerissa
“I got there early, beat all the crowds.”
“Was that so hard to say?”
“It’d be boring that way!” Shiori giggles while grinning deviously from ear to ear. As her laughter slowly dies down, she moves around to try to get a glimpse behind Nerissa into the kitchen. “You doing okay handling all the food?”
Nerissa nods, “Just about done with everything.”
She had been done for over an hour in fact, all so she could prepare for her mission. Most of it mental.
“Did you want to help?” Nerissa says with a teasing lilt in her tone and Shiori scoffs. “I could help with setting the table but for food? Unless you want to celebrate the Grinch this year, I think it’s better I don’t.” Nerissa chuckles, hoping to drown out the way her heartbeat pounds in her ears.
Here goes nothing.
“How about something to eat after your little outing then?” Nerissa offers while holding out her hand to her Archiver.
To her absolute horror and disdain, her greatest fear comes true. Shiori shakes her head.
“No it’s okay,” she politely declines and Nerissa fights hard against the urge to fall to her knees out of sorrow. “I’m going to do the last touches for decorations before tonight,” she explains and the demon pouts as she puts on her best pleading face, channeling her inner wet cat to the fullest.
A final gambit.
“You don’t want to taste my cooking…?”
Shiori rolls her eyes lightheartedly, already turning around to leave. “It’d be more special if I save it for dinner wouldn’t it?” she winks before walking away and Nerissa reaches out to stop her but the former is just out of reach. Her hand mere inches away from Nerissa’s
Standing underneath the doorway, Nerissa watches as Shiori disappears up the stairs and as soon as she’s out of earshot Nerissa lets out a long whine. Her attempt had failed spectacularly.
In all fairness, she should’ve at least expected it. Not at all plans worked out after all.
What was important was that Nerissa Ravencroft wouldn’t be giving up that easily.
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And so Nerissa tries other locations. Other methods. Other excuses.
However no matter what she does or what she changes, the end result always stays the same.
“Shiorin, could you help me with this?”
“Shiori, check this out!”
“Shiori look–”
“Shiorin, could you come over here…”
“Shiori…”
“Shiorin?”
“Shiorin!”
Suffice to say, Nerissa was getting a tad desperate. It was to the point that mistletoes were hanging over virtually every doorway in the Advent house and Nerissa had lost count of the amount of times she’d have to give cheek kisses to the Diamond Dogs who she had enlisted for help.
They weren’t even bothering to do it anymore on account of how much it kept happening.
And yet Nerissa still hadn’t caught Shiori under a mistletoe once. It was almost as if the Archiver was deliberately avoiding it.
The Demon of Sound sighs as she plops onto a stool by the kitchen island, burying her face in her hands before letting out a muffled groan.
Dinner would be starting soon and as much as she looked forward to spending time with her girls, that would mean her mission today will be considered well and truly over. While the opportunity of standing underneath the mistletoe with Shiori could still happen, Nerissa doubts it will be anywhere near as successful.
With the kids around, Nerissa just knows Shiori will find a way to back out somehow or just take the easy way out by choosing to do a simple kiss on the cheek.
While the Archiver may have confidence, she wasn’t the most direct with her affection in comparison to someone like Nerissa.
It’s so over…
“Heya Reese.”
Nerissa perks up in an instant and when she lifts her head, she sees none other than Shiori entering the kitchen, walking past the very first mistletoe she placed.
“Fuwawa said you needed my help with something?”
Nerissa furrows her brows. She most definitely did not remember asking Fuwawa for such a thing but thankfully, the realization dawned on her just as quickly. She shakes her head and replaces her confused expression with a smile, hoping to play it off as her momentarily forgetting. The Gods know something like that wouldn’t easily get past the Archiver.
“She did?” Nerissa, invigorated once more, asks with practiced faux surprise. “Don’t ask me, she said you called for me and you were in the kitchen,” Shiori shrugs. Nerissa lets out a hum as she gets up, walking past Shiori to stand underneath the doorway, effectively trapping her in the kitchen with nowhere else to go.
Nowhere else but through her, underneath the mistletoe.
This HAS to work.
“Oh that was probably when I was setting the table but I’m all finished now,” Nerissa says. The corner of her lips curl up into a grin as she bats her eyelashes. “But that’s okay, how about we go and call the rest for dinner hm?”
Shiori shrugs before she starts walking over and with every step, Nerissa’s eyes widen, her heart hammering against her ribcage so hard she feared the former would somehow hear it.
Right before Shiori takes Nerissa’s hand, before the demon could pull the Archiver in close to stare into her eyes, hold her with an arm around the shorter girl’s waist, before she could lean in for a kiss she’s all but dreamed for, before her Christmas miracle could happen, Shiori pauses.
“What’s wrong?” Nerissa asks worriedly, not even bothering to hide the way her smile falters or how her disappointment bleeds into her words.
“Why don’t you go on ahead first? I gotta make sure the Archives are in line real quick,” Shiori explains and Nerissa lets out a soft sigh of relief. “Sure thing, but here we can–”
“I’ll see you and the girls at dinner!” Shiori chirps and faster than Nerissa can react, the Archiver disappears into a puddle of ink on the floor.
Teleporting out.
Leaving Nerissa to stand there alone in the kitchen, a look of absolute disbelief written all over her face. She sputters for several seconds, torn between screaming out in anger and wanting the ground to consume her whole.
“You’ve got to be fuc–”
Three heads peek into the kitchen curiously.
“Did we do it…?” Fuwawa asks and Biboo shakes her head with a sigh. “Shiori isn’t here… dang it… mission failed, we’ll get ‘em next time.” The twins let out a dejected ‘bau bau’ and it falls silent for a moment.
They just watch Nerissa stand in place completely unmoving, all the while feeling a little pity for the poor Demon of Sound.
“...should we hang more…?
“Is there even any space left Moco-chan…”
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Dinner goes by relatively smoothly and peacefully
Well, as peacefully as any gathering with Advent could be. Regardless, it was still fun but as much fun as a certain Demon of sound was having, it wouldn’t be completely truthful to say her mood wasn’t somewhat dampened.
In spite of it, she tries not to let it get to her. Tries not to let it show if only to avoid it affecting the rest.
Especially since they promised to binge Christmas movies together late into the night in the living room. Shiori and Nerissa shared the couch while Biboo and Fuwamoco were on a mattress on the floor.
They make an effort to go through all sorts of movies. From the classics to the newer ones, to the obscure ones to the more popular ones, and between each of them the banter and comments keep coming nonstop.
Nerissa is grateful. The distraction helps her almost forget her failed plan. Almost.
As the night goes on and the clock shows the time as a little past one in the morning, the kids were already fast asleep while Shiori and Nerissa were still wide awake. They were binging a movie that was about halfway through and Nerissa figured this would be the last one before they too turned in for the night.
She wasn’t paying attention to the movie anymore to be completely honest, the plot of the story lost to her as she zoned out into her own little headspace. She doesn’t even register that it was Shiori calling out to her until the third time.
“Rissa?”
“Yes?”
“You doing okay?” Shiori asks and Nerissa hums without a second thought. “Yeah I’m good… just, zoning out, you know?” When she doesn’t get an immediate response, Nerissa thought that was the end of it only for the next sentence to throw her completely off guard.
“Does that mean you’re okay to talk about earlier then?”
Nerissa turns her head to look at Shiori, a million excuses to say at tip of tongue but they all die in her throat when she meets Shiori’s knowing gaze.
“You know, I was really confused at first when I got that call from the bank telling me that someone in our humble abode has been purchasing an extraordinary amount of mistletoes. Then I did a little digging and it was all too obvious.”
“...is that so…?”
Shiori nods with a smirk, “Mhm, they said it was enough to make an entire tree apparently. They were worried someone in our house was getting scammed or something so they informed me.”
“...that’s nice of them…”
“Isn’t it?”
A sheepish laugh leaves Nerissa’s throat as she scratches the back of her neck, not so subtly looking away from Shiori all the while. “That’s crazy…”
“Think I wouldn’t notice?”
“No…?”
“Rissa,” Shiori giggles, “There were enough mistletoes to not only cover every doorway in the house but also enough of those things to put in my room that I couldn’t see the ceiling without trying.”
“They were in your room too?” Nerissa gawks, lamenting the missed opportunities in her mind. Shiori, as if hearing her thoughts aloud, flicks Nerissa’s forehead lightly causing the demon to yelp in surprise. “Wrong thing to think about,” she chides.
Nerissa pouts but as the pieces start falling into a place, it turns into a full blown frown. “Shiorin, if you knew… does that mean you were purposefully avoiding me?” she asks and the vulnerability is palpable in her tone.
Shiori smiles softly. That familiar smile Nerissa recognizes as the one the Archiver always puts on when comforting another. To Biboo, to the twins, to her. It’s never failed in the past and it doesn’t now.
“I wasn’t trying to purposefully avoid you. I was more just waiting for you to just ask me, you know, directly,” Shiori says and Nerissa’s jaw drops.
“But– but I do that all the time!”
Shiori rolls her eyes playfully as she gives Nerissa a look, “Well I’m sorry Reese, it’s hard for me to differentiate when you’re joking or not. Especially when you say it so often and not only to me no less. Heck, maybe if you put all that effort you used for your mistletoe mission into just asking me, Christmas miracle could’ve happened sooner.”
Nerissa’s sure her face is several shades of red now but instead of lingering on that matter longer, she unironically takes a page out of Shiori’s book and does as she’s advised.
“So what you’re saying is that if I were to ask… you’d kiss me? Just like that?”
Shiori snorts but she nods nonetheless as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Do you want me to write it down?”
“Shiorinnnnn,” Nerissa whines and the Archiver in question giggles as she shuffles closer towards the demon. “I also just wanted you to know that you didn’t need silly little traditions to ask me for such things,” she says and her voice gets softer with every word she speaks as she leans in close.
Whatever retort Nerissa had is instantly forgotten as she hyper focuses on Shiori, her eyes flitting between looking at the latter’s eyes and lips. When Shiori’s eyes flutter close, Nerissa’s does too out of instinct and with the darkness, Nerissa can only think about how soft Shiori’s lips are against hers when they finally kiss.
It’s only for a short moment however, much to Nerissa’s chagrin, because Shiori starts pulling away and leaving Nerissa to chase after her. Alas the former pulls too far away and she laughs softly at the mildly disappointed look on Nerissa’s face.
“And to think you planned so hard to get me to do that,” Shiori teases to which Nerissa mutters, “It was more just hyping myself up for it...”
“Well I appreciate the effort.”
The demon hums but still the idea tugs at her mind. “You have to admit though that at least it would’ve been a little bit cute?”
“Would it?” Shiori says as she presses her lips into a thin line. She’s silent for a couple of seconds before out of nowhere, Nerissa watches as Shiori pulls out a little mistletoe of her own.
“I guess it would,” Shiori concludes with an innocent smile all the while Nerissa is shocked to the point of near speechlessness. “But…”
“I figured I’d use it as a gift on Christmas eve, but I suppose you could get yours early. Don’t tell the others though” Shiori says with a wink as she dangles the little plant above her head. “Good thing too that I got one in advance before you decided to sell them out everywhere. The things I do for you honestly,” she adds in a lighthearted tone.
“So? What are you waiting for? I thought you wanted–”
Shiori is cut off as she feels a hand grab the one she was holding the mistletoe with followed by the sensation of being pushed down onto the couch. Nerissa is careful as she straddles Shiori by the waist lest the latter make a noise that could wake the rest.
Even in such a position, with Nerissa being the one to lean in this time, she waits for confirmation from Shiori and when she gets it in the form of a nod, she wastes no time in accepting it. Fully intending to make up for the several mistletoes she had placed around the house as she firmly places her lips against Shiori’s once more for more than just a peck.
Mission success.
As for Christmas, well Nerissa decides she’d happily end up on the naughty list this year if it meant the present she got was Shiori.
__________________________________________________
Fin.