100 Prompt Challenge - Astelle

Prompt 2: The Black Bulls are playing a game of truth or dare, and Noelle is roped into a dare involving Asta. She tries to back out, but luck isn't on her side. Forced to kiss him, Noelle is horrified by the aftermath—not because Asta rejects her, but because she realizes she doesn't want to pretend it didn't mean something.

—

A week after the Spade Kingdom Raid, the Black Bulls were confined to their base, nursing wounds during a forced "recovery" period imposed by Yami and Nacht.

But who said recovery had to be boring?

Vanessa certainly didn't get that memo. And so, they found themselves gathered in the base's living room, sprawled around the center table—some seated on couches, others standing nearby—where a dark, mystical ball floated ominously.

Yami, perched in his usual sofa chair, set his newspaper down on his lap and snuffed out his blunt in the ashtray on the coffee table beside him.

"What's this thing?" he asked, pointing lazily at the orb.

Everyone shifted their attention from the ball to Vanessa, who sat relaxed on the couch with Rouge yawning in her lap. She offered a playful grin, leaning back while casually draping an arm around Noelle, whose face immediately turned red.

"That," Vanessa began, "is a little toy called the Orb of Secrets. I had Dominante make it for me. It glows red when someone nearby is lying and green when they tell the truth."

The room blinked collectively before Luck's eyes sparkled with intrigue. He jumped onto the table, crossing his arms confidently.

"I'm recovered!" he declared.

The orb glowed green, and Luck grinned triumphantly. Without missing a beat, he pointed at the orb, his smile widening.

"I think Magna is stronger than me!"

The ball turned red instantly, earning an even broader grin from Luck.

"Hey, it works!"

"Luck, you bastard! You wanna go?!" Magna growled, a vein popping on his forehead as his grimoire flew out beside him, conjuring a fireball in his hand.

Luck spun to face him, a feral grin plastered across his face, sparks of lightning crackling through his hair.

"Sure thing, Magna—"

Before either could act, shadowy arms erupted from the floor, binding them both in place. The room turned to see Nacht emerging from the shadows, his ever-present closed-eye grin not quite masking his irritation.

"Didn't I say no fighting for a month?" he asked darkly. Neither Magna nor Luck could respond; the shadows had gagged their mouths as well.

Nacht turned to Vanessa, his unsettling grin still in place. "And what is this for, drunky?"

Vanessa didn't seem fazed by the nickname. Nonchalantly producing a bottle of wine from seemingly nowhere, she uncorked it and took a long swig, ignoring Nacht's visible displeasure.

"Ahh." She exhaled, her voice tinged with satisfaction. Flashing a peace sign, she added, "Since we're all bored, I figured I'd lighten the mood with a game."

"A game?" Nacht arched a brow, unimpressed, while the rest of the Bulls eyed Vanessa curiously.

"Yep. A version of truth or dare where you can't chicken out. If you lie, the orb will catch you. And if you refuse a dare…" Vanessa shamelessly copped her right breast, revealing a hint of cleavage.

Gray yelped and ducked behind Gauche in embarrassment, Noelle turned crimson, Finral banged his head against the table, muttering something about "bad Finral," and Magna visibly flushed.

Charmy clapped her hands enthusiastically. "Ooh, I love games! One sec, let me fetch some yum-yums for everyone's tum-tums!"

Noelle, shaking herself free from Vanessa's grasp, stammered, "A-absolutely not! I-I'm r-royalty! I-I won't play something so shameless—"

"Come on, Noelle. It'll be fun," A familiar voice made her freeze.

Noelle stiffened, realizing she was sitting beside Asta. The very same Asta she'd been avoiding ever since acknowledging her feelings for him during the Spade Kingdom Raid.

Her face flushed deeper as her mind spun. Why now?

Asta beamed at her reaction, interpreting it as agreement. "Awesome! Games are always more fun with everyone playing!"

Nacht gave Vanessa one last look before turning to leave. "I have no interest in such things—"

"Chicken."

The word cut through the room like a blade, and Nacht froze mid-step. Slowly, he turned back, eyes narrowing at Yami, who lounged nonchalantly, a sly grin on his face.

"Sorry, my ears must be playing tricks on me," Nacht said with a dark smile. "What did you say?"

"I don't recall making a chicken my vice-captain," Yami replied, leaning back and folding his arms. "You're not a chicken, are you?"

For a long moment, Nacht stared at Yami, still smiling. Without a word, he walked over, unceremoniously picked up Zora with a shadowy hand, and plopped him onto another sofa. Taking Zora's vacated seat, Nacht crossed his legs, resting his hands in his lap.

"I'm in," he said coolly.

The Black Bulls, save for a disgruntled Zora, exchanged humorous grins as the shadowy binds on Magna and Luck loosened.

"Alright, I'll go first!" Luck zoomed back onto the table before anyone could react, pointing directly at Yami.

"Captain, I dare you to fight me—aaah!"

Before Luck could finish, Yami flicked a finger. It wasn't just any flick, though—his finger pulsed with an overwhelming amount of mana. Dark, corrupted, near-devilish mana erupted from the motion, engulfing the young man and launching him out of the base, rocketing him into the distance.

Everyone blinked, including Yami, who stared blankly at his hand. Well, shit. I guess I need to relearn how to control my magic.

Magna groaned, standing up and glancing at the large hole in the roof, which was slowly repairing itself thanks to Henry's magic.

"I'll go get him—"

"No! I will!"

Everyone turned to Finral, who patted Magna on the shoulder with an overly enthusiastic thumbs-up and a grin.

"You deserve some rest and fun, Magna. Let your senpai handle this, alright?"

Magna's eyes watered. What a good guy.

Without another word, Finral bolted out the door. The moment Vanessa mentioned strip, his brain had processed enough to know this game would not be good for his heart or mind. He had been looking for an excuse to leave—and what do you know, one presented itself.

Finral had no intention of using his spatial magic to bring Luck back anytime soon. Instead, he'd wait outside for several hours, ensuring the game was over before returning.

Poor Luck.

"Hey, street-punk virgin, you crying?"

Magna stiffened and turned to face Vanessa, who had an amused glint in her eyes. "Am not! And even if I was, these are manly tears, you damn strip-show!"

He's not denying the virgin part, everyone thought silently.

Vanessa smiled lazily, unfazed, and rested a hand on her forehead. "Alright, guys, let's review how you play truth or dare. You ask someone, 'truth or dare?' It's literally in the name of the game. Then they pick one. If they choose truth, you ask them a question they have to answer honestly. If they pick dare, you challenge them to do something—preferably wild. Got it?"

Everyone nodded. Vanessa sighed in relief before clapping her hands together. "Alright! Who wants to actually go first?"

"Oh! Oh! Me! Me!" Asta shot his hand into the air, earning everyone's attention.

With a soft, encouraging nod from Vanessa, Asta grinned with starry eyes and pointed at Yami.

"Captain! Truth or dare?"

Yami blinked. Me again…? Suppressing an inward sigh, he shrugged. "Alright, kid. I'll take a dare."

The Bulls leaned in—those seated inching forward, those standing craning their necks—eager to see what ridiculous challenge Asta would issue.

"Captain, I dare you to do your own chores from now on!"

The room went silent. Every Bull stared wide-eyed at Asta. None of them thought his dare was lame—instead, they marveled at how bold it was.

Nacht, sitting up in his chair, allowed a subtle but approving look to cross his face. Meanwhile, suffocating dark mana filled the air as Yami's gaze bored into Asta.

"What did you just say to me, kid? Wanna die?"

Asta squirmed comically under the crushing pressure but didn't falter. He held his ground, meeting Yami's glare head-on.

After a tense moment, Yami's mana receded. The captain sighed, then, without a word, reached for the hem of his shirt and peeled it off.

A tick mark appeared on Nacht's forehead, but the other Black Bulls remained silent, though their collective disappointment was evident.

Well, most of them. Vanessa's grin grew as she shamelessly eyed Yami, her lips parting ever so slightly in appreciation. However, her amusement abruptly faded as a memory surfaced—one from a week ago.

She clenched her fists. Her mind replayed the image of Charlotte, the Blue Rose captain, confessing her love to Yami as he lay on the verge of death.

Biting her lip, Vanessa forced her gaze away. She hadn't just started this game to pass the time or cheer up the Bulls. No, some of her reasons were far less pure.

"Alright, me next!" Vanessa raised her arm, drawing all eyes to her before she pointed directly across the room at Yami—once again.

"Truth or dare, Captain!"

Yami blinked and suppressed a tired sigh. Dammit, there are other people in the room... Letting out a deep breath, he nodded.

"Alright, but I swear, if the next clown asks me, I'm going to riot. Understand?"

Everyone stiffly nodded, and Nacht's imperceptible smile twitched slightly wider.

Yami sat back in his chair, turning his attention to Vanessa. "Alright, let's go with truth this time."

Vanessa smiled, masking her trepidation as she crossed her arms. "Captain, do you love anyone? Romantically, I mean."

The question left no room for confusion, and everyone turned to Yami with curious expressions.

Yami blinked, then shook his head. "Nah, I'm not into that stuff."

The Orb of Secrets glowed green, confirming the truth. He wasn't into that stuff. He didn't have a beloved—yet.

Vanessa let out an inward scream of relief. Oh, thank God! That means I still got a chance!

Asta and Yami simultaneously picked up on the sudden joy radiating from Vanessa's ki. Asta was confused; Yami was annoyed. 

Dammit, is she cursing my love life?! I have a delicate heart, you know. Maybe I want to be a papa one day!

"It's my turn." Nacht's indifferent voice broke the tension, drawing everyone's attention as he smiled and tilted his head toward Yami.

"Don't you dare," Yami growled.

Nacht's smile didn't waver. "Truth or dare, Yami?"

Yami locked eyes with him, and for a moment, the two men seemed locked in an invisible standoff. Then Yami stood up.

"Alright, I choose dare. And I'll pick my own. How many years has it been since we scrapped, Nacht?"

Nacht's smile deepened as Gimodelo appeared on his shoulder. "I'd say twelve or so."

Yami cracked his knuckles, unsheathed his new wooden katana, and pointed it at his vice-captain.

"Your old place?"

"Exactly what I was thinking." Nacht opened his eyes slightly, and before anyone could react, a shadow spread out beneath his feet. Within moments, both he and Yami sank into it, disappearing as the shadow receded.

The Black Bulls blinked in unison.

"Dammit, why do they get to fight?" Magna grumbled.

"I know, right? It's so unfair!" Asta pumped his fists. "I want to spar with Vice-Captain Nacht and Captain Yami too!"

"T-that's n-not a s-spar, Dorksta!" Noelle snapped, flicking her pigtails indignantly. But as soon as the words left her mouth, she froze. Realizing she'd just spoken to Asta, her cheeks burned bright red. She let out a heavy hmph and turned away, leaving Asta bewildered.

Nero, in her bird form, perched on the windowsill, silently watching the scene below. She blinked, chirped softly, and floated down before transforming into her human form. Her sudden appearance drew everyone's attention.

Before anyone could speak, Nero turned her emotionless gaze to Noelle. "Truth or dare?"

Noelle blinked, her thoughts racing. Why is she asking me? Noticing everyone looking at her, she bit her lip. I-I can't say truth... Nero will definitely ask something embarrassing. But if I pick dare... no way, I'm not stripping. Whatever the dare is, I'll do it!

She took a deep breath, steeled her nerves, and locked eyes with Nero. "Dare," she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside.

Nero's lips twitched, barely suppressing a coy smirk. She parted them and spoke nonchalantly.

"I dare you to kiss the guy you love right now."

The room froze. All eyes turned to Noelle, who sat as still as a statue.

Asta's eyes sparkled like stars. "Noelle, you love one of us?!"

It's you, doofus! Everyone thought in unison.

Noelle snapped out of her daze. "N-no, no, I don't! W-what kind of preposterous accusation—" She stopped mid-sentence as the Orb of Secrets glowed red.

Asta's eyes widened further, while Vanessa, seated behind Noelle, gave Nero a subtle thumbs-up.

Every gaze bore into Noelle, and her mind spiraled into chaos. No, no, no! Nero, how could you?! You knew— you've always known—and now you put me on the spot like this?! A feeling of betrayal gnawed at her chest.

Kiss Asta? Kiss Asta?! I can barely even talk to him or look him in the eye right now, and now you expect me to kiss him?!

Her hands clenched into fists, nails digging into her palms. Then her pink eyes lit up with sudden realization. Wait, they never said I had to strip a lot... I could just take off a sandal or something—

Noelle immediately cut off that line of thought, horror dawning on her as she considered the alternative. Backing out of the dare would only make Asta think I don't love him... and he might never see me that way because of it. Or, worse, even if he does find out later, he might think, "So you'd rather strip than kiss me? Maybe you don't even know what love is."

Noelle's slender fists tightened in her lap. She drew in a sharp breath and, before she could lose her nerve, reached forward and grabbed Asta's cheeks. Without a word, she yanked his face forward and pressed her lips to his.

The kiss was fleeting—barely a second—but it set fireworks off in both their minds. The sensation was so overwhelming that Noelle instinctively shoved him away.

She abruptly stood, her gaze darting away from Asta's wide-eyed expression. Ignoring the Black Bulls' collective, gobsmacked stares and Nero's smug grin, Noelle strode to the door.

Before anyone could call her back—Asta especially, who was already rising to his feet—Noelle froze, her hand resting on the doorknob.

A moment passed. Then she turned, her pink eyes fixed on Asta's. Her heart pounded furiously, but her voice came out in a whisper.

"Can we talk?"

Asta blinked, then nodded wordlessly and followed her out.

Silence lingered in their wake, broken only by the Black Bulls' dumbfounded expressions and the smug smiles shared between Vanessa and Nero.

Vanessa leaned back and grinned at the anti-bird. "You sure that's alright with you? I thought that Vermillion bimbo was your friend—you know, the other one who has the hots for our little Asta."

Nero blinked and spoke plainly. "Mimosa is a friend. But Noelle—and the rest of the Black Bulls—are something more. Not all friends are equal. I've always been rooting for Noelle."

Vanessa smirked and patted the seat beside her. "Well, Noelle and Asta aren't the only Black Bull romance we need to interfere with."

Nero mirrored Vanessa's smirk and cast a not-so-subtle glance toward Grey, who immediately blushed and ducked behind her hands. Luckily for her, Gauche was too preoccupied admiring a picture of his sister to notice.

—

Walking through the nearby forest in silence, Asta caught himself sneaking glances at Noelle. His cheeks reddened, and his heart thudded in his chest.

S-she l-loves me… he thought, flustered. But if she does, why does she always hit me? Does that even make sense?!

Subconsciously, he touched his lips, recalling the faint scent of lavender and strawberries. The memory sent his thoughts spiraling. He couldn't stop himself from wanting more of that feeling.

W-wait, what am I saying?! His pupils dilated. I'm in love with Sister Lily! She's the only one for me!

He tried to conjure images of his beloved nun, focusing on her serene smile and kind eyes. But every time he thought of love and a woman, another image emerged—a silver-haired water mage. Asta's mind betrayed him further when he pictured Noelle wearing a nun's outfit, and his nose nearly bled from the absurdity of it.

A horrifying realization struck him. Do I have a type? Noble or high-class water mages… preferably ones in outfits that leave little to the imagination?

He stumbled slightly, a blistering, hot mess of confusion and embarrassment. His dizzy thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his name.

"Asta."

He froze mid-step, realizing that a few more paces would have sent him tumbling off a cliff. With an audible gulp, he turned to face Noelle.

And for the first time, he truly saw her. The silver-haired mage standing before him wasn't just Noelle, his friend and squad mate. She was… beautiful. Incredibly, breathtakingly beautiful. He was struck dumb, wondering how he'd never noticed it before.

She shifted nervously, fidgeting in a way she tried to hide by crossing her arms and biting her pink lips—luscious, scrumptious, soft—bad, Asta! BAD! He mentally slapped himself back to focus.

"Yes?" he stammered awkwardly, his voice cracking slightly.

Noelle clenched her fists, then placed a hand over her chest. Her pink eyes locked with his green ones, and she spoke with clarity and resolve.

"Let's not leave any room for confusion."

Asta blinked, startled by the intensity in her voice.

"Immediately after kissing you, I almost darted away with the same stupid words and actions I always use—something like 'don't read into this.' But as I moved, I hated how that felt."

Her voice wavered slightly, but she pushed on. "I don't want to pretend that a kiss with you doesn't mean anything. I don't want to pretend that being around you doesn't mean anything. That spending time with you isn't… special. Because it is. To me, it's more special than with anyone else."

Noelle took a shaky breath, her gaze never wavering. "I'm tired of lying. To you, to everyone else, and most importantly, to myself. I'm tired of living a lie. I want to be brave—brave and courageous, just like you taught me. You, the person I admire, idolize, and respect most."

Asta swallowed hard, his face heating up as she stepped closer. Her hands reached out, brushing against his cheeks in the same way she had before pulling him into the kiss. This time, though, her touch was softer, her grip looser.

"I'm done dodging reality," she continued. "Pretending it's different than what it is. While fighting Megicula, I realized these feelings for you. I told myself it wasn't the time—that we were on a battlefield, and they could wait. But for the past week, all I've done is avoid you. I couldn't face you—not as a woman or a comrade, despite you being my most precious friend. You deserved better, Asta, and for that… I'm sorry."

Asta opened his mouth, ready to protest, to tell her not to say such things about herself. But Noelle placed a single finger on his lips, silencing him with a jolt of unexpected pleasure.

"You can speak when I'm done, alright?" she said softly, her tone firm but tender.

Asta nodded awkwardly, his heart racing as he noticed the deep blush spreading across her face. Her pink eyes bore into his with an intensity he couldn't define—no, he could. It was love. Pure, unfiltered, and directed entirely at him.

Noelle's voice softened, but the emotion in her words only grew. "Asta, I… I love you. I love you as my most precious friend, my squad mate, my family, my source of courage, and my ideals. But above all, I love you as a woman. In a completely, 100 percent real, romantic kind of way."

Asta froze, his brain scrambling to process her words. He'd known from the kiss, of course, but hearing her say it so plainly… it nearly made his heart burst.

Asta noticed Noelle go silent, her expression expectant. Realizing it was his turn to speak, he swallowed hard and began.

"I-I don't know what love is," he admitted, his voice trembling slightly.

Noelle blinked, confused, but she stayed quiet as he continued.

"Since I met Sister Lily at five years old and insisted I'd marry her, I think… I took love as a challenge. People told me I couldn't be Wizard King because I was a lowly peasant. People told me I couldn't be a Magic Knight because I was a magicless loser. So when Sister Lily—the beautiful Sister Lily—said she couldn't marry me because she was a nun, I think I saw that as just another challenge."

He paused, his fists tightening at his sides.

"A challenge to prove everyone wrong. To show them I could do the impossible. I'd become a Magic Knight—which I've done—climb the path to the Wizard King—which I'm doing—and then, when I reached the top, I thought I'd change everything. I'd make the kingdom a place of equality between classes, and I'd subvert the rules I thought were strange. Like the rule that Sister Lily couldn't marry just because she was a nun."

Asta's voice softened, and his gaze dropped to the ground. "I always found that strange. Love is supposed to be holy, right? Then why are nuns, priests, servants of God, denied marriage? Denied love?"

He took a shaky breath. "It was only later that I realized they're not. Father Orsi and Sister Lily—they love, just in a different way. They love me, Yuno, and the kids back in Hage as their children. To Sister Lily… I was like her practical son, or maybe her darling little brother. And I spat on that love. I pushed against it. I made her uncomfortable by insisting she marry me, swearing I'd make her happy when she already was happy—happy as my sister and my… practical mother."

Noelle's breath hitched, watching his expression grow uncharacteristically heavy with self-derision.

"A deep part of me knew all of that, but I did it anyway. Just to prove a point. To prove I could do anything. And the more I think about it, the more I realize how awful I was. How I hurt her—someone who only wanted the best for me." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I should've apologized to her a long time ago. That guilt has kept me awake so many nights since I became a Black Bull. Maybe even before that. But I didn't… because I'm not the man you think I am. I'm not the brave, courageous guy you look up to. I'm just as hesitant, cowardly, selfish, and disgusting as anyone else."

Noelle's heart clenched as she saw the uncharacteristically depressing and self-loathing expression etched on his face. It was a vulnerability she'd never seen from him before.

Asta looked up, meeting her eyes. His voice cracked as he asked, "N-Noelle Silva… c-can you love me despite all that?"

Her hands tightened on his cheeks, and she nodded, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. "Yes… yes, I can."

In that moment, the image of Asta she'd held for so long—the nearly perfect boy who defied every odd—shattered. But instead of feeling disillusioned, she felt closer to him than ever. He wasn't an ideal. He was human. Flawed. Relatable. And even more incredible because of it.

Asta bit his lip, his cheeks flushed. "I-I don't know what love is… but if it feels even a smidge as good as what we did back there… I think I want to find out more."

Noelle's face turned crimson, her lips quivering as her breath hitched. She bent slightly, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her lips parted, her hot breath brushing against his skin as she whispered, "Want to find out—mmph!"

Before she could finish, Asta grabbed her waist and pulled her into his arms. His lips crashed against hers in a searing, passionate kiss.

Fireworks exploded in both their minds—if the first kiss had been a single spark, this was a full-blown festival of light and heat.

Their eyes shut as they embraced, hands roaming over each other's bodies. Their lips moved in sync, tongues dancing in the shared heat of their connection.

Noelle moaned softly when Asta's hands gripped her slightly toned yet plump rear, his broad fingers squeezing firmly. Asta shivered as her hands slipped under his shirt, tracing circles across his muscular chest with featherlight touches.

Their moans mixed in the air as they lost themselves in the kiss, shameless and unrestrained. Neither of them spared a thought for the anti-magic devil trapped in Asta's grimoire, who was forced to witness the scene.

At that moment, there was no one else. There was only each other.

Author's Note:

[1] I'm always accepting prompt ideas

[2] Feel free to join the Discord! https://discord.gg/s3MME8X8ar