Prompt: Five times Noelle nearly lets her feelings slip, and the 1 time Asta finally gets it. And five times Noelle nearly confesses, and the 1 time where Asta beats her to it.
—
Scene 1: Mid-Battle Confession (That Wasn't)
"Noelle, behind you!"
Asta's voice cut through the chaos just as the beast lunged from the treetops.
She spun, casting Sea Dragon's Roar out of pure instinct. The magic clashed with the creature's claws midair—exploding in a burst of foam and shattered bark.
Before she could recover, Asta was already there—standing in front of her like a damn wall.
His back was to her. His sword was drawn. And the tension in his shoulders told her everything she needed to know.
He protected me again.
"You okay?" he asked, glancing back.
She stared at his profile.
The dirt on his cheek. The sweat on his neck. The stupid grin he always wore after danger passed.
And something in her chest squeezed.
"…I…" Her voice cracked.
Asta blinked. "What?"
Noelle swallowed. Her magic surged, restless. She could feel her heart hammering in her ribs.
"I said you're such an IDIOT!" she snapped, fists clenched. "Always running in like some kind of brainless meathead with a hero complex!"
His face fell. "Wha—?! I just saved you!"
"I didn't need saving!" she shouted, cheeks on fire. "You—! You just always—! Ugh, shut up!"
He scratched his head, clearly lost. "You're not making sense…"
Because you make me insane, she wanted to scream.
Instead, she turned and stormed off toward the others, hair whipping behind her.
Asta watched her go with a pout. "You could've just said thank you…"
Noelle didn't look back.
If she had, she might've noticed the way he kept watching her—like something about her didn't quite add up.
—
Scene 2: The Moonlight Slip
Later that week, the mission was over. The beast was gone. The village was safe.
And the Black Bulls were camped out under a clear night sky, scattered across blankets and stolen barrels of snacks.
Some were drinking. Some were snoring. Luck had fallen asleep upright against Magna's back.
Noelle sat near the edge of the campfire glow, just far enough to pretend she wasn't waiting.
And sure enough, Asta wandered over—munching on something vaguely meat-shaped.
"Hey," he said, flopping down next to her. "Cool if I sit?"
Noelle rolled her eyes. "You already are."
He laughed. "Yeah… guess I am."
They sat like that for a while, watching the firelight flicker.
Then Asta leaned back, hands behind his head, eyes on the stars.
"It's kinda crazy," he murmured. "After everything with Lucifero… the world's still here."
Noelle glanced at him. The quiet in his voice. The way the firelight reflected in his eyes.
Her stomach flipped.
He wasn't just loud and dumb and noble. He was brave. He was loyal.
He was everything.
"I'm glad you're okay," she said softly.
He turned to her, blinking. "Huh?"
She looked away. "Nothing. Just forget it."
"No, really. What'd you say?"
She stared at the moon instead. It looked stupidly romantic. The kind of night that asked for a confession.
So she said it again, but quieter this time.
"I'm glad you're okay."
Asta smiled. "Aw, thanks Noelle. I'm glad you're okay too."
Her heart thumped.
And before she could stop herself—before her brain caught up to her mouth—she muttered, "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."
Silence.
He froze. Chewing stopped.
Noelle turned red. Her ears burned.
"I—! I mean obviously because we're squadmates and you're always running around nearly dying, and if you died it would be inconvenient and—"
She couldn't even finish.
Asta tilted his head. "That's… really sweet."
Noelle groaned into her hands.
"I hate the moonlight," she muttered. "It's playing tricks on me."
He just laughed and leaned back again, eyes still on her this time.
"You're weird tonight," he said, teasing. "Kinda nice, though."
She didn't answer.
Because if she did, the words might actually come out.
—
Scene 3: The Birthday Wish
Noelle hated surprises.
She hated being the center of attention even more.
So when she walked into the Black Bulls' hideout and the lights flared on with a chorus of "HAPPY BIRTHDAY NOELLE!!" — she nearly fainted.
"W-What the hell is this?!" she snapped, cheeks already burning.
Charmy was tossing confetti like a maniac. Finral was winking like he did anything to help. Vanessa handed her a drink with a smug look that said drink up, princess.
And in the middle of it all was Asta—grinning with frosting on his cheek and a cake twice the size of her ego in his hands.
"You're always doing so much for everyone," he said, holding it out. "Figured you deserved something special for once."
She froze.
Her heart felt weird. Tight.
Like it had been waiting a long time to hear something like that.
The others sang. Loudly. Off-key. She didn't hear a word.
Then someone shoved a candle in the cake and yelled, "Make a wish!"
She stared at the flame.
Her eyes flicked toward Asta.
He looked so happy. So proud of himself. Like this party actually mattered to him. Like she mattered.
Noelle closed her eyes.
I wish…
The words caught on her tongue.
…you'd always look at me like that.
No…. I wish you only "look at me like that…"
She blew the candle out.
Asta dug a finger into his ear and leaned forward. "What'd you wish for?"
She panicked.
"None of your business, moron!" she snapped, punching his shoulder.
He rubbed it with a grin. "Bet it was something sweet."
Her face felt like it was about to melt off her skull.
Vanessa raised an eyebrow from across the room.
Noelle pretended not to see.
—
Scene 4: A Stroll That Felt Too Much Like a Date
The Heart Kingdom was calm that evening. Golden light painted the roads and lanterns were starting to flicker on.
Training had ended early. Somehow, just somehow, she and Asta ended up walking together.
Alone.
It wasn't even a proper plan. They just… kept walking.
And talking.
He was rambling about unlocking his swords' true abilities and how he wanted to master them and finally beat Gadjah.
She was half-listening, half-trying not to look at how the sun caught in his hair.
And maybe she was walking a little too close.
And maybe she didn't care.
They passed a vendor selling little crystal charms shaped like animals. Asta stopped.
"Oh cool! Look at this one—it looks like Nero!"
He held it up with a grin, proud like he carved it himself.
Then he turned to her. "You like stuff like this, right?"
Her lips parted.
She had no idea what to say.
Yes, she wanted to say. Yes, because you remembered. And that means something. And I—
"Of course not!" she blurted instead. "Why would I care about some dumb rock?!"
He blinked.
"…It's glass."
"Whatever!"
She turned her face away, hoping the sunset hid how red she was.
Asta scratched the back of his head, holding the charm awkwardly.
But he bought it anyway.
For Nero.
Not her.
Probably.
Maybe.
Ugh.
—
Scene 5: Vanessa (Nearly) Outs Her in Front of Everyone
The common room was loud. Someone spilled beer. Luck was upside down on the couch.
Vanessa kicked her legs up on the table and gave Noelle that look.
The one that said I'm about to ruin your life for fun.
"So," Vanessa said, loudly. "When are you gonna confess to our musclehead over there?"
Noelle choked on her drink.
"What the hell are you talking about?!"
Asta, who was two feet away and definitely within earshot, looked up from polishing his sword. "Huh? Confess what?"
Noelle turned to him, wild-eyed.
"N-Nothing! Don't listen to her! She's drunk!"
"I'm not even holding a drink."
"She's always drunk!"
Asta frowned. "You okay? You're acting weird again…"
"I am NOT acting weird!"
"You're yelling at me."
"I yell at everyone!"
Vanessa grinned and wiggled her eyebrows.
Asta looked between them, brow furrowed. "Seriously though… what were you gonna confess?"
Noelle's soul left her body.
Her palms started sparking.
"I was going to confess that YOU'RE AN IDIOT!" she shouted, slamming her drink down. "There! Happy now?!"
Asta blinked. "…Okay?"
Noelle stormed out.
She didn't stop until she was outside, alone, breathing hard against the cool night air.
Inside, she could still hear Vanessa laughing.
And Asta asking, "Wait, what just happened?"
—
Scene 6: The One Time Asta Actually Uses His Brain
The war was over.
Lucius was defeated. The dust had settled. The sky had gone back to being just a sky.
Asta didn't really know how to sit still.
So he trained. Ate. Slept. Repeat.
Sometimes he sparred with Yuno.
Sometimes he helped Finral babysit Langris's fragile ego. Leopold's as well. (Seriously where were those two the whole time?)
Sometimes he just laid in the grass and stared at the clouds and wondered what now?
That's where he was when Nero flew down and dropped a flyer on his face.
"Wha—what is this?!" he sat up, confused.
"Clover Times: Gossip rag," she muttered. "Black Bulls edition. Page three."
Asta blinked at the crumpled sheet. He smoothed it out.
"Lord of Destruction Captain Yami Sukehiro and Clover's Finest Beauty Captain Charlotte Roselei: SECRET ROMANCE CONFIRMED?!"
He nearly fell over.
"No freaking way!!"
His mind scrambled. He tried to imagine Yami holding flowers or writing love letters or doing… literally anything romantic.
It didn't compute.
"Wait. WAIT."
He remembered something.
Back during one of those weird tense recon missions—when the Bulls started investigating devils and curses—he had said something dumb. Or possibly intelligent?
He'd been watching Charlotte glare at Yami from across the courtyard and said with a wag of his finger, "The Blue Rose Captain's Ki feels a lot like Noelle's! It isn't dislike, rather she trusts you! …Probably"
"The more she trusts you, the harder it is for her to tell things straight-out! Some people are like that!"
"I just realized it a little while ago myself."
He'd laughed at the time.
But now…
Now he wasn't laughing.
He sat there in stunned silence.
Noelle.
Noelle who turned bright red when he got close.
Noelle who always yelled when he complimented her.
Noelle who called him stupid, annoying, brainless—but never walked away.
Noelle who'd said "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you" and blamed it on the moonlight.
His brain started short-circuiting.
Images flooded in.
Her face under the stars.
Her birthday wish.
The weird vibe during their stroll in Heart.
The charm shop.
The picnic she'd packed with Charmy and claimed was "nothing."
That one mission where he'd pretended to be asleep and she'd whispered something—
I think I lo—
No. No way.
"...No way."
But it made too much sense.
Every time she got close. Every time she pulled back. Every time she screamed something dumb instead of just saying what was on her mind.
She wasn't just being Noelle.
She was hiding something.
From me.
And suddenly he felt like an idiot.
A really, really muscular idiot.
He slapped both cheeks with his hands. "Get it together, Asta!"
Nero perched on his head. "Finally figured it out, huh?"
He flailed. "YOU KNEW?!"
"I'm literally a bird. I see everything."
Asta groaned and flopped back in the grass.
"Why didn't she just say something?"
Nero shrugged. "Why didn't you?"
He stared up at the sky.
It looked like it always did. But everything felt different.
Now he couldn't stop thinking about her. About all the almosts. All the things she didn't say.
And for the first time ever… he started thinking maybe he didn't want her to hold back anymore.
Maybe he didn't want to hold back either.
Maybe—just maybe—it was his turn to be the brave one.
—
Scene 1: The Mirror Rehearsal
Noelle stood in front of the bathroom mirror, fists clenched, face flushed, glaring at her own reflection like it owed her money.
"You can do this," she muttered. "You've faced devils. You've survived Captain Yami's unrealistic expectations. Lady Mereoleona's training regiment. You can tell one idiot how you feel."
Her reflection didn't look convinced.
She took a deep breath. Lifted her chin. Composed. Dignified. Noble.
"Asta… I—I like you. No. Too soft."
She cleared her throat.
"Asta, I have something to say. I like—no—I love you. I've loved you for a long time."
Her hands were shaking.
She pointed at the mirror. "You. Are. Going. To. Say. That."
Five minutes later she was standing in front of Asta behind the Black Bulls' training yard, heart going boom-boom-boom like it was trying to run away without her.
He was doing push-ups. With Magna sitting on his back. Laughing.
Noelle waited.
Eventually, he looked up and beamed. "Oh hey, Noelle! You training too?"
She stared at his stupid sunshine smile and forgot how to speak.
Her carefully rehearsed words scattered like leaves in a hurricane.
"I—I challenge you to a spar!" she blurted.
Asta blinked. "Wait, what?"
She crossed her arms and glared. "Don't make me say it again!"
He hopped up immediately. "Heck yeah! Let's go!"
They sparred for forty minutes.
He won.
She stormed off without a word.
And back in the bathroom mirror later, she groaned, "I hate everything."
—
Scene 2: The Letter
She wasn't a writer. She wasn't sentimental.
But she figured if I can't say it, I can write it.
It was late. The hideout was quiet. The paper trembled in her hand.
Dear Asta,
You probably don't get it. That's fine. You don't have to. But I need to say this.
I love you. I really, really love you.
And I'm tired of pretending I don't.
She stared at it for ten minutes straight.
Then folded it. Sealed it. Slipped it into an envelope with her name scribbled tiny in the corner.
The next morning, she wandered around with it in her pocket like it was going to explode.
She spotted him near the back porch, stretching. Alone.
Perfect, she thought. Just walk up. Hand it to him. Say nothing. Run if needed.
She got halfway there.
Then he turned around.
"Hey Noelle! Morning! What's up?"
She panicked.
Her hand jerked. Magic flared on instinct. A puff of water burst from her palm.
And the envelope was drenched beyond recognition. Along with the contents inside.
Ash.
Asta blinked. "Did you just… drown a letter?"
She stared at the crumpling and flaking paper falling to the ground.
Then looked him dead in the eye.
"It was from an admirer. It was gross."
"Uh. Okay?"
He scratched his head.
She turned on her heel and walked away before she accidentally vaporized the whole porch.
—
Back in her room, she flopped face-first into her pillow and screamed into it.
Outside the door, Asta paused, staring at the puddle trailing from under the frame.
"…She's acting weird again."
But something about it made him grin.
Like maybe he was starting to figure out why.
—
Scene 3: The Picnic
The weather was too perfect.
Noelle kept checking the sky like it was a trap.
A few clouds, light breeze, a quiet hill above the Black Bulls' hideout. Just them, a blanket, and the lunch she swore she packed only because Charmy guilt-tripped her into using leftovers.
Except she'd picked Asta's favorite things.
And folded the blanket three times to get it wrinkle-free.
And stood in front of her mirror for twenty minutes before walking out the door.
"So this is, uh," Asta said, sitting down, "like a... lunch thing?"
She sat across from him, stiff as a statue. "It's not anything. Just eat."
He grinned. "Smells amazing. Did you make this?"
"No. I mean yes. Shut up and eat it."
They sat in silence for a while. He devoured the food like a human tornado.
She watched him chew, trying to time her heartbeat to something normal.
He wiped his mouth. "Seriously, Noelle. This is incredible."
She looked away. "It's just food."
"It's not just food if it comes from you."
Her heart skipped.
Say it now.
She gripped the edge of the blanket. "Asta…"
He blinked. "Yeah?"
She opened her mouth.
I love you.
Then the wind shifted. The trees rustled.
And it started raining.
Hard.
Asta scrambled to grab the basket. She stood, soaked, hair clinging to her face.
"This is so stupid," she snapped.
He laughed. "Guess the sky's against us today."
She didn't say anything.
But under her breath, too quiet for him to hear—
I hate the sky.
—
Scene 4: The Whisper
They were out on a joint mission.
Late night. Campfire glowing low. Everyone else asleep.
Except Noelle.
And Asta, just a few feet away, eyes closed, breathing soft.
She hugged her knees to her chest, watching the flames crackle.
She should sleep.
But her chest was full. Overflowing.
He looked peaceful like this. Like he wasn't carrying the whole world anymore.
She crawled closer.
"Asta…" she whispered.
No movement.
"I… I think I love you."
Still nothing.
She swallowed. "I do. I've loved you for a while now. Even when I said all those dumb things. I meant the opposite."
He stirred.
Her breath caught.
But he didn't open his eyes.
She waited another minute.
Then backed away, heart racing like she'd stolen something.
She lay down and stared at the stars.
The next morning, Asta didn't say a word about it.
But he kept sneaking glances at her when he thought she wasn't looking.
And she wasn't sure if he'd really been asleep.
—
Scene 5: The Beach
It was supposed to be a fun day off.
They all needed it. Even Yami hadn't complained when they'd dragged him out.
The Bulls were being chaotic as usual.
Luck tried to wrestle a dolphin. Magna brought fireworks. Gordon was doing something weird with seaweed.
Noelle stayed far from the center of it all.
She was watching Asta laugh.
Sunlight glinting off the water. His smile too bright. His hair still messy from the ocean.
He looked so alive.
So close.
She took a deep breath.
He turned around. "Noelle! C'mere!"
She walked over, trying to act normal. Trying not to trip on her own heartbeat.
They stood side by side, toes in the surf.
The breeze cooled her flushed face.
Now.
This was it.
She turned to him. "Asta…"
He looked at her.
So open. So patient.
Her hand twitched at her side.
She inhaled. "There's something I've been meaning to—"
Then an electrocuted wave slammed into them.
Hard.
She shrieked and fell back, soaked.
Asta tumbled beside her, sputtering. "W-What the—?!"
From behind them: "SURPRISE WATER ATTACK!!"
Luck.
Cackling like a lunatic.
Noelle sat there dripping, fists clenched, pride shattered.
Asta blinked water out of his eyes and looked at her. "You okay?"
She glared at him. "You're an idiot."
"Wasn't me who brought the wave—"
"I KNOW WHO IT WAS!"
She stomped off.
He watched her go.
Then scratched the back of his head.
She was gonna say something again.
He was sure of it now.
—
It had been days since the beach.
Noelle had been avoiding him.
Again.
Not subtle, not clever, just outright vanishing any time he walked into a room.
He tried to play it cool the first day.
She's probably busy. Maybe tired.
By day three, he was pacing the hall outside her room.
By day five, he was ready to punch through the wall.
She'd gotten his hopes up so many times now. So many times.
Half-spoken words. Blushing silences. Storming off right before the truth hit the air.
It's not just teasing anymore.
She means it.
He knows she means it.
And if she won't say it—
He will.
—
Part Six: Asta's Move
He found her in the courtyard behind the hideout. Alone. Training. Again.
She was firing water spells at a target like they'd personally insulted her.
He stepped forward.
She heard him. Froze.
Didn't turn around.
"Go away," she muttered.
"No."
He walked until he was standing behind her.
She didn't face him.
"Didn't you hear me?"
"I did," he said. "Not listening."
She huffed.
He stared at her back.
And said it.
"I'm done waiting."
Her shoulders tensed.
"I've been waiting for you to say it. Every damn time."
She turned slowly. Her face was pink already.
"S-Say what?"
He stepped closer.
"You know what."
She swallowed. "You're not making sense—"
"Don't do that," he snapped. "Don't act like I imagined everything."
She flinched.
He didn't back down.
"Because I didn't."
He counted it off on his fingers.
"The battlefield. The stars. Your birthday. Heart Kingdom. The beach. The campfire. All of it."
Her eyes widened.
"I was there, Noelle. I was right there. I heard it. I saw your face. I felt it."
She tried to step back.
He didn't let her.
"I love you."
Silence.
The wind carried it across the courtyard like a punch.
"I love you," he repeated, softer. "I've loved you for a while now. I just didn't know what it was at first."
She was staring at him like the ground had disappeared.
He gave a bitter laugh.
"God, Noelle. I thought I was the dense one."
"I didn't know how," she said finally, voice barely audible. "I was scared. I thought I'd mess it up."
"You did mess it up," he said, and her eyes went wide—
"And I still love you anyway."
She gasped.
He stepped right up to her. Inches away now. Heart pounding.
"I love your yelling. I love your pride. I love how you get weirdly gentle when you think no one's watching."
His voice dropped.
"I love how hard you try to hide everything, even though your eyes give you away."
She blinked fast. Her lips trembled.
And for once, she didn't run.
"I love you," he said again, quietly this time. "So if you're gonna hit me or yell at me or pretend this didn't happen, do it now."
She didn't move.
He waited.
Still didn't move.
Then finally—
She reached out.
Grabbed a fistful of his shirt.
Yanked him down.
And kissed him.
Hard.
It wasn't neat or graceful or noble.
It was desperate.
Like something that had been clawing to escape for months finally broke loose.
When she pulled back, she was shaking.
"…Idiot," she whispered.
He grinned.
"Yeah. Yours."
—
Epilogue: Claimed
They were officially dating now.
Noelle had agreed to it.
Out loud. In words. With eye contact.
Technically.
But there were… complications.
Such as the fact that, three weeks in, she still treated holding hands like it was an international incident.
—
Asta first tried to take her hand on a walk.
Nothing dramatic. Just a casual evening stroll after a mission. Quiet path, nice breeze, moonlight.
He reached for her fingers.
She slapped his arm.
"What are you doing?!"
"…Trying to hold my girlfriend's hand?"
She flushed. "W-Well maybe don't! People might see!"
"There's literally no one here."
"The trees have eyes, Asta."
He stared at her.
She crossed her arms and walked three steps ahead.
—
Second attempt: sitting together in the hideout common room.
Everyone else was passed out or drunk. It was peaceful.
He casually put his arm around her shoulder.
She immediately stood up and declared she was going to go clean the bathroom.
At midnight.
Without magic.
Though that was less surprising than the fact that Noelle Silva had just volunteered to clean arguably the nastiest place in the Bull's base, besides the dungeon and the privy.
Seriously, she's never cleaned the bathroom before.
Not once.
—
Third time was at breakfast.
He leaned in to kiss her cheek.
She jumped up and headbutted him in the jaw.
"Don't sneak up on me!!"
"I said your name first!"
"You startled my personal space!!"
He rubbed his chin and gave her a look.
"I'm your boyfriend, Noelle."
She made a strangled noise and left the table without her toast.
It seemed their one and only kiss from before was just that.
A one time thing.
—
By week four, he'd had enough.
—
She was on the training field, tossing water spells at a moving target like it owed her money.
He marched over.
She noticed the determined look on his face a second too late.
"What—"
"Shut up."
He kissed her.
Not a peck.
Not a hesitant maybe-this-is-okay kiss.
A real kiss. Bold. Honest. All heat and frustration and I love you, dammit, stop running.
She made a noise in her throat. Stumbled back. Eyes wide.
But he didn't let go.
He rested his forehead against hers.
"You're my girlfriend."
"I-I know that."
"So let me act like it."
She didn't speak.
He kissed her again.
Softer this time.
And she didn't fight it.
Didn't freeze or flee or deflect.
Instead, slowly, carefully—she kissed him back.
Her hands gripped the front of his shirt. Her cheeks were bright red.
But she didn't stop.
When they finally pulled apart, she was breathing hard.
"…Idiot," she whispered.
He smiled.
"Still yours."
She looked at their hands.
Then, after a long pause… she laced her fingers with his.
Didn't even let go when they walked back to the hideout.
And that night, when the others saw them?
Vanessa's wine glass shattered on the floor.
"It finally happened?!" Magna yelled.
Finral almost cried.
Charmy fainted dramatically onto her dinner plate.
And Noelle?
Noelle squeezed Asta's hand tighter.
Didn't say a word.
Didn't let go all night.