Asta x Noelle OneShots

I Like You, You Moron! (part 1)

   The woods were cold at night, the icy wind roamed through Noelle's skin and it was getting her distracted. She wished she had remembered to bring a warmer outfit, she didn't know the weather would be like this, but if she came back now she might wake someone up, and she didn't want anyone to know what she was doing.

   She'd been staying late for months now so she could train her powers, she did it at least three times a week. When she joined the Black Bulls, she thought her companions were weak and useless, but now it seemed that all of them were already more trained and more evolved than her, whose grimoire was slim and almost empty.

   Sometimes she was so tired the next morning that she'd end up being late for squad activities, which made her friends worried. They asked her what was going on, but she didn't want to tell. If they knew how much effort she was putting into to get so little result, they would think she was weak, and she couldn't stand being weak anymore, so until her magic gets better, she could at least pretend to be tough.

   — Water Creation Magic: Sea Dragon's Cradle!

   Noelle closed her eyes, trying to focus only on the rustling of the trees around her and the image of her spell being performed. She could feel the magic flowing from her chest to her fingertips, her feet lifted off the floor. It looked like it was working.

   She opened one eye slightly, curious to see if the magic was taking shape, but the moment she did, everything fell apart and water sprayed everywhere.

   — Damn, that shitting spell! -
— she exclaimed, throwing her wand far away.

   It was already late, she couldn't say how much time had passed since the moment she ran out of bed to go to the woods, she should go back now. What she was doing was useless anyway. No matter how hard she tried, she would never make it.

   She had a theory of why she couldn't concentrate. She had been thinking about Asta a lot lately, more than usual, which had bothered her before, but now it was unbearable.

   She thought the "special person" he was referring to in the conversation with Rebecca was her, but one day when they went to Asta's village to visit his family, she found out that it was someone else all this time, one of the nuns that raised him. He'd asked her to marry him countless times, but she'd always say no, and apparently that day was the ultimate rejection as he's been acting different ever since.

   He always seemed happy (Obviously. It was Asta, what was she expecting?), but she felt something was wrong. Was it really okay? She couldn't quite read him, it was difficult to know what he was thinking behind that smile. Had he already forgotten all of that? After all, it had been quite a while since it happened, and deep down he should have known he wouldn't marry the nun anyway.

   But even so, knowing that this whole time it wasn't about her, it hurts, hurts more than she'd rather admit.

   Noelle went under one of the trees to get her wand back. She'd walk away from there and try again tomorrow.

   No. A voice stated in her head. Asta's voice. You won't give up now, Noelle, just try one more time!

   She grabbed her wand and returned to her position, her grimoire opened and she took a deep breath.

   — I'm not done yet! Water Creation Magic: Sea Dragon's Cradle!

   Noelle tried to clear her mind, concentrating only on the magic flowing from her body. Soon, her feet were off the ground and she could feel water everywhere. She was afraid to open her eyes, but she opened them anyway, and this time nothing came undone.

   It was working.

   — I... I did it! I can't believe it finally worked!

   — AH YEAH, NOELLE!! — shouted a voice in the background. Noelle turned quickly in fright to see Asta hiding among the bushes.