Chapitre 65: Chapter 65: Strange Aftermath
[Third Person's PoV]
Stephen woke up groggily the next day, a confused expression plastered on his face. He sat up quickly, glancing around the room with wide eyes. Relief washed over him when he realized he was safely in his own bed, but he rubbed his temples as panic started to build.
"Oh no…" he muttered, his voice tinged with dread. "Why can't I remember anything after the restaurant? What did I do this time?" He groaned, anxiety bubbling up as he buried himself under the blanket. "I don't want to get up. If this hangover is any indication, it means I got drunk. I'm not ready to face the consequences of my actions."
Nero, who had been perched quietly nearby, hopped over and tried to lift the blanket with her beak. Stephen yanked it back down, sparking a brief tug-of-war between the two.
"Just leave me here to die alone!" Stephen cried dramatically.
Nero chirped insistently, pulling at the blanket again.
"What do you mean, 'handle it like a man'? I am handling it like a man—by avoiding the problem and hoping it goes away. It doesn't get any more manly than that," Stephen scoffed.
Irritated, Nero began pecking him furiously.
"Ow, ow, ow!" Stephen yelped, grabbing her midair and bringing her close. "No pecking! Bad bird."
Nero stared back at him with a deadpan expression.
Stephen sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Alright, on a scale of one to ten, how much did I embarrass myself? And be honest."
Nero pecked him eight times, one sharp tap after another.
"An eight?!" Stephen screeched before collapsing back with a whimper. "I'm so doomed."
With a resigned groan, he noticed Nero's unwavering gaze. "Alright, alright. I'm getting up," he mumbled, pushing himself out of bed. He took a long, hot bath, hoping it would ease his throbbing headache, and dressed in his usual attire. Stealthily, he made his way to the common room where everyone was gathered for breakfast.
Peeking around the corner, he saw the group chatting as if nothing unusual had happened. He breathed a sigh of relief. 'Maybe Nero was exaggerating… Yes, that has to be it.'
"Hey, gramps! Awake from your nap?" Yami called out, spotting Stephen lurking like a guilty child.
Stephen winced and stepped into the room, rubbing his head. "Morning, everyone."
"If it isn't Party Steve!" Vanessa teased, a mischievous grin on her face.
Stephen winced again, this time visibly. "Please don't call me that," he groaned, dropping into a chair and laying his head on the table. "Just tell me the damage."
"Noelle and Wanda were the ones who brought you home, so they know what happened at the start," Vanessa said, still clearly amused.
Stephen raised an eyebrow. "Why do I feel a flashback coming on?" he muttered.
"When you got back, you practically kicked the door down," Vanessa said, unable to suppress her grin.
…
[Flashback]
BAM!
The door burst open, startling everyone. Wanda and Noelle stood on either side of Stephen, holding him up as he swayed unsteadily.
"WHAT IS UP, PARTY PEOPLE?!" Stephen bellowed, pulling free and throwing up rock-and-roll hand signs.
Luck, Magna, and Vanessa sprang up, raising their arms and cheering, "PARTY STEVE!"
Yami burst into laughter, his eyes crinkling with amusement. "Hahaha! No way. Did this idiot get drunk during his date?"
"Hey! Two things, bucko!" Stephen slurred, pointing at Yami. "One, I'm not drunk—just free. And two, it wasn't during the middle of the date. It was at the end."
He stumbled over to the table and, without warning, began to sob. "I miss Mimosa!"
Vanessa's smirk widened. "You know what you need? Another drink to drown your sorrows. I'll get one for you!" she chirped, skipping away.
"Is it just me, or is it getting hot in here?"
…
"Wait, wait, wait," Stephen interrupted, waving his hands. "You saw how wasted I was, and your solution was to get me more drunk?"
Vanessa shrugged, giving him a thumbs-up. "Yup. You were already drunk, so what did it matter?"
"Honestly… fair enough," Stephen admitted, rubbing his forehead. "Let me guess—I stripped, didn't I?"
Around the table, everyone nodded, grinning.
Stephen turned to Asta with a serious expression. "Asta, promise me something."
"Uh, sure?" Asta replied, caught off-guard.
"The next time you see me like that, I want you to take your sword and knock me out cold. I don't want to wake up until the next day."
Asta's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"
"I mean it," Stephen said solemnly. "Promise me."
Asta scratched his cheek before nodding. "I'll do it!"
Wanda frowned. "Isn't that a bit extreme?"
Stephen met her gaze with unwavering seriousness. "Nothing is too extreme if it means saving my dignity."
…
Mimosa walked down the grand hall of the Golden Dawn base, the quiet echo of her footsteps interrupted by the sudden sound of wings flapping. She turned around, puzzled, and saw an origami bird flying toward her. A small smile appeared as she extended her hand, letting the delicate paper creature land softly on her palm. The origami bird unfolded itself, revealing a note: "Hey, it's Stephen… Well, I guess that's obvious. Can we talk? I want to apologize for what happened last night."
As Mimosa finished reading, the note ignited and vanished without a trace, leaving no ashes behind. Her smile brightened, and she skipped down the hall to her room, ignoring the curious glances from her fellow mages. She stood in front of her mirror and gently tapped it, watching as the glass rippled like water. Moments later, as Stephen was about to step forward, only to be taken by surprise as Mimosa stepped through the portal instead.
Stephen's awkward demeanor was apparent, and he could barely meet her eyes. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, Mimosa lifted a finger, silencing him with a gentle smile. "Wait. You don't need to apologize for anything."
He shifted uncomfortably. "I still feel like I do, though."
Mimosa shook her head, her eyes warm. "I had a great time last night, and that's not something you should feel sorry for. It was nice to see a different side of you." Her voice took on a teasing lilt.
Stephen groaned, his ears turning bright red. "Ugh, please forget ever seeing that. It's too embarrassing."
"Nope," she said with a playful pop, her cheeks tinged pink. "Like I said, it was cute."
He cleared his throat, desperately wanting to change the subject. "Well, that wasn't how I pictured our date ending. I wanted to make it memorable."
"It was memorable," Mimosa teased.
"Please, spare me," Stephen pleaded, but her soft laughter made him smile despite himself.
Reaching into his pocket, Stephen produced a small golden necklace with a four-leaf clover pendant. "Since I couldn't make the end of the date memorable enough for you, I made this for you to remember the date by."
Stephen bashfully rubbed the back of his head as he explained, "It's enchanted with my strongest protection spell to keep you safe, and I chose a four-leaf clover because we spent most of the evening exploring the Clover Kingdom."
Mimosa's eyes widened with surprise, the gesture taking her aback. She wasn't one for jewelry, but the thoughtfulness behind the gift left her speechless. "You made this yourself?" she asked, her voice touched.
He rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I know it's not much, and I know you're not materialistic, but it's what came to mind."
Before he could say anything else, she wrapped her arms around him in a deep hug. Looking up at him, her smile was so radiant it left Stephen momentarily speechless. "Thank you. It doesn't matter what it is—I'm just glad you were thinking of me. It means more than you know."
Turning around, she lifted her hair and glanced over her shoulder, her cheeks flushed. "Would you do the honors?" she asked, exposing the back of her neck.
Stephen felt his own face warm as he nodded. "Of course."
He carefully placed the necklace around her neck, letting the clover pendant rest against her chest as he fastened the clasp. "There," he whispered, and Mimosa released her hair, turning around.
They found themselves mere inches apart, frozen as their eyes met in an intimate silence. The moment felt charged, Almost as if their mind were becoming one, they both moved at the same time, but a bit too eagerly causing them to bonk their foreheads together, making both of them wince and crouched down holding their foreheads. and rubbed their heads before glancing at each other and bursting into light laughter.
"Shall we try that again?" Stephen asked, his voice soft as their laughter faded.
Mimosa nodded, her smile shy but inviting. Stephen cupped her face gently as he leaned in again. This time, their lips met in a tender kiss, and Mimosa melted into the warmth of the moment, savoring every second. As they parted, their faces lingered close, the magnetic pull drawing them into one more kiss, longer and deeper, neither wanting it to end.
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