tunasub | the only thing i know for sure is what i wanna do with you

[ don't worry, she won't bump into anything more dangerous than Jaffar's toned abs (which are dangerous, but not to Nino.) He's just finished dropping off some ingredients for tonight's meal in the mess hall. People in the army still fear him - but they at least recognize that he's strong, and the passage of time has lessened their fear enough to recruit him into helping out with menial labor around the place, especially once they recognized his obedient nature. He doesn't really care one way or another about the festivities, but he'd rather be useful than be left on his own with his thoughts.

He's a little surprised to see Nino on her own, and a lot surprised to see her so out of sorts that she'd apparently walk into him. Instinctively, he reaches out a hand to her shoulder to steady her. ]

Nino? Is there something wrong?

[Nino bumps against those familiar abs and immediately smiles; the relief is simple and easy, something she's all too familiar with feeling upon seeing Jaffar--

Until.

She looks up in a sense of knowing dread.

There it is. There's the plant. The doom plant. The plant that demands, apparently, by custom, that they k--

Aaaah.

This is a nightmare. (Or a dream. Admittedly, she thought a few times when people were explaining it to her that she'd like it if she was stuck under the plant with Jaffar, but... but!!)

Please hold, Jaffar, incredibly distracted by a tiny plant.]

...?

[ he super doesn't get it?? help. Jaffar blinks down at her, not realizing she was glancing up at the plant above his head and not his face, and his brow furrows. It's not like her to react this way. A cursory glance suggests she isn't injured, either, but maybe she feels sick, or got hurt somewhere out of sight...

The thought is unsettling, as ever - he can't bear the idea of her being hurt anymore - and he grips her shoulder a little more tightly. Even if his expression hardly changes, he sounds more serious. ]

What happened? You can tell me...

N-nothing...!

[... Yet.

Her face is definitely red, though, as she looks up, and then back at him, and then up again.

What does she do...?

Wait. Jaffar probably doesn't even celebrate this, right? She's fine, she's safe, she's...

(Incredibly disappointed by the thought.)]

Ah...ha... I was just... um... a little distracted. Sorry for running into you, Jaffar...

[ Is Nino lying to him? She seems like she's definitely lying to him. His face falls just slightly at the realization, and he wonders what could be bothering her that she can't tell him about - something about him? It's in Jaffar's nature to assume that he's probably done something wrong.

But her embarrassed cheeks - and her repeated glances upward - finally catch his attention, and he follows her gaze, eventually spying the mistletoe. She's right: he has no idea about this tradition. Naturally, he's familiar enough with these winter festivals - most kingdoms have them - but not with the details. ]

...

[ wordlessly, he lets go of Nino, then reaches up and takes down the plant. It hangs between them from his hand; he looks at it questioningly, then at her. It's just a plant... right? ]

[Dammit, Jaffar!! You're supposed to somehow magically read her mind about these things!!

Nino goes...a little redder when he takes down the plant.

This is... some form of torture, for sure--there's no arguing or denying it. It's definitely torture.]

J-Jaffar! That's--!

[Aaaaaaah.]

What about the tradition...!

[ NO, HE'S TOO DUMB, HE CAN'T EVEN TELL WHAT SHE'S FEELING WHEN SHE SAYS IT OUT LOUD ]

Tradition?

[ there is... something endearing about her being this flustered... he would find it more endearing if he knew she wasn't in some kind of actual danger. Nino might lack confidence in herself, but it's rare something frightens(?) her this much. Especially a plant. Jaffar really, really doesn't get it. But it's clear the mistletoe is what's bothering, so he's quick to drop his hand and keep it further away from her. ]

I'm... sorry... I do not know. I have never celebrated anything... [ in the face of Nino's shapeless fear, all he can do is apologize for not knowing what he should be doing about it. ]

[... Oh... It's Jaffar's apologies that really spur her to action. She reaches out to take his hands in hers, mistletoe and all, and shakes her head.]

Mm... no, you don't have to apologize!

I'm sorry for worrying you. [She offers him up a sheepish smile. One thing she definitely doesn't want...is Jaffar to be flustered or sad or worried during a time like this, where things are peaceful.

He already has to deal with so much aside from that.]

I was just embarrassed. Um, the tradition, it's... [...] I-it's that... if you stand under a mistletoe plant like that, y-you're... supposed to k-kiss...

[aaaaaa]

[ he startles just barely when she takes his hands, like an animal taken off-guard, as he often does, but only for that first moment - then he looks her in the eye again, uncertain yet curious. At least it seems like she's not upset with him, specifically, for messing up whatever tradition she's worried about--

except he learns in the next moment that he hasn't messed it up, and... oh. That's why she's acting this way.

Oh.

Jaffar's a stranger to physical affection of all kinds - even holding hands like this is something he never did until Nino came along. That doesn't mean he doesn't understand it. He blinks, eyes flicking to the mistletoe just briefly; as ever, it's difficult to tell what he's thinking, but something about his demeanor seems to become more sheepish. ]

You... are not underneath it now. [ sure, she was earlier, but it's fine now!! He's eager to assuage her worries. Because... she is worried about it. It makes sense. He knows he can't be an easy person to love. Case in point: at this moment, he has no idea what the correct course of action is. The last thing he wants to do is make her upset, but... he's way out of his area of expertise... does she want to get away, or -- follow up on this tradition? (Suddenly, he feels a little nervous, too.) ]

... Is that what you want?

[.... ... .... Jaffar makes this hard sometimes, but on the other hand, there's something almost refreshing about the blunt way he asks. He wants to make sure she's happy and comfortable, right?

Because he loves her! Just like he promised.

She believes in that promise still, so...

Isn't it about time for this anyway?

She hangs her head a little, face red and just as sheepish as the air around Jaffar, and quietly, she nods. Yes... yes, that's very much what she wants, though she's quick to follow it up with--]

B-but... um, we don't have to...! If you don't want to, it's okay! I won't be mad!

[ she's nodding? she does want to kiss him...?! Nino wants to kiss him. Even at this point, it still seems unfathomable to Jaffar that anyone could want to be that close to him, especially someone as good and kind as her. But there's the proof. He blinks at her owlishly, and in this moment, he looks way more like an awkward teenager than a silent killer. ]

No... That's not it. [ belatedly, he realizes he does want to. Such thoughts never really crossed his mind - or, at least, he dismisses them so quickly when they come up that he doesn't even realize what they are. But he loves Nino. Whenever she brushes his shoulder or touches his hand, he feels so warm. ]

... Nino. I've never...

[ of course he's never kissed anyone before. He looks embarrassed. ]

I... I know...!

[Of course she knows. Who would Jaffar be kissing? Jaffar's Jaffar. Kisses are... not really in his skillset. Which, naturally, Nino doesn't mind, because she'll admit quite immediately:]

I...never have either!

[That clearly makes it so much better. Clearly......

(No.

But at least she's trying.)]

So...so it's okay...!

[ it it okay. jaffar doesn't know if it's okay. Logically, his response would never have actually turned Nino away - there's absolutely no chance she (or anyone else who knows him, for that matter) thinks he's ever so much as breathed in any other girl's direction - and yet, he's once again at a loss when she presses forward again. The fact that she's as clueless as he is inexplicably eases his heart and makes him more nervous at the same time. He isn't used to feeling this way. Feeling any way, really, but especially this way.

He exhales silently, and his free hand fiddles with the cowl of his hood slightly in an uncharacteristic display of nerves. ]

Then...

[ he's older than her; he should be taking the lead, probably. But he's entirely clueless. How does one even initiate a kiss? She's so much smaller than he is - how would she even reach him? Awkwardly, he drops the mistletoe on the ground beside him. After a few seconds' pause, he lifts his hand, and seems poised to place it on her shoulder, but hesitates, uncertain. ]

[Then...?? Then...!!!

Nino's peering at him with wide, almost eager eyes, because really, this is something she's wanted every since the other ladies of the army put the thought in her head by telling her the tradition. It's incredibly embarrassing, and yet...

And yet...!!

He lifts his hand and...hesitates.

(...The suspense is unbearable....)

Nino just stares at him...and then stands on her tiptoes. As if that would help somehow. It doesn't. He's still way taller than her. But she's trying to assist however she can!!]

the only thing i know for sure is what i wanna do with you

wherever you ja-are

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