Chero knew something weird was going on around here, even when guests started arriving. America (Alfred Jones), England (Arthur Kirkland), Ireland (Aideen O'Connell), Ikkaku and Dino piled in behind Mocha, Kiki, and Chrysta, who had a nomming Danni on her head, but that wasn't the weird part. The weird part was hearing Berlin shrieking and also the fact that the shrieks were coupled with random gunfire.
"BLAM!" Chero winced. Maybe it wasn't really random gunfire...
"I told you I'm not afraid to shoot you!" Berlin shouted at France, who was clinging to her leg.
"But you have missed every time, mon cherie, and not by inches!" France insisted, still clinging. "I like you! Please don't kill me before I can at least get a kiss from you!"
Berlin's eyes widened at the thought of kissing France and she immediately started shaking her leg. "GET OFF! OFF!"
"Please! I really do like you, Maria!"
Berlin paused her leg shaking too look down at France. "....really?"
"Oui." He said this without hesitation, looking into Berlin's eyes with his own blue ones.
"'Vell..." Berlin's cheeks tinged scarlet. "I guess you can stay. But only because it is Christmas!"
France only smiled. "Oui, cherie."
Upon Chero's earnest request, Hime kicked the door to Berlin's room open. "HEY. What's with all of the shoo..." She paused, taking in the two staring into each other's eyes- and Berlin's obvious blush- and slowly exited the room backwards, picking up the door and trying to fix it back on the hinges as she did. "Neeevermind."
"Cooking is supposed to taste good, not just be an art, Bard." Jen pursed her lips, rolling out some dough for bread as Bard followed all of her instructions carefully.
"I know I just kind of...forgot." He grinned, scratching the back of his neck nervously as he helped her roll out the dough for the bread.
Jen saw his grin and blushed. "How could you forget? You're kind of supposed to be the cook."
"But cooking is an art, and art is an explosion!"
Jen stared at him long and hard. "That phrase sounds familiar..."
Bard shrugged, running his fingers through his hair. "Can I use my blowtorch now?"
"I thought you had a flamethrower." ._.
"I've got both! But maybe a flamethrower's better for bread."
"Use it later!" Jen flailed. "Bread will burn with a flame thrower!"
Bard could only sulk until they brought the bread out with the rest of the food to the guests, who were all starving, even though they were pretty cozy (especially Chero and Dino) and were overall having a good time. "Food's ready, guys!"
Almost as soon as they said it, the guests descended upon the food like a bunch of hungry vultures on the carcasses of three overweight men.
"This is good! My compliments to the cook." Dino spoke up, and Hime nodded.
"It was a product of teamwork." Jen blushed, and Bard only grinned.
"By the way, JenJen.." Hime pointed above Bard and Jen, "Mistletoe." Leave it to Hime to notice.
Both parties blinked and looked up at the festive plant, their faces flushing. "Um...I don't think..." Jen started, her eyes turned to the floor, but Bard waved it off.
"It's just a kiss, right?" So he gently pressed his lips to hers. When he pulled away, Jen looked red enough to faint. "...are you okay?"
"SOMEONE CATCH JEN." Bard did. Of course, Jen didn't notice. She was already passed out.
"Does thes mean...I am your boyfriend now?" France offered Berlin more wine as they looked over her balcony as it snowed.
"Do not jump the gun." She blushed, but France leaned close to her.
"Ez thes jumping ze gun?" He gently brushed his lips against hers in a very sexy kiss that made Berlin's cheeks flush scarlet. When he pulled away, the latter was still blushing.
"...no. That 'vas not jumping the gun."
Taking this as another invitation for a kiss, France only grinned.
"Deck the halls with..."
"Mistletoe." Hime said suddenly, drinking the wine. "France and Berlin have definitely been up there for too long, and Bard and Jen are getting cozy, no? So let's set up more mistletoe."
"WHAT?!" Both Jen and Bard yelped in unison, but the other guests only grinned back at him.
"No skin of my back, amica," Dino winked at Jen, "You and the cook are almost as adorable as Chero and I."
"MORE MISTLETOE IT IS!"
This would be a very interesting Christmas...
