Discount Word Emporium

no_true_pair: week four, the Tales of the Abyss list.

Prompt: Only Guy can break the curse afflicting Noir.

363 words, PG. Concept pretty much borrowed from Shrek.

Noir managed not to smile when she heard the door creak open at last. Managed not to hold her breath as the footsteps came across the room and paused next to her. She'd arranged herself on the bed with her hands folded rather fetchingly and made sure to have her hair spread out around her face-- the perfect pose for a rescue.

Except that her rescuer seemed to pause for a very long time. Eventually, she felt a tentative touch on her shoulder and a very quick shake. Surprise made her eyes fly open as she sat up, sending her knight stumbling back.

"What are you doing?" she asked before she could help it. "You're supposed to kiss me awake."

Her knight blinked at her in something that looked remarkably like horror. Noir took a deep breath and belatedly put on her best smile, wishing she could pull out her compact and make sure she hadn't done something ridiculous like smear lipstick all over her chin. She'd done the best she could once the dragon died and that ridiculous chain disappeared from her ankle-- a girl had to properly thank her rescuer, after all-- but there really hadn't been much time and somehow things like mirrors were never installed in enchanted towers.

"Wait." The handsome blond knight was backing away with both hands up. "Wait, no, all I was told was that there was a dragon, no one said anything about kissing anyone. Especially a girl."

Noir blinked at him, eyebrow arching, smile vanishing.

"Er." The knight winced at her expression. "Don't get me wrong, you're very pretty, but, uh."

Noir pushed herself off the bed; her erstwhile rescuer made a rather high-pitched sound before he turned and bolted.

She stared after him for a moment, then sighed. At least the dragon was gone, she supposed, so at least she could get out of here. And if there was no knight or prince to marry, then--

She bit her lip, starting to smile again as she realized that there would be no one bringing her back to her family's rather dull castle. She had always rather liked the idea of becoming a pirate.

Prompt: Noir and Asch, Vacation

83 words, PG.

"It's for your own good," Noir says airily as she leans back on her towel. She rolls her shoulders down, making sure to show off her swimsuit-- for all the good it's going to do her.

"Noir," Asch growls warningly.

"Oh, fuss all you want to, darling, but our hotshot pilot won't be back for three days and it's much too far to swim to shore. You might as well sit down and relax. Who knows?" she adds. "You might actually enjoy yourself."

Prompt: Natalia buys Jade in a date auction

100 words, PG. Post-canon.

"My, my, princess," Jade says as he comes down the final steps and bows to her with the perfect arch of spine. The crowd claps politely, already turning to the next body parading onto the stage. "I'm flattered."

"Please," she replies primly, holding out her arm to be taken, "it's for a good cause. And it's not like anyone else was going to buy you-- you intimidate them too much."

He puts on a mournful sigh. "Yes, I suppose you're right. Then it's a good thing I don't intimidate you, too."

"You wish."

Jade just smiles and doesn't contradict her.