Mistletoe in La Manchaland (Sancho, Dulcinea, Nicolina)
Author's note: Planned to get this out around the holidays as a festive post but got caught up in some other stuff sorry. Kind of an AU because La Manchaland works out and everyone is happy and hemobars are yummy etc.
Christmas in La Manchaland was different than in the city. La Manchaland was a place of only smiles and laughter so obviously it was isolated from any blizzards or other bad weather. Instead the temperature was controlled to be cold enough for season appropriate clothing yet not so cold that it was too uncomfortable. All the bloodfiends were dressed appropriately. Lights were strung around and fake snow fell gently on the park.
Yet in one of the high up spires was a bloodfiend not so keen on the festivities.
“Look Sancho!” her father pointed to a small plant dangling on a string.
“It is said that those that find themselves under it must kiss each other. Doesn’t that seem wonderful?”
“I assume that’s another one of those human customs you’ve been learning about with Bari.”
He disregarded her unenthusiastic response.
“Is there someone you’d like to be caught beneath it with?” he teased her.
“Not a chance.” she rejected the idea immediately.
“Oh, are you sure?” he goaded her.
“Of course.”
“What about Y/N?”
Shit, he had her.
“I-I don’t know who you’re talking about.” she sputtered.
“Well there is a visitor that comes to the park so often that they had to get the special yearly pass since the blood loss from usual tickets would kill them. Yet they are rarely seen visiting the attractions and instead seem to slink off to some unseen place.”
Her only option was lying.
“I haven’t heard anything about it.”
“Really? I heard they came today looking for you.”
“P-Perhaps I should go see what they seek.” she excused herself out of the room.
“Oh, sorry.” in her hurry to leave she bumped into Bari who just entered.
“What is going on with Sancho?” Bari asked Don.
“Ah, Bari. Just who I was looking for. Could you assist me with something?”
“Of course. What do you need?”
“I have conceived an idea most ingenious.”
***
She found you in a secluded part of the park. Out of view of the guests and workers. The way you waved her over melted her heart, but she couldn’t show it.
“I told you to stop asking where I am.” she scolded you.
“Well how else am I supposed to find you? Besides, why are you so reluctant to let your father know about me? He can’t possibly hate me that much.”
“No, it’s the opposite I’m afraid of.” Sancho grumbled.
You were going to ask what she meant by that but she suddenly got really close and spoke very quietly.
“I’m… I’m sorry you have to keep going through this. I promise I’ll figure out how we can meet outside the park and maybe even go somewhere. It’s just I’m scared my father will do something-.”
THUNK
An arrow hit the wall just above your heads.
Sancho immediately snapped to the source of the projectile. Hardblood bow ready to retaliate. She saw Bari high on the balcony of one of the spires. Next to her was her father looking at her through binoculars and giving her an enthusiastic thumbs up.
Angry but less concerned she looked back to you only to notice a mistletoe hanging from the arrow above your heads.
“...something like this.”
“So if that’s him is that woman your…”
“NO she’s not, she's just… it’s complicated.”
Sancho looked at the plant dangling between you then back into your eyes.
Her father set a rule that all bloodfiends must play along with the rules of any game they play with the guests and defying a higher kindred is something very hard to do.
Looking at you she knew what you expected and what her father planned for her to do.
She went in for it. She could pay him back for this some other time. For now all she cared about was enjoying this moment with you.
The end of the parade marked the end of Dulcinea’s work for the day. It’s surprising how exhausting her job was despite most seeing it as standing around and looking pretty.
Though there were certain things she enjoyed about the holiday season. The clothing provided a nice change of pace. Instead of her usual frilly dress and parasol she had a big fluffy fur coat with a hat made of the same fur. The blonde matched her hair while the purple highlights (which Nicolina reminded her were “a nightmare to get right”) served to maintain her usual image.
Sancho also got her a gift that being a set of lipsticks in various colors but mostly being hues of purple. As much as she hated to admit it she read her like an open book.
Then there was the question of your gift. She specifically told you not to get her anything. All she asked for is that you “come to her when she asks”.
And she just so happened to ask today. You entered her dressing room. Looking around you saw all her various outfits illuminated only by the light around her mirror.
Before you could ask why she invited you here you heard the door shut and lock behind you. The lights shut leaving you in complete darkness. You reached behind you for the door to try and navigate towards a lightswitch. Instead you felt your back against the wall despite not moving.
You reached out in the hope of finding something to hold on to. Your hand landed on something soft… and round. Your feeling around was interrupted by two glowing red eyes after which the lights turned back on. It was Dulcinea in front of you, and in your hand was her… You pulled it back as fast as you could.
“Time for my gift.” she spoke softly.
With a finger on your chin she guided your gaze upwards so you could see the mistletoe dangling above your heads. When you looked back at her you saw her with a pocket mirror in one hand and lipstick in the other. Slowly she dragged it over the lips applying it in a nice even layer. With a smack she announced her finish and turned back to you.
“Ready?”
All you could muster up was a nervous nod.
***
“Wow! She really went all out on you didn’t she?” Nicolina teased.
“Yeah…” you answered weakly, a hot blush underneath the purple smears dotted all over your face.
“I DON’T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO TRY!” Nicolina yelled at nobody.
She stomped angrily back and forth in her room. She spent her entire holiday trying to get you under the mistletoe to no avail. Something always seemed to conveniently stop her plan dead in its tracks.
When she invited you out to eat you got lost in the parade and missed your reservation. When she got you all to herself on the ferris wheel the mistletoe fell out of her hands all the way down and ruined her plan. All the things she tried failed. She really was out of options.
Unless… you came to her… instead of the other way around…
YES! THAT’S IT! All she has to do is put you in a situation where you have to come to her and what better way than using her sewing talent. She’s the only person you could come to if your clothing was ripped. She knew your uniform like the back of her hand.
All she had to do was sneak into your room and make a few modifications.
***
That was weird. When you put on your usual outfit for the day it had a tear in one of the seams. No matter, you would just stop by Nicolina’s before breakfast.
“Oh! Y/N, what brings you to my humble workshop this fine morning?” she said in a singsong voice.
“Sorry, I just need help with-”
“A torn seam yes, yes, yes come here.” she hurried you along.
Before you could question how she knew why you were here, her hands were already searching for the spot. When she got it she grabbed the loose thread and pulled hard. Suddenly your clothing constricted around you until you were tied up and unable to move. She dramatically lowered a mistletoe on a string until it was just above you two.
“You have no idea how hard it was getting you here.” she said while slowly wrapping her arms around your neck.
“You could’ve just asked.” you reminded her.
“Oh~ but where’s the fun in that?”
She brought you closer and took you into a deep kiss.
