100 Prompt Challenge - Astelle

Prompt: An AU where Asta and Noelle, an established couple in the future regress to the past, around the time they first met. Asta doesn't exactly care about fitting in. 

—

Stronger, Wiser, and Stuck in the Past

Asta's eyes snapped open.

Something was wrong.

He wasn't standing in the ruins of the battlefield. He wasn't locked in the final clash against Lucius.

He was lying on the ground in the middle of an open field.

And worse—his body felt... smaller. Less refined.

A rustling sound beside him made his heart lurch.

His head turned—and his breath hitched.

Noelle.

Noelle, her silver hair tousled from sleep, her younger face scrunched in confusion as she blinked herself awake.

And then—her violet eyes met his.

The moment their gazes locked, everything came rushing back.

Their battle. The moment they were about to secure victory. The sudden, unexplainable pull of magic.

And now—this.

Asta swallowed hard. He knew this place. He knew this exact moment.

They were lying outside the Black Bulls' base.

Which meant—

"Oi, brat, you awake yet?"

A shadow loomed over them.

Asta looked up—and his stomach dropped.

Magna.

This was the day he first joined the Black Bulls.

Which meant they hadn't just been thrown back in time.

They were in their past selves' bodies.

Noelle must've realized it at the same time because her face turned ghostly pale.

She sat up abruptly, gripping the grass beneath her. "No," she muttered. "No, no, no, no!"

Magna frowned. "Uh… you okay, princess?"

Noelle stiffened—then immediately schooled her expression into something more neutral. "I'm fine," she said stiffly, voice carefully controlled.

Asta forced a grin, ignoring the way his pulse pounded in his ears. "Yep! Never been better!"

Magna raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You were both kinda out of it a second ago."

"Oh, you know! Just processing how excited I am to be here!" Asta laughed, scratching the back of his head.

Noelle shot him a look.

He shot her one right back.

There was no time to panic. They were in the past. Trapped in their younger selves. And right now, they had no way of knowing why—or how to fix it.

Until they figured it out, they had to play along.

Even if that meant pretending they had never met.

Even if that meant reliving everything from the beginning.

—

Acting Normal (And Failing Horribly)

The moment they stepped inside the Black Bulls' base, Noelle knew they were doomed.

Everything was exactly how she remembered it. The wild, chaotic energy. The lingering smell of burnt wood from Luck's last explosion. The absolute madness that was their squad.

She knew what was coming next.

Vanessa was lounging on the couch with a wine bottle. Luck was bouncing on his feet, looking for a fight. Charmy was stuffing her face.

And then—

The doors burst open, and Yami strolled in, holding a newspaper in one hand and scratching his stomach with the other.

Asta inhaled sharply beside her.

Because after everything they had been through, after all the battles they had fought—seeing Yami alive again sent a wave of emotions crashing into them.

Yami glanced lazily at Magna. "This the new recruit?"

Magna nodded. "Yep. He's magicless, but he's got guts."

Yami looked Asta up and down, then cracked his neck. "Alright, kid. I don't really care what you are. If you mess up, I'll kill you."

Asta grinned. "Sounds fair."

Noelle's eye twitched.

She was trying to keep a straight face, but seeing Asta—her Asta—standing there, responding with such casual ease when she knew how much this moment meant to him, was almost too much.

And Asta?

He wasn't even pretending to be clueless.

He was reveling in it.

His past self had been a nervous, eager recruit. But now—he was standing there with the confidence of a man who had saved kingdoms.

Which made it all the more hilarious when Magna smirked.

"Alright, rookie! Time for your initiation fight!"

Asta sighed. "Yeah, yeah. Fireball, right?"

Magna blinked. "Huh?"

Asta waved a hand. "Just throw it. Let's get this over with."

Magna frowned, but shrugged. "Alright, your funeral!"

He raised his hand—and launched a massive fireball straight at Asta.

Noelle crossed her arms, already bracing for the fallout.

Because Asta didn't even move.

The fireball came barreling toward him—only to fizzle out the moment it touched his skin.

Poof. Gone.

The entire courtyard went dead silent.

"…What." Magna gawked.

Asta shrugged. "That's it? Huh. I remember it being stronger."

Noelle pinched the bridge of her nose. "You idiot."

Luck's eyes sparkled. "I wanna fight him."

Finral leaned forward. "Uh… why do I feel like I missed something?"

Vanessa stared. "Kid, how strong are you?"

Asta grinned. "Oh, you know. A little."

—

The Relationship Gets Exposed (Way Too Early)

It took less than a day for the squad to realize something was off.

For one—Asta wasn't freaking out over Sister Lily. At all.

For another—he and Noelle kept accidentally acting way too familiar.

She stood too close. He anticipated her reactions before she made them.

At one point, Asta casually reached out to brush a stray strand of hair behind Noelle's ear.

The entire room froze.

Vanessa's wine bottle clattered to the floor.

Finral nearly fainted.

Luck vibrated with energy.

Noelle's face went crimson.

"A-Asta—" she hissed under her breath.

Asta blinked. "What?"

"What do you mean, what?!" Finral gawked. "Since when are you two—"

Noelle shot up from her seat. "We're not—!"

But it was too late.

Because Asta, in all his absolute lack of self-preservation, just grinned and said:

"Oh, we're dating."

Silence.

Absolute, deafening silence.

Noelle felt her soul leave her body.

Then—

"WHAT?!"

Vanessa shrieked. Magna collapsed. Luck cheered. Charmy immediately started planning wedding menus.

Yami—who had been casually observing—just sighed. "Welp. Didn't see that one coming."

Noelle grabbed Asta by the collar, dragging him into the hallway.

"What the hell was that?!" she hissed.

Asta blinked innocently. "What? They were gonna figure it out anyway."

"That doesn't mean you just say it!"

Asta grinned, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Why not? We're already together. May as well enjoy it."

Noelle's face burned.

This was going to be an absolute nightmare.

And the worst part?

Asta was clearly enjoying every second of it.