Quote:
Sprigs of mistletoe dangle from various spots around the carnival and it becomes abundantly clear that most people are taking advantage of the fun holiday tradition, be it a cute peck on the cheek or an opportunity for some gross PDA. You happen to notice a crush or loved one standing under one of the sprigs and on a whim, you decide to adhere to timeless tradition and give them a kiss (even if it means mustering up your courage and getting over your shyness to make it happen). When you open your eyes, you soon realize... that wasn't your crush/loved one at all, but a total stranger! Oh no!
‘So? Go kiss someone.’
That was the text from his brother. After complaining about the fact that mistletoe was hanging from practically every available space of the festival, Thran was close to running a campaign to remove it all. People joked about it to strangers, and it was common enough that he watched men try to coerce women, who were also complete strangers into kissing them. It was a disgusting tradition at best. A cruel joke or a way to outright sexually assault someone at worst. The whole premise of kissing someone because you were under the sprig of sexual assault was not a comforting thing for Thran. He was a man raised to be a decent human being and also he had social anxiety which was kind of besides the point.
His brother telling him to just go and kiss someone was gross. One, he had no idea who to kiss even if he did know them, and two, he didn’t know them so no he wasn’t about to just sexually assault someone? Like, who did that, (aside from creeps and sexual predators)? He would rather not live with that on his moral conscious. Sitting on a bench, he outed as he scrolled through his Instagram. His followers were all posting the cutest selfies and pics of the holiday décor and crafts- he wished he could kiss them- hyperbolically that is. But he really liked the actual pics of couples under the mistletoe photos. Now THOSE were some wholesome cute interactions that were not dubious or creepy. He approved 110%.
His brother text him again, asking him if he’d scored yet. Rolling his eyes, Thran sent off his reply.
‘Not Yet’ The ping of it being sent was matched not long after with his brother’s response.
‘GET THAT DIC’ and then ‘d**k*’
A loud groan left Thran. He appreciated his brother’s rampant support, but sometimes the guy was just as thick as a log that was from a California redwood and over 500 years old. Flicking over some emojis he selected an angry one and sent it off. Radio silence. The man did have enough mind to know when Thran replied only in emojis he was genuinely upset and not wanting to talk about it.
“No- Just- Can’t you let me go?”
“Baby, come on, it’s mistletoe. You have to-“
“Please, let me go I don’t-“
Thran looked up and in front of him he saw it play out live. A man grabbing a woman who clearly wanted to leave and the guy wanting something from her. The woman’s friends off to the side, uncertain, the man big and alone-
Standing, Thran was at her side in seconds. “Miss, is this guy bothering you?”
Her look spoke volumes, the man sneered.
“Back off twink. She owes me a kiss.”
Thran looked at the woman, then the man, then at the people who were now watching.
“Okay.” He curled his fist. “So all you want is a kiss ******** off man, she’s mine-“
Thran was glad the cop let him go with a verbal warning.
