"Speaking of which, Sister Mira, you really do take good care of Brother Chase," Lucy said with a mischievous smile, sidling up to the bar. "You always leave breakfast for him every day~"
Her eyes flicked toward Chase, who was devouring his food at impressive speed. Just moments ago, Happy had embarrassed her by making a crack about her "revealing clothes," and Lucy had been looking for payback ever since.
If she could make Mira blush… oh, that would be fun.
"Well, Chase helped me a lot back on the ruins of Eledi Island."
Mira smiled serenely, tilting her head in that calm, unshakable way of hers.
Lucy's grin faltered.
That wasn't the flustered reaction she'd hoped for she couldn't even use the teasing lines she'd prepared. Deflated, she slumped over the counter with a sigh.
But Mira wasn't done.
"Lucy, you brought Natsu and Gray to meet your father so soon. How was it? Did Mr. Jiude say which one he liked better?"
Her voice was as gentle as always, but the subtle sharpness beneath it made Lucy freeze.
"There's no such thing as 'liking someone'! They went on their own!" Lucy sputtered, looking around in a panic to make sure no one else had heard.
"Oh, so it's like a live-in son-in-law arrangement," Mira mused sweetly, tapping a finger to her cheek in mock contemplation. "If your father didn't pick one, maybe he's leaving the choice to you. Personally, I think Natsu would "
"I'm sorry! I was wrong, Sister Mira!"
Completely undone, Lucy launched herself forward, hugging Mira's waist and practically kneeling on the floor. If those four words live-in son-in-law spread through the guild, she knew she'd be the center of a dozen wild rumors by tomorrow morning.
At the counter, Chase shook his head.
Picking a fight with Mira's hidden mischievous streak? Rookie mistake.
"Although that guy Laxus is annoying," he said, pushing his empty plate away, "he did remind me of something."
The sound of armor plates clinking broke the moment. Erza stepped into view, the weight of her presence immediately grounding the conversation.
"Come to think of it," she said, smiling faintly, "we've been together a lot lately."
She turned toward the group Natsu, Gray, Happy, and Lucy.
"Natsu, Gray, Happy, Lucy… let's form an official team."
Natsu and Gray exchanged a puzzled glance.
"Huh?"
Lucy blinked. "Wait seriously, Erza?!"
Around them, the onlookers lit up with excitement.
"Eh? You're only making it official now? I thought you'd already formed a team!"
"Erza, Natsu, and Gray… they might just become the strongest team in the guild!"
"Drop the 'might.' Don't forget Lucy no one in the guild can match her for sarcastic comebacks!"
"Ahaha! True!"
Lucy's face went scarlet as she covered it with her hands, squirming in embarrassment.
"Is it really okay for me to join? I'm just a rookie with barely any skills…"
"It's not about okay or not," Natsu said with a grin. "The team's only complete with you, Lucy!"
"Aye, sir!" Happy chimed in, puffing up proudly.
Lucy's eyes widened at their sincerity, her cheeks warming even more. She could feel herself being pulled into their energy, just like always.
At the bar, Chase chuckled to himself.
High-EQ, hot-blooded male lead… and the silly but lovable heroine. Classic.
Meanwhile, the Dark Magician Girl leaned against Mira's arm, whispering with a smirk, "Wow, Mira-sister, I didn't expect Natsu to be such a flirt!"
"Don't underestimate Natsu~" Mira replied, stroking her companion's head while her gaze seemingly by accident drifted toward a certain card-wielding slacker.
Back in the middle of the room, Natsu and Gray finally remembered the other's existence.
"Oi, you better not slow us down!"
"Says the guy who's all talk!"
They were bickering again before Erza calmly interrupted.
"Any objections?" she asked sweetly.
Silence.
The two froze… then burst into laughter, throwing their arms around each other like old drinking buddies closer, even, than Alzack and Bisca.
"Actually, I wanted to invite Chase too," Erza added, entirely serious.
Everyone: …What?!
Erza, your lineup is already terrifying. If you add Chase, the rest of us might as well give up.
"I'm not interested in forming a team," Chase replied lazily, waving a hand. "Besides, you've already got Natsu, Gray… and those two weaklings will just drag us down."
The corner of his mouth curled upward. With the monsters he could summon, running solo suited him just fine.
Although Chase's real aim was to jab at Natsu and Gray, his words weren't entirely wrong.
The enemies they'd been facing lately only got more twisted and dangerous. If you wanted to keep up, you couldn't waste time on low-level jobs you needed to start with S-Class missions at the very least.
In all of Fairy Tail, there were only a handful of people he could partner with for that kind of work.
"Bastard, Chase! Don't you dare pretend you didn't say that!!"
Two voices roared in perfect unison Natsu and Gray were both bristling at being looked down on.
But neither moved. Each one was clearly waiting for the other to make the first move.
Lucy, meanwhile, let out a tiny breath of relief. "At least… he didn't single me out…"
"Love~ Lucy, maybe you're so weak that Chase didn't even bother mentioning you?" Happy chirped innocently.
Lucy froze, then rounded on him with a trembling glare. "You damn cat! You're no better!"
The mood, though, was completely different from when Laxus insulted them. Chase's words might have stung, but no one was lowering their heads in shame.
"No way! If someone said that to me, I'd prove them wrong right here!"
"Be a man settle it with your fists!"
"If Chase told me that, I'd fight him to the bitter end!"
The shouts from the onlookers only fanned the flames. Soon, the whole guild was egging Natsu and Gray on.
"Hey, hey, you guys are too cruel "
Bang!
An empty barrel slammed onto a table. Cana leaned forward, eyes glinting. "Oi, Natsu! Gray! Don't tell me you're too scared to stand up to him?!"
Whether they were the ones being insulted or just caught up in the chaos didn't matter anymore there was no way they could back down in front of everyone now.
Cana's words erased the last shred of hesitation.
With matching battle cries, Natsu and Gray charged straight at Chase.
A heartbeat later
Thud! Thud!
Both of them lay flat on the floor, sporting identical goose eggs on their foreheads, staring dazedly up at the bright, cloudless sky painted across the guild hall's ceiling.
"Hahaha!" The whole guild roared with laughter.
"Ah la la…" Mira giggled softly behind her hand.
"Totally not how I thought that would end," Lucy snickered quietly.
"I'm talking to you two…" Erza sighed, shaking her head at the defeated pair.
....
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