Three weeks had passed since Alex and Erza completed their S-Rank mission. During that time, they took a well-deserved break from any guild work.
They let themselves get carried away by a bit of debauchery. However, things in the guild had shifted slightly. It was no longer just the daily fights between drunks, insults, and brawls.
Now, Alex, Erza, Cana, and sometimes Mirajane put on a show at least once a day in the hall.
Cana hadn't given up on trying to team up with Alex, always seeking him out before taking on a request.
They say persistence pays off, but unfortunately for Cana, there was a scarlet-haired woman who constantly refused on Alex's behalf.
Annoyed, Cana knew she couldn't beat Erza in a fight, so to save herself the humiliation, she would drop the matter and take the mission alone.
Sometimes Mirajane would stir the pot even more with sarcastic remarks about how Erza was hoarding Alex all to herself and ought to be more generous.
Naturally, those comments wouldn't have caused much trouble if not for the fact that Mirajane often spoke with a double meaning that heavily implied something far more adult and suggestive.
Her remarks made a few people blush, and it all started whenever Mirajane saw Erza turning red over her words.
After all, Mirajane wasn't wrong: Erza had Alex all to herself throughout the night and into the morning.
Unless Erza had her womb filled with Alex's seed, she simply couldn't sleep peacefully at night. At this rate, it would be a miracle if she didn't end up pregnant if not for Alex's magic preventing any 'accidental blessings' from entering their lives.
So, on just another typical day at Fairy Tail, Alex sat in his usual spot, with Erza beside him like his shadow.
Everyone in the guild was already used to the sight. Needless to say, whispers and rumors about the two circulated quietly throughout the tavern.
Add to that the mischievous tone of a third wheel trying to stick her nose where it didn't belong.
Alex didn't care much about what others said, while Erza turned a deaf ear with a flushed face.
By midday, with nearly a month left before the S-Class Advancement Exam, the hall looked a bit emptier than usual.
Cana was planning to invite Alex on a mission again, but before doing so, she had to get Erza out of her way. This time, she decided to ask Mirajane for help.
The two of them stood in a corner of the guild, whispering to each other so closely that anyone looking would think they were best friends.
"So you want me to help keep Erza away from Alex for a few hours?"
Cana nodded. Without Erza around, her chances of getting Alex to accept a job were much higher.
Mirajane thought about it for a second before agreeing. "I'll help you, but in exchange, I want you to tell me everything that happens between you and Alex."
Cana raised an eyebrow, surprised by Mirajane's strange request. She didn't know if Mira had some kind of weird fetish, but she accepted anyway.
"Sure, no problem with that. I'll be counting on you then."
Cana watched as Mirajane walked over to the bar counter, pulled out a logbook, flipped through it for a moment, and then approached Erza.
Cana couldn't hear the conversation between the two of them, but after a few minutes of talking, she saw Erza stand up from her seat and say goodbye to Alex. She then left the guildhall, heading off to who-knows-where.
Bingo! Alex is finally alone.
Mirajane gave Cana a sly wink, letting her know her work was done.
Alex watched Erza leave on a quick errand to another town to fetch supplies for the kitchen; it shouldn't take her long to finish.
He heard from Mirajane that because everyone was busy taking on missions to prepare for the S-Class Exam, no one had time to restock supplies for the guild.
So she asked Erza for a favor, which Erza accepted without hesitation.
Not even a minute after Erza left, Alex heard a soft thud on the bar counter.
A slender hand placed a C-Rank request poster right in front of him. "Alex, Erza isn't here to turn down a mission with me this time, right?"
Alex looked up at Cana or rather, the first thing his eyes landed on was the exposed skin of her chest, as she wore only her usual bra top.
He let out a small sigh. "Since Erza is out for a bit... sure, why not do a quick mission?"
Alex took the C-Rank flyer; a few Vulcans were causing trouble for a nearby village.
Something easy like that wouldn't take him much time at all. "So, do we head out right away?"
Cana's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Of course! Let's go as soon as possible." She didn't want Alex's shadow suddenly returning to block their trip.
"Well, well, Alex... you get separated from Erza for barely a minute and you're already stepping out with another girl... Who knew you were so unfaithful?"
A teasing comment came from the last person they expected. Mirajane was covering her mouth, pretending to giggle mischievously.
Alex felt a small twitch in his left eye. "Who the hell is being unfaithful?! Isn't this literally just going on a mission?"
Cana didn't even have time to get annoyed by Mirajane's antics. She grabbed Alex's arm and dragged him out of the guildhall.
They walked to the train station to reach the town faster. Once aboard, Cana spotted a familiar head of scarlet hair sitting not far from them.
Cana cursed her luck for rushing out so fast instead of waiting even ten minutes.
Erza noticed Alex and Cana together, greeted them, and walked over to their seats.
"What a coincidence, Erza! I didn't know we'd bump into you here," Cana said in a slightly nervous tone.
Erza raised an eyebrow suspiciously, not believing a single word.
She turned her eyes to Alex to spill the beans. "I'm just helping Cana with a C-Rank mission an hour away from Magnolia."
Alex explained the situation with the Vulcans. Erza understood everything instantly. "As it turns out, I'm heading to that exact same place, so we're going together."
Erza declared it with no room for negotiation. Cana cursed Mirajane to hell in her mind. That stupid Mira! Why did she send Erza to the exact same place as my mission?!
There was no cure for regret. Cana hadn't even waited ten minutes before rushing out to leave with Alex, and now all three of them were heading to the same destination.
Alex could only think that Mirajane was truly a mastermind. What they didn't know was that Mirajane hadn't done it on purpose it was a complete coincidence, with no grand conspiracy behind it at all.