The world returned in fragments.
Heat.
Weight.
Breath—uneven, dragging, too loud in the silence.
Then came the stillness.
Cana moved first.
She pushed herself up in a rush, palms scraping against rough stone as she stumbled forward and off Kai's back. The rubble and dust had settled as she turned to look at kai—
—and froze.
Steam rose from his body.
Not faint. Not fading.
Thick, uneven waves poured off his body like heat escaping a cracked furnace. His clothes clung to his body , his muscles visible as they occasionally twitched, soaked through, streaked with dirt and blood. His chest rose… slowly. Too slowly.
He wasn't moving.
Her stomach dropped hard enough to hurt.
"Kai—!"
She grabbed his shoulder and shook him.
Once.
Twice.
Harder.
"Kai—hey—wake up, don't do this right now—!"
A groan cut through her panic.
Low. Irritated.
"…stop… shaking… brownie…" his voice rasped, barely holding together, "you're gonna finish the job…"
Cana froze mid-motion.
Then the tension snapped.
She exhaled sharply, almost laughing from the sheer relief of it.
"Oh thank god—!" she dropped back slightly, one hand pressing against her chest. "You absolute idiot, don't scare me like that!"
Kai's eyes opened slowly, unfocused at first before settling. The usual sharpness was there—but dulled, heavy under the weight of exhaustion. He winced as he shifted, pushing himself up with effort that was just a little too slow for him.
"Your… standard of 'okay'… is really low," he muttered.
Cana huffed a breath, still catching her own. "Yeah? Well, you breathing counts as 'amazing' right now."
She hesitated.
Then quieter—
"…Sorry, i wasn't of any use out there."
Kai paused.
His gaze flicked to her for a second—long enough to register the sincerity—before he sighed, dragging a hand through his hair and immediately regretting it when his fingers brushed the cut on his temple.
"If you want to put it that way then—," he said. "You owe me one."
Cana smirked faintly, relief settling into something lighter. "Oh yeah? Another bottle?"
He gave her a flat look.
"I meant a favor. Not alcohol."
She snorted. "We'll negotiate."
For a brief moment, the air eased.
Then Cana looked around.
Collapsed stone. Broken paths. No clear way forward—no way back.
The weight of it settled in again.
"…so," she started slowly, "how exactly are we getting out of here?"
Kai leaned back slightly, resting against the rubble behind him. His breathing steadied—but only just.
"…how would I know?"
Cana blinked.
"…what?"
He didn't even look at her.
"Didn't really have time to plan an exit," he said dryly. "Was a bit occupied running… and calculating which walls and ceilings to collapse without dropping everything on or in front of us."
Cana stared.
"…you buried us," she said slowly, "without knowing how to get out."
Kai turned his head.
His expression was completely blank.
"Yes."
Silence.
Then—
"…wow."
She dragged a hand down her face. "That's—wow. That's a new level, even for you."
Kai ignored her completely, already reaching into his pouch. His movements were slower than usual—but still precise.
"Relax," he muttered. "Panicking doesn't move rocks."
He pulled out components one by one—lacrima shards, thin connectors, a compact frame—
—and then the flute.
Cana's eyes narrowed slightly. "You're really using that lullaby again?"
Kai didn't answer. He simply worked.
Two intact lacrima were slotted into the modified casing. Wires adjusted. Flow stabilized.
A quiet click.
Then—
A low melody filled the space.
Soft.
Steady.
Alive.
Warmth spread through the air again—not overwhelming, not powerful—but enough.
The tension in Cana's muscles eased. The sharp ache in her legs dulled into something manageable. Her breathing evened out.
Kai leaned back, eyes half-lidded as the sound washed over him.
"..That's better," he muttered.
Cana exhaled, sinking down beside him.
"…yeah."
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Only the quiet hum of the flute.
The faint settling of dust.
And somewhere far beyond the rubble—
a low, distant shift.
Cana's head snapped slightly toward the sound.
"…you heard that?"
Kai didn't open his eyes.
"Yeah."
Another faint vibration rolled through the stone. Subtle—but there.
Cana's fingers tightened slightly against her knee.
"…it's still alive."
Kai's lips twitched faintly.
"Pretty sure it is."
"That's not reassuring."
"It's not meant to be."
He shifted slightly, wincing as he adjusted his position.
"If it wants us," he continued, "it'll dig. Which means time."
Cana frowned. "You're assuming it even thinks like that."
"I'm assuming it reacts instinctively instead of having professional mining degree," he said dryly. "That's enough."
Silence returned.
Heavier now.
Then—
"Hey."
Cana blinked, glancing at him.
Kai's gaze remained forward, unfocused but aware.
"…Now that we have time to waste " he added. "Mind telling me what the so called important talk was, that you came into a ruin exploration mission."
Cana stilled.
Right.
That.
"…yeah," she said after a moment.
Kai hummed softly, adjusting the flute slightly.
He didn't rush her.
Didn't look at her.
Just waited.
That somehow made it harder.
Cana looked down at her hands, fingers curling slightly.
"…you know the S-Class trials are happening this year, right?"
Kai's response was immediate.
"Nope."
She blinked. "…seriously?"
"Just found out." He mutters.
She sighed. "Unbelievable…"
A breath.
"…they are."
Kai nodded once.
"And?"
Cana hesitated.
Then forced it out.
"I want you to be my partner."
The flute's tone wavered for half a second—then stabilized.
Kai didn't look at her.
"…I hate team ups."
Cana's jaw tightened. "I know, but—"
"And I'm not S-Class," he continued. "I'll likely be a candidate myself."
That did it.
She turned toward him fully, frustration breaking through.
"Oh come on, that's a joke and you know it," she snapped.
"The only reason you're not S-Class is because you keep sabotaging yourself."
Kai raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Last time," she continued, voice rising, "you picked a fight with Laxus and knocked out half the candidates—including me."
Kai hummed amused.
"…I pleade not guilty, that thunder prick was asking for it."
Cana glared. "Because of that, I failed."
He shrugged." Sounds like you problem."
"I failed because of your stupid fight, so you owe me," she added, firm.
Kai finally turned to look at her.
"…that's not how it works, fart for brains."
"Hey—!", Cana glared.
"Collateral damage is part of the test," he said calmly. "And even if that didn't happen, you'd still have to beat an S-Class mage."
He held her gaze.
"And other competitors."
A beat.
"…including me."
Cana looked away.
Her shoulders dropped slightly.
"…yeah."
Silence.
Then quieter—
"…you're right."
Kai didn't respond.
But she wasn't done.
"I know that..but this is my last chance" she said, voice tightening.
That made him pause.
"…and I need to tell him."
Kai's eyes sharpened.
"…tell who?"
She met his gaze.
"You already know."
A faint smirk appeared on his face.
"…yeah," he said. "I do."
She huffed lightly. "Of course you do. You tricked it out of me."
Kai chuckled under his breath.
" I wouldn't go that far... Well maybe."
Cana shook her head—but there was no real heat in it.
"…Asshole."
Her gaze drifted.
Unfocused.
Back.
– – –
**— NINE YEARS AGO - Magnolia Train—**
The train had been loud.
Too loud.
Too full.
Too uncertain.
Cana sat stiffly, hands clenched in her lap, her small bag pressed close to her side like it might disappear if she let go.
Magnolia.
That's where he was.
Her father.
The man her mother told her to find.
Her grip tightened.
What if he didn't want her?
What if—
The compartment door slid open.
She flinched slightly, glancing up.
And froze.
A boy stepped in.
Younger than her—maybe.
Or not.
It was hard to tell.
Because he looked wrecked.
Bruises across his face. Bandages wrapped carelessly around his arms. Dried blood in places that hadn't been properly cleaned.
And yet–
He was smiling.
Casual.
Unbothered.
Like none of it mattered.
Messy brown hair. Golden eyes that didn't match the rest of him at all.
He scanned the seats once.
Then pointed.
"…this taken?"
Cana hesitated.
"…n-no."
He nodded.
"Cool."
He walked over—limping slightly—and dropped into the seat across from her with a quiet wince.
Then immediately leaned forward and faceplanted into it.
Cana stared.
"…are you okay?"
No response.
She frowned, leaning forward slightly.
"…Hey your bandages are opened."
He shifted, groaning.
"…yeah. Probably."
She blinked.
"…probably?"
He turned his head just enough to look at her, one eye half-open.
"You offering to fix it?"
Cana froze.
"…what?"
He tilted his head slightly, gesturing to the loose bandages.
"You pointed it out."
She hesitated.
Then nodded. "…I guess I can…"
He sat up slowly, wincing—but still smiling.
"Nice it was so uncomfortable. Go ahead."
Cana moved closer, hands hesitant at first as she began adjusting the bandages—tightening them properly, cleaning what she could.
"…what happened to you?" she asked quietly.
He shrugged."Training."
"…training?", she asked stunned.
"Yeah," he said casually. "Those geezers don't hold back."
She stared at him.
He smiled like it was normal.
Like pain didn't matter.
And for some reason—
That made her relax.
Just a little.
"…I'm Kai," he said after a moment.
She nodded hesitant.
"Cana."