Every word of the conversation outside drilled straight into Shane's ears.
Erza's voice sounded… calm. But it was exactly that calmness that carried the danger of a storm about to break.
Especially when she asked—in that mildly curious, emotionless tone—"Strawberry cake?" and "And it tasted pretty good?"
Shane could practically picture Ultear's deadpan face, nodding like "doesn't concern me," then striding off like nothing happened.
I'm dead… Shane wailed internally, suddenly convinced the floor beneath him had turned scalding hot.
Sure enough, the next second—
creak.
The front door opened again.
A girl in a sleeveless dress stepped into the doorway, her sunset-red hair falling over her shoulders.
Her black eyes swept calmly over Shane—then dropped to the cake bag on the coffee table, which was visibly a lot flatter than it should've been.
"I'm back, Shane." Erza walked in and closed the door behind her, unhurried.
"W-welcome back, Erza!" Shane forced a smile so bright it was almost painful. "You worked hard! How was the meeting with the Master and the Council? Did it go smoothly?"
"Mm. Very smoothly." Erza nodded lightly. Her gaze lingered on his face for a moment—then she said nothing, simply watching him in silence.
Shane's skin crawled under that look.
He opened his mouth, trying to salvage the situation. "Uh… speaking of—do we still have meat in the house? I haven't made you a steak in a while, so maybe—"
"No need to trouble yourself." Erza cut him off and sat on the sofa. "Aren't there still cakes left that Ultear didn't finish?"
She put the faintest emphasis on the word "left."
"I'll just eat these. No need to go out of your way to cook."
As she spoke, she narrowed her eyes slightly, pulled out a slice, and lifted a spoonful to her mouth.
"…Mm." She chewed slowly, her brows tightening for a split second before relaxing again.
It was still the flavor she always loved—sweet cream, soft sponge, the slight tartness of fresh strawberries—
And yet… somehow, it didn't taste as sweet.
Shane was secretly watching her expression. When he saw she'd started eating but her face still didn't soften at all, cold sweat nearly broke out.
This is bad. Really bad. he panicked. This silence is worse than if she just yelled at me for disappearing for two months…
Knowing he was completely in the wrong, Shane decided to stop resisting.
Maybe honest surrender would earn him a lighter sentence.
He took a deep breath, voice sincere. "I'm sorry, Erza! I shouldn't have been gone that long without contacting you! I made you worry!"
For once, he didn't argue, didn't hide behind "You know how strong I am, there's nothing to worry about." He just admitted fault.
Based on what he knew of Erza, if he apologized earnestly, she'd still be mad—but she'd accept it and maybe give him a lecture or a little "loving discipline."
But this time—
Erza tilted her head, looking at him with a smile that looked gentle and beautiful…
…And made Shane's spine go cold.
"Two months away, and the first thing you do after coming back isn't looking for me—it's meeting Ultear at home."
"And you even used my favorite strawberry cake to host her."
"Shane… am I the one who came back at the wrong time?"
Each time she finished a sentence, she lightly patted the empty spot beside her on the sofa.
Pat. Pat. Pat.
The sound was quiet, steady, not loud at all—
Yet to Shane, it was terrifying.
In those soft pats, he could vividly see Gray and Natsu getting flattened under her heel in the guild hall.
She wouldn't actually beat me up… right? And even if we fought, she can't beat me…
That thought flashed through Shane's mind—
While his body, very honestly, moved on its own. Carefully. Cautiously. He shuffled over and sat where she'd indicated.
The moment he sat down, he caught the familiar scent of her hair—clean, faintly soapy.
It loosened his nerves for half a second—then his tension doubled.
He hurried to explain. "These cakes are all for you! I went to Tomas's Coffe and bought every strawberry cake they had today!"
"Ultear—she just happened to show up to talk about something important, and she only—yeah, only took a little taste, that's all!"
"Oh, is that so." Erza answered, set down the half-eaten slice, and placed the spoon on the plate with a crisp ding. Her eyes stayed on Shane's face. Still no big reaction.
That lukewarm response gave Shane even less footing.
He could only push forward, his words speeding up. "It's true! It's about a lead on a possible Super Magic, in the Worth Woodsea. She said she might need my 'eyes' later to help find clues, so that's why she came."
As she listened to his slightly frantic explanation, Erza felt… confused herself.
She could tell Shane wasn't lying, but that sticky, unpleasant feeling in her chest still wouldn't go away.
And her own way of speaking—so sharp, so pointed, so indirect—wasn't like her at all.
Even she could feel it.
Yeah. That's it, she tried to justify it. I'm acting weird because I'm furious he vanished for two months without a word. That's all. It has to be.
But on the sofa, as Shane's initial panic faded, he started to sense something was off.
Erza's reactions were strange—way too strange for someone who was usually blunt, straightforward, and "say what you mean."
She was the type where happy meant happy, angry meant angry.
She didn't… do this kind of passive-aggressive, barbed sarcasm.
The moment Shane's eyes shifted—like he was starting to think—Erza's heart jolted with sudden, inexplicable panic.
Maybe from living with Shane so long, she reacted the way he did when things felt complicated:
She acted.
Erza abruptly stood up, cutting off his train of thought.
Then she quickly put on an expression that said she was "accepting" his explanation, and softened her tone. "If that's what you're saying… fine. Let's let it go this time."
The instant her attitude eased, Shane's face lit up with relief. "Then I—"
Before he could finish, Erza suddenly leaned in.
Her pale, delicate face filled his vision. Her black eyes were clear and bright, carefully examining his features.
Too close.
Her warmth brushed over him—he could practically count her lashes as they trembled.
"By the way, Shane," Erza tilted her head sweetly, like she'd discovered something fascinating, "if you actually dressed up properly… you might be pretty good-looking."
There was a deliberate "interest" in her tone—one that made Shane's instincts scream.
His scalp tingled. He leaned back instinctively, trying to create distance. "Uh… I don't know. I think I'm pretty average. Maybe even kind of ugly."
He attempted to bluff his way through with nonsense.
Erza ignored his retreat, shaking her head. Her lips curved faintly.
"You know…" she said, almost thoughtfully, "I think my Requip space happens to have a few outfits that would suit you very well."
Shane: "???"