Age: Kaito – 10 | Erza – 10 | Mirajane – 10 | Juvia – 10
Month / Year: Mid November, X775
Location: Fairy Tail Guild & Dorms, Magnolia
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Erza's recovery settled into an uncomfortable routine.
Which, to her frustration, involved doing nothing.
She lay stretched out on a couch dragged near the guild's fireplace, bandages still visible beneath her shirt. Every few minutes, her fingers twitched—muscle memory screaming for a sword that wasn't there.
Kaito noticed every twitch.
"Don't," he said calmly, without even looking up from the kettle.
Erza scowled. "I wasn't—"
"You were."
"…Tch."
He handed her a cup anyway. Warm. Herbal. Tailored.
"Recovery blend," he said. "Speeds healing. Tastes decent."
Erza took it, muttering, "…You're enjoying this."
"Absolutely."
---
Mirajane and Juvia had made Erza's injury everyone's problem.
Juvia hovered like an anxious rain cloud. "Erza must not strain herself… Juvia will fetch anything Erza needs… water, towels, emotional support—"
"I do not need emotional—"
Mirajane plopped down beside her anyway, draping an arm over the back of the couch. "Too bad. You're getting it."
Erza stiffened. "…Move."
"No."
Their eyes locked.
Sparks.
Kaito sighed. "Please don't start a war within five meters of an injured patient."
Mirajane smirked. "Relax. I'll go easy."
Erza growled. "Say that again when I'm healed."
---
Downstairs, Fairy Tail was—as always—chaos incarnate.
Gray chased Natsu's absence out of pure habit. Cana laughed too loudly. Macao and Wakaba argued over whose fault the broken chair was. Elfman trained by punching the air dramatically while Lysanna applauded.
At some point, a table flipped.
No one questioned it.
Kaito watched from the railing, amused.
"Your guild is insane," he murmured.
Erza crossed her arms, pride flickering through irritation. "And loyal."
He smiled at her. "That too."
She noticed.
Her ears reddened.
---
That evening, the kitchen became a battlefield.
"Juvia will mix gently!"
"NO—YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG."
"That's not wrong, that's bold."
Kaito leaned against the counter, overseeing the madness as Mirajane and Juvia argued over cake batter.
"For the record," he said lightly, "the goal is edible."
Erza sat nearby, arms folded, pretending not to care.
When the cake finally emerged—slightly crooked, heavily decorated, faintly magical—everyone held their breath.
Erza stared at it.
"…You made this?"
Mirajane nodded. "Together."
Juvia added softly, "For Erza."
She hesitated.
Then took a bite.
Her expression softened before she could stop it.
"…It's sweet," she admitted.
Kaito chuckled. "Just like someone else I know."
Erza snapped her head toward him. "What?"
He leaned closer, voice low. "You."
Her face burned.
"…Idiot."
But she didn't look away.
---
Later that night, the guild quieted.
Erza sat near the window, watching Magnolia's lights flicker. Kaito joined her, close—but not crowding.
"You're healing faster," he said.
"…Because you won't let me move," she replied.
He smiled. "Exactly."
A pause.
"…Thank you," Erza said quietly.
He blinked, surprised.
"For staying," she added.
Kaito met her eyes, warm and steady. "Always."
Outside, Fairy Tail slept.
Inside, bonds quietly deepened.
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