The next morning, Romeo trudged down the winding path toward Rudra's house in a foul mood. In his right hand, he loosely clutched Ebony, staring down at the dark firearm with a scowl.
"That bastard tricked me," he muttered under his breath, his voice dripping with annoyance. "Made me spend every last jewel of my hard-earned money on his dinner... just for this?"
Stopping in his tracks, Romeo raised the gun, squeezed the grip, and pulled the trigger. He braced himself, secretly hoping a burst of magic or a blast of force would shoot out this time.
Click.
Nothing happened.
Frustration boiled up in his chest. Romeo raised his arm, tempted to smash the useless piece of junk against a nearby boulder. But at the last second, he checked his momentum and pulled his arm back, sighing heavily. As much as he hated to admit it, this was technically the very first gift his master had ever given him. Besides, he knew Rudra well enough to understand that the man wouldn't just hand over a weapon unless there was something special about it—even if he hadn't figured out the trick yet.
Pocketing the gun, Romeo picked up his pace. Soon, the paved road faded into the thick greenery of the forest surrounding Rudra's secluded home. After a few more minutes of walking, he stepped into the quiet front yard.
Seeing no sign of life outside, Romeo groaned and ran a hand over his face. "Man... what was I thinking? I'm relying on a guy who literally needs his own pupil to wake him up every single morning."
Shaking his head, Romeo opened the front door and let himself inside. He made his way down the hallway toward Rudra's bedroom, instinctively raising his leg to kick the heavy wooden door wide open. But mid-swing, he froze. A vivid, painful memory flashed in his mind—the last time he had kicked that door open, Rudra had once had his clones jump him in the name of "surprise training"—a beatdown Romeo had no desire to relive.
Carefully lowering his foot, Romeo reached out, grabbed the brass doorknob, and slowly turned it. He pushed the door open a crack, peering inside.
"Master, wake up—"
The words died in his throat.
His eyes widened into dinner plates as he took in the scene before him. Spread across the small bed were Rudra and Mirajane, fast asleep side-by-side under the exact same blanket.
Romeo stood frozen for three long seconds. Then, with agonizing slowness, he backed up and pulled the door shut until it clicked silently into place.
He turned around, aggressively rubbing his eyes with both fists until he saw stars. "Right. This is a dream," he muttered nervously to himself. "I'm still asleep. That's it."
To double-check, he turned around, cracked the door open a millimeter, and stole another glance.
The scene hadn't changed.
A single, crystal-clear thought echoed through his mind: Nope!
Romeo snapped the door shut completely, turned on his heel, and sprinted out of the house without saying another word.
___
A few minutes after Romeo fled, Mirajane slowly began to stir from her sleep. She buried her face slightly into the pillow, muttering groggily, "Lisanna... what time is it?"
She rubbed her eyes, waiting for her younger sister's familiar response. When several quiet seconds stretched on without an answer, Mira cracked her eyes open. She was about to ask again, but the words died in her throat as her surroundings came into focus.
This wasn't her bedroom.
Her eyes widened in realization as the events of the previous night came rushing back. The heavy downpour, the offered bed, the sheer embarrassment...
Breath hitching, Mira slowly turned her head to the side, coming face-to-face with Rudra. He was lying just inches away from her. Without the usual sharp scowl or indifferent coldness masking his features, his sleeping face looked strangely peaceful. Mira found herself staring, her gaze unconsciously drifting down from his quiet expression to his lips. They were so close—if she leaned forward just a fraction of an inch...
What am I thinking?!
Gasping quietly, Mira forcibly cut off her embarrassing train of thought, her face flushing crimson. She quickly averted her gaze and swung her legs over the side, sitting up on the edge of the mattress. But as she prepared to slip out of bed, a faint glow caught her attention.
Rudra's Devil Bringer hand was emitting a soft, ethereal light in the dim room.
Fascinated, Mira leaned back over the bed, extending her hand to gently touch the glowing limb. "It looks just like my arm back when I couldn't control my Take Over magic..." she whispered under her breath.
"What are you doing?"
Rudra's cold, level voice stopped her dead in her tracks.
Mira froze, her hand hovering barely an inch above his. She turned her head nervously to find Rudra staring directly into her eyes, fully awake. Panicking, she yanked her arm back and looked away, unable to hold his sharp gaze.
"N-Nothing!" she stammered, her heart hammering. "It's just... your left hand was glowing faintly. I only wanted to check on it because it reminded me of how my arm used to look when I couldn't control my magic."
Rudra let out a low, noncommittal "Hmm," before pushing himself up. He stretched his broad shoulders, his joints popping, and cast a brief glance toward the window.
"It's morning, and the rain has stopped," Rudra said flatly, swinging his legs off the bed. "You should leave." Without waiting for her response, he stood up and walked straight into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.
Fifteen minutes later, fully showered and changed, Rudra stepped back into the main room. He expected the house to be empty, assuming Mira would have fled the moment his back was turned. Instead, he found her standing by the dining table.
As he approached, Mira quietly set a steaming cup of freshly brewed tea in front of his chair before serving a second cup for herself. She took a seat across from him, keeping her eyes glued strictly to her mug as she took a small sip.
Rudra let out a weary sigh, sitting down without a word. He raised his mug, focusing entirely on the rich flavor of the tea. A heavy, suffocating silence settled over the dining area, minutes ticking by without either of them uttering a single word.
Finally, Mira stood up, setting her empty cup down with a soft clatter. "I... I should be going."
Rudra didn't answer. He simply stood up and quietly followed her down the short hallway to the front door.
Reaching the threshold, Mira paused. She turned back toward him, her gaze still fixed firmly on his chest. She opened her mouth, wanting to ask the question that had been weighing on her mind all morning, but hesitation gripped her. Shaking her head softly, she turned to step out into the crisp morning air.
"Mira."
His voice stopped her mid-step.
"If you want to ask me something, look me in the eye before asking," Rudra said, his tone devoid of heat, yet firm. "Otherwise, don't even bother."
Mira steeled herself. Taking a deep breath, she slowly lifted her head, forcing herself to look straight into his unreadable eyes.
"Do you hate me, Rudra?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly despite her best efforts.
Rudra's expression didn't shift in the slightest. "Do you hate me, Mira?" he asked back, his voice flat.
Mira opened her mouth to immediately deny it—"Of course not!"—but Rudra cut her off before she could speak.
"If you don't, then I don't see any reason why I should hate you."
His completely indifferent tone was the final straw. Something inside Mira snapped. "Then why are you acting like this?!" she demanded, her voice rising as frustration bubbled over. "Why are you ignoring me? Why do you always treat me so coldly?!"
Rudra stared at her, his eyes cold and dark.
"Are you sure you really want me to answer that?" he asked softly.
The weight behind his quiet words hung heavily between them. Mira swallowed hard, the sharp comeback dying on her tongue. She knew, deep down, that she wasn't ready to hear his answer.
Without saying another word, Mira turned on her heel and hurried down the forest path, leaving Rudra standing alone in the doorway as he slowly retreated into the quiet of his house.
Mira made her way home in complete silence. The morning air was fresh, carrying the lingering dampness of last night's storm, but her mind was too consumed by turmoil to notice.
The moment she stepped inside her quiet house, she headed straight for the bathroom and hopped into a hot shower, letting the cascading water wash over her in an attempt to calm her pounding heart. As she leaned her forehead against the cool tiles, the heavy echoes of their conversation replayed endlessly in her head.
He was right... she thought, closing her eyes as the warm water ran down her face. He didn't need to answer me... because deep down, I already know it's our fault.
Her thoughts drifted back to the painful reality of what had happened. She had learned that Rudra lost his memories and disappeared for a few years before returning—only to vanish once again.
The moment he reappeared back then, she had fainted, gasping out the name Sparda—a reaction that ignited immediate hostility among the returning Fairy Tail members. From their perspective, they were only protecting her. But looking at it through his eyes, a group of complete strangers had suddenly surrounded him, hurling wild accusations and launching unprovoked attacks.
We treated him like a villain before even trying to understand, she thought, her stomach twisting into a tight knot.
Thinking about how unfairly he had been treated—and how she had inadvertently sparked the whole confrontation—only made her mood sink lower.
Turning off the tap, Mira let out a slow, shaky breath. She wrapped a towel around herself, stepped out of the bathroom, and changed into a fresh set of clothes. Taking a moment to compose her usual warm expression, she pushed her heavy thoughts to the back of her mind and set off toward the guild hall for the day.
___
Inside the guild hall, an absolute uproar was already in full swing.
"Master! What are we supposed to do?!" Elfman roared, slamming his massive fists onto the bar counter, causing several wooden mugs to rattle violently. "Mira didn't come home last night! She's been missing since yesterday evening!"
Makarov sat atop the bar, looking entirely unbothered as he took a lazy sip from his oversized mug. "Oh, calm down, Elfman. She's an S-Class mage," the Guild Master replied casually. "She can take care of herself. I doubt anyone in Magnolia is foolish enough to try anything with her."
"But Master!" Elfman shouted, his face red with panic. "A real man protects his sister—"
"Would you stop yelling, you big meathead?" Carla interrupted, flicking her tail in annoyance from her spot on the table. "You're giving me a headache before noon."
"Carla, please!" Wendy squeaked, waving her hands in a desperate attempt to keep the peace.
Carla huffed, crossing her small arms. "I'm just being practical. She's probably staying over at a friend's house because of the storm last night."
Nearby, Cana leaned back against a giant wooden keg, taking a long swig directly from the tap before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Or maybe she was staying over at a boyfriend's house," she purred with a mischievous smirk.
The entire guild hall seemed to freeze for a split second.
"A BOYFRIEND?!" Elfman bellowed, his eyes practically bulging out of his socket. "NO! A real sister doesn't get a boyfriend without my permission! I won't allow it!"
Lisanna, sitting a few feet away, offered a soft, amused giggle as she watched her brother spiral.
Lucy, who was sitting right next to her, leaned in closer with a curious glint in her eyes. "Hey, Lisanna... is Mira actually seeing someone?"
Lisanna rested her chin in her hands, pondering for a moment. "Well, I don't think she has a boyfriend yet... but she did confide in me a long time ago that she has a crush on someone. Maybe things finally progressed between them?"
"Pfft, yeah right!" Natsu piped up from across the table, his arms crossed as a fiery grin spread across his face. "My money's on her being out in the woods, beating the absolute crap out of a giant monster!"
"Don't listen to this flame-brain," Gray scoffed, leaning back in his chair with his shirt already missing. "My money's on Cana's theory. She probably rented a cozy inn room to escape the rain and spent the night relaxing. She'll walk through those doors any second now."
Natsu glared at him instantly, forehead pressing against Gray's. "What was that, popsicle-man? You calling my guess stupid?!"
"You heard me, hothead!" Gray snapped, electricity sparking between their glares. "You wanna go?!"
"Bring it on!"
While the rest of the hall descended into its usual chaotic arguing, young Romeo sat quietly at a corner table, fidgeting nervously with his thumbs. Cold sweat beaded along his forehead as he stared down at the wooden grain. Should I tell them? he panicked internally. If I tell them where I saw her, they're gonna ask why... but if I don't say anything and they find out later, I'm dead meat!
"Romeo."
The stern, authoritative voice sliced right through his panicked thoughts. Romeo flinched, slowly lifting his head to find Erza sitting directly across from him. She was delicately lifting a forkful of strawberry cake to her lips, but her sharp, piercing eyes were locked entirely onto him.
"You know something, don't you?" Erza asked calmly, though her tone held an unmistakable weight.
"NO! I DON'T KNOW WHERE MIRA WAS LAST NIGHT AT ALL!" Romeo shrieked, leaping straight out of his chair so fast it flipped over backwards.
The entire guild went dead silent. Natsu and Gray paused mid-punch, Elfman froze mid-rant, and even Makarov paused with his mug halfway to his mouth. Dozens of pairs of eyes turned slowly to lock onto the trembling boy.
Realizing his massive mistake, Romeo flushed crimson and hastily righted his chair, scrambling back into his seat while avoiding everyone's piercing stares.
The silence hung heavy, pressing down on him like a mountain. Finally, Romeo snapped under the unbearable pressure.
"ALRIGHT, FINE!" he yelled, burying his face in his hands. "I saw her, okay?! She was at Rudra's house!"
Everyone in the room gave a collective, easygoing nod.
"Ah, so she was at Rudra's—"
The sentence caught in their throats. The words fully registered in their brains, and a massive, synchronized wave of shock rippled through the hall.
"WAIT, WHAT?!" the entire guild screamed in unison.
Erza slammed her fork down, her gaze darkening instantly into a terrifyingly serious expression. "What was she doing at Rudra's house?" she demanded, leaning forward over the table.
Romeo raised his hands defensively, his voice squeaking as he prepared to explain. "Well, you see, today I went to—"
Before he could finish, the heavy wooden doors of the guild hall swung wide open.
Mirajane stepped inside, looking completely pristine, composed, and radiant in her usual dress. Sensing the heavy, suffocating atmosphere in the room, she stopped in her tracks and tilted her head curiously, offering a gentle, cheerful smile.
"Good morning, everyone," Mira said sweetly, her voice cutting clean through the tension. "Is something the matter?"
"Mira!" Elfman barked, slamming his fist onto a nearby table as he marched toward her. "Why were you at Rudra's house last night instead of coming home?!"
Mira's smile didn't break, though her eyes flicked with a faint, amused confusion. "My, what a strange question. Who said I was at Rudra's house?"
In unison, every head in the guild pivoted toward Romeo.
The boy shrank back into his seat under the intense spotlight, sweating bullets. "I—I mean..." he stammered, pulling his collar. "When I went over to wake Rudra up this morning, I saw you two sleeping in the same bed!"
The silence that slammed into the hall was absolute.
CRASH.
The sudden splintering of heavy wood shattered the quiet. Everyone flinched, turning their eyes upward toward the second-floor balcony. Laxus was sitting at his usual table, his massive hand crushing the edge of the wooden railing into splinters. He stared down at Mira, his thunderous expression darkening into something brooding and silent.
Mira didn't even glance up, completely ignoring the heavy glare raining down from the second floor.
Erza broke the stunned silence, her tone sharp with sudden realization. "Wait... does that mean Rudra has returned?"
Mira turned to Erza and gave a polite, measured nod. "Yes. He came back late last night."
A split second later, a divide rippled through the guild hall. A good portion of the mages burst into cheering and hearty applause, relieved to hear their missing comrade was safe and sound. But a noticeable few remained entirely silent.
Elfman, however, wasn't satisfied. He stepped into Mira's line of sight, his face contorted in frustrated anger. "That doesn't answer the question, Mira! How could you go to that guy's house after everything that happened?! After he hurt you?!"
At those words, the warmth instantly drained from Mira's face. The memory of the morning pressed heavily on her chest, along with Rudra's cold, lingering words.
Her gentle aura evaporated, replaced by a dark, suffocating pressure that made even the rowdiest mages step back.
"Enough, Elfman," Mira snapped, her voice dropping into a low, deadly register that brooked zero room for argument. "What I do on my own time is none of your concern, and I will not be discussing this with you."
Elfman opened his mouth to protest, but the sheer fury radiating off his sister choked the words right out of his throat.
Without giving anyone else a chance to pry, Mira turned on her heel and walked directly past them toward the bar counter. The rest of the guild watched her in stunned silence, nobody daring to utter a word or ask another question while she was in such a foul mood.
Reaching the bar, Mira tied her apron around her waist, took a deep breath to smooth out her expression, and quietly began her morning work—leaving the rest of Fairy Tail walking on eggshells around her.