Ember of the Starry Sky

The two girls walked in silence, the muffled sounds of the celebration at the camp fading with every step. Yukari glanced at Mirajane occasionally, her curiosity growing. Where exactly were they going? The older girl hadn't said much, and Yukari wasn't sure whether to feel intrigued or suspicious.

After a few minutes, they arrived at a small clearing. The moonlight filtered through the canopy above. Yukari stopped and looked around, frowning.

There was nothing remarkable here just trees, rocks, and an eerie quiet that pressed in on them. She turned to Mirajane, raising an eyebrow. "Okay, what's this about? Did you bring me here to look at... trees?"

Mirajane crossed her arms and leaned against a nearby tree, her expression unreadable. "I lied," she said after a moment, her voice calm. "I don't have anything to show you."

Yukari blinked, her confusion deepening. "Then why drag me all the way out here?" she asked, her tone tinged with irritation.

Mirajane didn't answer right away. Her gaze dropped to the ground, and she shifted uncomfortably. The silence stretched, and just as Yukari turned to leave, Mirajane reached out and grabbed her hand.

"I'm sorry," Mirajane blurted, her voice quieter now, almost timid.

Yukari froze, turning back to look at her. "For what?"

"For this morning," Mirajane said, her cheeks flushed as she struggled to maintain eye contact. "I shouldn't have slapped you like that." She glanced away, her fingers tightening briefly around Yukari's hand before letting go.

Yukari blinked in surprise. Mirajane, the Mirajane, apologizing? The sheer absurdity of it was too much. A grin tugged at her lips, and she couldn't resist teasing her.

"You? Apologizing?" Yukari asked, a laugh bubbling in her throat. "Wow, should I go buy a lottery ticket? This must be my lucky day!"

The joke didn't land as intended. Mirajane's expression darkened, and without warning, she reached out and pinched Yukari's side.

"Ow! Hey!" Yukari yelped, jumping back and swatting Mirajane's hand away. "What was that for?"

"You deserved it," Mirajane shot back, though the corners of her lips twitched as if she was holding back a smile.

Rubbing her side, Yukari gave Mirajane a sly look. "Let me guess you didn't want anyone else to hear you apologize, so you dragged me out here where no one would see you being all... soft?"

Mirajane's face turned bright red. "That's not it!" she protested, her voice rising. "Don't be ridiculous!"

"Oh, come on," Yukari said, grinning as she reached up to pat Mirajane's head, ruffling her silver hair like she was a pet cat. "It's okay. Your secret's safe with me."

For a moment, Mirajane looked like she might explode. But then, to Yukari's surprise, she relaxed under the gentle gesture. Her shoulders dropped, and the tension in her jaw eased.

"Stop treating me like a kid," Mirajane muttered, crossing her arms again.

"Alright, alright," Yukari said, raising her hands in mock surrender. But the teasing gleam in her eyes didn't fade. "But seriously, thanks for saying that. I know it wasn't easy for you."

Mirajane huffed, looking away. "Don't let it go to your head, Hoshizora. You're still insufferable."

Yukari's grin widened. "Oh, I'm insufferable? Says the girl who threw a tantrum when she didn't win."

Mirajane glared at her, but there was no real heat in it. "This isn't over. Next year, I'm definitely becoming an S-Class mage. You just got lucky this time."

"Lucky, huh?" Yukari said, laughing. "If you say so. Tell you what when I start taking S-Class missions, I'll bring you along. You can watch how it's done."

Mirajane scoffed. "Like I'd need your help."

The banter flowed easily between them, but as the words faded, a silence settled over the clearing. It wasn't awkward, though just a quiet, comfortable pause. The moonlight painted their surroundings in soft silver, and for a moment, neither of them spoke.

"Hey," Mirajane said suddenly, her voice softer now. "Congratulations. Really. You earned it."

Yukari turned to look at her, surprised by the sincerity in her tone. Mirajane wasn't looking at her, her gaze fixed on the ground, but there was no mistaking the genuine warmth in her words.

"Thanks," Yukari said quietly. "That means a lot."

Mirajane nodded, and for a moment, they simply stood there, the night stretching around them. The silence between them wasn't heavy or awkward it was tranquil, filled only with the soft rustling of leaves and the distant chirping of crickets.

Yukari found herself glancing at Mirajane out of the corner of her eye. There was something about the way the moonlight touched her silver hair, making it shimmer like strands of spun starlight, that made her look almost otherworldly. The hard-edged confidence Mirajane usually carried had softened, revealing a quiet beauty Yukari hadn't noticed before.

Her gaze lingered, tracing the delicate curve of Mirajane's jaw, the faint blush on her cheeks from their earlier exchange. Yukari's heart fluttered unexpectedly, a warmth rising in her chest that she didn't quite understand.

What's wrong with me? she thought, shaking her head slightly as if to clear it. But her eyes betrayed her, drawn back to Mirajane's face. Under the silver glow of the moon, she was radiant in a way that left Yukari momentarily breathless.

"Is there something on my face?" Mirajane asked suddenly, breaking the silence. Her tone was light, but there was a hint of curiosity in her voice as her piercing blue eyes met Yukari's.

Yukari's breath hitched. Caught off guard, she scrambled to respond. "What? No! There's there's nothing there!" she blurted, her voice coming out a little too fast.

Mirajane tilted her head, one eyebrow arching in amusement. "Are you sure? You've been staring at me like there's a bug crawling on me or something."

"There's no bug!" Yukari said quickly, turning her head away to avoid Mirajane's gaze. Her face felt like it was on fire, the heat spreading from her cheeks to her ears. She could practically feel Mirajane's smirk without even looking at her.

Forcing herself to calm down, Yukari crossed her arms and tried to sound nonchalant. "I was just… thinking. That's all."

"Uh-huh," Mirajane said, her tone skeptical but playful. "Thinking about what?"

Yukari hesitated, not daring to look back at her. "Nothing important," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

She heard Mirajane chuckle softly, and the sound sent a strange shiver down her spine. "You're acting weird," Mirajane said, but there was no malice in her words just mild curiosity.

Yukari clenched her fists at her sides, willing her heartbeat to steady. "Let's just head back to camp," she said, her voice firmer now, though her cheeks still burned.

Mirajane didn't press further, but Yukari could feel her eyes lingering for a moment longer before they started walking. As they made their way back, Yukari stole one last glance at her companion.

What is wrong with me? she wondered again, her heart thudding louder than it should.

The walk back to the campsite was quiet, but Yukari couldn't stop the whirlwind of thoughts racing through her mind. She tried to focus on the faint glow of the fire in the distance or the crunch of leaves beneath their feet, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Mirajane.

For the first time, Yukari wasn't sure if her flushed cheeks were from embarrassment or something else entirely.