A Not-So-Subtle Departure

Yukari wasn't sure how much time had passed.

One second, she had been kissing Mirajane like the rest of the world didn't exist. The next, they were both catching their breath, foreheads pressed together, hands lingering, unwilling to separate just yet.

But, as much as Yukari would have loved to stay in this moment, reality unfortunately had other plans.

Mirajane let out a soft laugh, pulling back just slightly. "You realize we actually have a mission to go on, right?"

Yukari groaned, resting her head against Mirajane's shoulder. "You just had to remind me."

Mirajane hummed, fingers absentmindedly brushing against Yukari's back. "We did come here for a reason."

Yukari sighed dramatically, finally leaning away. "Fine. But just so you know, this is your fault."

Mirajane arched a delicate eyebrow. "Oh? My fault?"

"Yeah," Yukari said, rolling her shoulders as if shaking off the warmth still lingering on her skin. "You're too damn distracting."

Mirajane giggled. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Yukari grabbed Mirajane's bag, slinging it over her shoulder before heading toward the door. "Come on, let's get going before Cana and the others show up and make this worse."

Mirajane followed her, amusement still dancing in her eyes. "Worse? You mean more entertaining."

Yukari refused to dignify that with a response.

The streets of Magnolia were as lively as ever, merchants setting up their stalls, townsfolk moving about their morning routines. Normally, Yukari wouldn't have thought much of it.

Except today… she felt eyes on her.

She didn't even have to wonder why.

The answer was right in front of her.

A man sitting at an outdoor café had his nose buried in a fresh copy of Sorcerer Magazine. A group of teenage girls standing near the bakery were huddled together, one of them holding up the magazine and pointing excitedly in her direction.

Oh. Hell no.

Yukari immediately regretted stepping outside.

Mirajane, of course, had already noticed. "Well, we did make quite the headline~"

Yukari pinched the bridge of her nose. "I hate this country."

Before Mirajane could reply, she caught sight of two people actively approaching them both clutching their copies of Sorcerer Magazine like it was a divine artifact.

Absolutely not.

Thinking fast, Yukari grabbed Mirajane's hand and bolted.

"Yukari?!" Mirajane gasped, barely keeping up as Yukari weaved through the streets, dodging between people, carts, and confused passersby.

"Just keep walking. Fast," Yukari muttered, dragging Mirajane along.

The two of them reached the train station within minutes, just before their potential interrogators could catch up. Yukari only released Mirajane's hand once they were safely inside, stepping up to the ticket counter.

"Two tickets. Destination—Twin Peaks Pass," she said, slapping the jewel payment onto the counter.

The station attendant blinked. "Oh, uh—Miss, you don't have to pay for both—"

"Yes, I do," Yukari interrupted firmly.

Mirajane sighed, placing a hand on her hip. "You really don't."

"Too bad," Yukari shot back. "I already paid."

Mirajane gave her an unimpressed look. "You do realize I have money, right?"

"Yeah, and you can save it for later," Yukari replied smoothly, grabbing the tickets and handing one to Mirajane.

Mirajane shook her head, but she smiled anyway. "You're impossible."

"And you're stubborn. Now let's go before someone recognizes us again."

Mirajane giggled but didn't argue.

Yukari slumped into her seat with an exaggerated sigh, running a hand through her hair. "If one more person waves that damn magazine in my face, I'm setting the whole station on fire."

Mirajane chuckled, settling gracefully beside her. "I don't know… I thought it was cute how flustered you got."

"I did not get flustered."

Mirajane simply gave her a knowing look.

Yukari groaned and changed the subject. "Alright, let's talk about something actually important—the mission."

Mirajane smiled, leaning back. "Alright. What do we know?"

Yukari pulled out the mission request from her pocket. "A group of bandits have been targeting merchant caravans traveling through Twin Peaks Pass. Reports say they're well-organized, which means they probably have a leader who actually knows what they're doing."

Mirajane nodded thoughtfully. "That's unusual for standard bandits. Most are disorganized and only attack when they think they can get away with it."

"Exactly," Yukari said. "The fact that they're choosing a narrow mountain pass means they know how to control the terrain. It also means that once we're there, there's not gonna be a lot of room to move around. If it turns into a fight, it'll be close-quarters combat."

Mirajane hummed. "That won't be a problem for you. Your fire magic is direct enough to work in enclosed spaces."

"And yours?" Yukari asked, glancing at her.

Mirajane smiled faintly. "It's been a while since I've had to fight seriously, but I can still hold my own."

Yukari studied her carefully.

It was easy to forget, sometimes. That Mirajane the Mirajane Strauss was once known for being one of Fairy Tail's most dangerous fighters. Before she had shifted into her current role as the cheerful bartender, before she had taken on the image of the sweet, gentle idol of the guild she had been a monster in combat.

And then she lost Lisanna.

Yukari had been there when it happened. She had been there during the aftermath, too. Had seen the way Mirajane's fire had dimmed, the way she had stopped fighting entirely, retreating into something softer.

Yukari had never pushed her. Never asked why she stopped.

She just made sure Mirajane knew she wasn't alone.

And now, here they were. On a mission.

Together.

Yukari leaned back against her seat, tilting her head to look at her. "You sure about this?"

Mirajane blinked, then smiled softly. "If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here."

Yukari studied her for a moment longer before nodding.

She wouldn't push.

If Mirajane said she was ready, then she was ready.

"Alright," Yukari murmured, closing her eyes briefly. "We should get some rest before we arrive."

Mirajane hummed in agreement. "I suppose so."

The train continued rolling along the tracks, the steady rhythm lulling the atmosphere into something calm.

Yukari let herself relax.

For now.

As the train continued its steady rhythm along the tracks, the hum of conversation from other passengers faded into the background. The warmth of the sunlight made the atmosphere even more peaceful, casting a golden glow over Mirajane's silver hair.

Yukari glanced at her out of the corner of her eye.

Mirajane was looking out the window, a small, content smile on her lips. Without thinking, Yukari reached over, fingers brushing lightly against the back of Mirajane's hand before entwining them together.

Mirajane blinked at the touch before looking down at their joined hands, then up at Yukari. A soft chuckle escaped her. "You really have gotten more affectionate lately~"

Yukari scoffed, squeezing her hand. "Shut up."

Mirajane giggled but didn't let go. Instead, she rested her head against Yukari's shoulder, her grip gentle but firm.

Yukari felt her heart slow into a steady, comfortable rhythm.

After a few minutes, Mirajane's breathing evened out, and Yukari realized she had fallen asleep.

Yukari sighed, adjusting slightly so Mirajane would be more comfortable.

She rested her cheek against Mirajane's hair, smirking. "Guess I make a good pillow, huh?"

The train rolled on, carrying them toward their mission.