Month: Early December
Year: X775
Ages:
Kaito – 10 | Erza – 10 | Mirajane – 10 | Juvia – 10
Lysanna – 8 | Elfman – 9
Location: Magnolia Town / Fairy Tail Guild
---
Morning in Fairy Tail never arrived quietly.
The guild hall doors slammed open with the usual crash, laughter already spilling into the street. Chairs scraped. Someone shouted about breakfast being stolen. Someone else shouted louder in denial.
Kaito stepped inside with practiced ease, shoulders relaxed, eyes alert.
Something was wrong.
Not dangerous—just… focused.
Erza and Mirajane were sitting together.
That alone was suspicious.
They weren't arguing.
They weren't sparring.
They weren't even glaring.
They were whispering.
Kaito slowed.
Juvia, standing near the job board, noticed it too. Her shoulders stiffened slightly, rain magic unconsciously calming the moisture in the air around her.
Lysanna leaned toward Elfman. "They're plotting."
Elfman nodded gravely. "Manly danger."
Kaito sighed. "I walked into it, didn't I."
Erza looked up.
Mirajane smiled.
Too sweet.
"Good morning, Kaito," Erza said pleasantly.
Mirajane tilted her head. "You're late."
"I'm exactly on time," he replied carefully.
Erza stood. Mirajane stood with her.
They flanked him.
The guild went silent.
Kaito didn't move. "…Whatever you're planning, it won't work."
Erza leaned in slightly. "You're very confident lately."
Mirajane added, "Menacing, even."
He shrugged. "I learned from the best."
That earned him matching smirks.
---
The Retaliation Begins
They didn't attack immediately.
That was the worst part.
Instead, Erza walked ahead of him toward the counter. Mirajane stayed behind. When Kaito followed, Mirajane tugged lightly on his sleeve.
"Your shoelace," she said.
He looked down.
Nothing was wrong.
Erza turned back instantly. "Distracted already?"
Laughter rippled through the guild.
Cana grinned. "Ohhh, it's coordinated."
Gray whispered, "Run."
Kaito straightened. "You two are enjoying this way too much."
Erza folded her arms. "We're simply correcting behavior."
Mirajane nodded. "Educational teasing."
They continued like that all morning.
Every time Kaito spoke, one of them corrected his tone.
Every time he moved, one of them commented on posture.
Every time he ignored them, they escalated—leaning in, whispering, sharing looks meant to unsettle.
It would've worked.
If Kaito hadn't adjusted.
By midday, he stopped reacting.
He let Erza fix his collar again.
Let Mirajane brush imaginary dust from his shoulder.
Let the guild howl.
Then—
He smiled.
A slow one.
Mirajane paused. "…Why are you smiling."
He leaned slightly toward Erza. "You missed a spot."
Erza blinked.
Mirajane narrowed her eyes.
Kaito continued casually, "If you're going to tease me, at least commit. This feels half-hearted."
The guild exploded.
Cana slammed the table. "HE TURNED IT AROUND."
Erza recovered first. "Don't get arrogant."
Mirajane laughed, sharp and delighted. "Oh, he's learning."
---
Training Turns Dangerous (Socially)
Afternoon training spilled into the yard.
Steel rang. Magic crackled.
Erza and Mirajane paired off—sparring hard, rivalry burning brighter than it had in weeks. Their movements were sharp, synchronized in chaos, clashing with controlled aggression.
Kaito watched from the sidelines, Great Sage quietly tracking form and fatigue—not interfering.
Juvia stood beside him.
She was calmer now.
The air around her felt… steady.
"You're different today," Kaito said quietly.
Juvia hesitated, then nodded. "…Juvia is trying."
He glanced at her. "It shows."
That was all it took.
Her shoulders straightened.
Across the yard, Erza noticed.
Mirajane noticed too.
Their duel ended abruptly.
Erza turned. "Juvia."
Juvia stiffened. "Y-Yes?"
"Join us."
The guild froze.
Mirajane grinned. "Let's see what you've got."
Juvia looked at Kaito.
He nodded once.
She stepped forward.
The spar wasn't about power.
It was about control.
Juvia's water flowed cleanly—no excess rain, no emotional overflow. Steam hissed softly at her feet, shaped and restrained.
When Erza pressed, Juvia yielded instead of resisting.
When Mirajane feinted, Juvia adapted instead of panicking.
It wasn't flashy.
It was effective.
After several minutes, Erza stepped back.
"…You've improved."
Mirajane crossed her arms. "A lot."
The guild murmured.
Juvia's cheeks warmed—not from embarrassment.
From pride.
She bowed slightly. "…Thank you."
Kaito smiled openly this time.
Erza caught it.
Mirajane caught it too.
Their eyes narrowed.
---
Menace Mode, Fully Online
Evening brought dinner—and chaos.
Kaito cooked.
That alone drew attention.
Plates circulated. Compliments followed. Arguments broke out over who got seconds.
Kaito moved through it all with ease, placing a plate gently in front of Erza first.
Then Mirajane.
Then Juvia.
Equal portions.
Equal care.
Erza studied him. "You're doing this on purpose."
He met her gaze. "Am I?"
Mirajane leaned in. "Trying to balance us?"
He shrugged. "Trying to survive."
Juvia, quietly eating, spoke up.
"…Juvia thinks," she said softly, "that Kaito is enjoying this."
Silence.
Kaito blinked.
Then laughed.
Caught.
The guild roared.
Erza sighed. "He's impossible."
Mirajane smirked. "But entertaining."
Later—when the noise softened and conversations splintered—Kaito found himself sitting beside Juvia on the steps outside.
Cold air. Clear sky.
She fidgeted with her sleeves.
"…Juvia spoke without thinking today."
He looked at her. "You spoke honestly."
She swallowed. "…Did that bother you."
"No," he said immediately. "It impressed me."
Her eyes widened.
Inside the guild hall, Erza watched through the window.
Mirajane stood beside her.
Neither spoke.
Neither looked away.
"…He's dangerous," Mirajane muttered.
Erza nodded. "Yes."
Not angry.
Not jealous.
Just aware.
---
By nightfall, Fairy Tail burned brighter than ever—laughter echoing into the streets, rivalries sharpening, bonds tightening.
Kaito lay back on his bunk later, staring at the ceiling.
Menace mode, he thought lightly.
Activated.
And somewhere in Magnolia—
Three girls were already planning their next move.
---