Chapter Text
When Kagura Mikazuchi walked into the Sabertooth Guild, Sting Eucliffe met her at the door with crossed arms and fangs bared. “Here to pick up where we left off?” he asked.
Yukino had been sitting nearby, playing patty cake with Frosch. Before she even registered who had arrived, Rogue had positioned himself between her and the door. Curious, Yukino peered around him. She had not seen Kagura since the ball in Crocus, almost two months ago.
That night had been… tumultuous, but Yukino thought everyone had left on good terms. It startled her to see her guildmates bristling at the sight of someone that Yukino would have considered an ally.
"I'm not here to fight, if that's what you mean." Kagura met Sting’s open glare with a completely blank expression, but she rested one hand lightly on her hip. She could have passed for a bored schoolgirl if it weren’t for the fact that her hand was resting an inch above the hilt of her famed sword, the same Archenemy that had defeated Opiuchus.
Sting glanced down at the sword and sneered, but before he could say anything, Rogue interrupted.
“If you’re not here to fight,” Rogue asked in a neutral voice, “then why are you here?”
Kagura looked over and spotted Yukino behind Rogue. Kagura smiled and held up a hand in a greeting. “Yukino. I’m here to pick you up.”
“Huh?” Yukino gently handed off Frosch to Rogue before joining Sting and Kagura by the door. She quickly realized that a small crowd of her guildmates had stopped to watch the situation, and she could feel her face heating up under all the attention. How embarrassing to cause such a scene. "Um, what's this about?"
Kagura stared blankly at her. "I told you before that I take my bets seriously. Didn't I tell you that your life belongs to me now?"
A warm hand clamped down on Yukino’s shoulder. "Like hell it does," Sting growled.
"I'm not insisting on her joining a decent guild," and there was definitely a fire in her gaze when Kagura returned Sting's glare, "but I insist on taking her to tea. I don't think that's unreasonable. What do you say, Yukino?"
Yukino glanced worriedly between the two powerful mages. Surely they would not come to blows over someone as inconsequential as her. Rogue lingered nearby, and despite the way he held Frosch in front of him, he leaned forward on light feet as if prepared to leap into action. Was he actually worried about her, or just the potential bloodshed if she refused to go?
Yukino had to fix this before things got out of hand.
"It's okay." She patted Sting's hand where it rested on her shoulder. His expression softened when he looked at her, a silent question in his face. "She won’t hurt me.”
“Of course not. You have my word.”
“Maybe we can go to the coffee shop around the corner?” Yukino suggested. “It's in walking distance and has a wonderful lavender-honey blend."
"I trust your judgement." Kagura gave her a curt nod before turning to Sting with a smirk. "Don't worry, little tiger. I'll bring her home in one piece."
Sting looked ready to deck her whether she was a girl or not, but Rogue stepped closer and murmured something too low for Yukino to hear. Sting relaxed marginally and released his grip on Yukino’s shoulder. "Fine. Don't let her bully you into anything."
Yukino smiled. "I won't. I’ll bring you back some of those cookies you like."
Sting turned away, but he rubbed the back of his neck, the way he did when he was embarrassed. Rogue returned Yukino’s smile. “Have fun,” he said. “We’ll see you when you get back.”
“What a delightful little shop,” Kagura said. She sipped her black tea from a delicate china teacup. “How did you find this place?”
Yukino cupped her own tea in her hands. She was almost too nervous to drink it, but she hoped the lavender scent would calm her down. “Oh, um, it was Min-- never mind.”
Kagura glanced around the shop with its little bistro tables and the bakery display full of scones and iced sugar cookies. “Minerva brought you here? It’s okay to say her name. I’m not one to fear the mere mention of an enemy.”
“Enemy?” Yukino gulped. Maybe she should not have been so quick to assume Kagura had come as a friend.
Yet Kagura continued to sip her tea and watch the people lining up at the counter for their drinks. She gave Yukino a gentle smile. “Yes. Are you so surprised by that? After all, Minerva tortured my dear friend. Millianna was, and is, under my protection. I do not easily forgive those that would harm the dear ones that I protect.”
“Is that why you’re here?” Yukino asked. “You want to get even with Minerva?” That would have been impossible, anyway. No one had seen or heard from Minerva since they left Crocus.
“No.” Kagura tilted her head. “I thought it was obvious. That wager made me responsible for your life. Now I want to protect you, too.”
“What?” Yukino blushed. “Oh, um, that’s not necessary…”
“It is.” Kagura set down her teacup. “So, how is everyone treating you at your guild? I still can’t believe you returned to Sabertooth after everything they put you through.”
Yukino wanted to sink into the floor. “F-fine. They’re all nice to me.”
“That sounded convincing.”
“No, it’s true.” Yukino stared into her cup. “Sting, um, talks to me now. He asks for my advice. And Rufus asked me to go on a job just last week.”
“And your shadow?”
“What shadow?”
Kagura lifted a finger and pointed out the window at a small shrub, one of those bushes used to add greenery to the street. It took Yukino a minute to realize that its shadow was cast in the wrong direction for this time of day.
“I thought he’d be stealthier,” Kagura said.
Yukino was mortified. Did Rogue not trust her? Did someone put him up to this? Did the guild think she was leaving them? A dozen thoughts flashed through Yukino’s mind, all of them leaving her eyes watering.
“Excuse me.” Yukino pushed her chair back. “I’ll only be a minute.”
Brushing aside the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks, Yukino rushed outside to confront the shadow dragon slayer. Between the time she walked out of the coffee shop and the time she reached the shrub, Rogue had materialized from the strange shadow.
“Are you okay?” he asked. “She’s not really bullying you, is she?”
Yukino glared at him. “Of course not! What are you doing here, Rogue? Are you spying on me?”
Rogue frowned. “I’m watching your back.”
Yukino’s anger vanished in an instant. “What?”
Rogue folded his arms. “Of course I’m here to watch your back. Kagura’s strong, and known to hold a grudge. Did you really think we’d let you face her alone?”
“Oh.” Yukino tucked her arms around her own stomach. “Well, thank you, but I’ve got this under control. Really, she’s here as a friend.”
Rogue looked at the shop. Behind the window, Kagura waved. “You’re sure?”
“She said she wants to protect me.” Yukino could not help smiling. “She wanted to make sure everyone at Sabertooth is treating me well.”
Rogue stared at her. “... and?” he asked.
“And I’m going back inside now,” Yukino said. “Go tell Sting that I’m okay, and tell him I’m not rewarding this kind of behavior. He can forget those cookies.”
Rogue laughed. “Have fun,” he said again, and disappeared before she got back to her seat inside.
“So where were we?” Yukino asked.
Kagura smiled. “You were telling me about your friends.”