Chapter Text
Mirajane was feeling uneasy, to put it simply.
Ever since she'd reawakened her magic, and by consequence, all of her demons, her body and mind felt quite off. She was never one to normally slip up her cheerful appearance, but there had been flickers here and there. A low growl of annoyance at something trivial, the itch to dig her nails into the countertop, an urge to fight. Satan Soul was always yearning for combat deep beneath her skin once Mira had taken control of it, and now was no different. Suddenly, Mirajane felt like a helpless young teenager again, struggling to get a hold on her Takeover magic and trying not to hurt her allies.
Don't keep us locked away again.
A deep voice whispered in the depths of her mind, and Mirajane tried not to drop the glass she was holding. It had been two years since Lisanna's death, and two years that she had willingly (or perhaps unwillingly) sealed her demons away. Two years of silence, of no dark voices whispering and yearning for violence, for combat, for something. Something Mirajane definitely couldn't provide now, given her state as a retired S-class wizard.
She liked being a barmaid. She liked smiling at her guild mates, waving them off when they took on jobs and wishing them well.
What she didn't like was her Takeover magic starting to manifest itself when she wasn't fully aware of it. Satan Soul was nearly clawing itself free of her skin at any given moment, trying to disobey the hold her body had over it. When gentle hands cupping a glass to rinse it turned into clawed gauntlets, Mirajane nearly dropped the glass in shock, letting out an involuntary gasp at the sight and quickly dunking her hands into the water. Her brow tensed as she noticed someone approaching her from the corner of her eye, just hoping it wasn't anyone too observant.
But of course, Erza Scarlet wasn't anything but an occasional thorn in her side. It must be lingering parts of their rivalry as teenagers that made Erza notice too much about her.
“Mirajane, are you alright?” Erza asked calmly, though there was a slight hint of worry in her expression. Maybe Mira was also too observant of her former rival, as no amount of stone-facing Erza did would hide that little hint of worry in her eyes. They were softer, for once. Deep brown eyes gazing at her like they could pacify any demon gnawing at her mind. If only…
“I'm alright, Erza.” The barmaid replied with a slightly softer tone than necessary, before her eyes flitted down to her hands beneath soapy water. She could feel her fingers twitching, and her gaze turned a little dark for a moment as she tried to force Satan Soul back. Just for a second as those claws vanished, but it was long enough for Erza to notice something was not entirely right with her friend.
“Mira, you're a terrible liar. I mean come on, we used to spar all the time and-”
“Erza, I said it's fine.”
Mirajane had silenced her so quickly that the redhead really didn't know what else to say, so she just gaped at the white-haired barmaid for a moment with a shocked expression. Mira never really snapped like that after Lisanna had died, if you could really call that snapping.
Erza knew it, though. Knew what was wrong. Because for all the attempted hiding that Mirajane was doing, they'd all seen that intense blast of purple magic while they fought against Laxus and the Thunder Legion. It was dark, intense, and terrifying. Terrifyingly Mirajane. Even if the barmaid hadn't fought anyone in two years, Erza wouldn't just up and forget the magic of her greatest rival; that felt like an immense insult.
Mira, however, didn't seem pleased by her friend meddling in her affairs, ones that she was desperately trying to keep private.
“Mira, I know you used your magic a few days ago.” Erza said sharply, a bit more than she'd intended, and leaned a bit more against the bar counter to try and be discreet. They were in the middle of the guildhall, after all. And while others may have not known what that magic was, or who it belonged to, Erza certainly did. Mirajane turned to her almost fiercely and their eyes locked for a few moments, both unwavering and stubborn in their own rights.
“Erza, enough.” The barmaid warned, and while her voice was not aggressive in any way, the sharpness of her deep blue eyes was enough to tell what was currently being unsaid: Drop it before I snap.
Alas, Titania was very stubborn.
“Mira.. I don't know what happened to make you awaken Satan Soul again, but please, can't you confide in me?” Erza pressed, concern taking hold of her facial features once more. Sure, they hadn't necessarily been best friends before, but Mirajane was someone she cared about. Plus, Mira was exactly like her, stubborn to a fault and definitely unwilling to talk about this obvious issue. Unfortunately, Erza was already pushing at a dam that was splinters away from breaking, with the misfortune of not knowing how much this had been eating away at her friend.
“Erza. Please, enough!” Hearing the normally gentle voice turn loud and even a bit harsh was surprising, causing a few heads to turn and some chatter to quiet down. Lucy and Natsu stared with wide eyes, Gray and Juvia had stopped their strange antics, and worst of all, Elfman looked at her with worry. Mirajane saw all the stares directed their way, and her heart suddenly started to beat a little faster than it had been moments ago. She inhaled sharply and tossed her dish towel on the counter before walking away from the counter and disappearing into the pantry, her mind feeling muddled with thoughts and voices and even feelings she was certain didn't even belong to her.
Shouldn't have ignored us for so long, little imp.
Mirajane's shoulders felt tense as she listened to a voice that wasn't quite Satan Soul mutter in her mind. Sitri? Halphas? It had been so long since she'd used any of her Takeover souls, that they felt unfamiliar and strange.
“Be silent.” She warned, before sitting down on a barrel and trying to calm herself, covering her ears for a moment before starting to massage her temples. Mirajane had hardly raised her voice, let alone snapped at anyone since Lisanna's death. She prided herself on her ability to play the calm, sweet girl behind the bar. That image of herself was so far removed from how she used to be as a young teen; aggressive, mean, and mischievous. Always looking for trouble and fighting Erza, and.. Urgh. Just the thought of her made Mira’s fingers twitch.
It has been far too long.. Our powers have weakened significantly. Where have you been hiding all this time, cambion?
Mira gently ran a hand through her hair, listening to the quiet voices speak in her mind. This really felt like she was a teenager all over again. It seemed that either Sitri or Halphas had pacified Satan Soul for the moment, because the demon was no longer trying to jump out of her skin, literally and figuratively. She was somewhat surprised that her demons were able to acknowledge that she hadn't used their powers and forms in a long time, but then again, they had been just as much a part of her as she was to them.
“There was an incident.” She offered simply, and Satan Soul rumbled with something akin to disagreement. Mirajane knew she couldn't exactly shut her demons out anymore, not like she had after Lisanna had died. Though it had been somewhat involuntary, she had simply refused to use her Takeover magic after what happened to her little sister. It felt vile, wrong, like a sharp slap in the face to even want to use her magic after it had killed Lisanna. Even if it wasn't her fault, or Elfman's, she just couldn't do it.
……
Erza chewed her bottom lip as she watched Mira leave the counter with a mixture of emotions on her face, mostly frustration or maybe even anger at the forefront. She was suddenly overcome with an incredible amount of embarrassment, because she had clearly upset Mirajane and nearly every pair of eyes in the guildhall was fixed on her right now. The redhead cleared her throat awkwardly and decided to hop over the counter, before hurrying after her friend and searching for her. It wasn't like her now gentle, always smiling friend to snap like that. Worry clouded her thoughts at the notion that maybe Mirajane's demons weren't in control after being released after all this time, and that further fuelled her urge to find the white-haired barmaid quickly.
……
The strange redhead you are fond of is approaching. I'll spare you for now, little imp.
Mirajane narrowed her eyes slightly and looked down at her shoes. She guessed the deep, scolding voice belonged to Halphas. While she had never really had many chances to use that form, it didn't matter, because the blue-scaled demon was ever present in her mind before she shut her magic down. It seemed that her demons were.. Not happy about being suddenly shut off from her body and mind with little to no explanation, not that Mira could blame them. She just wished Satan Soul would stop trying to misbehave, because that seemed to be causing the majority of her strange quirks now.
Erza stumbled into the pantry, looking uncharacteristically worried, and Mirajane turned her head at the sound of her, a soft growl leaving her lips before she could stop it. Dammit.. I really need to control them.
……
“Mira.. I didn't mean to upset you like that, I just..” Erza felt awkward. Mostly because they'd never really had many heart to hearts, or apologetic conversations before. She searched the blue-eyed gaze of her friend, feeling like she could get lost in those intense pools of sapphire beauty. Though, honestly, the Requip wizard felt like she was already treading a thin line, and that made her feel nervous.
“You already know my demons are out again. What more is there to say?” Mirajane let out a soft sigh, and for once, her expression relaxed into something more worried. She was staring at one of her open palms, which was trembling slightly.
In a moment of something like foolish bravery, Erza crossed the space of the pantry and knelt on one knee before Mira, before taking her shaky hand in her armored one. Mirajane's expression went from tense and worried to shocked, and Erza thought that she saw a bit of a blush on her friend's cheeks. Maybe she was just surprised; Erza blushed all the time when she was startled or surprised!
“I can't pretend I can make you feel better right away, or make your demons be less intense.. But isn't there something? Don’t they like fighting? Please, Mira, I hate being unable to help you.”
……
If Mirajane didn't know that Erza was as dense as a rock and completely hopeless at anything even bordering on romantic, her heart would've done flips in her chest and her stomach would've been in knots at the moment. To be fair, they both were doing that right now, but at least Mira could try to have a better poker face than Erza. Her cheeks felt strangely warm as she looked down at Ezra's hand holding hers.
“Erza.. You can't really do anything. I sealed them away for two years, and they're restless. If I even so much as stop thinking for a second, Satan Soul is practically leaping out of me. I feel like I can hardly keep them calm, and.. I really don’t want to hurt anyone. I don’t trust myself.” The barmaid admitted with a softer tone, before meeting the Requip wizard's gaze again, feeling a bit more mushy inside. When had Erza become so.. Gentle, and observant of her?
They both stared at each other for a few more moments like that without saying anything, and she could practically feel her heartbeat increasing in speed with every passing second. Erza wasn't saying anything, but then again, knowing her, she was probably trying to come up with a thousand silly ideas to save the day or make things better. Mirajane felt an immense relief when the redhead finally stood up from her kneeled position, though they were still quite close together.
……
Seeing Mira so helpless and unsure of her magic again made something within Erza feel strange and upset. She wanted to help. She wanted to reassure her white-haired friend that things would be fine, that her demons wouldn't be acting out for much longer, that she was in control. When Mirajane looked at her like that, though.. She wasn't sure if anything she said could help. If anything she could possibly do would help.
That being said, maybe she could do just this one thing. With a racing heart and anxiety swirling around her mind, Erza let go of Mirajane's hand and leaned down with her arms open to embrace her. She could tell the other was quite surprised by the gesture, before reflexively returning it with hesitant hands.
Erza was partially aware that her own racing heart had nothing to do with Mirajane being upset, but rather the fact that she was hugging someone who she'd always been in very close proximity with. She remembered fondly how she and Mira would fight like crazy as young teens, destroying chairs and tables, pulling each other's hair and wrestling for dominance. It was more innocent back then, but as they both became a bit older, those fights started feeling a lot less violent and a lot more intimate.
Maybe Mirajane liked it as much as Erza had (she definitely had a penchant for teasing the poor redhead when they were fighting like that), or maybe it didn't mean as much and was simply a way to blow off steam.
A few years prior..
“You lose again, Scarlet.” Mirajane smirked, taking up residence on the upper half of her body and keeping her pinned to the floor. Erza stared up at her defiantly, but didn't bother trying to get up or push Mira away, knowing she'd probably just get mocked. Still, her heart was racing again, and she couldn't figure out why.
“Yeah, yeah. Now get off of me.” Erza rolled her eyes, her facial expression undoubtedly annoyed. Mira seemed to stare at her for another moment longer, before starting to laugh, and god, that sound made the young Requip wizard's stomach tie itself in a ball of knots. When did she start liking the sound of Mirajane, her greatest and ultimate rival, laughing? Feeling strange, Erza decided to push her off this time and brushed her clothes off quickly, huffing. “You won't win next time, Strauss.”
In present times..
Mirajane was definitely surprised when Erza leaned down and hugged her, almost a little too tightly for comfort at first, but she eased into it quickly and hugged back. While she wasn't quite aware of how utterly nervous her redheaded friend was, her demons certainly made her aware of how fast her own heart was beating. She halfheartedly told Satan Soul to quiet down in her mind, before letting go of Erza. She watched the Requip wizard sort of linger awkwardly after the hug ended, and Mira decided to take the opportunity to bring her a bit closer by standing up herself. Erza was a little taller than her now, making her need to look up in order to make direct eye contact. It wasn't like that when we were younger, she mused to herself. Mirajane always recalled being a little bit taller than Erza, and often used her slight height advantage to annoy her.
Erza was giving her this wide eyed stare at their extremely close proximity, and Mirajane couldn't help a soft chuckle, before her hands inadvertently found themselves on the redhead’s hips. “This feels like when we were younger, always fighting.” The barmaid smiled, and Erza could've sworn her insides turned into some gelatinous mixture at the sight of it. “You always needed to look up at me, remember?”
Mirajane didn't react when Erza bravely tucked a lock of silvery white hair behind her ear, though she did lean in closer as if on instinct. She wasn't quite sure what they were doing right now. Holding each other, being in an almost suffocatingly close proximity to each other, doing.. Things that they had never really done before. Had Erza changed this much that she was really making moves on her right now? Then again, Mira had definitely changed too, because if anyone had tried to be this close to her before, she would've probably punched them.
Anyone except Erza. Halphas reminded in her thoughts, and Mirajane felt her cheeks redden impossibly further.
Tired of waiting, and mostly wanting to end this sudden but familiar tension between them, Mirajane finally leaned up and pressed her lips to Erza’s. The Requip wizard stilled against her the moment they made contact, like she had absolutely no idea what to do, and Mira couldn't help but smile against her lips. It was so adorably Erza, to not know how to reciprocate a first kiss. Mira pulled away carefully, before bringing a hand to her friend's blushing cheek.
“Dont die on me, Scarlet.” She teased softly, before Erza tried to stammer out a response. Something along the lines of, "I'm so sorry” and other nervous apologies. The barmaid immediately felt the urge to roll her eyes, but suppressed it, because she realized she’d done something incredibly stupid. “Erza.. I kissed you, if anything, I should be apologizing. I.. It was a spur of the moment thing.” Mirajane averted her gaze shyly, feeling bad for potentially confusing her friend and cursing her own feelings for causing this awkward moment between them. She separated herself from the redhead, though that didn't do much to help poor Ezra's brain from its continuous malfunction.
“I'm sorry, Erza, I don't know what came over me..” The barmaid apologized again, feeling immensely remorseful for just acting without thinking. The consequences of her actions were suddenly a bit too real, and she bit her lip as she stressed what might happen with their friendship now. “You should go.”
Erza nodded, still looking shocked and flustered, before leaving the pantry, and Mirajane by herself. She decided she would blame her demons for making her act so impulsively.
Erza left quickly, trying to force her cheeks to stop feeling so hot, and vaulted the counter before practically marching over the quest board. She took a random one without even looking at it or inviting anyone to come along with her, leaving Natsu shouting in protest as the Requip wizard ignored them and left.
“Mira.. What was that about? Are you okay?” Lucy asked, her eyes wide and confused. She’d never seen stoic Erza react like that before about anything. The barmaid picked up her abandoned dish towel and began to wipe a still dripping glass that she’d laid aside earlier.
“It was.. Never mind. I think it was just a misunderstanding between us.” Mira offered politely, but inside, she was cursing herself at pushing Erza away from her unintentionally.