#ftrarepairs

Just a ways east of the invisible line was a great forest. He guessed that the boles being larger than a Vulcan was impressive, but that was far from what Gray was interested in. No, it was much farther than the dense shrubbery and vibrant fungus that lay under his feet. Greater than the oblique vines that raced down from the tree tops; stained with the sunny bulbs, threatening to bloom on this autumn day. 

He padded eagerly, grubby hands tearing past branches in search of the safe haven. Over the snapping of twigs and melodic chirping, the faintest trickling could be heard. His ears reached for the rush, greedy as he trampled over the forestry. 

It was clear as he swathed past the last of the trees,the trickling evolving into the heavy flow of a stream, one that was attached to the smallest of waterfalls. 

Gray leaped and bounded for joy, exclaiming aloud; just as any child would. The cloth that laid over his body, stripped seemingly all at once. The water called to him, singing its joy as he edged one toe into the water. 

To anyone but him, it would have been cold. But to Gray, it was more than perfect. The best way to start off his summer. 

Without wasting another moment he dived into the shallow pool. Beneath the water he was truly home, within this cooler atmosphere. A warmthless place but comforting all the same; tensions beginning to ease from the crystalline pool. Gray surged forward, propelling him lower into the pond, his hands opening wide for the slimy mud that lay on the bottom. 

As he resurfaced, he belted out a cry of victory and threw the two muddy globs up into the air. But as he was too late to notice, this screech startled the one who sat perched upon the embankment. A single feeble eye, staring at him in disbelief. 

Gray had never seen this girl before and he would certainly remember the voracious red locks of hair that crowned her head. And also the stark white eyepatch that covered her eye. She stood up straight, the lines in her skirt rumpled and tainted with the faintest green. The small dagger on her gleaming with portentous flair. 

He opened his mouth to speak only to close it as he began to get pelted with rain -rain? Just as he looked up, the worst of it came down. Each plop of the dirty substance running over every part of his face. Gray groaned in regret, wiping away the muck from his face. Swiping every possible nook on his head to get rid of the gross and slimy texture. 

Though it was far from amusing to him, the redhead stared with a smirk. Gray pouted, the mystery girl looking at him with pity. 

She held one hand out to him but he declined as he waded out of the water. “You shoulda said something, ya know? What if you were a bandit?” 

Her lips barely moved as she spoke. “But I’m not.” 

“But what if?” Gray retorted. 

“I’m sure a mage can handle themself.” 

His face was buried deep into his t-shirt, just the slightest confused. “How’d you know that?” She merely pointed to the dark blue emblem that sat on his chest. He looked away sheepishly, using the shirt to dry his hair. “Right.” 

There was a pause, the stream softly humming along with the chanting of the forest. He stood up straight, guessing she wasn’t much for words. “I can take you there-”

A sharp gaze shot across her features, as if she had been offended. Her shoulders drooping from their upset perch as she wrangled with the iron plate on her left arm. The leather strap snapping as she tore it off; revealing a tattoo that resembled his own. 

Gray knew it was rude to stare but he was yet again set in a state of confusion. The mark of Fairy Tail presented proudly to him -unbelievable. 

“No need,” she curtly stated. The chipped strap buckled back in securely, hiding the little blue fairy. It was a shame as he tried his best to proudly wear the mark of his guild. 

Gray scoffed as he pushed his own chest forward, presenting his own emblem. He took one step forward as she took one step back. He did it again, only for the same to happen once more. Internally he cringed as he realized that maybe Macao did know a thing or two about women: you could never intimidate them. 

It was a challenge he obliged to step down from. He ignored the girl, in favor of retrieving his clothing. His stomach churned as the skin of his back tingled with the warmest sensation. Every direction he turned, a wary sight following him. 

Gray ignored it to the best of his ability, hoping that the girl would leave him alone. Natsu and Elfman had already turned his day sour; no need to rot the good left. 

But her presence was bothersome. “This is my spot.” 

The girl didn’t respond as she plopped back down on the rock. Her hand held over the rusted handle of her dagger. The sadness that leached from her seeming to disappear. Gray ignored it, not one for sharing. 

Still he tried to be polite, “Can you leave, please?” 

Her chocolate stare proceeded on. What was she staring at? The rush of water cut into the tension Gray built. He grumbled and put his back to her, dipping his toes into the stream. 

Pretending like she wasn’t there, he began to splash around, making the biggest discrepancy possible. The redhead wouldn’t want to be here if he was annoying, right? It’s why he hated Natsu. And Elfman. Laxus, too. 

By the time he slid back into the water, his clothes had disappeared. The water thrashed this way and that, droplets rising high into the sky. Falling as a storm around him, brewed only by himself. But as each fell, ideas flooded his mind; ones only induced by his magic. “Hey,” he called. “Watch this!” 

The hum he felt through his body presented itself within the palms of his hands. A low drop in temperature as the water around his abdomen began to form into a state of solidity. Ice beginning to form and crinkle around his body, wading toward the girl. 

Her deterrent found as she rolled her eyes. Obviously not one for competition. “You think you can do better,” Gray taunted. If he won, she would surely go. 

The hand attached to the hilt whipped forward, her fingers beginning to dazzle and shine, flashing brightly. As the pazzazz faded, she held a scabbard. The blade was more lethal than the one strapped to her waist. 

Gray’s jaw dropped. Frustrated that he couldn’t hide his amusement; he thought he could win. A frown settling as his mouth closed, pressing his palms together. He couldn’t concentrate on the magic he wove around his fingers; a pressure building as he tried to sculpt the icy tendrils. 

A frigid whoosh sent him back into the pool. Unable to control his ethernano, Gray watched it skyrocket into the sky as a pillar. Gray hollered in delight, gazing upon the opaqueness of its thin stature. It stood as tall as the trees around them. Lacking in the width of size but he felt accomplishment. A large bout of it welling in his chest. 

She definitely couldn’t one-up him again. He poked his head around the pillar, quirking a brow. But his amusement didn’t pass on as she stood from her perch. 

The scabbard disappeared and so did the rusted dagger. Her hair flew about as she called upon her own recesses of magic. Ur said it was different for everyone but he could see the reach she had with her hands. The armor that encased her figure disappeared, warming his cheeks. 

Turning his head as his blush worsened. It seemed like everyone in Fairy Tail liked to run around naked. Maybe she was just a nudist? Gramps called him that before.

Another bright flash and she stood in modesty; casual clothing adorning her body. Her own cheeks red but not from embarrassment. She sat back down on the rock immediately. “I think I win.” 

Balling his fists, he crawled back out of the water. The girl squawked as he stood in all his unholy glory. Reacting with apologies and his own girlish squeak -clothes were a bigger annoyance than Gray's worst enemy, Natsu. 

"Sorry…" Was she the winner anymore? 

But introductions had to be done eventually. "I'm Gray. A ice mage and the best you'll ever meet!" 

She was unimpressed as she muttered, "An, not a." Gray's own annoyance rose and she held her hand out, "Erza. Requip." 

Requip magic; he sure wasn't fond of it, even the name. But Ur always told him to be open minded and to be nice to girls. Ur’s husband an example of a man he shouldn't be, but this girl really was pushing his buttons. 

Though the name had rung a bell. His true mother would read it to him but it was a man in the scriptures. Not a woman. 

"Erza," he echoed -not Ezra. 

A strange look proceeding he felt the sweat on his brow. Why couldn't she just leave? Gray wished to enjoy the creek without company. 

Gritting his teeth he clasped the empty hand. Giving the firmest shake possible but Erza's hand was much more tight. Wailing aloud as she continued to shake, enjoying his pain. "Ow! Uncle!" 

She pulled away immediately, meek as she stood. "Sorry." 

Pain aside, he didn't want to deal with this girl anymore. An unbridled cry as he stormed after his clothes. Sick and tired of people ruining his mood, "I hate you!" 

A single tear strained from her wavering eyes. Belting out her own comments of anger as she retreated into the forest. Guilt was already clouding his mind as he thought how disappointed Ur would be. 

The red locks bobbed as she dashed through the brush. Uncaring as her clothes caught on the snagging branches, gone in grace. 

---

“A k-k-kid?!”

It was the shock of a lifetime, well not really, but still a big shock for both Sabertooth mages, that the one who placed the S-Class job request was a girl who was a little over seven years old.

If Rogue couldn’t believe he had to suffer through that awfully long, quiet and awkward train ride next to the very aloof but definitely intimidating spatial mage, Minerva thought it was the rip-off of the century. It was an overstatement but she stood by it. Even scolding the unknowing but very much guilty-of-negligence administrative mage who should have been on top of this kind of things. And Minerva thought Rogue was meticulous. Apparently, mixed-ups like this one still got pass him.

But it wasn’t Rogue’s fault. That would be the last time he’d let Orga, that giant stupid, do administrative work at Sabertooth’s.

“Look, child. There must have been a misunderstanding. It’s–”

“What misdansding? Don’t you think I can pay? Because…” the young girl with the slanted, unbatting eyes stared at up the full grown adults as if they were equals, emptying a fabric pouch of all its contents. “I can pay as adent-iced (advertised).” She crossed her arms in front of her chest in a defiant manner. “And there’s a lot more where that came from.”

There was no mistaking; this human child was a brat.

“This is not about the jewels–”

“Kaname!”

The female servant behind the little defiant punk crouched behind her to take out a much bigger sac, turning it upside down to empty the rest of the jewels the requester promised.

“The Lord wanted me to tell you that he shall pay how much you demanded for Lady Rania’s every request.” The soft-spoken servant informed, excusing herself and returning to her post thereafter.

“So? Are you not up for the job?”

Minerva answered on their behalf, “Child, we are mages. We are not some kind of laborers who answer to your every whim.” She stated, matter-of-factly.

The way the two females were holding their grounds, Rogue couldn’t help but see a weird similarity between them. Looking closely, the two could even pass as…

“Fro thinks so too!”

“What? I didn’t even say anything!” Rogue pulled his Exceed aside, whispering-yelling his denial. Frosch, Rogue’s unhelpful Exceed, escaped from his grasp and dived into the pool of shiny jewels.

Tired of the fruitless stand-off, it was the young lady who attacked with a scoff.

“If only Fairy Tail didn’t disbarded.”

“It’s disbanded, you simpleton.”

“Well, yeah? What do you know, old dumpling lady!”

Even with such attack Lady Minerva’s maintained her calm and cold composure. The triple Cs. Or so thought Rogue. Because her impassive face winced into a dark, foreboding expression.

“Who you calling old, you pint-sized devil.”

If Minerva’s pride wasn’t receiving so much damage, Rogue would have clapped back at Sabertooth’s ace and laughed.

“L-l-lady Minerva, maybe we… we should t-take our leave.”

“Why would we?” Minerva answered Rogue with a coldness that sent chills down his spine. He noticed, however, that even though Lady Minerva spoke to him, her forest green eyes were trained at the plum-colored ones. “We are here for a job, after all. Right, brat?”

Lady Minerva was answered with a confident snicker and a conquering grin from such a young miss.

---

“Ojuo, please help me!” Rogue received a lashing; one that he was sure would leave a mark, for slipping out of character.

“Bad horsey!” Raina bounced on top of Rogue’s back.

“Fro thinks so too!” The Exceed agreed, holding on the young lady’s clothes.

Minerva didn’t heed his pleas and continued worrying about her painted nails, wondering if they needed recoloring.

“The young lady is right, Rogue. Animals do not speak.”

Apparently, he was alone on this job because the other lady wouldn’t help him even if he broke his back playing horsey with the kid. Even his Exceed, his own Frosch, abandoned him.

“Go, horsey!” pushed Frosch.

---

“Ojuo, why should I be the one to wear this?”

“I am the guest, you play the servant. Should I be wearing such demeaning clothes?”

“No, you are absolutely right. But–”

“–No buts, Rogue. Please play your part accordingly.”

Minerva took a sip out of the toy cup, pretending she was drinking tea with the young lady opposite her. She waved at Rogue, presenting her toy cup to him, asking for a refill. So did Raina.

Rogue was left to wonder, if they were such demeaning clothes, then how come he was to wear the maid costume?

“Fro would like some tea too!”

“Not you too, Frosh!”

Rogue felt a slight kick in the butt causing his body to jerk forward and towards the little Exceed, who had his eyes brimming with tears.

“Serve the cat. Don’t make it cry.” Minerva ordered.

“Y-y-yes, Lady Minerva.”

“The servants of today are a far cry from their precedors (predecessors).” Raina talked in a dignified tone, little head held high, and spoke like an adult. “Do you agree, Lady Minerva?” She raised her little toy tea-cup and touched the same with Minerva’s own with a clink.

“Absolutely, Lady Raina.” And Minerva was treating her like equal.

Maybe, she should, thought Rogue, if that little devil could pronounce her big words properly.

“Rogue, pour me another, will you? And you must act more self-conscious. You are a servant, after all.”

Rogue would have retaliated. But he gritted his teeth and stuck to the role.

“Y-y-yes, Lady Minerva.”

And Rogue couldn’t do anything but to play along – lest he wanted to be punished, which Rogue recently discovered, Lady Minerva has acquired a certain liking to.

---

“Child, my comrade here has satisfactorily done your bidding.”

Minerva pointed to the man drop-dead on the floor, his soul seemingly escaped him. His Exceed sat beside his lying figure, telling him he did well, as some kind of consolation.

“We now demand our claim so we can depa–”

“–No!”

“No?” Lady Minerva was taken aback at the utter display of defiance. The child has interrupted her far too many times today and she wasn’t going to release them yet after Rogue has suffered all through her unreasonable – yet very normal for a child her age, which Minerva didn’t know so she was sticking to unreasonable – demands. She ought to teach this girl once and for all.

“One more thing…” She said. “I want to go to the Festival.”

Her last request prompted the fallen shadow-dragon slayer to sit up, not over excitement but to react vehemently along with Ojuo.

“Festival?!”

“There is a Festival held in this town that Lady Raina always wanted to go to but couldn’t.” It was the loyal servant, wearing an identical maid outfit as Rogue, who explained to the pair of dumbfounded Sabertooth mages. “She couldn’t go because the festival is celebrated for parent and child.” Her soft voice turned to sad. “The Lord and the Lady could not make time for such trivial things.”

Minerva’s surprised eyes melted into pitiful. She knew more than anyone how it felt to long for a parent’s love. She had her father but the man couldn’t care less. He purposely deprived her that filial love because he wasn’t capable of loving a weak child. Minerva ambled towards Raina, whose once firm stare was now casted down on the ground.

“It isn’t trivial.” said Minerva. She put a hand at the back of Raina’s head, pulling the child against her slender body. The child protested, but Minerva kept her where she was, wanting to share with the young miss the warmth that Raina’s childhood was missing. “We will go if you shall desire.” She brushed Raina’s long, straight hair with her fingers until the young child calmed down and softened into her.

Rogue was pushed outside of the limelight. He and Frosch stood like outsiders as all they could do was watch from the sidelines while the scene unfold before their eyes. Rogue, too, wasn’t a stranger for the feeling of longing. He was orphaned at a young age but he had Frosch… he had Sting. He had Sabertooth. All this kid had was wealth and he knew better than anyone that material things weren’t that which mattered in this world.

Silence filled the room, save from the occasional hiccups coming from the small figure now hugging, holding onto the older miss. A few moments have passed until Raina found the courage to look up at Minerva, eyes wet with tears, and found her voice.

“Shall we go now, Mama?”

“Mama?!” Rogue slowly, and ever so cautiously, checked the ‘Mama’ in question.

Minerva didn’t react but she sure was rooted on the floor; the hand that was brushing the little miss’ hair was suspended in the air.

“If the Lady is Mama.” Frosch started, analyzing the situation. “Then Rogue is…”

Rogue is… mirroring the stunned expression Lady Minerva’s face was pulled into. They did look like a couple though – a couple of stiff woods.

---

There wasn’t anything special about the Festival, it was any as other, at least for Rogue. It wasn’t his first rodeo. But to the young, plum-colored eyes, it was a new world of wonder. A couple of food stands lined up at each side of the usually busy district. People were scattered all around, usually in groups of three, four or five. Laughters echoed all around the place, kids running around and about, pulling on a parent or two in all directions. Rogue learnt from the onlookers that the parade has just ended. What a waste, he thought. It would have been fun.

The little miss that took the lead was a far cry from that delinquent, spoiled brat that treated him so badly earlier, as if he was a peck of dust she could easily step on. Rogue was quite sure Raina would have grown into a fine young landlady who’d drive her entire household into slavery. But watching her now, eyes full of surprise and adoration, a timid smile was painted on his lips. The young lady was acting like a child, a 180 degree turn-around from that ‘pint-sized devil’, as Minerva called her, who bossed him around. She was pointing at everything, rushing toward every stall in the area, an equally ecstatic Exceed in tow. The Sabertooth adults fell behind, keeping an eye on the wondering child, who was looking so longingly at the red, round candy sold in one of the food stands. A girl younger than Lady Raina grabbed one before Rogue and the young miss followed the child with her eyes, watching her lick the side of the round candy.

Rogue belatedly noticed Minerva’s absence by his side. The lady had walked up to the child.

“Do you wish to taste one as well?”

Raina answered with a wide, toothy grin. Pure. Innocent. Like a child’s. A first from the young miss. The upward curve brightened by her excitement to taste the foreign sweet treat. The Raina didn’t even have to answer. Her cheerful smile said it all.

“Miss Minerva,” the lady servant in-charge of Raina interjected, scrambling for what’s inside her pouch.

Minerva put a hand over the servant’s, “It’s alright. I should pay for it since I’m this child’s… I’m her… ahmmm…” Lady Minerva wasn’t the kind of woman who gets easily flustered. Panic was perhaps not even in her dictionary. She was always composed. So, it was a first for Rogue to watch the lady under distress.

“Here you go, sir.”

As a man, however, society and his male pride dictated, Rogue should at least pay. The merchant plucked the sweet apple candy and offered it to the shadow-dragon slayer, who then crouched down to meet Raina’s gleaming plum eyes.

“Here you go, princess.”

Raina grabbed the treat and threw her little arms around Rogue, surprising the latter.

“Thank you, Papa!” She screamed, catching the attention of the people around.

“S-s-sure…”

Unaccustomed to his new role, Rogue could only stiffen under the people’s stare and murmurs.

“Fro wants one too!” begged the Exceed. That helped Rogue recover from his embarrassing state of shock.

The group continued on foot. The three adults lagged behind the young lady, who was bouncing excitedly as she licked the side of her newly discovered sweet treat. She tentatively stopped as another kid brushed by in front of her, heading to another couple that shared his hair color. The boy was about Raina’s age she guessed. Rogue noticed the young lady was looking at something. He followed the direction she was staring at. There he saw a young boy sharing his apple candy to a couple older than he and Minerva. Rogue shuddered with the realization that he just referred to him and Ojuo as a couple. He glanced at the unsuspecting spatial mage beside him, who also stopped to observe the young miss. He visibly sighed, thankful that Minerva’s powers did not include mind-reading.

“Papa?”

Rogue looked down at the owner of the pleading voice. The red round sweet swam into his vision. He peeked behind the apple candy and stared into big, round plum eyes. It took him a few blinks before he realized what Raina was attempting to do. He twitched. The young miss was imitating the boy she saw earlier, asking her ‘Papa Rogue’ to share with her sweet treat. Hesitantly, Rogue stooped down to meet Raina eye to eye. His smile was awkward and uncomfortable but somehow he had decided to commit to his role. It was fine, he told himself. Just a quick lick.

“I-it’s delicious, Raina.” He said.

The young miss jumped, happy about Rogue’s compliance. She turned to the other adult, the one she called, “Mama…”

But the other adult wasn’t as committed as Rogue.

“As if I’d violate my tongue with something that childish.”

That’s when Rogue realized that the saying was true. Kids were really manipulative little devils. Raina pulled an expression at Minerva, holding the older woman’s gaze without blinking. Rogue heard of the “puppy dog eyes” but Raina was on another level. Rogue was relieved that ‘look’ wasn’t directed to him because he might have melted instantly.

“C-c-cute…” He murmured.

Minerva, on the other hand, was stern. No one could force her to do anything. Not Ojuo – the Great Lady Minerva. The two fell into another stand-off, one where Raina was slowly winning as Rogue noticed Minerva breaking a sweat. The little miss was wearing the Ojuo down with the help of the townspeople watching and whispering behind her.

“Is she really going to ignore those eyes?” one said.

“If it was me, I’d melt already.”

“You, brat…” Minerva moved down to eye-level with the young miss, right beside the surprised shadow-dragon slayer, spewing protests under her breath. She was close, too close that he could smell the faint scent of her perfume – fresh and floral. Unexpected from the lady of Minerva’s image and stature – strong, independent, s-s-sexy…

Minerva brushed a few strands behind her ear and pushed her tongue out her stained-lips. Rogue panicked, realizing he was already gawking at Minerva’s unguarded action. His heart was racing at a speed that was new to him. He looked away, only to catch himself stealing glances at the spatial mage.

“Now, together!” Raina cheerfully ordered, giving the opposite feeling to the horrified Rogue. What the hell this kid was thinking, he thought. He was about sure the Ojuo would end this outrageousness this moment. Minerva, on the other hand, wasn’t as bothered by it as he was. She was already leaning in, although her attention was exclusively on the red treat in front of her. So Rogue manned up, so to speak, and bent toward the shared candy. It was the first time, Rogue realized, being that up close, that Minerva’s eyes were a deeper shade of green than he initially thought. He has never seen more beautiful round orbs than that of Lady Minerva’s – dark and captivating. They draw you in and never let you go… holding you captive until you get lost in their depths.

“Rogue, you’re staring. It’s rude.”

He always trusted his own eyesight but Rogue was having doubts because he has never seen Minerva’s pale cheeks turn a deep shade of pink.

“That’s my Papa and Mama!” came the chirpy compliments from the young lady clasping her hands together. “Onto the next!” Pulling the adults deeper into the festival, holding each parent on either hand. The shared red candy ended in the hands of Frosch who was left to the care of Kaname, Lady Raina’s caretaker.

“They do make a cute family.” She commented as she and Frosch caught up with the three, lips pulling into a bittersweet smile.

“Fro thinks so too!” the Exceed exclaimed, eyes shining for the two apple candies.

“I’ve never seen Miss Raina this…” Even Kaname couldn’t seem to let the word out. It was too foreign, too new that she had to test the word on her tongue. “happy.”

And it was the best word to describe the afternoon – happy.

Even Rogue had to admit he was enjoying the Festival. Ojuo, who always appeared cold and distant, had a pretty smile touching on her painted lips. Above all, Raina, the little devil was giggling all about, her childish laughters echoing throughout the streets, mixing with the cacophony of merry-making.

It wasn’t all fun and games either. There was a moment when he had to carry the small child, after she fell on the ground face-first. Raina bawled her eyes out, scraping her knee. Her cries grew louder when Minerva told her to stop the tears and not be weak. That sparked an unprecedented argument between Rogue and Minerva, with the former asking the Ojuo to be gentler with the kid and the latter claiming he was making the young miss weak by spoiling her. Rogue refused to back down and it wasn’t in Minerva’s nature to concede either; it appeared the ‘not a couple’ reached an impasse. Rogue didn’t see though, as he had his back on Ojuo, when the little devil Raina stuck her tongue out at Lady Minerva, claiming a win for her and her ‘Papa’.

That’s when Minerva realized she wasn’t so above sticking her tongue out too, to get back at the child. But Raina was so surprised at her mama’s unexpected childishness; all she could do was giggle.

Raina only allowed Rogue to put her down when they passed by a very long line of people waiting to be admitted inside what Kaname called a temple. The energized little miss, forgetting about her scraped knee, jumped out of Rogue’s arms, curious to see what the fuss was all about.

“I demand to come in!”

“Princess,” somehow along the way, Rogue stopped calling the little miss by her name. “if we wait for this long we might miss the other attractions.”

Raina puffed her cheeks, threatening to hold her breath until Rogue said yes. Minerva took that opportunity to, what the kids say these days, ‘hand him his ass’, telling him children should never be spoiled.

“If you allow me to interject…” Kaname began before the parents hit another squabble. “Lady Raina’s family is a major donor in this temple. I’m sure we can get in without having to wait for that long. If you just allow me to…” the caretaker looked around, searching for the people she could talk to about letting them in. Raina, smirked at her family’s influence, stared at her mother with smug in her plum-colored eyes. It wasn’t hard to believe the little miss was actually keeping score.

Kaname disappeared for a moment and came back with two guards following closely behind her. They led the trio into the temple and directed towards what looked like a dressing room.

“This is one of the temple’s best attractions. You get to wear a traditional garb and take photos.”

In a flash, Kaname was already holding four pairs of kimonos, presenting them to the family, “I already picked them for you.”

“She works so fast!” Rogue was surprised and slightly alarmed by it. The spatial mage, on the other hand, had a different reaction. “You are a very capable help, Kaname.”

“Thank you, Ojuo…” she replied, cheeks growing red from Lady Minerva’s compliments.

“Well, you went to all this trouble. Might as well begin.” Minerva took the traditional garment from her; the one that fits the lady of the house.

“Not so fast, Mama!”

Minerva spun around to see Raina balancing the smaller version of the traditional garment in her own little arm while the other pulled the panicking shadow dragon slayer along with her.

“Raina and Papa are coming too.”

“Men and women cannot share changing rooms, Raina.”

The young miss wasn’t listening as she and her Papa walked past the slightly concerned spatial mage.

“Actually, Ojuo…” the only person, who seemed to have all the knowledge today, corrected Minerva’s assumption. “because this place assume you are married… they only have a family changing room.”

There was a slight change in Minerva’s expression, one Kaname sensed as bothered.

“B-but… he can just wait until I get done.” She reasoned, holding her ground on society’s moral values.

“And hold up the line?” Kaname had this innocent smile on her face, which Minerva knew wasn’t so innocent after all, as her eyes followed the direction of where the helper was pointing towards – the long line of people waiting.

Sneaky little bi…

“Besides, who will help the Master and Lady Raina change into their Kimonos? That’s the duty of the wife, after all.”

The slight bother grew into a visible alarm.

“Mama!” Raina called after her, sticking her small head through the curtains. “Let’s start!”

That little devil.

The inside of the changing room wasn’t too crammed but neither was there room to move around. Minerva appeared unfazed but Rogue was sweating buckets, heart practically drumming against his chest. He glued himself at the wall opposite Minerva. And the kid? The kid was hellishly enjoying the dire situation she got the adults reeled in.

The faux family stayed quiet, save for the cheery little miss bouncing in excitement. When she finally noticed the awkwardness, a word she didn’t understand the concept of, Raina broke the silence.

“Mama should do Papa first.”

It was rather innocent but not to those who were listening outside the room.

“Oh my! Aren’t these young couples a little bold?” one blushing stranger commented.

“They’re not allowed to do that in there.” The guard who let them in warned the helper.

“It’s not like that…” Kaname denied, albeit nervously. How would she know what those two are up to? But for sure, they weren’t going to do any of that in front of Lady Raina’s young innocent eyes, right?

Well, the unknowing caretaker had another think coming…

“Ojuo! I can take my own clothes off.”

The overheard conversation scandalized few of the members of the crowd.

“Be quiet, Rogue! It is my duty, after all.”

Then the crowd outside heard some buttons unbuttoning and zippers unzipping.

Inside the changing room, however, it wasn’t as dirty as it sounded. Except for the horrified expression on Rogue’s face and the way he backed to the wall as if cornered by some ghost, everything else seemed normal. Minerva tightened the belt around Rogue’s waist, clasped her hands together for a job well done, even if the subject of her “job” seemed to have lost his soul for a moment. Rogue was sputtering, ‘I have no dignity’ and ‘How can I get married now?’ under his breath. As if getting dressed by the unflustered Minerva did some damage on his male pride. The woman didn’t even react when she saw him wearing the frog-printed boxers he had on.

“Who’s next?” There was a cocky air around the Lady, making someone conclude that maybe she was enjoying all of this.

“Me!” Raina raised a hand, matching her mother’s enthusiasm.

“Alright, my child!”

Rogue forced himself to recover from his embarrassing state of shock and helped his ‘wife’ dress their daughter. Ojuo should be his wife now that she has touched and dressed him, right? And she’s seen him practically naked too. So…

Surprisingly, putting Raina into her own little Kimono wasn’t such a struggle as compared to when Minerva was helping – forcing – Rogue into his own male traditional garments. The lack of protest and insolence was probably the reason.

“Now, my turn.”

Without warning, Lady Minerva dressed down into her intimates, practically half naked; her expensive clothes flying everywhere.

“Now, where’s that traditional garb?”

If Rogue wasn’t sure then, he had no doubts now… Lady Minerva had no concept of what a man and woman were. If she did, she should at least be shy around Rogue, exposing herself to the man, in just her black string bra and panty. Or did she not see Rogue as a man? The thought pulled his face into a frown. He was a man. Rogue was definitely, one-hundred percent a man. He might not have been with any woman but that didn’t mean the shadow-dragon slayer hadn’t of being with one. As a matter of fact there was one thought running in his head right now...

“Kya!”

Red eyes searched for where the scream was coming from. At first he thought it was Raina and that something happened to her. His initial worry was replaced with something else… something more primal.

“Rogue!”

Rogue was clad in heavy clothing but he couldn’t be mistaken about that familiar floral scent, the slender arms clinging desperately around his neck and those breasts pressed against his chest.

“There’s a spider! In the corner! A spider! In the corner. Why is there a spider in the corner?!”

“Mama?”

The spatial mage spewed incoherent words… or were they incoherent because he didn’t understand? His mind wasn’t processing her words because it was trained on something else… the perky, soft, pushed-together generos breasts juggling every time Minerva moved. He didn’t even blink! And no matter how much he told himself to look away, the shadow dragon’s eyes wouldn’t listen. They had a mind of their own, which was now telling him to touch them. He couldn’t, wouldn’t, shouldn’t! But his hands were itching to just…

“I killed the spider, Mama!”

Minerva let go of Rogue and huffed an air of relief.

“Thank you, Raina.” She walked over the little miss and gently patted the brave girl on top of her head. She was still oblivious of what her sudden actions did to the shadow-dragon slayer who was still glued against the wall. Rogue was grateful that Minerva was focused on Raina and the dead spider convulsing on the floor. But most of all he was thankful at the spider… a little sorry for his unfortunate fate at the hands – or feet – of little Raina but still grateful.

“Is Papa not going to help Mama?”

He couldn’t even move a muscle, how can he be of actual help?

“Are you okay, Rogue?”

Rogue’s widened eyes drifted down at the worried round orbs looking up at him. He hated making Frosch worry but that skinship rendered him inutile.

“I can manage, Raina.” assured Minerva, sticking her hands out of the wide, loose sleeves, as she and her daughter shared a ‘what is this man doing hogging the wall’ expression. After Minerva slipped into the traditional garb, finally placing the flower hair ornament to complete the look, she was ready to present herself to the world. Except that Raina thought there was still something missing – not her Papa still attached to the wall – nope. He was being weird, she concluded. She checked the ornament sitting atop her head only to realize what was missing.

“Mama! I want the dumpling hair too!” She exclaimed, pointing at the pair of buns on Minerva’s head. The spatial mage winced at the slight but innocent insult. Why do kids keep calling them dumpling was beyond her.

“Raina…”

“Raina demands that Mama do her hair too!”

Minerva’s initial outrage quickly dissipated and the menace on her lips was replaced with a gentle smile. “Alright, come here.” She invited and started on Raina’s long silky hair, which she absently noted, looked and felt just like hers. After Minerva was done with Raina’s hair, they both looked into the mirror. Rogue, who was finally over his shock and what that ‘episode with Minerva’s breasts’ did to his inexperienced body, stood behind the two splitting image of each other. Except for the color of their eyes, Raina looked like a smaller version of Minerva, with the same ‘Dango’ hairstyle Minerva was known for and identical Kimono’s, they could definitely pass as mother and daughter. A warm feeling swelled up in Rogue’s chest and he couldn’t help but wonder this must be how a man felt looking at his family.

Who even needed photos when the view of them inside that mirror was already picture-perfect?

“Look, Mama! Papa is finally back.”

He didn’t go anywhere but his soul did travel.

“Is he now?” Minerva gave him a smile through the mirror. A year ago, he wasn’t even sure if Minerva was capable of such gentle act. Her smiles used to be so evil, so menacing. But after that event in Tartaros, when she returned back to her family – Sabertooth – she was able to finally muster such a soft, innocent smile. “I guess it is time then.” She turned around to face Rogue, coming chest to chest with him with the small space forcing them to be so close. “It isn’t right to keep this room.” She told him, her voice lower than usual.

“Hm.” Rogue agreed thereafter matching her gentle smile with his own. “You’re right, Ojuo.” was all he said before picking up the curious Raina and then surprising Minerva with his sudden comfortableness. He held Minerva’s hand in his, carrying Raina in his other arm and led his family out into the open.

“Such a beautiful family.” The words traveled to every mouth present inside the temple. Kaname, who has never seen her Lady Raina in such high spirits, felt tears burning her eyes. “Great job, Raina-sama.” She whispered, letting the tears of happiness fall.

---