Ember of the Starry Sky

The house was quiet, save for the soft crackling of a fire Hinote had conjured in the fireplace. It was their first night in the new home, and Yukari couldn't shake the odd feeling of comfort mixed with confusion that had settled over her since they arrived.

She sat at the dining table, arms crossed, watching as Hinote moved around the kitchen with a grace that didn't match her usual over-the-top personality. The phoenix was cooking, of all things. Yukari couldn't help but stare in disbelief.

"Where did you even get those ingredients?" Yukari asked, her voice dripping with skepticism. She had seen Hinote pull a loaf of bread, vegetables, and even a fresh fish seemingly out of nowhere.

Hinote waved a hand dismissively, not even looking back as she diced some carrots with expert precision. "Oh, you know. Phoenix things."

"That's not an answer!" Yukari snapped, narrowing her eyes. "Are you telling me you just conjured food out of thin air? Is there some kind of cosmic grocery store for magical beings?"

Hinote chuckled, her back still turned to Yukari. "Something like that. Let's just say I have... connections. You'd be amazed at what centuries of living can get you."

Yukari groaned, leaning back in her chair. "You're impossible."

"And yet, here I am," Hinote shot back with a grin, finally turning to face her. She tossed the chopped vegetables into a pot and gave it a stir, the smell of simmering broth filling the air. "Dinner will be ready soon. You can thank me later."

Yukari stared at her, feeling a knot tighten in her chest. This was so... domestic. Not what she expected from a magical, immortal bird-woman who had been her mentor and tormentor for the past five years. The contrast between the image of Hinote breathing fire and this version of her calmly cooking was jarring, to say the least.

And then there was the thing that had been bugging Yukari all day. She had tried to ignore it, but it kept gnawing at her, and she couldn't hold back anymore.

"Hinote," Yukari started, her voice more serious than she intended, "why did you tell Makarov that you're my mother?"

Hinote froze for a moment, her hand hovering over the pot. Slowly, she turned to face Yukari, her playful expression softening. "Ah... that."

"Yeah, that," Yukari said, leaning forward, her eyes searching Hinote's face. "You're not my mother. You're not even human. So... why say it?"

Hinote was quiet for a moment, her golden eyes flickering like the flames she commanded. She leaned against the counter, crossing her arms as if she were bracing herself for something. "Why does it matter to you?"

"Because it's weird!" Yukari blurted, the frustration bubbling to the surface. "I've known you for five years, and you've never once said anything like that. You're always going on about how you're this ancient, powerful phoenix, and now, suddenly, you're claiming to be my mom? It doesn't make sense!"

Hinote sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "I didn't mean to confuse you, Yukari. It just... slipped out."

"Slipped out?" Yukari echoed, incredulous. "You don't just accidentally tell someone you're their mother, Hinote. That's not a thing people well, phoenixes do!"

Hinote chuckled softly, though there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. "You're right. It's not something that just slips out. I guess... I just thought it made sense in the moment."

Yukari blinked, her frustration starting to mix with confusion. "Made sense? How?"

Hinote stared into the fire for a long moment before speaking. "I've been with you for five years now, Yukari. I've watched you grow, struggle, and fight to control your magic. I've seen you at your lowest points and your highest. And... somewhere along the way, I guess I started to feel protective of you. Like..."

"Like what?" Yukari pressed, her voice quieter now, unsure where this was going.

"Like family," Hinote admitted, her voice soft, almost hesitant. "I've been alive for so long, Yukari. I've seen so much, done so much. And for the longest time, I thought I didn't need anyone. That being alone was just... part of being who I am. But then you came along, and..."

Yukari's heart clenched. "And what?"

Hinote sighed again, running a hand through her fiery hair. "And you reminded me what it's like to care about someone. To look out for someone. I'm not your mother, Yukari, not in the way humans think about it. But in my own way, I... I feel responsible for you. Protective. Like family."

Yukari sat there, stunned into silence. Hinote was always so brash, so confident, so full of herself. Hearing her speak like this, with vulnerability and sincerity, was... unexpected.

"I don't need protection," Yukari mumbled, though her voice lacked its usual fire. "I can take care of myself."

"I know you can," Hinote said softly, her golden eyes locking onto Yukari's violet ones. "But that doesn't mean I can't look out for you. You've become important to me, Yukari. More than you realize."

Yukari felt something tighten in her chest, an emotion she wasn't used to. Hinote had always been a mentor, a teacher. Annoying, sure, but also... dependable. A constant presence in her life. And now, she was saying things that Yukari wasn't sure how to process.

"You're... serious," Yukari said, her voice small.

"Dead serious," Hinote replied, a small smile playing on her lips. "I'm not saying I'm going to start tucking you in at night or baking cookies well, maybe I'll cook sometimes but I care about you, kid. More than I thought I would."

Yukari swallowed hard, trying to process what she was hearing. "I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything," Hinote said with a shrug, turning back to the pot and giving it another stir. "I just wanted you to know. That's why I said I was your mother. It was the easiest way to explain what I feel. Even if it's not... completely accurate."

Yukari stared at the back of Hinote's head, feeling her chest tighten with emotions she wasn't ready to deal with. She had spent her whole life being rejected, being shunned. Her own parents had despised her, feared her magic. And now, here was Hinote, this immortal, snarky, overconfident phoenix, telling her that she cared.

It was... overwhelming.

"So, what?" Yukari said, trying to lighten the mood even though her voice wavered. "You're my overbearing bird mom now? Gonna start lecturing me about bedtime and eating my vegetables?"

Hinote laughed, a real, genuine laugh. "You wish. I'll leave the vegetable lectures to someone else. I'm more of a 'push you into dangerous situations to toughen you up' kind of parent."

Yukari snorted. "Yeah, that sounds more like you."

There was a comfortable silence between them after that, the crackling of the fire filling the room as the smell of the stew Hinote was cooking wafted through the air. Yukari sat back in her chair, staring at the purple Fairy Tail mark on her arm and thinking about everything that had just been said.

"Thanks," she mumbled after a while, barely loud enough for Hinote to hear.

Hinote turned her head slightly, giving her a sidelong glance. "For what?"

"For... being here," Yukari said awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck. "For sticking around. Even when I was a pain in the ass."

Hinote smirked. "You still are a pain in the ass."

Yukari rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. You're not exactly easy to live with either, you know."

Hinote grinned. "That's the spirit."

As they settled into the evening, the warmth of the fire and the smell of the food wrapping around them like a comforting blanket, Yukari felt something she hadn't felt in a long time peace.

She had a home, a guild, and, apparently, an overprotective phoenix mother-figure.

Life was... weird. But maybe, just maybe, it was good too.