Ember of the Starry Sky

The stars were already peeking through the deepening twilight as Yukari, Gray, and Cana prepared to head back to the guild. Cana was finishing the last of her bottle, and Gray was predictably shirtless, much to Yukari's chagrin.

"Do you own a shirt, or is this just your thing now?" Yukari asked, side-eyeing Gray.

He grinned. "Jealous?"

"Of hypothermia? No thanks."

Before Gray could retort, a familiar voice broke through the banter.

"There you are, Yukari. Let's go."

Hinote stood nearby, her golden eyes gleaming faintly in the dim light. Her arms were crossed, and a smirk tugged at her lips.

Yukari blinked in surprise. "You came to get me?"

Hinote stepped closer, gently ruffling Yukari's hair. "Didn't I tell you? I'm your mother now. Isn't it normal for a mother to fetch her idiot daughter?" Her smirk softened into a warm smile, one so genuine that it caught Yukari off guard.

"W-Who's an idiot?" Yukari stammered, swatting Hinote's hand away, though her face flushed slightly.

"Let's go home, brat," Hinote said, ignoring Yukari's protests as they walked away, leaving Gray and Cana laughing behind them.

The walk home was peaceful, the cool night air carrying the sounds of distant crickets. When they reached the small house they called home, Hinote closed the door and turned to Yukari with an unusually serious expression.

"Hold on a second." Hinote reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper.

Yukari leaned closer, her curiosity piqued. "Wait… isn't that the flier for our first mission? Why do you still have that?"

Hinote didn't answer immediately. Instead, she snapped her fingers, and a wooden board materialized on the wall. She approached it and carefully pinned the mission flier in the center.

"What are you doing?" Yukari asked, crossing her arms.

Using her magic, Hinote etched the words "First Mission with My Idiot Daughter" under the flier. She stepped back, admiring her handiwork, a satisfied smile on her face.

Yukari stared at the board, her initial annoyance melting into a small, reluctant smile. "I didn't know you could do something sentimental like that."

Hinote smirked and pinched Yukari's ear. "Don't get used to it. I'm only nice once in a blue moon."

"Ow! Let go!" Yukari whined, trying to swat Hinote's hand away.

Hinote finally released her, laughing as she headed toward the kitchen. "Go sit down. I'm making a feast tonight to celebrate your first mission."

The table was soon filled with a spread that made Yukari's mouth water. There was roasted meat seasoned with spices that smelled like pure heaven, a giant loaf of crusty bread still warm from the oven, a pot of creamy soup filled with chunks of vegetables, and a platter of golden pies with steam wafting from their tops. For dessert, Hinote presented a stack of pancakes drizzled with honey and topped with whipped cream.

Yukari's eyes widened. "You made all this?"

"Who else?" Hinote said, already piling food onto her plate. "Dig in before I eat your share."

Yukari didn't need to be told twice. They ate until their stomachs felt like they might burst, laughing and joking the entire time. Hinote, surprisingly, was in a great mood, even teasing Yukari less than usual.

As the night wore on, Yukari leaned back in her chair, patting her stomach. "That was amazing. Thanks, Hinote."

Hinote smirked. "Don't get sappy on me now. Go to bed, brat. You'll need your energy for tomorrow."

The next morning, Yukari woke up to an empty house. She stretched, yawned, and wandered into the kitchen, where she found a plate of breakfast waiting for her. Next to it was a folded note with a kiss mark on the corner.

"Good morning, my idiot daughter. I'll be gone for two days for something important. Don't worry too much about your beloved mother. I've already told Makarov, and he'll look after you. See you soon. - Hinote"

Yukari stared at the note, her lips twitching into a small smile despite herself. "Idiot daughter, huh? Real original." She sat down to eat, the kiss mark still lingering in her thoughts.

After finishing breakfast, Yukari headed to the guild. She was just about to push open the heavy doors when they swung outward abruptly, slamming into her.

"Gah!" Yukari yelped, stumbling back.

The impact wasn't enough to knock her over, but it stung. She rubbed her shoulder, glaring at the person responsible.

He stood there, looking down at her with sharp, unimpressed eyes. His spiky blonde hair and headphones gave him a cocky, almost rebellious air. He was wearing a casual, brownish-yellow top and exuded an aura of arrogance.

"Move," he said flatly, his tone dripping with disdain.

Yukari blinked, startled by his rudeness. "Excuse me?"

"You're in the way," he repeated, stepping past her without so much as an apology.

Yukari turned to glare at his back. "What's your problem?" she muttered, but he didn't even glance over his shoulder.

Shaking her head, she pushed open the doors and entered the guild, still fuming. Cana and Gray spotted her immediately and came over.

"Hey, Yukari," Cana said, taking a sip from her ever-present bottle. "You okay? You look pissed."

"I ran into some rude guy outside," Yukari said. "Spiky blonde hair, headphones, acts like the world revolves around him. Who is that?"

Gray winced. "Oh, no. You ran into Laxus?"

"Who?"

"Laxus," Cana said, leaning in conspiratorially. "Makarov's grandson. Big ego, thinks he's better than everyone else, and doesn't have time for 'weaklings.'" She made air quotes around the last word.

Gray nodded. "Yeah, he's… not the friendliest guy. Just steer clear of him if you can."

Yukari crossed her arms, scowling. "Great. Just what I needed a jerk with a superiority complex."