"..." Master Makarov turned many, vibrant shades of purple and green before spluttering and yelling, "T-this is a real picture?!"

Mira nodded, her sapphire eyes earnest. "Yes, Master."

Makarov narrowed his eyes, and asked suspiciously, "How did you get this?"

Mira blinked innocently. "I just happened to pass by, and I wanted Lucy-san to do me a favor, so I knocked on the door. No one answered, so I wanted to make sure Lucy-san was okay. I opened the door, and I saw it just happen! I wanted you to see what was happening, so I took a photo so that you'd believe me."

Makarov, who obviously did not believe the oldest Strauss, sighed and stroked his beard. "How long?"

Mira looked confused, and bit her lip. "I have no idea!" she smiled deviously. I'll just have to do some digging, she thought.

Mira ran out of the Master's office, sprinted down the stairs, and grabbed Erza. "Look here!" she shoved the photo in Erza's face.

"What is this?" Erza asked, shocked.

"It's a picture I took!" Mira announced proudly.

"They were doing that?" Erza looked incredulous.

Mira nodded. "Yup."

"Eep!" Erza turned a bright vermillion.

"How long?" Mira asked impatiently.

"I don't KNOW!" Erza shouted, earning murmurs from the rest of the guild.

"Shut up!" Mira hissed. "I don't want people to know about this!"

Erza, who wanted to protect the relationship which had apparently budded between two of her closest friends, wisely shut her mouth.

"Let's find out! Help me, please!" Mira begged.

Immediately, Erza nodded. "Of course."

They snuck out of the guild, giggling softly as they pictured the blushing faces of their friends when they admitted to their private relationship.

"Come, Mirajane," Erza beckoned to a small, cozy house, "this is Lucy's house."

Mira scowled. "I already knew that, Scarlet."

Erza chuckled. "Rivals again, eh? Only when it comes to gossip are you bloodthirsty, Strauss."

Mirajane paled. "Sorry, Erza-chan."

Erza shook her head. "It's not an issue. I liked being rivals."

Mira heard voices and footsteps, and dragged Erza into a nearby alleyway so that they could eavesdrop on the passerby's conversation.

"Natsu, I'm sorry, but why did you do that?" Lucy asked.

"Look," Natsu answered sheepishly, "I didn't mean to go all crazy, it's just that... he bugged me."

"Well, evidently," she sounded annoyed, "but c'mon, Natsu! I haven't had a date in forever!"

"Look, I'm sorry, okay?" he dodged the subject.

"Ugh! Just- ugh! Shut up with the sorrys and answer the question!" Lucy threw her hands up in frustration.

"Sor- mmph!" Natsu was interrupted by a kiss.

"Shut up," Lucy hissed, wrapping her hands around his neck.

"Okay!" he led her into her house, and the echo of a door slamming reverberated around the surrounding area.

"Oh my Mavis!" Mira squealed. "Natsu is... jealous?!"

Erza was more concerned for her friends. "I guess so. But why do they do this instead of just having an official relationship?"

Mira was perplexed. "I dunno. Let's find out!"

She dragged Erza to the door, and rapped her knuckles on the wooden doorframe.

"Fuck!" Natsu swore.

"Who is it?" Lucy asked, disappointed at the disturbance.

"It's Mira!" Mira called.

"Oh!" Lucy hurried to the door, smoothing down wrinkles on her shirt and shoving flyaway pieces of hair down. "What do you want?" Lucy asked.

"Just wondering if..." Mira struggled to come up with a plausible excuse. "...you wanted to come to Lisanna's poetry competition?"

Erza nudged Mira's ribcage, and the take-over mage added, "I'm competing too, by the way,"

Lucy sighed, and answered, "Look, I'd love to go any other time. But," she stood in the space between the door and the inside of the house, "I'm busy right now."

Mira widened her eyes slightly and bit her bottom lip. "Okay, Lucy-chan."

She slumped down, tears welling in her eyes.

"I'll go!" Lucy exclaimed hurriedly. "I'll go listen to your poetry."

Mira beamed. "Thanks, Lucy-chan!"

Lucy slipped into the house, and Mirajane heard Natsu's groan of annoyance and Lucy's consoling.

"Yes!" she whispered excitedly to Erza. "This is all according to plan!"

Erza flipped her long, shiny hair, and replied haughtily, "Well, if it were my plan, it would be more efficient."

Mira grinned maliciously, making her scarlet-headed companion shudder.

Lucy stumbled out of her apartment, smiling dumbly. "Okay, I'm ready!"

Mirajane grabbed her arm and dragged her away, motioning for Erza to follow. The three women travelled halfway across Magnolia, before Mira turned on her heel and confronted Lucy, "What's up with you and Natsu?"

Lucy laughed uncomfortably. "Aren't we going to listen to poetry?"

Erza stared at her blonde friend incredulously. "You actually believed that feeble excuse?"

Lucy's eyes widened, and she stumbled backwards. "This was a ploy? Ugh, should've known."

Mira smiled malevolently before interrogating Lucy more. "Tell me!"

"No way!" Lucy squealed, attempting to flee the scene.

"No, you're not escaping!" Mirajane threatened to use her Satan Soul, and, suddenly, Lucy was a lot more cooperative.

"Okay, fine. It was about four months ago, on a mission. There was a ton of sake, and I mean a ton, and it just kinda... happened. Like, boom!" Lucy explained. "Um, I dunno about after that. Boom! Just kinda kept on happening."

Mira tapped her head, angered slightly by Lucy's inadequate explanation. "Any more?"

Lucy shook her head solemnly. "No, Mirajane."

Mirajane growled. Another plan foiled! She glowered at Lucy before grabbing Erza and stalking away, muttering something about torturing Natsu for information. Erza nodded, grinning. What a lovely day of torture ahead! Maybe she'd torture Gray, just for fun...

Lucy sweatdropped at her friends' attitudes, and snuck away.

Mira turned to say something to her blonde, Celestial Spirit mage friend, only to find her gone.

"LUCY HEARTFILIA! GET YOUR ARSE OVER HERE RIGHT THIS INSTANT!"

Lucy scrambled away, squeaking, "I'm screwed!"