❖ PAST TROUBLES ❖ (P/Mura)

Magnolia Town wasn't Ahote's favorite place to go, nor was it the safest, but he'd sometimes go regardless for things relating to business. One of these places was a Midian Bar and Grill called "Touya's Bar & Grill". Not only was their food good, but so was their owner—Touya Mikuzaki. In fact, Touya and Ahote had some brief history together back in Basilisk Fang. They both dealt in the black market and would sometimes conduct business together. Despite both of their unsavory pasts, they both have abandoned that lifestyle for restaurants like his and Boomslang. Ahote was certain that Touya has completely embraced his restaurant as his new way of life, but Ahote still had much involvement with "unsavory practices."

The chiming of a small bell rang throughout the grill as Ahote walked inside and sat at the bar counter. He was wearing his usual vest-suit in traditional colors, and was overall dressed far more formally than anyone else here. There were many groups of older men and women drinking sake and eating meat from their own booths and were belligerently loud as they ate and drank. He never quite liked to come here, but often is given things by Touya each time he stopped by—so he stopped by.

The bartender asked him what Ahote would like, be he did not answer the question. Instead, he requested Touya. The bartender nodded and went to go fetch him, leaving Ahote at the very end of the counter, waiting patiently.

While Ahote was waiting patiently for Touya at the bar counter, the energy in the room somehow shifted. It felt like the chatter died down if only for a moment, and the rowdiness of the crowd paused. When Ahote peeked over his shoulder to investigate, he could hardly believe what he was seeing! His eyes quickly widened and sharpened into a bitter glare in seeing his Uncle Mura, suddenly recalling what Mythica said to him before: "Do forgive me if I'm wrong, but do you think this will be it? Alone in this haven of your own creation? The former guildmaster of one of the most feared guilds in the kingdom... Selling his life away piece by piece?"

What Mythica said to him that day stayed with him ever since. Staying inside Boomslang only made him ornery, and he had been going from place to place since Mythica stopped by. Thinking about it only aggravated him and made him feel uncomfortably self-conscious. But seeing his Uncle Mura sitting there, probably enjoying his day out to eat in Touya's grill—it only made chest hurt even more. But this was a possibility Ahote didn't completely outrule—running into one of Fairy Tail's sorcerers. This was their town, after all, and there was so many of them at that.

As Mythica's words rang in his ears, he found himself unable to keep himself from approaching his Uncle Mura. He wondered if Mura still had any attachment to that title. Or maybe it was just Ahote who saw some family in him for all these years? They weren't biologically related, but he was always present in his childhood, and he considered many of the men and women in Fairy Tail to be his Aunts and Uncles to some extent. But even after all this time, was he the only one who hadn't moved on? Was he the only one who felt bitter from something that happened to long ago? Did Mura even remember that even he was once one of Fairy Tail's kids?

"Hello." Ahote started, realizing that by the time his thoughts were about to swallow him up, he was already next to Mura, "Do you mind if I join you?" he smiled placidly. His smile was sad and suppressed, like he was keeping himself from frowning or glaring maliciously towards his Uncle. Ahote hovered over him, waiting for his answer. He wasn't sure how Mura would react to seeing him in such a commonplace setting, but he was prepared for that worst.

Ahote continued to smile warmly as Mura addressed him, taking a seat when he welcomed it. He didn't seem any different according to Ahote's memory. His attire and appearance might've changed depending on the day, but he still had a friendly air to him. He still appeared to be the same Uncle Mura in his memories. But could he say the same about Ahote?

He had changed a lot since he was taken from the guild, and probably not for the better. He had taken lives, ruined them, and missed opportunities that could've changed his own. He became the heir to and Guildmaster of one of the most formidable and infamous guilds in history, lost comrades because of choices that weren't his own, and was abandoned countlessly. Famine died and Sol left him for a life probably better than the one at Basilisk Fang, and even the people he hated most were no longer even part of Fairy Tail. It seemed like everyone moved on to something better—except for him, and Ahote couldn't bear it.

Ahote's smile disappeared as the thoughts swallowed him, staring down at the countertop with a melancholy sense of longing in his gaze. He felt indignant and didn't even acknowledge Mura sitting next to him for only a brief moment. It wasn't until he realized this that his gaze snapped back to him and his smile reappeared.

"Can I ask you something, Mura?" Ahote started. There were many things he wanted to say to Mura, and an even bigger litany of names he wanted to call him. But his thoughts depressed him too much to muster up the anger. "Would you laugh if I told you I wish things turned out differently?"

Was Mura disappointed in what became of him? Was he no more than a villain now? Ahote knew that he and Mura were never especially close, but there were few people in the world who could even recall what happened to Ahote so long ago. Was he the only one still burdened by it? The more he thought about it, the heavier his head felt. Was it silly to wish for things to have gone differently? For him to, maybe, have not gone out into the woods that day and stayed home? Would he have been so alone like he was now?