Talk of Crushes
Fandom: Fairy Tail ~Next Gen
Characters: Selby, Ethelinda, Sorano, Macbeth
Relationship(s): Sorano x Macbeth, Selby x Serpico
Words: 881
Rating: General
Selby twirled around the living room clutching the stuffed animal that Serpico got her close to her chest. Her laughter rang out like tiny bells as she spun, the oversized ears of the plush bunny flopping with every turn. “She’s adorable! Look mom, Serpico knows what my favorite animal is.”
“It be hard for him not too. You don’t shut up about your favorite things,” Macbeth chuckled from the kitchen doorway, arms crossed and a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I think even the neighbors know you like bunnies.”
Selby stuck out her tongue playfully at her dad, then turned her beaming face back toward her mother. “But he remembered! He didn’t have to, but he did! That means he really listens, right? Maybe he likes me and he’s going to ask me out soon!”
Sorano raised an eyebrow, lowering the mug of tea she’d been sipping. “Oh? And what would you say if he did?”
Selby froze mid-twirl, her eyes going wide. The plush bunny hung limply in her arms as she considered the question with sudden seriousness. “I’d say yes,” she said finally, her voice soft but certain. “Because he’s nice to me. And he’s funny. And he smells like cedarwood and cinnamon gum.”
Macbeth snorted from the doorway. “Macbeth,” Sorano warned lightly, though the corners of her lips curled with amusement. “Let her have her moment.”
“I am having a moment,” Selby huffed, resuming her dance but with a little more dramatic flair now. “And you two are ruining it.”
Sorano laughed gently, setting her tea down on the side table. “Alright, alright. We’ll stay quiet and let you enjoy your bunny-induced romance fantasy.”
Macbeth raised his hands in mock surrender. “No more commentary from the peanut gallery, got it. Just watching my daughter fall in love over stuffed animals and scent profiles.”
Selby ignored him, clutching the plush tighter as she swayed to a melody only she could hear. “He could’ve gotten me a cat or a fox or something. But no. He remembered the bunny. That’s… like, romantic.”
“Or he asked one of your friends and got lucky,” Macbeth muttered under his breath.
“Macbeth,” Sorano warned again, this time with a little more edge.
“I’m just saying,” he defended with a grin. “We’re talking about Serpico here. The kid has a good heart, but he’s not exactly Casanova.”
Selby flopped dramatically onto the couch, letting the bunny rest on her chest. “You’re both hopeless. If he does ask me out, I’m not telling you.”
As Selby walked through the streets of Magnolia with Ethalinda a few weeks later, the conversation from her living room echoed in the back of her mind. The bunny now lived in a place of honor on her bed, and Serpico hadn’t said anything yet—but he hadn’t stopped being kind, either.
Ethelinda nudged her with her elbow. “You’re smiling like you’ve got a secret. Spill.”
Selby blinked out of her thoughts and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Do I have to?”
“Yes. That’s literally the law of best friends. Come on.” Ethelinda flashed her a knowing grin, the kind that made it impossible to keep anything in for long.
Selby hesitated, she loved Ethelinda but would it be weird if she admit she had a crush on her brother? Ethelinda’s grin softened as she caught the shift in Selby’s expression. “Hey, you know you can tell me anything, right? Unless you’ve secretly committed treason or something. In which case, I still want the full story.”
Selby let out a nervous laugh, eyes flicking down to the ground as they walked. “It’s not treason. Just… maybe a little awkward.”
Ethelinda raised an eyebrow. “Awkward how?”
Selby chewed her lip, then said in a rush, “I think I have a crush on Serpico.”
There was a beat of silence, punctuated only by the rhythm of their footsteps on the cobblestone street. Selby braced herself for weirdness, or teasing, or… something.
But Ethelinda only blinked once before her face broke into a wide, smug smile. “I knew it!”
Selby gawked. “You did not!”
“Oh, come on,” Ethelinda laughed. “You hugged that bunny like it was dipped in fairy dust and whispered sweet nothings to it for a week. And you always get this dazed look when he talks to you, like you’re trying not to pass out.”
“I do not!”
“You absolutely do,” Ethelinda said, nudging her again. “But hey, I’m not mad. Serpico’s a good guy. Weird sometimes, but good. Just—promise me if you two start dating, I get veto power if he does anything dumb.”
Selby sighed with relief, the tension in her shoulders easing. “Deal.”
“Also,” Ethelinda added, smirking, “you’re going to owe me ice cream for not freaking out when you dropped the crush bomb.”
Selby laughed, the last of her nerves melting. “Fine. One sundae, extra fudge. But only if you promise not to tell him.”
“I won’t,” Ethelinda said with a wink. “But I might just nudge him in the right direction.”
“Ethy!”
“What? I said might.” They both laughed, the air between them light again. And as they strolled past shopfronts and families enjoying the sunny afternoon, Selby couldn’t help but glance upward, wondering if maybe Serpico was thinking about her too.
