Author's Note: Right now, I should be working on other things. But I'm not. I read the most recent Fairy Tail chapter, and I couldn't help it. I was literally incapable of doing anything else until this was made. It was like the opposite of writer's block, which, I have to say, is just as frustrating. Especially when you have homework to do, two other ongoing stories to write, and a freaking good book to read. But no. None of that could happen until this was written, damn it.

**WARNING! This contains MEGA SPOILERS for chapter 358 of Fairy Tail!**

You've been warned.

Dying in the Toxic Life
by: SmurfLuvsCookies

Fairy Tail was utterly silent.

Makarov paced outside the door of the guild's spare rooms, where Porlyusica was treating the members of the Raijinshuu, including Laxus, and Yajima. He had been in that state since Bisca had burst through the doors of the guild hall, screaming for someone to help, that the village had been attacked, that the Raijinshuu and Laxus and Yajima were poisoned. The guild had been a constant tempest of chaos, wave after wave of uproar as they beheld the blackened, ravaged bodies of the ill, as Fried choked out a concise story with his last coherent breaths, as they contacted Porlyusica and the Rune Knights. Wendy and some others wanted to help the village, but Makarov forbade it.

"Whatever this poison is, it goes after magic," he told them. "I'm not risking more of my children to that, not for the world."

After Porlyusica arrived, the guild went into a buzzing frenzy. She shut them off from the lives of their nakama. There was nothing to do but wait in the sober shadows of the guild hall.

The crowd went silent when the witch entered the apprehensive room, closing the door to the sickness behind her, and solemnly delivered her verdict. "They'll make it. But the damage from the magic barrier particles has clearly taken its toll." She sighed. "To say that it's a potent form of poison is an understatement—even a pinch of it is fatal in most cases. Whether they'll make a full recovery or not, I cannot say for certain. Laxus especially…the amount of internal damage he has suffered, by all accounts, he shouldn't still be alive."

A sob slipped from Mirajane's mouth and she quickly raised a hand to smother it. Lisanna slipped an arm around her shoulders to comfort her, biting her lip against her own anguish.

"You should know that the one with the green hair is awake," Porlyusica added. "He is willing to talk with you about the incident, though he is weak."

Makarov nodded and headed into the room. He was inside for a long time. When he emerged, he told the others Fried's story.

"Tartaros is responsible?" Lisanna whispered, shocked. "But why?"

"They were also the ones who attacked the Council the other day," Mirajane replied quietly. "It's possible that they were after Yajima-san, who was once a council member. Luckily, the Raijinshuu were helping him in his restaurant. Otherwise who knows what might have happened to him and to the village."

"How…how is the village doing?" Elfman inquired.

Mirajane bowed her head. "Hundreds are dead, and hundreds more are severely injured. Even those without magic are suffering. If Laxus hadn't…hadn't done what he did, the entire village would be annihilated, and perhaps even the next town. The medical guilds are still decontaminating the area. There's no telling how much destruction this demon from Tartaros has wrought." She looked up at them, eyes flashing like bright silver in the darkness of her face. "But I assure you, there are demons who aren't satisfied with the mercy of death. Tartaros will pay for this."

That day, everyone in the guild went into the sickroom to view the Raijinshuu, to give them their moral support and hopefully hasten their recovery. Lisanna didn't like it. The atmosphere reminded her of her parents' funeral procession, the quiet murmurs and the soft ebb and flow of viewers, the downturned eyes and fumbling hands. There were angry ones, like Natsu and Mirajane, but their wrath was too momentous for loud outbursts. It was a throbbing crimson undertow that only contributed to the despair.

Lisanna didn't know how to feel. She only wanted the others to stop suffering. She worked with Mirajane behind the bar, occupied the smaller children and, most of all, kept tabs on the news. As the death toll rose, her heart sank.

The gray crowd began to reluctantly disperse as evening came upon them. There was nothing they could do; Magnolia was on lock down since it was so close to the quarantined village. No one was allowed in or out without clearance from the Rune Knights.

"Where's Elf-nii?" Lisanna inquired as Mirajane began locking up. Now that she thought about it, he'd been mysteriously absent for a while.

Mira gestured toward the sickroom. Lisanna's mouth formed a comprehensive O. She hadn't seen him in the guild hall all day because he hadn't been there—he was with Evergreen. This must be hardest for him and Mirajane, especially, she thought. They remembered vividly the anxiety of the hospital where their parents died. Lisanna's memory was fuzzy and dulled from youth. This feeling must be similar to that of the hospital all those years ago.

She stared the back of Mirajane. The barmaid had been polishing the same spot on the counter for five minutes. As she watched, Mira's shoulders began to shake, and a small glittering tear plopped onto the wood.

Lisanna sighed and took the rag from her sister's hand. "Come on," she said gently, guiding her away from the bar. "Let's go get Elf-nii."

Her stomach was in a knot as they opened the door to the sickroom. She was immediately assaulted by the throaty rattle of Elfman's obnoxious snoring. Sharing a look with Mirajane, she stepped inside, taking a peek around.

The room was quite spacious. There were eight beds lined up, four on each side of the room. Five of the beds were occupied. Elfman's hulking form was hunched over the second to the left, his head pillowed on his arms as he half-laid by Evergreen's side. Makarov was stationed on a chair between Yajima and Laxus, reading a book by the lamplight and looking very, very tired.

"About time," he whispered with half-hearted humor. "That snoring is about to make my head explode."

"How are they, Master?" Mirajane asked.

"Recovering," he replied, shutting the book. "Yajima isn't doing so well because of his age. And Laxus…my idiot grandson…"

"He saved millions of lives, Master."

"Nearly at the cost of his own," Makarov said. He put his head in his hands. "But I've never been so proud of him in my life. Him and his stupid, reckless self."

There was a murmur from the last bed to the right. Mirajane gasped. "Fried? Is he still awake?"

"He's been in and out, mumbling in his sleep," Makarov answered, but Mirajane was already flitting across the room to his bed. She fell to her knees in front of him and smoothed his damp green hair away from his forehead, brow scrunched with worry.

Lisanna averted her eyes to give them some privacy. She didn't really know where to go—it seemed like she'd be intruding no matter what bed she visited. Her eyes landed on a solitary lump on the first bed to her right. She meandered over and sat in the chair next to it.

In the bed was Bixlow, blue Mohawk matted and damp, face dripping with filmy sweat. The toxin leaving his body, Lisanna thought. She raised a hand and placed it on his forehead, right over his tattoo. He had a raging fever. When she grabbed the rag on the table next to her and dabbed his face, she could feel the heat through the fibers.

Lisanna squeaked when Bixlow's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. Makarov glanced over at them, but didn't move. Bixlow shoved her hand away, opening one green eye. "Don't…touch me," he growled.

"I'm…sorry," Lisanna whispered, hurt. She put the rag back down. "I just…you looked uncomfortable, so I—"

"Don't…touch me," Bixlow repeated. "My body…poison…"

"Oh, no, it's okay," Lisanna assured. "Porlyusica neutralized the poison inside you. It's only dust, now."

"Good…in that case…" Bixlow grabbed her hand again and placed it on his forehead, closing his eyes. "Your hand…is cold."

"I have poor circulation," Lisanna said lamely.

Bixlow's mouth twitched and he let out a raspy laugh. "I think…it's got more to do…with the poison…my immune system…is currently fighting off."

"Mm, I doubt it." Lisanna complied as Bixlow turned her hand over and placed the back of it to his cheek, holding it there with his own hand.

"How're…the others?" Bixlow asked.

"You're all pretty beat up, but everyone's going to make it."

"Who…brought us…here?"

"Fried. He managed to carry you all to safety after Laxus sucked in most of the poison surrounding the restaurant."

Bixlow's eyes opened wide and he tried to sit up. "Laxus what?!"

"Shh, lay back down," Lisanna coaxed, pressing him into the pillow. "He'll recover. He did it in order to save you and the rest of the town. Porlyusica said he'll be fine."

The soul mage only gave her a hard, long look. Then he dropped her hand and picked up the other, pressing her palm to his other cheek. "You're a horrible liar."

"I'm not—"

"Save it. I know…that Laxus...will be fine. But you and the witch…don't believe it. I don't blame you. I wouldn't…believe it either." He smirked. "Damn it…Fried…upstaged me. I'll have to…do better…next time."

"You can't help that. You absorbed more of the poison faster because of your size," Lisanna explained.

"No…excuse." He flipped her hand. "What about…the village?"

Lisanna opened her mouth to repeat the lie that Makarov had told Fried all night, that the village was safe, but the words wouldn't come out. She closed it and bit her lip, looking down at the linens.

"That bad, huh?"

"You guys saved a lot of lives," she said. "Without you, the whole town and Yajima-san might have perished."

"That's not…enough," Bixlow wheezed. "There's no reason…we couldn't have saved…every life…in that village. If we…had just…that guy…"

"What that thing did was awful," Lisanna hissed. "He was pure evil, and the fact that his life was made of poison proves that. No decent person could have expected that he would have unleashed that kind of destruction on innocent people. You only did what anyone in Fairy Tail would do. Tartaros won't go unpunished for this."

"…You're crushing my hand," Bixlow complained. Lisanna jumped and loosened her grip. Bixlow let her fingers slip through his own and picked up her other hand, placing this one back on his forehead. "You make…a good ice pack."

"Um, thanks?"

"You know…you're the only one…who's visited me."

"That can't be true," Lisanna remarked. "People have been in and out of here all day."

"Yeah. Visiting Laxus…and Fried…and Yajima…or even your brother…but no one sits…next to me. They just…walk by."

"Oh," said Lisanna. "Well, I know you'd do the same for me."

"I wouldn't…be able to. You'd have…the whole guild…in here." Bixlow flipped her hand. "Don't get…me wrong. I'm not…feeling sorry for myself. I just…wanted to say…thank you."

"You don't have to thank me," Lisanna said. "But you're welcome."

Bixlow laughed again. He closed his eyes and threaded his fingers through her own, moving her hand down to his cheek even though his fever had made her skin warm. "Can I…ask you…a favor?"

"Sure."

"First…will you…shut your brother up?"

Lisanna laughed. "Sorry, he's snored like that since we were little. There's no remedy."

"Damn. Then will you…stay with me…a little longer? The babies…I don't…have the magic…" Lisanna could tell that all this talking was making him tired. She bit her lip again. Without his babies, without any visitors, Bixlow must have been pretty lonely. His fever must have made him a bit delirious, though, if he was showing her this kind of vulnerability.

She looked around the infirmary. Makarov had dozed off over his book. Elfman was still snoring like a chainsaw at Evergreen's side. Even Mirajane was snoozing with her head resting on Fried's bed. Lisanna let out a breath and smiled. When had they become this way?

"Of course I'll stay," she said, giving Bixlow's hand a squeeze. "I'll always stay."

But he was already asleep.