a/n: I've wanted to do a laxana bar story for a long time now, it's going to be a pretty long series depending on how much time I have to update it. Please bear with me, I'm really excited even though this first chapter is pretty rough I think it has a lot of potential. So let's all have some fun! Read, review and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own fairy tail
Day 1
The three muscular men and rather serious looking woman stood before Mr Clive, arms folded behind their backs in a professional manner except for the blonde who stood a little in front of them, indicating his position.
"I trust from your outstanding reputation I have no need to remind you of the conditions in your contracts." Mr Clive said, staring at each of the famous Thunder God Tribe, their reputation that of efficiency and confidentiality. "It's important for you to keep in mind that this club is merely a front for my other businesses, so highly important people will most likely be attending the nightly festivities you will be supervising." Mr Clive continued in his rumbling tenor, arms crossed across his barrel chest, scars mingling on his exposed forearms. "It's paramount to deal with disturbances quickly and quietly, especially since more often than not the ones creating issues are my clients, which must be appeased at all costs." He said with a tone of finality, nodding to dismiss his new employees. First the brunette woman spun dramatically on her heels, hair swaying across her back as she strutted out the door. Next were the two men in matching suits, although one had a more reserved stature, his green hair a bright distraction in the dull room which was sheathed in timer furnishings, giving it a neutral comforting feel.
"Wait," Mr Clive barked as Laxus' hand enclosed around the door knob. He froze, turning to look at the middle aged man who seemed to radiate authority, something Laxus couldn't help but resent. "shut the door, I need to consult you about something that wasn't in your contract." He said cryptically, a pained scowl on his face until he forcefully corrected it. Laxus closed the door gently, facing his employer with his usual serious expression, his lips a cold line.
"Yes, sir?" Laxus asked, Gildarts request not uncommon among his previous employers. There was only one strange thing about this particular job; it's duration. Most bouncer jobs were either a few days because of an upcoming event or a year or over in order to establish a loyalty to the club which the Thunder God Tribe always managed to wriggle out of thanks to their manager. But this job was only for six months exactly or shorter, with no special preparation, although this may be the explanation they've been waiting for.
"There is a special job I would like you individually to take care of." He said, eyeing the young man suspiciously as he nodded in assent. "I have a special partner whom I have a long and extensive personal and business relationship with. His daughter is a frequent visitor to this establishment and it would be in my best interests if you would watch over her while she's here and ensure she gets home safely each night- preferably alone." Mr Clive said, leaning down to open a draw and rifle through copious amounts of papers. He closed the draw to open another and shuffle through more parchment. "It is vital that you conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times. Any information about her family is best left unknown, as well as any unwanted affiliations." Mr Clive said with a meaningful glance before continuing his search for an unknown object.
"Understood." He said gruffly, arms straight at his sides. This was turning out to be quite interesting, he couldn't help wondering the story behind this little arrangement. Mr Clive finally found what he had been searching for and slid a picture across the table.
"This is the woman you'll be looking after. She tends to stick near the bar and drinks an unnatural amount of alcohol but that isn't a problem. In the past she's had problems with being particularly weak to drugs, so watch for anyone offering a potentially spiked drink or anything equally suspicious." He said as he watched Laxus stare at the beautiful brunette woman smiling in the photo, a large weeping willow in the background, the sun shining through green leaves. Usually Laxus'd ask to keep a photo like this to identify the target but he'd never forget a face like that. "She isn't to be underestimated, she's quite unpredictable and tends to be overconfident in dangerous areas." Mr Clive continued though Laxus was only half listening, he was trying to conjure a memory forth from his small inkling of recognition of her brown eyes, something from a long long time ago.
"Is there any other information essential to the job?" Laxus asked, looking up to meet Mr Clive's eyes, unwilling to let his fascination become a public matter. He shook his head wearily, not taking his eyes off of Laxus in a patronizingly doubtful stare.
"Just remember I've known Cana since she was a little girl, so if any problems arise notify me immediately. After tonight we'll see how you manage it." He said, grinning smugly, something that took Laxus off guard. But he nodded nonetheless and exited the room quietly, recounting their conversation to his workmates, the image of the beautiful woman fresh in his mind.
"Introduce yourself to her when she shows up, she'll be expecting you." Mr Clive said quietly to Laxus as the club opened for business. Bixlow was posted at the door, Freed and Ever in the corners of the room and Laxus near the bar.
"Hello," a young white haired woman said, giving him a warm smile. "are you on Cana patrol?" she asked with a smile as if the idea was funny. He nodded in response, taking in her curvatious body as she clasped her hands together in her lap which suddenly flew to her mouth. "Oh I'm so sorry; I didn't even ask your name! I'm Mira, I work behind the bar." She gushed, eyes wide. He smirked; she was making this too easy.
"Laxus." He replied to her implied question, relaxing his shoulders as he prepared for yet another entertaining conversation. But the stunning woman seemed to only then realise it was opening time and gave a wave, dashing behind the bar, her black singlet top and shorts which cut off mid-thigh stuck to her body like a second skin. Laxus tried to watch her inconspicuously through his peripheral vision as he scanned the quickly growing crowd for the mysterious Cana. But alas all of his attention was captivated as for some unknown reason Mira was on all fours, searching for something on the floor until a black haired beauty, much younger picked up a bright green plastic object from the floor in the obvious direction- curse her. He glanced away, once again searching for the apparent phantom Cana until suddenly a barely clad brunette leaned over the bar, whispering in Mira's ear. That was obviously Laxus' cue to intervene, walking towards the pair, perhaps he could restart the conversation with the gorgeous woman who had become more and more interesting as the night progressed, perhaps it was more accurate to state he became more interested in her as the night progressed as she was by far the most beautiful woman in the joint. In a few moments he'd judge Cana's place in the scale, adopting Ever's rule on professionalism- you can think anything you want as long as you don't say it aloud or enact it, the rule had been pretty useful to Laxus over the years. Mira glanced in his direction, followed quickly by Cana's gaze. Her expression was blank until she broke into a wide grin, laughter spilling forth from her lips. Mira rolled her eyes and tended to her next patron while Cana clutched her stomach as she couldn't control her laughter. Laxus was obviously taken aback by her blatant laughter obviously directed at him. When he was within a metre of her she gasped frantically, trying to calm down enough in order to speak but as soon as she looked up another round of laughter took control. He raised an eyebrow, obviously unimpressed.
"What?" He asked, attempting to take on a neutral tone though it was becoming more and more difficult. At the sound of his voice she seemed to calm down as if the novelty had worn off.
"It speaks!" she announced, once again leaning forward over the bar to grab a bottle of beer without Mira noticing, little did Laxus know Mira noticed everything that happened at her bar.
"Do you think you should be doing that?" he asked gruffly, not sure if he should reprimand her for stealing grog. She looked up at him, staring at his face yet obviously calculating something else.
"It's fine, I know the owner." She said shrugging him off before turning back to look him over during which Laxus merely stood beside her patiently. She gestured to the stool beside her, reinforcing her request as his reluctance became evident. "Take up a seat muscle-man, we better get this over with otherwise it's gonna mess with my mojo." She said, grabbing another bottle after having quickly draining her first, though worryingly this bottle had 'VODCA' inscribed in large bold letters across the front. "So what's your name or should I call you muscle-man?" she asked, sipping the vodka hungrily. "MM would definitely a cool code name." she said, nodding to herself.
"My name is Laxus Dreyar, I'll be watching your back and taking you home for the next six months." He said in his usual monotone when addressing clients. She swivelled her head, incredulous.
"I-" she managed to say before Kinana grappled the bottle of vodka from her hands.
"Mira said you can't have whole bottles anymore." Kinana said quietly, obviously uncomfortable in having to confront the brunette. Cana frowned profusely before conceding the battle, nodding towards a tall glass which was obviously understood by Kinana. Laxus couldn't really be bothered with the drama's of drunk no matter how attractive she was. She turned back to him, deciding to switch her comment for another.
"Sorry about that," she said, sipping from her flask until her tall glass filled with what Laxus assumed to be a mix of vodka and bourbon from the smell, arrived before her. "anyway, when tonight's over would you mind if we had a little contest?" she asked innocently, though there was something serious about the ways her eyes searched his face that made him wary to answer quickly.
"What sort of contest?" he asked, squaring his shoulders unconsciously. It would be best to avoid all informal ties so if she proposed a drinking contest or the like which was common from people like her, an alcoholic with a history of indulging in drugs. But on the other hand he heavily doubted she would remember anything they agreed to if she continued to drink as she was, in fact the amount she had already consumed was enough to knock many of their feet. Maybe this was what Mr Clive was implying earlier that afternoon.
"A fight," she replied, waving her empty glass in the air for Mira to retrieve, giving him an apologetic look. 'Good luck' she mouthed from across the bar where she was mixing another drink for the obviously mentally unstable woman. "what's the point in the big guy spending money on you protecting me if I could do a better job myself." She said dismissively, giving him a mischievous glance, challenging him with every fibre of her body. He wanted to accept, not because the idea of fighting a presumably hammered woman was enticing but he just wanted to wipe that smug look off her face. However Mr Clive had specifically said to be professional on all fronts. He was about to refuse when a hand clamped down on his shoulder. He tensed, ready for a fight but was relaxed by a familiar voice.
"Glad to see you two getting on like wildfire." Mr Clive said, eyes glued to Cana who treated him with disinterest. The man had just arrived at the right time, perhaps Laxus could persuade him to allow a contest between the two. "Did you say you'd fight her?" he asked, as if by this time in the conversation that request was a given.
"I don't think it would reflect well on the Thunder God Tribe if I accepted." He replied coolly, hoping to preserve some pride in this largely patronising situation. She was directly interfering with his job, he decided, her job was to have fun while he watched from the shadows, not this siting and talking like booze buddies. But instead of his answer preserving his dignity, no, laughter erupted from her lips once again as she stared at him.
"Seriously!? That's what your little gang's called?" she gasped, giggling uncontrollably. Laxus' lips pressed in a firm line and took in a deep breath. "Well you get points for originality." She said, giggling quietly as she waved her once again empty glass in the air. Mr Clive hid a smirk as he patted Laxus on the back heartily.
"Still want to decline?" he asked quietly enough for Cana to remain unknowing as her giggles once again overwhelmed her own ears. Laxus raised an eyebrow; did the old man want him to accept her offer? He replied to the silent question with a nod, perhaps this was a part of his initiation. He glanced at Cana, seizing her up as she gulped her concoction happily. Her glittering top which barely covered her chest and spangled mini skirt left very very little to the imagination. Although usually Laxus would have taken a good look at the curve of her back as she once again leaned over the bar, grinning, but with Mr Clive obviously watching him intently standing right beside him he quickly looked away. She wasn't muscular to the point of anything noticeable but she held the toned body of someone who knew how to throw a punch. Well with her usual hang out being one of the most famous clubs in the state, she'd need to know how to handle herself. Before he could muse on this more Cana turned to him once again, wide brown eyes challenging him once more.
"Fine." He said begrudgingly, hands tightening into fists. Cana grinned, giving him a clumsy thumbs up.
"I'll be looking forward to it." She said, her words slightly dismissive and as Mr Clive took his leave Laxus followed suit, pushing his way back to his point in the corner of the bar.
Hours droned on, Cana was approached by a swarm of people, all of which were slightly bizarre. However he did recognize a few from his high school days which was quite strange considering his record for remembering things like that. The blonde bombshell Lucy who always seemed to be shrouded in rumours though absolutely none of them were true… unfortunately. The idiots Fullbuster and Dragneel who were always getting suspended for some stupid plan gone wrong. Titania, the only woman he'd ever known to come close to his level. There were other faces he recognised that were nameless to him, yet he began piecing together what he could discover about Cana to remember her.
From what he remembered of her group none of them were of any harm to her, except if she was crazy enough to get caught up in one of their hair-brained schemes. Dragneel spilled beer on her a couple times though it seemed completely unintentional. Laxus couldn't help but smirk as she got riled up over the fifth time, so that's how many it took to break that easy going exterior. A small chuckle left his lips as her fist connected with his stomach in quite a painful manner which left him floundering on the ground. Fullbuster was also soon on the ground after a misdirected joke and judging from Mira's unflustered appearance this was the usual ending for the two poor males. Fulbuster was aided by a gorgeous blue haired woman, damn, beautiful women seemed to just appear out of nowhere in this joint, so distracting.
But eventually they left the club, floating out the exit while Cana stayed at the bar, obviously waiting for the club to empty before making her departure with Laxus by her side. When the lights came on, demystifying the once heated atmosphere, Cana stood, walking towards Laxus. She stumbled slightly then righted herself before meeting his now concerned eye.
"Ready for a beat down?" she asked, her tone revealing she wasn't nearly as hammered as she looked. Laxus crossed his arms as he listened to the rest of his team registering in with their completion codes.
"You're too drunk to fight me right now, maybe some other time." He said, looking down at her, her cleavage clearly visible. She pouted, widening her stance, her already tight skirt hitching slightly.
"I'm fine to fight now, unless you're afraid you'd get beaten by a woman whose just had more alcohol than you could manage in a week." She goaded, unimpressed with his lack of response. He rolled his eyes, shoulders tensing.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, shifting into a defensive position. She nodded in response, matching his pose. Before Freed could enquire why Laxus was fighting who he assumed to be his charge from across the room Cana struck out, winding Laxus by taking him by surprise with her uncanny strength. She grinned as she continued to make easy ground while Laxus refused to strike back. In frustration she continued to punch him, deliberately leaving herself open.
"Dammit hit her back!" Mr Clive yelled from his office's window. Laxus lowered his chin, swinging his right fist towards her torso which unfortunately was the exact thing Cana was waiting for. She jabbed up under his arm, using her size to her advantage her fist connected with the pressure point in his waist however when his body jerked away of its own accord Cana didn't have the time to avoid his hit which threw her backwards. She absorbed the impact in a roll turning back to face Laxus who was still quite shocked at the risk she'd been willing to take just to land a single punch.
"You win." She said, panting slightly as she straightened out. Laxus scowled, this entire night had been an experience he wished he could forget. He just knew that it was going to be one of those jobs. Her expectant eyes were glued to him so he grunted in admission, relaxing his stance. If it was anyone else he'd insist otherwise but he just wanted to get this entire night over with. He glanced at his three friends who seemed a little taken aback with the whole situation. Freed raised an eyebrow, his question obvious. He ignored his probing gaze for the meantime and waited for some indication of Cana's next move, being a personal body guard took a substantial amount of patience which Laxus liked to think he had if he was getting enough money for it.
"Satisfied?" he asked, unable to control his annoyed tone. Her eyes narrowed, not happy with his obvious condescension, it was always the same with rich peoples kids.
"Sorry if I embarrassed you by asking you to prove your stars, oh wait, aren't you supposed to be able to do that?" she asked rhetorically, rolling her eyes, the fight burning off most of the alcohol. He ground his teeth, Mr Clive's words about professionalism flashing in his ears. But his instructions were practically null and void after this little stunt, where was his voice of reason when she tried to punch the living daylights out of him? He was supporting the god damned fight for heaven's sake, no wonder he had a reputation as a bit of a strange one.
"Ready to leave?" he asked curtly, glancing at his watch, it read 2am. She shrugged, walking quickly back to the bar to once again lean forward, giving Mira a quick kiss on the cheek which she returned.
"See you tomorrow night Mira," she said, rubbing her stomach slightly, Laxus' punch obviously more potent than she was letting on. "wish me luck!" she requested with bright eyes. Mira smiled, her head tilting to the side in the most adorable way. If only he got to walk her home instead of Miss Psycho.
"Good luck!" she said, she seemed so enthusiastic that vibes were radiating from her beaming face. Cana chuckled, walking towards the exit, it was a few moments before Laxus realised he was supposed to follow. He spared a glance to Freed and Bixlow who were chuckling as Ever slapped them over the head. He just knew they were making a joke about him; seven years out of high school had done nothing to tame their immaturity. He followed a few steps behind until Cana paused, making him fall in step beside her. The now generally deserted streets were lit by dodgy lamps, flickering inconsistently, the light playing on Cana's face, giving her a ghost like quality.
"I'm sorry about before," she said expectantly, keeping her eyes forward. Laxus was confused to say the least, how many different personalities does this girl have? "I'm just sick of my Dad forcing me to be watched all the time like I'm a kid." She continued, not surprised by his lack of response. "I know it sounds really juvenile, throwing a tantrum then complaining how I don't want to be treated like a kid." She said chuckling, rubbing her stomach once more. "You sure can throw a punch." She said, offering a rare compliment. Finally he let the smirk creep over his lips, finally starting to understand her- she was embarrassed by having a babysitter, she just had a strange way of showing it which wasn't that strange once you thought about it.
"I know." He said, flexing his pectorals, the light black t-shirt clinging to him. She laughed, pulling the elastic band from her hair, long wavy brunette hair cascading down around her. A comfortable silence grew between them as Cana took turn after turn. After a while Laxus asked a simple question, hoping for a simple answer although not completely sure what to expect at this point. "Do you always fight your guards?" he asked, eyes flickering from alley to alley as his training had taught him. Cana chuckled, bumping her shoulder against his arm in a vote of confidence.
"Yeah, kinda." She said, guilt seeping into her voice. "I hate the idea of having someone protect me that is more inept than me." She replied, keeping her line of sight straight ahead until her gaze finally locked onto an apartment building to the far left. "Well thanks for the lift MM, I'll be looking forward to tomorrow night!" she called over her shoulder, chuckling to herself before disappearing into the elevator.
Laxus shook his head to clear his mishmash of thoughts pooling around her inexplicable eyes. He just had to get through the next six months, but he had a feeling it wasn't going to be as easy as it sounded.