Darker than You
A Laxus x OC fic
A/N: so this fic was inspired in a random bout of insanity when I'd been up all night watching Fairy Tail videos and sobbing over fan fiction. It was actually given it's title and idea by the song "Not the One" by 3oh!3. I read this over twice and I think I caught all the errors. If anything there could be possible spelling/grammatical/and tense related issues. Please do not hesitate to let me know if any of these issues are present.
Pairing: Laxus Dreyar x Lissi Altair (Original Character)
Warnings: Mild language, suggested non-consensual actions
"Lissi, I don't know what you want me to do anymore!" Lissi didn't look up as her friend and teammate paced back and forth. "You can't just go around depressed like this all the time! I get what he did was awful, beyond awful. But you have to move on! There isn't someone who wants to hurt you behind every corner! Open up, Lis. This is your guild! It's your home"
"I know, Delaney...but he's always there. And when I see him I still can't breath! I can't take my eyes off him and he just smirks and enjoys the fact that despite everything that happened, I can't stop looking at him that way!" I felt the tears build in my eyes as I spoke, the words coming out broken and choked on. I pinched my eyes shut, knowing the images would be coming back. He was so nice...until it happened. Until he cornered me in the alley in a town I wasn't familiar with. Talked and coaxed me into doing things and then leaving me along again. "I love him, Delaney" It had been six months since then. Six long months of sulking around the guild and hiding in corners I hoped he wouldn't find me in. Delaney had finally had enough of my attitude.
"Lissi! For Mavis's sake, you're an S-class wizard! It doesn't matter what he did, just knock him around a bit and get on with it!" Delaney sounded exasperated. "There are plenty of guys in the guild with crushes on you, Liss. You don't need stupid Freed."
I winced at the name, ducking my head into my arms as I pulled my knees up to my chest. She was right as always, but I didn't know what to do. Everything was just weighing me down in a dark cloud and I couldn't shake it away. Everything made me feel disgusting from the way he looked at me to the way he and Bixlow would sit in their corner and ogle me as I sat at the bar, or sipped a drink with Cana. I knew it wasn't his fault, because everyone knew Freed's second form and how he'd used it against Mira. But it hurt.
"I don't know how to help you and I'm done trying" Delaney sighed. "I need to take a job to fix my rent for next week. Good luck with whatever this is" She stood up and walked away, leaving me to shake in the little niche I'd found to hide in.
A soft sob escaped my throat as the tears finally fell. I pressed myself back into my corner, feeling my face heat up as I cried to myself. No one was on the second floor at this time of day, so I would be left to cry in peace. Left to desperately wish I could show Freed just how stupid he was, playing with me like he did everyone else. If only.
"What's got you acting so bratty today" I evenly turned to look at Delaney Azeel. She'd stormed downstairs in a huff after being up there for more than a half hour. She was usually mouthy and irritating, but today she seemed to increase this factor as she sat a few seats down from me.
Delaney gave a frustrated sigh before tilting her head back to rest against the wall. "Lissi is up there again, bawling her eyes out because of your idiot lackey."
I raised an eyebrow at her, wondering what she'd meant. "You mean Freed, right?"
"Yes. I wish she'd suck it up, punch him, and move on with her life. But whatever's up with her is sticking." Delaney was rubbing the bridge of her nose, never having been able to deal with the girly crap Lissi tended to hover around.
"Hm. That bad?" I sniffed the air. Sure enough there was the distinct smell of Lissi coming from the second floor. Her usually bubbly scent was tainted with salt. She was definitely crying.
"Could you...I don't know...talk to her, Laxus?" Delaney turned toward me in her seat. "She looks up to you. And she's way too young to be wallowing in self-pity over an idiot."
Delaney had a fair point. Lissi was four years younger than I was, but she'd always been more mature than she needed to be. The nineteen year old was often the voice of reason among the S-Class mages. I respected the kid, for sure. But Delaney was right to say nineteen was too young to be that depressed. I mean sure, the girl cried a lot lately. There were far too many times when he'd found her in the upstairs lounge trying to pretend like her eyes weren't puffy and red.
"I'd give her another week, Dee. After that I'll see what I can do about talking her out of it" I cast a sideways glance at the fear-mage next to me. "If that doesn't snap her out of it, I'll do something about Freed instead"
"Thank you, Laxus" Delaney stood up, her dark blonde hair swishing behind her as she turned away from me.
I didn't need to check if Lissi was crying again when I walked into the guild. All it took was a look at Delaney's irritated eyes glaring in Freed's direction to prove that Lissi hadn't cheered up any. I sighed, crossing the guild hall to the usual table accommodating Freed, Bixlow, and Evergreen. The trio looked up appreciatively as I approached, but both Ever and Bixlow balked when I glared down at Freed.
"Don't get me wrong Freed, but isn't nineteen a little young for you to be playing with" I glared at him evenly, judging his reaction.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Laxus" Freed looked up evenly.
"Oh really. Because if I remember correctly, six months ago she was still eighteen. And I think we both know who I'm talking about" The sound came out in a growl. "Now, it isn't my place to stick up for her interests. But I think it's high time she gets a little apology."
Freed fell silent, his eyes hardening as recognition flashed through them. He knew exactly who I was talking about as I turned away and headed for the stairs. The guild was hushed as I walked, having witnessed the encounter firsthand. Behind me, I could hear Ever and Bixlow quietly questioning Freed. Served him right. I'd seen Freed's games with girls around the guild, though most of them brushed him off as being too proper. Lissi, on the other hand, was naive when it came to anything relating to interest in the opposite gender, and when Freed decided to toy with her there was no doubt she would have melted.
"Lissi, where the hell are you?" I asked as I reached the top of the stairs. As a user of Imitation magic, Lissi was well adapted to hiding herself. With a simple illusion from her magic she could go unnoticed for hours. The skill was part of what got her through her own S-Class exam. I could still remember her as the shy, sixteen year old she used to be, passing the exam with flying colors and being promoted right along side Delaney. The two of them were absent from the guild most days, with Delaney dragging Lissi around on whatever mission she chose. But they'd been sticking around lately, probably because of Lissi's pathetic state. "Don't make me sniff you out"
Out of the corner of my eye I caught a flicker of magic. Lissi emerged from the corner, her eyes flashing with tears. She hadn't changed much since I'd last seen her, still tall and slender with jet black hair to her waist. Her blue eyes were ringed in red as she crossed her arms and looked at me with mild-interest. On a normal day, she would have been spilling out more questions than I could answer before I got frustrated and snapped at her for it. But it was not a normal day. And this was not the normal Lissi.
"Delaney told me what happened" I kept my voice low, figuring she hadn't broad casted it to the guild. "Freed's a dick. Has been and always will be" I caught the slight tenseness in her arms when I mentioned his name. She diverted her eyes to the floor for a split second before raising them to look me in the eye.
"I'm fine" She took a step back as I took several steps forward. From the new distance I could see she was dazed, her eyes glassed over. She'd been crying harder than Delaney had made it sound. I was beginning to think Delaney had been a little less concerned for her partner than she should have been.
"You're not fine, Lissi. You're still crying and you're shaking" I moved forward before she could dodged and caught her elbow, my fingers meeting pale skin. "You're freezing cold too"
"I am not!" She tried to jerk her arm back but I kept it in place, looking over her. "Lissi this isn't good. You need to take a good look at yourself!"
"No I do not, Laxus!" She raised her voice, a slight flicker returning to her eyes. "I'm fine. I'm not crying. I'm not cold! I just want to be left alone, and I'm telling you that!"
"And I'm telling you that you need to get a hold of yourself" I growled, pulling her by her arm. She ended up nearly stumbling into me in the process, her cheeks going red. "Lissi, you're way too great of a wizard to give up like this"
"That's a lie" She whispered, her mood falling from angry to the somber I'd seen before. Anger surged in my stomach. Freed had gone too far.
"Lissi, you're an S-Class mage with her entire life ahead of her. You're only nineteen for Mavis's sake. You don't need to play his stupid game anymore! It doesn't matter if Freed likes you because I do" I froze at the same time she did, her eyes widened before mine did.
"You...you um..." She was blushing again. "What?"
"I-um...I" I blinked slowly, processing what I just said.
"Laxus..." Lissi said gently, her voice falling to the fond tone I remembered.
"You don't need him Lissi. He was playing with you...you need someone who would make you happy" My voice was quieter than I would have liked.
"Didn't you realize, Laxus. I wasn't quite right before this. And I'm worse after" She shook her head.
"I know, Lissi. But you're not the only dark thing in the world. I'm sure as hell darker than you." I dropped my hand from her arm, letting it rest on her waist. "And you're light too. Beautiful, radiant, and strong enough to smack Natsu around a few times.
She bit her lip, a familiar softness coming to her face.
"Come on, smile. You know you're going to" Her face lit up again, smiling happily; though not as brightly as usual.
"Laxus?" Lissi questioned as I turned, satisfied that Delaney would be appeased.
"Hm?" I turned just in time for her to catch my arm and lift herself up on her tip toes. She kissed my cheek softly, her lips grazing my ear just afterwords as she whispered.
"I like you too"