Hello, before I get started, I would like to let you know that, now, I don't know when I'm going to post something because my trial exams are going to start soon and I have to study. I hope you understand and I thank you if you do.
Onto this fic, it's a continuation set during and after the Tenrou arc, and diverges from canon after the GMG arc. There is one-sided LaxLu at first, so be warned, but that changes in the end.
Warning: this does contain self-hate, mentions of past abuse, as well as what happened in the first part and if I missed anything, please tell me so I can change it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of it's characters.
Laxus Dreyar did not arrive to Tenrou Island because he wanted to. He was just passing by. Honestly.
He wasn't having a good time either. Because confronting – and then fighting – the old second guild master, trying to ward off Acnologia of all things, and then being trapped on the island for seven years did not do well for his stress.
But it was good to know that his grandfather did miss him, even if it was only minuscule. His grandfather did not hate him. Laxus had to remember that his father and grandfather were not the same person – they were extreme opposites.
He was, of course, not reinstated back into the guild. He had a lot to make up for, and Laxus felt that he didn't deserve to go back there. Not after everything he had done. But his grandfather was the soft-type, so maybe after a few years.
Except, when the old man made Gildarts master, Gildarts made two orders: let Laxus back into the guild, and made his grandfather master. Again.
Apparently his grandfather had a worse stress level than he did. It made him feel a little better.
The guild hall was shit, he had to admit – but the core members were gone for seven years, so he couldn't fault them – and everyone was annoying as ever. He hated his advanced hearing.
His team didn't change, and he was glad for that.
Laxus did accept the position in Team B for the Grand Magic Games – for the good of the guild. He was disinterested in the beginning, but when he was called out to fight… well, let's just say he was beyond pissed off.
He could've lived his life without seeing his shitty father's face again, but the world hated him. However, he didn't hesitate getting rid of his entourage, and it was quite easy, if he had to say so himself. His father was just as easy, it was quite pathetic. He called himself family, but family didn't do what he did.
His family was Fairy Tail, even if some members hesitated to return the sentiment.
That night, when he was alone with his own thoughts, he could admit that, when he saw his father, he felt fear. Pure, genuine fear of his father, and he just wanted to forget everything that he did to him.
But that won't happen, because the world was cruel, and he had to remember that cruelty. Even if no one else did, because someone had to.
That night, when he went to bed, he didn't bother healing the wounds on his arms because he was gripping them to hard.
They won the Games, in the end. But, their victory was short lived when everyone had to fight off dragons. Really, why can't Laxus just catch a break?
It took a while for him to heal – for everyone to heal – but he still felt a fair bit of pain. He would honestly just relax for the next week – or month – after that, and he was content with that.
However, after the Grand Magic Games, he started feeling weird. Which was odd, because the last time he felt weird he found out his magical growth was stunted. So, he wasn't looking forward to what caused him to fell such a thing.
And then he found out it only happened when he was around a certain blonde, and sometimes it happened when he was thinking about her.
Laxus was genuinely worried. So, he went to the only person he trusted to confide in.
His grandfather.
When he told his grandfather what was wrong – after a long time hesitating to confess what was happening, and many worrying looks casted by the old man – he smiled. Smiled.
He told Laxus that he was in love – of all things – and maybe he should do something about it.
"Maybe you should confess…" Was what his grandfather had advised, while a shit-eating grin was etched into his expression. Laxus said nothing and left, ignoring his grandfather's mutterings of great-grandchildren.
He would not confess, because even if he did have any love for Lucy Heartfilia – Lucy Heartfilia of all people – he would not. Because she deserved better, she deserved someone who didn't have a lifelong amount of issued, someone who would didn't try to kill all her friends, someone who would make her happy.
And he wasn't that person.
So, he spent the majority of his time doing missions – with his team and alone – brooding on the second floor of the guild, and pining for the celestial mage admitting that, yes, he did love her, but not doing anything about it because he deserved to be alone, in his opinion.
His team didn't notice anything – or they did and didn't say anything – and he was thankful for that.
Laxus was still affected by what had happened a few months ago – years, he reminded himself – as well as the nightmare that was his childhood, but he had gotten better, albeit slowly.
He did appreciate the fact that his grandfather did worry about him, but he didn't show it. He would always be thankful that he had his grandfather in his life – he was the only good thing about his childhood.
And then it happened, a year after the Grand Magic Games fiasco, when Lucy Heartfilia came up to him – nervous, but held the face of bravery – and asked him a question that make is heart warm, but go cold at the same time.
"Do you want to maybe… go out sometime? I would really like to get to know you better, Laxus."
He was inwardly panicking, although, outwardly, he was keeping up a casual front. His brain and heart was screaming for him to say 'yes' and 'no', but he knew wholeheartedly what he was going to say.
She had asked him out, out of her own free will.
She legitimately wanted to get to know him – was interested in him.
She didn't hold any bad feelings towards him after everything he did. She forgave him, why did she forgive him?
But it didn't matter, because he said yes.