23.40

Only 20 minutes left. The new year was right around the corner. The entire guild came to celebrate the event. Lots were already drunk, others were eating all the food that had been prepared and the usual ones were fighting while Erza was distracted by her strawberry cake.

While I was walking through the tables, I smiled watching the guild full of life. I loved Fairy Tail, it was my home and my family.

"Mira!"

I smiled at Lucy who was trying to attract my attention. "Yes, Lucy? Can I do something for you?"

"Mira come and sit with us, you can't serve tonight too." She smiled gently at me moving to let me sit.

"Thanks, but there's nothing more beautiful than what I'm doing right now. In this way I have the chance to spend the time with everyone."

She looked at me, pondering what I just said. A lot of people didn't understand right away why I preferred serve at the guild's bar. After Lisanna's lost, I realized that going constantly on missions didn't give me the chance to spend enough time with my friends and my family and that every moment was precious. Because of that I made this choice. Of course, now Lisanna was back, but that didn't change facts.

"Alright, if that's is what you prefer." The celestial spirit mage smiled again at me "But you have to promise me that for midnight you will stop to drink a toast."

"Sure! But I think your first toast for the new year should be with Natsu" Giggling I left before she could had the chance to answer and I noticed that both Lucy and Natsu, who overheard the conversation, blushed.

In this new year they will surely end up together. And like them, other couples too. I looked around me giggling at the thought of my job as a matchmaker. It was beautiful to give my friends a little push to find happiness. And in a near future it would have been nice having a lot of children running around the guild.

I went to the kitchen to take another tray full of cakes and I headed towards the tables where Master Makarov, the First Master and the Raijinshuu were sitting.

"Master, I bring other cakes" I smiled placing the tray on the table and looking up I meet Laxus's gaze. He was staring at me intensely, but unfortunately, like always, I couldn't understand what he was thinking.

"Thank you, Mirajane!" The old man had a sleepy voice, it was pretty obvious that he was already drunk. "Could you bring us more beer?"

"I don't think that this is necessary, Mirajane." The First Master said before I had time to open my mouth. "We'll toast at the new year with champagne!" She laughed amused by the disappointed look on the Master's face and she looked at the others sitting at the table.

Bickslow was still sober and he was playing with his "babies" and talking to Freed, who meanwhile was looking between me and Laxus. Finally Evergreen was fanning herself and staring at something on the other side of the room. It was easy to guess that she was staring at Elfman. I shivered thinking about how their baby could have looks like if they actually end up together.

"The first Master's right, Master. If you'll continue drinking beer you won't be awake for midnight!"

I heard the sound of a fallen chair and I turned around to watch Laxus's back leave.

"You don't want to spend the midnight with you grandfather, Laxus? There is 10 minutes!" The Master tried to stand up to follow him but he fell again on the chair thanks to the fact that he was feeling dizzy.

"Laxus, where are you going?!" Freed sprang up from his chair, watching desperately at the friend who was leaving. It was obvious that he wanted to go after him, but for some reason he looked struggle. After a few seconds, he turn around to face me "Mira, could you follow him and see if he need any help?"

"What? But, Freed, I think it would be better if you or another one of the Raijinshuu follow him." I replied trying to keep under control the blush that was trying to find his way to my cheeks. I wasn't stupid, I knew I felt something for Laxus, but I preferred to not think about it. I didn't I have time to think about it and I would have risk to suffer, knowing how Laxus was. Now I wanted to live a happy and carefree life and by having someone like him by my side there was the high chance that that wasn't possible. Plus, I wasn't sure of his feelings, he had always been a big question mark and maybe that was I exactly what I liked about him, but it was also a big risk.

"Believe me, Mira, better if you go after him" Bickslow looked up from his cake and his babies repeated immediately his words.

Freed smiled in a melancholy way, but he sit down on his chair again.

I swallow my protests and I put a smile on my face. "Alright, if you think I can actually help."

I looked a last time at the entire guild and especially Lisanna and Elfman who were laughing and joking with the others before I headed to the back of the guild, where Laxus had gone. I dodge some objects that had been throw for a fight and opened the door. "I wonder why he left so suddenly" I mutter to myself proceeding into the room.

"Why do you care?" I heard a voice from my back and the sound of the door closing itself leaving me in an almost complete darkness.

"Laxus? What are you doing here in the darkness?" I ignored the question and tried to identify his outline with the few light that shine through the curtains. "Master Makarov and the others were worried about you"

"Really?" And tell me, why they didn't come here?" I heard his voice closer and fought to keep control of myself.

I put a smile on my face "They asked me to come here and find you, 'cause they were half drunk"

He made another step and in that way I was able to see him. He wasn't wearing his usual coat with the grey fur, probably he left it at the table. Without it I could see better his black shirt that emphasize his muscles and his elegant red pants. He ran his fingers through his hair and I followed every single movement with my gaze. "They told you to follow me?" He grumble irritated "They should mind at their own business"

"They were worried about you because they care about you" I explained smiling.

It seemed like he was pondering what I just said and after a few moments on his face appeared a big smile. "They did it because they care about me?"

"Exactly. You ask stupid questions, Laxus." I folded my arms on my chest and sighed.

His smile became even wider and he made more steps towards me, until I was forced to draw back and I was touching the wall with my back.

"And why are you here? Do you care about me as well?"

I flushed and my heart started to beat faster in my chest. What the hell was going through his head now? What was he doing?

"La… Laxus, what are you doing?" I tried to keep a firm voice and fortunately I managed to do it.

"Answer my question" He tried to whisper but what just came out from his lips sounded a lot more like a growl.

With a lot of effort I managed to swallow. What was I supposed to say? That he was one of the most important people in my life? That I fell for him? "I… came here because I care about you… as my nakama" No, I couldn't dare to say that.

His face suddenly darkened and he place a hand on the wall right on the side of my head. "Are you telling me the truth, Mirajane? I don't like when someone lie to me" He took with the other hand a strand of my hair and began to play with it.

When I realized what he just did, I cleared my throat and I stared right into his eyes. "Why would I lie to you?"

"Because you're afraid of me"

He said those words like it was the most obvious thing in the entire world and if I hadn't had the wall at my back I would had probably lost balance. "How can you say something like that?"

He shrugged his shoulders and he continued to talk "Because I did and said a lot of bad things, to the others of the guild and to you. I always looked down at you and I even attached the guild to take control over it."

I was boiling. "How can you still think something like that?" I was simply furious and I could felt my Demon Soul who was trying to surface.

I could see he was surprised by my answer, enough to let go my hair and let both arms fell at his sides, but i didn't care.

"How is it possible that you don't get it? I thought that after what we had been through, it was obvious!" I started to walk towards him, making him draw back, and pointing my index finger right to his chest "Yes, you actually treated us badly, you didn't help us against Phantom Lord when we needed you, you started a battle against the entire guild, you turned us against each other, you humiliated us… " I didn't stop until he had only a wall behind his back "But then you helped us. You saved us from Grimoire Heart, you were with us suspended for seven years on Tenrou Island, you fought at our side at the Grand Magic Games, you fought in the frontline against the dragons and your help was essential in the war against Tartaros." I sighed and the threatening aura around me disappeared. "We are all part of the same family, Fairy Tail"

Even louder noises came from behind the door. The countdown for the new year was starting. But I didn't care about it.

"10!"

He was staring at me completely stunned, but he didn't dare to speak. I didn't know if because he was afraid or because he wanted lo listen every word.

"9!"

"How can you still think…"

"8!"

"… that after all that…"

"7!"

"… they haven't forgive you?"

"6!"

"How can you still think…"

"5!"

"… that after all that…"

"4!"

"… I haven't forgive you?"

"3!"

He was staring at me amazed (not very usual for Laxus) and there was something in his eyes full of mystery that I had never seen before. Something really close to a mixture of happiness and relief.

"2!"

I place both my hands on his chest and I stared back at him. He was handsome and his stunned face made him look even a little bit funny. Now or never, Mirajane.

"1"

I raised on my tiptoes trying to reach his height, but I was too short for him. I blushed hardly when I felt two arms pick me up.

"Happy New Year!"

All the chaos had been completely removed by that kiss. I still had my eyes shut open for the surprise, but soon I closed them and put my arms around his neck.

Where had gone the "I don' want to risk to suffer" and the "Laxus can cause me trouble"? Well, they went right out of the window. Now I was happy and that's what matters.

This new year had started really well.