Canines and Revelations
It was a ritual, really. Every second Tuesday of the month was the day that Freed dedicated to Laxus.
Err, well, everyday was dedicated to the man, but that day in particular was meant to be the day that, if he wasn't out on a job, Freed would clean the man's apartment, top to bottom.
In fact, it was so common place that Laxus had begun to leave the door unlocked for him on those days (others Freed had to knock and hope that the man was willing to answer). This was more do to the fact that on Tuesday mornings, Laxus would usually find himself hungover or just tired after staying out all night with women.
Ah, the exploits of Laxus. Freed could go on about them for days. He was such a great man. No woman could resist him! It was amazing.
Not that Freed ever saw any of those women on those Tuesday mornings. Laxus had a habit of not bringing, as he called them, randoms back to his apartment.
"Why would I, the greatest mage ever to walk the earth, want people to know where I lived?" Laxus would tell the others frequently. "Crazy."
So that was why Freed found it so odd that day when he came into his idol's apartment to hear the shower on. Laxus was never up so early. Unless…
Where they going out on a mission?
No, Freed found, as when he went into the man's bedroom to tidy up there first, he found a very much so passed out Dragon Slayer naked and tangled up in his sheets.
Then…he'd invited a woman over?
"Laxus?" Freed stood in the room, staring in at him. "I have come to clean the place. I-"
"Nnngh," he groaned, laying face down on the bed. Holding up a hand, he only waved it slightly. Against the pillows, he grumbled out a, "Fuck off," or something to the same effect.
Figuring he could go back and pick up the bedroom later, Freed closed the door slowly before turning. Well then. He could start on the living area and wait for that…random to get out of the bathroom so he could scold her on how unworthy she was for Laxus.
There was no woman on the face of Earth Land that was worthy of Laxus Dreyar! No being to ever exist. Not even Freed was worthy.
Though a man could dream.
He was busy cleaning up all of Laxus' beer cans around the apartment (he'd developed a knack for drinking recently), when the bathroom door was opened. And Freed, who was in the kitchen then, only stuck his head out, to glare at the woman.
Then he was welcomed with quite the sight.
"Laxus," the woman called, coming out of the bathroom in only one of the man's t-shirts. "Do you have coffee?"
Grunt.
"Do you want me to make you some break-"
"Mirajane?"
Clearly, the woman hadn't picked up on someone else being in the apartment. Turning from facing the closed bedroom door, Mirajane's face showed about the same astonishment over seeing Freed as he had over seeing her.
"Laxus!" she called just as quickly.
"W-Wait." Freed held up a hand, which in that moment was holding a crushed can. "I'm here for-"
"What?" Unlike when Freed had called, Mira's cry was answered with a very grumpy Dragon Slayer skidding out of the bedroom on the hardwood floor, trying to wiggle his way into a pair of jeans while he was at it. "What's-"
"You should have told me we had guests!" Then Mira did the unthinkable.
She struck Laxus.
Freed was too stricken himself to even form words. Usually, he'd berate the women that hung around his idol. He'd call them unworthy or tell them that Laxus was only using them.
B-But Mirajane…
"I- And hey!" Laxus, finished with getting his own jeans on, moved to stand in front of the woman. "Why don't you have any underwear on?"
"I didn't know I needed to!"
"Go to the bedroom and change," he said. "And stop lookin' at my woman, Freed!"
"I-I'm not," he stuttered.
"Oh, you're not, huh?" Then Laxus took to crossing his arms as Mirajane escaped into the bedroom. "What? My woman not good enough for you?"
"N-No, I-"
"Huh? The demon not up to your standards? I'd love to see those standards, Freed, if she don't-"
"I didn't say that! Please, Laxus just- Mira, come back out here so I can stare at you."
"Um," he heard from the bedroom then. "Try no?"
Laxus growled. "What are you even doing here, Freed?"
"It's Tuesday," he got out, staring hard at Laxus. "Please forgive me. This is just the usual day that I clean your apartment. If I had known-"
"Wait, what?"
And Mira was back then, coming out of the room still wearing Laxus' button up purple shirt, but also in a pair of shorts then. Not to mention, the buttons were a little more conservatively buttoned.
"You make him clean your apartment?" Again, the woman did the unthinkable.
She hit Laxus on the arm.
Freed feared for her safety.
Laxus only snorted. "I don't make him do shit. He just does it."
"Laxus," Mira scolded. "Is that any way to treat a friend?"
"He likes it, Mira."
"Yeah, right. Like how I found out that you have Ever do your laundry for you?"
"Again, she liked doing that. You know, before you ruined it and made her stop."
"Because it's not right, Laxus."
Grunt.
Freed about dropped his jaw. "You just let her…touch you?"
The two of them were currently in a glaring match, but at the sound of the other man's voice, Mira glanced over at him.
"Huh?"
Then, sneering, Laxus said, "I let her touch me anytime."
That got him another hit. "Behave!"
What was going on? Freed was about in a state of mental shutdown. Laxus was letting a woman treat him in such a way? And Mirajane was with Laxus? His Laxus?
"You're no longer needed, Freed," Mira was saying then, looking at him again as Laxus only shot her some daggers. "To clean his apartment, I mean. Laxus is a big boy. He'll do it himself. You're still welcome to come over, of course, but-"
"B-But I love cleaning his apartment," Freed said.
"See?" Laxus gestured to the man. "He likes it, Mira. He-"
"No, Laxus. You're using him. Just like you use the rest of the Thunder Legion. They're not your slaves. They're your friends. They look up to you. And-"
"Laxus loves me," Freed butted in. That didn't come out right though as Laxus only gave him a look. "I-I mean, Laxus loves us. The Thunder God Tribe. We're his people. We-"
"Like I said, he can clean up after himself now," Mira said simply. "Now, I was going to make Laxus some breakfast. Did you wanna stay, Freed?"
But he made Laxus breakfast on those days when he cleaned the apartment! Err, usually it was lunch, but still.
Who did Mirajane think she was?
"I'm making pancakes." Mira was walking around him then, into the kitchen to start. "Lax, how many do you want?"
"Five."
"Five. You're going to eat five pancakes."
"Yes, Mirajane," he hissed. "I am."
"Fine," she sighed. "You better be working out some though, to burn this all off. That muscle can go right to fat you know."
"Thanks, demon," he grumbled. Freed only continued to stare at him.
"Laxus," he whispered softly to the man. "Did she drug you?"
"What?" He turned then, walking away, back to his bedroom to rest some more until Mira called him for breakfast. "Why would she drug me?"
"You never…take randoms here," he said slowly, the word feeling odd on his tongue. "To your house. They-"
"Mira isn't a random, dickwad. And say that again and I'll-"
"I meant no offense! Believe me. I-"
"That woman in there ain't like the others. You know that."
"I-I know. I just-"
"She's mine now," Laxus said then as he only went to lay down on his bed. "Forever."
"Since when?" Freed still felt a tad lightheaded about the whole thing.
"Since when what?"
"Since when have you and Mirajane-"
"For awhile now."
"Hmmm."
"What?" Laxus glanced over at him in the doorway, giving him a slight snarl. "You think I ain't good enough for her?"
"N-No! Of course not. There's not a woman good enough for you, Laxus."
"Then you think the demon isn't good enough for me?"
"No!" He never wanted to admit that there could be a woman worthy of Laxus, but, well, Mirajane was…even he'd have to admit that she…
"Then what?"
"I… You and Mira…"
"Look, Freed, I'm tryin' to sleep here. And the demon ain't gonna let you clean for me, apparently. So scram, huh? I'll be up at the guildhall later. We can talk then."
"But-"
"Freed," they heard then from the other room. "How many pancakes do you want?"
"I-"
"None," Laxus yelled back for him. "He was just leaving."
"Oh, Laxus. Don't be grouchy today."
More blinking. From Freed. Laxus was growling.
"Don't you have to go to the guildhall?" he called back to the woman. "And work? So hurry up and make my food."
"Don't show out because you have a friend over, Laxus."
Laxus sat up some then. "You know whose house you are at, demon? I could kick you out and-"
"That's it, Laxus. Make your own breakfast."
"What?" He was getting up then, shoving passed Freed and back into the living room. Mira was coming out of the kitchen then too, her arms crossed. "This is bull. What have I done? Huh?"
"You're being rude to me for no reason. So what? You're embarrassed that Freed-"
"Embarrassed? The hell do I got to be embarrassed about? Boning the hottest woman in Fiore ain't a damn embarrassment."
"Laxus."
He glanced over his shoulder then, over at where Freed was standing. He had turned to face them once more, only staring in shock. Usually he would immediate rebuke anyone talking to Laxus in such a manner, but the way that the Thunder God was responding to it was… It was almost like he and Mira did these things constantly.
Which was ludicrous. How could Laxus be having a relationship with a woman, a serious one, and Freed not know about it? Especially considering he knew Mirajane very well! How had this slipped passed him?
"I'm dating Mirajane, Freed. And no, we don't want anyone to know about it," Laxus was saying then, turning full around to face Freed, standing slightly in front of Mira. "But it ain't 'cause I'm embarrassed of her. It's 'cause it'll only complicate shit. Alright?"
"I…Okay," he said slowly. "I just…"
"I'm his girlfriend."
"Mira," Laxus complained. She moved to touch his arm. When he looked down at her, she only leaned up to kiss him with a giggle.
"Aren't I?"
"She is," he groaned.
"You don't sound happy, dragon," Mira scolded.
"What do you want from me, woman?"
Freed only shook his head at them. "Then you do not see any of the randoms any longer?"
"Randoms?" Mira repeated slowly as Laxus gave Freed a death stare.
"I don't know what he's talking about," Laxus grumbled, going to grab Freed by the arm then. "And neither does he. But I do know now that he's now leaving."
"But-" Freed tried, but Laxus only drug him over to the door.
"Later." He opened it before shoving him out it. "And no mentioning this to anyone. Got it?"
After shutting the door in the man's face, Laxus turned to look at Mirajane.
"Randoms?"
"The man's crazy."
"Laxus-"
"Hey." He was coming back over to her then, going to cup her cheek in his hands. Mira only kept her blue eyes trained on his. "When I said it was just you, I meant it. He's only confused. That's all. Shit that I used to be into. You know all about that."
She turned away from him then. "I have to hurry and make your breakfast if I'm going to get to work on time."
Dropping his hands to his side, Laxus said, "Freed won't tell nobody. So don't worry, huh?"
"I'm not worried."
"You're my demon, you know."
"Oh trust me," she said, grinning slightly as he headed back to his bedroom to sleep until it was time to eat. "I know."
"Mira was acting so weird the other day when I was over at Elfman's house," Ever was saying as she sat around with the Thunder Legion. Bickslow was mostly focused on his babies and Freed was ignoring her, but she never seemed to take hints and just continued talking regardless. "She-"
"Ever," Bickslow groaned. "No one wants to hear about you and your loser boyfriend."
"He's not my boyfriend."
"Right."
"He's not!"
"Mirajane, you say?" Freed glanced over at her, as if nervous. If Evergreen picked up on the relationship that Laxus was having with the woman and let it slip, the man might trace it back to him and think that Freed betrayed his trust.
Which, for the record, Freed would never do. Never.
"Yeah," Ever said as she sat there, staring at her nails. "I think that she's, you know, planning something."
"Somethin'?" That got Bickslow's interest. "Like what?"
"Well, Elfman's birthday's coming up and-"
"I just told you, Ever, ain't nobody care about your boyfriend."
"He's not my boyfriend."
Oh good. Freed let out a slight sigh. She had no idea about Mirajane and Laxus. Phew.
In the past few weeks or so since Freed had become 'in the know' he'd mostly dreaded every second of every day. Laxus had sworn him to secrecy, so of course he'd never spill, but even Mira had, one day, asked him to keep things under wraps.
Which just made no sense to Freed. She was with Laxus Dreyar! Apparently exclusively. What woman wouldn't want to boast about that? If he was in Mira's shoes, he'd boast about it!
Err…well…
Anyhow, the point was that none of it made sense. Laxus said that Mira was the best woman for him and that he really cared about her while Mira herself had told Freed that she considered Laxus her boyfriend.
So why did they have to stay quiet about it?
He just didn't get it.
But that was fine. He didn't have to get it. He just would be sure to keep their relationship as much of a secret as he possibly could.
It was an order, after all.
As Ever and Bickslow bickered though, his dolls eventually taking to yelling at her as well, Freed noticed that Laxus had arrived. He only came over to their table with a grunt, taking his seat.
"Laxus!" Both Ever and Bickslow were completely beyond their fight then, blissed out over the arrival of their idol.
He nodded at both of them before glancing at Freed. "You take care of what I asked you to?"
"Yes," he said quickly.
Laxus, upon the little revelation to Freed about his relationship, found the man to be quite useful. He had Freed have packages and flowers delivered to Mirajane in his name, so that they wouldn't be traced back to the Dragon Slayer.
"But what if," Freed asked when Laxus first handed him over some jewels to go pick Mira out a bouquet, "people think that I'm the one giving her these things? And that she and I are-"
"What are you trying to say? You're trying to make a move on my woman?"
"N-No! Of course not. I-"
Laxus snickered then, patting Freed on the shoulder. "The demon and me, we've been seeing each other what? Four months now?"
"F-Four?"
"Yeah. Maybe five. And ain't nobody even noticed. If you hadn't stopped by that day, you wouldn't have either." Laxus winked at him. "So don't' worry. We're safe."
But there was one thing that even Freed couldn't stop once it was in motion.
Mirajane.
She'd been toying with the idea of letting other know that she and Laxus were an item for sometime. And at first, when Freed took notice of them, she'd been fearful of their relationship escaping. But as time wore on she got…self-conscious.
Laxus had told her many times since they first began seeing one another why it would never work, if the other guild members found out. And she had to agree. Guild relationships were best kept as platonic.
But…
Was there more to it?
Maybe Laxus didn't want people to know. Maybe he…
But he always told her that he thought she was the most beautiful woman in all of Fiore.
"All of fucking Earth Land. Existence. All of time," he'd say sometimes, just to make her smile.
Only recently, it didn't work.
He'd begun sending her things, flowers and gifts, all through Freed, and they were nice, yes, and Lisanna and Elfman both asked questions, as well as others like Lucy and Erza. Laxus' name lingered on her tongue at all times, almost like a forbidden fruit.
But once seeds of doubt are placed, it's hard to keep them from growing.
Laxus noticed too. Mira stopped coming over as often, didn't want him sticking around after close, stealthily hiding his desire to be with her in laziness to go home.
"Is something wrong?" he asked a couple of times, but she'd only shake her head.
"I'm fine."
"But-"
"If I say that I'm fine, then I'm fine."
"Alright," he'd give in. "Whatever."
But he could tell.
"Maybe you did something."
"Me?" Laxus frowned at Freed. As the only person that knew about the relationship, he was the guy that he went to in order to vent about Mirajane. "I'm perfect!"
"R-Right," he said slowly. "Of course. But…well…"
"Can you talk to her for me?"
"Me?"
"You," Laxus said with a nod of his head. "Come on, Freed. You're the only one I got. And you get Mirajane and all her moods, huh?"
"How do you figure?"
"I don't know. You're both real emotional about shit. And you're both super obsessive over me. You guys are practically the same."
Sigh.
So that was how Freed found himself one more, up just after sunrise, heading into the guildhall.
"Hi, Freed," Mira called out almost immediately. She was over at the request board, tacking up new fliers. "It's rather early, don't ya think? I normally don't open for another hour."
"You get here an hour early?"
"Of course," she said, glancing back at him. "This is my job, after all."
"Right," he said slowly, still only coming closer. "I-"
"If you're here for a mission, I just posted some real juicy ones."
"No," he said with a frown. "It's not that. It's…well…are we here alone?"
"Uh, yeah," Mira said, turning around to face him then, staring in wonder. Freed would admit, the woman did have pretty impressive eyes. "Something wrong?"
"It's about Laxus."
That look went away and she turned back to the board. "I'm not-"
"He asked me to speak with you. He said that you won't tell him what he's done wrong and, well… He appears concerned."
"Appears," Mira repeated. "Well-"
"I cannot return to Laxus empty handed! You will tell me what he has done wrong so that he and I can attempt to right it."
"Freed…"
"What?"
"It's personal."
"O-Oh." He blinked. "I always assumed that Laxus would be adequate in that department, considering the amount of women that usually-"
"I said personal," Mira told him loudly. "Not sexual!"
More blinks. Then they were both blushing and had nowhere to go.
"I have to finish-"
"Please just give me something that I can go back to him with." Freed gave her his best concerned look. "I do not like to disappoint him."
"It's just…" Mira shook her head. "It's stupid, of course, I know, but I… I'm tired, Freed, of him acting distant towards me at the guild in front of others. I'm tired of going out of town for dates and not being able to tell my siblings who I'm seeing. I'm tired of lying."
"I do not understand," Freed said. "I thought that was the point. That you both wanted-"
"Well, sometimes wants change."
"But-"
"I have to get back to work." She was finished with posting fliers then and turned to walk back over to the bar, no doubt to begin prepping it. "Please, just leave me alone. I don't want to talk about this anymore."
So, with that information under his belt, Freed scurried over to Laxus apartment.
"Too early."
"I have information," he said as the man only opened the door, standing there in only his boxers, before walking away. He collapsed on the couch. "The information you sent me out to get."
"Get to the point," Laxus groaned against a couch pillow. "Quickly."
Okay then. Taking a breath, Freed said, "Mirajane thinks that you don't like her that much or something because you guys have not gone public with your relationship. She wishes to do so immediately."
"What?" That got him to lift his head. "Bullshit. The demon's the one that-"
"I am only telling you what she wishes, Laxus."
"Hmmm." He pressed his head back into the pillow. "Freed, I'mma need something that women like."
"I'm really not adept to help you in that. Honestly, the last few things you've had me buy for her, I don't think she's liked much and-"
"Then I'll get her something. Something real nice. And give it to her up at the guildhall. In front of everyone." He laid his head down once more. "And now I'm sleeping. So piss off."
"Of course, Laxus."
"And be down at the guildhall later, huh? Gonna make the demon real happy."
Only…Laxus might have sort of not woken up again. For, oh, twelve hours. And it was kinda great.
He woke up without a memory of anything.
As he was happily taking a thirty minute shower, it hit him that he sorta had plans.
"Shit," Laxus grumbled.
Where was he going to find Mira a gift and come up with the guts to bring it to her in that damn guildhall in the next few hours?
Hmmm.
Cutting his shower short (the things he did for that woman), Laxus quickly dressed before heading out for the day.
Err, the night.
Whatever.
What sorta thing did you buy to announce a relationship to a woman that you'd been banging forever anyhow?
Flowers?
He did those all the time.
Jewelry?
Again, he gave her that frequently.
Chocolate?
Meh. He'd end up eating it before he got to the guild.
What other sorts of stuff did Mira like?
Stupid things and gestures and…
"Mira likes babies."
That just kinda tumbled out of his mouth.
It was true though. Every single time they were out, usually in other towns, and they passed a toddler or baby she had to do that stupid woman thing where she oohed and awed.
It was annoying.
But hey.
Hmmm…
Were there places where you could rent a baby?
Yes. It was called adoption. And he was not down for that.
Maybe…maybe not all adopt was bad!
"How much for one of these, huh?"
When the man told him, Laxus about fell over.
"For a damn dog? I could go pick up a damn dog from out on the street."
The vender only shook his head at Laxus though, nodding down at the cage by his cart. "Ain't no mutt as cute as one of these."
"And one of these ain't comin' home with me."
Then he went out on the hunt. You wouldn't think it would be so hard to locate one stupid little dog. Right?
Right?
Feral dogs ran around the city all the freaking time, pissing on things and tearing up trash.
But the one time Laxus needed one, could he find it?
No.
Because life sucked.
Gah! Where was the freaking Thunder Legion when you needed them? They should be the ones hunting down a damn baby for Mirajane. Not him.
And because Laxus was a man, he didn't go back to that damn vender and pay for that overrated puppy.
…He found another and paid twice as much.
Life happens.
The demon was worth it.
"You piss on me," he growled at the squirming puppy in his arms. "And I will shock you. And I don't mean a tiny little shock. I- Stop biting my fingers! This isn't working out. You don't start behaving and I'm gonna orphan you right on the spot!"
Needless to say, when Laxus walked into that guildhall, all he wanted to do was get rid of that dog.
So he did.
"Here."
Mirajane was, at that moment, over at the bar, speaking with her sister, who was seated at it. At Laxus' words though, her attention shifted to him.
"What-"
"Take him. I don't like him."
"Why do you have dog?" Mira asked as Lisanna awed before moving to take it from her sister. She wasn't giving it up though. And Happy, who wasn't far away, seated with Natsu and Lucy, immediately made his discomfort known.
"I don't like dogs."
"And I don't like you, cat, so shuddup," Laxus grumbled, glaring over at him.
"Ha ah! I'll fight you for the dog then!" Natsu jumped up. "I win, he has to leave. You win-"
"Getting to the root of why there's a dog is a tad more important right now," Mirajane said as the puppy took to licking at her cheek. "I mean-"
"Because." Laxus straightened up then, staring Mira in the eyes. "I wanted to get you something."
"So you got me a dog?"
"Why did you want to get Mira something?" Kinana was coming over then, frowning. Lisanna only took to scratching behind the dog's ears, getting a low moan from the puppy in response.
"Because." That time he took to thinking some. Hmmm. "We're dating."
Lisanna choked. "You're what?"
Mira went stiff. "L-Laxus-"
"The dog'll need to eat and sleep somewhere and stuff and I'm not down for him staying at my place. So this is sorta a single mom thing, huh? I'll definitely pay for the vet bills though."
Lisanna giggled as Mira only shifted the dog in her arms.
"You do realize that a dog is, like, tons of responsibility, right?"
"That's why I'm giving him to you."
"I still don't get this."
"Because." He shrugged then. "You like babies. Human ones. And I was… Freed was the one that had me all screwed up! And I wanted to get you something special."
"So," Lisanna said slowly as she finally just reached over and took the dog. Natsu and Lucy were coming closer then to inspect it as well while Happy kept his distance. "Basically you went and got you and Mira, who you've apparently been seeing, a baby. Right. This is such crap. I-"
"And flowers didn't sound like a good idea, Laxus?" Mira was giving him a hard stare then and it was kinda making him uncomfortable.
Huh. He really thought that he'd hit it out of the park with the dog.
Weird.
Maybe he should have just stayed in the shower.
Or, and here was a gem, never slept with the demon in the first place.
…Nah.
"No," he said slowly. "Because I always get those. This is big."
"Why is this big?"
"Uh, why are we pretending like this is real?" Lisanna asked as Lucy took the dog.
"He's so cute!" the blonde said. "Uh, the dog. Not Laxus. But good for you, Mira."
"He's alright," Natsu said. "But he's not Happy."
"Aye, sir!" the cat called from far off, where he was hiding from the beast.
"You mean he ain't annoying, a stupid color, and ugly? Yeah fucking right he's not. Because he's my dog." Laxus tilted his head up. "And if you're not ready to have a baby, Mira, fine. Me and the dog'll take our business elsewhere."
"Of course I'm keeping the dog, Laxus," she complained. "I mean, what's the other option? Let you care for him?"
"Single fathers are hot," Lisanna offered up. Then she glanced at Laxus. "In most cases."
"Ha ha." He gave Mira his usual deadpan look. "So now they all know we're dating. Can you stop being mad at me?"
"I wasn't mad at you. But I'm growing a little annoyed. Laxus, this dog was a really bad decision. You always make bad decisions. You do silly, impulsive things and-"
"It's your fault. You always tell me that you like babies."
"I still don't get the connection here, Laxus."
Grunt. Then, "I want a beer. I'll be over there with Freed."
"What do you expect me to do with the dog?'
"Take him home? Feed him? Love him? I don't know. Just don't let him die like you do all the flowers I get you."
"I still don't' believe that it's been Laxus this whole time," Lisanna told her sister. And Cana, who was further down the bar, was having a big laugh about the whole thing. "That he's been the one buying you flowers and bracelets and stuff. No way. It has to be, like, one of your modeling friends, right? Please, Mira. Don't let it be Laxus. I was jealous. Completely jealous. I might, like, vomit if I find out this whole time I've been jealous of Laxus."
He just headed off. Let 'em laugh. He knew that eventually, Mira would fall in love with the damn dog and he'd be the hero. Probably that night when they went home.
Yuck. He was going to have to go home with the dog.
"You bought her an animal?" Freed asked in shock as Laxus took a seat next to him.
"What you tryin' to say here, Freed? That it was a bad idea or something? Huh?"
"N-No. I just-"
"And where's Ever?"
"With Elfman."
"And Bickslow?"
"One of the babies broke their body and needed a new one," the man told him. "But if it helps, I have already memorized everything that took place today and will tell them about it in full detail."
Grunt. Then, "I forgot that Ever and Elfman were… Aw, gross. Now Mira's gonna want me to be around them."
Freed bowed his head. "Elfman and Ever are not completely horrible together…except for when they're being completely horrible."
Laxus only snorted. Then, he said, "You think that the demon likes the dog?"
"Well," Freed said slowly. "I personally do not know a man that would give a woman who the day before he wouldn't admit aloud to dating an animal, but then again, you are an original."
Giving him a void look, Laxus merely said, "I wouldn't say it aloud because I didn't know I was supposed to. Now I do. And I have. And she's gonna like the freaking dog. You should have seen how much I paid for it."
"You paid for it? Is it even a purebred? Or-"
"Like I know what that means."
Freed sighed. "Perhaps it was better when I did your shopping for you."
"That's what I'm saying."
Eventually, Mirajane came over to their table, carrying Laxus' mug of beer.
"You're lucky that Master isn't here," she said. "He wouldn't have wanted the dog in the guildhall, I'm sure."
Laxus glanced over to where his dog was running around, excited by all his new surroundings.
"They got damn cats flying around," Laxus grumbled. "My dog can go anywhere he wants."
"You're going to have to train him, Laxus, and-"
"Demon, if you seriously don't like this dog-"
"I have to work," she told him simply. "We can talk about it later."
So he sat around and waited for her to get off, sending Freed off eventually so he could drink alone. And at the end of the night, even Lisanna had left, just leaving Laxus and Mirajane.
And their dog.
"He's going to need a water bowl, a food dish, a leash, a little doggy bed, a doghouse-"
"Right now, Mira, I think those scraps of meat you fed him will keep him for the night," Laxus said as they left the building for the night, Mira cradling the puppy in her arms. He wasn't squirming as much, which was good. "We'll get back to my place, give him some water in one of my bowls, and just be done with it. Then we can worry about the rest."
"Honestly, Laxus, I can't believe you-"
"I wanted to do something nice for you, alright? And make everyone know that you were, you know, my demon."
"Everyone? Laxus, hardly anyone was there. So you got Natsu, Lucy, Lisanna, Cana, Freed, Macao-"
"I overslept alright? Sheesh. Remind me not to be nice to you again, if this is how you're going to act."
She sighed. "I'm not trying to be mean. I just-"
"Forget it."
"Laxus…"
"Freed said that you wanted me to show you off, yeah? So I did. I even got you a damn dog. What more could you want from me?"
"You don't see how maybe buying me a dog was a little reckless?"
"Well…just a tad."
"I love him, if that helps." Mirajane looked down at the dog in her arms, who was gnawing at her fingers. "He has a teething problem though."
Laxus grunted. "Well…do you think then that tonight you might feel up for-"
"Oh, gross, Laxus."
"What?"
"We can't do anything tonight."
"How come?"
"He's gonna sleep in bed wit us."
"He's what? No, no, no. I-"
"Yes, yes, yes." Mira snuggled the dog some more. "He's our baby."
"I thought you said you were getting him a dog bed?"
"I am. But tonight, he's going to sleep with Mommy and Daddy."
"Mira-"
"He's loves his daddy," she said, grinning at him. "You can just tell."
Grunt.
Then Mira was giggling and, even though he didn't really want to deal with the dog that night (or ever. Mira was right, he was too impulsive), her reaction was finally what he had been expecting. And it made him…happy.
He was happy.
Huh.
And when they got home it was only for Mirajane to immediately claim to be tired before leading him to the bedroom.
"Aw, Mira," he complained. "He's going to, like, get my sheets so dirty."
"But we're all gonna be comfy, Lax. Come on."
He wouldn't admit it and never would say it aloud, but of all the things that Freed had done for him in his life, knowing that when he got up that morning, he wouldn't have to hide the fact that Mirajane Strauss had slept over or that he was pretty certain he was slowly starting to love her (again, he would never say it aloud) had to have been the best one.
"Mmmm," Mira sighed as the brown spotted puppy settled down between them. "We still have to tell Elf. And Master will probably be interested."
"I think the whole damn guild'll be interested."
"I'm just glad that you really care about me."
He shut his eyes then. "Mira?"
"What?'
"If you're dumb enough to think for a second that I didn't, then you need help."
Mira let out a slight sigh. "You say, like, the rudest things, but in, like, a nice way."
"It's kinda my thing."
"I've noticed."
"I do it a lot."
"Yeah, no, it's really…a turn off sometimes, but other times it's endearing."
"What's it right now?"
"Toss up."
"Hmmm."
"Mmmm."
Laxus blinked reached out to pat Mira's head. Instead his hand touched the dog's nose, which immediately made the puppy start to lick his hand.
"Yuck."
"We still gotta name him."
"I vote for stupid."
"You know, Daddy," Mira scolded, tone ready. "You're the one that went out and got him."
"Got him? I fucking bought him. And overpaid, mind you."
"You won't say that when we grow attached."
"We're not growing attached."
"I'm attached."
"Of course you are."
"To Laxus Jr."
"That is not his name."
"That is his name."
"Nope."
"Isn't that your name? Junior? Huh? He loves it. He loves you."
Groan. Then, "I'm going to sleep."
"Okay, Daddy."
"Don't call me that."
"You're the one that went out and got me a baby."
"It sounded a lot better in my head than putting it into action did."
"You mean getting the dog?" Mira asked. "Or letting everyone know that-"
"I'dda told them all from the beginning, if you wanted," he said. "I can't believe that you to take this kinda stuff so seriously."
"Well, I mean, how often does something like this happen?"
"What? To be in a commited relationship? Never."
"Laxus, that's sad. And no, that's not what I meant."
"Then what-"
"To have to, like, hide stuff from your friends? I don't hide anything from anyone."
"That's a lie," he said.
"Is not."
"Is too. You lie all the time. Acting like you're all perky and happy constantly when you're really not. Shit, demon, you lied to me just recently about whether or not you were fine with me or not."
"Those aren't lies, Laxus. Those are-"
"Lies. They're lies."
"They are not."
"You know," he said slowly. "It's not a good idea to lie about lying in front of your child."
"Mmmm. He is our child now, isn't he?"
"See?" Laxus shook his head, peeking his eyes open. "I figured this would be how you got eventually. So yeah, maybe I made a bad decision, but it turned out great, huh?"
"It's a tad early to say great," she told him with hesitance. "I mean, we haven't even gone a full day with the dog. I'm still in a little bit of shock, honestly."
"Again, that's kinda my thing."
"You're so corny today."
"Tired."
"No, I think that's your flaw, Laxus. Why you don't talk much. 'cause when you do, you show just how juvenile your humor is."
Snort. "Go to sleep, demon. Before your dog here suffers a very sudden end."
"You wouldn't hurt your baby." Then she giggled. "Although, I will say that after only dating, what, six months, that I never expected to have a baby with you so soon."
Grunt. "Known you your whole life. I think our relationship has some time served previously tacked on, huh?"
"Time served." She giggled. "You know that you're going to be the one buying the dog all the things he needs. Oh, and taking him for walks when you're not out on a job. And I'm far too dainty to pick up poop."
Laxus shut his eyes once more. "You're my favorite person in the world."
"Mmmm. You're in my top ten."
"Mira."
"And that's being generous."
"I hate you."
She only giggled. "Night, Lax."
He couldn't help, but to smile, if only slightly. "Night, demon."
I know I've been out of commission for a few days, but I just didn't feel up for writing much. And then I started this one-shot which was supposed to center around Freed and then, when I bailed on that, was going to be about the Thunder Legion, but you guys know once I add Mira and Laxus into anything they just become the focus. Oh well.