The acclimation for Mirajane to make between being the head barmaid to the guild's Master wasn't a hard one. She had been doing most of the masterly duties for Makarov for a good number of years at that point. The only things she hadn't been doing was making the final decisions on things, but still, she had a mighty tight grip on his influences, so she was no stranger when it came to the inner workings of the place.
Honestly, she'd been prepping for the job her whole life without knowing it.
Mirajane knew the guild like the back of her hand. She knew most all the members, had been the one to give them the 'stamp of approval' as it were, as well as plied them with liquor on, if not nightly, then certainly weekly basis, getting all sorts of juicy info on them as well as plenty of tragic backstories.
She was familiar with the neighboring guilds' masters, accompanying Makarov on many of his ventures to meetings between the mostly old men in the past few years as his health and memory both deteriorated. Fairy Tail's involvement with many of said guilds over the years had given her a pretty good rundown on many of the top members they held as well.
Her having been an S-Class mage didn't hurt either.
It was a bit odd, at times, to not have to be behind the bar constantly. And there were those, of course, who rebelled a bit under her, testing her limits, but Mirajane was no joke; she'd wag a finger faster than you could say uncle. Not to mention, when she was a bit of a joke, she had quite the tough backup. From her two siblings to her husband and, by proxy, the Thunder Legion, Mirajane had connections.
And that wasn't even mentioning that she was entrenched quite heavily in Makarov's inner circle, the true heart of the current class of Fairy Tail.
There was one thing though that changed quite significantly.
"Now you that you're Master, Mommy, does that make you better than Daddy?"
Her daughter was finally seeing things for how they were; that the demon was better than the dragon.
"I've always been, baby," she affirmed as she smoothed back her daughter's striking silvery hair. "Always."
"Mirajane."
Her husband, however, was not pleased.
"You shouldn't," Laxus grumbled, "tell her things like that."
"Why not? You tell her all the time that you're better than me."
"Not you specifically." Laxus filled the page of his newspaper. "Just everyone in general."
With a giggle, Mirajane leaned down to press a kiss to her daughter's head. They were over by the stove, Mirajane scrambling up some eggs while her only true child had just come down for breakfast. Her two other not really children, could be heard outside, awakening the neighborhood with loud barks and yaps as they chased the morning birds out of the garden.
Not to protect the garden, of course, as they destroyed it far more, trampling through it, but rather because they didn't want no stinkn' birds near their mama!
...Even if she was all the way in the house, it was just too close for comfort.
"Lana," the woman began with a grin, "Daddy and I are both super important. And strong. And love you very much. That's all that matters."
Glancing over at the man, who seemed to be angrily glaring at the paper then, the five year old asked, "Uncle Elf says he's stronger than Daddy anyways."
The sound of a low growl from over at the table made Lana from, but Mirajane only grinned wider. To her daughter, she said, "Elf is a bit silly sometimes, is all."
"That's what I said."
"Can you set the table for Mommy now?"
Of course. She was super good at that.
As Lana always did this task, Mira had already gotten the cups, plates, and silverware out of their drawers and cabinets, leaving them on the counter. Really, all Lana was doing was transferring them to the table. But it made her feel like a big girl, to do this, so Mirajane was always sure to leave it for her.
"'cuse me, Daddy."
Grunt. Then, lifting up his paper, the man allowed his daughter to set a plate in front of him. "Thank you, hatchling. You're so good at setting the table."
Oh, she knew. She loved it.
The best was when her Mommy and Daddy had a dinner party. Which, honestly, wasn't often. And usually when they did, it was less of a they thing and more of a Mommy thing, as Daddy would trying to be out of town during those times, which sucked, but getting to set the big dining room table always made up for this in Lana's book. Plus she got to put on her pretty dress and have all her mother and father's friends brag her up. Even if it was just her aunts and uncles over, that was alright too.
Heck, Lana enjoyed setting up her tea parties.
Mira said she'd be a good barmaid one day.
Laxus said there was no way in heck his daughter would be serving the louts up at that guildhall.
She really loved her parents.
When she had their three spots all perfect, she immediately headed to her real spot; her father's lap.
"Daddy, can I read to you?"
Laxus gave his daughter a rather wry smile as she wiggled her way into his lap, but didn't force her to stop. Only flipped the page quickly away from the murder a few towns over he was reading about and onto a much safer topic.
"Uh...Here. Read Daddy this." Laxus tapped a finger a story about the new roof that the Cathedral in town was having installed. "I really wanna hear about this."
There were many big words that were rather challenging to say throughout the article, but Daddy was very helpful and patient. He always told Lana that when he was a little boy, his grandpa taught him to read and that it was a very important part of life. This only made Lana love it even more, as she loved Gramps a bunch too, and only a few months out from his death, missed the man dearly.
Mira listened to them in mostly silence, but did grin over at her husband more than once. Laxus didn't return this, of course, because he had a reputation and all, but he did kiss Lana's head when she was finished.
"Good job. Now do you wanna read-"
"Her foods ready." Mirajane was coming over to the table then to serve it. "Lana, get up and sit in your own chair."
"I don't wanna."
"Lana-'
"Go let the dogs in, baby." Laxus sat his paper to the side and lifted his daughter from his lap, so she could do as he asked. "Please."
She didn't want to, but with a bit of a pout, she did this. The two dogs, Raijin and Tenjin, were both super excited for breakfast time, as they always were, so Mirajane tossed them their share of the breakfast, which to Laxus' dismay, that day, were some of the strips of bacon, while Lana tried to sneak back into his lap.
Her mother wasn't having it.
"Lana-"
"I wanna sit in his lap! Why can't I?"
"Because, you're a big girl."
Lana, lip jutted out, stood beside her father's chair, as she said, "Not that big."
"Sit in your own seat, hatchling," Laxus ordered with a shake of his head, giving her a gentle push.. He didn't mind her much, sitting with him, but Mirajane had begun telling him recently that it was time to stop babying her so much. "Eat your breakfast."
Mira got Lana some orange juice and refreshed her husband's coffee before she sat down herself. Her daughter was pouting still, over the whole seat deal, and only made faces down at her plate, refusing to look at her mother. Laxus, however, with his paper folded and sat to the side, stared right across the table at her.
"You going in early this morning?" the slayer asked. "Demon?'
"Mmmm, I'm probably gonna go shower and then head in, yeah. How come?"
"I was gonna train." Laxus' eyes fell back to his food then. "I'll have to find somewhere for Lana to go."
"I can go train!" Lana was offended. And rightfully so. She was a great trainer. She would sit there and help Daddy count his reps and would sit on his back during push ups. Motivate him from a distance by shouting things at him about how great he was and how he was the best slayer ever. "I'm good at goin' trainin'."
"I know, baby, but Daddy's gotta go do some serious training." Laxus made a sad face down at her. "I'll be gone for a few days. You don't want anything to do with that. Trust me."
"A few days?" It was Mira's turn to make a face. "Why didn't you mention that to me?"
"That's what I was getting ready to do."
"Laxus-"
"I can go for days!" Lana was indignant. "Daddy-"
"You have to stay here," the man explained, "with your mother and brothers."
"But I don't wanna!"
"Lana," Mira sighed as she looked about ready to throw a fit. They had these, sometimes. Typically in just such situations. The little girl was rather attached to Laxus and, when he went away, sometimes there were tears.
A lot of times there were tears.
Especially if it was just for stupid training! That was crazy! How could he do that to her? Leaving her to go out on a job because he was an awesome superhero slayer while bringing her back gifts form his journey was one thing.
But training?
"I'll only be gone a few days, little tiny baby demon." Laxus gave Lana that rare smile he reserved for her. "And you'll get to spend some time with your aunts and uncles. Won't you like that?"
"No."
"Lana," he sighed as Mirajane only shook her head.
Their daughter, for the most part, was a pretty good child. But as an only child who was insanely spoiled by her father (and fine, Mira as well, just a bit), they could get some bratty tendencies occasionally. Just crocodile tears, honestly, for the most part.
She'd get over Laxus being gone before Mira got home from work, she was certain, and not have an issue with it again. Especially considering Laxus loved contacting her on the lacrima when he was out.
He had to, after all.
How else would he and his hatchling share their bedtime story? Just not? Please.
Mirajane sped ate though, hurrying through her meal so she could get on with her day. Laxus and Lana were still at the table, in fact, though it was because they were reading from the newspaper again (and Lana was in his lap, of course) when Mirajane came back downstairs, ready for the day.
"I'll pick you up from whoever has you after I get off work, okay?" Mira told her daughter as she kissed the little girl goodbye. Annoyed with her still, Lana didn't say anything, but that was fine, as Mirajane didn't require a return of the, "Love you," she gave the girl because she knew, of course, it was there. Words were just that; words.
Her dragon though let her kiss his cheek and rub at his very trimmed beard a bit as she said, "Stop by the hall before you take off, dragon, to tell me where Lana ended up. And I'll have you some food packed for your training by the time you arrive."
"You don't gotta do that demon," he said, though he knew he'd be heartbroken if she ever didn't. She kissed him again, that time on the lips, and patted Lana on the head, before she finally turned her attention to her distraught puppies, who did not want her to leave, never ever, but could tell that was going on.
Laxus might call them stupid, but actually, his canine sons were pretty savvy. You know, if it was savvy to realize after years that when Mirajane gets dressed in the morning after breakfast, she typically heads into work.
They felt savvy, at least.
Mirajane called out to them one last time, as she left out the door, telling them all that she loved them, and Raijin and Tenjin tried to follow her out the door, but she only shut it behind her. Then it was time to start her day.
Her fake smile for her family failed a bit, as she headed out in the early morning, but it was more resting, truly, as it would have to spring back up, when she got to the guildhall. Things felt so different, in those days, as the Master, than they had in ones past.
Better and worse, in some ways, but still getting to go to her dream place, Fairy Tail, all the same.
It would be a long day, as it always was, but an even longer one knowing that Laxus was going out of town. She'd miss him, of course, but more than that, it meant that she had to deal with the house all by herself. Lana and the dogs were not easy to flex around a Master's schedule.
Not that she was worried, of course. Just the same as they'd help her up at the hall, Mirajane had her siblings and the Thunder Legion at her full disposal. Not to mention her friends. Even though Lana (and Raijin and Tenjin by default) didn't realize it yet, there would be no time to miss Laxus. Not when they were having so much fun.
The thought alone was enough to put a bright smile on Mirajane's face as she arrived at the guildhall to find Kinana getting it ready for opening.
"Good morning, Mir- Master," Kinana greeted as the woman only giggled and waved to her as the new head barmaid went strolling past, headed, it seemed, for the bathrooms to get those all cleaned.
"Yes," Mira beamed, more to herself, as she headed for her office in the back. "It is, isn't it?"
The Last Month series has only ever had one, actual story, which was, of course, Last Month, so I figured it was about time to get it a new one. It's not my favorite of my series (I go back and forth with Remember Me and Parenthood), but it's not lost on me that a big missing piece of it has always been Mirajane. Laxus and Lana are typically the focus, with Mira realizing that she's kind of background to their bond. Last Month is really a more jokey series than serious, save that one story where Makarov dies, so this is definitely going to be light, but it'll bring Mirajane and Lana a bit closer, hopefully.
And yes, I know that Closure and Accidents and Incidents still haven't been finished, but I'm hoping writing this'll help me get back in the mood for Fairy Tail. This is supposed to just be five chapters, so I'll hopefully get them out super quick. Remember when I used to post something new for Fairy Tail daily? Yeah, that was great. This probably won't be like that, but maybe.
