Snowfall

It wasn't a…horny thing. Not at all. Well, sorta. Yeah, when Laxus first woke up that night, it was from a very excellent dream that had not been brought to completion. So yes, in some way, it did have to do with that.

But it wasn't all.

He and Mirajane hadn't seen one another in over a month. Really, he should have gone to her house right off the bat, but when he got into town, it was midnight and he assumed that she'd either be in bed or getting ready for it. What was one more day?

A lifetime, as it was turning out.

He must have laid around in bed for a good while. Tried to put it out of his mind. Then tend to himself. Even go back to sleep. Nothing worked. He just wanted Mirajane.

So he eventually shoved out of bed to go see her.

It was cold out when he left, but it had been cold when he arrived. Winter was upon them, after all. Snow was expected. Mira liked it enough, he knew, so that was good. Snow made her happy.

Then again, the sun made her happy. And rain. And wind. Hell, the woman probably rejoined in stubbing her toe because it at least meant she was alive to feel pain.

His demon was a little off, but that was okay. He preferred her that way.

The house was locked up when he got to it, but that was just as well. She was safer, after all. Besides, he had a key.

He could smell Lisanna and Elfman the second he came in. Great. The idiots were home. Not that he should expect any less. When weren't they home? It just meant he had to be sneaky, anyhow. The last thing he wanted was for them to be up and roaming around when he was trying to entice the demon.

Being that her room was in the back of the house, Laxus moved as stealthily as possible to not awaken any of the inhabitants. It wasn't his first time roaming around in the dark there, anyhow. And, when he made it to her bedroom without disturbing anything (or anyone), he let out a slight breath.

Good. Now he could get at the demon.

Her room was dark, as expected, but she'd left her blinds open. She did that a lot, during the winter. Probably because she was hoping the snow would start falling while she was still up and didn't want to miss it.

His woman was so cute. Ditzy, a loon, and kooky, but super adorable.

"Mirajane," he breathed as he came over to her bed. She didn't stir. "You naughty demon. It's winter out and you're the one with my coat? Huh? What sense does that make?"

A lot considering he was the one that left her with it. He had insisted that he was immune to the cold or something silly like that. And Mira didn't fight him on it because there was nothing she liked more than using the furry thing as a blanket. As he went to gently peel it back, he grinned at what she wore beneath.

"Mmmmm." She peaked open an eye, but didn't lift her head. "Dragon?"

"Mmmhmm." Working on getting his shirt and jeans off then, he asked, "Who were you tryin' to look sexy for there, demon?"

"Huh?"

He'd thrown the coat off her when he dropped it, so he only nodded at the nighty she was wearing.

"This isn't sexy."

"It's very sexy."

"Laxus-"

"Better just say it's for me," he told her simply as, when she scooted over, he slipped right into bed with her. "Else I might get a bit jealous."

"Just a bit?"

"A bit is a lot when it's in reference to, oh, I dunno, my Dragon Force going into overdrive."

"Yeah," she sighed as he snuggled up to her. "Just a bit of that could kill someone, huh?"

Nodding, he quickly moved on to trying to nuzzle against her neck.

"Dragon-"

"I missed you."

"You missed me? Or you missed sex?"

Well…

Errm…

Hmmm…

Maybe it had been a horny thing…

"Can't it just be a mixture?"

Still, she only giggled as she shifted further away from him still. Reaching down, she pulled his coat back up around her before giving him her best sultry look. She was sorta a master at it.

"I was so cold without you," she said as he just laid on his side, watching her darkly. "I slept with your coat every night, waiting for you to come back. It's been over a month and I-"

"Over a month?" he repeated. She knew what he meant anyhow.

"Forty-two days," she corrected. "I counted each one. I get so lonely."

"Mmmm."

"Do you get lonely? Dragon?" She raised an eyebrow. "Did you count the days?"

"No." Every time. "I ain't a woman." His gaze was still heavy as he asked, "What did you do? To get over missing me?"

"Well," she began as she shifted under the coat, as if to inveigle him into tossing it off her once more. He didn't. For some reason he seemed to be big on talking that night. Wasn't too odd. They were usually more into touching, but whatever got him hot, she figured. "I wore your coat, of course." That didn't seem to do anything for him. What else? "And sprayed some of your cologne around my room, just so I could smell you." Still nothing. Something else then. "I went over to your place-"

"Yeah?" He was shifting then, his eyes still locked with hers.

"And I went into your shower."

"Uh-huh."

"And I…"

"Yeah? What?" He was running a hadn down his chest then, watching her.

"Took a shower."

"And?"

"And what?"

His hand stilled. "And you did what in my shower?"

"Bathed?"

"Mira!"

"I'm sorry, Laxus. I don't know what you want me to say." Her face lost it's intriguing look as she seemed more disappointed with herself. "I really didn't do that. At all."

"Well, I know that."

"Then-"

"But we go over this every time," he grumbled as he fell onto his back. "How is it that you literally suck at talking dirty?"

"It's so hard." She sat up then, his coat still wrapped around her body. Suddenly, it hit her. "Oh, I know! I touched myself. Is that what you wanted?"

"Shut up, Mira."

"Dragon-"

"It doesn't count now," he told her as he held out a hand. It was hard to be annoyed with her when she was really trying. Knowing the gesture, she reached her own hand out to lay it flat against his. She was on her knees then and, when she held her arm out, the coat started to slip, giving him a nice view of her body. Laxus only stared in the darkness though. "Silly."

"Why do we have to do it anyways?" she asked. "I thought that we got it done well enough when we don't talk."

"We do."

"Then-"

"Sometimes I just like it too."

"I'm sorry, dragon."

"You're fine."

"You want me to try again?"

He dropped his hand before shrugging.

Worth a shot.

He'd still end up screwing her that night one way or another. Why not give her another chance at the lead in he wanted?

Shouldering out of his coat, Mira sat on her knees on the bed, still in her nighty as she stared across the bed into his eyes.

"You know the first week after you leave is the hardest," she admitted softly as he only watched and waited. "I lay around in bed and it's so cold and I'm so lonely and I just want my dragon to snuggle with."

"Uh-huh."

"And sometimes," she whispered, "I'll lay awake for hours and hours with nothing to do."

"Yeah?"

Nodding, Mira said, "And it's just so quiet that I can hear every single one of my breaths."

His were pretty noisy about then in anticipation.

"Really?"

"Mmmhmm. And as I try to drift off, I'll think about what you do when I can't sleep. Remember?"

Slowly, he shook his head.

"I'll lay with my back to your chest and you'll reach a hand down into my- It's snow!"

"Huh?"

Mirajane literally scrambled out of the bed then, kneeing Laxus in the stomach in her hurry.

"Damn it," he growled as she just rushed across the room and over to her opened blinds.

"Look, Lax! Look!"

"Mira, be quiet. You're gonna wake up-"

"It's snowing! It's the first snowfall of the season. That means it's really winter. Lisanna! Come here! Elf! It's snowing!"

"Damn it, woman," he growled as he heard movement somewhere else in the house. He was scrambling around then to get one of her blankets around his waist just as the bedroom door opened, narrowly hiding away his excitement from the others.

"Wow!" It was Lisanna that got there first. "It is snowing!"

"Yeah!" Mirajane had her whole face pressed against the window. "Elf! Are you coming?"

"I know one of us that isn't," Laxus growled as he burrowed under even more sheets and blankets. Mirajane had slept atop them when he got there, just using his coat for a cover, but she had a multitude on the bed. Enough to hide his arousal, but not nearly enough to hide his embarrassment. At least the latter was taking care of the former.

"Right here, sis. Snow, you said?"

"Yes! Look!"

"Oh jeez," Laxus growled as the big oaf came into the room too, flipping the light on as he came. "Why did I come over here again? For a weather report?"

"Laxus!" Lisanna glanced over at him. "I didn't see you over there."

"I wish I could say the same. By which I mean, you idiots have windows in your own rooms. Why don't you, gosh, I dunno, go use them?"

"What crawled up his butt?" Elfman grumbled as he glanced over at the other man.

"I'm tryin' to crawl up your sister's butt right now, so-"

"Oh, Laxus," Mira hissed, glaring over at him then as Elfman turned a shade of red that Lisanna didn't even know what possible. "You-"

"Don't get mad at me. We were in a middle of something when you called them in here."

Lisanna kept her face placed against the glass of the window. "I swear, every time your over, Laxus, you make things super awkward."

"I do not," he grumbled. "You dolts just show up at the most inopportune times!"

"Or at the best times!" Elfman, though still red, flexed. "You think you can…touch my big sister while I'm right next door? No way!"

"Considering I do it every time I spend the night-"

"I told you they weren't really moving furniture last time he was here, Lisanna," Elfman growled.

"Oh, I knew. I just thought it would have been funny if you went in there and tried to help."

"Lisanna." Mira glared at her, but she was still staring out the window.

"What? He didn't fall for it. Besides, you're the one being gross. Sleeping with Laxus and all. I mean, sheesh, surely there's other ways to catch a disease that don't involve hurting me and Elf's poor sensibilities."

"Disease?" Laxus growled. "Look, girlie-"

"Oh there are," Mira agreed. "Just not some that are as fun."

"I can't do this." Elfman lost his ability to flex and practically even to stand then as he gave in and headed for the door. "Please don't call me into your room anymore, Mirajane. Not if he's here and the two of you are… Please."

"Yeah, that was a bad call on your part, sis," Lisanna agreed as she continued to stare out the window. "Although the snow alert is much obliged."

"It is cool, huh?" With Elfman gone, Mirajane only turned to look out the window some more and Laxus fell back on the bed.

The Strauss sisters were impossible to break up once they got started.

"Mira," he grumbled. "Not to be a bother-"

"Why?" Lisanna asked. "You've been one this whole time."

"Lisanna, leave him alone," her sister sighed before glancing back at him. "Dragon, just come look at the snow, huh? How many times in your life are awake at the exact moment that it snows for the first time in the winter?"

"Knowing you, I'd go out on a limb and say a lot."

"Well, I try to be, sure, but I miss it so many times that it's always special when I hit it just right."

"It really is cool," Lisanna said as she took a step back from the window with a yawn. Through it, she added, "But only for a few minutes. Now I'm kinda wishing I'd stayed asleep. I was having a real good dream."

"I was too," Laxus grumbled. "It was the reason I came over here."

"Ew." Lisanna made a face at him. "I think."

"Oh, no, yeah, that deserved an ew. And if you don't get out of here, I'll give you a few more reason to-"

"Laxus Dreyar."

"I'm leaving," Lisanna called over her sister's scolding. "Night, Mira."

She was too busy glaring at her boyfriend to say anything. The second his girlfriend's door was shut, he got up to go lock it.

"You know," he grumbled, "I think it's time that you moved out."

"I think it's time that you learned to behave."

"Maybe later." He went over to her next. "Snow's cool and all, demon, but it's time for the shades to go back down."

"Dragon, no."

"Demon, yes." Reaching over her head, he pulled the blinds back down. "Snow is cool, but leaving your boyfriend high and dry is not."

"But Laxus, I don't think you understand how important this is to me."

"I don't think you get how important what I want is to me."

"Oh, no, I get it. I just don't care."

"Same."

"Fine." Mira huffed as she walked over to the bed, sitting back down on the end of it. "But I don't want to do that word thing again."

"Good. You're no good at it anyways."

"Hey-"

"That's okay anyhow," he said with a grin as he came to join her. Gently shoving her back, Laxus said, "I can think if a few other things we can do anyhow."

"Just a few?"

"Trust me, demon," he said as she giggled and moved to fall back on the bed. "Good as these moves are, you'll only need a few."

"That's big talk. Dragon."

"I'm a big boy."

"Really?"

"You forget?"

"Well," she sighed. "It has been a month."

"Mmmm. I-"

"Ooh, do you think it'll snow all night?" Mira shoved him off suddenly. "Have you checked the forecast? Is it sticking? How cold is it outside? Do you think maybe-"

"Demon, you're killin' me here."

"Sorry," she giggled as she let him pin her back down on the bed. Turning her head when he tried to kiss her, he settled for her neck as she said, "But do you think if it does stick, we can make snow angels tomorrow morning? Please? And you promised me a new winter coat, dragon."

"We'll get it tomorrow. And do the snow angels." Or at least she would. "But right now I wanna focus on tonight, huh?"

"Mmmm." She hummed as he bit at her shoulder blade. "And make a snowman?"

"No snowmen," came his reply, stifled against her flesh.

"Dragon-"

"No." Growling then, he said, "I hate their smug expressions. Always starin' at me with those smiles."

"You're psychotic."

"Am not. You ever seen a snowman that don't look smug?"

"You do realize if you wanted you could just put the coals into a frowny face, right?"

"Bah. Damn snowmen. I hate them."

"You're no fun. You know that?"

"Snowmen are no fun. Why would you want to waste perfectly good, clean looking snow and make it into a passive aggressive, arrogant little shit that glares out at you every-"

"Ivan really screwed you up as a kid, huh?"

More growls. "We don't have time for this. We can discuss snowmen later."

"In full?"

That was more a fearful question on her part. She'd heard his many reasons for the hatred before and, well, it was not fun for anyone.

"In full."

And there went Mirajane's love of winter…

Laxus could hardly focus on her anymore.

Those damn snowmen. Sneaky bastards.

"You're a little touched in the head, huh, Laxus?"

"Don't take their side, Mira. Sure, they look fun and whimsical, but they're not. They have a dark side. Swear it."

"I know, dragon," she sighed as he moved to rest on his back so she could finish getting off her nighty. "I know."

And, the next morning when he woke up, Laxus was happy to feel refreshed and invigorated for the new day. Dawn was just breaking and, well, he was ready for some breakfast and maybe a jog around the block to look at all the fresh snowfall. The air in the room was cool and he actually couldn't wait to take a warm shower.

With the demon, of course.

Only…she wasn't there. Huh. Maybe she was making him breakfast?

But when Laxus stood and glanced over at the window, he saw that she'd opened the blinds at some point again. From inside, he was able to see her out there, in the still falling snow, playing in it with her siblings.

Those Strausses. As annoying as they were, they were still kinda-

And she was building damn snowmen!

"Mira!" he yelled from inside the house. They couldn't hear him of course and continued to roll a big base up for the next one. There was already a built one, facing the house, with his face already made up.

And no. As he found out then, staring out at it, a snowmen with a frowny face looked just as smug and pompus and annoying and dickish as any other snowman.

Ugh.

It would be a long winter.

Poor Laxus. Those Strausses (and snowmen) are tricky bastards. Mmmm. Couldn't sleep tonight, so this happened. Not sure of it's purpose other than it entertained me for a bit.