A/N- Am I a terrible person for posting a new story when L&tDS hasn't updated in months and I still have unfinished Soul Eater fic on hiatus?
...nah. This is a fic I've been referring to as "the trashy shoujo romcom fic," because it's cheesy and silly and shamelessly self-indulgent and hopefully funny, though we'll see how that goes. It's not really a slow burn fic, exactly (because having come straight from the SE fandom I consider taking anything less than two YEARS to get together not really a slow burn lol) but it's definitely going to be a slightly more drawn out friends-to-lovers thing, which it seems to me the LaxLu archives are sorely in need of.
My characterization of Laxus in this draws a lot on his spinoff manga, because it's the first time we've been allowed to get a lengthy look at Laxus during "down time." Most of what we see of him in the main series is when he's fighting, or standing at the back of the crowd trying to make himself unobtrusive, so I feel like Raigo Issen was a great look at Laxus when he's not in Ultra Badass Mode and actually just, y'know, kicking around being an actual person. He's tricky to write for precisely because we get so few insights into his day to day operation, but I think the spinoff has helped a lot in that (though I really wish more chapters had been translated... anybody know where I can find the raws of the remainder of the thing, incidentally?)
Thanks to my excellent friend scarlethousecarl for looking this nonsense over for me (and sorry that I made so many edits after she did because there's probably errors both of us have missed as a result). And with no further ado... let's get down to business!
Chapter 1: Unrequited
Freed was a lifesaver.
That was the only thought Laxus could process as he watched his friend hussle a pack of disappointed women towards the refreshments table. Laxus had never been a big fan of being touched— by people he didn't know, anyway— and having women hanging all over him was a nightmare. Did wonders for his image, maybe, but dealing with people he knew and cared about was difficult enough. Trying to figure out how to respond to swoons and flirting from virtual strangers was his personal idea of hell, even without them hanging all over him.
But Freed, who was good with people, who had known him since he was eighteen and gangly and even more painfully awkward than he was now, was once again his savior. And while Freed was chivvying would-be coquettes off in some other direction, Bix and Ever took up positions on either side of him, chatting noisily and prepared to close ranks if anyone else tried to pester him.
When they called themselves his personal guard, this was what they meant. The idea of Laxus needing bodyguards for any physical threat was laughable. The last time he'd been weak enough to need protection, he hadn't even hit puberty yet. He wasn't good with people, though. Didn't know how to make small talk, never could manage to be charming. Crowds stressed him the fuck out. But for years, Freed and Ever and Bixlow had been there to step in when he couldn't handle socializing, when he was tongue-tied and fumbling and offending everybody because he couldn't string a civil phrase together to save his life. They were the guardians of his sanity, more than anything, and he was never going to be able to repay all they did for him.
But there was only so much they could do, and when Elfman stole Ever away for a waltz just as Bix started to give a cluster of girls from Mermaid Heel the eye, he could feel his protection for the evening slipping away. He didn't really begrudge them the chance to cut loose— because seriously, what were the odds that any of them was ever going to attend a royal ball again?— but he felt a little bereft as they slowly drifted off. And without them, just the sight of one of those girls from earlier giving him a considering glance from across the hall was enough to have him bolting for the mezzanine.
Safely ensconced in the shadows of one of the balcony boxes overlooking the grand ballroom, Laxus leaned his shoulder up against one of the colossal marble pillars that flanked the curved balcony. He winced as the shift of his balance put pressure on his injuries; Jura had cracked two of his ribs, and Zirconis another three. He had declined Wendy's offer to heal them— the little girl and the Lamia Scale god slayer she'd befriended had worked themselves half to death over the last forty-eight hours or so, trying to patch up as many of the injured wizards as possible.
But he was a dragon slayer. He could recover in a matter of days from injuries that would leave most other mages bedridden for weeks or months, injuries that would kill ordinary people. It was better for those kids to put their energy towards people who really needed it— he could handle some discomfort while he healed.
Swirling his glass of whiskey and cola and wishing that the royal bartender had had the decency to at least tap a keg, he surveyed the crowd on the ballroom floor below, looking for one familiar face in particular. But he couldn't seem to catch sight of her, and with so many people in the room, trying to catch even her scent was a lost cause. He did spy his grandfather chatting it up with old Yajima, and Cana drinking with the dudes from Quatro Cerberus. He also spotted a few members of Twilight Ogre he vaguely recognized, who were wearing matching black armbands and somber expressions, and wondered if they'd lost somebody in the battle with the dragons.
These last few days had really been… something.
Laxus felt as though he wasn't totally settled in his own skin after everything that had gone down. Over and over, he found himself replaying that minute that hadn't happened. The terrified jolt in his gut when he saw Wendy freeze up, the way he reacted on instinct, Zirconis's scalding breath and the feeling of powerful jaws closing around his body…
He shook his head, annoyed at the shiver that ran down his spine. Fucking dragon…
It was over, anyway. He didn't want to dwell on it anymore. Dragons and shitty, scheming, asshole dads aside, this had been one of the best weeks of his life. Being with everyone on the team, laughing and carrying on and sometimes being able to forget that he was the asshat who'd almost ruined their damn wonderful guild, standing shoulder to shoulder with his friends… it had been one hell of an experience. And kicking Jura's ass in front of the whole country had been a rush he wouldn't be forgetting anytime soon, either. And now to top it all off, here he was at a royal ball in Mercurius itself… and what was he doing? Avoiding the crowd and dwelling on what dying felt like.
Honestly, what was his problem? He really needed to get the fuck over it.
Laxus resumed his survey of the other guests, determined to get this shit out of his head. He spied King Toma still chasing Natsu around trying to get his clothes and crown back, and rolled his eyes. Some things just never seemed to change. What on earth was that idiot thinking, mugging the king, of all people? He really couldn't understand how Natsu could be so wise one day and such a profound moron the next. He moved on, eyes still scanning the crowd, searching, searching...
And then, there she was. The contrasting flash of silvery-white hair against her scarlet gown made her unmistakable, once he finally caught sight of her.
Mirajane.
Her sister held one of her hands and Cana the other, and the three of them were whirling together on the dance floor, turning giddy circles in the middle of the crowd, red and pink and purple skirts brushing against each other in a riot of color. Even from this distance, with the gift of his advanced senses, he could pick out her laughter amidst all the music and chatter, could see the way her eyes crinkled up at the corner as she beamed at everyone around her.
She was fascinating to watch.
For the life of him, Laxus couldn't say how his interest in Mira began. When had he stopped seeing her as a loudmouthed little annoyance who was all knees and elbows and never stopped pestering him? When did he start to see her as… well, a woman? He honest to god didn't know. He certainly only became aware of it recently. Sometime around the start of the Games it had hit him like— if the shitty pun could be excused— a bolt from the blue.
There was just something about her, he really didn't know what it was. On a shallow level, he knew her beauty and power attracted him. But this feeling was something deeper, it had to be. Maybe it was her energy, her enthusiasm that drew him in. Or maybe it was that dichotomy of her nature, the way her sweet angel eyes hid the true demon underneath.
Whatever it was about her that had triggered this avalanche of feeling, it had completely taken hold of him over the course of the week. During the Games as her teammate, cheering their other friends on, watching her demolish that sickly-sweet pageant girl in their battle, he had felt it coming on strong, and he hadn't known what the hell to do. Mira really was the whole package, when it came right down to it. Kind and generous and gorgeous, with a body to die for and a ruthless streak he couldn't help but admire. She was amazing and it was making his head spin. And as the guilds of Fiore had licked their wounds these last couple days since the end of the battle with the dragons, it had only gotten worse.
It must have started before now. Surely it had to have started sooner than this, because there was no way a feeling like this just came right the fuck out of nowhere. It must have been hiding somewhere in the back of his heart, and being around her so much this week had brought it out in him. It was the first time he'd really been in her company for more than a few minutes at a time since they were both teenagers, so it made sense that it would hit him like this once he was around her more.
But he supposed it didn't really matter how it had come about that he'd fallen for the She-Demon. What did matter was what he was going to do now that he had.
Did he want to be with her?
Yes, obviously. Laxus's dating history was virtually nonexistent, but the allure of the inimitable Mirajane Strauss was irresistible. That wasn't even really a question worth asking.
But how to go about it?
He knew what Bixlow would say, if Laxus were foolish enough to actually bring it up. He'd give some distinctly off-color advice and waggle his tongue suggestively. And up until pretty recently, Laxus would've played along, with a crude laugh and a comment even more boorish than whatever Bix had come up with. He'd gotten very good at playing the role of the pervy alpha male— with teachers like Gildarts and his grandfather, learning the lines was unavoidable.
But, like so many of the other things in his life, it was all a balancing act. Performative. His constant hyperconsciousness of what other people thought of him biting him in the ass yet again. He was a guy, who looked a certain way, and he knew how guys like him were supposed to act, and he'd always played his part well. Said what was expected so that people could make their own assumptions and leave him alone. He had years of experience talking a big game and acting on pretty much none of it… and now that he actually liked somebody, he wasn't quite sure what to do.
It was ridiculous. Fucking absurd, actually. He'd never been an indecisive person, never in his life, but now here he was having a minor crisis because some pretty thing had caught his eye.
Except… she was so much more than just a "pretty thing." Modelling career or no, what made Mira special wasn't what she looked like; she was a complicated, quirky, vibrant person, and all he wanted to do was make the jump from friends to lovers. But he had no idea how on earth to pursue a woman he was actually serious about.
He sighed, tilting his head to rest against the pillar he was leaning on as his eyes followed Mira in her whirl around the dance floor.
Laxus wasn't the only one watching her, though. As Cana swung both Strauss sisters around with an overloud shriek of laughter from all three, he caught sight of a couple of guys from some other guild— Lamia Scale, he thought, though he wasn't sure— who were giving her long, appreciative looks. The one in the sparkly, lilac-colored pants in particular was looking at her like she was piece of meat sliced up especially for him.
He growled low in his throat, a distinctly draconian noise that he hadn't realized was a dragon slayer thing until he'd met Natsu, tuning his sensitive ears to try to pick up on what the pair were saying. If they were being nasty, a discrete, low-voltage reminder to keep their eyes to themselves might be in—
"Nah, man, that's Mirajane," the shorter of the two was saying with a shake of his head.
"Yeah, I know," his flamboyantly-dressed friend replied, in a tone like he was speaking to a complete moron. "That's why I wanna ask her out."
Laxus felt sparks run down his spine and he repressed the immediate urge to zap the presumptuous fucker six ways to kingdom come; he was pretty sure calling down the lightning in the middle of a crowded ballroom would not be considered appropriate for the venue.
"Seriously, I'm telling you, it's a bad idea, you're just gonna make an idiot of yourself," the first guy said firmly. "Mirajane Strauss hasn't dated anyone. Ever. She's, like, next level. She's got every guy in the kingdom throwing themselves at her feet, but she's never so much as gotten coffee with anyone."
Mira's would-be suitor cocked his head at his friend in puzzlement. "What're you getting at?"
"I'm saying," his friend said, with an air of nearly-exhausted patience, "that the girl's gotta have the highest standards of anybody you've ever met. You think she's gonna date you? Please."
"Wow, way to have confidence in me," Sparklepants protested, sounding highly offended. "Thought we were friends, jeez."
"Yeah, and as your friend, I'm trying to keep you from humiliating yourself."
Glitterbutt glowered. "Whatever, dude. Standards, schmandards. I'm gonna go ask her to dinner. Fortune favors the brave!" And so saying, he marched straight into the middle of the dancers and tapped Mira on the shoulder, forcing her to drop both Cana and Lisanna's hands and cease their dance in order to turn and acknowledge him.
Laxus didn't need dragon slayer hearing to know exactly what happened next, but he listened anyway. Mira, as expected, was sweeter than anybody wearing that many layers of sequins deserved in a rejection, but watching her turn Mr. Fancypants down was still pretty satisfying.
As he watched the gaudy loser traipse off the dance floor under a palpable cloud of misery, Laxus tried to maintain his smug grin… but the conversation he'd overheard kept intruding on his thoughts.
She's never so much as gotten coffee with anyone...
That was true. He'd known Mira since she was… how old was it when she came to the guild again? Twelve? Whatever, she'd barely hit puberty. He'd known her for half her life, and he was pretty damn certain she'd never dated anybody. Ever. At all. Much like himself.
Unlike himself, he was pretty sure Mira's chronically-single status had nothing to do with being a reserved, romantically inept dumbass.
That the girl's gotta have the highest standards of anybody you've ever met…
Those words weighed on him. They'd been spoken by somebody who didn't know Mira at all, but they were probably also true. Clearly she didn't have any shortage of prospects. Dudes would line up around the block for the chance to so much as have her blow them a kiss. And that was just because she was beautiful. Guys who had any idea what she was actually like as a person would probably literally kill someone to get a date with her. Either that or they'd run screaming, but in Laxus's opinion, any guy with balls shouldn't be intimidated by a powerful woman. No, if she was single, it was very much because she had chosen to be, and he couldn't imagine that somebody like her actually preferred the single life.
And this was the girl he wanted to be with. What chance did he realistically have with her? What did he even think he could offer her? Power? Fuck, she wasn't as strong as him, but she was damn powerful in her own right. She didn't need a protector. Money? Sure, Mira wasn't going on S-Class jobs anymore like he was, but as far as he knew, modelling for Sorcerer's paid pretty damn well. She didn't need a sugar daddy. The thought of that was cringey anyway.
But fuck. That kind of thinking… that was all bullshit. Even if power or money were the kinds of things that would attract a girl like Mirajane Strauss, he wasn't his father. He wasn't. He refused to be. Power wasn't what really mattered, and he knew that…
But when it came to women, what the hell else did he have to offer? Not even just to Mira, specifically, but to women in general— what other selling points did he even have? Not a whole lot. He was attractive, and he was very aware of it. But even if his looks were able to get her attention, physical attraction wasn't enough to keep her. His personality? His personality was a fucking joke. He wasn't exactly going to be winning Mira's heart with his wit and charm anytime soon.
Yeah, that was the crux of the issue. Laxus was extremely conscious of the fact that he wasn't exactly the life of any given party, to say the least. He was blunt and awkward and ineloquent and hopeless at small talk and kind of an asshole despite his best efforts. He really didn't mean to be, at least not anymore, but old habits were deeply-ingrained.
Not, he thought, that Mira had the most sparkling personality herself when she'd first come to Fairy Tail. She'd been a catty, antisocial little thing herself, from what he remembered, so maybe he wasn't completely screwed. She might be able to overlook some of the glaring issues with his personality… but was that a chance he was willing to take?
Bixlow would tell him to go for it, probably. And while he usually trusted Bix's advice when it came to people— seeing as Bix was the most emotionally intelligent of their group— he didn't think the guy who'd been slapped three different times tonight by various women from other girls was really the guy he wanted to turn to for love advice.
Maybe he could ask Ever for her opinion? She knew about girls, seeing as she was one, so she would be able to give him advi—
Down below, a squabble broke out on the dance floor. Laxus's eyes were drawn down by the noise, and he discovered that the instigator was none other than the subject of his thoughts. Ever was standing still in the midst of the moving crowd, hands on her hips, glaring at Elfman so fiercely that it was probably lucky for everyone in the vicinity that her glasses were firmly settled on her face. From what Laxus could gather, she was taking Elfman to task for stepping on her gown and tearing the hem.
Never mind, he immediately decided. Come to think of it, Ever was pretty much the only person he knew who was as romantically hopeless as he was. Taking love advice from a woman who couldn't even admit she had a boyfriend was not a smart move.
And with neither Bix nor Ever as viable options to go to for advice, that left…
"There you are."
Laxus glanced over his shoulder and saw a familiar face emerging from the shadows to join him on the balcony.
"Freed."
"You're hiding," Freed observed.
He shrugged. "Was gettin' a little stir-crazy down there."
"It's certainly a boisterous crowd," he agreed with an understanding nod.
Laxus grunted and set his drink down on the marble balustrade, crossing his arms and settling back against the pillar, inadvertently wincing again as his torso twisted uncomfortably.
"Are you in a lot of pain?" Freed asked. He never missed a damn thing, especially when it came to Laxus's wellbeing.
"'M fine."
Freed's look was skeptical. "I still say you should have Wendy take a look at those ribs," he said firmly.
Laxus shook his head. "Nah. I don't need her wasting her magic on me when I can heal just fine on my own. Kid's gonna be dead on her feet for a week with all the healing she's done as it is."
Freed gave him a thoughtful look. "You've really taken a liking to her, haven't you?"
"She's a good kid," he said, glancing down to where Wendy was dancing an unpracticed waltz with her little friend from Lamia Scale.
The knowing grin that touched Freed's lips when he looked back up was annoying. It was too similar to Ever's smug little "I know you're secretly a big softie" smirk. As much as he loved that his friends knew him so well, they abused that power by taking every available opportunity to tease him. God only knew what they were going to do when they found out about Mira.
Mira...
He gave Freed a speculative look. Freed could be charming, in his own formal way. Polite. Socially adept. And he'd gotten close with Mira while Laxus was in exile.
"Hey, Freed."
"Yes?"
"If I… if hypothetically a guy likes somebody, how's he supposed to go about telling 'em?"
He was reasonably sure he was blushing. Talking about this kind of thing was awkward, even with Freed, and now that it was out in the open, the question sounded disgustingly juvenile and he wanted it unsaid. But he'd committed himself to the subject, so he would see it through; he kept his gaze trained on the opposite wall, avoiding eye contact.
"That largely depends on the person," Freed said.
"Helpful."
"You ask a vague question, you get a vague answer."
Laxus took a break from glaring at the wall to glare at Freed instead. "Anybody ever tell you you're a pain in the ass?"
Freed grinned. "I believe I know a few people who may have mentioned it a time or two."
"Look, can you just answer the damn question?" It wasn't often that Laxus revealed his weaknesses like this. But because it was Freed, his oldest friend, and because this whole situation was stressing him the hell out, he found his guard slipping somewhat.
Freed seemed to realize he really wasn't in a mood to be teased, because his demeanor settled into something more serious, though there was still an amused glint in his eye. "Very well," he said. "Who is this hypothetical person?"
Laxus grimaced, uncertain how to respond, as he ran through his options. He could tell Freed, of course. Freed knew Mira pretty well, it seemed, so he might be able to give better advice if he knew who Laxus was interested in. But on the other hand, if he told Freed, and Mira ended up rejecting him, he knew Freed would feel obligated to side with Laxus. That would be a mess and a half by itself, and if Freed and Mira were at odds, Ever and Elfman would definitely get dragged into it, and god knew that "discussion" would be neither quiet nor private, and then everybody else would know, lines would be drawn…
Good god, his love life could very well drive a deeper wedge into the guild than his idiotic "Battle of Fairy Tail" plan!
Deciding that nonspecific advice was a small price to pay for the sake of intra-guild unity, Laxus said, "It's hypothetical."
Freed raised an eyebrow but, as usual, let him have his way. That was one of the things Laxus liked about him. "Is this hypothetical person male or female?" he asked instead.
Laxus supposed he should have expected that question; his oldest friend was the only person he had ever confided in that he thought he might be bisexual. Still, to bring it up in public, where anybody could overhear—!
"It's a chick, obviously," Laxus snapped.
Freed shrugged. "Just asking. Though, isn't it a little ironic that you're asking me for guidance in wooing a woman?"
"Come to think of it…" The irony of asking a gay man for advice about women hadn't occurred to him until just now, but now that Freed pointed it out, it seemed ridiculous.
"Still," the rune mage mused, "a relationship is a relationship, regardless of the gender of those involved."
"Hey, Freed?"
"Yes?"
"Have you ever actually been in a relationship? At all?"
Freed looked distinctly flustered by this question. "Well… not as such."
Laxus snorted. "Fine pair we are."
"So it would appear."
"I think I'll pass on the advice, then," Laxus said. "No offense."
"Suit yourself."
They lapsed into silence, a comfortable companionship born of more than half a decade of familiarity. The ball whirled on, and together the two of them watched it pass by below. Laxus found it easier to enjoy from up here, amused by the antics of their friends and allies without having to participate. It wasn't that he disliked socializing, he reflected, but large crowds made him feel almost claustrophobic, and small talk was exhausting. Watching like this was better.
"We should go back down," Freed said eventually. "The others will start wondering where you've disappeared to."
"In a minute." He wasn't ready to give up his sanctuary just yet, though he knew he'd need to put in another appearance sooner or later.
"Take your time," Freed agreed mildly. He turned and headed for the door out to the hall, but paused just under the marble arch and looked back over his shoulder. "Whoever this woman is," he added, "she's lucky."
Laxus let out a sharp, quiet chuckle. "Sure."
"I'm serious," Freed said. "I can tell this is bothering you, so my advice is… be genuine. Talk to her, spend time with her, be open with yourself. Once she gets to know you— the real you, not the face you show most people, but the Laxus we in the Thunder Legion have been privileged to know all these years— I don't think there's a woman on Earthland who could resist you." He paused. "Unless she's a lesbian. In which case you may be out of luck."
His snort at that was a little more genuine. "Sure. You're biased, but thanks."
Freed shrugged, but Laxus caught the grin on his face as he turned away again to sweep out the door and back downstairs.
Turning back to face the open room as soon as Freed was out of sight, he sighed. "Be genuine?" he mused. That was terrifying advice. And what he'd said to Freed was true— Freed was biased. There was no getting around the fact that Freed pretty much thought the sun shone out his ass, and somebody who didn't have the same history with him wasn't going to have the same perspective. Being genuine was only going to achieve showing Mirajane the fact that he was a blunt asshole who had completely failed to inherit any of his family's supposedly hereditary charm.
Laxus closed his eyes, bracing his weight on his hands as he leaned against the balustrade. What the hell was he gonna do? Continuing in limbo like this was intolerable. He wasn't the kind of guy who did well with sitting around, stewing in his own emotions— one of many things he'd been learning about himself lately. The way he saw it, he had two options. Either he could decide to let it go, swallow his feelings, and content himself with being friends… or he could try to win her over.
Was he willing to accept friendship and only friendship from Mira? He didn't want to undervalue the bond they already had, because he'd been taking friends for granted for too many years, but he wasn't so sure it was enough for him anymore. Of course, they'd always been… well, he didn't think he could truly say they'd been close, but even as a confused, bitter teenager, he'd tolerated her better than he had, say, Natsu. Even at her wildest, she'd always been good company. Her friendship was valuable. But was it enough?
He picked up the sound of a silver-bell laugh, and his gaze was drawn irresistibly to where Mira stood… but it wasn't even her laughter! It was Lisanna who had her head thrown back in a fit of giggles over something her sister had said. Dammit, he'd gotten so jumpy, he was hearing her everywhere!
Laxus sighed, head drooping tiredly as he leaned more heavily on the edge of the balcony. No, it was obvious he wasn't going to be content with friendship from Mira. But he'd be damned if he confessed like a nervous teenager! Not until he was absolutely sure he could get the answer he wanted. Laxus wasn't a gambling man, he didn't make uncalculated moves.
He needed an edge, he needed a game plan, he needed a way to make sure she would fall for him in return before he made his move. And Laxus was aware that, just like with his attempt to take over the guild, it wasn't something he could achieve alone. He needed someone to help him figure out how not to fuck this up.
But who? Bix and Ever were bad at serious relationships, Freed's advice was stupid and scary…
It was a strange thought, the idea that he couldn't rely on the Thunder Legion for help. He and Freed had known each other since they were eighteen and fifteen, respectively, and they'd met Evergreen and Bixlow not long afterwards. Though he knew he'd taken them for granted in his spiralling madness before his failed coup, the fact was that the four of them were closer than kin, and the idea that he'd come up against a problem they couldn't help him to solve was baffling.
So if he couldn't bank on help from his closest friends…
He dismissed his grandfather out of hand. They'd gotten better at actually talking to each other lately, but he absolutely was not about to spill his guts about something this personal. Besides, the old man was far and away the biggest pervert Laxus knew— he'd probably get better advice from Bix.
He spent a longer moment contemplating the idea of asking Cana for help. He and Cana had been close as children despite the gap in their ages, and though by the time he was a teenager they'd drifted apart, they were starting to reconnect. And she certainly had plenty of experience with men and women, so she'd probably give good advice… though again, now that he thought about it, Cana was more who he would go to if he just wanted to get Mirajane in bed. Laxus was moderately confident in his ability to do that much, at least, without help. Despite numerous rumors to the contrary, Laxus did not have a very active sex life, but he couldn't claim to be inexperienced, either. If all he wanted from Mira was sex, he was pretty sure seducing her wouldn't be too hard.
But a fling, a one night stand, friends with benefits… that wasn't what he wanted. He wanted something genuine, something honest, a relationship. He wanted a partner. Who did he know who could help him reach that goal?
And then, as his gaze swept again over the crowd below, the answer came to him. The perfect confidante, someone trustworthy, kind, reliable. Someone who, by all accounts, was great with people— she had to be, considering her team hadn't killed each other yet and she was the only cool head in the bunch— and who he knew Mira adored. Someone who, unlike some people (Cana) wouldn't immediately turn around and spill the beans about his feelings to Mira for a laugh.
So the only question left was… was he willing to humble himself to ask Lucy Heartfilia, a girl he barely knew and had not been especially kind to in the past, for help?
A/N part deux- Thank you for reading! I'd love to hear your thoughts!
