Laxus X Juvia - A rare crack ship. I wanted to really write them but this turned really OOC and also really Modern AU? Anyway I hope someone, anyone likes it because I literally wrote it about 5 minutes ago so it's really rough and I'll probably hate it tomorrow.

Whoops,

Anyway - Enjoy Xx


"You two know each other?" Juvia asked, eyes lighting up with childish glee as she took in the scene in front of her.

Gajeel had Laxus in a choke hold. Choke. Hold. Gajeel just stared at her blankly for a moment before looking down at the blonde man he was unsuccessfully trying to choke to death. Laxus just gave a shrug because honestly he had no idea how she missed half of this shit either and expertly pulled himself from Gajeels's grasp.

The whole room was a mess actually, the ugly lamp the land lady had given Juvia as a welcome-to-the-building present was suspiciously smashed to the point being unrecognizable on the other side of the room, the pink couch Juvia would not get rid of – its so comfy Laxus, trust me! If you would just – no, no not like, okay but, I'm not getting rid of it! – was turned on its side and the carpet was askew. On top of that; random books had been thrown about as well as a few rare magazines and cd's – an odd mixture of Juvia and Laxus' stuff which had found themselves scattered about the living room.

"Yeah Juve, we know each other from way back." Laxus tried to convey an expression of complete boredom, dusting off his jacket as he walked over to where the blue haired woman was standing, keys still in hand. Stupid girl just smiled up at him, a small and fond tilt of her lips that left him feeling warm all over. Stupid girl, he sighed as he leaned down to grab the groceries by her feet. Two bags heavy with the ingredients for tonight and tomorrows dinner.

"Do you know who this is?" Juvia turned away from the blonde to face her best friend, he sounded hysterical – not angry but more like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. He was either about to fall into an uncontrollable bout of laughter or cry.

"Laxus?" she asked, kicking the door behind her and removing her scarf, it was so cold outside this time of the year! Thank god Laxus kept the heater going whilst she was out. Glancing out of the corner of her eye, she watched him unpack the fruit and veg before turning to face Gajeel again.

"You look stupid." She deadpanned.

And he did. Eyes wide and mouth open, he looked just like he did 20 years ago when she first brought him lunch because junk food is not a healthy lunch for a 6 year old – I don't care what your dad says, he's just as dumb as you are! Now eat this. So what, she was an odd child who somehow believed that the best way to befriend someone was to insult them and then feed them.

It worked didn't it?

"Juvia, raindrop, water woman, you beautiful dumbass mess – he's trying to kill you!" Gajeel grabbed her shoulders and gave her a shake.

Oh.

A smash from the kitchen followed by a muted curse broke her concentration and angrily Juvia pushed Gajeel away from her. The older boy gave glared right back at her before turning to glare at something over her shoulder.

"Shut your damn mouth." His voice sounded deeper then she had ever heard it before. The baritone sound like music to her ears as Laxus burst into the room behind her, heavy footsteps echoing in the otherwise silent room.

"Juvia should know exactly who's living in her house, if she knew you'd be–" Gajeel stepped forward, defiance clear as daylight on his face. His hand was raised in front of him, to what? Is he gonna punch him right here? She thought, though she didn't want to find out. Stepping forward with wide eyes and hands out stretched, she placed herself between the both of them. Pausing, Juvia took a deep breathe.

"I'm not here to hurt her."

"I already know."

They spoke at the same time. But it was Juvia's own words which had the desired effect. Everything stopped, statue still both men stared at her. Laxus had that deer-in-the-headlights look on his face. Whilst Gajeel looked smug for all of 2.5 seconds before…

"Wait, what?"

Juvia sighed deeply, eyes closed and hands moving into her hair before she could stop them. It was a stress thing, something she tried not to do – pulling out her own hair was horrific. Large hands, warm and slightly calloused hands carefully, softly, gripped her own cold and carefully manicured hands and brought them to rest comfortably away from her head.

"Don't"

For the first time since she'd known him, Laxus looked scared. Worried. Afraid. His lips, usually tilted in that annoying and stupidly attractive smirk were pulled into a frown accompanied by a small furrow in his brow. Juvia found herself wanting to make it go away, as cliché as it was.

Linking her fingers between his she lead him, them both, to the pink couch. Settling beside Laxus and drawing her legs up and underneath her, she leaned heavily against the now stoic blonde man. His shoulders where tense, back straight and barely breathing.

She knew. She knew, fuck, she knew. How could he explain? Yeah, I was sent to kill you but you saw me before I could and you looked so fucking cute and unaware that I couldn't let you die and now I really don't want you to die because I enjoy waking up to your stupid singing and dancing in the kitchen – especially now that you've started to wear my shirts which hang of your shoulders and go past your thighs and the morning light makes you look fucking angelic and who the fuck ever thought I'd say that and I fucking like the way you don't take any bullshit and can't walk past rubbish without picking it up and you go out of your way to make extra food for your students who don't bring their own and you're so unbelievably warm and smart and you made me watch those stupid fucking movies right here on this couch and oh fuck he was in too deep, what the fuck was he gonna do. She knew.

Gajeel eyed her from where he sat directly across from her. Staring, unblinking, as she gently rubbed her thumb across his knuckles and was now resting her chin on his shoulder – staring right at him.

"Oh."

"M'hmm"

"I'll just…"

"Yeah."

Juvia barely noticed Gajeel leaving, barely noticed as he grabbed the leather jacket that had been thrown over the tv and the combat boots kicked against her white walls, she'd get him for that later she thought, watching Laxus with raising levels of concern.

"Laxus?" she asked, voice soft and as low as she could make it. Almost like whisper. A secret between just the two of them, although that was where this all started didn't it? Too many secrets between them.

"You know." He sounded…well, dead. There was no emotion to him. Juvia gnawed at her lip, her own stupid furrow between her brows as she stared at him – a mixture of worry and concern on her face.

When he finally steeled himself enough to face her…

Fuck.

She looked absolutely gutted.

He hated that look on her face. He was a cold blooded, nothing gets in the way of a mission, get the job done no matter the cost type of killer and here he was – in a shitty apartment, with the most amazing woman he'd ever met, about to tell her that he was sent to kill her. Who did that?

"I already know Laxus, I've always known." She turned away from him and went to move away when he reached out and pulled her back.

"Why didn't you say anything? Why didn't you stop me? Why let me–" He broke off, angrily wiping away the tears that had gathered at the corners of his eyes.

"Because I volunteered."

What. The. Fuck.

Pausing, he turned to face her again. Faces so close he could feel the warmth of her breathe on his face. In any other circumstance, he would have taken that as the moment to make the move but as it was he just raised one eyebrow and gestured for her to continue.

"So, okay, wow um–" Taking a deep breathe, it was like the flood gates had opened, "So I used to run with Phantom Lord with Gajeel but things went south when we got a task to kidnap Lucy Heartfilia and we'd never really done that before – mostly just, you know kills and stuff and Fairy Tail kind of were really pissed about it and there was this huge fight and fast forward you went rogue and no one knew where you were and Gajeel and I joined up but it was after you left you know?" Pausing to catch her breath, Juvia stood up suddenly and began pacing rhythmically – six steps, turn, six steps, turn as she continued, "So we weren't there for a lot of it but when Makarov finally figured out where you were he wanted to get you back? I don't really know the details…" Waving her hands in the air, she shook her head and got right back to it, "…but some people managed to talk him into this plan right, and it involved a false trail and no one but Makarov, Erza, Evergreen, Freed and Bickslow actually knew about it but I wanted to prove that Gajeel and I were serious about Fairy Tail so when they asked for volunteers for this big mission I raised my hand and I don't know why but they sent me to get close, obviously not get killed and lead you back to Fairy Tail and–" Abruptly she stopped.

She was fidgeting so much, eyes darting around the room, not looking at him at all. It was that, her uncertainty that made him stand up and when her eyes finally landed on him and she actually took a step back in fear.

"Juvia…" God, he sounded wrecked.

"I kind of really stupidly like you." The words came out in a rush. Hissed out from between clenched teeth and her eyes widened in shock at her own words before they slammed shut and she just rolled with it, "I like that when I wake up you aren't awake and I get to watch you sleep for a little bit longer because you look so peaceful when you sleep. I like that you watch me dance around stupidly but you never make it seem stupid or dumb and I don't feel stupid or dumb when I'm around you and I like that I'm me when I'm with you because me feels so much more real when I'm with you and I–" Stopping she looked up at him, a pathetic, watery half-smile on her face.

"You like me."

She laughed, wet but relieved, "You're such an asshole."

"Don't worry, I like you too." Stepping forward he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pressing a kiss to the top of her head when she stepped into him and hugged him back. Fiercely, like at any moment they could be ripped apart. He liked it.

A muffled sound broke the moment.

"What?"

"I said," leaning back, Juvia blew a strand of hair off her face and pouted, "Are you going to come back. I'd like to stop worrying everyone now."

Sighing, Laxus twirled the strand of hair around her finger and tucked in behind her ear, "There's a lot to do. I'm caught in some…some really bad shit with my old man…" he trailed off.

"So we'll help. You're an asshole but for some reason Fairy Tail actually misses you." Her laugh broke into a squeal when they both fell backwards onto the couch, landing on the soft surface with a shared pained Oof.

"Yeah, alright. If the old man really wants to help." He rolled his eyes but Juvia just slapped him upside the head before settling down, sagging against him and burrowing her head in his shoulder.

Tomorrow, he thought as he closed his eyes.