"You gonna sit around on the ground all day you damn brat? Or you gonna get up and fight for a change?" I lay on the ground, my body bruised and something probably broken, at the feet of Laxus. He had his hands in his pockets as he disspationately watched me. Tears ran down my cheeks at the pain inside, but he just looked away. "Che. Get up or you'll never get stronger." This was Laxus' way of showing me encouragement. He never pampered me like others in the guild; but he cared in his own way. He was out here training with me after all. I stood shakily and managed to stand on my own two feet, swaying from side to side.
"I'm…not done yet, Laxus." He watched me barely stand and nodded.
"Good. If you can't stand on your own, you ain't gonna amount to shit. Come on, kid. If you can make it to me, we'll go to the guild." He stood only a short space away, his coat flapping in the wind, his face hardened like stone. Unreachable, untouchable, but I would not give up just yet.
"I don't know if I can," I admitted.
"If you can't push past this then you're just a weak mage and not worth my time." He whirled and began to walk away, making me run toward him.
"Wait!" He stopped and turned, watching me run toward him as my legs threatened to give out from under me. But unfortunately I tripped as I neared him and went flying forward as my legs gave out. I braced myself for the impact of the hard ground but instead, two arms caught me.
"See kid? Push yourself and you'll finally get strong." I grabbed his jacket and held him close as he just kept me upright. This was the Laxus I looked up to. He always pushed me so hard, and he might not ever really say it, but I knew he was proud of me. He threw me up over his shoulder and began to walk back to the guild, ignoring the muffles of pain I tried to hide at his steps. I would become strong for him. I would.
"You can't stay here forever Hikari." It was the voice of my closest friend that brought me out of my thoughts. "We have honored him. It's time for us to leave."
"You're right," I murmured. Something about this place made me feel like the young Hikari I'd grown out of, like here was the only spot where nothing had changed even though the years passed. It was a grave I had built years ago in our special training spot, where the memories of Laxus were the most clear. It was a simply stone in the ground, the place blanketed with grass and gently swaying trees that always responded to any wind. But there were scorches and black spots that dotted the landscape…the evidence of our training. It was the best place I could think of to have a secret grave and one that I could go to. Here were memories, integrated as if they were the air itself.
"Laxus!" He turned to me, an irritated look on his face, but I simply jumped on the seat beside of him. "Wanna come train with me?" Mirajane smiled as she cleaned out a mug, moving away to a discrete distance.
"No. I don't have time for you." He turned back and took a drink of the beer in front of him.
"Aw, come on. I have a new attack I need to try out."
"Go find Erza." I pouted; why couldn't he just go with me? He wasn't even doing anything but drinking again.
"No. I wanna train with you, not Erza." He growled low in his throat but it was only for show. He wasn't actually annoyed just yet. "Please? I'll buy you beer later."
"You're a kid; you can't buy beer." With that, he took another long drink. I glared at the man, disgruntled at his casual dismissal.
"Yes I can!"
"You're not even close to the age to get any, you damn kid."
"Just because I'm not old enough doesn't mean I can't get any for you," I huffed at him angrily. I crossed my arms in semi-annoyance. Didn't he have faith in me at all? "Just because I'm a damn kid doesn't mean I don't know how to get it."
"Fucking fine. If you manage to buy some beer, I'll go train with you." I reached down into my bag and brought out a small keg of his favorite beer, slamming it onto the counter with a triumphant smirk.
"Here's your beer, Laxus. Now let's go train." He eyed the beer and eyed me. "Are you going back on your word, Laxus?"
"I don't feel like training with a brat."
"Well you're an annoying teacher but I deal with you anyway." He sent me another of his annoyed looks but I just smiled at him, knowing I had him.
"Che. Let's go already." He finished off the beer in his tankard and swiped the small keg I had brought him. As we walked out of the guild he finally looked down at me. "Where did you get this, anyways?"
"I'm not gonna tell you. I have some secrets too, you know." I winked at him and he just rolled his eyes.
"Whatever, brat."
"Come, Hikari. Your guild master is awaiting your return," Jura said, making me look from the grave to his face. The face that was the most familiar since the accident, the one that drew me and kept me in sane territory.
Jura was my friend and master, training me where Laxus had left off. Of course I hadn't met him until much later when I was older and on the same mission as him. When I saw his power, I begged for him to be my sparring partner and trainer, since Erza was also gone. Fortunately for me, Jura had accepted as a gesture of good faith to the bond of our guilds. He was gentle but fierce, earning the right to be a Saint Wizard. It was through him that I'd gained much power and in turn, we became close friends.
He was much like the inner Laxus had been. He was powerful and loyal to those he called friend. But he showed an uncanny humility to everything around him, claiming he was the weakest of the ten wizard saints. It was this quality that drew me to him and kept me sane. He knew when to be harsh with me and when to be kind.
"Sorry, Jura." He gave me a hand and pulled me up to my feet.
"Don't apologize. Everyone has a time to grieve and for you, it means that Laxus is still in your heart. There is nothing to be sorry for." I nodded at his wisdom. And as we left Laxus' grave, I turned and looked back. I could see a haze of the man I once knew in the mist, a cocky grin on his face, his demeanor fierce and arrogant, but the eyes soft and kind…like they always had been for me.
I missed Laxus even though seven years had passed.
He may have never returned for me, but I would always be waiting.
As I exited the train station I walked down the familiar streets with a wave of nostalgia. I hadn't been home in a few years, taking high ranked missions and teaming up with Jura for other missions. It was still hard for me to be around the guild without familiar faces and I had permission to be gone for extended lengths of time as long as I wrote. Macao understood my pain because his son had the same pain: his son hadn't smiled in seven years.
Walking through the streets I simply watched others and said nothing; no one recognized me even though it was my hometown. Kids ran past me as they played while locals and tourists mingled through the streets. Mages of different types loitered about as they passed through town. Even new buildings and renovations of old ones had the place almost looking foreign to my weary eyes. It didn't feel like a homecoming to me, but then again, I was gone for a while. Only one or two people knew me by face and each waved as I passed their shop, but I kept going for the guild. It was time to finally come home.
Finally, I saw the guild in the distance and sighed, letting the pain of loss wash through me like it always did when I saw the guild doors; this was the other place that was too saturated with memories. Faces of friends, echoes of laughter, and the battles that made everyone smile. The essence of Fairy Tail had passed long ago with the death of our friends. However, I heard loud laughter booming from inside which had me frowning. What could cause our so serious Fairy Tail amusement? I walked just a bit faster as my curiosity grew and as I reached the guild, I stopped cold as someone walked between me and the door.
"Oi, who are you?" It was as if a memory had literally flew from my mind and taken shape in front of me, and for the first time, I doubted my sanity. A hallucination meant perhaps I was gone too long and fell out of reality. Or maybe I was just too tired and needed to just go to an abandoned shoreline and let the rest of my days pass with a beer in hand.
"Gajeel?" I whispered. He was literally popping iron into his mouth as he eyed me with a sort of curiosity. "You're dead." He eyed me once more before popping in another piece of metal. He was so calm and collected, but his eyes roamed me even as I saw the delicate sniff of his nose to take in my scent. I reached out and touched his arm, blinking rapidly when I met skin instead of air. Dear god, his skin felt real. This was a serious hallucination.
"Thought so too. Apparently the first guild master saved us through some spell." He shrugged the details off, but that was Gajeel. He didn't really care about how it happened, just that it did. "You look a lot different, Hikari. Been a while, huh?" I nodded dumbly, still struck by his presence. He was so calm and collected that I started to relax. This wasn't a dream. He was really here, which meant-
"Is everyone…" I trailed off, afraid to finish the sentence. If only Gajeel was here, I didn't know how I could handle it. But the hope wouldn't be denied and it swelled inside of me, blossoming rapidly.
"Yeah. I just had to stop by my old place first. Are you gonna come in with me or what?" I smiled at his attitude; it was just like I remembered. I also remembered his bluster that covered a kind heart, which was probably why he was trying to walk in with me. He could probably sense that I was on emotional overload.
"Yeah. Thanks Gajeel." He made a noise and looked in the opposite direction, but I said what I needed to and didn't push it. He pushed open the door and almost threw me underneath his arm to get inside. With another push he had me in all the way as he shut the door and went to the corner to watch the action from a safe distance.
Around me familiar faces that only existed in Reedus's sketchbook smiled and laughed as if from my memories. Familiar habits like Gray and Natsu fighting, Cana drinking, and even Mirajane serving drinks had me tearing up. This was my home; this was my Fairy Tail I had missed for so long.
"Hey! You at the door!" I turned slightly and saw Makarov on the table. I sent him a watery smile. "Are you new here at Fairy Tail?" Around him the people that had been left behind began to laugh at his question as the newcomers all turned toward me.
"Silly Makarov," I murmured as I smiled. Just the sight of the guild master brought back the loving memories of him. "I can't believe you're actually here." He had stood beside of me so many times, helping me, and becoming like a father to me. He was the only one I had ever known after all.
"Eh? You know of me, huh?" He was about to stand but something flew in my direction.
"Hey!" Natsu was the first to jump at me and I braced for impact, but he simply landed and looked me straight in the eyes. I blushed a bit at the close proximity; not many men ever got this close to me. "It's Hikari!" Two arms brought me into Natsu's chest and I hugged him back as my tears began to fall.
"Hikari?!" Some of the people around me cried out, but I just put my head into Natsu's chest. They were all back. All of them. My heart was just bursting with happiness and I was glad I had decided to come back to the guild.
"It's been seven years," Macao stated as Natsu let me go. "Give the girl a break. Want a drink Hikari?"
"Yeah." He moved behind the bar and made the drink with ease and familiarity, sliding it down the bar to me as I moved to catch it. I drank it easily and quickly, thirsty from my travel and needing the alcohol to relax my tense muscles. I didn't bother to wipe the happy tears away. This was my family and they knew me more intimately than most people and I didn't feel the need to pretend to be strong in this moment.
"Oi, oi! Get over here and drink with me!" Cana called out, her usual keg of alcohol beside of her. As much as I had aged, I couldn't even dream to compete with Cana. No one would ever be able to outdrink that woman.
"Leave her alone; she doesn't need to pick up your habit!" Mirajane called out. Cana pouted before taking a gulp of her own alcohol. "Now, Laxus is over there," Mirajane stated slyly. I may have been young when they left, but even I knew of her habit of matchmaking. However, I was fine with seeing the man I had missed for so long and nodded at her.
I turned to scan the rowdy room and spotted Laxus in a corner with the Thunder Legion crowded around him. Evergreen crowded him on one side while Freed was on his shoulder, fawning over Laxus. It brought a grin to my face. The stoic man had fought with me over who got to sit closest to Laxus, causing Laxus to either get up and leave or to shove us both away from him. I guess this was another thing I didn't grow out of, because I would fight the war to hug the man I missed for so long…and I had no intention of losing.
I walked over to the crowd of people as Bixlow's dolls crowded on my shoulders. I ignored them, threw Freed aside, and wrapped my arms around Laxus. His scent was the same as I remembered, and the soft hair against my face was a gentle caress as it always had been. The feeling of holding Laxus in my arms again was too much for me and tears began to fall in earnest now as I wept with joy.
"You came back," I murmured against his chest. "You came back." I felt the tip of Laxus' nose in my hair as he took in my scent as the dragonslayers did. Though he was more reserved and usually did a better job of covering it up, it was still a habit he couldn't seem to break. He threw an arm around my waist and dragged me into his lap, where he put his head on top of mine possessively holding me as eyes glanced in our direction. In this moment, I was the young girl and he was my protector. Age didn't matter in this moment of emotion.
"Hey! What do you think…Hikari?" Freed blinked at me dumbly and I grinned as I burrowed my face into Laxus's shirt.
"That's right, Freed." I stopped long enough to stick my tongue out at him, another childish habit from years past. It was enough to make him smile softly and place a hand on my arm.
"You're all grown up now, Hikari. I didn't recognize you."
"She's a woman now!" Bixlow agreed.
"A woman! A woman!" his dolls cried around me as they flew back and forth for a better view. They saw how my red hair had lengthened and the way my face had aged. I'd grown since they left but I was still shorter than Laxus. Of course, the last time they had seen me I had choppy red hair that should have belonged to a boy and a teenager's face. I was now on the cusp of womanhood, and I knew that I looked more feminine.
"Bixlow's actually right for a change. You have grown, Hikari," Evergreen stated.
"So what? It's been seven years," Laxus muttered as he drank from his beer. "Of course the kid's gonna get older." But then again, perhaps nothing had changed. The nickname had me smiling and feeling as if I was the young girl from before. I nuzzled his chest with my nose before smiling at Freed again.
"Quit moving, brat," he commanded as he slid his drink in front of me. The table chuckled at the quite familiar antics and said nothing. There was no teasing that an older woman was acting like a young girl, because I was their Hikari.
"I like the jacket," Evergreen teased. I smiled at her.
"I got it done a few years ago in town." It was a version of the coat Laxus had worn so much, except it was definitely smaller, snug enough to fit me and unlike Laxus, I actually wore the coat as it should have been, because I loved to just play with the fluffy parts of my jacket.
"Laxus, I think you would look adorable in that coat." Laxus shot a look at her and she delicately giggled behind her hand.
"If you really want it, Laxus, I can give it to you as you were my teacher and all." Now the annoyed look swapped to me.
"I'll get my own coat," he grumbled again. "Women."
"How old are you now, Hikari?" Freed asked from behind me.
"Twenty two," I answered immediately.
"Oh, seven years to catch up on you," Evergreen interrupted, her head resting in her hands. "Are you dating anyone? Give me the details." My face colored at her insinuations and Bixlow's dolls laughed around me. "Oh, she does!" Laxus eyed me as I blushed, which of course, made me blush harder.
"I've had men before," I hedged, because I'd be damned if Evergreen would know how little I had to do with men . "But I'm not seeing anyone right now. I'm always gone too long to have relationships." I shrugged it off. I would admit that I was lonely and wanted companionship, but no one had ever compared to Laxus. I hadn't settled for less.
"Oh, you can make time. How long do missions take? A month at most? Give a better excuse than that." Her eyes were piercing and it felt as if the table held its breath for my answer.
"You don't understand, Ever." I was one of the few people that could get away with calling her that. "I've been gone for three years." I kept my voice calm and quiet with a smile that probably showed my sadness, because Laxus tightened his arms the tiniest margin. No one else noticed his action because they were simply too busy gaping at me.
"Three years?!" Freed and Evergreen exclaimed. "Why?"
"I had missions and I was training." I shrugged. "Plus you guys weren't here, so what was the point? I couldn't stay here and just wallow in self pity. I needed to get stronger." Laxus grunted in agreement.
"It was hard for you, wasn't it?" Freed asked from beside me, placing a hand on my own. "All of us leaving like that?"
"It was," I allowed, swallowing the familiar emotions of sadness. "But you're here now, so it's all right." I wasn't going to start crying again.
"Who did you train with?" Laxus asked.
"Jura. He and I have been doing missions together and training for years."
"Alone?" Evergreen asked slyly. I glared at the woman.
"Yes, alone. What about it?" I growled out. She just smiled which made my blood skyrocket. Laxus was paying attention to the conversation and I wasn't going to let him think this about me.
"Oh, just wondering, Hikari." It was the smile that gave her game away but I wasn't going to let her walk all over me like she used to. She would get jealous that Laxus paid attention to another woman other than her, but it was never anything serious. Now, the teasing wasn't going to happen without retribution.
"Ever wondered why you travel with three other men?" I asked calmly as I took a sip of Laxus's beer. Bixlow burst into laughter as Freed delicately coughed beside me. Even Laxus smirked at my comeback. "Alone?" Laxus took his drink back without batting an eyelash. This was how things used to be between us. Though the years had gone by for me, it seemed to matter little to the man at my side.
"Good. You've grown claws," she said with a smile. "Things will be fun with you around." She had too thick of a hide to be offended at my comeback.
"What rank are you?" Laxus asked, nudging me with his shoulder to gain my attention.
"S-class." He grunted, probably in approval, and eyed me again.
"You didn't waste my training."
"You were an annoying teacher." Another smirk from Laxus. "Of course I wasn't going to waste it and put all those hours I had to deal with you to waste." He laughed once before taking another drink before handing it back to me.
"So is Jura a part of your team? I've never seen two guilds work together like this before," Freed asked.
I sighed and looked down at the beer I held in my hands.. "Well, we're not really a team, but we do some of the S-class missions together. When we do, we split the profits evenly and as we do the mission, we spar and train together. Our guildmasters allow it because of how close the guilds are and it's a symbol of our unity. Their words, of course. Otherwise I just do missions by myself if Jura's busy with doing council missions."
"You do S-class missions alone?" Evergreen asked. I shrugged.
"Yeah, if I need to. There needed to be enough people at the guild to keep it safe from the Twilight Ogres, and I was gone long enough that I couldn't take anyone with me. Like I said, Jura was with me most of the time."
"Training under a Saint Wizard must have been tough," Freed acknowledged.
"Not as tough as this one." I nudged Laxus with my shoulder and he growled in annoyance. "At least Jura knew when to stop."
"Then he wasn't doing it right," Laxus countered easily.
"What did you say flame brain?!" At the loud shout all of us at the table looked to see Natsu and Grey at each other's face, each glaring at the other. And of course, Grey was already shirtless while Juvia watched him from behind a pillar.
"I said you were a pervert, stupid ice breath." Now that I was older I appreciated the childish fights and insults they threw at each other more than I had as a kid. All it took was one cross look from either one of them to begin the fight. Now the fists flew as they began to fight, each of them trying to subdue the other. And of course as they fought, invariably it would always escalate.
"Natsu!" Elfman roared as a tankard hit him in the side of the arm, soaking his shirt. He ripped off the outer shirt and leapt into the fray, knocking into Cana's keg as she was drinking. In turn she spilled her own alcohol and promptly leapt in to get Elfman for the slight.
Then Natsu was thrown into Gajeel, who landed a few feet from us as he slammed into the wall. With a growl he leapt after Natsu, who was honestly trying to fight off most of the combatants by this point.
"Dammit, we just rebuilt the guild!" Macao cried out as tables began to fly as others joined into the fray. But even as he protested, a smile spread across his face. This was Fairy Tail for better or for worse.
And as I watched with a grin on my face, a piece of furniture flew toward me and I lifted my arm to destroy it, but Laxus only pulled me close and fried it with his lightning. For a moment I allowed myself to smile and snuggle against him and strangely he didn't make a move to push me away like he had used to. He just kept me close as objects began to fly about. Even Bixlow's dolls went into the fight along with their master, and Freed was actually casting runes from his spot on the chair. Ever was the only one watching daintily, but it would only take a stray piece of anything to incur her wrath.
"Welcome back, Laxus," I whispered softly. He would be the only one to hear with his honed hearing since the other dragonslayers were currently locked in battle. "I missed you." He didn't say anything, nor did I expect him to, but he put his chin on top of my head and held me close. I held still for a few moments, simply letting the feel of him absorb into my memories, refreshing the times that had dimmed.
But I wasn't the little girl anymore and it was time I made them all realize it.
I drew Freed and Ever's attention when I stood, letting Laxus's arms drop from around me and smiled down at him, my eyes shining with happiness I hadn't felt in years. Finally I could do what I always wanted to do. I swooped down and touched my lips with his, briefly with the lightest of touches. Two gasps sounded on either side and I lifted my head to look at both of them and smiled wolfishly.
"Got a problem?" The confident words masked the butterflies in my stomach and the tingle of nerves that shivered up and down my spine. My hands weren't exactly stable, but they didn't notice.
"Get outta here, kid." I straightened and looked down at Laxus who was drinking his beer. He showed no outward reaction to what I had done but I hadn't expected it. This was Laxus after all. He would never be the romantic type and I never expected him to be. Plus, I was still young Hikari to him. It wouldn't matter to him as much as it had to me, but I had waited this long. I could wait some more.
"Aye, Laxus. Bixlow!" I leapt into the fray as Bixlow's dolls crowded around me, fighting alongside me as we played. Perhaps for Fairy Tail this was better than words. Through fighting, we gained companionship and grew close. It was why even Erza was fighting instead of stopping it.
And somehow, I managed to find her in the fray. She had a grin that matched the one on my face and we leapt for one another, pushing through people towards each other. She drew her sword and I created one in my hands midleap.
As we clashed the shockwave knocked a few people off balance and eyes drew to us, our swords locked together. Her face was close to mine, thrilled to be in the heat of battle, and pride that I had actually matched her first strike. Usually I would have been thrown back by that, but no more.
"I see you've mastered the arcane arts," she acknowledged, looking at the arcane sword I had created in my hands.
"You've taught me how to create swords. You should remember it well enough." We leapt apart and jumped back together, slashing and parrying each other as our battle ramped up. My blood was high as was my adrenaline; I hadn't had a fight with someone this strong since Jura, and fighting with him all the time was a bit boring and tedious.
We jumped back and forth as people scrambled to get out of our way. We leapt over tables, chairs, through pillars, and each clash landing in the air. We might have been happy to fight each other once again, but we were aware of the damage that could be caused and kept it to a minimum. I had helped pay for this guild with my money, after all.
"Enough!" Two hands came from opposite sides and smacked us directly on our butts, making us both jump and stiffen in surprise. "If you two fight, we won't have a Fairy Tail to live in!" But we both glared at his bold move and he laughed nervously as he scratched the back of his head.
"Pervert," Lucy muttered over the silence. It was enough to break the tension and both Erza and I relaxed, but looked at each other critically.
"We'll have to fight one day. You're stronger than when I left." I allowed the sword in my hand to dissipate and smirked at her.
"Aye. Let's. Our old spot sounds nice." She smirked at me as well, the warrior in her responding to the not so veiled challenge.
"Good. We'll fight tomorrow if you have no missions."
"I just finished." She nodded regally and rolled my shoulders and cracked my neck from side to side. It was a good warm up at least and I had to use more power starting out than I was used to. It was absolutely fantastic.
"Hikari!" I looked toward Macao with the question in my gaze. "What have I said about fighting in the guild?"
"That it should only be for the Twilight Ogres?" Of course it wasn't what he said and I was forbidden after destroying most of the guild once. It's the reason why I had to pay for the guild to be rebuilt. But seeing the irritation in his face and watching his eye twitch? Priceless.
"Hikari," he muttered. I shrugged at him.
"I tend to forget things after being gone so long. Terrible of me and I'll make sure I do better." Again with the eye twitch and I saw his hand began to glow with fire. I grinned and leapt away towards the door just as Macao went to unleash his attack. "Anyways, gotta go!" I leapt out as fire scorched the spot I had just been.
I ended up on the roof of a nearby building and looked down at the guild. Macao wasn't really mad nor would he have actually hurt me. I could dodge anything he threw at me and he knew it well; it was more or less the way we learned to handle one another after we lost everyone. I took on the role of Natsu and he of Makarov, which was our way of coping when I was around. Of course, we both sensed our sadness, but it was enough.
Yet it wasn't the only reason I had irritated him. Without the fight to distract me, the kiss flitted through my memory. The feel of Laxus's lips was a divine sensation. I'd kissed men before and some I felt, some I hadn't. But this kiss had the love of a young teenage girl and the crush of a young woman. Combined, it was heady and full of emotion for such a light caress. Still it sent chills through me and a thrill of satisfaction that I dared to do such a thing. I lifted my head and grinned widely at the night sky before me. Quite honestly, it was the best kiss I had ever felt, even if it wasn't returned.
And goddamn he looked as good as he did when I was younger.
Giddly happy I leapt from building to building as the energy inside me bubbled and swirled. I just needed to move, to play, and to have fun. Seven years I had been sad and alone and now everything had changed. As I ran free, whisps of energy enveloped me, circling as I let myself go. I didn't concentrate on holding back; the peak of emotions was so strong the energy was actually responding to me without being called.
"Hikari! Hikari! Hikari!" Bixlow's dolls flew beside me and I grinned at them, knowing Bixlow would see and leapt away faster, flipping easily as I navigated the city roofs. "Play time! Play! Let's play! Tag play!" they cried as they leapt into the game, responding to my childish antics. They kept behind me as I laughed freely and openly during the chase, only stopping when I did. They crowded around me, their version of showing affection and I looked around to spot Bixlow.
"You done already?" he called out.
"No, the fun's just begun!" And just like that, our game of tag was on again. He and I had done this before, because he related to me in childishness. Sure he could be serious but for the most part he preferred to act young and hyper. Even years later, it seems neither of us had changed.
We leapt around and lightly sparred, our punches so light we almost couldn't feel them. Both of us simply needed to work off the energy and again, it was our way of connecting.
"You two are so immature." Freed stood a rooftop away, his arms crossed and his head held high as he looked down on us, both figuratively and literally. But Bixlow and I didn't mind. We simply looked at one another, grinned, and leapt at Freed. He leapt away with both of us on the chase. However a few rooftops through the chase, Ever was there, blowing dust at us. Bixlow and I split apart and slid to a stop, each of us grinning.
"Seriously, you two are children." Déjà vu all over again. How many times had we heard the same phrase during the same chase? But it was a good thing; it seemed nothing had changed for them even though I had aged and changed so dramatically. "Hikari, haven't you grown up at all? Play with Bixlow is simply not how a lady acts." I just grinned at her.
"Bixlow's fun, and if you two are just going to kill the mood…" Bixlow leapt over them and I was already on the move as our game of tag continued again, this time with me running. I couldn't help the laughter that kept coming out as much as I couldn't help enjoying the tussle that ensued when Bixlow caught me.
"Honestly," Ever said as we continued to play even as both her and Freed caught up with us.
"Let them be, Ever," Freed said with a smile. "They just don't know anything better to do." And there was the insult. But we broke apart anyways and I just sat down and grinned up at Bixlow. He just smiled at me happily and said nothing. It was enough for us.
"Hikari, do you even have a place?" I looked up at her, confused. "Honestly I'm dirty, tired, and need a shower, and I highly doubt that the guild has any of it."
"Yeah, I do."
"Then come on, let's go." Bixlow helped me to my feet and I dusted myself off.
"Well, come on, then." I leapt off first as they followed me easily. It wasn't far, honestly, and we landed a moment later.
"This is all yours?" Ever asked. My house wasn't much since I never actually lived in it for extended periods of time. It was two story, with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, enough for people at the guild to stay in if we needed a place. Of course, I was the only one traveling at the moment and each person that stayed in my house always cleaned up and locked up after they had gone. So I was quite sure the house was ready for us on the inside.
"Yeah," I answered as I lifted my necklace and opened the door with the key that dangled on the chain.
Ever waltzed in after me, throwing her things on the table as she walked past and into the hallway. Freed and Bixlow followed and I shut the door behind them. Bixlow took the couch, sprawling out comfortably as he knocked pillows to the floor. I didn't mind, honestly; I would rather he made himself at home that standing around daintily like Freed was. However, that was simply Freed.
"Hey kid, you got any food for me?" Bixlow asked.
"Probably not," I replied easily.
"Go get me some."
"You're hilarious," I drawled as he grinned.
"Bixlow, you have no manners," Freed replied with a sigh. "He's eaten, Hikari, so don't feel guilty over him."
"Hikari!" Ever called. I went to go to her but a knock at the door had me hesitating, but I went to the door instead. No one ever really visited unless they needed a place or something else important. I opened the door and blinked when Laxus appeared in front of me.
"Move, kid." He walked right past me and I glared, slightly disgruntled.
"Look here, you guys." Laxus made himself comfortable on a chair, relaxing into it as he moved it back. I just sighed and gave up. Seeing Bixlow and Laxus just totally relaxing for a change had my heart softening. There was no pretenses now, no strength that had to be shown, nothing. Here in solitude we were what we truly were.
"Hikari!" Ever demanded again. Now I went to her and sighed yet again when I saw her ruffling through my clothes. "Don't you have anything else to wear?"
"If there's nothing that doesn't suit you in the closet, no." She pursed her lips and started to rifle through more clothes. "I see I'll have to take you shopping," she murmered. I dragged my hand through my hair in agitation. I didn't mind shopping, but this was a different type of shopping when Evergreen was involved. Then it was seasonal colors, pastels, trim, make, year, all of the dreadful aspects that somehow fueled her clothing obsession.
"Sure," I muttered, resigned.
"You'll be paying for it, obviously, but I'll make something work."
"I'm not giving up this jacket, not even for you, Ever." It was a rare look of pure emotion on her face as she looked up at me. Empathy for my plight, sympathy for the time I had lost.
"I wouldn't ask that," she murmured seriously. "It'll just be for your nightwear and other fashionable moments!" The moment was gone. "I'll be sleeping in here, but you have another room?"
"I suppose." None of the rooms in the house really had a 'my room' status, because I usually just slept on the bed that wasn't taken if someone was here. Plus I hadn't been around enough and my clothes were stretched across all rooms just in case.
"Good! I'm going to shower now and I'll see you in the morning." With an elegant wave of her hand she darted into the shower as if her life depended on it – which it probably did knowing that fashionista. I just shook my head and went back out to the main room, noting that Bixlow was already passed out on the couch. Freed was standing almost awkwardly and it brought a smile to my face.
"Upstairs is another bedroom, Freed. You can take it for the night and we'll go and get you some clothes tomorrow." He nodded gratefully and departed, leaving me with an awake Laxus. "There's a room down here, Laxus."
"Where are you sleeping then?" he asked. I pointed to the chair he was currently sitting in.
"I'm not taking your bed, brat."
"None of these are my bed. Plus that's more comfortable than sleeping on the floor isn't it?"
"Tch, whatever." He sauntered down the hall and I just shook my head at him. Hopeless, that one.
As he left I went to the closet and pulled out a few pillows and blankets. I tossed mine into the chair and went to Bixlow, putting a pillow underneath his head. He opened his eyes quickly and tensed as if he forgot where he was, but relaxed when I smiled at him. I threw the blanket over him and went to my own makeshift bed.
"I'm glad you're all right, Hikari," Bixlow mumbled from the pillow. His eyes were closed when I turned, but it was all right.
"No, Bixlow. I'm glad you're all right. You guys are my world. Without you, I was nothing." It was the barest truth. Perhaps I should be ashamed of my dependence on them, but I wasn't. His silence was his answer and I snuggled into the chair, pulling up the blankets to my chin and closing my eyes.
My last thought was satisfaction. Laxus had come back for me after all.'
Okay, honestly, I've rewritten this like five times and really, really would love feedback on it. Pleaaase :D