Accidents and Incidents

by Fallen Ark Angel

After a harrowing accident out on a job, Laxus is left with a life altering prognosis. And who better to help him through that than Mirajane Strauss? No, seriously, who? Because he would like that person. Or any person. And stat.

3. Jigsaw

Chapter 3: Jigsaw

"So how do you want to do this?"

Laxus only sighed as he stared at the shower stall from his wheelchair.

"Well," he said slowly as Mira waited for his instruction. "This is kinda why I wanted a hot nurse with big knockers to give me sponge baths."

"About that," she said slowly. "Why do you think that a hired nurse who had to help you go to the bathroom and bathe you would somehow end up in bed with you? Wouldn't those things be a turn off?"

"Uh, no, Mira," he complained. "Don't you get it?"

"Get what?"

"Women love to take care of the sickly," he said. "And the needy. She would nurse me back to health and-"

"Fall in love with you?" That sounded nice and sweet to Mira. Right up to her romantic standards.

"Ha. No. Fuck me." He wheeled closer to the shower. "The point would be to get her to screw with me until I'm ready to go back to Magnolia. Duh."

She blinked. Then she frowned. "Why are we talking about this again?"

"Because you gotta help me out with this whole, uh, bath situation," he said. "And looking at it now, I think that if I could just get in that chair you put in the stall, I could take it from there."

"But," Mira challenged, "what if you drop the soap?"

His head shot up to glare at her. "What kinda joke is that?"

"It's not one." She frowned. "I just meant that I don't want you to fall trying to get it."

"Oh."

"And can you undress yourself? Once you're in the chair? And how about dressing yourself? I mean, maybe you could just strip down to your boxers and I could-"

"No." He'd gone over this with her before. "I want a full-fledged bath. I have things that need to be washed off, Mira."

"Okay, gross, but whatever." Sighing, she said, "Let's just get you in there, alright? Then you can dry off or whatever and, when you need me, you can just put a towel over…you know. And we can go from there."

Slowly, and more or less to just get the whole thing over with, Laxus nodded. "Alright. Now help me, uh, get over in that chair then, huh?"

"Wait." Mirajane held up a hand. "I got an idea last night about how to help this along. You know, moving you around."

When he just stared, she giggled before purple tiles began to appear around her face and body. Not ten seconds later, Elfman Strauss stood before Laxus.

"See? Real men can lift a lot more!"

"No. Hey, Mira, no. I am in a vulnerable point right now and don't want some other guy- And you're lifting me."

"Real men lift other men!"

"Seriously? You have to do the personality too?"

"Real men stay in character!"

"Even your brother doesn't talk about men this much."

Gently as she could, Mirajane sat Laxus in the shower chair she'd picked up for him. "Men!"

"You're having too much fun with this.

Elfm- Err, Mirajane, stood there then, grinning at him. "Since I'm a man now-"

"Please don't phrase it that way."

"-do you want me to help you undress? Since we're both-"

"No, I don't," he grumbled. "Thanks all the same."

And then, with a giggle (that sounded really odd coming from Elfman's voice), purple tiles appeared again before a very jolly Mirajane stood in his place.

"That was great," she said as he only glared at her. "Can you reach the faucet and-"

"Yeah." He wasn't nearly as joyful. "I got it, Mirajane."

"Okay." Another giggle. "Hurry and shower, huh? Then we can eat. I'll make you some eggs, huh?"

"Pancakes."

"Laxus-"

"Do you have things for pancakes?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"I want those." He gestured to the door. "Now shoo."

She was humming again as she left. After she was gone, Laxus just sat there for a minute or two. He'd only just gotten up for the day, but already he was exhausted.

Would every day be like that? He wasn't sure if he could take it if they were.

His shower wasn't fun. Nothing was fun anymore. Except for Mira. It was more tedious than anything.

When he was done and tossed a towel over himself, he called out for Mirajane to help him out.

Annoyingly enough, she came with some question.

"Hey, dragon?"

"What?"

They'd figured out a system. His nice, clean clothes were sitting over on the counter and she handed him his boxers first before turning around to let him slip them on. She was worried about him falling out of the chair or something in his attempt, but that was one piece of clothing that he was insistent that he get on himself. After that, she'd hand him piece by piece until he was all dressed.

"I didn't tell you yesterday, because you were so upset already, but um… I got a book."

"Okay. So?"

"On spinal injuries." Mira was helping then, as she tried to get his jeans on him. "And stuff."

"That's what it's called? Spinal Cord Injuries and Stuff?"

"Laxus."

"What about it, Mira?"

"Well," she said slowly. "I was reading up on some stuff while you were in the-"

"What? You were supposed to be making my pancakes!"

"Laxus, shush." Making a face at him, she said, "I want to learn more, is all I mean. About your injury. And how I can help you."

"Right. Great. So let's just screw the doctors. Mirajane Strauss is on the case."

"Would you knock it off?"

"No." He'd wanted to be able to get his own jeans on. It was embarrassing to him that Mira had to help him. "And there's different variants of injuries, you know."

Nodding, she said, "Well, that's what I was wondering about. 'cause I was readin' some stuff and… What do you think you're gonna do with a nurse?"

"Heh?"

"'cause you told me that you thought that the two of you would…but I was reading some stuff, and I don't think that you-"

"Get away from me," he grumbled though she was standing then anyway, as she'd finished with his jeans and was going to get his shirt. "Don't ask me those sorts of questions. They're private!"

"Laxus-"

"No. I… Shut up, Mira."

More humming. That only annoyed him further.

What was she implying? Huh? That he couldn't… Well…

Shit.

Snatching the shirt from her when she came back over to him, he said, "What did you read in your book?"

"If it's gonna upset you-"

"What did you read?"

"Well, first I read about how injuries happen and all this grisly stuff about crashes and-"

"What," he repeated as he slipped his shirt on, "did you read?"

"Um…I skipped around a bit in the book, so-"

"Mirajane-"

"Just that everyone's different and their injuries are different-"

"Get to the-"

"-but that a lot of guys have problems with-"

"Why would you read that? Huh?"

"It just popped out to me." Then she frowned. Then giggled.

Laxus huffed. "Well, your book is stupid."

"Oh. Well, you know, it did say that everyone's different, so-"

"That doctor was an asshole too. I'm fine."

Blinking, Mira looked off. "W-Well, I mean, we really don't have to-"

"No. You brought it up."

"I was just-"

"Causing problems, was what you were doing. Like usual." Glaring over at her, he said, "Well?"

"W-Well what?"

"Are you gonna help me into my wheelchair or what?"

Now that she'd thoroughly mortified both of them, neither wanted that. At all.

He didn't get Mira. Yes, he was very aware of his situation. He was the one living it. He was the one that had to talk to all the damn doctors. She just read a few stupid paragraphs in a book. What? She thought that made her smarter than him? That she understood then?

She didn't. So maybe things wouldn't be…like before, but he'd get it all figured out. It wasn't any of her concern anyhow.

Things didn't stop getting awkward either, when they finished up in the bathroom. Mirajane wheeled him out into the kitchen so he could watch her start on his breakfast. Her cheeks were red and he couldn't look at her, so they were pretty much in a stalemate.

Racking her brain for anything, Mira finally came up with a safe topic.

"Hey, Laxus?"

"No more questions."

"No, it's not about…your accident or situation," she said slowly. "It's about your magic."

He glared over at where she was by the stove. "It's still just as strong as ever."

"No, not that." Glancing over her shoulder, she said, "It's your Dragon Slayer magic."

"What about it?"

"How do you not…get motion sick? From the wheelchair?"

He blinked. Then he frowned. "Well, thanks, Mira. I didn't think about it before."

"I'm sorry!"

"You should be."

"I'll get a book on that too. Motion sickness and we'll figure this out."

"No. No more books," he grumbled. Then, with a sigh, he told her, "I was kiddin' anyways. Yeah, I get a little queasy from it, but nothin' major. Nothin' I can't deal with."

"Oh." Giggling then as she finally felt some of the tension exit the room, she said, "Well, what do you want to do today? I know that you wanted me to go out and get you some movies-"

"Lots."

"-but that can't be all we do. Surely-"

"I said I want some weights too."

"Laxus."

"What?"

"Don't you want to get out of the apartment?" she asked. "I mean, you were cooped up in the hospital all that time. Now you're free. Don't you wanna go get a nice dinner or-"

"Like this?"

"Like what?"

He gestured to himself. "This."

"Laxus, you have nice clothes in the closet. And I'll get an iron if you want, to-"

"I mean in a wheelchair!"

"Oh." Mirajane went back to the stove. "I don't think-"

"I can't be seen," he went on. "By anyone."

"Oh, Laxus."

"I can't." He wheeled off then, for the living room. "I can hardly deal with you being here. You want me to let other people see me like this?"

"There's nothing wrong with-"

"If you can read a book, Mira, anyone can. Or worse. They don't read it and just assume things. About me. I can't deal with that."

"I never knew that you were so…insecure, Laxus," she said slowly. "I always saw you as the kind of guy that didn't think one bit about what others thought about you."

He was. Or he had been. When all they could think about was how great he was. Laxus whole identity was tied in with his strength. Now that was distorted in some way and he just didn't know how to handle it.

His magic was still the same. He knew it was. It hadn't been diminished. Just his mobility. That was all. Still though, that was a big part of being a mage, being able to get around. It wasn't just all totting around magic and destroying things. There was a whole image with it. And his had been mangled.

Laxus didn't want anyone to know that he was finally just as weak as he accused the others as being constantly. He didn't want them to realize that he wasn't worthy of even his S-Class title anymore, much less his vying for the Master's position.

When he didn't say anything to her, Mirajane only sighed . She knew that it had to be hard on him. It was all just happening so fast. Though it wasn't necessarily the same caliber of wound, she'd been blindsided once, by Lisanna's death. And, through it, she lost a big amount of her strength, her identity. She couldn't understand everything he was going through, but from a psychological standpoint, she'd been there before.

"I'll get you your stuff, dragon," she told him softly then. "And anything else you want."

Grunt. He was in the living room then, glaring at the couch. "I like puzzles."

"Huh?"

"You know. Puzzles."

"Like…jigsaw puzzles?"

"Yeah. Really big ones."

Mira frowned. "You like jigsaws."

"Yes."

"Really? I mean-"

"Can you," he grumbled, "get me some of those?"

"This is a lot," she said. "I'll have to make more than one trip back here, but I guess that's best. That way I can check in on you."

"I don't need that."

"Laxus-"

"I don't."

"Well, I'll be coming back and forth anyways, so it doesn't matter."

Grunt. Then, "I'll need a card table. In here. For my puzzles."

"Of course, Laxus."

Relaxing then, if only some what, he said, "And what about you then?"

"What about me?"

"Don't you need things? I mean, you thought that you were just coming to help…transport me back." He was coming up with a blank for what else to call it. "Right?"

"Right."

"Then-"

"I'll be fine for today," she told him. "Tomorrow though, I'll have to make a quick trip to Magnolia-"

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"No way, Mirajane." He came wheeling back to her again then (he was getting rather good at turning around) and said, "You? Going back home? And not telling someone about this? No way."

"Laxus, don't you trust me?"

Snort. "No."

"Dragon-"

"This is not the time for nicknames."

"I can go into Magnolia without being noticed, no problem." And then, just like that, it was Erza Scarlet standing in the kitchen, making him pancakes. "Because disguises are manly!"

"Wrong person, Mira."

"No, I just felt like being Elf, but in Erza's body." The redhead looked over at him. "Do you prefer Erza to take care of you over me? Hmmm?" Then, as if to get in character, she said, "I have just the armor for this occasion!"

"No, no," he was quick to say. Not believing it even as he spoke it, he said, "I much prefer you. The real you."

That didn't get an awe for some reason or even a giggle. Mirajane just nodded, still as Erza, before some more purple tiles revealed and she went back to just being herself.

And that was the end of that.

For a bit, anyhow.

"Okay," Mira said once they were both digging into their pancakes. "I'm going to get you a card table and some jigsaw puzzles on the first trip. Then, on the second, see what I can do about getting you some weights. Then go to Magnolia-"

"What? No. Mirajane-"

"-and get my movie lacrima and stuff. Do you want anything from your apartment?"

"What part about not going to Magnolia don't you understand?"

"The not part."

"Mira-"

"Now is definitely the time for nicknames."

Groaning loudly, he skewed his eyes shut before saying slowly, "Fine. You can go to Magnolia."

"Yay."

"But," he warned, "not as yourself."

"Right." She nodded. "I really do like being Erza."

"You can't go as Erza either," he grumbled with a frown. "What's wrong with you? Huh? What if you ran into her or someone else?"

Mirajane frowned before slowly nodding. "Wow, dragon, you're always thinking, huh?"

He held down an eye roll. "So you're going to go as someone else that's not with the guild. Or even from Magnolia for that matter. Got it?"

"Got it."

"And I have my apartment key in my duffle bag," he went on. "Go and get me some more clothes."

Mirajane nodded then. "Alright. Just one thing."

"What?"

"…Where do you live again?"

Once that was all worked out and she'd gotten a shower of her own, Mirajane set out on the first stop. To find some jigsaw puzzles.

The thought alone made her giggle. Laxus Dreyar? Putting together puzzles? Those were the sorts of things that old ladies did on Sunday mornings before church. Not gruff and tough Dragon Slayers.

It took some time to get everything done. The puzzles were actually the hardest thing to find, but along with those, she picked him up a deck of cards as well as some fun board games for them to play.

Laxus was not amused.

"Why," he grumbled as he stared down at them, "would we play a board game?"

"Because they're loads of fun!"

"For two people?"

"Uh-huh," she said with a nod of her head. "Bet me."

"I'll keep my thoughts to myself."

After that, Mira headed back out to find him some weights.

"Whoa, little lady," the guy in the store said when she told him what she wanted and where to deliver them (Laxus said he didn't need her then, well, she'd just head out to Magnolia from there and not worry about it). "You're not usin' all these for yourself are ya?"

"Mmmm, maybe." And then Mira winked at him and she knew it was a privately owned shop, so a little flirting couldn't hurt the price. "Are you the one delivering them?"

"I could be," he said with just as sultry a voice. With her own grin, Mirajane leaned against the checkout counter, blue eyes big and round.

"I hope you are. And I'd kinda like them today," she went on. "I mean, unless it's a fee-"

"No fee," he assured her as he took to leaning against the other side. They were nearly nose to nose. "If you're the one I get to deliver them to."

Shaking her head slightly, Mira gave him her best distraught stare. "I won't be. I'm sorry. But I have a friend at the apartment-"

"Is this friend as attractive as you?"

Mira thought. Then, slowly, she said, "You could say that."

"I don't believe it."

"Lucky you, you'll get to see for yourself, huh?" That got another wink.

"I hope there's enough of me leftover for you when your friend's done," he taunted to which Mirajane beamed.

Something told her there would be.

Heading right out from there to Magnolia, Mirajane memorized the faces and body types she passed before picking out a woman that she wanted to be. And, before she got on the train, she headed into the bathroom as the train station to transform into her.

A dark headed, squinty eyed lady. Great. No one would recognize her. Not even her own siblings, probably.

Which turned out to be very true as, when she went home, she was assaulted. Not immediately, as after keying her way into the place, she was greeted to silence. Welcoming it, she headed right to her room to get a bag and a few other things she wanted to take with her.

She was rooting around in her dresser drawer for something when, suddenly, her bedroom door was flung open and someone threw something at her.

"Ow, Lisanna!" Glaring over there, she yelled, "What did you throw at me?"

"Who are you?" Lisanna had thrown a shoe or something at her (sometimes Mira wondered if she was really the airhead sibling), but had transformed into her catlike animal soul. "And what-"

"It's me. Mirajane," she grumbled before transforming herself, back to her true form. "Sheesh. You do these sorts of things to guests?"

"Guests?" Lisanna came out of her takeover as well. "If you have guests that no one knows and just dig through peoples things, then that's your deal. Not mine."

Her sister just rubbed at her head. "That hurt."

"Oh, Mira." Coming closer, Lisanna frowned at her. "What are you doing anyways?"

"Huh?"

"You. Where have you been? Master said that you were taking care of some personal business for him," her sister said suspiciously. "Unless…are you not really Mirajane?"

"Honestly, Lisanna?"

"Well."

"I just came back to get a few things," Mirajane said as she went back to what she was doing. "That's all."

"So what? You were another person because-"

"Because I wanted to be."

"Mira-"

"I just didn't want anyone to know that I was back in town," Mirajane explained. "I didn't realize that you were home."

"What sorta mission are you on that you can't let anyone know that you're-"

"It's top secret."

"You can tell me."

"No, I can't."

"Mirajane-"

"I can't. Honestly." Looking over at her sister, she said, "And you can't tell anyone that I was here. Or try to follow me."

She snorted and crossed her arms. "Like your life is that important to me. Please."

"Lisanna."

"Fine," she groaned before letting her arms fall. "I won't follow you. But I want a complete, detailed story on what was going on when you get back."

"Trust me," Mira sighed as she snagged her guitar and its case as well. Now Lisanna was really thrown off. Clearly, something was up. And she wanted to know what. "You will."

Laxus apartment was much how Mira expected it. There were soda and beer cans everywhere and clothes strewn around the place. The apartment was tiny though, which she figured considering he spent so little time in Magnolia, so there was no real kitchen. Just a tiny stove and fridge in one part of the front room. She saw a table though, shockingly enough, that actually was home to a half finished jigsaw puzzle.

That wasn't the most interesting thing though. Instead, it was when Mirajane went into his bedroom to find some clean clothes. Sitting up on a dresser though was a cute stuffed dragon doll that was worn and clearly old. Mira was drawn to it immediately.

"Awe," she cooed as she picked it up. "Are you Laxus' baby?"

Giggling, she put it with the stuff to take back. He could use some comfort.

It was late when she got back to him, at the apartment. Honestly, Mirajane was a tad worried. What if something had happened to him? Or he needed her? Or had fallen?

When she opened the front door, he was more concerned with something other than himself for once however.

"Why," he asked as she came in, "did a man come here talking about how some hot woman promised him another woman?"

"Did he bring you your weights?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"He was a delivery man then, dragon. Obviously."

"Mirajane-"

"I didn't tell him a woman would be here," she defended. "I just said I had a friend at the apartment that would answer the door. That's all."

"And you…what? Hit on him? Was I supposed to set up a date for the two of you?"

"No," she said with a frown as she came to drop all the stuff by the couch. "I just got you a better deal on those weights. Honestly, I thought that you would thank me."

"For what?"

"I saved you jewels."

"Yeah, Mira, like I want you pimping yourself out so I don't have to spend some extra jewels on a set of weights."

"I didn't…do that. I just hinted at it."

Quite heavily.

"And why do you care?" Mira went on. He was over at the card table she'd set up, working on his jigsaw, but she could tell from the sheen of sweat he was sporting that he'd messed with those weights some. "I don't see what difference it makes to you."

He shrugged before looking back at his puzzle. "It doesn't. And did you get your movie lacrima?"

"Uh-huh." She was carrying some of the things to his bedroom then, leaving what was hers no doubt behind. "I'll go get us some movies now and bring back dinner as well. Were you okay today while I was gone?"

"Yeah, Mira," he grumbled. "I was fine."

"Well, I meant with bathroom stuff. Were you able to-"

"I said I was fine, woman."

"Well, the book said-"

"Damn you and this book," he growled. "I'm not some invalid, alright? I'm functioning just swell under the belt. Got it?"

"Got it," he heard her sigh from his bedroom where she was no doubt hanging up his clothes. "Sorry."

When she was finished and came back into the living room, he frowned at what she was carrying around.

"M-Mira, why did you-"

"I brought you a safety blanket." Then she giggled. "Or should I say a safety dragon?"

"You should not say anything," he growled as she came to bring him the beat up stuffed animal. "Or bring me anything. What-"

"Here!" She giggled, coming to drop the green dragon in his lap. "I think it's super cute that you kept your favorite stuffed animal. I used to have this cute little stuffed dog that my father gave me, but now that I'm thinking of it, I have no idea what even happened to it." Then she gave him a wink, but it was entirely different than the one she'd thrown down in that shop. "Really, dragon, it's-"

"You shouldn't have brought that."

"Laxus-"

He put it on the table, over the jigsaw, before releasing the breaks on his wheelchair and rolling off. "I sent you there for clothes. Not to snoop."

"I didn't snoop," she defended with a frown. "He was just sitting there. And I think it's cute. Seriously, Laxus. You're acting like this was some horrible thing. I thought it'd make you smile or-" Then she threw her hands over her mouth in horror. "Oh no. I screwed up, huh? Your mother didn't give that to you or something, did she? I'm sorry. I didn't even think about that. Please, just-"

"My mother didn't give me that," he grumbled as he rolled right into the kitchen. Grabbing one of the sodas that she'd left on the counter, he growled, "My father did."

She blinked, having not expected that. "Ooh. I-"

"When he put the lacrima in me," he grumbled, "Ivan gave me that. Because I was gonna be a dragon, he said. Just like it."

Swallowing, Mira moved to pick it up. "I'll put it in the closet or some-"

"Leave it."

"Laxus-"

"I said to leave it." He didn't even glance into the living room. "Go out and get use dinner now, please. I'm starving."

"Of course, Laxus."

He could tell that he'd upset her then, but honestly, Laxus didn't care. She'd invaded his privacy. Again.

"Stupid thing," he grumbled as when he went to get back into his puzzle, he found that old, raggedy dragon staring at him. "Causing more problems than you're worth."

When Mirajane got back, it was with some takeout and a load of films for the movie lacrima.

"You do realize that I'm not made of money, right, woman?"

"This is what you asked for," she pointed out. "And you got on me for saving you jewels last time."

"Yeah, yeah."

Things were rather awkward when they were eating. Mirajane kept glancing over at him as he just focused on not dropping any food into his lap. Eventually though, her stares began to get on his nerves.

"What?" he grumbled.

"Huh?"

"You keep looking at me," he replied. "Say what you want or stop staring at me."

"I just…I'm sorry. I screwed up all day and now we're fighting and it really sucks, after last night was so great, and I shouldn't pry, I know. Like with the stuffed dragon or with the book and I just… I want to be good at this, Laxus, helping you out, and I guess I'm just trying to hard or something and I know you hate that, but I just-"

"Mira," he sighed, shaking his head. "Just…stop, okay? I'm not mad at you or anything. I mean, I think it was rude of you to bring that stuffed animal here-"

"I know, I-"

"But I really shouldn't have expected less." That time, when he looked up at her, his face wasn't as tense as usual. "I know you. And I know that you like to make people feel better. And though I'm not big on all off your questions about what's going on me with because, believe me, woman, we will never be that close-"

"Sorry."

"-I have to admit that it's rather…sweet." The word felt odd on his tongue. "It's more than just being nosey, for you to go out and read up on what I'm going through. It's like you want to understand. And I…I'm glad that I have such a…compassionate caretaker."

Gah! It all tasted horrible. She was ruining his dinner. Hell, she was ruining his life. Was she drugging him?

"Awe!"

Yep. He deserved it that time. He would admit it.

"Shut up."

"No, Laxus, that was-"

"I said to shut up," he grumbled. "Sheesh, Mira. If we're gonna do this every time, this stupid fighting then making up thing every night, it won't work."

She just smiled down at her dinner then. "Tomorrow will be a good way the whole day through. Bet."

"No more bets," he grumbled. Because, looking at her then, he had a feeling he'd lose that one about the no board games thing. That woman was forcing him to do all sorts of things. A board game should probably be the least of his worries. "Just eat and then you can help me with my puzzle. Alright?"

Slowly, Mirajane nodded though her smile was just as infectious as always. "Alright."

It was once they got started on it together that Laxus found out Mira wasn't nearly as interested in jigsaws as he was.

"They're kinda for old ladies, Lax."

"What?"

"Yeah."

"No!"

She got bored quickly and went over to the couch where her stuff was located to find something else to do. Her guitar was an easy choice.

"Here," she said, taking a seat on the couch as he just glared over from his card table. "I'll play some music for you. Will that be good?"

Not really. But as long as it kept her from insulting his jigsaws, he figured he'd go with it.

When he finally called it a night, he left Mirajane to do as she pleased and, on the way to the bedroom, he rolled by the couch to pick something up off it.

"Laxus-"

"If you're reading up on it," he grumbled as he took off with her book, "I should too. When those doctors and shit were talking to me, I was just blowing them off. 'cause I was mad. But now…"

"You said it was only temporary though," she reminded. There was some doubt in her voice though. Mira wasn't certain the extent of Laxus' injuries, but from what she'd looked over in that book, most spinal cord injuries didn't have great outcomes. "Remember?"

"Yeah, I remember. And it is." His voice was hollow. "I'll be fine. But until then, I should know stuff. What? You gonna stop me from looking into-"

"No. Of course not."

Wheeling off for the bedroom, he said, "Come help me into bed."

"Sure." She moved to put her guitar to the side. "Real men-"

"And not as Elfman!"

Giggling, she headed after him. "If you insist."