Chapter 4: Company

Over the next two days, Laxus spent most of his time working on learning to get accustomed to his new life. He worked on learning how to get into his chair by himself (it wasn't going great), putting all his clothes on alone (pants were tricky), and getting along with Mirajane (the worst of them all).

If he was going to be completely honest, things weren't terrible. They just weren't…right. Or normal. Or something that he wanted to do. They could go for hours with her hanging around the apartment, picking up or cooking for him, as he put together jigsaws and watched movies, neither ever having a problem. Then something small, like having to ask for her help in the bathroom or just a passing thought about what transpired to get him in his current predicament, and Laxus would be lost for hours.

Things just weren't fair. That was his main complaint. They weren't fair at all. How was it that he, the strongest mage to ever live (his words) was now wheelchair bound and stuck with ditzy Mirajane as his only friend?

"Awe, Laxus," Mirajane squealed the first time he growled that aloud. "You think of us as friends?"

"I think you're missing the point."

When didn't she?

All in all though, things were going alright. Mirajane made him some great meals, he would admit. Not to mention, she did give him some form of entertainment. The woman was so dense that even the least complex things stumped her.

"I just don't get why the water hasn't started boiling yet, dragon."

"Did you check to see if you turned on the burner?"

"Of course I did, Laxus. I mean- Oh. Good thinking."

She killed him. Seriously, she did. Even when he was ranting and raving about how unjust the whole thing was and about how he was a savior. A freaking savoir. To everyone. But now he was stuck in a chair for the rest of forever?

Mirajane would only giggle though and tell him, "You're a savior, Laxus?"

"Shut up, Mira."

"Laxus the savior."

"I said to shut up."

"A man of the people."

"You're about to get it."

"How are you not a mayor of somewhere yet? I mean honestly?"

"I hate you."

But he didn't. And he couldn't. He tried. Really, he did. She was so annoying. From the way that she hummed to her positive attitude to even the fact that she insisted on transforming into other guild members at times, to keep him company (she was kooky), Mirajane Strauss was just purely obnoxious. No two ways about it.

Still, it was just impossible for Laxus to not, at the very least, enjoy having her around. She was so bubbly. Which, true, was bad quality at times, but it did keep him upbeat. He had a feeling that if he was with any other guild member that he might have just slipped down into a depression or something.

That alone was a lot to be thankful for. Mirajane kept him busy. Constantly. There wasn't a dull moment. She always had something to say or something to do. And, even though he could tell that jigsaws weren't her thing, she did suffer through working on one with him for awhile. She wasn't much help, but she didn't screw anything up at least.

Honestly, there wasn't much else he could ask of her.

Well, exact maybe to be some nurse that was willing to get him sponge baths and sleep with him whenever he wanted.

Next to that though, the demon was near perfect.

Err, not exactly. What? No. Not perfect. She was just messing with his mind.

Was this Stockholm syndrome?

Ugh.

"You know, Lax," she said on the morning of the fourth day as she made his bed as he sat in his wheelchair, overseeing. "You've hardly left the apartment since we got here."

He hadn't left, really, except once when he wheeled out there with Mirajane to take the trash out to the dumpster. It had been horrible and he swore that there were people gawking at him (though Mirajane didn't see anyone around to begin with) and he vowed to never do it again.

"What's out there for me?" he grumbled. "Huh?"

"Well, I don't know. I just don't want you to get pale, really."

Pale?

"Or pasty. I get pasty if I don't get enough sun."

Pasty?

"And there's nutrients, isn't there, that you get from sunshine?"

Nutrients?

"Where exactly do we need to go, huh?" He was wheeling over to her then, a frown etched on his face. "For me to not get pasty or pale or lack nutrients?"

"Just out," she told him with slight shrug. "You wanna go for a walk around the block? Or ooh, instead of making you breakfast, we can go out to-"

"No. I told you. I can't eat out. Someone might see me and-"

"Oh, Laxus, honestly," she huffed. "You're going to have to get over this, you know. No one's going to look at you differently. What? Do you look at people in wheelchairs differently?"

"Of course not," he growled. "I'm not some sort of insensitive, ignorant-"

"Then why would you think that others are-"

"Because other people are ignorant!"

Rolling her eyes as she finished with the bed, Mirajane looked back at him. "Is it that you're afraid of what other people with think of you, Laxus? Or is that you're afraid that they might think the same things that you do about yourself?"

That got her a glare. "I'll have you know that I am just as awesome as I've ever been."

"Okay, well, if you're so awesome, then why do you care if others might think that you're not, huh?"

"I don't."

"Oh, whatever." Exasperated then, Mirajane turned to full face him. "You know as well as I do that you can't stay cooped up in here forever."

"Oh, trust me, demon, I can."

"Laxus-"

"I don't want to go out to eat. Alright? Got it?"

Mira only stared at him for a moment before, slowly, nodding. "Alright. Fine. We won't."

'Thank you."

"Then what do you want to do, Laxus?"

Wheeling out of the room then, he said, "A walk around the block would be fine. It's what? Early enough that there's probably no one around? Good. Let's go. Chop, chop, Mirajane."

Ugh. Mirajane might be near perfection as a caretaker, but Laxus was lacking in a numerous ways as a patient.

"Let me get my shoes, Laxus."

"Well, hurry it up!"

"I need to put yours on too, silly."

"Then hurry twice as much!"

"You're really cute, you know that?"

"Shuddup. And hurry up!"

Yeah, he was definitely lacking and flawed, but at least he made things fun.

On their walk, Laxus refused to let Mirajane push his wheelchair for him.

"It makes me look weak," he grumbled. "I am not weak."

"Okay," she sighed. "I just don't want you to tire yourself out."

"Weak people tire themselves out. Which I am not."

"Calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down, woman. What do I look like? A woman?"

Mira only sighed, walking slowly along beside him. As they left the apartment building, she was glad to see that there wasn't anyone around in their immediate area. Maybe he could stay out for ten minutes or so, see no one, and be fine for the day.

She sure hoped so.

"You know," she said softly as they went along. "You never have told me how this all happened. About the job or-"

"And you know," he grumbled, "that you start a lot of sentences with you know."

She blinked. "Do I?"

"Yeah, demon. You do."

"Awe. You called me-"

"Stop saying awe to me!"

"We just get along so great. And for you to be so adverse to the idea before-"

"Yes, yes, I get it. You and I get along. Can we stop bringing it up?"

Nope.

"You know what we need, Laxus? To commemorate our friendship?"

"That's a heavy word to call a loose thing."

"A cake!"

Well, maybe they could commemorate something at least. Maybe not friendship, but moving in together (temporarily). Or something. Just something for some cake.

"That sounds alright," Laxus said slowly as they came to the street corner. Man, pushing himself around was actually a damn good workout for his arms. "I like chocolate."

"Do you want me to go out and buy one? Or would you rather I bake one?"

Glancing up at her, he asked, "Would you wanna make me a cake?"

"Mmmhmm. I love baking! Almost as much as cooking."

"Yeah, but you already cook every day for me practically."

"Why, dragon," she teased with a grin as she stopped with him. "Don't tell me you're finally learning empathy?"

Glaring, he took to rolling off again.

Damn woman.

When they got back to the apartment, Mirajane figured that Laxus would want to rest a bit and left him to it, heading out alone to pick up the ingredients for the promised dessert. Upon her return, she found him doing anything but.

"Ooh," she giggled at the sight of him doing a set of reps with his dumbbells. "You look so concentrated."

He did too. His face was all scrunched up and he was sweating, staring straight ahead as he didn't even glance her way. Laxus didn't even speak to her. Just focused on his weightlifting.

"I got all the stuff, Lax." Mirajane didn't need someone to talk back to her to hold a conversation. Not at all. "So I'll start on it now, okay? It's kinda silly, but I almost forgot to buy a cake pan. Wouldn't I have been embarrassed then? Although, I suppose I could have just gone right back out and got one. After all, what else do I have to do all day? Watch you do puzzles and workout? Not that I'm bored or anything, staying here with you. No way. It's just that sometimes I feel underutilized. Not that you're not stimulating! No way! But-"

"Would you," she heard him growl, "shut the hell up?"

"L-Laxus-"

"I am in the middle of somethin', woman. Sheesh. Are you that inept?"

"You don't have to be rude," she huffed.

No. He didn't. But he wanted to be. Nothing else seemed to work well on the woman.

And it did too then. For a good hour or two, Mirajane and Laxus had nothing to do with one another. She was able to bake and eventually frost her cake as he completed an intense workout and a bit of his jigsaw.

"Okay, so are you ready for cake?" Mira finally asked after awhile. Not waiting for an answer, she asked, "Big piece or little-"

"I want a shower." He'd been waiting forever to ask her as he'd refused, inwardly at least, to be the first one to speak to the other. Now that she'd broken the terse silence, well, he could get his shower underway. "Now."

"Oh." Mirajane was in the kitchen doing something and went to wipe her hands first. "Uh, just let me get you a towel and some stuff to change into afterwards, huh? Ooh, that reminds me, I gotta do some laundry later-"

"Can we just do tasks quietly now?" And since he'd been so uncouth before, he added, "Please?"

The shower was still a little tricky. Laxus and Mirajane were both felt rather awkward about it, but what could be done? He still bellyached when she turned into Elfman to lift him though.

It also still made Mirajane giggle.

Hehe.

After his shower, Laxus did eat some of his cake and, through a grumble, he got out to Mirajane, "It's pretty good."

"Oh, I know."

He blinked at that. Then frowned. "Have you not heard of modesty, woman?"

"Says that man that flashed me that first day."

Growling, he said, "I fell trying to go to the bathroom!"

"Yeah, sure."

Ugh.

"You know," he began, in an attempt to regain the upper hand in the conversation. "You could just make us even. Give me a flash."

Mirajane didn't even blink. Just stabbed at her piece of cake before saying, "And do you know that you say you know too much. You know?"

Growling, he said, "If anything, I caught it from you! You're infectious!"

"Well I wish you'd catch something else from me," she mumbled. "Like my winning attitude or charismatic way of raising people's spirits."

"Yeah, I don't know how I ever missed your ego," Laxus remarked. "I mean, I knew it was there when we were kids, but this is unbelievable. What? Do you just hide it under your usual fluff? And now I've spent too much time around you and it's coming out? Is that it?"

Mirajane only giggled. "I don't know what you mean, dragon."

"Yeah, well, I do. You're self-image is insanely wonky."

"Again, coming from a man who frequently has referred to himself as the Thunder God these past few days-"

"I don't usually do that, you know," he complained. "I'm just going through stuff right now."

"Awe. Poor dragon."

"Shut up."

"You're going through stuff."

"I said to shut up."

"You're so deep, Lax."

"I mean it, Mirajane."

"Tell me all your inner feelings."

"Damn it, I-"

"You're just a walking drama-"

"I hate you."

Stupid woman.

Mirajane could tell too that she'd bothered Laxus once more. They were just having an off day, she figured. They couldn't all go without a hitch, after all. It wasn't like they were close friends or anything. As much as she hated it, they were extremely different and, recently, had very little interaction with one another. It only made sense that, after being locked up with one another for a few days, they'd start to break.

Especially considering they weren't so great together to begin with…

Laxus spent the afternoon watching movies on the lacrima in the bedroom while Mirajane practiced her guitar and looked over a few novels she brought with her. Honestly she was starting to get a bit lonely. Though she had Laxus for company, he wasn't the best at the job. He didn't like gossiping, for one, which was just shattering to her. What was she supposed to do if not talk about who she thought should pair with whom? It was one of her favorite subjects!

She tried to talk about it the night before, over dinner with him, thinking that if she made it worth his while he'd be into it.

"You know who I think you would make a great couple with?" she had prodded. He only stared over at her blankly. "Cana!"

That got a few blinks. Then a sigh.

"No, really, Lax. You should look into that."

"What," he grumbled, "would make you think that her and I-"

"You both get along," she said. "She's pretty dang cute-"

"Cute." That was dry. "Cana's cute."

"Well, whatever word you want to use." Mira blushed. "Not cute, no, but…attractive. There. You like that one?"

Grunt.

"And the two of you can share beers and listen to music together and-"

"I assure you, Mirajane, that neither Cana nor I need your help in-"

"Or ooh, Erza."

"Come again?"

"You and Erza. I see it now. You guys could-"

"No."

"But-"

"No."

"Lucy then?" Mira was insistent. "You could have these little golden haired babies that-"

"I," he growled, "ain't tryin' to have no babies. Ever. So you can get the hell over that one."

"I could babysit."

"Mira."

"Or I know!"

"I'm convinced you don't know crap."

"Ever. You and Ever could-"

"I thought that was your brother's hang up? And what about Natsu? And Jellal? And Bacchus? I mean, that's all you've blabbed about this entire week. About how great Natsu is for Lucy or Erza and Jellal belong together and that Cana and Bacchus are the best drinking pals. You forget that?"

"Laxus, you should know now, I can figure out how to put anyone with anyone."

"Yeah," he'd grumbled. "I'm startin' to see that."

"Or I know! You and-"

"Do I have to muzzle you?"

Needless to say, he'd shut down every other attempt she'd had at that conversation.

Which sucked. How great would it be to bring Laxus back to the guild, all in love with one of the women, so that she could say that it was her handy work? Even if it did break up one of her other perfect imagined couples, so be it. Laxus wasn't exactly a catch, but he did have some good qualities. And if she could just mold him for one of the other women (she still hadn't decided on which one), they'd be forever in her debt. Not to mention she'd have immense bragging rights over it.

If he would only cooperate…

After dinner, Laxus announced to her that they'd be watching a movie together.

"What? Laxus, no. You've watched movies all day."

"So?" He pointed at her. "You've ready your stupid books all day."

"Surely you see the difference."

"Surely I do not."

Heh.

So, after some more convincing, Laxus got Mirajane to help him sit on the couch (his chair wasn't nearly as comfortable) and drag his jigsaw table over to in front of it so that they could set the lacrima up on it and settle in for the movie.

"Why do we have to watch one together?" she complained as she settled into the couch as well.

"Shhh."

"Laxus-"

"Look, it's just more fun to watch with someone else."

"Mr. Solitude wants company?"

"Shut up, Mira. Besides, it's one of my favorite movies. Doesn't everyone like showing those to other people?"

Sigh.

Mirajane had neglected to ask him at any point what the movie was about. And, if she had, she'd immediately requested a new one. As if there was one thing that Mirajane didn't do, it was horror movies. It became increasingly more clear though as it went on though that that was exactly what they were watching.

"Laxus," she complained.

"What?"

"I don't want to watch this! I-"

"Mira, shut up. You're the one that brought it."

It must have been Elf's or something because she sure as heck wasn't the one that owned it.

And wasn't it just horrible? Terrifying. Mira wanted someone's arm to bury her face in, but Laxus was out of the question and, well, he was the only one around. It was gory and full of death and then the evil wasn't even vanquished in the end.

Two hours of pure hell.

Then, afterwards, Laxus only yawned before nodding at her.

"Well?"

"W-Well what?" Mirajane was still trying to process what she'd seen.

"Help me into my chair," he grumbled. "I'm ready for bed."

They were getting better about getting him in and out of bed, but that only served as a determent to Mirajane that night. Because after she had him tucked away in his bedroom, well, she was left with the big bad living room all alone.

She tried to read for awhile, leaving the light on, but it didn't help much. All the shadows were playing tricks on her mind. Eventually she set the couch up into the bed before diving into it.

But the darkness was no better. There could be anything lurking in it. And she was all alone in a far off town with a man that, though wicked strong, couldn't even get out of bed without her help. So he couldn't come to her aid if that movie monster came to attack her. It would devour her and then what? Huh? Just pure, immense pain. That's what.

She only braved it out there for another twenty minutes before jumping up from bed and going to Laxus' bedroom door.

"Lax?" she whispered. "Are you awake?"

Nope. Because Laxus was a grown ass man and realized horror movies were just that.

Movies.

Ugh. Mirajane.

"Laxus?" She went to his side. "Hey, Laxus, are you-"

"What?" He bolted up then, in the darkness, startling her. She might have even screamed. "What's going on? What are you-"

"I'm gonna sleep down here, alright?"

"What?" He was rubbing at his eyes and, without thinking, tried to get out of bed.

It was, of course, in vain.

"Mirajane-"

"I just wanted you to know," she said as she laid the pillow she'd brought with her on the ground before moving to lay down on it. "So-"

"Why are you in my room? What's wrong with you?" His mind was catching up then. He wasn't in danger. Mirajane was just being stupid again. "Huh? Are you hurt or-"

"No. I…I'm just sleeping down here."

"What? What's going on? Just tell me-"

"I'm afraid that the monster's going to get me!"

He blinked. Then he frowned. "What?"

"From the movie," she explained with a blush. "I-"

"Mira…"

"Yes?"

"You're a fucking demon, you idiot," he growled. "Why the hell would you be afraid of some damn monster? I mean, even if it was real-"

"I told you I didn't want to watch it."

More growls. Then, laying back down, he said, "Whatever. Just…shut up."

There was a good ten minutes there, with Mirajane down on the floor, where they just laid in silence.

Then, "Lax?"

"Mira, go to sleep."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"…Are you mad at me?"

"What is wrong with you, woman? Huh? You have, literally, the worst personality in the history of the world."

"So you are mad at me."

Huffing loudly, he said, "No, Mira. I'm not. But it's the middle of the night, you're acting stupid, and I'm pretty sure it's just so we can spend more time together-"

"Spend more- You think I'm in here because I want to be around you?"

"Uh, yeah." It made sense to him. "You know as well as I do that you can't go without human contact for more than ten minutes. You're feeling deprived. That's fine. Whatever. Just shut up."

It was tit for tat almost. Blow for blow. Mira would offend or piss him off and then, when they were finally back to normal, he'd get his revenge and do the same to her.

Almost tiring, really.

"If that's how you feel, fine. You big jerk."

"Mira," he groaned as she got up to head out of the room. "Just… You're not a fucking dog."

That got her to stop. "Now I'm lost. What-"

"Sleeping on the floor," he mumbled. "While I'm up here on this bed. It's big enough for the two of us. If you're really…scared, or whatever you are, then come lay up here with me."

"Laxus-"

"Mira, I can't even get the hell out of bed. What? You think I'm gonna ravage you the second you lay down or somethin'?"

"I don't-"

"Whatever. Leave then. Don't expect me to be so kind again."

It took a pause, but slowly, Mirajane came to lay down in bed. Only, it was the opposite way as him.

Laxus only blinked up at the ceiling.

"Are we in grade school?" he asked. "Sleeping head to feet?"

"Oh, shush."

"Well, have fun smelling my feet," he quipped. "Hope the smell drives the monsters away. I mean-"

"What? Do you want me to lay up there with you?"

"It'd be less awkward than this, yeah," he grumbled. "We're both adults. Two adults can share a bed without groping one another. I mean, unless you got something to tell me, Mira-"

"If it's the big of a deal-"

"It's not. I don't care. I just said that you could sleep this way if you-"

"I'll do it."

"You're not doing it as a favor to me! I'm doing one for you by letting you sleep in here."

'You big baby."

"Stop acting like I'm the one that wants to share a bed. You're the one that came in here-"

"To sleep on the floor. You though-"

"Just pick a damn spot and stay in it! Dang. I don't care. I just want to go to sleep! Alright?"

"Sheesh, Lax," she mumbled as she crawled up the bed to lay with her head up there with his. "Aren't you a grouch when you stay up past your bedtime?"

He wanted to smack her. Really, he did. Instead, he only shut his eyes once more.

"Just," he grumbled, "go to sleep."

But that was impossible for both of them by then. They were too worked up. And, when Laxus glanced over at her, he found that Mira was laying on her back, eyes just as open as his.

"Are you really that scared of a stupid movie?"

"I don't know," she sighed softly, not glancing over at him. "Maybe…I did kinda come in here for you too."

"Why, demon. If you wanted to get me in bed-"

"Not like that." She was shifting away from him, even though he'd only been teasing. "I just meant…this is sorta the least amount of time I've ever spent without human contact."

"The hell am I? If I'm not human?"

"You're a god, remember?"

"Shuddup."

"I'm lonely," she admitted. "This has been a stressful past few days."

"For who? You?"

"Well, yeah. I-"

"What about me, woman? Huh? I'm the one that can't walk."

He had a point…

"I know," she said softly. "And that hurts me. A lot."

Snort.

"It does, Laxus. I'm sad for you. I just wish that there was some other outcome-"

"I told you," he grumbled, "that this is all just temporary."

"And I believe you, but-"

"There are no buts."

"But there are," she insisted. "You haven't told me anything about-"

"It's none of your business."

Shaking her head slightly, she said, "I just meant that…I've always seen you as so strong. Even when I was mad at you or you weren't being beneficial to the guild-"

"The woman that's afraid of monsters knows the word beneficial?"

"-I just always saw you as this powerhouse. And you were. You-"

"Are."

"Huh?"

"Are," he grumbled.

"You are what?"

"A powerhouse," he hissed. "Even if I stayed in this chair forever, I still would be. And don't fucking forget it."

That fell between them then as Mirajane shifted on the bed, though it was to give him her back. He thought that it had been the end of the conversation, but just like that, she was speaking again.

"If that's true-"

"It is."

"-then what are you so afraid of? Huh?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You won't let anyone see you," she whispered. "Not even your own guild mates. What do you think, Laxus? That people are going to look at you and just discredit you? Huh? Because they're not. Not anyone that knows you. It wouldn't matter if you were completely paralyzed. You're still one of the strongest mages around."

"The strongest."

"Oh, Laxus."

"It's true."

Rolling her eyes, she said, "Then why won't you just-"

"I don't know, alright?" And there was a catch in his voice, if only slightly. "I don't. I don't know why I can't go home or tell Gramps or the others. I just…I can't. I can't go back home this way. I won't go back home this way. And if you can't just accept that-"

"Alright."

"Alright?"

Letting out a soft breath, Mirajane told him, "I didn't want anyone to see me either. At first. Back when I lost Lisanna."

"Mira," he sighed, knowing where she was going. "You don't have to-"

"It's okay. I mean, what? I got her back. It doesn't hurt the same way anymore." Giggling slightly, she said, "I used to be so afraid, at first, when I couldn't go into my takeover anymore. When even the thought of it could cause me to tremble. I…I thought I was weak. I was weak."

"No, Mira, you-"

"But I was," she insisted. "I was weak by everyone else's standard, at least. So I found a new strength. I reinvented what I thought strength was. I didn't have to know magic to be strong anymore. I was strong in my guild. In my friends. In my brother.

"And you don't have to be some imposing figure, Laxus. You don't have to strike fear in someone just from them taking in how you stand or your dark gaze. You can be tough from a wheelchair. I mean, I saw you. Remember? Doing all those reps. That workout. That's not something a weak man can do. You're strong. And no one could possibly doubt that. Not even for a moment."

Laxus only laid there, thinking. Then, with a grunt, he said, "Yeah, well, it don't matter anyhow. This is just temporary, remember? I'll get all healed up and go back just the way I was meant to. And not a moment before. You found strength where you needed it. That's fine. But my strength didn't go nowhere. And they'll all see that when I walk back into the guildhall. You just wait."

Mirajane sure hoped so. But every time that word, temporary, came up, it sounded less and less definite.

"Now go to sleep," he grumbled after that. "You got my laundry to do in the morning. Or did you forget?"

No. And she also couldn't forget that she was sharing a bed with Laxus Dreyar. And through her own doing.

Sigh. It would be a long night.

She must have slept for a good three hours there before she woke up again. And, when she did, she found that she'd managed to roll over and face Laxus in her sleep.

He was just laying there, head on it's side, staring back at her.

It was kinda creepy…

Blinking in the dark, she whispered, "Can't sleep?"

"I have to go to the bathroom."

"Oh."

"Uh, Mira?"

"Hmmm?" She'd shut her eyes again.

"You kinda have to help me with that."

Oh. Right.

When that was all said and done, Laxus started back in for his bedroom and, after helping him get in it, Mirajane headed out of the room.

"Where are you going?"

"Huh?" She was half asleep still. "To bed."

"You were sleeping in here. Remember?"

"Mmmm. That was 'fore."

"Before what?"

"I's so sleepy," she giggled. "I can go in there and pass right out now. So-"

"That's fine. I mean…more bed for me, right?"

"Mmmhmm."

"I don't want you in here anyways. So just go. Goodnight. Sorry to bother you. I'll see you in-"

"Lax?"

"What?"

"You're lonely too, aren't you?"

Snort. "No. I-"

"Who do you want me to be?" She came back over to his bed then before falling into it, on the other half. "Freed? Ever? Or Bickslow?"

"What?"

"Tomorrow," she whispered as she snuggled up under the blanket, eyes closing. She felt as if she was dreaming already. "To keep you company?"

He only sighed. "I think you'll be just fine, demon."

"Mmmm." And, because she would never be too asleep for something like it, she said, "Or would you want me to be Cana or Lucy or-"

"Okay, you can go back into the living room now."

"Dragon."

"You annoying woman."

But even he couldn't deny the grin that was spreading his face.

And he wasn't sure if he wanted to.

So we're definitely going to ten now. At least.