AN: The site is still busted and I still can't see my chapter views. I'm beginning to worry that this is just how it's going to be now. Regardless, I'm still posting chapters. There's enough subscribers where I would feel bad if I held off just because I'm selfish and I want to see how many views I have.

Never-ending thank yous to those who read, reviewed, subscribed, and favorited the last installment. Each of you have made my day just by choosing to spend a bit of your time reading this self-indulgence and I'll always appreciate it!

Last chapter, we got a look inside Natsumi's head. Now it's Laxus's turn. I had way too much fun with the Thunder Legion. Please Enjoy!

This is the Darkest Timeline

Laxus paced his apartment, bored and anxious. He'd finally been released from the infirmary with a clean bill of health, save for the burn scabs on his forearms. The one perk about dragon slayer magic was that he never had to worry about broken bones or torn muscles for more than a week, and his ribs had only been bruised, luckily.

Not that he felt any better. Physically, he was as solid as ever, but the memory of Natsumi's face as she stormed out of the infirmary claiming he didn't know anything about love stuck with him, taunted him. He hadn't wanted to tell her about his feelings at all, and he'd known she probably wouldn't react well, but the actuality of it was still jarring and it fucking hurt. She didn't believe him or didn't want to, and he couldn't think of many other things that sucked more.

A knock at the door interrupted his pacing. He wanted to ignore it, not wanting to bother with anyone today, but it persisted.

"We know you're in there, Laxus. Open the door, please," Freed's muffled voice called through the door.

When he still made no move to answer, Freed sighed. "I guess we'll have to take this job request to Oak Town on our own. More than a week tracking a dark guild convoy through the quiet, secluded mountains."

Laxus glared at the door as Bickslow's dolls chanted about mountains.

"Oh well. We tried," Freed continued, his voice light. "Evergreen, when did Natsumi's job request say she'd be due back?"

Those bastards. He knew what they were trying to do, and it was pissing him off. What was worse, it was actually a good idea, but hell if he'd tell them that.

"Why, Freed, she should be back any day now," Evergreen said, sounding like she was trying to hold in her laugher. "She's only left to Hargeon yesterday, so odds are she won't take more than a few days. I wouldn't be surprised if she came barging into the guild this afternoon."

"That's nice to hear. Perhaps we should all stay and welcome her back?"

Laxus threw open the door and snatched the job request from Freed's already outstretched hands. He chose to ignore the Thunder Legion's collectively smug look as he skimmed the flyer. Sure enough, Freed was right. It paid well and it would guarantee to put them on the opposite side of the country from Natsumi for at least a week. Maybe by then, he'd have his shit figured out.

"Fine. Let me pack." He slammed the door in their faces. After that stunt, he'd be damned if he let them in his house. They could stay in the hall and giggle like schoolgirls for all he cared. All he could think about was how he'd managed an escape from dealing with Natsumi for a little while longer.

An hour later, he was on the train, miserably sitting between Evergreen and the window and trying to ignore Bickslow's attempts to get him to talk through his nausea.

"This is what it's all about, guys. Just us, the open road, and the imminent ass kicking we're going to give those bastards," the knight chattered, leaning back in his seat across from Laxus.

"Bastards!" his dolls screeched from his lap, and Laxus felt his head pound with his rising temper.

"Put those fucking things away before I make you," he growled, scrunching his eyes up to combat his growing nausea.

The seith mage wasn't impressed. "No need to take your shitty mood out on the babies. It's not their fault you got rejec—"

"Bickslow!" Evergreen barked with an evil look at Bickslow.

Laxus would've punched him for a crack like that if he felt better. Instead, he just slid his sound pods on and cranked up the volume of his music to a deafening level. He wasn't sure how he was going to survive the ride if they were going to harp on him like this. Even if he felt like talking, it's not like he'd have anything to say for himself. Mira and Lucy were right about everything they'd said. He'd screwed up.

And now she didn't believe him, and he'd have to deal with it somehow.

As the loud music pounded through the speakers around his ears. He swallowed the lump in his throat, not sure if it was from his motion sickness or screwy emotions. Laxus would die before he let anyone know it, but Natsumi's blatant rejection had struck him more deeply than even he'd realized. He'd lain awake each night in the infirmary, not able to sleep until exhaustion overwhelmed him. The pit in his stomach each time he thought of her words made it difficult to maintain any sort of appetite, and he wasn't sure how to get around it.

He'd never let anyone have this sort of power over him before, and she'd suddenly come along and he hadn't had a choice but to love her.

Because he'd been telling her the truth, and it fucking hurt.

He hadn't always loved her, hadn't always seen the beauty underneath the bruises and dirt and matted pink hair, but he remembered the first time he had.

May 14, X782

"Happy Birthday, Natsumi!" the guild yelled as the dragon slayer in question stepped through the doors with Happy in tow. Even from his spot leaning against the banister of the second floor, he could see her eyes light up and the huge, toothy smile take over her face.

"Wow! Thanks you guys!" she shouted, making her way further into the building and the fold of the crowd. "But you know that I don't really know when my birthday is, right?"

"Yes," Mira said sweetly, emerging from behind the bar to bring out a huge cake with 'Happy Birthday' written in giant, swirling frosting letters, "but everyone should get to celebrate their 16th birthday! We figured this was as good a day as any to have a party."

"I picked the cake out myself. I hope it is to your satisfaction," Erza said. Laxus rolled his eyes. Like she cared if Natsumi liked the cake or not. She'd gotten the strawberry flavored monstrosity for her own benefit.

"It's great! I can't wait to try it," she beamed, looking at the crowd of well-wishers.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's party!" Gramps shouted, and everyone erupted into cheers. Laxus watched from his solitary place on top of the stairs, wondering why they needed all needed such a specific excuse to throw a party when it seemed like there was a nonsense celebration every other day. The whole thing would have been stupid, if not for how the room seemed to shine a bit brighter when Natsumi smiled like she was.

He saw Cana and Levy talking to Natsumi, who engulfed them both in a monstrous hug. They all burst out laughing, and Laxus felt an unfamiliar pang of jealousy at their closeness, which confused him just as much as it freaked him out. He'd known Natsumi for years, saved her stupid, reckless ass countless times and got a face decoration to show for it. There was no reason to feel this way.

She and Happy were making their rounds, seeming intent to hug every goddamn person in the guild hall. Suddenly, her smile faltered as she turned, turning from side to side as if looking for something.

Her eyes drifted up and fell on Laxus, and her smile returned, joyous and excited. Laxus felt his heart stutter. She looked so…happy to see him.

"Laxus! Come down here!" she called, waving at him.

"Why should I?" he smirked down at her amidst the celebrating guild.

She pouted. "It's my birthday, moron!"

"You said yourself that you don't know when your birthday is."

"For all I know, it could be today," she told him, hands on hips. Her expression softened, eyes widening as he made no move toward the stairs. "Please?"

And before he knew it, his legs were moving without his permission, descending the stairs and walking towards the pink-haired dragon slayer. She looked ecstatic as he approached, elbowing his way through the crowd that was too busy drinking and dancing to make a path for him.

Without further ado, she rushed him, throwing her arms around his waist in a spine-crushing hug. "Thanks, Laxus," she mumbled against him, not letting go.

For a moment, Laxus wasn't sure what was happening. This was a new one, he thought. He was used to Natsumi challenging him, mouthing off to him, but not pressing up against him. He tentatively brought his arms up to her shoulders, patting her awkwardly. She snuggled closer to him, and he had to physically will his face from heating up when he realized just exactly what the softness against his belly was.

After what seemed like an eternity, she pulled away to smile back up at him.

"Uh, yeah. Happy Birthday, I guess," he mumbled, and she laughed. The sound made his stomach feel heavy, like he'd been punched in the gut in the best kind of way.

He was lucky when she turned and went to where Erza was already cutting into her cake. He didn't want to explain why he was acting so weird, at least in his opinion. Retreating back up to the second level, he observed the remainder of the party, wondering what the hell was wrong with him.

He felt gross for the way his eyes seemed to look at Natsumi in a new light. He didn't want to notice the taught skin of her bare abdomen, and the way her pants sat low on her hips. It was probably best if he left and tried to scrub away the memory of how her breasts had pressed up against him with nothing but his shirt and her wrappings to separate them. It wasn't right and he wasn't a creep. He'd die before he admitted any of this to anyone.

Natsumi was an obnoxious, albeit slightly endearing kid. She wasn't supposed to look like a woman and he wasn't supposed to notice, and now he had.

He felt ashamed of himself, but his heart beat faster every time she laughed that evening.

Laxus knocked his head gently against the window, swallowing back a gag once more. So maybe he hadn't realized he loved her then, but since that day, he'd been wary of the way she moved, the way she looked. He'd hated himself for it, but couldn't stop, comforting himself with the knowledge that he'd never turn into one of those assholes that chased girls way too young for them.

It wasn't just her body, though. The way she laughed and smiled made him want to come closer, be a part of those moments, even though he never let himself. She was the heart of the guild. She lived for everyone around her, and the way she felt everyone's defeats as much as their victories was inspiring. At the time, he'd thought that was a weakness. He would always regret how long it took for him to see that quality as Natsumi's greatest strength; a strength that even he didn't possess.

He doubted he'd ever rival the kind of unwavering inner strength she had. Because he was weak. He'd cowered from his problems. He'd let himself become bitter and angry until it controlled him. Even after Guildarts reinstated him, he let his fear and guilt drive him. Fear of becoming a monster again, fear of still being one, fear of his own feelings.

And now he was paying the consequences once again for his stupidity.

So overcome with the dizziness from the train ride and the heaviness in his heart, he allowed himself to drift into unconsciousness, unaware of the concerned looks on his teams' faces.

It was the third time that trip that Laxus had snapped.

"I told you three hours ago that the fucking trail went west, but you fuckers didn't listen to me! God!" he shouted at his teammates. Coming up on a week into their mission, they'd been wandering aimlessly through the mountains, occasionally catching glimpses of evidence that someone else had been through this part of the forest. However, Freed and Evergreen fought him on every decision he made, and he couldn't take it anymore.

"At this rate, that convoy is going to be onto the next town before we even pull our heads out of our asses!"

"Hey, man, chill out." Bickslow said, leaning against a nearby tree. His dolls circled around him, but thankfully didn't say anything. Laxus thought he might fry them all if they did.

"Chill out?" he laughed, humorless. "I'm sorry, did you just give me an order?" They were asking to get their asses handed to them, and the more this mission dragged on, the more willing Laxus was to give it to them.

"I think what Bickslow meant," Freed said, his tone reasonable, "was that we could all probably use a deep breath. I'm sure with our combined talents, we'll be on the trail in no time."

Laxus rolled his eyes at the rune mage, resisting the urge to kick the nearest tree trunk in frustration. "That's what you've been saying since we started this goddamn mission! We need to get it together!"

"We'd have it together if we were acting like a team," Evergreen said from her seat amidst a mess of tree roots. "But we aren't. We've been stumbling around here because we're all distracted, and we're not doing anyone any favors by trying to pretend that everything's normal."

"And by 'we,' you mean 'me,' right?"

"I was trying to be polite, but yes, I mean you. You've done nothing but mope and brood since we got here, and we need you to lead us."

The blonde glared at the fairy mage across from him. "Don't act like we don't have to put up with your bullshit every time Elfman does something stupid to you."

"This isn't about that!" she shouted, standing up. "We're all worried about you and you've taken out your frustration on us!"

Biting back a retort, Laxus turned around so they couldn't see his face. He tried to take several deep breaths, but found that he couldn't.

"Laxus," Freed began, stepping closer to the lightning mage, "we've tried to tiptoe around the issue because we know you aren't necessarily keen on sharing your thoughts." Laxus scoffed, but said nothing. "But this isn't healthy anymore and I think you know that. Talk to us, please. We're your friends."

Clenching his fists, he turned to face his team once more. They all stood before him, wearing identical looks of concern, although Bickslow's was obscured by his visor. He sighed.

"Look, guys. I know I'm being a dick and I know I'm making everyone miserable—well, more than usual, but I physically cannot sit down and have some heart to heart with you right now."

Evergreen's face fell, looking like she'd just taken a slap to the face. Laxus felt terrible. It looked like he couldn't stop making everyone around him unhappy these days.

"I just…I just need to hit things and figure out what the fuck is wrong with me and I can't do that if we don't find the fucking convoy. I'm sorry."

Freed stepped forward and laid a hand on Laxus's shoulder. "We understand. But we'd appreciate your patience while we all try to do this together. We're all trying out best."

Reluctantly, Laxus nodded. It wasn't fair to take out his anger on them when they hadn't done anything. He needed to be the leader they deserved and not some heartsick child that couldn't control themselves. Laxus was a stone cold tactician, not the apathetic mess he'd let himself become since getting rejected so handily.

"Yeah, okay. Sorry guys."

They all nodded, and Evergreen smiled once more.

"It's alright, man. Just chill and everything'll be fine," Bickslow shrugged, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. Laxus allowed himself a short laugh. That was easier said than done.

They'd just finished shouldering their packs again when a sound from up ahead snapped Laxus's head to the side.

"Did you guys hear that?" He asked, already moving toward what he thought was the shuffle of dense undergrowth. Looking back, he received a nod from Freed, who wordlessly motioned Evergreen and Bickslow to follow Laxus.

The group silently trailed the noise through the dense foliage of the forest, and soon enough, they began to hear voices. Turning to his teammates, Laxus's face broke out into a predatory grin. They'd finally found their quarry.

"Looks like you'll get your wish," Freed quipped, though his smirk was nearly as devious as his leader's.

Without a word, Laxus shot forward, the Thunder Legion hot on his heels.

Laxus sighed, watching Bickslow finish tying the last of the unconscious dark mages up. He'd expected much more of a challenge from the group that had been causing mayhem all through the surrounding mountain villages, but it'd been all too easy. The others had let him do most of the work, but even still, he hadn't had to employ even intermediate level spells. It would've been a waste of energy, anyway.

"Feel any better?" Freed said as he came to stand beside the tall blonde.

"Nope."

"Why?"

"Because nothing's changed." It was true. The frustration at being unable to find the convoy had abated, but it did nothing for the underlying turmoil inside him. It didn't change the fact that in a matter of days, he'd have to face Natsumi again, and he still had no plan of action. At this point, he wasn't sure if actually doing something would have any effect. It wasn't like his other attempts went well. He still felt sick every time he thought of her and how she hated him.

He was so tired of second guessing himself and rethinking everything he did, and he was even more tired of feeling like such a self-pitying fuck.

"I don't know how I'm going to ever look her in the face again. She was so angry," he explained. And hurt, he thought, but he kept that to himself.

Bickslow laughed, having finished his duties. "Yeah, she was. I thought she was going to wipe you off the face of the Earth."

"Not helping," Freed gave Bickslow a measured look, which the latter ignored.

The sound of splintering wood made the three men look to the upended carriage, where Evergreen was prying off lose panels.

"What?" she asked, glaring at them behind her glasses, "Surprised that someone is actually doing some work around here? We're going to need firewood more than these schmucks need their buggy," she sniffed and threw her hair over her shoulder. The rest of the team moved to join her in breaking down the carriage.

The fairy mage looked to Laxus as they pried the slightly charred boards apart. She hated to see Laxus this way, and so she'd done the only thing she knew how: put him to work. Laxus never got anywhere when left with his thoughts. He needed to do something with his bare hands. She wasn't much for advice; her own abysmal love life was proof enough of that, but she knew that Laxus had a brain between his ears that rivaled the best when he actually used it. Given enough time—and begrudging support—she had faith that he'd figure something out.

Laxus relished how the boards cracked under his fingertips, breaking under blunt force rather than lightning. He laughed to himself, thinking that the fucking carriage was putting up more of a fight than those sorry excuses for mages had. He wished all his problems were this easily solved. Need fire wood? Break down a carriage. Someone giving you shit? Punch them in the face. Make an irate dragon slayer forgive you? Not nearly as straightforward.

He'd been wracking his brain for ideas for how to make it up to her for the past week, and each time, he drew a blank. Lucy and Mira had tried to help, but they put too much faith in his ability to convince Natsumi that he wasn't playing some elaborate prank on her. He knew he had to do something, though, and he was feeling even more panicky now that there was nothing stopping his team from returning to Magnolia, where she'd almost certainly be waiting.

Laxus couldn't just go on with his life pretending that nothing was wrong when things very much were. He tossed another fractured board into their makeshift pile with more force than necessary.

Any other time, Laxus would have been secretly pleased at how much his opinion seemed to mean to Natsumi. Hell, every time she smiled that blinding, ecstatic smile at him, it made his head tingle and his heart pound. But it killed him to know that he'd failed her in that. She thought he saw her as weak and useless, and he couldn't think of how he was going to fix it.

Hadn't she already proved herself against him at the Harvest Festival? All she ever wanted was to go toe to toe with him, and he'd given her his all when she and Gajeel fought him, even if he'd been haunted by it ever since. In a way, she'd won that fight, even if it hadn't been entirely on her own.

But he guessed it didn't matter. Natsumi still hated him, and he still deserved it.

Frustrated, he slammed a fist down on the side of the carriage, throwing sparks as wood planks went flying in every direction. His teammates threw themselves to the floor, Bickslow barely managing to duck a sharpened splinter that sailed for his head.

"Jesus! Watch what you're doin' there!" he shouted, his face still pressed to the ground.

"Sorry," Laxus grunted, moving to pick up some broken pieces.

Evergreen glared at their distracted leader, unhappy that her plan to spur Laxus to figure out a solution through manual labor was failing before her eyes.

"At least you have a helmet, Bickslow. The rest of us aren't so lucky," she grumbled as she picked herself up from the ground to help Laxus gather their new firewood haul. She knew he didn't mean anything by his outburst, but she didn't favor almost being skewered with no forewarning, no matter how frustrated the lightning mage was.

"Next time you decide to do that," Freed said, dusting off his coat, "let me put a rune cage up first. I hate chasing the stray pieces."

At Freed's comment, Laxus froze in the midst of reaching for his next piece. Concerned, the Thunder Legion looked at their leader, who's expression had shifted from morose to calculating, his eyes lighting up.

Laxus had an idea.

Doing nothing simply wasn't an option anymore. He couldn't continue to cause Natsumi pain; there simply wasn't an excuse for it. No matter what it took, he'd earn her trust back, even if she hated him and there wasn't any chance of her ever returning his feelings. Even if it destroyed him, he'd make it right so she could move on. She deserved that from him, especially since he'd done nothing but punish her for his mistakes for months. He steeled himself. For her, he would do it, come what may.

"Hey, Freed," he called, dropping his gathered wood pile and turning to face his green-haired friend.

"Yes?" Though shocked by Laxus's sudden change in demeanor, Freed couldn't help but smile, thankful that, for the first time in days, the blonde seemed to not be knee-deep in the throes of desperate pining.

Laxus couldn't help the smile that crawled onto his face as he took in the looks of confusion his team was wearing. They'd understand soon enough.

"I need a favor."

Note: Short, sweet, angsty. Laxus has a plan! Stay tuned, because we're getting ready to ramp up once again. I guarantee it'll be worth your while ;)

Now I just wanted to take some time to get something that bothered me a bit while writing this section. I addressed it within the story, but I just wanted to make sure no one gets the wrong idea. I definitely don't condone underage relationships. I tried to make it abundantly clear just how not okay Laxus was with finding himself attracted to Natsumi when their age difference really mattered. She was 16 in the flashback, which would make Laxus 21. That's not cool, folks, and Laxus knows it. He knows it'd be dead wrong to even think about letting her know about his feelings then, because he respects her and cares for her and isn't a huge creep. I don't want to write gross characters, and so I tried to make that evident. Laxus never intended to ever let Nat know, and if she had still been technically a kid, I don't think Laxus would have told her about his feelings a few chapters ago, even if he thought he had no choice.

Next Chapter Preview: Your Cat is the Realest Person in Your Life

"Natsumi?"

"Yeah?" she answered, clutching the cat closer to her chest, and burying her face into the plush fur on the scruff of his neck.

"I love you." She smiled against him, "I love you, too, Happy."

"And Lucy loves you. And Gray and Erza and Wendy and Levy and Mira and Cana and probably even Gajeel, even if he does smell."