"Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!" the crowd roars with synchronized fist pumps.
The encouraging cheers push Macao and Wakaba to continue to down their respective beers.
Macao and Wakaba slam their mugs down, signaling the end of the seventh round and are rewarded with a round of applause and hollering from everyone around them.
Both men decided to have a drinking contest to help relieve the tension from the stress of the disappointing news brought by the council. They were at the bottom of their second mugs when guild members started to gather around to observe. At the beginning of their fifth round, practically the whole guild was watching the spectacle and had begun to root for them.
Two weeks ago, Captain Lahar from the Magic Council came by the guild. A hush fell over all of the occupants of the guild at the presence of the man. After all, it's never a good thing when the Magic Council comes knocking on Fairy Tail's door.
The reason for his visit was not pleasant. He told Master Macao in private that the six month limit has been reached on the search party for the Fairy Tail members that were on Tenrou Island. The usually stoic man was sympathetic and gentle as he delivered the news that nothing was ever found of the missing group.
Master was tremendously emotional as he thanked the captain for all of his hard work before bidding him farewell. Moments afterwards, he informed all of the guild members of the news that Captain Lahar brought.
Everyone was deeply saddened. A new wave of grief and sadness flooded the guild hall; the sight reminiscent of the day Lucy brought the initial news. The grief was followed by mourning during the entirety of the next week. The members allowed themselves the luxury of that amount of time.
Lucy and Laxus were the most heartbroken.
Lucy stayed in bed and cried for the first three days. She hardly ate anything, strictly from the loss of her appetite. Never wrote nor showered neither. Just cried. Cried until her eyes stung and throat was swollen from overuse. Her spirits came to comfort her on more than one occasion but would leave once they were dismissed by the blonde woman.
Laxus trained during the first three days. He trained day and night in the most rigorous routines possible. Routines that made every one of his muscles moan and complain in painful agony until they finally gave out and he collapsed on the ground. The only time he ever stopped was to eat and sleep and that was far and few in between.
To some of the members, the news wouldn't have been so bad if something had been found. Be it a tree limb, a piece of clothing, a weapon…a body…anything. But they had nothing. No proof, no evidence that the members are without a doubt dead. It will always leave them wondering if maybe, by some miracle, they could be still alive. Somewhere, somehow in some distant land possibly. Their closure will never come because of that small shard of hope that only serves to cut jagged wounds into their hearts.
On the fourth day, both blondes solemnly stood in front of the fairy monument at the memorial site along with several other members. Everyone had been there at one time or another, some even multiple times. Jet and Droy visited every day and laid a new bouquet out for Levy at the fairy's feet. Biska and Alzack even brought a small dagger in Erza's honor. Lucy could tell that Romeo had been by because of a small note with sloppy, childish handwriting that was addressed to Natsu.
They stayed like that for almost the entirety of the day. Not speaking or looking at one another. Just lost in their thoughts and emotions as they mourned their loved ones. Lucy and Laxus returned for the next three days to continue their grieving. Lucy would get there earlier than Laxus to have some privacy with the fairy. At the end of the day, Lucy would leave early so Laxus could have his alone time with fairy.
After that first week, everyone and everything started to get better. Everyone took jobs and held conversations like normal. Lucy and Laxus still went to the memorial site but they didn't stay as long as the day previously.
The cause for such a rapid turnaround was that all of the members had prepared somewhat for the possibility of the Council not finding anything. Grieving and mourning when the Tenrou group first disappeared allowed the members to release most of the sadness and pain so they could move on. Once the recent news arrived, the second wave of grief did not have such a lasting effect like the first time.
By the end of the second week, everything was pretty much back to normal. Drinking and cheers were heard around the hall in vast amounts. Members were taking jobs or, in Nab's case, looking over the jobs. Biska and Alzack were being lovey-dovey in the corner of the hall. Lucy was writing her novel at the bar with Romeo doing his schoolwork beside her. Vijeeter was dancing while Reedus painted him. Max was playing a trick on Nab with the help of Warren. Laxus was listening to his music on the second floor while sipping his beer. Kinana served drinks effortlessly to all of her patrons. It was almost normal.
The only ones who didn't have the two weeks to grieve were Macao and Wakaba. They had two days instead.
After the first two days, Macao realized that he couldn't handle all of the announcements, paperwork, and confidential notices that came with the official news alone so he volunteered (which seemed more like forced to everyone else) Wakaba into assisting him. It didn't bother the two men that they didn't have as much time as everyone else because they understood that there was work to be done and they were responsible for everything now. So they worked tirelessly for almost two weeks.
Today is the day that everything has now been put into order so the two men thought they deserved to relax and what better way to do that than to having an old fashion drinking contest.
"Ki-Kinta! A…Anoth'r 'ound!" Macao calls out to Kinana in a heavily slurred tone.
Within moments the purple-haired bartender walks up to both men with a smile and deposits three mugs of beer in front of each of them.
"Than-" Macao hiccups and his eyes roll around the room. "Th-thnks a 'ole bunc'" he finishes with a drunken grin.
"Yep!" Wakaba agrees with a pop of his lips.
Kinana giggles behind her hand before wistfully escorting herself back to the bar.
"Alrigh'!" Macao slams his hand on the table before pointing at his drinking rival. "You re'dy!?" he shouts with a look of comedic drunken seriousness all over his face.
Wakaba narrows his eyes behind his glasses and mimics the man across from him. "Are you read' to eat my…my…" he trails off with a look of utter drunken confusion on his face.
"Dirt?" Warren suggests from the sidelines with a sweatdrop.
Wakaba snaps his fingers and points at the telepathy mage. "Wha' he said!" he declares.
A frown makes its way onto Macao's lips. "You'r' gonna regre' tat!" he slurs. "On t'ree! One! Two! T'ree!"
Both of the men begin to gulp down their eighth around as almost everyone around them begins to chant and cheer once more.
"How much longer do you think they'll last?" Lucy asks with an amused smirk.
"Not much. They're pushovers now," Laxus replies apathetically.
The two men have hardly drunk more than two beers in a single day in the last six months. They have been so busy with guild work that they just haven't had the time to indulge in their favorite pastime and it has really made them more susceptible to the influence of the alcohol. At that moment, Laxus knows that he can easily beat the other two men. Hands down.
Macao and Wakaba slam both of their beers down and simultaneously belch. The guild members break out into laughter and cheering as they swallow their own drinks.
"Yeah, because chugging eight beers in considered being a lightweight," Lucy states sarcastically as she gives Laxus a dry look.
Laxus smirks down at the petite blonde. "Around here it is. It's all about who you compare yourself to."
Lucy frowns before shaking her head and sighing. Oh why does she even bother?
Everyone is so invested in the contest that no one notices the guild door opening to reveal an old man, somewhere in his late seventies. He is wearing a black suit and is carrying a black briefcase in his right hand. Taking careful, methodical steps he walks up to where Kinana is wiping down a segment of the bar.
"Excuse me?" he asks in order to get the barmaid's attention.
Lucy sees the old man out of the corner of her eye and she turns her head to get a better look at him out of curiosity. Laxus notices Lucy's misplaced attention and looks over her head in the direction of the newcomer.
"Yes, can I help you?" Kinana responds pleasantly when she looks up from her duties.
"I am looking for a Mr. Laxus Dreyar. Would you happen to know where he is by any chance?" the older man asks.
Laxus hums to himself when he hears his name. "Yeah, what is it?" he interjects as he walks away from the drinking contest with a curious Lucy behind him.
The old man jumps slightly at Laxus' sudden voice but composes himself at once. Laxus towers over the smaller man but neither seem to give any notice to this fact. Lucy looks back in forth between the two men with intrigue.
"My name is Iosif Krupin and I am here on business regarding your grandfather, Makarov Dreyar," the man introduces himself. He pulls out a business card and holds it out for Laxus.
Laxus' eyes widen when he hears his grandfather's name. "Gramps? What about him?" he asks as he mindlessly takes the card.
"I was Makarov's attorney before he passed away. I am terribly sorry for your loss, my sincerest apologies for your family. The reason for my visit is that I wish to make an appointment with you so that I may review some documents that pertain to the legal matters of Makarov's passing," he says formally but with a kind tone.
"What kind of documents?" Lucy asks as she comes up beside Laxus.
"I'm afraid I am not at liberty to discuss such matters here. I will be happy to go into full detail in my office. When are you available Mr. Dreyar?"
Laxus looks down at the card before looking back up at the lawyer. What is all of this about? "Tomorrow ought to be good. About noon," he answers simply.
"Very good. I will see then," Iosif says with a nod. With a brief farewell, he slowly walks out the guild.
When the old man is out of sight, Laxus faintly groans as he sits down on a barstool and orders himself a drink. Another round of cheers erupts from the center of the guild just as Lucy sits down next to her partner.
"I wonder what he has to discuss with you," Lucy wonders out loud what is on both of their minds.
"Who knows. Something about Gramps," Laxus replies indifferently. Deep down, he is very curious about the meeting as well. He might even be a little bit nervous. This is the first time someone has mentioned his grandfather specifically since the news broke and it's about some legal matters that he knows nothing about. That is not a good sign.
"I'm sure it's nothing bad," Lucy says cheerfully in an attempt to lighten the mood. "I bet it's about some financial statements or insurance claims. That's what my dad had to go through for my mom when she passed away."
Laxus side eyes her as he contemplates her statement. "You wanna come?" he asks without dropping his frown. He knows jack shit about legal stuff and she since she has seen this type of thing before she might be of some assistance if she tagged along. And as much as it hurts his pride, knowing that a friend will be there beside him helps settle some of his anxiety.
Lucy jumps a little in surprise at his question. She was not expecting him to ask her if she wanted to go. A part of her really wants to know what's going on while the other part feels like she is intruding on his personal family business. The part that is curious wins out over however and she smiles up at Laxus. "Sure. But only if you really want me to go," she insists as gives him a firm stare.
Laxus shrugs his shoulders before taking a gulp of his drink that Kinana gave him while he wasn't paying attention. "Yeah, you can go," he states nonchalantly.
"Great! Wanna meet up here and then head over to his office tomorrow?" Lucy asks excitedly.
Laxus nods his head in agreement.
The two blondes walk in a large office building looking for Iosif Krupin's practice.
Finally, at the end of a hallway, they walk into a small secretary's office. The woman at the front desk immediately directs them to the back where they will find Mr. Krupin's office.
Mr. Krupin's office is elegant and very professional. A thick redwood desk sits in front of a bay window on an intricate blue rug. Potted plants flank both sides of the window and rows of books line both walls. Two dark brown leather wing chairs face his desk.
"Please have a seat," Mr. Krupin motions with his hand toward the two chairs in front of his desk. "My apologies for all of the formalities; I must be professional when I am handling the business of my clients. Once again, my sincerest regards for you and your family Mr. Dreyar," he continues as Lucy and Laxus take a seat in their respective chairs.
Laxus grunts at the man in front of him.
"Well," Mr. Krupin says as he takes a heavy seat in his chair, "shall we get started? I will try to be quick." He takes out an old pair of reading glasses and positions them carefully on the end of his nose.
"Why are we here?" Laxus asks calmly while holding his stoic demeanor. On the inside he is feeling somewhat antsy about this whole situation. Mostly from not knowing what exactly to expect.
"As I was saying inside of your guild, I have some legal matters to discuss with you." Mr. Krupin looks over curiously at the blonde woman in the room. "I'm sorry, I didn't get your name Miss…"
"Heartfilia," Lucy finishes for him. "Lucy Heartfilia."
"Are you a relative of Makarov?"
"No. I'm just a member of Fairy Tail."
"Usually we only allow relatives to attend these meeting but that rule can be waived if you have permission by one of the attendees. Do you have any objection to her bearing witness to this meeting?" Mr. Krupin asks Laxus.
"Wouldn't have brought her if I did," Laxus replies blandly. Lucy frowns at his rudeness but he completely misses it.
"In that case, let's get down to business," Iosif pulls out three manila folders and lightly pats them. "These are all of the documents that I have been instructed to give you upon the death of Makarov Dreyar-"
"Excuse me?" Lucy interjects as politely as she can.
"Yes?" Mr. Krupin asks with raised eyebrows.
"Before we get started we have a question we wanted to ask you," Lucy says as she gestures between her and Laxus. "It's been six months since the Master died, why are you just now telling Laxus about all of this stuff? Why didn't you do it earlier?"
It is a true question and concern of the two blondes. After Mr. Krupin left yesterday, Lucy wondered why the old man had waited so long to come forth about all of these legal matters. When her mother passed away, everything was handled immediately or within a few weeks. Not six months later. Laxus didn't think about that and her observation piqued his interest as well. They decided that they would ask the old lawyer when they saw him.
"Well that is actually very simple. I was instructed by Makarov to only release these papers upon his death. I am bound by the law to wait until an official statement has been made declaring that Makarov has passed away. While the Magical Council has been searching for Makarov for the past six months, they have labeled him as 'Missing', not 'Deceased'. Now that the Council has called off the search, they have officially released a statement saying that Makarov—along with the others on the island—are classified as 'Deceased'. That is why I was only able to come to you now. It is all a bunch legal mumbo jumbo," he waves his hand.
Lucy's lips form an "O" shape in understanding. She nods her head in acceptance while Laxus crosses his arms over his chest.
"Any more questions?" Iosif asks expectantly with a small clap of his hands.
Lucy shakes her head in response.
"Alright then, first things first. I have a few papers for you to sign," he says as he lays several papers in front of Laxus and lays a pen on top of them. "These are for acknowledging that you are present at this meeting and that you are to be fully informed of all known matters that relate to Makarov Dreyar. Afterwards, any legal matters while transferred to your legal representative."
Laxus takes the papers and briefly looks over each one. He takes the pen and signs on the bottom line and initials each paper. Once he is finished, Laxus hands the papers back to Iosif. Mr. Krupin lays the papers aside and put the first manila folder in front of the lightning dragon slayer. Laxus grabs the folder and sits back in his chair.
"These are funeral directions that your grandfather prearranged," he speaks as the younger man looks over the contents of the folder. "Usually this part would be straight forward but seeing as how your grandfather's body was never found, you may proceed with what you deem appropriate."
Laxus nods his head in understanding as he turns over a brochure in the file. It's for a cemetery in town somewhere. Gramps' writing is all over it with certain sentences circled and others underlined. There are papers that list off the names of different morticians, caskets, and flower shops around town while others are receipts and confirmations with the director of the funeral home, caretakers, and other various individuals.
Looking down at the morbid papers gives Laxus a surreal feeling. He never thought gramps would take so much time and plan everything out in such detail. He's not sure that he could. Not when he's talking about his own death.
A fresh pool of sadness and self-awareness consumes Laxus as he looks back at the brochure; although he keeps a calm demeanor due to not wanting to show how much all of this is affecting him.
None of this seemed real to him until that moment. As if this was just a dream that he could wake up from. Seeing and holding the physical proof of the graveyard that gramps personally choose makes Laxus think about his history with the old man. It brings back a lot of memories of his gramps and he can't help but think about how he will never see him again. Those thoughts make his heart clench in sorrow. Despite how much he has moved on from the grieving and the mourning, he still feels lonely and depressed at times when he thinks about how much he misses his grandpa. It is a lot easier than before; especially now that he knows he has Lucy's support and that his memories will never go away.
Lucy leans on the side of her chair to peep into the file. She can see Laxus staring at a brochure with a disheartened sheen in his eyes. Her lips curve into a frown of concern and she places one of her small hands on his large forearm. The physical contact snaps him out of his reverie as he turns his gaze toward her questioning brown orbs. He clears his throat and hands the file to his partner. Lucy gently takes the file and opens it to quickly glance over the papers.
"Now this one," Mr. Krupin lays the second manila folder, which is the thickest, in front of Laxus, "holds the most recent list of the insurance, taxes, claims, and legal history that your grandfather possessed at the time of his death. The older files are stored in my reserves and I can readily access them should you have need of them. These are mainly for your reference should any concerns or questions arise in the future."
With a sigh and a bad feeling in his stomach, Laxus grabs the folder and begins looking through it. One glance at the first page confirms Laxus' gut instinct; his grandfather had done a lot of shit in his life. Both good and bad—and it's all laid out for Laxus in this damn folder. He groans as he shuts the folder without looking at the second page. They are going to be here all day if he sits her and looks through all of this. And this is only the most recent stuff. Laxus is pretty sure that there is a whole wall full of Gramps' crappy paperwork somewhere and that thought alone gives him a headache.
Lucy places the first file in her lap and holds out her hands for the second. Laxus happily hands it over to the celestial mage in his attempt to forget about it at the moment. On the other hand, Lucy opens it up and begins to go through it. Mixed emotions of confusion, surprise, intrigue, and mock horror fly across her face as she delves into the life of the Third Master of Fairy Tail. A smirk spreads across Laxus' face as he watches Lucy with humorous interest.
"And finally, the last order of business is the reading of the Will," Mr. Krupin says as he opens the last file on the desk.
Both blondes stop what they are doing and spin their heads around to look at the old man in surprise. "Will?" they ask dumbly simultaneously.
"Yes, the Will," Iosif nods with a smile. "I take it you didn't know there was one," he chuckles while eyeing Laxus.
Lucy looks beside her to see an utterly dumbstruck Laxus.
"No," he musters in his confusion.
Why in the world would gramps have a will? His whole life was wrapped up in the guild. There wasn't much outside of the guild that interested the old man. So what could the old man possibly have to give him?
Iosif laughs for a moment before clearing his throat. "Now before I read this, please understand that I am obligated into reading this word for word. Please forgive me for any foul language that might be written."
Laxus nods senselessly while Lucy nods with big sage like bows of her head, both intensely curious.
"To Laxus," Mr. Krupin begins. "Since you are listening to Iosif read this paper then that means that I have passed away. I don't know how much was said or not said between us before I died but that doesn't matter now. There are a few things I want to say whether or not you've heard them so listen up you damn brat.
"I know that things have been rough between us over the past several years. Neither one of us is solely to blame for a multitude of reasons. We're both stubborn, hardheaded, and determined when it comes to the things we believe to be right. It's who we are and I could never blame you for that when I raised you in that manner.
"In the end, it seemed that all of our fights and some of my choices propelled you down the wrong path. Something I am deeply sorry for doing to you. I never intended for you to ever get hurt by any of my decisions. Everything I have always done was for the good of you and for the good of the guild. I thought that I could always make the two coincide but after a while I was forced to make certain decisions that would help the guild while simultaneously hurting you. It was in moments like those that I knew that I was putting the guild's wellbeing before you and it always killed my soul. It truly did.
"I know that I wasn't the best role model. Hell, I wasn't the best grandfather or parent figure to you and I'm sorry for that. But I tried to the best of my ability. I really did. Putting aside the fact that I sometimes put the guild's interests before your own, our family was almost always at odds. Your father and I were not on good terms for a long time. Our relationship only truly deteriorated when he put that lightning dragon slayer lacrima inside of you. That being said, I want you to understand that nothing he ever did was meant as an insult or threat against you. His true ill intentions were always aimed towards me and he used you as a method of getting back at me. Yet another reason for me to deeply apologize to you.
"It became obvious to me that I cared for you far more than he did and I wasn't going to let him hurt you again. I tried to take you away from him permanently but you didn't want to leave him so I tried to keep him away from you as much as possible while simultaneously keeping you happy. I thought that maybe if I provided you with enough love and care that Ivan wouldn't influence you. But I was wrong.
"Now, I am not saying that your father is to blame for all of your wrong mindsets but I will say that he was a major part of them. As was I. Ivan might have corrupted you but I reinforced it. I tried not to but once I banished Ivan I realized that I drove that darkness deeper into your heart even if it the best thing for you. It was just a snowball's effect after that; one thing led to another and before we both knew it, you were a different person on a different path than the man I tried to raise you to be.
"I understand that all of your actions were made out of the best intentions. But as I hope you have learned, sometimes the best intentions led to a horrible outcome. Banishing you was the hardest thing I ever had to do. If it was up to me, I would have allowed you to stay in Fairy Tail but I had to once again put the interest of the guild ahead of my personal desires. I hope and pray with every fiber of my being that you will learn peace and empathy during your banishment. I hope that you will become a better man than when I last spoke to you; a man that protects, honors, and accepts those that he holds dear. That is my final wish.
"I am very proud of you Laxus. I always have been. You are the successor of my will and whether or not you believe me, you always have been. I never lost hope that you will always do the right thing and walk along the right path. You might have gotten lost a time or two but you always managed to come back. And for that you will always have my respect. Even though I was forced to banish you, I never wanted to. I always wanted you to be close to me so I could continue to love and protect you. You were the whole reason for my living; all I ever cared about was to see you grow to be happy and healthy. I don't care if you hate me. No matter what I will still love you because you are my grandson and a small piece of me will always be with you.
"I have instructed Iosif to relinquish everything I own to you. Do with it as you wish. All I ask is that you do not sell the house in Razdol'noye. I made a promise to your grandmother and I intend to keep it.
"How you live your life from here on out is solely up to you. There will be no more of me butting into your life to tell you what to do. You are your own man now. But I will say this…I sincerely hope that one day you find a happy home, someone who loves you with all of their mind, body, heart, and soul, and children to spoil with love. The past does not dictate how you should act. Do what you think is best and you will always do the right thing. I wholeheartedly believe that.
"Always know two things. That no matter the distance between us, I'll always be watching over you and that I will always love you. I promise. In loving regard, Makarov Dreyar.
"P.S…Watch over the guild for me. Those damn brats will probably wreck the whole damn place within the first week of me being gone. I tried for too long to keep that place up and running and I will be damned before I see it go to a complete waste. I know you will keep it safe. It runs in our blood and I hope that it will continue to for another hundred years," Mr. Krupin finishes.
A thick ball of emotion gathers in Laxus' throat and a single tear rolls down his cheek as Mr. Krupin reads the last words of his grandfather. Laxus always knew that his gramps loved him. Loved him more than he loved anyone else. He had a really messed up childhood and it made him into a giant mess of a man with some really fucked up issues and priorities. Yet his gramps was always there when he needed him. And no matter what shit he gave his grandpa or hell he put him through, the old man always managed to have faith in him. Guilt, shame, anger, remorse, sadness, regret, anguish and every other shitty feeling wracks his heart enough that he can feel it crack and slowly chip away into nothing.
Laxus feels a soft hand lay over his forearm and he turns to see a teary eyed Lucy gently smiling at him. Needing more of her support, he lays his opposite hand over hers and tightly clenches her hand. While small compared to his palm, her hand makes him feel more full, secure, and strong.
"Along with the Will, there are the deeds to the houses and lands as well as some personal papers that Makarov has passed along to you in the this file," Mr. Krupin hands over the file to Laxus and crosses his hands on his desk.
Laxus doesn't open the file as he silently declares that he will look at everything later when he is in a private setting and not so emotional. Lucy recognizes this decision with a small comforting smile as she puts it with the others.
"If you can sign these papers, that will conclude our meeting. These acknowledge that you have been informed of everything that was stated in the forms at the beginning of our meeting." Iosif says as he lays another sent of forms in front of Laxus.
Laxus quickly takes the papers and scribbles his signature at the bottom.
Mr. Krupin takes the papers and places them to the side. "That is all I have for you today, unless you have any questions for me," Mr. Krupin asks the two blondes.
Lucy looks at the old man and shakes her head. "No thank you. We don't have any questions right now. If we think of some later, can we ask you then?"
"Of course," he nods in response. "Feel free to contact me about anything."
Lucy thanks the man before standing with Laxus. Iosif Krupin stands up as well and escorts the two mages to his door. Lucy clutches the files to her chest as she thanks him once again while Laxus nods mutely in appreciation.
A deep silence falls over the two wizards as they walk through town. Makarov's last words have left a heavy somber air over their hearts and minds. Lucy looks up at Laxus in concern to see his face downturned and his eyes hollow.
"Laxu-"
"I'm going home. Give me the files," he cuts her off without looking at her.
Lucy partly gasps before nodding slightly. She hands over the papers and folders to her partner. Without another word he treads off toward his home.
Her heart breaks for the blonde male as she watches him walk out of sight. Empathy and sorrow fill her chest as she imagines what he must be feeling right now. She remembers all too well what it is like dealing with the aftereffects of a relative's death. It's heartbreaking and difficult just dealing with the loss of the loved one but now he has to sort through that person's whole life on top of that. There's going to be a lot to take in and do in such a short amount of time.
But that's why she's here. She's his partner, the one that will stand by him through the thick and the thin. He won't have to bear this grief alone—she won't let him. Lucy's heart hardens with determination as she swears that she will be there for and with him every step of the way.
Yet, right now he deserves to be alone with his thoughts. That's what she would want and something he obviously wants by the way he dismissed her so coldly. A night to himself will help sort out his feelings and make him more focused on the days to come. She'll be there to help him pick up the pieces tomorrow. With a deep breath and a firm nod, Lucy solidifies her resolve and begins to walk home.
Once Laxus arrives to his home after a long slow walk filled with self-reflection, he tosses off his coat and carefully lays the files on the coffee table in the living room.
Needing some physical and emotional relief from the day's events, Laxus strips out of his shirt and heads outside for some training. Stepping into his backyard, Laxus starts with some hand-to-hand combat training before he begins his magical training. Punches and jabs are made in swift motions through the air before he jumps and twirls around to land a rapid kick to the open air.
Laxus went into Iosif Krupin's office completely unaware of what trials awaited him. Now he understands that he has to go through everything that his gramps has ever owned. That means that he has to go through not only his grandfather's personal belongings but most of his family's belongings as well.
Laxus knows he doesn't have a lot of knowledge or experience when it comes to dealing with emotional things. Usually he can bypass it by being apathetic and not making the situation any more awkward than possible. But now he has to deal with his family. There is no hiding or pretending with this. He has literally seen, known, and dealt with this shit all of his life. He will have no choice but to take everything head on and he is unsure about how to handle the onslaught.
The memory of Lucy smiling and holding his hand at the office earlier arises in Laxus' mind. A faint smile makes a way onto his lips as he can feel tension from the anxiety of delving into his family's history leave his shoulders and back.
Of course she'll help him. She'll jump at any chance to help him. Plus, she's been through this whole funeral thing once already for her mom and dealt with the same grief that's he's been subjected to over the past six months.
Hell, he'll be shocked if she isn't here before he has the chance to wake up in the morning.
Pushing aside his thoughts, Laxus concentrates on his training.
The sun is almost past the water on the lake when Laxus finishes training. He is covered in sweat and stench as he trudges inside to take a shower.
The shower is fast and necessary; the hot water doing wonders for his sore shoulders and cramped back muscles.
Toweling off his body, he pulls on a clean pair of underwear, a tank top, and a pair of sleeping pants. With a resigned sigh, Laxus decides that he should at least get everything sorted before Lucy comes over tomorrow.
Once downstairs, he grabs a couple of beers from the refrigerator before seating himself on his couch.
Laxus selects the first folder with all of gramp's funeral arrangements. He scowls deeply before taking a deep breath and opening the folder. Just like he saw at the lawyer's office, everything is pretty well laid out for him.
With a swig of his beer Laxus debates his options. One, he can throw the papers away because they are practically useless now because they are no bodily remains. Two, he could try to use the ground plot for some reason or another. Or three, he can ask Lucy in the morning what she thinks.
Three sounds good, he decides with another swig.
Putting the whole folder off the side, he creates a pile that is solely reserved for "Lucy's Assistance". He grabs the second folder and groans when he opens it up. A part of him instantly wants to put the whole folder into Lucy's pile but he refrains. Heaving a deep tired sigh, Laxus takes the first page and looks over it.
It is an IOU from the old man to Bob, the Master of Blue Pegasus for a sum total of ten-thousand jewel…
Another thick groan rumbles in Laxus' chest before he places the paper down on one side of the table. Just fucking great.
That marks the beginning of the next four hours of reading, sorting, and marking. Moans and curses are made by the man as he swears internally for having to go through this shit.
By the end of the folder, Laxus has made eight separate piles: To Be Completed, Special, Trash, To Be Filed, Completed, Lucy's Assistance, Unsure, and Personal.
The "To Be Completed" and "Lucy's Assistance" piles were by far the biggest out of the eight. Laxus cursed his grandfather for the umpteenth time that evening as he went into the kitchen to get another beer.
Almost all of the papers were monotonous and encrypted with legal language. After reading the third set of terms and conditions, Laxus just tossed those aside and refused to read any more of those types.
The only really interesting paper was when the blonde man found a life insurance policy that lists him as a benefactor. Turns out that Laxus will receive six-hundred and fifty thousand jewel from the policy.
To say that Laxus was completely and utterly dumfounded is a vast understatement.
Who knew the old man had that much money?
Not that he needs it or anything; he has plenty of money from all of the S-Class jobs he's taken over the years but that's beside the point. The point is that he had absolutely no fucking clue about this and yet there it is.
Laxus made sure to put that one in the "Special" pile.
Grabbing himself his fifth beer, Laxus reseats himself on his couch and pulls out the third manila folder—the one that contains the Will. Out of the three folders Laxus is the most hesitant about this one. Iosif said there were some personal papers and deeds in there so they need to be read too but if they are anything like the Will then he is in for a hell of an emotional time.
Pulling out the stack to sit on his coffee table, he sets aside the Will in the "Personal" pile before looking over the other content.
The first thing he sees is a picture that is attached a group of notices. The notices list off the names of Bob, Goldmine, Porlyusica, and Yajima, and look to be funeral announcements. The picture is when his gramps was younger and had a team of five gathered around him.
Laxus swallows the ball in his throat when he sees the picture of his grandfather in his younger years. Laxus does have a strong resemblance to Makarov, doesn't he?
With a sigh, Laxus puts the stack in the "Personal" pile.
He pulls out the next paper which turns out to be a list. At the top it reads, "Give this list to the next Master of Fairy Tail so they don't screw everything up!"
Laxus lightly chuckles as he reads through the list. It's mostly about how to run the guild hall and where everything is located. A special note is made at the bottom to not let the guild get destroyed again, something Laxus smirks at.
Tossing the list into the "Special" pile, Laxus grabs a medium sized yellow envelope. He unties the string at the top and pulls out a folded piece of paper and a thick white envelope. The piece of paper is labeled 'Read First' on the front so Laxus sets aside the thick envelope and opens up the page.
To Laxus,
I was hoping that you would never have to read this note for many reasons but the main reason is that I always wished to be able to give the enclosed envelope to you in person.
Please do not hate me for withholding the letter from you. I planned on giving it to you when you had a child of your own. I was instructed to give it to you when the time was right and I felt that would be the proper time.
All I ask of you is that you read the entire letter. You may do what you wish with it after you are finished.
From Makarov
Laxus furrows his eyebrows in mild confusion as he finishes the note. He puts the note aside as he eyes the white envelope that apparently holds a letter of some kind. Heaving a deep uncertain sigh, he rips the top off of the white envelope. His eyes slightly widen as he pulls out ten pages of neatly folded paper. He unfolds the papers and a picture flops out to land face down on the table. With a curious hum he picks up the picture and flips it over, only to feel his whole body stiffen.
In the photo, there is a picture of a woman hugging a little blonde baby boy in a blue blanket. She cradles him close to her chest and is slightly tilting her head to nuzzle her cheek along his forehead. Shoulder length blonde hair is slightly blowing in the wind as a gentle smile is spread over her lips and her big soft eyes peer up to look directly at the onlooker. Despite only seeing her from the waist up, Laxus can tell that she is wearing a rose colored dress and that she is somewhere in the forest. It is a picturesque scene of a mother holding her child with all of the care and love in the world.
Laxus can feel his heart tremble and clench inside of his chest for an unknown reason. His free hand unconsciously rises to clutch where his heart lies. Time seems to slow down as he stares down at the small photograph. The beautiful and sweet scene seems so captivating to him but he does not have the faintest idea why. He memorizes the lines of the woman's face as well as all of the colors—her deep orange eyes, light flaxen hair, pale skin, faint pink blush, and neutral soft lips.
Looking pointedly away from the picture at the pages he immediately sees feminine writing all over the front of every page. With a nervous sigh he sets the picture aside and settles his elbows on the table to read the note.
To my beloved Laxus,
I do not know if you will have any memory of me or know of me as you read this letter. I do not know the date in which you will read this nor your age. I also do not know what, if anything was ever said about me. But those things do not matter now.
Just in case you have no recollection of me, my name is Hope. I do not remember my last name nor is it significant.
I am your mother; the woman who gave birth to you at 11:49 p.m. on May 5, 761.
As I write these words, I am dying of some unknown disease. Your grandfather and I still hold onto a small fragment of hope that a miracle will save me but I wrote this note as if it will be my last. Perhaps, since you are reading this, it is.
If I have passed away and you do remember me, please do not mourn me. I have gone to a better place to meet my Makers. I have lived a happy life and I do not regret any of the decisions I have made. The only thing I regret is that I must leave you behind.
After you were born, I have begun to dream of everything that I wish to experience with you. Your first smile, your first steps, your first word…I dream of all of these things. Every day that I spend with you are the greatest days of my life. I hope that I will be able to continue with my happiness for as long as I am allowed but I fear that will not be for much longer.
Every person has a purpose in this world. For some it is to change the world, while for others it is to be a mere passing stranger. I always thought that my purpose was to serve my church and to guide those who are lost. Then I had you.
The moment that you were born, I knew that I had been wrong. My purpose in this life was not for my church or those to whom I pledged my allegiance. It was so that I could bear you.
When I held you, I knew that you would grow to be special. I felt it in my soul. I do not know what the Gods have planned for you but I can rest in peace knowing that you will do something amazing. I have faith that you will learn of your purpose and fulfill it to the best of your abilities.
Knowing that this could be the last words of mine you read, I wish impart onto you some life lessons that I learned at the beginning of my life but never understood until it became too late.
The Gods work in mysterious ways, Laxus. Something small or insignificant can become the pinnacle of your world within a split second. Never take anything for granted for this reason. Everything and everyone in life is a gift and should be treated as one.
Everything that happens in our lives happens for a reason. Do not fear change or opposition. Sometimes it is to teach us a lesson, make us stronger, or to test us. Everyone makes mistakes and falls down on the road of life. Do not let this discourage you; rise to your feet and try again. At certain points you will feel absolutely lost and hopeless but do not give up. Those are the moments that you begin to grow as a person. Let the light shine into your soul and guide you down new paths to new opportunities. You might find everything you have ever wanted.
Always appreciate those who share their love with you and reciprocate their love with your own. People that you meet in your life can all be categorized like a tree. You are the trunk while everyone you meet is the sections of the tree. Some are leaves, where they are only meant to be a part of your life for a season and are to be let go in the end. Others are branches; people who you can rely on for some requests but not others. Be careful to not overburden them because they will break and abandon you when you need them the most. Do not hate these people, this is their purpose. Then there are the roots. These people support and nourish you even when you have no need of them. Never let these people go, Laxus. They are the reason we live, the reason we are not alone, the reason for our happiness. Always cherish their love and become a root to their tree.
Enjoy everything about your life. Do not forget to appreciate everything the Gods have created for you, everything from the smallest insect to the biggest ocean. Do not forget to have fun; not everything should be treated like a business. Find fulfillment in the simple things.
Love with all of your power and never be afraid to fall in love. Falling in love can be terrifying; you must become vulnerable and open to harm. And I know that is a horrifying thought but do not fear. The right person will make you feel empowered and strong, not weak or useless. They make your heart soar and your stomach flutter while calming your soul and relaxing your mind. They will never hurt you purposefully. And most of all; they are a person whom you believe to be better than you and will make you a better man. You do not deserve anything less. Once you find someone, love them with all of your heart and with every ounce of passion. Treat them how you wish to be treated and love them how you wish to be loved.
Finally, there is nothing in this world that will prepare you for how much you will love your children. I thought I understood how much love my heart could contain but I was horribly mistaken. No words can describe what you will feel the day when your child is born. Your life up to that point ceases to exist and a new, better life takes its place. Be a good father to your children and love them without boundaries.
It is my deepest wish that you follow these words. However, no matter what happens I want you to know a simple fact.
I love you.
I will always love you with the deepest recesses of my heart and every particle of my soul.
Whether you are the most successful man or the lowliest bum in the world; whatever path you may follow and wherever you may be. In the sunlight or the rain, on the brightest days or darkest nights, you will always be my son and I will always love you.
Never question or doubt this.
I will watch over you from Heaven and I will see you when it is your time to join me and we will be together again. Until then, I hope you have the greatest and most fulfilling life possible. I want nothing less for you—my beloved and precious son.
Two drops of water splatter onto the page just as Laxus finishes reading the last words on the first page. A third then a forth drop follow soon after as Laxus stares down at the paper with hollow eyes and slightly parted lips.
Thick streams of tears run over his cheeks and flow down his neck. Shakes wrack his unfeeling body while sniffles and harsh breathing are expelled from his lungs. But Laxus does not feel any of these things. The only thing his mind can comprehend is one earthshattering revelation.
His mother loved him.
Even with the little amount of time she spent with him, his mother loved him.
She found time during her brief time raising him and the strength in her sickly state to leave him with a note of hope and love.
Without conscious thought, Laxus sweeps his eyes to the side where the picture lay. A trembling hand reaches out to bring the little photograph up in front of his face so he can study it again.
Now knowing who the woman in picture truly is, Laxus' entire emotional state floods his soul and body. Every ounce of sorrow, grief, joy, guilt, rage, frustration, numbness, fear, and any other possible emotion attempt to drown the lightning slayer as he breaks down into a mess of sobs and wails.
Seeing a picture of his mother holding him with a look of pure love and happiness on her face… it's just too much…he can't take it…
He waited so long for a moment like what is displayed in the picture. To have one of his parents hold him and tell him that they love him…that's all he ever wanted. Not his grandpa, not a guild member—one of his own parents.
His father was a cruel, psychotic, murdering manic that never showed him an ounce of true care or love as long as he has been alive. The bastard always said that they were family and family always sticks together but that man is no family to him.
Otherwise, his pops would have never physically struck him. "Training", he called it. And he always got away with it too until Laxus finally started fighting back. But that only made the sick bastard even more sadistic. Just gave him an excuse to "train" him harder and longer until Laxus couldn't feel his any part of his body.
Then the nights would come when Laxus was always told how worthless and pathetic he was and how he would never amount to anything. That Laxus didn't deserve anything unless he was strong and he couldn't be strong because he was cursed with a frail body and that he believed in frivolous things like friendship, comradery, and love. Those things will only hold you back from gaining what truly matters—power and money.
Once his old man got bored or sick of him, he would leave him alone for long periods of time without an ounce of care or worry. Then he would return and he would pretend that Laxus was this huge burden that he would have to bear and treated him like one.
But Laxus never thought anything about it. He bore all of the pain and never said a word because that's what you're supposed to do for family. His dad never meant him any true harm; he was honestly just trying to make him a better person. Sure he did stupid stuff all of the time and made some bad mistakes but everyone does that. You forgive family…you do anything for family…and there is no closer family than your dad and grandpa. That's what he was taught to believe.
It was all a bunch of fucking bullshit. Every bit of it.
If he could go back and choose which one of his parents lived or died—he would pick his mom in a heartbeat, without any consideration of his dad at all. And he would base it all on a photo and a letter.
All of the pain, depression, frustration, and anger at his dad boil inside of him while joy, love, surprise, and sadness sweep through him at the thought of his mother. The regret, guilt, and affection toward his grandfather that he hid away in his heart crashes with the other emotions to generate a three-way war of emotion turmoil inside of the lightning dragon slayer.
Yellow magic brightens around the upset man before small flickers of lightning peel off of his skin. A buzzing noise is followed by crackles as more surges of electricity erupt and fade into the tense air.
In the back of his mind Laxus knows that his emotions are getting the best of him. His magic is starting to go haywire because his lack of control and he should get ahold of himself to prevent any damage to his house.
But he can't…
…not this time.
Right now, he wants to expel as much power and feelings as he possibly can. All of these emotions are about to rip him apart and he doesn't want to shove these away anymore. It will cause too much pain, even for him.
In a second Laxus rises from his hair and drops the photo of him and his mother on the table. With a huge crack of thunder, he dematerializes into a bright massive lightning bolt and shoots off toward the mountains that lie a day away from Magnolia. If he is going to cause collateral damage he needs to go somewhere no one will get hurt.
Lucy feels a huge surge of power in her chest and looks out the window just in time to see a lightning bolt shoot across the sky. She didn't see where Laxus went but after she lost sight of him, her chest fills with deeply regressed sadness and loneliness. Tears falls down her cheeks as she curls up in bed and wishes away these horrible feelings.
Around eight o'clock the next morning Lucy hops up the stairs of Laxus' front porch and knocks on his door. Nothing stirs inside as she waits for a couple of minutes.
"Laxus! Are you here!?" she yells as she knocks again.
Static electricity fills the air and Lucy turns around in time to see a flash of light followed by a boom of thunder to reveal a panting Laxus. His hair is messy and in disarray, his shirt has been torn in various places, and his eyes and face are red and blotchy so it looks like he's been crying all night.
"Laxus?" Lucy asks worriedly as her brow creases in concern.
"Don't worry," he mumbles as he steps past her to open the door.
Lucy watches the man open the door with deep uneasiness in her heart. Without thinking she reaches out and wraps her arms around his arm to stop him from entering the house.
"Are you okay?" she asks tenderly as if he will break down right in front of her.
Laxus slowly turns his eyes to gaze at her face.
Lucy immediately sees how calm and unencumbered he is by the boundless clearness in his eyes. Like he has let go of so much pain and suffering that has plagued him for so long. An inaudible gasp wisps out of her lungs as her soul reaches out toward him with love and comfort.
The blonde man looks down at his partner with a blank expression. He spent most of the night releasing his energy and emotions in the mountains. Everything was so twisted and intertwined that it turned out to be a lot of screaming, crying, and electrocuting. He's pretty sure a mountain is missing from where it was located yesterday.
But fuck does he feel better. Better than he has in a long fucking time. It feels like these boulders have been lifted from his chest and he can breathe again. It's one of the greatest feelings—to not feel burdened and hurt.
He thought that he had come to terms with everything while he was exiled but when he read that letter all of that pain arose once more. Anger, frustration, betrayal all sunk into his soul and he just released lightning bolt after lightning bolt in his attempt to finally rid himself of those dark emotions. Sorrow and grief hit him as he remembered his mother's words and caused his emotions to begin to spiral out of control. Then the deep seated guilt and regret from harming his grandfather and guild began to appear and he just fucking lost it. He can't really remember anything during that time. Only how much everything hurt and how he wanted all of these feelings and memories to leave him alone.
He didn't want to feel that way any longer. He just couldn't take it anymore. So he pushed out every bit of anger and sadness through every orifice in his body for hours on end. Tears flooded his eyes while roars echoed amongst the mountainsides as he finally let everything go.
Laxus fell to his knees as the painful and harmful emotions left a hollow hole in his heart. Then all of the positive emotions that his mother and grandfather created began to fill those damaged sections. The warmth and love they exhibited began to sooth the wounds that were ripped open so violently. He just allowed the calmness and affection to soak into his being and he relished every second of it. He's not sure how long he stayed that way because he was so lost in the sensations.
Eventually, reality came back to him as he saw the sun beginning to rise over the mountains. At that moment, with the beginning of the new day, he swore that he would start anew.
No more fury and no more sorrow. He won't let his past control him and hold him down any longer.
If he is going to handle all of his family's dealings then he is going to have to deal with the drama that comes with it and he can't do that if he gets angry at being reminded what happened to him during his childhood. He just had to decide that he isn't going to get upset anymore. New things will appear and he'll feel angry or sad about them but he will deal with it.
A wave of relief loosened his muscles and relaxed his soul at the silent but firm declaration. For once in his life, he finally felt like he is somewhat at peace with himself. He stay like that for a while; basking in the warm rays of the dawn's sunshine. After a while, he rose from his knees and wrapped his magic around him to go home.
Now as he looks down at his partner, he can't help but feel happy that he has her in his life. He will always have his family in Fairy Tail and Lucy is will always be with him. That thought alone brings him warmth and ease.
There is still some pain, hurt, anger, and sadness but it's manageable now. He has a long way to go but at least he's taking the first steps to moving forward from his past.
"No…no, not by a long shot…but I'm better," Laxus answers honestly with a small smile.
"And you'll keep getting better too," she softly reassures him with a delicate smile and a light nod.
Laxus smiles gently and nods in return. Yeah…yeah, it will….
"Are you hungry?" Lucy asks quietly as they walk into the kitchen.
"Starving," Laxus replies.
"Go lie down and rest for a while. I'll cook you something to eat," Lucy insisted as she points to his room.
"Nah, I've got some more papers to go through," he says as flicks his thumb over his shoulder toward the living room. "I'll take the food offer though."
Lucy huffs and crosses her arms under her abundant chest. "I think you should rest. But if you're going to be pig-headed about it then I'll make you some breakfast. Don't do anything strenuous while you wait," she chastises the larger man.
Laxus smirks and chuckles at the imposing tone in the smaller blonde. She's starting to get the voice down, he thinks humorously to himself. Before they became partners she sounded like a kitten playfully hissing at her target whenever she argued with him but now she has really started to sound threatening. He guesses that he is starting to rub off on her.
"Alright. I'll be in the living room," he tosses over his shoulder as he walks out of the kitchen.
Lucy scowls at her stubborn partner before sighing and tying on an apron.
"Are you going to tell me what happened last night?" Lucy asks as she joins Laxus on the couch after she cleaned the dishes from breakfast. It's been over two hours and she has just been dying to know what all transpired last night.
Laxus side eyes her for a moment before reaching over and grabbing a set of papers and a picture.
"Read the first page," he instructs as he hands them to her. After she takes them he leans back against the couch and crosses his arms and closes his eyes. He doesn't want to deal with all of this alone and Lucy will understand what he's going through. She's been raised by a neglecting father and loved by her mother—if there is anyone who will understand him, it's her.
Lucy looks at the photo first. "Is this you?" she asks inquisitively.
Laxus nods once in confirmation.
"Is that your mom?"
Another nod.
Lucy looks down at the small photo again. "She's beautiful," she admits honestly.
A small ball of sadness clumps in his throat and he swallows to dislodge it. "Thanks,' he whispers.
Lucy's eyes soften as she remembers that she is on a very sensitive subject. She takes a few minutes to read the first page of letter. The handwriting is beautiful and the words are articulate. It's an extremely sentimental and personal letter that is meant to give wisdom and hope to this woman's only son. By the end, Lucy is in tears.
"That's wonderful," Lucy sobs as she wipes her tears with the back of her hand.
Laxus remains unmoving against the back of the couch with a frown stretched over his lips. "Can you read what's on the other pages out loud? I didn't get the chance to read them last night," he asks quietly without opening his eyes.
Lucy looks up at him in surprise before melting into an understanding look. "Sure," she agrees as she switches pages.
"All of these words have been written before in previous entries…" Lucy begins with a deep breath as she reads what is left of Laxus' mother's message.
The remaining pages are Hope's small autobiography. There are more detailed writings littered throughout her numerous diaries so he can always go and read those if they still exist. She wanted to give him a brief overview of her life in case all of her belongings were lost or destroyed.
Hope was orphaned when she was a baby and taken in by the church. She never knew her parents, the only parental figures she ever had were the fathers and nuns of the church. She was born with a poor immune system so she was far more susceptible to various illnesses than other children her age. That being said, the nuns Hope grew up with kept her away from most people so she at least be somewhat healthy.
As Hope grew up, she took classes in reading, history, writing, arithmetic, and politics as well attended church functions and responsibilities. The one thing she loved the most was writing. She kept diaries that detailed everyday happenstances and brief overviews of what she learned in her studies. Eventually she became a nun in the church at the age of sixteen.
She moved to from church to church until she was assigned to the Kardia Cathedral in Magnolia when she was twenty-five. She was very excited and nervous. She was going to be the only nun in the entire church so she was being handed a huge responsibility.
When she arrived to Magnolia, she was amazed by the amount of people that reside in the town. She has only ever seen rural towns with no more than five hundred people at a time so this was a whole new experience for her.
It took some time but she eventually grew accustomed to her new location. The church kept her busy most of the time but she was allowed to do what she pleased with her free time.
Then she met Ivan Dreyar on a sunny day. The pastor asked the local wizard guild to help with some deliveries and their first meeting was during his visit.
They talked several times when he came by the church for deliveries after that day. He never seemed to care that she was frail or partly sick and that overjoyed her. Then he asked her to join him for dinner when it was late one night and they were both hungry. It was the first of several outings they had. She enjoyed herself and eventually found herself yearning for his presence continuously.
She wasn't sure what exactly captivated her about him but she was truly entranced. He was just so different than anyone she had ever met. He had this air that radiated confidence and certainty. While he had made some mistakes, she was positive that he wasn't a bad person at heart.
Hope began to have emotional conflicts at this point. She wanted to continue to see Ivan but she also swore herself to her church. She had dedicated her whole life to this cause and she always thought it was her destiny yet the raven-haired man made her doubt everything she believed in.
Eventually, Ivan convinced her to leave the church. She did it so she could be with him.
Soon afterwards she discovered she was pregnant.
She was overwhelmed with joy and elation at the thought of bearing a child. She never thought she would be blessed with a child due to being spending her life in the church and her general frailness. Yet there she was carrying the child of the man she loved.
Makarov was over the moon with happiness when he heard the news. Ivan was angry at first but then he accepted it after a few months. The two men fought a lot but Hope prayed that her child would bring them together.
May 5th arrived and Hope gave birth to Laxus Dreyar.
Makarov was anxiously waiting outside the delivery room and was the first person besides Hope to hold Laxus. Ivan was away on business at the time so he missed the birth of his son, much to Hope's disappointment.
Shortly afterwards, she became horribly ill with an unknown disease. Hope and Makarov tried every measure possible to cure her but nothing seemed to work. Believing that she might not have much more time left in the world, she decided to write a letter to her son. She instructed Makarov to give the letter to Laxus when he thought the time was right because she trusted his judgement.
At the end of the letter she wrote again that she will always be watching over him and to never forget that he has her love in everything he does. The signature "From your loving mother, always and forever, Hope. September 16, 761" is signed at the very bottom.
Lucy chokes back a sob as she covered her mouth with one of her hands. It was such a beautiful letter and sentiment that she can't help but cry.
"That's the first time I ever saw my mom or read anything she ever sent to me," Laxus states after Lucy wipes away her tears. "I got really emotional about it. Felt a lot of different emotions all at once but the biggest one was anger at my dad. I went to the mountains to vent. I came to terms with everything so now I feel a hell of a lot better."
"Your dad?" Lucy asked hesitantly as she clenches her hand against her chest.
"Yeah," Laxus sighs. He sits up and puts his elbows on his knees and says, "Remember how you told me the story of your dad neglecting you?"
Lucy flinches slightly at the memory but nods her head regardless.
"Well my pops was no better. He never gave a damn about me or gramps his entire life. Still doesn't. Yet my mom loved me more than he ever did during the small amount of time she was alive. I just…I just felt so cheated. Like I was left with the wrong parent. Still do," Laxus explains in a somber voice.
Lucy bites on her bottom lip as the corner of her eyes sag from sadness. "What happened?" she asks in a hushed voice.
A part of her doesn't feel like she deserves to know about his pain. It's very private and she doesn't want him to feel obligated into telling her just because she asked. He's been through so much in so little of an amount of time and she doesn't want to bring up any painful memories for the sake of her curiosity.
Laxus' scowl deepens before taking a deep breath. "Gramps took care of me for most of my life. My dad was almost never there. He would take these jobs…" Laxus starts as he tells his life story to his partner.
Lucy listened intently to every word that fell from Laxus' lips. Understanding, sadness, sympathy, and anger fills her soul as she begins to understand what has made Laxus into the man that he is today. She had no idea what he had been through and she can't help but want to hug him and take all of the pain away.
Lucy and Laxus stayed in his house for the rest of the day talking about his family and experiences. It was relieving for Laxus to finally confide in someone else about his feelings. It even felt good. Lucy continued to sit there with him and listened to all of his thoughts, history, and problems without judgment or interruption. His thankfulness for the celestial mage now knows no bounds and he really owes her for dealing with him.
She was happy to do it though. She remembers how it felt to be alone while she dealt with the grief of losing her mom and she wouldn't wish that on anyone in the world. He has a lot of emotional buildup to sift through and it's going to take a long time to deal with everything. If he ever needs a friendly shoulder or a willing ear to listen to his problems, she'll be right there beside him.
Laxus feels another wave of peace release in his soul as he Lucy starts to vocally relate to his feelings. The similarities and comparisons allowed him sympathize with the blonde woman to the point that he doesn't feel so alone.
Both Fairy Tail mage become even closer friends that day as they develop a new appreciation and understanding for one another that neither has ever experienced throughout their lives.
Lucy winds up spending the night so they can get started bright and early tomorrow morning on all of the paperwork and family business. There is a lot to go through after all.
That night Laxus takes his new picture upstairs and lays it on his bedside table. He's going to get a small picture frame for it tomorrow.
"Goodnight mom…I love you too," Laxus whispers into the peaceful night before he dreams about walking through the forest with the woman in the rose colored dress.
Did anyone else cry? Because I cried…hard. Listening to soft violin and piano really brought out the waterworks too.
Have you ever had a really good crying session or screaming session where you just cry or scream until everything is out of your system? Then afterwards you feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of your shoulders. That's basically what I wanted to put Laxus through.
If you haven't tried this, I highly recommend it. Just yell at the wall or cry in your room if you have to. It'll help get all of those feelings out.
Sorry this took so long for me to post this. I have really been in the mood to write happy humorous stuff so I've been working on my other story Just When You Have It All Figured Out instead of this one.
If you are wondering about Ivan and Hope's past or why Ivan seems like a goody two-shoes, don't worry! There are some blanks that will be answered in the future.
Anyway I hope you like the chapter and feel free to drop me a line and follow and/or favorite if you haven't already!