Chapter 14: Ultimatum

That night was rather awkward for Laxus. He wanted to go ahead and kick the others out so that he and Mirajane could go about their usual bedtime ritual, but that just wasn't an option it seemed. Not to mention, with Mirajane heading back to Magnolia the next day, he was going to have to get used to Bickslow again.

"The floor sure is cold down here."

"Good," he grumbled as the seith made due with the blanket Mirajane gave him. "Better than the ground, ain't it?"

"Ground?"

"Outside. You wanna go sleep out there?"

"Not really." Then, with a snicker, he said, "Maybe we can find a better deal here, huh?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Think about it, boss," he insisted. "There's two of us and two of the and tow beds. Use your head. I just gotta trick one of them into sleepin' out here with you, yeah? Then I slip into that bed in there and, ha! We strike again."

"We can't strike again if we haven't ever done that the first time."

"We've sorta done that."

"No, we haven't."

"Sorta.'

"How, Bickslow? How have we ever-"

"Well, sometimes I date the women that you finish with. That's sorta the same."

"No, it isn't."

"Kinda."

"No."

"Well, then tomorrow we can switch and then it'll be again, huh?" Snicker. "I'll even let you chose which you-"

"Don't," Laxus growled, glaring over at where the seith was curled up on the floor, his babies gathered around him, "talk anymore. Got it?"

"Touchy, touchy. What? You want them both for yourself or something?"

"Shut up, Bickslow."

Shifting, he only mumbled, "Sorry, boss. I's just joking."

"It's not funny."

"Sorry."

They were quiet then, enough so that they could hear Mirajane and Lisanna in the other room, talking and giggling about something.

At least they were having fun.

And they were. Lisanna was detailing to her older sister all of the bull that she'd had to put up with since she'd been gone, as well as the big annoyance that Bickslow added to her life since they'd taken the trip a day ago out to find her.

"-tells me that he doesn't even know where you guys are," she went on as Mira could hardly contain her laughter. "And I'm mad, you know? Because he could have just told me the town then and I wouldn't have to have wasted jewels on his train ticket-"

"But then," Mira grinned as she stared over at her younger sister, "you guys wouldn't have had this great day together."

"Oh yeah, so great. And he keeps making weird sex jokes at me."

Mirajane only cuddled into the bed. "I think he's just trying to be funny."

"Well, he's failing, so-"

Mirajane only shifted on the bed with a yawn. "I just think that Bickslow's funny. That's all."

"You've never traveled with him," Lisanna pointed out. "One-on-one. And with his babies? Unbearable."

"You're being dramatic."

"Mira, I put up with Natsu and Happy on a nearly daily basis." Lisanna gave her a cold stare. "I think I would be the expert on unbearable."

She kind of had a point.

Still, her sister just snuggled deeper into the bed before saying, "Just wait until the morning. You'll be rid of him then."

"And leave him here?" Lisanna prompted. "Mirajane?"

"Lisanna-"

"You could leave him here to care for Laxus and we'll go back home and-"

"Just," her sister cut her off, "go to sleep for now. Laxus and I talked and we already have a plan. So don't worry about it, alright?"

"Is Laxus going to come back to Magnolia?"

Shutting her eyes then, Mira said, "Eventually."

"Mira-"

"Let's just go to sleep." Rolling over that time, Mirajane gave her back to her sister. "Today was very...busy. For both of us. And tomorrow won't be any better. Let's sleep while we can. Alright?"

And they did. For a bit, anyways. But they went to bed so early that Mirajane woke up around three in the morning to Lisanna snoozing silently and no sound to be heard throughout the apartment. With a little yawn, she shifted to slip out of the bed slowly, as not to awaken her baby sister. Padding across the cool floor, she headed swiftly out of the bedroom, planning on heading to the bathroom.

She didn't make it though as, for some reason, Bickslow had left his stupid little dolls just littering the floor and Mirajane happened to stumble over one, nearly falling flat on her face. Luckily she managed to keep her balance, but it wasn't without some noise.

"Who's there?" she heard Laxus boom, almost automatically. Glancing over at the couch, she found him there on the pullout as well as Bickslow who the man must have finally caved and allowed to sleep up there with him. "Who-"

"It's me, Lax," Mira got out, though her heart was still beating rather quickly, just from the adrenaline that had formed over the possibility of falling. "I just tripped. It's alright."

He was on high alert then though, having been woken from such a deep sleep so suddenly, and only took to looking around. At the sight of Bickslow next to him, he frowned before saying, "He got cold."

"Of course."

A beat of silence passed between them then and, slowly, Mirajane whispered, "Do you need anything?"

Laying there for a moment, Laxus slowly said, "Water. A glass of water."

"Give me a sec, huh?"

He heard her walk on then, but not to the kitchen area, but rather the bathroom. Definitely didn't want to hear that. Waiting, he settled back into the bed and refused to glance over at Bickslow, as the last thing he wanted to be reminded of in that moment was that he was sharing a bed with him.

Mirajane was coming out of the bathroom rather quickly and headed immediately into the kitchen to get him his drink. Laxus let out a soft breath, watching her in the dim moonlight as she came over to him with the cup.

"Here," she whispered softly, as not to awaken the sleeping seith. "Dragon."

It felt good to hear her call him that for some reason and made Laxus grin. As he took the glass though, Mirajane only moved to help him sit up some, so that he didn't spill it.

"Thanks," he breathed after taking a sip. Mirajane was just standing there, staring at him, and he felt rather awkward. "Demon."

"Are you doing okay?" she asked. "Do you need anything else? To go to the bathroom or something to eat?"

"Something to eat?" he mocked. "What? You think that I eat that much these days?"

"Everyone can stand a midnight snack from time to time, dragon."

"I'm good," he said simply before taking another sip. After it, he said, "I could use you though."

"Laxus." And her voice wasn't as light then. "Honestly."

"Bickslow breathes funny."

"Bickslow is funny."

"Not in a humorous way."

"Not at all."

And they were grinning at one another then, there in the darkness, as if they knew something that the others didn't know. And they did, of course. To an extent.

Poor Bickslow, who honestly had been asleep for nearly the entirety of their miniature moment, did catch Mira calling him dragon as well as the cute little tone they were speaking with. And, sure, it could all be explained away. Even Laxus saying that he could use Mirajane. He did and had for the past month, honestly, and maybe Bickslow was just hearing things.

Yes. That was it. That was all. He was hearing things. Imagining things. Inflection. He was pretty sure that was the right word. He was imagining the inflection in their tones to be something...more than friendly. That was all. And he just needed to keep laying there, breathing gently, and not letting on that he was awake. Eventually, he did manage to drift back off and, in the morning, when he awoke, he was able to reason his late night eavesdropping off as a complete misunderstanding. A bleary hallucination. Twist of words.

Clearly.

It seemed as such too, as he was awoken around eight that morning to the sounds of Lisanna grumbling that, apparently, Mirajane and Laxus didn't have a coffee pot.

"-believe that you never just bought one. You've been here a month!"

"Well, for one," Mira sighed as the two sisters stood in the kitchen, her starting on breakfast, "we never planned on being here this long. And Laxus doesn't drink coffee and neither do I, so-"

"So?"

"Lisanna."

"I'm going to die," she said simply as Bickslow sat up on the pull out with a yawn.

Boss was nowhere to be seen, but he could hear the shower running and figured the man was washing off. He wondered for a moment how he got into the shower and if Mirajane was the one that helped him into that too.

"You are not."

"Am too," Lisanna rebuked her sister. "I have to go out and get a cup. From anywhere."

"Seriously, Lisanna, just-"

"Have to." The younger woman was passing the couch then and gave Bickslow a half wave as she headed back into the bedroom, quickly returning with her shoes. "Do you need anything, Mira?"

"No," she sighed. "But really, you don't have to go out and get-"

"I really do."

"Alright," she sang, though it was clear she was slightly annoyed. "But breakfast was going to be done soon and-"

"I'll get a doughnut or something with my coffee."

"If you're sure."

"I am."

"Wait," Bickslow said suddenly, tumbling out of the bed. It was a snap decision too, as he'd planned to stick around to wait for the boss to finish his shower, but an idea suddenly occurred to him. "I'm coming too."

"Uh, no you're not."

"Kinda am, kid."

"Totally not."

And she was rushing then, but Bickslow was quick on his feet, He'd slept in his clothes and, stumbling back into his shoes, he rushed after her, leaving his visor behind. Not his babies though, whose bodies suddenly came to life just in time to rush out the door after him, barely managing to avoid getting shut inside.

"Why can't you just go bother someone else?" Lisanna groaned as he followed right along her. "Huh?"

Bickslow only snickered, still a bit tired, but totally revved up for the day.

"Sorry, baby, but I ain't concerned with you, really."

"Don't call me-"

He was just as quickly rushing passed her, his true babies trailing along behind, making their usual annoying nonsensical noises.

"Gotta go out and buy the boss somethin' nice, yeah?" he called over his shoulder to Lisanna. "Something to make him feel better."

"Like what?"

"I dunno yet." He turned around then, still jogging backwards to stare back at her. "But it's gotta be something big. Something great. Something-"

"Free."

"Eh?"

"It has to be something free," she told him simply, walking at a normal pace and not seeming even remotely interested in their conversation. "You're broke. You couldn't even afford to get down here. Or lunch yesterday. Remember?"

Bickslow stopped so suddenly that if he hadn't been so far in front of her that she might have ran into him. In fact, one or two of his babies did hit his chest with a soft thud.

"Oh yeah." The seith's usual grin fell. "I don't have any jewels, do I? Err...this might be a problem."

"It just might."

"Huh." He was still standing there too as she walked passed, as if thinking. Just like that, a switch flipped, as they typically did with him, and Bickslow was heading after her once more.

"I have an idea," he told her.

"Idea," the babies sang, all still trailing along behind them. "Idea."

"I don't care," was all Lisanna said, continuing to walk on. Bickslow only grinned at her though, tongue wagging.

"I'll find boss something to do instead of buying him something."

Lisanna thought for a moment before glancing at him. Okay. He won. She was interested.

"Like what?"

"I dunno yet," the seith said with a shrug. "Maybe just go out to a bar, huh? He'd like that. I'll find a real nice one."

"And Laxus will just pay for the drinks?"

"Sure. He always does."

Why did she keep giving off the persona that she cared? Huh? Why couldn't she just ditch him? Why did she have to keep encouraging him?

Honestly, she didn't know. But she did, so, with a sigh, she said, "That doesn't really sound like a good ide-"

"Great. So you'll be willing to loan me a few jewels to buy the boss-"

"What? No! I-"

"Lisanna," he said solemnly then. "I don't think you understand. I'm not wearing my visor. If I wanted to, I could force you to fork over all your jewels right now. Go to a bank and withdrawal everything."

And it was Lisanna that stopped that time, nearly out of the building, just to glare at him. "Try it, you freak and I-"

"You missed what I said," he told her, tossing up his hands as he came to a stop as well. "I said if I wanted. Instead, I'm comin' to you as what you might like to think of as an investment deal."

Lisanna narrowed her eyes. "You're psychotic."

"I pay steep interest rates."

"For what?"

"Loans, kid, loans! I need money and stat. To take the boss out or buy him something or-"

"No way. I would never give you-"

"Not give. Loan."

"No." She was continuing on then, out the door of the apartment building, and he took off after her.

"Lisanna-"

"Why would I help you?"

"Uh, because it's called the good of the human heart. And did I mention interest rates?"

"I don't even think you know what those are."

"I got a basic idea-"

"You-"

"Kid, we're part of the same guild. We're practically family."

"Oh, we're family now?"

"Sure."

"And what sorts of family like things have you done for me?"

"Uh, I did mention not using my magic on you, didn't I?"

"Bickslow-"

"Just a few jewels, huh? I buy the boss a few rounds, maybe a few women's drinks-"

"You're-"

"For boss! To get them to pay attention to us. You know, boost his ego and all."

"I'm not going to be a part of that."

"So basically you're saying you don't care about Laxus or his situation at all?"

"I care about getting him help."

"I think that's exactly what I was talking about."

"And that's part of the problem."

Heh.

Quickening his pace when she did, he only said, "Tell you what; you can even come with me and the boss."

"Why would I-"

"Not your sister though," he said, shaking his head. "She's too hot. She'd scare the other women away and that would be- Ow! What?"

"So you're implying that I'm not?"

"Well, I thought it was obvious, but- Stop hitting me, woman. Sheesh. What is your problem?"

"You."

"That hurts." Still, he kept following her. "Say, think you can spot me a few for some coffee too?"

"Yeah, like I would give you something with caffeine in it."

"Great! I take mine black. With tons of cream and sugar."

"Then it wouldn't be black, you-"

"Largest one they have, yeah? And I like my doughnut plain. With tons of frosting and sprinkles."

"At this point I know you're just trying to bug me."

Well duh.

Patting at her shoulder (or at least around as she hit him the second he got even close to touching her), he took off in the opposite direction, down the street, babies trailing behind.

"I'mma go look around town, yeah? Only this time, I won't look for boss. I'll find a super cool bar or something for me and you to treat him to."

"That's not hap-"

"Bye, kid. Say bye, babies."

"Bye, babies," they sang, either misunderstanding or purposely being annoying in the same way he was. Each was quite possible, Lisanna figured.

Not that Laxus and Mirajane were doing so hot back at the apartment. Because they weren't. It was actually rather tense, mostly stemming from the fact that, after his shower and during breakfast, Mirajane sprung something on him.

"You want me to what?"

Mira only picked at the plate of eggs in front of her, staring not at him, but rather absently at the jigsaw that he'd been working on before his shower. It was of a birdbath with two cardinals in it, a snow setting surrounding the rest. It would be quite beautiful when it was done.

"Get help, Laxus," she said. "I-"

"I am getting help," he growled. "You said you'd go and talk to him and come back. Not that-"

"And I will. I'm going to go talk to Master Makarov," she insisted. "And I'm going to get him to see things our way. Then I'll come back. Tonight. Tomorrow by the latest. I promise."

"Then-"

"But I also want you to promise me something," she said. "I want you to go to a doctor and honestly get checked out."

"I was, Mira," he hissed. "Do you not remember where we came from? Huh? To get here?"

"Dragon-"

"That's right," Laxus said with a definite tone. "The hospital. Where there were doctors. Who didn't do anything for me. Just gave me an outrageous bill for hooking me up to some damn IVs and telling me that, hey, your spines screwed up. Like I didn't already know that."

Sighing, Mira said, "There has to be pills and physical therapy and even regular therapy that you need to-"

"I'm not in pain, I get around just fine, and I'm not crazy. Next topic."

"Laxus-"

"Next," he growled, "topic."

"No. Either you do this or..."

"Or what, Mira? Huh? I don't need doctors or pills or anything else. I'm fine."

"No," she said with a shake of her head "You're not. And even if I get Master to give us a year, it won't fix anything. You'll just want more time. And if you want to keep it from the hall that you're going through this, then fine, we can stay here. We can get all of that done here. Together even, if you want. But I'm not going to come back here if that's not part of the deal. I'm not going to watch you refusing to fix the prob-"

"I can't fix the problem, Mira! God. The problem is that I can't walk! What don't you get about?"

"And what don't you get about that it won't get any better if you don't even try? Huh?"

"Try what? Letting them get me all drugged up for no reason? Sitting around and talking about my feelings? You know what I feel, Mira? Huh? Angry. I feel fucking angry and disappointed and just so...frustrated with all of this! What the hell could they do with that? Huh? They can't fix that. No one can. It's hopeless."

"It is not."

"It is too."

"Laxus-"

"I'm not doing it. Any of it. I-"

"Then I'll leave, Laxus. I'll-"

"What? You think that you have some sort of hold on me? Huh? Go then. Just fucking leave right now. I don't need you." Snorting, he looked off. "I thought that we were friends, Mira, but-"

That, finally, got her eyes up. They were heavy on his too. "We are. Why else do you think I would be so worked up about all this? You're my friend. You're more than that. I care so much about you and your health and getting you home. Don't you want that, Laxus? Huh? Because I want it for you."

It was his turn finally to look off, not able to meet her eyes. Swallowing, he said, "I'm not helpless."

"I know. And doing any of those things, even just one of them or all of them, wouldn't mean that. Believe me, Laxus, you have the capability to do so much more than just hang around with me all day. And I want you to get back to being able to do that. And if you won't at least see a therapist, I want to go to a doctor's visit."

"Mira-"

"One," she cut him off, "doctor's visit. And I have to go."

"What? No. That's private. That's-"

"And I'm going to ask the doctor all about you and your condition and we're going to get together a game plan."

"No."

But she had him then and she must have known it because she went back to eating normally. Laxus was able to glare at her again, but it was to no avail. The fight was over. The demon had won.

For the time being. She knew that after getting back from Magnolia, she'd have to act quickly. If she gave him enough time, Laxus would figure out a way around her demands and, well, they just couldn't have that. Not if they were ever going to get him out of the situation he was stuck in currently.

They were still eating when Lisanna arrived back, coffee in hand, but doughnut-less.

"Where's Bickslow?" Mirajane asked at the sight of her sister alone. That meant that they wouldn't be able to leave until he showed back up. "Lisanna?"

"Mmmm." she hummed as she took a sip from her cup before saying, "ditch him."

"What?"

Laxus, who was still at the table though he was then working once more on his puzzle, only grunted. "Good call."

Frowning, the younger Strauss woman headed his way then. Mira was in the kitchen, doing dishes from the looks of it, and she wanted none of that. Instead she focused on the slayer, staring down at his puzzle with interest.

"Here," she said, reaching out to move a piece from one of the neat piles he'd made over to another one. "These mat-"

"Did I ask," he grumbled, "for your help?"

"I was just-"

"Don't take it out on my sister, Laxus," Mira warned from the kitchen. "Because that will get you knocked right out of that chair."

Heh.

"Fine," he grunted. "Help if you want. But don't mess anything up!"

"Yeah, like I really want to help a grown man put a jigsaw together."

As it turned out, she must have. Or, maybe, a better explanation would be that there literally was nothing to do in that house. So, for a bit, Lisanna sat in Mirajane's usual chair, trying to assist the man in putting together the puzzle. It went well for a bit until, finally enraged by the darn thing (and a lot of other stuff that he didn't want to talk about), Laxus growled out to her that he was done with the jigsaw and so was she! Then he rolled off in his chair, over to where he kept his weights, and began lifting.

Lisanna only sat there for a moment, shocked, before glancing over at her sister. Mira, long done with the dishes, was over at the couch, reading over a book. At the feeling of her sister's eyes, she only shrugged. There was nothing either of them could do; it was just how the dragon dealt with his rage. He had to much of it those days.

Getting up from her chair, Lisanna went to join her sister on the couch. Softly, she spoke to her.

"He's not gonna, like, topple out of his wheelchair, is he?" she asked softly. "Those weights are pretty heavy and-"

"He's fine," Mirajane told her. Glancing over at him, she added, "He's just...at a breaking point."

"Then what's the plan?"

"Hmmm?"

"What," Lisanna asked as her sister looked back to her, "is the plan? You told me there was one."

"Oh." Mira smiled then. "Me and you are catching the first train back to Magnolia as soon as Bickslow arrives. Then I'm going to go talk to Master and-"

"What are you going to tell him?"

"Exactly what's going on," Mira said with a nod. "And then I'm coming back and sending Bickslow home so that Laxus and I can get back to-"

"To what? This?"

"Well…plus some doctor visits or-"

"Mirajane-"

"No, Lisanna, you-"

"Master," her sister cut her off, "is never going to agree to this. Never."

"He will. He has no choice, but to."

"When he hears that Laxus is-"

"Master trusts me," Mira said with an affirmative nod. "So when I explain to him that-"

"Master loves you," Lisanna agreed. "But Laxus is his grandson. And his life is, like, forever damaged. Whatever Master feels about you will go out the window like that."

Sitting up straighter at that, Mirajane thought for a moment before saying simply, "We'll see."

Lisanna, who more than knew exactly how it would all go down, just shrugged. She knew that Laxus would be coming home, to Magnolia, regardless of what Mira did, or else face the wrath of Master Makarov. That was just the end of it.

Bickslow was gone for what felt like forever. Long enough that reading got boring for Mira and interesting to her sister. The elder Strauss set to work cleaning up the apartment a bit as Lisanna only took her discarded book and gave it a try. And Laxus, well, once working out proved boring, gave his try at the jigsaw once more. He didn't have long enough to grow irritated with it once more before his bodyguard returned with his dolls in tow, clearly excited.

"Boss," he called out as he came just waltzing into the apartment, loud enough for even Mirajane, who was in the bathroom scrubbing at the sink absently, to hear. "Do I have a night planned for you."

"Do you?" Lisanna asked, not glancing up from her book.

"Uh, huh?" She'd distracted the seith, who glanced over at the couch.

"You asked a question, so I asked it back. Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"You said-"

"What is it," Laxus grumbled, "that you want, Bickslow?"

Getting his swagger back, he came further into the apartment, grinning over at Laxus. "I's walkin' around the town, yeah? Lookin' for the swankiest bar to take you to. You know, to raise your spirits."

"My spirits are fine."

"But yours aren't," Lisanna complained, speaking of the man's dolls who'd floated over to her and took to hovering around her head. "So-"

"While I was out walkin'," Bickslow went on without concern, "I stumbled upon this place, yeah? And it ain't opened yet, but I knew what it was, just lookin' at the sign and-"

"Get to the point," Laxus ordered.

He was thoroughly pleased with himself, the man was, and even let out a signature cackle, sticking his tongue out to let his guild mark wag.

"It's your chair, boss," he said, pointing at it. "I was feeling bad for you and thinking I needed to help you feel better about it, but we're looking at this totally wrong. This is such a sympathy ploy! So I was thinkin' that we would go to a, eh, gentleman's club, yeah? And they'd see your chair, hear the story, they'll be all over us! Maybe you could even get them to-"

"I take back everything I said before," Lisanna said, finally glancing up from her book. "I have to go now."

"Ew, what?" Bickslow glared over at her. "Why would we take you-"

"I have to see how big a shot your ego's going to take when even the women you pay to be around you can't stomach you."

"They stomach me just fine, thank you very much," he grumbled. "And you can't come with me and boss. You're a… No. We can't have women all over us with you sittin' there."

"You can't what?"

And there was Mirajane, who had come out of the bathroom at the completely wrong time, glancing from Bickslow to Laxus. He only growled those.

"You idiot," Laxus complained at his bodyguard. "Shut the hell up. What's wrong with you? We're in front of women. Ladies. Behave. I don't know what being around Lisanna has done to you, but get it out of your system and fast."

As if the moment wasn't awkward enough without Laxus breaking Bickslow's spirits (and very awesome ploy to maybe get a sympathy lay; for the boss, of course), Mira seemed upset for some reason. Lisanna though was thoroughly enjoying Laxus snapping at the seith and the way his babies went to comfort him. He'd been a jerk the entire time they were together and, well, it was some form of revenge at least.

"Lisanna and I need to go," Mira said, turning to head into the bedroom for something. "Bickslow, you and Laxus can do whatever you want-"

"Mira," the slayer complained. "You don't have to go right now. You can-"

"Yeah, we do. If I'm going to get back before nightfall we do. Not to mention I have to find the Master," she called back to him. "And Bickslow, all I need you to do is watch Laxus for the rest of the day, alright? There's food in the fridge and you can help him go to the bathroom, right? Other than that-"

"I'm not a damn dog, Mira," Laxus said, his tone giving off his anger then. "So stop making it sound that way."

"Don't," she replied simply, as she came back out of the room to stare at him, a coat and her shoes on, "curse at me. I mean it, Laxus."

And that, finally, took all the fun out of the air. Even Lisanna felt awkward then and was kinda glad that, after that, Mirajane just headed to the door, calling out for her sister to follow. Not glancing at either the slayer nor seith, she quickly headed after the woman.

Once it was only the two of them, Bickslow, rubbing at his Mohawk, slowly heading over to the man.

"Sorry, boss," he said softly. "If I embarrassed you or somethin' in front of Mira and her sister, I didn't-"

"I don't need your help, alright?" the man grumbled, going back to his jigsaw. "Getting women or whatever it was you were doing for me. I've been doing just fine."

"O-Of course. I didn't-"

"And this is only temporary," he repeated, something he had felt the need to begin restating recently. For awhile there, it became a non-issue between he and Mirajane, but Bickslow clearly needed to understand that. "I'm still me, anyhow. You think that you get the Thunder God laid now or something?"

"N-No. I was just trying to-"

"Well knock it off. When Mira gets back, your headed back home."

"What? Boss-"

"You are," the man ordered with half a snarl. "And you're going to keep your mouth shut about me. Alright? Until I can walk again and head home, you're not going to tell anyone."

"I wouldn't gossip about you anyways, boss." And he wouldn't. Not even to Ever or Freed. "You know that."

Honestly, it wasn't Bickslow that Laxus was so worried about. It was Mirajane's sister. Lisanna was nice enough and he'd never truly had a problem with her, but just how trustworthy was she? And, more importantly, how was Mira going to convince Gramps that everything was fine where they were and to stop worrying?

It wasn't anything the slayer could worry about though and, to keep his mind off it, he had Bickslow light him a cigar and help him with the damn puzzle. Mira said it'd take her at least a day to get back from Magnolia. From that point forth, all Laxus could do was sit and wait.

I know it's been awhile, but I'm going to try to get back to this story now. I took a bit of a break to write some one-shots and finish up another story. This one's obviously going to go passed fifteen chapters now and maybe even twenty, but we'll see. It's gotten a lot larger than I wanted, but what can you do? I know this one was a bit of a filler, though Mira and Laxus skirted around a major topic, but considering Mira's headed to Makarov in the next one, which should be, for obvious reasons, rather important, I think that'll make up for it.