A/N: hey! I decided to do a Christmas bonus chapter as a present to all those fans out there that have been patiently waiting for updates all year long, especially with my recent writers block
This chapter was supposed to be something else entirely but as I wrote it took a life of its own and pretty happy with the finished product. Sorry it's not exactly Christmassy but I thought it was sweet so please read, review and enjoy!
-Jude
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail
Laxus smiled gently against the soft skin of her shoulder, shifting slightly beneath her weight. She mumbled something unintelligible, snuggling into his chest.
"Mornin'," he grunted, pulling the soft scarlet blanket up over her, her thick brunette hair tickling his arm.
"Mmmm," she mumbled back, legs curling tighter into a ball. "When do you have to be at the guild?" she asked, not wanting to move from her warm perch on his chest. He turned his head, glancing at the small plastic clock on Cana's wooden bedside table. By his calculations he had to be at the guild in about ten minutes, but as if that was going to happen, he'd face the consequences later.
"A couple hours," he replied, running his fingers through her hair. She smiled, the curving of her lips soft against his hard muscles.
"Liar." She chuckled, the vibrations flowing through his torso, her fingers making spiral patterns as she breathed in the scent of him; he smelt like sweat and cheap cologne. "They're just going to blame me for you being late again." She said, shifting on her stomach to look down into his angular face, his grey irises linked to hers.
"That was different," he began, his smirk the only sign Cana needed to know what he was about to say. "how was I supposed to resist?" his hands sliding over her arse, fingers digging into her flesh
"Like normal people do." she said, her grin an unavoidable repercussion of his. "I know you don't think so, but it's not particularly normal to have sex whenever you feel like it, there's this mysterious thing called self-control which means you don't miss the only train in a month going to a job because you feel horny." She teased, brushing away a strand of hair overhanging his eye.
"This self-control thing sounds horrible, good thing I don't have any." He said, leaning forward to kiss her lightly. Unfortunately for him Cana had organised a meeting that morning, one she refused to put off for some fun time between the sheets.
"I gotta go anyways," she said, turning the clock to face her. As soon as she was awake enough to comprehend the clock said it was five to nine she clumsily fell out of the bed, landing loudly on her arse. To her disdain Laxus began laughing as she tried to escape from the sheets which had tangled themselves around her barely clad form. "Shit!" she snapped, arms flailing about.
"It's a sign," Laxus said, leaning over the side of the bed to offer his help. "you should've stayed in bed with me." He said, brow knotted together as he tried without much luck to get the sheets from around her.
"I think your actually making it worse." She said, hoping this wasn't one of his pranks. Abandoning his place on the bed he knelt before her, tugging and pulling to try to find the end.
"How the fuck did you manage this?" he asked, relieved as his fingers finally located the corner, starting to unravel. "Where are you going anyway?" he asked, sure she didn't tell him about a job, or that there were any that would need her particular expertise.
"I told you last night, I'm meeting someone." She said, obviously avoiding the question. Laxus stopped unravelling the sheet and began rewrapping her. "Stop! What are you doing?!" she snapped, panicked.
"I asked you where you're going," he said, not meeting her eye as he continued his effort, tugging on the sheet to make sure it was even tighter.
"I'm going to see…. an old friend." She said, trying to think of a way to get out of this encounter without handing it over. "Don't you trust me?" she pleaded, which as planned got his attention. He glared at her, taking in every detail of her face.
"No, I don't." he replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "Tell me," he ordered his tone grating on her even more than his demand.
"You're not going to like it." She said, raising an eyebrow, not sure what else to say. Her words only made him more determined
"I don't care," he snapped, his stare boring into her.
"Oh you will," she said under her breath, looking away. After a moment she sighed, the sheet's tightness enough to sap her resistance. "I'm going to meet up with Alexi, she's in town to see her family and she called by and asked to meet up." She said, not wanting to see Laxus shocked expression. Laxus froze, not sure how he should react, his new girlfriend and his old girlfriend who left the city after their breakup, meeting up to talk about old times. Either way he had to untangle her, tugging here and there the sheets fell away to reveal Cana in her usual blue nightdress. "I told you, you wouldn't like it." She said, her gaze now searching his expression for anything cataclysmic.
"Why would I care?" he said in a fake tone of indifference, tilting his head to the side as she often did when feigning confusion. "You said she used to look after you back when you were a kid, it's no big deal." He continued, brushing it off, but Cana knew he'd have a lot of issues with the whole thing, thus her well justified secrecy.
"Ok," she said as she got to her feet, her legs slightly wobbly. Leaning forward she kissed his cheek, hand briefly cupping his face before she broke away. "good luck with your job." She called over her shoulder as she made her way towards the bathroom.
"That's not the problem," he muttered under his breath. He considered trying to sabotage the meeting, or meeting up with Alexi first to clear the air but if Cana found out she'd drink all his booze, cut off his balls and feed them to Freed.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair, today was going to be a long day.
OOO
"Hey Cana!" Alexi called, her arm waving wildly through the air in her typical fashion. Cana grinned, it was good to see some things never changed. However that feeling would soon disappear as she noticed the three young children buzzing around the blonde, each with a strange similarity to their mother.
"Alexi! It's so good to see you!" she said, embracing her in a hug which could be better described as a dying man clinging to a raft.
"Same here." She replied, a little surprised at Cana's intensity. She stepped back, the hoard of children studying Cana with the same big bright green eyes shining from their mothers face.
"So, you really did end up getting married?" she asked, kneeling down before the children, the two little girls offered shy smiles while the boy, obviously the oldest of the three stepped forward, eyes raking over her.
"Hi," he said, his childish voice making him real to Cana who silently wished that he wasn't.
"Hey little man, how's it shakin'?" she asked, offering her hand for a hi-five. He grinned, hitting her hand with all his strength.
"Good," he replied, glancing at his two sisters briefly before introducing them. "This is Lillia, and Cordelia, and I'm Xanxus." He declared, pulling his sisters forward by the hands. At a closer inspection Cana realised they were twins, the only distinguishing features were their hair style and distinctive clothing. Lillia wore a black lace dress, the endless sea of ribbon and lace creating a beautiful pattern however the dress was tattered at the bottom, holes and loose threads making her look slightly derelict. However her sister Cordelia wore a rainbow top, the arms cut off to form a singlet, her shorts a clear white with various mud stains.
"The terrible trio here are on holidays from school so we thought we'd come down and visit my parents." Alexi said, retrieving Cana's attention. "I have one more but she's with her dad today, he's taking her for her six month check-up." She said, taking a seat at one of the larger tables, her children following suit.
"Wow, four kids and a husband," Cana said in awe, feeling slightly awkward. If they hadn't been sealed on Tenrou, or even if they had only lost a week or a month, would she be sitting here with her own children? If this what seven years can do to a person?
"Yeah, I guess we're pretty different now." Alexi intoned, almost regretfully. Cana reached over, giving Alexis leg a comforting pat.
"We're not that different." She said with a smile, relieved to see her mirror the gesture.
OOO
Cana sipped her milkshake, adjusting Lilia's straw so it was within reach.
"Thank you." She said quietly, raising her lips to the straw. Cana smiled in thanks before turning back to Alexi.
"So Cana, you've been avoiding the question all day so I'm just gonna come right out and say it- are you really dating Sparky?" she asked, watching carefully as Cana froze like a deer in the headlights, trying to come up with a way out of the question without sounding suspicious. Too bad by this point she was out of excuses.
"Yeah, I guess I am." She admitted, exhausted. She was about to give what limited explanation she could when Cana sensed Alexi's magic energy rise and from the roof came a loud thumping noise and a string of obscenities.
"You really need to work on your stealth, Sparky!" Alexi called out, grinning at Cana's mortified expression as Laxus fell off the roof directly before them.
"Shit." Laxus grunted into the dirt, not sure exactly how he should phrase his escape.
"Please tell me this isn't what I think it is." Cana said quietly, her reserved tone making her even more terrifying. Her magic energy grew quickly as her cards rose from her bag to encircle her. The children were mystified by the woman with the beautiful glowing cards, her hair flying around her caused by some invisible force.
"It's not what you think it is." He said desperately, quickly getting to his feet.
"Hey Sparky!" Alexi said brightly, getting up to hug him tightly. "How have you been?" she asked, deliberately ignoring Cana's fury, green eyes bright.
"Ah, fine." Laxus said quickly, gaze darting between Cana and Alexi, "You?" he asked, disentangling himself from her grasp.
"Just looking after my kids, you know, the usual." She said, gesturing to the three kids sipping the drinks while staring at Cana wide eyed.
"I was in the neighbourhood doing a job," he said, trying to divide his gaze equally between the two women. Cana quirked a brow, cards pausing in their blood thirsty revolutions.
"What job?" she asked, arms crossed across her chest, hip tilted in a position Laxus knew all too well.
"Chargin' batteries." He said, clicking his fingers to produce a snap of electricity which automatically got the kids attention. Cana rolled her eyes, considering what would be appropriate to say in front of a bunch of little kids.
"Could you do that again, mister?" Xanxus asked, his eyes glued to Laxus fingertips.
"Yeah, sure little man." Laxus said snapping his fingers again, grinning at the look of awe on the kid's faces. "You guys like magic, huh? I'm sure you mum's shown you heaps of stuff." He said, the kids nodding back.
"Yeah, there are a lot of other mages in our convoy," Alexi said with a hint of pride, "including these three." She explained, gesturing to her kids with a nod. Cana's rage seemed abated for the moment, her cards sliding to sit down on the table. Alexi gave Laxus a teasing wink before retreating back to her seat. Laxus took one last look at Cana before pulling up a seat next to the card mage.
"So what can you guys do?" he asked, giving Cana a side glance, knowing how strange it must be for her to see Alexi with a family of her own because he was feeling the exact same way. The boy seemed a little disappointed , leaning back in his chair he looked towards his sisters. They turned to each other and grinned before turning back to Laxus, the movement slightly unnerving. The girl dressed in black raised her hand and clicked her fingers, a spark emanating from the motion. Laxus grinned, repeating the motion. "So you a lightning wizard like me?" he asked, but she shook her head. She unfurled her hand, holding it over Cana's deck as she frowned in concentration. After a moment the card at the top of the deck rose, water flooding out until she quickly withdrew her hand.
"I'm sorry, Auntie Cana." She little girl gushed, shocking both Cana and Laxus with her choice of title.
"It's ok sweetheart, it's just a little water." She said with a smile, her fire card flying to her hand. She clutched it, allowing a small amount of magic energy flow into the card, steam rising as the water evaporated. Laxus was slightly surprised at Cana's ability to control her card, even though he knew she was good, to be able to direct such a precise amount of magic energy and a precise flame size was incredible. "You're a memory magic wielder right?" Cana asked, beaming at the little girl. She nodded, biting her lower lip. "That's a really powerful magic, you're really very talented to be able to wield it at such a young age." She said, her praise enough to make the little girl blush.
"That's our Lillia!" Alexi exclaimed, grinning at her daughter, who smiled back before hiding her face behind her tresses of thick black hair.
"Me next!" exclaimed Cordelia, glancing at her mother for permission before rising her palm vertical, waiting for Laxus to match her pose. He reached up and as soon as his skin touched hers he found himself out in the street about ten meters away from where the rest were sitting.
"Wow, so you're a teleporter." Cana said, eyes wide as the little girl grinned up at her. "Can you teleport yourself or just others?" she asked, curious.
"I can teleport anything I can touch," she said, "the biggest I've moved was a tree, but that was really hard." She said, the memory obviously unpleasant.
"She's also been working on projecting it beyond her touch, but she's having trouble with that one." Alexi intoned, grinning as Laxus took his seat.
"You two are certainly something," Laxus said, surprised by their amazing skill, even though they had a master like Alexi as an instructor.
"Doesn't it just make you want to have kids right now?" Cana asked, leaning against Laxus side.
"Yeah Sparky, I think you'd make a great Dad." Alexi said, grinning as she leaned towards him.
"Actually…." Laxus said, glancing between the two women, caught between a rock and a hard place. "I don't think I'd make a very good Dad, I'm not that kinda guy." He said, hoping to god he hadn't stepped on a landmine.
"I disagree," Cana insisted, twining her fingers through his, "I think you'd make a wonderful father. Why don't we get started once we get home?" she asked, eyes pleading. Laxus began to sweat, trying his best to lean away from Cana's advances.
That was until Alexi lost it, her laughter breaking Cana's serious expression. Reeling back into her chair, Cana wiped a tear from her eye. Laxus blushed, rolling his eyes as he turned to the eldest child.
"So kid, what's you magic?" he asked, jaw clenched as he tried to ignore the hysterical women.
"I don't have one." He said, looking up through his blonde fringe.
"Didn't your mum say.." he started, glancing at Alexi who dashed forward, planting a kiss on her sons cheek.
"We're just not sure what it is yet, that's all." Alexi said, pulling Xanxus onto her lap, burying her face in his hair until he giggled, squealing in delight.
"What do you mean?" Cana asked, "Hasn't he shown signs of magic yet?" she asked, there was always the possibility he was a mage.
"No, umm, it's a bit confusing." Alexi said, her chin resting on the boys shoulder. "It activates on its own and there aren't any patterns to its effects." She said, giving her son's cheek one last kiss before releasing him.
"I don't get it." Laxus said, eyeing the boy- from the sounds of it he could turn into a bomb any second.
Alexi pursed her lips, trying to phrase it so they would understand. "When something goes wrong at the convoy, like a tree falls on a van, or a road gives way or bandits hit, as soon as Xanxus finds out it stops existing." She said, running a hand through his hair, almost nervously.
"When you say stops existing, you mean?" Cana asked, her brow creasing in concern.
"The tree turned into mulch, the road is suddenly fixed and the bandits were teleported to gaol kilometres away. It's a pretty amazing talent to have." She said, turning back to Laxus and Cana. "We haven't been able to find any one recorded with a similar power, and everyone we've asked has got nothin'." She said, a worried glint in her eyes. Laxus smirked, something that earned him a glare from Cana.
"You ever heard of protection magic?" he asked, waving the boy over to him. The boy grinned, clumsily running around the table to stand next to the lightning mage.
"You mean like defensive magic?" Alexi asked, a little nervous at having Laxus suddenly so interested in her son.
"No, it's a type of magic, like elemental but not as selective." He said, poking the boy in the stomach lightly, a gesture the boy returned. "It's an incredibly powerful and rare magic, but it only activates when the wielder has something they need to protect." He said, looking to Alexi.
"How do you know about it if it's so rare?" she asked sceptically, not sure whether or not to trust Laxus on something regarding her kids.
"I fought a woman once who wielded it, sh thought I was trying to destroy her village by taking out their protecting gem thing but it was actually a bomb. Anyway it was complicated, but it's a lot like maker magic, he just has to be able to channel it properly." Laxus said, turning back to the kid. "Do you get what I mean kid?" he asked, and to his disappointment the boy shook his head. "That's alright kid, I'll show you." He said, reaching over to grasp Cana's hand and place it where Xanxus could see it. "Ok, so you like Auntie Cana right?" he asked, relieved to get a nod this time.
"Auntie Cana's really nice," he said with a grin in a way which somehow reminded Laxus of Natsu.
"Yeah kid, you've got good tastes." He said, chuckling. "You saw me do that trick earlier with the lightning right?" he asked, and the boy nodded. "Good, well I'm going to do that to Auntie Cana's hand. It'll hurt a bit, like getting bitten by a fire ant." He said.
"Laxus!" Alexi snapped, shocked.
"It's ok Alexi, Laxus knows what he's doing." Cana said, trying to comfort her friend. Either way Alexi didn't like this situation at all. What if Laxus was wrong and Cana got electrocuted?
"You don't want Auntie Cana to get hurt right?" he asked, which he thankfully got a strong shake of his head. "Well then you have to use you magic to stop mine ok?" he asked, but the boy paused, not sure how he should respond. Before the kid had enough time to think it through Laxus produced lightning zapping around his fingers. He slowly brought it down against Cana's palm, only to feel a thin barrier over Cana's hand. Laxus heightened the strength of his lightning slightly and felt the barrier strengthen as his did. He looked at the boy who's panicked expression was locked on Cana's face.
"I'm ok Xanxus, you did it!" Cana said, withdrawing her hand so she could dart forward, hugging the boy. "Thanks for protecting me little man." She said, squeezing him a little too tight but the boy was hardly complaining. As soon as Cana put him down he was in his mother's arms.
"I'm so proud of you Xany!" she squealed, spinning him through the air with no care for other customers.
Cana looked to Laxus who was hiding a grin which she found even more endearing. She leaned over, kissing his cheek and in his surprise he turned to face her, their lips meeting. They broke apart to the sound of the two girls giggling, their bright green eyes locked on the pair.
"You weren't really serious about the kids thing right?" he asked, twining his fingers through hers. Cana grinned, resting her forehead against his.
"I guess you'll find out in nine months."
A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed that. Im on holidays so stay tuned over the next month for my new short stories, all laxana of course heh and have an awesome Christmas and an amazing new year XD