Laxus was dreaming of a blonde head and a petite body and the prettiest, happiest voice in the world. He could practically feel Lucy in his arms as he dreamt of holding her while they watched a Grecian sunset. In his sleep, his lips curved into a smile. And when he felt his bed dip, he unconsciously reached out, wrapping an arm around her waist.
Lucy's here! his sleepy brain cheered.
Then a firm hand shook his shoulder and a clear voice cut through the quiet morning.
"Laxus, stop trying to get me to cuddle you. I am not your mother and I am not your girlfriend and you are late!" Mira scolded.
With a gasp, Laxus's eyes flew open and he wrenched his arm off Mira's stomach. He looked at his traitrours arm in shock before sitting up and running his fingers through his hair.
"What the fuck, Mira?" he groaned.
"You're late, you aren't picking up your phone, and then you try and cuddle me. You tell me what the fuck," she fired back.
"I thought you were Lucy!" Laxus groaned, dropping his face into his hands. "I'm sorry, Mira," he whispered.
She exhaled softly before placing a comforting hand on his back. She gently caressed him, caringly.
"Don't apologise. It's okay. You miss her," Mira said softly.
"It's been two weeks. We've gone longer without seeing each other, so I don't know why I miss her this much," Laxus said sadly.
"I don't know either, Laxus. Maybe it's because you have a ring and you're ready to start your lives together, but you can't right now. But it'll be fine, Laxus. You'll see her soon, and if you want, I'll talk to the producers and get you a weekend off to go visit her" Mira suggested.
Laxus looked up from his palms and smiled gratefully at her. "I don't know what I'd do without you. You're a genius, you know?"
Mira laughed and ruffled Laxus's hair. "I just know you. Doesn't make me a genius, but it does make me a damn good friend. Now put a shirt on and come outside. I'll fix you breakfast while we go over your schedule for the next couple days," Mira said, sliding off the bed.
"Hey Mira," Laxus called as she neared the bedroom door.
"Yeah?"
"I don't say this enough, but I truly love you," Laxus said sincerely. And for the first time since he'd known her, he saw Mira look shocked.
Quickly, however, she collected herself and grinned at him. "You've never said that before, but I love you too. It's the only reason I put up with all your shit. Well, that and the gorgeous paycheck you write me," Mira snickered.
"Remind me to get you an extra special Christmas gift," Laxus laughed, waving her out of the room so that he could get dressed.
When he was presentable, Laxus emerged from his room and took a seat in front of the plate Mira had prepared. She'd fried his eggs and buttered his toast and poured him a mug of coffee and was now sitting on the counter, scrolling through her phone.
"I sometimes don't know how I functioned as an adult man before you," Laxus commented, taking a sip of his perfectly made brew.
"I'm pretty sure I spoilt you, actually. I fully believe you were far more functional before you hired me," Mira answered, not looking up from her phone.
"Are you not eating?" Laxus asked.
"Nah, I ate on the way. I was hoping you'd have eaten too so we could get straight down to business, but then you decided to sleep in," Mira said, sticking her tongue out at him.
"I have been tired!" Laxus protested.
"Work hasn't even kicked into full swing yet! You've just been meeting with the hosts and producers and network people so far!"
"And that's exhausting. But that's besides the point. What's my schedule? Please, drown me in more work, Mira," he said sarcastically as he shoved a forkful of egg into his mouth.
"I don't appreciate the tone, you snarky old man, but I'll let it slide. Okay, today you're gonna finally meet the models. It's day one auditions, so the producers will vet everyone. Some will be selected from that pool, and they'll meet the judges. The judges will pick the ones they liked, and those girls will finally meet you. You'll do a quick photoshoot with each of them, and the best photographs will move on to day two. Tomorrow is another shoot, and the best photographs from that will be selected for the main show."
"Is there a theme for today's shoot?" Laxus asked.
"One second," Mira said, pulling her laptop out of her bag and opening it. She quickly skimmed the documents sent to her, searching for information. "Uh… No. No, there's no theme or anything. This is just to see how they photograph and interact with the camera. It does say you are to give them minimal direction, so I think today is just about seeing if these girls know what to do when they're put on a set."
Laxus nodded, swallowing his breakfast. "Sounds easy. Roughly how many girls am I photographing today?"
"Well, they can't be sure. Depends on how many the producers send through, and how many the judges like, but based on past seasons, the ballpark figure they've given is around fifty," Mira said with a wince.
"Fifty?! Mira! I am going to die! How the fuck I am going to photograph fifty girls?! That'll be exhausting!" Laxus cried. He was desperately regretting agreeing to this.
"Wait, hold on," Mira silenced him as she continued to read. "Okay, you'll have a couple of secondary photographers. Today's shoot will be handled by them, you just need to oversee it. They'll also handle any impromptu shoots or low-level activities. You need to handle any and all group shots and the major challenge in every episode. Today's shoot is below your pay grade, don't worry," Mira calmed him down.
"You and I both know I'm going to get frustrated with the second rate photographers they send me," Laxus said, rolling his eyes. "I have a feeling I'm going to end up doing most of the shoots myself."
"If you stopped being such a perfectionist, you'd be able to relax more," Mira pointed out.
"My perfectionism is what gets me paid the amount I get paid, and so, by extension, my perfectionism is what pays your fat check," Laxus fired back.
Mira just laughed, throwing a wadded up paper towel at him.
Laxus was bored. He'd been waiting at the studio for an hour with Mira while producers buzzed around him like flies, adjusting his mic, touching up his makeup, and constantly asking him if he needed anything.
"Why are they so persistent? And why am I wearing makeup?" he hissed at Mira.
"They're doing their job of keeping you comfortable, and you'll be on camera, so you need to look good," Mira explained patiently.
"They're doing a terrible job because I am not comfortable. I feel like a circus clown. And I look good without makeup! Mira, please make them stop," Laxus begged.
"Laxus, shut up," Mira said flatly, scrolling through her phone. When Laxus tried grumbling again, she shot him a withering glare that promptly sealed his lips.
"You can't have everything, Laxus," Mira said after several minutes of watching Laxus sulk in silence. "You wanted the big TV gig, so you gotta deal with this too."
"I was happy just freelancing," Laxus muttered.
An exasperated Mira sighed before reaching out and whacking him behind the head. "Fine. I'm going to the network executives right now and telling them you quit," she threatened, hopping off her chair.
In a flash, Laxus's hand shot out and wrapped around Mira's wrist. "No, don't, You're right. I'm being a brat. This is an incredible opportunity and I need to stop fucking being a grump."
"Yes, you do need to stop being a grump. But I'll give you a free pass just this once," Mira smiled, sliding back onto her chair.
As Laxus let her wrist go, he noticed two people approaching them. They weren't dressed in black, like the other producers, and they both had camera bags slung over their shoulders.
"Ah! You must be the secondary photographers," Mira said warmly, extending her hand. "I'm Mira, Laxus's assistant."
The two shook her hand before turning to Laxus.
"Laxus," he said simply, holding his hand out. The woman reached for it first. She had a firm grip and looked Laxus dead in the eye.
She's confident and not a pushover. I like her, he thought to himself.
"Cana Alberona, sir. It's a pleasure to be working with you." Her voice was clear and her deep brown eyes sparkled with hidden wit. Laxus smiled briefly before turning to the man with peculiar hair. Dark roots lead to neon green ends which, surprisingly, complimented his eyes stunningly.
"Hello, Mr. Laxus sir!" he said enthusiastically, shaking his hand. The young man was a little too energetic for Laxus's tastes, but he'd rather have an excited intern than a lacklustre one. "I'm such a huge fan of your work, sir! I've been following your career for a few years now and you're just amazing! I can't wait to learn from you, sir!"
"Your name?" Laxus asked, delicately removing his hand from the other's grasp.
"Oh! Sorry, sir! Freed Justine, sir!" the man sputtered.
"Okay, great. Freed, Cana? First things first, we're dropping the 'sir'. Just 'Laxus' is plenty. Secondly, I feel the need to warn you both up front, I am a perfectionist. And sometimes this will mean I do shoots that you were scheduled to, or I ask you to redo a shot multiple times or any number of small nitty-gritty things that you may get frustrated by. If that doesn't work for you, feel free to walk away now. But if you decide to stay on, I will demand a lot, but I also promise to make you better photographers for it. Okay?"
When the pair nodded their assent, Laxus clapped his hands together. "Well, let's figure out when these models are getting here, huh?"
Mira watched from the side as Laxus marched up and down behind Freed and Cana, adjusting their angle, giving them tips, and giving the models feedback. With every new model that walked onto the set, Mira scoffed and rolled her eyes. Each one was as bad as the last. It was clear they were trying to suck up to Laxus, hoping he'd ensure they got a good shot. A few were bold enough to even slip him their phone numbers, which he would promptly volley into the trashcan the second they left the room.
It's not like Freed is much better, Mira thought to herself, holding back a giggle when she spotted Freed eyeing Laxus with utter devotion. And while Freed was eyeing Laxus with devotion, Mira noticed Laxus eyeing Cana with surprised appreciation. During a break, Laxus walked up to Mira and leaned over the arm of her chair.
"She's good!" he whispered into Mira's ear. When she pulled back and looked at him quizzically, he elaborated. "I mean, she has amazing potential. The way she frames things, and the clarity of her shots. Immaculate! Hell, I'll have to barely edit her shots! She's gonna be incredible, Mira. Maybe even better than me."
Mira gasped and clamped a hand over her mouth in feigned shock. "Better than the great Laxus Dreyar?! Could it be?!"
Laxus shoved Mira's shoulder and glared. "Stop teasing. She's really very good."
"Hire her then," Mira said simply, turning back to her phone.
"What?"
Pushing her phone into her coat, Mira turned in her chair to face Laxus. "Hire her. Once this is done. Expand your business. Get another photographer who can deliver the same calibre of work, and have them work under your name. You're a freelancer right now. I'm telling you to become a brand."
"Shut up, Mira," Laxus laughed.
Mira reached out and gripped his hand. "I'm serious, Laxus. Think it through, and when this is done, maybe give her a job. If she's as good as you say she is."
Laxus didn't say anything. Mira held his gaze for several moments, silently imploring him, and they only broke eye contact when a producer called for the end of the break.
"A rosé for you, two beers, and a martini," the waiter announced over the music. He set the drinks down in the middle of the circular table before taking his leave.
Freed quickly reached for the rosé, pulling it close to him. While he didn't look uncomfortable, he fidgeted nervously with the rim of his glass.
Probably thinking of a way to impress Laxus, Mira snickered to herself. She took a sip of her martini, feeling the knots in her back disappear as the liquid singed its way down her throat. Laxus reached over her to pick up the two beers, handing one to Cana.
"Do you guys mind?" the brunette asked, fishing a box of cigarettes out of her bag. When everyone shook their heads, she pulled one out with her teeth before flicking her lighter on. The lit end of the cigarette burned a bright orange as she inhaled. Her body visibly relaxed as the first hit of nicotine coursed through her, and when she exhaled, a purple plume of smoke rose up to the ceiling.
"You did good today. Both of you," Laxus said, slightly raising his glass.
Cana nodded back while Freed looked like he was about to collapse.
"Laxus, if I may…" Cana began. When Laxus tipped his head, she continued. "This is your first time doing this as well, isn't it?"
"Cana!" Freed hissed. "Shut up!"
"No, it's fine," Laxus held his hand up. "It is my first time working a TV gig. And I'm trying to figure a lot of this out for myself, just like you both. And that means that we can discuss things, and try and collectively come to a solution, but I hope you weren't insinuating that since it's my first TV gig, you don't need to listen to me?" he looked at Cana pointedly.
Mira watched the interaction nervously, waiting to see Cana lose her cool and stutter or fly off the handle or something. And when she didn't, Mira nearly wailed in disappointment.
"Not at all," Cana replied coolly. "I don't intend to be a TV photographer forever, and I was asking because I was hoping you'd mentor me. Outside the TV stuff."
Laxus relaxed and he eased back into his seat. "Of course. When we get some downtime, I'd love to help you."
"Laxus, could you ple-" Freed began, eager to jump on the train when he was cut off by a slimy looking man in a suit and gold chain.
"Laxus! Good first day?" the man asked.
When Cana looked at Mira quizzically, the white-blonde mouthed back "network executive".
"Very good. These are my assistant photographers," Laxus said, gesturing to the two. "Yeah, some decent models in the mix, huh?"
"Decent? Son, they're all sexy as fuck, and let me tell you, very easy to get into bed, if you're interested," he winked at Laxus.
Before Laxus could respond, the man turned to Mira. "Doll, you sure you don't want to be on my show? Let me tell you, a face like yours, and that body? You'd win the damn thing. And even if you didn't, I'll make sure you got something out of it anyway. It would be something you never forgot, if you know what I mean. Hell, we can do that tonight, if you want," he leered.
Mira shrank back, almost trying to hide herself behind Laxus. The blond man stood up, towering over the executive. "If that's all, Ivan. We've all had a long day, and I think I speak for all of us when I say we'd rather not talk work right now. I'll see you on set tomorrow," he said firmly, extending his hand.
Ivan wasn't a stupid man. He knew he was being rebuffed, but he also knew that if he were to instigate a fight, it would look worse for him than it would for Laxus. Bristling, he shook Laxus's hand, before nodding to the others. As soon as he'd walked away, Laxus dropped back down and took Mira's hand in his.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. He's just creepy."
"That fucking bastard. I'll kick his ass if you want, Mira," Laxus threatened.
"Calm down, Laxus. He isn't the first gross man to make disgusting comments," Mira rolled her eyes.
"I should kick his ass anyway," Laxus grumbled.
"You'll put a target on her back and on yours. Wait. Don't do anything now. And if you need to kick his ass later, I'll hold him down for you," Cana interjected, looking solemn.
"Yes, me too," Freed vowed, no longer looking like the timid, excitable boy from ten minutes ago.
Mira's eyes welled with tears. "Thanks, guys," she sniffed. She picked up her martini and downed it in one sip, shuddering as it burned through her. And when Laxus did the same thing immediately after, he managed to spill most of his beer down his shirt. Quickly the group devolved into laughter and good cheer, but when Laxus gently squeezed Mira's hand, she knew he hadn't forgotten and wasn't planning on forgetting anything that the grimy executive had said.
A/N: Merriest of Christmases! And happiest of New Years! Writing and uploading all got crazy delayed because of the holiday season, but we're back now! I hope everyone (all my seven readers lmao) had a good holiday! I had a great one! Did a sweet lunch with my friends and family, and a quiet evening of Christmas music and mulled wine. A lovely bright spot amidst this 2020 fuckery.
About this chapter, I really really thought I'd have to force myself to write what Laxus was up to, because I am so invested in Lucy and Gray, but turns out, I am also invested in Laxus! I will try and balance both their story lines, which also means I'm lowkey kinda writing two different stories in this one fic and idk how people do it, honestly. Also, I'm sure you noticed, but there has been a time jump (two weeks). This is gonna keep happening, since it would get very tedious to try and go into the minutiae. Let me know if it ever gets confusing, and I am also trying very hard to keep track of the timelines, so please point it out if there have been any slipups!
As always, let me know what you think! Hope you have a safe and happy holiday season!