If one had to describe fairy tail, they would often and fondly describe it as happy, jovial. Restless even.
And that was? Well, fine.
Hell, that was the norm.
Every single of fairy tail's members were known for their conduct. The way they destroy everything? They're near 100 percent completion rate of quests? The way they could be cheering one moment and fighting each other the next?
It was the norm.
It was the guilds way of life.
They're were very few times in which the guild was completely silent, devoid of any excitement or cheers.
This was one of them.
The heavy footsteps resounded throughout the guild hall as the rest of its inhabitants lay sleeping, seemingly drawn into a peaceful dream. A peaceful lul.
Yes, If anything Fairy Tail is known for its restlessness, and not for being restful. It's known for being predictable, loud and outgoing. Not being unpredictable and silent, mysterious even.
If there ever was one that stood out amongst all of fairy tail's miscreants and weirdos, Then it would be Mystogan.
You see, It was Mystogan that represented all of these traits that were directly opposite of fairy tail.
The masked man was the walking embodiment of mystery and silence. The strong, silent type that everybody loved.
His steps reverberated throughout the guild until he finally stopped in front of his target. The jobs board.
With a thoughtful pause, he quickly gazed at the board before picking which job he wanted.
His hand hovered just in front of the quest until suddenly, another hand crashed into his.
Surprise.
That was what he felt.
Quickly looking to the side of him, He saw a very surprised, yet desperate looking Hikigaya Hachiman.
"..." He said nothing as he was taken aback, at a loss for words apparently as both men stared at each other, both baffled and shocked.
"..." Hachiman said nothing as he looked at him, quickly moving his hand to grab the quest before it was too late.
Mystogan as well said nothing, keeping his eye on Hachiman as he quickly pulled out one of his many staffs to knock Hachiman's hand away.
"Oi, Mystogan. Do an S ranked job, this one's mine." Hachiman said, scowling at him.
"I saw it first." Was his reply as he batted away one of Hachiman's attempts to get the damn thing.
"Oi, what are you huh?, a child? Gross." Hachiman mocked him as he made yet another attempt to grab the job
"I don't want to hear that from someone who got demoted for being childish." He said as he blocked the grab once again.
"Oh really now? Says the one who's always wearing a mask and bandana, even when inside. What are you huh? A middle schooler?" Hachiman said as this time he blocked Mystogan from grabbing the job.
"I'll have you know that these clothes boost my magic energy, unlike you, who's dressed like a hobo, MADAO." Mystogan snapped back, glaring at him now.
"Oh really now? That's funny considering that you're an illegal immigrant who can't even afford to buy a citizenship."
"And you're a washed up has been with a gambling addiction."
"It's not an addiction, It's a lifestyle. Which is a step above you because you don't even have one."
"Say that again when you have friends."
"Hah? And you do? Oh MR. I force everyone to sleep the moment I step into the guild hall because I'm scared everyone will see my face!"
"At least I'm better than you MR. I'll just be a white knight and take the entire blame for an incident that wasn't even in my control, Insulting everyone and refusing to talk to anyone as I haul ass and take a job that required me 3 years to take. If it was me, I would have done it one." Mystogan growled now, his temper rising.
"Oh so we're playing that game huh? At least I'm not so insecure about my face that I have to cover it up, Ugly!"
"At least I don't have an ugly personality along with those ugly ass eyes of yours, dumb ass."
"Well at least I don't constantly have a stick in my ass!"
"Degenerate."
"Lolicon."
"Loser."
"LARPER."
"Deadbeat."
"Creep."
"..." Hachiman said nothing as his forced smile drained him.
"..." Mystogan as well said nothing as both men looked at each other.
With a sigh, Hachiman silently nudged his head in the direction that Erza was in, a sadistic smile on his face as he did so.
"Don't make me do it."
"You wouldn't dare, She's upset at you as well. I don't know how you managed to remain undetected by her, but she'll kick your ass the moment she sees you." Mystogan growled at him, with noticeable control on the volume of his voice.
"Bitch please, If I can fool all these asshats with my sneaking magic, then I can fool them again."
"Nothing good will come out of awaking the entire guild."
"Oh? Who said was going to awaken the entire guild?" Hachiman asked with a shit eating smug know it all grin.
"..." Mystogan fell silent, growling as he thought of ways to solve the situation without waking up Erza.
"...I'll pay you half up front." He said, trying to sound confident.
"Oh? The LARPER wants to negotiate now huh? What happened to the silent magician who never comprised?" Hachiman asked in a mocking grin, enjoying this scene perhaps a bit too much.
"Shut it! Half of the reward or nothing!" He hissed at Hachiman now, a sweat bead forming on his temple.
"Bro, I don't even want your money, I just want the quest itself." Hachiman said as the open palm produced some magic, a small microphone now emerged from a small portal.
"Don't."
"Give me the job, or else."
"No, you know I can't do that."
"Why?"
"I have my reasons."
"And I have mine as well."
"Last chance."
"You're bluffing."
"Am I though?"
"..." Hachiman said nothing as he glared at him.
"..."
A solid minute passed before Hachiman sighed. Mystogan was right, It really wasn't worth the hassle.
"Alright fine, Half up front. But you stay a little longer so that I can clear out the booze shelf."
"...Fine."
As Hachiman,Began to dispel his magic, he made the mistake of making his way towards the bar. And in doing so, accidentally stumbled into a table.
You know what happened next.
Both men had terrified looks on their faces as the Horn dropped into the floor and blared loudly. It was as if the trumpeter of death itself had sounded the horn.
A thick silence.
One second passed.
Another passed as well as both men looked nervously at the motionless redhead on the floor.
"...Phew, seems it was a misfire-" Hachiman said, trying to reassure himself before he got cut off by a sleepy, tired groan.
Shit.
Both men had wide eyes and paused like deer caught in the headlights. Not knowing what to do and freezing up in the face of certain death.
"Yea, Good bye-" Hachiman said as he tried to activate his magic. Only to find that it wouldn't work.
"What the? Oi, you bastard lolicon of a LARPER stop blocking my magic power!" Hachiman hissed at him furiously.
"No, If I'm going down, then you're going down with me!"
"Hey, You're the dumbass that stood her up from that date. She'll stab your ass without a second thought!"
"And after me, she'll stab you."
"You crazy Suicidal bastard!"
"You're the deadbeat, good for nothing loser of a MADAO."
"...Fuck! Alright fine! How about this, You stop your magic power and I'll let you have the job!"
"What? No, You're the one that started all this!"
"And you're the one who led that stupid bitch on!"
"Oi, Don't call the woman I love a bi-" Mystogan roared angrily before he got cut off by a bone chilling, cruel, cold voice that lacked any warmth or mirth.
"Oh? And who's this stupid bitch?"
….Fuck.
Both men got pinned against the wall by a circus of swords as they looked in fear at the red headed woman known as Erza.
"Well well well, If it isn't Mystogan and Hachiman. The two People I've been dying to see." She said with a smile as cold as the northern wastelands, a smile completely devoid of any joy or manners.
"...Y...Yo Erza! How's it going? Love the armour by the way." Hachiman said with a creepy, Nervous smile as she gazed at the both of them. Much like a lioness sizing up her prey.
"..." Mystogan said nothing as he looked away in shame, memories of a past better left unmentioned flowing through his mind as he avoided her gaze.
"..." Saying nothing, She walked up to Mystogan with a solemn, unreadable face. Making her all the more scarier.
SLAP!
Mystogan simply took the slap without even wincing, the stinging pain quickly settling on his face as she left a bright red mark on his face.
After that slap, she quickly turned to Hachiman. Her brows narrowed in silent fury and contempt as she gave him a punch to the gut.
A punch that left him wheezing and gasping for air as he lay pinned against the wall.
"...O...Oi, Isn't that a bit unfair? Slapping him and punching me? I'm no genius or anything, But i'd say that there's a bit of bias wouldn't you?" Hachiman uttered out, with a mocking grin.
She did nothing except clicked a tongue at this. Before looking around, as if to find someone before addressing Hachiman.
"I have many things to say to you, So many things to criticize you about, including that annoying habit of trying to make people hate you. But I'll save that for another day. I'll let someone who's the most deserving of that chew you out."
"..." Hachiman said nothing in response, only looking away in disgust as she removed the swords that were puinning down Mystogan and started dragging the silent, non resistant man up the stairs, to have a more private talk.
As she dragged Mystogan, She stopped short at the table In which Mirajane lay slouched over, a peaceful, content look on her face as she groaned groggily when Erza gently nudged her shoulder.
"...Hm?...Wha?" Mirajane moaned out tiredly, having just been awoken from her forcefully induced nap.
"There's someone who you deserve to speak to. Much like I with this dumbass right here." She said solemnly as she pointed to Mystogan, whom she was dragging by the collar.
"Hm? What do you mean-" She asked confusingly before she cut herself off, a surprised look now quickly adorning her face as she looked at a pinned down Hachiman.
"..." A second passed before a scowl appeared on her beautiful, dainty face as she thanked Erza with a silent nod.
Erza merely nodded back as she Dragged Mystogan upstairs.
CLACK CLACK CLACK.
Mirajane silently picked herself up and made her way to Hachiman as Erza left the two alone. Her expression grim as she stopped right in front of him.
"...I…" She began before stopping herself, the words seemingly too painful to say.
SMACK!
Hachiman didn't even have time to wince as she slapped him across the face. This time however, He felt no pain. It was weak, feeble even.
"Oi, That didn't hurt one bit Mirajane, I'd suggest you use your transformation powers if you want a harder strike." He said coldly.
"...So even all this, you still intend to avoid this? To refuse to fix this bridge between us?" She asked, her eyes trembling. The tears just barely being able to be held back.
"...We were never close enough to have a bridge." He replied, his eyes avoiding her's.
"You know, when you first walked in through that door for the first time in 3 years, I was angry you know?"
"...I was angry that after all that shit that you pulled off, you could come sauntering in, acting like nothing had changed."
"Nothing has been changed, I'm still the same."
"Yes, indeed you are. You're still the same, scared little boy that's too afraid to get hurt. Afterall, Why get burned by the flames when you can just pour oil on it huh?" She asked angrily.
"..." He said nothing as he smiled in a defeat.
"Look at you, you're a wreck." She said quietly, to the point where he could hardly hear her.
"...It's better this way." He said with a melancholic sigh.
"No it's not."
"..."
"You wanna know why?"
"..."
"Every time I look at you, my heart aches. I should hate you, But I just feel...Miserable whenever I look at you."
"...Miserable." She repeated, her volume low and her voice shaky.
"I feel Miserable that even though you saved us, we couldn't save you when it mattered the most."
"You never needed to."
"Oh, but I wanted to."
"And why is that? Because you pity me? Please, spare me that bull shit." He replied venously, a cold, defeated smile not once ever leaving his face.
"No! You're wrong!"
"Am I though? Don't make me laugh, If the incident never happened, then you wouldn't be here, speaking to me. I'm just another cog in the machine known as life." Hachiman spat out the words with contempt, his eyes never once leaving hers.
"..."
"I don't need your pity. I don't need anyone's pity. I actually despise it really, All these lies and self righteousness."
"Then what do you want then? What do you need?" Mirajane spat back, her brows furrowed in rage and exasperation.
"..." Hachiman didn't answer that question. No. More like he couldn't answer that question. Because he knew, if he answered it, then he really would have to reconcile with the guild. First starting with her.
"...You know, I don't know what happened, But I'm glad that for some reason you can't use your powers. You would have deflected this topic and somehow bullshited your way out of this conversation."
"...You're tired of all the talk, and lies. Fine then. I'll just have to prove to you that I'm not lying then." She said with a scowl on her face. Sighing as she closed her eyes, steeling herself for what she was about to do as she grabbed his cheeks.
"Oi, what the? haven't you heard of personal space before, woman?-" He said in protest before getting cut off by her.
Her lips furiously pressed against his own as he struggled to stop it. Only to lose his strength as she forced her tongue into his mouth locking it down with a wet embrace.
He didn't stop her.
I mean, How could he? She was much too strong, and frankly? He couldn't bring himself to lie anymore, It felt really fucking good.
He stopped struggling as he returned the kiss, surprising her briefly, only for her to kiss him once more, with renewed vigor.
They kissed for what seemed like a half hour, when in reality it was just a couple of minutes, their eyes glazed at each other as they breathed hard, they were so close now that they could feel their hot breath against each other's faces.
She looked at him as he looked at her, both of them saying nothing.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she forced a cough and forcefully pulled out the swords that had pinned Hachiman to the wall.
"If you still think I'm lying, then come to my place on the 8th, I'll show you more proof." She said with a scowl, a crimson blush adorning her face as she frowned at him embarrassingly.
"...I...Uh….Yea, I'll, I'll do that." He said dumbfounded, Still in a daze at what had just happened.
"...Sigh, Seriously, look at these idiots. I'm going to have to clean the place up again." She said with a sigh, Looking away from him as she made up a convenient excuse. Her ears bright red as she complained with a sigh.
"Uh...yeah, you do that…." He said as he began to leave, his body finally managing to work again, only for him to stop and with a small grin and say something rather loudly.
"Oi, Mystogan. You can keep the job that's hiring a pool boy for that infamous beach resort known for having only beautiful women, I just found something better~" He said with a small smile. He wasn't gonna let Mystohgan one up him after all.
And soon enough, When he left through the front door, He heard a dangerously loud crash, along with a loud gulp as the air got extremely heavy with murderous intent.
"...Sheesh, This guild Is really filled with nothing but weirdos after all, huh?" He sighed to himself as he made his way through the city.
"...Shit, How the hell am I even going to reconcile with those weirdos?" He asked himself worryingly as he ran his hand through his hair.
"...Hah~ I wanna go home!"
Madao: Japanese slang for good for nothing.
LARPER: Live Action RolePlayer.