Thank you for the reviews!
Angel of Halloween: Thank you! And here is an update for you!
graystripemkc:Laxus is a jerk for sure! Lovable jerk, that is! But he sure did deserved that Lucy Kick. And as always I'm super happy and excited that you find my story and characters well written! Ah, Texas! Nice! I can almost hear the accent in your reviews now! XD
aliciacevbra: Yeah, Laxus deserved it 100%! And about the Thunder God Tribe... You just have to read this chapter to find out :D
LadyAvaRushi: Happy that my story makes you laugh! And your welcome. Doing assignments for 5 hours is too familiar, so I'm super happy, if my story is able to help with that pain.
Finally! I have been working on this chapter forever, but I have been kept quite busy by studies (it's not easy being veterinarian student, I tell ya). And I apologize if there is more mistakes than normally. I was lazy and didn't proofread this thoroughly (might do that when I have more time). By the way, if you're interested, I published two short one-shots Her name was Lucy Heartfilia (Lalu) and You simply can't hear everything (Colu). Go check them out, if you want.
Hope you enjoy this chapter! And please review!
Shout out for graysripemkc! She has some pretty good stories, go check them up!
Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail and I'm just playing with the characters.
Laxus sat on one of his armchairs, right feet resting on the left thigh. His right elbow was placed on the arm rest and his cheek leaned against his fist. The forefinger of his left hand tapped against the leather of the other rest. From time to time the pace of the tapping speed up as some though made his anger spike up. He couldn't remember when was the last time someone had succeeded in pissing him off this badly - not counting his grandfather, that piece of shit was dancing on a whole other level. But these four idiots had done it, and they had done it good. Even now only looking at them sitting on the floor on their knees on that freaking perfect line, heads hung, made him fight back the urge to electrocute everyone of them. Without realizing he glenced his jaw and sent a jolt of pain through his lower jaw. And then there was this! He cursed silently remembering the humiliating kick. God-fucking-dammit! He needed a beer!
Laxus slammed his left hand against the arm rest, making the four on the floor jolt and then tense up as he stood up. They had been sitting on this same spot over half an hour now, like criminals waiting for their execution. Laxus didn't say a word the whole time and only sat, staring them in silence. No one of them dared to lift their head to see his face, but even without knowing how the man's face looke they could guess what kind of a mass murder he was planning in his head. And now that he finally moved they were sure their end had come. But fortunately, Laxus ignored them once more and turned toward the were spared. For now at least.
Hearing Laxus steps enter the kitchen, Lucy gathered her courage and glanced on her side, toward Bickslow. "Are you alright?" She whispered so quietly she couldn't be sure had any voice come out of her mouth. But seem like her words reached their destination.
Bickslow lifted a finger on his lips and gave out a soundless 'Shh!'. He was touched that Lucy was concerned for his health, but he couldn't but worry for her well being more. The girl didn't probably know what kind of a danger she might be, if she didn't stay quiet. He hadn't seen Laxus hurt a woman before, but right now he wouldn't trust the man to stick on his policy. Especially if you had hit him on the chin. Bickslow couldn't be hundred percent sure that Lucy was behind the bruise on their leader lower jaw, but there was only two people in Magnolia, who could such a thing easily, Master Makarvoa and Gildarts. However, he knew that Master stayed at the guild when they left and Gildarts was out of town. That left only one culprit left. Lucy. He didn't know how the girl had done it or why, but he knew that it had pissed Laxus off even more, and right now he wouldn't want to be in her shoes.
Lucy furrowed her brows, a concerned wrinkle appearing between her eyes. Bickslow seemed rather alright considering what Laxus did to him, but because she knew what had happened to him she couldn't help but to worry. The thunder Legion got to the house some time after her and Laxus, maybe half an hour or so. And as the one who was forced to stay alone with the man for that half an hour she knew that his anger only grew as the time rolled forward. When the Thunder God Tribe finally arrived, the furious aura of Laxus was enough to make her shiver like a new born deer with only being in the same room as him. And of course the group just had to notice the forming bruise on their leaders chin. They had fired him with questions from every direction and Freed had even gone as far as to draw his rapier out. The man started to spat out such a nasty threat at the one who had done it that she had started to fear for her life seriously. She could still feel the cold touch of the rapier on her neck. And all this was crowned with Bickslow's little remark. "One point for Princess, zero to Boss-" he had laughed out.
Before Lucy had even time to register what the guy was saying, a lightning out of nowhere struck through him. With horror filled eyes she had watched Bickslow twist for a second and then sunk to the floor smoking with remains of lightning jumping mockingly around his body. For a very long and terrifying moment Bickslow had stayed completely still and her hearth had stopped thinking that the guy had actually died. That Laxus had actually killed him. The relief she felt when the guy breath out a stretched 'auch'... It had been enough to make her legs go spaghetti and she too sunk on the floor.
On the same second her butt had hit the parquet, Laxus had pointed a finger toward the two other members of Thunder God Tribe and then dipped it toward the floor. It was a clear command, which Freed and Evergreen had gotten down on their knees without a protest. One glance toward her had been enough o make her fix her position and Bickslow got a kick on his boot "encouraging" him to get on his knees too. When their beautiful row had been formed, Laxus let out a displeased grunt with a hint of disgust in it. He had walked to the armchair and sat down. The non-existing sound of finger tapping the leather had begun. So had their torture to this point.
The wrinkle between Lucy's brows grew as she stared the mild burn marks on Bickslow's hands and clothes. "I-" She started, her voice rising a bit with concern. No one could be alright after something like being hit by lightning. Bickslow, however, cut her short. He placed a swift hand on her mouth and smacked his finger against his own lips couple of times before removing his hand. She could almost see the pleading eyes trough his visor, telling her to stay quiet, but she couldn't help but will a bit offended. "But-" She tried once more. She just wanted to know was he truly alright. Answering her question wouldn't hurt anyone. It wasn't like Laxus could hear them from the kitchen, if they talked this quietly. It was physically impossible.
Or so she had thought.
Before a syllable more passed her lips, a small bolt of lightning hit the floor inch from her knees. The words glued themselves in her throat and all that came out was a wheeze of air. She slowly turned her eyes to the tiny burn mark on the parquet. Cols sweat started to run down her forehead and back as she watched the thin line of smoke rising from the burn. How?! How had he heard her?! Her hand itched to slam itself on her mouth and nose to block the sound of her spiked breathing. But without knowing what else Laxus was capable of, she couldn't risk it. This was he one and only warning, she was sure of it. Next bolt would hit her. And like wanting to check if she had understood this, Laxus walked out of the kitchen his heavy gaze immediately landing on her.
Laxus kept his eyes on the girl's shivering figure as he walked back to his seat. It seemed that his warning had gone though. Good. He removed his eyes from her and focused them on the beer can on his hand. "Now then," He started, while opening the beer. He swung a mouthful of the liquid down, then lowered the hand holding the can on the armrest. "What should I do with you?" It technically was a question, but it definitely wasn't a question addressed to the four idiots. Still, one of the idiots lifted a finger signaling that he could give him a suggestion. Laxus felt his nose wrinkle as he glared the infuriating finger. Millisecond later Bickslow let out a yelp and pulled back his freshly zapped finger.
Laxus slide his eyes from the clown to Freed. "Explain." He ordered with cold tone. He wanted to know what the hell exactly happened today. The "mission" he had given to them was easy, no, it was easier than easy. It was simplicity itself. Take the girl to the guild, wait the time she fills the needed document and keep the guild members away from her, then bring her back here. It was nothing that should have caused trouble to his team. Yet, somehow they managed to fuck it up. One disappeared to run errands for the person he hates the most, another vanished just for fun and the last one arranged a playdate with the guild members for the princess. Fan-fucking-tastic! From Bickslow he could have expect something like this, but from Freed? No. He was supposed to be the brains of this team and the most reliable one out of the three. So, he didn't really have words to describe how disappointed he was with Freed at the moment.
Free sensed this. His hands balled into fists and his teeth gritted together with shame. He had let Laxus down. He couldn't believe it! He had believed that he could leave Miss Lucy on the hands of those two, but it had been a mistake. A big one. Shamed of himself, he slammed his forehead on the floor. "I have disappointed you! I don't deserve to call myself your bodyguard! I will accept any punish-" A lightning bolt hit the floor next to his head, frying couple strands of his hair. Freed closed his mouth and swallowed the remaining words. Now was better to stay quiet.
"Not what I asked." Laxus growled with deep voice, his disappointment only growing. Tch-ing aggressively he slide his glare on the next person on the row, Evergreen. The woman flinched visible, when she felt his eyes on her. Her mouth started to open and close like a fish on a dry land, but not a single sound came out.
Evergreen noticed this too and slammed her lips together. Laxus wanted answers, but what was she supposed to day? She didn't have any kind of a excuse to give. She was sure that the man wouldn't be satisfied with her telling him that she just wanted to get away from the brawl and planned to return, but a nice shirt in a shop's window caught her attention and next thing she knew was Bickslow barging in to the shop looking for her. She would only get herself fried by telling that to Laxus. Evergeen lifted a shaky hand and fixed her glasses a bit. She would end up being fried ayway, if she wasn't going to give Laxus an answer soon. "I-"
"Next." Laxus cut the woman off. He had heard quite enough. If Evergreen had had a valid reason for leaving the guild without Lucy, she would have told it to him already. The brunette was a bit of a snob and an airhead at times, but she still hold the position of the second wisest in the Thunder God Legion. However, she was still very much capable of stepping down on Bickslow's level of idiocy. Today was a perfect example. Messaging his temple with two finges, Laxus moved his eyes back to the clown. He felt like snarling only by looking at the guy and thinking what kind of a bullshit he would sprout out.
Bickslow felt his Adam's apple jump up and return back down as he swallowed. He would have to be extremely careful with his words. He had already been jolted and then zapped. Any more and he could end up having cardiac arrhythmia. Lifting his finger once more - it was unconscious act he didn't even notice doing - he let out a nervous laugh. "The things is... You see- Auch!" It was all he managed to get out before his poor finger suffered yet another electrocution. Accidentally he glanced up, giving Laxus a glare And oh boy, has he ever been so happy to wear his visor! Laxus dark expression made him almost leek a spoonful in her pants. If the man had caught him glaring him, he might have been one head shorted by now. But luckily Laxus couldn't see through metal.
Lucy was fighting against the urge to turn to look what was going on her side. Only hearing the broken conversation between Laxus and his team made her very anxious. What was going on? What did they need to explain? Why was he even so angry with them? She knew perfectly well what she had done to piss the man off, but why was he so furious whit his own team. Was he just taking it out on them, because he couldn't touch a client? Yeah, right. As if Laxus would care about something like that. Was she missing something?It just didn't make sense for him to treat his own friends like this without reason. Well, not like she would have understood it, even if he had a reason. She- Lucy's thoughts came to an abrupt end, when she suddenly felt Laxus glared piercing her head.
"I will deal with you later." Laxus spoke with air chilling low tone. His eyes narrowed and nose wrinkled as he watched the girl shiver like a dry leaf in a wind. Pathetic. He turned his attention back to three disappointment he was supposed to call his team and his nose wrinkled even more. The longer he stared at their pathetic forms, the more furious he felt. They were just fucking disappointment! All of them! He lifted the beer can in his hand to his lips and gulped its' contents down, literally squeezing the last droplets out. He raised the newly shaped can up, then swung his hand down. The piece of metal hit the floor in front the group, rebounding from the parquet and speed past ad between Bickslow and Evergreen's heads, smashing against the wall behind them. If he hadn't been so utterly pissed off, it might have been amusing to see their faces go pale as sheet, when the realization of how close they had been to loose their heads sunk in. But he wasn't amused, not a slightest bit. "I don't want to see your pathetic faces again, before you can prove me your worth. I don't need useless people by my side!" He snarled, canines bared.
Lucy didn't even realize she snapped her head up, that shocked she was by Laxus words. W-what? Her eyes darted to the side on the Thunder God Tribe. They all still sat their heads down as if they hadn't heard the man. Their lack of reactions was... Well, how could she say it. It almost felt like they had seen this coming, like this wasn't something new. That couldn't be right...right? However, Freed stood up calmly, bowed his head toward Laxus and then turned to head to the front door. With shocked eyes she followed after the man with her eyes.
She snapped her eyes to Evergreen, when the woman also stood up. The brunette only gave Laxus a long look and then followed after her team mate. Lucy moved her eyes to the last Thunder God Tribe member on the floor with her. Bickslow stuck hi lower lip out, before he too got up. "Not cool, man" He stated toward Laxus, while swinging his hand behind his back. His babies repeated the phrase couple of times as the guy too turned to follow his two friends, kicking an invisible stone on his way.
Lucy watched after them mouth gaping. They were leaving... Just like that? Her lips started to move, trying their best to form words to stop them. But as nothing but air passed her lips, she jumped up. If her mouth wasn't going to work, she would have to use her legs. She had to stop them! She was still confused of what was going on, why was Laxus this angry at them, but she had a bad feeling that it had something to do with her. And the simple thought of someone's friendships being damged because of her was detestable. It made her physically nauseous.
Laxus eyebrow twisted as she saw Lucy get up in hurry. It was easy to tell what she was thing. "Go after them and you don't have to bother coming back." He warned the girl in low tone and she froze to the spot. Slowly the girl turned around to face him. The angry disappointed look she was giving him was so similar to the one he had received from Gramps many times that it almost caught him off guard. He wouldn't have even been surprised, if the girl had started to nag at him.
However, all the girl said was one simple sentence. "You're an asshole." Lucy stated with a voice barely over a whisper.
Laxus eyes widened a bit, then he barked out a laugh. "You only now realize?" He asked mockingly. He rose from the armchair and walked to the girl. He had to give points to the princess for not backing away, especially when he stopped only inch or so from her, leaving hardly any space between their bodies. He had been sure that she would back away or at least avoid her gaze, but no. She hold her ground, eyes nailed to his. He could smell the fear, but the girl refused to give in. Not even when he was towering over her and he had to turn her head completely back to maintain the eye contact. Something about this...exited him. She was provoking him with this. It was like she was trying to challenge him. Laxus run his tongue over his canines and narrowed his eyes, before lowering his head down closer to Lucy's. "Wasn't that what you wanted?"
Lucy bit down on her tongue. She wanted to correct the man that what she had wanted was not an asshole, who trows his friends out of his house, but an intimidating person, who was able to make a grown man shiver in fear with a glance. These two were two different things, but they did walk hand in hand in many cases. She had hoped that Laxus wouldn't be like that. He was one of the Fairy Tail mages after all. Maybe she had been asking for too much...
If she only could, she might have actually followed after the Thunder God Tribe. But as long as the deal between the two of them was intact, she wouldn't be able to walk away from it. Deals were promises and promises were something Celestial ages never brake. And not like she would have time to find another person to help her in time, even if the deal would be broken. Asshole or not, she needed Laxus. With bitter expression, Lucy turned her gaze away from the man and took a submissive step back. To make sure Laxus wouldn't trow her out, she had to prevent herself from annoying him any more than what she already has.
Laxus stared her a moment, then with a disappointed click of a tongue stepped back himself. What had he expected really? The girl had done wisely, when she backed away, but for some reason it made her feel oddly frustrated. He didn't even realize that worst of his anger had eased. Clicking his tongue a second time, he walked past the girl. Right when he was passing her he unconsciously took a bit longer inhale through his nose, making her sweet scent tickle his nostrils.