Just so no one gets confused, this chapter isn't in a POV, because there was too much going on for me to write it from one person's POV! I'll revert to the old style next chapter!
xxXXxx
After throwing a few frustrated punches into his office wall, Laxus returned to his seat at the bar.
Maybe she'll show up today… he thought to himself disheartenedly. Mira tried making casual conversation that he pointedly ignored, his senses entirely trained on the guild doors. Part of him wanted to go back to his office and stay there, without care for if she showed up or not. But Laxus couldn't lie to himself. He fucking loved her, and though his heart was crumbling, picturing another man in her bed, Laxus refused to lose hope that she would come back to him. She loved him too.
As the seconds ticked by, Laxus grew increasingly morose. He sensed Natsu watching him, and he knew that pinkette was waiting for him to get up and try going to Lucy once more. Natsu didn't need to worry. Laxus had no intention of potentially walking in on the bastard fucking his girl.
God, I want to kill him, Laxus growled internally.
Suddenly, he got a faint whiff of Lucy. It was subtle, but it was there. Natsu must have smelled it too, because his eyes jerked up to the guild door at the same moment that Laxus's had.
In a second, Laxus was out of his seat, making a beeline for the doors. He stepped out onto the street, looking around for a blonde head. He couldn't see Lucy anywhere. With the exception of a couple townspeople walking away and Gildarts walking towards the guild, the street was empty.
Laxus sighed resignedly and turned to go back, when something clicked. He snapped his gaze back to Gildarts again. The closer the Crash Mage got, the more intense Lucy's smell became. And his shirt. Laxus has seen that shirt before. On Lucy. Laxus inhaled deeply, and the scent wafting off of Gildarts was unmistakably the same scent that clung to Lucy occasionally. Rage boiled over inside Laxus.
"You," he spat.
"You need to be more clear, man," Gildarts said casually, trying to walk around the blond dragon slayer. The older man was pissed that he had to see Laxus's face, but Gildarts knew that he couldn't hit him, even though he desperately wanted to. Instead, Gildarts settled for roughly pushing past Laxus, wanting to leave the scene before he did something stupid like pummel the blond.
"You know what I'm fucking talking about," Laxus hissed. Gildarts pushing him really made him mad. He grabbed Gildarts's shoulder and pushed him back.
"I don't fucking know what you're talking about, and you better not touch me again," Gildarts threatened.
"Like how your touching my fucking girl?" Laxus roared.
Natsu ran up to the pair and tried to seperate them.
"Get away, kid," Gildarts gritted. Natsu tried once more to pull them apart, but a glare from Gildarts sent him running indoors to call for backup.
"This is about Lucy, then?" Gildarts asked, his voice suspiciously cool.
"You're the bastard sleeping with my chick," Laxus growled.
Gildarts let out a short laugh. "Your chick? No, buddy, she isn't yours. Now go back inside like a good boy, and let me pass. Lucy is waiting in bed for me," Gildarts smiled cruelly.
Laxus laughed humorlessly.
"Fuck this shit," he whispered before pulling back and throwing a fist into Gildarts's face.
"I thought I told you to not fucking touch me," Gildarts said quietly. "Don't pick a fight with me, Laxus. You won't win. And I'm not going to hit you, because for some goddamn reason, Lucy cares for your sorry ass."
"You scared that Lucy'll leave you after I beat you into the ground?" Laxus said casually, but his body trembled with anger.
"She's not leaving me."
"Like hell she isn't. Fucking couldn't find someone your own damn age, you had to pick up Lucy?"
"Laxus, I'm dead serious. Walk away now, no one has to get hurt." Gildarts was beginning to lose his temper.
"That ship fucking sailed when you stuck your old cock into my girl's pussy," Laxus said venemously.
"She's. Not. Your. Girl." Gildarts enunciated, magic power rolling off of him in waves.
"You sick bastard. You traitorous bloody asshole. You even knew how I felt about her," Laxus laughed shakily. "I fucking told you how much I cared for her. I told you she's my mate!" Laxus yelled.
"Fucking hell, Laxus! You and I both know she's not your mate, so fucking drop it," Gildarts shouted back.
Laxus took another swing, hitting Gildarts in the jaw.
"I don't have time for your crap," Gildarts mumbled before throwing his fist into Laxus's face. Laxus staggered back several steps, before charging up to Gildarts, landing a solid punch to the older man's temple. Gildarts lost his footing and fumbled, allowing Laxus to hit him again. With lightning fast movement, Gildarts recovered and punched Laxus in the stomach, sending him hurtling into the guild wall.
A section of the stone broke away as Laxus fell into it.
By this time, Natsu had gathered a crowd. He once again tried pushing his way into the fight.
"Natsu! Don't. Go to Lucy, make sure she doesn't come here. One of us will come get you once we've sorted this shit out," Gajeel commanded. He'd caught enough of the conversation to know exactly what was going on.
By this point, more sections of the wall were broken, and there was a sizable hole in the street from where Laxus had electrocuted Gildarts into the ground.
Erza quickly surveyed the scene. "Freed, set up enchantments to make sure no buildings get damaged. Someone, find Mira and Cana. We may need their help stopping this. Gajeel, watch Laxus. Gray, you're with me. We need to get Gildarts off of him," she quickly delegated. She charged towards Gildarts who sent her flying back with a swish of his arm.
"Don't get involved, kid. This is between Laxus and I," he said, glaring at Laxus. The blond sent a streak of lightning towards Gildarts, who quickly dodged it before sending a pulse of energy towards Laxus that knocked him off his feet. Gildarts straddled him and punched him in the face.
"Tired yet? Give this up, Laxus, I don't want to fucking hurt you," Gildarts hissed.
"You don't even love her, you asshole," Laxus spat, pushing Gildarts off and throwing an elbow into his ribs. Both men were back on their feet, breathing heavily.
"What the fuck? Of course I fucking love her!" Gildarts exclaimed.
"No, you don't. Not like you loved Cornelia." Laxus huffed, shaking with fury.
Gildarts suddenly pulled out of his stance, standing straight as an arrow. His face was impassive, but the magic energy rolling off him had increased tenfold.
"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Gildarts's voice was deathly quiet.
"I'm fucking right, and you know it. Lucy will never be Cornelia. Stop trying to replace your dead fucking wife with my girl." Laxus knew he'd crossed a line, but the words wouldn't stop coming. "Lucy is my Cornelia. She's it for me. You had your shot with your dream girl and you fucked it up. Stop fucking up mine," Laxus continued to spit.
Despite Freed's enchantments, a few buildings started shaking, their walls now adorned with cracks.
"How dare you say her name?" Gildarts's voice still had no emotion.
"Stop lying to yourself, Gildarts. Lucy is not yours. We both know it. You're a temporary fling because you had your chance at love and you blew it. You blew it with Cornelia."
That was the final straw. Gildarts threw himself at Laxus, no longer holding back. Punch after punch rained down on Laxus, who was slammed into the guild wall. The stone was crumbling around him as Laxus tried hitting Gildarts. He even tried electrocuting Gildarts, but it only bought him a couple seconds. The older mage's anger was beyond compare.
Gildarts slammed his elbow into Laxus, who spun back, kicking Gildarts in the side. Gildarts grabbed Laxus by the collar, driving him into the ground. He relentlessly beat Laxus, who retaliated by throwing his knee into Gildarts's stomach.
"Just stop, Gildarts!" Laxus yelled, having stumbled a few steps back after Gildarts picked him up and shoved him against a streetlamp. "Lucy is my Cornelia! You will never love Lucy as much as I do, because you wasted all that love on a woman who left you! You fucking know I'm right! You won't ever love Lucy as much as you loved Cornelia, but I can!"
Gildarts roared and threw himself at Laxus. The force of his magic power coupled with his punch sent Laxus flying into a wall. Laxus teleported to right behind Gildarts, jabbing his elbow into the older man's shoulder.
Gildarts spun around, grabbing Laxus by the throat and pushing him into a wall.
"You know nothing about Cornelia, and you know nothing about Lucy either. Don't fucking tell me who I love," Gildarts hissed, slamming Laxus's head into the wall.
Laxus threw a fist into Gildarts's face, connecting satisfyingly with his nose. Gildarts kept Laxus pressed into the wall by pushing a forearm into his throat, while his free hand connectedly repeatedly with Laxus's face.
At some point, Laxus found his footing, hooking Gildarts in the chin. Gildarts dropped his arm and fell back. Laxus channeled lightning energy into his fist and hit Gildarts again.
"This needs to stop!" Erza roared. The two men brawling didn't hear her, but her guildmates did. Gildarts had punched Laxus in the head again, but Laxus recovered quickly, violently hitting Gildarts in the chest. The brief moment where Gildarts stumbled back and Laxus was left open was enough opportunity for their guild mates to quickly descend on them.
Elfman assumed his Beast Soul while Mira took over into Satan Soul, and the two of them caught Gildarts, restraining him. Gray froze Laxus's legs while Erza jumped onto his shoulders, weighing him down. Gajeel turned his arm into an iron club and heavily pushed down on Laxus until the blond man sank to the ground. Gildarts was struggling against the Strauss siblings' hold, and nearly broke free, until Cana ran up to stand in front of him.
"Gildarts," she commanded firmly. He immediately stopped struggling, letting Elfman pull him to the ground.
Gildarts looked around, noting the broken walls, wrecked street, and shattered street lamps. He then looked at Laxus. Gajeel was holding Laxus's arms, while Erza had his head in a griplock. Laxus was glaring at Gildarts, eyes still burning with fury. His lip was cut and his nose was bleeding. The start of a purple bruise was blooming on his eye and jaw. Blood ran down the side of his head.
Gildarts knew he probably looked as bad. He took a few moments to draw in deep breaths, before tapping Elfman's arms, asking to be released. Mirajane put her foot on his leg, looking at him suspiciously.
"I'm fine. I promise. Sorry, guys," Gildarts said ashamedly. "Sorry, Cana," he apologised, looking at his daughter who had only disappointment in her eyes.
Elfman and Mira let him up. He got up shakily, dusting himself off, before walking towards the guild doors.
"Have fun explaining this to Lucy," he said as he passed Laxus. Gildarts walked up the stairs and disappeared into his office.
Laxus snarled, which only made Gajeel tighten his hold.
"Deep breaths, man," he said kindly.
When Gajeel felt like Laxus was sufficiently calm, he let him go. Erza followed suit and helped Laxus to his feet.
"I'm going home. If Blondie comes by, tell her I don't want to see her yet," Laxus instructed generally before walking off.
The group stood around awkwardly, tension still palpable.
"I'll go talk to Master about the damages," Mira finally said after several minutes of silence.
"I guess I'll go find Lucy," Gray shrugged.
"I'll go check on my dad," Cana said, walking back inside.
"Freed, can you-" Erza began.
"I'm headed there now," Freed nodded, following Laxus's receding figure.
The group nodded to one another before dispersing.
A/N: The long awaited chapter! I know that it may not be as satisfying as you hoped, since we have been building up to this moment for so long that expectations and pressures were really high. But, I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless! I loved writing this chapter, because I had this scene all planned out from pretty much as soon as I developed a plot. I'd love to know what you thought about the fight! Do you think there are things I could have done differently? Looking forward to our thoughts!