Territorial, part 1:
This was requested by Shadowwolf1997
"Laxus…" Mirajane sighed, hands on her hips. "What are you doing?"
"Just training," Laxus answered, sending a blast of lighting to the top of a nearby tree, splitting a large branch in two.
"Training?" Mirajane arched an eyebrow.
"Yes."
"When our daughter's due to go on her first date any minute now?"
Laxus stopped mid spell, letting his lightning fizzle to a weak "pop."
"Well, I'm just-"
"Go inside," Mirajane ordered, stepping behind her husband, placing her hands on his back, and pushing him back towards their house. "Clean up, put on something decent, and BE NICE!"
"I just want the boy to know what he's dealing with," Laxus grumbled.
"You can do that without giving him a heart attack or being a jerk," Mirajane replied as they both made it back into the living room.
"Maybe that's what he needs," Laxus argued.
"Laxus-"
"So that he knows if he hurts Farrah-"
"She'll fry him long before you can get to him," Mirajane said, pushing Laxus down the hall and into their bedroom. "You taught her everything she knows, remember?"
"But not everything I know," Laxus said.
"Of course not, sweetie," Mirajane sighed, digging through their closet.
"What if something happens and she needs a spell I haven't taught her yet."
"What do you think is going to happen?" Mirajane asked, pulling a shirt and pair of pants out of the closet.
"I dunno! You know how teenage boys can be-"
"It's Benedict, Laxus," Mirajane sighed. "Do you really think he'd hurt her?"
"It's always the quiet ones you've got to look out for…"
"Stop worrying and put this one," Mirajane sighed, tossing him the outfit she'd pulled out to replace his workout clothes.
She shook her head in exasperation as she made her way out of the bedroom and down the hall. She knocked on Farrah's door.
"Who is it?" Farrah's nervous voice came from the otherside.
"Mama," Mirajane answered. "Can I come in?"
"Please! I need help!" Farrah answered.
Mirajane chuckled as she pushed the door open. Farrah stood in front of her mirror, still in a bathrobe, about a dozen outfits scattered about her.
"Uh-oh, don't know what to wear?" Mirajane asked.
"No!" Farrah answered. "Are you supposed to wear heels on a first date, or is that like a fifth date thing?"
"Heels?" Mirajane giggled. "Farrah, you're going to an arcade, not a five star restaurant."
"I know!" Farrah grumbled. "I just…"
Mirajane giggled again as she began digging through the pile of clothes. "Let's see what we can find."
As Mirajane tried to piece an outfit together Cato walked by, a pair of magical headphones on that he quickly removed as he poked his head into his sister's room.
"Did your wardrobe explode?" he asked.
"Not helping!" Farrah hissed at him.
"Why are you even nervous?" Cato asked. "You're already an official couple, so what's the big deal?"
"It's our first official date!" Farrah replied.
"And?" Cato shrugged.
"If you're not gonna help, get out!" Farrah shouted at him.
"Okay, yeesh," Cato said, slipping back into the hall and putting his headphones back on. "Girls are so weird…"
Mirajane just shook her head and smiled as she pulled out a yellow sundress and a kimono style lace coverup.
"Let's try this," she said, passing the outfit to her daughter.
Farrah quickly got dressed as Mirajane fixed her hair into a long braid down her back. Farrah then put on a simple gold pendant necklace and small gold hoops. She'd just finished putting on a pair of brown flats when a knock came at the front door.
Farrah gasped as Mirajane's eyes raised, grinning in excitement for her daughter.
"Sounds like someone's prince charming is here," she cheered as Farrah did a small, happy dance, and the two women made their way into the living room.
Laxus had already answered the door, trying his best to be polite so as not to test Mira's wrath. Benedict still had a bit of an uneasy look on his face, though, understandably nervous around the guildmaster. The moment he saw Farrah, though, his nervousness left. His eyes grew wide and his mouth fell slightly opened.
"Wow," he whispered.
Farrah blushed as she smiled and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Hey."
"He-oh, yeah, hey," Benedict stuttered. "Wow, you're really pretty."
Farrah giggled. "Thank you. You look really nice, too."
"Oh, uh, thanks," Benedict said as he looked down at himself. It wasn't much. A nicer, blue button up and black dress slacks. He guessed he looked alright, but Farrah was an absolute vision.
"You look better, though."
Farrah giggled again.
"Well, at least he ain't blind," Laxus grumbled under his breath, prompting Mirajane to elbow him in the arm, shooting him a scowl before turning back to the teenager. She smiled brightly as she set a hand on both of their shoulders.
"Alright, you crazy kids go have fun," she said.
"But not too much fun!" Laxus added forcefully.
"Papa!" Farrah groaned as she and Benedict stepped out of the front door.
"Be back by eight!" Mirajane called after them, smiling and waving.
"Or else!" Laxus warned.
"Papa!" Farrah groaned again.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIII
"Just a fair warning, I'm a beast at this game," Farrah said as she and Benedict walked up to the lane of skee ball machines.
"Uh-huh," Benedict nodded, a smirk on his face as he pulled out the bag of tokens they'd purchased at the entrance of the arcade. "Well, don't expect me to go easy on you just because you're my girlfriend."
"You? Go easy on me? Ha!" Farrah laughed. "You should be asking me to go easy on you."
"Even if I did, which I won't, would you oblige?"
"Oblige? Getting all fancy on me!"
"I heard girls like fancy."
"Oh, you think so?"
"Well, do you? Is it working?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?"
"Uh-huh. Well, would you oblige me by going easy on me?"
"Nope!"
"Yeah, that's what I thought. So, no going easy on anyone. Let's just play," Benedict said, putting two tokens into two of the lanes and the two began their game. After a few moments the game ended, and Farrah began spinning around, hands raised in the air:
"I am the champion, my friends!"
Benedict smiled at his girlfriend as he slowly clapped. "Well, well, well, I suppose you are a beast at this game."
"Uh-huh," Farrah smiled. "Now the loser has to get the winner a soda."
"Hey! We didn't agree to those terms!"
"Sure we did. Just now."
"That's not how it works, Hon."
"Well, can you get me a soda anyways? I'm thirsty."
Benedict heaved a sigh as he rolled his eyes. Farrah waltzed to his side, leaning against his shoulder and batting her eyelashes.
"Pppplllleeeeaaaasssseee!"
"Fine," Benedict rolled his eyes again, though there was a smile on his lips. "I'll be right back."
Farrah smiled as she watched him walk off. This night was going great. She was having a blast, Benedict seemed to be having fun too, and it was nice to just spend some time with her boyfriend without worrying about anyone from the guild busting in on them.
Sadly, that did not mean they were entirely interruption free.
A whistle came from behind Farrah. She turned around to find a group of four boys, about her age, just leaving the hoop toss game. The leader of the group waltzed towards her, staring her up and down.
"Wow, what do we have here?" he asked, smiling lustfully at her.
"A taken woman," Farrah said, crossing her arms. "Now, buzz off."
"Oh, beautiful and sassy," the boy exclaimed, clearly not taking the hint. "I love it!"
"Yeah, well go love it from a distance," Farrah grumbled, turning and walking towards the concession stand, arms still crossed.
And things were going so well!
"Aw, come on, baby," the boy said, following after her, his three friends cheering him on from a few steps behind him. "Don't play hard to get."
"I'm not playing hard to get," Farrah answered. "Because I'm not to get. Because I've already been gotten. By someone else. Not gonna happen, pal, move along."
"Whatcha trying to say, doll?"
Farrah groaned, rolling her eyes. These guys couldn't take a hint if a detective drove it into his head with a sledgehammer.
"I have a boyfriend, now go away, PLEASE!" she shouted.
"Farrah?"
Farrah, the boy, and his friends all turned to find Benedict walking towards them, two cups of soda in his hands.
Farrah smiled as she skipped to his side, set her arms around his neck, and kissed his cheek. Maybe an actual, visual demonstration would get the message across to these clowns.
"Hey, babe," she said brightly.
"Farrah, are these guys bothering you?" Benedict asked, narrowing his eyes at the boys.
"Just a smidge, but I think we finally came to an understanding," Farrah answered.
"Oh, really?" Benedict turned back to the boys, eyes narrowing.
Farrah tried to ignore the crowd of clowns as she took her drink from Benedict and took a sip.
"Thanks, babe," she said, pecking his cheek again. "C'mon, let's go play that new racing game they just got."
She took Benedict by the hand and dragged him off. Benedict shot the boys one last glare before following after his girlfriend.
"Where are we going?" he asked, having been too focused on the punks earlier to listen.
"The new racing game."
"Uh, Farrah, won't that make you sick?" Benedict asked.
"It's not actually moving, it just looks like it. So it should be fine. Right?"
Wrong.
Very wrong.
Only thirty seconds into the game Farrah started going cross eyes and her stomach began to churn.
"That's what I thought," Benedict sighed, hopping from his seat and slipping his arms around his girlfriend. "C'mon, let's go find a place to sit for a while."
He picked her up and carried her away from the game, causing Farrah to chuckle slightly.
"My, my. Such a muscular gentleman you are, Sir Benedict," she smirked, despite her stomach still doing loopy-dee-loos inside her.
"I thought transportation made you motion sick, not loopy," Benedict retorted, a small smirk on his face.
"It's not just any man who can carry a dragon," Farrah continued, ignoring his earlier comment.
"Slayer. You're a dragon slayer, not a dragon."
"That's what you think," Farrah replied.
"Okay, you're losing it."
"I had to have had it before in order to lose it," Farrah chuckled.
Benedict snickered, before replying, "You said it, not me."
Farrah gasped, trying to sound offended. "Ben!"
"What?"
"You're supposed to be nice to me!"
"I am. I'm not the one who said it, you did. I'm just stating a fact."
"That's not what you meant though."
"And how do you know what I meant?"
"Because I'm a mind reader."
"Oh, you are?"
"Uh-huh. All women secretly are."
"Y'know what, I'd believe that."
Farrah giggled as she and Benedict finally reached a table and he set her down in a chair.
"Feeling better?" he asked.
"Getting there, just give me a moment," Farrah replied, setting a hand on her stomach and leaning her head on the table. Benedict scooted closer to her, rubbing circles along her back.
"Would some water help?" he asked.
"Maybe?" Farrah shrugged.
"Okay, I'll be right back," Benedict patted her back before standing to get some water.
Farrah grumbled to herself, crossing both arms over her stomach.
"...pretty girl with the red braid…"
Farrah frowned. Was someone talking about her? She turned her head, still keeping her forehead pressed against the table. She saw the same group of boys from earlier gathered around a shooting game. Had it not been for her dragon slayer senses she wouldn't have been able to hear what they were saying. But she could, so she decided to listen in.
In hindsight that probably wasn't a good idea, because what she heard put her quite off.
"C'mon, bro, she's not even worth it. Did Ya see how she blew you off. Psh!"
Farrah rolled her eyes. Geez, was he still upset? They didn't even know each other. Why was he getting mad? Even if she wasn't already taken it wasn't like he stood a chance anyways.
"Yeah, but did you see what she blew me off for?"
Farrah lifted her head at this. He better not…
"Just goes to show she has no taste and ain't worth it," one of the punk's buddies stated.
"Pfft. Blew off a bonafide boss like me for a skinny punk like that. Walking around here like a stick of salami."
Salami? Farrah squeezed her hands into fists. That better not have been about what she thought it was…
The boys all laughed as their leader continued.
"Did you see that mess he's got on his neck. Looks like a slice of salami stapled to his skin. That's nasty, bro."
Farrah stood to her feet and stormed towards the four punks, fists clenched, eyes narrow. They did NOT just go there! They did NOT just make fun of Benedict's scars!
They had no idea what he'd been through. The absolute, excruciating pain he'd endured while getting those scars, both physically and emotionally. They had no right to talk about him like that and she was NOT going to let them get away with-
"Oh, guess you're feeling better."
Farrah stopped on her warpath as Benedict ran to her, a bottle of water in his hand. He unscrewed the top and passed it to her.
"Still got this if you want some," he said.
"Thanks," Farrah muttered, taking the bottle from him and taking a sip.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Benedict asked.
"Nothing," Farrah grumbled, screwing the top back on the bottle, eyes still narrowed at the boys.
"No, you look angry. What happened?" Benedict asked, setting his hands on Farrah's shoulders.
Farrah opened her mouth to say something, but stopped when the punks began talking again.
"Just makes no sense. I slice of salami next to a beautifully decorated, double-decker cake, y'know what I'm saying?"
"Yeah, and you're just pissed because you can't get a slice of that cake, aren't you?"
"Man, I don't even need a full slice right now. Just a little bit of the icing. But tonight…"
They all began to chuckle.
"But no, salami boy had to get in the way!"
Farrah gritted her teeth, taking a step to go puch the boy's lights out, and then something happened that she wasn't expecting.
"Thunder Blast," Benedict said in an almost deadpanned voice that was just ever so subtly laced with rage.
A cracking boom of sound exploded from in front of the shooting game the boys were playing at, sending them flying backwards.
Farrah just stared as Benedict walked to where the boys collapsed against the ground and snapped his fingers.
A cloud of screeching, squealing, cutting sounds surrounded their heads, causing them to yelp and cry out in pain.
"It's like nails on a chalkboard! But worse!"
"AUGH! Make it stop!"
"I think my ears are bleeding!"
Benedict snapped his fingers again and the attack stopped.
The four boys just painted from where they were curled up in small balls on the ground.
"Feeling a little puny?" Benedict asked.
The leader of the group looked up at him and frowned. "Oh, salami-skin-kid."
Farrah gritted her teeth again.
"Wanna try repeating what you said about my girlfriend just then?" Benedict challenged. His voice, again, was seemingly deadpanned, but there was just enough bite to it to give anyone pause.
Well, anyone who had common sense, which these boys clearly did not.
"All I said is that I wanted a little slice of-AUGH!"
The punk and his friend cried out in pain as their ears were assaulted by Benedict's attack again.
"Yeah, that's what I thought you said," Benedict muttered.
"WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON HERE!?" a very angry manager thundered as he walked out from the backroom of the arcade. Benedict just turned to him, eyes wide.
"Uh…"
"Crap, let's go!" Farrah shouted, grabbing his arm and running to the front door.
"Hey, you two thugs get back here!" the manager yelled after them as he tried to catch them, but to no avail.
Benedict and Farrah stumbled out the front door. They turned to find they were still being chased, and took off running again.
"Go, go, go!" Benedict said, pushing his girlfriend slightly ahead of him. Farrah squealed from half-fear, half-fun as she took his hand in herse and they both ran away. It didn't take them long to lose the manager, but they kept running anyway, turning several corners and clearing several blocks before finding a pile of crates to jump behind. Both teenagers poke their heads above the crates, gasping for air.
"I think we lost him," Farrah whispered.
"Good," Benedict sighed.
The two turned to each other, stared, and then burst out laughing. Benedict reached over, still chuckling, and set a hand on the side of Farrah's face.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"ME!?" Farrah exclaimed. "I'm not the one who was getting bullied."
"Bullied?" Benedict asked, arching an eyebrow.
Farrah's brow furrowed. "Isn't' that why you fought them?"
"No," Benedict answered. "I attacked them because of what they said about you."
"Me?"
"Yeah!" Benedict exclaimed, his frown returning. "Talking like you was just some prize they could pick up at a buffet. Please!"
Benedict's eyes suddenly widened and he turned back to her. "They didn't try and do anything to you while I was gone, right?"
"No," Farrah answered, a smile creeping on her face.
"Good," Benedict sighed in relief.
Farrah giggled. "Aw, is someone jealous?"
"No," Benedict's brow furrowed.
"No?" Farrah bumped him with her shoulder. "You're not jealous that other boys want to have me."
"No, I'm not," Benedict answered. "I'm territorial."
"What's the difference?" Farrah snorted.
"Jealous means you want something that's not yours," Benedict explained. "Territorial…"
He suddenly leaned forward, setting an around Farrah's back, pulling her close as his nose touched hers.
"Territorial means you protect what's yours."
"Hm," Farrah sighed, heart fluttering at the intense stare Benedict was giving her. He lips curled into a smile.
"I guess you're expecting a kiss after that?" she asked.
"It'd be nice," Benedict admitted.
"Well…" Farrah set a hand on both sides of Benedict's face. Benedict closed his eyes, leaning forward, and then nearly stumbled to the ground when Farrah suddenly jumped to her feet and took off.
"You'll have to come get it!" she called over her shoulder to him as she ran down the street.
"Not fair!" Benedict yelled as he chased after her, causing her to laugh. It didn't take him long to catch up with her, wrapping both arms around her waist from behind, lifting her up, and spinning her around.
Farrah laughed as he spun her in a circle. He soon set her down. She turned, smiling, and wrapped her arms around his neck. He set his hands on her back as they leaned closer and kissed.
"So, now what?" Farrah asked.
"I don't know," Benedict shrugged. "I've got about an hour before I'm supposed to bring you home. What do you want to do?"
"Hm…" Farrah thought for a moment. "Bowling?"
"We're going from an arcade...to bowling."
"Yeah."
"Bowling just one giant skee ball lane. It's an arcade without the variety."
"Well, you trashed the arcade, so there goes our chance at variety."
"Yeah...I guess I overdid it…"
"Well, I've got no stones to throw in that regard," Farrah shrugged.
"No, you do not."
"Rude!"
"You said it first!"