Chapter 17: Lessons in Love
Mira's footsteps stomped across the burgundy tile into the kitchen as she dragged her struggling cousin-in-law.
"Hold up?!" Lucy shouted, but Mira merely tightened her grasp. Casting a glance around the room to make sure nobody was around, she quickly closed the door. The pair were alone except for the snacks on the counter, and the turnips cooking low on the wooden stove. The ladies in the party room down the hall were being loud enough to mask any noise from the kitchen. With a sigh, Mira shifted her attention toward her prey with a serious expression. The other girl was wringing her hands, not in stress, but in an attempt to massage circulation back into them from Mira's grip.
"Lucy, Do you know why we support this fake engagement? And by 'we' I mean Levy and I."
Hesitant to reply, the smaller lady murmured, "Uh. No?"
"It is because opportunity doesn't come riding a blue horse every day."
Confused, Lucy echoed, "Opportunity doesn't what?"
"I think you should marry Natsu. Please don't shriek."
Mira huffed when the girl's lips parted to do exactly what she said not to. Mira's hands covered Lucy's mouth before she uttered a sound. She pleaded, "Now hear me out. I truly believe you won't be disappointed. Promise me you won't say anything until the end. Unless you need clarification."
The white haired girl removed her hands so that the other could finally talk.
Lucy placed her fists on her hips with a frown. Mira almost laughed as Lucy growled through clenched teeth, "No I won't promise anything. What?! We don't love each other? We barely can stand each other. Why would you even consider?"
"Now before you go getting angry. Let me finish." Mira's eyes flashed dangerously causing the blonde to gulp instantly terrified. Even pregnant, Mira would still stomp Lucy's ass. That was something Lucy respected about her and wished she had. Aquarius had it too, the aura that made anyone take two steps back.
"I think you two have a sound foundation. This budding friendship with hints of romance. At the very least try to build a relationship with him. Something tangible that could lead to a more permanent partnership."
Lucy stared at her while inside she struggled trying to make sense of it all. It was so overwhelming, "Why are you telling me this now?"
"Because you are about to blow a gasket in front of all these girls. Cana was the one who suggested this and she said these words to me, 'Mira I never thought I would see the day that lil Lucy would be interested in a man. I am glad that she found someone to make her happy.' That spoke to me, and I have been watching you."
"Watching me?"
"Lucy, you have lightened up like a firefly since he has been here. Sure, you are stressed, but you were stressed before he came. You seek his company to play and you blush when he is close. When you don't know something, you no longer ask me or Levy, you go to him. The men here in town started courting you as soon as you settled in, a beautiful single, rich female. You brush them aside. Two years of every single bachelor in this county coming to see you. Not one got you to look at them. What few that you still are friendly with would not have you now because of Phantom S. Nobody here who would want to make Phantom S their enemy. "
The young woman was stunned at Mira's words. Turning to the stove, she tried to hide a tear. "I didn't know I was so obvious. What if you are wrong? Maybe I don't want marriage. That's why I left home. My dad forcing me to merge with someone I barely knew. Maybe it isn't my thing? And I want to be a strong independent female." Her voice did not break, to which she was grateful.
Mira gave a penetrating blue eye stare to Lucy's back, "That is a wonderful goal, Lucy. If it alone would make you happy, but I know you are a romantic and secretly want a husband, a partner. You have too much inside you needing to be shared with someone. The people here can only appreciate so much. I see you reading those dime novels. And you can be a strong independent lady and find a partner. Actually it is better to know yourself first before you try to deal with someone else in your life. The only problem is that you don't work toward finding anyone. Instead of going to parties, you are stuck here running a ranch. You close yourself off. Now when someone interests you, you attribute it to friendship. Our culture constrains us because we are female. There is merit in staying home and tending to your family. People talk about women dirty when they see them 'chase a man.' Assuming we are hoes because of our gender. But what I worry about you, Lucy is depression. From isolation. From stress. You were lonely before coming here and even now, surrounded by friends, you are still lonely. It is time to say 'enough.' Life will go on whether you are proactive or reactive to it. Grasp life by the reigns and make your own story instead of reading about the adventures of others."
"But Natsu? We barely can stand each other." Lucy tried to argue again.
"What I see is two lonely people who like each other's company. Sure, you two fight, but it is nothing serious. People marry for a lot less. The very same man you were supposed to come to Alvarez to marry might I add. It wasn't him but his brother that sent that money. So maybe he wasn't looking for a wife. You aren't truly looking for a husband. Maybe fate brought you together."
"Fate is for the people who don't control their lives," Lucy snorted. "He's a loner. A nomad. It would never work out. I need someone stable to help run the ranch."
"He knows about a ranch. You see how he helps around here. We don't necessarily need him to stay all the time. He could still go do his ranger stuff. It's not exactly ideal time to be having another child although I do mention other babies a lot." Mira patted her stomach with a smile.
"That's dangerous though. He could be killed!"
"See you already worry about him."
Lucy sputtered, her anger spiking, "That's not something to base marriage off of. And he's a friend, so I would naturally worry about him."
"But when he leaves. He will leave. You will never see him again. And he has a dangerous profession. So there is no point worrying about if he would live or die."
Mira saw whiteness creep into Lucy's face as if she had seen a ghost. Secretly, she screamed in happiness, knowing Lucy was finally realizing that her life would go back to being normal when Natsu left.
"Besides you could leave with Natsu. Why do you have to stay here with us? We have Sting now along with Elfman and Jellal. I have Levy to help after the baby is born. Plus there is nothing wrong with Laxus's mind to tell us how to run this place. You could go with him." Deciding to nail the idea home, Mira added, "If I can't win you over by showing you how compatible you two are. He is a famous ranger. The status alone would cause the Phantom S Ranch to not attack us."
"That's like turning it into a business deal. Offering marriage as a negotiation factor to a rival is something my dad would do."
Ooops. Great going Mirajane.
Lucy didn't seem to be in the mood to continue the conversation. She made a move to exit the kitchen, "I want a husband to stay with me. I want a man to chase me, not the other way around." Tears threatened to fall. "And Natsu doesn't court me. This will just be forcing him into something he does not want. And he will leave. Instead of being lonely and single, I will be a lonely house wife."
"I know you want those things baby." Mira hugged Lucy, kissing her forehead. They stayed like that for a moment before breaking apart. Lucy was close to crying so Mira continued,"But sometimes men don't pick up on these things. Give him a reason to stay. Remember you shot Happy? But now he's your friend because of what an amazing person you are. So why don't you let him know you are interested? It can be subtle. A hand touch here. A hug there. And I am sure that if he knows you want those things, he will give them to you."
Lucy gave a slight pat to signal she understood before pulling away toward the door. Mira saw her hand freeze as the blonde began to reach toward the handle. The blonde closed her fingers a few times before turning. Brown eyes met her as Lucy asked, "What about Natsu? He doesn't get a say in this argument? He's not even trying to court me. I'm not wife material for someone like him. He just thinks of me as a friend."
"I am not sure of his feelings because I am not in his head." Mira smiled before adding, "I do know what I see. He has been using his title of 'fiance' to feel your body lately." Lucy turned bright red at statement. "That definitely suggests he's interested. Plus I don't see Natsu as the type of guy to court a girl normally if he is interested. He's too childish. Just think about it. Bringing flowers? Taking her out on a night in the town? No. " She quized seeing the Lucy's doubtful expression, "He's a good man. If he knew you wanted that, he would do it. A little rough around the edges. There is a darkness in his eyes from something, but he doesn't let it control him. And Lucy don't sell yourself short. You are beautiful, smart, funny, the complete package. Plus with your stamina, you could ride that body of his for da…."
"Mira?!"
"What?! I checked the merchandise. Definitely grade A prime meat on that one. Now not in the same tier as Laxus, clearly, but for you that's plenty."
"Now the moment is totally ruined!" Lucy complained hotly, folding her arms across her bosom. Mira had the oddest sense of humor at times. Lucy couldn't help feeling that all this conversation boiled down to was Mira's hormones activating her matchmaking tendencies.
Mirajane laughed at Lucy's pouting, unaware of the inner turmoil conflicting Lucy's opinion on Mira's words. Suddenly, an ideas struck her, and Mira grabbed Lucy. Shaking her, she asked, "Do you realize that Laxus never officially courted me?"
"Uh?"
Mira began to drag Lucy again who had the urge to whack Mira's hands. Seriously, people were dolls to be moved around for Mirajane's amusements. She sighed, "Where are you taking me now?"
"You were here when I started coming around and you saw our relationship once he was arrested. But do you know why we love each other now?"
"No."
"That's why you need to know the full story."
"Now?! But we have guests! Couldn't this have been done last week or maybe tomorrow?!"
"'They can manage. Levy is with them. No time like the present!"
"But Cana will drink all our alcohol!"
Dashing up the stairs and down the hall, Lucy almost fell. She was ecstatic when Mira finally reached her destination, her bedroom door. With a knock, she asked if her and Lucy could enter. There was silence before Laxus answered sleepily.
Lucy curtsied at his bedside and apologized for waking him, " We don't mean to interrupt your nap, but Mira has this foolish matchmaking notion stuck in her head. And you know she isn't exactly subtle."
"Oh?" Laxus turned his head to his wife as she sat down on the side of the bed. They stared into each other's eyes for a second longer than normal. Her hand traced the sheets seeking his. Instead he cupped the side of her face with his other hand then began to comb her bangs.
"Laxus do you remember when we met?" Mira asked quietly. Love adorned her eyes. At first he did not have any reaction to her question, Lucy watched him continue to thread Mira's hair threw his fingers. She didn't have the faintest idea why this was so important now. Perhaps he was too sleepy to answer? Finally after his ministrations, the man sat up higher in bed with a cough. Mira reached out to steady him but he shrugged it off. Reaching for his his wife's hand when he was comfortable.
"Well I don't promise this will be interesting."
Laxus's POV
"What the?" Laxus asked irritably as a figure smacked right into him. He had just stepped into the town's intersection, leaving the bank and heading toward the mercantile,. Adding a"Watch where you are going," he shoved the small teenager away.
She snapped right back, "Why don't you watch where you are going?"
The blonde boy eyed the pretty girl glaring at him. Her hands clenched at her hips and she practically glowed red in anger. He wanted to growl back but she had the prettiest blue eyes like an afternoon sky so he didn't. Her long white hair was pulled back behind her head and she had the most atrocious black outfit..
"Those clothes are atrocious." He said without thinking, "You should change."
"I beg your pardon?" The girl silently fuming at the arrogant, rude boy. Her body twitched to jump him, but she was a lady now. And it was the middle of the street. Girls did not brawl with males in the center of town.
"You heard me. Now why don't you run along. And go play house somewhere."
Laxus began to walk forward when the girl blocked his path. "What is your name?" she asked.
"Laxus. Laxus Dreyar."
"Thank you. I appreciate knowing the man I will forever hate."
Next chapter: Three White Roses
Thanks for your reviews
sarah1.8 - guest - thecagedsong - Persians - lishagirl - J Luc Pitard
This chapter has the beginning of Laxus and Mira's story. Next chapter continues that love story. Will Lucy learn from their mistakes? Then two chapters from now we will get back to Natsu and Lucy setting up a rather shocking twist that you will never guess.