Happy Friday! This is probably my favorite chapter in the entire story. It's also the second-to-last, so we've just got next week left.

- K. Chandler

Rain tapped against Mira's window. Lightning flashed, momentarily bathing the room in light.

Mira had been lying in bed for hours, but sleep was evasive tonight. Her mind whirred with thoughts of a certain Lightning Dragon-Slayer.

Laxus was home. He finally had come back to them. The boy she had fallen in love with had grown to be a man she could be proud of.

And that meant that everything should have been okay.

Everything should have been okay, but it wasn't. It should have been the same, but it was different. Why was it different?

Mira could still remember the first time. The night he told her he loved her. It had been raining that night too.

The rain was cold against her bare skin, running in rivulets down her arms and bare back. Her soaking hair clung to her face.

She was bone tired and soaked to the bone, but she was pleased. This was probably her hardest solo job yet, but she had done it.

Flinging the doors of the guild open, Mira marched into the Fairy Tail Guild Hall triumphantly.

"Guess who's back, guys?" she purred.

"Mira!" cried Lisanna, bounding up to her with energy that only the young and innocent could have. "How was your job? Did you get the bad guys?"

Mira ruffled her sister's hair gently. "You bet I did," she said, grinning. "All seven of them. Caught the counterfeiters before they got away. No sweat!"

"That's my sister!" cheered Lisanna.

"That was reckless, sis," complained Elfman quietly.

"Nothing to worry about."

"You're right," agreed Erza. "There were only seven of them. You're losing your touch, sweetie," she said loftily.

"Back off, Cake-face," snapped Mira, glaring at her rival from across the room.

"Crazy goth," hissed Erza, returning the hostile stare levelly.

"Would you two give it a rest already?" sighed Cana, shuffling her cards idly. "Clothes, Gray," she added, shooting a glare at her friend across the room.

"Aw, crap!" Gray scrambled to collect his shirt and pants.

Erza gave an unladylike snort before schooling her features back to politeness. "Fine," she said primly. "I'll give you a pass today, but only since you just got back. It would be unsportsmanlike to take a crack at you when you look like something the cat dragged in."

"Asking for a rain check?" asked Mira. "Or are you just scared?"

"Don't tempt me, Mira. You only get one free pass," retorted Erza, turning away stiffly.

Mira scoffed loudly, but she didn't challenge her rival. She was too proud to admit it, but if she were being completely honest with herself, she was too tired to brawl with the Requip mage tonight.

"Are you ready to go home, sis?" asked Lisanna eagerly.

"It's still raining really hard, but I've brought the big umbrella, so we can all fit under it," said Elfman.

"Actually, do you guys want to go on ahead?" asked Mira. "There are a couple things I need to take care of before heading back."

"But I only brought one umbrella," protested Elfman.

"More room for both of you," said Mira.

"You're going to get wet!"

"I'm already wet," she pointed out cheekily. "It's fine. It's not like I'm going to wash away."

"If you say so…" he muttered.

"I'll make you a deal," she said, putting her hands on her brother's shoulders. "Go on home and help Lisanna with her homework. If you're good, we can watch a movie before bed."

Lisanna's eyes sparkled at that proposal. "Come on, big brother," she said, tugging at Elfman's sleeve. "We need to go now," she said. "I want to watch that new movie lacrima we bought last week."

"That chick flick?" Elfman made a face, stopping when Lisanna stuck out her tongue at him. "All right, all right. Geez…" mumbled Elfman. "You're sure you're going to be okay?"

"Would you get going?" asked Mira impatiently. There was one more person she wanted to talk to tonight, and she couldn't do it with the little ones watching.

Elfman nodded, taking Lisanna's hand in one hand and holding the umbrella in the other.

Mira waited until her siblings were safely out of sight before settling at the bar. Even though she hadn't seen him yet, she knew that he was supposed to be working the bar tonight. But, strangely enough, the bar seemed to be deserted. But that was impossible with a guild like this one. Fairy Tail lived off its alcohol.

Maybe he was just in the back.

Mira took a seat, propping her head in her hands. She let her exhaustion wash over her. Despite her bragging, she was cold, wet, tired and hungry.

She jumped when a steaming mug was set in front of her.

"Lax!" she cried, her head snapping up.

"Hey." That was all he said. Then he grabbed a rag to wipe down the bar.

Mira pulled the drink towards her, eying the golden liquid suspiciously. "What's this?"

"Cider. I warmed it up in the back when I saw you coming," he said with a shrug.

Mira took a careful sip. "It's good," she said. The thoughtfulness of his gesture touched her.

Laxus just shrugged, continuing to clean the counter. "It's the same as it ever was," he said.

Mira didn't press the issue. Laxus obviously didn't want to talk about it.

"When do you get off?" she asked instead.

"As soon as I'm done cleaning up," he said. "I'll walk you home if you want to wait for me."

"How long?" she asked.

"Twenty minutes," he said. "Fifteen, if I'm quick about it."

"I can wait," said Mira.

"Great."

"Hey, Laxus! Can I get another beer over here?" called Macao.

"No, because I cut you off an hour ago. Or have you forgotten?" he snapped.

"That was an hour ago!" said Macao. "I think I'm good for another now."

Laxus swore under his breath. "Might be a little longer if these guys insist on being idiots," he said.

"Want me to beat them for you?" suggested Mira wickedly.

"Don't even," said Laxus. "That'll just be more mess for me to clean up."

"Don't say I didn't offer," said Mira, smirking.

It took a little bit of doing, and more patience than Mira would have given him credit for, but Laxus finally managed to close the bar for the evening.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"Born ready."

Laxus frowned. "Sounds like it's still pouring out. I didn't bring an umbrella or anything."

"Underprepared!" she teased, smacking him in the arm, mildly surprised when her fist collided with corded sinew. Had he always been so toned? "It's fine. I don't really care," she said, leading them into the storm. Rain trailed down her arms and down her back.

Out of sight of the others, Laxus slipped an arm around Mira's bare shoulders.

It wasn't a secret, exactly. It wasn't like they were sneaking around or anything. But they weren't dating exactly, either. Mira wasn't sure what to call it. But whatever it was, she and Laxus had been not secretly not dating for nearly four months now.

The warmth of his touch on her icy skin made her shiver.

"Someone's clingy today…" she observed, grinning. She pressed closer against his side.

"What do you want? I missed you," he said.

"You did?" she mumbled. The candor of his words made her breath catch.

"Isn't that what I just said?" he asked, looking away.

"Say it again," she commanded.

"What? No!"

"Come on, Lax." She grinned. He was such fun to tease!

"I… Mira!" complained Laxus.

"I wanna hear it."

Laxus stopped suddenly, turning turned to face her. Lightning illuminated his profile. Mira could see the look of determination in his green eyes. Rain clung to his skin.

"Okay," he said. He draped his arms around her awkwardly, squeezing her around the shoulders. "I… I love you," he whispered roughly.

Mira froze, her pulse racing and her face hot despite the icy rain that fell. That wasn't what she had been expecting.

Then came the clap of thunder.

Laxus' eyes never left her face as he bent towards her.

He was close. So close.

Suddenly, he veered, brushing his warm lips against her wet cheek tentatively before pulling away.

Mira blinked, startled. Without thinking, she jolted up on her toes, closing the distance between them. Her hands clasped the back of his neck.

She barely registered the stunned look on Laxus' face as she pressed her lips to his.

This was bold, even for her. She wasn't quite sure what she was doing. All she knew was the adrenal buzz of his touch as she kissed him. Mira's eyes drifted shut, her fingers tangled in his short, wet hair.

And he kissed her back. His hands found their place, one at the small of her back, the other grazing her cheek, her arm, her left shoulder blade.

"That's how it's done," she said, breathless and dizzy when the need for air finally broke them apart.

Face still inches away from hers, Laxus was gasping just as hard. Rain beaded at his forehead and trailed down his nose. His broad chest heaved as he tried to get his breathing under control.

"I love you, Mirajane," he whispered.

Mira could see a flicker of something in Laxus' eyes. A spark that she couldn't quite identify. And she liked it. She liked knowing that she was the one who put it there.

But she couldn't stay smug, her fingers rising to brush against her own lips. They still buzzed from his touch.

Like lightning…

Mira would never forget that night. Laxus had been her first love. Her first kiss.

Could he have forgotten so easily? She couldn't.

She longed for things to go back to the way they were. For him to be hers.

Those were still the things that she loved about him now. His scent. The sound of his voice. His arms around her. A kiss that lingered on her neck.

What she wouldn't give to hear those words again.

What she wouldn't do to have those things back.

When she had seen him earlier, she had seen a flicker of that old spark in his eyes. But it had dulled as quickly as it came.

Mira longed for things to go back to the way they were before. Part of her knew it was a fool's hope. Laxus hadn't looked at her like that for who knows how long. Certainly not since they'd returned from Tenrou. And not for a while before that.

Mira rolled over in bed, her chest aching. It had been years since he'd been hers.

Maybe she was a fool, but she just couldn't stop hoping.

And this is why Mira's stuck. Poor dear.

Is this the first kiss-scene that I've done for Mazeverse? It's far from the last, let me assure you! :)

As for what comes next? Well, I promised angst, didn't I? If you've read other Miraxus interactions in Mazeverse, you'll probably know where I'm going with this.

Next time, in the final chapter of [Mazeverse] Can't Catch Lightning, final thoughts from Laxus: Letting go of Mira was the hardest thing of all.

Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.