His back was making him suffer, but he decided to ignore it. At least, he tried. He could simply not let himself get distracted by a wound as they where still inside the wall. Laxus could feel Mira's hands in his back and shoulder… so soft and considerate for the one that acted as a demon in his presence until then… another distraction he couldn't allow himself to have, remembered Laxus who tried as hard as he could to ignore the young woman and that stupid pain.

Focussing on the immediate situation, he scanned the room to make sure everyone had made it alive. In fact, he mostly wanted to make sure Evergreen was fine he was however relieved to see that neither of the ones on his side was lethally hurt. Even that pink haired flame brain would make it despite the wound at his head keeping him unconscious. Would have been better though if he could move on his own. With his sister still weakened, practically every one of them hurt, not considering the fact that the miniature copy of Mira didn't seem to know how to fight… they definitely weren't out of the woods yet, he thought annoyed.

He stood up, clenching his teeth as the movement enhanced his pain. Then he gave a last look of contempt to the bodies of the fallens who almost took a few lives in their ranks, the latter having gained back their human forms after their deaths. Two of them were unrecognizable due to the damage they got to the head. As for the third one, who probably had been beaten by flame brain, the wound that had been inflicted on him was at the neck and he could see his face. Honestly, Laxus didn't give a damn about what that bastard looked like. However, his look still stopped on the fallen's traits. He had seen this face at some point but where? The image of a campsite in the woods appeared his mind without even knowing why or what it meant… and a couple of additional faces including the one of the dead fallen. Then nothing. The image had disappeared as fast as it came.

"You're okay Laxus?" Asked Mira, the worried look she gave him even more intense.

"Yes" he simply let out.

"But…"

"We have to get out of here" he cut her out, knowing very well that she was about to insist.

He saw her clenching her fists, the young woman clearly holding back from hitting him. Rather than being mad at her reaction as he would usually do, seeing her like that made him chuckle. Definitely, and that despite her bloody arm she was holding in her other hand, she seemed always ready to keep her head high.

"You" he said pointing at the other Strauss "You can still carry her?"

The young man, already close to Evergreen nodded.

"What about Natsu?" asked Mira.

Laxus clenched once more his teeth. Mira may be strong, he didn't think she could carry someone like Natsu in her state. As for him, every single movement let hit hurting, even though he didn't let that show.

"I'll carry both of them" concluded Elfman who, except for Lisanna, was the least wounded one. "As a real man, I… Stop doing that!" He interrupted himself as Evergreen was hitting the back of his head.

"I'll stop when you'll stop babbling about men!"

Laxus stopped listening at that moment and readied himself to go. As he could understand once their infinite bickering ended, Evergreen felt well enough to walk, letting to Natsu her place. Finally in silence, they emerged out of the tunnel, occasionally making detours based on Lisanna's feeling and on his sense of smell.

"Still in shape to walk?" Informed herself a worried Evergreen as they got to the forest.

"Tch. I should be asking you" simply retorted Laxus. "Don't you think I'm blind about you leaning on everything you can to keep up with us. I know you're proud and all but it's not your style to not complain".

"As if you can talk, mister I get my back shattered to protect someone!"

He emitted some kind of growl. Why did they all think that he would have let her die like that?

"Hey! Don't act like that Laxus. I know you wouldn't have let her be the victim of the fallen without doing anything" she guessed the train of thoughts of the one that was practically her only family. "It's just that, usually, you praise the "every man for himself" motto."

He didn't answer. Evergreen didn't insist. Then the silence took over the still shocked group as that last part of the day would be nothing but difficult. Despite the fact that they had made some temporary bandages out of Laxus's ruined shirt, the lack of real medical supplies was starting to weight on them. The obvious exhaustion everyone felt didn't help either. When they finally arrived at the campsite, most of them had to hold themselves back to not simply collapse out of fatigue. Evergreen didn't hold back and felt on her knees next to the fire. The Fairy Tail members were soon aware of their arrival, especially the blond girl who threw herself at Natsu.

As for him, Laxus preferred to keep his distance from the group. He didn't felt like bothering himself with telling what happened, even less talking to a bunch of people. When he saw a shadow coming at him, he was about to send the person from where he came but realized it was Mira. For an unknown reason, her presence was less annoying than the others.

"Don't think you can escape without having received the proper medical attention" she smiled, a roll of bandages in a hand and a bucket of water and soap in the other.

"Since when are you following me?" He asked in an annoyed tone.

"Since the one who saved my life refuses to receive a proper treatment" she let out before taking place without invitation behind him.

Laxus, however, didn't flinch. He soon felt a cold cloth on his wounds, Mira disinfecting carefully the gashes in his back. He could feel the burning sensation that the action was provoking but also the rather sweet feeling induced by Mira's contact. Then she started to wrap around his chest some bandages, getting even closer to him to be able to get all around. His heart started to beat a little faster and, against all logic, he was hoping that Mira's sensitive hearing wouldn't detect the difference in his heart beat as good as him. Before he could even notice it, she was done.

"There you go!" she said with a large smile. "You should be soon back on your feet!".

He added nothing as she got up, his eyes locked on…her. He already knew that Mira was a good looking girl, no matter how unpleasant she was most of the time with him, but now… she was hot. Why was he finding her this beautiful while they were in such a pitiful state? Before he could find out the answer, she walked back to where were most of the people, discretely rearranging her bandage that was obviously not tight enough on her arm. His knowledge in medicine may be limited, but she obviously had hastily taken care of her own wound. "Shit" he thought. She just did it. She just made him believe by her smile that everything was fine, that she was in control, that she didn't need help. But Laxus wasn't like all these men swooning before her, believing she was an angel from heaven. She wasn't an angel. The real Mirajane had a temper, a temper making her way more interesting that what she always tried to show.

Before she was too far away, he called after her.

"You really think I'll believe you properly took care of your own wound?"

"Of course, look!" She said showing the bandage that covered her forearm.

"That fake smile doesn't fool me Strauss" he flatly said. "You still have some of those?" he asked referring to the medical supplies she brought.

Initially surprised that he saw through her, she finally nodded, handing him the supplies she had left and sat before him. With less delicacy she had herself used but with much more care she would have given him credit for, Laxus started to undo the bad bandage.

"Are you stupid of what!" He yelled as soon as he saw the wound.

The compress that just had been applied was already filled with blood. With a closer look, he noticed that the wound was more than deep and hadn't started to cicatrize even after the many hours that had passed since the attack.

"We have to stitch that up" he growled.

She whitened.

"Don't… don't worry… I…"

He ignored her, making a couple of steps in the direction of the campsite and quickly spotted the one he was looking for.

"Hey, pipsqueak!

"Me?" Timidly asked a blue haired girl who seemed to be about twelve or thirteen years old.

"Yeah. You're the healer around here, right?"

"I'm doing well with healing" she shyly answered with modesty.

"Get a needle and some thread, you have work."

The girl ran to the little bag she probably just used with the others and followed Laxus without any questions, even though she was obviously intimated by him.

"I can assure you I'm fine" nervously smiled Mira.

"Shut up and show your arm to her" he cut her out with impatience.

Her hand trembling, she finally stretched her arm to the one named Wendy. The later pulled a face.

"I'm sorry but your friend's right. You need stitches."

"I can assure you I'm fine" insisted Mira, some panic starting to show in her voice.

To that, the young man stared at her a little then started to laugh.

"What's your problem now" pouted Mira.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of needles!" he laughed. "You already have killed many fallen but you're afraid of a simple needle?"

"I'm not afraid of needles, I…"

Laxus rose an eyebrow, waiting for the fake justification that never came. If he would have thought that such a courageous girl could have such a fear… it was simply improbable.

"Stop acting like a child" he got impatient.

Against her will, she bit her lower lip and resigned. Wendy started to prepare the needle and Mira couldn't help but look at the opposite direction. Her head may have been turned towards Laxus, who was in the opposite direction of Wendy, she kept her eyes closed.

"I'm sorry, I have nothing to anesthetize your arm" said Wendy with regret "so take a deep breath".

The young woman nodded in approbation and, as soon as the needle made contact with her skin, she gripped the young man's wrist as if her life depended on it. She tightened so hard that his hand started to feel numb. How could such a strong girl be paralyzed by such a thing? She hadn't even flinched all day long as the bite mark had without a doubt made her suffer. And now…

"Strauss…"

"Hum?" she made, her eyes still shut.

"Would you calm down already?"

She risked opening one eye on him, then two. Her blue orbs got lost in his look even thought she didn't let go of her strong grip.

"It's done!" Said Wendy.

Blinking a couple of times, Mira finally broke the eye contact and looked at her arm, wrapped in a fresh bandage. Considering her amazement, she was obviously as surprised as him that it was already over. What just happened? A pain in his wrist made him realize the red marks made by Mira's fingers.

She softly smiled, a truthful smile this time, then got back to the others next to the fire. Laxus look at her as she walked without knowing if the feeling he was having was a good of a bad one. One thing was, however, certain, even if he still really understood why, he was now seeing Mira from another angle.

There you go! Hope you liked it :)

Have a nice day and don't forget to give me your thoughts on the chapter!

Lily xxx