Parenthood

Chapter 8

"You wanna what?"

Mirajane only stared at Laxus. "I want to throw him a birthday party."

"That's what I thought you said," he grumbled as he went back to eating his breakfast. Across from him sat Nathan and Mirajane, the little boy happily gobbling down his food as she only held him in her lap, staring over at his father. "Mirajane-"

"It's his birthday, Laxus," she insisted. "Remember when she first dropped him off? She told me that he was turning two in a month. Well, it's been a month now. His birthday might have even already passed. Isn't that so sad?"

"No."

"I remember when Elf, Lisanna, and I were young, we used to celebrate our birthdays every year," she said with a slight smile. "Of course, we didn't have a lot of money, but my parents would always manage to make us a cake and would let whoever's birthday it was sleep in late and not do any chores. It was-"

"His birthday was yesterday."

That stopped her. Staring over at him, she watched as he took a sip from his glass before saying, "How are you so sure?"

"When she sent me that letter, she sent his birth certificate. I guess so I could give it to his new-"

"Laxus!"

"What?" He gave her a look. "What's wrong now?"

"You knew that it was his birthday and you didn't say anything?"

He groaned. "Mira, we're only watching the kid. We're not-"

"Happy birthday, Nathan," she said, glancing down at him then. He only held up his hand, feeding her a piece of bacon.

"Mira-"

"Today is your birthday, Nathan," she told him. "Well, yesterday, but today's gonna be your party. So I'm going to make you a cake and buy you toys-"

"I already bought him toys."

"That was your bad judgment call."

"Mira-"

"So what sorts of things do you want, Nathan? Huh?" Mirajane snuggled him close, but the boy only fought her.

"No. Eat. Mira!"

She only giggled though as Laxus rolled his eyes.

"I'm not paying for a cake,' he finally told her.

"I know. I'm making one."

"You're making a cake. Today."

"Mmmhmm. I'll just go out and buy the things I need. I don't know if you know this or not, Laxus, but I'm quite the cook. And baker."

He blinked. "I knew that, Mira, yes."

"I'll make him a big dinner too! And invite Lisanna over and Lucy and-"

"Not to my apartment."

She glanced up at him before shrugging. "Then we'll go to my house. Or, ooh, the guildhall. Then everyone-"

"No."

"Laxus-"

"It's my son and if I say no-"

"You don't even want him," Mirajane told him with a frown.

"Neither do you."

"I want him to be happy. I want him to be with people that care about him. So yes, Laxus, I do want him. Things for him."

Grunt. Then he stood from the table, taking his empty plate over to the sink. Not facing her, he said, "I have to go to the market anyways. So if you're wanting me to buy something, you better get a list-"

"We'll go with you." She got to her feet as well, which was fine with Nathan, as he was done eating anyhow. He only took to snuggling close to Mirajane with a yawn. "To the market."

"But-"

"Just let me go get him dressed." She was already heading off and didn't hear him. "Just a minute, Laxus."

He only sighed, staring down at the sink.

All the women in the guild and he chose her?

Maybe he shouldn't have thought female. Freed and Bickslow would have probably taken care of the baby and found a home for him before that first night was up. That's what he got for being gender conscious.

Nathan walked with his hand clutching Mirajane's down to the market. It slowed them down, which he hated, but Mira was insistent.

"If he wants to walk, we have to let him, Laxus. He's a big boy."

Ugh. He sang the whole way too, at noisome, which Mirajane loved. She seemed to just like everything about the kid.

He wished she'd just go ahead and take him off his hands so they could get it all over with.

Nathan was pretty well behaved on their trip to the market. Laxus disappeared at one point, not telling Mira was he was going to do, but she didn't delude herself that it had anything to do with Nathan. When he returned some time later with money, she assumed that he'd just gotten the benefits of some sort of bet he'd won or something.

"Close," he said when she told him that. "Someone owed me some money from poker a couple weeks ago."

"So now you have money to buy Nathan a gift."

"Mira-"

"You do."

He only took to make a face at her. "I'll pay off someone to take him, maybe, but-"

"Behave."

That word alone brought a glare up. "Look, woman, he's the kid, got it? Not me."

"Just behave."

Grumbling then, he wouldn't rightly look at her anymore. Mirajane only giggled though and went back to shopping.

Her hands were full of groceries when they were finished, meaning that Nathan had to hold onto her dress on the way back. .He was so tired then though that he wanted her to carry him and took to whining.

"Laxus-"

"No."

"Please?" Mirajane glanced at him. "I'll let you lick the batter when we get home if you do."

"How old do you think I am, woman?"

"Please?"

Groaning, he reached down to snatch up his son, who only took to giggling and reaching for Mirajane.

"You're stuck with me, brat," he grumbled as Mirajane only smiled over at them. "So don't get too happy."

They were walking along that way too, pretty fine. Nathan settled into Laxus arms and, after being reprimanded for it, didn't sing or anything. Just rested there, glad to not have to walk anymore.

And then he heard the last thing in the world he wanted to.

"Laxus?"

"Oh no," he groaned as Mirajane stopped and glanced behind them. "Mira, keep walking. Please, just-"

"Laxus Dreyar?"

Mira glanced at him raising her eyebrows. "She's cute."

"Shut up," he grumbled as he turned then to face the woman.

"No, really. A solid ten."

"I hate you."

She only giggled.

"Who the hell is this?"

Those giggles died away as the woman, a busty little blonde, came to stand in front of them. Even Nathan didn't greet her as he turned to bury his head in Laxus' neck at the sound of the woman's tone.

"This is Mira," Laxus said, nodding at her. "And Mira, this is-"

"Oh, so what? You don't talk to me anymore and then think that you can go out and get some other whore-"

"Knock it off," he told the woman as Mira only glanced at her. "She's only-"

"And since when do you have a kid?"

"Since when is it your business?" He bucked up then and actually, to Mira's surprise, held Nathan to him. "Look, I don't report to you. If you thought that we were more than we were, that's your problem."

"You-"

"And unless you feel like sucking my cock on command, I'm not that interested in talking to you right now. So fuck off."

"Laxus." Mirajane stared at him with as much shock as the other woman. He only bounced the whining child in his arms before turning to head off. She smiled at the woman who only glared back before turning to run after him.

"What was that?" Mira asked him as he set a quick pace. "Wait up."

"Why should I?"

"You were just really rude to-"

"She was rude to me."

"How do you even pick up women with an attitude like that?"

"Fuck off, Mira."

"Laxus," she groaned, trailing behind him. Nathan took to lifting his head and staring at her over his father's shoulder, waving randomly. Mirajane only shook Laxus off before smiling at the toddler, who giggled in response.

When they got back to the apartment, Laxus only dropped Nathan in his playpen before stomping off the kitchen to get a beer.

Mirajane was quick to follow, going to set the bags of groceries down on the countertop.

"You okay?"

Snort. Laxus only popped the tab on his beer before glancing over at her.

"She'll be begging for me back in twenty minutes. In fact, tonight, I'll go fuck her just to prove a point."

"You being vulgar doesn't hide the fact that you were embarrassed. Flustered."

"I don't get embarrassed, demon."

"Ooh, nicknames. What was her nickname?"

Groaning, he headed out of the kitchen. "Just shut the hell up."

"She was real upset, Laxus. Maybe-"

"Yeah and if I brought you to a motel room with me and her, she'd be down with it, so that was all for show."

"Awe, I'm honored that you want to sleep with me, Laxus, but keep it in your pants, huh?"

His bedroom door slammed not soon after, though it didn't drown out her giggles.

"Your daddy's silly," she told Nathan as she went to rescue him from his playpen. "You know that?"

"Laxus. Rawr."

"He does throw little fits, doesn't he?" She carried him into the kitchen before dropping him on the floor. "I gotta make your cake now, baby. Can you sit here and behave? Be big boy?"

"Rawr."

"Rawr," she roared back, making him giggle and run off to hide under the table. "Rawr."

She was busy on the cake when Laxus showed back up, that time to get another beer. Nathan roared at him, but he only frowned and kept walking over to the fridge.

"You about ready to lick the batter, Laxus?"

"Shut up, Mira."

"Demon, remember?"

"You're really pushing it today, alright?" he grumbled. "I let you have a stupid party, I'm letting you invite people over-"

"You are?" She glanced at him. "Oh, Laxus, that's great. I-"

"But I ain't stayin'. And the damn Salamander isn't allowed."

"Laxus-"

"No." He took a sip of his new beer. "And I want them all gone when I get back home. And if any of my stuff gets touched-"

"I'll only invite a few people. Promise."

Snort. He headed out then, right back out of the room. "Have your damn party, Mirajane. I'll be home late."

"Gonna go see Ms. Potty Mouth from before?"

He didn't say. Only walked off back to his bedroom. She thought that he was out of hearing distance when she spoke then to Nathan, but he wasn't.

"Maybe he's not that bad," Mirajane told Nathan who only roared at her. "Still very, very, silly, but not too bad."

It was the alcohol, he decided as he went to go lay down for a bit, that made him smile. Had to be.

Didn't it?

"Remember, Natsu," Lucy said as they walked into Laxus' apartment building. "You're not even supposed to be here. So don't leave any scorch marks on anything or make a scene. Mira's risking Laxus killing her to let you come."

"Me and Hap have to go, Luce," he said as he carried a wrapped present in his arm. He even spent his own money on it!

Err, the money Lucy gave him to buy it, that is. Same thing though.

"Yeah," Happy agreed. "Nathan's tons of fun."

"Really," she said slowly. "Come from the two people that hated him before, this is quite shocking."

"Hate is a very strong word, Luce."

"And I'm using it correctly, Natsu."

"We hate the way you girls are with him," he correct it. "But he's a-okay. Huh, Happy?"

"Aye, sir."

Inside the apartment, Natsu apparently forgot all warnings that Lucy gave him. What was Laxus expecting though? He invited Fairy Tail over. Something was going to get broke.

"I don't think he ever really liked that lamp anyhow," Mirajane said slowly with evident unease as Lucy apologize profusely for Natsu knocking it over.

"He'll probably be able to smell that he was here anyhow," Elfman remarked as he let Nathan ride around up on his shoulders. He liked being up so high. Evergreen, who was standing next to him, only frowned.

"Don't drop it," she told him. "They're such much nastier when they cry. Or bleed for that matter."

"What are you doing here anyhow, Ever?" Lisanna asked her. "I thought you'd be with Laxus. Isn't he with the Thunder God Tribe?"

"No," she said slowly. "Bickslow's training and Freed…I don't know where he is, but if he was with Laxus, I'm sure he'd have been bragging about it at some point today."

"Laxus ran into a, uh, friend today," Mirajane told them as she cleaned up the lamp. Natsu was over in the corner, being lecture by Lucy, though over her shoulder, he was making faces at Nathan, who only giggled in response.

"Careful, kid," Elfman warned. "Ever's right. You fall, you might get hurt."

"Then maybe we take him off your shoulder, huh, guys?" Mira sighed, coming over to the little boy. He liked Mira and everything, she was his favorite person, but with all those guests around, he did not want her holding him. She only passed him off to Levy, which made Gajeel frown even more.

"When you said party, I didn't know you meant a birthday party for the stupid kid," he grumbled. "Me and Lily were going to train today."

Lily only stood there, on the armrest of the couch, looking approvingly at Levy. "Parties are much fun. I think it was a wonderful suggestion."

"See, Gajeel? Lily likes the baby."

Grunt. "Just keep him away from me. He always pulls my hair."

"Maybe he hates it too," Levy mumbled.

"What'd you say, shrimp?"

"Nothing."

Mira spent most of the party trying to keep everything in order. She was really regretting not having the party at her own house, honestly. Maybe that was why Laxus let her have it there, as he knew she'd screw something up and it'd give him a chance to yell at her. He seemed to like that rather much.

"The hell is he doing here?" Mirajane heard at one point as she was in the kitchen, about to take the cake out into the living room. "Demon?"

Lisanna, who was with her, raised an eyebrow, but Mira only shot her a look.

"What do you call him?" she taunted as they all heard the sound of Lucy, Natsu, and Happy calling out goodbyes before running off. "Dragon? Or ooh, Mr. Dreyar? Is it that kinky, since he's your boss?"

"I liked you a lot better innocent, Lisanna," Mira grumbled as Laxus came into the room. He looked a lot less pissed that she was expecting. "L-Laxus, I can explain. See, Natsu just-"

"That the cake?" He went to get a beer. "Cut me some."

"I really did plan on everyone being gone, Laxus, but you got back so much earlier-"

"I want a corner piece," he told her before taking his beer and heading off. "Bring it to me in my room."

"What's up with him?" Levy asked as he walked through the living room, even patting Nathan on the head on the way.

"Got laid," Elfman announced to them all after they heard his bedroom door close. Ever hit him. "Hey-"

"Don't be nasty."

"That's nasty? All the things that get said constantly and that qualifies for you to hit me? I mean-"

She did it again. "Don't argue with me."

Mirajane only frowned in the kitchen, glancing at her sister. "He is in an oddly good mood."

"You said he went out tonight, huh?" Lisanna giggled. "With an friend? Was she a woman?"

"Yeah," Mira mumbled. "She was."

Noting her sister's tone, Lisanna asked, "What's wrong? You didn't-"

"Nothing." Just like that, Mirajane was grinning again. "I was just thinking, that's all. Come on. Let's take this cake out there. Too bad Natsu couldn't stay for it."

"Too bad for him," Lisanna remarked. "But good for the rest of us."

When Mirajane brought Laxus his cake some time later, she found him laying in bed, reading one of his books while listening to music. He laid the novel down on his bare chest though at the sight of her.

"It hot or something?" she asked, taking in that he was only wearing jeans.

"Just getting comfortable." He took the plate when she handed it to him. "Thanks."

She only bowed her head. "We'll try to keep it down out there."

He tapped one of his headphones. "Got it covered. Do whatever you want."

"Right. Thanks." She grinned at him then and he only went to eating his cake, sitting up some more. Heading to the door then, she found it hard to go out it, just standing there, hand rested on the knob, not moving. After a moment, Laxus called out to her.

"Something wrong, Mirajane?"

"N-No, I was just… You win at poker again or something tonight?"

"Went on a date. Err, I met with a woman. That's all."

"Oh."

"Why?" Then his snarl came back into his tone. "You weren't expecting to be paid extra, were you? For planning a party? Because you're the one that wanted this, not me. So-"

"It's not that. Just curious." She tried to giggle some. "You know me. I always, uh, am just snooping."

"Damn straight you are. Annoying demon."

She left him with that, going back out there. Nathan got antsy if she left him alone too long after all.

And besides, it wasn't like she didn't think Laxus would be…that he… So why did it matter?

It didn't. It didn't matter. At all. Because she was only babysitting for him. Really, she was more of a nuisance. Right?

Besides, she found it easy to distract herself with Nathan, who was still overjoyed at all the attention he was getting. In the month or so that he'd been staying with them, he'd really grown accustomed to everybody. Especially the Exceeds. Happy was his favorite, but Lily was just as good.

"I am only glad that your father is not in a bad mood," he told the little boy as he pushed toy cars around with him on the kitchen floor. "He can make this horrible lightening and thunder appear out of nowhere." The cat shivered. "It's truly retched."

"Aw, Lily," Levy giggled as she came in there to get a drink. "Too bad they're going to get rid of him, huh? Babies are so much fun."

"No they're not," Gajeel grumbled to her, following. "So don't get any ideas."

Rolling her eyes, she said, "Don't get ahead of yourself anyhow, iron breath."

"Does my beloved want a child?" Juvia, who'd arrived late with a reluctant Gray in tow, asked. He about choked on his beer.

"I assure you, woman, I don't," he grumbled as she jumped on him. "Juvia!"

When everyone finally cleared out, Mira was left with only her younger sister and an overly tired Nathan.

"It's way passed your bedtime," Lisanna giggled as she went to put him in his playpen to sleep. "You ready for bed?"

"Oh, Lisanna, you have to turn out the lights first," Mirajane said, going to get the overhead one. "Which is admittedly easier now that Natsu was over."

"Have fun explaining that one to Laxus."

"Apparently all I have to do is get him in bed with some woman and then spring it on him."

"He's much more agreeable after or so it seems," Lisanna agreed.

"Most men are," she told her with an eye roll as she went to get her guitar to lull the baby to sleep.

It wasn't until her sister was gone and Nathan was in bed that Mirajane went to take a shower. She was just coming out of the bathroom once she was finished when she ran into Laxus.

"Not used to having to share my bathroom," he told her simply as they passed one another.

"Try a week at my house," she sighed.

He only frowned, glancing at her. "You okay, demon? I thought you'd be all, I dunno, you. I mean, don't you usually live for these parties and stuff?"

"I'm happy. Just…tired."

"Then get some sleep," he grumbled. "I'm leaving on a job tomorrow and you'll have to watch the kid all alone."

"What else is new?"

"Ha ha."

Maybe it'd be a good thing, she decided as she went to lay down on the couch. Getting away from Laxus would at least give her some space. And she could take Nathan with her back home, stay in her own room, in her own bed for awhile.

"And maybe," she added with the hint of disappointment, "he'll find someone out on his job to take you, Nathan."

Then she smiled, there in the darkness, planning on going to sleep.

"Hey, Mirajane?" she heard not ten minutes later as Laxus came into the room, headed to the kitchen. Something made him stop short though.

"Hmmm?"

"Where's my lamp? Did you move it or something? Was it in the way?"

She only sighed, sitting right back up. "Or something."