Parenthood

Chapter 22

"You remember that?"

"Mmmhmm," Mirajane said as she picked up around the apartment. "How could you not?"

"I mean, I remember it," he said. "But not that much. Down to the date or whatever. You sure it's today?"

"Yep," she said before giggling. "Hear that, Nathan? You've been with me and Laxus for a year now."

"Mira," he giggled. "Bir'day."

She'd pumped his full of thoughts on that too, as it was only a month or so away as well.

"That's right, Nathan," she said as he only rolled his little toy cars around on the carpet. He far preferred the tile in the kitchen, but being around Mirajane made it worth it. "It's going to be your birthday soon, isn't it?"

"Yes!" He wiggled in excitement. "Yes!"

Laxus only sat there though, on the couch in the Strauss house, frowning slightly.

"It's really been a year, Mira? You're sure?"

"Well, yeah, Laxus," she said as she went to give Nathan a kiss on the head. "Doesn't feel like it, huh?"

No. He only stared at the kid, thinking hard. A year, huh? Hmmm.

"I still think it's kinda weird," Mirajane said slowly, glancing over at him. "That his mother really never did-"

"He doesn't even remember her now."

"Yes, he does," Mira said. "I bet-"

"No. He doesn't even ask for her."

"Well, he just forgot. That's all."

Laxus grunted. "He knows you now."

"And you."

"Well, yeah, but he thinks that you're the one that takes care of him. The rest of us just happen to be around." Glancing at the child, he said, "Ain't that right, kid?"

"Laxus," he giggled. "P'ay?"

"Nah, I'm good, kid."

"You could try helping me clean," Mira said as she headed then down the hall. "You do stay here enough. Not to mention, I clean up your apartment."

He made a face at Nathan, what with Mira's back turned, mocking the woman. The child only giggled. He had been in a pretty good mood the past few days. They both had. Even Mira wasn't nagging as much. Things had reached a shaky calm once more.

Other than, like, with Ever and Elfman. That was still as rocky as ever. And Lisanna and Bickslow were still just 'hanging out' without mentioning it to anyone. In fact, Laxus was pretty sure that he was the only one that knew about it.

Not that he was interested in it. At all. In fact, it pretty much disgusted him.

"Laxus." Nathan stood up slowly, taking one of his little action figures with him before rushing over to his father. He liked running. A lot. Mira couldn't let go of him even for a second in the market or else he'd try to make a break for it.

Once, only a few weeks ago, she'd been trying to carry a bag in one hand and, when it started to slip, she dropped his hand, just for a moment. When she'd glanced back down, he'd been gone.

Man, if Laxus didn't have to hear about that when the two of them got home. Mira had had to go run the little boy down who, after having Mirajane scold him (she was quite the punishment giver), was in tears and wailing.

"Nathan," Laxus had sighed after Mira only dropped the boy in front of him, her face showing that she was still coming down off her own worry. He was sure that it had been a gut punch for her, to look down and find him gone.

"No!"

"Listen to me." Laxus only bent down and stared him in the eyes though the boy's were red with tears welled up at the sides. "You can't run away from Mirajane. You think that it's funny? Huh? For her to worry about you? It's not."

Then he did the last thing Mirajane was expecting by forcing the kid to turn around before he hit him swiftly on the bottom.

"Laxus!" Mirajane hit him, literally, in the head. A lot harder than he had the kid. As Laxus let go of the kid to rub at his head and glare at his girlfriend, the little boy only ran behind Mira for cover.

"What the-"

"You do not hit him," Mira hissed as Nathan only wrapped his arms around her, glaring over at Laxus. "Ever. What made you think that that was okay? Huh? Have you been doing that?"

"No," he grumbled as he stood once more, though he kept glaring at her. "But I thought the time called for it. Ivan hit me a lot more. When I-"

"Ivan wasn't a father, Laxus. He was a…a… You're not going to hit him!" She gathered Nathan up into her arms then, the child only snuggling close to the woman that moments before he was so angry at. "It's just not allowed. Understand?"

He blinked. Then he looked off.

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

"I mean it. If I see you hit him again-"

"I won't, alright? And besides, the kid already has forgiven me." He looked to Nathan then, but the little boy only stuck his tongue out at him. "Mira-"

"You deserve it," she said then, bouncing her toddler slightly. That's right. Hers. Because that kid definitely wasn't his anymore. Laxus didn't think he ever was.

Of course, slowly, Nathan forgot later that day that he was supposed to be mad at Laxus and Mirajane was much the same. But he knew from that point forth not to spank the kid (at least not around her).

Honestly, after Mira's statement only a few moments ago, he was shocked that that had been the first time he'd had to spank him, given it had, apparently, been a year.

Mind blowing. Just knowing that a year ago, Mira was an annoying barmaid and he was a single guy with no responsibilities… Now that was all gone.

"Here you go, buddy," he sighed as Nathan scrambled to get on the couch with him, wanting to sit in his lap. "You don't like playing by yourself, huh? Maybe we should think about finding you some friends."

"Or," he heard as Mirajane came back into the room. "Ever and Elfman can have a baby! And…and…Lucy and Natsu, and Levy and Gajeel, and-"

"What the hell is wrong with you? Why would we ever want him to associate with the offspring of those idiots?"

"Laxus," Mira hissed.

"What? You're so weird, wanting them to have kids anyhow. Our kid isn't going to have anything to do with any of those losers. He'll be friends with way better kids than any of them," he said. "And for the record, I don't ever want any of those people to reproduce. Why would I? Gross."

"G'oss," Nathan mimicked as he tried to shove his action figure in Laxus' mouth. "G'oss."

"You're gross," Laxus told him, pushing his hand away with a frown, getting a giggle from the toddler. "Knock it off."

"G'oss."

"Why would you think that we get to be the only one with a kid?" Mira wasn't letting up.

"Because we didn't make one. Or you didn't. And I certainly didn't do so on purpose," he told her. "And I never want to again. So I'd highly suggest it to all the other-"

"That was a really rude thing to say." She was just standing there then, in front of the couch, with her arms crossed. "Laxus."

"Mira, I didn't-"

"Yes, you did. You always say stuff like that. About how he's a mistake or that you wished that this all didn't happen. You-"

"I do not. I only make jokes. What's wrong with jokes?'

"You're not allowed to make jokes about your son."

"He doesn't get them."

"But he will eventually."

"G'oss." Nathan was trying again to shove that toy in Laxus' mouth. "Open!"

"Knock it off, kid," he grumbled, glaring down at him. "I mean it."

"Well, Laxus, I do want more kids." Gah! Mira wouldn't shut up. Why had he even said anything?

"And I don't."

"Who said anything about you being involved in that?"

He turned his narrowed eyes onto her. Then, after a moment of only getting a mutual glare in return, he said, "You don't want more now, do you?"

"Like, do I want to try for one? Now? With you? No."

"Mira-"

"But soon," she said. "I want Nathan to have what I had."

"What do you mean?"

"You know," she said as she took to shrugging, her crossed arms falling to her sides. "How me and Elf and Lisanna were all super close in age. I don't want him to be like you."

"What's wrong with me?"

"You didn't have any brothers or sisters growing up," she said. "And it shows."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"How you're…selfish. And you clearly reject the idea of being loved because-"

"I don't reject-"

"Ivan didn't love you, so you try hard not to-"

"You're out of line." He stood at that, moving to set Nathan, who still for some reason wanted that dang action figure in his father's mouth, on the ground. Turning to walk away from her, he said, "That's bull. And don't ever try to tell me-"

"I was only-"

"I don't want anymore kids," he said simply as he headed for the front door. "I don't want to have to pay for anymore. I hardly like the responsibility I have now. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have any at all. And if you ever try to talk about my father to me again, we'll be more than through."

"Laxus," Nathan called to him as Mira only stood there, watching him walk out the front door. "Go bye-bye?"

He only pulled on his coat from the rack by the door. "You're staying here."

"No." Taking his toy with him, he rushed over to his father, holding out his arms. "Laxus?"

"Don't take being mad at me out on him," Mira said simply, not sure what else to do, as Laxus only shoved Nathan gently away from him when he tried to hug his legs. "I'm sorry, okay? I was only-"

"Sticking your nose where it doesn't belong, like always."

"Laxus-"

"Stay with Mira or go with me, kid," he said then to his son, ignoring her then. "Which is it?"

He only stared up at him though. "No bye-bye."

"That's not an-"

"I said sorry," Mira complained, coming over there as well. "What do you want? It's true, Laxus, You won't even say that you love Nathan. I mean-"

"I do fucking say it, Mira," he growled, turning his eyes on her then as she only took a step back. "Just because I don't go through you to do so doesn't mean shit. So stop telling me how to take care of my own damn son. 'cause that's what he is. Mine. So fuck you."

He'd been pretty nasty to her before, but that was the worst he had been since they'd gotten together. She'd clearly struck something inside of him.

"I-I was only-"

"I don't care." He looked down at Nathan once more. "See you tomorrow, kid."

"Bye-bye." He was over the whole thing then and only went back over to his other toys. He'd make Laxus eat the action figure later. "Laxus."

"Just stay." Mira reached out to lay her hand on his arm, but he dodged her and headed out the door. "Laxus-"

"Damn demon," he grumbled as he set off from the house. "Try and tell me my shit. About my fucking father. Her own damn village doesn't want her and she tries to tell me my shit? Fuck her."

He felt that way too…for about twenty minutes. Just long enough for him to get home and miss her. And no, he certainly didn't want anymore kids.

…Not that minute. But…he didn't…

It wasn't a deal breaker. And he had been pretty lonely, growing up, which had been the original thing Mira was trying to get across to him. And he certainly didn't want Nathan to be lonely. Or weird. Or whatever.

But she had been out of line. More than crossed it, in fact. No one talked about Ivan. Not even Gramps.

She was still his demon though. And she was off that day. They were going to spend it together.

Walking all the way back over there though…

Sigh. His demon made him do a lot of things. A lot. Mainly ones that he didn't see as helping him any.

Like making the walk back over there.

He wasn't going to ask for her forgiveness though. No way. He was going to let her apologize and promise never to say something like that again. That was all. And then, maybe, he'd think about sticking around.

Maybe. He didn't know yet.

When he arrived at the house though, it was Lisanna who answered the door. Err, rather she was going into the house as he walked up and didn't close the door on him.

"Lisanna." Mira was still cleaning the living room when the two of them entered. At the sight of her sister though, she frowned. "Where have you been? You didn't come home last night at all."

"Yeah, and I'm tired," she said as she only continued out of the room and down the hall. "You're not my mother, Mira. I don't keep track of what you do with your time."

"Lisanna-"

"I'm going to bed. Keep it down."

Laxus, who was still standing in the doorway, only widened his eyes, blinking.

"She's sure taken a turn for the worst."

"What do you want, Laxus?" Mira only went back to cleaning as Nathan, who was still playing with his toys, took to waving. "If it's to make me feel like a horrible girlfriend or to be mean or yell or-"

"Mira, I don't want any of that. I never have. I just-"

"Close the door," she complained. "I'm not in the mood."

"Mira, I just came by to get an apology," he said as he came further into the house. "Not yell at you or-"

"An apology? Fine, Laxus. I'm sorry that I said that your father didn't love you, even though he doesn't. I'm sorry that I said that it's his fault that you are the way you are, when it totally is. And I'm very sorry for loving you enough to try and talk to you about-"

"Loving me? Loving me? This is loving me? Telling me that-" She didn't cut him off. He just stopped speaking. "Y-You love me?"

"Are you that stupid?"

"Mira-"

"Yes, I love you, Laxus. Is it really that hard to get? I thought that you knew that. Why else would I put up with all of your-"

"I love you too." Laxus was crossing the room then, all thoughts of their fight out of his mind as he approached her. "Seriously, Mira, I do. I-"

"Again, I know this."

He only came over to her though, taking both her cheeks in his hands, and pressing a kiss to the crown of her head.

"Laxus-"

"I love you, Mira. A lot."

"So what? You're not mad at me anymore just because-"

"But I don't want kids. Right now," he told her. Then, glancing at Nate, he said, "I mean another one. At all. I-"

"Well, I never said that I wanted them right now," she said as he let her go. "Just that soon, I'd like to talk about it. In a year or so."

That sound a lot further away than soon, but then again, given the fact that the past year had just blurred by at a frightening speed, he only nodded. Maybe time would slow down eventually. Probably after Nate got older.

Hopefully.

"If we're still together," Mira was saying then, never knowing when to just stop. "I plan to be. Don't you?"

He only stared at her. "Just told you I loved you, woman. What more do you want?"

She giggled then, finally, before moving to wrap her arms around him.

"I didn't think you'd ever say that," she whispered. "That you thought that you didn't need to or something."

He only stood there for a moment, thinking. Then he hugged her as well, turning his head down so that he could bury his nose in her white hair. It always smelled nice. Nate thought so too and liked to sniff it as well.

"You're my demon," he told her. "And I shouldn't have made you feel that way. I-"

"No," she groaned. "I shouldn't have said those things about Ivan. I really was just being nosey and picking on you for no reason. I truly am sorry, Laxus."

"Don't mention it."

She let him go then. It was only because Nathan was at their sides, annoyed that he wasn't getting any attention. She lifted the child into her arms, quickly pressing a kiss to his head. Nathan giggled like always at that before looking to his father.

"G'oss," he said, remembering the word from earlier. In his hand was one of his toys, which, now that he was nearly level with the man, he tried once more to shove in his mouth. "G'oss."

"Nathan," Laxus complained, pushing the toy away as Mira smiled and snuggled the boy closer. "You little brat."

He loved his son. And he loved his demon. There was nothing in the world that was ever going to take them away.

"I am so glad that you all love each other," they heard then from deeper in the house. "But I told you I was going to sleep. Try and keep it down, huh?"

Mirajane rolled her eyes as Laxus just made a face.

"So what are you going to do about that?" he asked. "'cause-"

"I think," Mira said slowly. "That I'm not going to do anything."

"What? You?"

"Me,' she agreed, moving to drop Nathan on the ground once more. "For once, I'm not going to get involved. Whatever bad attitude Lisanna's been running around with is her own business. Not mine. And I can't control her life anymore than I can Elfman's."

"So next time he comes home crying about Evergreen-"

"I will offer up any advice I can, but I won't go and speak to her for him anymore."

"Wait, you do that?"

Mira only continued. "And whatever mystery friend Lisanna's been hanging out with, I'm not going to snoop into. She can tell me about it when she's ready."

He blinked. "That's really big of you, Mirajane."

"Mmmhmm."

"And almost out of character."

"I'm a new person now, Laxus. It's been a year of me caring for a child," she said. "It's time for me to focus more on him. And you. I want our life to be my main focus. Not that I don't care about what's going on with Elfman and Lisanna, because I do, but they're grown."

"They are."

"And so am I," she continued. "I've spent my whole life looking out for them. But they clearly don't need me anymore. Not like they did before."

"So-"

"So I'm moving out," she said then, staring him right in the eyes. His only widened.

"Mirajane-"

"And if the offer is still on the table, I'd like to move in with you. With Nathan."

He knew then, evening the microseconds that he had to reply, that if he tripped up, if his tongue got tied, that he'd lose his chance. And after only less than an hour before hating her and thinking she was horrible for saying those things about his father, he knew that he loved her regardless.

And he wanted her with him. Forever.

"Yeah," he found himself saying, not thinking about it for more than a few moments. "Yeah, Mira. Of course. I want you guys there. Tonight even. Or whenever."

She smiled slightly. "I love you, Laxus."

Nodding slightly, he swallowed before saying, "I love you too."