Solace

Chapter 5

It wasn't immediate by any means. It was actually kinda of frustrating. From the first time she opened her eyes to that moment, it'd been noting, but a slow agonizing hell.

Laxus had always thought that when someone went into a coma, that it was kinda just like going to sleep. All the battles he'd been in, he'd gotten a few concussions before. Even passed out a few times. It was always just a spring back into action moment for him.

But apparently, after being down for so long, Mira wasn't going to be that way.

The first time she opened her eyes, he got super excited. Then she closed them again and didn't wake up for a few hours. Porlyusica said that it was normal and not to fret.

But he did. Fret. A lot. Because apparently she couldn't see anything and would move some times, but still wasn't conscious. After a day of that rollercoaster, she finally was able to open her eyes fully and could actually make eye contact with them. But she still wasn't her. Not really.

He got kicked out about then, from the room, along with everyone else, so that Porlyusica could examine her. Something about brain injuries or something.

Whatever.

Everyone down in the guild was basically using her awakening as an excuse to drink and party. Laxus just sat on the second floor steps and waited.

"This isn't going to be good."

He glanced up to find Lisanna standing in front of him, completely sober and not the least bit excited.

"Is it?"

Laxus only shifted on the step until she moved to sit down next to him.

"Apparently," he told her softly as everyone around them cheered. "Brain damage is serious and comas are a big deal. She was under for so long that…" He shrugged again. "Don't matter what's wrong with her. She's still Mirajane."

"But what if she needs us to, like, care for her for the rest of her life? Or something? And-"

"Would you not if she did?"

"Of course I would, Laxus. I'm not asking about me and Elf. We'll do whatever."

"Then what?"

She only stared at him as he turned to glance down at her too.

"You're not married to her," she told him softly before taking her own turn to shrug. "And if… You don't gotta-"

"Shut up, Lisanna."

"I'm trying to-"

"Mirajane's going to be fine," he told her gruffly. "And if not, well, then she's going to have me right there to take care of her until she is."

"But what if she never gets better?"

He only shook his head. "The only family I got is Gramps. Mira ain't ever have no problem with taking care of me too. I'm not going anywhere. She doesn't have to be my wife. She's as close to being a wife as someone can get. I don't care what you and your stupid brother do. Mira's mine too. Got it?"

Instead of saying anything, Lisanna just took to leaning up against Laxus' shoulder then, closing her eyes. And after a moment, he shifted to better accommodate that.

It didn't matter what was wrong with Mirajane. 'cause it wouldn't matter to her what was wrong with him. She'd nurse him back to health even if she knew it was futile. She'd be there till the bitter end and he was prepared to do the same thing.

"You two. Come here. Leave the crying one out there."

They turned and glanced behind them to see Porlyusica at the top of the stars, along with Makarov. Quickly, Lisanna and her sister's boyfriend got to their feet and rush up the stairs.

"What can't Elfman know?" Lisanna asked, about ready to cry herself, just from the thought. "What-"

"Nothing, child," Makarov told her with a sigh. "Porlyusica just doesn't rather like him."

"He is too big and too weepy. I hate him above the rest of you."

Laxus was too concerned with Mirajane to take any sort of joy out of that fact. He just headed to the infirmary to check on his girlfriend and figure out what the next step was.

"She's conscious, but resting," Porlyusica said as they made it into the room. Mira was still in her same bed, seemingly sleeping. "Let's leave her that way for now, yes?"

"Can she…function?" Lisanna asked softly as Laxus went over to her bedside to stare down at her. "Or-"

"It's going to be slow," Porlyusica sighed as she went over to a small table where she had some of her stuff. "And she shouldn't leave this room for a few more days. Even when she does, it's going to be very touch and go."

"Should she go to your place then?" Makarov asked. The pink hair woman seemed shocked at the suggestion.

"No," she told him. "She shall not be going there."

"Then wha-"

"I cannot be here at all times, but the young medic, she is more of capable when I am absent. And should anything major happen, she will send for me."

Laxus just kept staring down at Mirajane. "You're putting her life in the hands of Wendy? She's only-"

"She's not a little kid any longer," Makarov sighed. "Though it is hard for us to realize that at times. She is going to be our healing mage when…when you have finished your time here, Porlyusica."

"The sooner, the better," his former teammate agreed.

"In any event," Makarov said, heading over to go stand by his grandson then. Lisanna was still just openly staring at Porlyusica, as if she were a god that held her sister's fate in her hands. "Things will not be easy, Laxus. She's not…well."

He only shrugged. "But she'll wake up?"

"She is awake now," Porlyusica told him. "Or at least not in a coma any longer. But she will have trouble speaking and walking. It will take some rehabilitation, of course. Her brain was in a comatose state for some time. This is expected. As it is now, she won't be able to communicate with you in most ways. I will monitor her for the next few days and we shall see where we go from there."

Laxus couldn't help himself then as he reached out and gently brush his hand across her cheek. He kept stroking it too.

"Can she hear us?" Lisanna asked softly. "Now?"

"I believe so."

"Hey." Laxus leaned down then, so he could speak softly to the woman. "Mirajane. It's us. Me. Laxus. Don't worry about us right now. Do whatever you have to, alright? We'll be here when you wake up. Promise."

If one thought that he was obsessive before, Laxus was full on devoted to Mirajane then. He didn't leave her side once. Her eyes would flicker sometimes and once, he swore that she squeezed his hand, but still, she wouldn't wake up.

Not that he cared. He was just as faithful as before. He sat by her bedside for long hours, just talking to her. Now that Porlyusica said that she might be able to hear him, might be comforted by that fact, he took it upon himself to make sure that she knew above and beyond that he was there.

And then, yeah, Elfman and Lisanna filtered in and out. Bickslow and Evergreen as well. But Laxus actively ignored all of them. He just focused on his girlfriend.

One night, after the bar had closed and Elfman and Lisanna were resting on the other cots in the room, Bickslow having fallen asleep downstairs and Ever having gone home, Laxus found himself in the dark with his girlfriend. There were no lights on and he was hunched over in his seat, head rested against the cot next to her, as one of his hands laid clasped in hers. He was trying hard not to fall asleep, but it was a losing battle.

"Mira," he whispered softly as he drifted off. "If you wake up… I brought the ring here, huh? The second you can tell me yes, I'mma ask you. Even though you already found it, you little snoop. I'm not even mad though. Just want you to wake up. Please?"

And because he was so sure that all the others were asleep and couldn't hear him, he shifted to kiss her stomach before saying, "If not for me, then do it for our baby, huh?"

Then he fell asleep for awhile.

There was this once, when they first started dating, where Laxus really thought that it wasn't going to work out.

It was after he'd admitted that yes, she was his girlfriend and she'd come to terms with the fact that she very much so had fallen for the second-generation Dragon Slayer. That didn't mean, however, that they didn't have their problems.

"Laxus!"

Ugh. He remembered literally groaning then as he sat at the breakfast table in the Strauss house. Lisanna, who was over at the toaster waiting for it to pop up, glanced at him.

"What'd you do?" she'd asked as Elfman, who was already at the table eating, only shook his head.

"Whatever it is, it doesn't sound good," he told the other man. Laxus just slowly sat down his fork next to his plate of eggs that Mirajane had made him only a few minutes earlier. Then she'd headed off to the bedroom to get ready for work.

What could he have possibly-

"Come here! Now!"

"I'd just go," Lisanna told him as she glanced over her shoulder at him. "I've played the waiting game before. It only makes her more upset."

"The worst she can do is wag a finger in your face," Elfman assured him. "So watch out."

Blinking, Laxus slowly got to his feet before heading off through the house to his girlfriend's bedroom.

"Mira?" he called softly. "Are you-"

"You do not just leave your dirty underwear on the floor, Laxus. We have gone over this before."

He blinked as he found Mira gong around her bedroom, picking up his discarded clothes.

"We were getting ready to have sex, Mira. I just stripped."

"And you pick them up and put them in the hamper when we're done. Or are you that incompetent?"

That was just one instance of him having to stand there and think, damn, it's true what they say. The hot ones are crazy.

But if the hot were crazy, the queen of the sexy was completely insane.

He wasn't allowed to leave hair on the soap. And if he even so much as left the cap to the tooth paste a little loose, he was in trouble. And when he shaved, there had better not be any of his hairs left in the sink because, ooh, Mirajane would rip him a new one for that.

Those were just her bathroom rules though. He also wasn't allowed to drink more than four beers unless she specified otherwise. And come home drunk? Forget about it.

And muddy shoes meant getting kicked out of the house. Or even his own apartment, once. And if he even tried to fool around some when she'd already told him no, it led to him sleeping on the couch.

She was certifiable.

…But he stuck around through it all.

Because he had to admit, when he took a stock of his life, when he revisited certain aspects of it, Mirajane was slowly, but surely making him a way better man.

He didn't find himself drunk, up at the guild or another bar, with no way to get home. He was actually able to hold conversations with other guild members besides the Thunder Legion (not the damn Salamander though) and he never, ever woke up in the bed with some woman that he didn't know the name of with no memory of whether there was a rubber involved or not.

For the first time in his life, he wasn't only happy, he was actually content. He had someone to fall back on, someone that wasn't going anywhere, and wasn't just using him. He had a girlfriend. One that he not only was faithful to, but actually in love with.

And the sex wasn't too bad either.

But the point was, for as crazy as Mirajane was, her rules were helping him. He cut down on drinking, wasn't as much as a slob, was making more friends. She might have been changing him, fine, but it was definitely for the better.

At the moment, that was all he could think of.

If it had been any other woman he was with, no way he'd have sat at their bedside, ready to sacrifice his future just to make sure they were okay. But as he sat there, next to Mirajane, he was so prepared to give everything up, his future, his happiness, all of it, just for her.

He loved her. More than he loved himself.

Her eyes were opened, but that didn't mean much. She'd been doing that for a couple of days. She could follow them with her eyes, could focus in on them, at certain points. Mostly though, she just rested.

Wendy and Porlyusica were in the room as well, taking care of her, but mostly Laxus just watched her and waited. She hadn't spoken yet, but she was rather responsive with squeezing their hands and such. No one knew for sure yet, how far she'd actually progress back to her old self, but Laxus didn't care.

Mirajane was Mirajane, no matter what.

"Hey," Laxus whispered to her softly as one point as she only laid there, staring at him blankly. "Can you hear me? I just… I'm here, alright? And I ain't going nowhere."

And he didn't. Even Lisanna had taken to not leaving. Bickslow would bring her things to drink and stuff sometimes, but Porlyusica refused to let his babies upstairs, in case they bothered Mirajane. Even though he usually wouldn't agree to go anywhere without them, he made an exception then, just for Lisanna.

The days for Laxus though seemed just as long as before they knew if she'd ever wake up. This was mainly because before, he had been deluded in thinking that if she just opened her eyes, everything would be okay again. But reality was beginning to set in.

He might have to, like, give her sponge baths and help her go to the bathroom. Feed her. Basically just care for her for the rest of his life.

Which, if he was going to be a mage, would be impossible. He'd have to stop that. He'd need to be home with her at all times.

It would be a lie to say that his stomach didn't tense up at the thought. Though he'd told Lisanna he'd be there for Mirajane, it was a lot to take on. That was something you do for your partner, like, after fifty years and you're both too old to function. Not at their age. He'd be throwing his entire life away.

But then he'd look at Mirajane and know that he couldn't just walk away. Couldn't just leave her. Not when she was trying to save the guild in a way that he himself probably would have.

He'd heard the story. About how there'd been another take over mage in the group that had descended on Fairy Tail. A dark guild. They were actually targeting Mirajane and her brother. Their mage wanted the demons within the other two. And the only way to get them was to kill them.

So it was demon versus demon and, well, Mirajane had held her own as far as he knew. But it was just one hit, one slam, where her head didn't land right. And it was lights out.

Then Natsu had stepped in because, well, when didn't he, and that was the end of that. But was it not scary to thing of what happened to Mira could happen to any of them? And she had enhanced durability, no doubt. She would have had to hit the ground with such force…

No. It didn't matter what he had to do for her. He was going to be right there, every step of the way. He loved her. He needed her. And if she needed him then, well, it wouldn't be love if he wasn't right there to help her out.

"Lis... Lis…"

"Shhh. It's okay. You don't have to speak. Just rest, Mira."

That was what Laxus heard as he walked back into the infirmary one day. He had just go off to take a leak and what did he miss? Ugh. Life was unfair.

Lisanna had taken his seat while he was gone, stroking Mira's hand gently as she held it and just stared at her sister. Mirajane was sitting up some and seemed more alert than usual.

"Lis..."

And apparently more vocal.

She'd moaned a lot and had grunted before, just to let them know that she could hear them, but she hadn't managed any actual words before that time. So needless to say, Laxus was in a state of shock as he just stood there, in the infirmary, staring at his girlfriend.

She was just looking at her sister, staring at her really, as Lisanna kept her gaze.

Laxus. She should be saying Laxus. Frowning, he came closer, going to stand behind Lisanna's chair. Wendy was in the room and was coming over as well, but Elfman had gone downstairs to eat. It was just the three of them and Mirajane.

"I should go get Porlyusica," Wendy said then before glancing at Lisanna. "I'll be right back. She's downstairs with Master."

But Lisanna only continued to watch her big sister who had fallen silent. But Mira's eyes had shifted then, to Laxus', and he only stared back.

"Shhh," Lisanna was still mumbling, though her tears were welling up in the corners of her eyes. "Mirajane."

"I've waited for how long and you can't even speak to me first?"

"Laxus-" Lisanna whispered at his words, but he was only moving then to kiss Mira's head.

"Take your time," he sighed against her flesh before going to grab another chair. "I can wait."

And he did. Wait. Even more. Three days later still only had her speaking in bits. Laxus had moved the ring back to his pocket, as he figured it wasn't a good idea to stress her yet. The better she got, he'd revisit the subject.

He was mostly concerned with his baby at that point, growing inside of her. What Mira's current state would mean for it. Porlyusica told him though that they were more focused on keeping Mirajane well over the life of a fetus.

Which he was a little annoyed about, but saw the importance in it.

It was a few days later when Mirajane was actually able to stand up, though she couldn't walk very far, and could actually answer basic questions that Laxus asked her to marry him. It was when everyone else was out of the room for once and it was just the two of them.

Mira had been just listening to him talk, which he found he did a lot of in those days, and it just kinda slipped out. He was telling her about how he was with her no matter what, thick and thin, that he didn't care if she was like the way she was for the rest of her life. He was there for her. Period.

…And somehow he found himself proposing and reaching into his pocket to get the ring. He wasn't even thinking about it, not really. Just sort of…did it.

That had to have been the clearest Laxus had ever heard Mirajane speak since waking up. That yes was the one thing he wanted to hear and the only thing he heard. Then he gave her a kiss and Mira was smiling, letting him know that none of it mattered anymore. She'd be okay.

They'd be okay.

At one point, he actually found himself grinning, at the way Elfman was excitedly explaining to Mirajane all the things that had been going on while she'd been unconscious. And watching the way that Lisanna was with her made Laxus feel…different. Odd.

They were his family then. Both of them. And he actually felt himself beginning to care about them.

Disgusting. But…nice too. Very nice.

And he realized too, very quickly, that just wasn't taking in those two idiots. Evergreen was practically in heaven over Mirajane agreeing to marry Laxus because somehow, in her mind, that brought her one step closer to him.

Not that Bickslow was much better. He was just as ecstatic over the whole thing, sitting there with Lisanna as they spoke softly to Mirajane about what sort of wedding it would be and how excited they both were to start planning it.

Freed though, as always, was the voice of reason in everything.

"It has taken a toll on her, just to get where she is."

"Yeah," he said as the two of them sat down stairs at the bar. Porlyusica had kicked him and the others out again to examine Mirajane, so he was using it as a chance to eat a little. "I know."

"There is no way to know if-"

"I've already gone through it all, in my head, so if you're trying to-"

"I am not saying anything," Freed told him as he bowed his head, his most faithful of followers. "Merely that should you need me, the Thunder God Tribe, for anything, we will be there. We always have been there. And we will stay there, through all of this.

"But," he continued. "This is a big step for you. And I only mean to offer my condolences, if it does not turn out in the way you are expecting. It is only the start after all, Laxus. And I trust your judgment and your commitment, but you there is no way to know what you'll feel in the coming months."

"No," he agreed softly. "But I do know what I won't feel. And I won't feel like leaving Mira behind. So everything else is just irrelevant."

When he got back upstairs to Mirajane later, he felt just the same. It wasn't just about duty or loyalty. Or love. It was because it was just the right thing to do.

And fine, he hadn't always done what was right. In fact, the wrongs probably outweighed any of the rights he had done. But that was just the man he was then. That Mira made him.

He was going to be with her. Forever. She gave him stability, comfort, succor.

Mirajane was his solace. From all the horrible things he had done and all the ones that he would have done without her. And you just don't walk away from something like that.

Ever.

"What do you truly think then? Did those herbs help anything? Or was she going to wake up to begin with?"

Porlyusica didn't glance down at the slight man as she continued to pack up the few things she'd brought with her to the guildhall that day.

"I couldn't say, truthfully. But it was quite a show of faith on the boy's part. And the red head as well."

Makarov nodded, continuing to watch as she prepared to leave. She'd be back in the morning to check in on Mirajane. It was good for him as much as anybody that the barmaid was doing better. He'd lost much sleep over it. Whenever one of his children were hurt, it troubled him. But Mirajane was special. She'd helped him through many things.

He didn't pick favorites, but if he had to, well…

"What about the child?" he asked softly then. Lisanna was the only one in the room that didn't know, but she was curled up in a cot, sleeping. And Laxus was laying with his head against Mira's bed as she too rested, his headphones in for once. Like usual.

They were forging a new normal, slowly, but surely.

"I do not know, Makarov," she told him with a sigh. "But I think… I think it has suffered little damage. And should everything go on alright from here, it should be fine."

"Good." He bowed his head then before glancing back at Laxus. "Very good."

"I just wonder at what cost though."

"Hmmm?"

Porlyusica was finished packing up her stuff and turned to leave then. Not before glancing once more over at her patient.

"Would you wish to live like that, Makarov? If her recovery does not go as smoothly as expected, then-"

"That," he said, lifting one hand to point at his grandson, "makes it all worth it to me. And her too, I'm sure."

She only let out a soft sigh. "Yes, well, it would have been rather…unfortunate to see your grandson in such pain. Not that I would have cared, but all things considered."

Grinning slightly, he said, "I would not say this is without pain either, but-"

"I can effing hear you idiots," they heard then, the slight growl coming from the man in question as he didn't move his head in the slightest. Porlyusica only narrowed her eyes at him while Makarov grinned.

"And that means Mira can. So shut up. She's resting," he grumbled as the healing mage only rolled her eyes and headed to the door. Makarov's words stopped her though.

"I think you have a few things to say before she leaves, do you not, boy?"

Laxus snorted while Porlyusica only shook her head.

"I do not wish to be thanked by him. It would mean nothing to me. It-"

She stopped speaking then as the thunder mage stood slowly from his chair, releasing Mira's hand, which he'd apparently been clutching. After moving to place it gently at her side, he ran his finger gently over the engagement ring that it was home to then, before turning to walk over to the woman. Porlyusica just stood there as Makarov kept his eyes on his grandson.

The woman was just expecting some sort of show of gratitude. Not…what he did.

"Get off me," she complained as Laxus moved to hug her. And boy, for an old woman, she put up quite the fight. Makarov got a good laugh out of it though, probably the first one he'd gotten since the whole thing began. And even Laxus found himself grinning as she took to beating him with her bag. "You foolish boy!"

The man only released her though, the smile feeling wrong on his face after so long. It was the giggling though that started up from one of the cots that sounded the most odd. When he glanced over there, he found that they'd awoke Lisanna, who was smiling at the sight of her future brother-in-law being put in his place by the woman.

"What's going on?"

Elfman was rushing up the stairs then, having heard Porlyusica scream at Laxus, along with Bickslow and Ever, the former's babies trailing behind.

"Lisanna," the wooden dolls cried as they rushed in as well. Elfman went to his sister's side as Porlyusica took to telling them all that they were making too much noise. That Mirajane didn't need so much stimulation. She had woken up, of course, from all the commotion, but her eyes were only on Laxus as Ever headed over to her boyfriend and Bickslow went to check on Lisanna.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm not crying, Bickslow," she told him as he and his babies came closer. "I'm laughing."

"Are we… Can we do that again?"

It was Laxus though, that answered him, as the man only gave the pink haired healing mage one last long look, a silent appreciation for one she'd done, before she rushed from the room in a fake huff. His grandfather only winked at him though before heading after her.

"Yeah," Laxus told them all, his grin having not left his face the entire time. He only turned to walk over to his girlfriend as Ever's hand slipped into Elfman's and Bickslow's babies took to swarming their 'mother' in an attempt to please her.

Reaching into his pocket, Laxus pulled out a rubber band, which he used when he got to Mira to gently pull her bangs out of her face and pull up into that tiny pony tail she did with them.

"We can," he told them all softly before leaning down to kiss her forehead. Mirajane whispered something to him, softly, to which Laxus only gave her another kiss.

"I love you too," he said, loud enough for them all to hear. He didn't care though.

Everything was only going to look up from there. He just knew it.

How could it not, when he had his whole family there to help him along?

That's it for Solace. Chapter got a little lengthy versus the others in this story, but hey. Just tying up lose ends.