Laxus and I walked down the street, hand in hand. The Christmas snow covered the city, clean and untouched; veiled in white, like a bride greeting her groom. We didn't talk; everything was expressed in stolen glances, warm smiles, and the tightening of our grips. I couldn't remember the last time I'd ever felt so at peace with the world, or if I ever had.

We eventually arrived at my door, and it was absolutely arduous pulling my hand away from his; even if it was for a few seconds to unlock the door. Every second that passed as I fished in my bag, pulled out the keys, found the key, felt the tumbler of the lock turn, and opened the door; each was a second of yearning. I took his large hand back in mine and pulled him inside. I tugged his hand with force, pulling him to sit on the bed. "Close your eyes," I instructed as I went to fetch my gift for him.

I came back, holding the package behind my back. "Okay. Open," I ordered. His eyelids parted and he gazed at the small box in my hands, which I held out to him. He took the package and as he started to unwrap it, I began explaining the gift. "The other girls told me what they were getting the guys and I decided to follow the trend and..." I stopped talking as he opened the box, staring at the contents.

"This is..." he said, but didn't finish his statement.

"I didn't really know what you like and I know this is probably a stupid gift, but..."

"It's great," Laxus stated, looking down at the pendant with the Fairy Tail insignia crested into it.

"Open it," I ordered.

He unclasped the fastener on the medallion and flipped it open. A large cluster of constellations erupted from the center, projecting itself in front of him.

"Okay, now think of something, or someone."

He closed his eyes whilst still gripping the necklace and before he and I appeared a flurry of images and flashbacks. They started as small glimpses of his past, such as moments with his grandfather or missions when he was a child. Though they were soon sifted through and replaced by memories of the Thunder God Tribe, flings, his exile, and his tougher missions, but seconds later, his thoughts fell on a single subject. There, displayed before me, was a multitude of memories of a girl with blonde hair and chocolate-brown eyes. He was thinking about me? And for so long?

I saw the night he stopped my tears, we danced and he kissed me; though looking at the memory, it was me who initiated it. I saw him respecting my wish to take it slow. I saw him promise me to return. I saw his dreams while he was away, all containing myself. I saw our first night together. I saw it all.

As I was captivated, the images and flashbacks came to an end as Laxus closed the medallion and stared at me, expecting me to be creeped out at his thoughts. Without thinking, I lunged at him, pulling his coat to me as I smashed my lips against his. He was taken aback at first but soon melded into the action, placing his hands on my hips to steady the weight I was pushing on him.

Parting, he looked deeply into my eyes before speaking. "I don't know how to say it." Not really understanding, I asked, "What do you mean?"

"How I feel, I mean," he said, slightly embarrassed. He took my blank expression as some sort of cue to continue. "The closest word I can think of is 'infatuation', but that isn't right. No one's ever made such an impression on me in such a short time, well nobody except..." he trailed off, his attention waning. The color drained from his face. His eyes, for a moment, lacked any life. "Laxus?" I asked with hesitation.

Calling his name, he finally turned his attention back to me, "... Sorry." What was that just now? I don't want to pry but I feel like I have to know. Thoughts, guesses, and fantasies swarmed my head, trying to think up a scenario in Laxus' past to make him act in such a way, but the look I saw in his eyes killed those thoughts.

"Hey... What was that?" I asked slowly, not sure of his response.

"It's just... nothing..." he answered a bit solemnly, but I took the hint, knowing I shouldn't press the matter.

"You know," I said changing my tone. "You promised to take Wendy out later."

Laxus perked up a bit at this and replied, "Then I shouldn't keep her waiting." He stood abruptly and slipped his head through the chain of the necklace, grabbed his coat, and made a bee-line for the door. Once there, he stopped and turned around. "Aren't you coming?"

"Umm... yeah," was all I could mutter. I put on my jacket and boots and met him at the door. Locking the door and leaving, he slipped his arm around me, holding me against himself as we walked for the guild. That same tingling feeling I got every time he touched me now being flowed throughout my entire body.

I'm so, so, so, SO sorry that this took so long. I've been in Brazil for a while now (June 10), taken a selfie with the Cristo Rendentor, rode a party boat, studied the indigenous people, got asked for sex in a bar (several times, I might add) because prostitution is legal here, and met this AMAZING girl who lives a little over two hours from me.

About three weeks ago I got my hands sliced up by broken glass and couldn't type because of the stitches.

Can you imagine that? I couldn't diddle for three weeks! I wanted to make this more in-depth, but I was really eager to put something out here for you guys.

And since my urges are under control and I have full functionality over my hands, I'll be updating again very soon, but I still have studies to deal with so now it ACTUALLY will be every couple of days. Pinky promise so fucking hard.

PS: That bit about Laxus zoning out is a bit of foreshadowing to a story I plan to write.