Chapter 3
After the bomb had been dropped, everyone stays at the guild hall to protect each other, but mostly me.
"What are we going to do, Master?" I was frantically cleaning the bar and everything in it. "Should we wait for Erza, Natsu, Gray, and Lucy? They won't be back until tomorrow."
"Yes, but we should keep our guard up, in case they attack before they are back." The master sat in his usual spot on the bar counter, his thoughts running miles in his head.
"What about Mystogan? Should we call him?" I scrub a glass furiously, though it's already clean.
Makarov grunts, but stays deep in thought.
"Should we-?" I begin to say, but I don't get to ask.
"Mirajane, I know you're scared, but if I am to make a plan, I need you to stop fretting. I'm aware of our situation. Word has been sent to both Erza and Jellal. They will be her as quickly as possible. Try to relax, my dear." He looks at me, sympathy in his gaze.
'I'm sorry, Master." My shoulders slump. I turn to go into the kitchen, but I stop.
The dozen kegs Laxus moved for me stand stacked against the back wall of the bar. I had only given Cana the ones under the counter, none of these yet.
The thought of Laxus' kind act pulls back the memory of earlier.
'"We are not going to let him get you."' The fierce look on his face as he said that gives me shivers all over. Was he saying that he would fight his own father to save her?
My breath caught in my throat. Laxus.
For years, I'd had a crush on him. But then he came back evil, corrupted by his father, nearly destroying Fairy Tail in his quest to become the guild master. During his exile, I'd questioned my feelings for him. I told myself to ignore them, but ever since he came back, I'd had a hard time doing so.
I look over to where he sits in the corner. His gaze is locked onto me, never wavering. When our eyes meet, his widen a little, but he doesn't look away. He nods solemnly at me.
I smile, and mouth the words Thank you at him.
One side of his mouth curls up, and he raises his glass to drink, only to find it empty. Looking back at her, he lifts his cup to her, gesturing for a refill.
I roll my eyes, sighing. But the smile stays.
I grab a tray, and lose myself to my work.