Aki had never really gotten close to the members of the guild.

He much preferred his own space. Even the recluse gajeel interacted with the guild more than he did. He had also refused to let the smaller dragon slayer heal anything other than his face and kept his guild mark covered even though it was what he should have done to begin with.

He'd gotten too comfortable, too used to the happy-go-lucky atmosphere of the guild. And now he was paying the price. His eyebrow twitched in annoyance as wooden totem dolls flew around him. He had been doing fine blocking them out, as well as Bixlow and Evergreens argument about how perverted he was and he had managed to ignore the polite chatter from the green haired mage. But Laxus's smug face was getting too much

"What are you staring at bastard?"Freed was immediately outraged.

"What did you call Laxus-sama?"Aki just scoffed

"Sorry let me that, rephrase are you staring at Bastard-sama?" Bixlow burst out laughing at this, whilst his other team mates looked less than impressed. Though Laxus didn't bat an eye lid.

"Just wondering how long you're going to sulk for. We're almost there."

Aki's eye twitched in annoyance as he remembered where he was. He was on is first mission with the thunder legion.

They were heading to Crystalia, a city specialising in crystals. All he knew about the supposed mission, was that they had to meet the requester to get information about a crystal they needed to guard. It wasn't a difficult mission and would have been probably been a simple mission, if he had alone.

Instead he was stuck with Laxus's fan club. Aki subsequently ignored the blonde next to him and turned his attention back to the window. He didn't understand the lightening dragon slayer. He didn't act like a smug bastard around anyone else! Infact he was usually quite solemn around them. So what made him so different?

Laxus seemed disappointed when the freckled male didn't snap back, the auburn haired boys dark eyes distant, as if he was in deep thought. Whilst watching the man, he noticed the golden crystal earring that hung from his left ear. He had never paid much attention to the showy ornament, it just didn't seem to fit Aki's character. It hung from a black metal that swirled the bright rock, and it almost twinkled the more he looked at it. Perhaps feeling his gaze, Aki's eyes glanced in his direction.

"What?"He snapped. "If you've got something to say, say it" Laxus narrowed his eyes slightly in annoyance at Aki's tone, but instead of snapping back, Laxus let a smirk creep across his face.

"Just looking at your earring, bit showy don't ya think?" Aki didn't take the bait as he hoped, but instead he felt slightly uncomfortable as the rest of Laxus's club turned their attention to the accessory which was usually hidden behind his hood. Bixlow grinned.

"I didn't know that ya was into crystal trinkets" He laughed, much to Aki's annoyance.

"Yeah, well you don't know a lot about me" He retorted back, his patience wearing incredibly thin at this point. Evergreen huffed in annoyance, her fan covering the scowl on her face.

"And who's fault is that hmm? Honestly!"

She narrowed her eyes at the new member to the team. She would never mention to anyone but she had secretly hoped that if they ever added to team, that the new member would be female.

Sure she her guildmates by the majority of her time was spent with her male team mates. Aki was as close to a girl member as she was going to get, she mused. With his short height, doe eyes and of course girly face he could easily be mistaken for a girl. She also thought that despite her or anyone never really seeing so much as a smile on his face, she couldn't help but think that if he did smile, he was probably very beautiful.

What am I thinking? Of course i am much more beautiful! She added hastily.

Still...

The more she looked at the auburn haired mage, the less he looked like a guy...

Hmmm...How strange...

The train journey soon came to a conclusion.

Aki had hardly spoken throughout the journey, but they were all silent as they walked through the streets of Crystalia, taking in the view as they went. It was a rich city, so it was understandable why someone want to steal from the place. They walked through the bustling market place to the town hall where they would meet their client, the mayor of the town.

Well. Laxus and Freed did.

Aki had simply said he would see them later and had quickly vanished within the crowd before his new team could stop him, leaving an annoyed evergreen stuck with bixlow to look for a place to stay.

As Freed and Laxus walked, freed asked the question that had been dwelling in his mind.

"Laxus-sama?"

"Hm?"

When Freed didn't continue, Laxus turned to see the green haired man looked uncertain...

"What?"Freed glanced at his leader

"Why..."He paused "Did you want Aki on our team?" To say the least, Laxus was mildly suprised. The rune mage was never one to question his had expected this from Ever or Bixlow but never Freed. Thinking perhaps he had angered the lightening mage, Freed shook his head.

"I'm sorry for asking Laxus-sama, Please forgive me rudeness... I've just been wondering."Laxus pondered Freed's question for a moment, then strangely he smirked...

"Who knows"He shrugged "You have to admit, He is pretty interesting though" Freed's eyes widened at the mischevious glint in his blue orbs.

Did he want Aki on the team just to tease him?

He glanced at the smug look on the blondes face. He couldn't help but think that ever since the auburn haired boy had joined, Laxus was happier almost. He smiled slightly. Who knew that what Laxus needed was someone to tease.

It had just gotten dark by the time they had finished their meeting and the pair of mages headed into the centre of found Evergreen and Bixlow present, But no sign of Aki.

"Yo, Laxus, how'd it go?" Laxus scowled as he explained that the mayor had recieved a note telling him that 2 days from now, a dark guild was planning on stealing a large crystal, which magically powered the city.

"Did you find place to stay?" Freed inquired, only for Evergreen to be the one to scowl.

"No" She snapped "Apparently there is a festival this week, so everywhere's booked! And where the HELL is Aki?"It was just as his name was said that Bixlow noticed said mage walking towards them.

"Over there!"His dolls chanted "There" Mimicking the Seith mage.

Aki was approaching them, looking pissed off some strange reason, unbeknownst to the group.

"Aki where the hell have you been?"The brunette snapped "We don't even have a room to stay in and you've been nothing usefu-"

"I got us a place to stay"He stated blankly. Bixlow grinned at the dumbfounded look on his team mates face.

"Bwahaha! Ever you should see your face right now!"

"Shut it!"

Freed sighed, before turning to his new team mate.

"Aki-san, how could you have found a place? All the hotels are booked."Aki glanced at the green haired man.

"It ain't a hotel"He paused, as if considering whether he should tell them anything else. "There is someone who owes me a favour." And without saying anything else, he turned around, not even checking to see if the thunder legion was following him.

They had been walking for a short while in silence, when Laxus once again began his out of character teasing.

"So Aki, who is this person who owes you a favour?"Aki glanced at the blonde.

"...Someone i saved once" was his simple reply. Freed perked up at this.

"So you're saying you've been here before?"Aki nodded

"Yeah, i lived here for a few months, but then..."He trailed off and gritted his teeth, as if in pain. Laxus frowned at this.

"Your family...right?" Freed asked, seeming to understand what Aki had been reluctant to say...

Aki nodded

"I've lived in a lot of places.I stay to long, and my wonderful family finds me." The sarcasm was evident when he spoke of his family.

"Have they ever taken you back? Evergreen asked. "I mean, do you always escape?"

"They've taken me back before"He began, a smirk crossed his face, but it seemed forced, sad even.

"They don't give me a nice welcome back though, You've seen the result of their greetings" The thunder legion frowned as they remembered their nakama's bandaged form. Laxus had thought his dad was bad, but Aki's family sounded like monsters, so it wasn't surprising that he had run away.

"We're here"He suddenly said.

Before them was what appeared to be a Blacksmith's workshop, and despite the late time, lights still appeared in the shop windows. Strangely, Aki didn't even knock, and turned the knob of the door, walking in as if he owned the place.

"OI Old man! Where are you?" A grunt came from behind the large counter, and after that a door from behind the counter opened.

"Who you calling old, brat?"Snapped a gruff voice.

Before the group stood a muscular had a tall build with a bandanna wrapped round his head, and a small hammer in his hand. His brown eyes glared at Aki, and the thunder legion couldn't help but notice that the man had two scars.

One went diagonally across his left cheek whilst the other, a much bigger mark started from just above his eyebrow, all the way to his chin, going through his lip. He stood in black, except for the white apron that covered his torso, covered in coal smudges.

"What do ya want kid?"He grunted, ignoring the presence of the other mages.

"We need a place to stay"The man raised his eyebrow, before grunting again.

"Fine.. Now hurry up and shut the damn door" He then turned his attention to the other mages.

"Well, you going to tell me who the hell you are? Or are you going to gawk like idiots?"Laxus didn't appreciate the man's attitude, No one spoke to him like that. He clenched his fists.

"Shouldn't you tell us who the hell you are first old man?" Laxus blue eyes clashed with tensed preparing himself, expecting a fight. Instead the man boomed with laughter.

"Well said lad, The Name's Mori."