Chapter Twenty-One
And I got out of the way just in time before I got squished. Seeing Laxus being crushed to the floor by the combined force of his team was a sight to be seen and never forgotten. I laughed hard until I realized he still had my letters.
"Shit! Laxus, the box! Is it okay?" My voice came out louder and more panicked than I expected. When I saw him point to the table by the door, I couldn't help the relieved sigh and the 'thank Mavis' that escaped my mouth as I maneuvered my way over the ball of bodies to the box. Making my way over to where I knew Laxus' face was I kneeled by him, a dusting of pink on my face.
"Thank you." A light blush appeared on his cheeks but he quickly forced it away and nodded. "So, um, this happen often?" The hand that wasn't clutching my letters to my chest gestured to the blob of limbs that was his team.
"Everytime I come back and they're here." I giggled at the feigned annoyance in his voice, I could feel his contentedness through our link. Despite how gruff he appeared, he really was quite a softie.
"Well, I'm going to go put all of this up in Evergreen's room." I saw him nod his okay. I also saw Evergreen poke her head out of the blob to look at me. Still holding the letters, I dragged the large, over-stuffed bags up the stairs.
Part way up the bags were no longer in my hands.
"Geez, Cosplayer, what have you got in these bags?"
"Well, I'm hoping clothes. She's been wearing mine for the last week." I swivel on the stairs to face the speakers.
"Why do you have so much here, anyway? If there're enough for her for a week and then some, you have too much." Bixlow shot towards a now-annoyed Evergreen.
"You can never have too much clothes somewhere. And, how much do you have here? I know for a fact you've stayed here for more than just one night." From what I can see of his face, Bixlow is annoyed now, too.
"Like that's any business of yours."
"Then don't talk about my clothes."
"You brought it up."
They're acting like children, and they're fighting over something so stupid. I let out a quiet giggle at the thought.
"It's not like I told you to continue talking about it."
It's so similar to Natsu and Gray. My giggling continued, but remained unheard over the two people on the stairwell with me.
"Hey, cut it out, you two!"
And Freid was so much like Erza in this situation.
It was at the last thought that my giggles turned into full blown laughter, and I couldn't stop. Originally because the argument started over whether or not I brought clothes, then at the fact that my beloved team was so similar to the team that I used to fear. Now it was because my mind decided to have the people trade clothes and characteristics, and these three dressing and acting like my team was too hilarious. Then I realized that left Laxus and me to switch clothing and him in my tight miniskirt was priceless. During this Laxus and Freid came to the stairway to see what the commotion was about.
I very nearly fell off the step I was standing on, but caught myself... Only to fall back onto the floor at the top of the stairs. I see Laxus and the Raijinshuu rush to my side. Them all surrounding me only served to make me laugh harder. Until I realized there was one other member of the team Laxus could trade with. Happy. Happy doesn't wear clothes. My mind wouldn't stop there and just let me calm down from laughter. My mind just had to imagine it.
A naked Laxus, with him saying Happy's little 'aye' and everything.
My laughter stopped instantaneously, though I was sure that it could start up again at any second. I was beyond happy that my face was red from laughter so that they wouldn't notice the hot blush staining my cheeks and neck. I shuffled to my feet, cleared my throat as a bubble of laughter threatened to come up, grabbed my bags from Evergreen and Bixlow, barely catching the shocked, dumbfounded looks on all of their faces, and walked as briskly as I could to my room.
About five minutes later the door opened and Evergreen came in. I was just folding some clothes and putting them in the drawers.
"So, what was that?"
"I started thinking about something strange and it made me laugh... A lot."
"Not that. The blush that made you stop laughing and run in here." The blush came back full force.
"Um, just what I was, uh, thinking of made me picture something strange."
"And what did you picture?" I can't tell you. It's way too embarrassing.
"I'd rather not say."
It was quiet for another few minutes as she sat on the bed watching me continue to unpack my bags and arrange them around the room.
"Do you mind that I have my stuff around in here?"
"It's not actually my room, so go ahead." I nod my head.
It was quiet again.
"You know, he's actually happy that you're here." Evergreen said, seemingly random.
"What?"
"Laxus, he's always been alone, ever since he was a kid. His dad was alive, sure, but he didn't want much to do with Laxus unless he was strong." Evergreen explained.
"What about Master?"
"He didn't live with Laxus. They spent a lot of time together, but Master had the guild, so Laxus was alone most of the time."
If he was lonely, he'd be the one embarrassed and a little happy about me saying welcome back. I knew it wasn't anything for me to be embarrassed about. But, just to be sure...
"So, let's say, if I were to welcome him back a couple days ago when he got home, he'd feel embarrassed, right?"
"Well, ya, probably. Why?"
"'Cause I did, and I've been feeling embarrassed about it, but I don't have any reason to, so I've been confused about it. I think the 'Link' may have caused me to feel his emotions about it." Evergreen's eyes had taken a sharp look to them, and she looked very interested now.
"Has anything else happened since then?" She practically purred the question.
"Well, I don't know if this counts, but earlier when we were at my apartment," I heard Evergreen take in a sharp breath, "It's nothing like what you're thinking! It was, just, I asked him to carry something really important to me," I pointed to the small wooden box that contained my letters, "And, when he took it, he looked happy and embarrassed, and even had a tiny blush on his face, and he handled it so carefully on the walk back. I guess, it just made me happy. But, I didn't understand why he was happy and embarrassed about it?" Evergreen had the smallest of smiles on her face.
"You said it was important, right?" Her voice was soft when she spoke. I nodded slow, confused as to what she might be getting at, "He was happy because you basically told him you trusted him, and since Fantasia that is one thing he's afraid he will never get back from most of the guild members."
'Welcome back' made him happy because he wasn't alone anymore.
'Can you carry this' made him happy because it showed that I trusted him.
"I didn't know two small sentences could mean so much." I whispered to myself, looking to my hands.
"It's usually the smallest sentences that mean the most."
So, a little Evergreen and Lucy bonding, I was going to make this longer and add some bonding experiences with Freid and Bixlow as well, but I really liked how that ended, so those will wait until a later chapter. And yes, contentedness is a real word. I checked, just in case.
Yay, one whole year of this story! Well, a year and few days, I missed the year mark. Thank you to all of my muses who have followed this so far. If you're new, then awesome, always good to have more people to inspire me.
Muses, you know what to do. Review and inspire me with everything you have to say. I'll be back soon.