I don't want to delay this any further, so I'll be replying to reviews as usual!
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The great hwuan: Thank you very much! It's the first time I'm writing about FT. I hope I live to your expectations!
GNetNe: Arigathank you Gozaimuch!
striker sigma: Please stay tuned so you can make up your mind!
Medvac: I'll try my best to avoid that since I've been on the other side too. So many great fics that never saw an ending (a personal favorite of mine is "Three Love Way" from The wiErDos Association. Dang, I would've loved to see the second chapter of that one!)
Ryuoumaru: Those two are very good suggestions! Who knows, maybe your ideas could enter sooner or later. On a different note, I'd love it if I could make these characters seem "human". What I mean with this is that no human is perfect. We all have our bad sides. Ofc I'm not planning on doing anything too drastic (most likely), but I'd like to reflect some of the emotions we humans possess. Like jealousy or envy, for examples.
Majestic Star Arceus: Thank you! I thought the idea of pairing Natsu with a normal woman would be interesting. Just a regular human being, full of hopes and dreams! (Also, she's older than him because of personal preferences. *WINK, WINK*). I will do my very best to see it until the end.
Oh!
Make sure to give some love to "Fairy Love" from Dr. Yandere! I'm sure a lot of you will like it (if you haven't read it already, that is)!
"What do you think love means, Mira-nee?"
"Huh?"
A young and goth Mirajane Strauss was left dumbfounded when she heard that question out of her little sister's mouth. She didn't know what made her ask something so deep all of a sudden. One can say kids are simply curious about everything they don't comprehend. Mirajane thought this was the case with Lisanna.
"What's gotten into you, Lisanna? Asking me about love."
"I heard a married couple talking to each other while holding hands. They just looked so happy while doing it! I wonder what it would feel to get married someday~" Mirajane felt like gagging when she heard how "lovey-dovey" the pair was being in public.
"Eww. Listen here, Lisanna! Boys are gross and unrefined. Why would you even want to hold hands with them? Just thinking about it makes me feel sick." Mirajane finished her statement sticking out her tongue in a grossed-out fashion. Her little sister couldn't help laughing at her sister's antics.
"Jeez, don't be like that Mira-nee! I'm sure one day you will also find someone you like and will want to hold hands with." Lisanna sighed and patted her sibling's back.
"Not in a million yea—wait." Mirajane thought she heard something weird about Lisanna's words. She wasn't sure.
"Did you just say "also"?" The younger Strauss widened her eyes at her sister's words. A soft pink blush creeped its way upon her cheeks. Mirajane felt alarms going out in her head.
"Lisanna! Don't tell me you like someone?" Mirajane took her sister by her shoulders and lightly shook her to get a response out of her.
"I-It's a secret! I know you will just go and tell, Mira-nee!" Lisanna shook her head, she felt embarrassed she just gave herself out so easily, with a conversation she started herself!
"…" The Demon of Fairy Tail just looked at her sibling agape. Now she just needed to know who was it that wanted to take advantage of her little sister. She rocked her brains to think of a boy who spent a lot of time with her sister. Suddenly…
"…do you like Natsu, Lisanna?" She asked with narrowed eyes. Lisanna's face turned a deep crimson red out of embarrassement, giving Mirajane the answer she didn't wanted (but needed) to hear. She gently let go of her baby sister's shoulders and started walking towards the guild.
"Mira-nee! What are you—" Before finishing her sentence, Mirajane cut her off.
"I'm going to the guild to have a talk with Natsu. I don't want you to go near him anymore, Lisanna." Not even sparing a glance at her sibling, Mirajane continued walking. Suddenly, she felt a pair of smaller hands grabbing a hold on her left arm.
"NO! Mira-nee, please don't tell Natsu!"
"Let go of me, Lisanna. I'm doing this for your own good."
The 'Majin' knew that it was inevitable that her sister developed a crush on the Fire Dragon Slayer. It was just a matter of time and place, circumstances even. It is said that girls mature earlier compared to boys. Sometimes physically, but always emotionally. While boys keep thinking about goofing around and pranking everyone (although the demoness could be a little biased since she had her thoughts on Natsu), girls tend to start looking at them differently.
They start dressing up. Wanting to look cuter in the eyes of your crush is normal when girls reach a certain age. Although Mirajane thought Lisanna was still too young to have a boyfriend or whatever, she knew it was just natural since she spent too much time with Natsu and Happy, their so-called "son".
"But Mira-nee—!"
"—Lisanna!"
"!?" Hearing her sister shouting at her and finally looking at her in her eyes made Lisanna instantly eat her words before she could even say 'em. Mirajane struck her finger out and lightly pointed at her little sister.
"Pay attention, Lisanna, because I won't say this again. Whatever you think of Natsu, it better not cross the line of 'friendship' or 'nakama', understood? Something as dumb as "love" ends very quickly. You will just get hurt in the process. Don't you ever tell Natsu about your feelings." Lisanna just opened her mouth slightly, as if wanting to have a say in this, but Mirajane wouldn't have it.
"Listen, Lisanna—"
"—love is useless."
"AHH!" Finally back from the land of dreams, Mirajane Strauss woke up from her sleep.
"Huff… haa…" Taking deep breaths to calm herself, she looked at her surroundings, feeling a little disoriented.
'It was that dream again… How long has it passed since then…?'
Her dream, which was a recurrent one, was a distant memory. Their childhood days after joining Fairy Tail.
One would think such memories were to be treasured. Even if she was very strict to her sister about her crush on the Dragon Slayer, that wasn't what made Mirajane feel like puking, no. It was everything that followed up.
Years passed by, all of the young members grew up, blossoming into men and women. Mira wasn't so heartless to fully rip apart Natsu and Lisanna, but she was very clear to her on never revealing she had a crush on him. Basically, she prohibited Lisanna from confessing her feelings to Natsu. Both were partners in crime, it was weird to see one without the other.
Of course, Happy had a lot to do with this, since he was the strongest link between her sister and the son of Igneel. With the pass of time, Mirajane started to think differently of Natsu, he wasn't a bad person, just a little dumb. So, she started thinking maybe she went too far by outright denying Lisanna of a chance to confess. Maybe it was time she let her sister grow up?
Sadly, that never happened. While Mirajane was still debating upon herself to lift the "no love ban" from her sister, The Beast came by. Lisanna was presumably killed, and both Elfman and Mirajane fell into despair.
It really hurt Mirajane that she robbed her sister of the opportunity to fall in love and maybe, get married, as she very well knew her sister yearned for. She died, before she could even confess her feelings to her significant one. Mirajane threw up several times from stress and guilt. There was a point where she just gave up on everything and wanted nothing more but to reunite with her sister once more. That is, until he came.
Natsu was a pillar of hope for Mirajane. The light that cleared up the darkness that had a hold on her heart. He, almost religiously, visited the Strauss siblings to make small talk, but above everything, to keep them company. Her brother was the first of them to stand up and fight against despair. Natsu showed him the way and he took it upon his own fists to see it through the end.
In her case, he always made sure to hold her hands and give her the human warmth she needed. Sometimes both of them would fall asleep together, hugging each other tightly. Not because they loved each other, but because they were capable of loving so much it hurt. They loved Lisanna too much, so much that it hurt.
When Mirajane decided that enough was enough, she saw what her sister saw in the young Salamander. She couldn't help it. After everything she went through, one thing was certain.
Mirajane Strauss was in love with Natsu Dragneel.
How could she not? After everything he did for her and her brother. She decided to change, even if that meant that "The Demon Mirajane" ceased to exist. The white-haired girl wanted to look cute in the eyes of Natsu, unconsciously or not.
She told herself several times that she desired this change for herself and not for the pink-haired Fire Dragon Slayer. She started wearing cute clothes. She swapped her usual goth outfit with something that screamed "CUTE!" all over. She changed her attitude towards others. The old Mirajane Strauss that was mean to others and clashed with a certain Re-equip magic user every time both met disappeared. Of course, her guildmates, especially Natsu, asked her about her new appearance.
Mirajane just brushed everything off saying she needed to change. Natsu never questioned her and gladly accepted this new "facet" of hers. She started working as a barmaid at the guild and became the lovable Mira-chan that everyone loved.
"Natsu."
"Hnn?" The Dragon Slayer replied without looking at her. Both were at the balcony enjoying the night scenery during one of the parties that Fairy Tail loved to partake in.
"What do you think love means?" She asked with a conflicted smile. At least that's what he could infer from her expression.
"Beats me. I've never thought of that before to be honest."
"Mou~ You can do it better than that! Answer me honestly." A pouting Mirajane stated while gently grabbing his right hand with her left.
"'Yes, yes. Jeez, Mira. Nowadays you're so forceful. Let's see… I think being in love mean an invisible attraction." Mirajane raised an eyebrow at his reply.
"Care to elaborate?"
"It's… a little hard to explain for me but, it's like eating your favorite meal. Fighting a lot. That kind of feeling. I think being in love with someone makes you feel like that whenever you're near that special person." Natsu concluded while looking at Mirajane at his right.
"Of course, you would compare love with food and fighting, fufu~"
"Hey! I thought really hard of that! Stop making fun of me." Natsu blushed lightly when he heard the soft giggles coming from the barmaid's lips.
"Oh? I thought I heard people outside." Halting their conversation, a new voice made its way towards them.
"E-Erza?"
"Natsu, good to see you. I thought you already went home. Seems I was mistaken." The scarlet-haired knight smiled softly when she saw her friends.
"Nah. Mira and I wanted a little bit of fresh air."
"Is that so? Then, I will leave both of you alone. Excuse me." With a simple nod, Erza went back to the party because, who would maintain order if she's not around?
"Aight! I'll see you in a bit!" Natsu waved and grinned happily at the retreating figure of Erza Scarlet. Of course, Mirajane noticed how his demeanor changed the moment Titania came into the scene. She saw the very light blush on his boyish cheeks. She is very perceptive after all.
In that single moment, that didn't even last 1 minute, Mirajane came to the realization that Natsu Dragneel was in love with someone else. Someone that wasn't her.
Natsu Dragneel was in love with Erza Scarlet.
"…" The barmaid decided that reminiscing of her past would accomplish nothing and stood up from her bed. Why think about such stuff? After all, her sister never had the chance to express her feelings because of her. Why would she think she even had the right to fall in love with him? Even though Lisanna was back with her, Mirajane couldn't help feeling like she was betraying her little sister with liking him too.
Even if Lisanna hasn't decided to make a move on the Dragon Slayer for whatever reason, she knew that she had to step aside. Even if her heart felt like shattering to pieces every time Natsu smiled at her with that lovely grin of his, she would endure it all. That was her punishment for having wronged her sister in the past:
Mirajane Strauss was not allowed to love Natsu Dragneel.
Hey y'all!
Sorry for taking so long in updating this one. I'm still working on my ideas for this fic.
This chapter was shorter compared to the previous one, but as I was writing, I thought I stopped just where I wanted to. I wanted to set Mirajane's background in this fanfic. So, The Demon is in love with Natsu. I just had to do it. To be honest, they look really good together.
I could say the same of Erza but, details. Mira is just too cute.
Anyways, that's it for this chapter, please stay tuned for the next one (I still don't know when that will be but I hope it's soon!).
~Neru-san