He had nye no rules, in fact our house operated in a vacant silence which predominated every facet of how we interacted, and how we did not. It was far different, opposite, to how life under Laxanna had been; where she had been controlling in all nature and almost always hovering about either in plain sight or a shadowed corner. Ivan was placid, uncaring, and absent, for many years he was only inside the house -at least while I was- to make meals and then he would flee out in a metaphorical run, though I did not know where until later on. The house was a roof to sleep under for him and then that is what it became to me as well, there was no emphasis made on cleaning, responsibility, or personal care, just the comprehension that I had to eat and stay alive. At first it galled me, I had simply wanted to be around the man continuously, comfort in the fact that I knew he was present, in that he was familiar, company I trusted. Then, I had driven myself to a lose acceptance that he had no want to see me, and shrugged away the acknowledgement with an irritated grunt; turned in his direction and followed the streets with no one to see and only the flow of the water to keep me from being alone.

I changed slightly at thirteen, though it was not brought on by my father's lack of accountability, indeed it was due to the type of culture he accepted without complaint- which still bothers me at twenty-three.

Although I had no particular enjoyment from the area- as I considered it below me at my age, even if technically I was in no way above playing on the swing set at thirteen. Bright and sunny could describe the day, there was no one causing any obvious problems, children were having fun in the park, women were pushing strollers on the sidewalks surrounding, people were walking their dogs crinkling their noses everytime a poop was made. Nothing exciting was happening and from what I could readily see, my surroundings were peaceful. That is until some wizards, full grown men that I recognized, they'd been in Fairy Tail the day before, White Knights, I knew. There was no alarming sign to them, they were walking about with shorts, t-shirts, in a group of three smiling at each other's joke. I certainly did not pay them any attention not while I was too busy stuck staring at the grass with my depression running rampent in my head. But my head did snap forward when I heard predominant voices, speaking with an obvious taunt towards a woman simply walking with her baby down the sidewalk. No strange action was visible there, but the odd taunt in one of the wizards voice that had drew my gaze; I could not hear them entirely, I was just out of range, but I do know what was said.

"Shouldn't you be in your own community?" Again it was said with a smug tilt in the voice, as if making fun of a friend for saying something stupid, and the tone scrapped at my mind. I could not see any of them with perfect clarity, they were quite a distance from my seat on the bench, but even though she had clearly made the attempt to peacefully walk around their group, she did turn to them with one hand still on her stroller. Her words had been quieter, but spoken with an obvious ire.

"I am in my community, and what business is it of yours if I live here exactly? I don't want trouble so just leave me alone." I squrmed a little, the wood was digging in painfully, although I do know that's not what made me uncomfortable- it was a good excuse.

"Watch your mouth, you don't want to get in trouble with the Magic Council." She made no further comment, merely turned her back on them and continued walking, but from what I could see, she was not happy, maybe even angry but avoiding confrontation. Unfortunately, those men had her choice to back down as a positive and stead one of them grabbed her- forcefully by the arm, lurching her up and violently wrenching her away from her child. She made no attempt to scream, but she did struggle against the man's hold, what dug at me was that no self-defense was made by her; not a slap, not a punch, a kick, no stepping on the toes, nothing, she just wiggled and lurched at his hold. I could see that she snarled at him, at each of them. "I think you have a problem, you're quite violent."

I narrowed my eyes at that; she hadn't done anything to attack them or anyone else, and certianly nothing worth litigation. She snapped at them with a yell I felt was warranted. "Arrest me for what? Speaking the truth? Peacefully walking away?" She was still struggling against them.

"How about Potential Threat made against a White Knight?" I flinched at his words, they weren't true in the slightest, as if he was attempting to make her a criminal. "You don't want any trouble? Sound's to me like you're afraid of getting caught if we stay. Right Ray?" One of the men standing in watch placidly shrugged his shoulders, with a nonchalant expression.

"Sounded that way to me." Her fists were clenching, and finally she made a move against them, punching her violator's face in with a damningly quick blow. Making him break his hold, however he shoved her down instead of just letting go and she landed on the concrete with barely any time to properly brace herself. So while I was cheering on her action, I had also begun to move towards her, it looked as if it had hurt, because she was wincing and holding her knee. All of them were still standing over her though.

"And that is definitely assault on an officer of the kingdom." I was encouraged to say something then, even at my young age and knowing they would not take me serious in any way. I was mad for the innocent woman pained on the pavement.

"Leave her alone already! She didn't do anything but get away from a man who was 'assulting' her!" I was shouting at them all, and no doubt there was some type of smoke coming out of my ears as I stared them all down with the fiercest glare I could muster. To my own surprise though, they did nothing, one of them let out a lose grunt, the others scowled and then they simply walked away with a brief second glance to the woman still on the ground. I forced myself not to push the situation in continuing a rant at their backs, making myself go over to her instead.

"Thank you kid." Serenity laced her tone, and a warm smile was raising her face. She was definitely beautiful, with hazel eyes, deep red box breads, and dark brown skin. I grabbed her hand despite my own menial strength and tried to support her as she stood, even though we both knew I was doing nothing to help at all. Once standing, she smiled at me as she moved to her now wiggling toddler, who had seen none of what happened -a small grace. "Whats your name then?" I cannot say my memory is clear, though it had left a deep impression on me, I don't know if I blushed or not.

"...Laxus." I do know I had been quiet, probably because I'd found her so pretty and had been intimidated. That is, I was still minorly frightened of women in general at that age, even if it was prejudice.

"Well 'Laxus-'" She made me laugh a little as she said my name quietly as I had. "I'm Mai, do you want to accompany me to get some ice cream? As thanks. Are your parents around?" Ignoring the sting it brought to think of her question I only answered that they were at work, and that I'd love to get a treat with her.


Shortly afterwards I had gone home, the dusk was fading and although I know I had closed and locked when I'd left, the door was open. A rancid smell of alcohol wafting out of the house as if it were incense. Announcing my father's return with little doubt, and young as I was, my grandfather's ability for a great eyeroll had become habitual. Hesitation soon followed, my father becoming drunk within recent years was more common then when Laxanna was around -that is not to say he didn't slam down bottles of beer then, he has always had an addiction.- Now he was never sober, and though he was by no means a person of terror when drunk, being around him while in such a state was a grievance upon my mind. I slammed the door shut, and as he was by no means going to- I locked it too. His form was lain sprawled on the couch- as I seemingly always found him- His entire arm was over his forehead, eyes red and puffed, sweat making his skin gleam as he muttered ininteligable words to himself, while also swinging his brown flask to his mouth every few seconds and interrupting his own incoherency. To his minimal credit there was a plate on the coffee table with some astray potatoes and carrots sitting in solidarity which had not been there when I'd left.

"Evenin' dad." I hardly needed to give a big greeting if he could barely understand he was at home after all. I instad bid myself to enter the kitchen and get my own food; for despite him claiming it was 'a woman's' task, he had to force himself to cook and let me do so leisurely without a single complaint- probably because I usually let him have the leftovers. He mumbled something louder then he had been previously and that was his language of a 'hello.' "Can I ask you somethin'?" It was a rather futile thing to say when he was laying plastered on the couch. Still, he obviously heard me because an answer did come, though it was grumbled more then spoken.

"Go ask Makarov." The eyeroll returned, as it was an expected response- it was how he forever responded.

"Gramps is thirty minutes away, and you're here now. I just wanna ask why would someone get in trouble with the magic council for verbally defending themself?" He grunted. I knew he had heard me, but no answer came and I made myself focus on my stew. It was pathetic to watch him degrade, candidly, he had never been a brilliant father, he was rather stoic and macho about most things, had a obsession with masculinity and pride that rivalled my own as an adult. Adter everything however, he took a dip down further into that crevice, falling into negligence, arrogance, and worsening his continuing addiction; it hurt to acknowledge -it still does to an extent, but to his menial credit:He was more then likely guilt trodden and traumatized. I was not ignorant at thirteen, I had figured out what Laxanna's behavior implicated at around eleven, a year after everything, and I could understand that my father had been abused by her significantly too. I cannot say with any certainty now, nor then, but even as horrible of a man as he was and continues to be, I do believe he felt-and possibly still, feels responsible for her actions upon me, as he did nothing to stop it out of fear of retaliation; and he was fearful because she was always a threat to him. Coward.

"Where were you today?" I jumped as he spoken, having expected that he'd drifted off, even though I should have known better as there were no pig snores filling the room. I glared in his general direction for the questioning however. I suppose he had returned to the house early to discover me gone, but unto him that should have been no shock, indeed I doubt he would have registered it coherently until about an hour after he returned.

"What do you care?" It bit out and my teeth clamped shut at my own tone, not wanting a lecture from the man as I frequently received when talking back ever, not that it was common I got the chance. I heard the squeaks of the springs and his head popped over the back of the warn couch, a stare similar enough to a glare on his features. It did nothing to effect me though, as none did back then or now, after Laxanna left, any form of intimidation ceased having any power over me. I met his gaze equally, blank and waiting for a response. He loudly sighed, irritation having been provoked onto his face.

"Were you smoking that shit in the east end again?" I choose not to answer, because he already knew and confirmation would do nothing for me or him. Getting buzzed was far more entertaining then the current life I lead. I was not yet allowed to join Fairy Tail at the order of Polyusca stating my lacrima was 'just not ready.' My home life was crap with a father that ran from my face most of the time and I was stuck in a house that reminded me continually of sexual assult. Drugs were a nice alternative to acknowledgement, more comforting then my father, and more exciting then the wizard I was not turning out to be. It said enough that he knew I ran out and purchased illegal drugs in recreation, yet never attempted to stop me. "Whatever, just don't get any weaker then you already are." I thinned my lips to the comment, although I wanted to scream at him. Despite his own experiences, he was a hypocrite, always implicating that I had allowed Laxanna's assault- though at no point did he directly state it. The message was clear; I was weak for not fending her off. Regardless of the fact that he had -probably- been abused by her for far longer then I had and he obviously did nothing either.

"I'm not weak." It was all I could spout without consequence. His snort was not hidden.

"You're practically a faggot." I had been extensively insulted then, mainly because his views matched my own. Gay men were meak and shameful, it was -is- an opinion that I have never truly forgone.