This is a Secret Santa gift for the Guild Awards Discord Secret Santa 2023 to the lovely Genavere! I hope you like it! Thank you for putting ideas on your wishlist, it really helped!
It was a calm morning in the guild. A rare occasion. It was winter and that meant job requests were scarce. Most mages had saved up enough from their summer quests to financially make it through the last months of the year, but many couldn't stand the lack of challenge in their otherwise eventful lives.
Many mages picked up hobbies during these times. Lisanna en Elfman were unsuccessfully trying to complete a puzzle, Bickslow was knitting sweaters for his babies and Lucy and Levy were talking about the books they had been reading. They giggled and opened several books to point out scenes.
Natsu was watching it all unfold from the bar. His head was rested on his hand, his other hand impatiently tapped the wooden bar. He could watch her for hours and it would never get boring. Her radiant smile, her laugh, her silly questions and impulsive ideas; just everything about her stirred something within him. Sharing her with others was inevitable, but everything was just not the same without her. It was as if all his time spent alone was just wasted. All he could do on days like these was just kill time.
Mirajane noticed the dragonslayer couldn't keep his eyes off a certain someone and had no idea he was being so obvious. Of all her friends, he was the one who was the worst at hiding his feelings and he could never lie about them without giving himself away.
''She's pretty, isn't she?'' she mischievously asked.
''Yeah..'' he sighed absently. He turned his head only to realise he had daydreamed out loud. He jumped up, almost falling off his chair. Grabbing the bar saved him. ''I- I mean.. who?''
She chuckled. She could never get enough of teasing her friends about their crushes. The more obvious the crushes were, the more fun she had. Natsu and Lucy were the ones who were teased the most in the guild. Which wasn't surprising; no one knew why they hadn't tied the knot yet.
''I still remember how starstruck all the guys were when she entered the guild for the first time'' Mirajane recalled. ''Even Laxus had an eye on her when she first joined the guild.''
Natsu blinked. ''What did you say?''
Mirajane's face turned pale. She realised she might have blurted out something she shouldn't have said and swallowed a lump in her throat.
They went quiet. Mirajane knew there was no way back now. Natsu may not be that clever, but he definitely heard what she said.
''Remember when I called him during the Phantom Lord ordeal?''
Natsu nodded. ''Kinda.''
She opened her mouth to say something, but quickly closed it again. Her eyes revealed she had recalled something she thought she had repressed. She turned around to randomly shift some glasses around to line them up. ''Never mind, it's all in the past anyway.''
''Mira,'' Natsu said as he firmly grabbed the bar and leaned over it. ''I need to know.''
She bit her lip and looked away. ''He said he'd consider helping Lucy if she became 'his woman' afterward. Silly, isn't it?'' she laughed sheepishly.
His face turned blank. ''Did he really say that?''
''Natsu, this was all in the past,'' Mirajane said as she turned around. ''You know Laxus has chang-''
''I don't care,'' Natsu said with resolve that reflected in his flickering eyes, ''I want him to say sorry.''
''You know how much he hates his past self,'' Mirajane's hissed between her teeth. Her eyes shot left and right to make sure Natsu's loud antics weren't heard. ''Please, don't.''
He gave her a deadly stare that made her realise it was no use to tell him out of something he was determined to do. ''Just an apology, that's all.''
He jumped from his stool and paced towards the stairs that led him upstairs to the S-Class room. Laxus was the only one occupying the room, as usual. The rest of the S-Class mages did not care for the room a lot. He was sitting in the big, leather armchair that had been part of the guild through all the times the building had been rebuilt.
''What are you doing here?'' Laxus asked, looking up from his book.
Natsu was surprised to see him this way. He was the kind of person to hide his interests from others. Seeing him this vulnerable was new to him. It almost threw him off guard.
''Natsu, I have no idea what you want from me, but I'm not going to take any shitty job requests from you if that's what you-''
He stopped talking when he sensed bad energy radiating from his fellow dragonslayer. His eyes glowed fiery.
''I don't have shit jobs for you to do,'' he said, stepping closer than Laxus was comfortable with. ''Though there is something I want from you.''
He rolled his eyes. ''And what might that be?''
''An apology.''
Laxus frowned an eyebrow. ''An apology?'' he laughed, puzzled by the whole situation.
''There is something unforgivable you've done in the past that we're gonna set straight.''
The atmosphere changed all of a sudden. He closed his book firmly and cast it aside. His guildmate had touched upon something that hit his nerve.
''If this is about my rebellion against the guild, that was all in the past.'' he hissed between his teeth. He gripped the armrests of his chair; his nails digging into the leather. An electric current started to travel through the floorboard. ''You know that all too well.''
''This was from before that,' 'Natsu replied.
The electric tension suddenly faded. Laxus let himself sink back into his chair. Still eyeing Natsu with a warning frown. ''So, what did I do?''
Natsu crossed his arms. ''When we asked you for help because Lucy got kidnapped by Phantomlord; what did you respond?''
He was visibly taken by surprise by this. ''From my old self's perspective, I'd say I probably told you all to go fuck yourself.''
''And...?'' Natsu pushed.
''That you're all a bunch of weaklings?''
''And...?!''
''I don't know Natsu!'' He roared as he stood up and towered over him. ''Why is this all so relevant all of a sudden?''
''Because, a little birdy told me the conditions you named if you were to help us out.''
He groaned. ''Cana blabbered her drunk ass again, didn't she?''
Natsu remembered Mirajane's worried face. ''It doesn't matter who told me. Just tell me what happened.''
Laxus anxiously looked around if anyone could hear them and cornered Natsu.
''I told you guys to let me have Lucy as a reward if I succeeded in rescuing her.''
Natsu poked Laxus' chest with his index finger. ''Exactly. And that's what you're gonna apologise for.''
He looked at him in bewilderment. ''Why? She doesn't even know this. If Cana hasn't told her yet, she might never do.''
''I just can't let this slide,'' Natsu said and grabbed Laxus by the collar of his coat and dragged him along.
They stopped in the middle of the guild hall, next to the table Lucy and Levy were sitting at. They looked up.
Lucy's face immediately lit up. ''Hi guys, what's up?''
''Wanna join our book club?'' Levy intererupted. ''I saw you reading the other day!''
''Laxus has something to say,'' Natsu said, crossing his arms. He gave Laxus an elbow to his ribs. Laxus' cheeks turned red at the sight of Lucy's deer-like, hazel, eyes.
''I-I'm sorry,'' he stammered and turned to Natsu. ''You got what you wanted, now leave me alone.''
''Oh that's not all,'' Natsu grinned and grabbed his coat once more.
He closed his eyes to calm himself down in the vortex of emotions he was getting dragged through. He shot a dirty look at Natsu. ''Fine.'' He hissed.
Laxus turned around, took a deep breath, and bowed his head to Lucy.
''I- I'm sorry I didn't come to your rescue when you were kidnapped by Phantom Lord. I was a selfish dick and only thought of myself.''
Lucy's face turned bright red. She tried to eye Levy for help, but she was just as dumbfounded as she was. Natsu's grin did not help her understand the situation either.
''Please stop apologising,'' she said, holding her hands in front of her. ''Cana told me everything already years ago.''
Laxus looked aside to give Natsu the 'I told you so' look, but was taken by surprise when he felt a weight against him. Two arms wrapped around his waist and he felt the pressure of a face against his chest.
''I never held a grudge against you, Laxus,'' Lucy said. ''I know you've changed.''
''H-hey, stop that,'' Laxus begged, feeling the prying eyes of the rest of the guild that had noticed the little commotion. He grabbed her by the shoulders and gently pushed her away.
''You, however,'' Lucy said as she faced Natsu and pointed her finger. ''I have a bone to pick with you.''
She grabbed him by his scarf, out of the guildhall and into a storage room. Natsu tried to signal to Mirajane to come to his rescue, but she just shook her head. He was done for.
Lucy slammed the door behind her and turned to her friend, who was standing like a puppy waiting to scolded for doing something it shouldn't have done.
She groaned in frustration. ''Natsu, this was so... so...''
''Stupid, I know...'' Natsu said as he rubbed the back of his head. ''I just heard about it today and I just had to... I don't even know. I acted on a whim because I heard he insulted you, even though it was years ago.''
Her eyes widened. ''It really upset you that much?''
He nodded, facing the floor. He felt his stomach turn in guilt. Just why couldn't he put a brake on his emotions? Especially when it concerned her.
Lucy sighed. He was hopeless, but she couldn't imagine her life without his stupid antics. ''I do think it was sweet though,'' she said with a smile, ''just don't embarrass people like that, okay?''
''I try,'' he whined. ''People are just hard to read.''
She took a step forward and cupped his cheek with her hand. He looked up in bewilderment.
''Then try to read me,'' she said, holding his chin up. Her thumb was awfully close to the corner of his mouth.
''Eh?'' Natsu felt his blood rush towards his face. They were all alone, just what was she trying to do to him?
''What emotion do I have towards you now?'' She asked. A slight waver in her voice revealed her uncertainty about her action. He could feel her thumb slightly shaking.
Her breath was tickling his face and he could smell her parfume stronger than his brain could handle. He could not imagine the last time she had been this physically close. It made him feel weak in his legs and stirred his gut in a way he almost never felt. Moments like these had made him doubt their relationship more than once.
''Anger?'' He guessed, completely aware that was not the case.
She let go of his cheek and turned around to hide the fact that her face had started to change colour just as much as his.
''It's affection, you idiot,'' she quietly said as she readied herself to walk out of the room again.
Affection? Did he hear that right? Was there a chance she felt the same way as he did? Was she also afraid of confronting her own feelings about their relationship?
''Wait!'' he let out and wedged himself between her and the door. If there was a chance of trying, then now was the time. He felt his heart in his throat and his breath had gotten awfully short.
''Natsu, the conversation is over,'' she said, avoiding eye contact. ''Levy is waiting for me.''
''Did you read me too?'' He asked and held his breath.
Her eyes lit up and her jaw slowly dropped. ''You...''
She didn't get to finish her sentence, as the door suddenly swung wide open and made Natsu loose his balance. With a loud thud, he fell on his back. Mirajane jumped to the side, just in time.
''Oh my...'' she let out, her hands covering her mouth. Her gaze shot from Lucy to Natsu. ''What were you two-''
''I swear this is not what it looks like, Mira,'' Lucy panicked.
Mirajane rubbed her hands and contently spun around on her heels to head back to the guildhall. She looked back over her shoulder with a devilish smirk.
''I was heading here for some drinks, but it seems like I will be returning with some juice instead.''