#but . who else would wakaba have gotten with literally who else

[luuxxart]

epic sequel to this comic

[fallen029]

Alone Time

Mirajane had spent the majority of her life living with someone. As a young child, she was crammed into a too small shack with her mother, father, and two younger siblings. Then, following the two former's deaths, she eventually found her way to Fairy Tail with the latter and immediately set out to buy a home for the three of them. Even during Lisanna's absence, Elfman was always hanging about. And after her return, it was the three of them once more and, given all the grief they'd suffered together, they all seemed content to carry on that way for the rest of their lives.

But the trauma and it's reckoning faded as time went on and, though they all still recognized the blessing in which they'd been bestowed, the three siblings found themselves out growing one another. Honestly, Mirajane feared at first that she'd be the last one standing in the Strauss house, as Lisanna only found more freedom and Elfman seemed to be getting closer and closer to Evergreen.

This wasn't the case, however, as she found herself calling a Strauss house meeting one afternoon to inform the two of them that, in the coming month, she'd be moving in with her boyfriend.

Not the best received news in the world, Mirajane did convince her brother, eventually, that no, Laxus did not have to come to him, man to man, before this took place and ask his permission, as well as come to an agreement with Lisanna over just how many fights Laxus owed Natsu, as repayment for her giving up her older sister to him.

And she assured both of them that they could visit whenever they wanted.

Only for Laxus to correct that they definitely couldn't and if they wanted to see her, they better memorize her schedule up at the hall.

But she was assuring them that he was just kidding.

Mostly.

While living with a man was a new experience for the barmaid, Mirajane was quick to find that the majority of the time she wasn't; living with the man that was. Laxus was always gone on his typical long, S-Class misadventures and though he spent more time hanging around in those days, completely infatuated with his current relationship, the draw to travel always came calling.

It was weird, the first time he went away for awhile, after they'd just moved in together. Mirajane awoke in the morning, just the same as she always did, to get to the hall early, and they arrived together, him hoping to snag a job before the guild even opened.

Then began a grueling day of the typical grind and by the time she tumbled into the bed at the apartment, she hardly had time to notice it was without the slayer. Through sheer coincidence, the following day was an off day and though she peeked her eyes open just before sunrise, much like she would were she headed to open the hall, it was only to lay in bed for a bit, breathing in the new day.

As the grogginess faded, Mirajane was welcomed to…

Nothing.

Recently, it was usually the snores of her sleeping dragon beside her, but even before she moved in or began staying with him so much, the sounds of the household she shared with her siblings brought a melody of sounds. Elfman always got up early in the morning, to head out to train, but he usually stumbled into many things in the cramped things along the way. And if Mira was off in the morning, that meant that Lisanna had to go in, to open up the hall, so she'd groan and moan loudly thoruhg this, until she had her first cup of coffee.

And that was assuming they didn't need something from her.

Because someone always needed something from her.

There wasn't anyone there though, that morning, as she rested on her belly and watched the time click away on the clock in silence. As the light from the sun changed from early morning oranges to the bright yellows of the coming day, she found herself not speaking or humming either, things she did frequently, even when alone, as not to ruin the current stillness.

It was a laze she never quite knew she possessed and when, eventually, she knew she had to get up, least she tempt herself back into falling asleep and wasting her day off, Mira didn't find herself rushing off to shower or even thinking about leaving the apartment. No.

She knew that she'd like to go and check-in on Lucy, who'd gotten rather shaken up on a recent job and though Erza assured them all she was in the most capable hands of herself, Natsu, and Happy, Gray had more than informed the others that maybe some other faces would raise her theoretical spirits. Then there was Levy, who she'd promised the next time they were both free, she'd head to the market with. And Elfman was still rather pitiful, in the cooking department, so she should probably head over to the house, to cook him some breakfast.

Considering she was off and all.

But Mirajane didn't want to rush to shower off. Go see anyone. No. Only yawned through making some toast and falling into Laxus' nice, sleek couch with little care as to the time.

Everything felt so...distant. Far away. Like nothing beyond the apartment door existed. And did it? Nothing was imminent or required her absolute attention. For the first time in what felt like her entire life, Mirajane was completely free to do as she pleased.

And she was finding that she really didn't want to do much of anything.

Following her tiny breakfast, Mirajane found her eyes traveling around the apartment, trying to find something to occupy her solitude. Still freshly moved in together, the apartment still had a heavy presence of Laxus and very little her, but the man did have a rather sizable bookcase and, as she rose to peruse it, she found her attention drawn somewhere else.

In the corner of the living room sat her mostly unused in those days guitar, in a stand, where it looked just as lonely and dusty as it had in the corner of her tiny bedroom back at home. A smile slowly spreading across her lips, she moved instead to snag it and, when she fell into something that time, it was Laxus' recliner. It smelt of the cigars he puffed and the cologne he wore, but this was just as big a comfort to the woman as the way she sunk right into the fabric, and she never thought it could be so nice.

To be so alone.

But oh, it was.

As her fingers easily found the frets and strings, Mirajane giggled, finally, softly, before humming along to a melody, breaking the unintended vow of silence she'd lapsed into since waking.

"I don't think I saw you at all yesterday," Lisanna remarked the following day. She came in around noon to find her older sister there, as she always was, diligently refilling drinks and taking lunch orders. "Were you feeling well?"

"Oh, I was fine," she assured her sister with a bright grin as she passed with a tray of drinks. "Just took a day off. A real day off."

"A you day," Cana corrected for her around her barrel of wine. Nodding her head over at Mirajane, she said, "Everyone deserves one sometimes."

"I'd wager you've probably had your fair share by this point," Wakaba remarked as he puffed at his cigar at a nearby table.

"Maybe she's been dipping into Mira's," Macao offered.

But Mirajane only hummed softly under her breath and could hardly wait for her, hoping she wasn't too tired, when she got home to the empty apartment that night.

Mira never knew such a thing could be so welcoming.

She enjoyed the solitude for a good two weeks until, one day when she arrived home from work, he was just there. Sitting in her guitar strumming chair, sipping on a beer with a cigar dangling from his mouth. He rose though, the second she entered the apartment, a cocky grin on his usual void face.

"You're," she remarked rather than rush to hug and make over him, like she was sure he was expecting, "home."

Laxus frowned at that. "Don't sound too thrilled."

"Oh, dragon, no, it's not that." Coming forwards then, she did go to hug him though it was much less reciprocated this time. Against his chest, she explained, "I've just kind of liked it. Living alone."

"You don't live alone," he grumbled back as he did give in and pat her gently on the back. "I was literally gone, at most, twelve days."

"It just felt that way, is all."

Grunting, he muttered, "Sorry," but Mirajane was quick to shake her head at this.

"No, Lax, don't be." Mirajane smiled up at him then as she said, "I've actually had a great time. Every night I come home, I've been playing my guitar again and one day, even, I had it off and I just… I'm so happy you're home though. Of course."

"Of course," he replied dryly back and she could tell he was doubtful.

Still, as he took his seat once more, cigar dangling from his lips once more, Mirajane was all ready for him to begin detailing his adventure to her in full detail, oohing and awing in all the right places. But just as she was about to suggest he start and offer to make him something to eat, Laxus was plucking the cigar from his mouth once more and asking instead, "Did you say something about your guitar?"

"Yeah," she agreed. "It's just so quite, with you gone, and I-"

"Did you think," he asked, "that you'd wanna play something for me?"

Her grin felt more natural that time and, as Laxus returned it, she rushed to grab it from it's stand in the corner of the room.

"But," she added her one caveat, "you have to let me sit in your recliner while I play."

Laxus only blew some smoke her way. "Don't push your luck, demon."

Giggling, she nodded her head as she said, "I'm really glad that we're living together, Lax. I love you, you know."

His cheeks seemed a bit rosy then, maybe, as he was quick to take a swig from his beer.

"Yeah," he remarked as she took her place on the edge of the couch, guitar in hand, ready to yawn through some strumming and humming. "I love you too."

[petrichorpetals]

Goro Akechi a character study

So me and my persona 5 royal remake has made me really get into Akechi's motivations for doing what he does.

Basically Akechi's mom committed suicide when he was young so he was run through foster homes and tried to find out who his real dad was and finds out it's shido so he started working for Shido so he could bring him down from the inside in his own form of justice and revenge for his mother. Essentially he's got the mentality of I'm unwanted anyways so who cares about what happens to me so long as I get my revenge. It's why the boiler room bit just fucking confused me because his self loathing is so high he wouldn't hesitate to shoot himself, especially since it's how shido viewed him. I'm pretty sure Goro himself actually mentions that he wasn't planning on surviving long after taking down Shido or at least that he hadn't really considered anything past there. It was his driving force for so long to get this personal revenge that he doesn't really have an existence past his plan, something he tells Joker during their confidant scenes. Royal didn't really change that boiler room scene except add a line of dialogue regarding the glove which still baffles me that Akechi was just willing to die without seeing Shido's downfall.

What I'm struggling with in my rewrite is the degree to which Akechi betrays them because he hadn't told shido who Joker was, just that he knew who the phantom thieves were. It's why shido didn't immediately suspect Joker when he saw him on the street when he thought the leader of the phantom thieves was dead. There's obviously a bit of spite and hesitation towards shido there at him not saying who the phantom thieves were because they were the first and only friends akechi ever really had so I wonder if he considered murdering someone else and framing them as the leader if the phantom thieves for a hot minute before realizing it wouldn't work for the obvious reasons that the phantom thieves were still running around and would be noticeably confused at the sudden death of someone that wasn't a phantom thief. I think Goro genuinely considered all his options he thought were on the table, neglecting the obvious hey why not just collab with the phantom thieves to take down my dad, and is pretty sure that going along with the initial plot with Sae's palace and killing the leader of the phantom thieves is his only option. Like after his confidant I don't think shooting Joker is as cold blooded as they make it especially with his maxed confidant. He throws his glove at Joker to raise the stakes of the challenge between them after the battle since he's already proven that Joker is capable of exceeding his expectations. There's a large degree of hesitation there as his two worlds collide and he has to ultimately decide the narrative he pushes forward. No one ever claimed Goro was selfless so he pushes forward his own agenda and leaves it to Joker to figure out a way out of the situation. I also don't think he's nearly as surprised that Joker's not death as he is in game because he pretty much just put Joker in a metaphorical check. His lack of a reaction to his murder was just a disappointment to Goro who thought he was better than that since he was convinced they were playing on the same level. And since their entire relationship is basically a chess game of them trying to one up each other, Goro's just relieved that Joker as usual could figure his way out of a situation that he couldn't. It's both a relief and a frustration towards him because during his confidant it's exceedingly obvious that Joker was the first one that Akechi has ever really gotten close to and his superiority complex makes it hard to admit that he admires Joker which leads to their rivalry to begin with. There was never really a point where he wanted Joker dead, it was just part of the escalations associated with their rivalry.

There's also the matter of when Akechi awoke to his persona because it's never really mentioned but if Akechi really was the one to kill Wakaba he would have been 15-16 at the time which probably did a fucking number on his mental health and how he processes mortality. Shido forced a 15-16 year old into being a murderer. (Not even getting into the bit where I'm pretty sure the phantom thieves were the first time he actually realized you can change someone's actions without straight up killing their shadow) It's also a personal belief of mine that Akechi largely had no issues with murdering people because the ones he was sent to kill were associated with shido in some form or another to the point where he had such little regard for human life that he felt nothing at the thought of casualties like in the subway incident. It got to a point where it became kill or be killed as seen by Shido literally threatening him by saying you know what happens to people who cross me. It got so deep to the point he couldn't disobey Shido's orders without possibly getting murdered himself. This isn't defending his actions, it's only explaining them. Akechi was literally left with no one he actually cared about at that point so consequences of his actions didn't really matter so long as he could take down Shido. And ultimately that mentality changed for the first time with Joker whom he actually grew to grudgingly respect to the point he would sacrifice himself for Joker and throw away everything he's worked for. (I don't think he holds nearly as much respect for the rest of the PT except maybe with Yusuke who he can relate a little too much to a queer coded character whos mother died early in their life that gets ultimately abused by a father figure)

[alexanderflowerbird]

1, 14, 40, B, G, H?

Hi! Thanks for the ask! Let's do this with Jane, shall we? What’s the maximum amount of time your character can sit still with nothing to do?

Oh jeez, it really depends on the objective. If she's being asked to hurry up and wait? It is PURE TORTURE lol, or if she's just being idle-- she'll find something else to do within ten minutes of having to be still. But there are certain instances where Jane really can be incredibly patient, and that's when the most necessary aspect of what she's meant to be doing, is to wait. If she's waiting for someone to wake up in a medical wing? She can sit and wait. If she's waiting for someone to return from an important mission? She can sit and wait. She won't like it- but she will do it.

14.What animal do they fear most? Oh, Jane is a fuckin' weirdo who experiences fear as a form of excitement lol- so even if she were to be afraid of a specific creature, she'd probably touch it or mess with it and be just as fascinated as she is afraid. That being said, after being a warrior who has gone to combat in a variety of dangerous, animal filled terrains, the creatures that would freak her out the most would be big, huge bugs. She's got sort of the same philosophy I have in real life lmao- any bug is fine if she sees it before it touches her, but if it's really big it's still pretty scary and she'll wanna mess with it lol. Has this gotten her in some trouble before? Absolutely.

40. How sensitive are they to their own flaws? Admittedly Jane is pretty prideful. It can be kind of difficult to sit her down and tell her that how she does stuff or some decision she'd made is not a good thing. This is partially due to her pride, but also because she considers herself to be a more thoughtful person-- she's always got a reason for her decisions, there's not as much impulsivity as people would think. Someone who moves so fast to make a decision would seem, to most anyone, like someone who knee-jerks their way through life, but she's critical and quick on her feet, so pointing out a flaw in her thinking can and usually does end up resulting in a debate and her being petty about being questioned. She can take the L though, she just needs time to process and adjust her mindset.

What inspired you to create them? LOL no joke? Jane is a love-child of two existing characters in fiction, one being Pacific Rim's Mako Mori, the other being Utena's Wakaba Shinohara. She was originally made for a Monsterhearts game as a side character that literally was meant to simply be The Best Girl, brave, smart, sassy, a true friend-- needless to say Harrow and I absolutely love her, so she became a more prominent figure in game AND in our writing. It was a total fluke how Jane and Zephrinus Pact ended up being so compatible, but it's the best fluke ever honestly.

What trait do you admire most? Oh, that she's so joyful. Jane in all of the AUs we've put her in very rarely stays down when she's been kicked and while we've had scenarios where she's really caught up in her grief, or in guilt, or in a feeling of helplessness, it never lasts. She's so funny and playful and not necessarily optimistic, just confident and determined to be capable. She enables herself to be hopeful and joyous by being capable enough to face adversity head on rather than being blindly optimistic towards positive outcomes. She's also, as she's supposed to be an always is, a very, very good friend, the sort of friend I aspire to be for those I love even though I live in a world with much more mundane circumstances lol.

[positivelyamazonian]

About shipping Lara and Kurtis

WARNING: I re-post this because the person who posted it has me blocked and I can’t reblog. I still feel as a Lartis fan and shipper I’ve something to say, and that’s why I repost.

wakaba-flourishing

OK, I’ve been keeping this in for months and it has to come out.

You don’t actually ship Lara Croft x Kurtis Trent.

You ship yourself, as Lara, and Kurtis.

Let me explain.

A lot of shipping is based on wanting to see the two characters together. Take, oh, Sam and Lara, for a Tomb Raider-relevant example. From what I can tell, Salara is based on the interactions we have seen of them in Tomb Raider (2013) and the comics.

Soft touches, hugs, a touch of possessiveness. Sam calling Lara “sweetie,” Lara saying Sam is “all she’s got” and her “only true friend.”

People think this is sweet and adorable, and want to see more of it.

What’s the difference between Salara and Lartis?

Lartis is very Kurtis-focused and sex-based. “Imagine Kurtis slamming Lara onto the table in her mansion and shoving his hard 7-inch cock inside her quivering pussy. Imagine Kurtis naked in the shower inviting Lara in. Imagine Kurtis, erection in hand, lying on the bed with a daring smile and ‘come hither’ in his eyes, motioning Lara over.”

A few of these times, I’ve seen people actually not reference Lara at all and have it be just about sexualizing Kurtis.

And that’s absolutely OK! Women are oppressed in Western society. You deserve to have your dreamboats and hunks to gawk over and fantasize about. You deserve to explore your sexuality in this healthy way.

But when people turn around and say, “I don’t find Kurtis attractive,” “I don’t think Lara and Kurtis have chemistry,” “I don’t think Kurtis has interest in women,” suddenly there’s this–resistance and defensiveness.

Yes, of course Kurtis likes women, he’s only straight, there’s no evidence of him possibly liking men or being ace, the ship is canon, they kiss in the Top Cow comics, their subtle glances and caresses in AoD are proof of sexual tension, Murti wanted Lara to have Kurtis’ child, and how can you not find Kurtis attractive?

It’s almost a scary, unhealthy possessiveness. Maybe it was borne from Kurtis being ignored and/or shit on by the majority of the fanbase, maybe it came from wanting to preserve the memory of a neglected character. But it’s not right.

And the thing about it is, it’s almost like you view Kurtis as your man. Not Lara’s. It’s almost like he’s your ideal, so you project headcanons onto him and how you would want him to act in the bedroom.

The reason I don’t ship Lartis is you haven’t given me proof that it could work.

What’s their business relationship like? How does their battle strategy work? Do they go on missions together? How does domestic life work? How does Kurtis adjust to living in Croft Manor? How do Winston and Kurtis interact? Did Kurtis meet Lara’s friends–Father Patrick, Charles Kane, Jean-Yves, Jane Smith? (Extend this to Sara Pezzini, Vanessa Fenway, Madeline Hovan, Kerri Masterson, and probably others that I haven’t gotten to yet, if you want to mix Top Cow and Core canon.)

What is Lara Croft x Kurtis Trent like OUTSIDE OF THE BEDROOM? Convince me.

Literally all you talk about is how they would have sex.

Then you turn around and try to tell me that you like Lara x Kurtis as a romance? Newsflash: couples do more than fuck. I know some of y’all have real life relationships and know this.

What you’re doing is inserting yourself into Lara’s shoes and fetishizing Kurtis–hence the possessiveness and anger when he, or Lartis, are dismissed.

You do not ship Lara Croft x Kurtis Trent. You ship yourself, in Lara’s shoes, fucking Kurtis.

Convince me otherwise.

Please note: I’m not condemning Lartis as a whole. It can absolutely work! All ships are good ships. I’m taking issue with the behavior surrounding Kurtis Trent admirers in specific. To be blunt–it’s honestly kind of creepy.

luluvonv

I quite understand what you mean. Though I myself have never experienced or had such feeling, some of the works can feel that way. Still there are writings not focused only on sex. Mainly @positivelyamazonian stories are very descriptive in terms of how Lartis would work outside this “hanky panky” side. They are deep, well-thought, mature and so hell enjoyable. Read those, I can tell you you’ll get what you’re looking for..

Anyway, the part about projecting “headcons onto him” - aren’t headcons just about it?! Giving those characters some quality/behavioural traits people want the characters to have? They can be based and derived from things planned for the given character, based on the book/film/comic etc.. Or they can be totally made up not being based on anything. Then it depends on the writer how well and how logical and mature they will write and present the headcon. And also it depends on the reader how they will accept it..

As for myself, I can definitely tell you I don’t ship myself with Kurtis 😁 I ship him with Lara based on all the clear evidences seen in AoD. I didn’t need to have it confirmed by Murti or anybody else, actually. It was clear there was something - whatever the “something” means..

Lara and Sam, oh dear dear. I actually have no idea why people ship them, there’s no chemistry other than the friendship chemistry. Saying “sweetie” to your friends, touching and hugging them is not a proof of a partner intimacy. Based on this assumption I’d be lesbian. And I am not..

But as you said, all ships are ships and if people like them, good for them. We all have different tastes.

NOW MY TWO CENTS

I don’t identify myself with the first exposition at all. Yes, we had our jokes about lusting on Kurtis Trent, but they are just jokes! For me the ship never worked that way. I will speak for myself as @luluvonv did with herself. And this is my answer:

I SHIP LARA WITH KURTIS. In a very natural, healthy way. I am fine, I am not sexually opressed, I have not problems concerning that in my real life. My ship is only based in what I saw in TRAOD and that you perfectly described.

I DON’T SHIP KURTIS WITH MYSELF. When I write I am not an incarnation of Lara Croft, it’s just the heroine I admire and I like to write. So no, this is not about Mary Sue-ing Lara Croft into myself.

AND I FIND HIM EXTREMELY ATTRACTIVE. I have nothing against him physically. 

AND IT’S NOT JUST SEXUAL AT ALL. 

I’ve writen a BIG LOAD OF FANFICS developing their relationship and hown they interact with the other characters you mentioned... all outside the bedroom!!! Having life, adventures, even family. Not just sex!!! Exactly what you said!!! Do you want to give me a try? I’ll be delighted to have you as my reader and receive your feedback, because my fanfics will provide you what you ask for.

So, yes, in my case, shipping Lara and Kurtis is an actual ship which doesn’t involve me at all and I can see the potential of the character, and the potential of their match not just in a sexual way.

So my advice is - READ LARTIS FANFICTION (there go some other nice recommendations for you). You’ll find that most fanfiction  - not only mine!!! - developed an actual caring, loving relationship based in affection and not just mere sex. Goddammit, they even sacrifice for each other more than once.

Maybe this will help you to have a better grasp of what the ship and the fandom shipping them really are.

[fallen029]

The guild teases Miraxus and they don’t know the two are already dating AU *^* can you please do it for me?

For what it’s worth, I’ve done something similar before here, here, and here. Plus a bunch others where they’re secretly together that I just can’t think of right now. 

The day was actually kind of boring. That’s what Lisanna thought as she sat around with Natsu and Happy, the feline sucking on a fish head, the slayer rested with his head flat on the table, drooling a bit in his sleep. It wasn’t because everyone fun was gone. No way. Team Shadow Gear was around, all of Natsu’s team, and most of the slayers. Oh, even the Thunder Legion seemed to be hanging about, Bickslow filtering between bothering different women in the hall while Freed tried to smooth over any bridges his friend burned. And Evergreen sat by, at a table close to Elfman’s., but not too close, so that she could make eyes at him, but not too clear eyes, and the inebriated man couldn’t quite tell what he was supposed to gather from this.

Maybe it was just Lisanna was bored. Everyone else seemed to be going about their normal, everyday schedule. Erza was lecturing the lessers in the hall, Nab was trying hard not to be seen so he didn’t end up on the receiving end of this, Wakaba and Macao were smoking their pipes as Romeo sat by, explaining his most recent feat out on a job.

Everything was normal.

And normal was boring that day, for Lisanna.

“Do you guys wanna go on a job or something?” she asked Natsu who wasn’t snoozing so deeply he couldn’t wave her off, but Happy was kind enough to spit out his fish just to truly address her.

“We can’t today,” he informed her. “We already told Lucy no, even though she needs jewels.”

“Then she could come too.”

“But then we’d have to actually go on a job, Lisanna.”

He felt like she was missing the point.

She felt like he wasn’t making one.

“Well, don’t you at least want to do something fun?” she insisted that time. “Happy? Watching Natsu drown in his own spit is about as great as watching paint dry.”

“Oh, I’m plenty entertained.”

“It’s really creepy, cat, to stare at a girl from across the room so pointedly.”

Lucy was back then, taking her place at the table as Happy only glared, finally looking away from where Carla was pointedly ignoring him. But Lisanna was glad to see the blonde.

“Do you think,” she asked quickly, “that you still wanna go on that job? We could go together.”

“Oh, really?” Lucy was quick to nod. “Yeah, we just-”

“Hey!” Happy was even more annoyed now. “You guys can’t go together.”

“Why not?” Lucy asked as Lisanna also awaited an answer.

“Because… You can’t go without me and Natsu! You need us.”

“Awe, Happy,” Lisanna giggled while the celestial mage only rolled her eyes.

“Hardly,” she offered back in response.

“Do too,” the feline insisted. “What if you wanna fly up somewhere real high?”

“I can transform, Happy, into a bird,” Lisanna reminded.

“Well… Natsu, they’re trying to ditch us!”

“Let ‘em,” he grumbled against the table. “You guys keep wakin’ me up.”

“Maybe because you’re trying to sleep in a crowded guildhall,” Lucy retorted though it only got a hand lifted to wave her off.

“Let me go check with sis that she and Kinana have everything at the bar,” Lisanna said as she almost bounced up. But then she noticed Mirajane coming towards her and paled a bit. “Oh, no.”

“Lisanna,” her older sister began in that tone and Lucy cried in lost jewels. “Hey, I had something come up. Do you think that you could cover for me?”

“What could possibly come up?” the youngest Strauss complained because of course she would. Do what her sister asked. She always would. “Mira? You’ve been working all day.”

But her sister just gave her a sympathetic look. “It’s only a few hours til closed.”

“Hours?” Lisanna groaned. “What are you going to do?”

“Something,” Mira told her with a look, “personal.”

Lucy giggled then, into her palm. “Something?”

“Or someone?” Happy asked around his fish head. But Mira was never one for bashfulness and just gave them a look too that more or less confirmed it and suddenly the day got a lot more entertaining.

As her sister disappeared off into the sunset (or at least out of the hall), Lisanna completely balked on any gross barmaid duties (yuck) and instead stood now, at the table with Happy and Lucy, discussing just who it was that Mira was rushing off to go meet.

“It has,” Lisanna told the two of them (plus the snoozing once more Natsu), “to be someone in the hall.”

“Why though?” Lucy asked, taking an uncertain glance all about.

“Because she didn’t have plans before she got here. She only made them a few minutes ago, I bet. And no non-member came in during that time. So, clearly, it was within this building that Mirajane found someone to hookup with.”

But Happy and Lucy sat there, staring at Lisanna.

“You get real serious,” the feline offered, “when I comes to this stuff, huh?”

“This is prime gossip material, Happy. Us Strauss sisters don’t play about that thing,” Lisanna told him. “Even when it comes to one of us. It pains me to have to sacrifice Mirajane, but I would expect, no, hope, that she’d do the same to me.”

“Well,” Lucy offered with a bit of a weary glance, “as long as you’re sure.”

“I am.”

“Okay, so we can knock the easy ones out of the way first,” Happy offered the girls as, now with only bones, he sat his lunch down to stand up, on the table, and take some good glances all about. “Well, Natsu’s here, sleeping, so he’s not goig to be- Unless, is this a long con? Natsu?”

“Just let me sleep,” he complained into his puddle of drool and, well, it’s not like either woman took him as a serious candidate for Mira anyways.

“And,” Lucy took over then, looking around as well, “Wakaba and Macao-”

“Yeah, gross. Sis has standards,” Lisanna agreed. “Max?”

“He stays outside at the gift shop. And Mira’s only been inside,” Lucy sighed.

“Nab?” Happy offered up.

“He’s been hiding from Erza all day.”

“Oh, hey,” the cat offered then. “How do we know that Mira’s not meeting a woman? Huh? We don’t. Maybe she’s meeting Erza.”

“Only if she wants to be lectured,” Lisanna whispered bitterly, a past causality in the swordswoman’s war of laziness.  

“Well, Levy and Gajeel have only been talking to one another and Lily all day,” Lucy move right along as she ran her eyes over each and every table. “Cana is passed out, I think, and Gray is-”

“Gray.” Happy decided it for all of them. “Mira and Gray are sneaking off to go hookup. I’d stake everything on-”

“Gray?” Natsu, suddenly, was animated as he bounced out of his seat. “Where’s that bastard? How dare you…you… What did he do wrong?”

“Slept with Mirajane.”

“Happy,” both Lisanna and Lucy complained because it was a fun game, between just the three of them, but when you added in the risk of others hearing about it, suddenly it was less a game and more bullying. Maybe. Something close to it.

“He what?”

Juvia had happened by in that moment, headed over to where the ice mage was sitting close by to Cana, sipping on a beer and minding his own damn business only for, of course, the stupid Salamander and his two bimbos to ruin his day. Of course. Like always.

“No-” Lucy tried, but it was too late. Reeling this back in had long sailed away.

“I demand,” Juvia yelled as she stalked over to Lisanna, “retribution.”

“So do I!” Natsu for far less noble reasons. “Gray!”

The ice mage hadn’t heard all of it, but enough to know what was going on and didn’t even glance over there.

“I’m not going off to fuck Mirajane. Thanks for putting my shit out there though.”

“You’re welcome,” Happy offered as Natsu tried to think of another good reason to go beat the snot out of the other guy. He decided he didn’t need one (the idea of fighting for Mira’s honor had kinda been a bit flimsy anyways; he really didn’t care anything about those sorts of things) and instead bounded off anyways, to fight with Gray while Juvia regarded Lisanna with suspicion, but let her off the hook. Happy though had just taken to scanning around the room some more. “What about Bickslow? He’s always creeping on women.”

“No more,” Lucy complained with a glare. “You ruined the game. You-”

“What’s the game, huh?” They’d gotten the interest of Macao and Wakaba at least, the latter calling over to them. “Some sort of…wager to see who can sleep with Mirajane?”

“Out of luck,” Macao retorted. “Only open to those who aren’t married.”

“Dad,” Romeo groaned because ugh, he was so embarrassing.

“What a vulgar game,” Carla stifled, over where she sat with Wendy, the young teen looking a bit red, just from the suggestion of it.

“I agree!” Suddenly, Happy was flying away as Natsu finally bum rushed Gray and, well, things were deteriorating fast. “I would never be a part of such a gross game, Carla.”

“I mean, yeah, I don’t think you’d be in the running,” Lucy called after him, somewhat bemused.

“At least,” Erza announced from the center of the hall as she looked on at all of them with evident disdain, “Mirajane is doing something occupy her time. Unlike the rest of you.”

Something, someone. Yeah, yeah. Lisanna didn’t feel like jokes any longer as she continued to scan about. She could hear her brother, now annoyed at the implications the others were making, but she didn’t go off to calm him down because she knew, if she just thought hard enough, then…

“Where,” she asked Lucy, “is Laxus?”

“Huh?”

“He was here,” she insisted. “All the slayers are. I remember thinking that. But he’s gone now.”

“Is he not- No, I guess he’s not,” Lucy agreed as she glanced over in the corner where the man had been seated before, drinking and listening to his music. Still, it was Lisanna’s turn to get a wondering grin out of the blonde as she said, “Yeah, but you don’t think… Mira and Laxus-”

“No fucking way.” Macao blew literal smoke at the suggestion. “Sparky and Mirajane? He’s nowhere close to being in her league.”

“Laxus is in a league of his own!” Freed would not take for such slander. Abandoning smoothing over all of Bickslow’s misgivings, he came over to make his peace known. “There is no one that comes even close to him. He could cast his net right here, right now, and capture all of you in it!”

“What does that even mean?” Lucy giggled softly to Lisanna, but the girl was only thinking hard.

Mira and Laxus…

The last time her sister had a date, the man had been around too. Lisanna remembered, because she had to cover Mira’s shift for her and Laxus had just arrived back and left, suddenly, canceling his request of a plate of food just as Lisanna was taking over for the leaving Mirajane. And the time before that, when Mira had left the house to meet some mystery guy…hadn’t she and Natsu stalked Laxus for the beginning of that day, in hopes of tricking him into fighting the other slayer?

Mira and Laxus…

“Are you okay?” Lucy laughed that time in discomfort and even reached out to pat at the woman’s arm. “Lisanna?”

“Uh, yeah, I am.” She sobered quickly, standing fully. “I have to get back to work. Well, actually start working, I guess. Who knows who Mira’s off with, you know?”

“Yeah, I agree,” Lucy sighed as she watched with disinterest when Erza moved to knock both Gray and Natsu in the head for tussling in the hall. “Probably no one that interesting anyways.”

“Probably,” Lisanna agreed though, inwardly, she knew, oh, she fucking knew, “not.”