#like i didn't have to correct almost every fucking statement BOTH of them said because I'm more into superhero media than either of them

[littlecaesar]

Even if he'd been a mere child for most of it so far, you didn't have a position of power as long as he had and not notice when someone was clearly desperate and frankly full of shit. Caesarion smelled a rat the minute the woman had started talking and he knew something was very, very wrong. While no one was more dedicated to the Goddess than her living embodiment that was his mother, seeing someone during ceremonies and living with them on a day to day basis were two different things. What they saw and what the girls who lived here saw of her were bound to be different.

His thoughts had proved correct, and when the small figure in red that was his cousin started to speak, to say exactly what had happened. Honestly, he was both impressed with her for sticking it to the woman like that, and completely and utterly furious for what he was hearing. Mostly the latter at the moment, and he found his sword hand gripping the pommel so hard it was starting to dig into his skin.

Caesarion had always considered his bedroom activities simply victimless fun. He'd never promised anything to anyone, therefore he couldn't be blamed if anyone got the wrong idea or made assumptions that it was something it wasn't. He wasn't stupid enough to think that they didn't dream of a crown, and Demetria only confirmed that, but even he couldn't control other people's thoughts. It hadn't been victimless though; she'd been hurt by all this and he was now starting to realize how accurate his aunt's statements had been. The rage building up inside him practically exploded when she finished speaking, whether it was at them, the high priestess, or even at himself for allowing him to be the reason Demetria had gotten hurt he didn't stop to think about.

"Clearly you are an absolute fucking disgrace to my mother's temple and you are as of this second relieved of your position," he spat, pulling the sword out and pointing it at her as he did so, "But before you leave here forever you need to know some things." he lowered the sword, point digging into the ground and continued.

"My mother's sisters are NO LESS her sisters because their mothers weren't royal. My siblings' father is far from it and they are still my siblings. Demetria's mother is almost as much a mother to be as my own and she and my other Aunt are the most dedicated, loyal people in the entire world. My cousin is the descendant of the same Kings I am, and she can behave however she wants to because..." A thought had struck him then, of course he couldn't make up for what had happened, and he was probably only going to angrier with himself when he saw her up close, but this at least he could do. "Because as of this moment she is no longer a slave. She is every bit as free as anyone else here, and got here because she deserves to be. The women in my family have always been extremely intelligent and she is no exception."

Shocked looks and mutterings seemed to be the order of the day, and he could hear nothing but that at what he'd said. He didn't care though, the more he'd heard the worse he felt. Probably that had been Charmian's intention, and Demetria was likely furious at her for telling but now he had to right the wrongs that had happened. Even if they weren't as close as they'd been, that didn't mean he still didn't care about what happened to her. Besides that, if the woman acted like that to her, she'd probably done it to others too and that also could not stand.

"Wait a moment," he said to Demetria when she asked to leave, turning towards the High Priestess with a face full of fury thinking about what she and others had likely had done to them.

"We do not stand for those who allow innocent children to be abused. You will get down on your knees and beg for your life, perhaps I might be generous enough to let you keep it." Within seconds the woman had scrambled over and dropped to the floor in front of him, absolutely desperately blubbering anything she could come up with in an attempt to keep herself alive. With the easier angle of her being even closer to the ground, Caesarion had little trouble hefting his sword up and rapidly swinging it back down again, cutting the head off in one strike. It and the body hit the floor as he heard the gasps and screams of the people around him, blood spilling everywhere and particularly sprayed onto him. His mother was likely not going to be overly pleased by his actions, but he was sure he could make her understand.

"That," he said, wiping the blade off as best he could on the tunic he already knew was a loss as he could hear Emrys' lessons about keeping a sword clean, before sheathing the sword once again, "Is what happens to people who attack my family. I will speak to my mother about a new high priestess, but in the meantime someone clean that mess off the floor."

The moment he arrived, Tria felt the air crackle around her and knew instinctively her mother had betrayed her trust and gone straight to Pharaoh. Admittedly, she had known that was a likely outcome but there had still been a flicker of hope that her mother would prize her trust in her over using her secret to force a reconciliation upon her she wasn't even sure she wanted.

Panic swept the courtyard; a palpable, heart racing panic that had everyone afraid to breathe let alone move. They had miscalculated quite seriously what was going on with Pharaoh and where that left her - a foolish gamble that had left them in the path of his ire. But so, in fact, had she. For the shock they all wore she mirrored on her own countenance. She would've bet her life's money ( admittedly a very small sum ) that he wouldn't care - but here he was and the anger in his voice was unmistakable.

Unable to bear the agonising potential of hearing herself and her trauma spoken of by the perpetrators of her suffering as they desperately tried to save themselves, Tria made a break for it. Achingly close to the mouth of the temple and sweet freedom, the High Priestess spotted and called out to her - but her tone was different from before. The punishing tone was replaced with a relief akin to someone offered a life raft when they had been on the precipice of drowning. "Demetria! D-Demetria can tell you herself, your Majesty." And sugar coat it. Make his anger go away. Save us.

Tria stilled because she had to. Just as she turned, gritting her teeth and nails digging half moons into her palms, to face the High Priestess once again with hundreds of eyes boring into her back. But she would not look at him. Not only because of the bruising and cuts that littered her face but because there was little dignity in having ones most vulnerable moments exposed but what little there was she was going to cling to. Which meant not looking into the eyes of the person who had hurt her first and arguably worse and risk the tears that might cause.

Because she was certain his information source was her her mother, Tria saw no point in lying as she would've told him everything- besides, none of them deserved her protection and certainly hadn't earned it. Tipping her chin up defiantly, she met the desperate gaze of the woman who had lifted not one finger to help her over all the years she had been in her care and asked:

"What would you have me tell his Majesty, High Priestess? Should I tell him that you believe I am an uppity slave who needs reminding of my place? Perhaps I should advise him that despite holding the top rank in the dedication to his mother, our Queen, you believe her sister and me as her child, not a relative of theirs but merely property they own; no different from the palaces and land we stand upon- certainly not human or family. If not that then maybe you would like him to know that you've never tried to stop the fights that break out here under your watch - you encourage the infatuation your girls have on him and allow them to take it out on me when they fail to reach for the throne. Or maybe you would wish for him to know you encourage the rumor he bought my way into temple and I did not have the ability or the smarts to get here myself." Having control over her own story was oddly cathartic. There was freedom in letting go of it all.

"It is quite simple. You and those you took under your wing believed I fell from favour when Pharaoh favoured Antyllus-" Tria heard her own voice break but stubbornly pulled it together because she refused to let him know anymore than he already did about her vulnerabilities. Having the woman who facilitated her struggles at her mercy was oddly satisfying. It surely meant the end of her career and Tria wasn't sorry for it at all - one day she'd have to thank him for giving her the means to end her. With every word she spoke the High Priestess sank a little more into the sands, her hands beginning to tremble as no life line was offered and any hope of saving herself went away as the bitter truth was laid bare. "- and you felt it safe then to do with a vulnerable, sad child what you liked and felt there'd be no consequences but now here it is and you look beseechingly upon me seeking my help when you never offered the same for me and I was a child."

The stunned silence of her audience made the muffled sobs of the High Priestess almost deafening to Tria. In no mood for her pitiful attempts at mercy, she at last was forced to address her cousin. She wanted to make a dramatic exit and flounce off into a year long hibernation but he was Pharaoh, she was indeed his slave and she could not afford so public a disrespect. Instead, she forced herself into a curtsy, bowing her head too -

"Your Majesty, if it pleases you - I'd like to go now."

[violetren]

It’s exhausting that a non-comic-book-fan-person, (and even a lot of actual-comic-book-fan-people) when asked who would win in a fight between Thor and Iron Man, will scoff and say, “Obviously Thor, he’s a god, Iron Man is just a smart rich guy with gadgets.” And then, when asked who would win between Batman and Wonder Woman, just as immediately, and with just as much unearned confidence, say that Batman would beat Wonder Woman in a fight, for no reason other than “He’s Batman.” Which when pressed becomes, “He’s like a martial arts master, and has a cool suit, and is like really smart and tactical and shit.”

I know they aren’t exact parallels. Not to comic book purists, and not to anyone who has firmly taken a side in the whole Marvel vs DC thing. But when you look at the details an average non-comic-book-fan-people could probably tell you just through exposure to popular culture? They’re pretty damn parallel.

Tony and Bruce: Both billionaires. Both extremely smart. Both 40+. Both spend extreme amounts of money to create tools and gadgets to help them fight. Both human.

Thor and Diana: Both heirs to ancient civilisations that are tied to but held separate from Earth. Both have hundreds (or thousands depending on you source material you hear people talk about) of years training as warriors. Both are old af and basically immortal. Both with lightning powers. Both have much higher strength, speed, and stamina compared to humans. Because both of them are gods.

And the most common defense in this parallel is supposed to be that Bruce has martial arts training that Tony doesn’t. As if the fact that Batman could beat Iron Man’s ass magically means Wonder Woman couldn’t beat his?

He has maybe 30 years of dedicated training. Which fuck yeah that is impressive, go Bruce. But lets be real. He’s completed maybe 2% to 25% of the time Diana has spent also training in various combat styles depending on which of her origins you go with. The fact that he has a few blackbelts isn’t some checkmate difference.

Anyways. It’s fucking exhausting I tell you.

[deepseavibez]

Sweetheart || KTH

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-> Picture Source - Pinterest

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Sweetheart [Taehyung x Reader]

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Genre: Smut; 21+; Future Boss/Boyfriend Oneshot

Summary - Kim Taehyung is a sucessfully acclaimed erotica writer and he's looking for an assistant. When you don't make the cut, why does he want to give you the job anyway.

Warning - 21+!Only; Smut; Dirty Talk;

Word Count - 2.9k

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You sat on the couch opposite him. Your fingers fiddling in your lap, a telltale sign as to how nervous you were. But why wouldn't you be? Your hard work, future and your livelihood were on the line and all he was doing was reading a few pieces of paper.

You observed his features as you waited, because honestly, you just couldn't help yourself. His black hair had you itching to run your fingers through them, his eyes one mono lid, and one partial double eyelid, basically as different as his dual personality.

But his lips were your favorite part. A full upper lip, pink and lusciously, tempting to bite. You could just imagine what those lips could do to you... In other places. You bit your own, in the desperate need to come back to reality.

You averted your eyes before you could catch any other feature, your mind would run wild with. He cleared his throat and it made you jump back to the here and now, completely pulling you out of your wild imagination.

You cursed at how much of an open book you were. 'S-sorry.' you managed to stop your stumble from escalating any further. His facial expression was skeptic, but he blinked and it morphed into something hard and serious a second later.

'Well these are good' he started as he piled your pages into a neat stack and signed off his name on the cover page, 'but I can't use them.'

'What? But you just said they were good.' You managed an even tone but your spine was rigid, and a ball was rapidly forming in the back of your throat.

'You lack depth.' It was stated so calmly. As if it was a simple fact of life and your hard work hadn't just been thrown into a gutter.

Temper rising, you reigned it in as you questioned, 'Depth?' He sat back on his side of the couch, hands spalying out on either side.

Damn if he didn't look like he owned the world, and he did, in this house, on his couch, and right now, your life was in his hands too. 'Yes, depth.' he nodded as he replied.

You see, the idea is there, the correct words are there, the grammar is perfect, but your tone, is completely wrong.' he licked his lips absently and as professional as you needed to be now, you clenched at the action. 'When a reader is going through a story, they tend to have options in how to react.'

They either read for themselves, picture the scenario happening to them or they read for the next person in the book. Either way they have to be able to feel what you're putting out. Pain, love, and even lust has to be explained in such a way that it takes no time at all for the connection and relativity to get to the reader. And you can write. But you can't write about sex.'

He picked up the first page and read aloud a snippet from the middle of the page. 'She orgasmed as he drove himself into her repeatedly....' He gave you a pointed look.

'Really, you sound like you're a virgin locked up in a box. You definitely have the key, but has it been used...' You cringed at the words. you wanted to defend yourself, but your throat was locked.

Despite how easy he was being, it wasn't the words you wanted to be told. Words like that, bruised. He sighed at your silence, placing the pages back neatly. 'You are new and raw, and I can see your strength lies in realism and logic. And with that you do have the potential to be a great writer of Erotic literature because your insight is different. But it is not what the position requires right now.'

Your face burned at the direct words. He was right, blunt, and hurtful but right. You never did half the things you wrote about. You were not a virgin, of course. but your sex life wasn't the best, and it wasn't top priority, but Taehyung was a renowned writer and you wanted to be in the intern position he had open.

It would not only build your career, it would also be a dream come true to work for a man that had the Erotic Fiction world in his palm. Fat chance, considering you were just told your best wasn't good enough. Plus, before the first round of interviews he made it quite clear that he needed someone as soon as possible.

You had pride, so you did the only thing your pride would allow you to. 'I'm sorry I wasted your time and I appreciate the criticism.' You got up and picked up your bag before leaning over to take your work from him. He held it to him.

'I never said you could leave.' His tone was harder than before, but his face remained a blank.

'But you just said you can't use them.'

'But I never said you didn't have the job.'

Looking at him incredulously you snapped. 'What reason would I have a job if I can't write or do what the job description entailed?'

His eyes grew dark at your tone. 'I'm willing to teach you.'

You squinted in disbelief, 'What, how to write?'

'Yes, but... I'm also willing to show you and help you experience the different scenarios you need to have the... means to write.' Your eyes were probably popping out of your head, as you thought Did he just propose what I think he was proposing.

'Yes, I am.' he smirked.

You almost grumbled at the transparency of your face. Recollecting yourself you leaned over and grabbed the papers out of his hands, 'Thank you for offering to make me a playtoy, but I'd rather not have anything to do with your dick.'

God would forgive you for lying, but you needed out of there, before you accepted what you wanted with every fiber of your being.

Releasing the papers and saying nothing he casually walked over to his bar, pouring himself a shot he answered, 'Considering how many times you've grabbed your lip and held it between your teeth since you got here, I think if I thrust two fingers inside of you right now, I'd find different.'

His eyes were swirling dancing - drowning you. The breath you sucked in elicited a wave of need that ran through your body. His raw words, an attack to the self-respect you tried to keep intact.

Because you really really wanted this gorgeous man to bring you to your knees. And it terrified you.

'That isn't appropriate; you can't say that to anyone, let alone an ex-prospect employee.' Your voice was breathy, and you cringed internally at the sound.

'I usually would never propose such a thing, or even go for someone so... inexperienced.' He took a sip and looked over at you above the glass rim. 'But,' he started as he put the glass down, 'You're intriguing.'

And think of it this way, we both get what we want professionally and satisfy the desire we both seem to be pulled toward right now.'

'What desire?' You rolled your eyes in an act of calling bullshit, but immediately felt so stupid at the comment, because you were actually considering his words. Why won't your legs work and get you the fuck out of there! Clicking his tongue he slowly smiled a half smile.

'The rise and fall of your breasts increasing, your blown pupils, nipples peaking out....you're aroused sweetheart.' He took a slow sip of his drink as you reeled with the blunt ferocity of the need that hit you.

His words were one thing, but his throat as he swallowed the golden liquid, made the urge to grab and bite and mark...with teeth and nails harder to resist, because no woman in her right mind could resist a man that knew exactly what she wants. But neither of you could alleviate the fact that this was only a second meeting.

The first being a five minute interview that gave you the opportunity to be in front of him right now. 'I don't even have to guess, I already knew then. And I see it now. You're so sweet and innocent and ever since that first day I was obsessed with corrupting you.'

His admittance was the shocking part. You didn't know what he saw, but being wanted by Taehyung....was something else. Could anyone come back from that feeling? You didn't think so.

'I want you.' The direct statement rolled of his tongue so casually, as if your whole perspective hadn't made a one-eighty. 'I want your neck, to be the one to kiss and caress and mark. I want your waist, your body, to be held as close to mine as possible as my tongue dances with yours.' He started walking closer to you, and you instinctively walked backwards, just as slow.

‘Your eyes fully blown and dark with lust, probably seeing yourself on this couch, back arched, head back, keeping your back aligned to my chest as I thrust into you from behind. My hand on your throat, fingers in your pussy, the moans you'd be giving me, music to my ears.' He groaned, a slow smirk of his lips corrupting you his with his play.

He tilted his head to the side and walked closer. You were caught in a daze. Looking at this beautiful man, all your control seeping through the cracks of any sort of defense. You were being stalked.

A hunter, a male, a danger to all of your emotions and he had his prey exactly where he wanted it. 'That black silk scarf on my couch,' his eyes never leaving yours, he continued, 'you could be tied to my bed, wrists together above your head, naked as my fingers trailed a path down your each and every curve, starting with your lips. You would want me to caress your chin and have my thumb flittering back and forth, as my tongue dived into your ear.' You choked a moan as your back came in contact with the wall.

Your pages, your bag, your will, falling to the floor. You closed your eyes, lost in the way you were feeling, in his words, in how much you wanted it to be true. 'I can imagine you squirm when I bite your earlobe, my fingers would trail down your neck, around it, adding a bit of pressure, and I would bite, suckle and you would want me to leave marks, wouldn't you.' The last words were a whisper, a hairs breathe away from your ear.

You sucked in a breathe and opened your eyes to find one of his hands on the side of the wall, his glass on the counter next to you, his eyes hooded looking at your lips. His free hand running the back across your cheek, and you leaned into the touch involuntarily.

His palm glided down to the side of your breast 'Your sensitive breasts, they'd fill my hands, as I held them, kissed around them swirled my tongue around the tips, oh so slowly before suckling on one like it's my favorite treat and tugging on the other with my fingers.'

He met your eyes then. He was so close to you, the heat from him came off in waves and he sported a hard bulge that made the slightest contact with your tummy making itself known.

And my God you were a whimpering mess at the thought of him inside you. Stifling a sob, you broke off from the wall and made a sprint to the door.

You needed out, you were scared at so much all at once. You needed to find yourself again. But his hand caught yours at the wrist. You tugged and pulled, a lost cause considering how lean and strong he was. You were pulled, and gripped at the shoulders with long fingers.

You made the biggest mistake putting your hair up this morning, you thought as his lips met the junction between your shoulder and neck. The subtle act cascading through your body, instinctively making your head lie against his shoulder in meek compliance.

And you knew, right then, you couldn't leave. He wouldn't let you, and you didn't want him too.

'Would you like my lips in your pussy, baby. Would you want me to kiss my way down your body and stop as I reached the junction between your thighs? Want me to suckle you through your panties, until you were a soaking mess and I needed to rip it off to get better access?

'... Diving my tongue up and down your slit, dipping it in and out of your small hole, and working my way back up to grab your clit between my lips?'

'Would you want me to make you come all over my face, make you scream and taste yourself off me as I grabbed you for a kiss after?' He rubbed his nose and lips and tongue, mouth open slightly, lazily across your cheek to your ear, and back down to your neck.

The images all beating you one after the other. You wanted something, more...less...you didn't know what but you needed it. His right hand worked its way to the top of your jeans, unsnapping the button and zipper.

Your hands went to stop him, but he grabbed them and held both in one had behind your back. He grazed his fingers painfully slow with barely there touches above your panty line you didn't know how much more you could take. You wanted more.

You wanted him to stop. But you didn't. He cupped you then, a harsh sound escaped you at the impact. 'I told you, you would be soaked. You're ready for me. So ready. And I want to drive my cock straight into you. Hard. I want to make you come and I want to do it again, slow and edge you till the end but never tipping you over. A fitting punishment for making me go crazy with how much I want to fuck you,' he growled his words, making you more wet if that was even possible.

Then he let go. No hands on you. No contact. Luckily you could lean against the wall, but your knees gave out. You sat on the floor taking hard deep breathes as you tried to compose yourself.

He leaned against his kitchen counter and watched you. He downed the rest of his drink in one go and slammed it on the table. A pure indication of the thread his control was hanging on. 'I don't rape people. But I needed you to understand what you're shutting yourself away from I will never claim to be a good man. But I know how to make a woman feel good. And we're both adults, baby.'

The pet name use wasn't lost on you. 'How you're feeling now, is a tip of the iceberg of the satisfaction you will feel if your readers react as you are.' He turned away placing his glass in the sink. His knuckles white. His eyes dark. His simmering anger waiting underneath a very stable, very toned, very bitable body.

'You may leave.' He said it as a dismissal and you wasn't sure you heard right. 'I may not like it, and I do want to fuck you with every fiber of my being, but it's your choice to be and do what you want at the end of the day.' So this was it. It was all on you. Your choice.

You wanted to laugh. Five minutes ago you would have wanted it, but now you were just empty. If you did this, you would grow, you would experience new things, and your career would take off with the knowledge.

If you left you'd have your pride, you wouldn't have to fight the battles and speculation about climbing the ladder by climbing on the boss’s dick, but you'd be a shell of who you are. Believe it or not you learned more about yourself in the last hour than in the last year.

Getting up slowly, still slightly quivering you started walking. Walking with open jeans would have been embarrassing in any other situation, but this time it wasn't. You made it to him and did the boldest thing you'd ever done in your life. You cupped his bulge in your hand and gave a gentle squeeze.

He sucked in a breath, his hand going to your ass and squeezing in turn. He looked ten times more dangerous than he usually did, it was a no brainer you had caught him off guard. 'Please.' you whispered looking into his eyes. Needy. Desperate for something you never knew you needed.

Breathing heavily as you begged. He gripped your hair that he let loose, when you didn't know, but it was now tangled in his hands as he pulled your head back, to expose your neck and nibbled against it lightly, 'Please what.'

'Teach me,' Your acceptance tipped the scale in his favor. You were a goner the minute you met this man and now look at you almost in your underwear in his kitchen. 'I don't want to leave.'

He smiled devilishly, making him look devilishly handsome. You would never get used to that smile. You would melt every time. Be on your knees when he ordered. And give him all of you when he asked.

He leaned into you, as he gripped you chin, 'You were never going to leave anyway.' he said softly as his lips descended on yours.

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[taylunae]

My thoughts on Unbelievable so far...

Hi, 2021 Crescent here. I happen to come across this post on my blog, and as I was rereading realized how problematic it was. Where are the trigger warnings? Why was I throwing around the word r*pe so much? It's clear that I was new to fandom, and I've learned so much since then about being sensitive to others, so instead of just deleting this post, I'd like to give it another crack. To show to myself how much we've changed since 2019. Alright, here we go.

⚠️ Trigger warning ⚠️ discussions of SA

I've been watching a lot of TV lately. A lot. And I've been finding myself noticing the different ways that various TV shows are set up. You know, things like structure, main characters, presentation.

It's not very often that I can truly appreciate the presentation about a show. I mean, we all know I love Riverdale (I don't anymore) and it's an absolute dumpster fire of a show but that's not why I watch it. I don't watch Riverdale for the presentation, I watch it for the characters. (To be fair, I still like the characters, but I could only watch a writers room full of men make horrible decisions about characterization for so long before I had to dip) But, I digress.

But I'm watching this new show on Netflix, Unbelievable. And the depth and attention to detail is astounding me. The way that they are setting up the show is so artfully done that it actually amazes me. You begin to the show thinking that the main character is going to be Marie. But as the show progresses, you realize maybe the main character is Detective Duvall. And then Detective Rasmussen. And then you realize "oh it's not any of those." It's a hybrid of the story of two female detectives who are going above and beyond to solve an impossible mystery.

And I thought that this was going to be something that trivialised rape SA with young women. But it doesn't. It is The show talks about rape SA in a way that I'm sure every woman feels about rape SA. It's not playing it off as some awful thing that just happens. They don't say oh well. (That isn't completely true. I failed to mention that some of the characters do have this reaction, and that's what makes the determination of the detectives that take the case all the more validating) Even with one character who feels like she's forced to admit that she made a false report. That (referring to false accusations being sensationalized in media, which was incredibly common during the Me Too movement) is something fat that is in the media all the time but as they build the story you realize but that you can see this whole new perspective from women who report rape SA and then later come out to say that it was a false accusation. (I don't like that I said "new perspective" here. I think a more accurate description would have been a new perspective for me. Because this isn't a new perspective for some women, it's a very common thing that happens.)

In fact, that's one of my greatest fears about rape SA. Not that it will scar me for life. Or that I won't be the same person. Because I know those things are true. If that were to ever happen to me, I know that it will change me on a molecular level. The worst fear that I have about potentially being raped SA is the fact that if you're strong enough (this isn't about strength, it's about support. I remember I used to feel this way about SA. That is you didn't report it, you just weren't strong enough. Fuck that. All women are strong. This is such pick me, fucked up language that had been ingrained into me from living in a small town my entire life. Reporting SA isn't about strength. It's about the community you have behind you, and the people you keep beside you. Supported people can do hard things things) stand up for yourself, there are going to be people who say you made it up. And this show so artfully portrays that perspective.

And every other perspective. It's so well thought-out. And yeah, it's hard to watch. But it's worth the time. (This is one thing I got 100% right. This show is hard to stomach, and I still think about it two years later. I haven't rewatched, I don't think I could now knowing what I know about myself. Maybe I wouldn't like it this time around. But I'm glad I watched it then, it was worth my time.)

** okay, so some final thoughts from 2021 Tate**

I think the reason I had such a visceral reaction to my analysis, however juvenile it was, of the show is because since then I have done extensive work on myself through therapy. Through this therapy, something that we always came back to and talked about was my inherent fear of men. And we talked about how, to my belief, it was always something that had been a part of me.

We worked on that. And we came back to that. A lot. And one night it hit me. I had been preparing a lecture that I had to give to my students the next day about r*pe culture and how it affects the books that we read and something that I always do, because I teach in a small community, is I prepare for the worst, most bigoted statements that I can think of that my students might say and I pre-planned thoughtful, caring answers that restated my boundaries and corrected them to using gentler language to express their curiosity.

While I was doing this I happened to think about something that had happened to me when I was in high school that I had always looked at in a light of "oh that's a funny story to tell." But because I was already studying SA in depth with my students it was at the forefront of my mind, and it was then that I realized that what happened to me at a party in Grade 10 wasn't a funny story, I had experienced sexual assault. And if there was one thing that 2019 me got right was that it did change me.

Because that's when my fear of men started. I could almost pinpoint it to the day.

That's when I started being more cautious.

That's when my anxiety got unmanageable.

Once I had realized this, I immediately reached out to both my mom and my husband and told them about how I thought that I had been sexually assaulted. And just like I feared one of those people didn't believe me at first and required me to validate why I thought that it happened to me. My mother is an amazing person, and one of the most supportive people in my life. However, she also was taught about SA through a male gaze. She had never had somebody as close to her as I am tell her that that it happened to them. And unlike what I thought, it wasn't the worst thing that could happen to me. I had the opportunity to educate somebody else about exactly what SA means and entails. She cried with me and for me. She told me she loved me. And that was enough.

My husband came home from work that night looking lost. He had heard the story before. I used to tell it as a joke at parties. Yet, he came home and he wrapped me up in a hug and he said "I'm sorry that happened to you and I'm sorry that I didn't realize it was wrong until you did."

So like I said earlier. It's about support. I think about some of my earlier comments about how I used to know that if I was ever sexually assaulted it would ruin my life and scar me forever. About how I know that it would change me and I would never be the same.

But I've grown since then. I worked through this realization with my therapist for months. As I've grown, I've come to know other women who have experienced something similar to, or worse than, what I did, and I've noticed something. Did it change who we are? Of course. Am I scarred for life? No. I'm finding that no, I'm not. Did it change who I was on a molecular level? No. It changed me. It made me fearful, for a while. But I was going to change anyways. And I wish that I could have changed without experiencing something horrible, but I am stronger because of it. I'm not saying I'm grateful for my sexual assault, but I am grateful for the lessons I've learned since then.

I was just a child back then, and I didn't know anything about boundaries and how to assert myself or how to say no. But I've learned those things now, and I'm not afraid of men anymore. I wish that I had been taught those things then.

That contrary to what 2019 me thought, despite my realization of my SA, I'm okay. My life hasn't changed that much. And I know that I'm one of the lucky ones, in terms of severity. I know that I walked away and that means that I was lucky.

I'm realizing now that there are more nefarious things at play in our society. What started out as something small, the Me Too movement is now a global movement. And it has helped women all over the world. In 2019, I didn't think that we would live in a world where when somebody had sexual assault allegations put up against them, we dropped those people from sponsorships, and stopped carrying their shows on n*tflix. I never thought that we would live in a world like that, but we do. We don't stand for men who don't respect women, and we certainly don't support them and give them our money.

What's happening in Texas right now with the Ab*rtion Act that is being put out is exactly the kind of thing that will happen if we stay silent. However, it is amazing to know that if we speak out through our social medias and write to our MLAs and Senators that we can make change. We don't sit back and let injustices happen like we used to. We fight, and we set our boundaries, and we say no. And it is making a difference. And sometimes we all need that reminder.

[fallen029]

About Life: Overture

Previous Chapter

"It's not too late, you know."

"Too late for what, Lisanna?" Mirajane hardly glanced at the other woman as she stood in the tiny bathroom of the Strauss household, applying her makeup carefully. Typically she wasn't so concerned about precision, but that specific evening, she felt as if every inch of her would be judged and therefore required perfection. "To just stand him up?"

Her younger sister was standing in the hall, arms folded over her chest, looking far less giddy than she typically would be, when her sister was headed out for the evening. Lisanna saw Mirajane and her dating life as some sort of enigma that, while she'd never live herself, was quite entertaining to live vicariously through.

But not that day.

Not at all.

"To go and tell him that you don't want to do this," she corrected her sister with a shake of her head. "I mean, you can still eat this snazzy dinner he's taking you out on, but-"

"Lisanna."

"I mean, steak is probably out, but he'd definitely buy a fish entree, I'm sure."

"Would you just leave me alone?"

"You still have to, like, put out probably, but chicken definitely."

"For someone that was so thrilled when I mentioned to them that I was thinking about having a baby-"

"Well, yeah," Lisanna said with a bit of a frown. "Of course I was. Before you told me that you were going to ask...Laxus to be the father. Gross."

"You like Laxus."

"I like Laxus a lot!" she agreed. "That's the problem. You're gonna make things weird with him and-"

"Well, we're already too late for that, so we might as well go through with it."

"Mira-"

"Laxus and I are both adults, Lisanna," she told the younger woman with a shake of her head though her eyes stayed focused on the mirror before her. "Very, very mature adults."

Only, they didn't feel too much like adults that day when Laxus laid splayed out on the tile flooring surrounding the pool, much to the dismay of Mirajane who only stood over him in shock for a moment.

"Oh no, Laxus, are you okay? Laxus?" Bending over him, she tapped gently at his cheek, but he didn't move in the slightest. Not sure what to do, Mira's hand came up to cover her mouth as she glanced around. Eyes falling across the room, she rushed over to where a bucket sat. Quickly moving over to the pool, she dipped the bucket in before going to throw the water over the fainted man.

"What the fu- Mira!"

"I'm sorry! I had to wake you up! I didn't know how else to do it! You hit your head and I just… I'm sorry!"

Laxus' body didn't react well to her throwing cool pool water over it. At all. He was coughing as he sat up, dazed and confused. All he knew in that moment was that he'd just woken up to what looked like through his chlorine stained eyes Mirajane tossing water all over his face.

Rubbing at his eyes, the slayer only growled, "And you couldn't think of a better way to-"

"To asked you?" she interjected hand still up to her face as she stood over her. Mira's nerves were shot at that point and, completely at a loss for where to go next, she began to ramble. "I don't, Laxus. I really thought about this for a long time. It wasn't just something that came to me one night and don't, like, read anything into it. I'm not, like, secretly in love with you. Not that I never could be either! But I'm not. It's not you. You're...you. And I just...I'm me and-"

"I meant," came from the man's mouth as he scrubbed at his eyes, it coming back to him then with a sinking stomach just what Mira had asked of him, "could you not think of a better way to get me to come to? Or maybe just, jeez, wait for me to on my own?"

"I didn't… Are you alright?"

"My eyes aren't, no, but-"

"Let me go get you a towel," she cut him off then. "Alright? Just hold on a second."

"I don't need a damn towel, I need all new clothes!"

"I said I'm sorry, Laxus."

"Yeah, well, sorry's not good enough! I liked this damn shirt and now you've ruined-"

"Just...stop it! It wasn't supposed to go like-"

"You stop it!" Laxus was popping back up then, eyes now red and stinging, clothes dripping with water. "Damn it, Mirajane, who the fuck just comes up to someone they hardly know-'

"I do know you."

"No! You don't! You know that we both go to the same guild and who my family is. We've held, in total, a what? Thirty minutes worth of conversation in over a decade. I could be carrying fucking diseases, you know? And if I was some dick of a guy, I could agree and… I dunno! Does that shit pass to a baby? Use that damn head of yours sometime, you- No. No. You don't get to cry right now. You-'

"You can't tell me what to do, you big jerk!"

"How am I the jerk? At all?'

'You could have just said no. You didn't have to-'

"Not try to stop you from just coming up to random guys and-'

"This wasn't random!"

"Well, it sure as hell feels like it."

He'd gotten to his feet by that point and the pair glared at one another, Mira through tear stained eyes and Laxus through bloodshot ones. With a bit sniffle, she turned her back to him.

"Just go then," she said, back to him. "Just leave."

It was silent behind her for a moment before, grumbling under his breath, Laxus began to walk off. Which, in any other situation, would have been hilarious because the water was dripping down into his boots, where it began to slosh around and make wet smacking noises as his feet rose and fell.

But it was the moment that it was and there was nothing funny about what had just happened.

Nothing at all.

Mirajane honestly didn't even want to go into work the next day. It wasn't so much that she thought that the man would tell anyone about what she'd proposed (she didn't think he was that kind of person, honestly; plus, the only person she could imagine him doing so to would be Freed and, well, it's not like he'd ever rag on her about it), but rather just the thought of having to possibly see him was...well…

It was a mixture of things.

For one, she thought he'd been an ass. For another, she'd also was afraid the chlorine had ruined his shirt somehow and, if that were the case, after things calmed down some between them, she'd certainly be replacing it (though she thought he was being a bit dramatic with the statement, as she'd never known this to happen).

Mostly though, Mirajane was just embarrassed. Once more, she'd romanticized something to the point of lunacy. In what world would anyone take it any better than Laxus had? And honestly, he did bring up some good points that she'd never once thought about. Not to mention, if he had been excited about the idea, right off the bat, wouldn't that have said something much worse? If not down right creepy?

Mira honestly thought that Laxus would feel an equal desire to keep away from one another and that she wouldn't see him for a good while. Maybe a few weeks. It wouldn't be unusual for the man to disappear for months at a time, if not a full year, so him ducking out directly after their conversation could even be skewed, in her mind, as having nothing to do with her.

Believe her, Mira could make herself believe it was true.

Relief was an understatement when describing how she felt when, nearing five and the beginning of the dinner hour, Laxus still hadn't shown his face. She'd seen his usual cohorts, all separately, doing their own things (Freed came early that morning for his typical solo job following a Thunder Legion one, Evergreen was pretending not to have lunch with Elfman around noon, and Bickslow filtered around with his dolls, annoying mostly everyone, throughout the day), but their ever inscrutable idol was absent up till that point.

It would also be an understatement to say that Mira didn't almost drop the tray of beers she was bringing over to one of the tables when, around seven that evening, the guildhall doors opened and Laxus came stalking in, headphones strapped on, scowl on his face, and fluffy coat there.

Man, she sure felt glad, seeing that stupid old, disgusting coat, knowing that if it had been what she covered in pool water, he would have been far less contained than he had be (and she was pretty sure that little outburst of his was pretty well contained, given the circumstances).

Still, Mira was nearly certain that he would just go sit down somewhere, to await his turn at getting his order taken, and she'd just send Kinana over there to do it (or Lisanna, if she had to, as the younger woman was always somewhere around, that time of the evening, watching Natsu and Happy scarf down their meals), saving them both the obvious gauche moment they were desperately attempting to avoid.

Until, you know, he didn't just go and find a table. Or a seat at the bar. Didn't go downstairs. Definitely not to the pool. Upstairs was out too. The bathhouse? Absolutely not.

Nope. Laxus came right over to her, after she'd dropped the beers off.

"Mira," he called softly, slipping one headphone off as he came walking behind her, the woman not stopping as she made a point not to glance back at him. "Can I speak with you for a-"

"No."

"No?" Frowning, Laxus followed her all the way over to the bar. "Mirajane-"

"It's the dinner rush, so-"

"Just for a second."

"I said-"

"Kinana can handle everything on her own. Can't you?" They were to the bar then and, pointedly staring over at the purple haired woman behind it who was busy mixing some sort of drink, Laxus added, "Kinana?"

"What?" She hadn't even noticed them there. "What is it that you need me to do, Mirajane?"

"Noth-"

"Watch the hall for a minute, huh?" Laxus spoke over the barmaid, who spared him a glare then. He only continued to stare at Kinana though. "I have to talk to Mirajane for a minute."

"Oh, now it's a minute?" Mira tried to complain, but it was drowned out by Kinana.

"Of course," the younger woman said with a big grin and nod. "Take as long as you- Oh, I'll be right there!"

And as she got distracted with someone calling out for a refill, Mirajane had no choice, but to follow the slayer out of the hall where he only led her to the darker lit side of the guildhall, coming to a stop beside the brick exterior.

Mirajane, usually bubbly when getting to have a conversation with someone she typically didn't (or, honestly, anyone for that matter), only bowed her head a bit, still holding that tray she'd used to deliver the beers a bit dumbly then.

"I'm not going to, like, chew you out or something, while we're out here, just so you know." Laxus was taking off both his headphones then, holding them in each palm, just staring at her. "Mira."

The sun had already set and the darkness was around them, making the glows from inside the guildhall much harsher and the rumbling still going on inside much noisier, as the rest of Magnolia settled down for the crisp Autumn evening.

"I didn't think you would," she whispered back and it was the truth. The idea was in her mind now though. "But why have you?'

Shrugging a bit, Laxus looked off as, scratching at his face with a single finger a bit awkwardly, as his headphone still rested in his palm, the man said, "I thought that I should tell you that… Look, I don't do good with this, alright?"

"Good with what?"

"With… Any of this, really, but… I shouldn't have made you cry or whatever. Last night." He was the one looking off then, shaking his head a bit. Mira was nearly certain that the concept made him uncomfortable. Tears. Especially on woman. Even he'd admit they weren't his strong suit. "I was just… You poured water on me and then-'

"I'm sorry." Mirajane let out a bit of a breath. "About the whole thing. Please, let's just-'

"I have a job that I'm going to take. I should be gone for a week or so." Laxus' eyes fell back on her once more. "And when I get back… If you're still wanting to talk about… I mean, if you still think that you might want me to… Then we can talk. Alright?"

Mirajane blinked. "W-What?"

"Are you not? Shit." Laxus let out a long breath. "I knew I should have just pretended like-"

"No, I am," she was quick to say, reaching out with her free hand then to grab his arm. Laxus' frown down at her hand made Mira withdrawal it with a blush as well as stammer, "I-I mean-"

"When I get back, then, we can talk." He took a step back from her then, glancing up to find her eyes waiting for his. "Alright? We'll go to dinner. I'll have Bickslow or Freed tell you where."

Mirajane wasn't sure just what to make of the encounter, as Laxus quickly went off, into the night, and she didn't see him again. Lucy and Lisanna, who both, of course, knew about what she was considering, both had their own comments with Lucy, again, trying to gently persuade her into just maybe waiting a bit longer to find the right guy and Lisanna, once more, begging her not to ruin the pseudo-friendship she had with the Thunder Legion.

"I'm this close to, like, being a member, Mira! And getting to go on jobs with them instead of Elf! Don't ruin this for me!"

"I think they only let you hang out with them because of Elf, Lisanna," Mira tried, once more, to break to the younger woman. "Since he and Ever-"

"This close!"

Still, when Bickslow approached her about a week or so later, tongue wagging, Mira tried not to look to nervous as he spoke.

"Oi, Mirajane, how come you never told me about how you and boss liked to hang out at such swarthy places?"

"Swarthy," his dolls repeated as the man passed off a sheet of paper on which one of the men had written out the address to the place on as well as a date and time. "Swarthy."

Glancing it over, Mira only said, "I don't-"

"Nope! Hush, yeah? Boss told me that it was none of my doggone business what the two of you were doing and that if I asked you about it, he'd pummel me one good! So don't answer, huh?" Bickslow pounded one gloved fist into the other as they stood before one another in the middle of the guildhall. "But between me and you, it's totally an S-Class thing, yeah? Erza get an invite too? I knew it! But don't tell me, alright? We'll keep it between us."

Then he saluted her and turned to walk off, his dolls repeating a myriad of his words as they floated along behind him.

Which brought Mirajane to where she was currently, attempting again to explain to Lisanna that nothing was set in stone just yet and all that the two were doing was meeting to discuss the entire situation.

"Oh, sure, Mirajane," she remarked snidely. "Just discuss it."

"We are."

"Then why are you putting on your dress that shows your boobs off the best?"

"What are you even implying?"

"I think you know exactly what I'm-"

"If Laxus and I decide to do this," her sister remarked as she stood before the younger, so she could zip up the back for her, "then it'll be because we both need to continue our legacies."

Lisanna about gagged. "Legacies?"

All zipped up, Mira only bounced as she turned to face the other woman, a huge grin hiding the fact that deep down, she was beyond anxious. "Doesn't that sound like something he'll go for? Huh? Legacy and all that garb?"

Blinking, her younger sister merely said, "You should really get going, you know. Being late wouldn't really set the best of impressions, right?" Then she paused. "Although, in this situation-"

"Just let me find the right shoes." Off to do that then, Mira let her face fall back into it's disquieted expression the second her back was to her sister once more.

It would be a long night.

When she arrived at their agreed upon restaurant in the heart of Magnolia, it was to find Laxus already there, seated and waiting.

"I'm not late, am I?" she asked when she approached, the host that led her over to the table pulling out her chair for her while Laxus only watched her carefully.

"No," he said slowly, shifting a bit in his seat as the host walked off, leaving them alone following a waitress coming to get their drink orders. Well, as alone as you could be in a dark lit restaurant filled to it's typical Saturday night brim. "I was just early."

It was the nicest restaurant in Magnolia. Which wasn't saying much, compared to other bustling cities, but still, it was better than nothing. A bit cheesy, honestly. It was kept a bit dark, in the dining area and the décor could be considered a bit dated.

When she first realized this was where Laxus was taking her, Mira was excited, as she immediately thought that he was going to, clearly, agree with her request and...for some reason...made it romantic or something? She wasn't sure. Plus, the feeling didn't last long as, not soon after this thought, another occurred to her.

What if he was just taking her somewhere nice simply because he was planning on denying her the request and, knowing that she was prone to tears, would hope that the idea of doing so in front of so many people would be a deterrent?

She felt like neither, however, was the man's plan as, after studying her for a moment, his eyes fell back to the menu before him again. It didn't seem to be a nerve thing either.

Laxus wanted to eat there because, simply, Laxus liked eating there.

Yeah, she sighed to herself as both fell silent for a minute or so, that felt like the most likely answer.

Decided then, Laxus shut his menu and sat up a bit taller, awaiting Mirajane to do the same so that he could speak.

Once she did (though it was more from feeling his eyes on her than anything else), the man asked, "You just wanna get down to it then?"

When Mira nodded slowly, Laxus took in a deep breath before he spoke.

"I," the man began, eyes on hers, "thought a lot about this. A lot. And… I have some...questions, before I tell you, if that's alright."

Which was a good sign. Right? Mira felt like it was. If the answer had been no, he wouldn't put on the ruse of just needing further confirmation on things, would he? Possibly. Old Laxus might have. But Mira wouldn't have made such a request of old Laxus to begin with.

"Of course," she whispered with a nod of her head. "Anything."

"Well… You know, me and you aren't exactly...close," he remarked. "Why wouldn't you choose, you know, someone else? Someone you were close to?"

"I considered asking a lot of people, but-"

"Then what was it?" he cut her off, the words more tumbling out of him than Laxus actually meaning to say them. "What was it that made you ask me?"

Mirajane shifted a bit, in her seat, uncomfortable more then than she had been the entire time. "It's not… It wasn't just, like, I looked at you and thought we'd have a good looking kid or anything."

"It's not like we wouldn't either though."

Laxus had actually considered this, a few times, over the past week while he was out on his job. What would a kid of he and Mira look like? He pictured a young him with spiked white hair as well as a blonde Mirajane and both were pretty dang...well, not cute, because Laxus didn't say cute, but… Yeah. A few times though, he saw, like, his kid look like Elfman or something and remembered that genes were cruel masters that could blight one sibling and not the other.

And he refused to have a kid that might look like Elfman.

One he claimed, anyways.

Deal breaker.

Kinda.

Shrugging a bit, Mirajane said, "I mean, you're obviously super attractive."

Obviously.

"I mean, other than the eyebrows-"

"Excuse me?"

"-you, your father, and Master weren't exactly horrible looking."

"What about my eyebrows?"

"And you're all super fit. So that's a good thing, if that sorta thing is hereditary."

"My eyebrows are fine."

"And, I mean, you and your grandfather are both very upstanding people. Or, well, Master was, and you're getting there, but-"

"I have plenty of women compliment me on my eyebrows, I'll have you know."

Making a face, Mira asked, "You're a bit self-conscious about them, huh?"

Laxus only looked off. "What else is it, Mirajane, that makes you wanna...have a...kid with me?"

"A lot of things, really, but a big one is your magic."

"What? You want me to teach your brat magic?" Now he was in a bit of a sour mood it seemed. His eyebrows were from the fucking gods. "I don't have to father the kid to do that. I mean, I'd charge you more-'

"That's not what I- Wait, you think that if we have a kid together-"

"I'd give you a discount, yes."

For a moment, Mira only stared. Then, with a shake of her head, she said, "Anyways, I meant that you're very proficient, you know? In your magic?'

"I have a lacrima in me, Mira," he said, tapping gently at his chest. "I can't pass that on to a kid, you know."

"And you know that you're being modest. That lacrima might harness the energy in you, but it has to be there for it to do so."

"You're strong in your own right."

Nodding, Mirajane said, "Which will make it all the more likely that our child will be too."

"You wouldn't want too much power in a little tiny baby, you know. Plus, don't two negatives make a positive?"

"But two positives don't make a negative."

Huh.

"Plus," Mirajane went on as Laxus considered everything he truly knew about mathematics (hardly anything), "just your disposition in general is so great."

"My what?"

"I mean, other than when you're being grumpy, uncooperative, and-"

"Why do you want to have a kid with me again?"

"You're such a leader." And when Mirajane said that, her eyes shone a bit and Laxus knew that she was thinking less about him and more about his grandfather, who she held above everyone else. "And that would be another good mindset, for a child to have. To be confident and-"

"I'm not raising this kid, you know," he remarked. Then he paused. "Am I? Was that...part of the deal?"

Mira opened her mouth to speak, but the waitress was there then with waters and to take their orders, and it was delayed for a bit. It was only once the woman left that Mira spoke.

"I didn't think you'd want to, actually," was what she said as, now without his menu to pretend to be interested in when things got tough, Laxus took to toying with the cloth napkin he'd laid over his lap. "Or that any guy would. I mean, the plan was just for me to, you know, be the parent of… But I don't know. Would you even want the baby to… If you and I did have one, would you..."

"I dunno." Laxus glanced over at her eyes. "I mean, I though this would be kind of a, you know, you and I...whatever and then you have the kid and it's yours."

"Right."

"But… I mean, it wouldn't have to not know that I was its father either, I guess." Laxus didn't mean to swallow so visibly, but he did then, for some reason. "i mean, when it got older or whatever. That would kinda be a dick thing to do to a kid, wouldn't it? To not even tell it who its father was? Especially if you're, you know, still sticking around Magnolia."

"Of course I am. Where else would I go?"

"I dunno. But I just mean that, if you and I… Or you and anyone… And eventually, when the kid was, like, a teenager or something and found out that its father was right there the entire time… That'd be completely messed up. Wouldn't it?"

Mira stared, thinking for a moment before saying, "Well, if you were going to hurt him-"

"How would I hurt him? Or her? It?"

"Like, if the baby grew up knowing that you were its father, but that you didn't care-"

"I didn't say I wouldn't care." Then, looking off, Laxus' face seemed quite dark as he said, "You haven't asked me, Mira."

"Asked you what?"

"Why I wanna do it."

"Oh. Well why do you?"

The slayer was silent for a moment, not look at her, before saying, "I'm not gonna… You're, like, doing this because you don't think that you'll ever end up with someone and that you're running out of time, but it's different for me. I've never wanted...that. At all. That...in love, relationship shit. At all. Or a big happy family. They don't turn out too well, in my experience."

"Laxus-"

"It's just a difference of opinion, Mira," he said, looking back at her once more. "Clearly you see things the opposite of me. That's fine. But that doesn't mean that I wanna just watch it all die."

"Watch what die?"

"My family name. The Dreyars. I'm the last one. It's me and it's over." Laxus held his head higher then. "It'd be selfish, to not at least try and further it. Right? I want… I want my legacy to go on. I-'

"Knew it."

"What?"

Mira couldn't help her blush as she only managed to mimic back, "What?"

Frowning, Laxus shook his head. "My point was that I should have a kid. At least one. And if it's with someone else who also wants one, but isn't looking for a relationship, what's better than that? And I like you well enough. Out of all the other women in the guild… I mean… If I had to have a kid with someone… You'd definitely be high up on the list."

She didn't respond immediately, but after a moment, Mira asked, "What makes you think that I'd give the baby your last name? Especially if you're hardly going to be involved?"

Laxus made a face then, shaking his head at her. "We can discuss that later."

"Well, I mean, there's nothing to discuss, so-"

"There is if you want Dreyar in you."

"Yeah, well- Wait." Mira had been poised to inform him that, really, this wasn't even a discussion because she could be quite (in her mind) devious and would just have the baby and then name it something else and there was nothing that he could do about it. His words, however, made her take pause. Blue eyes round, she asked, "Are you saying that you'll do it?"

"I'm say that I've thought about it and I'm fine with it and, if you're fine with it, then we need to get together and seriously go over a few, like, rules and shit, but- Mira!"

"Do you mean it?" Mirajane had popped out of her seat and rushed to his side of the table, practically throwing herself at the man. "Laxus? Because yes! Yes! I still want to and now you want to and-"

"Mirajane, knock it off," he growled under his breath as she drew the attention of others. "These people probably think I fucking proposed or something. Calm the fuck down."

But she couldn't. Because even if it wasn't real just yet (or anywhere close to being, for that matter), she'd taken a huge leap and, while she'd been dangling in the land for some time, the ground was at least in sight finally.

After a few awkward pats to the back, Laxus got Mirajane to sit back down, cheeks flushed on her part as well then, realizing just how much of an overreaction she'd had. But he didn't understand. At all. She could tell. Mirajane had been contemplating this for over a year. Perhaps not Laxus, specifically, for the long, but certainly the concept. And now it was going to be real and she'd have her own, actual, real baby, eventually, hopefully, and that was definitely worth some celebration.

Or at least on her part it was.

He was embarrassed, of course, Laxus was by that point. By her. And her theatrics. But as they sat there, after their entrees arrived, and he kept glancing over at her and seeing her smile and…

Laxus wasn't friends with Mira. He was hardly friendly. But he felt like...he'd done something nice for someone. Which he'd never admit, but he did enjoy doing. It was why he became a mage. If anyone deserved some happiness, it was Mirajane.

Even though he knew without even much questioning of the woman that she had no doubt idealized the entire concept, Laxus still had a bit of a bubbly feeling in his own stomach. It might not work. In fact, even if it did, it had a high chance of ending horribly.

Not to mention, they still had all those rules and stuff to come up with, before they started down the long road of trying for a kid. Things that might even end their journey before it began.

But…

It was never something he wanted to experience. And if he could have helped it, he never would have. That moment he had with Mirajane, while not anticipated nor desired, was certainly something he'd remember. The closest, probably, he'd ever come to discussing having children with another person.

Maybe it was like what a married couple would feel, when they finally decided to have a baby together.

Maybe.

If it was, then he kinda understood.

There was something so exhilarating about the entire concept. That the two of them had decided, together, to (maybe) try to create another human life was so...so…

So worth dessert, he deemed, to which Mira quite ecstatically concurred.

"Don't expect this every time we're around one another," the slayer warned as, while they both ate slices of pie, he eyed the bill the waitress had left on the table. "Because-"

"Just enjoy the moment, Laxus," the woman told him with a grin so contagious that, while he was able to fight it off, even he wasn't able to let out a long breath of all his negativity. "It won't last forever."

"Yeah," he sighed, forking up a bit of his own pie. "It won't."

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