S e v e n

(Y/N)

Before I could react I heard a loud scream full of grief. I saw a flash of blue hair running towards Ophelia and let out a breath of relief I hadn't known I had been holding.

I watched motionlessly as Mae sprinted to the body lying next to Ophelia. Tears poured down her cheeks as she turned the body over. It was a young girl, around the age of 13. She had long silky black hair that framed her pale face.

This must be Mae's older sister...

She had one bright blue eye that matched Mae and one brown eye that matched her mother's eyes. She stared up at her sister with loving eyes as accepting tears rolled down her white skin.

I looked up and saw Ophelia escaping the cave through a narrow tunnel. She turned around and looked back at me with a sadistic smirk. She winked before continuing her escape and disappearing. It was obvious I had won this battle but she knew she had left a scar on me that I wouldn't forget by lethally injuring Mae's sister.

"Naila, I-I'm scared." Mae whimpered, crying over her sister's dying body.

I watched somberly and looked up at Laxus who stood behind me watching the scene unfold. He placed his hands on the white scar on his abdomen, the wound I had healed with my magic, and looked at me questionably.

I nodded no, Naila had been stabbed through her stomach, an obviously fatal wound. No magic would be able to heal that.

Naila reached her hand up and cupped Mae's face. "Listen Mae, listen closely. Never, ever, give up without a fight." Naila cringed out of pain but covered it with a sad smile. "You be good for mama, okay? I love you both so much, tell her that, yeah?"

Mae nodded sadly. "Please don't go Naila... I love you I don't want you to go."

"Goodbye, my little one." Naila whispered as her breathing slowed. She shut her eyes and with an accepting smile fell into an everlasting sleep. I turned away as I bit back my pooling tears, though I was unsuccessful as a single tear rolled down my cheek and off my chin, splashing on the cool stone ground below.

Mae continued to weep quietly and laid down next to her sister, staring at her tranquil face. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

* * *

Laxus and I led the villagers home after we all made Naila a proper grave. I carried Mae home as she slept soundly in my arms.

Once we arrived back to the village everyone reunited with their loved ones with the help of Laxus. I walked over to Mae and Naila's mother and placed a sleeping Mae in her arms. She looked up at me concerned before seeing my solemn face and silently understanding what had happened to Naila.

She looked up at me with tears streaming down her pink cheeks. "Thank you."

I managed to give her a small smile in response. I bent down and gave Mae a kiss on her forehead. She stirred in her sleep a bit and her blue eyes opened the slightest bit. She saw me and smiled before burying her head into her mother's chest. I gave her mom one last nod before walking away to find Laxus.

I walked back to our camp to see Laxus packing his belongings up.

"Let's go home." I murmured emotionlessly. It was already around three o'clock by the time we returned from the cave so we would be able to walk to Clover Town and take the train to Magnolia by nightfall.

Without turning around Laxus gave me a curt nod. As we packed we suddenly heard a voice calling out to us. "Wait!"

I looked back towards the village to see the mayor running towards us. I raised an eyebrow as he stood in front of me catching his breath.

"To celebrate...". Wheeze. "Your success we're having a festival tonight in the Town Square. It would be an honor if you, our saviors, could attend." He explained.

I looked up at Laxus before turning back to the neighbor. "It would be an honor." I replied with a small thankful bow.

"Great! And don't worry about setting up your camp again, a mother in the village has offered to allow you to stay with her tonight. The mother of the little girl who is especially fond of you." He winked at me before cheerfully grinning and returning to the village.

I stood emotionlessly, how could I face Mae's mother and stay in her home? I had only saved one of her children, Nalia was dead and it was my fault.

"Stop thinking like that." Laxus growled after taking a glace at my expression.

I furrowed my brow at him. "How did you...?"

He chuckled. "You're easier to read than a book, (y/n). Calm down, Mae and her mother are extremely grateful for what you did."

"They shouldn't be!" I retorted. "Nalia's dead, I couldn't save her. It's all my fault a mother lost her daughter and a little girl lost a sister." I looked down at my feet shamefully.

Laxus tilted my chin up and looked down at me with reassuring eyes. "You did fine. You did more than fine, you were amazing. You saved over fifty people, (y/n). You were able to prevent so many families from grieving their loved ones."

"But-"

Laxus' hand cupped my cheek. "It's rare you'll be able to save everyone, (y/n). If you don't accept that, you'll never be able to truly save anyone. Focus on the positives and what you were able to do. Because what you did today was wonderful." He turned my head towards the village. In the distance I could see villagers embracing their loved ones. I could hear families crying happily over their children's return.

My eyes widened with realization of the good Laxus and I were able to accomplish. Before Laxus could react I wrapped my arms around his waist and laid my head against his chest, listening to his heart beat. "Thank you." I whispered.

I knew he smiled genuinely in response as he hugged me back.

LAXUS

"C'mon Laxus, it's starting!" (Y/n) yelled as she pulled me by my hand.

"Okay, okay." I laughed at her childishness. We entered the village and (y/n) stared with big eyes at the decorations. Fairy lights hung all over the village, they almost looked like fireflies as they sparkled in the night sky. Purple banners hung in the village with a yellow sun design on them.

"Oh, sweetheart, come here!" Two villager women called out to (y/n). She cheerfully walked over to them. "We've sewed you something to wear for the festival!"

(Y/n) grinned and thanked them as she followed the women into their bucolic clothing shop. (Y/n) turned to me and gave me a smile before she was dragged through the doorway.

As I waited for (y/n) I spotted a group of little kids who couldn't be older than 7 or 8 running around playing some game with each other. A boy and girl from the group decided to split away and do their own thing. They smiled at each other and the girl grabbed the boy's hand, leading him somewhere while they both giggled. I watched the two of them as they ran off and I couldn't help but be reminded of when (y/n) and I were that age.

I furrowed my brow and looked down, lost in thought. We were best friends but then that day happened. The day my father was unfairly excommunicated. Somehow (y/n) found out and brought it up. Sure, how I reacted was partly her fault for saying how it was right for my father to be kicked out of Fairy Tail, but I shouldn't have hit her or said the things I did. I lied to her; I told her I never loved her. That was a complete lie; in fact I never stopped loving her. I never stopped loving how soft her (h/c) hair was. I never stopped loving the way her (e/c) eyes sparkled when she talked about something she was passionate about. I never stopped loving how stubborn she was and how she refused to be defeated when we were sparring. I never stopped loving how she could be so childish at times then become such a strong mature person at others.

And it pained me to watch her childishness and naivety leave after I broke her. I would never forgive myself for doing that, even if she egged it on. I hit her and that was wrong. I kept the necklace that was once my mothers then hers in my pocket at all times, it was my good luck charm and a reminder of my first love.

I had been with other girls after (y/n) and I broke up, but I never loved any of them the way I loved her. Frankly, the only reason I dated most of the girls after (y/n) was for sex, and they thought the same about me.

When I looked at them I thought of only her.

"Well, Laxus, how does it look?" My strain of thoughts was broken by (y/n)'s voice. I looked up and saw her standing shyly in front of me. She wore a purple bustier dress with an intricate flowery lace design that went down to her shins. I stared at her unsure of what to say.

She laughed and walked over to me. "Is it that bad?" She smiled as she pushed my jaw up closing my mouth, which I hadn't even realized was open.

"N-no! You look... you look..." I was at a loss of words by how beautiful she was. Her cheeks were tinted pink and she looked down at the ground, clasping her hands together nervously.

"I think the word he's looking for is 'beautiful'." One of the women chuckled. I nodded in approval when (y/n) looked up at me and she blushed even brighter.

The decorations were finished being set up; grabbing (y/n)'s attention. Completely forgetting her embarrassment she grinned widely.

"Let's go Laxus!" She grabbed my hand and ran towards the Town Square. "Thank you so much!" She turned back and waved at the village women.

"Young love." One of them sighed dreamily.

"I remember when my husband used to look at me like that." The other sighed. "He better take good care of that sweet girl."

I will.

Sorry Laxus is a little OOC, but I feel like that now that he's opened up to reader-sama again he's a lot kinder and gentler than usual, still Laxus though:) Just more... teddy bear like!!