N i n e

(A/N: Just for timeline purposes this chapter takes place in the middle of episode 10, right after Erza and Natsu returned from being arrested by the Magic Council :P)

(Y/N)

"WHAT?!"

The entire guild stared at Laxus and I completely dumbfounded. Everyone was speechless except for Master and Mira, who wore knowing smiles. Natsu, Erza, Lucy, and Gray looked the most flabbergasted out of everyone; I was convinced Natsu was going to faint.

I uncomfortably rubbed the back of my neck with my hand. "Yeah... we're sort of dating." I trailed off and looked down at the ground, feeling self-conscious with everyone's eyes on me. "Again." I whispered to myself. I looked back at Laxus who was looking off into the distance with a bored expression.

"Again?" Erza shouted.

"B-but I thought you guys hated each other. You were fighting the other day!" Lucy stared at Laxus and I with wide eyes.

"Well we have a really complicated history and-"

I was interrupted by Natsu grabbing me and shaking my shoulders roughly. I let out a small shocked yelp. "(Y/N) CAN YOU HEAR ME?! THE REAL (Y/N) HAS TO BE IN THERE SOMEWHERE BECAUSE I KNOW (Y/N) WOULD NEVER DATE LAXUS OF ALL PEOPLE." Natsu screamed in my face.

Laxus growled and picked Natsu up by his shirt and threw him back a couple feet. "Don't touch my girlfriend, weakling."

Master raised an eyebrow at us, "I guess I owe Gildarts some money." He let out a defeated sigh.

"Wait... You and Gildarts placed a bet on Laxus and my potential relationship?!" I screeched. "How dare you? You had the audacity to... How could you- That's so-"

Laxus rolled his eyes and grabbed the collar of my shirt. "This is stupid, let's go shorty."

He pulled me away while I yelled at Master for betting on my love life. The rest of the guild sweat dropped and watched the scene unfold in front of them. Eventually Laxus threw me over his shoulder and carried me up to the second floor while I continued to scream and flail my arms angrily. "You little- when I get my hands on you!"

LAXUS

I watched as (y/n) pouted and crossed her arms. She was currently sitting on my lap on the second floor of the guild. "I can't believe they placed a bet on our relationship." She grumbled.

I chuckled at how adorable she was and wrapped my arm around her waist.

"It's not funny!" She complained and leaned against my chest, laying her head in the crook of my neck.

Suddenly she sat up straight and stared at the guild entrance before her eyelids began to droop.

"(Y/n)?"

"It's him." She murmured, fighting her sleepiness.

I began to feel the same wooziness as her. I heard Mystogan walk in and him and the old geezer exchange a couple words before Mystogan begins to lift the spell. (Y/n) and I sleepily watched him as he left the guild, we both were strong enough wizards to fight off his stupid spell he places every single time he walks into the guild.

"Five. Four. Three. Two. One." And with that Mystogan was gone and his spell risen.

(Y/N)

The guild members began to complain over the sleeping spell and Lucy piped in wondering who he was. Poor girl, she was probably overwhelmed by the sudden welcome into the world of guilds, most of us had belonged to the guild since we were children so all this was just normal for us.

I got off of Laxus' lap and went downstairs to go help Lucy and chat with the rest of the guild.

"Who's this Mystogan guy?" Lucy yawned.

"For one, he's a contender for Fairy Tail's strongest wizard." Elfman explained.

"Really?"

"Yeah, and for some reason he doesn't want anyone to see what he looks like." Gray continued. "So, whenever he comes here to take a job he casts a sleeping spell."

"That's kinda creepy!" Lucy responded.

"Master Makarov's the only person here who's ever gotten a good look at his face." Gray shrugged his shoulders.

"That's not true, I've seen him before." Laxus interrupted the conversation just as I was about to respond.

We all looked up at him stood on the second floor leaning on the railing. He wore his typical cocky grin that was both enraging and endearing to me at the same time.

"Laxus, you're still here? You never stay this long!" Various guild members looked at him confusedly.

"And here's another contender." Gray mumbled with a bored tone, yet I knew he was on edge; all the guild members were when Laxus was around. Lucy stared up at him, intrigued.

"Mystogan's just a little shy, you should all respect his privacy." Laxus stared down at the guild condescendingly, yet he never made eye contact with me.

"Alright, Laxus! You and me, right now!" Natsu suddenly awoke with a fist in the air.

"Getting your butt kicked once today wasn't enough?" Gray rolled his eyes.

Laxus' smirk became malicious. "Yeah pal, if you can't even win against the redhead why bother with me?"

"What are you trying to say?" Erza growled.

Gray backed away from her fury with his hands up. "No need to get all worked up, Erza."

"I'm saying that I'm the guild's strongest wizard." Laxus stated, raising his arms.

"Then come down here and prove it!" Natsu glared daggers at Laxus. I had to agree with Natsu the slightest, I was getting frustrated at Laxus' ego.

"You come to me, little man." His grin only grew.

"With pleasure!" And with that Natsu jumped onto the bar and attempted to reach Laxus.

Master watched Natsu angrily and without any warning squashed Natsu with his giant hand. "You're not allowed on the second floor, Natsu! At least not yet."

Lucy watched in shock as the events unfolded.

"I think you made him grumpy." Laxus said in a singsong voice.

"Shut up!" Natsu snapped as he tried to push Master's huge hand off himself.

"That's enough out of you, Laxus!" Master cautioned.

"The most powerful one in the guild isn't some chick or a hooded weirdo; you want to know what the strongest wizard looks like? You're looking right at him!" Laxus boasted.

We all glared at Laxus as he turned away and shook his head with a chuckle. As he walked away from the railing I got up and stormed upstairs, irked at Laxus' arrogant and just plain rude behavior. I felt the eyes of the guild watching me as I crossed the room.

I leaned against the wall with my arms crossed and my eyes shut. One leg was propped against the wall while the other held my weight. My head hung earnestly.

"You coming?" Laxus asked as he began down the stairs.

I opened one eye and watched him with a cool stare.

"What are you staring at? Let's go." He retorted, letting his temper get the best of him.

I scoffed and looked away before looking back and staring dead into his eyes. He took a step back at my sudden glower.

"So, is 'some chick' Erza? Or is it me?" I snapped. "Regardless, what you said about the guild- our family, your family- was pretty shitty."

Laxus took an apologetic step towards me and stood directly in front of me. He held my chin with his index finger and thumb and lifted my face up to his.

"Babe, I know how strong you are. Those weaklings, they just aren't like you and me. They were just thinking a little too highly of themselves and someone needed to put them back in their place, that's all. I love you." Laxus smiled down at me and planted a soft kiss on my lips.

"C'mon, let's go." He wrapped an arm around me and we made our way down the stairs. I let his behavior go and did my best to forget what he had said to my family. He wasn't the best person but I was sure I could make him see how amazing and important the mages of Fairy Tail are in both of our lives.

Still, I couldn't help but have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.