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moonpiepig · 22 days

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Jennifer - The Umbrella Academy

My take on 'The Jennifer Incident'. Be warned this one is a little bloody and quite sad. I swear I'll write some pure fluff one day... I added a year or two to Ben's age, not that that is overly important.

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“Why can’t you use your window?” Klaus hissed into the darkness, not for the first time that week, as Ben stumbled through his bedroom window and clambered over Klaus’ body reclining in bed.

“Don’t act like you were asleep,” smirked Ben, feeling the sheets until his hand met cool glass. He took the bottle and swigged deeply, grinning at his brother’s mock shock illuminated in the moonlight. “We both know your window is the easiest to get in and out of.”

“As much as I support your late-night wanderings, Benerino, you might want to cut back on them a little before Dad finds out.” Klaus reached out to take back the bottle but Ben placed it firmly out of grasp on the bedside table littered with aging scorch marks from Klaus’ drunken destructive impulses. “Hey, I worked hard to sneak that outta the kitch-!”

“I’m leaving the academy,” Ben blurted out, shifting uncomfortably in the strangling silence that followed. “We’ve decided to go on a road trip for a couple of months and afterwards we’ll come back and get an apartment together.”

Klaus froze, staring at Ben. His mouth worked but the words he found collided and dissolved before they could fully form.

“We’ll live close by so I’ll never be too far to visit, Klaus, and you’ll always be welcome. All of you will.”

“But- but what about money?”

“We have enough for the trip and a deposit on a shitty little place downtown. I saved up all my allowance over the years and we’ll get jobs when we’re back in the city… One that doesn’t involve so much violence. And she saved enough for a little camper.”

“Well, you can’t leave. Dad won’t allow it,” Klaus declared with an air of finality. He felt a pang of regret, despite his growing fear, when he saw Ben hesitate, his excitement a slight echo on his face.

“I know, but I was hoping you’d help with that,” he confessed. “It took a lot to come to this decision and I thought I could sneak away and you could all cover for me after I leave.”

“What about missions? We’re a team and we need you!”

“Klaus.” Ben rested a tentative hand on Klaus’ knee, his brows creased together. “I don’t want to kill anyone else. I can’t…” He swallowed hard and took a deep breath, clutching his stomach where huge, grotesque tentacles could explode from when summoned. With each mission, he returned home more bloodied with the weight of more lives pressing hard on his shoulders.

Klaus sighed and patted his brother’s hand. “Okay, okay. I’ll help you get out. You should tell the others closer to the day though or someone might tell Dad.”

“Yeah, I thought so too,” Ben agreed. He jumped off the bed and crept towards the door. Just before he slipped out into the corridor, Klaus called out to him while snatching up the wine bottle. “I’m happy for you, Ben. I’m glad you two found each other.”

“Thanks.”

The door softly clicked shut. “I just wish I was escaping this hell hole with you,” Klaus whispered and drank deeply.

.…

Police cars surrounded the mall, blocking the gathering crowd and painting the streets in red and blue. Rain pelted the ground, covering the footsteps of five teenagers sneaking through the side entrance unnoticed. Once inside, they huddled in an empty corridor and the tallest peeked around the corner at the havoc before facing his siblings waiting impatiently for his orders.

“Okay, I can see six men patrolling hostages by the fountain, four in the jewellery store on the right and another four in the store next to it with the fancy bags. The left side is blocked,” Luther explained hastily.

“How many hostages?” Diego asked, wiping a blade on his trouser leg. “We need to avoid unnecessary casualties.” Everyone stared at him for a beat, causing his face to burn.

“Well, obviously,” Allison rolled her eyes, breaking the silence.

“I saw about fifteen, twenty,” replied Luther, ignoring the bickering. “All bound. Diego, you head left and deal with whatever you see there. I’ll go to the jewellery store. Allison, you can rumour the four in the other store and Ben I need you to handle the six by the fountain. All clear?”

Everyone nodded, except Klaus, who had been distracted by an apparition of a young couple, strolling through the corridors, window shopping. He raised his hand slightly, catching everyone’s attention. “What do I do?”

“You’re the lookout.”

“Again?”

“You can stand by the corner and yell out if we miss one of them,” Diego interjected, slapping Klaus on the back as they all headed into position.

Klaus noticed Ben hesitating and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “One last mission and you are out of here Benerino,” he whispered with a wink.

Ben nodded and gave a small smile. Tonight, when this was over he would have to face his other siblings and fill them in on the plan. His stomach churned as he thought of parting ways with them and how they would react to the news. But first…

“Okay, on the count of three we move,” Luther hissed back at them. “One, Two-”

Diego sprinted around the corner, snatching two knives from his belt and throwing them at concealed figures. Luther swore loudly and they heard the bodies collapse and hastily filed out just as one of the patrolling men cried out, causing a ripple of alarm through the mall. Luther bounded over to the jewellery store, grabbed the closest men by the throat and slammed them into the ground, knocking them unconscious upon impact. Allison caught up to him as the other men pulled out their guns and knives. She rounded on the first person she reached.

“I heard a rumour you killed your partners,” she murmured into his ear. He shuddered, his eyes glazing over, and took a jagged breath before shooting the men surrounding them. Luther struck the rumoured man, hearing a loud ‘pop’ as his nose broke and he collapsed, unmoving.

Ben grimaced at the six men now circling him.

“Listen, kid, we don’t want to hurt you,” one called out. “Just get on your knees with the others and you can walk out of here.”

“I’m not the one who should be worried here,” he replied. “The same goes for you guys. Put your weapons down and you won’t be harmed.” With a groan, he unwillingly pulled back his jacket, revealing four monstrous tentacles. He paused for a moment offering the option of surrender and sighed when the men grabbed their weapons, primed to fight. Ben yelled with exertion as one tentacle raised high, swooped down at speed and pummelled the closest attacker into the ground, spraying blood across the marble floor. Another wrapped itself around two men and squeezed until the sickening crack of crushed ribs rang out. A man crashed through a wall as the third tentacle swung around and rammed into him. The fourth tentacle plucked an attacker hiding behind hostages and drowned him in the now red-tinted fountain. Ben stumbled backwards, exhaustion hitting hard as the Kraken limbs retracted back into him, and heard rushing footsteps at his side. A familiar voice called out, causing him to hesitate, hand poised by his stomach. A dark-haired girl stumbled over to him. Dried blood caked her face. Jennifer.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, breath caught in his chest as panic swelled inside him, desperate to escape. “Why-what-How much did you see?” She collided with him, enveloping him in a tight hug and he felt her racing heart beat heavily against his chest. He pulled her at arm's length and scanned her shivering body from head to toe before cupping her face close. “Are you hurt?”

She shook her head. “I was picking up some snacks for the drive tonight when these guys busted in, yelling threats and grabbing people to hold hostage. I couldn’t run fast enough…”

“It’s okay,” he whispered into her hair, pulling her close again. “Soon it’ll be all o-”

A small gasp escaped her and she whirled around, embracing him as a thunderous bang ricocheted off the walls. She flinched, her knees buckled, and Ben caught her and carefully lowered her to the ground, feeling sticky heat run down his hand on her back. She looked as pale as the limestone she lay upon and a pool of crimson blossomed from under her. Time slowed for Ben and his mind struggled to reach reality while he knelt staring at his anchor in the world, his sense of safety and belonging, begin to fade. She touched his cheek and he took her cold hand in his.

“It’ll be okay,” he whispered. “Luther can carry you to the hospital. It’s not far. You’ll be okay.”

“Ben, I-” She groaned in pain, tears welling in her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“No… no, please!”

“I saw… You are still you…”

“Jennifer, please!” Ben yelled and her arm fell limp. He pulled her close to him and kissed her gently, pain searing through his chest and he gulped for air with each throat-ripping sob. Klaus’ cry for help brought him back to reality, shedding the warmth of denial and plummeting headfirst into sobriety facing the mayhem around him. Diego, cornered and weaponless, frantically searched for an escape past two opponents. Luther was sprawled across the floor, flailing under the weight of two men struggling to subdue him while Allison fought another who silenced her with his arm, and Klaus, a few feet away, had attacked Jennifer’s murdered from behind and clung onto his back, yelling insults into his ears and smacking the man’s head repeatedly. Ben watched the man grab Klaus’ shirt and throw him over his shoulder onto the ground, all pity and pacifism a mere memory as fury boiled inside him, clawing at his heart and straining his muscles. The man snatched his fallen gun and pointed it at Klaus, and red flashed before Ben’s eyes. He screamed and tentacles burst from him, grabbing the man before him and tearing him apart. He sprinted towards Diego and his nightmarish limbs smashed one man into the ground, shattering bone, and grabbed the other, wringing him out like a damp cloth. He whipped around and crushed Luther’s attackers before seizing Allison’s and tossing him through the huge windows, out onto the police patrolled pavement. The tentacles vanished and he stood doubled over, drenched in blood, chest heaving.

“Jesus, Ben,” Klaus breathed, staring open-mouthed at his brother.

Ben glanced at the results of his anger and felt sick. The thought of Jennifer and their road trip numbed all the confusion and eased the bitter taste of regret lacing his tongue. Jennifer. He turned to face her body lying unnaturally on the cold floor, staring at the ceiling without a hint of emotion and had the strong urge to hold her one last time. He took one step forward and one of the hostages leapt in front of him and thrusted a knife into his stomach. She yanked it upwards, screaming and cutting easily through his soft flesh.

“You fucking monster!” she bellowed, panic dripping from every word.

They collapsed in unison as a small knife implanted itself deep into her skull. Diego’s knife Ben realised. He crawled towards Jennifer, grunting in pain with each movement until his hand found hers; small, smooth and solid in his. He heard his siblings calling out to him and saw them come into view, one after the other, shaking him and choking out pleads. Ben closed his eyes and traced Jennifer's knuckles with his thumb as he let the pain consume him and carry him out of consciousness, surrounded by his family and by the side of the girl he loved.

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moonpiepig · 5 months

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Love-struck - Chapter 7

“Who are you and how do you know my mother?” Y/N demanded, standing her ground and ignoring her muscles screaming for escape.

The mayor laughed darkly. “Oh, I think you know the answer to that, little devil slayer.” He turned his back to her and ran his hand along a bookcase, stopping at a slim, red, leatherbound book and pushing it further into the bookshelf with a flourish. The bookcase clicked and swung inwards, revealing a life sized statue of a man with a large tome in each hand. Black candles were stood at the foot of the statue, morphing and twisting Zeref’s sharp, stone features in the flickering light. “I was the one who found your traitor mother’s body.”

A spark of recognition lit in Y/N’s mind. A younger man with chestnut hair instead of white, wrinkles less deep and two arms instead of one, called and beckoned her smiling father to work in her memory. A man who had sat across from her at the dinner table, carving a roast chicken her mother had made while her father dished out vegetables. Her mother packing a suitcase and rushing out the door. This man dragging her inside her home, bloodied, after she had been found. “Why aren’t you at the village?”

“These past few years have been especially rough,” he spat and touched his shoulder where his sleeve was carefully pinned. “After your mother’s efforts to thwart our plans, more and more cockroaches crawled out from the floorboards trying to put a stop to everything we worked hard for. We had to split up into smaller groups to gather more followers and raise an army for Lord Zeref.”

“The eggs…”

“Exactly. I was going to raise and train the beasts until that monster burnt everything I built to ashes. I was hoping you would have a similar fate…” The mayor closed the hidden room abruptly and took a step closer to Y/N. “But no matter. I can deal with you instead!”

Y/N launched herself backwards as black clouds formed around the mayor, splayed her palms and sent dark, crackling energy towards him, just as the door sprung open and Laxus sprinted inside, shouting her name and bracing for a fight. The dark lightning hit his chest at full force and he crashed into the desk, sending everything on top flying, and crying out in pain. Papers floated to the ground and a brandy glass shattered upon impact. Y/N scanned the room but the mayor was nowhere to be seen. She rushed over to Laxus, her heart pounding in her ears and her stomach lurched once she took in the scene before her. Laxus was breathing jaggedly and a large piece of broken wood had pierced through his chest. Blood ran down from the wound, soaking into his t-shirt and dripping into a pool on the floor. Y/N fell to her knees and pressed hard around the wood, desperately trying stop the flow and choking back stinging tears.

“It’ll be okay,” she croaked. “We’ll get you to the infirmary and you’ll get fixed up in no time.”

He shook his head slowly, frowning with effort. She felt his large, warm hand envelop hers, pulling it away from the wound and up to his lips. He smiled at her, but it didn’t quite reach his shining eyes. “I’m glad you came back,” he whispered and took his last breath.

The world stopped and fell silent and Y/N stared at Laxus’ serene face, willing him to move. And then two year’s worth of unspoken words crashed down on top of her and her lungs exploded with painful sobs as she held his face in her hands, kissing him gently and begging him to wake up. Eventually, exhaustion took over and she sat on the floor, cradling him in her arms, tears dried up. Brandy had mixed with Laxus’ blood and the fragments of glass lay nearby.

A thought struck Y/N like a match supporting a tiny flame of hope. She scrambled to her feet, grabbed the largest piece of glass and held it up to the light. The glass was dull and reflected coloured lights that did not exist, omitting her reflection completely. She dropped the shard and examined her surroundings carefully. Everything appeared exactly as she remembered it from the last time she was there. Movement caught her eye from a corner of the room, a dark, floating mist, barely visible. She whipped around to face it, summoning dark sparks from deep within her that coursed down through her arms and balled in her palms. She raised her hands and the lightning shot towards the mist, forcing the mayor’s form to appear as it hurt him. Laxus’ body faded into nothing and the desk looked untouched.

“Well done,” the mayor said, slightly breathless with pain. “You broke the illusion much quicker than last time.”

“You were the guy at the farm?!” She lunged at him, swinging her right arm towards his face. He dodged and the breath was knocked out of her as his fist connected with her stomach. She stumbled back and grabbed a large tome from a shelf and slammed it into the side of his head, sending him crashing into a bookcase. Y/N rushed forward, dark energy coursing through her and brought her arm down into him, but just before she reached him, he vanished and the lightning cracked the ground, tearing up the stone floor and leaving a large crater. Anger welled up, burning her from the inside and she frantically searched for the black mist revealing his location. “NO MORE TRICKS!” she yelled into the empty space.

“Fine.” He appeared behind her, grabbing a fistfull of her hair and bringing her to her knees. “You have caused me more trouble than you are worth, girl. You and your bitch mother.”

Black spots danced before her and fury numbed her pain. Darkness blossomed from her elbow down to her fingertip and the energy around her grew. Her mum’s smiling faces appeared in her mind. A cold pew. Mumbled verses. Burning sage. A warm hug. Her mum’s perfume. Her body crumpled and motionless in the grass. “How dare you bad mouth her,” she shouted. “She saw right through your motives. She died trying to fix things. Zeref will destroy us all!”

The current grew stronger, dancing around her limbs and distorting menacing shadows writhing along the walls. She twisted and jerked her elbow backwards until it found it’s soft target and the mayor doubled over, spewing curses at her. His grip on her hair loosened just enough for her to shake herself free and shoulder him to the ground.

“You think you’ve figured it all out just like your mother did.” The man flailed, grabbed a small knife concealed beneath his jacket and swung it at her legs, grazing her skin enough to draw blood. “You stand there and blame the village for her death-”

“She tried to escape! She wanted to leave but you all trapped her,” Y/N yelled. “You gave her no choice but to… but to…” The memories of that day, alone in the bathroom with nothing but a candle and a book came flooding back. Bane particles had swarmed around her, infecting her as it was absorbed into her body and turned into a dark kind of magic. She saw a demon in the dark, unsure if he was real or not, watching with glee as she writhed in pain. The feeling of betrayal still left a bitter taste in her mouth as the echoes of her screams for her parents rang out.

“Well, I should at least thank you for killing her,” the mayor sneered. “It made my job a lot easier that day.” He leaped forward, grabbed the brandy glass from the desk and hurled it at her face before attempting to disappear behind another illusion. Y/N’s vision went blurry as the glass collided with her forehead, slicing a deep gash above her eye. Blinded by the blood trickling down her face and rage, she let the lightning course through her and then splayed her palms once more, sending a massive blast of darkness into the mayor’s back. He screamed as it hit him and he crashed through the entrance to the office. There was a sickening crack as he slammed against the corridor wall and collapsed to the ground, unconscious but twitching from the current flowing through him.

Y/N stepped out into the corridor to find Laxus sprinting closer. She saw his steps falter once he observed her face slick with blood and the black marks of devil slayer magic painted on her arm mixing brilliantly with the red welts and scrapes already blossoming into bruises. She forced a deep breath, feeling the air fill her lungs, and watched the black marks slowly begin to fade. Laxus pulled her into a hug and her muscles relaxed and the adrenaline and anger waned, leaving her exhausted.

“What happened?” Laxus asked, his voice muffled in her hair.

“He…” Y/N swallowed her words. She knew if Laxus found out that he was the person behind her torture during their time apart, he would want revenge. No amount of pain inflicted on the man could bring enough satisfaction for either of them and Laxus would only be burdened by this knowledge, just as she was. “He knew my parents,” she mumbled, and felt him nod with understanding. She had told him about her past when they were teenagers and he had accepted her then, just as she had always accepted him and all that hid behind his mask of strength. Laxus knew she was a murderer capable of hurting those she held close but still, he was here, holding her tightly as if she might fade away, tethering her to the shore whenever her guilt almost drowned her.

“Now I definitely think our job here is done, Y/N,” he said softly, unwrapping his arms from around her and offering one to escort her back to their room. She agreed and let herself be led away without looking back at the unconscious old man.

Y/N awoke to the sound of Laxus triumphantly waving a rather large pouch of coins by the entrance. “That’ll last us a good few weeks,” she remarked, slowly propping herself up and wincing from the pain pulsing deep in her muscles.

“Not with the plans I have in mind,” Laxus smirked, bounding up to the bed to sit by her side.

“Oh yeah? And what exactly are those plans?”

“You’ll just have to wait and see,” he chuckled, grinning widely and resting one hand on her leg. His eyes softened suddenly and he tilted her chin up towards him, hesitating slightly before closing his eyes and gently pressing his warm lips against hers. The uncomfortable barrier between them shattered as the familiarity of the kiss brought them closer. Laxus drew back, eyebrows raised in question and she answered with a smile. He cupped her face and kissed her deeper, more urgently, searching for the memories of each other that had been lost. She could feel her heart pounding as she reached inside his shirt and traced the lines of his body, slowly making her way down until - Laxus moaned softly and hoisted her up onto his lap. He undressed her, careful not to injure her further, and kissed her down past the nape of her neck to the curve of her breast, teasing with a flick of his tongue across her nipple. She fumbled with his zip and they fell into an old routine, moving mechanically and enjoying the thrill of discovering each other again until they lay wrapped up in each others arms, exhausted.

“We should shower and get going soon,” Laxus murmured into her shoulder. “We have a train to catch.”

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moonpiepig · 9 months

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Part One - When the stars weep for you

I recently watched the third Harry Potter in preparation for spooky season, and I'd forgotten how much I love this movie and Remus Lupin <3 So I thought I'd write a cheeky wee fanfic split into two or three parts with Remus and an OC. Sorry Tonks fans, I do love her and Remus individually, but I never really fell for their relationship.

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Harry followed Professor Lupin into his office after being caught wandering the school corridors alone while everyone was out visiting Hogsmeade. He tried to ignore the persistent thoughts of Ron and Hermione having fun at Zonko’s Joke Shop or eating their weight worth of treats at Honeydukes without him with limited success and accepted the weight of disappointment drawing him down.

In the corner stood a very large tank of water. A sickly, green creature with sharp little horns, had its face pressed against the glass, pulling faces and flexing its long, spindly fingers. A bookshelf groaning with the weight of tattered tomes stood guard to the left of a large oak desk painted with coffee stains. Piles of scrolls containing essays ready to be marked were scattered on top of the desk and as Harry scanned the names for his, he couldn’t help but notice a small, silver-framed picture of a young woman peeking out of the paper hills. The woman smiled out at him, clutching two potted plants in her arms. He recognised one of them and shuddered at the memory of the screaming mandrake he repotted during his first year at Hogwarts.

Lupin poured sweet-scented, steaming tea for them both into chipped mugs while gently teasing Harry about his death omen the Divination teacher had found within the tea leaves of Harry’s cup, causing his classmates to tiptoe around him since then and talk in hushed tones as if they were attending his funeral. They sipped their tea and Harry seized the opportunity to ask Lupin about the Boggart incident during their first lesson. He was relieved to find that the professor didn’t think him weak but instead had been concerned about Voldemort appearing in front of the class, terrifying all the students.

Lupin took a long drink and placed the mug down gently. Harry noticed his eyes flicker to the picture before focusing back on him. He didn’t wear a wedding ring and Harry had never seen him leave the castle grounds. “Professor, who is that woman?” He asked and immediately regretted opening his mouth as Lupin’s brows furrowed and his pallor grew pale, leaving him looking more sickly than usual.

“Oh,” he said and cleared his throat. “She was… is… someone dear to me.” He waved his hand, dismissing the topic and was saved by a knock at the door. “Come in,” he called.

The door opened and Snape entered, carrying a goblet which was smoking faintly. He sneered at Harry when he spotted him and pointedly jerked his head towards the door. Harry drained his mug and excused himself, eyeing the goblet suspiciously.

After both Snape and Harry had left, Lupin drank a mouthful of the foul potion and grimaced as he made his way over to the large, arched window overlooking the viaduct. He smiled sadly as he saw his younger self, the same age as Harry now, standing on that bridge, waiting in the cold for the woman in the picture. His fingers traced a chain hidden deep inside his collar, threaded through a simple gold band he could still feel the ghost of on his left ring finger.

December 1973

Remus crawled up the steep, snowy slope leading to the base of the Whomping Willow feeling his muscles screaming with each nauseating movement and his teeth chattering from the cold, winter breeze. Last night there had been a full moon and, as usual, that meant he’d had to hide in the Shrieking Shack, far away from everyone. He had awoken alone despite Sirius’ promises to arrive in the early hours to help him sneak back into the castle and, after waiting one very long hour, the loud growling in his stomach made his decision to leave the dilapidated building by himself. Dizzy with exhaustion, he clambered out of the hole, lifting one heavy limb at a time, completely forgetting the vicious tree and its nasty habit of trying to squash people with its thick, club-like branches. With that threat now in mind, Remus hastily fumbled for his wand in his pocket to immobilise the tree and froze, realising a strange stillness in the air around him. He couldn’t hear the usual creaking of wood as the tree sensed his presence, in fact, the branches were suspended in the air, moving slowly as if they were wading through treacle, droplets of snow dripping onto the frosted ground. A figure dressed in Hufflepuff robes was standing a foot away from him, studying the wafting branches, wand in hand. She noticed Remus and yelped, jumping back, slipping on ice and hitting the ground hard.

“Are you okay?” Remus asked, rushing over to the groaning girl and holding out a gloved hand. She took it and her eyes widened as she observed his gaunt face and dark circles under his tired eyes.

“Are you okay?” She asked. “Do you need to go to the hospital wing?”

Remus shook his head, the thought of bringing attention to his condition made him feel queasy. “No, no, I’m fine.” She frowned, looking very unconvinced. “Honestly, I just didn’t sleep well. Nothing breakfast and a nap can’t fix.” He tried a smile and was relieved when she returned it.

“I’m Aster Evans,” she announced, after a long pause. “I think we have Potions class together.”

“Remus Lupin. And yes, you shared your book with my friend Sirius last week when he forgot his. Saved us all from yet another Slughorn speech about organisation.” Remus found his grin was becoming more natural and his tension eased away slowly. She didn’t seem suspicious or acted as if she knew his secret at all. He was just about to suggest they go back to the castle together when a loud crack sent a flock of birds fleeing into the sky and the girl lunged towards him, grabbing his waist and throwing him to the ground just as a gnarled branch smashed into the snow where he’d been standing. They scrambled to their feet and rushed to a safe distance. They caught each other’s eye, him pale as a corpse with robes now soaking wet and freezing, her with ice dusting her hair that the tree had shaken off in its attack and a jagged tear down her tights, and burst into laughter.

“That was a close one!” Remus chuckled once they’d started to calm down.

“It’s amazing it’s here unguarded,” Aster said, pointing towards the base of the tree. “There’s a knot that calms it when touched, but getting there isn’t easy.”

“How did you figure that out?” asked Remus, forcing his voice steady. Had she found the secret passage?

“Well… It’s been here for two years and we still haven’t covered it in classes and I can’t find it in my Herbology books. I just wanted to see it up close,” she replied, glancing at him strangely. “Weren’t you here for the same reason?”

Remus opened his mouth, excuses reeling through his mind. He couldn’t act enthusiastic about the Willow now, nor could he pretend he was just casually passing by so close to the dangerous tree.

“Remus!”

Relief cascaded through his body when he heard a familiar voice calling out nearby. Sirius Black waved his hands in greeting, his thick, black hair windswept from racing down the hill. The exertion and cold had left his cheeks flushed, highlighting his already handsome features. “I had wondered where you’d run off to,” he said to Remus, acting as if they had separated for only a moment this morning and casting a brief questioning look towards the Hufflepuff smiling politely beside him.

Remus introduced them and they made small talk as the sun slowly crept fully over the horizon, warming them, and the bustle of waking students grew louder over the peaceful grounds. They wandered up the path and into the Great Hall where the long tables were dressed for breakfast and overloaded with seasoned sausages, eggs made in a variety of different ways, jars of cereal in between large pitchers of fresh milk and any other breakfast foods imaginable. Remus clutched his stomach as it rumbled loudly and was surprised to find himself rather embarrassed about it. Sirius slapped him on the back, said his farewell, and hurried over to join James, who was helping himself to a tall stack of buttered toast while Peter begged him to help with his Charms homework.

“It was nice to meet you properly, Remus,” said Aster. “I’ll see you tomorrow in Potions class.”

“See you tomorrow,” Remus replied and watched as she went to sit with her friends at the golden-decorated table.

#harry potter #remus lupin #mauraders #sirius black #fanfiction #fanfic #feels #magic #werewolf #james potter #peter pettigrew #Hogwarts #hufflepuff #griffindor #slytherin #ravenclaw #lupin x oc #lupin x reader

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moonpiepig · 11 months

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Love-struck - Chapter 6

On the surface it was cold and the first few rays of the morning sun exposed a light, ivory mist that rose from the damp ground after a long night of rain. Far below, bright candles illuminated winding passageways, rousing sleepy inhabitants from their cosy beds. The air was electric with muted conversation as crowds of famished villagers were herded into the dining hall, eagerly awaiting thick slabs of streaky bacon, crispy hash browns, and fried eggs piled upon chipped plates.

Y/N awoke sometime mid-morning, bleary-eyed, as the makeshift door scraped harshly against the stone floor. Whispers of slow shuffling and hushed cursing disturbed the peace as Laxus squeezed himself through the doorway, trying desperately to not wake her. She caught a glimpse of him clutching two steaming mugs, with a squashed loaf of bread under one arm and a cutting board under the other, before closing her eyes and pretending to sleep. Forcing deep, slow breaths and concealing a smile, she listened to Laxus gently place some of the breakfast items onto the coffee table by the entrance and the scent of freshly baked goods filled the room. He stood still for a moment, not making a sound, contemplating what to do next.

The pallet protested as he perched by Y/N’s side and took a moment to observe her. His hand, warmed from the coffee, brushed away a lock of hair that had fallen across her face. She fluttered her eyes open and displayed a convincing act of awakening, before focusing on Laxus and the large, clay mug he extended towards her.

“About time…” he teased, his mouth curling into a smug grin. “Morning is almost over. I had to fight an army for this breakfast.”

She took the mug, feeling the soothing warmth burn her fingers, and mumbled thanks. She hadn’t slept so deeply in over two years and the built-up fatigue lay heavy in her muscles, pulling her back under the blankets. Laxus brandished a bunch of grapes and removed cutlery, smoked cheese wrapped in a faded patterned cloth, and a jar of apricot jam from his pockets. He reached for the bread and tore off a chunk, slathered it with jam and handed it to her as her stomach growled with anticipation. They ate without conversation, savouring both the food and the quiet intimacy, clinging eagerly to the remnants of the night before.

It didn’t last long. It couldn’t. An uncomfortable shroud fell over them after they had finished eating. Laxus cleared away the mugs and the cutlery, the chance to discuss what was on their minds fading quickly. Y/N brushed some crumbs off the bedding and straightened her back just as Laxus inhaled deeply, unable to meet her gaze.

“Listen Y/N… About last night-”

“Laxus… We should talk about-”

A loud knock on the door startled them and a tall, well-dressed man with tousled hair and a faint stench of body odour stepped inside, eyeing them nervously.

“The… Um… The mayor would like to see you both,” he stammered.

Y/N looked at Laxus. His cheeks were still faintly flushed from the words he had been unable to speak, his eyes a little bloodshot from lack of sleep, but his face gave no inkling of what he was thinking. The discussion of the previous night’s events would have to wait. Whether she felt she and Laxus could wait long was another thing entirely. She waved a hand dismissively at the man and informed him they would be on their way soon. He scurried away and they prepared their things, falling back into a more agonising silence.

***

They strode down a long, empty corridor towards the mayor’s office. It wasn’t hard to find, what with it being the only cavern underground that resembled a fully finished room. A large ornate door, clearly scavenged from a church or some other grand building, stood tall, keeping a watchful eye on all visitors.

The entrance was cracked open a little and they could hear the mayor's gravelly voice inside, muttering to himself. As they drew closer, a few words drifted from the office, freezing Y/N to the spot, her hand poised, ready to knock. Laxus noticed her hesitation and raised his eyebrows in question. She shook her head dubiously, her wide eyes unable to focus on her surroundings. Surely she had misheard the mayor’s words…

“May Lord Zeref return.”

A shiver ran down her back and she flinched as though stabbed with a poker as Laxus leaned over her and rapped sharply on the dense wood. The short, elderly man answered at once. He stepped back with his arms spread open in welcome. Catching her horrified reflection in his glasses, Y/N painted a kind smile on her face and extended herself to her full height before stepping inside.

“Welcome! Good morning to you both,” he boomed. “I thought I’d check in and see how things are going with that blasted beast.” He sank into a grand, leather chair behind his desk and rested his chin on his palm, giving them his full attention. If he is an old member of the commune, Y/N thought while taking in his suede suit with thick brass buttons, he certainly didn’t live a similar lifestyle now. Laxus clearly had his own opinion on the man and the mayor’s eagerness wavered momentarily when he snorted in disgust and crossed his arms.

“You know, I don’t remember agreeing to help in the first place,” he sneered, eyes locked onto the wrinkled face.

Y/N thought she saw a flicker of annoyance harden the mayor’s gaze, but his smile grew in reply and he nodded sympathetically.

“You are right,” he said softly, his face forlorn. “I speak on behalf of all the citizens here when I say I sincerely apologise for the way we treated you when you arrived. As I explained to your companion, we are tired of living in fear of the beast, and being unable to fight, back since none of us have any real magic talent, has made us quite desperate.”

“Fine,” Laxus held out his hand after a long pause and the mayor took it. “I agree to help on the condition that we get the money you mentioned to my… companion. Oh, and if you try anything I don’t agree with, I will make everyone here pay the price.” An amber spark shot through his fingers, and the mayor flinched, quickly releasing his grip.

Not waiting for any more pleasantries, Laxus regaled the details of their attempt to confront the wyvern yesterday and Y/N took the opportunity to closely examine the interior. The natural cavern walls were hidden behind large bookcases stuffed with famous titles, moth-eaten tapestries and a large variety of aged paintings. The mayor was seemingly a collector who took pride in the facade his objects offered him. She strolled around the bookcases, scanning the musty contents. Laxus gave her an inconspicuous glance as she completed the full circle, ending up back by his side and letting out a small sigh of relief. There were no apparent links to her past here. No demonic statues. No black books.

“Well, I wish you luck,” said the mayor, pulling Y/N from her thoughts. “I do hope you can help us. A word of warning before you go, some of these buildings are old and unstable. Best to stay on solid ground if you have a choice.”

He regarded her with a fixed grin, his eyes narrowing as if he could read her thoughts. She nodded at him in farewell before following Laxus out into the passageway.

***

The monstrous beast glided in circles around the decrepit church tower, its beady eyes transfixed onto the glittering, gold bell within. Y/N and Laxus clambered out the entrance to the caves below and took shelter in a shallow doorway behind the church, hidden from view.

“Okay, let’s think of a plan,” said Y/N, her eyes glued to the massive, winged creature as it perched on top of the tower roof. “I say we-”

She felt the air shift next to her and whipped around just in time to see Laxus rush into the street, golden energy crackling menacingly around him.

“Glad to see you came back for round two!” he yelled as he rushed forward into the wyvern’s path. The lightning coursed up his right arm and grew in intensity and he slammed his fist into the wyvern’s side. Y/N clamped her hands over her ears, barely filtering out the deafening screams from the beast plummeting to the ground and scattering clouds of dust across the village. Laxus turned to check on Y/N and she cried out as the beast’s head burst forward with unnerving speed, sharp teeth bared and strong jaws prepped to grab onto an unguarded limb. Laxus dodged left. Y/N sprang into the air in a streak of dark energy and hurtled downwards, crashing into the top of the beast’s skull with a crack. She felt Laxus’ reassuring warm hand on the small of her back as she created some distance between herself and the beast, preparing for the next move. The wyvern scrambled away. They both lunged forward to grab onto the spiked tail and Y/N recoiled as Laxus’ boot came into contact with her stomach, nauseating her and jolting her off course. She heard him curse before he was quickly dragged away, leaving her behind.

Sprawled on the ground, she coughed a mouthful of dirt and mentally scanned her aching body. Nothing broken. She hoisted herself up and took a moment to watch Laxus being swung around like a rag doll, leaving her with a twinge of satisfying justice as she clutched her aching abdomen. After a few minutes, he regained his balance and dug his heels into the ground, leaving a deep trail in the dirt and slowing the wyvern. Violent yellow light danced through his body and along the creature. It jerked and twisted, clawing at the source of its pain and Laxus bellowed incoherently as the lightning grew stronger. The beast gave up fighting and started to inch itself towards the church, its roars rattling Y/N to her core. Its eyes fixed unwaveringly onto the shimmering bell.

“Laxus, wait!” Y/N called out. Laxus, unable to hear her over the chaos surrounding them, released the tail and moved closer to the creature’s head. Y/N sprinted towards him, hand outstretched and shouting so hard her throat turned raw. He raised his arm to give the final blow, energy surging around his clenched fist and she crashed into his back, redirecting the lightning towards a collapsed library.

“What are you doing?” Laxus roared, inches from Y/N’s face, and rage lit his eyes. She shrank away and he stumbled backwards once her face came into focus and the light around him extinguished immediately. She furrowed her brows and took a deep breath before pointing towards the bell tower.

“It was trying to get to the tower.”

Laxus turned to the direction she was pointing in and eyed the wyvern warily but it lay still in the dust. It heaved a giant sigh and its gaze remained fixed on the bell. Laxus grunted, acknowledging the peculiarity.

“Did I hurt you badly when I kicked you?” he asked, his expression hidden from her view.

Y/N snorted. “It’ll take more than your boot to take me down.”

They stood in silence for a moment, recovering their strength and composure. The morning’s unspoken words hung heavily above them. Y/N stepped by his side and took his hand. Eventually, Laxus faced her and grinned widely.

“Looks like we’re a bit out of practice,” he said. “We’ll end up killing each other before nightfall.”

Y/N laughed and squeezed his hand gently. Still cautious around the frozen beast, they made their way to the church ruins and climbed the tower. Y/N heaved herself over the edge and gasped. Laxus, not as agile and therefore a bit slower at scaling the wall than she was, called out questioningly and began to pick up the pace. Underneath the bell sat a crate containing three large, shimmering eggs covered in jade scales.

“Well that explains a lot,” Laxus muttered behind her.

Y/N peered down at the unmoving creature. “Wyverns lay eggs in nests, usually caves. There is no way they ended up here naturally.”

“So someone took them? Why?”

“I don’t know,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. “It has to have been one of the villagers. Wyvern eggs are quite valuable but even so, surely they would have said or done something once the attacks started?”

Laxus sighed and ran a hand through his unruly blonde spikes. “I’ll hunt them down and make them talk when we get back but in the meantime, we can’t leave these here.”

After much contemplation and some bickering, they decided to create a basket using the debris littering the town square and attach a rope thick enough for the wyvern to curl its talons around. The creature watched them approach but stayed still, accepting their presence with a sharp exhale. Y/N placed the basket beside the wyvern's head and extended the rope before joining Laxus on his way back underground.

***

Once Y/N reached the bottom of the ladder, Laxus placed his hands on her waist and drew her closer to him.

“So listen… As far as I’m concerned this is a job well done,” he murmured. “You tell the mayor, I’ll pack the bags and we can be on a train by sunset.”

“Deal. I’m sure he can find the thief without our help.”

He kissed her forehead before parting and she watched him until he disappeared around a bend before walking in the opposite direction. A smile played on the corners of her lips and she felt lightheaded as she thought of ideas for their next destination. The snowy mountain tops in search of the best strawberries in all of Fiore? Sailing down a river in Margaret Town together or perhaps relaxing in the hot springs at Pegasus Village? She reached the mayor’s office, rapped a short rhythm on the door and stepped side to side as she waited for a response. Several minutes of silence passed. Eager to head back to the room to help with packing, Y/N gently opened the door and slid inside. Her breath caught in her throat, choking her as she noticed the mayor standing poised like a statue in the shadows of the room.

“Wha-?” she exclaimed, startled and taking a step back.

“I see you found the eggs,” he said quietly. “I believe I hired you to kill the wyvern, NOT to snoop around and give away what isn’t yours.”

Realisation dawned too late and Y/N balle her fists tightly, ready to fight. “You stole her eggs? But why?”

The mayor stepped towards her, tutting, his expression hard and menacing. He brushed her cheek with the back of his hand and cupped her chin, closing the gap between them, the damp sweat on his skin making her shudder.

“You really are like your mother,” he whispered, stale breath caressing her face. “I do hope Zeref can forgive us for her mistakes.”

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moonpiepig · 2 years

Text

Love-struck - Chapter 5

And we're back! This chapter was a challenge and a half since I'm running on fumes creatively and I have never written action before so I'll have to brush up on my skills there.

I hope you enjoy it anyway <3

Warning: there is a slight mention of suicide in this chapter so if that triggers you, please be careful.

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A bowl brimming with steaming broth was gently placed in front of Y/N as she collapsed onto a bench at a long, wooden table. A large man who had escorted her to the dining room at the mayor's behest, stood scowling near the entrance with his gaze fixed firmly on Y/N. She nodded thanks to an amicable, young woman who had rushed over to serve her, and hunched over her meal, attempting to tune out the hungry villagers who sat gathered around the far tables, discussing Y/N and Laxus’ arrival in rapid, hushed tones. Sighing, she rubbed her eyes and grimaced at her weary reflection in the liquid. While Laxus rested in the underground infirmary, Y/N had listened to the mayor's long, persuasive pleas for aid. He had recalled the hottest day last year, when a beast had rampaged through the streets, tearing down sturdy brick buildings and preying on the villagers with speed. Everyone had been forced to flee underground and live like moles, expanding tunnels and sending scout teams to the surface for resources. Y/N’s mind drifted to Laxus and her stomach tensed as she remembered his strong figure crumpling to the ground and lying motionless by her feet. Guilt chilled her, resting heavy on her shoulders, and she silently chided herself for letting her guard down.

Just as she had made the decision to find Laxus, dinnerware clattered loudly onto the ground far behind her. Y/N placed her spoon down on the table and turned to face the commotion, confident she had already figured out the source. At a table near the entrance, a group of villagers were frozen in place, silently gawking at their friend who squirmed face down in his bowl with Laxus’ fist tightly grasping the back of his head. Laxus leered at them for a moment, before lowering his head closer to their shocked expressions and explaining the consequences of continuing to discuss his and Y/N’s presence. Sparks of energy crackled around him, illuminating the panic in their wide eyes. Laxus released his grip and made his way over to Y/N, his stride slightly unsteady. He slumped onto the bench opposite her with a groan and grumbled about the men at the table. He glared at the waitress as she carefully handed him a serving of broth before scurrying away. A patch of Laxus’ hair was matted with blood and a sheepish grin spread across his sickly pale face as his eyes met Y/N’s.

“Did they hurt you?” he asked gruffly, scanning Y/N, his brows furrowed.

Shaking her head, Y/N smiled weakly. Dizzy with relief, she observed Laxus closely and noticed his pride was damaged deeper than his head wound. “How are you feeling?”

“Fine. I would have been here earlier, but the healers were pretty persistent with giving me a checkup.” Laxus ripped apart a slice of bread from a nearby basket and began devouring his meal. “What did I miss?”

With only an hour left until sunset, Laxus and Y/N started scouring the village for traces of the mysterious beast. Above ground, the village was as lifeless as when they had first arrived, with no solid evidence as to what had terrorised the citizens a year ago.

“Are you sure you don’t need more rest?” Y/N asked after they had circled back to the demolished church where they had been captured. Laxus shook his head before wandering over to the church.

A deafening roar rang through the air as an enormous, emerald monster soared towards them. The ground trembled as it collided with an ancient, stone Well, scattering dirt and debris with its immense, flapping wings. With its beady eyes fixed on Laxus and Y/N, the beast bared its venomous, black teeth and paused. The dust settled and a thunderous silence filled the street as all three figures froze, preparing for the first move.

With nothing more than a whisper, the beast hurtled forward, extending razor-sharp claws towards Laxus. Lightning surged around Laxus as he braced himself for impact. Rooted to the ground, Y/N observed the monstrous creature close in, the terrifying scene occurring at a snail’s pace before her. Laxus roared and jumped aside and attacked with beams of violent, crackling energy. The creature reared back, shrieking in pain and thrashing around blindly. Its long, scaled tail whipped around, slamming into Laxus as the beast took flight, fleeing into streaks of vibrant orange and pink. Laxus flew backwards and crashed into the side of the crumbling church. Y/N cried out and sprinted towards him as adrenaline finally melted the paralysing fear and awakened her muscles.

Tentatively, Laxus rose from the ground, wiping blood from his mouth and carefully stretching out his aching limbs. “Is that all you’ve got?!” he bellowed, scanning the rapidly darkening sky. His breath was forced from his lungs as Y/N rammed into him, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

“Are you okay?” she asked, peering into his eyes and catching a glimpse of her concerned face reflected back at her.

“Of course.” Laxus snorted, a half-cocked smile spreading across his face. His hands rested on Y/N’s waist, slowly drawing her closer to him. They locked eyes and he lowered his head until she could smell traces of ale on his breath.

A deep blush blossomed across Y/N’s cheeks as warmth washed over her. Clearing her throat, she gently placed Laxus’ hands by his side and stepped away. “We should head back underground. I have a feeling that Wyvern was only testing the waters today.”

Laxus removed the wide plank of wood acting as a door to their room for the night, and they stepped inside. Dim, flickering candlelight danced around, highlighting two separate, wooden pallets covered in stiff blankets and thin pillows. A set of glittering glasses sat next to a jug of fresh water on a low table by the entrance. A very cosy room considering it was a small cavern, deep underground. Y/N threw her bag onto the furthest pallet, claiming it as hers, and they politely took turns standing outside while the other got ready for bed. Y/N curled up underneath the musty blankets, the wooden pallet hard against her aching muscles, while Laxus extinguished the candles one by one.

The uncomfortable silence amplified the sound of their slow, sleepy breaths. Low mumbling from villagers still in the hall nearby drifted into the room and Y/N and Laxus lay still, wide awake and fully aware of the other lying close by. Eventually, after listening to Laxus toss and turn for the fourth time, Y/N spoke.

“How is your head?” she asked softly.

“I’m fine. Takes more than a blow like that to do real damage,” Laxus replied in a low voice.

“Hmm.” Still concerned, Y/N fell silent, the image of his still body haunting her.

“Alright, okay. It’s a bit tender, but why are you so worried? We fought a lot more recklessly in the past.”

Footsteps padded along the corridor as the stragglers ambled into their rooms, blocking the sliver of light creeping around the makeshift door as they passed. Y/N turned in Laxus’ direction, a pressure pushing against her eyes as she held back the flood of emotions swelling inside her chest. The fear of explaining the truth gripped her stomach firmly.

“I never intended to leave you for so long.” Her words hung solidly in the air and Laxus felt dizzy as the weight of what she had said, filled his head. Y/N heard his breath catch in his throat and, after a long pause, she carried on. “I went to check out that job post for the cursed demon object. I had to, you know that, right?”

“I know…” Laxus sighed, remembering her excitedly waving the paper in front of his face, and her disappointed frown when he refused to join her. “Did you find what you were looking for?”

“No. There was no demon object. It was a trap.” Y/N closed her eyes and memories of that day flooded back into her mind. “After four days of travelling, I arrived at a small farmhouse and an old man greeted me. He shook my hand, thanked me and went back into the house. I never saw him again. I didn’t realise there was a spell of some sort surrounding the land and, thinking back, I guess that handshake is what trapped me there somehow. Anyway, once night had fallen, you arrived at the door saying you’d changed your mind.”

Laxus tensed and his mind reeled. “I never saw you after you left.”

“I know, I figured that out after the first day. A horde of demons came soon after you arrived and…” Y/N trailed off, exhaling sharply as tears ran down her cheeks, choking her words slightly. “Every night for almost two years, you would die in front of me no matter how I tried to help you.” Overwhelmed, she spoke quickly, shielding her face with her hands. “Sometimes the cause would differ, but it always ended with you dying painfully. By the end, I couldn’t tell what was real and what was the spell. I still can’t tell most mornings until I check my reflection.”

The room around her lay still once more as she finished. Waves of nausea spread through her as the ridiculousness of her words dawned on her now they had finally been spoken aloud and, unable to do anything else, she clutched her pillow and sobbed. Her pained wailing pierced the silence and the countless days she had spent trying to return seemed pointless to her as Laxus lay opposite, unmoving. Just as she started to apologise for the situation, Y/N heard shuffling and something heavy scraped across the floor next to her, thudding against her pallet. She glanced up from her pillow and saw Laxus sitting cross-legged beside her, the faint beam of light highlighting him from behind.

“Can I hold you?” he whispered, his voice strained.

Y/N softly touched his knee in answer and Laxus scooped her onto his lap, holding her close, his warm skin and thick hands running through her hair soothed her as she cried into his chest until fatigue numbed her enough to continue.

“The spell couldn’t recreate reflective surfaces well so I could tell if things were real or not by using pools of water, but after a while, it made no difference.” She lightly brushed her fingers across her smooth neck. “I tried to come back to you, I really did but I couldn’t break the spell… So after a while, I tried to join you. It never worked though because I would just wake up the next morning with no physical traces of the night before.”

“I should have gone with you.” Laxus croaked, his chin resting on the top of her head, muffling his voice. “I was exhausted that day but I should have gone, or at least made a deal with you to go the next day. I’m so sorry. If I had been there-”

“Then we both would have suffered. I’m glad you stayed.”

She wrapped her arms around him and they sat in the dark, holding each other tightly, their bodies shaking as they shed tears they had held back for so long.

“I went looking for you,” whispered Laxus. “For almost two years I searched everywhere, but by the end, you still hadn’t returned so I thought you were dead. Everyone did.”

“Thank you for trying.” Y/N placed a hand on the back of Laxus’ head and drew his forehead to hers. He tenderly wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks as they inhaled deeply together, their muscles relaxing due to the relief from the release of stifled words, and the comfort of being close again. Once calm, they lay in bed facing each other, clasping hands and drifted off to sleep.

#laxus dreyar #laxus dreyar x oc #laxus #laxus dreyar x reader #laxus x reader #fairy tail fanfiction #ao3 fanfic #fanfiction #fanfic #oc #sad #Love-struck #feels #fairy tail x reader #fairy tail

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moonpiepig · 2 years

Text

Love-struck - Chapter 4

A lot of consideration was put into what kind of magic Y/N would have. I wanted it to be something that could support Laxus and make her a great work partner. I chose this kind of magic because not only is it similar to Laxus' but they can literally fuel each other's magic energy. This magic was also something that I was interested in exploring more when I watched Fairy Tail, but in order to not make Y/N too OP, her magic will be flawed (but more about that in future chapters).

FRIENDLY WARNING: This chapter contains some violence and mentions a wound without excessive detail. If reading a few sentences containing blood and loss makes you feel uneasy, I'd suggest stopping after the bathroom scene. Enjoy!

One last thing, it's pretty clear by now I'm sure that I favour Laxus („ಡωಡ„) but who is your favourite in Fairy Tail? Do you ship anyone?

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14 years ago…

Perching on the cold, hard, oak pew between her parents, Y/N smoothed down the skirt of her long, formal dress, and stretched her numb legs as the crowd solemnly bowed their heads for the final prayer. The church was fairly small, yet towering, with sweeping, stone arches and pools of deep shadows concealing century-old secrets. The citizens of the humble village where Y/N was raised, stood motionless, their faces scrunched in concentration as the priest’s words washed over them, fostering the unwavering hopes and beliefs shared amongst them. A vast, stained-glass window loomed at the front of the hall depicting a dark-haired man surrounded by a circle of black books. Underneath, a line of cloaked figures slowly ambled across the room in single file and opened the tall, sturdy doors, flooding the church hall with the early morning light. Row by row, the crowd meandered outside, nodding to one another, clasping hands and repeating the phrase that had been drilled into Y/N since she was born.

“May Lord Zeref return,” echoed Y/N monotonously as she rose with her parents and exited the church. She headed home hand in hand with her mother while her father left for work.

The stale familiar scent of mould and mildew filled their nostrils as they stepped inside the ramshackle cottage. Y/N took a seat at the kitchen table, scraping a crooked chair harshly across the wooden floorboards, and watched her mother potter around the kitchen with anticipation. After a few minutes, the petite woman turned around to face Y/N and a sly smile slowly spread across her face. She strolled over to the kitchen table and placed a small, plain cake atop the dishevelled tablecloth. Rummaging through the drawers, she found an old candle stub, carefully set it on top of the cake, and struck a match with a flourish. Y/N’s eyes widened with awe as the tiny flame grew on the candle, illuminating the kitchen with warmth.

“Happy eighth birthday, sweetheart!” exclaimed her mother as she wrapped her arms affectionately around Y/N from behind. “Remember to make a wish before you blow out the candles.”

Beaming, Y/N’s mind reeled with fancies. Visions of a new toy or book, a bowl filled with more food than she could stomach, and a pristine house with a pet running through the expansive gardens, filled her head. As the wax started to drip onto the cake, Y/N made her decision. She tightly closed her eyes and wished for a picnic by the sea, before filling her lungs and quickly blowing out the candle in one sharp breath. She had been told tales of beaches by an elderly woman who had been given the title ‘Grandma’ by the entire village, not only due to her age but also her wisdom and unwavering kindness. Rolling tides spraying salt into the air across an infinite horizon seemed like a dream to Y/N, who had never been further than the farmland gate. She grazed her feet across the rough floor and imagined the feeling of sand warming her soles and sticking in between her toes. She sighed and opened her eyes, eager to eat the cake, and came face to face with her mother now sitting opposite her. The calm, happiness that had filled her, quickly drained away as an icy chill spread through her veins. Blowing out the candle had extinguished the comfort and brought dread in its place, as her mum slid a black, tattered book across the table towards Y/N.

“No…” whispered Y/N, shaking her head. “I don’t want to do this.”

“Come on now sweetheart. We’ve talked about this for years and you know why we have to do this,” crooned her mother. “This is a good thing! I think you’re strong enough to handle this magic. Such a clever little girl you are.”

Her heart raced and a vice clamped hard around her lungs as panic surged through her body, preparing her to run. “I don’t want to do this!”

Her mother shot up, sending her chair flying backwards, and stormed over to Y/N before she could move. The furious woman grabbed Y/N’s wrist firmly and dragged her to the bathroom where she swung open the door and shoved her daughter inside. Pain shot through Y/N’s knees as she tripped and fell to the cold, stone ground, grabbing onto the sink to soften the impact.

“If you don’t do this, we won’t be able to stop Zeref!” her mother shrieked. “If he rises, he will destroy everything and kill us all! Is that what you want? Is it?”

Her face soaked with tears, Y/N shook her head and gingerly hoisted herself up. “You said this could be dangerous!”

The woman’s expression softened slightly and she took a small step forward. “This is a risk we have to take.”

Sensing the opportunity, Y/N lurched towards the door, screaming in protest. Her mother swung the black book and slapped Y/N across the face with it, hard enough to knock her daughter to the ground again. For a moment, Y/N’s mother stared at her daughter lying propped up against the bathtub glaring at her, and tears stung her eyes as conflict bubbled inside her. She gently placed the book on the edge of the sink and hurried outside the room, locking the door behind her and wishing Y/N luck.

Rushing to her feet, Y/N banged against the door, screaming and pleading until her fist went numb, and her vocal cords grew too raw to make more than a whimper. She stepped back and wiped her tears away with the sleeve of her dress. Forcing herself to inhale slowly and deeply, the cool air that filled her lungs cleared her mind as she built up the limited magic energy flowing inside her. Staring ferociously at the door, white sparks violently danced around her, glowing brighter and filling the windowless, dark room with vibrant flickering light. She raised her palms and electric energy shot up her arms and surged towards the entrance. She stood frozen, feeling completely helpless as the energy fizzled out before reaching the door, plunging her into darkness once again. All her energy dissipated and she perched on the edge of the bathtub. Eventually, she felt around in the dark, searching for candles and matches from the cabinet underneath the sink. Accepting defeat, Y/N lit a candle and began to read the black book.

Just before Y/N reached the last page, an aggressive commotion in the kitchen interrupted her. She snapped the book shut, cast it aside and pressed her ear against the door, her heart pounding in her chest. Her father was bellowing indistinctly at her mother, who wailed apologies while standing near the bathroom. As the argument reached its crescendo, Y/N heard a muffled thud, followed by a sickening silence. She shivered and strained her ears, her breath catching painfully in her chest, leaving her head swimming. Hurried footsteps charged towards the door and Y/N leapt away from the entrance. A heavy key turned in the keyhole, releasing the lock with an echoing click. The door slowly creaked open. Faint candlelight poured into the bathroom, revealing her mother’s figure looming in the doorway. She rushed towards Y/N, embraced her tightly and ran her clammy hands through her daughter’s hair. Y/N could hear the panicked woman’s racing heart and haggard breathing, and, feeling sick with suspense, she pulled away and held her mother at arm's length.

“Where’s dad?” Y/N demanded, her voice holding strong despite the lump in her throat.

Her mother sighed and squeezed her eyes tightly shut, before meeting Y/N’s gaze with a painted smile. “Did you manage to read the whole book, you clever girl?”, she asked, her sugary words dripping with false composure.

Y/N pushed past her mother and raced into the kitchen, slipping and falling to the floor once she had reached the table where her cake still sat, untouched. Landing in a puddle of red next to her father’s lifeless body, her shocked cry caught in her throat, leaving a sour taste as she understood the scene beside her.

“He didn’t understand, sweetheart,” her mother explained, deadpan, from behind. “We can start a new life together now, just the two of us.”

Y/N placed a hand on her father’s pale face and attempted to wipe away the blood trickling from his gaping head wound. His eyes stared blankly into the distance and his mouth was slightly agape, frustratingly relaxed for a man who laughed at his own terrible jokes and told bedtime stories so vividly that Y/N felt she had lived through every book in their meagre library collection. Her father. The man who would smuggle her sweets from his coat pocket and scour her bedroom for monsters in the dead of night, would smile at her no more. Y/N hesitantly picked up the bloodied rolling pin and sat fixated on the feeling of the smooth, sticky, heavy object in her hands until her mind went blank. Fury and dismay boiled inside her, heating every inch of her trembling body until she lost control. Magic energy surged around her and the once weak, white lighting sparks now grew black and strong, as significant power flowed through her. As she rose to her feet, she noticed darkness had spread down her right leg and covered both arms from her fingertips to her elbows. She turned to face her mother, who now cowered in a corner, and strolled towards her.

“Stay away!” her mother shrieked, shielding her face with her arms. “I had to do it for us! We need to stop these people from bringing Zeref back.”

Y/N swung her arms and crackling lightning burst from her palms, engulfing her mother and knocking the woman off her feet and through the window behind her. Shards of glass flew as she shattered the window and landed in a crumpled heap in the long grass outside. The dark marks on Y/N’s skin faded with her anger. Exhausted, she took a shaky step forward, and collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Rain thundered down onto the roof of the cottage and a fierce wind howled in the early morning hours when Y/N awoke. Her muscles burned and her head pounded as fragments of the night returned to her. A rancid, rusty odour filled the kitchen, reminding her of her loss. She wearily pulled herself up onto her feet, swaying slightly from fatigue, and trudged outside. Her mother lay in the grass as pale as her father, the rain glistening on her lifeless skin, and her body was contorted from the impact. Horrified by her actions, Y/N dropped to her knees, grabbed her mother's shoulders and shook her frantically. Tears merged with the rain and streamed down her face, blurring her vision.

“Wake up, mum,” she croaked. “Please. I didn’t mean to hurt you!”

Y/N placed the woman’s body gently back onto the ground and tucked stray strands of hair behind her ears. She traced her mother's eyebrows and gently kissed her cheek before wrapping a heavy arm around her and curling up against the cold body. Y/N sobbed and mumbled countless apologies until the rain eased into a light drizzle and she heard the church bell ring in the distance, beckoning the sleepy villagers to gather for the morning service. Her heart sank further as she realised that people would notice her family was missing before the service would even start, and she knew the priest would send someone over to check up on them. This person would find her alive in a brutal scene and in her mind, she imagined they would look through her and see who she was now. What she had become. A monster. A devil who easily murders those she cares for. As she started to fear the dark marks would appear again and consume her entirely, she made the decision to flee before she could hurt anyone else.

Y/N sprinted into the kitchen, gathered the few items of food she could procure from the shelves and stuffed them into her father’s camping bag, along with her blankets and pillows. She searched the cottage for small possessions that she could sell in order to purchase a ticket on a boat at Hargeon. Her frayed rabbit lay on her bed and Y/N hugged it tightly, desperate to subdue the loneliness that grew inside her, before attaching one of its arms onto the bag with fishing wire she had found in her father’s toolbox. As she headed towards the main entrance, she paused by her birthday cake. Y/N grabbed a handful of the stale cake and closed her eyes as the sweet sponge coated the inside of her mouth with sugar and vanilla flavouring. Once the whole thing had been devoured, she clutched her rabbit’s hand, bit back tears, and left.

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moonpiepig · 2 years

Text

Love-struck - Chapter 3

Laxus and Y/N set off on their journey and stop by a town recently known for mysterious disappearances.

Y/N slowly woke to a flock of pigeons cooing softly outside. She stretched out her stiff arms and gently wafted the dust particles lazily drifting through the warm sunlight before pushing back the thick duvet and hoisting herself upright. She strolled into the main room, stopping for a moment to check her reflection in the hallway mirror, and found Laxus deeply asleep sprawled across the sofa, an empty, crystal glass in hand. Y/N knelt down on the floor beside him and observed his peaceful features aged with exhaustion and upset, the scent of scotch lingering on his breath enveloping her a little more with each exhale. She very gently removed the glass from his hand and his puffy, bleary, bloodshot eyes fluttered open in surprise. Laxus squinted and reached towards her, delicately twirling a strand of her hair between his fingers. Satisfied with the result of his unspoken enquiry, he grinned widely and swung his legs off the sofa, wrapping the blanket tightly around him. He grimaced and cradled his now pounding head in his hands.

“Good morning.” Y/N chuckled and made her way over to the kitchen. “Would a coffee help?”

Faint groaning answered her question and she rummaged through the few unsealed boxes near the fridge. Successfully finding a jar of slightly expired, instant coffee and an unopened packet of plain biscuits, she boiled water and returned to the sofa with two steaming mugs. Laxus was now fully dressed and sat on the floor stuffing his remaining belongings into an oversized rucksack.

“How are you feeling after last night?” Y/N asked tentatively as she handed Laxus his hot drink.

He took a sip and frowned as the coffee scorched his upper lip. “I’m fine,” he replied cautiously, lightly swirling the liquid around in his cup. He cleared his throat loudly and paused. “I… Um, I don’t remember much about last night.”

“That’s probably a good thing,” she concluded, before catching Laxus’ eyes widen in alarm. “Nothing bad happened. We came inside and you were already a little drunk and very upset about being suspended. You poured out whiskey and your feelings about Gramps and then you passed out on the sofa. That’s when I went to bed.”

As she finished summing up the events of the previous night, omitted fragments flashed through her mind of Laxus singing and standing on the coffee table, pointing a finger into the air, losing his balance and crashing to the ground, soaked in his drink. Once they had said goodnight, Laxus had grabbed her hand and refused to let go and so she had sat on the floor next to him as he drifted off to sleep.

“So everything’s alright?” he asked while rubbing the back of his neck, his face tinted scarlet.

Y/N nodded, smiling reassuringly and Laxus’ shoulder relaxed as he laughed awkwardly. They drained their mugs while making small talk and quickly packed away the rest of the apartment. After they had swung the door shut behind them, Laxus hid the apartment key underneath a potted plant and explained that while they were gone, Freed, Bickslow and Evergreen would store away the boxes left inside.

The train clanged and screeched as it left the small station, engulfing Y/N and Laxus in plumes of mist and the thick scent of oil and coal. Laxus leaned against a stone pillar, doubled over, his clammy, colourless face scrunched up in discomfort. Y/N rubbed his back in small, circular motions and surveyed their surroundings suspiciously. Unchecked tickets lay scattered next to suitcases and bags dotted around the station, and a huge stained glass window appeared to have been smashed from the outside, the shards of glass sparkling in the sunlight and casting colours onto the high walls.

During the journey, a group of merchants had gathered across the aisle from Y/N and Laxus, arguing about whether to attempt business in a small town between Onibus and Oshibana. A short, muscular man covered in tattoos slammed his fist against the wall and viciously argued that the other men were paranoid. His words were hastily drowned by the fearful exclaims of his group, each voice telling a tale more elaborate than the one previous. Through the commotion, Y/N had heard multiple mentions of unexplained disappearances turning the area into a ghost town and, sensing a job opportunity, had quickly dragged Laxus out onto the station platform just before the doors had swung shut.

“You really think the merchants were onto something?” asked Laxus, straightening up and picking a small cluster of moss from the cracked, marble station sign.

Y/N shrugged. “We might as well look around.”

Their footsteps echoed loudly on the flagstones as they crossed the deserted platform and exited into an empty street. Rows of houses in various states of desolation with boarded-up windows stood lifeless. The once-bustling market square now contained stalls littered with rotten fruit and mouldy, baked goods, seemingly untouched and a whistling breeze gently wafted clothes abandoned on a washing line, disturbing the stillness. Laxus and Y/N wandered around the town, knocking on doors and searching for clues.

“I don’t sense any traces of magic,” said Laxus, as they came to a clearing near a church in ruins. “And it doesn’t look like anyone has been here in at least a year.”

“Maybe… but why would anyone ju-” A deafening thud behind her rang through the silence, and a strong arm wrapped around her, clasping a cold band over her wrist and dragging her backwards. She felt her magic energy fade and Laxus charged towards her, a fist crackling with blinding lightning, poised to attack, as a dark figure appeared by his side and brought a large rock down onto his head with a sickening crack. Y/N screamed out to him, thrashing her limbs violently and kicking her attacker’s legs.

“Shut up!” a raspy voice hissed into her ear before pushing her down a large hole into complete darkness.

A match was struck and a dim light danced in the distance. Held upright by her captor pointing a knife to her back, Y/N stared straight ahead, watching a figure slowly light candles. Laxus lay motionless next to her. She tried to focus on the faint, magic energy she felt flowing through her, desperate to form even the smallest spark, but the band had left her powerless. Panic balled up in her chest and bile rose to her throat, leaving her uncomfortably warm and lightheaded. Through the weak light, she could see they were in a large cavern with multiple tunnels connecting to it. Paintings were dotted around the walls and at the mouth of every tunnel lay a symbol carved into the ground.

Footsteps approached her from behind and she tensed her muscles, ready to lash out and escape.

“Welcome!” exclaimed a deep, booming voice. “I’m so sorry we had to bring you here this way, but you two were just too loud.”

A short man with a thick white beard hobbled into view. He was dressed in a tattered suit with small tears at the knees and one sleeve was folded neatly and pinned to his shoulder. His large, round glasses reflected the flickering candlelight. As soon as he extended his one arm in greeting, she sensed her attacker retract their knife and saunter away, disappearing into a tunnel. Y/N stared at the man’s hand, unmoving. Eventually, he lowered it and stepped back, allowing Y/N space to kneel by Laxus’ side. She checked his pulse, and held her jumper to his head, soaking up the little blood trickling from the wound.

“It looks like he will be fine,” assured the man.

“No thanks to you,” she retorted venomously. “What do you want with us?”

The man crept closer and dipped his head in a slight bow. “I am the mayor of this town, and I was hoping you could help us.”

“Why should we?” “Because we are desperate.” The mayor reached forward and clutched Y/N’s wrist, unbinding the band and allowing magic energy to flood back into her. “And of course, we will pay you for your efforts.”

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moonpiepig · 2 years

Text

Love-struck - Chapter 2

Y/N takes a trip down memory lane as they prepare themselves for a long-lasting journey together.

This chapter takes place the night of the festival after Laxus is expelled.

Y/N frantically rapped on the worn door and stepped back, placing a hand on the frame to steady herself as she raggedly inhaled. Her heart pounded in her ears and her muscles burned from the intense sprint, aggravating the bandaged wound on her leg. She tightened the lightly bloodied cloth and hoped she hadn’t made the injury worse in her haste. A soft scuffling from nearby reminded her she had more important things on her mind.

As Y/N leaned forward to bang harder on the door, it swung open, revealing a disgruntled Laxus, and her fist met his solid chest. He scowled at the source of the impact with a grumbled threat halfway out his mouth before recognition lit his eyes. Y/N pushed past him and stormed into the apartment, her face heated with frustration.

“I waited for you for hours!” she snapped, her blazing eyes meeting his. “I was starting to get worried when Evergr-.” She froze, noticing a large bag bursting with clothes balancing on a sea of cardboard boxes peeking out from the bedroom. Y/N stabbed a finger towards the messy pile. “What is this?” She demanded accusingly.

Laxus rubbed the back of his neck and sighed, staring across the room above her head. “I’ve been kicked out.”

The room became still. Y/N’s eyes burned into Laxus’ face, searching for the slightest hint of insincerity, slowly discovering nothing but his sadness and frustration festering inside. Laxus’ gaze bore into the wall, refusing to look at Y/N’s softening features.

“I’m going to take off and travel around a bit,” Laxus admitted.

“Were you even going to tell me? You can’t just leave without saying anything!” Her shout stunned Laxus for a second, leaving him numb from the blow.

“You mean like you did?” he retorted, raising his voice and prodding her shoulder, stepping in close to her. The warmth of his breath rushed across Y/N’s face and her throat tightened, choking back her retaliation.

The air grew thick with static as Y/N crossed her arms and turned away, blinking back tears. Laxus reached out tentatively to touch her shoulder, hesitation stalling him, and at that moment she strode towards the boxes before his fingertips could brush against her. She sniffed hard, wiping her eyes with her sleeve, and stuffed the clothes into the bag.

“When do we leave?” she croaked, firmly pulling the bag strings into a tight knot. “Thunder Legion and hiatus aside, I’m still your partner.”

“We should leave in the morning.” He reluctantly swallowed his protests and gestured towards the sealed boxes. “I packed away all your things after… All of them are labelled so it shouldn’t take too long to find what you need.”

“Thank you.” Y/N made her way through the cardboard maze into the bedroom, leaving Laxus to finish packing in the living room.

The bedroom was in complete disarray. The wardrobe had been stripped bare and the items of clothing Laxus had deemed unimportant, had been left scattered across the floor. Pools of various trinkets that had once brought personality to the room, lay spread across multiple surfaces waiting to be sifted through. Despite the chaos, one half of the bed appeared to be untouched, with crisply tucked in sheets, plump pillows and a neatly arranged fleece blanket on top. Y/N perched on the edge of the bed and ran her hand across the soft fabric. A small sigh escaped her as she reminisced about the long nights she had lain on the sofa wrapped up in this blanket, waiting for Laxus to arrive back after a solo job. She heard movement behind her and Laxus appeared in the doorway.

“I was going to say goodbye,” he said tenderly, fidgeting with a roll of tape. “To you. At the parade tonight.”

“Okay.” Y/N’s voice was small as she smiled sadly, her eyes locked on to his.

After a short pause, Laxus cleared his throat and turned, swiftly leaving while mumbling an excuse about preparing food. Ripping the tape from a tattered box by the nightstand labelled ‘books’, Y/N began to filter through her old belongings.

Y/N woke with a start and shot bolt upright on the cold, wooden floor. Squinting at the contents of the room outlined by the moonlight glimmering through the lone window, she recalled her whereabouts. She stretched her stiff muscles and flicked the switch on a nearby lamp, flooding the room with a hazy, orange glow. Over the past few hours, Y/N had shoved the necessities for the trip into a borrowed bag and sealed away the rest to be left in storage. She had taken a break to flick through a short book on Lost Magic and had felt her heavy eyelids droop while nestling against the foot of the bed. The last thing remaining was an opened shoebox with her name scrawled across it, lying next to her.

Rummaging through the few objects inside, she felt something sharp slice into her finger and jerked back her hand. A tiny sliver of glass protruded from her now throbbing finger. Y/N carefully removed the glass with a grimace and searched for the culprit, finding a worn picture frame with a spider web crack distorting the image within. Once she had staunched the blood with the bottom of her shirt, she chuckled softly, recognising the photo. That day, Makarov had sat on the bar table with his arm around Y/N and had hurriedly raised a glass with his other hand, soaking Laxus’ dark mustard shirt with the contents. Both Makarov and Y/N had beamed at the camera, oblivious to Laxus glaring at them. Still smiling, she gently placed the frame back inside the box and extracted a delicate chain. She snatched a folded piece of paper that had been wedged into the clasp before it could drift down by her feet. Y/N fastened the necklace around her and ran her thumb across the small, silver star pendant that Laxus had presented to her 4 years ago when they had celebrated her birthday in a cute café. Y/N had been caught off-guard feeling drowsy after eating one too many cat cupcakes and had sat speechless, staring at the sparkling star until Laxus rose to his feet threatening to return it.

Y/N held the paper close to the light and peeled back the crinkled folds, revealing a single, pressed, white lily. The pale petals were stained with vibrant pollen and the ends had almost disintegrated. Her brows furrowed as she tried to recall pressing a lily for any significant reason, but her mind drew a blank. Her thoughts turned to Laxus and as she made the decision to ask him about the flower, she realised how loudly the silence rang through the room. She was alone.

Y/N tucked the lily into a book and grabbed her bag, hopping over the boxes and ignoring the searing pain in her leg as she rushed out of the apartment. She slammed the entrance door behind her and turned to make her way towards the stairs, immediately tripping over something blocking her path. Once she had caught her balance, she spun round to face the obstacle, and her irritation was quickly extinguished once she found Laxus sitting hunched over on the corridor floor, his head held in his hands. He looked up with red-rimmed eyes as Y/N knelt down in front of him, gently wiping his tear-stained cheeks with the back of her hand.

“What happened?” she whispered with concern.

“Gramps,” he mumbled gruffly.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No, not today,” he said as he took her hand and lead her back inside. “Let’s just go to sleep.”

A/N: I can't believe this took so long to finish! I ended up catching Covid after going on holiday to reunite with some old friends and since then the exhaustion has been real...

However, we now finally have chapter 2 of Love-Struck. While writing, I had to think how Laxus would live on his own while Y/N was gone and I couldn't get the idea of his only using one side of the bed (his side) during this time out of my head :'(

Has anyone got any thoughts about where the lily came from?

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moonpiepig · 2 years

Note

Fuckin' love the pig cursor 💖

Thank you 💖 🐷

#pig #cute #custom cursor #pink #fanfiction #friend #wife

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moonpiepig · 2 years

Text

Love-struck - Chapter 1

Finally reunited after 2 years apart, can Laxus and Reader heal deep wounds and rekindle their love from the past? Here is chapter 1 of Love-struck. The story starts off at the end of The Battle of Fairy Tail arc when the fight is moved to the top of the cathedral.

Feedback is always welcome :') Enjoy!

The ground trembled as an explosion erupted from the square. Before the dust had settled, Y/N charged into the wave of desperate citizens fleeing the town, her steps uneven due to a painful limp. Familiar voices guided her towards to centre of Magnolia.

“Face it already, it’s over!” Laxus roared from a rooftop.

Waves of crackling energy danced around him, highlighting his strength and threatening all those who wished to intervene. Natsu could be seen saying something, his words lost in the wind while struggling to lift his weakened body from a pile of rubble. The intrepid crowd below strained their ears, trying to decipher the few sounds carried down to them, holding their breath in anticipation.

After a tremendous pause, Laxus threw a fist into the air, forming a blindingly bright magic circle. The townsfolk cowered as a mass of lightning flooded the area surrounding the blonde wizard and static energy grew thick in the air. He aimed, and the surging light formed a spear hurtling straight towards Natsu. A voice cried out from the crowd near Y/N.

“Don’t do it!” Freed pleaded. “That much magic energy could kill him!”

Having come to the same conclusion as Freed, Y/N teleported into the path of the spear, ramming into Natsu’s side and shoving him out of the way. She spread her arms wide and took the full force of Laxus’ spell, causing the lightning to envelop her body, stealing the breath in her lungs, and pushing her back to the edge of the building. Muscles screaming under the brutal battering from Laxus’ power, she spun, swinging her numb arms and splaying her palms in the direction of the spell’s origin. The lightning arched around Y/N as she turned and exploded from her hands, forming a spear once again. It soared through the air and Laxus shielded his face as the spear slammed into his chest, knocking him backwards off the roof. The lightning vanished, and relief rang through surrounding streets. Y/N saw Freed race towards Laxus, who lay sprawled out on the courtyard cobblestones, grimacing in pain. Satisfied that he would recover, her vision blurred and her legs buckled, all energy drained from her aching body. She heard Natsu calling out to her as she blacked out.

Y/N opened her eyes and furiously blinked until the outlines of her surroundings came into focus. Delicate sunbeams danced along dusty surfaces, illuminating weathered wooden walls and aged furniture. As she started to slowly stretch her sore muscles, a strange sensation brushed against her chin. She batted it away hastily and, instead of a spider as she had feared, she grasped the fur of Laxus’ coat draped over the blanket on top of her. She glanced around and quickly found Laxus in a dark corner, slouching in a tattered armchair, his snores rumbling quietly and his bandages securely bound across his shirtless torso. Her heart slowly sank as she studied his peaceful expression, remembering the man filled with rage and pain she had witnessed earlier. His now vulnerable state brought back fragile memories from mornings spent together years ago, and Y/N gripped his coat tighter. Laxus jolted awake with a grunt, his eyes flying open in panic and meeting hers before quickly darting to the ground. Y/N’s face burned as she sat up straight and stared intently at the dusty bookcase on the wall in front of her. A long silence fell between them.

“So… you’re back then?” asked Laxus, choosing his words with care.

Y/N nodded slightly, uncertain about the lack of emotion in his voice. Laxus heaved himself up out of the chair, scowling in pain, and hobbled across the room. The windowsill creaked as he leaned against it, peering at the street below, his shoulders hunched. He looked exhausted. Light-hearted, unrecognisable voices drifted into the room from downstairs and the sun lazily rose, exposing more of the unfamiliar surroundings. Y/N pushed the blanket away and shifted around uncomfortably as a thought popped into her mind.

“Where are we?”

“An inn. Natsu wanted to take you to the Guild, but I thought best to keep you away from everyone for now.”

A wave of gratitude washed over Y/N as she thought about her old friends finding out she had returned. She definitely wouldn’t have had the chance to rest and ready herself.

“I see… tha-”

“What happened?” Laxus interjected, stressing each word vehemently. He turned and took a small, tentative step closer to the bed, cradling his bound arm and staring firmly.

“It’s a long story,” she croaked as tears stung her eyes.

Laxus’s lips curled into a sneer and he snorted in frustration. Y/N silently gathered Laxus’ coat in her arms and folded it neatly beside her on the bed, taking care to smooth out the creases.

“Why were you fighting Natsu earlier?”

“It’s a long story,” he retorted, massaging the tension in the back of his neck and lowering his gaze. “Levy said the old man’s not doing well.”

Y/N froze, a sickly chill running down her body. The weight of his words rested on her chest and she slowly nodded.

“We need to go see him,” she concluded, rushing to collect her belongings at the foot of the bed.

Laxus stuffed his free hand into his trouser pocket and hesitated, shifting his weight from one leg to the other. “I don’t think he’d be too happy to see me right now.”

Y/N strode over to him, picking up his coat on the way. She teetered on the balls of her feet as she reached up and wrapped the coat tightly around his shoulders. She heard him inhale sharply, and she paused, clutching the fur lining and noticing her reflection in his wide, slate eyes. She felt his heart race underneath the fabric, his familiar scent drawing her closer to his parted lips.

Pain twinged in her wounded leg and she swiftly took a step back to adjust the bandage around it, remembering their time-sensitive plans to go to the Guild. She softly cleared her throat, unable to look at Laxus, and put her boots on.

Laxus hurried out the door mumbling, “I’ll meet you downstairs.”

Tension filled the Guild Hall as they entered, Y/N hidden from view behind Laxus’ towering figure. He squared his shoulders and marched forward, ignoring the crowd assembling around him. As he reached the centre, Macao and Wakaba stepped in front of him, blocking his way.

“What do you want?” spat Wakaba, the smoke from his pipe wafting around Laxus’ face.

Laxus frowned and clenched his fist before addressing the room loudly.

“Where’s the old man?”

The Fairy Tail members exploded into an unwelcoming protest, passionately waving their arms around and shouting threats. Y/N placed a hand gently on Laxus’ upper back in support while cowering slightly from the waterfall of hatred threatening to drown them. As the volume and ferocity rose, Erza charged forward and silenced them.

“Quiet everyone!”, she boomed, before softening her voice and facing Laxus. “The master is in the infirmary.”

Laxus turned to Y/N and stiffly gestured towards a table. She nodded and offered a small smile, which he returned before leaving to see his grandfather. Without Laxus shielding Y/N, those around her had realised her presence and a stunned silence fell across the hall, suffocating her. She inhaled deeply and wiped the sweat from her palms, her mind reeling, trying to figure out how to ease the wall of confusion closing in on her.

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moonpiepig · 2 years

Text

Love-struck - Memories

Laxus goes on a date! This one took a while to write, but here it finally is! This is another prequel snippet to the story I’m currently writing :’)

“Come on Laxus, it’s only dinner”, chided Evergreen, waving a crisp, white shirt and dark formal trousers in his direction. Fed up with listening to the excuses Laxus had angrily thrown at them all afternoon, she had finally cornered him in his room.

“I’m not meeting her. Not tonight or any other night.” Laxus leaned back against the doorframe and crossed his arms defensively.

Three days ago, a young woman had approached Laxus outside the Guild. With the Thunder Legion blocking all escape routes, she had confessed her feelings to Laxus and invited him to dinner at a local restaurant. Bickslow had cheekily accepted on his behalf.

Evergreen shoved the clothes into Laxus’ arms and sat on the sofa, swinging one leg over the other defiantly. “She seemed nice. Of course, nothing compared to me, but for your average common girl, she was quite pretty.”

“You know it has nothing to do with what she looks like. Now shut up about this,” he snapped.

“Laxus…” Freed lowered his voice and placed a hand on his friend’s tense shoulder. “It’s been over two years. I believe she would want you to be happy, not suffering in your memories of her.” A golden spark of electricity surged up his arm and he jerked his hand away in surprise.

Laxus turned to face Freed, his glaring eyes putting a swift end to the conversation. Evergreen played with her hair and glanced around. A lengthy, tense silence filled the room. Laxus eventually lowered his gaze to the ground, let out a long, shaky sigh, and slowly dragged himself to the other room, clothes in hand.

“Fine,” he grumbled. “But I’m not staying long.”

Laxus found the cold evening air soothing. His mind was still reeling from Freed’s words and the weight of uncertainty lay heavy on his shoulders. The memories of Y/N had slightly faded over the past 2 years, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to let go just yet. The supposed suffering that those around him saw was worth it for the fragments of what he had left of her.

He turned into a street and found the woman close by, illuminated by the light pouring out the restaurant window. The woman spotted him across the small crowd of passers-by and waved both hands enthusiastically. He froze. His heart pounded loudly in his ears as it surged towards his throat, and his stomach turned. Y/N was peering into the restaurant window near the woman, fiddling with the sleeve of her coat, bobbing from one foot to the other in an attempt to stay warm. She turned and her eyes, twinkling in the light, found his. She broke into a wide smile and beckoned him over.

“Hey, over here!” called the woman.

Distracted by the woman’s voice, Laxus glanced in her direction and Y/N disappeared. He slowly forced air into his deflated lungs, his body trembling from the shock. With the slow clicking of the woman’s heels growing louder, he cleared a painful lump in his throat, straightened his back and regained his composure.

“Hello, Laxus.” She tucked her hair behind her ear, her smile revealing her dimples.

“Hi,” he replied brusquely. “Let’s go inside.”

He gestured to the door of the restaurant and followed the woman inside; taking one long, last look at the spot where Y/N had been, he sighed slowly. The air within was thick with sweet floral scents and the chatter of content customers. A winding, iron staircase led up to the dining area, oil paintings of romantic scenes blanketed the walls, and colourful flowers dotted through ivy hung down from the ceiling. A well-dressed waiter rushed to meet them, eager to lead the way to their table. On their way up the stairs, the woman occasionally stopped to admire a painting, a finger delicately tracing the patterns on the frame. As Laxus went to sit down, his head hit a hanging rose. He grunted in surprise, stumbling into the table, causing the crockery to rattle against the wood and sending a solitary spoon clattering onto the floor.

The woman picked it up and awkwardly handed it to Laxus, avoiding eye contact. His face burned as he forced the corners of his mouth upwards into a smile and mumbled a quick thanks. He pictured Y/N across from him. She would have snorted with laughter, trying to stifle it behind her hand and collapsed into her seat. Her giggles would have been contagious forcing him to join in laughing loud enough to gain disapproving looks and tuts from the tables nearby. When they had calmed down, he knew he would have plucked the scarlet flower from the ceiling and presented it to her. In his mind, he could just picture her wide-eyed with surprise, cheeks coloured with a deep blush matching the shade of the petals, beaming at him, lowering the irritated and awkward feelings inside him.

“Laxus?”

The image of Y/N vanished and he noticed the woman looking at him, pointing to the name of a fancy red wine on the drinks menu. Her eyebrows were raised, waiting for an answer.

“Oh… Sure. Whatever you want,” he replied.

Slightly disheartened by his response, a frown flickered across her face before she hid it behind a menu. After taking some time to decipher the flowery worded dishes, Laxus ordered for them both, and the waiter returned, pouring dry wine into the fragile, gold-rimmed glasses. Laxus tried to focus on the woman. He tried to listen to her talk about herself, her café and her hobbies passionately. He even nodded often to show that he was involved and tried to laugh at her jokes, but very quickly the conversation slowed to little more than a trickle, and by the time their meal arrived, he could see she was regretting her decision to invite him here.

They ate quickly, the food in front of them doing nothing to disguise the uncomfortable silence. He took the last bite of his steak, guilt turning it sour in his mouth, and chewed thoroughly. Freed’s words echoed in his head, “She would want you to be happy.”

He tried one last attempt to save the night. “Uh, you look nice by the way.”

The woman paused in surprise, fork halfway to her mouth.

“I just mean the dress y’know? Suits you. Evergreen has something similar. She spent the whole day twirling around in it like a damn ballerina after she got it.”

“I see… thank you,” she said softly. She carefully placed her knife and fork side by side on her plate and stared at it, strands of hair falling across her face.

“Do you want dessert?”

“No, thank you. I think I should go home now.”

After the waiter had cleared the table, Laxus paid the bill and led the way outside. Tears welled in the woman’s eyes and she remained silent until the restaurant door clicked closed behind them. They both stood facing each other, the cold breeze nipping at their skin, the dark streets empty save for a few stragglers.

“Thank you for dinner.” The woman turned to leave, but Laxus caught her gently by the shoulder,

“Wait. Tonight was nice. I’m sorry I wasn’t good company, it’s just…”

“I know. I used to see you with her around town. Once, you both even came to my café.” She faced Laxus again, saw his blank expression, and sighed in frustration. “The cat-themed one I told you about, remember?” The tears were almost spilling down her face by now.

“Ah… I remember.”

“Look, I have to go. If you want to try this again sometime then you can find me at work. No pressure though.” she smiled sadly, already accepting that this was the end. He nodded carefully, afraid of doing more damage, unsure what to say next. With a small wave, she quietly turned and walked quickly out of sight. Laxus started walking in the opposite direction, not entirely sure where he was headed, alone with his thoughts.

Once Laxus had reached the riverside, he noticed a familiar figure in the distance, sitting by a tree. It was Y/N, gazing up at the stars, still as a statue, a thick, patchwork blanket pulled tightly around her against the cold. He moved hesitantly towards her, eyes firmly locked onto her and scarcely making a sound, afraid he’d shatter the moment with even the slightest noise. When he reached the tree, she finally noticed him, patting the ground beside her in invitation, her smile warming up the surrounding area. He slumped down onto the grass and soaked in all her details lit softly by the dazzling moonlight.

“I’d love to learn the constellations one day. The sky is just so beautifully lit up on nights like this.” She raised a hand and delicately pointed to a cluster of stars. “Levy told me that this one is Ursa Major and there is another one similar but I can’t find it. Ursa Minor, she called it.”

“The Dippers.” He nodded, recalling overhearing the conversation.

She grinned as she turned to him, “They say that Ursa Major is always chasing Minor around the sky, but can never quite catch her.” She looked back up at the sky with a sad smile on her face, “Maybe, just maybe, he’ll catch her someday. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

Laxus slowly lifted his hand towards hers and tried to grasp it, his fingers closing on nothing but air.

“Leaving me again, eh?” he whispered, wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his jacket. “Look at me, you made me weak.”

Heaving himself up off the ground, he brushed off stray leaves and dirt on his trousers, and took one last look at the constellation Y/N had pointed to.

“I’m so tired of waiting, Y/N,” he said to the stars before slowly heading back home.

#Laxus Dreyar #laxus x reader #laxus dreyar x reader #laxus dreyar x oc #laxus #fairy tail #fairy tail x reader #fairy tail fanfiction #oc #sad #date night #fanfiction #fanfic #Love-struck #angst #feels

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moonpiepig · 2 years

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Love-struck - A toast

Recently I've been rewatching Fairy Tail and my love for Laxus was rekindled, so here is my first attempt at writing fanfiction. This is a snippet introduction kind of thing. I might do another one like this because it was so much fun doing something short but sweet! :')

The ruckus in the Guild Hall could be heard deep inside the town of Magnolia. Despite being muffled by bandages from an earlier loss, one voice soared above the rest, screaming threats of a rematch. Lucy barely dodged a flaming stool hurtling towards Erza, the heat of it blossoming red patches on her arm, and leaned further across the bar counter.

Lucy watched Mira make Laxus’ order, a mixed scent of chocolate, malt, and fresh coffee filling the air, and listened to her explanation of S Class wizards and the rules of the upper floor.

“There are only 5 people in the entire guild who are considered S Class. That includes me, Laxus, Mystigan and Erza,” Mira explained.

“Hmph,” Laxus grunted. The air around the bar turned heavy, and Laxus pulled his coat tighter around his stiffened shoulders. The fur on his sleeves soaked up the spills as he took two overflowing mugs upstairs, the old floorboards groaning under his slow, heavy steps.

“Jeez what’s up with him? And who’s up there with him?” asked Lucy.

Mira’s eyes were fixed on Laxus’ hunched figure until he was out of sight. She then turned to face Lucy, her lips nothing more than a thin line, and her eyes glittering. After clearing her throat and forcing a smile, she started to busy herself with drying a glass.

“I should have been more careful with my words,” she eventually concluded.

“What’s wrong?”

“There isn’t anyone else upstairs right now...”

Lucy frowned. Mira put down the glass and moved closer towards her, lowering her voice. “2 years ago, Fairy Tail had 6 S Class wizards. One of them was a woman named y/n, who was close to Laxus and always teamed up with him on jobs before the Thunder Legion officially formed. After every job, she and Laxus would celebrate upstairs with a drink. I don’t remember the last time I heard Laxus laugh so hard. They were sweet together.”

“What happened to her?” asked Lucy, her voice barely a whisper.

“Nobody knows,” Mira replied, shaking her head slightly. “She went on a solo job after an argument with Laxus, and never came back. He often takes long breaks from jobs to look for her. I don’t think he wants to accept the conclusion everyone else came to. It was an SS-Class job, you see. Very dangerous.”

Lucy let out a long, shaky breath. She knew the risk that came with joining a guild, but thankfully hadn’t yet experienced it first-hand. There was one more question on her mind, “And so… the mugs?”

Mira hesitated, glancing at the stairs.

“Whenever he finishes a job, he still celebrates with her. Asks for her favourite drink and toasts the job as if she had been there by his side the whole time.”

#laxus x reader #laxus dreyar #laxus dreyar x reader #fairy tail #fairy tail x reader #mirajane strauss #lucy heartfilia #laxus dreyar x oc #oc #fairy tail fanfiction #fluff #sad #angst #Love-struck

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