#ftlgbtpride

The dragon slayer patted the seat beside him on their couch. Freed placed a peck on his cheek as he sat down, swinging one graceful leg over the other. They were both silent for a moment before Freed spoke again, “It’s a lot to take in, isn’t it?”

Laxus nodded, “It’s just… so weird. As a member of Fairy Tail, I feel like I’m expected to be happy about this. But… he was also my father. I mean, he was never a great dad, but he was there.”

“How do you feel about it?”

“I… don’t know,” Laxus admitted, “Empty, maybe? I’m not sad, but I’m not happy either. I don’t really feel anything.

Freed hummed, “That’s understandable. You don’t have to feel a certain way about it. Nobody is expecting anything from you about this.”

“It’s just… something that’s been there my entire life is just suddenly gone. I guess I kinda miss him, but not as a father. Just as someone who’s always been out there. Is that weird?”

The rune mage shook his head, “We all process in different ways. Everything about this is complicated,” Freed’s arm wrapped around his shoulders, pulling the dragon slayer closer, “If you need some time off to process, we’d all understand.”

Laxus let out a huff of laughter, “I think that would be the worst thing for me. I just need something to take my mind off of it.”

Freed smiled before resting his chin on Laxus’s shoulder, “If there’s anything you need, I’ll be here.”

Laxus kissed his husband’s forehead, “Thanks. I love you.”

“And I you.”

The dragon slayer sat still as the rune mage slowly fell asleep, still leaning against him. Freed always looked so peaceful when he slept, his features gentle as his chest rhythmically rose and fell. It was always comforting to see him rest, since he hardly ever slept when they had first met. The Thunder Legion had always been like a family, and they had lost their eldest brother as children. Freed had taken it the hardest, hardly ever sleeping in fear that he would have nightmares about all the people he had lost.

“Papa?”

Laxus looked over to the little boy in the doorway, trying his best to not disturb his husband, “Hey Yuri. What’s up?”

The boy made his way over to Laxus, climbing up onto the couch and then onto his father’s lap, “Is something wrong?”

“Huh? No, why do you ask?”

Yuri frowned, “Your eyes look sad.”

Laxus sighed. Even though he was only five years old, Yuri was always very empathetic. He cared so much for every living thing, insisting that they take in injured birds and nurse them back to health. It was adorable, but Laxus had always wondered where he’d gotten that from, “I guess I am a little sad. But it’s not anything you have to worry about.”

“Is it about Robin?”

The dragon slayer froze. It was rare anyone ever mentioned their lost daughter. Robin was Yuri’s twin sister who had suddenly died three years ago. Although it was no longer taboo to mention her in the guild, nobody ever had much of a reason to talk about her. Laxus always hated remembering the months after she had passed away, when everything had been so bleak and he and Freed grieved every night.

But this was nothing like that. All in all, it was a good thing Ivan was dead, “No, it’s not about her. I’ll tell you when you’re older.”

“Oh, okay,” Yuri said, “I’m sorry I talked about her. She makes you upset.”

“It’s alright. It’s just a little hard to talk about her sometimes.”

“Can you tuck me in?”

“Of course. Just give me a minute, I don’t want to wake up your dad.”

Laxus slowly shifted Freed off of him, laying the smaller man down on the couch as carefully as he could before taking Yuri back to his own bedroom. The boy climbed into bed, pulling the covers over himself. The lightning dragon pressed a kiss against his son’s forehead before tugging the covers up just a little further. Yuri yawned, curling up on his side. Laxus waited until the boy was barely conscious before standing up. He brushed a strand of bright blonde hair out of the boy’s face.

“Good night, Yuri.”

“‘Night, Papa,” he mumbled sleepily.

Laxus sighed, slowly closing the door behind him as he left his son’s room. He was lucky to have a kid who was so kind and easygoing. Even he couldn’t remember much of Robin, but he was sure she was more difficult than Yuri was. Still, just thinking about his daughter made his heart ache.

It was an age of peace for Fairy Tail. There hadn’t been any major conflicts in nine years, and the guild was flourishing with new life as the members settled down and started families. Even so, Laxus had suffered so many losses. Makarov had died exactly a year before the twins were born, then Robin, and now Ivan.

When he walked back to the living room, Freed was sitting upright, staring at the lake beyond their window. He stood when he heard Laxus approach, blue eyes almost glowing in the low light.

“Sorry,” Laxus said quietly, “I tried not to wake you up.”

“It’s quite alright,” Freed responded easily, “You had to take care of Yuri. Besides, I’ve always been a light sleeper.”

The dragon slayer looked at his feet, “So did you hear what he asked me about?”

Freed frowned, “I didn’t. Is something wrong?”

Laxus shook his head, “Don’t worry about it. It’s not important.”

The rune mage crossed his arms, “You know you don’t have to try to protect me. Come now, I can handle it.”

The lightning dragon sighed his resignation, “He noticed that I was upset and he… he asked if it was about Robin.”

Freed went quiet.

“Of course, he’s allowed to talk about her, but it still hurts, you know?”

“Yeah. I know.”

They both stood silently for a long moment, until Laxus heard a quiet sniffle. Freed wiped tears from his eyes as the lightning dragon looked up.

“Oh, Freed,” Laxus murmured, pulling his husband into a hug.

The rune mage shuddered, “It’s been three years since then. I should be over it. It shouldn’t still make me feel like this.”

“No, no. It’s fine to still be upset. What happened was horrible. Nobody expects you to just get over something like that,” Laxus comforted, “It still hurts me when I hear people talk about her.”

“Gods, I miss her so much.”

Laxus pulled his husband closer, “So do I. But when someone dies, there’s nothing we can do about it. We just have to be happy that they lived.”

Freed chuckled softly, “You inherited the master’s way with words, too.”

“Yeah. I guess I did,” the dragon slayer murmured, “I’m sad he’s gone, but I’m lucky to have had him there when I needed him.”

Laxus smiled, thinking of all the ridiculous things his grandfather did to cheer him up when he was little. He truly was grateful to have such a person with him.

“Freed?”

“Hmm?”

“Promise me you’ll always be by my side.”

“Of course, love. I would never leave you,” Freed responded, “But in return, you must promise me something.”

“Anything.”

“If, for whatever reason, something happens to me, take care of Yuri and the Thunder Legion. They need you.”

Laxus chuckled, “Of course. But nothing will happen to you, right?”

“Of course not. I love you all too much to ever dream of leaving.”

“Good, ‘cause we need you too.”

"It appears you've already had a few too many," Mirajane responded, "Besides, you know I can't have anything to drink. It's guild policy."

"Pshh, who cares about the rules when you can have FUN!" the card mage drunkenly yelled.

"Sorry, maybe another day."

Although Cana was normally one to keep her guildmates in line, the situation changed drastically once she had enough drinks(Thirty-one and a quarter beers, if Mirajane remembered correctly).

"Fun Police," Cana mumbled under her alcohol-ridden breath as she stalked away.

Mirajane gave a sad little giggle. Cana was going to be so sick tomorrow.

The night soon dissolved into drunken brawls, most people fainting within the first few blows. It only got more chaotic as somebody picked up Freed and attempted to throw him across the guildhall, drawing an appropriately terrified screech from the man. Just like every year, the Sober Police eventually had to step in and attempt to break up the fight, which just made it even worse. In everybody's drunken confusion, they had apparently forgotten some of the key rules of the guild:

1. Freed makes the rules. Disobey them, and you will pay.

2. Don't touch Levy unless you like eating iron.

3. Don't hit Erza if you like having your extremities attached to your torso

In the ensuing fit of runes, iron, swords, and many other means of magic, Mirajane couldn't make out a single individual person. From her place outside the fight, it was just a wriggling mass of explosions and alcohol.

Oh dear. I hope nobody gets too hurt, she thought.

But of course, there was not being safe in this mess.

A scream cutting through the noise caught Mira's attention. Immediately, she turned towards the source, somewhere within the frenzy.

That was Cana.

The she-devil could feel her blood boil, magic pulsing through her veins as the fourth key rule was broken:

4. Whatever you do, if you want to live to see tomorrow, don't make Mirajane angry.

A shriek erupted from her throat as the magic in her body exploded out, shrouding her in a field of dark energy. The whole guild hall shuddered, everyone's eyes immediately drawn to her. Piercing blue eyes stared into the crowd, scanning everyone who stood before her before a deep growl rumbled in her throat, "This better stop right now if you all want to live to see daylight."

Although they were all still drunk, the rest of the guild could come to their senses enough to utter a collective, "Yes Ma'am."

The she-devil sighed, waiting for everyone to pull away from each other into a semi-organized group before returning to her human form. She frowned, not a pretty white hair out of place as she turned to Erza.

"Right," the redhead cleared her throat, "This has gone on long enough. Those of you sober enough to walk, take your companions home."

Once again, a synchronous "Yes Ma'am."

Over the process of the next half hour, the guild hall slowly emptied out as the members headed home, accompanied by those who lived near them. Freed, Erza, and Gajeel left with their partners as the crowd thinned, leaving Mirajane to take care of any remaining stragglers.

Or, straggler, singular.

Once everybody else had gone home for the night, Cana was the only one left, sprawled across one of the tables and reeking of booze. Mirajane smiled faintly as she walked over to the young woman, who was babbling incoherently.

"Come on now. Let's get you home."

Mirajane shifted Cana off of the table, slinging one of the card mage's arms over her shoulder as they staggered back to the she-devil's apartment. They were only halfway there when Cana started to make sense.

"Yer beautiful, y'know that?" Cana mumbled, "Yer real beautiful."

Mirajane blushed, but ignored the card mage, lest she have to remind her the next morning.

Cana drunkenly hiccuped, "Never met anyone as lovely as you, man or woman."

"That's nice of you to say," Mirajane responded, still refusing to look at Cana.

But, apparently, the card mage wasn't having it. She stood up, shifting her weight to her own feet. She turned on Mira, backing the she-devil into a wall, one hand planted beside the shorter woman's head, the other running over Mirajane's pale cheek.

"Cana, what has gotten into you?" Mirajane asked, but made no attempt to get away from her.

"I mean it. I really mean it when I say you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," the card mage said, eyes glowing with passion. She leaned in closer, hand traveling to tilt Mirajane's chin up to face her.

"Cana-" The she-devil started, but was abruptly cut off as the card mage pulled her into a deep kiss. The bitter punch of alcohol was still very present on her tongue as it slid into Mirajane's mouth, but it was intoxicating. She wanted nothing more than to indulge Cana's every wish, but she knew it was wrong. The card mage wasn't in control of herself, she couldn't let her friend do something she'd regret.

Mirajane gently pushed her back, cheeks burning, "I think we should get back to my apartment."

As soon as she let go, Cana began to collapse. Mirajane picked her up again with a squeal, helping the taller woman semi-consciously stagger the rest of the way back to her apartment. Once they got back, the she-devil opted to let Cana sleep on the carpeted floor, as she wouldn't know the difference when she fell asleep in approximately two minutes. Still, she pulled a blanket over her, and tucked a pillow under her head.

Mirajane changed into pajamas before climbing into the bed next to Cana. She tried to sleep, but her mind was racing, replaying the events that had just happened over and over. The card mage had never particularly been a flirty drunk, so could she have possibly meant what she said?

No, she assured herself, Cana was too drunk to think straight. There was no way she really meant everything that she said, no matter how much she wanted it to be true. She'd had a crush on the card mage for the longest time, but never in her wildest dreams would she have thought she would get to kiss her, or that Cana would ever reciprocate the feelings. Sure, the dating pool in Magnolia for women who loved women was small, but surely Cana would have found someone more attractive than Mirajane. It just had to be pure coincidence that she was around when the card mage got drunk enough to get flirty.

Even still, that answer was not enough to satisfy her still-pounding heart and racing thoughts.

She wasn't sure when it was, probably hours later, when Mirajane's worrying and overthinking finally wore her out enough to fall asleep. 

********

Mirajane awoke the next morning with the sun barely up to the sound of someone retching in the bathroom. It took her a few seconds to regain her bearings and remember the events of last night, and when she did, her face flushed bright red. Oh goodness, Cana had kissed her! And she was in her house! What was she going to do?

Luckily, she realized she would have a bit more time to think about it as she heard the shower start up. She flopped back on her bed, pulling a pillow close to her chest. What was she going to do? Going to say, after the girl she liked had drunkenly confessed her love?

She rolled onto her side, hiding her face behind the pillowcase as her mind raced a mile a minute. She wasn't sure how long it was before she heard the bathroom door creak open.

"Hey. Sorry if I took a while," Cana said, that irritably adorable grin on her face.

"N-no, it's alright," Mirajane replied as she sat up, sure her cheeks were still flushed bright red.

The card mage frowned, "Are you alright? You look a bit off," She slowly approached Mirajane, reaching out to touch her forehead when Mirajane jumped back. Cana flinched before the realization hit her, "Oh gods, what did I say last night?" she asked, putting a hand over her face.

Mirajane swallowed, "Do remember anything?"

Cana shook her head, "Nah. Nothing," she gave a coy smile, "Maybe if you remind me, I'll remember?"

The she-devil swallowed before adjusting herself to sit with her legs folded underneath her, "Well, you were pretty drunk but..."

The card mage gave a hearty laugh, "Well, that's a given!"

Mirajane hid her face behind the pillow again momentarily, "Well, on the way back, you were saying… weird things," she took a deep breath, regathering her nerves, "You said you loved me, and then you… you kissed me."

Cana's eyes went wide, "Is that all?"

The she-devil nodded, "Yes. Nothing else notable happened."

The card mage breathed a sigh of relief, a blush spreading across her cheeks, "Well, at least I didn't do anything I regret."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Mirajane stammered, "You said you loved me!"

Cana shrugged, grinning, "As I said, nothing I regret, and nothing untrue."

"You mean..."

The card mage nodded, "I do love you. I was too scared to say anything because I thought you would reject me."

Mirajane smiled, "To be honest, I've been wanting to say the same thing to you."

It took Cana a second to react, "Wait, really? You mean it?"

She nodded shyly. The card mage burst out laughing, throwing her arms around Mirajane, who couldn't help but laugh a little as well.

"Gods, everything about this is a little..." Mirajane started

"Unconventional? Ridiculous?" Cana asked. The she-devil nodded, and the card mage gave another of her impossibly adorable grins, "Just the way I like it."

Well, at least pudding was fully whisked. He wiped the lost pudding off the wall and his sleeves, licking it off his fingers. It wasn’t that sweet. But, then again, it was just milk and powder. He still had to add all the fruit.

Next he had to add honey, vanilla, and… orange zest? But he’d gotten clementines? Would it still be good? Well, he had nothing else, so it would have to. This time, he was very careful as he turned on the blender, flinching as he turned it onto the lowest setting. It was taking a while to mix, but he wasn’t going to risk turning it up any higher.

After that, it said to… fold in the whipped cream? What did that mean? He imagined it would be difficult to fold the substance like one would a shirt, so how was he supposed to add it? He took the bowl out of the blender, picking up a flat, rubbery paddle-like tool with a wooden handle. In the end, he resorted to dumping the cream in and mixing it in by pushing the pudding over it repeatedly until it was fully mixed in. There. That was sort of like folding, right?

Okay, that was the last of the hard work. Now he just had to put into cups and make it look pretty.

He promptly discovered that making food look pretty was not the easy part. He planned, drew it out at least three times as it chilled, trying to think of the perfect way to place the banana and clementine and coconut on top. When he thought he finally had an idea, he pulled the deserts out of the refrigerator. He took a deep breath, trying to keep his hands steady, carefully, carefully placing the fruits on top. All was going well until he got to the clementines. Just as he was about to put the final pieces in place, Lector flung open the door, causing him to lose focus and drop the little slices of fruit.

“Hey Rogue! Whatcha doin’?”

“Lector! Can’t you be quiet for one moment?” Rogue snapped.

“Jeez, sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt,” the exceed responded, crossing his arms defensively.

“No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you,” he apologised, “I’m making something for Sting, and it’s more difficult than I thought.”

Lector looked down at the ambrosias, “Is that it?”

“It doesn’t look that bad, does it?”

The cat frowned, “I mean, I’ve seen worse.”

Rogue sighed, “I knew it. I shouldn’t have even tried.”

“Hey, don’t get all down in the dumps! I’m sure Sting’ll love it as longs as it tastes good,” Lector comforted, “And if you failed so bad it tastes horrible too, he’ll appreciate the effort you put into it.”

“You’re not helping.”

“Right, sorry.”

“So, do you know when Sting will be home?”

“He said around six-thirty, but you know how he is.”

“Right. I’ll have dinner ready by seven-thirty.”

Rogue put the ambrosias back in the fridge before pulling out a box of spaghetti. Although he wasn’t a talented cook, he knew well enough how to make a box of pasta.

It was a few hours of trying to make spaghetti look fancy later when Sting finally returned, “I’m home! Sorry I took so long!”

“Welcome back,” Rogue responded, greeting his boyfriend with a quick peck.

Sting looked over the Shadow Dragon’s shoulder at the dinner he had prepared, sitting on the table with intricately folded napkins and a vase of flowers, “Whoa. Should I get changed before we eat?”

“No, it’s alright, It’s just pasta,” Rogue said, “Happy Birthday.”

“Aww, thanks Babe. This is so nice!”

“It’s nothing special,” Rogue chuckled, looking away as a blush rose in his cheeks.

“Of course it’s special! Come on now, let’s eat!”

The two chatted happily as they ate, Sting talking excitedly about the mission he had taken that day, and Rogue listening intently. Although it was a relatively small dinner, they kept chatting for more than an hour before the Shadow Dragon finally stopped them.

“Actually, I-uh… I made something else for you,” he said, “It’s probably not great, but I thought you might like it.”

“Alright, you’ve got my attention,” Sting said, resting his chin in his palms.

Rogue nodded, making his way over to the fridge, hoping, praying that nothing had happened to the desserts he had spent so much time making. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw that they were unharmed, taking the stems of the wine glasses he had put them in and taking them to the table.

“Rogue… Is that what I think it is?”

He nodded, “I doubt it’s any good, but I made ambrosia for you.”

“Are you kidding? This looks amazing!” Sting cheered, grinning wider than the Shadow Dragon thought humanly possible, “Come on, let’s eat!”

Rogue watched as Sting took his first bite, internally cringing. He was going to hate it, and then he’d be upset and disappointed and Rogue would look like a fool and-

The White Dragon’s eyes lit up, “Oh my gods, you made this?!”

“Is it really that bad?”

“This is the best thing I’ve ever tasted!”

Rogue stood up, taken aback, “You’re joking, right?”

Sting shook his head, “Taste it! Gods, if I knew you were this good of a cook…”

Hesitantly, the Shadow Dragon took a bite. He expected it to be bitter, bland or just plain disgusting. But instead, it was an explosion of sweet, creamy pudding and tangy orange zest. The coconut and almond sprinkled on top added a nutty flavor. He gave a hum of approval before swallowing it down, “I guess it’s not that bad.”

“Come on, stop short changing yourself! This is the best!”

Rogue smiled, sure his cheeks were a bright shade of pink, “Okay, fine. It’s pretty good.”

Sting pulled the Shadow Dragon over the table, pressing their lips together in a deep kiss. Rogue slowly allowed himself to relax into his boyfriend, running a hand through the White Dragon’s fluffy hair. His eyes fluttered open when Sting pulled back, looking intently into his boyfriend’s eyes.

“Stop saying you suck at everything, okay? You’re wonderful, and you’re really talented. Be as great as Frosch thinks you are.”

Rogue laughed, and Sting kissed him again, “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. You’re so cute when you laugh.”

“Wait. Speaking of Frosch, where are they?” The Shadow Dragon asked, looking around for his companion.

“They’ll be here soon. I just sent them to pick up the engagement ring.”

It took Rogue a few minutes to process what his boyfriend had just said.

Three.

Two.

One.

“What?”

“Crap! Goddammit, it was supposed to be a surprise!” Sting cursed, “I’m sorry, I-I mean…”

“You… were going to propose.”

“I still am, if that’s alright.”

Rogue stood still as the White Dragon took a step back. He watched as his boyfriend slowly got down on one knee, taking Rogue’s hands in his own, “I know this may seem a bit out of the blue but,” Sting took a deep breath, his eyes shining, “Rogue, will you marry me?”

The Shadow Dragon could feel tears welling in the corners of his eyes, “Yes. I will. I do. Whatever. I love you, Sting.”

The White Dragon shot to his feet, throwing his arms around Rogue, pulling him as close as he could, laughing as he cried, “Gods, I love you too. So much.”

Just then, Frosch flew in the door, a little box in his hands, “Sting! I got it!” The exceed blinked, confused for a second, “Hey, I thought you were going to wait for me.”

The White Dragon smiled, “Sorry, buddy. I just got a little carried away,” he looked down at the ambrosia still sitting on the table, “Can I repay you with some sweets?”

But, even so, he couldn’t stop himself from looking over at Jenny, watching her smile as she flirted with the men, shooting them smiles and cute grins. He envied her, her easy beauty speaking to men, dancing around them with the grace and beauty of a pegasus. 

He’d always wanted, that, the ability to talk to men the same way he did women. To draw their attention, show them his charm, hold them as they slow-danced at the weekly balls they held at the guild hall.

Gods, he had a wife. She was okay with him being around other women, it came with being a wizard of Blue Pegasus. But what about men? What would anyone think? He wasn’t gay, he still liked women. But would anybody understand? Hell, he didn’t understand! Was there even a word for this?

It was like that for a long time, him just having to admire men from afar as he was rocked with internal turmoil. But it was okay, so long as he could cover it up. Nobody needed to know.

That was, until one summer, when there were new members of their guild.

Everyone was surprised when the Thunder Legion showed up at their door, and was even more shocked when they heard that the great Fairy Tail guild had suddenly disbanded without an explanation. Of course, they had readily accepted the powerful wizards as members of their guild. Although they struggled at first, the four of them soon found their places in the guild.

However, what was more shocking to Ren was how Freed and Laxus behaved around each other. Laxus was never any good at the hospitality part of the guild, but he was always ready for Freed’s flirtatious jabs or sudden approaches. However, his suspicions weren’t confirmed until Freed leaned up to kiss the lightning dragon’s cheek before he left for a job. Freed kissed another man, and nobody had said anything. It was just… okay.

And it happened again. Freed and Laxus were in love with each other, and they also flirted with women, and everyone was just okay with it. They were okay and confident and happy. 

It took Ren a few weeks to build up the courage to pull one of them aside. Frankly, Freed seemed easier to talk to. It was a Friday night, the night Blue Pegasus held their balls. Ichiya wouldn’t be happy with him if he left in the middle of the ball, but it was for a good reason, and the only time he’d managed to catch the rune mage alone.

“Hey, Freed. Are you busy?”

“Hmm? Is there something you needed, Ren?” He asked, turning to face the air wizard.

“I just wanted to talk. Alone.”

Freed raised a brow, “Is something wrong?”

“Not really we just… need to talk,” Ren said, looking away.

“Then by all means. I’m willing to talk.”

Ren took Freed’s hand pulling him from the crowd of people and out the doors of the guild, taking a seat on the steps. The green-haired man sat next to him, “So, what did you want to talk about?”

“I… It’s hard to explain, but… well, you like men, right?”

“I do.”

“And you like women too, right?”

Freed chuckled, looking up at the night sky above them, “Not really. I mean, they’re alright, but I’d prefer to just serve them.”

Ren growled. Now he was even more confused, “What if he was gay, and he just liked women in a platonic way? What if his love for Sherry was a lie just to cover up his gayness?

The rune mage frowned, “Something’s bothering you. What’s going on?”

“Gods, I just thought this was the answer!”

Freed raised a brow, “Me?”

“Well, kinda. I just… I’m not sure if I like men or women. I feel like I might like both, but I can’t right? What if I was just lying to myself about liking women and I’m actually gay?”

Everything was silent for a moment, no noise except the wind rustling the branches of the trees that lined the road. The air was calm, nothing was out of the ordinary. He saw Freed’s breath as the rune mage let out a gentle huff of laughter, “You know, it’s perfectly fine to like both men and women. Plenty of people do.”

“Wh-what?”

Freed nodded, “I might not like women, but Laxus does. It’s called being bisexual. Just like being gay, it’s not something you can control, and it’s completely normal to be that way.”

“You’re serious? It’s okay?”

“We both know your magic can tell you that.”

He was right. Freed’s breath was steady and even. He was telling the truth, not trying to comfort him with a lie.

A smile crept onto Ren’s face, “Thanks, that means a lot.”

“Of course,” the rune mage responded, “Now, I’m going to head back inside. Take your time.”

He stood, leaving the door opened behind him as he entered the guild hall. For the first time in months, Ren could truly feel the breeze. He took a deep breath, allowing himself to take in the cool night air. His chest was no longer tight, it was easy to breathe and just… be.

“Ren! What are you doing out here, man?”

Of course, Ichiya and the Trimen would notice his absence soon enough.

“I just needed some air.”

“Of course. It can get quite stuffy in there,” Hibiki agreed.

“Come back soon! They miss you in there,” Eve said cheerily.

“Yeah, of course.”

“Wait, men!” Ichiya stopped them, “Can’t you see that our fellow man is far too quiet?” He turned to face Ren, “Is there something you need to tell us?”

Ren smiled. For all his idiocy, Ichiya was surprisingly good at telling when something was up with one of his teammates, “Yeah, I guess I kind of do.”

He took a deep breath. The rest of the trimen and Ichiya had been by his side for as long as he’d been in the guild. They were like how he observed the Thunder Legion to be: A tight-knit family that was always watching out for each other.

“I’m bisexual. I think. Yeah.”

The other three men stood silently, just staring at him for a long moment. It was Ichiya who broke the silence, “Is that all, man?”

“That’s all you have to say?” Ren asked.

“It’s not a big deal. I mean, it’s just who you are, right?” Eve replied.

“I… guess?”

“Of course, it is not a big deal, man, but you have come to terms with yourself, and that deserves celebration.” Ichiya proclaimed, “This calls for a chant!”

“Oh, gods…” Ren mumbled into his hand, but made no attempt to stop them.

“Ren is the man!”

“He’s the man!”

“Who likes men!”

“And women!”

“Ren the brave!”

“Ren the glorious!”

The other men threw themselves at him, tackling him into a hug. Ren couldn’t help but laugh, his breath easy and relaxed, “You’re all awful, you know that?”

“Yeah, but we’re your awful friends.” Eve said.

“Always have been, and always will be.” Hibiki agreed, pressing a peck on Ren’s forehead. The air wizard blushed, then reciprocated the embrace.

“It takes a lot of guts to come out. No matter who you love, you are still a man.”

“I’m okay!” The take-over mage said, before letting out a hiss of pain as she sat back on her legs. Slowly, she clambered to her feet, with the assistance of Erza, before collapsing again.

Thunder crashed as wind tore across the clearing. The redhead quickly scooped Mirajane up in her arms, running for shelter. When they were finally inside the cave, Erza collapsed, panting. However, she only allowed herself to rest for a few moments before her eyes snapped open once again, turning to face Mirajane, who was sprawled surprisingly gracefully across the stone floor. The requip mage looked away, trying not to blush, “Are you alright?”

“Yeah. I’ll be fine,” Mirajane said, drawing her legs up to inspect her ankles. As she did, her muddy skirt slid down her thighs, revealing more of that milky-pale skin, which Erza noticed all too keenly, “Just a twisted ankle. I’ll heal in a couple days.”

“Should we turn back?” Erza asked, “We’re closer to Magnolia than we are to Aspen.”

Mirajane shook her head, “No, I don’t want to back out on this. I can handle it.”

“Are you sure?”

The take-over mage giggled, “It’s not like you to be so worried.”

Erza quickly looked away, flustered, “Well, you know, I wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself any more.”

Gentle hands took Erza’s, holding them until the redhead finally turned to face the other woman. A gentle smile crossed Mirajane’s lips, her snowy hair soaked and messy while the rest of her was covered in mud. Still, Erza had never seen something more beautiful. She slowly allowed herself to lean forward, inching towards Mirajane’s face. All sense left her as her lips brushed the other woman’s, pressing deeper into a kiss. The two of them sat just like that for a long while before the take-over mage pulled back, and immediately burst out laughing. With that, Erza snapped back to reality. Her face burned, heart beating a million times a second, Oh goodness, what did I just do?

Mirajane continued her fit, laughing and snorting until she fell over. Despite her embarrassment, Erza couldn’t help but laugh as well. They’d been fleeing from a storm, caught in a cave, and kissed. How cliché.

The take-over mage’s sides heaved as she fought for a breath, only to be cut off by another fit of hysterical, adorable laughter, Erza collapsing right next to her. She wasn’t sure if it was minutes or hours before they stopped laughing, but however long it was, they were panting and exhausted by the time it stopped. Although the clouds hadn't parted, Erza could tell it had gotten dark.

"So, what was so funny again?" Erza asked, turning to face Mirajane, head resting on her arm.

The take-over mage rolled onto her side as well, "It's all just a bit ironic," she said, shaking her head, "I asked you on this mission so we could catch up on everything that we'd missed, and maybe… get to know each other a little better. To be honest, I was going to ask you on a date when we got to Aspen Town."

"Wh-what? Really?" Erza stuttered, her face turning as red as the strawberries she so adored, "I mean, I'm flattered, but you- this doesn't have to be romantic if you don't want it to be."

"Would it be alright if I wanted it to be romantic?" Mirajane asked, a blush rising in her cheeks.

The requip mage opened her mouth, but no words came to her. It was just one thing that she needed to say, but she couldn't bring herself to say the word. She closed her mouth, thinking of another way to say it, but words had slipped from her brain entirely.

Mirajane turned away, face bright red, "Never mind, pretend I didn't say anything," she said hurriedly, "Sorry, I didn't mean to make it weird."

"Yes."

"Huh?"

"I-I mean. I would be alright if you wanted to… you know..." Erza said.

The take over mage blinked, staring at the other woman for a long moment before a huge smile spread across her face, "Really? Do you mean it?"

Erza nodded, flinching only a little as Mirajane pressed herself against her body. Slowly, she melted into the feeling of the other woman's warm skin against her own. She allowed herself to wrap her arm over the take over mage, holding her close.

Mirajane giggled a little, putting her own arm over Erza's torso, "We haven't even gotten to the town yet, and this has already been quite an adventure."

The requip mage smiled, running her fingers through the other woman's soft white waves, "You can say that again."