Mine

It wasn't like Bickslow had never noticed Mirajane Strauss before. Because, oh, he had. Many times. However, he had never paid quite as much attention to her as he had been the past few days.

This was mainly due to the fact that she wouldn't leave him alone. Every time he turned around, she was right there, asking if he wanted a refill on his drink, trying to bring him some more food, even just holding a conversation with him about his babies or something of the like.

It was obvious enough to Bickslow that the silver haired goddess, err demon, wanted ever inch of him.

It was obvious to the more observant Freed, however, that she wanted anything but.

At the moment she was spending her break with the them, fitting easily into the table, right between Bickslow and, as he happened to be there that day, Laxus. Ever was off, pretending not to be interested in Elfman (which of course meant she was sitting with him and talking to him, but they totally weren't together), which left the spot open for Mirajane to jump right in.

And oh was she.

Freed knew without even looking under the table that Laxus' hand was stroking Mira's thigh. It was obvious from the way every time he shifted slightly, she jumped. They were playing some sort of game, he was certain, but he wasn't sure what. It wasn't the first time he had seen them behave in such a manner either.

Just the other day, as the guild was closing up for the night, he had seen Laxus lingering around, randomly passing by Mirajane and whispering things to her. Then, last time Freed and Bickslow took Laxus out for a night of drinking, Mira happened to overhear them discussing their plans at the guild and had mentioned some very pointed stuff (albeit directed at Bickslow) about how they represented Fairy Tail and disrespectful behaviors out around town would reflect poorly on the guild.

Just as Bickslow was beginning to explain to her that he was only interested in finding one woman to spend some time with (he was hinting as much as possible recently that he was down with getting with her), Laxus interrupted with this long spiel about Mirajane minding her own business and that as three single guys, they could do whatever they wanted.

However, he had added rather quickly, if one of them were with someone, that they would only be around to help the other guys out and have a good time. That let Mira get away happy and Bickslow immediately laughed, thinking that Laxus was sticking up for him. Laxus only grunted then before looking off.

There was still the fact, of course, that whenever Laxus was around the guild, suddenly Mira would find it in herself to sit with the Thunder God Tribe. Of course, she'd always speak mostly to Bickslow, but she never sat far from Laxus. And he'd most block all of them out with his headphones, but randomly she would glance at him or he'd shift in his chair, just enough to brush his leg against hers.

Not that Freed cared much about their game or their endpoints. He just wished that they'd leave poor Bickslow out of it.

Bickslow, at that moment, was doing a lot of talking as Mira just stared at him with mild interest. He was doing that thing where he constantly showed off his tongue tattoo, as he thought that women found it was attractive.

Mira giggled at something Bickslow said, though it was very clear it was more from Laxus' touch than anything. And just like that, Laxus had both his hands in the air, yawning before moving to fold them behind his head. Mirajane glanced at him, but he had his eyes shut then, pretending to be oblivious.

"Mirajane," Kinana called from up at the bar suddenly. "Could you come here for a second?"

Just like that, Mira jumped up and left them with a smile which Bickslow returned. Laxus only snorted though.

"She's pretty hot, eh?" Bickslow nodded his head over at the bar the second Mira was out of hearing distance. "Laxus? Freed?"

"She is very nice," Freed said slowly, glancing at his yellow-haired leader. Laxus peaked an eye open.

"Mirajane?" He snorted. "Seen better. Had better."

Freed heard it though. That tone. The one that Laxus used when he was trying to sound a little too indifferent.

"Yeah," Bickslow said slowly then, rubbing at his chin. "She models, huh? I bet she's been around the block a few times. Might not-"

"I doubt she's been with that many guys." Suddenly, Laxus' eyes were open fully. "I mean-"

"It's always the quiet ones though," Bickslow continued. "Though…that just means more experience, huh? And-"

"Shut the fuck up about it now." Laxus shut his eyes again. "You're boring me."

That was the end of it for that day. And Freed wasn't around, a few days later, when Laxus and Bickslow more or less had their own little stand off as, unbeknownst to them, each of them was trying to stick around the bar the longest.

"Wow," Mira had giggled after closing the guildhall down for the night to find that neither of them seemed to be planning on leaving. "I've never had two strong men to help me clean up the bar."

Laxus snorted, not moving from his table. "Shit's been going on in this city recently. Just walking you home. I don't do woman's work."

"I'll help you out. Me and my babies, here," Bickslow said, quickly going to grab the broom in her hands. "Aren't we, babies? Help Mirajane?"

"Mirajane," they mimicked as they floated around his head. "Help Mirajane."

She was all giggly again, happily going around the bar with Bickslow then, closing up. Laxus just leaned back in his chair, his feet kicked up on the table, as he listened to his music. The sooner Mira finished the better. He was really horny.

When they finally finished up, Laxus was the first out the door, Bickslow and Mira not far behind. She was talking to him about something or other, but Laxus mostly just blocked it out. Until they were a few minutes from her place and she began rubbing her arms.

"I wish I had brought my jacket," she said. "It's really cold."

Bickslow was picking up what he thought she was throwing down. But just as he was moving to wrap an arm around her and snuggle her up real close, Laxus dropped his huge jacket over her shoulders with a grunt. He frowned, glancing over at Laxus, but the man was looking down at Mirajane, who only giggled, pulling the coat on.

"It's so big! But comfy." Giggles. Then she said, "Thanks, Laxus."

Bickslow frowned, still staring over Mira's head at his boss. When Laxus felt the glare and looked over, Bickslow mouthed, 'What gives?'

Laxus frowned, having no idea what he was talking about and just looked forwards again. Mira was babbling again anyhow and easily distracted Bickslow.

Gah! When would Bickslow leave? Laxus was starting to get just as annoyed with him as Bickslow unknowingly was with him.

The other man couldn't figure out why Laxus was so concerned with Mirajane. Unless…was he trying to be his wingman? Because if so, that was great. That was really great! Laxus got all sorts of women.

…but why wouldn't he just head off then? It was clear that Mira was interested in him. The wingman was no longer needed.

"Well," Mira said a few minutes later when they got to her home. She was still wearing Laxus' coat, but didn't move to take it off. Turning around to face them as she started up her walk, she said, "Thank you both so much for walking me home. And for helping clean up, Bickslow."

Grunt.

"No problem."

"I'd really like to invite you both in, for tea or something," she went on slowly, looking between each of them. "Except it's so late and I'm sure Elfman and Lisanna are in bed. So…maybe another time?"

Laxus narrowed his eyes at her before grunting and turning to walk away. "Whatever."

Bickslow smiled though, weakly, before telling her that he was just glad to be of help, before rushing off to catch up with Laxus. For at least a block, the two walked in silence. Then Laxus couldn't help his explosion.

"What the fuck, man?" He turned his glare on Bickslow who only frowned.

"What are you-"

"Look, I appreciate all the shit you've been doing for us up at the guild," Laxus began, coming to a stop on the sidewalk and facing the other man. "I don't know how you found out about me and Mira, but-"

"What are you talking about? What have I done?"

"What has he done?" his dolls complained. Laxus resisted shooting bolts of lightning into them and him.

It was hard.

"You're keeping the heat off me and Mirajane," Laxus growled. "By pretending to be friends with her or whatever, but-"

"You and Mira?" Bickslow said slowly. "What-"

"But I was going home with her tonight, dipshit. So she could see me before I left tomorrow. And then you had to stick around and spook her into sending us both off. For what? Huh? Who were you fooling tonight? No one was fucking around!"

It took Bickslow a few moments of just standing there to process what Laxus was saying. Then he frowned.

"Mirajane isn't interested in you, Laxus," he said with a slightest hint of a snarl. "She's been hanging around because her and I are, you know, getting closer. In fact, I'm going to be asking her out on a date soon, so-"

"Oh, are you?"

"Yeah! I am!"

"Have you ever noticed, numb nuts, that she's only ever around you or Freed when I'm in town? Huh? Ever wonder why that is?"

"I-"

"Because I've been fucking her for months, dumb shit. And now that I know that you were too scatterbrained to figure that out, I'm ordering you right the fuck now to stay the hell away from her. You hear me?"

Bickslow's babies let out sad noises as he only stood there and nodded dumbly. Then Laxus stormed off, his little rant not helping the pissed off vibes he was feeling. Huh.

However, after a long walk back home, Bickslow found himself undeterred. Laxus was going out of town for a few days, off on a solo mission, starting the next morning. That would give him the perfect chance to figure out what exactly was going on with him and Mirajane.

The problem was, however, that for the next few days, Mira wanted nothing to do with him.

She wasn't avoiding him and of course she wasn't rude to him. That wasn't in her character. But every single time he tried to talk to her, she'd end the conversation as politely and swiftly as possible. Then he tried to stay after to help her pick up the guild, like that night with Laxus, but she never seemed to be the one closing up. In fact, he'd never exactly see when she left or got off.

Maybe Laxus was right. Maybe she was just using him.

Still though, he had felt something during all those times that she hung around and he couldn't believe that it was all false.

So, a few mornings later he found himself heading over to Mirajane's house. He knew that she would be up, as she had to be to work at the guild at a relatively early hour, and figured that he could walk her there. Not to mention he planned on asking her out on a date. Or at the very least figuring out if that option was on the table.

When he knocked on the Strauss' front door, it crossed his mind that maybe Lisanna or Elfman might answer the door. He never bothered with the idea, however, that Laxus would.

But he did. And he just stood there too, clad in only his boxers, with his hair looking all sorts of off-kilter. He blinked in surprise at the sight of Bickslow.

"What are you doing here?" he grumbled with a frown.

Bickslow only blinked before glaring. "I could ask you the same thing!"

"I got into town last night and came to see Mirajane. You know, since you ruined the night before I left." Laxus gave him a once over. "If you weren't here looking for me, then what- Oh."

When Laxus laughed, Bickslow frowned. "What's so funny?"

He kept chuckling for a moment before opening the door fully and glaring out at his teammate.

"You were going to defy me, weren't you, Bickslow? Huh? Try to get with my woman?"

"W-Well-"

"Look, I ain't too…possessive over most chicks, you know? You've hooked up with the same women as me before, I know you have, but when I tell you to do something, you fucking do it." Laxus wasn't afraid of reaching out and pushing up the sallet covering Bickslow's face up and glaring into his eyes. Even though Laxus was usually rather good to his bodyguards, when they pissed him off, he could be a downright bully. "And I told you that Mirajane was mine. M-I-N-E. All those other sluts that I fuck around with? Take them. I don't want them anymore. You know what? As a show of good faith, they're yours."

"I-I-"

"But if I ever, and I mean ever, see you sniffing around Mirajane again, I'm going to show you how possessive I really can be." He let the sallet drop again before reaching out to rap his knuckles against Bickslow's head rather roughly. "All those other whores? Fuck them. They're yours. But Mira's not one of them, alright? She's mine. And I'm keeping her. So stay the fuck-"

"Laxus, who's at the door?"

Bickslow glanced behind Laxus then to see Mirajane standing there, a spatula in her hand, wearing only some booty shorts and one of Laxus' purple shirts, just enough buttons done to keep it on, but enough off to show off her cleavage. Mirajane smiled though when she saw over her boyfriend's shoulder.

"Hi, Bickslow," she greeted loudly, waving the spatula. Laxus closed his eyes tightly then, letting out a slow breath.

"I'm busy, Mira," he ground out. "Go-"

"Did you wanna stay for breakfast?" Mira spoke right over Laxus, something most people wouldn't dare do. "I just made Elfman his omelet and Laxus was going to be next, but-"

"I said I was busy, Mira," Laxus growled then, shooting her a look over his shoulder. "Go make my fucking food. Bickslow was just leaving."

"Don't be so grouchy, Laxus," Mira scolded the man as she waved her spatula at him then. "I mean it. Behave."

With that, she bounced back out of view, no doubt heading into the kitchen once more. Then it was just Bickslow and Laxus.

"So do you get it now?" Laxus' tone was a peeved one, but Bickslow was nearly certain that was from the fact that Mira had ruined his moment. "I fuck that. No one else. She's mine. All the other women in the world? Yours. Someone's. I don't care. But stay the hell away from Mira. Understood?"

And with that, Laxus shut the door in Bickslow's face, huffing slightly. Then he felt a little bad and figured he'd meet up with some of his more attractive women that he used to screw and pay them off to go entertain Bickslow for awhile. Just long enough for him to get over Mirajane.

Not that Laxus thought it was humanly possible for anyone to ever get over her.

"Did Bickslow not wanna stay for breakfast?' Mira was asking as Laxus came into the kitchen. Elfman was at the table, eating while reading the paper, and Lisanna was over at the coffee pot, staring at it sadly as it brewed too slowly for her taste.

Going over to Mira, Laxus pressed a kiss to her neck, standing behind her as he watched her make his omelet.

"No," he grumbled as he wrapped an arm around her waist. "Put some meat or something in that, Mira. Not just cheese."

"You're so picky," she pouted as he just kissed her cheek again with a sigh.

"Could you two not do that around us? Please?" Lisanna was still staring at the coffee pot. "Not before we've had some caffeine at least. I mean, seriously, you're going to make me barf."

Laxus grunted, letting Mira go before going to hit Lisanna gently on the head. She glared over her shoulder at him, but he just ignored her as he went to go sit at the table and wait for his food, still mulling over the encounter only moments before with Bickslow.

It almost made him start chuckling again. Bickslow and Mira? Yeah the fuck right.