Lunchtime Tagalongs

"Where," the man growled as he went around the house, searching, "are my headphones?"

His wife just sat there though, in their bedroom, cradling their daughter in her arms as she watched him, smiling slightly.

"You're the one that wanted such a big house, dragon," the woman reminded softly, almost singing the words.

'Yeah, Mira, I know," Laxus grumbled as he came back into that room, planning on looking under the bed then. "I-"

"Ah!" Their little baby then, Lana, at the sight of him reached out for the man. Coming up on her first year of life, there was little she liked better than playing with her father. At the moment though, he didn't have time for such a thing and only got on his knees, peeking under the bed.

"Dragon," Mira sighed. "The baby wants you."

"Yeah, I know. And I want her. But I have to get going, Mira."

"She doesn't know that."

"Demon-"

The baby was whining then, trying to wiggle out of her mother's hold and, well, he couldn't let her fall.

"Come here," he groaned, getting to his feet before going to snatch her up. "You can help me look, Lana, but after that, I have to go."

She just wanted him to hold her. That was all. And, with what she wanted, she settled into his arms easily.

"They're not in here either," he groaned as he walked into the master bathroom. "Demon-"

"I haven't seen them, Lax." Free of their daughter then, the woman got to her feet before heading out of the room. "And I have to go check on my puppies. I haven't seen them in the past hour or so."

"They're probably the ones with my dang headphones," he grumbled as Lana patted at his face. "Took off with them. Those mangy mutts. Ain't worth nothin'."

Still, regardless of how upset he was, Laxus just leaned down to press a few kisses to his baby's head because, well, she deserved it, just for being his, before heading off again.

"Where are my headphones?"

It took him forever to discover them under one of the couch pillows, him remembering just then that he'd taken a nap there the previous night.

"That solves that," he said as his baby just giggled from his arms. Pressing another kiss to her head, he carried her and the headphones with him into the kitchen where the demon was singing to the dogs as she got some lunch ready.

"Mira," he said as he went to drop Lana in her highchair. "Not to interrupt your little concert here-"

"No, go ahead. The puppies don't mind."

Uh, yeah, they did. Raijin and Tenjin both took to whining when she stopped singing to them and, well, that was just annoying. Laxus thought about kicking them out of the house, but knew the demon wouldn't stand for it.

Heh.

"I'm heading out," he said, slipping his headphones on before going to press a kiss to her head. Mira giggled, looking up from the stove then.

"Have fun. I love you."

She got another kiss before he turned to face his baby. Goodbyes were always the hardest with her.

"Lana." He went to go pat her on the head a few times. "I gotta go. I'll be back tonight, maybe, but you'll be asleep. So I'll see you in the morning, huh?"

She made a few noises back at him that basically meant that was okay, she understood, and that she'd be patiently awaiting him return. Basically. In his mind.

He gave her a bunch of kisses too, to make up for this transgression of leaving before they even got to eat lunch together, before standing up and heading out. The dogs followed him to the door, Tenjin yapping as he went along.

"Leave me alone," he grumbled. "I'm not telling you goodbye too. You don't deserve it!"

As he was battling with the dogs though, on his way to the front door, he heard it. Lana was crying.

"Oh, sweetie, he'll be back," he heard Mira coo as she no doubt went to tend to the baby. "He's just going to go see his friends. You can't keep him occupied all day, you know."

No, she didn't know. And Laxus, well, he couldn't just leave her all sobbing and stuff. What if something happened while he was gone? And he let cry it out the last time they saw one another?

It just wasn't going to happen. Not on that dragon's watch.

"Laxus," Mira complained as he rushed back into the kitchen to check on her. "We've talked about this."

"No, we haven't."

"Yes," the woman said as he took their child from her. "We have. You can't give into her when she does this, Laxus. She has to know that it's okay for us to leave."

"I know," he sighed as Lana snuggled up real close to him. "I just don't like her to be upset."

"Well, she's fine with me. And besides, Elf and Ever are coming over soon to watch her when I go to work-"

"What?"

"Laxus, you knew that. I told you earlier."

"You telling me is not in question. Me listening and remembering is."

"Laxus-"

"Hey, Lana, you wanna stay here with your stupid uncle?" He looked down at his baby then. "Or come with your daddy? Huh?"

"That's not an option."

"It is now." He set off then. "Let's go get your stroller, silly. And, ooh, your diaper bag."

"You can't be serious," Mira called after him. "Laxus."

"Why can't I? I'm just going out to lunch with Bickslow and Freed. Then I'm going to hang out with them. Maybe get some dinner later. And come home. She can come to that. They should expect her to!"

Freed and Bickslow weren't, however, as it turned out. When he got to the restaurant though, he found that the seith had a straggler of his own.

"What," he grumbled at the sight of Lisanna sitting at the table, "are you doing here? This is important Thunder Legion business-"

"Oh, whatever. If it was, Evergreen would be here," Lisanna retorted as he came over to the table. "And Lana wouldn't. You guys were just going to goof off and do nothing. Bickslow told me so."

"Oy, boss," the man said with a nod. "I can't lie to the kid. She's, like, got these eyes that just key in on me and I freeze up. I'm no good."

He couldn't be too mad. He had that same problem.

"Where is Mirajane then?" Freed asked as Laxus moved to take Lana out of her stroller and set her in his lap. "That you have the child?"

"At home."

"Then-"

"But," he went on. "She was going to leave her with Elfman."

Everyone just stared at him.

"Uh, boss? I don't see-"

"Of course you don't, Bickslow, because you're not me. But I've seen what too much exposure to Elfman will do to a person. Look at Evergreen. Completely ruined. Tarnished." He smiled down at his baby then. "But not Lana. No. She's perfect."

"Is it just me," Bickslow mumbled to Lisanna, "or is watching him with her totally ruining your image of the boss?"

"Considering he's not my boss and I have to watch him like this with my sister all the time, not to mention I did live with the guy, as he was acting this way towards his daughter, not really."

"Oh."

Laxus sent them a glare. "I can hear you idiots."

"Just kiddin', boss."

Freed took to shaking his head. "I have already ordered for you, Laxus."

"How'd you know what I want?"

"How did he know? Boss! He's Freed! And you're Laxus! It would be blasphemous for him not to know!"

"Or," Lisanna said, giving Bickslow a look as he only snickered, "you always get the same thing here, Laxus. There's always that little tidbit, Bicks."

"Well, yeah, but it's not as dramatic as what I said. You know I love dramatic."

"Yes, I know."

"If I had known that we were allowed guests," Freed told them both then, "I would have looked into bringing someone."

"Ever's busy and Laxus is already here," Bickslow said. "You're kinda out of people, man."

"I do have other friends, you know, Bickslow."

"Sure."

"I do."

"I'm agreeing."

"Leave him alone, Bicks," Lisanna said. "It's hard not having any friends. Look at Laxus."

"What do you mean look at Laxus?" the slayer grumbled, glancing up from the faces he was making down at his baby.

"And for the last time," Freed complained, "I have plenty of friends."

"He had to bring his daughter," the woman went on. "That's way more embarrassing than having no friends."

"If I had known to, I would have brought someone!"

"Lana is my friend," Laxus told them all harshly. "And she's a way better one than any of you."

"Oy, boss, I get it," Bickslow agreed, nodding his head. "Same with me and my babies."

"It is not the same."

'It is the same."

"It is not."

"Is too."

"No, Bickslow. Not even close."

"Totally is, boss, so-"

"I'm telling you-"

"And I'm telling you-"

"It's not the same!"

Lisanna and Bickslow both looked at one another.

"Someone's touchy, Bicks."

"I can tell, Lissy."

"It happens when your only friend is a little tiny baby. No people skills."

"I was the same, back when it was just me and the souls. Now I got you though."

"Mmmhmm."

"Totally changed my life."

"Thank you."

"Somewhere," Freed told them slowly, "there is someone who had committed a heinous, unspeakable act and they more than deserve to deal with the two of you. But I do not."

"I agree. Boss, you and Lana are just too much."

"I am talking about you and Lisanna, Bickslow, and you know it!"

"I don't blame Lana," Lisanna told them slowly. "I mean, she's just an innocent bystander. And Laxus can't help it. He's just a big doofus."

"Watch it, kid, 'fore I fry ya."

"I blame Mirajane," the woman finished to which her boyfriend nodded.

"Lay down with dragons-"

"Wake up with baby fleas."

"They're completely disgusting together," Freed went on, speaking to his idol then who, after glaring at the two of them, went back to tending to Lana. Err, well, playing with Lana. She made really cute noises when he tickled her. "Why you allowed him to bring her, Laxus-"

"Are you talking?" The man glanced up from his daughter. "What'd you say?"

Freed only sighed. What was the point? "Never mind."

"Are you hungry?" Laxus leaned down to nuzzle his head against the baby's. "Lana?"

"Awe, gross," Bickslow grumbled. "Lissy?'

"Hmmm?"

"I think boss is broken."

"No, Bicks, he just loves his baby."

"Exactly. Mirajane, I could put up with. I mean, hell, I'd screw her."

"Excuse me?"

"The baby though-"

"No, we're going back to you sleeping with my sister."

"-is giving him nothing. At all. She takes his time and his money and apparently his sanity. But what does he get out of it?"

"We're still talking about you saying you'd sleep with Mirajane. Laxus, did you hear that? You're totally on my side, right?"

"Lana," the slayer cooed as the baby reached up to pat at his face. "You're so cute. We should just skip this whole hanging out after lunch thing and just go to the park. You like going to the park? Huh? Little baby. My little baby."

"Laxus, are you drunk?" Freed complained.

"Still only gonna talk about you saying that you want to sleep with Mirajane, Bickslow."

"I'd rather forget about that though, Lissy, so-"

"What did you idiots just say?" That one got Laxus' attention for some reason, lifting his head to glare over at them. "About my demon?"

"N-Nothing, boss, just-"

"Bickslow said that he wants to-"

"Look!" The seith took to pointing. "The food!"

Well, with that sort of distraction…

"You're not off the hook," Lisanna told her boyfriend softly though, at the moment, Laxus found the next best thing to the demon, the baby, and being a total badass. Food. "Bickslow."

"It was a joke, Lissy."

"Have you ever noticed that over half of your jokes never land and just get you in trouble? Or come off as creepy?"

"I reserve to the right to speak my mind. And yes, Lisanna, Mirajane is hot. Even post-baby. And yes, I would if you and boss weren't in the picture."

"You what?"

"And if Mirajane suddenly got brain damage," Freed remarked. "I mean, she can land a man like Laxus, but would slum it with you? Doesn't happen."

"Oh, like Laxus would ever leave Mira for you, Freed. We all have aspirations."

"It's an aspiration now?" Lisanna scoffed. "Seriously, Bickslow?"

He only groaned. "Boss, can you help me out here?"

The man was more concerned with something else. "I think Lana just-"

"Awe, gross."

"Here," Lisanna groaned, getting to her feet. "I'll go change her."

Well, if she was offering…

"Don't loser her or something," Laxus grumbled as he handed off his baby. "I mean it."

"Yeah, like I was ever going to do that to begin with. Sure, Laxus."

After the girls were gone, Freed really thought that they would have a chance to get down to that precious guy time that he had been hoping for all along. Err, well, Laxus time. Bickslow was just a tag along. A necessary evil, as it was. Why that evil thought bring his own little evil along was allowed was beyond Freed, but here they were.

"So," Freed said, trying to keep his voice upbeat as he addressed Laxus once more. The slayer was shoveling down food then though without his daughter to keep him paced and hardly glanced up. "We were supposed to discuss our evening plans at lunch. Lana has derailed a few of my ideas, but-"

"The baby needs somewhere to take a nap after this," Laxus said simply. "Decompress. This has been a lot for her to take in."

"What has, boss?" Bickslow asked all morose like. "Watching me ruin my relationship?"

"No," Laxus said with a frown. "Coming to such a stimulating place."

"W-Well," Freed tried slowly. "I suppose we could go back to my apartment and she could nap there. Or-"

"We'll go to my house," Laxus told them to which Bickslow fist pumped. "But no misbehaving. Bickslow."

"Oy," the seith complained. "Why are you singling me out?"

"Because, not ten minutes ago, you made some sort of remark about my wife to her sister which, by the way, I know is going to make it's way back to the demon and I'm going to have to hear about. So, Bickslow, you big dope, that's why I'm requesting that you behave."

"Sound logic," Freed agreed.

Bickslow just stuck his tongue out. "I love Lissy, but sometimes she tries too hard to ruin my fun. What difference would it make if I did find Mirajane attractive? I could never be with her."

"Mirajane is attractive," Laxus corrected. "And you would be lucky to even get a taste of her. However, you never will."

"Don't I know it?"

"So, how are we going to fix this? Hmmm?" Laxus glanced over at the seith then. "You're going to take Lisanna out after lunch."

"What? But, boss, I-"

"You're going to let her spend your money. Then you're going to beg for forgiveness. Maybe get her a dog."

"Uh, Laxus?" Freed held up a hand. "Not to…intervene, but, well, that sounds a lot like something that would work on, well, Mirajane."

"It is. That's how come I have two dogs. And no money."

"And a swanky house," Bickslow added.

"No," the dragon sighed. "That was the baby's fault."

"Not to be a bother, but weren't we talking about Bickslow?" Freed asked slowly. "And his predicament with Lisanna? Because she does not seem like the type to be bought."

"Oh?" Laxus frowned over at him. "And you're saying that my demon is then?"

"N-No! I was just saying that Mira is much simpler to manage-"

"Are you callin' my woman simple?"

"No! I just-"

"Oy." Bickslow frowned down at his food. "Lissy likes little baby animals. Maybe we'll stop by the pet store to hold a few. She likes that. Or we can go get ice cream. I like that. A lot. Yeah, guys, let's just go get ice cream."

"Guys?" Freed snorted. "Clearly, you heard Laxus state that I was accompanying him back home."

"And when did Laxus say that again?" the man in question asked.

"L-Laxus, you said-"

"I said I'm going home," he said. "And I am. With Lana. To nap. And then play. Then wait for the demon. Maybe throw the Frisbee with the mutts. But I dunno yet. Depends on how I'm feelin'."

"But what about our plans for the day?" Freed asked. "I thought-"

"I told the demon that I would go out with you knuckleheads because she thinks that Lana and I need to spend more time apart," Laxus reasoned. "But now that Lana's with me anyhow, what's the point?"

"I'd like to think my happiness would be the point, but-"

"Don't get weird."

Bickslow only moaned some more. "Maybe Lissy will forgive me if I call Mirajane an old hag to her face."

"Sure," Laxus agreed. "She can do so at your funeral, you damn fool."

"You know, boss, you could just be a tad more supportive," the seith pointed out. "Don't have to kill me just for saying that your woman is-"

"Oh, no, I wouldn't be the one killing you. My demon would." He held his head up high then, pausing his eating in pride. "My woman can take care of herself."

"That she can," Freed agreed with a nod. "And calling her a hag, Bickslow, would be an excellent chance for her to prove that fact. Surely you would enjoy that, right, Laxus?"

"Extremely." He was staring Bickslow down then. "Go ahead. Call my demon a hag. I haven't seen Satan Soul in far too long. And you know how much that turns me on."

Heh.

"I think I'll pass, uh, boss," Bickslow said slowly.

"You sure?"

"Very."

Lisanna was back then, with Lana, and moved to set the child back in her father's lap. This excited her and Laxus alike as he leaned down to nuzzle his face against the baby.

"Laxus," Lisanna complained as she reclaimed her own seat. "You're going to get her dirty. Stop it."

"Don't tell me what to do, girlie," he grumbled as Lana only giggled. He moved to feed her something then, just a bite of his food. She seemed to like it a lot, but that usually wasn't the concern. It was more whether or not her stomach did and what the outcome would be.

Considering Laxus was the one that would be taking care of her for the rest of the day, he hoped it went well.

"Hi, Lissy," Bickslow greeted. His dolls, who were floating around like usual, called out the same message.

"Hi, babies."

Bickslow cleared his throat.

Then again.

One last time.

"Uh, Lisanna-"

"Did you say something, Freed?" she asked, purposely speaking over her boyfriend. The green haired man frowned over at her.

"No," he said slowly. "But I think you are aware of that."

Laxus wasn't aware of anything anymore. Other than his love of Lana. She was so cute when she chewed stuff up. He was pretty sure she got it from the demon, but then again, he was pretty dang great at chewing too.

It was definitely an art.

"Lisanna," Bickslow complained. "Are you ignoring me? Huh? Answer me! Are you ignoring me? How am I supposed to know if you're ignoring me if you don't-"

"Yes," Freed sighed. "It is very clear that she's ignoring you."

"I didn't ask you," the seith complained. "Lissy, can you believe him? Deciding when you were ignoring me or not? Huh? Can you? Lissy, I can't handle this. This has to be the worst moment of my life. Honestly, I might just go crazy and…and… I might just go crazy, okay?"

"Put a sock in it," Laxus grumbled, glaring over at them. "Lana and I are bondin' over here."

Actually, at the moment, Lana was trying to send some brainwaves his way asking for more food, but they didn't seem to be going through. They were usually so in sync too.

"You know," Lisanna said slowly, making a face over at her brother-in-law. "I think I like it more when you're bashful about your love of Lana. A lot more. Why aren't you today? Can we have that Laxus? Please?"

Snort. "I ain't bashful 'bout nothing. You annoying little snot."

"Uh-huh. Sure."

"I'm not." Finally, Lana's thoughts seemed to penetrate his brain as he moved to feed her another piece of food. "So there."

"I'm sure it's just that we will be taking off on a job in the coming days," Freed offered, trying to be helpful. That was all he ever tired to be. Helpful. Yet they always turned on him. All of them.

"Shut up, Freed."

See?

"L-Laxus, I was only trying to-"

"I ain't," the slayer grumbled as Lana snuggled back against him, "bashful. Ever. At all. So there."

"Baba." Lana started reaching out then, trying to pick up Laxus' glass of water. "Baba!"

"You're thirsty?" He nodded at Lisanna. "Get me her sippy cup."

"Can I get a please?"

"You can get a now before I boot you from this meeting," he offered. Lisanna didn't seem nearly as thrilled about that option.

"You make one perverted joke about a woman's sister and suddenly she won't talk to you." Bickslow shook his head. "Terrible, ain't it, boss?"

"Groveling over a woman?" It was Laxus turn to shake his head. "Pathetic, ain't it, Bickslow?"

"W-Well, I ain't groveling-"

"Ask Bickslow, Freed, if he thinks denying that he's groveling for me will help him any," Lisanna said as she handed Laxus' Lana's cup.

"What? No. I-"

"Tell Lisanna, Freed," the seith said, speaking right over his teammate, "that I will not grovel. Because I did nothing wrong."

"I am not playing along with you two-"

"And you can tell Bickslow-"

"Tell him yourself, Lisanna!"

"-that," she continued, "I think you're super handsome and hot, Freed. And I totally wanna sleep with you."

"Okay. This took a turn. My interest is waning even more," Laxus said as he glared at all of them. "Stop discussing your personal lives in front of my baby. It's not appropriate!"

"I…I do not-" Freed stuttered, but Bickslow only scowled from under his visor.

"Sleep with?" That got a snort. "I wanna fuck the demon."

"Y-You're sick!" Lisanna crossed her arms. "I wanna blow Freed."

"P-Please," the letter mage tried. "You both do not realize what you are-"

"Same. Only I want the demon to- Oy, boss! That hurt!"

He'd thrust Lana onto Freed, Laxus had, so that he could get up and, with little bolts of lighting wrapped around it, he slammed his fist into Bickslow's head.

"Only," the superior mage growled, "I get to call her that. Or talk about her like that. You wanna lose your life? Huh? Over damn Lisanna? Who'll be over this in five minutes?"

"I would not." Lisanna looked off. "Maybe ten, but definitely not five."

"I think he killed some brain cells," Bickslow complained as Laxus only stood over him, glaring.

Freed, who was trying to keep a grip on a very wiggly Lana while also hide his blush, remarked, "And with so few to start with."

Tilting his head back then, Bickslow stared up at the man he so revered. "Oy, boss, you know that I would never say something so derogatory about your woman."

"You just did," Lisanna whispered. "And it was rude. Very rude. Especially about my sister, but about any woman. And to say it in my presence-"

"I have it in my right mind to dismember you," Laxus growled. "You think you'll like being dismembered, Bickslow?"

"No, sir," he sighed, dropping his head. "Not at all. I have a family to feed."

"Considering your children are spirits of the long dead," Freed sighed, "I found that doubtful."

"And Lisanna," Laxus went on. "Bickslow's an idiot."

"Words hurt a lot, boss."

"Yeah," she replied. "I know."

"Et tu, Lissy?"

"But," the slayer went on, "he's a very…annoying one. And you're annoying too. So just mesh and leave the rest of us the hell alone. And no more tagging along on important business. You hear me?"

"I hear nothing."

"Lisanna-"

"I still have another four minutes," she said. "So leave me alone."

Freed, who was still battling it out with Lana about whether she should stay in his lap or be as free as she wanted to be, only looked to his fearless leader. "Not to be a bother, but I would rather implore you to take your daughter back. Not that I am not thrilled to find that she is so…enamored by me-"

"Dude, she's trying to do everything in her power to get the heck away from you," Bickslow pointed out. "I mean, honestly?"

"-but she does not rather seem to wanna be held right now," the green headed mage pointed out. "At least by me. So perhaps-"

Bickslow got one more bop in the head by Laxus (it hurt like the dickens) before the man returned to his seat.

"No more," he growled as he took his daughter back, "talkin' about my woman. And that goes for any of ya. And Bickslow?"

"Yes, boss?"

"Me and you are gonna have a trainin' session after this, huh? One on one, yeah?"

For some reason, Bickslow figured it'd have less to do with training and more to do with torturing. Still, he only sighed.

"Yes, boss."

Still, Lisanna kept her head upturned. "Three more minutes."

"Oy, Lissy, you're killin' me, baby." Bickslow looked around at his actual babies. "Three whole minutes, babies. What are we supposed to do?"

"You can try eating that lunch that you ordered," Freed pointed out. "Laxus is paying for it after all."

That too got the slayer's attention. Looking up from snuggling his daughter, he growled.

"Laxus is doing what now?"

"Well, yeah, big brother Laxus," Lisanna said, glancing over at him. "You always pay when we eat out together."

"Because the demon makes me," he growled. "You see the demon around? Huh? No. She's not even to be mentioned again!"

"Then why are you doing it?"

More growling. "Look, girlie, I'm at the end of my rope here. You wanna keep this up? Huh? Or you wanna live?"

"Live, Lisanna," Bickslow's dolls pleaded. "Live!"

"Yeah, I'd choose that one," Bickslow said. "Unless you see some anima lying around-"

"How rude." She turned even further from him. "You jerk."

"That's another twenty minutes for bringing up such a trauma," Freed sighed.

"At least," Lisanna agreed.

"Oy." Bickslow focused on his lunch once more. "At least I'm getting free food."

"I ain't paying for this, you punks," Laxus growled. "What do you think I am? Huh? A bank? Just handin' out money?"

"Banks loan out money, Laxus," Lisanna pointed out. "So no. No one thinks you're a bank."

A longer growl. "Look, you little brat, I-"

"Boss," Bickslow whined. "Don't make her even more mad. I'm tryin' to cut down on the twenty minutes and you're not helping. Unless…hey, Lissy, if you get more mad at Laxus, does that mean that you'll be less mad at me? Lissy? Lissy, answer me!" Then he looked to his friend. "Freed-"

"This is the last time," the man grumbled.

"And the first time," Laxus reminded.

"Lisanna," Freed asked. "If you're mad at Laxus, will-"

"No."

Bickslow only stared expectantly at Freed. "What'd she say? What'd she say?"

"You can clearly hear her," Freed huffed as Laxus only sighed.

"Cannot."

"Bickslow-"

"I'll only pay for lunch," Laxus huffed, "if you make up with him, Lisanna. And if he stops talking. You hear that, Bickslow? You two kiss and make up and I'll- I didn't really mean kiss! It's an expression! Hey! Watch where you put your hands on my damn sister, you freak!"

Freed only hung his head as Lana giggled loudly, just from the sound of her agitated father.

He couldn't take the three of them anywhere.

"So, dragon," Mirajane prompted later that night when she got off work. "How was your big day out? Did you have a little adventure with your friends?'

"You could say that," he grumbled from where he sat on the couch, awaiting her return as usual. Lana was in bed and the dogs were out in the yard, playing (forgetting how to use the doggy door to get back in) which meant that they were essentially alone. Coming to fall onto the couch next to him with ease, Mirajane took his novel from him before gently tossing it onto the coffee table.

She deserved his undivided attention, after all.

"No, silly," she giggled as she snuggled against him, Laxus staring down at her with a slight grin. "Tell me everything."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Okay, well, I brought your sister and Bickslow back together."

"How fun."

"Only for them to start groping one another in the restaurant."

"A lot less fun."

"After, of course, your sister hit on Freed, which was weird."

"Super."

"But only because Bickslow was making remarks about sleeping with you."

"I don't think I like this story."

"So I bopped him over the head."

"My hero."

Nodding, Laxus said, "And Lana was amazing today. So glad I brought her. The only one that I cared to actually spend time with."

"But, dragon," she scolded as she leaned up and stared at him, her blue irises as captivating as always. "The point wasn't for you to spend time with Lana."

"That's the point of every day."

"No, it's not." Reaching out, she tapped his nose which, usually, was annoying, but he managed to tolerate, just for her. "The point was for you to spend time with your friends. Remember?"

"I remember you thinking that," he said as it was his turn to tap her on the nose. "But I do not remember me ever conceded to that. No."

"Dragon-"

"I spent time with them," he grumbled. "Had my fill, in fact. Tomorrow, me and Lana sorta just wanna hang around the house together all day, so-"

"You aren't social enough!"

"I'm more social now than I've ever been," he argued. "Just with Lana."

"Lana doesn't count."

"Bite your tongue."

"Laxus-"

"Do it," he warned, "'fore I do it for you."

She stuck it out then, as if taunting.

"Ow, Laxus!"

Then he did it.

"I warned you," he said simply as she pushed him away.

"I think I'm bleeding."

"Turn into Satan Soul and punish me for it."

"You have such weird kinks," she complained before holding her tongue out again, though that time it was to check it for any lacerations.

Laxus only relaxed onto the couch again. "In closing-"

"No, we're not done. You do not bite, Laxus! Sheesh, maybe you are spending too much time with Lana."

"-I have decided that yes, I do need to eat out more."

That made her glance at him. "Oh?"

Nodding, he said, "With Lana."

"Oh brother," she sighed with a roll of her eyes.

"She makes such cute noises when she tries new food." He grinned at the memory. "Did I tell you about how well she chews now?"

"Yes. Just this morning over breakfast."

"Well, it serves mentioning again."

Leaning against him once more, Mirajane only reached up to touch his cheek. When he turned towards her, she said, "I think it's so cute that you love our daughter."

"Well, it's a little stronger than love, but sure."

Nodding, Mira said, "It's kinda hot."

Oh. Laxus shifted then, to better accommodate Mirajane. And, when he leaned down, she leaned up and she-

"Damn it, Mira!"

-bit him.

"That's what you get."

"What is wrong with you? You practically bit right through my lip! I'm bleeding."

"And my tongue just feels so great?" Huff. "Payback sucks, huh?"

That time, the growl was a lot deeper than the ones had been earlier in the morning and much more alluring.

To Mirajane, anyhow.

And who else mattered?

Giggles were all he got in response as he tackled her, finally, onto the couch, burying his head in her neck at the same time. He grumbled against her flesh that time, something about his poor lip or how he was tired of her trying to make him social or some other silly nonsense that didn't matter.

Because as special as his time was with his baby, the time with his demon was just as precious. Laxus didn't waste that on nothing. Every second had significance. Every single one.

Even the ones that were broken up by the dogs somehow managing to figure out that damn doggy door and storm back into the living room, yapping and breaking up the fact that Laxus was very much so enjoying all the parts of Mira that Bickslow had been dreaming of before.

Heh. His demon was a special one, being embarrassed by what a bunch of dogs saw, but she was his one.

That was all he cared about, at the end of the day.

That and his baby. Always his baby. They were both kind of just givens at that point.

"So," Mira whispered much later when they were in bed that night and trying to drift off. "Bickslow said that I was cute? Or beautiful or?"

Laxus, mind laced with sleep, mumbled, "That he wanted you to blow him or-"

"What?"

And man, Satan Soul was a lot less attractive at three in the morning when you're trying to keep her from rushing down to her little sister's apartment she shared with her boyfriend to rip his head from his body.

Not completely, enough to count.

This was one of the first one-shots I started after Last Month, but I never got around to finishing, but figured I'd go ahead and get out of the way. Laxus and Mirajane hardly get to spend any time together in most of the other ones, so this sorta makes up for that.