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At first, Laxus doesn’t really notice.
In his defense, by the time there is anything to notice, he’s the master of Fairy Tail, which is a job that requires more than his full attention.
Besides, it’s not like he’s been completely clueless. He does know about Evergreen and Elfman, of course. And . . . so what if Evergreen has a giant, glittering ring on her finger? And waves it in front of his face every time she sees him. And Elfman loudly tells the guild frequently that only a real man can propose to his woman. And the two of them argue publicly—and in a manly fashion—about wedding plans.
But it isn’t until he’s at the bar after a long day waiting for Mira to bring him a drink that things really start to come together.
Evergreen and Elfman join him, bickering about flowers, which isn’t altogether out of the ordinary. Then Bickslow takes a seat next to them before Lisanna Strauss appears to sit next to him. Bickslow slings his arm around her and she giggles at something he whispers to her. The babies chirp happily around her. Laxus is so busy dumbfoundedly staring at them that he doesn’t see Freed at first. But then Freed walks out of the kitchen accompanied by Mirajane Strauss and holding a tray of drinks for her.
Laxus’s eyes practically bug out of his head when he sees Mira kissing Freed’s cheek before she takes the tray from him to set down in front of Laxus.
“What the hell?” he demands.
Freed vaults over the bar to take the stool on Laxus’s other side. “What is it?” Freed asks calmly, as if everything is normal, and Laxus is the crazy one.
“When did you white-haired freaks steal my Thunder Legion?” Laxus asks incredulously. “And why? ”
Bickslow, Lisanna, and the babies laugh. Evergreen makes an indignant snort. Mirajane giggles behind her hand.
“Are you only noticing now?” Freed’s mouth quirks up in a smirk as he looks at Mira. “Honestly, we thought you had noticed sooner and simply didn’t wish to comment on the matter.”
“Yeah, man, Lis and I have been together for months ,” Bickslow says. The babies chant his echo.
“Only four,” Lisanna says, prodding his shoulder and grinning. “You make it sound like so long.”
“That’s a long time, baby!” Bickslow exclaims, swatting her hand away.
“This really shouldn’t be a surprise to you,” Evergreen huffs. “Elfman and I are engaged.” She flashes her ring for emphasis.
“Yeah, I get that,” Laxus says, still reeling. “But . . . all of you? Freed?”
Freed shrugs, looking smug, and Mirajane laughs harder.
“What?”
“Freed and I have been dating since we all got back from Tenrou,” she says.
“ What .”
The others join in laughing at him, but he’s too stricken to care. Really? Freed Justine has been dating? Mirajane Strauss? For nearly three years?
“Hey, Freed, what gives?” Bickslow says. “You gonna put a ring on it, or what?”
“Yeah, a real man would’ve proposed to Mira already,” Eflman agrees, crossing his arms. “And Mira deserves the realest man.”
At this, Freed blushes and Mirajane rolls her eyes. “Well, I- It’s complicated . . .” Freed stammers.
“Oh, leave him be. They do things differently where he comes from, and I respect that,” Mira says, lightly glaring at her brother, and then her sister and Bickslow. “We really need to be more concerned about these two, Elf. You both look like trouble whenever I see you.”
“Hey, I’m a perfect gentleman, I swear.” Bickslow throws his hands up defensively, tongue lolling. The babies chant, Liar! Liar!
“Laxus, you look like you’re having a stroke,” Evergreen says, looking amused. “What’s the matter?”
Laxus glares at her. “Every one of my freaking teammates is hooking up with a freaking Strauss. Doesn’t that bother anyone?”
“Obviously just you.” Evergreen rolls her eyes.
“Dude, you should see the look on your face right now,” Bickslow adds.
“We really thought you knew,” Freed says.
“It’s a little funnier that he didn’t,” Lisanna chimes in.
“Mira, give me that drink,” Laxus groans. With a sympathetic smile. She passes it to him and he doesn’t put it down until the mug is empty.
Laxus is horrified to discover that Bickslow and Lisanna are not the worst of the three eccentric couples, and that gives him headaches without even having to interact with any of them. Especially because Bickslow and Lisanna are absolute gremlins .
They cause a ridiculous amount of trouble in the guild and on missions. They are a duo of pranksters who have little concept of just how little other people want to be involved in their jokes. Bickslow nearly loses his life to Erza when he steals one of her swords. He and Lisanna, along with Happy, rile Natsu up to the point of starting a guild-wide brawl. (Which Laxus has never really minded, and has even enjoyed on occasion. But he’s in charge of these lunatics now, and he’s responsible for coordinating the clean-up after.) Bickslow and Lisanna set a trap for Evergreen which leaves the woman in a loud, indecipherable, screeching mess that Laxus can’t shove off onto Elfman—who’s on a mission— or Freed—who is conveniently absent.
They’re often huddled closely together to whisper and giggle and plot. They drag Laxus to a wine and painting party with the “whole family” which usually includes the Thunder Legion, the Strausses, Laxus, and some date Mirajane has conjured for him. Lisanna is all too happy to dye Bix’s hair or paint his nails or encourage his more eccentric style choices and much to her sister’s dismay, she even starts picking up on some of the eccentricity herself. Laxus thinks Mira actually wept when she found out that Lisanna let Bix anywhere near her hair.
Despite the endless trouble, however, Laxus has to admit to himself that Lisanna is actually . . . really good for Bickslow. Laxus has never seen Bickslow so comfortable with his powers and the people around him. He scarcely even wears his helmet anymore, unconcerned about accidentally catching someone’s soul.
Bickslow seems more stable now, too. The frequent running from people who didn’t understand his magic and the time along with the souls of his dead family had left him just on the functional side of not-okay-in-the-head. When Laxus first met him, Bickslow was jumpy, erratic, and completely unwilling to trust anyone. He fit in great with Laxus and Freed at the time, neither of whom was particularly trusting or normal themselves. But even as they’d all grown and learned to at least trust in each other, Bickslow was always unpredictable and sometimes nonsensical. It became a tool for intimidation, too, and the rest of them just grew used to his sort of eccentricity. They were all a little— a lot —odd.
A lot has changed. Bickslow seems to be able to relax around Lisanna. His eyes don’t jump around the room looking for threats. They don’t glow like they do when his magic gets out of hand, either. He laughs so easily with Lisanna. It’s less desperate and more genuine and happy.
Very grudgingly, Laxus admits he approves.
It’s easier to accept Evergreen and Elfman because he’s known too much about them and for a lot longer.
Sadly, they get even more obnoxious than Bickslow and Lisanna, though.
It’s mostly Evergreen’s fault. She’s always been contrary, boisterous, and bad at hiding how she really feels. This wouldn’t necessarily be a problem, Laxus is used to tuning her out, but then Elfman joins in. Between them, Laxus can never get any work done. And they have conversations that include things Laxus just doesn’t want to know about. It’s going to be a nightmare when he has to deal with their kids. And he knows he’ll have to, because they argue about how many all the time.
They also won’t shut up about each other. They bicker and argue until Elfman leaves the room and then Evergreen brags about all the things her fiance does for her. Evergreen is on a mission with the Thunder Legion and it’s all Laxus can do not to strangle Elfman when he gushes about how stunning his soon-to-be bride will look or when he all but begs Laxus for stories about what Ever was like when they were younger. Sometimes it feels like Laxus can’t go five minutes put together—much less added up—without the two of them shoving their relationship in his face.
However, inexplicably, Evergreen is also . . . quieter. She is more thoughtful and considerate, she takes her time on things that are important, and ironically, she seems more confident even if she’s stopped loudly proclaiming her beauty and power. She doesn’t stop by every reflection to check her hair or her makeup or her dress anymore. She no longer asks him, Freed, and Bickslow what they think when she tries something new. And her smile is so much different than he remembers. It’s soft, and content, and she slips into it so easily.
Evergreen was neglected and abandoned as a child. She became jaded and in need of constant attention and validation. When they met, she told them frequently that she didn’t need any of them, or want their help or company. But she followed them all around and they just got used to her presence and then even came to welcome it. She preened and flaunted and showed off.
Not anymore.
So . . . yeah. When Elfman asked Laxus’ permission to marry her, he gave his blessing. Even though he grumbles that it's not his to give. (Even if there’s no way he’d let anyone get away with marrying her without it.)
And when Evergreen asks him to walk her down the aisle, he agrees. (And if he agrees a little too enthusiastically, no one but him and Ever have to know.)
All of this means that, tragically, Freed and Mira are the worst of the three couples.
By far.
It’s not surprising that Laxus didn’t notice they were together because Freed is an intensely private person. But as soon as Laxus knows about them, he can’t get away from them. They’re everywhere. They take jobs together, they hover around each other at the guild, Freed helps her behind the bar, and they spend time off together doing gods-know-what. Even when they’re apart, Laxus has to watch Freed sneaking glances at her from across the guild hall.
The worst part is when Mirajane gets on her matchmaking kicks, and Freed actually helps . Laxus thought a Freed who isolated and avoided interaction was bad. A Freed who willingly socializes is worse. What Mirajane lacks in tact and subtly, Freed makes up for with conniving and meticulous planning. They orchestrate “meet-cutes” and “happy accidents” wherein Laxus is usually the victim of immense embarrassment in front of some poor, unsuspecting girl.
And Mirajane supports Freed when he gets on week-long obsessions in the library with new books, runes, and spells. She encourages him to experiment, even at the guild where accidents happen and grow to involve the entire guild hall. So far, nothing too irreparable has happened, but the whole guild is still traumatized from the mass hallucination incident, and the less said about that, the better.
Freed was always the most difficult to pin down of the Thunder Legion. He was strict and disciplined about his magic and loyalty but seemed to care the least of all of them about collateral damage or the worth of a villain’s life. He was prone to long bouts of irritable silence and also long-winded rants about magical theory none of them could follow. Even after standing faithfully by Laxus’ side for years, he’s barely shared a thing with Laxus about what all brought a dirty but well-dressed foreigner with volatile magic to Fairy Tail. Something about a bastard, something about an exile, something about a demon sharing his soul.
Laxus gets roped in on a job with the two of them, not necessarily of his own volition. They move around each other with the ease of two people who are so in tune with each other that they always know exactly where the other is going. Sometimes they talk, sometimes they don’t. As they walk, they hold hands. Freed asks her if she’ll mind a simple stew for dinner when they get back. Mira says she’d love anything he makes, even toast with jam.
Admittedly, it’s all a little freaky.
Laxus takes the back seat on the fighting and watches Freed and Mirajane battle a giant monster. They both take on their demonic forms almost immediately and any pieces of the puzzle Laxus has been missing fall into place. Freed is actually at peace with the demon. It’s no wonder he’s been so involved with their guildmates and so much more laid back. He isn’t worried about losing control and hurting them. Freed doesn’t see himself as a monster anymore. It’s made him kinder, more outspoken, and more free in his interactions with people.
When the fighting is over, Freed wraps an arm around Mirajane’s shoulder and kisses the top of her head. Then they start in on the clean-up.
With a resigned sigh, Laxus helps them.
Even his sulky, morally-questionable best friend is happy, which just means that Laxus will have to be happy about it too. He’s not as uncomfortable with the thought as he wants to be.
And he also wishes that Gramps could still be around to see them all.
The wedding is surprisingly low-key and simple, for all the commotion Evergreen raised about it. It’s mostly just Fairy Tail and a few friends from other guilds in attendance because neither Evergreen nor Elfman have any family but Fairy Tail. For most of them, Fairy Tail is the only family worth mentioning.
Laxus walks Evergreen down the aisle to meet the great white-haired oaf who is trying to stifle tears, and Laxus realizes that he’s proud. He’s proud of the powerful woman Evergreen has become and he’s happy for her. He’s a little choked up himself when he passes her hand to Elfman’s and realizes he’s not the one she’s going to turn to first anymore for safety.
Somewhere far away, there’s a petty, arrogant, asshole who scoffs at all this nonsense and mutters about weakness. That boy is stuck in a persistent dent in the roof of Kardia Cathedral. Laxus hopes with everything in him that such stupidity never returns.
There is nothing so satisfying as the dazzling smile on Evergreen’s face as she says her vows. Nothing so exciting as the prospect of watching her continue to grow. Nothing so impactful as the realization that he’s watching his best friends, his chaotic little sister and his wild little brothers, grow as people.
At the reception, he hangs back and watches his guild party the way only they know how. It’s loud and joyful and filled with alcohol and delight. They dance and they wrestle a little and they sing off-key. Towards the end of the night, Evergreen’s dress is dirty at the bottom and Elfman’s suit coat is fraying at the shoulders, but neither of them care. It’s clear the whole rest of the party is invisible as long as they look at each other.
The others aren’t much better off. Bickslow and Lisanna are laughing loudly and dancing clumsily around each other and into other people. Bickslow has a drink in hand, his visor long gone, and Lisanna even convinced him to wear a vest and dress pants, though both are pinstriped and his purple sleeves are rolled up. They catch Happy and the babies in an awkward circle. Then they grab Natsu and Lucy, Gray and Erza, Cana, Laki, Levy, Gajeel, Pantherlily, and most of the rest of the dance floor.
Freed and Mirajane waltz neatly out of their way. The two of them are a stunning couple, dancing flawlessly to an entirely different kind of song than the one that’s playing. There’s a swirl of thin black metal and a finely shaped blood diamond on Mira’s left ring finger. Laxus has already agreed to be the best man.
This is real power, Laxus realizes. This is the full effect of the family Natsu always rants about. They are, all of them, wounded. They bear scars from physical and psychological horrors alike. But at the end of the day, they heal each other. They make up for what anyone else lacks, and when it’s all of them together, they lack nothing.
Laxus doesn’t really want anything else.
He chuckles and closes his eyes, turning his head up. “I get it, old man. I really get it, now. You were right. I’m just sorry it took me so long and cost you so much.”
He’s startled from his thoughts when he catches the smell of lilacs nearby and he opens his eyes to see a nervous redheaded woman approaching him. She’s the new girl, Laxus knows. Really new. He’s pretty sure Mira just gave her the guild mark yesterday. She wears a pretty emerald dress that leaves her freckled shoulders and collarbones bare. Her hair is wildly curly and little ringlets spring out all about her head like a halo.
“Hi,” she says. “You must be Master Laxus.”
“Uh,” he responds rather eloquently. “Yeah. It’s just Laxus, though. I don’t really care much for the title.”
“Right. Laxus.” She smiles and holds out her hand. Mirth and amusement dance in her eyes. “I’m Ophelia Hallowfang. Your friends said I should introduce myself.”
Laxus spares a glance over her shoulder to glare at the man he sometimes consideres his best friend and the demon-spawn of a woman who accompanies him. They both smile at him wickedly and Laxus is sure he sees the dark magic of their souls flash in their eyes before they resume dancing.
He turns his attention back to Ophelia and shakes her hand. “Nice to meet you. Welcome to Fairy Tail.” Her grip is firm and her skin is warm. There’s a story behind the thin white lines that pepper her knuckles. There’s an ease in her shoulders that speaks of finding Fairy Tail to be home.
A jaded boy in Kardia Cathedral throws a fit.
Laxus stands and offers his arm to her and says, “You dance?”
“If a handsome man is asking,” she says, hand slipping into the crook of his elbow. Even though her cheeks flush a little pink, making golden freckles stand out even more against olive skin, her smile turns into more of a smirk. “And on Saturdays.”
It’s Saturday. Laxus chuckles. “Fair enough.” He leads her out to the dance floor and almost immediately gets caught up in the prancing ring Bickslow and Lisanna started that now includes most of the guild.
Yeah, I get it , Laxus thinks. Ophelia’s hand holds his tightly so as not to lose him in the chaos. Bickslow all but leaps on Freed while Lisanna works on dragging Mira into the mess of dancers. Evergreen and Elfman are smiling like bafoons in the center of the ring while all of Fairy Tail laughs and cheers.
Laxus smiles too.