Magazines and Jealousy

"I dunno, Lucy," Natsu was saying as he looked around the guild. "I think he's just hiding from me."

"He's not hiding from you, Natsu," she told her pink haired boyfriend as she continued to stare down at the magazine she had spread over the table. They were at the guild awaiting Gray and Erza to show up. They hadn't been on a mission in two weeks and Lucy, as always, needed to take one soon if she was going to get her rent paid on time. "He's probably just at home or something. Overslept."

"Oh yeah? Well, I find it mighty suspicious that both him and Erza aren't here at the same time."

Lucy still didn't look up from her most recent copy of Sorcerer Magazine. "What day is it, Natsu?"

"Well, uh, I dunno. I-"

"Today is the day that Erza polishes and sharpens all her weapons. Remember? I swear, we go over this all the time."

"Yeah, but-"

"So when she finishes and when Gray wakes up, or finishes whatever it is he's doing, we can get going on a mission. For now, why don't you go over to the board and see if there's anything you actually want to do?"

"Are you trying to distract me then?"

"What? What are you-"

"You're on Gray and Erza's side!" Natsu accused, wagging a finger at her. Happy, who had been eating, looked up at that. "You better tell me what you guys are planning right now, Luce, because-"

"Natsu, would you calm down?" Lucy let out a long sigh. "You're getting really-"

"If you're not planning something-"

"Which I'm not."

"-then how come we can't just go on a mission by ourselves? Like the old days?" He was grinning then, his dark gaze gone. "Just the two of us."

"Hey!" Happy was done with his meal then and turned a glare onto his best friend. "No fair. Did you forget to include me?"

"No way, little buddy," Natsu assured him. "You can come along too, if you'd like. Wouldn't be the same with you."

Lucy only shook her head, turning the page in her magazine. "I told you to go find a mission, Natsu. If you want to go just the two-"

"Three," Happy interjected with a frown.

"-of us, fine," Lucy told him. "But you're going to have to- Ooh! Look!"

"What is it?" Natsu took to frowning as well at her outburst. Leaning across the table then, he tried to take a peek at her magazine, but she had snatched it up, holding it above her head as she stared with amazed eyes. "Luce-"

"It's Mirajane!" Lucy released the magazine when he reached over to grab it. That was more though because she wanted to see the aforementioned model. Looking over at the bar, she was dismayed to find that it was Lisanna behind it and not the Strauss she was hoping for. "Ooh, where is she then?"

"I dunno," Natsu said as he frowned at the magazine page she had it open to. "Lucy, this isn't nothing interesting. It's just more shots of Mirajane in her swimsuit. Who wants to see that? Weirdo."

"I am not a weirdo!"

"Are too!" He huffed, tossing the magazine down onto the table once more. "I thought that it was something cool. Like something about me."

"Yeah right. Like you in your swimming trunks would ever classify for such an honor as being included in-"

"Bet you wish it was," Happy chimed in then. "Because you love him."

"Shut up, you stupid cat!"

They were so busy arguing that they didn't notice the doors to the guild opening and Laxus walking through them. He had been away for some odd number of weeks, on a mission or something. The only reason Natsu knew that was because the other day when he was all ready for a fight and couldn't find Gray around, he asked Mira where her boyfriend was. Fighting with Laxus was a lot more fun than stupid old Gray! But Mira told Natsu that he went off on some special mission or something. Bleh.

At the moment though, he was back and looked rather, well, peeved. Not that that was so different from his normal front. The man in question was slowly making his way through the guild hall, planning on heading over to the bar to greet Mira. She was always all clingy and such when he first got back. And though he tried to make it seem like he hated it…well…maybe it wasn't so bad to be wanted.

Still, Laxus could not help himself from overhearing stupid Team Natsu arguing. Lucy was screaming at him about not being a weirdo or something as he taunted her with one of her magazines. Typical. Snorting, he planned to walk on passed them…until he happened to glance at the page of the magazine Natsu was flashing around.

"I am not a weirdo, Natsu! I can…admire my friends if I want to!"

"Ha! Admire? You admire Mira then? Ha! But not me? I mean, look at my abs and then at hers. Mine are way more defined. I-"

"No one is looking at her abs, nimrod!" Lucy yelled. "Now give me magazine back!"

"Na-ah! I'm not giving this back to you if- Hey, Laxus! There you are buddy." Natsu dropped the magazine down on the table then, moving to get to his feet. "I've been lookin' for you! I think it's about time that the two of us-"

"What are you doing with that?" Laxus was over at their table then, staring down at the magazine. It was a centerfold of Mira, his Mira, clad in only a bikini. And hardly one at all at that. And in the hands of Natsu? Ugh. Snatching the magazine up, he stared down at it for a moment before glaring at Natsu. "Look, you little punk, you are not to be looking at-"

"Don't look at me," Natsu defended. "I don't want to see that. At all."

"Yeah, it was Lucy that was ogling, not us," Happy agreed. "She's the weirdo!"

"I'm not a weirdo! And give me my magazine back, Laxus." Then, after looking at his dark gaze, she gave him a sheepish smile. "Please?"

Grunting, he turned and walked back towards the bar. He needed to speak with Mirajane. Immediately.

"Natsu," Lucy hissed. "Go get my magazine back."

"Me?"

"You," she said with a frown. "You're the one that got it taken. Either that or get me a new one."

"What?"

"Besides, didn't you want to fight him?"

"Oh yeah!" Jumping up then, he cracked his knuckles before calling back out to Laxus. "Hey, you better get back here with Lucy's magazine. Else you're gonna have to deal with me. And believe me-"

"Ah, give it a rest, Natsu," another person said as they came through the guild doors. "Laxus isn't any more scared of you than he is getting struck by lighting."

"Gray," Natsu growled, turning at the sound of his voice. "There you are, you coward!"

"Coward? What are you-"

"How dare you plan stuff with Lucy and Erza behind my back." He pounded his fists together. "It's time to pay, buddy."

"No, Natsu," Lucy yelled as he ran after his own teammate. "Laxus! I said to attack Laxus. Remember?"

The man in question was over to the bar at that time, staring down Lisanna who was actually looking passed him, watching Natsu and Gray go at it.

"Where's your sister, Lisanna?" Laxus asked this, voice gravely. He was not one to be ignored. Especially not for something that happened, oh, every single day. "I need to talk to her. Now."

"Uh, I don't know where she is," Lisanna said slowly, meeting Laxus' eyes with hesitance. "She just told me to watch the bar while she went to the basement to get some stuff. She should have come back by now though, so-"

"Laxus!"

He looked up at the sound of his name, frowning when he saw the woman coming out of one of the doors. It did, in fact, lead down to the basement. In her hands she was carrying a large box. Elfman, who was at the bar as well, quickly got to his feet to go help his big sister carry it.

"Set it right there, Elfman," she told him, nodding behind the bar before going over to her boyfriend. "Laxus, I didn't know you were getting back today. You said-"

"Finished early," he told her gruffly before holding up the magazine. "How do you explain this?"

"Hmmm." Mira put a finger to her lip, staring at the page of the magazine he had it opened to. "Well, I do not see why you're so upset, Laxus. I mean, why would you care about the most eligible bachelor in-"

"What?" Turning the magazine so he could look at it, he found that he had somehow flipped the pages at some point. Growling, he began to speed through them before finding the centerfold that Natsu and his weirdo girlfriend were drooling over before. "Not that. This."

"Oh." Mira brightened immediately, putting a hand to her mouth and giggling. Lisanna leaned over the bar to get a good look herself. "Do you like it?"

"Do I- That's not the point, Mira," he told her with a severe look. "I-"

"Look." She reached out to grab the magazine, grinning down at the photo of herself. "I even wore a yellow bikini for you. Since it's your favorite color and all. Though it's more a gold really. I thought it'd be a nice surprise for when you got back. I never thought that you'd actually buy one though. How did you know-"

"He didn't buy one." Suddenly Lucy was at their side, glaring up at Laxus who only gave her an even harsher one back. "He took it from me. I would like to have it back."

"Of course, Lucy." Mira handed it over without a second thought. "Did you like my pictures?"

"Oh yes," Lucy said, quickly getting out of her defunct mood and back into her perky one. "I didn't know that you were being included in this issue. You should have said something."

"I would have, but-"

"Would you stop talking?" Laxus was beginning to get irritated with Mirajane as well. "I-"

"Laxus, maybe you need a drink, hmmm?" Lisanna was smiling at him then, apparently not able to take a hint. "I can get you-"

"You shut up too," he growled at her, his eyes flaring…until he felt someone hit his chest. Mira.

"What is your problem?" she asked with a frown. "Are you upset that I didn't know you were coming home? Because if so, do not take it out on the rest of them. You told me that you wouldn't be back until-"

"Do you honestly thing that's what wrong?"

"Well, I don't know what else-"

"This is what's wrong, Mira." He snatched Lucy's magazine back out of her hands as she whined in defeat.

"Why are you always picking on me?" she moaned. "At least let me finish reading it first!"

"Laxus, give her the magazine back." Mira crossed her arms then, raising an eyebrow. "I can get you your own copy, if that's what's bothering you."

Growling once more, he said, "What's bothering me is the fact that the weirdo and her boyfriend are over there drooling over something that's mine-"

"Drooling is a strong word," Lucy said with a blush before glancing at Mira. "I mean, I just thought that you looked nice. And I'm not a weirdo!"

"Are too." Happy, now done with watching Natsu and Gray, once again, go at it for no reason, called over as he flew towards them. "Everyone knows Natsu's just a cover. You love Mira."

"Shut up, you stupid cat before I-"

"Laxus, give me the magazine."

"Mira-"

"Now."

He didn't hand it over (he wasn't completely whipped), but did toss it to the ground. Then, looking at Lucy, he said, "Pick it up then."

"And no looking up Mira's dress while you're down there," Happy said. "You weirdo."

"I wouldn't do that and you know it!"

Letting out a slight huff, Mira stared Laxus in the eye before saying to her sister, "Can you watch the bar for a little while longer please? And Elfman, can you open that box I brought in? It has plates in it."

"Okay."

"Of course, big sis."

Laxus was still angry as he allowed Mira to lead him up the stairs to the second floor. Though everyone was allowed up there in the new guild building, very few people actually ever went. Once the forbidden fruit is relinquished and determined to be good for all, the demand goes down.

"Now will you tell me what's wrong? Please?" Mira stared up at him with concerned eyes. He only turned to lean up against the railing overlooking the lower floor though, thinking for a moment.

"I just don't like creeps like Natsu looking at you all…all sexy and stuff. Not when you belong to me."

That made her snort, though she did uncross her arms slightly as she stared at him. "That's all? Laxus-"

"That's all? That's all?" He was getting worked up again. "Mira, you're-"

"It's not like you didn't know that I modeled, Laxus," she told him then with a frown. "Did you honestly think that I would never do another shoot because I'm seeing you?"

No. Yes. Maybe. Did it matter?

"That's not the point, Mira. When I come into the guild hall, the last thing I want to see are the losers here staring at you. You get why that might just piss me off a little? Huh?"

"Hmmm." She stared at him then, patting her lips with a finger as she thought. Then she grinned. "Oh, I understand. You're jealous."

"I'm…what?"

"Laxus, that's so cute!" She bounced then as he glowered out at the people below them. "Why did you not say so sooner? Oh, we should go apologize to Lucy. Unless…are you jealous of her too? Because I like Lucy very much, but-"

"I'm not jealous, Mirajane, so stop saying that."

"But you are," she said with another giggle. "When I tell Lisanna that you-"

"Stop talking."

"But-"

"I mean it. Stop speaking. Now."

Another giggle. Ugh. All the women in the world and he ended up with her.

"Did you not like the photos then, Laxus?" she asked then as she took a step closer to him. He still wouldn't face her though. "'cause I thought that you-"

"I never said that I didn't like them," he told her with a slight snarl. "But I'm supposed to be the one that likes them."

"You're who I took them for. I thought-"

"But you didn't take them for me, Mira. Now every guy in Fiore will see them. And has seen all the others." He himself, after all, had admired some of Mira's photos far before he ever even admitted to himself that he might be interested in her. "Especially that stupid pink haired one and his loser girlfriend."

"Lucy and Natsu are our friends, Laxus."

He grunted. Frowning, she repeated what she has said, that time more or less commanding it.

"Lucy and Natsu are our friends, Laxus," she told him with a long stare. "Alright?"

Another grunt.

"And you are going to apologize to Lisanna."

Grunt.

"I mean it."

Pausing, he finally said, "Fine, but I'm not apologizing to anyone else. I'm only doing it 'cause she's your sister and all."

"Good." That brought her grin back. Turning, she faced the railing as well, leaning her hands against it. Mira took a moment before slowly saying, "You know, you don't have to get all jealous, Laxus. I mean, guys stare at me all the time. I rather like it."

Great. Reaching up, he adjusted his headphones slightly, growing more and more annoyed by the minute.

"Laxus," she sighed before bumping her elbow against his. Glancing down at her, he found that she was just staring up at him. "You have to admit, I do look pretty good in yellow."

"Did I ever say that you didn't?"

Taking that to mean that all was forgiven, she reached up to mess with his headphones that time, taking one of them off his ear before putting it against her own. He didn't even flinch when she did this. It was just one of the perks of being his girlfriend. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough.

Suddenly, the guild doors burst opened with a bang and in walked Erza, wearing her normal armor while seeming rather unimpressed with the scene that greeted her. It did not take her long to have Gray and Natsu not only broken up, but with two knots on both their heads.

"Good old Erza," Mira remarked softly before sighing. Laxus wouldn't look at her again. "I have to get back to work, you know."

"I know. I just wanted you to know that I was back." He reached over to take back his headphone then. "So I'll see you tonight then."

"But you don't wanna stay and-"

"Why would I want to stay around these losers?" He snorted. "I'll see you then."

He couldn't get away fast enough. The second he turned his back, she wrapped her arms around him for a tight hug.

"Mira-"

"It's okay to be jealous sometimes," she told him softly, resting her head against his back. "If something's that important to you, sometimes you have to get a little possessive."

Grunt.

"But you won't tell me what to do, Laxus. And don't forget it."

Okay, moment over. Shoving her arms off then, he headed back down the stairs. Stupid demon. "Whatever."

When they made it to the bottom of the stairs, Laxus found himself being drug back over to the bar by Mira. It took him a moment to realize what she wanted him for. When he saw Lisanna's face though, he only sighed.

"Look, I…shouldn't have snapped at you or whatever," he said softly when Mira let him go. There was hardly anyone around anyways. "Lisanna."

"Real men know when to apologize," Elfman agreed from behind the bar where he was still working on getting all those plates in their spot. Narrowing his eyes, Laxus waited for Mira to kiss his cheek as well as reach up to run a hand through his yellow locks in thanks before turning to head away.

"Whatever," he grumbled, heading for the door.

"Bye, Laxus," Mira called after him to which he only raised a hand in farewell.

They might have been finished, but Natsu and his horde of idiots were still going at it. Juvia had appeared and was trying to tend to Gray's sore head while Lucy was still yelling about Happy continually calling her a perv and weirdo. Hn. The only thing of interest for Laxus was the fact that Lucy had sat her precious magazine down on one of the tables and wasn't watching it. Not even Natsu was, instead busy arguing with Erza about what mission they should take.

Slyly grabbing it as he passed, Laxus easily left the disorganized team behind and headed out of the guild hall, clutching the prized magazine in his hands.

Just because he didn't want stupid Natsu and his weirdo girlfriend looking at Mira didn't mean that he shouldn't be. Duh.

Really have other stories that I should be working on, but I'm suddenly fell in love with this couple. Oops.