Life After Near Death

Fake Fantasy

"A lie that is half-truth is the darkest of all lies."

― Alfred Tennyson

Although Gray could walk, recovery was still slow. He lost a lot of muscle during his months paralyzed. Simply walking from his house to the guild hall exhausted him and made his leg muscles cramp up.

Still, he practiced and trained. He had to start off slow with weight training. Since it was not at some insanely monstrous level, either Juvia or Lucy helped him out with this. He wanted to get back into fighting as soon as possible, so when he was too tired to stand, he sat on a hill and got creative with his Ice-Make magic or focused on his Demon Slayer magic.

He quietly admitted over drinks with Lyon, he really had lost all hope during his months being injured, and since he could not imagine a future without fighting for Fairy Tail, he had thought about suicide many times. Now, he cried with happiness at simply being alive. He had held on long enough to reach this point now, back on both feet, gradually regaining his life. He and Lyon drank all night to celebrate.

"Life has a tendency to get better, if only we hold on through the darkness," Lyon told his adopted little brother.

"You're one to talk," Gray smiled drunkenly. "You've got a pretty damn good life."

"I'm one who held on. I went from the lowest a wizard can get to the ace of Lamia Scale." He tipped his glass to Gray. "You'll go places too, little brother. I have a feeling this is the start of a new life for you."

Just then, a waitress came by. "Hello, gentlemen. We close in ten minutes. Can I get something for you as a last call?"

Gray smiled as he eyed her up and down. "How about a phone number and a date on your next night off?"

"Smooth," she chuckled.

"Another round of beers, then."

"And the tab," Lyon said. "My treat tonight."

"Well, that's generous of you," Gray said as the waitress strolled off. "We've been drinking for hours. It must be a hell of a tab we've racked up."

"Hey, my little brother is back on his feet and able to drink without worrying about destroying what's left of his liver. I have to do everything I can to knock you down a peg before you start to get cocky, even if it means putting you in my debt."

"When am I ever cocky?"

The waitress came back. "Here you go," she said, handing a beer and the bill to Lyon. "And ... here you go," she smiled at Gray, handing over his beer and a napkin with a number written on it. She gave him a seductive smile before strolling off with a wiggle to her hips.

Lyon rolled his eyes. "Cockiness in three, two, one..."

"So she likes me. Is that so strange?"

"A month ago, you were lamenting about not getting laid. I believe your words were, 'No woman can see me past the wheelchair.' Which is bullshit, by the way. A real lover will keep loving you, wheelchair or not."

"Maybe, but I don't have anyone who loves me."

Lyon gave him a cold look. "You do, and you know it."

"Right. Juvia," he groaned, rolling his eyes. "You can have her."

"I could never win her," Lyon shrugged in defeat. "The point is, you were a sob story waiting to break out the tissue box last month. Now..." He said nothing and just waved to the scrap of paper as evidence to the contrary. "Welcome back to the realm of hitting on waitresses and meaningless sex. Hell, if it was me, after what you've been through, I'd definitely be an arrogant sonuvabitch."