Autumn Skies // A miraxus fanfiction

//Chapter 9//

Chapter 9- Session Two

I almost forgot about the second support group session that evening, but sadly not quite. It felt far more relaxed the second tine though, because I knew what to expect and I was amongst friends.
And that's what they were, though I hadn't known them long.
I walked into the room two minutes late because my geography lesson had over run, and was pleased to find I wasn't the last to arrive: three seats remained empty, and a brief glance around the room told me who those people were: Gray, Lucy and Juvia. Laxus gestured for me to sit in the empty chair beside him, so I did just that.
"Hello again Mira- I'm so glad to see you," Bella greeted me, and I muttered a quick hello out of politeness. Her gaze was somehow scrutinising and judgmental what with her lush, long, fan of lashes that fluttered above misty blue eyes, rose tinged cheeks and glossy pink lips- it felt more like the start of an interrogation than a kindly gesture.
"How are you?" she asked, leaning forwards and smiling encouragingly with her glossy pink lips.
"I'm fine," was all I said looking awkwardly down at my hands which were clasped tightly on my lap.
"Really? This is a place where you can tell us how you really feel, Mira, so don't be afraid to speak up."
Though I continued to stare at my fingers I was aware that the others were all gazing at me (though I couldn't say why) and it somehow made me nervous- the air seemed to thicken around me and press in from all sides.
"Mira?" she repeated, and it became a bit too much to handle. What right did she have to patronise and question me? How could she pretend to understand what I felt when she hadn't a clue who I was? I wanted to be angry- to answer with confidence- but instead I felt tears gather in my eyes as the seemingly endless sadness wrapped around me. I closed them tight in an attempt to stop the tears from spilling; a few slipped free none the less.
Suddenly, something warm touched my thigh and as my lids fluttered warily open I saw a large, firm hand gripping supportively onto my leg. It was certainly distracting to feel his skin through my thin black school tights, and the warmth which suddenly seemed to be spreading through my body. Laxus.
"For Christ's sake Bella shut up! You don't seriously think this is helping Mira do you? Why do we have to come see you every week when all you do is make us feel like dirt?" he yelled, tightening his grip so hard it hurt. I could hear his heavy breaths, feel the way he shook with anger, every muscle in his body tensed and dangerous. A part of me was grateful to hear him speak those words, stand up for me, but that feeling was overpowered with my fear at how out of control he seemed- a merciless wild beast protecting its young.
"We can talk this through Laxus, it's okay to be angry," Bella smiled, turning her attention to his rigid form.
He was infront of her in a second, one hand grasping the bare flesh of her arm and the other raised, clenched, about to swing.
The world around me slowed almost to a stop, my mind more awake than it had ever been. I took in Bella's fear, the way she cowered back and raised her free arm in an attempt to protect herself from the mammoth teen, and yet more than anything I noticed the way Laxus's eyes stared at some unknown horror beyond Bella- glazed by the treacherous ghosts which seemed to swarm his mind.
That's what I want to get straight; that's the bit of the story you have to understand. I didn't spring to my feet and grab Laxus for the sake of that patronising woman: it was anything but the heroic rescue mission most interpreted my actions as. What propelled me to his side was the desire to pull his back, to clear his vision of whatever it was he saw and not let anybody feel such horrendous mental pain as I was burdened with.
So I did it, I grabbed a hold of his arm as it went to slam into Bella's delicate cheek- turning his wild anger towards myself. He wasn't thinking- he wasn't himself- it wasn't his fault. I was just there, he was hurting, and so he took it out on me.
Laxus released Bella and swung a fist into my jaw, knocking my head sideways as pain exploded where his hand had hit. I fell to my hands and knees, overcome with shock, my knees smacking against the earth with a jolt that did nothing to bring me to my senses. He kicked me in the stomach, sending me crashing down onto my side, then grabbed my hair and wrenched my bleeding face up to look at him, fist clenched and ready to smash me to unconsciousness.
I shut my eyes tight and waited for the impact.
It did not come.
"Laxus!" Natsu yelled, and suddenly everything was frozen as I nervously opened my eyes to see Laxus's expression twisted with horror. His fist fell to his side, he let go of my hair, and I fell back to the floor with tears of agony spilling from my eyes. Everything hurt.
"Mira... Mira I..." he whispered, making a move to reach for my cheek, but Natsu had grabbed him and was pulling him away in a tight lock.
"Mira? Oh my God, somebody call 999," Bella shrieked, and I was aware of blood on my lips. She pulled her iPhone from her handbag and dialled the well known number, gushing to the cool man who asked her what she wanted. Laxus shook Natsu free with ease and fell to his knees beside me, panic in his expression as his fingers brushed my cheek causing me to wince in pain.
"I didn't mean to- Mira I'm so sorry, where does it hurt, what can I do? It was an accident I swear, I'd never hurt you."
I was taken to the school office, then put in an ambulance. If it had been anyone else I would've been fine, but Laxus had more strength in his little finger than most people possessed in their entire arm. I drifted put of consciousness pretty quickly, my last thought of the self loathing in Laxus's eyes as he realised what he'd done.