Moving on

Chapter 8 : Get to know each other

Mira woke up tired as if she didn't slept at all. Well, it was kind of true. Just like she feared, she had a really light sleep that night because of her pained leg and that, not considering all the times she suddenly woke up by moving her wound in her sleep. She somehow managed to sleep to a certain point because when she opened her eyes, Laxus wasn't in bed anymore. He was sit on it, is back in her direction while looking through the window. He seemed sad, just like on the ferry. He was obviously thinking about yesterday's events and the young woman now knew it was about his father.

Mira hadn't known Laxus's father, but the events seemed recent enough when Makarov took care of her brother and her. Then, Mira wasn't really interested about anything other than own drama. Anyway, she thought, even younger, Laxus never was the kind of guy to talk, so things would probably have been the same. She sighed. Ignoring the pain, she lifted herself up and made a couple of hesitant steps, using the bed as support. Laxus was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice her approaching. When she placed a hand on his shoulder, he turned to her. His face seemed to say "since when are you up?" Then his traits went neutral again, taking his stare back to the window.

- How are you feeling? Asked Mira worried.

- You're the one that got shot, he said diverting the question. How do you feel?

- I'm okay, she answered with a smile.

- You should sit with that leg, he said keeping that sober tone he was using since the beginning of the discussion.

His eyes were still aiming outside, not looking something in particular. There was nothing to look at anyway.

- I'm okay... really, don't worry! Answered Mira. And anyway, it doesn't hurt that much! She lied, taking her characteristic joyful tone.

- Tssss.

Instead of the reaction of relief she was hoping for, he turned back, finally taking his burning look from the window.

- Aren't you sick of faking?

She definitely wasn't expecting that. The young woman was staring at Laxus, agape.

- Wh...haaat? She finally managed to say.

- You know dawn right what I'm saying. Your constant smile, your fake joy. It's obvious it huts like hell! Damn it! I heard you turning all night Mira.

When he saw she wasn't about to retort, he continued.

- Last night, I saw the true Mirajane. If you're always that happy, why did you learn to fight like that?

- Can't a girl simply like martial arts?

- If that was the case, you wouldn't have hid it, right?

The white haired girl was caught off guard. She always thought Laxus was ignorant to what anyone could feel. And there he did just, in only a few hours in her company, pierced the shell she forged around herself since her sister's death.

- Whatever, he concluded. You don't have to do that.

A tear crossed he cheek. She haven't cried in front of anyone in six years. How that egocentric guy did just manage to make her react that way? He may not be that self-centred after all.

Within a minute, Mira could swear she saw a smile in the corner of his lips when he noticed the tear. Normally, Mira would've think of him as an insensitive man, but she now knew it wasn't the case. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, she knew he was slowly stating to let go. He dried the tear with his thumb then stood up as if nothing just happened.