Phoenix

This is a bit of a problem

Emi looked around trying to find Laxus, but she couldn't seem to locate him. She wandered through the whole house, but she still came up empty. She heard a loud and sudden bang from outside and ran to the clearing. Laxus was standing in front of a bunch of fallen trees and breathing heavily.

"Laxus, what're you--"

"Go back inside."

"Are you okay--"

"I said go."

She was taken back by his sudden hostility, but obeyed and retreated to the living room. She watched through the window as Laxus continued to punch trees down.

"Damn I didn't think you'd do that much damage without using magic," Lucy said, shocked.

"What is he doing?" Emi mumbled to herself.

She heard another loud bang and jumped slightly. She huffed and stomped back outside, holding her hands on his hips.

"Laxus, you're going to destroy the whole forest like this and then we won't have any cover to hide behind."

"Didn't I tell you to go back inside?"

"Why are you doing this?" Emi asked as she started to inch closer to him.

"Stay back!"

Emi stopped walking and tilted her head, concern filling her eyes.

"Laxus--"

All he said was, "I can't be around you right now."

He walked towards the town, leaving her behind.

"What the hell was that all about?" Emi questioned herself. "I hope he's okay."

It had been three hours since Laxus disappeared when Emi heard the door unlock. She jumped up from her seat on the couch and rushed over to the door to meet him.

"Where did you--"

Laxus pushed past her and quickly made his way up the stairs before slamming the door. Emi blinked a few times and turned her head to look up the stairs. She quietly climbed the stairs and softly knocked on the door.

"Go away."

"Will you at least tell me what I did? I might be able to--"

She went to discreetly turn the doorknob so she could slide into the room unnoticed, but as soon as she went to touch it she heard Laxus jump up and lock it from the inside.

"Come on, Laxus. At least talk to me so that I can do something to--"

"You can't do anything to help, so just do what you usually do."

Emi sighed before walking away from his door and returning to the living room to get her book. She stood next to the couch in thought before silently making her way back to Laxus's door and sitting next to it.

"I'm not coming out, you know," Laxus grunted. "So you can leave."

"You're gonna have to pee at some point."

Laxus groaned. Emi could hear him slam his head against the wall by the door. She jumped slightly from the noise before asking Laxus if he was okay. He stayed silent before grunting out a small "I'm fine" and walked away from the door.

"You should probably start working on forcing a memory away, Em."

She looked towards Laxus and questioned him as to why, but he just gave her a silent stare.