ADL OLD CHAPTERS

59. Stormy Nights

Freed had taken it upon himself to go through them all and determine the ones which were helpful and those that were not. Y/n, bored and needing to feel helpful, had taken some of the potentially useful books and begun to skim through them.

Spines cracked. Ink smudged and faded. Pages yellowed and worn. She had handled them carefully as she brought them down the stairs. She'd settled for one documenting the sea life in the region. Bickslow couldn't quite understand her interest but she was enthralled.

He pulled her closer and let out a long sigh through his nose. Y/n hummed softly in acknowledgement, leaning her head to the side to rest it against his. Bickslow let his eyes fall shut with a low noise of contentment. He opened them again after a low growl echoed through the room.

Laxus stood, his broad shoulders full of the small kitchenette as he washed away the remnants of dinner. His gaze, however, was nowhere near the dishes piled up beside him, nor the plate he clutched in his hand. Instead, he glowered out the small window, his shoulders tense.

"What's up Laxus?" Bickslow said, voice alight with playful inquiry, brow raised in question.

"Nothing," came the short reply.

"You're looking pretty intense, is there something wrong? Something bothering you?"

"No. Just watching the storm."

Y/n craned her head back to look at the lightning dragon slayer. "Any changes?"

"No."

She hummed, brows furrowing. Brittle pages rustled as she returned her attention to the book.

The conversation died after that. Nothing but the roll of thunder and deep howls of the wind to fill the silence. Waves crashed against the rocky shoreline. Rain fell down in cold, heavy sheets.

It stayed like that for some time, no one saying much of anything. Save for Bickslow, who after complimenting her on its softness had taken to running his fingers through y/n's h/c tresses.

Something clattered in the kitchen.

"The hell is that?"

Both y/n and Bickslow snapped to attention at the sound of Laxus' voice.

The lightning dragon slayer stood frozen, grey eyes narrowed as he stared out the window at the misty coast.

Y/n broke free of Bickslow's grasp and clamoured to her feet. She crossed the room with a few quick strides. She tucked herself against the counter as she looked through the window. The glass slightly fogged from the contrasting temperature was dusted with a sheen of dirt, making it difficult to see anything. But y/n could just barely make out a dark, hulking shape dragging itself out of the violent waves and crawling out onto the rocks.

"It's probably just a sea lion or something," she shrugged.

"No," he shook his head, "it looks like a person."

Bickslows voice sounded from behind the two. "How many people do you know with tails?"

"Dude," y/n said, looking at him over her shoulder. "I'm right here."

"Sorry."

"Sailors would confuse manatees and sea lions for mermaids. With the weather out there it really could just be-"

Laxus threw the dishrag down on the counter and turned to stalk out the cabin. "No use standing around her yapping. I'm going to find out what it is for myself."

A cold, biting wind blew through the room as he pulled the door open.

"You wanna go after him or...?" Bickslow trailed off, looking between y/n and the open door.