Phoenix

Cuddle

"I find that it would be useful to see if the empty bedroom is occupied today so that we could sleep there until they wake up."

"I really don't think Laxus would appreciate that," Gray yawned.

"I really don't think," Lucy continued, "that Laxus would appreciate us breaking into his house while he is sleeping."

Natsu called out from the kitchen, defending their actions because they had a key.

"Natsu, stop shouting," Lucy hissed.

Erza started up the stairs, Makarov following close behind her. Gray looked to the master before following their lead. Lucy sighed and protested a little before eventually following behind. Once they made it to the top of the stairs, they realized that they had forgotten the layout of the rooms and had no idea which room was the spare room. Erza formed a plan where they would split up and search for the empty room of the three bedrooms.

Gray had found an empty bedroom and went to tell the others.

"That's strange," Erza started, "because I also found an empty bedroom."

"Hey guys," Lucy's voice was extremely quiet as she spoke, "you have to see this."

Makarov, Gray and Erza quietly stepped closer to the door. Their eyes went wide as they saw the scene in front of them. The couple was there in bed, Laxus softly snoring. He was on the left side of the bed, so he was facing the door. Emi was tucked beside him, her face towards Laxus's chest. The dragon slayer had an arm draped over the woman and his head on top of hers. Emi was snuggled into his chest and smiling softly in her sleep.

"Damn," Gray managed to get out, still completely in shock.

"I knew they shared a bedroom!" Lucy whispered.

"This is quite a sight, yes master?"

Makarov didn't look away from the couple. How could Laxus be so different? He would never do this.

"It seems," Makarov finally spoke, "that this girl has somehow broken those walls of arrogance that he once had."

The master then opened the bedroom door wider and walked inside.

"Master?! What are you doing? If you wake them up he might..." Lucy didn't dare finish her sentence at the thought of a pissed Laxus.

Master Makorov ignored her warnings and walked over to the dresser before taking one of the pictures on it and walking out of the room. He then motioned them all back downstairs into the living room.

"He has grown so much, everyone. He became his happy self again."

Makarov revealed the picture to the rest of the group. It was the one of Laxus and Emi smiling and posing behind a snowman. Everyone looked at it in awe.

"I don't think I've ever seen Laxus smile," Lucy concluded.

"He smiled a lot as a child," Makarov explained, "but he changed once his father was exiled. He became irritable, moody and arrogant with age. This eventually led to his actions and his eventual exile from Fairy Tail."

"I've seen his change first-hand. He'll always be moody, but he cares about others so much and he'll do anything to protect the ones that he holds dear. That's why he's taking down all the dark guilds. Each one he has defeated has had an agenda to attack Fairy Tail. He's been preventing the attacks by eliminating the source of danger."

Everyone whipped their heads around to see a sleepy Emi standing in the archway to the living room.

"How did you--"

"I heard footsteps down the stairs."

"I apologize for intruding and overstepping my privileges of owning a key to your home," Makarov stated.

"Oh no. Master Grampa, it's totally fine!"

"Please child, just call me Gramps."

"I could never be so informal to you, Master Grampa."

Footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs. Laxus entered the living room with his shirt off, revealing his black tattoo.

"Em, why are you up so ear---"

Laxus took in the sight before him and growled.

"What the hell are you all doing here so goddamn early? It's seven o'clock in the morning."

"Laxus, I need to speak with you alone."

"If you needed to speak with me alone then why did you bring these guys with you old man?"

"It's too early to argue, Laxus," Emi begged, "They probably just wanted to see you or protect Master Grampa from attack in the dark."

-----------------------------------

"What do you want, old man?"

Emi had brought the rest of the group members to the kitchen while Laxus and Makarov spoke in the dragon slayer's bedroom for privacy. Emi easily distracted a nosy Natsu by cooking breakfast.

Laxus and Makarov looked at each other for a moment before the master let out a sigh. He turned away from his grandson.

"You've changed."

"That's all I've been hearing from you, but so what?"

Makarov started to tear up, and he started bawling when he faced Laxus again.

"I'm just so happy that you found your way again. And Emi has told me what you've been doing these past years and it makes me proud. The way you are standing up for and defending your family is what a true Fairy Tail wizard is about."

"There's just one thing wrong with that - I'm not in Fairy Tail."

Makarov looked deep in thought for a moment before his face turned very serious.

"Would you like to be?"

Laxus, still tired, did not comprehend what his grandfather was saying. He yawned a couple times and looked at Makarov before turning his head back to face the master as he questioned, "What?"

"I am asking you if you would like to join Fairy Tail."

"I got kicked out, remember?"

"I am saying," Makarov continued, getting frustrated, "that you are free to rejoin Fairy Tail if you wish."

"Oh."

Makarov waited for an answer, but just received an invitation to breakfast instead. Laxus walked out of the bedroom and ventured downstairs to the kitchen. Fairy Tail's master looked at the door in confusion before growing angry and storming down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"YOU ROTTEN CHILD. I TELL YOU THAT YOU CAN COME BACK AND YOU IGNORE ME?"

Emi looked at Laxus questioningly and received a simple shrug in return before Laxus sat down in his usual seat. Emi inwardly laughed at how worked up the master was getting and asked the two if they wanted any waffles. Laxus agreed and eventually Makarov stopped yelling and agreed to food, as he was completely worn out from his energy from yelling.

Emi happily started to make waffles for the group. She was just about done when she felt a large hand grab hers. Emi looked up at the lightning mage for a second and then saw that she was holding the hot sauce in her hands, ready to pour it onto the waffles.

"Too early, Em."