Phoenix

Mission: Acquired

"Will you at least stay here? You didn't solve the 'lonely' part at all."

Laxus huffed before pulling his chair to his usual spot next to the bed. They sat in silence. Laxus struggled to keep his eyes open, as he had slept very little in the past week from trying to tend to Emi. His eyes started shutting on their own and his breathing would slow. Emi peeked her head from under the blankets and rolled her eyes.

"You could always just lay down and sleep here. You'd still be by me if I need you."

"No."

"It beats sleeping in an uncomfortable folding chair, don't you think?"

Emi could feel the stare that Laxus was giving her, but she just smiled to herself and poked her head back into the cocoon. They sat there in silence as Laxus continued to stare down the bed. Emi heard Laxus get up from the chair, and she silently cheered to herself. Her excitement quickly died down as she heard his footsteps leave the room. She unwrapped herself from the blankets and glared at the door.

All the girls let out a disappointed sigh.

"Really?!"

She huffed and threw herself down, angrily tucking herself into the blankets. She muttered to herself before forcing her eyes shut. Moments later she felt the bed dip, causing her to jump at the sudden change. She poked her head out and saw that Laxus was sitting there with what looked like another blanket from the hall closet and his pillow. She smiled brightly before urging him to lay down. He reluctantly did so.

"Before you even start," Laxus chided, "you are not coming over to my side."

"What's the point of it then?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Emi retreated back into her cocoon before scooting the whole thing closer to Laxus.

"Hey, what did I just say?"

"Just for ten minutes? Please?"

"Why are you so persistent with this?"

"Because I don't know who I am, I've been traveling nonstop with a stranger, I got so sick that I can't move, and I have no one else. So I would like to have someone stay with me while I deal with all that."

Laxus scoffed. Emi continued to scoot closer to him until she was right next to him. Laxus let out a "tsk" and then went silent.

"Are you feeling any better since yesterday?" Laxus asked, concerned.

"Not really," Emi truthfully responded. "But a hug a day keeps the sickness away!"

Laxus turned from his back to his side so he was facing her.

"Did you seriously just say that?"

Emi poked her head out from the blankets again and giggled. She lifted his arm up in the air and let it fall on her.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"You said you would cuddle."

"I never said that."

Laxus's eyes started to close on their own again, but he refused to sleep. Emi loosened the blanket cocoon and scooted closer before her breathing slowed and she drifted off. Laxus huffed before looking down at her sleeping form. He studied her face for a minute before resting his head on the pillow and eventually fell asleep.

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Emi opened her eyes to see that Laxus was snoring softly and had his arm resting over her still. She giggled and gently shook him. He groaned before lazily opening his eyes and looking down. He was met with a soft smile from Emi. He blushed before retracting his arm and sitting up.

"There. I did what you wanted. Are you better now, brat?"

Emi ripped the blankets off her and jumped out of bed.

"You shouldn't be moving like that! You'll hurt yourself."

"But I gotta pee."

Laxus rolled his eyes as Emi left to go to the bathroom. He started to make the bed and take his pillow back to his room when he was met with Emi standing in front of him.

"Where are you going?" Emi inquired.

"To put this back and then make breakfast."

"But you said you would--"

"That deal was nullified as soon as you left the bed. Now shoo."

Emi puffed her cheeks out before stepping aside and walking back to her bed with her head hung low. She seemed to think of something because she turned to where Laxus was standing and shouted down the hall.

"Can I see downstairs now?"

Laxus shouted back, "You're still not better. Heal first."

She padded down the hallway and went to what she assumed to be Laxus's room.

"Holy shit," she breathed. "This room is huge!"

Laxus appeared behind her and crossed his arms before asking what she was doing. She ignored him and ran over to his bed and started jumping on it.

"What the hell? Knock it off! You're gonna get hurt."

"But Laxus, this is such a big room!"

"Well yeah. It's the main bedroom."

"Why do you get the biggest one?" Emi pouted.

Laxus walked over to the side of the bed and gently took her arm and guided her back to the floor. He gave a quick smirk.

"Because I called it first."

"That's so not fair! I didn't even know about it!"