"Gramps, where are you going? It's way too early to be doing anything."
"I am going to check on Laxus."
Those who were at the guild all looked at their master in shock. He had finally made the initiative to go alone. Some thought that it was about time that they have a serious conversation. Others were hopeful that they would be able to work things out as a family.
"Well I'm coming too!"
About eight people yelled, "Natsu!"
"Well if he's going," Gray said, "then I'm going too. I'm not letting this dumbass cause any trouble."
"What did you say, Snow White?!"
"Come on guys," Lucy whined, "It's way too early for this."
"Lucy and I will also accompany you, master."
Lucy jumped at the sound of her name. "Erza? Why are we going?"
"To stop any fighting and to administer any punishment needed to keep them in line," Erza said very seriously, causing the rest of the guild to look at Gray and Natsu with pity.
Makarov sighed in defeat before ushering them all to the train station.
"Well so much for their heart to heart, eh Wakaba?"
"Macao, we all know that it wouldn't happen smoothly. This is Fairy Tail."
Upon arriving at Hargeon, Natsu ran out of the train, breathing in the fresh air. Lucy had fallen asleep on the train and woke up to Erza shaking her. Gray and Makarov stepped off the train and stretched.
"I can't wait to see what she cooks for breakfast," Natsu said giddily.
"Why did I have to get dragged into this?" Lucy complains while yawning.
Makarov had a serious look on his face as he walked directly to the outside of town and through the forest, making all the others try to keep up. Once they arrived at the clearing, Natsu ran for the front door and knocked.
"What if we end up waking them up?" Gray asked.
"Oh no, Laxus would kill us! Let's head back everyone before he sees us," Lucy nervously suggested.
"They're not answering. Come on, Emi and Laxus. I want to eat!"
"Idiot, stop knocking! They might be asleep."
Makarov made his way up to the front door before looking through his pockets. He took out a small key and made Natsu step to the side.
"Is that..." Lucy started.
"...A key?" Gray finished.
With one twist, the front door was unlocked and quietly creaked open. Everyone looked at the master in shock, confused as to why he had a key to their house.
"That child gave me a key before we left the last time, saying that I could use it whenever," Makarov calmly explained, "Emi is truly a kind and gentle soul."
They all quietly stepped into the house, except for Natsu who very loudly walked straight to the fridge and started eating whatever leftovers he could find. As Natsu was occupied in the kitchen, the rest of the group started to check the rooms on the main floor. Once they saw that the entire level was empty, they all concluded that the couple was still sleeping.
"I wish to check their bedrooms," Erza suddenly stated.
"Um...why exactly would you want to do that?" Lucy asked, confused as to why it was necessary.
"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."