Word Count: 1467 

Natsu P.o.v:

"Natsu!" I heard a distant voice call from behind me, almost inaudible due to the heavy rain that had picked up on my journey home.

I turned, shielding my eyes from the harsh little bullets of water, to see a car pull up beside me.

"Get in." Laxus said softly and I raised an eyebrow at him skeptically.

"I-I'm sorry... what?"

"I said get in dumb ass. Unless you want to get even more drenched, in which case be my guest." He rolled his window up to end the conversation.

I paused to think about it. This is Laxus... the same Laxus that had been bullying me since my first day of high school. 

Am I really going to risk getting in his car with him?

There was a low rumbling sound and then a loud clap of thunder. The sky flashed as if it had just taken a picture of the world below it and- if possible- it started to rain even harder, leaving thousands of tiny stings on my back. Have I mentioned that I hate thunder?

Yeah, I'm definitely gonna' risk it.

I ran around to the passenger side of the car and opened the door, getting in as quickly as possible before slamming it shut again. 

The continuous rumbling of the sky was suddenly cut short and I could only hear soft music playing from the radio and the blast of air coming from the cars heater.

The warmth of the car enveloped me and I sighed softly, I was completely soaked and cold enough that I felt kind of unnatural compared to the warm environment around me.

The car roared to life and then we were moving, trees zooming past the window as we made our way down the roads of Magnolia.

"Thank you." I said softly. 

It was awkward. Breaking the silence that had appeared as soon as I got into the car.

"You're welcome."

And then it was silent again. We drove on for a few more minutes before I was hit with a thought.

"Uh... L-Laxus. Do you know where you're going?" I asked, turning to look at him for the first time during the entire car ride. He merely nodded and continued driving.

More silence.

"I'm sorry." Laxus said suddenly.

It was quiet and filled with a feeling of sincerity that I wasn't aware Laxus possessed. His grip on the steering wheel was hard, so much so that his knuckles were turning white.

"F-for what?" 

"Oh come on Natsu, you may look it but you're not stupid."

"I don't know whether to feel flattered or offended," I chuckled, looking out of my window again. "But thank you and it's okay. I forgive you."

"I'm glad you forgive me but it is far from okay..."

I turned to give him a confused look and he glanced at me quickly before sighing and looking back to the road.

"All that shit I did to you was not okay. You're right, about everything... I am scared, actually I'm terrified. Of what people will think, what people will say, how my life would change if I admitted to all of these things. Unlike me, some people aren't acting when they say that g-gay people disgust them."

"Laxus I-"

"No be quiet for a second... please, just while I say this." He paused for a second and glanced at me again. When he realized that I wasn't going to interrupt  he continued, sounding a little more confident.

"Me being scared isn't an excuse for being a dick. I know that... and when you said that thing about second chances it kind of hit me that there's no need to be afraid when there's people like you around."

"P-people like me?"

"Strong people. People that don't give a shit about what others think of them. People that keep on fighting when all they want to do is surrender and just give up... I-I've... I've seen the scars on your wrists Natsu... and I hate thinking that I could've been the cause of them."

My eyes widened in shock as Laxus kept talking, I pulled the sleeves of my sweater over my hands out of habit and chewed my lip, waiting to see if he would go on.

He did.

"I've been too scared to say this for the entire three years that I've known you... but now I'm more confident."

I waited in anticipation at his next words, I tasted blood on my tongue as I continued to gnaw at it in nervousness.

"Natsu... You've always inspired me to become a better person. Every time I kicked or punched you I was having an internal battle with myself, I asked myself why I was breaking someone that I admire so much but I didn't have an answer. It was just to let out pent up frustration and I can never expect you to fully forgive me for that."

Laxus took a deep breath and turned his head to look me dead in the eye as we stopped at some traffic lights. 

"You're an amazing person. I don't care who you want to be... a boy, a girl, hell you can be a fucking giraffe if you wanted to.I just want you to know that I deeply respect you and I also want you to promise me that no matter what life throws at you, you'll keep fighting."

Laxus finished just as the lights turned green. We began moving again and within thirty seconds we were turning down my road. The whole time I sat there completely speechless at Laxus' words.

He pulled up to my drive and turned off the engine before we fell into silence except for the rain pounding down onto the car. 

Two minutes and twenty three seconds... That's how long the uncomfortable silence lasted.

"Please say something..." he said softly, turning his body to face me.

I ran a hand through my hair and let out a breath I hadn't been aware I was holding.

"Well shit..." I said, matching his soft tone. He raised an eyebrow in a silent question.

"T-That was really unexpected... I-I just... Fuck I don't know. My mind is kinda blown."

A hint of a smile tugged at Laxus' mouth and he turned away, trying to hide it.

"The fact that you had the guts to say all that - to me of all people - when you're scared of your own feelings tells me that you're a strong person too... and I've already told you that I forgive you so there's no need to worry about that. I'm just glad that you've come to your senses and you're accepting who you are."

I saw his lips quiver and this time he couldn't fight it. He broke out into a smile so blinding I wondered whether it was possible that this is the same guy that I've been petrified of for three whole years of my life.

"Thank you Natsu. Now go get dry and warm before you catch a cold." He said, nodding in the general direction of my house.

"Okay. Thanks again for the ride and the unexpected DMC that made me really happy." I said, sending him a smile back. 

"Anytime sunshine." He joked. I laughed. He laughed. It was weird, but I liked it in a strange kind of way.

I grabbed my bag from the space by my feet and took a moment to prepare myself for the rain and cold before opening the car door, slamming it shut again and then sprinting towards my house.

I fumbled with my keys but finally managed to get my door open. I watched Laxus drive away as I took my shoes off and then I closed the door. 

So he's not so bad after all...

I walked to the kitchen in my soaked clothes but with a smile still on my face, hoping that we had the ingredients to make hot chocolate. (my own special, homemade hot chocolate. Not the shitty instant one.)

I made it to the kitchen door and then I froze. 

What.

The.

Actual.

Fuck...

"Hey Nat. It's about time you showed u- Oh shit man you're soaked... go and get changed! You'll get sick!" My brother Sting said as he rose from the kitchen table and began to fuss over me. You'd never think that a guy like Sting would be such a mom. But hey, you can't have it all right?

But I didn't bother to swat away his hands (that were trying to take my scarf off) because there, sitting at my kitchen table was the last person I expected to see.

"Gray?"

***********

A/N: 

Peekaboo. 

Welp... that happened. {It's 2:08am don't judge me :')}

Thoughts and opinions on Laxus after reading this compared to before?

I don't actually have anything to say for once so I'm gonna cut this authors note short. Thanks for reading!

Let me know what you thought of this chapter...

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Tell me what you think is gonna happen next...

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Corrections and/or constructive criticism is always welcome, as are you :)

Love you all very much 

~Max

  Xx