The day before the Harvest Festival always had a strange weight to it.
It was the kind of weight that pressed down softly rather than crushed, a pressure born not from dread, but from anticipation—of things about to begin, of moments poised on the edge of becoming memories. The guild itself seemed to feel it, humming low and steady like a living thing holding its breath.
Laxus felt it in his bones the moment he stepped out onto the guild's upper balcony. The air was already thick with overlapping magic signatures: enchantments being layered, unraveled, and tested again; illusion arrays flickering on and off; reinforcement spells settling into wood and stone like invisible veins. Laughter rang out from below, punctuated by shouted instructions, arguments over measurements, and the faint metallic hum of artifacts being calibrated and recalibrated.
Tomorrow, Magnolia would drown in color, music, and magic.
Tonight was the calm before that beautiful, chaotic storm.
Laxus leaned his forearms against the railing, the cool wood grounding him as his gaze drifted across the courtyard below. Lanterns enchanted with warm, floating light bobbed gently in the air, half-installed banners bearing Fairy Tail's emblem snapping softly in the breeze. Guild members moved with purpose, but not urgency—there was confidence there now, an unspoken understanding that everything would be ready in time.
At the center of it all—inevitably—stood Krampus.
Of course he was.
Krampus had positioned himself where paths naturally crossed, turning the chaos into something almost elegant. To Laxus's eye, it was like watching a conductor guide an orchestra that insisted on playing three different songs at once—and somehow make it work. One group clustered close, arguing animatedly about Fairy Games brackets and seeding order. Another hauled massive parade float components, each piece etched with runes that glowed faintly as levitation enchantments synced together. A third waited just long enough to be polite before Krampus's attention slid to them as well.
He gave instructions without raising his voice, calm and precise, somehow answering questions before they were fully asked. His tone never rushed, never snapped, even as he split his focus cleanly between tasks that would've overwhelmed most mages on their own.
Chibi clones flickered in and out of existence around him—tiny echoes darting off with notes, relaying updates, projecting illusion schematics midair. One got bodily punted aside when a guild member forgot it wasn't the real thing and tried to clap Krampus on the shoulder. The clone popped like a soap bubble, reappearing seconds later to scowl indignantly.
Laxus snorted softly at the sight.
He really did turn the entire guild into a well-oiled machine, he thought. A terrifyingly sexy, overworked machine.
From up here, with a bit of distance, the time skip since the council talks felt almost unreal. It blurred together into late nights, early mornings, and constant motion. Between pushing Fairy Games from a half-serious idea into a full-fledged international event and preparing the Magic Parade, there hadn't been a single day where Krampus wasn't juggling half a dozen large-scale projects at once.
Logistics, diplomacy, spectacle, safety.
And somehow, on top of all that, people.
And Laxus had helped with all of it.
Enthusiastically.
Not because he was asked. Not because he felt obligated.
But because watching Krampus work—really work—lit something fierce and proud in his chest.
Honestly, he might have been more excited about Fairy Games than anyone else.
He could still picture it clearly: Krampus standing in the guild hall, explaining his vision with that focused intensity in his eyes. Sparring turned spectacle. Friendly competition with real stakes. A way to sharpen mages without grinding them down, to unite guilds instead of pitting them into pointless grudges.
This wasn't just about prestige.
It wasn't just about money.
This was Krampus doing what he always did—raising everyone around him up, even when it cost him sleep, energy, and sanity.
Laxus cracked his knuckles, the familiar pop echoing softly as he rolled his shoulders and let the tension bleed out of them.
He remembered that moment clearly—standing off to the side while Krampus laid everything out, watching the guild slowly realize just how big Fairy Games was going to be. The excitement, the doubts, the spark that turned into a fire once people understood what Krampus was trying to build.
Damn right I'm helping, he'd thought back then, fists tightening with certainty. If this idiot's going to carry the world, I'm at least going to shoulder half of it.
That resolve hadn't wavered once.
If anything, it had only grown stronger.
The Magic Parade, though, was another beast entirely.
Fairy Games was strategy, infrastructure, and long-term impact. The parade was symbolism. Visibility. Emotion. A statement not just to Magnolia, but to the entire magical world watching from scrying mirrors and enchanted broadcasts.
This year, Fairy Tail wasn't just participating.
They were performing.
Not as battle partners.
Not as guild figureheads.
But as lovers.
The thought alone tugged a crooked grin out of Laxus before he could stop it. There was something both terrifying and exhilarating about it—no armor, no ambiguity, no room to hide behind reputation or strength. Just truth, laid bare and paraded down Magnolia's streets in magic and light.
Tomorrow, the parade would be the public, unmistakable announcement of his relationship with Krampus—for anyone who somehow didn't already know.
Which, frankly, baffled him.
I can't fathom who wouldn't know, he thought dryly. Krampus literally called me aggressively horny in public last week.
Not that Krampus was complaining.
If anything, Laxus could feel it—deep down, in the quiet moments when they were alone and the world finally shut up—that Krampus loved it. Loved the lack of restraint. Loved being wanted openly, fiercely, without apology.
Loved the way Laxus touched him like there was no hesitation. Loved the way Laxus looked at him like the answer was always yes. Loved the way desire, raw and undeniable, drowned out whatever insecure little voice still lingered in his head.
Because Laxus knew that voice existed.
Knowing Krampus, there was probably still a part of him—small, stubborn, and deeply buried—that wondered if Laxus's feelings were real, or temporary, or something that might fade once the novelty wore off.
So Laxus had made a decision.
A great sacrifice.
He would dedicate his all to reassuring Krampus. Body, time, attention—everything he had to give.
Until his hips couldn't move anymore.
…Yeah. Sex joke.
Laxus snorted again, shaking his head, the sound half a laugh and half a release of tension he hadn't realized he was still carrying.
Joking aside, the bodybuilding magic had done more than just make him look older than he should. It had rewired his sense of himself in subtle, invasive ways—muscle memory sharpening faster, instincts flaring hotter, and hormones surging like someone had taken a dial and snapped it clean off without bothering to check the consequences.
Back when he didn't have an outlet, it had been… frustrating.
Restless nights. Too much energy with nowhere to put it. A constant buzz under his skin that never quite shut up, no matter how hard he trained or how exhausted he pushed himself.
Now?
Now he had Krampus.
A target that could take it.
And absolutely loved it.
There was something grounding about that, something that anchored all that excess into something purposeful instead of destructive. Wanting someone—and being wanted just as fiercely in return—took the edge off in a way nothing else ever had. It wasn't just release; it was connection.
That alone made Laxus feel calmer than he'd been in years. Relaxed. Grounded. Like the storm inside him had finally found a rhythm instead of tearing itself apart. There was a simple, stupid joy in knowing that making his boyfriend happy—really happy—was something he could do with both enthusiasm and skill.
And Krampus had changed because of it.
Not in some dramatic, overnight way. No sudden personality swap, no miraculous social awakening. But Laxus noticed the small things—the ones you only catch when you're paying close attention.
Krampus laughed more with familiar faces now, the sound coming easier, fuller. He initiated conversations instead of hovering on the edge, waiting for someone else to bridge the gap. He lingered instead of slipping away the moment his role in a discussion ended, staying just long enough to trade another comment, another joke, another shared look.
Before, Krampus had always seemed a little aloof.
Not out of arrogance.
Not on purpose.
It had been awkwardness. Uncertainty. Not knowing what to say once the task at hand was done, coupled with an intimidating, majestic aura that made most of the guild admire him from afar rather than approach. People respected him, trusted him—but they'd hesitated to casually include him.
Back then, Krampus could only really talk normally with Laxus.
And while Laxus had enjoyed having him all to himself—damn it, he really had—he'd never wanted Krampus to be lonely. Never wanted him to think that admiration from a distance was all he was allowed.
So seeing him now, standing shoulder to shoulder with the guys, trading words and laughter without hesitation, being just another presence in the circle instead of something set apart, made something warm and heavy settle in Laxus's chest.
I'm glad, he thought. Really glad.
Of course.
There was a catch.
Whenever Krampus joined a conversation, the topic always drifted.
Straight into raunchy territory.
"This damn perverted pussy cat!" Laxus thought as he watched Krampus clap a hand on someone's shoulder and grin just a little too innocently.
His first instinct was to drag Krampus off and punish him in bed.
Then he remembered.
He'd probably like that, Laxus admitted with a scowl. That bastard horny lion demon.
Still, the pattern made a strange kind of sense.
Krampus being antisocial never meant he was ignorant.
Between Fairy Phones and those damn personal chibi Krampus clones—extensions of the real thing used for training consultations, magic development, mission debriefs, and everything in between—Krampus probably knew more about the guild members than anyone else alive.
Especially the guys.
Hell, Laxus realized, he already knows their strengths, weaknesses, habits, schedules, injuries, and emotional baggage.
So back then, Laxus could easily imagine Krampus's thought process:
I already know most things about you. What else is there to talk about?
It probably never occurred to him to share things about himself.
Now that he was opening up, there just weren't many neutral topics left.
Which meant sex.
And damn it, sex talk really did make for excellent male bonding.
Laxus found himself dragged into those conversations more often than not—and to his own mild surprise, he actually enjoyed them.
Even if it still vexed him that Krampus steered things there every single time.
Lately, it was the newcomers who suffered the most.
Logan, in particular, got so flustered it was almost impressive.
Bernard had been surprised at first, but he adapted quickly—too quickly—and soon found himself openly talking about his own sex life.
Which, naturally, made everyone curious.
Including Laxus.
After all, they'd all heard the rumors.
They had sex while in werewolf form.
And there were… questions.
Specific ones.
About the shape of their downstairs equipment.
Because everyone knew wolves had a knot.
For once, Laxus couldn't even be mad at Krampus for being wildly curious.
He was just as curious.
Sex with Krampus wasn't all that different from other guys, after all—fur aside, and the lion head with horns.
So Bernard, cornered by a half-circle of grinning, overly invested mages, had no choice but to reminisce.
And that was where the night truly went off the rails.
Bernard cleared his throat.
The sound carried farther than it should have, not because it was loud, but because the guild hall had quieted—not completely, because Fairy Tail never truly quieted—but enough that the space around him felt deliberate. Intentional. A loose circle had formed without anyone consciously deciding to make one, chairs angled inward, bodies turned, attention drawn.
Expectant.
Laxus leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, expression carefully neutral. The posture of someone relaxed. Unbothered.
Inside?
He was absolutely listening.
Bernard scratched the back of his neck, claws clicking faintly against skin. "Well… it wasn't like we planned it or anything."
Logan made a small noise beside him that sounded suspiciously like protest, somewhere between a cough and a strangled denial.
"It wasn't," Bernard insisted immediately, glancing sideways at him before looking back at the group. His ears flicked, then settled. "Back then, Logan and I had just come to Magnolia to join Fairy Tail. Everything was new. New home. New people. New places. New knowledge. New everything."
There was no exaggeration in his tone—just simple fact.
Laxus could remember that period clearly. The two of them had arrived carrying more than just bags and equipment. They'd carried distance, hesitation, and the kind of careful politeness that came from not knowing where you stood, or whether the ground beneath you was solid yet.
Bernard continued, voice steadier now that he'd started. "We were so busy adapting that… we didn't really think about what was next."
"What do you mean?" someone asked from the circle.
Bernard smiled faintly, the expression fond and a little rueful. "I mean we were holding hands. That was about it. We hadn't talked about being lovers. We hadn't talked about anything beyond… staying together."
Laxus's eyes shifted, almost without him meaning to.
Logan sat stiffly beside Bernard, shoulders tense.
Red hair.
Red ears.
Figures.
Bernard went on, seemingly unaware—or choosing to ignore it. "Even in the dorm, we slept in different beds."
That got a few surprised reactions. Someone made a quiet sound of disbelief.
"Our shared dorm in the frat," Bernard explained, lifting a hand as if painting the picture in the air, "had transformed into a hunting cabin in the woods. Like the one in Bareshade Forest where we spent that hunting trip together."
A few nods followed. Some of them remembered the story.
Laxus nodded slightly as well. He remembered Krampus arranging that—subtle, thoughtful. Giving them something familiar in the middle of all that change, without ever drawing attention to the fact that he'd done it.
"It helped," Bernard said quietly. His voice dipped, losing some of its projection. "It made us feel more at home. Like we hadn't lost everything familiar at once. But habits are habits."
He shrugged.
"We slept separately. Talked like we always did. Trained. Worked. Adjusted."
Each word landed like a step taken carefully across uncertain ground.
He paused.
"We were more than best friends."
Another pause.
"But not yet lovers."
Laxus felt that line settle in his chest, heavy and uncomfortably familiar.
Limbo, he thought.
It was a dangerous place for a relationship to linger too long. Comfortable enough to stay in. Unstable enough to rot if you weren't careful.
"And then," Bernard added, a faint grin tugging at his lips as he exhaled, "we joined Fairy Tail."
That drew laughter—warm, knowing laughter. Someone scoffed like the answer should have been obvious from the start.
"Between the open atmosphere," Bernard continued, rolling one shoulder, "and listening to you guys talk about gay sex like it was advanced spell theory…"
His gaze slid, pointedly, toward Krampus.
Krampus blinked innocently.
"…Logan finally worked up the courage to make the first move."
Every head turned.
Logan looked like he wanted to spontaneously combust on the spot.
Laxus smirked, unable to help himself.
"So you did make the first move," he said lazily, tone light but eyes sharp.
Logan muttered something utterly unintelligible, staring very hard at the table.
Bernard chuckled, warm and unapologetic. "He did."
Laxus leaned forward slightly now, elbows coming to rest on the table, interest no longer even remotely hidden.
"And what happened specifically?"
Bernard inhaled.
And his eyes unfocused just slightly.
—
FLASHBACK
In their cabin in the woods, Logan had cornered Bernard with a kabedon and kissed him in a wild manner.
Bernard was bewildered by the sudden kiss, but eagerly returned the kiss. Their tongues entangle with heated fervor while carrying a sense of inexperience.
Logan then broke off from the kiss, a string of saliva still between them, as he said breathlessly, "Sorry for making you wait for so long, Berny."
"Don't be, Logan. I was already waiting for over 10 years. What's another week?" Bernard said nonchalantly, but clearly very happy losing his first kiss to Logan.
"Well wait no more." With that, Logan kiss Bernard once more, this time more frenzied as if to say 'we are going all the way tonight'. And Bernard certainly has no objection and is more than ready to lose his long-overdue virginity to Logan.
As they kept on going, Bernard managed to convince Logan for both of them to strip and transform into werewolf form because lord Krampus once said that sex would be easier this way. What happens next became smooth going and there were no awkward pauses due to not knowing what to do next, as if by instinct they knew just what to do to pleasure each other.
They transitioned from kissing with their open maws as if trying to devour each other while their paws were teasing each other's furry body, to Bernard on all fours with Logan hugging him from behind, doing the perfect doggy-style posture as Logan's wolf dick easily penetrated Bernard's asshole due to the generous amount of precum leaking from their dicks.
Feeling Logan's dick inside him, Bernard howled with joy. There was no pain at all, only a sense of being filled and the pleasure of being stretched from the inside. Though it seems that the knot part couldn't slide in, which bum out Logan a bit cuz being inside Berny felt so good.
With renewed drive, Logan start thrusting hard, letting his knot impact Bernard's hole until it can slip inside. Bernard felt nothing but endless pleasure as Logan railed his ass while his paws toyed with his body. Before long, Logan's knot managed to slip in and both of them reached their climax with Logan also biting Bernard by the shoulder, marking him on the outside and the insides with his cum.
Bernard was howling like a bitch all the way as he came while feeling his insides get flushed with Logan's cum, and couldn't help but think 'Ah~ I'm his now~'.
Just when he came down from his high and starting to feel the sting from Logan's bite, Bernard was flipped over to lying on his back and Logan straddled him with a nervous but resolute look on his fierce wolf face as Logan feel Bernard's dick between his ass cheeks.
Bernard knew where this is going, so he said "Wait! Logan, you don't have to force yourself. I'd already experimented with my own ass before so I'm fine but you-"
"Yeah, this will be my first time doing ass stuff ever, but I want you to mark me as well. So that anybody can see I'm yours, Berny." Logan said affectionately.
Bernard can't say no to Logan's resolve, and knowing it won't hurt while in werewolf form. Bernard take Logan by surprise by quickly lifting him up and slamming him down on his dick, penetrating Logan till only the knot was left.
"AAWOOOooo~!" Logan howled in ecstasy as pleasure never known to him shot up his spine and fill his entire body.
"FUCK! Fuck~! Why does this feel so good!? Was this what you felt, Berny?" Logan said breathlessly. His muzzle was open with his tongue hanging out. That wolf face with red fur showed a blissed out look while the rest of his beefy furry body trembled like being shocked. Just the entrance had already driven Logan crazy with pleasure.
Seeing this, Bernard's hidden dominant side seems to awaken, he sits up and puts his paws on Logan's waist while Logan pulls his arms around Bernard's shoulders to steady himself.
"Damn it, Logan. Seeing you like this, and you making all those sounds. You gotta take responsibility, Logan!" Bernard said in a wild manner, sounding like a predator who has found his prey.
"Yeah! Do it Berny! Fuck me hard~" Logan said drunkenly, like lust has fully taken over him.
Without further ado, Bernard and Logan cooperate so that Logan can bounce on Bernard's dick at a fervent pace. Bernard found that Logan was a natural bottom with how Logan's ass clenched around his dick just right and how now, with all the bouncing, it can take his own knot in and out like a champ.
Logan's state made Bernard go wild, teasing and licking Logan here and there to find all his pleasure points, driving Logan even more frenzied and it wasn't long until they both reach their climax once more and both roared hard enough to shake the cabin.
Bernard's knot locked into Logan's asshole, expanding as he shot his load deep inside while he also bite Logan's shoulder, marking him as his. Logan, who was experiencing pleasure from his ass for the first time in such a spectacular manner, almost passed out as he experience the biggest orgasm of his life, shooting his load so hard that the space between them was drenched in his cum while his face was all teary, making the sluttiest expression his fierce wolf face can make.
However, both know that things weren't over yet. The night was still young and they got plenty more orgasms to go to empty their balls.
FLASHBACK END.
—
Bernard blinked, snapping back to the present as the circle leaned in.
It took him a second to reorient himself, shoulders squaring as if he'd just stepped out of deep water. The faint haze in his eyes cleared, replaced by the here and now—too many faces, too much attention.
He coughed once, the sound rough, grounding.
"Well. Regarding werewolf sex… there is a difference."
You could hear the air still.
Not even the usual background noise of Fairy Tail filled the gap. No clinking mugs. No idle chatter. Just collective focus.
Bernard rubbed the back of his neck again, claws brushing through fur, cheeks faintly pink but his voice steady enough to carry. "The shape is different. So it slides in easier."
A few very invested nods followed—some thoughtful, some clearly filing that information away for later.
"But," he added, lifting a finger as if lecturing, "it takes some effort to get the knot inside too."
That did it.
Logan's entire face was now the exact shade of his hair, heat rolling off him in visible waves. He stared very hard at a spot on the table that did not deserve that level of attention.
"It doesn't hurt though," Bernard finished quickly, glancing sideways like he was checking on Logan even as he spoke. "Actually It feels real good. For both parties. Exactly like how lord Krampus said it would."
Silence.
Then an eruption of overlapping commentary—questions, disbelief, poorly disguised fascination, and more than a few poorly hidden personal comparisons.
Laxus let it wash over him, gaze drifting sideways instead of engaging.
Logan wasn't saying a word.
His jaw was locked tight.
His ears were red.
And when Laxus's eyes dipped lower—briefly, purely observational—it looked like a banana had gotten stuffed into his pants.
Figures.
Is he remembering it too? Laxus wondered.
From what Laxus understood, that had been Bernard's first time ever.
Yet here Bernard was, talking about it quite frankly—clear, honest, not hiding behind bravado—even if the blush hadn't quite faded from his cheeks.
Logan, who apparently had experience before, seemed super shy instead, folded in on himself like he didn't know what to do with the attention.
Interesting.
But more than embarrassment, Laxus saw something else between them when the noise died down again.
Ease.
Comfort.
The way Bernard's posture angled subtly toward Logan. The way Logan didn't pull away.
A quiet sort of satisfaction that had nothing to do with bragging and everything to do with belonging.
They were having the time of their lives at Fairy Tail.
And Laxus could only bless them for it.
His gaze shifted again.
Krampus was watching the exchange with sharp, delighted interest, chin resting on one hand like he was observing a particularly fascinating experiment. His tail swayed slowly behind him, the motion controlled but unmistakably pleased.
Of course he was.
Krampus never missed moments like this—not really. He watched people when they were relaxed, when their guards were down, when they were being honest without realizing it. Laxus had noticed it a long time ago. The way Krampus studied joy, intimacy, and connection with the same focus he brought to magic theory or long-term planning.
But lately, there was something different there.
It wasn't just curiosity anymore.
Sometimes, Krampus revealed his true self as a bit of a joker.
Unfortunately, he could only seem to do sex jokes.
Even so, there was a sincerity underneath it. He wasn't laughing at anyone. He was laughing with them, even if his delivery was clumsy and his timing occasionally catastrophic. It was the humor of someone testing boundaries, checking whether he was allowed to be this version of himself.
Still.
There was an essence of something playful underneath it all—something that had always been there but never allowed out. A lighter, warmer core that had spent too long buried under responsibility, expectation, and that imposing, majestic presence that made people hesitate before approaching him.
And sometimes, in front of everyone, Krampus would act just a little spoiled toward Laxus.
He'd lean closer than necessary. Tug lightly at Laxus's sleeve. Make exaggerated sighs or dramatic gestures that earned groans from the table.
A little cute.
A little dramatic.
Not like his real age at all.
And every time it happened, Laxus could only smile indulgently. Not embarrassed. Not annoyed.
Indulgent.
Look at you, he thought. You've grown.
From reclusive.
From socially anxious.
From standing apart.
From watching everyone else live while he stayed just outside the circle.
Now he stood within it.
Laughing.
Teasing.
Taking up space like he belonged there.
And sometimes right in Laxus's space.
Very deliberately.
Laxus's mind drifted briefly to rehearsal.
To the song suggestions.
To Krampus, standing in the practice hall with that wicked glint in his eye, posture loose, tail swaying like he already knew this was going to end badly.
"I have an idea," Krampus had said.
Laxus should have known better than to let him continue without interruption.
He'd proposed singing a song called "Kiss" by Prince.
Not tentatively.
Not as a suggestion to be discussed.
But with confidence.
With conviction.
With the unmistakable tone of someone who had already committed to the bit.
He made it clear there would be a live demonstration.
That alone had raised eyebrows.
He then made it equally clear that dance moves would be included.
That had raised alarms.
The lyrics were provocative enough.
"I just want your body, baby~ From dusk till dawn~"
Laxus could still remember the way Krampus sang it—voice smooth, playful, deliberately slow, eyes locked onto him like the rest of the room didn't exist.
But the dance?
That had been something else entirely.
Krampus had stripped off his red coat mid-verse, tossing it aside like a prop he'd grown bored of, leaving his upper body bare. Muscles rolled under fur as he moved, abs flexing and unflexing like he'd trained specifically for the occasion, every motion precise and practiced.
His hips gyrated in ways that were absolutely intentional.
Unapologetic.
Calculated.
Designed to provoke.
When he'd gotten close—too close—invading Laxus's space with zero regard for the stunned rehearsal team—
When he'd leaned in, breath warm, voice low, practically doing a lap dance on him right there—
Laxus had snapped. He simply could not stand the test.
And so....
After three consecutive rounds.
One very ruined rehearsal room.
And several guild members fleeing for their lives later—
It had been unanimously agreed that "Kiss" was simply inappropriate for the parade.
The parade needed something more PG-13.
Something that wouldn't result in a public boner.
Something that didn't end with Laxus losing all restraint.
Like last year's "I 2 I."
After several other suggestions from Krampus—each suspiciously escalating in boldness, somehow making "Kiss" seem restrained by comparison—they'd finally managed to nail down one song.
Magical.
Dramatic.
Appropriate.
Laxus smirked slightly at the memory.
He would leave that as a surprise for the parade.
Now, though.
The guild hall felt different.
Not quieter.
Not calmer.
Different.
Beneath the laughter that still burst out in uneven waves.
Beneath the teasing that flew freely from table to table.
There was something sharper running through it all, like a blade being slowly drawn from its sheath.
Since Fairy Games had been announced, training intensity had doubled.
Maybe tripled.
It showed in the details Laxus couldn't help but notice—the faint scorch marks on the floor that hadn't been there yesterday, the healing bandages peeking out from sleeves that people hadn't bothered to hide, the way conversations drifted naturally toward techniques, matchups, and hypothetical counters.
Mages who had once been content with casual sparring were now staying late into the night, pushing harder than they strictly needed to. They refined spells that were already reliable, shaved seconds off casting times, demanded rematches even after decisive losses.
No one complained.
No one coasted.
Fighting intent simmered under the surface like a low burn, steady and controlled.
Not hostile.
Focused.
Hungry.
It wasn't about proving superiority for its own sake. It wasn't about ego.
They wanted to fight the good fight.
They wanted to measure themselves honestly against one another.
They wanted to see who would come out on top when skill, preparation, and will were laid bare.
And the generous prizes Krampus had sponsored certainly didn't hurt.
Laxus's lips curled upward as he took it all in.
Good.
This was how it should be.
Let them sharpen themselves.
Let them grow.
Let them burn away weakness and hesitation alike.
Tomorrow would be celebration—music, lights, laughter spilling into the streets of Magnolia.
Soon after would be competition—sweat, grit, and magic colliding in earnest.
And Fairy Tail would rise higher than ever, not because it demanded dominance, but because it refused stagnation.
Laxus leaned back in his chair, satisfied, the weight in his chest settling into something solid and right.
Beside him, Krampus nudged his shoulder lightly.
"You're thinking loudly again," Krampus murmured.
"Yeah?" Laxus replied.
Krampus smiled.
"Yeah."
Laxus looked around the hall—at Bernard and Logan seated close without realizing it, at the guys arguing loudly over details that didn't matter, at the magic thick in the air and the fire reflected in everyone's eyes.
His chest buzzed with anticipation.
Tomorrow was going to be loud, chaotic, and unforgettable.
And Laxus couldn't wait for it.