Whispers Of A Second Chance

"We should move in together after you graduate," Laxus mentioned as we gazed at the starry sky.

"That's your idea of a proposal?" I teased, causing him to turn his gaze towards me intently. I averted my eyes, attempting to conceal my thoughts.

"You could interpret it that way," he responded, prompting me to meet his gaze. "Just kidding!" he quickly added, playfully patting my head.

Having been together for four years, Laxus had already established himself at the company, while I was wrapping up my final year of undergraduate studies.

"Are you certain about that?" I inquired, masking any hint of apprehension.

"About what?" he probed, his glance lingering on me from the corner of his eye.

"About us living together," I replied, meeting his gaze.

"Yes! I'd love to share a home with you," he affirmed, to which I nodded in agreement. "Alright, let's do it!" I replied, eliciting a smile from him.

Drawing closer, he planted a gentle kiss on my forehead. After weeks of meticulous preparation, I finally attained my degree, with Laxus by my side alongside my family to commemorate this significant achievement.

During a celebratory feast, Laxus's phone rang, prompting him to gesture that he needed to take the call. Following a brief conversation, he returned to my side.

"Who was that?" I inquired once he settled beside me.

"My secretary. She needed my signature, so I sent her a copy," he explained before reaching for his wine glass.

"Is that even allowed?" I inquired, met with a mischievous smirk from Laxus.

"Yeah, I call the shots around here!" he chuckled, grabbing the wine bottle to top up his glass.

After the festivities, I decided to let Laxus stay in my room since he was a bit tipsy. With my parents' blessing, I assisted Laxus to my room, a bit of a struggle as he was on the verge of passing out. Thankfully, Tyler was on hand to lend a hand. Together, we settled Laxus onto my bed, and I expressed my gratitude to Tyler for his help.

"I'm not ready to be an uncle just yet, so be responsible," Tyler playfully teased, prompting an eye roll from me.

"Joker!" I retorted, closing the door behind him.

As I glanced at Laxus peacefully asleep in my bed, I took the initiative to remove his shoes before fetching a damp towel from the bathroom. Gently tending to his face, he stirred slightly as the cool water made contact.

"I'm sorry," I murmured softly, even though he couldn't hear me. Engrossed in cleaning his face, I was taken aback when he suddenly opened his eyes, fixing his gaze intensely on me.

"Um...do you need anything? Water?" I offered, but he maintained his focused stare.

"Are you okay-"