Ok so this chapter is a little shorter as well but i have been slammed with work so sorry this will be the norm for a while.
Anywho im sure some of you wont like how i had it play out so smoothly in the end please keep an open mind and remember this stuff that is hard to get just right i appreciate feedback on if something can be done better and will always read and listen i read every comment.
Also for brandish im having a really hard time writing her character please give suggestions or advice. If I can think of anything I may just edit her out entirely or something.
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Chapter 26 Hang over, Lesser Beings, and Relationships
Varion groaned as the morning light pierced through the curtains like needles stabbing his eyes. His head throbbed with a dull, relentless ache—the kind of hangover that made even breathing feel like a bad idea. He rolled over in bed, burying his face in the pillow for a moment, but the pounding in his skull only got worse. "Ugh… never again," he muttered, his voice raspy.
He forced himself up, the world tilting slightly as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. His body felt heavier than usual, muscles sore from the previous day's S-class celebration, but the Dragonoid resilience kept the worst of it at bay. Still, the hangover was real.
Stumbling out of his room, he made his way downstairs, one hand braced against the wall for balance. The sunlight streaming through the windows was blinding, and he squinted, grumbling under his breath. "Too bright… who decided mornings needed this much light?"
He reached the bottom step and stubbed his toe hard on the edge of a low table someone had left out. The impact should have hurt—enough to make most people yelp or curse—but to him, it barely registered. Just a faint thump, like tapping a rock with a feather. He paused, staring down at his foot, then let out a quiet, amused huff.
He remembered the others—Natsu once stubbing his toe during a spar and howling like he'd been stabbed, Gray freezing his own foot in embarrassment, even Gajeel grumbling about "stupid furniture" after a similar incident. Normal humans made such a big deal out of it. The thought made him chuckle mentally, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. *Lesser beings and their fragile little toes,* he thought jokingly.
Varion stumbled into the kitchen, still blinking against the morning light that felt far too bright for his throbbing head. He filled a glass with water from the sink and downed it in one go, then refilled it twice more, the cool liquid helping to ease the dryness in his throat. The hangover was stubborn, but the water helped ground him a little.
He headed upstairs for a quick shower, letting the hot water wash away the remnants of last night's celebration. When he came back down, dressed in a simple shirt and pants, the smell of cooking food greeted him—bacon sizzling, eggs scrambling, the sweet scent of pancakes on the griddle.
Lucy was already in the kitchen, standing at the stove with Virgo beside her. The celestial spirit was in her maid outfit, calmly demonstrating how to flip a pancake without burning it, her voice polite and precise. "Mistress Lucy, the key is patience. Wait for the bubbles, then turn gently."
Lucy nodded eagerly, her ponytail bouncing as she tried to mimic the motion, a small smile on her face. "Like this? I think I'm getting the hang of it!"
Varion walked up behind them, his cheeks warming as the memory of last night hit him full force—the bold way he'd kissed her right in front of the entire guild. He didn't regret it, not even a little, but the boldness of it in public still made him flush.
"Morning," he said, his voice a little rough from the hangover, a soft blush on his face as he looked at her.
Lucy turned, her own cheeks turning pink as she remembered the kiss too. "M-Morning, Varion!" she replied, a shy but happy smile breaking through. Virgo bowed politely. "Good morning, Master Varion."
He stepped closer, watching them cook for a moment. "Need any help?"
"Absolutely not, Master. Mistress wished to make you a special breakfast this morning. Please, allow us."
Before Varion could protest, Virgo walked over, gently but firmly guiding him by the elbow to the table and sitting him down in a chair. "You have earned a rest after your trials. Please relax."
Lucy looked like she wanted to say something—her mouth opened slightly, cheeks flushing deeper—but she was too embarrassed to get the words out. She fidgeted with the hem of her apron, glancing at Varion and then quickly away, the memory of last night's kiss hanging between them.
Virgo moved with efficient grace, quickly setting the table with plates, silverware, and glasses. She then ushered Lucy over, gently guiding her to sit in the chair right next to Varion. "Mistress, please sit here so you can talk while I finish cooking."
Lucy sat down, her face bright red, her hands clasped on the table as she stole shy glances at Varion. The atmosphere between them was thick with a good kind of embarrassed tension—warm, fluttery, and full of unspoken feelings. Neither quite knew what to say first, but the silence wasn't uncomfortable. It felt charged, like the air before a summer storm, both of them hyper-aware of how close they were sitting, the way their knees brushed under the table.
Virgo hummed softly as she returned to the stove, flipping pancakes with practiced ease, giving them the space to talk without pressure.
Lucy fidgeted in her seat some more, her fingers twisting in her lap as she stole another shy glance at Varion. The memory of the kiss from last night hung in the air between them, making her heart race. Finally, she couldn't hold it in anymore. Her voice came out soft and hesitant.
"Varion… about last night… the kiss. Did you… mean it? Or was it just because you were drunk?"
Varion turned to face her fully, his expression gentle but serious despite the lingering hangover. He reached out and took her hand, his thumb brushing lightly over her knuckles. "I meant it, Lucy. Even though I was drunk, I meant it. I wouldn't have done that if I didn't."
Relief washed over Lucy's face, her eyes lighting up as a bright, happy smile broke through. The tension in her shoulders melted away, replaced by a warm glow that made her look even more radiant. "Really? I'm so glad… I've been thinking about it all morning."
Varion smiled softly, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "Good. But I want to wait for Mira and Erza to have this conversation too. They deserve to be part of it."
Lucy nodded, a little reluctantly, but understanding. "Okay… I can wait. Just… don't take too long?"
The moment was interrupted by the soft sound of footsteps on the stairs. Rogue appeared first, sleepy-eyed and yawning, his dark hair messy from sleep. He rubbed his eyes, looking at the two of them with a small, quiet smile. "Morning…"
Rogue shuffled into the kitchen, still half-asleep, his dark hair messy and sticking up in places, his eyes barely open. He looked tired, like he hadn't fully woken up yet—just generally not a morning person, his movements slow and sluggish as he made his way toward Varion.
Varion smiled softly at the sight. He reached out and gently ruffled Rogue's hair, the boy's head tilting slightly under the affectionate touch. Then Varion pulled a chair right next to his own and guided Rogue into it. Rogue slumped immediately into Varion's side, resting his head against his shoulder with a small, contented sigh, his eyes drifting shut again as he leaned into the comfort.
Lucy watched the scene with a warm smile, her earlier embarrassment fading as she saw Varion's gentle side with the kids. Virgo continued cooking quietly, flipping pancakes with precise movements.
The kitchen gradually filled as the rest of the house woke up. Natsu burst in first, his pink hair wild, sniffing the air like a bloodhound. "Pancakes! Yes!" He grabbed a plate and started piling them high before anyone could stop him.
Sting and Gajeel followed, bickering over who got the first serving, while Rogue stayed slumped against Varion's side, half-asleep but slowly waking up as the smell hit him. Wendy and Lisanna came in together, both still in their pajamas, rubbing their eyes but smiling brightly when they saw Varion. Elfman trailed behind, yawning but looking happier than usual.
Everyone settled around the table, plates clattering as Virgo served the food with perfect maid precision. Breakfast was lively—Natsu and Sting competing to see who could eat the most, Wendy and Lisanna chatting excitedly about what they wanted to do today, Rogue quietly eating while leaning against Varion, and the girls stealing glances at him between bites. The tension from last night was still there, but the warmth of the meal and the kids' energy made it feel lighter.
As plates emptied and the kids started getting restless, Varion cleared his throat. "Hey, everyone—finish up. I need to talk to Lucy, Erza, and Mira out in the back for a bit."
The kids nodded, already excited to go play. Virgo and Brandish took it upon themselves to handle them. Virgo bowed gracefully. "I will occupy the children with some light cleaning practice and games, Master." Brandish shrugged with a lazy smile. "I'll make sure they don't burn the house down. Come on, kids—let's go outside."
The younger ones followed them eagerly, Natsu yelling about a new game, Wendy and Lisanna giggling as they ran out, leaving the four of them alone in the suddenly quiet kitchen.
Varion stood, gesturing toward the back door. "Shall we?"
The three girls nodded, following him out into the backyard. The morning sun was warm on the grass, the expanded space peaceful and private, a gentle breeze rustling the leaves of the nearby trees.
Varion sat down on the grass, crossing his legs comfortably and patting the ground in front of him. "Come sit. Let's talk about last night."
Erza, Mira, and Lucy exchanged glances, their faces a mix of nervousness and anticipation, before sitting down in a small semicircle facing him. The morning sun warmed the grass, a gentle breeze rustling the leaves of the nearby trees, but the air between them felt charged.
Varion took a deep breath, his voice calm but sincere. "Last night wasn't an accident. I meant what I did. I was drunk, but I wasn't out of control—I knew exactly what I was doing. I like all three of you. And I know you like me too."
The girls blushed, shifting slightly. Erza looked down, her cheeks red. Mira crossed her arms, muttering under her breath. Lucy fidgeted with her hands, her face pink.
Varion continued gently. "So I think we should just start dating with no reason to complicate things. Starting slow and building on it. Keep it simple, slow, and steady—no rushing this. We can figure out the details together."
Mira grumbled first, her tsundere side flaring as she hugged her knees. "Sharing? With them? That's… annoying. I don't like the idea of splitting you up like some prize."
Erza nodded, her voice a little stiff but honest. "I don't like sharing either. It feels… wrong. Like I'm competing for something that should be mine alone."
Lucy looked between them, her own grumble soft and reluctant. "I don't want to share him… but if it's the only way to have him at all…"
Varion smiled softly, reaching out to take each of their hands for a moment, his touch warm and reassuring. "I know it's not ideal, but this is how I feel. We can make it work if we try. No pressure, no rushing. Just… us."
The girls grumbled a little more, their complaints overlapping in quiet mutters—"This is ridiculous…" "Why can't it just be one of us…" "I still don't like it…"—but the tension eased as they sat there, the conversation opening up into something real and hopeful. The four of them stayed like that for a while, talking through their feelings, the morning sun rising higher as they took the first small steps forward together.
The girls sat there for a long moment, their grumbles fading into thoughtful silence. Mira was the first to speak again, uncrossing her arms with a sigh. "Fine… I guess we can share. We've had months to think it over anyway and I have started not to hate them."
Erza nodded, her cheeks still pink but her voice steady. "Agreed. It's not ideal, but… if it's what Varion wants, and if it means we can all be with him, then I'll accept it too."
Lucy smiled softly, relief washing over her face. "Yeah… me too. I don't want to fight anymore. I just want to be with him… and you 2 are my friends now so I mean at least it's not weird."
Varion's smile widened, warm and genuine. He reached out, taking each of their hands for a moment, squeezing gently. "Thank you. We'll take it slow, like I said. No pressure, no rushing. Just us figuring this out together."