Temperance

Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail.

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"What the fuck, Lahar!" Mest shouted as he clamped his hand over his nose. The once busy floor went suddenly silent as Lahar glared at his partner.

"You, again, fucked my case!" he roared, ready to strike his partner when a hand wrapped around his wrist. He stopped and spun to look at Captain Fernandez, and he did not look amused, but Lahar did not care.

Six months of work, down the drain because Mest had lost a piece of critical evidence. The case had been so long and strenuous that his girlfriend had left him and took his cat with her. The only thing he was looking forward to was finally putting the head of the Oración Seis Gang behind bars for the rest of his life. Now, he had nothing because he was paired with a guy who was as disorganized as he was organized.

"Office. Now. Detective." The Captain said before spinning on a heel and walking away.

Lahar adjusted his glasses and shot his partner a glare that had the man turning to leave. His piercing eyes swept around the room and every other office quickly looked away and back to work. Never in his life had he been so furious and so short of patience. He was always in better control, but people didn't understand, had it not been for this case, he would have been on his way to considering marriage.

He took in a breath and walked into the Captain's office. The office was simplistic in its design, large windows let in light, behind the Captain was bookshelves littered with picture frames and small souvenirs from various cases. The large desk was clear, and Lahar took a seat in one of the simple brown leather chairs in front of his very distraught looking Captain.

"Ten years, Detective Morrigan and not a single incident. Why on Earth Land did you feel it necessary to strike your partner?" He asked as he scrubbed his hand over his face before running it through his blue locks.

Lahar sighed, "Mest lost critical evidence and our whole case just blew up. This is not the first time he's made my life hell."

"I was reviewing your records, in the entire time you have been a cop you have only called in three times and have never taken vacation. I think it's time you did." He said, and Lahar felt his jaw fall open.

"N-now, wait, it was one strike. I'll do extra paperwork, work extra shifts, join the softball team. Anything but suspension." He said, his voice trembling and his words coming out too fast.

"One week, with pay and you will report to Mira for counseling twice a week when you come back," Fernandez said as his piecing green eyes bore into Lahar.

Lahar knew better than to argue but he was just beyond the threshold of caring. "Just one goddamn minute! That's a bit much!"

His Captain stood up and leaned over the desk, "one more word Lahar and we will make it a month. You need a break, get yourself back together. You have been working too hard and it finally caught up with you. Now, you can leave with your dignity or I can call in Laxus and Bickslow to escort you out."

Lahar sat back in the chair, feeling defeated as he pulled on his black tie. He could not believe this had happened to him, all his years and perfect records, he could kiss promotion goodbye. He stared at his Captain and let out a breath before standing up. "I think right now my dignity is all I have left, good day Captain."

"Lahar, this won't hurt your career, just know that. Even the best cops fuck up, when you get back I'll tell you all about the time I shot Commissioner Makarov in the butt." He said with a slight chuckle and Lahar arched a brow before he started laughing.