(Fairy Tail x Male Reader) The True Prince of Peace

Chapter 2- Y/N part 1

Y/N viciously jerked awake, his unsheathed sword in hand. His breathing was heavy, pupils dilated, and senses on high alert.

"It was just a nightmare... it was just a nightmare... Relax," he whispered to himself, trying to calm down - a feat that was much easier said than done. The cold sweat glistened on his body as his past experiences came back to haunt him. He had but to look down to be reminded of all the pain.

'Fuck,' he thought to himself, his memory drifting to the horrors that haunted him. He bit his tongue, trying to use the pain to drive them out, but to no avail.

He stretched, a few pops escaping here and there; almost immediately, he sat back down on the bed, body weary. He took a moment before getting up again and heading to the bathroom. As he doused himself in cold water and dried off, he paused to look at himself. He didn't know if the man that stared back at him was a stranger or not.

'Am I fooling myself by coming here? I still have some responsibility. But... No. No, I need this. I need it,' he thought, rubbing his temples.

Opening the window, he let the elements inside. The rain was still coming down hard, but he enjoyed it. It gave the air a fresh feel - one that he soaked in with bliss. He glanced over at the clock - close to 6:00am. The day was just beginning, and it seemed as though it would be similar to the one before: rainy. After taking a cold shower and getting dressed in his clothes from the night before, he was down in the main guild hall by 06:30am. It wasn't long before he was greeted by the smell of breakfast.

"Who else is awake?" he wondered aloud, as he went towards the source of the smell which was coming from the bar area. "Hello?"

"Oh, Y/N! You're awake!" he was greeted with the bright smile of Mirajane Strauss, resident bartender of Fairy Tail.

"Good morning, Mira," he smiled at her. "What're you up to?"

"Oh, just making some coffee and breakfast! Would you like to join me?" she asked, hiking her thumb behind the counter and inviting him to the kitchen area.

"Sure, thank you," he said before hopping over to her side.

She led him to the kitchen, where she had prepared some eggs and toast with a pot of coffee. As she prepared another plate, he took an empty seat at the table and began to relax, taking in the smell of the warm and fragrant meal. He picked up a different scent as well - something heady that made him catch his breath. He looked around for the source, before mentally slapping himself for missing what was right in front of him.

"That smells amazing, Mira," he said. She caught on to the double meaning and gave a sly smile with her back still turned to him.

"Oh? The food or the perfume?" she wondered innocently.

"Ha. Both," he said, chuckling slightly.

"Well, thank you for the compliment. Both of them," she said as she turned around, setting a new plate before him. Both began to eat their meals happily. Y/N was chewing as slowly as possible - making sure to take in the aroma and taste of every bite, determined not to miss even the slightest flavor. After so long a time on the road, he wanted to enjoy the little things - a warm bed, a nice, home cooked meal and the company of a beautiful woman.

"Did you sleep well?" Mira suddenly asked, taking a pause to look at him.

"I did," Y/N said with a strained smile. "Been a while since I've had a bed, though, so it was a welcome change."

"Where did you sleep on your travels?" Mira wondered.

"Wherever I could find a place, really. I don't mind camping out, though - so it was never a major problem. It's been a fun road, but I think I'm ready to take a little break," Y/N said.