It's for the rent, I swear!
"Aw man! All the good jobs have been taken..." Fairy Tail's only celestial mage sighed as she scanned the job request board.
Second month in a row that she will pay her rent late.
With her shoulders slumped in resignation, Lucy dragged her feet towards the guild's bar, where Mirajane was just finishing up polishing some glasses. The take-over mage sent Lucy a sympathetic smile and served the disheartened girl her usual drink.
"Are you having problems with your rent again?" The bartender asked kindly, eyeing how Lucy chugged down her slightly alcoholic drink in under a minute flat. The poor girl ignored her and grumbled about 'stupid Natsu and Gray' going overboard on their last mission. Mira took that as an answer and refilled her glass.
"Have you considered getting a part-time job to earn more money?"
Lucy looked up. Of course I did — I got a modeling gig for Sorcerer's Weekly that one time! She cringed at the memory.
"Yeah...that didn't end up so well…" Flushed, Lucy laughed and wrung her hands around.
Mirajane stared at her in thought. "Have you thought of selling your stories? I heard Levy say that they're really good. Plus, I also heard that Sorcerer's Weekly is looking for someone to write under their new fanfiction column. You should give it a try!"
The mere idea of other people reading her stories had Lucy's eyes bulge out comically. Mirajane shook her head and sent her an inquiring look.
"How else do you want to pay your rent?"
"Hmm…" The blonde rubbed the back of her head not having a good enough answer.
As if called, the ex-Phantom member appeared by Lucy's side and gave her love rival a hard stare. "Juvia would pay 10,000 jewels for a romance story with Gray-sama."
Lucy blinked, taken aback by the sudden proposal. She was about to refuse Juvia, but the notion of ten thousand jewels earned so easily was too tempting to let it slide. Lucy gave the rain woman a smile that borderlined evil, which made everyone around her step back in fear.
"Is that so?"
Lucy Heartfilia trotted happily on the margin of the canal, her hands folded at the back of her head. Natsu walked behind and eyed her suspiciously. Happy flew in circles above them.
"I'm telling you Happy. There's something wrong with Lucy." The dragon slayer whispered conspiratorially to his exceed. He moved closer to the girl and sniffed her. She smelled the same as always and she didn't seem like she was on her period. Which would explain her strange behavior. Natsu rubbed his chin in thought,trying to pinpoint the problem.
"If you want my fish you can have it Lushy." The blue cat stated, worry laced in his words as his small paws searched inside his backpack.
"I don't want your fish." She stated, that same silly smile not leaving her face as she patted Happy's head affectionately. Her two companions, who were expecting her usual yelling fit, were left speechless and watched her retreating figure slip through the guild's doors.
"Happy, I think someone broke Lucy."
"Aye."
Inside the guild's building, Lucy made a beeline for the bar where she was greeted again by Mira's warm smile. She sent the bartender a grin when she was presented with her favourite milkshake.
"I take it everything is going well?" The eldest Strauss sibling asked curiously. The satisfied grin on Lucy's face became wider, and she clasped her hands together,squealing in delight.
"It's even better than I've imagined it would be! I not only have enough to pay rent, but if it keeps going like this I might be able to renovate my bathroom too! Thanks again for the idea, Mira!"
Mira smiled in return, happy that she was able to help to her comrade.
"However, Lucy, I suggest that you be cautious with this." Mira warned her before returning her attention to the other patrons at the bar. An annoyed sigh escaped her lips as she was flanked by two very familiar presences.
"She looks alright to me." One shirtless Gray Fullbuster remarked, his eyes scanning over the girl's curvaceous figure. Lucy's eye twitched. On her other side, Natsu stubbornly shook his head, his mind still trying to grasp the difference.
"Lushy…" Happy plopped on her lap, a roll of duct tape clasped in his tiny paws. "Natsu said you're broken, so I brought duct tape to help fix." The cat stated excitedly, with a grin on his face as he grabbed one end of the tape and started unrolling it.
"Rent!" All eyes turned in surprise towards Natsu, who yelled his last outburst. Lucy raised an eyebrow at him, not understanding.
"You haven't complained about your rent in more than a week. Why?" He narrowed his eyes at her as if trying to read her thoughts and Lucy backed away awkwardly.
As harmless as writing fanfiction might seem, it could prove disastrous if the wrong people caught wind of it. Especially, the people she was writing those fanfiction stories about. Mavis, some of them weren't innocent in the slightest!
Just like the one she was supposed to deliver today.
Lucy gave a small, uneasy laugh feeling uncomfortable under her friends' scrutinization.
"Oh, it's all taken care of! Don't worry guys..." She tried to explain, leaving out all the details concerning her side-job.
"Impossible. Not with the rewards we got this month," Gray shook his head,offended by her lame attempt to lie to them.
"No one said I had to depend on the jobs we take to increase my income!" The cornered mage snapped at them and crossed her hands over her well developed chest. Somewhere in the background Macao and Wakaba got a nosebleed.
"Are you selling your body, Lushy?" Happy stated amused, the exceed puffed his cheeks and pressed a paw to his lips trying, but failing to muffle his laughter. Lucy's face coloured resembling a cherry tomato. She aimed a 'Lucy' punch at the laughing exceed.
"It's not like that you perverted cat!" She yelled, ignoring the questioning looks she received from the other guild members present in the hall. Lucy took a deep breath and motioned her teammates closer so that only they could hear her.
"I'm...I'm not selling my body or doing anything illegal. I work for Sorcerer's Weekly as a fanfiction writer now. But don't tell anyone."
In an instant Natsu's face lightened, and he grabbed her and shook her shoulders. His grin was maddening as he asked her to read him one.
"Hold on, right there! I've already read some of your stories from your room!" exclaimed Gray.
"Heck no! I called her first!"
"Is that a challenge, Flame Brain?!"
"Bring it on, Ice Stripper!"
Lucy sweatdropped.
"Guys...don't…" Lucy's silent plea fell on deaf ears, as profanities were soon heard, chairs and tables went flying . She didn't have enough time to take cover so she was caught in the midst of the brawl, her bag taking the brunt of the blows. Then her bag, containing her next story request, ripped and pages flew out high in the air.
The celestial magic user watched in dread as papers scattered all over the hall.
"Gate of the maiden, I open thee. Virgo!"
A flask of golden light, and the celestial spirit appeared before her summoner. Virgo gave Lucy a respectful bow.
"Punishment time, hime?" The spirit inquired, ignoring the chair that flew two inches away from the top of her head.
With a shaky voice Lucy gestured towards the scattered papers.
"Catch them Virgo, catch them all!" Lucy pleaded and watched as her spirit skillfully jumped, grasping every single incriminating paper into her possession. She was, however, too late to catch one when a strong hand stretched lazily and grabbed it before she could.
Grayish blue eyes glanced over the words scribbled on it and blinked in surprise, a barely noticeable blush tinting his cheeks.
For Lucy, all seemed to happen in slow motion: Natsu and Gray slammed against the wall via Erza's roundhouse kick. Jet and Droy knocked out by Gajeel's iron club for accidentally slapping a certain blue haired mage's behind. Warren launched towards Max a broom gripped tightly in his hand, an empty bottle flew across the hall and hit the smiling Mira straight in the face. And finally, Laxus making eye contact with her, a strange glint in his eyes.
Virgo could have sworn that a dejected, crying soul came out of her master's mouth. At that moment, the S-class mage descended the stairs.
Laxus calmly made his way towards the shell shocked woman, just as she crumbled and pushed Natsu to the pavement in the process.
He stared at her as if contemplating something. Finally, he turned away, his cheeks flushed a light tint of pink, and he thrusted his hand, holding the troublesome paper in front of her.
She took the page of her story out from his outstretched hand, looked it over and groaned. From everything he could have read it just had to be that scene.
Damn you Freed! That was it, she was so done writing fictional stories involving the guild's members. Before Lucy could explain herself and apologize to Laxus, the man in question spoke.
"I…" He started, then moved closer, as if concerned that other people might hear him. "I will accept your feelings, but you have to confess to me properly." Laxus then swiftly turned around and disappeared in a flash of lightning and smoke, leaving a gaping blonde girl behind.
"W-what! But there's nothing to confess!"
Cheerful laughter and squeals filled the lively atmosphere from within the guild. Most mages returned from their jobs and happily chatted with each other enjoying the small break they received. Seated at his usual table on the second floor and glancing at the mass of people below him, Laxus drunk his beer. His left eye twitched when his gaze fell, once again, on a mop of blonde hair.
He growled in annoyance as he witnessed Gray stripping of his boxers in front of the woman and how her eyes oh so subtly traveled over his naked body before turning her back to him. A "love rival" growl was heard from behind the barrels.
His lips pursed into a thin line as he watched her giggle with her friends. It's been almost a week since that incident and the newbie had yet to make her move.
He sighed, closing his eyes. He was attracted to her, she was an interesting combination of looks and brains. Not to mention that Laxus was after all raised under the influence of his perverted grandfather. Any woman with a nice body would have probably grabbed his attention. During that brawl he saw how her bag went flying and how papers showered from inside it. Laxus heard that she wanted to be a writer and curious, grabbed the closest one to him and read it:
"I'll make you scream so loud that you'll lose your voice!" Laxus growled in my ear as he pinned me to the wall with his massive body. I moaned his name at how deliciously his muscles pressed against my heated skin. He smirked.
His big, strong and calloused hands swept over my ribs teasingly. He licked his lips, enjoying the gasps that escaped my mouth, and he pinched my hardened nipple. I threw my head back, thrusting my lower region into his. When I felt his stiff member through the soft fabric of his clothing, I lost it.
"Please Laxus! Make me yours!"
It had taken all of the lighting mage's self control, to not rush down, throw Lucy over his shoulder and lock her in his bedroom. Laxus run a hand through his hair pushing the still burning urge deep down and glanced at her again. His male pride needed a confession before acting on his desires. He just didn't expect he would have to coax it out of her. He cursed under his breath not used to having to deal with such troublesome women and rose from the chair.
He silently made his way to her table ignoring the questioning stares he got from the other guild members, not used to seeing him in the hall. Laxus stopped behind Lucy and cleared his throat to grab her attention. He noticed the woman stiffen in her seat yet she stubbornly refused to acknowledge him. With his eyebrow raised in mild irritation Laxus leaned over her small body, his left hand resting on the table to support his weight.
Lucy felt his imposing frame looming intimidating over her and gulped. A strange, pleasant shiver run through her body when his hot breath washed over her left cheek. The warmth radiating from his body was enough to make her blush and Lucy dared not raise her eyes from the steamy cup of coffee clutched in her grasp.
"I never took you for the shy type Lucy." He teasingly whispered in her ear, smirking when he saw the tips of her ears turn red. It was the first time Laxus addressed her by the name and to Lucy it sounded more like a seductive purr. Turning her head enough so she could glance at his features Lucy found herself quivering under his intense gaze. She whipped her head back to stare at the coffee, ignoring the rapid beating of her heart and the greedy gulps of air her lungs demanded.
"Should I take your reaction as an encouragement?" Laxus inquired, his eyes traveling over her features before burying his face in the croup of her neck. He expertly trailed his nose over the length of her throat feeling her shiver under his feathery touch.
"It was a job!" She all but yelled in frustration slamming the cup of coffee on the hard surface of the table, spilling some of the contents. The hall went quiet and all eyes turned to her. She groaned and stood up, thankful that Laxus had the courtesy of allowing her the space.
"For the most of last month I've been writing fictional stories for the Sorcerer Magazine. What you read was meant for them and was not a fantasy of mine." She sighed rubbing the back of her head in annoyance. Laxus narrowed his eyes but said nothing. He had heard people talking about the new column and the talented writer before.
"I'm sorry." She apologized when the man in front of her remained silent. She closed her eyes in an attempt to hide from the hard stare he was giving her. To anyone else it may have seemed like the cold, uninterested look on Laxus' face was no different than the one he always wore, but to those close to the S class mage, the sharp glint in his orbs had a special significance. He was strategizing.
"What gave you the impression that you can write whatever you want about me and sell it off without a worry?" Laxus low tenor had Lucy backing away from the dangerous man. Her complexion grew pale when small, lightning bolts crackled around his tall stature.
He wouldn't actually hurt her would he?! She wondered, cold beads of sweat rolling down her temples. Where were Natsu and the others? She gulped too afraid to tear her gaze away from Laxus to search for her friends and protectors. Suddenly the lighting died and Laxus crossed his arms over his muscular chest.
"You'll have to apologize for your careless actions." He stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Lucy's jaw fell to the floor.
"But I did!" Her outburst was completely discarded by Laxus as he fixed her with a stern stare. "You will have diner with me tonight as your penance. His words came out as an order leaving no place for objections as Lucy slammed her hand on her forehead.
"Do you have selective hearing or something?" She groaned at his retreating form, grabbing a bottle and swinging it at his infuriating blonde head. Laxus' amused laughter echoed in the hall as he skillfully avoided the projectile before disappearing in a bolt of lighting.
"I guess that means you won't come with us on the job today." The celestial mage whipped her head towards her pink haired friend with a speed and force that had people worry for her snapping her neck.
"You were here?!" She fumed snatching Natsu by the collar and pulling him to eye level. She dismissed Happy plopped on the table and munching on his fish. Natsu simply nodded refraining from commenting on her poor observatory skills. That seemed to enrage the blonde even more because not even a second later did her fist come crushing against his chin.
"And it didn't cross your mind to help me out back there?" She shrieked aiming another 'Lucy' kick at him which Natsu easily dodged. He pulled himself to his feet rubbing his sore jaw before sending Lucy a bewildered look.
"Of course not. Igneel taught me never to come between a man courting his woman." He told her with all the seriousness he could muster and Lucy gaped at him speechless. His words seemed so wrong and ludicrous that Lucy didn't even know from where to start correcting him. She was shocked when she saw Gray nodding beside him.
"Bro Code Lucy." Erza clarified with a knowing smile ignoring the protesting shouts of 'You're not even a guy!'
"Aye."
"You're a cat!"
The blonde stared at them dumbfounded, wondering for the nth time if maybe, just maybe she was the only sane person in her guild.
"What kind of friends are you?!" Her scream was muffled by collective laughter and clinks of glasses as everybody fought to congratulate her and ask how their first baby will be named.
A.N. Hello every one! This is the first time I've written a Fairy Tail fanfiction story and I apologize if things feel a little weird. lol
Also many thanks to N.J. Sandman for beta-reading this!