Your whole body instantly relaxed as you hastily slipped into the blue-green and steaming water of the hot spring. You let out a sigh of relief, letting the water was away all your muscle tension and soreness.
"Now this is the life!" You stretched and placed your arms behind your head and made yourself comfortable. "Don't you agree, Cana?"
The drunk mumbled a bubbly response. Her entire body was completely engulfed in the steaming water, except for the upper half of her face. There was a quick moment of silence before Cana burst upward, taking in deep breaths of warm air. "I still can't believe you took that job all on your own." She said, her breathing more controlled.
You lifted your left hand, revealing the (f/c) Fairy Tail guild mark, and brushed a loose strand of hair from your face, trying to hide your embarrassment and blushing. You dipped down farther into the water. "That's sweet, but…"
A stone-hardened voice interjected and startled you. "Wow, (Name)," Erza stepped into the water and sat down beside you. Cana had a mean grin on her face, happy to see how shocked you were to hear the requip mage's voice. "I don't think I've ever seen you blush."
You slipped farther down into the water. You stopped right before your eyes dipped below the surface. Erza and Cana chuckled lightly, finding it fun to tease you. You stood abruptly, startling the two other mages. When only your shins were still in the water, did you feel the chill of your exposed skin as small and warm droplets dripped down your body. Trying to rejoin the rest of their kind, water.
"I'm gonna take a shower," you stepped up and out of the spring. "Catch ya later." You gave them a small wave as you walked through the doors-to the showers-and out of sight.
"I'll meet up with you in a minute or two!" Cana shouted, loud enough for the boys next door to hear. Some boys hooted, jumping to dirty conclusions.
You sat yourself down in the empty bathing house. Turning on the shower head and letting the water ripple down your skin, you began to shampoo your (h/l) (h/c) hair. You ran your fingers through it carefully pulling away any knots, stubborn or not. ((A/N): Sorry, had to. It was too good to pass up-for me anyway.) Then you heard the footsteps of another as you turned abruptly.
"'Bout time you got here, I've been waiting for fore…"
"She's quite brave, that (Name)." Erza said, nodding proudly. "Not many would do that! And same goes for you!"
"You talking about how she completed the mission?" Cana inquired. Though the mage has had a little too much to drink, as always, she couldn't understand her part of being brave. "Wait, but how does that place me in that sentence."
"Don't you know?"
"Know what?" Cana asked, becoming slightly worried.
"Laxus," Freed pleaded. "Let me wash your back?" Freed was practically on his knees and bowing his head. But no matter how hard he cried and begged, Laxus would just refuse. Saying, "If you wash my back anymore, I ain't gonna to have any skin left back there."
Of course, Laxus was right. Freed had washed his back sixteen times since they arrived at the springs. Laxus' back was bright red, no matter how tough the dragon slayer was, too much scrubbing irritated even his skin.
"Seriously, Freed, Just get up." Bixlow tried to convince him. "You know he's just going to continue to say no." And every time Freed would try and object his advice Bixlow would repeat his words and try to pry him from Laxus' feet-and the sponge from his hands.
After Bixlow successfully pulled Freed away from Laxus, with help from Elfman, Laxus began to walk away.
"Where are you going now?" Freed cried, attempting to weave his way out of Bixlow's and Elfman's rough grip.
"To the showers, and no you can't come." Was all he said before disappearing into the showers.
"...ver." Your face burst bright red. Not only were you surprised, but also naked. "W-What are you doing'...," you gulped. Pulling your eyes up so they wouldn't travel any lower than the persons exposed stomach. "In here?"
You quickly tried to cover your breast and eyes at the same time. Giving up in embarrassment you turned back to the shower walls and leaned forward trying to cover your private spots. The shower faucet was still on and encasing you in a thin veil of steam. You could feel the burning red, and obvious, blush slap you across the face. Your voice was shaky, along with your breathing.
"Pervert," you muttered under your breath. Completely unaware of the yellow haired mage's hearing abilities.
He stood there, slightly in a daze, and slightly surprised you would dare call him that. "What did you call me?" He growled, moving his, almost over toned body, closer to your hiding form.
You tilted your head up. He was walking closer. You began to freak out! What were you supposed to do if a guy, a naked guy, starts walking towards you, and your naked?! You quickly grabbed the shampoo bottle and threw it at him, careful not to reveal anything too embarrassing.
"I said, 'Pervert'!" You threw the conditioner bottle at him and then a soap bar. "What are you doing in here any way, Pervert? This is the girls bathing house!" You shouted.
"What do you mean, 'the bathhouses are open gender'?!" Cana screamed. She, as were you, was completely unaware. No wonder the boys hooted, Cana thought. "We should go get her!" Cana burst upward, storming towards the shower entrance.
"Cana, wait! Do you really want the boys to see you and (Name) naked, not that they would mind." Erza mumbled the last part, making it barely audible.
Cana tried to protest but couldn't help but admit, she didn't like the thought of her guildmates seeing her topless-again-except this time she would be completely naked.
"Don't get me wrong." Ezra continued, solemnly. "I want to run in there and pull (Name) out of there as fast as I can, but alas, we have no cloths."
Cana gave the requip mage a dirty look. Then shrugged and returned to the soothing water of the hot springs. "Sorry, (Name)." was all they said on the topic for the rest of the night.
"Would you just stop," Laxus swatted another bar of soap away. "Throwing this at me, and stop calling me a pervert." The dragonslayer was only feet away from you. He reached his hand out to your exposed back.
"Fine," You ran out of things to throw, so you grabbed the shower head, turned the water all the way to 'freezing' and aimed it directly above your head. Splashing ice cold water in the male's face. "Debauchee!"
Laxus immediately stopped. His whole body stiffening. The water was uncomfortable and relentlessly doused him in places that made a shiver run up and down his spine.
"I'm not a fucking debauchee! Or Pervert!" Laxus cried.
"Then what are you, Peeping Tom?!"
Laxus tried to move out of the water's aim, but you kept turning the shower head. "It's your own damn fault, anyway!" At this you stopped. You shut off the water and placed the shower head on the floor.
"Explain." Even though he couldn't see your face, it was stern and hardened. You were embarrassed and pissed beyond belief.
"It's a gendernutural bath house." The blonde smirked. Watching how you stiffened at his words. You began to shake as tears began to well in your (e/c) eyes.
"You mean…" You swallowed the gigantic lup in your throat.
"Exactly what it sounds like." Laxus now seemed more agitated than before, and boy was he annoyed. "Now can I shower?" He tried to walk forwards but you held out your arm to stop him. "What?" he complained.
"Close your eyes and turn around." You demanded. The dragonslayer tried to protest but you interrupted him. "Just do it."He did as you asked. And once you were sure he wasn't looking, you stood up and walked in front of him. "Now turn around… And keep your eyes shut!" Again he listened. "Okay open…" He let out a large sigh as he looked to where you had been showering. "Sit."
"Okay, seriously what are you doing now?" he said sitting down.
"I'm washing your back." You said, the red powder of your face refusing to leave. "As long as you can't see me, and I can't see your front we'll get along swimmingly." You kneeled down behind him as you ran your soft fingers down his back-and all his muscles. This caused him to shudder slightly. Making you laugh. "'Cause I'm not giving up my shower time just because of some pervert."
You were positive you saw the tips of his ears burn red as you pulled your hand away. Grabbing the shower head you asked him to turn it on, and pointed it at his back. He let out a slight shriek when he felt water as cold as ice run down his back. You giggled. Laxus grumbled and turned the knob to warm water.
You spent the rest of your time, washing Laxus' back in awkward and mortified silence.
~Extended Ending:~
At that moment Freed knew something had happened-something involving Laxus. He began to walk towards the bath house entrance. Carefully placing each silent step, so not to alert the resting 'guards'.
And Just as Freed's foot was about to pass through the threshold, thick, tan arms wrapped themselves around his frail and naked body. Elfman lifted the green haired mage and threw him into the springs. Bixlow then tugged on the rune mage's long hair when he attempted to leave the springs' water.
"Why Laxus? What happened in that bathhouse?!" Freed cried the rest of the night.
Even after returning to the shared room between the males, every time Freed glanced over at Laxus he couldn't help but whimper. Much to Laxus' annoyance. This continued, not only the whole night, but for a few weeks. And when Laxus spotted a certain (h/c) haired mage in the guild, they both were enveloped by a pink dust covering their cheeks; Freed went back to whining and sulking.