Sky
"Hey, Natsu. What are you looking at?" Gray asked, an eyebrow raised. Natsu was currently at the job listing board, scratching his head.
"There's this job, worth around 100,000 jewel. However, it requires a romantic partner to complete. It's basically a chance for couples to get paid doing a job, the job being to destroy 15 forest Vulcans. " Natsu explained to Gray, who was staring intently at the poster.
"It's suicide." Gray declared. Natsu shook his head and said, "I'm pretty sure I can handle 15 Vulcans on my own. I need a partner for this.. but I don't really fall in love easily."
"Why not just get a partner and say you're in love to the client?" Gray suggested blandly. Natsu shook his head.
"I don't like to lie. Honestly, you know well I'm not interested in girls, so finding a suitable partner is much more difficult." Natsu said, his face feeling hot. While him and Gray spoke, they drifted to the bar and talked more about other things.
"... not with Juvia, that woman would hug me to the grave." Gajeel heard Gray say to Natsu. Natsu chuckled and said something in a low voice.
"Gray, do you know anyone who would be suitable for that job, suitable for my affection?" Natsu said, his face getting red.
"No, it beats me. You know I'm straight." Gray whispered back. Gajeel did a double take at this comment.
The Salamander.. is gay? Gajeel thought to himself, clearly stunned by the revelation. He took a look at the request board and saw the job flier. He picked it up and recited it in his head.
15 Forest Vulcans disturbing the peace within the forest of Magnolia
The anonymous client requests that these Vulcans be disposed of for a nominal sum of 100,000 Jewel.
To complete this job you must have a partner along with you. The partner of the one who helps destroys the Vulcans must be in an active relationship with the aforementioned person.
Gajeel tore the flier off the request bored and walked home rather slowly, with each step he thought about the conversation Gray and Natsu had. The Salamander is gay.. and the Salamander is looking for the same thing I'm looking for… Gajeel thought slowly and calmly. Gajeel noticed his heart beating quicker and his palms getting sweaty.
"I cannot possibly like that pink haired dolt. Why am I feeling like this?" Gajeel thought out loud.
Gajeel continued to walk until he reached a green plain where his home sat. His house was a wooden cabin with no metal designs, as would be expected by an Iron Dragon Slayer. He opened his door and promptly closed it as soon as he went in. He plopped himself on his couch, a couple of feet from the doorway and pulled a crinkled request paper from his pocket. He stared at the paper and put it away, grabbing another request form from a stand next to the couch, slowly unfolding the paper.
Several rollidillo spotted in forest southeast of Clover Town.
Several rollidillo, large purple reptilian monsters have been spotted in the forest southeast of Clover Town. Help is required from the citizens of Clover Town. Payment will be received when all of the rollidillo have been disposed of.
Payment: 20,000 Jewel
After Gajeel finished reading the paper, he began to put the paper away when he heard a deep voice in the room nearest to the living room. Pantherlily was bathed in light from the lamp next to Gajeel and began to rub his eyes.
"Hey, Lily" Gajeel murmured, his attention on putting the job request into his pockets. Pantherlily walked up to Gajeel and plopped himself on the couch next to him.
"Good morning, Gajeel. Anything new?" Pantherlily asked, grabbing a copy of The Weekly Sorcerer from the stand closest to him. Gajeel gulped and decided to avoid the conversation about the job which Natsu and him wanted, though Natsu didn't know Gajeel wanted the job as well.
"Just a new job. Have to deal with several rollidillo." Gajeel said to Pantherlily, his voice suddenly hoarse. Pantherlily looked up from his copy of The Weekly Sorcerer and raised an eyebrow.
"Everything alright there? How much is the payment?" Pantherlily asked, thumbing through his magazine.
"20,000 Jewel. Yeah.. everything is alright, I guess." Gajeel said, his voice neutral.
"You don't sound so sure, Gajeel." Pantherlily said, looking at several swords in The Weekly Sorcerer's Sword Esque column.
Gajeel coughed and said, "Yeah, I'm alright.. I'm going to go on that job now."
Pantherlily smiled at Gajeel and said, "Enjoy the trip."
"Yeah." Gajeel said, not so sure that everything would be peachy.
Gajeel began to walk to the guild and eventually reached Magnolia Town when he saw Natsu and Happy together, also walking back to the guild, arms full of food. Gajeel tried to pay no mind to Natsu as he walked into the guild.
"Master, I'm going on a job." Gajeel passed the flier to Makarov and he nodded.
"Alright. Have fun!" Makarov said with a smile.
Natsu was curious about the job that Gajeel picked up, and by the smell of the paper he could tell it wasn't the job he was wondering about earlier.
"Oi, Gajeel. Wait up." Gajeel froze when he heard Natsu's voice and turned around slowly.
"What do you want, Salamander?" Gajeel said with his cocky attitude, trying to hide his inner turmoil.
"Did you take the flyer of the 100,000 Jewel job?" Natsu said, his hands fumbling behind his back.
"Yeah, what of it?" Gajeel said, avoiding eye contact with the pinkette.
"Did you choose anyone to go with?" Natsu asked, staring at Gajeel. Gajeel slowly shook his head.
"Oh, cool. I'm looking for someone to go with too. Hope you find someone!" Natsu said casually.
"Yeah. Whatever, Salamander." Gajeel said, walking out of the guild to the Magnolia train station.
At the station
Gajeel popped a mint-flavored candy in his mouth. The candy had a Troia spell on it, so he wouldn't get nauseous during his ride. Gajeel decided to take the longer route as it passed through water and was more refreshing than the shorter route, which had a beach between the stops.
"Clover Town bound train approaching the station" A neutral female voice said from a loudspeaker above Gajeel's seat on the platform.
A gush of wind accompanied the arrival of the train, a sleek new magical train with gold trimmings around its shining silver surface.
Gajeel got up and walked into the train, taking a seat on a sleek blue seat and began to relax, thinking deeply about what happened earlier that day.
At Natsu's House
"Natsu! Have you made any progress on that job recently?" Happy asked Natsu, jumping on a little trampoline beside Natsu's couch. Natsu frowned and shook his head slowly.
"Aww.. I hope you find someone! You always have me! Do I count?" Happy said, clearly joking.
"You're a cat, but you are my partner. However, we're not in an 'active relationship' like that Happy!" Natsu said, laughing.
Clover Station
Clover Town Station: You have 2 minutes to exit the train before a return trip.
Gajeel got up from his seat and walked out of the train. He walked directly to a dock connecting the station to the other side of the lake of which the train station was in the center. Gajeel began to walk eastwards and southwards into the forest. The second he entered the forest, a group of 5 large purple reptiles confronted him.
"Rollidillo." Gajeel whispered, surprised that every single one decided to take him on at once.
In a flash, all 5 rollidillo were running into Gajeel. Gajeel thrusted his hand forward and an iron pole smashed into the face of the center rollidillo. Two poles on each side of the main pole slithered out and smashed into the faces of the 2 rollidillo on either side of the center one.
"Wow. Surprisingly easy," Gajeel muttered to himself. He walked back northward and westward, walking to the town that diverges from the dock.
He walked to the official buildings in Clover Town and knocked on the door. The mayor himself answered and passed Gajeel several Jewel bills when he verified that all 5 rollidillo were disposed of.
Gajeel began walking to the dock when a little light caught his eye. He turned around and saw a candle lacrima shop, and saw a brilliant red flame within a circular lacrima. It looked so nice.
I should get this. Natsu would like it a lot. Gajeel thought to himself before doing a mental double take.
I'm.. thinking about the Salamander? I called him Natsu? I really do like the pink haired blockhead. Gajeel thought to himself again.
Gajeel walked up to the shop, which was actually a stand with a kind looking elderly man as the seller.
"I particularly like this lacrima. How much would it cost?" Gajeel murmured to the merchant.
"Ah, a spectacular choice. This candle lacrima costs 10,000 jewel." The merchant said with a smile.
Gajeel thought about it and decided to buy the lacrima. He passed half of his notes to the merchant and held the lacrima tenderly as he walked to the train station and boarded a train back to Magnolia Town.
Happy and Natsu
Happy knew that Natsu had interest in Gajeel. For the most part, Natsu totally forgot about this interest in the man. Happy also knew that Gajeel was interested in Natsu, for sure.
"What do you think about going to the guild and relaxing?" Natsu asked Happy.
"Sure, why not? Shall we fly today?" Happy said cheerfully. Natsu grunted and then smiled.
"Why the hell not?" Natsu said as he walked out of his apartment.
Happy picked Natsu up and began to fly towards the guild.
"How's it feel in the air?" Happy asked.
Natsu grumbled and said, "I think I'm going to be sick!"
Happy said, "Why? You never get sick on me?"
Natsu grinned and said, "Syke." as they landed at the guild gates.
"Oi, Salamander!" Gajeel yelled out to Natsu as he began to approach the gates.
Happy smiled and flew into the guild to let those two have their time together.
"Oh, hey Gajeel.. oh my goodness, what are you holding?" Natsu asked, infatuated with the lacrima Gajeel was holding.
"A candle lacrima. A damn expensive one at that. I got it for you." Gajeel mumbled, his cheeks turning red. Natsu gasped.
"F-for me..?" Natsu said, stunned.
"Yeah, for you." Gajeel said as he tenderly put the lacrima into Natsu's hands and formed a clasp around it.
"I-it's beautiful.. Gajeel." Natsu said in awe, looking up at Gajeel and giving him a big hug.
"Yeah.. I guess it is." Gajeel said, returning the hug to Natsu.
Rate and comment!