A/N: Hello all! I've been writing this for a while! This story takes place after Alone Together, and includes two pre-established relationships. I actually have some more chapters that are finished and will be posted soon. In the future, as a trigger warning, some chapters will get kinda dark, and include graphic scenes of torture. For now, enjoy some light-hearted stuff for the next five (or so) chapters!

I want to mention, this fic is pretty much a coming out story, mostly focused on Gajeel, but we also focus on the other characters, including Team Natsu. It's about the experience of being afraid to be out and with a lover of the same sex in public, and the fear of being seen differently by friends and family. This is my take of how Gajeel would experience these feelings and how he deals with the fear of coming out or being outed somehow. Enjoy!

Chapter 1

It was finally summer, and it was excruciatingly hot. The guild's windows were all opened, and taking a dip in the pool meant boiling alive, as the cold water didn't seem to work. There were fans set up everywhere, but they only helped in blowing around hot air. It was sweltering, and the mages grew exhausted from the heat. Many of the guild members rested their heads on the table. Their own barmaid hid back in the kitchen, keeping the chilly air of the freezer to herself. They were all miserable.

The fire mage, however, seemed unfazed.

"No fair," the blue exceed complained, "I wanna be immune to heat, too…"

"Hmm," Natsu placed his hand under his chin, "How's about this? Yo Gray, hit me up with some ice," he said, confidently raising a limp Happy in extended arms. Gray rolled his eyes.

"It ain't that easy, Natsu," he clarified, "I only make objects, I can't make it snow or anything."

"What, no way! Can't you and Juvia make it snow?"

"Juvia should be able to make it snow on her own, right?" Erza chimed in. She lifted her head from the table, fanning herself with her hands. Her usual mail wasn't on her, as it would likely cook her alive. "She can change the temperature of her magic, she said so herself."

"Yeah, trust me, I know," Gray confirmed, "But it's way too how for the snow to even stay frozen before it hits the ground. It's impossible to just make ice or snow like this. Strong as my magic may be, I'm pretty burnt out of energy right now"

Natsu and Happy lowered their heads in disappointment, "Aww…" they whined in unison. Gray shrugged.

"Ah, speak of the devil," Erza said as she looked towards the front doors. Juvia walked in the guild, Cana beside her, but the rainwoman wasn't wearing her usual clothes. Erza raised an eyebrow, staring curiously at the girl's outfit. Instead of the usual dark dress and hat that covered her head to toe, Juvia had her hair out, and wore a crop top with yellow shorts. Oddly bright for Juvia's usual fashion, and oddly "open" as well.

"You look different!" Lucy joked. Juvia smiled.

"Hello friends," She greeted them, "It is too hot for Juvia to wear any of her dresses. She had to borrow her clothes for today."

"You have no clothes for the summer?" Erza asked, surprised when Juvia nodded, "You've gotta go clothes shopping with us!"

"Juvia would love to, but...we're only here because Gajeel-kun told us to meet him here."

"Gajeel?"

"Yeah," Cana said, "He said he's got somethin' for us...I don't know what, but it'd better be good, waking me up this early…"

The doors swung open again and Laxus entered the guild. He looked a little weird, too, outfit wise. Today, Laxus Dreyar didn't have his heavy coat on his person. He didn't wear shorts, but he had a tank and gray pants. He wiped beams of sweat from his forehead and glanced up, seeing Cana wave at him. He waved back, tired, and sat at the bar. Nothing about his demeanor was abnormal, but the fire dragon slayer looked at him as though he'd grown another eye. Laxus had his back to him and didn't notice his staring, but Erza pulled his head down, quickly, and scolded him for it.

"Quit looking at Laxus," Erza demanded, quiet enough so Laxus wouldn't hear. Natsu winced as his head was slammed on the table. "He just doesn't have his coat, idiot."

"Y-yeah...but...nevermind," he muttered. Erza sighed, releasing Natsu's head and letting him stand back up.

But Natsu had good eyes, and could see things on Laxus that the rest of them couldn't see from across the guild. On his ear was an incredibly faint bruise. It was a strange place for a bruise to appear after a fight. He remembered that the mage was just gone for two days, and that Bixlow complained about him being on "another mission" when he promised to help the Raijinshuu with their own. The Raijinshuu left yesterday afternoon without him.

That wasn't the only thing strange about Laxus. The other, more obvious thing was his scent. It was familiar, but whatever it was, the scent was mixing pretty well with his own, and it threw Natsu off. It probably had something to do with where he was the past two days, but it was strong. The younger slayer just couldn't seem to place it.

After a few minutes, Gajeel finally came in, and Natsu's eyes widened, as if for a moment, he may have realized why Laxus' scent was so familiar.

"Hey, you made me come all the way over this early and I'm sweating my bra off, so hurry it up," Cana complained, earning a mean look from Juvia. Gajeel grinned. His hand was in his pocket, and he pulled out six small slips of paper. As Cana and Juvia approached him, the slips of paper became more clear: they were tickets to a waterpark. The girls' excitement took over their weariness and they quickly grabbed one for themselves.

"What the hell? This is sick, Gajeel!"

"I told ya' it'd be worth it," Gajeel said surely, "I got tickets to this new place after my last job...so I'm takin' the team with me."

"You're doing Team B again?"

"I'm doing Team B again."

"THAT'S NO FAIR!" Natsu shouted from the other end of the guild. Gajeel glared at him, expecting this reaction, and Cana raised her eyebrows. "What about the rest of us!? We're melting over here!" He motioned to his own group, all of which were face down on the table.

Gajeel crossed his arms, "I'd rather not get the guild banned from another place again, thanks. Besides, you look fine, Salamander."

Natsu sat back down, pouting, stopping when Mira and Laxus approached Gajeel for their own tickets. The two dragon slayers exchanged a short, short look before separating again, and it clicked once more. Laxus smelled...metallic. He smelled like iron. It only made his bruise more suspicious. Then he watched Gajeel's own exceed partner fly up and take a ticket of his own. "He's going too…?" he mumbled.

"I'd trade an arm and a wing for a ticket right now…" Happy sighed. Natsu rolled his eyes. Cana and Juvia leapt outside the door already, soon followed by the other four, and the doors shut behind them.

"I'd love to go to a waterpark as well," Erza admitted.

"Yeah," Lucy spoke, "but I'm short on rent money already, there's no way I could afford a place like that right now...Spirit Park is like, super expensive."

"WE'RE GOING."

The other four look up at Natsu, curious after his sudden outburst. Lucy furrowed her eyebrows, "...I said, Spirit Park, is super expensive."

"I don't Care, we're going!"

They all sat, silent.

"C'MON! It'll be fun! Besides I gotta see what's going on with lightning head!"

Erza stood, smacking Natsu on the back of his head, "I knew it," she said, "What's with you and Laxus, today?"

"Just trust me, Erza! Something's off with Laxus and Gajeel and I wanna see what's up! So what do ya' say? Fairy Tail team A?"

They were silent again. Erza and Lucy shared a glance, and sighed. Gajeel was right, Natsu was destructive, but just maybe Natsu was right that something was off with him and Laxus. She noticed their brief exchange when Laxus took his ticket. It was possible Natsu was onto something. Lucy, not paying much attention, really just wanted to die.

"...I'll pay for your ticket, Lucy…"

"YES!" Natsu stood on the table, cheering. The four, defeated, stood with Natsu. Triumphant, he flipped off the table and marched to the door, "Let's go get Wendy!"