Juvia woke up naked in her own bed. As she expected, he was gone by the time she woke up.

She always thought that Gray might have had some intense affection towards her, but apparently she was wrong. Gray only desired her body. He had been wounded, lonely, and need a woman's company. But she could not entirely blame him— She was the one who used her beauty and her desirable body to get him.

There was no place that she'd rather be than his arms, but she loved him, and he only wanted her. There's a great difference in that.

She felt sick with sorrow and frustration. This intoxicating feeling stayed with her for days. She kept herself busy with missions. If she didn't have one, then she would spend her whole day in the guild, drinking with Cana. But that night, Cana was gone for a mission, leaving her drinking by herself.

"Juvia, we are closing now," Mirajane said with concern in her tone.

"Oh alright, Mira-san, Juvia is leaving," she said waving her hands slowly. Her head lolling and her eyes little glazed.

"Really Mira? I don't even think she can walk," Laxus chuckled.

But Juvia just giggled, "Everyone can walk. Even a baby can walk!" She then got up from her high stool chair, tried to steady her walk, but she tripped and fell on her knees until they bled.

Laxus jumped out his high stool chair, and hurried to grab her hand. "You're not Cana. Don't drink that much if you can't handle it," he said, obviously irritated. She let out a little cry before she laughed so loud, "Juvia can handle it. Let Juvia go."

She was drunk. Very drunk, actually.

Laxus glared at her, "Baka, you think you can go home with this condition?"

"Laxus, can you walk Juvia home?" Mirajane asked.

Laxus arched his brow. "Why me? I have a mission tomorrow morning."

"I need to close the bar and it might take a while. Please?" Her eyes were pleading that it made him hard to refuse. "Fine, you owe me one," he scoffed.

Mirajane smiled at him, "Thanks. I know I can rely on you."

He took her arm and guided her wandering steps to the front door.

"Juvia is drunk, very drunk," she said as though talking to herself.

"Isn't that obvious?" he asked sarcastically.

She began to stumble, and he placed his hand on her back to steady her. He took deep breath and rolled his eyes. Bending down, he gently slid his arm around her. One under her knees, and the other under her back, and lifted her easily. When her face was pressed to his chest, he could feel her gentle breathing warming through his flesh and the elusive sweetness of her skin. She gasped as his strong arms were on her body, "Should've done this since beginning," he muttered to himself.

She exhaled satisfied sigh and pressed her face against his chest. She enjoyed his scent, the crisp smell of his shirt, and the warm skin of his. She closed her eyes until she fell asleep.

##

Laxus gently put her down on bed; he tried not to wake her up because he needed to be home soon. He still had an important mission tomorrow morning, even though he was still longing to feel the softness of her body in his arms.

She was soundly asleep that she didn't ever murmur, but lay exactly as he placed her. His hands began to tremble as he removed her long boots and saw the lacy edge of her underwear beneath her skin. Jolt of heat rocked through him as blood rushed into his awakening penis. He immediately turned his gaze to her face before he snapped. Her lips were so soft, so inviting… He swore furiously as he didn't think he could help himself anymore. He placed his hands on her cheek, and he slid his tongue under her bottom lip, capturing it with his teeth to bite gently. And she awakened, and opened her eyes wide and she looked very shocked. For a moment, she was so surprised that she forgot to push him away. He relished in her kiss until she pushed him away roughly. She gasped in an attempt to catch her breath and he could see fire dancing in her eyes. He couldn't help to smirk. She might have pushed him away as she was shaken by his kiss, but he could tell that she loved the taste of his mouth.

"Laxus-san, what are you doing?"

He gently grabbed her wrists and kissed the curve of her neck. "Juvia, we might be nakamas for years, but I am still a man."

She inhaled his musky fragrance and as their body touched an electric thrill went over her as she tried to resist him. "No, please stop," she said breathlessly as his lips even went further down.

"You're the guild master."

"So?" he asked between kisses as he unbuttoned her dress, revealing her blue bra holding her generous breast against her pale skin. He found the clasp that held her bra and undid it. His calloused palms swept softly over her freed breast, tenderly touching her nipples, which were fast hardening.

"Please, let Juvia go," she cried in ecstasy and begged him to stop.

Ignoring her plead, he ran his hand between her legs, spread her thighs as he trailed his fingers inside her sensitive flesh. A satisfaction smile spread across his face. "You really want me to stop? Then, why are you so wet?"

Her eyes widened at his challenge. It reminded him of a man that she loved. She recalled the smug smile Gray shot at her, and his question as his tongue swirled around her clit.

"Really Juvia? You want me to stop? You're so wet."

Tears began to roll down her cheeks. "Please stop, Laxus-san," she said in her tears.

Realizing that she really meant it this time, Laxus quickly stopped moving his fingers. "I am sorry, I don't mean to hurt you," he whispered while wiping away her tears.

"Juvia is just tired of being used," she whispered in barely audible tone, but he still heard her.

"Who else is using—" He didn't need to wait for her to voice out his name. "It's Gray, huh?" He answered his own question, and she didn't answer him. The silence was answer enough. However, thinking that Gray tasted her first, it angered him.

He grabbed the cigarette from his pocket, and lit that one. He sat there quietly, sucked in a sharp breath, tried to calm himself before he snapped.

"It doesn't matter anymore. Juvia is just an object for pleasure, isn't it?" she asked softly.

Laxus had watched over the guild for years after Makarov was gone. He didn't interact much with Juvia, but he knew she was more than just a strong mage, she was also a strong woman. She was fiercely loyal and devoted. Not only to Gray, but also to her guild mates. She didn't play games with his thought nor anyone else by getting upset about things they could never understand. Nor did she pretend to get upset. She was unafraid to express her feeling and she was always being honest to herself, and to everyone else.

He could not deny that she was an attractive, beautiful woman, and he wouldn't mind waking up next to her every morning. The thought alone— of waking up next to her each day— made him so nervous.

He wanted so much, so quickly. And with Juvia, of all women.

"No, you're not. At least, not for me," he said before he raised from her bed.

"Huh?" she asked with tenderness in her tone.

He tried to look away because when he looked into her eyes, it was just making his heart beat faster. "Listen, tomorrow morning I'll be leaving for a mission. Shouldn't take long. Maybe two or three days. Let's have dinner just the two of us when I come back."

She blinked her eyes. Did she hear it wrong?

"Why?" she asked carefully.

"Because I want to get to know you. No more questions," he said sternly before he left her apartment.

Juvia widened her eyes. Did she just see him blushing? And what's all of sudden with the dinner invitation? She then went to bathroom to wash her face. Her face turned red when she recalled what happened earlier. He remembered how alluring his touch was and how soothing if was to have his skin against her skin. It was just as sweet as the kiss. She closed her eyes, excited and embarrassed. Maybe dinner invitation with her guild master was not bad. It could be a new chapter of her life.

##

a/n: this is my last fic this year as I'm going back to school while still working full time. Thanks everyone for the support!