Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Warning: This story will contain scenes of mature content. The theme is overall a heavy one and I'm afraid that there will be some WTF moments and things that might appear as squicks (maybe not that much but it's better to err on the safe side).
It has been edited due to ffn's directives. I think that it is passable as it is now but, if you want to read the original version, please head to my Livejournal.
Laughter and Screams Sound very much alike
Chapter One
The sun was high in the cloudless blue sky. Birds flew lazily by, their bodies black scratches outlined against the cerulean background. A gentle breeze was blowing.
Underneath the blue immensity lay a city. The tall buildings suggested rigidity and immobility from afar but, if one were to look closer, they would see that the city was brimming with activity and energy.
It was not only the speed of the masses moving, the closer you got, the more assaulted your senses would be. One would enter a whirlwind of movement where the blaring of the TVs would make you feel a vertigo, at the colours' dizzying speed; and then the scent of food would both pull you down and lift you a meter from the ground, with the heavenly scents. People were moving in every direction, businessmen in their dark suits and with closed faces, wives shopping, groups of students in their school uniforms and other youths in outrageous clothing.
If one were to look closer and wait for the next set of commercials, something would be noticeable – a dark haired young man. Looking around, that young man would be in the covers of a lot of magazines and in billboards.
Girls gather here and there to giggle excitedly at what they're reading, but mostly they don't tire of ogling that 'amazing body' – which tends to be barely clad most of the time, to their satisfaction.
In a calmer area of the city, with buildings of a lighter colour, the action starts…
The flash has been going constantly, the model has just taken a set of amazing photos.
"Stop! Time for a new outfit," the photographer says. People instantly jump into motion as when the renowned photographer Freed Justine (who was also quite temperamental) wanted something, it had to be done ASAP.
The dark haired model was ushered to an adjoining room where he quickly put on his new outfit. Then he sat and waited for the make-up artist to do her touches.
"Gray, come back here!"
The dark haired youth got up and returned to the set and paused for a beat, waiting for the director of photography's direction.
"Just continue like you were doing it earlier."
Gray nodded and got into a pose. In no time the camera started flashing once again, the photographer letting out some muttered words and doing pleased noises.
It didn't take long before Gray was upping the ante and taking off his shirt, the poses becoming more sensual and the room started to heat up.
Gray's eyes darkened slightly as he lost himself in the moment he was acting, creating a sight to behold.
Inwardly, Gray noticed how everybody that was working at the shoot seemed to be enthralled by him and his movements. It was no wonder that he was moving people all around the country – his effect over a room of people that had already worked with him, and were "used" to him, was as strong as it had been on the first day.
Gray Fullbuster, the greatest model of Japan since Mirajane. She had been huge a decade ago but people still remembered her. He was everywhere. And people couldn't stop looking into those glossy dark eyes.
Fortunately they were at the last outfit so, when Freed was satisfied, they wrapped up the shoot. People hurried to clean stuff up and Gray returned to the chair he had previously occupied, leaving the shirt behind. Wendy was there, ready to take off the make-up. Her smile was encouraging but Gray paid her no mind, waiting for her to do her job while his expression was neutral, edging on bored.
The young make-up artist was babbling about something and it started grating on the model's nerves.
"Will you shut up?" he burst out.
Everybody seemed to freeze at that moment. All the eyes set on the pair as Gray got up and went to his dressing room. The door closed with a bang.
Inside the softly lit room Gray's aloofness returned to him as he got rid of every piece of clothes that still clung into him and threw himself to the small sofa.
He was tired of all these babbly people. They were so annoying.
But it kind of felt good to have his picture out there and being worshipped to that extent. It made Bob happy so he was happy too. At least there would be no shit coming from there.
He got up and fetched his clothes, noticing some magazines on top of the coffee table. He picked it up and sat down, flipping it till he got to the interview.
Some pictures accompanied it, where he was smiling dazzlingly. The interviewer was asking him the same questions he had answered time and again, although there were some that were new. Then again, he was in this relationship for a little while and some time they had to be done.
He snorted derisively at his answers. He was lying, only saying what he thought the others would want to hear. And that made him more famous, how he was so nice and friendly – that was all that mattered. The goal.
There was a knock on the door and Lucy poked her head through the small space.
"Gray, can I come in?" said the blonde.
"Whatever." Gray threw the magazine to the table and leaned back on the comfy sofa. "What's up?"
"Gray! You shouldn't be naked. Go dress or something, will you?" She threw him a robe and watched as it fell over his midsection. Then she straightened up and continued, professionally. "I'm here with your schedule," said the stressed blonde, who had a pile of papers on one arm, and was grabbing a bottle of water on the other. "And I brought your water." She walked to the coffee table and dumped the papers over it, laying the bottle of water in front of him. Gray watched her, impassively, eyes glued to her impressive bosom. When she got up and turned to go fetch him a tumbler, he couldn't help but appreciate her backside. Her tight skirt did hug all her curves admirably.
When she set the tumbler in front of him, she sat on the chair that was on the other side of the table. She grabbed some of the papers.
"Alright, let's start. So, you have another interview for Strapless magazine tomorrow, we have to meet the Soycahntel sponsors – Bob will be with us – and there's the rehearsal for your appearance at Late Night with Cana Alberona, we're going to meet the staff of Say Yeah! and I think that you'll have to do a guest appearance at Fiery Nights with Macao." She noticed Gray lean forward and tangling his fingers, he looked seriously at her. Her expression was suspicious although her lips remained pressed against each other.
"Hey Lucy?" She stopped and looked at him, making an inquisitive noise. "Let's fuck."
"Gray, will you stop those jokes? We have work to do and you have two appointments today, still!" she answered annoyed.
"But I want to fuck you. You look so hot," He got up and went to stand behind her, the robe sliding to the floor forgotten. "and you've been being a tease." His hands rested on her shoulders for some instants and started massaging, as if trying to guile her to do what he wanted.
Lucy took a deep breath. "I said no. Besides, did you forget the agreement?" she said in a monotone.
Gray just hummed as he freed her hair from its bun, clearly not listening to her.
"But I was so sad," he breathed in her ear, "until you got here. Let me play with you… just this once…" he said in his most enticing voice, one hand cupping her breast under the bra.
"Gray…!"
The dark haired one cut her off by pressing his lips against hers. He quickly went to stand in front of her, throwing the papers to the ground with a flick of his wrist. He saw her looking up at him, eyes glazed and troubled.
"Thanks. I needed that."
And with that Gray manoeuvred her so that she was lying on her side on the sofa.
Lucy sat up, her breathing slower now. She seemed unhappy however her professional composure was returning to her, still flushed, stance.
"As I was saying, you still have two appointments today. Dinner with mister Lyon Vastia and later, go out with miss Juvia Lockser. Bob told me that Lockser Crafts & Stones is going to have an important exhibit and that you should attend to it. I'll make sure to write it on the agenda." As she spoke, Lucy got up and scribbled some notes on a small notebook and she waited impatiently for Gray to say something, while still in complete disarray.
"Fine. I'll see to it. But for now, it's dinner with Lyon." He stretched out, a stripe of skin showing under his deep blue shirt. He grabbed his grey coat and got ready to leave, cellphone in hand. He looked back. "So, here it's done."
"It is. But, Gray, you must control your temper. Bob won't be happy to hear about this…" Lucy had grabbed all her papers and stuffed them in a bag, having already composed herself. Her cellphone trembled in her hand.
"I'll deal with it later." Gray waved, dismissively.
"If you say so." Lucy answered the phone and followed Gray out the room. After the usual polite conversation, they finally left the building and headed to the car that was parked just a couple of meters away.
Lucy drove Gray to the restaurant. It was in the high side of the town, one of the most and expensive ones. When they parked in one of the side streets, right outside one of the "secret" entrances to the French restaurant, Conte de Fées, and she turned back to stare at him.
"When you're done send me a text. I'll have Bickslow come pick you up." She said, grabbing her phone – that was, once again, vibrating.
"Don't bother. Lyon'll take me home;" and he left the car, heading to the main entrance, where a number or paparazzi immediately started taking pictures of him – and thankfully the restaurant's security also got into action, protecting him. Behind, he could hear Lucy's disgruntled yell which made him smirk inwardly. On the outside, he smiled and waved at them, but then his eye was caught by something (more like, someone) that was on the other side of the road.
He saw that two people were looking at him, leaning against a nondescript dark car. What stood to attention was their hair colour. The guy had pink, spiky hair and the woman had a deep red. It was long and flowed freely over her shoulders.
Gray thought that it was strange. The paparazzi were usually swarming the door and, what else would you do in this place if not wanting to look at the famous people and try to take a picture of them? Gray shrugged and entered, quickly being welcomed by the maitre d'.
But, he could still feel the stare of the pink haired guy on the back of his skull.
"Monsieur Fullbuster, so nice to have you here. You can go to your usual table." He accompanied him to a secluded table where a pale grey haired young man was sitting.
"Hello, brother."
A/N: Okay, here is a new one.
I've had the impulse to write this one (aka, was hit by this vicious bunny) when I saw the trailer for the film adaptation of the Helter Skelter manga. It's a pretty straightforward bunny, with a story that goes quite along with the manga although I do hope to pull some surprises off my sleeve.
I apologize for the OoC-ness here, but the story would only work if Gray was on the slutty side of the spectre. He has a lot of fun here, but I can't wait to get further into the story to the good stuff. And there are some bits of OoC-ness that are meant to be like that (the better case being Lucy – don't worry that it has an explanation).
At first I planned this story to be a small one (circa 10 chapters) but the more I think about the plot, the more it grows and right now I don't know how many chapters this one'll have…
I would like to thank Nightslayr for the beta, as usual. You rock, girl!
As usual, any feedback will be awesome but for this one the reviews will act as a measure for me to see if people are interested in the story. So, if I have a good number of reviews, I'll update in a week, if not, the next update will be within a month. It's your turn now.