AN: Welcome back to chapter two! I hope you enjoy it and be sure to leave a review when you finish! Huge thank you to everyone that left a review on chapter one, you guys are amazing!
Incandescent
Chapter Two
The pair stand on the metal balcony, overlooking the fights once more. Lucy is more comfortable in the damp, metallic smelling warehouse than the night before, but she equates that more to the man standing beside her, rather than the atmosphere. She glances sideways at her partner, eyeing the man wearily, though not for a lack of trust. It's been awhile since she's seen him, is all. Too long. For a long while she thought he wasn't coming back after what happened. When Makarov told her he was sending backup the night before, she never thought to ask who he would send.
She almost wishes she had.
He shifts beside her, hands clenching and unclenching as he stares down at the fight below, watching in apt fascination as one man breaks the nose of another, sending a spray of blood through the air. The crowd roars below, and she sees the hint of a grin pull at his lips. It disappears as soon as he notices her watching, his usual frown slipping back into place as his back straightens, his shoulders going tense.
Gajeel peers down at her almost lazily as he crosses his arms over his broad chest, long dark ponytail swishing against his back as he stares. His jacket slips to the side and Lucy notices the faint outline of a gun beneath his shirt, tucked into his waistband less than discreetly. He always has been one for dramatic flare.
He clears his throat suddenly, and Lucy stops playing with the charm on her phone, blinking up at him curiously. For a long moment, he doesn't speak, just glares down at her, eyeing her frame. "Why am I here again?" he asks her, voice deep and gruff. She's always had the impression that Gajeel gargles sand in his spare time.
Lucy spares him a second glance before turning back to the fights. "You're the muscle, Gajeel," she reminds him lightly, crossing her own arms and leaning against the rail. One of the fighters goes down, blood dripping down the side of his face. He doesn't get back up and Lucy doesn't think he would last a day hunting real monsters.
Beside her, Gajeel snorts, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter. "You don't need me to be your muscle." He leans forward, mirroring her pose. He murmurs something else under his breath as the downed fighter is dragged from the ring, but Lucy doesn't catch it.
She doesn't look at him as she replies, "Nope." She would have preferred to do this alone, if she's being honest, but she also knows that this isn't just about her or what she can do, this about Gajeel getting a second chance. He messed up last time, but she knows it wasn't his fault, not really anyway. It could have happened to any of them.
No, she doesn't need Gajeel to be her muscle, but he's her friend and she'll do whatever she can to make sure he sticks around for good.
Gajeel isn't nearly as impressed with her answer. He turns away from the fights entirely, towering over her almost threateningly, sneering, and Lucy sighs. She pulls away from the railing, arms dropping to her sides as she blinks up at him. After a moment, his threatening stance loosens, his shoulders dropping and the anger bleeding from his expression, leaving only morbid curiosity and perhaps frustration. She would be frustrated, too. "Again, why am I here?" he repeats, quieter this time.
"You want to know why you're really here?" She doesn't wait for an answer, and the words are more bite than bark when they come out of her mouth. "You fucked up last time, Gajeel," she reminds him, tone even—clipped. Her teeth snap together with a click and she turns away from him, shame creeping down her throat and squeezing at her heart. It isn't what she wanted to say, but it's the truth. She won't lie to him.
There's a sharp clacking sound as his teeth snap together, his jaw clenching so tightly that a muscle jumps. Gajeel stares down at her, hands curling into tight fists. There's a moment of silence between them, the air thick. "That wasn't my fault," he growls, so low she almost can't hear him over the screaming below.
Sighing, Lucy turns back to him, fingers slipping beneath the hem of her shorts, nails digging into the skin. Her gaze snaps up, locking with his, and she's relieved to see the steel gone from his expression, his eyes more melancholy than anything else. "You were in charge," she hisses, holding his gaze, "that makes it your fault."
She knows he would do anything to fix what happened, but it's just not that easy.
He snarls at her. "If Jet and Droy hadn't—"
Lucy cuts him off. "Jet and Droy aren't here," she reminds him lowly, immediately ashamed of the words when Gajeel lurches away from her, stumbling and backing into the railing, his weight just enough to make the metal creak eerily. "You are." He won't meet her gaze as she continues, but frankly she doesn't give a damn. "I don't give a damn if you help me or not, but if you walk away right now…" The words catch in her throat and Gajeel finally looks up. Lucy sighs, shaking her head slowly. "Makarov won't take you back. Not this time."
He's silent for a long moment, and Lucy turns back to the fights, leaving him to stand next to her and sulk. He needs to learn to take responsibility for these things. Things don't get any easier for people like them.
"You wouldn't plead my case?" he finally murmurs back, glancing sideways at her as he relaxes back against the railing, mindful of his weight against the old metal. "I'm hurt, Bunny." She shoots him a look at the nickname, catching a glimpse of the smirk tugging at his lips.
Her lips press into a thin line, eyes narrowing. "Gajeel." It's a warning, one he's been known to ignore in the past, at that. His potential expulsion is serious. People almost died. Lucy fails to see the humor in any of it.
Gajeel snorts, bumping her roughly with an elbow to the ribs. "Relax," he tells her, softer than before, voice growing as serious as she's ever heard it. "I'm not going leave you here by yourself." His lips quirk up at the edges, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "You need me, right?" Lucy rolls her eyes good-naturedly, her own lips twisting up at the corners.
It's quiet between them for a long moment. "Are we even sure this is Igneel's kid?" Gajeel asks her, peering over the railing at a new fight. He winces when someone takes a hit, but Lucy isn't paying enough attention to know who.
"Would we be here if we weren't?" she replies, squinting down at her phone and trying not to feel offended by Gajeel's lack of faith. She knows what she saw last night. Besides, Gajeel never has been the trusting type. He believes in his own eyes, not secondhand knowledge. Frankly, that's just too bad for him, because right now she's in charge.
It must come out more scathing that she meant, because he holds his hands up between them, placating her. "I'm just sayin'," he grumbles under his breath, "this has happened before." Gajeel crosses his arms and leans them against the railing, almost sulking at her sharpness.
Lucy winces at the response. This has happened before. Several times. Not just with Igneel, but with many of the old hunters and their apprentices. SKAZKA's been looking for years now, but so far they've only been able to find a few like Gajeel and Erik. The hunters hid them well and when they disappeared—Lucy shakes her head, dispelling the thought.
What's important is that they've found another one. That's all that really matters.
Lucy sighs through her nose, jaw clenching for only a moment. "I know what I saw, Gajeel," she snaps back, making sure to keep her voice low as a group of older men pass behind them. Her teeth grind together, her fingers curling violently around the metal railing.
She would know that tattoo anywhere.
A heavy hand lands on her shoulder, fingers wrapping around the joint and giving a gentle squeeze. "And I believe you." Gajeel takes a half-step closer to her, his head ducking down so that he can whisper in her ear. "But are you absolutely sure it's him?"
She gives a jerky nod and he steps back. "I am." Lucy sighs, dragging her gaze away from the fights to look at Gajeel when something over his shoulder catches her eyes. A shock of bright, rosy hair stands out in the crowd. While he isn't the only one with brightly colored hair in the crowd, he's certainly the most memorable.
Sharp, green eyes lock with hers, only for a moment, and Lucy thinks he might not recognize her—which isn't all too surprising, given the circumstances. She probably wouldn't have given him a second thought after last night, had she not gotten an eyeful of his back.
The Salamander comes closer, skirting around spectators as he heads for the stairs. Another match must be starting. Lucy glances to the ground floor, noticing the fighting has stopped, and one of the men have been dragged away. Cursing under her breath, Lucy glances around, looking for anything to get his attention. She settles on Gajeel. "Stick out your foot," she demands, not sparing him a glance as she keeps as eye on the Salamander. Gajeel hesitates, much to her frustration. "Now."
He does, and just in time. Salamander stumbles forward and pitches to the left as Gajeel discreetly jerks him around before turning back to the lower level. He slips into a casual position just as Salamander catches himself on the railing beside Lucy with one arm, a breath away from crashing into her as the other settles low on her hip. Her own arms come up, bracing against his shoulder to keep him from tumbling clear over the railing.
He inhales sharply, swearing under his breath, and his fingers tighten around her hip. His fingers around the metal bar turn white at the knuckles at the pressure and Lucy smirks, having him right where she wants him.
"Bit clumsy, Salamander?" she jokes, gaining his attention rapidly. He blinks down at her, fingers suddenly tightening on her hip, and Lucy just smiles, playing coy. If he knows that he was tripped on purpose, he certainly doesn't act like it. He stares for a moment, not saying a word, and Lucy's smile widens, red lips pulling back over her teeth in a wolfish grin.
His mouth opens, then closes again as his green lock with hers, confused but curious. "You were here last night," he murmurs, voice deeper than she was expecting, low and a bit hoarse. It sends a shiver right up Lucy's spine, a pleasant tingle that spreads and tugs low at her gut. Behind him, Gajeel quirks a brow, his lips twisting into a frown as he glances between the to of them before shrugging and turning back to the match below, a new one that's just starting.
Lucy's gaze snaps back to Salamander, finding him still peering down at her curiously. His hand hasn't left her hip, but Lucy doesn't mind. It wouldn't still be there if she did. "Good memory," she tells him, tilting her head up just the slightest to get a better look at him. He's closer than she was expecting, but it's nothing she can't handle.
She removes her hand from his chest, her freehand coming down to play with the charm on her phone, something of a nervous tick she's developed in recent years. He clears his throat and takes a step back, hand slipping from her waist to run through his unruly hair, the rosy strands sticking up in soft-looking spikes. His other hand stays locked around the railing, knuckles stark white. Lucy bites back a laugh, teeth pulling at her lower lip.
He glances down at her lips, swallowing hard. "You're hard to forget," he tells her. Lucy wonders if he means it, holding back a smile. Lucy can't be that special that he would remember her, they never said one word to each other the night before. Either he's lying or he has a very good memory.
Lucy kind of hopes it's the later.
From behind him, Gajeel pretends to gag, making faces and looking positively green. Lucy rolls her eyes at the display, ignoring her friend entirely as she glances up at the fighter, giving him an appreciative once over. "Is that so?" she teases, giggling slightly. maybe he isn't lying. There's something honest about his eyes, something so sincere that she has to look away.
He looks away as well, shuffling on his feet for a moment, running his fingers through his hair almost nervously. He glances over the railing, looking down at the fight going on below. Salamander chews his lower lip for a long moment, the fingers of his free hand tapping against his side rhythmically. "So, what'd you think?" he asks suddenly. Lucy quirks a brow and he dips his chin towards the ground floor and the crowd circling a pair of fighters.
"Of your fight?" she hums, gaining a nod from him. She smiles, thinking back to it. Truthfully she wasn't watching as closely as she could have been, though, she does know he was holding back. "It was all right, she lies, shrugging slightly, "seemed like a pretty even match to me."
He scoffs taking the bait easily, and Lucy smothers a smile. Even Gajeel has turned to look at her, confusion clear on his face. She hopes he'll keep quiet and trust her on this. Salamander rises to his full height, nearly a foot taller than her, but still several inches shorter than Gajeel. "Oh, please," his tone is almost bored as he blinks down at her, shoving his free hand into the pocket of his jeans, "Jackal never had a chance."
She wants to say that he's being cocky, but knows that he's absolutely right. However, she would never tell him this out loud. Instead, she leans back, locking eyes with him and letting a small, challenging smile pull at her lips. "Really?" she says slowly, mindful of how his eyes follow the shape of her mouth before snapping back up to meet hers. "Because from where I was standing, it looked like Jackal wasn't the only one bleeding."
Lucy glances pointedly down at his jaw, a purple bruise marring his skin. There's a cut above his brow, threaded shut nicely, but sure to leave a faint scar.
"I was holding back last time," he tells her, slightly offended, but there's a smile on his lips, so Lucy doesn't think she's hurt his pride too badly. "Gotta put on a show." Now that she certainly believes. Salamander grins down at her and it's all teeth. He cracks his knuckles suddenly, and Lucy again notices the writing across his fingers. She wonders what they stand for, but thinks it may be rude to ask.
She swallows, wetting her lips. His gaze is suffocating in the best possible way, but that's not why she's here. They need to be absolutely sure about this, after all. More for Gajeel's sake than hers. "I'm sure you were," she replies.
He quirks a brow, teeth pulling at his lower lip. Again, the ring there catches her eye, silver glinting in the low lighting. "You don't believe me?" he asks, voice husky and low as he leans down towards her, only a breath away. Lucy's breath catches in her throat, and she glances between his lip ring and his eyes, impossibly green and amused, though there's something else there too, something that crackles with heat, something challenging.
"Well, you have to prove it," she finally breathes back, her tongue heavy in her mouth. Belatedly, she realizes he smells like cinnamon, his cologne tickling at her nose. It's strange, overwhelming and should be too strong, but she finds it oddly pleasant. There's something familiar about it, and she thinks it may be the same cologne that Laxus wore for a time in his high school years.
His head cocks to one side, amusement on his lips. He leans in just a hair closer, nose almost bumping against hers. Either he has no sense of personal space, or he knows exactly what he's doing to her. She'd bet money on the second. "How?" he asks her, and Lucy can feel the warmth of his breath against her skin. The challenge is there in his eyes, and Lucy takes it.
Lucy leans back, pressing one hand to his chest and edging him away from her, just enough to look him right in the eyes. "Three hits," she tells him, watching as his brows raise at the challenge. If he wants to boast to her, he has to prove it first. Three hit is asking a lot, she knows, but—she glances down at his arms, watching as they flex—she thinks he can do it.
"Three?" he repeats, shock evident on his face. Even Gajeel turns to her, surprised and a little confused. There's also humor there, but she ignores it. Salamander releases a breathy sound from his nose, almost a snort, and he looks down at her like she's a bit crazy. He glances back down at the ring, the pair of fighters still swinging at each other after several minutes. Looking back at her, he quirks a brow, smile faltering only slightly.
It's a lot to ask, she knows, but she wouldn't have said it if she didn't think he could do it. "You scared?" she teases, inching closer to him, just enough for her to hear him inhale sharply before she jerks back, giggling lightly.
He sucks his teeth for a long moment, then goes back to pulling at his lip ring, is tongue coming out to play with the ring. Salamander holds her gaze for several long seconds, fingers tapping against the metal railing as he weighs his options. Finally, he smiles and it's all teeth. He leans down, closer than before, lips brushing against her ear. "I can do it in two," he breathes, right hand coming up to settle against her waist only briefly, fingers barely a ghost against her covered skin.
"Is that a challenge?" she asks him, fighting to keep her voice level as he leans into her. His knee bumps against hers and then he's pulling back, leaving her entirely.
He gives her a once over, humming to himself. "Definitely," he murmurs back.
Below them, the fight ends, though neither pay attention to the outcome. Behind him, Gajeel whoops as one of the two fighters is knocked onto his back, sprawled across the floor and unable to rise. The announcer, a man with bright, dyed blue hair and a pair of headphones around his neck, stands in the center, calling out the winner's name as the loser is dragged from the ring. He calls out the name of the next fighter, Salamander, and the pair of them glance down for a moment.
Lucy swallows. "And what do you get if you win?" she murmurs, barely audible over the roar of the crowd. She knows he has to go, but a part of her wants to keep him talking for longer, because she needs to know if he really is Igneel's kid, but also because he's interesting. Even if he isn't Igneel's kid, they could use him at Saint Katherine's. He can fight, he's already proved that much.
She wonders if he believes in monsters under the bed.
"How 'bout your name?" he asks her, softer than before, sounding more curious than flirty. If it were anyone else she would laugh at the suggestion, turn them down, and send Gajeel after them if they insisted. She knows better than to give out her name to strangers, especially in places like this. There's something honest about him though, something she thinks she can trust. Lucy always has been one to trust her gut. Besides, she brought Gajeel with her for a reason.
"Deal." She holds out her hand for him to shake, which he does with a quiet laugh. Below, the announcer calls out his name once more, and overhead one of the two pictures on screen is replaced with his. "Looks like you have a match, Salamander," she tells him, releasing him and twisting to lean back against the railing.
He smiles, then leans in close once more. "Call me Natsu" he breathes against her ear, pulling back and heading for the stairs without a second look. Lucy holds her breath as she watches him walk away, disappearing out of sight moments later. She mouths his name as he leaves, smiling to herself.
Gajeel bumps her with a hip suddenly, gaining her full attention. She snaps around, meeting his eyes, embarrassed to find him looking at her in amusement. "Next time you decide to get weirdly sexual about things, can you not take me with you?" he asks her, leaning forward against the railing. Lucy spins around as well, just in time to see Natsu shove his way through the crowd and into the ring.
He glances up at her, eyes locking with hers, and Lucy bites back a smile. "I wasn't acting sexual," she grumbles back to Gajeel, kicking at his ankle gently.
A snort comes from her left, the bar shaking as Gajeel chuckles. "He flexed his arm and you almost started drooling," he informs her, something sly in his voice. She kicks him again and he laughs harder.
She rips her gaze away from Natsu to glare at him, her lips pressed into a thin line. "You really want to make fun of me, Gajeel?" She challenges him, quirking a brow. "My report tonight is the only thing keeping you from ending up sleeping under a bridge," she reminds him, hissing slightly as she turns back to the fight below, waiting for it to start as the announcer continues to speak, listing off statistics and introducing the fighters to the crowd.
Gajeel pats her on the back gently, though the force still sends the air rushing from her lungs. "We both know you're too soft for that," he jokes. Lucy rolls her eyes, knowing it's true. If they were allowed to live off campus, she would let him live on her couch.
Lucy watches as Natsu's fingers slip beneath his shirt. The fabric is pulled over his head in, not nearly as slowly as the night before, but the crowd still cheers at the action. Again, Lucy finds her gaze drifting down his torso, this time his chest. There's a tattoo there she hadn't noticed before, a black rose settled over his heart. He catches her look, sending her another wink and a smile before turning his back to her.
Beside her, Gajeel sucks in a breath between his teeth when he sees the dragon tattoo, his own hand drifting to the ink on his shoulder, a finger brushing along the covered tattoo.
There's a shrill blow from a whistle, and again the men collide in the center. It's over before it even starts. Two hits he promised. The first knocks his opponent across the jaw, causing his head to snap to one side. It's unexpected, Natsu moving before Lucy can even blink. The other man doubles forward, shocked, and Natsu brings his knee up to crunch against the man's nose, breaking it and sending a gush of blood rushing down the man's chin and lips. He collapses a moment later, his eyes rolling back in his head before he even hits the ground.
The crowd goes silent, utterly stunned, and Lucy holds her breath as Natsu turns back around. He locks eyes with her once more, raising a challenging brow.
Gajeel swears at her side.
She nudges him with her foot, swallowing thickly. "Still think he's not Igneel's kid?" she murmurs, gaze still locked on the man below.
AN: This is longer than intended, but all right! Next chapter is when things start to pick up. Please be sure to leave a review when you're done!
EDIT: I've decided that if this chapter can get 50+ reviews, I'll update again on Wednesday!
