Lucy opened her eyes to two big and well-defined pecs, two muscular arms holding her close to the big physique of a man. Lucy moved her face out of the chest and looked up, seeing that the muscular body was Gajeel's. Memories of last night played in Lucy's head; the blonde remembering her horrible date last night, the agreement that she and Gajeel had and then the great sex they had.

Lucy tried to get up, however the Iron Dragon Slayer had unsurprisingly an iron-like grip. Lucy grunted as she tried to force herself out of the space between Gajeel's arms and chest, however the two limbs didn't so much as budge. Lucy then tried to slip out of the hold, but that was also difficult. Aside from Gajeel tightening his grip on her in his sleep, the man made light growls as his arms kept changing their position to keep Lucy next to him. Lucy was eventually triumphant, escaping from his hold, wherein Gajeel's arms slumped to his sides as he resumed sleeping.

"I guess all Dragon Slayers start getting cuddly when they fall asleep." Lucy thought with a giggle. Lucy looked at her clock and her eyes widened when she realised that she had overslept. Making a beeline for her bathroom, Lucy decided to take a shower instead of her usual bath. Since Lucy was already butt naked, she didn't have to take off any clothing so she entered the bathtub immediately.

Lucy turned the tap for hot water, shivering as the water came out cold until warming up and turning hot. Lucy grabbed a bar of soap and rubbed it around herself, washing her skin. After washing the soap off, Lucy grabbed a pink bottle of shampoo and squirted it into her hand, rubbing the strawberry scented liquid into her hair, humming herself a tune.

Once Lucy had fully washed her body, she dried herself up with a towel and wrapped it around her body. Lucy opened the bathroom door to find that Gajeel was still asleep on her bed. In fact he was sprawled across her bed, one of his feet hanging off the edge while the sheets were wrapped around him. After a quick peek at Gajeel's soft and no longer erect - but still bigger than average - dick, Lucy made her way to the bedroom drawers near the bed.

Lucy quickly put on a pair of blue lace panties and a blue lace bra. Lucy then put on a tank top and jean shorts. Lucy walked to the kitchen, leaving the door open, taking pans out of the kitchen cupboards and eggs, bacon and sausages out of the fridge. Lucy turned the stove on, frying the eggs while cooking the bacon and sausages. Lucy took bread out of the bread bin, putting the slices into the toaster.

Lucy was cooking breakfast for not only herself, but also Gajeel. Knowing what a Dragon Slayer's appetite is like from watching Natsu, Wendy, Laxus and even Gajeel himself eat, Lucy knew that Gajeel would want enough bacon, eggs, sausage and toast to feed a family of five. Luckily for Lucy, she had just enough of all them to feed both herself and the man she slept with last night. Constantly waking up to and having to feed a best friend of Fire Dragon Slayer has led Lucy to keep a high quantity of food in stock for mornings like this.

"What's that delicious smell?" A familiar rough voice said, Lucy turning around to see Gajeel at the kitchen door, leaning slightly against the frame as he rubbed his eyes, no doubt having just woke up.

"I'm cooking us breakfast." Lucy replied, silently enjoying the sight of Gajeel's naked and toned body. Even after seeing it last night, those bulging muscles were still attractive to her. Repressing the urge to pounce him and fuck him again, Lucy gave Gajeel a serious and impassive look. "Put your clothes back on."

Gajeel let out an amused snort. "And what makes ya think I'm gonna do that, Bunny Princess?" Gajeel responded, hands on his hips and one of his eyebrows raised in the same amusement. His pierced dragon dangling like a pendulum.

"You have two options, Gajeel; one is that you stay naked and keep making snarky comments, resulting in you getting a Lucy Kick that sends you across Magnolia, without your clothes on, might I add." Lucy said, putting one of her fingers up. Lucy quickly turned around to make sure that none of the food was burnt, putting the now perfectly cooked food on a plate before putting some more eggs, bacon and sausages on the pans and more bread in the toaster before looking back at Gajeel, two fingers raised. "And the other option is that you put your clothes on and keep your mouth shut, wherein you get a free breakfast and not have your dragonhood exposed to the world."

Gajeel's annoying smug grin disappeared back into his usual frown. "Fine, you win, Bunny. I'll put my clothes back on." Gajeel said, turning around as he headed to Lucy's bedroom to put his clothes back on, giving Lucy a nice view of his broad back. "An' it ain't called a dragonhood, Sweetheart. Just 'cause I'm a Dragon Slayer doesn't mean everything 'bout me is a dragon."

Lucy let out a snicker of victory as she turned around back to the breakfast she was cooking. Gajeel looked back at Lucy, enjoying the sight of how those tight jean shorts made her firm ass stick out. "God, how I'd love to piledrive up that ass of hers." Gajeel thought as he put his boxers back on, not caring about the dried jizz on it. "Maybe I'll get the chance if I can fuck her again."

Gajeel put all of his clothes, even his boots, from last night back on. And in time, too, as Lucy came into the room with two plates of toast, fried eggs, bacon and sausages. One plate had vastly more of the foods than the other. Lucy placed the two plates on the table, the blonde Celestial Spirit mage quickly disappearing into the kitchen to return with two knives and forks.

Gajeel looked down at his plate; toast placed upon toast, fried egg placed on fried egg, bacon placed atop of bacon and so many sausages that they barely fitted on the plate. Gajeel grinned widely at the sight, looking up at Lucy as she sat down. Lucy felt an oddly warm feeling in her chest as she looked at the thankful expression on Gajeel's face. The blonde had rarely ever seen Gajeel with such lit up eyes before, it was almost uncanny.

"Thanks a lot, Lucy." Gajeel said, a smile on his face. It wasn't a smirk or anything like that, it was an actual genuine smile. As if Lucy's chest wasn't already warm enough. "Lily never cooks enough food to satisfy me, and he always ends up bitchin' in the end."

"Oh, um, thank you. It wasn't really anything new or difficult for me by this point." Lucy replied, sticking a fork in one of her fried eggs and cutting it with her knife, sticking the piece in her mouth, eating it. "Natsu sneaks in late at night and sleeps in my bed a lot, and I often have to cook breakfast for him because he can't cook without burning everything. And I've also seen Wendy, Laxus and yourself eat, I know that Dragon Slayers eat at least five times as much food as the regular human. Cooking an abundance of food for Dragon Slayers has kind of became an old hat for me."

Gajeel just grinned at his breakfast, immediately picking up his knife and fork and scoffing down his breakfast. As she ate her own breakfast, Lucy observed that while Gajeel was indeed eating his breakfast in a fast and greedy manner, his food wasn't going everywhere like when Natsu eats. Then again, whenever Lucy saw Laxus or Wendy eat they were still pretty clean with their food, despite the quick and greedy way that they ate.

Maybe getting food everywhere was just a Natsu thing.

Actually, considering Natsu's disgusting excuse for hygiene and that pigsty he calls a home, maybe it was just nothing more but Natsu being Natsu. As Lucy ate her bacon, she noticed that Gajeel was nearly finished with his food. Damn Dragon Slayers their quick eating, even with copious amounts of food.

Lucy had ate everything but the toast on her plate, the blonde biting into the buttered food when she heard a crunching sound. Lucy looked up to Gajeel, only for her eyes to bulge out in shock as Gajeel was biting on his knife, the metal being broken, eaten and swallowed without consequence due to the black-haired man's magic.

"What in the holy name of everything holy and magical are you doing?!" Lucy screeched as Gajeel ate the knife and started to eat the fork.

"Eating, duh." Gajeel replied rudely, making Lucy scowl angrily at him. "I'm a Dragon Slayer, I need to eat my own element. Kind of think it's like we Dragon Slayers have two stomachs, one for regular food and one for our element. If either of these two stomachs aren't left filled, I become weak and tired and cranky."

Lucy made a scoff at Gajeel, crossing her arms over her chest. "If you ask me, you're always cranky; even when with a full belly." Lucy said. The blonde noticed that Gajeel was eyeing her knife and fork, her eyes widening before she grabbed them and held them protectively against her chest like an overprotective mother with her child when attacked. "Oh hell no you're not eating these, you're lucky I'm still letting you live after eating the first two."

Gajeel made his own little scoff. "C'mon, Bunny, it's not like you're still using them." Gajeel said, reaching for the knife and fork. Lucy swatted the Iron Dragon Slayer's hand away as he nearly grabbed the two metal cutlery.

"It doesn't matter, you still can't eat what isn't yours without the owner's permission." Lucy said as Gajeel rubbed the back of his hand. "And just because I'm not using them now doesn't mean I won't be using them later."

"Well I need some iron now or I'm gonna be starvin'." Gajeel said as he stood up, looking around Lucy's house for any metal that she would allow him to eat.

"Don't you have some metal lying around at your own house?" Lucy asked in an annoyed voice, putting her cutlery back on the table. "And why the hell do you think I have iron lying around in my underwear drawer?!"

"Gihihihihihihi." Gajeel laughed dirtily as he looked into Lucy's underwear drawer, pulling out a piece of lingerie from the drawer; a bulge becoming visible in his pants as he imagined Lucy in the piece. It is after all lingerie that she bought. "Maybe I should use that owe you have for me so I can see you in this."

Gajeel felt a sharp pain as Lucy slapped him at the back of the head. "Nope, just because I feel an owe to you doesn't mean that I will do anything that you ask of me. I am a woman of standards." Lucy said as she walked back to her table and sat back down, ignoring Gajeel as he rubbed the back of his head where she smacked him.

Gajeel looked back at Lucy as she continued to eat her toast. "Whatever. I'm goin' back to my house to eat some iron, see ya at the guild, Bunny." Gajeel said as he exited Lucy's house... from the window.

"Hey, the front door is there for a reason you know!" Lucy yelled as Gajeel disappeared from sight. Lucy sighed, knowing that it was pointless since Gajeel wouldn't listen to her, either because he is now too far to hear her or because he would just ignore her. Lucy slumped back down on her seat, finishing off her toast before putting her and Gajeel's plates and her knife and fork in the kitchen sink for when she washes them later.

The blonde mentally noted to buy some more knives and forks later... if she manages to have enough Jewel after paying her rent and buying food. Lucy attached her Celestial Spirit keys and her whip to her belt before exiting her house, locking the door behind her.

"Open, Gate of the Canis Minor, Nikora." Lucy said as she held out Plue's key, the snowman-like entity appearing as his key shimmered with Lucy's magic. "Aww, you're still as adorable as ever." Lucy cooed as she kneeled down and petted Plue on the head, the Celestial Spirit's tail wagging as she petted him. He may look like a snowman, but he's definitely a dog for sure.

Lucy and Plue made their way to Fairy Tail, wherein Lucy sat at the bar while Plue danced on the bar counter. "You're a lot more chipper than last night." Mirajane said happily, setting down a strawberry milkshake in front of Lucy. "Gajeel must have been amazing in the bed, wasn't he?" Mirajane added, the eldest Strauss sibling giving Lucy a suggestive wink.

"Oh my God, Mira, you massive pervert!" Lucy exclaimed, the two females laughing together shortly thereafter. After laughing, Lucy looked around the guild; a feeling of disappointment welling as she couldn't find the familiar blond or green hair of her brothers. "Hey Mira, have you seen Laxus or Freed?"

"No." Mirajane replied as she served some alcohol-filled mugs to other members of the guild. The guild doors had opened, Lucy looking to see that Gajeel had entered the guild; he was of course wearing his usual attire, except that he wore the shirt he wore prior to the Grand Magic Games when they returned in X791. And Lucy had a feeling that his pants were actually different from the ones he was wearing when he left her house that morning.

When Gajeel set foot into the guild, he was suddenly tackled by a blur of purple and black with a bit of yellow at the top. Lucy moved her head to where the blur (and subsequently, Gajeel) went, finding her Iron Dragon Slayer of a one-night stand pinned to the wall by the neck by Laxus; the Lightning Dragon Slayer looking at the black-haired man darkly.

"What... the hell?" Gajeel said as Laxus kept him pinned to the wall, the situation feeling embarrassing as Laxus was keeping him pinned with only one hand.

"We're just making sure that you didn't hurt our little sister last night." Laxus answered threateningly, Freed appearing next to him suddenly.

"Lucy, I think you should stop your big brothers before they end up killing Gajeel." Mirajane advised, fearing that she may have to transform into one of her Satan Souls to protect her guild mate from her other guild mates' overprotectiveness. Lucy nodded in understanding, walking over to Laxus and Freed.

"Alright, knock it off you two." Lucy said, annoyed, slapping Laxus' arm that held Gajeel pinned to the wall. The slap may have just as been a gentle pat for Laxus, but he let go of Gajeel anyways, considering that it was his little sister that told him to let go of him. Lucy squeezed the bridge of her nose between her index finger and her thumb, sighing in the same annoyance. "I swear, having brothers like you two is both a blessing and a curse."

"It is purely in our nature as your brothers to be protective of you." Freed responded calmly, pulling Lucy into a hug. "We can't help it if we love you... platonically, of course."

Lucy sighed in annoyance again, although she soon gave in and hugged her green-haired 'brother' happily. "And I platonically love you two too." Lucy said as she hugged Freed, giving him a quick and platonic peck on the cheek. Freed made a light chuckle as his little sister gave him a kiss on the cheek. Laxus smiled at the sight, ruffling Lucy's hair before kissing his boyfriend on the cheek.

Gajeel got back on his feet, rubbing his neck as Laxus' hold on his neck was rather tight.

"Say, Blondie, I heard you ask Mira if she saw me or Freed." Laxus said, looking down at the woman that he viewed as his little sister. "Was there something you needed us for?"

"Well, I was wondering if we could all go on a mission together." Lucy explained, Freed looked happy at the explanation, however Laxus had a more apologetic expression. "Y'know, sorta as a sibling thing that the Strauss siblings do."

"I'd love to go on a mission with you." Freed replied happily, the man and Lucy looking at Laxus expectantly, although that expectant feeling started to disappear as they saw Laxus' expression.

"Gee, sorry Blondie, but I have to go on an emergency S-Class mission soon." Laxus said, rubbing the back of his head while looking to the side with a shameful expression. "I promise you, I'll go on a mission with you when I get back."

"It's okay, Laxus." Lucy said. "I understand the seriousness of emergency missions. Besides, I'm okay with going on a mission with only one of my brothers."

Laxus smiled, giving Lucy a gentle pat on the head and disappearing as a bolt of lightening. "Do you want to check the board for missions, Sister?" Freed asked, looking a Lucy; the Celestial Spirit mage was one her way to the request board, checking for any high-paying, two person jobs that she could take with Freed. As Gajeel watched the blonde look for a mission, an idea began to form in the Dragon Slayer's head. An idea that he liked, a large and perverted smile forming on his face.

"'Help needed, a group of bandits keep on stealing from our town and hotel. We are offering a 300,000 Jewel reward.'" Lucy read out, taking the piece of paper from the request board, bringing it to Mirajane. "Freed and I will take this job, please."

"A mission to stop a band of thieves." Freed said as he looked over Lucy's shoulder, reading the request, smiling at his little sister's choice. "A good choice, my little sister. A mission like this will be perfect brother-sister bonding time."

Mirajane grabbed her book of mission requests, the Take Over mage writing down Lucy's name for the mission request and was about to write down Freed's when a small iron pole got in her way. "Yer gonna need to bond over somethin' else, Mint Head, 'cause I'll be the one takin' that mission with Bunny Girl." Gajeel said, the small iron pole coming from his index finger, which quickly turned back to normal.

"WHAT?!" Lucy, Freed and Mirajane exclaimed in surprise, each having different emotional reactions; Lucy was just confused, Freed looked angry and like he was preparing to use one of his Dark Écriture spells on the Iron Dragon Slayer, and Mirajane was starting to blush as she was thinking of romantic implications between Gajeel and Lucy.

"I said that I'm the one that's goin' on the mission with Bunny Girl." Gajeel said, the Dragon Slayer having a teeth-showing grin. "I gave it to her last night as a quid pro quo, thus she owes me something; an' that somethin' is a mission with me."

Freed glared darkly at Gajeel. Well, more darkly than before. "You're trying to take advantage of my sister's owe to you, aren't you?" Freed said, his right eye transforming as his Dark Écriture Magic was activating. "You're making her go on this mission with you so you can get her in your pants, aren't you?"

Freed unsheathed his sword, the blade inches away from Gajeel's neck. Freed was going to unleash a powerful and painful Dark Écriture spell on Gajeel, but stopped when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, the green-haired man turning his head to look at his sister.

"It's okay, Freed." Lucy said calmly, turning around to Mirajane. "I changed my mind, I'll take the mission with Gajeel."

"Okay." Mirajane replied in a more cheerful way than usual, making a happy hum as she wrote down Gajeel's name in the mission request book. After Mirajane wrote the Dragon Slayer's name into the book, she closed with an extra big and extra sweet smile on her face. "I hope you two enjoy your mission together."

If Lucy had or hadn't heard the slight innuendo in Mirajane's voice, she didn't show it. The blonde Celestial Spirit mage turned towards Gajeel, giving him the request for the mission they will be taking. "Our mission is at a town called Orchid Town, it is a three hour train ride. Meet me at the train station in about ten minutes." Lucy said, a slight smirk rolling up on her face as she saw Gajeel's face lose all colour when she mentioned the train ride. "What's the matter? Are you ready to rescind your request?"

Gajeel shook his head from side to side until the colour returned to his face. "Nah, I'll see ya at the train station, Bunny." Gajeel replied, a sense of gusto in his voice. The Dragon Slayer left the guild, either to go to the train station or to get something from his home. Lucy shrugged, not really minding going on a mission with Gajeel, even though she already knows the dirty intentions behind him wanting to go on a mission with her. Although Lucy didn't mind doing it with Gajeel again. In fact the mission may come out as a win-win situation.

Lucy picked up Plue (who was oblivious to what was happening as Mirajane gave him lollipops to distract him) and held him in her arms, the blonde exiting the guild as she went home to get her stuff. As Lucy was exiting from the guild, Freed watched; concern for his little sister arose within the rune user, the man closing his eyes as his body changed into runes and disappeared.


Lucy mostly packed clothes and some food into her suitcase, the blonde having a feeling that Gajeel's true intentions would result in her not returning home until tomorrow. Lucy zipped up her suitcase and starting pulling the case with her as she walked. Lucy opened her front door, only to collide with an invisible wall when she tried to exit her house from it. Lucy stared at the empty air in front of her front door while rubbing the area on her head that collided with the invisible wall, dark purple runes suddenly at her doorway.

Lucy huffed her cheeks in annoyance, of course he would do that. "Alright Freed, show yourself." Lucy said, crossing her arms in annoyance. Many tiny runes flew off the wall of runes at Lucy's doorway, forming together to form one of the two men that Lucy sees as her older brothers.

"I am sorry, Lucy, but I can't help but worry for you." Freed apologised. Lucy just continued to stare at him in annoyance with her arms crossed. "I know Gajeel is a member of our guild, but there is something about his intentions that make my protective big brother instincts for you arise."

Lucy let out a little sigh, turning her head from side to side while her fingers rested on her forehead. After a while, Lucy looked back at Freed. "Freed, I know you're protective of me, but I will be fine." Lucy said reassuringly, taking Freed's hands into her own. "Gajeel's different now, he won't hurt me. And it's not like I disagree with his intentions. Besides, if Gajeel tries to do anything malicious or something akin to that towards, my spirits will protect me."

Freed was silent before looking away from the Celestial Spirit mage. "I'm sorry, Lucy. It's just hard to control these protective instincts." Freed said shamefully before turning back towards Lucy, a look of worry in his eyes. "Just promise me you will be safe."

"I promise."

Freed was tentative, but knew to trust his little sister nevertheless. The green-haired man removed the runes he casted, the barrier seemingly disappearing. Lucy gave Freed a chaste kiss on the cheek before walking out of her house and towards the train station. Freed watched his sister as she disappeared into the distance before looking back at the rune barrier he put around Lucy's house; technically he didn't remove the barrier, more of just changing the rules from who can't leave to who can't enter.

"There's still no way I'm letting anyone, even my guild mates, date my little sister." Freed thought protectively before making sure that Lucy's house was locked and secured, the man then turning himself into hundreds, if not thousands, of tiny runes that flew back to the guild.


When Lucy made it to the train station, with her suitcase in tow, Gajeel was already waiting there for her with Panther Lily. The Dragon Slayer was sitting on a chair with his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes were closed and he was snoring as he was sleeping, most likely out of boredom. The Exceed was in his small form and reading a book, the sight slightly humorous as the book looked large compared to Lily's little body. According to the cover, the book was about understanding rune language. Slung around Gajeel's arm was a rucksack that looked like it was full of unknown items. Lucy didn't know that Gajeel had a rucksack, nor that he used it when he and Lily went on missions.

Lily's ears wiggled as he heard Lucy's footsteps and the rolling sound from her suitcase, the Exceed looking up to see the blonde. "Hello, Lucy." Panther Lily greeted the woman happily, putting his book into the rucksack. Gajeel's eyes opened when he heard Lily say Lucy's name, his red eyes pinpointing on the busty blonde.

"Hey, Lily." Lucy greeted back, waving at the panther-like entity. Lucy approached the two, sitting down on a seat next to Gajeel. "So has Lily decided to come on the mission with us?"

"Yeah, he wanted to go on the mission with us. I tried to convince him otherwise, but he was adamant on joining." Gajeel answered, looking grumpy like usual. Gajeel suddenly grinned as he put his face near Lucy's. "But it doesn't matter that much, we can still have the real fun later." Gajeel whispered to Lucy, his voice so quiet that only Lucy was able to hear him due to how close he is to her. Not even Panther Lily heard what Gajeel whispered, despite his enhanced hearing. The Exceed raised an eyebrow as he couldn't hear what Gajeel said but decided to ignore it.

Lucy made a slight blush from what Gajeel whispered but it quickly disappeared. "Our train should be arriving soon, so we should get a move on." Lucy said. When the train for Orchid Town arrived, Lucy, Gajeel and Lily entered and found a private booth before sitting down on their seats. Lucy sat on the opposite side of the Dragon Slayer and his Exceed, the rucksack laying down next to Lily.

Gajeel was fine at first, however then the train jerked and started moving. Gajeel's motion sickness kicked in, his face turning pale as he put his hand over his mouth, groaning in pain. Lucy and Lily looked at Gajeel in concern, not knowing what to do to help him with his motion sickness. However Lucy then remembered an idea, the blonde smiling as she remembered an old trick that worked with Natsu.

"Gajeel, lay your head down on my legs." Lucy said, patting her hand on her bare legs. Lily and Gajeel (despite the latter barely being able to think because of the agony he is in) both looked at Lucy in confusion, the blonde quickly picking up that she needed to explain. "You see whenever Natsu gets motion sickness on a train he lays his head down on my legs, which manages to keep his motion sickness under control. Try it, Gajeel."

Despite it being hard to think because of his current condition, Gajeel complied to Lucy's demand, the Dragon Slayer lying his head on her legs. Instantly, Gajeel felt his stomach beginning to calm, that pain in his stomach and the foul taste in his mouth disappearing. Gajeel now felt completely fine that he was lying his head on Lucy's legs. In fact, he felt more than fine.

"Wow, it worked." Lily remarked, looking at Lucy with a genuine expression of being impressed, not that the Exceed was ever patronizing. "No matter what I do, I can't stop Gajeel from turning into a groaning, squirming mess from his motion sickness. You're a miracle worker, Lucy."

"Thank you, Lily. Although I think calling me a miracle worker is higher praise than I deserve." Lucy said, blushing from the high praise she was getting from someone like Panther Lily. It wasn't that he was a grouchy loner (unlike the man that Lucy had on her lap or her blond big brother) or anything of the sort, but considering his past as a military commander, Lucy thought that Panther Lily would have higher standards. Then again kiwis are for him what fish is for Happy, so maybe Lucy shouldn't have suspected him to have higher standards (beyond the ones he exhibited). And before Lucy found out about her 'cure' for Natsu's motion sickness, he was near insufferable when they went on vehicles, so maybe Gajeel's moaning and groaning was insufferable for Lily, hence why he praised Lucy. Either way, Lucy still wouldn't call herself a miracle worker. "It's just a thing I learned whenever Natsu went on vehicles with me."

Lily just shrugged before looking at Lucy again. "So why are you going on a mission with us?" Lily asked, the Exceed looking up at Lucy in curiosity.

"Oh, well I was originally going to go on a mission with my big brothers..." Lucy said, pausing slightly before continuing. "Well one of my older brothers, since Laxus needed to go on an S-Class mission. And I owed Gajeel for something he helped me with last night, and he decided to use that owe for us to go on this mission."

"I see." Lily said. "And where is Natsu and the rest of your team."

"Well Wendy and Carla are at Lamia Scale, visiting Sherria for a few days." Lucy explained, looking down at Gajeel. Lucy suddenly started to stroke Gajeel's hair, although she didn't know why. Simultaneously, Gajeel found himself not minding the sensation of Lucy scratching her nails along his scalp. In fact, he actually kind of enjoyed it for an inexplicable reason. "Erza and Jellal are on an S-Class mission, Gray and Juvia are on a mission, and Natsu and Happy are on a mission with Lisanna."

A cheeky smirk was suddenly on Lily's face, an unusual sight on the Exceed. At least it was nothing in comparison to Happy's cheeky grin. "So Erza, Gray and Natsu are on missions with their significant other, huh?" Lily said. Lucy could say that he was right; Erza and Jellal weren't exactly quite about their relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend, Gray eventually gave in to his feelings and is now in a happy relationship with Juvia, and Natsu and Lisanna became a couple when Natsu officially mated with the youngest Strauss sibling.

"Um... yeah, I guess you are right." Lucy said, stopping in her scratching of Gajeel's head. The Iron Dragon Slayer looked up at Lucy, wondering why she stopped stroking him. This resulted in him listening to Lily and Lucy's conversation. "Why does that seem so important?"

Lily's grin widened, actually becoming reminiscent of Happy! Lucy had a feeling that she'll regret her question. "Because it looks like you and Gajeel are joining in on your team's thing of going on missions with your lover."

Lucy started spluttering, her face feeling inexplicably hot from what the Exceed said, trying to comprehend what he was suggesting. Gajeel's eyes widened, the Dragon Slayer was also incredulous by what Lilly was suggesting, although for some strange reason he felt an odd pulse of warmth flow through his body from the suggestion that there was something romantic between him and Bunny Girl.

"I-It's not at all like that!" Lucy protested, waving her arms frantically. Lilly's smile didn't falter, in fact it only widened. This was because Lucy's face was becoming the colour of a tomato from her blush. "Gajeel and I are only friends... sure we're a special kind of friends- but we're not at all that kind of special friends."

Gajeel agreed with Lucy tenfold. He and Bunny Girl are only friends with benefits, not at all lovers. Although for some reason Bunny Girl's insistence that she and him aren't a couple hurt. Gajeel didn't know why. Sure he had a attraction for Bunny, but that was only because of her sexy body, nothing else. And Gajeel didn't want to find love after he and Levy stopped being in love those few months ago. Even if he and Shrimp are still good friends, the breakup still left Gajeel in an inner Hell of endless pain for weeks. Even when he eventually got over that Levy wasn't his mate, he vowed to himself that he would never fall in love again. He just barely got over the breakup. Hell, he barely even survived the breakup. How he managed to hide the pain behind faux indifference, Gajeel will never know. But those wounds healed and he's no longer in pain from when he and Levy broke up.

Gajeel didn't want to fall in love again. If he fell back into that Hell, he most likely wouldn't be coming out again.

Lily just shrugged in response to Lucy's objection, the train ride being silent from then on. Lucy didn't keep track of time, so she didn't know how many minutes had passed. It just seems like time flies when you're stroking a Dragon Slayer. Panther Lily would either be eating kiwis or polishing his sword (the kiwis, polish and cloth of course coming from the rucksack), while Gajeel was lying his head on Lucy's legs and Lucy would (as said before) stroke Gajeel on the head.

Lucy looked down at Gajeel, the blonde surprised to find that Gajeel had fallen asleep. Gajeel was sleeping on his back, giving Lucy a view of his rising and falling chest as he breathed, helped by the fact that the light-grey opening was... well, open. At least open enough for her to see his pectorals and some of his abs. Lucy's lips felt dry as she gained the urge to move her fingers over his chest.

Lucy placed one of her hands over Gajeel's pectorals, her fingers making light rubs against the muscles. The sleeping Dragon Slayer made soft moans as he felt Lucy's fingers against his bare chest. Lucy stopped, waiting to see if Gajeel would wake up. When Gajeel remained asleep, Lucy continued to softly rub her fingers over the well-defined muscles.

Even after seeing them completely bare last night, Lucy couldn't help but still marvel at the sight of Gajeel's pecs. Gajeel let out a groan of pleasure through gritted teeth, his pecs bouncing slightly underneath Lucy's fingers. Lucy had to lick her lips again as they dried, the blonde trailing her finger between the Dragon Slayer's pectorals and through the valley of his abs.

Lucy then noticed the small bulge forming in Gajeel's pants, her eyes widening as she realised what she was doing. "What is wrong with me?!" Lucy screamed in her head, using all of her willpower to stop herself from actually screaming it out loud. Lucy looked back down at Gajeel, the bulge in his pants disappearing and it seemed like he was overall relaxing. Lucy felt ashamed for what she did. "I practically molested him... and on public transport no less!"

Luckily for Lucy, no one else was in the booth she and Gajeel were in... except for Panther Lily. Panther Lily was absolutely silent as he sat next to Lucy, the skin underneath his fur becoming flushed. The Exceed was beginning to understand the 'special kind of friends' that Gajeel and Lucy are.

Lucy and Lily looked at each other in the eye, the two silently agreeing to not talk about Lucy's lose of control and touchy hands.


Gajeel was shaken awake by Lucy, the former opening his eyes to look at the blonde, his stare being comparable to a glare.

"We're at Orchid Town, we should be getting off now." Lucy said, pushing Gajeel off her legs. Gajeel groaned as Lucy and Panther Lily exited, the Dragon Slayer pushing himself off the floor before slinging the rucksack back over his shoulder and getting out of the train before the torture device started to move again. The two mages and Exceed walk (or flew in Lily's case) through the train station until they found an area that had some space.

"So where are we meant to go to officialise the job, Bunny?" Gajeel asked, taking a chunk of iron out of the rucksack and biting into it, munching on the piece of iron in his mouth.

"It says here that we should meet the client at the Sleeping Moon Hotel." Lucy said, looking down at the sheet of paper that was the request. Lucy rolled up the paper and put it back in the top zip of her suitcase. The blonde walked over to a board that showed a map of Orchid Town, placing her finger over a big red circle that was connected to a red line that was also connected to the words 'YOU ARE HERE', written in red. "It says that we are here, and it says the Sleeping Moon Hotel is over here. We just need to follow the directions and we should meet up with the client."

Gajeel grunted in response, the Dragon Slayer and his Exceed partner following the Celestial Spirit mage to the hotel. As Gajeel followed Lucy, he began to pick up a smell coming from Lucy. It was a smell that he smelt before, and it definitely wasn't lust that he was smelling. It was a sweet scent, one of strawberries, jasmine and something else. The only time that Gajeel could recall smelling it was when he was in the Celestial Spirit World after helping Bunny Girl and friends when the Zodiacs went crazy from those Fiore royals' giant gate.

In fact, Bunny Girl's spirits smelled like that all the time. And that Celestial Spirit mage from Sabertooth had Celestial Spirits that also smelled like that all the time. Gajeel's eyes widened, was that the smell of stardust he was smelling? Either way, it was strangely enjoyable.

"But wait, is that Bunny Girl's natural scent?" Gajeel thought as he continued to follow Lucy. Gajeel temporarily increased his speed until he was closer to Lucy, the Dragon Slayer sniffing more of her scent, the Celestial Spirit mage was somehow oblivious (to Gajeel's luck). But that didn't stop Panther Lily and people who were passing by the Fairy Tail mages from noticing. "Smells like it's her scent. She usually smells like her teammates, although recently she has started to smell like her so-called brothers. Although she still smells a lot like Salamander."

Gajeel focused primarily on the scent on Lucy that was her own, the scent that he had never smelled on her before; the scent that he never smelled on anything or anyone else before. Gajeel could no longer smell the other scents around him, or the other scents on Lucy, just the blonde's natural smell. Gajeel's eyes closed as he felt his nerves calm. She smelled like Heaven! Gajeel was tempted to grab Lucy and sniff her entire body like some dog.

Gajeel's eyes shot wide open as he realised what he just thought, the Dragon Slayer slowing down his speed until he was next to the flying Panther Lily again. "Would you care to explain why you were sniffing Lucy?" Lily asked Gajeel with a voice so quiet that only he and the Iron Dragon Slayer could hear because of their advanced hearing, one of the cat-like entity's eyebrows raising.

"...She smelled really good." Gajeel answered with a voice of the same volume as he watched the woman he was following, his red eyes focusing on the gentle sway of her hips. Gajeel licked his lips, not seeing anything off with that since it was only lust. Besides, getting her in his pants was the purpose of why he wanted her to take this mission with her. Although technically he was taking the mission with her since she was the one to originally pick it out. "I never smelled anything like her before, I could smell her all day and never get tired of it."

"Oh really...?" Lily responded, giving Gajeel a smile. "Is it like when you and Levy ha-?"

"No, it's nothing like Levy!" Gajeel responded, and even though he was somewhat yelling he was still too quite for anyone to hear unless they had enhanced hearing. "I already told you, I'm not fallin' for anyone ever again, guild mate or not. You know how much the heartbreak was killin' me. Hell, if it wasn't for my Dragon Slayer regeneration abilities than my neck would still have the marks from the-!"

"We're here." Lucy said cheerily, stopping the conversation between Gajeel and Panther Lily that she wasn't aware of. The Dragon Slayer and Exceed looked to the blonde to see her standing in front of a giant building.

It was a three stories tall hotel, a giant golden sign was atop of the giant door at the front. The golden sign said 'Sleeping Moon Hotel' in golden letters with a purple background, a painting of a sleeping crescent moon with little 'Z's escaping its mouth on the left side of the words and a painting of a smiling star on the right side. At the top of the sign was a red bar with four golden stars.

Lucy skipped with a tune as she entered the hotel, the lobby seemed to be empty except for two people sitting at a small table and the receptionist at the front desk. The magical trio made their way to the front desk, Lucy could already smell the myriad of perfumes on the receptionist, even though she could only smell things the same way as any normal human. Lucy looked at Gajeel to see him scrunching his nose in discomfort, his teeth bared as he tried to stop himself from complaining at the employee for all the perfume she had sprayed on herself.

The receptionist spotted them, she was dressed in a suit and had brown hair in pigtails. On her left breast was a name tag that said 'May'. It seemed as though the woman was aware of Fairy Tail, as her eyes both lighted up and looked confused.

"You're Lucy Heartfilia, Gajeel Redfox and Panther Lily of Fairy Tail!" May exclaimed in excitement, although her face turned back into its earlier confusion. "But wait, I've never heard of you three being in a team before."

"It's just a one-time thing." Lucy said, however Gajeel grinned from beside her.

"Don't be so quick to presume things, Bunny." Gajeel said, causing Lucy to look at the grinning Dragon Slayer, his smile looking so irritability smug that it looked like an open smirk. "Who knows, maybe you, I an' Lily will become a team and go on many missions together."

Lucy puffed her cheeks before letting out a breath, turning away from the Dragon Slayer and putting her hands on her hips. "You'll have to get past my current team before you can form a new one with me." Lucy said. That was partially the truth; ever since Erza, Gray and Natsu all gained a romantic partner, they all started to go on missions as a team less, preferring to go on a mission with their lover. It was their lovers' fault, at least it felt like it since they didn't want to enforce that they couldn't go on missions with others, especially together. Lucy still managed to go on missions with Wendy when the Sky Dragon Slayer wasn't spending time with Porlyusica to train the healing properties of her magic, and Team Natsu still managed to go on missions together as their old team twice and sometimes thrice a month.

It okay though, her teammates were now in committed relationships and Lucy can't blame them for wanting to spend time with their significant others. At least she still had her older brothers to go on missions with, and if she didn't have them her missions were either solo or with people she doesn't usually go on missions with. Sometimes even with the significant others that were causing her team to slowly drift apart, not that she ever resented them because of it, especially since two of them were her close friends before they became the girlfriends of her two male teammates. Although it kind of feels like Lucy was lying to herself when she still calls them a team, it was more like good friends that took missions together.

Was it really the end of the team that became the first of Lucy's Fairy Tail family.

Lucy felt small paws tug at her arm, the blonde looking to see that it was coming from Panther Lily, a worried and sad-looking expression on his face. Knowing that he had Lucy's attention, Lily opened his mouth to speak. "You're crying, Lucy." The black-furred Exceed said, his voice held the same concern that could be seen in his eyes.

Lucy's eyes widened in surprise, although she was starting to notice that something wet was falling down her cheeks. And her vision was blurring. Lucy placed the fingers of one of her hands on one of her cheeks, feeling wet droplets slide down the flesh bellow her eye and onto the digits. Realising that she in fact is crying, Lucy hurriedly wiped away the tears from her eyes with her arms.

"I-It's nothing, Lily. Honestly." Lucy lied, masquerading her sadness perfectly. Now that Lucy could see clearly, she could see that she was the centre of attention of the room, even Gajeel was looking at her. Gajeel's stare felt the worst on Lucy; he wasn't glaring at her or looking at her disapprovingly. Instead he looked at her with the same concern, if not more concern, as everyone else. But for some reason it felt like Gajeel's eyes were projecting a heavy weight onto Lucy, making the busty woman feel uncomfortable. "I just daydreamed and lost control of my tear ducts. I'm fine."

"Are you sure, Bunny?" Gajeel asked, the concern in his voice feeling like a heavy weight to Lucy. "You were sniffling and-"

"I. Am. Fine." Lucy insisted. Gajeel stared at Lucy, but found himself giving up in persisting her and looked back at May, the brunette looking at the two mages uncertainly.

"If there is something wrong, you can rescind your agreement to the mission." The receptionist said.

"No, there is nothing wrong, everything is alright." Lucy said. "We're here to do the mission, and we'll do the mission."

"O...kay." May said. "I'll go get the boss."

The receptionist walked away into a room and disappeared, leaving Gajeel, Lucy and Lily on their own. Lucy made a quick walk to one of the chairs around one of the tables. Gajeel and Panther Lily sat next to Lucy, the two males were quiet as they sat next to the blonde, even though they wanted to talk about the little crying fit she turned into, to help her. Something seemed wrong with their friend (if they could call her that) and they wanted to help but she wouldn't let them.

It was after a few seconds of (ungodly) silence that the trio heard footsteps come closer and closer to them. "You three must be the Fairy Tail wizards that accepted the job request." Said a voice that was rich like gold. The three mages (or two mages if you don't count Lily) looked to see a tall, muscular man in a black suit. He had chiselled facial features, brown hair with amber eyes, his mouth and cheeks decorated with the whiskers of a shaven beard. His hands were tucked in his pockets, with the exceptions of his thumbs.

Lucy stood up and smiled at the man. "Yes, we are." Lucy responded happily.

The man politely took Lucy's hand and kissed it on the back. Lucy would have been otherwise flattered at the action if it didn't remind her of her date with William, still the worst date she ever had. At least the sex she had with Gajeel a few hours later saved that night from being the worst night she ever had.

"I am sorry, it's just I never once expected to meet with the powerful and beautiful Light of Fairy Tail, Lucy Heartfilia." The man said, his words genuine, letting go of Lucy's hand. "I assume that your partners are not okay with my... impulse."

Lucy looked back at Gajeel and Lily. Lily was giving the man a disapproving glare, not any different to most of Lucy's guild mates reactions if they went on a mission with her and the client ended up kissing her hand. But Gajeel was much different, his eyes were surrounded by a dark of hatred, almost making his red eyes shine from how dark the area surrounding them was, one of his hands was gripping the table to the point where it looked like it was about to crack. It was a worse reaction than most of Lucy's guild mates, but it was still better than how her brothers would most likely react. Freed would have rescinded the request in the blink of an eye before using his Dark Écriture Magic to leave the man convulsing on the ground in pain before using the same magic to grow wings and fly himself and Lucy away. And if it was Laxus, he would teleport himself and Lucy away after leaving the hotel as nothing more than a smoking crater.

At least that was what Lucy believed as the most likely to happen.

Lucy looked back at the man. "No, they're not." Lucy said calmly. "Care to explain the mission in detail before we handle the problem?"

"Ah, yes, the bandits." The man said, sitting down on one of the chairs around the table that Gajeel and Lily were sitting at, causing Lucy sit back where she was earlier. For some inexplicable reason, Gajeel wrapped one of his muscular arms around Lucy's shoulders. "I am Stephan Deltrio, the owner of the four star Sleeping Moon Hotel."

"The famed Sleeping Moon Hotel was first created by my great-grandfather, as time passed it was inherited from him by his child and so on and so on until I inherited it from my mother. Of course the Sleeping Moon Hotel has had changes to it throughout the years, one must always keep up with the changing times if they wish to succeed."

"Yeah, yeah, yadda yadda yadda." Gajeel said rudely. Lucy stared at the Iron Dragon Slayer in disapproval, removing his arm from around her shoulders. "Can you quit givin' us the history of yer business and start talkin' about the request like Bunny Girl told you to."

Lucy bit her bottom lip, fearing that Stephan would have decided that he didn't want the trio to do the request because of Gajeel's rudeness. Luckily though, Stephen was calm against Gajeel's rudeness, complying to the Dragon Slayer's demand.

"Ah, yes. You see Sleeping Moon Hotel is one of the most successful businesses in Orchid Town, as well as one of its most financial businesses." Stephan explained, barely reacting to the glare that Gajeel continued to give him. "Recently thieves have been robbing from our town, most prominently from this hotel."

"And that's why you want us to stop them, isn't it?" Lily asked, his little arms crossed over his little chest.

"Yes." Stephan answered, looking at the three Fairy Tail members. "Because of the constant robberies from our hotel and our customers, the Sleeping Moon Hotel has started to do badly in business. If the thieves are not stopped, then the four star Sleeping Moon Hotel will be out of business. I beg of you, please stop these thieves before it's too late."

"We'll do it!" Lucy answered, her hands balled into fists and her brow furrowed with determination. Lucy abruptly stood up, keeping her determined stare on Stephan. "We'll stop the thieves for you and for your hotel."

"Oh thank you! Thank you very, very much!" Stephen exclaimed earnestly, shaking one of Lucy's hands in his two larger ones. Gajeel stood up and was right behind Lucy, letting out a growl that was so quiet that only the Dragon Slayer himself was aware of it, although he didn't really know why. When he was finished shaking Lucy's hand, Stephen gestured to the receptionist desk, where May still was. "Go talk to May and she will give you the key to your room, where you can store your stuff," he gestured towards Lucy's suitcase and Gajeel and Lily's rucksack, "And sleep if it's night and you're tired when you defeat the thieves. The thieves are suspected to be located in a forest that is not too far away from behind this hotel."

Stephan then gave Lucy another quick kiss on the back of her hand (much to Gajeel and Lily's ire) and walked away and disappeared from sight. Lucy, Gajeel and Lily made their way back to the receptionist desk, where May gave them the key to their room. May suddenly leaned towards Gajeel. "By the way, our hotel walls are soundproof, so if you and Lucy are planning on... doing the bed wrestle, so will know or hear." May whispered to Gajeel. The Iron Dragon Slayer was left startled, wondering if the brunette could read minds or if it was just a lucky guess. Considering that she wasn't reacting to Gajeel's mental yelling of confusion (or of how much he hated her perfume), Gajeel concluded that she wasn't a telepath.

The Fairy Tail mages made their way to the room written down on the small card connected to their key, Lucy inserted the key into the keyhole and twisted it, unlocking the room. The room wasn't too big, though it had a closet for clothes to be stored, two one-person beds at the side and a big king-sized bed. It also had a bathroom that included a toilet (with toilet rolls), a sink and a bathtub/shower. And all while retaining a relative amount of free space.

Lucy put her suitcase near the king-sized bed while Gajeel just chucked his rucksack onto the bed before they left the hotel and made their way into the forest where the bandits were located.


Author's Note: Well I was really hoping that I could put the fight of Lucy, Gajeel and Lily against the 'bandits' in this, but this has already proven itself to be a relatively long chapter (although I have written longer).

Anyways this chapter was more meant to be about Lucy and Gajeel starting to develop feelings for each other instead of the sexy stuff (although we might be able to see some sexy stuff in the next chapter if I don't write it to be too relatively long).

Thank you for the favs and reviews. All reviews are welcomed, even constructive criticism, as long as you want to write a review. If you don't want to write a review then you don't have to.

See you in the next chapter.