Hey guys, new chapter. I just finished my exam today, and felt like writing something that wasn't course work based. There may have been some confusion about whether these were going to be a group of one-shots or a whole story, and its a whole story. I tend to normally post one-shots, but they always get posted as separate stories in themselves, never on one upload altogether. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!
As the hours ticked by that seemed more and more like a probability than a possibility. By the time it was just the three of them left, Laxus was fuming that no one had told her. Fuming that she had stayed all day and into the night waiting for him. And fuming that he hadn't gone and told her sooner. So quickly he bucked up the courage and made his way to take the bar stool next to Juvia.
Her eyes instantly shot up to him. The look of surprise being the most dominant emotion on her face. But most surprisingly for Laxus she didn't look disappointed. If he wasn't mistaken, she almost looked like she was happy after she had processed it was him next to her and that alone had him lost for words.
With a soft smile on her face Juvia spoke. "What pleasure does Juvia attribute this to - to have Laxus-San sitting next to her?" There was no ounce of sarcasm in her voice, but she was definitely teasing him.
After a moment's composure, after seeing a side of Juvia he had never witnessed (but definitely hoped to again), he found his voice. His own smirk reaching his lips.
"Juvia... You know he's not coming, right?" Now Laxus was never one to sugar coat things. He always figured it was best to get things over and done with. But at the same time, the last thing he wanted to do was hurt Juvia. The thought alone made his stomach hurt. Again, though he couldn't figure out why, because it really shouldn't bother him.
Juvia's smile faltered, if only for a second, but it was enough for Laxus to notice. Her voice, however, was as soft as it always is. "Juvia knows. Juvia's always known."
Laxus really didn't know how to respond to that. Sad women weren't his forte.
Placing his hand on hers, "Come on Juvia. I'll walk you home."
Panic shot into her eyes. "No!" Laxus' stunned eyes met hers after her outburst. What was so wrong with him taking her home? Was it him that was the problem? Did she not want to be seen with him? The thought alone had Laxus' heart aching (adding to his annoyance). "Sorry Laxus-San. But Juvia doesn't want to go home right now. Juvia doesn't want to see anyone, and have to see the pity in their eyes." Her face turned downcast and tears brimmed her eyes that she had held in for so long.
"Okay... Come on. You can come to mine, because you certainly can't spend the night in the guild hall." He didn't wait for her reply. Instead he grabbed her hand and started towing her out of the guild hall towards his home. Juvia desperately trying to keep up with him but failing miserably. Once she had actually tripped up and fell into his back, he did he finally stop to look at her.
"Laxus-San! Juvia has been yelling at you to slow down! Juvia can't keep up with Laxus-San and his ridiculously long legs." Juvia was huffing and puffing, because she had practically been jogging to keep up with him.
Laxus snorted. "Ridiculously long legs? Whatever short stuff. I'm not slowing down for you. So, if you can't keep up, I guess I have no other option." With a dangerous smirk on his face Laxus closed the distance between him and Juvia. Quickly grabbing her by the waist he slinging her onto his shoulder like a bag of rice. Receiving nothing but protests and yells to put her down. Though with his dragon hearing, he could hear the giggles she was desperately trying to contain. This continued all the way to his home. And he had never been so thankful that: 1) it was late at night so no one was out, and 2) that he lived out in the woods where no one could hear or see them. Because the sight of the lightning dragon slayer carrying a protesting water mage to his home wasn't a normal sight to behold.
Once they had made it through his front door, did Laxus finally (if not slightly reluctantly) put Juvia down. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were wide. They just stood staring at each other for a few moments. He could hear her heart racing and he just prayed that she couldn't hear his. Laxus' hands were still on her waist, when he realized this, again reluctantly he started to pull them away. Only for Juvia to do something he would never have thought the water mage would... She jumped at him. If he wasn't so strong it would have knocked him on his ass. Instead his arms wrapped around her waist as hers wove around his neck.
"... Juvia?" Laxus couldn't think of anything else to say as her lips met his. At first, he really didn't know what to do. Was it even right to be kissing her? Was she doing this just to get over Gray? It wasn't until he felt her starting to pull away (probably due to the lack of response from him) did his brain kick into action and he feverishly returned her kiss. He'd slowly backed himself up to sit on the couch. Juvia perched on his lap so the fact of holding herself up and him holding her up no longer being a problem. Now what transpired from here was definitely not PG. And it wasn't until Laxus' shirt was on the floor and Juvia's dress was halfway unbuttoned did she realize the extent of what she was doing. Then quicker than she thought she could possibly move, she jumped up from Laxus and ran into his bathroom. Leaving a stunned, dazed and utterly confused Laxus sitting on his couch.
Juvia stared at herself in the mirror. Blushing terribly after seeing the numerous red marks that were littering across her neck and chest. Quickly she made to put herself back in order, while trying to figure out: WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST DO? She had just made out (massive understatement, but she really couldn't think about the rest of their activities tonight) with Laxus-San. On his couch. In his house. And he doesn't even like Juvia! Oh no! He's never going to want to talk to Juvia again. He's going to think Juvia is crazy (or maybe crazier than what everyone thinks anyway).
Juvia's eyes scanned his bathroom. There's was no way in hell she was going back out there. She was mortified about the fact she had literally thrown herself at Laxus. And mortified over the fact that it was the best kiss she had ever had, and it was with a guy that didn't even like her. A guy she didn't stand a chance with. A guy that wasn't Gray. That thought alone had her trembling and desperate to get out of Laxus' home. When she spotted the window and evaluated all her odds. She quietly, if not awkwardly stuffed herself out of the window. Once she was out, she didn't waste a minute in high tailing it out of there. Not stopping to even catch her breath until she was safely inside her home.
Both of them thinking about the other that night. And desperately trying to understand: Why?
