Part 2: A Devilish Grin
She just could not believe that she was stuck with him for this. Oh that man drove her to insanity and she hated the cocky grin that he was always sporting. Acting like he owned the world, although he was a lot better than he had been when she had first met him. At least now he wasn't treating her like a toy, but he still drove her insane with that devilish grin of his.
Mira and Freed had both ended up coming down with something or another, and the results of their illness were not pretty. The problem with that is the both of them had been expected for a mission at a high class resort, as one of the only couples in the guild this mission would have been perfect for them, but due to their illness they couldn't come. Unfortunately that led to the only other person in the guild who knew how to act in a high class place being asked to do the mission she agreed before she knew what the deal was.
Now here she was stuck being security for the ball that was happening to night if that was all she would have been fine with it, she wasn't though because she had been tricked about the details of the mission. The mission was fairly simple be security for the ball without people realizing that was why she was here. Easy enough since she knew how to act in high class functions and she could easily wear a pair of gloves to hide her guild mark. It was going to be a great mission because the pay was good and there was no chance of destroying anything. She had been excited for it before she realized the catch. Since it was a ball Lucy needed a partner and who had to be chosen, Laxus that egotistical ass. To fulfill the mission requirements she would have to act like she was madly in love with him and dance with him from time to time so people didn't get suspicious of them.
No one else would have fit the bill for this mission and they both knew it. The other members of the guild, with the exception of Freed, just didn't know how to act at this sort of function. That had been proven when they had gone to that ball after the grand magic games and almost everyone ended up in a fight over Yukino. Stupid, although she liked Yukino, and showing they just couldn't handle something like this. Plus she had to admit that Laxus did know how to act like he was a Lord he did it often enough, and he knew how to act without embarrassing her. Truly if it wasn't for the fact that he treated her like a toy at his beck and call she wouldn't have minded doing this sort of mission with him.
"Come on Blondie it's time to go," Laxus called through the door of her room. That was a blessing in disguise that she wasn't going to be stuck sharing a room with Laxus.
Looking into the mirror Lucy made sure that she looked the part of a high class Lady. Although she really didn't like the dress she was wearing it reminded her too much of the one she had worn when she had gone home to tell her father she wasn't leaving Fairy Tail. Made her remember too much sadness and how much she missed her parents. Even her hair was put up in a similar fashion and Lucy felt like Lucky Lucy Heartfilia again instead of Lucy of Fairy Tail. She hated it, but she would have to put up with it for this mission.
Opening the door Lucy wasn't surprised to see that Laxus looked good in a tux. Really he would be on the top of her list of mages she wanted to date if it wasn't for his attitude. She knew she would be the envy of all the ladies tonight being able to cling onto Laxus's arm and act like he was hers. He was more muscular then most lords would be, but it just added to his charm and his rugged sort of beauty.
"Let's get this over with," she told him sighing before she tucked her arm into his. Luckily Laxus seemed to know how to behave at high class functions, but it didn't stop him from giving her that devilish grin with how she was pressed up against him. No instead he ended up pulling her closer to him and draped his own arm around her shoulders.
Their walk down to the ballroom was silent and Lucy was glad of that because she had no idea what to talk about with Laxus since they couldn't talk about the guild tonight. Instead she just focused on projecting the air of a high class lady and the fact that she loved Laxus, even though the thought of that made her ill. They passed quite a few couples on their way, although most of them weren't walking with the closeness she and Laxus were. Some looked like they wanted to be anywhere but here obviously not having learnt yet that it was best to hide those sorts of thoughts.
As they walked into the ballroom Lucy could feel the jealous glares she was getting from the ladies. The ones who were stuck with a husband much too old for them instead of the handsome man she had by her side. Laxus just seemed to eat it up, although he didn't allow his eyes to stray off of her. It was odd seeing such a tender look in Laxus's eyes especially since it was directed at her, she hated admitting it but that looked caused her heart to skip a beat. She was glad the music was so loud because otherwise Laxus's dragon hearing would have picked up on it.
"Would you like to dance milady?" Laxus asked her his voice sounding more posh then the gruffness she was used to. Him calling her milady just felt so wrong she was so used to him calling her Blondie that anything else just made her feel uneasy. If it wasn't because of the mission if he had called her anything, but Blondie she would have thought he was up to something.
"Of course milord," she answered as if she was the heiress of the Heartfilia Konzern once again.
With a bow Laxus took her hand in his and lead her onto the dance floor. Both of them to the outside world looked like they were fully engrossed on each other no one noticing how their eyes drifted past their partner looking for anyone suspicious, or how Lucy's hand would drift against a strategically placed bow on her dress that held her keys. It showed how good they both were at dancing that they were able to follow the dance without fighting against one another when they were barely paying attention.
Despite the fact that Lucy was trying her best to stay focussed on anything that seemed suspicious she often ended up distracted. Laxus's hand against her waist even through the fabric felt warm and if she didn't have all the lessons she had she was certain she would be blushing. Even how they danced together was a little closer then allowed, but since they were pretending to be in love it was acceptable. Whenever Laxus spun her to get a closer look at someone Lucy had to stop herself from staring at his lips when she was spun back almost close enough for them to kiss. She hated that even though she couldn't stand Laxus that she was still so drawn to him, and she hoped that he wouldn't learn of it before the night was over.
As the song ended Lucy thought that maybe she would be allowed a break, but then a Tango came on and Laxus gave her the most devilish grin she had ever seen. His hand tightening against her waist as he led her into a dance that too Lucy was much to intimate to dance with him or anyone she didn't seriously love. If it wasn't for their mission she would have pulled away from him and told him there was no way in Tartaros that she would dance the tango with him. Unfortunately they were on a mission and Lucy had to allow herself to perform this dance with Laxus.
Most of the couples went off the floor as they began to dance. The tango truly only being a part of the ball because of age old traditions most of the high class weren't close enough to their partners to ever want to dance it. Meaning that everyone's attention was on Lucy and Laxus as they danced the complicated dance, as Lucy fought to keep her eyes drifting over the crowd even though the dance called for almost all of her attention. The way Laxus's body pressed against hers making her wish the dance would end quickly, well at the same time she never wanted it to end.
As she was spun around the ballroom for the dance Lucy found her eyes being drawn into Laxus's almost like he was calling to her soul. It was something she had to fight, and she didn't realize that it was showing in their dance making it look even more magical. Like Laxus was trying to tame her and win her heart as she fought against him only to the crowd to give in at the end of the song when it ended with them hugging instead of her being dipped down. She was only glad that Laxus hadn't decided to end the dance with a kiss.
The night was slow after that their clients fears being unfounded about someone trying to ruin his ball. It was easy money, but at the same time it felt like one of the hardest jobs Lucy had ever done and she hoped that she would never have to dance with Laxus again or do a mission with him. Both of them spent the night on high alert for nothing.
Once the last guest had left Lucy and Laxus approached their client Lucy wanting nothing more than to leave and go back home. Although she knew they would have to stay at the resort for the night and get a train in the morning. Their client was an influential investor and this ball was a cover for him trying to finalize deals with some of his future investments which is why he had wanted mages to cover it to make sure nothing went wrong.
"Ms. Heartfilia Mr. Dreyar, I do have to admit after I had been informed that Ms. Strauss and Mr. Justine couldn't come I was skeptical about who would be in their place. However you two have definitely pulled this off, and because that Tango of yours ended up sealing one of the deals I was making I threw in a little bonus. It was nice seeing a couple so in love," Lord Golan said with a bright smile handing over to separate pouches each with half of their reward.
"No, oh no we are not in love," Lucy denied vehemently wondering just how their client had fallen for their act.
"Truly such a shame the two of you make such a delightful couple," the man told them with a frown before saying his farewells.
Lucy didn't even stick around to talk to Laxus after that not wanting to hear what he would have to say about their client's error. Knowing him he would make it into a huge joke which would end with him saying he hoped she wasn't really in love with him. Truly Lucy had no idea how anyone could fall in love with someone like Laxus he was just ugh! She couldn't eve describe how much he irritated her.
Falling asleep that night was difficult for Lucy. She kept thinking about what their client had said which in turn ended up reminding her that she had wanted to kiss Laxus earlier. Lucy would absolutely die if anyone found out that she had fantasized about kissing Laxus Dreyar. Could anyone really blame her? The mage did look like a god hence the nickname thunder god which was probably given to him by a reporter who had fallen for his charms.
The next day when they were back at the guild Lucy did everything she could to avoid Laxus. Luckily no one had noticed and since Mira was still out sick no one had yet asked her how the mission with Laxus had gone. If it wouldn't have looked so weird Lucy probably would have just stayed at her apartment all day so she could make sure there was no way that she could run into the egotistical jerk.
It wasn't really hard to avoid someone who wasn't even at the guild however so Lucy was in the clear. Her day was spent on high alert but she also had a very good conversation with Levy about new books and her own novel. Something Lucy had tried to work on, but her protagonist just kept evolving into her and the hero into Laxus. He just seemed to be infiltrating her entire life and Lucy hated it!
Lucy was going to head home for the night having thought she was lucky that Laxus hadn't shown up yet. However before she could even get out the door Laxus entered with two giggling girls on his arm looking bored as he stared down at them. Really she didn't understand how the girls could cling onto him when he clearly didn't want them anywhere near him.
Lucy scoffed as she went to go past them hoping they would get out of the way of the door. Now she really wanted to get home and get away from him. Ignoring the pained feeling in her chest as she shoved her way past Laxus and the girls usually she'd say something scathing to him, but today she just couldn't think of anything. Well anything that didn't make her sound like a jealous girlfriend anyway. There was no way that she was falling for Laxus Dreyar and his devilish grin, was there?
Making her way home she was cursing Laxus in her head still not understanding her own reasoning behind everything. Despite the fact that they had a half flirting half insulting type relationship there definitely wasn't anything between her and Laxus. There was no reason for her to feel the way she was feeling about seeing him with girls that weren't her.
"Blondie!" she heard someone shouting after her. With the nickname she knew exactly who it was, but she ignored him hoping that he would get the hint and leave her alone. "Damn it Blondie wait!" he yelled at her his hand grabbing her own and spinning her around to face him.
She glared at him angry beyond belief and still not understanding why, "what do you want Laxus?" she asked him wanting him to just go away and leave her alone.
"Why did you leave like that all of a sudden Blondie?" he asked her something in his eyes begging her for something although she really had no idea what it could possibly be.
"I wanted to get home and go to bed," she told him like it was obvious, although she was lying at the same time. She had really wanted to get away from him and those groupies and the way they made her feel.
"You make me crazy Blondie," Laxus told her before doing something that shocked her. He Laxus Dreyar kissed her Lucy Heartfilia. She knew she should have pushed him off of her and slapped him or something, but this kiss was something she had been waiting for for ages. So instead she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back with all the emotions she had been holding in.
Lucy had no idea how long they spent outside kissing like that. The kiss never getting too intense, but it felt like it was going on for eternity. Like something was awakening inside her and connecting her to Laxus.
"You are an egotistical jerk," she muttered against Laxus's lips as she finally pulled away from him.
He just gave her that devilish grin again before kissing her again. Maybe she should have given in a long time ago she should have known there was no way she could fight against that devilish look. She had just been lying to herself and to him because really Lucy had lost her heart to Laxus a long time ago.
In time Lucy would learn that everything had all been a part of Laxus's plan. Mira and Freed had never been sick, but Laxus had begged them to pretend so that he could finally try to win her heart. It seemed that he had been fighting for her for so long and getting a little upset that he wasn't getting anywhere.
"I love you," they both said together with a smile glad that she had finally stopped being so stubborn.
