EDITED
A/N: The third chapter! I hope you like it as much as I do! Sorry for the wait, but I've been super busy and it's probably going to be the end of August before I get another chapter up.
All rights to Hiro Mashima.
Chapter 3: Hearts Lie
"Where did it go?" THUMP. Loke was looking for his key. The one thing he brought with him from Celestial. The one thing he couldn't imagine living without. The one thing he had to hide and keep hidden or risk his life. KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK. Someone pounded on his door. Loke straightened and headed to the door. He swung it open to reveal a shirtless Gray.
"Can I help you?" Loke asked sharply, covering the mess in his room the best he could with his body.
"I was wondering if you'd like to go on a mission with me." Gray scratched the back of his head nervously, eyes averted.
"Sorry I'm busy. I've got a date in thirty minutes," Loke said. The statement was not entirely false. He did have a date. One with a minor gang on the outreaches of town. He was going to take them down. Destroy them and leave his mark to alert his mistress that he had gotten her message. And he would enjoy it. A lot.
"Oh, okay. When will you be back?" Gray was not easily discouraged.
"Late. I dunno how late. Maybe I won't come back at all tonight." Loke grinned lecherously at Gray, hoping he'd take the hint and leave.
Gray did. He returned the smile and left. Loke turned back to his room, removed the loose floorboard under his bookshelf, and pulled out a safe. He scanned his fingerprint, his retina, and the door popped open. Loke reached in and pulled out a golden key. Leo the Lion's Zodiac key. He grinned his Leo grin and tucked the key into a hidden pocket in his jacket. He left, not taking any weapons. He would retrieve his spare weapons that he had hidden away for a reason such as this.
Loke had almost made it out the main doors when a voice stopped him in his tracks.
"And where might you be going?" It was Gildarts. Right, he currently had a self-appointed babysitter slash stalker.
"Date. It got canceled remember, but I called Aries up and we're going out now. I might not make it back tonight. If you know what I mean." Loke winked at the older man, hoping the older man's perverted side would allow him to pass unsuspected.
"Alright," but alas Gildarts still seemed slightly suspicious. It didn't matter much though, Loke was in a hurry.
"Well I'll be off now. I'm already late." Loke waved and left.
He ran slowly at first, but the further he got away from the guild the faster he went. Faster until he was running all out for the first time since he had joined Fairy Tail to spy on the progress of tracking the Lady Summoner for his mistress. Might as well do it like old times, Loke thought smiling to himself and in two big jumps he was running on the roof tops. Casually leaping from roof to roof, clearing up to forty foot gaps.
When Loke reached his safe house, he swung in through the window and immediately began his preparations. Loke closed and locked the window and shut the blinds. He opened the closet and changed into his trademark black suit and sunglasses. He slipped a large safe out of the wall hidden behind a secret panel in the wall by his bookshelf. Out of the safe came bronze knuckles made of the finest gold-coated titanium money could buy, but not as great as the bronze knuckles he used when with his Lady. He slipped an ultra-light titanium dagger in each boot and a few in sheaths elsewhere on his person. Next came his guns. He had twin gold pistols like Lucy, but he used his more than she did and he was better with them than she was with hers as a result. Loke was ready. Almost. He didn't have his seal. Loke grabbed the item from the back of the safe.
Loke, now Leo, hopped out the window. His safe house was back in order with this month's rent nailed to the door. Leo clambered onto the roof and looked into the street. He had a feeling that Gildarts had followed him here, but lost his trail and was hanging around. He was right. The large and extremely dangerous man was hiding in the shadows of the alley way across the street. Leo sighed. Well at least now he had the equipment to aid in his speed. The shoes he was wearing were specially made to make him faster and give each of his steps more spring. Leo crouched, leaned forwards, and rocketed off moving as fast as he possibly could in the direction of the mafia. He didn't sense Gildarts following him, but that didn't mean that the man wouldn't connect the dots. Hopefully he wouldn't until Leo left Fairy Tail for good.
Ten minutes later and he was standing in front of the minor gang known as Naked Mummy. Leo smiled his trademark smile. It was a mixture of madness and cruelty. It was terrifying and beautiful at the same time. Leo didn't bother for tactics or stealth, he just pulled on his cloak and began to walk towards the front doors. A guard caught sight of him and fainted. Leo smiled wider. He heard chaos within. Stampeding feet reached his sensitive ears. He could taste their fear and it made him all the happier. The lion was on the prowl again. He growled appreciatively at the efforts Naked Mummy was making.
They were attempting to barricade the doors. There were guns pointing at him from every opening. Thugs ready to ambush him. But Leo sensed it all. He had incredible senses that only heightened in battle. Leo stalked closer to the doors, and closer still. He heard gunfire, but kept walking. Leo suddenly stopped and sunk into a crouch, then, like a rocket, he shot towards the building.
It was a massacre. Leo killed every single member. At the end of the bloody slaughter he pulled his special brand out of his secret pocket and out of its pouch. He heated it up with a special lighter and branded the dead leaders. Then he left, leaving no trace of who he was or where he might have gone, except for his mark. Leo raced back to the apartment and got changed. He rumpled his hair and clothes to make it look like he just had sex. Then attempted to fix it. The result was a slightly crumpled shirt with tears in the back, pants with a missing belt, and messed up hair that look like it had been attempted to brush, but refused to lay flat. Satisfied with his appearance, Leo-turned-Loke swaggered back to Fairy Tail.
When Loke reached Fairy Tail, Gildarts was waiting for him. Loke didn't look nervous, didn't feel nervous. He was confidant of his act and he knew he could just have Gildarts talk to Aries. Aries who was his lover and his fiance. Aries, who would do anything for him and whom he would do anything for. Aries, whom he loved.
"Hey Loke," Gildarts said.
"Yo," Loke flashed his 'Loke' smile.
"How was your date?" Gildarts' eyes narrowed.
"It wasn't much we ended up staying in, if you know what I mean," Loke winked. Gildarts smiled at him, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Alright. Let's go in, I'm sure dinner is almost done." Gildarts turned on his heel and marched into the guild. Loke smirked to himself. He had seen the frustration hidden deep within the older man's eyes and it excited him. He wondered how far he could push the man.
Back at Lucy's house
Lucy was sitting in her room staring at her wardrobe trying to decide what to wear. She was going out as a normal citizen and she wanted to be dressed normally too. Usually she'd just wear her mafia gear, but she couldn't exactly wear that in public when simply going shoppin. Then she spotted an outfit that Virgo had gotten her in the back of the closet. Lucy smiled and pulled it out.
There was a hot pink skirt that reached midthigh. The top was a black form-fitting tank top edged with white lace. White thigh high sock and black boots. Lucy secured her hair in a side pigtail with a hot pink ribbon. Lucy checked herself over in the mirror before slipping a knife in each boot. She clipped her black belt around her waist and grabbed her purse. Lucy slipped her keyblades into a pouch, clipped the pouch to her belt, and left the house.
Natsu had a free day so he decided to go walk around town. He pulled on black jeans and an Imagine Dragons band shirt. Natsu stuck a knife in one of his boots and brass knuckles in his pockets. He grabbed his wallet and phone and left. No one bothered him on his way out and he soon he was headed into town.
Lucy was walking into a cafe humming quietly to herself. She'd found out that the newest Kaby Melon book in the bookstore. She couldn't wait to buy it, but first she wanted a milkshake. Lucy headed to her favorite cafe that served the best strawberry and vanilla milkshakes she had ever had.
Natsu looked up from his seat at the counter as the doorbell tinkled signaling another customer was entering. It was a pretty blonde. She walked up to the counter and sat right next to him. Natsu watched out of the corner of his eye and listened as she ordered a strawberry and vanilla milkshake. Her voice sounded vaguely familiar, but Natsu couldn't place it.
"Excuse me?" Natsu was shaken from his daze by a light tap on his shoulder.
"Yes?" Natsu looked and saw the blonde smiling up at him.
"Ah, this is really embarrassing, but do you have an extra dollar and seven cents? It appears I'm a bit short," she asked him in a soft voice, her cheeks slightly tinted pink.
"No problem," Natsu agreed. He may be in a mafia, but he loves to help other people. Especially pretty girls. Wait, what? Pretty? Well she is but since when did that matter? Whatever, I should hurry up.
Natsu pulled out his wallet and gave the girl two dollars. She accepted with a smile and turned back to the waiter behind the counter and handed the money to him. The waiter smiled and walked off.
"So what's your name?" Natsu asked.
"It's Layla. Layla Heart. Why do you ask?" the blonde answered smiling cutely.
"I just wanted to know who the pretty girl that I lent money to was," Natsu smiled at the girl as she flushed a brilliant crimson and ducked her head shyly. "I'm Igneel," Natsu offered after a few seconds, "Igneel Dracorde."
The two continued to converse, talking about small things until they were done with their food and drinks. Natsu slapped some jewel on the counter and stood, stretching.
"Where are you going now?" he asked curiously.
"The bookstore," she answered easily.
"Can I come? I've never been to a bookstore," Natsu was curious.
"Really?!" the girl, Layla he reminded himself, was outraged.
"Yup, my friends never let me. They claim I'm too destructive," Natsu told her as he strolled along her outside.
"How about you come with me then?" Layla offered, "I won't let you cause and damage and you'll get to experience something new!" Natsu was entranced by the sparkle in her eyes.
"Why not! Lead the way," Natsu said, throwing his hands in the air. So they set off for the bookstore. Not aware of the stares they were getting. It's not often you see two super hot people walking together headed to a bookstore of all places. Many people admired how the boy seemed to gaze at the girl with the utmost affection when she smiled at him. They saw how her eyes sparkled with life when he's eyes were turned upon her. They watched as the two unconsciously grabbed hands and seemed to glow because of it.
"Here we are!" Lucy cheered gesturing to the sign of her favorite bookstore with her free hand.
She wasn't sure why she was hanging out with this guy, much less holding hands with him. It just felt nice. It was peaceful and that was something Lucy longed for. Since she could walk Lucy had been preparing for a life as a mobster. Originally she was to inherit the Heartfilia Mafia, but then her parents were assassinated, the mafia disbanded, and Lucy was homeless. Ever since then Lucy had been on the run from people trying to kill her in order to end the Heartfilia line and killing people herself to stay alive. It was all she had ever known and figured it would be all she ever knew.
Lucy pulled the guy, Igneel, she berated herself-remember his name- into the store. He stopped in the doorway and gazed around in awe.
"Wow, this is a lot of books. I can see why they didn't want me in here," he muttered.
"Well now you're here so why don't you explore," Lucy directed, pushing him further in. Natsu resisted slightly, but when she finally got him through the doorway and completely in the bookshop he moved out of the way to let her in. Lucy wasn't expecting his weight to move so suddenly and found herself falling forwards. She stumbled, trying to catch herself, but was hauled backwards into someone's chest. The person let her go almost immediately and when Lucy turned to thank the guy it was Igneel.
"Thanks," Lucy said softly, trying to hid the blush on her cheeks.
"No problem," Natsu was trying to hide his own blush by burying his face into his scarf. Needless to say it wasn't working very well.
Lucy turned back to the inside of the bookstore and Natsu followed close on her heels. They looked around the bookstore together in silence for a while until Natsu spoke up.
"Where do you do for work?" He wondered if it was somewhere that would be easy to visit.
"Oh, um, at a bookstore," Lucy lied with the ease of many years of practice. She turned the question back at him, "what about you?"
"I work at a dojo," Natsu also lied.
"That's cool. What school? I practice karate myself," Lucy was intrigued. Maybe she could recruit… NO, Lucy would not bring anyone else into this life of killing and fighting that was hers.
"Judo," Natsu said scratching the back of his neck nervously, "but I also practice aikido and karate too. I have picked up a bit of taekwondo."
"That's amazing," Lucy said earnestly. The two trailed out of the library, not paying attention to their surroundings as they continued to chat.
"I guess. I have a friend who is super good at fencing and judo. Another friend whose insanely good at any martial art he tries," Natsu replied, blushing at her praise.
"Really? One of my friends is an amazing sharpshooter," Lucy informed him.
"I know a couple who are incredible marksmen and a girl who is really good with throwing knives, ninja stars, and shuriken."
"That's amazing. I've tried throwing knives before. I wasn't terrible, but I wasn't fantastic either," Lucy admitted.
"That's why you need to practice, weirdo," Natsu laughed, "so that you improve."
"Fair point," Lucy conceded blushing, "but my weapon of choice is a whip. I used to do whip cracking contests when I was little and got really good at it."
"That's neat. I've never heard of anyone fighting with a whip." Natsu looked at the diminutive woman at his side with new appreciation.
"It's not really a common weapon is it?" Lucy answered.
"Nope, but that means you are an amazing person for being able to fight with it," Natsu smiled at her.
"Thanks, Igneel," Lucy said smiling back at him.
"You're welcome Layla," Natsu returned.
Lucy looked at her phone, "I'm so sorry, Igneel, but I've got to go back. My sister is looking for me. I forgot it was my turn to make dinner."
Natsu looked at the girl with surprise evident in his eyes, "Is it that late already?" He also checked his phone. '123 texts from Ice Princess' was on the screen. "I have to go too. It was nice talking to you Layla. Maybe I'll see you around town."
"Maybe," Lucy said and she turned in the direction of her house. Natsu turned the other way. The two walked off hoping that they would run into the other person and soon.
A/N: Sorry. This is a crap chapter, but I'm getting to where I want to get. Also I was kind of rushed writing this. My next chapter is probably going to be up around the end of August, start of September because I'm going to camp for a month and a half with no internet access.
Thank you for reading! Love yall!
Artistofthemind
