A/N: Thank you guys so much for the overwhelmingly positive reviews! Reading them makes me want to get you guys a new chapter ASAP and it really motivates me to write even faster, even if I have a bit of writer's block. An OC information sheet should be posted soon with Starling's information in case any of you were curious. I'm so glad that a lot of you guys liked her! Starling is a character I usually match with Freed, but I love using her to give Laxus a little push toward the love interest I've decided on giving him in my one-shots/stories. Thank you so, so much for the continued support. Please enjoy the chapter! -TaylaWrites
Lucy sighed, sitting the hot tray of cookies she'd just pulled from the oven on the counter. It had been nearly a month since she'd been added in as Fairy Tail's newest member/staff. Now she spent days helping Mira around the kitchens, cleaning tables with Kinana, and running errands when the guild was too busy for Mira to go out. Not once in that time had she done what she'd been hired to do.
"Oh good you remembered!" Lucy looked up as Mira cheerfully announced her entrance into the kitchens. "I was hoping you would! Since Kinana is so busy working the bar today"
Lucy watched as the oldest Strauss sibling slid the cookies from the baking tray onto a wire cooling rack. She left them there, going about gathering the materials for the homemade icing she would no doubt be making to top them.
"Here" Lucy slid a box of food coloring across the counter, sitting them next to the bowl Mira was filling with powdered sugar and vanilla.
Mira must have noticed something, as she accepted the coloring happily before chattering happily. "So Lucy, how are you liking working in the guild? Making enough for rent now?"
Lucy thought to the Jewel sitting heavily in her bag. Between taking an easy delivery jobs to nearby towns and working most days in the guild hall she'd had more than enough for rent and essentials. She'd even had enough to go shopping with Erza a few days before.
"It's alright" Lucy nodded. "I have plenty of jewel and even some extra to save."
The older woman noticed Lucy's hesitation, looking up with a quizzical look. "Is something not as you hoped it would be?" She asked. "I can always find something you'd find more enjoyable for you to do while you're working here if you'd like."
"Oh no! It's not like that at all!" Lucy said quickly, shaking her head. "It's just..."
"You were hired to help Laxus. And instead you're stuck down here in the kitchens" Mira nodded knowingly. "If it's any consolation, Starling has been helping him out recently. He forgets to do basic things like shopping if she and Evergreen don't remind him. I think you're done for the day Lucy! Thanks again for helping out"
Mira hurried the cookies out to the bar, humming to herself as she left. Her departure left the kitchen in a stony silence. Starling Gale. Lucy thought to herself. Laxus seemed to get along with her well enough, or at the very least he trusted her to be with his team on jobs. The other mage had only been in Fairy Tail a few months at the most,and already she'd made friends with one of it's most isolated members. To think it took me so long to even just glance at Laxus without trembling...Lucy shook her head. The Laxus that had existed when she'd first joined the guild was long gone. No longer was the spiteful, antagonistic, power-hungry Laxus the pinnacle of fear in the guild hall. Instead his reformed self was locked in a dusty office doing backed up paperwork. That was why Starling had managed to befriend him so quickly. It had to be.
The guild hall was as crowded as ever as Lucy stepped out behind the bar. Kinana certainly had her hands full as she bused tables, leaving customers sitting at the bar itself to Mira's dutiful hands. Lucy could spot several familar faces mingling about the crowd. Natsu occupying a table with Erza and Gray. Happy flying above their heads, hearts in his eyes as he chased Carla. Gajeel sat with Pantherlilly, chewing on a collection of silverware. Various other guild members were gathered, talking in loud voices about their last jobs or the monsters they'd faced. Lucy's eyes were drawn to one table in particular.
The Rajinshuu had occupied the corner table as long as she could remember. Even when they were away on jobs, or just taking a break from the guild the table in the back next to the windows always remained empty. That day however it was fuller than it had been in several weeks. The usual crowd was there of course, Freed. Evergreen. Bixslow. But three newcomers were also seated there. Two of which were looking furiously at the third. Their target was looking positively murderous.
It was a wonder Laxus wasn't sparking as he glowered at Sting and Rogue. The three dragon slayers were locked in a staredown even as Lucy approached the table. Evergreen caught her eye as she approached, shaking her head frantically as if to signal Lucy to stay away. She continued, a bright smile on her face.
"Sting! Rogue! It's been a while" Lucy said, carefully placing herself in a position so that she was relatively between the dragon slayers. "How are you?"
Sting blinked, clearly confused as to why the blonde celestial mage had appeared. The irritation on his face immediately vanished, replaced with a half smirk.
"Oh hi, Blondie" Sting said smoothly, leaning an elbow on the table with another sly smile. "Rouge and I were just having a talk with Sparky over here."
"I see" Lucy crossed her arms over her chest. "You know. Natsu is over there. It'd be better if you went to see him instead of stopping to antagonize random guild members on your way"
"You are correct Lucy." Rogue nodded stiffly. "We should go see Natsu, Sting. It is why we came to Magnolia in the first place"
"But if we did that we wouldn't be able to ask Lucy if she'd like to come to dinner with us to-" Sting was cut off as Laxus practically growled with irritation.
She glanced at the lightning dragon slayer for the first time since arrival at the table. The expression on his face had gone from subtly murderous to outright fury as he clenched his hand in a fist. She nearly flinched as she saw the dangerous look in his eyes, directed at Sting. The Light dragon slayer seemed to notice a boundary had been crossed as he raised his hands in defeat, stepping away from the table.
"Right. Let's see Natsu the head back. Yukino can't handle it by herself for long" Sting said, crossing his arms behind his head.
Lucy waited until both were out of earshot and joining Natsu at his table before she rounded on Laxus. "What exactly was that about?" She kept her arms crossed, hoping she looked annoyed rather than relieved that the tension was gone.
"Sting is a dick. That's all" She hadn't expected an answer at all, let alone a half-believable one from Laxus.
"Him being that doesn't mean you can just terrorize anyone you'd like, Sparky"His eyes met hers, narrowing as she spoke. It was clear he hated the nickname as he evenly met her gaze.
"Don't you have work to do, Blondie?" He shot back, trying to appear as placidly annoyed as he could.
"I could say the same to you. How many forms have you misfiled this week?" Lucy said, cursing herself silently as her voice wavered a minute.
Laxus gave an irritated huff of breath, standing and immediately heading to the second floor. Moments later the faint sound of a door slamming was heard.
"Lucy why would you-" Freed was cut off by the blonde's glare before she stormed back to the kitchens.
She had work to do, too.