Sorry for the wait! I got pretty sick and then work was busy this week. Please ignore any ridiculous mistakes in this chapter because I forced it out quickly to get something to you this week. Enjoy the fluff n stuff going on in this chapter while it lasts... The real angst is coming.
Leave a review and let me know what you think!
Lucy's forehead connecting with the bar top made a thud loud enough to draw attention. Ignoring the stares coming her way, the blonde contemplated running away. If she left now, she could get to the other side of Fiore before the trains stopped for the night. With her partner's motion sickness making him hesitant to use any form of transportation, she may even be able to escape the country before he caught up to her. The thought led to a wonderful fantasy of a stress free life filled with time to write, soak in bubble baths and just be alone far, far away from the nightmare that was Team Natsu. Without losing all the reward money on job requests turned disastrous, maybe she could even save up enough money to buy a nice condo with a lovely view and spa style tub. She'd even splurge on one of those fancy mattresses since her fire-breathing partner wouldn't be anywhere near enough to burn it to ashes.
The sounds of a bar stool scraping across the floor next to her put an abrupt end to her day dreaming as someone joined her. She was clued into their identity when the fine hairs on her arm stood on end. Without turning to look, she mumbled, "Hey, Laxus."
"You looked like you could use some company." He said as he waved down Mira to order a beer.
Letting her head roll to lie against the counter so she could face one of her more sane friends, Lucy said, "I was contemplating fleeing the country but I might stay if you'll be around to keep the crazies away."
He snorted but didn't get a chance to answer before Mira chirped, "Oh my! Are you two running away together? That's so exciting!"
"No, Mira. Don't get any crazy ideas." Lucy hoped to cut off the she-devil's craziness but failed miserably. There were already hearts in her eyes as Mira dazedly set Laxus' beer in front of him and then gazed off into the distance, likely imaging weddings and babies.
With a groan, the blonde woman dropped her head into her hands and put more thought into running away from her crazy guild. Her team was driving her insane and she was already dealing with the emotional stress of the thing with Gajeel that wasn't really a thing. It had been days since she'd seen him. He'd disappeared after leaving her apartment the morning after the canal incident and she hadn't heard a word from him since. Knowing she might regret this but desperate for answers, Lucy looked up and asked, "Hey, Mira. Do you know if Gajeel is out on a job?"
"Why the hell you askin' about Metal Head?" Laxus asked suspiciously, cutting off Mira before she could answer. His protective instincts kicked into gear instantly with his fellow blonde asking about the dragon slayer. He'd noticed her dejected behavior lately but wouldn't have guessed it was related to the iron lover.
"Just curious." She answered with a shrug that did nothing to convince Laxus. He wouldn't push for answers in front of the crazy gossip queen, but he would get answers out of Lucy later.
With a bright smile that spoke to the craziness running through her mind, Mira told Lucy, "Actually, he left on a job three days ago. He and Pantherlily should be back tomorrow in time for Master's party. Is it Gajeel you're planning to flee the country with?"
Mira's ridiculous suggestion made Lucy blush even as she shook her head and denied the possibility. The blonde's wild imagination supplied images of she and Gajeel running away together, though this fantasy was much more romantically charged than the first. Judging by the barmaid's dreamy look, she seemed to be caught up in the same fantasy, which only added to Lucy's embarrassment. "I think I'll have a beer, too, Mira."
With a nod and a smile, Mira left and returned with Lucy's drink. She downed it much faster than she should have but the effects hit quickly that way. Exhaling in alcohol-induced relief, she dropped her head onto Laxus' shoulder and asked, "Got any room on the Thunder God Tribe for a temporary member?"
"I'm guessin' gramps still has Team Natsu on punishment?" He asked as he finished off the last of his mug and waved to Mira to get a refill for both of them.
Feeling little more than hopeless, she said, "Master said it's not a punishment but it feels like one. I think he's just trying to keep Natsu and Gray busy and out of the guildhall until the council stops by for Fairy Tail's probation inspection. Plus, this gives him an excuse to assign all the ridiculous, low paying job requests to clear out the board."
"Sounds pretty rough."
"You have no idea." The tortured blonde groaned as she sat upright to take a long drink of the beer Mira had just delivered. "Today's request was a simple one. We just had to clean the algae out of a fountain filled with fish. You know what those idiots did? Froze it. Then boiled it. All the fish died. Replacing them cost us three times the reward money offered for the job. We would have been better off letting Happy eat one of the fish instead of Gray freezing the water to keep him out of it and then Natsu heating it up to thaw it back out."
Laxus felt sorry for the poor woman next to him, he really did, but it was hard to contain his laughter. A small snort escaped him, which made Lucy laugh in turn and say, "It really is kind of funny, isn't it?"
"Very." He said fully laughing now. "I feel bad for you, though. I don't know how you do it on that team of yours."
As their laughter quieted, the man took a moment to really take in Lucy's appearance and realized there was really something bothering her. Her smile wasn't quite as bright as usual and her laughter sounded a little off. Some people might think it strange of him to notice, but Laxus felt responsible for taking care of his special people and the woman next to him fell into that category. Her easy acceptance of him and his team not only as guildmates but as friends had landed her a place in his heart. He would always look out for her in any way she needed it. "You gonna tell me what's really on your mind now that there's no one in earshot?"
Lucy looked up at her friend and then back at her nearly empty drink. She'd been hoping to fool Laxus into thinking she was fine beyond the frustrations caused by her team, but she should have known better. It was hard to deceive a dragon slayer, especially one as nosy as the one next to her. "Alright. But we're going to need more alcohol."
Several mugs and hours later, the two blondes were slumped over a table giggling – though, Laxus would never admit that's what he was doing – over Cana's wild story. The drunk was entertaining them with the tale of her latest tryst with Bacchus. It was a nice reprieve from the frustrating, angst ridden story Lucy had shared with Laxus while consuming more alcohol than she had in a long time. She hadn't realized how much pent up frustration she'd been carrying around over the mixed messages she'd been receiving from Gajeel. It had all tumbled out of her mouth like water bursting through a dam in a way she would probably regret after sobering up.
Lucy had curled herself into Laxus' side about halfway through the barrel Cana was sharing with them and pulled his coat around to cover her shoulders for more warmth. He didn't mind her nearness, Lucy was always affectionate, but had to focus on ignoring the whispers he could hear coming from the crazy she-demon about the possibility of babies. Lucy had never wanted anything more than his friendship and Laxus wasn't going to withhold that just because she didn't share his feelings, even if it hurt him a bit to find out she was developing more than just a little crush on another man. It had taken some self control to not track down the iron crusted idiot that had her so confused and beat some sense into him. What kind of fool would pass up the chance to be with Lucy? She was perfect in every way, not only physically but also mentally. There was so much more to her than a pretty smile and nice ass. Laxus planned to shock some sense into the man if he didn't make things right soon.
What none of the drunken mages seemed to notice was the calculating stare of a certain blue haired woman. She knew Lucy had never wanted Laxus but it was easy to doubt that with the way she was leaning into him, not to mention he seemed perfectly content with his arm around her waist. With so many other people in the guild witnessing the same spectacle as she, it wouldn't be hard to get someone to believe there was someone going on between the two. Levy knew it was wrong to think this way, but she couldn't seem to stop herself. She'd been lonely since Jet cut things off completely after deciding to marry the woman he'd been on and off with. She missed Gajeel now more than ever. It was unlikely they'd get back to what they were before, but she at least wanted to have him around. His presence was comforting and had been reliable until Lucy came along. Now, he was always distracted by her and seemed to have a growing interest in the blonde. Guilt tried to claw its way into her heart over what she was considering doing but she shoved it away, determined to get back what she'd lost with Gajeel. He might never want to have something official with her, but they could at least have something. Before that could happen, she just had to get his attention off of Lucy and onto her.
Gajeel's shoulders slumped in relief as he finally made his way into his home. It had been four long days since leaving Magnolia with Pantherlily. The job had been fairly easy, just taking out a few Vulcans that were terrorizing a mountainside village, but it had drained him. Well, Lily's constant pestering had drained him.
His best friend was a good cat but damn annoying sometimes. He'd harassed Gajeel daily until the slayer finally broke down and talked to him about Lucy while using as few words as possible. His lack of detail didn't do anything to deter the exceed, though. If anything, it encouraged him. After catching the smallest whiff of interest on Gajeel's part, Pantherlily had pressed him to pursue a relationship with Lucy. He'd asked, "What are you so afraid of, Gajeel?"
"What the hell are you talking about? I ain't afraid." He wasn't going to admit it, but Lily was right. He was afraid of how badly things might go.
"It seems that way from my perspective. You know, she isn't like Levy." Stupid cat knew him too well. After what felt like an eternity of listening to the gray cat's rambling, Gajeel had agreed to at least spend some time with Bunny Girl and see where things went. It wouldn't be so bad. He liked her well enough to not feel like pounding her face every time she started talking like most of the other members of Fairy Tail.
As much as he wanted to stay home and relax for the evening, Gajeel knew that wouldn't happen. Before approving his job request, Mira had made it clear to him that his presence was expected for Master Makarov's surprise party. He might never admit it out loud, but the she-devil was someone he wouldn't want to piss off. She was on a different level of crazy from the others and he didn't want to know what it would be like to be on her bad side.
After a quick shower and change of clothes, the dark haired man was off again. Pantherlily was trying to hide his excitement about going to the guild but the exceed was practically vibrating in his spot on Gajeel's shoulder. The dragon slayer wasn't sure, but he thought it might have something to do with a certain white exceed that should be there. Despite Pantherlily's nagging at Gajeel to do something about Bunny Girl, he was just as bad with the way he danced around his attraction to Carla.
Loud music and the smell of alcohol greeted Gajeel before he'd even made it through the guild's doors. It was clear the party was in full swing, which was perfect in his opinion. Everyone should be distracted enough for him to slip in unnoticed and settle at his table in the back. Maybe he could even get Bunny Girl's attention and get her to join him.
His plan was foiled when he walked through the doors and was immediately knocked to the ground by two bodies crashing into him. As much as he'd been looking forward to seeing Bunny Girl again, this was not how he expected to do it, and definitely not with the flaming idiot tangled in his legs.
"What the hell are you two doin'?" He asked while kicking Salamander off his lap hard enough to send him flying across the guildhall and then removed Bunny Girl from his head. Having her shoulder blade digging into his cheek was not how Gajeel envisioned having his face buried in her.
A drunken giggle escaped Lucy as she sat up and turned to face the man that had consumed her thoughts. Forgotten was the intense wrestling match she and Natsu had been in with Gray and Juvia, replaced by the excitement she felt at seeing him. She flung herself into the surprised man's lap and hugged his neck as she squealed, "Gajeel! You're back! I've missed you."
"Really?" He asked in disbelief. She loosened her hold but didn't drop her arms as she leaned back enough to smile up at him as she nodded. He couldn't contain his blush no matter how hard he tried to force the blood away from his face. It didn't help that several people had turned to stare at the two of them still sitting in the floor. He snarled at the crowd, "What the fuck are y'all lookin' at?"
When all the gawking bastards had turned around, Gajeel looked at the clearly inebriated woman in his lap. It was well known throughout the guild that Bunny Girl was a cuddly drunk but he'd never had her drunken attentions turned on him. Her scent and touch reignited the flame he'd barely managed to stamp out in the few days he spent away from her. It was unsettling but not completely unwelcome. He just had to get them moved away from the entrance.
Gajeel shifted so he could stand with his hands under Lucy's arms, pulling her up with him. She had been looking forward to seeing him, so didn't object when he grabbed her forearm and pulled her along behind him through the swarm of people that had come to celebrate the master's birthday. The world wobbled a little at the fast pace he was moving, making Lucy stumble a few times. They made it about half way to the back when her teammates jumped into their path.
"Iron Face! You can't go dragging Luce off! We still have to beat Gray and Juvia." Natsu exclaimed with a flaming fist raised in the air. Gajeel didn't know what the hell he was talking about but wasn't interested. The pink haired idiot smelled so strongly of Fireball Whiskey that Gajeel wondered if the guy had bathed in it. The ice-make mage didn't look as thrilled about the idea of continuing their battle but wasn't objecting, his competitive nature likely winning out against his aversion to being close to Juvia.
Before Gajeel could object, Lucy said, "We can play another round but only if Gajeel is my partner. You and Gray can be partners." As much as he wanted to just drag her away somewhere a little quieter, he couldn't do that now. Not after she'd set them up for a fight of some sort.
Natsu groaned but said, "Alright. But I get to be on top!"
"What?!" Gray shouted in protest. "No! I'm on top this time. No way am I holding your heavy ass on my shoulders!"
"What'd'ya say, Ice Prick? You callin' me fat? Maybe you're just too weak and don't wanna admit it." As they argued, neither man noticed Juvia withering away in a puddle of tears as she imagined the pair taking turns being on top in a very different situation.
Gajeel turned to look at his Bunny Girl, wondering what the hell she'd just roped him into. He wasn't going to back out, even if he wasn't sure what the game was. No way was he losing to Salamander. "How do we play?"
The slightly glassy look of intoxication in her eyes did not reassure the dark haired man this game would be a good idea. When she spoke, he realized she was as crazy as the rest of her team. "Ya know that pool game, chicken?"
"Yeah, but that requires a pool."
With a shrug, Lucy said, "Nah. This way is still fun. Falling to the hard ground gives you more incentive to win."
Gajeel didn't have much of a chance to think of all the reasons why it was a stupid idea as he knelt down for Lucy to climb onto his shoulders. He was glad she was thoughtful enough to pull his hair together and roll it up to avoid pulling it. All the thoughts running through his mind stopped when his hands rested against her smooth, creamy thighs to keep her steady as he stood up. His next inhalation had him thinking maybe this was an excellent idea. Her sweet scent was stronger with her center nearly pressed against the back of his neck. It wasn't the ideal way to get between her legs but it was a start.
The crazy battle went on for several minutes and got a little dirty before it ended. While Bunny Girl and Salamander fought it out on top, Gajeel and Gray kicked at each other's feet in an attempt to knock the other off balance. Gajeel was impressed with how ferocious the petite blonde was when she poked Natsu in the eye and then twisted his nipple while his eyes were shut, making him howl in pain. Not one to be out done, Natsu grinned evilly as he reached out with flaming fingers to return the favor. Before he could get ahold of Lucy's breast and burn away her top while torturing her nipple, an iron pole hit him directly in the chest, knocking both he and Gray over.
Lucy's cackled in delight when her teammates fell to the floor. She whooped in excitement at their victory, high fiving her lower half. "That was awesome! You're the best, Gajy."
Natsu untangled himself from Gray and jumped to his feet pointing and shouting, "Cheaters! We agreed not to use magic."
"Don't be a sore loser. You were using your fire first! And you were about to burn my top, pervert!" Lucy answered as she climbed down from Gajeel's shoulders.
"I want a rematch! Fight me, Metal Head!"
Gajeel waved him off while saying, "Eh, maybe later. I need a drink."
The dark haired man walked over to the bar to fill a mug from the keg someone had tapped and left sitting out for self-serve drinks. He was glad to see Lucy had done the same and was now following him to a table at the back. When they were both seated, she said, "This is my last drink for the night. I'm not getting shit faced two nights in a row."
"The party started a night early?"
"No. I just made the mistake of trying to keep up with Laxus and Cana last night. Those two can tolerate way more than I can. Honestly, I don't even know how I got home last night."
"Prolly the power plug. Everybody knows he's got the hots for you." Lucy rolled her eyes at his comment but didn't object. It was true, they both knew it. Gajeel hadn't missed the way Laxus watched the two of them together but he wouldn't make a big deal about it. He knew what it was like to want a woman that wanted someone else. If Laxus wasn't going to try to step in the middle of things, Gajeel wouldn't confront him about it.
The next couple of hours spent with Bunny Girl made Gajeel realize how much he'd been missing out on. She was fun and interesting, plus her confidence in speaking to him didn't disappear as she sobered up. It was strange to realize she held his attention in a way no woman ever had before. Not only was she a little wild, the earlier battle of chicken proved that, she was also caring. She asked him about his mission, but not just to find out if it had been a success. She wanted to know what it was like, how they'd taken down the Vulcans, what troubles they'd run into, and all other sorts of things that had Gajeel talking much more than he normally did.
It was while they were eating the birthday cake that he was reminded how dangerous she was. Mira had delivered two slices of cake on one plate with only one fork while eyeing the two of them in the creepy way she did with hearts in her eyes and a mind full of baby shower plans. Lucy thought the single fork was funny and turned down Gajeel's offer to make another one with his magic. Instead, she cut some off and lifted the bite sized piece to feed it to him. With a brow raised in suspicion, he opened his mouth hesitantly, expecting her to do something like pull the fork back and eat the cake instead of giving it to him. She shocked him by clumsily sticking it in his mouth, leaving behind a trail of frosting at the corner of his lips. With a devious smirk, she said, "Oops. Let me get that."
Lucy leaned forward, pressing her body against his, and licked the frosting from his lips. Surroundings forgotten, Gajeel turned his head enough to capture her lips with his own. With her lips already parted, he immediately deepened the kiss, tasting the frosting on her tongue. His need for her intensified when she arched against him and moaned quietly, barely loud enough for him to hear over the shouting going on around them.
The noise level brought the dragon slayer's attention back to his surroundings. Cana had seen the kiss and alerted the entire guild to their activities with her obnoxious cheering. Several mages were looking in their direction shouting obscenities. Gajeel pulled away from his Bunny Girl's sweet lips but was glad when she didn't lean back to put space between them. She seemed perfectly content with being close to him even with people watching. It was a nice change from what he'd been used to. No one had ever been proud to say they were his. The realization had his heart doing that strange fluttery thing again.
When everyone's attention was turned back to the horrible karaoke happening on stage, Lucy leaned over to whisper, "You wanna get out of here?"
He nodded and the two of them snuck out while their guildmates were distracted. Bunny Girl surprised him again when she wrapped her arms around his bicep, almost hugging it to her, and leaned her head against his shoulder while they walked. It was different but worked for him since he hated holding hands.
They walked along slowly with her leading the way. It was pretty clear she was headed to her apartment, though Gajeel wasn't sure if she planned to invite him inside. He wasn't even sure if he was ready for that. The sex wasn't an issue. He was sure Bunny Girl would be great in the sack. What he wasn't sure of was how far he wanted this to go between them. He'd told Lily he'd give them a chance but this was basically diving in head first.
The door to her apartment was in front of them before Gajeel had made any sort of decision in his head. Lucy unlocked the door, stepped inside and kicked off her shoes, expecting her companion to do the same. When his footsteps faltered, Lucy looked up to find him hesitantly closing the door as if he was suddenly unsure. It had been obvious how much he wanted her when they were in the guild, the tightening of his pants a testament to the fact, but now it was like a different person stood in her apartment. "What's the matter?"
"I just – ", his voice trailed off as he stared at his hand on the doorknob, wondering if he was making a mistake. There was no doubt in his mind that he wanted her, but did he really want more?
Lucy sighed, realizing this was about a lot more than sex. His last relationship had gone bad. It was clear to everyone in Fairy Tail. She wasn't Levy, though. "How long are you going to make me wait while you decide what you want?"
Her question made his head snap up to stare at her in shock. How had she read his mind that way? She was getting to know him too well. The thought made him realize how stupid he was acting. Bunny Girl was perfect for him in so many ways. Why the hell was he making her wait? Decision made, he took two steps to stand directly in front of her and said, "I don't want you to have to wait at all."
Throwing caution to the wind, Lucy pulled his head down with both hands and smashed his lips to hers. The last few weeks of building tension between them seemed to erupt in that moment. He couldn't deny how badly he wanted her anymore, wasn't even trying at this point. His hands traveled over her, feeling the way her body dipped and curved. When his hands reached her hips, he pulled her body against his, pressing his arousal against her. Lucy gasped into his mouth and dropped her hands from where they were tangled in his hair to work the belt from his pants.
Gajeel broke away from her hungry mouth with a small chuckle and said, "Let's at least make it to the bed."
Sorry to all you dirty birds out there. I'm keeping this rated T :) They're finally moving forward. If only things were that easy. Can't wait to get the next one written and posted
