Hello my dearests!
So it's October 1st, and this is the chapter for October! (Granted, you will probably get another this month).
I give you new chapter with Gruvia (if you squint), and NaLu (fluff)! But don't worry, Gajeel appears too :).
Oh, yeah. And a flashback with Gajeel :)
~ Diana
So as Cana's version of truth or dare continued Laxus ended up sitting in Lucy's lap (for the whole game), Lisanna and Natsu sent prank texts to Bickslow and Gray (both proclaiming undying love without the chance of ever telling them it was a joke), Cana and Lisanna both drank body shots (of soda! Cana promised. Hint: not soda) off of Rogue (at separate times). Sting and Yukino each named the hottest person in the group besides each other (Rogue and Laxus respectively). Laxus and Rogue both stated where they would do it with somebody in the school (One of the empty classrooms or bedrooms, one of the bedrooms or the field).
Rogue spun the bottle announcing truth. It landed on Natsu. "Reveal something you've never told anyone before."
Natsu frowned. "Uh… I dunno." He thought for a minute. "I've never… eaten sushi."
"An' I wazz hopin' for som'tin juicy." Cana complained through her slurring mouth.
Natsu shrugged. "Guess I'm not that interesting."
"Uh Laxus." Lucy said quietly, the boy responded with a grunt. "C-can you get off my lap? M-my legs are falling asleep."
"Silly Lucy, legs can't fall asleep." Natsu said, nudging Lucy.
"She means the circulation's gone, probably because Laxus is double her weight." Rogue explained. Natsu frowned. He turned to Cana (it was her dare anyway).
"Then can Laxus get off her?"
Cana mulled it over. "Nah."
"Cana I can't feel my feet."
"Too bad. You can alwayz leave the game."
"Fine."
"Sorry about this Heartfilia."
"I forgive you."
"Oh. Not for the sitting thing. For this." Laxus leaned back and stretched, almost crushing Lucy in the process. He straightened and then Natsu flicked the bottle.
"Dare."
Great, Lucy. Natsu grinned. "I dare you to hit on Gray."
"What now?"
"Yes now."
"Okay Laxus, time to get up."
"What do you mean?" Natsu was already taking his phone out of his pocket.
"What you want me to hit on him on the phone?"
"Well how else would you?"
"Um actually going to move and find him. More than half of flirting is body language."
"Do it over the phone."
"You're just doing this so Laxus doesn't have to move."
Natsu shrugged, a grin spreading across his face. "Maybe." He tossed the phone to her. "He's under Ice Princess."
"Hey." Lucy said into the phone once she found the contact.
"THE FUCK DO YOU WANT FL- wait the fire idiot never says hey. Who is this?" Lucy bit her lip.
"Who do you think this is, sexy?" Lucy purred through the mobile. Natsu's eyes widened. How could Luce's voice sound so… um… wow?
"Okay, who got you drunk? Cana or Bacchus?"
"What? I'm not drunk. Would it be easier if I was?" She asked. Everyone looked at her questioningly and Lucy shrugged. She'd never flirted with anyone before.
"What? I- NO I DON'T WANT YOUR BABIES. Is this Lucy?"
"Yeah, baby. Who else would it be?"
"Sorry Lucy, I really don't have ti- NO NO JUVIA GIVE BACK THE-"
"YOU'RE TALKING TO LOVE RIVAL?!"
"NO JUVIA THE PHO-"
The line went dead. The circle shared a look. Lucy passed the phone back to Natsu.
"I sincerely hope I never find out what happened on his end." Rogue said. The circle nodded.
Gray Fullbuster was not having the best night of his life.
He had successfully stripped Lyon, well Lyon did a lot of the stripping as per usual, and shoved him into a cold shower. Juvia and Gray sat on the tiled floor, Juvia staring at her Gray, Gray staring at the ceiling.
"Gray?"
"Yes Juvia?"
"Do you think Juvia is pretty?" Oh yeah, and he had finally convinced Juvia that he didn't say that she was pretty and certainly didn't think that. Except he did. Kind of. Not exactly.
Juvia Lockser was many things. She, like Levy McGarden, always saw the best in people. She was cheerful, too cheerful sometimes. She was intensely loyal, good for her friends, bad for her sometimes. She was slightly innocent. She was naive. She was committed, sometimes that was good, and sometimes that was bad. And worse of all, especially for Gray Fullbuster, she was utterly lovable.
Gray Fullbuster was many things. A lover was not among them. At least, he didn't believe it was. Under no circumstances would he ever fall in love; that was the promise he made to himself. He stayed far away from emotions like love. Don't love and you can't get hurt too badly. Friendship was painful also, but love was different. The girlfriend/boyfriend/significant other kind of love was different than Natsu/Lucy/Levy love. And yes, though he would never admit it, he did love Natsu. The pink-haired idiot was as much of a brother to him as the idiot in the shower behind them was. Lucy and Levy were as much as sisters as Ultear was, and he'd only known Lucy for two days, but Lucy was going to make his pink haired dumbass brother happy, he loved her for it. He was allowed to love his friends, because it would never go any farther than that. But with someone like- like Juvia Lockser? Juvia Lockser was beautiful, Juvia Lockser was sweet, Juvia Lockser was kind of clingy and it was annoying, but most of all Juvia Lockser wouldn't take no for an answer and when Gray said no to her he felt sort of guilty.
Gray Fullbuster did not like conflicting emotions.
"Uh…" Gray's breathing became heavy, his eyes wide. He really didn't want to answer this question.
"Gray? Are you alright?" Juvia asked worriedly.
"Yeah I'm f-"
"Graaaaay." Gray stood as his brother stumbled out of the shower. Juvia's eyes widened, she quickly shut them, her hands covering her eyes. Gray threw his brother a towel. Lyon wrapped the white cloth around his waist.
"I don't feel so good." He muttered, still leaning on his brother.
"Come on. Let's get you to bed." Gray responded. He turned to Juvia. "Sorry about this."
"N-No its okay! Juvia can help!" Juvia offered. She took Lyon's other arm and slung it over her shoulder. He turned to her.
"Oh beautiful Juvia. You're so... beautiful."
Juvia blushed. The two of them carried Lyon to his dorm room, and laid him down on the bed. Juvia sat on the other bed while Gray dressed his brother, who had collapsed on the bed as soon as he sat down.
"Gray?"
"What?" Gray muttered angrily. Dealing with his family always made him either grumpy or sad.
Juvia picked up on the irritation, but not the cause. "Juvia is sorry if she is bothering Gray!" Juvia cried, throwing herself at his feet.
"Get off me!" Gray hissed.
Juvia looked up, her face fell and her puppy dog eyes made guilt rise in Gray's throat. Damn it. "Juvia is sorry!"
"You don't need to be sorry. None of this is your fault."
"But Juvia has been bothering Gray since-"
"Juvia you aren't bothering me." Not a lie.
"But Juvia has-"
Alright. Now it was a lie. "FOR MAVIS SAKES JUVIA. YOU AREN'T BOTHERING ME." Gray shouted.
Juvia trembled. She had made her Gray angry. She didn't know what to do.
"Juvia, I'm sorry."
"It's alright Gray. Juvia will leave you and your brother."
"No! Juvia I don't want you to leave!" Gray grabbed Juvia's hand. This was wrong. This was so wrong.
"Gray... doesn't want Juvia to leave?"
"N-no."
"Does-does Gray think Juvia is pretty?"
That question again. "Uh- yeah. Sure."
"REALLY?" Juvia cried. "Gray thinks that Juvia is pretty? Gray wants Juvia's beauty for himself? Juvia would gladly give herself to Gray!"
"WHAT? NO! I-" Gray desperately tried to get Juvia to stop rambling and his phone rang. Damn it. What the fuck does he want?
"Hey." The phone voice said but Gray was already yelling at him.
"THE FUCK DO YOU WANT FL-" wait. The voice sounded... female... "-wait the fire idiot never says hey. Who is this?"
"Who do you think this is, sexy?" the voice purred from the other side. Gray sighed. Who was drunk? This was probably a prank. He really didn't have time for this.
"Okay, who got you drunk? Cana or Bacchus?" Gray muttered. The fact that he was on a phone finally had sunk in and Juvia wasn't that happy.
"Gray just told Juvia that Juvia was pretty and Gray takes a phone call?" Juvia shrieked.
"What? I'm not drunk. Would it be easier if I was?" Then who the fuck would call him sexy? Not Levy. Gray smirked. He doubted the innocent girl even knew what the word meant. Would never ever be anyone over their grade. No way they'd hit on Gray. Not Kinana, she was too sweet. Same with Lisanna. That left only one person who would be able to say something like that without completely ruining their reputation.
"What? I-"
"Does Gray even want Juvia's babies?"
"NO I DON'T WANT YOUR BABIES." Gray shouted at Juvia. "Is this Lucy?" he asked. Juvia looked offended and was now telling him off.
"Yeah, baby. Who else would it be?"
"YOU'RE NOT EVEN PAYING ATTENTION TO JUVIA. YOU WON'T TELL JUVIA THE TRUTH AND-"
"Sorry Lucy, I really don't have ti-" Juvia grabbed the phone from Gray's hands. "NO NO JUVIA GIVE BACK THE-"
"YOU'RE TALKING TO LOVE RIVAL?!"
"NO JUVIA THE PHONE!" He tackled her, wrapping his arms around her as he reached for the phone. It tumbled out of Juvia's hands and Gray jumped across the room grabbing it. He glanced at the screen and sighed. The call was ended.
Gray turned around to see Juvia on her hands and knees blatantly staring at him. "What?" He muttered as he dragged himself to his feet.
Juvia didn't respond. Gray sighed and went to put the phone back in his pocket... which wasn't there... Fuck.
He was absolutely naked. Aaaaaand Juvia was staring at him. Gray dived for his clothes and dressed quickly (he'd learned to out of need).
"Gray doesn't like Juvia."
"No I don't. No! I mean-" Gray sighed. "Juvia I really don't want a relationship right now."
Juvia perked up. "So maybe?" Juvia asked hopefully.
Gray shook his head he didn't want to deal with this. "Good night Juvia. I'm going back to Fairy Tail." Gray said, effectively ending the conversation. Gray left the room hoping she wouldn't follow and assault him with questions.
Alas she did follow. However Juvia followed in silence. Gray walked into Fairy Tail, Juvia followed. Gray walked up the stairs, Juvia followed. Gray passed the girls' floor, and Juvia... didn't follow. Juvia went to her room and Gray went to his.
Faintly Gray heard muffled heavy metal music being played somewhere beyond the paper thin walls.
Gajeel fell onto his bed and stared at the ceiling. He heard a soft mew that could only be his cat, Pantherlily. The kitten padded over his large chest and sat right in his eye line with an accusatory glare.
"What?" Gajeel growled. Lily didn't say anything, of course. He can't. He's a cat, but Gajeel continued speaking to him anyway. "I know. I know." Gajeel glared at the ceiling as though it could do something about the awkward encounter he had. "Levy McGarden. Perfect Levy McGarden just spoke to me. And it wasn't her telling me to die." Which she should have.
Lily continued to look at him. And you didn't apologize. Gajeel imagined the cat saying.
"I know I didn't. I just didn't expect her to be here, that's all." Gajeel muttered. Lily licked a paw casually and Gajeel narrowed his eyes.
"Don't give me that look." The cat yawned and turned around, settling with his butt to the teen. "She was the one who knocked on my door!"
Lily didn't move in response. Gajeel threw his arm over his eyes.
"What do you want my son to say? That's he's sorry? That he'll never do it again? That he'll do anything to make it up? Gajeel has done all of that and more!"
"We know Mister Metalicana. It's just-"
"Just what? You want me to take him out of school?"
"Well…"
"I can't believe you people." Metalicana crossed his arms. He glared at the other twelve members on the Board. Neither Igneel, Grandeeney, Weisslogia, nor even Skiadrum stood up for their long-time friend. "My son has done everything asked of him and he even offered to pay off the girl's hospital bill. You won't expel him but you expect him to just leave?"
"Metalicana, be reasonable, he-"
"I am very well aware of what he did." Metalicana snapped. He turned to the others. "What do you all have to say about this?"
Igneel uncomfortably looked at the others. "Are you sure we should talk about this with Gajeel here?" He asked.
Metalicana glared at him. "My son has the right to face his accusers and to know from the source what is going on in his life. He will stay."
Gajeel shrugged. "Whatever Pops says, I guess."
Mr. Makarov slammed his hands on the table, startling the others. "Show some remorse young man! You assaulted one of my kids!"
"The McGardens could file for sexual assault-" One of the others on the Board reminded.
"My son had no part in any sexual assault that occurred."
"Gajeel Redfox kidnapped and stripped Levy McGarden, then took part in a scheme that literally branded her with the initials P and L, his dorm. He then taped pictures of the Fairy Tail dorm insignia onto her breasts and around her hips. Afterwards he strung her up on a flagpole and left her out there until morning where it rained." Mr. Makarov announced. He passed out pictures to the other twelve Board members. Some cringed. Others gasped in shock. Some stayed completely silent, unsure of how to react to the sight before them. "Ms. McGarden was admitted to the hospital after her parents almost sued the school. Ms. McGarden was treated for hypothermia and burn wounds. This boy essentially tortured Ms. McGarden."
Metalicana slid the picture to his son and Gajeel barely glanced at it. He took that picture. He had seen that picture too many times. Metalicana nudged Gajeel who grunted then muttered. "I understand what I did. I did this of my own free will and that was wrong. I understand what I did was wrong. Now stop shoving it in my face."
Mr. Makarov just glared at the boy. "You are not to be expelled under the grounds of your being on the Dragon Slayers. However, you will have to work to regain all privileges, such as leaving school grounds, going to parties, eating with the others in your dorm, going shopping, having any and all free time. This school will become your prison until seen fit otherwise. Gajeel will remain on probation until a unanimous vote from the Board and the official acceptance of Levy McGarden. Do you understand?" He asked.
Gajeel shrugged. "Whatever, old man." He said.
"What dorm will my son be in? Phantom Lord has been abolished."
"He will be in Fairy Tail." Mr. Makarov proclaimed. This created an outcry from the others.
"Maky! Are you sure this is a good idea?" Mr. Bob cried.
Ms. Ooba shook her head. "I do not understand your ways."
Mr. Jiemma grunted. "A suitable punishment."
Mr. Makarov passed a contract to the Redfoxes. "Read this. Both of you sign this. If you do not we will have no choice but to expel Gajeel. Meeting dismissed." The members stood and began to make their ways out of the conference room.
Metalicana nodded. "It will be returned by the end of today. Come son." He said. He and Gajeel walked out of the room and Metalicana spoke quietly to his son, saying words he hadn't said to his son yet, not even through everything that had happened.
"Gajeel. What were you thinking?"
The boy looked at the flagpole. He remembered it like yesterday. She hung there so helplessly. "It was harmless fun at the time. It just got outta hand."
"You burned letters into her side."
Gajeel looked back at the ground. He kicked it as he walked stubbornly. "I didn't actually do that."
Metalicana sighed. "I know, son. I know. It's just… you don't want to go home, do you?"
Gajeel shook his head. "No I don't."
Metalicana nodded. "As you wish." He handed the paper over to Gajeel. "Sign the fucking paper."
An unexpected vibrating in Gajeel's crotch area jolted him from his memory. Lily mewed in protest. Gajeel grabbed the phone and brought it to his ear without looking at the caller ID.
"He-"
"Gajeel?"
"What's up Rain Woman?" Gajeel grunted.
"J-Juvia hic d-do you have time to t-talk?"
"'Course, Juv. Wait-" Gajeel felt anger burning in his stomach, "are yeh crying?" He growled. "Did someone hurt yeh? I'll kill the-"
"Juvia doesn't want you to kill anyone!" Rain Woman cried from the other end. Gajeel smirked. She didn't sound like she was crying anymore.
"No? Yeh sure? 'Cuz I could-"
"N-no! Juvia wants Gray intact!"
Gajeel sighed, focusing on a dot on the ceiling. Was that a bug? "So this is about the stripper?"
"Yes. Juvia wants your opinion."
"On what?" Gajeel asked, with a grunt. "Love?"
"Yes."
"Juv, have yeh met me? I ain't got experience in this."
"Gajeeeeel!" Juvia whined over the phone. "You have to help Juvia!"
"Woman, I have no idea what to do when it comes to yer obsession."
"It's not an obsession. Gray and Juvia are in love!"
"Rain Woman…" Gajeel growled. He heard Juvia sigh.
"Can you at least agree with stuff Juvia says to make Juvia feel good about herself?"
"Of course I can." Gajeel said. A small smile played on his face. He stroked his cat, who purred, absently. So Juvia blabbed about her boy troubles to Gajeel, and Gajeel nodded and 'mm-hmm'ed and 'of course'ed and 'you were totally right'ed also. Because that was what a friend did, and Juvia was Gajeel's only one.
Gajeel and Juvia stayed up until 3 in the morning talking, mostly about Gray but at some point the focus shifted as they became more and more tired.
The visit from the small azure haired girl was regaled as Gajeel tried to keep his eyes opened. "And then I closed the door. I did what she asked Juv. I did it. I listened to the shrimp, I don't even listen to yeh!" Gajeel mumbled.
"Gajeel, you were being nice, it happens." Juvia said tiredly.
"But not to me! I am not a nice person!"
"Yes you are. Otherwise worse would have happened to Levy."
"I di'n't do nothin' to help her." Gajeel grunted. In the back of his head he heard someone whisper: she doesn't need to come to you for forgiveness. You should be groveling at her feet for what you did.
"You saved her from possible sexual assault from Totomaru and Sol."
"Sol wou'n't've done anythin' to her."
"Totomaru would have."
"Y' don't know that."
"You told me what he said."
"Totomaru is a chicken. He wou'n't've done anythin' to her. I gave them the idea of stringin' her up anyway. They just wanted it to be a private spectacle, but noooo I had to show off." Gajeel rubbed his cat behind the ears. "I took the fuckin' picture Juv. It's my fault that it kept haunting her and everythin'. I nabbed her for christ's sake!" Gajeel took a deep breath and said the words with actual meaning behind them for the first time. "It's all my fault Juv, this entire thing is my fault. I should never have agreed to it. It ruined her life Juv. I ruined her life."
There was a long pause.
"We should go to sleep Gajeel."
Gajeel almost snorted. If Gajeel was in Juvia's place he'd need to sleep on this confession too. "'Night Water Woman."
"Good night Gajeel." Gajeel heard the phone click and the buzzing tone.
Yeah. Nice talking to you to. Gajeel continued to stare at the ceiling. Oh fuck, now he had to deal with a guilty conscience. Lily opened his scarred eye, glaring at him, as if he heard Gajeel's thoughts.
You're an asshole. The cat seemed to say. He stood, stretched, and then walked across Gajeel's face to prove his point. Gajeel sighed before rolling onto his side.
Don't I know it.
So after Cana forced Lucy and Rogue to split four solo cups of a drink of her own creation, Rogue accepting the brunt of the drinking if Lucy at least drank a full one, which for some reason was enough to get her wasted. Which did not bode well for Rogue, who drank two and a half of whatever Cana gave him and passed out, which ended up being rather amusing for a good deal of time when he was still on cup number one and a third.
The party ended up being closed down by a horde of terrifying dorm leaders. So the kids went their way back to their dorms and Lucy used Natsu as a crutch the entire way there.
"Naaaatsuuu." Lucy purred. She stumbled against something and Natsu caught her.
"Luce, come on, we're almost there."
"Piggyback!" Lucy cried. She tried to climb on Natsu's back and Natsu protested.
"Luce! This isn't going to-" he grunted under the blonde's weight. "Ugh. Fine." Natsu gave in. He bent down. "Get on my back." He muttered, his cheeks going red.
"Horsey!" Lucy cried happily. She wrapped her arms around Natsu's neck and burrowed her face into his shoulder.
"Are you okay, Luce?"
"I'm sleepy." She muttered. She moved her head and rubbed her nose against his shirt. "Your hair is pretty…"
"Uh…" Natsu didn't know how to respond to that. He huffed as he carried her across the lawn of Fairy Tail. "Okay we're at the steps now, you need to get off." Natsu dropped her and turned around to face her. Her cheeks were flushed from Cana's concoction, and her shirt was falling off her shoulder, exposing her bright pink bra strap.
"No! More horsey!" Lucy giggled. Damn her giggle was so… Natsu couldn't help but grin, everything about Lucy was just so amazing. Granted she could be really annoying… like when she decided to jump up and down demanding a piggyback ride to her room. Natsu sighed. He watched as his friend bounced, her big doe-y brown eyes entrancing him. He couldn't say no to that face.
"Fine. But only to the girls' floor. Then you walk to your bedroom." He said, wagging a finger at her. Lucy just clapped her hands like a small child.
"Piggyback! Piggyback! Piggyback!" She chanted as she climbed back on his back. Natsu ran as fast as he could up the steps, Lucy leaned closer to him, her breath in his ear, her breasts against his back, her hands clutched his shoulders as her arms wrapped around him. The feeling exhilarated Natsu. Natsu made it to the girls' floor and Lucy tumbled from his back. She put a big sloppy kiss on his cheek with the slurred words "my hero," falling from her slow mouth. She tripped as she tried walking away and Natsu lunged to catch her. Maybe he should walk her to her room…
Natsu and Lucy slowly made progress. As long as Lucy didn't see anyone she absolutely had to talk to this very minute (which happened a few times, sometimes they were paintings), or she saw something shiny, or she even have a deranged drunken idea, they kept moving. So a walk that would have taken them less than a minute normally, took about ten.
Natsu opened the door, and saw that Levy had already fallen asleep. He glanced at the clock. 4:30, he had class tomorrow and would only get to sleep for four hours. Okay. He led Lucy to the bed. She fell face first in, her posterior sticking in the air, and was fast asleep. Natsu carefully slipped off her shoes and tucked her under the covers.
"Good night Luce, 'night Lev." He said to the sleeping girls before shutting the door.
Until next time my dears
~ Diana
