Okay, so um...I kind of forgot to post this. I sent it to my resident stalkers for a quick read through and then forgot I hadn't actually posted it. EEKS! Please don't kill me. Hopefully the content will keep me safe at least until the next update! lol

Thanks to the aforementioned stalkers (and my loves) - GemNika, LittlePrincessNana, and nerdfightersunshine! I shall pet you all later!

Hiro Mashima still won't let me have Fairy Tail, so he still owns it...for now. lol

CHAPTER 25: COME BACK DOWN

He could hear them out there. Laughing. Talking. Acting like they didn't have a care in the world. Meanwhile, he was stuck in his fucking room like a little bitch. He was held prisoner inside his own house, all because he was unwilling to subject himself to the woman that stood between him and happiness and the cat who'd been his best friend. They didn't seem to need him out there anyway. They were just fine on their own.

And that burned him up. Lily had been his friend for years. They'd been partners. They'd trusted each other with their very lives, and now, when Gajeel needed him most, the giant sized feline had abandoned him. And all for a woman who'd single-handedly ripped his life to shreds. He'd been happy with what he'd had before. He'd had a house, a best friend, a guild, and a girlfriend who plied him with sex any time he wanted. He'd had everything a man needed, even a plan to make it all permanent. And then Lucy had come along and rocked his fucking boat all over the damn place.

And he'd never seen it coming. He was a warrior, trained to see what no one else saw, to expect what no one else expected. And he'd dropped the ball like a fucking amateur. The one time he'd let his guard down, and he'd been knocked square on his ass. His life was in shambles, and yet there she was - living it up in his own damn house with his fucking friend.

It wasn't fucking fair that she could sit out there and pretend everything was perfect. It was like it was all some damn game to her.

He could just see her now - that happy smile on her face like everything was going her way. She didn't seem to have a damn thought to the destruction she'd made of his existence. She was supposed to be the best in the guild - the sweetest, most thoughtful Fairy in the lot - and yet, not even once had she apologized for fucking shit up for him with Levy. What a fucking joke. She didn't give a shit about anything but herself.

She'd come to his door earlier, inviting him to dinner, and he'd nearly chunked his lamp across the room. Where the fuck did she get off inviting him to eat dinner in his own fucking house? It was his own damn food anyway!

She acted so high and mighty, like she had it all figured out. She treated his shit like it belonged to her. She didn't ask him for anything, didn't ask to use his kitchen to cook or get permission to put her fucking bath shit all over his damn bathroom. She just moved herself in and shuffled his stuff around until hers fit too. It was fucking annoying.

But more aggravating than that was the ever present strum of need that continually swamped him. The woman was making him insane to the point that his body didn't know whether to throw something at her head or chase her down and fuck her brains out. At times, he was pretty sure he wanted to do both, and that made him sound even crazier than he already felt like he was.

He didn't know what to do with himself. There wasn't a chance in hell he was going out there to join them. This wasn't some fucking sitcom with the happy little couple that sent each other cheesy grins over a fucking casserole. They weren't in love, and they damn sure weren't a family. So where did that leave him? Exactly where he was...sitting around in this godforsaken room like a fucking pussy bitch.

Muttering a quick curse, he flopped back on his bed. He hated this. It was fucking pathetic. How the hell was he in here, hiding from a damn woman?

But the blonde parked in his kitchen wasn't his only problem. It was the fickle bitch who'd stolen his life away and given him another. Fate had done a number on him, but as far as Gajeel was concerned, She could suck his left nut sack, because he refused to play by her rules. He'd be damned if he just rolled over and took it up the ass like the cosmos thought he would. He had never been one to go with the flow simply to make things easier on himself, and he damn sure wasn't about to start it now.

It was nearly an hour later when he finally heard her say goodnight to Lily and start heading down the hall. He couldn't help but be relieved. Now maybe he could venture out into his own fucking house and find something to eat. Staying in his room all day had damn near starved him, and he'd be lying if he said smelling the food they'd had for dinner had make it worse. And maybe it would have been smarter to go out there and just eat the shit with them, but he had no damn interest in playing house. The old man was making him let her stay, but that didn't mean they were going to get all cozy and shit.

He listened as she made her way down the hallway, and he was just climbing to his feet when she paused in front of his door. It was silent for a moment, and then there was a light tap on the wood's surface. "Gajeel?" she called softly. "I...I just wanted to say goodnight."

He eyed the door with a raised brow, unable to make sense of what she'd done. He hadn't exactly welcomed her into his house, and yet she continued to do things that suggested a civility between them that simply didn't exist. Rolling his eyes, he moved toward the door, hoping she'd move on now that she had accomplished her goal, but the thought stalled in his brain when her scent drifted through the crack at the bottom of the door. He came to an abrupt halt as he realized it wasn't just her he smelled; it was those damn team mates of hers!

Annoyance shot through his veins at the fact that she'd ignored his edict. More than that though was the fury at the thought that she'd walked around all damn day smelling of another man. Something about that infuriated him and sent his gut churning. He'd told her to wash their taint away, and she'd completely disregarded him. She had no fucking right to go against what he'd said, and he was going to make damn sure she knew it too.

This was his goddamn house, and if he didn't want the stench of another man littering the place, then that's what should have happened. She should have damn well listened.

Lucy stared at the door for only a second longer, and when she got no response, she turned and made her way down the hall to her own room. She didn't know why she'd stayed there waiting for him to speak. It was a foolish thing for her to expect, especially considering how he'd treated her since this whole thing began. He'd made no bones about how he felt about her, so she hadn't a clue why she expected him to suddenly open the door and wish her a good evening.

She supposed it would take time, quite possibly a lot of time, for him to come around. Then again, it was entirely possible that he might never give her a chance, and that would be devastating. But for now, all she could do was try. If today and yesterday were any indication, it would be an emotional ride waiting for a change, but she was determined to make it work. Tomorrow was another day, another chance to make him see that they could have a future, and she fully intended to make it difficult for him to ignore her.

Whatever it takes...

Sighing, she reached the end of the hall and had just stepped through the doorway to her room when she felt a hand clamp down onto her arm and whirl her around. Dazed, it took her a moment to realize that the person who'd grabbed her was Gajeel and that he was in fact completely bare-chested. Her eyes widened at the sight, her mouth all but watering at the view he'd supplied her with. Thick cords of muscle covered his chest, his nipples dark and flat save for the tiny circular tip that stood erect in the slight chill of the house, tantalizing abs forming the most delicious six-pack she'd ever seen. And there, like the proverbial cherry on top of an already appetizing treat, trailing down from his navel down to the top of his pants sat the most tempting happy trail she'd ever lain eyes on.

He looked utterly delectable, and not for the first time, she wished she could press her mouth there.

Heaven help her...she wasn't strong enough for this.

She could already imagine the taste of his skin as she licked her way down his body. His hands would tangle into her hair and ease her down further, and she would moan as she slid his shorts down and took him into her mouth. All of that thick flesh sliding between her lips...it was something she'd fantasized about for so long. And now, with the object of her desire right there and half-naked, the urge to do just that was nearly more than she could resist.

And who could blame her really? The man was sex personified, his body the figure of a god. No mere woman could stand before him and miss the potential there. And more than most, her imagination was top of the line, and she'd had all sorts of time to consider the ways in which she would touch him, love him. If only he'd let her.

Licking her lips, she forced her gaze higher, trying valiantly to ignore the wetness that now persisted between her thighs. She was all but drenched from just that little trip into the dirtier parts of her mind, and that was all she needed to know she would be enduring another long night. Without a doubt, it would be filled with tossing and turning, and if the throbbing between her thighs was any indication, a fair amount of dreams starring the man before her.

Mercy, she needed to touch him.

But if the frown on his face was any indication, there was no way that would be happening anytime soon.

He eyed her critically, and she could already imagine the verbal lashing she would receive. She'd come to recognize the signs in the short time she'd been back. She just couldn't imagine what she'd done to deserve it, though history had certainly shown her that Gajeel didn't exactly need a reason to complain about her.

The fierce dragon slayer scowled down at her, and then the rant she'd anticipated started. "You were supposed to take a..." As quickly as it had begun, his tirade ended, and a look of confusion crossed his face.

Lucy too was confounded. He'd seemed all geared up to let her have it, and then, like a flash, it was gone. What on Earthland could have so distracted him from his ire?

Uncertain what to do next, Lucy fidgeted, shifting from one foot to the other. "Gajeel?"

He didn't appear to hear her. Instead, his gaze dropped, and Lucy watched in stunned silence as his nostrils flared. Was he...smelling her? As if confirming her suspicion, he drew in a sharp breath, and when the red of his eyes sparked, Lucy blanched. Of course he would smell her arousal. The man was a dragon slayer through and through, complete with that annoyingly acute sense of smell.

She blushed as he stared down at her, unable to help wondering what he was thinking. It wasn't like she could control what was happening to her. Even without the ties they'd formed during the Mating, Lucy had always been drawn to him, but now, with the connection she felt to him, her desire was off the charts.

And that apparently had not escaped his observation. Still, she'd expected it to infuriate him. Most times when he was presented with her attraction to him or even her emotions for that matter, his reaction was usually one of annoyance if not straight out fury. So it was a shock when he suddenly grabbed her by the arms and shoved her up against the wall just behind her.

She could scarcely breathe, much less think straight when he moved in close, his body crowding hers in a way she'd imagined him doing so many times before. It was a scene right out of her darkest fantasies, right down to the hardness pressing up against the lower portion of her belly.

"Gajeel..." She was rendered dumbstruck in that moment, unable to disguise the wonder in her voice at the blatant evidence of his hunger.

Could this really be happening? Was he voluntarily coming onto her?

He stared down at her with such intensity, those gorgeous ruby orbs taking in every inch of her face until they came to rest on her lips, and then he growled. "You should have taken a shower."

He gave her no time to contemplate, much less understand, what he'd meant by that. He just dropped his mouth over hers, taking not only her ability to ask but also her interest in doing so. She was far too overcome by the incredible situation she'd been presented with to even waste time on something so trivial. It was the first time Gajeel had sought her out on his own. Every other time had been the result of the Mating, but this time was all him, and Lucy felt the knowledge of that clear down to her toes.

Her mind blanking of all but the feel of him, Lucy reached up, threading her fingers into those inky locks and pulling him in for more. She couldn't bring herself to care just why he was touching her. All that mattered in that moment was that he was.

It was more than her brain could have ever conceived, so much more than she could have ever hoped for, and yet it wasn't enough. She needed so much more from him. As greedy as it sounded, she wanted it all. She wanted every single inch of his body touching hers, every ounce of his attention raining down upon her.

And maybe now, she would finally have it.

A low rumble sounded from his chest as his lips plied hers with heat, and Lucy shivered as his tongue slicked over hers with unerring certainty. There was no hesitation, no resistance. It was like he had done it a thousand times, like he knew just how to make her weak in the knees.

And it was working. Sweet Mavis was it working.

Lucy knew as surely as she knew her name that she had never felt more alive in all her life. And it was all because of him. He was lighting her up from the inside, pushing her mind and body to the brink of reason and beyond, and he had done no more than kiss her.

But his kiss... Holy shit, it was enough to send heat pooling deep in her belly. And she just knew one touch between her legs would send her over the edge.

Rough hands snaked around behind her, pressing into the curve of her back and bringing her in close enough to push a gasp from her lips. She could feel him there beneath his clothes, and her body throbbed, every inch of her shaky form pulsing with need. She ached for him, the space between her thighs weeping hungrily for even a fraction of all he was offering.

She required no more prep than he'd already provided, and if Lucy had a choice in the matter, she would have him naked and inside her in a matter of seconds. Desperate didn't even cover how she felt, and if the way he was kissing her was inkling, so was he.

So what was he waiting for?

As if following her inner directive, Gajeel reached for one of her legs, slinging it up and over his hip and subsequently wedging his body right up against her core. A heated gasp threw her head back, and she gave a shuddering breath as he pressed against her most intimate parts. Taking advantage of her position, he dipped his head to her neck, nipping and sucking his way across the expanse of skin leading down to her collar bone.

She had fantasized about this for so long, what felt like a million times before, and yet nothing could compare to the reality of him. His lips were a whisper along her skin, his breath hot and heavy as he moved down her body. She felt like she was on fire, as if Natsu himself had scorched her very insides, but nothing her best friend could do had ever equaled this moment. No, to her, Gajeel had effectively stolen the spotlight just as easily as he'd stolen her heart.

His hips pinned her to the wall as he raised his hands to her top, and before she could even fathom what he was going to do, he'd grasped the neckline in both hands and ripped in clean in half. She shuddered as he slid that hot gaze down to her breasts, covered only by the thin lace of her bra, and felt herself grow even wetter beneath her shorts. She didn't even care that he'd destroyed another one of her shirts. If that was the requirement for this to continue, she'd hand over every blouse in her possession right now.

Shrugging the tattered remains of her top from her shoulders, she pulled at the straps on her bra. She wanted it gone, nothing separating her from his touch, and she wanted it now. It took only the reaching of his hand around her back to unhook the cursed contraption, and then she was as bare from the waist up as he was. Finally, she would feel him skin to skin, completely unhindered by unnecessary layers.

Gajeel stepped up against her, his chest pressing into hers as he devoured her lips. He was insatiable, a man on a mission, and to Lucy's immense pleasure, he seemed none to interested in waiting. His hands slid to her waist, making short work of freeing her from the constraints of her shorts, and then those too were gone and her leg was hitched up over his hip again. He brushed against her, stirring her hunger to new heights when she felt him thick and hard against the barely clothed core.

A gasp pushed from her throat as his pants scrubbed across her most sensitive parts, and she was all but frantic as she reached for the clasp holding his pants up. Several moments of agony later and the cursed contraption was sliding from his body, leaving him gloriously naked. She only wished she could hold out long enough to really enjoy the view.

Her body throbbed for him, the pulsing in her core matching the thrumming of her heartbeat until she could stand it no longer. Her hands moved to her panties but before she could ease them down over her hips, Gajeel was picking her up and pressing his way between her thighs.

A low growl sounded as he ran his nose up her neck. "You still smell like them."

He bit lightly over her pulse and Lucy gave a startled moan, her hips giving an unintentional twitch. "W-What?" She hadn't a clue what he was talking about, though truthfully, she wasn't quite certain she'd have understood the equation 2+2 at the moment. She felt as if her insides were churning with heat, and all she could think of was ways to get him inside her.

Ignoring what she'd asked, Gajeel snuck a hand between them, dragging her soaked panties aside, and instantly, Lucy's breath caught. This was it. He was finally going to give her what she wanted.

Not even a second later, he was thrusting inside, and Lucy's back bowed at the exquisite pleasure. Without the Mating pushing them, she could finally enjoy the fullness of her body being filled with his, and it took everything she had to push back the tears that pricked her eyes. For the first time, he felt like hers, like they were truly together, and she refused to taint this moment with tears.

She gave herself wholly to him, kissing him with every ounce of passion she had and meeting him thrust for thrust. It was even more incredible than she remembered from their second time together. He touched something deep inside of her, something that she'd never even known had existed until him.

"Gajeel..."

At her moan, Gajeel uttered a low curse and pressed more insistently against her, his hips driving deeper, harder. It was enough to push her over the brink and with a keening wail, she came. Cliche though it may sound, she felt like she could fly. He was everything she could have imagined and so much more. And as she fluttered around his firm length, she let that tiny spark of hope in her heart stir to life. This could be the start of something real between them. It had to be.

Lifting her hands to his face, Lucy pulled him in, needing to feel his lips on hers, and he came with no hesitation. He fell on her like a ravenous wolf, his tongue thrusting into her mouth with a hunger she hadn't known he possessed for her. He was wild and rough, his hips pushing against her with renewed vigor, and it wasn't long before Lucy was moaning again.

Over and over again, he thrust deep, his pierced cock sliding over a particularly sensitive spot inside her and making her see stars. She'd heard of such a thing in her books, but she'd always laughed it off, certain it couldn't possibly be true; and yet, here it was. Sparks burst in her vision as Gajeel pounded into her tight channel, and Lucy felt her muscles tense. Like a cord that's been pulled too tight, her body drew up, and with stroke after stroke pushing her higher, that cord could take no more. She gasped when the levy inside her broke and everything came crashing down.

Hot liquid spurted from her core, and if she hadn't been so overcome with the sensations flooding her body, she might have been embarrassed by that. But for Gajeel's part, it seemed to send him into a frenzy, and with a fierce growl, he drove up into her still quaking body with everything he had. Lucy could do nothing but hold on for the ride as her own climax continued to skitter through her.

Several thrusts later, with his rhythm faltering and sweat dripping from his body, Gajeel plunged deep and let loose a roar that had her toes curling. He pressed her tight against the wall, his release leaving his pulsing cock in hot streams.

Lucy shuddered as he twitched against her, his shaft sliding in and out of her quivering sex a final time, and in that moment, she wished time would stand still. She had no delusions about what would happen next. Though Gajeel had sought her out, touched her of his own volition, she knew he wasn't ready to accept her as his mate, no matter how thoroughly he'd just used her body.

Sure enough, the instant he'd expelled the last of his seed, he slipped from her body and set her on the floor. His face was empty as he stepped back, and without saying a word, he snatched up his pants and walked out.

Her legs shook as she made her way over to close the door, and though she wanted to cry at how abruptly he'd left her, she refused to regret what they'd done. He'd come to her. It was a step in the right direction, and she just had to be patient. She had no plans to go anywhere, and no matter how much Gajeel pushed at her, it wasn't going to work. She was here for the long haul, and he was just going to have to get used to it.