Chapter 53
The girl's all had varying emotions as Mirajane made her announcement. Some were annoyed, others were ammused but most of them were fluctuating between three emotions: disturbed, uncomfortable, and nervous.
Once Mira was done she turned to the girl's and explained that each one would have a different 'station' spread out around the guild hall set up with a wooden table that had a jar on it in front of them. There would be a magic token in the jar. Once all the bachelors are done kissing them each girl would merely pick up the token, hold it her hand and think of the number of the bachelor they want to spend the day with before putting it back in their jar. "This means you have to remember the number adjacent to the most memorable kiss. The token will then imprint the name of the boy the number corresponds to on it." Mirajane turned back to the crowd.
"Oh, I forgot a couple more things. #1 Guys, no touching below her shoulders on the front half of her body or midback on the back half of her body. #2 Once all us girls have our blindfolds on there will appear a counter on stage. When it reaches zero you boys will line up at the station of the girl you want to kiss. You can of course visit other stations if you like." Mira turned and looked at Freed briefly. Telling him with her eyes that she would not be happy if he kissed another. "#3 Once the last of you has given your kiss another timer will appear and count down from ten. Once it goes off it will chime signalling for us girls to take off our blindfolds and make our selections."
The girls all took their places, put their blindfolds on, and waited. They each heard the ticks of the timer going off and each prepared themselves for the awaiting lips of their possible suitors.
OoO
Mirajane stood confident. She knew that despite the fact she really only desired one man's lips to graze her own at this present time that there would still be a hefty line of kissing to go through.
Her first would be suitor was hesitant and unsure of what he was doing. The kiss itself was sweet and chaste but it didn't leave her swooning or wanting more.
Her second kiss was the polar opposite. It was aggressive, invasive. She almost wanted to bite his tongue hard when it pushed it's way past her defenses. She was thankful when it was over.
The third would be suitor took her faces in his hands. Her blood froze as she waited. Then smiled softly at the three taps to her cheek. It was their secret code of sorts. Freed would tap the number he was on her right cheek that wasn't facing the audience. She wouldn't have any confusion which number she needed to focus on at then end of the game. His kiss wasn't timid like the first, nor was it invasive like the second. It was an equal measure of confident and unsure. It was sweet and memorably but chaste in comparison to some of the other kisses they had shared in private.
Mira of course had several other kisses after the first three. But she barely registered the rest. She smiled as a realization hit her. Even if they hadn't sort of cheated the system she still would have known his kiss anywhere.
OoO
Once the timer chimed that the time was up Lisanna smiled. Not because she wanted to kiss a bunch of guys. No that wasn't really the reason. She smiled because she would easily be able to identify her boyfriend from the others.
It took four kisses before large hands fell on her shoulder. She felt a hand cup her chin and tilt it upward. Light kisses first placed on either cheek. The soft lips touching hers. It didn't take long for the kiss to escalate and erupt to something more. It was when his tongue probed at hers that she smiled. Most people would think his tongue would be invasive and aggressive. But Bickslow had learned easily and quickly being a tonsil hockey kisser was not the way to go with his overly large tongue. No he was gently as he prodded her mouth and reclaimed it as his own.
Once the kiss was up Lisanna branded the number five to her memory and continued through her line.
OoO
Right before the first timer went off Cana shouted. "You boys better bring on your A game!"
She glanced at the boys from Quatro Cerebus. He pretended to be uninterested but she was 100% positive he would show up in her line. She of course wanted to pick him when all was said and done. But she didn't think it a horrible loss to end up with another guy. There was a vast selection of studly males to consider after all. If a guy knew how to kiss that would definitely be something to consider after all.
It was when a strong set of lips plunged against her own. When a tongue tasted of sake probed her mouth. It was then that Cana realized she hadn't been counting the entire time. "Crap, Mira, counting is not my strong suit when I've had this much booze!"
She felt the bachelors hands shift around her back and tap at the base of her spine, probably a little lower the Mira said but Cana found she didn't mind. The bachelor tapped out seven long taps. Cana tapped the same back to him on his shoulder. He grinned against her lips.
Number seven was Bacchus. It had to be.
OoO
Juvia willed herself to stay solid. She willed herself to not puddle. She glanced at the two ice make mages before depriving herself of the vision of his strong form.
This contest made her nervous on so many levels. One because she knew that Lyon would be one of the guys in her line. He was attractive of course but would Gray even want her after he kissed her? She also didn't kid herself in believe that Gray would be in her line at all.
She may adore him. They may have had a decent discussion not so long ago. But nothing really transpired from it. She didn't glance at him as often, like he asked. She didn't hide behind pillars gazing at him from afar. Well, at least not as often. She even attempted to show disinterest once in awhile when he started up a fight, or when his clothes vanished. Okay that was a tad harder but still. She tried her best to keep the loving glances to a minimum.
The timer chimed. She went through three kisses before one pulled her into a dip and devoured her lips. The kiss was aggressive and needy. But it didn't make her weak in the knees. It didn't give her heart palpitations. She did not believe this kiss came from her beloved Gray. This kiss was probably Lyon.
The sixth suitor surprised her. He cupped her shoulders softly. He tilted her chin up. He gently kissed her. Not much more then a peck. But where his hands had touched her, where his lips had grazed, her whole body tingled with electricity. Juvia found herself not caring who this suitor was. It would be amazing if it was Gray. But somehow it no longer mattered. Because the gentle kiss she received were from the lips of the man she wanted to at least get to know today. She told herself to not hope for more for the time being and just go with the moment.
OoO
Yukino was not pleased about this set up. She teetered on the balls of her feet just wanting this whole charade to be over already. She sighed as she pulled her blindfold down and covered her eyes. Her two best friends had been becoming unbearable to be around. It was starting to make Yukino uncomfortable. Sting was being overly affectionate and attentive. Rogue was being even stoic and even more standoffish. It was becoming hard to live with the two of them.
Then about a month ago Yukino had received a letter from Lucy. While Yukino had already known about mates and what not from their previous correspondence four months ago this one was a tad more enlightening then the last. Lucy had asked if the two of them had shown any interest in any of the girls at the guild. The answer was no. The only person either of them even paid much attention to was herself. But she couldn't be the mate to both of them. The whole just didn't add up.
Her very first kiss was not a bad one. But it wasn't anything she would remember after kissing several other sets of lips. Yukino wondered how many other girls just now had their first kisses and didn't know who they shared it with.
Kiss number five was eager. It was almost over eager. The kiss was still amazing all on it's own. But when Yukino felt the smile that was underneath her own lips fall. When she felt the lips touching hers frown. She became concerned. Because at the beginning of the kiss the lips were turned up in what must have been a dazzling, friendly smile. The frown did something strange to her heart. But she didn't have long to ponder over it when another set of lips caressed her own.
A couple more kisses and she was now on number eight. The lips she found on hers were hesitant. They were seeking. They were coaxing. Then as she felt a rush of warmth against her skin as her blood became heated when the kiss evolved. Suddenly it was a needy desperate touch of lips, tongues, scraping teeth. Her suitor growled low in his throat and the sound vibrated against her chest and made her skin flush more.
Yukino nearly stumbled as he pulled away. Who? Who had made her feel so needy? Who had now transplanted ideas in her head of crawling over his shadowed body and showing him how needy he made her?
Number eight was definitely getting her vote.
OoO
Mikayla was a nervous, timid wreck. She shifted from one foot to the other. The timer had went off already. But she had yet to have any suitors. It made her even more shy and apprehensive then she had been when the timer went off what seemed like hours ago. It was impossible to tell with the blindfold on. She was beginning to feel a sense of vertigo claim her from just standing so long in the dark.
She felt her legs start to give out when suddenly a set of strong hands were pulling her up. She grasped the arms that held her own and gasped at the muscles that she felt beneath her fingertips.
"Steady there," a strong somewhat guttural voice called out to her.
Mikayla felt her lips turn downward in a frown. She tilted her head downward and would have been looking at her own feet if it weren't for the blindfold obscuring her vision. "Thanks," she softly muttered to her savior.
She heard the sigh come out of his body. It was almost like a purr, which was a bizarre comparison. But that was the only audible comparison that made sense.
"What's your name?" The guttural voice asked.
"Er, aren't we going to get in trouble for talking?"
"Pssh, I don't care about this stupid game. Breaking rules is not my concern."
"I guess it doesn't matter. I mean I got probably the worse station possible." Mikayla was put into a darkened corner of the guild hall. She already was a wallflower to begin with. This placed her more as a backdrop then a fixture in a room full of beautiful girls. Beautiful girls who were getting probably some amazing lip locking action. But she hadn't even had one pair descending upon her.
"I'm surprised that other timer hasn't started yet."
"Umm, well you did approach me. I...I haven't been kissed by anyone yet. The magic in the game probably thought when you approached me you wanted to kiss me or something. It probably won't start the countdown until you do."
"No one has kissed you yet?"
Mikayla shook her head and lifted her face to where she assumed his might be. She imagined herself staring him in the eyes. What color would they be? She found herself wondering. "No one has kissed me yet." She confirmed. She meant a lot more then the game when she said that.
A low guttural growl set Mikayla's blood pumping. Not in fear, but a mixture of concern and anticipation. "Allow me to rectify that and be your first then." The suddenly strong lips were on her own. It only lasted as a calm quiet kiss for a millisecond before the kiss turned hungry. Mikayla was astonished at her own reaction to the kiss because the minute his lips descended upon her own she found herself wanting to crawl into this stranger's body and live there for awhile. He was so sure when she wasn't. She envied the own of the amazing lips.
He groaned against her lips before completely releasing them. But he still held her close to his body. "Please, tell me your name."
She wet her lips and cleared her throat. "It's Mikayla."
"Well, Mikayla, we will be getting to know each other very well today I hope."
As he pulled away from her and she no longer felt his presence the new timer began to tick off the last five seconds of the game. Mikayla was surprised at how she didn't feel cheated from the results of the game. She had an amazing first kiss. She didn't have to remember what number he was in line. It all seemed to be working out.
Omg this chapter ended up being lengthier then I expected. Please let me know if it turned out poorly. I reread it but my eyes kept drooping. Stupid allergies are making me quite tired.
Next chapter will kind of be from the guy's perspective. You will find out who kissed who (well for the not so obvious ones that is). You can go ahead and review me predictions if you like. But do not expect me to give you spoilers. :)
I haven't received any reviews on my original story. I don't know if that is because I was unclear on where you could find it or what. But if you want to read it there is a link to it at the top of my profile. Right under where it says "author has written..."
To my reviewers:
Guest reviewer jasha22, I agree GaLe and NaLu forever! I am trying to update on Mondays and Thursdays for the most part just to give you a heads up on when to expect it. :)
JohnV1896, I don't know if you are this far yet but once you get here I want you to know that I do not regret that you cannot stop reading my story. It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling to know someone just can't put my story down. :)
kura, Yes it is a very Mira thing to do. :)
Erzatscarlett, I think you have been with me from the start of it all. Saying you would pay for anything I write made me extraordinarily happy. :)
sabrina-luna-potter, thank you a hundred times over.
Actually thank you all that are reading this a hundred times over. I would write regardless. But with your enthusiasm and appreciation it makes me feel like I am actually accomplishing what I want to. :)
Please continue to review and make me smile. Follow and make me clap like a silly kid. Fave and make my heart swell with happiness.
