AN: Okay, so those of you who alert+ ed me on chapters 49 and 50 took a good gamble. I am continuing. Right up to 100 but I still need Prompts or Requests from you lot. I've picked a few more off Gizmobunny's lists, but I'm still short 30 or so -so if there's something you want to see written, just ask. I had two separate requests for a sequel to "Pass me another" -so here it is, although I'm still not saying who Lucy fell in love with; that wasn't the point at all :P
51. One for the road
It was petty retaliation, but when they realised they had been deliberately left out of what (from their view) was an evening of alcoholic indulgence and scantily clad girls, they decided it was high time for a men-only night.
Or a lock in.
Elfman tended bar. He wasn't as pretty as his sister, but he could pull a pint as well as anyone. Makarov took prime position on the bar, not at all interested in the conversation so long as the beer kept coming, his only contribution the occasional hiccup or giggle.
"Little birdie told me the fuss was because Lucy's gone and fallen in love. Won't say who though." Macao opened, leaning back on his elbows against the bar. At the mention of their teammate's name, Natsu and Gray broke off from whatever contest they'd been in –Macao had lost track.
"Eh! Lucy?" They asked simultaneously then glared at each other in suspicion. From his perch on Natsu's head, Happy sighed at the inevitability.
Wakaba spun round on his stool and blew out a long stream of smoke "Don't suppose I have a chance, eh? Oh well, a man can dream."
"I'll pass that on to your wife" Macao teased, Wakaba grimaced at the mention but let it drop.
"That all your little birdie told you?" Max asked "She's usually better informed"
"What makes you say that? Think you know who my birdie is?" Macao asked, defensively. Alzack laughed
"It's not a very wide pool, is it? Count the girls that were missing las' night. Top suspect? Cana. An' seeing as she'll run a book on anything if the odds'r right stands ta reason she knows more'n she lets on."
Macao shrugged "Didn't tell me if she does." He said, admitting his source "Then again, women've been running rings 'round me for years."
"Must've had a guess at who it is though" Gray chipped in, breaking eye contact with Natsu.
"Reckon you have a shot, Fullbuster?" Warren asked with a knowing smirk.
"Lucy's a friend of mine, I'm looking out for her" Gray replied, but grinned a moment after "Not that she isn't pretty cute." He admitted, but then the mind-reader probably knew that anyway.
Warren laughed and turned back to Macao "The man has a point, Cana must have let slip something."
"Only that she, Erza and Bisca couldn't agree who it is. Didn't give me their guesses before you ask." Macao added "I reckon it's gotta be Natsu or Gray though."
"Figures" Droy said, then hiccped "howcomes th' 'retty ones alwis falls fer guys lik dat?"
"You're way ahead o' the game my friend" Alzack said, raising an eyebrow at the amount of empty mugs on the table in front of him "Watch him will ya Je-" he began, before realising there were an equal number of mugs in front of Jet and the same bleak depression seemed to have settled on him.
"Always de 'roublm'k'rs" Jet agreed with Droy "Ne'er de 'ice guys. 'Ucy-ch'n we l'st yi awready? 'Evy-chan, 'Ucy-chan too." Jet and Droy burst into uncontrollable tears, the occasional "Levy" or "Lucy" making it through their sobs.
From the bar, Elfman shouted that MEN didn't cry like that, but they continued unceasingly until, to everyone's relief, Gajeel knocked them over the back of the head with a metallic knuckle and they both fell unconscious. "Pansies" the Iron Dragon Slayer snorted, picking up the half-pint Jet hadn't finished yet and downing it. He picked up Droy's mostly-full mug then stalked forward swinging a chair round to sit on it backwards. "I always figured the Bunny-girl was Salamander's, or I'd've put that smart mouth of hers to better use." he taunted, and all eyes turned to Natsu, but he didn't rise to the bait.
Infact he had been decidedly quiet for some time. He sat cross-legged on the floor with his arms folded and a slight frown on his face. Happy climbed over his head to wave a paw in his eyes "Natsu?"
"Thinking" He replied absently "Gimmie a minute here, I think I got something…"
"Well that's a first" Gray laughed, handing his own glass over for Elfman to fill again "What do you reckon, Elfman, me or Natsu?"
Elfman shook his head "Neither, I think Lucy would like someone Manly, like Erza."
Makalov collapsed back onto the bar with a blissful look on his face and Wakaba laughed "Oh that is so much better, I want that dream, forget her liking me!"
"She did say she thinks Erza is really pretty" Gray mused, overlooking the slight to his manliness.
"No, you're wrong" Happy protested "Lucy likes Loke." He insisted, folding his arms and glaring at the group as if daring them to defy him. Until Natsu scratched his head in thought and Happy tumbled off.
"Aw, not Lucy too." Max moaned "Loke's got enough fangirls as is, what makes you think Lucy likes him?"
"She asked him out" Happy answered, dusting himself down "then he came to save her even though she didn't call him, and she said she trusted him, even though they were fighting Bixlow's figure eyes and, she got really embarrassed when I told her they're a cute couple, and-"
"Alright we get the picture" Wakaba interrupted, seeing his Lucy/Erza dream go up in smoke. "When did she ask him out though? Loke would have been crowing about that loud enough for the whole of Fiore to hear."
"When we were at the hot-springs, she thanked him for returning her Keys and asked him to dinner."
"That hardly counts" Gray interjected "She bought you and Natsu lunch as thanks for breaking her out of a Charm when you first met, right? Lucy shows gratitude with food. Must be an upper-class thing."
Happy's posture deflated a little "I guess… but the trust and her not calling him!"
"I trust you, I trust all of my comrades" Gray said kindly "For whatever reason Lucy thought Loke needed to hear it out loud. As for the whole summons thing I have no idea how Stellar-contracts work, besides which, Loke's already an exception to those rules isn't he?"
"I guess… they still look cute together though" Happy sulked, kicking the floor.
Gajeel reached down and ruffled the fur on his head "Don't worry, little cat" he said then turned back to his beer. Natsu grumbled something unintelligible from his position and Macao smiled in self-depreciation
"I'm starting to think it isn't Natsu or Gray either, she's always shouting at Gray to get clothes on, and usually just shouting at Natsu for anything. Speaking of which, Gray… clothes."
Gray cursed and moved around gathering his clothes, while Warren carried the conversation "Don't some couples show affection through fighting?"
"Is that where I've been going wrong?" Macao laughed, thinking of Romeo's mother "Doesn't strike me as Lucy's style though. Don't get the impression she likes picking up after these two."
"It was Natsu who rescued her from Phantom" Elfman pointed out "Both times, and he stopped her crying when she was blaming herself for the whole attack. Very manly" he approved.
"She ever gone on a mission without him?" Warren asked
"Not that I can think of" Gray answered thoughtfully. "First one she followed Natsu out after Macao… then there was that thing with the book, then lullaby… after that it was mostly the five of us." Happy nodded along in agreement.
"Jet and Droy have never done missions without Levy" Max pointed out.
"Ya can't measure people 'ginst them" Alzack responded "they ain't normal"
"Fair enough" Max conceded "You and Bisca ever do separate missions?" Al blushed and wouldn't answer. "Thought so."
"Still, Natsu?" Macao asked "I mean… Lucy's a Princess and well… look" he said, indicating Natsu, who was still sitting on the floor in thought.
"At least he isn't destroying anything, but hey, opposites attract and all that right?" Wakaba asked "I like his chances better than Gray's -word of advice to ya too boy" he said, leaning round to meet Gray's eyes "One woman in your life at a time mate."
"Point taken" Gray acknowledged with a quick salute.
"Argh! I don't get it!" Natsu exploded, tearing at his hair then leaping to his feet "How does Lucy know? How does anyone tell when they're in love?"
Silence descended on the group for a long moment, then, collectively, all eyes turned to Alzack. "Aw hell" he murmured and let his head slump forward onto the bar, before straightening up. "Love is…" he trailed off and cast around for explanation. "Love is…" he tried again, and broke off again, taking a grateful swig from the glass Elfman pushed his way. "Love" he declared with sudden clarity "is completely inexplicable"
"Yup, that's about the size of it" Wakaba agreed, a wistful note to his voice.
"But" Natsu began, completely confused "then how –what…" he trailed off not entirely sure himself what he was asking. Macao smiled and handed him a glass
"If you ever figure it out kid, let us know will ya?"
