Task 4: hands (Part 2)
Time stopped.
At least Gajeel felt so when he watched Salamander's unasked striptease.
The belt was completely loose and no one came to stop him. Where the hell is Bunny Girl? Erza? Anyone? Someone stop him! It is enough to see Ice Stripper's bare ass almost every day. And Salamander presently was standing with his front to him. Just several meters between them. Someone STOP HIM FOR FUCK SAKE!
Natsu's trousers slipped a few inches down his hips and Gajeel started to close his eyes.
In dead silent hall the crack of opening door was heard and his peripheral view detected some movement alongside Salamander's stripping form.
2 girls walked in – 2 Fairy Tail's most books obsessed girls – so captured with their conversation that blind and deaf to everything else. And Natsu stood exactly in the center of path between tables. There was neither time nor effective measures to warn them. Of course they bumped into him.
Collision caused Natsu's pants fall to the floor. And there were no underpants. What happened to his underwear, god dammit?
Levy found herself falling on her ass after bumping in someone at guild hall. Rather usual occurrence for her due to her 'noise at book' habit. But this one was sure way different from all such previous occasions. After rising her eyes she saw other ass, and bare one too, swaying away right above her, threatening to fall on her face. She shrieked, but before encounter could take place, large rough arms scooped her and rescued from probably the most embarrassing situation in her life.
"Salamander!" Gajeel roared, still pressing tiny girl protectively to his chest "Keep your ass away from my g… guildmates!" 'What the fuck I just almost said?' "And cover yourself for fuck sake, you are fucking bare!"
"What are you taking about, Scrap Tin?" Fire Mage sounded indignant: "I don't go nude!"
"Look down, idiot!"
Natsu did looked down and turned red.
"Where are my underpants?"
"Natsuuuuu!" Happy's high-pitched voice cut through the air, in the next moment said cat burst through door with a peace of colored clothing in his paw. "You forgot to wear your boxers today."
"Oh god!" Levy mumbled and buried her face deeper in Gajeel's chest.
Gajeel rolled his eyes.
Lucy, silent during whole interaction, tried to start breathing again, choked and was seized by a violent coughing. She walked at Levi's left which saved her from fully colliding with Natsu, but caused to stop abruptly very closely to him. She lost her balance and grabbed something to prevent herself from falling. And this something happened to be top of his left thigh. А little to the right and it will be his … Sweet gods! All red and coughing, she rushed somewhere to the back of guild hall.
Natsu, grabbing his still dropped pants with one hand, rushed after her, bare assed and shouting something. Behind him flied Happy, yelling to Fire Slayer to put his boxers on.
Pantherlily swallowed, turned to his Dragon Slayer, lifted his small right paw and solemnly placed it above his heart.
"Ok, Gajeel, it's official. I am glad that I am YOUR cat!"
"Gihihi, damn straight, Lily, you should…"
"Leeeeevvvvyyyyyyy!"
His little triumphant speech was interrupted by Jet, who suddenly jumped on them, clutched at Levy and feelingly tried to check her over. "You okey, Levy? These perverts didn't do anything to you, right?"
"Grrr," Gajeel growled, tightening his arms around her even more.
If he wasn't so busy glaring at Jet, he would notice that Script Mage in his arms showed no desire to change her present position as well.
"Pervert!" It took Droy some time (he is rather round and move slower now, you know), but he joined them at last. He glared, actually glared at Gajeel. "Why did you force Natsu to take of his pants? What dirty intensions did you have, huh?"
"W…what?" Levy's big eyes were now directed at Gajeel's face, their expression between disbelief and confusion. But it lasted only a second, than anger flashed in her sight, and before Dragon Slayer managed to open his mouth she quickly spun around and scolded Droy: "How can you say such things? I am sure he didn't do that! Apologize to Gajeel!"
"But, Levy…"
"Apologize!"
She hit the floor with her foot, placed her arms on her hips, frowned and stared expectantly at both men. They looked shocked. And truthfully Lily and all mages within earshot were too, but no one was as bewildered as Iron Slayer.
No one ever took his side, believing at him without questions or doubts about veracity of accusations. She was like pipsqueak in front of his tall broad frame, standing here, reprimanding her beloved teammates on his behalf. Gajeel realized with a start that a wide idiotic smile was now plastered on his face and quickly concentrated to return his usual intimidating expression.
As Jet and Droy remained silent she uttered fierce "I so disappointed with you!", grabbed Gajeel's hand and dragged him out of the guild, leaving her boys alongside with dozen other Fairy Tail mages stunned and speechless.
She stopped a short distance from the guild, let go of his hand and Gajeel spotted gleams of tears in her eyes.
"Shorty, what's wrong?"
She averted her eyes.
"I feel so childish acting like I did back at the guild. You probably think it's ridiculous and stupid."
"Hell, no! Don't say such shit! Fuck, you know, no one ever did something like that for me! I mean no one believed that all shit that happened didn't happen because of me." He hesitated but decided to tell her the truth. "It feels good to have someone on my side."
Her eyes widened then light flashed so breathtakingly in them. She lowered her look, it felt on her handbag and she eagerly ducked inside, pulling out dragon's book.
"The guild is a little crazy today, well, crazier than usual." She giggled. "We may go somewhere else and resume our reading, if you want." She tried hard to remove hopeful notes from her voice.
"Yeah, why not, have nothing better to do." He tried hard not to show how happy her suggestion made him.
Meantime in the guild
"Where? Is? Him?" Erza sharply demanded, successfully turning Lily, Jet and Droy gazes toward herself. All three still glued to place where Levy and Gajeel left them, staring after retreating comrades.
"Is it true…" She panted hard, trying to compose herself, behind her stood rather scared looking Lucy; Natsu nowhere to be seen. "That Gajeel started all this commotion?" Re-equip mage looked furious to the limit, but been in charge due to Makarov temporary absence struggled to keep her composure and investigate things before making judgment and killing (meaning punishing) everyone involved.
"Actually no, Gajeel has nothing to do with Natsu's… kxm… display" Pantherlily stated firmly. Even current small size doesn't hinder him to look empowered and convincing. "It's actually unlucky occurrence. We talked with Gajeel or, should I say, argued, Natsu overheard it and misunderstood. The subject of our dispute was Gajeel's gloves. I insisted he should take them off, as they are not matching with suit he got for Ball. But he has a thing for them, he even sleeps in them!" Lily made a face. "And he downright refused. That was the point where Natsu appeared. I apologize, Erza, but I was too stunned to stop him. And I believe Gajeel was in the same state."
"Xm" Erza produced unidentified noise, grabbed Lucy and stormed somewhere. Lily felt like he didn't want to be in Natsu's shoes now. Or, and he couldn't restrain himself from chuckling at the thought, in Natsu's pants. He hoped, he put them on by now.
In Gajeel and Levy secluded reading place
"What do you mean his kind could once fluidize their bodies?"
He stared incredulously at book's page, where some Iron Dragon's head was protruded from a puddle of silvery looking liquid. It is iron, for crying fucking loud, it's supposed to be solid, adamantine, really strong. Puddle of liquid? Fucking puddle?
"Well," Levy's index finger tapped her bottom lip thoughtfully, information also mildly spoken unexpected for her. "The book states it, so they probably had some technique, knew secret but later lost it somehow. It should be very high temperature or specifically organized conditions. Natsu's fire is hotter than ordinary, but I never saw that your scales were affected by it."
"Gihi, you right. Through I think this skill may be useful in battles. Can serve as a distracting trick. Like when someone tries to catch and hold me, I switch to a liquid state, twine them around then…"
By this point Levy wasn't breathing, her face impossibly red. Caught in his fantasy Gajeel didn't notice that he subconsciously began to accompany his words with corresponding movements – his palms slid all the way along her legs, wrap around her butt and thighs and now were nestling her waist, intending to move further.
"Ga… Gajeel!" The girl managed to whisper, although she didn't make even slightest attempt to move his hands away.
Pulled out of his day-dream, Gajeel realized position they now were in, lifted his palms a little to settle them on her back and instead of removing himself, like she had expected, leaned in. Red eyes looked in brown – searching, awaiting her reaction. She didn't move away, didn't scream, didn't protest. He couldn't fight his urge, so he neared and placed his lips on hers.
A little later
He walked her home holding her hand. He said nothing, didn't clarify his actions in the forest at all and Levy spend all their long silent walk thinking and over thinking it again and again.
Did it mean they are together now or he has feelings for her?
Was he just caught in the moment?
Maybe he likes such activities and would act the same with any other girl? She knew some guys do.
Or maybe he didn't want to push her away?
She forcefully cut off this endless train of questions. None of them really mattered right now, because SHE wanted it, enjoyed it and will treasure it whatever reasons he hid behind it.
So when they stopped before Fairy Dorm's door, she leaned toward him, rose at her tip-top and stretched as much as she could to lightly brush his lips with her own. When she pulled away he reached for her. One arm wrapped around her back, other cupped her cheek and his husky voice whispered while gently pulling her closer:
"More!"