At the Midnight Hour

by Rexrayy

Levy and Gajeel keep running into each other on Halloween Night, at the Midnight Hour. They dismiss it as crazy coincidence, but 2020 rolls around and they find themselves caught in a web bigger than themselves. Welcome to the Glitz, Glamor, and Grisliness of Halloween Night in Magnolia City. Halloween AU w/ Gajevy, NaLu, Gruvia.

9. The Magic Hour

A/N – This chapter is ~hefty~

I hope it makes up for the wait, but it's also really big…

But I liked the way it started and the way it ended, and I didn't want to break it into two parts.

So, I hope you enjoy this 'Double Feature'! Get ready to do a little time travelling~

Thanks for reading!

---

~The Magic Hour~

In the early morning hours of November 1st, the year of 2020, when the clock strikes 2:00 and is pushed back again to 1:00…

A whole extra hour granted on the night of Halloween.

But actually, before we do that, let's go back even further, to a similar night three years ago. When more things happened than you, my dear Readers, realized.

And at the time, Lucy didn't even understand it all herself…

---

Tuesday, October 31st, 2017

-Hargeon Town-

~Three Years Ago~

Lucy shivered as she followed Cana and Lisanna down Hawthorne Street.

The night felt alive, with costumed college students and trick-or-treaters traipsing down the sidewalks, excited shouts and laughter ringing in the air. She rubbed her arms, trying to quell the gathering goosebumps, and wishing now that she'd brought a jacket to protect against the biting Autumn breeze.

The warmth from the shots they'd just taken was fading, but luckily the walk was short, and she could already see the large yellow house up ahead. She smiled, excited.

This was her first college party. Well, actually… her first party ever?

Parties for Lucy had always been lackluster affairs. They were reserved, with polite conversation. They had tea and delicate finger foods, but also restrictive dresses that wouldn't let you breathe much less eat a dainty cucumber sandwich. She shuddered, remembering sipping sweet tea, as she cordially listened to bored businessmen and vapid daughters whine about stock prices or next season's fashion. Or sometimes both at the same time.

Thankfully, she didn't think anyone tonight would give a flying fuck about her family's company shares, or even blink at the tank top she wore, which had cut-outs over the boobs to show the color of her t-shirt underneath. No one would care that she'd cut it up with scissors, the holes jagged, or that it was possibly a little suggestive. She chuckled, wondering what her father would say if he could see her right now.

But he wasn't there. And while she wasn't one hundred percent sure that she'd truly escaped his grasp (after all, the power money granted was far reaching), she figured she was well enough away such that she could properly enjoy her new life. And boy, did she intend to enjoy it.

The three girls strode up the pathway to the front door, Cana and Lisanna walking in as if they owned the place, and Lucy couldn't help but feel awestruck as they entered. The place was massive, but also ridiculously packed.

Music was blasting, people were dancing, and the party was in full swing. She grinned, sweeping her eyes around the crowd for pink hair. She blinked when she realized what she was doing, but honestly his SmackChat had been concerning, right? All the more reason to look for him.

She followed her friends deeper into the house, snaking behind them as they led the way. They soon popped into a large kitchen, Lucy grinning as she took note of all the fantastic and creative costumes in the milling crowd.

Levy would love this, she thought. Hopefully she'll catch up soon…

A loud shout from across the room made her spin around, and she grinned breathlessly as she met Natsu's eyes above the heads of the people between them. He was smiling, jumping up and down on a table and waving his arms to draw her attention.

She watched as he jumped from the table and began to push through the dancing guests, finally emerging before her and grabbing her shoulders excitedly.

"LUCY!" Natsu shouted. "FINALLY! Took you forever! Okay, first I gotta show you this crazy bug Gray and I found in our roommate's room, it looks just like a Jack-o'-Lantern which is kinda wild, right? And then my other roommate has this super interesting stick insect, I was thinking we could…"

Lucy giggled, enjoying his energy, but then Cana cut between them, breaking him off.

"Yeah, yeah, show her your weird bugs later. First, SHOTS!" she cried, gleefully thrusting shot glasses into their hands, overflowing with a light pink liquid.

Natsu took the interruption in stride, throwing his head back to down the shot with Cana, and Lucy quickly followed suite, grimacing at the burn in her throat. But the renewed warmth spreading in her stomach was nice after the cold walk, and being around Natsu always made her feel better. She would be more than happy to look at all the bugs in the world, if it meant she could do it with him. They could be Entomologists in Crime, and she really didn't give a damn if a little bit of dirt ruined her immaculate manicure.

Natsu slammed his glass on the counter then grabbed Lucy's wrist before she had a chance to set hers down. She clutched onto it as he pulled her through the crowd, presumably to check out the crazy cool Jack O'Lantern bug, and she grinned with exhilaration.

The next several hours were spent looking at bugs, hunting down new bugs, catching more bugs, and putting bugs in obstacle courses. At some point Levy showed up, finally, and then a house-wide scavenger hunt was spontaneously started. The night was a wild ride, with one adventure after the next, and endless shots.

And now she smiled as she clutched a Mason jar to her chest, swaying slightly in the grass of the backyard, as she watched two identical Natsus chase after fireflies.

Wait, two Natsus? She blinked, trying to clear her vision, but it was still blurry. How many shots had she had? She tried to count, using her fingers to tick them off.

Let's see, two at the house, and then one when they arrived… then two more, right? Wait, three more? She'd had six total by the time Levy had come, right? Or had it been seven? And then after that, she took one with Levy, then there had been another after that, so eight? Or wait, nine?

Just thinking about it made her nauseous, and kind of dizzy. The party was still raging in the house behind her, the music louder than ever. The bass reverberated through her brain. She shook her head, trying to clear the drunken fog, but the motion just made her dizzier and now she kinda wanted to sit down.

Natsu ran up, smiling brilliantly, his cupped hands glowing. She smiled back, not wanting him to worry, and quickly unscrewed the top of the Mason jar to help him deposit the firefly within. She held the shining jar up between them, consumed with wonder as she watched the flickering bug flutter about within.

Being drunk gave her a one-track mind. She was so distracted now by the beauty of the firefly, it took her a moment to register that Natsu was talking.

"So, uh… I'm not very good at this…"

Lucy frowned. Good at what? Catching bugs? He'd been a pro all night, so she highly doubted that. She blinked, her head fuzzy. The music was too loud, she couldn't concentrate. What was he saying? She peered up at his face, which was swimming in front of her.

"… I figured… a shot…"

Oh shit, he wanted to take another shot?

"… maybe… the alcohol… here…"

And now he was talking about alcohol! The mere thought made her stomach queasy. Wow, yeah, she really needed to sit down. Maybe drink some water…

"I… Like a lot. Like, uh… like… wanted to make sure you… too?"

She frowned. What the heck was he trying to say?

She couldn't focus, and he was just ranting about liking alcohol, and he wanted to make sure she liked it too? Well, yeah, she did, but she'd probably had too much to drink 'cause right now two of him were looking back at her. And his words were all mushing together in her mind because all she could really think about was how the light from the firefly between them made his eyes all shiny.

He was staring at her intensely, in a weird non-normal-Natsu way, and it made her shiver.

"But like, more? … would, uh, would you like that too?"

So he was asking if she wanted to take another shot with him?

She hesitated, because honestly no, she didn't really want to drink any more. And if she did, she just might throw up.

But she couldn't breathe, caught in the fiery depths of his eyes. He was watching her so intently, ready to hang on to every word of her reply, as if whatever she said in response to this question was the most important thing in the world. And she couldn't say no to a face like that.

"Of course, Natsu. With you, I'd love that," she said simply, smiling up at him.

Nats's face flooded with relief and he grinned widely, his sharp teeth flashing in the light of the firefly. He pulled Lucy into a tight hug and she blushed, laughing at the weird reaction. Since when did another shot mean so much to him?

But if saying yes meant that he'd hold her like this, his arms wrapped snug around her waist, then it had been worth it.

Typical Natsu. What a weirdo.

---

Sunday, November 1st, 2020

-Magnolia City-

2 AM (scratch that). 1 AM. Again.

Another scream rang out as Gajeel ran down the black fabric corridors of the Haunted House, Levy close behind.

He glared as each turn just led to more winding paths and endless dead ends. The flimsy walls were decorated with cheap plastic décor: fake rats and spiders, cut-outs of tombstones and printed portraits of zombies. Foam bones were scattered along the ground, with the occasional life-sized skeleton or wooden coffin leaning in a corner. The flickering black lights were irregularly spaced and they made the white spiderwebbing glow sharply in the darkness.

And all around, the sounds of the Haunted House echoed into the air. There were other people of course, attendees chatting and laughing as they navigated the maze. Gajeel figured they might run into some of them soon. But then there were also the recordings and sound effects that were built in to the Haunted House. Witches cackling, wolves howling, the rattling of chains and the shrieking of rusty door hinges. The cacophony of sounds made Gajeel cringe, harsh on his sensitive hearing.

And to make it all worse, somewhere in the warehouse there must've been a goddamned army of fog machines working their asses off to account for the creeping tendrils of acrid smoke that swirled around their ankles as they ran.

The awful lighting, the infuriating noises, and the disgusting fog, each assaulted Gajeel's senses. He scowled, gritting his teeth. Everything in this Haunted House was all the stuff he fucking hated about Halloween. It was all fake and distracting, making it harder to run from the real monsters on their tail.

Were they going in a straight line, or was the maze spinning them in circles? Were those people screaming because someone was pointing a gun in their face, or were they just surprised by a toilet paper mummy? Was the weird smell he couldn't shake out of his sinuses anything to be worried about, or just from the blasted fog?

Dammit, he hated this place. His anxiety was spiking and his mind was racing.

How many people were in here? It was impossible to gauge the number of people scattered throughout the maze. Vaguely, he worried about getting other people involved. Sure, it was pretty bad that they had led armed gunmen into a populated place. But honestly, he was more worried about the police attention that would come if civilians got hurt. Working for Phantom Lord didn't exactly put Gajeel and the police on good terms.

All the more reason to find the way out, before the gunmen caught up or anyone got shot. That is, if he could find the fucking way out! They turned a corner and he swore as he glanced around the crossroads they'd found. The path split before them into three different directions. Which one would lead them out of here?

Normally Gajeel relied on his sharp senses in situations like this. He had good hearing, keen eyes, and an abnormally strong sense of smell. But the features of the Haunted House were all fucking with him, driving him crazy. Now there was a fucking zombie roaring a couple paths over, and the fog here was thicker, rancid.

Just then, the sharp crack of gunfire rang out, causing Gajeel to spin in the direction it came from. Fuck, was that the men chasing them? Or just another fucking recording?! He strained to listen, but it had stopped.

On an impulse he picked the middle path, pulling Levy along with him.

Her eyes were wide as she let Gajeel lead them through the maze. She wasn't quite so panicked anymore, feeling safer with Gajeel and trusting him to lead them in the right direction. She blinked at the Haunted House, its decorations and jump scares hardly making her flinch. None of it could compare to the real danger nipping at their heels. Could she have ever been scared of these fake things before?

But the gunshot that rang out behind them had her heartrate multiplying, whipping her head around. Had that been real? Or just part of the Haunted House? She shivered, her skin crawling in fear.

The noise hadn't been close by, so if it was the gunmen, they hadn't been shooting at them. But then, who had they been shooting at? Levy swallowed guiltily, praying that no one else had gotten hurt.

She hoped that someone had heard the shots and might call the police.

But it also could've been fake… she couldn't tell.

And she realized with horror that even if it had been real, everyone else there probably thought it was fake too. What a horrible night to be running from real danger, when it could so easily blend into the crowd!

She let Gajeel pick the way, following him down another long dark path as she held onto his hand tightly. Its warmth was reassuring, helping her stay focused and in control, rather than disintegrating again into a full blown panic attack. Gajeel seemed to be shockingly calm in the face of their situation and she was thankful that out of everyone she knew, she was with him.

In the midst of a life-or-death situation, Levy realized that she trusted him completely. As long as he was there, she felt safe.

He slowed down now and she peered around him to spot a door blocking their path. It was the first door they'd come across. Her heart raced, wondering if it would lead them outside. Gajeel hesitated for a moment, eyeing it distrustfully, but then walked forward anyways and pushed it open.

Levy followed hesitantly as they entered a dark room, pitch-black. The door closed behind them. It was quiet. Levy could hear her own pulse in her ears.

She moved closer to Gajeel, sensing his body heat in the darkness…

---

The cab was silent as Jet and Droy sat in the back. Jet was glaring out a window, still pissed off that they hadn't heard from Levy, and Droy was glancing at the back of his head anxiously.

"So!" the cabbie sang, oblivious to the mood in the backseat. "Where you boys headed on a fine night like tonight?"

"Uh, the Strip," Droy said, glancing at the man in the rearview mirror. He smiled and Droy smiled back.

"Now that's the place to go! Lots of great parties there!" The cabbie continued, looking back to the road. "There's lotsa great bars and clubs, plenty of places to choose from. A place for everyone! You boys are in for a great night!"

Droy nodded, looking back to Jet as the cabbie continued talking conversationally.

"I drove some girls earlier that wanted to go to the Dragon's Den! Can you believe that? Now that's not a place to go tonight, or any night for that matter! Wouldn't want to drop ya off there!"

Droy nodded politely, not really paying much attention to what the driver was saying, his mind on Jet and Levy and just finding their friends again.

"I like your couples costume!" the cabbie continued, looking back at them in the rearview mirror again.

Droy nodded, then paused. Wait, couples costume? He looked at Jet and then himself, realizing that… they were wearing matching costumes, both with white wigs and sports style jackets with yellow sleeves. They were both dressed as Soul, but that meant they were matching…

He blushed slightly at the implication.

"Uh, wait a minute, sir, I think you might have the wrong idea…" he started, but the cabbie was still talking.

"Oh I'm not one to judge, young man!" he sang, smiling back at Droy. "Love comes in all shapes and sizes!"

Jet turned from the window, noticing the conversation and glaring at the cabbie.

"Yo, wait one sec man, this isn't a fucking couples costume. At least, not with him…"

"Jet…" Droy said nervously, holding his hands up to try to calm down his friend.

"It isn't?" the cabbie asked. "But it's such a good one! You two are matching quite well!"

Jet growled and glanced at Droy, then reached out to yank his wig off, pulling his own off also, so that their different hair colors could be seen.

"Woah there, young man, wait a sec!" the cabbie cried, watching in the mirror. "Don't you go leavin' your hair in here tonight! Already had one crazy lady leave hers, don't want to deal with yours too!"

Jet scoffed, throwing the wigs on the seat between them.

"Just get us to the Strip, man," he said, scowling and the cabbie shook his head.

"Yeah, yeah, hold your horses young man, we're almost there. Which club did ya boys want to get dropped off in front of?"

Droy glanced at Jet, and Jet shrugged.

"I dunno," he said, "Cana didn't say."

"Maybe try calling her?" Droy suggested with a shrug of his shoulders.

"If I may, 'gents, might I suggest the Prancing Blue Pegasus? A lovely bar for…" he looked back and met Jet's glare, Droy glancing between them with worry. "For young men such as yourself!" he finished, smiling kindly.

"It's right here, at the end of the strip!" he said, pulling the cab up in front of a hot pink club, blue lights and accents lighting up the edges.

Jet and Droy got out of the cab hesitantly, the cabbie watching them with a friendly smile.

"Have a lovely night, gentleman!" he sang out once more, before he glanced at the back seat.

"Oy! Wait! Ya forgot your hair!"

---

At the other end of the Strip, another cab screeched to a halt along the busy sidewalk and Lucy confidently swung the door open to step out. She glanced around at the hustle and bustle that swarmed the street around them.

It was a broad avenue, stretching out for quite a ways in both directions. Large, flashy buildings lined the street, each one clearly a bar or club, packed with people and blasting loud music. Long lines waited to get inside each one, many of the people already drunk and dancing in the streets, which were brightly lit by strings of lights strung through the trees.

This was certainly the place to go for vibrant nightlife. And the costumes. Lucy grinned as she watched the creative and clever costumes swish past.

Levy would love this, she thought. Maybe she and Gajeel can meet up with us here too…

She glanced back in the cab and watched as Natsu shuffled his way out. She held a hand out to help him stand, and he accepted with a wide grin.

"How's your shoulder?" she asked, looking it over with concern. "Is it hurting still? Are you sure you're okay to be here? Maybe we should've just gone straight back to the hotel…"

"Nah, Luce! Relax! I'm fine! Tis but a scratch!" Natsu laughed at the joke, and Lucy rolled her eyes but she couldn't help chuckling herself.

"You sure?"

"Yes," Natsu said, meeting her eyes reassuringly. "Don't worry, Worry Wart. I'm fine. All fired up."

He gave her a grin, canines gleaming, and she peered back skeptically. But now he was striding off towards one of the clubs and she had to run to catch up.

It was one of the largest ones on the street. Massive, white, and flashing with multi-colored lights and shimmering signage. Spotlights were up on the roof, waving into the dark night sky.

'Fairy's Fate'

The giant sign had a logo above it, equally large and bright red. Lucy glanced at it, wondering what it was supposed to be. A… bird on a sled? She laughed. Probably not.

Natsu was still striding forward confidently, heading straight towards the tall gilded front doors, which were guarded by arguably the largest person Lucy had ever seen in her life. Seriously, he was gigantic. Wait, he had to be a statue. There was no feasible way anyone could actually be that big…

She glanced nervously at the line Natsu was ignoring, wondering if they should be getting in it rather than overconfidently confronting the literal Greek statue guarding the entrance. It was rather long, snaking around the side of the building. Hadn't Cana said there'd be free drinks all of Happy Hour here tonight? That would do it.

"Uh, Natsu?" she asked. "Shouldn't we get in line?"

"Nah, Luce! I got this!" he said, brimming with his normal Natsu confidence.

The Greek statue turned towards them as they neared the doors and Lucy paled as she realized that it wasn't a statue, and really was just an insanely large person. An insanely tall, overly muscled, extremely well-built person. She was about to grab Natsu's good hand and hightail it out of there when the giant himself smiled widely, looking Natsu up and down.

"NATSU! Good to see a manly face!"

Natsu greeted him with a grin, reaching out to clasp the behemoth's hand and leaning in for a half-body bro hug. Lucy winced as the colossus slapped Natsu's back, presumably giving him spinal damage.

"Hey, man! Long time no see!" Natsu replied.

"Yes, too long! I see you're still fighting! Very manly! Did you win?"

Natsu's eyes flashed darkly and the man laughed.

"Losing can build character, especially losing like a man! Just man up next time!"

Lucy was flabbergasted, watching this exchange. How the hell did one 'lose like a man'? And then to be told to 'man up next time'? What did that even mean?!

"Who's your pretty friend, Natsu?"

"This is Lucy!" Natsu beamed, looking back at her.

"Ahh! A pleasure, Lucy, I've heard good things!"

Lucy stared back at the grinning giant. He'd… heard about her? Sensing her confusion, the man laughed, a deep rolling chuckle.

"From my sister! Lisanna! She and Cana just came through! The name's Elfman!"

Understanding dawned on Lucy, especially when she noticed the distinctly white hair atop the man's head. It matched Lisanna's hair color, and that of her sister as well. So this was their brother, the one who worked at Fairy's Fate. As a bouncer, apparently.

"Come on in!" Elfman cried, moving aside to reveal a glowing hallway behind him.

It stretched forward into the depths of the building, a soft red carpet running down its length. The walls were brilliant white, with gold detailing, and the lights evenly spaced made the air shimmer – like it was filled with fairy dust.

Lucy's eyes widened, captivated at the sight. She glanced apologetically at the line, a couple of girls standing at the front glaring back at her, but Natsu was already walking in, slapping Elfman's arm in thanks as he went.

Lucy hesitated. She wasn't sure why, but she was suddenly struck with the feeling that if she entered this club tonight, she'd wouldn't be the same when she left. She shivered at the strange premonition, watching the air inside the hallway swirl and shift. It called to her, enticing her into its warmth.

"Go on," Elfman said, smiling encouragingly as he gestured inside. "It won't hurt you. Go have fun. My sister and Cana are probably at Clotho's Counter – it's a popular place to start."

Lucy nodded, took a breath and… stepped inside.

She barely heard the man continue as she strode down the carpet, following after Natsu.

"I'll see you around, Lucy! Don't forget, if you're a man, then you are a man!"

She chuckled at the weird words, wondering what they meant. It didn't really make any sense. She quickly caught up to her friend, smiling up at him as she fell into step at his side, walking together into the heart of Fairy's Fate.

---

"Levy, stay close," Gajeel grunted softly in the darkness of the room.

Levy nodded, although he probably couldn't see her.

There were no black lights in this room, no lights at all. The noises of the warehouse were muffled. He peered into the darkness, his senses on high alert. It didn't feel very big, but he couldn't quite tell.

He could hear Levy panting, feel her breathe on his skin. He felt like he could almost hear the racing of her heart…

A blinding flash of light made Gajeel flinch, swearing, as Levy jumped beside him. He whipped his head around, now able to see in the continuous flashing of a strobe light. The room was garishly colored, blocks of bright primary colors painted on the walls and floor. Clown-themed décor was scattered around and generous splashes of fake blood had been thrown around on top of it all.

A recording of clown laughter screeched out, coming from a speaker strategically placed in the center of the room by a life-sized clown statue that grinned at them maliciously in the flashing light.

Gajeel glared at it all, distinctly hating how the flashing of the light alternated the room from well-lit to pitch-black, searing new imprints in his eyes with each flash and giving him a headache.

He noticed another door on the opposite end of the room, directly past the freakish clown statue. That would be their way out. He squeezed Levy's hand, then started towards it, intent on getting them the fuck out of this horrible room.

But as he neared the clown, the door they were headed towards flew open and a large group of high school aged children streamed into the room. They were chattering and laughing excitedly, some of them crying out at the interior decorations. The kid in front stared back at Gajeel with wide eyes, hesitant to walk towards him, but the kids behind pushed him forward and soon Gajeel found that he and Levy were surrounded by teens, all pushing and shoving their way through the room.

The strobe light kept flashing, the clown still laughing, and the kids glanced around nervously between Gajeel and the props with varying degrees of fear. And then suddenly, the light stopped. The laughter faded. It was dark…

"Let's get out of here!"

"This room is too scary!"

"I don't like this one!"

"Guys! Wait up!"

Gajeel grit his teeth as the kids surged past him, running towards the way he and Levy had just entered. His vision was shot from that blasted flashing light, so he couldn't see a damn thing, and neither could the kids as they stumbled through the room frantically.

Gajeel held his ground as several kids ran into him, but now the clown was laughing again, the shitty speaker buzzing with feedback as it shrieked, and his head hurt from the noise. The light started up again, flashing furiously as the kids raced by, and then the door slammed shut with a bang as the last kid ran out after her friends.

Gajeel sighed, alone in the room. And then he realized… shit, he was alone in the room?! He spun around, looking for Levy, but she wasn't there. When had he let go of her hand?! He'd been so overwhelmed by the noise and the shitty lighting and the frantic rush of kids as they ran through the room that he hadn't noticed her hand leave his. Fuck!

He glared furiously back and forth between the two doors, trying to figure out where she could have gone. Did she go towards the door they'd been headed towards? Or did she get swept up with the kids?!

Shit!

His heart was racing in his chest, the fear from earlier planting itself once more in his gut, and he scowled sharply, furious that he'd lost her and thoroughly pissed off with this fucking room. In a fit of rage he stormed over to the speaker and kicked it, yanking the electrical cord from its plug and sending it flying across the space. The laughter was cut off, leaving Gajeel breathing hard in the continuous flashing light.

Fuck. He needed to find Levy.

He glanced once more between the doors, making a calculated decision.

He would find her and he would help them get the fuck out of there. And he would never forgive himself if he didn't.

---

Clotho's Counter was made from rich mahogany wood, the main bar of Fairy's Fate. It wrapped around the first floor of the club, raised slightly on a dais so as to be seen above the crowded dancefloor in the middle.

Lucy was expecting it to be crowded, but she hadn't expected it to be so magical. The very air shimmered, much like the entrance hall had. The guests who had managed to make it inside for the Magic Hour were rowdier than ever, and the well-lit room was packed with dancing bodies and glittering with color, tasteful club music reverberating through the space. After the initial awe, Lucy grinned widely. She loved it. Natsu laughed at the look on her face.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail!" he shouted in her ear. Lucy paused.

"I thought that was the hotel?"

"It all is!"

Lucy frowned back before she realized… it must all be the same owner? Her mind's eye went to the gentlemanly Mr. Makarov they'd met yesterday and she blushed slightly at the way he'd kissed the back of her hand.

Natsu grabbed that same hand, intertwining his fingers with hers.

"Cana and Lisanna are probably up there! Clotho's Counter! Traditional first stop!"

Lucy laughed as Natsu led her into the club. Her mind was spinning, slightly overwhelmed by the party around them, but in the back of her mind she recognized that name… Clotho… Wait, wasn't that one of the Greek Fates?

The Greek Fates: Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. The Spinner, the Alloter, and the Inflexible…

"Lisanna! Cana!" Natsu shouted loudly, already spotting their friends at the bar with his keen eyesight.

The two girls were perched on red leather bar stools, laughing about something the bartender had just said, and sipping drinks that glowed a bright blue. At Natsu's call they swiveled around, smiling and waving. Their matching costumes still looked great, complete with the cowboy hats still atop their heads. Lucy thought of black wig she'd accidentally left in the back of that cab, wondering how disheveled she must look by now.

"Wow, Natsu, that's quite the shiner you got," Cana said, eyeing his face as she sipped her drink.

"Yeah, Lucy said you got in a fight?" Lisanna asked, concern on her face as she looked him over. "How'd it go? Did you win at least?"

Natsu scowled deeply and the girls chuckled.

"I need a fucking drink," he growled, and Cana grinned as she waved the bartender over again.

"Another one for my friend!" she said cheerfully. "Actually, make that two!"

"Wait, Natsu, should you be drinking? Didn't they give you pain meds at the hospital?" Lucy asked with concern.

"Nah, it'll be fine," he snorted, grabbing a glowing drink from Cana. "They were fast acting – already worn off!" he said as he proceeded to chug half of it, Lucy watching skeptically but not moving to intervene. She just hoped he was right.

"These drinks are actually very low in alcohol content, too," Lisanna said, smiling reassuringly at Lucy as Cana made a face.

"Guess 'free drinks all of Magic Hour' really meant these," Lisanna continued as Cana rolled her eyes. "Which I guess makes sense, right? They couldn't give away highly intoxicating drinks or top shelf liquor for a whole hour. People would abuse that for sure. These are called 'Blue Moon Drops' – a take on a Lemon Drop but named in honor of the Blue Moon! – and they're actually really good! Here, Lucy, try one!" Lisanna chirped, handing a glowing glass to the blonde.

Lucy smiled in thanks, tentatively taking a sip of the bright liquid. She did love the Blue Moon reference and she was pleasantly surprised to find that the drink was delicious. It definitely didn't taste very strong, and Lucy liked that. Not everyone seemed to agree.

"Bleck," Cana snorted. "At least it's free. But they're much better with a little kick…" she said, smiling devilishly as she pulled a flask from the pocket of her blue jeans and surreptitiously tipped it into the glass.

"Ooo," Natsu said, sneaking in closer to her and holding his own drink out, other arm still secure in its sling. "Lemme have a little bit a' that…" he said softly, and Cana nodded with a smile as she poured him a generous helping of the mysterious liquor from her flask. Lucy and Lisanna giggled as they watched.

"So Lucy, Gray is at Element 4?" Lisanna asked innocently, turning to her. Lucy nodded, taking another sip of her drink.

"Yeah and Levy is with a guy?" Cana added, wiggling her eyebrows. "How did that all happen?"

Lucy chuckled. "Honestly, I have no idea. After Natsu's… fight… we lost track of Levy. Gray stayed behind to look for her while I took Natsu to the hospital-,"

Cana and Lisanna looked back at Natsu, eyeing his sling and black eye as they sipped their drinks and nodded along.

"–but then Levy called me from a phone booth-,"

"A phone booth?" Cana asked.

"Yeah," Lucy nodded. "A phone booth-,"

"Who uses phone booths anymore?" Lisanna hummed.

"-I know right? Weird. Well anyways, she called me and-,"

"And she wasn't with Gray?"

"-no," Lucy shook her head. "She was with this guy, Gajeel-,"

"Gajeel?" Lisanna frowned.

"Who is Gajeel?" Cana asked.

"-this guy Levy kinda… knows… anyways, she's with Gajeel-,"

"Levy already knows him?" Lisanna asked.

"How does she know him?" Cana asked, sipping her spiked drink.

"-Uhh, she's met him a couple different times in the past. I-,"

"Do you know him?"

"-nah, I've never actually met him-,"

"You haven't?" Lisanna glanced at Cana. "Should we be concerned?"

"How does Levy know him?" Cana turned to Lucy.

"-She uh… in the past she's… they've…" Lucy blushed, looking away.

"Ohh," Cana hummed. "They've totally banged."

Lisanna nodded sagely.

"What?! No!"

"Yeah. Definitely banged," Lisanna said as she met Cana's eyes.

"Wait, no, you guys have the wrong idea-!,"

"Damn, even Levy is getting some tonight!" Cana sighed, pouring more liquor into her drink.

"Who are we going to hook up with, Cana?" Lisanna asked, ignoring Lucy's embarrassed spluttering.

"I dunno, maybe I'll hook up with a bartender or something later," Cana sighed.

"You just want more free booze," Lisanna said with a giggle.

"Caught me," Cana winked, then turned back to Lucy whose face was rather red. "So Levy is hooking up with this guy Gajeel, where's Gray?"

"-uh," Lucy said, pausing, her face still quite flushed. "So Levy called me-,"

"From a phone booth," both girls said.

"-Right, from a phone booth-,"

"Wait, why was she calling from a phone booth?" Cana interrupted as if she'd only just realized how odd that was.

"-Oh, uh, I guess she lost her phone-,"

"Wait, she lost her phone?" Lisanna asked.

"-Yeah, she lost her phone-,"

"Why didn't she call using Gajeel's phone?" Cana asked.

"Oh," Lucy said, eyes wide. "I don't actually know-,"

"Did she give you Gajeel's number?" Cana continued.

"No, uh," Lucy said, shaking her head. "She didn't-,"

"So Levy is with this guy Gajeel, who none of us have met. She lost her phone, and we don't know how to get in touch with either of them?" Lisanna asked.

The three girls glanced around at each other in a moment of silence.

"She's probably fineee," Cana said, shrugging as she sipped her drink. "Levy's a big girl, she can take care of herself. And you said, Lucy, that she has already known this Gajeel for a while, right? If she was worried about anything she would've told you when she called."

Lucy nodded along to Cana's reasoning. A part of her was now a little worried once she realized she had no way to contact Levy, but Cana was right. If something had been seriously wrong, Levy would've told her.

"Right…" Lucy said. "Anyways, she told me Gajeel was taking her back to the hotel-,"

"Ooo!" Lisanna cried, raising her eyebrows suggestively.

"-Not like that! At least, I don't think so-," Lucy laughed.

"Well, regardless, I bet they're having a fun night," Cana winked.

"So then what happened with Gray?" Lisanna asked.

"-Yeah so Gray texted me, I guess he met some girl named… what was it, Gruvia? Juvria-?"

"Gruvia?" Lisanna asked, her eyes bugging out. "No way, Gray is with a girl?!"

"-Oh, Juvia! It was Juvia-!," Lucy corrected.

"Wow, good for him," Cana said with surprise as she turned to wave the bartender down for another drink.

"-Well I don't know if he meant that-," Lucy frowned, thinking back to his text. "-He just said he was headed to Element 4 with her-,"

"Oh my gosh, Cana! All our friends are living their best lives!" Lisanna cried, turning to Cana in despair.

"-Actually I should text him and let him know we're here, so he can give us his room key-," Lucy continued, mostly to herself.

"Looks like I better get serious about hunting down a bartender tonight," Cana said, eyes hard with conviction. "Uh, not you," she added as the bartender handing Natsu another Blue Moon Drop looked at her with concern.

"What about me?!" Lisanna cried, sipping the last bit of her drink up and waving desperately to get the bartender's attention again. He eyed the group skeptically. "Lucy is fine, she has Natsu! But who am I going to hook up with tonight?!"

Lucy choked on her drink, her eyes wide as she coughed.

"Wait, what-?" she spluttered, ignored as Cana and Lisanna kept talking. She glanced nervously at Natsu but he was chugging his drink without a care in the world.

"It's alright, Lisanna," Cana said as she consoled their friend. "We will find a hottie for you. But first, lets take some shots!"

That got Natsu's attention, and he turned eagerly towards them with a grin.

"I'm down," he said, licking his lips. "It'll help with the pain."

Lucy looked at him again with concern and he glanced back briefly.

"Don't worry, Luce! I'm fine! Just appreciating the anesthetic properties of alcohol!"

"Yeah, he's fine!" Cana cried happily, as she waved the nervous bartender down. He approached the group, his bright red afro and clown nose standing out against the white face paint covering his skin.

"What'll it be, ladies? More alcohol? Blue Moon Drops? Not just looking for me, are you…?" he asked, glancing at Cana.

"Shots! One of Fireball and three – wait, no, make that four – shots of Ciroc!" Cana replied gleefully, oblivious to the clown bartender's worried expression as she leaned over the bar with vigor.

"Getting fancy, eh?" he chuckled, moving to fulfill the request, and Cana smiled back at her friends.

"Don't worry, ladies! – And Natsu! – this round is on me!"

Lucy shook her head but accepted the shot glass Cana handed her as the bartender came back. Cana handed the Fireball to Natsu and kept two of the shots for herself.

"To the Magic Hour!" Cana cried as the four friends brought their glasses together to cheers. "May it be as magical for us as it is for Levy and Gray!"

---

Levy's heart pounded in her chest as she ran down a dark corridor of the Haunted House. The flickering black lights and the swirling fog created moving shadows at the corners of her vision. She panted, whipping her head back and forth as she ran, fear clouding her judgement.

She stopped with a gasp as the corridor ended, the path splitting into three different directions before her. She frantically glanced between the paths, unable to figure out which way to go, and she found herself backing up until her back hit one of the corridor walls.

Fuck! Fuck fuck fuckfuckfuck!

She gasped, staring at the ground with wide eyes but also unable to actually see it. Her vision was tunneling, almost red at the edges. Saliva pooled in her mouth as she dry heaved, unable to breathe not only from the run, but also from the swirling panic threatening to overtake her again.

Fuck! She'd lost Gajeel! She'd lost Gajeel and it was all her fault and she was so stupid, so fucking stupid! It had happened in the clown room, in that horrible, horrible room with the flashing lights and the laughter and the screams and the kids and one of them had run into her, jerking her hand out from Gajeel's. She'd fallen to the ground, scrambling to stand as bodies moved in the darkness and the panic and fear had hit her like a wave, forcing her to just move. And she'd ran. She didn't even know which way she'd gone or how she'd gotten here, she'd just kept running, away from those kids and away from the clowns and away from the fucking gunmen who wanted to kill them and… away from Gajeel. And now she'd lost him and it was all her fault and what if she died, or what if he died, and she was gasping because she couldn't breathe, she just needed to breathe but she couldn't and fuck-!

Hey, Levy.

A voice she remembered echoed in her mind.

Levy, yer okay…

She was panting still, but it was slowing, and the red at the edges of her vision was starting to ebb. She felt hot so she ripped off her cloak, letting it fall to the ground as she gasped.

Levy. Hey, breathe with me, 'kay?

She closed her eyes, forcing herself to breathe in through her nose, holding the breath within her chest.

Breathe with me, Lev… In and out… Yer okay…

And she let the breath out, slowly counting down in her mind.

Yer okay…

A cold sweat on her skin made it prickle with goosebumps, and she shivered. But with renewed clarity she was looking up, seeing more clearly, breathing more evening. She focused on calming her thoughts, reorganizing them, and reorganizing the fear, into something smaller and more manageable.

Okay. She was okay. She would be alright.

What was next?

Levy glanced between the paths again, as well as back the way she had come.

She needed to find Gajeel.

But she didn't even know where she was. The fog creeped at her feet, a wolf recording howling in the distance. She glared as she surveyed her options.

Levy had been through her fair share of trauma. Her childhood hadn't exactly been rainbows and unicorns. But admittedly, she'd never faced anything quite like this. Even three years ago, when Gajeel had saved her among the old warehouses of Hargeon Town, her life hadn't been quite as at risk as it was while someone was trying to shoot her.

She had no idea what had led to this, or who those people were, but she knew in this moment that she would not – could not – let them determine her fate here tonight. She would not let the panic overwhelm her again, or the fear bury her alive.

She glared fiercely as she breathed through her nose, employing the breathing techniques Gajeel had walked her through who knows how many minutes ago. She didn't even know what time it was or how long they'd been in there. The warehouse had become a hellish nightmare, the corridors blending together and the noises echoing eerily around her.

Levy didn't know if she believed in a higher power. She didn't know if she believed in Heaven and Hell, or something else entirely. She couldn't tell you if everything that happened was simply coincidence, a randomly generated series of events happening purely due to the whims of the universe, or if some things were truly meant to be.

Levy was scared. But in that moment, when the fear had crystallized within her into something else, and some part of herself was awakening that she'd never known she even had, she realized that… no. She wouldn't let the fates fuck with her anymore.

Levy would make her own way. She would fight. She would find Gajeel and they'd make it out of there alive – together – and it didn't matter who else was out there, trying to pull the strings.

Levy was tired of being small and scared and relying on forces outside of her control to spin the thread of her life. She would fight. And she would live…

For herself, in whatever way she wanted to. Just like Gajeel had told her she should.

---

"Clotho is one of the three Fates, right?" Lucy asked, sipping at another one of the glowing Blue Moon Drops as she balanced on a bar stool beside Lisanna and Cana, Natsu standing close by.

"Yeah, that's right," Lisanna said, looking over at her. "In Greek and Roman mythology, the three Fates determined the lives of us mortals. Clotho –," she pointed to a portrait on the wall, a woman depicted in classical Greek attire, holding a spindle of thread – "she was the Spinner – she spun the threads of our lives. And her sisters were Lachesis and Atropos. Together, they determined human fate."

Lucy hummed, looking at the woman on the wall, who seemed to gaze out over the heads of the club goers as if in a dream.

"Is that why this bar is called Fairy's Fate then? After the Greek Fates?"

Lisanna nodded. "Yeah, I suppose the Master liked the symbolism of it all. The idea that the threads of our lives are spun from fate, that they intertwine and entangle with others in unexpected ways, and that in that way we're all related."

"We're all Nakama," Cana said solemnly, raising her glass to toast the Greek goddess on the wall.

"The Master?" Lucy asked with a frown.

"Yeah, Master Makarov."

"Oh," Lucy said, thinking again of the small man in the dashing golden suit, who had greeted them warmly when they'd arrived.

"Mhm, there's an area of the club dedicated to each sister," Lisanna continued. "Clotho's Counter is here on the main floor, Lachesis's Lounge is on the second floor, and then there's Atropos's Attic, at the top. Up there."

Lucy followed Lisanna's finger as she pointed upwards. The ceiling stretched far above, to skylights three stories high, and she noticed now that there were floors above them, looking out over the main room from balconies that ran along its edge. The second floor shined a brilliant white, but it was the third floor that Lisanna was pointing to. A dark purple glow shone from there, up by the roof.

"That's pretty interesting. Kind of a funny theme for a bar, considering the Fates were tricked into getting drunk one time, right?" Lucy asked, and Lisanna nodded.

Cana snorted. "Yeah, a mortal woman got them drunk, in order to save her hubby."

"Mhm, but the Fates wouldn't let her. Only if…" Lisanna continued.

"Only if someone else took his place, right?" Lucy said.

"Yeah, but she couldn't find anyone, so she sacrificed herself instead."

"Kind of grim," Lucy said, looking up at Clotho once more.

Cana shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose. But you win some, you lose some, right? Guess sometimes there's no choice but to sacrifice yourself for someone else."

---

Gajeel swore as he stormed down yet another fucking corridor, intent on catching up with those damn kids. He figured Levy had gotten swept up with them when they'd left the room, so she had to still be with them… right?!

He turned a corner and saw them ahead, at that same damn intersection where he and Levy had heard another gunshot ring out somewhere in the warehouse. Without a pause he stomped up to the group, scanning the milling kids for Levy's distinctive hair.

One of them noticed him, shrinking back with fear at his approach.

"H-hey! You aren't supposed to come up to us like this!" the kid cried, drawing the other kids' attention to Gajeel as he glared down at them. He honestly couldn't give a fuck, still anxiously trying to spy Levy in the group.

He pushed one of them aside as he looked past and the girl cried out in fear.

"Yo, dude!" one of them yelled angrily. "Volunteers aren't allowed to touch the guests, asshole! Back off or we'll fucking report you-!"

Gajeel's scowl cut the kid off. But he didn't see Levy, so he backed off slightly as the kids moved down one of the pathways, several looking back at him in fear and concern.

Fuck!

Where was Levy?!

He looked back in the direction of the room, wondering what he should do. Had she gone out the other door then? Or had she passed the group and instead gone down a different corridor?

Fuck! He wished the fucking fog wasn't so thick here. It was clogging his sinuses, making him want to sneeze. And the noises of the warehouse were giving him a headache.

Suddenly, the sharp crack of gunfire split the air, closer than it had been before, and Gajeel's blood ran cold.

Without thinking he shot down a pathway, straight towards where the sound had come from. He strained to listen for any more noise, or any signs of a scuffle, but the only thing he could hear was his own heart pounding in his chest.

He whipped around a corner and came face to face with… the barrel of a gun.

Pure instinct had Gajeel reaching out, grabbing the muzzle of the gun and jerking it sharply to the side. The man holding it shouted in surprise and pain as Gajeel forced him to let go. Gajeel quickly spun the gun in his hands, bringing it up and pointing without aiming, firing directly into the man's chest.

He fell backwards with a cry, crumpling to the ground. Gajeel stood panting, breathing hard as he stared at the body on the ground. Had he killed him?

The gun had certainly been real, evident by the growing pool of dark liquid by the body on the ground. Apparently this was one of the gunmen that had been on their tail.

Gajeel didn't let the blood faze him, instead checking the magazine of the gun to see how many rounds were left. He then tucked it in the back of his jeans and leaned forward to pat the man down, going for his pockets. He wanted to know who the fuck this guy was and why the fuck he and his partner were trying to shoot him and Levy.

He found the man's wallet and flipped it open, his eyes growing wide. What the fuck?

And then, a sharp scream. Gunfire. Shattering glass.

Gajeel inhaled sharply as he whipped back around. None of that had been a recording.

Levy.

---

Element 4 was to Fairy's Fate as ice might be to fire. It was a magical club in its own right, an equally popular and packed destination for the denizens of Magnolia City seeking to celebrate the ghoulish holiday of Halloween. But it was darker than Fairy's Fate. And kind of cold.

Gray liked it.

Juvia had helped them get in through the Employee's entrance, so they'd been able to skip the long line of people waiting outside, and now Gray sat at a bar in the back, looking out over the expansive rooms of the club.

The entire place was industrialist chic, all steel beams and exposed brick. Alcoved lighting let shadows linger and the spotlights over the dancefloor flashed purple and blue.

It almost looked like they were underwater, the dancers strange ethereal fish.

He turned back to his drink, sipping it slowly as he waited for Juvia to come back. She'd slipped off, saying she needed to take care of something. He figured it was likely work-related. After all, she'd gotten them in through the Employee entrance. So, she worked here, too, in addition to The Dragon's Den?

The sound of her return had Gray turning his head, watching as she sat on a stool next to him, leaning her elbows on the counter and smiling serenely up at the pink-haired woman behind the bar. Her eyes flicked to his for a moment, dark and beautiful in the dim lighting, and he felt a shiver run down his spine as her lips lifted into a smile. Then she turned away, to order a drink.

"Juvia is sorry to have kept you waiting, Gray-sama," Juvia said as the bartender set a silvery drink in front of her, filled with ice. "Juvia had to take care of one or two things when she got here."

Gray nodded, now used to the strange way she talked. It was a bit peculiar, but he found it kind of quaint. And a little charming.

"No problem, I don't mind," he said with a smile.

Juvia smiled back at him, then turned to look out over the dancers he'd just been watching himself.

"What does Gray think of Element 4?"

"Uh, it's nice. I like it," he said truthfully. "I've only ever been to Fairy's Fate, so I didn't know about this club…"

Juvia looked back with an oddly blank expression. Maybe she wasn't a fan of Fairy's Fate? He pivoted.

"So, you work here, too? Do you work at all the bars and clubs in Magnolia?" he asked, grinning at her pleasantly. She smiled again, and laughed.

"No, Juvia only works at two. The Dragon's Den, and here. Well, maybe a couple others on occasion… Juvia works where she is needed." She smiled sweetly, sipping on her drink, and Gray thought that over.

Where she was needed? Was it normal for bartenders to jump around between bars and clubs, based on demand?

"What about Gray? Where does Gray work?"

Gray chuckled, shaking his head. "Nah, I'm still in college. But it's my last year."

"Oh? Where is Gray studying, then? Magnolia State?"

Gray shook his head again, his throat now dry. He took a sip from his drink.

"No, uh… Hargeon University. In Hargeon Town…"

"Oh," Juvia said, looking back out at the club.

Silence fell and the reality of it hit Gray like a ton of bricks. He lived in Hargeon Town. He'd be going back on Monday, in just a couple days. He glanced over at Juvia from the corner of his eyes, to see how she was reacting to this information, but she seemed as reserved as ever, sitting primly on her barstool and watching the dancers. She didn't seem particularly moved either way.

He shook his head at his own thoughts, why had he been thinking she would? Part of him had thought she might be upset, or at least a little sad, that he would be leaving soon and they'd likely never meet or see each other again. But it made sense that she wasn't because after all, they'd only just met. They were friendly acquaintances, getting a drink after she had offered to help him find his friend. That was all, so he was the weird one for looking too much into it.

He smiled wistfully, her nonchalant reaction grounding him. It was for the best.

She turned to him suddenly, eyes a little bright.

"So Gray-sama is a tourist then? Just visiting for Halloween?" she said, quite chipper, as she started to furiously sip at her drink.

Gray chuckled and watched with amusement as she nearly downed the whole thing. She was so odd, but it was also pretty cute.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," he said, leaning against the bar and smiling back at her in a friendly way. "But I know the city pretty well, I used to come here a lot as a kid."

Juvia was nodding as she turned back to the bartender, motioning for another drink.

"Juvia sees!" she said, sipping the new one with vigor. Gray raised an eyebrow. Was she trying to get drunk?

"Well, Juvia supposes Gray doesn't need any tourist advice, then," she said. "But Juvia might still be able to recommend some stuff if you're looking for things to do. When does Gray-sama leave?"

"Monday," Gray said.

Juvia started to cough, likely from how fast she'd been inhaling her drink.

Gray frowned, reaching over to rub her back as she continued to cough furiously for a moment more, her facing turning red.

"Ahh!" she cried, a hand to her chest as she swallowed. "Juvia is sorry!"

"It's alright," Gray said. "But maybe you should slow down? You're drinking those awfully fast!"

Gray chuckled as Juvia nodded, embarrassed.

Just then his phone vibrated in his pocket, and he took it out to glance at the screen. It was a text from Lucy, saying they were at Fairy's Fate. She was asking if he could meet up with them, to give them a room key. He sighed.

He looked up and found that Juvia was staring at him intently again, then glancing down at his phone in his hands.

"It's Lucy," he said, by way of explanation. "She's at Fairy's Fate, wants me to meet up with them."

Juvia's face was emotionless, simply blinking as she met his eyes.

"So… Gray-sama needs to leave?"

"Yeah," he said, running a hand through his hair as he hopped down from the barstool. "Sorry, Juvia, but I should go. My other friend got pretty beat up, I should make sure he's okay, too."

Juvia was nodding, but Gray felt kind of bad again, to be ditching her so soon.

"Listen, thanks for getting a drink with me, Juvia. It was nice to talk with you a bit more."

Juvia nodded again. "Yes, Juvia enjoyed talking to Gray, too. And Juvia is glad Gray's lost friend is alright."

"Yeah, me too. Well, it was nice meeting you, I guess. Have a good rest of your Halloween…"

Gray met her eyes, a dark blue in the lighting. They looked a little shiny, probably from the flashing lights above the dancefloor. She nodded.

Gray turned, walking a couple steps but then suddenly spun around.

"Look, do you want to come with me? To Fairy's Fate? You could meet my friends, and I hear there's free drinks there for the rest of the hour."

Gray didn't know why he'd asked her to come, it had been a bit impulsive. He found himself hoping that she would, flushing a bit awkwardly at the thought.

But Juvia was looking past him, her face blank as she stared around at the club. Gray waited a couple seconds, waiting for her reply, hoping that she'd smile and agree. She turned back, meeting his eyes with what looked like a hint of regret in her own, and she shook her head.

"Juvia can't go to Fairy's Fate," she said simply.

"Oh…" Gray said, frowning. She couldn't go? Or she just didn't want to? He wasn't entirely sure what she meant and he found the phrasing a bit odd, but he supposed it was just another part of how she talked.

"Well, okay… Well. Okay, what if I give you my number? Just in case you change your mind? You can just text me and I'll let you know where we end up."

Juvia's eyes widened as he smiled at her. Slowly, she began to smile back, her cheeks tinted pink, and she nodded.

"Alright," she said, watching as Gray went to the bar and found a napkin and a pen.

"Here," he said, scratching several digits onto the napkin. He handed it to her.

"Or maybe you'll happen to run into Levy, my lost friend, and you can let me know," he said, chuckling at the thought, which was a nod to how they'd first met while he was looking for Levy.

She nodded, grinning shyly. "Alright."

"Well, alright then. Thanks again, Juvia. Have a good night."

Gray turned and didn't stop this time, his pulse racing for some reason as he pushed his way quickly through the crowd. He could feel his cheeks flushing and he frowned. Maybe it was too hot in here after all.

---

Juvia watched as Gray walked away, her heart pounding in her chest as she desperately clutched the napkin in her hands, and a tear slid down her cheek.

Juvia hated to admit it, but she was a crier. She could cry at the drop of a hat. Actually, she had literally cried once when a hat fell to the ground and someone stepped on it, sobbing at the thought of it being crushed so callously underneath someone's thoughtless feet.

Anything could make her well up with tears. There were just so many sad things in the world. And all of it made her want to cry, but she obviously couldn't.

She couldn't actually break down in front of customers or break down in front of José. She shuddered at the thought. Thus, since a young age, she'd gotten quite good at schooling her emotions. She had perfected being cool and composed, almost to the point of sometimes appearing cold and emotionless. But it was much better than being a blubbering mess all the time.

She only let herself cry now in front of her friends.

"Here comes the rain."

She could almost hear Gajeel tease her, rolling his eyes whenever she began to cry.

Normally, she could keep it under control, like when she had to work or interact with people she didn't know. But when Gray had told her he was from Hargeon Town… that he in fact lived hundreds of miles away…

It had almost been too hard to bear. She'd batted her eyes furiously, to keep the tears from forming, and chugged her drink as she tried to swallow down the sobs, her throat thick.

She couldn't cry in front of him, she wouldn't let herself. But it had been hard.

How could fate be so cruel? How could she have only just met this amazingly cute and adorable and sexy and funny man, only to have him ripped away from her the very same night?! She'd rather have not met him at all! She clutched her chest as her heart constricted painfully.

Now that he'd left, a stopper had been unplugged and the tears were leaking out uncontrollably, dripping from her chin.

She turned to meet Meredy's eyes, the woman laughing at her pain in a totally rude way!

"Meredy! This isn't funny!" she cried, a sob in her chest.

"You're overacting again, Juvia, aren't you?" Meredy chuckled, familiar with Juvia's dramatic tendencies. The two girls had worked the bars and clubs of the Phantom Lord Guild for many years together.

"Sure, he was pretty hot," Meredy admitted, cleaning a glass thoughtfully. "Pretty great eye candy. But there are lots of fish in the sea, girl! Just go catch another one!"

"It's not that simple!" Juvia wailed and Meredy rolled her eyes at her.

"Well if he was so important to you, you better not let anything happen to that number."

"What do you mean?" Juvia blubbered, and Meredy nodded down to the napkin Juvia still clutched, currently getting crumpled up and tear-stained in her hands. Juvia cried out, setting it delicately on the counter and scrambling to find her phone, to safely transfer the number before the napkin was further ruined and the precious digits incomprehensible.

Meredy laughed as her friend frantically added the man's number to her contacts, and she moved away along the bar to help another customer.

Juvia cursed herself for getting carried away, trying to decipher the napkin. The ink was already bleeding from her tears, making some of the numbers blurry. Damn her crying! She couldn't believe she had let herself get so swept up in her emotions! Was that a '5' or a '6'?! Crap!

She decided it was a '6' and saved the contact as 'Gray-sama~' with a bunch of hearts.

Then she freaked out and added another contact, 'Gray-sama5ever~', with a '5' in the number instead of a '6'.

Worst case she could just text both numbers.

She clutched her phone to her chest now, confident in knowing her tears could no longer ruin his contact info. But maybe she should back up all her phone's data when she got back home tonight, just to be safe…

---

"Let's go dance, guys!" Lisanna cried, slurping up the last of another Blue Moon Drop, looking out over the dancefloor excitedly.

Lucy frowned as she sipped her drink, glancing at the time.

"We really shouldn't," she said. "I'm still worried about Natsu's shoulder, we should probably go back to the hotel soon…"

"But Gray isn't here yet with the room key," Cana said with a wink. "Plus Natsu's fineeee, right Natsu?"

Lucy looked up at Natsu skeptically, but he nodded with a grin.

"Fit as a fiddle and all fired up! But I don't wanna dance," he made a face, the girls chuckling. "I'll go upstairs till Gray shows up."

Cana nodded, and Lucy glanced up at the second floor, which could be seen beyond a balcony that overlooked the dancefloor from above. The entire level seemed to glow a brilliant white.

"Sounds good," Lisanna said, hoping down from her stool and grabbing Lucy and Cana as she went. Cana desperately chugged the last of her drink, setting it down on the counter and swiping another as Lisanna dragged them off. Lucy looked back at Natsu one last time, checking for the umpteenth time that he was truly okay, and he grinned back at her with a wink.

She smiled, turning to follow Lisanna, and decided that maybe she really was worrying too much about everything. She laughed, allowing herself to relax as she followed her friends further out onto the dancefloor, falling in synch with the rhythm of the dancers and the music.

The pleasant buzz she'd acquired from the Blue Moon Drops was washing over her, the music beating through her bones. She closed her eyes and the stress and tension that had built up after the fight and the trip to the hospital was finally starting to fade away.

Cana and Lisanna were grinning back at her as she opened her eyes again, Lisanna with her hands above her head and Cana sipping at another one of the blue glowing drinks.

"Alright, you Frolicking Fairies!" A loud voice announced, the music dimming slightly for the voice to be heard. "We're halfway through this magical hour, and you're half-way through your third Blue Moon Drop, but don't let it get you blue! This extra hour grants us time for reflection. Do fairies have tails? Do they even exist? These eternal mysteries may never be solved, but we do know that the Fairies here tonight are out for a never-ending adventure! Keep it up, Fairy Folk! Get frisky with the Fates, and do something today you would've never dreamed of doing yesterday!"

Confetti erupted from the ceiling at the last words, the crowd cheering in wonder and glee as it drifted down from high above and fell on them like shiny multi-colored snow. The music resumed, pulsing through the air, as Lucy held her hands up.

She looked towards the ceiling, grinning up at the confetti swirling around them, and she noticed small bright white lights twinkling up among the rafters. They looked like stars, man-made constellations smiling down at the dancing fairies below.

Looking at them reminded Lucy of a different night, exactly a year ago. A night that had been quite different from this one, but that she held close to her heart and hadn't told anyone about, not even Levy. Which made her feel a little bit guilty, but a small (and likely irrational) part of her mind insisted that if she talked about it, it would lose the mysterious ephemeral quality it had acquired in her memory.

---

Thursday, October 31st, 2019

-Hargeon Town-

~One Year Ago~

The night was well underway and the scene, at this point, familiar. The large yellow house at the end of Hawthorne Street was hosting yet another notorious Halloween party. And while Lucy enjoyed seeing her friends, she was kinda… over it.

She sighed as she sipped from a red plastic cup, drifting from one room of the house to another. She let her mind wander along with her feet, as she watched the other people around her with a detached air.

Levy had stayed home tonight, citing the excessive homework and assignments she had piling up, in addition to an important test the next day. Lucy understood, she could relate to a heavier course load, having entered into their Junior year of college. Still, she'd made the time to come out tonight, always excited to have a chance to visit with their friends. And she had a suspicion that Levy's concerns weren't only about school, and maybe also about a certain Devil that had haunted her these past several Halloweens. Lucy chuckled at the thought, amused by the mysterious luck her friend seemed to have on the holiday.

So, Lucy had been fine with coming alone, happy to visit with friends, but now as most of the students around her were raging drunk, she found that she was wishing she'd chosen to stay home as well. Maybe she should just leave early…

She blinked in surprise as a pair of hot arms wrapped around her waist from behind, pulling her close to the comfortable warmth of a certain someone. Lucy smiled over shoulder, up at Natsu's grinning face.

"Hey Natsu," she said, grinning back at her best friend. Well, Levy was her Best Friend, but Natsu was her best friend, ya know?

"Hey, Luce! Enjoying the party?"

Lucy hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah! Totally!"

Natsu met her eyes for a moment and she wondered if he could see through her. She didn't want him to be worried about her, so she maybe hadn't been completely honest.

Suddenly his arms left her waist and he'd grabbed onto her hand, pulling her gently towards the front door of the house and out to the front lawn.

"Come on, let's go!" he said cheerfully, and Lucy frowned as she followed.

"Go where?" she asked as he led her away from the house, onto the sidewalk, and into the night.

"I've got an idea or two in mind," Natsu said mysteriously.

Lucy smiled with confusion as she fell into step beside him, her fingers intertwined with his. She glanced up at him again, trying to figure him out.

"…Are we going to the park?" she asked, but he shook his head.

"Nope!"

"Hmm… you sure? The big one by campus?"

"Incorrect!"

She hummed, thinking.

"But we're definitely headed towards campus."

He smiled back, saying nothing.

"That's a yes, then? We're going to campus?"

"No can do, Luce! My lips are sealed, I'm telling you nothing!"

"Maybe just give me a hint?" she asked, but he laughed and shook his head, refusing to say anything else.

She hummed in playful frustration as they made their way towards the campus, soon strolling down one of the wide paths that led to the Main Square. Lucy looked around at the large student buildings and lecture halls, dark and shadowed at this time of night.

She wasn't used to being on campus after dark, so she peered around curiously as they walked. Several other people were out and about, likely cutting through campus to reach the dorms, or going to the 24/7 access library just off the Main Square. She knew Levy had spent many late nights studying there, but she couldn't imagine what kind of person would go there tonight, on Halloween.

They were almost to the Square when Natsu took a sharp turn, detouring onto a smaller path that wound its way to the Southern part of the campus. Lucy rose a brow at this. There wasn't too much over there, just a couple lecture halls and some research labs. And a largely forested hill, she supposed, at the top of which was…

Lucy's breath hitched and she looked up at Natsu in surprise.

"We're not… going to the Observatory, are we?"

Natsu grinned brightly and Lucy's eyebrows lifted in shock.

"But surely it's locked, right?"

He winked.

"Natsu… right?"

"I may know a trick or two…" he said deviously.

Lucy followed in wonder as Natsu led them down the winding path and towards the domed building of the Observatory.

It was more of a theater than a place for scientific study. Lucy knew some of the adjacent buildings had telescopes used by student researchers, but the domed Observatory itself was mostly used for astronomy classes, its interior housing a projector that could display images and videos on the ceiling above the plush movie theater style seats.

Natsu led her around the back to a small door likely used by teachers and janitorial staff. She watched skeptically as he confidently grabbed the handle, pulled, and… it opened. Her jaw dropped.

"No way… they just leave it unlocked…? How did you know…?"

Natsu smiled with that annoying mysteriousness he'd adopted all night and she rolled her eyes, laughing.

"You're being awfully secretive, Natsu. Don't tell me you broke into here earlier?"

"Pfft, I would never!" Natsu paused as Lucy gave him a look. "Yeah, well, that's besides the point, I actually didn't - just called in a favor."

"You knew we'd come here tonight? You planned this?" she asked with a frown.

Natsu shrugged. "Had a hunch."

He slipped through the door, holding it open for Lucy, and she followed with wide eyes as he led her down a dark hall to a curtained doorway.

"Natsu!" she whispered furiously, "this isn't some trick is it?! No one is going to jump out or try to murder us or anything right?!"

Her mind was racing, since, well, it was Halloween and it'd be just like Natsu to trick her into some kind of Haunted House or something, but he just laughed and reached for her hand again as they neared the curtain.

He pulled it aside to reveal the main room of the Observatory theater, its seats empty. A projection was already playing on the ceiling, stars shining above as a recorded voice of a woman with a slight accent narrated lightly in the background.

Natsu strode into the room as Lucy looked around, wondering what this place looked like during the day. Classes held here were popular and usually full. Each one of these chairs would have a student, listening as a professor droned on about solar systems and planets, playing educational videos projected onto the ceiling above.

And on the weekends, the University sold tickets to star shows here, opening up the theater to the public. It was rare to see the space so empty, the seats unfilled. She continued to glance around in wonder as Natsu plopped down in the very middle, propping his feet up on the chair in front of him and putting his hands behind his head as he lounged back in the seat.

"Come on, Luce!" he said, her wide eyes turning to see him smiling cheerfully, as if this was the most normal thing in the world

"Natsu, how…?"

"Don't worry about it, Luce! Like I said, just called in a favor."

"Are we going to get in trouble for being here?"

"Nah, it's fine! Trust me, just come sit."

Lucy shook her head in wonder as she walked over to where Natsu was sitting and took a seat beside him tentatively. He reached out and pulled her closer, forcing her to fall back into his chest as he leaned back in the chair and stared up at the ceiling above. She blushed, a little tense.

"Natsu, are you sure…?"

"Yes, relax, Luce, it's fine," he said, his voice close to her ear. "Just watch."

And she hummed, hesitantly letting herself relax into him as they watched the video of stars projected onto the ceiling, the female narrator talking about Greek constellations in the summer night skies.

"Thanks, Natsu," Lucy said softly after a moment and he chuckled.

"Could tell you hated the party anyways," he said, causing her to smile. She should've known she couldn't trick him.

"Shoulda brought popcorn though…" Natsu grumbled and Lucy laughed, well aware of the way his hand rested on the side of her waist…

---

Sunday, November 1st, 2020

-Magnolia City-

~20 Minutes Left in the Magic Hour~

The shimmering air of Fairy's Fate pulsed as Gray made his way inside the club. He'd greeted Elfman at the door, the surly bouncer letting him in with a big smile, a strong pat on the back, and some kind of comment about looking very manly tonight.

Inside, it was hotter than Element 4 had been, and he scowled. Gray didn't like the claustrophobia of tightly packed spaces or the heat of being surrounded by too many people.

He pushed his way through the crushing crowd with a deep frown as he worked his way towards the stairs that led up to Lachesis's Lounge, where Natsu had told him to meet via text. He was glad the other man was up there rather than in this pit of sweaty, dancing bodies. Lachesis's Lounge was usually much less crowded.

With a huff he broke free from the denizens of the dancefloor and made it to the stairs, taking them two at a time.

Everything up here on the second floor was silvery white. The lights, the furniture, the decorations. Even the bar of the lounge was a shiny steel, its surface scrubbed enough to mirror one's reflection back at them.

In fact, that was one of the themes of the lounge. Mirrors. They covered the walls, circled support pillars, studded the edges of tables. They reflected the bright lights strategically positioned around the lounge to give the space a bright angelic glow.

Gray glanced briefly in one of the mirrors on the wall as he passed and gave a start as he realized he was only in his boxers. When the heck had he taken off his pants?!

Well it had been too hot in here anyways! Could anyone really blame him?! He scowled again as he stalked up to the bar, ignoring the flirtatious glances coming his way from several of the girls standing there. It was Halloween, right? He'd definitely seen some girls in less, and his boxers looked like shorts anyways, so who the hell cared.

He'd just need to be careful not to take them off too…

"Oi! Stripper!"

Gray glared, turning at the call as he spotted Natsu across the room, sitting on a plush white couch near the balcony that looked out over the dancefloor. He nodded and started walking over to meet him, his eyes glancing to a large portrait of a blonde woman robed in Greek attire that hung on one of the walls, nestled amongst a tastefully arranged set of mirrors.

The Lady of the Lounge herself, Lachesis. The mirrors around her shimmered with light, giving her an angelic glow as she held between her hands a long thread of string. Her eyes seemed to meet his, staring back with a mysterious and knowing gaze. He shivered, looking away as he neared his friend.

"Yo," he said gruffly as he sauntered up to Natsu. "You good?" He gave the other man a once over, noting the sling and black eye. Other than that, though, Natsu looked fine, meeting Gray's cool gaze with a fiery one.

Natsu grinned as Gray sat and he handed him a drink that glowed blue. Gray wrinkled his nose at it.

"What's this? It looks fruity."

"Nah dude, it ain't too bad. Kinda sour. It's also what's free."

"Ah," Gray grunted, sipping the drink. He shrugged, it didn't have too much of a kick, but you couldn't argue with free.

"When did you take off all your clothes?" Natsu asked, an evil glint in his eye.

Gray scoffed. "Hardly all of them, I've still got shorts on."

"Your boxers," Natsu teased, Gray scowling back.

"Yeah whatever, it's too hot in here anyways."

Natsu shook his head, mystified. "Ain't hot at all."

Gray grunted, looking around the Lounge. "Why are there so many damn mirrors up here anyways?"

Natsu shrugged. "I dunno, man. Isn't it something about looking at yourself, where you're at in life, and thinkin' about if you're ready to die?"

Gray frowned. "Nah, isn't that Atropos's thing? Death?"

Natsu shrugged.

"Lachesis measured the length of life…" Gray continued. "So, I guess just reflecting on life in general? I dunno, either way, creeps me out, I don't like looking around and seeing so many reflections of myself."

"Yeah, I hate having to look at you, too," Natsu said, wrinkling his nose, and Gray scowled back, punching Natsu lightly in the shoulder of his uninjured arm. Natsu just laughed.

"Oi, asshole, you're lucky you're injured."

Natsu scoffed. "Hardly, this is nothing. You should see the other guy."

Gray's face grew dark as he thought back to the fight, and the man called Kurogane. The way he'd stood over Natsu's body, shadows at his feet…

"I got some good punches in on his chest," Natsu continued, sharp teeth flashing. "He'll have some serious bruising tomorrow. If I ever see that asshole again, I swear to god…"

"Who the fuck was that?" Gray asked, but not really expecting Natsu to have an answer. "And why wasn't it Jura? That's fucking shady."

Natsu shrugged. "Well it is illegal bare-knuckled boxing. I just need to train better for next time."

Gray looked over at his friend, noticing the dark glint in his eyes as he presumably thought about how it would go next time.

"You're going to keep fighting?" Gray asked.

Natsu snorted. "Obviously."

Gray frowned, sipping more at the glowing blue drink. It wasn't actually that bad.

---

Levy's breath caught in her throat as she turned around a corner and came face to face with… herself.

She stared into the wide eyes of her own reflection, panting with surprise.

She looked around. The dark corridor here was splintering off into many different directions and as she continued to walk forward she found herself… in a mirror maze.

Everywhere she looked, reflections of herself were looking back, stretching off into the infinite distance. She glanced back to where she thought she had just come from. Maybe she should backtrack… But it was dark, and she couldn't tell now which path she had entered with or which were just reflections.

All she saw was herself. Iterations of herself, turning in the darkness, each one occupying its own path as if in some kind of parallel universe. She shivered, looking around cautiously.

A wolf howled in the distance, making her jump. She was getting really sick of the noises of the Haunted House. Each one put her on edge, her mind racing to determine if it was real or fake. And her ears were always straining for the sound of gunshots, paranoid that they would split the air open again.

She hesitantly walked further into the maze, trying to find the way to the other end. But it was dark. The machine-produced fog continued to swirl at her feet. And the deeper in she went, the closer she was getting to some kind of flashing white light. It must have been a strobe light, somewhere amongst the mirrors. As she got closer to it, the flashing effect made it look like she and her reflections were moving in slow motion. Like the frames of a moving picture.

A soft noise behind her made her pause, on edge. She glanced around, seeing only herself.

"H-hello?" she called out. The air made her skin crawl. She was wishing now she hadn't ripped off her cloak, leaving it on the ground when she'd panicked. She rubbed her arms nervously, eyes flickering from one reflection to another, seeing various versions of herself turned in different directions, each one seeing different things.

"G-gajeel…? Is that you?"

She nearly jumped out of her bones when the fucking wolf howled again, louder than before. Damn that fucking wolf! If she ever found where that sound was coming from, she would fucking break the tape, she swore to god-!

A soft click made her freeze, eyes going wide. She turned her head slightly, looking at one of the mirrors out of the corner of her eye, blood pounding in her ears. And there, in the reflection of the glass, Levy saw the barrel of a gun pointed at the back of her head.

Her mind went blank, sheer panic overwhelming her system. She couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't think.

She watched in painful slow motion as the black-gloved hand holding the gun pulled the trigger, the flashing of the strobe light seeming to slow the action down frame by frame.

Levy screamed, ducking down quickly and holding her head as the loud bang of a gunshot rang out through the mirrored maze. One of the mirrors nearby shattered into millions of pieces, falling around her in that painful slow motion as she knelt to the ground, wide-eyed and panting. It took several seconds for her to process that she was alright and hadn't been shot, the mirror being the only gun's victim. This time.

As waves of relief pounded through her, Levy realized four things.

One, she was alright. But two, the gunman had been trying to shoot her. Three, the gunman had shot the glass, clearly as disoriented in the mirror maze as Levy was herself. So four. She needed to get the fuck out of there before the gunman found her and not just her reflections.

She forced back the wave of panic threatening to well up and drown her. No.

She grit her teeth as she dove to the ground, army crawling through the shards of broken glass that littered the ground around her.

She was not going to die here! She still had so much she wanted to do!

She still needed to finish college! She needed to get her first job! She needed to buy her first apartment, get her first pet, and have fights with her first neighbors over strange leaks dripping from their apartment above!

There were so many places she still wanted to visit! And so many things she wanted to read! She needed to find out what had happened to her parents and there were library books sitting on her bed that would get overdue fines if she didn't return them and she'd never had her first kiss!

Levy struggled through the glass, flinching in fear as the gun went off again, more glass raining down around her as she crawled. In the back of her mind she was aware that she was crying, and that the sleeves of her shirt were getting ripped by the broken glass underneath.

She whimpered as the gun rang out a third time, but she didn't think she'd been hit. At least, she couldn't feel it if she had, her entire body numb from the shock of the situation she found herself in. Her vision was tunneling, only able to see the ground in front of her as she moved forward. Vaguely she heard shouts and a scuffle, but she didn't dare stop to see what was happening.

She just needed to keep going, get out of the maze and find Gajeel…

And then suddenly someone was grabbing her, lifting her up out of the glass. She shrieked, slapping at the arms holding her in a blind panic. They ignored her struggles, pulling her into a warm chest and she gasped as she recognized his scent, inhaling it deeply.

It was the same scent she'd smelled two years ago, when he'd carried her home in the rain. It was warm and spicy, and slightly metallic. She breathed heavily in relief, leaning her head into Gajeel as he held her tightly.

"Levy? I've gotcha, 'kay? Yer okay…" Gajeel said in her ear and she nodded, her eyes closed.

He stroked the back of her head as he crouched in the glass, feeling her breathe on his neck, and he glared around the mirrored space, the strobe light still flashing somewhere nearby.

He hated the mirrors, forcing him to see his own reflection in their surface. He glared back into his own eyes. No wonder those kids had thought he worked there, he looked terrifying. And normally he loved it, but right now he hated everything about himself, for having put Levy through this hell.

His gaze swept to the body on the floor, across the room among the broken glass. He hadn't killed her, she was only passed out. It had been a gunwoman.

And she had put up one hell of a fight. But luckily the mirrors had confused her, and he'd had the element of surprise on his side.

But since he'd only knocked her out, they needed to get out of there, before she woke up.

"Hey, Lev-," he started to say, looking down as she moved back from his chest to look up at his face. Her cheeks were tearstained, and there was a smear of blood on one, but his eyes widened slightly at the fierce look in her gaze.

"Thanks, Gajeel," she said.

"I'm-," she swallowed, "-I'm really glad to see you're okay."

He nodded, brushing a lock of hair from her face.

"We gotta get out of here, 'kay Lev?" he said, meeting her eyes again. "Ya good?"

She nodded back, her breathing steadier than before.

"Yes, I'm fine-," her eyes widened as Gajeel quickly stood up, taking her with him. She swallowed as she found herself in his arms, being carried bridal style once more as he picked his way through the shattered glass in the room.

"I, uh…" she started to say, beginning to blush. Gajeel glanced down at her briefly, before looking back up to the room. He half expected her to protest, like she had when he'd first carried her like this. But to his surprise she rested her head against his chest, turning her face into it.

"Thanks…" she said softly, her voice slightly muffled. He nodded once sharply, glaring as he worked his way towards a corridor at the end of the room, intent on getting them out of that fucking Haunted House before anyone found the two people now lying among its corridors, one dead and one passed out.

This may be a Haunted House, but he figured most of the guests tonight wouldn't appreciate the extra bodies added to the maze…

---

"So this Kurogane fellow, think he'd be easy to track down?" Natsu asked, glancing around the Lounge as he leaned against the couch, his good arm resting along its back.

Gray crossed his arms, exhaling in thought.

"Well I don't know who the fuck he was or where he came from, but the crowd certainly knew him. Everyone went wild when he jumped in to face you, no one really seemed upset that it wasn't Jura."

Natsu nodded thoughtfully.

"I should go back then, to the Dragon's Den, see what people know…"

Gray looked over at him in concern. "You aren't actually trying to find this guy, are you Natsu?"

Natsu shrugged.

"Wait, Natsu, you're not trying to fight him again… are you?"

His concern grew as Natsu scowled darkly, sipping his drink rather than answering.

"That's a bad idea, dude," Gray said. "At least right now, with your shoulder all fucked up."

"It's fine," Natsu said, flashing him a glare. "This is nothing, you know I've had worse injuries than this."

"Well yeah," Gray nodded, "but that was also a long time ago. It's been a while since someone actually beat you up this badly, and frankly I don't want to see it happen again."

Natsu scowled. "You really think he could beat me again? I'd like to see that asshole try!"

"You should at least wait until you've healed more," Gray ground out. "If not for you then for Lucy."

Natsu frowned, guilt churning in his gut. "Lucy was okay…"

"Yeah, maybe this time! And only because I looked out for her!"

"Yeah I know, and thank you for that…" Natsu growled, glaring back at Gray.

"But I had to hold her to keep her from jumping right into the Ring after you!" Gray cried.

"Gray…"

"You can't just keep putting her in danger like that!" Gray continued, getting pissed off with Natsu's stubbornness.

"I don't want to!"

"Then don't look for Kurogane!"

"That asshole deserves what's coming to him!" Natsu shouted.

"But you can't keep putting Lucy in danger! Did you even notice the way all those guys in there looked at her?!"

"…What are you saying."

"Are you an idiot?!" Gray asked.

"Gray… what… what are you saying…?" Natsu was glaring furiously at the carpet, anger growing in his mind.

"Natsu, Lucy is really fucking attractive! Anyone with eyes can see that! It wasn't safe!"

"Shut up! Don't say that about Lucy!" Natsu cried.

"What, that's she's attractive? Fucking gorgeous?! I'm not fucking blind Natsu! I'm a guy! Just like those assholes in the Dragon's Den! It wasn't safe, and you should've known that! And we shouldn't've led Lucy, and Levy for that matter, to a place like that-!,"

"Gray…" Natsu growled, so low that Gray almost didn't here. He looked over at his friend and stopped midsentence. Gray's eyes widened at the furious glare Natsu was shooting him.

"Do you… do you have a thing for Lucy?"

Gray narrowed his eyes at the barely repressed rage in Natsu's tone. He noticed how tense he was.

Gray leaned back, crossing his arms, "No," he spat out. "No, I do not have a thing for Lucy."

"You sure?" Natsu growled, leaning forward towards him. "'Cause you just told me you held her! That you think she's gorgeous!"

"Because she fucking is, Natsu! That doesn't mean I like her!"

"Doesn't it?!" Natsu stood, Gray quickly standing to face him.

"No! But other guys will, Natsu! You have to realize that!" Gray cried, glaring sharply into Natsu's eyes as they stared each other down.

Natsu growled, "Stay the fuck away from my girl, Gray!"

Gray blinked, then glared again.

"Your girl." He stated, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "And who the fuck is your girl Natsu?"

Natsu frowned furiously. "Don't be dumb, ice dick, you know who I mean!"

"Do I? Does she? Does Lucy know she's 'your girl'?" Gray snapped.

"What?" Natsu shook his head. "Yeah, I… I mean, we talked…"

"Did you? 'Cause from where I'm standing, Natsu, Lucy looks awfully single," Gray said, anger flashing in his eyes as he met Natsu's fiery glare. He continued, purposefully egging him on.

"I'm pretty sure even she thinks she's single. So who the fuck is your girl, Natsu?"

He paused, Natsu's nostrils flaring, confusion and anger flickering in the man's eyes.

"Maybe I should date Lucy," Gray continued. "Why not?! She's single, right?! And she's beautiful and funny and smart! Why shouldn't I get to be with someone like her? Why shouldn't I get to be with a girl like that?!"

Gray was fucking pissed. Yeah, okay, he'd had a crush on Lucy at the beginning. She was beautiful, and very outgoing and whiplash smart. She was fun to be with and her smile lit up a room. But it'd been pretty obvious from the very start that Natsu had a thing for her.

So he'd held back. Out of respect for his friend. He hadn't tried to flirt with her or pursue her, and he'd let it go. Because he didn't want to compete with his best friend for a girl. Sure, they fought a lot. But never over girls.

But now he was pissed. Because he'd backed off, given Natsu lots of space, even prevented other guys from going after her, but had to watch as for three years Natsu fucking beat around the bush. Blundered at every turn. He and Lucy had become close friends, but they sure as hell weren't dating.

And now Natsu had the audacity to call Lucy his girl?

"What, you gonna punch me?" Gray asked, seething as he met Natsu's glare. "'Cause I think Lucy's beautiful? 'Cause I would want to date her?"

Both men were bristling and tense, staring each other down as they stood only a foot away.

"Do it," Gray breathed. "Do it!"

Natsu flinched, his left arm still hanging in the sling around his neck, his right hand fisted at his side.

"You're really gonna fight me?" Gray asked, his voice dangerously low. "You're really gonna fight me over this?"

---

Wednesday, October 31st, 2018

-Hargeon Town-

~Two Years Ago~

"You're really gonna fight me over this, Lucy?" Cana asked, one eyebrow raised at her giggling friend.

Lucy laughed as Cana held her hand, trying to pull the girl inside to get a glass of water.

"Lucy you should drink some water, trust me, I know."

"Cana, I'm fine!" Lucy chuckled, swaying around on her insanely high stiletto heels. Cana had found her to let her know Levy had just left, but she'd discovered the girl was pretty tipsy, both from the alcohol and the unfamiliar footwear.

"Lucy, you're going to trip and hurt yourself. Maybe just take them off?"

Lucy shook her head, smiling back mischievously. Cana sighed. Drunk Lucy was acting like a little child, and Cana didn't like being a babysitter. She was contemplating sitting Lucy down and getting her a glass of water herself, when a tall, attractive young man strode up, blatantly sweeping his eyes up and down Lucy's body as the drunk and unaware girl continued to giggle. Cana narrowed her eyes at the guy.

"Hey cutie, looking a little 'flaming hot' tonight," he said, sipping his drink casually as he referenced the demon costume with flames that Lucy had on. She giggled some more, looking up at him through her eyelashes. Cana rolled her eyes.

"Want me to get you a drink?" he asked, but Cana snorted.

"She's had enough, thanks."

He frowned.

"Well what about a dance, then? Would you let me dance with the devil?" he winked at Lucy and she blushed, laughing behind one hand as Cana still held the other.

"I don't think that's a good idea…" Cana started to say, but the man was ignoring her, trying to get Lucy's attention.

"You got a boyfriend, baby?" he asked, moving to snake an arm around her waist.

Drunk Lucy didn't notice the action, her mind instantly flashing to the pink-haired man she'd loved for the past year. But… they weren't technically dating… so…

She shook her head. She didn't technically have a boyfriend. The thought made her sad.

"Well perfect then, come dance with me," he continued, trying to pull Lucy away from Cana.

"Don't touch her," a deep voice growled, and Lucy's heartbeat picked up as she looked over and saw Natsu, glaring at the man beside her and crossing his arms in front of his chest.

The man frowned. "Back off, jerk. We're going to go dance."

Cana glanced back and forth between Natsu and the new guy, both men bristling. She gently pulled a blushing Lucy away, back across the lawn to get away from them.

"Leave her alone! She doesn't want to dance with you!" Natsu said, shooting daggers at the guy.

"Wait, I'm sorry, who the fuck are you? There are lots of girls here, man, go dance with someone else."

He turned to go after Lucy but suddenly stumbled to the grass as Natsu punched him across the cheek.

"What the hell, man?!" he cried, leaping up and rushing at Natsu, sending them both tumbling to the ground.

Cana watched as the scuffle escalated and soon other people had gotten involved. A full-on brawl broke out, sweeping from the yard into the street, with drunken party-goers stumbling after, yelling and shouting as they watched.

She sighed, exasperated, still holding Lucy's hand. The drunk girl was trying to wrap her brain around what was happening, increasingly upset at seeing Natsu fighting in the street.

"Cana! We need to go stop them!" she cried, trying to tug her friend with her towards the street. But Cana shook her head, instead pulling Lucy back with her into the house.

"No, you need water, Lucy, you won't be able to walk back if you're shitfaced," Cana said. "But I think I know someone who wouldn't mind carrying you back, if it came to that…" she muttered, adding that last part under her breath.

In the street, the guy who had flirted with Lucy was furiously trying to hold his own against the unnecessarily violent man with pink hair. Seriously, what the hell was his problem? And why'd he dye his hair fucking pink for Halloween?!

"What the fuck, man?!" he cried, holding his arms up as he tried to block a punch.

"Stay the fuck away from Lucy, you bastard!" Natsu growled, swinging around to punch him in the other side, the guy's eyes widening.

"Well, fuck," he scoffed with realization, spitting to the side. "Tell your bitch not to be a fucking tease next time!"

Natsu just glared fiercely as he jumped forward again, intent on beating the guy up as the other people that had gotten swept up in the brawl continued to fight around them, unaware of how it had all started in the first place.

---

Sunday, November 1st, 2020

-Magnolia City-

~12 Minutes Left in the Magic Hour~

"Do it, Natsu! Punch me! I dare you!" Gray growled, seeing the rage and confusion in his friend's eyes. "Just do it!"

Natsu roared as he surged forward and did just that, punching Gray solidly in the jaw. Gray flinched as he stumbled backwards, falling halfway to the ground. He glared up at Natsu, ready for the man to attack again, but now Lisanna had rushed between them, frantically putting a hand on Natsu's chest to keep him from punching Gray again.

"What the hell, you guys?!" she cried, looking back and forth between them and frowning deeply. Sure, the guys fought a lot, but not like this.

Natsu looked like he wanted to straight up murder Gray. There was no friendliness to this fight.

"What the hell?!" she cried again, trying to figure out what had happened. The two men growled, looking away from her as Cana and Lucy rushed up to see what was happening.

The three girls had come back from dancing, to meet up with Natsu and Gray and to get more drinks. They'd been at the bar when Lisanna had spotted the guys by the balcony, ready to call out to them and wave. But something had her pausing, noticing how angry and tense they both looked, the air around them practically crackling.

She'd run over as soon as she saw Natsu getting ready to punch Gray, his eyes dark with unbridled anger. She hadn't seen him that genuinely angry in a long time.

"Gray, are you alright?!" Lucy cried, kneeling down next to him and putting a hand up to his face. He winced as she touched his jaw, where Natsu had punched him.

"What the fuck?!" Natsu seethed, and Lisanna had to push more roughly against his chest to prevent him from surging forward. "You're worried about that asshole?"

The three girls frowned at him and Gray looked away darkly.

"What?" Lucy asked as she held Gray's arm, helping him stand. "Of course I'm worried about Gray! What were you thinking, Natsu?! Why were you guys fighting?!"

Natsu snorted. "Ask Gray, he started it."

"Really, Natsu? You're going to pin this on me when you are the one being fucking dense?!"

"Shut up, popsicle dick!"

"You're being fucking childish, flame brain!" Gray yelled.

"Oh yeah? Well at least I don't have a fucking stripping habit!" Natsu yelled back.

"It's not a stripping habit!"

"Then where the fuck are your clothes?!"

"And where the fuck is your girlfriend?!"

"Your… girlfriend?" Lucy breathed, looking back and forth between the two men in confusion.

"Why the fuck are you still touching him?!" Natsu cried, and all of them looked to where Lucy was still holding onto Gray's arm, after having helped him stand.

"I-," Lucy started, but Gray cut her off, yanking his arm from her grasp.

"You guys-!" Gray said fiercely, pointing between Lucy and Natsu, "-need to have a fucking conversation!"

Cana raised an eyebrow and Lisanna frowned deeply.

"And I need a fucking drink!" Gray snapped, stomping off to the bar.

The friends watch him leave, Lucy's heart pounding in her chest. She turned to Natsu, looking up at his face as he glared after Gray.

"Natsu… who's your girlfriend?" Lisanna asked, and Natsu growled, looking at the ground. He clenched and unclenched his good hand. Then he looked up at Lucy and she shivered as she met his burning eyes.

"Come on, Luce, I… wanna show you something…" he said, gingerly grabbing her hand and pulling her away towards one end of the bar.

"Natsu-?!" Lucy said, stumbling as she followed. "-What?!"

But he didn't answer, simply kept pulling her after him, and she blushed slightly as she glanced back at Cana and Lisanna, the two girls watching them go.

"So," Cana said, sipping another Blue Moon Drip she had somehow acquired within the last several minutes. "Looks like we really will need to work on getting ourselves laid tonight, if we want to keep up with our friends."

Lisanna snorted, looking over at Cana.

"Really? You don't think they're…?" she asked.

Cana winked. "And when did Gray lose all his clothes?" she asked suggestively, and both girls giggled as they walked back to the bar.

---

For Natsu Dragneel, it had been love at first sight.

Granted, he didn't really know a single thing about love…

Well, he knew the basic concept, right? People got together and decided they wanted to spend the rest of their lives with each other. And then they did. Happy Ever After and all that shit, right?

Natsu never had parents. Well, he'd probably had them at some point, but they hadn't stuck around long enough for him to remember them. And he supposed they had probably been in love. Hopefully. But he'd never seen it.

Growing up, Natsu made friends easily. He was outgoing and friendly, and even though he picked fights often, he still knew how to make up and be friends after. So platonic love, sure, he was familiar with that. That was all well and good.

But romance? Kissing? Love-y dove-y crap? He didn't really get it.

In High School, when couples were making out behind the bleachers, Natsu was up in the stands cheering on the football teams. And at all the school dances, when people would snake their arms around each other and melt in each other's bodies during the slow songs, Natsu was either too busy playing games with his friends or chowing down at the snack table to notice.

And yes, girls flirted with him. Natsu wasn't as dense as people thought he was, he could tell when girls were interested in him. The part he maybe didn't get was why. Because he'd never been interested in any of them - outside of being friends, of course.

And since he wasn't interested, and he frankly didn't want to deal with it, he'd shoot them down real quick, telling them he loved them too – but as friends. Of course.

So Natsu developed a heartbreaker reputation, friend-zoning every girl that approached him. He just wasn't interested in dating and everyone knew. It was typical Natsu. Friendly. Outgoing. Single, but having the time of his life.

But when Natsu Dragneel first saw Lucy Heartfilia, he just knew.

Okay, picture this.

You're minding your own business before class, setting an old piece of paper on fire (because you're a pyromaniac) instead of throwing it away (because you're not a normie) and your idiot wet blanket of a friend is saying something about fire hazards when you glance up and look across the sea of heads in the hallway and your eyes meet hers for the first time and-

Honestly you have no memory of what the hallway looked like or what the wet blanket was saying. You can't remember anything other than her eyes because when you looked in them, you just knew. You knew this is someone I love. You can't even really remember what the rest of her looked like or what she was wearing. When you looked in her eyes, you felt it. You knew.

And then in classic rom-com fashion some random extra gets between you and this girl and you're left blinking, completely caught off guard because you just met the love of your life and now you needed to go find out what her name was.

Natsu had grinned, handing the flaming paper off to a pissed and disgruntled Gray, and jostled his way through the crowd, looking for that pair of eyes. He'd wound up in front of Levy, who was standing next to the love of his life, and both girls glanced up at him, Levy lifting an eyebrow at his sudden appearance.

"Oh hey, Natsu, this is my new friend Lucy," she'd said, turning to the girl. Natsu had grinned widely at her, staring once more into her gorgeous, perfect eyes, and she'd looked back at him a little shyly.

"Hello, nice to meet yo-oh!" she'd started to say, but opened her mouth in surprise as Natsu pulled her into a tight hug. She'd looked back at Levy with raised eyebrows and Levy had chuckled, winking at her.

"That's just typical Natsu!" she'd chirped, the blonde girl nodding as the overly outgoing guy she'd just met was giving her a friendly hug.

Natsu didn't always have the right words or know how to say the right thing, but he always knew how to listen to his gut. And sure, it was listening to his gut that made him impulsive and reckless, but it was also his gut that had told him in that moment that this was what love was.

And he had been so confident that she had felt it too, that he didn't even think to ask her about it.

They quickly became close friends, as naturally as if they'd known each other their whole lives. They had the same sense of humor and could talk for hours. Natsu found himself wanting to know everything about her. Like, did she like cereal and what was her favorite brand? And why was it Cinnamon Toast Crunch (because duh, it was obviously the best one)?

If she had a whole Sunday afternoon free to herself, how would she choose to spend it? What did her hair look like in starlight? Or when it rained? Or at six in the morning when the sun was beginning to rise and its light filtered through a shuttered window, casting beams throughout a room?

And what were the things she cried about in the dead of night, when she felt like she was the only person in the world? Because he didn't want her to feel like she was alone ever again, she had him.

Well, wait, it wasn't like he was a stalker or anything. And he certainly didn't obsess over her, in any kind of creepy possessive way. He just loved her. It was natural. Obvious. It felt right. Everything about the whole situation, him and her, and them together, just fit together in his head, clicking into place and it made so much sense.

Natsu wasn't good with words, he was a man of action.

It was through his actions that he told her he loved her. Through the way he smiled at her every day, helped her carry her bag when it was too heavy, and hugged her, whenever she needed it of course, but mostly just because he wanted to.

He told her he loved her in the spaces between words in texts sent late at night, in the laughing pauses of conversations that lasted for hours, and in how he made room for her fingers to fit between his own when they held hands. He told her he loved her every day.

And he could tell she loved him too, because of the way she looked into his eyes. Just like the first moment they met.

It was so obvious to him that he assumed it was obvious for her too, and for the first couple months, things were perfect.

Until they weren't.

---

Tuesday, October 31st, 2017

-Hargeon Town-

~Three Years Ago~

The party had just started and it already sucked.

"TO HALLOWEEEEN! WHOOOOO!" Max shouted, raising his shot glass in a toast with the group of roommates in the kitchen. Natsu grimaced slightly as he downed the quick shot, slamming his glass down on the counter. It was fine, but it wasn't Fireball. And the house was already slammed with college students, the music pounding with bass, but she wasn't there yet.

So it was fine. But kinda lame.

Where was she?

"I'm gonna do a lap around the house!" he yelled at Gray, the cool man sipping at another shot glass as he smirked at Natsu.

"Trying to find Lucy?" he asked and Natsu snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, whatever! You should be trying to find your clothes!" he retorted, and laughed as Gray looked down at himself with wide eyes, noticing that he'd already lost his shirt.

The lap around the house proved futile. He recognized other girls from the place Lucy lived, but he couldn't find her anywhere. Was she not coming?

He flipped his phone out to check the time. It was already well past eleven!

Well, only by ten minutes. But still!

Gray found him, handing the man a red cup with mystery alcohol, and dragged him to the living room to dance.

"She'll show up!" Gray shouted, eyeing his friend. "Just dance!"

Natsu jumped on a table, deciding to at least send her a SmackChat while he waited. Diving off the table had pissed a couple people off, which had led to some entertaining fights, but Gray had intervened in his usual wet blanket ways, and Natsu stormed off to the kitchen to get another drink, having spilled his all over the crowd when he dive-bombed the dancefloor.

He found Loke in the kitchen, the suave man leaning against the counter and flirting shamelessly with two scantily clad maids. Natsu snorted, flipping through the cupboards to find the Fireball, and accidentally bumped into the man as he went to check the counter behind where he stood.

"Woah there, Natsu! Chill out! You almost made me spill my drink! You should be more careful in the presence of ladies!" Loke said, smirking back at the two women.

"Well…" one said, glancing over at the other. "We wouldn't mind doing some cleaning for you, if you needed it…" she trailed off suggestively and the two giggled as Loke raised an eyebrow at them.

Natsu rolled his eyes, finally finding the Fireball and pouring himself a generous shot.

"What a helpful offer!" Loke said, inching his way closer to them as they laughed behind their hands. "I would expect no less, from a pair of dedicated maids such as yourselves…"

Natsu tuned it out, not caring to get involved in Loke's flirtations. He downed the shot of Fireball, quickly pouring himself another as he watched the partygoers beyond the kitchen.

"- and you can call me 'Master' if you'd like, given the nature of your night. But we should come up with a safe word, ladies. Communication is key! Trust me, guys are dense as fuck. They really need things spelled out for them," Loke said, still wooing the women nearby as Natsu tried to ignore them.

Loke glanced over at him, his eyebrow raising.

"Ah, take Natsu here! Dense as a doorknob! Oy, Natsu!" he called, grinning as Natsu glared over at him.

"What?" he asked, sipping at his shot glass.

"Natsu, how would you know if a girl was in love with you?" he asked.

Natsu frowned. What? Why did this matter?

"Uh," he said, thinking back to the girls that had asked him out in High School. "I guess they'd tell me?"

"Exactly," Loke continued, turning back to the girls. "Guys don't get it unless you spell it out for them. I'm guessing Natsu wouldn't know what love was unless it hit him over the head. He, like most men, have no idea how to handle it. Trust me, ladies, I'm much more experienced in the ways of romancing, I can show you a good night…"

Loke's annoying tongue was still talking, but now Natsu was thinking.

How would you know if a girl was in love with you?

Guys don't get it unless you spell it out for them.

But things were different between him and Lucy, right? Because they both just knew.

Well, now he wasn't so sure. Because he realized that they'd never actually talked about it. Was that important? Had he fucked up? Crap.

He glared at the ground, leaning against the counter as he sipped at the shot glass, his mind spinning in circles.

Damn it! This was why he stayed away from love-y dove-y crap! Why was it all so confusing?!

He glanced over at Loke, the other man still smirking as he talked to the two maids, and Natsu was suddenly kinda pissed that he'd made this more complicated than it should be. He swallowed down the rest of the Fireball, setting the glass down on the counter, and stalked over to the other man, causing Loke to glance up at in surprise.

"Natsu-?" he asked, but Natsu was leaning forward into his face, glaring sharply.

"That's bullshit, thought, right? Because if it matters they know, right?"

"Uh," Loke said, frowning back at his roommate. "…what?"

But Natsu was still talking, his eyes drifting in thought. "Because when you know, you know, right? Isn't that how it all works? And if it feels right then it is right, right?"

"Uhhh," Loke said, staring back at Natsu who seemed to be ranting in gibberish. "Listen Natsu, if you want to punch a face in, go find Gray…"

But Natsu wasn't really paying attention, and Loke glanced over at the girls he'd been flirting with, both frowning back with just as much confusion as he felt.

And then Gray showed up, putting a firm hand on Natsu's shoulder and pulling him away from where he'd backed Loke against the counter. Loke gave Gray a relieved smile.

"Yo, back off Natsu, what'd Loke do to you?" Gray grumbled, trying to figure out what was wrong with the guy, but his friend shook his head, frowning at his thoughts.

His mind was still spinning and he wondered if it was from the alcohol. But he could usually hold his liquor pretty well, so that shouldn't've been the problem. Everything would be better when Lucy finally showed up, so where the hell was she? He pulled his phone out to check if she'd texted him in the two minutes since he'd last looked, and followed Gray back into the crowded living room.

And luckily, he didn't have to wait for long, as the blonde girl soon walked in moment later, wearing a colored t-shirt with holes and a pair of bunny ears. He laughed when he saw her, what a weirdo!

And now the party didn't suck so much anymore.

It was quite dark in the backyard when they raced outside to catch fireflies. Natsu could feel the warmth from the alcohol coursing through his system as his keen eyes tracked the paths of the bugs flickering through the air.

He whooped when he caught one, bringing it back to Lucy so she could help him get it in the jar they'd brought outside, and she held it up between them after the lid was screwed on tight, watching the glowing bug in wonder as it floated about inside. The firefly's light illuminated Lucy's face with warmth, and he couldn't help but stare as she grinned at the jar, blonde locks of hair framing her glowing cheeks. He swallowed thickly.

She knew, right?

His mind flashed back to the worry he'd felt earlier, after hearing Loke rant about communication and safe words (?), and Natsu frowned as he couldn't get it out of his head. Because he knew. So she had to know too, right? Fuck. He wasn't sure. And he wasn't good at this shit.

But he figured maybe he should say something, just to make sure they were on the right track. They didn't need to ever talk about it again, he just wanted to make sure.

"So, uh… I'm not very good at this… but I figured I should just say something anyways - give it a shot. And maybe it's the alcohol talking but here goes. I like you. Like a lot. Like, uh, like you, like you. And I uh, I guess I wanted to make sure you liked me too? Like, we're not just friends, right? But like, more? If we were more than just friends… would, uh, would you like that too?"

She was looking up at him now, a slight crease in her brow, and Natsu felt like he was sweating bullets. What the hell was he saying?! He'd trusted his gut and had just gone for it, but the longer he talked the more it sounded like shit.

She was looking back at him, her mouth slightly open, and the glowing light from the firefly between them gave her eyes a mysterious glint. What was she thinking?! Natsu stared at her intently, his eyes flickering to her lips, to her hair. It was slightly mussed up from the racing around they'd done all night and he wanted to reach out and twirl his fingers through it. She was just so beautiful.

Had he just fucked things up? By saying something? Had he said the wrong thing? Maybe he shouldn't've said anything at all!? Now he was wishing he had just shut up, praying for this moment of uncertainty to end, and then they could go back to the perfect way they were before. She had probably already known too, like he had, and now she was laughing at him for being so ridiculous and saying all this silly stuff.

He watched her nervously, seeing the slight frown on her face, and his heart pounded in his chest as he waited for her to say something. Anything. Anything to end this awful uncertainty!

But then she smiled sweetly and his heart raced as he grinned with relief because it was okay. He already knew what she was going to say, just from the way her eyes were looking up into his.

"Of course, Natsu. With you, I'd love that."

---

Sunday, November 1st, 2020

-Magnolia City-

~2 Minutes Left in the Magic Hour~

The cool night air brushed against Lucy's cold cheeks as she followed Natsu out a door and… onto the roof of Fairy's Fate. She blinked, looking around in wonder as the lights of Magnolia City sprawled out around her into the distance.

"Wow!" she breathed, rushing after him as he walked up to the edge, which overlooked the large avenue of the Strip.

"Just, wow!" she said, leaning up against the railing, her eyes wide. "Is this what you wanted to show me?" she asked, turning to Natsu.

He glanced at her, her eyes shining, and he nodded, leaning against the railing next to her as they watched the people continuing to party in the street below.

The Strip was lit up with glowing signs and shimmering lights. Lucy smiled as the music from the various clubs and bars drifted through the air around them, varying widely. And each establishment was packed, lines snaking from the buildings as people tried to get in.

It was a little chilly out here in the cold and Lucy shivered as goosebumps spread on her bare arms. She rubbed her hands on her arms, trying to warm them up, and then blushed when Natsu reached his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close to his body heat.

She glanced up at him, seeing the way the well-lit street below made his skin look soft. His dark eyes were still watching the revelry. And her heart beat harder as she thought back to what had just happened with Gray.

Should she… ask him about it? She wanted to, but there was a lump of fear in her throat, preventing her from saying the words. Did… Natsu have a girlfriend? Is that what Gray had implied? She felt anxiety twist in her stomach at the thought. It wasn't possible, right? Wouldn't she have known about it if it was true?

She wanted to know, but she was too scared to find out. She was too scared that if she brought it up it would become real. Lucy realized that even though she and Natsu weren't dating, they were still incredibly close. And she couldn't imagine him with a girlfriend. If Natsu got a girlfriend… what would that mean for their friendship? What would that mean… for her?

She felt her eyes begin to prick, starting to well up with tears. The thought of Natsu with another girl was breaking her heart. But she also realized that it was because she loved him, that she needed to support him no matter what. And if that meant accepting another girl as his girlfriend, then that was what she needed to do.

Because Natsu was her best friend. Sure, Levy was her Best Friend, but Natsu was her best friend. She didn't even know how it had happened, they'd just gotten incredibly close during the last three years of school. They saw each other every day, hung out every day, talked every day. She needed to be there for him every day too, even if it shattered her heart, like the glass of a mirror, into millions of tiny shards.

She let out a shaky breath, steeling herself for the question, and looked up at the silent man tentatively.

"Natsu… what… what did Gray mean?" she asked, peering at him through her eyelashes. "Do… do you have a girlfriend?"

Her heart was racing as she tensed, waiting for his reply, but he let out a heavy sigh, pulling her closer to him such that she was tucked into his chest, his good arm wrapped around her tightly.

"Shit, Luce, I thought…" he said, glancing down at her then back to the street. "I kinda thought… you were my girlfriend…"

Lucy blinked. What?

What?!

"WHAT?!" she cried, pulling back from him slightly to stare up at his face as he winced, unable to meet her eyes. "What-?! I-! How-? How could you think that?" she yelled, her heart racing as she put a hand to her chest in shock.

He frowned, looking back at her for a moment, then scowled down at the street.

"Do you… not wanna be?" he asked and her mouth opened, shocked that this was even happening.

"No!" she cried, then blinked rapidly. "Wait! I mean, yes! But also no, that's not what I meant! I, just-! I mean, how-?! How did you think we were dating?! Why did you think that?! Oh my god, I thought Gray was saying you had a girlfriend! Well I guess you're saying you thought so, too-? But like howisthat evenpossible? What possibly made you think we were dating?!"

Natsu frowned. "When I told you I liked you. And you said you liked me, too."

Lucy stared at him, dumbstruck.

"You did? And I did? When did that happen?"

"On Halloween! Uh, three-? years ago! You don't remember? Look it doesn't matter, point is I said something! I thought we were good!"

"You said something? You thought we were good?"

"Yeah! And we were! We have been!" Natsu cried, upset with how Lucy seemed to be reacting at all this. Was she upset with him?

"Shit, Luce-," Natsu said, "You're crying…"

Lucy blinked rapidly, realizing that she hadn't even known she'd started crying, the tears that had welled up from her earlier anxiety at the thought of him having a girlfriend that wasn't her finally pooling out to run down her cheeks.

Natsu reached his hand out to brush them off, but then hesitated an inch away. If she was mad at him, could he even touch her right now? He swallowed thickly. He was nervous and scared that she hated him and really fucking pissed off at Gray for bringing the whole thing up. Because they'd been perfect! At least, he thought they had been!

Lucy didn't notice his hesitation, because now she was realizing something else.

"…three years…?" she breathed, her eyes wide. "Have you thought… we've been dating… for three years?"

Natsu blinked anxiously. "Uh…"

"Oh my god. Three years! I can't believe this! All this time I thought you were being dense but now… Now I find out that I've been the dense one? This whole time?!"

"Lucy…" Natsu said, wanting to comfort her. Wanting to help her calm down. "I'm really sorry, I thought we both knew…? I thought we were on the same page?"

"About dating?" she turned to him, staring into his eyes, and he tried to figure out what the look in her eyes meant.

"Natsu, if we've been dating then why haven't we been kissing?! Or, or, or having sex?! How could you think we've been dating when we haven't even kissed? Don't tell me that happened also, and I just don't remember!?"

Natsu shook his head, making her sigh in relief. She swiped her hands across her cheeks, trying to dry them off as more tears escaped her eyes. She wasn't even crying for a specific reason now, it was just all so much.

"Nah, we haven't," he said, looking away again. "I figured you wanted to take things slow…"

"My god, three years slow?!"

"Uh… yeah, you uh, you said you wanted space… one time…"

Lucy shook her head, mystified. "I don't even remember that?!"

"Are you… are you mad at me?" he asked, glancing at her desperately.

"Wha-?" she asked, looking up at him as she sniffed, and then suddenly she was laughing, tears still streaming down her cheeks.

"No!" she said between the laughter. "No, I'm not mad! I'm just-! So- so confused? And overwhelmed!"

And Natsu was relieved, a small grin spreading across his mouth as he watched her with confusion, as she simultaneously laughed and cried at the same time. What a weirdo.

"Well then, uh," he said, his tone causing her to look up into his eyes. He wasn't sure if this was the right move, and he didn't want to make her cry again, but a feeling in his gut was making him feel hotter than normal and he let his impulsive nature take over. "Do you wanna… stop taking things slow?"

Lucy shivered at the way he was looking at her, his eyes dark and his voice husky. She glanced down at his lips involuntarily, suddenly so close to her face as he leaned towards her.

"I-," she began to say, her heart racing from the question, but a loud bang had her turning her head and looking out over the Strip in surprise.

At the end of the street, above a large hot pink club with blue lights, bright shapes were erupting in the sky and Lucy's distracted brain slowly realized that they must be fireworks, to celebrate the end of the Magic Hour. Flowers and hearts and unicorns danced across the sky, and Lucy's eyes widened with wonder.

She turned back to Natsu to finish her reply but never got the chance as he kissed her.

Lucy gasped in surprise, Natsu's hot lips enveloping her own in a deep kiss that was causing her mind to short-circuit. She closed her eyes, leaning into him as he pulled her closer with his good arm, running his hand down her back and settling it in the curve of her spine.

He started to pull away, but she reached up and entangled her fingers in his hair, pulling him back and kissing him again fiercely.

They were both breathing hard when the kiss ended, and Natsu leaned his forehead on her own as she stared up into his eyes. He grinned at the way she was looking back at him, her eyes slightly unfocused and clouded with lust.

"I-," she panted, swallowing hard. "I think I'd be okay with moving less slow…"

He chuckled, rubbing his hand up and down her back as she shivered at the touch.

"Sounds good, Luce," he said. "So, does that mean you'll be my girlfriend?"

Lucy laughed at the question, breathless from the kiss, and moved her hands from his hair to rest on either side of his neck. His skin was hot, sending tingles through her skin, and she wondered how she had ever been okay not being able to touch him like this before.

"Of course, Natsu," she said, leaning into his warmth with a sigh.

"With you-," she pulled him close again, their lips almost touching, their breath mingling in the space between them. And it was him, and her, and them together. It was right.

"-I'd love that."

---

This place was…! Was...! Was pure hell!

Jet and Droy paled as they raced through the hot pink club, frantically passing many scandalously dressed patrons packed together in the bubblegum pink rooms. They were all dancing, and grinding against each other, and sipping at pastel colored drinks with rainbow striped straws.

"Woah there, boys!" a sexy clown said as they almost ran into him, eyeing them both seductively. "I don't usually bite more than I can chew, but I'd be willing to juggle both of you," he said, winking and lipping his lips, and Jet and Droy screamed, spinning around and running into their own reflections!

Wait, not their reflections, just two men who looked a lot like them – one tall with ginger hair and the other shorter, slightly chubby, with brown hair – standing there and staring back at them wide-eyed. But the two men were wearing… a lot less. And holding hands!

Jat glanced down and realized he'd been holding Droy's hand also!

He cried, pushing it away.

"We need to get out of here!" Droy wailed, and Jet nodded in panic.

He didn't need to be told twice, turning and bolting for the exit, knowing Droy would be right behind.

As they ran out into the busy street, fireworks went off above the hot pink club behind them, a bursting display of flowers and butterflies and pink ponies. They panted as they pushed their way through the bustling sidewalk, glancing anxiously around at the many clubs and bars and other venues of entertainment that stretched down the Strip, seemingly into eternity.

Oh where, oh where, were Levy and their friends!?

---

A/N

!

So this chapter was basically two, but I wanted to start with Halloween 2017 in Lucy's perspective and end with Halloween 2017 in Natsu's perspective. I thought about splitting it up, but couldn't decide on the best place to do that. So voila!

I like the idea that Natsu isn't as dense as people think, he just doesn't understand the societal expectations of dating. He knows what he wants and he knows he loves Lucy, he just doesn't know the right way to ask her out or what is expected in a relationship.

And Lucy is so busying overthinking those things – daydreaming about him asking her out and worrying that since he hasn't (that she knows of) it means he only sees her as a friend – that she fails to notice they've basically already been dating, minus the kissing and sex. Because after all, a great relationship needs the basis of a great friendship. Everyone says the person you're supposed to marry should be your best friend, right?

Is it a bit far-fetched that it took them three years to resolve the miscommunication? Possibly. But I like how dramatic it is this way.~

Remember in Chapter 2 when it's a fight spilling into the road that forces Gajeel to turn around on his bike? ;) now we know what happened.

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I've said it before, but this story is taking longer to write than I initially expected!

To give you some reference, I had planned to have this chapter written by the end of October! Lmao!

Thank you for your patience and continued support, I am still working on it and want it to be as good as it can be, so it's just taking a little bit of time.

Full disclosure real quick, I'm going to go back and edit some of the previous chapters. I am NOT changing any plot points, not even small ones. I am only changing minor vocab/grammar errors that I have noticed, that missed my initial edits. Looking back they drive me crazy.

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A couple other notes:

-I had Elfman say: "if you're a man, then you are a man!"

Turns out this is a direct quote, that I pulled from the Elfman Strauss page on the Fairy Tail fandom wiki site.

-Okay, I'm busted. Blue Moon Drops.

I quickly realized that, even though I'd previously said that Fairy's Fate would have free drinks all of Magic Hour, this was actually ridiculous. So many people would abuse this, get absolutely trashed, polish off the top shelf liquor for free, and try to sneak extra alcohol. It'd be a disaster, I don't think any club would want to take the risk. So instead, I backtracked and had them giving away only one free thing the whole night, a special cocktail they made in honor of the Blue Moon, that was so mild that hopefully no one would die of alcohol poisoning, even if they tried to guzzle them nonstop the entire hour.

I got the idea for the name from the story Passive Aggressive Post-Its by quite-a-riot. If you haven't read this fic, I *highly* recommend it. Seriously, I wish I could write this well. It's 500,000k words and 57 chapters, and Juvia only just got included in the story, but it's seriously great and I absolutely love it and the author has a whole arc with an alcohol she calls Moon Drip, which is presumably named after the spell from the show. I switched it up by making it a cocktail, changed 'Drip' to 'Drop' in reference to Lemon Drops (real cocktails), changed the color to blue, and named it in reference to the Blue Moon, which was already a recurring theme in my story. But I wanted to let you all know that I first got the idea of using the 'Moon Drip' spell name as a name for an alcoholic beverage from this story. It is truly a gem and the author deserves all the credit for making 'Moon Drip' alcohol.

-The story brought up briefly, about how the Fates are tricked into getting drunk:

The three sisters were tricked into becoming intoxicated by Alcestis, a princess in Greek mythology. Her husband and lover Admetus became gravely ill and passed away, throwing her into deep despair. She got the Fates drunk in an attempt to get Clotho to bring him back, but the three sisters explained that they could only bring him back if there was a replacement to take his place in the Underworld. When no replacement could be found, Alcestis offered up herself, and an agreement was made. She quickly became sick, sinking into her grave as Admetus came back to life.

The story actually doesn't end there. At the last moment, Heracles arrived. When Thanatos, a Greek god of death, came to take Alcestis, Heracles wrestled him and forced him to let Alcestis remain, allowing the two lovers to be reunited. Yay! Happy ending!

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A very special thanks to the people that have reviewed!

Firiare – Thank you! I gotta admit, I'm pretty curious what your theories are! Feel free to PM me with them if you want to. I'd be interested in seeing if any of them are things I hadn't even thought of!

Amanny – Love me some good NaLu, thanks for reading!

PinkPolkaDot – Haha thank you! Yeah, it's still Halloween Night! It's a bit of a throwback now that the entire world has switched gears to everything Christmas, but in this world they've got a couple more hours left in their night. I had genuinely been thinking I'd get most of this story written in October LMAO but here we are! Thank you so much for your thoughts, really glad that you enjoyed it!~

rao hyuga 18 – Thank you! I have never shipped a ship as hard as I ship Gajevy either. Really love them so much. But I had fun exploring NaLu while writing this. I didn't think I'd include so much NaLu but then it just happened lmao. Thanks for reading! Really appreciate it.

Lucy H Lover – I'm glad you did too! Yeah NaLu are great, super adorable. If you haven't read Passive Aggressive Post-Its by quite-a-riot (I mentioned it above) I highly recommend! I fell in love with Gajevy first, but I think that story is the one that made me fall in love with NaLu, too.

Guest on Nov 21 – Thank you for the encouragement! Reading this review made my day. I'm really happy you like it, and I promise I will finish it!

piranha pk – Ahh! Thank you so much! I'm so glad you liked it!

And oh my gosh, I love Monster. Like- love, love, love it.

I've thought a lot about this comment, that The Midnight Hour reminds you of Monster, and I definitely see it.

I think the biggest similarity is the way I've written Phantom Lord, and Gajeel's relationship with José. I like how this dynamic forces Gajeel into a spot where he's paranoid about putting Levy in danger, and he gets overly protective of her.

And I wish there were more stories with the same kind of dynamic, which is why I wrote this. I can't say I was specifically thinking about Monster when I came up with this story, it all kind of fell together in my head one night at like 1 am lmao, but I adore MsKtK as an author and I adored the way she wrote the Phantom Lord/José/Gajeel dynamic, so since I'm following in her footsteps there, maybe this is a fanfiction of Monster as much as it is of Fairy Tail!

The other main similarity would be how Levy loses her phone, but it's a much bigger deal in Monster than I made it here, and I did it so Levy would be forced to rely on Gajeel all night (oops, sorry girl!).

I haven't read Monster in a while, I think I'm like 6 chapters behind. I was reading it when I read a lot of fanfiction in school. I like to binge things, so I'll often wait for more chapters to come out before indulging in it.

Let me know if you see any other big similarities between the two! I'm actively trying not to copy anyone else's work, but I know why you would see the similarity because Monster is one of my favorite fics and I wrote this when I found myself wishing that there were more stories out there like my favorite ones.

If anyone reading this hasn't read Monster, seriously, go check it out! It's hot and heavy and hits you in all the right places. MsKtK is an amazing author and she deserves lots of likes and comments and reviews!

I mentioned it above, Passive Aggressive Post-Its by quite-a-riot is another one of my favorite stories, highly recommend.

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Thank you for reading and reviewing! Cheers!~