We were entwined in red rings
Of blood and loneliness before
The first snows fell
Before muddy rivers seeded clouds
Above a virgin forest, and
Men ran naked, blue and black
Skinned into the warm embraces
Of Sheba, Eve and Lilith.
I was your sister.
"So, what brings you to our camp, my daughter?" Matrem Mbatha asked Lucy as she packed her long wooden pipe with herbs. They were in her private tents, having finished with the festivities and prayers.
Mbatha put the pipe in her mouth and lit it, taking a long inhale of the smoke before letting it out towards the top of her tent; it spiraled and danced out the top. She glanced at Lucy in expectation as she handed the pipe over to the blond.
Lucy took it and repeated Mbatha's actions, letting the smoke drift over her vision and out into the night sky. It burned in her throat, her lungs, but it cleared her head.
"I'm looking for Aquarius."
The single four word sentence stilled the air and cause Mbatha to look at her with a serious expression.
"We have not seen the Water-Bearer, but there were whisperings from other tribes," Mbatha inhaled from the pipe again and continued, "There's a strange, unnatural storm passing through the continents. It's unforgiving, causing floods wherever it goes and sweeping people into it's torrential waters."
Lucy felt her eyes widen. "That sounds like Aquarius. She always did hate most people." Mbatha let out a laugh.
"So would I, dear. Celestials aren't treated with the respect and dignity they deserve. They are a millenium older than us, wiser and sometimes, more powerful, and yet, most mages treat them as if they are the ground they walk on. They're neglected in most cases, even the lower gate keys." Mbatha huffed and smoke filtered out her nose, making her look like an angry dragon. Lucy giggled at the image.
"That's why I love my friends with all my heart, because I know that they are always going to be family to me and always have my back- so long as I treat them with respect." Lucy commented, smiling at her friend.
Mbatha gave her a wry smile in return. "You are a special one, my dear." Her wryness turned into mischievousness and she leaned towards the blonde woman. "Now, tell me about those dragonkin of yours."
You left me to force strangers
Into brother molds, exacting
Taxations they never
Owed or could ever pay.
You fought to die, thinking
In destruction lies the seed
Of birth. You may be right.
"I'm surprised we haven't passed out from the amount of hormones you put out in the last hour, Gajeel." Cobra commented, looking sideways at the Iron Slayer.
Gajeel whipped around and glared at him. "Shut your face, you Bleached Asshole, you don't know what you're talking about."
Laxus snorted. "So, you aren't interested in Blondie?"
Gajeel grit his teeth. "I'm interested, but I doubt she is. Bunny isn't just someone I can lay claim to, alright? She's not an ordinary mate, she'd kill me if I tried to be all possessive and shit."
Bickslow leered at him. "Ain't that the truth. She'd hang you up by the balls in front of the whole guild if you tried to pull that shit. But, I think she's more interested than she's letting on."
"Yes, I too, believe that Miss Lucy is rather infatuated with you, Gajeel." Freed added, flipping through a large tome.
Gajeel raised an eyebrow. "Infatuated, really?" He snorted. "I doubt that. Plus, she's probably with someone already and I'm not about to come between them, not matter how much I want her for myself. I can wait."
It was Cobra this time who snorted. "That's a fresh baked lie right there. If you don't, then your dragon certainly will take her as a mate. Sooner or later, your instincts will overcome you and you won't be able to fight it off."
Gajeel sighed. "Then what do you suggest I do? Go up to her and say, "Hey, Bunny, I really fucking like you and want to date the shit out of you, and oh yeah, if you say no, my dragon may or may not take over and try to force itself on you?" No, I'd rather just leave the party if it comes down to that."
"Well, I certainly wouldn't put it that way." Evergreen butted in. "I would just try to get to know the new Lucy. Understand her and share things with her, but do it slowly. One moment at a time is all you need."
Gajeel sighed again and looked up at the stars. One moment at a time, huh? I think I can do that.
I will remember silent walks in
Southern woods and long talks
In low voices
Shielding meaning from the big ears
Of overcurious adults.
The next day, the group left the Ashanti and headed into Bosco with Bickslow taking the lead, as a native Bosconian. Mbatha told the group that they should meet up with the silk traders in the city of Angora, see if they've run into the 'traveling hurricane'.
"So, why the silk traders?" Evergreen asked as she adjusted her scarf around her mouth. The desert sands were scorching and the wind blew the gritty material onto the group.
"Silk merchants are one of the biggest gossips in Earthland. They travel and pick up information and for the right price, that information could be yours too." Lucy replied, shrugging her backpack further onto her shoulders. The sun in this region of Earthland was unforgiving and the sunburn that she and a couple others, were proof of that.
"And, how much is the 'right price'?" Freed asked, coming up besides the blonde. His cheeks were red and peeling and there was a light freckling across the bridge of his nose.
Lucy shrugged. "It depends on the vendor. Some will want secrets, some will want coin, and others will want a favor, either sexual or a boon." She replied, nonchalantly. She could see the edge of the city now; big sandstone walls and wooden gates, with guards posted above.
"Most will want sex, though." Bickslow continued. "Angora is pretty much the capital of Bosco and it's filled with every man and woman's wildest dreams."
"Know this from experience?" Cobra leered, his fangs glinting in the sunlight. Bickslow smirked back at him.
"Every Bosconian does. We don't give two fucks about gender, but physical and emotion pleasure is something that we are masters of. You'll find that most Bosconians are in triads or even quads, even the brothels here are orgy filled heavens." He leered back, pleased by the flash of a familiar emotion he saw in Cobra's soul.
"Sounds…. Adventurous." Evergreen said, a flush in her cheeks.
"It is." Lucy agreed, ignoring the looks she could feel on her.
"Well, well, looks like Cheerleader has a few dark secrets, hmm?" Bickslow chuckled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Lucy just shrugged him off and fell into step with Gajeel.
"Of course, you perv, I'm not a sweet little flower waiting for the right man to come and take me." She answered.
Gajeel snorted. "You're more a flower than you know, Bunny, just not a pansy ass." Lucy looked at him curiously and gestured for him to continue. "You're more like belladonna, a gorgeous flower, but incredibly poisonous. You lure people in and then strike when they least expect it. You're pretty deadly, Bunny."
Lucy smiled and bumped her shoulder into his. "Thanks, Gaj, you're not too bad yourself." She turned to the group. "By the way, should I die on this journey, Gajeel's in charge of my headstone. I don't trust you motherfuckers to not put something fucked up on it." Laxus shook his head as Cobra and Bickslow burst out laughing and Evergreen and Freed turned slightly horrified at the prospect of Lucy dying. Gajeel just suppressed a shudder and faked a chuckle.
He didn't want to imagine her dying. Looking at her, he smiled softly and nodded to himself.
She was deadly, but beautiful.
You may be right.
Your slow return from
Regions of terror and bloody
Screams, races my heart.
I hear again the laughter
Of children and see fireflies
Bursting tiny explosions in
An Arkansas twilight.
Angora is a type of textile and I thought it was funny because they're going to meet up with silk traders.
For those of you who will comment on Gajeel's obvious Non-Gajeel-ness, just listen: he's a grown ass adult. He's not a brash teenager anymore, he's a grown ass man that's been through a shit ton of fucked up shit. He's had to deal with shit, just like everyone else and he's grown from it. He's not going to act all "Lucy mine, let's fuck Lucy" because in real life, it's not just about the fucking. He isn't some bad boy who's also a- ugh I even hate say it- 'Player', he's, again, a grown man who knows what he wants and is willing to woo (cough, stealth date, cough) Lucy. And yes, spoiler alert for those of you who haven't guessed it, it's GaLu for this story.
And that's not to say that Gajeel has never been with anyone. He has been with a lot of people, but that's not who he is in this moment of life.
And yes, le gasp, Lucy is not a virgin. She's a grown ass woman. She gets to have sex. She gets to have as much sex with as many people as she wants because she wants to, so please do not slut shame in my comment section please.
Yes, this author is very sex positive- reference A Night She Won't Forget for examples.
Hi, college is hard. I love my followers, reviewers, favoriters, and viewers (who are 10K strong)
