Summary: The guild is once again in dire need for some cash….this time Makarov wants a charity pin-up calendar.
Pairings: Gray/Juvia, Juvia/Cana friendship, implied Natsu/Lucy, implied Erza/Jellal, implied Gajeel/Levy, and some other general friendship feels.
YouTube Prompt: Fairy Tail tribute to 'City of Hope' by Journey.
Everyone stood uneasily in the guild as they stared anxiously at the stage. It wasn't often that Master called a guild meeting but when he did it was usually something bad. Like when an enemy planned a full out attack on them, or they were going to do S-Class exams that end with a huge chunk of people being missing for seven years, or joining a competition that ends in near-death by Dragon….
So yeah, no one was looking forwards to this meeting.
Soon enough, Master strolled onto the stage, hands behind his back as he paused at the centre, turned, and stared at them solemnly. "Congratulations Brats," he said gravely, "you got what you wanted." Everyone exchanged bewildered looks. What did they get? "The guild is once again out of money."
"WHAT?!"
Everyone's jaws dropped open at this. Some paled, especially the ones who had to go the seven years of poverty and loss, as they feared the worst. Others opened and closed their mouths like fish as they tried to utter a sentence.
"Why would we want that?!" Freed managed to choke out.
"Why are you congratulating us?!" Levy cried out. "That's terrible!"
"Because it has become apparent that your life's greatest ambition to see me die in debt." Everyone immediately protested this but Makarov held his hand up instantly silencing the, "Shut up the lot of ya!" he snapped. "It doesn't matter if it's your ambition or not, the point is we're in debt, and we need money, and as quickly as possible because there is five towns already out for our blood."
"What do you want us to do about it?" Gray asked nervously. "Not another kissing booth, I hope."
"Of course not," Master snorted derisively, "after the last time we ended up facing three hundred and twenty seven lawsuits for wrongful electrocution or burning." Natsu giggled sheepishly under several people's (including Lucy) glares while Laxus shrugged, unbothered. "No," Master shook his head, "I've already decided on what fund raising scheme we'll be doing and it's one where you lot have the least contact with our customers. We're going to do a pin-up calendar!" he announced gleefully.
"WHAT?!"
This time it was only the boys that bellowed and they all looked utterly furious. A pin-up calendar was a billion times worse than a kissing booth because they couldn't stop perverts from doing anything while thinking about the girls.
Damnit!
"If you think we're going to let the girls pose in the nude just so you can get your jollies," Laxus scowled, "you have another thing coming old man."
At this, each and every female (apart from Wendy, Charle, and Asuka) suddenly placed their hands on their hips and slowly turned to glower at Laxus. Did he think he could order them about? They would like to see him try.
"First," Master said sternly, "judging by the ladies' faces I think you should reconsider what you have just said."
"Yes, really reconsider it, Laxus," Mira hissed dangerously, "Because, at the end of the day, it's our choice if we want to do it or not!"
"And secondly!" Makarov cut in before a boy vs girl argument broke out. He knew his brats well, the boys had all bristled, and the moment one of them opened their mouth and said something stupid the girls would attack. "I wasn't thinking of the girls when I suggested this. In fact the girls have done more than enough selling themselves in order to promote the guild's interests." The girls all nodded and the boys had to agree with this, after all it was the girls who did the kissing booth, it was the girls who posed in Sorcerer Weekly, it was the girls who posed for the posters that Max sold in the merchandise stand, and it was the girls that flattered most of the clients into dropping damage repair charges. "That's why I wanted a Fairy Tail Boy pin-up."
"…."
"…."
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…Fuck," Gray swore eventually on the behalf of everyone. "We can't get out of this can we?"
"I am putting the girls in charge of everything," Master concluded, his refusal to answer Gray's question had answered it perfectly. "Don't screw up."
And with that he walked back into his office leaving everyone to think over what they had been told. It had been utterly silent as the boys all looked horrified and the girls were contemplative…..and then suddenly Mira let out a shrill squeal of utter delight and the girls all suddenly crowded round one another babbling excitedly.
"Ooh!" Juvia squealed excitedly. "Juvia thinks that we should have a Gray-sama calendar!"
"Meh," Cana shrugged with the utmost boredom, "everyone has seen Gray naked before. That's nothing new. Which is why I think we oughta put him at December, so it'll be refreshing to see him naked after all the other handsome boys our guild has to offer."
Juvia pouted at this. "But Juvia would really like a Gray-sama calendar!" she protested.
Cana draped an arm round Juvia's shoulder and squeezed the blue-haired girl to her chest. "And now we know what to get you for your birthday," she grinned, "but let's be honest here. Do you really want all those other girls to have a Gray-sama calendar?"
(Gray's wail of 'stop encouraging her!' was completely and utterly ignored.)
Juvia frowned solemnly. "Juvia does not like the idea of any other woman drooling over her Gray-sama," she agreed quietly.
"Exactly!" Cana grinned. "So Gray can be December."
"Yes, that would work quite nicely," Mira said decisively, "Laxus can start us all off in January, followed by Freed in February, Bickslow in March, then who next?"
"Natsu should be somewhere in the summer," Lucy spoke up, her cheeks a faint pink, "because you know…."
"The terrible cliché of his name?" Levy teased.
"Oi!" Natsu pipped up indignantly….and then a look of confusion took over. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"That you're an idiot," Gray muttered.
This instantly caused a fight between them that no one paid attention to as the girls were too busy planning out the new calendar and all the other boys were ear-wigging so they had an idea what they were getting into.
"Elfman can be April," Mira decided, "we can display his delicate side with all the blossoms, and then we'll fit Jet in at May, Natsu in June, Gajeel could be July, Alzack can fill in for August, Max in September, Warren in October," she then turned slightly and smirked slyly in Erza's direction, "and I'm sure we can get Jellal for November."
Erza spluttered at that while some of the other guys that hadn't been mentioned puffed up indignantly. "Jellal?!" they chorused.
"He is part of our guild, he fought for Team B, remember?" Mira pointed out defensively "It's only fair. Besides, don't you think he'll be super sexy wearing nothing but his scarf and hat?"
All the boys looked disgusted at that. "Urgh!" they groaned.
Erza, however, blushed brightly. "M…err…yeah!" she mumbled.
"So then, we're all agreed who for what month?" Al the girls nodded, the boys didn't argue….because they knew they had no choice in the matter. "Excellent," Mira beamed, "Now what sort of theme should we do for each picture?"
"Wait," Natsu suddenly looked up from punching Gray, "did you just say that Jellal will be naked?!" he cried out, horrified.
"Of course we did," Mira rolled her eyes.
"Why?!"
"It's a pin-up calendar Natsu," Lucy said exasperatedly, "what did you think that meant?"
"Not that!"
The girls gave him a withering look that makes Natsu shrink back slightly. "Must we be naked?" Freed asked. "Do we have to fall into the tradition? Couldn't we just be subversive and controversial like we always are?"
"Of course not," Evergreen said flatly, "it would be no fun at all if you kept your clothes on."
"Ooh!" Levy gasped as her eyes lit up with an idea. "We should have Freed pose in the library and the books all placed just so. It would be so classy!"
Freed flushed as Gajeel glared at him furiously and cracked his knuckles.
"We can't get out of this," Max said as dread filled his stomach, "Can we?"
The smirks on the girls' faces answered that question loud and clear. This then led to three months of sheer hell in which the girls planned out each and every month carefully, hired Jason of all people (do you know how hard it is to pose when there's a guy screaming 'Cool! Cool! Cool!' over and over again?) to do the photos, and the girls spent every second being bossy as hell. Ordering the boys about, insulting them, and enforcing discipline via Erza whenever they attempted to rebel.
(Laxus was still sulking over the fact he had to pose in the kitchen with nothing on but Mira's pink, frilly, apron.)
And yet, it was a complete success.
….until Juvia started attacking all of the Customers so she can rip out the Gray-sama page. That was when the law suits started up again….