Well, hello! Welcome to this story!
On one of my earlier fics, I got a couple requests for a Gajeel/Lucy story, and I was kinda apprehensive because GaLe is just the best. But then this idea trickled into the old noggin and I couldn't stop toying with it. So here we go! A GaLu fic! I should let you know, there will be some amount of adventure in this. Why do I specify that? Because I have a difficult time writing adventure. So please, go easy on me, and give me all the constructive criticism you have! I really do want to get good at writing adventure and action, so this is my little experiment towards that.
Finally, there will be smut. I only ever write smut and so I am prematurely setting this to M because there will be lemons at some point. And, as usual, it won't be sweet vanilla sex. It'll be intense and kinky and yummy and bed-shaking. A hot little FYI in case sexy sex isn't your cup of soup.
And finally finally, I don't own Fairy Tail, I don't own these characters.
Okay, hope you enjoy!
The main floor of the guild was teeming with quiet whispers, each one attempting to determine what the pair outside were fighting about. Only two people, sitting at a table off to one side, knew what the fight was about, and both were sorely tempted to intervene.
Inhaling sharply, Gray stood up.
"I'm going and putting a stop to this. Natsu's being a pest," he declared emphatically.
Erza's hand shot out to grab his wrist, stopping him.
"Natsu said he'll handle it. Don't interrupt them. Plus, I happen to agree with Natsu. Lucy is the one being unreasonable," Erza shrugged.
Gray sat down heavily, glaring at the redhead. "How can you say that?! Do you not have any faith in her? I know she isn't as powerful as you, but she's a strong wizard! And as if you and I haven't done it before. We should be supporting Lucy!" he yelled.
Heads turned to look at this pair. The guild couldn't pick which screaming duo to pay attention to.
"God, Natsu! Let me fucking be! You're not my father!"
All eyes were suddenly trained to the door as Lucy burst in.
"Of course I'm not! He never did anything to protect you! I'm your best friend and I'm telling you it's a bad idea!" Natsu shouted, following the angry blonde in.
She whipped around and poked her finger into his chest. "You're not allowed to say anything bad about my dad, got it?" she hissed.
"Fine, I'm sorry! It's not like he sent a group of evil bastards after you or anything! But still, sorry," Natsu looked at Lucy apologetically for a moment before steely fire returned to his eyes. "That doesn't change the fact that I'm not happy with your little plan! Let me come with you, Luce! I won't trouble you! We'll even leave Happy behind! Just… Don't go alone, Lucy," Natsu begged as they approached the table.
Erza moved to make space for Lucy, but the blonde glared icily at her other traitorous friend before planting herself next to Gray. He was the only one who was on her side.
"Lucy's a grown woman, guys. And she's strong. Stop treating her like a child," Gray defended.
Lucy reached over and squeezed his hand affectionately.
"We know that, Gray. We're just concerned. This is a dangerous mission, and she shouldn't be doing it alone," Erza reasoned.
"It's hardly dangerous! It's one rogue spirit, and all I have to do is catch it! It's simple for a Celestial Mage, really," Lucy said nonchalantly.
"But it's in the North Woods! A rogue spirit is the least of your concerns! Who even requested this job?! There are no villages up in the North Woods! It's just acres and acres of dense forest!" Natsu's voice increased in decibel as he continued his protest.
"There's a village a few miles south of the Woods edge. The river that runs from the Woods into the village is routinely being poisoned by the spirit. People are falling sick and dying, Natsu, and I'm the only one who can stop that!" Lucy said adamantly.
"Then take Yukino! She's a Celestial Mage too! She can help! Take someone, Lucy! The Woods are dangerous!" Natsu pleaded desperately.
Lucy opened her mouth to scream at him when Gray placed a calming hand on top of hers.
"Lucy knows, Natsu. And while I'm worried for her too, if this is something that she feels the need to do, then as her friends, we should let her. Lucy will be fine," Gray said with a slight edge to his voice.
Lucy didn't catch the infinitesimal change in his tone, but Natsu and Erza did. With barely contained grumbles, they dropped the subject, grudgingly giving Lucy their blessing.
"I'll be fine, you guys! I promise," Lucy vowed, jumping up from the table. "I'm gonna run and let Mira know before heading home to pack! I'll drop by the guild tomorrow morning before heading to the train station!" she said excitedly.
Still a little annoyed with Natsu and Erza, Lucy merely waved an enthusiastic goodbye in their direction. Gray, being her current knight in shining armour, got an emphatic kiss on the cheek which he rolled his eyes at before cracking the blonde a smile. As she bounded off towards Mirajane, the other three huddled together.
"What did you mean she'll be fine?" Erza demanded. Gray held up a finger, his eyes still on Lucy. He watched her finish talking to Mira and skip out of the guild before turning back to Erza.
"Loke?" he called softly.
A gold light shimmered next to Gray, and the Lion spirit materialised on the seat.
"I'll watch her," the orange haired man committed, without beating around the bush.
"You caught the conversation, huh?" Natsu asked.
"Some of it. Plus Gray filled me in yesterday when Lucy first brought it up. I'll keep an eye on her all the time, Natsu. I swear. Don't worry," Loke assured. "We will all look out for her," he added, referring to Lucy's other contracted spirits.
While Erza looked mollified, Natsu still felt uneasy. Nonetheless, he nodded, and soon, after a few more comforting assurances, Loke disappeared.
"Good thinking, Gray. I am ashamed to admit I hadn't thought of her spirits being with her," Erza commended the man.
"Nah…" Natsu started hesitantly. "Her spirits aren't good enough. There have been times when she called them and they didn't come," the pinkette shook his head.
"That was once! And it was because of the Eclipse gate! It hasn't happened since," Gray rationalised.
"I know… But still, Gray. There are terrible monsters in those Woods. Monsters that even you, or me, or Erza would have a tough time with. I love Luce, and she is very strong, don't get me wrong, but if I'm saying Erza would have a tough time with those monsters, do you really think Lucy can handle them alone?" Natsu asked determinedly. Before Gray could answer, Natsu continued. "I know she has her spirits, but I'd just be happier if one of us was there with her."
"If we tried following her, she'd kill us. She'd never talk to us again. Do you want to risk that?" Gray cross-questioned.
Natsu knew Gray was right. There wasn't anything to be done.
"What's this about Bunny girl?" a voice cut through the silence that had fallen over the table.
"Oh. It's nothing, Gajeel," Erza said with a shake of her head.
"Bullshit. Tell me," Gajeel ordered, sliding into the seat next to Gray.
"Lucy has taken a solo gig in the North Woods. She leaves tomorrow," Natsu summarised.
"Is she out of her mind?!" the Iron Dragon Slayer roared.
"She'll have her spirits!" Gray slammed his fist on the table.
"No, man. You need someone there who can react in a split second. By the time she calls her spirit and the fucker shows up, it'll be too late. And she won't have enough magic energy to keep their gate open constantly. Spirits just won't cut it in the North Woods," Gajeel said definitively.
"What do you know about the Woods, Gajeel?" Erza asked inquisitively.
Gajeel looked at the redhead square in the eyes. He needed her to know that he was in no way exaggerating.
"They're the worst place I've ever set foot in. When Metalicana left, I wandered on my own for many years before I found Phantom Lord. At some point, I stumbled into the North Woods. I camped there for a few nights before I realised just how fucked I was. With every hour, the number of monsters that would attack my tent increased. At first, it was okay. I'd fight them off. But I began to tire. That's what they do. They just keep volleying themselves at you, never stopping, never surrendering. They are relentless. They come at you until you're too exhausted to fight back and then they devour you. It seemed easy at first, but then, a couple days later, a swarm of them were on top of me. They ripped my tent to shreds, destroyed everything I had, and damn near got me too. I barely escaped by the skin of my teeth. There were some real ugly sons of bitches in the Woods that day," he recounted with a shudder.
Erza's breath hitched. It was one thing for Natsu to dissuade Lucy - he was her best friend, after all. But for even Gajeel to be opposed to her going alone? That really worried both Gray and Erza.
"Shit…" Gray whistled softly. "What do we do? Should we risk it and follow her?" he asked.
"Maybe we should… It'll break her trust though," Erza added softly.
Gajeel watched the three look at each other, desperately searching for answers. Finally, after many moments of silence, Gajeel sighed.
"Fine. I'll go. She won't be expecting me, and I'm good at staying low. I'll watch Bunny girl," he said resignedly.
"No, I should go. It should be me," Natsu tried fighting Gajeel who was looking at the fire breather boredly.
"Gajeel is right, Natsu. He should go. Lucy will probably expect one of us, and it'll be easier for Gajeel to lie about why he's there if she does catch him." Erza put a hand on Natsu's arm.
"Yeah, I'll just tell her I'm on a mission of my own. Or reliving my early days. Or something. I'll figure it out if she catches me," he emphasised.
Natsu huffed, turning over various alternatives in his head. Maybe Laxus could follow her? But he wasn't around… Cana, maybe? Though she wasn't exactly quiet and inconspicuous.
"Are you sure you're the best man for the job?" Natsu interrogated.
Gajeel leaned forward, looming over Natsu menacingly. "What does that mean, Pinky? Let's take this outside and I'll show you exactly why I'm the best," he growled.
Erza gripped Natsu's shoulder and held him back.
"Natsu is just making sure that you'll watch over Lucy," she pacified.
"Of course I will. Nothing is happening to Bunny on my watch," Gajeel scoffed.
Natsu studied his face closely. Gajeel seemed calm and determined. Finally, after several moments of deliberation, Natsu unenthusiastically agreed to Gajeel covertly following her.
The group settled on it, nodding their heads to communicate their mutual understanding. Gajeel stood up, pushing himself away from the table.
"You better fucking watch Lily, got it? All three of you. I better come back and hear that you treated my little man like a fucking king. I am not taking him to that hell hole, so you need to look out for him. Feed him well. He likes kiwis. And if there's thunder, you better fucking cuddle him. Got that? He's terrified of thunder. If I come back and Lily has even one complaint, I will end all three of you. The North Woods are gonna look like a goddamn beach resort in comparison to what I'll do to you if anything happens to Lily. Have I made myself clear?" Gajeel demanded gruffly.
The three swallowed thickly and nodded. Gajeel shot them a threatening glare before walking away.
"Can't believe Mira even signed off on this… And what about the old geezer? Does Makarov know that she's running off by herself? Why does everyone in this damn guild have such a fucking boner for getting themselves and everyone else into a steaming pile of shit? And then stupid fucking Gajeel has to go and save their sorry asses. Would be nice for people to get their fucking shit in line for once, goddamnit," he mumbled angrily as he stalked out of the guild hall.
At home, Lucy was excitedly throwing clothes into a bag. The smallest part of her was nervous about being alone, but she knew her spirits would be with her every step of the way. This was a big moment for Lucy. After months and years of training and team missions, she finally felt confident to take on a difficult job alone. And who knows? Maybe this was the year Master would consider her for the S-Class trials. All her friends were already S-Class, and she wanted to prove that she was every bit as good as they were.
It had stung a little when Natsu and Erza were so insistent that she needed someone to go with her. Lucy knew they were saying it out of concern, but it only reconfirmed what she knew to be true: they didn't think she was strong enough. Only Gray believed in her, and for that she was grateful. She wanted to complete this job and prove to Natsu and Erza and everyone else that she was every bit as tough as they were. She had been training diligently, and was stronger than she'd ever been. Lucy knew about the horrors that lurked in the North Woods. She had done all her homework on the various monsters that were rumoured to reside there, and she knew exactly how to tackle each one. Lucy was confident that she could enter the woods, find the spirit, overpower it, and banish it back to the Spirit Realm. Loke and the others would take over from there.
As if he could read her thoughts, a bell chimed and the Golden Lion stepped out of a dazzle of light.
"Evening, Princess," he greeted sultrily.
"Hi Loke! What brings you here?" Lucy chirped.
"I heard you're going to the North Woods. Princess,-"
"Stop. I'm not doing this again," Lucy held a hand up. "I know it's dangerous, but I'll be fine. Only a Celestial Mage can overpower the rogue spirit and send it back, and I'm the only one capable of that. I'm doing the job, and you can't stop me," she said firmly.
"I wasn't going to. I just wanted to wish you luck and tell you that I'd be by your side the entire time. Literally, just think my name, and I'll be there, Princess. I swear, I'll protect you," Loke said sincerely.
Lucy's eyes softened. "Thanks, Loke. I know you'll have my back," she reached out to squeeze his hand.
"The North Woods can get pretty cold, Princess. Make sure you pack warm. Or, you can always just call me and I'll be happy to snuggle into your sleeping bag and warm you right up," Loke flirted with a wink.
Lucy's face darkened. "Get out of here, you pervy lion! I do not want you snuggling with me!" she shrieked.
With a chuckle and another sultry wink, the Celestial Spirit vanished in a shower of golden sparkles.
Lucy plopped down on her bed with a sigh. The more everyone cautioned her about the job, the more scared she got. Maybe she was being stupid by not taking someone else as backup.
Loke is your backup. So is Virgo, and Capricorn, and Taurus, and all the others. Don't be silly, Lucy. You'll be fine. Your friends will have your back… Lucy reassured herself with a small pep talk. She wasn't going to start second-guessing her abilities now. Not with only a few hours to go before she had to leave. Lucy steeled her resolve. She purposefully finished packing, made dinner with determination, ate her meal resolutely, and finally, with tenacity in her eyes and spirited words coursing through her mind, Lucy clambered into bed.
She was exhausted. Sweat dripped down her brow, the salty liquid stinging her eyes as rivulets slipped between her lids. Her breath came in ragged pants as she leaned against a tree, her eyes rapidly scanning the dark forest.
"Loke!" Lucy yelled. His key was cold. All her keys were cold.
"Natsu! Natsu, please!" she cried, tears pricking her eyes.
A musty puff of air danced against her neck and the hair on her arms shot up.
"Natsu," Lucy sobbed brokenly. The dark forest was beginning to light up with white pinpricks. Eyes. Hundreds of pairs of eyes watched Lucy through the leaves.
"Lucy! Lucy, wake up!"
Lucy's eyes shot open. The first thing she noticed were white pinprick eyes, glinting in the moonlight. But as her vision quickly adjusted, she saw the glasses that framed those eyes and the shaggy orange hair that hung over Loke's forehead.
"Loke, what's wrong?" Lucy asked, sitting up. It was the middle of the night and her spirit was crouched by her bed, face painted with worry.
"You called me… You screamed my name, and then you screamed Natsu's name. You were crying, Princess," Loke explained gently, tucking an errant lock of blonde hair behind Lucy's ear.
"Were you having a nightmare?" he asked.
Embarrassment and shame flooded Lucy. She couldn't believe she'd cried for Loke and Natsu because of a bad dream. But still, there was no point lying to Loke. Lucy nodded her head slowly.
"What was it about?" Loke continued interrogating.
"The North Woods… It's stupid. I think everyone just got in my head," Lucy waved a hand.
"It's not stupid, Lucy. The North Woods are dangerous, and it isn't too late to ask Natsu to go with you. I will be there, always, but it won't hurt to have someone else by your side," Loke sat on the bed next to Lucy.
"No, no. I don't need a babysitter, thank you very much. I'll be just fine," she said adamantly. Then looking at Loke guiltily, she whispered, "But still, can you stay until I fall asleep? I'll be brave in the morning, I swear."
The nightmare had shaken Lucy more than she cared to admit, and she didn't want to be left alone in her dark bedroom. Having Loke by her side as she slept would give her the ease of mind and confidence that she'd need for her mission tomorrow.
"Of course, Princess," Loke said sweetly. Lucy lay down and Loke tucked her blanket around her. He gently stroked her hair, sitting by her bed and lulling her back to sleep. He waited by her side until her breath was even and a small smile played at her lips. Satisfied that she'd now sleep restfully, Loke silently disappeared back to the spirit realm.
The next morning, Lucy woke up with barely contained excitement bubbling out of her. In the golden light of day the nightmare seemed hazy and distant, and Lucy was no longer scared. It may have been overzealous of her, but she was convinced that she'd have this job done in no time, with zero hitches along the way. Lucy hummed a merry tune as she brushed her teeth and got dressed, and after a quick scan to make sure she'd packed everything she needed, Lucy skipped out of her front door, a song still on her lips.
At the guild, Natsu half-heartedly tried one last time to convince Lucy to allow him to come with her, but before it could devolve into another fight, he grabbed her in a bone crushing hug and pressed his lips to her forehead.
"Be careful, okay, Luce? I need you to stay safe and come back without a single scratch," he mumbled thickly, crushing the blonde to his chest.
A little taken aback by his display of affection, she wrapped her arms around him and comfortingly stroked his back.
"I'll be safe, I promise," she vowed softly.
"Good. Because you make the best sandwiches, and if you get hurt, I won't get my favourite lunch for a while," Natsu chuckled, attempting to dispel the suddenly serious aura that had enveloped them.
With a laugh, Lucy smacked Natsu's arm and pulled away. She said a round of goodbyes to everyone, thanking them as they wished her luck, and with a final wave, she pranced out of the guild hall and towards the train station.
Had Lucy turned around right as she exited the doors, she'd have seen Natsu exchange a very pointed look with Gajeel, and she'd have seen Gajeel hoist a bag over his shoulders before silently following her steps.
Still coddled by the safety net of Magnolia, Lucy was decidedly not on her guard. She figured that she had a few hours to relax until she got off at the Northernmost stop before walking to the Woods. She allowed herself to get lost in her novel and in the scenes rushing past outside her window. It occurred to Lucy that this was the first time in a very long time that she had travelled alone. She finally got to truly soak in the sights and sounds of the Fiore countryside, without the interruption of constant bickering and retching and fighting. She was so enraptured by the world flying by, that, at no point during her journey, did she notice the very sick, very miserable man hunched over himself in the far corner of her compartment. But through his discomfort and nausea, Gajeel had one eye trained on Lucy. Unlike the Celestial Mage, Gajeel hadn't let his guard down for an instant, and he was going to be on even higher alert when they got off the train. He intended to keep his promise to her friends - nothing was happening to Bunny girl on his watch.