Laxus POV
I arrived at the guild, quickly walking up the stairs to shut myself in my office.
Since we fucked that morning, my heart had been in my throat. I'd covered it up well with a kiss, and I was pretty sure Blondie hadn't noticed, but the damn words had almost left my lips regardless.
You almost said you fucking love her. What the actual fuck?! You can't love her! Are you mad? You aren't even with her!
But she cared for me. She told me she did, and like a sick bastard, I let that give me hope. Even when I knew that I wasn't the only one she cared for.
A flare of rage burned in me and I gripped my desk. I hoped to never meet the other guy, because if I did, I didn't think I'd be able to stop myself from ripping his head off. Blondie was mine.
I clenched my jaw, attempting to draw in deep breaths to calm myself, when there was a knock at my door. Before I could say anything, the door opened and Gajeel stuck his head in.
"Got a minute?" he asked.
I nodded, gesturing for him to sit. "What's up, Gajeel?"
"I came here to ask you that, man. How're you feeling? About that chick? Still just screwing her?"
I momentarily felt irritation at having to talk about Blondie with another guy, but I chastised myself, knowing that this level of jealousy was entirely unhealthy. It's not like Gajeel was even a threat, and truth be told, I did appreciate being able to talk to him.
"It's more than just screwing now. We actually talk and spend time together," I answered.
"Damn, you're fucking whipped, aren't you?" Gajeel's voice dropped to a whisper.
"What? How the fuck do you know?" I asked indignantly.
"Dude, shut up. Stop playing it cool. I can practically smell it off you and your heart sounds like a damn hummingbird's," the iron dragon slayer scoffed with an eye roll.
One slayer to another, I knew there was no point in lying. If I could hear his heartbeat across the desk, he could definitely hear mine, and he'd know if I was talking shit. I sighed exaggeratedly.
"Yeah, I'm whipped. I almost fucking told her I loved her today morning," I confessed, a little embarrassed.
"Do you?" he asked pointedly.
"Who the fuck even knows, man? All I know is, she's special and I need her in my life," I said simply.
"Then go after her. Seal the deal. Make it official," Gajeel advised.
"It's not that easy…" I shook my head.
"Why? Does she not feel the same way?" he asked concernedly.
"No, she cares for me. She told me so herself. But…" I trailed off. I didn't want to talk about it.
"But?" Gajeel probed, not caring.
"There's another guy. Who she has feelings for as well." My voice was a broken whisper. I felt like someone had slipped a noose around my neck and was swiftly tightening it.
Gajeel stared at me dumbfounded for several seconds. "Shit," he whispered. "I'm sorry, dude. Fuck, forget I brought it up," he said hastily.
I barked out a short laugh. "Doesn't matter if you bring it up or not. Fact of the matter is, I may be in love with her, but I'm still playing second fiddle to some bastard." God, I wanted to hurt that guy.
Gajeel didn't say anything. He watched me try and calm down, and when he was sure that my temper was under control, he spoke measuredly. "That's a fucked up situation, to say the least. Talk to her. Lay all your cards on the table. Tell her exactly how you feel, and maybe that'll be enough. I'm sorry, Laxus. I don't think there's anything else I can say to help, but I'm around if you need me, okay?" he said kindly.
I nodded, offering him a smile as he pushed away from the table and walked out of my office.
I let my head fall to my desk. What he didn't realise was that I promised Blondie I'd never make her feel guilty, and a confession of love was a surefire way to get her there.
I groaned into my table before pulling myself together and sorting through paperwork.
Lucy POV
I got to the guild and made my way across the room, stopping at various tables to chat with everyone. I then went behind the bar, wiping down glasses as Mira and Kinana served up orders. I saw Levy walk towards the bar and I smiled at her, before noting the scowl on her face. She sat at a bar stool, glaring at me.
"Cana told me everything," she hissed softly. "How dare you not tell me, Lucy?"
I froze. "I swear I was going to tell you today! That's why I'm doing this whole thing!"
"Erza knows too," Levy snarled.
"Levy, don't be mad at me! I haven't seen you in forever," I begged.
"You better have alcohol waiting for me when I get to your house today. It's the only way I might forgive you." She still sounded irritated, but her eyes were softer now. I blew her a kiss goodbye as she hopped off the stool. She walked over to Gajeel where she sat in his lap and kissed him.
That seems to have developed rather quickly… Guess little miss has some explaining to do herself.
As I turned to put the clean glass back on the shelf, my arm brushed against my breast and I hissed. It was about time to reapply the ointment. I walked to the bathroom, before a naughty idea crossed my mind.
I ran up the stairs, ointment in hand, and pushed Laxus's office door open before locking it behind me. He looked up, deeply confused. I yanked my shirt off and tossed it onto his couch before throwing the ointment at him. He deftly caught the little jar.
"Sweetheart, not that I'm complaining, but why are you half naked in my office?" he asked.
"You need to reapply the ointment," I said, pointing to the jar in his hand.
"You could do it yourself, you know?" he smirked.
"But I want you to do it," I pouted.
He chuckled, leaving his chair and walking up to me. He kissed me deeply before uncapping the jar and gently spreading the cool cream across my breasts. I sighed at the instantaneous relief.
I plucked the jar out of his hand and recapped it before pulling on my shirt. I kissed his cheek and whispered a quick "thank you," before turning to leave.
His hand shot out and grabbed my wrist.
"Bup bup bup, where do you think you're going?" he asked, spinning me to face him.
"I'm not done helping Mira, Laxus," I explained with an animated shake of my head.
"So you walked in here and took your top off only because you needed more ointment?" he asked dejectedly.
I nodded, smiling brightly at him.
"I hate you," he grunted.
"No, you don't," I laughed.
His face softened. He reached out to brush his fingers along my cheek. "No, I don't," he whispered. His eyes were filled with warmth and… love?
He leaned down and gently kissed me.
"I'll see you soon, Princess," he said as he unlocked the door. He placed a soft kiss against my lips again.
I left his office, my stomach an explosion of butterflies at his tenderness.
That evening, I ensured my kitchen counter was lined with several bottles of alcohol, and I had food keeping warm in the oven. I pulled out extra pillows and tossed them across my floor with multiple blankets.
Right on schedule, my doorbell rang. I opened it, and my three girlfriends pranced in, immediately heading to the kitchen to pour themselves a drink. When we were all armed with our respective cocktails, we went to my bedroom.
"Pajama time!" Cana called excitedly, whipping her bikini top off and pulling on an oversized T-shirt. She shimmied out of her pants, kicking them to the side. Levy and Erza began stripping too, changing into softer, more comfortable clothing.
"Lucy, why aren't you changing?" Erza asked after she noticed I was still in my day clothes.
"Okay, don't freak out," I warned, before pulling my T-shirt off.
"What the fuck happened to your tits?!" Cana shrieked. I tried to pull my pajama top on but Levy smacked it out of my hands.
"Shit, Lucy! Were you attacked?" she asked, staring at my breasts.
"I'll kill whoever hurt you like this," Erza declared menacingly.
I made a "hmph" sound, quickly pulling my top on before Levy could protest. I kicked off my shorts before sitting down on the ground. The four of us formed a loose circle.
"No one hurt me," I assured. "Can you all calm down? It's actually already a lot better. The bruises have started yellowing, and by tomorrow they should have faded," I pacified them.
"But how did it happen, Lu?" Levy gave my knee a shake.
"Laxus," I mumbled, a violent blush decorating my cheeks.
Cana whistled.
"Laxus did that? With his… mouth? Good god," Erza's eyes widened. The eroticism of it all was finally dawning on them.
"Okay, we'll get to me later!" I waved broadly as I sipped my drink. "Levy," I turned to look at the script mage, "what the fuck is up with you and Gajeel?" I wagged my eyebrows.
"Luce!" Levy whined embarrassedly. She looked to Erza and Cana for support but found none.
"Uh… We mated," she said, scratching the back of her head.
"Excuse me, what now?" Cana leaned forward. Erza and I bore identical masks of confusion.
"We mated. I'm his mate. We're together and in love. The always and forever kind of love. It's a dragon slayer thing. I had no control over it!" she rushed through her explanation.
"Are you okay with being his mate?" I asked tentatively. I knew enough about it from Natsu to know that it was a once-in-your-life kind of deal.
A lovesick smile emerged on her face. "Yeah. I am. He makes me so happy," she grinned stupidly. The three of us all looked at her warmly before tackling her in a group hug.
Sitting back, Cana turned to Erza. "Jellal. Details. Now," she demanded.
Erza's face became the colour of her hair. "We slept together. We've been sleeping together. He told me he loved me," Erza finished softly, smiling. She got the same reaction from us that Levy did.
"Did you say it back?" I asked excitedly.
"Yes, of course," Erza blushed again, earning her a squeal from the three of us.
Cana quickly piped up. "I'm still fucking Bix. We're serious, but not yet at the "I Love You" stage. It's fun, his cock is a blessing, and I like the guy." She clapped her hands together.
"Now that we're done with me, let's get to the tea we all came here for!" She rubbed her palms together in excitement.
"I still hate you for that, Luce," Levy pouted. "But go on already. We want every little detail," she said, her eyes glinting excitedly.
So I began. Like they asked, I went into every single detail.
"You passed out? From an orgasm?" Erza asked in shock as the other two looked at me in awe.
"It was ridiculous. I think Laxus thought I died or something. And he does this thing, where he kinda slaps my clit…" I continued, going into the specifics of my sex life for a very engaged audience.
Cana started shouting when I began talking about Gildarts, but a glare from Erza shut her up. She made faces every time I talked about him, but otherwise didn't say anything.
"...And then, I leaned into his ear, and was like "Please fuck me, daddy" which got him so hard," I was telling them excitedly, when Cana jumped up and shrieked.
"Lucy! He's my actual dad! Can you not call him 'daddy'?! Yuck!" She looked like she was about to pass out.
"I'm sorry, Cana," I laughed. "Okay, I won't talk about calling him 'daddy' anymore," I relented.
"No, you can't call him 'daddy' ever. Not even in bed," she demanded.
I shrugged. "Not making any promises, babe."
Erza and Levy chortled at Cana's distraught face. I squeezed Cana's hand before continuing.
"Laxus told you he won't sleep with anyone else?" Levy asked in shock.
"Laxus Dreyar, ultimate man-whore, is committing? Is your pussy magical?" Cana asked in wonderment.
"It certainly is surprising…" Erza noted. "What does this mean for you now?" she asked.
"I need more alcohol for this, guys," I groaned.
The four of us got up and headed to the kitchen.
"We're doing shots, and then we're going to go back and talk about this shit, okay?" I instructed. The three nodded.
I lined up shot glasses, and Cana did the honours of pouring the drinks out. We knocked them back, cringing as the liquid burned through us. We downed two more shots each, and when we felt warm and fuzzy, we went back to my bedroom, resuming our places on the floor.
"Okay. What does it mean for Laxus to commit to me." I picked up where we left off. "I don't know, honestly," I said with a shake of my head.
"Do you think he loves you?" Levy asked. Cana snorted at that but didn't say anything.
"I don't think he loves me…" I admitted. "But he has feelings for me. I know that much. He told me that when I was ready to drop the "other guy", he was ready to be exclusive with me. But he said he wouldn't make me feel guilty for being with two people."
"Do you care for him?" Cana asked.
I nodded.
"And what about Gildarts? How does he feel?" Erza questioned.
"Gildarts knows about Laxus. As in, he knows that the other person I'm sleeping with is Laxus. Laxus doesn't know that the other person is Gildarts," I explained. I paused to take a breath, readying myself for the next part.
"Guys, Gildarts was so hurt after the little stunt Laxus pulled," I continued. "It fucking broke my heart when I saw him. And then he got it in his head that he wasn't good enough for me, that he didn't deserve me, and that I should be with Laxus," my voice cracked at the memory, and tears welled in my eyes. "But I care for him so much. It's insane how much I care for him, and how much I care for Laxus too. I hate this, because being with one is hurting the other." I choked out a strangled sob, before the flood gates opened, and tears began pouring down my face in earnest.
"Lucy!" the three women gasped, lunging forward to press comforting hands to my limbs and face.
"Why are you crying, Lu?" Levy asked softly, wiping the tears on my cheeks.
"When Gildarts… said I shouldn't be with him… and then again… when Laxus… found out I was with someone else… it broke my heart…" I sobbed.
Cana had her arms around my neck, hugging me, while Erza was stroking my arm.
"You have real feelings for both of them, don't you?" the redhead asked quietly.
I nodded, gasping through my sobs. "And I hate it. Natsu was right, I can't do casual. And I wish I'd never gotten involved with both of them. Someone is going to get hurt at the end of this and I hate that," I cried.
"Do you really wish you hadn't gotten involved with both?" Cana asked seriously.
I thought about it for a moment, and then shook my head.
"No, I don't regret either of them. I don't. I just hate that I'm hurting them," I sniffed, my tears slowing.
"They're both grownups. They know what you have with them is open. If they were so upset, they'd have ended it, but they haven't. They're choosing to be with you as much as you're choosing to be with them," Levy said wisely.
I squeezed her hand and flashed her a watery smile.
"Does this mean you're dating both of them now?" Cana asked.
"No, Gildarts made it clear that what we have is casual-"
"Doesn't sound casual to me," Cana scoffed.
"And Laxus won't become official until we're exclusive," I finished. I looked at my friends, noting the worry on their faces.
"What do I do, guys?" I asked helplessly.
None of them said anything for several moments. Finally, Erza cut through the silence in her calm, measured voice.
"Do you want to become serious with one over the other?" she asked.
I shook my head vehemently. There was no conceivable way I could pick between the two.
"Then Lucy, there isn't anything you can do. You have feelings for them. You can't change that. They have feelings for you. You can't change that either. So what can you do, except let things unfold? Either they will learn to accept the other, and you can continue seeing them both, or you may decide to choose one, or maybe they will make that choice for you. But for now, don't cry, Lucy. We're all here for you, and we'll hold your hand through it all," she gently squeezed my shoulder before kissing my cheek softly.
"Thank you," I whispered, wiping at my eyes. "I love you all," I laughed shakily.
In a chorus of "aww's", the three piled on top of me in a group hug.
"Okay, we've talked about sex, we've talked about boys, we've cried, so now I'm going to get us more alcohol, and we're going to gossip!" Cana jumped up and ran to the kitchen, returning with a bottle and shot glasses.
"Who has news?" she asked, filling up the glasses.
Levy chirped up. "Guess what Jet saw the other day? Gray and Juvia were huddled in a corner and Gray was feeling her up!" she squealed.
"I heard Mira and Freed going at it in the storage room, and it sounded like she was in Satan Soul mode," Erza snickered.
"Speaking of the Strauss siblings, I saw Elfman's dick," Cana sat back with a satisfied smirk.
"What?!" The three of us shrieked.
"He was pounding the daylights out of Ever in the steam room of all places. I walk in, craving a warm soak, and they both jump back, naked as the day they were born. Let me just say, I don't know how Ever can walk anymore," Cana's eyes twinkled mischievously.
We squealed before devolving into fits of laughter, all the pain and heartache momentarily forgotten.
A/N: Lots going on in this chapter! I like writing the four girls together. It feels wholesome. As does Gajeel and Laxus. But, yeah, there are real emotions getting involved here!
A little teaser, but the next couple of chapters get pretty exciting, if I do say so myself!
Please hit me with all your great reviews! It's so inspiring to read what you guys think of the story!