Ahhhh everyone's reactions to the last chapter gives us life (•̀ᴗ•́)و ̑̑ Now for something a little more...sweet to counteract that sudden burst of darkness from last chapter. A smol shower of gajevy and nalu fluff.
rated: M
summary: In a world of underground fighting only the strong survive, abiding by the rules of kill or be killed. In the Ring, a feeble emotion like hope is all it takes to destroy you. And yet it exists– and those who hold onto it play a dangerous game. But once you enter into the Ring, it will never let you go.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Bob and Weave
rapid bodily movements up and down and from side to side
A month and a half later, Levy found herself standing in front of an unfamiliar building
She glanced around herself for the millionth time, pulling her jacket up around her neck. Her eyes flashed down the street, as if searching for a tail before she jogged up the steps to a modest looking condo and rapped sharply on the heavy door.
Levy was dropping by unannounced, and really she knew better than to do that considering who she was visiting.
Paranoia ran deep after all.
Heavy steps came from within the walls and Levy fidgeted nervously when there was a pause before the sound of a deadbolt sliding loose scraped across the thick oak. The peephole had clearly been used, and Levy stepped away when the door opened.
Gajeel stood there, towering over her still in his work clothes. He had ditched his tie, his shirt partially opened, clinging together by two buttons near his waist and his wild hair let down from the queue he normally kept it contained in while at work.
"Shorty?" he asked, looking at her in surprise. Standing in front of his place and looking like a criminal about to turn herself in.
Which in some ways, Levy was.
She was a genius hacker, and had found her way into Gajeel's personal files more than once. An act which had once previously infuriated him, especially when she would flash her innocent little smile whenever he threatened to arrest her for snooping. It seemed Lucy had hired her to put her up to the task.
Sometimes she still did it just to tease him, leaving him messages in his computer by changing the tag line of his email.
Best and Regards,
Detective Gajeel Redfox
MPD - Vice
Don't forget, Pantherlily has an appointment for the vet at noon tomorrow. XO
Now she was looking up at him, her expression wary and concerned. "Can I come in?"
He shrugged. "Sure," he mumbled then, seeming somewhat embarrassed, and quickly turned around.
She followed him into the small flat, curious eyes inspecting what she found.
The furnishing was spartanic at best, leaving everything bare to the eye. Little room to hide.
In general, Levy got the impression this place was more of a temporary stay than an actual home, as if he was ready to pack and leave whenever.
The flat had so much potential, she noted with a pout, already imagining what she could do to it. Only when her mind started painting a scenario of her serving breakfast to Gajeel did she snap out of her daydream, blushing furiously.
"And what's gotten into you?" Gajeel asked, eyeing her critically.
"Oh, um, nothing," Levy stammered. "Anyways, won't you offer me a seat, or something to drink? Manners, Gajeel," she reminded, wagging her finger at him.
The tall man seemed taken aback as she stared up at him, and complied promptly - albeit not in exactly the way she had hoped for.
"Sit," he grumbled, pointing his index finger at the sofa in front of her before trampling off into the kitchen.
Levy sat down with a huff, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at his back.
What a brute he was!
Still, she supposed she should thank the small amount of manners Lucy had somehow managed to cram into his thick skull. Not that they seemed to last.
At the reminder of her friend, Levy's expression fell, and by the time Gajeel returned, he stopped mid-stride.
He glanced down at the cup of water in his hand, a scowl deepening between his brows as he dropped it down on the table in front of Levy. His large frame sank down beside her, causing Levy to bounce just an inch into the air by the shift of his weight. "That face of yours tells me I'm gonna need somethin' a little stronger than water for this conversation."
Guiltily, Levy shifted her weight when she looked up at him. Even seated, he was so much taller than her, and Levy tucked her legs up underneath her body.
"You could say that," she admitted, her hands fidgeting.
"What's the matter, Levy?" Gajeel's voice was soft, softer than normal.
"I'm massively breaking friend-code right now," was all that Levy said as she reached for the cup of water. Her grip on it was white-knuckled as she took a slow sip. "Promise me you won't be too mad?" she asked hesitantly.
Gajeel's gruff face turned to stone. "What happened? Are you in trouble?"
His large body was suddenly rigid and stiff as if he was barely holding himself back from springing into action.
He was always like that, assuming the worst and thinking she'd somehow gotten herself into a mess again. And while it was almost never the case, the fact that he always - without fail - volunteered to bail her out made her feel at ease. Like if all else failed, she had at least one person by her side.
Even now, it put a small smile on her face.
"Nothing's happened. Not yet, anyway, and it's not me who's going to be in trouble," Levy said slowly, side-eyeing Gajeel as he relaxed next to her, "but someone we both know is going to do something really risky. And soon."
Really risky was an understatement if there ever was one.
It took Gajeel a moment, his studded brows furrowing as he tapped his finger rhythmically against the lip of his glass. But, his detective skills refused to fail him. The tapping grew slower and slower still...until it came to a complete stop. He'd put the small pieces together and his spine was rigid.
He closed his eyes. "Lucy," he muttered.
Of course it was Lucy. That wasn't even a real question.
He rubbed a hand down across his eyes and over the bridge of his nose. His fingertips smoothed over the metal ridges of the studs buried in his skin, each one a reminder of the potential danger the Ring posed.
"She didn't give up on the Ring, did she?" Gajeel swore. In all honesty, he hadn't thought she would. But it had been a few weeks since she brought it up and Gajeel held onto the vain hope that seeing those photos of Igneel might have shaken her resolve.
What a hilarious thought.
Nothing could shake Lucy's resolve.
If walking into the Ring itself and seeing fighters both young and old pummel one another nearly to death hadn't, nothing short of death would stop her. And what was worse, Gajeel couldn't blame her. He was becoming increasingly worried that her persistence really would result in her - and Levy's by extension - death.
He knew what Levy was asking of him. Lucy wasn't going to be stopped, and short of actually arresting her for a crime she hadn't committed, there was nothing he could do to stop her. Gajeel shook his head, knowing there was no real choice.
Lucy would need his help, even if she would never ask for it.
"I'll be there," Gajeel assured Levy.
Her small hand slipped into his, squeezing around his rough palm in such a way it made his heart flutter. Such a tiny woman had a way of knocking him flat on his back in more ways than any middle or heavyweight fighter ever had.
"Thank you…" she whispered.
Her slender shoulders slumped as the muscles in her back unknotted themselves, allowing her to sink into his couch. Chances were, she was probably unaware of the fact that she'd been wound tighter than a spring since setting foot through his front door. But even as Levy relaxed little by little, the worry-line denting her small forehead stayed.
And that was when Gajeel noticed his traitorous thumb stroking the back of her hand.
Shit.
He dropped her hand like it was a hot coal, startling her. "I'll put together a two-man team," he muttered around a forced cough and scooted away so that their thighs weren't pasted together. "We'll keep an eye on her from a distance so she'll never know. And we'll keep her safe, I promise."
Levy swallowed, staring at him with those big eyes. Then she nodded.
"Thank you, Gajeel," she repeated.
The amount of relief in her voice, the way she looked at him - as though he were some sort of saint - it made his gut twist. She made his heart trip with so little effort it was embarrassing.
But she was a ray of light. One of the few he had the privilege to gaze upon with familiarity. She - along with a select few - illuminated his dark world, chased away the monsters in the shadows, and expected nothing in return.
He would move earth itself to protect those rays of light.
Gajeel looked down at his own hands, studying the callouses and scars. The tips of his ears burned as he muttered, "Don't mention it. Anytime ya need somethin'...don't be afraid to ask. I'll always be there to help you out, y'know…"
When Levy didn't say anything right away, he swallowed sharply. Wanted to gather those words right back up and eat them, pretend he'd never said them.
But, then a small laugh met his ears and he stopped.
Glancing over, he spied Levy's bright smile, her eyes golden and warm. "I know," she said.
- : : -
Days later, the third tournament started in earnest. Natsu was once more selected for another round of combat. He was heartier than others, so he often found himself in the rotation. Still, it was a little odd he hadn't been given a break. He wasn't going to complain about it, though. His heart was already thumping in excitement.
What was even stranger was Natsu's eagerness to be picked. He would fight hundreds of rounds if it meant getting to see Lucy.
For some reason Zeref had opted to oversee this tournament personally, which made Natsu a little nervous. He was like a vulture eyeing his prey whenever he showed up anywhere.
But not even his overbearing presence was enough to squash Natsu's mood. The first day had come and gone already and Lucy had lost out against a lady for the slot of his first day.
Of course that put a bit of a damper on his mood and affected his...performance. His imaginings used to be enough to see him through to the end of his "customers'" visits but now that he'd very nearly had a real taste of Lucy...even his thoughts weren't enough. It felt so wrong - more so than usual - to touch another woman. To hear her husky cries in his ear and feel her heels digging into the small of his back.
Disgusting, even.
The lady was still serviced, of course, but Natsu didn't miss the dissatisfied twist of her lips as she left.
No doubt he would be chastised for that later.
But that didn't bother him in the slightest. The thought of seeing Lucy again outweighed practically any punishment that could be bestowed upon him. And while that should have worried him - once upon a time, it would have - Natsu, quite frankly, didn't give a damn.
Lucy had done something to him. She'd...changed him somehow, though she probably didn't realize.
And she hadn't done much of anything besides treat him like a fellow human being. But there was just something about her that...made Natsu feel alive again. Like there was something worth living for in this hell on earth.
Like he was weightless.
And so, on his second day - a rest day, leaving his wounds a little healed and his body less aching - when it was indeed Lucy who walked into the room, he found himself grinning like a fool.
To his delight, her expression was nothing short of elated.
"Hey," she breathed, eyes alight.
"Hey," he answered, the word leaving him in a relieved sigh. He stood up off the bed he'd been sitting on, striding towards her with two quick steps and a grin blooming on his face - and before he knew what he was doing, he'd taken her into his arms.
Her body remained soft, yet motionless due to her surprise. Slowly, she began moving, lifting her arms to wrap them around him. Her head moved against his shoulder, and he could hear her exhale as her body melted into his.
He hadn't been aware how much he'd started to miss her, how much her absence pained him.
The hug did not last nearly as long as he wished for, but the faint blush coating her cheeks was enough to satisfy him when he pulled back.
"So," she started, clearing her throat, "you fought well. Yesterday."
"Thanks," he replied, lips quirking in amusement at her bashfulness.
Her blood was very blue, that much was obvious, not used to someone holding onto her with a typical sense of propriety. He closed his eyes as his cheek pressed into her hair, nosing his way into her blond hair and taking in her comforting scent. As usual, something about it tugged at him, reminded him of something warm on a familiar level.
His heart ached in strange ways when she was with him, but it absolutely burned in the worst way when she wasn't present. Now, he could feel himself be happy, a giddy sort of feeling he chased without shame.
He was also afraid, that fear clouding around just at the edge of his happiness. Natsu's grip on Lucy tightened. He was afraid what would happen if she stopped coming around - even though he knew it was for the best. She had shown him a brief slice of light in endless gray. Lucy had broken the cycle he existed in.
Perhaps he wasn't living - not really, but she had given him a taste of what it might be like. Natsu was floating so high up, he was afraid when she withdrew, he would fall.
And smash into a thousand, irreparable pieces.
That was a fate he gladly accepted if it meant Lucy remained safe. If any of the others found out about her, found out about his feelings for her -
His chest constricted and he pulled away from Lucy, leaning forward to press his forehead against hers. Her brown eyes were soft on his, warm in ways that still were foreign to him. Lucy's selflessness would be weaponized. Something as pure and sweet as her, in the hands of Zeref could only end up in her death.
Natsu hated that he couldn't let go.
"My friend liked the ribbons, and she wanted me to tell you thank you," Natsu's voice dropped between them, barely a whisper.
Lucy smiled. It was a sweet, happy little smile that lit up her eyes and made her entire face glow.
"I'm glad," she said, her arms sliding along his back and to his arms, where she squeezed lightly.
For a moment, they simply smiled at each other, drinking in each other's presence. Then, Lucy stepped back, leaving his arms empty.
The room was a little smaller than the last, but the bed just as big as ever. She sat down on its edge, kicking off her heels with a low groan.
"Damn things," she muttered as she inspected the red streaks left behind on her skin. "What I'd pay for comfortable heels that won't make you feel like you just stepped onto a million legos."
Natsu eyed the monstrous things skeptically. He wasn't sure how she walked on those at all.
Plopping down beside her, he stretched his arms over his head.
His yawn was contagious, and as he cranked one eye open he caught her holding a hand in front of her face to hide a hearty one of her own.
"You tired?" he asked her, a very tempting idea making itself at home in his mind. He wondered…
She nodded, rubbing at her eyes before remembering she wore carefully applied make-up. Her fingers were a little smudged when she pulled her hands back, and she eyed them with a pout.
"Just a little..." Lucy looked reluctant to admit even that much, and Natsu wondered what it was Lucy did that kept her up all night.
He sat upright, even though his body protested moving even an inch away from the soft comforter under him.
"What were you doing that stopped you from getting a good night of rest, Lucy?" he asked, already knowing she wouldn't answer his question.
Aside from her name, he didn't know much about her. She was just as secretive about herself as he was about his name. But every time he posed a question, she would shoot back with one of her own until they both just gave up.
"Such a personal question," Lucy teased back with a smile, one Natsu found himself reflecting. He knew the steps of this game they danced around already. Although the way she smiled and her eyes flashed to his felt different - as if she knew the answer to the question she was about to not-so-subtly ask. "Shouldn't two people know one another's names before they ask about their night time activities?"
Natsu snorted at her question, even while Lucy dropped down next to him.
She didn't even bother to wait for him to answer, because she correctly assumed he wouldn't. Instead, Lucy turned over on her side, and they both shuffled around on the covers until they were laying across it properly and facing one another.
"Want to sleep for a little while?" Natsu asked her, his cheeks flushing traitorously, his voice quavering at how he wanted to broach this subject.
His lips felt unnaturally dry, and he licked them nervously as he waited for an answer.
"Me?" Lucy asked, blinking. As if the thought had never occurred to her. Maybe that was why she was so damn tired. "I mean… I could, couldn't I?"
Natsu nodded, careful not to overdo it in his eagerness. She wriggled a little, testing the sheets beneath her as if she felt them for the first time. Natsu swallowed as he watched her.
Well, it was now or never, wasn't it?
"Would it…" he started, his throat terribly scratchy and his voice a little raw. "Can I, uh… hold you?"
Lucy froze in the middle of her blanket inspection, blinking at him dumbly as a small wildfire spread across her cheeks.
"Just a little!" he was quick to add, spluttering as he felt his own cheeks heat up. Oh, no. This wasn't going as he had planned. He was on the brink of rolling himself off the bed in his embarrassment when Lucy tentatively lifted an arm, and gently placed it on his waist.
She could've as well punched him, judging from the impact the soft touch had on Natsu.
He had been punched in the face and pummeled by plenty of opponents, but nothing could convince him to get up onto his feet with Lucy's slim arm draped across him. It was more effective in dropping Natsu than any baton, taser, fist, or kick.
Hesitant, his eyes fell to her face as if hoping for a way to understand what she was doing, but felt his heart make a mad escape out his throat at the way she smiled at him. Golden hair spilled over a lush pillow, and Natsu thought his face was about to burst into flame.
He had swallowed fire before, touched it, blown it out, and manipulated it to the extent a person could. But this was something hotter than anything he had ever tried to master. This was something he had no way of controlling.
Natsu didn't care.
Relaxing, he reached under them to tug the covers out and draped them over their bodies. Lucy's smile grew shy, and Natsu's heart fluttered happily.
They weren't even doing anything remotely scandalous and Natsu already thought he was about to explode. His arm came around her waist, slipping under her arm with his hand resting between her shoulderblades. He was almost afraid to touch her, his fingertips ghosting over her bare back the dress left exposed.
"I'm not made of glass," Lucy chided with a gentle smile.
But she was. She was like glass-spun silk compared to his rough hands, whose purpose was only meant to break and destroy.
A light weight on his feet pulled him back to reality, and the rhythmic padding of small feet, along with a low, content purr, told them Happy had decided to join in on their little nest. He felt the cat curl himself into a ball at the side of his calf, his paws never interrupting their work.
He would sell his soul to remain in this moment forever.
Lucy sighed contently, her half-lidded eyes still fixed on his face. But he could tell she was struggling to keep them open at all.
"Sleep," he murmured, a lopsided smile stretching across his face.
"Mhmm," she answered, eyelids fluttering lazily, her fingertips grazing lightly along his back.
Natsu stayed awake just long enough for Lucy to fall into a deep sleep. He didn't resist the pull of sleep tugging at his senses and pulled him down into its warm embrace. He relaxed into the sheets, for once blindingly happy and content with his life.
He was so happy, so at ease - he never heard the guards moving down the hallway. A cluster of them gathered further along the corridor, flanking their master.
Zeref was on the move.
Fluff! And danger, just around the corner (literally)...
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Next time! Chapter 16: Queer Street