A/N: Boy...have I absolutel updated in a while ^^; I'm trying my best to finish this, truly. In fact, this story has actually taken some turns I didn't really expect myself-a lot different from the original outcome I...had in mind. Then again, sometimes I'm a bit glad I changed the story up a bit, it was honestly for the better. In fact, I had This chapter done way before, and had stopped halfway through chapter 15 before I decided: I really do not like where this story is going. So I deleted what I had for chapter 15 and 14 and started 14 over again. I feel much better about this.

Also, I want this fanfic to be nice and long, and I have that opportunity now, anyway, since there's so much here that needs to be included. You guys are gonna get another little ship in this one! (And before you find out what it is, I'm just gonna say: In this fanfic, I'm not always gonna follow "canon" ships/OTPs. I ship Gajevy, but I also ship Laxeel. Just because I ship one doesn't mean I can't ship the other. Hopefully you'll be pleased with this one though ;3c )

Thanks for putting up with me!

Chapter 14

Just hide the bottle, and don't say anything. Just hide the bottle and don't. Say. Anything.

Gajeel repeated the words in his head as he discreetly placed the bottle under the frame-less mattress in his own room. Laxus was heading off to work as he walked into Gajeel's room, making him jump.

"Shi-" Gajeel yelped out, whipping himself around to see Laxus standing at the door.

"What the hell're you doing?" Laxus questioned.

"N-none of your business," Gajeel answered, "Don't you have to go to work or something?"

"I do," Laxus said, walking into the room, "Is there a problem?" Flirtatious, Laxus grabbed the hips of the younger man, causing him to blush.

"No..! Just-It's nothing." Gajeel turned to move away from Laxus before the two left the spacy bedroom.

"We need to do something with that room," Laxus said, quietly, as he pulled on his jacket. Gajeel slumped over the couch, reaching for the remote.

"What'd'ya' mean?" Gajeel asked, "I...I sleep with you."

"So what? It's still your space." Laxus zipped up his jacket and grabbed his room key, walking towards the apartment door, "I'll see you later."

"Yeah," That would take his mind off of things. His room was so empty. The only thing in there was a pile of dirty clothes, his mattress, a lamp and dresser and the box of music he used to listen to. It was sent by his father, who hadn't really been keeping in touch otherwise. Gajeel assumed he was still drunk on the couch, breaking up the house bit by bit. He shivered as he remembered how harsh his father was when he was drunk. Yet, in the end, his father was the one that sent him away for his own good.

He was a good man.

He sifted through his CDs and signed records-that he hadn't even played, considering he didn't have a record player-and found one of his old favorites, from back when he was a child in middle school. He had an old CD player he'd take everywhere, and listened to that throughout his last few years of middle school...until someone took it and smashed it. He got in a fight with someone. Then he went home to his drunk dad. It wasn't a good day, and he hadn't listened to the CD ever since.

No way he'd do it now, he didn't have a CD player anyway.

Gajeel walked out of the room and sighed, "I need a fuckin' job."

"I need a raise, old man," Laxus complained to his boss, who chugged a bottle of whiskey at his own desk. Gildarts was one to hesitate when giving people raises, and understandably so, as most people who worked at the little bar didn't deserve a raise; Gray and Natsu didn't deserve a raise. However, Laxus was his best worker...out of the three.

"So be it then, you get a raise, but," Gildarts finally put down the bottle, "Why so sudden? Don't you already make plenty of money here?"

"I mean...I guess, but I just need it right now because-...actually, just-"

"Woah now, Dreyar."

Laxus looked at the older man who paused, and took another swig of his drink. Laxus groaned just before he finished off the bottle and tossed it aside, almost shattering the glass as careless as he was.

"Now I heard from...someone…"

"Heard what." Laxus said through his teeth, clenching his fists and making Gildarts grin.

"...That you got somebody at home; THAT'S what this is about, right?"

"Who the hell told you that?" Laxus asked, louder.

"That's not the point; ya' want that raise or what, Laxus?"

Laxus paused, "I do," he admitted, "I have someone at home, and he's got no job, and he's ill and I need to...what?" Laxus stared at the other who was wide eyed. He closed the drawer he'd opened for a can of beer and sat up on the chair, face unmoving and eyes right on Laxus. "What?" Laxus asked again, before realizing what exactly was wrong.

"You…"

"I-no, listen, I'm not-!"

Gildarts stood up and grabbed Laxus over the shoulder, "You got a BOY at home!?" He shouted, "MAN I honestly thought it was a girl but you managed to get your hands on a boy? Is he big or is he one of them pretty boys, eh?"

"It AIN'T like that, old man, I'm NOT gay."

"Sure Laxus, you made it obvious plenty of times before," Gildarts said, "So who is this kid, Laxus?"

"He's just my fucking roommate!"

"Alright, then how about this?" Gildarts sat back down and slammed his hands on his desk, knocking down a few photos of Cana and other papers, "You go home-right now-and show me the guy, I'll give him the job, right then an' there!" Gildarts snapped his fingers while Laxus rolled his eyes, "He won't have as many shifts as you, of course, but if he has a job he can get himself some money, right?"

"I...yeah, I guess we can do that-"

"Then it's SETTLED!" He slammed his fists on the desk again, "Go on, now," Gildarts stood to push him out of his office, "I'll take on the customers for now you just go n' get 'em!"

"Okay okay! Jeez," Laxus said as he was pushed out the door. Yet before leaving, Laxus walked towards the kitchen where the other two were. Natsu struggled to wash dishes without breaking any and Gray viciously scrubbed at mold on the tile floor. They froze as they saw Laxus at the door, glaring at them, sharply.

"So this' where ya' work?" Gajeel asked him, yawning. Laxus rushed home and woke Gajeel from a nap on the couch. Laxus opened the doors and let the other in, scratching his head.

"Yeah, uh, fuckin' hell…" Laxus spoke under his breath as he heard a loud crash in the kitchen. Honestly, it was as if Natsu couldn't take care of himself. Gajeel was led past the kitchen-where Laxus shot the two another glare-and to Gildarts' office, where he was happily welcomed with booze.

"Aren't you supposed to be selling that?" Gajeel questioned the drunken man. Gildarts shrugged, clearing his throat…before finishing off his drink. Laxus stepped in and assured to his boss that he'd already had enough, to which his boss complained that he could handle much more.

"...Laxus, what the hell is all this for?"

"Right, right," Laxus began, letting Gildarts go, "This guy...is my boss."

"..Ah huh."

"He's offering you a job."

"A wha-" Come to think of it, Gajeel had just been considering getting a job. Lucky, he supposes, but why this one?

"I don't know a thing about bartending," Gajeel exclaimed, "Fuck, all I can do is pour beer for MYSELF. I'm not good with working with people, anyways."

"Ah, but~!" Gildarts intervened, "I tell ya' it's great pay. Plus, you don't have to work much with people-promise. Tell ya' what," the drunken man wrapped an arm around Gajeel's waist, making Laxus shudder, "If you take this job, I'll start you off at 900 jewel per hour, and that's probably more than those two!"

Laxus pulled Gildarts off of Gajeel, who was a lot more calmer about this than him. He only brushed off his shoulder.

"Seems good," Gajeel said, hands on his waist, "Sounds like good money t' me; I'll take it."

Firmly shaking his hand, Gildarts excitedly accepted him for work. Laxus rolled his eyes and moved to the front of the bar, so he could finally officially open the store. Gildarts had Laxus show Gajeel the ropes, starting him off in the kitchen and handling the dishes-Laxus moved Natsu to preparing food, and Gray served food and drinks.

However, Natsu wasn't the best chef.

"What the hell're you doing?" Gajeel questioned as he leaned over the counter where Natsu and just put out another small fire.

"I-okay first of all, metal head," Natsu said as he poked at Gajeel's shirt-said shirt he'd gotten at a concert months before he'd moved, "I KNOW what I'm doing. I've been at this job for years! Secondly, you aren't-"

"Move over."

"W-what?"

Gajeel casually shoved Natsu out of the way. He stared at the poorly chopped carrots and potatoes and sighed as he chopped them himself. Natsu stared, almost in awe as Gajeel perfectly and speedily chopped carrots and potatoes, dicing onions in no time.

"What're you making anyway, stew?"

"Y-yeah, for the later crowd...Do you cook or something?"

"...Yeah, yeah," Gajeel answered, "Not as much as I used to with my dad; he taught me all kinds of stuff," He stopped before he'd started rambling. There was a lot about his dad he'd taken for granted, now that he thought about it.

"Oi," Laxus called, "We need more waffles for the breakfast crowd."

"Right!" Gray and Natsu spoke in unison, going right back to work. Gajeel sat on the counter as he watched the two, waiting for dishes to pile up.

And so they did. Who knew a bar could be so popular in the morning? Especially for how small it was, Gajeel thought as he quickly and steadily cleaned dishes. They were the only ones who worked there, right?

Not quite.

"What took you so long, ah?" Gajeel heard Laxus say from outside the kitchen, "We're crowded already."

"Yes! There was an emergency! Juvia is sorry!"

Juvia!

Gajeel jumped up from his spot and walked towards the kitchen door, where Juvia already was. They almost bumped into each other, and stared at each other in shock. "Juvia?" gajeel gasped out. Juvia blinked and her eyes grew wide.

"Gajeel-kun? Is that you?"

"Juvia...you're-?"

"Where did you go!?" Juvia asked, "You left school and Juvia has not seen you since, Gajeel-kun!"

That's right. Juvia. She'd been with him for most of his childhood; She went to his first elementary school, but the school, due to poor conditioning, and been shut down. They both transferred and ended up in the same school, where Juvia would graduate. She took a ton of art classes and made Gajeel come to her shows.

But Gajeel suddenly left, with no warning whatsoever. Juvia was one of the only people that would speak to him. He felt a little bad for leaving her there, but at least, after all she'd been through, she was okay.

After a brief hug from Juvia, they moved back to their posts. Juvia helped gray served customers and Gajeel cleaned up kitchen messes. Natsu, however, constantly called Gajeel over to help with food, and Gajeel eventually took over. Cana arrived again, for booze, and asked specifically for Juvia. She drunkenly flirted with her, complimenting her outfit and how it matched her hair.

"Thank you Cana-san, but…" Juvia hesitated, "This is my uniform."

Juvia wore a black vest with a pink bow-tie around the collar of a white, short-sleeved, button-up shirt, along with one in her hair. She also wore black, tight fitting pants with pens sticking out of the pockets. Just a uniform, still, but Cana continued with her flirtatious ways and poked at her waist, making Juvia grip tighter to her small notebook.

Laxus face-palmed before pouring another drink.

"How'd today go?" Laxus asked, leaning against the counter.

"Fine," Gajeel said, washing his hands, "Juvia works here?"

"Juvia? Oh, right, that's right, you know her, don't you?"

"Hmm," Gajeel nodded.

"She's one of our best," Laxus said, "But I mean, she keeps coming in later than she's supposed to, lately. Kind of sudden, but it's always an 'emergency.'"

"...What emergency?"

"Dunno, I ain't questioning."

Gajeel dried off his hands and sat atop the counter. Laxus stood right in front of him. They heard Gray and Natsu loudly leave the bar for the night. Laxus moved his head towards Gajeel's, and kissed his lips, softly.

"You ready to go?" Laxus asked.

"Yeah, yeah."