This is a very long chapter... please make sure you are comfortable, remove all items that you might break and be prepared to muffle your squeals and squeaks of delight!
Happy New Years Eve Readers!
~Chrys Stone
*P.S. I have already posted a spicy One-shot for your enjoyment it is RufLu and delicious! Look out for 'The Man Behind the Red Mask' I'm excited to see what you all think!*
"I've lost a place to sleep, again. Why does this keep happening to me?" I sighed letting my head lean forward onto the table again.
"I guess you'll just have to come with us then." I watched with wide eyes as he offered a hand. "It's only fair since I stayed at your place last time."
I pushed my head off the table, eyes focused on the offered hand, blushing at Rogue's choice of words. It sounded like he was the only one to stay at my home that night. I knew that half of team Tenrojima plus the two Sabertooth mages were there, but Rufus and Orga didn't. They were both probably imagining that my place was larger, maybe even with separate rooms, not that it was a studio apartment where you can see everyone no matter where you stand. I couldn't stop myself from fantasizing how that might have played out, if it had just been Rogue at my home... I could practically feel the steam pouring from my ears.
Rogue in my bed instead of the girls... maybe even shirtless.
I had to fight off a squeal of excitement as the image merged with the memory of how he looked in the thin robe at the inn in Hosenka. I had only gotten a short glimpse of her bare skin at the time, but I was sure the rest of him was just as muscular and toned.
Oh my stars, I'm in deep trouble!
"How bold of you, Rogue." Rufus gave a small laugh with a teasing smile. "I suppose it would be pointless for me to offer my own place at this point."
I was waving my hands frantically stuttering as I fought off the fantasies. Images of Rogue and myself alone in his home, maybe it was the same as mine where you could see everything from a single vantage point. Could I really get to see everything? I felt the fever hit a peek, and I was on the verge of losing my mind, it was only a matter of minutes if I couldn't find a way to stop myself.
"Don't listen to that idiot, Lucy." Rouge grabbed my jacket and put it over my head, blotting everything else out. It gave me the opportunity to take several deep breaths trying to settle the anxiety that was looming with the prospects of spending the night... alone... in Rouge's home. If Rogue hadn't put the cool fabric against my face I was sure I would have already fainted with how much blood rushed to my face. "She needs a place to sleep and neither of you have an extra room. It's logical that she should come with me."
I do want to see where Rogue lives; it's only fair just like he said. The fact that he has an extra room is just a bonus.
With one final deep breath, I slipped my jacket on and picked Happy up in my arms, pocketing the lycrima and Loki's key (Rogue had placed it on the table while we were talking). I tried my best to keep a calm mask on my face, but my insides were twisting and twirling in a way I wasn't used to. Rogue was now on the other side of the table having a quiet argument with Rufus while Orga laughed at the two of them. It gave me enough time to work up my courage; Happy was with me, and he would absolutely never allow anything romantic to happen. It was Happy's pride to make sure he interrupted anything that could lead to more, no matter who his target was. I squeezed him a little tighter, knowing I was counting on his intrusive tendencies to keep my fantasies at bay.
"Rogue, can we go there now, to your place?" I didn't even try to fight the blush this time, as I bit my bottom lip and stared at the top of Happy's head. A cough brought my attention back up to see all three men with a healthy shade of pink on their cheeks (It was harder to see with Rufus because of that damn mask, but it was definitely there), and I felt my throat go dry. Maybe I should have said that differently. Rogue was the first to recover; he walked over and patted my head allowing his hand to linger for longer than necessary, muttering something too low for me to hear. I watched out of the corner of my eye as he took a deep breath.
"Rogue, are we going home now?" Frosh asked from the man's shoulder.
"Yes Frosh, say good night."
"Good night, Fro will see you later." He waved his little paw and Rogue patted his head with a soft smile. Again I felts as though I might melt on the spot, but I gathered my remaining sanity to be polite.
"Night, Rufus, Orga." I gave a nod to both before following after my dark haired friend, my heart pounding in my chest as we walked down the corridor.
Frosh spent the whole trip telling Rogue everything that he and Lector had been up to, getting little nods of approval from Rogue here and there. I watched in fascination as the two interacted, all the while fighting off the desire to bury my face in the silky depths of Rogue's hair as it swayed. I even caught myself sway in time to it more than once, as if it was hypnotizing me. For a short time I was absolutely willing to surrender the rest of my brain function if only I could just run my hands through it again.
I want to touch it. It's so shiny and smell so nice and it's soooooooooo soft. It wouldn't hurt to just touch it a little, right?
He stopped abruptly (my right hand stretched half way between the space that separated us) at the first house on the first street to unlock his front door. I let Happy go, taking in how much it looked like all the other house around it, it was completely unoriginal. When the door swung open I felt my anxiety peak again. I'd only been to a guy's home a handful of times, none of which had been pleasant experiences. Natsu and Happy were hoarding and dirt manufacturing slobs; my first visit had been terrifying in ways I had never imagined (I had obsessively cleaned the place, after discovering something very much alive moving under my feet), and I found myself forcing the two of them to bath at my house more frequently. It didn't really bother Natsu and Happy that much anyway, because my home had always been everyone's favorite place to hang out. They never once thought that it was my way of keeping the contamination zone that they called a house out of my own home. I shivered at the memory.
My first impression was that Rogue was anything but a slob, and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
Rogue had already discarded his coat and shoe, placing Frosh on the floor so the exceed wouldn't fall as he leaned over. Happy walked over to the green exceed, and started a quiet conversation as the two walked into the darkness beyond the foyer. I took my sneakers off in the entry way and hung both coats on the hooks that were on the right side of the wall next to the one Rogue had just placed there. He had three pairs of shoe neatly lined up under a bench on the left side, and I quickly tucked my sneakers there before catching up to him. He turned on the light, and a living room came into existence. I watched him silently disappear through a door way; I took it as my cue to inspect the place.
The living room was large, with two dark couches and dark drapes hanging in front of what looked like a bay window. There were painting every few feet, mostly depicting forests and mountains, hung on walls that were painted a medium shade of grey that suited the dark upholstery rather well. Even the area rug was a shade of black so dark it looked like it might swallow whomever stepped on it, whole. I spun on the spot, trying to get a feel for the layout, and realized that his house was two floors. On the other side of the house, there was a stairwell intruding into the center of the space, and on the other side sat a plain table with four chairs and a low hanging light fixture. Running along the whole wall behind the table was a rack that held bottles of varying size and color. The whole place was dark, as if trying to swallow any light that might have the misfortune of trying to get inside.
There were a few exceptions I realized as the fireplace caught my eye. It wasn't anything special with it's traditional masonry and red bricks, no, it was the heavy wooden mantle that really called to me. Laid out across the dark mahogany were at least a dozen picture frames, shiny and silver and completely out of place with all the blacks and deep shades of grey. My feet moved forward of their own volition, my inner Lucy willing me to find out more about the mysterious man who had somehow become one of my most important friends. I smiled softly as I recognized most of the people in the pictures, several sported Stings smug face from Sabertooth's victories at the Grand Magic Games. I let myself laugh at the how much his personality had changed with the responsibility of becoming the Master of his guild. Two years was a long time for maturity to set in, and from what I had seen so far it suited him. I glanced around and found that some of them looked more personal, like they had been taken during a job or in general travels. I noticed that his smile wasn't in any of these pictures, and I pouted, he had been doing hardly anything but smiling since we had the mission that correlated in Hosenka, why was it that he wouldn't smile for a picture with friends? I stepped back with a sigh and looked to my right where a bright green pillow in the shape of a lily pad took up a good portion of the corner. Happy and Frosh had taken up residency there, still chatting, it had moved to their favorite species of fish.
A lily pad to go with his frog costume, that is too adorable!
On the left was a built in book case that was filled to the brim with old volumes of classic literature. Their covers looked well cared for, but as a lover of books I could tell they had been read hundreds (some maybe even thousands) of times. It was an impressive collection, and I found myself wondering if I had seen any of the titles in Levy's room (I used that word lightly, because I've never seen a bed, only stacks of books) since she was the only person other than myself that held a love for classics like these. My finger ran over the bindings, trying to recall the first time I had read each title, smiling affectionately at the ones I knew my father had collected in his private library because they were my mother's favorites. The memory was bitter sweet, and with it I decided to turn my attention back to inspecting the room. I took a sharp breath when I found Rogue leaning casually against the door frame; his ruby red eyes were sparkling with amusement again, and I wondered just how long he had been standing there.
"I'm sorry if it's dusty, we haven't been home for long over the past week or so." I found myself laughing at his apology.
"Compared to the horrors I've seen, a little dust is just fine." He let out a laugh as well.
"I think I know what you mean; Gray's place looked like a tornado hit, targeting every item of clothing he owns."
"I think it's related to his stripping habit; I don't even want to ask, I don't have a death wish." I sighed, one day Gray would get his act together, and then we could be friends without my constant worry of his biggest fan drowning me.
"Poor Lucy." Happy snickered.
"The spare room hasn't been used in a while, it'll take a little time to get it set up. Make yourself at home." I nodded, and settled down on the couch as he disappeared up the stairwell. It was quiet again, and I felt my fatigue start to set in, the room swimming in and out of focus. Time ticked by slowly, and I started to let my heavy eye lips close. Images danced on the backs of my eye lids, and I felt calm and warm surrounded by the familiar scent that always wrapped itself around Rogue like a cloak.
"You liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiike him." Happy shout-whispered into my ear, laughing hysterically when I jumped.
"Why do you do that?" I groaned leaning my head back to stare at the ceiling.
"Because it's funny." He shrugged his shoulders and curled up next to me.
I was about to comment when Rogue came back into the room. He looked rather satisfied with something as he called me over, and I grabbed the treacherous cat so I could follow my dark haired friend up the stairs.
Rogue was a gracious host, to my surprise, he pointed out the bathroom (which was right across from his own room) then down the hall where the spare room was.
"I'm really sorry for imposing like this." I pulled the cat in to my chest, staring at the floor. "Thank you again, good night." He said something, but I wasn't listening, the only thing on my mind was getting tot he safety of the room I was going to be sleeping in (that is if I managed to sleep at all).
Once there was solid wood between us, I let myself sigh in relief, knowing I couldn't do anything stupid as long as I stayed in the room. It was just a bit of dirty dancing, there was no reason to lose my head over something as common place as that. I needed to pursue this slowly, no matter how badly my body was yearning to rush back down the hall and tackle the dark haired man so we could finish what we had started.
I guess this is another side effect of being a member of Fairy Tail. Never surrender! I'm not admitting defeat, I'm not. This is just a strategic withdrawal; yes that's it, live to fight another day. I need to get to know my advocacy before I can form a cohesive plan of attack! I need to make sure all the pieces are in place before I go for the killing blow! Dammit... I sound like Erza, this isn't good.
I took deep breaths, trying desperately to rein my thoughts back. I needed to focus on something other than the fact that Rogue was most likely undressing in the room next door. What would he look like, standing out all light skinned against the dark fabrics he seemed to favor? Was he just as bothered as I was, was this burning desire to have his hands all over me something we were sharing?
Happy gave me a gentle nudge, seeing that I was having some form of panic attack, and I realized that I was worrying him. I took one more deep breath and pushed myself away from the door so I could inspect my temporary dwelling. The first thing I noticed were the white drapes and the plain white linens, it was almost bright even if it was the middle of the night. The rest of the room was an open space, with a white fluffy rug and a simple night stand. The thing that struck me as odd was a large mirror on the opposite wall, other than that it was practically plain, baron even.
I walked across the room to inspect my appearance, and remembered what I was wearing. I groaned at my reflection, never having encounter a problem like this before. Could I sleep comfortably in these clothes? Should I just sleep in my top? Did I dare go down the hall and ask Rogue if I could barrow something from him?
Sleeping in one of Rogue's shirts sounds like a good plan, maybe I should do that.
"Princess, your things." Virgo always made me jump when she did that, even after all these years together I still couldn't sense her before she pops up on me. I took a second to compose myself, setting Happy down on the bed while I took a deep settling breath.
"Thanks Virgo, you're a life saver." She bowed deeply and asked if it was time to be punished, and I told her to go home. She lingered for a moment longer than normal, her eyes scanning the room before she disappeared.
"So Lucy, do you want to tell me what's really going on here?" Happy had his arms folded across his chest. "I've already got that it isn't a real job."
"Mira and Gramps are plotting against me." I plopped down next to the cat on the bed and laughed quietly as he fell over. "Things are complicated right now, and I think everyone was afraid that I'd shut myself up in my room for another month. From what I can tell it was a majority vote to send me to the only people outside of the guild that I trust."
"When did that guy become someone you trust?" He had his serious face on again. "Last time I checked you were terrified of him."
"I was, but he isn't the person I should be scared of, he never has been." I sighed, and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Just look at him Happy, you'll see the obvious differences, for instance his hair is all black, and the tattoo isn't there."
"What about the maniacal laughter of a crazy man, that one is kind of important?" Happy added sarcastically.
"I'm serious Happy. They are two completely different people, even if they share the same name." I gave him a very serious stare. "He's done nothing but help me out. Please try your best to be nice, I know it's hard for you, but at least try."
"Only for you Lucy."
"Good." I couldn't fight back the yawn that shook my whole body, and shot Happy a glare when he started laughing at me. "Mira had me walk up the face of this damn mountain instead of taking the path that leads from town. I'm going to have words with that woman, you can bet on it." Happy snickered before curling up on one of the plush pillows.
I rummaged in my bag for the least appealing night clothes I could fine. I tossed my tee shirt and bra over the night stand and buttoned a simple flannel pajama shirt up the front, leaving the top two buttons open. I swapped my leather pants and lacy underwear out for the fresh pair and loose fitting pajama pants and (gasp) my most comfortable cotton breifs. Once I was comfortable I noticed that Virgo had brought a formal gown along with her; Virgo really out did herself with this one.
She had hung the elegant red gown over the now open closet door with a pair of red satin flats set on the floor with a pair of white gloves and of course the appropriate undergarments. Not to far from the little pile were two pairs of boots, one ankle high the other knee high, both of which looked far more suitable for the mountainous terrain I would be calling home for the next two weeks. That was two big concerns I hadn't even had the notion to address yet; I made a mental note to thank her profusely later on.
I pulled a pair of warm fuzzy socks on, and carefully made my way down the hall to use the restroom before bed. The second I was back in the room I curled up under the warm blanket, taking in the faint hints of Rogue's scent that came from the comforter. Happy cuddled up to me instantly, and finally allowing my exhausted body to rest.
.
.
.
I snuggled back into the covers, my sleepy mind wishing to return to the dream world that I had just left. If only every dream could be filled with whispered promises and soft touches like that, I'd never wake up again. I would have loved to go right back to sleep and enjoy them a little longer, but if I did my bladder would have exploded, so I pulled myself from the bed, gathering the things I would need for the day including my toiletries.
My sense of time was a little off, I'm pretty sure its still morning, I think. I stretched and let out a yawn, it had been years since I slept so well, and I still wasn't ready to let the feeling slip away just yet. I hummed happily, staring at my feet as I made my way down the hall, content with the way my day was starting.
I stopped just short of the bathroom, noticing the door was slightly ajar, letting light pool on the dark carpet. I stared at the light for a long moment, before letting my eyes travel up to the door. The evil little voice was urging me to move forward, to peek at what was behind that door, with no rebuttal from the voice that was always my common sense (instead it was encouraging me to move forward as well). If the door is open it's not really my fault if I happen to see something, right? I found myself taking the next step, and then the next.
I was saved from my own curiosity as the door opened, and Rogue stepped out, a towel wrapped tightly around his waist. His wet hair left little droplets on his bare shoulders that trailed down his bare chest; he used a second towel to ruffled it around. I watched a particularly large water drop slide off his hair, and followed it's path with my eyes. Shoulder to chest, then it slide down the toned length of his torso, just past the navel and disappeared into the brilliant white towel. I swallowed hard, realizing what I had just done, and the fact that Rogue was watching me, watching him.
"Good morning." I croaked.
"Shower's all yours." He gave me a devilish grin, and I had to fight to stay vertical. A moment later he had slipped back into his room and I stood there, frozen staring at the closed door. It took a minute for me to move again, as soon as I could, I darted into the vacant bathroom and leaned heavily on the door once it was closed tightly. I stared at the damp tiled floor and worked on getting my breathing pattern back to normal.
T-t-t-towel... He was only wearing a tt-t-towel...
Once my mental facilities returned to functional levels I noticed that Rogue had left a towel on the counter for me to use. I took a deep breath and started the shower back up (turning the dial to cold). I took care of my routine as always, spending a little extra time getting a stubborn knot out of my hair. Once that was accomplished I gathered my own supplies and hopped in. I was tempted for a moment to steal some of Rogue's shampoo, just to see if it made my hair as soft as his, and I might have if I wasn't aware that he would know.
I washed quickly and dressed myself for the day before heading back to the room with my items in hand. Happy wasn't pleased when I shook him awake, even attempting to ignore me. I wasn't going to let that happen, so I snatched him up by the tail before making my way to the top of the stairs; I stopped abruptly when I heard angry voices down below. I had to bite my lip to keep quiet as I listened to them arguing.
"What are you doing here, don't you have paperwork or something?"
"Can't a guy just drop by to visit his best friend with out an interrogation?"
"No! Now get out."
"Calm down, it's not like we haven't been here before, I used to live with you remember?"
"But Rooooooogue I just wanted to bring Lucy-sama some clothing, she's got to be uncomfortable wearing the stuff from last night." At Yukino's words I decided to make my way down to the main floor.
"Virgo handled it for me." I gave a sweet smile as I crossed the room. "She brought my bag last night."
"I'm sorry about that." My light haired friend laughed awkwardly. "I wasn't thinking clearly."
"She's got everything she need, now go." Rogue was pushing Sting who was holding onto the door frame laughing like a little boy.
"You can't just kick your guests out, not when they bring food!" Sting wouldn't budge.
"You brought supplies, not food." Rogue growled. "I don't want my kitchen blown up; I will never let you do that again!"
"I don't intend to touch a thing in there!" Sting hissed back.
"We all know the brat can't cook either!" Said light haired woman balled her fists and placed them on her hips with a scowl.
"I was hoping you'd let Lucy-sama use your kitchen because it's bigger than mine." She gave me a guilty look. "I was going to ask nicely and everything."
"So, not only did you leave her without a place to sleep, now you expect her to feed you too. That's wonderful, you're the best friend ever."
"I don't mind." The three of them turned on me, the battle to push Sting out the door forgotten.
"Lucy makes the best fishy pancakes in the world." Happy was nearly drooling, I had finally realized that I was still holding his tail, and let him go. "I haven't had them in so long, will you make them for me, Lushy?" He gave me the pouting face that he knew I couldn't resist.
"You don't need to convince me cat, I already said I don't mind." Everyone looked at Rogue expectantly; he ran a hand through his hair and let out a sigh.
"You don't have to, they can just eat at the guild like everyone else." I took that as permission.
"I like cooking." I gave him a bright smile before moving across the room to inspect the two brown bags of groceries. When I turned to see if Happy was ready to help I noticed Frosh and Lector were watching from Frosh's little corner with curiosity.
"Do you two want fish pancakes too or am I only making them for Happy?" Both nodded, enthusiastically.
Happy was over the moon and instantly started taking the bags into the kitchen. "Yuki-chan you're going to help, too." I dragged her into the kitchen, as she whined about being useless.
.
.
.
Half an hour later we were setting food on the table along with dishes and silverware. I tried not to look nervous as I slipped out of the apron Yukino had been so devious as to grab from the temporary room during a restroom break (Mira was most definitely up to something since she had packed more than one). I had hoped that my light haired friend hadn't seen then when we were getting dressed the night before, but obviously she had. Yukino insisted I put it on to keep my pretty blue turtle neck and black skirt from getting flour all over them.
I settled into my seat and served myself a smaller portion then the others, knowing that I really did need to watch what I ate until the shoot next week. In hind sight binging on bon bons and ice cream to get over Natsu wasn't the smartest idea.
"Lushy you are the best!" Happy beamed as he started to dig into his own plate. "I swear this is the only thing you make better than Mira, you even make them look like little fishy fishes." The cat picked up one of the pancakes and made it do a swan dived before swallowing the head in one big bit.
"Stop playing with your food." I sighed. "Was that a compliment or an insult? I can't tell half the time with you." I focused on my own plate, unwilling to see the looks on my companions' faces. I wasn't accustom to silence during meals, it was actually a little nerve racking, thank goodness Happy was there to keep the tension at bay.
"You need to work fish into all of your recipes, like you do for Natsu's spicy peppers." Happy informed me between mouth fulls. "I'm expecting a fish stew when you come home, we'll go fishing at the usual spot so you have fresh fishy fishes to work with."
"Whatever you want, Happy." I patted his head affectionately.
"What is Natsu-san's exceed doing here anyway?" Sting asked from the other side of the table.
"His name is Happy." I pointed a fork at the blonde man, scowling at the use of possession. Happy was his own being, he didn't belong to anyone.
"I volunteered to deliver a letter." Happy pipped up. "I wanted to make sure Lucy was safe."
"I nearly forgot about that! Yukino, that scum bag client we were working for is most likely dead. We have solid alibis though so it's nothing to worry about." I was sure if I could see my own face I'd find the most evil grin in the history of evil grins, at least that's what the look of fear on her pale face told me.
"You mean the one that complained about improper conduct?" Sting asked, completely unfazed by what just happened.
"That slime ball knew the Fairy Tail mage that took the job would be bait for the creature in the cave, naturally my guild mates took care of it." Happy informed happily. "That low life won't ever hurt my Lucy again." I patted his head with a proud smile.
"That's right, no one hurt a Fairy and gets away with it." I finished my plate and leaned back in my chair. "On that same note, I'll be joining the two of you tonight." I was amused to see Yukino's excitement and Sting's confusion.
"I'm not going to argue if it means I'll have someone else to talk to." Yukino cheered.
"So that means I'm taking both of you with me... one for each arm... I like this plan, Master Bob will never bother me again!" Yukino smacked him upside the head as she passed by to gather up the dishes.
"Don't get any stupid ideas, she's my date, not yours." She stuck her tongue out, before disappearing into the kitchen.
"You can think what ever you want, I'm only going because Rufus asked me to keep you in line." I folded my arms over my chest with a warning eye brow raised.
"What's that supposed to mean? I don't need a baby sitter!" I promptly ignored his protests and addressed Yukino instead, raising my voice enough so she could hear me in the other room.
"Virgo brought a dress for me already so I'm all set, just let me know when it's time..."
"Lu-chan, Lu-chan, Lu-chan, Lu-chan!" I was cut off by the shrill and panicked voice coming from the door way, from my jacket to be more exact. "LUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCYYYYY!" I rushed over to get it, ignoring the poor dragon slayers that were holding their ears.
"Levy?" Her panicked face came onto the screen. "Please stay calm and tell me what's wrong."
"Master, he just made an announcement that he's stepping down! Why is he doing this right now? No, I don't want to call Laxus Master!" She whined, and I found myself laughing at her.
"Is that all? Goodness, I thought that maybe Gajeel got himself snagged by the rune knights again." She started laughing and the lycrima shifted to show Gajeel's smiling face. "Thanks for taking care of that creep for me."
"It's not like I really did much." He folded his arms over his chest, grinning even if he didn't sound happy at all. "You looked like crap, and the guy needed to know that it won't be tolerated to hurt one of us like that. There was a line to pummel the guy, I just happened to get there first."
"Damn straight, if I ever see that louse piece of trash again I'll finish the job myself!" That got a deep chuckle out of my friend. "Please tell me it wasn't all just talk, you hit him at least once, right?"
"One hit and he was out like a light. Flame brain and I played darts while we waited for him to wake up." I winced at the thought.
"You know playing darts doesn't need a human sacrifice, right? You should try playing the normal way once in a while." He rolled his eyes before handing the screen back to Levy.
"He does play darts the normal way." She lowered her voice even though I knew Gajeel was still sitting right next to her. "He only uses people as a target when you're involved. 'If you can't handle this punishment you have no right to be near my Bunny Girl.' It's creepy and adorable at the same time."
"Awe, Gajeel's such a softy. Give him a big hug in front of the whole guild as my thanks." She laughed, and I heard Gajeel grumble something about killing who ever was making a comment on their side of the connection. "Anyway, give Laxus my congratulations, he's going to have a busy month with the S-class examine coming up, I bet you'll be nominated again."
"I don't really know if I want to be nominated again, last year was absolutely awful." She shivered. "Who knows maybe you'll get nominated yourself." She winked at me and it was my turn to shiver.
"If I am I will absolutely surrender, I'm no match for you guys." I shook my head, knowing that it didn't matter what I wanted. Laxus would be choosing the candidates based on their skill levels. "I'm going to cheer Gray on this year, unless he's against Freed."
"Who knows what they'll have to do, Laxus could have them battle it out, or we could have something more intellectual, it's anyone's guess. We're going to go now, Master Laxus (she made a choking sound and stuck her tongue out) is calling for a pre-party drinking contest." She waved and the screen went dark.
"See, I told you Gajeel doesn't like it when people hurt his pet." Happy started laughing again. "He even used the Lucy Torture technique on that guy."
"Since when is being nail to a wall and having daggers thrown at you considered the Lucy Torture technique?" I flicked the cat between the eyes.
"Lily told me it's a respect thing to name the technique after you, since you were an idiot, talking back to him while he tried to kill you."
"I'm honored, really." I rolled my eyes, before laughing. "He can call it whatever he wants so long as I'm not his target ever again."
"Lucy-sama took a beating from Gajeel?" Yukino's eyes were wide.
"It's ancient history, back before Phantom got disbanded. He was just doing his job, and I had a rather nasty habit of getting kidnapped anyway, right Happy?" He gave me a silly smile.
"Had? You still get kidnapped! There have been slave traders, Gajeel and Juvia, several dark guilds, the Master of Phantom, the scary Edolas version of Erza, that creepy Dan guy, that one time with the mole, the Zentopia cult, the royal guards, and do I have to keep going? It's like you have this sign painted over your head saying 'Easy target, please kidnap me!' not to mention how often people want to make you a sacrifice for their weird Zeref worshiping cult things."
"You might be right, it probably has big neon lettering!" I leaned my elbows on the table and laughed at the looks my companions were giving me. "Of course you get captured from time to time, too." I leaned over and tickled Happy's stomach.
"That's cause I'm small and easier to carry off." He had a mischievous look on his face again. "Unlike someone else."
"Are you calling me fat again? Do you have a death wish, cat?" I put him in a head lock and continued tickling him.
"Lu-sh-y st-op!" He cried between giggles.
"Take it back." He howled when I hit his most ticklish spot.
"O-k. L-l-lu-sh-sh-sh-y-y-y is-is-n't f-f-fat!" I released him with a satisfied smile and let him catch his breath.
"That's better, now you're heading back to Magnolia." He turned abruptly and stared at me.
"No, I'm staying right here with you." I shook my head folding my arms over my chest.
"You're going back."
"You are my partner, and I'm not leaving you." He folded his arms over his chest as well. "I will never, ever let that happen again."
"Happy, I want you to go back and spend time with Carla, I'll be fine." The mention of the white exceed broke his resolve, if only a little.
"I don't like it." He stared up at me, his emotions torn.
"I'm alright Happy, besides I have the lyrcima so you can check in when ever you want, right?" He walked across the table and buried his face in my chest again; I patted his head softly. Happy looked up at me for a long moment then turned (to my surprise) to address Rogue.
"You will look after Lucy while I'm gone, she trusts you for some reason, so I'll let you handle it." He punctuated his words with violent hand gestures. "If she gets hurt on your watch I'll have Erza skin you alive."
"Happy!" I smacked him on the head. Rogue let out a laugh and nodded his agreement to Happy's demands so I decided not to scold the cat further. "I plan to be boring for the next two weeks, and if anything happens I've got Loki and the others to back me up."
"It's just two weeks, right?" He looked back at me with uncertainty.
"Yes, two weeks and I'll be back, I promise. We'll go fishing and I'll make your stew, then we can take a nice calm job, just the two of us. You can even stay at my place, you'll have the whole bed all to yourself until I get home, just don't put any fish under my pillow."
"Natsu can't go there anymore." Happy said softly. "Because he hurt you right?"
"Yes. But you'll protect me from now on won't you, Happy?" He perked up, his tail swishing as his grip on me tightened.
"Aye." I only looked up when I heard sniffling, and a soft sob. Yukino's eyes were glassy with tears dripping down her cheeks as she watched us, and for a moment I felt like maybe this was a conversation Happy and I should have had in private. Oh well, it wasn't like I could change that at this point.
"I'm counting on you to look after things while I'm gone." I pulled him back and gave him an encouraging pat on the back.
"You'll call if you need me, right?" He tilted his head to the side.
"I promise, now get going, Carla's probably worried." That broke the last of his resolve, and he was gone.
"Didn't you want him to stay?" Yukino asked. "You two seem awfully close."
"That's why I can't keep him here." She didn't seem to understand what I was getting at. "Natsu and I are both his best friends and this must be tearing him up inside. Happy wants us to bury the hatchet, no matter what I say, he will always want that." I saw Rogue tense out of the corner of my eye, and I knew he didn't like that idea. "He will have to accept my decision just like everyone else."
"I think you were right to kick Natsu's sorry ass to the curb." Yukino wiped her eyes and sniffled. "You are to awesome for someone who takes you for granted."
"Sooooo, this party is going to have a bunch of Fairies isn't it?" Sting was trying to break the serious atmosphere, and I felt it was a good idea so I went with it.
"You can expect the Thunder Legion to be there." I tapped my chin thinking about it. "Of course so will Erza and probably Cana."
"Why would they all be coming to a meeting like that?" Yukino was confused.
"It's not just a meeting, Master Makarov is going to formerly pass down the title of Master to Laxus. It's going to be a formal event Fairy Tail style, I bet Laxus will bring Mira as his date, which will piss Elfman off; he'll insist on coming with Evergreen to keep an eye on his sister. Lisanna will be put off that she's getting left out so she'll ask Freed or Bixlow if she can come as one of their dates, most likely it will be Bixlow. Cana will then force Freed to be her date, because there will be booze and Cana gravitates toward free booze. Erza is self explanatory, she is the unofficial second in command."
"Why are the 'Thunder Legion' going to be there?" Sting used air quotes and rolled his eyes.
"Laxus doesn't go anywhere with out his fan club." I shrugged my shoulders. "Freed worships Laxus like he's a god, and where he goes the other two follow."
"So he's going to have Mira-jane and Erza... and a bunch of monster class groupies." He pinched the bridge of his nose, as he processed whatever it was he was thinking about. "I'm staying in a corner tonight..."
"That would be smart, Cana is fine, but if any of the other four think you are even remotely hitting on them..." I made a low hissing noise and schooled my face into a mask of pain. "Messy business, wait I take that back, if you hit on Cana and Gildarts is there you are done for."
"I don't have a death wish, so Sober Sting will be on his best behavior." He gave a mocked salute that made both Yukino and I laugh. "We'll leave in two hours, I have a little paper work to finish before we head out. We'll meet in the courtyard, that's including you Rogue."
"That's plenty of time, Cancer usually takes about an hour to do my hair." I got up from my chair, ready to head to my temporary room.
"Wait, why do I have to go?" Sting was already at the door, Yukino at his side.
"The cat told you to look after his partner didn't he?" Rogue nodded his head. "He's bound to tell the red headed monster, and if she sees Lucy without you, well, I'm literately trying to save your skin."
"Dammit, you're right for once."
"Hey!"
"Sting-san is always right, you just can't understand his brilliance with your tiny brains." Lector crossed his arms over his chest as he joined the other two. "Thank you for the pancakes Blondie, they were surprisingly good."
"Fro liked the fishy pancakes, too. Will you make them again?" I think it was the first time the green exceed directed a comment at me, and I found myself gushing on the inside at just how cute he looked with those big honest eyes.
"Just don't tell Happy, he'll get upset if he knows I made them without him." I gave him a little wink.
Two hours flew by in the blink of an eye, and I was already standing it the beautiful red gown, white glove hiding the scratches on my hand with soft satin shoe on my feet. It felt strange in a way, I hadn't worn clothing this elegant since the ball to celebrate the victory over the dragons. I had to say that I liked this dress a lot more than the pink number I had borrowed that day, it was far more flattering to my body type.
Rogue looked much better in the suit he was wearing as well (the brown get up he had worn was a horrible crime against fashion, and I wished I could forget it, but I couldn't because Mira had pictures) I had to suppress a giggle when I noticed that we matched again. I took a sick sense of satisfaction in that fact, as well as the fact that Virgo had supplied me with a black fluffy jacket to replace the white one I would have normally worn.
The image from that morning swam back into my mind and I felt my face grow hot, his hair twirled around in the light breeze was making it hard to stay calm. I took a deep breath to settle the butterflies in my stomach as Yukino came racing up the cobbled street. Her dress was a beautiful pale blue, with a fluffy white coat that looked similar to the one I was wearing. Sting was following just behind, his hands shoved in his pockets.
"Heels again, do you even own a pair of flats?" I crossed my arms over my chest in annoyance.
"They're pretty." Her eyes were sparkling. "Also, I don't like feeling short."
"I could care less about being short so long as I can walk properly." She linked her arm with mine laughing as we started the long walk down the mountain side.
"Well how about you, how can you breath in that damn corset?" She took a shallow breath and puffed her cheeks.
"Lady Lucy Heartfilia, remember? I've had to wear corsets since I was eleven, and no, they never get more comfortable." She expelled her breath letting her cheeks return to normal.
"Of course, that's why it looks so good on you. I had to have Libra pull the damn stings while I held onto the bed post just to get the damn thing closed. I hate having to wear it." I laughed loud and harshly at her complaint.
"I bet she was gentle compared to what I've endured. My maids used to tell me that I'd thank them some day for cinching the corset so tightly, they were practically giddy every time I screamed." I shook my head, the soft curls that Cancer had painstakingly worked on whipping against the tops of my ears. "Virgo isn't much better, actually she might be worse."
"You make being rich sound like torture." Yukino griped.
"At times it felt like it." I sighed.
Yukino and I spent the rest of the time chatting about random things, just enjoying the light atmosphere since I wasn't in need of assistance. I moved at twice the speed I had the night prior now that I could navigate the terrain properly, even if I had to hold my gown up in one hand to keep the bottom from getting torn. Along the way Yukino quietly informed me that we weren't walking the whole way (that would take all day) and that she had arranged transportation in a lovely little coach that had velvet cushions and everything.
When we got to the end of the path the carriage was waiting to take us to the party, which made Sting and Rogue both groan. I had to hold back a laugh, knowing that I had a plan that was going to make this particular ride more enjoyable for me, and possibly my dark haired friend. We climbed into the carriage, and I could see both men start to grow pale from just the thought of the drive ahead of us.
"We're going to practice again tonight, right?" She pantomimed drinking a full bottle, and I started to laugh.
"If Cana is there I doubt we'll be able to get out of it." She giggled mercilessly.
"So long as it's with you, Lucy-sama. We have so much fun together." I let myself laugh lightly and agreed, we had tons of fun together. "We'll be staying in Crocus for the night, so we can drink as much as we want."
"Last night was just a taste of what it's like to have a real party with us."
"How many bottles can you drink?" I took a moment to count them on my gloved hands.
"The last time I cared to count I was at ten, maybe eleven before passing out. That's breakfast for Cana, since she drinks by the barrel." The carriage started moving, and instantly the two men started to turn green. I twisted in my seat so I could see them better, and flashed a wicked grin. "There are three options available to you gentlemen during our little trip. One you can let us knock you out, two you may suffer in silence, or three lay down and I'll show Yukino a little trick to help the motion sickness." Sting instantly fell sideways, not wanting to get punched in the gut. Rogue was a little more hesitant, but eventually he too laid down.
"What are you going to do?" Yukino was watching me carefully.
I eased Rogue over until his head was on my lap (face turned toward the wood ceiling) ignoring the trill of giggles from Yukino. I handed her a small piece of candy that I had tucked in my purse and took a second one to hand to Rogue.
"Gajeel's sickness caught him by surprise, so Levy wanted to come up with something that would help." I pulled my gloves off before letting my index and middle fingers rub slow lazy circles around Rouge's temples. "Keep your eyes closed and picture being on solid ground and put that under your tongue." He nodded his head, and crossed his arms over his chest once the candy was in his mouth. I looked up to see Yukino imitating my actions, and I let a small grin take over my mouth. I should have felt ashamed that I was taking advantage of Rogue's current state of immobility, but after that morning's display I knew that I wasn't going to be able to keep my hands to myself. It was the perfect plan, and no one would be able to tell my true motives.
I let my fingers trail down to rub the joint of his jaw then back up to the temples working slow circles the whole time. When I finally felt him relax into my touch I moved up to gently brush his bangs back, getting a good look at his calm face. I openly took in all his feature, from the curve of his mouth to the scar on the bridge of his nose. His hair, his absolutely glorious and soft hair, was there just waiting for me to play with. I held myself back, knowing that if I randomly put my face against his head the whole thing would be ruined. So to satisfy the urge I slowly worked my way along his scalp, combing the black strands of silk out with my fingers. I repeated the process from the temples to the scalp over and over again, enjoying every moment of it.
"Are you feeling better?" I asked softly, as I let my hands fall (it had already been an hour and I was rather satisfied by how long I had been able to openly touch him without Yukino making a comment); I jumped just a little when he grabbed my wrist, and opened his eyes.
"Please, don't stop yet." I gave a soft smile and nodded; I was happy that it was actually working, since I had only tested it a few time on Natsu (even if his relief had been my second motive for my suggestion).
"Close your eyes." He obeyed and I started the routine from the beginning again, warmth spreading across my cheeks as I let my hands trail further down, memorizing every line and curve of his handsome face.
"Levy didn't come up with this, did she?" I looked over at Yukino with a guilty smile.
"I said she wanted to, not that she was able to." She raised a brow at me. "I came up with this for Natsu a long time ago. His case is so bad that it hardly works; Gajeel on the other hand actually gave me a pat on the head for showing Levy what to do, so I figured it might work for these two."
"What is the candy, I've never seen it before." I let a blush coat my cheeks.
"Never tell Gajeel this, ever, or we will all die." She looked positively mortified, but still curious. "Bisca suggested candied ginger, she used it with Asuka."
"I don't understand, why would children's candy help motion sickness?" I couldn't help myself, I had to laugh. "Or be the reason Gajeel kills us."
"It was for Bisca, not Asuka. It helps with morning sickness, it fights the nausea." I watched as realization dawned on her face and she too let out a small laugh. "I've made a habit of carrying some with me, since I have so many friends with that particular weakness. I actually kind of like the way it tastes too, but don't tell Bisca that, she'll tease me to high heaven if she knew I tried it."
"What about the massaging part?" She raised a brow, curiosity radiating off of her again.
"It's relaxing, my mom used to do this for me when I was sick." She giggled again, and I went back to focusing on my task, ignoring the loud snores that came from the sleeping Guild Master. I spent another hour of bliss working my fingers through Rouge's hair, taking pleasure in the fact that I could give him a comfort that he hadn't found before.
The carriage finally came to a stop with a swift jolt that made Sting fall off Yukino's lap. Rogue started to slide toward the floor, but I reached out and grabbed his shoulders before he could go all the way over. He whispered a thank you as he pulled himself into a sitting position again. Sting was the first out of the exit, grumbling about a sore back before helping Yukino down. Rogue moved past me to get down first and helped me out.
I was smiling from ear to ear when I looked up to see Crocus Gardens in all it's splendor. I hadn't been to the capitol in about a year, but it was still as beautiful as ever. Rogue handed me back my gloves (I hadn't realized that I had left them on the seat next to him) then offered his arm. Excitement bubbled up inside of me in a way that I hadn't experienced in far too long. I made quick work of replacing the garments and gently wrapped my left arm around his right. I was rewarded with a smile as we followed Sting and Yukino inside.
We had only made it to the coat check when I heard my name. I turned only after my coat was taken by the young woman working the counter. Yukino let me know that they were going to check in while I handled business; I waved her off and made my way over to my friends.
"Hello, Mira. I was hoping I'd get to see you tonight." She looked at me with confusion, and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. Erza and Mira looked at each other then back at me.
"Why are you here?" Erza, never one to beat around the bush.
"Mira, we need to talk about the map that you so lovingly made for me, as well as leaving me in the middle of no where, completely confused as to how I got there." Mira let a nervous laugh escape as she looked around the room for an excuse to get away from me.
"On look Erza it's Jenny, she's calling us!" Said red haired woman just stared as Mira dragged her off to the other side of the room. An instant later I was surrounded by the Blue Pegasus Host boys.
"Lucy, you look as lovely as ever! Would you like to accompany us on our way inside?" Hibiki cooed taking my hand to place a kiss on the knuckles, I pulled it away instantly, and plastered on my best sweet smile.
"Hello boys, it's good to see you." I decided I'd had enough when Eve tried to wrap his arms around my waist. I gracefully dodged to the left, and then to the right to avoid Ren who had intended to lock an arm around my shoulder. "If you'll excuse me, I've left my companions behind again." I gave a half curtsy, wanting to get out of there before their leader showed up, Ichya scared me more than Erza sometimes.
Three steps back towards the Sabertooth mages and I was stopped again.
"Miss Lucy it's good to see you doing well." I gave a smile to the newest Master of Lamia Scales and a small curtsey.
"Hello Master Jura, it's good to see you again." The quick pleasantry was ended as my name was called again.
"Lucy Heartfilia!" I twisted, surprised to see Princess Hisui with the ever present and stoic Arcadios right behind her. "It is you!"
"Hello Princess, you're looking well."
"Oh please we've gone over this, call me Hisui!" She wrapped her arms around me in a hug. "Oh, Yukino Aguria you are here as well, what a party this will be!" Yukino only bowed as the three of them came over closer. "Lucy, you must come spend some time with us during the night."
"Of course Hisui, I wouldn't dream of turning you down." She took a moment to look around.
"The pink haired boy who is always with you, has he already gone inside?" I should have seen it coming, and I knew it wouldn't be the last time I would be asked that.
"Unfortunately not, Natsu isn't allowed at functions like this, what with his bad habit of breaking expensive items." Hisui lifted a gloved hand to cover her laughter.
"Tell him I send my best when you see him." She patted my hand before moving on to the next guest she needed to greet. I assured her that I would, from the distance, and was instantly called from another direction.
"Hello Millianna." She bounced right up to me and gave me a hug.
"Have you seen Erzy werzy?" I laughed and pointed to the main gathering area.
"She'll be happy to see you I'm sure." I waved her off as she rushed into the main hall.
"Isn't this supposed to be a Guild Master's event?" Yukino asked Sting with her hands on her hips.
"Old man Makarov made the guest list not me." He rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh.
"Fairy Tail is on good terms with a majority of the other guilds, so there is bound to be a good deal of them here." I gave her a nervous smile.
"Miss Lucy!" I turned again to see Freed dressed as usual, sword and all.
"Hello Freed." He bowed the same as Hibiki had but I allowed him to brush my knuckles with the soft kiss I hadn't allowed the play boy. When he rose back to his full height there was a healthy shade of pink staining his cheeks. I let myself laugh lightly but didn't comment on it.
"So Happy was telling the truth that you'd be here. I was hoping to get a chance to talk to you about that barrier spell again." I wagged a finger at him with a small laugh.
"Tonight is for celebrating, no talk of business." I watched his cheeks gain a bit more color as he laughed too.
"Another time then?"
"Absolutely! Now go on, I know you're just as excited for Laxus as I am." He bowed his head and excused himself.
I turned to look at my companions, and all three had varied expressions on their faces.
"Freed totally has a thing for you." Yukino spoke up. "I totally don't blame him though."
"You sound like Mira, we only need one of her, so stop." I pushed past, latching onto Rogue's arm as I headed towards the room where I knew more of my friends were lurking. "Would you mind sticking with me, I have a feeling the Host Boys are going to hoover." I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, hoping that my request wasn't too much.
"You are rather popular." He whispered back.
"I like to think of myself as an easy person to get along with." He chuckled and adjusted his arm so it was more comfortable.
"If they bother you just say your my date, it'll scare them off." That was something I hadn't been expecting.
"I have no objection to telling them that." I reveled in the small amount of color that blossomed on his cheek bones as he looked down at me. "I mean if date makes you uncomfortable I can call you my escort."
Way to go Lucy!
"I offered, so of course it's fine." I gave him a smile, pulling him closer to my side as we walked. I tried my best to ignore Yukino's high pitched squeal, the white haired demon woman named Mira on the other hand, did not ignore it. She instantly turned to Cana, who was already surrounded by empty barrels. I took a deep breath, and waved at the two of them.
"Yukino, I think it's time to cover a couple more of the rules, come on." Reluctantly I released Rogue's arm and took the light haired woman's hand. We moved over to say hello to the brunette who was choking on her drink. "Hello there Cana, don't you dare say anything." I pointed an accusing finger at my friend.
"I was going to say way to go, but I guess I can't." I let out a low growl to warn her that I was serious before turning back to my light haired friend.
"Alright Yuki-chan as a refresher. Do not challenge Cana, she doesn't understand mercy. Juvia isn't here so don't worry about that. Do not let Mira out of your sight once you start drinking, she's already plotting something, and dear god if she says anything about babies we run right back to the guild." She laughed, as did Cana. "Freed, Bixlow and Evergreen are horrible drunks, so if you see them drinking try not to talk to them. Especially Freed, if you absolutely must, don't mention Laxus; it's not pretty. Laxus himself doesn't normally allow himself to get drunk in public, but I've heard it's an interesting sight when he does. Keep alert, and if you hear a crackling sound find cover. Erza is fine so long as you do as she asks, no matter how crazy it may sound. If you defy her, you'll be in a world of pain. That man over there is Cana's dad, he is known for destroying things when he's absolutely sober. If he looks mad use her as a shield, it works every time."
"I'm not a shield, little Lucy-chan." Cana was laughing even if she sounded annoyed.
"Elfman is easy, just agree that he is the manliest man in the history of all men. He'll give you a slap on the back and leave you alone for a while. Lisanna is trouble just like her sister. If she bats her eyes head for the hills, or again use Cana as a shield."
"Why am I a shield?" The card mage groaned.
"You're surround by barrels; it's the best place to hide."
"Fair enough."
"And lastly for tonight's lesson, Master Makarov is a pervert, sober or drunk, so never leave your back side open." Cana started laughing again.
"No sweetie, he only does that to you."
"You're kidding right?"
"Nope, you're just that special." She wriggled her eye brows at me suggestively and I sighed.
"Lucy-sama is extremely popular." Yukino laughed quietly.
"Beautiful, smart and SINGLE! Of course she's popular." Cana was getting on my nerves and the party hadn't even started yet.
"I hate you some times." I could already feel the chill creep up my spine as eyes turned toward us.
"Sorry to tell you this, but everyone knows your single already." I looked over to see Evergreen behind her favorite green fan. "It seems like someone overhead you in Hosenka and ran right to Jason with the tip."
"That explains a lot." I sighed in defeat. "It's my own fault for discussing something like that in a public place."
"The ceremony is going to start any minute, so go get a good seat." Cana shooed us with both hands. "I'll try not to drink all the booze before it's over."
Yukino and I made our way back to our 'dates', and steered them to open seats before anything else could happen. Yukino and I positioned ourselves between the two men as a protective barrier from the prying eyes, no thanks to Cana's outburst. We watched as Makarov passed on the staff that had been passed to him over to Laxus. Master Mavis giggled from her place right next to Mira and Erza at the front of the hall. I let a smile curl my lips at her antics, pride in my guild filling every part of my being.
Master Makarov said a few choice words, in an inspiring speech as he had always done; it brought Mira to tears, as well as Freed (who was very visible in the front row biting a handkerchief to keep himself from being too loud). Once Laxus had officially accepted the title the room broke out in a roar of cheers and applause, myself included. Laxus signaled that the party was starting, and a band shuffled into the room to play the kind of music I had grown up learning to dance to.
I could smell something delicious in the air as well, and found myself searching for the source. Two beautiful words came to mind, buffet table. I forced my gaze back to the group that had converged on Laxus to offer their congratulations and decided I needed to join them. I broke away from the protective barrier and forced my way through the crowd to give the tall blonde a smile.
"Well, I didn't expect to see you here." I was surprised too, when he gently patted my head with an unusually warm smile.
"Erza gave me a heads up. I'm on a job you know; I'm supposed to enjoy myself, and there is nothing more fun than a Fairy Tail party, right?" He let out a deep throaty laugh and my smile grew wider.
"That's right, now get back to work." He put his hands on my shoulders and turned me so that I was heading back to the Sabertooth mages.
"Congratulations, Master Laxus!" I called once I was half way there.
"You two look like you really are related." Yukino whispered as I returned.
"We are a really tight knit guild. It's like I have a bunch of big brothers looking after me." I took a second to think about that. "Nyx that, I don't want a bunch of perverts for brothers." She was laughing again, but it died off as the music started up, and Laxus began twirling a giggling Mira around the center of the room.
"So when does the drinking start?" Yukino asked excitedly.
"Lets enjoy the party a little longer before Cana gets you absolutely trashed." She instantly pushed her bottom lip out in a pout and I shook my head. "If you really want to get started then you know where she is, I'll join you later." Several other couples had converged on the floor, and I was itching to do the same. Yukino let out a huff of indignation before dragging Sting across the room with her.
I wished I could go right to partying as well, but old habits die hard. I moved swiftly to the table Princess Hisui was occupying and engaged her in a conversation about the recent trends, including the shoot that would be taking place at the palace for Sorcerer's Weekly. She expressed her enthusiasm as we ate and drank wine together. Rogue was by my side, adding little bits to the conversation whenever the Princess addressed him. Some where deep down, I let the thought that my mother and father would have been proud light a small sense of warmth in my heart.
An hour or so passed when I finally excused myself. I was about to ask Rogue if he wanted to dance when he laced his fingers with mine and pulled me forward, he didn't say a word as we took on a proper dancing pose and started to twirl around the floor. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought he was raised by a nobleman instead of a dragon. His steps were careful and practiced, and his lead was easy to follow. Every part of me was humming with excitement as we continued through five songs, adjusting our pace to the tempo each time it changed.
"Thank you for earlier." He whispered just loud enough for me to catch over the music, it took me a moment to remember what he was talking about. I felt the blush rise when I remembered how long I was able to selfishly take advantage of his condition for own twisted enjoyment.
"I'm glad I could finally find something that might help you out, after all the things you've done for me over the past week." The smile I gave him was the most sincere and brightest I had ever given anyone before. "Even if it wasn't much it felt nice to be of some use." He laughed, and fixed me with an amused gaze.
"Then you won't mind doing it on the way back right?" It was my turn to laugh.
"I was already planning on it, so no, I don't mind at all." He took the opportunity to spin me in a circle and I couldn't help but laugh again. Once I was back in his arms the song came to an end, and there was a cough that brought both of our gazed to the side.
"Yukino wants you to come play a drinking game now." Sting looked like he felt rather uncomfortable with being sent on a errand by the light haired woman.
"Alright, are you two going to play with us?" Sting was about to say no, I could see the fear in his eyes after the conversation we had earlier.
"Of course we are." Rogue wrapped an arm around his friend's shoulders and steered him to the corner where Cana's barrels were taking over the place. She gave a happy cheer, her cheeks already rosy from consuming the copious amounts from the containers surrounding her.
"Finally! We've been waiting for your ass for HOOOOOOOURSSSSSSSSSSSS." She was always so dramatic.
"What game is it tonight, Cana?" I settled on a barrel that had been turned on its side, with a sigh. I had a majority of my wits still intact at this point, since Rouge wasn't right next to me. I figured after a few more days I would be able to think clearly no matter how close he got, if I survived that long.
"Bottoms up." She had a Cheshire cat grin as she passed down a bottle to each participant.
"Let's set the conditions shall we?" I raised a brow, we hadn't played this one in a while.
"I have the perfect one! We drink whenever Elfman or Ichya says men, or man!" Mira said with a smile.
"That'll end the game too fast, this one over here is a light weight." Cana pointed to Yukino who was already pink in the face.
"She tapped faster than I expected." Cana clicked her tongue at that information.
"You're too soft, I'd never let you tap out."
"We could play drinking poker." Lisanna offered.
"Nah that's boring, I want excitement!" Cana tapped her chin.
"Would you rather is always fun." I added.
"I have a better idea." I looked over to see Erza take a seat. "We haven't played Truths in a while."
"I don't think I know the rules to that one." Yukino tapped her chin.
"It's a trap game. When it's your turn you have to tell the group one thing you have never done, anyone who has done the act doesn't have to drink. That stupid game always gets me messed up, and you know it." I shot Ezra a glare. "Plus Cana either gives really crude answers or makes stuff up that she knows I haven't done."
"It isn't my fault that you lack worldly experience." A tinge of amusement lit Cana's brown eyes and I sighed.
"I really want to play would you rather, everyone has a fair shot with that game." I looked to the others for support.
"Then it comes to a vote." Erza gave the two options and counted the votes up. "Lucy wins by two votes."
"Right, I'll explain the rules, and Cana will abide by them or we will take her booze." Everyone nodded in agreement. "When it is your turn, you need to come up with two options, it doesn't matter what they are. The group will vote, and everyone who picks the least popular option must take a drink." I took a deep breath. "I'll start then it will go to the person to my left and so on."
"So, I'll go second." Yukino hummed happily.
"Right. Would you rather live in a desert with no water, or a frozen tundra with no fire?" It was a good question to start the group off, and I laughed as only Mira answered the desert.
"Ok, would you rather date all the Blue Pegasus host boys at the same time or die alone?" Yukino smirked as everyone said they would rather die alone. Since there was no minority, everyone drank.
"Would you rather have the best sex ever with the one person you desire more than anyone else but only get it once, or spend a life time fucking someone you barely like?" Cana was a deviant, and I found myself blushing as I answered with the first response. The one night stand won out by a land slide, and Lisanna (surprisingly) was the only one to drink.
"Would you rather experience death by disembowelment at the hands of a skilled swordsman or be eaten alive by a Manticore?" I had to cover my face with my hand. Eaten alive was the majority and everyone drank again.
"Would you rather marry someone without knowing who it is or watch the person you love marry someone else?" Mira with her love analogies. That one took a little longer for everyone to vote on, and I found that neither option was something I would ever want, but I voted the second option. If the person I fell in love with was in love with someone else it would only be right to let him go. Yukino, Lisanna and I had to drink for that one.
"Would you rather have limitless magic power or a reason to never use magic again?" Sting's question was rather interesting. I immediately chose the second option along with the other Fairies. The three Sabertooth mages drank.
"Would you rather go cold turkey or be given twenty four hours to consume as much as you can before never being allow to drink ever again?" Cana gasped, and cradled her bottle closer to her chest. The first option won out, with everyone except Cana; she had a mini panic attack and drank the rest of her bottle, moving onto a new one. I gave Rogue a big smile for coming up with that one it was cruel and perfect for the intoxicated card mage.
"Would you rather find your soul mate is married with children, or have them killed in a terrible accident?" The first option won again, with no votes against.
"Would you rather rather die to save thousands of lives knowing no one would ever know it was you, or live while everyone knows you decided not to save thousands of lives?" The group grew silent, but we all chose the first option.
"Would you rather kiss a dead fish or sleep in a trash pile?" We all looked at Yukino like she was crazy, the vote was split, so we all drank. Rogue ignored Sting's insistence that it would be far less traumatic on his nose to kiss the fish, it's not like he wanted to kiss the fish.
"Would you rather pose nude for Sorcerer or have a spell cast on you that makes you completely unattractive to the person you want to be with?" Mira and Erza picked option two and drank. I felt bad for the vanity of it, but it was just a game.
"Would you rather live on a deserted island alone for eight years or spend eight years living with all your friends in the same house?" It was overwhelming how quickly everyone except Erza yelled option one.
"Would you rather chop off your one of your own fingers or spend fifteen thousand jewel for your worst enemy to go on a shopping spree?" Cana was the only one to pick the first option.
"Would you rather travel back in time to change one event or to the future to see what happens to you?" I decided to speak up so that no one would feel bad for what I knew they wanted to say.
"I'd go back, the future is ever changing so I couldn't be certain if the future I see will still be my future as I continue to live." I gave them all a soft smile.
It was a split vote again, and Yukino finally hit her limit, Mira wasn't far behind as she chattered about pretty babies then fell backward.
"Would you rather fight a Dragon or Erza for the last piece of strawberry cake?" We all burst out laughing. Sting and Erza decided they would rather fight over the cake together, and had to drink, both went down for the count. Erza chewing on her hair mumbling about how tasty her cake was.
"Would you rather give or receive a lap dance?" Cana and I both said give at the same time, and Rogue took a drink. Lisanna fell off her barrel giggling about how horrible it was that her big sister wasn't awake to hear that.
"Would you rather keep playing or come dance?" I had my eyes locked onto Rogue's ignoring Cana as I waited for his answer.
"Dancing sounds like more fun." His smile grew as the fit of giggles grew to the side of us.
"I think so too." I got to my feet and stepped carefully over the fallen bodies of my friends.
"Are you quitting?" Cana choked out.
"I give this victory to you oh queen of the drunks; I'm going over there before the band leaves." She finally looked around to see that the hall had become nearly empty, most of the Fairy Tail mages were passed out either at tables or on the floor.
I ignored everything else as Rogue took my hand again. My mind was silent as we made our way back to the dance floor, all my focus was on how much I wanted this part of the night to continue. The formal style of dance was tossed out the window as I wrapped my arms around Rogue's neck and began playing with the loose strands of his hair. Rogue's hand came to rest on my hips as we swayed back and forth, in time to the music.
I leaned heavily against his chest yearning for the steady beating of his heart, for a second time I found it beating just as frantically as my own. I didn't need to understand it, I just needed to go with the flow. I wasn't going to fight it, if I was falling for this person then so be it.
"I've never danced like this with anyone but you." I whispered, and I felt him lay his cheek against the top on my curls. "I think I've become addicted to it." I felt him laugh, light and playful.
"Maybe I have too." My heart definitely skipped a beat.
"D-do you think maybe we could keep doing this?" I swallowed hard, knowing that I had jumped ahead of schedule. He stopped moving, but didn't shift positions. I felt the anxiety make the blood in my veins run cold, and my pounding heart was spreading the chill faster than I could handle.
"Keep doing what exactly?" I felt a heavy weight settle in my stomach, and I decided it was best not to venture further. I was right to think that taking it slow was my best course of action, and I forced the words out of my mouth.
"Dancing, lets keep dancing." It sounded weak, but I hoped he would buy the excuse instead of pressing further. The last thing I wanted was for this, whatever it was, to end before I really had a chance to figure it all out. I need to bide my time, to decide where to step next.
I'll make him fall for me just like I'm falling for him.
"Alright." He seemed to tense a bit, and I felt him take a deep breath. "I was wondering if you might, maybe, like to try doing something with just us when we go back." I pulled back with wide eyes and nodded. Being alone would help me learn more about him, it would be ideal to start making myself someone he wanted to keep around.
"The interruptions have been rather annoying, it might be nice to have a night without them." He smiled softly, and reach up to tuck a stray curl behind my ear. His finger hoovered there for a moment while he spoke.
"I couldn't agree more."
BAWHAHAHAHAHAHA Again I update on Wednesdays! So you will have to wait another week for more progress... and maybe some sleepless nights. who knows?