A/N: I couldn't wait for some Rolu, SO hope you guys enjoy Chapter 4!

I own nothing. Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima.

Chapter 4: Chezza's Palace

"At long last." Lucy breathed in relief as she stood before the front door of Chezza's Palace. Lucy was an avid shopper, she couldn't always afford to buy the things she wanted, but she still loved to cruise the shops regardless. Chezza's Palace in particular. They had a little of just about everything, from top of the line designer dresses to plungers, you name it. They even had a restaurant with a small cafe beside it. Everything was always reasonably priced, and she tended to get a frequent customer discount from the owner. The owner was actually the biggest draw for the store in Lucy's opinion. The owner, Chezza herself, was the funniest person Lucy had ever met. She would always have a laugh on her lips and a bounce in her step after she visited with Chezza.

Lucy rubbed her hands together with a grin and entered the store.

She knew where she was going. Chezza'a Palace was about the size of an old factory in Lucy's opinion, and if you didn't know your route it was easy to get lost. But not Lucy, she'd been here more than a hundred times easy, so finding her way to the lingerie department was easy peasy~.

Lucy decided to treat herself today with some new underwear, and maybe some new slinky thing to sleep in.

Speaking of slinky... Lucy eyeballed the mannequin near the register. As she approached the piece she studied it carefully. It was a small black number with red ribbons. From a distance it looked to be a solid black piece, but upon closer inspection Lucy noted that it was actually long sheer black strips that ran the length of the garment. Dozens, when put together made a solid color. The red ribbon was braided through the strips to meet at the bust where the pieces came together in a bow.

This was it. If she met her dark suitor in her dreams again she wanted to wear something special just like this. Something that would make his red eyes darken for her once more. It was only a dream, but it was still exciting. Lucy could feel her pulse picking up.

"When you pull the bow strings the pieces begin to fall away one by one, it truly is a unique piece."

Lucy spun around to find the one and only Chezza behind her. "Chezza!" Lucy squealed and then threw her arms around Chezza's neck. Chezza was a couple years older than Lucy, with a full figure and the height to go with it. She could appear intimidating to some, but to Lucy she was just a good friend.

"Hey there beautiful!" Chezza exclaimed while retuning Lucy's hug.

After they had finished their greeting Chezza went on to say, "I'm glad you're back! How did your article go?"

Lucy then told her the good news. She included that she was here today as a treat to herself for her hard work.

Being thoroughly impressed, Chezza crossed her arms and gave an approving nod. "That's my girl."

"Now Lucy before we go off on a tangent as we usually do, I gotta ask, what's up with you and this nighty?"

"Oh! That! Well... erm, I just want some new sleep wear is all, you know me, always something fancy." Lucy finished with a roll of her eyes.

Chezza looked to the black nighty, then to Lucy, then back to the nighty. To finally fall on Lucy once more. "Uh-huh. Yeah. Not buying it."

Lucy gave a fake cry of outrage, "Not buying what exactly?"

Chezza pointed to the black number, "Your excuse obviously. I feel like you could have thought of a better one, you're a writer aren't you?"

"Shit."

"Yeah."

Then they both burst out laughing. Finally, inbetween breathes Lucy got out, "How... did you... know?"

Chezza's Laughter quieted down aswell as she answered,, "Not that hard really, I know your tastes by now. And if you're eyeballing that thing-," she gave a sweep of her hand towards the black nighty. ",-you want to be SEEN in it. So, who's the guy? Or girl, I don't judge."

Lucy laughed, "I can't, you'd laugh at me."

"I won't, I promise, and I know just how seriously you Celestial Mages take your promises. C'mon girl dish already!" Chezza assured her.

Lucy thought for a second, then decided what the hell, might as well tell someone "Well I had my first wet dream."

Chezza almost fell over. "What the hell kind of bomb is that to drop all straight-faced and crap?"

Lucy couldn't help but laugh again. "Well you asked." She wiped her eyes. "I'm being serious here. You asked about a guy, and I'm telling you. It's not anyone in real life, it was a guy I dreamed up. He must have been my brains projection of my perfect partner or something. And, I know it's stupid but... I'd really like to see his reaction if I ever dream that dream again." she finished with a blush.

Chezza studied Lucy for a second. "Damn, so like literally the man of your dreams?"

"That pretty much sums it up, yeah."

"Well, don't leave me hanging! Dish girl. Now."

Lucy thought for a moment about how much to tell her friend. "It started kinda wierd...-" Lucy began to recall. "At first I was recieving an award I think for...-" Lucy hurried her words up a bit. "-for some unrelated things..."

Chezza quirked an eyebrow, "Ok, we'll get back to that later, but for now please go on."

Lucy cleared her throat. "Yes, um, so there I was getting an award when all of a sudden the whole world turned black. Suddenly I was on a bed of darkness surrounded by night, and the only light from the stars above."

Chezza nodded for Lucy to continue. "Then there was a man, I can't seem to remember what he exactly looked like though. I remember something about a promise, and red. His eyes were red, and they looked to devour me."

Lucy didn't notice, being engrossed in the retelling of her dream, but Chezza's head tilted to the side a bit and looked past Lucy briefly. Before she could say anything though, Lucy continued on. "It was so real Chezza, I was sad to wake up."

"How would you describe the man of your dreams again? Just a small description please." Chezza put to Lucy.

Lucy scrunched her brow for a second then went on to say, "I though I was pretty clear but...oh well." Lucy shrugged her shoulders. "Taller than me, strong but lean, like a swordsman's body. Long dark hair, a presence that screams danger but draws me close despite it. And let's not forget the eyes. Piercing red eyes, that could melt your heart or destroy you with a glance." Lucy sighed. "Was that good enough to describe my dream man?" Lucy finished with a laugh.

Chezza looked at Lucy, "I don't know, you should ask him,-" Chezza then directed her glance to beyond Lucy and a bit to the left. "He's standing right behind you." Chezza pointed behind Lucy.

Lucy's smile faded from her lips as she registered what Chezza said. With a now slightly panicked look, Lucy slowly turned around.

To be met with the piercing red eyes of one Rogue Cheney.

Rogue had found his way to the shop easy enough. It was hard to miss after all. It looked to be the size of his guild, maybe bigger. Walking through the doors and down the first aisle Rogue let his gaze wonder from product to product.

They really do have a bit of everything. He spotted a sweets section and then a costume aisle. Next were household commodities followed then by a fountain area that seemed to branch off into an indoor/outdoor cafe.

Might as well look around. I did promise to get Frosch a souvenir. Maybe I'll check out that costume section after I get my shirt. Rogue reflected to himself as he walked.

And so Rogue walked. And walked and walked and walked. "I should have asked for a map of the store itself instead of the way here."

He made it as far as the women's underwear department, he figured surely the mens side would be close. He spotted a register that had a woman helping someone at the counter. He figured he could just ask her to point the way.

As he neared the talking women he caught a scent of rain. Rogue closed his eyes, and savored it a moment. Rogue loved the smell of fresh water. It reminded him of baths, and Rogue was ofcourse a big fan of baths. More than that though, it was simply soothing.

He opened his eyes and followed the scent to the two women at the counter, as he drew closer his steps slowed.

"It's not possible..." Rogue murmured as he looked at the unmistakable figure of Lucy Heartfilia. She looked the same as in his dream, down to the length of her hair. He remembered it was shorter after the war with Tartaros. He decided he liked it longer. She wore her hair in a ponytail swept to the side, with a white mini skirt, and a blue form fitting top. Then he spotted the go-go boots. White aswell. There she stood chatting with another woman, who was now looking at him. Then, however, she directed her attention back to Lucy. Rogue was almost upon them when he heard the other woman ask Lucy a question.

"How would you describe the man of your dreams again? Just a small description please." Rogue's eyes widened at the woman's words, then they focused intently back to Lucy.

He had no idea what had brought on such a conversation in the middle of the lady's underwear section, but he knew better than to say a word. Instead he listened to Lucy's response. And he would be lying if he said he was dissatisfied with her answer. Something masculine inside him welcomed the thought that Lucy would be attracted to one such as he. He wasn't stupid. He knew he fit her description pretty accurately. He just didn't know if she knew that or not.

He would soon find out for he heard next, "I don't know, you should ask him, he's standing right behind you." The woman then pointed at him.

Rogue's attention was fully on Lucy as her watched her slowly turn around with a hesitant and slightly panicked expression on her face.

Once she turned around fully and locked eyes with him her expression cleared then scrunched up. It went from a warm welcoming look to surprise and confusion. "Rogue?"

"Hello Miss Lucy. It has been quite a while." Rogue tried to give what he hoped was a friendly smile.

It must have worked because that welcoming look was back. "Oh come on now Rogue, you're a comrade that I've fought along side of in the past. I think you can just call me Lucy."

"If you insist." He then tried out her name, "Lucy."

With all his senses focused on Lucy added to his enhanced hearing, it wasn't hard to tell Lucy's heart rate picked up just a bit after him saying her name for some reason.

He decided to wave away the tension. "So what brings you here?" by asking a rather obvious question.

Lucy laughed in response, "Shopping. You?"

Rogue gave a quiet chuckle himself. "The same. I'd wager however, that you're finding more success than I. You see I am very lost." He ended with a mock tone with a hand over his heart.

Lucy looked at his hand, and her gaze lingered but a moment before replying, "Oh are you now? What happened to all those cool dragon slaying powers you had?"

"I'm good in a fight, not psychic." Rogue countered with a hearty laugh this time.

Meanwhile Chezza had been silently watching the exchange between the two.

"You two do know I'm still here, right?" She watched as the two who had been slowly drawing closer together, jumped apart. Lucy had a blush creeping up her cheeks, Chezza then, looked to the guy Rogue. His attention, which had been broken, seemed to now be divided between herself and Lucy.

"My apologies, I did not mean to be rude." Rogue gave a slight bow with his eyes closed.

Chezza decided she liked him. And she had come to treasure the friendship she had shared with Lucy the past year. So she decided to do them both a solid.

"Hey, no worries." She then reached out her hand to Rogue. "My name is Chezza, and this here is my Palace. Any friend of Lucy's is always welcome."

She noticed the young man seemed to hold more respect for her in his eyes now. He then shook her hand. "I thank you for your kindness, my name is Rogue Cheney, and you have a wonderful establishment for one so young."

"Oh my you are a charmer." Chezza decided to get Lucy back in to the conversation. "Isn't he Lucy?"

At that Lucy seemed to snap out of whatever daze she was in. "Um..."

"Oh I almost forgot! Lucy, would you like to try this on before buying it? We could even get a male's opinion on it too!" She held up the black slinky number with red ribbons.

Rogue couldn't believe his eyes. Or his luck. Dear gods. He was very interested in her response to her friends question.

He could see her cheeks stained red, but with an air of nonchalance she said, "I don't think we are at the stripping stage in our relationship just yet. But thanks Chezza." she tried to whisper or mumble the rest, but Rogue heard it just fine. "Just wrap it up and let me pay, evil woman!"

"Love you too Lucy." The woman laughed as she went to the register with Lucy. Rogue followed behind the two.

"Do you just want this on your Palace Rewards Card darlin?"

"You know it!" Lucy replied back with a double fist pump. "Those rewards are mine!"

Rogue didn't know what to say, so he just remained quiet. That quiet was soon broken however, by the good natured Chezza.

"Hey! I know!" Chezza clapped her hands together. "You two are obviously old friends,-"

Rogue didn't know how to respond to that. True he had fought along side Lucy with the rest of Fairy Tail, in some of the toughest battles of his life. But he still didn't really know that much about her. Though he wouldn't be opposed to finding out more.

Chezza continued to say, "And I'm guessing you two haven't talked in a minute? So Lucy," She looked pointedly at the Stellar Mage. "Why don't you and your friend catch up at the cafe near the entrance? On me, my treat to you for a job well done on your article."

Article? Was Lucy a writer?

"Oh but I couldn't possibly-!" Lucy tried to protest.

Chezza held up a hand and gave Lucy a smile full of friendship. "Please girl, you know it wouldn't be an issue in the least. Let me do something nice for my friend."

It looked like Lucy didn't know how to respond to that for a second before saying, "Well damn. You got me then." Lucy then turned back to Rogue. "What do you say Rogue? Want to grab a bite, and chat a bit? The cafe really does have the best smoothies."

"If I may prevail upon you to be my guide afterwards? I truly am a bit lost."

Lucy laughed and shook her head in the affirmative. "You have a deal, Cheney." she then waved to the other woman and gathered her shopping bag. "Bye Chezza! Love you!"

"Love you too girlie! And remember to only wear that for the man of your dreams!" Chezza called out as the two got further away.

Lucy's face then turned a fresh shade of pink, and she grabbed Rogue's hand. "The entrance is this way, c'mon!" She looked back to him with a smile.

Rogue returned her smile and gave her hand a squeeze, then said, "Lead on, my trusty guide."

A/N: And there we have it for today everybody! I loved writing the part with them sort of unconsciously flirting with each other in front of Lucy's friend. If you like what you read feel free to leave a review ;)