I am having so much fun writing this story, I just had to post another chapter. The first few chapters probably look like fillers, I just wanted to give a good description of everyone's personalities and relationships. I hope you all enjoy!
Reviews are greatly appreciated!
Gajeel sat in his office sorting through a proposal that was due by the end of the day. He liked owning his own company, but the paperwork was the part he could live without.
"Shit!" Gajeel cursed, his pen running out of ink.
He pinched the bridge of his nose, looking down at his desk. He was supposed to meet the guys for lunch in an hour, yet the pile of papers weren't getting any smaller. People didn't understand why he still preferred to handwrite his paperwork, he also didn't want anyone to catch on that computers seemed to despise him. The last time he booted up a computer, the whole system crashed within 20 minutes; he had to call Levy to see if there was any way of salvaging the damned thing. Yet, she tried her hardest; the contraption was fried.
Gajeel had finished up the final estimated cost for the new skyscraper going up in the downtown district, than reclined back in his seat; finally relieved to be done with it.
"Mr…I mean Gajeel." Lisanna spoke through the intercom, remembering he hated to be called for so formerly; unless it was Levy teasing him. "Natsu is here."
"Ok, I'll be right down." Gajeel said, standing up from his seat; then continuing out his office door.
Gajeel walked down the long hallway until he hit the main lobby, where he saw a familiar pink haired man sitting on a black leather couch; looking up at the ceiling.
"Well, if it isn't Salamander himself!" Gajeel said, chuckling as he walked closer.
Natsu turned his head to where Gajeel was now standing in front of him; looking up.
"Hey Metal Head!" Natsu said, pointing out his nickname; due to his many piercings covering his face and arms. Usually in the corporate world not many people had many piercings, let alone as many as Gajeel had; yet since he was the president of his own business he felt those rules didn't apply to him.
Gajeel smirked.
"So, we meeting the rest of them at the restaurant?" Gajeel said.
"Yep!" Natsu stood up from the couch. "Let's hurry, I'm starving!"
"You're always hungry!" Gajeel scoffed, walking toward the entrance of the building; Natsu following behind him.
Gajeel walked through the doors of the Lamia Scale steakhouse, the smell of grills and spices wafting through. He didn't realize just how hungry he was until he saw a waiter walk by with a giant New York strip steak on a plate.
"Oh man, this smells so good!" Natsu said, holding onto his stomach; one thing that man could do was eat.
Gajeel chuckled at his outburst, sitting next to the hostess podium. A young, petite looking girl with amaranth colored hair walked up to them. Her hair was tied up into pigtails with orange ribbons holding them into place; she smile cheerfully before speaking.
"Hello! Welcome to Lamia Scale Steakhouse, my name is Sherria; do you have a reservation?" The girl, now introduced as Sherria said; looking at Gajeel and then to Natsu.
"Yeah, I think that's our table over there." Gajeel said, pointing over to where he could see Laxus and Gray sitting down at a table by the window; both holding a glass of water.
"Oh perfect; follow me!" Sherria said chipperly, escorting them both to the table.
"Well, look who decided to show up!" Laxus said, smirking at them.
Gajeel chuckled and sat down across from Laxus; Natsu sitting across from Gray. That in itself was a bad idea, knowing the two's rivalry; Gajeel wouldn't be surprised if they started arm wrestling before lunch even started.
"So, how's the electric business?" Gajeel laughed, knowing full well that Laxus was doing just fine; since the man owned the electric plant that powered the entire city.
"Just fine, how do you think I manage to afford all the luxuries of this tropical wedding?" Laxus smirked.
"True, although I know for a fact Mira makes enough on her own!" Gajeel said, raising his brow at Laxus.
Gajeel looked at Laxus and Mirajane almost like a power couple. Laxus owned Dreyar Electric, then there was Mirajane Strauss; toughest Lawyer around. Sure she looked innocent and her former career as a model helped that imagine; yet she was defiantly scary when she needed to be. Giving herself the nickname "The Demon". Being the highest paid lawyer sure had its perks, she was good at her job and at times Gajeel felt bad for his friend; knowing the poor man wouldn't be able to get away with anything.
As the four men sat talking manly about business and Laxus's ever approaching marriage; a waiter with with blue, silver colored hair approached them.
"Hello, my name is Lyon; I'll be your waiter today." The waiter said, looking at each of them; then his gaze stopped at Gray.
"Shit!" Gray mumbled; looking down at the table.
Lyon seemed to here Gray's mumbling; yet dismissed it. Gajeel seemed rather intrigued with why the "ice man" had seemed distraught by the waiter.
After their orders were taken and their waiter left, taking another stern glance at Gray; Gajeel smirked.
"Alright, what the hell was that about?" Gajeel looked a Gray, expecting a decent answer.
"Nothing…" Gray sighed, looking out the window of the restaurant.
"Yeah, I don't buy that bullshit!" Laxus interjected.
"What's the matter Ice Princess…did he kick your ass or something?" Natsu chuckled.
"Oh shut up flame for brains!" Gray shouted. "It doesn't even have anything to do with me…that's the stupid part." Gray huffed.
"Don't get it…" Gajeel said, looking confused.
Gray sighed, taking a sip of his water.
"It's about Juvia…" Gray rolled his eyes. "I met him one time when she and I were just walking down the block, nothing wrong with that; he started bombarding her saying how he wanted to be with her." Gray sighed. "Then, once he saw me; he automatically assumed I was 'with' her…ya know intimately…he started to challenge me saying the winner's prize was Juvia."
Gajeel, Laxus and Natsu just looked at him stunned by the ridiculous story.
"Seriously?" Gajeel said. "That story sucks…"
"Yeah, thought it would be more interesting than that…" Laxus agreed.
"I at least expected you to get your ass kicked, but nooo…" Natsu said, rolling his eyes in disapproval.
"Really?!" Gray huffed. "You all suck!" He folded his arms. "The fact of the matter is I'm not even dating Juvia; which is why all these challenges to 'win' her are ridiculous!"
The other three started to laugh hysterically; making every other customer in the restaurant turn to look at them.
"What is so funny?!"Gray seemed confused.
"You really are that dense aren't you?" Gajeel answered, his laughter subsiding.
"Huh?" Gray inquired.
"Oh boy…" Natsu said, placing the palm of his hand on his forehead.
"I don't even want to attempt to get into this conversation…" Laxus sighed. "I'm at least going to need something a lot stronger than water!"
Natsu chuckled.
"What is the big deal?" Gray really didn't seem to understand.
"Ok, you are really dense…just letting you know." Gajeel said. "Juvia likes you, trust me; I've known her since the frickin 3rd grade!" Gajeel sighed. "I can tell by the ridiculous way she looks at you, all googly eyed and shit…"
"What?" Gray was stunned. "I…umm…didn't know?"
"Bullshit!" Laxus said. "I know you like her too. You guys have been flirting non-stop!"
"Yeah, it's kind of annoying…" Natsu shook his head in agreement.
"Seriously?! Says the man that almost had sex with his girlfriend on my back porch last weekend during my house warming party!" Gray exclaimed, Natsu's face turning red remembering last week all too well.
"Well, at least I admitted my feelings for her and asked her out!" Natsu said, sticking his tongue out at Gray. "Man up!"
Gray huffed, his face turning red with anger.
"I oughta kick your ass right into that lobster tank!" Gray shouted, starting to stand up out if his seat before Laxus caught him; pushing him back down.
"Knock it off you too!" Laxus looked to both Gray and Natsu.
"Fine!" Gray sighed.
"Whatever!" Natsu interjected.
After that little outburst, Lyon came holding their orders on a tray; he glared at Gray once again before leaving them be with their food.
"So, speaking of woman…" Laxus said, cutting into his prime rib. "Get a plus one yet?"
Gajeel looked up at Laxus, then rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"What if I did?" Gajeel said, cutting into his New York Strip.
"Then I'd say it's about damn time!" Laxus gleamed. "So, who's the lucky gal?"
"It's not like that." Gajeel said, taking a bite.
"What is that supposed to me?" Natsu interjected, putting sour cream on his baked potatoes.
"It's not that kind of 'plus one', meaning I don't have sexual tendencies for her…" Gajeel answered nonchalantly.
The other three looked at him in utter shock, seeming confused by his words.
"Yeah right!" Gray said.
Gajeel looked frustrated, yet he wasn't surprised by their reactions; he had a tendency to enjoy female company quite often.
"Ok, stop beating around the bush…who is it?" Laxus finally asked, seeming annoyed.
"Levy." Gajeel said, taking a sip of water.
"What?!" Natsu shouted; nearly choking on his meal.
Laxus stopped midway from putting another piece of prime rib in his mouth.
"I'm with Natsu on this one…" Laxus finally spoke.
"What? We're just going as friends. It gives us the chance to get you all off our backs for not having a date; plus we're both going their anyway." Gajeel shrugged his shoulders.
"And you give me shit for not owning up to my feelings for a woman…" Gray huffed.
Gajeel dropped his fork and knife on top of his plate, glaring at Gray.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Gajeel started to lose him calm.
Laxus sighed, looking at Gajeel and then to Gray.
"I'm just saying…" Gray sighed.
"Saying what?!" Gajeel prodded.
"That you need to face your damn feelings for Levy, Geez!" Gray blurted out.
Gajeel's expression changed, he seemed to let out a low growl before standing up from his seat.
"I've lost my appetite….I'm out." Gajeel threw money on the table, than started to walk away.
"Gajeel, seriously?" Laxus said, starting to stand up.
"I'm going home." Gajeel said, looking back at the table one last time before disappearing into the restaurant.
Laxus sighed, turning his attention to Gray.
"Ya happy?" Laxus exclaimed. "You just had to piss him off didn't you?"
"What?!" Gray shrugged his shoulders, he was only telling the truth.
"That is definitely a touchy subject…" Natsu sighed.
"Yep!" Laxus agreed, looking to where Gajeel had disappeared.
One thing Laxus had learned in his years of being Gajeel's friend was to not confront the man's feelings for the blunette. He figured out a long time ago that the iron studded man had feelings for her, yet he also knew that Gajeel didn't want to jeopardize the relationship he already had with her by confessing.
Gajeel kicked his shoes off, then plopped his body onto the couch. He was angrier at himself than at Gray. He knew he was right, although he would rather be mad and walk away than to confront his own feelings for her. He knew they were getting stronger the more they spent time together, yet he didn't have the guts to tell her. What if she didn't feel the same? If that were her answer than he didn't know if he could face the future with not seeing her at all, thus his reasoning for not saying a word.
"Shit!" Gajeel huffed, realizing that maybe going to the wedding as each other's plus ones might be more difficult than he thought.