Lucy POV
"You mean the girlfriend thing? What? I can't announce how sexy my girl is?" He purred in my ear, sending tingles down my spine.
I looked into his electrified orange eyes. "You really think so?"
He nuzzled my neck. "Of course."
I giggled and nudged him. "Let me up. I need to finish dinner."
He sighed and moved so I could get up. I sat in his lap and kissed his cheek. He followed me as I walked back into the kitchen.
"Anything you need help with?" He asked looking at the ingredients I laid out.
"Could you boil some water, please?" I said as I pulled out meat from the freezer. He nodded and put the now water-filled pot on the stove. He looked at me for the next instruction. "Okay. Now, chop these onions, okay?"
As he chopped, I made meatballs and poured tomato sauce into the other pot I laid out. Laxus looked so awkward in a kitchen. He looked like a lost puppy and it was too cute.
"Here, Lucy." He handed me the chopped onions and I added them to the sauce, along with the meatballs. I opened a cabinet and reached for the noodles on the second shelf. I stood on my tip toes and reached but it was just barely out of my grasp.
Laxus came up behind me and made my back flush with his front as he reached the noodles for me. He set them on the counter, but didn't move away. Instead he wrapped his arms around my waist and nuzzled my neck, kissing it lightly. I was so lost in his touch, I almost forgot about the food.
"Lucy focus, or it's all going to burn."
I snapped back to reality as his whispered words reached my ear. "I would be able to if you weren't distracting me."
He chuckled and let go of me and leaned on the counter behind me. "You expect me to keep my hands off my girlfriend? That's funny." He grinned.
I laughed sarcastically and busied myself with cooking. "Laxus set the table okay? Plates are right behind you." I stirred the spaghetti and smiled. I dumped the water in the sink and got the two plates from the table, fixing a plate for me and Laxus. I set them both down on the table and sat down waiting for Laxus to get back from the bathroom.
When he arrived, his eyes grew big and he put his hands together in a prayer like formation. "Thanks for the food."
I smiled and dug into my own plate and watched Laxus' expressions as he ate. They went from scared to surprise to just can't get enough. He finished before me and sat there staring at his plate. I laughed.
"There's more if you want some." I pointed to the kitchen.
Just as he stood up, there was a knock on the door. He looked at me. "I'll get it. Okay?"
I nodded and watched him open the door.
"What?" He growled.
"What are you playing at, Laxus?" I heard a voice snap. "You think you have her wrapped around your finger, yet it's her who has you around her finger. You think she's with you because she actually likes you. That's where you're so wrong. She's using you Laxus. I'm letting you know because I care for you, your one of my closer friends-"
I felt tears begin to build in my eyes as I looked at my hands in my lap, threatening to spill over down my cheeks.
"Just shut the hell up, Natsu. We never talked before today, and if we did it was threats. We have never been, nor will we ever be, friends. Get the hell out of my presence before I make you regret it."
"I understand your upset and don't want to hear it, but that bitch is going to bring you down into the dirt."
I heard my door break and I glanced at Laxus. My door had a massive crack in it starting were Laxus had been holding the door. I stood and walked over to him. I snuggled myself between him and the door and glared at Natsu.
"Sorry my ass, right? You're just all show, aren't you? I can't believe you'd treat me like this! You let her corrupt you! What happened to my partner?! You sure as hell aren't him, and when I finally fall in love with a guy, you come and try to ruin it? How shallow can you get? Are you trying to make sure I'm unhappy for the rest of my life? That's so childish! What did I even do to you? I miss the times my partner and team would go on missions together, but now they're all gone! I have a new partner. His name is Laxus Dreyar. Not Natsu Dragneel. He is the one who has a say in my life, not you!"
"Stupid bitch, can't you see men are talking?" Natsu growled.
"Shooting Star!" I shot a small beam of light hit him in the chest, knocking him on his ass. "We evolved past the time where women needed men to make decisions for them, Natsu."
He scrambled to his feet. "Crazy Bitch." He ran out of the apartment building and out of sight.
At this point, I let the tears fall. Laxus curled his arms around me and whispered comforting words I didn't hear. He stood there holding me, running his fingers through my hair.
"He's a fucking hypocrite. Don't you dare listen to a word he said, okay, Lucy?"
He was right, Natsu was a hypocrite. I smiled softly at the thought. But the question was, why he was being so hostile towards me? It started when Lisanna came back, but I honestly can't bring myself to think it's her completely. She has to be using someone or something.
Laxus pushed me away from his chest and looked into my eyes, his lips colliding with my own. We were in a heated battle for dominance, which he eventually won. We broke for air and steered me back into my apartment and picked up his plate and refilled it with food. Sitting back down at the table, he dug back into his food. I could feel the anger still radiating off of him.
"Laxus, you know if you're still mad, we could try and figure out why he's so fickle. I don't want to seem like I'm pinning this all on her, but at the same time, it started when she came back."
"Lisanna did say some things I think the guild is ignoring. Like how you stole her place in the guild. You didn't even know her, then. She was always with Natsu as a kid though. Maybe she felt threatened…"
I sat in his lap and leaned my head on his shoulder. "I guess you're right. I just can't shake the feeling that she isn't working alone." I stood up again and picked up our now empty plates and cleaned them in the sink. Laxus dried and put them away. He tugged me to the bathroom and gently pushed me inside.
"Take a bath or something, it'll help you relax, okay?" He told me.
"Right." I took Virgo and Cancer's keys with me and walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind me as Laxus went to the living room to call Master on the lacrima. I turned on the water until the tub was full of the steaming hot water. I stripped down and stepped into the wonderful water. Half an hour later, I stepped out and wrapped myself in my towel. I picked up Virgo's key and held it in front of me.
"Open! Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!"
"Punishment time, Princess?"
"No, no. I just need a set of clothes, since you still have all of mine. Something comfortable, please?"
Virgo nodded and disappeared then reappeared, clothes in hand.
"Thank-you, Virgo. You can go back now." I took the clothes from her. I changed into the yellow bra and panties combo and yellow tank-top, along with the black sweat pants. Feeling better about my appearance, I picked up Cancer's key.
"Open! Gate of the Giant Crab! Cancer!"
"How do you want your hair, ebi?"
"Something simple, please, Cancer."
He nodded and began to brush my wet locks. He decided to leave it alone for the most part, only putting up my usually side ponytail up with a yellow ribbon. When he finished, I thanked him as he went back to the Spirit World. I unlocked my bathroom and headed over to Laxus. He was laying on the couch, and arm draped over his eyes. He looked so manly in his sleep. I slowly took in his figure. The broad shoulders and chest seemed so massive compared to anyone in the guild, except for maybe Elfman. I kneeled next to him and kissed his forehead.
"Good night, Laxus. Thank-you."
"For what?" He mumbled sleepily.
I giggled. "Sorry if I woke you. And thanks for being here for me."
"No problem. I was going to let it slide, but I did catch what you said to Natsu."
I decided to feign innocence. "And what was that?"
"You said you fell in love. And I just so happen to be your boyfriend, so am I right to assume that you fell in love with me?" His voice wasn't his usual cocky, arrogant, teasing tone, instead it grew serious.
I grinned as he pulled his arm away from his face and look into my eyes. "Who knows." I shrugged.
"Don't play around like that. Well, did you?"
I was kind of startled by his tone and looked everywhere but at him. "Maybe…"
"Lucy… I just want to know. I want to know because… Because I love you, too. It's the reason I had Ever turn you to stone during the fighting festival, so you'd be away from the action and you wouldn't get hurt. Believe me, I almost shit myself when I saw you defeat Bix."
"Of course, I love you, Sparky."
"Sparky?" He growled playfully.
"That's your nickname from me since you call me 'Blondie.' It's only fair, Sparky." I shrugged, laughing lightly as he pulled me onto the couch with him.
The sun had set long ago, so we laid there together until we both fell for sleep's spell, smiling and basking in each other's presence.
Kanichiwa, Minna!
I apologize for not posting yesterday. I figured you'd like longer chapters every few days than a short one every day. Please tell me what you prefer. Although I cannot garentee I'll follow it. Stuff does come up, but you guys are preety reasonable! Thanks for the support! I got 11 reviews in the first 24 hours chapter 11 was up so let's see if we can beat that, eh? Please tell me what you want and your ideas. I will do my best to write them in. I just can't say they'll be in the very next chapter you know?
Oops! I'm rambling! Sorry! Love,
-SFL