A/N: To anyone following this, the latest update (10/4/17) is just some formatting - I noticed none of my ***** separations carried over and wanted to put them back. Hopefully a new chapter is coming soon - I AM working on it!

"You want us to do what?!" Levy was the one to shriek in surprise.

Makarov smiled, leveling each of them with his gaze that said what would happen to them if they misbehaved and didn't follow through with his commands. "You heard me," he answered.

They were still on the beach, lighted torches now the only light they could see by. Nonetheless, the six's eyes fell on a very long object in the sand that suddenly looked even more dangerous than Erza.

"Master!" Lucy whined.

"Oh shush," he snapped. "You all do worse than this all the time."

"Uh, I don't know about that," Gray countered as he scratched the back of his neck. Even the ice-mage who had a tendency to strip was blushing. The only one happy about the situation was Juvia, who downright glowed with her pleased smile, her hands clasped before her chest as though she were formulating a plan, hearts flashing in her eyes.

Lucy and Levy moved to each other's side, swallowing as they looked at each other. A small tent had been erected, just like the changing tents that occasionally dotted the beach. Ahead of the tent and directly in front of the bar stood a long table, a runway, which had been painted and brought to existence by Reedus. Torches lined the runway, making sure there was no dark places, and at the end of the runway sat three chairs, each facing outwards at a slightly different angle. Cuffs were attached to the rear legs of the chairs. The end of the "stage" was sectioned off from the sand by a panel, but by the light that shone through it, the panel was not completely opaque. The whole guild would be watching, even if all they could see would be shadows.

"Does it have to be so, public?" Levy asked, her eyes wide and pleading.

Makarov simply looked at her and nodded once.

"Levy, I'm going to kill you," Lucy hissed under her breath. She couldn't look at Natsu for fear of shrieking. Her cheeks felt so hot she was certain she would burst into flame at any moment.

Beside her best friend, Levy felt her heart pound so viscously it seemed sure to burst from her chest. It did not help when Makarov took each of the men and led them down to the end of the runway. They stumbled along the way, Natsu nearly falling, before they were practically thrown into the chairs, their hands secured with the cuffs. Makarov stood between them, his arms folded across his chest, saying something that none of the girls could hear. They were too far away to see the blood rush to their surprised faces before Master left them. To the horror of the girls, the chairs then rotated so they could stare down the runway. Before the boys had time to realize what was happening, Lisanna, Mira, and Cana slipped blindfolds on them. The trio started firing off questions in confusion.

"What's the point of this if we can't see?" Gajeel's voice managed to carry their way.

"Why are we being tied up?" Gray complained.

"Shut up!" Makarov shouted and they immediately silenced.

"Oh, Gray-sama!" Juvia gushed, wiggling in her excitement.

"Glad to see someone is excited about this," Lucy grumbled as Erza shoved them to the changing tent.

"Better get a move on!"


Juvia was the first to go. She was the most excited, so Lucy and Levy were more than willing to let her be the guinea pig. Mira had gratefully left each of them an extra drink in the tent, and they downed them together, clinking their glasses together in a sad toast, saying goodbye to the world, as they knew it.

Juvia stepped behind a panel in the tent and rifled through the clothing provided, finding something similar to her bathing suit. "I don't know what you two are so worked up about," she stated flatly as she came back around and twirled for them to get a good look. The top was a simple blue band, just large enough to cover her breasts, with shimmering waves that made it look like the waves of the beach. The bottom was just barely long enough to cover her butt, with a small blue frill and matching silver lining as a small skirt. It complemented her and her magic perfectly. The icing on the cake was the thin silver band around her waist, a snowflake the single ornamentation.

Levy and Lucy looked at Juvia with admiration for her calm demeanor. "Gray is going to be in big trouble," Lucy said with a smile, giving Juvia a thumb's up, even as her heart clenched in her chest and her belly did flips. It was easier to be excited when it wasn't her turn.

Smiling widely, Juvia threw back the flap of the tent and confidently made her way up the runway. She walked like she was born to it, her steps calm and sure, as she made her way to the waiting Gray. The chairs were turned so he was the one furthest away, and she had to walk between the chairs holding Gajeel and Natsu, both of whom knew who was coming by her scent before she even stepped onto the runway.

Without the others' dragon slayer senses, Gray was taken completely by surprise when a cool hand suddenly planted itself on his shoulder. He would recognize her touch anywhere, and despite the audience he knew they had, he shivered pleasantly. She had been coming onto him for well over a year now, her attention often too much for him to handle, but she was slowly chipping away at his resistance, her water slicing through his ice bit by bit until he found himself wanting to be near her, wanting to hear her voice in his ear, wanting to feel her touch. He would never admit it to Natsu, although he supposed now there was no need to. A smirk played with his mouth as he thought of Erza's admonition only days before. He had certainly given Juvia a straight answer…

He still remembered the night he had finally given in to her. It was just a small gesture, but it had lit her face up like a child's on her birthday, the excitement akin to his first look at fireworks. All it had taken was a walk, a walk in which he finally gave in and held her hand. The silkiness of her skin, the power of her water magic, had slipped into the cold solidness of his, her fingers wrapping gently around his, and he had been won. Now, her fingers grazed across his chest, over his shoulder, and around to his back as she walked around him, her leg brushing his knee on purpose when she walked by. Gray swallowed.

Levy and Lucy watched, feeling like they should be taking notes, as Juvia plied her charms on a helpless and immobile Gray, who fidgeted and swallowed in his seat repeatedly. "You would never think that he was constantly keeping her at arm's length all this time, would you?" Levy breathed, her eyes wide. Before them, and to the shocked audience behind the hastily erected stage and screen, Juvia was lowering herself onto Gray's lap, straddling him. A grimace appeared on his face and even in the torchlight the three girls could see his cheeks were red.

"We're supposed to do that?" Levy cried, pulling away from the curtain, her breath coming so fast she felt faint. Her breath on Lucy's cheek smelled faintly of alcohol.

Lucy pulled away as Levy did, swallowing nervously, but part of her was curious. She peered through the slit in the fabric, her eyes not on Juvia and Gray, but on Natsu. He sat perfectly still; his face slack, his hands relaxed, as though he could hear nothing as well as see nothing. What would he do when she was forced to do this to him? Would he enjoy it? Would he hate it? Could she even pull any of it off?

"Ugh," she moaned, throwing the flap shut in exasperation.

"Lu," Levy murmured, her eyes wide and terrified, "I'm scared."

She could empathize. She was terrified. When she held up her hands, she was shaking, even as her heart raced in excited anticipation. She was surprised Loki hadn't jumped forth from the spirit world in an attempt to pull her out of harm of this impending physical embarrassment.

"Solid script, tequila!" Levi suddenly cast the spell and a bottle appeared in front of her with a sly smile.

"Lev!" Lucy chastised, even as she inched to take some.

Levy hastily opened the bottle and took a long drink before passing it to her friend with a shudder. Cheers started erupting from outside and before they could stop themselves, they peered at the end of the runway, shivers working down their spines from the tequila, and were witness to both Gajeel and Natsu turning their heads toward the sounds even if they couldn't see. What they saw made both of them gasp in amazement even if it also excited them. Juvia was still straddling a now not blindfolded Gray, her arms draped across his shoulders, but her lips were on his. His hands were free and they rested comfortably around her waist, holding her there, not pushing her away as he had always done. When they parted, Juvia jumped off his lap with a happy shriek and everyone watching clapped and roared.

"Next!" Erza called, her voice causing both Levy and Lucy to jump.

"You," Lucy commanded, shoving Levy toward the changing panel.

"Lu," she tried to argue. But she knew what was coming.

"It's your fault we're in this mess," Lucy countered.

With a sigh, Levy slipped behind the changing panel and looked at her options.


It took her a moment, but Levy found the perfect outfit a moment later and set to work. It might have been cliché, but it fit her and therefore the way she figured Gajeel saw her. The top was a white button-up; only it stopped halfway between her navel and her breasts, where it tied into a loose knot. The skirt was also short, but still more than what Juvia had been wearing, and a deep blue. The bandana she typically had tied in her hair was replaced with a black one. Long boots came up to her knees. She looked like either a bad schoolgirl, or a naughty librarian.

"Oh, Levy," Lucy sighed at the sight of her friend. She smiled despite herself. "Gajeel isn't going to know what hit him," she breathed as Levy smiled at her in relief, just before it transformed into panic as Lucy shoved her from the tent.

Levy nearly fell from Lucy's shove, and cursed her extra drink even as she praised it. Her feet tingled and made climbing the steps more difficult as she attempted to cross the runway with half as much dignity as Juvia had. She could not quite walk in a straight line. Her mind was fuzzy. Where was Juvia anyway? She could not see through the screen separating them from the rest of the guild, but she used it to distract her from her approach to Gajeel. Gray's chair had been removed, now leaving Natsu and Gajeel sitting at what had been the base of the triangle. Then her eyes fell on Juvia and she tripped. Gray's chair had been moved to the side, at the edge of the screen, but still on the side she was on. Gray held Juvia in his lap, Juvia with her arms around his neck with a smile on her face that was reminiscent of a cat that just ate the family bird. Was he doing that because he wanted to or because he had to?

Recovering from her trip too late, Levy fell forward and landed on Gajeel's leg, rushing the air from her lungs.

The collective crowd gasped and then laughed softly. Gajeel tck'd as the corner of his mouth turned up in a smile. "Gihi," he chuckled. Levy was too terrified to move. What if he didn't care? What if he was as indifferent to her now as ever? "Shorty," he breathed when he heard her suck in a pained breath.

"Shut up," she hissed and pushed herself up using her hands braced on his thigh. It was more intimate of a contact than they had ever had, and she felt him stiffen beneath her and it made her smile, her confidence and the alcohol suddenly boosting her courage rather than dragging it down. The screen made it easy to pretend they were alone. Her lips turned up in a wry smile; she dragged her fingertips up his thigh the rest of the way and up his exposed stomach. He sucked in a ragged breath the moment her fingers touched his skin. Growing more confident, she moved to stand behind him, draping her other arm over his other shoulder and leaning forward so she could pull the fingertips of both hands up his abdomen and chest. She stopped at his collarbones, moving around him once more to come to the front of him. Her short height aided her as she moved her hands up from his collarbones to the piercings on his face, her touch as light as a feather.

"Aren't you not supposed to know who I am?" she whispered, her fingers still gently touching his piercings.

Gajeel grunted, his lips pressed together. He was fighting the urge to break through his restraints. Her smell had now completely surrounded him, pressing into him and intoxicating him.

She had run out of piercings. Now what do I do?! Panic nearly seized her. All thought had left. She was no longer aware of the audience, holding their breath. Natsu was only feet away, but he might as well have not existed.

"I'll always know it's you, Shrimp," Gajeel finally whispered, pulling back quick enough that his chair moved, bringing Levy gracelessly into his lap.

Her cheeks burning, Levy smiled and reached for his blindfold. Makarov hadn't given 100% clear instructions; she was now simply doing what felt right. She hooked her thumbs under the blindfold and pulled it back, holding it limply in her hand as Gajeel's eyes opened mere inches from hers. His eyes bored into hers a moment before they wandered. She knew they would, they were expected to, but she still flushed and turned her face to the side as his eyes took her in. He fidgeted beneath her and somehow his hands were free with a metallic clang, wrapping around her waist and lifting her, making up for their height difference. She was too startled to speak before his lips touched hers and she lost all sense.


Lucy let the flap fall, her heart in her throat and pounding a mile a minute as cheers and roars erupted from beyond, causing a startled shriek from Levy and an amused full-belly laugh from Gajeel. Juvia and Levy had ended up kissing the man they wanted. What did that say about her? Even with Gajeel, Lucy had been fairly certain the men in question returned said woman's affections, but Natsu was so hard to read sometimes. Hard to read or too dense, she asked herself, automatically moving behind the flap to find her outfit. Makarov was some kind of special torture master to bring this upon them… She stared at the clothes before her, remembering the feel of Natsu's hands when he had held her in the water. He had looked at her then with a look that was not ignorant, nor dense, hadn't he? Dare she hope such a thing? Her eyes lit on the perfect article and she set to work putting it into place as Erza shouted, "Next!"

Several moments passed, leaving Natsu to realize how much his hands were sweating and how much his heart was pounding so loudly in his ears it was hard to hear much else. His stomach turned, aching in a way that was unusual, making him fidget uncomfortably. He tried to tune out the others, to focus his senses on Lucy. His senses were practically attuned to her anyway, so it wasn't anything different for him.

When the fabric swished telling him it was pulled aside, he automatically inhaled, searching for her scent. It came to him on the breeze, the soft hint of coconut mixed with the salt from the sea in an intoxicating mixture. He felt more than heard a collective intake of breath behind him and he burned with jealousy (the screen did not shield the girls on their walk from the tent to the runway). He felt her mount the runway and tried to imagine her walking toward him, and cursed his blindfold. He debated ridding himself of it with well-controlled flames when a soft touch on his cheek stole his breath away, his face immediately turning toward the touch.

Her hands trembling, Lucy felt like a fumbling fool. She could see Natsu sitting tensely before her, the last remaining corner of the triangle. She was so anxious, her belly clenched so tight, that she couldn't take a deep enough breath. She couldn't take her eyes off him, the object of her torture, both today and every other day. Her outfit was chosen just for him, its appearance a pleasant surprise. It was a wrap not unlike Natsu's scarf, fashioned to look like dragon scales. She wrapped it around her chest, crossing it in the back, before draping across her hips easily. Her left leg was nearly completely exposed while the right was shrouded with the ever-so-soft material that would have been too sheer to be worn in the daylight.

When she looked at him, she could see the muscles of his shoulders fighting his bonds, see his hands clenched into fists, see the way his lips parted the moment she got close, and found herself sucking in a breath just looking at his lips. Unsure of herself, she reached her hand out to him, her fingertips grazing his cheek.

His reaction to her touch was immediate, his heart fluttering and his eyes drifting closed as he leaned into her touch. What is he doing? Lucy wondered, her thumb following her eyes to gently brush across his lower lip. It trembled at her touch and she had the pleasure of watching him swallow nervously. A soft smile touching her lips, she walked around him, her fingers trailing across his cheek, over the blindfold, and into his hair. Her other hand joined it, and she plunged both hands into his surprisingly soft locks. The salmon-colored spikes slipped through her fingers with a near fluffy ease that was unexpected from how his hair looked. She leaned forward, her loose hair spilling over her shoulders to glide against his, and she saw him twitch.

Like Levy, his reactions only built her confidence. She continued her circle, allowing the material of her wrap to brush against his leg gently. His leg twitched in response. Back in the front of him, Lucy wondered if she had what it took to straddle him like Juvia had straddled Gray. Did she have that nerve? Testing herself, she let her hands slide from his hair back to his shoulders, her left hand tracing the outline of his Fairy Tail emblem and causing his shoulders to bunch. When her hands slid from his shoulders to his chest, parts of him that were usually always hidden by his scarf, his restraints made the chair groan, and she suddenly found herself on his lap in a flash of heat.

A surprised gasp escaping her, Lucy noticed the pleased twist to Natsu's lips now that she was in his lap. Sitting on him felt easy, felt natural as her feet came off the floor and her arms wrapped around his neck for balance at first, and then because she wanted them to. A wave of heat rolled off of him that made her smile, her cheeks burning, but not just because of the warmth. Her eyes took in his face, the hard set to his jaw as he ground his teeth, the way his nostrils flared from her proximity, the way his brows were drawn together out of frustration, and the way every breath seemed to be a great effort. Without meaning to, her hand fell to the scar on the lower left side of his belly. She had felt him in her arms on numerous occasions, but none such as this, and she forced her hands to move once again, lightly dusting over the contours of his abdomen and causing him to suck in his breath.

Heat hit her again and this time she felt his body move with a jerk as he broke his restraints, his arms wrapping around her possessively and pulling her against him so tight her breath was stolen away. Her heart soared at his reaction as her body cried out for more, forgetting the guild was watching, but she wanted him to see her. He was already pulling her down when she reached up and ripped the blindfold from his head, freeing him with a start.

"Lucy," he breathed, his voice deeper and rougher with passion – something he just barely understood. Blood rushed to her cheeks as she smiled softly and averted her gaze; unable to stand the look of unadulterated desire he was giving her.

The movement of her eyes down naturally drew Natsu's gaze and his breath caught in his throat yet again. The similarity of her wrap and his scarf was immediate to him, warming his heart even as it quickened it to the point of feeling like he would burst. His eyes raked down her body in one quick sweep before he finished what he had started when she pulled the blindfold off. He pulled her down to him, his lips crushing hers with such force the chair knocked over.

Nosebleeds erupted from the crowd as Mira leapt to her feet with a clap of her hands, "OK! Nothing to see here!"

Natsu and Lucy were oblivious. They could only focus on each other. Their lips, perfectly innocent until the moment they met, instinctively parted to deepen the kiss and Natsu's hands moved to grip Lucy tighter, holding her as though he were afraid she would fly away. Her hands plunged into his hair, gripping it roughly until they had to break off the kiss in order to breathe.

Smiling and breathing heavy, Lucy rested her forehead against Natsu's. His eyes remained closed as he loosened his grip to allow her ribcage to expand fully.

"Ahem."

The voice shocked both of them so much so that Lucy jumped up with a squeak, her butt landing on Natsu's hips. The sudden movement was both exciting and painful as Natsu grunted beneath her. Lucy was too shocked to notice as they both looked up.

Makarov greeted them with a wide smile, blood still dripping from one nostril. "Ok!" he shouted, turning his back on the shocked couple. "Now we all know not to call someone 'your girl'," he used air quotes, "without making them 'your girl' first!" He had turned to address the rest of the guild, the screen suddenly gone.

The entire guild burst into hoots and hollers, having been scared into silence by Erza – she would be damned if they would ruin the moment for Lucy and Natsu. Catcalls filled the night, whistles greeted their ears, and all Natsu could do was look at Lucy, not sure what to call the feelings he was experiencing, but knowing he wanted them to continue. Everything had just changed in such a short amount of time…

"You mean that's what this was all about?!" Gray and Gajeel shouted at the Master. For once Natsu had nothing to say as he looked into Lucy's chocolate eyes. She had finally realized her position on his hips and even though her cheeks burned furiously, she made no move to leave, her hands resting gently on his abdomen while his rested on her hips.

Master Makarov was not finished. He smiled at them, his lips crooked and devilish looking. "I'm not done!"

The six taking his punishment, that so far had not really been a punishment, looked at him with mouths agape and eyes wide. "What now?" Gray demanded.

A soft light surrounded each of them before each of their wrists were surrounded in something cold and hard. The sounds of chains tinkling against each other suddenly filled the night as each of them raised a hand. They were chained to each other, each pair connected by a chain about six feet long. "Now you're stuck to each other," he said calmly, as though it was obvious why this was a punishment. "You will be stuck together, not able to separate by more than 6 feet, the rest of the night." His eyes slid to Mira Jane's who smiled widely. "If I had my way, it would be for a full 24 hours, but we have to see what time the photographer gets here tomorrow."

"Oh! Manly!" Elfman interjected. Lisanna smacked him half-heartedly in the chest, her eyes alight.

Laxus was the one who finally broke the stunned silence. "Don't you think this is pushing it a little far, Pops? Might this affect their performance tomorrow?" The girls immediately turned bright red and dropped their eyes.

"You think the massive amounts of alcohol they've all consumed wouldn't already?" Mira countered. She loved playing the role of matchmaker.

"You want one too, my grandson?" Makarov threatened.

Elfman looked at his teammates, those he had fought and bled beside for the games, not counting the Eclipse afterwards. He wished he was actually manly enough to give in to his heart's desires for all to see as well… "A man wouldn't stand in the way of his teammate's happiness." His voice was quieter than normal.

Laxus shot him a look, but shrugged and turned back to the bar. Evergreen touched his arm gently with a soft smile.

"We all broke out of our cuffs once already," Gray pointed out. He and Juvia had risen to their feet. "Who's to say we won't just do so again?" Juvia's face fell at his words, her head drooping so that her hair covered her eyes. Erza wanted to throttle him.

"Good luck getting out of those," she instead threatened. "They are not your ordinary chains." The three men in chains, who were never thinking of trying to get out of them anyway, swallowed at her warning.

"Now let's boogy!" Makarov shouted, jumping down from the runway.

With a snap, Reedus made his creation disappear, leaving Natsu and Lucy to hover in the air for a moment before falling several feet to the sand with a grunt and a yelp. They landed just as they had been on the stage – Lucy straddling Natsu's hips while his hands rested on her hips. This time when they landed she was made more aware of the difference in him, his hands squeezing her hips out of reflex.

"Sorry!" she cried, meaning to launch off of him. His firm hands stopped her, pulling her down to him as he had originally intended to, the corner of his mouth pulling up in a smile before he captured her lips once more.

Just as Lucy was letting go, allowing herself to melt into the taut and toned man beneath her, a snicker sounded from over her shoulder. Natsu pulled away from the kiss in irritation, his eyes flashing red in the darkness. "Damn it, Happy!" he shouted, throwing a fireball at the blue Exceed.

"You liiiiiiiike each other!" Happy taunted, dodging the attack easily.

Her heart pounding, Lucy jumped to her feet and pulled her whip simultaneously. Happy saw the fire in her eye and immediately flew off, calling, "Carla! Save me!"

Natsu looked up at Lucy from the flat of his back, seeing her in a new light that he no longer had to suppress and try to ignore. Her wrap flowed around her in the gentle breeze, exposing her leg in such a way that he longed to touch it. Her hair was down and flowing, her shoulders rising and falling as she breathed heavily. How had he been so blind for so long? How had he been so willing to smother what he was feeling?


"Master," Erza interjected calmly, eying the couple who had so far seemingly not returned from the clouds just yet. "What shall we do about sleeping arrangements?"

Chained to Gajeel, Levy gasped, her eyes wide at Erza's insinuation. Gajeel "Gihi'd" and rose to his feet, hauling her after him unceremoniously.

Makarov pulled on his moustache. Most of the guild had returned to their merry-making, many returning to the water for a much-needed cool down after what they had just seen. "Mira," he said softly, calling the one he often considered his right hand over.

"Master?" she asked softly, her voice as high and sweet as ever.

"Is the hotel completely booked?"

Mira pointed her finger into her chin as she thought a moment. It was really unbelievable the resort had had room for all of them so soon as it was. "I believe so, but it's nothing that can't be remedied with a little rearranging." Her eyes went from Makarov's to Erza's, knowing what they would both say to her next statement, "But I don't know how those who have to shuffle rooms will feel about it."

A dark aura appeared around Erza, as she stood tall, her eyes narrowing and looking to the guild members still at the beach. "They will move without complaint." Her hand curled into a fist. "I won't have anyone stand in the way of their happiness."


Midnight had come and gone, those still at the beach too drunk to be of much help in cleaning up. Getting tired herself, Mira stifled a yawn and leaned on the bar counter, her eyes on the three couples sitting at the edge of the water, a considerable distance away from the other couples, but closer to each other than they would have sat before the night's events. "You think we pushed them too far?" she asked suddenly, her voice soft and quiet.

Laxus had returned to the seat he had claimed for the majority of the evening. He never was a big talker, and his personality changed very little when he was drinking. Freed and Bickslow had finally retreated to the hotel, Evergreen was elsewhere entertained with Elfman, and he found himself refreshingly alone, minus Mira. He didn't mind her presence. With a sigh, he turned his gaze to the couples she studied. "Maybe," he offered nonchalantly with a shrug, "but someone had to do it."

"I don't know. I think Gray was already coming around on his own."

Laxus snorted as he took another draught of his beer. "I don't think he had much of a choice."

Mira's eyes were serious. "I wouldn't be so sure about that. I saw him during my contest with Jenny. Once we all ended up in wedding dresses and Lyon picked her up, Gray lost his cool." She smiled. "He tried to say it was because Juvia wasn't in Lamia Scale, but there was more to it than that. And during the Eclipse battle," her voice trailed off.

His brow furrowing, Laxus looked up at her. For a moment his eyes looked like he believed her, like he wanted to believe her, but then he shoved himself back from the bar and stood up, stretching his back. "I think you're seeing things," he taunted before turning and heading back to the hotel.


Lucy was exhausted. Not only was her body still sore and recovering from fighting, but the sun had taken a lot out of her and she had drank way too much. Those things all paled in comparison to the emotional strain of the past several hours. Since they became chained together, she and Natsu had scarcely touched, hardly even said two words to each other, as they sat with their feet in the water. When she risked glances at Natsu out of the corner of her eye, he remained as he was – his knees drawn up with his arms lazily looped around them, his eyes on the horizon; the difference between the now black water and starry sky scarcely visible. Happy was wisely leaving them alone, but she found the silence oppressive and choking. Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she drew her knees up tighter to her chest, hugging her legs to try to calm the pain in her heart, and rested her chin on her knees.

Levy was having an equally hard time. Unlike Natsu, Gajeel had never been a big talker. His actions more times than not spoke for him, so when he also sat with legs stretched before him, his feet in the water while he leaned back on his hands, she had no idea what to think. Thought after thought raced through her mind at what he might be thinking, what the previous few hours meant, and what was going to happen now. Gajeel had always been aloof, keeping her at arm's length even when he pulled her closer. The Eclipse had changed that, or so she thought.

Gray and Juvia were the only two that appeared to be completely at ease with each other. They sat holding each other's hands, laughing at whatever joke the other said, and practically downright cuddled on the beach. Gajeel and Natsu were aware of this without looking at them, and it set both of their nerves on edge. They would never admit it, but Gray clearly seemed to have more knowledge in this area than they did. And it showed.

"You ready for bed?" Gray asked softly as Juvia scarcely stifled a yawn beside him.

"Oh, Gray-sama, I don't want to cut the night short just for me."

Gray was already rising to his feet, pulling her up after him. "Nonsense." He smiled at her. "Besides, I would have thought you'd be jumping at the chance to get into bed with me."

Juvia's happy squeal was impossible to miss, leaving Lucy and Levy to clench their teeth as their faces heated up. Thankfully it was too dark for anyone to notice, and either the men next to them didn't notice their discomfort, or didn't show that they did. Still smiling at his kindness, Juvia allowed herself to be led after the ice-make wizard. As they passed Mira, she tossed them a new room key, and they headed off to the hotel in relative silence.

"All right, Gray!" Cana shouted after them, rocking precariously on her roost on top of the bar.

Erza wanted nothing more than to see a successful conclusion to the evening, whatever that ended up being, for those being "punished". She had seen the nervous excitement at what they went through earlier, the fear momentarily buried by their desires. Now, the fear had had a chance to return to the surface and it was quashing all else. This was unacceptable, but she also had no idea what she could do to improve the situation. It was Mira's sleepy nodding head that finally decided for her. "All right! We're shutting this down for the night!"

Lucy and Levy visibly tensed on the beach as their partners in crime rose to their feet. None of them were walking particularly well as they made their way back to the hotel. Mira handed the two remaining couples their room keys with a wink before heading up to her room. Nearly everyone in the guild had new room assignments than they were originally planning.

The two couples trudged up the stairs silently together, each turning their own way down the hallway at the top of the steps. Lucy and Levy shared nervous glances and mouthed, "Good luck," to each other before being pulled down their respective halls.

Disclaimer: The usual... I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters (unfortunately). They all belong to the genius that is Hiro Mashima. I just like to write about them. :) Hope you enjoy!