"Wow, this is pretty amazing." Gray stated as he stood next to Natsu in the entrace of Laxus's villa. "Just as you'd expect of the Dreyer family." A door creaked open, turning their attention towards the hall. The familiar form of the tall blond started walking their way.
"Welcome to my home." Laxus spread his arms wide, signifying to the room the were in. The tension was rising, Gray felt as if it was suddenly hard to breath.
"Thank you." Natsu answered.
"Your Gray Fullbuster, right?" The blond narrowed his blue eyes at the dark haired man in front of him. Gray nodded, matching the look that Laxus was giving him. "I remember you clearly. Have you finally grown out of your stripping habits?" Gray scoffed and clenched his fists. "What about the others? Are they coming soon? I would love to see that girl with the blue hair again. What was her name...Levy that's right. Her parents were the ones kicked me out of that school. If it wasn't for that then you wouldn't be number one Natsu."
"Where Lucy?"
"Right down to business aye Natsu? She is somewhere in this villa, and I won't mind returning her if you do as I say." Natsu glared at the man who dared the threaten one of his friends.
"Sorry, I wasn't able to bring Mirajane with me." Natsu smirked.
"What! You have no right-"
"Gray, please excuse us while Laxus and I have a detail discussion." Gray nodded, understanding that these men had something that they had to work out. "Now shall we continue where we left off?"
I stood there in my cell, trying with all my might to break out of this prison. The sound of a metal door creaking open, broke my concentration. Looking up, I saw Juvia coming my way.
"Juvia?" She shushed me, raising a finger to her lips.
"You need to keep your voice down." She turned the key in the lock of my cell and opened the door. I smiled widely at her, happy to be out of that claustrophobic place.
"Thanks so much Juvia, your really saved me!" I quickly realized that I was speaking far too loudly and lowered my voice.
"Juvia did nothing, but didn't you get caught a little too easily? Didn't you realize what would happen if you came here?" Juvia asked of me. Her eyes searching mine for something that I wasn't sure of. It was like she held hope in me for something I wasn't sure of.
"Well, we were just talking normally at first." I rubbed the back of my head in slight embarrassment. "Then he suddenly asked me to become his bait. Just what is that man planning?"
"It's that girl Mirajane." Juvia stated. I thought over all the times he spoke of her, something in his eyes that I couldn't place and his voice seemed softer.
"This really is a large villa, and it probably has a lot of rooms. How are we supposed to find Lucy in all this?" Gray sat back in a reclining chair that was near the pool. He stared up at the stars in the dark night sky until he heard a few voices. Glancing towards the side, he saw me and Juvia sneaking around the side of the building. "Lucy!"
"Gray, what's going on?" I asked, he came closer, looking between me and Juvia.
"We were worried, so Natsu and I came to get you."
"Oh really, thanks so much." I smiled at the blue haired man in front of me. Juvia looked from Gray to me then back again. Her eyes narrowed as she whispered something about a love rival. She shook the hearts from her eyes before turning to me once more.
"I'll distract the guards while you and this hunk make a run for it. But don't you dare make a move on him or you will forever be my love rival!"
Gray and I both stared at the hearts that were in Juvia's eyes once more. Gray shook his head as I gaped at her. Love rival, for Gray? Really? I was about to protest when she turned her back to me. "Hurry up and go before Laxus finds out your gone."
"Thanks Juvia, I really appreciate it." I smiled at the girl before turning and running off. Gray kept up, running beside me.
"Is it me or has her attitude changed?" We kept running, neither saying much until we became closer to the villa.
"I'm glad we are out of there and everything but shouldn't we have waited for Natsu?" Gray looked in my direction.
"There is something that I have to do before that." Gray looked at me confused and not understanding what my plans were. "I need to speak with Mirajane."
Once I arriving, I ran into the villa to find Erza and Mirajane right in front. They sent warm greetings filled with relief my way as I hugged them.
"Oh Lucy I don't know what I would have done if something happened to you!" Mirajane cried out. Her grip tightened around me, suffocating me.
"Where is Natsu?" Erza asked Gray when she didn't see the pinkette with us.
"He was having a private discussion with Laxus. Plus, Lucy said that she wanted to have a talk with Mirajane." Mirajane overheard what Gray had said and pulled away from me. The blue finally began to leave my face as I gasped for air. Once I was finally able to calm my breathing, I turned to Mirajane who looked at me with a questioning look.
"You guys are all my friends, and I care about you all. So I'll come straight out with it, did something happen between you and Laxus?" Mirajane's eyes widened, before they became saddened and she turned her head. "Wah, uh well you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I know that it's not my place but he wanted to see you so badly that he used me as bait."
"Really?" The silence that followed was tense. Thick and slightly awkward.
"Forget about it then." I laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of my head. I wasn't sure what to say.
"Lucy."
"Well, I guess it's time for me to head back to Laxus's villa." I stretched and started to turn towards the door.
"Wait Lucy, why are you going back?" Erza asked, stepping forward.
"I'm his bait after all and I escaped."
"But you don't owe him anything!" Mirajane exclaimed.
"That may be true but he would definitely be shocked if he found me gone." I laughed off their worries and said goodbye before running out and heading back towards the villa.
"Wait!" I turned around to see Mirajane stepping forward, her smile back on her beautiful face.
"So how long do you plan to continue this? If I remember correctly, you did make a promise. You claimed that you wont see Mirajane unless she came to see you." Natsu questioned the blond in front of him.
"You sure have a lot to say right now."
"Yeah, I'm pretty incensed right now." Natsu laughed off his words but the threat was clear. "It seems that you will stop at nothing to get Mirajane to see you. It's impressive that you have managed to keep your end this far by staying away from her. But this time, you used Lucy in one of your plots. And it's true that you have tried several times before bringing her into this. The party and now today. This is beyond what I expected. It's because neither Romeo nor Juvia were able to keep a tab on her behavior, is that right?"
"I'm rather surprised myself. I never expected Juvia to like her. And you like her as well, don't you." Laxus wasn't asking Natsu. He knew fully well how that pinkette felt for his blond friend.
"It was because of Juvia that you were able to get Lucy to come here so easily. Then you used her to lure Mirajane out. Of course Mirajane would come for her friend. That was what you thought, was it not?" Natsu asked. Laxus had his back turned to Natsu as he looked out the window.
"Harming you all is not something that I had planned on doing."
"But in the end, Mirajane still didn't come." Natsu watched the rage grow on his old friends face.
"Don't you mock me!" Laxus ran forward, charging at Natsu. "Your social status is lower than that of the Dreyer family! The Dreyer family can crush the Dragneels whenever they want!" He stopped a foot away raising his hand and shoving it in Natsu's face. His index finger poited at the pinkette who didn't budge.
"This is a nice mirror, but the Dragneel manor has one more exquisite. This is also a nice villa but my family has a bigger one."
"Ha! This isn't like you! What's the matter? Can't admit defeat? This villa is nothing more than thrash to us! If you want it then you can have it!"
"Fine," Natsu pulled a piece of paper from his front pocket and placed it on the table near them. "Then I'll buy it! This is a blank check, write any amount that you want and I will pay it." Some how this conversation turned to a pissing contest between men. "If I do this then you will not lay another finger on Lucy, is that a deal?"
"Were you planning this from the start?" Laxus backed up, suddenly unsure of what was happening.
"Of course you should have realized that you were picking a fight with me by involving Lucy. Think of it as a small price to pay for something like this." Laxus scoffed and walked back towards the window. "Where is Lucy?"
A few moments later...
Standing out front of the cell, Laxus and Natsu noticed the open lock left on the ground with the cell door hanging wide open.
"It's looks as if she escaped long ago." Laxus smirked, finding the situation to be pretty humerus. "What do you find attractive about her anyway? She is just a poor and stupid girl that relies only on strength."
"Laxus!" All eyes turned to the only exit to see me standing there. "Who is stupid?"
"Lucy!" Natsu yelled.
"So you came back." Laxus snickered.
"Sorry for escaping on you. This is from Mirajane to you." I rose my hand, holding the letter that Mirajane handed to me and trusted me to deliver. Laxus snatched it from my hand and turned in the other direction to read it.
Dear Laxus,
If you do anything to hurt them,
You will pay.
Mirajane.
"I wasn't able to bring her here though. But has your bait been at least a little bit useful? You've been worrying about her this whole time haven't you?" Laxus turned around and faced me, his eyes showed the surprise he was feeling. He turned away, not wanting to look at me.
"And here I thought you were a mere idiot." He whispered and I had a hard time understanding what he said. "You're weird. You can show yourself out." He then turned and walked out, leaving me and Natsu behind.
"What was that about? Hey Natsu," I turned to look at my friend to see a dark aura surrounding him as his fiery eyes glared at me. "h-hey w-wait! You'll understand if you just give me a chance to explain!" I held my hands in front of me, preventing him from getting too close as he moved closer and I backed up.
"You're really something else." My back hit the wall as his hands rose and trapped me against it.
"N-Natsu?"
"You're really...How much do you want me to worry before you are satisfied?" His head rose, his eyes no longer held the fire in them. Something gentle lingered in them, taking me by surprise. His body moved forward, his face coming closer. I felt the heat crawling up to my cheeks as his head rested in the crook of my neck. His chest was flushed against mine, I could feel his warm breath causing goosebumps to form.
"I'm sorry." It was nothing more than a whisper but he heard. He pulled away, his body collapsed onto the floor. His back was leaning against the cell that I was once trapped in.
"I'm glad your safe."
"Natsu, forgive me." I bowed to show how sorry I truly felt. It was apparent that this whole thing was stressful on him and wore him out.
Laxus stood staring out the same window as before. He clutched the letter tightly in his hand as a memory replayed in his head.
"Laxus, until I come to see you myself, don't ever show yourself to me again!" A tiny Mirajane yelled at the small Laxus. Her deep blue eyes were filled with unshed tears. Her long silvery hair blew in the wind along with her pink sun dress. The pained expression on her face was something Laxus never wanted to see again. He gripped the letter tighter, fighting off the memory of what happened all those years ago.
"They are good people." A soft voice came from the doorway. Laxus turned to see Juvia standing there. "The people from Fairy Tail truly are good."
Laxus scoffed before turning back around and staring out at the bright moon shining in the dark night.
"Mirajane," The silver haired beauty turned to face the dark haired man approaching her. She had been staring at the moon, not realizing how much time had passed. "Natsu and Lucy are leaving Laxus's villa now. They should be here soon."
"I see."
"Look, I don't really understand this complicated stuff. But this Laxus matter will solve itself in time." Mirajane glanced at the man next to her, a small smile gracing her lips. "We have mentioned this before but no matter what happens, you'll always have us."
"Thanks Gray."
Natsu and I sat in the limo on our way back to Gajeel's villa. I was sitting on the side seat while he sat as far from me as possible. His eyes stared out the window, never once glancing in my direction. He must really be mad. I made him worry so much. What should I do, I seem to always be doing this. As I looked at him, an idea popped into my head. I smiled, hoping that this would work.
"Natsu!" He turned to look at me, his eyes widened when he saw me coming closer. I closed my eyes and puckered my lips. They connected with his smooth and warm cheek and I heard a gasp escape his lips. "How was that?"
"Huh?" Natsu seemed to be in a state of shock, not sure what to say or do. Suddenly the heat returned to me face.
"This was something Laxus taught me. He told me that with just one small kiss, I could lift your spirits instantly." His expression didn't change and I started to feel nervous. "I guess it didn't work, I told him it wouldn't. But I have to give Gray one as well later for helping me."
"Fine!" His voice surprised me, it was louder and full of enthusiasm. His eyes were red, and a purple aura surrounded him. "I won't hold back this time. Be ready to meet your maker!" He stormed out of the limo, leaving me sitting there confused and wondering what he was talking about.
We were now on the train as everyone talked about the vacation we just had. I was happy to see that we were now back in Japan and almost home. I looked around at all the cheerful faces surrounding me until I looked over at Natsu. His head rested in his palm while he gazed out the window. A distant look appeared in his eyes.
"Natsu, aren't you happy to be home?" He turned to me, the same look was still on his face.
"Yeah, and tomorrow we start school once more and we will have the proficiency test." He stated. I had forgotten about that.
"Oh yeah."
"I won't be beaten by Miss rank two." Suddenly that large weight of my metaphorical boulder was felt upon my shoulders once more, weighing me down.
"Natsu! I will definitely win this time and be number one! Bring it on Natsu!"
"That's the other way around."