Welcome back guys! I missed you. :) Thank you for all the fantastic reviews last chappy! It really made my day! It's nice when good things happen. :D
Rated M.
M is for MATURE people, if I can pretend to be, then you can too.
DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING! *sob* However sometimes I wonder if Mashima-sama used to follow me around and take character ideas from me and my friends.
At least let a girl dream!
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Chapter 22
She Loves to Hate Me
Levy sighed, sitting at a table in the guild hall. She'd been wanting to speak with her friend Lucy ever since she'd woken up next to a very disoriented dragonslayer the morning after the ball. The blunette felt she might be getting sick—she never had a hard time focusing on her books, but she gave up after re reading the same sentence about ten times. Gajeel...
She wondered how things would have turned out if he hadn't still been drunk from the other night. He'd been such a jerk to her! Accusing her of sneaking in because she missed him. Ugh! Mirajane had explained as members came in, but Levy refused to speak to Gajeel until he apologized. Levy frowned, her problem was that he hadn't even tried to approach her since then. What has he been up to? It had been a whole day since the ball and she hadn't seen him.
Haven't seen Lulu either though. Did she stay home with another hangover?
After a morning blissfully spent in her OWN apartment today, she had come to the guild to wait on her friend. Levy didn't want to just go knocking on Lucy's door, but she might be doing just that soon.
Erza's arrival pulled Levy out of her thoughts. She sat down across from her and greeted her with a nod. "Good afternoon Erza, I didn't see you yesterday."
"Yes, apparently not many guildmembers checked in at all yesterday." Erza's eyebrow twitched, "I would suppose it was due to the clause in Mirajane's teleportation spell..."
Levy leaned her chin in her hands and smiled, "I suppose so. I didn't get to the guild until afternoon. I had slept in too."
The battle maiden looked at her skeptically, "You woke with Gajeel, yes?"
Levy's eyes widened and she turned red from Erza's bluntness, "Y, yes.."
"It seems that my personal battle last night of maintaining a lady's chastity was destined to be fraught with peril," Erza leaned back with a sigh. "Who knew Mira had such a devious plot to place us all in the same bed. Surely it did not go over well by most." She smiled slyly and gave a sidelong glance to her book worm friend, "I heard that Evergreen was so offended that Elfman had sneaked her into his bed that she left him stone for the rest of the day!"
Levy covered her mouth as a giggle flooded out, "Poor guy!" Something then occurred to her, "Wait a minute... Erza? Last I knew, Jellal didn't have a home. Doesn't he just usually stay at an inn or make a camp? How did that work out?"
Erza's calm demeanor faded and her lip wobbled, "Her spell made me into the worst matron of all Fairy Hills history..."
Levy's eyes widened, "You mean...?"
The much feared battle maiden chewed at a tissue as she mumbled out, "He was in my bed, where men are forbidden to tread. Yes—that's right!" Her eyes started to rain down tears, "your honorable matron had a man in her room!"
Smiling nervously as a classic sweatdrop came onto her blue locks, Levy replied, "It's alright Erza! It wasn't your fault!"
Suddenly it seemed that flames of anger consumed the crimson haired warrior, "I removed him from our sacred walls before he knew what was happening. I made sure he knew that a second offense would bring my full wrath upon him."
"Uhhh..."
Erza suddenly leaned back in her chair again, as if she hadn't just appeared ready to rip someone's head off, "However, all that was before I knew of Mirajane's... two-way ticket. I spent a good portion of the rest of yesterday searching him out to explain—and er, apologize."
Levy was ready to change the subject, lest Erza start inquiring about her own experience, "I see you have Natsu's scarf."
"Indeed. I have no need for it anymore." A spark of victory in her eyes, "he should show up soon I suppose."
As if by fate's design, the doors suddenly swung open to reveal the arrival of three more wizards. Gajeel and Gray were laughing it up, approaching the bar and Natsu eyed Erza and Levy's table and marched right to them, looking very displeased. Erza closed her eyes with a smirk and held up the scarf with her back turned to him. Levy smiled nervously as the fire dragonslayer stopped behind her friend, snatched the scarf and headed back out the way he came.
"Uh, hmm.. Well he's just a barrel of sunshine isn't he?" Levy described.
Erza nodded, "A dragon is a very possessive creature, and I have had his scarf for more than two days. I suppose I should find a way to make it up to him."
"I wonder where Lulu is? I haven't seen her since the Ball." Levy's eyes kept looking to Gajeel, talking with Gray as if they were old buddies. It seemed out of his character not to be sitting quietly at her table, or picking a fight with another wizard.
"I'm not sure, however we all know how she likes her privacy. I'm sure she'll be around eventually. Her spirits are there to help her should she be in danger." Erza replied nonchalantly.
"Yea..." Levy was watching Gajeel under her bangs again.
Things between them grew silent for a moment while Erza watched the distracted script mage in front of her. She finally spoke when she decided that Levy had sunk into her own thoughts again. "Is anything the matter Levy? You seem distressed."
Levy popped her head up too quickly to not seem suspicious in the warrior's keen eye, "Who me? No, I'm fine."
"Hmm." Erza began to grow the beginnings of a tiny sly smile. She knew Gajeel was the one Levy had been watching. "I think to celebrate our triumph over the previous morning is cause for a toast. Would you mind getting us something to drink from the bar, Levy?"
Instant confirmation was Erza's when she saw the blush rise on her friend's cheeks, "Umm, over there? Um, okay Erza." Levy pursed her lips together and stood up, eyes already on her destination. "I'll be right back."
Erza simply nodded and closed her eyes, happy with giving her friend a reason to go over there.
The blunette put on her game face and walked over next to Gray—purposely ignoring Gajeel—that creep still hadn't apologized.
The boys had been teasing Mirajane passively about this and that when the She-demon turned to her, "Well hello Levy! Sorry, with Lisanna and Kinana out, I've been a little too stacked to come to your table."
Levy smiled to her like not a thing in the world was wrong, "Oh that's just fine Mira, I understand! Out of all of us, it's you three that do the most work around here. No worries."
Mirajane smiled back to her pleasantly (Levy noticed with delight that Gray and Gajeel had silenced upon her arrival), "You're so sweet Levy! If you wanted a free drink, flattery will definitely help!"
Levy giggled with her, "I'll have to remember that," she smiled and winked at the lovely woman on the other side of the counter. "For now, would you mind getting me and Erza two virgin Island iced teas?"
"Certainly." Mirajane nodded and walked down the bar a little to prepare them.
Gray looked to Levy, "How's it goin' Levy?"
Levy took a seat next to him and leaned her head in her hands again, "It's goin. Still no missions up on the board, so Team Shadow Gear is just as bored as everyone else."
"Yea." Gray harrumphed. "October stinks."
Levy would not allow herself to glance at the dragonslayer on the other side of the ice wizard, but from her peripheral vision, it seemed that Gajeel had no such reservations.
"It's not all bad. Halloween is pretty fun." Levy mentioned. Eyes on Mira. Just keep looking at Mira! Don't let him know he's on your mind!
Gray frowned and tapped on the counter, "So long as we aren't all worn out from the Rite..."
Levy thought it might be a good time to look to Gray then, pointedly not at Gajeel, "It'll be fine Gray. We've all grown in power so much this past year, last year's went pretty well, I'm sure this one will be a piece of cake."
Gray smirked, "Yea, your right. This'll be nothin for Fairytail."
Mirajane returned and Levy thanked her, nodded to Gray and got up to return to her table. Before she walked away however, she allowed an eyebrow to twitch as she tilted her chin slightly higher, displaying her unhappiness toward Gray's companion. Only then was she content to walk back to join Erza.
Erza nodded her approval when Levy sat back down. She kept quiet however, knowing the dragonslayer's attentions would now be honed in on their table. The warrior mage raised her glass to Levy, "Cheers, to friends and mornings better spent elsewhere."
Levy noticed Gajeel glanced their way after he heard Erza's curious toast.
^.^
"No amount of begging will make Juvia spare you," an irritated Juvia spoke to the recently suspended Freed. She had watched Gray and company enter the guild she had also been heading to, she barely managed to duck out of sight before the trio saw her. She'd mentally thanked Gajeel for not mentioning her presence, as he'd surely smelled her. The rain woman was not prepared to speak with Gray yet. Much to her surprise, Gajeel and Gray had dragged out a squirming green haired script wizard while Natsu carried a bunch of rope. Gajeel had gone on about how 'the pretty boy was finally getting his paybacks' and the like. Juvia watched intently as she listened to how Gray was complaining about all the trouble his little spell had caused them, and noticed that Natsu just seemed like he was in a hurry. Not long after the three had returned inside, Juvia walked up to give Freed her own piece of mind. Halfway to him however, she about jumped out of her skin as the fire dragonslayer burst back through the doors and ran off into the distance.
"But Miss Juvia! I was only doing what I was asked! Following orders are supposed to lead to higher rank! Not a constant barrage of ridicule!"
"Freed's spell could have made Juvia loose Gray-sama forever!" She folded her arms stubbornly, "If Juvia had her way, Mirajane would be strung up right next to Freed."
"Oh now that is really too much!" Freed's green hair nearly touched the ground as he swung, "Miss Mirajane does more for this guild than anyone, you should... ugh, show her respect." He was struggling in an attempt to free himself, but Gajeel's knot tying skills were not to be made light of.
"Respect," Juvia pouted, "where was Juvia's respect when she woke in Natsu's room? The place smelled of kitty litter and dirty socks." Sure she knew she exaggerated, but she wanted Freed to know this whole Ball scene was not fully thought out. "For that matter, Juvia would also string up Love Rival. This whole mess was her making as well." She harrumphed and started walking away. Away from the guild, away from Gray. She heard the doors open behind her as she went, but Juvia wasn't curious enough to turn around. It was at the sound of his voice that gave her pause.
"Juvia—hey Juvia, where'ya goin?"
The blunette's eyes went wide and used every bit of her will power to continue her walk, eyes forward. She may have heard of Mirajane's folly, but she still was not prepared to face Gray. She'd sent a dragonslayer after him last she saw him after all. And I am not sorry.
"Damnit Juvia," she heard footsteps coming after her and soon the man of her dreams was walking right next to her. Eyes forward Juvia. Eyes forward! Don't look at his handsome face... or his majestic, unkempt hair...
She could hear aggravation in his voice, "You know that stunt yesterday wasn't my fault right? What's your deal?"
Gray tried to get in front of her, but she turned her head away with stubborn puffed cheeks and kept walking. "This is weird. I've never had a problem trying to get you to look at me before. What's all this about?"
Juvia scoffed, but managed to keep her tongue, as if you'd ever needed to try!
As she continued walking, Gray tsked and pulled her aside (her surprise caused her to yelp) and into a narrow alley. He pinned her to a wall once there, one of his arms resting on the wall next to her shoulder, blocking her exit. His other, she was very aware of-stayed around her wrist that hung to her side.
"Following you isn't my thing, and you seem to be makin me do it a lot lately. Wouldja cut it out?" His voice was deep and agitated, but to someone as hopelessly infatuated as Juvia—
Oh Mavis but Gray-sama is so amazing! His serious voice is seducing Juvia right where she stands! If he keeps looking at Juvia with those lowered eyebrows she might just die! What if he looks away? Then Juvia really would die! Oh! His hand is almost touching Juvia's! He's so strong, so confident! What does one do in a situation like this?!
"...so just stop so we can get past all this."
Oh no! Juvia didn't hear him! What did he say? Oh no! He's staring at Juvia...! Is he getting mad? Gray-sama is so handsome when he's mad!
"Fine. Talkin is over rated anyway." Gray tsked. Juvia's heart stopped when Gray met her lips with his. Never in a thousand years had Juvia ever really thought this moment would come. Gray was kissing her—willingly! It wasn't just any kiss either. He pressed his lips into hers as though she might cease to be substantial, a very real possibility actually; since the rain woman was repeating 'don't melt, don't melt' on and on in her head. The taste of his tongue left her constant inner monologue blank. She had envisioned them together so many times that she was blown away by how little her fantasies had done this man justice. Juvia had never been kissed before, not even once. Before Gray, everything was rainclouds and downpours; after Gray, there simply hadn't been anyone else she needed bother with.
The rain woman found herself at peace, but at war all at the same time. When Gray finally released her, he seemed just as out of breath as her, and yet of course in her mind's eye, that could just not be possible. Gray-sama was perfect.
"I'm not perfect." Gray said as though reading her mind, causing Juvia a start. "Which is why I need you to hear me out. Now... if you'll come with me," the ice-make wizard entwined their fingers, "we'll grab something to eat and figure this out like we were gonna do yesterday." He frowned, "until you disappeared on me."
Juvia let him pull her out of the alley and back toward the guild, and in the first time in forever ((XD purely by accident I swear! I noticed it while proofreading XD)), that constant inner monologue of hers stayed silent.
^.^
Soon after Gray left, Gajeel found himself listening in on his pirate queen's conversation. Mostly trivial bullshit, he just liked hearing her voice. She'd gotten all upset over nothing yesterday morning and he hadn't seen her since. Of course, she had to act like the typical woman stereotype and continue to act mad about whatever the hell she was mad about. He was just teasing her, why'd she have to get all huffy and puffy about it? He kinda liked it, kept him on his toes.
Finally, Erza was all formal about 'bidding her a good day' and left. He was getting impatient. Before the obnoxious red head was out the door, Gajeel stood up and headed his way over to the pint sized blunette. She smelled great... not as good as she smelled in his bed, but still.
He stood beside her, but she had grabbed a book to stare at so that she could ignore him, at least that's what he figured. He cleared his throat, nothing. Frowning, he did it louder.
"If you have something in your throat, Gajeel, you should go back over there and order another drink." Levy mentioned, never looking up from her book.
Why the hell did she have to be like that? Can't she see that he wanted to see her? "What are you reading Shrimp?" There. He said something, that's what you're supposed to do right?
Levy sighed and closed her book, leaning back in her chair with her eyes shut like she was annoyed. "It's just a recent installment of the compendium of magical traditions and Rites," as if that gibberish was an answer.
"Uh huh. Sounds great. Let's get out of here Shrimp." Right to the point, any woman should be able to appreciate that.
Levy didn't move or open her eyes, "Nope."
Damn woman. "Why not?"
She finally peeked one eye over to him, her frown was sexy, "Because you were nothing but a brute yesterday. Mirajane had devised that spell in the hopes that rune partners would get some quality time together come morning, and all you did was pick on me! I'm not going anywhere, and you should apologize!"
Okay, so this is getting stupid. "Apologize?" Gajeel barked, "I ain't apologizin for crap! All I was doin was playin, you were the one actin like a kid."
Now Levy stood, and leaned forward, looking him straight in the eyes in a full fury. "A kid? A kid huh? Well maybe this kid knows when it's time to stop playing with dragons!"
Calling her a kid sounded like it was a mistake. Too late now. "Damnit Shrimp, I ain't apologizin, you can just forget it, I didn't do nuthin."
Levy narrowed her eyes, grabbed her book and sat at a different table.
He knew she was mad, she was cute when she was mad. Now she didn't want to talk though, and that bugged him. He could always just pick her up and leave with her like he wanted, but it seemed a little cliché for the dragon to kidnap the damsel. Gajeel decided to just go to her new table, sit down across from her, and watch her ignore him. She can't stay here all day.
^.^
"No Miss Mirajane, I fear Laxus-sama has forsaken me," Freed hung his head as he allowed Mirajane to support him as they walked. Being suspended for hours had left him wobbly. It hadn't been until evening when Kinana arrived, telling Mirajane that Freed had been tied up outside. She felt so horrible! No one wanted to mess with her, so it seemed they were going to go after Freed. It was cute when his teammates dunked him in the booth, but the three that did this today went way overboard. This was going to stop.
"No he hasn't! He just had faith that you could endure," she was just about willing to say anything to raise his spirits. Mirajane couldn't stand seeing sweet, steadfast Freed this way. She had a few choice words for Laxus too...
Upon arrival to the home he shared with Laxus, They could hear the tail end of an argument between lovers~
"If I wanna have a drink or TWENTY with him, it's none of your business! Go to hell Laxus!" Cana yelled as she exited the house.
Laxus tailed close behind her, yelling back, "That Bacchus has got more than drinks on his mind Cana, You aren't going!"
Cana turned back around, "Screw you! You aren't my boss! Hell, at this point you'll be lucky I come back to visit you at all!"
"Cana, I'm telling you," the thunder dragonslayer was storming up to her, "you are not going!"
The card mage turned back around and marched on down the path, right by Mirajane and Freed without even noticing them.
"Damnit!" Laxus cursed and went after her—also not bothering to glance at them.
Mirajane and Freed blinked curiously, then looked to each other. They started to share a laugh as they continued into the house, it would seem that misery really did love company.
^.^
With the sunset and still no Lucy, Levy decided to call it quits. She stayed at the guild instead of trying her friend at her house because of the big lump of dragonslayer she'd acquired at her table. Alas, now it was time to turn in. Perhaps a nice soothing bath would calm her nerves. She glanced at Gajeel, who was still sitting in front of her looking off to the side. She closed the book she'd managed to finish despite all her distractions and stood up, refraining from looking at him.
Of course, her handsome slayer had to stand up as well. With a sigh, she waved good bye to Kinana and headed out.
Gajeel was right on her toes when they were outside, "Hey Shrimp. Uh, sorry for calling you a kid, that wasn't cool."
"Well at least you can be sorry for something." Levy kept her eyes forward. "Now if only you could realize the way you acted yesterday was like a total ass."
Gajeel was quite for awhile. She could hear his footsteps echoing hers. "Maybe... I coulda been nicer. I'm not used to havin company."
Holy crap! Is that the best he can do? Levy thought to herself.
"I'd like to walk with ya if you're not too pissed Shrimp."
"It's Levy."
"I call you Shrimp."
"But it's Levy."
"Yea okay, Shrimp." Gajeel smirked. He heard the hint of a laugh in her voice.
They took the shortcut through the park to get to Fairyhills. Gajeel stopped once Levy passed a certain tree he was fond of. She stopped and turned around, curious as to why he stopped.
"This is as far as I go Shrimp. I like it here."
Levy looked around a bit and realized with surprise that the tree he stood by was the tree he had taken her to the other night. Was Gajeel being nostalgic...?
She didn't bother to hide her smile when she said, "Ya know, I never got my dagger back."
"Geheh, you didn't need it. The thing may cause ya more damage than good."
Levy raised an eyebrow.
"Come're," Gajeel beckoned, a slice of gentleness in his tone.
The mage didn't think she should, but she wanted to, so she walked over to him and stood under the tree.
Gajeel put an arm around her, and then the other, hugging her to him warmly. "Didja know you're pretty cute when you're mad? It's gotta be why I'm so good at pissing you off."
Levy blushed and hid her face into his tunic.
"The pirate costumes you picked out was pretty cool..." Gajeel wasn't sure what to say.
Levy chuckled and decided to look up at him, "I never thought I'd hear that!"
"Yea well," Gajeel glanced away. He was very surprised when Levy pulled his head down and kissed him lightly on his lips.
She opened her eyes and rubbed his nose with hers, "For speaking the truth." Levy deftly slipped from his grasp as he tried to pull her back in for more.
The blunette laughed and started sprinting away, "I'll see you tomorrow Gajeel!"
Gajeel growled under his breath, "Yea you will."
^.^
"That's so awesome Luce!" Natsu grinned.
The two of them were laying on the rugged floor of Lucy's tent. She hadn't felt comfortable being naked out in the woods, so she had convinced her slayer it was best to redress for the night (and it did take some convincing!). She was snuggled up to him with his arm around her as she lifted her index finger into a thin layer of stardust that hovered above them in the tent. She smiled as she wrote Natsu's name out in the air.
It stayed for a while before the stardust consumed Lucy's manipulations. The fire wizard then tried to do it, and the stardust was barely disturbed by his fingers. "Aww." He pouted.
The blonde giggled at her lover and started to draw a dragon's face with teary eyes. She didn't get far when Natsu realized what she was up to.
"Hey!" He grabbed her hand and brought it to his chest and glared at her, "we don't gotta be mean!"
Lucy giggled again and kissed his cheek.
"How come I've never seen you do this before?" Natsu queried.
The blonde shrugged, "I'm not sure. It first happened at the Ball, but now it I think I can-kinda-control it."
Natsu half smiled, then looked back up at all the stardust floating around. "This is great Luce. You'll distract the bad guys with your star works show while I kick their ass!" He made a fist in front of his face with a triumphant grin as he spoke.
"Star... works?" Lucy repeated questionably.
"Yea, kinda like fire works."
"Hmm.." Lucy lifted her finger again and swirled it around fast and watched it continue to spin until it appeared to all get sucked into the swirls she'd created, then a moment later, all the magic burst free in a silent and peaceful rain of glitter.
"Wooow, see? Star works!" Natsu snickered, "I mean, it's no dragon made fire works, but it's still cool."
Lucy nudged him. "Oh shut up Natsu."
He chuckled and they laid there, appreciating the moment. Eventually Lucy fell asleep while they talked, still attempting to respond even though the sandman had taken her. Natsu noticed the change in her breathing and quieted. He simply brushed her bangs from her face and admired her.
This is my mate Father Igneel. You'd just love her I know. Wherever you are, I hope you know that I introduced you to her. ...I love you Luce, and I will always be here. He smiled, thinking of everything they'd gone through to get to this point, whether you like it or not!
Much love
Stay naughty
Dream big, Live bigger
Seri aka Lick