I hope you love this chapter. I love it. I love it so much. I kudos myself. hahahahahah.
Let me know how I did! Thank you for your wonderful comments! I wasn't going to post but your comments really urged me on!
Hiro Mashima owns Fairytail.
Crackle Boom*
"Mmmmmmmfffff!"
"No way. NOT AGAIN Blondie." Laxus made Lucy lean away from him as she heaved onto the forest floor.
After she was done, he lifted Lucy up by the waist.. she dangled at his side like he was carrying a potato bag. He walked up to his house, a cabin in the woods.
"you….. JERK…" Lucy seethed..
"I can't have you knowing where I live can I?"
"Then how am I supposed to know how to get back home genius."
"I don't care Blondie. Deal with it."
"UGH!"
Finally getting to the door, he unlocked it and walked inside. He walked through the living room and into a large bathroom. Dropping her on the floor, Laxus turned on the lights and turned to leave.
"Get yourself cleaned up. You stink." Laxus said with his back to her. Then he left the bathroom with the slamming of the door.
She slowly pushed herself up with her hands.. she looked towards the closed door.. her eyebrows frowning and lips forming a tight line. She was appalled.
"And to think that he used to be that stupid senseless jerk." Lucy shook her head in horror. "It's like he's a completely different person." growled softly to herself.
She got up from the floor and dusted herself off. She rubbed her neck as she found it stinging again from her stomach acid. Looking around, she couldn't help but be impressed at how awesome the bathroom was. There was a huge bathtub and a waterfall shower in the corner. A separate mini room had a toilet and a sink.
Reaching for her keys, Lucy decided she should get some help.
"Open the Gate of the Maiden, Virgo!"
"Hime, I brought you some toothpaste and a toothbrush. Punishment time?"
"No. But thank you. I really needed it."
Lucy took the toothbrush and began brushing her teeth.
"I'm..mmmmm assuming.. you've.. talked.. to Loke…" she muttered.
"Yes. And we all your spirits know about the visitors." Virgo said standing by Lucy.
"Then you must know that you must never speak of it." Lucy said looking at Virgo through the mirror.
"Yes Hime…"
"Thank you Virgo." Lucy rinsed her mouth.
.
.
"Hime?'
"hmm..?"
"Your magic.."
"Virgo. I promise we'll talk about it soon.. but not right now…" Lucy said looking down at the sink..
"Yes Hime. Is there anything else you need?"
"Yes actually.. I need your help."
"Anything you wish Hime." Virgo bowed.
Laxus was sitting in the living room. His arms were crossed and he sat with a serious face. He heard Lucy mutter "stupid senseless jerk" when he was walking away from the bathroom.. he was so ready to make her suffer.. then he felt a rise in her magic power and it wavering a little.. he just dismissed it as she was being sick from whatever she had…
Realizing that Lucy might actually be sick and that he had touched her.. Laxus stood up to go to the kitchen and went to wash his hands. He dried his hands with the hand towel draped over a hanger.. then he realized that he should probably take off his shirt.. it could have gotten the bug Lucy through her vomit.. He took his shirt off and threw it onto the soiled cloak that was in a laundry basket.
At that moment, the door of the bathroom opened and Lucy came out. She turned towards Laxus and looked up at him. He was standing there half-naked. Close to him was a laundry basket and she noticed that his shirt was in there along with his cloak.
She walked up to the basket and picked it up, not even giving Laxus another look. Turning around, she walked right back into the bathroom and turned to close the door. When she did, she saw Laxus stare at her with a blank face.. his eyes showing his confusion.. she smirked and raised an eyebrow at him before she closed the door and locked it.
Laxus stood there completely confounded. Did his half-naked body really just have no effect on a girl for once? WHAT?! And that smirk! Was she… LAUGHING AT HIM?! HIM! LAXUS DREYAR!?
Lucy tried her best to muffle her giggles. The look on his face was priceless. After calming herself down.. she thought back to the hot spring night.. Future Laxus and his hot steaming body under the starry night sky.… the steam rolling and hot water dripping off his skin…
"Sorry Laxus… but after what happened that night.. I think I can handle pretty much anything you dish out." Lucy thought to herself. Just like how she can handle Gray's stripping habit better now than before with all that repetitive exposure… she sighed.. her eyes were being tainted too easily from the males of Fairy Tail.
"Hime?" Virgo stood waiting for Lucy.
"Ah Sorry Virgo. I was thinking about something." Lucy smiled. "Here. Can you please get this cloak cleaned with Aries and Aquarius? I threw up on it and it is Laxus' favorite cloak. He wants it stainless and stinkless…" Lucy sweatdropped.
"Yes Hime. It will be done soon." Virgo said as she took the cloak from the basket Lucy was holding. With a flash, Virgo left for the celestial world.
"Okay… well.. I guess let the cleaning begin." Lucy said sighing to herself.
After cleaning the bathroom and even hand-washing Laxus' dirty laundry.. which Lucy found it very awkward to do since she was washing his boxers.. his silk black, white, and animal print boxers.. she went out of the bathroom to clean the rest of his home. Luckily, Laxus went to shower and Lucy was left to clean in privacy.
Lucy was surprised at how clean his apartment was. There was a fur rug in the living room with a fireplace.. a wooden beautifully carved dining table. His kitchen was HUGE. And fully stocked with all the cooking ware you would ever need… but absolutely no food. She crept upstairs and found a study room.. and…
A beautiful library… with a huge window that overlooked a meadow with wildflowers growing everywhere. It was breath-taking. She walked up to the window and looked out admiring the view. It was sunset.. and everything looked golden.. but then she noticed some dark cloud looming over the house.
"Hm… I better hurry up and finish before a storm hits.." Lucy said frowning slightly.
But then she smiled gently… Lucy thought of how Laxus lived in such a house.. furnished with beautiful furniture.. a study room for meditating.. a library with a beautiful view… he wasn't so cold and heartless as he led others to believe.. he wasn't the bad dragon boy who lived in a dungeon..
"So you really are in there.. somewhere… underneath it all." Lucy whispered to herself.
Dusting everything down and organizing some little things here and there, she left the library and closed the door.
Laxus finally got out of the shower and had a towel wrapped around his waist and another on his head to dry his hair. He quickly put on his boxers and shorts… and left his bedroom with a towel around his neck. Still shirtless, Laxus wanted to test if Lucy really was unaffected by him. His pride as a man was at stake. The smell of food hit his nose making him wonder where Lucy had even gotten food to cook with. He hadn't gone shopping for food in months.
He went downstairs and looked around the livingroom and the bathroom.. he couldn't find her. Going into the kitchen, Laxus found the source of the delicious smell.. Lucy had cooked a pot of tomato basil soup. And next to it was a note..
"Sorry for everything. Found some tomatoes and basil outside in your small garden. Didn't know you liked to garden. Hope you like the soup. Your cloak is in your closet."
Laxus did a double take.. she put what where? The cloak? Wasn't it still stinky and gunky with vomit?! How dare she leave without cleaning it properly and cleaning his house as he demanded. He looked around angrily but was shocked to find everything….CLEAN.
Walking into the living room, everything was orderly and dusted… he ran upstairs and opened the room to his study.. all the files neatly piled.. the library.. all the books stacked on the shelves.. his bedroom closet…
Opening the closet.. he found the cloak and he quickly took it out. He check it inside and out.. no vomit.. he brought it up to his face.. it smelled.. of Lucy…not vomit.. but of vanilla and peach…. he took it away from his face and stared.. bringing it back to his face he smelled it again.. Lucy… and not only that… he rubbed the cloak with his thumbs..
The cloak was soft… so very soft… like baby soft.
Confounded.. Laxus took the cloak with him downstairs to the kitchen… he put the cloak on a dining chair.. he paused… trying to process everything… but it was so frustrating.. going into the kitchen.. he took a bowl out of the cupboard and poured some of the soup Lucy made into the bowl. Taking a spoon, he went back to the dining table and sat himself down.
It smelled good.. but did he really want to eat it… I mean.. Lucy was sick.. and what if he got sick from whatever she had.. he lifted a spoonful of the soup up to eye-level.. sighing… he slowly and hesitantly brought the spoon to his slightly open mouth..
His eyes opened wide… he took another spoonful of the soup.. his eyes still wide.. he stared down at the soup.. then to the cloak.. then to the rest of his house….
"I'm going to keep her."
Quickly downing his soup.. he got up from his seat and went to open his front door… he was greeted with pouring rain…a crackle of thunder was heard.
Then it dawned him….
"She doesn't know how to get back."
"Sorry Pyxis…. Once I get to a familiar area you can go back."
"Pikuu!" Pyxis chirped happily.
The rain was pouring and Lucy and Pyxis trudged along the forest. She was hoping to get close enough to town before Laxus noticed she was gone. And she was hoping that he wouldn't come after her. Seeing him face to face.. so soon after she had pushed them away.. she felt horribly guilty and…. She missed them… terribly…
It felt so strange… to miss someone who was right in front of you.. but it's not them…
"Pikuu Pikuu!" Pyxis chirped, he pointed towards something ahead.
Lucy looked up and saw the town's entrance.
"You did it Pyxis! Thank you!" Lucy said hugging her compass bird.
"Pikuuu!"
"You can go back now. I'll be fine." Lucy smiled.
"Pikuuu" Pyxis shook his head in disapproval.
"I promise. I don't want you to get sick." Lucy said patting the bird's compass head.
Pyxis smiled and bowed gently before flashing away.
Lucy started into a run. Running through the town, she smiled as she felt the raindrops on her skin. People walking in the streets with umbrellas watched her run by.. wondering if she was okay… but she was more than okay…
She felt alive.
The rain drenched her completely… her hair and clothes were dripping wet… but it was beautiful… the water droplets forming rings on the floor.. the hard pouring rain made a beautiful stage for her..
"BOOOM!" lightning roared.
She twirled around as she went through the streets.. she was almost home.. just around the corner.. but in front of her was the river… she stood on the edge as she normally does.. lifting her palms up she watched the rain drops splash off her hands.. she looked up towards the sky.. the gray clouds.. water streaming down from the heavens..
"Clouds.. will you cry for me.. I don't have the time to cry… so cry on… behalf of me." Lucy smiled..
Juvia was walking through the forest with her umbrella… she tried so hard… so hard to keep Lucy at Laxus' house hoping that something would happen between them.. she didn't think that Lucy would finish so soon and run away so quickly.. hopefully Laxus would confess soon of his undying love for her… oh how Juvia wished.
She was now thinking of other ways to get them together. She wasn't going to give up. She was going to need help and a certain white haired mage who would always be willing to help. Actually.. if it was regarding Lucy, there were two. Juvia smiled in determination… a plan already waiting to unfold.
Natsu was pacing in front of her house… happy was on his shoulder… he held an umbrella in his hand…
"What's taking her so long.. where is she? Laxus better not hurt her or I'll beat him to a pulp."
"Natsu… I think she's really mad this time…"
"I know Happy… that's why we're going to make it up to her! By keeping her company tonight!" Natsu said smiling. "We'll have a blast and talk about our missions and catch up."
"But Natsu…. You don't think Lucy will get jealous do you?"
"Why would Lucy get jealous? Of what?" Natsu said confused.
"Not of what. Of who. Lisanna.. because we took Lisanna instead of her. And kind of forgot about her…." Happy said guiltily.
"Nah.. Lucy doesn't get jealous. She knows we go back way before she came around. She'll understand." Natsu said nonchalantly.
"Oh Natsu… you don't understand… she's going to get jealous because she lliiiiiikkeeeeess you." Happy rolled his tongue.
"What? No." Natsu quickly said as he looked away.
"Oh.. or you liiiiiikkeeee her" Happy said raising his eyebrows at Natsu.
"I DO NOT!" Natsu said trying to grab Happy.. who flew off his shoulder. Natsu was swatting at Happy. "GET BACK HERE!"
"Oh look its Lushyy!" Happy said pointing ahead.
"Really? Where?" Natsu turned his head quickly up towards the road. Then he saw her..
She twirled in the rain… and ran up to the edge of the river. Natsu was about to yell for her to stop.. worried that she might fall in.. but she stopped right at the edge.. she lifted her hands up and watched the rain hit her hands… she smiled..
Natsu felt his chest tighten.. a smile grew on his face.. Happy landed on Natsu's shoulder….
She looked up towards the sky and whispered something…
"Luce…" Natsu said softly. He watched her enjoy the rain… he began to run towards her… "LUCE!"
"BOOOM!"
He landed on the roof of a nearby building.. he searched around below.. looking for the blonde mage… the rain was making it hard for him to smell her out.. people with umbrellas were walking around… and then he saw her…
She was running… twirling here and here… smiling as she enjoyed the rain.. it was mesmerizing.. she was getting awfully close to the edge of the river… he was about to jump towards her when she stopped right at the edge… she lifted her palms up and watched the rain drops splash off her hands..
He lifted his own hand.. and watched the raindrops hit his palm… he looked over at her again and found her looking up towards the sky… he did the same.. watching the raindrops fall.. he closed his eyes and enjoyed the raindrops falling on his face… his hands.. his skin.. it was soothing…
But his calm was shattered when he heard..
"LUCE!"
Laxus' eyes opened instantly and he searched for the owner of the voice.. he watched a person with an umbrella run up towards her.. she looked over at him and smiled warmly.
"Hey Natsu"
Natsu ran up and held the umbrella out over Lucy… preventing her from getting hit more by the rain.
"What are you doing out here alone in the rain? Did Laxus hurt you? Did he do anything to you? Cuz I'll go beat him up if he did. He did didn't he?"
"No no.. Calm down Natsu. He didn't do anything to me. I just wanted to go for a run and so here I am."
"Don't lie to me Luce.. I know you weren't home since you left the guild with him. If I find out that he did anything to you-"
"Natsu.. I promise. He didn't do anything to me. And how do you know I wasn't home?" Lucy crossed her arms.
"Cuz… " Natsu stuttered.
"Cuz we waited for you in front of you house since you left." Happy said happily.
"What?" Lucy looked surprised.
"Well…. I wanted to say sorry again.. and was hoping you'd want to have a sleep over. To you know.. talk about our missions.."
"Okay.. but wait a second.. you waited outside my house? Are you sure you guys didn't go in and break anything?"
"Of course not.. We wouldn't do that Lucy" Natsu said frowning.
"Well we couldn't get in without breaking your window.. it was locked."
"Ha.. I see." Lucy said looking at them with a gotcha look.
"HAPPY….." Natsu said groaning…
"What Natsu. I'm not going to lie to Lushy anymore.. otherwise she's never going to give me any fish." Happy said pouting.
"What a partner you are." Natsu said pouting looking the other direction.
"Hahaha… well.. then Happy.. I guess I could give you one fish for telling me the truth." Lucy winked at Happy.
"YAY! Then… Natsu forgot about you during the mission. Do I get another fish for telling you that?" Happy asked with sparkling eyes and then realization hit him. Happy quickly covered his mouth with his paws.. his wide-eyes looking at Natsu with fear..
"HAPPY!" Natsu stared in shock at his neko partner. He hesitantly looked towards Lucy.
Lucy continued to smile…
"Luce… it's not.. it's not like that at all.. Happy's just–"
"It's okay Natsu.. I understand.. I forgot about you too."
Natsu and happy froze.
"What?" Natsu said.
"Yea… so we're even. Don't worry about it." Lucy said "It's a relief really. I was feeling guilty myself."
"Luce.. you don't mean that…. You didn't forget about me." Natsu said his eyes showing his hurt. Happy looked at Lucy with wide hurt eyes too.
"Lushy…. You didn't forget about me right?"
"Of course I didn't." Lucy smiled at the two.
"Phew.. for a second there I thought you were telling the truth." Natsu said relieved.
"Yea Lushy.. that wasn't funny." Happy said
"Or was I?" Lucy said smiling.. she walked past them and began to run to her apartment.
Natsu and Happy stared wide-eyed at her.
"LUCE!"
"LUSHYY!"
"That's not funny Luce! I'm sorry okay! I'm sorry!" Natsu ran after Lucy with the umbrella in his hand.
"Yea Lushy! Natsu's sorry!"
"YOU TRAITOR!" Natsu tried to grab Happy.
"LUCY! NATSU'S TRYING TO KILL ME!" Happy flew off towards Lucy.
"GET BACK HERE! LUCE! Wait up!" Natsu ran after the two of them.
Laxus watched Lucy enter her apartment and Natsu and happy follow soon after. He heard their ruffling about in the apartment and Lucy laughing. Natsu and happy screaming and yelling.. laughing..
Crackle Booom!
A nearby lightning strike lit up Laxus' face.. he was death-glaring towards the very spot he saw Lucy was standing at on the edge of the river with Natsu.. he still had his hand out catching the raindrops in his palm… he closed his fist and clenched…
BOOOM!
He flashed away.
In a nearby alleyway.. Gray stood with his umbrella.. he went out into the street and looked up at Lucy's window… he saw the shadows of Lucy, Natsu, and Happy on the wall… he had watched the whole thing.. mesmerized by her bubbly and lively personality… he was always interested in her… Lucy Heartfilia.
But the presence of his rival.. getting to her first.. as always.. was going to end now..
"Natsu… you best stay out of my way." Gray thought to himself.
Cracking his neck… Gray smirked.
"Time to crash the party." He slowly walked up to the apartment and went up the stairs.
On the opposite side of the river.. there was a dark alley… He was watching from the shadows with Lily.. he had watched Gray and Natsu leave the guild and so he followed them.. and found Natsu waiting in front of her house.. Gray waiting in an alleyway…
Right when he was about to give up and leave.. she came prancing around… oblivious to those around her… and to his surprise… he saw Laxus show up.. standing on top of a roof of the building behind her..
When Lucy finally went home.. Natsu and Happy followed after… Laxus flashed away.. and Gray went to enter Lucy's home…
"Did you see that? I expected Natsu and Gray… but when did Laxus?" Lily said in a low voice.
Gajeel's eyes narrowed.. he smirked…
"This… is a hunt…"
Lily's eyes widened… "This is dangerous.. you dragon-slayers all chose the same girl? I hope Lucy-san will be okay…no.. survive..."
Gajeel grinned widely.. showing his white teeth… tilting his head slightly so that he was looking towards Lucy's apartment at the corner of his eye..
.
.
"Im gonna get me some luck… bunnygirl you better save those feet for me.. I intend to have both of them."