AN: This chapter is a continuation of the one before.

Later that day, as the sun started setting, the sky also shone with many colors of dark. At the entrance of the casino, Lucy was waiting for Erza, wearing her red dress. Natsu, Gray and Happy were already inside.

"What is taking her so long…?" Lucy asked. "Don't tell me she fell asleep… Well, it won't hurt to go there to check on her."

And so Lucy started to go to Erza's room. Of course for that she would need to walk through the entrance hall to reach the stairs. But when she was there, she froze when she noticed someone unpleasant at the reception, possibly making the check-out: Laxus. Seeing him caused her to remember their encounter earlier that afternoon, which made her to blush, before trying to pretend he was there and head towards the staircase before he could see her. However, she didn't have that much luck…

Laxus was doing his check-out of the hotel when he suddenly got a familiar scent, the same one he had felt not so long ago. His cocky smile appeared, as that smell was followed by small steps that were characteristic of someone walking on heels. He knew exactly who that was. And judging how the steps stopped for a moment before resuming with a faster rhythm, she had already seen him and was trying to pass by him without him knowing. It amused him that she actually thought that would work.

He finished the check-out when Lucy was about to reach the stairs and, with a flash of lightning, he moved from the counter to be right behind Lucy, whispering to her:

"You won't even say goodbye? Now, that is very rude."

That caused Lucy to turn to him and ask:

"How did you…?"

"I'm a S-class wizard, blondie" Laxus reminded her, while letting his bag fall beside him. "Do you really think I wouldn't notice a beauty like you passing by?"

"Don't even try anything" Lucy ordered him. "Natsu, Gray and Erza are not that far."

"Please, as if those three would be able to scare me" Laxus replied. "Besides… you didn't tell them about me back then, so why would you do it now?"

"How do you know…?"

"If you had told them, no doubt that meathead Natsu would come after me for a fight" Laxus said. "Not that I am complaining… I love punching that pink-haired punk, but the fact he was oblivious to my presence gave me time to relax. Too bad I didn't have the company of a damsel like you to give me a massage… But I have to say I far prefer this… Did you put that pretty dress for me?"

"In your dreams, you creep!" Lucy asked, crossing her arms and looking away.

"Oh, you can be sure I'll have some sweet dreams… with you in them using that same dress" Laxus replied. "What do you say in leaving those losers behind and come with me instead? I promise I will be a gentleman."

That caused Lucy to have another big blush all over her face. How could Laxus be related to Master Makarov? Yes, Master Makarov was also somewhat of a perv, but Laxus was able to take it to an all new level.

"Leave me alone, Laxus" Lucy demanded. "I have better things to do."

Lucy got so disgusted by Laxus' pervy behavior and yet embarrassed by his words and her physical attraction for him that she didn't know what to do. Her first thought was to get to Erza, but when she was to turn to go to her, Lucy forgot that she was at the base of the staircase and almost trip on the first step. However, she didn't fall because Laxus was able to hold her with an arm behind her back.

"You can't stop being on my arms, can you, blondie?" Laxus asked, with his arrogant smile.

Lucy didn't know how to react. It was just like earlier, but this time it was like she couldn't escape, as if her survival instinct was turned off. Perhaps that was because she was looking to his grey eyes which were so intense that she felt herself paralyzed by them. She could actually hear her heart bumping right at her ears. Laxus, on the other hand, couldn't help but feeling his excitement taking over him. He finally had the girl that had been driving him crazy at his grasp and, judging how she was trembling, she wouldn't escape him this time. And it was then that he pressed his lips against hers.

The young celestial wizard couldn't believe what was happening. Laxus was kissing her! She had closed her eyes when Laxus' face came close, but she was able to feel the warmth of his lips touching hers. A burst of mixed emotions started to invade her. Lucy didn't know what she was feeling. Anger… disgust… fear… terror… excitement… All of them were acting out together, causing her heart to bump even harder than it was before. It was then that one single thought was able to be formed in all that turmoil: she needed to get out of there. Once that thought came to be, her body acted accordingly.

In an act of reflex, she pulled Laxus away from her and then slapped him, taking advantage of that to start running up the stairs as fast as her heels allowed her. Laxus took a hand to his slapped cheek and, for a moment, he felt a jolt of anger that manifested itself through a current of lightning passing through his body. But it quickly ceased, as his anger was soon replaced by a sense of exhilaration.

"Now this is a woman!" Laxus exclaimed. "Not only she is pretty and easy to mess with, but she is also feisty… The little princess has a strong fighting spirit. Who knows… maybe I will open an exception for her once I become master… if she becomes my woman that is."

He took his bag, putting it over shoulder, and started heading towards the exit of the hotel, while chuckling.

Meanwhile, Lucy ran as fast as she could until she reached a certain hallway, not even noticing where. After she slapped Laxus, she just ran from him, both to get as far away from him and to avoid his anger. But as soon she found herself safe, she came to lose strength on her legs, ending up letting herself fall on her knees and then finding support on the nearest wall, taking the tip of her fingers to her mouth instinctively.

She could not believe it… That was her first kiss… Her very first kiss… And it was with Laxus, the greatest jerk she had ever met… Laxus stole her first kiss! But worse than that… she didn't do anything to stop him. It was not like he did it all of the sudden. She could have stopped him, but she didn't. However, those eyes of him… They had an intensity like she had never seen before… or could even explain it. There was a certain ferocity that was both terrifying and captivating.

However, that wasn't even the very worst part of all that… The truth was that, despite she didn't return his kiss, she really wanted to. She wanted to kiss Laxus… Despite not having any references whatsoever, she could feel that he was really a very good kisser. Lucy had already acknowledged her physical attraction towards Laxus, but she didn't know such shallow feeling would have this impact on her. After all, it was not the first time she would feel herself attracted for a good-looking man. But she was a romantic at heart. How could she ever want that? Could it be that…

No! It can't be! Lucy thought in her head. I can't be in love with… that jerk! She made sure to make those words echo in her mind, hoping that would make her believe in them. That needed to be truth… not the alternative. Laxus wanted her and her friends out of the guild and that is something that is bonded to happen if he ever becomes the master of Fairy Tail. Not to mention that he didn't even come to help when Phantom Lord attacked. If he had helped, then maybe neither her nor her friends would have suffer so much and the guild hall wouldn't have been destroyed.

It was then that, when thinking about her friends, she remembered the reason that led her to meet Laxus just now: to go get Erza. In that moment, she felt a great conflict: should she say to Erza and the boys what just happened? Or at least to Erza? On one hand, she knew that talk about it would help her feel better… However, she couldn't deny the consequences of that. It didn't matter to whom she would talk about it, because it would only lead to a great conflict with Laxus and she didn't want to be the reason for another problem to the guild.

No… she needed to do her best to put that behind her. After all, it was just a kiss. Yeah, it was not a pleasant moment… but it was not like she didn't face worse. She survived a bunch of creeps that wanted to take her to Bosco by force, she was able to deal with a nasty man like Everlue and was even able to withstand Gajeel's beat down without even giving him the satisfaction of being able to break her spirit. She shouldn't let the fact that Laxus shamelessly stole her first kiss be the one to take her down. Cleaning the tears on her eyes, Lucy stood up and started heading towards Erza's room.

After reaching her room, Lucy just took a deep breath to calm herself, all while she arranged her dress and her hair. After making sure she was presentable and no sign of emotional distress was present, she knocked on the door and opened it, saying then to her teammate:

"Erza, get out of the room and come have some fun. Natsu and Gray are downstairs. Do you want to come find them and play some games?"