Gray was sweating. More than usual and it was weird because he wasn't a man to get hot easily but he was drenched in sweat. People were looking at him weirdly but fuck them, it's still spring and spring can have their hot days (not today, low fifties) but it was incredibly hot today. Only really because Juvia was so fucking hot herself that he literally felt like he was melting and his face was red, his t-shirt was sticking to him, and he can feel the steam rolling off his body as if it was one hundred degrees in the sun.
She was stunning in her blue sundress and he barely heard a word she said as she dragged him around town, a wide smile on her face, and a tint of pink on her pale face. He was mesmerized by her appearance and he didn't know how to comprehend the beauty of it.
Fuck Natsu for jumping gun and asking Lucy out when they clearly made a pact together. That bastard left him to fend for himself and now he looks like the jackass who doesn't have the balls to ask his girl out.
He clearly remembers setting down the rules that they'd ask by summer and technically—technically he still had two months because it was April. And technically they never established when in the summer so in retrospect, he had until the end of August to ask her out.
He's never had a girlfriend before or anything close to one so how the hell is he supposed to act? He wasn't a lovey dovey guy and even with someone like Juvia around, he was still wary of PDA and anything that made them seem like a couple. The scowl would come naturally with the way she clutched onto him when they walked down the busy streets and his cheeks would burn fifty shades of red. It's not like he didn't like her, he didn't like the clinginess and the fact that people are seeing them touch and kiss.
Gray Fullbuster was a private man and he is willing to keep it that way. Of course he wanted people to know Juvia was his girl but he's not going to be like that horny idiot and grope her every chance he had.
Natsu and Lucy were a whole different type of level with their confidence and sex drive. He walked in one too many times to them and it was sad to say that he's probably seen it all and had somewhat gotten immune to their nudity. As in positions, body parts, and more of Natsu he would have liked to ever see in his lifetime. He should definitely not know that Natsu had a mole on his butt and he definitely should not know that the curtains match the drapes because that shit gave him nightmares for weeks.
Pink-haired women were banned from his life and he did not even wanted to look at them but of course God had a funny way of saying fuck you.
"I heard so much about you. Juvia talks nonstop about you."
"Does she now?" Gray laughed awkwardly as he felt Juvia squeeze his hand in endearment. His hairline was slick with sweat and he couldn't help but feel trapped in the situation. "I heard a lot about you, too, Meredy. You're on that off campus organization, right?"
"Crime Sorcière." She offered a bright smile. "We're a small sorority right now. We're actually more considered a fraternity since we're co-ed."
"Interesting. What made you go off-campus?"
"Less money. Less rules."
Gray nodded, accepting her reasoning as he reached forward and took a sip from his ice coffee.
"Meredy is the one who actually brought me to your halloween party." Juvia spoke up, smiling brightly as she looked between Gray and Meredy. "I was there with her sorority."
"Yeah, my sisters really like Delta Tail." Meredy's cheeks matched the color of her hair, her chin dipping down to hide her shyness. "Of course we know how wild and fun your parties are."
"Yeah," Gray snorted. "Wild is right."
He didn't really think it was going to end up this way but he ended up meeting Juvia's best friend and of course she had to have bright pink-hair that made him think of Natsu and his—
"So!" Gray offered a pinched smile, looking over at Juvia beside him and then at Meredy. "How did you two meet?"
Was it considered serious when they met their friends? Juvia knows his friends. She even went on vacation with his closest friends. But why did it feel so weird that he was finally meeting Juvia's friend and learning more about her past?
He felt like he was in some kind of television show, his eyes darting around as if he was waiting for someone to punk him and he felt jittery at the idea of going deeper into this than he already was.
He was committed to Juvia. He liked her a lot. Maybe love but fuck that stupid online test what the hell did they know about love?
But why the hell was he freaking out so badly?
And that stupid fucking pink hair is making him nauseous.
Labored breaths and giggles filled the air, soft gasps and whispers of their names slipping from their lips. His hand moved across her soft skin, fingertips barely brushing against her skin to leave a trail of goosebumps and giggles in their wake. His lips pressed against her jawline, kisses trailing down her throat and collarbone as she sighed and her own fingers tangled in his locks, tugging at the soft spikes. His tongue dragged across her body and encircled around her exposed breasts, her back arching at his touch. He cradled her in his arm, stroking her plush body with his hand while he kissed her hungrily, lips crushing and wanton.
She whined, wanting more than simple touches and teasing kisses and he snickered, sucking on her nipples like a newborn as he massaged the twin.
He relished in the sounds of her moans, his cock growing harder at the sweet melody and he sucked on her skin, painting his love marks on her pale skin.
Feeling fed up with his delicate teasing, Lucy pushed him back to climb on top. His broad shoulders took up his mattress, his sultry smirk making her body tingle greedily. She straddled him, his hard-on already pressed against her wet folds. She rocked her hips and they both moaned, the pleasure running up and down their groins.
"So impatient." He snickered as she gripped him, lining him up with her entrance.
"You've been teasing me all day," she pouted, coating his tip as she dragged him up and down her lips. "I've been waiting for you to get out of class."
"You sent me the photo first."
"I sent you a photo of my outfit and you sent me a dick pic. How is that the same?"
"Because you look so fucking good in that miniskirt." He groaned as his hands gripped at her hips, digging his fingers into her flesh. "I would have hunted you down in the science building and fucked you in the storage closet."
Lucy grinned as she slowly sank down his length, her head being tossed back as she let out a low moan. His girth stretched her so deliciously as Natsu let out a moan of his own, his hands bruising on her hips.
"You feel so good, Luce," he croaked out, his eyebrows pinched. "You're so tight."
"You're so big, Natsu," she said in a whine, rolling her hips against his till she was all the way down.
"God, Lucy, you—"
The two jumped about a mile high when the door slammed open making Natsu be quick to grab the blanket to yank it over Lucy who squealed, her hands wrapping around her exposed breasts while she turned to look over her shoulder.
"What the fu—!"
"Gray!" Lucy screeched, her face red and mouth hung open as she stared at the red-faced student.
Gray groaned, hand up to his eyes as he awkwardly looked away. His cheeks turned a bright pink and his eyes were darting back and forth from Lucy to the corner of the room, unsure if he really wanted to look considering Natsu was naked under her and they were connected by the hip.
"Dude, what the fuck?! Do you mind?!" Natsu shouted angrily, his hands wrapped around Lucy tightly to cover her naked body with his blanket.
"This is an emergency. Can you two please put some clothes on." Gray begged, his voice coming out wobbly and his entire face growing redder.
"Seriously? What is the emergency?" Lucy groaned, throwing her head back.
"Someone better be fucking dying." Natsu growled, his eyes narrowing. "If not, you are."
"Who the fuck has sex with the door unlocked? This is my room, too, so you should think that maybe your roommate would be coming back!" He was shouting at the wall and he felt stupid. "I swear, you two are always fucking at the most inconvenient times. At least lock the fucking door if you're going to be!"
"This is my fucking room, I can fuck with the door unlocked if I want! It's not like the door was wide open!" Natsu shouted right back.
"How is this an inconvenient time?! Natsu and I just got out of class! You're the one who just barged in here!" Lucy screeched, glaring at the male who still refused to look at the two who didn't make any type of progress in getting dressed or moved.
"That isn't the point! The point is that this is my room, too, so you can't say I just 'barged right in'! Technically, you're trespassing on my space."
"Gray, my boyfriend lives here and I am entitled to this room as much as you are!"
"You don't pay rent here! We do!"
"Get the fuck out of here, ice-prick!" Natsu threw his pillow at the student who had his back turned to them.
The pillow startled him and he jumped, whipping his head over in instinct to glare and shout but regretted it as he saw the two of them still in bed naked. "Can you guys hurry the fuck up and put some fucking clothes on and help me?!"
Natsu and Lucy both groaned out loud in unison, the familiar sounds of shuffling and the squeak of the bed being heard.
"Thank you!" Gray shouted dramatically, throwing his hands in the air in frustration while he still kept his back to them.
He waited impatiently, his arms crossed and his foot tapping while he listened to them shuffle.
"Wow, I can't believe you didn't get soft."
"Do you even know how tight and wet your pussy is?"
"Jesus fucking Christ," Gray slapped his hand against his face, his cheeks flaring up once more as he dragged his hand down. "You two are fucking disgusting and I can't wait to throw myself off the fucking roof of this house because I am never going to be able to live with myself after today."
"You didn't have to stay and argue. You could have just waited till we were done." Lucy huffed, the blonde tossing herself back into Natsu's bed with the blanket pulled up her lap while she wore Natsu's t-shirt. Natsu sat right next to her against the wall, pillow on his lap while he ruffled his hair. "Maybe you secretly just want to watch. This isn't the first time you've walked in on us." She had a slight taunting tone in her voice and Gray scrunched his face up even though he knew they couldn't see his expression.
"I rather chop my own dick off than sit here and watch you two fuck."
"You better be fucking dying." Natsu grumbled, a heavy sigh blowing through his nose. "We're dressed."
Turning around, Gray faced the couple on the bed. "Thank you."
"So what is so important that you had to come barreling in here and cockblock us?" Lucy waved one hand in the air while the other one pressed against her temple, a deadpan look on her face.
Gray's face seemed to flush once again and he made his way to his own bed, throwing his entire body against his mattress that squeaked obnoxiously. He was quiet as he thought about how to start the conversation and he could see his two best friends across from him waiting and staring.
"Any fucking day now."
"I'm trying, firefuck!"
"Why you—" Natsu growled but Lucy grabbed him by the shoulder, yanking him back. "Lucy, he—"
"Natsu," Lucy sighed, holding her hand up as she looked over at Gray. "Gray, is everything alright?"
"No! Of course not!" Gray suddenly burst, the look of frustration and fear running through his face. He reached up and grabbed onto his hair, a loud groan flying out of his lips. "I don't know what to do about Juvia and—"
"Are you fucking kidding me!" Natsu shouted as he shot out of bed, his boxers hanging low on his waist. "You fucking interrupted us because of Juvia?!"
"Is Juvia okay?" Lucy's voice dropped, her eyes widening as she looked worried.
"Juvia is fine. It's just that I don't know what to do about us." Gray waved them off, ignoring Natsu who was seething with rage while he leaned back. "I met her best friend Meredy today."
"Oh! Isn't she from that off campus organization?" Lucy convinced Natsu to come back into bed, the rosy-haired student still grumbling curses under his breath. He laid his head down on her lap, the same scowl and glare never leaving his face as he stared at his best friend across the room.
"Yeah," Gray kept running his hands through his hair in nervousness.
"So? What?" Lucy ran her fingers through her boyfriend's hair who seemingly relaxed and purred gently.
"So what is that I fucking flipped shit the entire time. Internally. I feel like this is way too serious and going way too fast." Gray now stood to start pacing back and forth in the room while the two watched.
"I'm confused, I thought you liked Juvia?" Natsu scrunched his face up.
"No, I do, but today made me realize how fucking serious it was. She's introducing me to her friends and I'm in this cafe with her that she used to go to all the time in high school and they're talking about childhood memories and the future and—and it freaked me the fuck out, okay? I just felt so anxious and suffocated that I deadass had to lie to Juvia about how I wasn't feeling well and rushed back here on the first train."
"You're such a pussy," Natsu rolled his eyes , making Gray glare at him. "Just fucking ask her out already."
"Funny how this is coming from you. You were literally in the same boat as I was not that long ago and then you go behind my back and ask Lucy out. We had a deal!"
"What deal?" Lucy asked in the midst of their arguing but nobody heard her as they began to grow louder.
Natsu sat back up again, pointing his finger at his roommate. "It's not my fucking fault you're such a pussy! I admitted to my feelings and made the move!"
Gray pointed right back, his brows pinched together. "We agreed in the summer!"
"Fuck that! Just go ask her out!"
"No way!"
"Hello?!" Lucy shouted louder than both of them, making their argument come to a halt. "Can we go back on track?!"
"Right." Gray cleared his throat, getting himself together. He went back to pacing. "Anyways, the whole emergency is that I just don't know if I'm cut out for this."
"Cut out for what? Being in a relationship?" Lucy asked while Natsu sat back up against the wall beside her. She allowed him to move her to his lap while Gray kept rambling.
"I don't think I can do it, Lucy, I just don't think I'm cut out to be this lovey dovey boyfriend and I don't think Juvia deserves any of my baggage."
"Gray," Lucy sighed out. "Nobody deserves more baggage but I don't think Juvia really cares. I think she accepts you for you and you're just overthinking because you've never done this before."
"It's just freaks me the fuck out and I don't think I can fully commit."
"What? So you think about other women?" Lucy sounded a bit defensive and Gray held his hand up.
"No, no, no, not like that." He quickly waved his hands around in front of him while she glared. "I mean that I just don't think I can commit to being a lovey dovey boyfriend. I like my alone time. I like not having to worry about someone else. I like—"
"So you're being selfish."
"No—! I just—! I—! I don't know!" Gray shouted out, groaning loudly as he was seconds away from ripping all his hair out. "I'm scared!"
Natsu scoffed, muttering, "Pussy." Under his breath which earned an elbow to his chest. He yelped and nudged his girlfriend who swatted at him.
"Gray, it's normal to be scared about doing something new. You've never been in a relationship before and it's scary to trust someone with your personal life. Look at Natsu for example. He never had experience and I'm sure he was scared about the whole thing, too, but that didn't stop him from pursuing me and jumping the gun."
"Damn right." Natsu added in, a confident nod being tossed to his friend.
"Yeah, but you and Natsu have always been sure of one another." Gray frowned, looking at the happy couple before looking away. "And I'm not saying I'm not sure of Juvia but… I'm just not sure of myself. What if I hurt her?"
"Then you apologize and don't do it again." Lucy offered a smile which he didn't appreciate. Gray could only roll his eyes, plopping back down on his mattress. "Gray, really, what is it that you want from this? You want Juvia but don't want her. You want to be a boyfriend but you don't. I don't get it."
Gray sighed out loud, falling back on his bed as he stared up at the ceiling. "I guess… I guess I just think I don't deserve such great things." He slowly moved his arm to cover his eyes, darkness swirling his vision.
"And why is that?" Lucy's sweet song voice coaxed his fears to come alive.
"Because… I don't think I'm a good guy." He said in a hush.
"Oh, Gray…"
"Luce, what are you—?"
"Natsu, he needs a hug right now."
"Baby you literally only have a t-shirt on—"
"It's fine, I'll make sure to keep myself hidden!"
"No, I wasn't going to say that. I was trying to say just try to point your ass my way."
Gray groaned out in agony, unsure if he wanted to be in this room with those two anymore. He's already had enough trauma for the day and he really didn't need to hear how Natsu wanted to bone Lucy every second of the day. Especially after having the image of them from earlier forever engraved into his mind. He definitely was going to have to go to therapy for this and he probably will have nightmares for the next couple weeks again. He made a mental note to get hammered after this so he didn't have to think so much about it any longer.
Hearing the squeak from their weight on top of the mattress, Gray heard the soft taps of Lucy's feet before he felt her lay right next to him and place her head on his chest. His heart skipped a beat at her closeness and he instantly felt better with how she curled herself around him, his body relaxing into her touch.
"You're lucky you're sad right now or I would have beat your ass, ice princess." Natsu growled across the room and it only enticed him to further his irritation. Gray moved his arms to wrap it around Lucy's body and pulled her closer to his side, a smug smirk on his face while he caught the glimpse of his best friend glaring at him. "You mother—"
"Gray, I think you're a great guy." Lucy said, cutting off her boyfriend who was about to curse him out. She patted his chest in a comforting way and she smiled at him. "You are your biggest critic and it's not a bad thing to hold yourself to such standards and negative thoughts but I want you to know you are more than your trauma and your feelings of worthlessness. We're only human and we can do so much. You may think of yourself like this but I don't, the fraternity doesn't, Erza doesn't, and Juvia sure as hell doesn't."
"I do." Natsu grumbled under his breath but they ignored him.
"And it hurts to see how one of my best friends beat themselves up constantly for something that isn't in their reach. You have so much potential and you're such a great friend and I know you'd be a great boyfriend for Juvia. Juvia adores you. You don't think Juvia has shit of her own? You don't think Juvia probably thinks of herself the way you think of yourself?"
"No way, she's perfect."
"And she thinks you are too."
Gray felt like a switch had been turned on for him and he felt the air get sucked out of his lungs.
"You… you really think so?"
"Gray," she pushed herself up to lean against his chest, smiling down at him with such warmth and genuine love it made his heart flutter. "I know so."
Gray Fullbuster always knew Lucy Heartfillia is a beautiful woman. A woman with her level of beauty and brains made her automatically number one in goddess level and while he loved her as a sister, he still knew deep down that if he ever had a chance, he would have taken it in a heartbeat.
"I could kiss you right now, Lucy."
"Alright but no tongue. My boyfriend is watching." She winked.
"Hey!" Natsu shouted out from behind them and the two laughed out loud, enjoying the way Natsu angrily whined.
Gajeel is a very simple man. He likes his shop. He likes going to the gym. He likes to sing. He likes cats. He hates any type of transportation. He hates anyone who is a bit too loud.
He wasn't a guy who was too complicated because he knew what he liked and didn't.
So, why the hell was life complicated when this woman came into his life?
Gajeel doesn't catch feelings. He isn't the type of man to dwell on the simple things such as relationships because who has time for that and why would he waste his time caring for someone else when he has a bunch of shops to take care of?
Guess timing is everything and he just had to go and fall in love. Especially with someone as feisty as his favorite shrimp.
He doesn't even like seafood.
Honestly, that was probably one of his most confusing situations he's ever been in.
Levy had mentioned that she had feelings for him and he freaked the fuck out. Why? Because he's never had anyone ever tell him that they love him. Who is he? Natsu? Gray? No. Because he's better.
The problem is, he's never felt this way before nor has he ever had anyone ever confess to him that they're in love with him and he felt like the world was crumbling. How could someone like Levy—sweet, feisty, smart, beautiful Levy—love someone like him?
He came to the conclusion that he was scared. Scared of fucking up. Scared of hurting her. Scared of loving someone. Scared that someone loves him.
"That's for making me fall in love with you, you jackass!"
His ears were ringing, his stomach was sore, his head was spinning, and he most definitely had the immense respect for this five-foot-one woman because goddamn, she can fucking throw down.
"Wh…what?!" He had to choke out, eyes wide while he looked between the red-faced woman and to the blonde cheerleader behind her.
"Gajeel, you have some explaining to do." Lucy's menacing voice traveled down his spine and he shivered.
He desperately looked around, hoping someone or something was around to protect him but he found himself scooting backwards as Levy stormed her way over to where he was.
When the hell did he become so weak? Why was he afraid of these two?
"You think you can just get away with this?" Levy hissed and he could smell the alcohol from her mouth. Her cheeks were flushed and she looked crossed-eyed as she leaned in so close their noses were touching. "When are you going to grow some balls, Gajeel?"
"You're drunk."
"Which is why I'm able to say all this!" She reeled back to screech, her arms being tossed into the air. "If you don't want me then just say it! I don't have any time to be messing around and getting all worked up for someone who doesn't feel the same! If you want to keep it professional then do that! Don't string me along like some kind of puppet!"
"String you along?" He echoed, eyebrows pinched and eyes darting from Lucy's disappointed face to Levy's scowl. "I am not stringing you along."
"Oh really?" She said in a mocking tone, planting her hands on her hips. "So then why dodge me when I confessed?"
His cheeks grew hot as he was too focused on the fact that Lucy was standing right there and he cursed that idiot for letting her out of his sight. How was he supposed to talk about this when he's not even comfortable saying it out to himself? Nonetheless the deadly duo is standing in front of him and growling at him as if they're going to rip his limbs apart and feed it to their pups.
"Can we talk about this… alone?" His eyes found Lucy's and she pursed her lips.
"I'll be outside, Lev. You just call if you need back up." Her hazel orbs flickered over at Gajeel's before looking back at her best friend. He scoffed at her attempt at being theatrening but he would be lying if he wasn't secretly praying that Levy did need back up.
Levy just waved her off, eyes never leaving Gajeel's face.
Once Lucy was gone, Gajeel slowly stood up, ignoring the way his body throbbed and the shit he had to clean up sometime later. He was towering over her raging body and he quickly collected his thoughts, trying to figure out how to say this without blowing a fuse.
"Well?" She pressed, sticking her head out. "I'm waiting."
"I'm not stringing you along." He just repeated, a scowl mirroring his own face. "I just panicked."
"Why? Because you don't feel the same?"
"No!" He cried out and his face bloomed in color. "It's not that! It's just…"
"Say it with your chest, Gajeel! Do you want me or not?!"
"Goddamn it, woman, give me a chance to speak!" He growled, clenching his fist as she huffed and resorted to crossing her arms and grumbling under her breath. He took a deep breath in and exhaled through his nose, racking through his brain on how to speak. "As you know, I don't have experience in anything… intimate. I'm still trying to wrap my head around what you and I are."
"So what are we then?" Levy pressed, her foot tapping on the floor in an impatient manner.
Where the hell did he go wrong to be trapped like this? He still hadn't had time to process her confession and he was one second away from bashing his head in with that goddamn wrench.
"God fucking damn it, Levy," he snarled, embarrassment and frustration coursing through his body. "What do you want from me?"
"I want you to be honest!"
"What am I not being honest about?!"
"Do you want me or not?" She repeated, taking a step towards him.
"Of course I do! You know this!" He took a step towards her, his fist clenched while he held it up. "Have I not been clear about this?"
"No, not sexually. Do you want me? All of me. Not just for sex and a good time, I meant the good and the bad." She stomped her foot down, her eyebrows furrowed together. "Because I want you Gajeel. I want your good days and bad days. I want to come home to you and complain about my shit day while you rub my shoulders. I want to hear about your shit days and good days. I want it! But if you don't want it—want me then—then—then this needs to stop!"
Gajeel reeled back in surprise, looking at her with wide eyes. "Stop?"
"I can't keep doing this." She had angry tears streaming down her face. "I can't keep pretending that this doesn't mean more to me than it does."
"Levy…" He took another step closer to her and he frowned when she flinched and took a step back, wiping her tears away.
"So what will it be, Gajeel?" She forced herself to stare him down with tears running down her cheeks and red eyes.
He clenched his fists and jaw, body trembling as he felt disappointment wash over him.
Here he was, going through what he was afraid of.
"I want you, Levy." He had to spit out, his throat feeling like it was closing it. "But… you don't want me. I'm not good for you. I'm not good for anyone—"
"Bullshit!" She shouted, her voice bouncing off the walls. "Don't tell me what is good for me! I can handle it!"
"It's not that simple—"
"Then make it simple." She snapped, her own small fists clenched and shaking. "Because I'm not going to wait around for you forever! I can't keep pretending that I don't care about you. I am sure about you—why aren't you?"
Gajeel felt his heart throb in an unfamiliar way and he clutched the front of his shirt. He stared at the small woman who cried in front of him and all he could feel was the warmth that spread through his body.
Gajeel was a simple man.
Up until Levy McGarden came crashing into his life.
Now, he wasn't so sure.
"Girls are fucking exhausting."
"You're telling me."
"You two are a couple of pussies."
"Go fuck yourself, salamander!"
"Yeah! Not everyone can be as impulsive as you!"
Natsu shrugged, returning to his beer that laid in front of him as he sipped loudly in response. Gray glared at him, angrily clutching his class while Gajeel had the aura of someone who was about to commit murder. He, on the other hand, just felt smug and happy as he thought about Lucy and how beautiful she was when she was withering away under him just hours ago.
He sipped his drink before laying it back down on the coaster, leaning back into his seat as he groaned. "Honestly, I don't know what is taking you two so long. Just fucking commit and get it over with."
"Did you fucking know?" Gajeel growled, glaring at the rosy-haired student who looked at him with his eyebrow raised. "About your girl and Levy coming to corner me!"
"Wait, what?" Gray leaned in to look at the long-haired mechanic, his eyes wide.
Natsu scoffed, crossing his arms across his chest. "You deserved it."
"You could have warned me!" Gajeel barked, his fist slamming into the wooden table that made their drinks wobble.
"Why? So you could run?" Natsu scoffed once more, reaching over to hold onto his glass. "I always knew you were a bitch but I didn't take you as someone who plays with someone's feelings."
"Wait, you're playing Levy?" Gray was invested but utterly confused, his eyes still wide as it darted from Natsu's irritated expression to Gajeel's scowl.
"No, I'm not playing her!" Gajeel growled, turning to look at Gray who held his hands up in surrender. "Those two came barreling into my store and fucking attacked me and demanded answers from me!"
"So, what happened?" Gray nervously looked over at Natsu who was too busy looking under his finger beds while he looked back at Gajeel. It looked as if neither one of them wanted to confess and it made him frown, feeling left out. "Is anyone going to answer me or am I just going to talk to myself the whole night?"
"Well, Gajeel here kind of got lucky and his girl was blacked out drunk so she doesn't remember the conversation but it's safe to say that she came home bawling her eyes out."
"We're going to talk about it!" Gajeel yelled again and Natsu just ignored him, drinking from his glass. "I just haven't had a chance to…"
"Because you're choosing to ignore it."
"No, I ain't!"
"Wait, so Levy doesn't know? Wasn't Lucy with her?"
"Lucy says she wasn't inside when the conversion happened so she doesn't know anything besides the fact that Levy had come rushing out, throwing up, and bawling her eyes out. She wasn't too happy when she came back home." Natsu threw a glare at the pierced male to show he wasn't happy, either. Gajeel just grumbled nonsense under his breath, occupying his mouth with his drink as Gray pursed his lips.
"Why don't you just ask her out?"
"That's gold coming from you—"
"Shut the fuck up, firefuck, I wasn't asking you." Gray snapped at Natsu who rolled his eyes and was going through his phone, most likely texting his girl. "Levy clearly shows she can handle you and wants you."
"I ain't having this gay ass conversation. Especially with you fucking ugly mugs," Gajeel sneered, finishing off his beer as he stood up. "I got to head back to work."
"See? Told you." Natsu said without looking up from his phone. "He's a runner."
"Go fuck yourself, salamander. I ain't running."
"Then where are you going?"
Gajeel just wanted to explode right then and there, his body trembling with rage as Natsu couldn't even give him the decency to look at him.
"Bunny-girl is getting to your head."
"Oh, you mean my girlfriend?" He smirked, looking up at Gajeel who looked at him in offense. Gray quickly turned away, sipping his drink and forcing himself to find someone interesting to zone in on so he wasn't pulled into the conversation. "That usually happens when couples spend time together. My girlfriend," he paused to emphasize her title. "Has her ways of getting into my head. She's a very smart girl and since I love her," his smirk grew with the way Gajeel's face twisted. "I will gladly listen. Especially when her best friend is in shambles because of a certain fuckboy who can't read the room or get over himself that he breaks her heart. It's fucking scary and exhausting to sit and listen to Levy cry about someone like you." Natsu scoffed, crossing his arms across his chest to lean back into his seat and stare right at Gajeel.
A deafening silence absorbed the three and Gray was sweating, again, and Gajeel looked as if he was going to start sweating, too. Since when the hell was Natsu so fucking good at manipulating people?
"How… bad?"
"Gray twelve shots in on Christmas Eve bad."
"God fucking damn it." Gajeel sat back down, slamming his head onto the table.
"I was not that bad—"
Natsu turned to look at him, a deadpan look on his face. "Dude, you fucking threw up on Erza's bed and tried to kiss Lisanna and got decked in the face—"
"Okay, fuck off," Gray grumbled, his cheeks flushing as he looked away from his childhood friend. "I was fucking seventeen."
"You're still a lightweight." Natsu didn't even let Gray's insults bother him as he finished off his beer.
Gajeel laid silently on the table for a minute before he sat back up and raised his arm, catching the bartender's attention who scurried in their direction.
"Bring me your strongest bottle of whiskey and keep that shit coming. Honestly? Just give me the whole fucking bottle." The bartender seemed a bit surprised but nodded, rushing off to grab his drink and glasses.
"Dude, you're not serious—" Gray's eyes widened as he looked at the flustered male.
"If that shrimp is going to get blacked out drunk and come attack me in my fucking shop, I'm going to return the fucking favor."
Natsu groaned out loud, sliding his hand down his face in disgust and annoyance while Gray nervously looked between the two. The bartender came back with a bottle and three glasses but Gajeel was quick to snatch it from his hands and began chugging it down before he was spilling the liquid on the table while trying to pour.
Gray was going to make sure he was sober enough to see this shit unfold as Gajeel shoved the glasses towards them. He felt a bit better to know he wasn't the only fuck up here.
"Lucy is going to fucking kill me." Natsu muttered but he still grabbed the drink, downing the harsh liquor as he hissed. "But I'd rather watch Levy kill you first."
—X—
Lucy is not really a woman of violence. She liked to think that was her last resort in anything since she had her way with words and her sexual appeal could get her out of almost anything. Getting aggressive and snooping that low only required her special skills to come out once in a while and the last time she did, she had dislocated some poor pledges shoulder and body-slammed Loke onto the floor and that was almost a year ago. She could say that she was proud of herself because princesses must not behave so brazenly.
So when she says that she feels like resorting to violence at the moment Gajeel, Gray, and Natsu came into her house blasted at four in the afternoon, she really considered beating them all to a bloody pulp.
"Lucy, take your clothes off," Natsu whined, tugging on the hem of her shirt.
"Yeah, take your clothes off!" Gray shouted, his shirt already being tugged up his body but he stumbled and crashed onto the couch. He started screaming about the lights being turned off and the other girls who were around watched in horror, their eyes wide as the three men caused chaos.
"Who gives you the right to be taller?" Gajeel growled at the houseplant in the corner, his face flushed and fists clenched. There was a long pause as if the plant was responding and he snarled. "Say that again and I'll rip those fuckin' leaves off of ya!"
"I swear to God if you do that, I'll kill you!" Evergreen shouted, marching over to where Gajeel was squaring up with her plant.
"Lucy," Natsu whined, dragging out the end. "Take your clothes off. Come on," his whining got more persistent and loud making her grow even more irritated. "Come bounce on daddy's cock."
An auditable gasp came from the group of girls who were surrounding them and Lucy's own face exploded into a dark shade of red, her scowl deepening.
"What the fuck happened to you three? It's Wednesday and it's not even five o'clock and you have the audacity to come into my home this blasted?" She had her hands planted on her hips, angrily looking down at Natsu who was by her feet, clinging onto her while whining while Gray was rolling off the couch and onto the floor with half his shirt off and pants unbuttoned. Gajeel was mid-fight with Evergreen about the houseplant and it was becoming too much for Lucy.
"Gajeel," Natsu hiccuped, pointing his finger at the tall one. "Gajeel needs to talk to Levy."
"Gajeel has something to confess!" Gray giggled, rolling onto the rug as he curled up. "This is nice."
"Well she's not here right now," she snapped, glaring at Gajeel who was arguing with her sister. "And I don't appreciate you three coming in here and doing all this. Some of us have finals to study for and this is highly inappropriate." Her eyes were now watching Gray stagger while he got on his feet, the other girls hidden behind the walls and corner of the home as he stumbled around.
"Lucy, you're so fucking hot when you're mad." Gray slurred, swaying as he offered a sloppy smile. Lucy growled at him, her patience running thin.
"Isn't she?" Natsu beamed, forcing himself on his feet as he stumbled back to catch himself on the couch. "Lucy, take your clothes off."
"No." She pressed her lips into a thin line, her arms crossing across her chest. "How much did you three drink?"
"A whole fuckin' bottle of whiskey!" Gray spread his hands up high and wide, a slight giggle coming out of his lips. He bumped right into Natsu who stumbled, a laugh coming from his own lips.
"A fuckton baby, and more!" Natsu cheered along with Gray, the two idiots celebrating nothing.
Lucy sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as she tried to calm herself down before she drowned three dumbasses in her bathtub. "What does he want?"
"He wants to apologize to Levy," Natsu slurped up the drool that escaped his lips. He came over to her once more, Gray following close behind as Lucy stood her ground and narrowed her eyes. "You are so fucking sexy."
"Lucy," Gray clamped his hand down on her shoulder. "Natsu is right. You are so fucking sexy."
"Gray, you have a fucking girl."
"Nuh-uh." He shook his head.
"Gray," she growled and he raised his hands up.
"Fine, fine," he hiccuped, leaning in to wrap his arms around her while Natsu did the same, sandwiching the blonde who groaned.
"Can someone please help?"
The girls all exchanged uneasy looks before looking back at the blonde to shake their heads. Lucy just groaned again, trying to wiggle her way out of the hold Natsu and Gray held her in. "Why don't you two head upstairs and I'll try to drag Gajeel up before he starts a fight with Evergreen's houseplant and her."
"You know I don't like sharing, Luce," Natsu whined again, clinging onto her. "Gray can watch."
"I fuckin' watch you two go at it all the time."
"You perv," Natsu giggled, sloppily throwing a punch at his friend who punched him back twice as hard. "Ow! What was that for!"
"Huh? What'd I do?"
"You fuckin' hit me!"
"No I didn't!"
Lucy groaned out loud, her angry and frustrated cry echoing through the house to make everyone stop whatever they were doing to look at her. The anger that seeped out of her petite body made everyone quiver and they could now understand why she was Erza's little sister.
"Natsu! Gray!" She shouted, making the two boys instantly stand up straight and look at her with wide eyes as if they were getting in a line-up. "My room. Now!"
"Aye, sir!" They both saluted before they were running off, stumbling and cursing while shoving one another.
"And you!" Gajeel tensed up as Lucy pointed her finger right at him. "You better march your fucking ass upstairs right now or else I'm going to shove my foot so far up your ass you're going to have to start shitting through your mouth!"
Gajeel didn't say anything but turned in his spot and marched up those stairs after Gray and Natsu, his fear of the woman developing tenfold as he was too drunk to stand up for himself.
Lucy huffed angrily, her face red and chest heaving. She turned to look at her fellow sisters and they all flinched, backing up as they were afraid of her wrath.
"Next time any of you want to mess with me, remember this." She said making the girls all look at her with wide eyes. "Sorry for the trouble! Have fun studying!" She sang as she whirled around and made her way to the stairs where she could hear the distant shouting.
She rushed to her bedroom and slammed open the door to see Natsu and Gray already on the floor wrestling while Gajeel had his head slammed against her wall, leaning against it while he muttered nonsense under his breath.
Lucy really was one second away from fucking murdering these guys and asking her sisters to help bury them in the backyard.
"Natsu. Gray. Gajeel."
Each of them froze and tensed up at the sound of their name.
"Sit."
Gray and Natsu were instantly on their bottoms, untangling themselves from their wrestling match. Sitting in front of the blonde who towered over them with a sour look on her face, she turned her head to see Gajeel looking at her with hesitation and she darkened her eyes. "Gajeel. Sit. Don't make me ask again."
"You're not my mom." He grumbled but he listened regardless, walking over to sit right beside Natsu.
Natsu looked the most happy, his invisible tail wagging back and forth while Gray looked confused, the drunk haze bringing his attention span to zero. Gajeel looked annoyed, hiccuping and scowling at her bunny slippers.
"I need to know what is going on and why you three are hammered at four in the afternoon on a fucking Wednesday. What is this about Gajeel wanting to apologize?" Natsu and Gray started to talk all at once, voices jumbling together to create one loud noise for Lucy making her cringe. She held her hand up and they immediately came to a stop. "I want to hear it from Gajeel."
Natsu and Gray both turned to look at the one at the end of the line and Gajeel's scowl deepened, his eyes narrowing.
"I can see why Erza picked you as her little sister." Gajeel sneered and Natsu and Gray exchanged knowing looks. "What's it to ya?"
"You can't come into my house belligerent drunk, fight with my sisters, cause havoc on her precious houseplant, make my best friend bawl her eyes out, and have this fucking attitude with me." She snapped, one arm perched on her hip while the other hand held a finger up to him. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't drop kick you and beat your ass myself."
"Isn't she hot?" Natsu asked, looking right at Gajeel who glared at him before he turned over to look at Gray. "Isn't she hot?"
"Natsu. Zip it."
"Yes ma'am." He mimicked zipping his lips shut and locking the invisible lock before tossing it behind him.
Lucy only sighed, pressing her palm against her forehead. "Well?"
"It's not my fault she drank so much she ended up running out and throwing up her body weight when we were mid-conversation!"
"You didn't think to call her in the last four days?"
"I was busy."
"Busy being a pussy," Natsu muttered under his breath and Gray bursted out into laughter, the two nudging one another and giggling until Lucy turned to glare at them, making them grow quiet.
Gajeel groaned, plopping himself on his back as he stared up at the ceiling. "I'm going to talk to her today."
"And what makes you think Levy wants to?"
"We have unfinished business."
"Who's to say she hasn't moved on?"
"What?" Gajeel lifted his head to look at the blonde who looked too smug for his liking. His blood began to boil and the alcohol in his system was disappearing rapidly. "What makes you say that?"
"I don't know, maybe if the guy I confessed to didn't respond and then ignored me for days, I would take the hint." She sighed half-heartedly, looking at her nail beds while she pretended to be disinterested. "There's a couple of guys in DT that actually think Levy is cute and have been dying for a chance."
"Who?" He growled and when Lucy didn't answer, he whipped his head to glare at the two idiots who looked confused. "Who?" He repeated.
"Why are you looking at us?"
"Yeah, how the fuck are we supposed to know?"
"Who?!" Gajeel's voice grew and Lucy shrugged. "If you don't fucking tell me I'm going to—"
"Finish that fucking sentence. I dare you." Natsu's voice hardened and he wasn't a bubbly giggly drunk anymore. He pinned Gajeel down with a stare, daring him to continue his original statement and the pierce male growled, sitting up from his spot.
"I haven't had a chance to tell Levy my answer."
"You're fucking pathetic, Gajeel." Lucy sneered at the male who dipped his chin down, staring at the space between them. "You think you scare me? I could care less what you say or do to me but once it comes between my best friend, I'm not going to sit here and let you treat her like shit."
"I'm not—"
"I don't care." She cut him off. "You hurt Levy because you're too scared to admit to your feelings and be happy. You and Gray." Her eyes flickered over at Gray who gawked at the blonde, suddenly feeling attacked.
"I'm just fucking sitting here! This ain't about me!"
"It's about you two being such pussies about a simple thing! Grow some balls! Either man the fuck up and ask them out and give them a straight answer or leave them! Juvia and Levy don't deserve this! We are too old to be playing games!" Lucy snapped, glaring at Gray and Gajeel now as the two tried to sink into the floor. "And everyone wants to have the audacity to call Natsu stupid. Nobody has room to talk. At least Natsu always made it known he liked me and he even was the first one to make the move! What is going on?!"
"Yeah!" Natsu shouted, pointing his fingers at the two who glared at him. "Pussy!"
"Not the time, Natsu."
"Right." He went back to being quiet, happily bobbing back and forth as his girl did her boss duties. He definitely was thinking about bending her over and rewarding her for being such a badass bitch. Maybe he could get her to ride him.
The room was swallowed in a deafening silence as Gajeel pondered his decisions while Gray flushed crimson, scowling at the ground.
"Where is she?" Gajeel asked and all Lucy did was pop her hip out and cross her arms, looking at him with a raised brow.
"Why? So you can tell her to her face that you don't find her worth it and you've been doing this just so you can have an easy lay?"
"Don't you fucking sit there and tell me what we have." He growled angrily and she merely smiled, lolling her head to the side.
"Your actions speak louder than your meaningless words, Gajeel."
"It ain't like that!"
"Prove it."
"What?" He was taken back by the sweet tone on her voice and he blinked stupidly as she smiled at him.
"Prove it." She repeated and he narrowed his eyes, feeling like he's being set up. "If you can't then you're done for. I'll make sure you don't get to come to anything where you would be able to see Levy. I'll make sure you don't have any fucking customers at your shop where you hide out. I'll make sure you don't even have a single fucking person ever look at you. I'll ruin you Gajeel Redfox. Don't fuck with me or the people I love." She took a step towards him, towering over his slumped figure that was on the floor.
He exchanged looks with Natsu and Gray who were both shaking their heads to not say anything and it made him feel even worse. He swallowed the lump in his throat and his heart was thundering in his chest, the alcohol now long gone as he sobered the fuck up. It felt like eternity that he sat there thinking about her and him.
"Where is she?"
Falling in love sucks, Levy had concluded. She had read through all the romance novels in the library and more at least two times and she just fucking hated how unrealistic and stupid they were. She was once a hopeless romantic and the people who say falling in love makes you feel lighter and happier were dead fucking wrong. Ever since she had fallen in love, she had been nothing but angry and bitter. Maybe if she had fallen in love with the right man, she might not have been feeling this way. Who would have thought sweet little bookworm Levy would fall in love with some pierced punk ass Gajeel?
Her father would drop fucking dead.
Maybe it was for the best that her and Gajeel didn't work out. Life had its way of showing you if someone is going to be worth it or not and while Lucy was more on that wavelength, Levy was a woman of science.
But why the fuck was the sex so fucking good that she's literally only keeping him around just to keep having sex? Considering she was a virgin before Gajeel, she can't say that this would be the best she'll ever have because who knows who is out there!
But it hurts so fucking much just thinking about having to be intimate with anyone else but Gajeel and she wants to burn a whole town down to the ground thinking about him being intimate with someone else.
It wasn't abnormal that Levy was alone in the library with the sickening thoughts of Gajeel but the only difference this time was that she had educational books on murder, serial killers, and the effects of heartbreak. If anyone were to come by, she would have some serious explaining to do but fuck whatever else anyone thought because she was heartbroken, angry, and honestly really fucking horny.
Levy slammed her head on the table, a low groan coming out as her glasses pressed awkwardly against her face.
She was honestly so tired of not being herself. She just wanted to get over this whole heartbreak thing as fast as possible but no matter how many books she reads, none of them can give her the answers to her troubles.
What the fuck is the point then?
Burying her head into her arms, Levy felt like she was going crazy with how Gajeel invaded her mind. It was like he was some fucking parasite that had snuck its way into her body and she sometimes wishes she never met him in that bar that night. Sometimes she wishes she could have just kept with girls and sometimes she wishes she took Lisanna up on her offer.
"The fuck? You really wanted to fuck that feral woman?"
Her body froze at the sound of his voice. She desperately wished that it wasn't who she thought it was and a million things ran through her head. Why did it smell like a bar and how does this man always know what she's thinking?
"Because you talk out loud sometimes."
The sound of a chair screeching across the floor echoed in the place and Levy started to sweat, wondering how she could run away without causing a scene or making it too obvious. She had all these books on the table, her laptop out, her notebook with notes open… yeah, she couldn't just run.
"Can we talk?"
"I'm done talking, Gajeel." She swallowed the lump that got lodged in her throat. "And you fucking smell like a bar."
"You already said that," his gruff voice sent shivers down her spine and she felt her cheeks flush.
How could she really be thinking about sex at a time like this? She was mad at him! They were over!
"I know I fucked up. I'm a fuck up—what can I say?"
She really did hate this guy.
"You don't deserve this shit and I want you to know that. I should have called and explained. I should have done a lot more things."
"You think?" She said a bit aggressively and she heard him sigh.
"I like you, Levy."
She felt her body grow cold and she was glad her head was buried because she definitely would look stupid with her mouth hung open.
"And I'd be lying if I told you I know what I'm doing because I have no experience with girls. I don't know what to say or how to act and I know I'm ignorant but I really didn't mean to make you cry and think I didn't want you as much as you want me."
"How… how did you know where I was?" Was all she said, her throat feeling dry as her heart raced.
"Bunny girl told me." He had a slightly annoyed tone to his voice. "She… set me straight."
"What do you mean?" She finally lifted her head to look at him and all the air escaped her lungs as she finally got to see her man for the first time in days.
He looked like shit. And it somehow made her feel better.
"She just told me I need to get my shit together and she's right. The first step is to tell you how much I care about you and how much I fucked up." He was dodging her stare and he felt his cheeks flush. "Let's start over. Fuck the bullshit and fuck everyone else. Just you and me." He looked determined and her heart fluttered when he finally looked at her.
She definitely was gaping like a dumb goldfish now. Her cheeks were hot and her eyes were wide as her heart threatened to leap out of her throat.
"What are you… what do you… what do you mean?" She finally managed to squeak out and if possible, Gajeel's face grew redder and she wondered if his piercings were hot to the touch.
Gajeel groaned out a bit and he ran his hand through his face before he looked at her nervously. He looked around to make sure nobody was around to witness such a sappy moment from him and he made a mental note to remember to get back at that blonde devil for making him look like such a bitch.
Gajeel cleared his throat, holding out his hand to the woman who blinked dumbly at him. Her eyes were pinned on his hand before they dragged up to look at his scowling blushing face.
"Hi, I'm Gajeel Redfox. I thought you were pretty cute. Do you want to get to know each other?"
The world felt like it stopped for a minute and that hopeless romantic in her that died a long time ago was awakening and she felt her entire body grow warm. The butterflies were released in an instant and her entire body fluttered violently, a wide grin and hot tears pricking her eyes.
She laughed out loud, tears streaming down her face while she reached her own hand out. "The name is Levy McGarden. I'd love to."