Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.
Chapter 7 - After Storm
"Lushyyyy~," Happy sat in front of the Celestial Mage, looking at her with curious eyes.
Lucy sighed, knowing what the blue Exceed is about to say. He's been saying the same thing ever since she got in the guild. "What is it, Happy?"
"You look really different~."
"You've been saying the same thing ever since I got in, Happy," Lucy replied, pinching the blue Exceed's fluffy cheeks. "Also," she looked around. "Where's Natsu? We need to go on a job. My rent's due next week."
Happy swallowed the last bit of a fish head and glanced at his empty plate. "Don't worry, he's on his way! But I need more fish first. I'll be right back, Lushy~!"
As Lucy slumped forward, resting her head on the table in mild frustration, Gray's voice slid into the conversation with its usual coolness. "Happy's got a point, y'know?"
Lucy rolled her eyes, internally groaning. 'This is going to be a long day…' "I seriously don't get what you guys are talking about…"
Gray plopped into the seat next to her and slung an arm casually across the back of her chair. "Is it a girl thing? You go off for a few days of training and come back with a whole new look?"
Lucy chuckled, turning her gaze to the Ice Mage. "Yeah, it's the new trend. You should try it some time, Gray."
"Natsuuu~!"
Both mages turned to see Natsu entering the guild with Happy buzzing around his head. "Natsu~," Happy began as they walked towards the table. "Lushy says you guys need to go on a job!"
Natsu was about to join them when he suddenly froze just a few meters away, his brow furrowing in confusion.
"Natsu?" Lucy called, a little puzzled by his reaction.
Happy fluttered in front of him. "See, Lushy~? Even Natsu thinks you're different!"
But Natsu wasn't focused on her appearance.
His nose twitched.
Something was off. He recognized that scent - familiar and powerful - but that scent wasn't supposed to be where Lucy was. That scent… usually hovers stronger on the second floor of the guild.
He approached the table slowly, eyes narrowing as he examined Lucy. She had a couple of bandages on her neck and cheek - already a given since she went out to train according to Gramps. Her clothes were different, but that wasn't it. Lucy always looked good. No, it was the scent that lingered on her that bothered him.
"Oi, Natsu!" Gray called, waving him over. "Hurry up and pick a job!"
Natsu ignored Gray entirely. His gaze shifted from Lucy and the direction of the scent's true owner – Laxus, who was staring right back at him with an unreadable expression.
Natsu closed the gap between him and Lucy in an instant. He grabbed Lucy's arm and pulled her to her feet. Before she could protest, his hand cupped the back of her neck as he leaned in and inhaled deeply, his brow furrowing even further.
"Why do you smell like Laxus?"
…
…
…
…
…
"OI!" Cana shouted over her barrel with a wicked grin on her face. "Bets are open on this Laxus and Lucy situation!"
Lucy wanted nothing more than to just disappear.
The chatter of her guildmates filled the air, their voices a constant reminder of the betting pool now circulating about when Laxus would officially ask her out. She sighed for the umpteenth time and tried to drown out the noise, focusing on the cool sweetness of her strawberry smoothie. They had a job lined up for tomorrow - Natsu finally picked one - so she had some packing to do.
"Is that the new "I just woke up" look that I've been seeing in magazines these days?"
Lucy glanced to her left, startled to see none other than Orga Nanagear, Sabertooth's Lightning God Slayer, standing next to her. She flashed him a bright smile in greeting. "Orga! What are you doing here?"
The Lightning God Slayer settled on the barstool next to her, eyes scanning the drinks displayed on the shelves. "Rufus and I are here on Sting's behalf. He's already upstairs with your Master."
"Are you guys leaving right after?"
"Aww, don't tell me you're gonna miss me?"
Lucy rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right," she shot back sarcastically.
"Is the brooding Thunder God leaving you unsatisfied?"
Lucy choked on her smoothie, while Orga burst into booming laughter.
"Well, Ms. Heartfilia, I'm pretty sure we can make some… arrangements."
She shot him a death glare, eyes flicking to the mess she'd made of her drink. "You owe me a strawberry smoothie!" she pouted at the overturned glass.
Orga simply grinned at the pouting blonde. "So… what's up with you and Laxus?"
"I doubt you'll believe me if I tell you that there's nothing."
"Nope," Orga popped the 'p' in his response. "I don't know if anyone has noticed, or maybe they just didn't say anything, but you're wearing his shirt."
The blonde glanced at him for a second, sipping the dregs of her glass. "Since when did you start subscribing to Laxus' wardrobe catalog?"
Orga snuck an amused glance at Lucy. This woman has some spunk in her. He kinda liked that. "His clothing choices have always been questionable."
"Says the person who goes around town topless."
Orga grinned, recognizing that rough-sounding voice. He peered over Lucy's head and saw Laxus Dreyar walking towards them. "Your boyfriend's here. Go ask him for that smoothie. Put my drink in his tab too."
Lucy glared. "He's not -!"
BAM!
The next thing that Lucy saw was an Orga-shaped cut-out in one of Fairy Tail's walls.
Lucy's jaw dropped and turned to Laxus wide-eyed. "Was that necessary?"
"His voice was starting to annoy me."
"He still owes me a strawberry smoothie, you know."
"Order as much as you want," Laxus smirked. "I'll have Mira send the bill to Sabertooth by the end of this week."
"Do you think they'll actually foot the bill?"
"He may be an asshole but he always holds his end of a deal."
Lucy hovered her hand over Horologium's key. 11:34. She might as well head home and get her things ready for tomorrow. "I should head home," she said while hopping off the barstool.
"I'll walk you."
Lucy felt heat rise to her cheeks. "It's - it's okay!" she stammered. "I - I still don't know how to thank you from yesterday…"
"We'll talk when we get to your apartment," Laxus eyed the blushing blonde beside him. "Lead the way."
Speechless and flustered, Lucy made her way out of the guild, Laxus following close behind.
Laxus couldn't tear his eyes away from that… snowman.
He knew Lucy always summoned one of her spirits whenever she walked home alone, but he wasn't expecting a tiny, trembling snowman. Apparently, this little guy, according to Lucy, was considered a companion spirit and has a really good sense of smell.
The walk to her apartment was quiet, save for the occasional 'Puu-puun~!' from the small spirit whenever they turned a corner. Laxus didn't mind the quiet though. His mind was too focused on the oddity of Lucy's chosen companion. The snowman looked like it would topple over with a slight breeze.
"Is your spirit… okay?" he couldn't help but ask.
"He is," Lucy answered with a soft smile, glancing down at Plue. "Plue's always been like that. I think it's because he eats sweets most of the time."
"So… you only feed him the sweet stuff?"
Lucy shook her head with a small laugh. "Plue's not a picky eater and eats everything that I feed him. He just has a sweet tooth, that's all."
The rest of the walk passed in comfortable silence, with Plue waddling ahead to lead the way. Eventually, they reached her apartment, and Lucy turned to Laxus with a faint blush rising on her cheeks. "Um… thanks for everything, Lax -"
"Are you free tonight?"
Lucy blinked, her mind stumbling over his words. 'Is he… asking me out?' "Um, yeah… I am."
"I'll pick you up at 6. Dress comfortably." And with that, the Lightning Dragon Slayer zapped out in a flash.
Lucy stared at the empty space he left behind. "Plue…"
Plue looked at his owner with an inquisitive look. "Puu-puuun~?"
"Did… did he just ask me out?"
The dog spirit lifted a paw and beamed. "Puu-puun~!"
A beat of silence passed between them.
"I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO WEAR!"
"You were actually serious."
"I'm offended that you'd think that I was lying."
"Laxus? As in, the Laxus Dreyar?"
Lucy looked at the lion spirit incredulously. "You make him sound like he's some sort of God or something."
"But this is Laxus we're talking about," Loke responded, the memories of rowdy nights out with Laxus and Bickslow flashing through his mind. "He's," – a playboy, a flirt, a manwhore, possibly every synonym with the first three words – "just not right for you."
Lucy rolled her eyes and checked her reflection, admiring the new hairstyle Cancer had given her. "I don't think you have the right to say that unless your name shows up under 'Father' on my birth certificate."
Loke knew she had a point. Lucy was more than capable of taking care of herself. Still, the thought of her going out with Laxus Dreyar left a sour taste in his mouth. He hadn't seen this plot twist coming.
Laxus wasn't exactly on his "Men Worthy of Lucy" list.
He studied the blonde woman as she applied a layer of clear gloss to her naturally pink lips. Somewhere, in some parallel world where he wasn't a spirit, Loke hoped his alternate self had pursued Lucy and cherished the fuck out of her like she deserved. She truly was beautiful, inside and out.
Loke took a glance at her new hairstyle, courtesy of Cancer: the front sections of her golden hair fell straight, framing her face, while the rest was pulled into an elegant high half-ponytail, secured with a delicate hair accessory adorned with pearls and diamonds. The blunt bangs across her forehead gave her a sharp, defined look.
"If I see even one hair out of place, he's dead," Loke muttered.
Lucy giggled, amused by his dramatics. "It's a bit windy today, Loke."
He ran his fingers through Lucy's golden tresses. "Do you even know where he's taking you?"
Before Lucy could answer, a loud crash of thunder echoed outside her apartment.
Loke glanced towards her door, smirking. "Well, Princess, looks like your Thunder God has arrived."
Laxus smirked, the sound of Lucy's frustrated curses reaching his ears from her bedroom. Apparently, she couldn't find her sneakers, even though they were right by her door a moment ago.
"Where are you taking her?"
Laxus glanced at Loke, the lion spirit standing in front of him with a protective stance. "Where are her shoes?"
Loke frowned in response. "Laxus, this better not be some some dirty scheme -"
"I don't know what you think of me," Laxus interrupted, his voice calm but firm. "And I personally don't care either. I'm here to have a nice evening with her. How the evening will progress depends entirely on her as well."
Loke studied him for a moment longer before stepping aside, allowing Laxus some space in the kitchen. He didn't like the idea of Lucy being out with him, but at least Laxus was respecting her boundaries, for now.
"Sorry, Laxus!" Lucy called out as she emerged from her room, sneakers finally on her feet. "I swear they were by the door earlier and all of a sudden - ugh, nevermind that. I'm all set!"
She was dressed in a loose, off-the-shoulder white blouse with long, billowy sleeves, paired with a fitted light-blue denim shorts that hugged her in all the right places, and white sneakers that matched the casual vibe.
"You look great," Laxus said, giving her an approving nod. "Comfort suits you."
Lucy blushed slightly. "Thanks. You look good too."
"Let's head out then."
As they made their way to the door, Lucy waved to Loke. "Don't wait up for me, okay?"
Loke smiled softly. "Just don't stay out too late. We're heading out with the team tomorrow."
As soon as the door clicked shut, Loke returned to the Celestial Spirit realm. Still uneasy, he figured it wouldn't hurt to check in on what kind of date night Laxus Dreyar had in mind for their favorite Celestial Spirit Mage.
Lucy wanted to cry.
"Laxus, this is…" she trailed off, her voice catching as she gazed at the breathtaking scene before her.
Laxus knew that she'd like this little clearing. He had stumbled upon it during his exile - a hidden gem nestled deep in a dense forest of towering evergreen trees. The trees stood tall and dark, forming a protective barrier around the lush meadow that stretched out in front of them. The grass shimmered softly in the moonlight, casting a serene glow over the clearing. Above them, the night sky was a canvas of stars, each one twinkling brightly.
"I knew this would be your kind of place," he said, his eyes tracing Lucy's face, admiring how her gaze seemed to reflect the stars themselves. "Heard from Ice Brain that you stargaze a lot when your team camps out."
Lucy chuckled. "That's all he said? Nothing else?"
Laxus guided her towards a soft blanket that he had already spread out in the meadow. In front of it, a small pile of logs rested, and with a quick flick of his fingers, he sparked a flame, bathing them in warmth. "No, was there supposed to be something else?"
She smiled, pulling some food from the basket Laxus had prepared. "Well… we tend to avoid camping out."
"Why is that?"
She hesitated, her expression softening. "Because I can't sleep," she admitted. "Every time we camp, I just… feel too energized to rest."
Laxus smirked, leaning in just enough for his breath to brush against her ear. His voice dropped to a low, husky murmur. "Looks like tonight's the perfect night to keep you company, then."
Not trusting herself to speak, she shot him a glare and swatted his arm, which only made Laxus laugh. A slow warmth crept over her skin, the sensation more intense than usual, making her shift in place. 'I'm just hungry…' she told herself, though the flutter in her chest said otherwise.
"So, this is how Laxus Dreyar wins over women? A romantic picnic in the middle of nowhere?" Lucy teased, popping a grape into her mouth. The sweet burst of juice surprised her, and she mumbled, "Oh wow, that's good…" before reaching for another.
Laxus stretched out his legs, leaning back on his hands as he gazed up at the night sky. "Nope."
"Sho… how den?"
"Are you seriously talking with a mouth full of grapes?"
She shrugged, completely unapologetic, and tossed another grape in. "Dey're shweet."
"I don't do dates."
Lucy took a swig of water, narrowing her eyes playfully. "Soo… you just go in looking all hot and mighty and pick your favorite lady for the night?"
A smirk curled at Laxus' lips as he glanced down at her. "You think I'm hot?"
Lucy raised a brow in disbelief. "Seriously? That's your takeaway?" She rolled her eyes, taking a bite of the sandwich that she just picked up.
He liked how easy it was to talk to Lucy. Despite her background as the heiress to the Heartfilia name, she was refreshingly down-to-earth and had a sharp, bright mind. It was an enigma to him - and everyone else in the guild - how she could so effortlessly understand the complexities of a sword-wielding, cake-loving demon, and two hot-headed morons who were all fists and no brains.
What he liked most though, was that she wasn't intimidated by him or his lightning magic. They didn't interact much in the guild, but when they did, she was always right there in front of him with that brilliant smile of hers, one that shone brighter than the sun and made his heart skip a beat… or two, if he stared long enough.
"I've got selective hearing," he muttered, grabbing a sandwich, the same flavor Lucy had just bitten into.
"Ah… like Natsu," Lucy teased, laughing when he shot her a glare. "What? Natsu happens to have that too!"
She knew Laxus wasn't much of a talker - his social awkwardness was obvious. But she didn't mind it. In fact, her writer's imagination couldn't help but compare their dynamic to a romance novel, where two characters with polar opposite personalities collide: she, the bright and bubbly heroine, and he, the brooding, darkly intimidating love interest. It almost felt like they were living one of those slow-burn stories, where opposites slowly find common ground.
Lucy had to stop herself. She needed to put an end to these wandering thoughts before she convinced herself they were actually compatible. 'You're a rational woman, Lucy Heartfilia!' she mentally scolded herself. 'Just a silly little crush. Just a silly little crush. Just a silly little crush…'
"You're thinking too hard again, Blondie."
Snapped from her internal mantra, Lucy glanced up to find him staring at her with that intense look of his - the one that set her insides on fire and made her skin feel too tight. Desperate for a distraction, she turned her focus to the food in front of them. "Sorry, I was just… thinking about a book."
"Am I that bad of a company?" His voice had a teasing edge, but she could sense something more beneath it.
Now she felt guilty. It wasn't that she was bored; her mind just liked to wander. 'Great going, Lucy…' Without thinking, she reached out and lightly grasped his arm. "No! Sorry! It's - it's just, I thought of this story plot about us and -"
Laxus' lips curled into that wolfish grin that always made her heart stutter. And those stormy eyes of his… if only she had taken his advice and actually took a photo.
"A story about us, huh? You gonna run those steamy scenes by me first?"
Lucy blushed but recovered quickly. "You wish. If you really wanna know, you're one of the brooding side characters. No steamy stuff for you."
"Look at me. How am I not the main character?"
"Because you're an -"
Before she could finish, her grip on his arm tightened, and without warning - "ACHOO!"
Laxus looked at the mop of golden hair that was now at his chest. He can feel her body tremble slightly. Without much thought, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. "Hey," he said, his gruff voice softer than usual. "You cold?"
"N-no, I'm - achoo!" she sneezed again, clearly not convincing Laxus.
He pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket and gently pressed it to her nose. "Blow."
And she did.
Lucy blew her nose the second time, then grabbed the handkerchief and did it again for the third time. Meanwhile, Laxus removed his signature fur-lined coat and draped it over her shoulders. The familiar scent of his cologne hit her, making her feel… giddy.
Maybe a little too giddy in places she didn't wanna think about.
"I should take you home," he muttered reluctantly, not wanting the night to end. He liked having her this close. Liked the feel of her small frame tucked against him.
"I'm fine!" she protested.
Laxus rolled his eyes. He'd forgotten how stubborn this woman can be. "You do know you're going on a mission tomorrow, right?"
"It's just allergies, I'm pretty sure."
He looked at the food that he bought from a nearby mom-and-pop shop at his place. He had no idea that she had food allergies. "What are you allergic to?"
"Cypress flowers," she answered and looked around. "But I haven't seen any around here so I'm not sure."
Laxus grimaced.
He knew this clearing like the back of his hand. And unfortunately, this time of the year, cypress flowers started blooming just ahead.
Dammit.
"They're not in sight, but the vines are nearby," he admitted. "Sorry, I didn't know."
"Hey," Lucy touched his cheek lightly, and before he could think, he caught her hand in his, warming her slightly cold fingers. "It's not your fault. Not even my team knows about it."
He wasn't sure if it was because of her magic or maybe he was just seeing things because he had the hots for her but her eyes literally twinkled and it drew him in.
"And besides," she added, her hand coming down to his chest. He resisted the shiver that threatened to run down his spine at her touch. "At least we get to know each other with this little outing, right?"
What the actual fuck. Good thing he knows how to keep a poker face. All those poker nights with Bickslow had come in handy.
"We're on a date, Blondie."
Lucy blinked.
"You said you don't do dates." she stated.
"I don't."
"So this is not a date."
Was her allergy making her delirious? "It is."
He was not making any sense to her right now. "But you said -"
"If you repeat the same shit again, I will kiss you."
That shut her up. She buried her face in his chest, hiding the blush creeping across her cheeks.
He pulled her closer.
She scooted closer.
He can feel that dragon in him itching to just kiss the woman in his arms senseless and bend her over and -
"What else are you allergic to?" he asked, caging those thoughts away.
The rest of the night was spent wrapped in each other's warmth, talking about Lucy's bizarre food allergies, and how she once discovered she's allergic to carrots, mangoes, and pistachios.
All the while being tucked in the warm embrace of the Thunder God himself.
Authors Note:
Hope y'all enjoyed this one!
Finally made up my mind on what fic I'm going to be doing once this story is over:
- Gildarts x Lucy (probably a long one-shot or maybe a multi-chapter with 5 or less)
- Cobra x Lucy (multi-chapter)
- Laxus x Lucy (multi-chapter)
I need to do the Gildarts x Lucy fic because oh my god the plot will stay stuck in my brain until I share it with you guys. XD
Much love to everyone who sent over their review, as always, y'all are very much appreciated and thank you again for giving love to this fanfic of mine. *heart*
See y'all on the next one!
- nana