He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (GrayLu)

Chapter 19:

Erza's POV:

I checked up on everyone then went back to my room. I shared a room with Levy, Kagura, and Yukino. When I got back in, I saw that they had already picked out their beds and were sleeping. Levy had picked the dark blue one which just so happened to be the one closest to the bookshelves. Oh yeah, she definitely did that on purpose. Kagura slept on a light red bed, with her sword Archenemy on a bedside table.

Yukino had a light blue bed. I noticed that she also slept with her keys, just like Lucy. It must be a thing all celestial wizards do. Maybe they feel safer knowing that their keys were with them, or that their keys are the thing that's safer. Those two do value their spirits over themselves, after all.

I looked over to the last bed that I assumed was mine. It was a dark red, a color that almost matched my scarlet hair. I put my sword on my own bedside table and requipped into my pajamas which sported the guild emblem right on the spot above my heart.

I laid down on my bed, thinking about what's happening. I was thinking about one pairing in particular. Natsu and Lucy. I thought about the conversation I heard when checking in on Lisanna, Lucy, Mira, and Wendy after leaving the slayers' room.

Even after all that's happened, Lucy still blames herself for Natsu's actions. She was afraid she had hurt the relationship between her and Lisanna by being Natsu's "mate." Does that girl really have a heart bigger than anything else? She's too kind for her own good. It's a brutal truth. Natsu knows that, considering he used to be her best friend. I know for a fact he's gonna try and use it against her.

I'm so glad she was able to get her keys back and create a distraction so we could get away. The most powerful thing about Lucy isn't just her magic, but her mind. Her intelligence rivals mine and Levy's put together. I'm not sure which is the more dominant, her heart or her mind. I guess that at times they cancel each other out. And at other times they work perfectly in sync. Intelligence and common sense was something Natsu originally didn't have, but the mating season has granted it to him, and that combined with his power? I would never admit it to the others, but there was no way the girls can get out of this situation without at least two or three of them being marked.

I fell asleep wondering who would be the first to get marked.

Natsu's POV:

So they went and sought protection from the magic council, hm? This game is getting a little too out of hand.

The boys have made me leader, considering I'm the strongest and smartest out of them right now. They didn't like it but we only have to deal with it for another week. Plus it gives us a better chance at getting our hands on our mates.

"Hey Gajeel and Rogue, I got a job for ya." I said.

They grinned and walked over.

"Since you both can use the power of shadows, can you go to the council's main building and spy on the girls? We need an update on the security around them. If you would be so kind as to retrieve my Luce's gate keys, that would be great as well."

They nodded and began to leave.

"Refrain from waking anyone up. And please, restrain yourselves from visiting your mates. I happen to know that Levy and Kagura are not in the same room as Luce. Don't be risky. I WILL know." I said.

They acknowledged my order and left the cave we were currently staying in. It was day time, but I knew that the mates and their protectors, plus the old man were asleep. Im going to be nice and not involve Mr. Yajima in this, since he has no direct part. He only wants them to be safe, but if he gets in my way, I will knock him out.

Get ready, Luce. Plan T has been revised. Let's take em by storm.

Lucy's POV:

I woke up, feeling a shiver down my back. I felt as if something was watching me. I felt the need to hold my keys close. I had a feeling that my spirits were trying to reach out to me, saying that they will protect me. Even Aquarius, who often gives off the feeling that she doesn't care. We share a bond that I don't have with any of my other spirits though, and it tells me that she worries for me. She can be mean and cold towards me and everyone else, minus Scorpio of course, but I will always know for a fact that she wouldn't have her keyholder be anyone else but me.

I grabbed my key ring, which lay across from me on my bedside table, and held it close to my heart, safely and securely. No more harm will come to them if I'll have anything to do with it.

I fell back asleep, this time with a comforting feeling that my keys were safe and near me. Although, at the time I couldn't shake the feeling that either something was going to happen, or that something or someone was watching me. Foreshadowing, maybe?

I could tell that Mira felt eyes on her as well, because she ever so slightly moved in her bed. Right when she moved, I felt the bad feeling go away. I shot up. I could see in the darkness that Mira did as well. The blinds were closed and the light was off. We looked at each other and got out of bed quietly, heading to Erza's room. We talked lowly, so as to not wake anyone else up. Our eyes adjusted to the brightness of the day.

"You felt it as well?" I asked although I already knew the answer.

She nodded. "Someone was watching us. The slayers sent people here, probably to see what security we have. We have to tell Erza at once." She said.

She was dead serious. She asked if I had my keys. I held them up and she relaxed a little. That was when I noticed her body was tense.

"What if Laxus becomes corrupted?" She suddenly asked. "I love him, I'm sure of it, but I don't want to be forcefully marked." She said.

For the first time in a while, I heard how vulnerable Mira, the girl nicknamed the "She-devil," could be.

I stopped. "If he does, then you will just get the chance to beat his as$." I said, smirking.

She smiled. "You know I will."

We opened Erza's door and walked in, closing it. We suddenly got pinned to the wall. I could make out the outline of a sword, and it was close to our throats. Dangerously close.

My eyes finally adjusted to the darkness. I could see Erza holding her sword.

"Erza stop it's us!" I squeaked out.

She immediately dropped her arm and let us go. "Sorry you guys." She whispered.

We led her out to the hall so we could talk without the risk of waking someone up.