Beauty of Fairy Tail (Gale/Gajevy AU)

Chapter 20

          Sitting at my table, thinking of ways to explain everything, and drawing blanks. This is how I'm spending my afternoon. No one has come to my door, yet, besides a very encouraging Wendy Marvel. I decide that my best bet is to talk to Lucy. I know that she's the most furious at me. I tap her contact and the phone begins to ring.

          "Lu-chan?" I ask when the ringing is interrupted.

          "No. This is Natsu," the Dragon Slayer answers. "Something has Lucy acting all angry, but I know that it's not lady issues. I can tell when it's that. She smells like blood and hormones for a whole week and-"

          "I get it, Natsu. I already know that Lucy's upset. The thing is, Sorcerer Weekly just let it slip, to all of Fiore, that Gajeel and I are dating." I can here Natsu spit out whatever it was that he had been drinking.

          "You and Gajeel?! That's what this is about?" laughs Natsu. "I figured that out a year ago. He smells like a library and you smell like you got rammed by a tank. That's why your skirt's in a bunch, Luce? Because Levy didn't tell you she was dating Gajeel?" He keeps laughing and I can hear Lucy yelling at him, in the background. "Fine then. You talk to her."

          "Hello," says Lucy. I haven't heard her this mad since...

          "Hey, Lu. Listen," I start, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I just didn't want you to make a big deal about it. Gajeel and I both decided to wait, but we just kept putting it back. By the time I was ready, the article was already out. With you and Natsu, everyone knew that you two were going out, because Natsu has a kind of a big mouth. With Gray and Juvia, Juvia couldn't shut up about it, for a week. We just wanted to be safe, with the kidnapping threats, too."

          Lucy sighs through the phone. "You know I can't argue with you and your reasoning skills. Come over, later, and we'll talk some more. Seven o'clock, okay?"

          "Sounds good. I'll see you later then. Bye."

          "Bye." Lucy hangs up. I set my phone and head on the table, sighing. "That could have gone worse. Or better." After a few minutes, moping, I decide to head to the lake. I want to get in some water training, today, so that I can take my mind off of this mess I got myself into. I put on my white and orange bikini and a pair of yoga pants.

          "You know, I still remember the first time I saw you naked." I jump and stifle a scream. Spinning around, I see Gajeel, half leaning half sitting, on the back of my couch. "You really need to look before you change in the middle of your living room."

          "Well,"I retort, "I wouldn't think I would have to look, since I'm in my own home. In a place you should not be." I cross my arms and smirk at him. He sighs, runs his hand through his hair, and walks to me.

          "So. People found out?" he asks, bluntly. I shake my head and show him the magazine. He flips through the pages, stopping every so often to look at a picture he likes, and tosses it back on the table. "Well, we had a good run. Now we just gotta pray that Devil woman won't tear us apart for not telling her." We both shutter at the idea of facing Mira, later.

          "Yeah, well... I'm heading over Lucy's, later, so you're getting off easy. They guys aren't going to grill you about this, like the girls will me," I snap. "Natsu and Gray are going to joke about it, but they're also happy for you. Jet and Droy might get jealous, but they'll get over it. Girls know how to hold grudges." My dragon grumbles. Then, he gets this weird little smirk and stands over me, walking me back, into a wall.

          "If they're going to be mad at you, why not give them a reason," Gajeel growls, huskily in my ear. He puts his hands on the wall, on either side of me. "They must think we have, already."

          "Ok..." I shake out. My mind is racing. "I can do this. I want this. Do I? Maybe? Is now an ok time? No! No, not now! I can't do this!" I slide down the wall, out of Gajeel's arm trap. He goes wide-eyed, when he hears my back scratching down the walls, my butt thump on the floor, and his face about to kiss a wall.

          "I-I'm sorry, Gajeel. I can't yet. It just doesn't feel right." Both of our faces are cherry red and Gajeel is holding his neck. I get

          "Yeah. I get it, Shrimp. You have things going on. I gotta go, anyway. I just came to tell you that... er... I'm going way, for a while. I got a call from the Magic Council, earlier. They want to see me about some stuff," Gajeel explains. "The dark guild that was after you, for instance. The council thinks that they have some leads and need my help. I'll be back in a few weeks, maybe three, but I'm not sure exactly how long."

          "Three weeks? That long?" Gajeel nods. "Then, let's spend the day, together. You can leave in the morning, can't you?" I give him puppy dog eyes and pout my lip a little, for good measure. Gajeel laughs a little.

          "I guess I could. They said to come as soon as possible, but I couldn't possibly leave when you're giving me that face, short stuff." Gajeel tussles my hair, dragging his hand down to my jaw when it's sufficiently messy. He leans down and gives me a quick kiss. I wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. "Couch?"

          "Couch." I like sitting there with him. Sometimes we sit in my room and lay around or look over jobs. Other times, we sit at the table and talk over a snack. But, my favorite place is sitting on his lap, on the couch, and snuggling for a while. Or until we fall asleep.