Chapter Text
"Glad that's over," the General grumbles as she stretches her arms over her head. "Staff Sergeant!" she barks at the man behind the Princess. The poor boy looked like he was about to pass out from the overnight he pulled for the third time this week. The General wasn't looking to good either. "Escort the Sabertooth council to their wing." With a rigid salute and a yes ma'am the Staff Sergeant walks over to the other covens members and directs them quickly to the door. His platoon was stationed outside the door waiting to jump at any command.
The princess watched all of this with a dull gaze. It has been a long week indeed. "General," the princess yawns. "Shall we?"
"Of course Your Highness," she stands up and moves to stand in front of the Princess. "Let us get you back to your chambers." The Princess yawns again before standing up and waving to her council. The other Sergeants escorted the remaining members back to their chambers-or wherever they felt like skulking to. They walk back to the Princess's chambers in relative silence. The Princess looks to her most trusted advisor and friend and asks, "so...how's Natsu?" The General had enough grace to not run right into the corner at the question.
"H-How do you mean Your Highness?"
"Psh, come on Lu-chan it's just us now," the Princess giggles with great joy. This only caused the blush creeping up the Generals neck to intensify. "Oh, my Mavis! Are you two dating now?!" a tiny squeal escaped her lips at the accusation.
"N-No!" the General replied too quickly. "We are just friends!"
"Oh ho, ho is that so? I heard that you two were a little more than friendly after the banquet last month."
"And what did Your Highness hear?" the General ground out.
"That you two were wrapped up in each other's arms sleeping at his place!" she couldn't keep the mirth from her tone.
"Levy-chan!" Lucy squawked before she remembered where they were. Luckily no one was in this wing of the castle this late at night. "It was nothing!" she whispers harshly.
"So it is true!" her best friend and future Queen gasps. "Tell me everything!" she says as they walk into her chambers. "I feel like we haven't talked in years!"
"It's only been a few weeks silly," Lucy giggles. "I just...got really drunk and ended up basically telling Natsu I think he's cute," she gushed with a squeal.
"No! What did he do?" Levy goaded.
"He told me that I was pretty. In his own weird Natsu way," Lucy laughs. "So now I guess...we're dating?" it came out as a question. "It's just hard when we are both so highly decorated and expected to be in charge of many things at the same time. But we make it work," she giggles. They both finally walk into Levy's chambers and flop down on the bed. "So what about you and your man?" Lucy wiggles her eyebrows at Levy.
"W-What?" Levy squeaks with embarrassment. Lucy ignores her denial and opts to roll her eyes.
"Puh-lease you are not fooling me missy!" she poke Levy in the cheek. "I can see how you look at the newest recruit." Levy sputters nonsense as Lucy laughs at her. "Look all I'm saying is maybe try telling him his pretty."
"Get out!" Levy roars as a blush dances across her cheeks. She throws pillows at her friend as she ducks out of the way, laughing all the while. She makes it to the door, but not without getting the final word in.
"We're all rooting for you!" with a final chuckle and one thrown shoe Lucy is gone. Leaving Levy with a lot to think about.
The day was quiet, for once. I managed to slip away from prying eyes and find a secluded spot in my garden. The vampires blessed with magic really were doing a wonderful job of keeping the garden in full bloom even in the dead of winter. I nestled deep into a ring of rose bushes before pulling out the book I'd hidden in the folds of my dress. "This is nice," I murmur to myself as I open the book and begin reading.
"Sleepin' on the job there queenie?" a gruff voice cackled. I shot up from my position to ram my face into a thicket of roses.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow!" I curse and I quickly jump to my feet to confront the culprit. All of my anger and outrage dissipated as soon as I saw his face. "G-Gajeel? What are you doing out here?"
"Whaddya mean what am I doing out here? What are you doing out here?" he crosses his arms and levels his stare at me. I blush realizing I've been caught.
"Am I not entitled to a little alone time?" I huff before climbing out of the bushes. He grabs my upper arm to help steady me, but it only causes my heartbeat to quicken.
"Not when you have angry councilmen lookin' for ya," he scolds. I sigh and concede that he is right. "I know I am," he laughs. I felt my cheeks puff out in agitation before I pinched the underside of his bicep. "Ouch! What was that for?!" Gajeel growls. He glares at me and I laugh before holding out my arm for him to take. I watch as he mumbles something under his breath but takes my arm anyways. He leads up back into the castle and towards the meeting chambers. It is a quiet walk, not many servants are out at this moment since it is getting so late. Plus many of them are on vacation to see family that is farther away in our territory.
It was kind of boring actually without everyone around. Lucy had so many responsibilities now that I hardly ever saw her. Plus everyone else that I consider a dear friend have gone on to get promotions and earn bigger titles. Thus leaving me with my servants and the few times a decade we do get to be together. I must have been making a face because Gajeel shook our joined arms. "What are ya thinkin' about?"
"N-Nothing!" I stammer. He didn't look convinced as I stumbled over my words, "I just d-don't want to-to go to another meeting. Ya know?"
"Isn't this the last one before the treaty is signed?" he questions. I sigh and rub at my temple.
"Maybe-hopefully if that stubborn Sting would stop trying to twist it." A low growl escaped my lips as I thought about that brutish blond. Gajeel stiffened next to me and held his breath until I relaxed again next to him. "Sorry," I mutter.
"S'okay," he says. "Just sometimes I forget that you could kill us all. It's probably a good thing to be reminded every once in awhile." He smiles, but it makes me sad. "Don't look so sad queenie. I ain't afraid of ya." I turn wide eyes towards him in surprise, but his eyes are on the hallway ahead.
"You know what you look like don't you?" I blurt out suddenly. He startled before giving me a weird look. "I-I mean you...you were able to see yourself before…" I trial off feeling stupid.
"You mean because I'm a human turned vampire?" he questions. "I mean yeah I know what I looked like."
"That must be nice," I say lamely. I stare awkwardly at the wall as we continue on in a weird silence.
"So you wanna know what you look like or somethin'?" he finally asks. It was such a strange place we've found ourselves. When I Iook up at him there is a blush coloring his whole face. I can't help it I start laughing, this is how Lucy got Natsu? "What's so funny?" it only made me laugh harder. I snort I laugh so hard and that must have been Gajeel's breaking point. He growls roughly before picking me up and pinning me against the wall. That made me shut up. He gets up close to my face and snarls. I snarl right back at him, but neither of us make a move.
"You know insubordination like this gets people killed right?" I hiss at him. Gajeel merely smirks at me before leaning in closer.
"You smell like roses," he moves his face to rest against my throat. That alone should have made me rip out his own. But I didn't, I couldn't even breathe. "Also your hair is blue."
"Blue?" I squawk. "That's an absurd thing to say!"
"Natsu has pink hair," he gives me a pointed look. "You vampires have always looked weird." I open my mouth to protest, but shut it just as quickly.
"Don't you mean us vampires?" I giggle. He casts his eyes downward and I can't help but lick my lips at the attention. He takes a sharp intake of breath, "What else?"
A hand glides up the backside of my leg and the caress makes my stomach turn into knots. "There's gold in your eyes. In the shadows they're a deep brown, the color of the earth." His hand kept moving up and it was making it harder to focus. "But sometimes when you don't think anyone is looking that color dims. Because you're alone-or you think you're all alone. Which is ridiculous," finally his hand comes to rest against my ass. "Because you don't have to be alone. Not if you don't want to be."
"I…" I had no words as he leaned his forehead against mine.
"All you ever had to do was ask," his voice was rough as he stared at me. It was too much his voice, his words, his hand. There was no air in the hallway as Gajeel sealed his lips over my own. I wrap my arms around his neck as he presses more fully against me. "Let's ditch that meeting," he growls onto my lips.
"Y-Yes," I agree breathlessly. As he carried me down the halls, kissing and sucking on my neck, I reminded myself to thank Lucy the next time I wrote her. With a rough suck on my pulse that was the last coherent thought I had for a very long time.