"there's only two beds" Sting's face falls. After the task, Auma had taken them to the inn that they where going to be staying in. the cafe down stairs had cleared out by the time they had gotten there.
"yes, two of you will have to share a bed each." Auma heads straight into a far room. "on the other hand i have this whole room to my self." Lucy and Rouge peer over her shoulder and pout.
"but this room is huge!" Lucy glances over at the smaller room that they where going to be staying in.
"i know" smiling in glee Auma plops her bags down in a pile. "now you guys must be exhausted from the day. So get some sleep, i don't care who shares a bed just as long as your quiet." waving us off she closes the door in our faces.
"you know i'm impressed, it's way past her normal bed time" Axon looks at the clock hanging on the wall.
"i dibs this bed!" Levy's voice calls out from the room.
"I've got this one!" Stings voice follows after.
"looks like it's up to us to decide who's sleeping with who" Lucy grumbles to Rouge. "and i don't blame you for wanting to sleep with levy but i am not sharing a bed with Sting" Rouge looks away guiltily.
"but Sting's so warm. it's like sleeping with a furnace." he complains.
"really? that can't be too bad, i mean you're as cols as ice so shouldn't it cancel each other out?" Axon peeks into the bedroom.
"i am not as cold as ice," Lucy gives him a look. "okay so maybe my body temperature is cold but i don't actually feel that cold."
"gosh!" Lucy puts a hand to her chest in sarcastic shock. "you have feelings?"
"i think the fact that i am dating your best friend contradicts that" a smile grows on his face at the mention of his relationship with Levy.
"fair enough" shrugging Lucy walks into the bedroom. "sorry but your stuck with the furnace Rouge." she face plants down onto the bed Levy is siting on.
"i thought you liked the warmth Lucy?" Lucy can hear the smile in Levy's words and she thanks the gods that her face is covered by the pillow.
"shut up levy" when she looks up she makes sure that her face is not noticeable by the boys sitting on the bed to the left.
"welp, i'm taking the couch" opening a random cupboard Axon catches a bundle of pillows and blankets as they tumble out.
next morning
"i am going into town for the day, there is a lot that i need to do and not enough time to do it." Auma calls into the room containing the four sleeping teens. Sting grunts, the only confirmation that she was heard. "don't stay in bed for too much longer. even though it is your day off and you have three days until the next task i want you to be up and moving." Levy rolls over in bed so that she can see Auma.
"we'll be up in a minute." she promises and under the blankets Lucy kicks her. they had all been awake since sun rise, the normal time they would be up. but the beds where just too comfortable and too warm to get out of.
"why don't i believe you?" Auma sighs. "well i am off now, it's up to you to wake Axon up. try not to get into trouble today and if you need anything," she stops for a moment, thinking. "well you can try to find me among the numerous shops in town but good luck"
the door closes loudly a minuet later and the room fills into silence. "stop kicking me" Sting's complaint is muffled by the many pillows and blankets.
"well then find a way to tun off your heat. it's burning under here" there is a lot of shuffling from the boys bed.
"Levy, where did you go?" Lucy's voice is so quiet and muffled that no body could have possibly heard her. "levy?" Lucy moves an arm to the other side of the bed and lands on a pillow.
"i'm under the pillows" is Levy's answer.
"whats the time?" without missing a beat she answers.
"time to get up" suddenly the blankets are thrown off of the girls bed and Levy sits up. Lucy lets out a noise of protest.
"i agree" rouge pulls the blankets off of the boys bed and steps out. there are sweat marks under his arms and his hair is plastered to his forehead.
"cold" Sting babbled and reached to grab the blankets back.
"what are you complaining about? normally your up before me" Rouge throws the blankets onto the couch and out of Stings reach.
"yeah but" he sits up with a deflated look on his face. Lucy sits up and lets out a crackled laugh, holding her stomach and pointing at Rouge.
"what?"
"your hair" she says between gasps. Rouge flushes and self-consciously pats his messy hair back down.
"i don't know, it's kind of cute" levy smiles as she watches her flustered boyfriend. Rouge goes even redder before giving her a small smile.
"i dibs the shower first" Lucy is up and in the bathroom before anyone can stop her.
"just don't take too long!" Sting calls to a closed door.
time skip
"it's been so long since we where last here" Lucy looks around the Street, the inn that they where staying at, was relatively close to the middle of the town.
"no wonder Auma wanted to leave so early, it's going to take forever to get around to every shop." levy puts a map into her handbag, given to her by Axon.
"is there any place that you want to go?" Rouge takes levy's hand and intertwines their fingers.
"well there is this once place, don't know if it is still there." levy turns to Lucy. "do you remember that book shop across from the trinket store?" Lucy pauses for a moment to think.
"yeah, i know what you talking about." nodding she turns the corner. "it shouldn't take too long to get there" thinking back she makes a mental map of the town.
Rouge, Axon and Sting share a look. "just so that you know we are not going to be carrying your bags around for you" the two girls chuckle at Axons statement.
"don't worry, i don't plan on buying much" Auma had given the students a pouch of money each. since the pocket dimension provided all of the food and materials, Auma has a lot of money that she doesn't have a use for. Lucy's pouch was strapped around her waist and she fiddles with it while she talks.
"speak for yourself, i plan on buying as many book as i can." Rouge pouts at Levy's resolve, knowing that he's going to be the one who ends up carrying them.
"doesn't Auma had a library?"
"yes but she doesn't have all of the books that i want." not long ago we had found a library in the attic of the house. Levy had spent many afternoons stuck in there going though all of the books.
"well then i suppose we should get started, knowing you we'll be there all day."
they walk in silence, reminiscing of the time they had spent in this town three years ago. some good memories some bad. Axon picks up on the mood and doesn't say anything, leaving the four to their thoughts.
"it's still here" Levy looks up at the book stores dusty old sign.
"i wonder if its still the same lady that runs it?" Lucy's walks up to the door. "oh, it's closed"
"what?" Levy let's out a noise of despair.
"but it's open on Wednesday" Rouge looks over levy's shoulder and reads the sign stuck on it. "and we have our second task on Wednesday." groaning Levy slumps forwards in defeat.
"since we're here we had better give this trinket store a look." Axon turns to the small trinket store opposite. a group of guys where huddled in front, looking at the display table.
"good idea" Lucy strolls over to the display table, looking at all of the silvers and golds. the group of guys very obviously start to check her out.
"you have no reason to be jealous Sting" Rouge elbows the glaring blond.
"i know" he glowers but doesn't stop glaring at the guys.
"but you could have a reason to be jealous if you asked her out" Levy says quietly. he seems to think for a moment.
"good idea" turning on his heel he walks off. Levy and Rouge share a surprised look.
"wait, Sting" Rouge runs off after him. "where are you going?"
"wait for me!" Axon follows the two dragon slayers into the crowd.
"Levy! come have a look at this" looking over her shoulder Lucy beckons Levy over.
"today's going to be a strange day," Levy mutters and walks up next to Lucy, sure to glare at the boys checking Lucy out.
"where did the guys go?" Lucy looks down the path.
"i have no idea, now what did you want to show me?"
"i am starving" Lucy complains.
"i agree, lets find the closest restaurant and we can meet the guys there" the two girls had walked from shop to shop, looking but no really buying anything. mid day had quickly come around but still, there was no sign of the boys.
"you don't think that they got lost do you?"
Levy laughs. "they probably did."
do you guys want to meet up for lunch or have you gotten completely lost? Levy opens the mental link.
lunch sounds good Rouge replies and Lucy can't help but giggle.
"sounds like a date" she comments to Levy who goes red.
there's a restaurant where we are if you want to meet us there
where are you then? there is silence on their end of the conversation.
"told you they got lost."
"they used to live here too you know" she points out and they walk in silence, waiting for an answer.
the big flashy restaurant on fifth avenue. comes the reply. they turn abruptly and walk down a different road.
"did you guys find what you where looking for?" Levy asked the boys but looked at Sting while she talked. they had met up out front the big flashy restaurant, Sting could not stop grinning and Rouge and Axon looked exhausted.
"sure did" Sting's eyes flicker to Lucy and his grin grows.
"yeah, after about a dozen different shops." Rouge rubs his temples.
"can we eat now?" Axon begs. "i am starving"
"yeah okay" Lucy follows Axon into the restaurant, leaving Sting, Rouge and levy outside.
"do you want to explain why you just randomly left earlier?" Levy crosses her arms and stares down the two boys.
"you'll find out later." is all Sting says before walking away and into the shop. Levy looks to Rouge next and he just sighs.
"i suppose you'll find out later" he smiles weakly before taking her hand and leading her into the shop.
everybody sits down in a both hidden towards the back of the restaurant. from that booth they could see the whole shop but nobody could really see them.
"this menu looks delicious" Sting looks down the list of dishes.
"it's paper" Axon points out and closes his drooling mouth.
"you know what i meant"
"Lucy?" the group of five look up with wide eyes. "Sting, Rouge, levy?"
"Grey!" Lucy jumps up and throws her arms round her old friend who was currently dressed up in a waiters uniform.
"Dude!"
"long time no see" the three boys fist-bump.
"what are you guys doing here?" Grey puts his notepad down and leans against the table.
"the grand magic games of course." levy pulls him down for a hug.
"what about you? are you competing this year?" Grey pulls a sour face at the question.
"yeah, i think you can guess who's in the team. we made it past the first challenge yesterday, came in first."
"first!" Axon splutters and stares up at Grey with an amazed look.
"yeah" grey scratches the back of his neck. "it didn't mind that we know this town better then anyone so we where already half way to the middle before the buildings started moving. what about you guys?"
"yeah, Axon managed to snatch the last key just in time." Axon beams with pride.
"grey!" lady from the register yells. "Quit chatting and take the orders" Grey stands up straighter and clears his throat.
"okay then would you guys like to order anything?"
"how come your working here? don't you get enough money taking jobs?" he scrunches his nose up.looks like the topic of the Fairytail guild was not a good one with him.
"we haven't been getting many jobs lately, rumors where spread and people started putting that they didn't want me to take their jobs. so Wendy and i got jobs here." pointing over his shoulder at the blue hared girl behind the bar.
Levy and Lucy stand up. "we'll be back" a plump lady walks out from behind the bar and over to Grey.
"take their orders, then you can go on brake" she informs him before heading out the back.
"Wendy!" she looks up from where she is cleaning the bench and her eyes widen.
"Lucy? Levy?" she chokes out.
"you've grown up so much" levy looks her up and down.
"yeah, if you have visited you would know that" she pouts and crosses her arms over her chest. a smile shines it's way through and she pulls then into a hug over the counter.
"we would have visited but we've been really busy" the two look down feeling guilty.
"why don't we catch up after my shift? Grey too, we both finish at the same time so we could all go out for dinner or something to catch up." she looks over to where Grey had sat down with the three guys. "and you can explain to me everything that has happened, including how you became friends with the twin dragon slayers."
"more then friends for one of us" Lucy smiles and watches Wendys expression change.
"oh, we definitely need to catch up." the three girls nod.
"Dinner sounded like a good idea." the girls fall into a comfortable conversation. like the old friends they where.
just an idea that i wanted some opinions on. should i pair Axon with someone? i had this thought to pair him with Grey but would that be too weird? if not i will just leave him single.