Chapter 13- Laughter

Fairy Tail is insane. Lyon cradles his head in his hands as he massages his temples. All he wanted was to invite Juvia for brunch, but somehow he got dragged into… this. While he is happy to have earned Fairy Tail's trust, this is really a bit farfetched.

The world is ending in two days? Ten thousand dragons? Time travel? On top of that, the people around him periodically talk to empty air—ahem, the ghost of their first guild master. Lyon glances down at the picture of a young blonde girl with wings for ears that Redus had been kind enough to paint for him. Despite the fact that this ghost should be well over one hundred years old, she hardly looks twelve to him.

Oh, and has he mentioned there are three Lucy's traipsing about the hotel lobby? When Makarov had invited him to come in, he had seen two Lucy's and asked if one of them was Gemini. That was when he got bombarded by their crazy time-bending-dragon-apocalypse story and present Lucy summoned her celestial spirit to prove her point. So now he's seeing triple.

"Hey, we should bring Edo-Lucy over! Then we'll have four!" Natsu exclaims enthusiastically, only to be shot down by three identical stares.

There's another one?! Lyon feels a migraine coming on. Diverting his thoughts in an effort to maintain his sanity, he imagines four Juvia's doting on him affectionately. Oh yeah, that's much better…

His fantasy is interrupted by an ice hammer landing rudely on his head.

"You!" Gray points at him accusingly. "You were just thinking perverted thoughts about Juvia, weren't you?!"

"Eh?!" Juvia gapes as her cheeks heat up. The three mages are currently situated on a long wooden bench, with the two ice mages on either end and Juvia sandwiched in the middle. The water mage's deep blue eyes dart back and forth between Gray and Lyon with flustered shock.

"N-nonsense! How would you know anyway?" Lyon yells over Juvia's head at his annoying fellow pupil. Then, lowering his voice, he leans closer to Juvia. "Not that I don't find you incredibly attractive."

The embarrassed woman merely turns a deeper shade of red and dips her head, not knowing how to deal with the situation.

Gray growls. "Don't play innocent, I'd recognize that lecherous smile anywhere, you perv."

"Takes one to know one," Lyon retorts. Damn, I need to hide my expressions better.

Without warning, a Titania-shaped shadow looms over the trio. Despite being mostly immune to cold, Lyon feels a chill run up his spine.

"Children," Erza's eyes are shadowed threateningly, her voice low and severe. "We are trying to have a serious discussion about the fate of the world. Do I need to separate you…" her sentence hangs with frightening suspense, "by force?"

As if on cue a ray of light glints off the edge of Erza's very sharp, very scary blade. At the same time, Gemini poofs out of existence, Natsu dives behind the two remaining Lucy's, Alzack stops making goofy faces at a giggling Asuka, Happy hides his gift wrapped fish for Charle, the Thunder God Tribe cease their fawning over Laxus, and Wakaba tears his eyes away from Mirajane's breasts.

Gray, being experienced with Erza's wrath, quickly slides so close to Juvia that their sides are pressed against each other. He throws his left arm fully over her shoulders, but is only able to partly reach Lyon's. The older ice mage takes the hint and moves closer as well, pressing against Juvia and swinging his right arm over both her and Gray's shoulders.

The most awkward hug in the history of Fiore is born.

"Ahaha… sorry about that, Erza. Lyon and I just get along so well, we got carried away for a second." Gray grins though gritted teeth. "Right, bro?"

Lyon is briefly torn between revulsion and self-preservation. Self-preservation wins when Erza meets his nervous gaze. "That's right… bro." He smiles and hopes the swordswoman doesn't notice his eyebrow twitching violently. "Don't worry about us, Erza-san. We're the best of friends."

Juvia tries not to squirm between the two men and musters the sweetest smile she can manage. "Juvia promises to behave," she offers even though she didn't directly contribute to the current predicament.

For a long moment, the strongest female mage in Fairy Tail watches the triad appraisingly. Then, to their combined relief, she turns away and eyes the rest of the guild for troublemakers. None dare to misbehave.

Erza nods in satisfaction. "Master!" She declares forcefully, slightly startling the old man. "You may continue!"

"Erm, yes…" Makarov wipes a rather large bead of sweat from his forehead. "As I was saying, we will separate into two groups. The research group will find a way to save the future, and the tournament group will make sure Fairy Tail has a respectable place in said future. Lucy, Levy, and Je—" The elder's crinkled eyes dart to Lyon, who stares back blankly while feeling distinctly out of place.

"And Mystogan," the guild master amends, "will be leading the research effort. The tournament committee has ordered us to merge into one team of five, which conveniently works in our favor. Does anyone else from Fairy Tail Team A or B want to switch to the research team?"

Deeming it safe for the time being, Gray lifts his left arm to exit the uncomfortable trio's embrace. But before withdrawing completely he hesitates, eyes unfocused as if in deep contemplation. The next instant, a small smirk plays on his lips and he lets his arm drop back down, this time draping over Juvia alone.

The surprised woman's heart splutters in a way she doesn't think is healthy.

Getting bolder now, are we? Lyon suspects Gray is watching him from the corner of his eye, even though the younger mage is looking the opposite way, pretending not to notice Juvia's bashful reaction or the interested stares of several Fairy Tail members. Two can play at that game.

With deliberate nonchalance, Lyon retracts his right hand from Gray's shoulder and lets his arm encircle the water mage's trim waist. He suppresses a chuckle of wry amusement when Gray's jaw clenches ever so slightly, confirming that he is indeed watching.

If Juvia thought her heart was spluttering before, it is on the brink of a cardiac arrest now. Gray, Lyon, what are you doing to Juvia? She dizzily tries to maintain focus, willing herself not to faint. It is one thing to fantasize this happening and a wholly different thing to have it happen in reality.

Mirajane and Wendy share a glance, unknowing of the spectacle unfolding behind them. "Wendy-chan and I don't really enjoy fighting, so we'll help with the investigation." The popular barmaid smiles with a gentleness that completely contradicts the nature of her magic.

That leaves six people in the competition team—one more than necessary. Juvia takes a deep breath to steady her unsettled mind and parts her lips to opt out. Despite being occasionally prone to bizarre daydreams, she considers herself fairly intelligent and probably more book-smart than the rest of their team of strong fighters. It would be more useful for her to help research than, for example—

"Me! I'll switch too!" Natsu announces, fist pumping energetically.

Yes, she would most definitely be better suited than Natsu.

Wait.

Juvia blinks a few times and shakes her head in disbelief. She knows she has an active imagination, but she didn't realize she was this irrational. Why would she imagine Natsu, of all people, voluntarily withdrawing from the tournament to visit the library? Perhaps being caught between two very attractive ice mages is more disconcerting than she thought. Yes, that must be it. She is hallucinating.

"Who are you, and what have you done to Natsu?!" Bixlow holds a hand over his heart dramatically.

"The world is ending!" Happy cries.

"Dad, I'm scared…" Romeo whispers.

"I am too, son. I am too." Macao reassures him.

Okay… so maybe Juvia isn't hallucinating? She notices Erza's eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets.

Natsu scratches his head indifferently. "What's the big deal? Lucy seems to be in the middle of something big, so I'm gonna play bodyguard for a while." He props his hands on his hips and grins at the double celestial mages. "Kehehe, I'll beat up anyone who tries to mess with you!"

He's itching for a fight like always. Gray quickly closes his mouth when he realizes he had inadvertently left his jaw hanging open with surprise. He isn't sure if he should be relieved or exasperated by Natsu's antics. But, if flamebreath isn't competing… He meets Juvia's dazzled eyes.

Erza finishes his thought. "Team Fairy Tail will be myself, Gray, Laxus, Gajeel, and Juvia. Our aim for the time being will be winning the Grand Magic Tournament. The rest of you, do what you must to defend the future. We will assist you when we're not participating in the competition."

"Don't stretch yourself too thin. Make sure to give yourselves time to prepare and recover. We got this, right everyone?" Levy brandishes her reading glasses, excited at the prospect of solving this anomaly.

With a collective cheer from her comrades, the small bookworm marches like a general leading her troops into battle. "To the library!"

Gajeel snorts, entertained by her passion for books.

"Good luck you guys!" Lucy offers on her way out. Her future self echoes the sentiment, a little more melancholy but just as determined.

"I'll beat the crap out of you if you lose!" Natsu challenges Gray, cracking his knuckles with a confident grin.

The dark-haired man releases Juvia and leaps from his seat, crossing his arms assuredly. There's no way he'll let his rival talk down to him. "I'd like to see you try!"

Their glaring contest is interrupted by Lisanna quietly dragging the dragon slayer out by his ear, offering a smile and a wave as she exits with Natsu in tow.

Seizing the rare moment of silence and Gray's temporary withdrawal, Lyon inclines his head towards Juvia's, speaking low enough that only she can hear him. "Forgive me, my lady. Under normal circumstances I would ask you with a little more… finesse," he begins with a slightly apologetic yet warmly confident grin. "But would you do me the honor of accompanying me for brunch?" He loosens his grip on her waist to avoid pressuring her.

But Juvia is silent, struck by how much he looks and sounds like a storybook prince in this moment. She can just picture him sitting atop a gallant white steed, sunset glinting over his glossy silver hair, deep blue cape streaming behind him in the wind as he crosses valleys and forges streams in his noble quest to — A question, her sensible side reminds her. Lyon just asked Juvia a question.

"Yes!" She exclaims quickly, trying to hide that she had been caught up in her imagination while he was talking to her.

Lyon's polished grin slowly stretches into a full ear-to-ear smile. He knows, Juvia realizes as embarrassment creeps up her neck and onto her cheeks.

He manages a full five seconds before clutching his abdomen and dissolving into unrestrained laughter. He is pleased to be the subject of her daydreams, just like she is the subject of his own. But while he is discreet about it (to everyone other than Gray), her habit is incredibly obvious to anybody watching. Plus, her reaction when she gets caught—the way her voice cracks slightly, the way she answers too quickly to a question she hasn't fully heard, the way her expression changes from dazed to guilty to embarrassed—is unbelievably endearing, yet comical at the same time.

Juvia smiles, relieved that Lyon hadn't taken offense from her behavior. If this had happened a few days earlier, she might have thought he was laughing at her. But now she knows that he wouldn't be so cruel as to mock her like the other children did when she was young. Rather, he seems to find the situation genuinely funny.

Somehow she had expected the silver haired man to have a refined laugh; deep, smooth, and rumbling, perhaps. But his laugh is cackling, higher-pitched than normal, and breathless— almost as if he were being violently tickled. And though it doesn't fit the image of a prince, it fits Lyon perfectly. Before she realizes, her own voice joins his gleeful cacophony—his laugh is surprisingly infectious. Her sides hurt, and she knows objectively that it isn't that funny, yet every time she glances at the elder ice mage and sees the glimmering mirth in his charcoal eyes, she gets hit by another wave of laughter.

When they finally calm down, Lyon lays a fond hand on Juvia's shoulder while he catches his breath.

"Is that your first time witnessing a Juvia Fantasy Moment?" Gray wears a strange expression as he watches the duo— slightly smiling, yet somewhat conflicted.

"You even have a name for it!" Lyon wheezes another laugh, though much shorter this time.

"I call it her Crazy Time," Gajeel deadpans.

"Gajeel-kun!"

"I prefer Juvia Dream Sequence."

"Erzaaaaaa~"

"I have no name for it."

"Thank you, Laxus-san!"

"Don't worry," Lyon gives Juvia's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "It's adorable."

"Speak for yourself, ice cube." Gajeel interjects with a scoff. The rain woman sticks her tongue at him in retaliation.

Lyon hesitates when they lull into a natural silence. He doesn't want to ruin the good mood, but he did come here with a purpose in mind: he needs to get some time alone with Juvia. Being in the same guild as her, Gray can talk to the water mage whenever he pleases. But for Lyon, he needs to invite her on dates or they will have very little opportunity to get to know each other.

"So, about brunch…" He is nervously aware that with nothing to distract them, everyone is paying attention to his conversation with Juvia. "We have two hours until the tag team battle. Would you accompany me until then?" He repeats his earlier question since he suspects Juvia didn't fully process it the first time around.

The woman in question blinks. Oh, is that what Lyon was asking her when she drifted off into the realm of her own imagination? She had exclaimed "Yes!" as a reflex before, but now that she is thinking clearly she isn't sure what to do. To agree to a date with him while Gray is standing right there would be awfully insensitive.

But Lyon is usually a very thoughtful man. She notices his eyebrows are faintly creased with worry, as if he is half-expecting rejection. He is aware of the uncomfortable situation then. So there must be a reason for his current actions. Juvia tries to think from his perspective.

Her sapphire eyes widen. That's right, she is going to be in Gray's presence most of the time since they're in the same guild and tournament team. It would be extremely difficult for the Lamia Scale mage to catch her alone. Even if he were to ask to speak to her privately, the raven haired man would know what he is going to ask anyway. Thinking about it this way, she realizes how much trouble Lyon is going through just to spend a little time with her. He's already visited Fairy Tail multiple times, but she has never visited Lamia Scale before. In fact, the mere thought of seeking him out in an unfamiliar guild, alone and under constant scrutiny, has her feeling anxious already.

She wants to go out with Lyon.

But Gray… She shifts her gaze from the older ice mage to the younger one. He is standing a little to the side, his expression indecipherable. He knows how things stand, so she shouldn't need his permission. Yet it still seems so rude otherwise.

Sensing the awkward vibes quickly replacing the humorous mood from earlier, Laxus decides it's time to get out of there. You would have to be blind to miss the unresolved romantic tension. And the last thing the blonde man is interested in is stupid relationship drama. "I'm out. Gonna grab a bite to eat at the deli." He strides toward the exit. "See you guys before the match."

"Deli sounds good. I'll tag along." Gray says, matching his pace.

The fuck?! Laxus does a double-take. Sparing a quick glance back, he spies Lyon looking both relieved and mildly surprised, with Juvia blinking curiously at them. Questioning Gray's motives right now could force him to witness the same relationship drama he wants to avoid. So he doesn't ask.

"Do whatever you want." He swings the lodge's door open and steps outside, Gray following him onto the crowded street.

They walk in silence down two blocks and around the corner, arriving at a small deli with a forest green canopy.

They pick a booth in the back and read their menus in silence.

They order their food and wait in silence.

Gray notices his shirt is missing and retrieves it from the front of the store, shrugging it on as he sits back down across from Laxus.

Laxus pops his knuckles one at a time, from left to right.

One. Pop.

Two. Pop.

Three. Pop.

Four. Pop.

Five. Pop.

Six. Pop.

Seven. Pop.

Eight. Pop.

Nine. Pop.

Ten. Pop.

They continue to wait in silence.

Their food arrives. They eat in silence.

Half way through his third bite, Laxus can't take it anymore. "DAMN IT! Are you gonna tell me what's going on or what?!" He bursts, slamming a hand down on the table and startling everyone around him. A piece of lettuce falls out of his mouth, but it doesn't make him appear any less intimidating in conjunction with his muscular frame, lightning-shaped scar, and glaring orange eyes.

Unshaken, Gray's lips quirk into a smirk. "I didn't think you were the type to be interested in other people's relationships. That's more up Mirajane's alley."

"I'm not interested!"

"Okay." Gray takes a bite of his sandwich, his smirk never quite leaving his face.

Laxus heaves a long, exasperated sigh. It seems like Gray won't be volunteering any information. He is purposely pushing him to have to ask for answers. Annoying kid… Maybe he should have shocked him and left him back at the lodge when he still had the chance.

"Look. I don't know exactly what's going on with you three, and I don't really want to know. But shouldn't you be back there," the lighting mage jabs his thumb behind him in the direction of Honey Bone Lodge, "dealing with whatever stupid love-triangle-thing you have going on?"

Gray contemplates giving an evasive answer, but the hairs on his arms are starting to prick with ambient static and Laxus is giving him a look that promises pain if he gives an unsatisfactory reply. Better not push his luck. He's only just recovered from Erza's spanking, thank you very much.

"Lyon and I have a 'May the best man win' kind of agreement," he answers honestly. "Part of that involves not interfering with each other."

Laxus gives a non-committing grunt and returns to his meal. He finally gets why the hell Gray tagged along with him, but he still thinks the whole thing is ridiculous. Whatever, not my problem.

"Besides…"

If he wasn't a dragon slayer, Laxus might not have heard his companion continue. He glances across the table. Gray isn't smirking anymore, his expression melting into a faraway nostalgia, as if he is reliving a bittersweet childhood memory.

"Lyon hasn't laughed like that in a long time."

The taller man takes a slow gulp of soda and sighs again, this time in acquiescence rather than irritation. "Lunch is on me."

A/N:

Surprise, I live! And I haven't given up on this story!

I feel like I owe you an explanation for my 1 and a half year absence. So here's a run-down of what's been going on for me personally: 1) Got married [yay!] 2) My father hates my husband because of his race [boo, racism stinks!] 3) Much family drama [boo!] 4) My husband got stationed in Japan, so I moved with him [yay!] But I had to give up my job [boo!] 5) My father and step-mother got together and pulled a bunch of crazy stuff so I couldn't pass the background checks for federal employment [boo!] 6) Spent a lot of time clearing my name. Finally managed to pass my background checks as of 4 days ago [yay!] 7) Got my identity stolen. Still trying to fix that one [boo!] 8) Became an English teacher [yay!] 9) Taking Japanese classes [yay!] 10) My husband got depression [boo!]

Apart from the craziness of life, I also lost interest in fanfiction because I got turned off Fairy Tail for a while. To me, the ending of the Grand Magic Games arc felt anti-climactic and left too many plot holes. Juvia's character development felt like it was going backwards in the manga too. I was so disappointed :( I did think about this story sometimes, but so much time had already passed that I thought nobody would be interested in it anymore. Special thanks to BelieveInYouself7 (a very fitting name) for private messaging me and giving me the motivation to continue!

Alright, that's the end of my list of excuses. In summary, sorry for the wait!

Review responses: Because it's been such a long time, I am only replying to the reviews written within the last 3 months. Any longer than that, and I think many of you might have forgotten what you wrote by now. However, I did go back and read all the reviews you've left me this past year and a half. Thank you all so much! They made me really happy and motivated to write again!

-randomreader: I appreciate you taking the time to write such a constructive, well thought out, and encouraging review. Thank you!

I admit that I feel a little out of touch since I haven't written in so long. Please let me know your thoughts on this chapter. Constructive criticism is welcomed as always :)

Thanks for reading!

DELETION NOTICE: (Same message as in Ch.1) Dear readers, as some of you may know, my story was deleted shortly after Chapter 13 was uploaded. For a detailed explanation of what happened, please visit my profile. In essence, I was not the person who deleted the story and there was much chaos (and, in retrospect, some humor) involved. Thank you to the people who taught me how to un-delete the story. To previous readers: All favorites and follows were erased after the deletion. Please re-fav or re-follow if you want to be notified of updates. And again, sorry for the inconvenience and thank you for reading!