Valetine's Day Dance (2)

Cana's knees were buckling. This was heavy. She's fought forces of evil, she's battled hangovers that could have killed 100 men. But she could not handle this: the million shopping bags weighing her down.

Levy and Cana were already holding their own huge piles of clothes. Lucy had collapsed and was buried underneath the shopping bags.

"Everything has to be perfect." Erza says to herself as she rushes off to another clothing rack. What Mirajane and her were planning was something special. They wanted to make the couple a thing.

"What has to be perfect?" Lucy said, under the rubble.

"I don't care. All I know is that I'm tired and need a drink!" Cana replies.

"Why are we here, Erza? We already have our outfits picked out!" Levy whines. She was smaller than the other three but surprisingly held her own.

"And another thing: WHY is Evergreen here? Isn't she supposed to be your competition?!" Cana asked.

Evergreen made her way towards Erza, a smirk never leaving her face. "You have everything prepared?" Erza asked as she ignored the others.

"You know it!" Evergreen replied back. What the others did not know was that Erza and Evergreen's competition was not simply a game of best-dressed, but of matchmaking. Evergreen found her way inside of Mirajane and Erza's bet. Their bet: who could make Juvia and Laxus fall for each other.

"We're gonna get Juvia and Laxus together." Erza stated. "And we need all the help that we can get."

Gray is a good partner, Cana thinks, but she often finds him looking at Laxus and Juvia every once in a while. In a distance, Erza signals Cana to the side. Cana is going to be a lookout for them.

Mirajane is at the DJ booth with Max and his broomstick. No, they did not match together. Taking hold of the microphone, she announces, "And now it is time to slow things down, everyone."

Everyone in the hall paired with their respective partners. Laxus scoffs in his seat. He did not like to dance. Juvia did, however, so she encouraged him with pleading eyes. He refuses.

She leans closer to him, "Please, Laxus! I love this song!"

"No." He says with no hesitation.

"Why not?" She pouted.

"Because I don't dance."

"Please!" She pleaded again.

"Look, if you want to dance, go dance by yourself." He stated.

Juvia sighed. He could be so stubborn at times. She gets up from her seat and started doing a simple two-step and smooth arm motions. Laxus looked at her as if she had gone crazy.

She continued to dance, never stopping her eye contact with Laxus. She dances in front, behind, and all around him. He found it amusing, "You can stop now."

"I'll stop if you dance with me." She pleads again, this time her moves included twirls.

He caves in, "Alright, I'll dance with you. But one song." He negotiated. She practically squealed, "Deal!"

Juvia took his hand and bringing him towards the center but he remains still as a rock. She turned to face him.

"Here. I stay here and only here." He says carefully. He did not want to be in the spotlight. Their side table was fine enough. Not much attention would be on them.

"Okay!" She nods.

As they take their position, Laxus murmurs something to himself. "What was that?" She asked. "I said, I can't dance." He said it much quicker and lower that she could not keep up with him. "Pardon me?" She asked with a concerned term. Why was he speaking inaudibly?

"I said that I can't dance." He said slightly more coherently.

"Is that what you said?" Juvia responded with a smile. "That doesn't matter. A slow dance is about you and your partner. I don't mind that you can't." He tried his best to stifle a chuckle.

Laxus was not the bad dancer he portrayed himself as. He stumbled a bit, here and there, but mostly kept his step in-line in control. Juvia's eyes silently encourage him to go on. He liked the reassurance but pretended not to care. He couldn't lie t himself, Juvia was slowly making her way into his cold heart.

It was not until under the lighting that she noticed him. Like really noticed him and his looks. He was not bad-looking. He was tall, strong, and his stoic demeanor made him appealing. She acknowledged it. But still, she reclaimed her position as Gray's.

She found herself thinking of Gray's earlier remarks but then, when she thought of Laxus as well and she found herself to be a bit hot. He was not the grumpy dragon that she thought he was. He could be nice when he wanted to and he told her how he sees it. Instead of calling her annoying, he will tell her what kind behavior is annoying and how she could improve. It was constructive criticism, but it was still nice and refreshing for once.

Inside that grumpy dragon was a small child, hidden under layers of armor. She wondered if it had anything to do with his relationship with Ivan, his deadbeat father and his installation of a dragon-slayer Lacrima in him as a child before he was banned. She felt sad for him. His indifference toward everything was like a impenetrable shield.

It took her back to her days at Phantom Lord. Wanting to be stronger was her goal. And that was why she never hated him during her early days at the guild. She saw herself in him. And while they did not talk, she could not blame him for not wanting to in the first place. But it is nice to talk. To get to him know him, the unique side, he gives her. She was grateful for the experience, to know about the strongest mage in the guild. He certainly was a surprise. It was amazing at how harmless he was.

They danced without saying a word, every minute it looked less stiff and more natural. Other people were watching, including Gray who looked away while dancing with Cana. On separate sides of the room, Erza and Mirajane smile deviously. Their bet continued to get interesting.

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Nakahara here!, It seems that the Author made many like MANY errors regarding spelling and how she wanted the story to develop so I tried my best to fix it, so enjoy!.