Super Psycho Love

I Love You and Despise You

Gray decided to let Lucy sleep in. After all, it had been an exhausting night, and she had the love bruises to prove it. He lightly touched one on her neck, oddly a lot bigger than he thought it would be. He realized that anyone would be able to see a mark like that, and although he wanted the whole world to know Lucy was his, he figured that she probably needed time to cover up something like that.

He found his clothes, dressed, and slipped out silently to walk into the nearly empty street. The sun had just risen, chill still clung to the air, and silence reigned for this magical moment before the noise and heat of the day began. It was the time of day Gray loved: silent, cold, filled with hopes.

He went to the guild hall, where Mira had just started up a pot of coffee. She smiled and wordlessly handed him a steaming cup. He supposed he looked as worn out as he felt, and Mira knew better than to ask about the dark circles under his eyes. The blush on her cheeks and twinkle in her eyes showed that she knew perfectly well what happened.

Only a few people were in the building that early. Nab was once again at the mission board seeking that perfect request he would never find. Macao and Wakaba ... seriously, it was like those two old guys never left the building.

Gray settled in a corner to watch the crowd slowly entering and to think. The previous night, when Lucy asked what he would do if she cheated on him, she had a odd pitch to her voice. Gray had said nothing about it at the time, lost in the moment of passion, but it troubled him now.

Which man could it be? Laxus was already with another woman, if rumors could be believed. Gajeel and Levy were pretty close, so probably not him. Loke had not showed his face since the breakup, but it was highly possible that he appeared out of nowhere to Lucy. Gray had to admit, he hated the fact that Loke could open his gate anywhere, at any time, and although he was the one who called it off with Lucy, there was never a precise reason given as to why the playboy dumped her.

And then ... there was Natsu.

Would Lucy actually go back to that hotheaded Dragon Slayer? Just the thought of it chilled Gray's blood. If that flame-brain dared to touch her, he would beat the living hell out of him, nakama or not!

But what if Lucy went back willingly?

No! He refused to believe that it was even possible. Lucy was known to flirt around from time to time, but she was not the sort of woman who would cheat on a person. Besides, Gray kept her so busy at night, she should be too sore to have an affair on the side.

But if she did...

His mind instantly shut down at the thought of it. Something, an internal defense mechanism perhaps, did not allow him to think about such a horrible possibility. Still, it worried Gray. Things seemed to be perfect with Lucy. She was fun, smart, and strong; she did not mind his stripping habit, he felt comfortable talking with her, and she was damn good in bed. Really, it was perfect.

Too perfect.

And that troubled Gray.

"I wouldn't want you to find some other guy to ease your aches."

"What would you do if I did something like that?"

"Kill whoever dared to touch you."

"You'd ... kill him?"

"And then I'd have to seriously punish you, my little vixen. So don't ever do that."

He had said those words so lightly, almost jokingly, but he meant it in all fatalistic seriousness. If Lucy ever cheated on him, he would probably go insane from the bitter feeling of betrayal. He probably really would be tempted to kill a person in the heat of passion and throes of despair.