Wild Child [Fairy Tail Next Gen.]

10

                "I'm definitely drunk. Getting crazy..," said Nashi as she kept jumping like a kid on Rainbow's bed. She was ruffling her hair, laughing hysterically. "Look at meeeee..," she snorted, falling to her bed this time. Jeremy went to her side, flipping her over.

               "You're drunk and you need to sleep."

Nashi grabbed the neck of his shirt, pulling him over until the tip of their noses had touched each other. She laughed again, near his mouth, causing him to back out. She reeked. "Nash, take off your clothes and get into your PJs."

Jeremy had always been the mother-like figure to his friends. He was more of an open book of a guy you could easily share your insecurities to when you're feeling lower than trash. And right now, he needs to toughen up and straighten Nashi's mind to prevent her from mentioning anything embarrassing he won't be able to forget.

               "Nash," he called once more, softly.

She was burying herself under the two pillows she'd been provided with by the hotel. Jeremy tucked her in, squeezing the sides of the blanket to her hips so she wouldn't move anymore.

               "Oh, you," Jeremy sighs to himself. "When will you ever learn to take care of yourself?" He'd been worried starting on the first day they started college, considering the fact Nashi has pretty much been his priority since the day they were born, not that he was forced into it. It's not like their parents have any other friends outside their group. He was the eldest of the four, he felt responsible for the group, especially when they decided to come together as a whole group.

Ian. That guy hasn't left the table for a while now. He didn't want to ask more about her relationship with him, but the guy's a douche for cheating on her. For breaking up in the rain as if it were nothing.

Jeremy remembered the first time Nashi developed a crush on someone. She was in fourth grade, he was in the fifth. They were both walking home together when she mentioned his name, Anthony. Nashi had done nothing but squeal and blush and freak out whenever they mentioned his name. But of course, that was just a phase. He thought it was going to be the last, until she came to high school and started being a fan to that infamous boy group everyone was cheering and singing along to. That would make Ian her third. The third guy she fell for.

Without warning, Nashi rose up from under the two pillows, her nose against his. Jeremy had no idea how to process this situation. “Nash? Hey. . ,” she was heating up by the touch of his hand on her forehead. Relax, Jer. It's the alcohol kicking in deeper. “Nash, if you don't get off your ass—”

                  "Let's do it."

                  "Do what now?"

                  "Devil's tango."

                  "I'm . . not sure I got that."

Nashi was giggling, laying her arms on both sides of his shoulders. That's when he started sweating, fidgeting. He didn't know where to put his arms—surely not around her waist. She’d end up pulling both of them in bed. Why was he nervous in the first place? It's not like this was his first time seeing Nashi drunk and wasted.

Jeremy snapped out of his daydreaming when he felt licking in his ear. It had to be Nashi. Who else is in the room with him?

He had to push her off by swatting her arms and pinning her on bed, “Nash, listen to me, get out of those clothes and get ready for bed already.”

Someone gasped.

The moment he turned his head to face the door, there they were—half naked Gale and wrapped-in-a-robe Bow. The gasp seemed fake; as if they did see this coming. Jeremy could tell by their snickering.

                       “Bow, Gale—it's not what it looks like.”

                       “Really? It's. . .not naughty?” Bow teases.

                       “Is this game called obey daddy?” Gale added.

                       “I'm coming out.” Jeremy walked away from the half-sleeping Nashi he left in bed.

                       “Wait, I just realized something.” Bow mimicked the sound of a bingo bell with three dings. “I slept in the wrong room last night.”

Gale and Jeremy stared at her in confusion. Not that Gale could complain, he couldn't care less who he was assigned to with the rooms.

                       “Ohhh yeah,” Gale chimed in, still clasped around the towel barely covering the lower region of his stomach. “Bow's in my room. You two have fun.”

Both were about to leave triumphantly when Jeremy interrupted their devious plan.

                       “You do know I have my luggage in Gale's room. How am I supposed to change in the morning?”

                       “Maybe you don't need to.” Gale let out another chuckle, fistbumping Bow.

Jeremy stood straight, tapping his foot continuously like his mom would if he ever did something wrong in the house. “I'm sleeping over at Gale's. You, Bow, belong here.”

                       “What's it to you where we sleep, anyway!” Bow had almost lost her voice in the middle of the conversation. They'd realized Nashi could wake up any second and do embarrassing things she'll regret (again) in the morning like last time, when she took her shirt off in front of the three with the reason for the room ‘being too hot for her skin’.

                       “I'm a man.” Jeremy points out. “I might take advantage of Nash if she ever comes . . . at me. . . why are you two laughing?”

                       “You're a Jeremy.” Rain states, gesturing to his stance.

                       “Is that supposed to be a thing I should be aware of next time?” Jeremy mocked.

As their farewell for the night, Gale walks towards him, pats him on the shoulder and whispered, “We trust you.” And with that, walked out of the carpeted floor of the room and had locked the two of them in.

“Locked”, as assumed by Gale and Rain that all it takes for them to get in and out is with the card the hotel provided them with. But Jeremy opened the door, leaning against it with a smug look on his face.

                       “I believe that's ours.”

Rain willingly gave their key card back and walked back into Gale's room on their own. Only then did Jeremy realize they tricked him into thinking he's staying here tonight. Surely, he could've walked back to his room and at least dressed into new clothes to sleep in. Surely, he could've easily tricked Rain into coming back here to accompany Nashi, but he decided not to.

And instead, stayed up all night, cuddling himself in his own blanket as soon as he wrapped Nashi in her own.