Chapter 1: First Sight Part 1

Natsu

"Hea-rrrrrrr-t-fiiiiiii-llllii-a Res-siii-denc-cyy," sounded out the infamous 5-year-old, Natsu Dragneel. He'd been playing cops and robbers with Gray and the gang when he'd stumbled upon this place. Natsu gazed up at the huge expanse of land before him. Trees were sprawled artfully across the lush green lawns in cordate patterns. Solitary crystal fountains lay concealed inside each design. Sun-drenched hills were dotted with bright, cerulean hydrangeas. Rows of gigantic houses were nestled together at the base of the hill. Squinting into the distance, he read the tiny gold-plated signs plastered on the sides of the buildings. "The Servant Quarters," he muttered; a hint of disbelief in his voice. The houses were miniscule in contrast to the colossal alabaster mansion in the distance. Neatly trimmed hedges were lined around the mansion in a neat and orderly fashion. The picturesque scenery seemed to scream wealth and prosperity. The land stretched for miles; a limitless ocean of green.

Natsu craned his neck in an attempt to get a better look. After several more futile attempts, Natsu decided the only way to achieve his goal, was to get up close and personal. He quickly scanned the area for any on-lookers. After waiting a good 2 minutes, he made his way to the 6ft tall iron fence. "I think climbing's out of question," he groaned. He cast a sidelong glance at a huge birch tree which towered over the fence. It'd be at least a 3ft drop if he climbed to the lowest branch. Being the carefree guy he was, he tossed aside the dangerous implications and started to climb the tree. Cautiously, he jabbed his hands into the upper grooves of the tree. Slowly, he hoisted himself up and repeated the process several times until he reached the branch. The branch shook under his weight and Natsu was momentarily paralyzed with fear. However, the fire within him, urged him on. After reaching the end of the branch, he silently prayed he'd live to see tomorrow. And then, jumped. He landed with a sharp thud. Pain spiked up through his legs. He silently cursed the tree for being so high up before making his way towards the mansion.

After what seemed like eternity (but was really only 5 minutes) he reached a small meadow (still a fair distance away from the mansion). The ground was covered in white tile in a circular design. At the center stood a gazebo with scarlet roses spiraling around its pillars. Sad violin music spilled out from inside. Hedges surrounded the structure in a hexagonal contour. His legs suddenly gave out and he collapsed onto the soft grass. A splash of golden caught his eyes. Cautiously, he crept through the grass. Obscured by a hedge, Natsu peered inside. There inside, was a little girl, roughly his age.

She wore a thin, pale lavender gown that fell to her knees. It was adorned with white ribbons which fluttered in the slight breeze. Her golden hair fell in soft curls landing at her shoulders. Her supple lips were full and pink. Her eyes an ephemeral blue in the sunlight before diminishing into cocoa brown. Her skin was soft, milky, and flawless. In her hands, was Stradivarius violin. The bow graciously glided across the strings. Entranced by the melancholic melody, he seemed to forget where he was.

Lucy

Few hours prior...

"Daddy, look what I made you," chirped 5 year old, Lucy Heartfilia happily. She placed the sloppy rice ball on top of his desk and stepped back. Shifting her feet from side to side, nervously. She waited for the man whom she referred to as her father, to acknowledge her existence. "Daddddddddyyyyyy, is anyonee homeee in that heeeeead of youuurs?" she joked after he'd ignored her first call.

"Lucy, I'm busy," he replied icily. His face cold and hard. Something Lucy had grown accustomed to over the intervening years. Even so, she kept trying to get through to him.

"But daddy, I worked hard and made it for y-"

"ENOUGH! I'M BUSY LUCY," he bellowed, promptly cutting her off. Fury was laced between his words. Obsidian rock replacing his irises as his eyes pierced through hers.

Lucy stumbled back, caught off guard by his abrupt change in tone and expression.

"But dad it's my birth-"

"GET OUT! AND TAKE THIS WITH YOU," he ordered, cutting her off for the second time that morning.

He chucked the rice ball off the table onto the cold marble floor. Then promptly turned back to his work without sparing her a second glance. Lucy gazed up at the man, in utter shock and terror. She slowly crouched down to pick up the remnants of her rice ball. Her tiny hands trembling as tears threatened to leak. Briskly turning around, she fast-walked to and out of the door before she was overcome with emotion. As soon as she was a good kilometer away, she dropped the rice ball and crumpled to the floor. Hollow tears blurred her vision as she was momentarily blinded with grief. Hyperventilating, she curled herself into a ball and began to rock back and forth in an attempt to console herself. "It was my birthday," she croaked softly, burying her face in her arms.

After a few more minutes of wallowing in self-pity, she picked herself up and brushed away the remaining tears. "He isn't going to ruin my birthday," she announced with sudden resolve. She strode over to the French doors and pushed them wide open. After a few moments of uncertainty, she'd decided to let her sorrows out through her music. Walking back inside, she waltzed over to the vast instrument wardrobe and paused. She carefully selected an instrument off the rack with her sheet music and made her way off to her secret meadow. "What should I play today," she asked herself, flipping through the various sheets. Schumann Fantasiestücke op. 88 concluded her search. She skipped up into the Gazebo and rested her sheets on the stand. Silently, she began to play. The sad melody rang through the air making her heart constrict. Loneliness and despair vibrated from the strings.

"KEEEEEEEEEEEEERAK"

Lucy stopped her playing. Her body spun around in alarm. It hadn't been the first time someone had trespassed onto Heartfillia property. Most of the time trespassers came with the intentions of kidnapping her for ransom. However, Lucy, being alone most of the time, was very self-sufficient and dealt with these situations with ease. Dropping her violin onto the bench, her hawk-like eyes scanned the area, leaving no stone unturned. The tip of her lips began to quirk upward when she spotted tufts of pink protruding from a hedge. Busted. "Surely, no one's here," she said with deliberate emphasis. Casually she walked out and away from the Gazebo. She stalked through the grass around the back of the hedges. Her tiny frame obscured by the leaves. Tufts of pink were still visible. Like a cat, she prowled through the grass towards her prey.

Natsu

Natsu let out a sigh of relief. He'd been this close to being caught. His tiny heart pounded against his rib cage. He'd been so enraptured by her violin playing, he'd forgotten where he was. Chuckling to himself, he began to turn around. Seeming oblivious to the certain blonde, he began to stand up.

"Boo," she whispered softly in his ears.

Natsu's eyes shot up. The blonde smirked. Shocked to the bone, he stumbled back and tripped over a rock landing on the prickly thorns of the roses. "Fuuuuuuuuuu-," he started to curse but was promptly cut off when he landed head first into the garden. His face was caked with mud and grass. The mud oozed down his shirt then to his pants. It was as if he'd taken a bath in an outhouse toilet. When he looked back up he was surprised to see the blonde's body shaking.

"A-Are y-y-you ok-okay," he managed.

Lucy (with a bit of Natsu POV)

She couldn't hold it back any longer. Giggles bubbled up from the pit of her stomach. Before she knew it, she was on grass laughing like there was no tomorrow. What kind of idiot would trip over a rock and then fall into mud. The pink haired boy looked at her sheepishly. A slight blush coating his cheeks. He wore a long white scarf, striped with intersecting thin black lines. His red shirt was now matted down with a thick crust of dark drown. Baggy white mud-coated sweats and a pair of sandals completed his attire.

"If you're done laughing… could I leave? "whimpered Natsu.

Suddenly done laughing, Lucy replied flatly, "Absolutely not." She crossed her arms in an attempt to look strong. She stared at him hard and stiffened her upper lip. The pinkie raised his brow up.

"Is it that time of month," he countered, crossing his arms; trying to be equally intimidating.

Lucy was taken aback slightly but felt a smile creep up her face. "I'm 5, Einstein. What do you think? You shouldn't even know about this. Unless… you're secretly a woman," she teased.

Natsu smirked. "I'm glad you figured me out. I mean this sole reason I came here was for you to find this out. Congrats," he snickered.

"Really? I thought you were enraptured by my beauty. You know? With you watching a fair maiden like me behind the hedges. Then again, you are a pervert," Lucy snickered.

Natsu felt heat rush up to his face. "I am not a pervert," he started. "Besides," he cast his face downwards. Then snorted. "What kind of fair maiden wears converse sneakers while wearing a dress?" he snickered.

"Only the best," she replied with a smile.

Natsu grinned. "I'll keep that in mind, fair maiden," he teased.

Lucy laughed. "Now tell me why you're really here. I mean as much as I'd love to hear your feminine habits and my fashion taste and all," she inquired.

"Well I was just playing with some friends and got lost," he replied sheepishly.

"Suuuuure, that's it. Any ways, do you need a change of clothes? I don't think your parents would like you're um… attire. Even if it's an improvement," she teased.

Natsu rolled his eyes. "Eh my mother doesn't really mind. My father… I don't really like to talk about him," he whispered.

Lucy made an "o" with her mouth. "I live with my dad, my mom died when I was 2."

He watched as her hands tightened into fists. He wanted to comfort her but didn't know how. Suddenly, a light bulb flashed in his head. "Hey, you should um, hang out with my friends, and um, I. We live close by," he stuttered.

Lucy felt her heart beat quicken. "I'd like that… a lot," she replied softly.

"What's your name?"

Lucy looked up at the pink haired boy in front of her. No one had ever asked for her name before.

"Lucy. My name is Lucy Heartfilia," she beamed.

Natsu broke into a face splitting grin. "Aye, the name's Natsu Dragneel."

Hey guys! This is my first time writing a fanfiction! It was really fun to make! This chapter may be boring. But I swear it gets better. ;) I'm not going to tell people who I'm pairing up together because that ruins the surprise. ;)

I love comments. Write a review if I should continue! I love feedback.

All characters belong to Hiro Mashima.

Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima.

This story belongs to me.