And here's my return- How long has it been since I've even written a fanfiction oml/ I've had this idea stuck in my head for the longest time and I didn't know if I wanted to do it with Fairy Tail or any other anime but ye know I guess I was just kinda inspired to do it with this fandom cause I've been binge listening to Masayume Chasing~
Sorry for grammar mistakes too though/
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail
Chapter One: Lucky One
"I love you."
"I love you too."
These two sentences were the only complete thoughts that were uttered out from a certain blonde and pink haired couple. Lucy Heartfillia and Natsu Dragneel was the most popular couple because of their non-stop 'Public Display of Affection'. There wasn't a class in school that didn't have the teacher glance at them in disgust because they cuddled too much but they didn't have enough energy to even scold them anymore because the couple wouldn't quit.
Lucy cuddled closer to her boyfriend as her hand explored his chest. They both sat on a bench in the courtyard. She leaned in for a kiss, which was well received by Natsu. He took her hand and entwined it in his as his other arm brought her closer to leave no space in-between. The two had no thoughts or shame when they did these acts in public simply because they loved each other that much.
"Oi! Natsu you idiot." The sudden calling of his name stopped their make out session as the boyfriend and girlfriend turned to a person holding a soccer ball. "Stop eating each other in public."
Sighing, Lucy got off her boy's lap and fixed her skirt and buttoned her top buttons. She carefully eyed the man with the soccer ball and recognized their classmate Gajeel with Gray and Loki behind him. "We're not eating each other," she giggled a little, "That would be cannibalism!"
"Yeah babe, whatever that means." Natsu winked as he got up as well and held her hand once again. If they weren't kissing or cuddling, they'd have to settle for the holding of hands.
"It means humans eating humans." Gray explained, "Must be very attractive to eat other humans." Gajeel and Loki snickered at his comment as Natsu glared at him.
"Okay what do you want." Natsu said, pissed at his friends for interrupting his time with Lucy.
"Up for some soccer?" Gajeel finally asked as he threw the ball up in the air then caught it with the same hand. "It's been a while since you've played with us so I thought it'd be fun to see how much we can destroy you."
"For your information Natsu can totally kick your asses!" Lucy defended as she remembered all the times watching her boyfriend score goals.
"Yes, yes and here comes the lecture of how much Natsu is sooo cool because he's your boyfriend. We get it—" Loki complained as he raised his hands in defeat, "Look, Natsu, why have you changed so much just because you're in a relationship? You too Lucy… We would've never expected you to act like this before you two became an item."
Gray looked at his friend in awe as he told them the truth. There was no way he actually just called them out in public and it wasn't over text. He observed as Natsu and Lucy slowly starting to become angry and he immediately regretting coming over to ask if he wanted to play soccer with them. Taking a step back in case Natsu wanted to start swinging, he gulped in anticipation for a yelling fight.
"I-I'm sorry…" Lucy and Natsu said in unison. Gajeel, Gray and Loki looked them in confusion, as they were all expecting a few screams and blames for them being too nosy.
Natsu squeezed harder on Lucy's hand and started sincerely explaining himself as he thought it was the right thing to do. He was their friends but never really shared what he thought of his relationship with Lucy. "I'm sorry if I've been such a douche lately… It's just that it's my first relationship in a long time and… And I don't want to lose Lucy like I lost Lisanna. I love Lucy and if I lost her, if I lost her… I don't think I'd be the same again. This is my chance at love again and I want to show Lucy that I love her and nobody else… I feel empty without her."
Lisanna is still affecting him to this day… Gray thought as he squeezed his hands at remembering his friend.
"N-Natsu…" Lucy looked at him in tears, "That's so sweet of you!" She jumped in for a hug as he hugged back. "You don't need to try so hard though Natsu. I know you love me and I'll always love you. No matter what." She felt him pat her head and she smiled in confidence as she slipped from Natsu's embrace and turned back to her classmates to explain herself. "It's actually my first time in love… I don't really know how to act either but…" She looked up at Natsu, "Whenever I see this idiot I can't control myself."
Natsu gave his usual goofy grin, "I love you too!"
"She just called you an idiot." Loki pointed out.
"You're an idiot-" Natsu said back, never leaving Lucy's gaze.
"Gah- too many idiots in love around here." Gajeel choked as he eyed the two who jumped into their own realm of love. "Well hurry up and end your honeymoon period so you can realize that your girl is important but we are too."
The three of them waiting for a rebuttal from the couple but nothing came. They were too lost in each other's eyes that you can practically feel hearts and stars oozing out of them. Cringing at the sight, the three of them started walking back to the field.
"So idiotic." Gray rolled his eyes.
"What do you mean?" Loki asked as he effortlessly kicked the ball to Gajeel. The three decided to not play a game but just a drill of passing the ball back and forth.
"Them." Gray grumbled as he received the ball and pointed to the couple that could be seen from where they were standing.
"Heh every couple is like this. You have to wait a while." Gajeel said, "I know Natsu is your best friend but come on, let him be happy."
"I don't if he'll be happy if he only ends up with one person for the rest of his life while he pushes everyone else away." Gray concluded as he received the ball.
"We really have to let them further their relationship and if it only comes down to skinship it'll get tedious and tiresome. Sometimes just kissing is a boring act, you need to get to know them." Loki explained as he pulled advice from his own experiences with girls.
"It's only a matter of time when they decide if they want to put in more effort into their relationship by talking instead of just 'showing' it as Natsu says." Gajeel rolled his eyes as he saw the two start making out again.
"I just don't want either of them heartbroken…" Gray trailed off as he resumed their drill and kicked the ball back towards Loki.
"Hurry Natsu! Second period is starting soon!" Lucy started running from the back doors of their school. "God I knew we shouldn't have gone too far!"
"It was only third base!" Natsu said as he lagged behind her because he was recalling of the earlier events. "We can homerun at mine later if you want."
"It was okay to skip first period since it was a spare but we can't miss math! Not when he's going to explain what I didn't get from yesterday's lesson! I need to get this concept or else I'll fail the test!" Lucy complained but blushed at his comment.
"Fine babe I gotchu-" Natsu immediately picked up his girlfriend to make it so that she sat straight up being supported by his left arm which cradled her legs and kept her back straight with his right arm. "Close your mouth so you don't bite your tongue!" Soon he started dashing through the full hallways filled with students trying to make it to their classes in frenzy to not be late. As always the couple was the centre of attention for the whole student body as their spectacle was heart warming yet dangerous.
"Safe! With three minutes to spare!" Natsu proudly announced as he burst into the room with a giggling Lucy. He let down his girlfriend and fixed he hair as if it was ruined from the wind of his run. "You're welcome."
Lucy laughed, "Thank you!" She leaned in to kiss him and then walked off to her desk in a haze with her heart beating fast from the events that took place. He was the perfect boyfriend, the perfect one for her. She couldn't envision herself with anyone else but him.
Natsu whistled as he walked to his seat, which was literally the furthest seat away from Lucy. Their math teacher couldn't handle their flirting to the point that he had to change seat placements. If they were any closer he'd have to deal with notes passing around, whispers, giggles and everything that wasn't work being done. Sulking at the thought of not seeing Lucy for a whole hour, Natsu took his seat in front of Gray.
"Hey dweeb." Gray called out as his friend turned around with a giddy smile. "You finished yesterday's homework right?"
"Yeah, I just didn't get the one that had me use two different fomrulas." Natsu grinned as he opened his notebook and started flaunting his hard work.
"Nice," Gray sarcastically said, "How long did it take to copy Lucy's?"
Natsu pouted at Gray's response, "She only taught me the lesson again and then left me to do it on my own! I was surprised how easy it was to do it from her explanation."
"Well Lucy is honours and has been top of class for years." Gray mumbled as he saw most of Natsu's answers were the same as his. He was so used to seeing chicken scratches and completely off answers that this whole change was starting to bug him. He had better grades now and attended classes more frequently but in exchange for what? Being bound to only one person? Is it really worth it? The teacher suddenly walked into class as their lesson started but Gray didn't listen, he was trying to cope with his two friends and their change in demeanour that he wasn't used to. They're both my friends. I need to get it together and get used to it, Gray repeated in his head as his hands unconsciously followed with his lessons.
"Luce, you ready to go?" Natsu asked eagerly as he slung his bag across his back as soon as their last class ended. He wanted to get out of their hellhole and feel complete again.
"As much as I'd love to," Lucy sighed, "The art teacher said he needs some help with restocking supplies and she said I was perfect to help her with it."
Natsu pouted in disappointment, as he felt incomplete once again, "Fine… Should I help you with it?"
"It'll take long Natsu, plus you have Romeo waiting for you at home. Remember he said he wants you to try his new dish so he wants you to come home early?" Lucy protested as she grabbed her bag as well, "Don't worry I'll be fine! Make sure to tell me how his dish is!"
"Skype me later Luce!" Natsu quickly said as he remembered his promise with his younger brother. He pecked Lucy's lips for a second and muttered a 'I love you' then hurried off home.
Lucy smiled back in pure joy even though she was sad she couldn't walk with her boyfriend. She waved goodbye to her seat partner, Levy McGarden, and headed off to the art room.
"Mr. Reedus! Sorry I was late I had to hand in some work first." Lucy apologized as she walked into the breezy art room that was littered with cans of paint and pastels all over the floor. She scanned the room for her art teacher but he was nowhere in sight.
Suddenly a can of paint, thankfully closed, fell from a shelf. A short and quick eep came from under the shelf and Gray Fullblaster emerged from behind a few canvases. He was holding his head in anguish, presumably from banging his head against the shelving. His hair was tied in a very short and tight ponytail, glasses hanging from ear and resting uncomfortably low on his nose. He wore his uniform with a dishevelled apron that was filled with paint stains of several colours and definitely needed a washing. "Oh! Lucy?"
"Gray you-" Her eyes were wide as she made her big discovery, "Have glasses?!"
Embarrassed, Gray took of his glasses and shoved them in his pockets. "I-I only use them when I need to read small writings… These paint tubes and their colour numbers are so small… I can't get them in the right order."
Lucy laughed, "You don't need to explain yourself so much. Don't worry about it. What are you doing here though?"
"Mr. Reedus has a meeting and can't clean after class as you know," Gray explained, blush of embarrassment still splattered across his face. "He wanted to make sure you came to help and so he asked me to help him make sure you're here."
Lucy gave a gentle smile but it wasn't one that necessarily meant she was happy. "I… see…"
"You okay?" Gray asked in confusion, "Well I knew you wouldn't skip if a teacher asked but I wondered if I can at least help you."
"That's so sweet of you…" Lucy muttered, "But that's not necessarily why Mr. Reedus wants me to clean."
Gray looked at her in confusion.
"The art room is always dirty. It's never cleaned." Lucy explained.
"Don't tell does-" Gray unconsciously concluded in his head the most horrible thoughts of Lucy being sexually harassed even if she has her knight in shining armour ready to fight at any moment's notice.
"Don't make any assumptions Gray!" Lucy yelled harshly. She turned around and closed the door and made her way to a canvas. Slowly she took off a cloth that draped over to a canvas that was planted in the corner of the room. An anime character that was planted in a post apocalyptic society with leaves and vines littered at every step was shown. The whole painting was still in its sketching process with few parts coloured but it was still breathtaking to see how much detail and planning went to the piece.
"Guess how long I've been stuck in this process." Lucy asked him after a few minutes of silence.
"Days?" Gray answered logically since it was still in its planning stages.
"Ten months. It's taken me ten months to get here." She slid another cloth off an adjacent canvas and laughed, "This was stuck for four months." It was a solid character looking off to the sea that hadn't had anything coloured in. "Gray I can't paint anymore." Tears started welling in her eyes, "This is my worst slump."
"When did this start?" Gray asked as he started watching Lucy angrily snag all the clothes on canvases around them. "Have you ever finished a piece?"
Lucy decided to answer his second question first, "You've seen my pieces before Gray. The cherry blossom one is always hanging in the common areas and the posters for recycling and trash handling were made all from last year."
"I never noticed they were yours…" Gray admitted, starting to feel guilty.
"It's fine…" Lucy stated weakly. "I guess it started around when I started dating Natsu…"
"It's Natsu's fault?" Gray asked.
"Never." Lucy wiped her tears and sniffed a bit, "I've just had art block since. I don't have the same passion as I did before."
"But these paintings," he touched one and let his hands trace over a sketch of a character being happy of another canvas. "They seem so- so you."
Lucy slowly nodded, "These were my passions…" After a slow pause she continued, "That's why Mr. Reedus sometimes tells me to clean, if he thinks I might be ready to finally overcome my art block he calls me over and reserves the room just for me."
"I wonder why I'm here…" Gray asked himself as he recalled his encounter with the teacher.
"I'm a bit nervous trying again… It's been four months since the last time I've tried painting again…" Lucy confessed. "Maybe he wanted you here for support? We're pretty close right?"
"Kinda. You're dating my best friend and we've occasionally talked." Gray said, "Well I'll see this to the end. Try your best!" He smiled then propped himself on the shelf in her general area. She sat beside him and faced her canvas with the post apocalyptic theme and raised her paintbrush. She smiled at her first stroke then continued. Gray looked at her in amazement as she watched her fluid motions with mixing to her desired shade and her fluctuations from happy to disappointments almost made him want to laugh. Everything was so professional yet carefree. None of them spoke a word to each other the whole time but enjoyed each other's company.
Unconsciously Lucy started humming to Snow Fairy* and by the time they made the chorus Gray joined in and they both started jamming out to it while Lucy realized she was generally happy with how her painting was going. As the two of them finished the song, they laughed at how they were easily able to pull off a duet without any rehearsal.
"I see you two are enjoying yourselves!" A voice suddenly said from the doorway that caught the two's attention.
"Mr. Reedus!" Gray and Lucy said in Unison as they both sat up straight from their laughter session.
Proud, Lucy immediately held her canvas high, "Look! I've been able to progress!"
Mr. Reedus' eyes lit up in joy, "I'm so happy for you Heartfillia! Telling Gray to come here was the right decision then!"
"I'm really thankful ! I- I've been able to paint something!" She smiled with genuine happiness. "You too Gray! I'm so happy!"
"Good good," Mr. Reedus patted the two's heads and before leaving said, "Clean up the brushes and seal the paint then you two may leave."
"Yes teacher!" Lucy and Gray chorused in union as the teacher closed the door behind him.
"Thanks again Gray…" Lucy trailed off as she washed her brushed under the sink. "I didn't finish today but I think I could sometime."
Suddenly Lucy's phone rang so Gray took the brushes off of her and started washing them in her place without asking so she can answer her phone. "Hello?" She politely greeted, "Oh hey! You wanna skype? I'm still at school… Yeah… Sorry… I'll call back when I'm home… Sorry… Love you too!" Soon she lowered her phone and shoved it back in her pockets. "I've gotta go soon…"
"I can tell." Gray laughed. "Well don't worry about it, I can put away the brushes and the paint. Hurry home."
"Really?! You'd do that for me?" Lucy double-checked in excitement.
"Leave it to me." Gray continued scrubbing the brushes as his excited classmates ran through the halls and left him in a second. Quickly he lightly dropped the brushes in the mason jars they belonged in and but a lid on the palette Lucy used.
Soon Gray noticed Lucy running out of the building to the crosswalk. Like the good citizen she is, she pressed the button and started walking.
"Natsu you're so lucky." Then suddenly he dropped his brush as he couldn't move. "But Lucy, Lucy you aren't." Slowly he grabbed his phone and shakily dialled 911.
"Yes… M-My friend just got hit by a car."
Well there it is~ I really do hope I get to finish this though otherwise I'd feel really bad. I really enjoy this idea and have been working it a lot so try to look forward to it? Plus I really want to continue some old stories or revamp them because of my… poor writing skills so yeee… Let's see if I can keep my word ohoho
-August 13, 2017