As Lucy walks down the hallway with her best friend, Levy, she spots the bulletin board with a new flyer. She stops to look at it. "Come join the lady Fairies and cheer your heart out!," it read as Lucy scrunched up her face.
"I will never join a cheerleading squad. I mean, all they do is yell at the football team and jump up and down on the sidelines," Lucy states as she starts to walk away from the board, leaving Levy behind.
"Awe, I think you would be a really good cheerleader LuLu," Levy whines, catching back up with Lucy.
"Really, why?"
"Well, um, you can be really loud sometimes, you have a good spirit, and you're really supportive," Levy says.
"Thanks, Levy but I don't think I would be a good cheerleader. All I would do is forget the cheer and mess everyone up," Lucy explains, before scratching her head. "Wait, did you just call me loud?"
"No, of course not Lucy," Levy giggled nervously. "Where'd you get that idea from?"
"Yeah, whatever Levy," Lucy says sarcastically, rolling her eyes with a light smile.
Out of nowhere, Levy grabs her arm to drag her back to the bulletin board. "Come on LuLu, you have to join the squad! It could be a good opportunity to meet cute boys," Levy joked and winked.
"Okay fine, I'll try out but only if you do it too," Lucy whined back.
"Whatever it takes to make you do it," Levy grinned.
When they get back to the board there's two girls standing there gossiping about it. Lucy recognized one of them, and that was Jenny. Jenny was the cheer caption of the team, and she had long blonde hair to go with her beautiful blue eyes. She was talking to someone with short white hair that looked quite familiar, but Lucy couldn't see her face so she just let the idea go.
"Oh hey, Jenny," Levy says when they stop right in front of her.
"Hey Levy. What's up, are you gonna try out for cheerleading?" she asks, confidently flipping her hair over her shoulder.
"Yeah, and so is my friend, Lucy," Levy gushed with a shy grin.
"Mmhm," Lucy mumbles. "So, Jenny when are cheerleading try outs?"
"They're tomorrow," she says turning around to walk away. "But if you actually want to try to make the team, you better have the forms in by lunch time tomorrow." Then she sashays away.
Lucy shakes her head in disapproval. It's not like Lucy doesn't like Jenny, it's just that she can't stand it when she walks like that. It just makes her want to smack Jenny in the face. Lucy turns to the other girl noticing that she was still there.
"Lisanna, are you trying out for the team too?" Levy asked.
"Um, yea but I'm only doing it for a special someone," Lisanna blushed.
"Hm," Levy said trying to think. "Nah, I'm not going to waste my time thinking about it.
"Have you already turned in your form yet?" Lucy asked.
"No, not yet," Lisanna says. "Do you know where to go to get the forms?"
"Yeah, I think so," Levy thinks. "Oh, aren't they in the main office?"
"Yeah, the student council president should still be here since they had a meeting earlier," Lisanna states.
"Oh, okay, we better get moving before she leaves," Levy waves and grabs Lucy's arm. "We'll see you tomorrow Lisanna."
"Okay, bye Levy and Lucy," Lisanna waves back. Levy tugs on Lucy's arm in the football field direction. She starts walking with Lucy right behind her.
No wonder she looked familiar. That was Lisanna Strauss, Elfman and Mirajane's younger sibling, also known as the girl who has a major crush on someone, but I can't put my finger on it at the moment, Lucy starts to wonder.
"Come on LuLu," Levy says. "If we cut through the field it'll get us to the main office faster."
Lucy and Levy are outside walking when they see the football team practicing. Not paying attention to where they were going, they walked right onto the field. Lucy watched as the boys threw the football and tackled each other until the coach blew the whistle.
"Come on, Dragneel, get your head in the game and stop daydreaming!" he yelled.
Dragneel, Lucy thought, then she scoffed and shook her head. Oh yeah, he's the kid with the pink hair that's always sleeping during 4th period. Who would've thought that he was the football type.
Just when the football was thrown into the air, Lucy tripped over an imaginary line and fell right on her face.
"LuLu," Levy gasped and ran over to help her. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine," she answers when she's up. "I just hope no one saw that besides you."
Lucy keeps her head down as she walks the rest of the way to the building beside Levy. They enter the double doors and turn the corner to enter the main office. A woman with glasses on turns to them.
"How may I help you?" she asks politely.
"Um," Lucy starts. "Do you have any more forms for the cheerleading tryouts?"
"No I don't have any," the woman says. "But the student council president should, but she's not here at the moment since she's in a meeting. Until she gets back you ladies can sit in the waiting room until then."
Minutes later, Mirajane Strauss walks in her white, silvery hair and her blue eyes shining brightly.
"Good afternoon, ladies," she says sweetly.
"Hey, Mirajane," Levy says while standing up. "We need sheets for the cheerleading tryouts. Do you have any more left?"
"No, I don't think so. But the coach of the football team has more I'm sure," Mirajane says. "The team is outside practicing right now."
"Kay, thanks Mira," Lucy says while turning to walk out the office.
Lucy and Levy both sigh as they step outside the office. I didn't realize it took this much energy just to get a piece of paper, Lucy thinks to herself.
When they get to the football field, Lucy notices that the coach isn't there anymore. Lucy walks up to one of the football players on the bench. He's breathing and sweating like crazy, Lucy thought. Must of just gotten off the field...wait a minute does he have pink hair?
"Um," Lucy says awkwardly. "Hey."
The boy sitting on the bench just stares at her like she didn't even say anything. Lucy squirms under his gaze, slightly uncomfortable.
"Do you know where the coach went?" Lucy asks a few seconds later.
"For what?" he asks harshly with a slight scowl on his face.
"I- I need," Lucy stammers, glancing at his face from the ground. "Cheerleading tryouts paper." She manages to get out.
He just sits there staring at her, trying to get a better look at her face. Well is he gonna tell me or what? I'm getting really uncomfortable here… I wonder where Levy went?
"Hey, Natsu get your butt back in this game, and stop flirting!" someone yells at him from the field. He looks at the field with an angry glint in his eyes.
"You shut your damn face, Ice Princess!" he yells back.
"Excuse me," Lucy says with a hint of sass in her tone. "I need to know where the cheerleading papers are."
"Right," he says with a small smile on his face. "The coach has some in his office but he just went somewhere. I just don't know exactly where."
Lucy sighs. Great…She spins on her heels to walk back to Levy when Natsu touches her shoulder.
"But I can show you where the forms are," he offers, his face genuine.
"Okay," Lucy says unsure of herself. "But, don't you need to finish practice first?"
"Oh yeah, right," Natsu says. "Could you wait here until I finish, practice is over in a few minutes." Lucy looks over at Levy, but she looks like she's hitting it off with someone.
"Sure," Lucy says with a slight smile.
"Alright then," Natsu says and starts to put on his helmet. "I'll see you in a few."
Lucy turns around and starts to walk away. Who's that guy that Levy's talking to? He looks really huge for him to be in high school.
"Oh yeah," Lucy turns around to see Natsu standing off in the field, looking at her. "I didn't catch your name!" he yells.
"That's because I didn't throw one!" she yells back. "But it's Lucy!"
"Kay, later Looney!" he yells back. Lucy sighs. It's Lucy, not Looney you idiot.
Lucy then walks to where Levy was standing, before they go sit in the bleachers to wait on Natsu.
"So Levy," Lucy turns towards her. "Who was that guy you was talking to?"
"Oh," Levy blushes. "That was Gajeel, he's my lab partner in science class." Lucy raises a brow. Looks like Levy has a little crush. Thirty minutes or so passed and practice was over.
"Looney, come on let's go!" Natsu yells at her.
"It's Lucy not Looney, you idiot!" she yells back irritably. Natsu waits for her as she climbs down the steps of the bleachers. He leads her towards the locker rooms, which is where the coach's office is.
They enter the building and the smell hits her like a punch in the face.
"Ew," Lucy mumbles, scrunching up her face. "It smells like sweat and mold in here."
"Well it is a locker room," he says with a light cough. "What did you expect, for it to smell like roses and daises in here?"
"I don't expect that much from guys," Lucy says. After that it gets quiet, Lucy half-heartedly attempting to start a conversation, but failed at putting in the effort, so she just gave up.
As they walk down the hallway their hands would graze against each other here and there, and Lucy would mutter a quiet sorry. They get to the coach's office a few minutes later and see that he's not there. What kind of coach leaves before practice is over?
"Well," she says. "Looks like I'm not gonna be trying out at all."
"Awe," Natsu says with a smirk on his face. "Guess I'm not gonna have my own personal cheerleader."
"Oh, shut up," Lucy says as she pushes Natsu's shoulder. He chuckles as she does. They walk back down the hallway but this time Lucy has a bounce in her step.
"Lulu you have to be a cheerleader," Levy whines.
"But why," Lucy whines back childishly. "I already told you I didn't want to and you're still forcing me to."
"I'm not forcing you," Levy says. "This is me encouraging you."
"Pshhh," Lucy rolls her eyes. "Yeah right, Levy."
All three of them were about to exit the locker room building when Natsu stops.
"So I guess I'll see you around?" Natsu says.
"Sure, I guess so." Lucy says and Levy hums.
"Wait," Levy says. "Which way are you going?"
"Well after I pass the gate in front of the school, I head towards the train station," Natsu says.
"Oh," Levy thinks. "Well, Lucy's going that way but I'm going in the other direction. Could you walk her home for me or at least to the train station?"
"I can walk home by myself Levy," Lucy assures.
"In the day time sure but not at night, Lulu," Levy scolds.
"Okay, whatever, mom," Lucy teases while Levy just grins.
"I still have to change back into my hoodie and stuff, so wait here and I'll be right back," Natsu says then turns around to run back to the locker rooms.
"We'll be waiting right here!" Lucy yells at his back. Natsu disappears around the corner when Levy turns to look at Lucy.
"What, Levy?" Lucy asks a few seconds later.
"Nothing really," Levy turns to face the other way. "Just thinking about something."
"Well..?" Lucy asks.
"It wasn't anything important, Lulu," Levy waves her off. Lucy shakes her head. Boy do I have a weird best friend. Lucy thinks about a conversation topic and that's when it hits her.
"So, Levy," Lucy smirks and wiggles her eyebrows. "Who was that Gajeel guy you was talking to during football practice?"
"I told you," Levy blushes and tries to hide her face. "He's just my lab partner."
"I don't know," Lucy grins. "Seems like he's a little more than that with the look on your face." Levy doesn't say anything, she just blushes even harder.
Just then, Natsu comes back jogging towards them.
"Sorry it took so long," he says as they exit the building.
"It didn't take long at all," Lucy says. They enter the warm school house and walk their way past the front office, Lucy wishing they had stayed in the school a little longer. They walk outside, the cold wind whipping across her face, blowing her golden hair.
"Well," Levy says and hugs Lucy. "I'll see you tomorrow, Lulu. Call me when you get home so I know you made it back safely." Levy lets go.
"Okay," Lucy says. "Later Levy."
"Bye, guys," Levy turns and then they part ways. They walk to the train station quietly. I really should have brought a jacket with me. Lucy folds her arms across her chest to give herself warmth.
"So, Natsu," Lucy says, picking a random subject. "How long have you been playing football?"
"This is my first year playing actually," Natsu says.
"Hm," Lucy nods.
"How long have you been cheering?" Natsu smirks and nudges her.
"I have never cheered before," Lucy giggles. "Like, ever in my life."
Wow I actually forgot it was kind of cold for a minute. Lucy hugs herself even tighter and shivers.
"Do you want my jacket, Lucy?" he asks and starts to take off his jacket.
"No, no," Lucy waves him off. "I'm alright. You keep your jacket." Natsu puts the jacket on her shoulders anyway. She found his smell soothing. His jacket had the smell of cinnamon and ashes. Lucy wrapped the jacket tighter around herself, feeling warm already.
They arrive at the train station and see what time their train gets there.
"Which train are you getting on?" Natsu asks Lucy.
"The next one that arrives in a few minutes," Lucy says. "What about you?"
"Same," Natsu says. They don't say anything the next few minutes until the train arrives. When they get onto the train they sit right beside each other.
Minutes later they get off at the same stop.
"You following me or something, Lucy?" Natsu teases.
Lucy scoffs. "Of course I'm following you, Natsu." She rolls her eyes.
"I didn't know we lived in the exact same area," Natsu says. "Maybe even the same apartment."
"Wait, you live in an apartment too?" Lucy asks.
"Well, why else would I still be here?" Natsu shrugs.
Why haven't I ever seen him walk out of his apartment or anything? Or at least seen him on the train? Lucy thinks to herself.
They walk in a comfortable silence the rest of the way to their home. When they get there, they walk up the same flight of the apartment, then Lucy stops on the third flight up.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Natsu," Lucy waves as she unlocks her door.
"Wait," Natsu says. He walks back towards her and grabs her hand.
"W-What are you doing?" Lucy stammers as she feels her cheeks warm up.
He pulls a pen from out his pocket and gives her his phone number, scribbling it down on her hand. He grinned at the incredulous look she gave him.
"I'm giving you my number so we can talk more," He says. He clicks the pen and puts it back in his pocket. "See ya, tomorrow, Looney."
"Bye," Lucy smiles back. She opens the door to her apartment and feels the warm air as she steps in.
"What a long day," Lucy says to herself. She takes off her jacket, walks to her room and throws it on her bed, before realizing something. That she still had Natsu's jacket…
Natsu stepped into his apartment and locked the door behind him. He stopped at the coat rack, then paused. Lucy still had his jacket?
He smiled and ran a hand through his unkempt hair.
He crossed over to the couch and flopped down, squishing his face on the fluffy pillow. He closed his eyes, breathing in the warm scent of the room. A meow sounded from somewhere, and then Happy was purring against his foot. He lazily reached a hand down and petted him, before frowning.
It was always so strangely quiet at home.
Living by himself really did suck sometimes. Of course he had Happy, but the little guy didn't talk. Natsu rolled over onto his back and looked at the ceiling, furrowing his eyebrows in frustration. He wasn't tired. He also wasn't hungry…but that didn't mean he couldn't eat.
His mind drifted back to Lucy. Was she hungry?