"An hour? Oh. . . No, it's not too urgent. Thank you." Lucy said politely and hung up the call. With a sigh, she sat down beneath the giant tree at the center of her lawn. Of all times she had to be stuck outside of her house, it was during the hottest time of summer. Checking her phone, she determined that she had enough power for at least three hours.
"What should I do?" She tapped her phone screen idly. "Maybe I should review my notes? Or should I try to come up with ideas for my next chapter? I guess I'll read first to get inspiration." Her phone vibrated violently as she took her book out.
"Yo, Lucy! You busy?" The voice blared into her ear painfully.
"Natsu, don't shout. Yes, I'm busy with work." Lucy lied smoothly. The last thing I need to deal with is his antics. What a bitter thought.
"Really? That's too bad. Guess I'll gather the others," he mumbled. He was being uncharacteristically considerate. "See you soon."
"Sure." Natsu ended the call in a hurry. Lucy shrugged at his strange behavior and resumed reading her book. Not ten minutes had passed when her phone vibrated again.
"Lucy! Do you happen to be outside of your house right now?" Gray asked. The noise behind him was not in the least bit reassuring.
"No. Why are you calling me? I thought you had work."
"Natsu told me you were in trouble."
"We're coming, Lucy!" Natsu cackled.
"By the way, are you sure you're not outside?" Lucy glared at her phone suspiciously. The noise got louder.
"Why are you asking?"
"We might run over some-" The girl looked up in horror as she realized the noise she heard wasn't coming from the phone but instead was the roaring of an engine as a car catapulted towards her. With a screech, she rolled out of the way in the nick of time. The vehicle managed to stop inches away from the tree. The doors swiftly opened to reveal more than the two she had been talking to earlier.
"What in the world did you do?!"
"Natsu said you were in trouble and that you were going to die. It seemed dramatic but we weren't about to take any chances." Erza explained as she climbed out. "You seem fine, however."
"She was going to die, I tell you! Of boredom!"
"Is that true?" Erza panicked. Lucy rolled her eyes.
"I don't think I'll die of boredom but yeah, I'm bored. I was about to read my book when you. . ." The blonde trailed off and glanced at the car. Pinned under it in a crushed mess was her favorite book. Gray gave it a look and shrank back.
"Oops."
"M-my first edition, specially signed book." Maybe it was the heat added with the shock, but the last thing Lucy registered was the voice of another person apologizing while Gray scrambled to move the car back and retrieve the book.
Everything when black after that.
". . .you. . . Lucy?"
"Lucy. . . up. . ."
"Lucy, wake up!" Her eyes snapped open and she sprung up into sitting position. There was a collective sigh of relief following her sudden revival.
"Lucy, how are you feeling?" She turned to see that the unidentified voice from before had belonged to Levy.
"I'm fine." Gray handed her a muddy lump.
"Your, uh, book."
"Thanks," she replied halfheartedly.
"Why were you outside in the heat? It's dangerous to stay outside right now, you know?" Levy scolded her. Lucy whined at the unfair treatment.
"It's not my fault. My front door is busted."
"So you're just stuck out here?"
"Yea-"
"Then let's play a game!" Natsu and Gray shouted while wrestling for the car keys. Erza signed and forcibly broke them up before taking the keys for herself.
"You're bored right? Playing with us might help while you wait for help." Scarlet hair fluttering in the slight breeze, Erza waited for a response.
"No." Lucy replied immediately. The boys glared at her.
"Why not?"
"You have nothing else to do."
"I would have had a nook to read, if you guys hadn't run over it." Levy laughed nervously.
"Pretty please?" Natsu clasped his hands together and knelt down by her feet.
"No," Lucy grunted. "You'd probably make me do something idiotic."
"One game won't hurt." Levy insisted and Lucy caved in. There was no way she could say no to her fellow bookworm.
"Maybe just one."
"Alright!"
"We got all the players!"
"So what are we playing?" Lucy sat down. The others followed quickly.
"Truth or Dare." Gray replied with a smirk.
"Truth of Dare isn't one game, it can go on infinitely." Lucy moaned into her hands.
"Don't worry, with their attention span, they'll get bored eventually." Levy whispered.
"Man, to think we managed to convince Lucy to play Truth or Dare with us, what's next? Spin the Bottle?" Natsu cackled.
"Shut up! Who starts?" Erza bellowed with impatience.
"And despite the boys being the one who suggested it, someone else is much more excited than they are." Lucy mumbled.
"Let's go crazy." Gray said darkly.
"I'll start!" Natsu tried to ignore the murderous intent from his friends. "Gray, truth or dare?"
"Dare."
"Call Juvia and tell her you guys are going on a date. Any time is good, as long as it's within the week." Erza nodded.
"Brutal at the get go, I see. Good job, Natsu." Gray excused himself and came back a few minutes later, eyes filled with dread.
"How did it go?" Levy asked carefully.
"Well-"
"You didn't by any chance tell her it was a part of the game, did you?" Lucy shook her head.
"Actually-"
"Jeez, if you told her it was a part of a game, of course she'd get mad at you. Even I know that." Natsu opted to give his friend a pitiful look and Erza just sighed in disappointment.
"She's coming here to go out right now." Gray fell to his knees. "Curse Truth or Dare."
"O-on the bright side, it'll take her a while to know where you are and come here, right? Let's just keep going until she comes." The blonde patted him on the back. "It's your turn."
"I'm done with Truth or Dare. Let's play something else."
"Simon Says?" Levy suggested.
"King's Game." Erza replied.
"No, that's too dangerous." Gray mumbled.
"Rock Paper Scissors?"
"That's too boring." Natsu intervened.
"Then what do you suggest?" Lucy asked exasperatedly.
"We continue Truth or Dare." Erza rubbed her temples. Clearly, she wasn't to eager of waiting for a better suggestion.
"Then I'm sitting out." Gray sat under the tree for emphasis.
"Suit yourself. Lucy, it's your turn." Natsu gestured. Lucy gave Levy an apologetic look.
"Truth or Dare?"
"Truth." Erza slammed her hand on the side of the car with a loud bang.
"Levy! Saying truth instead of dare are reserved for cowards. Are you a coward?"
"I- I am!" Levy stammered and hid behind her friend's back.
"What?"
"Dare! I change my mind." Levy whimpered.
"Um. I dare you to find a copy of the book that was ruined by the end of the day." Lucy then whispered, "just take cover."
"But it's such a rare book!"
"Just get on with it," Lucy faked anger and Levy ran off in an exaggerated fashion. Nobody caught wind of their scheme.
"Natsu, I dare you to-"
"Truth," Natsu corrected. "A dare from Erza is like a dare from the devil. No mercy," he shivered. Erza clicked her tongue. There was no use in trying to convince him otherwise.
"Fine. What's you favorite pastime?" Eyebrows were raised.
"That's a surprisingly tame question," Gray commented.
"I guess when it comes to truths, Erza has no motivation to use her creativity." Lucy explained.
"Annoying people."
"No wonder he lies to barge into my study through the window." Lucy muttered.
"Lucy, Truth or Dare?"
"Let's play something else," she insisted. No matter what option she picked, she was bound to get trouble. "Do you have cards?"
"Lucy, there's no escape. I could give you a lighter dare if you choose so willingly."
"Fine, dare."
"Kiss me." Lucy blushed.
"That's not a light dare!"
"Hurry, Lucy. I want to get Natsu to do something.
"Fine, but it's a small one."
"Fine by me," Natsu laughed. Lucy leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. When she pulled back, she was greeted by a dissatisfied look. She huffed indignantly.
"You never specified where you wanted me to kiss you, so it's your loss." She turned to the redhead.
"Dare, right?" Erza nodded.
"Um, I dare you to stop making large scale dares from now on."
"You're just trying to protect yourself, aren't you?" Natsu accused.
"This is for you too," Lucy rebuffed. Erza looked deeply divided. Lucy clapped her hands and said, "Simon says stand up." Reflexively, everyone stood up, including Gray.
"So we're playing Simon Says now?" Gray asked in confusion.
"Simon says do the chicken dance." Wordlessly, they obeyed. "This is great. . ." Quickly, she snapped a picture and sent it to Levy.
"I want to be Simon." Natsu grumbled.
"Simon says stop complaining."
"And if I don't?" He challenged.
"Out. You may now leave." Lucy said plainly.
"Unfair! I want back in."
"Then wait for the next game. Simon says reenact Spongebob's laugh."
"No way! I'll look like an idiot." Gray shouted. Erza furrowed her eyebrows before trying to imitate the laugh.
"Woah." Lucy looked on it awe.
"Erza's being serious." Natsu started recording the scene with his phone. "Erza, Simon says treat me like a king," he commanded eagerly. They saw her mouth twitch into a frown before she bowed.
"Yes, your highness."
"Erza, you know you can stop now, ri-" Gray raised his hand.
"Simon says protect me from Juvia if she comes here."
"Sure."
"Yes!" He cheered. Natsu and Lucy gave him an unimpressed look. A pickup truck sped down the street soon after.
"Oh, that's the repair man." Lucy pointed to Erza, then to Natsu and Gray. "Erza, last command. Simon says get these two and yourself off my property." Erza gave her an understanding look.
"Got it. Sorry for bothering you. Come on, you two." She tried to herd the boys off the lawn but they ran away from her as soon as she turned towards them. "Come back here!"
"As if! I'm Simon now." They shouted together. Meanwhile, Lucy was showing the repairman her broken door.
"Do you think you can help me fix the door? It's stuck and won't open." The man hummed.
"I'll see what I can do." After checking the door, he gave her a frustrated look. "The hinges are the problem, but for how to get it to open again, there'll be a problem."
"What do you suggest we do?"
"Come back here! That is an order!" Erza tackled the runaways and the three of them flew into the door, forcefully breaking it down. The repairman looked at them in shock and Lucy groaned.
"Sorry, Lucy! I didn't mean for this to happen." Erza bowed and hefted Natsu over her shoulder with Gray already under her arm. They watched her drive away before facing the door again.
"Um, that'll be $150." Lucy handed him the money. As the repairman left. She slumped down and looked up at the sky.
"I knew it was a bad idea to indulge them!" Lucy spent the rest of the day searching for a replacement door. Levy was kind enough to watch over her house after successfully buying the book she was dared to recover.