Yay. Another Fairy Tail one-shot for the hungry ..Soul. And maybe that guy in the back of the room. You know, the one looking at you? Or maybe I should say Kyubey? Yeah, Kyubey's behind you.
One Million Miles an Hour
One - Shot
"Do you ever notice the one person of this family that keeps calling you?"
"I bet I'm better than you ice block!" I yelled. Damned stripper was pissing me off again.
"Not if I can help it candle brain!" he yelled back. Oh, he was dying today.
I launched my fist at him, hitting him square in the nose. I heard the satisfying sound of his nose cracking under my fist. He's on the ground, adjusting his nose back into position. I jump again, about to punch him in the nose again. He kicks my stomach in retaliation. I think I threw up my lunch a bit.
"Both of you ."
Erza is suddenly grabbing us by the necks now.
"W-We're just messing around Erza!" I say quickly, putting my hand around Gray's neck.
"Y-Yeah!" he says, patting my head. Patting? He'd pay later.
"Hm. I see," she finally says, walking out of the guild.
"Where's she going?" I ask Mira, who has watched the entire thing. She isn't one to miss a fight in front of her bar.
"Bakery," she replies simply.
Oh. She's getting cake. I can't stand the stuff. She always eats it cold, even in the winter. And I don't think a blizzard would be able to stop her.
One's outside now, in fact.
A few people were holed up in the guild from it. Wendy, Gajeel, Levy, Lucy, Gray, Mira, Master, Elfman, Lisanna, and me.
Right now, we're waiting for Master and Mira to finish the stew they've been cooking. Hot, spicy, meaty, potato-y goodness was waiting!
"Mira! Is the stew done?" I ask.
"Yes, Natsu. It's done. Enjoy."
I grab the bowl from her hands and start to wolf it down. I feel everyone watching for no reason. Their eyes are on me, excluding Erza who was gone. What happened?
"What?" I say out loud, to no one in particular.
"Natsu. Do you know what's in there?" Lisanna asks, sitting down next to me.
"Food."
"What kind of food?" she asks again.
"I don't know. But it's good," I say, smiling.
"Natsu. Mira put Kilar Peppers in there, the spiciest peppers on the planet. How are you not affected?" Lucy says, staring at me.
"I like spicy."
I pour myself another bowl from the pot. Taking a bite, I notice it isn't as spicy.
"Can I have more of that pepper?" I ask Mira.
"No. I used all of it in the last bowl."
"Aww…"
I took to eating quietly as everyone around me was enjoying themselves. Lucy and Lisanna were talking about me, about how childish I am. I am not childish! I'm not as stupid as I look! Wait, what did they just say? I'm brain dead? I expected this shit from Gray! Not them.
"Hey! Stop talking like I can't hear you!" I yelled at them. The two flinched then started laughing.
"Why are you laughing?" I ask.
"Secret," they whisper, laughing at their own 'inside' joke.
"Bah."
I left the guild after finishing my spicy stew. The blizzard had died down but was still blowing heavily. A few tufts of snow had hit my face as I was walking back home. I think a few trees had fallen over. The wind was getting stronger.
A few minutes from my home, I saw an unusually blue tuft of snow crouched up near a tree. I walk closer.
"Juvia?"
She was curled up, shivering against a tree. She was still wearing those short clothes that covered almost nothing. And she was crying.
"Juvia? Are you okay?" I ask. What was she doing? What's going on?
"N-Natsu?"
"What the hell are you doing out here?" I yell. "You're wearing almost nothing and you're in a blizzard!"
"J-J-Juvia was trying to stand the cold, just like Gray can..." she replied.
"Why the hell would you care?"
"B-Because Juvia loves Gray!"
"It's not worth it if you have to freeze in a blizzard!"
She shut up after that.
"Come on. We're near my house," I said. "I'll start a fire."
I picked her up, noticing that her legs had turned blue.
"You have pretty bad frostbite," I told her, sighing.
"J-Juvia knows."
"You're body temperature is about 7 degree's lower than a normal persons," I pointed out. I entered my house and plopped her on my bed. I walked over to the fireplace and set it on fire. I walked into my closet, which was in need of reorganizing, and grabbed three blankets.
"Try to get up. You need to get wrapped up," I said again.
She did as I asked. "N-Natsu?"
"Yeah?"
"Y-You're acting strange," she said.
Ah. I put on my best grin.
"Really?"
"Yes. Juvia knows that smile is fake," she said.
"Ah. So you're not like everyone else," I say sadly, giving her a smaller, sadder, smile.
"Why are you sad, Natsu?" she asks.
Conflict. So many conflicts in my head but one stands out. Do I tell her?
"I don't know if you'd care," I say. I hand her a cup of warm water. "Drink it. It'll help."
"T-Thank you. Of course I'd care." She drinks the water down in seconds.
I look at her arm. I notice a small patch of blue. "You're arms frostbitten too."
I push her down into the bed after taking her empty cup. I pull the blankets up to her shoulders, making sure to pat it down onto her blue shoulder.
"You had frostbite up here to," I tell her, patting the blanket onto the shoulder.
"T-Thank you."
"I-It's nothing."
We sat in silence as I tempered the fire. It was burning brightly while the wind howled outside. But that was it. Just wind. I could look out of the window and see the stars.
"The blizzards gone. It's just wind now," I tell her.
"T-Then Juvia shall be on her way."
"No you won't," I tell her. I push lightly on her shoulders, pushing her down. "Not until the frostbite is mostly gone. I'll have Wendy look you over tomorrow."
I feel her settle into the bed, almost as if she was relieved.
"Why are you sad, Natsu?" she asks again. I'd hoped to avoid it but...
"I'm mad at Gray."
"Why are you mad at Gray?" she asks, a bit quickly. I can feel myself breaking under the thought of keeping this from her. I wonder if she ever noticed how I looked at her when she was looking at Gray.
"G-Gray!"
I can't stand the ice pick, especially when he's like this to Juvia.
"Because he treats you like crap! I mean, you're always trying to get his attention and all he does is shake you off like you're some kind of pest! And now look at you! You're here, willing to freeze your ass off for him and does he give a crap? No!"
She looked up at me.
"B-but-"
"It doesn't matter if you owe him or something! Family doesn't treat family like crap!"
"B-But Natsu-"
"And that idiot doesn't even notice how committed you are! He just looks at you in disgust each and every time!"
"I-I know..."
"Then why do you do all those things for him?" I ask, exasperated. "Gray ignores you all the time and all you ever do is try to get his attention. Isn't it time to stop, Juvia?"
She turned her body to the side, staring at me from my own bed.
"No. Juvia must get Gray to recognize her as family. Everyone else has but Gray..."
So that's what it was.
"So that idiot still can't see you as a guild member?"
"T-That's what Juvia thinks."
I looked at her, then over to the door.
"Stay here. Don't move. Your frostbite is bad enough," I ordered.
"N-Natsu-"
"I said stay here. I'll be back later," I ordered, again.
She looked at me for a bit before nodding meekly.
I walked out into the empty wind. It was still blowing harshly but wasn't so bad now that the blizzard was gone. A seemingly pristine world of snow was before me. Gray would have an advantage if we took it outside.
I began the walk to the guild, noting that the lights were still on as I looked at it from a distance. It seemed everyone was planning to stay the night.
I broke into a run once I reached the edge of a forest.
"G-Gray!"
He kept talking to Lucy as if she wasn't there. Maybe I didn't notice until now but that always made me mad.
"G-Gray!"
Why doesn't he pay attention to her? She just wants to ask him something. Even Lucy seems to be ignoring her.
"G-Gray?"
Why isn't the ice pick acknowledging her? Isn't she a member of the guild too?
"G-Gray..."
And why isn't she noticing how Gajeel and I are looking at her?
"Answer me..."
Why doesn't she call me like that?
I burst open the door to the guild, letting the harsh wind blow in.
"Gray!"
"What do you want hot hea-"
I jumped at him, punching him in the jaw, sending him flying into a wall.
"What the hell? Natsu?" Lucy cried, looking at me as if I was crazy. She stopped in her tracks when she noticed the scales that had started to appear on my arms.
"N-Natsu?" Lisanna said, clearly afraid. Erza was moving in.
I had to act fast.
"Gray! You deserve every last bit of this!" I yell, running at him. He blocked all my punches and pushed me away. I jumped back at him, unleashing some fire on my arm to break through his sudden shield of ice.
"What in the world are you talking about?" he yells. I stopped and stared at his form on the floor.
"Do you ever notice the one person of this family who keeps calling you?"
Erza stops in her tracks, contemplating what I was talking about.
Gray decided now to notice that I was ready to kill him unless he figured out what I was talking about.
"Natsu! I don't know what you're talking about!"
"Because you never notice!" I yell, punching the floor where he was sitting, watching as he jumped away.
"Notice what!"
Everyone was getting ready to try and stop me before I killed him.
"Never noticing Juvia!"
Everyone stopped for the slightest second, almost considering every word I said. I looked at Gajeel who had taken to stepping in front of everyone as if telling them to stop. Master was about to do the same.
"What do you mean?" he asked, sending a cold spear of ice at me. I punched right through it, punching him in the face.
"That you never thought of her as family!"
I punched him in the stomach again as he lied on the ground. Erza was staring at the two of us but decided not to stop us after seeing master. I'd have to explain to her and everyone later.
"Of course I do!" he yelled, jumping back up and hitting me in the chin with some hammer of ice.
I back flipped in mid-air and launched at him through pure magic power, punching him to the ground again. I stayed above him and put a flame to his neck.
"Natsu! That's enough!" Erza yelled.
I put the flame out but kept my hand on his neck.
"All she's ever been trying to do was get your attention. All she ever wanted for you to say was that you were family! You stopped the rain for her! And now you don't even acknowledge her!"
He stayed on the ground this time, not even resisting me anymore.
"Do you want to know something Gray? She tries so much to be like you, her role model. And you don't do shit."
He looked to the side, staring at nothing. I let go of his neck then kicked him to the side.
"Natsu! Stop!"
Erza rushed at me, her swords at the ready. Gajeel didn't seem to try and stop her.
I ducked under her first swing and looked her in the eye.
"Stop. Gray needs to hear this, Erza," master interjected. "Natsu, keep going."
I nod at him in thanks as Erza backs off.
"You can't do crap Gray. You can't even smile for her," I continued.
He looked at me in the eye. His eyes told me he understood, but he was still questionable.
"Why do you suddenly care then, Natsu?" he asked.
"Because I found her a few minutes from my house huddled in the snow, trying to be just like you; someone who could stand the cold with almost nothing on!"
He opened his eyes in shock.
"She had frostbite on at least five parts of her body. When I found her, she claimed she was trying 'to be just like Gray'."
He looked to the side in idle understanding. It wasn't enough.
"Do I need to spit it out? She almost died because you don't treat her like family!"
He curled up to his side, seemingly taking this all in. I walked away from him. Erza was standing in front of me.
"Why didn't you just tell him, Natsu? Why did you attack him?" she asked critically.
"Because Gray won't listen unless you punch him a few times."
I walked past her towards the door. I felt a hand on my shoulder.
"Thanks, Salamander. I owe you," Gajeel said. "I'll tell him my side of the story next. Care to watch?"
"No. I need to check on Juvia," I said, reminding myself.
"Ah. Take good care of her," he said, walking towards Gray, his hands curled into a fist.
"I will."
I walked out, but not before looking back to see Gray looking up at Gajeel. Gray was an asshole and he better fix it.
Or I'd stop being his family.
I walked back into the house, seeing that Juvia was up and about.
"I told you to stay in bed," I said softly, smiling at her.
"N-Natsu. Welcome back," she said, taking notice of my genuine smile. "A-and... Thank you."
I smiled back. I think I lost control of myself, seeing her prance around my house in the outfit of hers, tending to the flames as if she had done it all her life, but I pulled her into a hug at that moment.
"N-Natsu!"
I laughed, pulling her down with me onto the bed. I notice Happy flying around, seemingly excited that Juvia was here.
"You like her," he said, rolling the like the way he did.
I didn't feel like arguing. "Yeah, I do."
"N-Natsu?" she asked. "Y-You really do?"
"What idiot wouldn't? Besides, we're fire and water! We'd be most awesome team in Fairy Tail!" I told her, almost imagining all the cool things we could do together. I could wrap my fire around a jet of water from her! Our unison raid would be unstoppable, a fearsome display of power and grace!
And, you know, spending time with her seemed like it would be a great time. Why else would I beat up Gray for her?
I let go of my imagination for a bit, noticing that she was still wrapped around my waist. Happy was standing on her head and she had the biggest smile I had ever noticed on her.
Laying down on top of me, my best friend on her head like it wasn't a problem at all. I couldn't possibly resist her.
I bent up and pecked her on the lips. She seemed like... Blueberries. Cool, watery, and sweet.
She looked shocked but smiled again, leaning down at me this time. I wondered, just for a bit, what I tasted like to her. Maybe some of that spicy stew was leftover on my lips.
"Come on, Juvia. Your frostbites gone but you're still cold," I told her, pulling the covers over the three of us.
Happy crawled in between us.
"Natsu has a girlfriend," he said, snickering.
"Shut up Happy! You like Charla," I said. Juvia was looking at Happy with a strange affection. Happy noticed and, with a smirk on his face, mewed like a normal cat. I burst out laughing as she covered her face in sudden embarrassment, eventually joining with Happy and I as we laughed.
"W-We should sleep," she said quickly, trying to catch her breath. She was still smiling.
I pulled the covers up until it covered the three of us. Showing my awesome powers, I heated up the underside quickly with my magic.
"Warm?" I asked, watching as she sank into the pillow. She nodded slightly. I wrapped myself around her waist, trying to get at her with Happy in between.
"Damn it Happy! You planned this," I said, fuming at the 'sleeping' cat. Juvia giggled and grabbed my hand.
"Goodnight, Happy. Natsu," she said, closing her own eyes.
"'Night Happy, Juvia," I replied.
"You like her..."
"Of course," I told him, using my free hand to conk him on the head. "You're so paying for this in the morning Captain Cockblock."
I woke up to Happy curled up on my arm under the covers and Juvia's arms wrapped around my neck. My own arms were around her slim waist and I couldn't help but smile. I kissed her on the forehead in an attempt to wake her up.
"Natsu..." she moaned, immediately surprising when she made such a sound.
"G-Good morning Juvia," I said sheepishly. I noticed Happy was looking at us, a smirk on his face. "Get off me Happy."
"Good morning Mr. and Mrs. Dragneel," he said. Juvia's eyes opened quickly, mirroring mine as we flushed in embarrassment.
"I-It wasn't a dream?" Juvia asked.
I slapped my hand on my forehead before finally deciding to laugh. "We're not married but we are dating," I told her.
"So it was half true..."
I looked away for a quick second before looking back at her. "Aw hell, can't resist you."
I got up, pulling her with me before kissing her on the lips for the... something time.
"Good morning Juvia," I said.
"Good morning Natsu."
I'm beginning to think that telling the guild only a day after me beating up Gray was a bad idea. I didn't actually tell them but apparently, if I give someone my scarf it's a sign of affection.
Maybe holding hands was a bad idea too.
It didn't help when Happy told them we slept together. At least Gajeel knew I was taking care of her and started stating something about 'Salamander's a man!'.
And you know what?
I don't give a damn. I'm holding her hand, I had an amazing night with her, and she dreamt of being Mrs. Dragneel.
I can forgive Gray for this kind of happiness, I guess.
Fairy Tail is one big family, after all. I pulled Juvia closer just to make a statement and stared at all the men looking longingly at her.
"She's mine. You want her, you have to get through me!" I told them, laughing as they sauntered away. Juvia just grabbed my hand and, for what might be the fifth time, smiled.
And that's all that mattered to me.
Wow. Took a week but I'm done. Huh. Not the most I've written but I think it's satisfactory.
-InfinityStream
