Another silly kind of AU. They're really good practice and who doesn't love team Natsu shenanigans, right?
I'm not too happy with the ending (I wrote myself into a corner but that's nothing new) but it'll do. Hope you enjoy!
Just twelve more hours.
Just twelve more hours, Lucy repeated to herself, and we'll be at the beach and enjoying Spring Break to its fullest. And more importantly, out of this damn van. It was cramped (stuffed full of people, luggage and beach balls) and hot (the AC wasn't working) and Lucy had spent more than enough time in it already to last her a lifetime.
"I'm gonna barf."
"Don't barf on me you-urgk, idiot."
Lucy glanced back from the passenger seat at Natsu and Gajeel, who were currently whining about their motion sickness-as they had done for the majority of the trip. "Natsu, put your seat belt on correctly." Lucy reprimanded. She had already told him several times to fix it but he still remained splayed out in his seat with the seat belt only resting around his waist. The top part he had put behind his back.
"But Luccccyy, I feel sick." Natsu moaned back.
"I don't care. Put your belt on or else I'll put you in a car seat!"
"They don't make car seats that big."
"Wanna bet?"
"Lucy." Gray sighed from beside her. He was driving and losing his patience with their passengers just as much as her, including her as well. He'd also lost his shirt somehow. "I already have a headache, can you keep it down?"
"Does Gray need some aspirin? Juvia has some!"
Gajeel turned back to look at his roommate with a glare. It didn't hold the same level of effect as it normally would given his queasiness. "You have aspirin and you didn't give it to me?"
"Gajeel didn't ask Juvia." She replied smoothly.
"Then give me some now."
"No. It's for Gray."
"Gajeel, I have some Midol if you want it." Levy offered. She was sitting squished between Juvia and Erza in the back seat.
"No way, shorty, I'm not having any of that damn girly stuff! It'll probably turn me into a lady or something."
"Sorry I offered."
"Natsu, put your seat belt back on!"
"It's better without it, Lucy."
"I think it's time we partake in some classic road trip song." Erza said then and everyone in the car groaned. She cleared her throat. "Ohh, 99 bottles of beer on the wall, 99 bottles of beer..."
Lucy put her head in hands. Just twelve more hours.
It was 6 AM when they finally stopped driving for the night. They had run out of gas along the highway and had to be towed to the closest town. If it could be called a town, that is. It was really no more than a gas station and a Denny's. While Gray stayed at the gas station while he fueled up the van, the rest of them had gone to get some breakfast. The last meal they had was dinner and that was twelve hours ago.
Lucy slid into the booth seat, followed by Natsu and Levy. She slumped against the table top. Due to the drama of needing a tow and the "thrill" of not knowing if they'd run out of gas, she hadn't gotten much sleep during the night.
She tiredly glanced around the restaurant. It was empty aside from a few truckers and the waitress who told them she'd be over in a minute. She let her eyes shut as Erza and Juvia returned from the bathroom. They took their seats at the booth.
"Where's Gajeel?" Lucy heard Levy ask.
"Still using the faculties, I imagine." Erza replied. "Ah." Lucy opened her eyes and saw the waitress standing at their table. She placed the menus down and smiled at them.
"Late night?" She asked.
Lucy sat up and picked up a menu while the others engaged the woman in conversation. Lucy squinted at the fine print and exaggerated photos of breakfast food drowning in maple syrup. Her eyes caught the sight of french toast with a side of hash browns and eggs. She knew what she was ordering.
Natsu was looking over the menu beside her. She set down her own on the table again and asked him what he was getting. He grinned and pointed to an item on the back page.
Lucy narrowed her eyes. "'Senior Scrambled Eggs and Cheddar Breakfast?'" She read aloud and looked at Natsu, brows furrowed. "Natsu, that's from the fifty-five years or older menu."
"So?"
"You're not older than fifty-five." Lucy said deadpan.
"How do you know? No one knows my birth year so I might even be older than eighty."
"Natsu..."
"I'm just kidding, Luce. I'm going to have this one." He pointed to the menu again and Lucy's eyes nearly popped out. The Lumberjack Slam that he wanted consisted of two pancakes, a slice of grilled ham, two bacon strips, two sausage links and two eggs, plus Hash Browns or grits. Oh, and to top it off your choice of bread.
"Do you really need all that?" Lucy questioned incredulously.
"Of course he does, he's a bottomless pit." Gray said, gaining the table's attention. He took a seat beside Levy.
"You don't even know what she's talking about." Natsu scowled at him.
"No, but I can guess that it's the biggest item on the menu." Gray shrugged and took up one of the spare menus on the table.
Gajeel returned then as well and took a seat next to Erza.
"What took you so long?" Levy asked.
"None of yer business." He grumbled. He had gotten even less sleep than Lucy had since he'd refused Levy's Midol and couldn't get any shut eye when he felt like puking the whole time. Unfortunately this made him even crankier.
Levy frowned and was about to say something back when the waitress reappeared. "Ready to order?" She asked. Those who had the time to look over the menu ordered first and then followed by Gray and Gajeel. The waitress folded her notepad and grabbed the menus. "Okay, hang tight and I'l be back with your O.J. in a sec."
As she left, everyone collectively slumped back into their seats. Some of them may have gotten some rest but they were still pretty worn. And also still all cramped together. Lucy silently wondered why they hadn't chosen to take two tables so they could finally spread out. She leaned against Natsu's side. Well, it wasn't so bad and at least Natsu wasn't motion sick at the moment.
"We only have four more hours and we'll be at the beach." Erza said, folding her hands on the table. "I look forward to some time in the sun."
"Me too." Levy sighed longingly, resting her head on her hand. She glanced out the window. The sun was barely up but it was looking to be a good beach day already.
"I'd rather get some sleep first." Lucy yawned.
Juvia nodded. "Juvia would also like to get some shut eye first."
"We have to go to the hotel first anyway." Gray said, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hand. "Though I'm not driving anymore."
Natsu and Erza both spoke at the same time. "I will."
"No!" Instantly came the simultaneous reply of the other.
"Awh, why not?" Natsu whined.
"You get motion sick, idiot, remember?" Gray said and Natsu glared at him.
"Why not I?" Erza asked, her brows pulled together. The others shared a panicked look. If Erza drove, they'd no doubt make it to the beach ahead of schedule but the question was if they'd arrive in one piece.
"Why don't I drive?" Levy offered. "Erza you can..." She looked to Lucy for help.
"Sing." Lucy improvised and instantly regretted it. At least it was better than ending up in some mangled car crash. Maybe. "To keep up morale."
The group looked at her with a mix of doubt and dread but Erza nodded her head. "Very well. We can start up a reprise of '99 Bottles.'" She sounded quite pleased.
Lucy forced a smile. "Then it's settled."
They stepped out of the Denny's at seven. The day was starting to heat up now and the sun was higher in the sky. Lucy attempted to soak up some of those rays while she waited for Gajeel and Levy to go get the van.
Juvia was at her side, fawning over Gray as he changed his shirt (there was a misfortunate "accident" while they were eating where Natsu had spilled his orange juice on the garment. Gray was still seething about it but Juvia seemed tickled that her spare shirt she kept in her purse for him came in handy.)
Natsu and Erza were returning from one last trip to the bathrooms when the van pulled up. Gajeel was riding shotgun this time.
"Hey, no fair. I wanted shotgun this time." Natsu complained.
"Too bad, get in." Gajeel scowled. Even food hadn't tamed his crankiness.
"Come on, Natsu." Lucy said pulling on his arm as she climbed into the van. She was too tired to deal with drama about the seating now. "I'll sit in back with you." Natsu grumbled under his breath but complied. Erza followed him in, then Juvia and Gray.
"Alright, let's head to the beach!" Levy said cheerfully from the driver's spot. Lucy smiled and let her head rest against Natsu's shoulder. Maybe she could catch some sleep before they made it to the hotel.
Levy put the car into gear and began to pull away from the curve when a loud hissing sound was heard from the left side of the van. Levy quickly hit the breaks and looked out the side-view mirror. The cheerfulness drained from her face as the entire van began to sink on one corner. "Uh guys..."
An already knowing dread filled the car as she unnecessarily finished the sentence. "I think we have a flat tire."
Lucy put her head in her hands.
Just twelve more hours. Again.