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A/N: This fic will have about 7 chapters. Each of them from a general viewpoint and the fourth of every month. February 4th, March 4th, April 4th, May 4th, and June 4th, and finally, November 4th. And epilogue chapter will be at the end. This is pretty much an introduction chapter. :3
Disclosure: I don't own Fairy Tail or any of the things mentioned in this writing.
Love After War, a Fairy Tail fanfiction by Checkered Dragon of Old.
February 4th, 1917. Brooklyn, New York City. Outside the Heartfilia In-City Mansion.
Her skin was a pale, creamy color, much like the skin of a white ceramic doll. Unlike a ceramic doll's skin, however, her's was soft and well cared for. She had dark chocolate brown eyes and silky shining yellow hair. Not straw-colored or buttercup-colored hair; no, her hair was a beautiful light sandy hue that shone in the sun. Her lips were perfect, perky and pink. Her form, dialect, position of hands, etiquette, and taste in fashion and the like were exquisite. She seemed to be absolutely perfect in every way. Unless you really knew her.
She was a proper young lady, walking the streets with a servant girl companion following her and holding a laced sun umbrella to block the misting rain that was slowly falling toward the earth that day.
"Lady Lucy," the girl protested, "Please slow down!"
The lady slowed, a thin smile revealing to the world her light countenance, but to a chosen few her intolerance.
"I'm sorry your poor, short legs cannot keep up with mine," she said happily, the curls that had been secured around under her tilted pink fringed hat coming a bit loose.
"Oh, screw it Lucy, what's with the hair today?"
The lady jumped at the sound of his voice. She turned in the direction it came from, which was her right, and saw her fiancé, Natsu Dragneel. He was from a distinguished family who had received their wealth from overseas. Her own family had gotten it's wealth from a business endeavor her father had taken in his thirties. She grimaced, her mask cracking, at the memory.
Natsu noticed her blunder and quickly sought to overturn it by introducing a topic for conversation.
"I see you're as beautiful as ever today," he said cheerfully, taking her white gloved hands in his own and bringing her closer. The girl, previously known as the umbrella holder, raised her blue eyebrows and started returning to the mansion. Perhaps Lucy would tolerate Natsu today.
"And you are as charming as ever," she returned sweetly, smiling. A bead of sweat appeared on Natsu's pink brow. Hell, she was irritated. Ignoring this clear signal, he released her left hand and wrapped her right around his arm.
"Shall we take a walk, then?"
"Of course. Where to?"
"I was thinking we could go see the pictures of the War…"
Lucy pretend-huffed, "Oh, Natsu, I hope you aren't thinking of joining the army. America has not even joined the War, and on top of that, you aren't of age."
"I only wanted to look at the pictures," he protested, grinning down at her.
"Well, I guess it is okay then."
Their little façade was quite entertaining to the crowds surrounding them. They were entering the poorer part of the city, and with it, they dropped their masks. Their true selves could fully be let free here. She let go of his arm and let her hair out. He pulled his cap from his pocket and placed it lopsided on his head, threw his pocket watch to some kid, and lit a cigarette.
"That smoke will kill you someday," Lucy said, contempt dripping from her voice. Her walking was less about keeping her posture and more about getting somewhere.
"Just 'cause you're my fiancé doesn't mean you can tell me what t' do," he drawled in a lazy accent that he adopted when his tutor or father wasn't watching.
She slipped her ladylike manner of speaking and dropped it somewhere far behind her. "Yeah right, asshat." She reached up and tipped his hat so that she caught it as it fell. She used it to replace her missing laced bonnet.
Silence for a moment. "Usually you protest when I steal your hat and call you an asshat."
"Guess I jus' don't feel like it today, ya know what I mean?"
"Uh huh."
"So are you really going to join the army Natsu?" There was a small bit of worry in her voice. Like always, Natsu ignored it. It was probably forced and fake, just like the rest of her. He loved it, though.
"Nope," he lied. Truth was he was planning on joining the military as soon as Congress declared war. He couldn't wait to go and prove to the Germans that they were dead men.
"Natsu, the only reason I say so is because you are definitely set on going, no matter how many times you lie and tell me you don't plan to. This war is simple something Europe is dealing with. It has nothing to do with you." She liked to pretend that she didn't care, but if he died, she'd be devastated. She may be forcefully engaged to him, but that didn't mean that she didn't like him at least a little bit.
"Who says you know anything! We're stuck here being pussies while there's a war, a real war, going on across the damn ocean. I say we join the war. Those damn Germans can go to Hell for killing innocent people. All I've ever known is this war. Ever since I was fourteen…" Natsu trailed off. Lucy's eyebrows scrunched together. He glanced down at her.
"Your face will freeze that way."
"Shut up."
"I'll shut you up with a kiss like I did last week."
Their playful arguments always seemed to stem from that.
Obviously fake gasp. "You wouldn't dare!"
"Come here, my Lucy darling, come let me smooch you right here in public!"
"Oh, Heavens, Natsu. Shame on you and get away from me! I'm a virgin! You can't go around doing things to me!"
"Stop playing the victim here! I, the supreme commander of whoever controls the world, order you to lay down so I may ravish you right here on the sidewalk!"
"You savage dog!"
"You lil' bi-"
"Ahem."
They both froze in their positions. Natsu had previously been relentlessly tickling Lucy, having her pinned up against a brick wall in the alleyway. He hadn't even cared if anyone saw. Nobody cared in this part of town. But the voice that had interrupted them was enough to pause his thought process. He jumped away from Lucy and spit out the cigarette in his mouth.
It was Mr. Jiemma Eucliffe, a giant in the business world, and in size. He loomed over the young teenagers.
"The Dragneel heir… and his fiancé, the lovely lady Heartfilia." He said Dragneel like it was made of spit. In contrast, he purred out Heartfilia like it was a buttered croissant that was drizzled with honey.
"Uh, yes, sir," Natsu said, avoiding eye contact.
"You, young man, would do well to avoid any sort of physical contact for the time being, until you are married. If you are married," Jiemma snorted at Natsu. He then smiled at Lucy, making sure to mention that his son, Sting, would love to see her again, and then left.
"So much for avoiding the rich crowd in public," Lucy muttered, rubbing her bare arms with her gloves. Natsu removed his coat and put it over her shoulders, sensing her unease and chill.
"And I spit my last cigarette out, too. Damn."
"I'll buy you a cigar," she decided, picking up his hat from it's fallen place on the ground.
"A Viscount?" he asked, a little bit of childish hope in his eyes.
"Yes. Whatever you want," she grinned, "But I'm not the one who did any of this, right? And you gotta promise me that this is the last cigar you'll have for the rest of the month."
"Yeah! Of course. Now let's go get it!"
"But after, straight home!" she declared, raising a finger toward the sky.
"No messing with homeless people?" he asked.
"Nope. That Sting asshole is not going to marry me. If we get in trouble again my father will probably break the engagement…"
"Oh, but Lucccyyy, your lips are so soft! I couldn't imagine some jackass kissing them!"
Her cheeks heated up at the mention of it. "Oh, shut your huge mouth. Let's go get your cigar."
Times like these were joyous, but few. She wished there were more of them. But the war was getting worse and America was likely to get involved. She hoped they wouldn't. Nothing would stop Natsu from enlisting, but that was exactly what she didn't want. She was afraid he'd just off and leave her. She was afraid of losing him.
So how was it? I'd appreciate any thoughts you have. Thanks for reading!