From the author: So this is the first fanfiction I've really ever written and definitely the first I've ever posted. My best friend has gotten me invested in the Fairy Tail fandom. This one-shot is based on a prompt from your-otp-prompts on Tumblr. I hope you all enjoy! Please feel free to leave constructive criticism in a review, since I have no idea what I'm doing and need as much guidance as possible. -Amber

Easy as the Leaves

"Natsu! Happy!"

Lucy had just filled a cup to the brim with steaming chamomile tea. Without a job to do and not much happening around town, she planned on taking a day to relax and maybe work on her novel.

Of course, things rarely go as planned.

The pink-haired Salamander and his blue cat had burst into her apartment, uninvited as usual, and nearly caused her to spill the aforementioned tea all over herself. Lucy places the cup on the table and rests her hands on her hips.

"Don't either of you know how to knock?"

Natsu rubs the back of his head, grinning. "Sorry. But we wanted to show you something." Happy sits on Natsu's shoulders, nodding vigorously. "Aye!"

Lucy sighs. Well, they do look excited. She follows them out, making sure to quickly lock the door behind her. When she comes down the front steps, Natsu grabs her hand and pulls her down the street.

"Alright, close your eyes."

They had just stopped at an intersection. Lucy makes a face. "This better not be a prank."

Natsu gives his trademark grin, holding up his right hand, and Happy holds up a paw. "We swear," they say in unison.

Lucy wasn't sure whether or not she really believed them, but she closes her eyes anyways. Natsu, who hadn't let go of her hand, leads her a little while longer. Once they stop again, he lets go and when she hears his voice, it's no longer beside her.

"Ready?"

She nods, growing more curious about this whole situation.

"Okay, go ahead!"

Lucy blinks her brown eyes open. Natsu and Happy are standing in front of her, their arms extended to the scene behind them. The street is lined with bare trees. Autumn had come to Magnolia a month prior, turning the leaves from green to orange and knocking them from their branches. Those leaves had formed huge piles on the ground.

"What d'ya think?" Natsu asks.

"I think…"

The Dragon Slayer and the cat stare at her expectantly.

"…that the last one in is a rotten egg!" Lucy laughs, running toward the closest pile of leaves.

"No fair!" Natsu runs after her, Happy flying close behind him.

Lucy dives into the pile, rolling over and watching the displaced leaves float back down. Natsu lands beside her, causing a small wave of crisp leaves to cover her left arm. She pulls a silver key from the pouch on her belt and holds it up.

"Open, gate of the Canis Minor, Nikora!"

A white figure pops out of the leaves suddenly. "Puu-puun!"

"Hi, Plue!" Lucy smiles, patting the shaking Spirit's head gently. "Would you like to play with us?"

After the small Celestial Spirit nods, Happy swoops down from where he was flying above the two mages. He grabs Plue, who in turn grabs some leaves. As Happy flies over Lucy and Natsu, Plue drops the leaves on top of them. For a while, the otherwise empty street is filled with laughter and the crunching of fallen leaves.

When the group notices that the sun has started to set, they decide to head home. They stop at the steps to Lucy's apartment and Natsu nonchalantly plucks a stray leaf from her hair. Lucy smiles, a light blush creeping onto her cheeks.

"Thanks for a fun day, you two," she says, picking Plue up. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Natsu and Happy wave as she heads up the stairs. Once inside her apartment, Lucy sits at her desk, placing Plue on her lap. "Today should be written down." She goes to pick up a pen and notices her tea cup. She had completely forgotten about her day of relaxation, but decides that Natsu and Happy bursting in that morning turned out to be a good thing. She hoped that there would be so many more days like it.