A hot summer air blew in and out of Magnolia General hospital as patients, doctors, and visitors whisked in out of the automatic glass doors, sometimes children and young teenagers like to believe they were wizards so they stood in front of the door and watched it open and close until someone stopped them.
The A/C was on and freezing, but our heroine was sweating slightly, trying to calm a tumor patient down. ''Honey you're going to be all right,there is no need to worry we've scheduled your appointment for later this month.'' ''Sweetie you have Pilocytic Astrocytoma, they usually stay in the area they started and do not spread, This is how our treatment will be just surgery and we will watch you for a few days-'' ''Will I get to go home then?'' said a snot nosed girl with beautiful star like freckles hanging on her nose and cheeks, complimenting well with her beautiful Ginger locks atop her head, 'Yes dearest if we find nothing else to fret about'' she was a new patient and her tumor hasn't progressed yet, the children's ward 'Fairy Tail' was always up and busy with loud kids and sometimes loud doctors, depended on who was there.
Lucy heartfilia- the doctor( as she liked to call herself) proudly hugged the pint sized girl and placed her back in her bed, she thought of every sweet word to call the children in the ward not because she was trying to be nice, but because she loved every child who came there. She herself was once a child who came in for a broken legs after a crazy childhood game gone wrong, it wasn't serious that's why she is able to go about running her rounds around the hospital like nothing happened. (and she was some type of crazy athlete.) A twenty year old girl-wonder doctor, who was adorned with a pair of beautiful Café Noir eyes, ran out of the children's ward as quickly as she came to go for her 'once in a lifetime.' lunch break,
there she could meet her life long friend, Lucille ran all the way to her car and grabbed her cute child-like lunch box and matching pink thermos, she said to kid's it made her more approachable (that and she secretly liked the Hello Kitty on it.) Lucy ran back into the hospital and dived onto a bench next to the drink vending machine. ''Are you trying to break the sound barrier Luce.'' she heard her friend and spun around smiling to greet him, he was already smiling holding his vending machine lunch earning a frown from her. ''chips aren't good for a meal.'' she started her routine lecture.''I know I'm a doctor too!'' he chuckled sitting next to her, he ruffled his previously kept naturally rose pink hair, the hair that years ago caught Lucy's attention and still did now,
kind of like the many odd hair colors in Magnolia general. then he leaned over and playfully ruffled her dry and brittle hair she took zero care of, it looked nice but it felt the opposite, she knew it was coming so she kept her head down, Natsu took her by her chin so she could look into those onyx eyes, she liked to look into his eyes like an escape from reality, except for when he had a disproving look, ''I promise, I'll take better care of myself.'' Lucy said her eyes darting to the side. ''Promise?'' Natsu said holding out his hand for a shake. ''Promise.'' she replied taking his little finger in hers as she looked at him receiving a cute toothy smile, ''Here Mr. Magenta.'' she said handing him a second lunch she specifically packed knowing he wouldn't care to make his own..who needed to take care of themselves more? ''Hey, it's not magenta, more like salmon.'' he said calmly eating veggie dumplings, back in high-school he would get mad and yell about how it wasn't pink everyone was just seeing things, but he learned to love it as much as Lucy loved the color pink.
''Well my time is up, Luce catch you on the flip side.'' Natsu said standing up to his full height 5'11 and stretching, ''I'll see you later tonight.'' Lucy said quietly so no one would hear and misunderstand their relationship. ''see you later.'' he said aloud he could always hear her whispers, his ears were as keen as his nose. Lucy nibbled on her salad receiving a goodbye pat on the head she didn't look up, with all of her friends, goodbyes for even an hour were sad that was the problem with Lucy Heartfilia in her mind goodbyes lasted way too long, back when she was a child the goodbyes with her mother lasted years or so she thought. Doctors just guess that's the price she has to pay for being a medical prodigy. finishing up what she called a crisp salad (simply because she liked the sound of that.) and egg salad sandwich accompanied by chamomile tea, she got up with an excited start and walked with one hand in her coat pocket and another in her long dry hair, towards the Fairy Tail ward to keep the kids busy and happy. ''Hey guys!'' Lucy said jumping around the corner with her arms outstretched for hugs. ''AHH! the pirate lady is back.'' the kids yelled running for cover. ''Oh ho ho.'' she said, Lucy burst into laughter when the before mentioned patient said.
''Oh no, she turned into Santa Claus run!'' Lucy had to confess she was one of the loud doctor that visited this ward. ''Matilda the Pirate/Santa/lunatic woman is gonna get you.''she hollered those weren't all her titles it would just make her tired to say them all. The kids liked giving her many titles since they enjoyed testing her Eidetic (photographic) and quick-acting memory, she never faltered when remembering anything. Lucy dove under a bed and grabbed little Laki Oiletta's legs earning an ear-piercing shriek from the excited girl. ''Om nom nom.'' ''She is eating her!'' a little boy named Simon yelled adding more spice to the game. ''We need to slay her that is all we can do, I know it's sad..she was one of us.'' Mavis cried real tears, Lucy could swear this six year old girl had an acting major. Levy another pediatric doctor walked in on the mess of children piled up on the 5'6 young lady, she chuckled accidentally ending the game of buffoonery as the doctors in the Saber-tooth ward would call it, Lucy says they are all chestnut burrs, they have a prickly shell around soft hearts and they secretly wanted to play too.
''Oh sorry guys I just came to run rounds I didn't know a doctor was already here.'' Levy said holding in laughter. Lucy laughed a husky laugh. ''Ha Ha you thought you got me, but you let me live..distracted by simple things, my energy is tremendous and I shall have my revenge.'' ''NOO!'' the kids yelled all falling of her the demon disappeared in a puff of purple poisonous smoke. Lucy knelt by the bed she was halfway under when Levy walked in picking fallen warriors up and brushing their green hospital gowns off, before limping over to her friend Levy,
''No, levy save me there is still some seaweed from that final attack on me!'' actually it was a little boy still hanging onto her legs since he never wanted their plays to end. ''Now now, Zeref the game is over.'' Levy said gently ''NEVER!'' the pint sized hero yelled. Levy widened her always shy eyes. Levy pretended to saw the seaweed off of Lucy's leg, that was enough for Zeref so he screamed and fell off of her leg like the seaweed he was, the happy ward was left in loud laughter for yet another day.
''Whew!'' Lucy yelled into the frosty night air it was 8:29 and the weather was bipolar, earlier it was hot. she felt bad since goodbyes were never her thing, but her friends begged her to take the week off, she always worked so hard and long, she needed to rest awhile so of course she was sent away with wails and tears from the children.
''There are no wails in this ocean.'' she said earning nothing but silence. ''Corny!'' Simon yelled turning the mood back to laughter.''You know he is right, that was bad.'' Natsu said smiling from the wall corner, the children cheered he was their next favorite doctor, after a savage round of slay the demon king and pirate queen who always escaped (so the game chronicles would never end.) the kids were informed that Natsu too had a week off courtesy of Mira-Jane who said if Lucy had a week off he should too, she is so nice.. of course they were met with distaste from the children but they didn't cry since Zeref yelled he was quite energetic for someone who came in for heat cramps three days ago.
''I want you two to come back fully charged and ready for battle!'' The duo breathed in the streets of Magnolia and savored the little moments before Natsu who still had immense energy screeched. ''Last one home is a rotten diaper!.'' ''Ew!'' Lucy screamed but she was already running towards her car, she knew Natsu who was really quick on his feet was gonna beat her like he did since they were children. (he was always taller than her.) he ran across the street since he didn't have a car, his speed made up for that.
Lucy already lost him when she got into her deep purple sedan, he was that fast, she cruised down a hill and down a leafy and dirt path that through a small forestation till she saw a clearing decorated with three brick buildings and multiple vegetable gardens and fruit orchids truly a down to earth type place.
Lucy pulled up on the driveway of a dark blue building that was covered in leaves, the building had a chocolate starlight mint colored logo that appeared to be some sort of fairy like creature right smack on the building surrounded by the words Fairy Hills, Fairy Hills is a hospital owned mixed dormitory for doctors who don't want live in the hospital, but don't want to live too far away. Lucy knew she was beaten, but she wasn't going to fret, she used to run and fall trying to keep up with Natsu and his fiery personality,
she stepped into her apartment that was much like a small house, it had one room plus a guest room..overall it was huge! Lucy always lived in this apartment/house since her Father Jude Heartfilia, was a doctor in the Lucky ward of the hospital along with her mother Layla, the ward in charge of respiratory and cardiac functions.
He stopped living there when Layla his wife died when he couldn't save her and Lucy was in middle school, he didn't let Lucy attend the funeral simply because of her inability to let people go, so instead she spent three days crying on and off only Natsu her friend and his family who lived across the hall were there to comfort her,
all of sudden one day she received a check of $7000 and letter telling her that every month she will receive money since her father didn't want to live with her anymore..he didn't even write letter himself, his secretary did, since he didn't say the words goodbye she felt he was always near even though she didn't like that thought. She still remembered that time every time she came home thanks to her Eidetic memory, but she felt her best revenge would be to forget. Lucy opened her chestnut colored front door, a smile and burst of energy mixed with adrenaline, a 'Luce cocktail' as Natsu called it.
she ran into the house like Natsu was chasing her with a beetle, tossed her hospital coat onto her couch and ran into the bathroom stripping off her blackish green business pant suit, underwear set and scrunchie-she really like matching things. Lucy covered her dry blonde hair in a glob of mango scented shampoo, and scrubbed her skin with a rose bath soap, Lucy literally jumped out the tub and ran into her room with a towel hoping Natsu wasn't in there like in high school,
he would always be in her room. Lucy dove onto the floor, her black curtains were open, she crawled across the newly cleaned white rug and pulled herself up next to her bed where her go to outfit was lying since this morning. Nothing special at all just a pair of white girlish slacks and black blouse, she whipped her head around the room and threw her clothes on over a cherry colored underwear set, Lucy opened up the black rimmed window
''Hah life is as good as you make it.'' she whistled into the cold night feeling her wet hair dance in the air, she enjoyed this room more than the guest room because of its clear view of all her favorite stars. Lucy remembered Natsu when she snapped out of her trance, she hurried into the kitchen wearing cute blushing panda slippers, if you haven't guessed already everything in her house was colored black and white, Lucy added more to the black & white effect after popping a pot of lightly salted popcorn tossing it into a bowl and drizzling it with sweet milk chocolate, she heard her doorbell ring and she made a dash for the door letting her life long friend inside,
''Again, It never gets old Luce.'' Natsu said stepping into the house and taking off his shoes and replacing panda slippers on his feet. He was talking about the duos always matching clothes, no matter where they would dress, they always seemed to wear the same things with opposite colors, cause now Natsu was wearing a white sweater and black pants, you would think they were a couple but Natsu just came over like he did every weekend for their movie watching spree, Natsu had come over every week before until his family moved away,
but in high-school with his family's permission he moved back here, his reason being. ''I can't leave a pretty young girl like yourself alone.'' even now he saw the delivery man as sketchy so he left a pair of male shoes at her door. It was a big step to leave home so young especially when he had a brother named Gray the two loved each others company even though they always fought, and not to forget his sister cute Wendy and pets: Happy, and Carla.
But he always reassured his decision, it was big of Lucy to have survived so long by herself, so why should he not help her through hard times? Lucy wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed a hello, Natsu returned the hug with his one free arm. ''Hello Lucy.'' Again who wouldn't see these two as a couple, they moved around the kitchen and sat at the table to eat a healthy but delicious dinner conversing naturally all the while.''I bought new movies and a VCR player for your old TV.'' he said gesturing to her Sony big screen television, ''Who has VCR's anymore?'' Lucy said giggling as he plugged it up.
''Girl don't even start that you're the one with a record player and the old TV.'' Lucy closed her mouth and Natsu laughed at her white Crosley cruiser record player. ''A girl has jams to spin.'' she said after they were already sitting on the couch together quite cozily. ''Ghosts also have jams to spin.'' Natsu said laughing evilly when he got hit by Lucy, he knew she was afraid of ghosts, he just liked to tease her. Natsu flicked Lucy's hair cap with his index finger,
''What's this for?'' his onyx eyes annoyed by the cap, usually he rested his head on hers. ''I'm conditioning my hair-'' she said looking into his eyes and smiling. ''-and I'm gonna get it cut tomorrow.'' ''Your hair?'' he said alarmed. ''No I mean, I'm gonna get it trimmed..just the ends.'' ''Oh.''it was her turn to smile evilly whilst watching 'Little shop of horrors' Natsu didn't like the idea of her haircut and she knew it. After the last movie out of ten was over 'That Darn Cat.' and the credits were rolling Lucy said.
''Hmm That guy was dumb.'' Natsu laughed out loud at her random observation He knew she was still talking about Little shop of Horrors Instead of the movie they just watched That Darn Cat, he stood up to use the bathroom and Lucy picked up some of the half- eaten bags of snacks, ''We can run this off.'' Natsu said walking down the hall, ''Amazing!'' Lucy thought to herself Natsu could even hear her fiddling with the bags down the hall. She placed the snacks into a container and shook it up, her brand new party mix of sweet and salty treats.
''RING RING YOUR PHONE IS RINGING, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HEAR IT SOOOO GIRL PICK It UP!'' Lucy's phone hit a high note, she grabbed it and answered a unknown number just so she could shut off her embarrassing ringtone, it was too late she could hear Natsu upstairs laughing at her crazy singing, ''Be quiet in the bathroom!'' she yelled, then he was silent. ''Yes, Hello?'' she spoke into her plain white phone. ''Lucy.'' she heard a husky voice say and she knew who it was. ''Yes Jude.'' she said quietly so Natsu maybe wouldn't hear her, her face blank. ''When did you start just calling your father Jude.'' he said not getting an answer from the girl he left behind.
''Well anyway, I take it you know why I called?'' ''-Last time we spoke I told you I was going to get you married to Hibiki Lates a friend of mine's son, and you told me you had already married to someone with a good education background and good job.'' Lucy cringed she had told the biggest lie probably in history to her strict and money loving father. ''So this is about that..I'm coming over to observe the totality of this story.'' Lucy could feel her her icy heart towards her father being replaced by banging drums, he added to her fright by saying he was coming over in the morning and he was already on a flight. ''I know you're lying Lucy so you are marrying this boy end of story.'' he said infuriating the blonde.
In two breaths she whispered as fast as she could ''Okay then come over and see I'm happily married to someone who cares more about me than you ever did..You shouldn't talk on a plane so bye.'' Lucy hung up the phone and turned it off before he could reply. She heard Natsu exit the bathroom upstairs he ran down the steps, he couldn't stand up he was laughing so hard, repeating her ringtone. She wasn't smiling bashfully like she always was when he teased her instead she was staring into his eyes with a serious face. ''What, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings.'' Natsu said surprised.
''Natsu I need you to marry me.'' Lucy blurted out all at once, Natsu was silent he didn't know what to say to his friends sudden proposal, she could see something was on his lips and the tip of his tongue so she cut him off. ''don't worry it's temporary..it'll be a temporary marriage.''Natsu closed his mouth, Lucy couldn't see the disappointment in his dark eyes, 'she must really need me to do this' he thought so he agreed asking her to feel him in on the details, ''Thank you so much Natsu!'' she said running into his arms that were always ready to embrace her,
she told him everything, ''It shouldn't be that hard, what is the worse that could happen he said. ''Hey Natsu don't Jinx it Haha.''Outside the black and white house, there stood three dormitories, outside of those dormitories was the clear black and blue sky decorated with silver hanging stars and the clear moon. Outside the wind was the attached friend of the trees in the forestation, it was a signal that Autumn was coming under the pale moon multiple planes dipped up and down, one of the planes contained Jude determined that what his daughter spoke was all a lie. Natsu spent the whole night cleaning his house out and transporting things to Lucy's house, the two stayed up plotting and calling friends.''Whew It was gonna be a long ride.
End of first chapter.I just wanna say I kinda leaked this first chapter up till the race home from work, to a reddit user I don't think he will post it. Just a heads up. -Peace..out for now.