So, over the past few days, I've been reading a lot of NaLu fanfiction, so I decided to write some of my own because I cannot contain my shipper heart. So, we'll see where this goes.
It was a cold, frigid October morning and Lucy was shivering in her thin jacket as she walked along the streets searching for a birthday cake for Erza. She wasn't really looking where she was going, she was more preoccupied with talking to Levy on the phone, as they tried to coordinate and figure out what to do for the scarlet-haired beauty.
"Levy, have you thought what to get Erza?" Lucy asked, sidestepping a few rowdy kids.
"Well, that's the thing Lu…I don't know," Levy confessed her voice sounding strained. "Erza's student council president, and she's so responsible and such a good role model that I'm afraid if I get her the wrong thing she'll be upset or embarrassed."
"Levy, when she's with us Erza isn't the student council president. She's just Erza," Lucy told one of her closest friends. "Doesn't Erza like Jellal? Maybe try to coordinate something with him or see if he has any ideas?"
"That could be a good idea!" Levy said sounding excited. "Maybe I will do that. Have you found anything for her?"
"Ah, not yet. But I'm on my way to pick up a cake, so that counts for something right?" Lucy laughed nervously.
She heard Levy sigh irritably over the phone. "Lucy, this isn't something that you should be so carefree about you know. Erza is our best friend, and we have to make sure that this birthday is spectacular for her! We're all seniors and she's going to be headed to some prestigious school, so this is our last birthday with her together for a long time."
Lucy sobered immediately. "I know that Levy, and I am nervous because I want to make this birthday the best yet. We're hopeless at this! Maybe we should have asked Mira or Juvia for help. Or what about her other friends? The ones in Class D? Wouldn't they know what to get her?"
"Natsu and Gray?" Levy asked. She laughed a little, "Yeah they might, but I don't think I've ever seen them hanging out with Erza unless she's breaking up their fights."
Lucy pursed her lips. "Well, it wouldn't hurt to ask, would it? Do you have their numbers?"
"Nope," Levy answered cheerfully and Lucy sighed, a little irritated. "I don't hang around them much…I know who they are, but I've never gotten in touch with them. We're acquaintances, not super close friends."
Lucy pushed open the door of the bakery, slipping inside. "I guess that makes sense. Since Juvia is obsessed with Gray, do you think she has his phone number? Maybe she can try them?"
"Lucy! You know that Juvia won't give us Gray's number, she'll consider us 'love rivals'. Besides, she'd be too shy or embarrassed to contact him after what happened last year when she confessed and he shot her down." Levy reminded Lucy, who sighed and nodded her head in acceptance. "It's okay. Just focus on getting the cake, and we'll figure out the rest. Besides, Erza's birthday isn't for almost a week still. We got time."
"Y-Yeah," Lucy stammered. "Bye Levy."
"Bye Lu!"
With a sigh, Lucy hung up and put her phone in her bag. Levy was right about what thing though; they had to make this the best birthday for Erza. Lucy sighed, looking at the display cases of cakes. She had come to Fairy Tail Academy in her sophomore year and had immediately been befriended by Levy and Erza. At first, she had been shy around the two but they had both brought the blonde out of her shell. Levy like Lucy was a bookworm, and Erza was cool, calm and collected but fiercely protective of her friends. But Erza was like Levy and Lucy, in that she was still a girl she just hid her feelings under a tough exterior.
After Levy had been bullied because of her short stature, and Lucy because of her assets and Erza had defended the two of them and gotten the offenders in trouble, Lucy realized how precious a friend Erza was. Since then the three of them had been inseparable. Lucy pursed her lips, that was why her and Levy had to make this the best birthday for Erza to show her how much they appreciated her. The door the bakery opened, and two guys stumbled looking flustered with their faces red. The boy at the cashier scowled at them unimpressed.
The one with dark hair laughed, "Guess we're late huh?"
The one with salmon-colored hair shoved the one with dark hair. "Shut up, idiot. Did you forget that we need this job?"
"Whatever Flame Brain," the dark haired one shrugged. His eyes fell on Lucy and they widened. "Hey, aren't you in Class A?"
The other boy and even the cashier turned their attention to her and she flushed under their gazes. "Yes."
"So, you're in classes with Erza!" The salmon-haired boy said, adjusting the scaled scarf around his neck. Dumbly, Lucy nodded not quite sure what their interest was. "Good job Ice Princess."
The dark-haired boy sighed irritably. "Hi, I'm Gray. This idiot is Princess Natsu."
"Oi Frosty!" The other boy shouted glaring at his friend irritated. He turned back to Lucy a sheepish smile on his face. "I'm Natsu."
"Natsu…Doesn't that mean 'summer'?" Lucy murmured under her breath, unaware that the two boys could hear her. She shook her head and shot them a small smile, "Hi. I'm Lucy from Class A. You two are in D, right?" The two flushed and nodded. "Then how do you know Erza?"
"We were friends when we were children," Natsu said, smiling crookedly. "Even though we're in different classes, we're still friends! Classes don't define who your friends are, you know that right Luigi?"
"It's Lucy," the blonde growled. She looked at Gray, "Where is your shirt?"
The dark-haired boy flushed and picked it up off the ground. "Sorry."
"Stripper, go to the kitchen!" Natsu growled irritably. Surprisingly, Gray did so without question. Natsu turned to Lucy, his cheeks a little flushed and a somewhat apologetic look on his face. "Sorry, about him. Hey, why are you here Luigi?"
"It's Lucy," she answered back. Then she smiled, "Why else? I'm getting a cake for Erza."
"Oh, her birthday is coming up soon!" Natsu said sudden realization hitting him. "We should probably get her something…"
"Yeah probably, if you guys are friends with her," Lucy answered carelessly. "She walked up to the cashier, "Could I have a strawberry cake for next week?"
"Yeah," The boy answered. "That's eleven-fifty."
"Here," Lucy said handing him the money. "Thank you. It was nice to meet you Natsu," Lucy threw over her shoulder as she walked out of the bakery.
At least, she had one less to worry about now.
But those two are really strange. Ice Princess and Flame Brain? What kind of nicknames are those? Lucy thought. Oh well, I guess it doesn't really matter.
That night, Lucy lay stretched out on her bed. Her thoughts were spinning with images of that smiling boy Natsu. She had to admit to herself, that he was pretty cute but his personality didn't match hers at all. At the bakery, she may have exuded an air of confidence and optimism, but she was actually much shyer than she appeared. He appeared too easy-going and happy-go-lucky and didn't look like he took anything too seriously. Her phone ringed and she rolled onto her stomach, to more comfortably use it.
Erza: Where were you guys today? I thought that we were going to meet after my student council meeting.
Levy: We were! But, we saw us with Jellal so we thought it might be best to leave the two of you alone. Right Lu?
Lucy: Aye! ?
Levy: See Er! Lucy agrees. The two of you are so cute
Erza: Who me and Jellal? We aren't a thing Levy!
Levy: Not yet
Erza: I swear Levy I'm going to murder you. Hey, Lucy are you okay? You seem awfully quiet tonight, is something wrong?
Lucy: Haha, no Erza. I'm fine.
Erza: Don't lie
Lucy: Well, I was just wondering how you know Natsu and Gray? They're an interesting bunch, aren't they? They seem very wild.
Levy: WHAT!? YOU MET THEM!?
Lucy: Yeah, at the Zodiac Bakery. Apparently, they work there?
Erza: Yeah, the two hooligans work there with Loke. Did they give you trouble Lucy? I can go kick their asses.
Lucy: Haha, no they didn't…Well, Natsu kept calling me Luigi but that's beside the point! How do you them Erza? And why haven't we met them before?
Erza: Loke is a womanizer. Gray is a pervert. And Lucy, you've met Natsu. Gray and Natsu don't regard homework as a top priority, even though the two of them are smart and would do very well if they applied themselves...And….I don't know exactly why I didn't tell the two of you. I thought maybe you wouldn't like them? Or wouldn't like me?
Levy: Erza that's silly! Even if they are a little bit irresponsible, we'll always like you because you're our friend!
Erza: Thank you.
Lucy: No problem! That's what friends are for, isn't it? But…Those two, I still wonder how the three of you are friends? Since they seem like the exact opposite of them.
Erza: Well, I guess we are opposites but they aren't bad people. I think that's why we get along so well. Natsu and Gray, both have big aspirations to help people and that attitude is a good one. It resonates with me because I feel the same way. It helps that we were friends when we were a lot younger. Ever since then we've been friends, even if they are boneheads.
Levy: That's nice of you Erza
Erza: There's nothing nice about it. I just promised that I would always be their friend and I don't break my promises.
Lucy: That's still a nice thing to do though Erza.
Erza: Thank you. Let's go to bed, shall we? We have a big day of school tomorrow.
Levy: Yeah. Night guys!
Lucy: I guess. Goodnight Levy! Night Er ?
Erza: You two…Goodnight
Lucy logged off of the messenger app, smiling. She flipped back onto her bed.
Natsu and Gray must be good people if they can get along with Erza. But, I wonder how their relationship works since Erza is so responsible? Eh, I guess it's not that big of a deal. It's not like I'm going to see them again; we've never run into each other before even at school. And I'm in Class A…What are the chances that I'll run into someone in Class D, Lucy thought.
Although she couldn't help but feel a little sad at the prospect of never seeing Natsu. She shrugged it off, and let her eyes slip shut as she fell into a dreamless sleep.