Chapter 1: Nicolas?

"Aaahh, I really wanted to try Garrett's route!" 21-year old Lucy Heartfilia plopped down the bus seat with a sigh. She opened the bus window and shouted after her bluenette best friend, "Levy-chan! I won't take your precious Garrett! I swear!"

Levy turned around and did the same thing as Lucy. "You better, Lu-chan! I found him first!" Then she raised her fist and flailed it around. "If I ever catch you doing his route, I swear I'll snatch Nicolas from you!"

"You wouldn't dare!" Lucy gasped, dangerously leaning out the window. "Nicolas is best boy! Nicolas is my best boy!"

The bus began to move before Levy could respond and somebody tugged Lucy back down her seat. "H-Hey!" The blonde turned to see who interrupted the conversation, ready to berate them. "Don't you know it's rude to – Nicolas?!"

She was at a loss for words. Her favorite character in T4DK was right in front of her, in the flesh. Nicolas Draconir: The First Dragon Knight, the son of The Fire Dragon King, her best boy! How was he in the same world as Lucy?

No, no, no! Dumb Lucy! Nicolas is only fictional! She berated herself instead. But why does this guy look so much like him?! Why does he have PINK HAIR?! Her eyes lit up. Maybe he is Nicolas! He came to fetch me–

"Who the hell is Nicolas?"

–okay, he isn't Nicolas. She deflated at the man's statement. Nicolas would never talk to her like that, and his voice wasn't the same. "He's the love of my life," she sighed.

Fake Nicolas – she decided she would call him that – looked at her weirdly. "How could you possibly mistake someone for the love of your life? Weirdo."

Lucy took a sharp intake of breath and released it shakily. "First you interrupt a conversation and now you call me a weirdo?! You really have some guts, huh?!"

"Hey, you were gonna fall out the window–," He turned green. "–shit."

"I was gonna fall out the window shit?" He amused Lucy as he started to sink down his seat. She thought he was cool at first, but his state right now told her otherwise. "What's wrong with you? Weirdo."

He glared at the laughing blonde. "Y-You should try h-having… m-motion sickness," he managed to say between gags. Fake Nicolas tried to force himself awake, but fell asleep on the girl's shoulder instead.

Lucy flinched upon contact, pursing her lips to push back a squeal. This was bad, a stranger was leaning against her. How should I push him off? Her eyes fell on his sleeping face, which was a bit green but still peaceful. There was no denying he was handsome. Like Nicolas.

Oh no.

This was very bad.

"Oi, wake up!"

Lucy bolted upright at the loud voice and tsked, not liking this kind of a wake-up call, "I'm up, I'm up." She opened her eyes and everything came back to her once she saw she was still on the bus. She looked to her left, hoping the Fake Nicolas was a part of her dream.

Well, it wasn't. So much for hoping. And from the looks of it, she also fell asleep against him. Aww, we must've looked like a couple – no, snap out of it, Lucy!

Suppressing the blush creeping up her neck, she backed away from him and glared him down. "You better have kept your hands to yourself while I was asleep."

Red tinted his cheeks. "W-What?! Of course! What do you think I am, a pervert?" Her look must have told him her answer. "Well, I'm not!"

"Whatever," she sighed, "how long have I been asleep?"

"Throughout the whole ride."

"I slept for six hours and you didn't wake me up?!" Lucy was furious. She fished her phone out of her pocket and found five missed calls from her brother. Her death was imminent. "Now I'm gonna die!"

"How could I when you looked so peaceful," Fake Nicolas muttered softly, Lucy almost didn't hear it.

She looked up from her phone and found a small smile on the stranger's lips. Her face heated up and she averted her eyes away from him. "You look stupid."

What are you saying, Lucy? He looks handsome!

I know! But why should I even tell him that?

So he should know, duh!

He doesn't need to know!

Lucy argued with herself, her expressions changing with every line. Fake Nicolas stifled a laugh. "And you look weird."

Taken aback, Lucy retorted, "Look who's talking, weirdo!"

"Takes one to know one." He leaned back his seat with a smirk on his face.

"So you're admitting you're weird, then?" She smirked back.

"And you're admitting you're weird." He smirked wider.

She frowned. "Touché."

Their bickering lasted for a few more minutes till they both realized the situation they were in. Lucy was the first one to snap out of it, her eyes taking in the completely empty bus and the conductor glaring at them.

"Nicolas, I think we should scram," she spoke in a hushed tone.

He gulped, clearly feeling the hard stare on him, "I agree." As soon as he said that, he clasped Lucy's wrist and ran out of the bus. She was startled.

Once they were off the vehicle, Fake Nicolas fell to the ground, startling Lucy even more. "W-What are you doing? Get up!" A few people were starting to give them looks as Fake Nicolas kissed the pavement. "SWEET, SWEET LAND! I'M NEVER GONNA RIDE A BUS EVER AGAAAIIN!"

Lucy could feel her soul come out of her body in embarrassment. He sure is something. Then Fake Nicolas stood up and started looking her up and down. Something I need to get away from. He walked over and dipped down to match her height. And fast.

"My name isn't Nicolas." His voice was low and she could feel his breath with how close he was. A few more inches and their faces would collide. Lucy's personal space was being invaded and, with her mind going to danger mode, she pulled her hand back.

A resounding slap sent the pinket backwards, holding his left cheek. "What did you do that for?!" Did he say something that ticked her off? He couldn't remember but he was sure he didn't.

"I-I'm sorry!" Lucy apologized, her mind relaxing at the distance between them. "I really am. You surprised me, don't do that again." She folded her arms across her chest.

Fake Nicolas gaped at her. "I should be the one saying that!" He also crossed his arms. "I'm not the one slapping people when they're tryna introduce themselves!"

The atmosphere turned playful again. "And I'm not the one pressing their face into someone's personal space!" She found herself laughing, "What were you trying to say anyway?"

"I was tryna introduce myself." He offered a hand to her as a fanged grin made its way to his face. "The name's Natsu! Natsu Dragneel!"

"And I'm Lucy. Lucy Heartfilia." She took his hand. It spread warmth throughout her body, making her feel nice and cozy in the chilly weather. "It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too," he returned the greeting with a teasing smirk on his face, "Luigi." Natsu started to run when he saw her brows furrow and her jaw clench.

"IT'S LUCY!" She chased after him, their laughs filling the street and their feet leading them to who knows where. Lucy couldn't believe how Natsu was so similar to Nicolas – in his toothy smile and onyx eyes. They even had the same initials and pink hair!

Natsu Dragneel, huh? What a weirdo!

Correction: A handsome weirdo.

Lucy, stop it!

A/N: Hello! If you're here, that means you actually read the chapter! YAAAAAAAAAAAY I'm so happy! This is my first fanfic here on ffnet! I'm sure you noticed that my writing isn't good LMAO HAHA I'M SORRY well, I'll see where this fanfic takes me! And hopefully I can explain more next chapter, I'll admit this one was confusing hehe sorry again ;-; It'd be nice if you left a review hehe it'll let me know what you thought about this chapter and what you think I should improve! Thank you again! See you next chapter!