AN: Shortly after putting up chapter one I re-read it and found that Natsu was painfully OOC. It appears you guys notice too..ahem. Sorry about that! I didn't mean for it to happen. I guess I find Natsu's character hard to write (for some reason:/) Well anywho I tried to make him more in character for this chapter (although for this story to work he's going to have to be a little OOC). Let me know whatcha think:D
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When the day finally came to a close at 3:05, Lucy felt it was perfect timing.
Her first day at Fairy Tail Academy seemed to have been a success.
The classes had gone smoothly (there were minimal outbursts from the students) and she felt as if she had made at least one pink haired friend.
Despite the day going well, Lucy was ready for some food and best of all: a hot bath.
Steam filled the little one room apartment as Lucy climbed into the tub.
She let out a deep sigh, now this was living.
After what seemed like mere minutes to Lucy (but turned out to be an hour or so) the young blond decided it was time to get out of the bath and start cooking dinner.
She opened her cupboards to find that a sufficient amount of noodles filled the shelves.
Lucy searched a little more to find the very thing she was looking for: Chef Boyardee.
After heating up (and consuming) her ravioli's Lucy put on a loose tank top and plopped on her fluffy bed.
"Oh how I've missed you." she sighed into the pillow, sounding muffled.
All too suddenly Lucy remembered she had forgotten to do her laundry.
Damn it, isn't that always the way? Right when you get comfy you have get up and do something.
Lucy lay still for a few moments, debating with herself on whether she should just forget the laundry and wear the same outfit tomorrow as today.
A futile argument: Lucy was not one to wear the same dirty thing twice in a row.
Giving a deep over dramatic sigh, Lucy forced herself up.
She slipped on some mini shorts and a pair of flip-flops.
Grabbing her laundry, Lucy headed out her front door and down the apartment stairs.
This proved to be quite a difficult task.
Not only were Lucy's flip flops just a little too big ("I'll grow into them." she had said) but her laundry was piled to the point that she couldn't see were the next step was.
You can do this. Just feel for the step.
Lucy moved her foot around and felt the safety of another step.
See! Good girl Luce! Now just feel...
This way of 'feel' and 'step' continued for half of the stairs.
Upon descending the second half of stairs Lucy was completely unaware that someone else was currently ascending them.
This other person was in a hurry because he had remembered that his oven had been left on for over twenty minutes (while he had gone to the store).
Both Lucy and the fast approaching man had no idea that the other was just around the corner: where the stairs turned.
This ignorance resulted in...
"MUGAHHH!"
The two young adults were sent falling down the last few steps of the stairway.
Lucy's basket of laundry came tumbling after, spilling all its' contents on the way.
The young man hit the ground first and Lucy followed suite, colliding on top of him.
Lucy mentally cursed herself for allowing personal vanity to pry her away from her warm bed and into this very painful situation.
Though she wasn't sure washing your clothes counted as vanity.
"Holy crap." The guy beneath her groaned and all at once Lucy realized that she was probably suffocating him.
Quickly Lucy adjusted herself off of the poor pink haired...
Oh dear Lord.
Lucy looked down to find that the man that had nearly killed her was none other than her fellow employee, Natsu.
"Natsu?!" Lucy exclaimed in question, "What are you doing here. And why did you try to assassinate me?!"
Natsu opened his eyes to find the same blond haired girl from Fairy Tail Academy and was equally as shocked.
"Lucy?" He asked blinking, "What are you doing here?"
"I happen to live here." Lucy said folding her arms.
"Really? I live here too."
The two of them looked at each other blankly for a few moments before it dawned on Lucy that her laundry was scattered everywhere.
"My laundry!" She shrieked, seeing that all her things (such as lacy bras and some skimpy panties) were on display.
"Oh, sorry about that." Natsu said scratching the back of his head, "Let me help you."
Just as Natsu had begun to pick up a few articles of clothing Lucy yelped out an indescribable sound, causing Natsu to stop what he was doing.
"What's wrong?" He asked in alarm.
Lucy was desperately trying to hide her crimson cheeks as she said, "N-nothing it's you're...it's fine. I'll pick it up. No help required."
Natsu was truly confused.
"Why don't you want my hel-" suddenly a bright yellow bra caught Natsu's eye and he soon put the pieces together.
He decided to not continue with his current question and instead asked another, "So you said you live here?"
"Yeah, just moved in a few days ago." Lucy paid little attention to Natsu, due to her own embarrassment and absorption in the mission at hand: operation collect all the panties.
"Small world, isn't it?" Natsu said feeling very amused with the situation.
"Uh-huh," Lucy replied inattentively as she gathered the last of her laundry, "all done!"
Lucy sighed in relief and Natsu started laughing.
"What's so funny?" Lucy asked feeling quite puzzled.
"It's, it's you." Natsu said between laughs, "You're just so weird!"
Weird?! I'm weird?!
Lucy began to blush.
"And just how am I weird?" Lucy pointed out her finger, "You're the one sprinting up stairs, trying to kill poor unsuspecting women!"
"Kill?" Natsu asked as his laughter began to die down, "How could killing you possibly benefit me?"
Lucy glared in Natsu's direction and was met only with a cheeky smile.
"Well...I don't know exactly but you obviously had some evil plan in mind." Lucy replied picking up her basket of clothes, "Why else would you be running like there's a fire?"
At the word fire Natsu's eyes looked as if they would pop out of his head, "Fire?! Holy shit, my oven!" and with that closing statement he dashed up the stairs leaving behind a bewildered Lucy.
"And he says I'm weird." Lucy muttered and headed towards the laundry room.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The next morning Lucy awoke completely on time.
"I hate mornings." Lucy mumbled as she lazily made her way into the kitchen where she began boiling water for her tea.
With a yawn she stepped into some freshly cleaned clothes: a pair of black skinny jeans and another white button up shirt with a small black tie.
After drinking her tea and eating breakfast, Lucy tied her hair up in a pony tail and walked out the door.
She was just about to start walking down the stairs when Lucy noticed a little blue cat in front of the apartment door across from hers.
Strange. I've never seen a blue cat before.
Against her better judgment of picking up stray animals (and blue ones at that) Lucy bent down in front of the door to pick up the small feline when...
*WHAM*
The door the cat was in front of flew open just as the fuzzy creature jumped away, leaving Lucy wide open to receive the blow.
"GAH, WHAT THE HELL!" Lucy screamed falling on her back, while clasping her now throbbing head.
"Huh? Who, what?" the owner of the home peeked his pink head around the door to find a familiar blonde cursing the high heavens.
"Lucy!" Natsu exclaimed with glee, "What's wrong with your head?"
Lucy opened her eyes to find a certain pink haired school teacher staring at her in confusion.
"IT'S ALWAYS YOU!" she cried out in rage flailing her arms in the most comedic action Natsu had ever seen (though given the circumstances he stifled his chuckle), "WHY THE HELL IS IT ALWAYS YOU?!"
Natsu was beginning to feel slightly confused, "What do you mean?"
"YOU NEARLY BASHED IN MY FREAKING HEAD!"
It was then that it came to Natsu's attention that Lucy's forehead had a small cut and that he was the cause.
"Lucy you're bleeding!" Natsu exclaimed bending over to the bruised girl, "Are you okay?"
Natsu was mere inches from Lucy's face, causing the young woman to blush madly.
"I-I'm fine. It's just a small cut." Lucy was beginning to think that Natsu was clueless when it came to the issue of personal space (in addition to a few other things), "You really don't need to be concerned."
"But you were yelling." Natsu stated, not taking his eyes of her cut (or pulling his face back for that matter).
"I...uh...I wasn't really..." Lucy could feel her heart pounding at a million miles a minute.
Suddenly Natsu stood up and Lucy was able to retain composure, "I wasn't really mad, just shocked."
"Well let me get you a damp cloth." And with that Natsu stepped into his apartment. He reappeared a few moments later with the cloth and handed it to Lucy.
"So what were you doing in front of my door anyway?" he asked as Lucy began to dab her cut, wincing in pain.
"I was trying to pet a blue cat."
"Oh, you mean Happy?" Natsu asked.
"I guess." Lucy replied, finally getting to her feet, "Is Happy your cat?"
"Yep." Natsu said, his face beaming, "You don't see too many blue cats around."
"That's true." It now came to Lucy's attention that she had spent too much time chit-chatting when she was supposed to be heading to work.
"Natsu! We have to go!" she squeaked and started down the stairs.
"Why?" Natsu questioned with his hands in his pockets.
Is he serious?
"A little something called work. Ring any bells?" Lucy said feeling like this man was hopeless.
"Oh! Work!" and with that Natsu raced down the stairs leaving Lucy to catch up.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The week went by with relative ease and then another and another and before Lucy knew it three months had gone by.
By now Lucy was really starting to feel comfortable with the whole teaching thing.
She was also beginning to feel quite comfortable around a few of the teachers at Fairy Tail Academy.
First there was Gray who although appeared like a hottie at first, was a complete spaz who (no matter how hard he tried) couldn't keep his cool.
It seemed to Lucy that although Gray and Natsu got into the most fights, they were also the closest friends among the teachers.
Then there was Loke, who seemed charming enough but a little too touchy for Lucy's taste.
He spent most of his time flirting with her (and other female teachers) but made sure to check his reflection frequently as well.
After Loke there was Erza who was not only an incredible teacher but an intimidating woman as well.
No one ever questioned her and although at times she scared Lucy herself, Lucy couldn't help but feel Erza was the most respectable of all women she had ever met.
More recently Lucy had met Makarov's secretary Mirajane, who (among the females) Lucy had grown the closest to.
Mirajane used to model for companies like Dior, Gucci, and even Victoria's Secret but had to retire due to injuries she had received in a car accident that had nearly taken her life.
Lucy admired Mirajane for her optimism and wished that she could be that upbeat all the time.
There were other teachers of course such as Cana (the drunk), Juvia (who everyone knew obsessed over Gray), Gajeel (the jerk, who often called Lucy 'bunny girl'), and countless more.
Lucy had also heard people talk about the Vice principal named Laxus.
It was rumored that Laxus hated working at Fairy Tail almost as much as he hated his grandfather (and boss) Makarov.
Lucy hoped that she wouldn't have to ever meet Laxus but knew that was wishful thinking (he was one of her bosses after all).
But out of all the people Lucy had met at the academy the one she had spent the most with was Natsu.
Lucy had come to discover that despite his first appearance of being a calm, collected guy Natsu was actually the biggest dork she had ever met, with no sense of personal privacy or space.
For instance, over the past few months Natsu had not only come into Lucy's apartment uninvited (he was very good at using the window) but he had also used her toothbrush, eaten almost all her noodles, gone through her drawers (in search of food no less), broken her coffee maker (pushing the 'start' button too many times), and not to mention all the times he had seen her practically naked (when he decided to 'pop' by for one of his unexpected and uninvited visits).
And then there was that feline.
Oh Lucy could go on for days of how that dreaded blue thing had ripped up the sides of her couches, and used her carpet for its own personal potty break.
But all this was nothing compared to the fact that the fur ball could talk.
Yes talk.
Lucy had no idea how (she didn't even think Natsu knew how) but Happy was indeed a talker.
Although he wasn't allowed to speak in public (what would people do if they saw a talking blue cat?).
Well all of this was reason for Lucy to hate Natsu's guts or at least be incredibly annoyed, which she was most of the time.
But somehow despite all this Lucy still found Natsu to be her best friend.
After all, the pink haired idiot had good qualities too.
Natsu was always willing to help people in need (including Lucy when she had too many papers to grade).
Natsu also always let Lucy choose when they watched movies, or ordered food.
He also was quite the cleaner (surprisingly considering the messes he'd make).
Natsu also rubbed Lucy's feet, went shopping with her (and carried all her bags), attempted to fix things (although fixing things usually meant making them worse than how they began), and even took care of Lucy when she was sick with the flu.
So Lucy supposed she liked being around him and although she wished he'd knock a little more often, she secretly liked the idea of seeing Natsu sitting on her couch when she'd come home from the store or something.
Well for the most part anyway.
"Natsu is possible for you to hurry? We're going to be late again!"
It was a chilly December morning and Lucy was currently waiting for Natsu to find his coat.
Considering the two lived right next door to each other they typically carpooled.
"I'm trying Luce but I just can't fi-AH HA!" Natsu jumped with victory as he found the black jacket he had been searching for.
"Okay, okay, great job. Now let's go!" Lucy headed out the door with Natsu close behind and the two got in Lucy's little yellow bug.
Upon arrival at the school the duo barely had time to get to their classes before the student's tardy bell rang.
That damn Natsu! He always makes me late!
Lucy sighed as she took off her peacoat and began to take roll.
Suddenly the door burst open, revealing Natsu.
"Luce! You forgot your bag."
Immediately, all the freshman students began giggling and Lucy mentally cursed Natsu's lack of professionalism.
"Thank you Mr. Dragneel." Lucy said with as much emphasis on Natsu's last name as possible.
For a moment the salmon haired male only stared in confusion but then, as if a light bulb went off said, "Ohh, you're welcome Lu-er Ms. Heartfilia." And with that the art teacher was gone.
Lucy sighed and began teaching.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Sorry about earlier Lucy." Natsu said as he bit into his turkey sandwich.
It was lunchtime and the teachers were gathered in the lounge wrapped in various conversations.
Lucy smiled and said, "It's okay Natsu, just call me by my last name in front of the kids, 'kay?"
Natsu nodded his head and went back to scarfing down his food.
"You know," Gray said sitting across the two at the round table, "It doesn't matter how many times you tell him. You can't teach an old cat new tricks."
Natsu stood up and shook his fist in Gray's face, "Who are you calling a cat?!"
Gray stood up, shaking his fist as well, "Who do you think dumbass!"
"That does it!" And with that Natsu lept across the table and tackled Gray to the ground.
As the two battled it out Lucy began to wonder…
Isn't it you can't teach an old dog-
Suddenly Gray landed on Lucy's soup bowl, sending the contents onto Lucy's blouse.
"GRAY! NATSU!" Lucy screeched and the two immediately stopped their spat.
"IMMAGONNAKILLYOUGUYS!" Lucy screamed with such rage that both Natsu and Gray weren't exactly sure what she said.
That is until she charged at the both of them.
Soon the lounge was in chaos, Lucy was chasing after Natsu and Gray while the two young men ran for their lives and amidst it all Mirajane was desperately trying to talk Lucy into a 'peaceful' negotiation.
"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?!" The whole room stood still as Erza's booming voice could be heard.
"W-w-we just-heh-" Gray was trying to come up with an excuse when Erza cut him off.
"SHUT UP AND EAT!"
And everyone did just that.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
It was the end of the day and Lucy was packing up her stuff when she heard a knock at her classroom door.
She looked up to see Natsu.
"Hey," she said with a sigh, "I'm almost done here, then we can head out."
Natsu shifted uncomfortably.
"Well actually, I was coming in here to tell you I don't need a ride today. Gray's going to take me."
Lucy shot the pink haired man a skeptical look, "Okay..."
"Well, see ya later Luce!" Natsu said in his usually cheery tone and bolted out the door.
"What a wierdo." Lucy sighed aloud and continued to pack up.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X
Well that concludes chapter two:) Not much of a cliffhanger but better than none at all, eh? I'm thinking the plot of this story will happen in either the next chapter or the one after. GAH! I just want to get to the plot! But I don't want it to seem rushed. Well thank you to everyone who has helped me with constructive criticism and with such nice reviews:) They help me continue my story:)
