Winter is my favourite season.. you can use needing to keep warm as an excuse for more snuggly hugs.

Chapter Three: Of Decisions & Unexpected Outbursts

"The Headmaster would like us to organise a fundraising event in order to assist in paying for the traditional five day trip that the final year students go on during the final semester."

Lucy twirled her pen around her fingers and watched in silence as Jellal spoke to the prefects.

"We have half an hour left before rounds so lets throw some ideas around okay?"

Hands shot up eagerly making Lucy snort in amusement. All eyes turned to her, some glaring, some wary, some curious.

"Did I miss something?" Jellal asked turning his head to face the blonde.

She waved him off, amusement and disgust evident on her face.

"Ah.. alright then.. lets go around one by one and share. Victoria? We'll start with you."

Said girl blushed furiously and nodded. "O...okay...um...so..-"

Lucy groaned and stood up, once again gaining everyone's attention.

"Fernandes, I'm going to start patrols. Fill me in tomorrow okay?" She didn't wait for an answer and made her way out of the stuffy room.

There was no way she was going to sit through half an hour of blushing, stuttering, fan girls.

No way in hell.

He couldn't help chuckling lightly when her frustrated thoughts drifted lazily through his head.

Sometimes she could be very amusing.

After stuffing his face the previous night and completing a couple of essays that were already starting to pile up on his desk, he had laid back down on his bed and considered his options, which made him realise he really only had two.

1: Sweep the blonde of her feet, mate, live happily ever after.

Or 2: Ignore every single instinct telling him to claim what's his and live out the rest of his days weak and miserable..

The latter hadn't appealed to him.

At all.

So he decided that since he really didn't know anything about her, he'd give her the benefit of the doubt and find out if there's anything sweeter underneath all that heavy sarcasm and ire first before settling on anything serious.

"What's so funny?"

Opening his eyes he glanced over at his friends then shook his head and turned his gaze up to the sky. "Its nothing. Don't worry about it."

Lisanna lay down beside him, resting her head on his shoulder and smiled.

"Are you feeling better today Natsu?" She asked softly. "I was starting to get worried.."

He glanced down at her and inwardly sighed. He knew she had feelings for him, and she knew he thought of her only as a friend, but she was still holding on to the hope that one day he might change his mind.

He would have to speak to her again. Especially now that every time she touched him he felt like he wanted to claw his eyes out or throw her a mile away from him.

There was only one person who that right belonged to now, even if she didn't know, or want it.

"I'm fine 'sanna. There's nothing to worry about okay?"

He gently nudged her off him and sat up just in time to hear Gray speak.

"Guys" He said from behind them. "Incoming."

Natsu ran a hand through his hair and unconsciously licked his lips. His body began to tingle and he became all to aware of her presence.

Whenever she was near him it was as if he'd stepped into a wide open space where he could breathe properly and was surrounded by nothing but warmth and fresh air.

The closer she got the hotter his flames danced under his skin.

He wanted to jump up and grab her and just ravish her against the tree. Onlookers be damned.

"She's so annoying, I bet you she's gonna stay that way for the rest of her life."

A low growl rumbled through his chest.

Scratch that, now all he wanted to do was use said tree to smash Gajeel's face into.

"Get moving." Lucy said once she was within hearing distance.

Erza stood with no complaints and nodded at the blonde while the others scoffed and rolled their eyes.

"Lucy."

"Erza." Came her monotone reply. "I'll be seeing you tomorrow afternoon?."

Erza ignored the slack jaws and wide eyes of the ones behind her and smiled.

"Indeed you will."

Lucy nodded and glanced at Natsu who was sitting with his eyes shut, fists clenched, & his body so tense that she mistook it for hostility.

"Do I really scare people to the point where they cant relax around me? Am I really that terrible? "

His head shot up just in time to see the frown on her face as she moved past them.

Guilt pooled in the pit of his belly and his shoulders sagged.

Why did he feel so bad?

"Damn that Lucy. You know what? I reckon I know a sure way to get the pole outta her ass." Gajeel said as they gathered their things to head in.

"And what's that exactly?" Erza asked.

Gajeel laughed outright, missing the dangerous tone in Erza's voice or the way Natsu's fists clenched, and slung his bag over his shoulder before continuing.

"Someone just needs to pound it outta her if you know what I mean." He said with a wink. "Bet I know a few guys willing to take a bit out-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence as a fist connected with his face sending him crashing to the ground.

Erza, Gray and Lisanna watched in shock as Natsu lifted Gajeel up effortlessly by the neck and smashed him up against the tree.

"Don't you ever speak about her like that again." He growled, tightening his grip. "I don't even want to hear her name pass through your lips, got it?"

Gajeel nodded dumbly, not knowing what else to do, and gasped for air after he was thrown away in disgust.

The four watched as Natsu grabbed his bag and stormed off without another word.

"What the hell was that?!" Gajeel winced, running a hand over his throbbing face and neck.

The others merely shrugged. They were just as lost as he was.

"Well whatever it was, he's got some explainin' to do."

Erza nodded and helped him up.

"I agree, as much as you deserved it. But he can wait, lets get some ice for that."

Gajeel continued to grumble as he let Erza lead the way and Gray and Lisanna simply followed quietly.

Both were too shocked to say anything.

He didn't stop walking until he was safe inside his room.

He didn't regret doing what he did, Gajeel deserved it. There was no way he was going to sit back and let him talk about her the way he had.

Sure, it wasn't new to him, hearing the things they thought of her and he used to just brush it off.

He didn't care.

But that was before he activated his curse and before he found out that fate had tied them together.

Things were different now.

Now whenever he heard a single bad word made in reference of her, his hands would move on their own to silence them.

It took a lot of willpower and energy to not appease the voice telling him to burn them all to ashes.

Fighting against his instincts exhausted him a great deal, and it was seriously becoming a hindrance.

Sliding to the floor and resting his head back against his closed door, he let his mind wander to the blonde and their most recent encounter.

There was something hidden in the way she had asked herself those questions which made him believe that there really 'was' more to her than anyone knew.

Was this the trick his father told him about?

He supposed it made sense, being able to hear what was going through her head. It meant he'd be able to figure out what she honestly liked and disliked and act accordingly

"Lucy Heartfilia.." he said under his breath as a small predatory smirk appeared on his face. "Brace yourself. You're mine."

A few corridors away, Lucy shivered.

One thing on my bucket list is to make a snow angel and throw a snowball at a random.. I've only seen snow in pictures and on the tv.. I bet it's awesome.

Xox