"Who's the King?!" chanted everyone but Juvia and I.
We all drew our wooden sticks, and because of all the Truth or Dare nonsense, I barely had enough energy to announce that I was the one who was "King."
"Alright, whatever," I sighed. "Number 1 and 4 have to hug for the rest of the game."
Cana took one look at Wendy's face, and rushed over and wrapped her in a tight embrace. "I'm never letting go of this wittle fuzzball!"
Wendy's face tinted pink as half of it got buried in Cana's cleavage.
"Who's the King?!"
I drew a 3, and thank God, I was not anybody who was chosen, but Wendy was, and by Lisanna's command, had some trouble doing five push-ups with Cana still hugging her.
Next, Erza was the "King," and I was forced to strip out of my pajama pants. I have already sang half-naked in the room with Erza, Lisanna, Juvia, and Cana before, so this wasn't as embarrassing as it should have been.
Cana was the next "King," and naturally tried to make a member drink a shot from her giggle-bin.
Sweat beaded on my brow as I heard that my number was chosen, so I tried to refuse, but Lisanna argued. "If it was Wendy, than we would refuse, but you're a year from being old enough to drink. Rules are rules."
I took up the glass, and my hand started to shake, but I swallowed my pride along with the burning sensation of the destructive liquid. Not long later, I felt it, and began acting a little more crazy than anyone would have expected.
I learned later that the crazy ones of the group (Erza, Cana, Lisanna, and Mira) took this opportunity to get some "juicy secrets", out of me, even though it was just one shot.
"Who are you crushing on?" Was the first question from Mira.
In my drunk, shameless self, I held a peace sign with two fingers. "No one! I'm just one hopeless virgin!"
"How did you like your alcohol, Lucy?" Asked Cana.
"Can I have another drink?" I answered, swaying.
"What is your relationship with Loke?" Asked Lisanna.
"That pervo's gotta got some plenty of girls~~ Because he talk to me like nothing..." I started to slur. "I hate that bastard..."
"If you could do anything right now, what would it be?" Asked Erza.
"To have another shot!" I cheerfully answered.
"What is your deepest, darkest secret?" Asked Mira.
I was shocked when I was told the next morning that I replied, "I have about a thousand copies of one series of a light novel when I accidentally clicked the wrong amount on that online shipping place~~... or was it eBay? I...- that's not dark.. I mean... Jude got mad... I probably should have answered that I never ever loved my father, Jude..."
They decided to continue playing with me as a drunk, since Mira thought it would be funnier.
I woke up that morning to girls spread about my room in a horrible, chaotic manner. I guess Cana refused to let go of Wendy, since they were both snoring away in a small bundle. Juvia was the only one who slept normally, since all the girls had half of themselves out of their sleeping bags and their faces covered in chocolate and other various snacks. I didn't remember much, but I felt a horrible headache and wished to do anything but get up. I was a mess, along with the others of the group. I forgot to put my pants back on, my hair was curled and frizzy and half-up into a bun, and my face gained a couple of zits from the sugar my body wasn't used to.
Cana decided to do the loudest sneeze I have ever heard in my life, causing me to collapse back onto the pillow in pain.
"I have a hangover from one shot of whiskey?" I said out loud.
I I I
"Yer not-ta lookin' too good, 'eartfillia-san," said Beth, one of the infamous "gals" I have once described before, the one with the strangest accent.
"You could say that a bit quieter," I sighed, sitting down.
"I mean, look-a' you! No makeup, yer hair'sa mess, yer missin' half yer dog-gawn books. I guessa' can't blame you, since yer father 'n all."
"My books?" I asked, then groped through my bag to find that, indeed, my books were not there. I clenched my fists and brought them to cover my ears. "Damn this.. I'm a total mess today."
"Heartfilia-san!" yelled an unfriendly voice I did not need to hear this morning. Miss Minerva was known in the school to have a relentless attitude, and I did not disagree. "Having some trouble this morning, huh? I've heard you skipped class yesterday, and got a couple of boys in trouble. May you explain yourself?"
I put on my best poker face and took a deep breath. "Sorry, ma'am, but I should I have notified you that it wasn't Loke and Natsu's fault for trying to rush me to the hospital while my father was wanting to give his last words. I guess the next day wouldn't be too good, after your father dies and you have the responsibility to make decisions for his business; but I apologize for skipping, and I will try harder next time."
I guessed that Miss Minerva didn't hear the entire story of my absence, since she looked thoroughly embarrassed at the explanation.
"O-Oh... I'm sorry to hear that, Heartfilia-san... I guess I'll be a bit less harsh.."
l l l
Club was a complete mess. The moment I walked in, all eyes were on me. I tried to ignore it, and walked to the benches, but a small swarm of people gathered around to console me. Natsu was the first to arrive at the bench, and plopped down beside me.
"You okay, Luce?" He said, keeping his hands in his pokets.
All I did was stare around at the crowd, and kept my eyebrows narrow.
"Awww," continued the boy. "If you are hiding feelings from us, you can let them all go, you know."
Instead of "letting my feelings go," or sarcastically commenting on their behavior, I sat back on the bench, crossing my arms in front of me.
"Instead of me doing the talking, can you give me some advice on coping with my father's death?" I legitimately asked the crowd of ten.
Loke was the one who walked forward and grinned. "I can cheer you up a bit. How 'bout going on a date with me sometime this week?"
I raised an eyebrow at the obvious player, and said that I was convinced he was joking.
"You already hit on her, Loke," said Levy. "This joke is getting old."
Loke ran his hand through his hair. "What if I told you that I was serious this time?"
The group, including me, all burst out in dry laughter.
"The longest relationship you've lasted in was a week, Loke," said Gray.
Loke grew red. "Well... if Lu-tan is willing, than I plan to change my ways!"
"Lu-tan?-"
"So, what'll it be?" Asked Erza, staring at me.
I narrowed my mouth into a frown. "I'm not falling for a prank like this."
Loke put on a face of genuine pity. "My sweet flower, why would I hook up with you for such a short period of time right after your father died?"
I lifted a shoulder. "I guess that's a good point..-"
"Loke-san has never asked someone out like this before," beamed Wendy.
"One date," continued Loke.
I sighed and looked up at the fake puppy-eyes, and finally gave him my answer: "One date."
The small group erupted into half of a cheer, and half of a gaping mess.
"You're making a mistake!!" Yelled Gray over the other nine, who were sort of celebrating.
It's just a date... I thought, eye twitching.
l l l
I arrived at my home to find all of the staff huddled around the dining room table, searching through papers and printed pictures.
"What are you all doing?" I asked.
"Princess," replied Virgo. "We are currently planning Jude-sama's funeral for next week. We would like to partake of your preferences, if thou shalt not mind."
"Preferences on white lilies and mahogany coffins? I think you got that task covered on your own," I said, turning away.
I balled myself up into a protective lump on my unmade bed the moment I entered my room. After a couple of good, satisfying moments of sheer bliss of loneliness, I regained my composure and collected my phone from the pocket of my bag.
There, I saw, were ten unread messages, all from the same guy. The amount of stickers and emojis hurt my eyes with the brightness. I read:
"Lu-tan!!!!~~~ Welcome home! I'm only guessing your at home~ You aren't the type to text and walk!!" - Loke
The multi-colored hearts and smiley-faces probably reached the limit on the message.
"M-kay... you can't possibly take this long to go home. Maybe if I come home with you, it'll solve a couple problems~~" I didn't really know what problems it would solve, but I got the message anyway.
"Lu-tan, call me. The Lok-machine is getting lonely," Broken hearts and teary-eyed faces filled the bubble.
And the rest were just Loke begging for attention.
"Goddamn it, Loke, I don't need both you and Natsu messaging me all the freaking time!" I said out loud.
As if on cue, Natsu texted me.
"Luce if your ever feling bored er lonel, you can come to meee!"
His simple, plain, emoji-less text comforted me.
Of course, only seconds later, Levy decided to send me a voice message, telling me to "Perk up! Do your best! Don't feel down, because we're here for you!"
All of this was a huge impact. If I was actually in the mood to do it, I would block all of them and chuck my phone across the room; but, alas, the phone fees must be spared. I chuckled. For the first time in my life, because of real people doing real, actual stupid things in real life, I laughed. I couldn't help but feel cheery at the fact that they want to help me.
I lay down on my bed once again and replied to each one of them:
"Thanks."
A horrible thought struck me just as I sent the last message to conveniently-timed Lisanna who had the perfect video of ANIME CRACK to help me. I bolted up into a perfect sitting-position.
I immediately escaped my bed, and threw the door open. "Virgo!" I yelled. "When's the funeral? Court's gonna get me in the ass and I need your help!!"
~ Natsu's POV : Dragneel Residence :~
"Good to be home," I said, stretching while entering my creepy and definitely suspicious home. I looked around, cautious of any Zerefs out to greet me in the worst possible way, but the hall was safe to run across to enter into my small room.
Only five minutes of peace and My Hero Academia, and Zeref knocked on my door. I quickly paused my laptop and sprinted across the messy, darkly lit room and opened to the baby-face of the terrifying adult.
"Zeref... I didn't know you were home today!" I stammered.
Zeref smiled widely, closing his eyes. "Brother, how could I be away on a day like this? I am proud to say that it's your third anniversary of moving in to this house! Or, 'Natsu's day'! I have invited those of the Banana Brothers and got meals for the occasion."
Sweat beaded on my brow. "Lemme guess... Ham with banana cake and green tea?"
Zeref's eyes grew wide. "Why, no, Brother. Those are important festivity catering for sacred events such as our brotherly bonding every month. It is not spent on your special day! I have prepared your favorite, spicy curry with triple chocolate cake!"
"That's a first..." I said, aside, but turned to him. "Great, but can you skip out on the Banana Brother thing? I swear when you invited me one time, one dude was making eyes at me during, -ehem-, one-night-stand-sharing-time... thing.."
Zeref frowned, slightly, keeping his smiling eyes shining. "I see. Well, I can cancel the party I was originally planning, even though Luis was baking extra-special cookies..."
My "conversation" was interrupted by the ringing of my laptop, meaning someone was calling on "Talkster." "So... See yah in...?" I asked.
"Two hours, Brother. I have to pick up the preparations." And Zeref walked off, allowing me to bolt over to my laptop and pick up the call from my online friend, "Hibickupgirls," or Hibiki.
"Hello, my dear, fellow geek, whom I love to chat with, and is so nice, and lets me win on games I suck at," said Hibiki from the computer.
"What do you want, man?" I asked.
"Well, I have received word from a certain someone's certain girlfriend that it was his birthday~~"
I used the date of me moving in as my birthday for somewhat of a replacement since I didn't know my real birthday.
"We call it 'Natsu's Day,' here at the house," I replied. "And what about this certain birthday?"
"Well, his super hot girlfriend invited me to come. Her and I are pretty tight, you know. I wanna talk to you and meet your new friends! You know, the new girl at your club! You talk a lot about her."
Hibiki lives close by, about an hour away, which we found out when he went to the restaurant I worked at and saw my name tag, which possessed the super-cool surname I used on basically every username on every game I've ever played with him when I met him online half a year ago. He's visited the house, like, twice. For half an hour each. We aren't that close.
"If I'm inviting Lucy, then you are prohibited from entering my propriety. We don't need our newcomer to think that her leader has a whole bunch of weird, pedo friends."
"Aww, protective of your 'ittle duckling, aren'tcha?"
"Well, she pretty much hates me, so I'm sure she's not gonna come. You can come if you want, but make sure to bring a present."
"Yeah, no. The only present you're getting from me is not having your busty female friends fall for me in the first five minutes I enter the room. See ya, man."
I hung up and leaned back on my chair. "What a jerk..." Abandoning my laptop, I turned on my phone to the chat I used to notify the club about anything special.
im having a "birthday" party in two hours if anyone wants to come. I wrote.
Only a couple of seconds later, Levy replied with: Sounds fun! My schedule's clear, so write me up on the list, haha!
i'll bring snacks wrote Gray.
I bring booze -Cana.
who said you can come ice queen elsa? -Natsu
I'm guessing Elsa is Gray? -Lucy.
Lu-chan! You joined the chat! I could basically hear Levy's ecstasy.
Hip-hip-hooray for me, I guess, but what's with this ice thing with Gray? -Lucy
Long-story-short, Gray stripped and accidentally spilled ice water on his boxers -Erza
Hah!~ Like it was an accident, that pathetic virgin, wrote Loke with his usual overuse of emojis.
what the hell do you mean by that, playboy? -Gray
Back to topic, my gentlemen. Who's coming to the party? -Erza
Cana, Gray, Levy, Loke, Erza, and definitely Lisanna confirmed.
I may come late, since I have an important phone call to make, but I'll come if there are no difficulties wrote Lucy.
be cautious of two orange-haired perverted snobs attending -Natsu
"I'm not a pervert, but a perverted gentleman!" Itaru Hashida, August-something, 2010 -Loke
nice reference loke but dont tell me hibiki's gonna come? i cant stand that guy -Gray
Ah, yes, the one man who cannot withstand my incredible good-looks and charm, Hibiki himself, the king of the Player's Club. -Levy
He hit on me, too -Erza
Saaaame -Cana
I think I'm used to it by now, since Loke made me be, with the messages and all. -Lucy
I do it with love, sweetheart -Loke
Call me that again, and I'll break into your phone and message all the girls you have a "relationship" with and I'll say that you enjoyed all the Otome games you borrowed from me, your, what? 11th girlfriend you have this month? -Lucy
That was a VERY specific threat. -Levy
whatever. i said hibiki can come and guessing that he knows i have access to girls his type hes coming -Natsu
Alrighty, then, I guess we'll see you in, probably an hour and thirty? - Levy
Everyone said their goodbyes and logged off, leaving me somewhat lonely, but I felt better when Lisanna arrived at the door.
"Yo!" She said, shooting her arm in the air. "Happy Birthday, Natsu!"
Lisanna hugged me briefly and held up a vibrantly-colored flame-design party bag. "I think you'll like it."
I grinned. "Zeref likes it if I open all the gifts at the same time in front of everyone." And I placed the bag on the table.
"Awww, okay, but doesn't that get embarrassing?" She asked.
"Ah, well, my brother likes it, so.."
"That's sweet," she said, smiling. "To do that with your brother."
I shrugged. "Changing topic, Zeref won't be here until a half an hour, so we need to clean."
Lisanna perked up. "Wait.. we're here alone?"
I headed to the kitchen while she followed. "Is that a problem?" I asked, finding no difficulty with it.
"Ah..." she murmured, turning pink. "No.."
I instructed Lisanna to clear the table while I swept the floors.
"Wow, you actually do know how to do a little work," she said. "I've seen your room, and I've assumed that you hate cleaning."
"I do," I replied, emphasizing the "do." "Zeref taught me how, but I still despise it. They make me do it at the restaurant as well. Like, why does it need to be clean all the time? It'll just get messy again, and its a waste of energy, too! I mean, people enjoy it, but I don't understand how.."
Lisanna sighed dreamily. "Maybe its one of those things that they just love for no reason." She looked up at me through her eyelashes, and smiled. "That kind of stuff."
"It's just cleaning, Lisanna," I said, chuckling. "Not some kind of philosophical metaphor— if I used that phrase right.."
"Close enough."
We continued to clean, I wiping down the countertops while Lisanna did the dishes. When I was about to put the towels away, I turned my back to Lisanna, and, dropping the towels on the floor, felt her press against my back and wrap her arms around me.
"You know," she said, the warmth of her breath trickling through my t-shirt. "You're dense, you can never stay still, you eat way too much, and you lose your temper too quickly, and you have horrible taste in... everything; there's one thing that I can't deny that is really great about you, Natsu."
She pressed her forehead between my shoulder blades and whispered, "I'm in love with you for no reason.."
My eyes widened as my face grew warm.
"What?" Was the only thing that exited my mouth.
Lisanna let go, allowing me to turn around to face her.
"Why?..." I finally said after staring, unbelieving at her.
Again, she looked up through her eyelashes and smirked. She put both hands on the sides of my face to pull me close, but before our lips could meet, I heard the door open and close, Zeref shouting joyfully, "Brother! I have gotten the flame designs from the party-planning store down the street!"
I jumped back from Lisanna, who let go and crossed her arms. She smirked at me, leaning a little closer. "I guess we'll have to continue this later..." And trotted off to help Zeref with the bags.
I stared off into the distance confusion spreading throughout my mind. "What... the hell just happened?"
~ Lucy's POV : Heartfilia Residence ~
"Yes... I know, sir, I just need to have this done in a week, and I'll consult my cousin before the date. Yes, just a week, the 25th. Alright, I'll see you then, or call back to reschedule if there's a problem." And I hung up from one of the most important calls of my life. It wasn't much then, but little did I know what lay ahead. Magnolia City Hall had weird rules, of what I heard from my butler, Capricorn who had assisted with legal issues my father had. I dialed up the number to my cousin, Sting, nervous since he wasn't easy to talk to.
"Sting? Hi.. it's Lucy Heartfilia... your cousin?"
"Yo yo yo, Cuz! Nice to hear from you! Miss me, much?" He said.
"I can only guess that you got the call from Virgo about Jude," I said, ignoring his question.
"Ah, yes, I never knew Uncle was that old. Anyway, I'm guessing this is a condolence call for the good ol' relatives? Or a funeral invitation? I can't go, since I'm busy on... whatever date that might be..."
A small vein formed visibly on my forehead as I spoke into the receiver. "I'm pretty sure you're open for the past week, you hopeless NEET. I need you over at city hall to fight for your multimillion-worth business, since I'm most likely too small, young, and fragile to handle it."
"What are you suggesting?" Asked Sting, over the phone.
"I'm suggesting you get your ass over here to Magnolia, the most lovely country in the world, and become the youngest student to ever inherit a business with this much worth and fame just a city over from Magnolia. I've already arranged a meeting with the mayor and one of my Jude's lawyers. Your parents have already trained you for this moment, haven't they?"
The other line went silent for a good half of a minute, but I didn't back down. Sting exhaled, finally, after thinking it over.
"Well, if you put it that way..."
"The 25th, this month, you come to Magnolia City Hall to deal with this whole fiasco along with me. Bring your brother and parents. I don't even care if you come to the funeral three days before, but the chance of a lifetime is slipping from your deformed clutches, so I recommend you come and sign the little piece of paper."
Sting hung up. He coming to Hall or not didn't matter, since I wasn't going to inherit the business, no matter what.
I rose from my bed and walked to the window, staring out at the million-dollar garden with its shining fountains and electric lights illuminating on the countless, flawless flowers of a variety of bright colors. I saw three maids working on a nearby bed of primroses.
"I can't wait to get out of here!" I said aloud, stretching.
All of my life, I've been in a protective bubble of luxury and wealth, oblivious to the everyday problems "normal" people encounter. I've had tutors, three square, balanced meals with carefully-coordinated snacks done by my own maids who clean my room and personal bathroom everyday, with extra life-accessories any time I wanted. It was a perfect life, of course, and having friends topped it off perfectly, but the want for a change took over my mind ever since I started at the pretentious school for people just like me. I've arranged a plan in my head, and refused to stay at the life any teenager would have wished for, for whatever reason I had in my heart. Selfish, of course, but thrill enticed me. And, now, I was just about leave for my first normal social gathering with my club members I now called my friends.
I just needed to find out what to wear...-
