I suck -.- Thanks so much for all the reviews and patience everyone. What time is it?! Adventure time~!
"You know, Lucy, it's only a rumor, but I did hear that one member of the guild who kept his cheek pressed against the counter far too long actually began to melt into it…"
"Mmhmm," comes a pretty bored hum. You can barely hear her; it's muffled by a pile of sunny blonde hair tossed against the bar's wooden countertop. Luce is dressed in a skirt pink as bubblegum, and a butter-yellow shirt that presses those twins together so tight that I finally begin to notice just how many admirers her tits have. It doesn't bother me (much) though, 'cause at the end of the day none of 'em stand a chance in hell.
"It could very well be true, you know. A real mage never shares all of their magic tricks. Especially not if they're using it for a prank like that."
"Really?!" Luce sits up stiff as a board, so quickly that she looks like a jack-in-the-box. She starts freaking out over her left cheek, pinching and pressing, relieved when she realizes there's not a damn thing wrong.
"Mirajane, were you being serious?" she asks with wide eyes. Lucy knows the answer as soon as we hear a laugh, followed by the soft 'thump' of a glass being set in front of her.
Mira giggles in a way-too-girly way, brushing away a piece of snow-white hair with one hand while holding out a straw with the other. It's one of those awesome little ones that changes colors while you drink through it. Talk about tasting the rainbow eh? "No, but you looked so out of it, Lucy. Cheer up! I made you a glass of Perk-you-up juice!"
"And what exactly did you put in it?" The question is a little paranoid but I can't blame Lucy for that. Once, Mirajane gave Laxus a drink that made his mouth fizz. We all thought he had rabies for a bit. Erza even changed into nurse costume armed with a giant needle and tried to poke him in the… well, even I wouldn't have liked it.
She takes the straw and dips it into the glass. Luce looks like she's expecting it to melt, or burst into a rain of sparks, or some other crazy, magical nonsense. Instead it just starts glowing bright red. Nothing against Mirajane, but the crap in that cup looks like thick purple mud. Huh. Purple mud might be fun to throw at Gray's stupid face.
"Well, most of it is a secret," Mirajane winks, "but the color comes from the berries I use. Just give it a sip. It won't make you melt, promise."
Lucy's cheeks flush at the amused smile that Fairy Tail's best waitress is wearing, but she takes a sip of the juice nevertheless. You're a brave girl blondie!
"It's really good!" Brown eyes light up like somehow the oozing stuff just took her to heaven and back. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who can manage that.
"I'm glad you like it! Now, really, what are the two of you up to?"
Her mouth opens to answer and I press my hands against her eyes. Lucy shrieks. "I'm blind!"
I laugh like crazy, so loud that you can barely hear Mira laughing with me. I lean close to one of Lucy's ears and whisper, "I see dead mages. Wooooo."
"Natsu! Get off!"
"Geez, Lucy, it's just me! Relax, will ya? So grumpy today."
I loom over her, grinning. She rolls those pretty eyes and huffs, "I was no such thing until you did that! You almost made me spill the juice that Mirajane made for me!"
"Now that you mention it you said it was okay, right? I've never had anything like that before! Gimme!"
"Your drinks are almost always on fire, Natsu," Mirajane reminds me. "Besides, I made that drink especially for Lucy. She looks like she's having a rough day."
I sigh drastically. "If I mope around like that, can I have one too? We're just waiting for Erza and the Jerk-cicle."
"Sorry, Natsu. I have customers to take care of," she replies while wielding a tray that has everything from glasses of water to mugs of foamy beer. "Be careful on your next mission you two."
"Sure. Thanks," Lucy nods. I sit beside her, stare at her glass, and demand, "Let me taste some too!"
"No way! I don't feel like sharing."
"C'mooon," I whine. Whining always works on Luce. She looooves it. "It looks sick!"
"No!"
"Please?"
"No."
"I'll knock when I go to your house?"
Lucy's brow twitches at the suggestion. "And how long will that luxury last?"
"Umm… a night?"
"A week."
"Fine. Now let's see…" I snatch up the drink and take a sip. The straw is fading from purple to pink now. "Not bad! Thanks."
Lucy reclaims her beverage and sighs, "You definitely aren't going to knock, are you."
"Probably not," I agree. "What's bugging you? You look dejected. Like a big, sad, Lucy rag doll."
The comment makes her cringe. She knows I'm kidding though. Or at least by now she should. "It's that time of the month."
I look at her like she's just turned into a monster. I can literally feel my face tighten up while I start to think back. She was fine in the bath this morning. I mean, I didn't see any blood... is she serious? "You don't mean-"
"Ugh! No, you creep! I need to pay the rent!"
"Oh. Are you broke again? What, are you sneaking off to gamble with Erza or something?"
"No! But I'm always splitting money with you, Gray, and Erza since I can't handle many jobs on my own, so I never have a solid reward all to myself!"
"Then get stronger and you won't have to share."
"Natsu," Lucy whines, "do you think this job's gonna be a good one?"
"You could stop buying so many shoes and clothes, too," I add as an afterthought. I don't get why girls spend so much money on that junk. All clothes look the same to a man when they're torn off and thrown on the floor, Luce…
"Natsu!"
That makes me chuckle. "But you just said you don't like sharing money."
"I never said that!" she countered. "Sure, it's less money, but…"
"Yeah?"
"I like going on jobs with everyone. Would I go if I didn't?"
"Well, you'd be living in a cave if you didn't, that's for sure."
The purple mud drink is stirred by the magic straw. I watch it swirl from yellow into green. Lucy fixes a look on me and for a really weird second we stare at each other. Luce, those eyes of yours are killer, lemme tell ya. You have reeeaaally long lashes. The way you're randomly biting her lower lip is sexy. I bet if I kissed you right now your tongue would taste just like berries. I wonder what it'd be like if you let me bend you over the bar counter and-
"Hey you two."
Fuck. You. Gray.
"Erza! Gray!"
Grey shows up in the usual white shirt and dark pants. I'm used to seeing Erza in armor, but she's become relaxed enough to wear normal clothes too. Some striped skirt and a sweater; both are the same girly ass brand that she and Lucy love for whatever reason.
The sparkle Luce gets in her eyes reminds me of that one time Happy had a cup of coffee. Not the best idea. Little guy was flying in circles and talking a hundred miles an hour. And then out of the blue he just passed out! Why would anyone wanna drink something like that?
"Luuuucy!" Happy appears almost on cue. Sometimes I wonder if he can feel what I'm thinking. We've been around each other for so long that I wouldn't be surprised one bit.
Lucy turns around at the sound of her name and catches a floating bundle of blue fur. He cuddles into her chest (the only one besides me who's allowed to) and grins at her. "You smell more like Natsu now."
It's not loud enough for anyone besides us to hear, but Lucy still goes red in the cheeks and shoves Happy off of her lap while she flails around. Gray looks like a balloon, trying way too hard not to crack up and pop. Erza hides a smile under her hand and coughs.
"N-no one asked you, cat!"
Happy grins. "You'd smell prettier if you smelled like catnip."
"Thanks for the consultation," she mutters back before turning to what's left of her juice. She takes a serious sip that makes her glossy lips pout against the straw (its orange now). You just became a distraction, Heartfilia. "So what's the job you guys picked out?"
Ice-boy pulls a rolled up flyer from his pocket and hands it over. "See for yourself."
I go around to look over her shoulder. It says: 'Help wanted restoring priceless magical mirror. She-mages preferred but males welcome to try. 500,000J.' Damn. Its a weird looking job with a nice looking price.
"What makes you think we can fix it?"
Erza shrugs. "I'm quite experienced with fixing armor. It might not be so different. The least we could do is try. Besides, won't you be needing rent money soon, Lucy?"
Lucy looks so grateful that she might cry. "How'd you know?"
This time Gray does laugh. "You always do." Touché.
She hands the page back and asks, "It says we have to go to a place called the Kingdom of Snow. Is it cold there?"
"Not at all," Erza shakes her head. "It's called that because they have white blossoms that bloom year-round. The petals fall by the hundreds, so it tends to look like it's snowing. Or so I hear. I haven't been there myself."
"I'd love to see that!" Luce sighs, her face all dreamy like the way it gets when she reads 'romance novels'. It's book-porn. I checked. One time I even read it out loud and embarrassed the soul out of her, but I think now it might have a different effect...
I wonder. "Please don't tell me we have to-"
"Take a train? Yup." I hear from Gray as he leans against the bar, waving Mirajane over.
"But that's what I'm here for, Natsu. I'll take good care of you like always." Erza's perfect teeth shine as she grins and I know that I'm in for it. Grrreeeaaat. She likes knocking me out a little too much for it to be normal, I swear.
Mira comes over with Gray's usual drink- this icy blue slush stuff. Its gross. I would know. That one time we dared each other to trade drinks? It was so cold I thought my teeth would freeze over and fall off!
Suddenly I catch a metallic scent that used to make my hairs stand on end and look to my left. "Gajeel?"
He nods at all of us but stares at Lucy. "Bunny-girl... you smell like fire."
Mirajane giggles as she hands him a plate piled high with meat, and a bowl of random metal scraps, screws and nuts. "Does she really?"
His eyes narrow. The light shines on his piercings. Those things look freakin painful, but to each his own I guess. His stance reminds me of when we were enemies. "Yeah, definitely. Matter of fact, something's just different all together. In a good way I guess."
"O-oh. Thanks?" Lucy squeaks with a nervous smile while she wiggles against the barstool.
Gajeel keeps glaring at her like he might just figure it out. I growl.
"What's up with you?"
I look at him like the threat'll come pouring outta my eyes somehow. "Nothing. You?"
Sharp dragon fangs tear through a small strip of sheet-metal that he yanks from the bottom of the metal pile. "Doesn't seem like nothin'. We can go anytime, you know." We manage to get face to face and head to head within seconds.
"Alright then." I challenge back. Its instinct. He's another kind of dragon. A man too close to my territory. Too many things that scream 'kick his ass!'
"Natsu-!"
But we're already in it to win it. I dodge a stream of dragon's breath and return the favor. Gajeel moves out of the way before it can hit its mark. Out of the corner of my eye I see Gray put out a small fire that catches on one of the tables. Guess he's not completely useless.
My heart's pounding in my ears. Both of us leap up and try to land a blow. And both of us are grinning like we're nuts. I think it's part of being a guy. A dragon slayer. Both. I've seen puppies play rough with each other before. This is like that, but different. We're driven to do it. We enjoy it. I can't ever see myself passing up a good fight.
We hit the ground and Gajeel heads straight for me, but I jump over him and punch him from behind. My fists are covered with fire. Holding back would be an insult after all.
I glance to my left. Luce, your eyes look pretty fiery too. You're clenching that pink skirt like my life depends on it, watching us. You never pay my guild fights any mind. Always say they're 'crazy and destructive.' But today the look on your face is cheering me on. It's saying 'Take him down, Natsu'.
That's all it takes to make my blood boil.
Something about her wanting me to win means I have to. The flames in my gut turn into a roiling that's nearly unbearable to hold in, building up even though I'm not really trying. I let loose one last breath of fire that takes us all by surprise, knocking Gajeel off his feet. How you like me now metal mouth?!
I'm grinning. Sure, it didn't do him in or anything, but that was a good shot, even for me. I'm allowed to be proud of it!
"Shit," Gajeel gets back up as quick as I knew he would. Quicker, even. "That actually hurt some." But he's smiling too. "One of these days..."
He gets back to his food without saying anything else. His eyes are on the entrance so I turn to take a peek. Levi's here... I wonder if... nahhh.
"Not bad Natsu," Gray says with a shrug. "Try to stop setting crap on fire though."
"That was pretty good," Lucy mutters to no one, really. But I hear it anyway.
"What was that?" I walk back over to her and she starts to shiver. What the heck Luce. I'm not a psycho. Or a monster. Or a circus clown (those are actually kinda creepy). I'm not gonna light you on fire, geez.
"I said... you did well. You get stronger all the time. You're pretty amazing Natsu."
Ah, Lucy, there you go again. Making me go gooey inside. Making me forget where we are. Making me smile so much that it hurts, right before I press my forehead to yours and nuzzle you... And everyone in the guild holds their breaths.
Is that a clock ticking, or my heartbeat? Yikes.
"Aren't they cute?" Happy snickers through his paws, ending the silence.
All hell breaks loose.
"Is it true Lu-chan?!"
"Way to go Natsu!"
"It took ya long enough!"
"Give us a smooch! C'mon!"
"I can't believe it!"
"Did you hit that yet?!"
Yes. Thanks. I know. No. Me neither. Fuck yes. The answers come one by one while people start shouting, cheering, and whistling. It's like a celebration just came crawling out of the ground and exploded inside of Fairy Tail. I look back at the girl in front of me.
I'm in so much trouble. Lucy… you look like you want me to die. You're so red-faced. So embarrassed. But that glare is like poison.
Dammit.
I pick Lucy up and ignore her scream. Oh yeah. She's pissed off big time. Even worse when I toss her over my shoulder and carry her out of the guild without explaining anything to anybody. I make sure to keep a tight press on her skirt so no one gets a peek… of course the cheap feel is just a bonus.
Surprisingly, Lucy doesn't struggle. She quiets down and stops moving altogether, resting her head on my shoulder. You're breathing a little fast there, Luce. Easy…
I put her down on the sidewalk outside. Happy, Gray and Erza followed me out; I can hear them close by. "Lucy-"
"Don't."
"But I didn't mean to-"
"Natsu… just don't talk to me right now. Leave me alone." She turns away and starts walking towards Magnolia Station. "Tell Gray and Erza to move it."
I'm two seconds away from snarling at this mess when Lucy sniffles just the tiniest bit.
Luce… you're crying. I can smell the tears. I don't understand why though.
But I guess it's all my fault.
