Chapter 6

A. N.: I'm so sorry guys, I feel like this chapter is total filler, but I felt TOTALLY GUILTY for starting a new story without updating this one… I'm sorry.

I hope this chapter isn't to much of a disappointment. Please let me know what you think about it in a review! I'm hoping Lucy isn't to OOC, I feel like I'm totally screwing her up, to be honest. But she's gotta be at least a little OOC, right? I mean, she's a mean 'n lean gang member trying to deal with her feelings. Mutters to self in a corner.

I hope you like it. I stayed up until 4 A.M. pushing to finish it. -_-

I seem to only think of songs that match up to Natsu's POV. -_- Gosh darn it.

Enjoy! :) - M. M. A.K.A. Sleep Deprived Writer

"He is such a loveable fool."

Lucy startled herself with her sudden thought. "Where on Earth did that come from?" She muttered to herself, skillfully balancing her tray in one hand while holding the laptop under her arm, serving herself with her other hand.

"Hey Luce, where do you wanna sit?" Her head jerked up at the question, staring at Natsu, who was hovering just behind her, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "How the hell did he sneak up behind me? First he bests me on combat, and now I didn't even see or hear him move up behind me!" Her teeth ground slightly before she controlled herself, keeping her thoughts to herself as she retrieved the silverware she had been reaching for when he interrupted her reverie.

Her eyes scanned the large room, noting the log-cabin feel to it. She couldn't see through the logs of the walls, they were so tightly fit together. She also noted the smooth wood floor underneath her feet, plainly worn more where the line to the food bar would surely form during normal meal-times. Her eyes fell on the simple yet elegant tables and benches scattered throughout the food hall, noting the subtle (and some not-so-subtle) stares she was receiving from people around the hall.

Lucy spotted a table in the far corner with flame, ice, and sword carvings on its supports, one leg conspicuously left untouched.

"Let's go sit there. I like the carvings on it." "YES!" Lucy spun around at the sound, not having realized that in her inspection of the room, she had stepped away from Natsu, farther into the room. Her eyes narrowed. "Are you ALWAYS this loud and rambunctious?"

"Yes, yes he is. It's how he shows his manliness!" This time Lucy had detected someone walking up behind her and she turned around in time to see a large and muscled man seemingly ambling towards them, sporting a white t-shirt with the word "manly" printed on it in large, fully capitalized fluorescent pink letters. His white hair stood straight up, and he had a scar across one of his eyes. The strange man smoothly brushed past Lucy, mumbling a soft, "Excuse me miss," before reaching out for Natsu's guitar and headphones, which were in danger of being dropped due to Natsu's attempts to eat while standing. "You know Mira would kill you if she saw you eating her food standing up like an imbecile. That is the only rule she asks be followed as far as food goes in the hall." While giving his little speech, the white haired man leaned over Natsu, seemingly intimidating him with bulk alone. "Natsu seemed to be holding out fairly well, but when the name 'Mira' was mentioned, he practically melted. I wonder who this 'Mira' character is." Lucy thought to herself.

Suddenly remembering that he had not introduced himself, the large man turned to Lucy. "Hello Lucy. I came by earlier to the infirmary to check on you, but you were still out cold. My name is Elfman, and I am one of the resident counselors, handymen, and occasional warden. I also run the sparring ring and the gym, so when you are ready, please come give me a visit. I would love to get to know you."

"If I told you even half of what I've done, you would have a bounty on your head," Lucy idly thought, "but then again, if you run the sparring ring, you should be able to handle yourself." "Thank you very much for your concern! I would very much like to visit your sparring ring, and I am sure I will see you at the gym." She replied out loud with a rare honest smile. Lucy was a self-professed gym rat, she couldn't be kept away for long.

Elfman smiled back at her before handing Natsu back his things, now confident that he wouldn't be dropping them in his eagerness to eat. Lucy turned and walked to the table she had selected, attempting to ignore the stares she was receiving, as well as the intense hunger pains from her stomach. As soon as she sat own, Lucy set upon her food like a hungry animal, somehow managing to maintain her lady-like dignity and not spill on herself, while simultaneously keeping pace with Natsu as he also practically inhaled his food on the other side of the table.

As they both finished their plates of food, they looked up at each other, grinning simultaneously as they raced to get more food from the counter. Lucy let Natsu go first, not wanting to be bowled over. She already knew he was faster than she, and didn't have a death wish.

They rushed back to their seats, laughing and grinning at each other like idiots as they fell over other benches and chairs, even going so far as to leap from table to table in their mad dash to get back to their seats. As they tumbled down onto their benches, Natsu was already stuffing his face, whereas Lucy was going at a much slower pace, not being as hungry as before. Natsu however, was still going strong, somehow managing to breathe around the massive volume of baked squash and hamburgers he was consuming.

After Natsu and Lucy had finished eating, people started coming up to their table, introducing themselves to Lucy and teasing Natsu. Lucy got along with one girl named Levy especially well, despite her friends Jet and Droy going on about how Lucy was going to turn her lesbian. Lucy was hoping she and Levy would be in the same dorm, but was disappointed when she learned they were not. She was excited to learn that their dorms were right next to one another however, and they made plans to meet up at Lucy's new room as soon as Lucy's stuff arrived, so that she could get help unpacking and decorating.

Lucy was somewhat ashamed of herself for admitting to it, but she partially liked this girl because she was so physically un-intimidating. She was short, with blue hair and lovely brown eyes. "It's to early to tell, but I think I might like this girl." Lucy thought to herself contemplatively, internally crossing her arms and leaning back with her head cocked to the side. "We will have to see how it all turns out." She found herself looking across the table at the ever-grinning Natsu, meeting his eyes before turning away, a faint blush dusting her cheeks.

From the opposite end of the room, a three pairs of dark blue, brown, and light blue eyes stared over an upturned table, the light blue pair of eyes looking down frequently, taking notes on the two's behavior.

"Are you getting all of this Mira?" the voice belonging to the brown eyes asked.

"Yep~! Every last detail. We will have them together by the end of the month."