It was Saturday, and today the girls were going on a little shopping trip. Laxus began working at a construction company, and Loke has been helping Ur out. Both of the brothers refused to let Lucy get a job, even though there's been this modelling spot that she's been wanting.
"C'mon guys! I can make really good money for us!" Lucy whined, shoving the magazine into her brothers' faces, to which Laxus kept his scowl and Loke kept his apologetic smile. "You guys act like I'm going to get raped." The blonde huffed, crossing her arms across her chest and staring down her siblings.
"You can!" Laxus began, getting up from his spot o nthe couch and looming over his baby sister. "You don't need ta find a fuckin' job, Luce. Me and Loke-"
"Loke and I." Lucy corrected.
"-Whatever! Loke and I," He mocked, Lucy scowled. "already have well paying jobs, you don't need ta work. Just sit down and relax, princess." Laxus ended in a more softer tone, which you'll only see him use around Lucy and Mira.
"I get it, you guys still feel bad about Dad." Her chocolate orbs shifted from her Laxus' steely gaze to the wooden floor. "But I'm okay now. I can handle myself. You guys really don't need to be worried anymore. Plus, this job allows me to work with Mira. So I'll have an upperclassmen, and someone who we all trust, looking over me." She looked between her two brothers, her gaze full of determination.
Loke sighed, then got up and gave his little sister a hug. "Fine. I agree to it, but if anything happens Luce, even once-"
"I know! I'll stay home if anything happens!" Lucy said, her voice filled with glee. She excitedly hugged her brother, who smiled then let go, and her eyes then shifted to the eldest Dreyar.
"...Laxus?"
He stared at her.
"Laxus...-nii-chan?"
"Fine." He said quickly, his eyes widening and Lucy putting on a cocky grin as she wrapped his arms around her. Loke stared at both of them, completely dumbfounded. And Gray, who witnessed the entire thing, looked utterly strucken as well.
"Wow...Lucy can do anything, huh?" The youngest Fullbuster quipped, and Loke just nodded.
With a sigh, "She's a Dreyar, we're very persistent. Let's just say Lucy was the most for it, and she always won every argument." Gray laughed, and soon Lucy joined him. The two siblings branched off from each other, Laxus grieving over what just happened, and Loke teasing him about it. Lucy and Gray waved goodbye to the two, then began walking towards a certain somebody's house.
"Do you think seeing her is really the right thing to do?" Gray asked, his hand intertwined with his beloved, and her squeezing his with much anxiety.
"Levy has been cooped up in her room for Mavis-knows-how-long. She hasn't been answering anyone's calls, and she even skipped school and the dance. She told us not to, but I'm her best friend. I have to go see if she's alright." Lucy gave her second determined look of the day, this time aiming it at the empty space in front of her. Gray sighed.
"She hasn't been answering your calls for a reason; she's still upset." He gave a rebuttle, clearly forgetting the mention that Lucy was the master of debates, and she would win any argument.
"Why don't you go talk to Gajeel then, and I'll continue to Levy's. I don't want to hear your negative banter." The blonde suggested, stopping her movements and turning to her boyfriend. Gray raised his hands in defence, then slowly let go of her hand and gave her forehead a small kiss.
"Fine. I'll text you when I'm done."
"And when I say 'go to Gajeel's' I mean to yell at him, not to play video games. I will find out, Fullbuster." She warned.
A second sigh, "Fiiiiiiine. I'll see ya, babe." And with that he ran across the road, and began walking in the opposite direction of Lucy, who just gave him a small wave.
"Good luck~" And with that she continued her journey to Levy's apartment, sliding her phone out of her back pocket and checking the screen.
[1 new text message from: Erza]
The blonde bookworm unlocked her phone then tapped the green icon with the speech bubble, a red number one in the corner of it. Her background was of her and her two best friends, Erza and Levy, her lock screen being her and Gray kissing.
[Erza: Mall today? Wanna go now?]
Lucy quickly typed a reply.
[Me: Can't right now, but we're def going today. I'm on my way to Levy-chan's place rn. Gonna go see if she's okay. I'll call u later.]
Her phone quickly vibrated, meaning another text from her redheaded bestie.
[Erza: Kk. Do you want me to come with you to Levy's? I can drive to her house right now.]
Lucy pondered the idea. It would certainly help to have her the trio all there, because Levy definately needed her two best friends.
[Me: If u don't mind. I'm like around the corner, so go now. Wait for u outside.]
[Erza: I'm on my way.]
And Lucy did as promised, she waited in front of Levy's apartment building until a red punch buggie made it's way there. And as Erza promised, she was there right after Lucy, quickly dashing out of her car and giving her best friend a hug, to which the blonde returned.
The two teens walked into the large apartment complex, running into the elevator then mashing the small button with the number 27 on it. Levy's floor was quite high up, and as exercise the three girls would usually have races down the stairs, and back up Starting from Levy's room, and ending all the same.
As the two finally reached the floor, they ran down the hall. Reaching the room with floors and smiley faces all over the door, Lucy bent down and stuck her hand under the small rug, feeling around until her fingers got a hold of a small key. Levy always hid her spares in the easiest places.
Unlocking the door the two ran in, surprised to see the normally clean as can be room, as dirty as Natsu's. And that was dirty.
"Levy-chan?" Lucy called out, her and Erza stepping over all of the candy wrappers and empty soda bottles, and gently knocking on the only bedroom in the apartment. They heard the shift of papers and other trash coming from behind the closed door, so as Lucy went to knock, Erza just barged in.
"Levy McGarden. Your house is a mess." Erza scolded the petite form, whom of which was currently hiding under her blanket and was scrunching herself up into a ball. "We can see you." Erza said flatly, and the bluenette popped her head out of the warm blanket.
Lucy inaudibly gasped. Levy's eyes were red and puffy, probably from crying. Her hair was in a tangled mess that Lucy could not even explain. Her usual bright face was as pale as ever, chocolate stains loitering around the corners of her lips.
"Leave me alone." Her voice was cracky and full of sadness that made even Erza want to cry. The blonde and the redhead quickly ran over to their friend, and encompassed her into a hug, to which the bluenette desperately needed and returned.
When Lucy and Erza heard sobs filled with sadness, they only squeezed their friend tighter.
"Shhhh..." Lucy said soothingly, rubbing circles on her best friend's back as the bluenette coughed and hicked and sobbed and just kept making these noises that would make Erza and Lucy cringe because their friend is...broken.
Levy's cries eventually died down until she let go of Lucy and Erza. Erza going to clean the house, Levy going to take a shower, and Lucy pulling out her phone to call Gray.
"Hello?" A voice answered from the other line, and even if Gray's voice was all robot-y, Lucy could still hear the distinct trace of mischief laced in.
She could also hear the familiar noise of video games going off in the background.
"Gray Fullbuster.." Lucy said in a low voice, and she could just imagine Gray's eyes widening and sweat beginning to rain down his head. "Do I hear video games?" The thing is, Gajeel's house was right across from Levy's, but the reason Gray turned around was to get his car, and maybe even Natsu. Lucy went on Levy's balcony and stared down at the small house below her, glaring holes into the roof as if they were lasers that would cut through.
"N-No!" She heard him yell something to the boys away from the phone, and just grew more angrier. Because whilst Levy was crying and and feeling worthless, the boys were playing video games without a care in the world. "I-I'm not even in Gajeel's house! I finished beating him up a long time ago!" She heard the noise of a door closing, and then stared at the entry where her boyfriend was walking out from.
"I see you walking out right now. With your Playstation."
The boy looked up, just now remembering the complex that levy lived in was right. In front. Of. Him. He gave a small wave to the blonde, who looked as if she was about to kill. "H-Hey babe." He stuttered.
Gray really didn't know his girlfriend had such a good throw, and such strength. Because that book that she sent flying from the 27th floor nailed him right in the head, and now he was on the ground, Natsu laughing obnoxiously behind him.
"Hey Luce!" Now it was Natsu, who picked up Gray's discarded phone, clearly not realizing Lucy was about to blow if she had to talk to anymore idiots.
"Natsu. Do you realize what I have been doing for the last-" Lucy checked her phone clock. "-hour?! I've been comforting Levy, who was bawling her eyes out because of that idiotic metalhead that you guys were suppose to yell at!" She saw the pinkette visibly pale from under her, but now was not the time to be smirking. She had the wrath of Erza, and that was NOT good.
"L-Lucy! I-I'll go kick his ass right now! I-I promise!" Natsu tried, but got no where. Lucy screamed in frustration as she grabbed Erza and told her what had happened, then hung up the phone. Once the two got to the bottom floor and began exiting the building, they saw Natsu desperately try and pull Gray inside, and once he did, they reached the driveway. The girls heard the door give a small click. And then they heard multiple heavy footsteps running all over the house. Guess they were hiding.
"They locked us out?! Are you serous?!" Lucy exclaimed, hand on the knob as she tried to pull like it was going to do anything. Erza put a hand on the blonde's shoulder, then pulled her back gently. "Oh yeah..."
Erza kicked open the door effortlessly, something the guys should of been expecting, then allowed the blonde to go in before her. The blonde gave a small curtsy as she entered, and then they began shouting the boys' name.
"Natsu! Gajeel!"
"GRAY FULLBUSTER!" Yep, that was Lucy. And she was pissed. The two heard shuffling from upstairs, so they decided to check that out. They were greeted by a few more guys then they expected, probably the result of a party. Natsu, Gajeel, and Gray (who had bandages around his head) all emerged from behind them, pots and pans on their heads as they were arms with spatulas and ladles.
"We have an army!" Gray yelled.
"We have an Erza." Lucy smirked, and once again the boys paled as the redhead emerged from behind her blonde best friend, and the two then began breaking everything. They broke their barricade of chairs and mattresses, the wooden spoons and forks, hell, Lucy even broke a door for no reason.
"Listen." Erza began, her voice hard and demanding. "Give us Gray, Natsu, and Gajeel. And you're all free." With only a second the boys threw the three out towards the girls, and then began rushing off outside.
"Ohoho. This will be fun." Lucy and Erza cracked their knuckles. Just before they were about to descend onto the three, two petite hands went up to grab their shoulders. The redhead and the blonde turned around, ready to box off any other guy that touched them.
But once they turned around their eyes softened, then they fell back, dragging Natsu and Gray with them. "Thank you both." Levy said quietly, clearly trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. "But it's just his opinion, he shouldn't be getting beat for it."
"But Levy-"
"That's enough. Take Natsu and Gray and just leave him alone, please, Lucy, Erza." The bluenette asked, her voice soft but laced with demand. Her back was to them but with the shaking shoulders, they could tell that she was crying towards Gajeel. That he could see the water droplets rush down her cheeks. And by the look on his face-the guilty, sad, and unknowing look on his face-he couldn't tear his gaze away.
And so, the two other girls walked away, their dumb companions close on their heels. No one uttered a word, not even a noise. Just small breathes and the sound of clothes rubbing together. Their eyes were glued to the concrete, and the boys couldn't get the shaking shoulders or the breaking voice out of their heads. The girls couldn't get the entire hour they spent listening to her sobs out of their heads.
They walked into a cafe, paid for their orders quickly, then sat down at the farthest booth. They stayed in complete silence, just...thinking. And wishing, and the boys were filled with guilt while the girls were filled with immense sadness because the four-no, five-of them just witnessed one of their closest friends; breaking.
So, they sat there, staring down at their different flavors of milkshake, and only looking up when someone's phone began to ring. It was Lucy's, and she was less than happy to actually answer it. But, she did. Because it would be rude not to.
"Lucy here." Her tone sounded dejected, tired, sad. Everyone's did. But once she heard the voice on the other line, her eyes widened. Not because she was happy or excited, no, of course not. But because, her past has now come back.
"H-How did you get this number?" Gray turned to the blonde, worry laced into his navy orbs. When he witnessed her turn to him, fear evident in her eyes, he took the phone out of her hand and put it up to his own ear.
"Who is this?" He asked, his tone cold, no hint of sadness. He was hiding it, very well. He was suppose to be intimidating, to be scaring the person that was scaring Lucy, but truth be told, when he heard the voice on the other line, he was might confused and the tiniest bit scared as well.
"Jude Dreyar, what the fuck do you want?" He asked, no, he demanded. He was angry, worried for his girlfriend, and upset over Levy on top of all things. What a shitty Saturday, and to think he didn't even believe Saturdays could be shitty. Gray abruptly hung up the phone, and everyone's eyes were locked onto his.
"He has Mira, Lisanna, and Ultear. He want's Lucy in exchange."
Let's just say, they were not going shopping that day.