Stele: Grizz, we're on chapter 10! What are your thoughts of the story up to this point?
Grizzly: I think that this rollercoaster of a story is just starting to reach the peak of the free fall.
Stele: Aye, that it is. Tell us, where did we leave off last chapter?
Grizzly: Hmm, where did we leave off? If I remember correctly we found out what Sting and Rogue were doing in Magnolia. While on the other hand Lucy received the cherry blossom charm. That sound about right?
Stele: Sounds right to me!
Grizzly: What's gonna happen this chapter, Stele?
Stele: Well, next chapter is going to be a bit of a bumpy ride for our protagonists, wouldn't you say, Grizz? I don't want to give too much away, but I don't think you guys will want to miss this one! Make sure you pay close attention!
Grizzly: Aye, next chapter is certainly either gonna have you lovin us or hatin us but, Stele, why are we talking about next chapter when they have yet to read this one?
Stele: Because we like to tease XD
Grizzly: Well, then, I think we've teased y'all enough for this chapter so with the typical FOLLOW, FAVE and REVIEW we'll let you move on. Remember five or more reviews earn you a sneak peek at the next chapter.
Chapter Ten
On the Tenth Day
It's the chill that finally rouses her.
Lucy groans as she lifts her head from the uncomfortable position against her coffee table. She must have been tired if she slept like that through the whole night, without waking to change positions. She rubs at the back of her neck as she glances around her, mind still fuzzy from sleep. Her fire went out sometime during the night, and Happy was no longer resting in her lap, though the blanket had been carefully arranged around her shoulders.
"Huh," she wonders, briefly, where the little blue Exceed took off to. How long has he been gone?
She pushes to her feet, body aching from sleeping on the floor all night, and makes her way into the bathroom.
After a long, hot shower, her sore muscles feel a little better. She dresses quickly, then grabs a granola bar and a water bottle from her kitchen before heading out to the guild.
"Hiya, Luce!"
Lucy stops walking only long enough to shoot a quick glance behind her. When she recognizes the approaching figure, she quickly turns around and hurries off down the street, hoping he'll take the hint and leave her alone.
But, of course, that is just too much to ask for.
"Lucy, wait up!" Natsu catches up to her in moments, thanks to his longer strides, and falls into step beside her. "What's the big hurry?"
"I'm just trying to get out of the cold." She replies evasively, which is more or less true. She is freezing, despite the multiple layers of clothing and heavy coat she wears.
"Where ya headed?"
"To the guild, of course." She rolls her eyes in irritation. Really, where else would I be going?
"Did you find your gift yet?" He asks, momentarily surprising her.
"No," she begins slowly. "That's where I'm going right now. Do…you want to join me?" Her tone is hesitant, she hasn't forgotten the heated moment the two shared on the karaoke stage, or when she fell into his arms the day before, or when she awoke wrapped in his embrace…
Still, he is her best friend, after all, so maybe he can help her out.
Unless, Natsu is—
No. Don't even go there, Lucy.
"Sure, Luce!" He quirks her a grin. "Any idea where it might be?"
Lucy nods, pulling out the note from yesterday and handing it over for Natsu to read. She watches him from the corner of her eye, waiting for some reaction. But he keeps his expression neutral, giving nothing away.
"So… where do you think it is?" He asks carefully. Lucy frowns for a moment, then shakes her head, ignoring the curiosity that starts to bubble up inside her.
"Well, the note says: 'look for a gift that led us to the moon and back. On a level not easily achieved, will you find the light in the night.'," Lucy pauses to let this sink in.
"I don't get it," Natsu says with a frown. Lucy rolls her eyes.
It's definitely not Natsu. He's way too dense to come up with such an elaborate scheme.
"Natsu, it's clearly talking about Galuna. Remember when we took that job?"
"Actually, you stole it."
Lucy growls.
"You stole it, you idiot!" She shrieks at him. He just shrugs. She huffs. "Anyway, someone stole the job request from the second floor level in the guild, right?"
"You did?!" He turns a look of mock disbelief her way. She punches him in the arm, hard.
"Ow!"
"I already told you, it wasn't me!"
"Well, you're the only one who got a reward out of that job, if I recall." He points out. She opens her mouth to argue, then closes it. She just shakes her head and decides not to justify that with a response.
When they reach the guild, Lucy races up the stairs to the second level, ignoring the few people who try to chat with her.
She quickly finds the gift, hanging from a string that is attached to the request board. She pulls it down, then makes quick work unwrapping it.
All the while, Natsu is standing there, leaning against the ledge that looks over the guild, and watching her with dark eyes. He watches as she peels back the wrapping, letting it fall silently to the floor before her. Her long fingers pull back the lid before digging out the charm inside: a silver moon with a faint purplish gleam to it.
"I was right," Lucy whispers, her voice carrying over to the Dragon Slayer. He waits silently, not saying a word while she examines the new gift. When her eyes find his, he gives her a cheesy smile that, for some reason, makes her cheeks flush.
Turning away, Lucy pulls the note from the box, then tosses the box with the cotton onto the nearby table.
She unfolds the note, reading it softly, knowing that Natsu is still standing there, listening.
On the tenth day of Christmas, I give you the moon.
This moon symbolizes our time on Galuna island,
when the purple glow shone down upon us.
On the eleventh day of Christmas,
look for that which was once a childhood friend,
In the place where she came back into your life.
Your Secret Santa
"Hmm. Interesting."
Lucy jumps when she feels hot breath on her neck. Natsu is standing right behind her, frowning as he reads over her shoulder.
"W-What are you doing?!" She shoves him out of the way, hoping he doesn't notice the way her hands shake when she does.
"Looking at the clue," he replies nonchalantly. She narrows her eyes at the innocent look in his eyes.
"And?" She presses.
"And?"
"What do you think?" She waves the note in the air for emphasis.
"What do you think?" He shoots back with a grin. She growls in frustration and resists the urge to Lucy-Kick him.
"I don't know! That's why I asked you!"
"How would I know?"
"You just said it was interesting!" She points out.
"True," he pauses a moment, as if thinking of an answer. "I've got nothing."
"Idiot," she grumbles under her breath, then takes her gift and the note downstairs.
"By that murderous glint in your eyes, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you were just talking to Flame Brain."
Lucy stops walking and turns toward Gray with a small, amused smile.
"Is it that obvious?"
Gray nods. "Most definitely. Only Natsu can bring out the worst in someone." He rolls his eyes, then gestures for Lucy to take a seat. She does, placing the new gift on the table in front of her. Gray frowns at the charm in thought for a moment.
"Galuna island?" He guesses.
"Exactly," she affirms. "But, it's the note that has me stumped."
She passes it over and Gray puzzles it over.
"What are you doing, my darling?"
Juvia suddenly pops up behind Gray, casting a demonic glare on Lucy that rivals one of Mira's. Gray flinches, not looking back at her, and ignoring her as he continues to read over the note. Juvia's face falls when she gets no response, shooting Lucy an accusatory glare, like this is all because of her.
"A childhood friend?" Gray muses aloud. "Did you have a lot of those growing up?" He looks up at Lucy, passing her the note back. She shakes her head.
"No, not really. I spent my entire childhood in our house,"
"In your enormous estate," Gray adds dryly. She rolls her eyes and ignores him.
"So, I didn't really have many opportunities to make friends."
"So, then, who was your childhood friend?" Juvia asks, sliding into the seat next to Gray. He narrows his eyes but stays where he is.
Lucy shrugs, then lays her head in her hand.
"I didn't have any. Except for my maids, and the other servants around the house. They were my friends."
"What about that Lobster girl?" Gray asks. "The one who went evil."
"Michelle?" Lucy picks her head up, eyes widening in realization.
Look for that which was once a childhood friend.
Michelle, her 'cousin', had come to the guild to deliver a clock piece that her father had bestowed upon her. However, it soon became clear that that the girl had ulterior motives, and she eventually showed her true agenda in delivering the clock piece to Lucy.
A lot went down over the course of only a few days, but in the end, Michelle, or Imitatia, had been turned back into Lucy's childhood doll; her old friend.
"Gonzalez…" Lucy murmurs.
"What?" Gray asks, not having heard Lucy's words. She shakes her head, it isn't important.
"Michelle used to be my doll, we went on adventures together." She explains. "She was my best childhood friend for a long time."
"So, the gift is… Michelle?" Juvia asks with a frown.
"No, it'll be a charm. But, what exactly that is, is the question."
"And where it will be," Gray adds.
"Right,"
"Is this the last gift?" Juvia asks. Lucy shakes her head.
"No, if Secret Santa is doing what I think he is, then there will be twelve in all." Lucy then proceeds to tell them about the conversation she had with Emmy at Half Baked a few days ago. "Though, I have no idea what will happen on day twelve. Will Secret Santa finally reveal himself to me?"
"Unless you figure it out beforehand," Gray shrugs.
"You still don't have any ideas?" Juvia's tone is disbelieving. Lucy can't blame her, seeing as it has already been ten days and she's still too dense to figure it out.
"I have some ideas…" She mutters evasively. Gray and Juvia exchange a glance. "What?"
"Oh, nothing." Juvia smirks, wrapping herself around Gray's arm like a vise. "It's not Gray." She tells her pointedly.
"Gosh, and here I was so hoping that my brother was the one sending me love gifts." Lucy says sarcastically, emphasising the word 'brother' for Juvia's benefit.
It works, because the water mage loses her evil smile for one that is only slightly less sinister.
"Brother, right." She nods, looking satisfied by this.
"So, then, who do you think it is?" Gray presses. Lucy clears her throat and avoids eye contact. "Not gonna tell us, huh?" Gray's tone is amused.
Lucy glances at an imaginary watch.
"Oh, look at the time! I'm supposed to meet, uh, someone. Right now. Bye!"
She hurries off, in the opposite direction of the two smirking wizards.
"Do you think she's finally figured it out?" Gray murmurs. Juvia shrugs.
"Sometimes, I can't decide who is more dense between the two."
Gray chuckles. "You're right. But, it sure is interesting to see them try to figure it out."
XxX
Lucy trudges through the snow on her way back to her apartment, ignoring all the sights and sounds around her as her mind wraps around the conundrum that is her life as of late. She doesn't even notice the figure following behind her.
That is, until they suddenly reach out and grab her wrist.
"Eek!" She lets out a girly shriek of surprise and spins on her heel to offer up a Lucy-Kick, only to slip on the icy ground. Before she can fall, a pair of arms wraps around her, and she's looking up into a pair of dark eyes. Light brown locks frame a face that is too pretty to be called "handsome."
"Hibiki?" She asks in surprise.
"In the flesh," he pulls her up into a standing position, but doesn't release his hold on her. His charming smile falls on her, and she suppresses a groan.
"Please don't tell me you're here to claim to be my Secret Santa, too," she says tiredly. "I don't think I can deal with that again right now."
Hibiki frowns for a moment before understanding lights up in his eyes.
"Ah, yes. I heard about that." He nods. "But, alas, it is not I whom you search for. If I were to court you, I would be straightforward about it. I wouldn't go to such lengths just to get your attention."
Well, that's most likely true.
At least she doesn't have to deal with Hibiki claiming to be her Secret Santa. However…
"Um, can you maybe let me go, then?" She struggles to get out of his embrace.
"Sorry," he lets her go, smiling that charming smile that all those Blue Pegasus boys seem to excel at. "Where are you off to in such a rush?"
Lucy heaves a sigh, her earlier annoyance starting to seep back in.
"I'm just going home now."
"Mind if I walk with you?" Hibiki offers with a gallant bow. "I couldn't possibly allow a beautiful woman to walk these streets alone."
"She's not alone."
Lucy turns to the new voice in surprise. Natsu stands there, arms crossed over his chest, eyes dark and narrowed at Hibiki. Some emotion Lucy can't quite identify is fixed firmly on Natsu's face. She frowns, trying to decipher the strange look there. It's almost like…
Jealousy, her mind supplies.
She sucks in a sharp breath at the realization, but neither boy notices her sudden revelation.
Natsu is jealous… of Hibiki? Does he even possess such an emotion?
"Natsu, I didn't see you there." Hibiki says, mimicking Natsu's posture down to the narrowing of his eyes. "I must have been too transfixed by Lucy's beauty to notice the stain on this lovely winter landscape."
Natsu growls. "Shut up, pretty boy! Get out of here before I beat some sense into you. And you wouldn't want me messing up your pretty face, now, would you?" Natsu raises a challenging eyebrow. Hibiki looks like he might argue further, but apparently decides that risking his precious looks is not worth getting into it with Natsu.
Lucy rolls her eyes as the archive mage slumps off.
"Gee, Natsu, could you be any meaner?" Lucy snaps when Hibiki is far enough away not to overhear. Natsu looks back at her in surprise. She stares him down with narrowed eyes, hands on hips. He pales a bit at her expression.
"Um…" He scratches his head in deep thought. Lucy blows out a frustrated breath.
"Never mind," she snaps, then turns on her heel to continue on home.
"Where are you going?" He asks as he follows along beside her.
"Home."
"Can I come?"
"Would you listen if I said no?" She raises an eyebrow at him.
"Nope!" He grins a cheesy smile. She sighs.
So not worth it.
"Fine, but don't even think about crawling into my bed tonight!" She warns.
"What if you get cold?" He counters.
"Then light a fire and STAY OUT OF MY BED!" She screeches at him. He flinches as the sharp tones hit his sensitive eardrums. Then mutters something that sounds vaguely like, "Okay," before falling into silent step with her.
The two stay like this, walking silently side-by-side, until they reach her apartment. When Natsu immediately starts for her fridge, Lucy grabs him by the collar and forces him to a stop before pointing a finger at her unlit fireplace and giving him an expectant look. He grins sheepishly before obeying her unspoken command.
While Natsu builds a fire in her hearth, Lucy goes into the bathroom to changes into a pair of pajamas. As she does, she wonders what the next couple of days will entail. What will the last two gifts be, and how will they all correspond with one another? Will it be made obvious whom her Secret Santa is before he makes himself known to her? Or, has it been plainly obvious this whole time?
As Lucy ponders these thoughts, she leaves the bathroom, now dressed in black yoga pants with a red Fairy Tail insignia down the side, and a red shirt with a black Fairy Tail insignia on the front. Her socks are fuzzy and warm, and her hair is left loose to keep her ears warm while she sleeps, even if the long locks sometimes get in the way when she turns over.
When she reenters her bedroom, she sees Natsu stoking a blazing fire. She stops in the doorway for a moment at the sight. It's so… Natural, like he belongs there.
Sensing her presence, the Dragon Slayer turns his head her way, eyes lighting up at the sight of her as a smile pulls at his lips. She frowns in return, curious what that smile is about.
"You okay, Luce?" He asks when she continues to frown. She shakes her head to clear her thoughts, then makes her way over to her bed, crawling under the covers and pulling them up to her neck. The room is already starting to heat up from the fire, but the slight chill is enough for her to still need some blankets, though certainly not enough as when she has no fire.
"Luce?" His tone is low, almost a whisper, and comes from close to her ear. She keeps her eyes closed, refusing to turn her head to look at him.
"What, Natsu?"
"I'm… gonna stick around. To make sure the fire doesn't die out. Okay?" His words are carefully chosen, his tone equally as even and precise. Lucy frowns into her pillow, wondering why he's actually, sort of, asking her permission. Since when does he ask if he can stay?
"Fine, whatever." She agrees, her tone dismissive, uncaring. But inside, her heart is beating hard against her chest.
Y'know, while Stele was writing this chapter we were talking and I was like 'Watch that Hibiki is gonna play the secret santa.' Know what her reply was? 'I was gonna do that but I decided to play it a different way.' It's so funny to see when someone can almost read your thoughts.
Ever had that happen to you?
But anyway we hit the five review mark so you've earned your sneaky treat.
"What are you doing here?"
The spirit's smile turns into a frown as she states sharply, "That idiot lion told me what's been happening these past few days."
A small smile appears at the edges of Lucy's lips at the spirit's words but it quickly turns into a frown, as her thoughts turn back to more pressing matters.
"And, what's your thoughts on this whole mess?"
A tick mark appears on the spirit's forehead at her words but she ignores it, instead choosing to shrug. "To be honest, brat, I think it's cute. Even if you are so dense that you refuse to believe what is right there in front of you."
Can you guess who it is? You'll find out next chapter.
Keep it up with the reviews y'all and I'll see ya next time.
Grizzly out for the night.
P.S. Two more chapters y'all, and a week 'til Christmas.