NEW FORMAT. AUTHOR NOTES WILL BE STATED ABOVE AS WELL AS A FOOT NOTE.
Author's Note: Holy shit. You guys are spoiled. Since band camp will be taking up my time (Noon to night time) I won't post Friday. I'm still working on chapter 13 and its crappy. Ugh. Hopefully you lalalalove this chapter. THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS GUYS! SHOUTOUT TO: Cana Alberona and NatsuDragneel4669 for your regular reviews! Hope you guys stick to this till the end. *smooches all readers*
Disclaimer: Fairy Tail and all it's characters belong to Hiro Mashima.
Chapter Twelve
After all the sports events were finished, the Magnolia School District makes the ending of the games more festive by holding an ending ceremony at Crocus Park. The ending ceremony itself wasn't really a ceremony. It was more of a carnival. There were rides and cotton candy booths and carnival food. Everyone was welcome to come, so little kids enjoyed themselves as well.
The mundane school tactics went by slowly, but eventually ended. The committee wasn't needed any longer since the carnival was courtesy of the school district, so that evening before the ceremony Lisanna, Levy, Lucy, and Juvia were all hanging out in Lucy's bedroom.
"Wow!" Lisanna cried. "I still can't believe you spoke!" Lucy gave off a bashful look as the rest of the girls looked at her.
"I think you need a doctor's check up and little bit of therapy. Then maybe, you could speak again." Juvia state. Lucy shrugged. Even though she seemed as if it wasn't a big deal, she was very surprised she managed to create a coherent syllable. "Also, our cutie Levy is going on a date with Ironman tonight~."
My my. Why am I not surprised? Lucy giggled along with the other girls. Levy, however, peered behind her book at them and mumbled something about a cat.
"You guys are so cute. You all have somebody on your mind. Even if you are denying it." Lisanna looked dreamily at one of Lucy's wall paintings. It may seem like Lisanna wasn't with someone, but she was already committed. Her kind-of-boyfriend was apart of the band her bother was in, The Thunder League, which was somewhere in Kentucky. The band consisted of her brother, her brother's girlfriend, her kind-of-boyfriend, and her boyfriend's other two friends, Freed Justine and Laxus Dreyar. The two weren't really a thing yet actually. They both wanted to wait for her to finish college first. She still missed him though. Suddenly, Lucy's phone beeped beside her on the bed. Juvia's phone also beeped.
From Natsu Dragneel
To: Me
You're going to the carnival tonight, right?
She replied yes as she heard Juvia squeal in delight. The blonde looked over to her usually reserved friend sitting on the floor, who was smiling brightly. When Lucy cocked a brow, Juvia showed her the screen of the phone.
From: Gray-sama 3
To: Juvia
thanks for the lunch box you made it tasted good. I'll treat you for dinner and stuff at the carnival.
Lucy jumped up and bounced over to hug Juvia. How nice, Levy's got a date with Gajeel and Juvia will definitely say yes to Gray's offer. Lisanna would be bonding with her older sister at the carnival, while Lucy would probably just hang around. Maybe Natsu would take her... Her phone beeped again.
From: Natsu Dragneel
To: Me
Alright! See ya there!
Nastu stood on his bed, up against the wall in his shirtless glory. He held is phone and banged his head slightly on the wall. Ruffling his pink hair, he sighed and flopped onto the mattress. Stupid. Just ask her out.
The time was 6:30 P.M. and the carnival had already began. Natsu Dragneel leaned against his Honda, with his male companions talking about some nonsense. The group was waiting for their dates to arrive. As for Natsu, he was dateless. Several cars pulled up into the parking spaces near by and out came their friends. Lisanna, older sister Mirajane, Juvia, Levy, and Lucy hopped out of the Subaru, while Erza and her boyfriend stepped out of the GMC pick up truck and joined the group of boys.
(The red head's boyfriend turned out to be the humble Student Council Vice President Jellal Fernandez, who was blushing as Erza introduced him to her friends. How the bashful and polite Jellal fell for the tough Erza came to be? Their friends always wonder.)
After the group had walked around together for awhile, everyone had split into their pairs. Dates would be the more correct word if it weren't for the Strauss girls. Gray and Juvia were going to go get something called caramade franks, while Gajeel and Levy (plus his black cat, Patherlily) went to the karaoke booth. The Strauss' headed over to listen to the band playing and the official couple went to play games. The blonde and pinkette sat in silence as they did while at the nurse's office one day.
Natsu glanced over to Lucy, who was picking at the hem of her pink shorts. A loose, white crop top graced her upper body, while her hair was left down, as usual, and cascaded down her shoulders. There was slight makeup on her face. He knew she never wore eyeliner, or lipstick, or blush, or any of the sort. He noticed and thought, She looks pretty. She always does. The young man stood up instantaneously.
"Hey Lucy, I'll be back!" He called to her as he ran off. Lucy blinked at the sudden actions of her friend. She leaned back against the bench as she looked to the sky. It was 7:00 by now and the sky had painted itself an orange-pink. Just as the teen was drifting off in thought, Natsu reappeared. He was standing in front of her, hand out stretched. Lucy allowed herself to be lifted off the seat by him.
"This is for you." He stuck out his other hand which was holding a balloon. It was supposed to be another witty print on the balloon, suggesting by the caption on the balloon: Not a Balloon. What more could you expect from not the most romantic guy in the group? Lucy let off a light giggle as she took the balloon. She mouthed a thank you, while Natsu tied the balloon string around her right wrist.
"You and me, here on out. Where to first?" Natsu asked cheekily. The blonde looked thoughtful for a moment, then raised her left hand and pointed to a large attraction: the Ferris wheel. Natsu swallowed hard and let off an uncertain smile. "L-lead the way."
7:18
On the way out, Lucy helped a green looking Natsu off the attraction. She placed her companion on the bench to let him recover. The girl plopped on the bench and looked at him worridly.
"I-I forgot t-to mention..." Natsu murmured, "I have slight motion sickness." She looked at him, void of emotion on her face, then she laughed. Her mouth was hanging slightly open and awkward noises left her mouth. By now, Natsu was pouting at her, upset he was being made fun of.
"Not nice, Luce." Lucy took her phone out and typed as she continued to snicker.
Why didn't you tell me? We didn't have to go on it.
"'Cuz you looked so excited, so I didn't tell you." He replied, looking much better than a few moments ago.
Ok then. We won't go on anymore rides. Natsu let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. But can you carry me on your back?
The male looked at the giggling blonde with a cocked brow. Sighing in defeat, he crouched in front of her. She happily seated herself on Natsu's back and wrapped her arms around his neck. As soon as he hoisted her in the air, Lucy settled her head in the crook of his neck.
"Let's go eat." He said. She hummed in reply.
7:42
"Gray-sama?" Juvia stared at the treat infront of her. It was a loaf of bread with caramel oozing out of the sides. Drizzled on top of the bread was chocolate sauce along with some powdered sugar. It looked very delicous, but that wasn't the problem.
"Juvia, you can just call me Gray." His dark eyes bore into her own.
"How do I eat this?" She asked, ignoring his comment. And for the first time that night, Gray chuckled.
"That's a funny joke, Juvia."
"Gray-sama, it's super sticky. I'm serious!" She was pouting by now.
"You take the thing and you bite really big. Like this." Gray did exactly what he just told her and she followed the suit.
The two looked at each other, faces smeared with caramade franks. Gray swallowed the treat and laughed at how silly Juvia looked. He smirked as he proceeded to wipe her face clean with a napkin. Juvia's face was held in his bigger hands as she stared at him. Pink began to fill her cheeks as the two stared at each other. Her porcielan fingers gripped on his own hands to remove them from her face. His hands stayed on her face, while her hands just stayed on his. Scowling once again, he began to pinch her pink cheeks. They both laughed as he teased her.
"Let's go on the spinning tea cups?" He asked when they finished their franks. She took his hand into her own when she replied.
"Sure!"
8:00
The studded teen dragged the petite girl around the carnival grounds. The story of "Why" was that right after karaoke, Levy had blatantly said she had never ridden a carousel when they were discussing rides to go on. Utterly disappointed in her loss of childhood experience, Gajeel was determined to make her ride a carousel. Levy, however, didn't see what the big deal was.
"You have no childhood. That is the big deal, Shrimp." Gajeel stated in a matter-of-factly kind of manner. The bluenette, who was looking offended, freed her hand from the male's strong hold.
"My childhood was perfectly normal. Thank you, very much." She retorted while brushing off the imaginary dust on her poofy, yellow skirt.
"I'm still taking you, ("But!") and we are going to ride on the two chickens on that carousel."
"Why chickens?" Her eyes softened and eyebrows knitted up in confusion. Gajeel just gave a wicked smile.
"So we can ride the cocks." Cue the head smack.
8:12
Sitting at a near by table, the Strauss girls we're listening to the current band playing.
It was a local band and wasn't really well known, but they played well. They were playing a cover of Mr. Brightside by The Killers while the audience screamed/sang along with lead singer. Mirajane, the eldest sister, stirred her drink and chatted idly with her baby sister as the band played on.
(The elder Strauss looked like a more developed version of Lisanna, taller, longer hair, and bustier. Personality wise, two weren't much different than each other either. Both were kind, supportive, and gave off that maternal/sisterly feel.)
The voice of the audience changed suddenly. The crowd of teenagers no longer belched out the lyrics, but was chanting. At first the words were unclear, but you could slowly make out the words "Thunder League." As soon as Lisanna heard this, she looked at the stage to find Bixslow Garcia looking at her already, smiling his wild smile and her heart skipped a beat. Their brother, Elfman, waved at the sisters from behind the drums. His girlfriend, Evergreen Boyle, was standing by Freed's keyboard while tuning her bass. Lisanna could of sworn she saw Laxus smile at them. Laxus. The Laxus Dreyar smiling? Yeah, she was daydreaming.
She liked it anyways.
8:36
Meanwhile, Student Council Headmembers walked down the game alley. Erza was holding a little blue bear Jellal had won for her at a tossing game and Jellal held a big red bunny Erza won for him in the arcade area. Unlike our other lovely duos, they weren't drastically sweet, comical, or mischievous. Jellal and Erza could only be described in a way of extra tangy strawberry short cake: sweet, but still sour in some places.
Jellal was speaking to Erza (Something absolutely hilarious that happened during lunch period.), but she wasn't listening. The redhead was trying to recall of all the moments she shared with him. She wanted to tell him everything running through her head and tell him all the reasons why she fell in love with the blue haired dork. But she knew she didn't have to say. He knows it all, like he's a mind reader. Suddenly, Jellal pecked the plush lips of the redhead.
"Huh? What was that for?" She asked.
"You're just cute when you're dazing off." He replied with a side serving of the cheeky smile she loves so much.
"How did you know I was a dazing off?"
"I asked you if pandas could fly and you responded with yes." This time, she captured his lips in hers.
"What's that for?" He asked.
"What?"
"I love you. A lot."
"I love me too. Joke! Love you too." But that's still not what she meant. She really wanted to say: I love when you ruffle my hair. I love when you tell me lame puns, you nerd. I love how you don't do anything to your hair and it still looks better then mine. I love how you know what to say and when, but I don't know how I should put this. And, oh god, there's so much more I want to say. So "I love you" will work for now.
8:54
"Alright. I've took you everywhere you wanted to go- while on my back- and we ate. I won you three stuffed toys and you bought me a pop gun. Now it's and we're sort of just roaming the carnival aimlessly." Natsu narrated aloud to the girl on his back. He stayed silent for awhile to wait for Lucy to respond in someway. His onyx colored eyes looked at the girl who was resting her head on his shoulder, eyes shut. Her arms were still wrapped around his neck, but rather loosely. Natsu stopped by a bench and removed her from his back onto the bench.
"Luce, I think I should take you home now." He whispered to her. She groaned in reply. Natsu shimmied off his green hoodie and placed it around Lucy's shoulders and the hood on her head. At that moment, Lucy had woken. Well, half awake. Natsu took this as a chance to speak to her.
"I need you to get up, Luce. I'm gunna take you home and to do that we need to get to the car." Lucy looked at him with sleepy eyes from under his hood. She stood up and began fumbling with her phone.
Carry me. Simple task.
"Fine, stay still, then you can rest." She did as she was told then Natsu did his part of the bargain. Instead if piggy back riding her to the car, she was being carried princess style: sleeping edition. As soon as Natsu sweeped her up from the back of her knees, Lucy rested her head on her companion's chest. The hoodie was still neatly placed on her shoulders and head, as her purse sat neatly in her lap. And like that, the blonde was fast asleep. Or so he thought.
Once they reached the car, Natsu had placed her in the passenger seat gently. Light snores escaped Lucy's pink lips and Natsu smiled. Before he turned on the engine, the teen bent to her from the driver's seat and kissed the side of her forehead.
"Goodnight, Lucy."
Carnival Days
Next Week Chapter Preview:
Everyone suddenly tensed. A dead silence filled the room. The two males were quiet. Uncomfortably quiet. Lucy's eyes darted between them, praying that one of them would just speak already. She needed to hear something being said, something of decision, reassurance, or defiance. However, she knew the only one who would say anything would be her.
Author's End: Hello hello again! Well, first of all, this was so much fun to write. Second of all, the carousel bit was based off a true event that my friend and I did at Knott's Berry Farms.
