Rated M because M is my favorite letter. Without it, I couldn't spell muffins. Or McFuck.

I don't really own Fairy Tail. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction. Sad, but true.

My Knight VII

"So does this mean I get off free for all of the times I've walked in on you and Natsu?"

"No. Not unless you've managed to invent a brain scrubber that will erase the last few moments of my waking life."

"... You can get one at the market of off 8th and Oak; they're next to the celestial key chains..."

"Levi."

"Whaat? He's cute."

"Cute..? Of all the words you could use to describe Gazille you think the word cute covers all of the piercings and the hair?"

"His personality, then."

"For God's sake, Levi."

"You know, I thought you'd be happy for me, Luce."

"... Levi, I just got back from visiting the place I was born and raised in, after not seeing it for the past few years or so mind you, and all I really wanted to do was to be able to come home to just that: my home. Not some sexed up, love nest that you and Gazille felt the urge to-"

"Lucy, it's not a love nest-"

"Weren't you the one who said no sex on the couch-"

"Lucy! We weren't having sex!"

"Really."

"Yes really. We were making out."

"You're a whore."

"Says who?"

"Me. Clean up, I'm gonna go sleep this off."

"You're just jealous!"

"Oh yeah. Super. Gazille is one in a million."

"..Will you be awake for lunch?" I sighed, feeling slightly bad for jumping down Levi's throat. She was frowning.

"Yes, Levi. I'll be up for lunch. I'll make grilled cheese, okay?" I offered seeing her put out.

"Wonderful- I'll make the soup."

"Good. See you then," I gave her a quick hug and vroomed into my room as fast as humanly possible. Making it all the way to my bed before I officially collapsed. The mental image was still painfully fresh in my mind.


It had started out as an innocent proposal to partake in a trivial, albeit fun, game of hooky.

"I do not want to go to class today," Levi groaned as she dragged her feet towards the English Department of Magnolia U. As she groaned, she stared at the sky willing it to stop being so gray. Dark gray, she noted sadly. Levi was garnished with a think overcoat, as the weather had gone from cold to frigid in one week. She had just passed the library, moaning about her misfortune. Levi felt that the building would agree with her if she just turned around right now and trotted back to her apartment.

"Then don't." The dark voice that answered her complaint made Levi jump. She halted and turned back.

Gazille sat on the steps to the library holding a couple of leatherbound tomes. Even he was wearing a leather jacket and gloves.

"My mommy says I shouldn't talk to strangers," Levi pointed out in a silly, little-girl voice.

"Well, it's a good thing we aren't strangers, then." Gazille's smirk caused in involuntary rush of blood to Levi's cheeks as she smiled.

"Okay. Since you agree with me, what should we do?" Levi asked, feeling bold. It was the winter air, she decided. Gazille stood up and flashed the lithe woman a devilish grin.

"I'm up for pizza." Levi snickered. What else could she do? Food was all Gazille ever thought about.

"Fair enough; we'll order out. Let's go back to my place," Levi said as she looked back to the sky. "It looks like the weather's about to get nasty." So, the two set off at a somewhat brisk pace, hoping to beat the angry storm. As they reached the door to Levi's apartment building, the clouds burst and water seared down on Magnolia, cutting through the air like miniscule blades. The temperature quickly plummeted turning the would be shower into slush and hail.

Gazille and Levi stopped and watched the storm from the safety of her lobby.

"I think I made a good call." Levi nodded to herself.

"On what?"

"Skipping," she affirmed.

"What are you talking about? I made that call for you." Gazille grumbled, while half smiling to himself.

"Whatever, you." Levi escorted her friend to her exact apartment and they entered turning on lights. Levi flicked on the thermostat and punched in a cozy number. Gazille gave her a look.

"Lucy's not here," Levi answered, grinning, "so I am in control of the temperature of this abode." Gazille just shook his head.

"When she sees the heating bill, don't come crying to me."

"Like I'd go crying to you!" A glint passed through Gazille's eyes.

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really." Levi smirked as she took off her jacket and scarf. Gazille mirrored her actions with his own personal effects.

"Then who, praytell, would you go crying to?" Levi stopped trying to rip her remaining boot off of her left foot and turned up to face him.

"Is somebody jealous?" she asked, hands on her hips, one shoe on, one shoe off. Before she could smirk, Gazille was before her- looming over her.

"And if I was...?" Gazille left the question hanging as the rain and ice mixture outside intensified its beating on Magnolia.

"Then you'd be jealous," Levi answered, effectively ruining the mood. Gazille let his head fall forward as the blue haired vixen before him smiled, slightly flustered. Her focus back, Levi kicked off her boot. The weather remained intensely strong, finally forcing the lights to flicker once before completely cutting off the power all together.

"Well, this is exciting." Levi was thankful for the darkness. She could completely blush now without an audience.

"Where are your flashlights?" Gazille asked.

"I'll get them."

Levi felt along the hallway to the closet near the bathroom. She opened the door and thought about where the damned flashlights were kept. Remembering, she sagged in defeat.

"Gazille?" she called down the hall.

"Yes?" The reply directly behind her made her start. Holding a hand on her chest, Levi breathed in deeply.

"The flashlights are on the top shelf and I can't-"

"Got it." Without even letting Levi move out of the way, Gazille took a step forward and easily reached the flashlights. Levi tried not to break into convulsions as she felt Gazille press against her. Having grabbed the flashlights, Gazille counted to ten before moving back away from Levi. So what if he was evil; there was nothing he could do about it.

"Got them?" Levi asked, after clearing her throat.

"Yeah. Do they even work?"

"I hope so." Gazille handed her one and they both tried turning them on. Gazille's worked. Levi's didn't.

"Dammit."

"So, you're mad?" Levi glared at Gazille as he shone the light in her face.

"Yes, but if you share, I'll be okay."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Who said I was going to be sharing?" Gazille then darted away from Levi- only to flip head first over the sofa in the middle of the living room. As Levi laughed, she felt around for the flashlight that Gazille had dropped in his tumble.

"Oh no, that baby's mine." In the ensuing battle for the light, Gazille wrestled Levi to the floor for the flashlight. A crack stifled the fighting and the two sides ceased fire. The flash light was broken.

"Well fuck, Levi... You broke it," Gazille panted out, awestruck that he was actually out of breath from wrestling Levi of all people.

"No... way. You... broke it," Levi panted back, effectively pinned beneath Gazille. Seconds later Levi realized the position the two were in and her blush was back, full throttle.

"So... who were you going to go crying to?" Gazille rose to his hands and knees, completely trapping Levi.

"Why does.. that even matter?" Gazille was silent for a moment before leaning in close to Levi.

"If it's me, then nothing matters."


I unfortunately found the two lovebirds entangled in one another on the couch. Well, there went my appetite... But honestly? Not really. Good for them.

Lying on my bed still, I pulled out my phone and texted Natsu. A few seconds later he replied.

"Currently stranded in a house of men. Save me. Please." I giggled and texted him back.

"And risk my life in this weather? You come over here. Warm up our apartment, Fire Mage." I felt my eye lids grow heavy. It had been a looong weekend.


"And she was the one who asked me to come over. What kind of host falls asleep after inviting a guest over?" Natsu smoothed Lucy's hair after half-assedly grumbling to himself. The power that surged through his veins pulsed with warmth as he smiled at her slack-jawed visage.

"She's exhausted." Natsu looked up and behind him and smiled back at Levi as she sat down across from the two.

"No joke. Dad's was... interesting to say the least."

"Natsu, how did it go?" He grinned and scratched the back of his head.

"I didn't set anything on fire so..." Levi shook her head and snickered as she eyed the couple.

"Fine, fine. So we got there about three days ago..."


Dinner had been a formal event. Lucy's father, a seemingly solemn man, had invited no less than half of the population of Fiore. And Natsu was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"You have to choose one, Natsu. Tie or bow tie. This isn't life or death, it's just tie or bow tie." Lucy glared at the younger, skittish man before her.

"But... but-" Sick of all of his arguments Lucy tackled Natsu on the next closest piece of furniture, which happened to be her bed. See, she was still angry with him, but she didn't want to inflict bodily harm just yet. Straddling him with her dress hiked up, Lucy put both of her hands on either side of his head.

"You will choose, or you will die." Natsu harumphed for a moment and then took advantage of the close space between himself and his girlfriend. Snaking an arm up and behind her head, he kissed her quickly and took the tie from her shocked hands.

"I don't know why you still freeze up like that. I mean, I am your boyfriend." Lucy proceded to wrestle Natsu into a headlock.

"Don't make fun of me, Mister!" And Natsu proceded to flip said headlock around, so now he was on top. Letting her go, Natsu smiled at this whole moment. Flustered and out of breath, Lucy didn't meet Natsu's gaze.

He kissed her cheek and rolled to his side to be by her's.

"What's wrong, Luce?" She covered her eyes with an arm and took a few deep breaths.

"I'm home. I ... I mean, I'm home! I should be happy, right? This is what I've..." She faltered and turned away from Natsu. He sat up earnestly concerned.

"Lucy, what's wrong?" The small voice that answered was a ghost of a whisper.

"I'm scared... Natsu. I don't want.. all of those people down there to ... I don't know, to watch me and my dad patch things up. I mean, it's a family thing! ... Why should they know every detail of every minute of my life?" Lucy's face had turned red under her arm.

"What if I screw things up again? What if Dad and I never-" Her tears cut off her words, and all Lucy could do was cry. Until Natsu saw fit to wrap his arms around her and never let go. He let her cry her worries away. It would be hard enough to get through the night with all of this bottled up in her. A few hiccups later, and she was burying herself deeper into Natsu's chest.

"What in the world are you doing? Trying to rub your face off?" Lucy's response was muffled.

"I don't want you to see me right now..." With that Natsu grabbed hold of Lucy's head and locked eyes with her.

"I want to see you every second of every minute of every hour of every day. Don't ever hide from me, Lucy." She then kissed him then with a force that surprised them both. The couple stayed tongue tied for a few minutes before Natsu broke it off to put on his tie. Lucy straightened herself up and took off the (now running) makeup she had deemed necessary only minutes before.

"Fuck it."

"Couldn't have said it better myself."


Feeling much better, the twosome entered the dining hall hand in hand. The grand room was luminous under the three chandeliers that hung in a simple row, two smaller ones skirting around the largest in the middle. The creme and peach drapes shuffled around the windows as the winter air drifted in and around the room. The people were a lot like the room: maddeningly beautiful and meticulously proper. Lucy immediately found her father talking to a group of such people with a few business buddies that she recognized thrown in. She noticed that a few were looking at her and most had quieted down since their entrance.

"I have never been so scared for my life."

Lucy stopped and turned to look up at Natsu, wide-eyed. What?

"I beg your pardon?"

"Do you see the way these people are looking at me?" He whisper/screamed to her as the pair descended the staircase that led to her father. Lucy examined what he was wearing. A pair of dark brown slacks with a stark white shirt (rolled up to his elbows) and glaringly red tie adorned his body. Nothing about him looked uncomfortable, but Lucy could see that he was comparing himself to some of the men who chose to don their tuxedos (complete with top hats).

"Don't ever let go of my hand then." Lucy gave his hand a squeeze and she noted that her dress wasn't like the full on ball gowns she noticed (exactly fifteen) but it was a passable, cream colored strapless that she wouldn't trade for the world. Well... maybe for Natsu's hand in her's, but that was a whole other story.

"' 'S not like I was planning to anytime soon. I'd be eaten alive." The banter between them had made Lucy feel much better about the whole evening. Looking back for her father, she caught him looking at her.

"Let's go say hi to Dad, 'kay?" Natsu nodded and let Lucy guide the way. As the two approached the gaggle of men and women, Natsu felt all eyes on him and his companion. Lucy's father coughed awkwardly into his hand and then greeted the two.

"Hello, Father." Lucy smiled up at him and he slowly smiled back. Lucy gave him a quick hug and laughed, sheepishly.

"This is slightly different, but I think I can work with this." Her father practically beamed at her and guffawed. The tension in his face melted away as he looked from his daughter to Natsu. The two shook hands and when Lucy's dad held Natsu's gaze for a moment too long in a serious contest of will, Lucy rolled her eyes and stepped between the two men.

"It's really nice that you approve, Dad. It makes... whatever this is that we're doing now... a lot easier." With that, her father turned away abruptly and introduced the couple to his colleagues.

"This is my daughter, Lucy. And this is her... boyfriend, Natsu Dragonil." A small murmur passed through the group and they turned on the couple after a moment.

"Lucy Heartphilia and Natsu Dragonil... are an item?" A look passed between the group and they all smiled in a strangely plastic way. Lucy held her ground and smiled. But after a moment, the facade slipped and she turned to Natsu, hiding her face. And Natsu kissed her forehead as he whispered to her, "Don't freak. They're jealous such a gorgeous woman is taken." Lucy flushed and pinched him in the side. Natsu yelped and then laughed. He turned to face Lucy's dad, and grinned broadly.

"I guess I do have a bit of a reputation, sir, but I don't mean to let that rub off on Lucy." Lucy's dad deadpanned.

"What kind of reputation would that be, my boy?" He asked, a vein looking close to popping in his forehead.

"Nothing to be proud of. I've found a good reason to straighten up though. And besides all of that bullshit-"

A gasp of surprise and reproach danced throughout the dining hall. Natsu looked around, and his smile morphed into a smirk.

"Oh, my good people of Fiore- you can't be serious. We aren't children anymore, and language is just language. But just to be sure, none of you go running to teacher, now," Natsu said, before securing his arm around Lucy. "I plan on behaving like an adult, so I'd appreciate it if you all would too. Yes, I've done things I regret, but that's behind me. Right now, my girlfriend is my top priority. That being said if any one of you so much as look at her with the slightest of bad intentions, I'll be sure to show you hell." Lucy was speechless as she looked from Natsu to the rest of her crowd to her father. The latter stood stock still for a moment before shaking his head and taking a step forward to stand before Natsu.

"He is a hooligan."

Before Lucy could defend Natsu, her dad held up a hand.

"But for all of the right reasons. I do believe you will be welcome at my home at anytime." Natsu genuinely smiled at him and shook his hand.

"I'm glad you understand, Sir." Lucy's dad looked at Natsu then and proceded to ruffle his hair.

"Just don't get her pregnant," He added in a voice only Natsu could hear.

"DAD." But apparently not.


After their turbulent entrance, the duo laid low for a while, seated out on a veranda enjoying the crisp night air.

"You know, I think your dad likes me." Lucy gave Natsu a look.

"What makes you think that, smartass?" Natsu pulled Lucy into a one armed hug and grinned. He lit up the space in front of them with a small fireball. Seeing Lucy's interest had been piqued, Natsu twisted the flames into spirals and different spheres. Lucy clapped sarcastically, but Natsu kept on his performance.

"You know now that we're dating... Well, have been for a month... Shouldn't I meet your celestial keys?" Lucy's eyes widened.

"You want to meet them?"

"Well yeah. Why wouldn't I?"

"... You remember that you've met one already, right?"

"..."

"Aquari-"

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"... Can I skip meeting her..?"

"No, Natsu. Now that you've mentioned it, that doesn't sound like a bad idea." Lucy grinned as she pulled on her keys fastened to a belt around her waist.

"The only one available today is Plue: you've already kind of met him. He's such a cutie; he kind of reminds me of you in that helplessly ditzy kind of way," Lucy continued. Natsu frowned but kept the fire show going on.

"Ditzy?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I meant to say spastic."

"Thaaanks."

Lucy called out Plue and as he appeared before Natsu, the pink haired man immediately knew they would be buddies for life. He was, after all, wearing a scarf.

"You came prepared for the weather, huh, Plue?" Lucy giggled and picked up her friend.

"Plue, this is Natsu. He's my... friend."

"Don't listen to her, Plue. I'm her husband."

"Since when?" Lucy asked, laughing.

"Since now! Us three, we're like a family! I'm the dad, you're the mom, and Plue's the adopted Chinese kid!"

"... Say what?" Plue nodded his head and jumped from Lucy's arms to Natsu's head. He patted down his hair and curled up into a ball.

"Typical." Lucy snickered at the two. Before long she found herself dozing off. It had gotten very late, and the party was hardly more than a handful of guests. Natsu woke her up only to have her call Plue back for his own safety. After she fell asleep again, Natsu gently picked her up and headed back inside.

"I've still got my eye on you, boy." Natsu stopped to acknowledge Lucy's dad. He stood at the foot of the staircase on the opposite side of Natsu.

"I don't know what kind of reputation you were talking about early, but you'd better keep your word."

"Yessir." He put a hand on his daughter's head and smoothed her hair.

"It's been too damn long. I don't want the only thing holding us together to be you, boy. Understand that."

"I do," Natsu affirmed sternly. Before he could say anything else, he found his hair was being ruffled again.

"But that doesn't mean I have to treat you like shit; she accepts you, so there's no reason I shouldn't." Natsu's cheeks burned a dark red and Lucy's dad again bellowed out laugh.

"Get to bed. I'll see you in the morning- breakfast is at nine."

"G-Goodnight, sir," Natsu mumbled, now officially embarrassed.

"My name is Luke Heartphilia."

"Good night, Luke-"

"That's Mr. Luke Heartphilia to you, boy."


You know you want to so go ahead and do it. Smile reeeaaal big with me now. You guys deserved a long chapter. I'm going to the lake anyway, so this will tide you over until I return. BTW, I love dads. In general. Their entire persona is wonderful.

I'm off to sleep-land. Live long and prosper.

j0h4nn4

(I need twelve more words to make this an even four thousand.)