*There will be mentions of alcohol consumption, but no more mentions of smoking weed in this chapter. However, the characters are still tipsy/high, so keep that in mind while reading.
*Chapter Thirty-Three: Never have I ever
(December 25th, 2017, Monday Night)
Natsu belted out a laugh, grinning as Gray, Cana, Erza, and Jellal all put a finger down. Levy laughed too, though not from her friend's actions, more from Natsu's contagious laugh.
They were playing 'never have I ever', and Droy had just said, "Never have I ever, had sex in public."
Out of all the people in the group, only four had to put their fingers down, but Natsu knew first hand why they each did. His friends were a wild bunch, but some of the things they did made even Natsu think they were ridiculous.
Erza and Jellal had been together, doing it in the tennis courts right outside of their school one night. That was back when they were all in high school, the two saying they wanted to spend the night outside to see how it was, only to complain the next day about back pains from sleeping on the hard ground.
Gray's had been last year at a party. He had gotten shitfaced and ended up with some random chick in the backyard, the two going at it until the host of the party broke them up, yelling at them for fucking in her flowerbed. Since then, Gray had controlled his alcohol intake better, worried he would get blackout drunk again.
Cana's wasn't as shocking, but it was considered scandalous. She had been caught by her friends on a school field trip to the aquarium. She and her boyfriend at the time snuck off to find a closet to consummate their relationship.
If it hadn't been for their teacher noticing their absences, no one would have gone looking for the couple, and her friends wouldn't have had to see just how flexible the young woman had been. Natsu hadn't personally witnessed it, but he had seen how red both the culprits had been when they rejoined the group.
"Oh shut it virgin," Gray groused, sending Natsu a dirty look.
Natsu only laughed harder, not offended in the least bit. He loved getting his friends riled up, enjoying their blushes from embarrassment.
"Okay, okay," Jellal started, trying to dull the roaring laughs around the room. "My turn. Never have I ever, hmm, gotten high."
Everyone who was high snickered or groaned as they dropped a finger. Ultear smiled, though it was small. "I've never tried weed, but I did Ecstasy once. Never again."
"What happened?" Erza asked, her brows furrowed in concern until Ultear let it spill she ended up cuddling with Lyon's stuffed polar bear, yelling about its soft fur.
"I remember that," Gray said with a fond smile of his own. He had promised never to tell another soul, but since Ultear fessed up, he figured there was no point in keeping it a secret anymore. "Lyon ended up giving her the bear."
The two siblings grew quiet, thinking about their brother while others exchanged stories of things they had and hadn't tried. Natsu was too busy looking at the fingers that remained up to join in the conversations.
He didn't mind losing another 'point'. He was going strong with seven fingers up. The game had begun not too long ago, so he had a while until he would be out. He stole a peek at Lucy, seeing her holding up eight fingers. When they started the game, Natsu thought it was going to be pure fun, but he found out quickly it was a way to get to know his newest friend without hounding her with questions.
So far he found out Lucy had cheated on a test before, and she had burned something while cooking. While that wasn't ground breaking news, it was still something, and he was eager to find out more.
Not only that, Natsu was having fun playing, especially when his friends got pissy they had to put a finger down. There were less people in the circle than there had been before, Yukino and Sting taking off soon after Lyon left. Jet was technically still in the circle, but the man was passed out on his back. No one bothered to move him or wake him up, merely skipping over him when it was his turn.
Cana had started the game, everyone taking turns by going clockwise. Lucy had been the second person going, hers being a strange one.
"Never... have I-I ever, gotten a... a driver license."
She had caused everyone in the circle to put a finger down while raising a few brows.
"Why didn't you get one?" Levy had asked, causing Lucy to shrug.
"Didn't need... one," she whispered, putting an end to that question. Upon seeing Lucy's mild discomfort, Natsu piped up, continuing the game by saying, "Never have I ever, used a skateboard." And so the game went on, until now.
It was Erza's turn next, a smile making its way to her face as she said, "Never have I ever, flashed someone."
Gray grunted, putting a finger down. He had a feeling that was directed at him, seeing as he was the only one in that circle who had a stripping problem.
"Count yourself lucky," Jellal said, not bothering to hide his laughter. "If the game was drop a finger for each time, you'd be out and then some."
"Shut up!"
While Gray shot back, his voice could barely be heard over the chuckles, everyone poking fun at Gray. He started thinking of his revenge, knowing his turn was coming up soon.
"Never have I ever, walked in on someone having sex," Ultear said, already knowing that would affect some people.
Natsu watched as Erza, Gray, Levy and Lucy put a finger down. Before he could question who Lucy saw having sex, Levy elbowed him. "Put your finger down too."
Furrowing his brows, Natsu said, "I never walked in on someone having sex."
Levy nodded, not backing down. "Remember, when we first got here..."
That wasn't enough to jog Natsu's memory, Levy having to say, "With Freed," before it hit.
"Oh, does that count?" He looked at Ultear since it was her turn, needing her verdict. "Does oral count?"
"It's sex, so I think it counts," she said, prompting a few people to ask when he witnessed that.
Natsu tried not to flush, but it was inevitable. He scratched his cheek, trying to make it sound less invasive than it was. "I didn't mean to. I saw Freed through that little window on the cafeteria door, and his eyes were closed so I thought he was like sleeping standing or something." Natsu had a take a deep breath, feeling winded all of a sudden. His high was still working in waves, sometimes feeling strong while others he had more clarity.
"The... the window." He blinked in an attempt to clear his head. "I needed to ask him for... what the fuck was that." After almost losing his train of thought again, Natsu snapped back to reality, rushing through his explanation to get it over with before he zoned out. "I think I was gonna ask about supplies, but anyways, I didn't think as I walked in and saw 'em."
Natsu shuddered, never wanting to see anyone like that again. Even when he could stream endless videos of porn, he didn't like seeing multiple people touching each other. Throw in the awkwardness of seeing friends doing it and it was game over. "Anyways, next?"
"My turn," Gray said, narrowing his eyes at Erza. "Never have I ever brought something to school that wasn't allowed."
Cana and Natsu dropped a finger without question. He always had a lighter on him while Cana had brought alcohol onto school campus on more than one occasion. Lucy put a finger down too, surprising Cana.
"What'd you bring to school?"
Lucy wanted to sigh, thinking the rule was ridiculous. She kept herself composed, looking Cana in the eyes for a few seconds before her gaze dropped. "Make up."
Cana blinked, unsure if she heard right. "Did you say make up?"
Lucy nodded, remembering how strict her private high school had been. She wondered a few times if that was the reason she acted out so much when she finally made it to college, away from her parent's and that school's rules. However, she knew ultimately her behavior was her responsibility, and she couldn't blame her mistakes on others. "Strict school."
"No kidding," Cana mumbled, wanting to offer the poor girl a drink in apology, but she didn't. Natsu had made it clear no one was to give Lucy anything, and she didn't want to make Lucy more uncomfortable.
While that was going on, Gray was shaking his head, eyes fixed on Erza. "You gotta put a finger down."
"What for?" she asked, cocking her head.
"What do you mean what for?" Gray blinked, unsure if she was messing with him or not. "You brought a sword to class once!"
"Yes," she admitted, not bothering to deny the claim. "But I had Makarov's permission since it was for a school project. I don't think it counts."
"It does so!"
Erza raised a brow at the challenge, her voice clipped as she asked, "Should we go find Makarov and ask him ourselves?"
Gray grumbled, slouching as he shook his head. "Whatever."
Lucy bit her inner cheek, keeping herself from smiling when she saw Gray sulking. It was endearing in a way, letting her see a side of him she hadn't seen before. In fact, she had seen a lot of Natsu's friends tonight, but she hadn't been scared off yet.
She felt oddly comfortable.
Even if she didn't talk as much, she felt somewhat okay in her own skin, as long as she didn't think too much about the dark times in her past. The game was something she didn't think she would enjoy, but she did. It allowed her to think about better memories, things she had and hadn't done before things went bad.
Lucy kept her hands in her lap, looking down at her six fingers. She was tied with Droy, Jellal and Cana. Erza, Ultear, and Levy were tied for first, all having seven fingers up.
Natsu on the other hand wasn't doing so well. Him and Gray only had five fingers left, currently tied for last place. However, despite losing, Natsu didn't look upset. The man was swaying with the music behind them. Even if he was off beat, he looked happy and content.
She found herself smiling, glad he looked relaxed. After everything she had seen him go through in her short time at Fairy Tail, she could tell he carried a lot of weight on his shoulders. It was nice seeing that weight lifted, even for just a night.
"Okay, so the first round is over and no one's out," Cana said, a wicked grin sliding over her face. "Wonder who'll be the last one standing. Never have I ever, umm... Oh! I know. I've never sent someone to the hospital!"
"Fuuuuuck," Natsu groaned, dropping another finger.
"Technically all of us have," Erza said, trying to get one of it. "When we were born."
"No, that doesn't count," Levy said, Droy and Jellal backing her up.
Cana did one better, changing her statement. "Fine. Never have I ever sent someone to the hospital after the age of one."
Erza let out a sigh before dropping her finger, wishing she had restrained herself from fighting with her friends. She didn't join in often, but when she did, she was a force to be reckoned with. One time in particular she had gone too far, punching Natsu hard enough to bust his nose. They thought she had broken it with as much blood that was pouring out, but thankfully that wasn't the case. However, the end result was what mattered now. Erza sent Natsu to the hospital, thus resulting in her losing a point.
They were a rowdy bunch, even at a young age.
Gray and Ultear dropped a finger as well, Gray's because of his and Natsu's constant fighting that sometimes got too rough, and Ultear because she accidentally hit Gray in the head with a golf club when they were younger. He now sported a sliver of a scar on his forehead, but his raven locks often covered it up.
Lucy tried discreetly putting down a finger, but Cana had caught it, asking who the heck Lucy sent to the hospital and how.
"My cousin," Lucy whispered, thinking back to when she was a child and her mother let Michelle come over. "I tried making... cookies, but I couldn't use... use the stove, so I, I couldn't cook the eggs right." She took a deep breath, wanting to pat herself on the back for getting through that long sentence. It might not have been smooth, but it was finished, and that was what mattered to her.
"You gave your cousin food poisoning?" Natsu asked, earning a slight nod.
"She started th-throwing up, so my mom..." Lucy did her best to bury the pain that tried surfacing in her heart, knowing there was nothing she could do to bring her mother back. "She went... to the hospital. She, was fine, but I got in tr... trouble."
"That... sucks," Gray said, wondering how old she was when she did it. He didn't ask, seeing how hard she tried just to say that much. Besides, he wanted the game to go on.
All eyes stayed on Lucy, the woman pressing her lips together while easing her breathing. She had time to think of a new 'never have I ever' while everyone else was going, but she had only come up with one, and she didn't think many people would like it. Still, that was the point of the game, trying to get everyone else out first.
Lucy took a shaky breath before staring at the center of the circle, trying to keep her voice even. "Never have... I ever, k..." She almost clenched her teeth to stop from speaking, but she pushed through. "Killed a... a zombie."
"Ah shit!" Natsu laughed, craning his neck so he could make eye contact with Lucy. "I thought we were friends!"
She saw him smiling, his eyes bright despite the red haze. Lucy couldn't help but crack a small smile, not even meaning it when she said, "Sorry."
"Nah, it's cool." Natsu straightened up, happy when Lucy kept his eye contact. "Just means I gotta get one for you now." He would have to think hard about it. He didn't want to make it too obvious, but he also didn't know a lot about her. He looked around, seeing everyone but Levy put a finger down.
Levy was grinning, leaning across the circle with her hand raised. "Great one!"
Lucy blinked at her hand for a second before summoning the courage to lift her own hand, giving the girl a high five. What surprised Lucy more than how good it felt to do it was the amount of courage it actually took to do it.
Instead of her struggling, Lucy felt it come more naturally, not having to put in as much effort. She held onto that feeling, treasuring it. She ignored the groans from everyone else who lost a point, focusing on how good it felt to be a part of something and to make someone else happy.
Natsu looked down at his remaining fingers, knowing his chances of winning were slim. Instead of being upset, Natsu decided to try to take down as many people as he could, and the idea that popped into his head that moment would certainly help.
"I haven't ever attended college," Natsu said, butchering the saying, but they got the message. He grinned to himself when everyone else put their fingers down. "I woulda said I never went to college, but I didn't wanna be the wrong technicality."
"I'm sorry, but what?" Cana asked, handling her alcohol better than Natsu handled his high.
He felt himself slipping, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Everything felt great, his mind at ease. "I've been to a college before, but not as a student. So, there."
"Okay," Cana drawled, not getting a better picture of what he meant, but she decided to move on. Her eyes fell on Jet who would be next, but he was still passed out.
Natsu poked Jet's face for good measures, but the man didn't budge. "Yeah, he's out."
"My turn!" Levy cheered, giggling before her eyes squinted at everyone. "Never have I ever, owned a pet!"
Natsu and Ultear lowered a finger. When Gray didn't, Droy raised a brow, finding that odd. "I thought you two were siblings?"
"We are," Ultear said, putting a hand on Gray's shoulder before smiling. "I had a rabbit when I was a kid. It died a few months before my mom adopted him."
"Was... was Gray a replacement for your rabbit?" Droy asked, finding himself in the beginning of a laughing spell.
While Gray wanted to be offended, he couldn't help but laugh too, shaking his head. "Nah, just a little brother."
"Don't say it like I'm old or something," Ultear said, feigning annoyance. She was only six months older than Gray, but their birthdays put her in a higher grade than her brothers.
Natsu was about to make a joke about Gray being a bunny before looking down at Lucy's fingers, realizing she hadn't put one down. He frowned, wondering how lonely it would have been growing up without a pet. While he didn't have a personal pet in the orphanage, there were fish and guinea pigs to play with. After he was adopted, Natsu had found Happy eating trash outside of their house. It hadn't taken much begging before Igneel caved, letting Natsu keep the cat.
Of course, it was only easy convincing Igneel because he was distracted, his main focus on his dying wife.
Swallowing back the thought, Natsu furrowed his brows as he considered sharing Happy. He wanted to say Lucy could count Happy as her pet too.
It was at the tip of his tongue, but at the last second, he decided against it. Natsu was partially selfish, not wanting to relinquish any ownership over his companion. That didn't mean Lucy couldn't play with Happy, just that he wasn't okay with sharing him in that way with anyone else.
Before Natsu could feel guilty over his decision, Droy piped up, moving the game along. "Never have I ever, failed a class."
Unsurprisingly to Natsu, no one dropped a finger. He knew his friends, knew how smart they were when they applied themselves. There were a few times some of them were having a hard time in class, but that only motivated them to try harder. Erza and Levy's study groups certainly helped, the girls arranging for the group to get together once a week to keep up in their classes. The days they did it moved around after most of them started working, but Erza and Levy never gave up on their study days, and neither did his friends.
When Jellal's turn came around, he didn't bother pretending like he was thinking up one on the spot. He had been holding onto it for a while, knowing it would get to a lot of people. "Never have I ever broken a bone."
"Really?" Erza asked, narrowing her eyes at him.
He laughed, knowing she was going to be sour about it, but he couldn't help himself. It was a competition after all. "Sorry?" There was no apologetic tone in his voice, only making Erza stick her tongue out at him while putting a finger down.
"Well fuck," Gray mumbled, now having one finger up. Any moment he would be taken out of the game, and there was nothing he could do about it. He looked around, seeing Natsu, Cana, and Lucy putting down a finger each. Natsu was the only other person with one finger left.
'As long as I don't lose to him I'll be fine with it,' he thought, unable to get rid of their lifetime rivalry. It was embedded in who he was as a person, and he knew Natsu was just the same. They had been friends since childhood, but they had been in competition that whole time as well. It was friendly, mostly.
While Gray was thinking about competing, Natsu was thinking about Lucy, his voice soft as he asked, "You broke a bone?" He resisted asking if it happened when she was captured, knowing better, even when high. He had to fight to stay in control of himself, his emotions growing stronger, especially the bad ones. He wanted to tell her it was all going to be okay, but he realized he was freaking out for nothing when Lucy turned to him, giving him a casual shrug.
"It was nothing... interesting. I... I fell out of a tree."
Natsu's shoulders relaxed as he nodded, a warm smile appearing. "You like climbing trees?"
Lucy raised a brow, wondering why he found the topic fascinating. "I did... when I was a kid." She almost wanted to laugh at how goofy he was, Natsu nodding like he was tucking the information away.
Little did she know, that was exactly what he was doing. 'She used to like playing around. Maybe I should ask more about her childhood. That might get her to open up to me.'
Before he could wonder why he wanted her to open up so much, Levy announced, "By the way, I'm so winning!"
Everyone looked over, seeing she still had six fingers left. It was only then Natsu realized he had one remaining, the man chuckling as he looked around. "I'm probably gonna lose next."
"We'll see," Erza said, knowing her turn was next. "Never have I ever, kissed a coworker at work."
"Well, I'm out," Gray said, dropping his last finger.
"Sucks to suck," Cana said, her words not matching her actions as she dropped a finger.
Levy cocked her head as she looked at Lucy, catching the woman's attention. "You've never kissed at work?"
Lucy shook her head, happy when she felt no heat hit her face. "I've never... had a job." Just as Lucy decided she could use that one during her next turn, her eyes widened, realizing that wasn't true. "Unless, you count this... one?"
"Do jobs at Fairy Tail count?" Levy asked, immediately getting the support from Gray and Cana.
"I think so, which means you can't use it," Gray said, a smug grin sliding on his face. "I know for a fact you've kissed Jellal while at work."
"But, we're not coworkers," Erza said, glancing at her husband. She was a guard and he was a processor.
"We all work for Fairy Tail. I think it counts."
When everyone nodded, Erza sighed. "Fine, okay. Put your fingers back up."
Gray smiled when he was back in the game, but that smile dropped as soon as Erza changed it.
"Never have I ever kissed a girl."
"Well that was fun while it lasted." Gray stood, stretching his legs before heading to the window where Natsu's phone was. He switched the song to something more upbeat before heading back to get another drink.
Everyone put a finger down besides Natsu and Levy, which caused Natsu's eyes to widen. He looked down at Lucy, wondering when she kissed a girl. 'Is she...'
He immediately wondered if she was attracted to women, but he couldn't ask that. It was rude and intrusive, though most of the questions he asked her were considered overstepping. He was going to let it go, his eyes flitting up until he noticed his friends were staring at him. Most of which were holding back their snickers.
"What?!" Natsu despised the heat flooding his face, not wanting to feel embarrassed over something so trivial. "It's no big deal."
"You're twenty and you've never even kissed a girl before," Gray said, rejoining the circle before grabbing Cana's liquor, hearing a faint protest before he took a swig. "I'd say that's a big deal."
Ultear chuckled, eyes filled with mirth as she said, "Even I've kissed a girl before. Look! Even Lucy has!"
"You kissed a girl?" Levy asked, finally realizing the quiet woman did in fact have another finger down.
Lucy nodded, the memory of it in the back of her head. "Yeah."
"Did you have a girlfriend?" Erza asked, not holding her questions back like Natsu had.
Despite not being the one who asked, Natsu listened carefully, hoping he caught her answer before he lost focus again. He only had a handful of knowledge about her, but he wanted to know more.
"It... was a dare," Lucy whispered, finding all the eyes on her unsettling. She didn't feel herself panicking like she would have when she first arrived at Fairy Tail, but she could do without all the attention.
"Did you like it?" Cana asked, causing Lucy to feel more flustered.
It wasn't her normal type of anxiety. It felt, normal in a way, like a normal kind of embarrassment. It was nothing like what she usually experienced, and that was oddly okay. Regardless, she wanted the attention off her, so she answered as soon as she could. "It wasn't bad," she mumbled, causing Cana to nod her head.
"Fair enough." The woman grinned, reclaiming her bottle from Gray before saying, "Now truth or dare, that's a game I'd love to play with this group."
If they decided to play that next, Lucy already knew she wouldn't play. She would sit out and watch, that game filled with too much risk. She could handle general questions, but to be forced to answer personal questions about herself or be made to do something she didn't want to do was not something Lucy was okay with.
"Still think it's a big deal flame brain over here hasn't kissed a chick," Gray said, causing Natsu to flip him off. "Yeah, we all know you only have one finger left. Don't gotta show me."
"I'm sure Sherry would like to change that," Cana laughed, winking at him. She was playing, but she loved the reaction she got from him.
Natsu groaned, running his fingers through his hair before tugging at the ends. "No way. She finally started leaving me alone. Let's not bring that up again."
"I thought she was dating Ren," Levy said, surprised when Erza shook her head.
"I heard they broke up a few days ago." She looked at Natsu before adding, "When you were in quarantine."
Out of curiosity, Natsu asked, "Do you know why?"
Erza nodded, stealing the bottle from Cana to let it rest in her lap. "Ren isn't exactly the nicest guy. He acts really cold with everyone."
"That'd get old fast," Cana said, trying but failing to retrieve the bottle of alcohol.
Erza pulled it further away from Cana's reach before taking a gulp, handing it to her husband so he could get some. "Exactly. I heard she got bored with him acting so cold all the time, so she dumped him. But between you and me, I think they'll be back together again."
"Why's that?" Gray asked, leaning back on his hands, no longer needing to show his fingers since he was out of the game.
"There's not a lot of people left," Erza said, her tone more dry than she meant. "I don't think people can afford to be picky."
"You don't like her?" Lucy whispered to Natsu, earning a raised brow from him. Lucy took an interest in his personal life a few times, but he honestly hadn't expected her to care about that.
"No, not like that. I mean, she's nice and all, but..." Even if he was sober, he wouldn't want to have that conversation. 'They won't understand.' He didn't want to get hurt, and letting himself get tangled in a relationship was a surefire way of feeling pain.
It just wasn't worth it, especially with the way the world had become. Heartbreak would be inevitable. Why put himself and someone else through that unnecessary pain?
"Who's next?" Cana asked, causing Ultear to raise her hand.
"Me. Let's see... Never have I ever, been engaged!"
"Well that's not obvious," Erza said, narrowing her eyes as she dropped another finger. She only had two left, meaning she would be out soon. "You meant that for us."
Jellal lost a point too, but he didn't complain. He merely sighed, waiting for the next turn to go. However, his attention was captured when he saw someone pulling back a finger, someone he never would have guessed would lose.
"Lucy?" he asked, surprised when she swallowed thickly. "You've been engaged?"
All eyes turned to her, her mind telling her it was time to go. 'I shouldn't have played this stupid game. Or better yet, I should have just lied!' Lucy bit her inner cheek, wishing they would look away, but they didn't.
"To be married?" Levy asked, just as stunned as the rest of them. She was so young, only twenty. While Erza and Jellal were young too, they had been dating since the end of middle school. It didn't surprise them when they announced they were getting married, but Lucy hadn't so much as mentioned having a boyfriend in her past, let alone a relationship strong enough to warrant marriage.
Then again, Lucy hadn't mentioned much about herself. Her life story contained a multitude of unknowns.
Lucy hesitated, feeling her guard coming up as she nodded. That only brought on more questions, Natsu speaking up next.
"Did they die in the outbreak?"
'Why does it matter?' she wanted to ask, her throat tight and body stiff. Lucy did her best to shrug, unsure if she managed to pull it off. Every muscle in her body felt like it was contracting, making it harder to breathe. "I'm not... sure." It was true, Lucy had no idea if he was alive or not. The last time she saw him, well, she didn't want to think about it.
She didn't want to think about any
bad memories.
Natsu didn't know how to process the information they received. He couldn't imagine her with someone, couldn't imagine her picking out a white dress and flowers for a wedding. He knew there was more to Lucy he didn't know yet, but that... He couldn't believe she kept something like that a secret.
He knew he couldn't help her with heartbreak if that was what she felt. He didn't want to set her up with someone, knowing she wasn't in the position to be starting a relationship. She had trouble with communicating and touch, and from what Natsu gathered, those things were important in a relationship.
Before Natsu could accept it and move on, a trickle of a memory popped into his head.
"I-I can't do this. You sh-shouldn't even have this n-number. Just st-stop calling me, please."
Natsu squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, letting the memory consume him. He remembered the heat on his skin from that summer day, the dryness of his throat from thirst, and the sound of crying coming from the stranger in the black sweatshirt.
It had been Lucy, but at the time he didn't know who she was, only that she was in distress and the person on her phone was causing it. He had inserted himself in her conversation, yanking her phone away to curse at whoever was yelling at her. It turned out to be a guy. He had yelled something along the lines of who Natsu was.
With enough information, Natsu opened his eyes, staring at a timid Lucy. However, instead of asking the question that was burning inside him, he listened to the voice in the back of his head that told him to keep it to himself.
He knew better than to ask, so he kept quiet.
"I'm sorry you don't know what happened to your fiancé," Gray said, causing Lucy to gulp.
She shook her head, not wanting their pity. "It's... okay."
Natsu didn't think it was, but he didn't say anything else. He tried looking for heartbreak on her face, but he only saw indifference. It made it harder for him to believe the man on the phone wasn't the same guy, or maybe he was wrong. He had no idea, and he wouldn't know unless he asked, but that had the risk of upsetting her.
'If she would just tell me what happened I wouldn't have to guess what does and doesn't set her off.'
As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Natsu knew he was in the wrong. Lucy wasn't obligated to tell him her life story, and his curiosity didn't give him the right to make her uncomfortable.
"When did you get engaged?" Cana asked.
Lucy's eyes dropped, her mind sprinting to that memory. Out of all her bad memories, the one of him wasn't nearly the worst. In fact, memories associated with him had been good until the end of their relationship. Their constant fighting leading to what caused their break up.
"S-senior year." If she wasn't surrounded by people, she would have indulged herself on the memory. He had been smooth, kind and handsome. She was swept away before she knew it, but just like most things in her life, it wasn't meant to be.
"High school or college?" Erza asked, causing Lucy to say 'high school'.
"What was his name?" Levy asked, but Lucy shook her head.
She had already said too much, and the more she talked about him, the more she would feel. She didn't want to feel, she didn't want to wonder if he was still breathing or not. It was better to let it go, to move on. Her only regret was they didn't get to become friends again after their break up. Despite his mistakes, he was a good person, just not a good partner.
"I don't, want to talk...about him."
Despite knowing he shouldn't, Natsu studied her face, trying to gauge her emotional reaction. She didn't sound terrified of his memory. She didn't even sound sad. Natsu could see now whatever the guy was to her, he wasn't part of her trauma. That had to mean he wasn't the guy on the phone, right? Natsu had more questions, but he knew now wasn't the time.
Maybe the time would never come, he had no idea.
Everyone silently agreed to go on, Levy looking around the circle before asking, "Who's next?"
"Actually," Cana started, raising her hand. "I had a question." She didn't want to interrupt Lucy when she was talking, but now that she was done, she figured it was fair game. "Do engagements in elementary school count?"
"I think so," Droy said, causing Jellal, Erza, and Gray to nod.
"Okay, then Levy—"
"Oh no," Levy muttered, realizing where Cana was going.
"We put a finger down."
"But that— No. That can't count! It was only for four days!"
"You gave me a ring," Cana reminded, her eyes sparkling with mirth. "Proposed and everything. I think it counts."
"But," Levy started, seeing she was getting no support from her friends. "Fine! I'm still winning." She was the only person with five fingers left, everyone else near their end.
Natsu, Cana, and Lucy had one finger left while Jellal, Erza, and Ultear had eight. Droy was in second place with seven fingers, and Gray was still out.
Speaking of which...
"You're lucky I'm out, or I'd get you out this round," Gray grumbled, knowing his turn would have been next, but they had to skip him and go to Cana.
Natsu snickered at his oldest friend, finding his behavior funny. Gray could be a big sore loser at times, but it was okay because Natsu could be the same way. He decided to egg Gray on, a smile sliding on his face. "What? Would your next round be, 'Never have I ever not streaked before'?"
"Fuck you!" Gray growled, clenching his fist. "You know that was an accident!"
Despite his mind telling him to stop, Natsu kept going. "Or how about, 'Never have I ever'—"
"Natshu," Erza warned, the threat in her voice cut down considerably by her slur. She cleared her throat to try again, but Natsu was having too much fun.
"Never have I ever got threatened with a sex offender charge for stripping in public. Oh wait, you have!"
"Natsu," Cana barked, catching his attention. "You need to settle down."
"Or what?" he asked, causing Cana to narrow her eyes. "I ain't a scared of you!"
Cana's cheek twitched, irritated at Natsu's rudeness. She decided to get him out, saying something she was sure would only apply to him. "Never have I ever been put on YouTube for singing in the shower!"
Instead of making Natsu upset, he only laughed more, falling back before gripping his stomach. Gray was the one groaning, dragging a hand over his face. "That was me," he mumbled, wanting to call Cana an idiot for forgetting, but he held his tongue. He was just mad at Natsu. There was no reason to take it out on Cana.
"It was?" Cana asked, twisting her lips as she tried picturing it the other way. She had been sure it was Natsu, but after Erza reminded her what song was playing, the memory came back clearly. "Shit. Sorry."
Gray shook his head, instead directing his annoyance at Natsu. "You're just lucky the internet's out, otherwise I'd beat your ass all over again!"
"HA!" Natsu sat up, his head immediately swimming, but that didn't stop him from showing off a huge grin. "Please! Like you'd ever beat me!"
Cana snorted, tapping at her own shoulder as she said, "That fairy on your arm begs to differ."
Natsu's laughter died in an instant, his teeth clenching when he remembered their stupid bet. He now had a permanent reminder that Gray had bested him, and there was nothing he could do to change that. Despite being mad when it happened, he had gotten over it, actually finding he liked the tattoo where it was. However, that didn't stop him from having some fun, wanting to get Cana back for her little comment.
He looked at Lucy, knowing her turn was next. "Lucy, try to get Cana out!"
Lucy's eyes widened, not liking that pressure. She was still trying to sort out her own thoughts and bury the bad ones. She hadn't had time to come up with a new 'never have I ever', but she guessed the time to think was up.
She swallowed, her throat constricting as she mumbled, "Never h-have I ever... um..."
Lucy looked at Cana, seeing she had a bottle of whiskey in her hands. She couldn't say she never had whiskey, her throat burning despite not drinking any tonight. Her heart clenched, remembering a man she didn't want to think about handing it to her, telling her how cool she was for being able to handle that strong liquor.
'I have to go,' Lucy thought, feeling her heart rate spike. She had to get out of there, but her body wouldn't move. She felt paralyzed, defenseless against their stares. She couldn't even summon the tears that wanted to come out, her mere anxiety turning into a panic attack.
Just thinking about him made her skin crawl, her mind hurting as she tried blocking out the memories. 'I need to go. I need to leave now.'
"I..." Lucy felt her mouth moving, but no words met her ears. She panicked, saying the first thing that popped into her head that didn't have to do with the night of the party.
"I've never ridden a motorcycle!" Lucy blurted out, nearly gasping as air entered her lungs. It felt like an eternity since she last took a breath. She looked up at everyone's hands, seeing only Ultear put a finger down. Cana still had a finger left, meaning she had failed.
'Why not?' she thought bitterly, her shoulders falling. 'I fail at everything else.'
"Damn," Natsu said, not noticing Lucy caving in on herself. "Does a scooter count?" he asked, knowing Cana had been on one of those before.
"I don't think so," Levy said, causing Cana to laugh.
"HA! Nice try!" She was gloating, but not for long. Natsu had an ace up his sleeve, something that was sure to get her out.
"My turn! Never have I ever drank so much I blacked out!"
Lucy's vision blurred, but not from tears. The room grew silent despite Natsu's cheers and Cana's groans. Her eyes tried focusing on the tile floor, but she couldn't, pictures flashing through her mind, memories she couldn't suppress.
"Here, try this one. I think a lady like yourself can handle it."
"What if my dad sees?"
"He thinks you left anyways. He won't notice us back here. Go on, I'm sure you'll love it."
Lucy's hand shook before she pulled her last finger back, her body numb but crushingly heavy. She didn't realize she stood until she felt a hand grabbing her wrist, Lucy unable to look back at him, not wanting Natsu to see her face.
"Where are ya going?"
"Bathroom," she said, or at least she hoped she said it. She couldn't hear her own voice, couldn't feel the word on her tongue.
"Oh," Natsu started, sounding disappointed. He hadn't let go, anchoring her for the moment. "Can it wait? We're almost done."
Lucy shook her head, dizzy for a second until she regained her bearing. Lucy jerked her hand away from him, her eyes fresh with tears as she said, "I'm out anyways."
"Lucy?"
She didn't respond, her legs carrying her to the door, needing to escape.
.
.
.
I hope you liked this chapter! It was meant to be more lighthearted with a splash of angst. Let me know how I did? The next chapter is mainly Natsu and Lucy with a sliver of their friends. They're gonna have quite a bit of stuff to talk about.
Thank you so much for reading! I appreciate every favorite, follow, and review! Seriously! Over 900 people are following this story? That's so fucking wild to me?! Also, over 700 favorites? I can't thank you enough! Last but not least, shout out to those incredible people who gave me feedback last time: Crystal Kitty842, MotherOfDragons1227, MnMAllyn, mumof4, stranger1999, valerioux, ThaDesperado64, LiviFanfics27, cOokIe-MOnzTa, Weevilcat, Guest, Guest, Guest, Guest, deboome, TheUniqueFangirl, sarahelle04, Lizxcliff11, XxxNaxxxx, Animeforlife1412, mautrino, lengthiest peepee, Terra of Life, itsxoi, shootingstarssel, Nightside14, cutielove077, Satyrykal, Guest, Guest, ElementalMiko12, Sam, undercover nyomi, Izahakkai, Luenacity, AcidRain1698, Mady, Duchixx, Guest, Forbidden-Hanyou, FlameDragonHime, and hhhhhhh!
Thank you so much! Please let me know what you thought of this chapter, and/or of this story in general?
Up next, Chapter Thirty-Four: Elevated