DISCLAIMER: Fairy Tail and its characters are owned by the brilliant Hiro Mashima.

CHAPTER 2:

"Are you sure it doesn't feel strange?" Erza asked me.

We were on a train, heading back to Magnolia. We all decided I should be the one to wear it, since both boys didn't want to and Erza said that it would suit me better. Happy volunteered but I shut him down and immediately wore the necklace around my neck.

It was cold against my skin but after a while I could feel its warmth. It had been almost 3 hours since I've worn the necklace and now I could barely feel it at all. If I wasn't constantly reminded that I have a hundred year old necklace we were sworn to protect, I would forget that I was wearing any jewelry at all.

I shook my head. "I feel fine. I guess Maul was telling the truth when he said that the diamond only needs the warmth of my blood."

"Still it's strange," Erza said. "I've never heard of such jewelry before."

"Me neither," Gray spoke. "Better keep an eye out, Lucy. There's a reason why thieves wanted it and I think it's more than to pawn it off in exchange for money."

I nodded. "I'll be careful and if I do feel something, I'll inform you guys right away."

"Oh man," Natsu groaned. He was on the floor and trying his best not to throw up. "How long until we reach Magnolia?"

"A half hour at least," Happy answered.

"It would've been better if we took Wendy with us," Natsu said.

"She took a job with Levy, don't you remember, Natsu?" Happy reminded him.

"Still it—

He didn't get to finish as he tried to yet again, not throw up around our train compartment.

I stood up and both Erza and Gray looked at me. "I'll just go to the restroom. I'll come back right away."

I left our train compartment and walked through the narrow corridors until I reached the restroom. I flushed the toilet after I was done and left the room only to bump into someone. I took a step back and stared at Gray's impassive face.

I raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here?"

"I can't stand Natsu's whining so I decided to use the toilet as an excuse to leave," he answered.

I smiled. "So, you're just going to stay here alone until we reach Magnolia?"

"I wouldn't be alone if you join me."

"People might get the wrong idea if they see us hanging out outside of the restroom."

He smirked. "And what would they think if they see us hanging out inside the restroom?"

I couldn't help but laugh. And so for the rest of the ride back to Magnolia, Gray and I just stayed outside of the restroom. Our backs against the wall and not paying any attention to anyone giving us a strange look everytime they use the toilet. Our topics shifted from the restroom, to Natsu's current state, to the Fairy Tail guild, then to our current mission.

"You don't have anything to worry about," I started. "I'm capable of protecting this necklace alone, if it comes down to it."

"I don't doubt that." He lowered his eyes, avoiding my gaze. "Is it strange that I'm more worried about you than the safety of that necklace?"

"Not at all," I admitted. "I'd be worried about you too if you were the one wearing it. The same goes if it were any of our friends wearing it."

He sighed and smiled. "You value your friends more than anything."

"Of course, you guys are my family. You're all I have and I don't know what I'd do if anything bad happens to any of you." I frowned. "Just the thought of anything bad happening to you is enough to make me feel sad."

A voice announced that we would arrive at Magnolia station in 5 minutes so Gray and I decided to go back to our friends. Happy and I helped Natsu out of the train when we finally reached the station since he was still feeling weak and sick from the train ride while Erza and Gray managed our luggage.

We sat him down in one of the benches in the station as we waited for Erza and Gray.

"I'll buy us something to drink." I stood up. "Any requests, Happy?"

"I want an orange juice, and Natsu can have, well, anything. Natsu eats anything anyway," Happy answered.

I walked over to the vending machine and dropped a few coins, pressing the orange juice button and waited.

"Uh…h-hello."

I turned away from the machine and came face to face with a man, about the same age as me. He was a civilian. He had light-blonde hair and fair skin. His brown eyes were framed in dark glasses. He's quite cute.

I looked at him and his cheeks were flaming as he kept shifting his weight from foot to foot.

"Hello, is there anything I can help you with?" I asked, politely.

I didn't know how it was possible, but his face grew even redder. "Well, uh, I mean…ummm-I just….

"Are you okay?" I asked him, because he clearly did not look okay to me.

He took a deep breath. "Yes, I just-I've never met a girl as beautiful as you before so I'm finding it hard to find my words."

Now it was my turn to feel embarrassed. I felt my cheeks heating up and thankfully the vending machine beeped, signaling that my drink was ready. I bent down to pick it up, using it as an excuse to avoid his eyes.

"I apologize if I made you feel uncomfortable," he said. "That- that wasn't my intention."

I stood up, still not able to meet his eyes. "Sorry, it's just that it's not every day someone comes up to me and says those words."

Loke flashed in my mind and even Taurus. Those two would always say words along those lines, but they were my friends so I got used to it already. Hearing it come from the mouth of a stranger is a whole different thing.

He held out his hand to me. "I'm Axel Eckhart."

I looked at his hand then back to his face, still wearing that nervous smile. I decided to accept his hand and shook it before letting go. "You're not from around here, are you?"

He shook his head. "I'm from a neighboring town. I came here to visit a family of mine."

I nodded as he just looked at me, waiting for me to say something and it registered to me that I haven't introduced myself to him yet.

"I'm Lucy," I said.

"Lucy," he repeated. "Are you a tourist too?"

I shook my head. "No, I live here. I actually just returned from a job."

"A job?"

"Yes, I'm a mage." I raised my right hand, showing him my Fairy Tail insignia.

His eyes brightened as he stared at my hand before returning his gaze on me again. "You're incredible, do you know that?"

I felt my cheeks flushing again as I lowered my hand, clearing my throat before speaking. "Well, it's nice to meet you, but I have to get back to my friends now."

"Wait, umm, I'll be staying in Magnolia for 2 weeks. And I don't really know anyone here, would it be too much of a request if I asked you to show me around if you have the time?"

He looked so unsure and yet, he looked cute doing it. I was about to answer him when I felt someone standing behind me. Axel's expression shifted while he looked at Gray, while the latter just ignored him as he turned to me.

"We're about to go back to the guild," Gray said. "What took you so long?"

"I bought Natsu a drink," I answered, before turning to Axel again. "Sure, I would like to show you around sometime. You can find me at the Fairy Tail guild."

Axel smiled, which showed his dimples. "I'll be looking forward to seeing you again."

Gray let out a breath. "Alright, are you done now? 'Cause we really have go."

I waved goodbye to Axel and walked with Gray back to our friends. He took the orange juice in my hand and began to drink from it.

"I bought it for Natsu, you know?" I reminded him.

"Relax, I'm only taking out the ice."

"You better not let him see you drinking from it or he won't drink it, since you'd be contaminating it with your stripper virus."

He gave me a side-eye as he hands me back the paper cup. "Quit making up diseases for me."

I laughed. "I will, if you can quit that habit of yours."

He smirked. "But you like seeing me naked, Lucy."

He dodged my fist as he let out a laugh, which made me punch him again. I didn't even know when he picked that hobby of teasing me, but he seemed to be quite taken with it nowadays. Everytime he saw an opportunity, he would do it and because I'm quick-tempered, I would easily fall for it.

But I didn't really mind the teasing. He was laughing and I was laughing too and for me, that was all that mattered.

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