Later in the evening, Lucy sat in the corner of her dorms L shaped coach with a new novel in her hand.
It told the story about a girl, who people liked to describe as a goddess. She had the power to control the sky, and was reason the moon shifted, how the stars came to be, and comets flying across the earth. She made the consolations in the sky, printing each bright ball of light to tell the stories of great people. She controlled Night itself. And people worshiped her for it. But even with her great power, she couldn't have it all. Nor did she care to.
There was a man, people said was the sun. He had the power over Day. He brought light every morning to give a new start. At night, he left to rest. All loved and praised him just as much as they did to the goddess.
He was the god. And she was the goddess.
The two had a bound like no other. They both watched over the people and creatures of the world side by side. Though with their duties, they could never really establish their own feelings. But they didn't seem to mind. Only needing each other with them to get through the time.
Lucy envied that kind of love, and hoped that one day she could experience it for herself. But really, just the thought of loving someone so deeply to a point that it didn't matter where you were, what happened, or if you were even really together, was overwhelming to her.
"Cana-san, stop it!" from behind her, Lucy could hear her roommates bickering. She chose to ignore it and go back her book about to two lovers.
'The goddess stood at the edge of her balcony, gazing into the night sky. Even with all the stars and the moon she had created, she still felt a sense on darkness in her life. A feeling she could never understand how it came to be. Maybe loneliness.
She tried to remember a time when this feeling was gone.
She saw his face.
The bright smile he constantly had. The warmth he gave off. She felt at peace. The pressure on her shoulders almost seemed to disappear with his figure around. But it never seemed to be enough. She wanted closure. She to make promise she was desperate to keep. She wanted to have secrets she could never tell. At type of pleasure she couldn't get from anyone. She wanted-'
"Cana-san, Juvia said stay away!" Lucy sighed looking to her friends.
"Oh come on, you've grown a lot since last year. I wanna see!"
Running around the room was two of Lucy's dorm mates. Juvia, a busty but shy girl with long, wavy dark-ish blue hair and pale white skin, was seeming to run away with a blazing red face. Close behind her was Cana. She was more of a shower then anyone Lucy had met. Not that there was anything wrong with that. She had a great figure and her long brown hair fit perfectly with her tan skin. She was very beautiful.
"Cana-san cannot feel Juvia's cup size!" Juvia cried in a high voice.
Lucy wasn't surprised. All of her friends were beautiful. They all knew that too. But sometimes Cana got a little handsy, and liked to show off and praise them for their beauty in the most embarrassing ways possible.
"Cana, leave Juvia alone and come help me with the cookies like you said you would!" Levy scolded from the kitchen. Even from were Lucy sitting, she could see the petite girl scooping up balls of cookie dough and placing it on a pan.
Cana stopped dead in her tracks, right in front of the counter. "Why can't you just get Lu to do it? She more of a baker then I'll ever be," the brunette wined, gesturing wildly to her blonde friend.
Before Levy could responded, Lucy cut her off. "Because Lu's busy at the moment," Lucy said turning back to her book. When she heard Cana's exasperated groan, Lucy did her best to not crack a smile. Knowing that would only cause more trouble if she were to see.
Excepting defeat, Cana marched over to the other side of the counter to help Levy with the rest of the baking. And Juvia, who was cowering behind the coach, finally seemed to lose the tense feeling in her arm. She signed in relief, knowing she was finally safe. This, Lucy couldn't help but giggle at. "You're safe now Juvia."
Only then did the bluenette come out from the sofa and land face first into the cushions, bringing out more laughs from the blonde. "Thank you Levy-chan!" Juvia cheered in a muffled voice, since her face was still pressed into the pillow.
Levy smiled to her friend while Cana continued to scoop dough, sulking.
Not long after, when the four girls seemed to settle down, someone new came walking out of her room. A senior, like the rest of them, by the name of Erza Scarlet. She was a tall, slim, beautiful, redhead. And because of her place as school president, she was the reason the five best friends could be in the same dorm.
Erza sat next to Lucy, handing a tub of some kind over. "Here's the burn cream you asked for, Lucy."
The blonde almost cried upon seeing what her friend had given her. Since the coffee incident, her skin stung and felt like it was blazing. Which also left her arms chest and face a dark shade of pink. She was almost scared to even move, afraid her skin might scrunch up and burn. Like a sunburn.
Lucy sat down her book and took the ointment, applying it to cover all over her. She sighed at the smoothing feeling on her skin, already feeling better.
"It might itch a little when it starts to heal," Erza informed her.
Lucy groaned. She was not going to be looking forward to that. "What a great way to start off the year…" Lucy grumbled to herself. She then turned to her red haired friend with a smile. "Thank you, Erza. I really do appreciate this."
She nodded then said. "Do you know who it was?"
When Lucy didn't answer, Erza specified more. "The guy who ran into Dan, do you know who?"
In all honesty, Lucy had barely any clue of who it was. He came and left before she could speak to him. Before she could do anything for that matter. "No. I really don't." Lucy wasn't sure why she was so upset about this. The fact that she never had any kind of ending with this mystery man messed with her head for some reason. She was hoping for some kind of closure. A way to know who he is and apologize. And that would be that. They could go their separate ways and pretend like nothing happened. But she couldn't have that. And because of that, if left him on her mind a lot more than it should.
"Still can't believe you didn't run after that guy…" Cana pouted to herself as she angrily scooped cookie dough. "You know if it were me, I would've-"
"If it were you, you would probably chase after him and tackle him to the ground," Lucy said, raising an eyebrow to her friend. When Cana didn't flinch nor protest against her statement, Lucy knew she was right. Lucy sighed, setting the burn cream down on the coffee table. At the time, even if the idea of running after him had crossed her mind, Lucy probably wouldn't have done it.
Because of his eyes, as strange as it sounds.
Though Lucy had little to no idea of who this mystery man was, she knew his eyes. They were so trancing that they left an image forever fixated into her mind. A dark onyx abyss, like a black hole with no bottom. Just falling endlessly into a void, with nothing but the darkness. Then you'll see a spark. Small, barely noticeable, but it's there. Another will catch your eye. Then another and another and another until you're darkness is filled with bright lights. 'His personal starry night' was the best way for Lucy to explain it. And what made it all the more overbearing was the fact that she couldn't see the beautiful specials again.
Even with the cruel glare he had given her. That awfully, nasty, vexed look, Lucy wanted to see them again. Maybe not his entire person, no. But to just be able to gaze into those eyes for a while.
Once realizing how deep she had gotten into her thoughts, Lucy almost had to fight back a groan. She hated how much of a romantic she was. And a poet at that.
The way she could take something ordinary and turn it into something extraordinary was stunning. People told her she had a gift to be able to look at the world in such a way, and Lucy agreed. But when something like this gets to a level where you're fantasizing about random strangers 'galaxy eyes'- who's probably don't look as nearly as much as she is exaggerating- then it comes to be a handful.
Lucy shook her head, releasing herself from her thoughts. "He looked kind of scary…" Like hell she would ever tell her friends what she really thought of him.
"So one guy glares at you, so what? I get all kinds a looks from people. Most are less then friendly," Cana laughed.
"Lucy, I'm sure Dan would be more than happy to protect you from unfriendly looks," Levy said with a cheeky smile.
Lucy tried to ignore her friend's remark and fall back into her book about the two lovers.
"Dan?" Cana laughed. "Haven't heard that name in a while! So has our Little Dan finally making his move?"
"Oh you know he's made plenty of moves. But now they seem to actually be making an effect on Lucy," Levy laughed.
"Oh really…?" Cana leaned over the counter looking very smug like. Still sitting on the couch, the blonde slid down farther into her seat. Pushing her book closer to her face, trying to hide her blush. She mumbled, trying to deny her friends theories. Though it fell on deaf ears, as the girls were too caught up with their own conversation.
"Yes! It was like she was in some kind of trance… after Mystery Man had left, Dan was practically sobbing at Lucy's feet asking for forgiveness. And she was just staring off into his face. With a huge blush I might add!" Levy wasn't necessarily wrong. Lucy was staring at the man, though only because he didn't give her much of a choice. And the blonde wasn't really there at that moment. Too fixated on the fiasco that had just accrued and that fact she couldn't get Mystery Man's eyes out of her head, left little room to worry about what Dan was fussing over.
But will Lucy ever tell she was really just fantasizing over a stranger?
Never…
"Ohhh," Cana leaned over the kitchen tile giving, yet another, mystify smirk. "Looks like Lucy may be forming a crush!"
"Just bake your cookies…," the blonde pouted.
The sound of metal hitting metal was heard when Levy popped the tray into the oven. "We won't have to worry about thoughts in a while…" she said as she made her way to the couch. "We're more worried about you, Lucy Heartfillia!" she pointed her finger at the flustered blonde.
Cana, who had also found a seat on the couch, was now sitting on the armchair next to Lucy. "Spill it, Girly! What are you and Dan at this moment? Can't-be-lovers? Crushes? Friends-but-more? Secret Relationship!?"
"What!?" All this talk was a little too much for Lucy. Everyone was always worried about who's-dating-who. It became frustrating and annoying to Lucy, so much to the fact that she stopped dating all together. Her body began to sway at the amount of heat that was rushing to her head.
"She did say she hasn't dated in a while! They could totally be having a secret relationship!" Levy announced.
'That's not the case at all…'
"W-wait! Hold on a second-" But again, Lucy was talked over.
"Oh my goodness! Are Lucy-chan and Dan-san in love!?" Juvia, who was now sitting at the foot of the couch, had a bright and curious look on her face.
"N-no!"
Juvia wined, placing her head in her hands as a blush began to coat her cheeks. "Juvia wishes she could find her prince charming!"
Cana had then let out a hearty laugh. "Ah just you wait! You'll get yourself a man soon enough!" she nudges Lucy in the shoulder. "Maybe Little Dan has some friends we'd be interested in…?"
"I wouldn't know…" Lucy slid farther into her seat.
Just when the blonde thought the conversation was over, and they all had cooled down, Levy gasped. They all looked to her with a surprised look.
"I almost forgot!" her shocked expression slowly turned to a smug one. "It appears our 'Little Dan' isn't so little anymore. He's grown a lot! And he's got muscles~!" the petite girl held her final word out longer then necessary with a sing-song tune to it.
"Oh now I see…" Cana said rapping her arm around Lucy's shoulder. With the look the brunette was giving her made Lucy's blush return.
"What?" she squeaked.
"You're into him now because of his look! You were already greaaat friends with him, you were just waiting for puberty to kick in!"
Lucy almost choked on her own spit then, completely baffled by her friend's statement.
Lucy thought back to last year, to the now tall and toned boy- if you could call him that anymore. He was always more on the small end, with Levy's height almost rivaling his own. Very shy but friendly. Always had a kind of knightly personality. A complete sweetheart. Dan was still the same Dan as he was last year. Sure he looks different, but he'll always be himself.
And as Lucy was a sucker for depth and feel to romance, appearances didn't matter all that much to her. So no matter how attractive Dan might be now, nothing will change! Nothing…
She'll still get the same awkward feeling anytime he gets too close, wrapping his arm around her, holding her hand, scooting his chair more to hers to where their thighs would touch. She'll still shy away when he confesses his feelings for her. Even though he's done it so many times before… She'll still feel embarrassed when he walks her to her next class. Brings her gifts for events like Valentine's Day or her birthday. Or become overly protective whenever she gets a new boyfriend. Or get angry when they "leave her."
Dan was just her friend. Any more would feel too strange. Dan may be happy and content with it… for now. But Lucy knew that he would soon see that they wouldn't be compatible. But with his white knight behavior, he wouldn't back down easily. Trying his gosh darn hardest to make his goddess happy. That would only lead to fights and bad days filled with anger and regret.
Lucy loves Dan. And he's always been there for her. But he can't do it all. He can't fill that place in her heart. It may be selfish, Lucy knows. But that's how she feels.
Lucy sat up straight on the couch, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Before she exhaled, she slowly opened her eyes.
"Dan and I are not an item," she started off slow. "I know how you guys feel- I know how everyone feels- about us. But this is how I feel. I'm just his friend… I don't want any more from him."
Lucy glanced around the couch to her friends to see if they had anything to say. When they all showed no signs of speaking, she continued.
"I've known Dan since childhood. And with that I've grown up with him. I just can't see him as anything but a brother. I know it breaks his heart… but he has to except it."
The room fell silent. Everyone had an unnerving kind of feel to them, hoping that someone will break the tension. Even Cana seemed to lose her words, taking her arm away from Lucy and now shifting in her seat.
"I'm sorry," Erza had said.
All four girls looked to the red head seated behind Levy on the couch. She sat with her legs crossed, looking straight at the blonde with a nervous look.
"I apologize on behalf of them as well. We got too caught up with the idea you may be in a new relationship that we didn't think reasonably."
Lucy did say anything.
"I guess… everyone has been waiting for you two to get together. So when we thought you guys-" she sighed. "We were just curious. I'm sorry."
"Yeah... I'm sorry too," Levy said. "And I do know how you feel. You've made that very clear to everyone, especially Dan. But I still pressure you like this…"
Levy looked to the floor biting her lip. Lucy could see she was sorry. But she never wanted to make them feel bad what they said. She was just sick of people talking about her and Dan like that. It made things so much harder and not to mention awkward.
Lucy placed her hand on Levy's. They looked to each other.
"I just want you to be happy," she said.
"Sorry Lu, I know I can get out of hand," Cana said giving her a sheepish smile. Lucy smiled.
"JUVIA IS SORRY LUCY-CHAN! JUVIA DIDN'T MEAN TO UPSET LUCY-SAN! PLEASE DON'T BE MAD!" Juvia cried, throwing her body on the blonde into a hug.
All girls laughed at how emotional their blue haired friend could be. Lucy having her in a tight hold.
"Aw, Juvia! I'm not mad. I just wish I could forget about all this drama. It's not just you guys who tease me about this. Everyone does. Which is why I'm not even worried about a boyfriend at the moment."
"Indeed," Erza stated. "If it bothers you that much, I'll make it a personal mission to have others forget about this topic."
Lucy blushed. "Ah! You don't have to do that! I mean what could you do? And I really don't think this is going away anytime soon!" Lucy waved her hands in front of her, cause Juvia to jump away before being smacked.
"It's your senior year, and you don't need anything or anyone distracting you like this. You're a bright student, Lucy. I want to see you succeed."
Lucy pouted almost feeling a tiers swell up in her eyes.
"Well Erza, you do have a distraction of your own, don't you?" Levy said, nudging Erza with her elbow.
'The moment is ruined,' Lucy thought to herself. She sighed while Erza's face became as red as her hair.
"Yeah, Erza…" Cana laughed. "So worried about distractions? Why are you hanging around The Boyfriend?"
Off topic, Lucy had realized that Cana seemed to have a nickname for all of the guys in their lives.
"He has a name you know? Why do you insist on call him that?"
Then Lucy chimed in. "Because if we name him, we have to keep him."
For the rest of the night the girls spent their time chatting over their summer. Telling all the fun and not so fun stories they had.
Like how Juvia had a vacation to the beach. But for half of it, it had been cloudy.
And apparently Cana spent some time with her dad, Gildarts.
Lucy had only met him once. And her first impression of the father had been a... strange one.
His large and well built form was easily intimidating. But really he was just a sweet teddy bear who loved his daughter. The amount of affection he showed for Cana, Lucy envied.
If only she could have that with her father.
Later on in the night, Lucy felt herself nodding off. Grading her book she made her way to her room, saying her goodnights.
"Are you sure you want to go to bed now, Lu? I just took out the cookies!" Levy said from the kitchen corner.
Though the fresh smell of chocolate chip was alluring, Lucy needed to get sleep. Tomorrow was the first day back to school, and she was not trying to fall to sleep in class because of sleep deprivation.
"No thank you. Just save me a couple please."
"Ok. Goodnight Lu!" Levy said. As did the rest of her friends.
Lucy closed the door behind her, placed her book on her bedside and then went to her dresser to change for the night. She wore white short shorts and a pink tank top.
Just as she sat in her bed to turn off her lamp, she heard a knock from her door.
"Come in," she said.
Her shy blue haired friend peaked her head through the door. "Juvia is sorry for interrupting Lucy-chan's sleep."
Lucy waved her off, shaking her head. "It's no problem. I was just getting ready for bed."
She then patted the bed next to her, encouraging her to come in. Juvia slowly made her way over. It was easy to see she was nervous- more then usual -as she twiddled her thumbs around the other.
"Something wrong?" Lucy asked. Juvia was too kind and pure of a girl to be upset about anything. She deserves more then the world. Which was why Lucy hated to see her like this.
"Juvia just wanted to say she was sorry... for the whole Dan-kun thing. Juvia never meant to upset Lucy-chan."
"Oh Juvia, I told you it was alright! Really, I just got tiered of people talking about us."
"Right. But umm... also Juvia wanted to- ah- Juvia wants Lucy-chan to be happy."
Now Lucy was confused. "What do you mean?"
Juvia took a deep breath. "Juvia wants Lucy-chan to find someone that will make her happy. No matter who it is. Juvia wants to see Lucy-chan happy."
"I am happy Juvia!" Lucy almost laughed at her friend.
"Juvia is sure Lucy-chan is! But this is different... someone- like a lover- that can hold her and give you a kind of feeling..." She blushed, covering her face in embarrassment. "Juvia doesn't want Lucy-chan to be afraid to tell her about her lover's. It doesn't matter who! Just as long as they make Lucy-chan happy. That's all Juvia wants. As do Juvia and Lucy-chan's friends."
Lucy sighed. She knows she's talking about Dan again. But really, there wasn't anything going on between the two of them.
"I understand Juvia. But really, I'm fine. I'm not worried about a relationship at the moment. And if I was in one, you would know by now."
The bluenette put her hand over the blondes. "Just think about yourself, Lucy-chan. Don't push away something that scares you. Face it. Or else you might miss something important."
Lucy's eyes widened. Shocked by her friends statement. A second later, she softened.
"Thank you Juvia. I will."
She giggled "It was no problem Lucy-chan! Juvia will let Lucy-chan sleep now. Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
That night, Lucy layed in bed thinking over what her friend had said. Did she really push away and deny people that much? Was that a bad think? No of course not! She just isn't ready for anyone just now. But she did admit, she missed the feeling that came from a relationship...
As the blonde's eyes slowly became heavier, her mind pulling her into sleep mode, she dreamed cool, dark eyes. Not nesisarly in a frightening way, but calm and relaxing. It was different but comforting. And she never wanted to look away.
I am sooo incredibly sorry for taking so long to write this chapter. A lot was going on at home and I could never find the time to write. BUT when I did, all I would do is
procrastinate to put off having to do it. again I'm really sorry. I AM NOT giving up on this fanfic! I have way too many ideas to just throw this away. But just a heads up if I take
longer to post a chapter, I will eventually finish this story! ok that's all for now! until then! BYEEEEE!