AN: I know this was a fast update. Wishing to complete this story so I can work more on Sots. Therefore, I will be posting every couple of days. I really don't know about this scene. So let me know how this chapter is.
Chapter 14 Learn to Cook
It wasn't going to work.
Lucy had enough of the outsider. The man was slowly driving her crazy.
She stared out the attic window as her hands fiddled with opening an old chest. The rain came down against the tin roof of the barn in the distance. Most of the other scenery was hidden from view. The girl loved the rain. From the soothing sound to the memories of the cold drops on her skin. Her mother would take her out in the rain to play when she was a child. The servants and her father would be so mad - not from real anger but worry.
Layla would say that the rain washed away the negative and allowed you to become something new. Lucy wondered what her mother would say about her current predicament. The blonde knew this deal she had with the ranger was not going to work. Whatever relationship they currently had built had be broken by her meddling. She was becoming very stressed over him being around the house. Mostly, she had tried to avoid him in fear of another outburst.
A week had passed since that awful kiss in the streets. Luckily, he hadn't broke character too badly, and now the whole town believed they were getting hitched. Leading to an ugly verbal fight with Natsu Dragneel once they returned home. Apparently his silence the whole ride back had been used for brooding. As soon as they stepped to the porch, he blew up. Hard to describe other than it was something akin to an erupting volcano, which raised Lucy's hackles. No man or woman had ever spoken to her that way before. Not that she hadn't anticipated his anger. Plus she probably deserved his wrath, but god forbid he talk to her like a lady. He had demanded to know what had happen. With a snarl, she told him before escaping inside. Natsu had followed to yell at her some more.
She bristled as she thought back to the scene in the living room.
"What the hell were you thinking? Do you know how to deal with men without getting their pride all bent out of shape?" The rant started.
Lucy clutched her chest dramatically, "Your concern for my wellbeing, cockles my heart, Natsu.'
"Your mockery ma'am, merely confirms that you are too stubborn to seek help. Why would you willingly put yourself in such a situation with a shady character like that? It shows me stupidity that frankly boggles my mind."
"Stupidity?"
"When you tell half the county that we are engage instead of letting me handle it. That's stupid."
"If I didn't and you told them that you were a ranger, they would think the law would become involved. Then that would lead to more problems for us!"
"Headline! They already know! I met two members of the Bellsione group when I fixed the damn fence!"
"How was I suppose to know that?"
"We told you about the confrontation!"
"I didn't know that you talked?!"
"It shouldn't matter! And why would having the law peace make this situation be a bad thing?!"
Their voices escalated, shaking the house. Unbeknown to Lucy at the time, but Elfman and Levy forcebily held Sting from jumping the man that was yelling at the person he considered to be his sister. Everyone else was scattered. Jellal had already left for the bunkhouse, and Mira sat calmly knitting baby booties as Laxus drunk herbal tea.
"Just shut up and let someone else handle it!" Natsu's voice yelled in irritation as he punched the table.
The blonde flinched before yelling back, "Who? Who is going to do it if I don't do it myself."
"Well lying through your damn teeth with such a crazy concocted story is about as low as it gets."
Frustrated, Lucy cried, "You don't think I am proud of trying to seduce a womanizer? And lying! Don't think I came up with this story because I am desperate. Or trying to rope you into marriage. That was the best thing I could come up with at the time. The story was totally random. And I don't see why you care so much anyway. You don't even like me. You don't know me. And you sure as misery are not going to care when you leave in a few weeks."
Natsu snorted, "Lady, you might can run a ranch, but you know nothing about people. I don't know you, but there you go judging me. What's so hard to believe that I may actually care? I want to protect you and this ranch."
"Don't go thinking that you owe me anything. You don't have to repay us for taking care of Happy." The girl smacked his chest to emphasis the command. "Don't pity me! Don't pity us."
"It's not pity!"
"And how can I expect you to care when everyone I trust abandons me. My mother! My father! Even Sting! Plus Laxus was gone for sooo long!" Tears began to fill her eyes, but she refused to let a single one fall.
He towered over her when he said through clenched teeth, "First, I am a ranger. It's my job to help people in need. Second, even though we just met, I feel somewhat responsible since my brother is the one who sent you the scarf and got you to come to this godforsaken country. And third, you can say what you want, but I do care what happens here. I don't like bullies and that's exactly how this town is treating the people here. So don't go acting high and mighty just because you want to be in control."
"Well that sounds mighty fine on paper, but I'm sorry if I can't trust you. But I have been doing things for awhile by myself. And I can't depend on anyone that's going to be here temporarily." Lucy meant for the barb to end the conversation, but the anger caused the man to snap.
"Maybe I want to stay. Ever think about that?"
He hadn't sounded to enthusiastic after making that declaration. Lucy was appalled herself.
The girl sighed when the memory ended. She had been so eager to depart the gunfighter's company that she had practically ran away after that. Protecting her sounded nice. It definitely sounded safe to have some handsome knight ride in and save the day.
Well not a knight…
"More like a dragon burning down the whole village."
Levy questioned, "Did you say something Lucy?"
"Oh nothing."
The two were trying to round up the last of the stored trinkets in the attic to sell or use for Mira's baby shower. Lucy remembered that Makarov kept some of Sting and Laxus's baby items. They could not afford new items. Whether the baby was a boy or girl, they would be wearing frilly baby dresses and diaper rags. Only problem was most of the cloth products had been moth eaten or discolored, and Lucy hated to give Mira something so tarnished.
Holding up a small crib blanket, she blew the dust off. Staring at the pattern, it didn't seem too bad. Normally women help make the clothes and blankets for births and wedding. Neighbors, family, friends, and people would travel and spend the whole day at the expecting mother's house sewing and knitting. People would buy material, bring saved scrape pieces, or bring flour bags. Why flour bags? The material flour and sugar bags were made from was a really cheap yet sturdy material and frequently used in the West to make stronger clothes and thick quilts. Cloth was too valuable to waste.
Tomorrow was going to be the shower, but the only girls that were coming were Mira's friends from the bar - Kinana, Cana, Jenny, Laki. At first, she rejoiced that no annoying town members were coming. Free labor and materials were nothing to sneer at though. She quickly became angry. Mira deserved more, which is why she hadn't gone to church Sunday.
"Well I have finished stuffing this trunk. You have anything to add?" Levy asked.
"This."
"Think we can get it downstairs."
Lucy giggled, "We are able bodied young women. Peace of cake."
With that thought firmly in her head, she clenched her fist around the handle and heaved the trunk upwards as Levy guided the other side.
Sting was whittling a toy for Mira in the barn. He wished he had better skills with wood. They need to make a crib before the child came. Elfman and Jellal probably had better building skill than him. Not paying attention he nicked his finger.
Annoyed, he flung the knife. The sound of it banging off one of the walls made one of the horses snort.
Mira said she would be happy to stuff a drawer with pillows and blankets, but Sting didn't want any nephew or niece of his sleeping in something so tacky. He wanted to make them happy. Mira, Lucy, and Levy deserved some happiness. The women had begone to lose that sparkle in their eye as disappointment settled. They probably wouldn't be allowed to stay at the ranch another full year.
Plus he wanted Laxus to look at him with the same respect that he gave Lucy.
Sting knew he needed to do something, but he wasn't sure what.
Natsu shifted to the couch when Levy told him to move so she could sit. The bluenette was to organize the trunk she brought from down stairs. Loke nibbled his feet as he stepped around the big cat. Lucy had went to prepare supper after entering. The girl was still running away from him. In the beginning, it had made him angry, reminding him of their argument, but now it just amused him.
He had caught sight of her glare before she left and smiled slightly.
The "go-to-hell" looks were cuter than threatening. And he wondered who would break to apologize first. She also seem to be pissed that Loke seem to have accepted his presence. The cat and Natsu had came to an understanding. As long as Natsu kept sneaking treats to him, the lion wouldn't bite him. Also as long as Natsu didn't try to touch him, he wouldn't bite him.
The pink haired man found himself glancing more at Lucy walked around the kitchen . The rainy day had the made the time extra gloomy. Happy had been well enough to be moved into the barn with the other horses. He had already taken a liking to Carla, much to the anger of the stallion Lector. Lector had already tried to kick out his stall.
Sting was having to stay in the barn just to keep him cool after Natsu had warned, "You keep that crazy ass horse away from Happy."
His eyes kept tracing her face every time she turned. She thought she had been a golden angel when he met her but her profile and the soft curve of her face kept getting prettier. The pert nose, round lips, eyes that could swallow him whole if he looked to deeply. And he was finding it harder to make up reasons to dislike her. The blonde was a harder worker and caring person even if she was… weird.
Natsu didn't remain on the couch long before moving to the threshold of the kitchen. She cocked her head when he entered, acknowledging his presence but remained silent. Slouching into the frame, he drawled, "I have heard of mashed potatoes but not minced ones. What did they ever do to you?"
"Well they are going to be going into a stew. So I want them small."
"Really? I thought maybe you were pretending those potatoes were my balls or something."
She tensed at his words.
"Wait. That came out wrong."
She remained silent.
"You were?" No reaction. "Now I feel that I should run away cupping myself while you are holding something sharp."
"If you think you are funny, you aren't."
"Maybe I just wanted to make mindless chatter more fun."
She sat her items down. In a weary voice, she asked, "What do you want, Natsu? I'm busy."
It wasn't hard to tell that he made her nervous, but that was nothing unusual. Natsu made most women nervous.
"How long are you going to be mad?"
Seriously, she turned, looking him in the eye. "Indefinitely."
"Well that's too bad. Because you are a nice person. And I would hate the actions of a weirdo to make you into some scornful crone. I can say that your actions while not the best, were motivated by the need to protect. An admirable trait."
"Is that a complement?" She stared in disbelief.
"Maybe I like buttering you up before the kill."
He almost laughed out loud when she picked up her knife before turning back around. If he pushed her too much, Lucy might fling that at his head. That had amused him somewhat.
"And this is why I stay mad at you. Right when the tension eases a bit. You go and say something that makes me angry again."
"Maybe I like your reactions, but don't want you to hold the words I say against me." He crept closer until he was standing behind her. Her stiff neck and white of her knuckles around that butcher knife was a bit troubling. If she continued, she probably would slice a finger.
"Lucy stop."
She paused, and he reached around her. She stiffened when she felt his arms encircle her. One of his hands covered her hand that held the knife. The other moved her hand away from a potato.
"You have to be more careful. I don't know a thing about cooking itself other than what I can roast over a spitfire. Yet I'm fairly sure that you have to be delicate with this. Keep the motion even. Treat the vegetables tenderly. And never take your frustrations out on the food. What else do you need for the stew?"
At first she didn't reply, but then she sputtered, "Roast from the smokehouse."
He released her. "Then I will go get that. Helping you cook isn't an apology. It's a s white flag. A cease fire. This between us… Can't last."
Almost guilty she called, "Wait!"
"Yes?"
"Pick some green onion for the eggs. And garlic for the stew. I have some jarred carrots, tomatoes, parsnips potatoes."
"Ok"
"Wait!"
"Yes madam."
Lucy added in a small voice, "If you don't know how to cook, then you can help me tonight, and I will teach you. I didn't know, but Mira taught me." She blushed.
He smiled, "I would really like that."
"Well I want to do something nice for you since I have been bitchy. I'm not quite ready to be really nice to you because you irritate me, but it was my fault for dragging you into this. So I apologize."
"Thank you. And I am sorry too. And don't worry about this. Really I don't mind helping you Lucy. Try to stay out of trouble while I am gone." He reached for his cowboy hat. Tipping it toward her, he headed out the door. She watched out the window as his figure disappear into the heavy mists.
Next chapter: Baby blankets and Bridal Quilts
To Lucy's horror, her friends double Mira's baby shower into planning for Lucy's wedding. Hopefully, Natsu doesn't find out.
Thanks to my reviewers!
FlameDragonHime + mushi0131 + FairyTailBookworm + sarara1.8 + Phiafairy + DorkyMonster707 + HammyJessa + NaluFTfanatic + Mystic Daige - Labyrinth King + J.C
Thanks J.C! I always fear that you may miss the updates (^.^)
The stories I want to promote this chapter are Betrayed to Love and Fairy Tail Go! by mushi0131
Betrayed to Love is actually a story I read back when my rotations began. I love triangles where the girl gets with the best friend, which is this case is Natsu who supports after Gray cheats on her. (Was that too much spoiler? Anyway this is an overall great Nalu fanfiction in all its smutty goodness)
Fairy Tail Go! Where the hunt for a Scyther becomes deadly as Lucy jumps into the middle of traffic with her pokemon go game after a Scyther only to be pulled back by a pink haired boy. This leads to a growing friendship as the pair deals with high school bullies, Beth as a love rival, an overbearing Jude, and Natsu's past.