A/N: ok, so I'm a day late. At least I got the next chapter up within 24 hours. A little shorter, but you know :3
Disclaimer: I still do Not own Fairy Tail or its characters
That same morning….
"Natsu! Are you alright?!" Lisanna grabbed the salmon haired man's arm and helped him to stand properly before he toppled over to the concrete floor of Magnolia's train station platform. Although he still stood a bit hunched over with a fading green complexion, a muscled arm clutched at his stomach.
He groaned lightly. Never…. Taking….. The train... Again…. But of course he would have to. According to the others on the team, it was a quicker way to travel. If it were up to him, they would just run or hike to where ever they needed to go. Endurance training…. Yeah.
He looked up, finally noticing that they had stepped off the damned transportation device and whooped in victory. "Yeah! We made it home! Come on guys." He took off running towards the guild, his partner Happy flying above him and replicating his enthusiasm. "Aye sir!"
The rest of them just sighed in exasperation. Erza and Lisanna smiled after their boisterous teammate and exceed while Gray frowned at their backs. "Flame brain is such a lousy mage. First he destroys everything, and then pukes all over the train."
Natsu's echo of, 'I heard that droopy eyes!' reached their ears and the ice mages frown deepened.
"Gray, your clothes." Erza covered a blushing Lisanna's eyes and began to lead the now blind girl in the direction Natsu had taken to the guild.
"WHAT?! When did this happen?!" It turned out that Gray had subconsciously removed all clothing except his boxers. He frantically ran around the station looking for his pants only to find them cinched between the set of trains doors they had just exited from, too late to get them back as it began to pull out of the station at speed. With a look of horror on his face, Gray bolted to the guild with the hopes he'd move too fast for the people of Magnolia to see him and his stripy boxers. But why would that matter? They see him often enough in such an indecent manner anyway.
Natsu's sandals pounded on the path before him as he ran to the guild, his signature grin spreading across his face as the building came into his sights. He burst through the large wooden doors, not stopping but slowing down to a brisk walk while shouting a "Hey guys! We're back." at the top of his lungs.
"Aye!" Happy followed suit before flying off in the direction of Charle who sat by Wendy at one of hall tables with Bisca and Alzack. They were talking about wind change and density from the sounds of it. Happy then asked if the female exceed wanted some fish.
Grinning, his eyes automatically began searching the beer hall for a certain Celestial mage, nose scenting for that special scent that was all Lucy with a hint of strawberry and stardust, a heavenly scent. When he didn't find it, or see her, he turned to the bar and smiled at Mira who was, as always, polishing a beer mug.
"Hello Natsu. Welcome back." She smiled at him, putting the mug away in favour of wiping down the bar top in front of him as he sat on his usual stool. "Where's the rest of your team?"
"Ah, they were right behind me…. Or at least they had been when we left the station." He frowned, scratching the back of his head in thought. Looking around the hall again, he watched as Erza and Lisanna finally walked into the guild smiling at everyone, while the majority of people grimaced lightly at Erza's return. It wasn't long before the armour clad woman was yelling at Visitar to move his dancing outside, or bellowing at Nab to pick a job already or just yelling at someone for doing something incorrect. At least she wasn't yelling at him for the moment.
"Hey Mira, where's Lucy?" His frown became a confused pout when he faced the resident bartender again. It was strange that Luce wasn't here. She always got back from her solo missions in time to say hello to him, and the others of course, before taking off again. In fact, she always made sure she got back the same day, or even the day before the Team got back... Damn those solo missions. If it were up to him, she would stay with the Team for all the missions, but he had respected her wishes when she said she wanted to start going on solo missions to build up her strength while he and the others hung out with Lisanna to catch up. Although he had vigorously protested against it, there was no way he was going to stop Luce if she wanted to become stronger. Hell, he wanted to help and support her with anything she wanted to do. But it had been over a month already. There was no way Natsu was going to let her leave the Team for good. She wasn't and never had been a replacement for Lisanna; to the Team or to him. He just hoped she knew that.
"Hmmmm, I believe she's supposed to arrive back at the guild sometime today, or even tomorrow morning. She had sent a message early yesterday morning saying she had to take a shortcut on foot to come back to the guild because the train station closed for renovation in the city she was staying in for her mission." Mira scratched her cheek with the tip of an index finger and smiled at Natsu. "Don't worry so much Natsu. She can take care of herself. Besides you can go check out her apartment later tonight to see if she went there instead of coming straight here."
"I know that." He replied stubbornly, and then slumped onto the bar with a pout.
Mira sighed at his extravagance. "Really Natsu, why don't you go train with Gajeel? Or Gray? That way you can wait for Lucy without being bored." He picked his pink head up and looked around, now noticing that Gray had walked in and was talking to Cana and her big barrel of alcohol.
Why can't Luce be here now? I haven't seen her for so long… It had been almost a week since both Luce and his Team had left for their missions. The fire dragon slayer was disappointed that he had to wait for her, but he would wait as long as it would take to see her again. So he supposed he might as well create some mischief in the guild until then, perhaps a brawl…. "Hey stripper! Finally got some clothes now do ya?" The reply was immediate.
"What did you call me, ash bucket?!"
"You heard me, icicle." The two frenemies stalked towards each other, teeth and fangs bared with their fists raised in preparation.
"I dare you to say it again, retard." They were now forehead to forehead with a blasting battle aura that had the rest of the guild tensing in anticipation and dread, or sighing in lethargy. Really, it was ridiculous that the two fought so often when they were the best of friends.
"Ah, would you quit'cha bickering! Some people are trying to eat." Gajeel's deep baritone echoed over the now silent hall, causing the two mages to turn equally blazing eyes onto the iron dragon slayer who continued chomping on his metal bolts. Levy, who was sitting across from him, continued to read her heavy tome obliviously.
"You want some of this, Gajeel?"
"No I don't, stripper, and walking around the way you do is nowhere near tempting. It's perverted."
"What are you talking about?" Natsu had a hand over his mouth, the other wrapped over his abdomen with quaking shoulders. Gray scowled at fire mage. There was only ever two times Salamander stood like that, and the first didn't matter because they weren't on any sort of transportation. The ice mage scowled darkly and in the next second he had Natsu's pink head under his arm in a headlock. "What are you laughing at, pinky?" Natsu couldn't answer as he burst out laughing.
Sighing, Cana slurred, "Grrray, yourrr clothessss…" It wasn't even lunch time and she was already drunk. Said ice mage frowned and looked down to find his pants, shirt and shoes gone. Eyes wide and mouth agape, the ice mage dropped his defences. Natsu got his opening and dropped to the ground, breaking Gray's headlock and yanking his boxers down in the process. Rolling out behind the ice-make mage, Natsu kicked one of Gray's knees out from under him and then followed up with a round-house right in the middle of his back, sending a naked Gray sailing towards the still oblivious Levy.
There was a loud roar before the impact, and suddenly Gray received a very solid punch to the jaw from a glove clad fist that sent him flying back to the bar. Another, lower growl gave the warning before the words. "Keep your hands to yourself, streaker." Gajeel's fangs were bared at the offending mage who crash landed on the bar top before toppling down behind it.
There was a moment of silence that was only pierced by a high-pitched "Gray-sama!" as the gossip mongers amongst the guild members watched with flashing eyes at how Gajeel stood protectively in front of Levy, a snarl still etched on his face. Only then did the bluenette look up from her book to glance around with a small frown, only now noticing that the iron slayer was no longer sitting across from her.
She examined the scene with a blushing red face that stood out from her pale skin and blue hair. The gossiper's stares became more intense as they scrutinized Levy's reaction, all coming to the same obvious conclusions. It was no secret that the resident bookworm and iron dragon slayer had a thing for each other, but the two mages just couldn't seem to get over the denial of their feelings for each other.
Natsu was still smirking as he watched Gray's crash landing. But the expression dropped from his face as the blood drained away with it, leaving him paler than a fish's scaled belly. The thumping landing had caused the beer mug's rack to shake and set the glasses to rattling against each other. At the sound, everyone else in the guild paled as well and turned so slowly to look at the bar. Mira stood watching the mugs she polished everyday shake and wobble, as if they were about to fall before deciding to settle instead. She sighed in relief, but before everyone else could release their breaths, Gray groaned and jerked to a stand; or at least attempted to. His head impacted the first bottom rack with a loud bang, snapping the shelf in half and sending those mugs clattering to the floor. Another pregnant silence stretched where nobody moved. They could all sense the impending doom but couldn't move, couldn't flee.
Mira's faced darkened and cracked. Her hair started to lift with crackling static around her and with eyes narrowed to slits, she brought her fist down onto the bar top with an even louder boom as the surface cracked and split. "HOW. DARE. YOU!"
That was all it took to send the entire guild bolting for the large wooden doors. No one made it though, as the pushing and shoving quickly escalated to a full on brawl with Mira at the centre beating anyone she got her hands on. The only ones to make it out were Gajeel, Levy and Lily, as the slayer had thrown the bookworm over his shoulder and headed in the opposite direction to the back of the guild where library was with Lily trailing close on his heels.
Gray had found some pants by then, having shaken off the concussion he had probably gotten from the crash and splitting rack, and jumped into the fray with a frosted fist to Natsu's nose. Pain bloomed up the offended area and spread over his eyes and brow. He paid no heed to it though, as he returned a stronger fist laced with fire back at Gray's face.
The brawl continued for some time, until a huffing Mira was the last mage standing, Natsu and Gray being the first to get a knock to the head from both the eldest Strauss sibling and Erza.
Makarov sat on the second floors balcony banister, overlooking the scene and shaking his head at his children. Mira took a deep breath and smiled, returning to normal and acting as if nothing had happened, stepped over her fellow guild mates to collect a broom and began cleaning up the splinters, chunks of wood and glass.
When Natsu came to, his eyes were bleary and his head throbbed just behind his left ear, which he guessed came from where both Mira and Erza had knocked him out cold. Everyone else was already up and about, laughing and jesting loudly with the smell of liquor as strong as ever in the evening at the guild hall. He dragged himself to his stool and sat, grinning and rubbing a sore spot on his jaw. Damn that Gray….
"Hey Natsu, you finally awake?" Lisanna was smiling at him from behind the bar with Mira, serving alcohol filled mugs to the rowdy mages.
"Haha, yeah. How long was I out?"
"Well it's definitely dark out, so for several hours. Mira and Erza must have smacked you over the head real good this time. Gray only woke less than an hour ago too." He lifted his nose slightly and scented the air. Still no sign of Lucy. Damn.
"Can I get a flaming rum shot?"
"Of course." Lisanna turned away with a knowing glint in her eyes as she fetched a couple of shot glasses further down the bar. She'd watched Natsu sniff the air like a blood hound and it was obvious who he was searching for. She smiled while mixing the drink. This was a similar situation to Gajeel and Levy, except between Natsu and Lucy. However the latter couple weren't in denial. Lucy had already confided in her and Levy that she had feelings for Natsu (as if it wasn't obvious enough already) and Natsu was too dense to understand the feelings he returned. He showed it every time he was near Lucy; the way he looked at her, stayed by her side, embraced her, and chased off all other men. Everyone could see it, but Lucy of course.
Returning to Natsu, Lisanna handed him the drink and tossed back her own. He wasn't exactly pouting but…. He just wasn't fully there. The youngest take-over sibling thought for a moment and decided to test Natsu, see if he really and truly was all for the Celestial mage.
"Hey Natsu, want to have a drinking competition?" He perked up at the prospects of winning a contest. Cana overheard her and shouted it to the rest of the guild, the majority of who did join in. Natsu ended up spending the rest of the night trying to out drink the fortune-card mage and chatting slurred-ly with Lisanna, Elfman, Erza, Cana and Gray.
By the time all the guild members were being herded out of the beer hall by Mira, everyone was more than excessively drunk, and it was well after midnight. Lisanna had started her 'test' already, having expended the night at Natsu's side, sitting closer than necessary, occasionally brushing thigh against thigh, shoulder against shoulder. He hadn't seemed to notice.
Now she stood with a swaying Natsu leaning on her, his arm over her shoulders for support. He'd had so much to drink; most likely more than three times as much as she had had.
"Mira! I'm going to walk Natsu home, ok?" She called back into the hall. The eldest take-over sibling was just finishing closing the hall up and Laxus was still here, so she wouldn't be alone. He wasn't nearly as drunk as Natsu, so he should be alright to keep her sister company.
Natsu's vision was blurred and he had a silly smile curving his lips. His arm was stretched out over something warm that was pressed into his side. There was a quick shout out, but the words went in one ear and out the other. Then the thing under his arm shifted, turned and began to lead his swaying form away from the guild, the only thing keeping him anywhere near oriented was his nose. There were too many scents to decipher, but he did recognize the guild hall, he always would.
After a distance, they came to a stop under a lamp post on a small bridge after Natsu had stumbled, causing him to wrench the person, he had figured out, under his arm right up against him. After steadying them and himself, he looked down at the blurred face below him, holding the person by the shoulders slightly away from him and grinned sheepishly. "Oops."
The person just hummed lightly in response and stepped closer, a hand sliding up his bare, muscled chest through the opening in his vest. "Natsu…" They whispered, stepping closer again until the first hand was joined by another and slid up to his shoulders. His name whispered again, the arms went around his neck and the person pressed their full body against his. He could feel a pair of breasts now pressing into his chest, the nipples hardened to points poking into his pectorals. His own hands glided down from her shoulders, running over her sides to settle in a firm grip on her hips that kept her pressed against him before they slipped around her waist and lower back, embracing her.
Again, the person whispered his name, this time their breath brushed his ear. As his head sank down to bury his nose in her hair, he noticed something off. Her shape was small enough that his size engulfed her, but her shape was wrong and her scent was wrong. Mint and honeysuckle wasn't it.
Natsu pulled back and squinted down at the girl. Short white hair, big blue eyes. Lisanna. Not my Luce. He smiled down at his childhood friend. "Lisanna."
She froze and looked up at him, studied his eyes and expression. No lust or desire, it was the look of a friend, the look that proclaimed 'brotherly love'. There was nothing sexual about it, and when he had said her name, she already knew the answer to her test. There was no one else but Lucy for him. And she was happy. She smiled at him and kissed his cheek. "Be good to her. Make sure she knows your feelings for her." She looked into his eyes and walked away. "Good night Natsu."
He had no idea what had just happened, but he smiled, waved his good bye to her and began walking, going home for a nice, long nap. When his feet stopped dragging him through the streets, he looked up. This isn't my home. He frowned, studying the building as best he could in his drunken state. Yes it is. I wonder when I started to think of this as home… He shrugged and climbed the wall to the window. Luce always left it open, just for him, even when she was away. She knew he'd just barge in to look for her anyway. But this time, he crept into the bedroom silently and looked around the darkened space.
The room was chilly from lack of heating over the past few days, the neatly made bed untouched. She's not here…. He saddened and looked around again. Slipping his sandals off along with his vest and waist coat, he crawled into the cold bed. Hugging the pillow, he buried his nose in it and inhaled. Ah, Luce…. Although not strong, the down pillow still held her scent. Home…. Another deep breath and he burrowed deeper into the sheets. Come home to me soon, Luce… He drifted off to sleep, dreaming of stars and his blonde haired angel.
A/N: I know it didn't continue from where Lucy was at, but I wanted to build suspense for that. The next chapter will continue from Lucy though. Plz R&R, I want to see what people think of the story so far :3
