I am so excited! Wanna know why? I'll tell you anyway, because it'll probably make you excited too. Just Friends is so close to being finished! Seriously, a few more chapters, and this story will be complete. I can't wait! Actually, I'm not sure if that makes sense considering that I'm writing this, but whatever. I can't wait! Yes, there will be an epilogue. It will be awesome. Probably. Unfortunately, my winter break ends soon... Blegh. But I'm in a good mood today, so I'm trying not to think about it.
Dedicated to WhiteWinterStar! Special thanks to artificialartofficial, gwb620, FrozenFireLight, SlightlyOff7, and 1 Guest! Also, I'm not mad or anything, but I've been getting these weird notifications of reviews that don't have any content. If anyone has any idea what that's about, could you let me know? I'm very confused. Anyway, enjoy! This chapter is incredibly long!
LUCY
I didn't talk much on the train back to Cyprus. Sam and Holland watched me warily, like I was a bomb set to go off at the slightest pressure. I stared out the window, my knee bouncing at light speed. I was pretty sure most of the shaking on the train was actually caused by my leg swishing up and down and my heel tapping the floor.
My thoughts drowned out the world, crashing through my head like Erza on a rampage.
I wanted him to love me back. I left him that letter. He came chasing after me.
Could he love me?
I couldn't quite forgive myself for that last thought. Because the chances of that were almost zilch. And once the idea crept into my head, it started screaming for attention, so loudly that all my other thoughts collapsed and passed out from the noise.
Could he love me?
Maybe. While there was nearly no chance, hypothetically speaking, there was a tiny one.
So say he did love me. What then? Even if he did, what were the chances he knew it? Those were so tiny that they would be invisible under a microscope. Natsu, understand romantic love? Not in this lifetime.
And if he didn't? He could be following me like this just because I was his teammate, his friend, his family member. After all, Natsu had been left by family before. My heart clenched as I realized how he must have felt, when I disappeared on him just like Igneel had.
"God damn it," I swore, slamming my fist against the glass. Sam and Holland jumped and stared at me wide-eyed. They opened their mouths to say something, but nothing came out. I glanced at them, and they flinched.
"L-Lucy," Holland began hesitantly, "Are you okay?"
"What does that matter?" I muttered, turning back to the window you couldn't see anything out of. All I was doing was watching our reflection. Underneath our feet, the engine rumbled. The train was slowing down. "Everyone wants to know if I'm okay. What about him? What about the stupid idiot who keeps getting left behind?" I stopped to take a breath and found that their already-wide eyes had managed to open even farther at my outburst. I blew out a sigh. "Sorry, I'm not making sense, right? Don't worry about it."
"Lucy..." Sam spoke now. "Could you maybe tell us what happened?" It was the most timid I'd ever heard him sound. "It just seems like this is really hard on you..." I laughed sharply.
"Like I said, I'm not the one to worry about here. Anyway, you don't want to hear it. It's an embarrassing story, and frankly, I'd rather not tell it."
"You don't have to tell us all of it," Holland pressed, picking up where Sam left off. "Just get some of it off your chest." I sighed again.
"You two really want to hear what happened, don't you?" Sam nodded enthusiastically at the same time that Holland vigorously shook his head. I had to laugh. "Alright, I'll tell you a little." A woman's voice came on over the loudspeaker, announcing that we would be arriving at Cyprus in ten minutes. "Just until we get back though." They agreed, and I sank into my seat, preparing to bare my greatest mistake to them. "Let's see... I guess it starts with the time he walked in on me naked." Immediately, Holland's face lit up bright red. I chuckled and poked his cheek. "He was at my house, refusing to leave and demanding that I feed him and let him sleep over. I went to shower after he fell asleep in the middle of our argument like an idiot and he walked in when he woke up. I think that was when it started unravelling."
As I talked, I felt old forgotten knots untying themselves and new perspectives and questions emerge. I explained about spying on Erza and Jellal, running to the guild. Getting drunk with Cana. And then the kiss.
"And that's where we'll stop," I said, getting up and picking up my bag, which was full of ferns, as the train came to a stop. We were in the back, and we ended up getting stuck behind an ancient couple with way too much luggage. As we waited, Sam tugged on my sleeve.
"Can I ask a question?" I folded my arms.
"I reserve the right to lie, but go ahead." Holland studied me curiously, probably wondering what lunacy was going through my brain. I wondered, too.
"You kept saying 'he'." Who was it?"
"Gray Fullbuster," I said blithely. Then I made a face. "Wait. I said I'd lie, but that one is really too unbearable. Plus, Juvia would kill me if she ever heard I said that."
"So it wasn't Gray?" Holland clarified. I nodded.
"Right. Not Gray. Um, let's say..." I paused, trying to think of someone reasonable. "Elfman? Ugh, no. All those manliness rants. No way. Mm... Gajeel? No, Levy'd be heartbroken. Besides, he's a dick. Laxus, maybe?" I considered that one for a moment, my head cocked to the side. "God, no. He'd probably snap me in half." I took another minute to think up some more Fairy Tail men. "Macao? Wakaba? Oh, Max. Max could work. Jeez, who am I forgetting?" Just as the old people finally got moving, I snapped my fingers. "I've got it. Gildarts. I was in love with Gildarts Clive." I cackled, and the elderly couple turned to stare at me. "In love with Gildarts. Right. Oh, that's a good one. Gildarts..." I drifted off into another fit of hysterical laughter, the echo following me onto the train platform.
Stepping off the platform and back into the city, I managed to rein in my mirth. Wiping tears from the corners of my eyes, I realized I hadn't laughed so hard since I'd left Fairy Tail. I didn't really know how to feel about it.
Sam, Holland and I walked down Cyprus's main street in comfortable late-night silence. "Sam, I'll drop you off at your house first, okay?" He nodded and we took a right, ending up in a residential neighborhood. Sam lived there with his grandparents while Jason traveled for reporter business and his mother worked on the other side of Fiore as an archaeologist. The house was quaint, built to look old, with a gorgeous rose garden in the front. I didn't budge from the lawn until I saw Sam open the door and step inside safely. Then I turned to my other charge. "Okay, Holland, you'll have to lead the way to your house," I said cheerfully. "Since you wouldn't let me drop you off before. Which way?" He stood planted in the empty street with his arms folded.
"I can get there by myself," he said. "You don't need to take me." I sighed.
"Holland, I know you're very familiar with this city, but it's currently–" I checked the time. "Eleven fifty-three. Holy Mavis, I didn't think it was this late. Anyway, I don't want you to get jumped by thugs. I did, the other night, so don't tell me there aren't any."
"Were you okay?" Holland asked abruptly, dropping his arms. I flashed him a grin.
"Who do you think you're talking to? I might not look it, but I am a wizard of Fairy Tail, and I was in a particularly bad mood that night." I grimaced just remembering the monster-sized tantrum I had thrown. "On the other hand, you're just a kid, and while I know some very capable kids, you aren't one of them when it comes to fighting. So let me take you home." I held out my hand, but he refused to take it, frowning at the ground. Sighing inwardly, I crouched in front of him. "Hey." He glanced up and seemed startled to see me down there.
"What?"
"Why don't you want me to see where you live?"
He scuffed the ground with the toe of his sneaker. I noticed he needed new ones. "No reason."
"Then let's go."
"No," he said stubbornly.
"Then tell me why not." I was praying he wasn't homeless. I hated seeing people being forced to live like that, and I wouldn't be able to stand knowing Holland was sleeping on the streets.
"Because my family is really embarrassing," he blurted. "And so's the place I live." I laughed, immensely relieved. "Don't laugh!" he grumbled, his ears reddening in the dark. "It's true."
"I'm just glad that's the only reason," I said, standing and ruffling his hair. It was becoming a habit. "Come on, let's go."
"I can really–"
"Really nothing. I don't have to meet your family, but I do have to make sure you get home safe. So we're going." After a long second of inner turmoil, his shoulders slumped.
"Yeah, okay. Fine. But I'm warning you, they're nuts." He started down Sam's street, moving quickly away from the main street. Then suddenly, he just... vanished. Several paces behind him, I jogged to the spot he had disappeared from and started looking around.
"What are you doing?" I jumped and swiveled to the right, where there was an inconspicuous pathway of sorts tucked between two houses. Holland stood at the mouth, looking at me bemusedly.
"Don't scare me like that," I said, following him as he turned and started down the path. "How was I supposed to know this was here?"
We came out on a street of businesses and took an alley to a shadier neighborhood. I was beginning to wonder where it was that he lived when he stopped. "This is it," Holland said flatly. "Home sweet home." I frowned. looking at the building in front of us. It didn't look like anyone's house. That was when I saw the sign swinging over the door.
Fanny's Home for the Lost and Abandoned
"Oh," I breathed. Holland hunched his shoulders.
"Yeah, well, thanks for walking me home, I guess." He started up the stairs, and making up my mind, I tailed him. He stared back at me, his mouth an 'O' of surprise. "What are you–"
"I changed my mind." I smiled at him. "I want to meet your family after all." Instead of resisting like I expected him to, Holland looked resigned.
"Just remember that I warned you." I raised an eyebrow, but before I could ask what he meant, the door was flung open violently.
"Holland!" a tiny girl no higher than my thigh shouted. "Mama, it's Holland!" Then she noticed me, and added, "And a strange lady!" More children appeared behind her, some younger, some older. I smiled at them, but they eyed me warily.
Then a tall, wide woman emerged from a dark hallway. "So you finally got home, brat," she said, pushing her way through the mob of kids to get to the doorway. She reached out for him as if to hug him, but instead her fist came down on his head. I stared.
"That hurt, Mama," he grumbled, rubbing the bump and peering up at her. She glowered at him.
"That's what you get for making me worry! What were you doing out so late, brat?" I must have made some sort of noise, because suddenly her attention focused on me. "And who are you, missy?" I squeaked.
"L-Lucy Heartfilia," I stammered. "S-Sorry, I was the one who kept Holland out late." She gave me the eye and I flinched. "He was helping me with some work," I finished meekly.
She eyed me up and down, nodded once, and said, "Well, don't just stand there like a great lump, come in." The next thing I knew, she was grabbing Holland's elbow and dragging him inside. I hurried to get inside before the door closed. "So, what sort of work was it?" I blinked, startled. We were walking down the hallway she had come from. Holland was still being towed by the tall woman.
"What? Oh–"
"I told you, Lucy's a Fairy Tail wizard, Mama," Holland muttered, tearing free from her grip. "And I can walk by myself." She knocked him on the head again.
"Shut your trap, brat. It's rude to interrupt." We arrived in a large kitchen. There were all sorts of bizarre seats set around a long table. A rocking horse, a one-legged stool, and an armchair were some of the less alarming options. "But anyway, you're a wizard, missy?" the woman continued, seating herself in a throne-like chair the head of the table. Holland balanced on the stool, and I took the relative safety of the armchair. "The Fairy Tail guild is out in Magnolia, isn't it? What are you doing all the way over here in Cyprus?"
"Training," I answered out of habit. "And... Other things." The woman chuckled, and it hit me with sudden clarity that I had no clue whatsoever who she was. "Um, sorry, I don't think I caught your name...?"
"Never introduced myself," the woman said bluntly. "I'm Fanny, the owner of this orphanage." Holland shifted, and the stool creaked loudly. An uncomfortable silence filled the room as that word sat between us.
"I'm an orphan," I blurted suddenly. Holland stared at me, and Fanny's eyebrows nearly disappeared into her hairline. "Oh... Sorry, I, um, don't really know why I said that." I laughed uneasily.
"Are you really?" Holland asked softly. I sighed and nodded.
"My mother died when I was little, and my dad... Passed away recently." The same all-too-familiar regret washed over me as I remembered how little happiness we had gotten together. "I didn't get to say goodbye." After all, I had been on Tenrou Island, sleeping for seven years. Seven years that my dad had waited for me. I brushed my fingers under my eyes, commanding them to stay dry. "I don't know what's wrong with me today. Dredging up all these depressing topics..." I bit my lip, aware that I wasn't making sense. "I should probably go now. I think I'm sleep-deprived." I got up. "It was nice to meet you, Fanny."
"Yeah, thanks for looking after this idiot of mine." I smiled at her. I was beginning to learn that that was how Fanny showed affection.
"Anytime." I stepped out of the kitchen and retraced my path to the front door. I was promptly mobbed by a dozen children, some of whom looked a little older than Holland and just as prickly as he had been when we first met.
"Lady, lady," the little girl who had opened the door chanted, jumping up and down. "What's your name?" I bent down so we were face-to-face and smiled.
"I'm Lucy. What's your name?" She grinned hugely, revealing a gap where her front tooth should have been.
"I'm Mia!"
"Hey lady," another kid said. This one was a boy, with short black hair and fascinating golden eyes. "Are you Holland's girlfriend or something?" I blinked. I must have heard him wrong.
"His what now?"
"Don't be an idiot, Crow," Holland said, appearing from the shadows of the hallway behind me. "She's my friend. And you guys should let her go home already." I had to hide a smile as Holland and Crow started arguing. He was cute when he acted grown-up.
"I was just asking," Crow muttered sourly. "You didn't have to call me an idiot."
"It was rude," Holland countered, "And you are an idiot, I was just saying what everyone knows." The verbal fighting turned to pushing and shoving and I sighed. I was starting to feel really drained. Grabbing Holland by the collar of his shirt, I blocked the two with my body.
"That's enough, morons. Honestly, you two are just as bad as the imbeciles back home." I snickered. "The only difference is that I can actually make you stop instead of running to Erza." Crow stared at me, his mouth wide open.
"You know Erza? Like, Titania Erza?" I nodded.
"Holland didn't tell you?" I realized I was still dangling said juvenile in the air and let him down sheepishly. "Sure, I know Erza, and Gray, and Natsu, and–"
"What about Gajeel?" Crow interrupted. "Do you know Gajeel?" I made a face.
"I know him all right."
"What's he like? Do you think you could introduce me someday?" I crossed my arms.
"He's irritable and rude and and violent. The only redeeming trait he has is the crush he has on my best friend, and even that isn't enough to make him a decent human being. I seriously doubt you would enjoy meeting him." Crow looked anything but discouraged.
"Seriously? That's so cool!" I rolled my eyes. Boys.
"Well, come visit Magnolia sometime and I'll see what I can do." Mia tugged on my sleeve.
"Lucy, I want to meet Mirajane." I smiled at her.
"Oh yeah? I bet Mira would love to meet you, too. She's really nice." Her eyes practically sparkled.
"She's so pretty!" Several other girls agreed with her, and before I knew it all the kids were discussing who they wanted to meet. Holland stood next to me silently, watching them with a tiny smile.
"Who do you want to meet?" I asked him, leaning over. He stared straight ahead.
"The master." There was no hesitation. I smiled slightly.
"Really? Why?" His ears flushed red.
"So I can join the guild." I bit my lip so I wouldn't start grinning like a lunatic and ruffled his hair.
"I have to warn you, he's more than a little crazy. Well, they all are. You have to be to survive in Fairy Tail." I hid a yawn as I spoke. Holland's brow furrowed.
"Like how crazy?" I looked around at the crowd of excited kids debating who was the coolest of their idols.
"Crazier than this bunch, that's for sure." I smiled just thinking about them. My family. "Did you know that my first day in the guild, Natsu stole Gray's underwear and he asked me for mine?" Holland's eyes looked about ready to pop out of their sockets. "True story. Another time, we all switched bodies and Gray panicked and kept trying to take off his shirt, which was actually my shirt. That was rough. And every time Gildarts comes back to the guild, the whole town has to be moved because he has no sense of his strength at all when he gets mad. We call it the Gildarts Shift."
"That is so awesome," Crow gasped. At some point all the kids had started listening to the stories I was telling Holland. "Can we meet him too?"
"While I'm sure he'd be glad to meet you guys, he's never around anymore. Well, he didn't come by much to begin with... Come to think of it, we really could have used him during the Grand Magic Games. Such a flake, that guy." The kids lost some of their enthusiasm at that. Suddenly I remembered that even if Gildarts wasn't around, there was someone who was as close as it got. "Well, you might not get to meet Gildarts, but he has a daughter who's pretty cool herself. Cana is a great fortune-teller and she's amazing at cards." On the other hand, Cana wasn't exactly the best role model, considering her drinking habits. "Or maybe you could meet Laxus."
"Isn't he the guy who beat Jura at the Grand Magic Games?" Crow asked eagerly. "I really wanna meet him!" The other boys agreed loudly while the girls just looked nervous. I smiled sympathetically. "Wendy's probably around the age of some of you," I said to them. One of the girls, around Holland's age, with curly brown hair and a slight frown, stepped forward.
"Isn't she the one who tied with Chelia from Lamia Scale?" I nodded and smiled.
"That's right. You're probably about the same age. Or maybe she's a little older..." I'd have to ask when I got back.
If I ever get back.
Even that depressing thought couldn't keep me from yawning widely. Holland glanced up, concern written on his face. "Lucy, maybe you should go home now." I nodded, stretching.
"Yeah, I'm wiped. Anyway, I don't have much left to do but go on that job with Purple-Hair from Saber, so I probably won't see you much. But I'll come say bye before I leave." Holland opened the door for me and followed me onto the step, shutting the door in several complaining faces.
"About that..." He fidgeted for a moment, and then, not looking at me, said, "Will you tell me more stories about Fairy Tail before you leave?" My eyebrows drew together.
"Tell you stories... I promised that purple-haired guy I'd go on my last job with him, and there were some other things I need to wrap up here before I can leave, so I don't know if I'll have time." His face fell.
"Oh. It's okay, I just thought I'd ask." I sighed, feeling guilty.
"I'm really sorry, Holland. Maybe..." A lightbulb turned on, and I clapped my hands together once. "I know!" I grinned down at him. "I have something I can give to you that'll last longer than stories. I'll drop it off when I have time, okay?" He nodded slowly, looking confused. I stepped into the street and waved. "I'll see you later, Holland!" He waved back and returned to his house.
I walked home with a smile, looking forward to seeing Holland's face when I surprised him with my present. When I got close to my apartment, though, an ominous sense of danger made me stop.
That was a mistake.
Maybe twenty people emerged from an alley, surrounding me and crowding close together. It was too dark to see right. I couldn't tell exactly what was going on. "Hey little lady," one of them said. "We've been waiting for you." I reached for my keys, but rough hands held my wrists behind my back. The group of them snickered. "What were you doing out so late? Don't you know there are bad people around here?" Someone touched my cheek, and I sank my teeth into his hand until they scraped bone. He shrieked, prying my jaws apart and withdrawing the damaged limb. I spat out a mouthful of blood and kicked out at something, anything. My knee connected with something and I was rewarded with a loud groan and the sound of someone hitting pavement. I swung my leg backwards, and my heel slammed into a shin. A howl, and my hands were freed. I lunged forward, reaching for my keys again, but more hands came, tearing at my hair and clothes. I screamed for help, but the street was empty and even if someone was out there, they wouldn't go up against so many attackers to save a stranger. It was all up to me.
"Get OFF me!" I shouted, struggling against my captors.
"Come on, don't be like that," an oily voice purred. The sound slithered down my spine. It was the leader of the thugs from earlier, the ones who had attacked me. I realized that we were in the same spot as that time. Of course. He had gotten all his buddies together to wait for me and get his revenge.
"I despise people like you," I hissed. "You're–"
I never got the chance to tell him exactly what he was, though, because a low growl slid through the air like the sharp edge of a knife. I froze. "What was that?" someone whispered, voice shaking. "A wolf?"
"Don't be stupid! We're in the middle of the city!"
"Do you have any better ideas?"
"Shut up, idiots!" I commanded, straining my ears. "Do you hear that?" It came again, and my stomach flipped nervously. Scritch, scritch, scritch.
The sound of claws on pavement.
A high-pitched scream echoed through the night and the horrible ripping sound of teeth pulling flesh from bone embedded itself in my skin. A low snarl. Another scream. I barely felt it as I was released, but then my knees buckled and I tumbled to the hard sidewalk. I clutched my elbows and curled into a tiny ball, trying not to listen to the soft padding steps or the hot panting breaths. Then they just... stopped.
"Lucy Heartfilia?" I jumped, attempting to place the voice. I knew I had heard it before.
"P...Purple-Haired Guy?" I whispered. He chuckled, and I jumped again.
"Yes, but my real name is Dian. Are you all right?"
"Yes," I replied automatically. "No. I don't know."
"Is your house nearby?"
I nodded, and then realized he couldn't see me. It was too dark to see much of anything. "Yes, just down this street." His hand found mine and held it. I could feel his pulse beating in his fingertips.
"Can you stand?" He helped me up, and we walked in silence to my apartment building.
"Come on in," I said, walking inside. "I'll make tea." Without waiting for his reply, I climbed the stairs wearily and unlocked my apartment. Half-asleep and in shock, I'm pretty sure I muttered something like, "Natsu, get out of my bed. And Gray, stop stripping on my furniture," before shuffling into the kitchen and rifling through the cupboards. "All I have is coffee," I called. "Is that okay?"
"Coffee's fine," Purple-Hair replied. What was his name? Dian. Weird name, but whatever. I started the coffee and was staring blankly at the counter when Dian came in to see what was wrong. "Lucy?" I blinked. I had somehow managed to fall asleep with my eyes open.
"Huh? Oh, sorry. I was spacing out." I followed him back into the bedroom and collapsed on my bed. I was in serious danger of passing out cold now. "So, you saved me, right? Thanks."
"Don't mention it," Dian said, sitting at my desk.
"What was that animal?" I asked him, turning over onto my stomach. "A pet?" He grimaced.
"Well, no, actually... That was me." I frowned.
"Takeover magic?" He looked embarrassed now, averting his gaze.
"No, it's... Er, well..." Dian laughed self-consciously. "I don't know why I'm always so uncomfortable with this. You see, I'm cursed."
"Really?" I asked curiously. I'd never met someone with a curse before. "What kind of curse?"
"A family curse," he said slowly. "I'm a werewolf." My eyebrows lifted in surprise. I raised my feet so my legs were bent at the knees and lowered one leg at a time, back and forth.
"And you can transform at will?" He nodded.
"It took a lot of practice, but yeah. I can change anytime I want." He grinned, well, wolfishly. "I could now, if you want." The coffee machine made a noise and I rolled off the bed.
"Thanks, but no thanks." In the kitchen, I poured the coffee into two mugs, dumped sugar into another, and pulled out the milk carton. With some maneuvering, I managed to pick up it all up and carry it into the other room, where I promptly dropped it all on the coffee table. "Here, take whatever you want." I stirred a little sugar into my mug and took a sip. Perfect. Sinking back onto the bed, I nursed my coffee and watched Dian pour milk into his.
"So, we're still doing the job together, right?" he asked, returning to the desk. I nodded.
"That's..." I counted the days silently. "Two days from now. Or, tomorrow, I guess," I corrected, glancing at the clock. "In front of the guild?"
"Yeah." He hesitated, and then asked, "You're not going to ask about the job?" I had been staring absent-mindedly into my coffee, but his question recaptured my attention.
"The job?" I blinked. "Oh, that's right. It's to hunt a bunch of wolves or something, right?" He nodded.
"You're not curious?"
"Nope." I didn't particularly care what issues he was hiding at the moment, because even as I guzzled caffeine, my brain was shifting into hibernation. "Look, if you don't mind, I'll see you later. I really need sleep right now or I'm gonna pass out." He finished his coffee and walked to the door, smiling.
"Then I'll see you, Lucy." I waved him away sleepily and locked the door before stumbling to the bed and falling asleep as my pillow rushed up to meet my face.
Sorry guys, no Natsu this chapter. But he'll be in the next chapter, I promise. Oh, you know what I realized the other day? Laki is actually that purple-haired girl in Fairy Tail. So I used her name by accident for that tribe girl Natsu meets... Oops.
Remember to review, follow, and favorite! This fic is very nearly over! I mean it for real this time – I have it all planned out and everything. It's gonna be amazing, so make sure you keep up. I am very frustrated with several fics I love right now because they are not being updated and it's very sad, so I'll try to update regularly. But you know me, so you're probably not fooled by these promises. I will try! Review, follow, favorite, please. They make me happy.
Am I weird today? I feel like I sound weird. Maybe I'm sick or something... Or maybe it's that I haven't had face-to-face contact with anyone but my family in a while. Anyway, sorry to be weird. Love you guys!
Giselle