It was the day before Christmas, and by the looks of it, I'd be spending the holiday alone. With no real need to get dressed before tonight, I hopped out of bed and threw on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, my boots, and a coat and headed to the guild. As I opened the door, I saw the landlady about to knock.
"Good morning, Lucy," she said in an unusually cheerful tone.
"Hello, landlady. Is this about my rent? I guess I'm behind, aren't I?" I asked, so caught up with Natsu and Laxus that I forgot about my responsibilities.
"No, your rent has already been paid. I dropped by to tell you that I'll be gone for the next few days," she stated, leaving me puzzled.
"I don't remember paying it..."
"You didn't. The blonde man standing at your door last weekend did."
Laxus paid my rent?
"Well, have a happy holiday," the landlady said as she walked off.
"Oh... uh... you too!" I shouted back to her.
I walked into the guild, everyone, like me, dressed like they didn't care. Though, that wasn't the case. On Christmas Eve, the guild always closed early, so everyone came earlier than usual. The master always does this to put presents under the tree, though insists it was Santa. We'd go back in the evening, dressed better than normally, but not necessarily "formal". After hours of partying, we'd all get in our pajamas and sleep in the guild, and spend Christmas together like the big, happy family that we were. The master started doing this with Cana and Gray since, them being six and having no family, had to spend Christmas alone. Soon enough there were a bunch of orphans, the Strauss siblings, Erza, Natsu, Levy, etc.
It was about 10 a.m. when most of us were still eating breakfast that I noticed a group entering the guild in phalanx position. The head having long green hair, followed by a beautiful brunette to his left, and a masked man to his right. My breath caught in my throat seeing them. I wasn't really expecting them back until after the holidays. After closer inspection, I noticed that the core member of their group was missing, making my heart skip a beat.
No, he promised. He promised he'd come back to me.
After composing myself, I walked toward their table and stood in front of Freed.
"Where's Laxus?" I asked.
"Happy holidays, Lucy. How are you enjoying the-" he tried to avoid the question before I interrupted him.
"Where. Is. Laxus?" I asked, growing impatient.
He sighed. "We don't know."
"You lost him?!"
"No, he left," he said trying to divert any necessary attention.
"Why?" I asked, wondering if it had something to do with me.
"We don't know. We arrived in the area two days after our departure. Laxus didn't want to do the usual reconnaissance and intelligence gathering. When we questioned him on why he wanted to finish the mission so quickly, he replied with, 'Because I've got something worth coming back to.'"
She stiffened at the mention of their promise.
"We went headfirst into the guild and Laxus was fighting with a tenacity I'd never seen in him," clearly praising his idol before continuing. "The entire guild was laid to waste in the matter of a minute. We tied them all up and notified the Magic Council before departing. That night we camped a few miles out-of-town and when we woke the next morning Laxus was gone and all that was left was a note."
"What did it say?"
"Only that he had business to attend to."
I was distraught, scared, and sad at the same time but simply smiled, "Th-thanks, Freed." He nodded and went to take his seat at the Tribe's table, next to the seat that should have held a blonde thunder-god.
I went back to my table and tried to have as much fun as possible before the closing of the guild. but eventually 3 p.m. came and we all filed out of the building to get ready for the evening. I never really took the chance to just look at Magnolia. It was beautiful in the winter with a thick layer of snow. Looking at the warm yellow lights and the lights of Christmas trees protruding through the windows, just made everything feel calm and tranquil. Glancing to the others beside me, I noticed Gray lacking all but his underpants. "Gray your clothes," I pointed out to him.
He took a long sigh and said, "I know."
"Then why aren't you putting them back on?"
"Because it feels nostalgic."
"How so?"
"I never told you about how Lyon and I both got this habit, did I?"
"No," I shook my head. "I just always assumed it was an ice mage thing."
"Remember my teacher, Ul?"
"The one we unfroze on Galuna Island?"
"Yeah. We lived in the northern mountains where it always snowed. In order for us to be better adapted to the cold, we'd train in the snow in only our underwear. Unless we were going out to the village a few miles away, we never were really fully dressed." He chuckled, thinking of the concept now that he'd experienced how society actually works.
"What was it like? That life."
"There was never a dull moment. I actually found it was better than my earlier life. We were a family of sorts. She treated us like her children, but never claimed us to be. She loved her daughter too much to do that. She lifted our burdens and carried them for us, as well as her own. She lost her husband, her daughter, and took care of Lyon, but she helped me anyways. She taught me magic, and gave me a mother's love after my own was murdered. And what did I get her? I got her turned into a block of ice. It isn't fair that I'm the one alive. It should have been me." His reminiscent expression turning to one of pain and regret. "I wish I could just tell her how much I love and miss her... and that I'm sorry."
Juvia didn't even choose this as a time to get jealous, sensing the atmosphere and seeing Gray hurt.
"I... I don't know what to say," I struggled to compose a reply, but I couldn't tell him anything that someone hasn't told him before.
"This is where we part ways. I'll see you tonight, Lucy."
"Goodbye, Lucy-san."
"Bye, Gray. Bye, Juvia."
I headed back to my apartment in peace, pondering over all the things that have happened over the past week. As soon as I entered, I headed straight for the bathroom, running a bath full of vanilla oil. Sitting in the hot water, letting the chill seep from my bones, I quickly drifted into a deep sleep.
I heard the organ begin playing as I turned to me left and saw master Makarov holding my arm, and we slowly made our way down the aisle. All of my guildmates were there, as well as my friends from Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus, and Sabertooth. The rest being my friends with no guild and my spirits. Wendy and Asuka were ahead of us tossing flower pedals along the path. I looked ahead and there was a tall, blonde man who was as handsome as humanly possible. To his left were Freed, Bickslow, Gajeel, and Gildarts. Approaching the steps, he came forward and Makarov handed me to him as he went to take his seat. To my right I saw Erza, Mira, Levy, and Cana.
"Dearly beloved. We are gathered here today..."
The entire speech, vows, and Romeo presenting the rings went smoothly.
"If anyone has any reason why these two should not be wed, speak now, or forever hold your peace."
"I object!" a voice came from the back pews.
A young man with a spiky pink crop came center into the aisle.
"Lucy, you don't belong with him, you belong with me."
"You've always loved me. He's nothing more than a replacement."
"He doesn't even love you."
"He's going to ditch you when something better for him comes along."
All of my inhibitions and fears were being poured from his mouth. I was frozen; thousands of needles piercing my body at once. I couldn't breath. Like my lungs were being flooded. Almost as if I were...
I awoke with a lack of air, spurting water from my mouth and leaning forward in the ice-cold water to cough out the rest from my lungs. I stood, turning the shower on to douse warm water over my freezing skin. Before subsequently drying off, and laying on my bed in nothing but a towel. I started to think (something I've done far too much lately).
I wish Laxus were here.
A/N: I said this would be really long but I decided to cut it in half. I wanted to get this out before I go out. I've got a date tonight, so wish me luck and pray this doesn't end up on Crimewatch.