And Then…. Picnic!
Happy and Natsu stood facing each other conversing. "Will you help me fish, Natsu?" "Of course, Happy!" Natsu replied readily. Lucy smiled at the two friends. Then, Erza appeared rolling her cart of baggage. "I am bringing some food," added Erza smiling a jaunty smile. Lucy laughed lightly. "Are we ready to go then?" asked Wendy being polite with her little hands clasped in front of her. "Yes," replied Lucy.
Later, Natsu was sick, taking up two seats on the train going south of Magnolia. Lucy was doing her best to move to the far right, but she had no more room! Her side ended in a glass window. 'Oh, why didn't you just sit at the window seat, Natsu!?' Lucy grudgingly thought; her legs were sore from halfway struggling to stand up. "Just sit down, Lucy…." implored Erza willing her to sit down comfortably. Erza slightly wondered at the situation. Lucy sat down resentful to do so and picked up Natsu's head roughly, laid his head on her lap, and groaned, "Don't puke on me!" She became more relaxed as time went on, as the train ride was a long one. And, without thinking Lucy rested her left hand on the back of Natsu's neck while nearly nodding out; her head leaned against the seat with her face almost facing the ceiling in her tiredness. Erza smiled at the sight, glad for their company and the way they got along. She looked at Wendy who was gazing at Natsu, Lucy, and Happy. 'Is it just me, or do they look like they can be a family?' Then, she corrected herself. 'Yeah! Of course they are! We all are!' She laughed joyfully in her mind. 'They look more than just that…. maybe, they are going to get married!' Wendy thought, giddy. She giggled out loud. Erza gave Wendy her unique touching smile and settled down again for the ride. Carla listened to Happy as he told a story of how he caught a scaly fish as big as Natsu! "But, it didn't taste like Natsu probably would of, of course!" he told her, excited, waving his arms. Natsu listened as well, but it went in one ear and out of the other. He was enjoying Lucy's touch. Her hand was light, but now it lay heavily upon his nape. It almost felt like she was hugging him again. He relaxed to the extreme in her touch and drifted off into a doze that he woke up from every few minutes.
The train was about thirty minutes from its destination when Lucy and Natsu fell asleep at the same time. Happy kept talking and now Erza was even listening with her eyes wide. She was enjoying his tales very much along so with Wendy almost as if they were both twelve years old and not just Wendy. Carla had a bemused expression upon her face as fields and dark-green skinny and lush trees drifted past in a blur outside of the windowpane. Carla enjoyed the view every so often.
Erza woke Lucy up when the train arrived at their stop, a small city called Interdom. Lucy yawned loudly and saw that her left hand lay tangled in Natsu's pinkish hair. She let out a soft squeak and worked to move her hand out while the others were unpacking their loads oblivious to the situation. Natsu moaned in his sleep, but now waking up under it. Lucy panicked and worked harder to get her hand out of his trap of hair while Natsu gradually awoke blinking his eyes blearily. He awoke to the sight and feel of Lucy's soft light colored thighs, and as he pried himself off he saw a reddish imprint on her from his cheek where he lay on her. 'Oooops.' He smirked. Natsu then moved up quickly and almost puked, his cheeks inflating to stop the wave of sickness. "Natsu! You drooled on me!" Lucy yelled as she looked at the small puddle on her thighs. "Uh huh," Natsu agreed wearily. Lucy let out a breath of consideration and temperance. And, Happy jumped off of her shoulder onto the ground. Lucy followed the rest of her team as she cradled her passed out teammate on her laden back. 'Almost like a kid….' she mused.
They walked the rest of the way for Natsu's sake down one of the cobbled main roads. Then, they stopped for a while at Erza's urging to…. have a picnic! Erza lit up in a way Wendy had only seen before once in her life while Erza pulled out a checkered black and white and plaid sheet, smoothed it out on the green grass for everyone, took out some plates and silverware, and then took out the food with a prized strawberry cheesecake in the center of it all. "Dig in, everybody!" she crooned proudly with diamonds in her eyes and smiling to herself. She had what could only be seen as love, or a long for held child dream fulfilled for another time, in her features. "Oh, boy!" Natsu and Happy said in unison. 'So cute! All of them!' thought Lucy scanning over everybody. Carla was picking some food out delicately while Wendy watched. Happy was gobbling fish down. 'Where the heck did those come from!?' Natsu was devouring everything he could get his palms on, and Erza had one nearly perfect slice of strawberry cheesecake that she took a savory bite from. And, now…. Lucy grabbed her sandwich in two delicate hands and took a large chomp out of it. Her princess eating habits were chucked out of an imaginary window in her brain. 'Wheeeeee! Wait! We need to save a boy here! Need to eat fast!' Lucy kept chomping off her sandwich in much needed speed for reason.