A/N: Hello! Sorry for the incredibly long wait for this chapter. I don't think I'll keep you all waiting that long for the next chapter. I'd like to give a big thanks to my co-writer and editor Zeiyuu for helping me with this chapter. Enjoy!
Things were surprisingly normal between the two of them. For some reason, Laxus had it in his head that they would have to worry about a sort of awkwardness. Lucy had asked him to a dance! How much more awkward could it get?
But things weren't awkward. Lucy continued to smile and talk with him in the same way that she always had, it didn't appear as though she'd been affected too much by the whole ordeal. Or even at all, for that matter.
Even as they sat together during lunch, Lucy happily spoke of a lab that had gone horribly wrong during her last class. Apparently, her lab partner had accidentally added a bit too much of some kind of chemical that he couldn't pronounce and the whole south side of the school wound up smelling like a mix of rotten eggs and spoiled milk.
While the rest of her class had been completely disgusted and mortified, Lucy had found the whole situation to be quite humorous. That much was clear in the way that she could barely contain her giggles as she struggled to get the whole story out for Laxus.
"You should have seen the way everybody was diving for the door that leads outside, even the teacher was pushing kids aside to get out there." Lucy wiped away tears that had formed in response to her fit of laughter, she sighed. A perfect sound of contentment that made Laxus smile a bit.
"I can't say I'm a fan of rotten food smells." That and, Laxus enjoyed hearing Lucy talk so much, he wasn't sure he was willing to have experienced that story any other way. Her voice was just so soothing, he felt a little bit like a creep for enjoying it so much. But of course, he couldn't really help it.
The way she weaved herself into his life so intricately right under his nose went against everything that was drilled into him by his father. Don't get attached. Well… it's too late for that. Much too late. His father never warned him about blonde haired angels who come barreling into your life like a hurricane of sass and laughter. He wasn't quite sure what these feelings were, but he knew it was too late to turn back.
"Laxus?" Lucy's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Huh? Oh yeah." He attempted to play it off with a smile but the look on her face told him he wasn't successful.
"Anyways, are you ready for the test in Fiore History tomorrow? I've studied all week and I still don't feel confident in my knowledge." Lucy said with a sigh.
"Wait, you're in that class too?" There is no way that Laxus would have missed seeing her in that class. Lucy wouldn't let him live it down if he did.
"Well, yeah! I have it later in the day than you, silly. All juniors have to take it." Laxus felt his cheeks tinge in embarrassment. He should have known that.
"Oh, right. I haven't really studied at all but I guess I should…" He trailed off. Why would she be bringing this up in the first place? She never showed any interest in his studies before. Lucy sighed again, this time almost expectantly, and then it hit him.
"Would you… uh, like to study? Together I mean. We could study at my house. If you wanted of course." He cleared his throat nervously. Talk much?
Lucy's face lit up as she smiled, putting the sun to shame. She never failed to be the brightest person in the room.
"Okay! I'll come over after school and we can study together. Do you have any snacks? We'll definitely need snacks," Laxus shook his head no in reply, "okay that's fine. We can stop by my house on the way to grab some. Oh! That's the bell. I'll see you after school." With that, she skipped off through the cafeteria leaving Laxus smiling after her.
In class, Laxus had a hard time keeping his eyes off of the clock. Each second passed slower than the next. His excitement was definitely getting the best of him. He couldn't remember the last time he had invited a friend over to his house, let alone a girl. He'd never been in a place long enough to make any friends to invite over. Laxus was headed into unknown territory and Lucy was leading the way. For the first time in his life, he felt like a normal teenager. Whatever that meant, anyways.
Like most teenage boys, Laxus wasn't much of a believer in fate. There was no solid evidence that things happened for a reason with those reasons being beyond any person's control. But the more he thought about that first day at Magnolia high, the more he started to consider the possibility. Lucy couldn't have been the only office aid in the school but she just so happened to be that morning. What if he had gotten to school twenty minutes later that day? Surely he wouldn't currently be on the edge of his seat waiting for the last bell to ring because of a girl. He definitely wasn't complaining.
It felt like a small fire had started in the pit of his stomach. He hadn't noticed it before but he was sure sparks were flying that first morning. Each day it was like Lucy was adding kindling, piece by piece. It made him feel… alive. He'd spent most of his life not having much of a purpose. Eat. Sleep. Go to school. Don't anger father. Repeat. It was a life without color, a life without heat. The only thing he truly cared about was music. But now, he found himself listening to music less and talking to Lucy more. He found himself wondering about Lucy's day instead of how to get his hands on the limited edition Bowie vinyl. He even started wearing his headphones less whenever Lucy was around.
In the hallways at school, that was a different story. The end of the day had finally arrived and Laxus was eager to get to their usual meeting spot.
He wasn't surprised to find her waiting for him. The teacher had kept the class a few minutes late in order to finish his lecture. Laxus took a moment to admire the way that her golden hair fell over her shoulders, he was amazed that such unruly looking hair could appeal so much to him. It always seemed so soft and inviting.
It was then that she caught him. Her brown eyes lit up in that familiar way when her gaze landed on him and… was that a slight tinge of pink to her cheeks? No, it had to have been the early evening light playing tricks on him. She waved and he quickly lessened the gap between them.
"We shouldn't have to stop by my house for too long, I actually just went to the store yesterday for some and haven't even taken them out of the bags." She smiled at that, as though enjoying a secret before she spun on her heel and gestured for him to follow along. "Really, I've got a ton. You're going to have a whole selection to choose from. Chips, popcorn, chocolate, blueberries, strawberries… you name it, I probably got it."
Laxus couldn't help but chuckle at that, "Geez, you sound like a dealer."
Lucy laughed before playfully shoving him. The force behind her effort was pitiable, though the blond just chalked it up to their sheer size differences. Though… he couldn't help but think about how fragile she seemed. Even through her tough words and actions, it wouldn't take a whole lot for her to break.
That thought scared him.
"Who knows, maybe I am a dealer." Lucy stuck her tongue out at him before she laughed again and started to run, leaving Laxus in her wake.
The young man pursued the girl and let her win the unspoken race. She cheered the entire walk from her front gate to the front door that she unlocked with a golden key that she pulled out of her school bag. She stole a quick glance back at him before she pushed open the door.
The room was dark but Laxus could still make out what looked to be a large living room as he followed Lucy inside. His assumptions were confirmed as she flipped on the lights. The living room was filled with beautiful dark wood furniture that looked like it had never been used. Beyond the living room was an even more grand kitchen. Based on the two rooms he's seen, the house was immaculate but it didn't feel right. It felt… sterile. He followed wide-eyed behind Lucy as she walked towards the kitchen.
"This place is… amazing." He commented while still taking in the sight. The kitchen was so large, at least three times the size of his bedroom and he thought his bedroom was a decent size.
"Oh, this old place? My mom would love to hear that. She's an interior decorator. She changes the decor at least once every couple of months. It's a good thing my dad's a doctor so he can afford it… even if that means he's gone often." Laxus tore his eyes off of the decor to look at Lucy. Her words had been tinged with sadness, a sadness he knew all too well.
It shocked him, knowing that she might be struggling with a similar problem that had plagued him for as long as he could remember. He studied her face. She was smiling, like she always was. Her face was an impenetrable wall, not betraying her emotions like her voice just had. Maybe behind that smile, she was just as alone as he was
"I gotta grab all of the snacks and then we can head to your house." She began to dig through the cupboards. "Oh, I forgot that we don't have any things to drink here. Do you have anything at your place?" She didn't bother turning around to hear his answer as she pulled random boxes and bags onto the counter.
Laxus tried to picture the contents of his fridge. "We have energy drinks… and some green tea stuff."
"Anything without caffeine? I'm… not supposed to have caffeine." She replied.
"Just water. Maybe some juice? I can't remember for sure. How come you can't have caffeine?" Lucy paused slightly at his question, contemplating her answer.
"Well-" Before she could finish her sentence the front door opened.
"Luuuuucy, I'm home! I got those drinks you asked for from the store. I hope I'm- oh!" Lucy's mom halted as she noticed Laxus standing in her kitchen. "Well, hello. Who is this tall, handsome young man?"
Laxus felt his face heat under her curious gaze. Lucy was the spitting image of her mother. The long blonde hair, coffee brown eyes, the whole nine yards. If he didn't already know any better, he would have thought they were sisters.
"Mom, this is Laxus." She left her spot at the cupboard to envelope her mom in a tight hug. Laxus ignored the dull pang in his chest as he watched the embrace and gave them a nervous smile.
"You didn't tell me you had such a handsome boyfriend, Lucy!" Her mother exclaimed when they released each other from the hug.
"Mom!" Lucy screeched, her face turning a bright shade of scarlet. "Don't embarrass me in front of my friend!"
Her mom gave Laxus a knowing wink. "Okay, okay. I'll leave the two of you alone. Be safe!" She dropped the groceries on the counter and rushed out of the kitchen before Lucy could complain.
Just like her daughter, Lucy's mom came in and out of the room like a tornado, leaving Laxus wondering what the hell had just happened.
"Let's get out of here before she comes back." She handed him a bag full of snacks and grabbed the drinks before pushing him out of the house as fast as she could.
The walk to Laxus' house was relaxed. Neither of them spoke much, they were both stuck in their heads. Laxus kept replaying Lucy's mother's words in his head. She had called him Lucy's boyfriend. And lucy didn't deny it directly, although she did call him her friend right afterward. The thought of being Lucy's boyfriend warmed him… and scared him.
There was no guarantee that he'd still be in Magnolia in the next month but he couldn't deny the magnetic pull he felt towards Lucy. He could see them being close for a long time, even after he moved on to a new city. One thing he knew for certain was that he'd never find another Lucy in any other city out there.
The moment his thought process switched from 'don't get attached' to 'enjoy it while it lasts' could be pinpointed to that walk to his house. If he couldn't control how much time he had left in Magnolia, he could at least control how he spent his time there. He wanted to spend it by Lucy's side.
It was starting to get dark by the time they arrived at Laxus' house, the winter sun making its leave for the moon earlier every day. Seeing the even darker house, Laxus made a mental note to leave the porch light on when he left for school in the mornings. He fumbled the keys in his hands, dropping them once. The sudden wave of nervousness hadn't hit him until the two of them were standing on his doorstep, but it hit him hard nonetheless. He was bringing a friend, let alone a girl, to his house for the first time. There would be no one home to chaperone. Just him and Lucy. Alone.
"You okay?" Lucy's question managed to pierce through the silence and shock Laxus out of his sudden, yet near suffocating anxiety over having her over. He couldn't help but chuckle a bit before sending her a reassuring smile and nod.
"Yeah, I guess I'm still getting used to the new set of keys." Which wasn't entirely false, he wasn't sure he would ever get used to one set of keys.
With only a bit more fidgeting with his keys and then the door knob, he was soon letting themselves in. The first thing he did was smack the light switch that was on his left.
"The place is a bit of a mess," he admitted sheepishly as the room lit up. There were still several boxes scattered around, he simply hadn't felt motivated enough to unpack. He never really did. Laxus' father certainly never had the time to do so himself.
"I don't mind!" Lucy sang happily as she removed her shoes and carefully set them next to where Laxus had placed his own. "Maybe one of these days I can help you unpack, it might help liven the place up a bit! I definitely wouldn't mind. I have always enjoyed moving things around, I guess my mother rubbed off on me in that aspect." She giggled softly before she turned her gaze to him, "Where will we be studying?"
His nerves began acting up again at this question and he realized that he probably should have thought about this a little bit more before agreeing to study at his place.
"I… actually don't have a desk or anything set up. The carpet in my room is pretty soft, but I'd understand if you'd rather not work on the floor." The 'kitchen table' was really just a bar counter and he'd only saw the need to have one bar stool for it.
His life really was not shaped to fit another person in it.
"That's fine by me! I don't mind at all, lead the way." She smiled and Laxus attempted to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat. What was wrong with him?
His bedroom was equally as bad as the living room had been. Boxes remained stacked up against the wall, only a few were open.
"Alright, show me the notes you've taken! We can compare and then talk a little bit about what we're struggling with and figure out from there what we should do about it." Lucy said, immediately kneeling down in the middle of the room as she swung her bag from off of her back and set it on the floor in front of her.
Laxus watched her with a chuckle before he did the same.
Usually, homework or studying were things that Laxus preferred to put off as long as possible. Often times this would result in a zero or two, although this was typically fine because of how skilled he was when it came to actually taking tests.
He'd be screwed if he were a bad test taker.
Though this… this wasn't so bad. He probably wouldn't even mind doing his homework if he could do it by her side every day. He wasn't sure what made it so much better, perhaps the occasional brush of their shoulders as they worked.
She smelled nice.
Her overall presence would be enough to make even counting grains of sand enjoyable.
One hour passed and quickly turned into two, before he knew it… the clock struck eight.
"Geez… where did the time go?" Lucy laughed after having glanced at her phone to check the time, "I should really head home. My mom will throw a fit if I'm not home by the time she gets ready for bed."
Laxus stood as the blonde did and he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "I'll walk you home." Even though they'd see each other at school the next day, he didn't want their time to end quite yet. He was enjoying her company outside of school too much.
"Okay!" Lucy replied as she gathered her notebooks back into her backpack.
She followed Laxus out of the house and into the chilly winter night. It had gotten considerably colder compared to the unusually warm winter day they had earlier and Lucy only had a light jacket to protect her from the bitter cold. Despite her attempts to hide it, Laxus could tell she was shivering. He'd never understand why girls never had warm enough jackets in the winter. It's like they wanted to be cold or something. Or maybe…
"Are you cold?" Laxus asked the shivering blonde.
"N-no. I'm okay. My house is only a few blocks away anyways." She replied, her breath creating white puffs of air in front of them.
"I can hear your teeth chattering from here. Why don't you take my jacket?" He began to shrug off his long, fur-lined jacket.
"No! I don't want to take your jacket. Then you'll be cold!" She said, waving her hands in protest.
Laxus put the coat around her shoulders, "It's only a few blocks anyways," he teased, using her own words against her.
Lucy huffed in defeat but pulled the jacket tighter around herself, reveling in its warmth.
The rest of their walk was quiet. There was something about this silence that was different from their usual. Laxus couldn't shake his hyper-awareness of Lucy walking next to him, wrapped in his jacket. Each time their shoulders would bump against each other, he'd lose track of what he was planning on saying to break the silence. She was walking closer than usual, Laxus thought. Soon Lucy's house was in view and they hadn't spoken a word since he lent her his jacket. Their night together was coming to its conclusion and he couldn't let it end in silence.
However, just as he was opening his mouth… something unexpected happened. All of a sudden, mid-step, there was a softness thrown against him that completely took him by surprise.
The hug lasted only about three seconds, but he could have sworn it had stretched for an eternity as his brain struggled to comprehend what was happening. Before he could even return the hug, she was retreating. His jacket was thrown at him as she bid him goodnight and booked it the rest of the way home, her face hidden from his view.
Leaving a very shocked Laxus Dreyar in her wake.