Natsu gave the girl a small nod as he did a double take of her attire, it was quite cold outside and she opted for a short sleeved pale pink shirt, with baggy black jeans and a woolen beanie pulled tightly over her head, he frowned as he walked behind her.
She stopped and gave him a sidelong glance, noticed his eyes wandering about her person she smirked "Checkin me out?" She joked.
"You wish." Natsu replied smirking himself "You sure your gonna be alright it's pretty cold out."
She shrugged "I am naturally warm." Was all she said as they stopped at the first building inside the campus, she gestured to it rather boredly "That's the girls dorms where I currently live…No boys without special consent from Mirajane." She added with an insinuating tone.
He gave her a sidelong glance "What's that you want me to sneak in to see you midget." He taunted.
She delivered a swift kick to his shin "Moving on." She snapped.
Natsu shook his head and buried his hand in his coat pockets as he followed her, she gestured to a few more buildings, the general class rooms where you do math's English and the other core subjects, she pointed to the art building "That's the art department." She said almost happily, Natsu noticed and decided to ask her.
"You draw?" He said simply.
She nodded "Yeah, only kind of kiddy stuff though nothing noteworthy."
Natsu shook his head "If it's nothing noteworthy, you won't mind showing me sometime then." He said with a smile.
She cocked her head slightly to the die as she looked at him, he looked sincere 'That's the first time anyone has ever asked to see my drawings.'
"What about you?" She asked with a small smile.
"Yeah, I only draw fan based picture from the few various Anime I watch, but I do really enjoy it." Natsu said with a smile.
"How come you aren't an art major then?" Erza asked.
"I enjoy it, I just don't want to make a living out of it…I don't have the kind of motivation for that." Natsu answered plainly.
Erza just nodded "But what about you, you like to draw and you're in business."
"My parents are very…Adamant about getting a 'proper' education, not freeloading to become a useless member of society." Erza said a little depressed, she didn't like talking about her family much.
Natsu sensed the depression rather quickly "You getting hungry yet?"
Erza perked up almost instantly "Yeah, and your buying!" She chirped happily.
Natsu rolled his eyes "Where do you want to go then?"
Erza tapped her chin in thought as she looked up at the sky "Oh, I know follow me!" She exclaimed as she took off.
Natsu started slightly before following close behind her, the left the campus and walked a few blocks down coming across a small café on the corner, he smiled at the small place, it had a design that could only be described as 'Homey' they walked inside, the black and white tiled floor, the walls were painted a very dark green, it was relaxing to look at, he inhaled deeply the smell of fresh ground coffee and whatever the chef was making in the back entered his nose and made his mouth water.
"Table for two?" A young girl of about 16 chirped from behind the counter with a large smile on her face, Erza nodded and darted into the back of the place taking one of the seats, the girl watched her with a knowing smile and turned back to Natsu "Your girlfriend sure seems eager."
Natsu half choked "We are just friends." 'Not even friend really the crazy midget sees me as a huge punching bag.'
"Oh, my mistake." The girl said simply the smile never leaving her face she handed him a pair of the menu's and walked into the back of the shop, emerging a few moments later with a tray of various cakes.
Natsu slid the menu across the table to Erza and sat down, he looked at the small picture and the name of the place 'The Cozy Kitten.' The decal made him chuckle, the cat on the front reminded him of the Cheshire from Alice in wonderland, it was lying lazily on the handle of a tea or coffee cup with a wide grin, a few small Z's floated up next to it. He open the menu and looked down it lazily, there were a few Human dished like sandwiches and the like as well as a few dishes targeted at the Nekojin, things like special fish based dishes and other stuff 'Apparently this place is one that caters to both races.' He thought with a small smile. The waitress approached them with a small notepad.
"Have you decided?" She asked.
Natsu nodded "I will just go with a grilled ham and cheese, and a flat white with two sugars please." she jotted down and turned to Erza.
She looked at the menu for a few minutes "I'll have a tuna and cheese grilled, a piece of the Strawberry cheesecake and a small cappuccino please."
Natsu sweat dropped 'I had better be able to pay for that.' He thought glumly as the waitress world around and walked into the kitchen.
Erza watched him carefully 'Maybe the Tuna was a bad idea.' She thought as she watched the worried look on his face.
Erza decided to approach the next topic carefully "Hey, what do you think about Nekojin?" she asked innocently.
Natsu was pulled from his thoughts with a frown, Erza felt a small bit of panic rise up within her 'This is where he tells me he hates them and they should just bow to humans and leave them alone like the rest.'
"I have only ever met one in my life, her name was Mira if I remember correctly, she was a friend of my uncle's. As for what I think about them as a whole, not a lot I think they are just people trying to make their own way and any form of racism against them is a very low form of ignorance, I have the same view in sexism, it's just stupid old people too stuck in their ways to see that everyone just wants the same opportunities." Natsu finished his small speech, and blush a little he had never really told anyone about his true beliefs on these kinds of things, it felt a little embarrassing.
"I think the world needs more people like you." The waitress interrupted as she set the food down "Your drinks will be along in the moment as well as your piece of cake."
Erza smiled at her, before looking back at Natsu a small amount of surprise remained in her eyes 'He took all my worries and 180'd them, I will tell him before he leaves.' She gave herself a small nod as she started eating.
"So what about you?" Natsu asked after thanking the waitress.
"What about me?" Erza asked with a small frown.
"What are your thought on Nekojin and stuff?" He asked a little lazily.
"Oddly enough same as yours." 'Because I am one!' Her mind screamed and she gave him a small smile.
Natsu just chuckled "You know you're the first person I have ever told about that."
"Really?" Erza asked, a little surprised he had no one else to talk to.
"Well yeah, I haven't really had any friends for my life so you are the only one I felt like telling." Natsu said simply.
"So you consider me a friend?" Erza asked a little skeptical.
"Well what else would I consider you?" Natsu turned back to her, a little seriousness in his tone and eyes.
"I don't know a crazy bloodthirsty midget?" she joked
Natsu chuckled "Well you are those t-Ow!" He exclaimed at the kick the hit his shin causing him to jump and bang his knee into the table.
"Why you I take it back you are bat shit insane!" He fired off, in a jokingly angry tone.
"Well of course I am I hang out with a giant like you!" She fired back.
"I am not a giant!" Natsu snapped "You are just SUUPER small!"
Erza delivered another kick to his shin and he yelped, both of them having calmed down from their respective 'Argument' continued to eat.
The bell rang signaling a few new customers entering the building, Erza froze and paled slightly, Natsu turned around noticed the waitress in a similar sate to Erza, apparently these new guys were not very welcome.
Natsu looked at the small group of five, the one who seemed to lead them had black hair, his eyes glowed almost evilly as he looked over the room spotting Erza, he walked over to her and leant down, ignoring Natsu completely, he put his face uncomfortably close the Erza.
"I thought we made it clear you aren't allowing in here." He threatened.
"Enough!" The waitress yelled "you do not own this place, you do not get to decide who is allowed and isn't." The girl seethed from behind the counter.
"You would say that you Furry fucker!" The boy spat.
Natsu had no idea what they were talking about, but that didn't stop him from placing a firm grip on the boys shoulders, he pulled him away from Erza and spun him off to the rest of his group. Natsu grimaced at the glares her received and cracked his knuckles "I think it's about time you leave." Natsu said a rather dangerous Aura seemed to surround him, Erza was slightly afraid but wouldn't let it show.
"Who the hell do you think you are!" The boy spat "Kick the crap out of this do-gooder now!" The boy shouted as his comrades rushed at Natsu.
Natsu caught the first boys fist and twisted, a resound click rang out as he smashed his hand into the boy's elbow, he cried out in pain and back away from him clutching at the now broken arm.
"We don't need to do this at all, you can just leave this place alone." Natsu offered flatly. 'Or we can continue and I can destroy all you arrogant pricks.'
"As if we take what we want, that's how it works around here boy!" He spat.
Natsu responded with a cocky grin "Really, is that how it I worked around here." He said threateningly.
The boy paled slightly as Natsu moved towards him. The four of the backing away from his slowly "Come on its four against one, get him!" The boy practically shrieked. Natsu ducked under the kick aimed for his head and embedded his fist into the attackers stomach he lurched forward as the air rushed from his and Natsu booted him in the chin, he went airborne for a few seconds before landed with a thud next to the 'leader' Natsu blocked a set of punches thrown by one of the others before flipping him on his back and slamming his elbow into the boys nose, leaving him on the ground her rolled backwards and got to his feet as th leader and one other were left.
"You can still just leave." Natsu said flatly.
The leader glared at him, as they gather up there injured comrades dragging them from the building. Natsu straightened his back and rolled his shoulder around as he pulled on it. "You two alright?" Natsu asked simply.
The waitress nodded and Natsu turned back to Erza, Her shoulder wracked with silent sobs and he immediately became worried he approached her and she moved away from him and he stopped.
"Erza are you alright it's just me?" He asked worriedly holding out his hands showing her his palms 'Did the guy shake her up that much? I shouldn't have let him go I should have just beaten him to an unrecognizable pulp right where he stood.' Natsu thought with a mental growl.
"I-I-I'm sorry, this is all my fault!" Erza cried as she ran from him, out the front door and down the street. Natsu frowned he slammed the contents of his wallet on the table and took off after her, she was fast but he was still faster, he got close to her and reached out missed slightly as she turned and taking the beanie of her head, she froze and spun around to face him tears still streaming out of her eyes, he noticed the small fox-like ears on her head and stared with an open mouth gape "You're a cat?" He asked in surprise.
"Just stay away Natsu, it is better for you." She sobbed out as she ran into the girls dorm, he watched her leave in open mouthed surprise 'How is this better my only friend just ran away from me, surely she knows I don't care she is a Nekojin she even asked me about it!' Natsu's head swam and he stood locked in the same spot, his head swimming around the same way with the same questions but the most prevalent being 'Why?'
A/N: Oh Shiet! What's gonna happen with their friendship! Will the bully make a return? How will Natsu salvage this? Find out next week on…*snickers* alright I will stop, this chapter was a difficult one to right, it is an emotion educing one and I hope you all enjoy it! The reason the bully has no name is because i didn't want to use a character from teh Anime on a role that may or may not show up again, i am not sure as of this moment.