Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, all rights go to Hiro Mashima.
Lucy's POV
I wiped off the sweat off of my forehead, and admired my work. In about two hours, I had been able to defeat a dark guild, and return home with my rent money. I sighed in relief as I walked out of the landlady's office, and up to my room. Closing the door behind me and slumping onto it, I let out another, but tired, sigh. Reaching into my jacket pocket, I fingered the note of war that I had received a few days prior. I couldn't help but wonder how this'll turn out. Also… there's been no sign of Kukyo as of late. I wonder where he went…? With my thoughts swirling through my head, I walked over limply to my bed and flopped myself onto it. Kicking off my boots, I stared at the ceiling. I've been so busy… Shaking my head, I willed myself not to think of stressful things, and struggled to just relax. I quickly lost the internal war, though, and rested my hand on my forehead. Reaching under my shirt, I pulled out the locket that my mother gave me. Popping it open, I looked fondly at the picture of my family. Whew… So much has happened. I wasn't the Lucy in this picture… I was a completely different person… I was wild, had no manners, and was in a guild just as rowdy as I, with people a lot stronger than me. I smiled as I closed the locket, thinking about how everyone always supported each other. As I clasped the necklace tightly to my chest, and then started to tuck it back under my shirt, I called out to my mother and father.
"My family's great, aren't they? You don't have to worry about me…" I whispered, and closed my eyes briefly, enjoying the comforting of sinking into the bed. After about 5 minutes, my eyes shot open, and I swing my legs off of the edge of the bed, getting up. Stretching, I pulled on my boots again, and, not bothering to use the door, just jumped out of the window in a Natsu- like fashion. I was in a hurry. I had to get to the guild. It was the only thing keeping me sane right now. Pumping my legs faster, I felt the wind tousle and toy with my hair, and it felt great. My earlier fatigue was washed away as I was seemingly enveloped in nature.
"I'm back!" I shouted, bursting through the guild hall as I usually did as of late. Everyone was a little surprised, probably not expecting me to come back. I overheard Erza talking about the whole war situation with Natsu. Spotting Jay, I made my way over to him.
"Hey! We live together and all, but it's like I never see you anymore!" I joked in greeting, and Jay smirked.
"Good evening to you, too." He replied, playing with a golden ball of magical energy. My eyes widened in surprise.
"Wait, don't tell me that you mastered holy magic?"I asked, inspecting the powerful orb of energy that Jay had conjured up with ease. He grinned in response, and I squealed in happiness.
"Oh, that's great! Before, you could beat anybody with just your fists, but with this…" My head went dizzy with all of the possibilities of how Jay could use his power.
"It's no big deal, but…" Jay looked to the side, his mouth forming a tight line.
"I'll have to leave soon… Nina isn't feeling well…" He continued, and I gasped in shock. Immediately, I bombarded him with questions.
"What?! How is she?! Has she been taking her meds?! Where is she?! Who is she with?!" I spat out, concerned for my childhood friend. I didn't want to lose anyone else important to me.
"Calm down. I just got a call that she's been transferred to the emergency room. Her grandparents are there with her. The doctor just told me that she had a minor attack. You know the drill…" Jay tried to sound nonchalant to calm my nerves, but he himself was sweating, and he looked tired. I felt bad that the thing that was holding him back from being with his family was I. Placing a cool hand on his shoulder, I blew my bangs away and looked away.
I dragged him up, and led him towards the guild doors. Opening them, I placed my hands on his back.
"Go, go home. That's where you belong. Go back… It was nice seeing you while it lasted. Tell Nina that I said hi." With that, I pushed him out of the guild, and watched his shocked expression as the doors slowly closed. When I heard the sound of his retreating footsteps, I walked back to the table, and sat down. I hope that Nina was okay… We were always there for each other, but now that we weren't, I couldn't help but think of the worst again. Running my hands through my disheveled hair, I put my head down on the table, trying to calm myself down.
TIME SKIP
I had spent almost an hour here, and I guessed that it was time to go. Getting up, I said my goodbyes to everyone for the second time today. As I started to walk to the doors, I felt a hand stop me.
"Luce, I'm coming with you!" Natsu said cheerfully, and I gave him a lopsided smile. Of course he was. Nodding to indicate that I heard him, we walked out together, and started to make our way towards my apartment.
"So, are you staying over tonight? Jay left, so…" I trailed off, looking at the moon's reflection on the river.
"Hell yeah!" Natsu grinned, and ran ahead of me. Turning around so that he was facing me, he began to walk backwards.
"Say, Luce, remember before? You owe me dinner!" Natsu continued, a glint in his eyes. I rolled mine at him, and smiled again.
"Yeah, yeah. Then let's stop by at the store. Knowing you, we'll have to buy the store's whole jalapeno supply…" I retorted, and Natsu nodded his head vigorously.
"I want meat! And some spicy dessert!" Natsu yelled again, and I put my finger up to my chin thoughtfully. How am I supposed to make spicy dessert? Maybe… Oh, pepper flaked dark chocolate cake should do it. Nodding to myself as I tuned out Natsu's rant about food, I made a mental list of things that I needed to buy. When we arrived at the store, I quickly bought the things I needed, and we continued on our way.
"Hey, how come you never told me about this war business?" Natsu whined, and I shrugged in reply.
"Hehe… Sorry, it kind of slipped my mind…" I said truthfully, and Natsu snorted.
"Wow, Luce, you sure are a clutz!"
"Says the guy who basically destroys everything on every mission." I shot back, and after a short glaring contest, we burst out into laughter.
We arrived at my apartment, and Natsu immediately flopped onto the couch. He turned on my recently bought flat screen lacrima TV, and flipped onto some action movie. Putting the bags down onto the counter, I started to cook and prepare the grilled steak. I made two batches, one for Natsu, which was chock full of peppers, and one for me, a simple steak that a normal person would eat. I slightly giggled at the thought, and soon enough, the steak was cooked. Plating it, I set it to the side as I prepared the dessert. Once it was safely in the oven, I put on the timer and handed Natsu his plate.
Looking at me curiously, he raised an eyebrow.
"We can eat on the couch this time…?" He questioned cautiously, and I hesitantly, yet firmly, nodded, knowing that I would a have a mess to clean up later. Natsu flashed me his signature grin before offering his word of thanks and beginning to eat his food while watching the movie. Chewing on a piece of steak, I quickly got bored of the movie, and got up to get Natsu's 20th serving. And here I was, only halfway through my first. Taking his plate, I walked to the kitchen, and took out some more meat. I watched him from the counter, and giggled at his excited expressions. Walking back to him, I gave him his plate and voiced my thoughts aloud.
"Natsu, you're weird, you know?"
"Nah, I think you're the weird one, Luce," Natsu said, looking up from the movie.
"By the way, why did you call me Lu- chan earlier?" I asked, a slight blush painting my cheeks. Natsu, on the other hand, was burning up, and I was afraid that he might actually catch fire, considering his magic.
"W-well, I had this bet with Levy, and it was to decide who was your bestest friend…" Natsu trailed off, and I silently scolded his grammar, being the writer that I was. But the thought of Natsu fighting over me gave me a warm feeling inside. Sitting next to him, I casually leaned my back on his side while throwing my legs off of the other side of the couch. I usually did this, but this time, a chill went down my spine. I momentarily choked on a piece of meat, and immediately gulped down some water, sputtering. Was I falling in love with him again?
Natsu's POV
When Lucy started to lean on me, I stiffened, but then immediately covered up by trying to act casual. There it was again- that spark. I shook my head lightly, but started to panic when Lucy started to choke. Flustered, the first thing that came to my mind was CPR… but I guess that wasn't necessary, seeing how she quickly got over it, though only after gulping down a gallon of water. When she cleared her throat and started panting, the movie now forgotten, I laughed at her exasperated expression. She tried to glare at me, but then we erupted into laughter together, for the second time today.
"Up for dessert?" She asked once we had gotten over ourselves, glancing at my empty plate with an arched eyebrow. I could smell the cake from the kitchen, and I was basically drooling at this point, so I guess that Lucy took that as a yes. When she got up, I realized the vision that I had before. CPR… OH HELL NO! What… What am I thinking? I thought that we were over that whole thing… I started blushing again, much to my dismay, and I once again tried to act casual as Lucy came in with two plates, though one was considerably larger than the other. Handing me the bigger plate, I grinned at my friend.
"You know me too well, Luce!" I said, already having shoved a mouthful of cake into my mouth. It was spicy and sweet, the perfect combination. Inhaling it, I stabbed another forkful into my mouth. Surprisingly, I was full rather quickly, and leaned my head back, patting my growing stomach. I watched as Lucy continued to eat her cake, though, and couldn't help but stare. Her posture, the way she ate, and the way she politely chewed… It was all perfect. Even if she was casual, I guess old habits die hard, right? When she was done, she looked up to see me staring, and then cocked her head in a very cute manner. Wanting to get out of this situation, I took her plate, and called out over my shoulder.
"I'll do the dishes, so why don't you entertain yourself?" I said, out of my usual character, though I didn't really care, as long as it would get me out of that embarrassing situation. She started to respond, but I cut her off.
"C'mon, it's the least that I can do, Luce!" I said, regaining my composure. She sighed, and then numbly nodded, but that was only before she threatened me.
"If you burn anything, and I mean anything, you will pay, Natsu Dragneel." She glowered, and I gulped knowing that she could easily beat me when she was this mad, n her demon form. Nodding vigorously, I lunged for the kitchen, and behind the fridge, hiding from Luce's terrifyingly observant eyes. When I heard her movement and saw her turning back to the TV, I sighed. Then, I realized that I had gotten myself into a situation worst than the last. So… How did you wash dishes again?
Lucy's POV
I changed the channel and started to watch some romance anime. I was momentarily lost in the intriguing plot, as the heroine was about to bravely confess her feelings, but then I heard a loud crash, and my head snapped back up. Turning off the TV with dread, I looked over my shoulder, bracing myself for the horrendous sight I was bound to see. And boy, was I right. I saw a flash of pink, and overflowing sink, and a bunch of bubbles everywhere. Luckily, I didn't smell any smoke or anything, so I just stood up and walked over. Glowering slightly at my friend, he cowered as he hid behind the counter, and I slumped my shoulders as I walked over to turn off the sink. I slipped on the way, though, and face planted in a pool of bubbles. I heard stifled laughter, and I saw Natsu clasping his hand over his mouth, trying not to laugh so he wouldn't meet his doom. Getting up, I wiped the bubbles off of my eyes, and turned off the faucet, not before slipping up a few more times, though. Having enough, I turned to him while chuckling evilly. When he wasn't looking, I dived right for him, tackling him to the ground. Using this rare chance, I made him a bubble beard while commencing a tickle attack.
"NO! Stop! Please~ I beg for mercy, oh Great Lucy!" Natsu wheezed out between laughs, tears pooling out of the corners of his eyes. Liking the way he was addressing me, I pulled back and flaunted a dramatic pose, but Natsu soon got his revenge as he tackled me, sending us both back to the ground again.
"HEHE! PAYBACK TIME!" He shouted before assaulting me, and I was trying so hard not to snort.
"I'm sorry! Forgive me! I'll do anything! Just-just stop!" I panted, rolling around on the floor while trying to writhe out of his firm grasp. When he was done with me, we were both on the ground, panting, laughing like fools with bubble beards while surrounded in a fort of dish wash. Clutching my sides, which were sore from laughing, I accepted the helping hand that Natsu offered, and looked at the mess that was my kitchen. The dishes weren't even washed.
"Natsu, how were you able to get dish wash everywhere except the actual dishes?" I asked, though we both knew that it was a rhetorical question. He laughed nervously, and I rubbed the back of my neck. Checking the time, I saw that it was still pretty early. Treading carefully through the bubbles, trying not to slip, I grabbed two mops and a bucket, and threw one to Natsu, who easily caught it. He stared at the tool in confusion, but perked up when I started to speak.
"We're cleaning up." I stated firmly, and before, he could whine or complain, I turned on the radio, humming to the song as I started to wipe the floor. Grumbling Natsu followed suit, and we worked in a comfortable silence. Halfway through, though, I realized something. Putting down my mop, I used my elemental card magic to quickly wash away the remaining bubbles with ease, and dried everything with some wind magic. Natsu gaped at me, but then he threw the mop at me, and started complaining.
"Mou, couldn't you do that like, what? Twenty minutes ago?" He asked, rolling his eyes. Chuckling, I gave him a repeat of the answer I gave him before.
"Sorry, it slipped my mind?" Natsu scoffed and replied in the same manner.
"Wow, you sure are a clutz Luce." Not wanting to go through a repeat of the whole night, I grinned sheepishly.
"Yeah, I get that a lot." Natsu nodded in content at my answer, and then ran his hands through his bubble filled hair. Noticing this, I gave him a change of clothes, and pushed him into the bathroom.
"You can take a shower first. Just don't use up all the hot- Oh nevermind." I interrupted myself midway, knowing that Natsu didn't need hot water. Sitting down on the carpeting gingerly, I smiled at my forgetfulness. I repeated the words that Natsu had said to me so many times.
"Yeah, I really am a clutz…"
Natsu's POV
I got out of the shower after I had dried my hair, pulling on the comfortable shirt that Lucy always kept for me as I walked to the living room. Lucy shot up, and eagerly dived into the bathroom.
"Geez, why does she like showering so much…?" I asked myself, never being able to get the answer to that question. Throwing myself onto the bed, I enjoyed how I practically sunk into it, and took in Luce's scent. Whenever I sniffed her, Luce always called me a pervert, but I couldn't help it. Strawberries and vanilla made a surprisingly good, and intoxicating, combination. My thoughts wandering, I thought of the upcoming battle. I grinned, knowing that I was definitely going to kick some butt. But then, I frowned. When was it going to start?
I hadn't realized how much time had passed until Lucy had come out of the bath, and I know that she always takes forever to come out. Taking this opportunity, I decided to ask her what was on my mind.
"Say, Luce. About this whole war thing, do you know when it actually starts?"
This seemed to get her thinking, as she stopped where she was, and got this distant look in her eyes. Putting her hand up to her chin like she usually did when she was thinking about something, she finally seemed to give up after a couple of minutes, as she shrugged and then slumped her shoulders.
"Honestly… I don't know. Why don't we ask the guild tomorrow?" She said, and I nodded, snuggling into the bed. She yawned and, probably to tired to kick me out, laid down next to me, scooting closer for warmth. I smiled to myself at this innocent action, and subtly wrapped my arms around her. It was perfect.