Bonus chapter! Bonus Chapter! BONUS CHAPTER!
POV: Lucy, Natsu, Lucy, Natsu, Narrator
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail
"You can put the box down over there," Laxus says while pointing over at a nearby table that's already full of Christmas decorations.
Following his orders, I go over to the table and place the box on top of the table before walking away and looking around the large Cafeteria to see many other students from the dorms walking around and fixing the room. Over from where I came in I watch as Elfman drags in a large pine tree with the help of Gildarts.
On the other side of the room I can see Juvia overseeing the decorations already being hanged and placed along with the tables and chairs that are being set into one long table. The kitchen is also already buzzing with activity with early cookers who no doubt want to get the side dishes out of the way for tomorrows feast.
The last time I saw this many people working together like this was at my father's fall banquet last year that he held after accomplishing an expansion to his trade routes, but back then it had been servants running around instead of my friends and family. Watching everyone smiling and laughing like this only makes me even more eager tomorrow to come. Especially since this will be my first Thanksgiving with my family and friends.
Although it would be even better if both mom and dad were here.
"LU YOU'RE HERE!" I turn to find Levy racing towards me with some trays in her arms, "I didn't think I was going to see you until tomorrow," she says while hugging me.
"I told grandfather that I was feeling good today and that I wanted to help out," I say as I hug her back, "Sorry I haven't called."
She pulls back and frowns, "You should be sorry, I've been worried sick," she says while pouting, "But you're back now and that's all that counts," she says while linking her arm with mine, "Come on, you can accompany me while I drop off these trays to the kitchen."
Giggling at her bipolar attitude, I let her drag me away towards the kitchen.
"Hey, where'd the shrimp go?" Gajeel asks looking around barely noticing that his girlfriend is missing, "She was here just a second ago."
"I saw her run inside the cafeteria," Gray says casually, "I think she saw Lucy and…"
"Lucy's here?" Cana asks while perking up, "Gray be a dear and drop that off at the tree," she says before dashing off towards the school without another word.
"Hey!"
"Too late man, she's gone," Gajeel says while smiling mockingly at the raven haired male, "Speaking of which, I didn't expect her to be here," he says while looking at me with a frown, "What are you going to do?"
Both boys stare at me waiting for my answer while I roll my eyes not really in the mood for this right now, although I won't lie when I say that my heart skipped a few beats at the mention of Lucy being here. Just thinking about her reminds me of the last time we saw each other…
"Will you guys stop looking at me like that?" I ask irritated, "There's a lot of people around, to keep her from talking to me and besides I'll be too busy helping with decorations to be able to go and talk to her," I say while walking over towards where Cana ran off to, "I already told you that you don't have to worry."
"We wouldn't if we knew that she doesn't have your scarf with her," Gray mutters while walking past me making me freeze.
No one knew that Lucy had my scarf, not even Makarov knew. When he had asked me about it I told him that I forgot it in my room before I went to go visit my dad. He seemed to somewhat have believed me, but now that Gray knows something about the truth there's no doubt in my mind that the old man also knows something as well.
Shaking my head I follow the two teens into the buzzing cafeteria while unconsciously looking for the girl with the golden hair.
It's already been more than three hours since I got here. More than half of the decorations have been put up around the large room with the tables already lined up for tomorrow. Different smells waft in from the kitchen making my mouth water and my stomach grumble in anticipation. The more the minutes pass the more excited I get for tomorrow.
"Hey Lucy, pass the tinsel will ya'," Cana says from up on the ladder that she's perched on, "And also, can you open that box of ornaments marked Fairies."
Nodding, I grab the tinsel and climb up a few steps on the ladder and hand her the decoration before getting down and opening the box she mentioned. Inside it are various colorful ornaments shaped into the school's insignia while bearing the names of the student's who live in the dorms. I pull out a few finding Levy's name written in black ink on the green insignia.
"You can start arranging some of those on the bottom," Cana says once she finishes wrapping the tinsel to the top of the tree, "You can hand the other half of the box to me so that I can hang them up here."
I do as she says while grabbing an armful of ornaments before handing her over the rest of them inside the box, "Cana, make sure you don't fall from there," comes Gildarts' fatherly words for the fiftieth time.
"Dammit dad, I told you that I'm fine," Cana yells back angrily, "Don't you have other destructive teenagers that you should be looking after?"
Without another word the older man retreats with his head hanging sadly and I go back to hanging the ornaments that I have in my arms while reading each name. I recognize most of the names that I read and even find one with Jellal, Loke, and Laxus's names on it. It makes me think of the incident that Laxus told me about from one of their earlier Thanksgiving holidays. It also makes me wonder what kind of unexpected surprises are going to happen this year.
"Hey Cana, Mirajane told me to bring this over to you," I look up in time to see Natsu standing beside the ladder holding a small box up towards the brunette.
"Oh, pass it up," she says eagerly while reaching down as far as she can to reach the box. It still takes Natsu a few steps up the ladder to hand it to her, but once she snatches it out of his hand she immediately shoos him away.
"What's in the box," I ask looking over at the pink haired boy whose amber eyes whip around to stare back at me.
"Uh…"
"Lucy look!" I look up to find Cana dangling a similar ornament to the ones we've been putting up just recently. The ornament is shaped into the school's insignia just like the others but instead of being dyed in the usual red, blue, black, green, red, and white colors this particular ornament is dyed a light pink with the name 'Lucy' written in pretty cursive letters, "Now you're completely part of the Fairy Tail family," Cana says with a large toothy smile as she turns to find where to hang it.
For a moment I can feel my heart ache at her words. I'm happy to hear those words because being a part of this large family has been such a blessing, even when I am cursed to a sad ending.
Tell me what's worse Lucy, being forgotten or being left behind?
"Don't put it there!"
I look over at Natsu to find his face beet red as he stares up at the brunette in both disbelief and embarrassment.
"Huh? Why not?" Cana asks indignantly while placing both fists on her hips, "And didn't I tell you to go away earlier?"
Confused, I look over at what Natsu is looking at when I notice that Cana placed my ornament next to a red one with 'Natsu' written on it in the similar cursive handwriting. I instantly feel my face warm up earning a sly smile from the brunette who gives off an air that says she didn't do anything wrong.
"I don't see what's so wrong with me putting it here, it's just an ornament," Cana argues while continuing to hang more ornaments, "And besides, don't you like her?"
Natsu could not have looked more mortified in all of his life, and I could not have felt more mortified in my entire life. My face probably looked as red as a tomato because that's how red Natsu's face looked from where he stood staring at the floor with wide eyes. He seemed to be debating whether to deny Cana's statement or just walk away without saying a word. He also kept on trying to duck his head down to hide it not soon realizing that he didn't have his scarf with him, which reminded me…
"N-Natsu," I say almost in a whisper feeling too embarrassed to talk as said boy turns to look at me with an uncomfortable look, "Here," I say as I pull out his scarf from under my jacket and hand it to him without looking at him, "Th-thanks for lending it t-to me," I stutter feeling my face burn even hotter.
Natsu hesitantly takes his scarf from my hand and immediately wraps it around his neck and buries his face in it leaving only the tips of his red ears sticking from under the cloth and his hair, "No problem," he mumbles while looking away from me, his voice muffled from under his scarf.
"LUCY!" I look over across the cafeteria to find Wendy waving at me from across the room along with Yukino who seems to be talking to a boy I've seen around school. I don't really know his name only that he's a grade under me and that he has long black hair.
"I've gotta go," I say while beginning my retreat, "I'll be back in a bit," and with that I race away with my cheeks still blazing.
"Ooh, is there something that I missed," Cana purrs while smiling down at me suspiciously and I can clearly tell that she's been drinking recently.
"You're reading too into this," I grumble, my voice muffled, while turning and stuffing my hands into my pockets, "She was just cold and so I lent her my scarf, that's it."
"And when exactly did this happen?" she pries definitely not wanting to let this topic go.
Instead of answering her I turn on my heel and head towards the doors that lead out to the back to see if any of the guys need help with the Christmas decorations that they're hanging outside. I easily ignore Cana yelling for me to go back and all the pairs of eyes that look over at us curiously. Seriously, that woman just doesn't know when to stop.
Keeping my head ducked in my scarf I go out into the crisp afternoon enjoying for once the cold on my overheated cheeks. That and the smell of strawberries that is lingering on my scarf.
Soft laughter emanates from the forest that overlooks the school from a hill. Various shadows move around as a pair of dark eyes watch the bustling going down at the academy that they've been watching for hours now. The sun is just at its last streaks of light seeming to be ready to give reign to the night.
"Tomorrow then," a voice asks from the shifting shadows towards their leader whose attention has been kept on one of the young students from below for quite a while now.
"Yes," the man says with a cruel smile, "Tomorrow night is the night that those Fairy Tail flies will meet their untimely doom."
And with that the forest is once again void of any life.
I hope you enjoyed these two chapters. Next chapter is Thanksgiving so look out for that.
Until next time my lovelies.