And so, Nashi's birthday is upon us. I don't have an actual date mind you, so just go with it, okay?
I've wanted to write this oneshot for so long, ever since the end of Edolas actually. Glad I finally got around to it.
Enjoy!
To the average observer, nothing was wrong in Magnolia that day. The birds were singing, the people were happy, the sun was shining, just your average nice day in Magnolia.
However, if that average observer took one look inside Fairy Tail's closed doors, it was a whole other story entirely. People were running everywhere, shouting at each other almost nonsensically. People rushed around to get everything as ready as possible, which was saying one thing, but for Fairy Tail to get ready in a calm and orderly fashion, this was a whole other problem entirely.
And of course Drake got caught in the middle of it.
"Drake!" he heard Ultear shout. "Heard anything?"
"No, she's not here yet." Drake replied. he'd been put on door duty to make sure Nashi didn't walk in on them getting her party ready, which was obviously what everyone was rushing around for.
Nashi's seventeenth birthday.
Drake should've known this would happen, everyone would forget until the last second and they'd have to rush around getting ready. For some reason he thought differently, and now it was costing everyone.
"Fuck!" Drake looked over to find Elise coming out of the kitchen, covered in flour.
"Damn it Elise!" Ultear said, walking up to her. "I left for three seconds!"
"Three seconds too long!" Elise replied angrily.
"Ge back in there, we don't have time for this!"
"I didn't get her anything yet!" Simon shouted, which caused him to look around in a panic. "Great. Damien, I need you to come with me!"
"Why?!" Damien demanded, as he was floating several feet in the air helping his mother put up a banner. "I'm busy!"
"Now!" Simon shouted, causing Damien to flinch and nod, running to Simon. Just as the two were about to leave, Drake's eyes widened.
"SHE'S COMING!" He roared, causing everyone to panic even harder.
"Shit, what do we do?!" Elise asked. Ultear brightened.
"Drake!" She shouted.
"W-Wha...?" Drake asked weakly as the water wizard pushed him to the door.
"You're her best friend, distract her while we get ready!"
"I can't distract her, she'll know right off the bat what's going on!" Drake retorted.
"No one else can do it!" Ultear replied. "Now get out there and distract her!" Drake was about to protest as he was pushed through the exit, but it was too late. Ultear sent him through the door, which caused him to lose his balance and land on his face, the door shutting behind him.
"Drake?" Drake tensed at the sound of her voice, looking up to see her standing in front of him, the sun above framing her face as she stared down at him. If he hadn't been panicking, maybe it would've been cool.
"Heyyy." He drew out, getting up and smiling. "What's up Nashi?" The girl smiled at him.
"Not much." She replied, "It's a beautiful day huh?" Drake took a moment to observe his surroundings, and realized it was a rather nice day. He'd spent his day so far on look out for the girl in front of him, so he hadn't noticed.
"Yeah, it is." He replied. A silence then appeared between them, Drake grasping at straws for what to say while Nashi just stood there with an unknowing smile on her face. He had to come up with something, or she'd find out.
"Well anyway, I'm going to go get some breakfast." Nashi made to pass Drake, who got in her way without knowing what he was going to say to stop her. "Drake...?"
"...Elise caught the kitchen on fire." Drake stammered, hitting himself mentally for such a shit excuse. "We're still cleaning up." Nashi sighed.
"Again?" She demanded. "How many times have we told that girl she can't cook?"
"A lot of times." Drake replied, realizing they'd put the Iron Dragon on cake duty. They were so fucked. "How about we uh...go out for breakfast, my treat?" Drake tried to not visibly sweat as she observed him, before she smiled and nodded.
"Alright, let's go." She said, grabbing his hand and dragging him away. Somehow, Drake felt like it would be a long day.
Ultear breathed a sigh of relief as she heard Drake getting dragged away, meaning they still had time.
"Alright people, look alive." She said, everyone watching her. "What Drake said it true, he can only distract Nashi for so long before she starts to get suspicious. Let's hurry this up!" Everyone shouted in agreement and started bustling around, Simon walking up to her, eyes full of dismay.
"What the hell am I supposed to buy her?" he demanded.
"Clothes." Ultear replied.
"Like hell I'm going anywhere near a store to buy girls clothes without a girl near me."
"I know a girl that would help you." Simon frowned at Ultear's words, thinking them over. He scowled once he figured it out.
"No." he said. "Not her, don't make me."
"Just saying Simon. She'd be more than willing to help you out, I'm sure."
"But..." Damien laughed and patted Simon on the shoulder.
"Just grow a pair and let's go, man." he said. "I still have to buy her something too." Simon sighed in defeat as Damien steered him in the direction of the exit, both taking off int the sky. Ultear had enough time to go before an explosion sounded from the kitchen. Running back, she face palmed to see Elise sitting in the midst of exploded cake, a shocked expression on her face.
"I told you to wait!" She shouted angrily, Elise rolling her eyes.
"I didn't think it'd detonate!" She shouted back. "You know damn well I'm a shitty cook!"
"Now we have to start all over!" Ultear tried her best to not lose her cool. "It's fine, it's fine. I'll get Mira, she can help us."
"Hurry up then. we don't have all day! Those two may be best friends but Drake doesn't have much to work with!"
"You know, just because I said it was my treat didn't mean you could order the most expensive thing on the menu."
"But you didn't stop me." Nashi pointed out, jabbing her fork in Drake's direction. "So ha." Drake frowned and rested his head on his hand, trying to think up a strategy. He didn't know how much longer everyone at the guild needed to get ready, and it worried him that he'd mess up and Nashi would walk in on them getting ready. "Hey, Drake."
"What?" He asked, opening his eyes to see the girl watching him closely.
"Why are you being so quiet? Is everything okay?" The amount of concern on her face made Drake feel bad he made her worry, and he sighed.
"It's nothing." he replied, knowing full well the problem was back at the guild hall. "Just a little tired."
"Are you sure? You seem tense." Drake nodded again, knowing Nashi was still watching him. There wasn't much he could do about that though, he couldn't relax himself at all.
"It's nothing Nashi, really." he told her. "Don't waste your time worrying about me."
"...Alright." Silence, then, "You know you can tell me, right?" Drake frowned at her as she stared back, he shrugged her off.
"It's nothing." he insisted. "Really Nashi, I'm okay." She rolled her eyes but didn't pursue the subject, instead allowing it to drop. It occurred to Drake Nashi was being rather quiet about it being her birthday. She'd never been one to throw the day around like she was a princess or something, bit it unnerved Drake that she wasn't the least bit suspicious about him keeping her away from the guildhall. And right about then is when it occurred to Drake, and he almost face palmed in front of her.
Nashi had said she didn't want to do anything for her birthday anymore.
That had been a few years back, when the old depression had been in it's peak. On her fourteenth birthday, she'd told him and the others in confidence she didn't want to celebrate the day anymore. It made sense at the time, she was depressed out of her mind. However, she had done a complete one-eighty since, so Drake hoped she would be surprised.
At least he stopped worrying abut her being suspicious.
"Alright, well, now what?" Nashi asked as the waitress took her empty plate away. Drake looked up at these words.
"I don't know." he replied. "You want to just hang out today?" Nashi smiled at this.
"How long has it been since we just hung out?" She asked as they stood.
"A while, I would think." Drake replied, breathing silent sighs of relief that worked. As he stayed behind at the counter to pay, Drake tried to think up more ways that he could distract her. Once he left and found Nashi waiting for him, he still didn't have anymore of a clue what they were going to do.
It was so hard to hang out with people when you had a specific mission.
"Well, now what?" Drake asked, looking around. "I suppose we could...!" Drake was cut off as a pair of arms wrapped around his neck and leg around his midsection. "Nashi! What the hell are you doing?!"
"I want a piggy back ride." the girl informed him flatly.
"You could've asked, you know!" he shouted, almost losing his balance as she giggled gleefully. "How old are you?!"
"Sixteen." Drake made a face before he almost burst out laughing. Had she forgotten? This was almost too good. Come to think of it, she along with him and Elise only did get out of all those bandages from the S-Class exams recently, so maybe she really had forgotten.
"Act it." he told her. "And...Ugh, if you're going to make me carry you, at least make it easier!" The two moved around awkwardly, with everyone watching them, until Drake got a better grasp on her.
"Keep those hands where you won't get a punch in the face Drake." Nashi warned him, he only just realizing how close his hands where to her ass.
"It's your own fault for making me carry you." Drake replied. "Where are we going?"
"Let's go to the park!" Nashi arm appeared in the center of his vision. "Onward!"
"How old did you say you were again...?"
So, you have come to me." Simon nodded and waited with baited breath. The girl laughed. "Thank God for that, you two have no fashion sense!"
"Thanks for pointing that out, Mami." Damien replied. "Now, we're kind of short on time, so could we hurry this up?" The heir to the mastery of Blue Pegasus laughed.
"Of course, of course! Come quickly, we must find something!" Simon and Damien followed the girls brisk pace around town, neither man having a clue where they were headed.
"Where are we going?" Simon asked.
"A Girls Best Friend." Mami replied. Simon was about to ask what that meant before he saw the store ahead of them, literally called a Girls Best Friend. Simon, and no doubt Damien, felt like aliens in the store dominated by young women, and kept as close to Mami as possible to avoid people thinking they were there without her.
"So uh, what would..." Damien started, before Mami cleared her throat.
"BELLA!" Mami shouted, making both of them flinch. "I need you!"
"Coming!" Simon watched as an easy 11/10 appeared from around the corner and made a face at Mami. "What, Mami? I told you I'm working today!"
"I know, I need you're help." It was around then when Bella took notice of Simon and Damien, both of whom straightened at her gaze.
"Well hello there." She purred. "What can I help you hunks with?"
"Uh..." Damien stuttered.
"C-Clothes." Simon managed, and Bella laughed, a sound that soothed all of Simon's worries. Mami growled.
"Easy there, Realight." She told Bella. "Last thing I need is you turning these two into paste." Bella laughed.
"I'm sorry." She said, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder and winking at Simon. "It isn't every day two handsome men walk into the store."
"I bet not." Damien muttered. "This place is every boyfriends worse nightmare."
"Oh believe me, boyfriends do hate this place." Bella pouted. "Don't tell me you two are taken." Simon realized he would do a lot of unspeakable things if that upset look would leave Bella's face, and it unnerved him.
"ANYWAY." Mami said loudly. "Guys, this is Bella Realight."
"Isn't your mom a model?" Damien asked, and Bella nodded.
"Yeah, explains where I got the looks, huh?" It certainly did. "Mami, I do believe you haven't introduced them yet."
"Simon Scarlet and Damien Dreyar." Mami replied, and Bella's face flickered with recognition.
"Oh Mami," Bella said, another incredibly seductive face directed at the two of them. "you really are testing my self-control bringing such attractive men in here."
"Anyway," Mami said, stepping between the practically drooling men and Bella. "They need a good birthday present for Nashi Dragneel, you remember what she looks like?" Bella hummed to herself.
"Yeah, pink hair, nice body..." Bella mumbled, counting things off about the girl in question. "Alright, yeah I got it." Bella walked off without another word, leaving both Simon and Damien in confusion.
"We didn't even say what Nashi usually likes to wear." Damien pointed out.
"I know." Mami said. "It's like Bella's sixth sense, she can tell someone's style just by seeing their face. It's incredible, really."
"The perks of being in Blue Pegasus, huh?" Simon asked, earning a snicker from Damien. Bella soon reappeared, carrying two already wrapped boxes.
"There you go." She said, handing them to Simon and Damien. "She'll love it, I guarantee."
"Thanks," Simon said, making a move to pull out his wallet. Bella stopped him by getting right in his personal space. Simon didn't mind.
"It's on the house." Bella whispered, drawing away slowly. Simon felt like he was in a daze as Mami pushed him and Damien out of the store.
"Don't pay her flirting any mind." Mami warned them. "Any guy she sees gets subjected to it."
"I can see why." Damien said. "I'd tap that."
"Right?" Simon asked, fist bumping the other wizard. Mami sighed in defeat.
"Just get out of here." She told them.
"One more lap!"
"How about no?!" Drake stopped and tried to catch his breath, the girl on his back not exactly helping the situation. Of course, she didn't seem to care. "Why the hell do you want me to carry you around anyway?"
"Because."
"That's not an answer."
"I know, it's an excuse."
"Not a very good one." Drake sighed in defeat and stood a little straighter. "Alright, get off, come on."
"Why?"
"People will start to talk, seeing us around town like this." Nashi laughed and gripped tighter instead of letting go.
"People already talk." She told him. "Let them."
"You don't hear all the things they say." He replied, "They see this and it'll just add fuel to the fire."
"Oh well, they're just jealous." Drake growled and shook her off, making her laugh as she landed. "Well, that was fun. Let's go see the others."
"Uh, w-what?" Drake asked weakly, but Nashi just started walking.
"Come on, let's go." She said. "They'd still be at the guild, right?"
Ultear wiped the sweat from her brow and looked around the completely decimated kitchen. She and Elise had been trying all morning to finish this stupid cake, and it was their third try now. They'd finally managed to get it into the oven, which was progress.
"Alright well, this is good right?" Elise asked, wiping flour off of her chair and sitting down.
"Yeah." Ultear agreed. "It's good."
"So, uh..." Elise started, looking around weakly. "How the hell are we going to clean all of this up?" Ultear took more time to observe their surroundings, and realized the whole kitchen as covered in flour, broken eggs, and milk.
Everywhere.
"Shit..." Ultear hissed, feeling exhausted just by looking at it. "Well, I suppose we should start cleaning..."
"Okay so," Both girls turned to find Winter standing in the door to the kitchen. "Drake calls and says he needs me ASAP, and I get here, and he's not here. Apparently he's out on a date with the birthday girl, so tell me Ul, what's going on?"
"It's a disaster, Winter." Ul replied. "We're trying to get everything ready in time, and Drake had to distract Nashi. I think everything's almost ready, but now we have to clean this crap up." Winter sighed and rubbed the bride of her nose in irritation.
"That man really has to work on not blowing things out of proportion." She said, the wind blowing around them. "Stand back guys, I got this." Ultear and Elise did as they were told and stood back, watching the white haired mage stand in the center of the room. Before either of them knew it, Winter had whipped up a hurricane in the kitchen, blowing the whole mess into one giant pile of flour, eggs, and various utensils. Once the hurricane had died down, the three observed the pile of crap.
"What now?" Elise asked.
"Open a window." Winter replied. Elise did so and Winter blew the whole mess directly out of the window, right into the back of the guild. "We may need to clean that up later."
"Details, details." Ultear replied, hearing the oven make a sound, telling them the cake was more or less finished.
"I think the cake is done." Elise said, walking towards the oven. Ultear stopped before she got there. "What?"
"Don't you dare touch that cake." Ultear warned. "You've ruined it every time prior, not this time." At first Elise frowned, but then she chuckled and nodded.
"Good idea." Elise looked over at the God Slayer sitting on the counter. "Better get an apron Winter." Winter sighed.
"Great."
Nashi didn't know what Drake's problem was, and it was sort of irritating her now. A first she was worried about him, then it was sort of endearing, and then petty irritating. It was like he had a vendetta to keep her away from the guild hall, and it was getting a little ridiculous.
"Drake, what is your problem?" Nashi demanded as her friend once again threw himself in the way.
"I don't have a problem." he said, smiling weakly. "I'm just walking."
"People don't purposefully throw themselves in the way of other people while they walk." Nashi replied. "Are you sick? Angry? What?"
"Uh..." Nashi raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm, uh..." Drake sighed and faltered. "I didn't want to have to say this..."
"What?" Nashi demanded. "What is it?"
"..." Drake gave Nashi a steely glance. "I'm in love with you."
...
...
...
"Nice try." Nashi said, crossing her arms. Drake doubled over and paled, and Nashi watched him irritably. "Got any other shit excuses?"
"Uh..." Drake mumbled. "I'm pregnant?" Nashi rolled her eyes and walked past him to the guild door. "Nashi, wait...!"
"Why?!" Nashi demanded "What the hell are you trying to hide from me...?!" Nashi turned to look into the guild hall, and froze.
As did everyone else.
Nashi looked around the guild hall weakly, everyone giving her the same wide eyed stare. Some had various boxes in their arms, others had banners, and some just stared.
"What the hell...?" Nashi asked. Everyone smiled.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
"W-What?" Nashi asked, feeling as if she was in a daze as Drake guided her inside where everyone was waiting.
"Did you forget, sweetheart?" Her mother asked. "It's your seventeenth birthday!"
Birthday?
Nashi had said she didn't want to celebrate that day anymore. However it hadn't occurred to her that anyone would try anything. After all, she'd made it pretty clear she didn't want to celebrate.
"W-Who...?" She began. Her mother smiled.
"Who do you think?" She asked. Nashi watched her mother as she smiled, before she did a one-eighty and looked at Drake.
"Did you...?" She began weakly.
"Maybe." Drake replied. "You, uh...You aren't mad, are you?" Nashi just stared at him for a second, before she acted.
She grabbed him in the most forceful hug she'd ever given, smiling as she heard him gasp in surprise.
"Y-You're welcome" He managed, patting her on the back. Once Nashi had calmed down a bit, her father guided her to the center of the guildhall, where everyone gave her the utmost of attention. Present after present passed through her lap, and she felt in a daze as she thanked everyone who gave her one. It surprised her to see such fashionable gifts come from Simon and Damien, who excused it as nothing. The plethora of gifts that passed her, and she'd never felt happier. Just as she was able to get away, she was approached by Winter.
"Hey Winter." She greeted as the girl reached her. "What's up?"
"First of all, happy birthday!" Winter replied, smiling. "Also, I didn't have any time to get you anything, but I do have this." Winter pulled out an envelope and handed it to Nashi, who stared at it curiously.
"What's this?" She asked.
"It's from some people who said they were your friends." She replied. "Hopefully they weren't just bullshitting." Nashi opened the envelope and she noticed some pretty handwriting, and began to read.
Happy birthday, Nashi-sama! Just in ase you didn't see the picture, its Azzie, Katsuchi-sama and Tetsu-sama! Hopefully you haven't forgotten us since the incident, since you've become an S-Class mage and all, huh? Anyway, we've been doing good since the incident ended. Since, you know, we robbed the Devil Advocate vault of every single jewel in it. But, it's not about us today, is it? So, from the bottom of our hearts, we hope you have a happy birthday!
Sincerely,
Azzie, Katsuchi and Tetsu.
Nashi smiled at the one name written neatly and the other two written crudely. It was good to hear that the three of them were doing good. Looking at the picture in the envelope showed the three of them, with Azzie in a one armed hug from both of them.
"So?" Nashi looked up as Drake sat down next to her. "How do you like the party?" She smiled at him.
"It's perfect." She replied, nudging him with her shoulder. "Thanks for doing his." He shrugged, but she smiled. "No, really. You didn't have too, and you did anyway."
"It's all good." He replied. "You'd do the same for me. If I couldn't hear you, that is." Nashi laughed.
"Well, that's just chea...!"
BOOM!
Both Nashi and Drake looked over as an explosion sounded from the kitchen, and Elise flew out.
"Um..." the Iron Dragon said weakly. before frowning. "I told you t was a mistake to put me in charge of the kitchen."
And, I'll just leave it there. I hope you all enjoyed, leave a review! Let's try and get ten!