notes: ah… i gave in… i actually had this going for a while and just finished it. didn't really know how i wanted to keep it going so here's another look into Buckwild. Still undecided if this would be final chapter or not..
since the first chapter was mainly Natsu's pov this will be mainly about Lucy.
Lucy's always been a kind-spirited character. Her mother and father raised her as a woman of class, beauty, and grace. After all, they were from the city and then moved to the mountains shortly after her birth. Her parents inherited the land from a family member who passed and instead of selling the land, her parents decided to up and move to live a life in the wild west.
She was only a toddler so she was more fascinated than anything as they packed up their belongings and moved where all there were more animals she had seen in her short time alive and mountains and land as wide as she could see.
She enjoyed life on the ranch. Her father and mother did what was necessary to keep the ranch going while she tried to help out as best as she could. Her cousin Laxus was nearby so he helped a lot too. It was the four of them for as long as she could remember.
She got her first ever cowboy boots at the age of five. Her mother got her a custom made pink sparkly boots that had her gasping and giggling while she wore them around everywhere. And then for Christmas, they got her the matching hat.
Her mother and father always spoke about the city. It made her want to travel and see for herself these tall shiny skyscrapers and the bustling streets filled with cars and cyclists. The loudness compared to the countryside was something they always talked about and Lucy wondered how people could sleep with constant noise around.
Then when she turned ten years old, her older cousin showed her how to ride a mechanical bull. He was so into bull riding (he rode real ones) that he was convinced he would be a professional one day but when he got thrown off one particularly dangerous bull, he couldn't recover properly for him to go pro even if he wanted to. He even had a nasty scar on his head to remember the fall so he took that into consideration and fell in love with the sport which made Lucy fall in love with it as he began to take her to these events.
Laxus was only five years her senior so they were close enough in age to form a close knit bond with a hint of playfulness.
Laxus was bigger than the normal person since he was also a rancher and a bull rider. He took the liberty to entertain his younger cousin since she was the only family around ever since his grandfather passed and his grouchy good-for-nothing drunk of a dad did nothing to stay in touch, he did.
Lucy was glad she had Laxus considering she didn't know anyone when she first moved to Terra Ignis. He would ride horses with her, show her the ropes on ranching, take her to bull riding shows whenever they could, and also be the first to introduce her first ever moonshine at the ripe age of sixteen.
Safe to say Lucy did not drink Fairy Tail til she was eighteen since she did not want to be caught (again) trying to steal a bull. That night would have turned into a messy one considering she didn't even remember the whole incident and knew only from those who witnessed her drunk schemes.
Lucy kind of understood why Laxus would want to be a bull rider. It was exhilarating to be on such a powerful beast and she had ridden actual bulls when she grew a bit older but that was after her years of training on a mechanical one. She soon found her calling in it as she was such a fierce rider till she got thrown off but she had dedicated herself to the sport and started to do small shows in local bars and events whenever she could.
She always wanted to venture outside of Terra Ignis because her parents painted such a wild picture for her on how the rest of the world looked like. She saw photos on social media and heard from those who stumble across their small little town so naturally she was all sparkly eyed and wishful. But with her parents growing older and the harsh winters and burning summers coming and going, she couldn't leave their side just yet.
She was afraid that if she did she may not come back.
But Lucy stayed hopeful as she would eventually leave and get to see the world with her own eyes.
It's been a dream for her since she could remember and she always knew the day would come.
Just not so suddenly and with a complete stranger.
It was a normal Tuesday night for her as she had just finished up her usual dirty job on the ranch. Three times a week she liked to drive down to the local bar and entertain those around for a ride. She had fun and got use of her sparkly accessories and always met a handful of people.
The first time she caught his eye was only because she's never seen a man with pink hair before. And why in the world was he wearing a scarf in the dead heat of summer? She instantly knew he wasn't from here and he intrigued her but it wasn't the first time she'd be meeting someone from out of town. Many people came stumbling into town once a week and she's heard all sorts of stories and met all sorts of people. Her small town had a small population of three hundred and everyone was as close-knit as small towns went.
She didn't really think too much into the stranger with pink hair as she rode and carried the show. It was only after he blew her such a loud whistle that it caught her attention and she whirled around to stare at him in awe.
Her heart was pounding from the ride but it oddly skipped when those dark eyes locked with hers.
He was handsome no doubt but he definitely seemed like an oddball.
She couldn't tear her eyes away from him for the longest until the announcer jerked her back into reality. She was quick to say her thanks and then leave, mind still on that pink-haired stranger.
"That was amazing, Lucy! As expected from our princess." Bisca gave her a sly grin making Lucy laugh and blush.
"Nobody is as good as you, Bisca!"
"Lu!" Levy called out as she came pushing through the crowd. Lucy turned to beam at her best friend, reaching for the petite woman in leather. "That was amazing! You looked so good!" The two were giggling with each other. "I hope one day I can be just like you when I grow up!"
Laughing, Lucy nudged her friend and tugged on her locks. "Levy, you're great as it is."
Levy merely rolled her eyes, swatting away the gnats that swarmed them as if they were made of honey.
"I'm going to go get some air." Lucy held her hand up to say her goodbye and Levy was waving right back.
It was something she liked to do after taking a wild ride as her heart managed to find it's calm and the adrenaline rush had disappeared. The hot sticky humid summer air was something she was most certainly used to and it was a comfort in itself as the night air nipped at her. During the day it was always that same humid stickiness and when the sun dipped down the horizon it turned nice and cool. Especially since she was in the middle of nowhere with little to no light pollution, the sky was able to paint her such beautiful stories almost every night.
It was something she truly loved and enjoyed, ever since she was a little girl and her mother would sit out with her on their patio while reading her stories and tracing the constellations with her.
She found herself tucked away in the corner against the wall of the bar, the bustling sounds from inside being tuned out as the crickets sang and the stars danced for her.
Her attention was ripped away from the stars above when she heard the door open and footsteps echo and she peeked over the bush to see who it may be.
And her heart dropped into her stomach as she noticed it was that pink-haired stranger who whistled at her earlier. He looked as if he was enchanted by the burning orbs above and she took the chance to really take him in.
She's never seen someone like him before. He had such sharp eyes and rosy hair with his tan skin… Well, tan skin was something she was used to since everyone and their mothers were outside working but it was the way he dressed. The denim he wore made him look a little like he was from around but his t-shirt and scarf definitely weren't something people wore around here in the middle of summer. And the beat up white sneakers he had certainly did not scream cowboy to her.
But the most striking part was seeing how he was so lost in the stars just like she is almost every night. His eyes were twinkling looking up at the beautiful array of stars and she felt her gaze soften at his mesmerizing stare.
She took the opportunity to approach him, a smile on her face with a slight blush painting the apples of her cheeks.
"Beautiful, huh?"
She wasn't expecting him to whirl around so fast and nearly choke on his breath as he turned to face her. He was staring at her as if she hung the moon and she couldn't help but think he was cute with his lips parted like a goldfish out of water.
She stood in front of him with her hands behind her back, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."
"Y—you didn't scare me." He sputtered out and she bit back down the giggle that wanted to bubble out. "I just got lost in the stars."
Her gaze softened once more and she turned her head up to look back up at the night sky, sighing lovingly. "Yeah," her eyes twinkled against the sky. "They just make it easy to."
"Yeah," he echoed out and she turned to look at him at the last minute as he stared right at her. "Absolutely stunning."
She felt her cheeks grow warm at his stare and she turned away to shyly look down at her sparkly boots.
She was used to boys of all ages hitting on her. She's always been the town's beauty and with her skill set to ride bulls like she does, she always carried attention no matter where she went. She had suitable bachelors lining up outside her door since she was of age and even when her father declines marriage proposal after the next, she was nowhere close to wanting to settle down.
She just turned twenty-two and she wasn't going to waste her young years away now and become some mother of three with her husband running the ranches just yet.
She's had a couple of boyfriends and flings here and there but nothing too serious. None of the boys here seemed to be looking for someone as fiery as her considering that she wasn't like the typical farmhouse wife who stayed back and cooked a nice hot meal and cleaned up the place.
Natsu was different from the guys around here. She was used to misogynistic, old fashioned, dumb, and dirty farmers who could barely pronounce a word so to hear him speak to her without an accent made her want to stick around and listen. He asked her more about herself than any of the other guys she has met and he seemed genuinely interested and impressed to hear about her accomplishments. His expressions were funny and he was witty enough to keep up with her own playful bantering.
Hearing that he was the same age as her and was roadtripping with his friends across the country, it made her eyes widen and heart soar.
"Wow, that sounds so much fun!"
Oh how she always wanted to leave to see the other parts of the world. Seeing how different Natsu already was made her want to visit his own hometown to see what it was like.
Natsu was growing on her very quickly. To the point where she didn't mind staying outside all night and talking to him about whatever. He was easy to talk to and cute enough she didn't have to feel awkward or weird about anything. She could tell he was trying to flirt with her but he seemed almost intimidated by her.
Nothing she wasn't used to but it just made her laugh all night as he stuttered and flushed.
That's why she was so shell-shocked to hear Natsu ask to wear her hat.
How brazen of him to just ask so suddenly and out in the open!
She was lucky to have a glass of Fairy Tail to back up the couple wine glasses she had with her girls prior to the performance because she might have been too shy and awkward to do anything about it. Natsu stood a couple inches taller than her with broad shoulders and bulky arms. She could see his muscle through his shirt that clung onto his body with the humidity. She couldn't say she didn't find him attractive because he was and she kind of liked how straightforward he was with her.
All the other guys seemed to be either too cocky or too shy for her and having Natsu come in with a mixture of both… it was kind of refreshing in a way.
So she bumped glasses with Natsu, threw the drink down, and kissed him hotly before dragging him back to her dressing room so he could wear her hat.
In all honesty, Lucy was not the type of girl to fling herself at random men and sleep with them. She didn't know what it was about Natsu but she truly wanted to spend time and get to know him. If any other guy had come up and asked her to wear her hat or even tried to talk to her, she probably would have just laughed and brushed him off. She had a lot of stuff to do and she certainly wasn't going to entertain boys who couldn't properly introduce themselves to her. Especially if their only end goal was to get in her pants.
But with Natsu… he was oh so sweet as he stuttered and blushed and stammered over his words. The way he asked if she was fine and he didn't want to do anything she didn't want to do because he wanted to get to know her had butterflies swarming her gut as if they belonged there.
Fairy Tail helped her grow some courage as she rode him till they both were screaming and trembling.
She was putty in this man's arms. She didn't want him to leave. It had her butterflies growing angry and swarming her insides for it to twist painfully.
Having a guy sit and talk with her about her interests and her childhood made her realize how much she's never really talked about herself. When was the last time she ever told anyone so much about her home life? When was the last time someone asked her about her and not just how she is or how she got into the sport?
She found herself attached to Natsu's hip the entire night, laughing and drinking with him and his friends. Kissing his eager lips that tasted like beer and cinnamon whisky. Feeling his large hot hands roam on her body.
Lucy was smitten by a man she had just met that night and she didn't know how to feel about him leaving.
And while she was drunk, she wasn't as bad as she knew she had to get home somehow. So while nobody was watching, she would fling the shot over her shoulder and pretend it burned like the rest of the crowd would. She would occasionally sip on beers here and there and found herself warm and buzzed but not nearly as drunk as some of the other wasted patrons.
Natsu and his friends included.
Natsu's ginger friend would not stop crying for some wild reason and she was just laughing from that alone. His friend Gray was stripping constantly and she wondered if he may have had one too many shots of tequila. Gajeel seemed the most normal as he didn't cry or strip but he was pounding back drinks like it was life or death.
His friend group was so much fun as they fought, argued, laughed, and screamed.
Before she realized it, Natsu and her were back to locking lips while he held her and her hands were tangled in his damp hair.
"Is it wrong that I don't want to leave ya?"
Lucy was giggling like some love-sick school girl, her lips hovering over his while she peeked at him through her own hooded eyes. Natsu was drunk as he hiccuped and slurred, his breath reeking of alcohol. But he seemed fine in the way he stared at her and kissed her, brushing her hair away from her own flushed face.
"I don't want you to leave either," she confessed, eyes casted downward to look at the space between them. She was seated comfortably in his lap on the bench, fingers fiddling with the collar of his shirt. "I'm going to miss you."
His face softened slightly and it made her feel the butterflies again, cheeks darkening. His palm that pressed against her cheek made her blush rush down her chest and to her ears. She leaned against his palm, staring into the dark hazy eyes of her lover who offered a small smile.
"How about you come with? You said you've never been out of this town before. We should be on the way back here by next week."
Lucy's eyes widened as she stared at the hiccuping fool. Her jaw dropped at the way he casually insinuated her tagging along to his boys trip up to Akane.
Leave town? With him? With four strangers she's just met?
"I—I can't just leave, Natsu," she sputtered, pulling back from him as she felt a bit too hot. "And I don't think it's up to you to bring someone along on your boy's trip when you have three others to consider."
"They won't give a shit, they like you," His arm moved to keep her in place, one palm on her thigh while the other wrapped around her waist. "You're not going to be gone long. We're supposed to be on our way back by next week anyways. We're supposed to spend the weekend down in Akane since we hopefully should be there by this Saturday and then we're going to be driving back after spending a couple days."
"W—what about my family? What should I tell them?"
Natsu shrugged, reaching for his half-empty glass of beer. "That you've found the one and he's taking you away somewhere across the country for a week so we can get married."
Lucy swatted at his chest while he covered up his smile behind his glass, taking large gulps to finish the remaining before setting the glass back down. He faced her again, moving his hand up to cup her cheek and have her look back at him. Her cheeks flushed at the hot stare and her heart pounded against her ribcage.
"Or I can stay," he smirked, pressing his forehead against hers. "You did say I have the body of a rancher. Maybe I can be of good use around here."
The blonde couldn't help but roll her eyes but her heart skipped a beat at the thought of Natsu staying behind just for her. She was glad he felt as strongly as she did for him but it kind of seemed scary to think she was so attached to some stranger.
She bit down on her bottom lip and squirmed as she truly thought about packing her belongings and just leaving with Natsu and his friends for the next two weeks. Surely it shouldn't hurt considering Laxus was back in town and they had just finished up their last crops and MaryLou did just give birth to a healthy calf.
But how could she just suddenly go? Her parents have been asleep since it was nearly two in the morning and if she were to just head back home and wake them up to say she was leaving town with four guys she just met, her parents would definitely drop dead.
"Okay." She finally said, making him look at her with his eyebrows raised. "I'll come with you. As long as you're one hundred percent sure that I can come."
"Loke!" Natsu suddenly shouted, making the blonde jolt in her seat. She turned her head to see the ginger just arms length away, tongue shoved down one of her fellow cowgirl's mouths. "Luce is coming with us, is that alright?"
Loke didn't even give him a glance or stop as he held his thumbs up in his direction.
Natsu turned back to smirk at Lucy. "See? Told ya it's not a problem."
"He's blacked out drunk with his tongue down my friend's mouth. I don't think he even heard what you said." Lucy pouted slightly as Natsu rolled his eyes. She could see him roll his head around to see if he could find someone else and they spotted Gray in the corner entering into some kind of drinking contest.
"Yo! Gray!"
The shirtless ink-haired man whirled around, eyes crazy and hair sticking out while he looked around to finally lock eyes with his best friend.
"Luce is coming with us on the trip! Okay?"
"Fine by me!" Gray grinned right back before he was returning to the game.
"See?"
"Gray's blacked out drunk, too!"
"He looked right at us and said okay."
Lucy could only roll her eyes but Natsu was quick to capture her lips with his as they started their heated make-out session once more.
The scariest part of everything was actually packing her bags and going. She kind of thought about just leaving them a note but realized it might be a bit too shitty for her to do that so she did what she thought was best and stayed up till five in the morning before heading back to meet her parents who were surely awake to start the day. She even brought Natsu along to kind of have him convince her to go back with him. She was sure if she was alone she would have chickened out and stayed home.
But now with a rosy-haired weirdo tailing her and hiccuping like crazy, she found herself unable to express her emotions as she was pinned to her truck with a hungry mouth on hers.
That was all that was needed for her to scurry inside, pack her belongings, and tell her parents she'll be gone for the next week.
Her parents were shocked to see Lucy confess she was going to go on a road trip with new friends and to Lucy's surprise, they didn't discourage her at all. Her mother seemed to be filled with tears and joy as she excitedly encouraged her to go out and explore the world. Even her own father seemed happy she was finally living her big dream and leaving and she was kind of disappointed that they didn't pick a fight with her to stay.
But it made it easier to pack her things and not have the worries of her parent's heart on her sleeve.
She didn't know what the hell to pack as she's never been out of Terra Ignis so she tried to pack anything and everything.
By the time the sun was up, Lucy was shaking with excitement as she rambled on and on about seeing this or that. Natsu just found her too cute to ruin the mood so he just watched and listened, cheeks flushed and lips stretched into a grin.
She always wanted to road trip and enjoy the moment of riding in a car with her friends but she didn't think it'll be any different with a group full of guys but was she fucking wrong.
Gajeel was going off on Natsu in the car about how she was his responsibility as if she was some kind of pet or child and Loke was whining the entire time about how it wasn't fair he didn't get to bring his own cowgirl along. Gray was quiet the whole time but the fact his knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel so tight made her wonder if she would actually make it there and back in one piece.
Did guys usually bicker this much? Do they usually curse and shout back and forth like they were on the verge of a break up? And how did she not know Natsu and Gajeel had motion sickness?
"They usually have motion sickness pills or patches but it doesn't help that they're hungover." Gray sighed as they had pulled off to the side of the road (not even ten minutes down the street) with Gajeel and Natsu hunched over while spilling their guts out everywhere. Loke was right next to them, weak to the scent and sight of throwing up, and also being hungover. "We didn't even make it out of this goddamn town."
Lucy didn't know if she should be amused or horrified at this as she pressed her palm against her mouth, eyes darting from the three back to the irritated scowl on the driver.
"There's a pharmacy right on the edge of town just a couple miles up. We could get them the pills."
"That would have been helpful a while ago!" Gajeel barked, gagging in between to press his hand against his mouth. "We should have gotten some fuckin' water before we left."
"I think I have one in the car." Lucy turned away to go to the trunk, Gray unlocking it to have her rummage through her duffle.
"I'm sure this wasn't what you were expecting, huh?" Gray came beside the blonde who giggled slightly. "We're still in town if you're considering staying."
"Are you trying to kick me out?" Lucy turned to look at the male who flushed.
"No, absolutely not. I'm just letting you know that there's going to be a lot more of this the whole time." He jabbed his thumb towards the three who were groaning and throwing up pathetically.
"I don't mind," she shrugged before she finally fished out a water bottle, slamming the door shut. "I have pretty thick skin."
Gajeel grabbed for the bottle that was tossed to them as he started to chug. Natsu shoved him by the chest, trying to fight for the water bottle as water sprayed and curses clung to the air.
By the time they calmed down, most of the water was on them rather than in and Lucy was laughing as Natsu grumbled about how selfish and inconsiderate some people were. Gajeel was back to barking like a Doberman while Loke whiltered away, not used to feeling so bad.
The five piled back into the car and Loke was groaning out the window while Natsu had hunched over at the side of the car, body almost out of the open window. Gajeel had his eyes closed and window down, long hair whipping around aggressively while Gray was quiet trying to concentrate on the road ahead.
Lucy guided them towards the local pharmacy and she was out the car with Natsu right on her tail, whines and grumbles coming from the adults as they dragged themselves towards the pharmacy.
"How come I didn't know about this motion sickness?" Lucy asked while Natsu shuddered, burping up last night's festivities where he grimaced at the flavor.
"Well," he flushed crimson as they walked into the air conditioned building, trailing behind the other three. "I didn't want you to think I was so lame."
Lucy found her own cheeks flushing at his explanation and she whirled her head away to hide her embarrassment.
"I would never think of you so poorly, Natsu."
The two were both flushed and quiet as they followed behind their friends. Lucy waved to those who she knew and offered bright smiles as she guided the guys to the back where she knew where the drugs would be. The five stood in the aisle, picking up random things to look at and they nearly cleared out the entire shelf of motion sickness pills, patches, and more.
Loke was quick to throw in a Gatorade and some gummies into the pile and he quickly looked away when Gajeel turned to glare at him. Thankfully he didn't bark at him as he paid for the entire thing before Loke was chugging down the electrolytes as if it was the only thing that would bring him closer to sober.
"Come on, Luce," Natsu called for the blonde who was busy flipping through the magazine up front. "We're leavin'!"
"Coming!" She called out, thrusting the magazine back on the shelf as she reached for the outstretched hand Natsu held out for her. His hand was warm and comforting as he tugged her out with the rest of the group. She found herself blushing as she gave it a squeeze. "So, how do you guys usually determine when or where to stop?"
"We just kind of keep driving till we're low on gas or we notice it's getting dark." Loke answered as they piled back into the sedan. Gray waited for everyone to get situated as he rubbed at his temples, having Gajeel rip through the packages like a wild animal.
"Where are we headed to next?" Lucy asked excitedly and Loke was pulling out some dusty old folded up map out of his pocket. Lucy watched with wide eyes and a wide smile as he unfolded it to show her the continent of Fiore. She cooed as she soothed out the wrinkles and her eyes darted around the sheet to look. "So, the destination is here?" She pointed at the right side of the map, finger tight on Akane.
"Yep," Natsu popped the P as Gajeel was tossing boxes at him. He ripped open the package and swallowed two pills dry before he was slapping on patches on his upper arm. He groaned as he instantly felt the relief and Lucy giggled when he smiled at her. "We're aiming to be there by the end of the week."
"This is going to be a hog-killin' time!" Lucy yipped happily and she received four wild looks from the boys.
It seemed as if she had caught all their attention as Gray and Gajeel turned to face her and she looked to see Loke and Natsu staring right at her as well. Her cheeks grew red as she looked at each and every one of their faces.
"What?" She asked shyly and Gray was first to break the silence.
"A hog killing time?" He emphasized each word and she blinked back at him.
"What the hell does that even mean?" Gajeel now asked and she giggled slightly.
"It just means it's going to be a great time!"
"How is hog killing a great time?" Loke asked and Natsu was laughing out loud.
"Sounds fun to me!"
"It can be!" Lucy grinned right back at Natsu. "But it's just slang. Sorry, sometimes my country accent comes out when I get a little excited. I'll be better about it in the future." She waved her hand in front of her, trying to cool down her reddened cheeks as the embarrassment swelled inside her chest.
"Don't apologize," Natsu leaned into her line of vision to give her a toothy grin. "I think it's cute," he placed his hand on her thigh and she was growing crimson while tucking her chin down.
"I think it's cute, too, Lucy," Loke also placed a hand down on her other thigh and Natsu was quick to swat him away, scowling at the ginger who frowned and pouted.
"Paws off, bud. She ain't yours to touch."
"She ain't yours either." Loke scowled right back, swatting back at his hand that was on her other thigh and Natsu was glaring, swatting right back like the child he was.
"According to Gajeel, yes she is."
"Gajeel, tell Natsu that Lucy isn't his!"
"I told that fucker that she's his responsibility and nobody else's. I ain't gettin' in between you two love birds."
"HA!" Natsu shouted a bit too loudly, making Lucy and even Gajeel cringe. "Take that, pussy cat! My responsibility, my girl!"
Lucy could feel her blush coming back tenfold and she could only bury her face in her palm, shaking her head back and forth while the two boys on each of her sides bickered back and forth.
In a way, Lucy was glad she came along but at the same time, she had no idea what the hell she got herself into because how did this conversation even come to this level of aggression and violence? Why were they swatting at each other as if she wasn't there and why the hell did it have to be about her?
Maybe she should have taken Gray's option and stayed back but as she watched the sign that said: You are now leaving Terra Ignis she couldn't help but grin.
Lucy was enjoying her time as she found herself very snug and very warm against a certain man. He allowed her to curl into his side and fall asleep against him sometime throughout the ride since her mind finally caught up to her body and she felt the weight of being up for more than twenty four hours hit her hard. She fell asleep pretty quick and when she had woken up the sun was dipping against the horizon and they weren't in the middle of nowhere anymore.
She couldn't say she wasn't embarrassed when she woke to lock eyes with Gray's in the rear mirror. She was in a leaning tower with Natsu leaning against the door and her sandwiched between Loke. They were lucky the door was able to withstand such weight with how they shifted and she was quick to nudge Loke off of her, shifting in her seat which had Natsu stirring.
"Where are we?" Loke slurred, slurping up whatever drool he had coming out and Lucy stretched her neck as she rolled it around.
"Crocus. We're stopping."
Lucy beamed as she now sat up straighter, one fist rubbing at her eye while she began to wake up. With the sun down she couldn't really see much as the street lights flickered on and the people were heading back for the day. There were shops on top of shops here and Lucy was in awe as she saw the water fountain right in the middle of the cobblestone roads.
She heard Natsu chuckling beside her as she turned her head to see she was leaning all over him, face pressed against the window as he grinned at her.
She felt her cheeks heat up and she felt bashful. "Sorry, I just got a little excited."
"Don't apologize," he said, reaching forward to tuck the strain of hair behind her ear to see her better. His smile was warm and his cheeks were tinted pink. "It's really cute."
The tips of her ears stung with the heat and she looked away from him as he laughed once again. His arms wrapped themselves around her and she found herself leaning into him further, taking in his natural body heat as the air conditioner blasted cold air in the confined space.
Natsu explained to her earlier that Gray enjoys the cold because he had a heart made out of ice and that's why he was such a cold, dead person. It went into this whole made up story of how Gray was the ice queen back at home where he breaks hearts and souls when it came to anyone and that's why he was single and that was how the car swerved when Gray tried to throw a punch and Lucy and Gajeel screamed bloody murder as they almost rammed into a tree.
Safe to say that was the end of that as that incident was what allowed the car ride to grow quiet and for her to fall asleep against Natsu.
"There's a hotel right over here. We're going to stop for the night and resume tomorrow." Gray notified the group in the car who were now all awake and ready to get out. "Let's check in first and then find somewhere to eat. I'm starving."
"Hungry 'nough to eat a saddle blanket!"
The car grew silent once more as Lucy was oblivious to the dumbfounded looks the boys had on again. When she noticed it had been quiet for a bit she looked up to blink back at the boys as if she was a deer in headlights.
"What?"
"You're so cute, Lucy," Loke latched onto her side and pressed his cheek against her shoulder causing her to tense up and blush.
Natsu scowled at the ginger and tried to swat at him, pulling Lucy further into his side to detach an unwanted leech. "What did I say, Loke?"
"Um, anyways, what's everyone in the mood for?" Gray asked as he turned to look at Gajeel who was still silent, his hand shooting out to knock into his bicep to catch his attention. "You alive?"
The piece male grunted a response and he adjusted into his seat, yanking against the seat belt restraint. "Yes, just tired."
"Let's see if there's another bar here!" Lucy suggested, eyes wide and smile splitting making them all look at her in disbelief. She blinked innocently as she caught their eyes. "What?"
"You can still drink after last night?" Loke asked and Lucy turned to look at him, her lips pulling down into a frown while her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"What does last night have to do with tonight?"
There was a silence in the car before Natsu bursted into laughter and Lucy turned to look at him, her eyebrow furrowing further. "What? I'm not understanding." She was looking around to gauge everyone else's expressions and she was hit with such a different range she didn't know what to get from the moment.
"I don't think the guys are down for another night out, Luce, we're all kind of beat."
"Really?" Lucy asked in surprise as she looked to see Loke's pale smile along with Gajeel's scowl. Gray gave her a small sympathetic look but she just sighed, slumping into her seat. She turned her head to look right at Natsu, their noses just inches apart. "You, too?"
She watched his eyes widen just a bit before watching the flicker of emotions in the dark abyss. Her cheeks flushed for unknown reason and she turned to look away, her heart throbbing. "It's okay, I guess we can explore another time. I'm sure everyone is tired. I just wanted to see what type of bulls they had here."
Another silence mushroomed itself into the small sedan and she felt her cheeks flush when laughter started to blossom.
"Lucy, you really are cute!" Gray said between his fits of giggles and she was feeling real shy as they grew louder.
"Don't ever change, Lucy." Loke cooed, leaning back into her side and Natsu was back to shoving him back.
"Do we tell her?" Gajeel said as he was working his grin back down to a scowl, his eyes flickering back to see Lucy's red face.
"Tell me what?" She demanded, scowling at Gajeel who smirked at her. "What?"
"Lucy," Natsu placed his hand on her thigh, his chest still shaking with the laughter that rumbled. "Sweetheart," he wiped at the tear by his eyes and she pouted even more. "There's no bulls out here."
"What?" She quirked a brow up, face slowly growing back to her normal shade. "No bulls?"
"I'm pretty sure that's only a country thing. At least I haven't been to many bars with mechanical bulls. Pretty sure that was the first one I've seen inside of a bar. They're usually at country fairs or something." Natsu said and Loke was nodding his head, agreeing while Gray looked thoughtful. Gajeel was back to closing his eyes, leaning back against the headrest while Gray was coming to a stop.
It was crazy to think that there weren't bulls inside these massive bars. The bars back at her hometown were way smaller than some of these brightly lit buildings and to think they didn't have a mechanical bull?
They truly are missing out.
Parking into a spot and filing out the car, Lucy felt her body crack with how stiff her limbs were during the trip up. She rolled out her neck and she smiled at Natsu as he held her backpack out to her. She giggled as he helped put it on and she turned back around to smile brightly at him, the taller male returning the gesture as he leaned in to bump foreheads with her.
Her cheeks flushed at the intimate touch and she followed after him as they all made their way inside the inn.
Her eyes were wide and sparkly as she took in the modern decoration of the extravagant lobby. Large chandelier hung above them with red carpet lining the floors. The beautiful silk curtains that were pinned over with golden clips. Even the nice flowers and plants that decorated the lobby brought such beauty and Lucy was star-struck at the moment.
There were no cowbells or hay or the smell of fresh mulch. There were no dirt tracks or sounds of animals screaming.
She didn't even listen or care about whatever the boys did as she watched in awe, taking in the bright bulbs and large oil paintings that hung against the wallpapered walls.
She's only ever seen these sights in magazines and in movies… for her to be actually staying at such a place like this? Her skin prickled with goosebumps.
"Hey, Lucy! Lucy!" Turning her head to see Natsu waving his hands in front of her face, she blinked as she came back to reality. "Lucy, I asked if you want your own room or what."
"Huh?"
"Of course the lady wants her own room!" Gray scoffed, looking over at the two who turned their heads to stare at the annoyed looking male. "She is a woman, Natsu! She's not going to want to share a room with four smelly dudes!"
Feeling her face flush, she looked back at Natsu to see him flushing along with her. She felt like a goldfish out of water as she looked to see Gray and Gajeel waiting for her response, their eyes locked on the couple. Even the concierge was looking at her and she felt like she could just melt.
"S—sorry, I got this," Lucy shook her head, snapping out of her spell she was in just moments prior. She flipped her backpack around to her front and she unzipped the bag for a hand to thrust out in front of her. She looked up to see Natsu giving her a furrowed look.
"We're not asking for you to pay or something, we're just asking if you'd rather want your own room or if you mind sharing."
"Okay, that's fine, I get that," she pushed his hand away as she returned to her original task, fishing out her wallet to start adjusting her backpack back on her back. "Do you guys usually share a room?"
"To save money we usually do. Sometimes when we're lucky and it's cheap we split it into two rooms so two in one and two in the other." Gray shrugged his shoulders as the blonde came beside him, giving him a look. "They said it's one fifty a night here. We could upgrade to a suite and pay an extra hundred for the couch and double beds but it may be a bit steep. It really depends what you want to do so we can decide—"
"There's five of us right?" Lucy eyed the confused looking guys before she was unzipping her wallet and pulling out an all black platinum card.
Gajeel was first to see the card as his jaw dropped, eyes glued to the small card and then Gray was next to see what was going on.
Loke and Natsu exchanged confused looks, not understanding what was happening as they stood behind the three who crowded the front desk.
"Could we have your presidential suite? Preferably with a nice view with five beds. Even if it has to be wheeled in or exchanged for a pull out couch we can take it." Lucy smiled at the baffled concierge. The blonde held out the card as shaky hands took it from her and he stared at the card before flipping it over to open his mouth but shut it as Lucy had now held out her ID. "Sorry, you need this too, right?"
"Uh… please excuse me for a moment." He gave a shaky smile before he booked it to the back and a very large silence snuck between them once more.
Lucy just inhaled deeply before sighing out contently, tapping her sharp fingernails against the top of the counter while she turned to look at Gray. She raised a brow as she caught his expression, her head turning to her other side to see Gajeel giving her the same exact look.
"What?" She asked as she turned around to see Loke and Natsu looking as confused as she did. "Why are they looking at me like that?"
"Oi, blondie, was that a fuckin'—"
"Miss Heartfillia!" A voice suddenly echoed throughout the lobby and all five of them turned to see a short bald man with bright red lipstick smeared across his thin lips. He gave off such an adorable vibe that Lucy was instantly beaming while the four all looked over at him in horror. "My goodness this is such a nice surprise to have you m'lady," he was giggling as he approached the blonde to grasp her hand. "We are honored to have you stay here! How is the family?"
"What the hell is going on?" Natsu came towards Gray to yank at the back of his shirt, whispering to the male who stood there in shock.
"It's really not a big deal, the parents are exactly the same as they were! I'm actually on a road trip and my friends and I are looking into a room. We need five beds."
"Of course! Would you like to be separated or together?"
"Separate would be best."
"What?" Loke spat, watching the whole conversation with wide disbelieving eyes. "We can't afford that."
"I have a three bedroom with one bedroom that hosts two full size beds. There are two pullout couches available and I can most definitely wheel in an extra if needed."
"No need, I believe we are all capable of sharing and that is plenty of extra space if required. That would be perfect."
"Would you like some champagne as well as room service?"
"Champagne would be nice but no room service. I would like to see some suggestions for nice places for dinner. We came a very long way and are quite starved."
"Quiet certainly. I'll upgrade your rooms to the penthouse and have our concierge fill out the needed documents."
By the time Lucy was done signing her name on the documents and collecting her cards back, she was handed a small envelope with four card keys tucked away inside and she turned on her heel to make her way to the elevator. She paused in her steps when she realized the four were rooted to the spot staring at her with their jaws dropped.
"Come on guys, let's go." She motioned and she didn't wait a second longer before she was walking away. Natsu was quick to chase after her with Loke hot on his tail. Gray was on the slower slide as he slowly peeled himself away from the front desk and jerked at Gajeel to follow.
By the time they were at the elevator waiting for the doors to open, Gajeel whirled around to look at the petite blonde who blinked up at him.
"Okay, what the fuck was that about? Since when do you have a black platinum card?"
"Black platinum—?" Loke turned to look at Gajeel with wide eyes as Natsu gawked.
"What did you say?" Natsu asked for clarification as his eyes flickered from Lucy's face to his friends.
"I saw it." Gray said, coming into view as Lucy leaned back to have the guys all up on her. "How do you have that? And what's this about separate rooms and all this? How are you paying for that?"
"Lucy, you know how expensive a penthouse and separate rooms are going to be?" Natsu looked a bit panicked and Lucy quirked a brow at him.
"We can still cancel it." Loke suggested and the guys all nodded, agreeing to the plan but Lucy furrowed her brows and held her hands out.
"Whoa guys, hold yer horses and quit yer yappin'," she looked to see the elevator ding and have the doors open. She took a step inside with the guys still rooted to their spots and she sighed. "Are y'all coming?" She asked and Gajeel jerked his arm out to catch the doors from closing, a grumble mumbled under his breath before uneasy looks were exchanged among the four of them. They all scurried into the elevator and allowed Lucy to take them up to the top, the light ping of the floors changing being the only thing that was heard in the confined space.
By the time they were to the top of the building, the four of them were back to slack jaws and wide eyes.
"I—is this really part of the hotel?"
"I've only seen these in movies…" Gray was in awe, spinning in circles as they entered what appeared to be an apartment above the town. With its own kitchen and living room in the corner, the lit up electric fireplace that was placed right next to floor to ceiling windows made the room look twice as big as it was. The four were starstruck in the idea of staying here for the night and they all whirled around to corner Lucy who cowered under their broad bodies.
"Wh—what?" She flushed red and she hugged herself in fear of what might happen, eyes darting from each and every face.
"Explain yourself." Gray poked at her back and she yelped, jerking away from him which caused her to press into Natsu.
He wrapped his arm around her and held her in place. "Yes, what the hell is this about? How can you afford all this?"
"This place has to be at least five thousand a night. Look at the view!" Loke exclaimed and Gajeel was quiet, staring out the window to take in such a view.
"Lucy, this was supposed to be a group activity and choice. We can't have you paying for stuff this extravagant—"
"Jeez, guys, it really isn't that big of a deal," Lucy pushed Natsu away to take a step back from them. She felt suffocated and looked flustered as she straightened her clothes out and hooked her thumbs onto the straps of her backpack. "I don't think you guys really know who I am."
"Besides the fact that you're some cowgirl we just met last night who rides mechanical bulls in her free time?"
Lucy gave Gray a flat smile, rolling her eyes at him. "My dad is Jude Heartfillia. He owns about eighty percent of hotels, inns, and a couple of restaurants around the continent. The black platinum is just a way to show my status and get us a nice room. Most of the time they don't even charge." She ignored the ways their jaws dropped once more and stared at her as if she had confessed to murder. She sighed and twisted her lips together, waiting for someone to respond.
"Wait, so, what?" Lucy turned to look at the ginger first. "You're rich?" Loke asked dumbfounded and Gray swung at him, hitting him on the shoulder.
"You can't just ask her if she's rich!"
"Um, to put it in simple terms… yes?" Lucy squeaked out and she looked at Natsu who was frozen in place, face twisted in confusion. "My parents came from the city but that didn't mean they left everything behind. They have CEOs and COOs who take care of a lot while my parents choose to focus on the ranch. But even back at Terra Ignis, we're considered more 'well off' than some of the other farmers and ranches. We have over fifty employees that work on the ranch with us."
Lucy was starting to get really tired of the silence and gawking so she let out an exasperated sigh, relaxing her shoulders. "Well, if everyone is done questioning me, I'm going to go get ready for dinner." She twisted in her spot before she was walking away from them.
She didn't even hear them move even after she had left and she found the furthest room away to occupy herself in. She was glad it was the master bedroom she stumbled on her first try as she figured she and Natsu could share a bed and if not there was a couch with the pullout located right beside the bed. She really should have mentioned that before she walked away but she was in desperate need of a shower and food.
She was rather tired from their long trip but she was still very much interested in looking around this foreign town. There were many things she hadn't seen before and she only wished the sun was still up so she could get a good look around. And maybe she could see if there would be any mechanical bulls around. She was kind of itching for a ride.
Hearing a knock on her door had her stop midway from taking her shirt off and she walked over to open the door to a squeamish looking Natsu. She quirked a brow at him and noticed his cheeks flushed slightly, his body language clearly indicating he was uncomfortable.
"I don't want you to think we think of you any differently than before, Luce," he blurted out and she blinked at him while he struggled to look at her. "And I want you to know that."
"Okay? Thank you?" She didn't know what to say as she leaned against her open door frame. The shower still ran in the background as she had turned it on to warm the water and she watched Natsu inhale before exhaling deeply.
Her own cheeks flushed when he finally locked eyes with her. "I'm not going to lie and say I'm not kind of bummed out you didn't mention anything before. I thought we were closer than that."
"Natsu," she felt flustered. "I just… people kind of get weird after they find out I come from money."
"I honestly don't care if you have five bucks or five billion." His eyes showed sincerity and her heart did that weird throbbing thing. "Anyways, that's not the point. Just… forget it. I'm gonna go get ready for dinner." He rubbed at his neck bashfully, his eyes now darting everywhere else but her.
Lucy bit down on her lip and reached for him, her fingers pinching at his shirt that forced him to stop and look at the blonde. She didn't even realize as she quickly jerked her hand back and blushed furiously.
"Uh, um, s—sorry, I didn't mean—you can—I—" She felt stupid for stuttering so much and she didn't even know what the hell she wanted to even say as Natsu stared right at her.
What were the rules when it came to them? She had no idea how to act or say because this man was just inside of her last night and they haven't kissed since they left Terra Ignis. He was her friend, no doubt, but he was more than that in some aspects because she certainly didn't want to kiss Loke or hold Gray's hand or even have Gajeel sleep beside her.
But she came along because he had asked and now she was wondering what the case was.
Natsu must have seen something on her face for him to blush down at her like she asked him to drop his pants and she shook her head, laughing lightly. "Never mind, I'm just being stupid. I'm gonna sho—" her breath hitched as she stopped mid-sentence when she felt Natsu's warm fingers brush against her cheek and he was leaning into her personal bubble "—wer."
Her eyes were wide as they dared his dark ones to do something.
"Lucy, if you keep lookin' at me like that, I won't be able to stop myself." His voice was low and it sent shivers down her spine as she grew crimson. She couldn't rip her attention away from his burning gaze and the pit in her stomach ignited.
He leaned in, eyes hooded and nose bumping against hers making her inhale sharply but she didn't move. Her heart was pounding and she wondered if he was able to hear it with how close he was and she kind of wished he would just kiss her already because she missed how his lips felt on her skin.
"Natsu," she sputtered, leaning back a bit to create distance and she saw a flash of disappointment flicker across his face. "I… you know that this is your room, too… right?"
"Huh?" He responded back stupidly and she felt her face grow even hotter.
"I mean, I—I just figured w—we… um, it's okay if you don't want to!" She raised her hands up, waving them frantically in front of her. "I can call and ask for a wheel in bed or even the couch but I have a couch in my room so—"
"Goddamn it, Lucy," he chuckled softly and it had her clamping her mouth shut. "You're so damn cute."
Her breath hitched as he leaned in and kissed her square in the mouth. Her lips tingled against his hot embrace and she shivered before leaning into his warmth. She hummed in delight as she felt the warmth hold her and she was smiling against his lips.
"I'll stay with ya," he grinned, bumping foreheads with her. "Let me just grab my things."
"Do you want to shower together, too?" She asked without thinking and the both of them flushed crimson instantly.
It was silent between them for a moment and Natsu was first to recover, his head twirling away as his hand came up to cradle his face. "Y—yeah, sure, I'll meet ya." He coughed, clearing his throat and her heart was skipping all over the place.
She rushed inside to hurry and get in the shower before he came back, anxiety eating away at her. How could she be so brazen at a time like this? Is this what it's going to be like between them for the next week? Considering this could be labeled as a summer fling, would this be their story?
Her clothes were tossed off in record time and she stepped into the warm steaming shower where the water pelted her sticky skin for her to moan in delight. She tilted her head back to allow the water to run down her body and she sighed lovingly, enjoying how the warm water just washed away her spunk. She rubbed at her face to wash away her sweat and she completely forgot about Natsu until she heard the door open and close.
Her entire body jolted and froze in fear, her eyes wide as she saw his silhouette from the other side of the foggy glass doors.
Should she make this casual so it wasn't weird? Or would they possibly continue their little make out session? How should she act when he steps in? Why is she overthinking this so much?
"Um, what should we have for dinner?" She blurted out the first thing that came to her mind as her stomach grumbled slightly. She smacked herself on the forehead for that one, cursing herself for such a lame excuse.
His deep chuckling had her flushing and standing up straighter, her eyes pinned to the drain where water constantly slipped through.
"I think whatever the first thing we land our eyes on." The sound of his clothes piling on the floor muffled against the shower head. "I'm hungry 'nough to eat a saddle bucket."
Lucy gasped when he slid open the door and stood in front of her, flinching at the sudden action. Her blush overwhelmed her as her eyes quickly darted down at his penis before looking at his face before looking away. Her arms wrapped around her chest and she tried her best to curl up.
"It's saddle blanket, not saddle bucket." She grumbled under her breath and she took a step back when he came inside the shower. The door slid closed and he now stood in front of her, the water barely touching her as his tall stature took most of it.
"Sorry," he snickered and she had her head tilted up glaring at the ceiling so she wouldn't be blatantly staring at his groin. "I meant saddle blanket."
"Are you makin' fun of me?"
"Of course not," he reached towards her to cup her face and she flinched slightly, eyes widening as he positioned her to look at him. "I think your country accent is so cute and I love hearing about you and seeing the real you." His thumb stroked across her cheek and her heart was doing that stupid thing again where it kept skipping. Maybe she needed to see a doctor about this. "Don't ever change yourself."
There was nothing more she wanted to do than kiss him so she leaned in and pressed her lips against his in the midst of their staring contest.
The water pelted down on their bodies and drenched them from head to toe but the hot water made everything feel ten times hotter. It was already getting steamy in the shower but with how hot Natsu was kissing her, it was almost suffocating.
Her arms came around his shoulders and wrapped around, nude bodies pressing against each other to bring them closer. She moaned into his mouth when he forced his tongue, flicking hers in an intense battle of dominance. She felt his hands slide down her body, goosebumps following his trail. He swallowed her moan when he took a handful of her behind and gave it a squeeze.
He pushed her up against the wall of the shower, relieving them from the water boarding they were experiencing as they separated for air. He hiked up one of her legs to keep it around his hip, fingers hooked underneath her knee to hold it in place. His other tangled in her mane, bringing her back for another round of heated kisses to be exchanged.
She gasped when she felt his erection rub against her lower stomach and she shuddered to feel the warmth it radiated. Her womanhood throbbed for his shaft and she whimpered, nails digging into his arms.
"Natsu," She breathed out.
"Lucy," he groaned in response, leaving her lips to trail kisses down face and throat.
She mewled out, breath growing heavy and her body growing hotter by the second. Her skin was littered with goosebumps due to the air conditioner nipping at her wet skin and her back arched when Natsu cupped her mounds, a throaty moan slipping out of her lips.
His tongue was hot as it swirled around her nipples and her knees felt like they were turning to liquid as they buckled. Natsu was quick to catch her, bending down slightly to hook her other knee up before he had her up against the wall.
A small gasp escaped her lips as she stared down at the hungry looking man.
"Luce," he rasped out. "I don't have a condom on me, babe."
Her cheeks felt hotter than it was, embarrassment flooding her system as she just registered how they were positioned at the moment. If anyone were to walk in right now and see them—
"R—right!" She squeaked, hands curling into her chest as she clutched her imaginary pearls. "We could—I—lets just shower!"
His face twisted in many emotions and she could see how confused he was but nonetheless amused. He slowly dropped her to her feet, making sure she was good on her own. "Lucy," he chuckled as he kept her pressed up against the wall. "Just because I don't have a condom on me doesn't mean I can't make you feel good."
Her eyes widened as his words hit her ear and her entire body jolted when she felt his fingers brush against her hips. She shuddered as his fingers inched closer to her womanhood and her lips parted as a breathless moan fell out.
"N—Natsu," she whimpered as he teased her. "What about you?"
"Don't worry," he smirked down at her, fingers grazing her sleek folds making her gasp sharply. "I get my pleasure watching you."
Her body felt like it got lit in flames as Natsu began to rub at her pussy. Her legs shook as her arms flung themselves around his shoulders to keep her steady, soft pants puffing out in between them. He leaned in to kiss her, swallowing her sighs while he moved to hook his hand under her knee once more to hike up one leg. He spread her apart and pushed her further against the wall to support her, a finger diving into her wet hole earning a moan of approval.
"You're so wet," he said in between biting kisses. "Does it feel good?"
She could only whimper back a response as he continued to assault both her set of lips and she felt her body tremble as she felt the burning fire in her belly. The sound of her wet cunt squelching was growing and it only produced an animalistic growl from Natsu as he left her lips to nip down her throat.
Her walls clenched around his single digit and her hips bucked when he inserted another, digging into her crevices. Her body tingled as her back arched when he pressed his thumb against her swollen clitoris, a shriek forming.
"You gotta be quiet, Luce," he murmured against her throat, fingers never slowing. "They're going to hear you."
As horrified as it would be for someone to walk in on them right now, Lucy couldn't bear to end this now. All she could do was bite down on her lip and whimper as Natsu finger-fucked her. She couldn't help but let out a moan when he trailed down and sucked on her nipple once again, back arching into his touch.
"Quiet, baby," he came back up to face her and she gasped as he pulled his fingers out to thrust into her open mouth. "I don't want any of them to hear how perfect you sound."
He dropped to his knees and instantly his mouth latched onto her bottom lips. Her scream was muffled against his fingers in her mouth and she was drooling as she could practically feel the swell of her heart in her eyes. She was a mess as Natsu licked at her bud and she was bucking her hips into his face shamelessly. His eyes were hot and intense, dark orbs staring up at her through thick lashes.
His other hand came to caress her folds before filling her up once more and her eyes were rolling as she rode her climax off on his face.
She was seeing all white and pops of color blinding her vision, goosebumps trailing up her body as her nipples hardened at her release.
She was putty by the time he was done lapping up her mess and they kissed fiercely in the shower as the bitter taste of her release lingered on his tongue.
"You are so fucking sexy," he grabbed her by the back of her neck to pull her against him. "I can't wait to fuck that sweet little pussy of yours later."
And dear lord was she aching for him. Her entire womanhood was still throbbing after her climax and she was absolutely drunk on this man. He could suggest they should go rob a bank and she would do it no questions asked.
After all, she did just tag along with him and his friends, trusting that he wouldn't murder her and dump her somewhere along the highway.
Lucy was in bliss as she and Natsu finished up their steamy shower and she was still leaning into him as he helped blow dry her hair afterwards. Her blush hadn't left her cheeks since but the nice red hue was making her look absolutely stunning as her after-sex glow even blinded her.
She tossed on a light sundress and sandals, rushing out to find everyone else waiting for them. She chose to ignore the looks the three of them had and let Natsu handle the heat as she eagerly tugged on the group to find something to eat.
Finding somewhere to eat here was quick and easy since once they had stepped foot outside, the first place that was brightly lit up was some kind of diner.
Lucy was all starry-eyed as she entered the brightly colored and polished restaurant, taking in the turquoise leather seats to the giant rainbow jukebox in the corner.
"Natsu! Look!" She squealed excitedly as they waited for the hostess to seat them. "What is that?"
"It's called a jukebox," he chuckled, a boyish grin stretching across his face. "It plays music."
"Really? I've never seen one so colorful and big! Can we please go look at it?" She gave him a pouty look and he was blushing at her as his eyes darted from his friends who were snickering.
"Of course, let's find our seats and order and I'll take ya to pick a song out, yeah?"
Lucy loved the city so far. Even though they weren't even close to Akane beach, just knowing a town like this was fascinating in itself. Everything here was so modern and shiny and bright and it was meeting all her expectations of such a beautiful place. A part of her wished she could have brought along her parents to show them and a pang of yearning throbbed inside her chest.
"What's with the sudden long face?" Gray asked as he nudged the blonde to catch her attention while they were guided to a booth in the back.
Lucy looked up to see him smiling at her and she blushed, looking down at their feet. "Just thinking about my parents."
"You missin' them?"
"Just thinking about how they probably would have liked to see this."
"Didn't you say your parents were loaded? They've probably seen better—ow! What was that for?!" Loke screeched as Gray had elbowed him in the rib and Natsu turned to glare at the ginger. "What? Why is everyone ganging up on me?"
"Shut the hell up," Natsu hissed in his ear and Loke was whining as he rubbed at his side.
Lucy's giggle caught all their attention and they turned to see her smiling at them while they were brought over to their table. Gajeel had already slid inside the booth, tossing his large arms over the top.
"No, Loke is right, my parents definitely have seen better. I just wished they could be here with me, you know? We're a close-knit type of family so I just kind of miss them."
"S'all good, Lucy, we're your family for the rest of the week." Gray tossed his arm over her shoulder to give her a lop-sided grin and he ignored the way Natsu was glaring daggers at them.
Lucy could only giggle once more as her cheeks turned a bright colored red and her lips stretched into a wide grin. "Yeah!"
Piling into the booth with four large dudes sandwiched with her in between had her feeling a bit claustrophobic but she settled in once Natsu moved his arm behind her and gave her the room closest to him. She was grateful for the heat that came from his body and she was like a little girl kicking her feet back and forth as she stared at the menu with wide sparkly eyes.
"A chocolate peanut butter caramel milkshake?! That sounds so good! And what is this? They have pancakes right now?!"
Natsu was hiding his laugh behind his hand while Gray and Gajeel had wide grins on their faces. Loke was too busy staring at his own menu to even notice Lucy rambling excitedly about the entire menu.
"Most places near me close around nine and we certainly can't order pancakes and milkshakes!"
"Order whatever you want, Luce, it's on us."
"Huh?" She blinked at the rosy-haired one beside her. "Why?"
"You paid for the room, it's the least we could do." Gray answered, making her turn and blink at him.
"Well, technically, I didn't pay—"
"So can we talk about how you're super rich or do you not like talking about it?" Loke asked before Gray rammed his elbow into his side and Natsu kicked him under the table. The ginger ended up shooting his knee up and banging it against the table while yelping in pain, bending over to nurse his new injuries.
Lucy just laughed out loud, catching the attention of all four of them as they watched her face flush with her enjoyment.
"I mean, I am going to be with you guys for the next week so I think it's fair you ask some questions," she shrugged. "I'll answer whatever questions you have."
She can see the uncertainty that lingered and she caught the way they all exchanged uneasy looks with one another.
"Really, guys, ask me anything."
"Alright, then let me ask you something, what the hell are you guys doing in a place like Terra Ignis? You guys are loaded yet yer choosing to live on a ranch and dirty yerselves up all day?"
The table was deadly silent for a minute as they all looked at Gajeel, none of them expecting him to crack first and ask such a question. They were all clearly thinking it but Lucy has heard this many times before.
"My parents wanted to live a quiet life. My grandparents owned the land and they passed away making it my parent's property at the time. They were tired of the noise and the business but they didn't want to sell it so they hired people and elected them into their positions so the company can run smoothly without my father there constantly running things. He still travels outside of Terra Ignis from time to time to attend board meetings or whatever else he does."
Another silence stretched in between them as they processed her words and Gray leaned forward in his seat to speak next, his voice barely a whisper.
"So… how rich are you exactly?"
"I don't know how to answer that. You mean net worth? Last time I checked I think we're estimated at around nine billion—?"
"Nine billion?!" Loke shrieked in an echo and earned yet another elbow to the rib and a kick to the shin.
Thankfully the waitress had come to take their orders so it gave them a chance to take a break from this painfully awkward and personal conversation. Lucy had to pick her jaw up from the floor after all of them had ordered the entire menu. Twice. Even Laxus didn't eat as much as they did and he was twice as big as any of them here.
"So… that black card…" Loke tried speaking up, wary of his words as he was afraid to get hit, again. His eyes darted nervously around, trying to ensure he didn't piss anyone off. "Is it your dads? And does it have a limit on it?"
She could see Gajeel slap his hand against his forehead as he shook his head back and forth while Natsu let out a deep sigh through his nose while he went for his cup of water.
With amusement dancing on her face, she smiled. "Yes, Loke, it's my dads and no, it doesn't have a limit on it."
"..Can I hold it?"
"Seriously. You ask the stupidest fucking questions." Gray groaned, shaking his own head back and forth while Lucy giggled.
She grabbed her cellphone and opened up her phone case to pop out the platinum card she had. She held it out to Loke across the table and she could instantly see all four pairs of eyes zoning in on the metal card. Her lips curved up into a smile as Loke reached for it with shaky hands and it made her laugh at how he had to take his glasses off to really see it. His eyes were wide and the card was two inches away from his face as he took in the beauty.
He even tried dropping it on the table to hear the clink of the metal hit the wooden surface and he was in complete awe.
"It even sings."
"I want to ask something," Natsu said as now Gray and Gajeel were trying to reach for the metal card making Loke shriek. "How come you've never left Terra Ignis before? You couldn't tag along with your dad during his trips?"
"I always wanted to but the timing was just poor. Besides, I couldn't leave my mom all on her own to handle things while I went away with my dad for fun." She shrugged and Natsu nodded his head in response.
"Do you have any siblings, Lucy? Specifically any sisters around your age? I'll even take any type of relatives at this point." Loke asked and he yelped again when Natsu shot his knee out and kicked him under the table once more. "Would you stop doing that?!"
Lucy laughed at the interaction and shook her head. "Sorry, Loke, I'm an only child and don't really have any near me besides one. Would you be interested on meeting him?"
"No, thanks," the ginger sighed, waving his hand dismissively. "No fair Natsu gets everything." He pouted, dropping his elbows on the table to cradle his face.
It only made her giggle once again as she felt Natsu slide his hand over to place on her thigh, smiling warmly down at her. Her heart skipped a beat but she felt incredibly warm and light as she leaned in to peck on across the cheek. The flush that decorated his cheeks had her own cheeks warming up but she could only give his hand a squeeze before she was back to taking in the beautiful place.
This might have been the best decision she made in her life. Even if this was just one place out of the many they would be stopping in and their destination is ways away. And she would be forever grateful to have met someone like Natsu.
Notes: i really did want to just keep this a one-shot but then i got to writing this one couple months ago and realized i did put in a lot of work and time in this so chapter 2 was born but now it seems as if i can't let this go… i can't leave ya hanging! The boys and Lucy will have to make it to Akane and back and we shall have to see what more would blossom between the two… stay tuned for the next chapter (don't keep your hopes up for a quick update either *cries*)