prompt thirty: challenge

rate: T for Teens and Up

Thirty out of one hundred.

I'm realizing someone had asked me to do one of these and i just saw the comment. So here is this for the special guest who asked for it and for those who also enjoy these types of au. I definitely am going to want to continue this in future snippets so enjoy this short little preview

"Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new centre of gravity. Don't fight them. Just find a new way to stand."

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The one thing she was grateful for in this very suffocating life was that she knew no matter what she would be safe. Even with the idea of knowing she was someone of importance and she would make a great deal of money with just her ransom, she knew she would never be subjected to anything dangerous.

Her father was very stern on the idea of her having protection with her anywhere, anytime. Ever since her own kidnapping when she was just a toddler, her father had made strict rules on her upbringing. She didn't remember the last time she wasn't with someone that was guarding her.

Capricorn was an excellent bodyguard with professionalism bleeding out from his very soul. That didn't mean he was stone cold, he was one of her closest friends and he was there for her for almost every milestone. He was her personal driver, her roommate, and he also cooked for her which meant he knew all her favorites.

She loved Capricorn as if he was her own uncle as the said man was nearing his forties when they first met and now all these years later, he still stuck around.

There were only a couple of times he's ever had to intervene since he liked to keep his distance and allow her to have her time. But either way, he was always there. Keeping her company, practically raising her, teaching her, and loving her as his own.

"What do you mean you're leaving?!" Lucy practically screeched, the look of disbelief and confusion decorating her pale face while her eyes darted from her father to her bodyguard. "We've been together for nearly twenty years! You can't leave me!"

"Now, Lucy—"

Lucy whirled around to look at her father in a panic along with Capricorn who kept his same cool face, a slight pinch to his lips.

"Capricorn here is simply retiring, he has been in the business for over forty years and he is now reaching his sixties."

The selfish part of her wanted to demand Capricorn stay her bodyguard till he drops dead but she knew she couldn't do that. Capricorn is getting old and if his gray hairs and his slower pace didn't indicate it, the wrinkles he had definitely did. She just never thought the day would actually come where Capricorn had to retire because this man had become a part of her everyday life.

"We have already hired a new bodyguard for you." Lucy looked at him with wide eyes, jaw almost becoming slack at the confession. "Capricorn has been training him and showing him all the ropes for the last two weeks."

"You have?" Lucy asked in surprise, turning to look at her bodyguard who smiled. "Since when? I have never—"

"Usually when you are in lessons and or in between, Miss Lucy."

"As well as the handbook he was given to go over," Jude sighed as he leaned against his arm. "Rest assured, Lucy, I will be entrusting you with a very capable man. Someone who is often labeled as the best and most fierce in the industry. Apparently, he had even watched over Princess Hisui."

In a sense that did make her feel better because the Princess was still alive and very much safe. And that girl had more of a target on her back than someone like her considering that she is a princess and she was just a heiress to a really wealthy, powerful company. But it didn't settle any of her nerves because Capricorn was leaving her and now she had to be trusted with some stranger! What if they weren't as good as Capricorn? What if she gets hurt? What if he allows her to get kidnapped? What if—

"Would you like to meet him?"

No, not at all.

Not like she really had a choice because before she could open her mouth to be a brat, Capricorn was already making his way over to the door to let the said new bodyguard in.

She didn't know what to expect but it certainly was not a man with pink hair and a scaly scarf attached to his neck. Capricorn always wore a suit, no matter what the occasion may be, and for her to stare at this man who looked around her age in just mere white joggers and a black shirt made her eyes twitch.

"How old is this guy? He can't be any older than I am!"

"He is actually a year older than you," Jude said, making Lucy scoff. "This is Natsu Dragneel. Your new bodyguard."

"Heya, nice to be in your presence, my lady." He did a god awful curtsy to her and she was trying her best not to make a face. Was he mocking her?

She ignored him and turned back to her father and Capricorn. "You really expect me to believe he's one of the best? He's wearing joggers and a t-shirt with a scarf around his neck in the middle of July!"

"Lucy," Jude scolded as he scowled at his daughter. "Natsu was handpicked by Capricorn and myself. He has a really good background."

Lucy eyed the said male cautiously, brows furrowed and lips pulled down into a frown. How could she ever believe that this man, who was only a year older than her, had the needed experience to take over a very serious job? Capricorn had set the bar too high for her and she's had him since he was in his late thirties and to know she had a guy just a year older than her?

Everyone must be out of their goddamn minds.

"Natsu here will be with you from next week on. He is still getting his onboarding processed. How about you two get to know each other—?"

"No, thanks," Lucy hissed, irritation and annoyance clear as day on her face. "Find me someone else. Not someone in joggers and a t-shirt," she scoffed at the rosy-haired male who quirked a brow at her. "I'll be in my studies if you need me."

Normally she was a very laid-back person and entrusted her father to handle all things business but she clearly was not being taken seriously anymore. Shouldn't she have more and stronger protection since she is an older woman now? People could do all sorts of things and take her for a hefty amount.

Why was it so scary to wonder if her own father didn't care so much about her own protection. How could he find someone like Capricorn for her during her adolescence but then suddenly switch up to some kid? Granted, he is older than her by one year but she was still a kid, too! She was young! Healthy! Too fragile for the scary world all on her own.

"Yo! Wait up!"

She whirled around in her spot to look at the said devil running towards her and she was even more disgruntled at the sight of him. He clearly had no manners and looked to be a carefree spirit. He would definitely be the type to be distracted while she was getting dragged away in some creepy gross van.

"Jeez, you walk pretty fast for someone so short."

"Excuse me?" She just wanted to strangle him with his own scarf. "Do you know how rude that is?"

"Listen, I get that you're upset that your bodyguard is leaving and you're going to have to get along with me—"

"We are not getting along because you are not going to be my bodyguard." She hissed at him, sharp fingernail jabbing at his (surprisingly hard) chest. "How could I trust someone like you to watch over me?"

"You don't even know me."

"I don't have to. I can tell." Lucy growled before whirling back around to continue her hissy fit. She didn't even get a step away before he was speaking again.

"I'm an ex-marine. Front lines. I also have specialized training in combat and I am certainly trained with all types of firearms."

She paused in her steps to process his words but she was still finding that doubt lingering deep inside her gut. Even if he had the experience, he was still too young to have enough experience to watch over her—

"I started combat training when I was seven years old. Boxing ring, MMA; I ran my first marathon at age thirteen and I also received my black belt at age eleven. I've watched over a bunch of people and one of them happened to be the Princess herself. You can sit here and throw a tantrum all you want but I wouldn't be here if I wasn't qualified to be."

His words pierced through her chest in the most awful way, anger and irritation building inside of her chest. She turned to glare at him over her shoulder and she hated how he stood there smirking at her, hands shoved into his pocket.

Even if he was qualified to be a bodyguard, that didn't mean he was qualified to be her bodyguard. He was cocky and so full of himself in the way he stood there giving her an amused grin and she was just seething with anger at how nonchalant he was being. Technically, she was his charge, so why did he think it was appropriate to approach her this way and talk to her this way?

"I don't care what type of qualifications you have, I don't trust you."

"You never even gave me a chance to prove myself to you." He lolled his head to the side and she didn't know why she thought he was cute for a split second because her cheeks warmed and she had to stop herself from sputtering.

"There is nothing to prove because you aren't going to be here any longer."

"Is that a challenge?"

"A—" Lucy sputtered, completely caught off guard. "A challenge?"

"I love a good challenge," he grinned wickedly at her and she was gawking at him. "If it's proof that you want then proof you'll get." He shrugged and then he was whirling away from her to walk away. "See ya around, Luigi."

Lucy was so shell-shocked that she didn't process his words properly until he was rounding the corner. Did he just call her Luigi? And he's taking this as a challenge? She is not challenging him at all! How stupid of him to think she wanted him to prove to her that he's qualified enough to watch over her. How is he going to prove that? Have her kidnapped and then save her? Jump in front of a car? Take down a whole army on his own?

Oh this is definitely going to be a challenge. A challenge for her because she is one second away from screaming bloody-murder and forcing Capricorn not to retire. A challenge to live with a deranged, immature, idiotic man who wears scarves in the middle of summer and wears joggers and a t-shirt to meet his charge!

Lucy could already tell she is going to dread this god awful decision.

X

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Fin