A.N. My first story since forever. Hihii, I'm kind of excited! x3 Hope you enjoy! ;D
Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or any of its characters!
Lucy had just arrived home, when she heard clattering from the kitchen. Her heart jumped to her throat. A burglar? She gulped. Tiptoeing each step, her Celestial keys within reach, she cautiously approached the noise. She let out huge sigh of relief though, when she finally reached the kitchen. "Is this were you two have been all-day?"
The said two, who were the one Natsu Dragneel and Happy the Exceed - and were currently clearing the contents of Lucy's refrigerator, turned their stuffed faces towards the blonde. "Maybe," the dragon slayer swallowed and continued eating.
"Everyone's really been wondering where you were," Lucy said, slightly annoyed.
"Natsu can't go to the guild," Happy shaked his head, sighing.
The Celestial mage blinked, perplexed. "What? Why?"
"Juvia," was Natsu's terse reply.
This only added Lucy's confusion. "What Juvia got to do with this?" Suddenly she was hit with an idea and her eyes slitted suspiciously. "Wait! Hold on! You haven't done something to make her mad, right?"
"Well..."
Lucy rolled her eyes. "What did you do?" How come she was not surprised.
"It's kind of a long story," Natsu scratched his head awkwardly.
"You know, people always says it's a long story, when it really isn't. But either way, I got time. So, tell me everything."
Natsu sighed. "Well, it started about a month ago..."
"Bring it on, ice princess!"
"Flame-brains!"
"Creepy flasher!"
"Dragonbreath!"
"Here we go again," Happy sat in the background, watching as the two rivals were each other's throats.
No one really paid any mind, since this was almost everyday basis, well no one except Juvia. "Gray darling, I don't think we have time for this right now. The train leaves in half an hour, we can't be late."
"Don't worry Juvia, this isn't gonna take more than five seconds," the ice mage declared arrogantly.
"Five seconds, eh?" Natsu said, amused. "Your right. Within five seconds you'll be flat on a floor."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!"
When the two were just about to engage in battle again, Natsu suddenly stopped. "Oh my god, dude! Where is your pants?" He exclaimed, pointing Gray's lower section.
"What!?" Taking confirming look - was he indeed not wearing any pants - it was already too late, when he realized it was all a hoax. The ice mage was sucker punched right on the chin, and was out cold in second.
Natsu laughed triumphantly.
"That was a cheap trick," Happy flew beside his jubilant friend.
"All's fair in war and war."
"I think it's love and war," the exceed corrected.
"You say it your way. I say it my way."
"Oh no! Gray! My love, wake up!" Natsu and Happy turned their heads and saw Juvia kneeling beside Gray, trying to wake him up, unsuccessfully.
"He took quite a hit. I don't think he'll be up anytime soon," Erza, who had idly followed the situation, walked towards Juvia and unconscious Gray, to check the ice mage's condition herself.
"Are you sure?" Juvia asked, as if hoping Erza would say no and that everything would be okay.
Erza gave Juvia an apologetic smile. "I would think so."
The water mage sighed, she took a look at the clock, then Gray, then the clock again, and let out another sigh. She finally got up, looking absolutely defeated. "I guess I must go alone then," Juvia said, her voice barely audible. And like that, she walked out off the quild hall, looking like the most miserable being that have ever lived.
"Poor Juvia, she was so excited about that mission with Gray," Lucy's voice suddenly came beside Natsu.
"Mission?" Natsu repeated.
"Yeah. She's been talking about it all week."
"She have?" Why hadn't he heard about this.
"Yes. It really is a shame. This mission was perfect for those two," said Erza, who was now - somehow - other side of Natsu. "And to think that poor girl has to take on this quest all by herself now. What a tragedy!"
Lucy nodded her head. "Mm-hmm! If only there would be some chivalrous young man, who could help Juvia. Someone who perhaps has something to atone, because he's basically responsible for this mess. Someone..."
"You know I was there, right?" Lucy raised her eyebrow to Natsu.
"You said tell everything!" The dragon slayer shrugged innocently.
Lucy nodded her head sideways, lips quirking concedingly. "Fair enough. Continue."
"So," Natsu cleared his throat. "I felt really bad about the whole thing, so I decided to go and help Juvia with the mission."
"Plus Lucy and Erza basically bullied you into it," Happy piped in.
"Yeah that too," Natsu pointed passingly, before continuing. "I had to run all the way, but luckily we made just in time for the train..."
Natsu and Happy collapsed on the seat across from Juvia, with a loud moan, trying to even their breath. Juvia flinched out from her thoughts and stared the two unexpected arrivals. "Natsu? Happy?" Looking each of them alternately, with bewilderment.
"Hi Juvia," Natsu breathlessly greeted by raising his hand, Happy following suit. "I told you we're gonna make it," he said smugly to his exceed friend.
Happy just laughed lightly. "I don't thing I have ever seen you run that fast to the train before, considering how much you hate riding one."
Natsu opened his mouth, but Juvia cut in before he could retort. "Why are you here?"
At once Natsu's attention was back on Juvia, wide grin plastering his face. "To help you with the mission of course," saying it like it was obvious - because why else would they be there. Juvia only blinked, eyebrows raised, but didn't say a word. Soon Natsu's smile turned guilty and he added. "It was kind of my fault. You know, that you had to go alone and all."
Juvia must of caught the guilt from Natsu's voice because she hurriedly shook her head, hands rapidly swaying in front of her. "No, no! Please don't think I blame you. It was just an unfortunate accident. No one is to blame."
Natsu released the air he wasn't aware he was holding. For all the time spended with Erza and Lucy he was expecting some kind of beratÃng. Seeing Natsu relax must've put Juvia at ease as well, for she was - although bashfully - smiling.
"If anything, I should thank you. It was very kind from you to come," Juvia raised her eyes from her hands and smiled a bit more openly now. "Both of you."
"It's the least I could do," Natsu laughed, giving his signature grin.
"Aye!" Happy chirped.
The comfortable silence, that had settled, lasted only a few seconds, when suddenly the look on Juvia's face changed. She looked like she had something important to say, but had almost forgotten it (and Natsu was pretty sure what that was). "But-"
Guessing what Juvia were going to say - that she was touched, but she could do this on her own, and all that crap - Natsu cutted right in. "No buts. We're going with you, whether you like it or not," he said adamantly.
"No it's-" Juvia tried again, but was cut off the same way as before.
"We're staying and that's that, end of discussion," Natsu crossed his arms to amplify his resolve.
Happy gave a little laugh. "There is no changing his mind Juvia, he's stubborn as a mule."
Juvia shook her head. "It's not that." She looked them both innocently. "I was just wondering, don't you have a luggage?"
Natsu blinked once. Then twice. "Oh... Right... Damn it..."
A.N. I hope that wasn't a weird place to end the chapter, haha. xp Originally the first chapter was supposed to be a much longer, but I'm not the most hardworking person out there and I wanna keep the updates somewhat regular, so I chipped it down a bit. Hopefully this way the chapters comes more frequently. ;D And feel free to correct any grammar/spelling mistakes, English is not my first language. And any other kind of feedback is greatly appreciated as well. I wanna thank you for reading, and if you liked this I guess we see each other in the next chapter. Ciao! ;3