A candle flickered softly. Wax pooled into the bottom of the holder, releasing a sweet scent of vanilla. It cast a warm shadow onto the desk where a blonde head rested. She murmured in her sleep, rustling the reams of paper beneath her as she moved slightly. It was calm peaceful and quiet.
Suddenly, the door to the apartment was kicked in with an almighty bang.
"Lucy!" Natsu yelled, striding in carrying two stuffed greasy bags. Happy flew in circles behind him.
"Aiee!" Lucy squealed, awakening with a start. She involuntarily pushed back against her chair and was sent sprawling across the floor. She rubbed her blurry eyes, slowly opening them. Natsu's head peered down at her. He chuckled.
"What are you doing on the floor? Weirdo."
Lucy scrambled to her feet, outraged. She was about to start screaming when a loud rumble stopped her. Natsu laughed and patted her stomach.
"See, Happy? I told you she would be hungry. You've been up here for hours Lucy!" Natsu grinned, dropping cross legged to the floor and pulling Lucy down with him. "I brought food!"
Lucy's mouth watered at the scintillating smells of the food, Natsu had clearly brought all of her favourites.
"You should still knock…" she mumbled half-heartedly, before tucking into the Chinese food Natsu had brought with relish.
"Yeah, yeah!" Natsu rolled his eyes, his mouth full of dumplings.
"Natsu! Aren't you forgetting something?" Happy said, knocking on Natsu's head as though he were a door.
"Oh yeah! Lucy, your Dad is here. He's looking for you." Natsu said, food spraying from his mouth.
"What?! Why?! Why didn't you tell me that first? Where is he?!" Lucy yelped. The last time she had seen her father he had been begging her for money. She couldn't imagine what he would want now.
"In the guild." Natsu shrugged. "I thought you would want food first."
Lucy glared at him, before looking down at her dishevelled, just woken appearance.
"He can't see me like this!" She squealed, making a beeline for her bathroom. Natsu and Happy looked at each other and raised their eyebrows. They would never understand girls. Why shower when there was plenty of good food to eat?!
Lucy raced around trying to get ready. She picked out a soft pink dress that reached her knee, for modesty's sake, but she tied her whip around the middle to act as a belt. She may not want to antagonise her father by the way she dressed, but she still wanted him to be reminded that she wasn't his little girl anymore.
"Come on Natsu!" She shouted as she pulled on matching shoes.
"Why do I have to go?! I still have food left!" He said indignantly, crossing his arms.
Lucy glowered and put her hands on her hips.
"Scary…" Happy whimpered.
"Now. Natsu." She growled.
He let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine."
He reluctantly got to his feet, and then with a burst of speed ran at Lucy and threw her over his shoulder. He launched himself across of the room and out of the open window, landing gracefully.
"Natsu!" Lucy screamed, belatedly. "Put me down! Idiot!"
"But it's quicker!" he moaned.
"I don't care. Oh my, I feel sick." Lucy said, looking a little green.
The guild was in its usual uproar, with fights breaking out, glasses being clinked together in companionship and Cana challenging everyone to drinking contests. Mira smiled at everyone with her sparkling eyes. She loved it when the guild was full of life. Today, however, her eyes caught sight of something which made her frown. Lucy's father sat alone at the bar, his appearance rugged, drinking solitarily. Mira tried to see the best in people, but Lucy's father seemed to be giving off a bad vibe. She didn't like it one bit.
The doors to the guild swing open. Lucy marched in, clutching Natsu's ear, dragging him along. She seemed to berating him for something. As easy smile came to Mira's lips, she loved seeing the two of them together. They suited so well. Out of the corner of her eye, Lucy's father got to his feet.
Lucy saw him too and stopped. Natsu stood upright, clutching his red throbbing ear.
"Dad?" Lucy said tentatively.
Her father merely nodded. "Is there some where we can talk in private?"
"Hey! Lucy is a part of our guild. Whatever you want to say to her, you can say in front of us." Natsu growled, his arms crossed against his chest.
Lucy's father glared at Natsu, but Lucy interrupted his rebuke.
"Natsu is right, Father. This is my family now." Lucy said, returning her father's look. "Say what you have to say and go."
"Fine." Her father growled. "If this is the way you want it. Lucy, you are to be married immediately. I have made all the arrangements. This is non-negotiable. It is the only way I can restore the Heartfilia family to our previous glory. You will do this for me."
The guild fell silent. Mira could count on her hand the amount of times that had ever happened.
"W-what?" Lucy gasped. "N-n-no"
"You have no choice!" Her father snapped, his voice cracking like a whip.
The guild erupted into protests, and food was flung at Lucy's father. He stood unwavering glaring at Lucy. But Mira wasn't looking at them. She was looking at a particular dragon slayer who seemed stunned. He was silent and had paled completely, his eyes wide and disbelieving. Despite the tense situation, Mira chuckled softly to herself. Lucy's father didn't know what he was in for.