5. Welcome to the World of the Living
5th June 2012
Previously
"Hi."
A male voice – a nice male voice – brings my attention back to the present and I feel the blood drain from my face as I realise who it belongs to.
Shit. Please, no.
I screw my eyes shut in an attempt to pass it off as a dream - please, please, please let this not be real - but to my mortification, when I open my eyes, I'm still in bed with a half-naked (please let him just be half-naked) teenage boy.
I look up as slowly as I can get away with; dread joins the nausea that's coiling violently in the pit of my stomach as my gaze passes over the expanse of lightly-tanned skin taut across his broad shoulders, over his relaxed neck, his defined jaw, a sharp-toothed grin, dark slanted eyes, and – I knew it – salmon-pink hair sticking up in all directions.
Natsu chuckles deep in his throat. "Morning, princess. How's your head?"
Holy shit.
Gray is going to kill me.
I stare at him, unblinking. He happily meets my gaze, a slight smirk on his lips and his arm still draped lazily across my waist.
After a moment or so of silent eye contact, he clears his throat awkwardly. "Is your head, uh... okay? You bumped it pretty hard..." He pauses, looking guilty. "Both times." I stare at him for a little longer and he squirms uncomfortably under my scrutiny, his gaze drifting up to the ceiling. "Can you not... stare so much?"
Can I not stare?
Can. I. Not. Stare!?
Screaming, I wrench his arm from my body; pushing the blanket off me with my other hand, I leap from the bed (elbowing his stomach as hard as I can in the process) and glance around frantically. Without wasting so much as a second, I rush for the first door I see and slam it shut behind me.
I lean my back against it, panting and holding one hand to my racing heart. "Holy shit. Holy crap. Oh my holy crap." I keep this chant up until my heartbeat slows down, keeping my eyes clenched shut. "Holy fucking crap."
Okay, Lucy, worst case scenario: you slept with him. Which obviously isn't the case. Second worst case scenario: he kidnapped you and is now holding you hostage for a ransom against your will.
That is definitely a possibility.
Holy shit. I can't believe I've been kidnapped. I'm going to die. Oh my God, I'm going to die!
No no no, deep breaths; think about this logically, Lucy. Stay calm and think about it logically.
So I've been kidnapped, no big deal, right? I can pay him, can't I? I can – I don't know, I can cook for him? Wait, I can escape through a window! Find a window! But what if he's waiting for me on the other side?
"Hey, what was that for?" His petulant groan sounds muffled through the door, and it halts me in my tracks.
"Wh-wha-" I stop, clear my throat and try again. "I-I can pay you! I'll give you the money, just please let me go!"
There's silence on the other side of the door. That's not supposed to happen; the kidnapping murdering terrifying bad guy is never supposed to not answer. I keep my eyes squeezed shut, too scared to open them.
"I can, um, I can," I add on, trying to convince him. "I'm a good cook! I'll make anything! Please don't kill me and-" I gulp "-eat me..."
Because cooking always saves the day – fantastically handled, Lucy.
That leaves the window option. I snap my eyes open; my gaze darts around what seems to be a bathroom only for me to realise that the only window is too small for Levy to fit through, never mind me.
Oh my God. Levy.
What have the kidnappers done to Levy? And Jellal and Juvia and Gray? What'll I do if they've eaten Gray!?
A knock on the door snaps me out of it; I run and press my back to it again lest my kidnapper try to break in. Bastard ate my brother, like hell I'm letting him in! When he knocks again, I fall to the floor with a choked whimper. I can't believe this is happening to me – I'm too young to die! There are so many things I haven't done yet! I've yet to publish a novel, or become a model, or be self-sustaining, or- I mean, I haven't even met my fans ye- I don't have any fans yet! I can't die!
I've almost reached the point of uncontrollable hyperventilation when a familiar voice calls through the door, "Lucy?"
"Gray!? You're alive!" I twist and clutch the door-handle above my head desperately. "Gray, help me! Quickly, before he returns with backup! Tell Father I've been kidnapped! And beat Pinky up for me, I'm too scared to- oh, but be careful, he could try to eat y-"
"I'm not that easy to beat up!" an indignant voice I recognise to be Natsu's pipes up.
"Go, Gray! Do it now! Before he kills me with his cannibalistic cruelty!" I whimper, my hands falling by my side as I scramble away from the door to the centre of the bathroom.
After a silent moment, the handle twists and the door slowly clicks open. Half of me doesn't want to look – what if I see Gray with a knife sticking up from his heart, his hand extended towards me as he desperately tries to save his dear little sister even in the cold clutches of dea-
"Oh."
I blink rapidly.
Juvia is standing at the door with an amused expression while a confused Gray stands beside Natsu, who's squinting at me like I'm crazy. "Uh... So... You guys were, uh-" I clear my throat awkwardly "-kidnapped too, huh?"
Gray's eyes are round and worried as he watches me like a hawk. "Do all fiction writers have this kind of imagination?" he asks warily. He's wearing the same clothes he was yesterday, although his hair is wet. He showered?
"Um," I stutter, still perplexed, still kneeling in the middle of a stranger's bathroom and staring, dumbfounded, at my twin.
"Juvia heard you scream," the older girl explains, walking towards me and helping me to my feet. "Gray-sama and Juvia rushed here as fast as we could, but Natsu told us you, um-"
"Went batshit on me," Natsu supplies as Juvia trips over her words; his eyes are wide as he continues to eye me up cautiously.
Juvia nods with a straight face. "Yes, uh... that."
Sudden relief leaves my knees a little weak, and I lean on her for support. "So w-we're not kidnapped?"
Gray makes a choked noise of disbelief as Juvia giggles, "No, Lucy. We aren't kidnapped."
"And, um," I falter, glancing at Natsu, who's turned away from me, his shoulders shaking from the force of what appears to be silent laughter. I purse my lips, feeling stupid. "He's not a bad guy?"
"He's an idiot, but he's not gonna kill us," Gray supplies.
"I'm not an idiot, idiot," Natsu snaps at him, amusement cut short. He turns to face me again and I'm suddenly very aware that he is indeed very, very shirtless. And has a defined six-pack. And messy bed hair. And a really adorable grin...
"But," I say quickly, glancing away and hoping he didn't notice me checking him out, "that still doesn't explain why he was sleeping with me."
"Wait," Gray says quickly, "what?"
I blink as Juvia tenses under my arm. "What?"
"What did you just say?"
"What about it?"
"N-no, repeat what you just said!"
"What?"
"What what?"
"What are you talking about?"
"What you just said!" I watch, confused as his incredulous gaze snaps from me to Natsu, who looks just as bewildered as I am. "Repeat what you said, Lucy!"
"Wh... why?" I narrow my eyes in suspicion.
"Just do it!" he snaps.
"Woah, okay! Sorry," I mumble as I struggle to remember. "I just said that, uh..." The phrase comes to me in an instant and I grin in victory. "It doesn't explain why Natsu and I slept together, that's all!"
There's an awkward moment as I realise simultaneously that I could have worded it better and that it's new information to both Juvia and Gray. "N-Not like tha-"
"How dare you!?" Gray cuts me off, shouting as he jumps at a flustered Natsu, who side-steps out of the way like he was expecting it.
"She said she was cold," he defends himself, although I don't miss the hint of pink in his cheeks. Aw, he looks so cute when he's pouting...
Gray's fist connects with his face, halting my admiration. "Yeah, I'm sure you warmed her right up! You're dead!"
"Gray!" I yell. "Stop! What are you doing!? You can't just..." I trail off as Natsu flips Gray over onto the floor and jumps on him, fists raised. "Y-you... shouldn't fight..."
Juvia sighs exasperatedly behind me. "You okay, Lucy?" she asks me. I turn to see her bright smile.
"I, uh-" I glance back at the two boys wrestling on the floor. "I'm fine, but shouldn't we, um-" I wince slightly as Gray's foot collides with Natsu's toned abdomen, and doesn't even elicit a flinch "-stop them or something?"
Juvia shakes her head. "It was exactly like this last night, too. They don't exactly get along," she explains. "Natsu's bullying of Gray-sama aside, how's your head?"
"Actually, now that you mention it, it kind of hurts." I raise a hand to the back of my head and grimace when the pressure of my thumb creates a stabbing sensation. "A lot. What happened last night? The last thing I remember is..." I trail off as I remember it all over again. "Oh my God." I drop my head to my hands in embarrassment.
Lucy Heartfilia: alcohol virgin, perhaps, but kiss virgin no longer.
Juvia giggles, well aware of what I'm blushing over. "Levy and Juvia were just talking about it." I feel my spirits drop further. "Anyway, after that," she smiles wickedly, "you hit your head again and passed out for the night; you really had us worried, Lucy. And Gajeel couldn't fix Pantherlily so he, Natsu and Erza helped us push it here and by then it was around two in the morning, so we all just stayed over. This is Natsu's place, actually."
"Huh," I murmur, glancing again at my brother. "I can't believe I gave my first kiss to..." Natsu squirms violently as a Gray yelling something about 'stolen innocence' holds him in a chokehold. "To, uh... that."
"Perhaps Juvia should call Erza," Juvia speculates, eyeing them. "Poor Gray-sama – he's so kind to put up with Natsu's harassment."
I can't quite wrap my head around her logic. "I wouldn't really call that 'putting up with', Juvia." She just hmms and dodges Gray's shirt as it flies over her head. "Who's Erza, by the way? I kind of remember Gajeel, but-" I pause as I realise Juvia's not listening; her large ultramarine eyes are locked to my twin's naked torso. I cringe – Lord knows what she sees in him. In a louder voice, I repeat, "Who's Erza?"
As soon as the name leaves my lips, a confident female voice from behind me answers, "I am." I turn, as do the other three – Gray and Natsu frozen in their places – to see a curvaceous girl about my age with striking scarlet hair and eyes so brown they almost look a purplish grey striding towards me. She's dressed in a short white skirt and a matching high collared top.
She holds out a hand to me, a welcoming smile on her lips. "My name is Erza Scarlet. I'm eighteen years old, and I live across the hall. I helped push you here. Well, your truck here. Well, J-Jellal's truck here." She pretends she didn't stammer on his name.
"Uh..." I take her hand hesitantly; her grip is firm and warm. I grin back uneasily and her smile widens. "Lucy Heartfilia, sixteen. I live... across... uh, from my neighbour?"
Despite my anything-but-stellar introduction, she smiles. "Pleasure. Is there anything you need?"
"I, um..." I scratch the back of my head out of habit and wince when it worsens the ache. Erza catches my grimace and her smile immediately drops, her face morphing into an expression so guilty I'm taken aback.
"Your head! Of course! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" She brings her other hand to mine and clasps it in despair. "Had I arrived earlier, you wouldn't have sustained such severe injuries. I've completely let you down, I know I have - please, hit me! I'll never let it happen again!" I stare at her, open-mouthed, as she continues in her completely unnecessary heartfelt apology. "And I apologise on behalf of Natsu, he's just an idi- Oi, you!" Her gaze slides to the pink-haired boy (who still isn't wearing a shirt – I mean, not that I noticed! He just... He isn't...); she drops my hand and starts stomping towards him. "Apologise to Lucy!"
"Aye!" I watch, dumbfounded, as Natsu rushes forward and salutes. "Lucy, I apologise!"
"Introduce yourself!"
I take a moment to take in my surroundings as Erza disappears into a third door leading from his room which I can only assume to be his wardrobe; this bedroom has rich maroon walls, and all the furniture is made of a warm-coloured wood save the cream leather spinning chair tucked into a desk. It's surprisingly stylish – minimalistic, but homey at the same time.
"This is my room," Natsu informs me in an amused voice, catching me sizing up his bedroom. "Natsu Dragneel. Seventeen. Kidnapper extraordinaire."
I can't help but giggle at his smirk. "Nice to meet you."
I glance around again. No posters, no pictures, no overpriced guitars or piles of books – it's a nice room, but it's not very... I mean, I'd have guessed someone like Natsu would have a different room to this, that's all. It's just- Come on, what teenage boy doesn't have suggestive cut-outs pinned over his bed? Or is that just Gray being a creeper?
And seriously, what seventeen year old is that toned? I mean, not that I'm complaining or anything - and not that I'm looking - but he must work out a lot. I know Gray trains for three hours a day minimum, and he and Natsu have the same lean, muscular build.
Natsu's charcoal gaze catches mine and he beams a genuine smile. "I'm not gonna eat you, by the way," he teases.
I laugh awkwardly. "Yeah, thanks for the newsflash."
"Thought I'd let you know."
"I appreciate that."
Our introduction is cut short by Erza, who reappears suddenly and shoves a bundle of clothes into his arms. "Get dressed. Breakfast in ten minutes."
"Aye!" he shoots back, grasping the clothes and walking past me to the bathroom. As he passes me, he throws me another wide grin. "Welcome to Fairy Tail."
"I- um- thank you?" He closes the door behind him, leaving me in confusion. I turn my gaze back to Gray, who's still sitting on the ground, shirtless, while Juvia fusses over him. He glances up and catches my eye.
"You okay?" he asks me.
"Definitely." I smile at him. "Some painkillers and I'll be good as new."
He nods. "Cool." He takes the shirt Juvia is brandishing towards him and struggles to put it on as quickly as possible. I shake my head at him; hopeless boy.
"Lucy, come with me," Erza exclaims suddenly, grabbing me by the wrist and leading me out of the room. I follow without resistance, taking note of my unfamiliar surroundings; it looks like we're in an apartment of some sort.
She leads me through a hallway and straight into a joint living room and kitchen. The back wall of the living room is dominated by a glass door that bathes the beige walls with sunlight and illuminates the whole room. Outside, I can see a small terrace, just big enough for two deck chairs and a tiny coffee table.
Two familiar heads of blue are visible over the back of a cream sofa, a muted TV sitting in the background as they talk quietly to each other. They glance up as they hear us come in; Erza goes straight for the kitchen as I make a beeline for my friends.
"Jellal, Levy," I laugh in relief. "So everyone's here, that's good."
Both their faces split into wide grins at the sight of me.
"Lu-chan!" Levy leaps up, offering me her seat as she perches on the armrest of the couch. "It's already twelve thirty; I thought you'd never wake up!"
"Wait, seriously?" I look around worriedly for a clock as I sit down beside Jellal. "Why didn't you guys wake me? This isn't even my house!"
She giggles. "We tried to but Erza wouldn't have it. She insisted you needed to heal."
I sigh, shaking my head. "I'm fine, really. She shouldn't make such a fuss."
As if on cue, Erza places a glass of water and two pills on the glass coffee table in front of me. She kneels on the floor and hands me a plate of sliced apples. Smiling sweetly, she tucks a strand of scarlet hair behind her ear. "You must be hungry."
"Really, Erza," I mutter, flustered, "you're too kind! I can take care of myself, you don't need to-"
"Nonsense," she shakes her head. "You're a guest here. Besides, it was partially my fault you were injured so it's my responsibility to ensure your recovery. Anyway," she adds on as I open my mouth to argue, "I've been waiting for you to wake up." She glances down at the plate on my lap. "So eat."
Giving in, I pick up a piece of apple and smile at her sincerely. "Thank you."
"Yeah, thank you, Erza, really," Levy pipes up. "Gajeel said last night it was you who made him come help us. I'm not sure what we would have done without you."
"Probably just called someone else," Jellal finally enters the conversation. When Levy turns to glare lightly at her older brother, he backtracks, "But thanks anyway. Thought that counts."
I frown in confusion – someone's being negative – as I chew on the sweet fruit. "You okay, Jellal?"
He smiles at me, his hazel eyes bright. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"
I shrug noncommittally and go back to eating. "Nevermind."
Levy's expression clears and she turns back to me as I watch Erza twist her hands in her lap distractedly. "Lu-chan, do you want me to explain what happened? You must be confused."
I tear my gaze from the scarlet-haired girl and give my friend a relieved smile. "Yes, please."
"Sure," she says happily – too happily. Uh oh... "Okay, so you bumped your head after you kissed Natsu-" I hear Jellal chuckle quietly from behind me as Erza ducks her head to hide her smile "-not that it meant anything, we know!" Levy adds on. She's also smirking, though.
I scowl in humiliation at the plate in my lap. "Blame the concussion, please," I mumble dejectedly.
"We know," Jellal says knowingly from beside me, "but that doesn't make it any less funny. That was your first kiss, right?"
I groan as Erza gasps. "Really? You gave Natsu your first kiss?" I drop my head to my palms as a way of admission, and she lets out a low whistle. "You poor girl."
Levy, however, laughs. "Look on the bright side, Lu-chan! At least Gray can't tease you about it anymore!"
"Nah, I'm sure he won't ever bring it up again, considering it was his archenemy that you kissed," Jellal adds in helpfully. "What a lovely little sister." The three of them laugh at my expense and I feel myself blush in mortification. I keep my hands to my face to hide it.
"Shut up, you guys," I mumble into my palms.
"Make me, princess," Levy giggles in a deep-voiced imitation of Natsu.
"I will," Jellal joins in, pretending to be me. Erza snickers at the high-pitched voice he puts on. I notice Erza's talking normally now instead of the formal tone she had earlier – she was probably just nervous, and I can't help but find that endearing. But I'd like her even more if she'd stop laughing at me.
"Why am I friends with you people?" I whine. "You're all so mean!"
"Now you're even starting to sound like Natsu," Erza says thoughtfully. "He's always calling me and Gajeel mean."
"Wow, thanks, Erza. Just what I needed to hear," I grumble morosely. "You guys are awful."
"Aw, it's not so bad, Lu-chan!" Levy pats me on the back, half-comforting, half-mocking. "Nobody's first kiss is ever perfect. Take Gray for example! His wasn't anything special."
"Mine's as far away from perfect as I think it gets, Levy," I sigh, looking up again. I place the plate on the glass coffee table and pick up the cup and pills. "At least Gray doesn't have to face her again."
Levy sighs. "If it means anything, I'd rather have your first kiss than mine."
Jellal splutters, "Y-you've kissed someone!?"
I smirk at his overreaction. "What, so the big brother's not so teasing when it's his sister, is he?"
"Who? When?" he demands to know, ignoring me completely. "Who!? Why didn't you tell me? You're only sixteen, you're too young!"
Levy snorts. "You're not even a whole year older than me."
"Eleven months is pretty much a year, Levy. More importantly, who did you kiss? Who was it!? Did you two know about this?"
The scarlet-haired teen jumps as Jellal rounds on her unexpectedly. "Why on earth would I know about it?"
A flustered Jellal just stammers some more. "I-I... I'll kill him," he declares to no-one in particular, nodding at some plan formulating in his mind.
Levy watches him, amused, as he works himself into a panic. "I was seven, Jellal. No need to go all crazy. It was Jet, actually; he and Droy were arguing about who cared more about me-" I snort; nothing's changed, then "-and Jet stole the book I was reading to prove his point. I asked for it back and he said only if I kissed him." She giggles at the memory. "Me being the little prostitute I was, agreed. Then Droy got jealous and kissed me straight after." She laughs, shaking her head. "So typical."
"That shouldn't count – you weren't even a decade old and I'm nearly two," I grumble. "Erza, comfort me. How was your first kiss?"
"Wh-what? Me?" Unprepared for the question, she squirms uncomfortably before changing her position so she's sitting cross-legged instead of on her knees. I take the pills as she wrings her hands again and looks anywhere but at us, ignoring the three curious gazes on her. "I-I don't really remember."
Levy scoffs sceptically. "Really?"
Erza shrugs; she looks distracted again, like she's thinking something over. "Jellal, how was your first kiss?" She looks up and pierces him with an unreadable expression. Both Levy and I look over to the blue-haired boy, who shrugs good-naturedly, not seeming to mind the question.
"I don't know if I've had it."
Levy answers immediately. "You have, I walked in on it."
"Really?" Jellal asks curiously, leaning forward. "When? No, wait, who?"
Erza gives Jellal a weird look, an indecipherable emotion in dark eyes. "How can you not know?"
Jellal shrugs again, glancing at the red-head. "I might have forgotten."
She cocks an eyebrow in disbelief. "You're kidding, right?"
"I have gaps in my memory," he explains. Erza manages to look both dubious and interested at the same time. "I got in an accident when I was younger, was in the hospital for a while. Got a nasty scar too, that's why I have this-" he lightly brushes the reddish tattoo bordering his right eye with his fingers "-it's to cover it up. Anyway, they gave me some weird drugs by accident." He grins crookedly. "Screwed up my brain."
"He's exaggerating," Levy rolls her eyes. Erza's dark eyes flash to her hazel ones. "He just forgot about most of his time in the hospital, and a couple months prior to the accident. And it's coming back too, you know," she continues, tucking a stray strand of her messy blue hair behind her ear. "He remembers the fire and everything now. Right?"
He nods when Levy throws him a questioning glance. "Everything but the stay in the hospital itself, actually."
"Yeah, I've always wondered why that is," Levy ponders.
I glance at Jellal. "Maybe it's because you have like, triggers here, you know? Your family and me and Gray and everyone to remind you. The only reminder of your time in the hospital is Grandine, really, and she was hardly around when you were in there, anyway. I doubt that's enough to overcome the amnesia."
"Yeah," he agrees, eyes narrowed in concentration as he struggles to remember. "She was... quitting, right?"
"We've told you a million times," Levy teases. "If you don't remember by now-"
"Hey, it'll come back eventually," Jellal defends himself. "Patience, Levy. Patience."
"Don't you mean 'my young padawan'?" she scoffs at his tone.
He rolls his eyes at his younger sister. "Dork."
"I'm not a dork!"
As the siblings argue, I turn back to the scarlet-haired teen, but when I glance at her, I freeze. Erza's gazing at the carpet, looking lost in thought as she wrings her hands in her lap almost viciously. Her expression is forlorn.
"Um, Erza?" I prod gently. Jellal and Levy don't notice, still caught up in their light-hearted bickering. "Are... you okay?"
She glances up at the sound of her name, her hair falling over her face as she does. There are tears in her eyes. She blinks rapidly before I can do anything, and within two seconds she's smiling at me again, a perfect mask of composure on her face. "Of course," she assures me.
I falter for a moment; the smile doesn't reach her eyes.
She keeps her gaze locked with mine, daring me to look away, to pretend like I don't notice.
"Erza," I start in a quiet voice, but I cut off as she suddenly stands up; Jellal and Levy pause in their conversation to look at her curiously.
She frowns lightly. "I'm going to see what's taking Natsu so long."
Levy gives her an open smile. "Okay." Erza doesn't return it, quickly walking past the couch and out the room.
As soon as she's gone, Jellal leans close to me and whispers in my ear, "When she first saw me, she had a panic attack. I was ignored for the rest of the night."
"What?" I turn to stare at him; his easygoing expression is replaced by a suspicious one, his hazel eyes narrowed.
Levy nods, very suddenly looking anxious as she checks behind her shoulder to see if anyone's listening. "I don't know why, when we asked she just laughed it off. Lu-chan, I think... Maybe she knows Jellal?"
I shake my head in confusion. "I don't have a clue."
Jellal catches my eye. "We should be wary of her."
Both Levy and I blink at him; I laugh uneasily when he doesn't say anything. "Are you kidding? It can't be anything bad, just... Maybe she was just having a bad night, or maybe you look like someone she knows, I don't know."
Levy nods, agreeing with me. "She's a good person, Jellal. There's no need to be so paranoid."
He just frowns, looking down at his hands. His cobalt hair falls across his forehead and over his eyes. "I know she's hiding something."
I sigh. "You don't trust anyone."
"My gut's telling me she's suspicious. You admitted it yourself, Lucy – there's something going on with that girl."
"No, I'm just saying that she might be struggling with something right now. It's not our business, Jellal. It might not even have anything to do with you!"
His frown deepens, doubt written clearly across his face. "I'm telling you, that Erza's hiding something – something important."
I laugh uneasily. In the pits of my stomach, I can't help but feel that he's right.
('The day a reckless pink-haired idiot gives Lucy a concussion is the day her life changes forever; before she knows it, she's thrust into a world full of charismatic friends and villains alike. Welcome to the cosy insanity of Fairy Tail, home of outsiders. And you know what? For the first time in her life, Lucy feels like she actually belongs, misfit and all.')
