Dragon Fever
The next day, Lucy was sat in the Great Hall playing with her food. It was lunchtime and, surprisingly, she hadn’t seen Natsu since the morning before.
It wasn’t like she was desperate to see him or anything, she just wanted to talk to him. It felt weird to ignore him after what he had told her.
“You okay Lucy? You seem kinda space today.” Lisanna leaned infront
of the blonde and waved her hand lazily at her.
Lucy snapped back to the noisy reality of the Hall. “Oh..yeah I’m fine.” She replied mumbling and looking around.
She caught sight of the tall raven haired boy walking past.
Without really thinking, Lucy grabbed his wrist. “Hey Gray,” He looked down at her raising his brow in a mixed confusion and concern.
“Have you seen Natsu today… Anywhere?”
His expression eased and he nodded.
“He’s got a fever. He’ll be fine, should be back to classes tomorrow. Don’t worry about that dumbass.”
She nodded back gently and let
go of the boy’s wrist.
She felt her chest tighten subtly.
“Okay, thanks.” She smiled as he walked off, quickly catching a glare from the Ravenclaw table. Though she was used to it by now, Juvia got jealous easily.
✨✨✨
Cana fell onto an armchair inside the common room. “Oh my god. I’m so-o tired.” She whined, flailing her arms dramatically over her face.
Lucy threw her bag down, not really paying any attention to her friend. “I’m gonna go see him.”
“Who?”
But she didn’t reply, just walked briskly in the direction of the boys rooms.
“Luce!”
Once again the only thought on her mind was that she needed to see if he was okay, if he was..
She opened the door to see a sleeping salmon haired boy. He was snoring loudly, tucked up in his sheets with a cozy place in the centre of the room.
Lucy approached the bed with a small smile on her face. As she watched the gentle rise and fall of his chest, there was a bubbly feeling in her stomach. It was almost painful, like a tugging on her gut.
She didn’t know the feeling, it was strange and alarming, but she didn’t dislike it either.
Natsu flinched and grumbled, squinting as his eyes fluttered open.
“Lucy?..”
His voice was quiet, raspier than usual and slightly nasally from his blocked nose.
“Am I dreaming?” He looked her up and down and she chuckled lightly.
“No, I just came to check on you is all. Gray said you got sick.” She replied pulling a little wooden stool up to his bedside and perching on it.
“Oh, kay. Thanks Lu.”
‘Lu.’ Another tug.
“I can go if you want.” Lucy whispered gently.
“I don’t mind,” He shifted to a more comfortable position.
“Natsu..thank you for telling me. About your dad I mean.”
He smiled his cheesy grin. It made her feel safe, comfortable. “It’s cus I trust ya!”
She beamed back, a small ache in her heart. It made her happy that he did. For as mean as she’d been to him.
“I’m..I’m sorry. I’ve not been very good to you. I do want to be friends. Best friends.” Lucy gave him a weak and gentle smile.
“Best friends.” His own smile softened before closing his eyes with a relaxed expression. “By the way, I’m probably just gonna fall asleep again..” Natsu said already drifting back into a doze.
She continued to smile with a small nod, there was no question. She was going to stay. Until he didn’t need her, or flat-out told her to leave. There was no reason for her to, but that didn’t bother her. She didn’t need a reason.
And so she stayed, for about three quarters of an hour before she finally heard a voice.
“Uh, hello? Am I in the wrong room?”
She turned to the voice at the door. A few steps into the room stood a tall boy with striking orange hair. It was very spiky hair and yet it looked soft, similar to that of a cat or even a lion.
“Sorry! I’m Lucy Heartfilia. Natsu is..he’s my friend and I was just checking up on him. I’ll go now.” Lucy stood up and bowed in apology.
“Hey, hey. Don’t let me get in the way sweetheart. I’m certainly not gonna be the one to kick a beautiful girl out.” He smirked, strutting to his own bed and crossing his legs as he sat down confidently.
Lucy physically cringed at his words.
“Thanks?..”
“Loke is the name. Or Leo. If you prefer.” He winked smirking at her.
She nodded hesitantly turning her head back to Natsu. She knew she should leave and before she did, the girl gently placed a hand on top of his.
Natsu’s hand was bigger than hers, warm and calloused. (Likely because of his habit of blowing up potions.)
She stood like that for much longer than intended before whispering “Get well soon dummy. It’s weird without you around.” making her way to the door.
“Hey, Miss Lucy!”
She turned stiffly with a forced smile.
“Yes?”
“Come see me play in the Quidditch match tomorrow?”
“Sure!” She replied through gritted teeth, then turned back and left before he could entangle her in anything else.
✨✨✨
Lucy was sat in bed and, to her annoyance and slight confusion, she was thinking about Natsu.
“And you Lucy?” Lisanna snapped her attention back.
“Hm?..” She responded slightly dazed.
“Is there anyone you like?”
Like? Absolutely not. Lucy was dead set on her studies.
‘Natsu.’
Her dream was to become a world renowned author of magical studies,
‘Natsu.’
she had no time for silly crushes on teenage boys.
“No..I don’t.”
Cana raised a suspicious brow at her. “Oh? You sure? I see you hanging around that Natsu a lot. Or maybe Gray?”
“I wouldn’t do that to Juvia!” She became slightly defensive, to which Cana chuckled in amusement.
“And..Dragneel?..”
“He’s- we’re just friends Cana.”
She nodded still with a suspicious look on her face. “Yeah yeah.”
Lucy grumbled. Now she was in a bad mood. Firstly she was cold, it was the middle of winter and her sheets were thin and worn. Second, she was mad at her friends for making it seem as though she ‘liked’ Natsu. Thirdly, because she knew, deep down, that she did.