Dawn of Adventure {Book One of The Paths We've Traveled}

Chapter Fifteen: Court

Natsu stood by the door, shifting awkwardly as Lucy fixed his tie. After two weeks, he thought he would've mastered the stupid piece of fabric. But as Lucy was proving now, he still failed miserably when it came to tying a tie. "You make them too tight," she scolded gently, gaze locked on the knot that had indeed been choking the Dragon Slayer. "You're not trying to strangle someone, you're tying a tie. You're hopeless Natsu."

He rolled his eyes before cracking his neck, batting her hands away. "Yeah well who needs to worry about that when you're here to fix it?" Her heart skipped a beat as he grinned down on her, and she smacked his arm in retaliation.

Happy snickered from the couch. "He likes you," he crooned, earning a sharp glare from the celestial wizard.

"Shuddup," Natsu muttered under his breath, hand going to his neck to pull at the nonexistent scarf. He growled slightly, yearning for the familiar comfort his scarf gave him. Lucy saw his action and smiled knowingly, hoping to lift his spirits. Although his movement had her own hand going to her neck, fingers wrapping around the sturdy chain.

Two days ago, Erza had decided that Lucy needed some way to protect herself should they get their magic back in the middle of a fight. Knowing that the situation was very likely given that the only way to get their magic back would probably be to take down Verlane and Ajax, Lucy had agreed. But she couldn't carry her whip or keys around all the time without gaining suspicion, so Erza had searched for an alternative. After digging through her bags, several of which were stashed in Natsu's closets, she found an old necklace that she never wore. The scarlet warrior had presented the chain to Lucy, claiming that she could hang one of her keys from it so she would always have protection.

Now Lucy's hand clutched Loki's key, the metal warmed from hanging against her skin. She knew that if he was here, he would surely be smug about where his key rested. Then again, if he was here, there would be no reason for his key to be anywhere but my key ring. She stroked the key, wishing she could call him to her side.

A knock at the door distrurbed the apartment, and Lucy quickly shoved the key back down the front of her dress as she hurried to answer it. Happy dove beneath the couch, hoping that Carla heard in the next room and was hiding herself as well. Natsu didn't move, his nose catching two familiar scents from the otherside of the door. Lucy found out for herself when she pulled open the door with a fake smile. She relaxed instantly when she saw Erza and Gray.

"Oh thank god," she murmured as she stepped aside, letting her friends into the room. "I really can't deal with anyone right now."

"Well that's why you're staying here with Wendy instead of going with us," Natsu responded, yanking at the tie Lucy had just fixed.

Lucy glowered at the pink-haired man (Really, why she considered him a man baffled her. Just because he was over 400 years old did not mean that he was mentally mature enough to be any older than a child). "Natsu Dragneel, if you so much as touch that tie one more time, then I will personally make sure you regret it." He pouted, further proving her belief that he was still only a toddler. Erza smiled to herself, glad to see that Lucy was still more than capable of handling the troublesome Natsu. Happy had pulled himself from under the couch, and now was proceeding to climb Natsu's pant leg, bemoaning his lack of flight at the moment. Natsu laughed at his friend, taking pity on him and sweeping him up to rest on his shoulder.

Gray rolled his eyes, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. "Yeah Lucy, we're all jealous of you getting to chill out here while the rest of us succumb ourselves to the horrors of court life."

"Been there, done that," Lucy shot back as she flopped down on a couch, sighing in relief. "The next time I go to a court will be too soon. Besides, I've been working my ass off the past two weeks while the rest of you got to do whatever the hell you wanted. It's your turn to deal with this hectic place." Gray made a face back at her, and the tired mage only giggled.