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

Chapter Twenty-Six: Plans

Lucy woke in the morning to the sound of the door clicking shut. She groaned, burying her face back in her pillow in a weak attempt to go back to sleep. Natsu's answering chuckle reverberated through her, making her aware that he was once more pressed up against her back, arms holding her close. In any other scenario, she would have pushed him away and shooed him out of the room hours ago. And yet the block of ice deep in her belly had finally begun to melt last night, leaving her worn-out and in desperate need of something to eat.

"Who was that?" She grumbled, legs brushing past Natsu's and stretching to their fun length, shaking slightly as her muscles shrieked in protest.

He reluctantly released her, missing the touch of her body against his as she continued to stretch her heavy limbs. "Erza. She's determined to have all of us in the living room like, now. You up for that?"

Lucy groaned again, rolling to the side and pushing herself up to a sitting position. "Yeah, as ready as I'll ever be. There better be food there; I'm starving."

Natsu grinned, tumbling out of bed himself and grabbing his scarf from by the fire. "I smell something yummy out there. I haven't eaten in forever!"

"Don't you dare eat everything before I get there!" Lucy laughed, coming to the realization that she probably needed to put pants on before joining the others. "And I have a feeling that you ate a lot more recently that I have."

Natsu rolled his eyes, waiting impatiently by the door as Lucy scrounged around through Erza's pile of things. Finally she found a pair of sweatpants sticking out of a bag, and she grabbed that and a hairbrush, making her way towards the bathroom. She waved at Natsu, quietly wondering why he was still there. "Go on, I'll be out soon."

He waited until she disappeared into the bathroom, and then he reluctantly pushed open the door, stepping into the too bright living room. He squinted, blinking furiously as his eyes adjusted to the change. A familiar snort came from across the room, the ice princess probably laughing at his sudden blindness.

Natsu inhaled deeply, taking in the scents of everyone in the room while he was still unable to fully see them. Gray was near the fire, as were Evia and Erza. Lucy's friend Smack stood by the door, his smell lingering near the food filling the room with a delicious aroma.

His vision finally cleared enough as his nose caught the final scent, a familiar smell he knew as well as his own. He grinned, locking eyes with the young Dragon Slayer sitting on a couch, long hair pulled back in pigtails, still clad in the same nightgown she'd worn for about two weeks now. "Glad to see ya up and about." Wendy beamed, leaping up and throwing herself at Natsu. He caught her with a grunt, ruffling her hair and messing it up. "What's this for?"

"I dunno," she mumbled against his scarf, his chest still lacking a shirt. "I'm just happy to see you." Then she pulled away, still glowing. "Mak brought up breakfast, but you might wanna wait until Lucy comes out. I know she's just as hungry as you are."

"Yeah yeah," he muttered, plopping down on an empty couch and ignoring the curious looks from the others.

"How is Lucy?" Evia asked, somehow bright and alert despite the late hours they had spent talking.

Natsu shrugged, staring longingly at the steaming platters of food. "She's fine. Good. Uh, she's just in the bathroom so she shouldn't be too much longer."

The moment his mouth closed, Lucy stepped into the room, hair pulled back into a messy ponytail and grey sweatpants hanging loosely from her hips. She wore the same green tank top she'd slept in, and Natsu watched her shoulders shiver and arms become covered in goosebumps.

"Lucy!" Three voices exclaimed as one. She stepped backwards under the excitement, smile breaking when the Sky Maiden threw herself forward once more. The two girls hugged each tightly, laughing and crying.