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

Chapter Fifty-Four: After Hours

"No, Lucy, don't go!"

"Lucyyyyy, stay for another round!"

"Come on, Lucy, stay a little longer!"

The Celestial Spirit wizard shook her head, laughing and standing from the table. "No, no, I've stayed long enough as is. Really, I need to go, I'm tired."

Cana hung off of Lucy's arm, grinning up at her friend. "Aw, come on. We've all passed out at the guild like a thousand times."

"Not tonight," Lucy refused again, managing to extract her arm from her friend's grip. "I mean it, Cana."

Cana pouted, glancing around at the other women she found herself sitting with. Mira leaned against Levy, both pregnant women holding out strong in the sea of drunken guild members. Erza sat up tall on the other side, eyes unfocused but smile wide. Evergreen and Lisanna swayed, looking like they were ready to follow Lucy's example and head home. Not that she was the first. Gajeel had taken Gale home several hours ago, trusting Lily to bring Levy back safely. And Juvia left with her kids a little while after that, not wanting to pull Gray away from his reunions. Wendy and Carla had gone back to Fairy Hills about an hour prior with Happy tagging along, and Lucy had been planning to leave that entire time. Yet only now did she find herself with the strength to actually get up and leave the ale and good conversation behind.

"I'm serious." Lucy laughed, straightening her skirt from where it lay angled across her thighs. "I'm bone tired."

"It is almost midnight," Mira said in concession, scrubbing a hand across her face and looking around the guild for her husband. "Now, where has Laxus gone? I'm ready to sleep myself."

"Aw, but the party was just getting good," Cana complained. Lucy squeezed Cana's shoulder, winking down at the drink wizard.

"We got all the time in the world to drink and talk and goof off," she reminded her partner. "We don't have to cram it all into one night."

Can huffed, blowing hair from her face and collapsing slightly on the table. "Whatever." But she grinned up at Lucy, blowing her a kiss. "Glad you're back, Luce. Fairy Tail hasn't been the same without you."

Lucy smiled before waving goodnight to all of her dear and loved friends. They shouted back and waved and grinned, and warmth bloomed in Lucy's stomach (and not because of all the alcohol she'd drunk in the past eight hours). She'd truly forgotten how much she'd missed them all until she'd felt their loving hugs and heard their loud laughter again this morning. She hoped she never had to leave them for so long again (why did that thought make her stomach drop and heart twinge with worry?)

Lucy yawned, grabbing her coat from where it lay draped over a random chair. Pondering for a moment, she diverted her path to stop by the bar where Natsu still sat by Gildarts' side, the older man still nursing a beer, much like his daughter sitting a few tables away. He glanced back at her as she approached, his face softening. He held out an arm, and she slipped into his embrace, humming under her breath as she pressed against his side and leaned her head against his. Gildarts raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He was glad the boy had started to mature. Lucy would be good for him.

"Want me to walk you home?" He murmured against her cheek, breath brushing over her ear. She hummed again, kissing his forehead.

"Nah, it's alright. You keep having fun." She looked over at Gildarts, too tired to blush at the thought of the man bearing witness to their casual affection. "Will you keep him from getting into too much trouble?"

"You betcha, little lady." The ginger haired man winked as Natsu grumbled, poking Lucy in the stomach until she squirmed away.

"Good night, Natsu," she called over her shoulder. He smiled back at her before scowling at the man siting next to him with a shit-eating grin.