The Princess of Fairy Tail High

I have never seen a spicy fish

As we near the beach, Lucy lets go of my shoulders and we walk back to the shore, where everyone else is drying off.

Mira looks up at us with a strange smile, "I was wondering when you guys were gonna come back. Where'd you disappear off to?"

As I reply I keep my gaze steady, despite how nervous Mira's tone makes me. "We were racing along the side of the island, and didn't realize how far we had swam." I feel Lucy step up behind me and press her body against mine, silently thanking me.

"Natsu won by a landslide," she adds, surprising me. I feel her small fingers trace along my back, and feel the letters T H A N K S. I only got that because I'd play that game with my friends when I was younger. Apparently Lucy has too. Placing an arm around her shoulder, I trace C O U R S E with my pointer, and she laughs. Again, Mira shoots us a weird look, so we rush out of the water.

Levy hands each of us a towel, her face a little pink from the sun.

"Oh Levy, you're a little sunburned!" Lucy gasps, motioning to her friend's face.

Levy laughs a little, "not as bad as Gajeel though! He wouldn't let me put the sunscreen on him, so I had to catch him by surprise." Gajeel looks over at us with a slightly sour expression. Ignoring him with a smile, Luce and I head over to where Laxus has set up for lunch.

I take a seat on the picnic blanket and cross my legs. Rubbing my hands together in anticipation I ask, "what's for lunch?" Lucy sits next to me, allowing Cana to reveal the precious food.

Cana's eyes light up as she lifts one side of the lid. "Man, I can't remember the last time I had this. Flash from the past, Neko, thanks!"

"Comfort food," Levy agrees, looking over Cana's shoulder. Gajeel and Laxus also look into the basket and nod with satisfaction.

"WHAT'S IN THE DAMN BASKET?" I suddenly ask, unable to sit still anymore. Levy lifts something from the basket and holds it out to me with a smile.

"Grilled cheese!"

I immediately relax, and sit back down. "Thanks Levy. And thanks Luce," I mumble, taking the sandwich from Levy.

"You're welcome, dummy," Lucy says affectionately.

"I bet they're not as good as mine, though," I add teasingly before lifting the sandwich to my lips.

"They aren't burned, so I'll say they're better by a mile already!" Gajeel says, already finished with half of his.

I take a bite of my grilled cheese and smile. It's actually really good! The bread is crunchy, and the cheese is delicious. Not too much, not too little. Everyone grabs their own sandwich and little paper plates. Lucy hands me a plate, but I don't really need it. Looking at me, she places the plate on my lap, but then suddenly recoils, noticing something else.

"LEVY-CHAN, DON'T!" She exclaims, just as Levy brings a sandwich to her mouth. Confused, I look closer at the grilled cheese in her hands, and a wave of affection rolls over me. Quickly grabbing the sandwich flaked with red, Lucy places it safely in my hands.

"What gives, Lu-chan?" Levy asks with a pout, her tiny stomach growling.

"You can have mine, and I'll just have what's left of the plain sandwich Natsu started. I just saved you from a horrible fate, seeing as we don't have any milk or whatever Wendy-chan used." Lucy's face expresses the same kind of horror she must have felt when she first had lunch at my house.

Understanding quickly crosses Levy's face as she notices the red as well. "Thanks, Lu-chan," she mutters before biting happily into Lucy's untouched sandwich.