The Dragneel Affair | NaLu

Chapter 14 - The Uniform

The water was freezing. Both of the girls shivered as they stepped into the river. Lucy was more hesitant than Erza, taking a whole five minutes longer to get into the water. Her teeth clattered as she tried to force herself to get used to the freezing temperature. Erza stood next to her, washing herself with a bar of soap. "Are you okay, Lucy?" She asked her. Lucy nodded.

"I'll be fine, let's just get this over with," Lucy said, taking the bar of soap. Erza reached onto her pile of clothing, laying on the grass, and grabbed a long piece of ribbon. She tied her hair up into a tight bun, her bangs were the only free pieces of hair. She did the same with Lucy's hair. Lucy brushed her too long bangs behind her hair.

"When I say, "go," quickly get out and wrap yourself up in a blanket. Do not take the blanket off until you're dry." Lucy nodded. Erza counted down from three. As she shouted go, the two jumped out of the river and ran towards their blankets, fumbling around as they wrapped themselves in the blanket.

They sat next to each other and shivered in harmony. Erza was the first to recover. She grabbed her under garments and slid them on under the blanket. She handed Lucy her clothes not so smoothly from underneath. Erza was able to dress herself swiftly under the blanket and came out looking almost like she did when Lucy first met her. Lucy stared at her in amazement as she smirked. "You won't be able to do that for a while," Erza told her.

Lucy was able to get her pants and black boots on easily but struggled with her coat. It was too tight around her chest. Erza helped her by showing her how to bind herself properly. When she was finished, the coat was able fit almost perfectly. Erza sat Lucy's hat on top of her head as she looked at her reflection in the water. She expected to look like a completely different person, but she didn't. She looked like herself, a soldier version of herself.

• • •

Natsu wasn't a fan of the uniform. When Lucy and Erza arrived back at camp, he was half asleep, munching on a stale piece of bread. He didn't care at first, he was too busy trying to tear up the bread. After a while he didn't like it as much. "A lady shouldn't wear a uniform," he told her.

"What? Erza wears one!"

"Erza isn't a lady," Natsu argued. Erza glared at him as she cleaned up her tent. "You know what I mean."

"I don't! You think because I grew up wearing lacy dresses, learned proper manners, and came from a wealthy family means I can't wear a uniform?"

"No, it means you can't fight."

"Where were you yesterday?" Gray asked him. He was poking out the remains of the fire with a stick. Natsu rolled his eyes.

"You don't think I can fight?"

"No, I don't."

"Then why did you say so last night?"

"Because I was tired!" Natsu exclaimed. Lucy rested her hands on her hips, a sure sign of where this was going.

"You really don't think I can fight?" She asked again. You could hear Gray and Gajeel tell him to say, "yes," in the background.

"No," he told her. The two were looking each other right in the eye.

"Alright, if you say so," she said.

"Thank you," Natsu crossed his arms over his chest. Before he could continue speaking, Lucy swung her leg behind his locked knees, knocking him to the ground. She rested her foot on top of his back.

"A soldier doesn't let his guard down," Lucy said and walked away. Gray and Gajeel were laughing from their tents, trying not to hurt themselves. Erza helped him off the ground.

"I'm not a lady?" She asked.

"No." Natsu was punched in the throat. He was left in the ground coughing as the other two soldiers laughed, waking up Loke.

• • •

"I'm sorry, please talk to me," Natsu apologized. He had been apologizing all afternoon. Lucy had been giving him the silent treatment all afternoon. Erza had tried to talk some sense into her but Lucy wouldn't budge.

"I'll do anything!" He exclaimed.

"Anything?" She asked him. Gray and Gajeel knew they were going to get another show.

"Yes," he told her. She was sitting on a log in front of a fire, a blanket was laying on her shoulders. She handed Erza the blanket and stood, facing Natsu.

"Fight me," she said simply. Natsu's eyes widened.

"I'm not going to fight you."

"Even more evidence that you're a liar." Lucy turned back to the fire.

"Fine! But if I hurt you, tell me to stop."

"Okay, but be warned. . . I am a ninja warrior." Lucy took an athletic stance and raised her arms up, as if she were to chop him. Natsu slowly brought up his arm and aimed his fist at her. Lucy took his wrist and twisted his arm behind his back, sending him to the ground. She stood on top of him, her foot keeping his arm on his back. "I am king!" She shouted, punching the air.

"Get off me!"

"Admit it, I can fight!"

"I knew you could fight before," he said. Lucy looked down at him and he smirked. He flipped himself over and brought Lucy down to the ground with him. "Hehe, don't let your guard down," he said quietly, so no one would be able to hear him.

"So when did you lie about it?" Lucy groaned.

"The second."

"Why?" Lucy asked. She rested her arms behind her head and looked up at the sky. The moon was crescent shaped and appeared to be pure white. The stars looked like small diamonds shining in the sky. Natsu rested his hands on his chest and looked up, also.

"The uniform, it scared me," he admitted. "It makes you a target, you're more likely to be shot wearing it than when you wore your dress. I don't want you to get hurt." He told her, trying to avoid looking her in the eye. "When I said I didn't think you could fight, I hoped it would convince you to change your mind.

"Oh, honey, you don't have that much of an influence on my choices," Lucy told him. She took his hand into hers and brought it up to her lips, kissing his scared knuckles. "I understand that you don't want me to get hurt, I do. But I can handle myself."

"I've noticed," he mumbled.

"You think you can let me do that?" She asked. He nodded.

"Yes." They were silent for a moment. "You know. . . You look great in that uniform."

• • •

Author's Note;

This chapter is a few hours late but I hope that's okay?! I've been going through somethings recently, the third quarter of the school year ends soon so there've been some projects I've been needing to do. Over the past week I went through some health issues (I won't go into much detail about that) which has held me back. Next chapter may end up being a little late but I will really try to get it up sooner.

Until I write again,

~ Lucy