𝙃𝙚'𝙨 𝙈𝙮 𝙍𝙤𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚 • ɴᴀʟᴜ

Chapter 7 • The Unexpected Encounter

Lucy's P.O.V

Natsu goes to answer the knock on the door. I don't think we've ever had visitors at all our entire stay. Odd. Maybe it's someone who works here that needs to ask us a few things.

I realize I am still in my maid outfit as I look down, and I am not about to be here looking like this while Natsu answers the door to whoever is there. I rush back inside the bathroom to change.

Rushing to get my shirt back on, I hear some voices. Natsu's, and some other guy with a deep voice. I can't make out what they're saying, but it sounds like they're raising their voices.

Huh? What the hell?

As I finally have my shirt and pants back on, I hear stomping and the door slam. It makes me jump, and I immediately open the bathroom door to see who is here.

I open the door wide and step out. As I turn my head, and make eye contact with our visitor, I feel my heart stop. My eyes widen, my legs don't seem to work anymore, and my blood runs cold.

There's a silence, as me and our visitor keep eye contact, and Natsu looks at us both.

He's quite tall, maybe even taller than Natsu. He has dark raven hair with black eyes. He has this pale skin, completely contrasting Natsu's tan complexion. His eyes are hollow and empty, yet filled with all sorts of emotion at the same time.

"...Gray?" I finally force out, my legs starting to function again, but are like jelly.

"I finally found you," he says, taking a step forward to me.

"..Princess." He finishes, getting closer and closer to me.

My jaw locks and I can't seem to get any words out. But next thing I know, Natsu gets in front of me in between us, blocking me from him.

"Not another fucking step." Natsu says with a growl, and boy, I don't think I've ever heard his voice like this before.

I don't even realize it, but I involuntarily grab the bottom back of his shirt in fear. I don't know how Gray Fullbuster, my "fiancé," even found me in the first place. He was the prince I was supposed to marry back at the Kingdom. The last straw that finally made me run away. I stand on my tippie toes to look over Natsu's shoulder, to see him.

"Huh, so you two are friends?" Gray says, crossing his arms.

He cocks his head to the side, "or maybe, a little more?" He says, with a bit of an annoyed yet jaded facial expression. 

Sometimes it is so hard for me to read Gray. He's ice cold. He's always been that way. Besides me being a total stranger to him, his ice cold personality was another turn off for me. I've always looked for passion and personality, not.. a statue.

"I... I..." I try to force out words, but I just can't. I am completely overtaken by shock and fear. I'm stronger than this, so why? Why am I frozen here? Normally I would deny what he is saying to anyone but I can't make myself say a word.

"You surprised me Lucy. I may have never gotten to know you all that well, but I didn't think you'd ever settle for scum like this." Gray says, turning his gaze to Natsu. His eyes darkening, his eyebrows furrowing together in pure resentment.

Him talking to Natsu like that sparked something in me. I don't know what it was, but anger and frustration resurfaced and took over me all of a sudden. I shove Natsu out of my way and I face Gray.

"Scum like that? Who the hell are you talking to, Gray? Because the only scum I see here is you. I don't know how managed to find me, but let me make this clear. I don't plan on going home any time soon. So your business here is closed, so you can see your white ass out the door now." I say angrily, looking up at him.

To him, I may not seem all intimating. But I don't care. I can't let him push me around.

I can feel Natsu's gaze on me from behind. I don't know if this burst of anger from me surprised him, but either way, Gray has it coming.

He raises an eyebrow at me after I finish, then a smirk forms at the corner of his lips as he finally begins to laugh.

I clench my fists in anger, digging my nails into my skin. Any harder and I might start drawing blood.

"Huh, so you got a mouth on you after all. Had no idea the princess of Magnolia had such an attitude." He crosses his arms with an amused look on his face.

I clench my fists harder. My heart racing faster. Maybe my heart will run out of my chest.

I feel warm hands on my fists from behind, gently opening them. I let out a small gasp as Natsu whispers in my ear, "easy there Luc. It's okay."

I look at my hands to see deep nail indentations. I shake my head then look back up at Gray. His eyebrow is raised, as if he's still trying to figure out my relationship with Natsu.

"So it's true then. You're dating this piece of shit?" Gray says, arms crossed.

"I'm not! And stop calling him that. He's just my roommate, stop acting like you know him." I say.

"Tsk, trust me, I know Natsu Dragneel way more than he'll ever let you know." He says, his gaze slowly returning to Natsu.

"What do you mean?" I say with surprise running through my veins as he just said his full name. 

I finally turn around to look at Natsu. His face is pure anger, and he and Gray are just staring into each other's eyes with a loathing tension so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Finally, Gray mutters an answer.

"He's a murderer."