Lucy

The Guildhall was on fire and it wasn't her fault.

By fire, what Lucy really meant was a fight. Tables were overturned, chairs smashed to bits, and blood coating the floor. Another day at Fairy tail, another guild brawl. Lucy oped not to partake, as she sat at the bar drinking a milkshake, watching from afar.

"Will you be going on a job anytime soon, Lucy?" Mira asked her as she wiped a glass clean.

Lucy thought for a moment, her mental schedule laid out in her mind. "I don't think so. I don't have anyone to go with," she said sighing. Lucy gazed into the massive crowd of people, throwing punches here and there.

"Hey, Natsu!"

Lucy's eyes narrowed as she rolled her eyes to face the entrance of the guild. There, in its threshold was Lisanna Strauss. She raised her hand and waved into the pile of people, and Natsu poked his head out of a fight to look at her, smiling like the sun.

Ever since Lisanna had come back from Edolas, Natsu had been spending more and more time with her than with Lucy. As did the rest of Team Natsu. At first, she thought that was natural, as Natsu, Grey and Erza all shared a childhood with Lisanna. But as the months wore on, they seemed to gradually spend for time with Lisanna, leaving Lucy behind. She wasn't alone though. In her months of more or less solitude, she had gotten closer with Gajeel, Juvia and Wendy, and even close with the Raijinshuu and Laxus.

I promise to always stay by your side! Lucy laughed grimly at the memory. Natsu had promised her, but she knew it wouldn't be kept. Not after Lisanna. Despite how many times Natsu had shunned her as of late, Lucy thought she could try again. Perhaps ask them if they wanted to go on a job?

"Looking grim aren't you, Bunny girl."

Lucy's eyes flickered over to her right where Gajeel sat at the bar. There were small tears in his attire, and his nose was faintly bloodied. He swiped a fist across his face, smearing away any traces of blood.

"Looking beat aren't you, Gajeel?" Lucy retorted and rolled her eyes. Gajeel snickered.

Mira dumped a bowl of screws and bolts on the counter before Gajeel could say anything and disappeared into the back storage room before Gajeel could thank her.

"I'm going to guess. . . Lisanna?" He offered. Lucy's pursed lips and narrowed eyes said enough for him. "Of course."

Lucy sighed exasperatedly before she threw her hands in the air dramatically. "We haven't gone on a job, hung out, or even talked for a matter of weeks now!" she lamented. "I mean I haven't anyway, but they sure have," she said not so discreetly pointing at team Natsu lingering by the door.

"What you gonna do about it?" Gajeel asked chomping noisily on his metal.

"I was thinking about asking them on a job today."

"Ask who on a job?"

Lucy whipped her head around to face Juvia as she took a seat to her left at the bar. Juvia smiled brightly at her and Lucy returned the kind gesture.

"Juvia! How was your job?" Lucy asked, pushing her conversation with Gajeel aside for the moment.

"It was great! Hello Mira!" Juvia greeted, waving enthusiastically at Mira behind the counter. "Who were you going to ask on a job?" Juvia asked, bringing the previous conversation back while ordering a milkshake from Mira.

"I was thinking about asking team Natsu." When Lucy referred to her team as team Natsu it just didn't feel right. It was like calling a moth a butterfly; odd and wrong.

"While Juvia was coming into the guild she overheard Natsu and the others talking about a job already. . ." She said sheepishly.

"Then ask if you can join them," Gajeel said simply. If only it were so simple.

"That would be a bit intrusive wouldn't it?" She asked Gajeel. Lucy hopped off her bar stool none the less and stretched her arms. "But we'll never know until we try, will we?"

Angling her head towards the guild doors, her mind was elsewhere when her legs decided to move on their own. What would she even say?

"Hey, Natsu?" She hated how small her voice sounded, how vulnerable and weak it was. The guild's fighting became background noise as she zeroed in on the people before her, and she could feel her friend's eyes on her back, all watching out for her should. Her eyes met Natsu's, and it was as though there was nothing in them. Just. . . A void.

"I was wondering if you guys wanted to go on a job together?" She asked shyly. Why was she being shy? This was her team! Though she hadn't spoken to them in quite some time. . .

"We're already going on a job. With Lisanna. Speaking of which. . ." Natsu scratched the back of his head and averted his eyes. "I don't think we should go on any jobs with each other anymore."

Lucy was still as death. "What do you mean, Natsu?" she asked shakily. Her gait was calm and natural, but her thoughts were something different.

"The team and I have talked it through. You're weak. We're constantly having to save you, and you can never fight for yourself. You're always complaining about your rent money then take the reward for yourself. You never gave a damn about the team.

"Lisanna is more fit to the team. She doesn't complain as you do, and she can hold her own."

Lucy's vision blurred, and when she raised a hand to her cheeks they were wet with tears. When had she started crying? She jolted when someone placed a hand on her shoulder and had to crane her neck to look Laxus in the eye. Juvia was on her other side, looping her arm through hers reassuringly.

"That's enough, Natsu," Laxus commanded with the confidence of a king.

"Lisanna, what are you doing?" Mira whispered. "Come here please."

Lisanna pursed her lips and shook her head.

"Natsu! What are you doing?"

The small, shrill voice belonged to only Happy, as he flew over to Lucy and landed on her head.

Natsu's eyes narrowed. "Come on Happy, we're leaving." He beckoned

Happy made a muffled sound as he shook his head, and curled up atop Lucy's head like a cat. "You promised her!" He cried. "You promised to stay!"

"Promises are bound to be broken. Don't count on them."