After an awkward, rough car ride, the four arrived at the outdoor courts. It was nice that there was a court undercover and out in the open, depending on what Mother Nature decided for eastern Washington's weather.

It was nearing the holidays, even if it was almost Thanksgiving, so the sun's light didn't have much of a warmth shining down on the group. In fact, it was pretty chilly to be playing a contact sport on ice-nipping concrete, not to mention a bit slick.

Perfect weather to break a pair of ankles for Natsu, and there was only one other man here he'd make sure would happen to them.

"Sorry, we only have a men's sized basketball, I like people who play up to my standards." Bickslow boasted, dribbling the ball a few times between his hands.

Natsu glanced to see both Lucy and Lisanna sending the dumbass disapproving looks.

"What standards?" Lucy whispered, puckering her lips out in questioning.

Oddly enough, Lisanna half-snorted in agreement.

Natsu didn't bother covering up his laugh this time. Sometimes he couldn't help but think the more he got to know her, she was an innocent with a devilish side, the least unexpected for a first impression.

"Okay, but like seriously, I'm playing with Natsu, so you two can be a team." Lisanna waved her hand, shooing Bickslow and Lucy to one side.

Natsu inwardly sighed, he should've known this was already coming. Hopefully after a few rounds of practically taking Bickslow to the ice rink on this slippery court, they'd switch up the teams. He was going to put him on skates.

"Well, I guess we'll warmup on the other side of the court, right Luce?" Bickslow winked, hooking his arm with hers before sending a smirk over his shoulder.

Stealing her already was making him pissed, but to use his nickname for her? Fucking low.

Natsu's jaw clenched just as Lisanna latched onto his arm, pulling him towards her. "Lis, he really pisses me off." His voice hissed.

"Bickslow? My name's Lucy."

"Oh, I knew that. Just a nick-"

"Mahalo, somebody already uses that."

Every muscle in his body relaxed, his frown vanishing into a side-smile to meet her honeysuckle warm eyes, her comforting gaze making his chilly face flush over his cheeks and nose, the tips of his ears a bright fluorescent red.

"Why are your hands so warm all of a sudden? It's freezing, we shouldn't even be out here!" He could say he was already warmed up when Lisanna shot him a look after her comment.

"Hey dumb-ass! I got a riddle for you to crack." Natsu yelled out, Lisanna jumping from his burst of energy.

Lucy raised an eyebrow with a curious smile on her lips as Bickslow rolled his eyes. "What the hell? If you and I are asses, I'm definitely the smart-ass and you're the dumb-ass."

"Mary has five kids, alright?"

"Yeah, whatever, does this even fucking matter?"

Natsu waved a hand, chuckling. "Of course. Now, listen carefully..." he paused to see three pairs of eyes giving him his undivided attention, showing a lopsided smile to the blonde's red-tinted face from the crisp cold air. "January is the first child, February is the second child, March is the third child, April is the fourth child, What is the fifth child."

Bickslow made a face and laughed. "That's stupid! Obviously May is the fifth child!"

"Babe, that was honestly just..bad." Lisanna grumbled, shaking her bangs.

"You say I'm the dumb-ass? You're fucking wrong, try again." Natsu shrugged his shoulders, his cocky grin widening to hear Lucy giggle from the side.

Bickslow's face was of disgust, aggravation, and annoyed to the peak. "You asked a question about the fifth child, it's name's fuckin' May." He peeked over to see Lucy just shrug her shoulders, zipping her lips closed.

"Guess somebody's got to retake a grade or two." Natsu swiped the ball from the other mans' hands, rubbing his hands in between dribbles, casually flipping up a reverse layup. "I didn't ask you nothin', I just said a joke."

Bickslow closed the gap and tried snapping the ball back, ending up with an elbow to the chest instead. "Not like they got the joke, but guess it's time to put your fighting ghetto-ass back where it belongs, in the ring."

The boxer threw the ball off Bickslow's chest, practically handing out an invitation to a fight.

"Hey! Both of y'all quit fucking around like middle school bitches, can we get this over with? I actually have plans today." Lisanna piped in, rolling her eyes at both young men.

"And the answer for the child's name was What." Lucy added, minding her own business with more so running her fingers through her hair in boredom.

"What?" Bickslow questioned.

"Yes, the fifth name was What."

Natsu grinned as the ball was swiped from his hands, flashing his pearly-whites. "You guys can start with ball, won't change the outcome."

His grin faded when Lucy walked right by him, whipping her lengthy blonde hair almost directly to his face, casually saying over her shoulder, "That's something you'll regret."

Right, she was on Bickslow's team.

He didn't notice Lisanna's eyes suspiciously on him when he'd watched her golden tresses and hips sway before going to guard Bickslow.

He'd usually say the bastard's team was always bad, but right now he'd propose a statement of only being "half-bad", just like his.

"I fuckin' dare you," Bickslow taunted, dribbling between his legs until he'd almost lost the ball on his foot. Lucy coughed back a laugh, smiling wide at her teammate's casual mistake.

Natsu barely had to guard him as his opponent started driving to the hoop, taking a few illegal shots with his elbow to his chest. He grinned as he effortlessly swatted away Bickslow's lazy floater, the ball shooting across the small court.

Lisanna just shrugged her shoulders when the ball whipped past her into Lucy's hands.

Natsu groaned, "Lis, you're supposed to go after the damn ball."

"Babe, I don't have to, not like she knows how to play either."

"I'm just gon' let her do her thing," Bickslow smoothed his shirt, brushing off like it wasn't a big deal. "See what she's like, y'know."

Both young men could clearly notice Lisanna dryly gulp when Lucy casually dribbles behind the back and through the legs, then tossing the ball between the whitenette to send her skating to the side.

"Yeah, I take back e'rythin' I said earlier."

"Shut the fuck up," Natsu irritatingly shot, seeing his crimson eyes glinting over her.

"Well then how 'bout you guard her and then talk, k'?" Bickslow laughed, sending a wink to his skillful teammate.

Well, shit.

Was it too late to switch the teams just a tad bit?

Natsu sauntered his way to her, grinning back at her reflecting smile. "It's the real deal now, so don't get too excited."

Lucy pursed her lips out, replying, "I didn't say it was an individual sport either, someone better be in help side, you'll need it." She dribbled the ball between her legs with ease, nodding her head towards Lisanna.

Lisanna gapped from the side, almost offended. "Scuse me?"

She sharpened her glare from Lucy to Bickslow when he let out an untamed laugh, aggravated and annoyed. He then casually walked along the baseline to the opposite side to make "space."

"Better be ready," Bickslow cockily laughed,"you might need some ankle braces after this."

Natus's attention waved for a split second, rolling his eyes. "No shi-"

Lucy went right around him, so he turned, spinning in a full circle as she pulled back wrapping the ball behind her back, bounced it off his forehead, a double move to slip easily by with a layup.

He ignored the sauntering howls and irritated comments from the pair to the side, a lopsided grin on his lips, gazing as she playfully spun the ball on her fingertip, an aesthetic pause in time for the daylight to feature her small dusted freckles on the high points of her cheeks, something he never noticed until now. Sepia brown eyes smiled on their own, face flushed from the cold, seeming to not notice him. 

He definitely called dibs on her teaming up with him next time.

And maybe she had better footwork than him.

He'd give Gajeel a recommendation on how to improve his speed.

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In all honesty, their bodies were tired, craving to crash almost anywhere, and any flat surface would do just the trick.

Bickslow decided to order pizza for dinner, giving the boxer a look when he'd requested to add two more large pepperoni pizzas for himself.

"So, I'm going to guess and say that you've got another fight next week?" A soft voice asked from the side.

Natsu turned, smiling into her brown eyes, "Yeah, shouldn't be too hard."

Later, much to Natsu's displeasure, Bickslow was passed out like a drunken fool on one of the spare couches in the family room. To tick him off more, Lisanna hadn't seemed to mind as if she was used to it.

"His snoring could wake up Satan from Hell, damn maybe even my dad."

"Natsu, don't be a dick," Lisanna pinched her fingers around his earlobe and gave it a tug. "I'm heading upstairs, I'm tired."

"Ow, you got strong fingers, woman." Natsu whined, rubbing the soreness away.

Her fingers latched onto his hair and dragged him into a rushed kiss, already knowing it wasn't the feeling of tingles and desire anymore, more described as sloppy and wet. Her tongue had felt something like an eel worming it's way into his mouth for the few seconds before pulling back, having the urge to wipe at his mouth.

Natsu tore his eyes away as Lisanna went upstairs, his mouth instantly drying out.

Viridescent met mahogany for a moment that felt like an eternity, until Lucy briskly spun around in embarrassment, avoiding his wide-eyed gaze.

"Y'know, it's pretty late...you can crash here for the night if you want."

Lucy blinked at the suggestion, cheeks flourishing pink, "I don't mind finding a way back home, I don't want to bother anyone. Lisanna hasn't really taken a liking to me."

"That's stupid," Natsu shook his head, crossing his arms. "Or else I'll give you a ride, but I'm not so thick-headed to let you loose at this hour."

"No, ua maika'i-"

"I'll make sure this asshole doesn't try anything."

Lucy opened her lips to respond, but he was already walking upstairs, leaving her with no word in the matter of choice.

She dryly gulped and glanced around, a small smile to see that Bickslow was carelessly in a deep slumber, legs and arms sprawled out and hanging off the multi-seating couch, loud snores with every slow breath. She didn't believe he was a bad person per se, just had the cocky attitude of a sly fox with a demeanor at times.

Besides, they were a pretty good duo in basketball, who would've thought?

Lucy turned off the lights in the rooms and tried to make herself comfy on the two-seated couch, curling up and placed her head on the armrest. It was embarrassing to admit, but this was way more comfortable than her tiny bed back in her cheap apartment.

Not knowing how much time passed, but soon enough her tiredness helped her peacefully fall asleep, even through Bickslow's earth-rattling snores.

__________ ∙∘✧❀✧∘∙__________

Natsu laid on his bed for hours, still restless.

He pulled away when Lisanna's hand touched his waist in her sleep, facing the window instead and clung to the very side of the mattress, a huge gap between the two.

He still wasn't over about her attitude of not bothering to show up at his match. He destroyed that prick, remembering every swing and punch that he'd landed on Loke's bruising face.

Thoughts spiraled to afterwards, still bitter about him and Lucy together outside.

Natsu had a feeling that wasn't a friendly hello like Loke had mentioned it was, and he couldn't shake the thought that she wasn't telling him something.

Speaking of Lucy...

I can't believe I fucking forgot, I'm an asshole, Natsu thought as he swiftly got up, making sure to be silent. He grabbed a pillow and a couple blankets from the closet and tiptoed down the stairs, shuffling through the pitch-black.

He cringed to hear Bickslow's snores as he flipped on the light from the opposite room so it wouldn't be bright, he just needed a little light to see.

Eyes landed on the sleeping beauty, a faint red tinting the bridge of his nose and cheeks.

How the hell was he supposed to do this? It wasn't his fault that she still looked perfect, heck he didn't know her hair was that long to still cascade down and over her shoulders in a lopsided ponytail.

Natsu dryly swallowed from his thoughts. Thoughts that shouldn't be existent.

"Damnit," He mumbled, carefully walking over. How the hell did she fall asleep? It was winter, it was absolutely bone-freezing, and she didn't have a sweatshirt.

He gently slipped the pillow under her head, biting back a smile. Her face was relaxed, highlighted by the dimmed light, bangs sweeping across her porcelain skin.

Natsu spread the blankets over her curled figure, tucking it around the perimeters, her fingers automatically gripping the edges. Lastly, he pulled it just below her chin, pausing after a moment.

Was it the shadow?

He pulled down past her shoulders, taking a second glance at the side of her neck. Eyebrows furrowed and jaw clenched, definitely not looking at a shadow.

What the hell is that?

It was a lopsided, uneven circle, it's crimson-burgundy flush standing out on her pearly skin.

Random bruises did not just appear out of thin air, especially when there were a few noticeable ridges, and he knew those all too well.

Natsu's face became rigid, jaw clamped tight, teeth grinding against. His gut wanted to collide his fist into the Roaring Lion's face, a serving rage that tasted bitter towards the mediocre boxer. he knew he'd done it, there wasn't anyone else who'd dare.

An unanswered question hung in the air. Why didn't he get that blood-thirst, maddening anger whenever Lisanna was with Bickslow? Yes, he still became annoyed, but it wasn't because of the same reasons, and Natsu didn't have a clue how to differ between the two. He'd seen the same things on his girlfriend, and she'd clap back with flimsy lies that they both knew weren't true.

Everyday it became more clearer to see that Gray and Levy were fucking right, and it angered him knowing that his trust was on a thin white line for Lisanna. She didn't blame Bickslow for anything, she'd rather go watch his local skateboarding competitions than support his future. He'd given up everything for her to be satisfied, and she gave nothing back.

Natsu was holding onto the meaningless thing he'd tried so hard for the past couple years, and it wasn't that simple to entirely cut it off. Nothing was that easy anymore.

He definitely has some business to do, lies to uncover, and what kind of relationship Loke had with Lucy. There was no way he'd ignore and pretend he hadn't seen the huge hickey on her neck.

Fuck, he really cared, probably too much for Lisanna's taste.

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Fight for Glory
❀ by queen_random1 ❀
comments & votes are
always more than welcome.
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