The Runaway Prince (NaLu) [COMPLETED]

Chapter Nine

I KNOW! I KNOW! WAY TOO LONG YADIYADIYADA! This story will have slow updates and so will my others I will explain at the bottom authors note! Anyway! On to the story! ---->

~xXx~

After the strange coloring we spotted in Natsu's hair, we decided on Erza staying the night to try and find out about our mysterious new friend. We sat, huddled, at the table we saw it in, engrossed in deep conversation.

"Do you think that something may have spilled or stuck in his hair?" Erza inquired, in her logical manner.

"I'm not entirely sure... I suppose that could of happened, especially here of all places." I replied. "Do you think we should tell the other girls, and let them stay over with us?"

"No, it will draw too much attention to ourselves and he may not go out. I don't think they should know about it either, because they trust him. It wouldn't be good for them if they think that trust is broken."

"I suppose your right Erza, as always."

Then we heard a shout that was all too familiar to both of us.

"LUCY! YOU NEED TO GET BACK TO WORK IF YOU WANT THAT DAY OFF TOMORROW! Erza darling, shouldn't you be getting back to your cake shop about now?" Ms. Layla Heartfilia demanded.

We both apologized for not getting back to work sooner and sprang off the chairs, scurrying to wherever we were needed next. I hurried to the kitchen to be met by Mira cooking up some desserts. She was quietly humming a song whilst whisking batter to a fluffy finish. She almost seemed to be not paying attention, but it wasn't so. Mira was never so distracted that she would neglect something, even if it was just food. I walked in and took some frosting from a bowl nearby, catching the attention of the singing barmaid.

"Lucy!" She scolded, "You know better than to stick you fingers in the frosting!" She huffed and lightly whacked me on the head with her wooden spoon. "It's bad enough that Natsu comes in here, trying to steal food without you doing it too!"

I let out a laugh.
"Natsu steals food?"

"Yes, all the time! In fact, he's in here so often I've gotten to know him quite well! He's really a nice guy."

"Funny, I never would've pegged him for a bottomless pit..."

"Why not?" Mira questioned.

"Well, just seeing how he probably couldn't afford to be one from where he came from." I explained, "We did take him off the streets you know."

Mira giggled at my explanation, like she was laughing at an inside joke of sorts. I cocked an eyebrow in confusion, causing the giggling to cease immediately.

"Was it something I said?" I inquired in a quite peeved manner.

"Oh it's nothing! I'm just... remembering something funny."

"Whatever Mira. Anyway, you know a lot about Natsu huh?"

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"Oh, it's really nothing, I just feel bad because he knows so much about us and I know practically nothing about him."

"Hmm... Well, what do you want to know?" She asked, setting the batter into a pan for cupcakes.

I took a seat on a stool located by the kitchen door.

"Everything" I answered.

"Well I'm not sure I know that much about him."

"Well... Do you ever wonder if he's not what he says he is?" I inquired. To my surprise, Mira froze, dropping the spoon, and answered perhaps a little to quickly.

"NO!" She yelled, startling me. "I mean, no, why would you think something like that?" She added with a little nervous laugh.

"Mira?" I gave her a state down, there was something she wasn't telling me. "What are you hiding?"

"N-Nothing! I'm not hiding anything!" She spoke quickly.

"Well, just so you know, Erza is staying the night, and we are going to find out what he's doing when he sneaks out, which I assume you already knew?"

She stood quietly for a minute before finally replying in a weak, quiet voice.

"Yes I knew." I put up a satisfactory smirk, before I heard the next words.

"but he does it for a good reason you know... So I didn't dare report it to your mother."

"What is he doing?"

"That's not my secret to tell."

"Then you can't stop us from doing this." I stated. Right at that moment, we heard a commotion echoing from the pantry. We looked at each other in surprised curiosity before scrambling to the room filled to the brim with foods of all types. I flung open the door with a frying pan in hand to see what it was.

We gaped in astonishment at who was lying, sprawled out on the tiles, with a huge shelf on top of him. We both sounded in sync.

"Natsu Ignious!" We shouted. Mira then giggled.

"I told you he tries to steal food!"

I laughed at how ridiculous he looked, lying on his stomach, while a bookshelf of food flattened him, turning him into a human pancake. He groaned, and with a snort he tried to lift himself up before sporting me. He let out a shout and slipped back down. A bag  fell onto his head and exploded, spraying chips everywhere and piling in his hair.

"Sure, laugh at the guy with a shelf on him, real mature guys." He said, quite annoyed.

"You're one to talk!" Mira giggled.

"Yeah yeah..."

We both went to his side to help put the shelf upright and helped him up.

"Well that's a relief." He said.

"How many times have I told you to just ask me for food?" Mira quizzed.

"A lot.. but Ms. Heartfilia says that if I want any more snacks, I have to pay for them!"

I sighed exasperatedly, and handed him an apple.

"My treat."

I looked past him onto the floor of the pantry. It looked like a pile of what looked like burning ruble.

"Hey Natsu? Was that there when you got here?" I ask while walking up to it. I crouched to the ground to feel if it was still hot.

"No don't do that!" I heard Natsu shout as I placed a finger down. I drew back immediately with a gasp of pain. Tears threatened my eyes. That's the hottest ash pile I've ever seen! I thought as I looked to my hand. It was red and blistering. Is this even possible? I just touched ashes!

"Oh dear!" I heard Mira say. "Come with me Lucy, we need to get that treated!" She shot a suspicious glance at Natsu, before taking me to treat the blistering burn. As I was running my hand over my finger, I saw Mira confront Natsu and whisper to him about something I couldn't catch. Mira sure is acting strange.
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Heya!! It's been a while hasn't it? Sooooooo.... I want to let you guys know that this story will be slowing down a bit. So will my other stories. I'm having a hard time thinking creatively due to the fact that I'm at a period of my life where I'm a bit lost... I'm having some identity problems, and I'm going through an existential crisis (look it up) I'm trying my best to push through and reassert myself but it's really hard when you just don't see the point of the world anymore. Anyway. I will update from time to time, I have established a day every month exclusively for writing, that day, will be the 15th of every month. On this day, I will write a new chapter for the stories I have neglected, or if there's a particular story you would like to read more of, you can just suggest it on the conversation board. Speaking of which! I post news there! Anything happening will be there! Thanks for reading! I bid you all adieu! ByeBye Brownies!

-Your Nut, Meg

Word Count: 1329