Adrift | NaLu |

°• T W E L V E •°

Lucy's smile turned apologetic, as she shook her head slightly. "Well..erm..not exactly..Erza left a while ago right? If you're fast, you might catch up with her."

His face fell, and he flopped further down, mumbling something along the lines of 'But I wanted to go with you..'

"Sorry Natsu! But Lucy promised to spend time with me this evening!"

"Well then I call dibs on her for later today!"

"It'll be night then flame for brains! Call dibs tomorrow."

"Shut up you ice freak!"

"You wanna start this hot head?"

"Come on!" Wendy said gently, taking Lucy's hand. "Let's go. They'd be at it for a while."

"O-Okay. Happy? Make sure that they don't tear the place down?"

"Whaaaat?" Happy whined. "But I wanted to go with!"

"No can do Happy~" Wendy said in a sing-song tone. "It's just me and her for now!"

With this, before the exceed could even reply, Wendy bolted out of the café, dragging Lucy along. The blonde tried to keep up with her pace, wondering what on Earth would go down that evening.

•••

"Wow! It's all so pretty!"

Wendy looked around in amazement, watching the colourful lanterns outlining the town streets with sparkles in her eyes. The sun had already set and the whole marketplace was lit up with lanterns, making the scene even more picturesque.

"You like it now?" Lucy asked chuckling. "Then wait until tomorrow. You'd certainly be blown away."

"Tomorrow?" she asked, confused, looking back at her. Then, her face brightened up when she realised what Lucy was saying and clapped her hands in exitement. "Oh Oh! The Midsummer's festival is tomorrow! Right?"

"Ding Ding Ding! And we have a winner!"

Wendy giggled, until Lucy suddenly yanked her to a side, over to a stall.

"Look over here! Yukatas!"

"They really are pretty!" Wendy agreed. "But er.."

"It's a tradition to wear one on the festival here." Lucy explained. "You should get one! For Erza too! And traditional robes for the boys!"

"But-"

"C'mon! Do it! It'll be no fun to experience the festival otherwise."

And so the girls spent the next hour or so shopping for yukatas and robes, having fun hunting around for the perfect accessories to go along with all of it. Lucy and Wendy now walked the streets holding one big bag each, while their other hand held onto candy apples.

"That was quite the haul." Wendy said, satisfied. "I had so much fun!"

"I'm glad." Lucy smiled, taking a bite of her treat.

"It must be so fun for you. Experiencing something like this every year."

"Actually erm.."

"Hm?"

"It'd be my first time too. Experiencing the festival."

Wendy's eyes widened and she looked at the latter in disbelief. "What?!" she blurted out. "But-But I thought-"

"Yeah I know.." Lucy mumbled nervously. "I came here a little over a year ago. After the festival that is. But I've just heard so much about it that it feels like I've already been to one. Weird huh?"