// Time Skip //
// 2nd P.O.V //
You were astonished by how amazing it felt to not be motion sick on the carriage. Wendy has used her Troia spell on you.
"It was really hard to leave, huh?" Lucy said.
"Bye-bye Crocus!" Happy called.
"Urp... I feel sick..." Natsu groaned.
"Then don't get in the wagon! Run alongside!" Gray exclaimed.
"It felt like we were there for a very long time..." Erza said.
"A lot sure happened!" Wendy chirped.
"That's true. But I must admit, I'll miss that broken-down bar." Carla said.
"I agree!" Kuschel chimed in.
"Yeah, a lot did happen... [Y/N], what was up with you and Natsu last night? And why did he gather Gajeel and Laxus to go 'Cheney-hunting'?" Lucy asked.
"Oh... it's a long story." you chuckled.
"She liiiiikes him!" Happy said.
"I do not!" you shrieked.
"Urgh... I-I'm still gonna beat him... for kissing you... urp..." Natsu groaned.
"Rogue kissed you?!" Lucy exclaimed.
"It was the one from the future!" you said quickly. "apparently, I die in his arms in the future. In a year... and he loved me. I guessed he did, because he said he was glad that he finally got to kiss me."
"Does Rogue know about this?" Carla questioned.
"No. He doesn't know anything." you replied. "and I wanna keep it that way, 'cause I don't want things to get awkward between us."
"I haven't seen you two talk much." Wendy pointed out. "only at the palace party after the Games."
"No. We met up a few times over the course of the Games. At night, outside Crocus Gardens Inn, where Sabertooth was staying." you explained. "it's actually Kuschel and Frosch's fault that we're friends, now."
"I agree!" Kuschel purred.
"Duly noted..." Carla trailed off.
"So? What did you tell Future Rogue? Did you tell him you loved him back?" Lucy asked.
"Not exactly." you murmured. "after he kissed me, the first time... I told him it wasn't right, and that I wouldn't want this. And we agreed, that in another life, we would be each other's."
"Th-that's so sweet!" Wendy cried, on the brink of tears.
"H-hey! Don't cry!" you gasped. "just... the very thought of myself dying in his arms... it makes my stomach twist. I don't like to think about it."
Natsu burped again.
Once we arrived back in Magnolia, we were congratulated profusely. Everyone was cheering. Even Lucy's landlady and those guys that always warn her to be careful near the water.
"[Y/N]! Your battle against Jenny was amazing!" an older man drooled. You sweat-dropped.
"No! I loved the way she threatened Minerva after the Naval Battle!" another voice cheered.
"I think her fight with Gray against Lyon and Chelia was awesome!" a little boy yelled.
As it turns out, Natsu kept the king's crown. You were the only one who cheered him on for it.
As a gift for winning, the entire town had pitched in to repair the guild back to the way it was. Makarov cried.
You soon found out that there were communal baths within the guild hall. A lot of the girls went to bathe - you, instead, opted to fight Elfman. You won, of course.
You spent the rest of the night drinking and singing songs, just like you had at Bar Sun during the Games. You went to take a breather outside, and looked up at the sky. It was still relatively light.
'Why does it feel so weird to not be talking to Rogue?' you thought. 'I wonder when the next time we'll talk will be...'
"Hey, [Y/N]!" Natsu's voice called. "what're ya doing?"
You turned to see him approaching with his team - Lucy, Gray, Erza, Wendy, Happy and Carla.
"Nothing, just thinking." you shrugged.
"About Rooogue, because you loooove him!" Happy teased.
"I do not! Shut up, you stupid cat!" you yelled.
You re-entered the guildhall together, and Natsu immediately complained that he was never going on a job with Gray again.
"Natsu, Gray! We've got another request for you two personally!" Mirajane called.
"Not again!" Natsu fumed.
'I have quite a few personal requests, too... I even have some with Natsu and Gray, considering how well I fought alongside Gray on the final day.' you thought. 'I wonder if there are inter-guild requests... if there was, there's a chance I could get put with Sting and Rogue on a job!'
You didn't know why you were thinking about that now. A chair suddenly hit you in the face and you slammed into the ground.
"[Y/N]!" Wendy gasped. "a-are you okay?!"
"Natsu, you jerk!" Cana hissed.
"She wasn't paying attention!" Natsu defended. "I thought she would dodge!"
You sat up and rubbed your face.
"Careful! If you weren't aware, I've been disabled by the recent events!" you jabbed a finger at the scar under your left eye.
"Ahh..." Mirajane read over the paper. "how are you holding up, [Y/N]? That scar on your belly looked bad last time I saw it."
You grinned and ever so slightly lifted you shirt, showing the forked scar that ran across your lower abdomen.
"If it had been any deeper, my guts would've come falling out." you said.
"If those two Sabertooth chums could've protected you better, there'd be no need for any scars." Laxus rolled his eyes.
"Hey! They did their best - I almost died! Rogue pulled me out of the way just in time." you replied. "I'd probably be a goner if it weren't for him."
"So now we're all in a doozy over him because he saved your life? This is great." the blond replied.
"I'm just mad that he kissed ya!" Natsu grumbled.
"For the last time, that was Future Rogue! Not our Rogue!" you exclaimed. "it doesn't count because it happened yet."
"Okay, then it will happen." Natsu tried to reason.
"No, it won't, because Lucy closed the Gate and changed the future." you said, putting your hands on your hips.
"We should be leaving on the mission, now. It is an emergency." Erza spoke up, turning her warm brown eyes to you. "do you want to come with us, [Y/N]?"
"I think I wanna stay here and rest up. Kuschel's still healing and I don't wanna drag her on another mission." you shrugged.
"Are you sure you'll be able to pay your rent just fine if you take smaller jobs?" Lucy frowned.
You burst out laughing, and so did a few guild members.
"What's so funny?" Lucy asked.
"I've been bunking in Natsu's place ever since you guys left for Tenrou!" you cackled. "I only meant to stay there for the time you were gone, but after a year, Kuschel 'n' I started building our own place."
"You've been livin' in my house?!" Natsu yelled.
"Uh - yeah. Problem?" you smirked. "I've kept it just how it was when you left it, don't worry."
"You didn't even clean it?!" Lucy shouted, comically stunned.
"It's fine, now." you said. "I've just gotta buy some good furniture and then move it into the little place I built. I could show ya before you leave, if you'd like."
// After a walk to Magnolia's outskirts... //
"Urghh... my feet hurt." Lucy moaned.
"We're almost there, quit whining!" you said, pushing through a few bushes. The soft ground beneath your feet became more firm and then a dirt path appeared in its place, leading up to a small cottage-like structure. It wasn't too large, and the windows didn't have panes.
"This's my home sweet home! Well, not quite, but almost." you grinned.
"How d'you walk out here everyday?" Gray raised his brows. "not saying that you aren't fit enough to, or anything!"
"Nah, it's cool. Kuschel'd usually fly me out here, but..." you gestured to her, asleep in Wendy's arms. "yeah. There's no point snooping around inside, there's nothing in there."
You blinked at Natsu, who had his head poked through your 'window.'
"It's so... clean." Happy said. "wow! It's been ages since I've seen the floor of a house clean!"
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!" Natsu and Lucy shrieked at the same time. You laughed, leaning against the exterior wall.
"Shouldn't you guys be going on that quest or something?" you asked after a while.
"Yes... come on, everybody." Erza said, dipping her head in your direction.
"Good luck building your house, [Y/N]!" Wendy smiled sweetly, approaching you. You extracted Kuschel from her arms and then gave her a pat on her head of pretty, blue hair.
"See ya round, [Y/N]!" Natsu yelled as the group began to trail away.
"Don't be a stranger, will ya!" Gray added.
"I bid adieu!" Erza called, before they all disappeared among the shrubbery.
You sighed contentedly and opened the door to your home. It was all empty, but not to worry. You had enough jewel to fill the place up nicely, especially since you wouldn't have to pay rent since you built it yourself.
"Home, sweet home."