457AN: Hello Fairy Tail fandom, and possibly some of my loyal readers from the Bleach fandom, yes, I'm starting a new fic. This time for my beloved OTP Nalu. I've been wanting to write a Nalu fic for a while especially since I've been on a Nalu fanfiction reading binge for about half a year now. Unfortunately, I never really knew what to write about. Just today I got some inspiration as I was brainstorming up ideas. I don't want to get into the details of the story just yet, because I might change up some stuff, but the start of this little ficlet is just about set in stone. There'll be no more than 25 chapters if even that since I know what I want the story's goal to be. This is definitely rated M for language, lots of smut, dub-con, and potential violence.
Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own FT, I barely own the computer I'm typing on tbh.
Long flowing blonde hair blew with the wind throughout the halls of Magnolia Academy boarding school for girls, as onlookers watched in awe.
Magnolia Academy wasn't just any all-girls school, no—its halls were explicitly for the children of old money. Not just any celebrity or starlet could get their children into the gates of the Academy no matter how much they wanted to. We're talking only about the old money of Magnolia City. In this case, it was the Grisenwalds, Strauss, Chavs, Vermilions,…and Heartfilia's that established themselves as the old blood of the gold-encrusted walls.
A healthy head of golden blonde turned slightly to the side as the sparkling strands flowed elegantly down the back of a curvy uniform-clad girl. The sound of throats clearing echoed throughout the halls as girls standing near their finely structured lockers watched on attentively as large honeyed brown eyes gazed around almost in a daze.
"U-Um Lucy-san, are you looking for someone?" A small girl with a brown pixie cut called out timidly. She was one of the girls in the audience watching one of the notably most popular girls in the school, if not the most popular girl.
A light pink spread across ivory cheeks as a small finely-manicured ran through tousled golden locks, "Sorry, Angelica, right?" The pixie girl quickly nodded, humbled that such a person would remember her name as shown by the flush over her own cheeks. The blonde giggled sweetly even as her brown orbs danced distractedly, looking but not actually looking at the faces of the other girls around them that held expressions of interest, awe, or envy of the conversation Angelica was holding with the renowned blonde. "I was just looking for Levy McGarden, it's something important I need to tell her, have you seen…"
Angelica rose her brows as her mouth dropped to an 'O' finally seeing what had the blonde so confused. Her flush deepened from seeing her senior up close, and a tinge of jealousy pierced her stomach as she took in her beauty. "I-I'm sorry Lu—"
"Lu-chan!" The small girl jumped as she watched the crowd their "1-on-1" conversation somehow gathered, part to reveal an incredibly small girl with blue hair jump in and pull on the surprised blonde's arm. "What did he say, what did he say Lu-chan?"
"Oh thank god, Levy, I've been trying to find you everywhere!" The beautiful blonde, not much taller than Levy sighed in relief. Pulling her friend away from the group casually to continue their conversation. The group of girls around them started giggling and talking amongst themselves as they relayed what they heard to each other. Each sporting a blush on their face after getting an up-close look at two of the most popular girls in their school.
Angelica smiled to herself as her friends started to pull her frame to themselves to barrage her with questions. The brunette began getting ready to speak, puffing her cheeks as one of her friends started whining about how slow she was being about it. Silence hit them again though, and before the brunette could question it, her hands were pulled the opposite way as chocolate eyes with long covetous lashes sought out her own. "Thank you for helping me." Impossibly white teeth surrounded by full lush pink lips pulled into a photo-ready grin and before she knew it, Lucy Heartfilia was running down the hall. Her golden tresses once again blew in the wind behind her slender back as the anxious blunette waited for her. The blunette whined, "Luuuuu-chan" loud enough for her to hear even down the hall. Lucy responded by tugging on the girl's cheek and giggling at her friend's cute reaction pulling her to their previous destination.
"OH MY GOD ANGELICA, YOU JUST GOT THANKED BY LUCY FREAKING HEARTFILIA!" A pink-haired second-year like herself screamed. Who was she telling? She could hardly believe it herself! Screams echoed throughout the halls as the girl finally couldn't take it any longer and fainted.
"So! What did he say Lu-chan? Where are you going this fall?" Brown eyes similar to her own blinked questioningly. Levy's expression was full of impatience as they sat next to each other out in the quad. It was their study hour, a time mostly filled with snacking and talking this late in the year as they were soon-to-be high school graduates off to the wonders of adulthood and college. After this hour they were free to go home and another day closer to walking the stage with a diploma in hand.
In just a few more days to be exact.
"Hu-hu-hu," Lucy laughed secretively, eyes shimmering from happiness.
"He said yes, didn't he?! God Lu-chan just spit it out already!" Levy started to beat her fists on the buxom blonde's thigh.
"Ow, Levy stop!" Lucy giggled, trying to push away the smaller girl's fists.
"I'm sorry Lu-chan but you won't tell me, so if I have to resort to this I will!" The blunette puffed with her fists planted on her seated hips.
"Won't tell you what?" A sweet voice called above them. There stood a pale-haired woman, her blue eyes sparkling mischievously as she quickly squatted before Lucy or Levy could fully take in her presence. Her curious visage took over Lucy's line of sight as the older girl moved uncomfortably closer.
"Mirajane?!" Lucy yelled in surprise, "What are you doing here? You graduated last year remember." Pulling back to get a better look at the girl, Lucy took in her stylish everyday clothes, a contrast to the standard uniform Levy and she wore.
Mirajane Strauss was their senior when she and Levy were second-years. She along with an equally as beautiful, but much firmer and strict Erza Scarlet ran their school before passing on the helm to Lucy and Levy. The latter also had been the school's student council president. Revered and feared by all. As hard as she was on the rules, she was as kind, and Lucy and Erza quickly became friends along with the other two girls.
That was last year though, as far as she heard, Erza had taken off to Law School all the way across Fiore. Mirajane had her previous part-time job as a supermodel that allowed her to become full-time, afterwards, she started her own fashion line called Heart Kreuz. One of the most sought-after brands of their generation. The likes of which she was fashionably wearing at the moment. A halter top with an acid-washed jean jacket and matching low-riding jeans finished by heeled peep-toe sandals. Lucy silently squealed at how cutely the Strauss dressed, already making plans in her mind to go shopping after school for that exact jean jacket.
Mira angled her head to the side after a moment, an action as innocent as anything, but Lucy knew it meant her earlier question wasn't being disregarded. The ivory-haired beauty smiled lightly before explaining her visit, "Lisanna" was all she said, watching as Lucy looked to the ground and smiled uncomfortably while Levy frowned, quickly giving Mira a placating smile so as not to offend. Mira brushed it off with a laugh and a shake of her hand while Levy blushed in response.
"It's fine, I know how you guys feel about her…how most people feel about her." Mira brushed back some of Lucy's golden hair, egging her to respond. "She's just having a hard time adjusting you know.
Lucy looked up to the woman that was basically her idol ever since the first time she saw her in a cover spread of Fiore Weekly, a magazine that covered everything from fashion, dating, and makeup tips and tricks to the lives of the uber-rich and famous. Mirajane was its top model and when they met, she landed Lucy a job there too. It was fun for a while but modeling soon lost its luster for the blonde after a while and she resigned herself to just being a spectator. That and the fact that her father almost snapped her neck once he found out.
Lisanna on the other hand was the complete opposite of her sister. Unlike the nice and sweet Mirajane, Lisanna had somewhat of a mean streak on her. Many girls at the school found themselves bullied by her and her friends for doing the smallest things like just looking at her wrong. Her scathing words and scandalous attitude were well known around the academy.
Lucy couldn't blame her though, she had just been found a couple of years ago after being kidnapped and thrown into Fiore's underground world of sex-trafficking. The girl no doubt faced unfathomable things during the time she was gone, her family having written her off as dead until she was found beaten and emotionally abused shaking in the rain on the Strauss doorstep. Mirajane says she hasn't been the same since, even with therapy, but since no one besides her sister really knew her before it happened, people found it hard to understand. Especially so with how mean and sour her personality became.
Lucy knew the difference though, she knew it well having been friends with the younger, short-haired, version of her sister. They had been friends in the early years of middle school, and even if it was for a short time, Lucy remembered who she used to be. She was as sweet and kind as any Strauss family member, but adventurous and impulsive, unlike her sister. Even with Lisanna's memory of their past friendship, she had been anything but amicable with their reunion, mocking Lucy for being a prudish virgin when Lucy sat next to her to talk.
"So you've never had sex?" Lisanna smirked at the blonde as her friends behind her snickered.
"Uh, no…" Lucy moved around in her seat uncomfortably before clearing her throat. A blush crept down to her chest.
"Nor have you had a boyfriend?" Lisanna said more like a statement. Her light blue eyes took on a judging twinkle as she tilted her chin haughtily. She took the blonde's silence as an affirmative and her girls continued to laugh louder. "Why? Are you scared? It's not that bad…Actually quite enjoyable when you get used to it. I'd suggest you lose the first time though before looking for a boyfriend. Men don't like it when you just lay there like a sack of shit and cry." She snickered though her eyes flashed with pain.
"U-Um."
"Hmm, you don't have much going for you in the brain do you?" She tilted her ivory hair back and laughed, her girls following suit like a pack of hyenas. Lucy thought they could be just as vicious. "I honestly can't see why you're so popular here."
Lucy bristled at that, her blond brows furrowing as she looked up at her old friend. "You don't have to—!"
"You don't have to, what?" Lisanna interrupted with an arched brow. Her voice took on a whiny pitch making Lucy blush darker at the insinuation of that being the way she sounded. "Okay you blonde bimbo, you've lasted a minute with me even though I had to listen to your welcome committee speech. Are you happy now?" Lucy began to speak but she was cut off as Lisanna stood from her seat, her uniform skirt rising to pretty much the apex of her thighs making Lucy blush harder. Her uniform wasn't much longer as deemed fashionable but it was still up to code. All Lisanna had to do was walk and she'd be flashing a passerby 10-fold. "Look, I faintly remember us being friends once upon a time, but that time's over. I'm not a little girl like you anymore, blondie." She snickered hatefully. "I'll let you off of the hook this time for interrupting me, but come find me again bitch…" Lisanna got a hair's breadth away from her face before she pulled harshly on Lucy's once perfect ponytail making the girl cringe, "and you'll regret it."
Tears bubbled at the edges of Lucy's eyes. All she could hear were cackles of laughter and plans to meet up at a club falling into the distance as she sat in her own little pity party.
Lucy sighed sadly before smiling wistfully at Mira, who'd taken on a somewhat concerned expression. "Is she doing okay?"
Mira hummed in thought before answering, "She's still hanging around those god-awful girls, but Elfman and I are finally getting somewhere with her at home." Mira sighed. Elfman was Lisanna and Mira's brother—the middle child of the Strauss home. She remembered Mira explaining how he blamed himself for Lisanna's kidnapping as he hadn't been there when she needed him, but Mira felt the same if not more behind her happy façade. "I'm here to talk to Principal Porlyusica and pick Lisanna up."
Lucy nodded in understanding while Levy sang a soft, 'oh'.
"So," the devious smile was back. "What does Levy want you to tell her, hmm?"
Lucy scratched her cheek as she soon felt the heat of her best friend's stare sear into the side of her head. "After a long time of begging and proving that I'm able to be on my own, my father agreed to let me go to university with you Levy…!"
"What! Really Lu-chan!?" Levy squealed as she grabbed her friend up in a hug, the blonde totally blindsided by her excitement even though she honestly should've seen it coming.
Mira clapped her hands happily, "I'm so happy for you!"
Lucy sighed, her levity dimming with a tinge of bitterness, "The catch is that I have to go for business or he's shipping me off to a private institution."
"But what about your dream to become a writer?" Levy stopped shaking her with the weight of the question.
"I don't know," was her only response.
"I'm home!" Lucy called as she set her book bag down and shuffled out of her school shoes. She kept her new jean jacket hidden in her shopping bag along with a few other items clutched to her full chest, giddy at her accomplishment of finding the exact dark blue wash she wanted, already thinking up the perfect outfit to go out in and show the public. She was sure to be spotted and have a couple of runway-worthy pics plastered over FW and other top magazines.
"Miss. Lucy, your father requests your presence in his office." A maid informed, rather timorously. The sight of the maid shaking amid her announcement made Lucy freeze and her heart skip a beat.
This couldn't be good.
The help around the house was often scared of her father, and with good reason, but they were never this shaken up unless he was in one of his moods. The last time he was in one, she'd refused to see him even after a maid begged her to go. Her father had stormed into her room, found her hiding in her closet, and gave her a beating so bad she wasn't physically able to go to school for the next couple of days. This had happened a few years ago when she was 13, but she could still remember it clearly, the pain she felt and the rage in his eyes.
Please Daddy don't, I'm sorry!
Lucy cringed, he didn't apologize and she didn't blame him, but instead herself. Especially for the trouble she'd caused the help. If she'd only gone to him when he asked instead of being stubborn, a deplorable trait of hers she ironically got from her father, it wouldn't have happened. She could only hope that the maids who begged her to go just lost their jobs as she hadn't seen them since. She knew it was well within his power to ruin their lives and never allow them to have a decent job again. Her father's rage was blind, and she'd hit the bitter end of it multiple times before.
Rushing to put her keys down and give her bag to her maid, knowing the poor frightened woman would put it in her room, Lucy checked to make sure her appearance was proper in the mirror near the entryway before walking quickly to Jude Heartfilia's office.
There were barely any furnishings or decorations down this hallway, it was cold and bare, with only one large window at the end of the hall. Lucy took a deep breath to gather some of her wits and left quick short raps on the hardwood double brass door.
"Come in." A hard voice commanded, and Lucy pinched herself to keep from flinching. He probably enjoyed her fear but she had enough pride left to not let him see it.
Inside, the plain yet large room was imposing in the few stuff it did have. A couple of bookshelves almost three times her size, a large oak darkly wooded desk, and worst of all, her father.
"You're graduating soon, Lucy," Jude spoke once she stood a few paces before him, not looking up at her but continuing to write whatever it was he was writing.
Lucy knew better than to speak. He didn't directly ask her to respond and she especially didn't want to slip up when he was in a mood.
"I've decided whom I want you to wed."
Lucy took in a sharp breath of air, otherwise keeping herself from reacting. Though she couldn't stop her knees from shaking when he carried on. "You'll be meeting him in a few months after you start college at that private institute."
She couldn't help herself, "But…Father I-!"
Jude silenced her as he slammed his pen down and looked up with a powerful stare, challenging her to continue her expletive.
Looking down, Lucy cleared her throat and continued to talk normally, albeit with a slight tremble to her voice, "I thought you were going to allow me to go to Fairy Tail University."
"Hmph. That depends on how I find you this summer." That of course was not what they agreed on, but Lucy knew the underhanded threat. Agree to this marriage to sign over her life and she might be able to go to the school of her choosing. "I may also reconsider you going and attaining whatever degree you want—", Lucy looked up hopefully, "as long as you minor in business."
Lucy resigned herself to this fate with a sigh while closing her eyes tightly to stop her eyes from burning and her tears from overflowing, it was the best she could get as the daughter of a Heartfilia. Everyone in their family lineage was married off. Every heir all the way down to her father and now her. There was no more time for fairy tales; it was time to get real.
If anything he was showing her mercy by allowing compromises. "Yes, father.
"To be honest, our companies have been talking over your union for a while but it was just recently that they've given me an offer I couldn't refuse."
"W-who is it, father?"
"Don't stutter." Jude spat, making Lucy jump and bow her head deeper. "It's Dragneel's son."
Lucy's brow crinkled in confusion for a few reasons, "Igneel Dragneel…he has a son? Isn't he your company's rival, father?"
"I suppose he does." He said tersely, ignoring her second question. Lucy remembered Igneel only slightly from pictures of the man. He had vibrant red hair only a slightly darker shade than her friend Erza's and even though he carried a huge conglomerate on his back whose only real rival in all of Fiore was her father's, he seemed like a genuine person compared to the corporate sharks Lucy was familiar with. She remembered that the man was in his late 40s, but never married even though he was on Fiore's Eligible Bachelor List multiple times for his extremely good looks that became even more seasoned with age. So she never assumed he had children and they were never mentioned before. It's possible that he had a child in his younger years before building his company. Meaning his son was probably in his 30s.
Lucy's spine tingled in fear and her stomach rolled with disgust. The last thing she wanted was to marry an old man. If she was honest, any man that was her father's picking.
Yes, unlike the old money of the Heartfilias, the Dragneels were new money, as much as those with old lineage tried to look down on the company, it was impossible to after all that they'd prospered. Extents to which surpass many whose families made colonies in Fiore, and had her father pulling his hair in frustration.
Her father was only in his late 30s, making the possibility of her potential future husband being around the same age all the more disturbing. Jude was able to prosper in his youth because, unlike Mr. Dragneel who built his empire from the ground, her father was given it almost as a trust fund after graduating from business and trade school.
"Now then, Jose here and I are going to talk. Refrain from bothering me tonight."
Lucy's heart jumped with a start as she noticed her father's business partner and adviser for the first time. He had been standing in the shadows of the room it seemed.
Her skin crawled as she saw him slither next to her father, noticing his lanky build, oiled black hair slicked around his face, and the facial hair he had groomed in a way that made him look like a man up to no good. As always when she was in his presence, her stomach clenched with fear as she felt his eyes rake over her form.
"Yes sir," She bowed quickly, skirting out of the room as fast as she could. Lucy took a much-needed breath once she was out of the hall leading to his office, and in the comfort of her own room.
To be honest, that went better than she thought it would…
AN: Welp, that was the first chapter, tell me what you think. I'm a little afraid to write this because I've never written for FT before and I'm not confident in my ability to characterize them well, I barely think I write IR well and I'm obsessed with that couple, haha.
Edit 2.10.23
Finally editing the crap out of this old thing, haha. I'm doing it in preparation to update and also because I started writing this dinosaur when I was a freshman in high school…as you can imagine or if you're re-reading, you know the grammar was not the best…With that being said, it is nice to see how I've developed my skills. Five to ten years from now I'll hopefully be looking back on even this edit with a side eye as I make it even better!