"So how was your day off, A?"

"Oh I was just hanging out. I got to have dinner with my mom."

Levy and Lucy seemed to not question her answer. It was the truth. She just left out a few key details. They were currently at lunch, Lucy nibbling on her muffin and Levy getting distracted by her homework.

"Wow. We're really boring," Aina joked.

Levy lifted her head from her textbook and smiled.

"I wouldn't have it any other way as long as I can hang out with you two."

"Aw Levy," Lucy gushed. "We love you too."

The trio giggled amongst themselves. Aina felt a tap on her shoulder, and she turned around to see Bickslow and Gajeel smirking at her.

"Um, hello."

"Well if it isn't the salutatorian!" Bickslow taunted.

Gajeel snickered and took a jab at her as well. Lucy stood up and walked so she was next to Aina.

"And what do you two want? Why did you come all the way over here just to annoy her?"

"Natsu and Sting seem to be able to talk to you...untouchables. So we figured we'd give it a shot."

"That doesn't make any sense, Gajeel," Levy quietly spoke.

Gajeel went to step closer to her, but they all stopped when Aina felt a voice in her ear that made her shiver.

"What do you two think you're doing?"

"No fucking way," Bickslow breathed. "You're back with him?"

Aina had frozen and stood eerily still as Tyler's hands left her shoulders. Her breathing rate had picked up, but she was engulfed in confusion as she watched Tyler stand in front of her protectively.

"Listen here you fucking asswipe," Lucy started, "I don't know who you think you--"

"Oh shut up, blondie."

"What did you just call me?"

Tyler gave her a side smirk before turning back to the two guys. He crossed his arms and stared them down. Gajeel stepped forward, daring Tyler to accept his challenge. A devilish smile made its way onto his face.

"Now I don't want to fight you both. I'm not stupid. So I'll ask you nicely to leave my dear Aina alone."

Levy and Lucy had made their way to either side of Aina and tried to steady her breathing.

"Aina, it's okay. We can go over here."

Levy went to guide Aina away from the commotion that had gathered around her. She gently tugged at the back of Aina's top, Aina reluctantly following. She had turned around and started to follow Levy, but her wrist was harshly grabbed. A sharp gasp was heard from the brunette. Tyler spoke over his shoulder.

"You're not going anywhere."

"Hey man, we'll leave but you don't hafta--"

"And who are you to tell me what to do with her? She's mi--"

"Hey buddy," another voice spoke, "what the hell is going on?"

Natsu stepped between Gajeel and Bickslow to come face-to-face with Tyler.

"Who are you?" Natsu asked, severely confused.

Tyler laughed loudly as he gave a smug look to the salmon haired boy. Gajeel and Bickslow were uncharacteristically quiet, confusing Natsu further. Natsu was able to look over Tyler's shoulders fairly easily due to their height differences, and he froze when he saw Aina's petrified eyes.

"P-Please let me go," Aina whimpered.

"Hey asshole!" Lucy continued. "Get your hands off--"

She stopped when she saw that Tyler's grip had tightened. He turned his head to look at Lucy.

"It would be in your best interest to shut up."

Natsu's eyes didn't leave Aina's, and everything seemed to click.

"Tyler?"

"Oh wow, you finally know! Even the stupidest student can eventually get something right."

Natsu's eyes darkened and he stepped closer to the third top student.

"Let her go."

"Who are you to make me do anything?"

"Let her go," Natsu growled.

Aina winced when Tyler's grip tightened even more. She let out a small whimper again as she tried to pull her hand away. Natsu let out a frustrated breath before staring at Tyler with a bored expression.

"You know," Natsu drawled, "I really hate doing this, and I'm definitely gonna get in trouble for this, but--"

He cut himself off when he punched Tyler in the face. Tyler's grip on Aina loosened as he brought his hands up to his face. Levy and Lucy quickly pulled Aina away from him and to a safe place across the eating area. Tyler went to counter Natsu's strike, but he was quickly punched in the gut. He bent over and growled before landing a hit on Natsu's chest. Natsu punched Tyler in the face again. Tyler held his nose, and everyone saw that his nose was bleeding. Aina started to shake as she watched on and despite her friends' attempts to calm her down, she couldn't help but cry. Tyler staggered back when he was hit in the stomach again. He went to lunge at Natsu. He had landed a couple punches to the face. They both stood a couple feet apart, and Aina couldn't take it anymore. Lucy tried to stop her, but Aina had sprinted back over to the fight. She quickly inserted herself so she was standing in front of Tyler and facing Natsu.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

"You n-need to stop."

"Are you kidding me? You're defending him?"

"I don't want anyone hurt."

"You're seriously trying to prevent me from hurting the guy who beat the shit out of you and was about to hurt you again?"

"What can I say, idiot," Tyler cockily stated, "we have an unbreakable bond."

Aina sniffled and inched closer to Natsu before taking his fists in her small hands.

"Thank you, Natsu. But that's enough."

Natsu's glare softened and his breath steadied. Aina smiled weakly up at him and slowly let go of his hands. Tyler scoffed and went to grab Aina's shoulder, but Natsu had quickly stepped in front of her protectively. Sting and Yukino had come back from the library to see the commotion going on, and they saw the bloodied Tyler and roughed up Natsu.

"Oh boy."

Yukino hesitantly spoke, "Should we have told him?"

Sting's eyes widened when he saw Aina hiding behind Natsu and holding her wrist.

"Oh fuck that," he growled as he stomped over.

Sting had appeared behind Aina in a second.

He turned to Gajeel and shouted, "What the heck happened?"

"That guy started grabbing her wrist and he was hurting her so Natsu decided to get back at him."

"Hey Aina, why don't we go over here with Lucy and Levy? Yukino and I will come too."

Aina nodded, still shaking. Sting gently placed his hands on her shoulders and guided her back over to her friends. She continued to sniffle and when she got over to Lucy and Levy they engulfed her in a hug.

"It's okay, A. You're all right," Levy soothed.

"Once Natsu's done with him I'm getting at him!" Lucy angrily yelled.

Aina had lowered herself to the floor and stared blankly at the grass below her. Sting noticed and crouched down to her level. She started picking the blades and tossing them off to the side.

"You did that a lot when we were kids," Sting laughed. "Remember? We would make--"

"Potions," Aina giggled.

"And don't forget the mud cakes that we would top off with grass frosting."

Aina gave Sting a small smile before she started crying again. She leaned into him and hugged him tightly. Sting sighed and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm really sorry that I p-pushed you away," Aina whispered.

He rubbed her back and smiled at her.

"It should be me to apologize. But you're all right now. I'm pretty sure anyone sitting in that seating area would be more than willing to throw punches with that asshole."

Levy spoke up, "He just got unlucky that it was Natsu to step up instead of that lanky guy from tech engineering."

Aina laughed through her tears. She couldn't see clearly because her vision was blurry, but she was able to make out the pink hair from across the area. She seemed to calm down slightly as she stared at the back of his head.

"Uh oh."

Aina looked up at Levy in curiosity, but she just pointed over to Natsu. The brunette wiped her eyes so she could see clearer, and she saw that Mister Justine and Mister Fernandes were standing at the entrance. Her eyes widened before she quickly stood.

"How much trouble do you think he'll get in?" Lucy questioned.

"Well considering he just beat one of the top students so bad that his nose is probably broken...I'm gonna say a lot."

Aina looked at Natsu and gasped.

"His probation!"

She had once again sprinted over to the group, leaving a trio of girls and Sting.

"Probation? Sting?"

"He said he got arrested for something and that he couldn't really get into serious trouble for a while."

Aina had reached Natsu just as the two teachers. Mister Justine looked at Natsu in complete disgust. Mister Fernandes looked between the bloodied Tyler and pissed off Natsu.

"Mister Dragneel," Mister Fernandes started, "what exactly happened?"

"I'll tell you what happened!" Tyler roared. "This demon jumped me for no reason."

The blue haired psychology teacher looked between them to see that Natsu looked like he was ready to accept whatever punishment that was given to him without a fight. He raised his eyebrows at his calm demeanor. Natsu just stared blankly back at him.

"Natsu? Do you have an explanation?"

Mister Justine cut him off, saying, "Of course he doesn't have one. It was only time for him to needlessly act upon his violent impulses."

"That's not true, Mister Justine!"

They all looked over to the short girl who was looking up seriously at her teachers. Mister Fernandes looked a bit shocked to see her in the middle of it.

"Aina? Do you have an explanation?"

She nodded before holding up her arm to show a very red wrist. The psychology teacher immediately connected the events of the fight to the rumors of how Tyler was abusive. Mister Justine, however, looked at Natsu and started yelling at him.

"So you put your hands on both top students?"

Natsu glared at the English teacher before scoffing, saying that he would never hurt someone like that.

"Mister Justine, it wasn't Natsu. He was making sure I could get away safely. Please don't make him in trouble. It was my fault."

Mister Fernandes sighed and turned to Gajeel and Bickslow.

"And I'm guessing you're backing up Natsu's excuse?"

"Well duh. It's what happened. Ask them if you really want believable people."

The blue haired man looked over to Lucy, Levy, Yukino and Sting. He pinched his nose and grabbed Natsu before dragging him inside. Aina let out a "no!" before she tried to stop him. The psychology teacher gently assured her that everything would be fine.

------------------------------

"Natsu?"

Aina had peeked around the nurse's curtains to try to find him. She was finally able to see him after pushing back about six empty curtained rooms. He raised his gaze to look at her and gave her a small smile.

"You shouldn't be skipping class, Miss Labelle," Natsu joked.

"I'm not," she stated as she mischievously held up an ice pack. "My wrist hurts so I came to ice it."

He waved her over to the first aid cot and patted the spot next to him. She looked around to make sure the nurse wouldn't yell at her and slipped inside. The cot dipped slightly as she sat down beside him.

"Did she not treat you yet? You're still bleeding."

"Not my blood, sweetheart."

"O-oh."

"Listen, if you came in here to scold me about how I shouldn't have fought or something then--"

"Thank you, Natsu."

"Huh?"

She gave a small smile and held his hand with her uninjured one. She started to lean up, but she stopped herself before their lips could connect. She seemed to remember something.

"So what happens with your probation?"

Natsu groaned and leaned back. Aina's smile turned to a deep frown.

"I really hope you don't get in trouble, but I know that that will probably happen. And I wanted to apologize because it's my fault."

"Don't even worry about it, sweetheart. A few weeks of suspension and I'll be on my way. Not like I do the work anyway."

"Miss Labelle, where are you?"

"Looks like that's my cue to go. I wouldn't want the nurse to hate me."

She stood up and looked up to the ceiling in thought before she quickly leaned down and kissed Natsu's cheek before jumping out of his assigned room. Natsu's cheeks burned and he tried to say something, but his voice caught. Aina appeared to the nurse's desk and smiled, saying that she was just getting a drink of water. The nurse took the ice pack and placed it back in the freezer before giving her another one. She looked down to Aina's wrist and pressed her lips together.

"I haven't seen you back here with something like that since last year."

Aina smiled and replied, "Hopefully this is the last time."