nalu one-shots

mission #2

And then Lucy opened it.

On the inside was a ring. A ring with a red ruby on it. It had what looked like a dragon, wrapped around a star.

A smile made its way onto Lucy's lips.

She took out the ring and saw a small, neatly folded, note that was held in place by said ring. Lucy unfolded it and read out loud:

"Special Mission #2:

I'm going to use this ring to propose to my girlfriend, Lucy Heartfilia, in X789!"

Lucy returned the paper and the ring back into the box and sat on the floor. Her heart was beating like crazy, and she didn't need to look into a mirror to know that she was blushing.

"He's... going to... propose to... me!?" she managed to stutter out.

As if to reassure herself that this was not a dream Lucy pinched her own cheek. "Not a dream!"

Lucy had feelings for the pink-haired Dragon Slayer for a long time. How could she not? He protected her and saved her life time and time again. She, of course, did the same. There was no question about it. Something like that was bound to make the two more than friends one day.

She tried to send him signals many times, but he seemed oblivious. Lucy recalled a few instances when Natsu stated outright that everyone was his Nakama.

That and... Lisanna returning from Edolas made Lucy pretty sure that the two would pick up their relationship right from where they left off. Much to her relief, not much actually happened. Well, she and Lisanna became good friends. A love triangle didn't form, even though Lucy expected that it would.

For a long time Lucy thought that Natsu simply didn't like her in that way, and some times that he didn't like girls at all.

And now she discovered how wrong she was.

"Not so dense after all," Lucy said, staring at the box with the ring inside.

Lucy knew that Natsu knew when to get serious and when just to goof off. Sure, he was a reckless idiot most of the time, but that was one of the qualities that Lucy admired about him.

"Thinking of the future! How much you've grown," she said, as if Natsu was there to hear her.

Even though she did not know him for long, Lucy could tell that this was a big step forward for her best friend.

Lucy made her mind right then and there. When Natsu eventually proposed, she would say yes without hesitation. Or maybe she would propose, if she got tired of waiting. Lucy smiled a Natsu-like smile.

She set the ring aside and went back to work. She knew that she had to hurry up and finish her last task before Natsu and Happy returned home.

Lucy got out a special Lacrima, that Mira gave her. It was capable of cleaning clothes and removing wrinkles. Upon turning it on, she was amazed by the nearly instantaneous results.

She prepared to return Natsu and Happy's, now much better looking clothes, to the closet.

Lucy looked at the ring one last time.

"X789 it is!" she said to herself.

And then a sudden and profound realization dawned on her. Lucy opened the box again, being careful not to damage it, took out the ring, unfolded the piece of paper and read it again, after returning the ring back into the box.

"Mission #2? What's mission #1?" she asked, again wondering aloud as if Natsu was there and he could answer.

"To ask you to be my girlfriend," said a quite familiar voice behind her.

Lucy gasped and turned around slowly, as if the owner of the voice was going to simply not be there until she turned to face him.

And then chocolate-brown eyes fell upon black ones.

Lucy saw Happy, floating by using his wings, behind Natsu.

For a moment nothing happened.

Natsu slowly reached out his hand and placed it on top of Lucy's.

The one that was holding the box.

Natsu closed the box, with the ring still inside, while it was still in Lucy's hand.

He took the box from her hand.

Lucy was watching him do this without saying anything, she did not move a muscle.

Natsu took the box and placed it in his pocket.

"I'll take this back for now. It's too early for that," Natsu smiled and said.

Lucy smiled back.

Their smiles quickly faded, however. Both of them could feel the awkwardness of the situation.

"Look, Lucy, I won't force you to do anything you don't want to. I just-" Natsu started explaining but was cut off.

Lucy had placed her lips on his. Silencing him.

Even though the kiss lasted a few seconds, it felt like an eternity to them. Both felt tremendous relief, their feelings finally out in the open.

"You loooooove each other!" exclaimed Happy, who started flying in circles around the two.

"Yes, Happy, we do." Lucy said. "I love you, Natsu!"

"I love you too, Lucy!" responded Natsu, who smiled his signature smile again.

Lucy smiled back.

The two embraced each other.

"Natsu?" Lucy asked after a while.

"Yeah, Luce?" he responded and looked at her.

"Will you be my boyfriend?" she asked.

He responded with a simple "Yes," and kissed her on the lips, this time with even more passion.

Once the two separated Lucy asked, "So, got any other 'Special Missions'?"

Words: 1578