Lessons in Love » NaLu A.U.

chapter » twenty nine

Lucy hated cold weather almost as much as she hated public bathrooms. There was just no good to come from cold, all bundled up with freezing bones to the point it almost hurt. She preferred the warmth of summer, the effortless breeze of spring. It was simpler, less harsh.

So when Lucy clacked the edges of her snow covered boots against the side of the wall in her lobby, she let out a dissatisfied groan at the plumes that rose from it. She brushed flakes from her shoulders as well before digging into her bag for her mail keys.

"The heavy snow really came out of nowhere, huh?" Someone spoke off to the side. "Seems like just a few days ago was the first fall."

Lucy nodded her head slightly. "Yeah, it's-"

Her mumbling was cut short when she turned her head to see who was speaking. The voice was familiar, of course, by why Loke was in her apartment building was quite a question to her. "It's a pain." She finished softly.

Loke sat on a bench with his legs crossed and his torso leaned against the wall. "I called a cab a while ago, but I think it's taking them a bit longer with this weather."

How typical; two barely strangers making small talk about the weather. Then again, that was Lucy's strong suit. "What brought you here to mi casa anyway."

The ginger flashed his signature broad smile. "I wanted to talk to Natsu."

Lucy's fingers froze up and the keys fell from her hand. Her head swiveled towards his direction with a puzzled look. "Do you realize that you and Gray really share an affinity for getting beat up?"

"I don't want to get beat up." The redheaded male assured her. "I just was looking for Gray."

Lucy snorted as she swiftly picked her keys up and brushed the melted snow at her feet from them. "Yeah, because Gray totally wouldn't fight you. Real smart."

"He wouldn't. At least not immediately." Loke sighed to himself. Pushing himself to his feet, he took lazy strides towards her. "I take it you can't help me either?"

"Not can't." Lucy's keys jingled as she opened her mailbox. There were a few envelopes inside, which surprised her. She hadn't really bought anything after finally meeting Natsu. "Won't."

Loke's brow arched up as he looked at her skeptically. "That's cold, blondie. Why not, exactly?"

"Well, for one, you keep trying to fight my boyfriend." Lucy glared at Leo as he casually grabbed her mail from her box for her and turned it around in his hands. "And two, you keep trying to fight one of my best friends."

Loke's laugh was rather charming, but given the circumstances, Lucy wasn't exactly smitten. "He's your boyfriend now? Good for him. I thought the little hothead wouldn't ever be serious enough to have a real relationship."

Lucy reached forward and snatched her mail from his hands, tucking it between her arm and ribcage. "You've put Gray through a lot of trouble. I really doubt he has any energy left to put up with you."

Loke ran his ring-covered fingers through his hair. "We have plenty of energy. Been fighting since we were three feet tall."

Pushing her mailbox shut rather loudly just for emphasis, Lucy blankly looked up at him. "Then don't you think it's about time you stopped?"

His shoulder's rolled back stiffly. "Now, blondie, we all have our bad habits. I'm sure you have at least one of your own."

Lucy could see how someone so dashing could also be so irritable. "I'm going up. If you need Gray then call him like a normal person."