Don't Burn On My Watch

10

"Do you want to go to a pottery class?"

Natsu and I sat in the more quiet corner of the guild and his fingers stroked my hand, waiting for an answer.

"There's pottery here?" I asked.

He nodded and pulled a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and passed it to me. It was a flyer for a new ceramics studio opening up. The new building was more than a couple blocks away but, as Natsu said, 'If I get tired, he could just carry me.'

"It sounds interesting."

He smiled and sat up in his chair, spreading his knees and clasping his hands with mine.

"Wow." He whispered, rubbing his hands on mine. I tilted my head, curiously. "Your hands are so soft."

"I use a moisturizer."

"What's that?"

"Oh, Natsu," I sighed. "Come on, I'll tell you on the way."

"No seriously. Is it like... A lady thing?" He asked frantically, sliding his arm around me.

I rolled my eyes and grinned. "Ah... The unenlightened male."

When you talk to someone so carelessly, time flies. Before we knew it, we had reached the studio.

I pulled open the door and bells chimed above our heads. Natsu grabbed my hand as I led us down the narrow path through the center of the store.

The front counter was empty, with nothing but a silver bell on it. I lifted my hand to tap in and Natsu gently pushed it away.

He balled his hand into a fist and slammed it down on the bell, crushing it and sending pieces of the frail wooden table flying. Holly came out from the back wearing a dusty apron, wiping her hands on a damp towel.

"Sorry, I was just- Oh. You." She glared at Natsu and stepped over the splinters on the floor.

He stifled a chuckle, snorting.

"Natsu."

"Oh, right. I'm sorry Holly." He said, flatly.

Holly rolled her eyes and approached the area where the table used to stand. "So... What do you guys want?"

"Uh, we're here to take a pottery class." I said, pulling Natsu behind me. He stood quietly, shy, because he had to apologize.

"Sure." She mumbled. "Come on back."

Behind the door on the wall we stood next to, was a wide, open room. The curtains were sheer, and the windows were open to aerate the room. Clay is dusty.

She motioned for us to sit on some low stools in front of the wheels. We were going to be 'throwing' clay.

Before we could start throwing, Holly had to give us a demonstration on how to actually work the lump of moisture to your advantage.

Natsu sat on his stool and I focused on my own clay, which, in my better judgement, maybe wasn't the best idea.

"Hey." He whispered. "Violet."

I looked up from my clay to see an intimidatingly tall tower of clay. It was incredibly thin and lopsided. Natsu had his hands on different sides, supporting the weak areas.

Holly walked in the room again in groaned. "Natsu, how many times do I have to tell you: You can't just build a tower of clay."

"It's fun." He whined.

"No. Start over."

Holly left again, and I chuckled under my breath.

"What's so funny?" He asked. "Is it... this piece of clay... Perfect for throwing?"

I gasped, pulling my apron up to my face. "You wouldn't dare."

He drew is arm back, and in a flash, something slapped me across the face. The force from the clay was so powerful that it knocked me off my chair, and I tumbled to the ground.

"Is that any way to treat your girlfriend?" I said, standing up, weakly.

He laughed at smear of gray on my cheek. "I mean..."

I grabbed a large hunk off the top of his tower and ran to the corner of the room. Natsu's eyed widened and he stood up fast. "A challenge?" He asked. The smug look lurking in his eyes left when he saw me rolling my shoulders and stretching my arms. "You're... Serious?"

"Are you scared?" I said, mockingly. "Is baby going to cry~"

Natsu rolled his eyes. "I think you're underestimating me." He mumbled.

I threw the clay with an incredible amount of force, and Natsu wasn't prepared for how hard it was going to hit.

He fell back onto a shelf and broke the ceramics resting on it.

Holly came back in the room to find me, empty handed, and Natsu, laying in a pile of shards.

"Looks like you guys can... Go on home now." She said, as cheerfully as she could muster. "Come back next week to paint your pieces."

Natsu stood up and ran out the door fast.

I apologized profusely for Natsu's behaviour before leaving fast to catch up to Natsu.

"Hey." I said, gently. "Are you okay?"

He looked down at me while we were walking and grinned. "Am I okay?"

"I mean... It's just, it looked like you took a pretty hard fall."

"I think you're the girl for me."

I stopped. "What?"

He stood in front of me, embracing my body and resting his forehead against mine. "You're the one."

My face turned hot, but Natsu's skin was always warmer. Like being in a warm house, and stepping outside to find that the summer's heat was peaking.

His affection for me was like the brontide of a beautiful day; Unexpected, but really, can do you no harm.

Moving to Fiore wasn't just fate. I was meant to be here.

Everything about Natsu seems like a fairy tale (Ha, ha.) because it seems too good to be true, but love is surprising.

'In life, you have to take the pace that love goes. You don't force it. You just don't force love, you don't force falling in love, you don't force being in love - you just become. I don't know how to say that in English, but you just feel it.'
- Juan Pablo Galavis

Saying I'm in love isn't easy. I mean, sure, I fall in love. But I wouldn't admit it, because my heart fears the uncertainty that comes with people.

Natsu didn't moisturize, but his skin was still smooth and silky. Warm, like being in bed under the covers.

When I had to wake up in the morning to go to primary school, sometimes I would wake up in the middle of the night, and the satisfaction from being able to roll over and go back to sleep was overwhelmingly nice, but it was nothing compared to the way that being next to Natsu felt.

When you see the sun turn from a bright white to a calming yellow-red, and you feel your muscles release their tension, it's an overwhelmingly nice feeling, but sometimes sitting at home, worried sick, only to have your spouse come home the next day safe is a better feeling.

In the world we live, sure, romance is an integral part to a relationship. Safety is more important to me.

When I'm in danger, I know I can count on Natsu to help me, and be there, and make me feel safe.

I enjoy living comfortably with Natsu, because when all the main 'essentials' are covered, I know I can fall in love without feeling anxious, or uncertain.