{Come on skinny love just last the year}
Take a Break
Lucy had gone home that night, disappointed and slightly depressed. How much longer were they going to be setting her up only for failure?
Would Lucy ever find 'the one'?
"Luce! How'd it go?"
Lucy's mouth trembled as she stared up at Natsu, her expression telling exactly how it had gone down. Natsu grimaced, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.
"I knew this would happen..." He mumbled honestly, sighing. Lucy scrunched her eyebrows together, annoyance filling her.
"You knew and you didn't say anything?" She demanded, throwing her purse onto her carpeted floor while Plue yapped happily at her.
"Wha-? I DID say something! Multiple times, in fact!" He argued haughtily, disbelief clouding in his eyes. What the-how could she start accusing him when he had full out told her it was a mistake to go out with Loke?!
"..." Lucy shut her mouth, sudden realization washing over her. She crossed her arms and pouted, looking the other way.
Natsu scoffed and rolled his eyes at her. "So Loke didn't work out, who says you won't find someone? You need to stop freaking out about this so much and just let it flow naturally." He advised although uncertain of his advice.
How do you give correct advice when you've never been in the situation before?
He didn't care about being alone. He was fine with it, in fact. It seemed like the best option so far. But Lucy-Lucy was the exact opposite of him. She craved love and affection, she needed someone. And apparently, she needed them fast.
"The clock is ticking Natsu, I can't just let it 'flow naturally'. Lucy put mocking quotation marks around her words, angered by Natsu's easy going attitude. How could he be so calm while she was freaking out. How could he be okay with being so...lonely?
"I think someone needs a break." Natsu said in a baby voice, putting his hands on his hips. Lucy furrowed her eyebrows, rolling her eyes at his stupid act.
"No I don't need a break, if anything we need to hurry up!" Lucy refused, her own hands falling to her hips.
"Jeez Luce why are you so tense?" He eyed her carefully, wondering what was up with her.
She sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "I'm just...ugh! I don't know!" She rubbed her temples, turning away and walking into the kitchen to preoccupy herself.
He huffed loudly at her dramatic ways, staring at Plue in disbelief. "Is she always like this?" He asked the dog rhetorically, to which the dog yapped happily in reply.
"Tch." Natsu shook his head at the small pup, walking into the kitchen.
"Well, I'll come by tomorrow..." Natsu addressed the blonde, his hand slipping into his pocket to fetch his motion sick patches. Lucy nodded and looked away, opening the fridge to bring out her pitcher of milk.
"See you." She mumbled, pouring a cup quietly. Natsu sighed and turned back around, walking out the door.
x.i.i.x
"Mm..mff!"
"Ah~ Shh don't speak~"
"MMMF!"
"Stop moving Gray-sama!"
Natsu felt his eyes slide open as he turned around in his bed to see Gray wrapped around a very familiar bluenette.
"H...Help!" Gray cried, finally able to find his voice as he reached out towards Natsu helplessly, noticing the male was awake.
Instantly a smirk slid across Natsu's lips, his sudden fatigue forgotten.
"Why ask for Natsu-san's help when Juvia's right here? Wah~ Gray-sama~~!" Juvia wept comically, clinging even tighter onto her beloved. Gray groaned from pain at how tight she was squeezing him, feeling the breath leave him in a dangerous woosh.
"Juvia...stop...!" Gray panted, trying to push the girl away. Juvia would have none of it of course, whining about her cherished Gray.
"Gray-sama is so mean to Juvia..." She sobbed, going into her corner of depression. Natsu sat up from his bed, rubbing at his head sleepily.
"Did I miss something?" He yawned, staring at the two quizzically. Gray sent him a murderous glare and a "bastard" remark, to which Natsu brushed off.
"Juvia came by because she missed G-G-Gray-sama!" The woman explained, still sniffling. Natsu suppressed the urge to roll his eyes at her stuttering, standing up and stretching.
"Well don't let me get in the way of you two, I'll be going soon." He teased the always headstrong Gray, getting an annoyed blush from the man.
"Shut up tabasco sauce!" He barked, looking the other way. Juvia sprung back into action, cooing over Gray while Natsu quietly slipped out.
"I'll be ba-" When Natsu turned forward he became face to face with the girl he was about to go see.
"Luc...y?" He questioned while she jumped back from their close proximity, blushing harshly. She looked down in embarrassment, her throat closing up.
"A-Ah Natsu! S-S-Sorry for coming over unannounced..." Lucy apologized profusely, bowing her head. Natsu stared at her weirdly before shrugging at her actions, walking back towards his door and opening it.
"Well come in, I guess." He offered. The blonde awkwardly walked in like a lost puppy, her eyes glued to the foor.
"Sorry once again..." She mumbled. Just to irk her, he ruffled her styled hair roughly, letting out a satisfied cackle when she punched him.
"What the hell idiot!" She yelled, pulling at her hair frantically.
Natsu smiled softly at the blonde, "there's the weirdo I know." He winked, turning back around when he heard a loud crash.
"What was that?" Lucy gasped, running towards the sound which was coming from the bedroom. She slammed the door open, only to feel her face grow hot and regret boil in her stomach.
"Ah Gray-sama!"
"L-LET GO OF MEEEEE!"
Lucy instantly turned on her heel and walked out, her face burning. She walked past Natsu and ran into the opposite wall, banging her head repeatedly on it.
Natsu stared at her curiously, walking hesitantly into the area where Lucy had just ran from. Seeing Gray and Juvia scrambling on the bastard's messy bed made him snicker, realizing Lucy had been having pervy thoughts.
"Oi Lucy! Come 'ere!" Natsu called, feeling the urge to pick on the girl.
"I-I-I'd rather n-not!" She squeaked in reply, once more hitting her head. Natsu bit his lip to keep his snickering quiet as he watched Juvia situate herself, curiosity shining in her pretty blue eyes.
"Just come here you little baby!" He hollered. He heard Lucy mutter some insults as she shuffled in, her head turned towards the floor just in case.
"Who is this?" Juvia asked, her gentle voice tipping towards cautious as she noticed how pretty the blonde was. Natsu grinned widely, pulling Lucy in forcefully, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
"This is Lucy!" He introduced, realizing the girl was still shaken up. Lucy smiled weakly, squirming in the man's arms.
"Hi Lucy-san, I am Juvia! Gray-sama's GIRLFRIEND." Juvia emphasised greatly, hugging Gray. The boy instantly disagreed and blushed, pushing the girl away.
"S-Stop Juvia, you are not my girlfriend." He huffed, trying to get out of her grasp. Lucy blinked in surprise while she stared at the couple...or...non-couple? She was slightly confused at the moment.
"Wait! So this is the Juvia you guys were talking about?" She suddenly remembered when they had said this woman would...murder...her...
Lucy shivered at the thought, sudden fear towards the innocent looking bluenette growing.
"You were talking about Juvia?" She turned towards Gray in excitement, her eyes lighting up as hearts filled them. Gray shot Lucy a glare to which she sweat dropped at, his head slumping in defeat.
"Yes, Juvia we were talking about you." He sighed, realizing there was no way to get out of this. Lucy giggled at the two, her chest feeling warm.
Gray even has someone! Lucy thought, suddenly feeling empty. She frowned and looked away, a sadness hanging about her.
Natsu eyed her carefully. Stupid, he tsked, knowing where her thought process was at. He stared at her for a few more minutes, debating something over.
"I'll be right back." He called, walking towards the bathroom, deciding to freshen up. Lucy stared after him for only a moment, her attention once more caught by Juvia.
"So Lucy-san, how do you know Gray-sama ...! and Natsu-san too!" Juvia asked, adding Natsu as an afterthought as she stared closely at Lucy. The blonde sweat dropped, feeling slightly awkward.
"W-Well Natsu is helping me with...something..." Lucy blushed in embarrassment at the thought, "and Gray, well I met Gray when I came to pick up Natsu one day." Lucy shrugged simply. A glint casted in the blue haired woman's eyes as she leaned towards Lucy, questions basically shooting out of her look alone.
"Does Lucy-san have a thing for Gray-sama?" She asked aloud to herself, panic settling into her tone as she stared worriedly at the ground, a hand brought to her mouth in thought. Her eyebrows pulled together in worry as she mulled it over, making Lucy smile.
"I don't-Juvia, was it?"
"Love rival is learning names already?!" Juvia squeaked, looking around in alarm. Lucy put her hands in front of her in defense, annoyed by the woman's persistence.
"Juvia I don't have a thing for Gray!" Lucy promised, though she couldn't deny the blush forming on her cheeks as her heart sped up. Juvia paused in her panic, a lovely smile breaking out on her now calm face.
"Silly Juvia...gomenasai Lucy-san!" She bowed politely, making the blonde smile.
"Now say, is it Natsu-san you like then?" Juvia asked curiously, noticing Gray wasn't listening anymore, reading his manga.
Lucy turned a much darker red, jolting in surprise. "W-What?" She squeaked, taking a step back.
"Oh it would rest Juvia's poor heart if you said it!" Juvia exclaimed with a wide smile, like she had figured out all their problems and knew how to fix them.
"S-Said what?!" Lucy shouted, irked by Juvia's probing. Juvia clapped her hands together, a bubbly look on her face.
"Say you love Natsu-san! Say it!" Juvia squealed, eyes hungry for the words. Lucy blushed once more, her face overheating.
"L-Love...that idiot?!" She asked under her breath in disbelief. Juvia, hearing her words, paused in her excitement.
"So you...do like Gray-sama?" She asked quietly, a shadow casting over her. She frowned, a sadness entering her gaze.
Lucy stared at her in surprise, wondering why the girl looked so devastated.
"Juvia could never compete...Gray-sama doesn't like Juvia much..." She mumbled mostly to herself, turning more and more heartbroken with each negative thought.
"Ah no!" Lucy quickly disagreed, taking Juvia's hands in hers. "Juvia I don't know you that well, and well yeah you are just a...ano..little weird, but you seem like a genuinely good person! And soon Gray will see that!" Lucy promised, feeling slightly stupid and bashful by consoling this odd woman.
"B-But Juvia~" She wept obnoxiously. Lucy lowered her head and sighed, realizing what she'd have to do.
"I...I love Natsu. I love him so don't worry!" Lucy tried swallowing the lump forming in her throat, making it harder and harder to speak. Not to mention how humiliated she was and how red her face was turning.
"Wha-you mean it?" Juvia brightened instantly, her eyes beginning to sparkle.
Lucy gulped, squaring herself. "Yes...I mean it. I love that idiot Natsu." She gritted out, her left eye beginning to twitch. Juvia cupped her cheeks and began to giggle creepily, a few words sputtering out of her mumbo jumbo.
"Ah this is great~ Juvia is so happy that Natsu-san finally found someone~" She cooed, continuing to twist in her little circle. Lucy felt her hand twitch and an urge to slap the woman grow immensely, though she held it back, knowing not to mess with this wackjob.
Suddenly, deciphering Juvia's words, she paused. "Wait, what do you mean finally found somebody?" Lucy asked curiously. Juvia paused in her spinning, a sad look once more coming onto her features.
"Back!" Natsu called, walking into the room rather loudly. Lucy turned towards the pinkette curiously, noticing a light blush dashed across his face.
"What took so long, did you fall in?" Gray smirked from his perch, not even bothering to look up. Natsu clenched his fist, a tic appearing over his eye.
"I was brushing my teeth, y'know so my breath doesn't smell as bad as yours!" Natsu spat in return, shaking his fist angrily.
"Ah Natsu~" Lucy called for his attention, not wanting him to get sidetracked and begin a brawl once again. He turned towards her, his light blush turning slightly darker.
What's with him? She thought, studying him closer. Realizing what she had been doing, Lucy pulled away some, blushing worse than him when she remembered the words she had said to Juvia just a few moments before.
Lies. All of them. She promised seriously, shaking the thoughts completely out of her head. She didn't need this right now to complicate her life and waste precious time.
"Ah..ahh! Well we'll be going, see you stripper, Juvia! Do not make out on my bed!" He growled seriously, glaring sharply at them both. Gray fell over in shock and had frozen up while Juvia blushed, imaging 'romantic' (creepy) thoughts.
Lucy stared down at their linked hands as Natsu led her out of the small apartment, not even letting go when they were walking down the sidewalk.
"Um...Natsu?" She called quietly, suddenly wondering if she should really speak up or not. He looked down at her, curiosity in his dark orbs.
"Yeah?" He hummed back softly. Lucy blushed slightly and looked away.
"Can you let go of my hand?" She asked bashfully, her face feeling hotter.
"Ah..AH!" Natsu squeaked, letting her hand go like it was on fire. Lucy's shoulders slumped further, embarrassed.
"It's not like I'm revolted by your touch or anything!" Lucy suddenly found herself trying to explain, taking up his hand once more to squeeze it as she stared into his eyes with determination.
"It's just that they're so warm and I just thought that...well my hand my sweat and who wants to hold hands with a sweaty palmer? That's gross! S-So what I'm saying is..." Lucy babbled on and on, her face turning deeper and deeper crimson.
Crap! What am I doing? She panicked, once more releasing his hand. She stopped in her walking, turning away so he couldn't see her cherry red face.
"Pfft..." She heard Natsu released. She turned around to see his hand clamped over his mouth, his body shaking with laughs as his eyes lit up with mirth.
"W-What are you laughing at you pink haired idiot!" She shrieked, punching him on the head. Natsu's hands fell to his stomach as he clutched it, his eyes closing as he laughed hard.
"S-Sorry it's just...you're so weird!" He guffawed. After he finished he wiped at his eyes, a warm grin lighting up his lips.
"It's great! A weird girl like you...hard to find ones who don't intend to chop you up into a million little pieces." Natsu confessed, his grin turning into a lovely smile.
Lucy's eyes widened slightly, a shy blush spreading across her cheeks.
"That's...sweet, I guess?" She offered.
"I get a tip for compliments, right?"
"! NO YOU DON'T!" She shrilled, once more bopping him on the head. He winced, rubbing at the lump forming.
"Tsk, was worth a shot." He said weakly, turning back around to walk onwards. Despite acting offended, she couldn't help but smile goofily, watching Natsu thoughtfully while she walked.
"Where exactly are we going?" She spoke up, curious as to where he was leading her.
"You'll see." He answered, continuing to walk in front of her, his hands in his pockets.
Natsu Dragneel... She mulled over him in her thoughts, thinking long and hard.
Natsu...Dragneel...Natsu...
x.i.i.x
He smiled at the girl in front of him, feeling his muscles start to hurt at how much he had been smiling. He just couldn't help it. He was really happy today.
"And what would you like sir?"
"Just give me some pasta." He replied, not feeling as hungry as usual. The man bowed, turning around to go give their orders.
"Thanks for this Natsu!" Lucy once more thanked in gratitude, a happy filled smile spread across her features.
Natsu felt his smile return for the millionth time that morning.
"No problem Luce! You seemed pretty stressed out lately so I guess we both needed this?" He shrugged, leaning on his elbow. She giggled giddly in return, her eyes filled with hunger.
"I heard this place had the best food in town! Wah~ I'm so excited! I heard the cook was ah-mazing~ He's also really handsome!" Lucy giggled once more, though this time it sounded more like a schoolgirl. Natsu rolled his eyes at her girlishness, shaking his head slightly.
"Who cares about some cook guy? As long as his food is good then I'm fine!" Natsu exclaimed, patting his stomach in anticipation. Lucy smiled at his silliness.
"Whatever Natsu, of course you'd think about that." Lucy waved him off easily, not finding his words an opinion.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Somehow this irked him, wondering what she meant. She paused, turning to stare him straight in the eye.
"Well you're a guy, you don't get it. Not all girls are all mushy gushy and I know it might sound shocking but I'm one of those non-fluff girls." Lucy explained, suddenly turning more serious.
"I've always been okay with being alone. My mother died early, my father despised me, I had no one, really. I always thought it was normal to be by yourself. To have no one to care for...no one who would even notice you were gone..." Lucy trailed off, a sudden sadness entering her words as she recalled her childhood.
"So that's why I want to find someone so badly. I don't want to be alone anymore. I'm so sick of playing around and being hurt. I want something real and permanent, I want someone to worry about me and care enough to take care of me when I'm sick. So that I can do the same thing to them." Lucy smiled shakily at her words, a liquidy giggle escaping her lips.
"That's not true!"
!
Natsu slammed his hand on the table, a serious look on his face. "You aren't alone! I'll always be here, no matter what! I'll...I'll notice if your gone, and I'll come visit if you're sick! I know I haven't known you for long but...but you're a friend of mine, even if you are really weird and annoying!" Natsu fumbled with his words, not entirely knowing where he was going with his little speech.
"Damn...what I'm trying to say is that you shouldn't rush finding the person that makes you happy. You should live in the here and now and just be happy with what you have. And then you'll meet them in the most unexpected place and hit it right off!" Natsu laughed easygoing like, smiling widely as he nodded at his words.
"And then...oh god. Then I have to listen to all your lovey dovey crap. 'Oh Natsu he's sooo perfect~ omigosh~'" Natsu shivered at the sudden revelation, suddenly rethinking his job position.
"Wah-I would not admit that to you!" Lucy huffed in reply, crossing her arms in embarrassment. "And besides, we're living in the here and now, remember?"
Natsu reopened his eyes, his chest suddenly feeling warm.
"Yeah you're right...and in the here and now, you should definitely do the things you would regret not doing later."
"You're right! Oh Natsu let's do all that together! It'll be so fun, and our own thing, y'know!" Lucy clapped her hands together in excitement, already imagining what they'd do together.
He sweat dropped though agreed, picking at his food the waiter left.
The walls at home sure aren't soundproof. He thought with a stupid smile, his heart beating happily in his chest.