“Cannon ball!”
Cana shouted as she jumped into the swimming pool.
After they arrived, they spent the evening under the stars swimming and drinking at the cabin’s poolside.
“Oh wow, she’s wild,” Loki chuckled as he watched her dive right in.
“Me, too!” Levy jumped in as well, creating a small splash on the water.
“And that one’s…tiny,” Gajeel commented.
The boys were drinking beer at the tableside of the pool, watching the others. They were all topless and only wearing shorts, exposing their hard six pack treasures. Except Sting, he was in the water with the girls too.
“You know, Lucy’s going to melt if you keep on staring at her like that,” Jellal said as he drank his can of alcohol, smirking at Natsu.
He had been looking at her on the other side of the pool, dipping her feet on the water as she happily watched her friends bathe.
“Like you’re not staring at Erza huh?” Natsu said simply, not looking away.
“Touchdown, bam!” Gray laughed at his comeback.
“Zip it, Gray.”
“Pass me another can, will you?” Loki turned to the blue-haired who was sitting next to the icebox.
“Oh crap,” Jellal said as he opened the box, “We’re out of beer man.”
“So soon?” Gray peeked in on the box as well.
“The store’s not that far from here. Who’s volunteering?” Gajeel started, “Definitely not me, cause I’m still soaked with pool water.”
Natsu sighed and stood up, he was the only one already dried up.
“I’ll get it,” he said as he put on a white sleeveless V-neck top, “But I’ll need someone to hold the case.”
Gray scanned the pool for someone who could go, then a smirk appeared on his face when he saw Lucy.
“Lucy!” Gray shouted, getting her attention.
She stood up from where she was and made her way to the guys.
“Good one,” Loki whispered, to which Jellal hummed in agreement.
“Playing matchmaker now?” Natsu said as he gave Gray a look. The other just winked at him.
“Yeah?” she asked as soon as she got to them.
“Go with Natsu and buy beer.”
It took a while before she could process what he said. It was so straightforward.
She glanced at Natsu who was looking somewhere else.
“Why does it have to be me?”
Somehow, she felt like they’ve set her up again.
“Because you’re the only one who’s not in the water, and we’re all damp,” Jellal explained like a science teacher, “That’s why you get to go.”
Lucy looked at each of them. True enough, they were all soaked.
“Fine.” She sighed.
“Let’s get going then,” Natsu started to walk away, she followed him behind.
“Hey!” Jellal called out to him and threw him his car keys, “Take my mustang.”
Natsu nodded at him before walking away again.
“Now that you’re taking the car, you wouldn’t need someone to help carry the beer, right?” Lucy asked as she caught up to him, “That means I don’t have to go.”
He turned to her and smirked.
“You already agreed. No backing out.”
She could only inwardly complain.
They entered through the lakehouse’s backdoor. Natsu grabbed his grey sweater that was on the sofa and handed it to her.
“Wear it,” he said.
Lucy looked at it. It was too big for her.
“Why?” she asked curiously.
He looked at her up and down.
“Do you really want to go out wearing only that?”
Her head instantly shifted to her body. She realized she was only wearing a bikini.
She looked back at him with flushed face and put his sweater on. It ended inches above her knees, exposing a little skin.
“Good.” He said.
.
The ride to the store was silent. Even the road was silent. They would pass by only a few cars. The stars could be seen since they were away from the bright city lights.
“Why’d you do it?”
His calm voice interrupted the sound of silence.
“Do what?” she asked, not turning to look at him. She knew what he was talking about, just pretending she didn’t.
“Broke up with me?”
No answer.
His hands continued to drive the steering wheel, just as she continued to stare outside the window.
He glanced at her for a moment and turned his eyes back to the road.
“So that’s it huh?” he started, “I guess I was the only one going crazy with you back then.”
Her head slightly bent down. Her eyes were unhappy. Never imagined her brown orbs could be so blue.
“I did love you,” she said quietly.
“Did…so you don’t anymore?”
And again, no answer.
“I know you still do.”
Something in his voice sounded so certain.
“You’re just too stubborn to admit it.”
He was sure of it.
.
“Thank you, please come again,” the lady at the counter said with a bright smile.
After paying for the beer they bought, Lucy and Natsu headed out.
He placed the beers at the backseat as she waited for him.
As soon as he slammed the door close, some random guy who was leaning against the store’s glass wall, whistled. Natsu was sure it was directed at Lucy as the guy was eyeing her.
And it pissed him off bigtime.
He walked up to the guy who appeared to be younger than him.
“Fuck off kid,” Natsu said in gritted teeth as he grabbed the other by the shirt.
Instead, the boy punched him on the left cheek.
Lucy jolted when he got punched. Not because she was scared for Natsu…but for the poor guy who just made a mistake.
The guy thought he did a pretty good blow, but the moment Natsu’s eyes looked back at him, he got scared. Trembling like a scared kitty.
Natsu was smirking.
A different kind of smirk.
“You punch like a girl.”
And just like that, his hard firm fist collided with the guy’s sorry face.
His body dropped on the concrete ground with his hands holding his nose, blood dripping from it.
“OW! THE HELL MAN!” the guy shouted in pain as he struggled to get up.
Just as he thought it was finished, Natsu kicked his stomach, hard. It made him drop on the ground again. Eyes shut because of another wave of pain.
Lucy quickly ran behind him and held him back.
“Natsu stop!” she shouted, trying to pull him away from the poor kid.
But being stronger than her, Natsu didn’t budge and gave another kick, earning another scream from the one on the ground.
“BABY, THAT’S ENOUGH!” she shouted louder.
This time, he stopped.
Could it be because he got tired?
Or because of something that she said?
.
“You never change,” Lucy started as she stared at the car’s window, “Still so hotheaded.”
They were driving back to the Lakeouse after finally getting done with Natsu’s episode of rage.
“I’m only like this when it comes to you.”
“Exactly,” Lucy whispered, only hearing it herself.
.
“Yes! Finally, what took you so long?” Gray exclaimed as soon as Lucy and Natsu arrived with the beer.
“Nothing,” Lucy answered, not planning to tell them what really happened at the store.
Everyone gathered at the table, started drinking. Maybe got tired with dipping at the pool.
“I could do this all night long,” Cana said as she gulped down a can of beer.
“You don’t say,” Sting smirked as he too started drinking, but slower than her.
“Here ya go, shrimp. Try this,” Gajeel handed Levy a can, to which she gladly accepted.
“I can drink too you know,” she said, smirking at him.
“And you thought she was ‘tiny’,” Gray teased as he elbowed metalhead.
“Hand me one,” Lucy said, extending her hand to Jellal who was beside the beers.
Everyone stopped and looked at her. One thing they all knew in common was that Lucy never drinks. And if she did, it never ended up pretty.
“Are you sure?” Erza asked.
“Yes. Now give,” Lucy said, still waiting for the can.
Jellal turned to Natsu who was sitting next to her. As if asking if he should really give her one.
He gave him a nod.
“Alright then, princess,” He smirked as he handed her a can of beer.
.
“Third one down!” Lucy said proudly as she threw another empty can, “Who said I couldn’t drink?” she laughed.
“Actually, that was her fifth can,” Sting murmured.
“Just go with it, bro,” Gray chuckled.
“Another one!” Lucy ordered again.
Jellal was going to reach for a can to give her when he got stopped.
“No more,” Natsu said sternly.
She faced him with determined eyes.
“I. Want. More,” Lucy demanded.
“No.”
They both had a staredown. Both refusing to give in.
The others just continued to drink and look at them. Like they were watching a blockbuster movie unfold.
“Give me!” She shouted stubbornly, obviously drunk.
Then she saw his beer on the table.
She reached for it like he thought she would. Before she could get it, Natsu swiftly got a hold of it and held it in his hand, away from her.
“Give it! Give it!” Lucy tried to reach for his outstretched hand.
“Don’t push it,” Natsu had his other arm on her waist, carefully holding her so she won’t fall off the chair, “You know you can’t handle alcohol.”
Her eyebrows twitched. Being on a drunk state, it seemed like it was a challenge.
“Baby, don’t make me mad.”
Sting and Cana choked on their own beer at what Lucy said.
“Wow,” Erza chimed in surprise.
“Did she just say…” Levy couldn’t finish it.
Loki just whistled.
And after that, Lucy lost consciousness and fell asleep. Dropping her body at Natsu who instantly caught her.
He sighed.
“I’m taking her to bed,” he said as he stood up, carrying her.
They watched as Natsu walked away with Lucy asleep in his arms.
“Been a while since I’ve heard her say that,” Gray turned to the boys, smirking.
.
He gently placed her on the bed and sat next to her on the edge.
Her scent was all over her bedroom. Just like it used to.
Natsu brushed his fingers on the long blonde locks sprawled all over her. His eyes went from her lips to her closed eyes.
She was always so beautiful.
And she looked so vulnerable at the moment.
He wanted her. He always have.
Before he decided to give in to his desire, he moved and started to leave.
But before he could stand up, her hand stopped him.
He turned to her. She was still asleep.
“Natsu…,” she spoke in her sleep, “So reckless…Getting into fights because of me.”
He stared at her peaceful face.
“Baby, I’d get into any fight as long as it’s about you” his voice was calm.
“I’m...so selfish.”
“Why?” he asked.
It was like they were talking, only the other was unconscious. And it seemed as if whatever escaped her mouth was like an answer to his question.
“I feel…happy…when you fight…for me,” she said quietly.
Then her face showed a little sadness after that, “But…when I saw you…get hurt…that day…I…”
“You underestimate me too much.”
“Don’t…Don’t get hurt…”
A smirk appeared on Natsu’s face.
“You must have forgotten how I used to roll with the boys. I’m the toughest, remember?”
“Natsu…I’m sorry.”
“About what?”
“I had to…had to do it. I didn’t want you…to hurt anymore…because of me.”
He stared at her more deeply.
“Say you love me.”
She didn’t speak anymore.
No answer.
It didn’t take him long to realize that she was completely lost in her slumber of sleep now.
Natsu stood up.
He looked at her for a while before turning to leave.
For the last time, he turned to her before finally closing the door.
.
Natsu made his way down the stairs and into the kitchen. After knowing what Lucy had to say, he needed to drink water to process everything he heard.
“Why can’t you just let her go?”
A voice got his attention.
Sting.
He was standing near the pillar made of expensive wood, arms crossed.
“What does that have to do with you?” Natsu said dryly and drank the cold glass of water.
“I can make her happy too you know. Like you, I can give her whatever she wants. I can treat her like a queen, too,” Sting said surely, “What about you? What do you have that I don’t?”
Natsu gave him a blank look.
“I love her,” He said simply.
“And?” Sting probed.
Then a smirk appeared on Natsu’s face.
“And she loves me,” he continued, “That’s something you don’t have.”
The blonde lost his confidence. Just like that, he lost so easily.
“W-Why you,” he said, pointing at the other with an embarrassed look on his face, “I’m a good guy! That’s something you’re definitely not!”
Natsu smirked again.
“Of course you are. That’s why she won’t ever notice you.”
“And why not?” Sting challenged.
Natsu walked closer to him.
“Because,” he started, “She only dates BAD boys. And that would be me. Definitely not you.”
With that, he patted the blonde on the shoulder and left him there with a mouth wide open. Embarrassed and defeated.
“Y-You!” Sting turned and shouted after Natsu who was already out the backdoor and heading back to the pool.
“You think you’re bad?! Well I’m badder!”
“But you just said you were a good guy.”
Sting jumped at the sudden presence that was already standing beside him.
“Levy?! H-how long have you been there?”
She shook her head and looked at him with pity.
“Long enough to see you burn.”