AN: Hey guys! So, this is the first fanfiction I've ever written. Like...ever. I hope you like it! The story is based on real-life experiences, but Nalu will get a way happier ending than I did, I promise! *awkward chuckle* I've been reading fanfiction like crazy lately, and I just got inspired one day and started writing. Fair warning, everybody is gonna be somewhat OOC because they are all based on people I've met in my life. Also, pretty much everybody smokes weed, because well...that's just how it was when this was going on in my life. This was almost an Inukag fic, but the person the male lead based on is really energetic, adventurous, and always smiling. The more I got into it, the more Natsu just made more sense. Plus I just love Nalu. They're such pure little babies.
Trigger Warning: There will be some pretty vivid descriptions of anxiety and PTSD, as well as mention of an abusive relationship. Please don't read if this kind of content makes you uncomfortable or upset.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, although it would be super cool if I did.
Rated M for later chapters because it's gonna get steamyyyy! Also, language. Like, lots of it. If you've ever worked in a restaurant, you know what I'm talking about.
Chapter 1: After Hours
Lucy tapped the screen of the dated POS system terminal and checked the time; 3:55 PM. "She's twenty-five minutes late…where the hell is Levy?" she muttered to herself exasperatedly. This work week had been a rough one. She'd taken on five 13-hour days in a row before this morning's shift at the mom and pop pizza joint so that her fellow manager/bartender could take some time off and go on vacation with her boyfriend. The restaurant had been abnormally busy this week, and with one manager out, one server recently fired, and another sick, it had taken all Lucy had just to keep things running smoothly.
By the time she made it to work this morning, Lucy felt like someone had used her as a personal punching bag. The only thing that kept her going was knowing that when 3:30 rolled around, she'd have three days off to look forward to. She felt like death warmed over. The once tight fitting Gemi and Mini's Pizzeria t-shirt and denim shorts she was wearing had slowly stretched out throughout the day to hang loosely around her curves. The muscles in her legs, back, and arms burned from overuse, and she smelled like booze, grease, and stress sweat. The last thing she wanted to do was spend another second behind that too-tall bar that made her shoulders ache every time she made a drink, but what choice did she have? The time she was supposed to get off had come and gone, and there was nothing she could do about it but wait.
Letting out a frustrated sigh, Lucy turned her attention to the order slip that had just printed at her bar terminal indicating one of the servers had put in some drinks for a table. "Two pamaritas on the rocks, and a Dirty Blonde Girl, coming right up," she grumbled to herself.
Dragging herself over to where the liquor sat facing away from the dining room, Lucy began mechanically mixing the cocktails. One and a half ounces of Jose Silver, one ounce of Pama, splash of lime juice, add ice, fill with sour mix, pour into the shaker, cover, shake shake shake, rim the cup with salt and sugar, pour, garnish, repeat. Walking the two margaritas to the bar's expo station, Lucy checked the clock again. 4:05 PM. What the fuck?! Where is she?
Grabbing a chilled pint glass from one of the coolers, she made her way over to a tap handle resembling a branch of driftwood and began pouring the blonde craft ale on the ticket. Just then, she heard the back-door screech open and quick footsteps made their way past the kitchen, through the skinny hallway to the left of the bar, and into the dining room. FINALLY! She's here!
"Hey woman, I thought you had forgotten about me," Lucy drawled, not taking her eyes off the steadily pouring brew, a teasing smirk crawling onto her face. Despite her frustration at Levy's lateness, she really was excited to see the woman she had become close friends with over the year and half they had worked together. Levy was a beautiful woman with cropped, bright blue hair, a heart-shaped face, and a petite build; standing a few inches shorter than Lucy's 5'4" frame. Lucy always thought she looked kind of like a fairy. She donned the same uniform as Lucy, her shorts sporting cute little rips in random places, and a bright orange headband pushed her bangs out of her face.
"Girl, I am so sorry!" Levy exclaimed, placing one hand on the bar while bringing the other to her chest, catching her breath. After placing the cold brew at the end of the bar with the ticket and two margaritas, Lucy leaned against the counter behind the bar and turned her attention to Levy's flushed face, raising a perplexed brow at her abnormally shaken composure, "It's not like you to be this late. What happened?"
"Our new cat Lily got loose right before I left, and it took forever to get him back inside." Levy slowed her breathing while she dug through her things for her manager card and tossed her purse and car keys on the counter. "I couldn't find him anywhere. We got him from the shelter not too long ago and I was terrified he wasn't going to come back. We ended up finding him brooding under the shed behind the house. Poor Gajeel had to crawl underneath and grab him."
Levy made her way behind the bar and up to the terminal, swiping her card to clock in. "I'm really sorry you had to work late. I'll make it up to you though," she assured, turning to Lucy and cracking a wide smile. "First drink is on me!"
"And just like that…you're forgiven" Lucy giggled, leisurely waving a hand in the air. Flipping her golden tresses to the side and sauntering over to trade places with Levy at the terminal, Lucy swiped her card and turned to face her coworker again, "Want to take over my last couple of tables?"
"You sure?" Levy asked hesitantly, "I don't want to take any money from you. Not after you took on so much work so I could take my vacation."
"Trust me," Lucy smirk, crossing her arms over her full chest "I'm not worried about money after this week. In fact, the last thing I want is to take care of another damn table. You missed one hell of a work week, girl."
"Of course. The one week I decide to take off is when business decides to finally pick up around here," Levy sighed, rolling her eyes, "I'm down to take that table though."
"Awesome!" Lucy cheered and started making the transfers, tapping quickly on the screen, "I already put the food and drinks in for the couple at the end of the bar. Their app should be coming up in a couple minutes. The three guys over there all got the Etherious IPA. Watch the one with the black ponytail. He's a huge flirt. I think he and Cana would get along perfectly." Lucy snorted with an eye roll, she'd whip him into shape real quick, "other than that, everyone else has already paid and are just finishing off their drinks."
Levy nodded, mentally taking notes. "Speaking of, any updates with the servers? I hope there wasn't too much drama while I was gone. I know Cana and Karen have been having issues."
"Don't even get me started! Like I said, it's been one hell of a week," Lucy huffed in exasperation, remembering the pain in the ass it had been dealing with the two servers while Levy had been away, "but I'll save that headache for after I've started drinking."
Levy only laughed, an exasperated 'oh God!' leaving her lips as she turned towards the kitchen to check on her new table's appetizer. Lucy vaguely registered her yelling 'corner,' as she entered the tight L-shaped hallway leading into the kitchen. This is how they would let each other know when someone was coming in or out. Otherwise, they were likely to ram into someone. Taking that as her cue, Lucy printed her cash out report and started counting her drawer.
The sooner I can get this over with, the sooner I can get to the other side of the bar!
"So, what'll it be?" Levy questioned a little later while Lucy counted out the last few coins in the drawer and shut it with a satisfying slam. "Are you going for the IPA again or the new amber we got from Sabertooth?"
"Hmm…" Lucy tapped her bottom lip with her index finger while she weighed her options, "actually, after the week I've had, I think I want to start with something a little stronger. Make me a dirty martini. You know how I like it."
"Filthy dirty?"
"You got it!" Lucy cheered, smiling widely. "While you're working on that, I'm gonna run in the kitchen and see if Gemi will make me my favorite pizza!"
Levy nodded with a smile and turned towards the liquor to start working on Lucy's drink. Meanwhile, Lucy zoomed towards the kitchen. "Corner!" she yelled before whipping through the tight hallway. Once in the kitchen, she scanned the area before landing on the spot where one half of her favorite set of twins stood brooding in the pizza station. Although they could be whiney punks sometimes, the owner's 20 year old twins Gemi and Mini had become like a little brother and sister to Lucy over the past five years working together. Gemi worked in the kitchen while Mini ran the front as a host. Every shift together was spent joking around and picking on each other. "Gemiiiiii!" Lucy cooed, snapping the young man out of his thoughts, "I'm finally off work!"
"Well, aren't you lucky?" Gemi growled childishly, not looking at her immediately. Clearly, he was upset he'd be stuck working for another 4 hours before he could go home himself. Despite his grumpy greeting, he cracked a lazy grin and turned her way. "What do ya want Lucy?"
"You know that one pizza you always make for me?"
"You mean the weird one with Italian sausage and all the green stuff on it?"
"Yep! I'd love you forever if you made that!" Lucy exclaimed, flashing bright, excited eyes and a knowing smile his way. No matter how tough Gemi might try to act, he had always had a soft spot for the blonde and would do pretty much anything she asked.
Shaking his head and not saying a word, Gemi grabbed a dough ball from out of the fridge behind him and started patting out what would soon be the hand-tossed crust to her 'grossly healthy' pizza. That was all the answer Lucy needed as she squealed and gave Gemi a big hug from the side before turning heel and heading back out into the dining room where her martini sat waiting for her.
This is going to be a good night, Lucy thought to herself as she pulled the bottom of her shirt up to sniff it, scrunching her nose at the smell, but first I have GOT to get out of these nasty clothes!
Rushing into the bathroom with the bag she had packed this morning, Lucy slid off her work-soiled uniform and replaced it with a tight black crop top that ended just below her ribcage and a pair of high-waist, ripped denim short shorts cutting off just under the swell of her cheeks. She finished the look off with a pair of black strappy wedges giving her a couple more inches in height.
She quickly put her flaxen locks into a loose braid, spritzed herself with a rosy perfume, and put a little more mascara on her lashes to make herself look awake. "There, that's better," she whispered to herself appreciatively.
Why do I care what I look like? It's not like I have anyone to impress.
With a soft sigh, she pushed her way out of the bathroom and sauntered over to her favorite seat at the far right end of the bar, right next to the entryway to the kitchen.
"Corner!"
Lucy looked over and saw Cana, a fiery brunette with a drinking problem—who also happened to be one of her best servers—rush out of the kitchen with a large tray of food balanced on one hand and two refill pitchers in the other. Lucy gave her a quick smirk and a wave, knowing she was too busy to stop and chat for now. It always amazed her how Cana could come in clearly buzzed and still work so efficiently.
"Two times!" she heard Levy holler, indicating she was coming out right behind Cana. "Hey Lu," she inquired as she made her way over to the 25 year old happily sipping on her drink, "I've been meaning to ask, have you had any luck finding a date for your friend's wedding?"
Boom. Mood ruined. Slumping her head down to let her chin rest on her folded arms on the bar, Lucy let out an annoyed groan before her face fell into a pout. "No. I don't want to just bring anyone. Aquarius is one of my oldest friends. She'd kill me if I showed up with just some random guy at her wedding. I was hoping I would have someone special to go with me."
To tell the truth, Lucy figured she would have surely been in a relationship by now. It had been about a year since she had split from her toxic ex, Daniel. After two years of dating, his emotional—and sometimes physical—abuse had finally reached a level that she could no longer withstand. Without consulting him, she signed a lease at her current apartment and with the help of Levy and the rest of her work family, she moved out while he was at work one day, changing her number and blocking him on all social media. Even though he knew where she worked, she never saw or heard from him again, proving that their relationship had never actually mattered to him.
The relief she felt from the separation had been great, but the lasting effects of the relationship were overwhelming.
Ever since, she had struggled communicating with the opposite sex. In fact, she struggled to communicate with anyone unless they were a close friend. She frequently misread people's body language and expressions, and the slightest sign of displeasure in her direction—or just in general—sent her spiraling into a panicked puddle of anxiety. She had gotten better but he had really fucked her up. It annoyed her that after all this time, his actions still affected her on such a deep level.
If she could go back to the day she met him, she'd kick in him in the balls and run in the opposite direction.
"I guess I can always meet up with Loke," Lucy shrugged. Aquarius, Loke, and she—along with many others—had all worked at the restaurant together when Lucy first started. The crew had been close back then, going out to the bars and drinking together after work. Loke had always had a crush on Lucy, but she had never felt the same way. Although he was a huge flirt, he had never had the edge that she craved in a partner.
A whole lot of good that ever did me. Lucy rolled her eyes at herself. "Who knows, maybe he'll sweep me off my feet!"
"Not likely," Levy snorted while turning to attend to an empty beer glass one of her patrons was waving in the air.
Regardless of what her bright smile might portray, Lucy couldn't shake the frustration and sadness that lingered from their conversation. I wish I didn't still feel so helpless. I just want to feel like my old self again.
Letting out a dejected sigh and taking a final swig of her vinegary cocktail, she let let herself slip into her own thoughts, fondly reminiscing about a vibrant 20-something year old who was always smiling and never turned down a chance at an adventure.
I just want to be Lucy again.
Lucy had just gotten her second drink. This time, she went with the Malty Mage Amber Ale, one of the newest brews produced by the local brewery, Sabertooth Brewing Company. Knowing she could easily walk the two blocks back to her apartment complex, she wasn't too worried about getting a little drunk. It wouldn't be the first time. She drank a lot these days.
She and Levy were chatting back and forth when the blunette barkeep had time between tending to the customers lining the bar. Levy told her all about the trip she had taken with her boyfriend Gajeel, and how beautiful the scenery had been from their hotel room. Lucy filled Levy in on her harrowing experience separating Cana and Karen during a screaming match earlier that week after the latter stole a table from the former for what felt like the hundredth time.
"I'm telling you Levy," Lucy exclaimed, "I have never enjoyed firing someone more! All Karen ever did was pick fights and run her mouth."
"You're telling me." Levy retorted, "I swear, if I had to hear one more whiney rant about how everyone was out to get her, I was gonna throat punch the bitch myself!" She could do it too. Despite her tiny frame, Levy wasn't a woman you wanted to mess with.
That one got to Lucy. She busted out laughing, her guffaw tearing through the noise of the steadily filling restaurant, the last remnants of tension from their earlier conversation fluttered away. Her infectious laughter spread to Levy, and eventually they were both in stitches, tears forming in their eyes.
Normally, the two managers weren't so harsh, always giving people more chances than they deserved. Karen however, was an exception. She had, hands down, been one of the most difficult people either of the girls had ever worked with. She treated people more like tools than living beings and could be borderline cruel at times. Relief didn't even come close to explaining how it felt to finally have the self-absorbed woman off their crew.
Lucy was laughing so hard, she almost missed the sudden presence taking the seat next to hers at the bar. Years in food service though had molded her into being highly observant of her surroundings, even if she wasn't trying to be. She stole a glance to her left, just long enough to make out the man's pink locks and emerald t-shirt.
She vaguely noted the smell of campfire and pine before averting her attention back to Levy. The bar was starting to get a bit crowded, so she couldn't exactly make a fuss over having her personal space invaded. She just sipped her beer happily and watched her coworker greet her new barstool neighbors.
"Hey there fellas! What can I get for you?" Levy asked, a small smile spreading on her face. The man next to her ordered the Rogue Habanero Sculpin, a pepper infused beer she hadn't seen anyone brave enough to try yet. Apparently, it was brewed specifically for people who loved to torture themselves with spice. The guy that came in with him ordered a Crown and Coke, extra ice.
Weird flex, but okay.
Levy smiled and got to work grabbing a chilled pint glass before filling it with the reddish brown pepper beer at a nearby tap shaped like a question mark. "So," she called out to the two newcomers, "I haven't seen you two in here before. You tourists?"
"Nah." The man next to her answered. His voice had a unique rasp to it and was laced with confidence and raw, boisterous energy. "We are new to town though. We just moved to the area to work at the Fairy Tail Outdoor Center in Magnolia Gorge. I'm Natsu. I'm a zip line and hiking guide. This idiot here is Gray. He guides rafting and kayak groups."
So, they're granolas, huh?
Granola is what locals liked to call the gorge workers. They were like modern day hippies. They could usually be found clad in athletic shorts and Chacos, perpetually looking like they just climbed out of the river or off a rock-face. A lot of people acted like their love for being in nature was a bad thing, but Lucy envied their sense of adventure; something she had long since lost touch with.
Levy and the two newcomers chatted a bit before she started pouring their drinks. After promising to be back soon to take their food orders, the spritely bartender walked away to start checking in on her other customers, refilling drinks here and there. She was pretty busy, so Lucy contented herself with enjoying her drink and letting her mind wander. She started going through the checklist of things she needed to get done during her time off, and haphazardly came up with a plan to go on a hike at some point. She had been inspired by the conversation she had eavesdropped on. It would probably never actually happen, but a girl can daydream, right? She was so zoned out, that she nearly missed the husky voice next to her speaking in her direction.
"Huh?" Lucy blinked as she was pulled from her musings, "Sorry, I didn't get tha-" Her speech stalled as her breath caught in her throat, her mouth slightly ajar as she took in the features of the man sitting next to her—what was his name again? Natsu?—for the first time. Holy shit, he's hot! She could feel a slight blush rising up her neck and onto her cheeks.
The first thing she noticed was his hair. It was the most peculiar shade of salmon pink, medium length spikes shooting out in all directions while long bangs hung down to brush haphazardly over his eyes. Oh man, his eyes were beautiful. Something about the way the deep olive orbs burrowed into hers made it hard to hold her gaze; she opted instead to wander downward. She lingered momentarily on his sharp jawline and noticed a scar on his left cheek that stuck out against the deep tan of his skin. Another scar caught her attention peeking out from under the lightweight white scarf he had wrapped around his neck. She couldn't help but think it strange to be wearing a scarf in the dead heat of the summer. Didn't he get hot? Then her mind stalled altogether, her eyes finally landing on the muscular arms and torso that were stretching the material of his emerald green t-shirt just enough to expose the grooves that separated the hardened flesh underneath.
What I wouldn't give to get wrapped up in him.
Abruptly, her trance was interrupted by the sound of his throat being cleared as her wandering gaze snapped back to meet his. Her heart began to pound, and her cheeks burned a brighter scarlet as she realized she had been caught checking him out. How long have I been staring?!
"S-sorry! Wha-uh-what, what were you saying?" Smooth. Really fucking smooth.
He raised an eyebrow as a cocky smirk eased onto his face; a sharp canine peeked out on one side of his plush lips.
Oh God, don't smile at me like that! Lucy's cheeks flared, as the pounding in her chest intensified and it once again became difficult to focus.
With that same scratchy tone—this time laced with an amused lilt—he repeated himself, "I said, you seemed pretty chummy with the bartender when we were walking in. Are you a regular?"
"Oh! Y-yeah, I-I mean no, uuh-" GET IT TOGETHER! Taking a breath and trying to calm her sudden spike in anxiety, Lucy continued; this time she was more poised, if not somewhat rushed. "I've actually worked for this company for about five years. Levy and I are managers. I just got off at 4."
Poking his head around Natsu with a subdued smile—wait, why is he taking his shirt off?!—Gray interjected, "Cool. This is our first time here, and-"
"Dude, your shirt."
"Shit! Sorry. Force of habit."
Is this guy for real?!
Gray adjusted his undershirt and hopped off his stool to scoop up his button-down that had already been discarded and pulled it back on before continuing, "Anyway, what's good here? You got any recommendations?"
That's an easy one.
"Well," she mused, tapping her finger to her lower lip to think while her heart began its trek back to a normal rhythm, "You can't go wrong with the pizza. We make everything from scratch. My favorite is the…" she trailed along with her usual script, describing the most popular items on the menu, never once brave enough to return her gaze to Natsu's after having her eyes pried away by Gray; she didn't want to risk making a fool of herself again.
Because of this, she never noticed how the longer she talked, the more the pinkette's smirk morphed into a dazed grin, only becoming aware of it himself when the sound of her sweet voice stopped reaching his ears, waiting for a response. Clearing his throat again, he looked away, a gentle blush of his own dusting the tops of his ears and muttered a rough 'uhh…thanks' before turning his body to Gray to continue a—pretty heated—conversation from earlier about the hiking trip they had planned for that weekend.
Any normal person would have read his reaction for what it was: an adorable attempt to hide embarrassment. Lucy wasn't normal right now though, and to her it was a clear sign of displeasure.
Her body started to respond without her consent. Her heart pounded in her chest, sending blood up to surge behind her ears. The deafening swooshing drowned out all other sound around her. Her breathing slowed quickly, refusing to leave her throat no matter how many times she tried to draw air as her mind ran wild with worry.
Did I say something wrong? Why did he turn so quickly? I hope I didn't offend them somehow. Did I sound too cocky, because I definitely didn't mean to. Oh God, he sounds irritated. Me and my big mouth. I always have to ruin everything! No wonder I haven't been able to find anyone. I'm so stupid! Stupid, stupid, stu-
"Hey, you good?" The sound of Levy's voice ripped her away from her self-degradation, allowing the fog to clear and her heartbeat to return to a reasonable pace. Blinking up dazedly at her friend, Lucy noticed the worried expression splayed across her face and forced her own face to brighten into a wide grin that didn't quite reached her eyes.
"Oh! Y-yeah, no worries Levy. I was just thinking about everything I'm going to do on my days off." Liar.
Lucy knew the blunette didn't buy it. The girls had spent enough time working together that Levy could recognize the early signs of Lucy's panic. She let it slide though, not wanting to escalate the situation even more by drawing attention. Instead, she simply flicked her deep blue eyes down to the space in front of Lucy on the bar.
Laughing nervously, Lucy looked down and saw the pizza she was waiting on had been placed in front of her while she was spaced out. The main ingredient was Italian sausage, arranged neatly around the circle with pieces of spinach, green peppers, mushroom, and pepperoncini peppers scattered throughout. A generous cup of blue cheese dressing was placed to the side. Gemi knew her so well. It looked perfect; just the sight of it helped the anxiety sparked by the stranger's perceived slight begin to flutter away.
"Oh! Hell yeah! I've been looking forward to this all day!"
Lucy could barely contain herself as the earthy scent of the gourmet pizza reached her nose and made drool pool into the shallow dip below her tongue. God, it smelled so good. She hadn't eaten all day because of the shift's heavy customer count; the hollow feeling in her stomach was starting to become painful. Not wanting to waste another second, Lucy tucked a napkin into the collar of her shirt for protection and started digging in.
Lucy took a hard drag; the smoke filled her lungs causing the pleasant burn she had come to know well. She held her breath, refusing to let go until the tightness of her chest and wracking of her body became painful. Releasing the yellow tinged smoke, Lucy took a deep breath of warm fresh air as the heady high began to overtake her body. This was her favorite part of the day. Sure, it probably wasn't the smartest idea to get high on the back porch of the place she worked, but everyone did it. Even the owner sometimes, so why not?
She inspected the tiny chillum in her hands. Orange and yellow streaks swirled around one another throughout the straight glass piece. It was basic, but it got the job done. There were still a few green buds poking out amongst the black ashes in the small bowl. She took her lighter and flicked it; the flame lightly mingled with the contents as she pulled the other end to her lips and sucked in air for one last hit.
Satisfied with her high, she tucked the glass piece into her purse and sauntered back into the restaurant, a goofy grin stretching her face while her eyes drooped. She liked to think she looked adorable like that.
Emerging from the back hallway, she made eye contact with Levy. The blunette pouted at her, clearly recognizing Lucy's high face. The poor girl had been too busy with her customers at the bar to sneak away to join her. Lucy mouthed an apology and returned the pout as she made her way back to her open seat at the other end of the bar. She plopped down in her seat and took a heavy swig of her beer, the conversation between Levy and the two men beside her coming into full focus.
"-and that's how we got the job." Gray finished his sentence with a shrug.
"Yeah," Natsu piped in, "they're throwing a big party tonight to welcome all the new hires!"
"We were kinda hoping we could find some cute single chicks to bring with us. That's why we came so far into town." Gray explained. "Most of the girls that work at the gorge are already dating someone, so that wasn't really an option."
Lucy looked up at Levy and fear laced through her body. Levy was looking directly at her, a roguish smile split across her face and her eyes sparkled with a dangerous mixture of mischief and determination.
No.
"Cute and single, huh? I think I might be able to help you there."
Fuck no.
"This girl right here," Levy pointed at Lucy, her devilish smirk causing the blonde to turn a violent shade of red, "more than fulfills those requirements."
Lucy stilled. Her heart felt like it was about to blow a hole through her chest and run away as she felt two pairs of eyes turn in her direction. Damnit Levy! I'm too high for this shit right now! Lucy turned slowly, an embarrassed smile gracing her face, "Uhm, hi."
Natsu gave her a wide grin that reached up to his eyes and caused her to squint. It was charming, warm, and infectious. Something about it made her want to do everything in her power to keep it there, and she fought the urge to pout when it lowered again as he began to speak. She listened intently, somehow convinced that whatever he had to say would be profound and life-altering.
"Are you fucking for real? How the hell are you single?"
Woo! That was a lot. I feel like this was a pretty long chapter? But like, that's how I like it when I'm reading a fic, so that's how I wrote it.
So, clearly Lucy is a mess right now. It makes my heart hurt. Not to worry though! Sweet sweet Natsu is going to pry her out of her shell soon enough. The next chapter will have some pretty obvious flirting between the pair and another fun surprise! Nothing smutty yet. Patience my pretties!