This took longer than I wanted to, but I had difficulty writing out the end, but I'm glad I got it all out. This is based on a tumblr post I made, which you can find if you search 'luli modern day au' on my tumblr blog, which you'll find if you visit my profile. I hope you all enjoy!
It wasn't every day that Lisanna Strauss saw someone who showed so much kindness that she thought it was only possible in movies. Of course, it happened that day—a Saturday, when the sky was clear and the sun was shining, Lisanna thought it was horribly cliché—when she saw a blonde woman help an elderly lady get into a taxi, and even placing her belongings in the back.
Honestly, how was it possible that the blonde woman's smile was that bright?
And Lisanna could admit that the blonde woman was quite attractive, to the point where she couldn't help but gaze at her. But she quickly turned away and looked down to her phone when the blonde looked her way.
She wasn't going to get caught staring at some kind-hearted, good-looking blonde while waiting for her bus to arrive. No way.
Of course, from the corner of her eye, Lisanna saw the blonde walking to stand at the bus stop and stood a few steps away from her. Oh, was she going on the same bus as Lisanna? What a coincidence.
Lisanna then looked up from her phone, already bored from her distraction and immediately regretted her decision because her eyes met those of the kind-hearted blonde stranger. God, how was it possible to have eyes that warm? This woman was impossibly perfect Lisanna was pretty sure it was illegal.
"You were really nice back there," Lisanna suddenly spoke, and a blush filled her cheeks when the blonde woman looked at her in surprise.
"Excuse me?" The blonde inquired, seemingly confused.
"I, uh, saw what you did earlier, when you helped that old lady. That was… nice," Lisanna explained, and turned to look away as she did so, embarrassed.
"Oh, it was nothing, really. I was just trying to help," the blonde said, and Lisanna looked up to see her brightly smiling at her, and she honestly didn't think it was possible for her blush to darken.
There was a moment of silence before Lisanna continued to speak, her face alarmingly red, clutching her phone between her hands.
"Uh, are you going on the next bus?" Lisanna asked.
"Oh, yes, I am," the blonde replied. "I'm guessing you are, too."
"Yeah," Lisanna said, and scratched the side of her head. "I was just wondering if we could, y'know, get to know each other? You don't have to, of course! But I was just wondering..."
Lisanna had honestly never been this awkward in her entire life, and silently wished she could be just a little bit smoother.
"I would like that," the blonde smiled. "I'm Lucy, by the way. Lucy Heartfilia."
"I'm Lisanna Strauss. It's nice meeting you, Lucy," Lisanna said, and returned Lucy's smile. She placed her phone in the pocket of her skinny jeans, and put out her hand for Lucy to shake, and she couldn't help but notice how nice her hands were.
"Likewise," Lucy said.
They both turned their heads to see their bus come to the stop, and entered when the doors had opened.
"Let's get on, shall we," Lucy said, and signalled to the bus.
During her time with Lucy on the bus, Lisanna could honestly admit that she was smiling the entire time. Lucy was an interesting woman, and she would have loved to get to know her a lot more. And it was a good thing that it would inevitable happen, because when Lisanna exited the bus, a wide smile glued on her face, she did so with Lucy's number.
"So you're a teacher?" Lisanna asked in amazement, and leant forward in interest.
Both she and Lucy were sitting across from each other in a brightly-lit and quiet restaurant, with their barely touched food in front of them.
"Yes, I teach history at Magnolia High. The kids can give me a bit of a headache, but it's actually really lovely," Lucy explained with fondness in her voice, and looked at Lisanna with curiosity. "What about you?"
"Oh, I'm an artist, people commission me to make artworks for them. I mostly paint, but I draw sometimes, too. It's great, honestly, and I'm doing something I love," Lisanna replied, her head rested on her hand as she explained.
"It's great that you're happy and doing something you love," Lucy said with a soft smile. "I had always loved history, it's always been my passion, well, next to astronomy."
"Astronomy?" Lisanna asked in interest, and took a sip of the cheap red wine they had ordered.
"Yes, it was my mother that got me into it, because she loved it as well. She used to tell me about the many stars, moons and planets ever since I was just a little girl. It was great, really," Lucy said, and her smile turned sombre as she looked down at her food. Lisanna thought that, perhaps, it was a subject that made Lucy somewhat unhappy, judging by her expression, and—not wanting to get into it in case it made Lucy even more down—quickly changed the topic.
"So, I have a tattoo, y'know. It's on my right side, but it goes a bit onto my back," Lisanna said, and Lucy looked up, her eyes widened in interest.
"Really?" Lucy asked, and the sombre mood quickly left her as they spoke about Lisanna's tattoo.
It turned out to be a great first date.
"So, how was your date?" Mirajane's sly tone was the first thing Lisanna heard as she sat down on one of the stools by the counter of her sister's diner the Monday after her date.
"It was great, actually," Lisanna said, and rested her head on her hand. "Lucy is just a wonderful person, and I can't wait to go on another date."
"I'm happy for you Lisanna, and so is Elfman," Mirajane commented as she wiped away on the counter with a cloth. "I was surprised when you told me you were going on a date with someone you had just met, but really, I'm happy for you."
"Thanks, Sis," Lisanna smiled.
"By the way, when do we get to meet Lucy, I want to get to know the woman who has made my little sister so smitten," Mirajane told her with a cheeky smile, and Lisanna blushed in embarrassment.
"Mira!" Lisanna whined, and attempted to cover her reddening cheeks with her hands.
"Don't worry, Lisanna, I won't start making wedding plans until both Elfman and I approve of her," Mirajane joked.
"Mira, stop teasing me!" Lisanna whined once more, and Mirajane laughed. Despite her whines, Lisanna was absolutely sure that both her siblings would both love and approve of Lucy. After all, Lucy was the type of person who got along with everyone; she was a beautiful woman with a blinding smile, and held the hearts of the people around her.
"Oh, Lisanna, it seems someone just messaged you. Could it be Lucy?" Mirajane's playful tone interrupted her thoughts, and Lisanna swore her heart skipped a beat. She ignored her sister and picked up her phone, looking down at the screen.
(11:34 AM) Hey, I'm on break and I don't have a class for another hour. Do you want to talk?
Lisanna smiled at the text, and quickly typed out an affirmative reply. It seemed that Lucy already had her heart, and she wasn't going to complain.
When Lisanna got home to her small, yet homey apartment, she instantly went into her art room (that was formally a second bedroom) and reached for her pencils and one of her art books, quickly turned to a clean page that wasn't filled with sketches and paint experiments, and started to draw. She was working purely on the memory of the woman who's smile would never leave her face.
The time went by quickly, so quickly that Lisanna didn't realise it was late afternoon until she looked up to see the setting sun outside her window when she had finally finished. Lisanna looked down to her completed artwork and let out a small smile.
Drawn in her art book was a rough portrait of a smiling Lucy Heartfilia. Lisanna leant on the back of her chair, gazed at the painting, and sighed. Was Mirajane right when she said that Lisanna was already smitten? Perhaps, and it wasn't like Lisanna was going to complain, but she only met her twice. But then again, both Lisanna and Lucy learnt a lot about one another during those two meetings.
Lisanna let out another smile, and sat the drawing down on the nearby desk. No matter, they were already going on another date, planned when Lisanna was texting Lucy earlier that day, and Lisanna couldn't deny her excitement. And she was sure Lucy felt the same way.
Content with herself now, Lisanna stood up and left the room and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower before she left it after half an hour, dressed in loose clothes and ready to prepare for the night's dinner.
Lisanna and Lucy went on even more dates throughout the next weeks, which became months, which then became a year. Lucy had met Mirajane and Elfman, who both took a quick liking to after a flurry of questions. Lucy, in turn, also took a great liking to both of them as well, which relieved Lisanna.
Of course, Lisanna also showed Lucy her drawings and paintings—the ones that were not commissioned or sold off—the first time she visited her apartment and Lucy loved them. Lisanna also hesitantly showed Lucy the drawings and paintings she had did of her and, to Lisanna's relief, loved them.
It was also the first time Lucy kissed Lisanna, and it was mesmerising.
The more both Lisanna and Lucy had gotten to know each other, the closer they became. Lisanna learnt that Lucy loved her coffee and tea incredibly sweet, that she was a morning person—and, honestly, one of them had to be—and that Lucy tended to hog space, whether it was on the couch or on the bed. Lucy also had a tendency to sing along to songs played on the radio, and Lisanna had very much loved that because, really, she had a voice of an angel. And Lucy, in turn, learnt quite a few things about Lisanna as well.
And so, it came to no one's surprise when Lisanna started to stay at Lucy's place overnight, and vice versa. And because of such, they started to become more intimate with one another.
One such occasion was when Lucy had decided that she and Lisanna should have dinner at her place and stay for the night. Of course, Lisanna agreed, all too happy to spend more time with Lucy when she wasn't with her siblings, other friends, or in her art room.
They had finished dinner a while ago, and had finished watching a movie on the television—well, they weren't watching the movie per se, but merely holding hands and staring in each other's eyes because both of them were that smitten with each other—and so they decided to go to bed, as it was already late into the night.
Lisanna had taken off her clothes and stood in her underwear in Lucy bedroom. She was about to grab her pyjama shirt, when she caught Lucy staring at her.
Well, her tattoo.
"Oh," Lucy murmured, tilting her head in order to get a better look of the ink on her girlfriend's skin. "It looks much more beautiful than I thought."
"Um," Lisanna said, and held off a stutter. She blushed, however, when Lucy kneeled down to get a closer look of the tattoo. "You like it?"
"Yes, very much so," Lucy said, and lifted her arm, about to touch the tattoo on Lisanna waist, but stopped, and looked up at her. "Do you mind if I touch it?"
"Go ahead," Lisanna managed to say, and watched as Lucy's fingers trailed over the colourful and beautifully drawn arrangements of flowers inked onto her skin.
"Beautiful," Lucy murmured, almost mesmerised, as her fingers continued to lightly trace over Lisanna's tattoo, over Lisanna's skin. Lisanna remained still, gazing at Lucy with half-lidded eyes. "So, so beautiful."
Lucy continued to trace her fingers over the tattoo, but stopped after a few moments, and placed her hand on Lisanna's hip. She leaned in and kissed a red-coloured flower, and Lisanna couldn't help but shiver when Lucy's lips met her skin.
"Did you like that?" Lucy inquired, and smiled slyly up at Lisanna. At her nod, Lucy asked, "Would you like to continue this in bed?"
"Hell yeah." Lisanna couldn't help but grin, which Lucy wholeheartedly returned.
"Love, c'mon, I want to show you something," Lisanna said in excitement. Both she and Lucy were at an art exhibition that showcased many artworks, a few of them being Lisanna's own creations. She was proud of that, there wasn't any way that she couldn't be, and showing Lucy and her siblings her work made Lisanna wholeheartedly happy.
"Slow down, Lisanna, there's no need to rush," Lucy laughed as she was dragged by her girlfriend. She was incredibly proud of Lisanna that her work was being exhibited. She had put her blood, sweat, and tears into her work, and it was worth it.
Mirajane and Elfman were also looking around the exhibition, both equally proud of their younger sister. Especially Elfman, who cried as he looked at one of Lisanna's paintings, and said something about "his little sister growing up and spreading her wings" or something similar in that respect.
It had been about a year and a half since Lisanna and Lucy had their first date, and that time had passed incredibly quickly the more time they spent with one another. They had already moved into their own place, just the two of them, and although they had their ups and downs, they managed. And the more time they spent with one another, the more their love grew.
As Lisanna dragged Lucy to the section with her paintings being showcased, she spotted Mirajane and Elfman gazing at one of her paintings. They noticed both of them approach, and smiled. Lisanna could have sworn that she saw Mirajane give Lisanna an approving nod, before she turned to Lucy.
"Love, I wanted to show you this painting, and I kept it a secret because it's really special to me and I wanted to surprise you," Lisanna said as she guided Lucy to stand in front of one of her paintings.
Lucy looked up to the painting, and tears started to well up in her eyes.
"Lisanna," she started, before put her hands over her mouth, and tears started to run down her face. In front of her was a beautiful watercolour painting of Lucy; full of bright shades of green, blue, yellow, and pink, it was magnificently brilliant and wonderful. It was titled 'Constellations'.
"Lucy," Lisanna began, worry etched in her expression at Lucy's reaction. "Do you not like it?"
"No, I—" Lucy withheld a sob. "Quite the opposite actually, I love it. It's one of the greatest things someone has ever done for me."
"Oh, god," Lisanna said as she embraced Lucy in a hug. "I'm so glad, I was so worried you were going to hate it."
"How could I," Lucy said, separated herself from the hug, and gently grasped Lisanna's face in her hand as she kissed her fully on the lips. "I could never hate anything you do."
"I'm glad," Lisanna smiled, and ignored her siblings cheer from a few feet away from them. "Because I'm about to do something and I hope you're going to love it."
"Lisanna," Lucy whispered before she gasped as Lisanna let her go to get down on one knee.
"Lucy Heartfilia, you are the love of my life and I don't know what I'll do without you, so," Lisanna reached into her pocket, and out came a simple diamond ring with a gold band. "Will you marry me?"
"Lisanna," Lucy whispered once more. "Of course, you lovely idiot! Of course! How could I say no? Now get up from the floor."
Lisanna laughed as she complied, and slowly and carefully placed the ring on Lucy finger. They kissed and embraced once more and remained there, ignoring the cheering onlookers around them.
"This is the greatest night of my life," Lisanna said, her head rested on Lucy's shoulder.
"Mine too," Lucy agreed, and tightened her hold on Lisanna. "I can't wait to celebrate."
Lisanna laughed, but said nothing. They both remained in their position for a few moments before they separated.
"I love you," Lisanna said, smiling widely.
"I love you, too," Lucy replied, and gave Lisanna the bright smile that she fell in love with.
A few feet away from them, Mirajane and Elfman watched their sister and her new fiancée, and were filled with joy and pride. They always wanted happiness for Lisanna, and what they just saw made them absolutely ecstatic. Their little sister had someone she loved deeply to spend the rest of her life with.
"I'm so happy for her," Elfman sniffed, wiping away his tears with a handkerchief.
"I know, so am I," Mirajane replied, a small smile plastered on her face. She continued to watch Lisanna and Lucy, hand in hand, walk through the exhibition, looking at one another with absolute love and affection in their eyes. "So am I."
And so, the night went on, as did the lives of Lisanna and Lucy. They lived, continued their careers, and soon got married, becoming Lisanna and Lucy Heartfilia-Strauss. Throughout the years, through thick and thin, they remained happy, and their love grew a thousandfold the more they were with one another.
And they couldn't wait to spend even more time with each other, no matter how long or short it was. At least they were with each other, and that was okay, because to them, their love was a beautiful painting.