Mistletoe
ClumsyKittyMeow
Hey! So, I am currently not where I want to be with Adventures of Fairy Tail High. I had hoped to be writing my Christmas chapter and posting it for you guys. But due to unexpected circumstances, I have been unable to get that far in the story. Don't fret, I will and everyone will see the ending. Today, I just wanted to give y'all a Christmas special. Now I hope it's likable and new chapters of Adventures of Fairy Tail High should be up in January.
At one point in Everyone's life, they find themselves pining over something. Sometimes it's a new game or the newest Iphone that was just released. It could even be the girl next door that you know you don't have a shot in hell to even stand beside her.
For me, it's kind of that last one. I'm in love with the girl next door, but she just so happens to be my best friend. I don't know how it happened or how she ever considered talking to me but it did. It was way back in Junior High and she just moved to Magnolia and of all the houses, she moved into the one beside mine. And ever since the first time she talked to me with that angel-song voice, I've been under her spell.
Don't get me wrong, it's not that puppy dog kind when you drool all over the place and everyone can see it. Nope. It's the more dignified kind. The kind where the feelings are there but you know you can't do anything about them. Where you try to stuff them in a glass jar deep inside. The kind where you determine that every day you will tell them how you feel but can't summon the courage when you're face to face. The kind where you fake a smile whenever the one you love is hung up over someone else. The kind where you would do anything just to see her smile and make sure she is never hurt, or you hurt. Bad.
But the worst part of being in love with her. She just sees me as the goofy best friend that lives next door. It's been like this for five years and if I don't get the courage soon, it'll never change. Somebody help me.
…
…
I don't know why I woke up but one second I'm surrounded by my heart's desires and the next, I'm folding my arm over my eyes to protect them from the harsh sunlight rays about the room. Using my free arm, I pull myself up slightly to look at the digital clock beside my bed. It read 7:37.
Why the hell am I awake at 7 in the morning on a Saturday? I've been home since Wednesday for Christmas. I shouldn't be waking up at this time when I don't have classes.
A deep groan of disapproval rumbled in my chest and I tossed back into the bed, burying myself deep into the pillows and sheets to go back to sleep.
"Natsu!"
My bedroom door bursts open and something heavy bounces on my back. All the air in my lungs rushes out and I cough, trying to regain some.
"Luce, why?" I croak.
"Natsu, get out of bed! It's Christmas!" She squealed and jumped a little, rattling the bed.
"No, it's not. You still have two days."
"Don't be such a downer. Come on get up and get dressed. We have to go to Mira's Christmas party today."
I roll over slightly so I can see her but not to throw her off.
"Lucy, that's not until eight. Tonight. A full twelve hours away. Why do I have to get up now?" I asked, my voice thick with displeasure.
"Because I don't get to see you anymore. Plus you have to help me pick out the perfect outfit."
My face dropped into the mass of pillows. On one hand, I love how she just wants to spend the day with me. On the other hand however, why me? Doesn't she have girl friends that could do that? Sure, I love her but somethings just don't make sense.
"LushiIYamNutYawrGayBeshFrien." I mumbled, my mouth full of pillow.
Lucy leans down to lay on my back. "What?"
I looked at my options. 1.) get up now and avoid a day long of her pestering me until I cave then go do what she wants or, 2.) Have her pester me all day until I cave and go do what she wants to do.
Looks like my decision has been made.
I place my hands on the bed beside myself and hoist myself up, rolling slightly to nudge Lucy onto the mattress. For some reason, she bursts into cute little giggles.
"I'm glad you find waking me up at 7 funny." I pout. I throw the rest of the blanket off my shoulders and feel the brisk cool air of winter. I hate the cold. Almost enough to make me dive back in bed.
"Just hurry up." Lucy commands, reminding me why I was up to begin with.
I stand beside my bed, glancing down at her laying on my bed. Her golden hair fanned out on the bed gave her an illusion of a halo. Her eyes were filled with so much glee. Her lips perfectly pink, so captivating. And Despite the snow on the ground outside, she still wore a skirt, showing off her creamy legs. It's a sight I still haven't gotten over. It's still as alluring now as it was in 8th grade. I scratched at the back of my neck and turned my gaze away from her to the mirror where I saw myself standing in just pajama pants and Lucy's legs. I need to breathe. And to do that, I need her to leave.
"So, are you going to watch me change?" I half attempted a tease.
Her cheeks turned dark pink before she bolted up and slammed the door behind her. A gust of air blow out between my lips.
"Okay. No more of that. Time to get serious." I utter then go to pull on some clothes.
…
Despite the early wake up call, the morning was actually kind of great. Mainly because of her. Sure, my eyes were still falling every two seconds and my mind not quite all the way there. Face it. If it wasn't Lucy, I would have punched whoever came in there and woke me up.
We walked around town, Lucy pointing out cute Christmas displays and gazing in store windows, then we went and got breakfast at the local diner where she talked about high school life without me and she bombarded me with questions about college. My answers were short; I didn't want to talk, I want to listen to her. I haven't been able to hear her much since September and this was a relief. I had missed the time we had spent together over these past couple of months. I was starting to really appreciate her eagerness this morning.
Lucy drug me everywhere. To the high school for some reason. To the bookstore where last year, I punched a guy for making her cry. To be honest, I liked visiting these places again. Then to the empty field at the edge of town we used to go whenever I would make her skip school with me. It wasn't much but there was something special about it. It was like the seasons never touched it and it was always abloom with hundreds of flowers. But that's not why I liked the place so much. It was because of Lucy. Every time she saw it, no matter her mood, she would walk into the field, running her fingers over the soft petals with a soft smile on her lips. Today was no different. We sat in the middle, completely hidden in the tall grass.
"I've missed this." Lucy said. She looked back at me. "I don't get to come out here that often anymore." She stuck out her bottom lip for full affect. I guess she's trying to make me feel guilty.
I laugh and look at the ground.
"I'm sorry Luce. Do you want me to forget my education and stay here with you?" I joke.
"Yes." She laughed, then she got serious (Well, serious for her.) "No, Just visit more frequently. I miss my best friend."
"What is Levy and Lisanna and Juvia not good enough?" I tease.
"They're perfect. But they don't have what you have."
"And what's that?"
"Your goofy personality. You have a way of making me laugh at the simplest things."
Lucy fell over to lean on my shoulder. "Don't disappear again." She whispered so lightly I almost missed it.
…
After that, we went back to her house to find her outfit. I thought she was joking about that but apparently she is determined to spend all day with me today. But despite all the years we have spent together, she still self conscious about everything. She would change in the closest while I sat on the bed, then come out and ask my opinion.
"So what's the theme for this years party?" I asked.
Lucy poked her head out of the closet, enough so I could see her bare shoulder. "I think she said something about an ugly sweater." She said then ducked back into the closet.
A second later, she emerge wearing a lime green vertically stripped sweater. She turned a few times in front of the mirror then looked at me. To me, she looked amazing. Then again, everything she wore made her look amazing. She could have come out in sweatpants and still look stunning to me. But before I could say anything, she went back into the closet and I heard some more rummaging. Five minutes later she burst out with a handful of sweaters and dumped them at my feet.
I don't have anything in my closet ugly enough." Lucy sighed and plopped down on the bed beside me. "Come on, let's go find something."
"If it's ugly you want, you should have said something sooner. Mom has a closet full, just to give to me and Wendy on Christmases." I suggested. "How about we get Wendy to help?"
….
Lucy and I walked across her yard to my yard through the wooden gate that has always been there for house visits. When we first walked through the front door, there was no sign of life. I, however, knew that Wendy would be upstairs going over her Christmas shopping list and by the smell, I can tell Mom was in the kitchen, cooking Christmas dinner. Sure it was two days early, but we Dragneels always get an early start.
"Wendy!" I shout from the bottom of the staircase, hopefully getting my sister's attention.
"What if she's busy Natsu?" Lucy asks. "I would hate to drag her from something important."
"Honestly, I don't think she minds."
Lucy shrugs uncertainly then walks into the den and sits on the couch. From the other direction, I see the kitchen door swing open and my mom steps through.
"Natsu? What are you doing?" She asks when she sees me.
"Lucy needs help."
"Oh, is she here?"
Mom walks around me to look into the den and gives a highly excited hi to Lucy. She walks into the room and opens her arms for Lucy, who gracefully runs into them, returning the hug.
The two women chatter among themselves. I guess since I really haven't been here, they haven't talked much. Which is kind of odd seeing how Lucy is just beyond the gate. While mom and Lucy were catching up, Wendy came downstairs.
"Is that Lucy?"
"Has nobody in this house seen her since September?" I demand lightly.
" I see her every week day." Wendy answered. "We all just happen to love her. Some more than others." She winked at me with that last sentence.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I muttered, avoiding her gaze. When I still felt her gaze on me, I walked into the kitchen. She followed me. With the kitchen door securely between us and Lucy, Wendy cornered me about the situation at hand.
"When are you going to tell her?"
"I don't know what you are talking about." I still denied.
"Natsu. Everyone knows. Even you do. The only one who doesn't is Lucy." Wendy stated as she sat in one of the bar stools around the kitchen island.
"Fine. But I'll tell her when I think it's the right time." I say then sit beside her.
"Don't take too long thinking. Someone else might step in and I don't want to lose her as a sister-in-law." Wendy soothed.
"I know."
And I did. During my junior year, some other guy started to show interest in Lucy. This guy even asked her out and they dated like five months. Those were the worst months of my life. Jealousy bit at me everyday and I was so bitter. That experience should have taught be to suck it up and go for it but still I felt it wasn't the right time. She just went through a breakup, I'm a counselor at summer camp, bad timing, were just a few excuses I kept telling myself.
Wendy and I sat there for a few more minutes then I remembered why Lucy and I even came over here for.
"Lucy wants some help finding something to wear to Mira's party tonight. Think you can help her?"
Wendy gave me one last, long stare then got up to go help Lucy, but I stayed where I was. I contemplated my situation. Maybe I should just go ahead and get it over with. We all know that where things are, they won't last forever. I need to know if she feels the same or if I should bury my feelings, to move on with my life.
"I'll tell her at the New Year's party." I told myself and hopefully, I will gather the courage to go through with it.
….
Mira's party was already in full run when we finally showed up, about an hour late like usual with Lucy. People were everywhere, making it hard to walk in her home. Most people I recognized, it being a small town and everything. There might have been two or three there that I didn't know and that might be Mira's new college buddies. But those seemed few and spread out.
"Where do you think Mira is?" Lucy asked as she tried to peer over the waves of people.
Due to my height advantage, I could see more than Lucy could. "There, toward the kitchen." I pointed as I answered.
Without any hesitation, I grabbed Lucy's hand and gently pulled her along after me toward the head of white hair I saw near the kitchen counter. Her hand felt so tiny in mine but it felt right. It was one of those sappy romance novel moments, but did I really care? Seeing how I already felt about her? Wasn't I already one of those sappy guys?
Maybe it wasn't a good idea to think of that at this moment. I mean, we are walking towards one of the most lovestruck matchmakers on the planet and I don't want to open that can of worms. Just the thought of it made me cringe.
"Natsu?" Lucy called from behind me.
"Yea?"
"Are you okay? You're hands are kind of clammy."
Rather too quickly, I dropped her hand and rubbed my palms on my jeans. "yeah, this sweater is just warmer than I'm used too."
I looked down at the hideous reindeer sweater mom and Wendy had stuffed me into. The thing was bright green and the animal had crossed eyes. I hated it. Not just for the ridiculous image but for the damn sleeves and their itchy quality. I have never liked wearing long sleeves, never needed them so what was the point. But after Mom had heard how much I disliked them, she couldn't resist putting me in one.
However, on some strange reasoning, Lucy managed to find the perfect 'ugly' sweater and still look incredible. Sure the sweater was a complete eye sore. Tiny jewel lights strung all around the black material and a dumb looking pink, round hipster Santa. Maybe it was the tightness of the sweater and combination of tightness in her jeans showing off her full voluminous figure.
"Oh, look at that!" Lucy exclaimed, pointing as Gajeel chugged a carton of Eggnog.
"What? All I see is your sweater." I joke.
"Aha, very funny. Rudolph." Lucy sneered in my direction but kept a smile on her face. Her amazing smile. So warm and it gave me this weird fuzzy feeling. That was the feeling of Love.
Whenever there was a moment like this, I wondered if Lucy felt it also. I wondered if she treasured them as much as I do. My eyes lingered on her, fantasizing of how it would feel for her to love me back.
"Natsu!"
The high pitched squeal brought me back to the task at hand. Finding Mira. I looked in the direction we were headed and saw Lisanna hastily making her way over.
"I'm so glad you're back! How have you been? What's college like? Do you have any new friends? Do you have a girlfriend?"
"Good to see you too Lisanna." I laughed.
Question after question rolled out of Lisanna's mouth, and I was so caught up in trying to answer them all, I didn't notice Lucy slip away. When I finally noticed, I tried to search the room casually but I think despite my attempts, I still looked like the kid who lost their mother in the grocery store.
"Natsu, what's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong." I muttered, still looking for the blonde haired vixen who stole my heart.
Thankfully I didn't have to search long, I could see her clearly talking to Erza, Gray, Mira, Levy, and Gajeel.
"Let's go catch up with your sister and Erza." I suggest, trying to move over there with Lucy.
"Okay." Lisanna agrees.
The crowd parts in a natural kind of way over to the small group in the corner.
"..think it would look so cute."
"Really, I don't want to be the party entertainment."
"Oh come on Lucy. Please? You're the only one cute enough out of all of us to do this." Mira pleaded.
"What's going on?" I asked, coming in at the end of the conversation.
"Mira is trying to talk Lucy into keeping the mistletoe in her hair." Gray explained.
"See? And here is the first lucky guy." Mira squealed in excitement and pushed Lucy into my chest.
I looked down at her soft face, my eyes on hers for a moment, then I felt awkward and looked up. That's when I saw the green leaves in her hair. It was tucked behind her hair to help it stay better in the blonde locks.
"Come on, Natsu you have to kiss her." Levy shouted, gaining the attention of everyone in the room.
"I-i-i-ii, uh." I choked out, sputtering like a complete idiot.
"That's the rule of Mistletoe." Erza smirked with a evil twinkle in her eyes.
Blood rushed to my cheeks and I looked down at Lucy, who hadn't moved since Mira pushed her into me. Her eyes searched mine and I could see a heavy pink settled on her cheeks as well. But her lips. The objects that I have dreamt of for years. The tender, plump lips that have spoken soft words.
Did I really get the chance to finally kiss them?
Not wanting to waste another moment thinking about it, I cupped her face in my hands and took her lips in mine. Electricity zapped through my entire body, making me feel more alive than ever before. I didn't want the kiss to end, and to my surprise, Lucy leaned forth in as if to keep the kiss also.
Around us I could hear the claps and hollers of all our friends but right now that didn't matter. What did was the joy I felt to finally be kissing Lucy. What took so long for this moment to happen? Why had I been so scared before?
I guess I won't know for sure.
But alias, all good things most end. Lucy and I broke apart but didn't seperate. My hands stayed on her cheeks with my forehead on hers, trying to get rid of some of this dizziness. I could feel her hands resting on top of my forearms.
Lucy giggled softly.
"What?" I asked.
"It's about time you kissed me." she whispered
"Merry Christmas Lucy."
