I just want to say that I would really appreciate feedback! I'm really trying to develop as a writer so it'd be awesome to hear what y'all think! :D Thank you!

Natsu:

He laughed as the pair walked down the street. "Why do you and Happy even have a house of your own?!" Sophia asked jokingly. Natsu blushed and said

"Well, we don't wanna ruin what little alone time we give you in the first place," he smirked, "even though I'm sure you must hate it when we're gone."

Sophia rolled her eyes and the setting sun played across her face in crazy patterns created by the canopy of trees above.

"Whatever, you practically live with me anyways," she retorted with a giggle.

Natsu's blush faded and he felt slightly disappointed that he had to say goodbye to the redhead. He shook it off so he could enjoy the walk to his cottage before she left. Besides, he'd see her tomorrow. He glanced over at her and took note of the way the golden light made her glow, bringing out the onyx and chocolate flecks in her green eyes, shining on her cherry red hair, her fulgent freckles, her sun-kissed skin. He smiled and chuckled to himself. She leaned forward and looked into his eyes, with curiosity brimming in her own.

"What're you laughing at," she asked.

He blinked and grinned. She raised an eyebrow, but Natsu noticed the smile playing on her lips. He smiled again and her deadpan broke and she grinned, a huge grin with sparkling white fangs. Literally fangs, her canines were large and pointed, much more than the average humans'. Much like a dragon's. He started laughing and she joined in.

"What're you laughing at," he joked.

It felt good to laugh, much to Natsu's surprise. It was a nice laugh, not the kind that left you gasping for air at the end or clutching your sides, but the kind that left you feeling brilliant and lifted and happy. Sophia gave him a smug side-eye and replied

"Oh, nothing. Just you."

The small cottage at the end of the lane glowed with the same golden light and Sophia whispered into the wind,

"You know, your house looks like something from a fairy tale."

Natsu chuckled again and studied the shack. The ivy curled up the fence and up the dark gray stones that made up the exterior. The red shingled roof was worn down but the rusted weathervane on top still spun with urgency in the autumn wind, and the peeling white paint on the bottom half of the house had a sort of country charm that really did make you think of a fairy tale. A little magical cottage in the woods. Sophia smiled sweetly and turned to Natsu, the movement out of the corner of his eye bringing his gaze back to her.

"Yeah, I guess it does."

"So a mage in Fairy Tail has a magical cottage from a fairytale," Sophia stated.

She shrugged and laughed a small laugh. It sounded like a dozen tiny chimes tinkling in a soft gust of wind, but the mischievous sparkle in her eyes is what made Natsu's heart melt.

"Tell Happy I say hi."

"Okay, see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, we need to take a request-" she paused in the middle of her sentence and made a pouty face, "I'm already out of food..."

"Not again, we went to the grocery store yesterday!"

"Lucy came over!"

"She couldn't possibly have eaten all of that!"

"I know, but I used her as an excuse to cook most of what we bought..."

"How are you so skinny?"

"HEY, I COULD ASK THE SAME, FLAME BRAIN!"

Natsu smirked as their little bicker began. She had a great body... he couldn't help but notice.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Goodnight!" Natsu called to her as he walked through the small gate and into his front yard.

"Goodnight!" he heard her call good-heartedly from behind him. He heard her footsteps disappear down the gravel path back into town. The sun had set and the warm orange glow coming from his windows made Natsu sigh in relief. He turned the handle of the thick wooden door slowly and yelped in surprise when he felt a fist land a punch on the square of his back. He whirled around, his fist on fire, only to see Sophia running away. She launched herself over the small, white picket fence and raced back down the path, for real this time, all the while cackling in delight.

"GOODNIGHT NATSU!" she yelled over her shoulder.

"WATCH YOUR BACK, YA PYRO!"

"I COULD STILL SAY THE SAME!"

Natsu laughed and stepped into the cozy home. Happy flew at him while yelling at the top of his lungs,

"NAATSUUU! GUESS WHAT'S TOMORROW!"

He raised an eyebrow.

"What's up Happy?"

The exceed's huge eyes glowed with excitement as he whispered,

"Master is gonna announce who's in the running for S-Class this year!"

Natsu stood there, shell-shocked with excitement for a couple of seconds. He burst the silence by jumping up and down while yelling

"I'M ALL FIRED UP!"

"But Natsu, you have to sleep!"

"I DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, HAPPY!"

Natsu turned from his friend and laid down on his hammock, excitement coursing through his veins and his mind racing with every possibility the next day might hold. He knew he could be in the running this year. Phia too. Natsu glanced back at the cat and his face crinkled into a smile as he saw him fast asleep in his bed.

Sophia:

She couldn't stop laughing to herself as she walked back down the gravel path, away from Natsu's house, as she thought about the expression on Natsu's face when he had whipped around to face her. She couldn't believe she'd gotten him so good. She strolled past the guild hall and turned onto Canal Street as she stared up at the sunset slowly fading behind the row of buildings at the end of the street, sighing.

She felt almost ambivalent about the sunset. The way it marked the end of the day but also marked the opportunity to see a new day full of adventure. But of course, it might also just be pretty and not symbolize anything. She liked that option the best.

She reached her front door and shoved her shoulder against the old piece of wood. It swung open with a creak and the redhead stumbled into her apartment, tripping on the doorstep, as always. She puffed out her lips and groaned as she bent down to rub her stubbed her toe.

As she walked into the kitchen, she spotted a letter on top of her freshly made bed. It definitely hadn't been made when she'd left that morning. Frowning, she raced over and threw herself onto it, grabbing the letter and ripping it open as she gently bounced.

"Hey, Sophia! I thought I'd leave you this message since you and Natsu missed the big announcement this afternoon!" Mira's voice resonated from the card as a picture of her appeared on the front.

"Master will be announcing the wizards that are competing in the S-Class competition this year! Good luck! Make sure you don't oversleep!" the white-haired barmaid giggled as the message ended.

The bottom of the card read "P.S. I'm sending Lucy to wake you up just in case". Sophia chuckled as she stood up again and crossed the room, walking into her kitchen.

"Welp! Time to celebrate with a good meal!"