A/N: Originally posted on tumblr and written for stardresss. tumblr. com for Valentine's exchange fic. I initially plan to put Gajevy as side pairing, but I got carried away and I ended up writing way too long that I can't afford to put side pairings anymore (In fact, I can write longer for this fic just for NaLu but let's not get there LOL). I had so much fun writing this. So I hope you enjoy this NaLu college AU too! Happy Valentine, from your viva valentine! :D
5 Reasons He Would Never Let Her Go
1. She is smarter than him
"Natsu," Loke's voice sang rather dangerously. "Do you see the girls sitting there?" he pointed to a pair of girls sitting near the college café window. They were reading something, occasionally sharing their book contents and giggled while enjoying their cups of tea.
"Huh?" Natsu rested an arm on the back of his chair, tilting slightly to steal a look. "What's with them?"
"The blonde one," Loke whistled quietly. "She's totally my type."
A scoff followed right after. "All girls are your type."
"Now, Gray, come on. You know that's not true. I only like hot girls," Loke clicked his tongue in mock annoyance.
"What about the blue haired one?" Natsu prodded.
"Naah, too innocent for my liking."
Gray rolled his eyes. "You mean cheap girls are your type?"
"Hot girls," Loke corrected.
"Loke—"
"There's a difference," Loke held up a hand to shut him up.
"I don't think she's a cheap girl though," Natsu tore his eyes away from the girls. "She's sexy, yes. But she's living her own style. There's nothing wrong with that."
"Oh?" Loke raised his brows at the statement. "Is it safe for me to say that you are attracted too?"
"I'm merely stating my opinion," Natsu glared.
"It's all set then!" Loke snapped his fingers. "Let's have a bet. All you have to do is go there and get her name, phone number then ask her out on a date."
"What?" Natsu and Gray choired.
"Or would you prefer to do it, Gray?"
"No!" Gray snapped. "That's not it. Why would you bet on a girl? And a girl whom you are interested in? What's in your mind?"
"Because if Natsu tries to woo her, we can see if she's exactly my type or not. We have different opinions about her after all," Loke shrugged, deliberately leaving the first question unanswered.
"And what would I get out of this anyway?" Natsu protested.
"That's not what you should be worrying for!" Gray groaned.
"How about a brand new Samsung J7 Prime?" Loke ignored the raven-haired guy.
"Samsung S7 Edge."
"Deal!" Loke snapped his fingers. "But if you don't get to ask her out within a week, you're buying me one. That's the deadline."
Gray rolled his eyes. "Right. Baiting Natsu with android again. Why am I not surprised?"
Natsu jumped up excitedly, brushing his hair back just to have his hair sticking out stubbornly again. "Deal. How do I look?"
"As usual?"
"You, buddy, has no sense of art," Natsu grinned as he stalked off towards the girls table.
Gray scoffed again. "Sense of art? Does he even have one?"
And Loke laughed.
Lucy was having fun with her book while talking with Levy until she heard a cheerful greeting.
"Hey!"
She looked up, and Natsu found himself pausing for a second the moment he saw her bright charming eyes. The almond colored clear irises seemed so deep as if sucking him in the moment their eyes met. He wouldn't exactly call it love at first sight, but he was totally enchanted by her beauty.
"Yes?" Lucy questioned, putting down her book to look up at the stranger.
"Nice hair you have there. It looks like the color of sun, don't you think?" Natsu immediately sat opposite of her, resting his elbows on the table with keen interest. "Is that your natural hair color?"
Gray slapped his forehead, glaring at Loke as they heard Natsu's first greeting. "This has nothing to do with me," Gray whispered in a hush.
Levy nudged Lucy's side, clearly not pleased with the intrusion of the new weird guy. "Should we leave?"
Lucy almost nodded to agree with the suggestion when Natsu pulled the book in her hand, turning it around to inspect leisurely. "Luna de Verano by Robyn Carr. It's a good read. A late blooming love for a girl who fell for a guy far from her type. Intriguing, huh?" Natsu drawled.
Lucy frowned. "Smooth. Is this how you usually flirt with girls? Trying to act like an intelligent one when you clearly didn't even read the book?"
"Intelligent?" Natsu blinked then laughed, putting the book back in front of her. "No, no, I never even read them. I just have a friend who is so much into philosophy; he practically reads a lot of such books. He says it troubles him that he knows so little. That he knows nothing about life, or about the world."
"Did he just quote Jellal?" Gray turned to Loke, just to be shushed by the orange haired guy.
Lucy rolled her eyes, snatching her book again. "Now you're acting like a philosopher."
"And here comes the important part," Natsu hushed her, dramatically raising a finger to make a point. "It troubles him that he knows so little," he deliberately paused for effect. "Do you know what troubles me? The fact that after all that has happened, I still don't know your name," he grinned brightly, and Lucy found herself blushing.
"Why would I tell you my name when I don't know yours?" it wasn't until she said it that Lucy noticed it wasn't supposed to be her concern.
"What?" Levy turned to face her best friend in surprise. Well, Levy, I was surprised with my answer myself, Lucy groaned inwardly.
Natsu raised his brows at her question. But then he smiled, looking down at her book then held out his hand. "Verano."
Verano? Lucy glanced at her book. Yeah, right. More like an obvious fake. Is this guy trying to test her? "Luna," she decided to play along.
Natsu remained unfazed though. "Luna," he nodded in all seriousness. "In Latin, it means the moon. Greek mythology suggested that it was one of the name for Artemis, the moon goddess," his lips curved into a charming smile. "Befitting of such beauty as you."
Lucy blinked. She had to admit that she was intrigued by the choice of this man's conversation. He wasn't exactly all that smart, but he surely wasn't stupid either. And he was rather bold if Lucy had to say. She was astounded that she didn't realize she had been quiet for quite some time.
Natsu sulked, pouting slightly as he slouched. "Aww, and here I am, hoping that you would provide some sort of explanation for my name too."
"What kind of explanation would you expect me to come up with, Verano? If you think introducing yourself with an obviously fake name would impress me, then think again," Lucy retorted immediately.
Natsu laughed. "Well, maybe you're right. But that wasn't just a random name. It has something to do with my real name. A not-so-subtle hint, I must say. Anyway, I didn't walk over here to impress you. You see the two idiots over there?" Natsu pointed towards his table. "They got me into this bet and I just have to get your number and ask you out on a date. But to do that, I need to know your name which I clearly haven't got yet, Luna."
"Well, too bad then, because I don't care about your bet. Why don't you get back there and just relent to your loss?" Lucy folded her arms on her chest, giving him the look of finality.
"No, can't do. I think you don't really get me there. I chose to get your name and number in this bet. I chose to ask you on a date. I chose you, like Aiden Riordan chose Erin Foley in his quest at the Virgin River," Natsu insisted.
By the time he finished his talk, Lucy knew she was a goner. He was excerpting from the Luna de Verano novel again, as if indicating to her that this was a challenge of his, to get to know her. Did he really never read the book? But she didn't want to surrender. Not yet.
"Which part of 'I don't care' does your miniscule brain fail to understand? Let's go, Levy," Lucy grabbed her books and immediately stood up, leaving their college café with Levy in tow.
2. She does not bear grudges
It had been four days since the incident. Lucy had to admit that 'Verano' guy left such an impression on her—despite her denial—that she found herself thinking about him here and then. She never really saw him before in college. Was he even a student of their college?
"Have you ever seen that guy around, Levy?" Lucy asked, walking inside the lecture hall.
"Which guy?"
"The guy who talked with excerpts of Robyn Carr's book at the café near our faculty last time."
"The one four days ago?" Levy gave her an incredulous look. "I can't believe you still think about him."
"It's not like I think much about him. I'm just curious because I've never seen him before," Lucy retorted quickly. "And I've never seen him since either."
"Perhaps he's someone from the science stream courses? The science and arts course buildings are separated after all," Levy shrugged.
"Ah, that makes sense," Lucy agreed, sitting at her usual spot.
Their talk was put to a halt when they saw their Literature lecturer walked in. Preparing for the class, Lucy and Levy both gave their names for attendance and listened through the lecture diligently. It was interesting as usual. Lucy had wanted to be a writer one day, and things such as these could easily steal her attention. She was so absorbed in the lecture that she didn't notice the presence of someone, staring at her from behind the whole time. And when the lecture ended, Lucy started to review her notes with Levy for a few more minutes until she was satisfied enough to wrap up for the day.
That was when she finally stood up and turned to see a familiar guy sitting idly at a seat behind her—not to mention they were the only one left in the lecture hall too.
"Yo, Luna. We meet again," Natsu waved a hand cheerfully. "Or should I say—"
No way. Lucy felt herself panicking.
"Lucy—"
Was he here since the beginning of the lecture?
"Heartfilia."
He was. He definitely was. "H-how did you know—"
"Your name? From the attendance, of course," Natsu grinned.
"No! I mean, how did you know I am in this lecture?" Lucy exclaimed. She didn't even know which course he belonged in.
"Oh, that? It was a guess," Natsu shrugged. "Luna de Verano is a Spanish literature. It is not the kind of book you would read unless you are a student of Literature or Linguistic course. I went through Linguistic lecture halls and I didn't find you so I assume you must be a Literature student then."
Lucy was perplexed. "What do you want? What's with the chase? Is the bet that huge that you can't afford to lose or something?" she rolled her eyes.
"Not exactly. It's more like I don't want to lose. I don't want to lose to my friends. And I don't want to lose you."
"To me, you mean?" Lucy corrected him.
"I don't want to lose you. Period. Don't purposely misheard me," Natsu stuck his tongue out. "You know, when Erin Foley met Aiden Riordan, her first impression wasn't all there was about him. It was totally off too. It doesn't hurt to go out on a date with me to see more about me, don't you think? Or why else did your lecturer ask you to read that book?"
"How do you expect me to go out on a date with you or even get to know you when I don't even know your name, Verano?" Lucy's words were coated with sarcasm.
And Natsu laughed. "I guess now that the mystery is off, we should cut down to the formal introduction," he finally stood, facing her as he tucked his hands into his side pockets. "My name is Natsu Dragneel, a mechanical engineering course student. Currently I'm in my final year. Also—" Natsu flashed her that very same bright grin that charmed her four days ago. "I didn't lie when I say Verano has something to do with my real name. Verano in Spanish means summer. My real name is Natsu, which means summer in Japanese. Pretty cool, huh?"
Lucy had to admit that she was impressed. He practically walked up to her when she coincidentally was reading the said book—which by the way revealed her course as well. If he never knew anything about the book, there was no way in hell he could come up with something that creative.
"Did you actually read the book?" Levy, who had been rather quiet, finally asked. She was probably just as curious.
"Me? I don't read," Natsu laughed, shaking his hand dismissively. "But this book is my senpai's favorite. He talked about it quite a lot that I just somehow remembered the content."
"Your senpai?"
"Jellal," Natsu nodded. "Jellal Fernandez."
Lucy's jaw dropped. "You know Jellal-senpai? But he graduated Literature last year!"
"Well, yeah. He dated an engineering senpai I was close to and he went to the science building quite a lot," Natsu scratched the back of his head. "But reading isn't my forte."
Lucy blinked before chuckling. "And here I got worked up for nothing. I thought you were a genius or something."
"No way," Natsu shook his head. "I told you I didn't read them. And if anything you can count on me from our encounters is that I don't lie."
Lucy sighed, keeping down her laughter as she smiled. "Yeah, I guess you don't." After all, what kind of guy would walk up to a girl and tell her that he had a bet about her, and then woo her just to tell her that everything he knew was merely coincidence. Lucy wasn't sure whether this guy is honest or just plain stupid. But then again, he was able to excerpt Spanish novel at the tip of his finger to even be considered stupid. He was exactly like he said himself—Aiden Riordan; his outer appearance didn't represent himself at all. Except that he wasn't a doctor.
"So? Would you go out on a date with me?" Natsu smiled widely. "Not because of that bet but because I would want to know you. And I would want you to know me too."
It took Lucy a few more seconds to consider, but she knew she was a gone case. There was no use in denying. "Yes," she finally nodded. "Yes, I would."
3. She does foolish things with him
"Natsu, this isn't fair."
"What isn't?"
"This!" Lucy pointed towards him sitting on the back of a horse.
"How is me riding a horse isn't fair?" Natsu feigned ignorance as he guided his horse to turn and face Lucy.
"I can't even ride a horse! How can you call this a date?" Lucy protested.
Natsu clicked his tongue. "Lucy, Lucy, Lucy," he shook his head. "It's exactly because you can't, that's why I brought you to a horse riding date," he offered her a hand. "Come on, I'll bring you around."
Lucy stared at his hand before finally surrendering herself to him. At least he was being rather romantic today. Horseback riding might not be too bad. Grasping his hand, she climbed up the horse and sat in front of him. Natsu started to guide the horse forward once she was comfortable.
"I have to tell you something though," Natsu said.
"What?"
"I don't know how to ride either."
"What?!"
Lucy's surprise somehow sent a jerky thrill to the horse. And the horse leapt forward with such an amazing speed that Lucy swore she could have died.
"You should have told me that earlier! Natsu! Let me down!"
"You can jump though!" Natsu laughed despite the situation.
"No way! Stop it first!"
"I don't even know how!"
"A date with you can shorten my lifespan for ten years," Lucy trembled slightly as she walked out of the shed.
"Hey, at least it was fun," Natsu laughed.
"Which part of it? The one when we both were sent up flying when you pulled the bridle?" Lucy retorted in annoyance.
"We wouldn't be in that situation if you didn't struggle and make the horse run in amok," Natsu shrugged.
"I wouldn't struggle if you had told me earlier that you can't ride!" Lucy groaned.
"Tsk tsk tsk, Lucy, how can you produce a book if you don't experience multiple things yourself? Let's go to an ice rink for ice skating next!" Natsu suggested quickly.
Lucy glanced at him warily. "Do you even know how to skate?" she needed to be careful this time.
"Hey, that's rude. I always race it with Gray."
And as they went to the rink, Lucy found out that Natsu might have raced it with Gray. But he probably never won judging from how many times they had fallen along their play. Their day was filled with Natsu's laughter and Lucy screaming at Natsu for her life, but Lucy couldn't deny the fact that she, indeed, had fun.
Never in her life had she gone to adventures that she wasn't prepared with. Perhaps life could have been more spontaneous. Perhaps life shouldn't be too calculative. Perhaps she should have done what she wanted to do even if she didn't know how. It was as if Natsu showed her a whole new world she never knew existed. Indeed, their date that day—and subsequent ones later—somehow had lit up an inspiring part in her she never knew. She felt like jumping in front of the computer the moment she got home.
She also learned that an ambiguous Natsu is doubtful—since he never lies.
4. She supports his goal and pursues her own
"What do you think? Cool, huh?" Natsu leaned and wiggled his brows, showing his new android proudly. "We are using nano sim now. Soon we're moving towards nanoscale network communication. I love the walkway-based molecular communication the most. I can't wait until androids and iPhones turn into some kind of nano machines," he flipped the phone with a grin, eyes staring into the screen as if imagining what might happen in the future.
"You should thank me for winning that bet. I was being considerate of you after all. And you're too close," Lucy rolled her eyes, pushing him slightly before focusing back on her book.
"Aww, come on, Lucy. After so many dates we've gone to, you should have—"
"Lucy-sama."
Natsu and Lucy froze at the interruption. "Caprico," she gasped.
"You know him?" Natsu looked at her questioningly.
"I'm taking you with me," the guy donned in dark suit advanced towards Lucy, and somehow Natsu's defensive instinct just kicked in.
"Wait, what are you going to do to Lucy?" Natsu stepped in front of Lucy protectively.
"Natsu," Lucy pulled his arm gently, shaking her head as a sign not to fight the man. "I must go now."
"You don't have to follow him. He seems dangerous. You never know what he might do to you," Natsu could feel himself panicking. He would protect her with all his might. She really didn't have to go.
"He wouldn't do anything to me," Lucy insisted. "He's my butler."
Natsu didn't even know how to react when Lucy willingly followed the man into a black sedan.
"You don't know Heartfilia?"
"What the hell is Heartfilia?" Natsu groaned in annoyance, barely containing the urge to push Loke away from his face.
"That," Loke pointed towards a tall tower building they could see far from their college. "Is Heartfilia."
"That building?" Natsu was genuinely confused.
"He meant that she belongs to a rich family. Her family owns a bank company and that building is their office," Gray explained the obvious before turning to the petite girl besides him. "Are you sure she's going to be okay?"
Levy fidgeted slightly, chewing on her bottom lip as she frowned. She was worried at the very least. She knew Lucy's father was very strict. But he never demanded anything from Lucy so far. So why now? Why did he suddenly want Lucy back? "I don't know," Levy muttered honestly. "Her father never acted this way before."
"You mean—"
"Did something happened—"
"I don't care what Heartfilia is and what he wants with her. I'm bringing her back," Natsu said with finality as he stood and snatched his keys.
"Oi, Natsu!" Gray called back the moment Natsu sprinted out of college.
The beauty of the flowers adorning the garden didn't change one bit. Lucy had left the mansion for five years, and the familiar awkwardness was still there. She looked down, fingers playing with the hem of her dress idly. It had been so long since she wore a gown. She used to hate it since it made her hard to move about. But she remembered how she loved the way her late mother wore it. Her mother was so graceful, and so gentle. She was the epitome of warmth itself. Lucy sighed. There were days when she hoped that time could stop. And she would savor the best moment in her life forever.
Jude walked out to the garden, resting his hands behind his back as he looked down to his daughter. "Who was he?"
"Who?"
"The one you hang out a lot lately. He had been a bad influence to you," Jude stood a few feet away from her.
"He had been my inspiration. I managed to finish my script since I met him," Lucy disagreed.
"Quit with the literature rubbish and come back to business, Lucy. Stop getting yourself involved with that foolish ruffian," Jude cut off her reasoning.
Lucy sighed. "You never change; trying to use money to control me. You know I do not plan to enter the business world," Just what happened to her caring, loving father she used to know when she was a child? It felt so long ago she could almost forget how her father used to be.
"Don't force me to go to extreme, Lucy," Jude's voice sounded stern with his warning.
"This is the lifestyle I belonged to, father," Lucy refused to back down this time, turning to properly face her father. "I might not be sleeping in a large comfy bed. I might not be waking up to luxurious breakfast. But I've never been happier. I met friends who accepted me as who I am, friends who tried to understand me, friends who treated me like their own family," she took a deep breath as her memories with Levy and her college friends; and then Natsu. "Something you never did."
"Don't get so full of yourself, Lucy. I've been letting you off the hook for so long now and I only tolerate because you were behaving good. But now that you get yourself involved with that peasant, I cannot ignore it any longer," Jude glared at her.
"His name is Natsu. Stop belittling him like you know everything about him!"
"I don't care what his name is! He's just another fool out there trying to get your money!"
"Natsu is not a fool!" Lucy wished she could contain her tears much longer, but at that point her chest tightened in pain. "He's aiming to expand nanonetwork in electromagnetic and molecular communication. He goes on adventures to realize his dreams!"
"That's just useless excuse to play around—"
"It's not an excuse!" Lucy protested heavily. "He's not as shallow as you think he is! And I plan to go on more adventures with him! Because it is the kind of adventure we could share together to realize our dreams! I will always be there for him, and don't you dare do anything to him!"
"What—"
"Well said, Lucy."
Lucy almost choked at her words when she heard the familiar voice from her entrance gate. Turning around, she saw Natsu walking towards her with his signature grin, and another dark haired guy behind him whom she didn't know.
"She doesn't seem to belong here, failed father. So I'm taking Lucy back," Natsu stuck his tongue out as he took Lucy's arm and pulled her closer to him. Lucy almost stumbled in her surprise.
"What are you peasant doing here? How did you get in?" Jude's eyes widened, voice strained in contained anger.
"Of course the guard let me in," Natsu said smugly.
Lucy blinked, utterly confused. "How—"
"Because we are business allied anyway," The dark haired guy behind Natsu finally stepped in, smiling towards her father. "I see you seem to hate my little brother, Mr Heartfilia."
"Mr Dragneel? What are you doing here? What do you mean your brother?" Jude almost couldn't believe what he heard.
"Ah, my bad. Because our previous business had always been negotiated by Invel, I guess we never introduced ourselves in person," the dark haired guy chuckled slightly. "I'm Zeref Dragneel. And this is my little brother, Natsu Dragneel, the second son of the Dragneel family, owner of the Alvarez Telecommunication Company."
It was said to be the ten biggest companies in Japan.
Jude felt like he was turning pale. He didn't know Zeref Dragneel had a little brother. He couldn't believe he had just insulted a Dragneel, the family whom his bank had involved in a lot in stock exchange. And Lucy froze. Well, so much of a gold digger her father seemed to claim him to be.
5. She accepts his flaws
"You never tell me anything," Lucy said quietly when they finally reached her rent apartment she shared with Levy.
"Neither did you," Natsu shrugged. Their journey home had been too quiet for his liking. But Natsu knew they needed to overcome this to retrieve their old relationship.
"So you can afford buying an android for your friend after all," Lucy squinted at him.
Scratching the back of his head, Natsu tilted his head guiltily. "Well, I told you I didn't want to lose—you and to my friends," he paused before slouching. "My brother is going to scold me tonight for misusing his power for personal gain. Same old infamous lecture. I'm dead."
"Was that the reason why you enter college? Your company?"
Natsu frowned, finally taking a look at her face. "If I wanted to join the business, wouldn't it make more sense if I take business administration course instead?"
Lucy's eyes drifted away as if she was thinking something. "Ah, you're right."
"I have to admit though. My brother was my inspiration when I get interested in nano technology. I might come back to my family company, but as an engineer instead of a businessman," Natsu kicked a pebble on the street lightly, pouting slightly as he continued. "I wouldn't be extremely rich like my brother. But I promise I can at least buy you a comfortable bed and a satisfying breakfast."
Lucy blinked, trying to comprehend his words. Did he just propose to her? Or was she just overthinking it? But otherwise why would he want to buy her a bed and breakfast? Lucy couldn't help the grin appearing on her face.
"That's troubling," she teased, still grinning from ear to ear.
"Why?"
"Because you're reckless, and brash. And you have no idea what personal space is. You act before you think. You're simple minded—"
"Lucy—" Natsu groaned.
"But I love you."
Natsu paused, whisking around to look at her in disbelief. "Come again?"
"I love you," Lucy repeated with a smile, looking down shyly. "Because you're honest, and perceptive. You're always supportive of my dreams even if you cannot understand a single word in literature. You trust me, even when I don't myself," Lucy felt warmth creeping up her cheeks down her neck. "And I love you with all your imperfections," she finally looked up to meet his eyes, and he once again enchanted by her charming bright eyes. "Just like how Erin Foley finally fall in love with Aiden Riordan."
Natsu wanted to say how much he loved her too. He wanted to say that he would cherish her and protect her to the death of him. Because after everything said and done, he decided this was the girl he would never let go. But her clear almond colored eyes seemed to suck him into a world he wasn't familiar with—just like the first time they met. So instead, he leaned in and captured her lips in a long gentle, tender kiss. He wasn't able to say it yet. But he made sure he poured his whole feelings into the kiss.
I love you too.
The End.