Notes: So I wrote this for Tumblr's NaLu Week 2015 back in July and have yet to post it here, so I figured I'd do it now before I forget again. It was for the bonus prompt "Shine," and when I saw the word my mind automatically thought "light," and when I think of light I think of Lucy so... yeah.
Hope you all like this!
Disclaimer: Not mine. The fic idea is, but Fairy Tail and its characters are not.
Natsu likes Lucy's name.
At first, when they initially met, he thought it was an odd name (then again, he misheard her and thought her name was Luigi of all things), but after bringing her to Fairy Tail and getting to know her better, he decided he liked it.
It was a nice name. Not too long, not too short. And it rolls off his tongue too! He could spend hours just saying her name alone, "Lucy, Lucy, Lucy, Lucy!"
(And according to Happy, he could spend hours saying her name while he's asleep—but it's supposed to be a secret, so don't tell anybody!)
Yeah, Natsu likes the name "Lucy," though it wasn't until much later after that fateful encounter that he found another reason to like his friend's name (dare he say love it?).
Sometime after the the core members of Fairy Tail returned from Tenrou Island (seven years apparently; he still hasn't gotten used to this fact…) Natsu and Lucy were sitting at one of the guild's tables when Levy practically bounced up to the blonde.
"Lu-chan! Guess what I got for you!" the petite girl practically sang.
"What is it, Levy-chan?" Lucy asked as Levy fished through her messenger bag and came up with a large book. Natsu glanced at the title, "A Thousand Names and their Meanings."
After handing Lucy the book, Levy spoke, "Remember when you were telling me how coming up with names for your stories was difficult? Well, I went to the bookstore and came across this. I figured it'd be something you could use, especially since it tells you the meaning of each name as well!"
"Oh wow!" Lucy exclaimed, hugging the book and giving her blue-haired friend a grateful look, "Thank you, Levy-chan! I promise I'll put it to good use!"
As the two friends continued making small talk—mostly about Lucy's newest possession—Natsu just gave the large tome a curious look. Once Levy left to talk to Jet and Droy, Natsu decided to ask Lucy what was on his mind.
"Why would you want a book like that?"
"Well, like Levy said, I've been having trouble coming up with names for the characters in my book. This makes for a good reference," Lucy said, flipping through some of the pages to show Natsu the list of names.
"But why know their meaning?"
Lucy gave her partner a patient smile as she explained, "Well, for story telling purposes, you can name someone for symbolism. Or possibly to give that character a name that could best fit their personality."
Natsu still had a confused look to his face so Lucy decided to elaborate further, "Okay, so let's take the name," she flipped to a random page and pointed to the first name that caught her eye, "'Katelyn.' The meaning of the name Katelyn is 'pure one,' 'clear,' or 'innocent.' So, if I were to make a character and name her Katelyn, then I'd probably make her a young girl or maybe a young adult but give her some innocent qualities. Do you understand?"
"Yeah, sure," Natsu said. Lucy didn't look convinced, but truthfully, Natsu did understand what she was saying. He just didn't really care all the much. Before he could tell Lucy this, though, she started another explanation.
"Here's another example: your name is meaningful," she smiled.
"Huh?"
"The name 'Natsu' means 'summer.' Summer is usually associated with heat or the sun. Since you're a fire mage and also hot-blooded," she added with a chuckle, "then it makes sense for why you're named Natsu."
Natsu hummed in response. He never really understood why he had his name. He just thought it was something he was born with—like his hair or skin. Though, a lot of things about his life before Igneel were very muddy so he figures the reason for his name was a part of those lost memories. It didn't really matter as far as he was concerned.
Though he couldn't help but be curious, "What does your name mean?"
Lucy didn't even have to look through the book as she gave Natsu a small, almost secret smile, "Light."
Natsu didn't say anything. This revelation seemed to have given him an epiphany. He stared at Lucy for a minute, watching her flip through the book with that same secret smile on her face—he muses to himself that her name must have brought some kind of memories back, probably of her parents. Before he could think about what he was about to say, the words came out of his mouth.
"It suits you."
And it did. If Natsu had to associate Lucy with one thing, it would be "light." When she summons the spirits she loves so much, there would be a bright, golden light surrounding her, almost making her out to be the celestial being instead of the stars she commands. And her kindness and optimism makes him think of sunrises—like a new tomorrow for new opportunities or something like that, he's not very good with metaphors or whatever that stuff was that Levy and Erza tried to teach him when he was a kid. But mostly, her smile makes him think of light because not only could it brighten up the room and everyone in it, he thinks her smile could probably brighten up the whole world! Or rather, brighten up his world.
As Lucy continues to give him that very same, shining smile, Natsu feels himself returning it, his heart fluttering a bit. He wants that light that Lucy embodies to keep shining no matter what.
Because if something were to happen to his Light, then he's afraid his whole world will be banished to the never-ending darkness he fears will overtake him.
Notes: Please drop a review to tell me what you think! And shout-out to any Katelyn's reading this!
Have a nice day ^^
