Starting With You
Summary: Christmas with jealousy, wrapped gifts, pecks and burned carpets.
p"Natsu," Happy whined./p
p"Shush, Happy. Don't you see I'm busy? Don't distract me," Natsu shot him a look then turned back to the work at hand./p
p"Fuck!" /p
pThe present burned like the earlier ones, the pretty wrapping paper with bells and hearts burning to ashes./p
p"There you go again, Natsu."/p
p"Shit, shit, shit, shit!" Natsu bounced on his carpet trying to save the remaining bits of the paper, only to worsen the situation. /p
p"You burned the flowers too!" Happy swooshed down on the chair, his eyes on the brink of tearing up. /p
pNatsu stared at the mess. Apparantly this time had been worse, and half of the carpet had been burned too. /p
p"Luce will kill me," he whispered suddenly. Then turning to Happy, shouted in a panic-striken voice, "Happy, I burned her carpet!" /p
p"I saw, Natsu." He sighed. "We'll never get Lucy her present in time."/p
p"We will!" Natsu shouted. "Happy, back to the shops!"/p
pHappy lazily followed him out of the house, mumbling, "I am only doing this for Lucy."/p
pThay arrived at the shop for the fourth time that evening. The shopkeeper eyed them carefully, and then asked them what they wanted./p
p"A Christmas gift for my best friend," Natsu declared./p
p"Sir," the shopkeeper said, "haven't you already brought gifts for your best friend?"/p
pNatsu glared at him. "You see, old man-"/p
p"Natsu has many best friends, Mister," Happy flew in and said. "Now, would you show us what you have?"/p
p"I already gave you the best ones," the shopkeeper said simply. "But wait, I might have something else. I presume it's a female best friend?"/p
p"Yes," Natsu replied./p
pThe man went inside while Natsu and Happy waited. Suddenly, Natsu's eyes caught something to his left./p
p"Hey, Happy?" /p
p"Hmm?" /p
p"Didn't Luce say she was going to Levy's place?" /p
pHappy nodded absentmindedly. He was thinking what they should give Lucy. Flowers were off the list, keychain was off the list, that frighteningly big makeup box was off the list.../p
piWhy does Natsu have to burn everything?/i/p
pAt the silence around him, which was very unusual when Natsu was around, Happy turned to look at the fire mage, only to find him gaping and glaring at someone at the same time. He turned to look in that direction./p
pIt was Lucy. She was leaning with her back against a tree, while a man was kneeling infront of her. Happy only saw his back from there./p
p"Natsu, are you okay?" Happy asked worriedly. Natsu's hands were fisted and fire formed around them. /p
p"He's asking her to be his mate!" Natsu spat in anger./p
p"What?"/p
pBefore Happy could understand, Natsu was storming ahead to the couple. Happy flew after him shouting his name. As they approached, Lucy and the guy turned and.../p
piOh, shit!/i/p
p"Gray!" Natsu shouted and punched him in the face before he could even turn. Lucy shrieked,/p
p"Natsu! What the hell?"/p
p"Natsu, you fucking shit!" /p
pGray punched back, and there on the street, started their usual foul curses, punches, and shoving. /p
p"Stop!" Happy yelled, but they continued./p
pThen, a shadow loomed over them./p
p"If you don't stop embarrasing me now, I'll kill both of you," Lucy glared dangerously, her eyes widening in fury./p
pNatsu and Gray gulped and shrank back from each other./p
p"The bastard started it," Gray grumbled./p
p"Well, you were the one asking Lucy to be your mate!" Natsu said, angrily./p
p"What?" Lucy and Gray asked at the same time, then looked at each other. Suddenly, they started laughing./p
p"Oh, Natsu, you stupid thing," Lucy said, laughing./p
p"What?" Happy asked, just as confused as Natsu./p
p"I was practising, dumbass," Gray said, grinning./p
p"Practising what?"/p
p"He's proposing to Juvia," Lucy said, sighing./p
pNatsu gaped in realization, and scratched the back of his head. "Oh."/p
pLucy finally stopped laughing and looked at him. /p
p"Don't worry Natsu, I'm no one's mate yet."/p
pNatsu felt relief rush through him. He smirked at her./p
p"Where's Happy flown off to?" Lucy asked, looking around. /p
p"I don't know." Natsu turned to look at the shop. Happy was talking with the shopkeeper.i Wrap the gift, Happy./i/p
p"I should go, too," Gray said. "I have a dinner to get to."/p
p"I hope she says yes, Gray," Lucy said warmly, and leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. Gray smiled, and turned to look at Natsu. "See ya, flame-breathing moron."/p
p"Ice bastard," Natsu replied./p
pAfter he left, Lucy clutched Natsu's arm. /p
p"Let's get back, it's almost midnight," she said./p
pHappy met them halfway to her apartment. Natsu stopped and turned to face her./p
pLucy looked at him. "Natsu?"/p
p"Lucy!" Happy shouted and jumped at her./p
p"Happy, what-"/p
p"Merry Christmas!" Natsu and Happy shouted at the same time, and showed her the package. It was wrapped in red and white, with peppermints drawn all over it./p
pLucy gasped in surprise and took it, instantly hugging Happy tightly. /p
p"Thank you, you fluffy cat!"
p"You're welcome, Lucy," he mewled./p
pShe hugged Natsu next, almost jumping in his arms, and hid her face in his neck./p
p"Thank you too, Natsu." Natsu felt a blush creep up to his cheeks, which darkened when Lucy leaned back and pecked him lightly on the lips. Thankfully, she didn't seem to see it./p
p"Merry Christmas to both of you!" She sang happily, getting away from Natsu's hug. Her eyes shone, and she walked ahead to her apartment./p
p"I'm can't wait to open this," she declared and ran ahead of them./p
p"What did you get her?" Natsu whispered to Happy./p
p"Fish-shaped chocolates!" Happy exclaimed proudly./p
"What the fuck? You got her chocolates for Christmas?"
"They are fish-shaped," Happy argued.
"Happy, that is-" He groaned in frustration. "I would have gotten her a better gift."
"No, you wouldn't have, Natsu. At least I got it wrapped and ready without burning anything." Suddenly, Happy's face turned to a horrified one.
"Natsu?" He asked trembasked
"What?"
"Lucy's carpet!"