Apparently, this is my longest one-shot. Wow. Anyway, I really enjoyed writing this. Hope all the readers like it ^^
Natsu abhors romance. Romance is the key to one's mind straying to idle thoughts. When your mind is carried away, it is taken to the whirlpool of unfrequented thoughts. Romance.
He really hates romance. He believes in love between friends and family, wholeheartedly. Just not romance.
No one understands it, as far as he's aware, not now - not ever. It messes up Natsu's head whenever he thinks about it. Why does it have to exist? What is its purpose? He clutches his stomach, feeling squeamish.
He knows about Lisanna and Lucy. Their feelings for him. He knows they're fighting for his attention. It may be ever so subtle to them, but not to him.
It's been this way ever since Lisanna returned from Edolas.
Natsu had a hunch that she and Lucy were going to be close friends, since their resemblance to each other is remarkable, but judging by the situation now, he guesses that isn't the case.
Somewhere, underneath all of the carefreeness, he was worried at the time. Had he known about this before the small feud had even begun?
Natsu drove away the thoughts. He didn't - doesn't want to deal with it.
Why him, though? He catches a whiff of alcohol as Mira passes by him with a tray filled with drinks. What is so special about him? Sure, he is a fire dragon slayer. The infamous Salamander.
That can't be all there is to me, no way. He thinks irritably. What else?
He's an insanely dense person. An extremely dense and annoying person who gets into fights with people. What on Earthland do those girls see in him?
Natsu switches over to their behavior.
Lisanna has shown overwhelming doses of affection towards Natsu in the past, during their childhood, when they raised Happy. She is amazingly kind and tolerated his rowdy behavior whenever she talked to Natsu. She is sweet to almost every person she encounters, loved by each and every member in the guild, and inseparable from her siblings: Elfman and Mirajane. It's an incredible and fortunate coincidence that she was never dead at all (that she was absorbed by the Anime and transported to Edolas), and Natsu is grateful.
Lucy, on the other hand, is the same but different - so complex. She was a strange girl he met in Hargeon, when Natsu had been searching for Igneel (really, it was a scam artist impersonating him). Upon first look, she is so different from anyone he has ever met. Lucy is an extraordinary person who stands up for her nakama, speaks her mind, and is strong-willed when it comes to her passions. Her mood varies from kind to sarcastic, vain to modest, and intimidated to courageous. It's admirable, all her traits, but again - she is a confusing case. At least Lisanna is fairly predictable.
Natsu doesn't want to choose. Choosing means abandoning one over the other. To see Lucy or Lisanna's face tear-stained is the last thing he wants.
He exhales and turns around in his seat so he is overlooking the entire room filled with his family.
His eyes land on Lisanna first. She's helping her sister out with serving the guild members. The shape-shifter is suppressing giggles at something Elfman says. Her lips are obscured by her tiny fingers, and it forces Natsu to focus on Lisanna's sea blue eyes.
Natsu's gaze shifts over to the other side of the room, where Lucy is sitting at a table with Happy and Levy and Gajeel.
Ironically, she's smiling too. Scratch that. Smiling and laughing. Her lips aren't obscured like Lisanna's are. The celestial spirit wizard is emitting a twinkly, infectious laugh that Natsu can hear from a mile away. It's enough to cause Natsu's lower lip to curve up.
He's struck with realization. Natsu always thought that Lucy and Lisanna were alike. Just a moment ago, he thought they were and it was reasonable since he presumed that was the reason why he felt attachment to both of them. Even as he was comparing them, he was too stupid to piece it together.
They're not the same. One is better than the other. He insists silently. I just have to see who.
He gives a second glance in Lisanna's direction. He slowly processes the fact that she's not there. Only Mira and Elfman are where she was, chatting with each other.
Natsu's pulse quickens. Without thinking, he jerks his head to the other side.
Lucy is sitting in the exact same spot as before.
The fire dragon slayer's heart abruptly stops racing, but then he wonders why it started beating so fast in the first place. Lucy's there and Lisanna's not.
Natsu grips his hands into fists, not sure why.
He keeps a steady eye on Lucy.
She stops laughing. Her smile fades ever so gradually on her face and her head swivels.
In a flash of golden hair, her gaze becomes locked on Natsu.
Natsu is completely still.
Etched on her face is surprise, at first, but then curiosity. She gives him a wave, wiggling each of her fingers.
Forgetting himself, Natsu waves back. His heart is racing again and his temples can feel every single thump.
Lucy turns away.
Natsu finds himself still staring at her. That single moment almost seems like a distant dream.
He shakes his head and blinks repeatedly. Wait, what is this? He runs a hand through his spiky, salmon hair and all his thoughts are completely befuddled with the exception of one.
Luce.
Is it Lucy? He shivers, even though solid warmth is coursing through his veins.
. . . . . . . . . .
Lucy is heading to her apartment, with the sun at its peak in the sky. There's no breeze to sweep up her hair or tickle her nose, but for once, she's fine with that. The stellar spirit mage balances along the edge of the stream, this time with her tiptoes. She summoned Plue a few minutes ago, so the dog spirit is now following Lucy's every move.
"Pun! Pun!" The white spirit hums as Lucy daintily bounds over a rock blocking her way.
"Life is good, Plue." Lucy says happily, placing her two feet together for a little spin.
"Be careful, Lucy!" Two men shout simultaneously from their rowboat as they pass by her.
As usual, she politely ignores their warning. Lucy holds out her arms for balance and hops again. "I've done three jobs today, earned 40,000 jewel, and. . . " She falters.
She sees a tan figure sitting on the steps to the apartment building threshold.
The person's hair is an unmistakable pink.
Natsu isn't doing anything in particular on her doorstep. He's not breaking windows or burning the door or anything. He's just observing at the clouds in the sky and tugging on his muffler.
The sight of him just sitting, is melancholy to her.
It's not only melancholy - the sight of him also wrecks Lucy's insides. Why?
Because she has a huge undeniable crush on the pink idiot. She wanted to push away the feelings for him at first, because of their friendship. She couldn't see a future for them because he is too close to her as a nakama. Not only that, Lisanna retains strong feelings for him too, and Lucy can't see herself competing with the shape-shifter.
Who would choose the new Fairytail guild member over a childhood crush, anyway? Lisanna and Natsu have a sweet, tangible history together - if they were two protagonists of a romance novel, Lucy would totally ship them. The male protagonist and a new girl who just happens to waltz into the picture. . . not so much.
"Natsu? What are you doing here?" Lucy asks. It's a painfully predictable question, but it comes from her lips too easily that she doesn't realize she has said it.
Natsu springs up to his feet. "Lucy, I need to talk to you." He says and his expression is so dour that it compels Lucy to chortle. Such a foreign expression on such a usually happy face.
Once she realizes he isn't laughing along, her giggles die down in her throat.
"Y-You do?" She stammers, mortified at her absentmindedness. His onyx eyes are gazing too intensely into her chocolate brown ones. It's as if he can see into the depths of her soul. Lucy does not want that to be true.
The Salamander takes a deep breath. "I've been thinking a lot." He says quietly.
Natsu and thinking? Lucy wonders if she wants to know what urged him to start thinking like a normal person.
"I know you really like me, Lucy." The words pour out of his mouth, and it takes Lucy exactly three seconds to comprehend what he has just said.
I know you really like me, Lucy. I know-
She shuts her palms over her ears because of the constant ringing. Her stomach flops. Natsu. . . is conscious of her feelings?!
Her heart is pounding at an alarmingly high rate and she thinks she's going to burst into flames, judging by how hot her body temperature is at the moment.
I'm going to pass out, right here, right now. She repeats to herself as another side screamed, NO, NO, NO, THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!
"You do?" She finally says. Her voice is shaking. It's scaring her.
"Yeah, and. . " He steps forward, but not before sighing. "I know Lisanna likes me too, and I've had problems trying to sort things out." He winces as he says this, as if he's thinking of her at this very moment.
It is the first time Lucy has seen Natsu conflicted with himself. His expression is a mixture of desperation and worry.
Even for him, it must have been a hard decision to make. Lucy removes her palms from her ears. "Did you choose one of us?" Lucy asks too forcefully. Her voice is trembling again and the belly-flopping effect in her gut isn't anywhere near gone.
"I did." Natsu nods. He moves closer and takes Lucy's hand; her right hand with the pink Fairytail emblem imprinted on it. "I chose you."
". . . . " Lucy widens her chocolate orbs. Then she blinks. She lowers her eyes to stare at the cemented ground. She felt happiness, it was definitely there. It rose up inside her chest quickly and granted Lucy delight - for just that moment. Shortly afterward, the contentment contorted itself into plain guilt.
"Luce?"
His nickname for her brings her back.
"Natsu, I don't think I can do this." Lucy fights back tears as she says these words.
Natsu's face falls at first, but he subsequently squeezes Lucy's hand firmly. "Was it something I said?" He says in a tight voice. His features are stony.
Lucy was always jealous of Lisanna Strauss.
The shape-shifter is faithful to the bone about who or what she cares about. She's sweet so she is extremely easy to socialize with. Lisanna does not judge anyone until she gets to know her or him. She's a talented wizard.
Not only does she have a great personality and status, the young Strauss is-
"Your childhood love." Lucy says aloud. She watches his reaction sadly. "Natsu, I love you, I really do. But I don't think that I deserve you any more than Lisanna does. You guys have a history together and she's done so much more for you than I ever have."
Natsu bites his bottom lip. "A history?"
Lucy feels fragile. "Yeah."
The fire dragon slayer appears to consider this. For a dreadful moment, Lucy wonders if he will change his mind.
But wasn't that the point? She demands to herself. To convince him to choose Lisanna?
The logical senses are gone; disappeared, they have dissipated.
She looks at him, to perhaps gain a grasp of something rational once more.
He shifts closer to her. He's caressing her cheek, and his palm his cupping her face.
It's only one touch, but it tingles and awakens Lucy's body.
"Do you know why I chose you?" His fingers grace the outline of Lucy's face. He touches her lips delicately and surveys them intently.
"Why?" Lucy breathes.
He grins and drops his hand. "You're different."
"I'm. . . different?" Lucy echoes, perplexed at the immediate change of energy.
"Yeah. You're Lucy Heartfilia. You're my best friend. I trust you and you trust me. You became close to me by chance, and we became friends by chance." He tilts his head. "Get it?"
Lucy has never felt more confused in her life. "What, no-"
Natsu elaborates, "Lisanna initiated our relationship in the first place. She. . " His eyes glaze over as if he is recalling a sad memory. "She tried to get to know me too well. For her own benefit. She was a good friend and still is, but. . "
His eyes light up again, and Lucy can feel her heart being squeezed. The thought of her actually made him vibrant?
". . then I met you. The weird, Lucky Lucy."
Lucy opens her mouth to protest at her former title from when she was a child (a child!), but she thinks twice about it.
"Lushi Heartfilia." Natsu says, as if she's a difficult case. He squints. "Craziest girl I've ever met. She gets mad over everything and pretty much everything. She overreacts about so many things like her rent money, and she is extremely annoying."
Lucy doesn't want to interrupt his monologue, so she simply scowls.
Natsu smirks at her. "But do you know what? I think she's kinda cool. She has strong opinions about everything and when she puts her mind to something, she does it. She cares for her comrades and celestial spirits more than anyone. She's very honest, she doesn't lie." He smiles wryly. "And the crazy thing is, we met each other by chance. We became friends because of our fateful encounter, and we started liking each other by chance." He moves his hand in a circle as if the list could go on forever.
"That's why I chose you."
Lucy folds her arms across her chest. She's not sure how to retaliate to this. He poured his heart out to her, something she never thought he would actually do, and here she was creating barriers. Not only did he speak his mind, he started talking about fate. Fate. Natsu Dragneel, the Natsu Dragneel - believes in fate and destiny. Lucy bites the inside of her cheek.
Seriously?
"Is that your main reason?" Lucy asks. "Because of fate?"
Natsu's eyebrows draw together.
Lucy Heartfilia sighs and plants her hands on either side of her waist. "You're relying this entire relationship on some coincidental encounter we had? No offense, Natsu, but there has to be more to your justification then just that."
"Are you deaf, Luce? It's not just that." He looks drained. "I don't get it. Are you telling me you don't like me?"
"No! I do-"
"Well you sure as hell don't sound like you!" Natsu snapped back. "I chose you over Lisanna! What don't you get?!"
"I don't want this to end badly!" Lucy shouted hotly. Her hand instinctively moved to her eyes. Tears were trickling down her cheeks. She was crying. She buried her face in her hands.
Something warm grazed against the back of her hands.
"Hey, don't cry." His voice said gently.
Lucy sniffed back tears and lowered her hands from her face.
"I know, I'm nervous too." Natsu admits.
This shocks Lucy. Natsu? Nervous? Natsu is the most hard-headed guy she's ever met. "How?"
Natsu gives a little lift of his shoulders. "Because, you're right, it could end badly." He takes both of her hands in his so that they are connected. "Or. ."
He nudges his forehead against hers. "It could end well." He says with a toothy grin. His sharp teeth slightly poke out.
Unable to move her head, Lucy moves her eyes up to meet his. He is right, it can end well. And they both wish for something more, don't they? It is better to try to not to try at all.
As for Lisanna, Lucy wants to make things right with her. The celestial spirit mage is fully aware that Natsu choosing her over Lisanna is a hard blow. Lucy will talk to Lisanna about it and understand her feelings and they'll hopefully become friends instead of staying as constant rivals.
Lucy bumps her forehead against him. "I'll do it." She says decisively.
"Really?" Natsu gasps loudly. His smile spreads wider.
"Yep." The celestial spirit wizard can't help but adore his reaction.
"Woohoo!" And the old Natsu is back and he's doing a little tiptoed dance that resembles one of a leprechaun's.
He pauses and looks back at Lucy. "Hey, Luce."
"Yeah?" She's anticipating the affectionate words to spill out of his mouth.
"You look like a cyclops when we touch foreheads." Natsu cackles.
"WHAT?!" She screeches.
Too late, Natsu is running off in the opposite direction from whence Lucy came.
"You idiot!" She sprints after him without thinking.
The stupid fire dragon slayer is covering more distance than Lucy, and she feels she's about to give up when he faintly shouts, "Oh, yeah, and Luce?"
"What?!" She demands, cupping her hands around her lips so he can hear her.
"Love you!"
Lucy halts in place. Internal heat starts to burn at her throat and stretches all the way to her face.
Natsu's infamous laughter emanates as he continues to head towards the horizon.