Something
Something in the way she moves, attracts me like no other lover. Something in the way she woos me. Don't wanna leave her now. You know I believe and how. You're asking me will my love grow? I don't know, I don't know. Stick around and it may show. But I don't know. I don't know.
"Since the official tournament doesn't start until tomorrow, would you mind accompanying me to dinner tonight?"
It was almost eerie how much Hibiki had changed in those seven years, and for the better! Lucy couldn't keep her eyes off him, ever since she first saw him again right before the opening ceremony. He had seemed to have gotten slightly taller, his features became more defined, his eyes were a lighter blue. Seven years really has been kind to this man.
Now, if only she had been able to grow a little in those seven years. Either way, he was standing in front of her, as handsome and courteous as ever, asking her to dinner with him. Of course she had to say yes! She felt a slight nudge behind her, and Cana stepped up next to her.
"Of course she'd love to go to dinner with you," the older woman replied, giving Hibiki a large smile and a thumbs up. Whatever the thumbs up was for, Lucy couldn't tell, but whatever. It seemed to satisfy Hibiki.
"I'll come by your hotel at eight," he said. "Can't wait to catch up with you."
Lucy couldn't breathe until he was far enough away, as if she were to move, even an inch, he would change his mind and not want to see her. The second he was out of sight, Lucy grabbed onto her friend's arm, anxiety crashing into her so if she hadn't grabbed onto her friend, she'd been knocked to the ground.
"What do I do?" she asked quietly. Cana blinked down at her. "I've never been on a real date before!"
Cana smiled and placed her arm around Lucy's shoulder, after managing to free it from the younger girl's grasp. "Don't worry, hon. I'll help you out."
"Who was that?"
Natsu blinked, having forgotten where he was for a second. The opening ceremony got him all fired up, and he had spent the last few minutes dreaming about how amazing he was going to be, making Fairy Tail the top guild again.
Happy floated down to his shoulder, pointing at Lucy and the man who was walking away from her. "Is that Hibiki?" the little cat wondered.
"Eh, is it? Well, I guess it's been seven years, of course he would look different." Natsu laced his fingers behind his head and began making his way toward Lucy. "I wonder what he wanted. Probably a prelude to the amazing battle between our guilds!"
"Lucy looks terrified enough." Happy landed on Natsu's head. "She's all red faced and trembling. I wonder what he said to her. Cana doesn't look too angry."
The pink haired boy blinked. That's right. If Hibiki had said something threatening, at least Cana would look angry or something. However, she stood there, smiling widely with her arm around Lucy's shoulders. He picked up his pace, wanting to hear what it was they were talking about. If Hibiki had something, that would mean he initiated a battle, and a battle would mean Natsu would actually get a chance to knock his pretty little teeth in for making Lucy feel bad. He couldn't help the wide grin spread across his face as he thought about handing Hibiki a fiery punch to his pretty little face.
"First thing's first," he heard from Cana, "you need to get your hair done. I also think we should probably get you something suitable to wear."
"Why does she need something to wear?" Natsu had made it to the two girls. "Didn't she pack something battle worthy?"
"Does everything have to be about a fight with you, Natsu?" Cana put her unoccupied hand on her hip. Lucy remained still, trembling slightly.
"Oi, Lucy, what did he say to you?" Happy jumped off Natsu's head and landed next to the girl. "Are you okay?"
She blinked down at the cat, and she immediately turned back into her usual self. "Of course I am! Why wouldn't I be?" She grabbed Cana's hand and pulled her toward the hotel. "Well, we gotta get going. Big day tomorrow. Be sure to rest, Natsu!"
Natsu and Happy were left alone, blinking at the giggling girls' retreating backs.
"What was that all about?" Natsu crossed his arms over his chest, looking behind him to where the source of all this trouble had left to.
"If I do say myself, I think he asked her on a date."
Natsu blinked down to Happy, who had also crossed his arms, but didn't look as confused as the boy felt. It took Natsu a moment, but he broke out in a grin, which quickly turned into a loud laughing. Lucy? Have a date?
"No way! Not with someone like him!" He also started making his way back to the hotel, continuing to laugh at Happy's joke. "Let's go get something to eat, Happy."
At the sound of "eat" Happy jumped onto Natsu's head. "Aye, sir!"
Natsu sighed. Yeah, there's no way that guy would ask Lucy out on a date, and, if he did, there'd be no way she'd accept. She was a smart girl, he was the enemy. She was too smart to fraternize with the enemy; she was too smart to fall for any trick that guy would pull.
Right?
It had taken almost the full three hours for Lucy to get fully dressed, primped, and beautified before her date summoned her to the hotel lobby. It was a little unnerving to hear Hibiki's smooth voice in her head so suddenly, not to mention how intimate it suddenly felt. Back when they first met, it didn't seem like a big deal at all that he could communicate with her through her mind.
Cana quickly added a small, diamond encrusted star barrette to complete Lucy's look, and whisked her out the door, whispering, "Good luck."
Lucy had just barely made it two rooms away from her own when she was called to, temporarily distracted from her ever growing nervousness at going on an actual date. Turning around, she was a little surprised to see Gray; from his expression, he seemed as surprised to see her.
"Where you going all dressed up?" he asked her, walking alongside her now.
Lucy glanced down at her black tank top, and matching skirt, both encrusted with tiny jewels giving the allusion of a starry night. Cana had mentioned that it would go with the theme of her stellar spirits, and it's not too fancy for a first date - causing Lucy to blush tomato red when she realized this indicated a second date!
Shrugging, Lucy looked back up at Gray and smiled. "Just going out for awhile. What about you? It has to be a special occasion when you've still got your clothes on."
"Lyon's here. He wanted us to get together for fun, or a pre-match, or something. Who knows with that guy?"
The two continued walking with each other until they entered the lobby. She wasn't certain, but their short walk seemed longer and much more uncomfortable than it really should have been. She knew the discomfort wasn't from her end, so what made Gray feel so uncomfortable about being with her?
Hibiki, appearing out of nowhere, slipped her arm through his, causing Lucy to jump and let out a tiny squeak of surprise. Glancing at Gray, she knew how and why he felt so uncomfortable. Of course, anyone would be angry that she was going out to have a fun time with someone from another guild. Normally that wouldn't bother anyone, but this was a one on one outing, not to mention the two of them were dressed for a private outing. Cana had mentioned to not let anyone's negative emotions get to her, but the look on Gray's face told her she wouldn't be forgiven, or something to that extent, and it was getting to her.
Thank goodness Natsu wasn't around to witness her leaving the hotel with Hibiki, his arm around her waist, contented expressions on each of their faces. Natsu would definitely jump to conclusions, possibly go as far as to say she was a traitor and was recruiting for another guild.
She sighed. What would he say if he knew the confines of her heart and mind. How would he feel if he knew that was exactly what she wanted to do?
"It's looks like they're just having dinner." Happy sat on the table, happily nibbling a freshly caught fish - or so the restaurant bragged. Natsu sat facing the happy pair, and he couldn't ignore that niggling feeling in the back of his neck that told him something was up.
"What are they talking about, Happy? I can see they're eating, but what are they saying?"
"You're worrying too much, Natsu. It's not like Lucy's giving him guild secrets or anything. Lucy loves Fairy Tail, she'd never leave."
Natsu crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. Happy's words made sense, but that still didn't calm him down. The way she looked at that pretty boy next to her made him suspect something was up. She didn't just go out to dinner with a guy, not alone anyway; and especially not to a fancy place like this, where they sat and chatted like they're together in more ways that just friends.
Was that what they were doing? Lisanna had mentioned wanting to go out with him like Lucy and Hibiki were doing. Then again, Lisanna and Natsu had liked each other, really liked each other. Lucy didn't like Hibiki like that, did she? No way. That seemed more wrong than them just sitting, eating dinner together in a fancy restaurant. There was also something else that just really pissed him off while he watched them.
"Natsu, fancy seeing you here."
Natsu and Happy looked up at the same time to see the familiar smiling face of Lisanna. Natsu blinked and used his foot to push out the chair in front of him. She was alone, and she seemed to want to join him, though the only unoccupied seat was in the way of the Lucy and Hibiki couple. He probably spent enough time spying on them, and felt he should give them their privacy.
Lisanna sat in the offered seat, still smiling. She gently patted Happy's head.
"What are you two doing here?"
Behind her, Natsu could see the couple getting up to leave. Either he excused himself with something randomly thought up, and risk Lisanna thinking something was up or he was being rude, or he could just let them alone. Sighing, Natsu sank back in his chair. He could always ask Lucy about it in the hotel later.
"Just eating," he finally replied.
"I don't see much on your plate."
Which was true. He actually didn't order anything. The plate she was referring to had been entirely Happy's. Natsu had been too engrossed in his spying to actually order anything, but now that she had mentioned it, he was starving.
"I'm not that hungry," he mumbled, shrugging. "I've been eating all day, and I'm too excited for tomorrow, you know?"
"Hmm, and we're all counting on you to make us the number one again, this year." Her smile softened and she looked away while blushing. "You remember that promise we made last year?"
He blinked again. Actually, he had forgotten until she just said something, and he started to slightly blush as well. Because of some certain circumstances, he "found himself alone for the night," as she had put it last year. He really didn't mind that he was alone, and when she had first mentioned it the previous year, she had told him, with a sly smile, that if he were to find himself alone on the night before the tournament, she'd come to him and give him a good luck charm. After discussing this with Lucy and Gray, he came to the understanding that Lisanna wanted to stay with him in his hotel room and do some pretty grown up things to him. He distinctly remembered being wide eyed and nervous around Lisanna for weeks after that discussion. If Mirajane or Elfman were to find out about that promise, he'd probably never see the end of the day.
Lucy had seemed a little distant and quiet during the discussion, while Gray was a mixture of anger and contentment. He still didn't understand why they were like that, even after having been explained what Lisanna had meant. Thankfully, a few days later, they both returned to normal, though Lucy still seemed to have distanced herself a bit, permanently.
She didn't seem to be as excited to go on jobs with the team anymore, rather go on trips with Levi or Cana. He could probably count on his ten fingers the amount of times Lucy actually accompanied her real team on a job.
He furrowed his brows, immediately coming to the conclusion that maybe she didn't want to be in Fairy Tail anymore, that she really was interviewing to join Blue Pegasus. He clenched his fists, ignoring the woman across the table from him.
Without thinking he stood up and walked out of the restaurant, following the scented trail the couple left behind. There was no question about it; he was going to confront them and wring the truth out of her.