A/N: I've been doing some revisions, and decided to break up the first chapter. Hope you guys like the changes. :3
Supernova
Chapter Two
Before I knew it, it was time for the date I'd made with Braxton. I had just finished applying the last bit of my makeup, checking my appearance a couple of times to be absolutely sure I looked okay, and I sauntered out of the bathroom, stopping short at the sight of my pink haired partner occupying the couch. My breath caught in my throat at the sight of him.
"Eh!" I scowled, blushing furiously. I hadn't been expecting to see him at all! The pink haired idiot grinned and basically tackled me in a hug. "Natsu! What are you doing in my apartment?"
"Me and Happy just got back!" I could hear him sniffing me, sneezing when his nose picked up the scent of my perfume. He pulled back, putting some distance between us, holding his nose. Blinking, he gapped at me, openly looking me up and down, "Eh, Lucy, why are you dressed like that?"
"Oh, this? I'm going out," I replied, slipping on my heels - I didn't really want to elaborate on the fact that I was going on a date. In the past, he'd had issues with any guy who has the guts to ask me out, stating that most if not all were jerks and didn't deserve the light of day, let alone my time. It wasn't like he would rather it be me dating him or anything. His feelings were purely platonic. My keys I slipped onto a bangle and wore on my wrist as I learned better than to go anywhere without them. I'd rather have them on hand and not need them, than to need them and not have them.
"Where?"
I stood, rounding on him. "What's with the interrogation?" I placed my hands on my hips, scowling at the dragon slayer before blurting out, "If you must know, I'm going on a date."
"A date." The tone of his voice told me that it wasn't a question, and all of a sudden it seemed like the warmth was gone from the room.
"Yes, Natsu, a date." Feeling a bit chilled, I crossed my arms, attempting to subtly warm myself.
"With who?" He didn't sound demanding, but the seriousness in his voice had my defenses up.
"None of your business," I retorted.
He took a step towards me, murmuring, "Lucy…"
"Natsu," I shot right back at him, firm in my decision - I needed to move on. Turning my back on him, I primped in the mirror. Besides, who was he to keep me from dating? He was just my partner. It wasn't like he was my boyfriend or anything. "Now, if you'll excuse me, it's about time for him to get here. You can let yourself out."
I glanced at Natsu through the reflection of the mirror. He wasn't looking at me, but I could tell he was thinking intently from the look on his face. Without another word, he crossed the room and exited through the open window. After a long moment, I crossed the room and closed it firmly shut behind him.
Not a second later, there was a knock at the door. Taking a deep breath, I headed for it.
When I pulled the door open, I was greeted by the sight of a bouquet of lilies in my date's outstretched arms. I smiled, "Hey."
"Wow… you look beautiful." His eyes ran up and down the length of me, finally settling on my face.
"Thank you." I felt my cheeks heat up as I looked away shyly.
"For you," he murmured after a moment of us just standing there. I took the flowers from him, smelling the beautiful bouquet briefly.
"They're lovely." I gave him another smile and turned back to the apartment, continuing with, over my shoulder, "Let me place these in some water before we head off."
"I'll just wait out here," he replied.
"Okay." Rushing, I pulled a glass from the cabinet and ran some water in it to keep the flowers vibrant for as long as I could and set it on the windowsill next to my bed.
XXXX
A short fifteen minute boat ride later, we were at the restaurant and seated next to the window thanks in part to my recognition as a part of Fairy Tail. We didn't want to walk because the festival was still underway, and it would have taken much longer to reach our destination trying to navigate through the busy streets, so Braxton borrowed his boat from the docks and brought us here. After ordering our food, we were left alone, candlelight flickering from the numerous beautiful centerpieces hovering over the tables.
"So…." I shifted in my seat. He leaned forward, taking my hand in his. I blushed instantly at the intimate contact.
"So… How do you like your guild?" He asked, and I was thankfully able to ignore the butterflies assaulting me.
I couldn't help the small smile that appeared. "Fairy Tail? It's amazing. I love it. It's like a second home to me…"
"But?" I sighed. I'd hoped he wouldn't have caught onto the waver in my voice.
"Lately, I was beginning to feel like I was nothing more than a replacement for Lisanna, though. She's the youngest Strauss sibling." There was a flash of red and the glint of something shiny outside, and I turned to see what it might have been. I quickly determined it to be a trick of the light or just my imagination since nothing seemed to be there. With a frown, I continued, turning back to look at Braxton. I don't know how I could open up to him so easily, and especially about this—I continued anyway. "She had been missing when I joined the guild and years ago we finally found where she had been." I will not cry. I will not cry! "It feels as if my friends barely speak to me anymore, and my partner goes on a lot of missions with her now."
He placed his hand on mine, squeezing gently. "I don't think anyone could ever replace you Lucy." I giggled, and flashing him a smile in thanks. "Speaking of the years, what happened to you guys? You disappeared. It was all over the papers for the first few years and then it gradually died down."
Biting my lip, I leaned back, slipping my hand from his. We hadn't told anyone what had really occurred on the Island but I wasn't going to lie. "We were trapped… a spell kept us frozen in time for seven years."
"Sounds serious." It wasn't everything, but it would do as the explanation he would get.
"It was." I rolled the napkin around in-between my thumb and pointer, sighing wistfully. "So much has changed in all this time."
"Not as much as you think." Blinking, I opened my mouth to ask him what he meant by that when the waiter appeared.
"Sorry for your wait. Here you are." Our waiter placed the glasses on the table and began to pour our wine for us. When they were both full, he placed the bottle in a bucked full of ice and let it go. Normally, it would have crashed to the ground... but this wasn't a normal restaurant. It hovered a few inches above our table, off to the side a bit so it wouldn't be in our way. This restaurant had pulled out all the stops… No wonder it was so popular.
We both took a sip of the wine, smiling at one another before he began again.
"Do you have any brothers or sisters?"
"Well… I do have a sister." I answered before I thought about it. I loved Michelle, but she was a soul trapped doll, and how would I explain that I thought of a doll as my sister? But she had a soul, damn it. Avoiding his eyes, I looked around the restaurant at the other patrons before my eyes were drawn back to him. "Her name is Michelle, she's a few years younger. What about you?"
"I have three brothers." He grinned. "We all work at the docks."
"Really? Did you ever want to do anything else?"
"Nope. My father did it all his life, so did his father, his fathers' father, and so on for as long as we can go back in the family history."
"Oh." Well… Taking another quick sip of the wine, my eyes were drawn to the window again and I nearly spat out my drink.
"So, what's it like?" He suddenly asked, after a moment of silence.
"Hm?" I asked, tearing my eyes from the window. I could have sworn I saw a flying cat… My eyes narrowed. I swear to Mavis….
"Magic."
"Magic?" Blinking, I focused on what he was asking. Heaving a sigh, I tapped my finger against my lips, pondering. "It's… amazing. I get to go on so many adventures and travel all over the Earthland. I meet so many people," I paused before adding, "But it can be dangerous."
"Dangerous?"
I nodded my confirmation, "Well, some of the people who can use magic use it for the wrong reasons. They steal, terrorize, kill. My guild, well, we are normally hired to stop people like that."
He shook his head. "I'm glad you guys don't use your magic for stuff like that. What kind of magic do you have?"
"I can summon spirits." I smiled, thinking of them all. I had ten of the zodiac keys, and several of the silver keys.
"Spirits?"
"Of the constellations. They're my friends too."
He opened his mouth to continue, but the waiter had arrived with our food. We made a little more small talk as we ate. And though I had been the one to ask him out, he refused to let me pay for the meal. I held onto his arm as we walked back, since we were right next to the docs, I didn't think he should have to boat us to my apartment and then come back to dock it before heading home himself. And besides, the streets weren't so full right now since it was dark and most of the kids that had been out with their parents had to be in bed. Most of the people left lingering about were couples giving the walk back to my place a bit of a "romantic" feel.
We didn't speak much during the walk. I was kind of grateful for the comfortable silence, but my mind was raging on the inside. While I might have been the kind of girl people assumed had a bit of "experience" with men, I didn't have much to go by. Every time we passed a couple kissing, my face got hot. I couldn't help but wonder: what would it feel like to kiss Braxton? Would his lips be soft? Would they be chapped and slobbery? . . . Ew. Would they be hot and demanding?
I couldn't help but think of Natsu at that. I knew a kiss with Natsu would be warm, inviting... probably a little inexperienced. He wasn't the type to be kissing a lot of girls... at least he didn't seem like it, though for all I knew, he and Lisanna could be practicing together. I doubted it though. He would have told me he and her were together... wouldn't he? I forced the thought of anything involving a certain pink haired dragon slayer out of my head. Braxton. I was on a date with Braxton!
When I finally left my inner world, we turned onto Strawberry Street. A few more feet, and we were at my stoop.
I took a deep breath and faced him. "I had fun tonight."
"Would—Would you like to do this again sometime?" Instead of giving him an answer, I placed my hand on his arm and leaned up to kiss him.
"As much as I love to listen to two love birds carrying on, I think I'll have to interrupt." A masculine voice came from behind me, jolting me away from Braxton, my lips mere centimeters from his own. I whirled around just as he was stepping out of the alleyway beside my apartment, frowning.
He wasn't a familiar face.
"Eh? Who are you?" I demanded. If he was sent here by Natsu... so help him!
"That doesn't matter. All you need to know is you're going to die."
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