Because I'm bored and badly injured I decided to continue this if that's alright?
XOXOX
It was strange really—the change in Lucy's relationship with Natsu. They weren't dating because—well because it was simply strange. One moment she was denying her love for Natsu, next moment she's snuggled against his chest…the others would have a field day with this…
They were subtle—like when no one was looking, she would lean against him, craving his contact and although Natsu didn't visibly react, she could hear his heart start to increase, which, for some reason, set her nerves on fire.
There were other things that Natsu did that also ignited something inside of her. Like his accidental hand touches and knee touches—which he was doing right now. Causally drawing circles against her bare thigh, while Lucy blushed, elbowing him the gut when he tried to steal a fry off her plate. "Natsuuu, stop it!"
"Make me," he challenged with a boyish grin, halting his circles to grasp her thigh, firmly.
Her heart sped up and her blush only deepened. "Stoppp!" And Natsu chuckled in response.
"Okay, what the hell is up with you two?" asked Gray, looking a bit disturbed and skeptical as his forehead creased. "You're both acting…weird."
"N-Nothing!" Lucy squeaked, practically jumping out of her seat.
"Well Lucy always acts weird soo…" teased Natsu, tugging on a strand of her air. She swatted his hand away. "Natsuu!"
Gray made false gagging noises just as Levy took a seat next to them. "Hey guys! What's going on?"
"Natsu and Lucy are shamelessly flirting like a pair of grade-schoolers," Gray said, his nose wrinkling.
Natsu scowled and Lucy was quick to deny it, however, Gray and Levy didn't look so convinced, sharing sly glances with one another.
"Well, Lu-chan, you seem to be in an awfully better mode than yesterday," Levy taunted with a giggle. "Gave up on searching for your soulmate? Or maybe you already found him?"
Lucy's face burned a thousand different shades as she countered back, "Did you convince Gajeel to show you his tattoo yet?"
And within a millisecond, Levy's face matched Lucy's. Gajeel, sort of like Natsu, he didn't by the whole soulmate thing. He wanted to fall in love and then show the tattoo—not the other way around. It was admirable and romantic Lucy had to admit and it was fun to tease Levy over it.
"Lu-channn!"
"Ugh all of you are so stubborn," muttered Gray, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and index finger.
"So how's your soulmate, Gray?" asked Natsu, grinning mischievously as he took another fry off Lucy's plate. And she sighed, grabbing Natsu's hand off her thigh and traced little patterns on the back of it and up his arm, enjoying the feel of his goosebumps budding out.
"Ughhh, soulmate my ass!" Gray groaned, burying his face into his palm. "She's a nightmare! A friggin' nut case!"
"Juvia?" inquired Levy looking curious as she tapped a finger against her chin. "She seemed pretty nice and sweet!"
"She's a stalker! I swear there was a screw up in these damn tattoos!" cried Gray, pulling down the neck of his shirt to show off his pretty blue snowflake tattoo and Natsu hunched over laughing. "Oi, quit laughin'! At least I found my soulmate unlike you—"
"What would you know? Maybe I already found mine—"
"Lucy!" Mira squealed, practically running over to her. "You will never guess who I found?!"
"Hmm?" hummed Lucy, who was busy twining her fingers through Natsu's, loving the way his rough fingers felt between her own and her heart started racing at Natsu's words, she could hardly focus on Mira and her excitement.
"I found your soulmate!"
And Lucy went into catatonic state. Completely frozen, eyes big and round, and her heart had stopped working. The only thing she could feel was Natsu tense up.
"Right after you left yesterday he came in—Same fairy-like tattoo! I was practically screaming! Anddd I took the liberty of inviting him here so he's gonna be here shortly! He's pretty cute too—"
"Wh-What?" Lucy felt horrified. Her head was spinning, her heart started back up, pounding like crazy. This had to be a joke—a sick, cruel joke. Her breathing was coming out in irregular pants. It felt like her throat was closing in—
"Oi, Lucy?!" Natsu started to shake her. "Breathe slowly!"
"Aww, I never seen someone so excited before," said Levy, gushing while Gray murmured something about Juvia being even more excited than Lucy that she actually passed out.
"Tch, there's gotta be a mistake," said Natsu, leaning back with his hands tying behind his head. "Lucy's too weird to have a soulmate. You probably miss-saw the tattoo."
"How could I?" asked Mira with a laugh. "I see it almost every day!"
"Yeah, well I feel bad for her soulmate," Natsu said, however he didn't clarify why exactly he felt bad.
"I—I," she clutched her head, a hammering headache was impairing her ability to speak or even think, "—have to go—"
"Is that her?" A new voice said. It was soft and gentle, contrastingly greatly with Natsu.
"Yep!" said Mira, beaming proudly.
Lucy glanced up and saw a beefy looking boy with styled brown hair. He had nice eyes, the type that made her curious about him—except she wasn't. She didn't want to look at him. She didn't want to meet him. She wished he never existed.
She stared at the matching tattoo that was right on top of his left hand…
"Hi," he took his seat across from her after Gray and Levy got up. Natsu, however, wasn't budging, looking like an angry guard dog, he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Psssttt, Assflame, that's your cue to get up, you dumb shit," loud-whispered Gray and when Natsu didn't move; Lucy did—she bolted from the diner without turning back, not even after she bumped into Gajeel. "And that's why I call her Bunny Girl—look at her hop away!"
"Gajeel…" moaned Levy, hiding her face into her palms.
XOXOX
Lucy was at such a loss. Natsu wasn't her soulmate…How? How could it not be him? She was so happy too…She curled up into a ball on her bed.
She stared at her tattoo with great disdain. Stupid, pink fairy. Never had she felt such contempt for it. She wanted to scream, but instead, she listened to the voice mail Levy had left her.
"Lu-chan, did you run out crying because Natsu turned out not to be your soulmate? I think he still is," Levy spoke with conviction, her voice small yet sturdy. "A tattoo can't tell you what the heart wants. It doesn't matter if it's supposedly "magical," what matters is what you feel inside—what lies in your soul!"
And the message ended.
Lucy sniffled, walking over to her dresser. Levy was right. It wasn't about having a matching tattoo. But how come everyone else's soulmate seemed to work out? Erza and Jellal practically fit together like a missing link.
She picked up a lighter she used for incense burning.
Mira and Laxus were just perfect for each other…
She ignited the lighter, watching the orange-reddish light dance around. Mesmerized by the flame, she found herself angling it closer and closer to her hand.
If she couldn't have the matching tattoo with Natsu, at least she could have a matching scar—
"Oi, Lucy, are you okay—WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" A hand reached out, grasping a hold on her wrist.
"Natsu?" She gasped, meeting his bemused gaze. How did he get into her room—a soft breeze blew ruffled through her hair, Ah right, the window. "Let go!" she cried, trying to tug her hand from his. "I'm trying to remove the damn tattoo!"
"Well don't go burning it off," he said, chuckling lowly as he uncurled Lucy's hand from the lighter. "There's only room for one reckless person in this relationship and that roll goes to me."
"But—Relationship?" Her eyes widened, meeting Natsu's amused stare. Her belly began to flutter uncontrollably.
Natsu quickly placed the lighter down next to her lavender candle and tenderly took Lucy's tattooed hand into his own. "I thought I made it clear to you yesterday, Lucy." He said, sounding lethargic. "Guess I'll have to make it clear to you again…"
"What do you—"
And he silenced her with a kiss.
It was slower than yesterday's and was filled with deep longing that made Lucy's insides melt. Who cares if her tattoo matched someone else's? With a kiss like this, she knew Natsu was hers. And she definitely didn't need a tattoo to tell her that.
Gingerly, he pulled back, resting his forehead against hers. His cheeks were flushed and made Lucy's heart sore that she was the reason why. "I don't care if you found your soulmate," he said, rasping. His eyes held such an intensity, it made Lucy feel fragile as glass. "I like you, Lucy, and I want to be with you."
She adverted her gaze, feeling flustered and shy. "I-I want to be with you too."
And Natsu's eyes doubled in size. It was like he hadn't expected Lucy to say that and his stare made Lucy start to squirm in place. Then his cheeks tinted a dark red and he broke out in a huge smile that made Lucy smile right back in relief.
"So then that settles it," he grinned, rubbing his hands together in a devilish manner.
"Eh?" Lucy swallowed nervously.
"We're gonna alter your tattoo! I think the tattoo parlor is still open now—"
"Heh?"
"Like let's add a tail to it! And then I'll get a matching one over my scar!"
"But fairies don't have tails—"
"—Or do they?"
And before Lucy could even consider the question, he whisked her away onto their never ending journey.
Hand in hand.
Soul in soul.
~The End~
XOXOX
Hope this second chapter turned out okay! Sorry if it majorly sucked ;O;
And thanks for reading!