The streets were bustling as usual. I could smell bread as I walked along the cobble streets of Magnolia. I had slipped out of the mansion for the afternoon. I didn't like being cooped up in that empty house. Boer, my golden lab, rubbed up against my legs and wagged his tail. I stroked his head as we walked. He'd grown up alongside me; I'd had him for as long as I could remember. My mother had given him to me when I was young to keep me company because I wasn't allowed outside the gates. I felt a pang of sadness put pushed it down.
Technically I still wasn't allowed outside of the gates, but I had my ways of escaping. My father tried to stop me from leaving my increasing the guard and keeping closer watch of me, but I always managed to evade him. Eventually, he had given up. Of course, I still had to sneak past guards, but my father expected me to try to escape. Just because my father had grown to expect it didn't mean that it had lost its excitement.
I stretched my arms above my head and sighed contentedly. It felt good to get some fresh air every now and then.
"Hey, pretty lady, would you like to buy some sweet bread? Its fresh out of the bakery!" called a voice to me. I turned and saw a pastry vendor beckoning to me. I smiled and walked over to him. He looked tired and seemed to be a bit old. I smiled and nodded.
"Will this cover it?" I asked, handing over a gold piece that I'd taken out of my bag. The man's eyes went wide.
"But, Miss, this is—" I shushed him and put a finger to my mouth, winking at him.
"Don't tell, ok?" I picked up a sweet bun and turned to walk away.
"Bless you, Miss! Bless you!" he called after me. I smiled and took a bite out of my bun. It was tasty and I savored each bite. Boer wined and I ripped off a piece of my bread to give to him. He gobbled it up in a matter of seconds.
"Pig," I said to him. He just looked at me expectantly, begging for more.
"No, you got your fair share," I said, leaning against a shop's wall, "You should have eaten more slowly…then you wouldn't be begging right now." I finished off the last of my bun and Boer looked at the ground. I smiled and let him lick the rest of the sugar off of my fingers. I stroked his head and crouched beside him, "Yeah, you're a pretty great friend." I kissed him on the nose and he licked my face. I laughed.
"That's a beautiful dog you have there, Miss," said a voice. I looked up and then got to my feet. An old man stood in front of me. He had an impressive mustache and a kind face. His hair was white.
"Thank you," I said with a smile.
"May I pet him?" the man asked. I nodded.
"He's called Boer," I said. I man crouched and stroked Boer's head. The two seemed very friendly and I couldn't help but smile. The man got to his feet again.
"Well, I'd better get going," he said, "Thank you." I nodded. "My name's Makarov." He nodded and strode off. I wasn't quite sure why he told me his name, but I had a strange feeling about him. I felt that we were going to meet again. I shrugged it off.
"What do you feel like doing, Boer? Do you want to go for a run?" I asked him. He wagged his tail and I nodded, "Then we're off to the green." The green was a small field of grass in the center of town. There were a few trees and bushes, but not much else. Occasionally, when it rained, a huge puddle would form under a large oak tree. I sometimes go there to remember the happy times that I had playing in that puddle, my mother watching me fondly. Sometimes I found it too painful.
As Boer and I arrived at the park, a brilliant sunset lit up the sky. Pinks, reds oranges, and yellows painted the sky. Light reflected off of the rooftops and bounced from building to building. I had a sudden urge to draw it. I fished my sketchbook out of my bag along with a pencil. My mother had taught me to draw when I was younger, and I'd taken a liking to it. I still kept some of her paintings. I sat down against a tree, the rough bark pressed against my back, and started to draw. Boer lay down beside me in the grass. A gentle breeze caressed my face, blowing a blond lock over my eyes. I brushed my hair behind my ear and continued to draw. I sat like that for hours until the calm atmosphere lulled me to sleep.
A Few Hours Later
"What are you doing?" demanded a voice. I jerked awake, my eyes snapping open. A boy stood over me, looking down at me curiously. He looked strangely familiar, but I couldn't place his face. I spotted a strange tattoo on his arm.
"I must have fallen asleep," I said, rubbing my eyes. Boer was sitting beside me. He licked my cheek and I patted his head.
"That's pretty impressive," he said. It took me a moment to realize he was talking about my sketch. I blushed and slammed my sketchbook shut. He grinned. I stuffed my things back in my bag and got to my feet, stretching my arms above my head and working a kink out of my neck.
"Ow. Note to self: don't fall asleep against a tree," I said to myself. The boy laughed. I'd forgotten he was there in my post-sleep haze.
"What's your name?" I asked. I figured he wouldn't answer. Not many people give out their names to random strangers.
"Natsu," he said, folding his arms behind his head. His arms looked strong and I wondered if he was naturally that was or if he worked for those muscles. I felt my face flush and pushed the thought out of my head.
"I'm Lucy," I said. He nodded, "I know."
"What did you say?"
"I said I know," he repeated. I had heard him correctly. I was pretty sure we'd just met. The thought occurred to me that maybe he had been stalking me or something.
"Right. How did you know my name?" I asked, a little creeped out.
"We've met before," he said, lowering his arms.
"Right, when?"
"When I was little. At first I didn't recognize you, but after I watched you for a little while I realized that you were the girl from my memories."
"From your…memories," I repeated slowly.
"You're a little slow aren't you?" Natsu asked me. I frowned and turned to leave.
"Come on, Boer. We're leaving this creep."
"I'll be seeing you, Lucy Heartfilia!" he called after me. I whirled around. Had I told him my last name?
"How did you—"
"You really are slow. I told you, didn't I? We've already met…sort of." I frowned again. "If you keep making that face it'll freeze like that," he said. I stopped frowning.
"Care to listen to me now?" he asked. I slowly nodded. We sat down under the tree. The warm night air was refreshing. I heard crickets singing from somewhere nearby. Natsu explained to me how he'd been rescued and taken to my mansion, how he'd met a maid named Tilda, how he'd only learnt my name and seen my face momentarily before being kicked out again. I nodded as he talked.
When he'd finished all I said was, "I don't remember any of that."
He smiled, "I figured that out when you asked me my name." I looked at him. He had kind eyes and soft pink hair.
"You have strange hair," I said, reaching out and taking a lock in between my fingers. A strange sense of déjà vu passed over me and I narrowed my eyes.
"You're awfully bold," said Natsu. My eyes went wide. I was touching a stranger's hair—or at least a semi-stranger—as though I'd known him forever. I snatched my hand back.
"Sorry," I squeaked, holding my own hand back. For some reason I really wanted to touch his hair again.
He shrugged, "I don't mind. I mean, if you were ugly that'd be another story, but—" I blushed and elbowed him in the ribcage. "Ow! That was a compliment!" he wined.
I smiled, "I felt like you needed it."
"What made you think that?"
"You're very full of yourself. I figured jabbing you between the ribs would do you some good…a bit of an ego reduction." I smirked as he frowned. "Hey, did you know that if you keep making that face it'll freeze like that?" He smiled and leaned back against the tree. Something about being with Natsu was relaxing, even though we'd just met.
"I feel like I've known you forever," I said. I blushed as soon as I said it. It was a stupid thing to say. Boer rested his head on my leg and I placed a hand on his golden fur.
"I have known you forever," Natsu answered. I was silent. I looked over at Natsu who was staring out over the town. His eyes shone in the moonlight. His face was partly hidden by the shadow of the oak tree. The shadow quivered when the oak tree's leaves shook in the wind. He turned his head towards me and caught me staring. I looked away quickly. Suddenly I felt him turn my head back towards him with the crook of his forefinger. I felt a strange warmth emanate from his hand. I didn't resist. He stared at my face.
"You really are her, huh?" He didn't wait for my answer. He cupped my face in his hands and kissed me. It was a tender kiss, the kind that I'd dreamed about my whole life. Being locked up behind the mansion's walls didn't really help my romantic life.
I placed my hands on his chest. I could feel his muscles through his shirt, warm underneath my fingers. His hair brushed my face gently. He pulled away, still holding my face in his hands. My face felt hot and my heart was beating quickly. I'd never felt that before and it was thrilling. I smiled and got to my feet. He looked bewildered.
"Where are you going?" he asked, distress in his voice.
"Home," I answered and turned to leave. My heart was still beating. I heard him get to his feet behind me. He took hold of my arm. I looked at him.
"Did I do something?"
I smiled wryly, "Who said we wouldn't see each other again?" He grinned and released my arm. I walked away from him, Boer on my heels.
"I'll be seeing you, Lucy Heartfilia!" he called after me. I just smiled and shook my head. I should have thought it strange that I had accepted a stranger's kiss so readily, but Natsu didn't seem like a stranger. I looked up at the sky. It seems something exciting has come my way, Mama.