Why do I keep updating a day late? I feel so bad. ;~;
But, I did keep my promise on extending these chapters! So I was able to write a scene at the end that I really loved writing so much.
Nalu is seriously my motivation to live. I'm not kidding.
I'm not sure if how I feel about the way I'm writing Natsu right now, but I decided to try out something I had in mind. I want Natsu to be straight-forward with Lucy, like he says whatever is on his mine to her. So, please tell me if you guys like how I'm writing him!
I'm going to be going on a short trip this week, so unfortunately, I won't be able to update the next chapter until next week. Hope you guys can wait just an extra week!
Things are definitely going to get better from here.
Thank you guys for reading; it really makes me happy.
Happy Sunday and I hope you all like this cute chapter. :-)
Although I plan to learn everything about Natsu before time runs out, I don't get a single chance due to his personality.
I have never met someone so distracting like Natsu before.
One second I'm telling him about how school will be tomorrow, another second I'm getting teased by him, and the second after that I'm trying to think of how I'm going to survive this all.
Secretly, I'm enjoying it all. It's nice—having someone to talk to all the time.
I decide to introduce him to computer games; I'm instantly kicked off my chair so Natsu can play to his heart's content.
And when I reveal that we can play games on the TV, his eyes become as radiant as the evening sun that illuminates my apartment while we play.
"Are you sure you've played this game before?" Natsu asks me with a skeptical look. "You've died three times already."
"Why haven't you died yet?!" I exclaim breathlessly, pausing the game to look back at him.
"Do you want your teammate to die?" he remarks. "We're trying to save the world, but all you're doing is dying."
"Because you keep picking me up and throwing me away," I whine. "Stop pressing the wrong button!"
"This button?" he inquires as he swiftly unpauses the game.
"Natsu, don't!" I command, yet it's too late.
I can't do anything but watch my avatar be picked up by Natsu's and get thrown off the side of the screen.
"I need a break," I sigh, placing the controller down. I pick myself up from the floor, about to go to the kitchen, but Natsu's hand grasps my wrist before I'm able to.
"I won't do it again," he promises with a gentle voice. "I don't want to save the world by myself. Let's save it together."
I press my lips in a thin line at how incredibly cheesy Natsu sounds; something about him is just too cute for me to resist.
Perhaps being a robot has its perks.
Quickly getting a small snack for us to eat while we save the world together, I return to my spot beside him.
We're too busy punching the buttons on our controllers and shouting orders at one another, I don't hear the knocks on the door until Natsu points it out.
"Well, it sounds lively in here!" Lisanna proclaims after I've dashed to open the door for her.
"We're saving the world right now," I answer hastily so I can resume playing.
"It's my turn to bring dinner again, but…" her voice trails off as she follows me to the living room. She plops down on the couch with a container in her lap.
"Can you set it down on the counter?" I request with my eyes only looking at the TV.
"Sure," she nods.
"Do you want to eat?" Natsu questions, pausing the game. "We can play again once we've eaten."
"O-Okay," I stammer with large eyes. "We'll eat, then."
I'm able to hear Lisanna giggle as we go to the counter to eat our dinner.
"What?" I scowl at her.
"It's so obvious you like Natsu," she whispers with a grin. "Oh! Robots can eat?"
"I can do anything humans can do," Natsu shrugs, taking a large bite of his food.
"Do you like the food?" Lisanna asks.
"It's good," he responds with a slight nod.
"Your reaction isn't telling me that it tastes good," she frowns.
Listening in on their conversation, I know I'm right—Natsu isn't able to taste the same way as us. Well, except for spicy food, of course.
"So, Natsu is going to be going to school with us tomorrow?" Lisanna directs the conversation somewhere else after a while.
"Yes, I enrolled him this morning," I reply. "He's going to be in our class, too."
"Great!" she cheers. "It's going to be fun having class with him."
"You're not allowed to say anything," I remind her, nearly scolding her.
"I won't!" she assures. "Well, I have to go soon or I'm going to go to sleep past midnight."
"Okay, I'll see you at school tomorrow," I begin to walk her out.
"Try not to go to sleep late as you try to save the world, okay?" she stifles a laugh before stepping out. "Bye, Natsu!"
I wave as he calls out a see you later, clicking the door shut in an instant. I spin around to find Natsu already sitting down in front of the TV.
"Are you ready?" he grins.
"More than ready," I return the grin.
And then in less than a second, Natsu and I are back to saving the world together.
I'm nothing except groggy the next morning.
Hearing my alarm for school go off, I'm able to feel how exhausted I'm going to be for the rest of the day.
"Four hours of sleep," I groan after taking a look at the time.
Despite feeling incredibly sleepy while brushing my teeth, I can't help but crack a smile. On our first day of playing together, Natsu and I are only a few levels away from saving the world—or beating the game.
Once my breath is minty fresh, I take baby steps as I walk up to Natsu's sleeping body on the couch.
I can't tell if he's a heavy sleeper or not, but I have no choice but to find out now.
"Natsu, wake up," I tell him gently. "We have school today."
He doesn't budge at my voice, so I hesitantly reach out to him and shake his shoulder a bit.
"Natsu," I repeat. "Wake up."
Again, he doesn't move.
Irritation begins to bubble up inside of me. If I don't wake up him soon, I won't have enough time to make breakfast for us.
"Natsu," I say once again, more firmly this time. "You need to wake up!"
The light shaking of his shoulder has become a violent one now. I'm tempted to shout in his ear, yet before I'm able to, he opens one hazel eye.
"Why are you so out of breath?" he asks with a voice that is only present when waking up.
"You wouldn't wake up!" I sigh heavily. "Now that you're awake, I can make breakfast."
"Are you mad? You sound mad," he states, following me into the kitchen.
"I'm not mad," I reply, trying my best to hide the irritation in my voice.
"Are you sure?" he smirks. "You know, I'm able to feel what you're feeling."
"You what?" I nearly choke on the orange juice I'm sipping on.
"There's something inside of me that tells me what you're feeling," he reveals.
"Why didn't you tell me that before?!" I slam my cup on the counter.
"Because I just realized that these extra emotions inside of me are yours," he answers smoothly.
I open my mouth to respond—nothing comes out.
"Luce?" he waves a hand in front of me. "Why is your mouth still open?"
"S-Sorry!" I stutter, clamping it shut. "I'm just surprised."
"Yeah, I feel it," he chuckles.
I stare at him for a few seconds, not sure if I should feel violated or not.
I'm almost about to test it, but after catching a glimpse of the time, I dismiss the thought.
"You're going to be given a uniform when we get to school," I say while we start to head out.
"After signing a few things in the main office, you'll be sent to my classroom. You'll have to introduce yourself, too. Do you think you can do that?"
"Easy," he replies. "Can I sit next to you during class?"
"Probably not," I force myself to confess. "We'll see what we can do, though."
He nods in understanding; I take a deep breath to prepare myself for what is to come.
"I have to wear that?" he questions once we've arrived to Magnolia High, pointing at the students lounging around the front.
"Yep," I nod. "The girl uniforms are better than the guys, though."
"It looks good on you," he agrees.
It isn't long until I feel my blazing cheeks. I avert my gaze before Natsu sees me.
"The office is over in that building," I lift a finger towards the direction. "They'll tell you what to do from there."
"Okay, see you in class then," he sends me a smile, heading to the building.
I view him anxiously as if he's a child going to his first day of school. Although a child's first day of school isn't really different from Natsu going to school for the first time.
"He'll be okay," I mumble under my breath. "I know he will be."
Walking through the hallways to get to my class, I arrive to the room and sit in my assigned desk near the window.
"Oh, you're here!" Levy notices me as soon as I've sat down. "Where's Natsu?"
"He'll be coming soon," I answer. "He has to go get his uniform."
"He better not sit by me," Gajeel grumbles after noticing the empty desk beside him.
"He probably will," Gray snickers behind him.
The few dings of the bell begin to echo throughout the school, signaling that class has started.
After several seconds, the homeroom teacher strides in, stopping at the podium in the middle of the classroom.
"Today we have a new transfer student," he announces, looking to the closed door. "New student, will you please come in and introduce yourself?"
I rapidly bob my leg beneath my desk as the door slides open and Natsu enters the classroom. His eyes find mine instantly.
My eyes widen, but after nodding slightly, he takes a deep breath and faces the classroom.
"My name is Natsu, nice to meet everyone," he introduces himself politely.
"Welcome to our class. You may pick any open seat," the teacher allows.
Natsu looks at me again, and once I point a finger that only he can see at the vacant desk beside Gajeel, he smiles.
"Of course," Gajeel mutters as Natsu makes himself at home at his new desk next to him.
Leaning against my hand to hide my smile, I subconsciously look at Natsu during class. Since he's not far away—only being two rows away from me—I can see him easily.
This is the perfect time to observe him.
With the thought surfacing my mind, I keep a closer eye on him than usual when we're given some work.
Surprisingly enough, the moment Natsu receives his paper, he works on it with no hesitation. It's as though he has been to school and learned everything already.
However, there is one subject I notice Natsu has a hard time at—history.
I can't hold back my scoff because of how ironic it is. It's only natural he doesn't know anything about the past.
Many worksheets and lectures later, I'm listening to the last bell of the day ring.
I don't hold back my sigh while packing my things into my bag.
"Why is Lucy sighing?" Juvia questions, passing by my desk to get to Gray's.
"I didn't get enough sleep last night," I admit. "I'm tired."
"Didn't I tell you not to?" Lisanna looks at me with disapproval.
"You must get at least eight hours of sleep, Lucy," Erza chides me.
Sending my friends a sheepish look, I turn around to find Natsu speaking with Gray, Gajeel, and Jellal.
"You all up for Fairy Tail right now?" Gray suggests.
"Sure," I answer for the girls.
"Are you serious?" Gajeel inquires bluntly. "Don't you have a sale to watch or something?"
"I'm done with that for now," I reply simply.
"You are?!" Levy exclaims. "Why?!"
"Because she has me," Natsu declares proudly.
"Whatever," I giggle, waving him off. "Let's go to Fairy Tail, everyone."
We exit the classroom as a group, spreading out as we step outside. The late summer air has never felt so refreshing before.
"Did you enjoy your first day?" I ask Natsu when we've started to walk slower than everyone else.
"Were you looking at me a lot?" he gives me a curious look. "I felt your eyes on me."
"That's just your imagination," I lie with a scoff. "I noticed you were having trouble during history."
"I don't really get it," he brings a hand up to the back of his neck.
"I'll teach you," I state. "All you have to know are dates and you'll be fine!"
"Okay. Thanks, Luce," he grins.
Before I'm able to respond, I feel a nudge on my side by an elbow.
"Already giving each other nicknames?" Levy teases.
I stick my tongue out at her, directing my attention back to walking. It isn't long until we've reached Fairy Tail.
Similar to last time we were all at Fairy Tail, time flies while we're together. We order almost half of the whole menu because the boys eat at least five main dishes by themselves.
I don't realize it's nighttime until Natsu lets out a yawn.
"You're tired, too?" a smile dances across my lips at his eyes that have become watery.
"I know you're tired, so don't tell me you're not," he smirks. "We should go now."
Natsu doesn't give me a chance to assure him I can manage; he stands up from the table.
"Lucy and I are going to leave now," he announces. "See you guys tomorrow at school."
A few eyebrows are raised at me once I stand up with Natsu.
"He still doesn't know how to get home," I explain. "I'll see you guys tomorrow!"
"Don't sleep late again!" Lisanna calls out behind me.
I wave a hand behind me as Natsu and I exit Fairy Tail together. I feel Natsu's eyes on me when a yawn escapes me.
"How was your first day of school?" I ask.
"I wish I could sit next to you in class," he answers.
Natsu's straightforward answer immediately makes my cheeks warm up. I can't believe how fast it is for him to do that.
I look down at our shoes while we walk, feeling his arm graze against mine every so often. He's warm.
Since we're both living on just four hours of sleep, we don't speak much on the way home; I don't mind it.
It gives me time to think about just how easy it is for Natsu to talk with everyone, even though we're the first ones he has spoken to.
He blends in so well, it's unbelievable. It's also utterly relieving.
Perhaps there's nothing for me to learn about him, but I can't fight the urge to search about him on the internet.
Unlocking my apartment for us, I flip on the lights. I glance at my computer when entering the kitchen.
"I'm going to go to sleep now," I say. "Do you need anything before I go to sleep?"
"No," he shakes his head. "Goodnight, Luce."
"Goodnight, Natsu," I tell him softly.
He gives me a smile before I walk into the hallway; I leave my bedroom door open just a crack.
Though my bed looks incredibly tempting, I ignore the impulse to jump inside the covers and sleep. I can nearly hear my computer calling my name, waiting for me to search about Natsu.
I pace around my room until I know he is completely asleep. It's comforting to know that he's a heavy sleeper now.
After twenty minutes of pacing, I hold my breath while pushing open my door. Since it's dark, I touch the walls to guide me.
I can hear Natsu's deep breaths as I tiptoe past him to get to my computer.
I don't resume breathing until I've pressed the on button. Watching the screen dimly light up the room, I feel as though it's been forever since I've been online.
I shake my mouse as the screen loads, and when it does, I open my favorite internet browser.
But once my fingers hover over the keyboard, my mind goes blank.
What am I supposed to search about Natsu?
It isn't until I remember the ad where I first purchased him when I decide to start with that.
"I still don't know how much he costs," I mutter under my breath.
As I commence the hunt of the ad I can remember clearly, I begin to feel frustrated after several searches. No matter what I search, nothing about the ad or him shows up.
There is a link that catches my eye after the tenth search—I instantly click on it.
I'm directed to a blog with multiple paragraphs; I skim through them to make sure some of it is relevant to what I need to know.
Scanning a few paragraphs, my hand on the mouse becomes still once I read the words deal with the devil.
"This is exactly what happened to me," I whisper as I frantically read the paragraphs.
However, the more I read, the less it starts to relate to me. I silently mouth the words to myself.
"I didn't really know what I was getting myself into. Some online devil was going to give me a robot boyfriend? It seemed impossible, but I decided to do it, anyway.
"As I finished customizing my perfect boyfriend, I read the terms and conditions. I was told to deal anything of my choice with this devil and in return I would get a boyfriend.
"So, I gave up my computer and—"
"This isn't going to tell me anything," I whine as quietly as I can, exiting the blog. "I never dealt anything with a stupid devil."
I'm about search just a bit more, but there's a faint stirring behind me. As fast as my hands will move, I turn off my computer before Natsu wakes up.
I stand up from my seat when my eyes adjust to the dark. I'm able to make out where Natsu is, and I'm in the midst of passing by him to go to my room when I hear him stir in his sleep again.
I pause, hearing him shift around on the couch a lot more than usual.
Is he having a nightmare?
I crouch down by him, placing my hand on his forehead as lightly as I can. Immediately, I can feel how damp it is.
"What do I do? What do I do?" I breathe out.
I do the first thing on my mind—violently shake his shoulder like I did in the morning. I'm afraid he won't wake up, yet eventually, his heavy breathing stops.
"Lucy," Natsu croaks out. "Was that just a dream? Please, tell me that was a dream."
"Y-You're okay now," I try my best to soothe him with my voice. "There's nothing to be afraid of anymore. I'm here."
"Good," he sighs in relief. "That's good."
I can't see his face very well, but it isn't hard to figure out by his voice that he is still traumatized by the nightmare.
Although I desperately want to know what his nightmare was about, I don't say a word. Instead, I sit down on the floor and reach for his hand.
It's shaking.
I can feel his trembling palm press against mine as I entwine our fingers. I never want to let go of this fragile hand.
"Luce?" Natsu speaks after a while.
"Yes?" I say.
"Can I hold your hand back?" he asks. "Or is this one of those moments when I can't?"
"Yes, you can," I smile at him.
My smile only widens when I feel Natsu's hand tighten around mine.
"Butterflies feel weird," he chuckles to himself.
I laugh softly, leaning my temple against the couch and closing my eyes.
We sit there—silently. Natsu's steady breaths make my eyes incredibly heavy. I can't stop myself from dozing off.
Robot or not, Natsu has feelings, I'm sure of it. This hand squeezing mine doesn't have artificial feelings like I thought it did.
And I can't help but want to cherish these feelings forever.
