NaLu Week Day 7: Happy
AU: Natsu and Lucy are strangers who both want to buy the same cat and since neither of them are willing to give up the cat, they are forced to share him.
XOXOX
"The cat's mine," a boy with ridiculous pink hair and a ridiculous scarf to match, declared.
Who wears a scarf during this time of the year? Lucy wondered.
"No, he's mine!" Lucy growled.
"I saw him first!"
"Noo, it was me who saw him first, Stupid!"
"No way! I've been comin' here every day to visit this cat! So he's mine!"
"So why didn't you buy him then?"
"I only just came up with the money today!"
"Well you snooze you lose!" Lucy stuck her tongue out.
The boy looked Lucy up and down and she had to fight the urge to place her arms over her chest.
A devilish smirk crossed his face as he turned away and tossed a hand over his shoulder, "He's too skinny to be your cat. You should go look at the pudgy ones."
Her jaw smacked the floor, Did he just… "YOU JERK! I AM NOT PUDGY!"
He turned back towards her with his eyes peeled, "You sure?"
"I'M VOLUPTUOUS!" she screamed with her nostrils flared.
His hands slapped over his ears and with a nasty glare, he said, "No, you're loud."
"And you're stupid!" Lucy huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.
"And you're weird!" he scoffed. "A weirdo like you isn't fit to own a cat."
Lucy's hands balled up into fists as the boy smugly grinned.
She turned her gaze to the kitty who looked amused by the two of them.
She so badly wanted that cat…
And who wouldn't? It was blue.
But that annoying guy with the angry look on his face was unrelenting…What was she going to do?
"Umm…" a timid voice spoke up. It was the guy who worked at the animal shelter. "Soo uhh…who's buying the cat?"
"ME!" They both cried.
XOXOX
"You have got to be kidding me…" Lucy grumbled, walking home with the boy she had only just met, but learned to hate right away.
"Oi!" the boy growled, carrying the cat in his arms. "I'm not happy about this either."
"Well if you would have only given me the cat, then we wouldn't have to share him"
"Tch whatever," he looked away from her.
They walked in silence.
Lucy observed the way the boy held the cat.
It seemed oddly gentle and tender as he cradled the kitty to his chest.
The cat happily nuzzled into him.
The boy chuckled, lightly petting the cat.
She ogled at the scene.
The boy, she had only just met and held so much contempt for, looked…cute?
Stop thinking ridiculous things, Lucy!
She pursed her lips, her hands clenching.
She wanted to hold the cat.
"Can I…" she started. "Can I hold him?"
"Huh?" the pink haired boy shot her a sideways glance.
"Can I hold my—our cat?" a blush dusted her cheeks. "Please?"
Why did she feel so flustered?
The boy's slanted eyes widened before he shrugged and said, "Err I guess…"
They both stopped walking.
He held the cat out for Lucy to grab. She didn't fail to notice the strange look in his eyes…She went to reach for it, but instead of taking the cat, she dropped her arms, "Never mind…"
The boy raised a brow, but didn't question it.
"I'm Lucy by the way," she introduced, keeping her gaze trained on the sidewalk.
"Natsu," he answered.
"So umm…why do you want this cat exactly?" Lucy asked with slight trepidation as she remembered what he said earlier about visiting this cat every day.
"Because he's blue," Natsu cheekily grinned. "Why do you want him?"
"Because he's blue," she repeated his answer with a smirk.
Natsu let out a friendly chuckle, "Fair enough."
"So what do we do?" she asked. "We can't really share him, can we…?"
"I know," Natsu nuzzled the cat into his face.
Lucy looked away.
"I want him because…I rescued him," the boy said afterwards.
"Huh?"
"I found him trapped under a rock," he explained. "Took him to the vet and visited every day until he got better." He paused for a breath. "He didn't have a tag or nothin' so the vets said I could keep him, but I couldn't afford a cat at the time…"
"Oh," Lucy's heart sank.
How could she possibly take the cat away from him?
She glanced around the area they were in and realized it her neighborhood park. "Hey, how did you know I live around here?"
"I didn't," the boy blinked. "And why would you think I was walkin' you home? I just thought you were following me. It was kinda creepin' me out."
Lucy sweated, "I think you might be paranoid… So who gets to bring home the cat first?"
"Hmmm…." He rubbed his chin, looking around the park as though he would find the answer there. A grin appeared on his face, "Oi! First one to the swings gets to have the cat first for a week!"
And with that, he dashed off.
"Heyyy!" Lucy cried after him. "That's not fair!"
She arrived a few seconds afterwards, slumping down onto the swing.
"Looks like he's mine for the week," he shot her a haughty grin.
"Fine," she pouted.
"What's with the ugly face?" he inquired.
"Don't call my face ugly…" a vein throbbed.
"You wanna hold him?" Natsu held the cat out to her.
"Su-Sure," she swallowed, reaching for the cat, but she hesitated. "I don't know how to hold him…" she admitted.
"Oh," Natsu blinked with shock.
He clambered off the swing and walked in front of Lucy.
She flushed as his body stood tall and blocked out the sun.
With a determined look on his face, he placed the cat onto her lap and said, "Pet him."
She hastily obliged, "He's so soft."
"I know," he beamed as he sat back down on the swing next to her.
The cat elatedly purred in her lap.
"I think he likes you," Natsu stated.
"Really?" Lucy awed.
She never had a pet before…this was so new to her…
"So what school do you go to?" he asked.
"Magnolia Academy," she replied.
"Me too!" he said and then his brows furrowed.
He stretched his swing closer to her and stared right into her eyes.
"What?" she swallowed, trying not to avert her gaze.
With a suspicious look on his face, he asked, "How come I've never seen you before?"
"Oh," she breathed out, "I'm new. Started about a month ago…"
"Ahh…Who do you hangout with?"
Hangout? Lucy blushed. Her gaze darted to the ground as she watched the silhouette of her feet swaying back and forth. She doesn't hangout with anyone…but how could she admit to something like that?
"Well I sit with this girl Levy and her friends Jet and Droy at lunch..."
"Yeah, but who do you hangout with outside of school?" Natsu clarified.
"Uhh well…" Lucy twiddled her thumbs, trying to think of a good lie on the spot.
"You don't hangout with anyone," he answered for her.
"Nope," she hung her head in shame.
A hand lightly patted her back.
She inhaled sharply as she looked up to see Natsu smiling at her with fanged teeth, "I'll hangout with you, Lucy!"
Her heart jolted.
The first time he said my name…
"Why would you want to hangout with me?" she asked. "I thought you didn't like me…"
"Well since we are sharing him," Natsu pointed to the cat in her lap, "we might as well be friends, right?"
"I guess…" Lucy shied away, disappointed by his answer.
But why was she disappointed?
"Also, you seem nice," he added. "I think we would make a great team!"
"A team?" Lucy's head snapped back to him.
"Yeah!" he grinned. "Together we can take on that really annoying guy!"
"Annoying guy?" Lucy cocked her head to the side.
"Yeah, that annoying stripper," Natsu's hands balled up. "Not that I can't take him by myself, it would just be more fun to have someone to back me up."
"Uhh…" she sweated nervously.
He's not talking about fighting, is he?
"Or at least cheer me on…" Natsu said more to himself, rubbing his chin and then he waved it off, "Ehh I just want a friend."
"You don't have any friends?"
"Nope," he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "Only rivals. OH! WE COULD ALSO TAKE ON THAT OTHER ANNOYING GUY!"
"Is he also a stripper?" she asked with amusement.
"Nahh," Natsu said. "He's a metal freak though. Saw him gnawing on a rusty nail the other day…"
Lucy choked.
"Don't worry," he smiled at her troubled expression, "he's not as hardcore as he sounds."
"Oh?"
"I eat fire if you think that kinda stuff is impressive," he shrugged.
"YOU WHAT?!" she exclaimed, eyes bugging out.
The boy licked his lips and dove right into a thrilling tale about all the cool things he can do with fire and soon that tale lead into another tale and then another one and Lucy had laughed and laughed until tears poured down her cheeks.
It was now dark out…
"I should be going," Lucy sadly sighed. "My dad will be frantic…"
"Aw alright," Natsu pouted.
She stood up, still holding Happy.
She couldn't help but notice the entire time, Natsu would gaze at Happy with this loving look…
"Here," Lucy held the cat out for him to grab.
"Thanks," he beamed, taking the cat into his arms.
"Well bye," she awkwardly waved before she started walking.
"Wait up!" the boy raced after her, "What should we name him?"
"I think you mean, What should I name him' and to answer your question, I don't know…that's entirely up to you since he's your cat."
"Huh?" Natsu stopped walking.
But Lucy kept walking, "I'm letting you keep him. He's all yours."
"But why?" he seemed completely taken aback by this.
"Does it matter why?" Lucy laughed. "He's yours."
"But—Thank you," he sounded truly grateful as he caught up with her once again.
They walked in silence.
He looked deep in thought.
She wanted to ask what he was thinking of, but decided it was best not to bother him.
"Well this is my house…" Lucy gestured with her hand.
"I live across the park," Natsu stated as he stared at her house.
"Hmm," Lucy teasingly smirked, "I thought you said you weren't walking me home?"
The boy's eyes widened and she could have sworn she saw his cheeks darken. He looked away as he muttered, "I changed my mind…"
Lucy giggled, "Well see you at school on Monday…"
She opened her front door with her key and just as she was about to walk in, he said, "Happy."
"What?" Lucy whirled back around.
"The cat, I'm naming him Happy," he grinned.
"Why?" she titled her head. "Strange name…"
"Because I haven't felt this happy in a long time," he simply stated and then with a heartwarming smile, he said, "Thanks, Lucy."
Her heartrate speed up, "You're welcome."
And she quickly slammed her front door shut, placing a hand over her rapidly beating heart, "What was that?"
Natsu…she sighed.
XOXOX
The End.
Hehe, hope you all liked this oneshot!
Thanks for reading!
