Hi everyone! Happy V-Day! Today is some Natsu/Lucy fluff. No incorporated lyrics this time, but you need to look up the lyrics to First State ft. Sarah Howells – Skies on Fireand have it playing during this particular fic.
I don't personally do poi (I'm an LED hooper!) but I think it is beautiful. Practice fire safety first!
"So, what's this present you have for me?" Natsu was sitting cross legged on a picnic blanket, staring at Lucy, who was standing on the top of a small hill in the evening sunset. Behind her were two of her summons: Aquarius, which she had called forth under her own power, and Scorpio who was there through his own gate to keep Aquarius company. The two were snoodling, ignoring their mistress.
"I've been practicing with Cana for this," Lucy said shyly. She was wearing one of her "cosplay" outfits - the usual mini skirt, a tight tank top, and fluffy legging - oddly enough, the entire outfit was made out of a natural, finished leather. It looked uncharacteristically subdued for her, were it not for the flamboyant cut and the amount of skin showing. Her hair was also tightly bound, another unusual style for her.
"Practicing?"
"Yes," Lucy said uncertainly. In her hands were two large fans, with strange cottony looking lumps on the end. "Cana said that you don't really like chocolate, so I wanted to give you something else..."
"Awww Luce, that's ok." He grinned at her. "I like enough other foods that I would have been okay with anything else, too." He glanced down at Happy.
"Aye!" Happy agreed, chowing down on the precious sushi rolls that Lucy had put together for him.
"Well, I wanted to give you something anyway." She took a deep breath. "I'm going to burn up all my magic for you." She held up a silver key, and performed a rare double summon. "Open the gate of the Harp! Lyra!"
Her musician appeared, and for a moment Lucy appeared strained as she held two summons at once, but then she regained control. She was getting stronger, Natsu observed.
"Can I get a small flame?" she asked, and proffered one of the strange metal fans with the cotton lumps on the end. As she did, Natsu got a strong whiff of kerosene. Curious, he ignited his fingertip and lit the cotton lump, which he recognized now as an unusually shaped wick. With a smooth motion, Lucy passed the flame to the remaining wicks on both fans.
Suddenly, she was holding two fully burning fans. The effect was dramatic, and Natsu felt his breath catch at the sight.
Then Lyra began to play, a strange rhythmic music in a style he'd never heard before. Scorpio started clapping steadily. Lyra began to croon out a gentle tune about the skies being on fire.
And then Lucy began to dance.
The streaks of the flames emanating from her fans swirled around her in the growing darkness. The music from Lyra drifted across the hill. She would lift the fans high, and swirl them around, sometimes coming dangerously close to her hair or her clothing. However, the leather resisted the flames, and her hair was so tightly held to her head that no errant strands got in the way.
The dance was eerie and so beautiful. The fringes from her leggings whirled around with her. Natsu had never noticed how graceful and lithe she was. She must have taken ballet lessons as a young girl, he decided. He was fascinated at how she could whirl the fans so fast they left streaks in the air, and then slow them down for a delicate pose. The flames roared when she whipped them quickly.
She continued dancing until her flaming wicks began to sputter, which Lyra took as a cue to wind the music down. Aquarius came forward, rather grumpily, with a damp towel to put out the last of the flames. She had been there for safety all along.
Out of magic from sustaining the two summons for so long, she released both Aquarius and Lyra. Scorpio followed after his girlfriend, waving goodbye with a mysterious grin. Breathing heavily, Lucy turned toward her small audience, and then bowed gracefully, her dance over.
"You did that... for me?" Natsu said after a few long moments of stunned silence.
"Yeah," Lucy said with a crooked smile. "It was Cana's suggestion, but everyone helped. Virgo even made this outfit, based on some ideas from Bisca for the leather work."
Natsu continued to stare at his beautiful partner with large eyes. After a few moments, he remembered himself.
"Thank you," he said, his voice cracking. "It was beautiful." She was beautiful. "
Happy Valentine's Day, Natsu," Lucy said, and knelt gently on the ground in front of him to give him a kiss on the cheek.
"Awwwww, she likes you!" Happy teased, before flying away to give the couple some privacy. Natsu watched the Exceed run away, no doubt to try to harass Charle into accepting his own present.
"And all I got you was a card," Natsu said mournfully. "I wasn't really going to give you a nice present until White Day..."
Lucy gave him a hug. "That's okay. I was just happy that I could give you something you liked."
After a few moments of platonic hugging, Natsu couldn't help but say, "If you ever set yourself on fire doing that, I'll be glad to eat it off you."
Lucy stiffened for a moment, then rolled her eyes. "Pervert," she muttered, but gave him a squeeze nonetheless.
"I was totally not being perverted!" Natsu backpedaled. "I just though it'd be... tasty."
He was spared from further explanation by Lucy pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. She smelled like smoke and leather and everything wonderful in the world, and he was glad to have an excuse to shut up and just enjoy the moment.
Shortly after that, they walked back to Lucy's apartment, discussing the logistics of just how Lucy could safely set herself aflame for the fire dragon slayer.
