libra


Squinting, Natsu leaned in closer until he almost bumped noses with Lucy.

She stayed perfectly still, trying not to smile.

His lips moved in concentration, not making a sound, until suddenly he slapped his hand onto his thigh with so much force the sound echoed all around them.

"You're right!" he called. Lucy giggled.

"I told you," she said. "Same amount of freckles."

"And you didn't even have to count," Natsu grumbled. He didn't move back, but continued inspecting her face up close.

He unlaced one of his hands from hers, bringing it up to poke it against a freckle on her cheek.

"I'll steal that one back next," he murmured, and she laughed.

"You can't decide that," she teased, in turn pressing a delicate finger to his forehead and tracing down a line of freckles to his cheek. He hummed.

"What if I just wish for it?"

They continued claiming ownership of the freckles they shared, drawing patterns into each other skin with bright smiles. The cat beside them lifted its head curiously, following their actions with clever eyes.

Oblivious fools.

Natsu, in turn, was having unusual thoughts of his own.

He began to wonder what would happen if he used up every last of his wishes, and all the freckles were back on his face. What would become of Lucy? Would she leave?

The thought did not sit right with him at all, and his hands stilled on her cheek, palm flattening against it.

"Hey Lucy," he mumbled with untypical sobriety, "How long will you stay with me?"

"However long you want me to," she said with a small smile, and his lips slowly stretched into a happy grin.

"Good," he decided.

Still, he would be more careful of his wishes from now on, just to be sure.

He pursed his lips as he thought such complicated thoughts, his face serious and his hand forgotten on her cheek. Lucy's smile grew the longer he remained, chewing on his lip.

And then, suddenly, she leaned forward. It was over before he'd fully registered it, but the feeling of her lips lingered on his, and his eyes grew wide. It had just been a little peck, but his heart had just turned into cotton candy. Lucy seemed as surprised as he was, her hand drawing back from his face to cover her mouth.

They both stared at each other, unsure of what to say.

Natsu decided on action rather than words, leaning forward again with sudden eagerness when a sound interrupted them.

"You like each other," an odd little voice sing-songed, just a little off from being anything close to human. Natsu could swear Happy was grinning.

He groaned quietly, but felt relieved when he caught Lucy smiling.

"Remind me again why I ever made that wish."