Well, it's been way too long since I last updated, due to several factors, but I thank you for waiting!
It's time for part 2 of the most popular pairing in my story; NaLu!
Enjoy Rues' reading of Lucy's mind!
The young lady who walked in seemed very nervous. She stood in front of the door, standing perfectly still except for her hands, which were fiddling with the hem of her shirt. Her eyes were quickly darting around the room.
"Miss Lucy, are you, uh, okay?"
She suddenly stiffens, and it's almost 15 seconds before she replies. "Y-Yes! Of course!"
I-I gotta keep calm, or else I won't be able to figure him out. Come on, Lucy, you can do this!
Figure me out? Is it possible that they have an inkling about my true purpose...?
I motion my hand to the seat on the other side of the table. "Please, Lucy, sit. Don't be so nervous, this whole thing really isn't that bad."
After eyeing the seat suspiciously, she slowly walks over and sits down cautiously, as if she was expecting a pin cushion on it. To my great surprise, she let out a shriek as soon as she touched it and sprung up. Did someone actually leave a pin cushion?!
"What the hell is wrong with that chair?!" she yells, probably loud enough for the others to hear.
"What do you mean? What's wrong?"
"It's freezing cold!"
Cold? Then that means...
"Sorry!" a muffled voice from the other side of the door shouts. "Didn't mean to!"
Ah, Gray. He must have accidentally let off some of his magic during that interview. I thought it was kinda chilly in here.
I stand up from my own chair, and motion to it. "Here, take mine. I do not mind standing, but it's important that you sit, so you can feel comfortable."
She eyes me suspiciously, but complies anyway. She must really think I'm up to something malicious. She's right, of course, but I can't let her know that.
I pick up the cold chair, and move it next to the small fire that's burning under a tea kettle to warm it up.
"So, Lucy Heartfilia is your name?" She nods. "If I remember correctly, the Heartfilia's used to own a lot of land, but ran into some money trouble about 7 years ago."
When I turned to face her, she already looked crestfallen. "Yeah, that was a little while after I left home to join Fairy Tail."
A quizzical look took over my face. "You left a wealthy home with servants and everything you could ever want...in order to join a Mage's Guild?"
She nodded.
"Mind explaining why?"
"Well, the short version is that after my mom died when I was little, my dad began to...change."
I shook my head while pouring a cup of tea. "I'm assuming that he used to be a nice man...then after his wife passed away, he seemed to grow more obsessed with his work, and grew overall more angry and antisocial?"
Her eyes widened. "That's...exactly what happened."
I poured a second cup of tea, which I handed to her. She smiled in return. "It's something I see a lot in business men who lose a loved one. It's a very common, yet very unhealthy, method of grieving. They especially push away those that remind them of the one they loss. Do you..."
"Look like my mother? Yeah. He used to tell me all the time."
Used to? Oh dear...
"...I take it by the usage of the past tense, your father also passed away?"
She nodded. "I...He recovered. He became just like his old self, and I never...never got to see him. He was so worried for me, he..."
Tears began falling from her face, but she wiped them away quickly. After a moment, I handed her a tissue, and she dabbed at her eyes with it. "Sorry."
"No no, it's fine. I prefer you open up for this, it helps to get these things off your chest."
"Well, as I was saying, he became so worried for me. Then, when we got back, (The Tenrou Island incident, I'm guessing) I learned that he had passed away. I...I never got to say goodbye to him, or that I loved him..."
I nod slowly at this. I cannot even imagine losing 7 years of my life. "Tell me, Lucy, if you didn't see him, why did you say that he missed you so much?"
Her smile came back, though it looked pretty sad, as she explained, "Well, it turned out every year, on my birthday, he'd send me a gift and a handwritten card, and in that card, he talked about how he believed I was somewhere out there, and that he would never stop hoping for my return...or loving me." When it appeared her tears were about to return, I offered her a tissue again, but she refused. "I'll be fine. Sorry about all that."
"No no, it's fine. It sounds like you had wonderful parents."
She smiled, genuinely, and said, "Yeah. They were both amazing. I am truly lucky to be their daughter."
I give her a reassuring smile. "I'm sure they'd be proud of you and what you are today, a mage of the number one guild in Fiore."
She responds with a smile of her own. Well, that should about sum up her history. Now that the dramatic part's done, time for the fun part, and my ticket to ten million Jewel!
"So, speaking of Fairy Tail, how does it feel to be part of what many call Fairy Tail's "Strongest Team"?"
"Well..." she begins, "Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Happy are all wonderful people, they're kind, strong, and just all around amazing...but..."
"But...?"
"You see, the thing is, they're also a bit...destructive. And by 'a bit', I mean a HELL OF A LOT!" her voice suddenly flares up, so much so that I lose my grip on my tea cup, and thank my lucky stars that it's empty. Seeing the result of her outburst, Lucy blushes a bit and sheepishly bows. "S-Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you like that."
"Ah, no, it's fine. However...I take it working with them can prove a little...frustrating?"
She laughs. "That's putting it lightly."
Though I have to admit, despite losing my rent money again and again, I have never been as happy as I am when working with Natsu and the others. And I suppose when it comes down to it, I'm just as responsible for the destruction as they are. Or at least partially, haha.
She's lost in thought. Time to strike! Going off of what he said, the one she likes is...
"So, Lucy," I begin, and she snaps out of her thoughts, "Tell me, what do you think about Natsu Dragneel?"
"What do I think of him?" She begins to tap her chin with her finger as she thinks. "Well, he's reliable, dumb, an amazing fighter, a glutton, and overall, my best friend."
I snicker at her, and she narrows her eyes in response. "What are you making that face at me for?"
"Oh, nothing, just the 'best friend' part."
Her face turns a light scarlet. "Yeah, we're friends!"
"In my professional opinion, I would have to disagree."
I can see the anger on her face increasing every second. "And what would you know of us?"
Crap. She's got me there. I really don't know much about their relationship. I simply smile at her instead, and she sits back down in a huff.
Listen to this guy. Thinks I like Natsu l-like that! It's none of his business that I like him! I-I mean, as a friend. We're just...friends, right? I mean, sure we're never apart from each other. But that's normal for partners! He sleeps in my bed too, but that's normal as well! B-but what about those dreams I had of him while he and Happy were gone for a week? T-that's normal, right? That was just me missing him! I couldn't help it if Dream-Me kissed him when she saw him, nor was it my fault that I almost did the same thing when I saw him, stopped only by Happy accidentally tripping me.
...
Is...is it possible that I do like Natsu? Do I love him?
I cannot help but smile into my tea cup (Which I refilled during her little epiphany). Another success, and I really didn't have to do much. Man, it's great to be me. I set down my tea cup, before clearing my throat. It snaps her to attention. "Well, Lucy, you're right. I really don't know your situation with Natsu Dragneel, and I apologize for getting ahead of myself. I was simply basing this off of what Natsu himself said about you."
"Eh?! What did Natsu say about me?" Her face has turned quite the bright shade of red.
"I'm afraid you'll have to find that out from him, for our time is up." I tell her, and motion for her to stand. Still blushing, I lead her out to the door. "Good luck, Lucy." I call out to her, trying my hardest not to laugh at her still blushing face.
I love my job.
Lucy walks to up Laxus and the Rajinshuu, Bickslow and Evergreen, and does a sort of apologetic bow. After Laxus says something, Lucy walks away. Spotting Natsu, who's still blushing sitting next to a red-Happy, she also blushes. I swear, they should put on a comedy show. Well, back to business.
"Next up, Justine, Freed"
I notice said man, a green-haired fellow, is standing next to Laxus, Bickslow, and Evergreen. I see Laxus mouth the words "Good luck" to Freed, to which the man simply nods, and begins walking towards me.
Oh dear.
Uh oh! Is Laxus on to Rues? Will he be found out? Find out next week!
...also the answer is no. At least, for now~