Title: The Thorns of a Rose

Genre: fluff, little bit of hurt/comfort, nsfw mentions about a one night stand

Pairing: Nalu

Lucy eyes flittered open as she stirred from sleep, her dull stare meeting wilted roses that were placed in a vase on her bedside table. The blonde removed her naked body from the sticky mess under the sheets and let her legs hang off the edge of the bed. The roses her father sent her stared at her in disgust - her bed mate not even stirring as she tore her gaze from them and padded her way across her apartment in the nude.

The shower washed away the slick feeling on her skin as she stepped into the boiling water. She scrubbed at the marks her fling had left and the dried up substance between her thighs that were the only remainder of their short and uneventful night. Well, for Lucy that was all it was. Another disappointing flirt from the bar that managed to sneak into her bed when she had drowned herself in alcohol. They were always the same.

Her eyes were heavy as she dressed herself, her cheeks sunken and void of colour making her look like death. She had tried to apply make up, but everyone in the office already knew what a sorry of an excuse for a woman she was so she stopped trying. It was near impossible to not hear the rumours that the younger receptionists whispered to each other. Lucy sighed, her father was right about one thing and that was that people did know just what type of girl she was - an easy pass after a bit of buttering up and a glass to drink.

When she left her bathroom her one night stand was gone, but Lucy was happy he had. It was almost torture when the white knights tried to stay to have breakfast and then insist that they'd see her again. Which they didn't. It was even more degrading than being a simple quick fuck that was later forgotten about - like they were teasing her with the romance she could never even come close to having that was filled with second dates and something more than just sex.

It left a sour taste in the woman's mouth that deepened her frown as she briskly walked to work. Though, that frown was nothing compared to the scowl that set itself in stone on her face as she got her morning coffee. Everything was fine until the cute young guy working the register called out a quick 'Happy Valentines Day' as she turned to leave.

It wasn't necessarily the fact that he had mentioned it to her, but that he had reminded her that this Thursday was the holiday that she loathed. She knew it was coming - the roses from her father being a reminder that it was close as he sent flowers to her for every bloody holiday. To remind her that he was ready to accept her when she cleaned up her act. However, she had been so caught up in trying to disappear from her own life that she'd forgotten everything.

She looked around her and scoffed, the deep red foil balloon hearts mocking her for not noticing them as they lined basically every shop. Her heart coiled in on itself and it was hard to breathe as she realised just how many happy couples were around. It made her sick and she picked up her pace as she nearly jogged to the office - hoping to drown herself with some spiked coffee and then have a snooze at her desk, or a mental breakdown.

When Lucy reached the sanctuary of her desk, she blew a loud sigh of relief only to have her momentary peace interrupted by the sing song voice of her co worker and desk buddy, Juvia Lockser.

"Good morning~" she chirped as she peeked her head out from behind her computer but then gasped immediately when she laid eyes on the blonde that was slumped in front of her, "what happened, Lucy? Juvia thinks you look worse than usual."

The exhausted woman looked up and blew strands of hair from her face as she shot Juvia an unappreciative stare.

"I'm just peachy thank you very much," Lucy grumbled sarcastically. She loved Juvia, the woman she had been working with for almost two years, to bits but sometimes she was just too honest for her own good.

Juvia cheeks tinted when she realised how rude she sounded but she pushed past it, a huge smile forming on her face as her blue eyes took on a sparkly look as she nearly yelled, "Oh, and Happy Valentines Day!"

She was also just too damn happy as well.

Lucy wailed, "Please don't mention it." Her head hit the desk again, a whine escaping her as she wondered how hard she'd have to do it to be knocked out, or better yet dead.

"Juvia knows you are having a rough time since you're last break up," she sighed, "but today is not time to be sulking! We must set forth and sail and see where our hearts take us." The desk buddy Lucy had cupped her cheeks as she got a dreamy look about her that made the blonde want to roll her eyes. The mention of her ex stung as the dark cloud rolled over her mind as she recalled how he had broken off their engagement just a month before the wedding.

"Well I don't know where your boat is heading, but I hope mines into a ditch," she murmured.

Juvia's scolded her with a shake of her head. "I do hope you at least remembered a gift for the game of secret Valentine today."

Lucy froze.

"I thought I asked to not be included in that shit," she hissed as she leaned forward, eyebrows furrowed.

"Well," Juvia said simply, "you have the pink card of who you're meant to be getting something for on your desk." Her blue eyes looked to the said pink card pinned to her stand up notice board along with many other documents and sticky notes.

Lucy reached for the envelope before ripping it open. Her face paling even more as she read the name of a man in the office scrawled in glittery silver cursive.

"Who the fuck is Max?" She asked bewildered at the woman across from her.

"Oh, he works on the upper floor close to maintenance," Juvia stated. Her face wincing at Lucy's foul language so early in the morning.

Lucy pulled at her hair as she groaned, "I don't have anything!" The woman moped as her head once again slammed onto the wooden desk beneath her where it seemed to be taking up permanent residence. Why did she have to stuck in a stupid work game to buy some loser something. Did maintenance even count as co workers? All they did was keep the place tidy by sweep-

"I've got it!" She shouted before she quickly scurried out of her seat, whilst Juvia stared at her retreating form as if she had finally lost it.

Lucy cringed at the broom that was wrapped in newspaper and duct tape when she saw the many other presents that lined the offices pigeon holes where they collected mail or important documents from the bosses. Some had small pink boxes while others were stuffed with large bouquets and chocolates, but they all looked better than her disaster of a present no matter the effort they had put it in.

A sigh left her lips as she taped a large paper sign to the top of the broom that just read 'MAX' in capital letters. It wasn't her fault, the blonde had specifically told the managers assistant Mira that she wanted no part in this stupid game! So with a shrug the blonde turned around to then crash right into someone.

A bag of chocolates fell to the floor and a cuss filled the air as the person tried to readjust their hand on the small bouquet of red and white carnations. Lucy immediately ducked down to help picked up the chocolates, lucky that only a few had spilled from the bag.

"Lucy!" he nearly shouted as she pushed the chocolate into his hand with the flowers, the other holding a hot takeaway cup of coffee that she was glad hadn't spilt all over her.

"Uh, hi?" she muttered while she eyed him, his pink hair and dark green eyes not sparking anything familiar. She didn't really know anyone that well in the office so she didn't know how he had known her name. However, his sudden blush had her wanting to crawl into a hole.

Fuck, have I slept with this guy?

"I didn't think you'd be at work this early," he blurted as his eyes looked past her and at the many presents that filled up the pigeon hole.

Lucy's eyebrows narrowed when she saw he wasn't looking at her face. It made her angry that he couldn't even give her enough respect to actually look at her when he spoke to her. Not to mention that the gifts that he held caused a spike of envy to shoot through her body.

"Listen here, buddy" she seethed while she stood up straighter, "I don't know what we had but could you atleast grow up and treat me with a bit of respect."

His eyes snapped to her's in a surprised look. "What are you talking about, Lucy? You've really gotten even weirder since I saw you nearly beat up the front door."

She blinked. Then again.

"Oh, Natsu!" she cried and he gave her a puzzled look. "I'm sorry I've had a really shit morning," she pointed her thumb at the many presents behind her, "I completely forgot this entire thing was on and just, you know."

"Is that broom wrapped in newspaper your present?"

"Yes."

Natsu cheeks puffed as he tried to hold in his laughter, but lost it a second after as he bent over and nearly spilled his coffee all over the floor.

Lucy tried to look annoyed but the soft smile that pulled on her lips gave her away. She remembered him now. It had been a week after her fiance had called off the wedding. Lucy had taken time off work, but when she came back she would work overtime to try and distract herself from the cold and lonely apartment that she had to return home to. It was on one of those night where she had stayed back that Natsu ran into her trying to break the glass of the automatic doors because it wouldn't open. After telling her to put the chair down and showing her the side door for night employees (the sliding doors were shut off after 7pm) they talked while they walked home and even stopped to get ice-cream together at the request of Natsu. Lucy hadn't seen much of him since, only a grin and wave offered if they passed each other.

Lucy huffed, "I didn't even ask to be in this! It was actually pretty smart last minute improvisation on my part if I do say so myself."

Natsu grinned down at her, "No, you're just a weirdo."

The blonde's eye twitched as she crossed her arms, "Well, sorry I'm not planning a highschool confession," Lucy gestured to the gifts in his arm, "You look damn near ready to propose with all that cheesy stuff!"

"What?" his expression growing worried, "You don't like this?"

A deep blush coated her cheeks as she turned away. An assortment of hand picked flowers and a bag full of different types of chocolate? No, Lucy didn't like this. She loved it. Her inner child swooning at his nervous eyes and the pout that rested on his face.

"I mean," she bit out, "What girl wouldn't like that?" Her gaze soften, as she let go of the sour clip to her tone. It really wasn't her place to put him down because of her own issues. "You did a good job."

Natsu smiled, "Well that's great because these are for you!" He said while pushing them into her arms.

"Happy Valentines Day!"

Her brown eyes bulged as she took the present.

"Oh, and I also booked us to go paintballing just cause you know… You don't have to go, but eh yeah."

She looked up at the sheepish young man as he scratched the back of his neck while looking away from her, digging his face in his scarf. It wasn't like Lucy hadn't received a valentine's day present before, but her eyes watered as she looked back down to the soft petals of the carnations that he had given her. Maybe it was because there wasn't no incentive that this was all to get her in bed with him, or maybe she had just been so wrapped in telling herself that there was nothing left for her in love that she had driven herself insane. Either way, Lucy couldn't help the light feeling in her chest as she gave Natsu an ear splitting grin.

"I can't wait to kick your ass."

Natsu looked up, eyes wide. "Seriously? Yosh! I'm all fired up."

Lucy laughed and teased him while they walked out of the break room, both with large smiles on their faces before getting back to their respective desks.

And when she finished work she would go home and dance around her apartment to sappy songs instead of down at the club. She would wash her sheets and hum with delight as she cooked herself dinner. The wilted roses would be in the bin and while she went to sleep the carnations would be in the vase on her bedside table - to be blooming bright the next morning as she opened her eyes and a smile would force its way on her face.

And Lucy would be happy.

I haven't posted a one-shot in a long time :) This is for a Valentines Day contest in the discord server i am in, and i have a NSFW gruvia drabble coming soon. Hope you liked it

-doginshoe