Chapter 19: Feelings

~ Lucy POV ~

"Why did I even get here...?"

"Let's go, Luce!"

"Uhh...coming!"

As you can see - but I guess you can't, since you're reading - Natsu had just forced me to come with him to the mall. We're now at this shop, buying all kinds of sweet and mushy-gushy stuff you give during Valentines.

But seriously, it's not even December yet!

"Oi, Lucy, come here!"

I groaned as I groggily walked up to him. I'm totally gonna be late for my shift at the cafe!

"What now, Natsu?"

"Look!" Natsu presented some flowers to me, but they were more like blocking my whole face, "Which flower do you like?"

"E - Eh?" I glanced at the flowers, then back at Natsu, "I'd choose the rose, I guess."

"Rose, huh?"

I smiled cheerfully at him as I walked to a nearby stall, "But wouldn't chocolates fit her more?"

"I don't really know if she likes sweets or not.." He frowned, "And I won't like it if her teeth gets cavities."

"Well I like sweets and I'm not afraid to get cavities."

"Really?" He widened his eyes and came closer to me, "Then I'll take it! I'm sure she'll like it!"

XXX

"Yay! The Music Store!"

"What're we doing here?" I asked as we entered inside the shop. He began searching frantically around the store and suddenly dragged me over to a piano.

"Can ya play it?!" He cheerfully asked.

I couldn't help but say yes to that happy-go-lucky face of his. But it still hit me why Natsu would make me come to this store. I don't have enough money to buy a grand piano, you know.

He made me sit down on a chair and asked the manager for permission to play it.

"Sure! As long as you can make some good music!" was what the manager said.

"You heard what he said!" He grinned, "Now do your thing!"

"A - Alright..." I inhaled and began pressing a few keys.

~ Normal POV ~

Customers began pouring one by one as Lucy played the piano. And although, the blonde seemed focused on the instrument, she couldn't help but remember something.

'This piano is the same as the one in the old mansion...' She thought, 'What if...?'

A few minutes after she finished her song, she excused herself from everyone and tried to find the manager.

"Eh? Secondhand piano?"

"H - Hai! Did someone, by any chance, sold or gave this to you?" She curiously asked the manager.

"My, I guess you're very observant, young girl." He chuckled, "That piano was given to me by the one and only, Jude Heartfilia."

"Jude...Heartfilia?"

"You got that right!"

"Did he say anything?"

The manager began to ponder for a moment before answering, "Well he did say something.."

"Every time I see this piano, I remember my missing daughter. I can't bear to see it anymore. It reminds me of her. Please take good care of it. As if it were your child..."

"Dad..."

"Is something the matter?"

"No, sir," She smiled and bowed, "I'll be going now."

XXX

"Oi, Lucy.."

"Hmm?" The mentioned teen cheerfully turned around, only to find a frowning Natsu.

"Why were you crying earlier?" He asked.

"Crying?" Lucy asked, "I don't remember cryi-"

"Yes, you were!" yelled Natsu, scaring the blonde, "Jeez, Luce, you don't have to pretend that nothing's wrong. I know you when you're sad. I know you when you're down. I know that inside-out!"

"This isn't the time to be playing tough, Lucy Heartfilia." He continued, "What's wrong with you?..."

"Nothing!"

"Oh really? Is that true?"

"Y - yeah..."

"Luce," the pinkette frowned and cupped her cheeks, "what's wrong?"

Lucy released the latter's grip and gulped, "What's wrong with me? What's wrong?! It's just that...the fact, that my best friend likes...another girl, is what's wrong."

"C-Can you...help me...court...a girl?"

"Eh?"

"You know that feeling when, you love someone, yet they don't love you back..." She looked down, as if she was guilty of something, "When you want them to notice you as someone different, but you're just stuck at the friend zone."

"I like you,"

"as a friend!"

"It's really pitiful of me...hoping that he'll notice me as me. And not his best friend. It also hurts..seeing the one you love happy with someone else.."

"I'm sure she'll like it!"

"But what's wrong the most, is that I love you, Natsu Dragneel. But I know you won't love me back..."

"I guess...my heart skips a beat for this guy..."

"After all, I'm just someone who fell in love with you online..." She smiled sadly at him before leaving. Wiping the tears that streamed down on her face.

"I...I had my first love online!"

Natsu smiled and helped her wipe her tears, "I didn't know how to make friends. I only knew how to hack, steal, fight, and play games. I was someone you shouldn't make friends with nor even talk to..."

"But the girl, the girl I met online, changed me. She said she was just the same. She had no friends, no one to talk to, and no one to rely on."

"That's when I first thought that, maybe, someone in this world, is just like me. I started to know her more and what she's like. And I found out that she was really kind! I started to fall for her, and before I knew it, I was completely in love."

"Then I met her in reality. I was, once more, falling in love with her. I thought that, maybe this was the time to finally say it to her. It took me a lot of guts, and a lot of hiding, to say this-"

"-but I love you, Lucy Heartfilia. Right from the very first time we met."

"N - Natsu..."

The pinkette in front of him smiled and came closer, "You're the girl I've been wanting to cour-wait, no. You're the girl I've been wanting to have for so long..."

"But I guess you don't need to wait anymore.." Lucy chuckled as she pulled him into a short kiss.

"It's a good thing we're at the river," said Natsu, "or else we'll be arrested for PDA."

"You're right..." She laughed, "Let's go, shall we?"

"Sure!"

The newly formed couple held hands whilst walking, with Lucy confessing an 'I love you' to Natsu once more.

"Y - You don't have to repeat it!"

"Just admit it," said Lucy, "you can't say it, can you?"

"I - I can!"

"Oh really?"

"I...li..lo..y.."

"See? You can't..." She sighed and released their hands - much to Natsu's displeasure, "You promised to cook dinner, remember?"

"Then I'll cook for you!"

"Oh yeah! I forgot!"

"I'm looking forward to it!"

XXX

"Well..?" asked Natsu as Lucy tried his curry. The latter needed some guarding on cooking, since he almost burned down her kitchen. But him cooking was enough for good entertainment.

"It's a bit overcooked," she said, "but it's good enough."

"Yosh!" The teen grinned and sat down, fidgeting uncomfortably as he muttered something.

"I..I love you.."

"Did you say something?"

"N - Nothing!"

THE END