37: Denouement of a Romance
15th April, Sunday. A café somewhere in town, Crocus. 11:45 a.m.
"Lucy?"
"Dan!" The blonde shot up in her seat, nearly knocking her chair over.
The brunette stepped forth, one arm raised in confusion. "Why… Natsu-san…?"
Natsu turned to look up at the female standing next to him. Lucy's tongue seemed to be caught, her eyes wide and unblinking as she stared straight ahead. She was a deer caught in the headlights, and knowing her, it was going to take a while for her to reorganize her thoughts now that she hand been completely thrown off balance. Natsu inhaled deeply and stood up, his hand reaching out towards Lucy's.
"Dan, there's something yo-"
"I didn't know anyone still relied on the forehead to forehead technique to check temperatures."
"What?" Natsu's arms instanly locked stiffly by his side, his fingers curling inwards.
The brunette chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "If you're feeling unwell, Natsu-san, I could take you to a clinic. Or Lucy could. Either way, it'd be much more reliable than that."
Had he not heard? Granted, Lucy had not declared her words but the pinkette had thought that she had been pretty loud. Was that only because his own senses were sharper than the average person? In any case…
"Uhm… no I'm fine. Just feeling a little off today." He laughed weakly back, noting with relief that brunette's answering grin.
The dissipating tension brought Lucy back to her senses, though it still appeared as if she was working to compose her thoughts. As she struggled to bring out a coherent greeting, her words were interrupted by Dan, who made a show of looking around as if searching for something.
"You guys hungry? I'm positively starving. Lu-tan, you made me skip lunch for this urgent meeting. I assume my lunch is on you?"
"I-"
"I'll treat."
"Really?"
Natsu nodded firmly. "I'll treat, so pick any restaurant you want."
"That's mighty generous of you."
The brunette chuckled again. He shot a wink at Natsu just before he turned and strode towards the other end of the street.
"Don't regret what you said."
"I won't."
Turning to regard the blonde, Natsu gently nudged her arm. "C'mon, Luce."
Lunch passed with an awkward note.
Dan had selected a restaurant right in the heart of the bustling city, though the restaurant atmosphere was anything but deafening. Rather, they had secured a table in one of the innermost alcoves of the establishment. Despite them being there smack in the middle of the lunch hour crowd, the place was only partway empty. In light of that, Natsu was quietly grateful that he had his card on him for the prices there were stunning. He didn't know if it was intuition on the brunette's part, but the setting was adequate for the impending talk.
The man had not held back. The steak with truffles had long been cleared away and now he was eagerly working his way through a deep dish of Mediterranean prawns a la carte. Lucy was gingerly forking her spaghetti but appetite was clearly not with her today. Neither was it with him, but Natsu had forced down a hearty fillet mignon just to bolster himself.
There was a clench in his belly now that stemmed not from hunger, but from nervousness at the sight of Dan spooning the last mouthfuls of crème brûlée past his lips. The dessert was the last thing the brunette had ordered, which meant that as soon as the custard was gone…
When Dan looked up the pinkette flinched.
"You guys want anything? I'm going to or-"
"I think that's enough for now."
Lucy's diminutive voice had a note of finality and both men turned to regard her, Dan curious and Natsu slightly fearful. A tiny of part of him was regretting agreeing to accompany her but the rest of him, and as the man who loved Lucy, cowardice was not an option.
A glance told him that although she had intended to initiate, she now had no idea how to proceed. Inhaling, he laid his spoon down and wrapped his fingers around the clenched hand on Lucy's lap. Two seconds later, she reciprocated, and flipped her hand over to interlace her fingers with his.
He noted with a pride the steely glint that slowly entered her eyes.
"I have something important to tell you." Lucy stated clearly, relieved when her voice did not break.
"Alright." Dan laid his own spoon down and leaned forward. "I'm listening."
Taking in a deep breath, Lucy kicked off her spiel in a single go, pausing only to take infinitesimal breaths before she continued. As she spoke, her gestures and emotions became more pronounced, her hands delivering what her words and eyes could not. Natsu did not say a word, or rather, it seemed that Lucy did not want him to say anything. Instead, he laid his hand on her thigh, just as a tiny reminder that he was still there if she ever needed to tag out.
Dan sat there quietly the entire time, his gaze and breathing steady. Too steady in fact, while Natsu was sweating buckets inside. He hardly knew this man, and he feared that he was one of those types who bottled everything up before releasing them all in a Krakatoa-like explosion that left corpses in its wake.
Lucy had started off with their history, a basic recap of how they had met, fallen in love and gotten married, only to divorce 3 years later. The details of the split she omitted, and for that the pinkette was eternally grateful. When she time-skipped to the part where she learnt that she would be working side-by-side with Natsu, only then did the brunette bat an eyelid, but still he remained silent.
The events of their tumultuous reconciliation she summarized, but when she had finally caught up with the present moment, her breathing was mildly hurried, her hair slightly tousled, and her eyes a little manic. Her energy sapped, Lucy dropped her arms to her sides. Natsu's own hand reached over, and he closed his fingers tightly between hers. There was a small answering smile in his peripheral vision. The exchange was not missed by the brunette.
Natsu saw the slightest twitch in Dan's lips, though if it was a smile or frown, he did not know.
The air around their table grew silent again as the tension started to seep back in. Dan had his eyes on the table, Lucy had hers on Dan, and Natsu glanced back and forth between them both.
"… How long…?"
"What?"
"I mean…" He seemed to struggle with words for a moment. "… that you've known that you've not… stopped…"
"Loving him?"
Dan flinched. "Yes."
Lucy bit her lip, melancholic eyes downcast. "I think… I've always known. I mean… I've lived 2 years of my life hating him. Even when I was with you, there was always one part of me that kept on despising him. And…"
Natsu twitched when he felt her sharp nails dig into his skin.
"And if… if I had truly forgotten him, I don't think that my heart would have remained so consumed by him."
"I see."
"I did not mean to lead you on." She implored, hands flying out to grip the brunette's wrists, her eyes dewy.
"Please believe me. The only reason I kept you in the dark is because I… I did not know how to tell you. I was- am- eternally grateful to you for pulling me back onto my feet, and I will always treasure you for all the things that you've done for me but I can't- I…"
"You can't love me." He continued.
Dan's dark eyes had also taken on an imploring gleam, as he waited for Lucy to correct him, but that was just him being in denial again.
He had heard her earlier confession, and if he was honest to himself, some part of him had already known that their relationship was tenuous. It was doubtless that it had been an unrequited romance from the very start but as was his nature, Dan had been hopeful.
The blonde had grown increasingly distant the past few weeks, rarely to never did she contact him. He had not been sure if she was aware of it but she mentioned Natsu very often whenever they talked. It was not a love story unheard of, two people detesting one another till the other party was all that possessed their heart. Given the right trigger, that all-consuming hatred could easily segue into passion. What Lucy had just spent a good half hour confessing was just something that he had suspected himself.
He could not have guessed, however, that the Accursed for whom she bore such a grudge turned out to be this same man.
Dan turned to regard Natsu. He figured he had a good idea of what sort of man Natsu Dragneel was. Their chance encounter, his conversations with Lucy, and the little things that he had picked up whenever he talked with Mara allowed him to cobble together a picture, albeit superficial, about the man. The older redhead liked the pinkette very much, Dan was sure of that. If nothing else, Dan knew that he could trust her judgment of people. After all, she was the one who had introduced Dan to a mysterious blonde.
Dan wondered what Mara would say if she knew that her well-meaning introduction would lead to him getting his heart broken in the end. Eyeing Natsu now, Dan pursed his lips in silent contemplation.
The pinkette was antsy but he was neither faltering nor fleeing. Natsu's dark eyes held his own steadily even as his hands clutched Lucy's. The man's gaze clearly held contrition, but it also bore a burning determination and strength that made it clear he was not going to give in and return the blonde to him.
Dan smothered a chuckle. Return seemed less apt a choice than relinquish. Lucy had never belonged to him even when she had belonged to him. How sly she was. Sighing, he rose in his seat.
Instantly, the couple shot up along with him. Lucy was clutching the table edge tightly as he slid on his coat.
"Where are you going?"
"Lunch has ended."
"Uhm… about…"
"Oh yeah. Natsu."
"Yes?"
"Don't worry about the bill. I'll cover it."
"What? I promised earli-"
The brunette waved a nonchalant hand. "Forget it. Most of the food was mine anyway. About your share of the bill…" He looked straight at Lucy and his smile slipped.
"I'll take in Lucy's time."
"Wha-" Instantly, Natsu's hand twitched in the blonde's direction.
"Relax." Dan chuckled. "I'll be sure to return her in one piece to you."
"Oh."
"Tomorrow."
Natsu tensed but a gentle touch on his arm gradually eased the tension from his body. Lucy was shaking her head, a warm smile playing on her lips.
"I'll see you in the office tomorrow."
Natsu leaned in. "I'll wait for you back at your apartment. We'll head back together."
"Don't be silly. You forget that I'm expecting Cobra tomorrow at 10. Even if I take the earliest train back, I'll not make it in time."
"But-"
Lucy touched her fingers to his chest. "Trust me. I can take care of myself."
She was not going to change her mind.
"Fine. But…" Natsu turned towards Dan, his eyes narrowing.
"I may feel guilty about taking Lucy away from you but that does not mean I'll let it go if you hurt her in any way."
Dan smiled. "Scary."
"I mean it." The pinkette growled, irked. "If you so much as do anything against her will-"
"I will not hurt her."
"You promise."
The flippancy in Dan's eyes was replaced by solemnness. "Lucy is as dear a friend to me as she is the woman I love. I will not hurt her."
Lucy let out a sigh of relief when she saw the grudging acquiescence in Natsu's onyx eyes.
"Fine. I'll hold you to that. One last thing though…"
"Yes?"
"This."
Natsu snatched the bill book from the surprised brunette's hand. "This is mine." He then stalked away without a second glance.
"He's really stubborn." Dan chuckled.
"Yes, he is."
"Well, shall we go?"
"Where to?"
"The park."
They spent a good 4 hours walking around before they finally turned into the park blooming at the other end of the city. The park's central bell tower that loomed above their heads tolled its resonant gongs, as it heralded the sixth hour past noon.
Dan stepped forth past the gates and inhaled deeply as he let the fresh air widen his smile.
"Do you remember this place?"
"You know I do." Lucy smiled as she took in the vista arcing out around her. "You brought me last year. It was much colder that day though."
"It snowed."
"That was a surprise." Dan laughed. "It doesn't usually snow that early in the year."
"It was a good surprise… though having to deal with cold and wet clothing after that wasn't exactly how I planned to end the day."
"Lucy."
"Yeah?"
"Come here for a while."
"Whe- oh."
Without waiting for her reply, Dan grabbed onto her wrist and pulled her in towards him. His arms came up to wrap around her back and waist, holding her tight against him. Lucy instantly turned a light pink, and her gaze darted around behind him. The park was hardly ever deserted on a balmy Sunday afternoon and there were already a few pairs of eyes lingering on them.
"Dan… what-?"
"Just let me hold you."
"I-"
"It'll just be for a moment. I promise."
Lucy blinked a few times as she recovered from her initial surprise, and as her mind cleared, the first thing she noticed was the musky scent wafting up from his coat. It was intermingled with another – light and clean, it was the one that perfumed him after a shower.
Dan was a full head taller than her so his body was hunched over as he buried his head in her neck. His brown hair curled over her shoulder and around her cheek, the strands soft against her skin. Slowly, her arms rose to wrap themselves around his back.
"Please don't."
"Huh?"
"Your hands," he continued in a soft voice. "Don't hug me."
"You sure?"
"Yes. If you hug me, it'll just make me feel worse."
"I'm sorry."
"You should be. Everybody knows I'm such a great catch. I'm handsome, charming, smart… I have a great apartment and an even better job… and you of all people should know how many ladies' eyes I have caught."
Lucy had a brief recollection of the glares of dagger she had received at the workplace when they had first started going out.
"I know."
"And you're still not interested?"
"… I'm sorry."
Dan's arms tightened around her to an almost unbearable extent but Lucy did not even flinch.
"What does he have that I do not?"
"I don't know…"
"That's not good enough an answer for me."
"I- Dan-"
"Lucy."
"I really don't know. I don't even understand myself. He's brash, and he's reckless and way to willing to start a fight with just about anyone."
The blonde sighed deeply as she looked skyward.
"He's the most petty and the most childish man I have ever met. He's careless with money and he's loud and just awful at anything that requires even the slightest level of decorum or care. But…"
"Here it comes." Lucy felt the upward tilt of Dan's mouth against her neck.
"When he's at work, I've not seen greater concentration in anyone else. And he's intelligent, and creative and clever even in the things you would not expect anyone to be good at. And… although he talks like a fool and behaves like an absolute moron somet– most times– he's also… just the most… amazing man I know."
Lucy took a deep breath before continuing in her soft voice.
"When we first met, he blew me away. With both his unexpected talents and his stupidity… but mostly with his stupidity."
Dan smothered a chuckle, but the trembling reverberated through her body.
"And you fell for him."
"I did."
"I always thought you were too accommodating to the standup comic trio Trimens. Turns out you have a soft spot for idiots."
Lucy laughed softly in reply before she gently laid her head against his. "I'm really sorry, Dan. For everything."
"You can stop apologizing now."
"I'll feel like shit if I do."
"The feeling's mutual."
"What?"
Dan pushed away and gazed down at her confused face. Lucy's eyes widened when he gave an exaggerated sigh.
"Wh-what?"
"Forgot how pretty you are."
"Dan!"
"Sorry. What I mean is, I don't want you to keep apologizing. It sounds like you're feeling sorry for me."
"That's not it, you know that."
"I do, but Lucy, I'd much rather you look at this as a new start for you, and for me. You've wasted 2 years holding off on a relationship with the man who clearly is the love of your life. Don't waste your newfound freedom focused on feeling guilty."
"What about you? Will you… will you be alright?"
"Not for a long while." He confessed, chuckling.
"So-"
"Hush. I'll be fine. You know that I'm a resilient man. Besides, I'm popular with the ladies. Won't take me long at all to find some other beauty."
"I… I hope so."
"In fact, I already have one."
"You're just trying to make me feel less guilty." She swatted at him.
"I don't need to lie when it comes to my ability to attract women."
"Ass."
"Hey, she came onto me. All I did was be my usual chivalrous self and helped her with some heavy luggage."
For some reason, his words resonated in her mind, poking at some memory tucked away in the recesses of her brain.
Ah well.
"Alright... At least that make me a little relieved."
"Well, now that that's settled… Walk me back? I live nearby." Dan grinned, as he extended his arm. Smiling, Lucy looped her own around his.
"I know."
Hope that placates some of the more irritated readers about how Lucy has been a complete bitch… in all honesty, there was poor planning on my part for the past few chapters. I swear to Mavis, Dan had really slipped my mind. ¡Lo siento mucho!
Sam.