As we walked out the door I looked to the book Natsu had given me. It was titled Lady Midnight and looked like it would be interesting.
"So, where are we off to next?" I asked as I caught up to him and placed the book in my bag along the way.
"Well, I need to run by a shop down the street and pick something up, then I think we should head to lunch."
"What do you need to pick up?" I asked.
"Actually, that is a surprise. So I am going to drop you off at this candy store and I will come pick you up as soon as I am done." He said as he stopped in front of a huge candy shop, and as he turned me to face him, he leaned down and planted a quick kiss on my lips. "You can go and try to find something that tastes sweeter than you, but good luck," He stated, spinning me around and putting his hands on my elbows to direct me into the sweets store. "I won't be long!" he called as he walked off down the street.
Before I could say a single word, he was already too far away. I watched his bright hair disappear around the corner, and lost all hope of figuring out where it was he was going.
"Hello Miss, were you just with Mr. Dragneel? I heard a voice behind me say.
"Uh, yes, I was." I said, turning to see who was talking to me.
"You must be Miss Lucy then. Nice to meet you." Said an older woman with dark but graying hair.
"Nice to meet you as well." I said with a smile. "How do you know who I am?" I asked.
"Oh, Natsu comes around the shop often. He enjoys the flaming candies we have. He is quite charming so it was no surprise when he told me that he found a young lady to marry." She said with a wide smile. "So the new engagement ring gave you away as well."
I looked down at the ring in question. I hadn't thought much about the ring to be honest. I just put it on every morning along with the rest of my clothing. It was a small and unadorned piece of jewelry that my father had given Natsu to propose with. Natsu hadn't brought a ring because the original plan wasn't to have a ball to showcase a proposal. My father had told me it was the easiest gold band our favored jewelry maker could get us on such short notice.
"Are the flaming candies his favorite?" I asked, because I didn't know how to respond to her knowledge of me and Natsu, or the comment about the ring.
"They sure are. Would you like to try a sample?"
"Uhh, sure. They sound interesting." I said as I followed her to a display case filled with an assortment of candies.
The lady handed me a few pieces of small glassy looking candies, some of which were orange and others red.
"The orange ones are sweet, and the red ones are spicy. You can eat them separately or together, or you could eat several of one, and just one of the other, and mix and match amounts. Typically I will see Natsu will pick through them and eat only the red ones." She said with a chuckle, taking the time to point to the different colored candies and explain them.
"Okay, I see." I said as I picked up a red piece of the shiny round candy, thinking that I may as well get the spicy one out of the way.
As I bit into it, it sounded like breaking glass and then started to pop and crackle. "It sounds like a fire." I said in astonishment around the candy I was eating.
"Yes," she said with a laugh, "that, combined with how they look when you hold them up to the light," and she did just that to demonstrate, and the candy seemed to glow, "is why they were deemed 'Flaming Candy'."
After swallowing the red piece, and deciding that it wasn't bad, but considering that I wasn't really a fan of spicy food, I probably wouldn't eat it again, I popped an orange piece in my mouth. It was like eating a candy orange but with the same broken glass and popping effect of the last one, and I decided immediately that I liked this one more.
"I really like the orange one." I said to the candy lady when I was done chewing.
"Well that's good. Would you like a bag to go with you?" she asked.
"Yes please. I'm sure Natsu would like to have some as well." I said and let her fill a small plastic bag with them, and tie it with a ribbon.
"There you are then." She said when she was done, and handed me the bag.
"How much would that be?" I asked as I placed the candy in my slowly filling purse and dug around for my wallet.
"For you? Nothing. Have a nice day honey." The candy lady said while she tried to wave off my offer of payment.
"No, I couldn't take these and not pay for them." I insisted.
"Consider it a congratulations on your engagement."
"But…" I tried to protest, but was intercepted by a voice behind me.
"Is she trying to give away all of her candy again?" said a familiar bright voice that got closer with each word.
As I turned to see Natsu coming up to talk with us, I noticed that he didn't have a bag or anything to indicate where it was he had gone.
"She tries to give me free candy every time I come in here." Natsu said as he finally reached us, and settled his arm around my shoulders.
"And, this time I have a good reason. Congratulations on your new engagement Natsu. And to think you used to be just a sticky little boy running through here, eating candy until it made you sick." She said with a laugh. "Take the candy young man. Next time I'll be sure and charge you. Go and have a good rest of your day." She said with a dismissive wave and she started to move through the store to go help another customer.
"Well, when you put it that way, I guess we have no other choice." Natsu said, turning to me "I'm afraid if we stay, she will find more embarrassing stories to tell about me." Natsu turned us around and started for the door. "Thank you Margret!" he shouted over his shoulder right before we went out the door.
"Where are we gonna eat lunch?" I asked as we made our way outside and onto the crowded sidewalk. There were slowly starting to be more and more people out and about. I was suddenly glad Natsu had me tucked tightly against him. With his height it was hard for people to not see us. I would have been bumped and tossed around by myself.
"Well, I was thinking we could grab a picnic basket and eat at the park."
If you are an older follower of this story, then thank you for coming back after what? two year of no updates? If you are a new reader, thank you sooo much for taking time to read this story. As always, I appreciate reviews, favorites, follows, anything. Wash your hands and stay safe and healthy during these strange times. -Phantasma