Hiya!
I've decided to take Thanksgiving off (cause I'm Canadian and it was yesterday), and as always I've procrastinated doing anything until almost bed time so here's yesterday's update.
Happy reading!
Lucy laughed at Natsu's pout as they walked home after work on Tuesday. He had just let himself believe he might make it without anyone noticing when Cana and Laki had both dropped on his case. It had all been downhill from there, with relentless teasing from his coworkers and even some regular customers.
"You didn't have to go tell them about it," he mumbled.
"Where would be the fun in that? Everyone knows we're dating, they poked fun at me too," she pointed out.
"At least I did them so no one would see them but me," he still argued.
"I specifically told you not to do them," she countered. "And you sure weren't complaining when I did it."
"I didn't realize you were doing it!" Passerby gave them an odd look at his outburst and Natsu tugged at his scarf, hoping it concealed the hickey on his neck. "Just wait until I get you back," he playfully warned her.
"This is already payback! You can't retaliate!"
"Says who?"
"Says me!"
"You and what army?" he snickered, and she playfully shoved him.
"I hate to break it to you, Natsu, but all of your friends would be on my side."
"That's not…" he stopped to consider her words and groaned. "I have terrible friends," he sighed.
"There you have it. My army." He pouted some more, and she nudged him with a laugh, wrapping her arm around his. "Don't be such a sore loser." She didn't like the mischievous glint in his eyes.
"I'll have my revenge in other ways," he grinned, and she dodged his kiss.
"I told you, you can't retaliate."
"I'm talking about revenge, not retaliation. And trust me, you're gonna love it." Heat shot down her body. She knew that tone, knew that look in his eyes. He looked toward the building and all of that hot and sexy energy left him. "Anna?" he exclaimed, rushing toward her.
"Well, hello there!" she greeted them with a warm smile. He hugged her, not fully able to hide his confusion as she turned toward Lucy to hug her too. "It's nice to see you two again." She looked at both their confused expression. "I did tell you I would be coming on Tuesday," she reminded Natsu.
"I thought you meant next week," he admitted. "We're still moving furniture around."
"Oh, I see. I'm sure I can find an hotel or something."
"No way!" he argued. "I can get it all ready before tonight."
"That's very kind of you, Natsu," she smiled as he opened the door to let her in.
"How long have you been waiting for us?" Lucy asked.
"I just got here a few minutes ago. I had tea with Mavis and Zeref and decided to walk here."
"Isn't he working?" Natsu questioned, his arm outstretched behind her back, ready to catch her as they went up the stairs. Lucy smiled at how thoughtful and protective he was.
"No, he had a business meeting in Acalypha this morning. That's why I came today."
"Well, I'm glad you made it safely," he grinned. "You haven't seen our place yet, have you?"
"No, you were still with Mavis and Zeref when I last visited." They reached the top floor and Natsu unlocked the door to their apartment. As he usually did, he stepped in first and swooped Happy up in his arms when the cat ran for the door, turning to face Anna with a face splitting grin.
"But you remember Happy!"
"I sure do!" She took him from Natsu and petted him lovingly. "Oh, I've missed you, Happy." Lucy smiled at the scene, realizing she had no idea when Natsu had adopted Happy or even how old the cat was. She had been so stuck in her own head when she came here. Happy had just been another part of Natsu's life that she never questioned. Come to think of it, she was lucky Natsu had turned out to be such a good person, considering how blindingly she had just accepted to follow him and become part of his life.
Natsu gently led Anna into the apartment and gave her a quick tour, apologizing for the mess in the bedrooms since they were still figuring it out and were not expecting her so soon.
"Well, how about I get started on dinner while you finish with the rooms?" she offered.
"That'd be great. Thanks, auntie!" So he showed her around the kitchen, mumbling about needing to get more grocery the next day, and assured her he could run to the store and grab whatever else she needed, to which Anna replied she could put something together with what he already had. He thanked Anna with a kiss on her cheek and grabbed Lucy's hand. "Alright Luce, let's get on it then!"
They spent the next couple of hours moving between the rooms, swapping furniture over and moving Natsu's clothes to the other room. She gave him a curious look when he grabbed his bedside table.
"There's already two," she reminded him.
"But I like mine!" he pouted. "Plus, everything is in it already!"
"You mean you don't want to sort through the mess?" she teased him.
"I just wanna keep this one."
"Nope. We cleaned through all of your drawers already, this one isn't gonna be an exception."
"Fine. Then I'll just bring it over and I can sort through it and put it in the other one." She wondered why he was so adamant on not emptying it now – he hadn't minded going through any other of his stuff with her before. Was there something in there he didn't want her to know about? Or something he didn't want Anna seeing?
"Whatever works for you," she sighed, grabbing a few more of his hangers and following back to the other room. She hung his clothes on his side of the closet and moved to sit next to him as he set the bedside table down. "Do you need help with it?"
"There isn't much. I'll do it later." She stared at him, noticing his hesitation. Something he didn't want her to know about, then.
"If there isn't much, then let's get it out of the way now. Come on." He gave a resigned sigh and opened the drawer. It was, unsurprisingly, a total mess. "I'll get the garbage can," she said, shifting to grab it from the other side of the bed. She looked up just in time to see Natsu trying to quickly hide a box at the back of the empty bedside table. She sat up and he glanced at her, knowing she caught him. "When did you buy those?" she asked.
"Err… A couple weeks ago. After Valentine's Day…"
"Why are you trying to hide it from me?"
"I didn't want you to think I was trying to rush or anything," he explained quickly. "I just figured that… you know… we should have some for when we'd need it."
"That's smart," she admitted, and she could have sworn he sagged in relief. "You could have told me just that too, instead of hiding it." He had the decency to look sheepish. "But… Natsu… Why is it already opened, then?" This time he blushed, not quite daring to meet her eyes.
"Well I… uh… You know…" She shook her head. She had no idea what he was so embarrassed about. "I've never… you know… used one before… So I… tried one…" Lucy couldn't help a laugh at his confession, and he crossed his arms with a pout. "Don't make fun of me," he mumbled.
"I'm sorry," she giggled, pulling into a hug. "You're just too damn cute." He huffed in protest. "Natsu, I hope you realize there is nothing weird about buying a box of condoms, right? I mean, if I'm being honest, I'm surprised you didn't have any before."
"It's not like I've ever needed them," he defended himself. "And I did have a couple lying about, but they were expired."
"So you've never… you know…"
"Had sex? No." He almost mentioned he was surprised Cana hadn't said anything, but that would imply telling Lucy that Cana had given him a sex-talk, and he never wanted to have this conversation. Ever. "Did you think I had?"
"Well… Not really. I just didn't want to assume." He nuzzled his face in her neck, seemingly forgetting about her laughing at him.
"You're awesome, you know that?" he whispered against her neck.
"I try," she chuckled, pushing him back to kiss him. "But now enough flattery, you said we could get everything done before tonight, so we need to get on it."
"You know I like it when you boss me around," he teased and she smacked him on the arm, making him laugh.
"Then listen to me!"
"I need more of that… whatcha called it… positive reinforcement?" he requested with a smug smile. And frowned when Lucy looked at him with wide eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Anna's here!" she whispered. Natsu gave her a confused look. "We're not exactly quiet, Natsu," she reminded him.
"We can be," he shrugged.
"Can we?" She saw doubt cross his face. Whether or not they could be quiet, did they really want to risk finding out when Anna was there? It would be one thing if their friends would overhear them – an embarrassing thing, doubtlessly – but Anna was family. To both of them, oddly enough.
"She's gonna be here for two weeks," he reminded her.
"We can do it," Lucy nodded, trying to convince herself. They hardly ever went to sleep anymore without fooling around for a while. Two weeks, sleeping in the same bed, not being able to touch each other without wanting more, would be torture.
"We need to learn to be quiet," Natsu declared. "We can do it."
"Let's start by getting the rooms ready," Lucy caved in, helping Natsu to sort through his bedside table and following him when he brought it back, both of them grabbing more of his things.
By the time dinner was ready, the rooms just needed to be tidied up. Natsu still moved the couch around to set the foldable kitchen table he had ended up buying for evenings with friends.
"You're not really going to eat with that on, are you?" Anna asked, meeting Natsu's confused look. "Your scarf." His hand shot for the fabric, fidgeting with the frayed ends of it.
"I guess not," he admitted, unraveling it and going to hang it by the door. The hair on the back of his neck slightly stuck to his skin with sweat.
"Did you really forget you were wearing it?" Lucy asked.
"He usually does," Anna chuckled. "I've seen him wear it in the summer a few times."
"I like it," he argued.
"I thought you were always hot," Lucy mused, noticing the shift in his eyes. Was his scarf a painful topic too?
"I am, but I still like it," he retorted in a poutier voice.
"Watch your tone, young man," Anna scolded him, and he huffed in reply, ruffling the hair sticking to his neck. "Oh my, what did you do?" she exclaimed, earning yet another confused look from Natsu. Lucy followed her gaze to the hickey she had made on his neck – and if she was being honest, she was pretty damn pleased with it, even if she had to justify to Cana that she had only done it to get back at him. But as Anna's eyes turned to her, she wasn't as pleased with her timing. "Teenagers," she sighed. Lucy blushed, and Natsu clasped his hand on the mark, finally catching up to what was going on.
"It's not…"
"The two of you are old enough to do what you want," Anna interrupted him. "You don't have to justify anything. Just use protection and be safe." They both blushed dark, but still nodded.
...
Natsu and Lucy both managed to change their weekend shifts to early morning. Zeref's truck was waiting for them as they came outside and Natsu bounced in the car, excited at the prospect of dinner with Anna, Mavis and Zeref. So excited he had let himself forget about his motion sickness.
"I don't think I've seen you hop in like that before," Zeref teased as they both buckled up. Natsu looked up with wide eyes as he realized what was going to happen and Zeref chuckled as he started driving. "I can't believe you forgot," he admitted, exiting the parking lot.
"Don't mock me," Natsu mumbled weakly as Lucy rubbed soothing circle on his back. Zeref shook his head and rolled down the back window, Natsu immediately shuffling to hang his head in the air flow. "Thanks," he groaned.
"No problem. How are you doing, Lucy?" he asked, glancing at her in the mirror. Natsu closed his eyes, listening to their small talk to forget about the vehicle moving. He guessed he was lucky that Lucy got along so well with his friends and family. And he guessed it was good that he got along with Lucy's friends too.
Luckily, the ride back to their place wasn't too long. Lucy let Natsu go for a shower first as she sat down with Zeref and Anna.
"I bet Happy is glad that you're here with him," Lucy smiled, looking at the cat curled in Anna's lap.
"So it seems," she agreed. "He always loved to lay on people, ever since he was a kitten. He used to sit on Natsu's head, but he's too big now." Lucy figured it meant Happy had been with Natsu since he was a baby, and if Anna had known him as a kitten, it had been before Natsu moved to Magnolia. Happy stretched and moved toward Zeref, who stood up. Anna pulled the cat back to her. "You know he's allergic to you," she scolded the cat, who meowed in protest.
"You're allergic to cat?" Lucy asked, surprised. "Didn't Natsu live with you for a while?"
"That's part of why he moved out," Zeref admitted, keeping an eye on the cat as he sat back down. "And the main thing we used to fight over."
"Couldn't you keep him for a while?" Lucy asked Anna.
"Natsu wouldn't part with Happy," she replied. "He loves him too much for that. Did he ever tell you how he got him?" Lucy shook her head.
"Of course, he hasn't," Zeref scoffed.
"Lisanna took care of a cat off the street," Anna told her, ignoring Zeref's comment. "She had a litter a few weeks later. The poor thing was still so weak she died, and Happy is the only kitten who survived. Lisanna and Natsu bottle fed him and took care of him. But Lisanna couldn't keep him at home because they had two dogs already and her parents didn't want her having more pets. And Igneel… Well, we never saw Natsu being that disciplined before, so he figured it'd be good for him to have a pet to care for. They've been together for five years, now."
"Six," Natsu corrected, stepping out of the bathroom. "Seven in August."
"Of course," Anna replied. "How come you never told her?"
"Never came up," he shrugged.
"Well, I'm gonna go have a shower now, then we can go," Lucy announced. To her surprise, Natsu was gone when she came out.
"He decided to go ahead on foot," Anna explained when she noticed her searching for him.
"Of course, he did," she chuckled.
And he still beat them there, sitting on the porch with Mavis when they pulled into the driveway, his scarf snuggly wrapped around his neck still, despite the warmer weather. Lucy wondered why he had never worn it when he had taken her in, despite having a few cold days back then. Or maybe she had been too dazed to notice?
As Lucy and Anna left the car, Lucy noticed Mavis's eyes darting between the two of them, her greeting starting warm and ending confused.
"What's the matter?" Zeref questioned her.
"Didn't you notice?" she asked back. "Natsu's two favourites people look quite alike." Zeref turned his eyes back to Lucy and Anna, taking in their similarities.
"They're related," Natsu chirped in with a wide smile. "How cool is that?"
"What?" Mavis exclaimed. "But then Lucy and you…"
"Natsu and I aren't actually blood related," Anna reminded her.
"Blood ties are overrated," Natsu scoffed. "Family is chosen." He grinned, pulling Anna into a strong hug. "You'll always be my auntie. Even if you're Luce's auntie too."
"I love you too, Natsu," she smiled, ruffling his hair.
"Well, I'd love to know more about that," Mavis declared. "Let's go inside." Mavis poured wine and everyone but Natsu indulged in a glass. Zeref teased Natsu about being 'unrefined' and Mavis stepped in before they could really start fighting.
Anna told them what she had told Lucy about Layla leaving home when she was sixteen, the only new they had had since the letter saying she had married and changed her name.
"Was she an Ashley too?" Mavis questioned, making Lucy's heart jump.
"She was indeed," Anna replied.
"You mean that was her maiden name?" Lucy asked in a small voice. Mavis glanced at her.
"Didn't you know?" Anna questioned, and Lucy shook her head.
"But it's your name on social media," Mavis pointed out.
"Ashley is my middle name. I… I had no idea it was her maiden name." Natsu squeezed her hand gently, seeing Lucy reach for her key ring – for the key with Aquarius symbol that hung on it. What more did her mother hide? Lucy had always thought her mother to be a kind and loving person. Yet something had drove her out of her home when she was barely a teenager. She had changed her name and never contacted her family again. Not even after she fell ill. Had not even mentioned them in her will. But she had given her their name for a middle name. In spite of everything, she had given her only daughter a token of the family she had turned her back on. She held onto the key a little tighter, squeezing Natsu's hand back.
...
Lucy was grateful for him standing by her side as she dialed Madam Spetto's number.
"Hello?" her voice replied after a moment. Lucy took a deep breath.
"It's me," she said softly.
"Miss Lucy! Oh, it's so good to hear your voice again! I'm so, so sorry about…"
"It's okay," Lucy interrupted before she could start her rambling. "I was wondering if you could meet me at the mansion tomorrow."
"Of course, Miss Lucy! You will be coming?"
"Yes. I'd like to know about my mother's vault. And there is someone I would like you to meet."
"Do you mean Natsu? I met him a couple of times. He's a fine young man, Miss Lucy. He cares for you."
"Yes, that he does," Lucy smiled at him and he grinned reassuringly. "And he'll be there. But there is someone else. I'll meet you at 3 PM, if that's okay?"
"Of course, of course!" she agreed eagerly. "Would you… Would you be staying for dinner? Natsu and that other person are welcome to stay."
"I believe we will be staying," Lucy assured. There was much she wanted to talk about, despite her anxiousness at returning there.
"There is… something else I should tell you, Miss Lucy."
"What is it?"
"I… I took the liberty of moving all of your belongings to a different room. I don't imagine you would want to return to the old one."
"Thank you," she sighed in relief. "But I'm not coming back."
"I know, I know. But if you fancied taking anymore of your things, I wanted to make it easier on you."
"Thanks a lot. I will see you tomorrow, okay?"
"Sure thing, Miss Lucy. I am looking forward to seeing you."
"Me too," Lucy smiled. "Have a good evening."
"You as well." They both hesitated for a moment, then Lucy pulled the phone away to hang up.
"I'll tell Anna," Natsu told her. She smiled and tilted her head back for his kiss. He knew she needed some time alone.
So that was 46! Poor Natsu and Lucy are gonna have to learn some restraint. Lucy slapped a hickey on Natsu's neck and made sure to point it out so he would get teased. I feel like Natsu would be the kind to pile up on top of a retaliation (which is something I do too cause we quebequers are petty things). Anyway, it's late and bed time so I'll cut the talk short and see y'all next week!
SummeryNights: Cutting you some slack with this chapter, can't be all smut (I mean, it could be, but it's not) ;)
Guest: Yeah, unless you live with other people, there really isn't a point. I guess a robe is as much as one should bother with, if anything at all lol
Copperreign12: I do love the dynamic they have going, it feels really authentic and healthy :)
Fafou14: But how will you ever read all the other goodies if you don't hang around? I've got some other ideas in the work (I just have to put work into it lol)
Lovesmutbabe: I'm glad you enjoy the story and appreciate you took the time to review! Don't we all want a Natsu? That smile get me dead every time, I can't even 3
Valerioux: I mean, it is a NaLu story, but yeah, I want to add some updates about the others when I can. I'm glad the progression feels natural :)
Mushi9: I appreciate your reviews! I'm looking forward to reading Capturing her Damaged Heart but I have no self control so I have to wait until it's done haha
52dreamer52: Natsu is just the growling type lol. Healing was supposed to be the 'Until I find a Title' title, but it was just so fitting with how the story progressed that I stood by it in the end.
