Chapter 8: So, You're In Love?
When he first saw that women, Natsu wanted to immediately be friends with her.
There was something about her Natsu couldn't place. Maybe it was the way her eyes sparkled like lapis or how shiny her hair was. Her clothes were ordinary but she made it seem like she was a model or something, wearing the newest type of clothing around.
Or maybe just how much like a goddesses she looked.
Wendy had noticed his staring and chuckled, thinking back to the romance books she used to read in 8th. Her favorite one was a classic: Romeo and Juliet - though, it's slightly ironic. Shakespeare had said that he never meant for them to be shipped. But it was beautifully sad when they gave up for their lives for each other.
She smiled and perused the role of innocent little cousin. "Why are you smiling?" She asked, drawing out her words. Natsu looked down, shocked. He didn't realize Wendy was that perceptible to emotions.
"I wasn't smiling, I was only thinking of something funny that Gr- someone told me earlier," He said. The freshman smirked, huffing out a little amused wind. "Uh huh, and I'm totally good at math. You're thinking of someone, aren't you!" Wendy's smile grew in satisfaction as Natsu coughed, coming to a complete stop.
He regained his regular strength, thought he didn't get rid of the blush fully, and decided to give Wendy his own teasing. "How would you know? Do you have a crush on someone?"
Wendy shook her head profusely, her eyebrows knitting together so dramatically tight Natsu found it slightly amusing. "Uh huh, then how can you tell?" He said. The little teen had sighed and blushed, bringing up her arm to do the cliche "anime girl gotta blush" pose.
"I read a lot of romance books! One of my favorites I read over the summer was this one called As If You Couldn'tGet More Beautiful. It was about these two guys. One was trying to overcome trauma from a car accident while the other is a person on death row. They met in the prison because the trauma guy was like accused of drinking and driving and- and- goodness, you probably think I'm stupid, right? I'm sure no one wants to hear about my book selections," Wendy drew out her breath, dwindling it down to a whisper.
Natsu grew ashamed, and bit his lip. She probably got bullied at her old school for liking books, and most likely, Erza and Gray would do the same. Even though, Erza has a full bookshelf dedicated to the YA genres and Gray has a few books in his room from the horror genre. If anything comes up like that, I'll protect her, he thinks.
"I think it's fine. What other books have you read over the summer?" He asked, lifting his voice to the bounciest degree to cheer her up. Wendy looked up, surprised, then grinned. "Is this to distract me so I don't tease anymore, Natsu?" She asked. The older teen pretended to be bashful, acting as if Wendy totally found out all his secrets.
"Oh, phooey, you've caught onto me! Now I guess I just have to walk home alone...," He pouted. Continuing on the act, he shuffled his feet against the concrete, hunched in a similar fashion as the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
"Natsu!" Her voice rang out against the walls as Wendy giggled, throwing herself at Natsu. She collapsed and fitted into his back with a large hug, nestling in. "I'm so so so so sorry! I didn't mean to-"
"Relax, Wen. I was joking. Now, tell me about those books," He said. Wendy hummed, thinking of the right one before lighting up. Her devious little smile slipped onto her face.
"You know, I've read a book similar to this one. It's called, What If We Never Have Each Other by Layla Heartfilia. I know, it's an old book - written in the early x780's - but it's insanely good. There's these two characters, Heidi LeVerte and Sid Dast, and they meet in college. Heidi's friends are ugly people and like to make fun of people a lot. She also does as well. Sid, however, is an Angel. Funny, smart, kind - and he helps her understand that she doesn't need her friends. But at the end of the book, Sid wants to transfer to a new school. Heidi yells at him to never leave her and slips into her toxic tendencies, slapping him. He leaves, forever, and Heidi is left crying into her pillow," She finished.
The subject of her statement had drained out any and all energy she once inhabited, but after she was finished, a small smile tugged at her lips at the sight of Natsu. He puts her down, the glassy tears obscuring his vision, and shares a sad smile.
"You knew I was friends with Erza and Gray, didn't you? When did you find out?" He said. The younger teen nibbled on her nails, searching Natsu's eyes for any semblance of disgust. "When they were fixing me up earlier, I saw you sit down with them. You seemed happy to greet them - giving Erza a sweet little hug, bumping fists with Gray - and I was confused,"She admitted.
His eyebrows fled into his hair. "Confused?" Wendy nodded. "Mostly because you seemed cool, like a good person. Rather than hanging out with them, I thought you'd come to us." Natsu looked around; thank goodness this was the desolate street in all of Magnolia, it would kill his pride for someone to see him cry.
"You think I'm a good person, even though I hang out with those two?"
"I mean, you must've seen something in them before, no?"
"Well... we were childhood best friends. It was us three against the world. So many others tried to be out friends, but we strictly remained to each other."
"In elementary school, Erza loved to control recess and made it a point to make sure everyone cleaned up well. Gray... heh, Gray was kinda like the baddy even at a young age; he would love to go make messes to spite her even though he'd get beaten with an Expo marker. Middle school, Erza was still Queen Perfectionist - but with a twist. She started commenting on other people's clothes, saying that leather doesn't match stripes. Gray used his newfound muscles to intimate people. We had the large groups of friends from elementary school flocking to us, and I guess we became the popular kids? I don't know. We still have them too: Kagura kinda followed around Erza because she saved her from on a bully one, Sting and Rogue are kinda my cousins?"
"I'd like to meet them!"
"No. Sting's even more of an asshole than me and Gray, which is saying a lot."
"But in high school, I don't know what happened. Erza was almost at Regina George level of popular, Gray was known as the King of Parties. And I, was known as their friends. I knew bullying was morally wrong, yes, but I did it anyway. A few times, we shoved people in lockers. If people had an anime shirt, we called them a pervert. If people could do something better than us, wed say that it was only because they cheated."
Wendy let the conversation sink in, surveying Natsu with a leveling eye. She pressed herself up against the wrought, iron gate and finally spoke. "Natsu, you did that?" He simply answers yes. "Have you told Uncle Igneel? Their parents?"
Ur, Irene, and Igneel. Three of the most loving, caring parents in the world. Well, save for Irene. They'd always be ready to lay out the Royal carpet if any of them planned to sleep over. Last year, Igneel cooked for them a whole buffet for Natsu's birthday and a tiny little cake to go with it.
"No. We never mentioned anything to them. One because some of our parents are away a lot. My dad had to work like 20 hours a day to run the restaurant, not to mention he's been trying to settle the contracts for the second restaurant coming in March. Ur's also insanely busy with the dojo and Irene - well, she's a government official."
Concern flitted over her features and she stepped off the iron to meet Natsu again. "They're that busy?" Natsu nodded. "This is dad's first night home in a very long time. Since like last month." The older teen brushed off some salty tears. "Natsu, I'm so sorry. You are a good person- I promise!"
He scooped her up in a little hug and held her tight. It was comforting for someone to care about him because clearly, no one else does. Wendy tried to reciprocate with the same strength as Natsu did, her own tears escaping. Together, they were wetted n in the tears of suffering.
He finally let her go and set her down, realizing this can't go on for ever. Wendy was surprised by the sudden left down but looked back at Natsu and understood why. They continued to walk down the avenue, bowing their heads in fear of pride and embarrassment.
"Hey, I just wanted to let you know, I saw you looking at Juvia today," Wendy started, her voice petite. She studied at his clouded expression and went on. "The point of trying to bring up that book earlier wasn't to let you know I knew you were friends with Gray and Erza. It was more to finally get you to understand you're in love."
Natsu dropped the clouds and stared at Wendy with those bloodshot eyes. "You're saying I'm in love, Wendy?" She nodded. "With Juvia?" She nodded again, except with more vigor.
"I hound found her to be beautiful, that's all. Her eyes kinda sparkled like the ocean and those curls! Oo, Wendy, those curls! She looked like a goddess!" Natsu's expression turned sunny again, a faraway look in his eyes that Wendy thought was probably the ocean. "So, you're in love with her. But you couldn't get it the first time with my book selection," She said.
"So, you're calling me stupid?!"
"No, no, no! I'm just saying you couldn't get it the first time, that's all!"
He huffed, looking towards the street. "I think you should start winning her love. You know, like one of those Greek mythology stories." Natsu rolled his eyes. "I nearly fell asleep when we read those last year." It was Wendy's turn to play the exasperated teen. "Well, how about this. We start off with cookies, and gradually make our way to proposal!"
"Proposal?!"
The few people on the street turned to him with horror, and it took Natsu a second to realize that he was a teen and proclaiming professions of love. He waved his arms immediately and they turned back.
"Look, Wen, it's way too early to say proposal. We're both teens and we know literally nothing about each other," Natsu reprimanded. Wendy blew out. "Fine fine, I was only saying that for the future, anyway."
"So, I'm intrigued by this cookie thing," Natsu said after a while. "You think that's a good starting point?" She, again, nodded vigorously. "Uh huh, everyone loves cookies. Just make sure you sign your name, it shouldn't become a game of cat-and-mouse," She said.
Over in the horizon, the Dragneel Mansion started to synthesize against the warm colors of the sunset. 'Hm, we must've already passed Rich Man's Drive.' Wendy oohed and awed with excitement, bubbling over at the prospect of living in a gorgeous home like that. He was like that too when they first moved in.
"That's your home, Natsu?!" She yelled. Natsu took another look and felt his stomach swell with pride.
"Of course, the one and only Dragneel Mansion. Welcome to our humble abode!" Natsu exclaimed, drifting Wendy in after saying hello to one of the servants.
The first thing Wendy asked when she got in was, "Where was your kitchen?"
Haha, so, intense chapter? Yeah, sorry bout that. We have more Lore though of Gray and Erza and Natsu, though! And we finally begin the book!
Have a nice day/night and I'll see you in the next chapter. Bye~!