Summary: Lucy was a good person, down to her core. So, when she saw someone she thought was in need, she decided to help them. Little did she know, sometimes things weren't as they appeared. Modern AU, spin on one of my favorite tropes.
Rated T for foul language and adult situations.
Genre: Humor, Friendship, Romance
Word Count: 5.8K
It's the thought that counts
"Yeah, I shouldn't be too long," Lucy said, her phone pressed against her ear. "I'm just going to pick up the book I was telling you about."
"Lu, you and I both know you're not going to just pick up a book. When was the last time you spent less than twenty minutes in a bookstore?"
Lucy found herself stifling a laugh, knowing Levy was right. She was notorious for spending hours at a bookstore, combing through countless shelves to add to her overflowing collection. She couldn't help it. Levy tried convincing her to switch to e-books, telling her it would save space. Lucy didn't give in.
There was something about holding a book in her hands, turning the crisp or worn pages that made her soul feel alive. She preferred real books, and she was positive nothing was going to change that.
"Okay, so maybe I'll browse a little." Lucy walked down the sidewalk, hearing the busy traffic all around her. She could have taken her car, but what fun was that? The weather was beautiful and her body craved excitement. She didn't receive that driving the short distance from her house to the bookstore. It was boring even if she took the scenic route, which involved driving past Lucy's favorite local bakery where a lovely redhead sold the best homemade cakes in Magnolia.
Lucy's stomach growled, but she ignored it. She could swing by that bakery on her way back since it wasn't too far out of the way. She just hoped it would still be opened by the time she left.
"You're ridiculous," Levy teased, a soft giggle traveling through the line. "Oh, Gajeel's here. Gotta go!"
"Have fun!"
Lucy heard the girl say her goodbye before the phone hung up, leaving Lucy by herself. She didn't mind being alone. After growing up with her negligent father, Lucy had grown to enjoy her own company. She could spend the whole day by herself and not get bored. Sure, she liked having friends around, but if she had to be by herself, she was content too.
Lucy crossed the street when it was her turn, looking up at the sign to one of her favorite restaurants. Their delicious meals and great staff earned them Lucy's business. Whenever she got to pick the place her friends would hang out at for dinner, she always chose 'Fairy Tail'. It was convenient for her too, seeing as it was a short walk from her house.
Lucy didn't think anything of it when she glanced at the large windows of the restaurant, seeing the patrons gathered at tables. One particular man caught Lucy's eyes, her brows raising when she noted his brightly colored hair. She couldn't help but wonder if it was naturally pink or if he dyed it. Either way, she found it intriguing. She looked to see who he was eating with, eyes widening when he saw the seat was vacant.
She looked at the man, seeing him sip a glass of water. Her cheeks tinted pink when she noticed he was attractive, but she couldn't appreciate his features too much, her eyes tearing away from the scene a second later.
'It's none of my business,' she told herself, continuing her journey. 'His date is probably running late.'
Lucy pushed the image of the man out of her head, replacing it with the idea of venturing around the bookstore. She had one book in mind she wanted to buy, but that didn't mean she wasn't open to the idea of getting more. Her chest filled with excitement as the store's sign came into view, her pulse picking up just as her feet did the same.
Lucy laughed at herself as she left the bookstore, one hour later. She had found the book she was looking for immediately, but between the free cookies they were passing out and the new releases, Lucy found herself entranced, forgetting about the outside world.
Reality came crashing down when Lucy noted the sun had fallen, streetlamps lighting the sidewalks. She didn't worry about walking alone at night. Magnolia was a safe place, and she was in a busy area. Someone would have to be crazy to attack her on her way home. Besides, if someone decided to take that chance, she had her handy pepper spray in her purse, ready to use if she needed it.
Walking home felt different from walking to the bookstore. There were less people and cars, but the buildings around her seemed more livelier. Every window was glowing from the lights inside, letting her see more than she did earlier.
Lucy considered taking a different street home. It would take her by the bakery, but she had her fill with the cookies from the shop. She decided to stay on course, a direct path towards her neighborhood.
Lucy saw Fairy Tail's sign again, causing her to think about that pink haired man. She figured he was long gone by now, or perhaps at the end of his meal. She peeked into the window when she passed, her feet stopping when she caught sight of the inside.
Lucy's heart dropped when she saw the frown on the man's face as he stared down at his phone. He tapped away at it before setting it face down on the table. In front of him was the single glass of water and a basket of breadsticks, at least half of them eaten judging by how many the restaurant usually brought to a table.
She swallowed, piecing the situation together in her mind. It wasn't too hard seeing as she read many stories over it. She came to one logical conclusion.
'He's been stood up.'
Lucy watched as the waitress came up, saying something to him. The man lifted his phone as he shook his head. The waitress nodded before leaving, causing the man to stare down at his phone as his frown grew.
Lucy's chest tightened, imagining the pain and embarrassment that man was feeling. She had been stood up before, so she knew how humiliating it could be. She was about to leave and hope for the best, but she couldn't do it. Lucy didn't want that man to suffer anymore than he already had. She stuffed her three books into her purse before taking a deep breath, thinking she was crazy for even entertaining the idea floating around in her head.
However, despite it being crazy, Lucy found herself walking back towards the entrance, her heart hammering as she entered the restaurant. She was greeted by a host who asked her how many was in her party, but she gave the man a dismissive wave before looking at the dining area.
"Actually, I'm meeting someone," she lied, finding the back of the pink haired man's head. She pointed to him before hurrying on her way, not hearing what the host had to say.
Lucy didn't have to rehearse her lines. She had read them many times before in fanfictions. It was one of her favorite tropes after all. She walked right up to the man before opening her mouth, her brain telling her it wasn't too late to change her mind, but she ignored it.
"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry I'm late! I got held up in traffic!"
The man jumped as he turned around, green eyes wide as he took in the sight of Lucy. She offered him a large smile, hoping she sounded convincing. Heat flooded her cheeks as she leaned in, wrapping her arms around the stiff man. She whispered, hoping no one else would hear but him. "My name's Lucy. Go with it."
She pulled back, seeing he hadn't relaxed. 'He's probably surprised. I would be too if I was in his shoes.'
Despite that thought, Lucy went to sit down in the vacant seat across from him. She put her bag on the ground, tucking it under the table. When she met his gaze, her breath hitched, realizing how handsome the man really was.
His pink hair was spiky, some of the locks brushing over his forehead in bangs. His emerald eyes were piercing, making her heart flip when he narrowed them at her. He opened his mouth, allowing her to see his sharp canines. She gulped, wondering if she was in over her head, but she stayed planted in her seat, wanting to rescue him from embarrassment.
"How was your day?" she asked before he could get a word out, causing him to blink a few times.
"Uh... Good?" The man cocked his head as he leaned back, his brows furrowing in confusion. Lucy didn't notice, her brain trying to grasp the concept of how perfect his voice sounded. It wasn't too deep or high, having just enough roughness to give her goosebumps. "You?"
"Great," Lucy said, keeping her voice cheery. "I got a few new books today. You know how much I love to read."
He raised a brow before the corners of his lips twitched into a smile. She guessed he decided to 'go with it' when he said, "Oh yeah. You're a reading maniac."
While Lucy wouldn't use those words to describe herself, she was happy he was playing his part. She wanted to save his evening, and part of that meant he had to pretend to be her boyfriend just as much as she was pretending to be his girlfriend.
"Glad you haven't ordered yet," Lucy started, running a hand through her blonde hair in an attempt to seem flirty. She kept herself from cringing when she felt a knot, wanting to appear calm and confident. She wiggled her fingers free, settling for keeping them in her lap. There was no menu on the table, making her wonder why the waitress hadn't delivered any. He had been there for at least an hour.
'Maybe the waitress took them away after a while when they realized his real date wasn't coming?' Lucy could only speculate since she had no knowledge of this man.
"Why's that?" he asked, relaxing in his chair. He grabbed one of the breadsticks from the basket, tearing off a piece with his teeth before chewing on it.
Lucy fought off a blush, wondering how he managed to look attractive while he ate. "I'm starving. I was hoping we could eat at the same time."
"I see," he said, his voice full of amusement. It confused Lucy, but she didn't get a chance to ask him what was so funny. "Well, I guess I can get something while I'm here. These breadsticks are pretty filling though."
Lucy furrowed her brows, wondering what he meant before. It sounded as if he wasn't there to eat in the first place, but that made no sense. Who went to a restaurant without the intention to eat?
Before she could ask, a waiter walked up, his hair as dark as the night sky and his eyes a deep blue. He looked disgruntled, his shoulders sagging as he sauntered over to the table. She thought maybe the waitress from before had left and this new guy was taking over, but Lucy realized she was wrong soon enough.
"Hey man, sorry it took so long. Someone called out so I had to fill in until they got someone else to come in. I should be ready to go in like five minutes."
Lucy's pretend date shook his head, waving the waiter off. "It's cool. Mira let me hang out here 'til you got off."
"Well, it shouldn't be too much lon—" The waiter paused when his eyes flitted to Lucy, one of his dark brows raising when he finally noticed her. He looked back to the man with pink hair, his tone more cautious than before. "Who's this?"
Lucy opened her mouth, ready to ask if the two knew each other -which seemed silly given how obvious that answer was, but she was cut off when her 'date' shrugged.
He looked at Lucy, his green eyes gleaming as he said, "This girl thought I was stood up. She came to rescue me I guess?"
Lucy's smile dropped like a ton of bricks, her stomach twisting as the waiter set his eyes on her again. "Is that so?" he asked, a wicked smile surfacing on his face. "Well can you blame her? Look at you. Who'd want to go out with you?"
"Oi!" the man said, glaring at the waiter. "I could get stood up if I wanted!"
"Do you hear yourself when you talk? That made no sense."
"Shut up! At least I had someone come try to help me out. That didn't happen when you got stood up!"
"That was two years ago! Give it a rest!"
Lucy's jaw went slack as she fumbled for words, not knowing what to say. She listened as the two men bickered at each other, grabbing the attention of everyone nearby. Heat crawled up Lucy's chest and neck, her skin turning a bright red as embarrassment set in. She wanted to save this man from humiliation, but it turned out she was the only one looking like a fool.
"I-I'm sorry," Lucy said as she stood, the chair uncooperative as she tried to push it back. She struggled with it, feeling sweat bead on the back of her neck. "I didn't realize you were, oh wow." It was hard to breathe, her chest constricting and pulse racing. "I'm... I'm gonna go."
She tried walking past them, but a warm hand grabbed her wrist just as the man sitting down said, "Wait."
Lucy shook him loose, unable to meet his gaze. "No, sorry. I-I didn't mean to mess up your night." Without saying another word, she rushed out, her eyes pricking as fresh tears built up. She felt everyone staring at her as she exited the restaurant, her feet carrying her in the opposite direction of her house so she wouldn't walk past Fairy Tail's large window.
She kept her head down as she walked, following the familiar path to Magnolia's largest park. The streetlamps kept it bright enough to guide her way, which was welcomed seeing as her vision was blurred with tears. She couldn't remember a time she had been more humiliated. She put herself out there to try to help a stranger, only to end up looking like an idiot.
"I'm so stupid," Lucy muttered, taking a seat at a secluded bench before resting her elbows on her knees. She dropped her head into her open palms, wiping away her tears before supporting her head. "I can't believe i just did that. What the hell was I thinking?"
'I was trying to be helpful,' she thought, but it brought her no comfort. 'That's what I get for trying to play hero. I bet that guy's laughing at me. I deserve it. It wasn't any of my business.'
More tears formed, but they didn't have a chance to fall since she wiped them away. She swallowed thickly, forcing herself to calm down. It may have been nighttime, but she was still in public. Her father would scold her for making a scene like that.
"I should just go home," Lucy mumbled to herself, standing up to head out of the park. She took the long way to her house, avoiding the restaurant. She doubted they would be there now, but she didn't want to take that risk. If she never saw that handsome stranger again, it would be too soon. She didn't want the chance of him actually making fun of her to her face. She berated herself enough over the idea of it happening.
She didn't want to see it come to life.
When Lucy entered her neighborhood, she reached for her keys in her purse, eyes growing wide when she realized she wasn't carrying it. Her feet stopped moving, her heart dropping when she thought about the last place she remembered seeing it. It was at Fairy Tail, but she didn't want to go back there.
She shook her head, deciding it would be better to go retrieve her purse later. It had her keys, wallet, and phone in it, but that wasn't enough to get her to turn around.
'I'll ask Levy to go in and get it for me tomorrow. I'm sure she won't mind.' After what happened tonight, Lucy never wanted to step foot in that restaurant again. That waiter was sure to tell the other staff, thus making that place too risky for her to visit. If she wanted their food that bad, she could always order it to-go and have someone else pick it up. Anything was better than dealing with that embarrassment again.
Lucy took a deep breath before walking towards her house, hoping Levy was home from her date. If her roommate wasn't there, she would have to wait outside until then. 'Unless Levy's spending the night at her boyfriend's again. I wouldn't know since I have no phone.'
Lucy thought about trying to climb in the laundry room window. They kept it unlocked for emergency entries, but the space was small and she would have to push the screen through. It would be worth it if it meant getting into her house so she could curl in her bed. She could cuddle with her dog, Plue, while watching TV since her new books were in her purse.
'I really messed up. I should have just stayed in my lane.'
Lucy stepped onto the porch, her eyes trained on the door as she knocked. She didn't bother looking around, only thinking about getting inside. When there was no answer, Lucy went to knock again, jolting when she heard the wood in her porch creak from someone else's step.
She whirled to the side as she held up her hands, ready to fend off an attacker to the best of her abilities. She let out a scream on instinct, causing the figure to flinch.
"What the hell?!" an eerily familiar voice asked, taking a step back.
"Don't come near me! I'll... I'll hurt you!" Lucy fibbed, hoping he would just leave her alone. If she needed to, she would scream again, hoping to get a neighbor's attention.
"How're you gonna hurt me if I got your pepper spray?" the voice asked, his tone a cross between amused and startled.
Lucy blinked, her heart sinking when she lowered her hands, allowing her to see the stranger. The first thing she saw was pink hair, followed by those deep green eyes. "Oh no," she mumbled, shaking her head as she closed her eyes. "No no no!"
The man from the restaurant chuckled. "Yes?"
Her eyes snapped open, the first question in her mind spilling past her lips. "What are you doing here?!"
He lifted a hand, her purse dangling by its strap. "Jeez, I was just returnin' your bag. Didn't think I'd get yelled at."
Lucy looked from her purse to the man, her body tensing when she asked, "How... how did you find me?!"
The man let his hand down, seeing as she wasn't attempting to get close enough to take her purse. "Your address is on your driver's license." He offered her a smile, but it did little to settle her rapid heartbeat. "I figured you were gonna have to come here eventually."
Instead of explaining himself further, the man sat down on her porch steps, digging through her purse to pull out one of her books. "This one's pretty good by the way. Kinda mushy for my taste, but it's still decent."
"You read my book?!" Lucy asked, as if the answer wasn't obvious.
"What?" He shrugged, giving her a fanged smile. "I got bored. Figured it was better than going through your phone." His eyes widened when Lucy flinched, shaking his head as he returned to her book. "I promise I didn't go through your phone. Don't worry."
'Don't worry,' she mocked in her head. Lucy felt herself fuming until she realized what a fool she made of herself at the restaurant. Her temper vanished as her shoulders fell, the flush coming back to cover her face. "Look," she started, voice meek as she averted her eyes, "about earlier."
"What about it?" he asked, looking up at her before scooting over. He patted the spot beside him, but she didn't budge.
"I'm really sorry about that," she confessed, struggling to meet his gaze. He looked too carefree while she felt embarrassed over her mistake. "I didn't know you were waiting on your boyfriend. I thought—"
The man barked out a laugh, cutting her off. "Gray is not my boyfriend. Just my roommate."
"Are you sure?" Lucy asked, causing him to laugh again.
"Pretty sure. His girlfriend would kill me if I made a move on him." He closed her book before holding out a hand towards her. "I didn't get a chance to introduce myself before. My name's Natsu."
Lucy paused before sliding her hand into his, feeling the calluses on his warm palm. "Lucy," she said as she gave his hand a firm shake.
His smile met his eyes, light dancing behind them. "You said that already."
"Right." Lucy pulled her hand away, feeling a little less awkward than before. At least now she had a name to place with the face. "Well, thank you for returning my purse."
"My pleasure. Thanks for making my night a little better."
"What," Lucy started, but shut her mouth a second later. It wasn't her business. She should take her purse and go inside before she made herself look more ridiculous.
"What is it?" Natsu asked, once again patting the spot beside him.
She bit her bottom lip, debating what she should do. Figuring he wasn't going to leave, she sat down, feeling the cold from the wood seep through her jeans. She looked towards the street, mentally scowling at her neighbors. She screamed and they did nothing. It made her doubt they would be helpful in a real emergency.
"I was going to ask why you were at the restaurant by yourself for so long, but it's not my business."
"I don't mind tellin' ya," he said with a shrug. "Sometimes I hang out there and eat free food while I wait on Gray to get off work. Usually it's not that long though, maybe like ten minutes or so? Mira let me sit down when we found out Gray was gonna have to stay late. Figured it'd be easier to hang out there instead of walk home. We live like five miles away."
"You don't have a car?" Lucy asked, causing him to shake his head.
"I eat free breadsticks for dinner. Don't really have the money for a car," he laughed, the sound soothing her nerves. "You know, broke college kid problems."
"Ah, you must go to Magnolia University?" It was located less than a mile away from Fairy Tail. When he nodded, she mumbled, "So do I."
"I haven't seen you there before," he said, raising a brow. "But I guess it is kinda big. What are you majoring in?"
"Business," she drawled, voice growing flat. "My father wants me to join his company once I graduate." She blinked, wondering why she told him that last part when he hadn't asked.
Natsu furrowed his brows. "You don't sound too happy about that."
"Eh, not much I can do. He's paying for everything. It's only fair that I help him out."
"What do you want to do?" he asked, making her wonder if she should have been so concerned about minding her own business. Natsu seemed to poke into her life easily, but she didn't mind too much. It wasn't as if any of the information she was giving him was a big secret.
"I'd rather be an author, but I doubt I can make it."
"You should still try, if that's what you want."
"I will," she assured, giving him a soft smile. "My father agreed to let me work part time after I graduate. Hopefully I'll have enough time to write." She took a deep breath before relaxing her shoulders, her chest lightening. "I know it's going to be tough, but I've wanted to do it for most of my life. And if I don't make it, at least I gave it a shot."
"I'd read some of your stuff," Natsu said, lifting her book before putting it back into her purse. "Is it gonna have all this romance stuff in it?"
"Maybe," Lucy replied, finding herself fighting off a giggle. "You really don't like that?"
His lips pulled into a toothy grin, one that made her heart flip. "I mean, I don't hate romantic stuff, but it's not really my thing."
"I see."
He nodded. "I'm not much for words. I like actions better."
Lucy was tempted to ask him what that meant, but she held her tongue. There was a lull, one that was soon interrupted when Natsu spoke up.
"It was nice of you to try and save me."
Lucy didn't know if he was trying to make her feel better or not. All it did was remind her of her mistake. "Yeah... I don't normally do things like that."
"I thought it was pretty weird, but in a good way." Once again, Lucy wondered if Natsu was trying to make her feel better, but she was hopeful. He didn't seem like he was trying to insult her. He was just different.
Different wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
Lucy was about to tell Natsu she felt stupid for putting herself out there like that, but he cut her off before she could get a word out. "You're a nice person, Lucy. Not a lot of people would try to help a stranger out."
Heat warmed her cheeks, but she did her best to ignore it. "I-I didn't help you though."
"But you tried," Natsu pointed out, meeting her gaze. "That's the important part. It's like what they say. It's the thought that counts."
Lucy had to force herself not to move, her mind telling her to look away to avoid further embarrassment. She nodded, thankful Natsu didn't seem to think she was stupid for her actions earlier. He saw her intentions were good.
Silence fell between them, but Lucy didn't mind. It was comfortable enough, her eyes falling to land on the sidewalk leading up to her porch. She didn't know what to say, so she settled with the obvious question she hadn't asked. "How are you getting home?"
He shrugged before leaning back, palms pressing against the wood to stabilize himself. "I was thinkin' of calling Gray. He's probably gonna be up for a while anyways."
"I can drive you home," Lucy offered, inwardly cringing. She didn't want him to think she was weirder than he already did. "If you want, that is. Feel free to say no."
"That sounds good," Natsu said, placing her purse beside her, filling up the gap between their thighs. "If it's not too much trouble, of course. I don't mind making Gray do it."
Lucy allowed herself a short laugh as she shook her head. "I don't mind. Let me go let my dog potty, then I'll be good to go." She stood with her purse in hand, ready to unlock her front door. She paused when she pulled her keys out, wondering if she was overstepping either of their boundaries when she asked, "Do you want to come in?"
Natsu stood, fixing his jeans before nodding. "Sure."
As soon as Lucy slid her key into the lock, she heard Plue barking inside. "Plue, calm down." Plue didn't stop when she stepped inside, the canine immediately spotting the stranger behind his owner. The little white dog howled at Natsu, but made no effort to get close enough to bite him.
Plue was all bark, only harmful to one's eardrums.
Lucy led Plue to the backyard, opening the sliding door to let him outside. The dog ran out, heading to the nearest bush before sniffing it. While he did his business, Lucy turned to see Natsu in her dining room, looking at a picture on the wall. It was of her, Levy, and Cana, the three of them celebrating Lucy's twenty-first birthday at a local bar.
"Looks like fun," Natsu said, tearing his eyes away from the picture to give Lucy a smile. "Do you like to party?"
Lucy felt her blush deepening as she grabbed her purse strap, needing something to hold onto. "Um, sometimes."
Natsu accepted that answer, eyes roaming to find another picture on the wall. Plue trotted in a moment later, the dog looking at Natsu before deeming him harmless. Lucy watched as Plue went to his bed in the living room, circling around it three times before lying down.
"Plue should meet my cat. I'm sure he and Happy would get along."
"You named your cat Happy?" Lucy asked, wondering if she was the first to ask him that.
He nodded, his smile never fading. "Yup! He's a little ball of happiness, so why not?"
"I can't think of a reason not to," Lucy said honestly, gesturing for Natsu to head towards the front of the house. When they stepped outside, Lucy locked her door, then headed to her car.
Natsu took a deep breath before opening the passenger door, hesitating before he moved to sit inside. Lucy raised a brow as she took her own seat behind the steering wheel, not bothering to hide her curiosity. "You okay?"
He gave her a short nod as he buckled, his jaw tight and his shoulders stiff. "I kinda get motion sickness. I should be good though."
"You're not going to puke in my car, are you?" Lucy asked, only half joking.
Natsu shook his head. "I took some medication earlier. Vehicles still make me sick though."
She found herself smiling as she buckled up. "Is that the real reason you don't get a car?"
His cringe said it all. "Maybe."
"You're fine," Lucy assured, not wanting him to feel embarrassed over something he couldn't control. At least he wasn't the one who looked silly today in front of a room full of strangers. When Lucy put the car in reverse, she said, "Just tell me where to go."
Natsu gave her directions while keeping a hand on his stomach. He didn't look like he was going to puke, but he did look uncomfortable to be sitting there. He seemed thrilled when the car came to a stop in front of an apartment complex, his lips tugging into a smile when she put the car in park and turned it off.
Lucy wondered if Natsu was going to leave without saying anything, but he proved her wrong when he didn't get out of the car.
"Thanks for the ride," he mumbled, hand hovering over his seat belt before he undid it.
Lucy looked over at him, smiling. "No problem. Sorry again about earlier."
"You can stop apologizing. I didn't mind." He chuckled, the skin around his eyes crinkling as he grinned. "It confused me at first, but when I figured out what you were doing it was fun."
Fun wasn't the word she would use, but she was glad she wasn't too much of an inconvenience to him and his evening. As she debated over what she could say next, Natsu cleared his throat, preparing himself for what he was about to say.
"I kinda..." He paused, swallowing as he scratched the back of his head. "I kinda wonder how that dinner woulda turned out if Gray didn't show up when he did."
"Really?" Lucy asked, pushing past her embarrassment.
"Really," he repeated, locking eyes with her. "You seem sweet. I wouldn't mind getting to know you... If you're okay with it of course."
Lucy found herself nodding, her heart hammering in her chest. "I-I wouldn't mind."
"Great," Natsu said, shifting so he could pull his phone out of his pocket. He swiped and tapped at it until he got to the 'Add Contacts' part, then handed the device over. "Can I get your number?"
Lucy's shaky hand grabbed the phone, pausing before her fingers started to move. She didn't hesitate because she was having second thoughts. She was nervous because she didn't expect Natsu -who was attractive and nice in his own way- to ask her for her number.
She passed him his phone when she finished, a deep breath of air needed to soothe her growing anxiety. She didn't hand her number out like that, but she trusted Natsu wouldn't do anything bad with it. He seemed like a good guy, even if he had his own little quirks.
Natsu shoved the phone back in his pocket, a soft blush coating his cheeks and the tips of his ears. "Great. Now I can call you so we can go on a real d— a real date."
Lucy's eyes widened, surprised and thrilled from the offer. She thought he wanted to get to know her in a friendly way. She still wanted that, but she wasn't opposed to more, if things went well between them. So far, they seemed to click well enough, despite the strange way they met.
"I'd like that," she admitted, her own blush threatening to consume her.
Natsu smiled to himself as he stole a glance her way, his eyes full of light as he reached over, capturing her hand. He gave her a gentle squeeze before pulling back, his hand fumbling for the handle until he found it. "See ya, Lucy," he said as he opened the door, his blush growing darker as he stepped out of the car.
Lucy managed to wave at him as he retreated, waiting until he was out of sight before starting her car again. Her chest bubbled with excitement at the adventure she could have with Natsu. He wasn't the type of guy she normally looked for, but that wasn't a bad thing. 'He seems nice, and he didn't make fun of me for my mistake.' Those two things helped make her decision, deciding to give the man an honest chance.
Her heart fluttered when she got home and saw she had a text from Natsu, telling her he had a nice time hanging out with her. She smiled, holding her phone to her chest for a few seconds before replying to him, not realizing that it was the beginning of their blossoming relationship, the two dorks taking their time as they got to know each other and grew closer.
Lucy would always think her actions that night at the restaurant were silly, but she couldn't bring herself to regret them. Without her last-minute decision, Lucy would have never met the man of her dreams, even if at the time he was just a stranger who looked like he could use some help.
Even if Natsu didn't need that help, he still spoke fondly of the time Lucy came to 'save' him. He always finished the story with the same line, making Lucy's heart fill with warmth every time.
"It's the thought that counts."
So, what'd you think of this one-shot? I absolutely love the 'stood up' trope, but I wanted to write a spin on it. I dunno if this has been done before, but I haven't read anything like that where the person really wasn't stood up. If you have, let me know so I can go read it because I love secondhand embarrassment like that. XD Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you thought! I love hearing from you!