Con Crush
Submission for Nalu Fluff Week 2019. Day Five: Cosplay
Summary: What's a convention without catching a little crush on a random person? Lucy expects to get another crush at this convention, but she never expected anything more would come out of it, until she met him.
Rated T for foul language and some adult humor.
Genre: Fluff, Humor, Friendship, Romance
Word Count: 8K
Lucy clapped along with the other guests in the room as the speakers ended their panel. She smiled, enriched after hearing people discussing her favorite game. Sure, some people criticized it too much, but mostly the conversations were in favor of it.
After standing, Lucy had to pull her jean skirt down which had ridden up. It was a tad too short, but it wasn't like Lucy wasn't used to wearing short skirts or shorts. However, usually she wasn't also wearing a tight tank top that didn't even reach her belly button along with them.
Grabbing her purse and replica Tonfa Blasters, Lucy filed out of the room with the other con-goers. Once she reached the main lobby, the cosplayer headed for the escalators, wanting to get to her next panel in time.
There she would listen as experienced cosplayers discuss different ways to make weapons, which would be helpful for Lucy seeing as she wanted to make her props next time instead of hire someone off Etsy to create it for her.
Between rent and other bills, she needed to find a cheaper alternative if she wished to keep dressing up every few months for anime conventions.
Luckily for her, she didn't need to spend much gas getting to Magnolia, seeing as it was twenty miles away from her. She had moved to Onibus after accepting a job as a junior editor of their newspaper. It was a small job, but Lucy knew she had to work her way up before she could get the attention from the bigger names in the industry.
"Hi!"
Lucy jolted when a small boy jumped in front of her, holding his phone up. "Can I take a picture of you?!"
That brought a smile to Lucy's face. She took a few steps back to prepare herself. She dropped her purse, attaching her Tonfa Blasters to strike a pose. While the boy took a few pics, others gathered, taking their own before moving along.
Lucy nodded and thanked them before collecting her things, blushing at the compliments thrown her way about her cosplay. She hadn't thought it would get as much attention since Rave Master didn't have a huge fandom, but to her surprise a lot of people seemed to recognize her.
It helped that she was dressed as the main female character, named—
"ELIE!"
Lucy whirled around, stunned by a voice yelling her character's name. Before she could react, a guy came charging at her, stopping inches away before grinning. "Hey! Your cosplay is awesome!"
Lucy blinked, frozen in place for a moment before she looked over the strange enthusiastic man. Normally Lucy didn't pay attention to the color of people's eyes, but he wore colored contacts, making the purple stand out. His silver hair did him no favors either, making his appearance confusing until realization hit.
Her eyes widened as her mouth opened, recognizing him as her partner in the anime. "Oh, um. Hi, Haru?"
That seemed to make him light up as his grin turned toothy, his canines appearing sharper than normal. He stuck out a hand, his voice at a reasonable volume as he said, "Nice ta meet ya! I didn't think anyone else was gonna dress up for Rave Master."
"Me either," Lucy admitted, shaking his large and very warm hand. She bit back a giddy smile when she looked over his face once more. To put it simply, he was attractive, and the energy he radiated felt contagious. She could feel her heart speeding up when he spoke again.
"Did you buy those or make them? They look really cool!"
Lucy followed his gaze, seeing he was looking at her weapons. She lifted them up so he could inspect them, which he happily did. "I bought them. I don't know how to make weapons."
"Me either," he said, running his hands over the material before jerking a thumb towards his back. "I bought mine too. Hoping I can learn how to make them eventually."
Lucy looked past him, finally seeing the giant sword strapped to his back. If she had to guess, she would say it was made out of foam, but the craftsmanship was of high quality, making it look real.
"Oh!" Lucy paled, remembering what she was doing before being stopped. "I'm actually heading to a panel about weapon making. Shoot, I hope I'm not late."
"You're not," he said, pulling out his phone to look at the time. "I was going to the same panel, 'Weapon building for beginners'?"
Lucy nodded, relieved she wouldn't miss out. "Well, um, do you want to go together?"
The man tilted his head, causing a blush to erupt on her face. She waved her hands in front of her frantically, almost hitting him with her Tonfa Blasters. "N-not like in a together-together kind of way! Just, if we're going to the same place I thought why not walk together? And I feel like I'm making this more awkward so I'm just going to go before I make it worse."
Before Lucy could turn away, the man laughed, shaking his head. "Man, you're funny. Come on, Weirdo, or we really will be late!"
Lucy didn't get a chance to say anything before he hooked his arm with hers, tugging her forward towards the stairs. "The escalators are right there," she pointed out, realizing they would have to go out of their way to go down the stairs.
"What? Are you afraid of some exercise?" he asked, looking down at her body.
Lucy went from embarrassed to angry in a matter of seconds, which the man realized immediately when his eyes returned to her face. "What?"
"Are you calling me fat?"
It was his turn to panic, jaw dropping as his eyebrows —which were also white— shot up. "What?! Of course not! Why would you think I—" He tipped his head back, a groan leaving his mouth. "Ooooooh! You thought? No, definitely not."
He leaned in closer, his voice growing to a whisper, which made Lucy's anger disappear in an instant, replaced by mild embarrassment from the close contact. "Between you and me, I get kinda motion sick, and I didn't take my medication today. Kinda wanna avoid puking all over the place, if that's okay?"
Lucy's body shook as she struggled to hold in her laughter, finding his excuse wild but believable. He didn't seem to mind her reaction. In fact, he relaxed once he saw he was no longer in danger.
"So, stairs okay?"
Lucy nodded, tightening her arm around his before they made their way downstairs and to their next panel.
"I'm Natsu by the way," the man said when they left the room, the two moving to the side to get out of the way. "What's yours?"
"Lucy."
"Well, Lucy. Where are you going next?"
"Hmm." Lucy pulled her phone from her purse, scrolling through the app that held the convention's schedule. She switched over to 'My Schedule', which included all the panels and activities she found interesting. "My next one doesn't start for another... forty-five minutes, so I think I was going to go to the dealer's room until then."
"Ah, bummer." Natsu frowned before shifting his shoulders, trying to readjust the sword on his back. "I was going to the kendo demonstration, but that's starting soon."
Lucy didn't know what she was supposed to say. Sure, it was nice hanging out with Har—Natsu, but she wasn't too fond of the idea of tagging along with him to activities that didn't interest her. Part of her wanted to ask if he would be willing to meet up at another panel later, but she didn't know what she hoped to accomplish with that.
'Maybe I'd make a freaking friend,' she thought, wanting to bop herself in the head. Since moving to Onibus, she had a few acquaintances at work and exactly zero friends for all the other times. It would be nice to have someone to hang out with and talk to, especially someone who clearly had at least one thing in common with her.
Lucy opened her mouth to suggest hanging out later, but before she could, she heard someone yelling across the hall again, only this time they weren't calling her name.
"Natsu! There you are!"
Lucy watched as Natsu jolted, but before she could see who had called him, he was being jerked away. He turned towards her, their eyes locking before he was lost in the crowd seconds later. She stood there for a moment afterwards, shocked how fast everything had happened.
'Damn,' she thought, realizing she never got a chance to ask him if he wanted to see each other later. 'Maybe... maybe it's for the better.'
With a heavy heart, Lucy sighed, accepting Natsu would just be a con crush. It wasn't the worst category to file someone in, seeing as she didn't get crushes too often. However, part of her hoped she could see if there could be something more between them, even if it resulted in nothing more than a friendship.
Honestly, Lucy could use a real friend.
Reminding herself she was getting nothing accomplished by pouting, Lucy moved forward, heading to the dealer's room to check out the merchandise.
After visiting the food stand and stocking up on flavored baked wheat cakes and candy, Lucy looked through the stands nearby, waiting for something to catch her eye.
While a few things stood out, Lucy found herself wandering around. If she did a quick look around on the first day, she could decide what she actually wanted and buy it tomorrow. 'Or hopefully it'll already be sold out so I don't spend anymore money.'
Lucy chuckled at herself before heading towards the back, hearing someone speaking over a microphone in the distance. She moved closer, eventually making it through the crowds before finding a set of bleachers facing a cleared part of the room.
People sat in a circle, all wearing dark blue jackets with split skirts. Their protective gear let Lucy know it was one of the many demonstrations the convention had. She didn't have to do any investigating to realize she had stumbled upon the kendo demonstration since Natsu had mentioned it was starting soon, and that hadn't been too long ago.
Stealing a quick glace at the bleachers, Lucy spotted Natsu sitting towards the top, his sword propped up against the back rail. He sat next to a few people, but Lucy didn't bother speculating who they were, assuming they were his friends or random viewers. Either way, that had nothing to do with her.
Turning around, Lucy headed back to the vendor's area, telling herself she wasn't going to turn into some creepy stalker by joining him after they parted ways. Despite those thoughts, Lucy lingered near the demonstration area, wanting to keep it within earshot... Just in case she wanted to find out when it was dismissed.
After going back and forth a few too many times, Lucy walked back to the bleachers, her shoulders weighing a little more as her confidence lowered. She wasn't the type to chase after people. Never had been, never wanted to change that. However, she couldn't suffocate the yearning that pulled her towards Natsu like a magnet.
She told herself it was because she hadn't had any decent social interaction in months, and that kept her feeling less crazy as she waited for the demonstration to end.
Lucy tried being inconspicuous, especially when she heard the announcer say the presentation was over and the crowd started cheering. However, before Lucy could try to act natural and pretend to accidentally run into Natsu like she planned, a group of people came over asking to take her picture.
"Oh, um, sure!"
Lucy nervously dropped her stuff before striking the pose she had practiced for weeks, managing a smile that said she could be fun but also kick someone's ass if they threatened her.
After two or three shots, Lucy forgot everything else, internally grinning at herself for getting the positive attention she had wanted. She was just about to break her pose when she saw the person putting their phone down, but her body froze when they yelled, "Haru! Can I get a pic with you two?!"
Lucy managed to look over just in time to see Natsu turn his head away from someone else, eyes landing on Lucy. He squinted for a second, probably wondering what she was doing lurking around, but then a toothy grin pulled at his lips before he looked at the person beside him. He said something, but Lucy couldn't read lips.
Natsu turned, letting someone attach his sword to his back before heading over. Once people saw matching cosplays, more gathered around to take their pictures. Lucy modified her pose, angling outward so she wasn't the star of the show, sharing the spotlight with her character's partner.
"Fancy seein' you here," Natsu mumbled, trying not to move his lips so the picture wouldn't look weird.
Lucy bit her tongue, hoping her face wasn't as hot as it felt. "Y-yeah."
"Be honest, are ya stalking me?"
"What?" Lucy broke her pose, eyes wide as her stomach twisted. She didn't know what else to say, but her nerves immediately calmed down when Natsu shook his head, letting out a laugh.
"I'm just kidding."
"Can I get one of you two hugging?" someone asked, prompting Lucy and Natsu to look at each other before he shrugged.
"Only if you're okay with it," he whispered, the sudden softness in his voice and eyes making Lucy's insides feel fuzzy and warm.
"I'm okay," she said, giving him a single nod before stepping closer.
The hug, to put it simply, was awkward. Lucy didn't think about her Tonfa Blasters when she reached behind Natsu, and neither of them adjusted for his giant sword, making their bodies squished together while Lucy's arm didn't even go around him, merely hanging behind him.
After a long moment, the two broke apart. If the pictures hadn't been taken by then, that wasn't their fault.
"Thanks a lot!"
"You two look great!"
"Thanks!"
"Thank you!"
Lucy and Natsu waved and nodded, watching as the onlookers disappeared into the crowds. They didn't have a moment to catch their breath, a new group of people coming up to them, only this time one of them walked right up to Natsu to show them his phone.
"That good?"
Natsu nodded before looking at Lucy. "What do ya think?"
Lucy blinked a few times before looking down at the phone, seeing a picture of them standing next to each other. She couldn't help but smile. Despite not knowing each other, the two looked like they belonged together.
Which only made the warmth on Lucy's face double when she realized how silly she sounded, but luckily it was all in her head. She couldn't imagine the embarrassment if someone knew what she had been thinking.
"This is Lucy," Natsu said, catching her attention.
She couldn't figure out why Natsu would introduce her to these people when he hadn't done it before, but after studying the face of the person he spoke to, Lucy remembered he was sitting next to Natsu on the bleachers.
"'Sup?" the guy asked, pocketing his phone. "Sorry I interrupted you two earlier. Erza woulda killed us if we missed her performance."
"What?"
"My friend does kendo here in town," Natsu said, as if that explained everything. He looked over at the other guy before saying, "This is Gray. He likes Rave Master too but he's lame and didn't wanna dress up."
Lucy couldn't help but laugh when Gray scoffed at him, crossing his arms over his bare chest. 'Wait! Where the heck did his shirt go?!'
Before either could say anything else, a shirt was draped over Gray's head as an exasperated woman appeared beside him. "Gray, you really shouldn't be stripping in public. It's unbecoming."
"Yeah, there are kids here," Natsu said, snickering to himself. "Don't want them seeing anything indecent."
Lucy could see Gray wanted to say something smart back at Natsu, but instead the man's demeanor cooled in an instant before he looked at the newest woman, who Lucy just realized was dressed in that navy jacket she saw earlier.
"Great job out there. Work up a sweat?"
"Sadly no. I wish they would let us go all out for these things, but they want us to just go over the basics."
"Probably so y'all don't intimidate potential sign ups?" Natsu asked, earning a nod from the woman.
She looked over at Lucy before smiling. "I like your cosplay. Elie is one of my favorite characters from Rave Master."
"Thanks!" Lucy smiled before holding a hand out. "I'm Lucy. I'm guessing you're Erza?" She went out on a limb, and thankfully her guess was correct.
"I am indeed. I assume one of these two told you?"
Lucy nodded. "Sorry I didn't see you perform, but I'm sure it was great."
"We'll be going on again tomorrow morning, and then again in the afternoon if you're interested," Erza said, leaving it open-ended before turning her attention to Gray. "We should get going if we want to make our panel in time."
Gray nodded, turning to Lucy and Natsu. "It was nice meeting you. Natsu, are you coming?"
"Nah, I'm gonna sit this one out."
Gray shrugged while Erza said, "Suit yourself. Are we still meeting up for dinner?"
Natsu nodded, patting his stomach. "Seven o'clock sharp! Wouldn't miss it!"
Lucy watched as his friends walked away before realizing that left her and Natsu alone, her heartbeat slowly picking up speed when he turned towards her. "Anyways, I'm glad you were nearby. I was gonna look for you after the show, but this saves me the trouble."
"You... you were?" Lucy asked, unable to stop herself from smiling. She tried brushing her bangs out of her face to be flirty, but she forgot she was still holding her replica weapons, causing her to hit herself in the forehead. "Ouch."
"Careful," Natsu said, barely holding back a laugh. "So, what are you planning on doing next?"
"Cringefessions. It sounded fun."
If he wasn't wearing colored contacts, Lucy could have sworn his eyes would have lit up. "It is! I went last year and it's awesome!"
"Great." She grabbed her purse before they started walking towards the exit, but since they were at the back of the room, it took them a while to navigate through people and booths.
They were just about to clear the last crowd when someone started calling, "Haru! Haru!"
Assuming someone wanted a picture, Natsu turned, horrified when he caught a glimpse of the person yelling his character's name.
Lucy watched in amusement as a vendor walked over to him, holding up a pillowcase for a body pillow. "I was wrong. Turns out we did have one more Elie one."
Lucy had to cover her mouth to stop herself from laughing when she caught a glimpse of the barely-dressed Elie adorning the fabric. She looked over at Natsu, seeing his skin, which had been a soft tan, turn into a deep red.
"I— I wasn't looking for that!" he sputtered, but the man didn't seem convinced.
"You're the only Haru I've seen all day. Remember? You said you'd been looking all over the place for one since you couldn't find it online?"
Lucy almost doubled over, her other hand holding her stomach as it started cramping from containing her laughter. Natsu caught her reaction, the guy looking more mortified than she could have ever imagined.
"It's not what it looks like!"
Lucy shook her head, not bothering to stop her chuckles as she said, "It's fine. I get it."
In a mutter so the vendor and others couldn't hear her, she confessed, "I... I have a Haru one kind of like it, so I get it."
Lucy thought that would make him feel better, but the man looked more uncomfortable, almost squirming in place as he fought his growing blush. She watched his internal struggle until finally pulling out his wallet, forking over the money before snatching the pillowcase.
"Do you want a bag?" the vendor asked as he took out Natsu's change.
"Please," Natsu mumbled, clearly wanting to hide it from the rest of the world.
Instead of teasing him, Lucy hooked his arm like he had done before, pulling him towards the exit. "Come on. We don't want to be late."
Natsu didn't say anything, but he managed a nod before keeping up with her pace.
The two made it to the Cringefessions' line just before the doors opened. Luckily the room reserved for the panel was huge, giving them lot of space. Lucy led them to the left side, taking a seat next to the wall while Natsu took the one beside her. She set her things under the table in front of her before resting her arms on the surface, enjoying the break from standing. "Are you planning on confessing anything?"
Natsu shook his head, patting the bag in front of him. "Think I got all the embarrassment I can handle for one day."
"It's really not a big deal," Lucy said, giving him a kind smile. "Remember, we are at an anime convention. It's pretty normal to be into that sort of thing."
"I'm not gonna do anything with it," Natsu said, his blush returning in an instant. "I just like sleeping with a body pillow and figured if I'm gonna do it might as well see something nice on it."
He turned his head, but Lucy could see the worry building on his face.
"I sleep with my Haru pillow too, so I get it."
Thankfully before either could make their conversation more awkward, a voice came over the microphone, directing their attention to the four people sitting at the front of the room.
"Hello, and welcome to Cringefessions!"
After a quick introduction of the speakers and a short story from one of them, they opened it up to anyone else who had any cringefessions they wanted to get off their chest, as long as they obeyed the rules since the panel was rated PG-13.
Most of the stories were anime-related, seeing as they were at an anime convention, but a few strayed from that path. Lucy hadn't planned on confessing anything, but after a while, a memory popped into her head that wouldn't go away.
Her hand shook on her lap before she raised it, heart thrumming faster when they called on someone else. 'Maybe I shouldn't?'
"You have a story?" Natsu asked, causing her to give a halfhearted shrug.
"Maybe?" She felt less confident every time she raised her hand, but after two more stories, one of the speakers called on her.
"Yes, the girl with the short brown hair."
If they hadn't been pointing at her, Lucy would have thought they meant someone else. She kept forgetting she used a temporary dye to change her hair color from blonde to brunette for her cosplay.
Lucy scooted past Natsu, her heart in her throat as she walked towards the front of the room like all the others before her had. She took the microphone, muttering a small thank you before taking her seat, facing the large crowd.
Following the other's example, Lucy started with, "My name's Elie."
"Hi Elie," the crowd chimed back, used to the routine.
"Okay, so my cringefessions happened when I was also around eleven or twelve years old."
"Why are those such cringy years?" one of the speakers asked, causing a few laughs.
Lucy smiled, thankful she wasn't the only cringy person in the world. "So the kids in my neighborhood started a fight club, and if you've never seen the movie, the first rule is you don't talk about fight club. I've never seen the movie, but they told me I had to fight this girl I had never met before, who was like sixteen or something."
Lucy's eyes danced around the room, not wanting to focus on any person in particular. However, she found herself glancing at Natsu, whose whole focus was solely on her.
Despite the heat warming her face and neck, Lucy pushed on. "Neither of us knew how to start. I had never been in a fight before. The other kids keep screaming for us to start but we're just standing there. Finally, my cousin yelled 'Say something bad about Inuyasha.'"
She heard some chuckles from around the room, probably seeing where her story was going. "Inuyasha was my favorite show at the time. The girl didn't know what it was, so all she said was, 'I don't know that chick.' I got mad, charged at her with everything I had, and she kicked my ass."
Lucy almost apologized for cursing, but the laughter around the room stopped her. She chuckled herself before gripping the microphone, hoping her palm wasn't sweaty. "I limped home, and my neighbor saw it and told my mom. But when she asked me about it, I told her I wasn't allowed to talk about it, so then I got grounded too."
As soon as Lucy stood up, people started clapping, amused by her story. She handed the microphone back to a speaker before making her way to her seat, feeling embarrassed but also a little lighter, as if confessing that had given her some type of control over it.
"That was pretty funny," Natsu whispered, grinning at her.
She smiled back, unable to stop herself from admiring him. His smile made him ten times more cuter than normal. "Thanks."
The panel went on, and after another thirty minutes of laughter, they were dismissed.
"What's next on your agenda?" Natsu asked. "I was gonna do this plushie sewing thing if you were interested?"
"That sounds fun." Lucy didn't have to look at her schedule, remembering she had nothing else planned after Cringefessions. "The only other thing I wanted to do today was see the gaming room, but that doesn't close until later."
"Cool. Let me see which room it's in."
After looking over the online map, Natsu and Lucy made their way to the correct room. They had to wait a while until it opened, but after taking their seats, things progressed quickly.
They made their own ramen bowls, sewing white fabric together before putting yellow yarn inside to look like noodles. They sewed a few toppings, as well as a fried egg. Overall the panel was fun, and they got to keep their plushies in the end.
"I don't really wanna carry this around all day," Natsu said, frowning at the cute fabric bowl in his hand. "Would you might if I stopped by my room? You can leave yours in there too if you want."
Lucy bit her bottom lip, a wave of anticipation hitting her at the idea of going to his room. 'That's not a way to get me alone, is it?'
After taking one look at his harmless demeanor, Lucy felt herself relaxing. She nodded, following him as he led the way through the convention to the tunnel connecting to the hotel across the street.
"Luckily we got the first floor," Natsu said, pulling out his room key. "I hate riding the elevator if I don't have to."
"Motion sickness must suck," Lucy said, not wanting to imagine having it herself. "Guess I should count myself lucky."
Natsu shrugged as he opened the door, turning on a light before walking in. "Eh, you get used to it. There's medicines but I only take 'em if I'm gonna be riding in a car. It's weird. If I'm driving it's not as bad, but once someone else is in charge I'm all queasy."
Lucy half-listened as she stepped inside his hotel room, eyes roaming the place. She saw the couch had a pillow and blanket on it, while an air mattress rested in the corner of the room next to a sleeping bag. "How many people are staying in here?"
"Six total, but three of them share the bed," Natsu said, putting his ramen bowl next to the couch before removing his sword, propping it up against the wall. "We drew straws for the other spots. I got the couch," he said, his grin showing how proud he was of his accomplishment.
"Do you live out of town?" Lucy asked, surprised when he said he lived only ten miles away.
"We get a room because most of us cosplay, so it saves us time from going back and forth. Tomorrow I'm doing two different ones, then Sunday I'm doing another one."
"That's a lot of dedication," Lucy said, seeing the various wigs and costumes throughout the space. "Color me impressed."
"Are you dressing up for anything else?" he asked, earning a nod.
"Tomorrow I'm doing Tohru from Fruits Basket, then Sunday I'm going as Misty."
"From Pokémon?" Natsu asked, his voice eager.
Lucy nodded, watching as he pulled out his phone to show her a picture. "I'm doing Charizard tomorrow night, but maybe I can switch it up so we can match?"
Lucy didn't bother fighting her blush or her smile. "Won't we look weird? Misty uses water Pokémon."
Natsu waved his hand as he put away his phone. "Nah. I don't care what people think. Well, I mean, I do, but it'll be fine." He grinned. "Fun even! What do ya say?!"
Lucy didn't have to think about it, liking the idea. "How about I do Misty tomorrow, that way you don't have to change your things."
"Are you sure?"
Lucy nodded. "You were only planning on doing Charizard for half the day. It makes more sense for me to change. I didn't really care which order. I just wanted to do her since she was my favorite character growing up."
While Natsu explained why Charizard was his favorite character from Pokémon, Lucy couldn't help but think, 'I guess it's been decided. We'll be seeing each other tomorrow as well.' It seemed silly to resist at that point. She was having fun, he seemed like a nice person, and they clearly had some good chemistry.
Deciding she didn't want to shy away from what could be a potential friendship, Lucy set her ramen bowl on the couch's armrest, making herself a little at home. "What's next?"
"We don't have to be at the ramen bar until seven, so we can go see the game room until it gets closer?"
"We?" Lucy asked, trying to remember when she was invited to dinner.
Natsu's eyes widened before his jaw dropped. "Oh, shoot that's right. I forgot to invite you." He cupped the back of his neck as an awkward smile crossed his face. "I asked my friends if I could bring ya. They said yes, but I forgot to ask you..."
Lucy shook her head, wondering how it was possibly someone could be so cute yet clueless. "Sure. I like ramen."
"Sweet! It's really good."
Lucy didn't need more assurance, already looking forward to it. "Should we get going now?"
Natsu nodded, trying to take a step forward, but his foot landed on a small sewing kit, throwing off his balance. He might have been fine, but Lucy tried to help, grabbing him so he wouldn't fall in the opposite direction, but that only made him stumble right into her.
Lucy let out a yelp as they both landed on the couch, knocking Lucy's ramen plushie off, the contents spilling on the floor. However, neither noticed, their focus captured by lack of space between them after Natsu landed on top of her.
"Sorry," Natsu mumbled, trying to collect himself. He grabbed onto the back of the couch, hoisting himself off her. "Really sorry! We haven't gotten a chance to clean up since we were in a rush this morning to get to the—"
"It's okay," Lucy said, managing a laugh. "Accidents happen. I promise I'm fine."
Seeing there was nothing to worry about, Natsu sighed. "Good." His shoulders shook as he suppressed a laugh, sparking Lucy's curiosity.
"What?"
"Nothing."
His knowing smile didn't look like it was nothing, "Come on, tell me."
Lucy pouted when he only shrugged, causing him to give in. "Fine. But remember you asked for it."
Natsu went over to the plushie spill, putting the yarn and sewn food back into the white bowl. "I was just thinking if this was an anime, that would've been the part where the main male character accidentally gropes the female main character."
Lucy gasped before laughing, shaking her head. "Pervert!" she shouted, but there was no conviction in her voice, only mild amusement.
"Aaaaand," Natsu started, giving her a look. "I was thinking if this were a fanfiction, that would've been the time that I... I mean the character, well..."
His voice trailed off before he stood, handing her the plushie. Lucy couldn't hold back, needing to know what he meant. "What would've happened?"
Natsu couldn't look her in the eye, his throat bobbing when Lucy grabbed the plushie, their fingers brushing against each other. "Just that, I dunno. The two characters probably woulda... well, you know."
Lucy had an idea, but she wanted him to say it. She kept her mouth shut, the silence forcing him to finish.
"They probably would've kissed or something mushy like that," he rushed out, crossing the room to get to the mirror.
Lucy saw he had enough torture. She stood, adjusting her skirt before walking towards him. "Need any help?"
Natsu stole a glance towards her, looking for any signs of danger before relaxing. "Can you see if my hair is peeking out from the back?"
Lucy nodded, looking all around before giving him a thumbs up. "All clear. Hmm, what color is your hair?"
"Pink."
Lucy blinked, unsure if she heard him correctly. "Did you say pink?"
"Yeah." Natsu looked over, seeing her confusion. "I mean, it's not really pink. It's black, but right now I have it dyed pink."
"Did you dye your eyebrows?" Lucy asked, seeing the make up on his face and brows, making them look like Haru's. She couldn't imagine there was pink under there, but Natsu nodded.
"Yup. I've had my hair pink for..." He let out a breath. "I wanna say three years now. Kept experimenting with different colors until I found one I liked."
"Is it hard to keep up with?" Lucy asked. She had no interest in permanently dying her own hair, but she had wondered how it was for others.
"Not really. One of my friends does hair on the side, so I go to her every few weeks to get touch ups."
At the mention of a girl, Lucy started wondering more about him. "What does your girlfriend think about your hair?" She was fishing for information, and judging by the twitch in the corner of his lips, he caught on fast.
"I don't have a girlfriend." His eyes met hers before looking back at the mirror, busying himself with his wig. "You?"
Lucy couldn't help but chuckle, seeing them tiptoeing around what they wanted to talk about. "Nope, I don't have a girlfriend either."
Natsu gave her two long nods as he grinned. "What about a boyfriend?"
Lucy could feel her palms sweat, but she did her best to look calm. "The position is vacant... at the moment."
Lucy wasn't sure, but she thought she heard him mumble, "Good to know," under his breath.
'Maybe wishful thinking,' Lucy thought, wondering when she had gone from seeing Natsu as a potential friend to a potential partner. 'He seems like a go-with-the-flow type of guy. Not usually who I go for, but maybe a change would be good.'
Lucy turned her attention to his reflection before noticing his contacts again. "What color are your eyes?"
"Green."
"Really?"
Natsu raised a brow. "Don't believe me?"
"That's not what I mean. You just don't see a lot of people with green eyes." She thought to herself before adding, "Actually, I don't think I pay much attention to people's eyes in general actually."
"Let me see if I can find a good picture," Natsu said, looking through his phone once more. "Here, you can kinda tell," he said, showing her his phone.
"Oh yeah, they kind of look green."
"You can see tomorrow morning. I'm giving my eyes a break until the afternoon when I put the Charizard stuff on."
"I've never tried colored contacts. I'm scared of putting things near my eyes."
"It's weird at first," Natsu admitted before shrugging. "But some cosplays just look better with them on. But if someone doesn't wanna wear them that doesn't make their cosplay invalid or anything. Preference and comfort are way more important."
"I agree," Lucy said with a smile. The more she heard from Natsu, the more she liked.
In an attempt to keep the conversation going, Natsu asked, "Is that your real hair color?"
Lucy couldn't resist teasing, seeing as he walked right into that one. She pretended to scowl before asking, "Are you really asking me if the carpet matches the drapes?"
"Wh-what?! No! I—"
He didn't get to explain, Lucy bursting into laughter, unable to keep up the charade. "I'm totally kidding! Geez! Don't have a heart attack."
While Natsu looked a little relieved, he still had a nervous tone to his laugh. "Very funny."
"And no, I'm naturally a blonde. This is just temporary. Should come out after a few washes."
"That's cool."
Lucy and Natsu jolted when the heard the electronic lock opening, the door swinging a moment later to reveal two people Lucy had not seen before entering the room.
"Hey Natsu," a girl said, carrying in a bag full of goodies from the artist room. "Hey strange girl."
Lucy awkwardly waved a hand, unsure what to say.
"Cana, Levy. This is Lucy, Lucy, these are more of my friends."
"Pleased to meet you," Levy said, going straight to the bathroom. "Have either of you seen my make up bag? I think Erza borrowed it last?"
"No, it was me," Natsu laughed, heading towards the couch to retrieve it. "I forgot to pack my contouring stuff so I used yours."
Levy peeked a head out from the bathroom before looking over his face. "Not bad, but next time blend your nose a little more."
"Show me?"
"Come here."
Lucy stood by the mirror, wondering if she was intruding. However, her question was answered when the other girl in the room spoke up, making Lucy feel more welcomed.
"Want a drink?" she asked, pulling out a bottle of wine from the mini fridge. "I have cups over there."
Lucy didn't bother seeing where she was pointing, politely declining a drink. "I have to drive tonight. Sorry."
"You didn't a room?"
Lucy shook her head. "I thought it'd be cheaper just driving."
Cana nodded before pouring herself a glass of red wine in a plastic cup. "Fair enough." The girl pretended to clank an imaginary glass before gulping down her entire drink in one sitting.
'Wow.'
Lucy turned just when Natsu came out from the bathroom, walking up to Lucy. "How's it look?"
"Honestly? I can't tell a difference," Lucy said, offering a small smile. "It looks good though."
"Thanks!" Natsu took another look in the mirror before looking at the time. "So, game room?"
"Yes please."
"We'll see y'all at dinner," Natsu called before they left the room, heading back to the tunnel to reach the convention. "Anything in particular you wanted to see in there?"
"No, just curious."
"Cool. Well, let's go see what they got!"
"Alright, I'm sure everyone knows what's going to happen, but let's go over it for anyone who hasn't been here before. We're going to play some music. If you know the dance, jump in. There will be a short countdown between each song so you can clear the floor or stay up there. Halfway through we'll have a break for you to rest or use the bathroom or whatever. Now, who's ready to dance?!"
Lucy cheered along with everyone else, watching as Erza put the microphone down. This wasn't the panel Lucy would have found herself in normally, but after Erza told her about it during dinner, Lucy couldn't help but check it out.
She wasn't experienced with the dances, but she knew a few K-pop songs.
The countdown begun, then five seconds later the first song started. People raced to the middle where the chairs were cleared out to make a dance floor. Lucy watched as Cana and Levy danced to most of them, while Erza joined in every few songs. The most surprising moment to Lucy was when Natsu and Gray got out there as well, dancing perfectly to the choreography.
Lucy clapped as hard as she could when Natsu started heading back to his seat, her bewildered look being enough to get him to spill.
"Erza taught that one to us. She wanted to record it for her Instagram."
"I'll definitely have to follow her so I can see that video!" Lucy laughed while Natsu smiled.
"I'll tell you it later."
The two turned back to the center, watching people dancing. Lucy wished she could move like that, but she had never tried any of the moves before, only listened to the music occasionally.
When they finally called for a break, Lucy and Natsu turned towards each other, deciding to take advantage of the time.
"Erza's doing a great job hosting a panel," Lucy said, looking over at the woman who had to tie her hair back after working up a sweat. "I thought about hosting one once."
"About what?"
"Fanfiction," Lucy said as she met his gaze. "This is the first year I saw a panel about it. I went to it this morning, but it wasn't good, in my opinion."
"What was wrong with it?" Natsu asked, cocking his head.
"They just focused way too much on the kink aspect of fanfiction. I thought it was going to talk about plot or writing styles. It just wasn't my cup of tea."
Natsu nodded as he leaned his arm against his chair. He was practically sitting sideways so he could face her. "Well, if you ever decide to do it, I'll show up. As long as it's not gross or anything."
Lucy laughed, waving her hands in front of her. "No worries there. I'd be too embarrassed to do all that. I think I'd just talk about ways to stay motivated when writing, setting realistic goals, and some editing tricks I've learned over the years. Then I'd see what everyone else does when they write."
"That sounds pretty neat."
"Do you like fanfiction?" Lucy asked, causing him to shrug.
"I mean, I read it occasionally, but I'm not a big reader. Oh! Unless it's manga of course, but let's be honest, that's basically a picture book for adults."
Lucy snickered. "Can't argue with you there." She smiled as she turned more towards him. "And that's okay that you're not a reader. The world would be pretty boring if we all liked the same things."
Lucy resisted the urge to bite her lip when Natsu leaned in a bit, his voice a little low. "Yeah, can't have that."
"Nope," she whispered, wishing she could be more bold in that moment, but she refrained herself. Part of her thought Natsu wanted something to happen too, his eyes flitting down to her mouth for a second.
She took a deep breath, allowing herself to be in the moment without worrying what could be. "No, we can't."
Lucy waited out in the hall while Natsu ducked into the hotel room, retrieving her ramen plushie. He returned a moment later, the sound of his friend's conversations muted when he closed the door behind him.
"Here you are, Elie."
"Why thank you, Haru." Lucy accepted it, carefully tucking it into her purse. She would bring it back out when she reached her car. Hopefully it wouldn't lose its shape during that short journey.
When Lucy looked back at him, she noticed something different. "Oh wow! Your eyes really are green!" She stepped closer, moving her purse around to her side so it wouldn't get in the way. Her replica weapons dangled against the back of her legs, attached to the purse for easier travel. "That's amazing."
"They're nothing special," Natsu said, but his faint blush told another story. "I literally had no part in making them, but I'll take the credit anyways."
As Lucy chuckled, he asked, "So, did you have fun today?"
Lucy easily nodded. "I went in with low expectations, but I had a good time. Magnolia's con is pretty great."
"I think so, but I haven't been to a lot of cons. Have you?"
Lucy nodded, her teeth catching her bottom lip for a second before releasing it. Her lip wasn't the only thing she caught, Natsu's attention slipping, his eyes lingering for a few beats before looking back up.
"I can tell you about the other conventions, tomorrow."
Natsu grinned, taking a half-step closer to her. "Sounds like a plan."
"Should I meet you here in the morning?" Lucy asked, wishing something would happen, but fear kept her in place. What she was afraid of? She didn't know, which only made her frustrated as well.
"That works. We're all getting breakfast at nine, if you wanna join?" Natsu stuffed his hands into his pockets, then took them out before balling them into fists. Lucy looked down, giving him a curious look before he sighed. "Sorry, I'm not really smooth when it comes to this sorta thing."
"What thing?" Lucy asked, cocking her head.
"This," Natsu said, gesturing back and forth. "I mean, I think we're on the same page..." He paled, his body going rigid. "Unless I've been reading into things!"
"Thought you weren't a big reader?" Lucy teased, giving him a wink, which only made him flustered. "Sorry, that was mean." When she chuckled, Natsu released some of his tension.
"Am I?" he asked, worry coloring his voice.
Lucy didn't bother speaking, taking another step to close the distance between them. She tilted her head up, leaning in an inch. She wasn't one to make the first move, but she didn't want to risk missing out on an opportunity with Natsu. Maybe he wasn't the one. Maybe he was just meant to be a friend.
But she would never find out if she didn't put herself out there, fearful or not.
Thankfully her efforts weren't fruitless, Natsu taking the hint. As he leaned in, Lucy closed her eyes, surprised by the warmth on her lips despite craving it. There was barely any pressure, but the fire coursing through her veins made her skin dot with goosebumps. It made no sense to Lucy, but she didn't try to dissect the moment, merely melting into it as Natsu began to press closer.
Just as Lucy was getting weak at the knees, Natsu pulled back, his face as pink as the hair he was hiding. She took a steady breath, lips parted as she tried to find the words, but they didn't come.
"Can I walk you to your car?" Natsu asked, needing a breather himself.
It took Lucy a moment before she realized she had to respond, her head finally managing a small nod.
He smiled, and she swore in that moment she felt the true definition of giddy. She couldn't help but be excited for what tomorrow awaited while also savoring the present, since that was where Natsu was at that moment.
With a shaky hand, Natsu reached out, taking hers before tugging her forward. She almost wanted to laugh when she felt his clammy palm against hers. He was just as nervous as she was, and honestly, that made her relax.
She hoped there was more than just this day, but if there wasn't, she would always remember him fondly as her favorite con crush.
I've been to five anime conventions (as of 2019) and one small comic con. My favorite convention was in Raleigh NC called Animazement. I went there three years. If you're ever in that area around Memorial's day, you should check it out! Wish I could go back. The one in my hometown is not as good, but it's better than nothing!
The Cringefession story is true. It definitely happened to me and it was incredibly embarrassing. And I confessed that at a Cringefessions panel at animazement. XD I still remember thinking, "Oh shoot, I cussed," but no one seemed to notice, they were laughing too much.
Thank you all so much for reading this one-shot! I had the idea a few years ago, but just now finally got to writing it. This idea came the second year I cosplayed at Lucy, which would have been in May of 2017 lol. Let me know what you thought! I hope this was fluffy enough! :D