Storyline: Continuation of Coffee Shop - Part Two

"So, you're a music major at my college? How have I never seen you before?"

Natsu shrugged as he walked beside her. They had left the coffee shop to walk around idly since it was a Sunday, but it seemed they were both awake for good. How Natsu ended up walking with someone other than his childhood friends he did not know but this girl was persistent.

"I don't know," he breathed, shrugging again as he glared at the floor they walked on. Lucy eyed him oddly before staring ahead.

"So," she began. "Why do you study music if you hate it so much?"

That caught his attention. She clearly fought a smile when Natsu's head snapped up and a real-life expression morphed onto his face. It was mainly surprise and disbelief but still, progress is progress.

"Who said I hated music?" he asked once he composed himself. Lucy scoffed.

"It's pretty obvious," she laughed. "The way you… sound when you talk about it. I've never heard someone sound so miserable talking about something they're meant to be enjoying."

"Who says you have to enjoy what you study?" he challenged, his brows raising as he stopped to look at her. Lucy just stopped ahead of him and shot him a look.

"What's the point of studying something if you don't enjoy it?"

Natsu had fucking nothing to say to that. He squinted his eyes at her in annoyance before shoving his hands into his pockets and walking again. Lucy had to jog a little to catch up with his sudden brisk walk.

"So?" she asked. Natsu rolled his eyes. This woman needed a sedative.

"So what?" he asked, and Lucy huffed.

"Why do you hate music?"

Natsu grit his teeth. "Well, it takes up a lot of my time is all."

Lucy narrowed her eyes.

"You're lying," she accused, and Natsu did a double take.

"How the hell would you know that?" he asked in exasperation.

"The way you're saying it! You suck a lying."

Natsu looked at her in bewilderment. No, he didn't suck at lying. He was great at lying. He told these kinds of lies every single day to many people and they never even noticed. Some he'd known his entire life had never even realised. And this girl – whom he'd met no more than one hour ago - picked up on it straight away. It didn't make any sense.

"Well," Natsu began in a strained voice. "I just don't really enjoy it."

Lucy frowned.

"Then, I repeat, why would you bother to study it if you don't enjoy it?" she asked in confusion. Natsu laughed without humour, the sound harsh and dry.

"Because I'm good at it, so it made sense," he grumbled. "My dad and I don't have a lot of money – He's a fireman but obviously they don't make a much as they used too. I had to pick something that I'd do well at, then hopefully we'll make a few bucks."

Lucy raised her brows as she took in his tense frame. Natsu squirmed uncomfortably, aware he looked like he hadn't slept in weeks. Well, he was up at seven on a Sunday, so he guessed it was obvious that sleeping was an issue.

"You must care a lot about your dad to pick a subject you dislike so much," she observed. Natsu tried to remain unfazed, but his shoulders visibly stiffened.

"I don't really want to talk about my dad," he rumbled in a cold voice. Hearing his own voice in his head, he knew he sounded scary, so he assumed it would scare the intrusive girl away. Again, she surprised him.

She laughed.

"Ah, so I touched a nerve," she drawled playfully and skipped beside him. He couldn't even suppress his growl.

"No," he tried not to snap. "I just don't want to talk about it."

"I doubt it's just that," she mumbled, though the smile was still present on her face. "You're so easy to read."

Natsu scoffed. "I'm easy to read?"

"Mhm," she hummed. "I can tell when you're lying so easily, and your reaction tells me that you're not too used to that."

Natsu squinted at her in disbelief.

"What are you, a therapist?" he adjusted his hat in frustration. "What do you study at college?"

"Oh, um... Phycology, Sociology, Philosophy and Law," she counted each subject off her fingers, shrugging at Natsu's wide-eyed gaze.

"They sounded interesting," she defended herself with a frown.

Natsu released a strained laugh as they came to a stop at a road, waiting to cross.

"Your workload must be crazy," he murmured. Lucy shrugged again.

"It's not too bad, but it can get a little overwhelming."

"What are you thinking of getting out of it?" he asked and Lucy grinned.

"Well, my mom was a lawyer, so I was thinking something along that area of expertise." Natsu laughed and nodded in understanding.

"So, you get to be like your parent," he shook his head. He should have saw this. "That's where you and I differ."

"Ah, so you want to be a fireman like your dad but had to pick something that could make you more money. That's why you hate music." she sighed in realisation.

Why was he telling her this? This was the last thing he wanting to discuss with anyone on the planet and he literally just initiated conversation in that direction. This girl was just too damn easy to talk to.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that" he admitted, shrugging his shoulders. Then she did something that really surprised him.

She squeezed his shoulder.

"That nothing to be ashamed of," she muttered and patted his arm awkwardly. He fought a smirk. She was as bad at this as he. He patted her hand gently before making his way forward to cross the road, not missing how the girl froze before running to catch up with him.

"So," she began again in her regular voice. "Where are we going?"

Natsu raised his brows at her. "We?"

"Yeah." Natsu eyed her cautiously before turning to look ahead as he walked.

"I was on my way to the library. I need to get some scores and books for class," he cast a wary glance to Lucy. "I just assumed that you were headed in the same direction."

He trailed off as Lucy laughed at him again.

"Don't flatter yourself, I'm not stalking you," she teased. "I'm headed to the library too,"

Natsu cast her an incredulous glance.

"Yeah, that explains the: 'Where are we going?' comment." He teased her. A grin tugged at his lips when the girl huffed.

"I really was heading to the library," she insisted. "When I said 'we' I actually meant 'you'. As in, 'where are you going'."

Natsu laughed gruffly, shaking his head as he turned the corner that headed to the library.

"Sure, blondie, sure," He laughed as the girl thumped his arm, obviously in attempt to hurt him.

"Like you have any room to talk about hair colour!" she snapped. "What guy has pink hair?!"

Natsu laughed again as he made his way into the library. This girl really was different.