Authors Note: This story picks up after my short story 'Finely Tuned' (you can find it to read: Scales, Swords and Sweet Surprises chapter 10). Please make sure to go back and read that one! Its GaLe centric and kicks off with a little background for the series. Happy reading everyone!


A little bit more


Back and forth. Pause. Back and forth. Pause. The third time around would have usually started to annoy her, but this was familiar pink hair. A regular Lucy found herself crushing on. The blonde's eyes bounced along the path of her mystery wizard. She found herself snorting to herself. He didn't look like a wizard, maybe she'd stick to calling him a mage. She followed his nervous pacing outside of the shop's panoramic windows.

"Lulu are you still listening to me?" had Lucy swinging her eyes back to Levy and the maps spread along every open space along her counter.

"Yeah, Lev. Sorry. You said you want to go back to Cambodia again? Is it because of that ruby?" Lucy inquired, her hand gesturing quickly to the display behind her. The ruby sitting in its center, backlit by pure white light. It out shown the other stones housed with it; it simply radiated enough magical energy to supercharge every witch in a 50ft radius. Lucy knew it was the reason Natsu was pacing outside. He'd been eyeing it for the past six weeks. Six weeks he'd been coming into her shop, asking her questions about it yet making excuses as to why he couldn't buy it. He'd said he planned too though.

"That ruby was just the tip of the iceberg. That cave system just vibrated with magic Lucy! I must go back. I have to. I need to know what else I'll find." Levy's hazel eyes were sparkling by the end of her little speech; Her blue hair waved around her face with her excited movements.

"How long do you think you'll be gone this time? Promise me you'll be careful…you remember what happened last time." Lucy just couldn't say no to the excitement radiating from her best friend. Not to mention the possibility of more gems with large magical outputs. They'd be swimming in money.

"Of course, I'll be careful, besides I have a –" Levy was cut off by a low rumble that made the hair on the nape of Lucy's neck stand up straight.

"You got a predatory look in your eyes Shrimp, does that mean you're ready to gem hunt again?"

"We're heading back to Cambodia, Gajeel." Levy huffed, seemingly unaffected by the intimidating aura that the beast prowling toward them threw off. Lucy knew of dragons but had been lucky enough to not encounter one until now. They were known to be ornery creatures that didn't care much for anything that wasn't considered theirs.

"Cambodia? Ya mean that cave you plucked that red hunk of junk from?" Gajeel's red eyes connected with weary brown before Lucy dropped contacted. His eyes unnerved her. "Why?" The bell near the entrance ringing snatched Lucy's attention away from Levy's explanation. Deep dark onyx connected with brown, and the blonde couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips. She didn't realize until then that she'd been tense, hoping he'd walk in.

"Welcome back Natsu."

"Heya Luce." He greeted back, his carefree smile made her chest hurt. She didn't know when he started calling her 'Luce' but that it had happened and she secretly loved it; found herself hugging the endearment to herself, it was warm.

"I didn't think you'd ever come in." Lucy automatically leaned against the counter, trying to get as close to him as was polite and appropriate for a store owner to be to a customer. Natsu blushed lightly and his smile took on a more embarrassed edge.

'"I was hoping you didn't notice that," the pink haired man mumbled while coming up to the counter in front of Lucy, "I was coming to buy the ruby but was nervous thinking someone already bought it." The blonde noticed his tattooed fingers dancing across the glass countertop, tapping out an anxious rhythm. For six weeks she's been attempting to decipher the red ink that kissed his tan fingers. She was starting to think she was developing an infatuation with his hands.

"You finally got the balls to purchase it? I thought you were coming in here for a completely different reason." Gajeel's taunt brought Lucy out of her thoughts with a light blush. His tone had held implications that would have sent her spiraling into cardiac arrest if she thought about them too hard.

"Shut up Gajeel. Hey Levy."

"Hi Natsu," Levy greeted after elbowing Gajeel in the stomach and hissing a threatening 'be nice'. "We'll be leaving first thing tomorrow, Lucy. I wanted to give you some more time to recharge before we left. Do I need to pinpoint where I'll be on the map again for you?"

"I'll be able to reach you no matter where you go within that region now that it isn't my first time covering that much distance." Lucy smiled, "It won't be such a strain."

"I'll bring you back some amazing stuff Lulu, wait and see!" Levy stated cheerfully while herding a sulking dragon out of the door. That just left her and Natsu.

"So, uhm, the ruby?" Lucy cleared her throat as she looked back at Natsu briefly. The look of interest on his face had her dropping her eyes back to his dancing fingers. He could never seem to sit still, and she didn't feel like she could answer his questions about her without stumbling over her words like an idiot.

"Ah, yeah." A stilling of his fingers before his hands disappeared into his pockets, "I've finally saved enough money to buy it. It'll help me channel my energy better, or so Erza says."

"A gem this size, throwing off this amount of magical energy…just for you? Are you a monster exterminator and parts peddler?" Lucy found herself joking with a raised eyebrow. She might not know what he did for a living, but she couldn't see him being a hunter – a mage dedicated to specific guilds that hunted down monsters magical in nature that were disturbing the public. They were incredibly wealthy, along with incredibly arrogant. These mages were also allowed to sell parts of the monsters they slay to be used in spell work or Witchy décor. Natsu just didn't seem the type to her, too laid back and very non-threatening. All Lucy knew for sure was that he possessed the ability to harness magic, at least that's what her spirit guides had told her. Along with the runes on his fingers, she could recognize Cana's work anywhere.

"Yeah? I guess if that's what you want to call me," was responded back so casually that Lucy almost missed it. "I'm part of a Hunters guild," said around a shrug.

"What's it like? Facing such large and terrifying monsters? Isn't it dangerous? Isn't it…scary?" The blonde couldn't have stopped the tumble of questions even if she wanted too. She was curious about him and wanted to know all about the monsters he's faced. She burned with the want of it.

"It's…exciting!" Natsu laughed, his eyes lighting and flashing sparks of fire, "There's nothing more fun than pitting yourself against something strong and deadly and coming out on top. That's part of the reason I joined anyway." Lucy listened intently as she removed the ruby from the display behind her and placing it in the plush center of pink wrapping paper. She drank in the sight of his face alight with happiness while discussing combat. In this instant he radiated a kind of gluttonous hunger for the challenge that only fighting could bring and Lucy could practically taste his power, it reminded her strongly of cinnamon; he couldn't have joined a hunter's guild if he wasn't skilled in his own right. "You didn't ask what guild I'm in."

"I've always been more interested in the monsters," Lucy admitted lowly as she carefully enfolded the precious stone in layer after layer of wrapping paper before searching for a snug enough box to house it during transport. "I've always wanted to know what it's like to stand face to face with them and witness what they're capable of. It must be a powerful sight." The blonde finished before smiling at the dumbstruck look on Natsu's face. "What guild are you in?"

"I'll tell you next time I come in, I have a big job starting tomorrow meaning I'll be gone for a week. I'll come tell you when I get back, along with a story or two. You like the monsters huh? Maybe I'll come with a gift then, Luce." A gift? For her? Lucy's heart kicked around her chest like a frightened rabbit. Did he mean it?

"That'll be $1,300," Was all she trusted herself to say. Her nerves took flight and she wanted to ask what he'd bring her but decided to wait and see. She didn't want to seem too eager or that she expected something. He was just a client after all. It wasn't like he was flirting.

"No problem," Natsu mumbled while digging out a crumpled wad of cash from his pockets and handing it to her without counting, "That should cover it, I'll see ya in a week Luce!" He said with a wink, snatching the box from the counter and exiting the shop before Lucy could so much as say goodbye. The last thing she saw was the flash of his ruby studs that somehow still managed to shine from behind his longish hair.

"Maybe I'll get you a gift too," Lucy mused to herself as she looked in the display case. She liked rubies on him but thought he'd look better with something a little flashier – he was unpredictable sometimes and impulsive. Hot. He reminded her of fire and deserved something to show that. She was happy to know more about him; now she just wanted to know a little bit more especially now that he promised to come back and tell her stories. Now that she was certain he'd keep coming back. "Stupid," Lucy mumbled to herself with a blush as she straightened out the money he handed her and counted, "don't get your hopes up."