A/N: Part 2 of this story just because I just kept thinking about it recently and figured I ought to give it a proper ending. But who knows, maybe I'll keep adding bits to it here and there loll. I love both ships and they're all so cute and soft for each other I can't help but indulge when inspiration strikes! Enjoy!
"Luce… there's been something I've been wanting to tell you…"
"Everything okay?" Lucy asks, watching the way his fingers fidget on the handle of the mug between his hands.
"Y-Yeah, um, I just wanted…" Natsu sighs and looks back up at her, "I like you… a lot," he breathes out, a soft flush spreading across his cheeks.
It takes a few moments for the words to sink in, warmth immediately spreading up her neck when she realizes the meaning behind his words.
Her heart swells at the earnest look in his eyes.
"Natsu…"
"But I-I, uh, I completely understand if you just want to stay friends," Natsu rushes out, rubbing the back of his neck as his eyes shift down from hers to the table, "I hope I didn't mess anything up between us... ugh, I'm sorry, this was probably random to spring on you and-"
"Natsu," she tries again, placing her hand over his on the table between them. She still feels warmth on her cheeks, but a wide smile spreads across her face.
Of course she'd thought he was gorgeous the first time she walked in the cafe and saw him behind the counter. She'd hurried to an empty table when she noticed her friend Shiki hadn't gotten there yet and that bright, infectious, toothy smile kept distracting her attention her attention until her vibrating call on her phone had shaken her out of it. She was barely able to find her words when he came to their table and she saw him up close and noticed the warmth of his hazel eyes and the sprinkle of freckles across his nose and cheekbones.
Yeah... she'd been a goner for him since the beginning.
But then they quickly became good friends and she found it hard to not fall for his kind heart and warm laugh. Eager for the days they would meet up at school or here at the cafe, and that spark of happiness would flutter in her stomach each time he greeted her with that crooked smile.
"I… I like you too, Natsu… a lot," Lucy admits with a soft squeeze to his hand.
Natsu pauses, wide eyes snapping back up to hers. "You do?"
Her smile grows. "I really do," she says, feeling him relax under the brush of her thumb on the back of his warm hand.
"Oh, that's… that makes me really happy." Lucy watches the endearing blush darken on his cheeks a bit, as he runs his other hand through his hair, his bright grin back across his face.
"You make me really happy," Lucy says warmly.
Natsu's expression softens, turning their hands so he could lace their fingers together. "You make me happy too, Luce," he said softly, "I have the day off tomorrow, would you wanna go out for somethin' to eat? Or anything you'd like really."
"I'd love to, Natsu."
"Becca, there's no way I would make a villager leave just 'cause they were "boring", that's so mean of you," Shiki pouts playfully, nudging Rebecca's shoulder.
They were relaxing up in her dorm room after her class let out early. She didn't have a shift at the cafe so she'd texted him if he wanted to come over and play some Animal Crossing and visit each other's island.
How could he say no to playing his favorite game and seeing her bright smile that always made his heart do weird things.
"I didn't say they were boring," Rebecca laughs, nudging back his shoulder, "I just said they didn't go with the aesthetic I'm trying to build for my island."
Shiki snorted. "Mmhm, sure sounds like the same thing to me," he grinned, looking back at his own screen, "aww, see, how could I get rid of this guy? They're all such cute friends."
Rebecca leans to see over his shoulder to see the elephant character, humming. "Nope, wouldn't want him either."
Shiki has to stop himself from leaning in to bury himself in the soft jasmine scent of hair, clearing his throat with a laugh instead and trying to ignore that warm fluttering in his stomach.
"Again, so mean, Bec." He pauses his game, setting it on the bed and stretches his arms over his head with a yawn. "Wanna head out for lunch?"
"Ah, yess, you read my mind. I'm starving," Rebecca groans, leaning against his shoulder for a moment.
Shiki grins. "C'mon, you, before you starve on me. It's your turn to pick."
He laughs at Rebecca's happy cheer, jumping up and pulling him with her.
They save their games, gather their things, and Shiki follows her lead out the door. With that bright pretty smile she gives him over her shoulder, he'd follow her just about anywhere.
When he'd walked into the cafe that day, he'd just been expecting to meet his friend, Lucy, not ready for the radiant sight of that same smile and crystal blue eyes that greeted him when he stepped up to the counter.
Which caught him off guard, because he normally didn't really pay attention to things like that. Always just content to make friends without a second thought, but there was just something about Rebecca and when they became better friends and the more he got to know her, the more he felt like it was something more… something different stirring in his heart.
Though, it was the first time he'd had these kinds of feelings, so he wasn't exactly sure what to do with them. He was just happy whenever they got to spend time together like this.
Rebecca sighs happily, leaning back against the bench they were sitting on, overlooking a wide grassy area of campus. The cool breeze refreshing underneath the shade of the thick tree over them.
They'd grabbed some boba teas after a filling lunch and it was hitting the spot.
"These are pretty good! I've never had one before," Shiki says cheerfully.
The movement of his tongue trailing over his bottom lip, picking up drops of the sweet drink, catches her eye when she looks over at him. Rebecca feels her cheeks warm a little and she has to look away before it becomes a full on blush.
It'd been happening way too often lately and she really needed to get her emotions under control.
Ever since they started spending more time together after that day they met at the cafe, it was getting harder for her to ignore these new bubbling feelings in her heart.
Shiki was so kind, sweet… and so pretty, with that messy dark hair with a slight undercut, bright toothy smile, and ridiculous amber eyes that she always ended up getting a little lost in when she looked a little too long.
It was hard to not fall for how caring and thoughtful he was the more she got to know him, or how his full warm laugh made her smile and made butterflies flutter in her stomach, or how he was so enthusiastic whenever she shared simple things from her classes. Even that boring math one.
"We'll just have to go out for more one day," Rebecca manages to say, finishing the last of her drink.
"Yeah! Can't wait. Think I wanna try the chocolate one next!" Shiki turns to her and Rebecca giggles as some of the drink spills from the straw onto his chin and shirt after he takes a long sip.
"Shiki," she shakes her head, laughing. Rebecca grabs a few of the spare napkins to try and clean him up a bit. "Why don't you try and finish this one first."
"Maybe you're right," he laughs, finishing to clean himself off.
Her gaze drops back down to his full lips, her thumb accidentally brushing over the bottom one. She hadn't realized when they shifted closer together, but she welcomed his warmth against her side.
Rebecca looks back up for a moment, finding fondness in his eyes. Then she leans in suddenly, following her heart, and presses her lips against his in a soft, brush of a kiss.
Shiki makes a soft surprised sound against her and it quickly pulls her back to reality.
"I-I'm sorry, Shiki, I-"
His warm palm comes up to cup her cheek gently, pausing her words. She notices his expression shift with something deeper in his eyes. "It's okay…"
Shiki leans back in and presses his soft lips against hers again, a bit firmer, taste of sweet almond on his lips. Their movements were a little unsure at the new action of a first kiss, but the warm touch still sends tingles up her spine.
"I… I like you, Shiki… so much," Rebecca says softly between them when she pulled back. "I'm sorry, that was so sudden of me to do…"
Shiki takes a slow breath, a warm smile spreading across his face, taking her hand in his. "You just surprised me, but I-I like you too, Rebecca…" he admits, thumbs brushing over the backs of her hands, "I think I have since we met," he laughs, "but I-I just never... I wasn't sure how to tell you everything I've been feeling..."
She laughs softly, giving his hands a reassuring squeeze. "I didn't either, but today just felt…"
"Yeah…" Shiki breathes, gaze dropping back to her lips for a moment, "C-Can I… can I kiss you again?"
Rebecca takes a moment to admire the cute deep flush across his cheeks. The kind, open vulnerability in his eyes makes her heart swell a little.
She replies by cupping the back of his neck, pulling him closer till their lips pressed again in a bit of a more meaningful kiss, slow and soft.
Shiki sighs into her when she wraps her arms around his neck fully, his arm winding around her, bringing her flush against him and she melts against his warmth.
His lips were warm and sweet, their kiss filling her with warmth and flutters of promise.
"Mm, that burger spot really hit the spot," Natsu sighs happily, rubbing over his belly with a wide toothy grin.
Lucy laughed, looping her arm through his as they walked along the pier of the beach.
They'd taken a drive in Natsu's car after their early dinner and were just in time to catch the beginnings of the sun setting in a mix of pinks and purples as the cool sea breeze blew past them.
"Well I would hope so, since you did pick it and had two of them."
"Worth it," he smirked. They came to a stop when they reached a bench near the end of the pier, overlooking the crashing waves below them. "I hope you liked it too though, know it wasn't much," he says, voice wavering a bit, running a hand through his hair as they sit down.
"Hey... anything with you is perfect, don't worry," she reassures with a squeeze to his arm.
"I-I'm glad," he smiles, a cute blush spreading across his cheeks as they share a long look. "Oh, I brought some dessert from the cafe to go with our shakes," Natsu grins, pulling up the bag he'd been carrying with him, taking out smaller paper bags with some cookies and pastries.
"Think we would've been fine with just a couple cookies, Natsu," she laughs fondly.
"Maybe you would've been, but we both know the answer for me, Luce."
"Yes. We do." Lucy rolls her eyes playfully at his smirk before he takes a big bite of a large cookie. Of course she already knew just how much of an appetite he could have, but she liked that they were already that comfortable and knew each other well enough to just be themselves.
They enjoy more of the sweets for a while longer, content with soft laughs and the calm of the steady waves around them, soft mist of the salty sea breeze in the air as they watch the darkening sky melt what was left of the setting warm sun.
"Thanks for today, Natsu… it really was perfect," Lucy says softly, turning to look up at those pretty hazel eyes.
A warm smile quirks Natsu's lips. He reaches up and gently curls some loose strands of her hair behind her ear. "Anytime, Luce. I'm happy when you're happy." Her skin tingles as his fingers brush along her jaw, his gaze flicking to her lips before they share a meaningful look, catching the flecks of green reflecting in his eyes. "C-Can… can I kiss you?"
Her heart warms at his fond eyes. "I thought you'd never ask," she says softly, smiling.
Her voice may have come off a little teasing, but a warm flush still creeps up her neck because she'd been imagining this moment more often than not lately.
Natsu huffs a soft laugh, expression relaxing as he leans in. Lucy meets him halfway and his lips are soft and warm when they finally press into hers, sweet from their treats.
She breathes a soft content sound. A tingle sparks up her spine, fingers coming up to thread through his hair at the back of his neck. His warmth was comforting against her as they shift closer together.
"It did take me a while to ask, I admit, but damn this was worth it," Natsu laughs warmly between them after a few blissful moments, a little breathless as his thumb caresses her flushed cheek.
Lucy smiles brightly, squeezing his firm arm that was settled at her hip. "Mm, it really was. You're worth it."
Her heart swells at the warm affection in his eyes and that genuine happy smile. "You're worth everything," he whispers.
She slowly leans in to resume the kiss, a little bit deeper this time that pulls a low sound from his chest.
Natsu's warm palm shifts to the back of her neck, tilting his head and pouring more of himself into the kiss and she melted into it, following her heart into this promising new feeling with him.
