Rare Pair Week Day 5: Opposites
Pairing: Natsu Dragneel x Juvia Lockser
Series: Fairy Tail
Writer's Corner: My ultimate guilty pleasure, Navia! Also, slight jealous someone? hehe
"Oh, there you are!"
Natsu fondly gnawed on the burnt fish in his hand. He savored every bit of flesh and bones as bouts of laughter escaped his open mouth. He failed to notice the head-waitress' arrival at their table as he continued to munch down the poor fish.
"What do you mean, Mira-chan? We haven't even left this table since Erza brought in that bucket of fish." Lucy masked her irritation with pretentious innocence, sarcasm implied.
"Well, my last job added this to my reward. Didn't know what to do with them." Erza had the need to explain when no one asked her.
"If it shuts the flamebrain down, I don't have any complaints."
Flame-brain retaliated but his insult came out incomprehensible with another over-cooked fish filling his mouth.
"Aye, aye, sir!" Happy chirped, pulling his head out of the bucket with raw fish writhing between his teeth.
"Oh, well. I just wanted to give you this." Mira balanced the empty bottles on her tray in one hand as she presented a mission request to the trio, which was only intended for the fire dragon slayer.
"A mission?" Brown eyes shining in anticipation as Lucy imagined the tons of jewel she was about to get her hands on. "Does it pay handsomely?" She asked, voice bereft of that foreboding gloom it had earlier.
"Well, yes." Mira held on her bright, albeit forced, smile as if she wasn't about to drop a bomb on that table. "But it specifically requests Natsu and Juvia."
"Natsu and Juvia?!"
Expectedly, Lucy and Gray shared a shocked expression on their horrified face.
"That's odd." Commented Titania, massaging her chin as she pondered over the peculiar partnership. "What kind of job is it?"
Mira opened her mouth, about to answer when the missing half of the "Oddest Couple of the Century" materialized at the double door.
"Oh, here she comes now." Mira exclaimed, "Juvia, we're here!" she waved the water-mage over the table. As if she really had to. The moment Juvia felt Gray's presence through her 'Gray-dar', she rushed to the guild hall, about to claim the spot beside him when the fire-dragon slayer hooked his arm with hers and dragged her out of the hall.
"C'mon, Juvia. We gotta job to do!"
"Aye, aye, sir!"
"But… but…" Blue wistful eyes remained glued at the ice-make mage who was watching the retreating coup-no! the retreating duo until they disappeared behind the squeaky doors.
Even Mira, the self-proclaimed Queen of Match-Making found the Natsu-Juvia pairing a bit strange and… she couldn't find the right words. She snapped out of it quickly, trying an idea on the remaining mismatched couple.
"Lucy, maybe you'd like to try going on a job with Gray?" She suggested.
"I guess we could…"
"I'm going home."
"What?!" Lucy jumped out of his seat, attempting to stop the ice-make mage who was already at the door. "Gray! I need the… money." She finished her sentence in a small voice, finding it useless to talk Gray out of well, walking out, and returned to her seat dejectedly.
"If you really need it," The Requip mage, who was now finished downing her fifth strawberry shortcake, scooted over to Lucy to offer the sulking celestial mage some help, "I can go with you on a mission."
Slowly, Lucy scurried away. "On a second thought, I probably don't need the pay, after all-eep!"
As usual, Titania wasn't listening. She was half-way marching down the door with a nervous Lucy in tow.
Because the last time she went on a job with Erza, Lucy was baited to the pervy old men of some lost town, dressed in just string bikini and a nervous smile.
"How far is that place, Natsu-san?
"Dunno." Answered the fire-dragon slayer. Hurting his brain looking at the map, which he turned upside down over and over again.
Juvia sighed in exasperation. They've been on foot for half a day now and it seemed the fire-dragon slayer hasn't figured out the map. He refused to take the train and promised to get them to their destination even if reading that ordinary map they bought from town killed him.
"Well, this map is pretty useless." He declared, burning the paper in his frustration.
"No! Juvia could have taken a look at it." But her words fell on deaf ears. Juvia didn't even know how Lucy managed to survive the partnership between her and the fire dragon slayer who refused all help. She wants to get to their destination a.s.a.p. and get things done. She already missed Gray, after all.
"I wonder what Gray-sama is doing now." Juvia mused. Suddenly, Juvia had a certain feeling of eyes following her. She stopped dead in her track to confirm her suspicion. To meet those eyes that followed her. But the street was populated with people who were going in different directions. Juvia didn't see anyone or anything particularly looking at her. Maybe, she was wrong. But her apprehensions forced her watchful eyes to study the corner of a building where rustling sounds could be heard of. Then, there was half a shadow. She couldn't make any figure out of it. But it was moving.
"Oi, Juvia. What's wrong?"
Juvia didn't answer just yet. She waited for something – anything – to come out the corner of the wall. Her hands were prepared for whatever that was.
Then, she heard a soft purr. A black alley cat stepped out into the light, licking the fur on one foot. It stopped, sensing Juvia's eyes on her. The cat held the blue eyes' gaze, its deep, black cat's eye staring down at the water-mage, sending a shrill down Juvia's spine.
"N-n-nothing…"
Juvia turned around and rushed towards the puzzled dragon slayer's side before the cat actually scared the hell out of Juvia. As they continued on foot, Natsu suggested they stay somewhere for the night. Happy seconded, tired of flying over their heads.
"Juvia supposes it is rather late…" Juvia's eyes were downcast, still uncomfortable with being alone with Natsu.
"Look, there's a motel!"
"Motel?!"
Happy regained his energy and gleefully flew around Natsu's head. The old lights on the name flickering on and off started to scare Juvia. But nothing compared to the horror of what Natsu was implying.
"D-d-does Natsu-s-san even know what a m-m-motel is?"
"Huh? Isn't it just a place to stay?"
Natsu disappeared into the questionable building, leaving Juvia no other choice but to follow after him. Inside, an old lady behind a covered counter greeted them. A merchant's smile plastered on her wrinkly face because she knew, if the young couple who just entered her motel had other choice, Natsu and Juvia and that weird flying cat behind them would have never even casted a glance at that shabby-looking building. If the exterior made you wanna reconsider, the inside of the near-retirement motel sent you running out for your dear life.
"We'll take it!"
"Natsu-san!"
Juvia puffed air in her mouth, refusing to breath that smelly air in that sinister, dimly-lit hallway of the motel. Just until they reached their shared room because the lady caretaker said it was the only one left. Juvia refused to believe it but Natsu was insistent, dragging the protesting water-mage to the second floor. Natsu celebrated the moment he found their door; not even sparing another thought about actually sleeping in it. Juvia wondered if the foul smell didn't bother him as much as it did Juvia. Wasn't he a dragon slayer who was highly sensitive to smell-eep!
Juvia squealed when she was suddenly pulled into the dark room.
When Natsu turned the lights on, Juvia was a little surprised. The room was tidied, even smelled lavender. But she wondered why there was so many mirrors installed on the walls, even the roof.
"Finally! Time for rest."
Natsu threw himself into the made-up bed, squealing in excitement as the soft mattress nearly swallowed him. The bed was big enough to cater for two tired bodies. Juvia, however, had reservations.
"Juvia could just stay on the couch, Natsu-san." She said, already starting for the worn-out, she dared call couch, next to the bed.
Natsu sat right back up, brows furrowed in confusion.
"You can sleep on the bed. It's big enough for the three of us."
No! Juvia couldn't, she thought. What would Gray-sama say…
"Juvia prefers the couch, Natsu-san." She faked a smile, which was coming out weird and awkward as pointed out by Happy.
He could have said something but the Exceed was too tired to even sing his famous, "she liiiiiikes you."
"Suit yourself." Natsu collapsed back to the bed, head cushioned on his hands. Happy flew to his side, resting his head on Natsu's arm.
The short silence was then quickly replaced by Natsu and Happy's loud snoring. It amused Juvia how they easily fell asleep. But she remembered something. In her desire not to make any noise that may wake up the sleeping figures on the bed, Juvia tiptoed, silently making her way to get herself some pillow and cover to use. Natsu wasn't using them anyways. She gathered the sleeping essentials in her arms and slowly turned around to go back to her rightful place – on the couch. Then, she heard a scream coming from outside. Juvia hovered over the bed to look out the window. She didn't know what happened. It just happened so fast. Suddenly, she was pinned down on the bed, beneath Natsu who covered her body with his.
"What was that?"
Natsu whispered, looking around the room before his apprehensive eyes landed on Juvia's. They stared at each other for a moment, waiting... Happy wedged himself between the two. Looking up at him, at his onyx eyes, Juvia felt… nothing but utter annoyance that it wasn't Gray who was on top of her. Juvia pushed his face away from hers, kicking and punching her way out of his hold.
"Hey, what was that for?" Natsu was offended, rubbing the places Juvia hit him.
"Juvia can handle herself, Natsu-san."
"I just thought something happened to you." He explained, rising on his knees on the mattress to look over the window. "I was sure I heard a woman's scream." There was nothing out there but an endless star-studded sky and a lonely coconut tree which leaves swayed with the wind.
"Natsu…" Happy buried himself against him, poor thing shaking.
"Juvia heard it too. But like she said, Juvia can handle herself." She gathered her sleeping essentials and marched over to the couch.
"It was on instinct, you know." He defended himself but Juvia was already settled on the couch, covering her head with the sheet. "That ice-bastard will kill me if something happened to you." He muttered to himself, trying to calm Happy down but eyes still trained at the sheet-covered form on the couch.
"C'mon, Happy. We still got work tomorrow!"
"Aye, sir." The Exceed answered, slightly shaking now.
The sunlight coming from the window hit Natsu's eyes, forcing him to wake from his deep and loud slumber. He opened one eye first, crossing an arm over his face to shield from the direct rays. Quickly, Natsu adjusted to his surroundings, remembering why he was inside that shabby room with Happy still sleeping soundly right beside him. He sat right up and looked for Juvia who he remembered opted for the couch. She met his 'just-adjusting' glance and expressing a look of surprise, greeting him with no warmth nor hostility, just a mechanical, "Oh, good morning, Natsu-san." Juvia was fixing her hat atop her head and looked ready to start her day – or maybe, just wanted to get this mission done and get rid of him asap.
"Good morning, Juvia!" He flashed her a toothy smile, brighter than the sunlight hitting his cherry hair. Now, that Natsu had a good night sleep and much wanted rest from all that walking yesterday and using up all his brain cells reading that stupid map, he was so ready to put this mission to bed, "I'm all fired up!"
The duo paid their bill, with Juvia denying vehemently the old woman's accusation of her and Natsu enjoying the night as a couple.
"Juvia has promised herself to another man!"
"Oh…" The woman behind the counter expressed her surprise but she's seen worse so she knew better not to judge. That didn't stop her from sharing some wisdom. She gave Juvia a sound advice, "you shouldn't dilly-dally with another man then. Save your self for that man you promised."
"You gave yourself to another man?" Natsu took offense on behalf of his open-secret best-friend. "Man, Gray's gonna flip!"
"Aye, sir!"
"Juvia promised himself to Gray-sama, Natsu-san."
But Natsu-san wasn't listening, continuing to the door, muttering much to Juvia's chagrin.
"But can't blame ya. Gotta be his fault leaving you alone like that."
Juvia didn't have the energy to refute that though she totally disagreed. It was useless but she just felt the need to say, "Juvia only has Gray-sama in her heart."
Outside the almost retiring motel, both Natsu and Juvia shared a quizzical look as the once lonely streets became so hectic in the morning. There were so many people flocking behind a taped line. Video and sound recording lacrimas flying around the area. Both Natsu and Juvia didn't understand what was or about to happen. But Natsu couldn't care less. He was ready to ignore the whole commotion when a huffing and puffing young man approached the two.
"Natsu-san, Juvia-san, welcome!" The young man quickly pulled the two mages, leaving Happy to just fly behind them, to introduce them to a higher official.
"We were worried you didn't receive our request. Director-san would have buried us alive!"
"Director-san?" Natsu wondered while he allowed himself and Juvia be dragged towards a tight circle gathered under the devised canopy. As they get closer, however, Juvia recognized the voice of the high authority, spewing orders here and there, before she even saw him.
"Director-san, the Fairytail mages we requested are here."
The group quickly dispersed, revealing a slim man in formal, respectable clothes. Two of his distinguished features, one which both Natsu and Juvia easily recognized were the monocle on his right eyes and his thick French accent.
"Salut!" The man with the highest power climbed down the director's chair to greet the guests.
"Sol?!" The Fairytail mages, minus Juvia, fell on a defensive stance in case the former Phantom Lord Mage went offensive. Natsu and Happy haven't forgotten about what happened.
"Non, non, non." He quickly dispersed their apprehension. "Monsieur Sol does not seek a fight."
"Like I'd believe that!" Natsu wasn't buying it, however, putting himself in-front of the water-mage a defensive wall.
"I have a new life after Phantom Lord, just like Mademoiselle Juvia, oui?"
Natsu was ready to attack when he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. He glanced at the water-mage over his shoulder but his walls weren't down.
"Perhaps, Sol-san is right. Just like Juvia, he has found his way. He isn't an enemy of Fairytail anymore."
Juvia blue eyes beseeched him. If Juvia trusted this weirdo swaying around like some kind of a flailing tube man, then maybe Natsu should give it a try. He was, after all, a man of forgiveness and second chances. Slowly, Natsu let his guard down, "I guess so."
"Magnifique!" Sol exclaimed, linking his arms with the Fairytail mages, and leading them under the canopy. The people under the shade scattered, leaving only the young man who greeted Natsu and Juvia earlier to accommodate the guests, offering them refreshments.
"You see…" the former Phantom Lord Element 4 started, gesturing to Natsu, Juvia and Happy to take the seats offered them. "I have finally found my troue (true) passion – ze (the) arts!" He declared, throwing his slender, swaying arms above him, as if presenting the busy site to the still puzzled mages. "Now, down to biz-ness." His face turned serious as he motioned the young man, who turned out to be assistant director-san, to explain to Natsu and Juvia about the job request.
"Basically, we are going to burn that building down." The young man pointed to the dying motel the 'odd partners' stayed in. "Using Natsu-san's fire magic. And Juvia-san… Juvia-san is here to control the situation," he flashed them an awkward smiled, bordering guilty, as he slowly dared continue the sentence, "in case, it gets out of hand."
Basically, they didn't trust Natsu to work on this alone and they needed Juvia as a what? Extinguisher? However, the 'insult' was way over Natsu's head.
"I'm all fired up!" declared the fire-dragon slayer, jumping out of his seat and pumping his fist into thin air.
Sol, the movie director joined him, leaving Juvia the only one feeling, "Juvia feels this won't end well."
Juvia wasn't a fortune-teller, but that's exactly how the afternoon of shooting a movie went – not well. Bad. Worst. Hell. Natsu was just showing off, burning everything in his wake. Juvia was left cleaning up after him, using her water magic to just wash off the fire that burned the entire street. Juvia apologized to Sol but the latter waved it away, telling her it was expected since they requested the fire-dragon slayer for the job. But Juvia couldn't help but feel sorry for the guy while the old woman who owned the run-down motel kept adding expenses to his tab. That also meant there was going to be a big cut out of their pay.
"Now, Juvia knows how Lucy feels." She muttered.
At one point, Juvia had to shower the female actress with cold water because Natsu just 'accidentally' burned her, which forced Juvia to hesitantly take her place instead. The water-mage didn't warm up to the idea at first. What woman in her right mind would willingly go into a burning building to wait for someone to save her? Certainly, not one of the member of the strongest guild in Fiore. However, it was her former guildmate who begged her to do something. Despite of what happened in the past, Sol was a nice friend to her. She didn't have the heart to say no. Until, she was told there was a kissing scene.
"Juvia certainly will not do it!"
"Will you reconsider if we put Natsu-san in the leading man's place instead?"
"Oui! Idea magnifique!" Came the exclamation from behind the young assistant director. Sol clasped his hands around Juvia's, eyes pleading with hers. "If not, we will keep lo-sing money."
"Juvia and Natsu-san don't even look like your main couple! And that's not part of the request." She tried everything to get out of that deal.
"Death." Sol covered his eyes with his arm, in such a dramatic fashion befitting such a dramatic person. "Death is coming for moi."
"Sol-san!" Juvia caught him and helped him into his seat.
Juvia looked around the expectant looks from the crew members. Not only was Sol going to lose money because of delayed production, as he persuaded the water-mage, although Juvia had a feeling he was using the guilt card on her, he would have to start firing people. That part of the information the assistant director made sure was heard all over until the neighboring town. Now, she had the entire "Man of Fire" cast and crew relying on her to be their savior. The person who said he was going to take care of everything just walked up to her to ask, "How hard could it be?"
Natsu wasn't considering it, was he?
"It's just going in and out of a burning building." He shrugged his shoulders. "Easy."
But it wasn't easy. Especially, when Natsu started questioning Sol about why he should do this or that, telling Sol how to do his job. He wasn't making it easy for anyone, especially not to the water-mage who got a number of her dresses reduced to ashes.
"Non. Non. Non!" The director was now stomping his feet, thrashing his head around out of frustration. "Monsieur Natsu need to carry Mademoiselle Juvia like a bride." He informed. "Zen (then), lay her on ze (the) ground and you claim her sweet lips." Sol pursed his lips for emphasis. Then, he dropped the loving expression, "Not laugh like a villainous maniaque (maniac)."
Apparently, Natsu was not able to wrap his head around the idea that he was actually the main lead and not the evil dragon king he thought himself to be.
"You could have just said so." He grunted and returned back into the burning building to, figured Juvia, get the scene right this time.
But Sol, feeling the frustration boiling up his blood, returned to stomping on the ground and trashing his head around saying, "zat's (that's). wat (what). I've. Been. Saying." Juvia had to apologize on Natsu's behalf, once again, before returning into the building to play the damsel in distress.
This time, however, the fire dragon slayer made good on his promise. The director and the crew watched on the monitor lacrima as the scene played out on their screen. Sol, the director and whose head was going to be chopped if the movie didn't go so well, nervously gawked at the large monitor, chewing on his fingernails, as he hoped not but still expected something to go wrong. Thank the heavens, everything went perfectly. From the time Natsu rushed into the burning building to coming out of it with Juvia in both arms. The moving-photo lacrima taker loved everything about the dragon slayer: his serious look, furrowed brows, and sexy bravado. His torn clothes exposing hard muscles was just the icing on the cake. Now, it was the most crucial scene that got Sol all nervous and fidgety; the highlight, the moment that will end it all, the scene of all scenes – the kiss.
Natsu gently placed Juvia on the ground as per Sol's direction, safe from the fire he created for the movie scene. He had his hand behind Juvia's head, keeping her close to him. His focused eyes sought hers. Juvia's heart was beating loudly. With Natsu's enhanced hearing ability, she was sure he could hear every beat of it. Then slowly, ever so cautiously, without any word spoken between them, Natsu leaned in. Closer and closer until he was just a breath away.
Then, he wasn't breathing at all. Because Natsu Dragneel was just frozen solid.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Gray-sama?"
"Non. Non. Non. Non!" Sol pulled his drilling stare off the monitor, off his literally frozen male lead. He slid off his seat and thrashed his head until he broke his neck, he hoped. So that he didn't have to deal with all the angry people who will be out to get him if he didn't finish this movie. "Pourquoi (Why)?" He fell on his knees, grasping on the ground. Then, Sol lifted his arms to heaven, questioning all the gods that must have hated him. "Pourquoi moi (Why me)?!"
Natsu, finally learning how to thaw Gray's ice and unfreeze himself with his fire magic, became warm skin again. "What the hell, Gray?" He lurched for the newly arrived visitor who easily side-stepped him.
"Why are you about to…" Gray, the uninvited visitor, had a strained expression on his face, "with that flame-brain?!"
Gray Fullbuster, who looked like he was ready to swallow the water-mage whole, effortlessly dodged all of Natsu's attacks, whilst drilling a hole at Juvia's head with the way he was glaring at her.
"It's a job request, you ice-prick!"
"Natsu-san is right, Gray-sama!" Juvia jumped to her feet to defend her honor. "It was just a near-touch kiss."
But her explanation fell on deaf ears because 'Ice Prick' and 'Flame Brain' were already destroying half the town.
"I'm really sorry, Sol-san."
Juvia walked back to Magnolia with the world on her shoulders. Not only did she not get the pay for the simple job request; she and Natsu were slapped with so much damage and penalty claims that she would need to bust her butt off working all missions available back at the guild and still need to get herself some side gigs. Serve as a human fountain? Human sprinkler? Giant faucet?
"Maybe, Juvia can pose as a model for Sorcerer Weekly?" She mulled it over. Although she wasn't comfortable with the exposure, she needed the jewels.
"I'll help you with the claims so don't worry about it." Said Gray who was walking beside her the whole time.
"Yeah. Me too." Natsu caught up with Juvia and Gray, with the latter going to such lengths as putting himself between them as they travelled or urging Juvia to walk faster to lose Natsu. Just because he wanted to separate the water-mage from flame-brain. But as expected of Natsu, he wasn't getting the hint that Gray actually did not want him there.
"You're half the reason for it!"
"Yeah? Well, news for you droopy eyes. You're the other half reason!"
"You wanna go at it, slanty?" There was no point asking because Gray and Natsu were already at each other's throats, ready to land the punch they were both holding up.
"Juvia would really prefer to walk in peace, Gray-sama." She sighed. Juvia now had a new whole respect for the celestial mage who had to deal with all this.
It was the ice-make mage who first pulled away from the ensuing fight, muttering a small sorry for his behavior. His actions made Natsu wonder because: one, Gray never backed out of a fight; second, especially when he looked so eager – athirst – to land that cold fist on Natsu; and finally, how did even Gray knew where he and Juvia were?
"Oi, ice bastard. Why are you even here?"
"What?" Gray heard the question the first time. Not knowing how to respond to the question – an inquiry that got him all stiff and sweaty – the ice-make mage pretended not to hear. If he was lucky, Natsu would drop the subject.
But the question wasn't dropped as he hoped. It got the attention of the water-mage, who Gray wished was so preoccupied with having to pay the town and that French speaking former guildmate of hers a great deal of jewels that she couldn't put two and two together.
"Was Gray-sama on a job and was about to go back to Magnolia when he found Natsu-san taking advantage of Juvia?" Her eyes were sparkling with expectation that she was right with her assumption.
"Y-yeah. T-t-that." Even to Gray, he didn't sound so convincing. But Juvia seemed satisfied with his answer. So, he could puff a breath of relief. Except that Natsu and Happy was still staring at him skeptically.
"W-w-whatchu lookin' at?"
"You were following us, weren't you?"
Gray's usually droopy eyes widened at Natsu's conclusion.
"You were the woman we heard screami–mnmnmn."
Gray nervously glanced at Juvia over his shoulder as he kept his hand covering flamebrain's loud mouth, nearly suffocating the dragon slayer. Juvia, however, seemed oblivious of everything that was happening around her. Good, Gray sighed. She was probably off to her imagination land.
"Shuttup or I'll make you eat ice cubes all day."
Natsu stopped fighting and reluctantly, Gray let him go. He threatened the wrong bastard though. Because Happy just ecstatically hovered over the three of them to announce, "Gray screams like a giiiiirl!"