Taking in the light wood of the floor and dark mahogany of the various tables around the room, Natsu almost absently noted that the walls to the right and left were mirrors the length of the room, wall to wall, floor to ceiling. Immediately his eyes were drawn to the multicoloured mannequins around the small room in various poses to display masks. Some bowing, some kneeling, some that looked to be bending in a human pretzel of some sort – the human-mannequin pretzel caused laughter to burst out of Natsu as he ignored the mask it wore, instead trying to copy it's pose. When he failed and knocked down the display instead, Lucy sighed gave him an odd look he couldn't quite make out – almost a mix between a gentle smile and a look of exasperation, leaving instead to look for a bathroom.

Once the display was righted, he looked around at the masks of various styles. Some covering the upper half of the face, the whole face, or even the right or left side of the face, depending. All sorts of colours and textures from dark to light, shining plastic to what felt like velvet. As Natsu looked around, a pang of sadness slowly filled him to a dull ache. Though he knew he could never go back to his old mask shop, he still missed it. There the owner knew his tastes and would keep aside masks for him for when he went shopping every few months. It was something familiar and safe, like a pair of well worn work gloves, or his very first mask. As Natsu's hand softly brushed over an emerald green velvet mask, a small smile came to him. Yes, his masks were forever gone – but it was time he started a new collection. The official marking of his new life in his new home.

"Well, I got most of the vomit off my shoes, but they still stink. You still owe me a new pair of shoes!"

Blinking out of his reverie, his gaze flicked over to Lucy and he couldn't help but smile when he noticed the hint of a blush on her cheeks. His smile only grew when her hand flicked to the keys at her side, warm brown eyes flicking away from his face to take in the masks that surrounded them in the store.

"What do you think, Lucy? I lost my old mask collection so I need to start from scratch. The masks for the holidays will have to wait until they're closer to the right times, but for now...geez – I've had so many masks I'm not sure how many I'd need..."

As he turned to look at the displays of masks that covered the half top of his face, he couldn't help but peek over to his companion once in awhile. It was like a game, to see if he could catch her unguarded and that little smile she always seemed to have when she was around him. All to soon though, he had to concentrate on his mask shopping – it had to get done before he could open his bar and speakeasy!

A particular mask caught his eye instantly, like a moth to a flame. His gaze caught on a pink half mask made of metal so thin, he was afraid that touching it would shatter it's almost ethereal beauty. The mask was small, clearly meant for a woman. The design slightly curved at the top, until it reached the edges of the mask, curling in to tiny claw-like points where they would rest on her forehead, just above her eyebrows. Likewise over the bottom, the lines were smooth, elongated at the edges until where it gracefully curved in to horns that would curl just under her coffee coloured eyes.

Before he could stop it, the image of him behind his bar in the upstairs serving drinks in a red mask much like this one, Lucy leaning against the counter waiting for the drinks he was making...She wore the pink mask he currently had in his hands, the same soft smile, seemingly just for him.

"That's a pretty mask, Natsu!"

Caught off guard, he turned and came – literally – nose to nose with Lucy, grinning as she blushed crimson, hand coming up to pushing him away. He couldn't stop the little spark of mischievous joy that burst through him at the look of panic mixed with joy on her face when placed his hands on her shoulders to turn and guide her to the mirror. To excited to speak, he couldn't help but feel a little caught off guard at how easy she followed. He half expected her to kick him, or at least force him to let go.

Instead she did neither of those things, following willingly as he scooted her over to the mirror. When he tentatively reached out and brushed her hair away from her neck so pieces didn't get caught in the ties, Natsu tensed expecting a punch. Shoulders tense, eyes looking for the signs of attack, of resistance, any sign that he should stop what he was doing and back away, he carefully tied the ties. As his fingers brushed through her hair to right it back in place, arms slowly reaching around her head to adjust the mask, he couldn't help but notice her leaning in to his touch a little bit. Again that soft smile graced her features, this time accompanied by a light blush made more beautiful by the pink of her mask.

Finished, he stepped back to look in the mirror to take it all in. There Lucy stood, blonde hair arranged just so over her shoulders and back, standing straight and tall. The soft blue colour of her t-shirt and dark red of her mini skirt only enhanced the masks beauty, mask and clothing bright against her pale skin.

The mask itself seemed as if it was made for Lucy and Lucy alone.

"Natsu?"

At her soft whisper of his name, he ripped his hands away as if burned by the very magic he controlled. Embarrassed and unsure what to do, he instead focused his gaze on his own reflection, smiling ear to ear as he scooped up a random mask.

"We match!"

His statement was true – sort of. Only in colour did they match. The mask Natsu chose was a full face mask, the mouth turned down in a frown, the eyes closed, with barely noticeable slits for the wearer to see through. It looked like the masks that theatres had in their symbols, the happy and sad masks. Lucy was turned facing him and he couldn't help but tense a little bit under to gaze.

As the silence was getting deep in to awkward and close to uncomfortable, she reached out and flicked the nose of the mask, laughter escaping her. If Natsu stepped half a step closer, if Lucy's hand stayed a little longer than was necessary for a simple gentle shove of a shoulder, neither noticed...or chose not to mention.

"Can I help you two fine people this day?"

Jerking away from Lucy, Natsu turned with a glare to the tiny man who had so rudely interrupted...whatever that was with Lucy. The small man stood there, a smile on his thin lips and milky eyes taking in the two young people standing in front of him. A smile broke out over broken and brown teeth, as a hacking cough of a chuckle escaped him.

"You two are looking for masks, ah? Sorry to say my boy but that mask does not suit you. Your girlfriend on the other hand...that mask fits you so well, my dear."

A wrinkled hand bent with arthritis reached out gently clasped Lucy's hand in his, motioning Natsu to follow as he lead them over to a stand of masks on mannequins that looked distinctly male. It took a moment for his brain to catch up to the rest of him, his mind reeling at the old man's words. He'd called Lucy his girlfriend! She wasn't! She was his tenant! He'd even go so far as to say Lucy was his friend, seeing as she trusted him enough to allow him in to her car with her and drive him some where after only knowing him for less than a week!

"Sir...Lucy's not my girlfri -"

"Hush, lad, don't argue with an old man, hm?"

Crimson raced over his cheeks as Natsu nodded and bowed his head to the old man, a silent apology. His mind kept racing over the word girlfriend, a never ending cycle. Is that what they looked like while they were mask shopping? Had the man noticed the way the two of them stood close together, their hesitant touches, shy smiles? Or...maybe it was all just in his head. Judging by Lucy's blush and smile, Natsu knew he wasn't dreaming the old mans words. Though, that brought the question as to Lucy's behaviour...she wasn't her usual out going, feisty kind of attitude he'd expected. It was sort of the same attitude she'd had the same night they'd drank on her couch...the first night he'd met her actually. That mixed with a sense of familiarity grown over the passed week...! A frustrated growl chased a small spout of flame bursting passed his lips.

"Natsu, look at this mask! It'd be perfect for you!"

When he focused again, her tiny hand was clasped around one of his, the old man looking on with another small smile, milky eyes seeming to take in all around him. It was a little disturbing and Natsu held her hands with his free one, fighting down the urge to just walk right out dragging Lucy behind him, mask or no mask.

That was until he took a look at the mask the man was holding. Eyes widened and he let Lucy lead him to the mirror wall, docile as a new born pup. Taking a deep breath, he was slightly surprised when she laced her fingers through his hair to smooth it out, gently tying the string of the mask in place. The exact copy of Lucy's, it seemed to smooth over his face like a second skin. The mask slightly curved at the top, until it reached the edges, curling in to tiny claw-like points on his forehead, just above his eyebrows. Likewise over the bottom, smooth until the edges where it gracefully curved in to horns that curled just around the edges of his eyes. A grin came to him as his gaze flicked to meet hers in the mirror – only to freeze as a full body blush seared it's way through him. Overly warm, he felt slightly dizzy as his eyes met hers and she smiled in her mask. The image was exactly as he'd pictured it when he'd first picked the mask up and it forced the breath right out of his lungs.

"I think you two have found the perfect masks for yourselves!"

The old man's words were a lifeline he clung to desperately, pulling himself away from the odd look Lucy once again wore. Fear and a shy determination. When her eyes danced down, it was than that he noticed he'd reached out and held her tiny hand in his.

"Shall I ring you up?"

Reluctantly he released her hand, his heart hammering as he turned away quickly. When the order was bagged and paid for, he quickly went to the door on pretence of holding it open for Lucy as she passed through, the same with the passenger door of the car.

As she passed him the keys, he gently squeezed her hand, convincing himself it was merely a way of thanking her. Starting the engine, Natsu did his best to ignore his hammering heart and burning cheeks. Pulling out in to traffic, he tried his best to concentrate on the road and not the way Lucy's eyes shone in the sun...or that tiny smile, seemingly just for him she wore as she gently, fleetingly, brushed her hand against his resting on the gear shift.

It was just her way of thanking him, his reeling mind supplied.

Doing his damnedest to convince himself of that uncertain fact, he knew he'd fail. The tell tale hammering of his heart in his chest whispered otherwise.

But who to believe?

His mind?

She was merely thanking him for the mask he'd insisted on paying for.

His heart?

The smile, the looks, the brushing of her hand against his once more, seemingly by accident as she changed radio channels...she was offering him an opening of something more than friendship.

That one uncertain question burned more fiercely than his fire within.

Who to believe, his mind that offered the most realistic answer...or the hammering beat of his tell tale heart?