Of course I couldn't resist continuing this AU on Valentine's Day! I hope you had a great one - whether you spent it with your special someone or with a chocolate chip cookie like me. Wait. That chocolate chip cookie WAS my special someone for sure. ...too bad I ate it.

Enjoy this short drabble! ^o^

for what a day is worth

One whole day. That was how long Lucy had not heard from her new work neighbour. She had tried to brush it off, tried to not keep an eye out for his rosy hair whenever the bell above the shopdoor jingled.

It was only one day, after all. He would repay her with some coffee, right? He had said he would.

But today was the conceivably worst day for him to pay her a visit: it was the busiest day of the year, after all.

Valentine's Day.

With a rather displeased sigh, Lucy pulled a red ribbon around the big bouquet of roses in front of her. They should be picked up in about five minutes.

Days like these always reminded her of her own - nonexistent - love life. It didn't help that she worked in a flower shop. She had brought this upon herself, had she not? Like some form of cruel self-punishment. Lucy sighed again.

The petals exuded a nice, soft smell, and she closed her eyes as she inhaled deeply. At least some good things came from this day - for what it was worth.

Seeing others happy and in love was not a bad thing either, after all.

The little chime above the door rang again, and Lucy was quick to tie the ribbon and curl it at the ends with her rusty old pair of scissors.

"I'm coming!" she called, rushing out of the little preparation chamber with the bouquet in front of her face.

When she brought it down on the counter, however, she did not see whom she had expected to. The man on the phone had sounded like he was in his late thirties, at least, but the man in front of her definitely was not.

No, he was around her age. And she knew exactly who he was.

"Natsu!"

Surprised, her eyes dropped to the two cups of coffee in his hands. A small smile spread across her face.

"Didn't think I'd forget about ya, did you?"

The smile on her face turned into an excited grin, but as she felt her cheeks flush what most likely was the colour of the roses in front of her, she quickly picked them back up to hide her face.

"So, uh, time for a coffee break?"

"Sure!" the bouquet of roses squealed. "It's just, I have to wait until these are picked up. I usually don't take long breaks on Valentine's Day - for obvious reasons."

"Ah right, that's today, isn't it."

She caught his sheepish grin from behind thorny stems, and decided she could not hide forever. It was the day of love, was it not? What was a little blush?

So she lowered the flowers back onto the counter, smiling carefully.

"Well. I suppose… now that you went through the trouble of bringing me this coffee… I couldn't possibly let it go to waste."

"Very true!" he grinned, filled with new enthusiasm.

She couldn't help but notice that today he was wearing a tanktop beneath his jacket, and she caught a glimpse of his tattoos again. She wanted to know their story; wanted to see what he had made a part of himself forever.

With a nervous swallow, she looked at the clock. They were five minutes late now. She looked back at Natsu.

"Uh, you wanna…sit? There's just this one chair right here, but…"

"Aw, thanks!" He flashed her a grin again, one that seemed far too euphoric to be dedicated just to the simple offering of a chair. Really, he always seemed to spread such a joyful and light atmosphere.

He rounded the corner of the counter like he owned the place, plopping down on the white, wooden chair.

Just like the last - and first - time she had met him, her heart was at total ease all of a sudden. They simply got along, there was no denying it. And she didn't even know him - yet.

The doorbell ripped her out of her thoughts.

This time, it was who she had expected. With a big, relieved smile, she welcomed the chubby little man and handed over the bouquet. It almost swallowed him up whole.

She heard a snort behind her, but ignored it vehemently.

Only after the man had paid and turned his back did she sort the bills into her chash desk and turn around to give him a small warning glare.

"He's a customer!" she hissed in a playful tone. "Behave!"

But as the door fell closed behind the small man, there was no stopping Natsu. He keeled over with laughter, snorting.

"Did you see him? Lucy, he was this small! The flowers almost grazed the ground! And his chin! I've never see-"

"Shush," Lucy called as a cleaning rag hit him on the shoulder, but she, too, was about to lose it. With all her might, she pressed her lips together and motioned towards the still steaming cups on the counter. "So, wanna find a nice spot?"

"Sure!"

For what it was worth, Valentine's Day had proven to be a nice surprise so far.

And if Natsu's hand on her shoulder was anything to go by as he pushed past her on his way to the shop door, a big grin steady on his face, it was only going to get better.