happy
The most incredible thing had happened.
In the last three days, both Natsu and Lucy had managed to completely avoid the Tuesday morning incident, instead going about bussiness as usual.
It seemed like Levy would have to burn her book after all.
Lucy sighed as she waited for Natsu to scale the stairs, door already open to welcome him. She just hadn't been able to summon the courage and bring it up.
And he hadn't either, for whatever reason. Maybe she had been right after all. Maybe it had been a one time thing to release some of the unberarable tension between them, and now he regretted it.
But this really was not the time to think about things like this.
This was the time for catsitting.
And as if on command, Natsu's mane appeared in the stairway, and soon after his bright smile followed. When he came to a halt in front of her, his bangs were falling onto his forehead and he tried to clear them away by vigorously shaking his head while simultaneously greeting her.
In his left, he was carrying a cat. No crate, no basket, not even a collar.
It was just squished to his side.
"Hi Natsu," Lucy snorted, eyes immediately darting from his excited eyes to his feline friend. "-and Happy, right?"
"Yeah!"
It was a very friendly looking cat. He had some clever eyes, and his fur was a lightish gray all the way to his - wait.
"Why is his tail blue?!"
"Ah," Natsu laughed. "He just came back like this one day, and it just doesn't wash out. Must've dipped it in something."
Lucy shook her head in disbelief, a silent laugh on her lips.
It didn't even surprise her. The crazy pink-haired guy with his blue-tailed cat. Almost like from a story. One she would like to read.
The cat immediately started to purr loudly as Natsu placed him in her arms, and a proud smile spread across her face.
"Hi Happy. We'll have a fun weekend, eh?"
She rubbed the sweet spot behind his ears and then moved lower, making him turn and stretch his head so that his chin was exposed - for her to pet - perfectly. Demanding, was he?
"His favourite food is fish."
Her attention diverged again, eyes moving back to Natsu, who was grinning happily at the two of them, hands on his hips.
"So in case you have a spare one…"
"I'll see what I can do."
"He likes you."
"I think so, yeah. He's quite heavy, too - maybe not so much fish after all."
"Don't break his heart!"
"I'd never."
Their banter put a smile on both their faces, and Lucy couldn't help but admire him fondly as he stood there against her doorframe, steadying himself like the last time he had shown up - albeit more unexpected than this time.
No, this time he had actually asked her beforehand, as unbelievable as it was.
A good two hours ago.
Well, still an improvement.
"So why do I have to do you this favour again?"
"Ah, my weird old neighbour isn't there."
Lucy's eyebrows rose.
"He usually looks after him," Natsu explained. "When I work long or stuff, you know. He's a really nice fellow, but kinda grumpy. The grandpa-type."
Fighting the smile on her face at Natsu's fond expression while he told her about the old man, Lucy tried to delve a little deeper. By now she had found out that Natsu was not one to openly talk about private things, but her curiosity was piqued enough for her to pry.
"Yeah but why do you need someone to look after Happy at all?"
"Ah."
Natsu's hand found its way to the back of his head, and she knew she got him. His eyes darted to the side as he ruffled his hair.
"Just… going on a trip. For the weekend. Kinda spontaneous."
Lucy didn't answer, just patiently kept staring him down. He started squirming like a fish, but she got him hooked and she wouldn't be satisfied until he spat it out. She deserved at least an explanation for her spontaneous catsitting duties, did she not?
She even blew off her dinner date with Cana just to receive her temporary roommate.
There had been only one condition Natsu had imposed.
(The fact that he was the one imposing conditions even though he was also the one practically begging her to look after his cat and admitting he wouldn't give him into anyone else's care had not come to Lucy's attention until just now.)
Happy needed to sleep in her bed.
"He needs a lot of love, Lucy!"
Sure enough, Lucy had no problem with that, and just like that she had found herself in agreement with his plea.
Just when she was about to leave the matter alone - because she wouldn't force him if he really didn't want to talk about it, and it was none of her bussiness anyways, was it? - he spoke again, eyes fixed on her feet.
"Y'know, ever since I told you about my dad, I've been thinking - I really should sort things out back home. I never really went back…"
"Oh."
The joy at her little victory drained from Lucy's face, and her own eyes met the ground. She inspected his worn out shoes for a moment, and then decided the ground needed some sweeping too, and while she was at it she could aswell clean that one cupoard that kept bugging her and then-
"Lucy?"
Natsu cocked his head to one side, a curious expression etched on his face. He looked as carefree as ever, so very much in opposition to her own sudden mood swing. Quickly, she shook her head, ridding herself of the nagging regrets that had suddenly emerged from the very back of her mind.
"Ah, nothing! It's great! That you're doing that, I mean. I'm sure everyone will be glad to see you again."
She smiled reassuringly, and he answered with a relieved grin.
"Yeah. Yeah I think they will." His smile faltered for a second, and with a fiendish expression he quietly added: "Except maybe that stupid ice princess…"
"Hm?"
"Oh, nothing. I just might have to receive a few punches. Not like I won't dish any out… oh, I'll show him! I'm getting all fired up already!"
Only when he saw Lucy's expression - a mix somewhere between questioning his sanity and trying not to laugh - did he unclench the fist he had been waving before his face. His weight shifted from one foot to the other as he gave an apologetic smile.
"Anyays, I guess I should keep going…I'm parking in that forbidden zone again."
"What! Then why did you even stay so long!"
"S fun talking with you, Lucy."
The simple statement brought redness to her cheeks and made her heart hammer loudly against its confinements. Happy looked up at her in confusion when she pressed him closer to her chest.
"You're risking a parking ticket…just because of that…stupid…"
But she couldn't help the smile spreading across her cheeks, and she kept watching him intently as he shrugged her comment off.
"There's other fun things about you too. Or things to do with you."
What? Was he implying what she thought he was? Impossible. Or maybe - maybe not. His lips quirked into a sly grin when she turned even redder, making him seem almost devilish as he stood there so casually.
Was he teasing her?!
"When I'm back," he continued, suddenly elated (did that have something to do with her bashful reaction?) and taking a step towards her. "We can have some more fun."
Fun?
Lucy started trembling nervously under his suggestive stare. What was it with him? One second he was one big goofball, and then the next sex appeal was oozing off him like…. like - Natsu.
She really couldn't find a comparison - which might have something to do with the fact that he was so close.
No one was so impossible to see through as him - and no one was so straighforwardly hot.
Damn it, Lucy.
These thoughts did nothing to soothe her palpitating heart or trembling lips.
Then, Natsu threw his head back and laughed. It was a sonorous, loud sound, echoing off the walls and drifting into her flat. Lucy's chin dropped.
So was this his idea of fun? Was he playing with her?
There was so much more to him than met the eye. She kept finding that out again and again. And just when she thought she had him pinned down, he showed her another side, another layer, and she found herself lost in him again.
When he saw her puffed cheeks, another fit of laughter shook him, to which she had no answer but a silent glare. She would have put her hands on her hips (or kicked him inot the wall, for that matter), but Happy was still purring in her arms, busying himself with drenching her beloved lilac blouse in drool.
As Natsu's laughter slowly died down, he kept grinning at her nonetheless - and still stood dangerously close. She wanted to grab the collar of his shirt and pull him towards her.
But she didn't have to.
He did it all by himself.
His hands were on her cheeks as he licked his lips, and then he bent down to smooch her cheek in the truest sense of the word. Firm, sloppy and heartfelt. The euphoria basically radiated off him as Lucy stood utterly silent.
He pulled back with his trademark grin while Lucy just blinked at him lamely, feeling a chill where the air caressed the wet spot he had left behind on her cheek.
"So, see ya! You too, Happy!"
Petting his cat's head lovingly for the last time, Natsu stepped backwards and waved. Only then did motion return to Lucy, and she slowly lifted her hand to say goodbye.
The words suddenly sounded like an exciting promise, and they would ring in her ears even long after he had left.
Oh, they would have more fun for sure - whenever did they not?
Lucy smiled.
"See ya."