Chapter 24: Official Date
When the parents of Juvia came around in the resort, most of the plans of the group involved the two middle-aged couple. But after three days in the resort, Mr. and Mrs. Lockser said their good-byes to the teens as they were about to start their adventure in Japan before traveling back to France. Parents of Juvia reminded her to be safe and enjoy their summer before it ended in two weeks. As for Gray, Mr. Lockser reprimanded him about not making her daughter cry unless it was tears of joy and to keep her safe always.
At the moment, the whole gang waved good-bye as the ride of the Lockser's left for a new destination. Juvia wiping her small tears in the eye suddenly felt strong arms in her waist. Realizing it was her boyfriend's she leaned to his shoulder and silently cried.
Lucy on the other hand kept her eyes to her friend who was clinging to her lover at the same time cry. While observing the couple, she suddenly realized something, "They are a sweet couple…" Lucy said to herself
"Who?" A voice suddenly surprised the blonde as she tried to focus back in reality
"What?" Lucy replied shocked as she looked at her side seeing Natsu's face too close to hers
"I said who were you talking about?" Natsu then stood up straight making him really look taller than the blonde as he shoved his hands to his pants' pockets
"I didn't say anything…" Lucy suddenly denied as she looked away and blushed being caught day dreaming
"Right…So, I was just hallucinating hearing you say 'they are a sweet couple'…" The pinkette then looked down at the smaller beauty before smirking in triumph.
Lucy then gave a friendly glare before bumping him in the side to stumble a bit, "Whatever…"
"Whatever? Come on who is it?" Natsu walked back but this time stared in Lucy's eyes making the blonde surprised
"Can you not?!" Lucy friendly pushes him away as she giggled while seeing Natsu smirk at her
"Hey you two love birds! Would you quite flirting?" Lissana remarked as the whole group now was staring at Natsu and Lucy.
Being in the center of attention, the two suddenly turned red being called 'love birds' and told they were flirting, the two suddenly stepped away far from each other and pointed at each other while denying in front of their friends, "What?! Flirting?!Him?!(Her?!)" Lucy and Natsu shouted before looking at each other with a tint of red on their faces
"Whatever guys…your both caught red handed…" Lissana replied as she giggled along with the others before walking away from the two
As soon as the others went back inside the resort, Natsu and Lucy stood their silent not looking at each other. But when awkwardness was about to enter, Natsu suddenly asked something making the blonde beauty stunned.
"You want to have a date?"
"…what?" Lucy murmured quietly as soon as she snap out of her shock and looked at the pink head
"You heard me…don't let me ask again…" Natsu turned his gaze further as soon as he felt his cheeks to warm up
"No. I want you to repeat it…" Lucy suddenly feeling like a boss as she walked closer to Natsu
"I won't"
"Why not?"
"Because."
"Because?"
"I'm…"
"I'm what?"
"I'm too shy." Natsu finally admitted as he turned his back from the blonde to hide his red cheeks and hearing his answer made the blonde feel butterflies in her stomach as she began to giggle.
"I can't believe Natsu Dragneel is too shy to ask me out…"
"Hey!" Natsu finally turned and looked at the blonde, "I'm new to these…stuff so bear with me."
"New? You always go out on dates with your fan girls." Lucy said the last two words with little disgust
"So you're jealous?" Natsu feeling brave all of a sudden stepped closer as he kept his gaze to Lucy
"Me? Jealous? UH! No way…"
"Ahh, so that's way you said fan girls with a hiss at the end…" Natsu finally standing in front of her and leveled his eyes to the Blondie suddenly grinned
"I-I did not hiss…I just kind of emphasized the letter S." Lucy defended as she tried to focus on the pinkette's eyes but it made her somehow giddy.
"Fine…Now, would you like to go out on a date with me?" Natsu finally asked again as he kept his eyes direct to Lucy's while having his cheeks to color again
"…Yeah…I'd love too." Lucy replied feeling hazed
Being in the state of hazed, Lucy suddenly woke up and went back to reality when Natsu suddenly kissed her in the cheeks and smiled before leaving her behind, "Thanks! See you later at 10!"
"What?! What ten?!"
"Morning!" Natsu shouted back before he disappeared inside the resort leaving Lucy so confused
As soon as she didn't see Natsu anymore, she brushed her finger tips to the spot where she felt his warm lips touched. Instantly, she smiled and blushed before walking inside as well, "Natsu baka(idiot)…"
After being asked out by Natsu, the blonde now is in her room starting to rampage her closet as she tried to find the perfect outfit for the date. She brought out dresses, blouses and skirts and each of them she tried to fit in front of the mirror. After checking each outlook, she would begin to murmur and get irritated.
Erza on the other hand is reading a magazine while lying in her bed. But as time pass by, she couldn't help get dizzy with the blonde for keep on walking back and forth from the closet to the mirror to the bed. Getting full of it, she drops her magazine and finally sat up straight in her bed and cleared her throat.
When the scarlet haired beauty caught Lucy's attention, she eyed her for a moment before asking, "What are you doing?"
"I'm…looking for an outfit to wear." Lucy hesitated for a moment before looking back at her image in the mirror
"Outfit for what?" Erza finally stood up and walked closer to the blonde making her a little bit agitated, "Are you keeping a secret from me?"
"What?! No! I just…"
"Lucy…"
"Natsu asked me out…" Lucy admitted while biting her lips waiting for a loud reaction but it never until…
"…WHAT?! WHEN?!"
"Erza! Chill! He-he just asked this morning!" Lucy raised her hands in surrender as she tried to step closer to the scarlet but then Erza turned her back and headed to the door while murmuring indecent words
"Woah! Woah! Erza! Where are you going?!" Lucy suddenly ran ahead to the door blocking the way, "You are not going to attack Natsu!"
"NO! I have too! He cannot just ask you out without my permission!" Erza grumbled as she stood in front of the blonde
"Erza! He can! Come on…I…I want to…" Lucy then looks down at her feet as she felt her cheeks to warm up
"W-what? You want to go out with him?" Erza moved closer as she pretended not to hear clearly
With Erza's question, Lucy kept her gaze at her feet while nodding her head in agreement
"OH my goodness! You have fallen for him!" Erza exclaimed as she turned her back and faced Lucy again with a shock expression
"Not!" Lucy shouted back with a red face, "…yet"
"…My gosh!"
"I mean…what's wrong about it…It's Natsu." Lucy defended as she shrugged about the thought
"Exactly…It's Natsu." Erza raised her arms in the air
"Why?"
"Well it's not that I hate Natsu or what…but…he's too playful, too messy, too idiotic, too hyper, too-"
"But he's nice…sweet…honest…protective…funny…and faithful. That's what I like about him." Lucy suddenly stood in front of Erza and grabbed her hand and gave it a little squeeze, "I know you know that, that's why you would want him for me too."
"Well he better make sure not to make you cry… or else I'll punch him till his out." Erza then hugs Lucy which the blonde returned
"Well he knows that…and it's not as if I said yes to him already." Lucy then pulls back and smiled at the scarlet haired beauty whom giggled after
"Fine…Now let's find you a good dress…"
The two beauties then heads back to Lucy's closet as they began to check all the clothes.
The clock strikes 10 and Natsu brushed his polo before stepping closer to the first door of the resort.
Knock! Knock!
"Wait!" a voice shouted behind the door
Hearing the reply, Natsu cleared his throat before he looked straight to the door. But when the door didn't open yet, he began to flatten his polo again then ran his hands to his pick locks. Soon he checked his breath if it was fresh and eventually it was.
Soon enough the door opened and revealed a blonde beauty in a yellow and white Sunday dress making the male teen loose his breath.
"I'm ready." Lucy greeted as she brushed her dress while looking at the male teen in front of her, "Are you okay?"
"Huh? Uh…yeah."
"Oh-kay…Erza, I'm leaving!" Lucy called as she twisted her body to wave good-bye to the scarlet head beauty who was staring at Natsu intensely.
"Alright, take care. Call if he does something wrong." Erza reminded as she crossed her arms over her chest
"Bye Erza…" Natsu greeted as he leaned to look at the beauty
"Bye." After Erza said good-bye to Natsu, Lucy closed the door making her step closer to Natsu without realizing. Soon enough the two was almost face to face making them startled with their proximity. So Natsu stumbled backwards trying to give Lucy space which made the blonde stifle her laugh.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Lucy smiled as she tried to help him gain balance
"Yeah…Just stunned with the way you look today" Natsu replied absent-mindedly as he tried to compose himself
"With the way I look? Is it bad?" Lucy asked as they both began to walk the hallway
"Bad? No. You look really beautiful…" Natsu corrected as he looked at the blonde who began to have red cheeks
"Really? Thanks." Lucy then looks ahead despite the blush that is running hard in her face
"You always do…Just so you know." Natsu added, making himself blush as well.
Lucy being surprised with his statement suddenly stopped making Natsu walks the hall alone. Realizing that Lucy suddenly stops, he turned to look at the blonde who was still blushing then extends his hand.
"Will you go out with me or not?"
"I will…" Lucy then takes his hands and walked along with him in the hallway
That morning, Natsu took Lucy out to the city and strolled around. From time to time, the two would stop in stores to check out the products. The two entered a gift shop, clothing shop and even the weirdest store which sells products that are for adults only. Soon, 12 noon came and the two decided to have their lunch in a small time seafood chain.
"So what can I get you two?" Said the young brunette waitress as she held her notepad and pen, ready to write
"Ummm…what is your best seller here?" Lucy asked as she glanced the waitress
"Well there are tons! There is sweet and sour grilled lobster! Glazed smoked salmon! Buttered mussels! Onion glazed-!"
"Alright! We'll have them all." Natsu cuts off the waitress as he handed the menu card back to her
"What?! But that's too many!" Lucy replied too shocked as she slightly slammed the menu card to the table
"Luce~, remember I eat like a dragon. I eat big." Natsu then grins to the blonde which made the beauty chortle a bit
"Alright! If that's all you want I'll get now. I'll be right back!" The waitress then turns away and walked back to the kitchen
"Well she is one happy waitress. Don't you think?" Lucy said as she looked at the waitress one last time before looking back at the male in front of her
"Well duh because we just ordered their best dishes and they are tons." The two then shared a small laugh
After some time, Natsu just sat quietly as he stared at the blonde in front of him who was brushing her hair in nervousness and tucks it back in her ear
"Are you nervous?"
"Who? Me? Wh-why would I be?" Lucy replied as she sat up straight
"I don't know…you seem to be unrelaxed."
"I am? No I'm not…you're imagining." Lucy then smiles
"You know me very well…but what you don't know is that I know you as much as you know me. So you are nervous."
"Fine, yeah, I'm nervous. I just… I don't know, it feels weird we are on a date…" Lucy began to look down at her table napkin and started to play with it
"Why? It's not like we don't do this back in Magnolia. We always eat out, we go to different places, I buy you stuff, you buy me stuff-"
"But it's different. It's like we labeled ourselves as a soon couple. I don't know it's just that, the more we do this the more I feel like you're…" Lucy suddenly trailed off as she hid her face with her hands because she knows she was blushing hard
"You're what?" Natsu began to feel excited as he saw Lucy to hid her face which he knows was blushing
The pinkette tried to pull Lucy's hand away from her face but the blonde won't let him, "Come on Luce, you don't have to hide it, I know your blushing!"
"That's the point! I'm blushing!" Lucy replied behind her hands
"So? You always blush! Come on!"
"No!"
"I'll declare something if you don't take your hands off your face" Natsu threatened as he crossed his arms over his chest
"No you won't"
"Hey everybody!" Natsu suddenly shouted making the blonde finally take her hands off her face as she stood up tried to cover Natsu's mouth
"Alright! Alright! Gosh! I really can't dare you." Lucy said as she pulled her hands away from him and sat down again
"You're what?"
"What 'you're what' ?"
"You said the more we do this the more you feel like I'm you're…what?"
"Do I really have to say it?" Lucy gritted her teeth as she stared at grinning teen
"Yep…"
Before Lucy could say it the waitress appeared to their table with all the food in her tray, "Here you go. There is more food to come but enjoy eating!"
The food was now placed in the table and the waitress finally left, "Let's dig in!" Lucy exclaimed making Natsu sigh deeply but then began to eat as well.
After having lunch, the two headed to the open garden in Bassia town and walked shoulder to shoulder. From time to time, they would laugh as they walked in the garden. When they saw an empty bench, they both sat down and stared at the scenery.
"How do you feel about me courting you?" Natsu asked without looking at the blonde even though he feels the intense stare of Lucy.
After looking at Natsu and realizing he won't be looking back, she looked at the field again and exhaled deeply, "Weird…excited."
"Weird in a good way?" Natsu finally looked at the blonde
"Yes I guess…How do you feel about courting me?" Lucy returned the question as she looked at the pink head that was still looking at her
"Happy…excited. It feels like for the first time I'm doing something right."
"You said before you liked me since first year high school?"
"Yeah why?"
"To tell you the truth, I began to have feelings for you when we started our freshmen years too…Remember when you surprised me during my birthday? You gave me-"
"A white carnation bouquet with a pair of red heart earrings. Yes I do remember." Natsu smiled at the memory
"That was the moment you made me feel so special that I began to like you even more." Lucy suddenly glanced when she felt a warm feeling on her hands
Natsu held her hand as he sat down and just stared at the field even though he knows Lucy was blushing hard. Lucy broke her gaze to their entwined hands and tried to read Natsu's expression. All she could think of was how sweet he could be if he was his boyfriend already.
Suddenly, Lucy leaned her head to Natsu's shoulder as she looked at the field as well while keeping their hands together, "Do you still remember what I said in the restaurant a while ago?" Lucy asked making Natsu nod his head before he leaned his head to hers, "The more we do things like this…the more I love the idea of you being my boyfriend."
Hearing her say those words made Natsu all warm inside and as a reaction, he kissed her head and whispered quietly, "I love you…"
To be continued…