(A/N: WARNING! You are reading "Just My Colleague, Right?" which includes mature scenes that could possibly disturb readers, if you don't find the story tolerable, you may click off from the story. You have been warned.)

NATSU'S POV

After discussing with Mrs Heartfilia, I decided to do as she said and take it easy. I wanted to question her about that kiss earlier, but she ignored me every time I tried to approach her.

I'll deal with it when she comes over for dinner.

Anyways, I left the office on time, got some food on the way home, warmed it up in the microwave and sat with it in my lap, watching the wall.

My home is not as big as my colleagues, not that I've ever seen their homes, but just happened to hear about them in their numerous conversations with each other.

Mine is a studio apartment but quite small, I have a single couch that is not too far away from my bed, and a desk at the foot of my bed so that would be on the left behind this couch. The kitchen worktop is right next to my desk with the microwave in the corner, the sink beside it, a mini stove next and then my cereal being lined up beside it. The worktop ends at my fridge and a small table that looks similar to the kitchen worktop that is connected to the wall with two chairs under it, tucked in under the table. The cupboards are above and below the main counter for the kitchen.

Next to that would be the bathroom which is completely soundproof by the way, and the shower is a walk-in one, I wish I had a tub to relax in but a little standing with the shower head spraying cold water at you is enough to keep a man going.

Just in front of me on my right beside my front door would be the washing machine and drier, it took a lot out of my first two paychecks but it was worth it in case I was running late for work or something.

WELL!

That's the end of the house tour! Natsu's Bachelor Pad, ahaha.

I held my head low, "Damn it, I'm so lonely,"

I thought that if I pushed all distractions away then I would be fine and achieve ten times more than I had, but I haven't gotten squat from that improvement, it's made me determined but not comfortable.

I gave Happy away.

I sold my TV and gaming consoles.

I don't have the money to buy a PC of my own.

I slouched onto my couch and started eating my food.

"I really need a hobby,"

3RD PERSON POV - Elsewhere...

"Sooo how's your new job?" A woman said as she swung around in her chair. She held the phone up to her ear using her shoulder as she wrote a few things down in the notepad in front of her.

She was sitting in front of her desk, sat back in her chair, and crossed her legs.

"It's great, Michelle! I've met some nice people, the whole office practically adores me," Lucy said as she set a white basket down on her bed, "For my birthday, they threw me a mini party and made me a cake,"

"Seriously, a whole cake?! My male colleagues barely even hand me a water bottle since they all curl up into a bumbling mess whenever I talk to them, you are lucky, Lucy," Michelle sighed, "I might need to visit and see what the life of Lucy is like everyday. Any handsome hunks over there?"

Lucy hummed, the first person that could come close to mind would be Mr Fullbuster but her thoughts quickly changed to Natsu as she remembered how he was half-naked at his home earlier.

Of course, she managed to contain herself in his and Lisanna's presence but it was hard remaining calm in a situation like that hence why she distracted herself with what Natsu's home looked like.

"I wouldn't say they are hunks, but there a few handsome guys there. I've even got my eye on a particular one," Lucy spoke gently as she closed her eyes again and her head was filled with Natsu's face.

"Tell me! Tell me!" Michelle chanted.

Lucy slowly walked her way around her room, putting away her folded laundry, "Well... It's no big deal, he has these penetrating eyes that you can easily get lost in, spikey pink hair, soft clear skin, and this aura to him that is just so... Powerful. Like a real man. Natsu is just... Amazing."

"This guy you're talking about sounds like a guy from a fairy tale, seriously, pink hair? I've never heard of such a man in this day and age who is like that unless he's some sort of manager. But even then, managers don't dye their hair pink,"Michelle raised a brow.

"I asked Loki about it and he said that is his natural hair colour. I was surprised, I wanted to ask him about it but we weren't exactly close," Lucy cheekily smiled, "The best I could ever do was remind him of lunchtimes, and walk up to him when there are people around,"

"Is Loki the hot redhead that you showed me on your first week?" Michelle asked.

"The same one. He's a good person, just a little lazy, but it's nice to have him around especially since he has a past with Natsu and knows everything about him." Lucy said.

"It seems your best pick is Loki then," Michelle chuckled as she picked up her pen and began writing again.

"I don't know..." Lucy paused in the middle of her room, "Whenever they interact with each other in the office, Loki just acts childishly but Natsu deals with it in a mature manner as if Loki is his son or something,"

"He sounds like a jerk," Michelle added.

"He's not, really! He's just so mysterious and keeps to himself, and after interacting with him for just an hour, I want to know him a bit more," Lucy's face grew warm as she talked more about the pinkette, that new memory of his cute smile made her heart pound harder than before, "I want to see him smile again,"

"What was his name again? Ah-choo?"

"Noooo Michelle, it was Natsu. It's a very cute name and his pink hair really compliments it," Lucy said as she held her phone up to her ear with her shoulder whilst folding away some laundry.

"Okay, but why him? He better not be another sleazeball like your other boyfriends," Michelle scoffed as she held the phone to her ear once again.

"Natsu is nothing like they were, Michelle. Natsu is cold but that's because he really likes to stick to what he's paid for. I admire a hardworking man," Lucy responded, smiling gently as a tint of red appeared on her face, "... The thing is, I've admired him for some time now. 31 days really is a long time; he's so mysterious, has a sexy voice, and a sexy cold stare, OMG Michelle you should have seen how he was staring at me earlier today! It made me feel all warm inside, Natsu really is something... I feel like he's the one,"

"Lucy..." Michelle spoke softly.

She held her lips together for a few seconds before talking as she wanted to be as serious as possible.

"... You shouldn't chase this one,"

Lucy put down the last of her clothing that she had folded and held her phone instead of using her shoulder, "But why? I'm ready to be with someone again-."

"It's still too soon after what happened last year! That incident was literally three months ago, THREE! You aren't ready," Michelle said sternly.

"You don't get it, Michelle, Natsu he... does things to me, things that my other boyfriends couldn't. People just want me for my body, they learn the little things about me, but as I was watching him, he was watching me. He may not know what my favourite colour is or what I like to do in my spare time yet, but he pays attention to detail, and I really admire that," Lucy said as she exited her room and took the basket to a closet, "I want a guy that not only understands me but is strong enough to stand up against the unfairness of the world and still be able to take care of me, he gets treated like a nobody at work, like no one can hear him or see him. They only acknowledge his existence when he challenges the male colleagues' obsession for me,"

Michelle remained silent as Lucy continued on. She tapped her pen on her notepad as she thought over what the blonde had just relayed to her.

"A man who continues to work no matter what his entire office thinks of him? That man has to be a ticking time bomb by now," Michelle thought to herself, "No one can go that long without losing their mind."

"It gets harder everyday. I don't just want to see Natsu at work anymore, I want to hear his voice all the time, and I want to feel him inside of me," Lucy said as she hugged herself.

She shook her head and blushed hard from what she just said.

"You're doing it again," Michelle spoke sternly.

"I know, I know. I promise I got it under control," Lucy said reassuringly as she waved her hands frantically.

"Really?" Michelle pressed on, "Have you REALLY got it under control,"

"... Mmm, Yes!" Lucy took a second to respond.

"So you haven't done anything outside of the barriers of taking things slowly and letting relationships build naturally, and don't you dare lie to me," Michelle said sternly.

Lucy held her lips as she looked over at her bag with a drop of sweat rolling down the side of her head. She wasn't the type to lie to her big sister, well, she just couldn't especially when Michelle spoke in a very stern way.

"Well, I uh... may have used one of the record sorting tasks that I was given to find out where he lives... BUT THAT'S ALL!"

"Goodness Lucy," Michelle put a hand to her forehead, "I thought we killed these old habits, you told me that your obsession phase was just a part of your teenage years. You are 26 now, grow up!"

"I'm not going to do anything silly this time, I promise. I really like Natsu and I would never do anything to hurt or scare him away. He's got too much to deal with already," Lucy clutched onto her phone tighter as she bit her bottom lip, "I just... really want this time to work out. I believe I am a perfect fit for him!"

"Oh really? You said the same thing about Sting too, and we both know how that turned out," Michelle said with a bit of bitterness present in her voice.

Lucy forced a smile as she held her phone tightly in her hand, "I thought we agreed to not mention his name anymore,"

"I just want you to remember not to make the same mistakes again. If you feel the urge to meddle with natural progress then you aren't ready for another relationship," Michelle stood up from her desk.

"Natsu and I WILL work," Lucy said with a certain tone.

"It's weird enough that you talk about him like this and the two of you aren't even friends yet," Michelle said as she lightly coughed in her hand.

Lucy remained silent for a bit.

It's true, she and Natsu are simply work colleagues; nothing more, nothing less.

She was gritting her teeth behind her neutral smile and was getting a little upset at the words her sister was choosing, but it was the truth. While there was a bit of progress there, Lucy was sort of impatient and just wanted to push that along swiftly.

Riled up at the truth Michelle was speaking, she felt the need to get defensive and to get a 1-up on her sister, she yelled: "We've kissed!"

"Aww, really?" Michelle said mockingly.

"Yes! We've-."

"Was it a shared one or a one-sided one that was initiated by you?" Michelle asked with a condescending tone, "Hm, it really feels like this has happened before, hasn't it, Lucy?"

Lucy paused.

"And judging by how you were afraid to talk to him before today, it must've been a peck on the cheek. Nothing too crazy," Michelle continued on, "Do you guys hang out outside of the office? Are you guys on a first-name basis?"

Lucy looked down at the ground, "Yes, No, I... he only calls me Ms Heartfilia..."

"Hmph. A man who works hard, who doesn't want help, is extremely prideful, and hardly talks to you, do you think he would want you after he learns who you really are?" Michelle asked.

Lucy clenched her fists harder as Michelle continued on, "Lucy 'Lucky' Heartfilia. The second daughter of Jude and Layla Heartfilia; Japan's Top Investors. CEO's of multiple companies. Trusted holders in contract with the Heartfilia name. The same name that breathes money. How do you think a man with little to his name will feel when the daughter of these two waltzes into an office, has countless men orbiting around her, works a 9-5 that is beneath her and tells him to be with her because she wants him?"

Lucy sucked in some air, then let it out, "He'll feel relieved because I can give him everything he wants and reward him for all the hard work he's done all these years-."

"You don't get men yet, do you, Lucy? Especially not this one you've fallen for, he's not Sting," Michelle laughed. She continued to laugh as the blonde kept the phone to her ear with wide eyes and a neutral expression.

"What was so funny?" Lucy thought with slight anger and annoyance rising up within her.

"You're still Green. All the boys you've previously dated were boys who belonged to wealth, this Natsu doesn't belong to wealth, well, from what you've told me of course. A man who wants a woman to provide for him is nothing but a boy, he has no value," Michelle said as she stood at her window, "But a man who works the field nonstop and succeeds through his own means without the woman providing for him, is a true man, that man has value,"

"It takes time for seeds to grow, you can't rush them because there is always a process that is followed. You can't treat this seed like the others that'll grow if you tell them to. That's the big difference between working-class men and wealthy-class men. You've got to approach prideful men in the working class a different way, especially when he doesn't orbit around you like your other male colleagues."

Lucy spoke silently, "That makes sense, but I can't wait any longer..."

"And that's why you aren't ready for a relationship. Are you sure you even love him or do you just want to fuck him?" Michelle asked.

"No, I really like him-," Lucy responded.

Michelle thought for a few moments before replying once more, "You aren't ready. I'm sure he doesn't know of the kind of place you live in. What your life is like outside of work? The ability to switch in and out of poverty and wealth, it's like betrayal, Lucy. You'll hurt him that way before you try anything else,"

Lucy sighed, "No. Natsu isn't like that, I appreciate your opinions but I can't wait for him anymore, he has become a constant need in my life to the point where I need to be beside him more to quicken our relationship,"

"Delusion. The same thing you told yourself when you and that mutt, Sting was dating," Michelle rolled her eyes, "Don't say I didn't warn you, I'm even surprised you managed to make it up to 30 days, just don't be surprised when he bites back at the hand that supposedly feeds him,"

LUCY'S POV

I ended the call and fell back onto my couch. This was stressful, but it's not like what Michelle was saying was all lies.

"Considering that he wanted to prove that he's good at his job, how would he feel about me after Loki and I both got raises after doing minimal amounts of work in comparison to him? Maybe kissing him was a mistake, I just wanted to cheer him up, yeah, that's it,"

My apartment...

Thanks to Daddy, even though I was old enough and well off to buy my own apartment, he and Mom already did that and made it the one that stands out the most.

A Penthouse Apartment.

My apartment was as amazing as one would dream, even though I had to travel to work and back home via my driver that Daddy hired for me, it saves answering awkward questions about how rich I am. At that point, people won't like me for me anymore, they'll just like me for my money.

I looked at the sparkling dining area, pristine kitchen, the flat screen tv on the wall surrounded by the white couches that were all recliners, and the art canvases that I put up to decorate the home. I held my head low as I thought about Natsu.

"Would he not accept me if I have all of this? What kind of man doesn't want everything? I'm so confused by her words."

Why wouldn't Natsu want to accept what I can offer? It'll be just like what I had with Sting but better, way better, especially with the work ethic that Natsu has. We can build a home together and have children that share the same passion towards reaching a goal as he does.

He just...

Doesn't have to worry about working hard anymore... I can provide a greater home for him, give him the things he needs, the things he wants...

Wait a minute!

"The things he needs, and the things he wants..." I said quietly to myself.

I've got it!

Michelle has no idea what she is talking about, it didn't work with Sting because he was wealthy already but I can help Natsu in various ways to show him that he needs me.

I pulled up my laptop and typed in a known website address that I visit every now and then.

A man wants a considerate woman who thinks of others before themselves. Consideration is my speciality!

Just wait, Natsu.

You'll be mine and I'll be Yours. You and I will share the wealth my family has built upon.

I'm going to make your life so much easier, that way, you'll have no choice but to take me!

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To Be Continued