The following week leaves little free time for Natsu. Though his old apartment was small, he hadn't realized how much stuff he owned until now. Tired muscles drop the last box inside his new home, grateful that half the battle is over. The man steps back with a tired groan as he rolls his shoulder to relieve aches and pains. Natsu pulls out his phone with a soft smile,
Finally done unloading everything, man I could go for a massage.
Lowering himself onto the couch, Natsu thinks over the past week. His messages with Lisanna have been surprisingly bland lately, their long conversations have dwindled down to just a few texts. Natsu can't blame her, she's been struggling with her novel and he's been rather busy himself. Though, he does miss their late-night phone calls.
Are you free? I miss hearing your voice
Natsu plops his feet up on the coffee table, fully planning to not move for the next few hours.
Several minutes pass before he gets a reply, I can spare a few minutes ;).
A large grin pulls at his lips, wasting no time before calling. "Hey handsome," her silky smooth voice drifts through the device, sending butterflies to his belly.
"Hey baby girl, how are you?" Natsu replies, sending the butterflies right back. A tinkling giggle fills his ears, oh how he'd do anything to hear that sound.
"I'm fine, life has been a bit hectic and I have to cover a coworker's shift tomorrow, but enough about me. How are you settling into Magnolia?" 'Lisanna' questions, skating around the topic. She can't tell him exactly why her life has been crazy.
Natsu runs a tan hand through his matted locks, fingers getting stuck in a few knots. "Mm, it's a nice town. A lot larger than Hargeon," he replies, voice lowering an octave as exhaustion takes over. "I start my new job on Monday, still can't believe it," he states with a yawn. "Pays pretty decent too, with weekends and holidays off."
Another giggle escapes her lips, "Magnolia's newest demolitions expert, I'm so proud of you. You've been dreaming about it for a while, I'm glad you're accomplishing your ambitions." Honesty seeps between her words as pride swells within Natsu's chest.
"You always know just what to say," a small grin grows with his words. He stretches defined arms above his head, feeling satisfied once his tired joints pop. A small, content groan passes between chapped lips.
"You sound tired, I should let you get some sleep."
Natsu whimpers in protest, drooping eyes trying to fight off sleep. He desperately wants her to stay, to continue hearing her sweet voice, but his body rejects the idea. "'M not tired, wanna keep talking to ya," he slurs.
Another light laugh slips through the phone, like music to Natsu's ears. "What do you want to talk about?"
"Anything, as long as I get to hear your voice," Natsu murmurs, his drowsy brain letting words roll out unsupervised. "I don't want you to feel pressured into meeting me now that I'm in Magnolia. You're part of why I moved here, but your comfort means more to me." His words die off as green orbs flutter shut, admitting their defeat.
A pregnant pause passes between the two, in which Natsu's will to fight slowly saps away.
Now is her chance, her opportunity to scrape away the fog of lies that cloud their relationship. Taking a deep, steady breath Lucy steels her resolve, delicately tapping at the hazy window that is her dream. "Hey, Natsu? There's something I need to tell you," she echoes, voice shaking with nerves.
"Mm?" He mumbles in the night, barely hanging on to consciousness. One second is all it takes before Natsu's breathing slowly evens out as he finally succumbs to slumber, gentle snores quietly drifting through chapped lips.
A defeated sigh spills out as Lucy's resolve crumbles away, a soft smile taking its place. His snores are adorable. "Goodnight," she whispers, her dense voice sounding in the distance as it navigates through smog.
The next day, Natsu decides to procrastinate the draining job of unpacking and see what Magnolia has to offer. Grabbing his keys, he locks the apartment and leaps down the stairs, taking two at a time.
The bright sun hits his face as he pushes open the front door, a gentle breeze tousling his spiky hair. Choosing a random direction, Natsu sets forth on his journey. Warm rays beat down on him as he wanders, creating a pleasant afternoon.
He passes several shops as he walks, all uniquely different from the last. Vendors stand in the street as they shout advertisements, trying to lure in customers. Children run between the throng of people as they play, skillfully avoiding the grabbing hands of their parents.
A strange feeling overcomes Natsu as he stops in front of a small bookstore, his green eyes catching on the sunlight as it glints off the windowed display. The glass has seen better days, with the corners slightly dingy and sporting few hairline cracks. With a shrug, he grabs the door handle and steps inside, his intuition demanding he enter.
A light jingle sounds above, indicating his presence. He scans the small shop, eyeing the shelves full of books and trinkets. Calming music drifts through the room, creating a welcoming atmosphere. Natsu chuckles to himself, his girlfriend would love it here, she's such a bookworm.
The pinkette strolls down the empty aisles, gazing over colorful spines. Books vary in height and width, he notes, lifting a tanned hand to feel their texture. The rough pads of his fingers slowly graze over waxy paper, feeling the slight protrusion of titles and grooves between written adventures. Reaching the end of the row, Natsu spots a small table holding numerous notebooks and pens.
Stepping closer, he scans the various designs laid out, emerald orbs taking in their intricate details. A simple, blue pen catches Natsu's eye. Plucking it up, he notices shooting stars etched across the surface, the dots and lines intertwining to form mini hearts. A small smile spreads across his cheeks as warm tingles fill his chest. Grabbing the matching journal, Natsu heads down the adjacent aisle.
Upon turning the corner, an attractive employee pops into view. Her golden blonde tresses dance as she sways to the soft music drifting through the shop, a quiet hum slipping past her lips as she sings along. The woman grabs books off her cart, arranging them in an orderly fashion, one by one, and placing them on the shelf. She holds them carefully to her chest as if treating the bounded literature with respect.
"Hey, I know you!" Natsu shouts, startling the poor woman out of her thoughts.
Glancing over, a look of pure terror crosses her face. Large, chocolate eyes widen in shock, her gaze fixed on the man before her. Taking a step back, she knocks into the cart and sends books flying to the ground with a soft thud. Mumbling a curse, the woman bends down to pick up the fallen novels, an embarrassed blush painting her ears.
"Let me help with that," Natsu says, kneeling down beside the scared blonde. Her eyes dart up, breath catching in her throat at his soft gaze. Up close the woman sees flecks of gold as they mingle with forest green, creating a dazzling arrangement of colors within his sharp eyes. She stares at him as if he's an illusion, but a few pointless blinks prove her wrong. Her blush darkens to a pretty red as it spreads further across her face, hands shakily grabbing the forgotten books from his hand.
"T-Thank you," she stutters out, quickly looking away.
Instead of letting go, Natsu's grip tightens on the book as he slowly leans further into the woman's face, all thought of personal space thrown out the window. Pointed eyes harden into a squint as he studies her, pink brows pinching together in confusion.
The employee's face burns bright as she stares back, her heart running a mile a minute. The fact it hasn't burst out of her chest is a mystery. Fearful brown dash between acute green while her breath comes out in short bursts. Small drops of sweat bead down her forehead as their faces grow closer and closer, soon stopping just inches away.
Snapping his fingers, emerald orbs alight with joy as Natsu pulls back. A toothy, face-splitting grin overtakes him, his sharp canines glistening in the artificial light. "You're Lisanna's friend, aren't ya?" He questions, letting go of the book.
"W-what?" She lamely replies, taken aback by his response. Her arm drops like a dead weight from the force of the novel, shock from his intense gaze still strumming through the blonde.
Natsu stands up with his palm stretched out, "I'm her boyfriend, I just moved here."
Hesitantly, the woman's small, soft hand slowly grasps him. Sparks shoot down her arm as their fingers touch, feeling the rough calloused texture against her smooth skin. His grip tightens and with one strong yank, she's back on her feet.
"Oh," she mumbles out in disbelief, shock still running through her. "It's, um, nice to meet you? I'm Lucy," she says, voice shaking with every word. Unable to think straight, Lucy spits out the first thing that comes to mind, quickly setting the course of their interaction. Her mouth dries up like an ice cube on a summer day, the moisture slowly evaporating away.
She can still feel the warmth radiating off their connected hands.
With a chuckle Natsu releases her, retreating his hand to the safety of his pocket. "No wonder you're friends with Lis, you're both so weird," he jokes with an easy grin. "I'm Natsu, nice to meet ya."
Snapping out of her stupor, Lucy's eye twitches as her face sets into a scowl, fists clenching around the novels. "Says the man who drowns his eggs in ketchup," she retorts, crossing her arms with a huff.
Natsu's pink eyebrows furrow in confusion as he studies the bookstore employee, skeptical as to how she knows such incriminating information.
Her eyes widen again as she flails her hands around, quickly coming up with an excuse. "Lisanna! She, uh, talks about you a lot!" Lucy proclaims, mentally berating herself for the blunder. Guilt quickly latches its sharp claws on and doesn't let go. "So, what brings you in today?" she asks, quickly changing the subject.
"Just passing by. Figured I could put off unpacking to check out the area." Natsu replies, an infectious grin bouncing back on his lips. "Do ya know of any good lunch spots around here?"
Lucy places a hand on her chin, blonde brows scrunching together and bottom lip jutting out as she thinks. "8 Island is down the street, the head chef is a wizard in the kitchen. Or there's a cozy pub around the corner I frequently visit, the bartender makes just about anything you can imagine."
Natsu's eyes light up at the mention of food, his stomach growling lowly in agreement. Rubbing his coral locks, Natsu looks away sheepishly. "Guess I should head out, huh?"
Brown orbs crinkle at the corners as Lucy smiles, laughter seeping into her voice. "Here, let me check you out," she replies, glancing down at his occupied hand.
"Oh, I almost forgot!" Natsu exclaims, raising the journal and pen.
"Follow me," Lucy smiles, leading Natsu toward the register. As he places his items down, the woman can't help but giggle again. "I didn't take you as the journalist," she quips, a teasing glint in her eyes.
Natsu flashes her a grin as he scratches the back of his head, "They're for Lis. Do you think she'll like it?" He asks, his voice teeming with hope.
Lucy's brown eyes soften as her heart swells with warmth, butterflies fluttering inside her belly. Another soft blush tints her cheeks pink as a small smile lifts her lips. "She'll love it," Lucy replies, quickly packaging the items in a decorative bag.
Natsu casts a matching smile as he pulls out his wallet, glancing at the total. Tilting his head, his slender brows raise as a questioning look covers his face. "I coulda sworn it was supposed to be a few more jewels," he mumbles.
Lithe fingers brush loose golden strands back behind her ear, pink blush darkening into a pretty rose. Facing away, "Think of it as a 'Welcome to Magnolia' discount," Lucy replies, looking up at Natsu through thick lashes.
He stares back for a few seconds, broad eyes taking her in. A fuzzy feeling swells through Natsu as he gawks, unable to fight the butterflies away. He ruffles his pink locks, dry lips parting as his tongue darts out, moistening them before grinning. Swallowing past the forming lump, "Thanks!" he replies, sharp gaze unable to look away.
"You know, you sound kind of familiar. Have we met before?" Natsu questions, reaching for the bag. Their fingers brush one last time, intensifying the swarm. Zaps of electricity shoot from his fingertips and up his arm. His heart flutters softly as a warm sensation spreads through his hand. A faint, almost overlooked flush tints Natsu's cheeks as an unusual sense of nervousness peeks through.
Doe brown eyes widen marginally in fear as Lucy begins to perspire again. Her muscles stiffen in response, becoming visibly tense. She can hear the blood rush to her face as her pulse picks back up, her heart squeezing painfully as she lies. "I, um, don't think so?" She squeaks out. Trying to play it off, Lucy comes up with yet another excuse. "M-Maybe in passing? I used to travel to Hargeon frequently."
"Oh, well I'll see ya later, Weirdo," Natsu replies, his tanned palm lingering before slowly pulling away. Their eyes continue to gaze at one another as he gradually steps backward. At the last second, he turns around, grabbing the front door's handle and pulling it open with a soft jingle.
Lucy watches Natsu walk away through the translucent window, his form slightly blurry from the grime and glinting sun. She breathes a soft sigh of relief, glad he didn't question her further. She isn't sure how she'd play off knowing he's from Hargeon.
Pushing the guilt monster temporarily away, a permanent smile latches itself onto the blonde's face as she does a happy spin, both hands clutching her heart. Despite her slip-ups, it felt so relieving, so carefree talking to Natsu in person.
Grabbing window cleaner and a rag, Lucy attempts to scrub the stubborn glass, all while trying to catch another glimpse of her pink-haired boyfriend.