Review Responses:
Dark Gothic Lolita: Oh, thank you so much and I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Haha, poor Juvia! She's lucky that the coffee shop doesn't have a lot of customers in the shop so she could feel less embarrassed! And thank you for understanding! It was more of me wanting to update something, especially since I haven't been doing much and I just needed to do something! And thank you so much for the encouragement~!（⌒▽⌒）
Meridiem-chaaaan: Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it! And there are definitely more letters coming soon! And thank you for the encouragement! (`・ω・´)
nyannyan4826: Thank you so much for your kind words! And wait no longer; here's an update! (`•ω•´๑)
JD98: Thank you very much~! And yep, it's really rare to see stories with ships like NaVia! (≧ω≦)ゞ
TheSilverDragoon94: I know, right?! There aren't many NaVia fics, but there is a community on here called 'Spread the NaVia~!' if you're looking for a collection of good NaVia fics! Haha, you're not wrong with there being a lot of AU high school fics, although I feel like an AU college fic is sort of the same thing. And I'm glad that you liked the Starbucks name game~! And thank you so much for your compliment! You made my day and I hope this chapter is as good as the others! （〜^∇^)〜
Chapter 3
...
My Other Half,
I've called you a couple of times these past few nights and I went directly to voicemail each time. I know that it's pointless, but I just miss hearing your voice, even if it is just a recording of your voice and not you actually speaking to me. And I also might have left a message each time.
It's stupid, I know. I'm stupid for doing that.
I'm sorry, it was my mistake for doing something like that.
I'm an idiot, like what you'd always call me.
Yours always,
Your Faithful Idiot
...
"Well," The bluenette sighs as she folds the letter neatly and slotting it back into the envelope, "that makes two of us, author-san." She places the recent envelope at the top of the pile of growing letters in her blue wooden box before placing the lid over the box. It is a beautiful Sunday afternoon and Juvia's one day to de-stress and after the events of what happened at work a few days ago, she is intending on de-stressing as much as she possibly can. She feels her cheeks heating up and she lets out a squeal as the events of last Wednesday come back to her once more.
xoxo
"Ah...um...l-lovely weather we're having."
And as soon as those words left her lips, Juvia wanted nothing more than to throw herself out of the nearest window. Out of all of the things that she could have talked about to him, she just HAD to talk about the weather. The freaking WEATHER! One of the regrets that the bluenette had after she left high school was spending so much time admiring her crush from afar instead of talking to him. If she had actually made the effort to talk to Gray and get to know him, perhaps things would have turned out differently. Maybe she would have been his girlfriend, perhaps not. In that moment, however, was exact proof of why she should NOT make the first move to start a conversation.
"Huh? Oh yeah, the weather's pretty nice. Thanks for the frap, Juvia." Natsu smiled - the Phantom Lord student noticed that the smile wasn't his signature toothy grin nor was it the smile the day she met him or the smile the day she asked for his name - as he took his frap and promptly left the coffee shop. Once he was out of her line of sight and most likely out of earshot, Juvia buried her head in her hands and let out a small shriek of frustration.
He must think that she was so weird - his smile didn't look familiar to her so it must have been his polite smile at how weird she was being and he got out of the door so fast, as if he was trying to escape - and he won't come back to the shop ever again. Not only had the Element 4 Café lost its' best customer, Juvia lost the one person that made her shifts bearable.
The universe must really hate her.
xoxo
"Aurora, Juvia has your order ready." Juvia calls out, placing the small,hot chai latte cup on the counter before rushing back to her usual place behind the cash register to take the next person's order. It is no longer Sunday, but Monday instead, and for some reason, the coffee shop is uncharacteristically crowded. There is actually a line this time - well, there is only two people in the line, but it is a lot better than what she usually experiences on her shifts.
The bell above the door chimes just as the bluenette is done taking the first person's order and too preoccupied with getting the equipment and ingredients ready for the drink and fishing the Cheese Danish out to preheat it in the oven, she is unable to see who had just entered the shop although she does call out a polite, "Welcome to Element 4, Juvia will be with you in a second!"
Juvia mumbles to herself under her breath as she fumbles with the blenders and ingredients needed on making the medium iced Guava Black tea. Typically, she didn't mind working her shifts by herself, as the coffee shop is small and not many customers come in anyway - as well as the fact that Juvia prefers to work by herself, not wanting to interact much with other people. In this moment, however, she could definitely say that it wouldn't be that bad to have another coworker in the shop to help out.
"Talia, Juvia has your order ready." The bluenette female announces as she hurries back behind the counter. The second person in line buys only a bottle of water and a granola bar and as quickly as she rings up the order and money is exchanged, the customer leaves in a flash.
"Hello, what can Juvia get start-" Juvia stops in the middle of her sentence as she slowly looks up and finds herself staring back into the warm, ink black eyes of none other than Natsu Dragneel and she feels her heart fluttering rapidly. The Natsu Dragneel that she was so sure she unintentionally scared off last week is back. She finds herself torn between wanting to hug him for not leaving or to dig herself a hole and never come back until her embarrassment dies down.
It wasn't that she wasn't excited for him to be here - she really is elated that he is still here - but more of the fact that she is confused on why he is still coming back to the shop, especially with how last Wednesday played out. The only thing that she could think of as to why he is still here is that he must really enjoy the frappuccinos, although the bluenette is sure that there must be other coffee shop chains that make better drinks than the Element 4. Then again, people have different preferences when it comes to coffee, so to each their own, she supposes.
"Hey, Juvia. How's it going?" The pink-haired male grins as he places his hands on the counter, slightly leaning towards her and she can feel her cheeks heating up from the close proximity.
"H-Hi, Natsu-san. Juv...Juvia's doing okay. What can Juvia get started for you?" Juvia stutters out as she grips on the counter top for some sort of support.
"Hmm...I think...I'll get...the Mocha frap in a large today." He drags his sentence out before deciding his drink of choice, all the while grinning.
"Is that all?" She inquires the same time as he asks, "Do you have any pets?"
"H-Huh?" The bluenette can hardly believe her ears. What did he just say?
"Do you have any pets?" Natsu repeats his question as he rubs the back of his neck and avoids her gaze. "Just...just asking."
"Juvia's old roommate has a cat and Juvia got along well with him." She ponders aloud. "What about you, Natsu-san?" She quickly adds. For the sake of her pride, she must redeem herself after that embarrassing event last week.
The pink-haired male perks up in an instant as he fishes out his phone from his pockets, tapping away before showing her a picture of a blue cat with a white belly sleeping on its' backside, a green scarf around its' neck. Without thinking, she lets out a squeal of delight at the adorable cat.
"Cute, huh?" Natsu grins at her reaction and she could only nod, for she is much too focused on the picture of the cat to really pay attention. "His name's Happy."
"Happy?" Juvia repeats, questioningly. Happy is a rather unusual name for a cat, although she supposes that she shouldn't judge. After all, Gajeel named his black cat 'Pantherlily', so who is she to judge?
"Yeah, I named him when I was like, what...12 or 13? Not too sure, but I've had him since he was born." The male shrugs as he slips his phone back into his pockets and the bluenette is sorry to see the picture of the cat go.
"Juvia wishes that Juvia could meet Happy-san one day. He's really cute." She wishes mournfully.
"He is." Natsu smiles warmly. "If I could sneak him into school successfully, I think I'll bring him to the shop one day." A mischievous glint passes by his dark eyes and Juvia finds that she is much to absorbed in them that she doesn't hear the bell above the door ring and that a new customer has entered until she hears a rather loud "humph!". Craning her neck, the bluenette could make out an elderly lady crossing her arms and tapping her foot impatiently while a sour expression rests on her face.
"Uh...ah...is that all?" Juvia asks in a rush as she feels her cheeks heating up from the embarrassment.
"Y-Yeah." Natsu stutters out as he pulls out his wallet from his pant pockets.
"$5.50." She responds back, hastily jotting down "Natsu" on a large, clear plastic cup.
"$6. Keep the change." He shoves $6 in her outstretched hand and dashes towards the pick-up area as the female dumps the change into her tip jar unceremoniously and darts to the blenders to make his drink. While she is already experienced in making numerous and various types of drinks and is able to make drinks as fast as possible, this time, however, is her fastest time yet. Because in the blink of an eye, Natsu's drink is already on the pick-up area counter.
"Sorry 'bout that, Juvia. I'll see you Wednesday, yeah?" He smiles apologetically and before she can say anything, he scoops up his drink and makes his way out the door just as a speechless Juvia makes her way back behind the counter.
"Well, I never!" The older woman berates, the sour expression still on her face. "Out of all of the coffee shops I've ever been to, this has the worst-" And as the senior citizen continues on her tirade, Juvia zones out and a small smile makes its' way upwards. Natsu is going to come back after all and for the first time, she can't wait for Wednesday.
End of Chapter 3.
(7/4/20): Oof, talk about embarrassing yourself in front of a cute person. Nobody asked for this, but the whole weather conversation between Juvia and Natsu DID happen to me in real life, where I embarrassed myself in front of a cute person by talking about the weather. Needless to say, that memory still haunts me from time to time. ((;ﾟДﾟ)) Anyways! Juvia and Natsu had a real conversation this time! And about pets, too! Isn't it cute, bonding over animals? Anyways, I apologize that this chapter is a bunch of word vomit - I was wrong when I said that the last chapter was a monstrosity because clearly, THIS is a monstrosity - but I hope that I portrayed Juvia's overthinking about the situation decently! Please let me know what you thought of this chapter, if anything or anybody seemed off or OOC and I will see you in the next chapter~! Ciao! (σ≧∀≦)σ
P.S: Happy 4th of July to any fellow Americans out there! 〜(꒪꒳꒪)〜