in which lucy completes errands
Sunlight flickered through Lucy's curtains onto a bed that held only her. Lucy had woken up alone many times in the morning, even if her bed had held a pink-haired warm body the night before. While she enjoyed (although never stated) waking up with Natsu, the casual intimacy and the cuddles and the slow easy waking, often he had a work shift in the early morning. Such was the case that day and, while last night brought a new context to her waking up alone, it did not worry her.
She stretched and left her bed for her kitchen. There, she saw coffee hot and already made, as well as a mug clean in the dishrack and another out by the pot for her. Smiling, she made her coffee with creamer and then went to the bathroom.
Natsu left little traces of himself that morning with her shower curtain still wet and a new towel on her rack, still damp. And when she looked at herself in the mirror? Well, there was more than a little trace of Natsu.
Along her thighs and breast were constellations of pink hickeys. She hadn't even noticed the night before and she wouldn't necessarily complain, considering how good it had felt. Not only that, but the way Natsu's voice had sounded, the way he looked at her – that memory was also tied up in those pink marks. Looking at them, while she expected to maybe feel regret or shock at that testament to her and Natsu's actions the night before, all she felt was arousal and something akin to excitement. They'd implicitly agreed that it would be a one time thing, but that physical memory of his kisses, their ardor, almost made her want to recant that.
(Except that was still a bad idea. Just the fact that she was thinking about recanting was bad.)
Lucy started her shower. She had much to do that Friday and so little time.
-o-
Shower finished, clothes chosen, make-up applied, and breakfast eaten, Lucy left her apartment for only the start of a busy day and busy week. After finishing the final touches of an essay in the library, getting lunch with her stage manager, Virgo, to go over last minute details of the Tech schedule and fire inspection, then going to a meeting with her professor about a letter of recommendation for an editorial internship she was applying for, Lucy stopped by the set shop.
Laki, her set designer and technical director, had run behind on creating and assembling set pieces. Of course, to some extent, all pieces are unfinished until they are hauled into the theater and then assembled on site. But even then, Laki only had partial portions of the set completed and Lucy had asked for a lot of detailed work. While Levy had talked to Laki and handled getting extra set hands, Lucy figured she should stop by with a box of coffee and donuts from the donut shop near campus as emotional support. (Never too late for breakfast was her motto.) (Also, she may or may not be checking on how far Laki had made progress and/or whether or not Laki was lying to her about the progress on the sets.)
When she entered the set shop, she did not see Laki. She did see Natsu though, sawing through a wood plank.
"Where's Laki and the others?" she asked him from a safe distance away. She was glad she wore her heels boots rather than sandals; she'd forgotten how dirty the shop area got when people were using it.
He clicked the saw off and slid the protective goggles onto his forehead. "They went to grab a late lunch. I'd already eaten, so I decided to stay."
"I guess the stuff I brought is kind of pointless."
Natsu smiled. "What college student would turn down free donuts and coffee? Even if they're stuffed."
"Still." She raised them up in a silent question, which Natsu understood, pointing to a mostly clear bench at the back of the room with some backpacks and tote bags littered around it. She placed the box of donuts and coffee on that bench and when she turned around, Natsu's eyes flicked from her knee-length blue skirt to her face. "The Trimens?" he asked, referencing her t-shirt. "Thought you hated them."
The concert tee she wore was from the band The Trimens, whom she had adored in high school, but disliked once she met Ichiya at a signing. She was surprised that Natsu remembered, as she hadn't talked in depth about that.
"This was the only t-shirt that matched this skirt."
"And?" he said, as he removed his leather gloves and shoved them in his work belt.
"I need to dress modestly for the next couple days," she clarified. "I have some, uh, hickeys."
"Whoops."
Lucy hushed him and he pulled her into a side hug. "Relax, Lu, it'll be okay."
"Are you sure you should be hugging me?" she asked. She hated herself as soon as she said it.
He pulled away. "Do you want me to stop?"
"I don't want to be suspicious."
"I always hug you though. Why are you being so weird? You're the one who suggested we 'bang it out' in the first place."
Lucy flushed. "I just–"
The sound of a door opening interrupted her sentence. Laki and the other set hands entered with Gray in tow.
"Lucy!" Laki said. "I didn't think I would see you here."
She tried for a smile, ignoring the tension between her and Natsu. "I wanted to bring you guys food and coffee, considering all the hard work y'all have done."
They had a quick conversation about the progress on the sets: Gray, the actor for Iago, was there because he was an Art Minor, who specialized in sculpture but had decent enough experience with paint, so he could help Laki on the detailwork. The set shop would have at least two helpers beyond Laki at any point over that day and the next, so the set should be finished before Load-in. Laki even complimented Natsu, saying that he'd been a huge help with building the set.
(Lucy practically glowed on Natsu's behalf at that: Natsu had completed woodshop in high school as an elective and theatre after school. He'd always been good with his hands, but she was glad he was getting recognized for it.)
As Laki returned to her workbench, grabbing her own tool belt, Natsu took his own off and said to her: "I have to pick up Wendy."
Laki nodded her assent. "Thanks for all your help. I'll see you tomorrow."
Natsu gave her a short rundown of what he had done. While they did so, Lucy assembled his bag for him: grabbing the backpack, his water bottle, and even a cinnamon donut for him. Natsu kept a bunch of buttons and pins on his backpack and it reminded her of all the good times they've had. Going to his cousins' apartment was the same way, the refrigerator door covered in magnets and receipts and photos, a collage of all the memories he and his cousins had had.
He tapped her shoulder. "Thanks for grabbing my stuff."
"I can walk with you to your car."
In the parking lot, out of earshot of their peers, Lucy said: "It's not that I want you to stop hugging me. I like how affectionate you are, I just – I don't want to ruin things."
"What though?"
"Your career. My career. Our reputations." Us was the unspoken word that both of them heard.
"It's just a hug." They arrived at his car. It was beat-up and second-hand with a broken A/C and a temperamental engine. Natsu fiddled with his keys: it was so old, Natsu had to manually unlock the door. "Cobra says he'll have his designs sent to you by tonight."
Natsu's cousin, Cobra, was her sound designer and also (one of) the bane(s) of her existence. "And the speakers?" she said. "Has Cobra figured that out?"
Natsu shrugged, tossing his backpack in the backseat and grabbing the donut from her hand and taking a bite. "He says he has a 'connection,' who can get him the speaker without the necessary paperwork." Natsu rolled his eyes and swallowed. "I think he's talking about Kinana, but whatever. The donut's good."
"Thanks. And as long as he gets the speakers, you know?"
"I'll beat him up for you, if he doesn't."
"You don't need–"
"Don't worry, I'll do it for free." Natsu laughed and then sobered. He turned to place his water bottle and the donut on the passenger's seat, saying, "It'll be okay. Cobra's having some problems and he's doing what he always does. He just forgets that he's not the only one with issues."
"Natsu…"
He sat down and started the car. Natsu smiled – no, beamed at her, but it felt off. "It's fine. Nothing to worry about."
He shut the car door and she watched him drive off.
-o-
At the evening rehearsal that day, the called actors were surprisingly focused. Perhaps it was because they were so close to the performance or perhaps it was because Lucy still hadn't fully blocked herself into the scenes they were running or maybe it was just one of those rare Fridays, in which everyone prioritized rehearsing over messing around. Either way, Lucy felt comfortable with where they were, when Virgo called a break for them to rest and so she could take a phone call.
"Fuck, Marry, Kill," her Cassio, Cana, said, once all of them had settled down onto the floor or chair. "The cousins: Cobra, Gajeel, Natsu."
"What the fuck?" Gray said. Meredy, her Roderigo, giggled.
"Answer the question. I know you've thought about it."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Cana glared at him. "Fine. Juvia? Thoughts?"
Juvia looked up from her knitting. "I guess I haven't really thought about it. But, kill Natsu, fuck Cobra, marry Gajeel." She blushed. "I promise I'm not a homewrecker, Levy, we've just known each other for so long that he'd be the best person to marry."
Levy, who'd been acting as an assistant director for this rehearsal on Lucy's behalf, waved her hand dismissively. "I trust both of you to not fuck each other behind my back. Although why would you have sex with Cobra and not Natsu?"
"I like brunettes and Cobra has darker hair."
"Natsu's hair is naturally black though."
Juvia tilted her head thoughtfully. "Maybe fuck Natsu then? But he'd have to be acting while we did it – I like my men brooding. Natsu's not that."
Gray was green with disgust and envy. "Juvia, can you stop talking about Natsu in bed?"
She stammered and started to apologize. Cana cut her off. "If you want to change the topic, then answer my question."
"You answer it."
"Kill Natsu, fuck Gajeel, and marry Cobra. I'll explain once you answer."
"Same answer as Juvia, although for different reasons. Why'd you marry Cobra?"
"Why do y'all keep killing Natsu?" Lucy asked, vaguely hurt on Natsu's behalf.
"I like older men," Cana said, "and Natsu's younger than me. And I'd marry Cobra because he'd be the most willing to have an open relationship, so I could do whatever I wanted."
"I don't think Natsu's ever had sex in his life," Gray said.
"He had a relationship with Lisanna though?" Cana said. "Although I don't think I ever saw a single hickey on either of them."
"Exactly! Meanwhile, I know both Gajeel and Cobra have fucked. And Gajeel, even though he's a dick, is a regular housewife. Have you tried his sourdough? It's like he takes his rage and shoves all of it into his bread. Sorry, Levy."
Levy sighed and waved her hand again. "I'm flattered you all want to have sex with my boyfriend."
"But you all want to kill Natsu? Aren't you his friend?"
Cana shrugged. "Preferences are preferences. Why are you so upset about this though?" Cana smiled devilishly. "Do you have something you want to share with the class?"
Lucy blushed, painfully aware of all the little spots Natsu's mouth had left on her. She pulled the hem of her skirt down, just in case.
"I'd at least think Gray would want to fuck Natsu," she said. "Hate-sex, you know? That seems right up Gray's alley."
"Is that really what you think of me?"
"She's just upset that she's the only one who wants to marry Natsu," Cana said. "The real question is who she would kill and fuck."
"Kill Gajeel and fuck Cobra. Unlike Gray, I'm not a pussy about admitting that I'd enjoy hate-sex."
"Cobra still hasn't submitted his design yet?" Levy asked.
Lucy sighed. "No. Although Natsu said that Cobra told him that he'd get the sound plot in by tonight, which really means early-early morning."
"At least someone can get a response from him," Levy grouched. "All I've gotten was a 'I'm a bit busy right now' and a 'talk later' and a 'K.' Capitalized. With a period!"
"Natsu said he's dealing with some personal matters."
"No offense to Cobra," Gray said. "But Natsu's also dealing with some personal stuff and he's still doing his job."
"Erik's never been good with having healthy communication skills," Meredy said. For some reason that nobody could figure out, Cobra and her were good friends and he allowed the talented freshman to call him by his first name.
Gray rolled his eyes. "People forget Natsu has his own issues, just because he's, you know, himself."
"Aww, you care," Cana teased.
"Fuck off."
"I get what you mean though," Cana said. "He's been like that since he was little. God, do you remember when he got into that fight junior year? If Porlyusica and Makarov hadn't talked to the principal… yikes."
"Natsu got into a fight?" Juvia asked. "Why?"
Cana shrugged, but Lucy knew and, based on Levy's face, Gajeel had told her as well. His junior year, Natsu's brother was sentenced to prison. She wasn't going to say that though. Not her history and, if even Cana didn't know the why, only the what, it wasn't her place to share.
"Hm," Juvia said. "Well, Gajeel's been asking me to make more food for them recently. Apparently, Natsu and him keep getting scheduled at really inconvenient times and while Wendy can cook, he said he'd rather she 'focus on her studying, the brat.' And you know, Tech."
"I know he asked me to pick up Wendy after her Track practice next Thursday, since Natsu's calltime overlaps with that," Levy said. "Oh, Lu, I already told Virgo that I won't show up until later."
Their stage manager entered the room. "Break is up," Virgo said.
Lucy nodded. "Let's run the first part of Act 2, Scene 1 then. Levy, may you read for Montano? And also tell us how we're doing." Her actors put their things away and got into their places. They waited for Juvia, who wanted to put her knitting needles back in her tote bag, and as they did so, Cana tapped Lucy's elbow.
"You doing good?" Cana whispered.
"Why?" Lucy asked, confused.
"You're taking on a lot, filling in for Mira and directing. Not to mention, as Gray said, Natsu's dealing with his own shit too. I know you try to take his stuff on, on top of your own."
"I'm fine."
"I'm just worried about you being stressed, that's all."
"Seriously, I'm okay. What's gotten into you?"
"If it's nothing, it's nothing. But let me know, okay? We're friends. And I know you're the director, but Levy can handle the Tech-induced fires. Take care of yourself."
Juvia arrived at her place. "Ready?" Virgo called.
Cana patted her elbow and took the two steps back to where she was supposed to stand. The rest of rehearsal went without a hitch, but Cana's concern whispered in the back of Lucy's mind. Despite being Tech, the next week would be okay, right?
note: thanks for reading! if you haven't already, please feel free to follow and comment if you enjoyed this chapter :)) comments especially give me life and motivation to continue 33