prompt sixty five: cold embrace

rate: T for Teens and Up

Sixty five out of one hundred.

I usually write sweet stories with loads of fluff and sweetness but this one is going to be a bit sad. Born from the inspiration i got from the k-drama "true beauty" enjoy x

"The biggest waste of an opportunity is the opportunity to tell someone how much you love them." ― Akash S. Bansal

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Natsu would consider himself as someone who had an alright upbringing. It was just him and his dad but that was all he needed. He had a roof over his head, food on the table, clothes on his body, and he was even forced to attend school every day so it's not like he was a bad kid with poor education. He even graduated high school and got into his local community college so he wasn't that bad.

Natsu was the type to be a go-getter. Someone who didn't quit so easily nor turn down a challenge but he was soon realizing that maybe, he was someone who did.

And all because of a blonde haired bobble-headed girl who was his best friend and quite possibly the love of his life.

"Why have you been so down lately?" Lucy asked as she brought her ice latte to her lips, taking a sip while staring at him from across the table. All sorts of delicious pastries sat in between them and as Natsu scooted into his chair, he lazily picked up a scone from the tray.

"No I haven't," he said before shoving nearly half of it in his mouth.

In truth, he has been and really, it was because of this woman across the table from him. Ever since he discovered he had feelings for his best friend of over ten years, he had been in shambles and when he had finally had the courage to talk to her about it, she got a boyfriend.

And even after waiting nearly three months for them to break it off, he was realizing that maybe they might last.

Which fucking sucked because Natsu was so head over heels in love with his best friend and she had no idea.

"Come on, you can talk to me," Lucy pressed, setting her cup down as Natsu handed her the other half of the scone. "Are you having girl trouble?"

Natsu scoffed, bringing his own hot coffee to his lips to take a swig. "I guess."

"So it is about a girl!" Her eyes lit up at the discovery, a smile pulling to her lips with her hands coming to clasp together in front of her. "Tell me! What's going on?"

Seeing how his best friend excitedly leaned across the table to give her undivided attention to him, Natsu could only scowl, feeling his cheeks growing hotter. He felt a bit bitter about the opportunity since he knew he couldn't say anything without letting her know that the girl that had broken his heart and made him feel so down in the dumps was her.

Someone he had been crushing on for so long and now coming to realize a little too late.

Someone he cherished the most in his life and would move mountains for.

Someone who also had a boyfriend and was in a committed relationship.

"Alright, fine," Natsu sighed out loud when he saw she wasn't going to let him go without telling her something. "I like this girl," he started, unsure how to continue it as he avoided her eyes. He fiddled with his cup of coffee, trying to distract himself while he felt her burning stare on his face. "But I'm giving up on her."

Lucy blinked at him stupidly, reeling back slightly from the table. "Why?" She asked, cocking her head to the side. "Have you told her how you feel?"

Natsu just shook his head, a soft scoff escaping his lips. "No."

"You're going to give up without even telling her how you feel?"

With his lips twisting to the side, Natsu felt the bitterness crawl back up his throat as he turned his head to the side. "She has a boyfriend."

The scoff that came from the blonde made him peek over at her and he could see the adorable scrunch she always did when she didn't understand something.

"You just had to fall in love with someone who had a boyfriend, didn't you?" She tried to lighten the mood by giving him a playful smile but Natsu could only nod, pressing his lips into a tight line. Her smile slipped slightly as Natsu didn't reciprocate the gesture and she leaned back closer towards him, placing her hand on top of his.

Natsu felt his heart stutter inside of his chest as the feel of her small hand landed on his and he looked up at her to feel the throb of his heart.

"Do you like her a lot?"

Natsu nodded, unable to tear his eyes away from the chocolate haze he learned to love throughout the years. "I do," he said softly. "A lot."

He flipped his hand over so her palm would be in his and he wrapped his fingers around hers to give it a light squeeze. She simply pressed her lips into a tight line and gave him a look of pity, her eyes softening.

"Well… gosh…" she let out a soft laugh, looking down at their joined hands. "You must really like her if you're like this." Her thumb stroked along his hand and Natsu dropped his eyes to stare at their hands. "You know what you should do?"

"What?"

"Steal her from her boyfriend."

She said it so confidently that Natsu was dumbfounded by her advice. He wanted to laugh in her face and tell her how ridiculous that was because would she be alright with being stolen from her boyfriend? Would she leave her boyfriend for him if he asked?

Snorting at her response, Natsu could only feel the corners of his lips tug up into a smile as he shook his head. "Should I?" He pulled his hand away from hers and grabbed for his coffee, bringing it back to his lips to sip while Lucy returned to the tray of goods.

"If you really like her and you're this torn about it then obviously yes!" Lucy cried out as she ripped apart an almond croissant, stuffing a bit into her mouth. "You never know what she might say. You don't know unless you try."

Natsu could only chuckle, shaking his head back and forth while he also went for the treats in front of him. If only she knew the girl he was so worked up about was her. She wouldn't even dare saying these things to him.

"So," she continued, nudging him with her foot under the table to catch his eyes. "Who is she? Someone I know?"

She had a sly smile to her face, her eyebrows wagging in his direction as her cheeks puffed out from the food she was consuming.

Natsu found her utterly adorable as he watched her, his elbow on the table as he leaned against hand. He flashed her a grin, winking at her. "That's a secret."

The way she pouted at him made him want to lean over and kiss her jutted lip, such a warm tingling feeling rushing down his back. He couldn't help but just sit there and watch her. He was pretty sure he could just sit in this cafe with her all day long and stare at her while she talked, ate, and drank. He would love to watch her eyes light up and listen to her laugh. Talk about nonsense and tease one another.

It's been like that with her since he could remember and he only wished he could have told her soon.

"She must be really pretty to have to catch your attention." She giggled, holding out the other half of the cookie they had bought together.

Natsu took it from her and brought it closer, looking down at the cookie before looking back up at her.

She looked like an angel with her golden locks framing her heart shaped face. Such a pale complexion that he knew was as soft as it looked and such wide doe eyes. Adorable button lip and full luscious lips he would love to spend hours nibbling on.

"Yeah," Natsu said without taking his eyes off her, his features softening as his heart began to race again. "She really is."

You are most beautiful in my eyes.

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fin