X793.
"Ooooh, I'm so nervous..." Wendy was fidgeting around a little bit. Never before had anything made her so anxious. But when Cynthia took that first step and asked her out on a proper date, how could she say no!? In fact, she said yes so quickly, it was almost embarrassing. For this date, she was trying to wear something a little nice. Her first thought was to wear her old green dress...but she quickly learned that in two years, she changed a little bit. She was 15 now, so some of her old clothes didn't exactly fit her the same anymore.
So she needed a little help...
"You'll do just fine, Wendy!" Lucy was with Wendy in these moments. Wendy was so young, but she was seeing her mature day by day, right before her very eyes. So naturally, Lucy wanted to help her. She helped Wendy pick out some nice clothes. Now, they were in Lucy's house, since Wendy didn't want to spoil whatever surprise Cynthia had in store. "Cynthia adores you, you know?"
"I doubt you'll have much to worry about." Carla was also there of course. Being with Wendy the longest, she wanted to help her through this time. Also, Carla felt a bit of pride from seeing Wendy like this.
"I know." The sky dragon sheepishly poked her fingers together. "I know I could show up in anything and she'd like it. But I want to really surprise her...!"
"That mindset means you're really serious about this." Lucy said with a warm smile. "I bet she feels the same way. It's only natural to want to impress your date. So the least we can do is make sure you look nice for her!"
"Thank you, Lucy-san!" Wendy clasped her hands together. She was so glad she had someone to help her through this. She would've been stuck on her own for hours otherwise.
"What do you two plan on doing, anyway?" Carla asked. Since she was going to be leaving the two of them to their own devices for a little while, the Exceed was curious about their plans for the evening.
To that question, Wendy smiled and placed her hands behind her back. "I have no idea!" Ironically, this was the one part of the date she wasn't worried about, even if it didn't sound like they had a plan. "Cynthia said she would come up with something nice!"
"...Come up with something?" Lucy had a bit of a sweat drop when Wendy said that. For a brief moment, she shared a shifty gaze with Carla. They were thinking the same thing. "Well...I'm sure she'll come up with something great." Was she worried? Only a little, since this was a first for both girls. But Lucy was going to trust that Cynthia had this covered. "So, let's get you into something nice for your date! Cynthia's going to be blown away when she lays eyes on you!" Following this, Lucy gave a wink.
"Thank you!" Wendy gave a bright smile. With Lucy's help, she felt like she could really do this...!
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"Deep breaths...deep breaths..." Cynthia Rose, 16. She tied her black hair into a pony tail, and put on a red shirt with frilly ends, black shorts, and she coupled her look off with a light black vest. She scrutinized her own appearance in the mirror several times, her sky blue eyes growing a bit more frantic with each passing second. After being found by Team Natsu in the snow, the frightened girl was quickly brought back to Fairy Tail, where she and Wendy forged a tight bond. The feelings they had for one another were there, Cynthia couldn't imagine anyone more important to her than Wendy.
A gentle, warm hand soon found its way on Cynthia's shoulder. It belonged to Mirajane. "You look nice, Cynthia. I'm positive that Wendy will adore it."
"Are you sure?" Cynthia turned around nervously. Despite taking part in numerous high tension situations in her life and in Fairy Tail, nothing made her more nervous than the thought of not looking nice for her date with Wendy.
"Positive." Mira said with a soft smile. A smile that set anyone at ease, and this time was no different.
"You'll do fine, I'm sure of it." Erza was here as well, giving Cynthia a vote of confidence. "I believe you've already taken the hardest step!"
Sensing the girl's slight distress, Bisca Mulan stepped forward. "Just remember, Cynthia. Be yourself. You and Wendy have a strong connection just because of who you are. All you have to do, is what you always do."
Bisca was the most experienced person here when it came to romance. Cynthia was going to listen to her, and it helped that everyone believed in her. It made her breathe a small sigh of relief. "Okay. Yeah...you guys are right. I just don't wanna mess this up. I really like Wendy. And I prepared at least one thing for this evening!"
"One thing?" Bisca was curious about that. There was a part of her that wanted to nudge for a bit more details, but she also decided to leave this in Cynthia's hands. They gave her as much advice as they could without overwhelming her, so the rest was up to her. "You'll do great, Cynthia."
"It's almost time...!" Cynthia gasped. She almost lost track of it. "Thanks for all the help!" With a wave and a smile, Cynthia quickly departed. It was almost time, but she was going to get there early, just for her own peace of mind.
"I think they'll be alright." Mira watched as Cynthia went off, placing a hand on her cheek.
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[Earlier that day...]
Cynthia felt her nerves getting the best of her. When she woke up today, she decided that today was going to be the day! Wendy and Cynthia shared a room in Fairy Hills, and usually left for the guild together every day. But today was different. Cynthia told Wendy and Carla to go on ahead, so she could steel herself for what she was about to ask. After a minute or two, she rushed out of the building to catch up to Wendy and Carla. "Sorry, I'm here...!"
"It's okay!" Wendy turned around, and smiled towards Cynthia. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm okay." Cynthia replied with a nod. Although, she did stop herself for a moment, as her gaze went to Wendy's eyes. Those soft brown eyes, so full of kindness...Cynthia thought fondly of that gaze. It was the first thing she saw when she woke up when brought to Fairy Tail. Wendy was always so patience and sweet to her. It was no wonder that Cynthia's fondness for her blossomed into something so strong. They say that eyes are the window to the soul, and Wendy's soul was so warm and kind... "I wanted to ask you something..."
When Cynthia said that, Wendy tilted her head. Cynthia had Wendy's full attention. "What is it? You can ask me anything, you know that!"
"Y-Yeah, I know." Cynthia nodded, feeling the nerves kick in. Her heart was thumping wildly against her chest. She was afraid that Wendy could hear it, or that her heart would burst out of her chest. Cynthia took a deep breath, and slowly reached out for Wendy's hand. "So, Wendy, um...you know that you mean a lot to me and that I enjoy our time together, right?"
Wendy blinks at first, allowing Cynthia to take her hand with no fight. They've held hands before, and she thought nothing of it. But something about this felt a little different. Cynthia was holding her hand not just to stay close, but with purpose. "Y-Yes, I know..."
"So, uh. I guess...I'm trying to say uh, I mean..." Cynthia blushed from the awkwardness. For a moment, she felt like Wendy was judging her for taking forever. But one look at Wendy's kind gaze allowed her to relax. "Wendy, will you go on a date with me?"
"Yes!" Wendy replied without hesitation. The moment she heard those words and they registered, the words came out faster than she expected. After she answered, her eyes widened. She didn't regret accepting, not at all! If Cynthia asked 1,000 times, she would say yes 1,000 times. She just never knew how fast she could respond to something before. "I-I mean, uh, yes! I would love to!" Still a fast response, followed by a sheepish smile, and giggle.
Carla was largely silent this whole time, for she didn't want to interrupt their moment. Was she aware of this possibility? Oh, absolutely. Wendy adored Cynthia, after all. She just wasn't sure which of them would take that leap first...still, she couldn't help but smile slightly as they did...
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And now, presently? Cynthia was waiting at the meeting place; the large cherry tree in the center of Magnolia. Wendy was the more punctual of the two of them, so she knew it was only going to be mere moments until she arrived. Cynthia couldn't help but play with her ponytail a bit, but then she had a thought. The ponytail didn't feel right. "Hrm..." So, she made a last second decision. She pulled the tie off her hair, and released the pony tail. Her black hair fell down to the small of her back. She shook her head a bit to loosen it up. "Yeah, that's much better!"
"Cynthia!" Right on time. Wendy called out to Cynthia.
"Oh! She's here." Cynthia adjusted her hair a bit. She was lacking a mirror, so she was just going to have to hope and pray that it looked good! When Cynthia turned around to face Wendy, her jaw nearly dropped. Wendy was standing a few feet away, wearing a cute pink dress that went down to her knees, with matching pink shoes. Wendy's hair was also down as well, and she had a bashful smile. On her wrist was a special Friends Forever bracelet that Cynthia got for her on her birthday. It was a very important accessory to her, and she made sure to wear it whenever she could. In Cynthia's eyes, this was something new. Wendy was always cute, she knew this. But what happens when you begin to see your best friend in a different light? In Cynthia's eyes, she could see Wendy sparkling... "Wendy...! You look great...! Really great..."
Cynthia's compliments, though clumsy, were more than enough for Wendy. She blushed faintly and giggled a little bit. It really made it feel like the effort she put in was worth it! "So do you...!" Wendy replied with her usual smile. The two of them stepped closer to one another. "So...what do you have planned for us?"
"A few things." Cynthia replied with a slightly confident smile. She extended her hand, and Wendy accepted without delay. Once they were hand in hand, they shared soft smiles, before Cynthia began to lead them off. It felt like their hands were a perfect fit for one another. They walked side by side through the somewhat busy Magnolia streets, making sure to stay close to one another. Even just walking down the street together like this felt fresh and exciting for the both of them. It was amazing how things felt when they were taking the leap with these growing feelings for one another.
When walk through Magnolia, Wendy often took a quick glance around the area, simply to take in the sights. But when she was with Cynthia, she could focus only on a few things; the road they walked, their joined hands, or even sneaking an occasional glance at Cynthia herself. Ever since laying eyes on Cynthia, her cheeks were warm and a cute shade of pink. As a subconscious action, she ended up squeezing Cynthia's hand gently. Cynthia seemed to notice this, as her lips curled up into a slight smile.
"And we're here!" Cynthia exclaimed, pushing the door open to Magnlia's bakery. The two girls stepped inside, instantly greeted by the man behind the counter.
"Ah, Cynthia, Wendy! What brings you two in today?" He asked with a gleeful smile. Fairy Tail often frequented the bakery. Erza was by far the most common customer, often dropping by to grab a slice of strawberry cake. Cynthia and Wendy occasionally followed Erza to indulge on treats on multiple, separate occasions. "And aren't you two dressed nice today?"
"We're on a date!" Cynthia beamed. For now, she had to let go of Wendy's hand, and she already missed it. Wendy giggled slightly in response to this. Hearing that did make her heart flutter a little bit. It just cemented that this was real and something they were doing.
"Haha, is that so? Well then, what can I get for you to sweeten the deal?" The man asked, standing up straight.
"Two cupcakes, please!" Cynthia spoke. Although Wendy couldn't see it, Cynthia gave a wink. "There was one thing I DID prepare for! I wanted to bring Wendy here, because I prepared a special request!" She thought to herself, withholding a wide grin. She wanted to surprise Wendy with what was coming next.
"Two cupcakes, coming right up!" And so, it only took a moment for Cynthia to be handed the cupcakes. Because she already paid for this request earlier in the day, it was a very smooth process.
"Thank you!" Cynthia smiled as they walked back outside. Once they were outside, she handed Wendy a cupcake. "Here!"
"For me? Hehe, thank you!" Wendy beamed while accepting the cupcake. It was then that she noticed the unique surprise to the cupcake. There was blue and red frosting on it, taking the shape of a heart. The letters C + W written on it as well. When she saw this, her eyes widened. "H-How did..." She was surprised, but in a good way! This was an extra layer of effort Cynthia put in that she wasn't expecting.
"Surprise. Do you like it?" Cynthia asked with a shy smile. She'd never done anything like this before. so she was a little nervous about the outcome. However, based on the warm and full smile on Wendy's lips, she managed to hit the nail on the head.
"It's so sweet." Wendy replied, before bringing the cupcake to her lips. "I bet it'll taste even sweeter now, too." And so, she took a careful bite of the cupcake. It was delicious and she let out a content noise after biting into it. "Mmmm, I was right!"
Cynthia also took a bite. They indulged on this treat together, both of them glad they did. Cynthia felt accomplished. "That is good!" Although, where Wendy was a clean eater, it appeared as if Cynthia was the opposite. There was a bit of red frosting on the corner of her mouth. "Hits the sweet tooth just right."
The two of them enjoyed their cupcakes together. Wendy looked over, trying not to outright laugh. It was just funny to see Cynthia with that bit of frosting on her mouth. "Cynthia, you got a little something..." Wendy used her free hand to point at her own mouth, her smile widening.
"Eh?" Confused at first, it took Cynthia a second to realize what Wendy meant. "Oh!" And so, she quickly tried to use her tongue to lick up the frosting off the corner of her mouth. It worked, and she felt pretty accomplished after that. "Hahaha! Guess I just didn't notice it at first. It was a good cupcake!"
Watching Cynthia laugh like this made Wendy's heart go aflutter. Cynthia just looked so at ease when she laughed, and it was a sight that Wendy could never tire of. She didn't even realize how her gaze softened as she looked at Cynthia. When they first met, Cynthia was skittish and shy, even more than Wendy initally was. But after joining Fairy Tail, Cynthia's real personality shined through. She became outgoing and excitable. Compared to before, seeing her laugh and be happy...Wendy couldn't name a feeling she enjoyed more. "It was. What else are we doing?"
"I was hoping you'd ask!" Cynthia grinned, taking Wendy's hand within her own once again. This time, their fingers were interlocked together. She rushed off with Wendy, practically dragging her behind her out of excitement.
"Whoa...!" Wendy's legs had to pick up the pace so she didn't fall behind Cynthia. But she had a smile despite it all. Cynthia did slow down a bit, so Wendy could keep up with her. It was always better when they were side by side. "Hehe, where are we going this time?"
"It's not far." Cynthia said with a knowing smile. She did her research before, and their next destination was a flower stand! "This is it!"
"A flower stand?" Wendy tilted her head.
"Yup! Give me one second..." Cynthia pulled away from Wendy just for a moment, looking around for a certain flower. Unfortunately, there were other people out on dates today, so she was quickly realizing that what she was looking for might have been out of stuck. "Gah, come on...where is it...I know I saw it here earlier! I should've bought it earlier..." Just when Cynthia felt a snag in her somewhat carefully laid plan...
"Cynthia. Were you looking for this?" Wendy's voice made Cynthia turn. When she did, Cynthia's eyes widened a bit. Wendy was holding a single rose, holding it out towards Cynthia with her gentle smile.
"A...yeah. How did you...?" Cynthia was surprised, but in a good way. She wanted to sweep Wendy off her feet with a romantic gesture, but Wendy beat her to it. She couldn't be upset with this, though.
"I got a little lucky." Wendy replied. While Cynthia's back was turned, she ended up noticing one of the few remaining roses left, and quickly paid for it with the jewel she had on hand. She then stepped forward. "I also had a feeling. Maybe I'm a little biased, but I really like roses..." As Wendy said this, she stood up a bit on her toes, carefully sliding the rose into Cynthia's hair. Cynthia was juuuuust a little taller than Wendy was, which is why she had to stand a bit higher for this. "T-There. A rose...for a rose..." It felt so cheesy to say that, but it was best thing that Wendy could muster at the moment either. Her face was bright red. and she shifted about nervously.
Of course, Cynthia was enamored with Wendy. As such, anything she said would've worked. And that did. The gesture and action was sweet. "H-Hehehehe..." Cynthia couldn't even say anything! She felt so flustered, all she could do was let out a small giggle. Once more, they walked together. Cynthia had one more destination in mind. "O-One more place...if that's alright?"
"Of course." Wendy replied, looking towards Cynthia with such a fond smile. "Where to ne-?" However, she could not finish that sentence. Wendy's foot hit an uneven piece of the street, and she started to stumble. She was worried, because she was going to fall and bring Cynthia with her-!
But that wasn't what happened.
Cynthia acted on a dime, quickly pulling Wendy up and into her arms to prevent her from falling. "I-I got you...!"
"Ah...thank you..." Wendy let out a sigh of relief. It would've been so embarrassing to take a tumble when things were going so well! Although, now, Wendy realized something else. She and Cynthia were chest to chest, so close together. This closeness wasn't foreign to either of them, but after a day like today? It felt different. Wendy could feel the thumping of Cynthia's heart, and the opposite could be said as well. But most importantly, their hearts were beating in the exact same rhythm, indistinguishable from one another. Her gaze tilted up and met Cynthia's.
In that moment, the world around them didn't exist. It was just the two of them. "...You're welcome..." Cynthia's voice was low and she trailed off. Never before has she stared into Wendy's eyes like this. Those soft eyes...
Wendy saw a bright fire in Cynthia's eyes, one that was drawing her in. They were both slowly leaning closer, but then...something wet landed on her cheek. Wendy blinked once, only to see Cynthia do the same. "Huh?"
"Eh?" Cynthia looked up, only to see that at some point, gray clouds rolled in above them. And soon, rain followed. "Ack-!?"
"Rain!?" Wendy wasn't expecting this either.
Unfortunately, their moment was stifled, but getting out of the rain was more important now. So, with Wendy's hand in her own, she quickly pulled her off to someplace safe and dry. "C'mon...!"
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The best place Cynthia could think for cover was under the tree once again. They sat at the base of it, watching as the rain fell onto Magnolia. "The last idea I had was an outdoors one. But with this rain, I guess that won't be happening now. Sorry..." Cynthia said, turning her head over to Wendy with an apologetic smile.
Wendy shook her head as a result. "Don't be sorry. I will had a great time with you today, Cynthia." The sky dragon spoke softly, resting her head on Cynthia's shoulder. "It was fun and sweet...It made me feel special. You put a lot of effort into today."
"I had to." Cynthia replied with a bashful smile. It was just enough to know that Wendy enjoyed their day out, even if it was cut a little short. "I really wanted to impress you."
"And you did!" Wendy was certain of that. She tilted her head, pressing her lips to Cynthia's cheek for a soft kiss. "My heart is still fluttering from today."
Wendy's lips against her cheek made Cynthia's face light up. It was a gentle thing, but it meant the world to her. "So...if I were to ask for a second date, would you say yes?"
"Only if you let me ask you, first." Wendy replied, squeezing Cynthia's hand once again. "I-If we're going to keep doing this, then, well...I'd like to put in a good amount of effort, too. It's only fair...relationships are supposed to be 50/50, right...?"
"H-Heh, yeah...they are." Cynthia knew that much. Things were going to change between them, but it was a good thing. They were going to do this together. It felt like a big step, but they were taking it as one. The rain was still falling, but Cynthia had an idea based on the cupcakes they ate earlier in the day. "Hey, Wendy...watch this."
"Hm?" Wendy glanced up, and then noticed Cynthia was pointing ahead. Cynthia's finger pressed against her own chest, where a trail of red fire followed the motion of her finger. She moved her finger in a certain motion, before gently pressing it to Wendy's chest. The shape that formed was a fiery heart, connecting the two of them together. Wendy felt a warmth in her chest, and that feeling spread throughout her entire body.
"Our hearts are in sync..." Cynthia looked to Wendy with red cheeks.
"Cynthia..." Wendy couldn't describe the feeling that came over her. The emotion she felt was so strong, her usual shyness wasn't even a factor. In this moment, she just had to let her actions do the talking where her words would fail her. She leaned up quickly, lips pressing to Cynthia's for a soft kiss. The action surprised the both of them, but Cynthia was quick to return that emotion. Their eyes closed as they let their feelings do all of the talking for them. They didn't even realize that the rain was clearing up.
From around the corner of a building, Lucy, Carla, Erza, and Mira peered around. They were watching the two of them from afar, and now, they had such warm smiles on their faces. "They did it...!" Lucy's expression was very soft. "They're so cute..."
"I knew they were going to have a good date." Mira spoke with a gentle smile. "I told you you didn't need to be worried." She teased Carla slightly.
"I wasn't worried!" Carla huffed, arms crossed as she glanced to the side. But in truth, she was very happy to see the two dragon slayers hit it off so well.
"They didn't need our help after all." Although Erza did kind of want to help. "I suppose we should leave. They'll be fine."
The other two nodded in agreement. However, there was one unforeseen factor making his way onto the scene: Natsu. Happy was floating right behind him. "Man, that last job sucked. They all went down too fast, and I need to fight someone to get the blood pumping." Natsu then noticed Cynthia from afar, not knowing the context of her and Wendy being together. "Oh, Cynthia will spar with me-!" And right as he said that, he was quickly accosted behind the corner by Lucy. "GAH-!?"
"Natsu-!?" And Happy was quickly yoinked along with Natsu, by Erza's own hand.
"Don't disturb them!" Lucy, Carla, Mira, and Erza all said at the same. Natsu and Happy felt the intensity from all three of them and comically shrank as a result.
As for Cynthia and Wendy, they pulled back from their kiss, eyes fluttering open. They had no words for each other, just gentle smiles and soft giggles. Their eyes closed once again, and the rested against the base of the tree. They just enjoyed a few moments of silence, before Cynthia finally spoke again. "The rain stopped."
"I know." Wendy replied quietly.
"Do you wanna head back?" Cynthia asked.
To that, Wendy shook her head slowly. "No...not yet. I want to stay here with you a little bit longer."
Cynthia's lips curled into a grin. She gave Wendy's hand an affectionate squeeze, and nodded. "...Me too..." So there they would stay, connected by their hands, and connected by their hearts. A serene, blissful atmosphere surrounding the two of them. The world was just Cynthia and Wendy. Right now, nothing else mattered.