6 – what more can i say?
"That movie was insane!"
"I've never feared clowns as much as I do in this moment." Lucy ran out of the theater as the credits rolled, racing towards the nearest source of light as Natsu cackled behind her. "I'll seriously never stand near a drain or a red balloon again!"
"C'mon, this one wasn't even scary! We're gonna watch the Halloween movies next. You'll love those."
"No way!" Lucy rolled her eyes and dug for her phone in her purse. She pressed the power button, only to see an empty battery icon. "Oh, crap. Do you have a charger?" Natsu nodded, fishing a near shredded power cord out of his pocket.
"Are you sure it works?" Lucy made a face.
"I swear it does! You just hafta kinda twist your phone around…" Natsu grinned sheepishly as Lucy shook her head.
"I'll trust you for now. But seriously, I'm buying you a new charger." Lucy looked around for an outlet but didn't see one. "Wasn't there a restaurant next door? Do you think they have outlets?"
"Probably." The two left the theater for the small restaurant next door.
"Welcome to 8-Island, how many?" An unenthusiastic dark-haired girl in a way too tight uniform didn't even look up from her phone as the pair entered. Lucy didn't miss the way Natsu's eyes lit up upon seeing the girl, and a pang of jealousy shot through her chest. What am I even thinking?! She's pretty, but she's like thirty.
"Ultear!" Oh. Of course he knows her. The waitress looked up, recognition spreading across her face.
"Natsu Dragneel? Is that you? You've gotten bigger."
"Miss me with that, when the hell did you get out?"
"I got out early on good behavior. God, what are you even doing here? Don't tell Gray I'm out." She peeked behind his head to make sure he wasn't around.
"I won't. We just saw a movie," Natsu gestured to Lucy, who was standing shyly beside him. Ultear's gaze drifted to the blonde, and she raised an eyebrow like she hadn't noticed her before. "Just came to charge her phone." Natsu held up his broken cord and Ultear's face contorted into an expression of disgust.
"You are not plugging that thing into her phone. It'll blow up." She held her hand out towards Lucy, who quickly handed her phone over to the intimidating woman. "You can use mine. Go sit, might as well eat while you're here. On me."
"Sick!" Natsu led Lucy to a table.
"Didn't you just have popcorn?"
"Yeah, but who am I to turn down a free meal?" Natsu patted his stomach and Lucy laughed.
"Gosh, it's like you have a black hole in there." She glanced towards Ultear, who was greeting new customers. "She seems super nice. She's really pretty too, kinda scary though." Lucy gushed. Natsu smiled.
"That's Ultear, my buddy's sister. Didn't know she worked out here, last I saw her she was headed to the slammer."
"The slammer? As in jail?!" Lucy whisper shouted. Natsu nodded nonchalantly.
"Her whole gang went in a couple years back. I'm surprised they let her out this early." Before Lucy could push for more info, Ultear had joined them at the table with a plate of cheese and bacon covered french fries, sliding into the booth next to Lucy.
"So… were you planning on introducing me?" Ultear smiled. Lucy returned the look, albeit uncomfortably after the information she'd just learned.
"This is Lucy," Natsu said between bites. "She's a friend." Friend. Ouch. Lucy felt a sharp pain at the word, one she didn't understand. They were just friends. She said it herself. Did he feel this too? When I said it at the party?
"Lucy? You good?" Lucy's head snapped up at her name. Both Natsu and Ultear were looking at her with concern.
"Yeah! Sorry, just spaced out." She waved it off.
"Well, how did you guys meet?"
"He ran me over with his skateboard…" Lucy reminisced. Ultear swung her head towards Natsu, who's jaw dropped at the statement.
"Hey, wait a minute…"
"You ran her over?!"
"No! Well, yeah-"
"Natsu!"
"She was standing in the middle of the sidewalk! Can't blame me, nope."
"You're not supposed to skate on busy sidewalks!" Lucy giggled as the two argued back and forth. They had a cute dynamic, arguing like it was a daily thing despite not having seen each other in ages.
"She sat on me too! Can't leave out that detail."
"I was in so much shock from that death-defying experience I just froze on the spot."
"Oh, you poor girl…"
"Hey!"
The group spent the rest of the afternoon talking and laughing over the plate of loaded fries (Lucy refused to try even one) until the sun began to set. Before they left, Lucy grabbed her phone from the host stand. She unlocked it to see hundreds of messages and missed phone calls flood in.
"Woah, miss much?" Natsu quipped as Lucy's phone pinged non-stop.
"Just one night of dance practice. So not important, I'll be there tomorrow anyway. Capricorn must be worried sick though…" She quickly called her chauffer back, quietly arguing with him on the phone before telling him her location. "Yeah, he's mad."
"Don't sweat it. You were barely out four hours." Natsu grabbed the skateboard from his bag, setting it down and hopping on. He glided alongside Lucy as they headed towards a nearby park to wait for her ride.
The two sat on a bench in awkward silence for a bit. Things were a little tense now without Ultear there to break the ice. Lucy didn't like it. Friendship was no fun.
"Natsu…"
"Hm?"
"I need to apologize."
"Apologize?" He tilted his head. "For what?"
"At Michelle's party. I told my aunt we were just friends."
"You don't have to apologize for that, Luce. I get it, we can be frien-"
"No, I don't want to be friends." Lucy cut him off. She saw the flash of confusion in his eyes, slightly cringing at her own out of context blunt words. "You said we were friends today… and I didn't like it. It kind of hurt, actually. Natsu, I really, really, like you. I want to be more than friends…"
"Lucy-"
"I was embarrassed at first. My family is extremely particular when it comes to who they let in, and I knew they wouldn't like you! Then the party happened, and it was so bad…"
"Lucy…"
"And I know it's only been a little while since we even met but there's something about you and I want to spend more time with you!"
"Lucy!"
"And then at school everyone was talking and looking, and I realized I don't care what they think! You're a really good person and if they don't see it then… then I'll…!"
"Be my girlfriend?" Lucy froze. She's never heard those words before.
"Yes!" She breathed a sigh of relief. That was easier than she thought. They were dating now. Officially. They could go on dates together in public. Without having to hide! She could finally visit his house. He can come to her events. And she could introduce him properly to her parents… oh.
"Natsu, my family really isn't going to like this."
"Shit, mine either. All we can say is screw 'em."
"Screw 'em. Yeah, screw 'em!" Lucy laughed until someone cleared their throat behind her.
"Screw who exactly, Lady Lucy?"
a/n: the end thanks for reading
no jk this is just the beginning. also ffnet seems to be having lots of problems lately. u can find this story along with my other active story chaos on ao3 NightcoresLover should something happen to this site