Wicked Game

Chapter 10

            Lucy stared out over the river as she leaned against the cold metal railing. The stars twinkled brightly, despite the lights from the city, as the storm clouds took a brief reprieve from their work.

When Natsu had told her he was taking her out on a date, Lucy had imagined him taking her to a fancy restaurant like the ones she visited when Ivan was entertaining an important client.

This was better.

First Natsu had taken her to his favorite all-night, hole-in-the-wall Indian food place. She tried everything he ordered her, devouring the flavors and spices of the foreign food that lit up her taste buds.

They sat talking for hours until the scrutiny of the owner's gaze made it clear it was time for them to give up the table.

It was so easy being around him. He made her laugh until tears welled in her eyes. Then he'd grin, and she would melt.

The way he had kissed her earlier shook her to her core. She hadn't wanted him to stop, and yet this was worth it.

He told her about his family. Not his blood family, but his closest friends. Lucy could relate. Her friends were the closest thing she had to family, too.

In return Lucy told him about her own family whom she had cut ties with years ago. Her mother had died when Lucy was young, and her father had been cold after that. He was overbearingly controlling, and Lucy couldn't take it anymore, so she had struck out on her own.

After the restaurant they had held hands and walked the streets of the city, the neon lights casting colorful shadows over the pavement. The noise of traffic and busy people brushing past them was drowned out by the sound of his voice.

Now he had taken her to his favorite spot in the city.

An inlet from the ocean carved its way through the center of the city, growing narrow as it led to a small lake in the middle of town that was bordered by an evergreen park.

They stood looking out toward the ocean on a small bridge that arched over the narrow water before it opened up to the lake.

"I didn't even know this was here," Lucy said quietly as they watched the current of the shallow water.

"I found it a while back. I come here when I need to think, or when I need a break from work."

Lucy tried to hold back her repeated desire to ask him what he really did.

She'd seen him speaking with that snake of a man, Mard Geer, at the club. It made her insides turn.

Natsu looked over. She could see the gears grinding behind his eyes. Things he wanted to say, and yet something kept holding him back.

"Why won't you talk about what you do?"

Lucy could see his jaw clench, the gears still spinning.

"It's dangerous," he said finally, seeming to pick his words carefully. "I don't want to put you in the middle of it. I..." he paused, looking back at the water. "I don't want to see you get hurt, because of me."

"I live in a dangerous world Natsu. I doubt it would make much of a difference."

Natsu contemplated his response as he leaned his weight against the railing.

"My father died when I was young," he said finally, opening up to her in a way he had never done before. "He was a federal agent, and I guess someone had targeted him out of revenge. He was killed protecting his family."