The promise made but never kept

Chapter Twenty Four

Romeo and I were having our moment, when suddenly someone fell in front of the music room door.

My eyes widened as Natsu landed on a loud thud from the door.

"Natsu?" I asked in disbelief.

Did he hear?

"Hey Lucy..." he says shyly with a tint of red on his cheeks.

I walked over to him and lent him my hand to stand up, his eyes were red.

He grabbed it and stood up, then crushed me towards him in a bear hug.

"You're eyes are red and puffy." He whispered onto my ears.

So warm.

"Did you hear?" I asked softly and I received a simple nod.

"Why did you hide it?" he asked as he held me tighter.

"I deliberately hid it. I never wanted to flaunt it." I answered softly and he nodded in understanding as he kissed my hair.

Just when I was about to hug him back, I heard Romeo faked a cough.

I looked towards him and he pulled the end of dress and I let Natsu go.

"Romeo, this is Natsu my best friend." I smiled at him and I saw Natsu cringed slightly but smiled right anyway.

"Natsu, this is Romeo- Rogue's cousin." I formally introduced them to each other.

I saw Romeo shot a glare at Natsu.

"Romeo? Something wrong?" I asked in worry.

"I don't like him." Romeo says bluntly and I chuckled.

I bent down to his stare to mine and I smiled at him genuinely.

"He may look like a thug outside but he really is a nice and big teddy bear on the inside." I laughed lightly and Romeo faintly smiled.

"What kind of introduction was that? I do not look like a thug! Since when did I become a bear?" Natsu whined.

Romeo got up and stood in front of me protectively.

"I don't like you! If you want to be her best friend, you have to go through me first!" Romeo declared as he eyed Natsu judgmentally.

"FYI, I'm already her best friend, Rocco!" Natsu scoffed.

"That won't happen unless I approved it and it's Romeo!" Romeo snarled.

"I don't need your approval, kid! I do things my own way!" Natsu fired.

"I can do so, cause she's my nee- san!" Romeo shot back.

"I'm not handing her to someone like you!" Romeo continued as he raged.

"What's that supposed to mean, shrimp?" Natsu fumed.

"That means she doesn't deserve an idiot like you!" Romeo thundered.

"I know that! But, I'm trying my best to match up to someone as amazing as her!" Natsu suddenly mumbled silently.

I blushed at the compliment but remained silent as they rant on each other.

"You can never match up to her or nii-san!" Romeo roared.

"That's why I said, I'm going to try my best to match her pace!" Natsu shot back.

"I won't let you! There's only one person who was worthy enough to be with her!" Romeo stormed.