Cute As Fuck

Chapter 8

Noon-thirty ended up not working for Natsu due to unforeseen circumstances. So now that is around four-thirty, Lucy is pulling into the parking lot of Petit Papillon. She parks her vehicle in a free space and shuts off the engine, slipping her keys into her purse. She unlocks the door, but stops before opening it when her phone goes off. Lucy decides to check it quickly, discovering it is a text.

Yukino: Hey, this is just a little reminder that you have another book signing a week from today! You do remember when and where, right?

Just so she will not have to worry, Lucy takes a moment to reply back.

Lucy: I'll be all good to go then! I'm looking forward to it :)

Suddenly, her door opens without warning. Lucy turns to look as her heartbeat becomes erratic, eyes falling onto a familiar face.

"Hiya!" Natsu greets.

She sighs in relief, regaining her composure. "Don't scare me like that!"

"Scare you?" He tilts his head to one side. "Whatcha mean?"

Slipping her phone into her purse, Lucy gets out of her car and stands up. "You don't just randomly open people's car doors."

"But it wasn't random. I was helping you out."

"Then give me a warning next time."

"I tried waving atcha, but you were busy with your phone."

"My assistant was just reminding me about things."

Natsu waggles his eyebrows. "Ooo, look at you being all fancy with an assistant."

Lucy rolls her eyes playfully. "I'm sure you have a manager or something."

"Or something," he agrees, pushing a button on the still open door to lock the vehicle. "Ready to go inside?"

She smiles. "You bet."

After shutting the door, the duo heads for the front of Petit Papillon. Natsu is the one who gets the door and holds it open, gesturing with his free hand. "Mademoiselle," he says with perfect annunciation.

Lucy giggles and steps over the threshold, taking in all of the new sights. The whole place has a rather cozy feel to it. Polished wood and bookshelves filled with all sorts of novels with decoration here and there. In one corner is a fireplace with tables in front of it while some of the walls have paintings on them. She may or may not have found a new place to sit and write with her laptop.

With no line, the duo steps forward to the counter.

The older female worker smiles at them. "Bonjour!"

That is another French word Lucy actually understands and she knows it means "hello" for sure.

"Bonjour!" Natsu says warmly. "Comment allez-vous aujourd'hui?"

Lucy has to do a double take. Did he really just speak French?

"Je vais très bien!" The worker steals a glance at Lucy before turning her attention back to him with a smile. "Je vois que vous avez apporté une amie avec vous aujourd'hui!"

He grins. "Ouais!"

The worker holds out her notepad, pen at the ready. "Qu'est-ce que ça sera, monsieur?"

Natsu begins prattling off different words in French, glancing over the menu every now and then. While he speaks, the worker is jotting words on her notepad. Meanwhile, Lucy is enthralled by the fact he apparently speaks fluent French. That is news to her. Rather exciting news even though she can't understand him.