Falling For The Florist [Natsu Dragneel] | ✓

four; lilac

     "Can I see you again soon?"

     Izzy's face flushed shades that resembled her hibiscus blossoms down at the storage room. The florist racked her mind for a way to say yes without sounding like a fangirl, but she pulled a blank.

     "Of course," she responded, the words riddled with stuttering. Natsu chuckled and left his spot. 

     "That's awesome! I'll see you soon, text you," he floundered as he gathered his mental devices and rushed out of the pavilion.

     Izzy felt her face pale as the boy ran out of sight. Despite her pounding heart, she was able to come up with one coherent thought; this guy was fascinating.

     September blew in just as their relationship did, and Izumi could remember the night clearly. It was her seventh date with Natsu Dragneel, and he'd seemed even antsier than usual.

     "Are you okay?" Izumi asked and stretched back further into her couch cushions.

     Natsu's eyes flickered from the television to her eyes. "I'm fine," he insisted, and although it was evident that he wasn't, the girl decided she would let it be. 

     Once the show ended, Izzy sat up from her spot and lazily traced her eyes over her living room. Even though it had been clean before she'd let Natsu in, it wasn't any longer. Even so, she was okay with it; the florist had learned that he was a little messy on their second date when he got Cheeto dust on her ceiling.

     "Izzy?" The dragon slayer roused her from her tired thoughts. "Can I ask you to do something for me?"

     The girl turned to him with an expression that vaguely resembled a sleepy kitten. "Yeah?"

     Natsu handed over one of her many plush throw blankets and scooted closer to her. Gratefully, Izzy took it and bundled herself up in the layer of fluff. 

     Natsu's posture turned erect like he was about to give a big speech, and before Izumi questioned it, he spat out his words in a small voice. 

     "Izzy, will you be my girlfriend, please?"

     All at once, she snapped into reality. Her eyes widened and her pale face flushed. Izumi felt like her heart had burst open. So, he did develop feelings for her, too, and it wasn't unrequited?

     "Of course!" She blurted, pulled her boyfriend into a bone-crushing hug. "Of course, of course, of course!"

     The dragon slayer let out a huge, relieved breath before he wrapped his arms around the girl. Natsu's hands went to her hair, and he ran his fingers through it while he listened to her repeat the phrase over and over. It was comforting and took a huge load off his chest to hear it; it meant that, finally, he had company, and he had a lover to make his life feel more complete. 

     The best part? He liked her, too.

     "I really like you," Natsu admitted, voice even softer than normal.

     Izumi felt all the blood in her body rush to her face. 

     "I like you too," she said. "A lot, a lot, a lot; even more than I like chrysanthemums."