Oh, Well, It's a Fairy Tail

The Matching Set

SEPTEMBER 15TH — PLUSHIES

"The Matching Set"

"Come one, come all, come grab one of Fairy Tail's new limited edition plushies!" Max called to every passerby, waving his own likeness in his hand. Lucy looked up from where she was writing at the cafe table.

"Plushies of us?" she said, dropping her journal into her purse and heading to the gift shop. True, there were two tables full of at least two dozen Guild members, some with three versions of different outfits. She had to admit, Erza's plush was done well in her Heaven's Wheel armor. "Hey, Max, how much for one?"

"Fifteen hundred Jewel." She stopped as she was reaching for her purse and raised her eyebrows.

"That's a little expensive for some dolls, don't you think?"

"Ah, but these aren't just any dolls," he said loudly, waggling his fingers in her face. She swatted his hand away with a flat expression and he sighed, dropping the theatrics. "They were sewed with enchanted cloth. For non-wizards, it's not a big deal, but you can add a little magic into them and..." He demonstrated with his own plush. It glowed yellow for a second, then it blinked its black eyes and gave her finger-guns. It emulated Max as he laughed. "Cool, ain't it?"

"Very," she said in the same flat tone. She jumped a little as Levy and Gajeel appeared next to her, peering at the sets.

"Hey, Gajeel, it's you!" Levy giggled as she picked up the Dragon Slayer's small likeness. Gajeel snorted and folded his arms.

"Looks cheap to me."

Levy smirked as the doll glowed white, then it folded its stubby arms as well, giving them a very accurate scowl. He flushed a little beneath his tanned skin and turned away, then a smirk crossed his face when he snatched up Levy's doll. It glowed grey, then folded its arms and turned away petulantly. It was Levy's turn to blush now. Gajeel slapped down Jewel for both the dolls and walked off with them, laughing maniacally as Levy trotted after him with fists raised.

"They make money," Max pointed out. Lucy pouted.

"Well, I still think they're pretty expensive, enchanted or not." She looked over the spread again and noticed what was missing. "Hey, where are my dolls?"

"Natsu bought 'em out," he shrugged. Lucy's eyes widened and she rubbed her ear.

"I'm sorry?"

"Right when the stand opened. He was here early looking for request, saw the Lucy plushies, and he went and bought me out. There were two cases full."

"I'm sorry?" she repeated, having a hard time processing it. She stepped away and bowed automatically before starting a brisk walk down the avenue. He must be kidding, she thought as she headed towards the town's limits. There's no way Natsu would've bought two cases of that stuff, especially for fifteen hundred Jewel apiece.

Natsu and Happy's home was quiet as she approached, and she wondered if he was even home. Then, as she raised her hand to knock, she heard a low growl coming from inside. Then there was Happy voice: "Natsu..."

Curiosity peaked, she opened the door to find Natsu drowning in all the Lucy plushies. Some were of her usual everyday wear, some had her cheer-leading outfit from the Fantasia festival, and some had...a bunny girl costume dear gods. Happy was floating above Natsu's head trying to pull a plush from his grip while Natsu stared on and growled. She might have been worried — he didn't usually growl at Happy — but something about his facial expression threw her off. He didn't look angry, per se.

"Lucy!" Happy wailed in relief when he saw her and flew into her chest. Natsu snatched the doll back with a pleased purr and rolled back into the fold. She petted his fuzzy head as she stepped closer. He was...no, he couldn't have been...but she had seen weirder things.

"Natsu," she said with a long sigh. He looked up at her with half-lidded eyes, but it did nothing to hide how blown his pupils were.

"Mine," he said flatly and clutched as many dolls as he could to his chest. "Miiiine."

"He's been like that all day," Happy whined. Lucy rolled her eyes with a little smile.

"Dragons do love their hoard, although I wish they all didn't have my face..." Natsu looked at her again, eyes squinted in concentration, then his hand snapped out with record speed and seized her wrist. She let out a surprised noise and released Happy as he tugged her to the ground with him and his arms went around her.

"Mine!" he said with a happy rumble in his chest. She blushed all the way down to her inner organs as he nuzzled her hair and cheek.

"Tell me there's a cure for this," she said to Happy. Happy stared for a moment before shrugging.

"When he gets bored?"

"Ha-ppy," she complained. Natsu held her tighter and her heart fluttered a bit. But not because she liked him. Nope.

"Mine," he repeated with a lazy grin. And she thought, who was she kidding, she had been his for a very long time before that.

"Yours," she said softly, then pulled a doll between them. She added dryly, "All five dozen of me."