Hurt so good •Nalu•

7

I stood out side the lab for a moment before entering, taking in the accomplishment. With a determined inhale and exhale, I opened the doors.

I'm instantly greeted at the front desk, "Well, well. It really is you." Said a women standing to the left of the receptionist desk. She's slightly taller then me with chin length green hair.. "B-Brandish!?" I stuttered in shock. She had been my rival in college. "Mhmm.. the one and only." She says while checking her manicure on her right hand. "Oh my! Ms. Heart.." the receptionist try's to say my last name but I quickly stop her.

"Lucy! Please call me Lucy." I say with a bow. Brandish rolls her eyes with annoyance. "Looks like your on my team, let's go meet the rest.." She retorts while walking away. I rush to catch up to her as we walk down a long hallway, finally turning right into a conference room. There sits a girl with shoulder length brown hair. "Oh good your here!" The girl said cheerfully and clasped her hands together. "Lucy Heartfilia, Ochaco Uraraka." Brandish said while motioning to each of us. We bowed to each other as Brandish continued.. "Now that we know each other let's have a little chat.."

~•~

After leaving the lab, I'm walking down a street with many luxurious houses. I was on my back to Fairy Hills, thinking I could stroll around and take in the fresh air. 'Eh, what a long first day.. who knew I'd run into Her.' I shrugged with a huff "Oh, well."

As I'm walking through the sunset- glazed city I sense a strange smell. It takes only a second for me to recognize the pungent odor. My eyes focus in the distance and catch the sight of black smoke and the glimmer of red flames a few blocks from me.

Among the crowd of curious on lookers, I can see one part of a mansion on fire. As the firefighters rush  to fight the blaze, I recognize one of them.

"Calm down and evacuate! The fires under control!" Natsu stood boldly at the forefront, shouting orders.

It takes toughness and bravery, not to mention character, to hold a nod as rigorous as his. I stood there watching his gallant figure once more, though it was as if in another light. The conversation and him staring at me seemed of the pasted.

As Natsu steps out of sight, I notice a man in the corner of my eyes. He's standing alone in the crowd of the onlookers. Something about his appearance chills me. His eyes survey the scene as if it was a master piece, some sort of art work.

"Lucy, I didn't expect you here." 

I turned to the sudden call of my name, to find it to be Jellal. I greet him with a smile as I glance back towards the suspicious looking man, however by this time him and a few more on lookers have left.

"Did you get lost on your way home?"

"No, not really, I wanted to take more of my surroundings after work, so I took a detour." I exclaimed, but as he opened his mouth to reply..

"Jellal! About damn time you showed.. Luce, your here too?" Natsu calls out to us from behind me he's jugging up.

"I've been here the whole time." Jellal retorts with a slight annoyance. " But nice work today."

"Yeah." Natsu gives him a short reply then focuses his attention on me. "Don't tell me you got caught in the fire.." his brows knitted with concern.

"I'm fine, I just happened to pass by on my way home."

"You sure your not hurt or didn't breathe in any smoke?" Natsu continued to question me, his expression full of concern.

"Truly, I'm ok. But thanks for asking."

"Seriously? Good." With a nod his brows relaxed a little.

"Hmm, aren't you gonna ask if I'm alright?" Jellal suddenly butted in.

"What? Why, there's no point. Your here for work!" Natsu huffed with a teasing grin. "By the way, as for the cause of the fire.." He suddenly went serious, "it was no accident."

"So it was arson?" Jellal added.

'Wait, arson? So someone did this on purpose!?' 

~•~

A few days later..

Works picked up quick a bit and it's close to midnight as I enter the doors of Fairy Hills. The cafe lights are still on and somebody's sitting at the other end of the counter. I notice this somebody to be Natsu, who seems to have just finished a late dinner because an empty plate lies in front of him as he takes a drink from his cup.

"Meow!"

Happy, who had been perched at the end of the arm rest of the closet chair, finally announces his thin patiences with me and meows to be petted. This causes Natsu to notice me, he pushes out the seat beside him. "The seat's empty, will you take it?"

"If you don't mind."

His eyes have a inviting warmth to them as I sit down. I remember the fire from a few days ago, "Hey, Natsu, the fire from.."

"Hm, oh yeah, your sure your alright? You did get a bit close to the fire." Natsu peered into my eyes, voice full of concern.

"I'm perfect, really." I smiled with a light chuckle, in hopes to ease his worried expression.

"Heh, that's great, I was worried about you." He replies with relief  in his voice, all while not taking his eyes off me.