Love and Music; A Competition

Partners Insert

This is something I wanted to add a little Nalu action into the story. May be kind of short, and isn't really forwarding to the plot. Just a bit of fluff with our dense boy and his in denial partner. ;D

(Still Lucy POV)

Natsu came over after Bicks left, slinging his arm around me.

"Heya, Luce! Ya did great!" He grinned.

"So did you. I was pleasantly surprised. I hadn't known you could sing." I smiled at him as he brought me to go sit at the bar.

"Yeah. Something I didn't really share with anyone." He chuckled.

"EVEN ME?!?! I THOUGHT I WAS YOUR BEST FRIEND!?" Happy yelled from across the room.

"Ya are. This was just something I didn't think was important." He shrugged.

"Well, I think everyone did well on their performances today." I smiled.

"'Specially you. I knew you'd be great, though. That's just how ya are." Natsu grinned.

"Aww, thank you Natsu. It's nice to have the vote of faith from my partner." I smiled at him, trying not to let him know how his words affected me.

"Anything for you, Luce!" He chuckled.

"I might hold you to that." I teased lightly, not acknowledging the bubble of butterflies that burst into existence inside of me.

"Good! 'Cause I mean it! And, if ya want, I'll pay for your lunch!" He grinned.

"Well, that means a lot. I know how much you love food." I said, a small giggle escaping my lips.

"Whaddya want, then?" He asked excitedly. I chuckled.

"Why don't you pick something for me?" I suggested.

"One order of tonkatsu it is." He nodded, easily choosing something from the guild menu that he knew I would like and wouldn't complain about getting fat while eating.

"That sounds really good. Thank you, Natsu." I smiled, more than a little happy that he knew me so well.

"Sure, Luce! After all, you're my partner! And even I'm not stupid enough not to try and know most things about my partner." He said with an innocent grin. I felt my heart squeeze in my chest a little before making sure to calm myself. No fangirling over how cute he is right in front of him. That would be so embarrassing, I'd die.

"Then I know you'll order one of everything on the menu, plus a second order of the spicy hot wings with extra hot sauce and spicy pepper." I nodded once, knowing exactly how he ate.

"Exactly." He grinned happily, as if excited that I had the same idea about knowing almost everything about my partner. But Natsu was very much a creature of habit, so it was hard not to easily get to know him. Not that I minded too much, but creatures of habit can be very against change, which makes me hesitant to share my feeling with him. 

"What about me, Lusheee?" Happy whined, landing on top of my head. He must have felt left out. I giggled and pulled the little blue cat down into my arms. He had become a lot more bearable as of recent. I think Carla's constant refusal made him a little down. I hugged him close as I kind of understood that feeling of rejection. I may not have said anything yet, but I had this horrible feeling that all hell would bear down upon me the minute I did. After all, he was my partner for work - no one had decided he was going to be my partner for life. But, I kept my thoughts to myself as I answered the little blue fur ball. 

"Fish, of course! Raw or lightly seared. You don't like it cooked too much, or it ruins the flavor. You sometimes like them smothered in barbeque sauce when they're seared. And you always need an even number. If there is an odd number, you tend to get upset." I recited from memory as if it were the easiest thing in the world.

"And why do I like the fish seared sometimes?" He challenged, his eyes sparkling to see if I remembered this tiny detail that he had only mentioned once. However, he was around so often, that I knew everything about him now, too. 

"You like it because it makes the skin nice and crispy. The pleasant crunch is something you like on occasion. Which is why you like fried chicken so much. And why you also like arare." I easily smiled, sitting down on a barstool and placing him on the counter. He looked at me with starry eyes. (A/N; Arare is a bit-sized Japanese cracker that is made from glutinous rice and soysauce.)

"Wow, Lushee! You remember a lot!" He looked really happy as Mira served him his fish and he sat down. He was always happy to be acknowledged lately. Another side effect of constant rejection, I guess. I felt bad, but it was Carla's choice, after all. 

"I remember almost everything about my partners!" I giggled, also tucking in to my tonkatsu. They didn't need to know the depressing thoughts that kept running through my mind. 

"Yeah!" Natsu cheered, digging in and acting like the dragon he was raised by. I giggled again and easily finished my lunch, agreeing to go for a short mission with my partners right afterward.

We ended up accidentally destroying half the town, and paying for it out of our reward money. But, I didn't mind as much as I made it seem like I did. It was normal, and that was something I enjoyed.

I hadn't realized that what was "normal" could end up changing faster than I could blink. Good or bad, that was yet to be decided. 

And, looking back, I probably should have known that nothing stays normal in Fairy Tail. Ever.