The Distance We Create(Nalu)

4- Blooming Flowers

-Lucy-

"Goodmorning!"

I smile brightly at the two lone people at the guild. Erza looks behind her from her place at the bar and smiles in greeting.

"Morning, Lucy. Usually there's nobody but me here for another hour. What's got you up so early?"

I take a seat next to her and wave to Mira before directing my attention to Erza.

"I couldn't sleep."

The cup Erza has been raising to her mouth for a drink stops mid-raise. She slowly sets it back down onto the table and devotes her attention to me.

"Are you alright?"

I wave her off with my hand and nod my head.

"Yeah of course. I couldn't sleep because of an apparent leak in my ceiling somewhere. Since the snow started to melt, water started to drip through a hole in the ceiling. I woke up this morning to a constant tapping noise that drove me crazy."

She nods her head.

"Well, that's good to hear...Well, you know, good because-"

I laugh half heartedly at her to try to ease her forming tension.

"I understand, Erza. Thank you."

A silence settles in the air for a moment until I speak again.

"Anyway, I was going to go on a job today. I'm already behind on this month's rent and my landlady isn't going to be so flexible with me for long."

She relaxes and smiles softly at me.

"I see. Are you going by yourself?"

I return the smile and shake my head, resting my arms on the bar and leaning forward slightly.

"I'm just going to wait until Natsu and Happy get up. Although it may take a while, of course."

I laugh a little and shake my head at the thought of the two still in bed.

"Actually, Lucy.."

I lift my head to Mira staring at me and hum in response.

"Hmm?"

"They already stopped by and left on a job."

The corners of my mouth drop back down and my eyebrow creases just slightly.

"Oh?"

She looks at me apologetically.

"Natsu probably just didn't want to wake you."

I smile and shake my head.

"Of course. It's no big deal. I'll just have to catch them as soon as they get back."

I rest my chin in my hand and stare in front of me intently.

It's just one job. It's not weird for us to not go on every job together. It's just been him and Happy going on jobs for the last couple of months anyway....Plus, maybe he didn't want to wake me up so early?

My mind thinks of all of the times he has barged through my window and woken me up.

My eyebrows crease in annoyance and I shudder at the memories of his mischievous face smiling evilly being the first thing I would see when I wake up.

I frown and glare in annoyance at the bar.

Yeah, right.

A dramatic sigh leaves my mouth and I droop into the bar.

My plans for the day just got swept away.

I guess I'll just hang out for a while and then go into town or something.

I lift my gaze to Mira.

"Do you know what job they took?"

She continues with what she was doing while answering.

"Something about getting rid of...something causing a nuisance..somewhere."

She stops and smiles sheepishly.

"Sorry, I don't quite recall, but it shouldn't take long, though....I know that that's what you were really wondering anyway."

I sigh and droop my head back into my hand.

"Yeah, you're right."

She smiles from the corner of her eye.

"The cherry blossoms will start to bloom soon. Now that the snow is finally melting and the sun is burning bright, that is."

I instantly forget about Natsu and Happy and I hum contently, a soft smile forming on my face.

"I know. I've been looking forward to it all winter. I've missed the comfy beauty of walking through the park on a  warm sunny day. I'm glad that it's finally coming back."