PUTTING OUT FIRE

Putting Out Fire_4

PUTTING OUT FIRE_4

"You don't have to worry Sting. I had a great day today. I also met Natsu. I think he's a great person."

His voice when he answered doesn't sound too delighted over the phone, but he still masked it with fake glee. "He's fun to be with."

"Yes! But he's a little sarcastic and could be somewhat nasty, but he's good. I enjoy his company. We had breakfast at 8Island because he caught me almost burning your house. Lucky he was there to assist."

"I'm glad you already had a fun start."

"Yes, thanks to you!"

Lucy sighed as she jumped to her bed. She hugged the pillow which she discovered belongs to Sting. The room Gia let her borrow is Sting's! Isn't she lucky?

"I actually proposed the idea of vacation so you could relax and enjoy."

"I enjoyed the day."

Shea heard a sigh from the other line. It is something that sounds distress. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"I want to add that I would like you to realize some things."

There's a flat line before she answered, trying to shoo away the uneasiness he is making her feel.

"Am I lost, Sting? Do I not know myself?" She sounded almost too sardonic.

"I definitely don't mean that."

"Then what do you mean?"

"Lucy, you know what I mean."

Deranged, she threw the pillow off her and scurried to the couch.

"For the umpteenth time, Sting! I only wanted to move in with you so I could escape the sheltered life in the mansion. If that's what you're getting at."

"And now that you're on your own, didn't you actually need help from other people?"

"I don't really like what you're implying."

"Lucy, I hope you understand that if we ever get married, I am also going to give you a sheltered life."

For the love of him, her heart should have in frantic right after hearing that. But she just can't get herself to feel glad. And what is with the 'if we ever' thing he mentioned?

That left a bitter aftertaste. She put down the call and decided to divert her fury to work. She concentrates better when she is feeling unpleasant. She manipulated some data on her computer, and her mind was reminded of the problem at hand, the FireSteel.

She tried reaching out to anyone who could possibly enlighten her with their real status, but to no avail. The FireSteel's boss is gone and he is the authorized person to sign the contract papers. The frustration from work added to the burden in her chest. In the end, she decided to sleep it off.

But even sleep isn't coming. Her mind drifted to someone else. She isn't the noisy type like what he claims she is, but it could be true in a different light. There are lots of things running in her mind that sometimes, she feels like exploding whenever she keeps them in. But strangely, she just confidently spoke her mind with Natsu. Even if they were senseless, Natsu listened and even when sometimes he shot back nastily, she's glad to find an ear from him.

Even with Sting, she barely shares with him corporate problems.

In the mansion, she has to behave and be the woman they all want her to be. But really, what she wants is to rake a garden and cook her own breakfast. Yet, Sting just doesn't seem to worship the idea. He sounds just like her father who wants to keep her in a shelter.

"Natsu…"

Her mind drifted once more to him, to the feeling of her arms around him. Unconsciously, she raised both arms and made a circle in the air, trying to remember how big he is in her arms. He's incredibly warm, lean, and those muscles were absolutely hard like a rock.

She felt her cheeks with her palms, not sure if the warmth she is feeling there signals right or anything bad. Yet in the back of her mind, there are signal bells alarming her.

From her room, Gia, who just came from work, called upon her for dinner. Gia doesn't have the time to cook for dinner, and Lucy is ashamed that she can't even afford to cook her one light meal as payback for letting her stay in the house.

"I usually dine before going home, darling. I decided to take out because you're here. Eating alone is lonely."

"I can imagine, Gia. I'll try to make you dinner tomorrow," she suggested but Gia immediately shook her head with a forced laugh.

"Oh Lucy, that's sweet. But I heard from Natsu."

Lucy immediately understood what she meant. "Natsu!"

"He called me this morning and asked if there's something that might be burning in the house because there's smoke. I told him you were here, darling."

"That explains why."

The mystery as to why Natsu seemed to know what happened to her in the morning came to an end. Lucy talked with Gia about coming with her to her job, but the former refused with an excuse that her employer simply doesn't allow visitors at work. As consolation to her disheartened look, Gia invited her as a customer, to which Lucy gladly accepted.

When they were done eating, Gia gave Lucy a box.

"Kindly give this to Natsu. I bet he still hasn't eaten dinner. If he's not in the tree, he might be in the house."

"Why don't you just call him?" She doesn't see the need to walk the distance just so she could give him his dinner. Natsu has a motorcycle and that would be very easy.

"He's not answering, dear. I'll leave the back door open for when you arrive. I'll be up to read some fortunes using my cards. Please don't disturb me, darling." Gia wore a sincere front. Lucy immediately knew that her job is quite complicated.

"Okay. I'll give him this."

"Thank you Lucy. You're a great person. The real you is a very nice person."

From putting on her coat, Lucy was taken aback. She glanced at Gia, who possibly doesn't know how her words comforted Lucy. No one knows her real self aside from Lucy, and to hear such consoling words from a complete stranger just until now, she felt warm.

"Thank you Gia."

She gave Lucy's retreating form a knowing wink. Her motherly heart knows what is about to happen, but who is she to stop what is inevitable? She can't possibly stop the rain, and the thing that is bound to happen tonight.

She sighed after locking the backdoor. There is no Lucy who will come home tonight.