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Life is like a blind date, because sometimes you just have to have a little faith.

-Unknown

(:)(A)(:)

Blindside

By Absent Angel

(:)(A)(:)

Lucy evaluated her reflection in the store window thoughtfully. Not a single blonde hair was out of place, but she found herself lightly running her hands over the loosely curled strands just in case there was any frizz she missed. Her make up was impeccable (as it should be considering she spent over forty–five minutes agonizing over it), and the little black halter dress she had finally decided on (another hour long process) clung to her curvy body in all the right places.

She looked good. Damn good.

She smiled at the thought, but immediately sobered back into a fit of nerves when she recalled exactly why she was dressed up in the first place. Down the street, sitting innocently on the corner, was a busy restaurant with a single man sitting at a table, waiting for her. A man who she was apparently suppose to find from a white scarf.

Lucy had half a mind to just turn around and go back to her apartment. This whole thing was completely ridiculous and she didn't know why she had ever listened to those twins Gem and Mini when it came to her love life. Blind dates never turned out well for anyone. It was like the unwritten rule in the dating world. So exactly why she had spent hours on her appearance for a night that was ultimately doomed to be a complete disaster was completely beyond her, but she had a feeling that the twins insistence that the person they were setting her up with was 'perfect for her' probably had something to do with it.

A sigh passed her glossed lips, fogging up the glass of the lovely shoe display. Maybe she should just go shopping – those pink stilettos in the corner there were incredibly cute. She could totally rock them.

Of course, then Gem and Mini would never let her hear the end of it.

The thought of their echoed words of infinite frustration immediately had her stepping away from the (oh so tempting) display and towards the restaurant at the corner. One night of disaster would be better than a lifetime of nagging from those two. Being that they were both actors, they had the annoying habit of impersonating close friends, especially when said friend had done something silly or stupid. It was hilarious most of the time, their impersonations were always spot on which made it even funnier, but the joke wasn't quite so amusing when it was her lack of dating prowess on front and center stage.

Checking her phone before she stepped through the restaurant doors, she reread the message Gem had sent her. 'He will be at Rainbow Sakura Restaurant at 6pm wearing a white scarf and sitting at a table for two. Have fuuuuuun!' It was five after now (was fashionably late still fashionable?) so if this mystery man had any kind of manners he should be in there. Waiting for her.

God, tonight was going to be awful. She just knew it.

Accepting the preconceived notion that she might as well kiss the rest of her night goodbye, she pulled open the large glass door. The hostess, hands full of a rather heavy looking reservation book, asked her if she needed a table and Lucy shook her head. "No. I'm uh, meeting someone." The heat she was feeling in her cheeks must have been visible because the plucky brunette gave her a little, knowing smile and turned to face the dining area. "Do you see him?"

Eyes scanning over the crowd, her fingers nervously fiddling with her little gold clutch purse, her gaze quickly landed on a small, private table in the corner of the restaurant. Or, rather, the white scarf wearing man sitting there.

Mercifully he was too busy concentrating on his menu to notice her blatant, evaluating stare. He was... cute. Bordering on handsome. The pink hair was a little on the odd side – she certainly never would have thought a man could pull off that particular shade and still look masculine, but somehow he managed. He had more of a boyish face – one that she suspected would sport adorable dimples if he smiled wide enough. He wasn't her usual tall, dark and handsome type but he looked friendly enough... the fact that he didn't seem to put as much effort into his appearance as she did was sort of annoying (since she had spent hours) but she could assume by his casual jeans and fitted t shirt that he would probably be more laid back.

At first glance it didn't seem like his company would prove too terrible.

Summoning up her courage, Lucy confidently walked up to the table – letting just a little extra swing in her step. She expected him to look up before she arrived, but he must have been too focused on the menu to see her because she was soon standing right at the tables edge and he was still immersed the burger and sandwiches section. Ok... she could get a bit oblivious too when she was concentrating on something. She could let it slide. "Hello?" she said, softly so as not to startle him too much.

His head jerked up, green eyes (a lovely dark shade, she noted) blinking up at her. "Oh, uh, hi."

She held out her hand. "My name is Lucy, it's nice to meet you."

After a few moments of hesitation, he took her hand and shook it gently. He was wearing an odd expression – as if he wasn't sure what to make of her. Perhaps he was one of those socially awkward types? "Uh, Natsu." She caught his gaze briefly drifting down before they quickly refocused on her face. Lucy did her best to hide her smirk behind a pleasant smile.

Of course, poor boy must have just been dazzled by her good looks. She did pull out all the stops.

She sat down in the chair opposite of him, noticing (but not commenting) on the fact that there was no menu waiting for her. The restaurant was really busy... maybe they ran short? She'd ask the waiter when he came by. "I haven't been here before, you?" she asked, trying to strike up a conversation as she set her clutch on the corner of the table.

"Uh, yeah. I come here almost every Thursday..." He was still watching her, eyes open and curious. "They have really good burgers."

Somehow she wasn't really all that surprised to hear that his favorite thing on the menu came with a bun. He didn't really strike her as the shrimp scampi or tomato bisque type. If she was still in contact with her father he would probably mock him for having a "commoner's palette". Lucy actually found it to be encouraging – "refined" hadn't really gotten her much of anywhere in the world of dating. She was a moment away from asking where he worked (because that was her usual follow up question when it came to first dates) but was interrupted by the arrival of the waiter.

He was looking between them curiously. "Oh, I'm sorry I didn't know someone was joining you." He promptly handed her an extra menu from under his arm, and she accepted it gratefully. "What can I get you to drink?"

His dark eyes were focused on her, so Lucy took the opportunity to answer first. "Just water for me, thank you." The waiter nodded in acknowledgement and she proceeded to open her menu, eyes skimming over the dinner options.

"I'm actually ready to order," Natsu said, handing his menu to the waiter.

Lucy gaped at him, any earlier hope of him proving to be a decent date rapidly deflating. He – he didn't even give her time to look at the menu! He had to be joking!

Their waiter seemed just as taken aback, glancing over to her with something akin to pity as he hesitantly took the menu being offered to him. "Oh, um, are you sure you don't need more time?"

"Nah," he said, seemingly oblivious to the disbelief Lucy knew had to be painted all over her face. "I always get the same thing anyway. I'll do the Jalapeño Burger with a root beer. Medium rare."

Cautiously, he pulled the notepad from his front apron pocket – casting Lucy tentative glances as he wrote down the order. After his pen finished scratching against the paper, he cleared his throat. "Anything else?"

Finally seeming to sense the tension around the table (and the waiter's pointed looks) Natsu blinked. "Oh!" he exclaimed, turning his attention back to her. "Did you want something, too?"

Did she – what the hell kind of date was this?! What were Gem and Mini even thinking when they set him up with this guy?! She pressed her tongue against the roof of her mouth and forced a strained smile and closed her menu with a snap. "I'll just have a Caesar salad." Since, you know, she had no idea what was on the actual menu. "And I think I'll change that water to a Long Island Ice Tea," she added. She had a feeling she was going to need a drink before the night was out.

The waiter jotted it down, seeming a little relieved that her idiot date finally got the hint. "Would you like that delivered with your meal, or now?"

"Now." Definitely now. And, at this rate, maybe even another one to follow the first. Then, remembering her manners, she quickly added, "Please."

He nodded, sending her a little smile before putting his pen back into the pocket of his shirt. Lucy didn't miss the way he raised an eyebrow at Natsu as he passed – or the small shrug the pink haired man gave in response.

An awkward silence descended over the small table, and Lucy found herself drumming her fingers on her lap.

"So... Long Islands, huh?" He raised an eyebrow. "You know those have a lot of alcohol, right?"

She wanted to tell him that was the point, but she bit her tongue. Instead she assured him, "I can handle it." Only that was mostly a lie. She was a light weight. The only reason she ever ordered Long Islands was because one was enough to do her in, and she had a feeling she would be paying for her own meal tonight.

He held his hands up, surrendering. "Alright, just don't say I didn't warn you. Cana makes them strong enough to sink an entire freaking football team. So you might just want to take it one sip at a time."

She eyed him, curious despite her irritation. "You know the bartender?"

Natsu shrugged. "Yeah, we grew up together."

"Huh," she hummed, "Well that probably comes in handy." At his questioning look, she leaned her elbows on the table. "Doesn't she give you a good deal on the drinks?"

The cringe he gave was full of embarrassment. "Uh, yeah. I'm actually not allowed to drink here anymore. Long story."

She raised a an eyebrow skeptically. "In summary?"

"Might have broken a few things," he grumbled under his breath, rubbing the back of his neck.

In the face of his sheepish stare, her annoyance slowly ebbed. "So... you're one of those destructive drunks?"

"Destructive is such a harsh word," he whined. "I'm just... enthusiastic."

She couldn't help it, she laughed. The sound seemed to startle him, but his teeth were soon flashing behind a lopsided grin. It was cute – he was cute. Even if he was completely oblivious to standard dating etiquette. There was something warm about him, something sincere.

The waiter returned, setting the tall glass in front of her. She thanked him with a smile before sipping from the straw. Natsu wasn't kidding – it burned like a straight shot going down and she had to fight back a grimace. "Wow," she wheezed, trying not to cough.

"Tried to warn you," he snickered, leaning back into his chair. "So what about you?"

Lucy took another sip, finding it more tolerable the second time around. "What about me?"

"What kind of drunk are you? I bet you're one of those crazy drunks!"

His tone was teasing, and she rolled her eyes in good humor. "Really? At least I've never been banned from drinking in public for breaking things."

"Hey," he said warningly, though there was no real threat behind it. "You didn't answer the question! If you're going to keep drinking that thing," he gestured to her Long Island, "You should at least tell me what to expect."

She shook her head, lips curving in amusement. "Fair enough I guess, though you really don't have much to worry about. I'm more of a..." she trailed off, eyes settling on a man towards the back of the restaurant who was stalking towards the exit. His expression showed that he was very much disgruntled, but she was more focused on the accessory draping over his shoulders.

A scarf. A white scarf.

Natsu waved a hand in front of her face. "Hey! Don't leave me hanging!"

Lucy paled. It couldn't be. There's no way she could have made such a terrifyingly awkward mistake. But the more she looked at Natsu's casual clothes (a stark contrast from the suited man that just walked out) and considered all those little (huge) dating blunders she had been subjected to, the more she realized that yes, yes she did. "Shit," she cursed.

His nose scrunched. "Shit? What the hell is a shit drunk?"

She ignored him in favor of burying her head in her hands, fingertips threading through the meticulously hair sprayed locks. "I am such an idiot," she groaned, willing up every last bit of courage to look up at him. "You aren't here for a blind date, are you?"

His head tilted, brow furrowing as he matched her embarrassed stare with his confused one. "Blind –" His eyes widened, and Lucy knew he understood. Suddenly he was laughing, his mouth pulled wide and his eyes shining. Absently, she noted that she was right about the dimples – he sported a matching pair on either cheek.

Humiliated, she grabbed her clutch from the corner of the table. She could feel the blood rushing to her face and knew her complexion was probably getting redder by the second. "I'm so, so sorry. I'll just – " Oh god. Her food. She ordered food. She couldn't just run. Her hands fumbled with her purse, praying to find cash she knew just wasn't there. She only ever used her debit and credit cards – it was lighter, less bulky than carrying cash. Tonight was no different. "Shit. Damn it!" Oh god this had to be one of the most embarrassing moments of her life and she just wanted to go hide. "I – I don't have cash." The waiter. Maybe if she found the waiter. "I'll just go –"

His hand caught her wrist as she started to leave her seat. "Hey, wait! Don't leave! Look, we can just split the check when the bill comes, yeah?" With his free hand, he rubbed the back of his neck and gave her a shy smile. "I mean, I know I've been a pretty horrible date and all, but I'm pretty good at the whole friendly conversation thing. You know, if you want."

Slowly, she sat back down and he let her wrist slip away from his hand with little effort. "I just can't believe..." She shook her head, leaning bonelessly against the back of her chair. She was still flushed from embarrassment but the urge to hide in the women's bathroom and cry was slowly dissipating. "God this is so embarrassing."

"Ah, come on. It could totally be worse," he consoled, but his there was a teasing glint in his eyes that told her he found the entire situation hilarious.

She responded with a weak glare. "I doubt that."

"Ouch." He put a hand over his heart, as if she wounded him. "Does that mean I was your worst date ever?"

"Sadly, no." With the help of his lighthearted banter (and that easy, boyish grin) she felt her spirits tentatively lift. "The most mortifying, but definitely not the worst."

He gave a low whistle. "Well damn, that's saying something. I was pretty awful. "

She snorted, her grin quickly growing. "You kinda were. Even the bad ones usually let me have a look at the menu."

Natsu cringed, but the appearance of one of his dimples on the right side proved that it was in good humor. "Yeah, definitely not a shining moment for me. But in my defense I really had no clue what the hell was happening."

Lucy fought a smile. "Well, that is a pretty good defense." For extra courage, she took another tentative sip of her drink before shaking her head. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Shrugging, Natsu leaned his chair back childishly until the front legs were about an inch from the ground. "I don't know. Pretty girl happens to sit at my table? Seems kinda messed up to send her away." His casual expression soured into something sheepish. "Uh, not that I would have if you weren't. Pretty, I mean."

A pleased blush dusted her cheeks, and she absently stirred her drink – the cherry red straw perched between her fingers. "I'm glad you didn't," she admitted, before gesturing to herself. "Because I sorta put a lot of effort into this, and it really shouldn't be wasted."

He made a sound in the back of his throat – an almost half laugh, half scoff. "Well that would just be a crime."

After taking another sip of her drink she responded, "I know, that's what I'm saying."

His eyes were bright and full of amusement, and Lucy found herself admiring the bright flecks of green in his irises. When he grinned at her like that, she thought that maybe 'cute' didn't do him justice after all. Talking with him was easy, and they quickly found themselves deep in lighthearted conversation about pretty much any and all aspects of their lives. By the time their food was finished, Lucy realized that she didn't have to fall back on her memorized list of "date questions" even once.

When they got the check, Natsu refused to take her card ("What kind of awful date would I be if I let you pay?"). She wished she could stay longer, but a quick glance at the her phone proved what she already suspected. Slowly (regretfully) she slipped her phone back into her clutch. "I should probably get going. I have work in the morning."

Natsu nodded, her words seeming to sober him. "Yeah, me too." He stood up, sliding his chair in before putting his wallet in his back pocket. "I'll walk you out?"

She tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "Yeah, I'd like that."

They left together, Natsu waving casually to the pretty brunette behind the bar with a casual, "See you later." Lucy didn't miss the lewd grin his childhood friend responded with, or the suggestive lilt to her voice when she told them to have a good night. The blonde was thankful for the cold fall air once they stepped outside – it helped cool the heat from her cheeks.

"So," she said, fingers playing with the clasp of her clutch. "I guess this is good bye then."

He rubbed the back of his neck, seeming as disappointed as she felt. "You know... tomorrow is pizza night. Roma's off of 12th street is the best. So, I'll be there tomorrow. If you wanna, you know, meet me there?" A sheepish grin curling his lips. "For a not so blind date, maybe?"

Lucy had to bite her bottom lip to keep her answering smile from completely overtaking her face. "Will I get to look at the menu this time."

Under the light of the restaurant sign overhead, his eyes practically glowed with excitement. "I think I could probably manage that."

AN: This wasn't what I planned on giving you for a valentine but the other one started to turn a tad angsty and you all deserve some fluff from me for once. ;D Hope everyone had a wonderful day full of love (whether it be romantic, platonic, or even self). Till next time!