Introduction to Love
by Her Pretty Smile
Synopsis: AU. She doesn't know anything about love. She doesn't know how it feels or even how it works. She's innocent and sweet and so, so dense that he finally gives in and decides to sweep her off her feet. Natsu/Lucy. [Ongoing]
Warning: Unbeta-ed; may contain errors or any of the sort. Also, the storyline may be a bit deep and confusing. Beware of alternate POVs and a slightly OOC Natsu (sorry guys, I made him kind of dark here… which suits him, by the way :3)
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail nor its characters.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a fic with alternate POVs. Meaning, the first POV will be Natsu's, then the next will be Lucy's. Alternate.
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
This is a story about a princess who has zero awareness of love. But then, as time passes, she starts to experience these weird, tingly feelings which causes her to become confused.
Her supposed 'prince charming', on the other hand, is the one who notices her predicament, but being the uncaring, indifferent guy he is, he chooses to ignore it. However, he knows deep inside that he, too, is falling in love with her, but denies it profusely. Until one day…
…he decides to give in to his suppressed desires.
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Sign #1
"It's the unnatural—or rather, unusual—compulsion that draws you towards him even if it's very, very slight."
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
HE STARES AT HER face discreetly from a distance, noting the flecks of amber in her eyes that are being reflected by the sun and the golden rays of the latter surrounding the upper part of her body like a halo. Her lips are parted slightly as she strains to listen to the quiet murmurs of her blue-haired best friend who is in front of her, and he can't help but again notice her innocence, her fragile, delicate vibe, and her honesty that seems to shine through in the darkness of the world.
His jaw clenches as he feels the annoyance creep up on him again, swallowing him up and leaving nothing behind, not even a residue.
Why am I like this? he thinks, irritated. She's just a stranger.
But she isn't. He knows deep inside that she isn't.
Lucy Heartfilia is a classmate of his ever since grade school. They never spoke to each other and they didn't seem to acknowledge each other's presence.
That is, until now.
He thinks back to the time when they first interacted.
It was about a week ago in the bustling hallway, and he'd seen that her eyes were unfocused and that her walk seemed unsteady. He had an inkling as to why, but he wasn't really sure if he was correct.
His answer came when she suddenly wobbled, causing her to drop one of her books to the ground. She bent to pick it up, but she lost her balance and she could've hit her head straight on the marbled floor if it weren't for him and his quick reflexes.
He'd dashed over to her and roughly took her by the waist, causing her disoriented eyes to look up at him as she spun around to face him. He stared back with practiced nonchalance, because on the inside he was panicking slightly for her skin felt very hot to the touch; he guessed that her neck and forehead should be burning up, too, though just a bit more.
At that moment, he vaguely noticed that he's exactly a head taller than her and that she'd looked so vulnerable and so open that he wanted to—
Adjusting himself into a better position and shrugging off insignificant thoughts, he steadied her with a gentleness in him that he hadn't known existed. Then, after absently tucking a long strand of her hair behind her ear, he left her there without saying a word.
She was a stranger, after all.
But now she isn't. And, if he thinks about it deeply, she never really had been one. She's his classmate—the beautiful, quiet, intelligent, and sophisticated princess of their class.
Then his thoughts travel towards their second interaction.
Three days ago, she tripped—an ungraceful, un-princess-like action—and fell on him—he'd been scouring the halls for his idiotic friend—and then, acting purely on reflex, he grabbed a hold of her wrists, preventing her from tackling them both unceremoniously to the ground. He knew that he was strong enough to hold his ground, so her head had only hit his chest. Hard.
And boy, did it hurt.
After his short moment of disorientation, he blinked and saw that her hair was splayed out behind her and that some of it was on his upper arms, tickling his skin. Abruptly, he let go of her, and she'd stared at him like his eyes were so fathomless that she got lost inside them.
"I—thanks," she fumbled, averting her gaze and turning her heel and running off to nowhere.
He knew that she was only embarrassed, so he'd shrugged her weird actions off as nothing.
But now, he knows that it wasn't nothing at all. The way she acted was a sign, and he'd failed to notice it. He knows that he himself is falling into the same deep ravine as her, but at least he's aware of it, unlike her.
She's just so stupid and dense and innocent and infuriating—
He stops his train of thought right there before his thoughts of her can drive him insane.
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
SHE ISN'T PAYING MUCH attention to what her best friend is saying, that's for sure.
Levy, apparently having noticed this, arches an eyebrow. "Earth to Lucyyyy," she drawls, stretching her name like a hiss, but not unkindly. "What's up? It's like you're in a far, far away galaxy where I can't reach you. What are you thinking about?"
Said person smiles absently in turn which makes Levy look at her skeptically.
The latter, figuring that her best friend needs some time alone, lets out a sigh. "Well, I need to go. The student council president needs me after school so that we can work on some matters involving the school." Levy turns to go.
Chocolate-brown eyes fill with sincere apology. "I'm sorry… I'll tell you all about it later, Levy."
She watches with guilt blooming in her chest as her best friend smiles in understanding and dashes off, leaving a trail of silver glitter from her new expensive, exquisitely-made powder and the scent of flowers mixed with orange. It's a weird combination, but nice nonetheless.
She turns her head and suddenly catches sight of him taking out his camera. At that moment, she feels odd, like a cold but lovely breeze is tickling her skin and also like her whole body is glued to her current position.
She watches as he starts to take subtle pictures of the lake. Their school, Victoria Academy, had been built beside it, and it serves as a trademark. The water there is sparkling and glittering like millions of shattered diamonds, and the calmness of it is in a away reassuring and comfortable.
She watches him in fascination and feels compelled to walk up to him and say something. Or, if not, just stare at those bottomless onyx pools which had once caught her in their grasp and pulled her close, so close—
She blinks in surprise. Where are all these weird thoughts coming from? And the foreign feeling building up in the pit of her stomach is driving her curiosity and interest upwards at the speed of a gunshot.
She knows that he has been her classmate ever since she was nine, but she never knew him, never even knew his name. It's like he was just a passing wind; everyone knew that he was there, but at the same time, he was invisible to them.
But now that's changed.
He's become nice-looking, and his features are mature and he has a good build. He's a head taller than her, and he's a bit of a quiet person. Keeps to himself, mostly, and indulges in his hobby which he is undeniably good at—photography. He's also sort of an enigma; one second he's all serious and unapproachable, and the next his face softens a little bit as he talks around with his friends.
He's mysterious and appealing. Why had she never noticed him before?
But deep inside her mind, she knows the answer.
It wasn't that he wasn't eye-catching before as he is now, but because he'd never acknowledged her.
Now she wants to go up to him and try to be friends, but her shyness eventually takes over and she shrinks away, willing her mind to be preoccupied with other things.
But her thoughts keep drifting towards the way his rough hands had held her, the way his clothes had smelled, and the way the wind occasionally blows some of his hair in a gentle, quiet motion.
She bites her lower lip unconsciously, thinking that she has gone terribly insane.
END
to be continued
Authoress' Note: Well? Was it interesting, or was it hard to understand? Oh well. I'll revise this when it's completed, anyway. :D