Lucy gave a cry. The pain she’d just felt was gone in a second, but soon it came again. The hair her brush had collected was a testimony to how hard she and the brush were working. Lucy felt the pain come again, and winced. Why was even brushing her hair considered hard these days?!
In strolled Natsu, an emotionless expression etched on his face. He glanced at the celestial mage so desperately trying to get the comb out of her golden locks. Happy had settled down on Lucy’s pillow and was now fast asleep and Natsu had planned to join him, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep with the grunts and groans made by the voice that haunted his dreams.
“Hate…this…!” Lucy growled, a snarl evident on her face. Natsu didn’t say anything, but walked over next to her. She was sitting on a wooden chair at her desk, trying to get the unruly tangles out of her hair, and he did nothing but stare. “What are you—“more groaning “—doing here, Natsu?” The girl was rather left at a loss of words—she knew her apartment was Natsu’s everyday hangout, so it was a stupid question to ask. Of course, she couldn’t ask him for help at this; he was a boy, for goodness’ sake!
“Um… maybe you should go get some rest,” was all Lucy could muster as she concentrated on picking the knots out of her head. Natsu’s eyes drifted off for a moment to the fire blazing in the middle of the fireplace, lighting up the dim room, and said, “Need help?”
Lucy looked at him so intensely that a tinge of red started spreading onto his cheeks. ‘W-What?”
“Nothing…” Lucy sighed and looked away. “But… how are you supposed to help?”
Natsu looked at her expectantly. Then he said, slowly but surely, “Can I try?”
Lucy looked at him again, this time more intensely than the first, and with a slight look of uncertainty, handed him the small comb. He picked it from her hands and started, only hurting her by running it through too fast.
“Sorry,” he muttered as Lucy rubbed the sore spot. “It’s… fine…” she sighed, and attempted to snatch the comb from him, but Natsu slapped her hand away. “Just hold on.’
Lucy couldn’t do anything but sit still in her chair and feel Natsu’s fingers run through her hair gently as the comb swished along after. When his fingers got somewhat close to her neck and slightly brushed against it, she felt a chill run up her spine. But surprisingly, Natsu had patience while doing this, and in what Lucy thought was no time at all, her hair was back to its usual smooth, soft condition.
“Thanks, Natsu,” she smiled, taking the comb from his hands. “Now you can get some rest.”
“Yeah, maybe,” Natsu muttered shyly; this wasn’t like him, Lucy thought. “Hey… Lucy?”
“…Yes?”
“It was… kind of… an experience for me to brush your hair. “
“Oh…really?” Lucy felt slightly amused. “Yeah,” Natsu scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “I’ve never combed a girl’s hair before.”
His comment echoed in Lucy’s ears until they tingled with excitement. Somehow, she felt happy to know that the girl whose hair he’d combed first was her.
“And… I wanted to say, Luce,” Natsu drew in a breath. “I liked it.”
Pause. “You don’t say?”
“Yeah.” Thanks to the dim light of the room, his healthy blush wasn’t visible to her. “And… can I comb your hair more often?”
He’d loved the feel of her hair between his fingers, the thought of him doing that to her every day was unfathomable… so he’d asked for permission.
“Hey, Natsu…” Lucy’s eyes averted to the ground. “You know what?” Natsu hummed in question, hope shining in his onyx eyes.
“Maybe… letting you comb my hair wouldn’t be so bad after all,” Lucy smiled, and she could make out his in the dim room, his toothy grin lighting up her world.
~>*<~
Hope you guys liked it! Dedicated to @WeAreMillionaires for being such a darling! :)
