I Married the Runaway Bride💍[ NaLu ]

Chapter 6: Game

From my peripheral, I could see Natsu's blank face still watching me with his arm resting on my seat's backrest, fingers were playing with the ends of my hair. What is he doing?!!! Trying to maintain a calm facade, I smiled at his friends politely as Loke took a seat next to Gray.

"Come on, don't be so stiff!" Gray threw his arm over Loke's shoulder. "What's your name?"

"L-Loke..."

"Mind explaining things, Dragneel?" A strict voice near us gave me goosebumps, her eyes were the sharpest pair I've ever seen with the right one slightly hiding behind her scarlet hair.

"Hmm..." My eyebrows furrowed as I turned to him. Why does he look like he's thinking so deep when he should have already known the answer?! "Honestly, Erza, she's my--"

"Y-You didn't know they're cousins?" Loke's voice full of confusion saved us from Natsu's trouble. I let out a breath of relief as I secretly stepped onto Natsu's foot under the table. His random 'ouch' was thankfully ignored as everyone's attention was already on Loke. Phew.

"Cousin?" Gray asked with a smirk. Oh come on...

"I never knew he has a cousin," a guy with piercings on his nose and eyebrows stated before sipping to his lemonade. Whoa, Levy's type?! "And I'm surprised Fairy Tail still accepted you even if we only have less than five months for this school year to end."

"Y-Yeah," and I'm glad they did.

"Cousin, huh..." Lisanna mumbled before suddenly forcing my face on her...

"Hey, what are you doing?!" Natsu exclaimed.

...both hands were holding me still as she brought herself closer to me to the point that our noses almost touched. Staring back at her blue eyes, I blinked as her smirk grew wider.

"You've got a nice ring there."

It was a whisper meant to be heard only between of us. In instinct, I brought my left hand under the table to hide my wedding ring, my head turning back to Natsu right after Lisanna let go of me to check if his ring was visible, only to let out another sigh of relief when I confirmed that it's not.

"Natsu, I thought we're gonna talk about our incoming project?" Lisanna asked, making me pierce my stares on the counter with a plan on buying a snack, though their conversation was forcing me to listen even if I didn't want to.

"Later," Natsu commanded for my attention by gently tapping my back. He neared his burger to my lips, eyebrow was raised for a challenge. Pairs of eyes watching us like a hawk made me do nothing but forced a smile.

This guy... definitely loves playing with me!

"No, thanks. I've planned on buying--"

"What for, if we can share mine?"

I cleared my throat as I looked away when Lisanna's chuckle echoed. I took a glance at her from the corner of my eyes. Right at that moment, anxiety spread like virus in my system when I saw the playful gleam in her blue orbs. It's like she was enjoying it all.

It's as if she'd seen what's behind our masks, yet she still chose to play innocent.

"You're such a sweet cousin, Natsu!"

Or am I just seeing things?

"Shut up, Lis."

"And a bit strict, huh," she added and jerked her thumb to Loke's direction. "Why don't you let your cousin and her friend get along? Stop acting like a grumpy grandpa."

"What? No."

"Why? Don't you want to get back to what we're originally talking about earlier? It's getting interesting and... you know..."