nalu one-shots

constellations

This one-shot is by
Mirime-Kisarrstine on deviantart

"What's that one called?"

"Ursa minor."

"And that one?"

"Orion's belt."

"And that one on the left?"

"Libra."

Happy paused in his questioning, trying to locate another constellation he could ask after.

"How come you know so much about them?"

Lucy shrugged. It was a beautiful night and they were camping out on their return from a mission. And somehow, she ended up pointing out star constellations to Happy, even though the only one he truly took interest in was Pisces.

"It seemed appropriate. I am a stellar spirit mage, after all. I felt that I should know these things."

"So, you know every constellation in the sky?"

Lucy laughed.

"Hardly. There are millions of stars and you can make out your own shapes. I know the brightest ones and then those that can be summoned."

Happy thought it over.

"I can make my own shapes?" at Lucy's nod, he brightened. "So if I say that those stars up there look like a flying fish, I can call it Flying Fish?"

Lucy looked to where his paw was pointing. The group of stars he had chosen didn't look like any kind of fish at all, flying or not, at least not to her. Then again, given Happy's obsession with fish, he probably saw them everywhere he went.

"Sure, you can call it Flying Fish."

Happy stared lovingly at the sky, lost in a dreamworld full of fish. There was silence in the group until Natsu who had been silent up til then stirred, turning to Lucy.

"Is there a constellation that looks like a dragon?"

Lucy thought it over and then slowly raised her hand, pointing to the left.

"You see those stars over there? There is the bright one and if you follow a line from it down and then to the right and up again, you get a body. Then those three in a line are a neck and-"

"And there is a head," Natsu interrupted her excitedly. "And there are wings and tail, too."

"Right," Lucy was laughing now. Natsu's enthusiasm was contagious. "And if you squint a bit and look at that nebula there, it looks like the dragon is spewing flames."

"Cool!" Natsu breathed, staring at the sky in childlike wonder. And then he suddenly got serious. Or so Lucy thought. "You sure you can't summon a dragon from the spirit world?"

"Yes, I'm sure," Lucy sighed. They had been over that before. "Firstly, there is no stellar spirit dragon. And even if there was, I would have to get its key before I could summon it."

Natsu frowned.

"That sucks."

"Well, it's not my fault," Lucy replied. "And besides, it's not like I need a dragon summon."

"Why not?"

Lucy smirked, stretching out her arms before looking at Natsu mischievously.

"Well, I've got you."

"Huh?"

"Don't you remember? When the Phantom guild kidnapped me and I jumped out of the tower, I screamed your name and you came and saved me."

"That's different," Natsu said defensively.

"No, it isn't."

"Yes, it is."

"No."

"Yes."

They stared at each other in a silent contest of wills. Seconds ticked by until Lucy fell backwards, giggling.

"You are impossible, Natsu."

"You started it."

But the corner of his mouth was twitching slightly and Lucy pulled at Natsu's arm until he fell next to her. Lying on the ground, their shoulders touching, Lucy started pointing out the stars again. And as she named all those constellations she knew and made up a couple of new ones, she didn't notice that the dragon constellation they had made up together seemed to be winking at them.

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