The Runaway

Chapter 41: Before the storm.

"Nana?"

"Ignite?" 

Natsu stood up. Everybody in the whole room were looking at them, back and forth until they got dizzy. Those two were staring only at each other, shock and disbelief printed on their faces. A smile crept into the woman's face, Natsu was also recovering from shock, his shoulders started to rise and he bit his lip to stop a grin from forming. Then sooner, they grin at each other.

"Nana!!!" She called excitedly, jumping at Natsu to crush him into a hug, Natsu grunted a laugh in return. Gray frowned. Sting and Rogue gaped at the two.

"Whoa..! Calm down, there hot stuff," Natsu laugh as they both fell down the floor. Everyone was staring at them so dumbly, it's almost hilarious.

"Oh my! You really grew your hair like you said! You almost look like a girl!!" Natsu's eye twitch at her comment and she snickered in return.

"Doesn't he.." Erza nodded in agreed. Lucy and Levy nodded together with knowing looks.  Natsu growled in his head while beastly glaring at them. They flinched and turned away, trying to shift a conversation.

"Ughh. Ignite. Get off of me!" Natsu grunted. 

"Heh..." Ignite grin slyly. "Ohh~ What's the matter? Have you gotten so weak that you can't even bear my weight. Oh how embarrassing~!" she taunted. Natsu's eye twitched in annoyance and threw her off of him. Sting and Gray shared an evil chuckle while Rogue was giving them a deadpan look and tried to motion to Natsu to help him up.

"Uhh... Not to intrude, but you haven't introduced yourself yet," Rogue said and took a sit besides Lyon. Ignite smiled brightly at them. She pushed herself up and sat at their table without being invited. 

"Oh. How rude of me~" she giggled. "My name is Ignite Blazeraike Volfire," she introduced and directed a wink at Rogue, who got surprise by her action and flushed. Sting caught the action and he glared at her and growled through his throat. Gray elbowed him, hard.

"Wait!" Loke halted. "You're the Ignite?!" Loke asked. Ignite tilted her head. Showing her confusion. 

"Loke. You seem familiar with her," Erza said. Loke stared at her with shock.

"Who wouldn't be?!" he exclaimed and for some reason a magazine popped out under the table. "She's a famous model in the Weekly Sorcerers: Alvarez Edition!" he said, opening the magazine and showing Ignite's photos.

"You're still into swimsuit models?" Gray snickered. Loke flinched as he felt Lucy's glaring.

"N-no! Ignite is not that kind of model. Look, look!" he said and pressed the magazine at Gray's face.

"Alright! I get it," Gray grunted and took the magazine from Loke's hands.

Gray opened a few pages and what Loke said was true. All of her photos were decent and non-revealing. She wears dresses and gives advice to articles. Eating ice cream while sitting on benches, wearing a yellow summer dress with sakura pattern. 

Having a nice cup of chocolate in a bistro. Showing the cold weather with her white winter coat and long white boots. Looking away from the camera as if it was her everyday thing.  She was so natural with her job. It was hard to imagine she was a model. 

"These are good shots," Gray complimented.

"Thanks you." Ignite said.

"Are you interested?" Sting grinned, Gray smacked the magazine on his face. Sting was about to launch but Erza pushed his head off and he sat back and behaved like a dog with Rogue trying to console him.