A Little Push

A/N: Hey guys, this is my first attempt at a one-shot, this will also be my first FT fic, because I have a little project in the future involving FT and I figured it could do me some good to write the characters out, as well as that I need drastic help when it comes to writing romance so the timing seems just write. Anyway get on with the story and I hope you enjoy.

Two weeks. It had been two weeks since then, since their crazy adventure in the parallel world of Edolas. Two weeks since they had found out she wasn't dead. Two weeks since she had returned. Lisanna Strauss, even the name made Natsu's heart want to skip a beat, his childhood best friend was back so he should be happy right?

Why then? Why, would every time he attempted to speak to her his throat suddenly feel parched? He just wanted things to go back to the way they were before her 'death', he just wanted the person, who seven years ago had been the first to believe him about being raised by Igneel, back. Was that so much to ask?

Yet here he was admiring her from afar, she would sometimes catch his gaze and almost as soon as she locked it he would break it, he just didn't know what to do.

Little did Natsu realise that Lisanna had similar thoughts, all she wanted was for them to talk again. To see that infectious mega-watt smile of his that could bring anyone out of a rut. She just wanted to speak to him, the boy who she had loved ever since that day under her red umbrella seven years ago. Yet it seemed like he was avoiding her.

Was he angry with her? For being alive and knowing that back in Earthland her real family must be grieving for her? She thought she was doing a good thing, even if she didn't have much of a choice in the matter, by staying with the still-grieving members of the Edolas Fairy Tail.

However in doing so had she unintentionally damaged the once powerful friendship between her and the pink-haired Dragon Slayer beyond repair? She just didn't know what to do.

What neither of the two realised was that there was a third person, someone who, for the last two weeks had been watching them both. Lucy Heartfilia, the resident blonde Celestial Mage of Fairy Tail and co-founder of Team Natsu. She had seen it, the way Natsu stared at Lisanna, then immediately broke eye contact when the youngest Strauss sibling raised her head. Then she saw the pained expression on Lisanna's face when the Fire Dragon Slayer did so. However both of them had one thing in common: a look of longing, it was obvious to anyone who saw it that they wanted to speak to each other but for whatever reason didn't act on it, which was why Lucy had silently sworn to herself, she was going to get them at the very least speaking to each other again.

So when it came for Lisanna to head off to Fairy Hills on her own one night Lucy knew it was her time to strike. "You know you didn't need to walk me home right Lucy? I mean I already know my way around the city, despite the changes." Lisanna asked politely as the two girls walked along the cobblestones.

"I know, I just thought I should, Magnolia may be a nice place, but you never know what kind of creeps are skulking around at night." Lucy said, it may be a pretty bad excuse considering the most serious crime to occur in Magnolia since she had been living there was a silent burglary, but it was the best excuse she could come up with on the spot. Now came the tricky part of her plan, how to strike up a conversation which would eventually lead to Lisanna taking the initiative to talk to Natsu?

Fortunately she didn't need to bring it up as Lisanna did it for her, "Hey… Lucy, do you like Natsu?" The white-haired girl asked, trying not to sound jealous in any way.

"Well yeah, he's my teammate; I wouldn't have formed a team with him if I didn't like him." The blonde replied.

"That's not what I meant." Lisanna said, coming to a stop, her companion doing the same shortly later. "I meant, do you… do you love Natsu? I've seen how you two talk and just how close you are, so do you?" She asked, her voice betraying the slightest bit of emotion by cracking, afraid of the Celestial Wizard's answer.

Lucy paused for a moment as she contemplated what she could say, "Yes," She replied, seeing the Take-Over Mage's face fall at the answer she continued, "As a brother."

"W-what?" Lisanna asked, slightly confused at Lucy's answer.

"I love Natsu Dragneel, as a brother." Lucy repeated before continuing, "To an extent, maybe I did develop feelings for him, but when I saw how happy he was at the party for your return, I realised I couldn't and wasn't going to get in the way of that. Did you know that after you're 'death' Natsu sank into a depression and it took everyone in the guild, even Gray, to snap him out of it?" Lucy asked, "The way his eyes shine whenever he talks about all the adventures you guys had before that day two years ago, it's pretty obvious that he regrets not doing more with you." She continued, smiling warmly at the Take-Over mage.

"But wait… you only joined up a few months ago, how do you know that happened to Natsu?" Lisanna asked curiously.

Lucy smirked at the other girl's question, "You find that Natsu gets very chatty when he's tipsy."

Lisanna giggled lightly, "That does sound like something he would do." However her expression became more downcast as she continued, "But what if he hates me? For two years my family and all my friends thought I was dead. What if, he thinks that I'm… for lack of a better term, a selfish bitch?" She said, tears beginning to form as her voice cracked.

It was then that Lucy did something Lisanna was not expecting, she hugged her, "Don't say that." The blonde whispered soothingly, "Lisanna you put your own happiness aside to ensure the Edolas counterparts of Mira and Elfman wouldn't be sad after they lost their Lisanna. As well as that you couldn't use your magic and you had no idea how you even got to Edolas in the first place, so how could you get back to Earthland? Plus the fact that you were ripped from your world and stuck in one where the exact opposites of people you knew lived must have been hard for you to deal with psychologically. And to top it all off you and the rest of the Edolas Fairy Tail Guild were being chased by the royal army, the main one who came after you guys wearing the face of someone who you knew as a friend. So I say no. You Lisanna Strauss are not only one of the most selfless people I've met but you're also strong to have been through all of that shit and still come out sane." Lucy said, tightening her embrace on Lisanna. Lisanna's response was simply to return the hug and cry even harder.

"Thank you… Lucy." Lisanna said between the sobs, after a few more moments of letting her emotions out the two separated, "You're… sure you don't mind it, if I speak to Natsu?" She asked, still unsure that this was happening, Lucy shook her head with a warm smile on her face in response.

"Of course not, tomorrow you are going to tell him exactly how you feel, but if that dense idiot still doesn't get it, let's just say he's going to be dealing with some very angry spirits." Lucy replied, a mischievous glint in her eye, Lisanna laughed lightly in response. "Also, just so we're clear, how long have you… held a flame for Natsu?" Lucy asked, smirking slightly at her own pun.

"Well, it was actually the first day we met that I started to develop feelings for him, and over time those feelings just… grew, even when I was in Edolas Natsu was on my mind almost daily. Sure I had Natsu Dragion, but he was a Natsu he wasn't my Natsu, so to answer your question… seven years. Why do you ask?" Lisanna replied.

"Just curious." Lucy replied vaguely, turning around and walking away from the white-haired girl, before sticking an arm up and saying, "See you later Lisanna!"

'That was a bit weird." Lisanna thought as her blond companion ran off, though despite the fact that she may have spent more time with Lucy Ashley, she was glad that Lucy Heartfilia had at least one thing in common with her Edolas counterpart: They both had a good heart.

After departing from Lisanna, Lucy made her way to her apartment , knowing her hot-headed teammate would have already more than likely made himself at home. Thankfully when she opened the door she discovered that he and Happy were the only ones there. "Hey Lucy!" Natsu greeted enthusiastically, sticking an arm up.

"Hello Natsu." Lucy said, acknowledging his presence with a nod, "Happy, could you please give Natsu and me a little privacy?" Lucy asked, though her tone of voice indicated it wasn't something she was going to argue about.

Happy's eyes darted between his two friends for a moment before a sly, cat-like grin appeared on the blue Exceed's face, "Sure, take all the time you need." He said teasingly, it took every ounce of Lucy's willpower to not hurl one of her heaviest hardcover books at the flying cat for making that suggestion as he flew out the window.

Now Natsu was confused, first Lucy had just entered normally without screaming at them to get out of her apartment, and then she had asked Happy to leave them alone, so he couldn't help but wonder, what was going on? "What did you want to talk about Lucy?" Natsu asked, curious as to why she had asked for them to be left alone.

"I want to talk about Lisanna." Lucy replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

Natsu tensed slightly before asking, "What about her?"

"Don't play dumb with me Natsu." Lucy said, scolding the Dragon slayer, "I know that you've been sneaking glances at her, so my question is this, why aren't you speaking to her? Oh and before you ask, I'm not jealous." Lucy said, glaring at her pink-haired teammate

Natsu was at a slight loss for words for a moment before he finally replied with, "I'm nervous, alright. We thought for so long that she was dead and with such a sudden change, I just can't find the right words to say to her. Besides, I was too stupid to not realise I wanted us to be something more until after she didn't come back from that S-class mission." The glare Lucy had been giving him softened at that. "Not like it matters, what if she moved on when she was in Edolas? That and I've been more or less ignoring her since she got back, what if she hates me for it?" Natsu's response came in the form of a loud crack and a stinging pain on his left cheek. "You slapped me!" Natsu cried in shock, clutching his cheek.

"Of course I did!" Lucy shouted at the Dragon Slayer, the noise making Natsu flinch, "Don't you dare suggest that Natsu, for seven damn years you two have never once talked to each other about your feelings. Can't you see how much she wants to speak to you again?! And before you ask, yes, I said seven, even during the two years she was stuck in Edolas, you were always on her mind. Sure she saw your face in the form of Natsu Dragion, but he wasn't you. If you even think like that again you're disrespecting everything Lisanna had ever done for you." Lucy walked closer to Natsu and stuck her index finger in the centre of his chest. "Tomorrow you are going to march straight to the guild hall and give that girl an honest answer, it's the least of what you could do, or so help me I am quitting the team." Lucy threatened as her glare intensified.

Natsu responded with only a nervous nod, it was quite obvious Lucy had likely both terrified him and given him food for thought, In fact he was so surprised, he used the door for once.

The next day…

Despite the fact that it was still relatively early in the morning many of the guild members were around, as the doors creaked open many heads turned as Natsu entered the guild hall. "Is Lisanna here?" He asked.

The white-haired girl stood up from her bar stool next to Lucy, before she could walk towards Natsu, Lucy grabbed her arm and mouthed the words 'good luck' to the youngest Strauss sibling. The guild went quiet as Lisanna walked towards the Dragon Slayer. "How long?" Natsu asked, he had no doubt that Lucy was telling the truth, however he thought it best to get the information straight from the horse's mouth.

"Seven years… ever since that rainy day." Lisanna murmured looking down slightly.

"Seven years huh?" Natsu said, leaning in, "I owe you then." Natsu whispered, though in the quiet of the guild hall it was clearly audible, as their lips brushed together, Lisanna however took a step back, "But I thought?" Natsu asked, confused at Lisanna's response.

"While I do love you Natsu, it's been two years since we've last spoken or even seen each other," Lisanna replied, moving in again, but instead opting to hug her pink-haired friend, "So I'm not saying I don't want to be with you, I'm saying that we should go out and get to know each other again. Does that sound okay to you?" She asked, snuggling in slightly closer to the Dragon Slayer.

"Yeah," Natsu said, returning the hug, "Whatever you want Lisanna." At this the guild broke into a round of applause for the two friends had finally begun speaking to each other again.

Everything was perfect until a certain blue cat began with, "She lo- ow!" Happy cried as he was struck with Lucy's whip, everyone turned to stare at the Exceed, who had been hit so hard he was flung out the door, as well as a certain blonde Celestial Wizard who was whistling nonchalantly, gently rolling the whip up so it could be attached to her belt again.

Lucy made her way out of the guild hall and picked up the downed Exceed by his tail, "Happy, I know for a fact that you have a smokehouse for your fish on the edge of the lake, don't make me burn it to the ground." Lucy said, a dark aura starting to surround her.

"You wouldn't dare!" Happy yelled, fearful for his fish.

"Happy just how long have you known me? I think we both know I would." Lucy stated as if it was obvious.

"Hey, Lucy?" A questioning voice asked behind her, turning around to see Natsu and Lisanna standing behind her, with the latter fidgeting nervously. "We were just wondering, could Lisanna join the team? Mira and Elfman say that they're okay with it." Natsu asked.

Lucy simply smiled, nodded her head and said, "Of course," then reaching out her hand, "And let me be the first to welcome you to Team Natsu, Lisanna."

Lisanna grinned and accepted the hand, "Good to be on the team, Lucy."

Even though Lucy would always wonder 'what if' when it came to Natsu, she was happy, happy that she had given her two best friends that little push.

A/N: Now I'm not sure if this was my best work, so I would really appreciate some constructive criticism. However flames, will be ignored, but if you still want to flame me I suggest reading my Message to Flamers on my profile. Also I know that Lucy threatening to quit team may have seemed extreme, but with Natsu you need to be straightforward and I deemed that to be appropriate.

I had several reasons for writing this story:

1) As I said before I'm hoping to improve as far as writing romance is concerned.

2) Honestly I love Lucy and Lisanna as characters even though I'm a fervent NaLi shipper and I can't stand seeing stories where they're sworn enemies, I won't bash people for writing those stories but I'm just saying I strongly dislike them.

3) Valentine's Day is right around the corner, so I thought, why not?

4) Just for the record I don't dislike NaLu, in fact I will read a well-written NaLu fic so long as there's no senseless bashing of characters.

Anyway thank you for reading and I hope you liked my story.