A/N: Hey! Sorry about my other stories. I was taking a very long break from writing as i was recovering from a condition of mine. I couldn't even write like I used too due to it. Oh, well. I will try to update my already existing stories sooner or later. Not promising anything, since I tend to give up when I am unmotivated. This is unbeta-ed so sorry for any mistakes.

Enjoy the oneshot of my favourite shipping! Nalu!

Lucy was scared beyond comprehension, standing in front of Natsu's house - petrified. The blonde contemplated whether or not she should go with her plans and knock, but the celestial mage was filled with apprehension. She had no idea how this would all play out, and she really didn't like the thought of doing it, but confronting the issue was better than remaining quiet and having to deal with the silence. After all, the worst that could happen was rejection, right? She was certain that whatever happened, she and the pink-haired man would remain friends. Hopefully. Who knows? The female wizard might just be too embarrassed and ashamed to look him in the eye once all of this was over. But she already went through with that thought and decided that trying was better than doing nothing. She was already becoming undone by her feelings, and it was driving her mad. Whatever the answer was, it had to be better than being tormented by her bottled up feelings. The need for an answer was overwhelming. She wanted to get her answer and be rejected, than deal with her internal turmoil any longer.

Sucking in a deep breath, she braced herself and rapped her hand against the door.

Waiting, she heard movement.

Within a moment the door unlocked and there stood Natsu.

"Hey, Lucy! What's up?" he asked, being his usual upbeat self.

"Oh, hey Natsu…" she said rather quietly, a small waver in her voice. Her nervousness noted by Natsu. Despite how dense the man was, even he knew that something was amiss. It wasn't that hard to see it either, worry was etched on her face. Her features pointed out distress.

"What's wrong?" he asked, wondering if there was someone that needed beating up. He knew that Lucy had weird people trying to court her many times in the past, and that most of them were major creeps with questionable desires. For all he knew, one of Lucy's unorthodox suitors were stalking her or something. That was something that, as Lucy's friend, concerned him. He swore since the day that they met, that he would always be there for her. No matter what. "Is something wrong? You're freaking out."

"Yeah, um...it's hard to explain-"

"I swear, whoever it is, I'll beat the crap out of them!" he interrupted, already jumping into conclusions. While he should have been pissed to the thought of his friend's safety, he was very ecstatic from the thought of a fight. So much, that he was grinning of the thought of dishing out a knuckle sandwich and knocking them out. The opportunity to fight overriding his need for concern. After all, whoever was bothering his teammate deserved what they got for compromising his friend's well-being. They needed to be taught a lesson to treat women better. Either way, they'd learn not to mess with his friend. Anyone who messed with his friends deserved a teaching.

"What? No!" she waved her hands. "It's nothing like that! Honest! Please, don't beat up anybody!" she pleaded.

"Oh…" she said, disappointed. The man deflated at her words. He was looking forward to a fight.

"I actually came here for a reason," she admitted. "So please, stop pouting."

Sensing the seriousness of the situation, he immediately snapped to attention.

"You see, I've been...Well, I've been...you know?" Lucy murmured, growing more nervous as Natsu's onyx eyes stared right at her.

"...yes?" he prodded.

"Well, I, uh - whoo!" she gave out a huge huff, trying to calm herself. "You have no idea how panicky I feel!" the holder-type wizard admitted, unable to spit out what she desperately tried to say.

"Okay, are you sure that there's no one I should beat up?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"No, Natsu, there's no one you have to beat up." She replied, annoyed but amused by his reaction. She didn't bother hiding her smile.

"Well, if I don't get to battle anyone...then why are you here?"

"Well…" she sighed, her nerves frazzled. "I...I like you."

"Oh, Lucy, thanks. I like you too!" the fire user said back, obviously flattered by the friendly remark.

"No, Natsu…" she growled, pinching her nose in indignantance. "I like, like, you."

"...wait." he said, processing her words. "You mean...you like me a lot? Or do you like me more than as a friend?" he said, choosing his words carefully.

"I...what I mean is that is that I like you… as more than as a friend." the teen admitted, her face flushed.

"Oh. Oh. Ooooh…" he said, understanding.

"...yeah so...do you know, feel the same way? To me?" she asked, her voice practically inaudible.

"Well, I'll be honest. I do like you, but I never thought of you as more than a friend…"

"Oh, well, I guess I will be going." the heiress said stiffly, a bit crushed by his rejection. Preparing to walk away, she felt an arm pull her back.

"Hey, I wasn't done talking," he said, quiet but stern. He looked at her, face to face. He made sure that she would hear him clearly. With a reassuring smile, he spoke. "I never thought of it before, but why the heck not? We're both friends and we're both really, really close and I always thought that you were an awesome person. Sure, I never thought of it before, but hey - it's not like I ever plan things out."

"So...you're saying?"

"Let's date! That is...if you want?" he asked, teasing.

"Oh. Oh! Sure! Yeah, sounds good. Let's date." she said, bewildered.

Then it hit her.

She was going to date Natsu.

Natsu.

The mage that was as hard-headed as a steel boulder, and as dense as a mountain. A mage that ate fire and was forever loyal to the Fairy Tail guild. A mage that happened to be incredibly strong, intelligent in battle but not at everyday life. A mage that seemed as oblivious to romance and all things dealing with dating, but perceptive of his friends' feelings and emotions with a single whiff of his nose.

Natsu Dragneel.

It dawned at her. She was going to date the most strangest, most battle-tenacious man, with the most questionable intellect. A man that also happened to be one of the most caring and intensely loyal people out. A man who happened to have a heart bigger than his motion sickness. Sure, he was also a goofball, and a bit of a moron - she admitted to herself. But there was something beyond all of his characteristics that encaptured her. She was acutely aware that her feelings made her overlook all of his flaws - which she had learnt to deal with - but she also knew how trivial they were. Obviously, her feelings defied the logic of going after someone despite the flaws that ground her nerves. He wasn't a bad person for it, annoying - yes, but not bad. Regardless of her feelings, she must have saw something she liked, or she wouldn't be here in this situation. Strange how attraction worked. Especially since Natsu embodied her every irritant.

"Hey, Lucy? You alright?" he inquired, snapping Lucy out of her train of thought.

"Oh! Sorry, I was just thinking how weird it was."

"Weird what?" he questioned, a bit confused by her answer,

"You and me! Of course! You and me...I just...well, you're the exact opposite of what I want." she confessed, light-headed. "Yet somehow I fell for you. You know, I actually thought you would have rejected me...but y-you accepted my feelings and better yet, you want to date me. I was so worried about how you would react and how negative everything would be, and yet...you're willing to try starting a relationship. I was...I was so scared. Weird, huh? I was just...scared."

"May I ask why? We're friends, it's not like I would make fun of you. That's not how I am."

"I know. But that didn't stop me from thinking that way. I never even had a first boyfriend! I didn't know how you would react to my affections. I care for you and I was scared witless by your would-be reaction! I didn't want you to think of me less for...for liking you." she spoke, her eyes directed down at the ground - away from his face.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why were you scared over that? What's the worse I would have done? Say no? I wouldn't treat you differently if I didn't say yes or no. You're my friend and no matter what, you don't dump friends based off feelings alone. That's...well, that's what a crappy friend would do. Me? Never."

This made Lucy feel so much better.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Lucy said, relieved. "I would have hated myself if I lost you as a friend."

"If you lost a friend over unrequited emotions, then were they really your friends? So what's if it's awkward, you never make a friend feel crappy for feeling! And you don't dump them because things get weird."

With her mouth agape, she realized that he was right. Real friends never alienate their friends simply because they didn't return their affections.

"So, um, when should we…?"

"How about -?"

"Natsu! Who are you talking to you?" Happy asked, having rose from his sleep.

"It's Lucy."

"Lucy?" he asked, sounding jovial. He flew towards the door, unaware of the conversation that transpired earlier. "Hey! Funny seeing you here! How are you?"

"Good," she said, grinning.

"So what did I miss?"

"Nothing - " Lucy Heartfilia said, but was interrupted.

"We getting married!"

"Oh, that's good…" he said, looking content, that was, until the thought sank in. "WAIT WHAT?"

"WE'RE NOT GETTING MARRIED! GEEZ, NATSU!" she yelled, absolutely floored by Natsu's stupidity.

"Wait, we weren't?" he said, absolutely perplexed.

"Um, NO!" she yelled, irked.

"Ha! Like Natsu would marry a girl like you! What he needs is lady!" he said, clueless on how rude he was. Typical.

"Um, excuse me? A lady? You do realize I am right here, you stupid cat!"

"Don't be so rattled, I was only kidding!" he said, after receiving a slap to the head.

"So...if we're not getting married, than what are we doing?"

Completely miffed, Lucy just looked at them with an unimpressed look. Before proceeding to explain. "We're dating, Natsu. Date-ing. Do you understand me?" She said slowly, hoping he would get with the program.

"Kay. So we're not getting married?"

"NO!"

"Oh...so no wedding cake?"