Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.

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Mixing Jealosy

By: Orange Summer Tangerines

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"Lu-Lu-chan," Levy McGarden begun, though she paused as her apologetic smile didn't falter. That was for her blonde best friend who was sitting across their table, and who also failed to see that because of the book she was sticking her nose onto.

Receiving no response, she added, "Please calm down..."

The faintest movement of her fingers that were holding—err, gripping?—the book was caught by her keen eyes.

Lu-chan...

Lucy Heartfilia chuckled, a scary one, and she lowered her book, revealing her seemingly forced smile and a violently, annoyed twitching brow. She then replied, "What are you talking about, Levy-chan? I'm always calm and you know that."

The bluenette uncomfortably chuckled, a finger scratching her cheek and a sweat trickling down her cheek. Did she actually saw some lightning bolts near Lucy just now? She slightly shook her head, shaking the former off her.

More importantly, she wasn't at all convinced by her words.

Even the slightest.

Lucy's actions were proofs, after all.

Witnessing Levy's dubious look, the blonde offered a reassuring smile, bottling her on-going turmoil inside of her. Levy was one of her best friends, a very understanding one and they had a lot in common, and sharing more of her bothersome burdens doesn't feel right any longer.

It might be good if Erza and the rest were here, producing noise and wonderful distractions... but they aren't, unfortunately. They're off to submit their projects. And thus, Levy and her are the only occupants of their cafeteria table.

Well, Levy's comforting company was more than enough... or so, she hoped.

However, the blonde blinked in confusion upon noticing that small smile her best friend plastered on. She rose bother her brows, "Something that matter?"

"Ne, we can leave if you want to," Was the immediate offer, concern lacing her tone.

The blonde briefly closed her eyes, shaking her head in disagreement. "No. I'm fine. You should finish your lunch."

She opened her eyes once more and directed them towards her best friend's half-finished lunch. She, on the other hand, had have finished her lunch in a faster pace than usual and she asked her permission, which was given nicely, to read her book. She had known that reading while someone was eating is a rude act... it's just that she could help herself.

Levy bit her bottom lip. And after a few seconds, she spoke, persistence displayed on her eyes, "Let's exchange seats, then."

Despite her present predicament, she chuckled with a hand waved in front of her. "There's no need, Levy-chan."

Levy's eyes travelled sideways, "But..."

The blonde secretly gripped onto her book while wearing another smile one. "I'm not affected, alright? I'm fine." She said, acquiring nothing from the other as their eyes met and she saw the doubt and worry engraved on Levy's orbs.

Her smile, somehow, faltered and guilt slowly eating her up.

Levy saw right through her lie. Well, she had actually told her about her dilemma a little while ago and Levy needed no other words since all she had to do was move her eyes a few table from them... and much to her dismay, the dreaded sight was just straight ahead on her location.

Now, she wondered why she even laid while gluing her eyes in one solid direction.

Levy.

Simply sending a glance of those two hurt her unfairly too much... and being in the same area with them was already considered torture.

Lucy quietly heaved out a sigh, her shoulders sagging a bit and her back partly slouched.

Might as well continue her book.

Her chocolate brown orbs then went towards the printed word rather absent-mindedly as her mind was a world away on what she was doing.

Truth be told, she was merely acting like she was engrossed on the book. Yes, acting it up. It was all an act for the reason that she couldn't induce herself on reading the interesting book and her mood isn't right, either.

She was too distracted and the fire within her was making her feel worse.

Natsu.

Her brows creased a movement.

Natsu Dragneel is one of her best friends. Their paths came across each other during her early months as a first year middle schooler, and he brought along his weirdly wild yet absolutely fun group of friends. Also, it only took them a short span of time to treat her like they had known her for years.

Time passed by and their bond was stronger than ever.

Though, she never knew that during their last year as middle schoolers, reality came rubbing the fact on her face that she liked her pink haired best friend.

It wasn't terrifying. It was rather shocking yet it made her mind have a clearer view of the confusions she was experiencing.

At first, she found it hard to ignore that fast-pacing of her heart and that frequent warming of her cheeks whenever he was round—which was almost always. They're inseparable, you see—and thus, she obtained his re-strengthened label of 'weirdo', thanks for the credits of her actions.

The label wasn't entirely accepted since the young man himself was way weirder than her.

Moving on, within their first year as high school students, she daringly gave hints and secretly hoped that he'd understand...

...unfortunately, his dense-ness was just unbeatable.

The following year didn't give her justice too. It was depressingly frustrating, to say the least, because Natsu started to act strangely to her, like something was running in his mind and every time she asks about it, he would change the topic, or plainly pulls a hastily-made excuse and leave her alone.

She wasn't stupid not to realize the former. She was smart and observant. She won't be one of the top students for nothing.

This year, their final year... somehow, she primarily chose giving up, regardless of her burning jealousy.

Lucy didn't have a single right to feel that way.

She had no claim on him, too.

The blonde took a deep breath in, hoping it could calm her nerves as the tips gradually turned downwards.

They're just friends.

No more. No less.

She gazed on another page.

Natsu seemed to have laid his eyes on Lisanna Strauss. Mira's younger sister and a junior high school student. Lisanna was beautiful and it was predictable that she would attract attention, akin to her sister, from the male population... even the densest one named Natsu Dragneel.

Lucy shifted on her seat, flipping another page of her book to look realistically reading.

Being able to coincidentally spot them together more than three times was fairly suspicious. Seeing the both of them wasn't really AT ALL bad... it's just that... after that, Natsu would excuse himself when they're together each time Lisanna come into the view.

Presently, the two appeared to be officially going out since Natsu decided not to be on their table and was now on the table with Lisanna.

Smiles and all.

"Ne, Lu-chan..."

The blonde blinked, finally out of her own trance, and she looked up, "Hm?"

After taking a sip of her juice, the bluenette casted a glance over her shoulder and saw the two teenagers from a distance and turned her eyes back to Lucy. She pulled a smile, "Maybe you should tell Natsu before it's too late."

It's too late, alright. She thought, dejectedly.

The blonde lowered her head, making her bangs cast a shadow over the down casted expression she had. She then muttered, closing her eyes, "...that's easier said than done, Levy-chan."

Levy's smile grew wider, trying to cheer her down friend up, "At least you tried, right?"

After seeing her friend's smile through her bangs, she looked at her lap. She nodded meekly without any attempt of lifted her head up. "I'll be thinking of that later..."

The blonde bit her lip.

She never really meant those last words, though. Her resolve won't be revived if all she had to do was to mentally take the previous weeks into account—

The short talks.

—and, using her head for analysation process—

Those apparently uneasy sensation whenever their eyes met.

—it all narrowed down that...

Natsu was really avoiding her.

Well, she wouldn't hate Lisanna for that even if she might be the cause.

She didn't do anything.

...

An angry vein popped on her forehead.

Could they not walk on another hallway?

She clenched her fists, letting her nails dug themselves unto the flesh of her palms.

We're on the same floor, so what's the use? Was the quick counter of her mind.

Lucy restrained her eyes from rolling themselves at the view a few distance before her which was Lisanna walking beside Natsu who had one hand over his shoulders as it held his school bag, looking all cool.

Initially, she turned on her heel.

It looks like she'll be going the opposite way, then.

Just when she was about to move forward, Levy's words oddly echoed in her head, as if a reminder of their exchange hours ago and for her words to be put into immediately action.

"Maybe you should tell Natsu before it's too late."

"At least you tried, right?"

The smile Levy had appeared in her head right after those resounding words.

Pondering over the reason of that, or possibly she was just overly thinking that matter... she'll try to decode that and produce possible reason on a much later time.

Lucy smiled, loop-sidedly.

A wicked glint surfacing on her chocolate brown orbs.

She'll confess alright, and luck was absolutely on her side right now because Christmas vacation would officially start tomorrow, so that'll lessen any awkwardness that might backfire her later... and she could do something to reduce the hurt, too.

With that, she reverted on her tracks, took an encouraging deep breath in and approached them.

"Natsuu!" Lucy called out, happily.

The two stopped, slowly turned their attention in her direction and before any of them could do anything—response of some sort—she instantly hooked her arm around his freely-hanged one.

Silence engulfed the hallway air as she maintained her bright smile.

Lucy looked at him, and then she stared at Lisanna, unaware that her best friend's rarely-occurring silence and that growing pink tint on his cheeks.

"Natsu~" Her voice was wavering in a cute, whining manner. She frowned, cutely. "Why are you spending more time with Lisanna than me? Geez... your sudden closeness is making me jealous, you know."

Natsu's face turned much, much redder.

On the contrary, Lucy mentally encouraged herself to push through. There's no turning back now. She had started it and might as well, she finish it.

Levy certainly didn't tell her how she'd say it, right?

Out of the blue, a chuckle soon came and resounded itself on the empty hall of Fairy High.

Confused, Lucy blinked, a light blush creeping on her rosy cheeks. Embarrassment was leisurely kicking itself in her.

The chuckle was from none other than Lisanna. Taking in the confused look etched on Lucy and the silence of the other, her chuckle died down and she placed a hand on Natsu's shoulder, "You don't seem to have the need of my advices, ne?"

Wait. What's going on?

The silver haired young lady threw her a glance and she resumed on looking onto Natsu, "I told you she likes you."

Chocolate brown orbs widened.

Lisanna drew her hand back and moved backwards. "You know what to do next, Natsu."

"Li..." Was all what Lucy managed to say as she felt her throat rather dried out.

"See the two of you around, ne!" She said, winked and left.

As those retreating sound of footsteps faded, the silence lingering around them was more on the awkward part, along with the time that gave the impression that it momentarily stopped.

Lucy blinked a lot of time, trying to understand what was totally going on just now.

"Luce..."

Hearing the sound of his voice effectively sent her heart to pound away, causing for her ears to ring and her cheeks to warm up twice, or even thrice. For some odd reason, she couldn't find the strength to unhook her arm from his own arm.

Just then, her eyes widened a fraction when her blue haired best friend's smile flashed in her mind.

"Oi, Lucy," She felt him nudge her a little.

Mustering all her courage, she slowly looked up, making her chocolate brown orbs met those warm, enthusiastic set of black orbs that always brightens her mood whenever she's down... but this time around, that wasn't the exact case.

For those eyes were making her stomach bore into knots and making her feel nervous.

"Lucy... Is what Lisanna said true?" He asked.

She could help but stare, speechlessly.

Oh, Levy-chan... Is it just me? Or you know one way or another that this was bound to happen?

...

"Oi, are you alright?" Gajeel asked.

Levy smiled, ear-to-ear, "Of course I am!"

Gajeel rolled his eyes, clicking his tongue. He isn't buying that. "Really?"

The bluenette nodded, "Hm-Hmm,"

Before Gajeel could start his interrogation as to why the girl was laughing lightly more to herself, she smiled more brightly and said, "I just help someone with a little cooperation with someone else too."

He sighed, shaking his head lightly, "Whatever."

...

Author's Note: This is my first FT fanfict, so I hope you liked it. I'll be going over some mistakes later. I apologize for some grammar mistakes... English was my second language, so... ^_^

This is actually from a text message I've read and I thought that story suits them both. I only added a few from it though.

Tell me what you think, ne

Merry Christmas and advance Happy New Year, minna!