It was a usual after noon, the guild had quietened down now, most of the people had already chosen themselves a job and had scurried off to fulfil such duties, or had decided to take off for lunch rather than settling in seats like Natsu had done.

It wasn't too late, but it also wasn't often that Lucy took till 12pm to turn up for looking at jobs. It was most likely she had decided on not coming.

Natsu could either pick himself out a job before it turned to late or he could check on Lucy for himself. He first took to just checking with Mira, after all, Lucy might have already said she wasn't coming and he just simply might have forgotten.

"Hoi, Mirajane." Natsu barked, settling himself in the strangely quiet guildhall.

"Yes, Natsu?" She asked, turning in her red barmaid dress, that usual soft smile sitting delicately on her lips as she looked more than happy to speak to the dragon slayer.

"Did Lucy mention anything about not coming today?"

"Not to me, maybe something popped up? I know she wasn't feeling very well yesterday." She replied, bringing more questions to the boy's head.

"She wasn't?"

He frowned a little, the blonde hadn't mentioned anything to him after they came back from a short trip yesterday. However, he had been quite out of it ever since they stepped foot on the carriage so it was possible he had missed her saying such a thing.

"You could go and visit her, I'm sure everything is okay."

"Yeah, I'll check on her." He nodded, he would've done it regardless Mira's answer anyway.

Perhaps that was a good thing. Now he could see if she was sick or not, and at least offer some kind of help. Team mates worked together, and he wanted to make sure his friend would be alright no matter what.
Though with that, her turned around on the pine seat and settled back on two feet.

"Happy." Natsu called his blue exceed, who sat all too innocently chomping on a fish at the counter.

"Aye?!"

"Let's go check on Lucy."

"Aye." He stumbled up too and hopped down to join his partner's side, the two of her both passing a goodbye smile to Mirajane.

"Let me know how she is!"

"Got it!"

It didn't take them long to get there, Lucy was lucky to live just a walk away from the guild hall, the canal a sparkling clear teal as a single boat drifted along the water.

The sun was bright too, it would be a shame if Lucy was kept up in her room, despite the cold air.

Finally the two reached her house, Natsu glancing up at her bedroom window with curiosity settling in his mind. Her curtains were closed, that was something she never kept closed up, especially if she was awake. Though before Natsu had chance to make his way up and out the window, Happy had already pattered a knock on the front door.

It didn't take it long to swing open, and before Natsu had even moved to the door, he could already smell the air thick of eucalyptus and peppermint oils.

"Natsu…" She murmured, coming into plain view, her blonde locks messy around her face as she wore a blanket draped over her shoulders. Her nose was red and yet her face was pale; eyes brimmed with dark circles. She certainly didn't look like that yesterday.

"Lucy! You look terrible!" Happy squeaked, tumbling backwards on the front rocky floor, surprised by Lucy's condition.

"Thanks.."

She growled, her words nasally. Clearly she had picked up quite the fast working sickness.

"Sorry, I woke up late, so I didn't come down to tell you…"

"How come you didn't mention anything yesterday?"

"Ah, I didn't feel too bad yesterday." She admitted. "Besides, I wouldn't want to worry you. It's just a cold."

"You look terrible." He said immediately, his eyes kept on her uneasy face.
Though she stepped back, as if allowing them inside.

"I don't want to get you sick too."

"Nah, I'm fine."

He grinned, accepting her offer to go inside.

"I don't get sick."

"That's not what you were saying when you were puking yesterday on the train."

She laughed, sniffing as she muffled her words with a soft, white tissue.

Inside, all her curtains were shut, the room looking small as an old looking movie played on a small lacrima laptop, crowded with tissues and pillows near her small sofa. Books were sprawled around and it looked more like Natsu's home rather than 'Lucy's spotless apartment'.

"You want me to get you anything?" He asked, mindlessly scanning his eyes about.

He knew she wouldn't ask him to do any cleaning, if anything, he'd probably make it messier. But the least he could do was grab her some food or maybe help her with something.

"Ah, no. It's alright. I had some errands to run today but that's all. I can do those later."

"Errands?"

"Yes, jobs and things." She said, dumping herself on the sofa with an exasperated sigh, Happy settling beside her to curl up in the blanket as she petted him.

"Jobs?" He asked, lighting up a little. "Tell me! I can do them for ya."

"Ah, no it's fine. Really. They're not very fun."

"Aw come on! I'll do my best not to break anything, come on, what jobs? I'll do it!"

Natsu clenched his fists in the dull room, standing opposite her as she tried to relax.

"You're sure?" She replied, knowing that she'd already dug herself quite a big hole.

But Natsu wanted to help, and he wasn't just going to sit around knowing that Lucy was sick and she was probably still worrying about all these jobs she'd have to do.

He nodded, sticking his thumb up.

Couldn't be too hard after all, if they were just house duties and things, it would be super easy.

"Let's do this!"

"O-okay." She mumbled, reaching to her coffee table to shuffle through some notes.

Finally, it seemed as though she found the one she was looking for, plucking it up with her lilac tipped fingers.

"I made a list. If you don't want to do any, then just leave them."

He gave her a challenging look as he stepped forward to take the paper from her hands, he wasn't planning on missing any off.

"Right.."

His eyes grazed the paper, scanning the letters. Lucy's handwriting was always so elegant, so even with his slow reading, it was simple to get through.

'1. Pay this months rent, and also tell the land lady about the dripping in the sink.
2. Go to the dry cleaners and wash light and darks
3. Go grocery shopping (List on back)
4. Get those notes from Mirajane
5. Help Erza with her job (She asked for me!)
6. Get some medicine
7. Get something ready for Levy's on wednesday (bake something?)…'

The list began to turn into scribbles and Natsu couldn't make out much of the rest. But it looked like a simple note. This was gonna be easy.

"You can just leave it though, they're not to important."

She coughed, leaning back as she observed Natsu.

"No way! I got all this. You just rest up, and I'll do all this."

She gave him a worried look.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah! I've done stuff like this before, don't worry."

He gave her another winning smile and she finally sighed in defeat.

"Alright… Thanks Natsu."