Mira bustled around the bar, getting the food and alcohol ready for the day. It looked like her normal start to the day, and the early birds of the guild didn't see anything wrong.
However, anyone who looked closely would have seen the large frown and deep creases on her face, and saw how her eyes flashed angrily whenever certain people walked in.
Mira was annoyed. Extremely annoyed. For so long, she had been providing free relationship help and love advice to all, and giving her shoulder for everybody to cry on, and yet, not a single couple had blossomed in Fairy Tail.
Everyday, she worked and served people, and talked to them about their life, usually ending up at dating and crushes at some point. From some, she got a couple confessions ("Juvia loves Gray-sama!") while others, she had just given up on after a while, ("Love? Who needs love when you can fight?") but that wasn't the point; she had been acting as Fairy Tail's self-proclaimed therapist, and nothing was coming from her efforts.
She was irritated. She was mad. But, more than anything, Mira wanted things to work out.
So, she decided, that she'd need to take a moreā¦direct approach.
The next morning, many people were met with a nasty surprise.
Lucy and Natsu shoved open the doors of the guild and walked in together, quarreling as usual, ("Natsu, why did you go through my lingerie!?" "Linguini?") to see a huge crowd of people around a pillar.
"Is Erza fighting the pillar again?" Lucy wondered aloud, pushing through the people to see what exactly they were looking at. Meanwhile, Natsu was throwing fire punches left and right, clearing out people so he could get through.
Lucy finally stumbled through, and saw messy scrawl on a small slip of paper tacked up to the pillar.
She glanced at the title. Top Ten Couples of Fairy Tail. What? Her eyes began to wander from the bottom of the list (where it said "GET TOGETHER ALREADY YOU ASSES!" in big huge letters along with saying "From a Friend") and up, searching for answers.
10. Fried and Laxus
"WHO THE HELL DID THIS? I AM GOING TO FUCKING KILL THIS FUCKING PERSON AND FUCKING ELECTROCUTE THEM! THEY ARE IMPLYING THAT I'M FUCKING GAY!" Laxus roared, his body cackling with lightning. "AND WHY THE HELL WITH FRIED?"
In quite a contrast to his partner, Fried just sighed dejectedly. Glancing at Mirajane, he sighed, his eyes lingering on her. I guess it's not meant to be.
9. Macao and Cana
Macao choked on his drink, while Cana almost dropped her barrel. (And what a catastrophe that would have been.)
"M-Me a-and h-her?" Macao sputtered out, while Wakaba slapped him on the back. "No way! She's just my drinking buddy."
Wakaba shoved Macao slightly. "At least you have a girl. This mysterious person didn't bother to pair me up with anyone."
"Me and that lightweight? Please," Cana remarked, taking a long swig from her drink. "He's not even remotely cute."
"Excuse me?" Macao retorted. "You insulting my looks? And even worse, my drinking?"
"Hell yeah I am."
"Oh, it's on." Macao grabbed his mug. "Try me."
8. Loke And Aries
Lucy's eyes widened in disbelief. Loke and Aries? They were her celestial spirits, for crying out loud! Clearly, this anonymous person had not left anybody unscathed.
Though, she had to admit, they would be a really cute couple. And, they were already really good friends...not to mention, Loke had stood up for Aries a number of times before.
Lucy smiled softly. She wondered how the two would react when they saw this.
7. Romeo and Wendy
"Eh?" Romeo drawled out, staring up at the list above him.
Wendy...Wendy...Try as he might, Romeo simply could not remember who Wendy was.
Meanwhile, Wendy was hovering above everybody (via. Carla) to see the list. ("Oh, if only I wasn't so short!)
"Me and...Romeo?" Wendy mumbled, blood rushing to her cheeks. "I-I, w-well, I've never really thought of love yet, but..." Wendy fumbled over her words, struggling to to put what she wanted to say into words.
Carla attempted to comfort her, but then gasped and almost dropped her at what she read next.
"Carla!" Wendy exclaimed, hanging onto the edge of her white tail with both hands. "Why did you do that?"
Carla just shuddered.
6. Happy and Carla
Happy dropped his fish in excitement. "It's fate! It's destiny! Me and Carla together...forever!" He twirled around and up into the air in a happy, oblivious bubble, instantly popped by Carla.
"Male Cat!" Happy's warm and fuzzy mind dimly registered Carla behind him, sharply calling him what she used to when she didn't like him that much...huh?
Carla hit Happy on the head hard. "Ow! What was that for? Happy moaned, catching himself in midair.
"Don't you think for even one second," Carla seethed, "that we are a couple. We're not, and we will never be. The most you'll ever be to me is a friend."
"Well most of the time, he's even less than that," she mumbled, flying away with Wendy in tow.
Happy stared at her receding back through his slightly bleary eyes. (He was not crying! He just got some...dust in his eyes.)
Somehow, her words had hurt more than her slap.
5. Elfman and Evergreen
"Me and that buffoon?! Oh, come on! It was just a tactic to win against Mirajane, nothing more than that!" Evergreen loudly proclaimed.
"EVERGREEN IS NOT MANLY!" Elfman bellowed, pounding a fist into a nearby table and shattering it.
"I'm a girl, you moron!" Evergreen snapped.
Elfman then proceeded to thump around the guild, yelling "manly" nonsense and breaking numerous pieces of furniture. Evergreen's eyes softened infinitesimally before hardening again.
4. Gajeel and Levy
"Shorty here? No way." Gajeel snorted. "I wouldn't even be able to fit my-"
Levy screeched at that exact moment, censoring him off and flushing a bright red. "This is not happening to me!"
"Damn straight it isn't. You think I would waste my time with you?" Gajeel said. Levy glanced up at him (How was he so tall?) before letting her eyes fall to the floor to stare at her shoes.
He probably likes them tall, busty, sexy, big...Levy decided, involuntarily looking at Lucy. Why would he ever like the tiny, petite Levy?
She chuckled under her breath. It was silly for her to ever hope from the beginning. She and Gajeel...would never happen.
Ever.
3. Jellal and Erza
Erza glared at that particular line, a dark and murderous aura emitting from her. Guild members stepped back (thirty foot radius) as she unsheathed her sword.
"Who. Did. This?" Erza stepped forward. "Who had the nerve...to try to toy with me like this?"
"Well it won't work!" Erza stabbed the pillar slightly below the list, the frail piece of paper fluttering. "I do not love Jellal! We are just friends!"
"Not to mention he isn't even in the guild...what kind of dumbass came up with that?" Erza said, stepping back and putting her sword back. "I don't even know where Jellal is, since he escaped..." Erza stood there for a few more seconds in a stony silence, her shoulders hunched over and her back towards everybody.
Jellal...where are you? Erza shook the thought off, turning around.
"I need cake." She stormed off to the bar, where Mirajane had already placed a slice of strawberry cake.
2. Gray and Juvia
"Oh crap." Those were the last words Gray uttered before getting mauled by a rabid Juvia.
"Gray-sama Juvia loves you so much and Juvia knew this day would come when you would love Juvia back and Juvia wants a wedding in the rain with a blue dress-" Gray tried to shake her off frantically, but to no avail. She clung onto him tightly, hugging him from behind and her fingers brushing his toned chest. (Gray had obviously stripped again.)
Gray shivered. I'm an Ice mage. Why the hell did I just shiver?
Gray was suddenly scared.
Very scared.
Lucy sighed in relief. On a list of ten couples, she wasn't in nine of them, and there was seriously no chance of her being in the top one, so why worry anymore?
She literally had a heart attack when she read the number one couple in Fairy Tail.
1. Natsu and Lucy
In those three simple words, her world changed.
Me and...NATSU? I don't like Natsu! He's just nakama, my best friend! Well, he does occasionally sleep in my bed...no! Bad Lucy!
"Lucy...what the hell are you doing?" Natsu asked, and Lucy found that she was actually slapping herself.
"Nothing," she replied sourly. Her cheeks felt hot all of a sudden, and for some reason, her eyes refused to look at Natsu.
"Lucy, what's wrong?" Natsu asked. Lucy's shoulders tensed. How could he not know what's wrong? Can he even read?
Lucy whirled around to give him a piece of her mind, but her voice stopped working, and she found herself oddly staring at his abs, which were exactly the same as before, except...better. She didn't know how, but they just were.
Lucy stuttered, biting her lip. I don't like Natsu. He's only my best friend, nothing more-
"N-Natsu," Lucy said, her voice coming out like a whisper. What the hell is wrong with me?
"Huh? What was that?"
"Natsu," Lucy said a little louder. Natsu turned to her expectantly. Lucy looked up into his onyx eyes. When was he ever so...tall? And...somewhat good looking?
(Lucy choked on her own thoughts, if that was even possible.)
"Natsu, the um...list over there...you know, it says that we...we..." Though it was a valiant attempt, Lucy still wasn't able to talk right.
"Oh, that?" Natsu laughed and Lucy pouted. "Don't tell me you actually took that seriously?!"
Lucy faltered slightly. Oh. Right. Of course, why should I take that seriously? Natsu is my best friend. This is just some stupid prank, it doesn't matter.
"Of course not!" Lucy exclaimed, grinning widely. "It's just a sick joke."
Natsu laughed and went to pick up a mission after Lucy had to remind him that her rent was almost due. When she couldn't see him anymore, she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.
She smiled at herself. I don't like Natsu. Who am I kidding? He's just my best friend and my teammate.
Putting the whole incident in the back of her mind, she walked away from the pillar, away from the chaos, away from those three words that turned her life upside down.
Natsu and Lucy.
Mirajane bent over to grab some more drinks. As she did, she grinned.
Her plan was working perfectly. The reactions were exactly as she planned, and she could already see the wheels setting into motion.
Yes, Fairy Tail would have ten new couples soon. Mirajane chuckled discreetly while handing out the booze.
Oh yeah, I'm good.
