*A/N- Hello My Dearest Love! Welcome to your super duper amazing birthday present! By now you have probably realized that this isn't technically what you asked for. You asked for a fanfic, but I wrote you a COLLECTION of them, because I'm just that nice :P. I put a lot of work into ordering and editing these so that it would be a flowing, cohesive collection. You have to take it in order, or you won't get the full effect, sorry! :D. I hope you enjoy it!

This fic was actually inspired by another that I read on tumblr, and I can't remember who posted it, or I'd credit them! Also, I'm posting this a day early without telling her so that there will be some birthday wishes in the comment section, so don't let me down! Be sure to stop by her tumblr if you like fandom/feminist/random blogs at: blankpagesemptyspace

I do not own Fairy Tail

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hey Lucy!" Natsu cried, slinging his arm around her neck, "We found a job request that you'll love! Your share could pay your rent for ages!"

"Really?" Lucy asked excitedly, snatching the request flier out of his hands. She started reading it excitedly, but as her eyes scanned the paper, she got progressively paler, until she put the flier down, looking like she was going to be sick.

"No." She said simply.

"What?" Natsu asked incredulously. "Are you crazy Lucy? Did you see the reward?"

"No. I'm not doing this job, you, Gray, and Erza will just have to do this one without me. Take Wendy. I'm not coming."

"Why not? You're always bellyaching' about not having rent money, and here's a job for you on a silver platter that will pay your rent for months!"

"I'll find another job, but I'm not doing this one."

"C'mon, Lucy," Gray said, coming up on her other side, "what's up?"

"I just don't want to do this job!" She exclaimed, throwing Natsu's arm off of her and stalked out of the door.

"Don't worry," Natsu said to him, "I'll convince her." He and Happy followed Lucy out the door. "C'mon Happy," Natsu said, "Let's beat Lucy to her place."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lucy walked in the door and screamed in indignation. Natsu was reclining on her couch like he owned the place. He waved in a very predictable amiable manner and greeted her brightly.

"Natsu, how did you get here before me?" She demanded. Natsu got to his feet and stepped right into Lucy's personal space. He slung his arm around her shoulders again, but Lucy just rolled her eyes.

"C'mon, Luce. What's up? You know your rent is due soon and you are totally broke again!" Lucy ducked out from underneath his arm and walked over to her desk. She busied herself with straightening Gonzales's clothes and arranging her hair so it no longer hung in her face. Natsu was tactful enough to give her space while she fussed with her "little sister" but as soon as she could no longer excuse fooling with her any longer, Natsu slung his arm back around her shoulder.

It took a great deal of begging, pleading, personal space invasions, and just a little bit of crying, but Lucy eventually agreed to come, very reluctantly.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The entire ride to the job, Lucy was on edge. Every time someone walked by she would cover her face or turn away. Gray and Erza asked what was wrong, but she refused to tell them. Natsu was moaning and groaning the entire way, and Lucy was tense and quiet, making for a very awkward ride for the other two.

Lucy stared out the window the entire journey, even ignoring Natsu when he rolled over to her and moaned loudly in her ear. She merely shoved him off without a word. Erza and Gray watched her, concerned, but didn't say anything. They thought it would be best to leave her to her thoughts when she was like this, and they were right. She was thinking about the job, and what would happen when she met with the client.

The client, Duke Sawarr Junelle, was a disgusting, sweaty man who made Lucy's skin crawl by just being in the same room with him. She hadn't wanted to see him again, which is why she'd initially refused to come, but she was unable to withstand Natsu's begging for very long. She'd given in, hoping that he wouldn't recognize her, but that was impossible. Maybe the wealth gap between them would scare him away?

When the train stopped and Gray dragged Natsu off, Lucy and Erza following behind, Erza leaned over to whisper in Lucy's ear.

"Are you alright? You don't have to do this job, I won't let Natsu give you hell about it if you want to turn back now." Lucy seriously considered this. It was obvious that Erza understood what was going on, even if the boys didn't. It was impossible that she would know exactly what was going through Lucy's mind, but Erza understood enough. Lucy felt a wave of gratitude wash over her, but she shook her head.

"I'll be fine," she said. I hope, she thought. "I have to face my fears sometime." Erza gave her a perplexed look, then shrugged.

"As long as you're sure," she said.

Natsu was revived soon after leaving the train, and he joked and laughed loudly the entire walk to the Duke's mansion. Natsu insisted on walking because he didn't want to ride in another vehicle, and Lucy agreed for once because she wanted to put off the inevitable of seeing him again. She needed time to mentally prepare herself. After a long walk where Lucy was, once again, almost completely silent, the familiar wrought iron gates peaked up above the tree line, and Lucy knew they were almost there. Unconsciously, she pressed closer to Natsu, who was on her right.

"What's the matter, Lucy?" He asked, for the sixteenth time that day.

"Nothing," she replied, her voice sounding far away.

She hesitated briefly before stepping over the threshold into the Duke's estate, already imagining the feeling of his eyes boring into her. She mentally shook herself, then hurried after her friends, not wanting to be separated from the group. She stuck closer than usual to Natsu, who noticed her strange behavior, and didn't say anything. He'd finally understood that there was something wrong, something that Lucy didn't want to talk about, so he let her walk pressed up against him. Not that he would have been complaining anyway. He liked being close to Lucy.

They sat down in the client's living room, all of them looking around curiously at their surroundings, except for Lucy, who seemed strangely familiar with them. She nodded at a few of the servants stationed at doors, who nodded back, looking confused, like they weren't sure how to act around her. Natsu didn't see what was so confusing. Lucy was just a person, just like they were, so why couldn't they greet her like a person? Lucy was practically sitting in his lap now, her entire right side was smushed up against him, she had even went as far as to tuck her shoulder behind his so that she was partially concealed from view.

Sensing her discomfort, Gray reached over and patted her knee. The gesture seemed to strengthen her in some way, and she scooted away from Natsu just a little so that she was more in the middle of the two of them, although her leg and arm remained pressed against his.

"Lucy Heartfilia?" Asked a voice from the doorway. Lucy jumped violently, and grabbed Natsu's hand in hers. "Is that really you?" Natsu looked over at Lucy, who had her eyes closed and seemed to be building up her resolve for something. With one final squeeze to his hand she stood and faced the client.

"Duke Junelle," she said in a proper voice. Natsu didn't like that voice, it wasn't like Lucy at all, too gentle and sweet, almost submissive, which wasn't the Lucy he knew at all. Lucy was supposed to be loud and obnoxious, not quiet and respectful. "How wonderful it is to see you." The Duke didn't seem to notice the way that the word wonderful seemed forced, like Lucy was choking on it.

"It is you!" He said, striding across the room and grasping her shoulders. She flinched ever so slightly as he bumped his sweaty upper lip against her hand. Lucy wiped her hand off on her skirt at the first opportunity. "Certainly there is no need for you to address me so."

When she sat back down between Gray and Natsu, Natsu noticed that she was trembling slightly, although she was now sitting up as straight as a board and she wasn't touching either of them.

"I must say, I didn't expect it to be you that answered my job request." The tone in his voice told her that that was exactly what he had expected. Lucy forced herself to smile and act proper, falling into her old habits without meaning to.

"I was surprised to see that you'd put in a request at a wizards guild."

"Yes well, I am transferring a rather large amount of money by carriage, and I believe that it needs more protection than what an average person can provide."

"Well then you're in luck," Lucy said proudly, "we're Fairy Tail's strongest team!" Duke Junelle looked at the rest of Lucy's team for the first time since they arrived, the disdain plain on his face.

"Yes, well," he began derisively, "I am so relieved that you are here at least. The amount being transferred is most likely more money than your friends here have seen in their entire lives. It will be some comfort to know that you are there watching it." Lucy smiled painfully, forcing her lips not to falter into the grimace they were so desperate to form.

"Your money will be in good hands," is all she said.

"Indeed," he said, "and what beautiful hands they are!" He commented, and this time Lucy was unable to hold back her cringe, as she knew where this conversation was headed. She allowed herself to sit back against the couch that both of her shoulders were brushing one of the boys'. Having this reminder that they were there with her was a comfort.

"You haven't aged one day since I last saw you! I heard some rumor about you and the rest of that guild of yours being stuck in another dimension or something like that, and I must say that I didn't believe it, although it seems like it would have to be true, looking at you now."

The desire was so evident in his beady little eyes that even Natsu saw it, and pressed a little closer to Lucy protectively. Lucy was grateful for Natsu presence, although she didn't allow herself to show weakness, men like Duke Junelle prayed on the weaknesses of women in order to get what they wanted.

"And watching you in the Grand Magic Games, what a horrible and barbaric competition. The way you were beaten and humiliated on national Lacrima Vision like that," he said, and she felt all of her friends stiffen furiously. Natsu was about ready to pounce, and was only held back by her hand on his knee.

"I'm surprised to hear that you watched the Grand Magic Games," Lucy said.

"Oh I only did because I heard your guild would be participating, and that you and your friends might be there, and I have no idea why anyone would put themselves through that. The way that you lost to that red haired one-"

"That fight was sabotaged by Raven Tail," Natsu growled, deadly quiet. He barred his fangs at Duke Junelle, who sat back quickly in his chair, startled.

"Well certainly I don't see how, there were judges there to catch that sort of thing," he said, obviously too stupid to know when to keep his mouth shut. Natsu began to speak, but Lucy held out a hand to stop him. He growled loudly and sat back in his chair, glaring daggers at the Duke.

"It doesn't matter anymore, all of that is in the past," Lucy said brightly.

"Yes but, a delicate woman like you shouldn't be putting yourself through something like that, I mean, the way that brute of a woman from that Saber Tooth beat you." Natsu growled loudly again, signaling his distaste for this topic as well. "It was embarrassing to watch."

"I don't see anything embarrassing about what happened to me in the Grand Magic Games. I fought with pride for my guild, and there is nothing embarrassing about that," Lucy said forcefully. Duke Junelle looked slightly surprised at her tone, and her sudden change in posture. In the space of a sentence she changed from the rich debutante that Duke Junelle had known, into the formidable Lucy Heartfilia, Celestial Mage of Fairy Tail.

"Well, of course, but still," Lucy leaned back and looked down her nose at the Duke. The tables had turned, she was in control of the situation now. She let the duke prattle on helplessly before gradually allowing his voice to fade away.

"I am glad that you chose to make your request with Fairy Tail," Lucy said, standing.

"Actually, I must confess that I told a small lie at the beginning of this meeting. I did, in fact put in a request at Fairy Tail with the hope that you would be the one to respond." Lucy wasn't fazed by this bit of information. She'd known it all along. What did faze her, however, was what he said next.

"I wanted to make a proposition. I would be willing to take care of you, so that you don't have to live in such, poor conditions. For certain services that is." Lucy felt like someone had poured a cold bucket of disgust over her head. Her skin crawled, and she felt her lunch creeping up her throat. "Of course, you would have to live here, and you wouldn't be able to go to parties and the like, that would just be inappropriate." Lucy took a step away from him in disgust.

"I was rather disappointed that you turned down my generous offer seven years ago, but no matter. Of course I couldn't marry you now, what with your financial status but-" Gray stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Lucy's waist protectively. Natsu was frozen to the spot by shock and rage at the Dukes proposition, and didn't realize what was happening at first.

"I'm afraid she won't be taking your offer," Gray said, resting his chin on her shoulder and looking triumphantly at the Duke. Lucy stiffened briefly in his grip, then realized what he was doing, and relaxed into him. Thank the Lord for Gray Fullbuster, she thought, doing her best to arrange her features in a smug expression.

"You see, Lucy's engaged to me, just like she was seven years ago when she turned you down." The Duke's face slackened in shock, and so did Natsu's, but Erza, who caught on almost as quickly as Lucy had, clamped down a hand on Natsu's shoulder to keep him silent.

Lucy leaned her cheek against Gray's and smiled in conformation at the Duke, who spluttered in rage and indignation.

"Well, I must say, I thought that you had higher standards than this, streaker, Lucy," Junelle said. Gray had come in fully clothed, but had somehow managed to lose his shirt on the way between sitting on the couch and wrapping his arms around her. Lucy stooped to pick it up, folding it lovingly and tucking it under her arms.

"Gray is so kind," she said, mocking the voices of the other girls she had known growing up, who were always fawning over one boy or another. "And he's the most powerful wizard I know. Not to mention how attractive he is," She felt her face heat up as she said it, and she could see Gray turning pink as well. She had only added that last bit to hurt the Duke's pride, and didn't regret it, even though it made her sound really shallow.

"Well," Erza said, practically dragging Natsu across the room, "I think we'd better get going." The Duke didn't say another word as they left, he merely stood, in shock, and watched them leave.

"I think we'd better keep pretending until we get out of sight of the manor," Lucy whispered to Gray as they walked down the hall. She was trembling slightly now again. That man was so disgusting and terrifying. "Thank you so much."

"No problem. I wanted to hurt that guys pride just as badly as you did. No one talks to my friends like that and gets away with it." Lucy smiled at him brightly, and then glanced over at Natsu, who was being dragged by Erza.

She had her hand over his mouth that way he wouldn't spoil the whole thing. The poor boy didn't seem to understand that they had been lying, and he was shouting something through Erza's hand, but it was muffled so they couldn't understand what he was saying.

"And seeing Natsu freak out like this was a bonus," Gray said, and Lucy rolled her eyes playfully.

The servants gave them odd looks as they made their way through the hall. They made an odd procession, but Lucy didn't mind. She was still a little shaken up from what had happened with Junelle, but she also felt amazing about the look on his face when Gray announced that they were engaged. They got out of the doors and out of sight of the gate before Erza let Natsu go, and he immediately rounded on Lucy and Gray, who had separated, and were fist bumping to a job well done.

"YOU GUYS ARE ENGAGED?" He cried. Gray and Erza burst out laughing, and Lucy couldn't help but laugh along with them. "YOU NEVER TOLD ME! WHAT'S SO FUNNY? YOU THINK IT'S FUNNY TO KEEP SUCH BUG SECRETS FROM YOUR FRIENDS?"

"No, Natsu," Lucy laughed, " we're not really engaged, Gray just said that to get that disgusting pig off my case."

"What?" He asked, looking confused, "Why would he say that if it's not really true?"

"Because that guy was trying to convince Lucy to be his- ugh it pisses me off to even think about it. I couldn't just let him talk to her like that, and it was the first thing that I thought of."

"Why didn't you just help me beat him up? I would have if Erza wouldn't have grabbed me!"

"Because if anybody deserves to beat up that pig, it's Lucy." Gray said, Lucy laughed.

"Thanks Gray, but I think I'll pass. I can't even stand to be in the same room with him."

"That's understandable," Erza said, shuddering. She was probably thinking about Ichiya when she said it. Suddenly, Lucy had a thought, and she shuddered.

"No one tells Juvia about this. She would kill me." Erza and Natsu laughed, while Gray and Lucy shivered picturing the wrath of Juvia.

"Agreed." Gray said. "But Lucy, why didn't you ever tell us that he wanted you to marry him?"

"We all have skeletons in our closet that we'd rather not talk about, mine just happen to be hidden behind ball gowns. That's a part of my old life, it doesn't matter anymore."

"YOU MEAN YOU WERE ENGAGED TO THAT GUY TOO AND YOU NEVER TOLD ME ABOUT THAT EITHER?" Natsu cried. Lucy shook her head exasperatedly.

"I was never engaged to Gray, remember? And I wasn't really engaged to Duke Junelle, either." Lucy paused, she'd never told anyone about this before, "My father arranged our marriage after I ran away. That's why he sent Phantom Lord after me."

"What a jerk!" Natsu said. Erza punched him in the shoulder, and he winced.

"What the hell was that for?"

"For being tactless! Lucy obviously doesn't want to hear people speak ill of her father, despite their rocky relationship."

"No, it's okay Erza. Everyone suffered at my father's hand, so I have no right to tell them they can't say bad things about him, after what he did." Erza didn't respond to that, she couldn't deny what Lucy was saying, it would be disrespectful and untrue, but she also couldn't confirm it with being rude, so she said nothing.

Natsu seemed a little off for the rest of the mission. He wasn't exactly grumpy, but he wasn't his usual self either. Lucy wondered if he might still be a little upset with her about the whole deal with Junelle. She supposed that she should have told him something as important as her father trying to marry her off, but she had already caused enough trouble to the guild, she hadn't wanted to cause Natsu even more distress.

They ran into Duke Junelle again at the bank where the funds were being transferred. Apparently he hadn't wanted to risk being attacked with his money, so he left the protection of it to them. Typical, Lucy thought, just like him to be such a coward. Gray pretended to be her fiancé again, and Natsu left the bank seeming even more peeved than before. Perhaps seeing the Duke just reminded him that he was upset? He wasn't acting mad, and he didn't say anything, but there was just something off. Lucy resolved to apologize to him once they got back home.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hey, Natsu, want to come over to my place?" She asked once he'd been dragged off the train. He perked up immediately.

"Sure, let's go!" He cried, tearing off in the direction of Lucy's house.

"Wow," Lucy commented, "he sure cheered up fast." She followed him at a walk, working out what she was going to say to him once she arrived home. Obviously she would apologize, but how would she do it? It really hadn't been any of Natsu's business that her father had wanted her to marry Duke Junelle, but he was her best friend. She probably should have said something. She would apologize for hurting his feelings, Natsu didn't hold grudges, he would be satisfied with that.

She didn't comment when she walked in to see him reclining comfortably on her couch. She rolled her suitcase next to her dresser to unpack later, and sat down on the couch next to him.

"Natsu," she said, "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings by not telling you that my father wanted me to marry the Duke. I should have told you."

"What are you talking about, Luce?" He asked, giving her a curious look. Lucy returned his look, disarmed.

"Oh, you mean you're not mad?" Natsu shook his head, "Then why have you been acting so weird since we met with Junelle?" Natsu turned away slightly in a gesture Lucy didn't see very often, one that meant that he was hiding something. "What is it?" She prompted.

"I'm not mad." He said,

"Then what's wrong?" Lucy asked, leaning closer to him so she could see his face better. Natsu turned his face back toward her so that they were inches apart. He gazed at her for a moment before responding.

"I didn't like seeing you and Gray like that, together." Lucy's breath caught in her throat, and she felt her heart speed up.

"He liikes you!" Happy chimed in.

"Shut up, Happy," Natsu murmured, then leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. He let his lips linger on hers for a moment before pulling away, his heart pounding. He hadn't expected it to be that hard to pull himself away from her, and he hadn't expected his heart to go insane like it was now.

Lucy was trying very hard to form words, to no avail. Natsu had managed to strike her dumb. She was completely unable to speak, and she had forgotten to breathe. She had been shocked into silence, and even as she was trying to come up with something witty or even any response at all. All she managed to come up with was, "Oh." Natsu chuckled quietly at that, reaching up and tucking a strand of Lucy's hair behind her ear.

"What's so funny?" She asked, managing little of her usual tone.

"You," he said, "'Oh,' what kind of response was that?" He was teasing her now, and it infuriated her. She tried to come up with something good to get him back, and could only think of one thing.

She leaned forward and kissed Natsu hard on the mouth, pressing her chest against his and tangling her hands in his hair. He responded eagerly, kissing her back, and wrapping his arms around her. Lucy kissed him passionately for a few minutes, then pulled away from him, smiling smugly as he said dumbly, "oh."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

*A/N- Remember that time that I texted you about writing a NaLu kiss scene and how I'd probably cry or punch a person if they just randomly kissed me like that? Sure you do it was only a few weeks before today (your birthday!) Yes, you got it, that was when I was writing this scene. Happy Birthday my love! I love you!