Parties and Surprises

"Natsu," Happy complained as he floated along above the man's head. "Are you sure that we can't buy anything for ourselves?"

"Very," the pink haired man replied, continuing his leisurely stroll through Magnolia. "We don't have enough jewels to waste on something for the two of us, Hap."

It wasn't fair. Not to the Exceed, at least. They finally had a day completely to themselves, perfect fishing weather, mind you, and they were going to spend it looking for a gift for Lucy. Why? No reason. Just because Natsu woke up that morning, complained a bit about being hungry, before announcing that that was their plan for the day. Find Lucy a gift.

Which, usually, Happy would be all for. Really, he would. He liked Lucy. A lot. More than he'd ever admit to her face, granted death wasn't being dangled in front of them, but all in all, Lucy was pretty great.

It was not a usual day, however. The previous night, he and Natsu had both planned on spending the day doing fun things. They weren't going out on a job, so that left endless possibilities. Namely, and he would state it again, fishing. Happy really, really just wanted to go finishing. But did Natsu? No. Why? Who knew? Not even the man himself did! He just decided that it wasn't a please Happy day. Nope. It was a give Lucy gift for no reason day.

Heh.

"Then can't we just do something else?" Happy wasn't giving up yet on them finding some other activity to fill their day. Surely there was something that would be more attractive to Natsu than wasting time finding a gift for a woman who clearly was into him either way.

It was crazy. Happy could shower Carla in presents, but did she care? Nope. He would give his last fish for her (okay, maybe just second to last) to no avail. Natsu though would just flash Lucy a smile and no matter what she could have been upset about before or whatever stupid thing he'd done (he did them frequently), it'd all be better. Just like that. It was always just so great for Natsu and Lucy. They were just so perfect together.

Which Happy was glad for. Honest.

But why the heck did they have to waste time buying her a gift then? Huh? If she would love the guy anyways?

It was almost romantic. Almost. If it wasn't Natsu doing it, it probably would have been. Enough to make Happy swoon, more than likely. A guy just bring home a spontaneous present to his unsuspecting girlfriend? And them being two people that Happy liked together very much? It would be awesome. Gossip worthy.

But Natsu doing it? That basically spelled failure. He'd probably show up with some half thought out gift that Lucy really didn't like, but would have to fake like she did, as to not hurt the feeling of the man that, honestly, more than likely would be over the whole thing by then anyways.

"Nope," Natsu told him with a shake of his head. "Sorry, little buddy, but we gotta find Luce a present."

"But why?"

"Because I wanna," he reasoned. "And she'll like it. So why not?"

"Because," Happy groaned. "Today is not a day that should be spent doing something like this. Not when there's so many other great things to do."

"And we can do those things, Hap. That's the thing," Natsu told him. "We'll get to whatever it is that you wanna do after we get Luce her gift. Now," he said as he clapped his hands together, "let's get to huntin', huh? I want the best gift ever. Lucy deserves it."

"Why does she deserve it again?" Happy asked. "I mean, sure, she deserves something. Like a fish. That we caught. But the best gift ever? What has she done to qualify for such an honor?"

"Uh, gee, Hap, for one, she's a part of the greatest team to ever exist."

"Right, but so are we and I don't see you presenting me with-"

"And," Natsu went on, "she loves me. That's a big plus."

"For you, maybe, but I don't think anyone else other than Mira would be interested in that. "And him, usually, but again, it was not the time to waste on his love of the celestial mage. It should be fishing time!

"Well, err, she's pretty great at magic."

"What sorta reasoning is that?"

"A great one," he said. "And Lucy, like, puts up with all of our shenanigans constantly."

"What shenanigans?"

"Uh, well, I'm not sure, but she sure thinks she does."

"All we do is have fun. It's her fault that she doesn't always find the same things we do enjoyable."

"Still though," Natsu said with a shake of his head. "We do a lot of annoying things."

"Like what?"

Hmmm.

"Well, I dunno, Hap. But she sure says it enough." Natsu took a big look around then. "There's bound to be somethin' she'd want somewhere around here. Don't you think?"

"I dunno," the Exceed sighed. "But I hope we find whatever it is soon."

"Shouldn't be that hard," the slayer reasoned. "Lucy's not that hard to shop for, huh?"

One wouldn't think. As Happy flew along, they made a short list of her likes. Keys. Clothes. Food. Them. Fairy Tail. A nice little list there, they thought.

So, first, they went with the easy one. They bought her a cake. Food. Happy was glad that they'd gotten the whole thing solved so quickly and, well, Natsu was just really excited that it hadn't cost him all his jewels.

"That's right," Happy agreed on the way to Lucy's apartment. "And we still have plenty of time to go fishing."

"Maybe."

"Maybe?" The Exceed frowned at that. "What do you mean, Natsu? You said that if we bought Lucy something real quick-"

"Well, we still gotta give it to her, little buddy," the man reminded. "So-"

"So? That shouldn't take that long. She can even come, if she wants," he went on. "To fish. But we can't spend all day watching her eat a cake, can we?"

"Maybe."

"Natsu."

"What?" He snickered. "I think Luce looks pretty great eating cake."

"That's a weird thing to get off on," Happy grumbled. "And we get to eat some of the cake too, huh? Right, Natsu?"

He looked down at the box they'd gotten from the bakery before shrugging. "If she says we can."

"Well, of course she will! Why wouldn't she?"

"It's her cake though, Hap."

"Well…fine! You go give her the cake and I'll go fishing," the Exceed reasoned then. "I bet Lisanna or Wendy and Carla would go with me."

"No," Natsu told him with a shake of his head. "You're gonna go with me to Lucy's apartment and we're going to-"

"No, I'm not! I want to go fishing." Happy stopped flying forwards then as Natsu came to a stop too, the two best friends glaring at one another. "Why do I gotta go with you anyhow? To watch you and Lucy kiss and stuff?"

"We don't kiss that much."

"You do too! And you guys ignore me."

"She always summons Plue for you to hang out with though. You like Plue!"

"Well, yeah, but not as much as I liking hanging out with you! And Lucy! Before you guys got all weird and-"

"You're the one that got excited when we first started dating."

"That was before."

"Before what?"

"Before you started only caring about being with her and not me!"

"I spend every day with you."

"But…I wanted to go fishing today!"

Natsu just stared at him then with a frown. "You can't today, Happy. Why won't you just come with me to Lucy's and then-"

"Because we always go to Lucy's and-"

"We do not."

"Do too."

"Happy-"

"Why do you want me there if you're only going to spend time with Lucy when we get there? Huh? Why-"

"Just do it."

"No."

"Happy," he growled then. "Would you just come on?"

"I don't want to."

"Well, you're gonna have to! Or else Lisanna will say that I forgot and Luce will ridicule me and-"

"Wait, what?" Happy, who'd landed on the ground just so the could cross his arms and look defiant, stared at the slayer with a frown then. "What are you talking about? Forget what? I thought that we were going to just getting Lucy a gift for no reason?"

Natsu sighed then, looking off. "Don't tell them that I told you, alright?"

"Tell me what?"

"We're having a surprise party for you, Hap," he told the Exceed.

"What? For what?"

"For, you know, your birthday."

"It's my birthday?"

"See! You forget things too." Natsu glanced back at him then. "I was supposed to get the cake and you there on time. And I was going to, but then you-"

"Who decided to throw me a-"

"Lucy, I think. I dunno. One of the girls did," he said with a shrug. "But she's gonna be there and me and Wendy and Lisanna and Pantherlily. Gray, that bastard, and Erza too. Maybe even Carla if she actually-"

"Carla's gonna be there?"

"Well, I mean, maybe, but-"

The Exceed fist pumped, even jumping slightly. "Come on, Natsu! We got a party to get so."

"Sure," the slayer grumbled as the cat took off. "Since, apparently, you can go to Lucy's when you're the one getting something."

Oh could he. A surprise party? For him? Just for him? That was so cool! And for Lucy to think of it.

When they got to the apartment, Happy was so excited that he almost forgot to fly Natsu up. But, true to form, they burst through Lucy's bedroom window as a team, tumbling in and almost dropping the cake.

"Carla! Surprise!"

"Hap," Natsu complained as he looked around. "They're the ones that are supposed to say that to you. I think."

"What," they heard from the darkened room. It was coming from Lucy, who was over at her desk, writing. She finished, "Are you two doing?"

"Lucy!" Happy made a beeline for her almost immediately. "Thank you for my party! I'm so excited! But, uh, where is everyone?"

"Part- Natsu," she complained as he came over with a grin. After setting the cake box down on her desk, right on top of whatever paper's she'd been writing, he moved to kiss her. Lucy just batted at him though. "You told him about the party?"

"Things happened. But look! I got him here and- Hey. Where is everyone?" He snickered as he gave up trying to kiss her. "I can't believe it! Everyone else forgot."

"They forgot me?" Happy's ears fell as he looked around. "Even Carla?"

"This is rich." Natsu didn't realize just how bad his little buddy was feeling right then. "I remembered, but they all-"

"Natsu, you big dope!" Lucy shoved at him again. "The party isn't until tomorrow!"

That put an end to the laughter. Then, with a frown, Natsu took to scratching at his head.

"Tomorrow, you say?"

"Yes!"

"And not today?"

"Obviously."

"Huh." More scratching. Then a shrug. "Well, little buddy, you still wanna go fishing or-"

"So everyone didn't forget me?" Happy asked. "Lucy?"

"Of course not." She smiled down at him, though her eyes still showed her annoyance with her boyfriend. "They'll all be here tomorrow. Of course, now that you know about it, I guess there's no reason to have it here. We can just have it up at the guild-"

"Yeah, you're place isn't really big enough to encase the greatness of my birthday."

"Happy."

With a snicker, he launched himself in the air, letting her catch him. "Thank you, Lucy!"

"Of course," she giggled as Natsu, bored now, just went to flip the cake box open and take a piece out. By which he totally was going to just dig into it with his hands, no regards given. "You know that I- Natsu!"

"Wha'?" he asked, mouth full.

"We could have still used that cake tomorrow, you idiot!"

He shrugged before swallowing. "You can just buy him another."

"No, you can."

"Mira can make him one then."

"That you're going to pay for."

"I don't get how you've decided I'm at fault for this-"

"You're the one that just ate the cake!"

Happy only snuggled closer to Lucy, making her glance down at him. When he had her attention again, he said, "And if we have it at the guild, there's no way that Carla won't come. Right?"

"Is that all you care about?" she complained as he only wiggled his way free before going to land on the desk and dig into the cake himself. "And you guys are making a mess."

"Here, Luce." Natsu broke a chunk off before moving to shove it in her mouth. "For you!"

"Natsu, knock it off."

With a snicker of his own then, Happy just sat down on the desk to munch on some cake. A surprise party, huh? Just for him?

"Hey, Lucy?"

"What?" she complained from the ground where Natsu had tackled her in his attempt to force feed her the dessert. "Happy? And Natsu, knock it off!"

"Just eat it!"

"Can I have my present?" he asked. "Or did you not get me one?"

"Of course I did," she complained. "But you're gonna wait until tomorrow to-"

"Is it somewhere around here?" That got the Exceed back to his feet. "Natsu! Abort mission! I got a better one for us!"

Considering the amount of joy the Dragon Slayer was getting at that moment bothering his girlfriend, he had his doubts.

"We gotta ransack the place to find my present!"

"What?" Lucy finally did shove Natsu off then. "Happy, no!"

"Yes!" He dove from the desk and to the air. "Is it in the fridge? Is it a fish? I bet it's fish."

"It's not fish," she complained as Natsu was undeterred and, after taking to just eating the piece in his hand, got up to go get more to try and force upon her. "And stay out of my stuff."

Yeah, like he was going to follow an order from her. Although, Happy decided as Lucy got preoccupied once more in fending Natsu off, maybe he wouldn't wreck the place too bad. Maybe. She had planned him a surprise party, after all.