"GOOOOOOD MORNING SLEEPYHEAD!"

I was awoken to the screeching of none other than my best friend Natsu. His face was right next to mine and he had his signature cheesy smile. I was normally the one waking him up. He could sleep all day if he had the chance. Groggily I rubbed my eyes and looked at the clock.

"Wha-?"

"Lucy, come on! Get out of bed!"

"What the hell? Usually I'm the one who has to drag your lazy ass out of bed. Just go home and let me sleep would you?"

"But you promised to make me breakfast since I don't have any food at home," he said, looking at me with puppy dog eyes.

Figures, he would get up early just so he can eat. Ugh, what a pest he can be.

"When did I ever agree to that? As I recall, I'm always asking you to get out of my house."

"Last night, remember?"

"No."

"You said you'd make breakfast in the morning if I got out of your bed. So I slept on the couch last night," his expression suddenly turned sour, "It's not nearly as comfy as your bed by the way."

"What the fuck, Natsu? I never said that!"

"Wow, you must've been really tired last night then."

"Yeah, cuz I never get to sleep comfortably anymore. You're always sleeping in my bed so I have to sleep on the couch or deal with your constant tossing and turning! Can I please just have another hour of sleep?!"

Natsu looked defeated and sighed, "Fine, I can wait then."

"I'M NOT MAKING YOU BREAKFAST!" I screamed before he shut the door.

I sighed and rolled over, putting the covers over my head. I tried in vain to go back to sleep, but I was already too alert to return to dreamland.

"Thanks a lot, Natsu," I mumbled, dragging myself out of bed.

Might as well get ready for the day though. I grabbed some clothes and my shower supplies and headed to the bathroom. I let the water run for a bit before stepping in. The water was warm and comforting. It reminded me of home- or rather, before mom died.

Weird, I haven't really thought much of home since running away and coming to Fairy Tail.

I suddenly opened my eyes and turned off the water. Enough thinking time, I needed to focus on the present. If I let my mind wander to life before mom died I'd start crying and worry Natsu. I do miss home sometimes and the most stupid things remind me of my life before coming to the guild. But I didn't miss the home I'd lived in for the past six years, I missed the home I lived before that. The home where dad wasn't consumed by work and forgot my birthday or my existence for that matter, the home where mom made chocolate chips cookies for me when I had a bad day, the home where we talked and laughed together, the home where there was happiness and love. Ever since mom's death, dad became bitter and locked himself away. He didn't care that I was hurting too. He needed to be there for me, but he only thought of his pain and his loss, which made him focus his energy on distractions like money and power.

"I will never be like him!"

There was a knock on the door.

"Be like who?"

"GAH! NATSU!"

"Who won't you be like?" He said through the door.

"Nothing, it's nothing. Can you please go in the other room?"

"Aw okay, don't tell your friend. It's okay, I understand."

"Oh give me a break, Natsu! I was just thinking of… dialogue! I was thinking of some dialogue for my novel. Now, will you please go in the other room and give me ten minutes of privacy?"

"Fine," he said dejectedly as I heard him shuffle away.

I sighed for what must've been the tenth time that morning. It's a good thing I'm a quick thinker, because there was no way I wanted to tell Natsu about my past, at least not right now. We may be best friends but I just didn't have the heart to tell him about it. I knew if I told him, he would go looking for my dad and set him straight, which was the exact opposite of what I wanted. I just wanted distance between me and my dad. I was not that sad, lonely child anymore and I could fend for myself. I didn't need to prove anything to my dad. If he thinks his money is all he needs to be happy, then so be it. At least I know the truth. I know that nothing has ever made me happier than love, laughter, friendship, and happiness. He can keep his filthy money, I just need my guildmates. I just need the support they give me. I know that as long as I am member of Fairy Tail, I will always have a place to come home to, even if home is less of a place and more of an idea. I have people who will always have my back and care for me, and I for them. I will never value anything above my friends, no matter what trials I face or what happens along the way! I'm nothing like my father!

I looked at myself in the mirror, tears had my eyes without me noticing. I wiped them away and stared at the girl in the reflection. She was a whole lot stronger than the girl who accepted she wasn't worth anyone's time. I've grown so much in a short time and I have the Fairy Tail members to thank for that.

I finished getting ready and stepped out of the bathroom. As expected, Natsu was sitting on my bed waiting for me.

"I thought I told you to go in the other room."

"And I thought you promised to make me breakfast this morning."

"Ugh! Is food seriously the only thing in that head of yours?"

"Don't forget sleeping and fighting."

"Oh right. How could I forget?"

"Let's do something today, Lucy!"

"I thought you wanted your breakfast," I grumbled.

"I already ate, but it wouldn't hurt to have a second breakfast," he laughed, flashing me his signature smile.

"DID YOU RAID MY CUPBOARDS AND LEAVE A HUGE MESS FOR ME TO CLEAN BECAUSE I SWEAR NATSU I WILL END YOU!" I yelled, running toward the kitchen.

Low and behold, the kitchen was trashed. I heard footsteps behind me.

"Erm sorry, Luce."

I sighed, "It's fine, just help me clean it, would you?"

"Alright, and then we'll do something fun today!"

"Sure, Natsu."

As much as he frustrated me, I could never be mad at him for long because I knew he cared about me and everyone else. He was the one who brought me to Fairy Tail in the first place, without him, I may still be the same Lucy who kept to herself and cried alone in her room.

"Whatcha wanna do, Luce?" Natsu asked pulling me out of my head.

"How about we go to breakfast? My treat," I said smiling.

"Oh boy! I'm all fired up now!" He started dancing in place.

"You gotta help me finish cleaning first!"

"Gah," he groaned, stopping his dance.

"The faster you clean, the faster you can eat."

He started picking up plates and putting them away at lightning speed. There isn't much in this world that makes him happier than food.

When we finished cleaning, I grabbed my keys and money off the desk.

"Ready?" I called.

"You bet!"

I laughed and closed the door to my apartment. We walked in silence for the most part but when we were about halfway there, Natsu spoke and made me lose my train of thought.

"You know, it's kinda like a date," he laughed.

I'm not sure why but his words made me feel weird. My heart started beating faster and I felt a blush creeping up the back of my neck and my face.

"Wha- what?" I said.

He laughed again, "Ya know like what two people do together when they really like each other."

"I know what a date is, Natsu. Why did you say it's like a date?"

He looked confused by my outburst, "Just because we're two people spending time together and we like each other's company."

"Right but we're just friends, Natsu."

If I didn't know better, I'd say he looked disappointed and slightly flushed. "I know that," he said looking at the ground.

"As long as we're on the same page."

My heart was starting to beat normally again. That was really weird. Why did I react like that? More importantly, why did he say that in the first place? Hmm, interesting. Did I like Natsu? Did he like me? I've only seen us as close friends and thought nothing more of it before but that doesn't stop our friends from joking about us. Until today I'd never second guessed my feelings for Natsu though. I tried to put it out of my mind and focus on the present. We arrived at the restaurant shortly after our conversation. Once we were seated and looking at the menu, I looked up and noticed Natsu looking at me already.

"What are you looking at?"

"You," he smiled. "Ready to order?"

"Um yeah. Wanna call the waiter over?"

"Sure thing," he got the attention of the waiter who took our order and walked away.

I felt kind of awkward being alone with Natsu because of the conversation we had but I tried to carry on as I normally would have.

"So, have you checked the board in a while for a job? I really need to make rent soon and I'm short by a couple thousand."

"There's this really cool job in the next town over! It's an easy one so it's not worth that much but it should cover your rent for this month."

"Natsu, we don't have to take a job that won't pay enough for us to share! I don't wanna short you out and take advantage of your work!"

"It's okay Lucy! You practically let me live there, if you were to lose your house, I'd lose mine in a sense."

"I hate to break it to you but I don't exactly let you stay there, you just kinda waltz in and steal my food and sleep on my bed," I grumbled.

He shrugged, "Fair enough, but still, I don't want you to lose your house so I'll just take what you don't need. You're not taking advantage of my work, we're friends Lucy. You'd do the same for me."

"I just don't want you to feel like you're doing all this hard work for nothing."

"It's not for nothing, Luce. I lo-," he stopped himself.

I looked at him and furrowed my brows. "You what?"

"I love being able to spend time at your house and if you lose it, I won't be able to do that."

"Oh," I said, fairy confident that wasn't what he was originally going to say. But just as I was about to continue, our meal arrived and Natsu became fixated on all the food.

I stared at Natsu as he ate he messily ate his food. I looked back down at my food and started eating so I wouldn't get caught staring. Not that he notices anything than his food while he's eating, but I felt like I couldn't look at him right now because of what went down between us earlier. Lost in thought, I absent mindedly chewed my pancakes. I liked Natsu, in a platonic way that is, but I didn't us as anything more than friends. Still, my reaction earlier didn't make any sense at all. If I truly didn't have feelings for him, why did I feel so funny? I reasoned with myself that it must have been the suddenness of the statement and how it surprised me. Deep down, I knew that wasn't the case though.