(A/N: Hey guys, thanks for following and reviewing the story! I'm glad you guys like it! I didn't originally plan for this to be in anybody else's point of view but I feel like for this chapter (and maybe ones in the future), it'll be interesting and give you a look into what Natsu's thinking. On a side note, I've also been working on a tfios fanfic so I'm really sorry if I don't update this super often. It kinda has priority right now, but that's subject to change. I'll try to update this at least once every two weeks though. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter as much you enjoyed last chapter! Happy reading!)

Natsu's POV

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

"It's not for nothing, Luce. I lo-," I cut myself off. I was about to say I love you. Where was this coming from? I mean sure, I loved Lucy, but I also loved all my guildmates. Something about the way I felt for Lucy was different though, I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Hmmm…

Lucy furrowed her brows at me and looked really confused, "You what?" She asked me.

Shit, what was I gonna say to her?

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

Fuck, she's gonna see right through me. Shit, shit, shit!

"Oh," was all she said.

Miraculously, the food arrived at that moment. I didn't have to worry about it being awkward for much longer. I dove into my food and distracted myself from my embarrassment. I could've sworn I saw Lucy staring at me but I didn't want to look at her right now. Lately, I've felt strange around her. Like my heart is gonna beat out of my chest and I can never find the exact words I want to say. I've never been the smartest person but I've never been at such a loss for words around anyone before.

Every time I look at her, my heart skips a beat and the breath is taken from my lungs. I had an overwhelming urge to take her hand and protect her from any and all danger.

Wait, what?

Gah! Why do I have to feel like this? We're just friends, she said so herself! She doesn't want to be more than that! She hardly ever does anything but yell at me anyway. If we were to live together, she'd be constantly cooking and cleaning up after me and I know she'd rather be writing her novel or going on a mission.

LIVE TOGETHER?! WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK NATSU?! PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER, WHERE IS THIS COMING FROM?!

Well, it's not too far-fetched in all honestly. We're together a whole lot more than we're apart. I go over to her house and spend the night most of the time. It's kinda like we're living together already. Except it's not, and she always sleeps in the other room when she sees me in her bed. Just once, it'd be nice to cuddle with her until we fall asleep.

Fuck. I'm fucked. I've got it bad.

I glanced up from my food and saw Lucy staring down at her food, lost in concentration. She was probably just thinking about her novel. She uses a lot of free time to think about that, doesn't she? She's so smart. I love her so much. I've loved her for a long time, but I didn't want to admit to myself. Happy always taunts me about it (I mean who doesn't really?) but I never acknowledge it because it embarrasses Lucy so much. I know she doesn't return my feelings by the way she reacts when anyone says something about us spending so much time together. I don't want her to feel any more awkward, but I really need to tell her how I feel about her.

"Natsu," her voice pulled me out of my thoughts, "you're hardly eating your food! What's wrong?"

I love how she was always genuinely concerned for others' well-being, even putting it before her own.

"N-nothing, I'm just not as hungry as I thought I was. I guess I had a lot at your place."

"Hmph, make me come out and get you breakfast after you tear up my house and you're not even all that hungry, figures," she grumbled.

She complains but I know she doesn't mind. She likes my company, even if I have a bad tendency of messing her place up a bit.

"So, are you done then?" She asked.

"Uh, yeah," I replied.

She set a wad of money on the table. "Whatcha wanna do now?" She asked.

I hadn't really thought of it much, "I don't know, what do you wanna do?"

She laughed. God, I love her laugh, "I thought you were the one who wanted to go out in the first place. You didn't even think of something to do?"

I sheepishly rubbed the back of my neck, "Guess I should've done that, huh?"

"It's okay, you're lucky you have me around cuz I have the perfect idea. Follow me!" She took my hand and we ran off.

The sudden gesture set my heart racing. Her hand was small and warm in my hand, nothing like my calloused hands at all. She led me to this moderate sized building with the words "Magnolia Skating Rink" on the front.

She looked over at me smiling, "So? Do you think you can stomach it?"

"Ha ha very funny, mocking the guy who has motion sickness."

"Come on, it's nothing like a train. You can go at your own pace, it's almost like flying. It'll be fun!" With that she grabbed my hand and led me inside.

"I'm assuming you've done this before then."

"Oh yeah! I used to go a lot when I was a kid… My dad used to take me…" She trailed off. She kinda looked sad. Now that I think about it, I don't actually know much about her life before coming to Fairy Tail.

"I didn't know that, when did you start?" I encouraged her to go on.

"Um I was probably about four or five."

That's all she said.

"I bet you fell on your butt a lot when you were little," I joked trying to get her out of this weird funk.

She looked at me and smiled a little but I could tell it was fake.

I elbowed her, "Aw come on, lighten up. You're probably gonna see me fall on my but a ton, or worse, get sick everywhere. You might slip on some chunks, so watch your back, Luce."

This brought her back to the present, "You're disgusting, Natsu. Don't you dare vomit near me."

She laughed a real laugh, a small one, but a genuine one. There's my girl, my Lucy.

My Lucy?

No. You've gotta stop thinking like this, Natsu! Pull yourself together!

Lucy's POV

Natsu didn't know what he wanted to do today, figures. When does he ever plan anything out thoroughly? He looked at me like he felt guilty for not having thought of what we were going to do earlier. Every time he looks at me like that, it makes me feel bad for getting frumpy with him as I often do. Truth is, I care about him, I really, honestly do, just sometimes he comes on a bit strong and he's so impulsive! He doesn't think about the consequences of his actions, he just goes with his gut.

Today was my treat to him though since I apparently promised him breakfast. Finally, a brilliant idea hit me, "It's okay, you're lucky you have me around cuz I have the perfect idea. Follow me!" With that, I took his hand and we ran to the ice rink in town.

That'd be such a cute place for a first date.

Woah. What?

Why did that thought pop into my head?

Must've just been because Natsu said something about dates earlier. \

Yeah, that was it. It was nothing.

We arrived in front of the ice rink.

"So? Do you think you can stomach it?" I teased.

"Ha ha very funny, mocking the guy who has motion sickness." Natsu rolled his eyes.

"Come on, it's nothing like a train. You can go at your own pace, it's almost like flying. It'll be fun!" I grabbed his hand again and led him inside.

"I'm assuming you've done this before then."

"Oh yeah! I used to go a lot when I was a kid… My dad used to take me…," I let my words trail off. He couldn't find out about my past, I wanted to move on from that time in my life.

"I didn't know that, when did you start?"

"Um I was probably about four or five."

"I bet you fell on your butt a lot when you were little," He said, obviously noticing something was wrong and trying to cheer me up.

He elbowed me in the side, "Aw come on, lighten up. You're probably gonna see me fall on my butt a ton, or worse, get sick everywhere. You might slip on some chunks, so watch your back, Luce."

I know Natsu was just trying to make me feel better, but he didn't have to say vulgar things like that, "You're disgusting, Natsu. Don't you dare vomit near me."

I smiled at him, it was forced but I hoped he didn't notice.

"Well what are we waiting for?" Natsu said, "Show me your skating expertise."

"I don't think you could really call it that, I haven't actually been on the ice in years. Me and my dad kinda fell out of that tradition," why was I telling him this? I don't want to think about the past, "But it's whatever, we're here now so let's have some fun!"

I paid for the rental ice skates and we went over to a corner to put them on. Natsu looked like he was struggling with the laces.

I leaned close to him, "Want some help?"

"Gah!"

"Sorry, did I startle you?"

"Just a bit, I was concentrating!"

"Here," I said taking the laces, "let me do that."

My hand brushed against his when I grabbed the laces from him and he looked embarrassed and his face was turning pink. Why was he like this all of a sudden? First the comment before arriving to breakfast, then what he (almost) said at breakfast, and now this? We're just friends, right? Maybe not…

"OW!"

"What's wrong?"

"You tied them way too tight," Natsu groaned.

"I'll loosen them," he suddenly moved his foot away, "Well you gotta stop moving away from me if you expect me to fix it for you. There, put your foot on my lap and I'll adjust it."

He blushed at that last commented, it was very light but I still noticed it.

"Thanks," he mumbled.

"Ready to skate?" I asked.

"I don't know… I was joking earlier but now I'm scared of actually blowing chunks everywhere.

"Here," I extended my hand, "take it. We'll go nice and slow so you're stomach doesn't get upset," I smiled at him and kept my palm out for him to take.

He took my hand and we stepped onto the ice. His hand was warmer than a normal person's hand, I didn't notice it earlier because I was so focused on the destination. His hands were kind of rough but not uncomfortable to hold. His huge hand gripped my tiny one tightly, as if holding on for dear life. I never realized this before, but I kind of liked holding his hand.

No, you're just thinking this because of what he said earlier. You only feel like this because he showed you more attention than usual. Nothing's changed between us. Get ahold of yourself, Lucy!

I focused on skating, Natsu was wobbly at first but I helped him steady himself. We were still holding hands because he didn't trust himself entirely yet.

"I-I'm doing it!" He exclaimed.

"Yeah, you are! Ready for me to let go?"

"No! Not yet." I was kind of relieved he said that, I didn't want to let go of his hand.

He had an adorable crease between his brows and a look of concentration on his face.

Adorable?

Oh fuck, don't tell me I'm falling in love with him. No, I can't be. We're friends and that's it! RIGHT?! I guess the only way to find out would be to ask.

I cleared my throat quietly, my heart beating faster than average, "Natsu, I know this isn't really a good time to ask but what did you really mean earlier? You know when you said something about it being like a date? D-do you…," I inhaled sharply, "do you like me, Natsu?"