A/N: Hello guys! As promised, here's the next chapter! Thank you so much giving this fic a chance and I hope you'll like the next chapters too. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Fairy Tail and Hibi Chouchou belong to their respective manga-kas. I am simply a self-indulgent shipping trash who likes to get both of her favorites for the price of one.

Days passed and Lucy quickly got more popular even outside their classroom. It was hard to avoid the attention when you go to school every morning via a black Mercedes Benz. It also didn't help that Lucy was down-to-earth and friendly to everyone. She may be a prim and proper heiress but she isn't a snob at all. She smiles and greets everyone. She also excels in class, proving that her beauty comes with smarts.

Soon enough, she gained a name that everyone agreed fitted her: Lucky Lucy. She's blessed with everything a teenager could wish for: beauty, brains and popularity. It was whispered as she walked the halls, trailing behind her like stubborn bees.

Naturally, the nickname reached Natsu too and it greatly irritated him.

Over the short time since they became seatmates, they have become close friends. Small talks in between classes turned into lunch break hang-outs.

It is in those instances that Lucy shared to him her dreams of becoming a famous author while Natsu told her that he wanted to be a fireman. He knew that her favorite color is pink (a shade darker than his hair) and that she loves dipping fresh fruits on chocolate fondue.

She has also confided in him her problems at home. He knows that she's worried about her relationship with her father; that they are growing distant from each other since the untimely death of her mother.

So no, she's no Lucky Lucy. She is not living the rose-colored life. But people didn't know that because they don't bother to see beyond appearances.

Natsu clicked his tongue in distaste. "You'd think people would know better," he grumbled.

These thoughts kept playing around in his mind as he ran the course around the campus for club training. He couldn't focus at all, Lucy occupying most of his attention.

In his distraction, he almost ran into a post in the school yard. Fortunately, Gray pulled at his belt just in time to stop him.

"Whoa there, Natsu!" called out Gray.

"Sorry, just a little distracted," Natsu apologized as he ran a hand over his hair. "And thanks."

"Don't come to training distracted, idiot," grumbled Gray as he let go of Natsu's belt. "You'll injure yourself."

"Yeah."

After refixing his belt and gi, Natsu resumed jogging. Gray followed and jogged beside his friend.

"You've been grumbling and tsk-ing since we started man," said Gray.

"It's nothing."

Gray just shrugged in resignation knowing that Natsu won't talk. So the two boys jogged in silence until they reached the school gates. Other students have started coming in pairs and groups. Among them were Lucy, Levy and Erza, who were happily chatting together.

Natsu raised a hand to say hello to the girls but stopped when he saw a guy walking towards Lucy. Already knowing that Lucy preferred to be alone in this kind of situation, they waved goodbye and walked ahead to their classes. When Lucy was finally alone, the guy shyly held out single rose to her, head bowed and arms shaking.

The boys stopped jogging to watch.

"How many times would that guy make? Third this week?" mused Gray. "Lucy's real popular."

"But she hates it when she has to turn down people." said Natsu, whose eyes were still glued at his friends. Lucy bowed her head and shook it and there was an apologetic smile on her face. "She feels guilty for making other people sad."

"How do you know she turned down the guy?" Gray followed up, curious as to how Natsu knew.

"Because she once told me that she has someone she liked."

Gray's head turned quickly at Natsu, almost getting a whiplash. "You know who Lucy likes?"

"Stop repeating my words, Gray."

"Just answer the question, Natsu."

Natsu rolled his eyes before he started. "She told me that she's close to this guy she liked, that they've talked a lot and he made her happy every time." He squinted at the guy still talking to Lucy, trying to see if he knew him. "I haven't seen this guy talk to her until now."

Gray had to hide the smirk forming on his lips. It was pretty obvious who the mystery guy was but it was not his place to tell. He'll just play a long and see how things will turn out. Even it was painful to watch their obliviousness sometimes.

They continued to watch over Lucy from where they stood. The guy kept talking to her while she persistently shook her head. The other students passing by have started to gather around them too, whispering to each other while they looked at Rose Guy with pity. It continued on for a few seconds until he felt their stares and glared at them, sending the curious ones away. It was clear that he was getting agitated.

Then Rose Guy made the biggest mistake that afternoon: he stepped in closer to Lucy and pulled at her arm.

Gray felt Natsu tense up beside him. He was a second too late when he reached out again to stop his friend. Natsu has already moved to help Lucy.

"Come on, why don't you give me a chance?" said the guy who introduced himself as Dan Straight. "You're not dating anyone, right?"

Lucy shook her head for the hundredth time that afternoon, fear slowly creeping from where Dan held her. "I-I'm sorry!"

"But I really, really like you!" he stubbornly insisted as he gripped her arm harder.

The fear bloomed into fright as Lucy saw the manic desperation in his eyes. She never had a suitor this persistent and demanding. She now regretted sending Levy and Erza off first. She wished they would come back for her. She wished someone would help her.

"Get your hands off her, senpai."

She almost cried when she heard his voice and felt another hand pull at her, but this time she lets it. She was pushed against his chest and felt his other arm around her shoulders.

"Natsu." Lucy said, relief washing over her.

Natsu smiled down at her quickly but his eyes were slits in restrained anger. Then he looked back at Dan.

"Senpai." He warned again, his chest rumbling.

Dan finally let go of Lucy's arm, as if burned, and stepped back. "Who are you?"

"I'm Natsu Dragneel, Lucy's friend."

"Stay out of this, second year. This is between me and Lucy."

Natsu quickly cut him off. "She's not interested."

Dan's eyes grew wide and his mouth twisted into a snarl at Natsu's words. "You don't know that. We were doing great, right Lucy-chan?"

Lucy shuddered at the nickname. It sounded so wrong coming from his mouth. "No, I kept telling you I'm not interested in dating you." Her voice shook as she clutched at Natsu's gi.

"Wha-"

"You heard her, senpai. Now, you back off." Natsu openly glared at Dan and took a step forward.

"That was warning number one." Gray said, who finally showed up behind Dan. "Don't let it come to three."

"NO." Dan said firmly, meeting Natsu's glare with his own.

Natsu slid the hand holding on Lucy's shoulder to her back and rubbed slowly. "Lucy, stay behind me."

She nodded and stepped back to stand behind him "Thank you, Natsu." Then she looked at Gray as well, "You too, Gray."

But Dan was persistent. "Lucy-chan, please!"

"And that was three." Gray mumbled as he took a step back. He knew what was coming.

Natsu's fist came flying, purposely missing just a few centimeters of Dan's ears. The older guy let out a horrified squeak and shook in his knees.

"I won't miss next time." Natsu warned as he retracted his fist. A sly grin curled at his lips. "Let's hope there won't be a next time."

Dan nodded furiously as he stepped back. In his haste, he fell on his butt and quickly scrambled away from the two Karate practitioners.

Gray whistled as he watched Dan run away. "I thought you were gonna punch him for real."

"I was, but Lucy stopped me." He looked back at the girl still clutching at his gi.

She tugged at his clothes just in time when he pulled back his fist for a punch. In that split-second, understood what it meant. Lucy didn't want to hurt the guy despite everything.

The girl who was too kind for her own sake stepped forward again, rubbing at her arms. The place where Dan held her still stung. "He's not worth it. And there's a tournament coming for you guys right? I don't want you guys to get into trouble."

"He was hurting you." Natsu grumbled. "He deserved a punch."

"Stand down, Dragon." Lucy patted his cheek. "I'm fine now." Then she assured him with a smile, showing him that she felt better now that he and Gray had come to help her. "Again, thanks for helping me. Now, go back to the dojo before Captain comes looking for you."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Natsu asked worriedly, his hand finding hers and squeezed it.

Lucy nodded, turning their hands over to lace her fingers with his. "Capricorn will be here soon to drive me home. Get back to training, Natsu."

Gray felt awkward witnessing the affectionate look his two friends gave each other. Everyone else had to be blind to not see that these two felt something for each other. He wondered how the hell Lucy still gets suitors at this rate. His musings were interrupted when Natsu called at him.

"Gray, you go first," he said. "I'll wait here with her until the shiny sports car comes." The look in his eyes this time said that he has made up his mind. He will stay no matter what.

Gray simply nodded and retied his belt (it came loose during the course of the conversation). "I'll explain to the captain what happened."

"Guys!" Lucy protested out loud, pulling her hand from Natsu. "Come on, you don't need to do that."

Gray shook his head at Lucy. "Sorry, but I'm with Natsu this time. That bastard of a senpai might come back for you if you're left alone. You stay with him, alright?"

Natsu clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Thanks man. I mean it."

"Fine." Lucy pouted, arms crossed. "But only because you two are strangely acting buddy-buddy."

"Don't get used to it," both boys said at the same time. It got Lucy bursting into laughter.

She managed to wave at Gray in between her giggles as she and Natsu watched him run back to the dojo.

Then not more than 10 minutes after, Capricorn finally arrived. He apologized for being late as Lucy quickly got herself inside the car. She asked Natsu not to mention anything about Dan to her chauffeur or she'll lose the free time she gets after school to spend with her friends.

Of course, she used the puppy eyes look that Natsu was so weak against so kept his mouth shut.

Soon, Natsu was watching the black Mercedes go. Then he went back to their clubroom to retrieve his bag and change out of his gi.

Shoutout to Yuyui Hime, FlameDragonHime, aNaughtyHero, Twishadowhunter and taboadayvonne for being kind enough to leave this fic a review. THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH!

See you next chapter!