I wondered why the Frisbee was getting bigger—and then it hit me.

Thoughts: Wondering why the shower is such a good place for thinking…like, seriously. I've come up with most of the plots for my stories in the shower. It's like magic.

Also, this is raw, uncut, and unedited…so avoid the judging please and thank you.

Requests: Review, review, review! And also forgive me for leaving this story for so long…

Part IV: Hypnosis Sucks

{It is our mind alone that chains us or sets us free.}

My second meeting with Natsu had ended just as strangely as it had begun. I'd shot up to go and check on Mira, but by the time I'd gotten around the counter she was already waking up. She bolted upright, yelling, "I'm alright! …I have a disease called fangirl-osis…it's an affliction of the heart!"

"You scared the shit out of me, Mira! And what the hell are you talking about?" I practically yelled.

"Um, I hate to interrupt, but I've really got to go chase that guy down," Natsu said, touching my shoulder. I looked up at him and was struck by that aching in my chest again. I ignored it and stared at him as I helped Mira to her feet.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Just…I have to chase him," Natsu said quickly, looking a bit nervous. His nerves didn't take away from how gorgeous his face was. I'd only seen him for a moment before I'd been hypnotized into kissing him and I found that a little intimidating. The fact that someone so beautiful existed seemed unreal…Natsu seemed unreal. "You won't like what happens if I don't catch him. But, what's your name?" he asked, his voice desperate.

I stared at him for a moment and then narrowed my eyes, "Yolanda."

Natsu stared at me unblinkingly and for a brief moment I almost slipped into that same hypnosis, but I fought the feeling away and looked away from his lips, (which I hadn't really realized I'd been staring at until that moment), and resumed our awkward eye contact. "Yolanda…Dungworth."

"Seriously?" Natsu drawled, realization setting in and a frown gracing his model lips.

"Her name is-" Mira started, but I glared at her…the death eyes worked on Mira only when she was not in Pro-Wrestling mode…then nothing could stop her but Laxus. I make sure to thank the universe every day for sending us that giant muscle of a man to save us from the wrestling demon inside my boss.

"Mira," I growled, "He doesn't need to know my name."

"I really do," Natsu said, ducking into my field of vision and staring me down. I gulped and shifted from foot to foot, struck by the sudden desire to tell him my name and everything and anything else he wanted to know. Stop it, Lucy. Do not become one of those girls, you idiot.

"He really does," Mira repeated, staring at him with wide eyes, "And he's so real and famous and gorgeous." She reached up and poked his face, "...And real. And standing in my place of business like it's a normal Tuesday."

"It's Monday, Mira," I said.

"I knew that but his sexiness literally reduces my IQ by like half," she said, still staring at him. He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yolanda, what's your real name?" he asked me, touching my shoulder and turning me towards him. I froze up. His other hand found its way to the side of my face and the distance closed between us. His fiery eyes barely showed behind his eyelashes as he looked down at me. The hypnosis was setting in. I had to fight it with all I had.

"Yolanda is my real name," I squeaked, struggling now.

He smiled, "No, it's not. So tell me, mystery girl, what is it?" His head slightly tilted to the side and his sweatshirt fell away from his neck, exposing his collarbone and chest. He got close enough that for a brief moment I caught his smell, and I couldn't smother the desire in me.

"Lucy Heartfilia," I said quietly, my eyes narrowing and our lips getting closer.

His eyes shone and he repeated my name, but it sounded a thousand times better coming from his mouth and was like throwing gasoline on the fire that had erupted inside of me. I could literally feel his breath on my lips when he suddenly pulled away from me and I shivered. That was nothing like how it had been on the subway or just earlier…and the look in his eyes showed me that he knew it.

Natsu bounded across the room and ripped open the door, "Sorry, but I've got to go get that guy." I felt goose bumps rise and got a little angry.

He turned around to leave and desire-turned-to-anger boiled over. "Natsu!" I growled. He froze and turned back around. His stride was quick and his face was bright red.

Satisfied, I reached for him pressing my hands against his chest when he got closer enough. Natsu's face was flushed, vulnerable when he slammed against me, his arms encircling my waste and lifting me just high enough that only my toes touched the ground. He slammed his lips against mine and I swear to god nothing else mattered. I was in a trance, to the extent that I even forgot to breath. It didn't seem necessary when I felt that fire in my veins, and breathing moved behind deepening the kiss, tasting Natsu even more on my list of priorities.

"Lucy," he groaned, prying himself away from me, "I've got to go!" His eyes filled with pain as he stared at me, walking backwards so he could look at me until he got to the door. Then he was gone, leaving my legs feeling weak and my lungs crying for air. I touched my lips, which were probably red and felt a little bit swollen. I clutched my chest, Natsu's hypnosis not completely worn off yet.

But a mere two words from Mira were able to snap me out of it, "Holy. Shit."

I whirled around. I had forgotten that Mira was there. Hell, I'd forgotten that she even existed, that there was a world outside of our kiss. I grabbed my face.

"Holy shit!" I screamed, "I just kissed him! Again!" My dog friend sat down at gave me a sassy, matter-of-fact look that said mhm…you screwed up.

Mira stared at me and then smirked, "I knew it had to happen sometime, but I didn't expect it to be with the Natsu Dragneel…of Fairy Tail."

I stared at her, my heart sinking. "Oh god." I grabbed the counter for support and pressed my forehead against it cool surface, "I am so screwed."

I woke up surprisingly well, free of that sleepy feeling that I usually get, like my eyes were glued shut. Instead of feeling like I was struggling to move through muddy swamp water, the kind that always results in losing a shoe or two, I quickly swung my legs around the side of my bed and stretched my arms above my head. It had been a long time since I felt this good. My dog, who I'd decided to name Plue moments before he'd decided to join me for my bath, groggily lifted his head.

Nothing lasts forever, though…especially good things it seemed. My memories of what had happened the day before came flooding back and I slumped, falling back against my bed and staring at the white ceiling. I closed my eyes, practically watching the cruel replay of it before my eyes.

Natsu had told me he was a rock star. A freaking rock star. Awesome. I definitely needed that to complicate my life even more. I'd almost immediately resolved to stay away from him. I was happy with my life the way it was, and getting involved with Natsu would change it.

Despite my resolution, the moment he'd told me I felt a pain in my chest. I didn't want the attention, but I wanted Natsu. He was practically a stranger, but in that moment it became clear to me that despite this I wanted to be near him, to get to know him. And that was stupid. Believe me, I know. I've told myself that over and over again, practically chanting it to myself when I washed that stupid day away in the bath after I got home.

I kissed Natsu three times in a day. I'd been hypnotized by how gorgeous he was and the small things about him that sparked my attention, like how he was normally confident but occasionally blushed like a little kid. If I learned anything yesterday, it was that I didn't have any resistance towards him. He'd even coaxed my last name out of me, and I never told that to anyone. They always looked at me differently.

So I'd decided to just stay away. If he didn't get near me I wouldn't be tempted. I determinedly stood up and went about my morning routine. After I showered, I looked at myself in the mirror for a long time. If Natsu could hypnotize me, maybe I could do it to myself, too.

I stared into my brown eyes and ordered myself, "Don't go near him, avoid temptation…but most of all, do not kiss him again!"

I nodded and went to get dressed, sitting down at my desk to check my email. I blinked, surprised when I saw a ton of emails from my friends. I opened the first one, from Levy.

Congrats, Lucy! Oh my god, I'm so jealous! I can't believe you actually managed it…but I've always told you that you're pretty enough to be a model, so I guess it makes sense, huh? Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that I'm happy for you and I'm cheering for you!

Love ya girl,

Levy

I frowned, drawing my eyebrows together in confusion. I wiped away a tiny drop of water that was sliding down the side of my face and opened the next one. This one was from Cana.

I honestly didn't think you had it in you, Lucy. You seriously took me by surprise. I thought you were devoted to becoming a vet, that you would always follow that dream. You talked about it so much! Well, I guess if you chose this then it's for the best. Good luck,

Cana

Ok, now I was seriously confused and subtly freaking out. I squeezed my hair, little droplets landing on Plue as my heart sped up. I was so distracted I barely noticed Plue freak out and try to lick the water off of the tip of his nose.

Apparently I'd made some big life decision that I didn't know about. I still had plenty of time to finish getting ready, so I wasn't worried. It was a Tuesday, but I didn't have to work for a couple hours. Mira had told me not to worry about it and that I could come in late to recover from my crazy day.

Besides, work was the last thing on my mind. I was facing one of my biggest fears: waking up one day and discovering that my evil twin had taken over my life and not being able to convince people of that fact. It was even worse that I had no idea what my evil twin had screwed up. I liked my life the way it was, no thanks to you, evil twin. I had to open the next email before my brain actually made my evil twin a reality or I started worrying that I had multiple personality disorder or something insane like that.

I opened the next one, from Mira. It was disturbingly short and very Mira-like.

LUCY IF YOU'RE READING I'M DEAD.

.

.

.

NOT REALLY, BUT YOU SHOULD REALLY LOOK AT THIS…LIKE, RIGHT THIS SECOND. SERIOUSLY. DON'T WAIT. LOOK AT IT.

.

.

NOW.

Smiling a little at Mira's weirdness, I clicked the blue link beneath the text. It was an article on one of the websites that I never went to because they were always talking about the Kardashians' butts or just how much Jennifer Lawrence loves pizza. You know, the usual.

I scrolled down just enough to see the title of the article:

NATSU DRAGNEEL: A SECRET SWEETHEART!?

I heart my heart thud when it hit the floor and didn't realize that my mouth had been open until my tongue started to dry up and then remembered that people have to blink and continued to do so. I scrolled down further to see a picture.

Anger welled up inside of me when I saw it. It was a blurry, cell-phone shot of me sitting directly on top of Natsu, my hand up like I was trying to hide my face. Unfortunately, I have tiny hands, and my surprised face was staring directly into the camera. "Mr. Tiny Dog, I will find you, and I will kill you," I growled.

Then the severity of the situation sunk in.

So I've had a stalker before. One. It wasn't pretty, but I lived. The last thing I expected was to wake up one morning and realize that…surprise, surprise…I had billions of stalkers!

The media scares me almost as much as the idea of being shanked in prison. Merry Christmas, Lucy, (even though…it wasn't Christmas), the whole world is stalking you! Hoorah!

Everything my friends had said made sense now. They thought I'd become Natsu's girlfriend or something, that I'd chosen to practically give up my life as a vet (ok, so long term) and spend the rest of it blinded by Natsu's freaking spotlight. Hell no.

My perfect life was ruined. If I showed my face in public, someone was bound to peg me as that girl from that article, right? I stood up, angrily pulling a comb through my hair and yanking clothes out. I grabbed my phone and quickly dialed Mira's number.

She picked up part of the way through the first ring like she'd just been sitting at her phone, staring at it and waiting for me to call. I shook off the surprise when she shouted my name so quickly…willing the phone to ring like that was definitely a Mira-ish thing to do.

"Did you get my email!?" she shouted.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, my voice sounding even more tired than I expected when I next spoke, "Yeah, I did. Mira, if Fairy Tail is really as popular as you say it is, doesn't this mean I can't show my face in public ever again?"

"They are insanely popular...actually, I'm fairly certain they're the most popular right now," she said, "But that doesn't mean you can't show your face, right?"

I shook my head, "Mira, I already know what you're about to say, and please don't."

"You could just date him for real. I mean, he definitely wants to judging by the look on his face when you were swapping spit right smack damn in my office."

"1. You just said exactly what I told you not to. 2. Ew, Mira. Swapping spit? You couldn't have made it sound a little less horrifying. It's bad enough as it is!"

"It's not bad, Lucy! It's great! I watched you kiss Natsu Dragneel two times in a row!"

"I was under hypnosis!" I shouted, pulling the phone away from my ear so that I could yell directly into the mouthpiece. I took a deep breath and calmly returned the phone to its rightful position. Plue was tense, looking at me like I was about to go ape-shit and run around the room throwing things and yelling about aliens like the cat lady who lived a block down from me.

"Come out tonight with me. It'll be like a test. You'll find out whether or not you'll get recognized. It might help you get your mind off of things," she offered.

I took a deep breath, warding away ape-shit mode, "Thanks, Mira. That's actually really thoughtful." I'd expected her to force a relationship with Natsu on me. That's just who she was, but I guess she realized how stressed I was about it this time.

"I'll tell Cana and Levy. I'll text you the place later. Take the day off and get a little R&R. And Lucy…" she said, but didn't finish.

"Hm?" I asked.

"…Just think about it, alright? I know Natsu comes with a lot, namely his billions of adoring fans, but…Lucy, the few minutes that I saw you with him…you looked the happiest you've looked in a long time."

"Really?" I asked, a little surprised. I'd just been stupidly hypnotized, right?

"Maybe try giving love a shot this time?" She hung up and I was left in my room, staring at the picture of Natsu and I with just my thoughts and a hungry dog. When I looked at the picture, at least a little of the panic and Godzilla's-storming-Japan terror gone…I noticed something. Mira was right.

I did look a little happy.

Next chapter preview:

I thought that standing up there like that, everyone in the room looking up at me expectantly while I deer-in-the-headlights-ed it while wearing practically nothing was the worst it could get.

I was so wrong, though. You know how people say, "One day we'll look back on this and laugh." No. I was definitely going to be crying when I looked back on it. Not even a question there.

Because, next thing I knew, the last person I ever wanted to witness my newborn-fawn stage fright was whispering in my ear.