((A/N: OH MY GOD GUYS SO SORRY! *cries* I wasn't able to update this whole week, and not even yesterday! Been busy with school and else. I swear I'll make it up to you. Tomorrow I'll update again! I swear! But as I'm having winter holidays -two weeks of freedom!- I should be able to update correctly and even more than I should!))

Ninth Night

Tonight, they were spending the night in a hotel. (AN: Sadly, no, not a love hotel)

Natsu had picked a three-days mission to see how fast the two of them could do it. Hopefully, if everything went well tomorrow, it would be over by the second day and the pinkette would be able to brag a little while Lucy rested in peace with money to pay the rent of that month.

The celestial spirit mage yawned, "Good night" she muttered as she laid on her designated bed.

"What are you doing?" asked Natsu, looking confused as she made herself comfortable.

"I'm going to sleep" she yawned again.

Natsu walked towards his bed, that was right next to hers. "So, you're breaking your promise?"

"Promise...? Oh, you mean reading to you? But I don't hav-"

"I brought them" he said, turning to grab the book of the night, the one with the shadows.

Lucy turned to look at him, "Do I have to?"

"Yes. You promised"

"But... But I'm so tired" she whined, covering her head with the pillow. "And this bed is so comfy..."

"Alright"

Lucy took the pillow of her head and looked at the dragon slayer, "Really?" that was unexpected. She actually thought he would obligate her to with his puppy eyes or tickles.

"Yep" he said, standing up.

And walking towards her.

He laid next to her and said, "Here"

She sighed loudly, knowing he wouldn't leave her alone until that chapter was read. And then, she had an idea. "Can't you read to me..? Just tonight. If you do I'll read you also on the first"

Natsu narrowed his eyes as he thought about this. "Alright"

A bright light surrounded him.

The thought of being around his opposite element made him a bit nervous, but it was worth it, because even though it felt for a long time, it only lasted a few seconds.

All his self was contained in a small body, four legs, a pair of tails and ears. He gave his first steps as a cat, and found himself happy about it, because he did it with ease. Actually, he kind of like it better this way. His body had a form, and he wasn't everything and nothing at the same time. He was only one thing, and one thing only.

The black cat walked towards the home of it's beloved with hesitation. He had never gotten even this close to it, and he was twenty metres away from it.

It was early on the morning, and the red haired lady was walking next to her husband with a plate with piece of cake and a little fork in her hands. Jellal smiled gently amused at his wife, and when she came closer for a kiss goodbye, he held her in front of him for some time, cleaning her cake stained cheek with his hand. He gave her a sweet short kiss and walked down the steps.

She gave a step forward and tripped with a broken and loose wooden board. The blue haired man grabbed the plate and Erza before they both hit the ground. He laughed and said something about having to fix that board. She smiled brightly while she stood up with reddened cheeks. She thanked him and grabbed the plate once again, he smiled back and walked ahead towards the lake hidden in the woods.

"See you on the evening!" he said as he walked away, turning just at the perfect time to see her nod and answer,

"Come back as early as possible! I'll be waiting!" she waved and he disappeared in the forest.

Siegrain decided to keep going. He walked slowly towards the house, and saw her sitting on the steps. She ate the piece of cake slowly, with a soft smile in her face. The black cat hid behind the same steps where she was sitting.

He sighed on his insides, because, well, cats don't sigh. (A/N: That I know of)

"Oh, hello there" she said out loud when she spotted his legs.

Hello, he thought, but only a "Mew" came through his mouth.

She smiled.

Siegrain walked towards her, and stood in front of her. They looked one at the other, not doing anything except for her sometimes grabbing a bit of her cake to put in her mouth, slowly staring at the cat's eyes.

They stayed like that, and honestly, the shadow would have loved to stay like that all his life, but she stood up after finishing the cake. "Walk in if you want to" she told him.

Okay. "Mew"

"You can stay here if you want to, too. Some company wouldn't be bad"

If you say so. "Meeew"

He walked right behind her, she who held the plate and took it to her kitchen. "Something a cat could eat..?"

"Fish!" shouted Happy, who both Lucy and Natsu had thought was asleep.

"Obviously!" said Natsu, but then heard Happy sneering. "Ah. He was sleep-talking, not answering the girl's ques-"

"Can you continue?"

"Oh, yeah! Sorry!"

"Maybe the only thing we have in this house?" she chuckled on her own as she grabbed a piece of fish that rested on the table. She knelt in front of the black cat who stared at her and offered the rest of fish she had in her hands with her bright smile. "Here. You must be hungry, right?"

"Mew" Yes. Thank you.

Siegrain ate the fish slowly as appearently everything else he did.

"You're welcome" she said, and after he finished eating, "May... I?", she asked, rising one hand in front of him.

W-what? ...Sure "...Mew" Siegrain walked some steps closer and nudged her with his head. She chuckled and caressed him behind the ears.

This was a bit weird for him, but honestly, he was enjoying it.

Probably he'd have never had this chance if it wasn't for Ryos, so he was glad he had convinced him.

Hours passed by, Erza talked a lot about every aspect of her life to the non-answering shadow-inside-a-cat, and he listened to her attentively, and before they both realised, it was already evening.

Jellal walked through the door with a full big dark bag on his back. "Erza?" he called, and she stood up from the arm chair where she and Siegrain had been sitting since some time ago.

"Jellal! I'm here" she replied, and hugged him. "I'm glad you're back"

He smiled at her and then looked straight at the black cat, "Aand... Who's that?" he asked.

I'm Siegrain "Mew"

"Hm... Just realised I haven't named him..."

"Okay, then..." he walked closer to the cat, and knelt in front of him. "What about Siegrain?" the recently named cat looked at the man surprised, the fact that he named him as his true name was was absolutely unlikely to happen.

"Siegrain?"

"Yes. Fits him, doesn't it?" he said, turning to look at Erza, who nodded.

"You're right. It does"

...

Erza, Jellal and Siegrain were on the same room, days later.

The three of them were resting in front of the fire place, Siegrain laying right next to Erza, between her and her husband. She caressed him while she chatted with the man next to her.

"So, when shall we visit Magnolia again?" Jellal asked, staring at the fire.

Erza smiled, "Hm... Next week? I want to see how much has Asuka grown since we last saw her"

"Next week it is, perfect for selling"

"We should introduce them to our new friend here." she said as she caressed Siegrain behind his ear "Maybe Happy, Charle and Pantherlily and him will get along. I wonder how everyone is doing"

"Fairy Tail?" asked Jellal, looking at her in the eyes. "Honestly, they must have broken everything around them. But they should be fine"

Erza nodded, and stood up, "They better be listening Master" she said, threatening (Somewhere in Magnolia, all Fairy tail shivered)

The blue haired man smiled as he looked his wife walking away. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to take a bath" she replied.

He turned to look at Siegrain, who was still staring at her back. "You better not go with her" he threatened him.

What? "Mew?" Wait. Does he..? No. There's no way he could know.

He shook his head smiling, "But I bet you wouldn't do anything anyway. Right?" he stood up and walked outside, Siegrain stayed in his place. Jellal stopped in front of the door. He muttered something, that Siegrain almost didn't catch. Almost.

The cat's yellow eyes widened as his beloved's husband walked outside.

...

Her bright smile was reflected on his own yellow eyes as she walked into the town she loved, carrying with her a huge amount of baggage. "We're back" she whispered, turning to look at Jellal, who carried with him a small suitcase and a great bag with fish, muttering something about Lucy buying all of it for Natsu and Happy.

"But- What did the husband say?!" shouted Natsu, angry at the book, and when he turned to look at Lucy, he saw her sleeping on his shoulder, somehow not waking up with his shout.

The pinkette sighed, knowing he shouldn't read without her listening. He closed the book, bit tempted to read the following pages on his own, but didn't. He tried to move to his own bed, but the moment he tried to take her arm off him, she grabbed him tighter, growing comfortable next to him.

"Oh... no"

He wasn't comfortable at all!

What was he supposed to do? An recently awoken Lucy wasn't a happy Luce. "Ehmm.. Happy?" Of course, the blue exceed was asleep, on his lap.

Now he was trapped.

The blonde snuggled on him, hugging his torso now.

Even more trapped! And so uncomfortable!

Somehow, some time later, Natsu fell asleep next to Lucy, and hours later, he woke with the back of his neck aching, and wasn't able to move it that much.

((A/N: So, how was it? Please Review guys! Love you!

Sarah: I'm glad, because me too. Mine too. Hahaha, and they say I shouldn't have favorites. Will do! (Hopefully). Thanks and please continue to review! ))