Title: Key Advice
Pairing: Lucy x Natsu
Rating: T
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.
Summary: Lucy wakes up to find Natsu looking for help

A disturbance coming from her left had Lucy slowly waking up much to her displeasure. She blinked her eyes against the harsh morning light that was streaming into her apartment. Lucy wasn't surprised to focus on a patch of light pink hair, after all Natsu was usually the reason she was unexpectedly woken up in her own apartment. She simply watched him for a moment curious as to what he was up to. His brow was furrowed in concentration as he stared at something in his hands with a singular determination. Lucy found herself smiling at the sight, her heart skipping a beat.

"Loke! Loke I need to talk to you. Loke where are you?" Natsu whisper-screamed.

That's when Lucy noticed the item in his hands was her keys and he was currently shaking and yelling at the bunch of them. Aquarius wasn't going to be happy about that and she was about to yell at Natsu to cut it out when Loke flashed into her room on his own power.

"Natsu, what's wrong? Is everything ok with Lucy?"

"Shh... she's sleeping."

Quickly Lucy closed her eyes feigning sleep as she felt two pairs of eyes on her. She felt a heated gaze travel her body and fought the urge to smack the Leo celestial spirit upside his head and thus blow her cover.

"So what's with all the shaking? Does Lucy know you're playing with her keys?"

"I need your help and Happy agreed that it had to be you but it's a secret so Lucy can't know."

Lucy's curiosity was sufficiently piqued and she lay still keeping her breathing shallow so she wouldn't miss anything.

"Ok, what can I help you with?" Loke asked, clearly concerned for his friend.

"Lucy and I hang out all the time so how do I get her to hang out with me as a date?

Lucy's eyes flew open thinking Natsu must know she was awake and was messing with her but the dragon slayer wasn't looking at her. His gaze was on his hands a tinge of red staining his cheeks. Loke seemed to be just as surprised, his eyes widened comically. Lucy would have laughed but she wanted to hear how this conversation would turn out. So she forced herself to close her eyes once more and keep her face neutral.

"You need to be romantic. On the date open doors, bring flowers and pay."

"But that's the actual date; what if she doesn't know it's a date and doesn't want to."

Natsu sounded genuinely distressed and it took all of Lucy's strength to keep quiet, only doing so because she knew Natsu would be embarrassed if he knew she was hearing all this.

"First, specify what you're asking her to do."

"Huh?"

"Don't just ask her to go out. Ask her to dinner or to the movies. Second, make it for the evening; first dates are usually in the evening. Third, pick her up so tell her you'll meet her at her place. If she still doesn't seem to think it's a date you can always tell her you want it to be a date."

There was silence and Lucy figured Natsu was thinking over Loke's advice, it was pretty decent advice and she was curious as to how Natsu would handle things.

"Ok. Thanks Loke!"

There was a brief commotion before silence once again reigned. It wasn't long before she felt the heated gaze on her again and she snapped her eyes open ready to lash into Loke and send him back to the spirit realm. Instead of the tall celestial spirit she found Natsu still standing there.

"Natsu! What are you doing?" she said breathily, her cheeks flushed.

"Lucy will you have dinner with me, at night? I'll pick you up and pay." Natsu asked in a rush.

Lucy considered pointing out that dinner was usually at night but was just happy that Natsu was finally asking her out.

"I'd love to go on a date with you."

"Yes!" Natsu cried, picking her up in a tight squeeze.

He set her down on her feet and kissed her full on the lips before running out, shouting that he'd see her later. Lucy sat down heavily reaching up to touch her lips in a daze. She let out a giggle, ten minutes in and it was already quite the day.