Chapter 13 Wednesday

I felt warm really warm, worried I could be sick again, I went to get up. Yet as I tried to move out of the bed I found myself stuck. Realizing what was going on, I opened my eyes to make sure I was not dreaming. I found myself glued to Natsu chest. I could not move my legs because he had wrapped his around mine like a I was a body pillow. His head was bent down resting slightly on mine. I could feel his soft breathing on my cheek. His hair tickled me as I moved my head up to look at him. My heart started to beat uncontrollably, he was close enough to kiss. I bent my head back down quickly, my heartbeat was so loud it might wake him. How did we end up like this? I remember him coming home. I was so upset that I tried to cover up the… my lip. I could not tell him, then I cried on his chest for a long time. Did I pass out?

I lifted my head again, "You stayed…" I whispered, smiling to myself. His eyes scrunched a bit, and I made sure not to speak again. I was so happy right now, if I woke him this time would end all too soon. I watched as his face became calm again, he looked so, so, oh whats the word. Adorable, better never tell him that, I giggled. As my eyes scanned over his face, spotting his lips I remember something I had all but forgotten. Loke, wasn't my first, when I gave that medicine to Natsu we kissed. Well not really, but it is good enough for me, kind of. I was rather transfixed on his lips… "Natsu?" I whispered. "You awake?" I said a little louder.

He is asleep it should be okay right? I just want a really one… just one. It is not like he would know. Yeah it would be a secret, just this once is okay right? Even if he wakes up I can just say it was, because he was to close so it was an accident. Right, just do it. Before I lost my courage, I moved slowly placing my lips on his. I thought I would pull away quickly, but now that this moment was mine… I did not want to stop. They were so much softer that I thought they would be for a man. My body felt like it was burning, this was nothing like when Loke kissed me. Pressing myself closer to him. I held my lips in place wishing I knew what it felt like to have this returned. Natsu shifted his head, which caused me to stop.

Natsu started to mumble, "Fire chicken, fire pizza, fire, fire, fire." I tried my hardest not to laugh. He shifted pulling me in closer, "Fire pie!" He said and bit down on my shoulder.

"OW!" I shouted, he shoot back.

"WHAT, WHERE, WHO!" He shouted as he moved about franticly. Noticing he was about to fall off the bed I grabbed his arm and pulled him back over to me. "WHAOO!" He yelled unable to catch himself. He landed on top of me, after what I just did my heart could not take much more of this. "Lucy?" Natsu said hovering over me. "Why are we in bed?"

"Don't ask me," I said trying to keep myself from grabbing him and forcing him to kiss me. This is bad, really bad. I should not have done that, now all I want is for him to do it for real.

Natsu quickly moved off me, pushing himself up against the wall, "Pervert!"

"I AM N," I stopped...oh my god I was.

"What did you do to me!?" Natsu said grabbing the blanket covering himself.

"Oh stop acting like a girl, I did not… do anything." I told him, in a rather unconvincing manner.

"You're no fun," Natsu threw the blanket off to the side. "You didn't have to call me a girl." He jumped off the bed and stretched. "Question," he said.

"What?" I answered.

"You did something didn't you?" Natsu turned giving me a devilish grin.

My face became flushed, "You were hugging me when I woke up, you're the one who did something!" There was no way I was going to tell him what I did.

He bent back surprised, "Really!?" He seemed to become rather disappointed, "Well thats boring, you would think I would have done something crazier." I was speechless, the fact that he wanted to have done something worse...I just about burst. "Lucy?" Natsu waved his hand in front of my face a few times, "It was a joke, HELLO! anyone in there!?"

"Don't joke like that!" I yelled getting back to my senses.

"It not like that is what happened so what does it matter?" Natsu said with a rather nonchalant attitude about it. I could not say anything, because it did happen, just he was not the one doing it. Natsu raised an eyebrow watching me squirming. "Unless that is what you wanted to have happen." Natsu bent down close to my face grinning from ear to ear.

"I never said that!" I said backing away, why did he have to play around like that.

"tch."

"Did you just tch!?" I asked dumbfounded.

"Nope," He said placing his hands on the back of his head walked out of the room.

I got up quickly following him out into the living room. "You did!"

"Never happened," Natsu said whistling, avoiding me.

"Lier," annoyed, I walked quickly to get in front of him. Yet he stopped dead in his tracks before I could do anything. I slammed into his back, "Ouch," I mumbled backing away slowly.

"It's bleeding," Natsu said pointing to my mouth. I had managed to reopen the wound on my lip.

"I get that," I said going to the kitchen to get a rag to clean it up with.

"How did you get that anyway?" Natsu asked from the doorway.

"I…it," It was rather hard to think about, "when I fell, I bit down on my lip." I said trying to not sound shaky.

"Clutz." Natsu said looking at me disappointed.

"Whatever," I said, it was better than what really happened. I stared at Natsu and something hit me. I have been able to be around him this whole time without getting flustered. Did kissing him, help? Maybe small things like being around him are not so bad anymore. As long as he does not get too close I think I'll be okay.

"Oh yeah, there is this thing that has been bugging me since yesterday," Natsu said, he had a rather concerned look on his face.

"...What?" I really hope he is not going to ask about what happened again.

"I was told you like someone, who is it?" Natsu stood rubbing his head, "cause I have gone through the list and I can't think of anyone."

"WHO TOLD YOU THAT!?" I yelled, do not tell me Erza said something.

"Wooow, calm down Loke told me yesterday," Natsu said waving his hands in front of him.

"...Loke, told you," My mood became sour. He did not tell Natsu that I liked him...but is thinking I do like someone a good thing?

"Reacting like that it must be true," Natsu said, coming up to me he placed his hands on my shoulders. "I gave it a lot of thought, and no matter who it is I'll help." He smiled proudly at the idea of helping me. My heart went from bursting to breaking in a matter of minutes.

"Oh, I see," I said taking his hand off my shoulder I gripped it hard, "...Thanks."

"Of course what are friends for!" He said happily, "Now who is it?"

"Secret," I tried to smile.

"Really, how am I going to help when I don't know who it is?" Natsu gave me a quick tap on the head. I shrugged and walked away. "Where you goin?" He asked.

"To get ready we have to go to town, we are low on money because of my rent." I really did not want to go to town anymore than doing anything else. Yet, it could help get my mind of all of this. First Loke kisses me, and now Natsu is going to help me with my love life… this is ridiculous. Oh where did that perfect morning go, I sighed.

"Oh, guess I'll wait for you outside," Natsu said leaving me alone. How do I change his mind? I should have thought about it before I blew up like that. He did not even seem fazed by the idea of me liking someone. This is horrible, I really thought we might have been getting closer. That when I was sick and last night meant something. I thought maybe I could have meant a bit more to him than just a friend.

I went to grab my bag, passing through the bathroom I caught a glimpse of my self in the mirror. "I look like shit," I said, looking at the bags under my eyes, still covered in dirt from yesterday. I wanted to bathe, but Natsu was already waiting. So I washed my face and wiped the dirt off. I should at least change, going to the bedroom I picked out some random clothes. Picking up my bag, I did a quick check to make sure I had everything. "Wait… where is my notebook?" I dropped the bag and started frantically looking for my book. This is bad, where could it be? It has everything in it, and I mean everything. If Natsu reads that...I am screwed. I tossed the room apart, but I could not find it.

"Lucy, what's takin so long?" Natsu said walking into the room, he became rather confused. "Why are you tearing up the house?"

"Have you seen my notebook?" I asked moving into the bathroom to see if I might have left it in there.

"Uuuuuh," Natsu seemed to not know what I was talking about.

"It is small and green, with a sunflower on it," I said hoping it would help. If he does know where it is, oh please tell me he has not read it. Natsu was quiet, I turned to look at him. He turned to the side. "Well, do you?" I asked walking over to him.

"Haven't seen it," Natsu said with a shrug, "We should go, we don't want to get back to late," Natsu walked past me and head back outside.

"I need to find it," I told him.

"You can look for it later I'll help," he kept moving not even bother to look back. I looked at the room, sighing I grabbed my bag and followed Natsu.

While walking back to the house, it started to get late. Natsu looked up at the sky as it turned from blue to orange and purple. He and Lucy found quite a few jobs to do and where in town much longer than he thought they were going to be. He did not mind seeing as one of the jobs involved beating up bandits. Sadly they were so weak he finished them in one move, but at least he got to beat someone up. He looked to Lucy who still had heavy bags under her eyes, they were all puffy and red from crying to much yesterday. He really hated it when she cried. Partly because she never seemed to explain why to him, but mostly because he wanted to beat the crap out of whoever made her cry. She has not said anything about yesterday, and he was itching to ask. He shook his head, knowing that it was not the best idea. One she was so upset that it might not be good to bring up. Two selfish as it was she had not avoided him at all since that time, and he figured she might again if he found out.

Spotting her bag, he thought about how much shit he was going to be in if she found out he had her notebook. He had not touched it since she was sick, but he put it in his bag wanting to read it later. He did not think she would get so upset about it. He really hoped she just forgot about it and he could sneak it back into her bag. Why does she want it so bad? It took him a minute to figure out what it most likely was. She wrote about that guy she likes! Natsu grinned wildly, so that is it, he thought. No way she was getting it back until he found out who it was. "MAHAHAHAHA!" Natsu started laughing maniacally.

"Do I even want to know what you are laughing about?" Lucy said giving him a you're nuts look.

"Nothing," Natsu made a small cough, and started walking a bit faster. He wanted to get back quickly to read. He wanted to know so badly he felt like he might break out into a run. He thought if he found out who it was, then maybe it would not bother him so much. He was sure that not knowing who she liked, was what was driving him crazy about the whole thing. If he knew he could help her. Plus, stop this horrible feeling that kept creeping up inside. He shoved the feeling back down very, very, far down. She could not blame him for reading it, it was her fault for not telling him in the first place. Did she not know how mean it was to keep secrets from friends? He was trying to make himself feel better about prying into her personal things. Not that he minded that much in the first place, just if she found out he was dead, in the grave young dead.

"Natsu!" Lucy called. He stopped and turned to her, she was at least a good 100 feet away. She throw up her hands and gestured for him to stay put. He waited for her to catch up, wondering how he was going to get away from her so he could look at her notebook. "Can you not walk so fast, or are you trying to ditch me?" Lucy gave him a glare walking up to his side.

"Not really, just want to get back," he said moving forward again.

"Are you still going to help me look for my notebook?" She asked.

He clenched his jaw, she did still want to find it, "of course."

"One thing if you… wait never mind if I say it you will do it for sure," Lucy slapped Natsu hard on the back and laughed. He smiled at the small pain that he felt, she really was like her old self again. They walked on laughing about things here and there about stuff from the past. Natsu was so glad to see her in a good mood again. Maybe something good happened in town on one of the jobs, or was it because he told her he would help with the guy she likes. Even though the idea of helping her with any kind of romance was not something he enjoyed in the least. Before he knew it they were back at the house, the time flew by a fast when they where actually being friendly. As he thought about the notebook he came up with a idea that just might work. Walking into the house he dashed to his pack and grabbed the notebook shoving it into his pocket. "Natsu?" Lucy called walking in just as he finished.

"Thought I would check my pack, not there," Natsu said.

"Why would it be there?" Lucy asked looking at him suspiciously.

"Who knows. I had an idea, how about I look for it outside, you might have left it by the river or over by where you train. I can sniff it out after all." Natsu pointed to his noise, and hoped she would agree.

"I do not remember taking it there, but it is worth a look," she paused a big smile came across her face, "Okay I'll take the house."

Natsu fist pumped the air, and Lucy gave him an odd look. "Just glad to help," he said fisting the air a few more times to try and sell it. Lucy waved him off giving him the okay to leave. Natsu dashed out of the house and heading for the river. Almost shaking, he was so ready to be found out, he never thought that would work. Patting the notebook in his pocket, he smiled to himself. "You can't keep something like this from me." He ran to the river and planted himself on the ground pulling out the book. Flipping to a random page he started to read.

"I still can not believe he is here, what am I going to do. Every time he is around I get so"

"Natsu"

Natsu quickly slammed the journal shut and turned to find Loke standing behind him. "What do you want?" He asked, he was so close to finding out why did he have to show up.

"How is Lucy?" Loke asked.

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Natsu did not understand why he would show up just to ask him that.

"I messed up, really bad. I do not think she wants to see me anytime soon." Loke looked rather under the weather.

"Won't know until you ask her." Natsu told him, not really caring about his problem, he just wanted to get back to the book.

Loke came and sat down next to Natsu, "She did not tell you, of course she didn't." He shook his head, looking at Natsu like this was not a very good idea.

"What did she not tell me? and what does that have to do with how she is feeling?" Natsu cocked his head to the side rather lost.

"I am not really in the mood to have you beat the crap out of me, so you'll just have to ask her yourself. Anyway how is she, good?" Loke asked, with what seem like his own cloud of dread hover over his head.

"Great I would say, she even stopped avoiding me," Natsu looked like he was on cloud nine thinking about it.

"Did not see that coming, how did that turn out as a good thing for you…" Loke looked even worse.

"You are going to drive me up the wall talking like that, all this hush, hush, what did you do?" Natsu's patience was running out, he wanted Loke to stop talking in circles and get to the point.

"It does not matter as long as she is okay." Loke said patting Natsu on the shoulder.

"What is with you, showing up asking about Lucy, talking about something you did but you're not even going to tell me." Natsu was irritated this conversation was starting to really bug him.

"You can beat me up for it later," Loke sighed bending his head back to look up at the sky. "You win, ha you don't even know, but you still win." Loke let go of Natsu shoulder, "You know how much I just want to punch you right now."

"What the hell did I do, well if you want to fight I'm up for it." Natsu stood and pounded his fists together. "I have been looking to have a good battle for a while," He said excited about fighting someone who wasn't a wimp or a tree.

"Already told you, not in the mood," Loke sighed, "don't worry I am sure when you find out you will force Lucy to call me, and fight me then." Before Natsu had the chance to grab Loke and start a fight anyway he vanished.

"WHAT THE HELL!" Natsu yelled at the gold puff left behind. Natsu plopped back onto the ground disappointed. He would have punched a tree down if he was not so sick of doing it. He crossed his arms and huffed, "you should have just fought me." He picked up the journal, and flipped back to the page he was on.

"I still can not believe he is here, what am I going to do. Every time he is around I get so flustered. What am I going to tell him, how do I explain this. It would be so much"

"NATSU!"

He almost threw the notebook, quickly tucking it into his pocket he turned around. "Lucy?"

"Find it?" She asked running up to him.

"No," he mumbled, even though it was Lucy he was pissed that he still did not get to find out who she liked.

"That is okay come back to the house, there is a surprise for you." Lucy smiled grabbing his arm pulling him up from the ground.

"Surprise!?" He asked intrigued.

"Yup, now hurry up." Lucy looked to be glowing she was so overjoyed.

As they neared the house Natsu smelled something familiar. "Is that what I think it is?" Natsu said licking his lips.

"There is no point in blinding folding you with a noise like that," Lucy laughed and let go of Natsu rushing into the house. Natsu followed wiping away the drool forming at the edge of his mouth. As he walked in Lucy bowed to him stepping aside to show what she had done like a showgirl. "It is amazing what you can do with research and a torch."

"Fire chicken, fire mug, fire pizza, and even fire pie," Natsu looked like he might break down and cry.

Lucy scratched the side of her cheek, "I wanted to do this for you yesterday as a thank you for mailing my rent for me, but that did not happen so here you go, sorry it's late."

"Shamnks sohom mooch!" Natsu said through the food he was already stuffing into his mouth. Lucy was shocked by how fast he went to it. Giggling at his awful table manners. "Osh Ishh shemt shup whish Shloskie."

"Okay I can not make out a single word you just said." Lucy said sitting down to eat her rather normal meal.

Natsu swallowed hard, "I ran into Loke." He said shoving more food into his mouth.

Lucy dropped her fork, looking rather sad and pissed all at the same time. "Oh really?"

Natsu made sure to shallow before talking again this time. "Yeah he said he made you mad, and that I had to ask you if I wanted to know what he did." Lucy was silent, Natsu looked up from his food and saw her placing her hand on the cut on her lip. He stopped eating, as things started to piece themselves together in his mind. Loke went back to Lucy when he went to town, Lucy was upset when he got back. She was freaking out about her mouth, Loke said he really pissed her off. "Don't tell me…" Natsu said slowly as the finally piece came together. "IT WAS LOKE"S FAULT!?" Natsu shouted knocking his chair over as he stood abruptly.

"Nothing happened," Lucy said pulling her hand away.

"If you won't tell me, then I'll beat it out of him! Call him out now!" Natsu said as flames engulfed his body and a rage that Lucy only saw when protecting the guild came out.

"NO! It never happened!" Lucy grabbed her keys and held them close to her chest. "Okay, I just want it to have never happened so I can look at him again and smile and we can be friends!"

Natsu grabbed the table and tossed it to the side, "what is with you people, WHY WON'T ANYONE TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED!"

"It was just a…" Lucy stopped unable to finish, if she said it than it really happened and there was no hiding it ever again.

Natsu stomped over to her and pulled the keys out of her hand, "How does this work I'll call him myself!" Natsu went to take Loke's key, when Lucy grabbed his arm.

"Stop, I'll tell you." Lucy was shaking, Natsu did not want to scare her… He put out his flames and placed the keys in her hand. She seemed to calm down a bit, she looked away, letting go of his arm. He knew it, she was going to start that again if he found out, but he could not handle it anymore. "He kissed me, and bit me," She mutter so quietly if it was not for the fact that Natsu had good hearing he would not have heard it.

"Lucy, you can hit for me this later," Natsu said. Lucy looked up to him concerned for what he might do. Grabbing her arm he pulled her up to him.

They just keep getting longer...

Thanks for reading ^.^