Chapter 25: Tradition

Morning came and almost everyone was awake except for Lucy. The blonde came from an exceptional date according to her, which she could never forget. All the girls were intrigued about her date but then Lucy said to them that she would tell the story the next day. So as soon as the sun rises up, the girls have gathered up in Erza and Lucy's hotel room.

"When will Lucy wake up? I'm so excited that I want to wake her up now..." Lissana asked to no one in particular as she kept her gaze to the sleeping beauty.

"You can't wake her up, she just might throw some tantrums..." Levy replied eyeing Lucy's sleeping figure too

"I don't care...we should wake her up already." Erza stated as she stood at the end of Lucy's bed staring as well

"Juvia thinks we should just wait..." Juvia said as she stared at Lucy

"I think Juvia's right..." Aries commented first before Lucy suddenly stirred in her bed making everyone so still and nervous, thinking they were too loud

Lucy on the other hand, continued to stir in her bed until she began to stretch and yawned loud. As soon as she popped her eyes open, she was taken surprised when she saw all of her girlfriends staring at her with a lot of intensity.

"Good morning Lucy-chan!" Juvia first greeted to ease the intensity she have noticed

"U-uh...good morning...girls..." Lucy replied as she sat up in her bed while keeping her gaze to her friends, "...What's up? Why are you all staring at me?"

"What's the story?" Levy blurted out as she tried to sit closer to the blonde

"Yeah Lucy, tell us!" Lissana added as she made her self scoot closer

"What story?" Lucy asked curiously

"Your date!" Erza said excitedly

"O—h...my date...yesterday?" Lucy asked innocently making everyone slam their forehead to their palms

"Duh Lucy..." Lissana replied tiredly before smiling weakly

"So tell us what happened...you said last night it was exceptional..." Levy getting tired of fooling around, so she broke the question again and asked

"...It was...but confusing at the same time, I realized." Lucy then gathered her knees and leaned her chin to it

"What do you mean confusing?" Aries asked as she sat next to Lucy and began to brush her back

"Well...Natsu said something that made me really blush but at the same time, it confused me..."

"What did he say?" Erza then too sat next to Lucy

"He said...I love you"

Silence began to walk around the room when suddenly Levy started to shrill so loud that the others followed as well. Soon enough everyone was cheering and began to hug one another whispering to one another.

"But I wasn't suppose to hear it!" Lucy suddenly shouted making the girls stop and pay attention to Lucy again

"What do you mean by that?" Erza asked as she calmed down and sat next to Lucy again

"He just whispered it when he kissed my forehead ...I wasn't suppose to hear it...I think" Lucy suddenly slumped her shoulder leaned back to her headboard

" You think?!wait! did he say anything when you looked at him again?" Levy asked as she walked closer to the blonde

"...No..." Lucy shook her head as she looked at everyone

"She wasn't supposed to hear it..." Lissana exclaimed as she walked away from the bed then went back and stared at Lucy who was staring as well, "What should she do?"

"...They should talk. I think that is the best way to know the truth." Levy said as she looked at Lucy who was biting her lips in nervousness, "Are you up to it Lucy?"

"As in now?"

"No silly! You have to be prepared...and find the right timing...you don't want to scare him away and say to you 'you were hallucinating'" Lissana replied when Juvia added, "Lissana's right Lucy. Take your time, I know even you are surprised that he said that to you...because the 'L' word is a big step."

"Does that mean..."

"He doesn't like you anymore...He's in love with you." Aries finished as she offered a sweet smile

"Do you love all your boyfriends?" Lucy suddenly asked making the girls surprised but then all laughed and harmoniously answered yes.

Lucy tried to keep this in mind the moment where in she saw all of her girlfriends happy and excited telling her that they all love their boyfriends. "Alright last questions...when you said yes to your boyfriends...were you all in love at that point?"

And with that question, each one of them gave a different answer. Some were shaking their head to no and some were shrugging, being unsure. And with that, Lucy realized, some relationship doesn't start with love. Some start with like.

The sun is finally up and everyone is all out in the beach taking in the warm sun. Lucy and the other girls somehow decided to bond together under the heat and talk about anything. As they all enjoyed one another's company, a orange haired teen walked in the view and stood next to Aries.

"Hello ladies..." Loke greeted as he stood next to Aries who looked up from her lying position in the beach chair, "What's going on here?"

"Nothing much, just hanging around" Lissana answered as she slightly lowered her shades and looked at the teen, "What about you boys? Where are you all hanging around?"

"Just in the bar, but were not having hard drinks just so you all know..." Loke then smirked at Lissana before he decided to seat next to Aries.

"Hey Aries, you want to stroll around?" Loke murmured as he leaned down to whisper to the girl's ear

"Huh? Why? Do you want to talk about something?" Aries asked as she slightly sat up straight and looked at the teen with curiosity in her eyes, "No, no, no...I just want to be with you...and I'm doing Natsu a favor."

"Natsu?" Aries repeated as she eyed her boyfriend who seem to be hiding something from her, "Fine..."

"Alright girls, I'm going to steal malady and see you around!" Loke said as he stood up and pulled Aries up from her chair.

Without waiting for the girls' permission, the two left and started their stroll. As soon as the two was out of reach, Erza suddenly shook her head and leaned down to her beach chair, "Loke is up to something..."

"Like what Erza?" Juvia asked as she gazed at the scarlet haired beauty, "I don't know...I just feel something suspicious..."

"Is that bad? Are we to rescue Aries?" Levy suddenly asked, being concerned for the pinkette. Minutes later, all the girls looked at Erza and waited for her answer but the scarlet haired beauty doesn't seem to be bothered, "Well Erza are you gonna answer us or not?"

"Relax girls... its just Loke. Aries can handle him." Erza then crossed her arms over her chest.

Hearing Erza made the girls then relax and went back to their lying position in their beach chairs. But soon enough, one by one their boyfriends came in to view and asked them out into different places in the beach. Lucy and Juvia suddenly wondered what was happening, all their friends are being stolen away by their lovers.

"What exactly is happening here? First Aries was fetched by Loke, and then Jellal came and carried Erza away. Then suddenly Gajeel standing there and chatting with Levy and now their gone. And now Lissana just left with Sting." Lucy recalled and ranted at the same time as she sat up and crossed her legs. But soon enough a voice suddenly came and added to her rant, "And I'm going to steal Juvia from you because her boyfriend has plans for themselves..."

Gray finally standing in view beside Juvia who looked up to him and offered a smile, "Hello Gray-sama"

"Hey...come on, I have a surprise for you." Gray whispered as he extended his hand for his girlfriend who gave an inquisitive look, "Surprise?"

"Yeah...you don't believe me?" Gray asked smirking away, "No I don't..." Juvia finally stood up and wrapped her arms to Gray's neck and lightly pecked his lips

"Oh please just leave you two! I'm not in the mood to see lovey dovey people..." Lucy suddenly expressed her annoyance as she wore her shades again and slumped herself down to her chair again.

"Alright see you around Lucy..." Gray and Juvia then waved good-bye but the blonde seemed to be too upset to wave back at them.

When Lucy was finally alone in the area, she sat up and crossed her legs, seating like an Indian. Staring at the scenery, she exhaled jadedly and whispered in the wind, "I don't know how I feel anymore..."

Silence was so evident in the place that Lucy suddenly felt like crying for unknown reason. So when she felt like tearing up, she brought her legs up, hugged it, and placed her chin to her knees.

"Luce..." A familiar voice suddenly called the blonde making her wipe her face and face the person who called out to her, "Natsu, what are you doing here?"

"Uh...looking for you." Natsu walked closer and sat at the next beach chair to Lucy. When he sat down, Lucy was already facing him making him suddenly nervous all over again. "Why would you look for me? Do you need to tell me something?"

"Well yeah...but I just wanted to see you too." Natsu then entwined his hand together and tried to hide his shaking hands, "Unless if you want to be alone...You seem to be thinking deep."

"No! I" Lucy suddenly lowered her head making her loss hair fall effortless to her shoulder then grabbed the ends of her hair before looking back at Natsu, "I actually wanted a companion...but the girls seemed to be stolen away by their boyfriends..."

"That was my idea..." Natsu confessed suddenly making Lucy question the teen in front of her and slightly tittered at the thought, "Your idea? Why...what do you have under your sleeves?"

"I'm not wearing a sleeve Luce..." Natsu said clueless as he checked his clothes and saw he was just wearing a t-shirt, "Baka! I know...it was an expression!"

"I know..." Natsu and Lucy suddenly fell silent as they looked at each other's eyes and let the wind blow each other's faces with warm air.

"About yesterday..." Natsu started as he try to break the silence between them, "Did...did you hear something I said?"

"Umm...let's see if I can recall...You said that you were excited and happy courting me..." Lucy answered nervously and secretly avoiding to tell what she heard that afternoon, "Besides that" Natsu countered as he kept his gaze to the blonde.

"Nope!" Lucy silently cheered as she finally ended the conversation but then deep inside her she was wondering to herself why wouldn't she tell him the truth.

"Oh...I thought...Never mind"

"W-was it important?" Lucy suddenly tried to bring back the topic despite her attempt of ending the subject, "...No...Not really."

"Natsu...I need to tell you something." Lucy suddenly bit her lower lip unconsciously as she stared at the teen in front of her. And when Natsu looked back at her, she swallowed hard and exhaled loudly, "I lied."

"Huh? What? I don't get it"

"I lied...I did hear something." The blonde began to sit up straight, which the boy copied sensing the conversation would begin to be serious, "I heard you say that you love me..."

At instant the two fell silent again and just stared at each other. When Natsu couldn't take the intensity of the confrontation, he looked away and kept his gaze to the blue sea. "Luce...I'm sorry if I surprised you by saying that. I didn't mean to overwhelm you with how I felt. I just-"

"I love you too"

Natsu swiftly looked at the blonde, really surprised with what he heard and tried to say something. But then words wouldn't come out, "Surprise..."

"Luce...I don't what you to feel pressured just because I said I love you. I'm willing to work for it and I can wait...I've waited long before to even say I like you." Without knowing, Natsu grabbed Lucy's hand and held it with gentle but at the same time with pressure as if telling her that he was being serious and sincere.

"I know...that is why I'm saying I love you because you made me fall in love with you so hard and fast. I've known you since we were kids and I've seen your worst attitude, which I still hate. But then...I still love you."

"You...love me? As in for real? No pressure? No-"

"I love you" Natsu then smiled widely and stood up which Lucy imitated and hugged each other, "I love you too Lucy...so much"

"Alright boys, what was your real agenda this day?" Erza asked as they all gathered up in the beach and prepared for a bon fire.

"Erza relax…it was for the best…" Jellal replied behind her carrying some woods along with Gajeel and Gray, "We were all doing a favor"

"A favor? For whom?" Lissana asked as she prepared their snacks with Sting, "Natsu…" Sting said quietly as he kept his gaze to his task

"Natsu? What with him?" Aries asked as she spreads the blanket into the sand along with Loke, "He said he needed to talk to Lucy in private."

"In private? why?" Erza asked again she now helped Jellal with the woods, "It was something about yesterday…"

"Can it be?!" Levy shouted to no one in particular but the girls all gasped and looked at each other, "My goodness, we shouldn't have left Lucy!" Juvia reacted before covering her mouth as an expression.

"No…what you did girls are a favor as well for Lucy." Loke commented as he stood up in front of the piles of wood and tried to light up the woods

"How was that a favor? She needed us…" Lissana replied quit irritated but not sure to whom, "She sure needs someone to talk too"

"But Natsu and Lucy need to talk out it before its forgotten." Gajeel finally answered back making everyone silent and settle down in the blankets.

As the fire crackled in the night, the group just stayed silent wrapped to one another's lover and stared at the light. No one was attempting to neither start a conversation nor start to make Smors for snacks. The night was getting deeper when finally, Natsu and Lucy walked closer to the whole group making them somehow startled.

"Where have you both been?" Levy asked as she stood up and grabbed a blanket and spreads it, "We have been waiting for you two…"

"Is that why you haven't started melting marshmallows?" Lucy asked while helping the blunette, "Partly, yes…"

"Alright, friends, me and Lucy has something to tell…" Natsu called as he stood in front of everybody and waited for them to pay attention. Soon enough, Lucy stood next to him and wrapped one of her arm to Natsu's waist, which Natsu copied by draping his arm to her shoulder.

"I think all of you know that I have said something to Lucy that surprised us all…" Natsu then looked down at Lucy who just smiled at him, "And eventually, we have talked about it…and to my surprise, she feels the same way for me."

Everyone then started to cheer and congratulate them at the same time embrace them due to excitement. But what made the moment more surprising when Natsu suddenly walked through the crowd and pulled Lucy to the side.

"Natsu, what's going on?" Lucy asked as she let herself be pulled by Natsu at the side. The moment was beginning to feel like serious again, making everyone settle down and stare at the two. Levy couldn't hold her excitement as she watched her best friend being treated like a princess by their mutual friend. So as to control herself, she gripped Gajeel's arm and continued to take in the scene.

"Like I said before Luce, I wanted to court you traditionally…" Natsu said to her before he stepped back and began to kneel down in one knee, "Luce…I can be the most idiotic person you could be friend. Most annoying person when I start teasing you about how large you look-"

"Hey!" Lucy reacted as she slaps Natsu in the shoulder before chuckling in the process.

"See I told you…Anyhow, I can have the worst attitude that you hate. But." Natsu suddenly stopped and just stared at Lucy who was now covering half her face as she tried to hide the tears that was actually now falling, "But I will try to be the best person who would make you smile everyday, make you laugh, make you feel special, make you happy. I can't be the perfect person, but I'll make every moment with you perfect…If you just give me a chance…to be your boyfriend."

Lucy now gaped hearing Natsu say those words and knowing as well that he was serious about it. Being stared at by the man she has loved for the past three years was making her feel butterflies thousand times than being just around him. She thought to herself that she wanted a man who would kneel in front of her and ask her to be his girlfriend, and now seeing this happen, also by the same guy she wants to, makes her feel so much ecstatic.

"Lucy aren't you going to answer him?" Erza suddenly asked startling the blonde who seemed to be lost in her own thoughts, "The man kneeling is sweating wild in nervousness…" Erza added before the group started to laugh slightly

With Erza's comment, Lucy looked down again and stared well at Natsu and saw exactly what Erza just described, "You're nervous?"

"Well, I guess I should…you're taking long time to tell me your answer…"

"You don't have too…I was actually thinking of how I dreamed of this. You, kneeling in front of me, asking me to be your girlfriend…" Lucy went silent as she noticed the gleam in Natsu's eyes, then she continued herself, "My answer Natsu is yes. I'd love you to be my boyfriend" as if one cue, Lucy leaned down and grasped Natsu's face and kissed him in the lips.

The kiss felt like forever and for the first time, the kiss was not a stolen one. It was a gesture telling everybody that they were proud of showing their affection for one another.

Soon enough Natsu returned the kiss by standing up and scooped Lucy off her feet and kissed her with passion. When the two pulled away, the hunk teen spun Lucy making her squeal in excitement. Everyone too again cheered and congratulated them. And soon, the real celebration happened as they gathered in the bon fire.

-End of Chapter 25-

Hey guys...

sorry for a super late update.

well, does it sound like its going to end? well it is... I don't know how many chapters left but its coming to an end...and I hope you guys will be there until the end.

Thats all.

Love,

FairyTailxNaLu