a/n: I thought I posted this days ago...oops :/
also i ran out of title names so i'm leaving this as '25' until i can think of one...or if someone wants to save me the head ache and pitch one that would be amazinggggg
"Levy? What's wrong?" Lucy appeared from the kitchen removing her pink buds from her ears. Even with music in her head, she could hear the front door slam shut with urgency. She noted her friend with her back against the door as to hold it shut from a possible unseen intruder.
"W-What?" Levy looked up to her friend questioning giving her a strange look as she had her mouth covered.
"Are you okay?" With some urgency, Lucy rushed over to give Levy a safety look over up and down checking if her vitals were okay.
"Lu! I missed!" A deep rush of red flooded her cheeks further glistening as her friend gave her a confused look to the statement. "I might have tried to kiss him and it went very wrong…" She fidgeted with her fingers before Lucy grasped her shoulders giving her a slight shake with excitement.
"Levy!" Lucy tried her best to remain serious but let out a held in chuckle to the situation.
"W-Why are you laughing?" The blunette questioned as she looked at her friend with wandering eyes.
"I'm sorry but it's just a bit funny." She backed away brushing the tear out of her eye catching Levy with a mortified looked drawn on her face.
"Sorry!" Lucy tried her best to appear supportive. "What did he do?"
"N-Nothing, I just ran inside." Levy's voice cracked with embarrassment as she looked down breaking eye contact.
"Oh?" Lucy turned to the front door jumping on her tippy toes to a new found curiosity.
"What are you doing?" The blunette turned quickly fearing that she'd open the door dragging him inside in the process.
"Just looking out, he still might be here." She continued to look thought the peep hole giving a soft gasp at the sight.
"W-What was that for?" Levy took her gasp as something more serious making her heart race. She tried to get a look unable to own her own due to her height.
"Here." Lucy rushed over to her friend wrapping her arms around her curvaceous hips trying to raise her partially finding difficulty with it.
"Lucy stop!" Levy cried out to the sudden and rocky lift. She laughed to the new squeeze on her abdomen dragging her dress up. Lucy's unstable grasp dragged her to bang on the door making too much noise to the outside world.
"Just do it!" Lucy held her up the best she could trying to hold in her laugher to the situation.
Levy peered thought catching Gajeel's white tee for a brief second before turning the corner from her line of sight.
Lucy set her friend down as she let out a sigh. "Oh Lu, what am I going to do?" The blunette looked up at her begging for answers.
"What are friends for?" Lucy's words repeated in Natsu's mind breaking his focus from his lunch spread out on the table before him "What are friends for?" His eye twitched to the thought that refused to leave slowly haunting him.
"Friends?" He internally groaned as he slumped in his chair banging his head besides his food in defeat.
"She just sees me as a friend." He repeated to herself before vocalizing his frustration with a loud scream once the words sunk in.
For the past few days he had been running over her words non-stop. The friendly gesture, he took each word literal.
"Can you stop making so much noise?" Gray groaned to the pain staking sound as he entered the back break room plugging his ears. He noted his friend with a sour look on his face but decided to poke at him furthering his bad time.
"Shut up stripper." Natsu retorted sitting back up in his seat as he took an unwelcomed seat beside him.
Gray continued to laugh before snorting at him to his given nickname. "Say that again." He continued to test his friend who lunged forward at him more than ready to start a fight.
"Oi, you ready?" Gajeel entered in the middle of their squabble. He turned away choosing to ignore the two instead of separating them with convern. "Hurry up and put on some clothes. You're not coming in my car like that." Gajeel yelled out hearing Gray scream to the loss of his clothing once again.
"Levy? Come on, you're going to be late. Lev? I know you can hear me." Lucy grew impatient as she tried to wake her friend by calling out to her. That never worked before so drastic times called for drastic measures. She tried shaking her petite body back and forth pulling away her blanket in the process leaving her cold and in the fetal position.
"Lu? Five more minutes…" The blunette mumbled half asleep as she tossed over in her bed rejecting her friend's help early in the morning. A late night dragged into the wee hours cemented her into her bed.
Lucy sighed to her refusal, "Sorry to do this to you Lev but here's Jellal…"
"Jellal?" Levy quickly sat up as her eyes jolted open to the prospect of her brother being present before her. A blurry tall figure she expected as her eyes adjusted but a metal hunk was instead pressed to her ear.
Lucy took Levy's phone with Jellal on the other line trying to hold back from fuming from his sister not picking up after multiple attempts to reach her.
-'Levy? Did you forget that you have work?' He sighed, 'Please just hurry I need you to come and help me.' He quickly hung up not allowing her to reply.
Levy sat up rubbing her eyes to the rude awakening.
"Sorry Lev but your phone wouldn't stop ringing, honestly how you manage to sleep though that is beyond me." Lucy shook her head to her friend's deep sleep. "Anyways, I laid out your clothes so please hurry." She left allowing Levy to get dressed.
Lucy slipped down stairs already dressed to rush around the kitchen finishing packing up her work. She turned to the soft clicking coming from the stairs catching her attention. "Oh you look so cute." She gasped at her friend coming down stairs half asleep in her black and white Lolita outfit.
Levy finished securing her azure locks in the head band as she noted Lucy's current scurry. Multiple large bowls contained spilled unused batter as flour dusted the table. "What are you doing Lu?"
"Oh, I just baked something for Natsu…" She watched as a bright light lit up before continuing," "…and his dad. I'll take it after work. Now let's go before Jellal yells at me."
"Good morning!" Mira had an extra dose of cheer in her greeting as the two girls entered for their early morning shift.
"Good mor—" The girls began to call back out before noting the changed décor inside of the café. The once rustic theme shifted clearly into a flush of pastels. Hardwood tables were covered in pink table cloths matching the hanging hearts.
The blunette looked around catching an out of place hint of blue in the mix. "Jellal?" She was taken aback by his presence. He was in finances and rarely made a personal appearance allowing few from Fairy Tail to see him.
"Did you forget what I told you?" He stood from his seat approaching his shyly nodding sister. His disappointing sigh brought some fear into her face before he gave her a reassuring smile cleaning up his approach. "Come on." He placed his hand on top of matching azure locks ruffling some spikes up.
"Hey!" Levy cried out as he messed up her band misplacing it off of her head.
"And cover up." His brotherly defenses brought him to point out her appropriately sized skirt wishing it to be down to the floor.
"How cute are those two?" Mira smiled at the two blunette's sinking into the back room.
"Adorable." The blonde giggled as she took a set on the counter before looking around fully taking in the newly decorated environment. She admired what had to be hours of work. "Wow, you really go all out."
"I love Valentine's Day, I celebrate it all month." The platinum haired barmaid laid her chin in her hands swooning to the thought of love. "You never know what could happen." She gave a soft wink towards Lucy having a new hope for her.
The blonde developed a soft pink tone on her cheeks when the subject was brought up. She clutched the container having someone quickly jumping to mind.
"Oh! I'm not so sure if you know but we always hold a Valentine's Day party! Make sure you bring your mystery man." She gave a sweet smile ready to find out his identity. "So I can talk to him." She gained a devilish gleam in her eyes as she cracked her knuckles ready to punish for Lucy's pain.
Lucy gulped to now being concerned over Natsu's safety, "S-Sorry but I should get to work." She tried to rush off before Mira could get any other idea.
'Valentine's day party?' Lucy thought about it as she worked cleaning the tables, she thought of only Natsu and how to ask him.
Becoming flustered to her own thoughts, she fumbled when reaching for the water cups on the table.
"Are you okay Lucy?" Mira came over with her own tray helping her friend in what appeared to be her struggle.
"I'm okay." Lucy smiled at her friend as she pushed a blonde lock behind her ear.
"Gray-sama!" Juvia cried out to the body entering and triggering the front door bell. She quickly came down from her excited high that his presence turning the happiness into an intimate snuggle.
"Huh?" The girls turned to the busty blunette rushing at record breaking speed to her boyfriend before being caught in his arms.
Lucy smiled at the happy couple before returning to wipe off the table. She continued with a soft smile until running the clean cloth on the table coming up to a familiar grin.
"Yo!" Natsu waved as Lucy backed up before she could accidently running the cloth over his lap.
"Natsu!" Lucy held the cloth defensively to his presence. How could she have missed him entering behind Gray?
"C-Can I get you something?" She questioned with a nervous undertone meeting with his beating eyes that lit up when he saw her.
Natsu couldn't help but focus on her small details. Those chocolate eyes had a gleam, full pouty lips up to a perfectly shaped button nose.
He coughed up the lump forming in his throat in order to answer. "I just came to see you Luce." He gave her a toothy grin showing the happiness that her presence brought to his face.
"T-To see me?" Lucy blushed as she pointed to herself partially unable to believe that he wasn't fibbing.
"Relax Lucy." Mira passed by once more giving a soft squeeze to the blonde's shoulder.
Lucy gave a surprised jolt, "But Mira…"
"Have fun!" The barmaid gave a soft smile adding in a giggle as she rushed off covering for Lucy.
Lucy shook her head from so easily being let go from her work. She turned back reciprocating his smile before taking a seat beside him. "I'm glad you came actually." She put her hands in her lap continuing her smile.
"Y-You are?" Natsu sat up straight caught off guard from her statement.
"Yes, I was going to ask if you were free today actually." Lucy started off with a smile before noting the pink budding on his cheeks. She tried to confidently speak without showing the nerves she felt on her face. "A-And I wanted to know if I could come over." She hoped that he couldn't notice the beat of sweat and crack in her voice.
Natsu blinked a few times assuming other ideas to her speech, he lit up almost immediately to her forward approach.
Lucy questioned to herself about his moment of silence before fiery thoughts came to mind. She explained further while tugging on her skirt as she now realized the above the knee length. "I-I mean over to your dad's house to check up on him!"
"Dad?" He let out a held in breath as he tried to shake off a colorization held in his cheeks.
"Yes, I made you two something." She gave a sweet smile which no one could resist.
"Come over then." He grinned accepting her quickly.
"Great!" Lucy clapped her hands together as she stood to continue her work shift. "I'll be done in an hour if you want to hang around." Her bright smile got him to nod agreeing to stay for a bit longer.
Lucy periodically checked up on Natsu spending extra time with him showing preference from the other customers. She dropped off drinks and plated food while he waited for her shift to end.
"Natsu?" Lucy came from the back room calling out to the cherry blossom haired man. "Natsu?" She turned the corner to face a sleeping Natsu slumped in the booth. Stacked plates showed the reason for his sudden decline in energy.
She only left him for a few minutes but all the food caught up and wore him down.
"Oh how cute!" Levy appeared besides her friend as she prepared to leave.
"O-Oh Levy, I'll be going with Natsu…well if he ever wakes up." Lucy giggled along with her friend as she looked upon Natsu endearingly.
"Tell me about it later." Levy gave her a soft nudge and a wave before departing home.
"Luce?" Natsu asked in a raspy voice as he awoke to their conversation. "Are you there?" He gave a wave trying to snap her out of her trans.
"Huh?" Lucy turned to his calling ignoring his questioning to fall into his sleepy voice. "O-Oh what were you saying?"
"Are you ready to go?" He stood close as he adjusted his scarf allowing for the ends to hang off of his back.
Lucy nodded as she took her purse and clear container. "Bye Mira, have a great day!" She waved exiting as Natsu held open the door for her.
"Natsu?" Lucy turned to the cherry blossom haired man practically drooling over the container in her hands. "Would you like some?" She stopped walking for a moment to open the square box revealing cookies and brownies.
"Yes! I-I mean I'll just hold it for you." He graciously took the container from her hands striking a large grin on his face. He couldn't hold back any longer and dug into the container picking out a few snacks for himself during their walk.
"B-Be careful… I made them for you and your dad. Honestly, aren't you full already?" Lucy giggled to his appetite as she shook her head.
"There's always room for desert." He mumbled with a mouthful of baked good defending his plentiful appetite.
"Oi dad, I'm here!" Natsu allowed himself inside his father's home with his spare key.
The two walked into an initially empty home with a dead living room. He dropped the metal connected to a flame keychain in a nearby bowl allowing it to clink.
"Dad?" He called out once more before getting a harsh 'shush' in response from the next door kitchen.
"You're too loud Natsu." Lisanna spoke in a low whisper as she walked out of the kitchen. She hand her eyes closed for the brief moment she wiped her hands with a blue wash cloth. "Oh Lucy." She was caught off guard before recovering to the sight of a body that she wasn't expecting. "Sorry, I'm such a mess!" Lisanna set the cloth aside to hug the blonde woman. "I wish Natsu would have told me that you two were coming."
"I'm sorry, I should have asked before." Lucy apologized as she let go from her welcoming hug.
"Oh no, I didn't mean it like that. You're welcome here anytime," Lisanna smiled. "You can just have my portion of dinner."
They turned to the kitchen watching Natsu waste no time in conversing instead helping himself to an extra-large portion of the lasagna recently prepared.
"Hey Lisanna, who is here?" Igneel called out from down the hallway trying to pin point the new voices.
"It's just Natsu and his girlfriend." She replied getting a shocked stare from Lucy. "I'm just teasing." Lisanna giggled to her expression giving her a playful nudge.
"Ah welcome." Igneel emerged from his room from a long well rested slumber. He gave a grin reminiscent of Natsu's making her feel immediately comfortable.
"Hello." Lucy gave a soft wave as she hoped the pink pigment shook off of her cheeks.
"Dinner is ready if you're hu—" Lisanna began to re-direct Igneel before witnessing the new sight. She stopped mid speech to see Natsu and Igneel snacking on the treats that Lucy made effectively ruining their appetite. "Dad!"
"Sorry Lis, I can fit both." He gave a flustered grin.
"I'll eat his share!" Natsu volunteered gaining a snort from his father.
"Like hell you will."
The two began to bicker causing Lisanna to shake her head once more to their actions. She took off her apron sighing in relief from having a much needed break.
"I'm sorry that I brought that." Lucy felt bad for having Lisanna's hard work be in vain.
"Don't worry about it, those two have an endless appetite." She giggled knowing first hand on their bottomless appetite. "Here." She poured Lucy a glass full of freshly squeezed orange juice before pouring one for herself.
"Thank you." Lucy smiled accepting the tall glass as she took a seat with Lisanna on the couch.
Natsu continued to stuff his face only stopping to his father's glare. "What?" He questioned the looks he was receiving with a mouthful.
"What's the story with you and that girl? Lisanna keeps calling her your girlfriend." Igneel gave a slight turn gesturing to the blonde whose soft laugh could be heard.
Natsu gained a tint as bright as his hair dusted on his cheeks to the title. He sunk down his chair pouting from it giving only a grumble as a response.
"Don't be shy now." Igneel grinned draping an arm over his son to lean him in close. He ruffled his hair messing up a few spikes in the process slowly beginning to provoke him.
A nerve bulged in the cherry blossom haired man's forehead to the childish treatment he was receiving. He pushed himself away to fix his hair. "It's not like that." He answered with some noticeable disappointment in his voice.
Igneel nodded as he rubbed his chin fully aware of the tone he used. "Get her while you can. I need to see my grandchildren before it's too late." He gave a loud chuckle adding in some teasing.
Natsu almost choked on the desert tensing up to his statement. He chose to ignore it as he grabbed a cookie nibbling on it while he saw her from afar.
"So is Natsu your brother?" Lucy sheepishly questioned wanting some more details about her crush.
Lisanna blinked a few times internally questioning on why she would ask before first letting out a giggle. "Oh no of course not, we just grew up together."
The two girls turned to the kitchen catching two pairs of ease dropping eyes wanting to hear details on their conversation.
"He'll kill me but we used to play house," she giggled. "I used to call him my husband and he'd just get flustered each time." Lisanna noted on her childhood.
"How cute." Lucy gave a soft chuckle to the thought of a young Natsu being dragged along to play house.
The two girls gave a second look towards the two men giving them a soft wave along with a giggle as they now turned quickly away.
"My parents were never around so Igneel became like my second father. He even walked me down the aisle." The platinum haired woman smiled to the wonderful thought.
Lucy turned her attention focusing on the rock on her ring finger signifying her commitment to another. "But dad got sick so I came back to nurse him back to health."
"That's so kind of you." Lucy added in.
"Is it really? Hmm, I never thought it that way. What else is family for?" Lisanna gave a soft smile.
"Family? Right." Lucy looked away for a moment thinking about her own familial ties.
"Are you okay Lucy?" Lisanna leaned in questioning if she was fine.
"Oh no I'm fine." Her face shifted into a reciprocated smile.
"Great, now please join us before those two eat everything." Lisanna gave a soft giggle while turning to the two men still attempting to ease drop.