A/N- I have...no excuse for my absence...but I am alive! And I have another one-shot that I want to share with all of you. So I hope you enjoy it!

(This story has been sitting unfinished for about a year now lol).

He hadn't noticed the difference until Phantom Lord kidnapped Lucy.

When Natsu had met Lucy, Happy wasn't all that interested in her. In fact, he thought she was a little weird and annoying. As far as he knew, Natsu pretty much felt the same way. Though of course later on, it was pretty easy to see Lucy as their friend, despite her little quirks. She was nice, caring, and she loved the guild.

What's not to like?

Happy's opinion on Lucy then changed once he found out her past. A heiress whose mother died while she was young. And a girl who ran away to get away from her cold-hearted father. Her story really set in stone that she was a Fairy Tail wizard. Despite her dark past, she was able to stay kind hearted.

That's what Natsu told him, anyway. And if that's what Natsu believed, Happy was on board one hundred percent. But after that, Happy realized that Natsu started to act a little different around their blonde friend. Much more clingy and protective than usual. The weirdest thing, was that he refused to go on jobs without her.

Normally, he and Happy could go on jobs for weeks by themselves. But now whenever Happy even suggested going on a job, just the two of them, the responses he got were pretty much the same;

"Not without Lucy!"

"We can't just leave Lucy by herself!"

"Lucy's our partner, little buddy, she has to come with."

It was getting kind of pathetic how much he wanted Lucy near him. It was hard to even tease him about it because Natsu had already acknowledged it and accepted it. It wasn't as if Happy disliked being with Lucy, he just didn't understand why Natsu couldn't leave her side. During a small job though, he was able to answer part of his question.

After finishing said job, both Natsu and Lucy walked down the streets of Magnolia while Happy trailed behind them, wings flapping silently. He eyed Natsu. He watched as he leaned dangerously close to Lucy. Usually, that wouldn't be all that strange, except he practically had his face stuffed into her neck. And with him significantly taller than the blonde, it just looked super weird.

But Lucy hadn't noticed a thing.

And she calls Natsu oblivious.

Happy frowned as he watched over Natsu. Why was he in such a weird position? Then Happy saw it. Natsu inhaling deeply. The blue cat's eyes widened as the realization hit him.

Scent.

Natsu liked Lucy's scent.

Happy had always known about Natsu's heightened sense of smell. And when it came to dragons, there was just certain smells that attracted them like a moth to a flame. But Happy never imagined Natsu being attracted to a person's scent. It was usually food. But he supposed, he shouldn't be all that surprised.

It was Lucy after all.

"So, what does she smell like?" Happy asked, seemingly out of the blue. They had just gotten home after dropping Lucy off at her apartment.

"What are you talking about?" Natsu asked with a furrow of his brows. Happy huffed at his lack of comprehension.

"Lucy, what does she smell like?"

That seemed to have gotten his attention. Natsu swiftly twisted his head to stare at Happy in utter shock. His mouth hung open wide while his body went rigid. Happy briefly acknowledged the spike in temperature, as well as Natsu's red ears. Slightly shaking his head to refocus, Natsu turned away from Happy.

"What kinda question is that? She doesn't smell like anything special." He grumbled out. Happy rolled his eyes.

Yeah, right. Liar.

"I can tell you're lying. Just tell me."

"Its...not important..."

"It is to me."

"Just drop it, Happy!"

"No! Tell me!"

"Urg, fine! Vanilla and strawberries! There! Happy!?" Natsu huffed, looking disheveled and very much embarrassed by his own outburst. Happy had never seen such a look on Natsu before. Natsu wasn't the type to get worked up, in a nervous way. Or embarrassed for that matter. It was a new side to Natsu.

And Happy wasn't sure if this was a good thing or bad thing.

"Sounds delicious." Was all Happy decided to respond with. Thankfully it lighted the mood and Natsu's face relaxed as he rolled his eyes.

"Is food all you think about?"

Well that was odd.

Isn't that all Natsu thinks about too?

Hm, maybe not anymore.

Happy noticed some more odd behavior from Natsu at the guild. A lot of it was subtle, but Happy was an expert in Natsu. Happy noticed everything about his best friend. Like the way he would scoot closer to Lucy whenever she seemed to not notice. But unfortunately for Natsu, Lucy was an expert in Natsu as well.

Happy watched as she side eyed as Natsu tried to continue to get closer. Lucy didn't back away, but Happy could see the small blush on her face as she tried to continue what she was doing before. And he noticed how she moved a fraction towards him. Which was odd for Lucy to do as well. Was Happy missing something here.

He knew he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed but he also knew friends wouldn't do that with friends. In such a secretive way too. Lucy then accidentally touched Natsu's hand, breaking the intimate moment between the two. They both jolted back from each other and loudly announced their apologies, getting those near them to glance their way. Happy blinked blankly as he studied Natsu's reaction. Natsu just stared at his hand.

But that wasn't all. There was a look in his eye, like he was in a dream like state. Worried, the exceed made his way over to the pyro.

"Are you okay, Natsu?"

"I never noticed how soft her hands were..." He sighed softly with a goofy smile. Happy's jaw unhinged in shock.

"He's broken!"

Now things were just getting frustrating. Happy finally figured out what was wrong with his human friend. And it seemed Lucy had the same going on with her. It was so obvious from the start, Happy didn't know why he hadn't seen it earlier.

They must of both contracted some kind of sickness!

And he was going to be the one to cure them.

"So, Wendy, how do you help someone who's sick?" Happy asked the healer one day, not taking his eyes off Natsu, who wouldn't take his eyes off Lucy.

"Is someone sick Happy? I can use my magic!" Wendy gasped, standing up. Ready to heal anyone who needed it. Happy turned his attention to her and frowned.

"But I wanna help them myself. So how can I do that?" Slightly confused by his wording, she sat down and hummed in thought.

"Well, are they running a fever?" She asked, a bit hesitant.

"Yeah, they get really hot sometimes, especially near someone else!" Happy smiled, glad he was getting somewhere with this conversation. He knew going to Wendy was a good idea.

"Near someone huh? Maybe they both have the same sickness?"

"That's what I was thinking!"

"Well, if i were you, and because you have no healing magic, I would start by trying to cool them down. Maybe a cold washcloth on their forehead. And then make them some soup! It might help too! And make sure they get lots of rest." Wendy nodded, confirming her own words. Confident that her help was plenty sufficient, Happy flew off. Only to come back to the guild a couple hours later. He flew to Natsu, who was busy...well, doing nothing actually. But he was next to Lucy, which exited Happy.

"Natsu! Lucy!" He yelled, and when they turned to look at him, he flung two wet washcloths to their face. Lucy yelped, before slowly sliding the cloth from her face. Anger evident by her expression, until a bowl of soup was also shoved in her face.

"What are you doing Happy!? And what is this?" Lucy asked, both shocked and angry. She peered down at the bowl in her hand. It was filled with a liquid that smelled of broth. But noticeably, it had a fish tail sticking out of it. And looking to her left, she noticed Natsu holding the same thing, only with a fish head sticking out.

She gagged and set the bowl on the table, pushing it away from her. She really hated sea food.

"What's all this, little buddy?" Natsu asked, more confused than angry. Happy hugged on Natsu's arm.

"I'm trying to make you guys feel better! You're sick right!?" He wailed, tears pricking the corner of his eyes.

"What? Sick? Where did you get that idea?" Lucy asked with a raise of her brow. By now the guild had noticed their exchange and was watching Happy closely. And from afar, Wendy slapped her forehead with a small groan.

"B-But you two were acting so weird with each other," Happy sniffled. And immediately, Natsu and Lucy stiffened.

"A-Actually, I am sick!" Natsu laughed, gulping down the soup that Happy made him. Although it was obvious he was just trying to hide his face behind it.

"Uh huh! I am too!" Lucy giggled, reaching for the bowl, only for her arm to curl back in disgust. Rather, she just pushed out a small cough.

"Oh I wanna hear this," Gray grinned. "What do you mean by weird, Happy?" He asked the blue ball of fur. Happy turned to Gray and wiped his eye.

"W-Well, Natsu got so hot around Lucy. And kept getting nervous when she touched him. And he won't leave her alone either. He keeps telling me it's because she's our partner, but I think it's because he knows she sick too." He explained, completely silencing the guild.

Natsu slumped in his chair and hid his face behind his scarf. "Oh come on." He whined out.

"A-And Lucy does the same thing! She always glances at him, and when we sneak into her bed at night she doesn't kick us out anymore! And her face gets red when Natsu gets close to her-" Happy then stopped mid sentence as he contemplated his own words.

"Oo I get it now..." He whispered.

"Oh good grief!" Charle huffed with a roll of her eyes. Happy was emotionless for a moment, before a small mischievous grin made it's way on his face.

"You liiiiike her!

"Happy!"

A/N- And there it is! I'm glad that I'm beginning to get into writing again, and I really want to continue the stories that I've left uncompleted for around a year now. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed!