Ello TMBC readers, :D I hope you enjoy chapter twenty. And for 21, I think I might speed past their first date and bring it back in later chapters in flashbacks for the sake of moving forward a bit more. I might change my mind too but I'm definitely leaning towards this for the next chapter.

Enjoy guys~

Natsu woke up with a slow start, his lips pulled back into a groggy lopsided smile, after much talking last night he'd decided to get to sleep as much as he could, after all, he still had some kinks to work out of his plot for the day. Lucy cuddled closer to him as they slept in a sleeping-bag that wasn't meant for two, he could feel her hands gripping his shirt as if to ensure he'd stay there, the bridge of her nose resting against his neck.

Natsu reached his right hand up carefully untangling her hands from his shirt, he had plans today and he needed to get an early start if he wanted to execute them properly. Natsu heard her groan displeased with his actions despite being fast asleep, leaning forward Natsu plants a kiss to the top of her head, "I love you" He whispers. Natsu could only smile more as he felt the displeased unconscious girl trying to sneak her arms around his waist, quickly, carefully, and quietly Natsu pulled himself out of the sleeping-bag not missing the sight of Lucy reaching around for him and his missing warmth.

Natsu stretched his arms over his head, ignoring as the end of his loose black shorts brushed his leg as he stepped over to his bag, pulling out the clothes he'd brought from home to wear for today specifically. Today would be perfect… He would make sure of that! Once he finished with washing and dressing himself, he stepped out of the bathroom to find the sun peeking in through the window. Before it could reach Lucy effectively waking her, he rushed forward and closed off the curtains.

When he turned, he couldn't help but chuckle at the girl as he found her using the pillow as a substitute for him. Still, despite the substitute, the sleeping girl still didn't seem at all pleased. Natsu walks over to Lucy's small kitchen to retrieve the goods he'd gotten the day before yesterday as he made his way home… Home… Was this his home now? He wondered as his eyes scanned the room as he carefully put things down on the counter. Natsu shook his head from side to side. What was he thinking?! This wasn't his home he was just-just staying over, right? Right?

His eyes gazing towards the bathroom where his toiletries still laid neatly scattered about as if they belonged there. Natsu shook his head from side to side, 'Just because I've been staying here every night for the past week and our toothbrushes are sitting side by side doesn't mean I live here!' he thought. Though he had to admit the idea of living here with Lucy caused his heart to race ever so slightly. After thirty minutes and packed a basket full of food later he pulls out yet another basket before continuing to make more, he knew Lucy better, but he was still unsure of things. Things like what she liked to eat… and he knew he couldn't ask her because she'd only just came to the human world, he doubted she'd gotten to go out at try different things like that yet.

And so today he was making it his goal to learn every possible thing he could about her as well as to teach Lucy a little more about herself. Natsu frowned with a momentary pause, 'Oh right, I have to do my laundry today.' He thought dropping what he was doing to begin the task so it wouldn't interfere later. Natsu snuck into Lucy's bedroom where her father laid fast asleep, swiftly he shuffles towards the laundry bins only to make a startling discovery… 'Did I always have this much clothes here?' he wondered blinking in confusion at the basket he'd bought for himself to separate their clothes.

The gears in Natsu's head turned as he realized he actually had more clothes put away in a few empty dresser drawers and Lucy's closet. Natsu sweatdropped, 'I-It's not living together, not if she doesn't ask me.' He thought with a mild nod to himself. Moving in was a talk they'd yet to have he was just being weird and overthinking things! Natsu frowned a little at this, 'Yeah, I'm just overthinking this… it's not as though my mail comes here too.' He thought.

Natsu's brow twitched angrily as he tinkered with his black collared shirt and tie, messing it up for the second time. How he wished Erza was here to help him with this! Usually, he'd just have the tie loosely hanging from his neck and call it a day, but if he did, he was sure Erza would be mad at him like she is when he comes to work like that. It took a good minute before he finished dressing himself his tie taking up the majority of his time because Erza wasn't here to help him with it.

He stepped out of Lucy's room and into the living room to find a very groggy Lucy sitting upright. Her blonde hair messy hair shifted around ever so slightly as she hid a good morning yawn behind her hand. Watching as her spaghetti strap on her left shoulder skated down her arm as she began rubbing at her eyes to clear away the sleep. Natsu's lips lifted ever so slightly in a smile as he walked over, kneeling down beside her, reaching up he grabbed the fallen strap guiding it back to place, not missing the shiver that followed as his fingers grazed her arm, "Good morning beautiful." He tells her grabbing that same hand, bringing the back of it to his lips.

Lucy blinked the sleep away, "M-Morning." She stuttered with a soft blush at his movements. What he'd done just now… it looked and sounded like the kind of thing that happened in the books Natsu's mother use to read with her.

Lucy's blood ran cold with fear as she heard a loud creaking noise and when Lucy tried to dive under the bed to hide, she couldn't help but hear the chuckle, "Lucy darling, what on Earth are you doing?" Grandeeney questioned the girl she hadn't seen for a week since her son brought her home to be treated for injuries. When Lucy remained under the bed hiding, she smiled stepping back, "Lucy honey, follow me please."

Grandeeney left sitting in the living room on the couch after grabbing a book from her large bookshelf, her husband asking if she was planning to come to bed, but she just shooed him away making him confused. Grandeeney smiled tapping her index finger to her nose as she looked at her husband. She watched as he took in a couple of sniffs to find a familiar scent in the house. His lips pulled back into a smile as he backed away into their room to give the girls some space.

Lucy finally inched her way out into the living room, nervously playing with her hands at being caught. She was young and knew very little about communicating with humans, but she tried anyway, "I sorrwy," she apologized fearfully standing at the end of the couch.

Grandeeney patted the cushion beside her softly, "There's nothing to be sorry about dear," the older woman started. Watching as Lucy nervously shuffled closer to her, enough to stand beside the cushion she'd tapped, "It's alright honey no need to be nervous! I promise I don't bite." She reassures. Watching the girl sit back onto the cushion and pillows of the couch. "Lucy, I want you to know your always welcome here. You don't have to hide from us, okay?" she told the young blonde meeting the small girls' big brown eyes. Lucy's eyes searched hers for any type of danger but eventually, the young girl gave off a trusting nod.

"Do your parents know you're here?" Grandeeney questions watching as Lucy's shook her head from side to side. "That's not good honey. You shouldn't worry your parents like that." Grandeeney gently scolded when Lucy looked away after pulling her small legs up onto the chair.

"Doesn notic." Lucy struggled she didn't know the human language well. After all, her mother had only taught her the ABC's and a few words and their meaning, but just because she knew things didn't mean she knew how to pronounce them properly. Her words easy to figure out but were broken with inexperience.

"Your parents don't notice?" Grandeeney repeated watching as Lucy shook from side to side her head.

"D-Daddy…" Lucy corrects sadly thinking about her mother who'd left and hadn't returned yet.

At the sudden cloud of sadness hovering over the girl, Grandeeney decided it was best to change the subject for the time being. Grandeeney reached over startling the girl as she picked her up placing her on her lap as she shuffled around to sit with her legs stretched across the couch, "Well, your pronunciation could use a little work and I," she started stretching back a bit to turn on the light behind her and retrieve the small book she'd placed on the coffee table, "could use a little help with finishing off this !" Grandeeney told her giving her a wink flashing her the books cover, "What do you say we help each other out?

Lucy smiled remembering the kind woman. She'd been so nice… Nothing had prepared her for the heartache she felt later when they'd lost her. The woman had been like her second mother... Lucy shook her head pushing away the sadness, "Something wrong Luce?" Natsu asked her. Lucy shook her head from side to side, but her face betrayed her as tears fell skidding down her face, "Doesn't look like nothin." He muttered under his breath as he scooped her into his arms. When he places her on his lap just as his mother had the day, she finally told his mother that her own mother left and never returned. His arms wrapped gently around her securing her…

Lucy's lips pulled back into a big happy smile that didn't match the look beyond her eyes, "I'm fine." She beamed.

Natsu took in a breath knowing all too well that she was lying to him because despite that overwhelmingly happy smile her eyes held a sadness behind them. A sadness that just from one look he could see had never been dealt with. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to go out today… "Luce, I had plans to take you out today but if you're not…" he started only to be cut off.

"REALLY?!" Lucy says in a giddy tone, noticing the sadness was nearly eradicated as she spun around to face him and hug him.

Natsu frowned, "Don't do that…" he told her.

Lucy looked confused, pulling away from the hug, "What?" she questioned unsure of what she'd done.

"Shrugging your emotions off like that. Don't do it… It's not healthy." He explained pulling her into a hug. Natsu hand rubbed up and down her back, "I know right now you probably don't wanna talk about it but promise me someday we will." Lucy sat there for a long moment silently unmoving, "Luce?"

Lucy's head fell against his shoulder, and her arms rounded his chest as she nodded against his shoulder, "C-Can we do that on another day?" she asked. She wasn't quite ready to rip open her old scars yet. Natsu nodded, both of them sitting there for a good hour before they finally broke apart so Lucy could get ready. "So, where are we going?" she questioned as she washed her face her scales scrapping at the material of her pants and shirt even as she tried so hard to focus them back into remission.

Natsu flashed her a grin from the living room where Natsu had been getting things ready to leave, she stepped out of the bathroom to head towards her bedroom, but stopped beside him to hear his response, "Wouldn't" he started poking her in the nose before continuing, "you like to know!" The smile on his face only growing as she mumbled jerk under her breath before stomping away to get ready.

Natsu shook his head from side to side, as he exited the apartment to go secure the baskets to his bike. He couldn't help the snort that came out when as he closed the door, he found Lucy with her bedroom door cracked open pouting for not telling her what they were doing. Natsu closed the door cutting off the view, "She's so cute when she's pouting."