Hey everyone! Here's a one-shot filled with slight angst but a happy ending. :) I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.

Summary: It's been two months since Lisanna got back from Edolas. Everyone is excited for her return, except Natsu? He's feeling pretty lonely since his best friend Lucy started hanging out with Lisanna when they found out they had a lot in common. Fairy Tail Universe. Twist on the cliché.

Rated: T

Pairing: Natsu/Lucy

Genre: Angst/Friendship/Romance

Word Count: 3904

Ignored

Don't get him wrong. Natsu was glad Lisanna was alive and well. He felt his heart soar when she was reunited with her sister and brother, and of course he was one of the ones partying that night to celebrate her return from Edolas.

But shortly after that, Natsu noticed he was seeing less and less of a certain blonde celestial mage. It wasn't that she was being ignored by her teammates now that Lisanna was back. It was actually the opposite.

Natsu was the one being ignored.

And he didn't like it one bit.

At first he was understanding. Lucy and Lisanna were both nice girls who surprisingly had a lot in common. It was only natural for them to become friends. What Natsu didn't count on was him being replaced by Lisanna so quickly.

"Oh hi, Natsu," Lucy greeted him on her way out of the guild. Lisanna was right by her side, giving Natsu a slight wave before she turned her attention back to the paper in her hand.

"Hey Luce!" Natsu grinned, hoping he caught her at a good time. "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out tonight? Happy and I were gonna go fishing?"

Lucy's smile faltered only a little bit. "Oh, I'm sorry. Lisanna and I are actually about to leave for a job."

Lisanna took that as her cue to hand Lucy the flyer. "It's to protect a shipment against potential bandits," Lisanna said, glancing at the paper now in Lucy's hands.

"Sweet," Natsu looked at the paper, feeling a rush of excitement from the idea of going on a mission. "Can I come?"

Lucy stole a peek at Lisanna, then looked back to Natsu. "Sorry. We wanted to take it by ourselves. Besides, this mission would be too boring for you."

Natsu visibly pouted, shoulders going slack as he frowned. "Oh..."

"Plus we'll be on a carriage the entire time," Lisanna pointed out. "You wouldn't have a good time with your condition."

Natsu barely held back a whine. "Okay..." He turned to Lucy. "But when you get back can we hang out?"

"Yeah!" Lucy nodded, glad they could compromise. "We'll be back in a few days. See you soon!" And with that, they left.

Natsu watched Lucy's retreating form until she disappeared in the distance. He sighed, realizing he was once again alone. He decided to stay optimistic. Lucy said they could hang out when she got back, so he would look forward to that while he waited.

In the meantime he took a short job with Happy, enough to get some jewels for food and to keep his mind off his best friend. Well, Happy was his best friend too, but with Lucy it was different. Unlike her, he'd never had romantic feelings for his exceed.

Natsu was successful in swallowing his loneliness down until Lucy returned. True to her word, she made time to hang out with him and Happy. She went straight to his house when she returned from the mission, but she wasn't alone.

"Hey Luce," Natsu smiled wide when he opened the door to the small cottage he shared with Happy. He held back the urge to drop that smile when he saw the animal soul takeover mage next to her. "Hi Lisanna..."

Yes, Lucy had brought Lisanna with her. He had to force his smile for most of the day since he really just wanted it to be Lucy, Happy, and himself today. He didn't hate or dislike Lisanna, not even a little, he just really wanted it to be the three of them. He decided to grin and bear it, seeing as the only alternative was being a rude jerk and telling Lisanna to leave. That would only make him feel bad and upset the girls.

They all fished, then brought their haul back to Fairy Tail so Mira could cook it up for the guild. Natsu managed to sit next to Lucy during their meal, so it wasn't all bad... Even if Lisanna was on the other side of Lucy, and was currently getting all her attention.

Natsu ate his fish quietly, which was unlike the dragon slayer. He didn't want to tell Lucy who she could and couldn't hang out with since he was only her friend. As much as he wanted to be more than that with her, he wasn't. Natsu only had himself to blame for that one. He never told her how he felt, so how could she know?

Natsu wasn't as dense or oblivious as everyone made him out to be. He knew the difference between boys and girls, and even the difference between friends and crushes. He was well aware of his feelings for Lucy. It was hard not to fall in love with her when she made his heart race and his fire burn hotter.

He just didn't want to rush things. If they were meant to be, they'd be. Or at least that's how he thought things went. He wasn't all that romantic, but he was hopeful. He could wait forever if that's what it took. Hell, he didn't even need to be with Lucy as more than a friend if that's what she wanted. As long as she was in his life, he was happy.

That's why lately he'd been feeling pretty down, since Lucy spent all her time away from him. It wasn't just with Lisanna either. Levy, Erza, and even Juvia would hang out with the two of them. There was no room for Natsu to notch his way in their girl groups.

He remembered the last time he tried. They were all having a sleepover at Lucy's apartment. He tried to include himself, only to get a Lucy kick to the chest as she sent him out the window.

Natsu got the message. He wasn't welcomed.

That didn't stop him from going to her apartment though. Whenever she was on missions with the girls -which was more often than Natsu thought needed, he would sneak into her apartment. It might be considered creepy, but he liked sleeping in her bed. Her scent was everywhere, and it always worked to calm him down.

Without those little break ins, Natsu didn't know how he'd survive being away from his best friend for so long.

Natsu was dealing with the change as best as he could, but the worst part about Lucy ignoring him was when she wasn't. It sounded strange, but Natsu didn't really enjoy when she gave him attention lately. It was always in the form of pranks and teasing.

It was like Lucy and Lisanna made it their personal mission to pester him. They'd give him fire, only for him to find out it tasted like farts. They'd tie his short spiky hair into pigtails and say he looked adorable. They'd cover his face with his scarf and ask him to guess which one it was, all while they were heavily doused in perfumes, making it impossible for him to tell who was who.

He endured all of it, because at least he got to hear Lucy's laughter and get some of her attention. It was the only small prize he collected from their torment.

But that all changed when they decided to play a new game. A game that nearly broke his heart.

"What about Kinana?" Lisanna asked, eyeing the purple haired girl behind the bar.

"I dunno..." Lucy tapped a finger to her chin. "She seems a little shy. I think Natsu needs someone a little more outspoken."

Natsu groaned. He didn't even try to hide it this time. They were playing a match making game, and he was the victim. Their game was pointless. Natsu already knew the only person he wanted was sitting across from him, currently tapping her damn chin as she looked around the guild.

"You're probably right," Lisanna sighed, then giggled. "What about Mira? She's outsp-" Lisanna didn't finish. She stopped once she saw Natsu tense at that suggestion. "Okay, maybe not Mira."

"What's wrong, Natsu?" Lucy teased, giving him a smirk. Any other day he would enjoy that cute expression, but right now he wanted to wipe it off her face. He would leave, but he was finally getting attention from Lucy again. He felt like a battered dog, accepting whatever attention he could get from his master despite the constant neglect he dealt with all the other times.

Lucy leaned over, her breasts pressing against the table to give him a better view at her cleavage. "You can't handle a she-devil?"

The two girls misunderstood his blush, thinking it was meant for Mira and not from Lucy's exposed chest.

"Maybe we're onto something," Lisanna laughed. "Should we try Erza? She's tough enough to handle Natsu."

Natsu didn't try to stop himself from flinching. He imagined the pain he'd be in if Erza ever found out she was being subjected to this game as well. The messed up part was he felt like he'd be blamed for it!

Apparently his reaction was enough proof that it wouldn't work, so they moved on. The girls went through a list, naming off different females not only from their guild, but from other guilds throughout Fiore as well. He was two seconds away from smacking his head on the table when Lisanna said the one thing he'd been thinking all day.

"What about you Lucy? Do you think you'd be able to handle him?"

Natsu finally perked up, unintentionally glaring across the table at the celestial wizard. She tensed under his stare, then shook her head. "There's no way Natsu and I would work out! We'll always be just good friends!"

Ouch.

He didn't think it would hurt that bad to get his heart torn in half.

"Come on," Lisanna teased, nudging Lucy's shoulder. "You're telling me you wouldn't want to try dating Natsu?"

He clenched his teeth when she spoke again.

"No way! That'd just be weird!"

He swallowed thickly, fighting the tears swimming in his eyes. Natsu keep his head lowered as he stood up, making sure Lucy couldn't see just how pain her words caused him. He barely heard her ask him if he was alright before he forced out, "please. Just stop."

Natsu said nothing else as he left the guild hall. Once he was a block away he allowed the tears to flow. He had to stop in an alley to avoid stares, not wanting anyone to see the mighty Salamander crying over a shattered heart.

He rested his back against the dirty wall as he tried to think rationally. He always knew there was a possibility of Lucy not liking him back, but to hear it out loud was... was... He couldn't describe it.

Heart breaking, terrible, horrifying, numbing...

He felt all those things and more. All he wanted was to spend a little time with the girl he loved, but instead he got a kick to his heart. It took a while, but after he cried it out, he felt a little better. Sure it still hurt knowing he didn't have a romantic future with Lucy, but at least he could still be her friend.

That was good enough for him, even if it meant never having his love reciprocated.

When his tears dried, Natsu started heading home. Unfortunately for him, where he lived and where he considered home were two different places. His feet automatically brought him to Lucy's apartment.

He sighed, wondering how he was going to get over the numbness in his chest. He figured one last nap in Lucy's bed would be like taking a last drink, or a last drag of a cigarette before quitting.

Natsu saw her light was off, so she wasn't home yet. He hopped up, jumping through the open window to land on her bed. Sure enough, she wasn't home. It was still light out, so he doubted she would be home for a while.

With any luck she would take another mission with Lisanna, leaving him alone to process his emotions in peace.

Natsu slid under her pink covers, nose filling with her calming scent as he got comfortable. Crying had made him tired, so he wasn't surprised when his eyelids fell, their heaviness causing him to close his eyes.

He fell asleep in Lucy's bed, surrounded by her comforting smell. Natsu dreamed of a world where Lucy actually liked him back. They hugged, kissed, and shared all their secrets. He was specifically dreaming about her being curled up on his lap while she was reading when he startled awake.

Natsu's eyes snapped open, realizing the lights to Lucy's apartment were on. He sat up, hair flat on one side of his head as he looked around. His eyes fell on Lucy's form at her front door.

She jolted a little at seeing him, then she calmed down. "Hey Natsu," she said softly, then closed the door behind her.

Natsu raised a brow. He thought for sure Lisanna would be with her. She'd been with Lucy every other day he tried to see her. "Sorry," he grunted, climbing out of her warm bed. "I'll go."

He was just about to reach for the window when he heard Lucy racing over to him. She grabbed his vest, saying, "don't go!"

"Why?" He asked, tone turning dark. "You gonna try to fix me up with another girl again?" He couldn't keep the anger from his voice. He was still upset despite convincing himself he would be fine with her decision.

"Natsu, what's wrong?" Her pleading voice was almost enough to keep him there.

"I don't want to talk about it," he said tugging at his vest. She refused to let go, hands tightening around the black material. "Lucy... Let me leave."

"No! Not until you tell me what's wrong?"

"Fine," he growled, upset he was going to make her mad. "I'm pissed you won't spend time with me." He cast her a look, seeing the confusion in her dark brown eyes.

"What?" She furrowed her brows as she tried to understand his words. "I see you all the time."

"Yeah, but it's not the same." He hated the way he sounded right now. He felt like a child complaining, but he couldn't stop. "You're always with Lisanna. Why can't it just be me and you again?"

Lucy's lips parted, her eyes softening. "That's what this is about?" She slowly released his vest, seeing he wasn't trying to leave anymore. "I thought you were upset about our game?"

His eyebrows drew in as he scowled. "I'm mad about that too."

"Why?" Lucy asked, hand coming up to reach for his face. She gently rested it on his cheek, then guided him to look at her fully.

Natsu reluctantly shifted until he was sitting in front of her on the bed. His eyes fell to the mattress, not wanting to see Lucy's face while he was so angry. "Because..." His tone became barely a whisper as he admitted, "I miss you..."

Lucy blinked, a little stunned. "You miss me?" When he nodded, she said, "why didn't you just say so?"

"I didn't want you to think I was bein' a jerk," he groaned, realizing he was doing the very thing he tried to avoid. "I know I can't tell you who you can and can't hang out with."

"Well that's true," Lucy said, taking a seat in front of him. She was at the edge of her bed, so she grabbed onto his knees for support. She didn't see the way his eyes flitted to her hands. "But you could have told me how you felt sooner. I would have made time for us."

"You would?" He asked, a little skeptical.

"Of course," she grinned, thumbs rubbing at the black bands at the end of his white shorts. "You're my best friend."

Natsu wanted to be happy at hearing that, but his jealousy sparked as he asked, "then why have you been hanging around Lisanna and the other girls so much? You used to always hang out with me and Happy..."

He looked up just in time to see her lips twist. "Well... There's a reason..."

"A good one?" He asked doubtfully.

"Not really," she sighed. Her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. "I was trying to see if... if..."

"If what?" He coaxed.

"... if Lisanna liked you."

Natsu raised a brow. "Why would you think she liked me?"

"Mira told me stories about you guys when you were younger. It sounded like you had a thing going before she vanished." Lucy dropped her gaze, embarrassed over her own jealousy. "It didn't matter though. Lisanna told me you two are just friends."

"Well, yeah," he said, thinking it was obvious. Sure they hung out a lot as children, but that didn't mean they were romantic together. They were just kids after all! "When'd she tell you that?"

"About a month after she got back," Lucy confessed, causing Natsu to frown.

"Well it's been two months. Why haven't I seen you away from her?" Natsu felt her grip his knees. He didn't know if she remembered she was holding onto him.

"Honestly?" She paused to take a deep breath. "She's been helping me..."

"With what?" Natsu asked, curious. He wondered what Lisanna could possibly be helping Lucy with. Maybe she was training with her? Or was it the missions to help her get rent money?

Natsu shook that last thought out of his head. If Lucy wanted rent money she usually went to him or the team with a mission. She'd been avoiding missions with him since Lisanna returned from Edolas.

Finally, after a few minutes of silence, Lucy said, "You."

"Me?" Natsu frowned. "What about me?"

"She's been helping me see if maybe you like... if maybe you like..." Lucy shook her head. "It doesn't matter!" She tried to get up, but Natsu lightly grabbed her wrists. Despite barely putting any pressure on her, it was enough to keep her grounded.

"Lucy," he breathed, "what is it?"

Lucy squeezed her eyes shut as she said, "She's been trying to see if maybe you like me like I like you."

"What?" Natsu's eyes widened, unsure if he heard her correctly. "You like me?"

"Of course I do." She dropped her head as if she was ashamed to admit it. "I've liked you for a while now."

"Then why didn't you say something?" Natsu asked, his heart beating against his rib cage. He wished she would open her eyes, but they stayed shut.

"I was going to," she admitted, breath getting shaky. "After going to Edolas and seeing how hard you fought and how brave you were for our friends... I just started realizing the silly crush I had for you wasn't going away. I was going to tell you once we got back, but then Lisanna came with us. I..."

Lucy swallowed, slowly opening her eyes to reveal the tears lining them. "I thought it'd be better if I backed off to see if maybe you wanted to be with her."

"But I don't," Natsu reasoned, only to earn a strained laugh from Lucy.

"Well I know that now." She wouldn't meet his gaze, too scared of what he thought. "It doesn't matter. Our stupid plan didn't work. We were going to suggest me dating you and see your reaction, but you looked so... mad."

"But I wasn't," he said, wishing she knew how badly he wanted to redo that moment.

"Are you sure?" She gave a humorless laugh. "Because you looked pretty upset when she said my name. Then when she started talking about dating I saw the way you clenched your teeth. You were obviously upset."

"N-no," he pleaded. "I just really wanted to know your answer. Then when you said we would only be friends, I got a little hurt."

A little hurt was an understatement. He was crushed when she said that.

"Why?" Lucy asked, crease forming on her forehead as she tried to comprehend.

"Because you weirdo," he lifted a hand to push some of her loose strands of hair behind her ear. "I like you. I thought you were saying I never had a shot."

"You like me too?" Lucy asked, eyes wide and mouth open.

Natsu debated whether or not to tell her the extent of how much he felt for her. In the end, he decided to be truthful. "I actually sorta... love... you..."

Lucy's expression didn't improve. She stared at him, not making a move or sound. When he thought for sure she wasn't going to say anything, she surprised him. "L-love?"

"Is that too intense for you?"

"N-no," she shook her head, her blush darkening and spreading to her neck. "It's great, really. Umm," she bit her lip as she struggled for words.

"You're not there yet?" Natsu asked, guessing her feelings. "It's okay if you're not. I understand this is a lot."

"Are you sure?" Lucy asked, feeling guilty for not saying she loved him back. She honestly didn't know if she felt that strongly, but she knew she liked him a lot. Enough that she turned down quite a few dates just so she could keep herself available in case the dragon slayer decided to ask her out.

Most of the time she thought it was just hopeful thinking, but now she wished she'd said something earlier.

"Yeah," Natsu gave her a small smile. "I don't wanna freak you out or anything, but I'd like to try to see if things could work out between us? What do ya say?"

Lucy couldn't stop the grin from spreading on her face even if she wanted to. "You just want to spend more time with me, don't you?"

"Can you blame me?" He asked, giving her a coy smile.

"Were you jealous of all the time I spent away from you?"

Natsu huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. He looked away just as a red flush consumed his face. "A little..."

Lucy nodded. "I'll go back to spending more time with you." She wouldn't stop hanging out with Lisanna now that she knew Natsu liked her, but she would make sure to make time for just Natsu more.

"Awesome," Natsu smiled despite the warmth in his cheeks. "When?"

"Well," Lucy looked over at her kitchen. "How about I make us some dinner and we can catch up?"

When she looked back at the dragon slayer, he was nodding. "I love that idea."

So that's what they did. Lucy made fire chicken -a recipe she got from Mira, and the two of them ate while talking about the missed moments between them these past two months.

They decided to give dating a shot, not knowing how it would end up but staying positive that they would make a great team. They ended the night in bed -fully clothed with only light cuddling! Lucy was very clear about that. She did let him sleepover though, whispering to each other until they could no longer stay awake.

It was a great end of the day considering the morning was less than pleasurable. Natsu wished things turned out differently, but sometimes life had other plans. As long as it worked out in the end, Natsu was happy.

Especially because that was the last day Lucy ever intentionally ignored Natsu.

So, what'd you think? I wanted to give a twist to the cliché. I can't say I like Lisanna's character, but it's because of the way Mashima just sort of threw her in. It's the same way I feel about Kinana or Laki really. They're just kinda there and occasionally do something.

I don't hate Lisanna though if anyone is curious. And I think Lucy and her would really be friends with each other, probably talking about how cute/adorable Natsu was as a kid. :)

Anyways, hope you enjoyed this little one-shot. :) Let me know what you thought of it.

Bonus drabble I was thinking about this morning after having a nightmare. I'm sure this has been done before, but oh well. Hope you like it.

Nightmares

Lucy was jolted awake when she heard the window open. The breeze rushed in, bringing in the cold, late night air. She didn't have time to ask what was going on before the window was shut and the covers lifted.

She felt a warm presence shift under the blanket and curl up behind her. Her eyes drifted shut when she felt those strong arms wrap around her. The sound of sniffing filled the air before she heard him sigh.

"Natsu?" Lucy asked in a whisper, already knowing it was the fire dragon slayer. "Are you okay?"

It was silent in her room now. She could barely hear her own breath, let alone his. Finally, she felt his chest against her back move. "Y-yeah," he said, voice low and rough.

She frowned at his tone. Lucy started moving, shifting until she was facing him. She could barely see him, the only light coming from the moon shining through her window. "Did you have a bad dream again?"

Natsu's arms tightened around her, bringing her closer to his body. "Y-yes…"

She could hear the restraint in his voice. He was holding back unshed tears. She knew about his problem. Lately he'd been plagued with dreams of her dying in the war. The war was over, but it didn't lessen the heartache he felt watching her die.

Her face softened, eyes closing once again as she scooted closer to him. "You can sleep here tonight," Lucy whispered, earning a sigh from the dragon slayer.

"Thank you," he whispered back, lips resting at the crown of her head.

"Anytime," Lucy murmured before slipping out of consciousness. His warmth and comfort were always enough to lull her to sleep.

Natsu curled protectively around Lucy, making sure he could smell her scent and hear her breathing. He always did this when he had a bad dream, and she never made fun of him for it.

He relaxed shortly after, muttering as he drifted asleep, "I love you, Luce."