Hi everyone! It's been a while LOL - writing is hard. :( Super sorry this is a short one but don't worry, this story is just getting started!

Lucy suddenly groaned, momentarily removing her mouth from the straw she had been sipping from. Juvia, who was to her right, blinked at her questionably, "Lucy?"

The blonde had almost all but forgotten she was even out in public, and she swiftly glanced at Juvia with downturned lips, "I just remembered," she started with a sigh, "Natsu and Gray's stag party is tonight."

"That's what you're groaning over?" Juvia snorted, "It'll be fun."

"Is your idea of fun nursing a puking dragonslayer combined with a violent hangover?" she grumbled as Juvia giggled.

"Not really,"

Lucy stared at her through her eyelashes and stated dryly, "Yeah, me neither. But Natsu has zero self control, who knows what he'll be like at his own stag party?" Lucy whined as she put her head on the surface of the bar.

Juvia jokingly patted on her shoulder, "There, there." Lucy turned her head, still on the bar, to glare at her, clearly not amused. "Besides, he has Gray to look after him now, what else is a fiance for?"

Lucy laughed, "I guess you're right. Well, I hope you're right because I don't think I have it in me to drag him back to my apartment yet again." Although she complained, she still smiled subtly at the memories the two had shared together. And to think, he would soon be a married man.

"Juvia thinks you're just being dramatic," she teased, "It'll be great!" Her enthusiasm did seem to rub off on Lucy a little, as the idea became more appealing once Natsu was out of the equation.

"You'd be dramatic too if you had to lug home a drunk dragonslayer on the regular," Lucy remarked, "But maybe you're right." She smiled up at Juvia, and she returned it.

The two women were suddenly startled at Natsu appearing between them with a huge grin on his face, and Lucy internally groaned. She already knew the interrogation she was about to get, judging from the gleam in his eyes and the mischievous grin on his face.

"Hey Luceeeeee," he dragged out childishly with a teasing tone, causing Lucy to simply roll her eyes and hop down from the bar stool, dread settling into her bones as she wondered how on Earthland she was going to explain this to her best friend. "I'll see you later, Juvia?" she asks casually and once she got an amicable nod she turned the other way, dragging Natsu with her as she left the guild completely.

To say the journey back to her apartment was awkward was an understatement. Natsu was hopelessly stupid when it came to a lot of things but he always knew when to give it a rest and so that led to a very quiet walk home. Though, Lucy did appreciate the silence as it gave her time to mull over all the craziness that has happened during the past few days. Seriously, it was like whiplash. First the impromptu wedding and then she somehow got roped into pretending to date Juvia. The blonde internally whined as she began to unlock the door, knowing that the second the doors opened, the barrier stopping Natsu from bothering her with questions would burst.

And of course, she was right.

"You and Juvia?!" He sort of cackled as he said it, a large smile on his face that quickly turned into a pout, "Why didn't you tell me? I had to find out from metal-brain out of all the people."

Lucy sweatdropped, "Can't say I'm surprised. The man's a bigger gossip than I am," then made her way over to her couch with a sigh. Immediately, Natsu sat down opposite her but now he had his brows furrowed in concern, Lucy realized he must have taken her sigh as pretty out of character for someone who just got into a relationship.

"Um, so what would you do if I told you that I'm not actually dating Juvia?"

"What the hell? Is Gajeel spreading rumors about you?!" Natsu jumped up, outraged, "I'll avenge you!"

Lucy laughed, "No! Gods, no!" Natsu stopped his tirade and stared at her with confusion, "The rumor is true…Well, kind of."

Natsu sat down, dumbfounded, "Okay, you lost me. You're not dating her but you are?"

"Yes, exactly!"

"You're gonna need to explain a bit more there, Luce." He deadpanned and Lucy cursed the fact that this was the time her best friend was choosing not to be gullible. Wow, maybe Gray really was changing him.

She looked away anxiously, "We're fake dating?" It came at as more of a meek question rather than a statement but could you blame her? It was a relatively new addition in her life.

"Say what? You're pretending to date Juvia…for what?"

"It wasn't the intention from the start, honestly! It all just got out of hand!" She whined exasperatedly, "Juvia and I decided to go together as friends to get Mira off our backs. Talk about a major backfire," she grumbled in the last part.

Her head whipped up at the sound of rambunctious laughter and instantly she could feel the vein on her forehead popping out. "You jerk!" she pointed viciously, only to be met with even more laughter at her expense. He was really getting a kick out of this, wasn't he? Lucy simply glared at the soon-to-be-wed dragon slayer and waited for him to finally sober from his laughing fit.

"Jeez, Luce," another laugh escaped, "Didn't know you were that desperate!"

"You're such an idiot, Natsu! It's not like that," she kicked him lightly from across the couch, "When I told Mira that Juvia was my date to the wedding, she just took it and ran with it! Literally! She was gone within seconds," the blonde sighed.

Natsu, who had finally completely stopped his hysterics, shrugged at her, "I mean, it's hardly the worst thing to happen. At least you got a date for our wedding!" He beamed hugely, and she could only return the smile. His optimism rubbed off on her shockingly fast.

"You're right," she giggled, "Still can't believe you're getting married!"

"Oh, yeah! I've got a question for you," Natsu perked up, "Wanna be my maid of honor?"

The way he asked was just so Natsu that she couldn't help the surge of emotions that welled up inside of her. Lucy threw her arms around her best friend and nodded with tears in her eyes, "Yes, silly, of course I will," Natsu returned the affection and grinned happily. Lucy briefly broke the emotional hug to look at him with an unamused face yet watery eyes.

"I cannot believe that you almost forgot to ask me that."