A/N: Gomen! I meant to post this a week ago but I never got the chance with the end of semester approaching and ASTL just happened to fall on that weekend before. Gomen! My plan is to post on Mondays, but I may post on Fridays depending on how my weekends turn out. I may not be updating this story every week though. I'm trying to get rid of my writer's block for A Promise To Keep. I will do my best though! I really want to get this on a schedule! I hope you guys enjoy taking a peek into a more mature Natsu's... ah well. It's Natsu this week. Enjoy and feel free to R&R!

Chapter 5

Lucy and Natsu sat on the L-shaped couch in her parent's basement. The room was her own personal entertainment room. The two soon-to-be-high-schoolers were currently playing each other at a fighting game. Lucy was winning and Natsu was not happy.

"C'mon Luce… Just let me win once." He pounded the buttons trying to figure out moves to no avail as Lucy constantly kicked his ass.

"Not until you learn how to actually play the game." Lucy laughed. She stared at the television. "You ready for my ultimate?"

His character was K.O.'d right in front of him before he got a chance to respond. He grabbed the controller from her hands and moved away from her. "Will you let me win this time?"

She stood up, her blonde hair flowing behind her as she attempted to get the controller, but even jumping up, she couldn't reach. "Give it back!" She laughed and complained at the same time. She jumped up a few more times, before losing her balance.

The light coming through the small window dimmed as the two fell over, Natsu landing on top of Lucy. His hands were on either side of her head, her body in between his legs. She smiled up at him, slightly blushing. Why is she blushing?

He was suddenly aware of Levy sitting on the couch, not paying any mind to the two of them, totally enveloped in her book, which meant Gray was upstairs with Erza grabbing drinks and snacks. He stared into Lucy's eyes. They were drawing him in, enticing him to come closer, to drown himself in their warmth. He found his face barely an inch of hers, his eyes closing, ready to kiss her.

BANG! The door to the stairwell opened with footsteps coming down. Natsu pulled back and sat next Lucy who looked slightly confused as Erza and Gray stepped down into the basement. Lucy stood up and moved over towards them, talking to them, grabbing a soda and tossing one to both Levy and himself.

As Natsu stood up off the ground, he found himself in his school uniform in his freshman high school classroom. Lisanna stood in the back of the room talking to Lucy. He couldn't make out what they were saying but something was off when he saw Lucy glancing his way. The two were laughing, but Lucy's eyes didn't laugh with her like they always did.

The scene melted to the park with Lucy sitting above him in a tree. He looked at her middle school self closely. "Please don't cry Luce."

She looked at him slowly. "It's just, the cherry blossom trees remind me of mom…"

He thought for a moment. "I have an idea I think you'll like, but you need to jump down first."

She nodded and jumped into his arms. She hugged him as tears fell. "It doesn't seem like three years have passed at all…" She sniffed.

"I know." He pushed her back gently, then grabbed her hand, leading her towards her mother's grave with a picture and a beautiful bouquet of her mother's favorite flowers.

"Thank you." She let go of his hand, clutching bouquet to her chest. Natsu stood a couple yards back, letting her have her and her mother have a moment to themselves.

A cat rubbed up against his leg. As he knelt down to pet the cat, he suddenly noticed a bag that hadn't been leaning next to the wall beside him. It was Lucy's favorite backpack from high school. As he stood up, he noticed Lucy standing in front of him with her back still turned in the empty afternoon hallway.

"What is it?" He heard himself say.

She looked nervous, twiddling her fingers. "I think… I… I love you." She flashed her eyes at him briefly, but not long enough to see as smile appear on his face.

"Heh…" He scratched the back of his head, happy that she had finally told him. Butterflies pierced his stomach as he bagan to respond. "I… I like you, too…" He paused for a split second.

"But as a friend. And you're with Lisanna."

His heart sank, broke as she turned away without look at him, without seeing the pain across his face. As he began to speak, Lucy began to run from him, from what he wanted to tell her. He had wanted to tell her that he didn't just like her...

"Wait! Lucy!" The hall shrank before him as she ran farther from him. He walked… ran after her. Every step he took, she was a few steps farther. The hall stretched out in front of him, his hand reaching after her.

"Wait!" Natsu jolted upright, his hand outstretched towards nothing. He looked around his room in a frantic panic. He didn't see the blonde girl running from him. He didn't even see her bag against the wall. His eyes searched constantly until he realized he was alone in the apartment.

"Dammit," he muttered under his breath. He turned over towards the window and noticed for once that he could see the constellations. Canis minor shone brightly, one of her favorite constellations. He stared at it, smiling slightly. As he fell back to sleep only one phrase escaped his lips, one that he had never thought he'd ever feel enough emotion behind to change everything about his life.

"...I love you, Luce…"