Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews as always! Sorry for the delay again! Small update here. I've been finding it difficult to upload every Fridays, so I'm changing my upload schedule to the weekends, so you could expect a chapter on either Saturday or Sunday from now on!
Anyhow, I just want to say this might be the dumbest chapter I've written, haha. I've had a lot of fun writing it. I wanted to play around with Natsu's character. I'd like to think the way he does things is… unorthodox, unexpected. From the title alone, you could take a few guesses, eh?
Enjoy reading!
Chapter 19: Natsu's Confession Adventure!
Lucy entered the guild, hoping to find Natsu. She wanted to apologize to him and return his scarf. She scanned the guildhall but didn't find him anywhere. Huh, did he already leave? She noticed Wendy, Gray, Jellal, and Carla sitting around a table. She approached the group.
"Hey, Lucy. How are you feeling?" Gray asked upon seeing her.
"Oh, I'm feeling better, I guess…"
"Good to hear that. Looking for Natsu?"
Lucy nodded. "Yeah… I want to talk to him. Do you know where he is?"
"He left the guild for a while. He told me to let you know not to worry about him." Wendy answered.
"Oh, he left… alright." Lucy sighed, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice. I hope he's not mad at me.
"I'm sure he'll come back soon. Why don't we wait here for him?" Erza approached her from behind, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Erza… okay." Lucy joined the group and sat with them.
Outside…
…
..
.
Natsu walked in a slow pace, strolling through the peaceful mornings of Magnolia Town alongside Happy, who was flying beside him. He wanted to breathe some fresh air, to clear his mind, to cool himself down.
He was thinking about last night when Lucy confessed to him. When she said she loved him more than a best friend. When she wanted something special to grow between them. What did it mean to love Lucy more than he does now? He didn't know. He sighed deeply.
Happy remained silent. He wanted to talk to him, but he figured he needed his time.
"Happy." Natsu broke the silence. "Do you know what happened last night?"
"I don't, Natsu. Did something bad happen?"
"Mhmm, I… met Lucy last night before going home." Natsu walked to a bench and sat on it.
Happy remembered seeing Lucy crying in the guild. "Did both of you… get into a fight?"
"I'm not sure if I would call it a fight." Natsu put his arms behind his head. "She… told me something."
Happy nodded in silence, waiting for him to continue.
"She… said that she loved me." Natsu said timidly. "I wanted to tell her I love her too…"
"… Huh?" Happy's eyes widened. Hold on, what love did she mean?
"But then… she said she wanted to love me more than a best friend. She wanted us to have something special together." Natsu dropped his shoulders. "She's special to me. I love her a lo-"
"NATSU!" Happy jumped on the bench in excitement.
"W-What is it, buddy?" Natsu flinched a bit.
"She confessed to you?!" Happy's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Natsu, she actually confessed to you?!"
Natsu tilted his head in a curious angle. "Confess…?" He had a vague memory of this word. What did it mean?
"Yes! She confessed her feelings to you!" Happy bunny-hopped in joy. "That's wonderful, Natsu!"
"Hold on, what do you mean she… confessed to me?" Natsu still felt lost.
"She expressed her love, her feelings to you, of course!"
"Hmmm…" Wendy's words echoed in his mind.
"To put it bluntly, she loves you in a romantic way."
"Was it… a romantic love she was expressing?" Natsu asked.
"Aye!" Happy raised a paw. "It's about time!"
"I see." Natsu balled his hands together, bending forward and placing his elbows on his thighs. So Lucy confessed to me. And her love's romantic.
"Did you… not return her feelings, Natsu?"
"Return… her feelings?"
"Aye. You didn't accept her confession?"
By accepting her confession, does it mean to share the same love she has for me? I did say I love her back, but it wasn't what she wanted.
"I… guess not. I don't know." Natsu said reluctantly.
"What? You didn't?" Happy exclaimed.
"I'm… not sure. I told her I loved her, that she was special to me. But she ended up being upset…"
"Ah." A light bulb went off on Happy's head. He considered his next words to get Natsu to understand. "Natsu, do you know what she meant when she confessed her feelings to you?"
"I can only guess she wants to get closer than what we are now." Natsu rested his back on to the bench.
"Right. So, as of now, you and Lucy are best friends, right?"
"Yes…?"
"And she wants to be even more than best friends."
"Like… super best friends?"
"No, you silly! She wants to be your girlfriend!" Happy struck a pose.
"My… girl friend?"
"Yep! And she wants you to be her boyfriend!" Happy struck another pose.
"Huh…" Natsu had a vague recollection of those words. He guessed the meaning through the words. "But aren't we already… girl friend and boy friend?"
"… Heh?" Happy went dotted eyes.
"She's my girl friend. Just like how Erza, Wendy, and Juvia are my-"
"Stop right there! You're going to cause misunderstandings!" Happy shushed his mouth. He facepalmed afterwards at his dragon slayer's way of thinking. "Natsu, that's not what girlfriend means here."
"It's not?" Natsu tilted his head at a curious angle.
"She wants to be your girlfriend, a girl who is special and dear in your heart." Happy said in a deliberate manner.
"... But she-"
"Yes, I know." Happy shushed his mouth once more, having predicted what he was going to say. "She's already special to you, isn't she?" Happy then pointed at his chest. "But tell me this, Natsu. How about the other girls like Erza and Wendy? Are they special to you too?"
"Of course they are! I treasure them all!"
"… And you treasure Lucy the same way?"
"… Yeah? Is that a problem?"
"I wouldn't say it's a problem, no-no. But Lucy wants to be special to you in a way that no other girl is." Happy crossed his paws.
"… the love Lucy has for you, she doesn't have it for anyone else." Wendy's words flashed through his mind.
Natsu scratched his head in deep thought. He was slowly getting an understanding of Lucy's feelings, but it didn't click with him yet. Special to me in a way no other girl is… loves me in a way she doesn't love anyone else… All the girls in Fairy Tail, even if he wasn't close with them, he treasured them dearly in his heart, and Lucy was no exception… or was she supposed to be an exception? He ruffled his hair in frustration. This is so complicated! Natsu stood up from his seat. "That's it, Happy!"
"Eh?"
"I need to find out what love is!" Natsu pumped his fist into his chest.
"… How exactly are you going to do that?" Happy had a bad feeling about this.
"I'll admit… it's not something I can do alone." Natsu bowed his head down, then turned to Happy. "I'll head back to the guild and find my answers!"
"… you're not thinking what I think you're think-"
"Onward!" Natsu marched to guild with a newfound purpose.
"W-Wait up, Natsu!" Happy activated his wings and followed Natsu. Just what is he planning to do?
In the guild…
…
..
.
The group was sitting down together and chatting with one another. Lucy was fidgeting with Natsu's scarf as she patiently for him to show up. At least she was hoping he would show up so she could apologize to him and return his scarf. Gray and Jellal were having a deep discussion about their magic abilities. Erza and Juvia were simply paying attention to Lucy. And Wendy… she remained silent and watched the group chat the day away.
Wendy… I wonder how you must be feeling right now. Carla thought. Even if Wendy didn't say anything about it, hearing Lucy's confession must have been a shock to her. What was going to happen from this point forward? She didn't know. If Natsu started considering Lucy's feelings for real… Carla walked up to her.
"Wendy."
Wendy didn't respond, her gaze still fixed on the group.
"Wendy?" Carla poked her hand.
"O-Oh." Wendy shook her head, then turned to Carla. "S-Sorry, Carla. What is it?"
"How… are you feeling?"
"I…" Wendy bowed her head downwards. "I… don't know." She found it hard to make sense of her feelings at the moment. "I'm… fine, I guess."
"I see…" Worry grew on Carla's face. It's affecting her much more than I thought…
Soon, the guild doors were swung open, revealing Natsu and Happy.
"Oh, there he is." Erza said, motioning to the guild's entrance. Everyone turned their attention to Natsu.
"Natsu…" Lucy whispered. He's here…
"Hmmm." Natsu hummed, scanning the guild hall. He already had a person in mind, but he didn't see her. He sniffed the air around him and located her scent. She must be over there.
"What… is he doing, just standing there?" Gray asked.
"He appears to be looking for someone?" Jellal guessed.
He turned to the left and walked towards… the guild's library.
"Unbelievable." Gray uttered. "Is he going where I think he's going?"
"The library, huh?" Carla folded her arms. "That's the last place anyone would expect Natsu to go to."
"I think it's commendable of him. Reading a book opens doors to new wonders." Erza said in a wise tone. But why is he exactly…
Happy approached the group and landed on the table.
"Happy. How's Natsu doing?" Carla asked.
"He's… better?" Happy answered, feeling unsure.
"Why is he heading to the library out of all places?" Gray asked, observing Natsu.
"I… don't know, really." Happy briefly raised his shoulders. Is that what he meant by finding answers?
"Do you think he's trying to read about romance?" Juvia asked, clasping her hands.
"Natsu… reading about romance." Gray chuckled, holding back his laugh. "Sorry, I can't imagine him doing that. He doesn't even like reading in the first place."
"Maybe he's doing this so he can understand Lucy's feelings better." Erza nodded to herself.
"Huh…?" Lucy's cheeks rose in heat. Is he doing it for me?
Natsu reading a romance book… Wendy found that thought rather cute.
"Wouldn't it be better if he just gets over here and talks it out with Lucy?" Gray said. "What's he going to do, read a love poe-"
BONK!
Erza slammed her fist on to Gray's head. "Let's wait, why don't we? This could be a new experience for Natsu."
"Yes, ma'am…" Gray's head was lying face down on the table.
Natsu entered the guild library and found out who he was looking for. She was reading a book. He walked straight to his target.
"Levy! Just who I'm looking for!" Natsu waved a hand.
"Oh, Natsu?" Levy directed her attention away from the book. "Did you need something?"
Natsu immediately grabbed her by her shoulders and closed the distance between their faces. "Levy, this is important. I need you."
"… Eh? W-What do you need me for?" Levy's eyes widened. She was confused by his action. He needs me?
He tightened his grip. "I need-"
"IRON DRAGON LANCE!" A metal pole thrusted into Natsu's face, sending him flying away from Levy. He crashed into a pile of books.
Natsu popped his head out of the books, rubbing his pained cheek. "Ouch! What the hell was that for?!"
"Get your hands off of Levy!" Gajeel fumed.
"G-Gajeel! Calm down!" Levy walked in front of him. "He just needed my help."
Gajeel scoffed. "Is that so?"
Natsu stood up from the pile of books, dusting himself off. "Jeez…"
"Sorry, Natsu." Levy bowed her body downwards. "What did you need?"
"… Nah, it's fine. Don't mind me." Natsu turned around and exited the guild library. Maybe asking Levy is not a good idea with that metal-head lying around…
"Oh, okay…?" Levy waved. She turned to Gajeel and pouted. "See? Look at what you did!"
"What? I didn't do nothin'!" Gajeel crossed his arms. He doesn't have to be THAT close to her, does he?
Natsu stood outside the guild library, appearing in deep thought. I wonder who I can ask… his gaze rested on a particular member of the group sitting together. He marched towards them.
"Oh, seems like he's coming this way." Erza nudged Lucy's elbow.
"A-Ah…" Lucy's heartbeat rose in anticipation as he took a step closer. Is he… going to talk to me? Lucy clenched her fists and stood up from her seat and faced him. "N-Natsu, I-"
"Juvia." Natsu stood in front of her, unintentionally ignoring Lucy.
Juvia looked to her left, then to her right, then pointed at herself. "… Me?" She didn't expect Natsu to come to her. She thought he was going to talk to Lucy.
Natsu gripped both of her shoulders. "Juvia, I need to talk to you about something important. I need you."
"… Eh? You… need me?" Juvia blinked a few times.
Everyone's eyes widened at what they just witnessed. What would Natsu have to do with Juvia out of all the people here?
"What the…?" Gray narrowed his eyes at Natsu. What does he want with Juvia?
"Please, Juvia." Natsu bowed his head down, pleading.
Feeling the sincereness in his voice, Juvia nodded. "… Sure, Natsu. What can I he-"
"Great! Follow me." Natsu held her by her hand and dragged her outside the guild.
"W-Wait, Natsu!"
And soon, the fire and water wizards disappeared from the guild.
"…" Everyone started at each other dumbfoundedly. Lucy and Gray looked the most confused out of all of them.
Gray stood up from his seat, a bit annoyed. The hell does he need her for. "I'm following them."
"Are you sure? Natsu looked pretty serious about it." Carla said. "I don't think we should-"
"Then stay here. I'm following them. You with me, Lucy?" Gray held his hand out to her.
I am… rather curious. Lucy admitted. Those two aren't exactly a common pair. "Sure… I'm coming."
"W-Wait, let me come with you!" Wendy abruptly stood up from her seat and raised her hand.
"Sure, let's go." Gray nodded. He exited the guild, followed by Lucy and Wendy.
"…" The remaining members were confused. What was going on?
"I think Gray and Lucy are jealoussss~" Happy smirked.
"… Their expressions were clear as day." Carla agreed.
"… But why did Wendy want to join them too?" Happy asked, putting a paw on his chin.
Erza, Jellal, and Carla gave each other knowing glances.
Erza answered. "She's probably concerned for her friends…"
...
...
...
Natsu had dragged Juvia to a nearby café to have a chat with her. Unbeknown to them, three other people were tailing them closely…
"Let's talk here, Juvia." Natsu guided her to a table with two chairs. She sat on one side, while Natsu sat on the opposite.
"O-Okay…?" Juvia placed her hands on the table.
Three heads popped out from behind a wall, observing the odd couple from a safe distance out of Natsu's sharp senses.
"Why did Natsu drag Juvia out here?" Gray asked.
"It seems like they want to talk about something important." Lucy suggested.
"It just doesn't sit right with me." Gray turned to Lucy. "Aren't you worried?"
"Worried?"
"Yeah. I mean… considering what's happened recently, isn't it odd he went straight to Juvia and not you? And why Juvia all of a sudden?"
"I guess…" Lucy scratched her cheek awkwardly. "I'm sure… Natsu has his reasons."
It is rather strange. Wendy thought. Natsu must have a reason to be talking with Juvia in private. She wondered if it was right to be listening in on in their conversation. Maybe Natsu wants to ask for advice from her?
"Juvia." Natsu gazed into her eyes.
"Yes?"
Natsu took a deep breath, organizing what he wanted to say in his mind. "I have something important to tell you."
"Sure… what is it, Natsu?"
"… We've known each other for a while, haven't we?" Natsu maintained eye contact with her.
"Sure, we have." Juvia smiled. When she became a member, Natsu had slowly accepted her into Fairy Tail, despite having been an enemy of them in the past.
"We're good friends." Natsu slowly intertwined his fingers with hers. "I really appreciate you… but I want to grow closer with you, Juvia."
"… Huh?" Juvia's eyes widened. Her gaze was drawn to her hands being held by his. "N-Natsu…?"
"Huh." Gray was tightly gripping the edge of the wall, almost crushing it. "Why is he…"
"What's he talking about?" Lucy asked, craning her neck around the wall.
Wendy focused on her hearing senses, trying to pick up on their conversation. Curiosity got the best of her. Why are they holding hands? She silently pouted.
"This is… something I've been meaning to say for a long time." Natsu said softly.
"W-What is it, Natsu?" Juvia was sensing an odd mood in the air. Why does he look so… serious?
"Juvia, I love you." He declared with confidence.
"… Huh?" Juvia blinked a few times. "… Hah?"
"Wha…" Gray, Lucy, and Wendy's mouth went agape at what they just heard.
"WHAAAAAAAA?!" they all shouted in unison.
Wendy and Lucy dumbfoundedly looked at each other, then looked back at Natsu. They didn't even know how to react.
He didn't return my feelings because he was in love with Juvia all this time?! Lucy gripped her head with both her hands.
I never had a chance with him because he had feelings for Juvia?! Trembling, Wendy dropped to her knees. This can't be…
"WHAT. THE. HELL." Fueled by jealousy, Gray stood up, accidentally entering his Demon Slayer Mode. A dark and hellish aura covered his body. "That bastard…"
Wendy and Lucy snapped out of their train of thought. "Gray, calm down!" They held him back by his arms, trying not to blow their cover.
"Calm down?! CALM DOWN?! Lucy, you should be the one that's raging the most right now!" Gray tried to free his arms away from their grips. "The guy you confessed to confessed to someone else! How are you not mad?!"
Lucy's feelings were feeling conflicted, for sure. Though disbelief was the most prominent feeling at the moment.
"You have to quiet down, Gray!" Lucy tightened her grip around his body, pulling him back into hiding.
"Please, Gray!" Wendy dragged him back by his arm.
"Let me go!" Gray struggled in their grips.
"To be completely honest with you, you and Juvia aren't even going out yet!" Lucy uttered.
Meanwhile, Juvia was still processing what Natsu just said to her.
"… Juvia?" Natsu called out to her.
"W-W-Wait, Natsu!" Juvia stood up from her seat in panic. "Did you j-just confess to me?!"
"… Yeah?" Natsu grinned.
But what about Lucy?! Did she not confess to you just last night?! You rejected her because you loved me this whole time?! Actually, when did you even start having feelings for me?! Many thoughts spiraled through her head. No one could have predicted this turn of events. "S-Sorry, Natsu. I can't… accept your feelings." Juvia waved her hands in front of her.
"Why not?"
"You're a really good friend, Natsu… but I don't see you that way. B-Because…" Juvia twiddled her fingers, thinking of a certain ice wizard. "My heart belongs to Gray…"
Upon hearing that, Gray was forced out of his Demon Slayer mode. His face flushed a deep red in response. "O-Oh…" He immediately calmed down.
"Looks like someone's feeling happy." Lucy said in a teasing tone.
"I see." Natsu nodded in understanding. "Does he love you like you do?"
"… N-No… not yet." Juvia said, frowning a bit. Gray took note of her frowning expression.
"… Juvia, could I ask you something?" Natsu folded his arms, reclining to his seat.
"Sure." Juvia returned to her seat.
"When I said 'I love you', what kind of love did you think I was talking about?"
"Hmmm… what kind of love?" Juvia put a finger on her chin.
"Yeah. Did you think it was romantic love?"
"… Yes? It seemed quite obvious."
"… I see." Natsu took a deep breath, pondering his mind. So I was… confessing my love. She saw it as romantic. And she didn't… return my feelings because she… romantically loves Gray. "Would it make you happy if Gray returned your feelings?"
"… Of course, I could even die happy." Juvia said in a wistful tone.
"All right." So Juvia wants Gray to return her feelings, the same way Lucy wants me to return her feelings. "Thank you, Juvia."
"… Eh?" Juvia raised an eyebrow. "Thanks for-… Oh." She smiled in realization. She brought her face to Natsu and whispered. "Is this about Lucy?"
"… Yeah." Natsu averted his gaze.
Juvia giggled. He must have been trying to make sense of Lucy's feelings. About her love for him. Natsu's sure got a unique way of doing things. "Were you trying to understand her feelings, Natsu?"
"Ahah… yeah."
"And you… pretended to confess to me?"
"I guess? I wanted to know how you would react to it." It was clear to Natsu now that Juvia had understood his confession of love as the romantic type, even though he didn't say in what way he loved her. But then… that wasn't how Lucy saw it… which means she understood it as the love between best friends. Between family.
"I see. You're an odd one, Natsu." Juvia chuckled. "But that's just like you… I hope you understood love a little more from this."
"I'm definitely learning!" Natsu grinned. He then stood up from his seat and extended his fist for a fist bump. "Hey, Juvia. I hope things work out between you and Gray soon."
Juvia stood up from her seat and returned his fist bump. "The same for you and Lucy."
The three spies remained silent, simply observing their interactions. They could hear bits and pieces about their conversation, except for Wendy, who heard everything with her focused dragon senses. It wasn't exactly pleasant to her ears.
"So Natsu was only pretending to confess to Juvia?" Gray ruffled his hair. "What is up with him today…" I mean, I'm glad, but why?
Lucy wondered if her confession really put him in an odd state of mind. Natsu and Juvia weren't distant, but they weren't exactly close either. For him to pretend to confess to Juvia… just what goes in his head?
Wendy gazed at the ground, deep in thought. Judging from their conversation, it seems Natsu was trying to understand what love meant, and in turn, understand Lucy's feelings. She wasn't sure how to feel about this. It's great he wasn't actually confessing to Juvia but… he was still thinking about Lucy's feelings.
Unaware, Natsu dashed past them, back to the Fairy Tail guild. Juvia slowly followed behind and noticed the trio of wizards.
"Gray?" Juvia's eyes widened.
"Oh, hey, Juvia…" Gray waved awkwardly.
"What are you doing here?"
"We just happened to be… passing by. Yeah." Gray said in a very unconvincing tone.
"Yeah… totally!" Lucy followed.
"Did you perhaps get curious and follow us?" Juvia asked with a smile.
Gray's eyebrows twitched. "… Yeah." He admitted. "We might have… eavesdropped a bit."
"I see. There's nothing to worry about, my darling." Juvia held his hands. "Natsu just needed some help figuring out his feelings." She glanced at Lucy.
Lucy blushed, averting her gaze. He's figuring out his feelings, huh…
"Why don't we head back to the guild?" Juvia clung on to Gray's arm.
"S-Sure." Gray nodded.
Lucy and Wendy began walking towards the guild, followed behind by Gray and Juvia.
"Gray."
"Yeah?"
"Did you get jealous when you heard Natsu confess to me?"
A faint red covered Gray's face. He turned his face away from Juvia. "I… uh…" It made him lose his mind, but he wouldn't be telling Juvia that.
"You're so cute, my darling." Juvia nuzzled his head against his shoulder.
Gray smiled, sighing in defeat. He figured he wouldn't be able to hide anything from her.
Lucy observed them in silence. "Gray sure has been more honest with his feelings recently."
"Yeah, he sure has." Wendy replied. "Looks like Juvia's advances are finally paying off."
Lucy chuckled. "It's nice to see them together."
"Mhmm…" Wendy simply hummed in response. "Lucy, could I ask you something?"
"What is it, Wendy?"
"How long have you had… feelings for Natsu?" Wendy asked weakly. She was curious.
"How long have I…" her question caused a faint red to cover Lucy's cheeks. "I'm not sure. Before I realized it, it just… happened."
"I see…"
"Natsu… he's always been there by my side. I really appreciate him." Lucy said with a smile. "I always thought we were best friends. Everyone kept saying we should just go out already, but I never saw him that way. He never seemed interested in that kind of thing." She laughed awkwardly. "Looking back at it now, I just didn't want to face my feelings."
Strangely enough, Wendy could relate to her feelings. Back then, I thought I was attracted to Natsu as an older brother… I was just afraid of facing my feelings for him.
"When he disappeared all of a sudden for a year, I think that's when I truly realized how important he was to me." She put a hand over her chest. "Sure, having him not breaking into my room all the time is nice… but I missed him."
Wendy, too, was devastated the year he left. Although, no one in the guild beside Carla was aware of this. She observed Lucy's expression, noticing how fond she talked of Natsu. "… I feel the same way." She instinctively replied.
"Oh?"
"I-I mean without Natsu… Fairy Tail doesn't feel like… Fairy Tail." Wendy averted her gaze.
"Haha, yeah." Lucy put her hands behind her back. "I couldn't agree more."
"If it weren't for him, I… might have stayed in Lamia Scale." Wendy bowed her downward. "I was… really happy he came back for me."
"… I see." Lucy smiled warmly. "I'm glad you came back for us. Fairy Tail doesn't feel like Fairy Tail without you, either."
"Lucy…" Wendy looked at her. It was… odd, bonding over their feelings for Natsu. She had to wonder… What would happen if Lucy knew about my feelings? Would we… still be good friends? Wendy doubted Lucy would cut their friendship over something like this, but it was scary for her to think about. Wendy felt conflicted in whether she should support Lucy's relationship, or listen to her own feelings.
But no matter what, I'm not going to give up on Natsu.
…
…
…
In the guild hall…
Natsu entered the guild, searching for his next target. His eyes scanned around the guildhall, searching for whoever this person may be.
"Seems like Natsu's back." Carla mentioned, bringing everyone's attention to the guild's entrance.
"He seems to be looking for someone… again?" Erza said.
Natsu's gaze was fixated in Erza's direction. He began walking towards her.
"Is he… coming this way?" Carla asked.
"It appears so." Erza folded her arms. "Perhaps we can ask him about Juvia?"
Erza stood up from her seat., about to greet Natsu. "Hey, Nat-"
Natsu walked past Erza, unintentionally ignoring her, because his next target was…
"Jellal." Natsu stopped in front of him.
"… Yes?" Jellal pointed at himself.
Natsu grabbed his shoulders. "Jellal, I need to talk to you about something important. I need you."
"Ah…?" Jellal's eyes widened. He could see the seriousness in his eyes. "Sure… how may I be of serv-"
"Great! Let's head over there!" Natsu dragged him by his arm to a secluded spot. He decided heading out was not worth the effort.
"Huh…" Erza was locked in place, a bit confused by what just happened. Natsu and Jellal? What could those two possibly have to talk about… and where's Juvi-
The guild doors were swung open, revealing the other wizards. They walked to where Erza and Carla are.
"So, how did it go?" Carla asked, throwing the question at Gray specifically.
Natsu pretended to confess to Juvia. Would they even believe it? Gray thought in his mind, thinking how ridiculous it sounded. "It was… interesting to say the least."
"Seems like it was nothing serious, then?" Erza asked, judging from Juvia's expression.
"Oh, it was fine! Natsu just wanted to discuss the matters of the heart." Juvia puffed her chest out.
"The matters of the heart, you say…" Erza put a hand on her chin, then glanced at Natsu.
"Huh, so he dragged Jellal this time." Gray took notice of Natsu and Jellal sitting alone together. Huh, this might be interesting to watch! Gray got behind Erza, grabbing her by the shoulders and making her face them. "Pay close attention, Erza." He smirked.
"What do you mean?"
"You're curious, aren't you? Listen!" Gray pushed her.
"I'm not… curious. Not in the slightest." Erza said, though her words betrayed her actions as she took a few steps closer to the duo.
Carla threw questioning glances at Lucy and Wendy. What is going on exactly?
Wendy and Lucy briefly raised their shoulders. We don't know either. They took their seats around the table and paid attention to whatever Natsu was going to say.
Jellal isn't someone Natsu usually talks with, does he? Wendy thought. They've only really interacted during the battle against Oracion Seis. He used to have bad blood with him due to how he treated Erza in the past, but they've put that all behind them now. Is he going to…
"Jellal." Natsu looked at him straight on.
"What is it, Natsu?"
Natsu took a deep breath. "It's been awhile since we had a good conversation, haven't we?"
"Yes, we don't really have that many opportunities to talk." Jellal smiled. He did want to build good relationships with the fellow members of Fairy Tail. He especially admired Natsu's spirited personality.
"Yeah." Natsu rested his arms on the table. "I'd like us to be closer."
"I second that noti-"
Natsu wrapped his hands around Jellal's, quickly taking him by surprise.
"I want to share something special between us."
Jellal glanced at his hands, then back to his eyes. He sensed the sincerity both in his eyes and in his voice. "Natsu…" Honestly, he wasn't sure how to respond. But what's with this… odd atmosphere?
"Jellal, I love you."
"I… huh?" Jellal blinked a few times, processing what he just heard. "… Huh?"
"… What." Erza, Happy, and Carla's mouths comically dropped to the floor. It paralyzed Erza in place. Never in a million years could she have predicted something like this.
"Now, this is amusing!" Gray chuckled, holding back his laugh.
First, Juvia… now Jellal? Lucy thought. Natsu doesn't discriminate, huh?
Natsu's just… pretending, right? Wendy hoped. Worrying about other girls was more than enough.
Jellal immediately stood up from his seat, taken aback by his bold declaration of love. "H-Hold on, Natsu! You… love me?"
"Yeah!" Natsu grinned.
"W-Wait, are you… expressing your feelings to me?"
"Um… if that means I'm confessing to you, then yeah!"
"CONFESSING?!" Jellal shouted unintentionally, taking a few steps back.
"That's Natsu for ya, straight to the point!" Gray turned his face to Erza. "Don't you think s-… Erza?!"
"Wha… wha…" Erza's complexion was slowly turning to stone.
"Erza! Are you there?!" Gray shook her shoulders back and forth. "Erza! Come back to us!"
"Did Natsu just confess his feelings to Jellal, or are my ears deceiving me?!" Carla rubbed her forehead.
"I… I didn't know you felt that way about me, Natsu." Jellal averted his gaze. I didn't know he swung both ways… Jellal rubbed his temples, seriously at a loss of what to do. So let me get this straight. Did Natsu not return Lucy's feelings because of this? Then, what about Wendy? Did she never have a chance? But why would he have feelings for me?
"Would you accept my feelings?" Natsu asked, standing up from his seat.
"I… uh…" Jellal scratched the back of his head. He's really serious about this. "I appreciate your honesty, Natsu but… I can't return your feelings."
"I see." Natsu nodded, putting a hand on his chin. "May I know why?"
"Why…? Because…" A faint red covered Jellal's cheek. "Because… uh…" Jellal didn't swing that way, but that was his secondary reason. His primary reason would be…
"Is there someone you love?" Natsu asked nonchalantly.
"I…" Jellal glanced at Erza at the corner of his eye. "… You could put it that way."
"Do they feel the same way as you do?"
Jellal thought about his relationship with Erza. They were certainly more than friends, if their Fairy Night was anything to go by. It's just he felt he didn't deserve to be with her. He felt his sins were holding him back.
"You look very unsure…" Natsu took a few steps closer.
"It's just…" Jellal sighed deeply. "Sometimes, I feel I don't deserve to be with her."
"Is that it? If she feels the same as you, I don't see any problem." Natsu grinned, putting his hands on his hips.
"Huh?"
"You love her. She loves you. That's enough of a reason for you two to be together. Besides, you're a good person so I know you'll take good care of her."
"Natsu…" His innocent and simple way of thought… for some reason, Jellal felt the weight on his mind considerably lessen, listening to him. Natsu's the last guy he'd expect to talk about the matters of the heart. "I suppose you make a fair point." Jellal's lips curved into a smile.
"Could I ask you something, Jellal?"
"Go ahead."
"When I said 'I love you', what kind of love did you think it was?"
Jellal tilted his head at his question. "What kind of love?"
"Yeah! Did you think it was the… romantic kind of love?"
"I mean… yeah, that's what I thought."
"I see, I see." Natsu nodded to himself. He considered Jellal a good friend, though he isn't close with him like his fellow friends of Fairy Tail. With that in mind, Jellal still saw his confession as the romantic type of love. Much like Juvia, he had those romantic feelings for another person. Lucy, who he felt was practically close to his heart, still understood his love differently. Very interesting… maybe it's because Lucy is already close to me?
"Wait, so you weren't actually… confessing to me?"
"Ahah, yeah. I was curious how you would react."
"… Is that so?" Jellal folded his arms in realization, pausing for a moment. "Ah, are you… doing this to understand Lucy's feelings?"
"… Yeah." Natsu ruffled his hair.
Well, that makes a lot more sense. Jellal found his way of doing things amusing. I guess that's just like Natsu.
"Hey, Jellal." Natsu raised his fist for a fist bump. "Good luck!"
Jellal chuckled, returning his fist bump. "Thank you. Best of luck to you and Lu-… your feelings."
"So if I'm understanding this correctly… Natsu pretended to confess to Jellal?" Carla asked.
"Yes! Apparently, he's trying to understand his and Lucy's feelings." Juvia replied.
"So that's what Natsu was planning…" Happy said. I don't even have any words to describe this…
"That guy's got a few screws loose, I'll say… and speak of the devil." Gray said, motioning to Natsu.
"Lucy!" Natsu called her out.
"… N-Natsu." Lucy stood up and faced him. W-What do I say? She felt her heartbeat rose indefinitely. I'll start by apologizing. "Natsu, I'm so-"
"I'm sorry." Natsu sharply bowed down, beating her to it. "I'm… sorry I've hurt your feelings last night."
"N-No, it's not your fault. I'm sorry for overreacting. I should have tried to talk it out with you." Lucy twiddled around with her fingers. "It was just… really complicated last night."
"Lucy…" Natsu straightened his posture, feeling some tension leave his body. It was great, being able to talk with her again. "So… uh… we're cool?"
"Y-Yeah, we're cool! O-Oh, here's your scarf back." Lucy pulled the scarf away from her neck and gave it to Natsu.
"Oh, thanks." Natsu took the scarf and wrapped it around his neck. Feels right at home.
"So, uhm, Natsu…" A faint red dyed her cheeks.
"Yeah?"
"I hear you've been… going around, trying to understand my feelings?"
"Yeah! I've been doing that."
"I see." Lucy took a deep breath. "If you don't mind, could I… hear what you feel towards me?"
Everyone's attention turned to Natsu, holding their breath in anticipation.
"Hmmm…" Natsu gazed into Lucy's eyes attentively. He carefully organized the words in his mind. "I…"
Wendy's body immediately tensed up. She wasn't sure if she should stay and listen. The idea of Natsu returning Lucy's feelings… it sent a coursing pain through her heart. I hate that. She clenched her fists. It was good to see them make up, but how was she supposed to feel about this now? She certainly didn't want her dear friends to have a falling out. More than anything, she didn't want to see Natsu sad. But if his happiness meant her sadness… I don't know. I don't want him and Lucy to… She felt someone hold her trembling fists.
Carla squeezed Wendy's hands with her paws to comfort her. She could tell she was dealing with an inner conflict. Having to witness Natsu and Lucy like this… it must be difficult for Wendy to watch.
"… I don't know how I feel about you, Lucy." Natsu answered.
Wendy's eyes widened. Huh…?
"Honestly, all this stuff about feelings and romantic love… it's all so new to me." Natsu rubbed the back of his head. "I don't understand it enough yet."
"I see." Lucy smiled. Admittedly, she felt a bit sad, but she expected this.
"I love you, Lucy. You're special to me." Natsu took a slow breath. "But is my love… uh… romantic? I don't really know. I don't think I can… return your feelings now." Natsu scratched his cheek. "If it's alright with you, I want to… give an answer to your feelings once I'm ready." He answered with pure honesty. He didn't want to accept nor reject her feelings till he himself understood what these feelings are.
"Natsu…" Lucy was touched. She mentally prepared herself to get rejected on the spot, but this outcome was better, considering this was Natsu. "… Yeah, that's fine!" Lucy replied cheerfully. "I'll be waiting for it."
Natsu sighed in relief, then grinned at her. "I'm glad to hear that."
"Good to see both of you make up finally." Gray put his arms around their shoulders. "You better not keep Lucy waiting for too long."
"… Agreed. You shouldn't keep a girl waiting, Natsu." Erza added, having fully recovered from the shock.
"Haha, I'll try not to."
Wendy remained silent. At least he didn't accept her feelings… yet. She'd have to acknowledge Lucy was her love rival, one step ahead of her. How were things going to move on from this point? How would this affect her friendship with Lucy? Could she interfere with Natsu and Lucy's relationship? She didn't know the answer. On one hand, she loves Natsu, but on the other, she values her friendship with Lucy. Normally, as her friend, she would be supporting Lucy's relationship with Natsu… but I can't. I don't want that to happen. Would have things turned out differently if I managed to confess to Natsu?… I don't know. It's no use dwelling on the past.
Natsu… I hope I still have a chance.
