DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail. I would totally screw it up so let's be grateful ˚˘˚

Thank you everyone who reviewed, followed, favorited, and/or read! I love you so much! :D

I DO NOT THINK THAT SUICIDING WILL GET RID OF YOUR PROBLEMS. I DO NOT SUPPORT SUICIDING IN ANY WAY AND I DO NOT THINK YOU SHOULD THROW AWAY YOUR PRECIOUS LIFE IF SOMEONE WISH IT OFF. That was for entertainment purposes only.

School is running my life. Sorry D: That is absolutely no excuse and I'm hating myself right now. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

Lost Stars: Adam Levine (Gods I'm in love with this song)

(Dear Speedy60704 and everyone else,

Thank you for your continuous support of this story! If I didn't have you guys I'd probably be wallowing in self pity right now. Jk, :) But seriously guys, thank you so much :) I'm sorry that I pay you back with a late story D: )

Am I taking things too fast? I think I'm taking things too fast...

My lips press against the crumbling gray stone and I close my eyes. I rest my head against the marked headstone that signals the permanence of my father's absence. I exhale and my breath frosts in the cold air.

I always knew the world was against me and yet it surprises me how the sun shines and the birds chirp and the world seems to hum at how beautiful a day it is. Why can't it rain? Why can't the world cry with me? Am I so unimportant that the one day I want something, it goes unheard? Ah, now I'm being selfish. I am truly grateful for everything I have.

"Hi Dad."

I sit back on my heels and hang my head. "I know you're out there," I whisper. "Come home. I miss you more than you know. I just want to tell you…" I shake my head. I refuse to say the words aloud. Those three words I will only say when I see his face full and healthy once more.

Wild flowers sway in the wind, red tinged with yellow. I smile sadly at that and I pick one and twirl it between my fingers. "You would've loved these you know," I chuckle humorlessly. I lean against the tombstone like it's the back of a chair. My mom sits—no, lays—next to me. I look over at her. "Dad always said you loved white clovers." I take a pinch of white clover seeds I bought and dig up the earth with my fingers before placing one in it and covering it with rock and soil again.

"There," I whisper, "Red and white. You'll make pink."

I wind my arms around my knees and pull them closer before resting my chin on my knees. I pull the flower around my wrist and tie the stem at the end, making a bracelet.

I'm aware I'm not whole today. My heart pounds uneven rhythms and I have a hard time breathing, like one of my lungs has collapsed.

"You'd probably chide me for skipping school. Sorry. Actually, I'm not really sorry. I wouldn't miss this for the world, dad."

I close my eyes and sit still. My breathing gradually slows and I stay as still as a statue. Softly, I start to sing to myself.

Please don't see
Just a boy caught up in dreams and fantasies
Please see me
Reaching out for someone I can't see

Take my hand, let's see where we wake up tomorrow
Best laid plans sometimes are just a one night stand
I'll be damned, Cupid's demanding back his arrow
So let's get drunk on our tears

And God, tell us the reason youth is wasted on the young
It's hunting season and the lambs are on the run
Searching for meaning—

I'm aware I'm being watched and my head snaps up reflexively. Multiple birds have stopped singing and are staring at me. I laugh quietly. "I'm not a Disney princess. I promise." They seem to understand and start to sing again. Even though the birds are ignoring me, I still can't shake the feeling I'm being watched. I stand up and look around. Nothing. Nothing is watching me.

I'm just being paranoid and I know it. I close my eyes and exhale.

And then a twig snaps.

My eyes fly open. "I know you're there."

No response. I take a step closer to the forest. A cat streaks out of the forest and I watch it go. I kick myself for being an idiot and go back to my father's grave. I kneel next to it and slowly drift into inevitable sleep.

"Natsu! Natsu, wake up!"

I push the person away. "One more minute, dad. It's too early to wake up!"

"Idiot," the person mutters.

Wait. My dad's gone. My eyes snap open and I stare at the face over mine.

The girl rolls her eyes. "Finally."

"Lucy?" I ask groggily.

"Yeah, who else?" she growls.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was searching for you!"

"Why?"

She stares at me warily but doesn't answer. I sit up and realize it's dark and I'm drenched. It must've finally rained. While I was sleeping. My hair is heavy with what I realize is mud.

"What were you doing here?" she asks.

I glance at my father's tombstone and then flit my gaze away. She looks at the tombstone and her eyes widen. "Oh," she whispers.

"Yeah."

I'm just glad she can't see my mom's grave.

"So you live with your mom?"

"Sure," I lie easily.

"C'mon, we should go." She stands up and holds her hand up to help me up but I stand up on my own.

I stuff my hands in my pocket. It must be cold because Lucy shivers involuntarily and she hugs her arms. I unwrap my scarf and place it around her neck. She looks up at me in surprise. "N—"

I place my hand over her's as she moves to take it off. "It's fine. Just return it to me tomorrow."

"No, I'll walk you home and give it to you when we get there," she offers.

I shake my head. "I'll be fine."

"Natsu, you look like you'll fall over any second now."

"But I won't, so it's a moot point."

"If you collapse in the middle of the road and get run over by a car, I will never forgive myself."

I poke her cheek. "A week ago you couldn't have cared less. Plus, I can't let you walk home alone. There are weirdos out there, you know."

She sticks her tongue out. "A week ago you couldn't have cared less."

I grin. "Well now I do."

She pouts. "Okay, whatever. So…"

Words pop out of my mouth and I immediately want to suck them back in, but that's impossible.

"You can just sleep in my house."

Lucy's mouth pops open and she stares at me. I immediately mask my shock at myself with nonchalance. "Oh c'mon Luce, it won't be that bad!"

"Yeah it will," she whispers.

I make a face at her. "Fine, you come up with a different idea."

"I walk you home and then go home."

"Unless you want some guy to drag you off, that's not an option."

She scowls at me. "I already have some guy to drag me off."

I stare at her. "You mean me," I say in a flat voice.

"Who else?"

"I wouldn't joke about that."

"You were!"

"But that was different. I was genuinely concerned."

She rolls her eyes. "Fine, let's go to your house. I'm not in a rush to go to my house."

"Okay."

We start to walk as I play with the flower around my wrist.

"Natsu?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do you have a flower around your wrist?"

I frown in the dark. "It reminded me of my dad…"

She doesn't say anything. I grab her hand and she looks at me, startled.

"Remember, you're my girlfriend now." I grin at her and she rolls her eyes.

"Don't remind me," she groans.

"What were the kids in school like?"

"Shocked. Actually, not really. Most predicted it."

I cringe. "Ew."

Lucy tears her hand from mine and huffs at my implication and I laugh.

"C'mon, Luce!"

"Don't call me that," she mutters.

I roll my eyes. "Anyway, I was thinking."

She stares at me and I stare back. "What?" I ask.

"You don't have a brain to think with. Try not to kill yourself in the process."

I stick my tongue out at her and continue. "You know, pretending to date will really help us with the book."

"It will, won't it? Sometimes I just don't know how describe things," she mutters sarcastically.

I grab her waist and shove her against the nearest wall. She gasps as I place my lips on her neck and kiss my way to her jaw and back down. I run my hands up her sides that are heaving. I grab her left leg and hitch it on my waist and then wrap her arms around my neck. She doesn't stop me. I touch the tip of my nose to her bare cheek and trace a path to her ear and back. I press my lips against the palm of her hand and whisper into it, "How would you describe this?"

She says nothing and runs her hand through my muddy hair and for some reason, butterflies take flight in my stomach. I pull away and she looks at me and then looks away before I can read her expression. I laugh and she turns to me, anger on her face.

"Damn player."

I chuckle. "Let's go."

She stalks through the streets and I follow closely behind her. I almost lost it there. What just happened?