Lucy drinks her tea and nibbles on the chocolate chip cookie I picked up from her favorite bakery down the street. She slept all night, after three cups of that tea she drinks when she needs help sleeping. I watched her sleep, I couldn't sleep. I still can't believe Lucy's mom. How do you treat someone like Lucy, like that.

"Whatcha, thinking about?" I ask Lucy, my hands wrapped around my own cup. Lucy offers a smile that doesn't reach her eyes and shrugs "I just…" she trails off and looks down at her tea. "Just not used to it anymore." She finally gets out.

"Used to it?" I prompt, trying not to make her feel bad because of her mom.

She nods "My mom has had a problem with drinking for a longtime, as long as I can remember." Lucy sips her tea. "She used to go through good and bad spells but… it got to a point where she was just always drunk and then she was buying pills and not taking her medication and she never really got better." Lucy shakes her head "she stopped even wanting my help, she just promised me what I wanted to hear when I told her I was going to leave." Lucy takes another drink of her tea and barely even nibbles her cookie.

"I knew you wouldn't just leave someone." I tell her. Lucy closes her eyes as if she were in physical pain.

"But that's what I did." Her bottom lip quivers.

"Lucy, no..." I exchange my seat across the table from her for the one beside her. I rest my hand on her arm, just below her elbow. She takes in a quivering breath, trying to keep from crying.

"It is, though, I left her." Lucy takes a sip of her tea. "I chose my own health over my own mother, what kind of person does that?" Lucy's face morphs into something like disgust. It's not an expression I'm used to seeing on her.

"She didn't give you a choice, she didn't want to change and you can't just let someone treat you like that." I watch her face for any signs that I convinced her.

"You wouldn't stay with me if I treated you that way." I try again.

"I suppose not." Lucy doesn't look too sure about it.

"Lucy, I need you to tell me, right now, that you wouldn't stay with me if I treated you badly." I pull her chair toward me and she avoids my eyes.

"Lucy." I repeat.

"No, I wouldn't be with you." Lucy finally meets my eyes but hers are filled with hurt, as if the thought alone was enough to make her cry.

"Sometimes, you have to make hard decisions because someone else won't make good decisions for themselves." I take her hands in my own. She just shrugs. I want to make her happy but I've never seen her so sad before. I sigh and let her hands go.

"Where are you going?" Her voice is worried.

"Just give me one second." I kiss her forehead and go to grab my laptop from the coffee table. I log in and go straight to the playlist I made for her as a random gift. I hit play and turn around to watch her face as the whistling starts.

"You know I can't smile, without you…" I start to sing it, not great but that's what's great about Lucy, she thinks something is even better if you do it for her and you're not good at it.

"Can't smile without you…"

Lucy's lips morph into the tiniest of smiles. I walk closer to her "I can't laugh and I can't sing… I'm finding it hard to do anything!" I guide her out of her chair, fitting my hands onto her waist. She wraps her arms around my neck and I look into her eyes, her smile grows.

"you see I feel sad when you're sad." I dip her back and she explodes into a fit of giggles. "I feel glad when you're glad." I spin her in out tiny area between the kitchen and the living room.

"If you only knew, what I'm going through." I pull her in close, holding her against my chest, she sinks into me, her head against my heart, her hands around my neck.

"I just can't smile without you" I speak the words more than I sing them. I hum the rest of the lyrics as the songs plays on because I'm not good at remembering lyrics. Lucy and I sway back and forth together, locked in each other's arms. It's not about dancing right now.

Lucy doesn't speak, I just listen to her feet on the floor and feel her breath against me. I don't know if she wants to talk, I think this is what she wants because if she wanted to speak she would speak.

"I'm hungry." Lucy finally says after the fifth song. I didn't mind a single second of it.

"I can make you some zucchini and squash." I tell her, she stifles a laugh. "I'll cook some zucchini and squash and you can put on my cooking playlist." She tiptoes and pecks a kiss on my nose.

"Thank you." Her breath smells like her tea, vanilla and spices. Her hand falls away from my chest and I don't want it to. I could've stayed like that forever, but Lucy never stays still for long.

Lucy hums a song I don't know and despite last night, everything seems good. She even dances while she cooks which makes me feel better because Lucy can't hide her emotions very well.

"How's it coming?" I ask her still sipping on coffee that had already gone cold

"It's almost ready." Lucy throws some spices in it, I don't know what she puts in this stuff but it tastes a lot better than just zucchini and squash. It's all buttery and a hint of garlic and—

"Are you daydreaming about eating food that I'm making?" she asks, her hair is messy and she's still in her pajamas, I don't think she's even brushed her teeth yet, because I haven't either.

"Yes." I don't hesitate to admit. "Why enjoy it once, when I can enjoy it twice." I smile when she smiles.

"So…" She hesitates and fidgets with her friendship bracelet.

"What is it?" I ask her, she stirs the pan and sprinkles something else in it.

"I just…" She sighs as if she can't figure out how she wants to say something.

"Yeah…" I prompt her.

"I know you have work tonight," She starts, I already know what she wants but I let her finish.

"and I know you already switched shifts for yesterday…" she rubs her arm and lifts her eyes to mine "but, would it be possible…"

"I texted Lisana this morning, she's gonna cover for me so I'll owe her one."

"Oh, Natsu!" Lucy exclaims and jumps on me. her arms lock around my neck and she showers me in kisses in her excited way. "thank you, you're the best thing in the universe." She kisses me some more. I laugh and let her kiss me to her hearts content. The things I do for you, Lucy I joke to myself.

"I should be thanking you." I hold onto her and she kisses me a few more times before she settled into my embrace. Lucy only gets up to finish the food, she scoops it onto a big plate to share from and brings us forks.

"You are amazing." I scoop a bite into my mouth "you know that?" I ask around the delicious food.

"It's just a few vegetables." She laughs and takes a hefty bite of her own, still smiling, she takes another.

"Made with love." I nuzzle her neck and she squeaks a giggle and she's okay, she's going to be okay.

Spending all day with Lucy is the most amazing feeling. Lucy just makes you want to smile and love who you're with. The only thing playing in the background is her happiness playlist and even that is low, it's just us. She stayed in her pajamas all day, although she did brush her teeth after lunch.

"Stop!" Lucy giggles pushing at my chest but she's just playing, she loves being tickles. She squeaks loudly and fumbles with my hands but she's laughing and she's happy and that's all I want.

"Natsu!" she laughs and twists back and forth and tries to tickle me back but I'm not nearly as ticklish as her. I just laugh tickle her stomach and her legs and her neck. She's a mess of laughter and smiles and her hair is all frizzy from rubbing against the couch.

The Dragneel rings, interrupting our tickle fight.

"Who's that?" Lucy's laughter stops short, she sounds worried, which worries me, is she that scared of that guy? I wonder.

"Don't worry." I climb off her, careful not to hurt her, she bruises so easily. "I have a little surprise for you, I—"

"Lucy!" Juvia burst through the door with Grey, toting two big bags, behind her. Juvia runs straight to Lucy, throwing herself over the back of the couch and locking her into a hug.

"Juvia!" Lucy giggles and squeezes Juvia back. "What are you doing here?" Lucy and Juvia do nothing to lessen their hold on each other.

"sleep over!" Juvia's voice pitches three octaves higher than usual. I glance at the window to make sure they're not broken.

"How's she doing?" Grey lowers his voice so only I can hear him.

"Better, I think." I sigh "I just didn't expect that at all, Lucy just wasn't Lucy this morning."

"How'd you snap her out of it?" Grey asks.

"Sang to her." I say simply.

Grey nods and smirks "can't smile without you?"

"Yep." I nod and the girls finally break their mutual headlock. Lucy bounds over to me, the spring back in her step. "You planned a sleepover to make me feel better?"

"I thought we could all use some quality time together." I shrug it off but Lucy throws herself into my arms and squeezes me much harder than I thought she could. "Thank you, Natsu." I squeeze her back. "Anything for you, Lucy."

"What are we starting with?" Juvia holds up a handful of movies, all romantic comedy types.

"Oh, lets watch New Year's Eve!" Lucy snatches the movies out of Juvia's hand.

"Down!" Grey shouts almost matching her excitement, he genuinely likes that movie though, so it doesn't require that much acting on his part.

"Natsu…" Lucy looks to me.

"Whatever you want." I tell her, she beams at me.

"Oh, face masks!" Lucy is practically vibrating with excitement. Lucy likes going out but she likes hanging out with her friends even more.

"We should all do face masks." Lucy's eyes land on me again.

"Like I said." I smile at her "whatever you want."

"Yay!" Lucy does a few little jumps, before she freezes and disappointment crosses her face. "but I'm out of my lush face mask." She pouts a little. Juvia clears her throat and dangles a paper bag with the word LUSH across is.

"way ahead of you." Juvia lets the bag rock back and forth on her finger, Lucy squeals and throws her arms around Juvia "you're the best!"

"And don't you forget it." Juvia hugs Lucy back and everything really feels okay. That guy is no one. Grey and I will deal with him when we have to. Lucy's mom doesn't deserve a daughter like Lucy. This is good, the four of us together, just hanging out on a random night with movies and face stuff, it's good, it's right


Dear ?,

I'm going to break up with him. I can't do this. He's so great and he thinks he can have me forever and it's not fair what I'm doing. He deserves someone he can have a lifetime with. Not me. Not a time bomb.


Author'sLucy drinks her tea and nibbles on the chocolate chip cookie I picked up from her favorite bakery down the street. She slept all night, after three cups of that tea she drinks when she needs help sleeping. I watched her sleep, I couldn't sleep. I still can't believe Lucy's mom. How do you treat someone like Lucy, like that.

"Whatcha, thinking about?" I ask Lucy, my hands wrapped around my own cup. Lucy offers a smile that doesn't reach her eyes and shrugs "I just…" she trails off and looks down at her tea. "Just not used to it anymore." She finally gets out.

"Used to it?" I prompt, trying not to make her feel bad because of her mom.

She nods "My mom has had a problem with drinking for a longtime, as long as I can remember." Lucy sips her tea. "She used to go through good and bad spells but… it got to a point where she was just always drunk and then she was buying pills and not taking her medication and she never really got better." Lucy shakes her head "she stopped even wanting my help, she just promised me what I wanted to hear when I told her I was going to leave." Lucy takes another drink of her tea and barely even nibbles her cookie.

"I knew you wouldn't just leave someone." I tell her. Lucy closes her eyes as if she were in physical pain.

"But that's what I did." Her bottom lip quivers.

"Lucy, no..." I exchange my seat across the table from her for the one beside her. I rest my hand on her arm, just below her elbow. She takes in a quivering breath, trying to keep from crying.

"It is, though, I left her." Lucy takes a sip of her tea. "I chose my own health over my own mother, what kind of person does that?" Lucy's face morphs into something like disgust. It's not an expression I'm used to seeing on her.

"She didn't give you a choice, she didn't want to change and you can't just let someone treat you like that." I watch her face for any signs that I convinced her.

"You wouldn't stay with me if I treated you that way." I try again.

"I suppose not." Lucy doesn't look too sure about it.

"Lucy, I need you to tell me, right now, that you wouldn't stay with me if I treated you badly." I pull her chair toward me and she avoids my eyes.

"Lucy." I repeat.

"No, I wouldn't be with you." Lucy finally meets my eyes but hers are filled with hurt, as if the thought alone was enough to make her cry.

"Sometimes, you have to make hard decisions because someone else won't make good decisions for themselves." I take her hands in my own. She just shrugs. I want to make her happy but I've never seen her so sad before. I sigh and let her hands go.

"Where are you going?" Her voice is worried.

"Just give me one second." I kiss her forehead and go to grab my laptop from the coffee table. I log in and go straight to the playlist I made for her as a random gift. I hit play and turn around to watch her face as the whistling starts.

"You know I can't smile, without you…" I start to sing it, not great but that's what's great about Lucy, she thinks something is even better if you do it for her and you're not good at it.

"Can't smile without you…"

Lucy's lips morph into the tiniest of smiles. I walk closer to her "I can't laugh and I can't sing… I'm finding it hard to do anything!" I guide her out of her chair, fitting my hands onto her waist. She wraps her arms around my neck and I look into her eyes, her smile grows.

"you see I feel sad when you're sad." I dip her back and she explodes into a fit of giggles. "I feel glad when you're glad." I spin her in out tiny area between the kitchen and the living room.

"If you only knew, what I'm going through." I pull her in close, holding her against my chest, she sinks into me, her head against my heart, her hands around my neck.

"I just can't smile without you" I speak the words more than I sing them. I hum the rest of the lyrics as the songs plays on because I'm not good at remembering lyrics. Lucy and I sway back and forth together, locked in each other's arms. It's not about dancing right now.

Lucy doesn't speak, I just listen to her feet on the floor and feel her breath against me. I don't know if she wants to talk, I think this is what she wants because if she wanted to speak she would speak.

"I'm hungry." Lucy finally says after the fifth song. I didn't mind a single second of it.

"I can make you some zucchini and squash." I tell her, she stifles a laugh. "I'll cook some zucchini and squash and you can put on my cooking playlist." She tiptoes and pecks a kiss on my nose.

"Thank you." Her breath smells like her tea, vanilla and spices. Her hand falls away from my chest and I don't want it to. I could've stayed like that forever, but Lucy never stays still for long.

Lucy hums a song I don't know and despite last night, everything seems good. She even dances while she cooks which makes me feel better because Lucy can't hide her emotions very well.

"How's it coming?" I ask her still sipping on coffee that had already gone cold

"It's almost ready." Lucy throws some spices in it, I don't know what she puts in this stuff but it tastes a lot better than just zucchini and squash. It's all buttery and a hint of garlic and—

"Are you daydreaming about eating food that I'm making?" she asks, her hair is messy and she's still in her pajamas, I don't think she's even brushed her teeth yet, because I haven't either.

"Yes." I don't hesitate to admit. "Why enjoy it once, when I can enjoy it twice." I smile when she smiles.

"So…" She hesitates and fidgets with her friendship bracelet.

"What is it?" I ask her, she stirs the pan and sprinkles something else in it.

"I just…" She sighs as if she can't figure out how she wants to say something.

"Yeah…" I prompt her.

"I know you have work tonight," She starts, I already know what she wants but I let her finish.

"and I know you already switched shifts for yesterday…" she rubs her arm and lifts her eyes to mine "but, would it be possible…"

"I texted Lisana this morning, she's gonna cover for me so I'll owe her one."

"Oh, Natsu!" Lucy exclaims and jumps on me. her arms lock around my neck and she showers me in kisses in her excited way. "thank you, you're the best thing in the universe." She kisses me some more. I laugh and let her kiss me to her hearts content. The things I do for you, Lucy I joke to myself.

"I should be thanking you." I hold onto her and she kisses me a few more times before she settled into my embrace. Lucy only gets up to finish the food, she scoops it onto a big plate to share from and brings us forks.

"You are amazing." I scoop a bite into my mouth "you know that?" I ask around the delicious food.

"It's just a few vegetables." She laughs and takes a hefty bite of her own, still smiling, she takes another.

"Made with love." I nuzzle her neck and she squeaks a giggle and she's okay, she's going to be okay.

Spending all day with Lucy is the most amazing feeling. Lucy just makes you want to smile and love who you're with. The only thing playing in the background is her happiness playlist and even that is low, it's just us. She stayed in her pajamas all day, although she did brush her teeth after lunch.

"Stop!" Lucy giggles pushing at my chest but she's just playing, she loves being tickles. She squeaks loudly and fumbles with my hands but she's laughing and she's happy and that's all I want.

"Natsu!" she laughs and twists back and forth and tries to tickle me back but I'm not nearly as ticklish as her. I just laugh tickle her stomach and her legs and her neck. She's a mess of laughter and smiles and her hair is all frizzy from rubbing against the couch.

The Dragneel rings, interrupting our tickle fight.

"Who's that?" Lucy's laughter stops short, she sounds worried, which worries me, is she that scared of that guy? I wonder.

"Don't worry." I climb off her, careful not to hurt her, she bruises so easily. "I have a little surprise for you, I—"

"Lucy!" Juvia burst through the door with Grey, toting two big bags, behind her. Juvia runs straight to Lucy, throwing herself over the back of the couch and locking her into a hug.

"Juvia!" Lucy giggles and squeezes Juvia back. "What are you doing here?" Lucy and Juvia do nothing to lessen their hold on each other.

"sleep over!" Juvia's voice pitches three octaves higher than usual. I glance at the window to make sure they're not broken.

"How's she doing?" Grey lowers his voice so only I can hear him.

"Better, I think." I sigh "I just didn't expect that at all, Lucy just wasn't Lucy this morning."

"How'd you snap her out of it?" Grey asks.

"Sang to her." I say simply.

Grey nods and smirks "can't smile without you?"

"Yep." I nod and the girls finally break their mutual headlock. Lucy bounds over to me, the spring back in her step. "You planned a sleepover to make me feel better?"

"I thought we could all use some quality time together." I shrug it off but Lucy throws herself into my arms and squeezes me much harder than I thought she could. "Thank you, Natsu." I squeeze her back. "Anything for you, Lucy."

"What are we starting with?" Juvia holds up a handful of movies, all romantic comedy types.

"Oh, lets watch New Year's Eve!" Lucy snatches the movies out of Juvia's hand.

"Down!" Grey shouts almost matching her excitement, he genuinely likes that movie though, so it doesn't require that much acting on his part.

"Natsu…" Lucy looks to me.

"Whatever you want." I tell her, she beams at me.

"Oh, face masks!" Lucy is practically vibrating with excitement. Lucy likes going out but she likes hanging out with her friends even more.

"We should all do face masks." Lucy's eyes land on me again.

"Like I said." I smile at her "whatever you want."

"Yay!" Lucy does a few little jumps, before she freezes and disappointment crosses her face. "but I'm out of my lush face mask." She pouts a little. Juvia clears her throat and dangles a paper bag with the word LUSH across is.

"way ahead of you." Juvia lets the bag rock back and forth on her finger, Lucy squeals and throws her arms around Juvia "you're the best!"

"And don't you forget it." Juvia hugs Lucy back and everything really feels okay. That guy is no one. Grey and I will deal with him when we have to. Lucy's mom doesn't deserve a daughter like Lucy. This is good, the four of us together, just hanging out on a random night with movies and face stuff, it's good, it's right

Dear ?,

I'm going to break up with him. I can't do this. He's so great and he thinks he can have me forever and it's not fair what I'm doing. He deserves someone he can have a lifetime with. Not me. Not a time bomb.

LucyLucy drinks her tea and nibbles on the chocolate chip cookie I picked up from her favorite bakery down the street. She slept all night, after three cups of that tea she drinks when she needs help sleeping. I watched her sleep, I couldn't sleep. I still can't believe Lucy's mom. How do you treat someone like Lucy, like that.

"Whatcha, thinking about?" I ask Lucy, my hands wrapped around my own cup. Lucy offers a smile that doesn't reach her eyes and shrugs "I just…" she trails off and looks down at her tea. "Just not used to it anymore." She finally gets out.

"Used to it?" I prompt, trying not to make her feel bad because of her mom.

She nods "My mom has had a problem with drinking for a longtime, as long as I can remember." Lucy sips her tea. "She used to go through good and bad spells but… it got to a point where she was just always drunk and then she was buying pills and not taking her medication and she never really got better." Lucy shakes her head "she stopped even wanting my help, she just promised me what I wanted to hear when I told her I was going to leave." Lucy takes another drink of her tea and barely even nibbles her cookie.

"I knew you wouldn't just leave someone." I tell her. Lucy closes her eyes as if she were in physical pain.

"But that's what I did." Her bottom lip quivers.

"Lucy, no..." I exchange my seat across the table from her for the one beside her. I rest my hand on her arm, just below her elbow. She takes in a quivering breath, trying to keep from crying.

"It is, though, I left her." Lucy takes a sip of her tea. "I chose my own health over my own mother, what kind of person does that?" Lucy's face morphs into something like disgust. It's not an expression I'm used to seeing on her.

"She didn't give you a choice, she didn't want to change and you can't just let someone treat you like that." I watch her face for any signs that I convinced her.

"You wouldn't stay with me if I treated you that way." I try again.

"I suppose not." Lucy doesn't look too sure about it.

"Lucy, I need you to tell me, right now, that you wouldn't stay with me if I treated you badly." I pull her chair toward me and she avoids my eyes.

"Lucy." I repeat.

"No, I wouldn't be with you." Lucy finally meets my eyes but hers are filled with hurt, as if the thought alone was enough to make her cry.

"Sometimes, you have to make hard decisions because someone else won't make good decisions for themselves." I take her hands in my own. She just shrugs. I want to make her happy but I've never seen her so sad before. I sigh and let her hands go.

"Where are you going?" Her voice is worried.

"Just give me one second." I kiss her forehead and go to grab my laptop from the coffee table. I log in and go straight to the playlist I made for her as a random gift. I hit play and turn around to watch her face as the whistling starts.

"You know I can't smile, without you…" I start to sing it, not great but that's what's great about Lucy, she thinks something is even better if you do it for her and you're not good at it.

"Can't smile without you…"

Lucy's lips morph into the tiniest of smiles. I walk closer to her "I can't laugh and I can't sing… I'm finding it hard to do anything!" I guide her out of her chair, fitting my hands onto her waist. She wraps her arms around my neck and I look into her eyes, her smile grows.

"you see I feel sad when you're sad." I dip her back and she explodes into a fit of giggles. "I feel glad when you're glad." I spin her in out tiny area between the kitchen and the living room.

"If you only knew, what I'm going through." I pull her in close, holding her against my chest, she sinks into me, her head against my heart, her hands around my neck.

"I just can't smile without you" I speak the words more than I sing them. I hum the rest of the lyrics as the songs plays on because I'm not good at remembering lyrics. Lucy and I sway back and forth together, locked in each other's arms. It's not about dancing right now.

Lucy doesn't speak, I just listen to her feet on the floor and feel her breath against me. I don't know if she wants to talk, I think this is what she wants because if she wanted to speak she would speak.

"I'm hungry." Lucy finally says after the fifth song. I didn't mind a single second of it.

"I can make you some zucchini and squash." I tell her, she stifles a laugh. "I'll cook some zucchini and squash and you can put on my cooking playlist." She tiptoes and pecks a kiss on my nose.

"Thank you." Her breath smells like her tea, vanilla and spices. Her hand falls away from my chest and I don't want it to. I could've stayed like that forever, but Lucy never stays still for long.

Lucy hums a song I don't know and despite last night, everything seems good. She even dances while she cooks which makes me feel better because Lucy can't hide her emotions very well.

"How's it coming?" I ask her still sipping on coffee that had already gone cold

"It's almost ready." Lucy throws some spices in it, I don't know what she puts in this stuff but it tastes a lot better than just zucchini and squash. It's all buttery and a hint of garlic and—

"Are you daydreaming about eating food that I'm making?" she asks, her hair is messy and she's still in her pajamas, I don't think she's even brushed her teeth yet, because I haven't either.

"Yes." I don't hesitate to admit. "Why enjoy it once, when I can enjoy it twice." I smile when she smiles.

"So…" She hesitates and fidgets with her friendship bracelet.

"What is it?" I ask her, she stirs the pan and sprinkles something else in it.

"I just…" She sighs as if she can't figure out how she wants to say something.

"Yeah…" I prompt her.

"I know you have work tonight," She starts, I already know what she wants but I let her finish.

"and I know you already switched shifts for yesterday…" she rubs her arm and lifts her eyes to mine "but, would it be possible…"

"I texted Lisana this morning, she's gonna cover for me so I'll owe her one."

"Oh, Natsu!" Lucy exclaims and jumps on me. her arms lock around my neck and she showers me in kisses in her excited way. "thank you, you're the best thing in the universe." She kisses me some more. I laugh and let her kiss me to her hearts content. The things I do for you, Lucy I joke to myself.

"I should be thanking you." I hold onto her and she kisses me a few more times before she settled into my embrace. Lucy only gets up to finish the food, she scoops it onto a big plate to share from and brings us forks.

"You are amazing." I scoop a bite into my mouth "you know that?" I ask around the delicious food.

"It's just a few vegetables." She laughs and takes a hefty bite of her own, still smiling, she takes another.

"Made with love." I nuzzle her neck and she squeaks a giggle and she's okay, she's going to be okay.

Spending all day with Lucy is the most amazing feeling. Lucy just makes you want to smile and love who you're with. The only thing playing in the background is her happiness playlist and even that is low, it's just us. She stayed in her pajamas all day, although she did brush her teeth after lunch.

"Stop!" Lucy giggles pushing at my chest but she's just playing, she loves being tickles. She squeaks loudly and fumbles with my hands but she's laughing and she's happy and that's all I want.

"Natsu!" she laughs and twists back and forth and tries to tickle me back but I'm not nearly as ticklish as her. I just laugh tickle her stomach and her legs and her neck. She's a mess of laughter and smiles and her hair is all frizzy from rubbing against the couch.

The Dragneel rings, interrupting our tickle fight.

"Who's that?" Lucy's laughter stops short, she sounds worried, which worries me, is she that scared of that guy? I wonder.

"Don't worry." I climb off her, careful not to hurt her, she bruises so easily. "I have a little surprise for you, I—"

"Lucy!" Juvia burst through the door with Grey, toting two big bags, behind her. Juvia runs straight to Lucy, throwing herself over the back of the couch and locking her into a hug.

"Juvia!" Lucy giggles and squeezes Juvia back. "What are you doing here?" Lucy and Juvia do nothing to lessen their hold on each other.

"sleep over!" Juvia's voice pitches three octaves higher than usual. I glance at the window to make sure they're not broken.

"How's she doing?" Grey lowers his voice so only I can hear him.

"Better, I think." I sigh "I just didn't expect that at all, Lucy just wasn't Lucy this morning."

"How'd you snap her out of it?" Grey asks.

"Sang to her." I say simply.

Grey nods and smirks "can't smile without you?"

"Yep." I nod and the girls finally break their mutual headlock. Lucy bounds over to me, the spring back in her step. "You planned a sleepover to make me feel better?"

"I thought we could all use some quality time together." I shrug it off but Lucy throws herself into my arms and squeezes me much harder than I thought she could. "Thank you, Natsu." I squeeze her back. "Anything for you, Lucy."

"What are we starting with?" Juvia holds up a handful of movies, all romantic comedy types.

"Oh, lets watch New Year's Eve!" Lucy snatches the movies out of Juvia's hand.

"Down!" Grey shouts almost matching her excitement, he genuinely likes that movie though, so it doesn't require that much acting on his part.

"Natsu…" Lucy looks to me.

"Whatever you want." I tell her, she beams at me.

"Oh, face masks!" Lucy is practically vibrating with excitement. Lucy likes going out but she likes hanging out with her friends even more.

"We should all do face masks." Lucy's eyes land on me again.

"Like I said." I smile at her "whatever you want."

"Yay!" Lucy does a few little jumps, before she freezes and disappointment crosses her face. "but I'm out of my lush face mask." She pouts a little. Juvia clears her throat and dangles a paper bag with the word LUSH across is.

"way ahead of you." Juvia lets the bag rock back and forth on her finger, Lucy squeals and throws her arms around Juvia "you're the best!"

"And don't you forget it." Juvia hugs Lucy back and everything really feels okay. That guy is no one. Grey and I will deal with him when we have to. Lucy's mom doesn't deserve a daughter like Lucy. This is good, the four of us together, just hanging out on a random night with movies and face stuff, it's good, it's right


Dear ?,

I'm going to break up with him. I can't do this. He's so great and he thinks he can have me forever and it's not fair what I'm doing. He deserves someone he can have a lifetime with. Not me. Not a time bomb.

Lucy


Thanks so much for reading tonight, I will see you tonight for another posting marathon
if you like HunterxHunter please give my other story a chance Put Me Back Together
get some sleep guys
XOXO