Hi Guys,

Sorry this is so late. This week has been crazy to say the least. I've a ton of extra meetings and assignments because of some new guideline, but Chapter 10 is finished, which means we are 1/5 of the way through! Little goals make the big ones seem less scary. Anyway, hope you enjoy!

- Singed

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.

Lucy

Lucy was tired. She had been going all day and she never thought in a thousand years that writing this many letters would take so long!

"Uh, what have I gotten myself into?" She sighed and looked over at her bed. Tomorrow would be an early day and now she had to add getting the seamstress to work on her dress as well as meeting her bride's maids for their final dress fitting and going to the bakers to put down the last payment. It was a good thing she supposed that her new errand and one of the old errands required the same place. She would just go early and hope the seamstress could squeeze her in.

The cathedral bells chimed the hour and Lucy's heavy shoulders lightened a bit. It wasn't quite as late as she had originally thought. Rallying her spirits she picked up her quill one more time and started her last letter for the day. Unfortunately, while the telling was easy enough, it was also embarrassing.

Piece 10 - The Realization, That Was Later Denied But There All The Same

Letter 10

Natsu,

You know I love Mira, everyone does, but sometimes she can cause … complications. It was shortly after we did that forest planting job and I had come to really know how close we were. I was sitting at the bar when Mira and I started talking. The usual, but then she floored me by suggesting that you and I would make a great couple.

I remember being confused. When I said as much, she just giggled and told me that of course, we'd make a great couple. We were close and you definitely had a boyish charm, which is true. However, when I looked over at you at that moment, you were doing a really stupid dance on the top of a table, slapping your butt to make everyone laugh. I was rather disgusted and turned off, to say the least.

However, Mira insisted and I just smiled and chose to let her think what she wanted. However, soon after you came up, and let's just say that misunderstandings abounded. You told me that you really needed to talk to me and I was worried that you were trying to confess your love. Then later, you told me to meet you at the park because you had something really important to discuss with me. I had just thought that you'd asked me out.

Telling myself that I didn't want to hurt your feelings, I decided to meet you there but only to let you down easily. Somehow, I ended up dressed to the nines and even had Cancer do my hair. I was confused as to why I was acting this way. In retrospect, I should have known that it was because I had a buried major crush on you and was secretly hoping for this all along.

However, when I arrived it all came out. You just wanted me to summon Virgo to dig up some box that was rumored to be buried there. I was offended and angry at first and slapped you as hard as I could. Then I remember running away, feeling free and happy that it wasn't what I thought. Once again, in retrospect, I think I knew deep down that I wasn't ready and so to realize that you were just being normal you, and not romantic you, was a relief.

So, you might be wondering to yourself, how is this a piece? Well, it's more a realization I came to that night. You see, as I was drifting off I remember thinking that if you had asked me out officially or confessed your undying love, I would have given you a chance. I wasn't thinking about marriage or anything, but I was thinking that one date wouldn't kill me and it might actually be nice. Of course, the next morning I wondered what I had been thinking, but still, the connection was there and I had admitted to it, even if I recanted it later.

It's actually rather embarrassing how long it took me after this to come to a true realization of my feelings. I guess what I'm trying to say is that from very early on, I had already chosen you as a potential boyfriend. It just took me years to realize it and by that time instead of boyfriend, we jumped right to fiance.

Love,

Lucy

Sealing the tenth letter with a feeling of accomplishment, Lucy tucked it into the box and then marched over to her bed. Just as she was climbing under the covers with a book, she stopped and peeked under her bed. Tucked next to the wall, was a dirty old box. Yesterday, when she had latched onto this idea and had gone out to get the special parchment, she had sent Virgo on a little mission. It turns out that Master did have a box full of really embarrassing pictures. This would be another surprise gift for Natsu, but maybe when he was a bit more mature.

Lucy snorted. "Yeah, like that's ever going to happen."

Natsu

"Ahahahaha," Natsu yelled as he kicked Elfman in the face. The guildhall was in a complete uproar and, to be honest, Natsu could not remember why he was fighting. It had started rather normally. Gray had made some offhand comments about Natsu being too immature to be getting married and Natsu retaliated by saying that at least he was marrying his girl. Gray had taken a swing after that and the rest was history. Now pretty much everyone was involved, but Natsu could feel the change in the energy. It would stop soon and he had let out all the pent-up energy that had accumulated from writing so much.

He stepped back to admire his handy work and went to the bar to finish the drink he'd left there. Gray was already finishing his own. Natsu sat and nodded to the streaker, who has lost everything but his shorts during the fight.

"That was a good fight," Natsu commented, feeling better already.

"Yeah, whatever." Natsu raised his eyebrows a little bit at that. Gray was usually sarcastic and could get moody sometimes, but this was their thing. Insult each other, fight it out, be friends afterwards. In all honesty, besides Lucy and Happy, Gray was his best friend, though he'd never admit it.

"Dude, what's eating you?" Gray slammed down his mug and then flipped a coin to Mira.

"Nothing. I'm walking home." Natsu watched Gray leave when Mira sighed.

"I think you really hurt his feelings Natsu," she said, putting the coin into her pocket as she wiped down the bar.

"What? How?"

"Well, that comment you made about Juvia."

"Huh?"

"Oh Natsu, honestly. If you're going to say things, at least remember them. You said that at least you respected Lucy enough to marry her." Natsu stopped and thought about it. He had remembered making the comment, but he hadn't realized how it had come across, but hearing it now he realized what a low blow it was. Everyone knew that Gray and Juvia were dating and everyone knew that Juvia just wanted to get married. Honestly, it had been a point of gossip for the last few months. Gray and Juvia had been dating for over a year, almost two and anyone with eyes or a brain knew neither of them was ever pulling out, so why not marry by now. Especially since Juvia had made comment, after comment, after comment that it would take her at least a year to plan the type of wedding she wanted.

"I guess I get it but come on Mira. Everyone knows that Gray loves her, he just hasn't asked yet."

"I know Natsu, but I think Gray is already feeling bad about not asking her."

"Uh, so why doesn't he?"

Mira giggled and sighed. "Honestly Natsu, not everyone can just blurt out the most important question of their life, even to the person that they love."

"Well, I guess it's just me then, but I don't see why not."

"It most definitely is a you thing, and saying yes to such a proposal is definitely a Lucy thing. I can't even imagine!"

"Huh, you mean you wouldn't say yes if…"

Suddenly, Laxus slipped in next to him and tapped the bar. Mira, who had been going a little white as his sentence continued quickly got about filling his drink, not looking at Natsu. While Mira was busy, Laxus gave Natsu a heavy look under his brows and Natsu nodded. He knew now that bringing up what he knew about their relationship in such a public place would get him killed. The only reason he knew was that they smelled like each other. Gajeel and Wendy probably knew too, but they weren't dumb enough to say anything here.

He stood after that and made his way home. On his way, he contemplated going by Lucy's, but then thought better of it. He'd make sure to spend a good amount with her tomorrow. Just the thought of her brought a smile to his face. He just loved her. He wasn't sure how to properly express it, but he tried every which way he could. Maybe that was the real reason for the recordings.

When he got home, Happy was asleep in his hammock and for a split second Natsu thought about waking him and begging him to stay with them when he and Lucy got married. The idea of Happy leaving hurt. But, he understood. Natsu was moving on and Happy had too also.

Not tired just yet, Natsu took the lacrima to the bedroom and turned it on as he fell onto the bed. He needed to talk to Lucy, even if she wasn't actually there.

Piece 10 - The Transfer of Daddy Issues

"I think I hurt Gray's feelings tonight. I know that sounds weird coming from me as I usually don't care about Gray's feelings, but I feel bad. I said something I shouldn't have, but I know that he'll forgive me. Have you ever done something like that? Probably not, but I know that you've had to live with people doing it to you." Natsu's brows scrunched as he started his next piece.

"Ever since the Phantom Lord incident and me thinking you'd left Fairy Tail to go home, I kind of resented your father. I never told you because it wasn't my place and he was your father, so I needed to try and at least be okay with it every time you brought him up, which wasn't much. But, I don't think you realize how close I came to punching him out when you single-handedly tried to go rescue him and his guild from those bandits."

"First, I was mad because we lost a really good job because you disappeared. I know you told us later that we should have just gone without you, but come on Lucy! I and the gang would never do that! Plus, once we realized where you'd gone and what you were trying to do, we had to go. Happy was convinced that you'd need rescuing, but I knew better. I knew you'd find some way to rescue yourself if you did get captured, but I was going to make sure you didn't get captured in the first place."

"Needless to say, I was relieved to see you just fine when we got there. I was even proud enough to burst when I realized what you had actually accomplished. I'd known you'd grown, but you had grown way past what I had thought. Then I saw your dad and for some reason, a dark rage took over. I wanted to yell at him, to ask him how he could treat you the way he had, for years. I know you've never told me all of it, but I can fill in some of the wholes."

"I think I might have actually done it if I hadn't seen the exchange between you guys. I could tell that you had come to some sort of understanding and I guess that was okay. I still just get mad about it sometimes, when I stop to think about it, yah know?" Natsu sighed, realizing that he wasn't entirely sure what he'd been saying the last few minutes. Maybe he was more tired, and probably drunker than he thought.

"Anyway, I need to go. I'll talk to you tomorrow Luce." Natsu shut the lacrima down, only to see it blinking at him. When he turned it back on, he saw it saying that he only had three minutes left. Well, at least he'd bought more. He dragged himself to the bathroom and then back to bed, where he stayed until morning, snoring and dreaming of Lucy.