Let me get this straight. You think Gray and Lucy are secretly dating?" Zeref said. Natsu was in a small room with Zeref, Nat, and Rosalina. He told all of them what he thinks is going on between Lucy and Gray with him venting. "That's crazy. There's no way that's really going on."
"That's what Rosalina says." Natsu said.
"This actually reminds me of when I thought Rosalina and Qaasim had something going on and I was dead wrong about this." Nat said.
"True." Rosalina said. "Natsu, I could be wrong. Maybe there's something else going on."
"You better for Gray's sake." Natsu said as he pounded his fist into his hand. This better get cleared up or Natsu is going to get in a big fight with Gray and that's not going to go well.
...
Lucy
Lucy was on the tour bus and was trying to sort her own thoughts. She just can't wrap her head around the idea of Natsu and Rosalina. It's crazy, but she thinks it might be a possibility. Gray looked around and soon found her on the bus.
"There you are." Gray said.
"Hey, Gray." Lucy said as he sat next to her. "You okay after last night."
"Yeah. That moron can't take me anyway." Gray said. He took a good look at her and could see there was something that was still bothering her. "Are you still thinking that there might be something between Natsu and Rosalina? It's crazy. Rosalina is much older and I just don't see it happening."
"Maybe, but they seem to be getting along well and everything." Lucy said.
"Lucy, it's crazy." Gray said, but no matter how many times Lucy hears it, she just isn't convinced. "Here's a better question. Why are you letting it bother you so much?" Lucy was wondering that herself.
"I'm not really sure." Lucy said. All she did know was that she didn't seem to like it. "Maybe it's the fact that the idea of him and her together like that is just...disgusting. That's probably all it is."
"Look, they barely know each other. They've only known each other for one day. That's nowhere near enough time for some sort of relationship between them to form." Gray said.
"Yeah. Maybe you're right." Lucy said. She really hopes so. As they were talking about this, they heard some sort of noise going on outside. They looked out the window and opened it up to see Gajeel banging on some trash cans with all the others gathering for it.
"Beat that!" Gajeel said.
"I will." Alex said as he took some drumsticks.
"Hey!" Gray called out and got their attention. "What are you morons doing?"
"Gajeel and Alex are still trying to outdo each other." Erza said.
"It's getting a little crazy, but fun to watch." David said.
"For real." Qaasim said.
"Alex, you don't have to prove anything. We're good, right?" Thomas asked as he looked to Erza. Truth was, after seeing what Erza is like when she gets annoyed, he's actually a little nervous of her.
"No way am I backing down." Alex said and started playing the drums himself. Gray and Lucy thought they were just being silly and walked out of there. However, Alex played, he hit something on the trash and sent it flying with it nearly hitting Levy.
"Hey!" Levy called out and got Alex to stop playing.
"Sorry." Alex said. Gajeel laughed at Alex's little accident.
"Gajeel and Erza, a quick reminder. Tomorrow we have a press conference about our upcoming performance and the the day after that is the dinner." Levy said.
"Does that mean we really have to eat fancy-like? That's going to be such a drag." Gajeel said.
"Yes. I'm expecting everyone to be on their best behavior." Levy said. That could actually be a problem with what's been going on between Natsu, Gray, and Lucy.
...
Natsu
Natsu just sat around the trailer. All he did was flip through some channels to try and keep himself distracted from this whole thing between Gray and Lucy, but it wasn't working. Nat and Rosalina came in and saw him moping around.
"You okay?" Nat asked.
"I just don't get it. If they are dating, why keep it a secret? Gray's aware of how I feel about her." Natsu said. "Why would he do this?"
"That could be why they are keeping it a secret." Rosalina said.
"Look, we don't know the truth." Nat said. "We only have thoughts to go on. It might not be as bad as you think."
"I sure hope so." Natsu said.
"You should probably just keep your mind off all this." Rosalina said as she grabbed the remote and changed to a news channel.
"At the moment, Fairy Tale appears to be off the grid." A news reporter said. "They're here in New York somewhere and we'll find them. Why are they hiding in the first place? Maybe there's something secretive going on." The reporter laughed and that certainly didn't help Natsu. Nat took the remote and turned it off.
"What is wrong with these reporters? Why do they always dish out dirt?" Rosalina asked.
"They just want ratings." Nat said.
"Rosalina probably knows about all that." Natsu said with him and Nat sharing a laugh, but Rosalina wasn't laughing.
"What's that suppose to mean?" Rosalina questioned.
"Well, I heard a few things about you from the time you quit the band and a few other things." Natsu said, but Rosalina still didn't look happy.
"Run. Run!" Nat said with some amusement. Natsu ran out of there with Rosalina running after him. Natsu made it out of the trailer, but only got to a few a feet before Rosalina caught him and they wrestled a little. As they were both having fun with this, Lucy and gray came by and spotted them. Seeing this surely didn't help them either.
"Hi." Lucy said and got them to stop.
"Hey." Natsu said. It was just awkward silence until Lucy grabbed Gray by the wrist and walked out of there. Things were just getting tougher and tougher for both sides.
...
The Next Day
They were getting ready for their little press conference. Only Fairy Tale is going, so the Naked Brothers Band is staying behind. Still, things are getting complicated between Natsu, Gray, and Lucy.
"Okay, guys." Levy said. "This conference is to cover our performance tomorrow for the senator and his family. We've never had such an important figure in the audience before. So let's try and keep this professional." Gajeel and Erza were on board, but the others could be a problem.
"You going to be okay, Lucy?" Gray asked.
"I...really don't know." Lucy said. Whatever is bothering her only seems to be getting worse. Gray wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close.
"Hey, Natsu." Zeref said as Natsu stepped out of the back. "You calmed down some."
"Doubtful." Natsu said. This just isn't looking good and it certainly didn't help that Natsu saw Gray and Lucy real close. "You know what, I think I'm going to walk."
"You're gonna walk?" Erza questioned as all of them thought he was being weird.
"I need some air to clear my head." Natsu said as he got right off the bus.
"I better go with him." Zeref said.
"Do I even want to know what's going on with him?" Levy asked.
"Probably not." Zeref said. Levy didn't like the sound of that.
"Let's just hope this works out before tomorrow." Levy said. Zeref got off the bus and it drove off with Natsu and Zeref behind. NBB saw that and they were all getting concerned.
"Are they going to be okay?" David asked. "It looks like there's some tension going on in that band."
"I sure hope so. This could lead to trouble for them." Nat said. Natsu and Zeref started walking, but Natsu was still sulking about the whole thing.
"Natsu, you could be reacting to nothing. It might not be what you think." Zeref said.
"How else do you explain those two going off together and how close they've been lately?" Natsu said and Zeref didn't had an answer for that. He hates seeing his brother like this, but he isn't sure what to do to help. "I just don't get it. Why him?"
"Love is a fickle thing, Natsu." Zeref said.
"How would you know? I've never seen you with a girlfriend." Natsu said.
"Oh! Okay! Cheap shot!" Zeref said.
...
The Press Conference
Natsu and Zeref were able to make it to the conference. Even though Natsu had plenty of time to think, he didn't feel any better about this whole thing. All he can do is try and get through this conference.
"Feeling better, Natsu?" Erza said.
"Yeah... Let's just get this over with." Natsu said. His friends were starting to get concerned about him, but there wasn't really any time to talk about it. The five of them all sat at the table for cameramen and reporters. Gray sat next to Lucy and placed his hand on her shoulder for comfort. Simple gestures like that ticked Natsu off.
"Zeref, is Natsu going to be okay?" Levy asked as they stayed out of sight.
"It doesn't look like it. I just hope he can keep his act together." Zeref said. So did Levy, but there isn't much that can be done. Levy stepped out and grabbed a hold of a microphone.
"Okay. We're going to get started with any questions you all have. Who wants to go first?" Levy asked. All the reporters were coming at them at once. Levy tried to get them all to settle down and have them go one at a time.
"You're playing for the state senate tomorrow and his family! How do you feel?"
"It will actually be a great honor." Erza said. "We've never performed for an important man like him before."
"Now for a real question. What seems to be going on with Natsu? You don't look that excited."
"Oh boy." Zeref said as he didn't like where this might be going.
"I am. I just got a lot on my mind at the moment." Natsu said. "Something I don't want to talk about." That caused all the reporters to go in a frenzy again.
"Nice going. Saying something like that just makes reporters pry even more." Gray said. "If there's something you don't want others to know, that just makes want others want to know more." Natsu tried holding it together, but he couldn't.
"So that's how it works? Hide it and let others find out the hard way instead of being open about it?" Natsu said with him getting frustrated.
"What are you whining about now?" Gray said. "What is your problem?"
"My problem is sitting right next to me!" Natsu said and the commotion was getting everyone's attention. Not good.
"So you have a problem with me?! At least I'm not the one acting like an immature baby." Gray said.
"That's it!" Natsu said as he tackled Gray and the two started fighting again.
"Guys, knock it off!" Lucy said as she and the others tried to get the apart.
"You morons. How do you think this is going to look? You're fighting in front of reporters." Erza said. As soon as she said that, Gray and Natsu sat up and saw the reporters getting out of control.
"Oops." Both of them said. The reporters were coming at them like hound dogs.
"What do we do? This is getting out of hand." Zeref said.
"At times like this, there's only one thing to do. RUN!" Levy shouted as all of them ran out of there as fast as they could with reporters chasing them. Things just went from internal band conflict to something that could go nation-wide.
...
The Trailers
The band was able to make it to their bus and made it back to the trailers. They walked in one of them where NBB was waiting for them.
"Way to put on a show at the press conference." Alex said as they all saw it was on the news already.
"News does travel fast." Gajeel said.
"What was that all about?" Levy said as she turned to the boys. "Do you know how bad this is going to look for us?"
"Don't blame me. He's the one that flipped and attacked me...again." Gray said.
"Natsu, what is going on with you?" Levy said. "The concert tomorrow is a big deal for us and this could ruin things for us. Why have you been acting like this lately?"
"Forget it. I don't want to talk about it." Natsu said. "At this point, I don't care about that concert anymore." Natsu just marched right into a bedroom and slammed the door shut. These problems are just getting bigger and bigger.