Lucy inhaled as she rubbed her temples from the migraine her father and best friend just gave her.

Turning to the pink haired boy next to her, she apologized, completely aware and paranoid over the awkward tension in the air between her and Natsu. "Er... S-Sorry about that..." She mentally cursed Erza for attacking the poor boy in the hallway and following her all the way home. Not to mention, her dad overreaction to his arrival. She loved those two to death, but sometimes they could be a real pain.

Lucy turned to look at the whistling male as he fidgeted with his scarf worn around his neck. He hadn't bothered to put his hood back on to cover his unruly wild hair, and now that she took a closer look at it, it seriously seemed to fit perfectally, with his tanned complexion, and seemingly well built muscl-

Wait. Stop right there.

Lucy screamed for herself to stop thinking the moment she stared to look his body over. No. Absolutely, not. Checking a boy out was not in Lucy's agenda of things to do.

She could not suffer the chances of having a crush on her english project partner.

He seemed oblivious to the feint pink tint on her pale cheeks, and simply shook his head with a hum. "Nah, it's fine," he laughed as he rose his eyebrow to glance at the nerdy blonde. "You've got some interesting friends there. And a pretty neat dad... Though... They are kind of weird. Not in a bad way, though! It makes things entertaining!" Lucy sighed as she momentarily forgot about her fear of males.

Rolling her eyes, Lucy broke into a small smile. "Tell me about it," Lucy huffed as she began to finger with her nails. "Erza's always onto my case about boys, and my dad's just as worse. Look!" Motioning to the door crack in her room, Lucy turned to glare right at the two pairs of eyeballs looking through the gap. Flinching in surprise, the figures disappeared from view.

Walking over slowly, and crossing her arms underneath her chest (that was still well-hidden), Lucy hooked her foot into the door crack, and swung it open towards her, bringing the door backwards and allowing access to her exit from her room. Natsu watched in curiosity as she walked into the hallway and turned to give her dad and Erza a dead-pan.

"Er... Lucy!" Jude winced, nervous sweat visibly dripping down his face as he side-glanced Erza who was sitting next to him. The scarlet haired girl put his hands on her hips, and looked at Lucy with a look of challenge and worry. "We're only checking up on you and this..." She leaned forward to take a distinguished look at Natsu, who was currently looking around her room in boredom, and she gave a cringe of disgust. "...This... Boy." Lucy dropped her deadpan even lower, and brought her face forward to Erza to question her remark.

"Ehhh? But, Erza, don't you have a boyfriend?" At the statement, the red-head blushed and began to stutter in a frenzy from the ironic sentence. "J-J-Jellal's a different case! I've known him since we were kids, Lucy! You know that. Besides, he's not as rude as this imbecile." Erza glared again as if attempting to burn a hole through Lucy's room entrance. Lucy let out another breath before turning to face her dad to plead with both of the two.

"Please... Dad... Erza... Do you know how awkward you two have already made this? Don't worry- I have no intentions on marrying this guy." She paused as she looked at her dad, letting the statement sink into his fried brain. "But, we do need our privacy to work on our project, otherwise this might count as cheating- I heard Gildarts-Sensei also gave you the same assignment, Erza." Raising both eyebrows to make her point, Lucy stared knowingly at the president, knowing she had her beat. Erza hated cheating, in any forms whatsoever, even if she herself accidentally took part in it.

Staring right into the council's leader's pupils with the factor for dominance, Erza finally backed down, as she sighed in defeat. "Fine." Jude's body gave a tremble of shock to the fierce girl's retreat and acceptance to Lucy's words. "Wha-" Erza turned to look at her friend's father and shook her head, placing her hand on his shoulder to motion it was time to leave the two privacy.

Wordlessly, both rose from their positions in the hallway, and walked out and down the stairs to leave Lucy smiling in the hallway by herself.

Wait a seco-

Now she would have to face Natsu alone.

Natsu.

A boy.

Lucy began to break into a nervous sweat, at the tension her paranoia brought her. What to do, what to do... Dammit!

"Luigi?" Lucy turned around to face Natsu, his ulterior big frame leaning on the frame of her room entrance in laziness. Giving her a lopsided smirk, he jabbed a thumb behind him. "Let's get this thing going. I already have a plan for the story."

Her brown eyes widened in fear, as she scanned in on his figure. That evil seducing smirk... The big toned muscles to prove he was more dominant... The fact he was more stronger... Everything scared her to death.

"N-..."

"..No." In pure confusion Natsu raised his eyebrows. "Huh...?" "No!" Lucy grabbed the sides of her head in fear, and began to tremble. She didn't scream, but it was enough to show the emotion she portrayed. She was afraid. Silence filled the air, and Natsu's arm, the one which he was using to currently rest upon, fell limp by his side and he stood up straight, his weight now evenly on both feet.

"..." Reaching out, Lucy suddenly felt two pairs of large arms wrapped around her, tough muscle bulging through. He wasn't squeezing her, but it was enough to show that what she was no fluke. He really was strong.

But as quick as he had reached out to embrace her it was soon over. The warmth still lasting on her skin by his touch. Lucy's eyes were open wide with shock, as the tears brimming her long eyelashes fell through, escaping the frames covering her beautiful pupils.

She looked up, and he was already facing the entrance of her room, his back towards her. "Let's go."

"..."

"...O-Ok-kay..."

A/ns: -evil laughter- The cheesiness is back! Hello, mina-san! I'm sorry for the long wait, but I did not give up on this fanfic. As you can see, I've been working pretty hard, and my writing style has changed. Hopefully it evolved in a good way. Thank you for your patience, and I'm sorry I couldn't give you a long chapter... I'll see you soon! I've been working pretty hard lately, so I'll update again soon. Probably even rewrite the first chapters. Thanks again!