A/N: So since all of my updates have sucked lately, I decided to post two new chapters, to hopefully make up for it. Apologies.
-Flashback-
I was sitting at the guild like every other day, enjoying my drink. I sighed with my chin on the counter, wondering when Natsu would be back. I needed to go on a job, for my rent.
I heard the guild doors open, followed with the chattering of my team. I spun around on the chair, with a grin on my face. I hoped maybe today would be the day they'd notice that I was waiting for them.
No luck.
They all sat down at a table furthest from me, laughing and talking. It was a sight to see, if I hadn't known them or seen them before, I'd maybe think that they weren't missing someone.
Me.
I hoped I wasn't being selfish. I spun back around and faced the bar.
Two months now I had been like that. Unnoticed. She came back without warning, but maybe she didn't know what it was doing to me? That had to be it.
I would've never thought of Lisanna as manipulative, but maybe that's just what she was. It took me six years to notice it.
"Hey Lucy!" Natsu strutted up to me with his usual demeanor.
"Hi." I said quietly back to him. I couldn't help but be shy, we hadn't talked for months, and I might've had a tiny little crush on him.
"So how's your rent going?" He chuckled. My head tilted. I glanced at the booth harboring my other 'team members', who were suppressing smiles and chuckles. Except for Lisanna of course, who was looking at me with sad eyes.
"I'm a bit overdue." I smiled sheepishly. "I wanted to talk to you about-"
"Hold that thought. Before you go on, because I'm very interested," he rested his elbow on the counter of the bar, leaning over. "Just kidding, not really." He laughed. I raised an eyebrow, wondering why he was acting like this.
"You're off the team." He finally said to me seriously.
"Huh?" I replied dumbly.
"You. Are. Off. The-"
"Yes I heard you, but why?"
"Let's face it. You aren't strong enough."
"Yes I am-"
"No you aren't." He glared at me, arguing like a child. "And we need room for Lisanna anyways."
Lisanna.
That's what it was about.
"Natsu-"
"Please Lucy." He stood and glared down his nose at me, making me feel smaller with each passing second. "Don't make it harder than it has to be."
I nodded in reply, almost in a trance by his words. Maybe I just hadn't let it sink in yet. I stood and walked out of the guild, not quite knowing where I was off to.
So I suppose it wasn't Team Natsu that kicked me off. Just Natsu. It was too late for me to still be mad at him, he already received my forgiveness.
I understood his reasoning, to an extent. It was just the way that he broke the news to me. It was almost like he thought it was a joke.
I wasn't sure if he was trying to impress Lisanna, in his own weird way. By being an asshole, I guess?
I shake my head. I remembered, I never told Natsu exactly that I had forgiven him. At least I didn't think I did.
It somehow felt better to hold a grudge against him then to forgive him. I knew that it would come back to haunt me, but at this moment, it felt like the right thing.
"What are you grinning about, idiot?" Jasper raises an eyebrow at me and my head snaps back up to look at him.
"Nothing." I smile, less wide this time.
"Well stop, you look insane." He sighs and looks back down to his book, turning the page.
A/N: Just a little insight to how I wanted it to happen, because I kind of wanted my own take on it. This happens in a little earlier time frame, imagine it between chapters 8 + 9. I will eventually re-arrange all of it to fit correctly, but for less confusion, I'm going to leave it as it is.