FULL SUMMARY: There is really nothing wrong between BFFs Natsu and Lucy, except that many things have influenced how they show their affection for each other. A personal notebook, romantic comedy movies, fandoms, fan people standards, everlasting BFF codes, family and friends. The challenge, done like some sassy God, has made them insane. They must face their fears, denials, and insecurities, because it will very well affects their lives. The problem: this whole thing is too messed up to be "Cliché, huh?"

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail nor it's characters. This guy does: Hiro Mashima

'cited in Lucy's notebook'

"past conversations"

Lucy

She cried until the morning sun was up in the sky. To be honest, it was a beautiful view despite that she is crying her eyes out. It somehow further inspired her to paint. After this madness, she thought, she would paint this wonderful scenery. The beauty of...what sunrise meant. It came up to her thoughts sadly that it was hope. Of all things she was trying to avoid, she had to always encounter H-O-P-E. It was almost sickening, and of course, she was tired. Sleep will finally rest her heart.

Slowly, she climbed down to her window. It was easier this time but as she hopped from the window sill, she painfully landed on her butt. If Lucy had adopted Natsu's beautiful speech, she would have cursed. Bust since she was tired to the core, she sluggishly stood up. Apparently, her puffy eyes wanted to spill tears again having that blasted landing. She didn't have any relationship with good luck right now. In half a second, she fell on her bed and before her eye lids dropped, she saw 5:36 on her clock.

"LUCY!"

The call didn't originate from the door. She fought to be awake. Lucy threw her covers over and her eyes met Gray and Erza's. They were at her window just like how Natsu would enter. They had solemn expressions embedded on their face, Lucy thought if an accident occurred. No, intuition kicked in, it was another matter.

"Get up," Erza commanded, stepping inside. As she got closer, Erza's seriousness faded into concern. Lucy knew the condition of her face, she tried to conceal it until her friend said, "You look…terrible."

"What are you doing?" Lucy asked, ignoring the comment, and trying to go back to sleep. She caught a glimpse that her clocked just moved a minute. 5:40 am. What the heck? She wanted this day to end so badly. It just couldn't. "Leave."

Quickly, Erza proceed to her kitchen while Gray sat at the foot of her bed. She was not used to have any boy touch her bed or waking up to anyone except Natsu. Lucy tried to cover herself. Ignore them and they will leave, Lucy thought.

"He is leaving."

"I know," she muffled through her blanket.

"And he might not be back until years."

"I know."

"We won't get to see him."

"I know."

"You are just saying two words."

"I know."

"Lucy, this is stupid."

"I know."

"And you are not going to do anything?"

"I know."

"I know what?" Gray asked suspiciously.

Lucy curled into a ball, making herself small. Then she said, defeat in her voice. "I am not going to do anything."

"What?"

"You heard me. I. AM. NOT. GOING. TO. DO. ANYTHING."

Ezra came back with three mugs of hot choco and three sandwiches. "Here, eat." She gave one to Lucy and another to Gray. Lucy recently noticed that Erza's long red hair had not been brushed and she was wearing her night gown. Meanwhile, Gray was still shirtless. It was as if they just woke up.

Lucy's mind thought fast unlike what happened hours ago. "Why?"

"Because our friend Natsu is totally incapacitated of human emotion," Erza reasoned as she leaned elegantly by the wall next to Gray. "He underestimated our friendship. Told Gray," she sneered at Gray's direction and sighed. "That he is leaving and did not even tell Fairy Tail. We are here because he is on his way to the airport if Gray told was inarguably accurate. We could not just let that scoundrel leave us like this. I want to eradicate him. However, we can't let him know Gray broke his promise." Erza's voice softened. "Lucy, both of you are—"

"Cowards!"

The girls stared at Gray. Then Erza continued, "What I had in mind was 'fools.' 'Cowards' works more appropriately."

Lucy shook her head already knowing the topic. It was her and him again. "But Natsu couldn't you know."

Gray ran his hand through his raven hair. He does this when something was annoying him or he was shy. Now, the reason was the former. "Lucy—listen—why haven't you told Natsu about your feelings?"

"He is my best friend."

"Bullshit."

"Gray," she heard Ezra reprimanded. Normally, Gray would listen to the stern red head, but this was one of the exceptions.

Suddenly, her sheets were taken from her. Gray had them on his hand. He looked so pissed that Lucy was afraid of him more. Erza had to hold Gray's shoulder to tone down whatever he is doing, but he shrugged her off. "Do you know why Natsu haven't told you?"

No answer came to her mind. Lucy only sat up and avoided his eyes.

"It's because he respected your wishes."

"Of course, weirdo. You're my pal."

"What?"

Gray shook his head and knelt in front of her, which caused Lucy to bring her knees to her. "Lucy, please come with us. Talk to him. The idiot's totally losing himself. He isn't happy when he called me, and I hate thinking that he is."

Natsu unhappy? She thought fiercely.

"What Gray is trying to say," Ezra joined the conversation, kneeling as well, "before he leaves, tell him something important."

Lucy's mind went to work. She was like an emotional female Sherlock. It was as if gears and levers functioned in her mind to create solutions and ideas. It went deep into her memories, hoping to get signals of details she might have overlooked. She went back to their Christmas celebration where Natsu was delighted of her gifts, which he gave after a few months of usage. It was not useless to him, it was important to others, to the poor. Her mind remembered when they were studying well Natsu had fallen asleep when she was teaching him. He had saved her from multiple molesters. Aside from the reconciliation with her papa, who recently passed away, the biggest deed that meant every sentimental being to her was when he never tried to betray their friendship.

His leaving didn't meant demolishing what she had for that idiot. They would still be friends. Wonderful. All of the sudden, romance didn't have significance to Lucy.

Lucy knew that Gray and Erza read her expression. She knew that they are willing to help them. She can feel persistent they will be if she does not comply. Yet they are afraid that their early trip would be harder than they thought.

"Don't play like it's a romantic movie," she said, "It's stupid and it isn't important anymore."

"Isn't important?" Gray pronounced like every syllable did not make any sense. "When Sally met Harry? 13 going 30? No strings attached? Just One Day? Friends With Benefits? Love, Rosie?"

"Most of those movies had sex talk in it, Gray."

"I fairly think love will always be important," Ezra interjected carefully.

Lucy sat up. "For you guys it is," she said glumly. "He is my best friend. I am going to live if I don't tell him. Besides, Natsu is leaving for who knows when he will come back—you said it yourself, Gray, he will be back for years. People can change so drastically in just months." Lucy remembered her papa. "It's useless to deal this forbidden romance. It's sickening."

"You know what?" Gray, with no shirt, stood up. "Here is an opportunity. There are three motorcycles downstairs one for me and Juvia, one for Erza and Jellal, and one for you. There is still approximately 90 minutes to his flight. I am guessing Natsu's nearly there. If we go now, we could catch him before he enters the building. You two could talk. If you just dared a little…"

For the first time in making a decision, Lucy did not dwell on finding opportunity costs. She did not foresee good or bad outcomes. Her mind also was blank, not thinking of memories that could influence her decision. Her mind only focused on one thing: talk. Talk. What would they talk about? Not that talking has been a problem between them, Oh Heavens no, Lucy and Natsu both know the comfort in talking or just silence between them. It just that it has been so complicated, she didn't know where to start.

Lucy was so wired up she almost missed Gray's words.

"If so you refuse, Lucy, don't come crying to us when you mourn for this chance in the future." That started the fire inside Lucy. She was known as a safe player. Natsu had always teased her as such. All those crazy things she has done She wouldn't gamble she was not sure of the consequences. It was Natsu who is and will always manage to encourage her despite the peril they will encounter.

Automatically, her body got up, went to the window, and who knows what's down there.

"Geronimo!"

"What the fuck!? LUCY!"

The pointer on the speedometer continued to increase. She could hear Jellal and Gray shouting behind her, telling her to slow down or the cops would chase her. Apparently, she had decided to ignored it. They were the reason why they might get imprisoned. If Gray was correct about everything. Natsu would have been waiting at the gate way lobby right now.

Stupid traffic. In most movies she has watched, car congestion was always the problem for thrilling events. Not to mention events that involved confessing your love!

They had not considered that even motorcycles would be having a difficult time crossing the traffic. Lucy had to honk every two minutes or twist to another way to avoid stopping.

"Lucy!" Juvia called, "take route 4B!"

Without turning back, Lucy shouts, "That does not go to—"

"Trust me!"

She did as told. Lucy made a sharp turn to the left. The traffic was lesser compared to the major highway. Next to her, Gray had sped up to make a lead. He took a right on the small path. Lucy almost hesitated, but she followed. Ahead of her, Juvia has waved her arms, shouting orders. And from passing through their path, people are crammed to the sides. She was clearing the way.

"Gray! We have 47 minutes until departure," Erza announced from behind.

Instead of Gray responding, Juvia shouted. "It will be a major highway on the other side, but we have to make sure we are on the right lane. We will have to make a sharp turn and continue of the path for the mean time then if we see an opening, take it and go to the other side—Watch out!"

Gray skidded to the side, almost slamming their motorcycle to the wall. Juvia shrieked while Lucy fought her scream as the man pushing a cart was unharmed. Gray almost ran him over if it weren't for his quick reflex. Good, she thought, but her mind was not. Her arms were shaking. In times like this kind of mischief, it was Natsu who done the driving or the crazy things. She was always behind him, holding unto him, praying nothing harmful will come to them.

"Natsu, stop!"

"I am your best friend. It's my duty." Before her eyes, Lucy saw Natsu being hit. It was an old memory, but a scary one. She knows because she gave out a shrill cry and she almost collapsed as Natsu was bleeding out so much blood. Lucy couldn't see as she was trying to do first aid, because her tears had made it impossible. She can't make the right knot, because her hands were shaking furiously. Thank goodness some people witnessed the event called an ambulance.

She did not want to remember that day. It was a haunting memory of many fears. First was that she feared violence. Lucy couldn't stand in any place that is in distortion. She feared people dying in her watch. What happened to her mama, she wanted to witness it once in a life time. Finally, she was petrified when it was Natsu who could have died if circumstances did not provide it. She hated remembering, she didn't even write it in her journal.

She was snapped out of the memory when Juvia called to them, "Get ready!" Lucy breathed heavily and her hands gripping hard on the handles. Scaredy cat she ain't!

They were out of the crammed path and were greeted by a busy highway. Gray turned left that had scared the wits of Lucy. She had thought that the couple would fall off. It was a successful turn though and they were gone. Lucy had lost in thought for half a second and she continued toward the lane. Cars were coming out of her. Her hands were working on their own. She was driving through the wrong lane, almost causing a catastrophe. Two cars barely touched her.

She is so in major trouble. The Natsu kind of trouble.

"Lucy!" It was Juvia shouting in panic. "Go to the other lane!"

"She can't!" Lucy heard Erza's voice. "Come back here!"

She tried to find an opening. The cars were forming a line, barricading the other side. Lucy turned to her left but was stopped by a bus, so she continued forward, parallel to the road.

If Natsu had been driving, Lucy would have a good share of foul cursing words for their traumatic experience, but she was calm this time. Good.

Suddenly, the vehicles lessen and as the opportunity revealed, Gray and the others prepare to make a turn. Lucy made her way first.

"How many minutes?"

"About 30 minutes to departure time."

"I told you we shouldn't eat!"

"You might not have the brains to make that last minute turn without food, Heartfilia."

"We can't bring Natsu out of the airport when he is 10 minutes to departure."

"Who said anything about getting him out?"

"We are not breaking in!"

"Come on, dare a little."

"Juvia thinks it is a good idea."

"Except we could go in jail!"

"You already would for what you have done."

"AHHH!"

"Hey, it happens in movies."

"This isn't a movie!"

A distant sound that sounded familiar...from the movies.

"People will fall in love with your love story. It could get filmed!"

"Erza!" Lucy shouted in alarm.

"It's okay. I'll handle the guards...Gray, the police."

"What? Not you too!"

"We better head out fast or behind the bars we go."

They kept doing that for a while. On the road. 12 miles to the airport.

Okay, originally this is a ten-chapter story and it is going to be a ten-chapter story. The last few chapters are going to be short because what I am best at are contemplations and I have mostly done this at the precious chapters, so mostly on the succeeding chapters you would get some action and conversations. I hope you are still waiting for the grand confession ;) For now, I am not going to announce the chapter's title in advance because it is going to hint things. Shall update soon before Christmas! Please review!