Her yelling, took him by surprise causing him to stop and turn to face her. The next thing he saw, she was stumbling towards him.

"What the hell Natsu?!" Semimaru groaned and looked at her opening her eyes. "Anyways are you okay?"

Natsu nodded, "Yea I'm fine. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"Can you get off me?" He couldn't keep the smirk off his face at her widened eyes and the way her cheeks had turned rosy pink finally noticing the position they were in, one hand on his thigh and the other on stomach and her knees between his legs. She turned her face from him and using his abdomen and thigh as support, got up. Did she just wince?

Her jaw looking oddly stiff as she repeated, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," he said, the smirk now turned into a grin. He got up and brushed the dirt off his clothes. "So did you enjoy that?" He winked at her. Her whole face turned scarlet red. He smiled at her innocence. "You didn't like it?"

"N-n-no." she shook her head.

He couldn't refrain himself from continuing. She was just too cute and fun to tease. "You didn't?

"N-no."

"Then you did like it. I guess you are not so innocent after all." He smirked. She was looking down now, probably embarrassed about what he was referring to. He grabbed her chin and tilted her head up to look at him. She suddenly jumped back with a confused look, noticing their close proximity. The chuckle he had been suppressing finally escaped at her 'Natsu' like reaction.

"Semimaru," she said, her eyes still looking downwards, "stop teasing me."

"You are too fun to tease."

"Hm." she pouted.

"Let's move on." He poked her sides making her jump from shock.

"Semimaru," she said, after calming herself from the shock.

"Yea?" He grinned.

She seemed to like saying his name and he surely enjoyed it. He didn't miss the smile that was tugging at the corners of her mouth when she told him to stop with his teasing again.

"Let's move on before it gets dark."

She nodded. As she walked he saw she was slightly limping. She was obviously trying to hide that she hurt herself as she walked half normally and half limping. She suddenly stopped in her tracks.

"What is it?," he asked, thinking she was going to tell him about her foot.

"It's just that you are back to yourself," she said, smiling.

The grin slowly faltered from his face remembering how wrong he went about the whole situation. He couldn't stand the close relationship she had with Arashi while it seems she was always trying to stay as far away from him as possible so he gave her her wish. Realizing what he's stupidly been doing didn't benefit anyone he wanted be normal with her again, but he also couldn't bring himself to talk normally with her like before so he just continued acting like the jerk he was used to being called."I think we should continue on, it will be getting dark soon."

He thought he heard her mutter something. No, that can't be possible, he shook his head.

"Did you say something?" he asked with a nonchalantly tone to his voice.

"No no," she said waving both her hands.

"Okay, let's move on."

"Semimaru." He felt her small warm hand around his wrist making him stop in his tracks and making his heart thump in his chest so hard, he was sure she might have heard it. Taking a step towards him, he noticed she winced again.

"Hey Natsu, did you hurt yourself when you stumbled?" he asked worryingly.

She ignored his question. "I thought we were friends," she said barely above a whisper.

That is the problem."Be-being my friend is bothersome?" she said with a pained look that made him want to hit himself. Damn he must have said that out. She looked at him with a sad smile. He wanted to explain himself, but first he had to make her stop leaning on her right foot which seemed to be swollen.

"No, that's is not what I meant but sit down first." he knelt down to examine her foot. He noticed her flinch when he touched her ankle. "Why didn't you tell me you sprained your ankle?" He knew he hadn't been acting like himself these days but she could at least tell him she's hurt. He couldn't really blame her though.

She just stayed quiet and let him examine her foot. "Natsu," he said in a low and gentle voice. She bent her head down to look at him, her cheeks flushed and her beautiful hazel eyes looking at him in a way that made his heart warm up. "Sit down," he said.

"What are you doing?" She said when he kneeled in front of her with his back towards.

"Get on." He pointed to his back.

"Huh?" She looked at him confused.

"Get on my back," he said.

"No no, I can walk by myself," she exclaimed waving her hands vigorously. "We still have to look for your favorite vegetable."

"Natsu, just get on before I take drastic measure," he said, jokingly.

"Really, I'm okay."

"Natsu."

"Really ,I can." She started rising up to prove her point but her pained look and the little wince she let out didn't escape him. When did Natsu get this stubborn? He couldn't help smiling at how much she has grown from being the overly timid and delicate girl she used to be. He never ceased a moment to tease her about her awkward moments. Well, he hadn't for three days now, but he's got himself to blame for that. He sure missed those moments, when she'll get awkwardly quiet and turn crimson red when he said something suggestive about Botan, or when he sometimes touches her hand more than necessary when she was passing something to him and the way she sometimes looks at him with those innocent eyes that makes his heart melt. But he knew there was nothing to be hopeful for from those looks, for her heart belonged to another.

"Just get on and stop being stubborn."

He slowly walked towards her. "Wh-what are you doing?" He ignored her, reached his arm around her waist and swung her on his shoulder. "Aaaa," she screamed, "pu-pu-put me down." she squirmed on his shoulder but he just ignored the discomfort and continued walking.

"You sure can be stubborn," he sighed.

"O-ok I will get on your back."She sighed.

He gently put her down and squatted in front of her. "Bu- but…" Her cheeks had taken on a pink hue and she was nervously fiddling with her hands.

"Oh come on, I'm not going to bite you." He turned his head towards her and winked. Her lips parted at that. She finally took her step forward and put a shaky hand on his shoulder. The chuckle he had been trying to suppress slowly escaped from his was stopped by the shiver that ran down his spine when she got on and enclosed her legs around him. He almost lost his footing, when he tried to get up. Damn, he so hadn't prepared himself for this feeling.

They walked in total silence. He could feel Natsu's heart beating erratically against his back and only hear the sound of their breath and the nature around them.