The rain gradually started to fall harder as Natsu, Happy, and Lucy all ran to her apartment. As they ran along the shimmering stone pathway with a thin layer of water coating it, the stones reflected the dark sky while the river was pelted violently with raindrops. The sky was still shaded, but had turned more grey than black, though the street lights were still shining making the darkness of the sky seem a few shades darker than it actually was. Lucy was running with Natsu not far behind her and Happy flying, which was a lot harder than he had originally thought it would be. She rounded the corner up the steps of her front door with a slight slip of her foot that was quickly recovered as she stepped through the doorway, Natsu and Happy shortly following after her. They walked up the stairs to her room where she threw off her vest and went straight for her closet. She grabbed some gray sweatpants and a white t-shirt before walking into the bathroom.

"I'm going to take a bath, do you guys want to take one too?" She asked politely as her partners instantly planted themselves on her couch.

"We can just take one together if you're gonna ask." Natsu said in his normal tone with his head rolled over against the back of the couch so she was in his view. Lucy nearly popped with the heat rising to her head at the thought.

"Don't say things like that so casually! I meant after I took one!" She shouted out of the doorway. Natsu took a moment to run his mind through his words, but realized why she had freaked a moment too late when she closed the door.

"Natsu..." Happy looked up at Natsu from his seat next to him on the couch. "Why don't you think before you speak?" He giggled.

"Shut up! I say the first thing that comes to my head," Natsu protested but ended up proving his friends' words correct.

Lucy exited the bathroom with a steam cloud following behind her as she rubbed her hair dry with a towel. She was now in her lounging clothes or "comfy clothes" that she would usually wear around the house on days when she felt lazy.

"That felt good," she said to herself as she hung up her previous outfit to dry. "Natsu, Happy, are you going to take a bath or no?" She looked over towards the couch where they had been sitting the whole time. Natsu was already dry! Happy too! They had probably used Natsu's fire magic while she was in the bath.

"No, we're good." Natsu sat up with a groan. He stood from the couch and took a few steps closer to her so they could meet face to face. "So what were you going to tell us?" He said with a laid back attitude. He walked around to her bed and sat down with Lucy's eyes following him. She was starting to panic as she remembered the reason he had come over. She glanced out her window. It looked like the storm hadn't gotten any better. Maybe even worse. She didn't want to have to stay in an awkward atmosphere like this without a way of escape. Lucy let out a deep sigh.

"So, I know you haven't heard the rumors yet that have been going through the guild all morning..." She started. Her heart started to pound as she became nervous again. "But what I want to know is, WHAT DID YOU TELL EVERYONE LAST NIGHT HAPPY?!" She shouted startling Happy with the sudden question. That's what this is about? He thought to himself.

"I didn't tell the guild anything. I only talked to Wendy and Carla because you and Natsu had fallen asleep already and I was lonely." Happy explained, trying to leave out the details Lucy needed to hear from him. She gave him a sarcastic look, waiting for more. Natsu also noticed this and got curious as well. He looked directly at Happy a bit confused as to what had happened. "Um..." Happy had a bead of sweat dripping off his head. Cats can sweat? Lucy wondered. "Does it really matter what I said?" Happy asked nervously.

"Of course it matters!" Lucy shouted starting to get a bit angry with him.

"Why does it matter...?" Happy was getting very nervous. Both of the people that were in topic then were there. Not only that it was ONLY them. Also, Lucy looked like she was about to burst any second. Happy didn't really like angry Lucy that much unless he was messing with her.

"It's because of the things you said last night that people think Natsu and I did dirty things and I just want to know what exactly you told them that put such naughty thoughts into their heads?!" Lucy blurted all at once without a single stutter or hesitation. Her face had turned completely red as she shouted it all out in one breath. It felt as if a heavy weight had just been lifted off her chest but quickly sank back down as they all stood silently staring at each other.

Lucy's heart started to pound rapidly, waiting for someone to speak up. Her face became flushed and Natsu was just…staring. It made her uncomfortable. She felt like running out of the room. Instead she stayed still waiting for a response.

"I'm sorry, Lucy." Happy spoke up. She turned her attention towards him. His head was lowered, but a slight grin upon his face could be seen. He released a little giggle.

"Don't laugh! This is embarrassing!" Lucy shouted at his unexpected reaction. She sneaked a glance at Natsu. In her mind she had expected him to question at least a little of the statement but now he was looking slightly towards the wall and towards the ground, a slight pink tinting his cheek.

Is he… blushing?

"Natsu, what's wrong? You're allowed to talk you know. It's not like I was the one who made this up." Lucy put her hands on her hips. Happy took this opportunity to slip away towards the window. He opened it a creak when a flash of lightning came close, scaring him into closing it again.

"YOU'RE TRYING TO LEAVE?!" Lucy noticed his failed escape attempt. Natsu and Lucy had turned their attention towards the exceed.

"No… I was just trying to… let in some air?" Happy said nervously knowing they could easily see through his lie. It was an uncomfortable situation he didn't want to be in the middle of. He had hoped he could get out and leave it to them to work it out.

Natsu had laid down onto Lucy's bed.

"Hey Luce, can we hang out here a little while longer." He rolled his head on her pillow so she was in his view. Lucy let out a deep sigh and made her way toward her writing desk.

"I'm going to write. You're free to stay until the storm blows past." Lucy said slightly annoyed with the little blue fur ball. She was close, very close, to finishing her story. There were very few pages left in her last chapter that she wanted to finish so she could look over her work again to get rid of all the errors. Her quill went to the page and she continued. Hopefully Natsu and Happy would be quiet enough to let her finish. Who am I kidding, those two never stay quiet.

So what do you guys think so far? The main plot is coming soon so I put in some fluffy stuff these past couple chapters. Lucy is (finally) almost finished with her novel and Natsu simply didn't know how to react about the rumors floating around! Happy (trying to be a literal 'wing' man, ayyyyyy? Nobody?) didn't really want to be caught between the awkward tension. I admit, I've been a bit lazy in writing this, but the updates will start to some quicker now that all that hulabaloo beginning of the school year crap is over with.