Instead of writing an English essay during school...I decided to write a chapter...oops.

So right after I post this I guarantee you that I'll be hardcore writing my essay. Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail. Hiro Mashima does.

"Your turn now, Luce."

Lucy's face pales considerably before glowing an intense cherry. She couldn't believe that just happened. She never in a million years would have thought Levy would do something like that. She knew her friend to be shy and quiet, nose always stuff in a book. Lucy's mind was going in circles. She honestly meant those words as a joke, knowing Levy wouldn't have to guts to do anything. And yet she asked out the toughest meanest looking guy in the guild. Lucy had to ask Natsu to the Banquet now right? Levy even said it was her turn. What has she gotten herself into?!

She couldn't do this. Things may have gone well with Levy and Gajeel, but that doesn't mean it will for her and Natsu. Not at all. In fact it could possibly mean that exact opposite. After all there is no way there can to be two luckiest people in the whole world on the same day let alone in a ten minute time span.

Lucy heart beat rapidly at the thought of asking Natsu. She looked to see where he was in the guild. She found him on fire going fist to fist with Gray spitting out insults left and right. It was an amusing sight to those who knew they did this everyday. She smiled softly at the view. Her line of sight then panned to see Levy eyeballing her, quickly glancing between her and Natsu as if telling her to get a move on.

She shook her head. Levy only just pointed sternly towards Lucy and then Natsu with her hand indicating she wouldn't take any chickening out.

Lucy groaned. She was on the verge of a panic attack, and could only remind herself to breath. Oxygen was necessary for the brain the function properly. And she would need all of her brain power to survive an event like this. She glanced back at Levy, silently begging her to let her off the hook. However Levy just smiled devilishly and shook her head.

The blood running through her veins froze. She has to do this. Levy would hold it over her forever if she didn't.

Her eyes went back to Natsu, he was now laying on the ground, steam coming off of a huge bump on the back of his head. No doubt Erza got fed up with the two's bickering and decided to smack some sense into them. Literally.

Lucy asked Mira, who was still squealing in delight Levy, for a ice pack. When she had it in hand, she started walking towards Natsu. Lucy kneeled down beside him, gently placing the cold compress on the throbbing bump and watched his face relax a bit from the pain.

"Ahh. Thanks Luce," Natsu gave her his signature grin.

"Anytime, Natsu"

Natsu rested his calloused hand on top of Lucy's to hold the ice pack there. The move resembled a caress. Lucy's body stiffened, not going unnoticed by Natsu.

There was a quiet moment shared between the two just gazing at each other. Their eyes locked together, searching for something. Each for something different. Lucy was looking for affection beyond friends, Natsu looking for a reason for her discomfort with him. The very thinning line between like and love cast shadows over the truth, for neither could find what they were scanning for. What broke the wistful staring competition was another squeal from Mira directed at Levy and Gajeel who had now exited the guild together hand in hand.

The tender moment faded away.

Lucy stood up clearing her throat in an attempt to dispel any lukewarm feelings suspended in the air. Natsu stood up still pressing the ice pack to his swelling bump. Now he absolutely had a feeling that something was off about Lucy, questioning what he saw in her eyes for a flickering moment. It was like she was afraid of something. Or forlonging? It made him worried. He wanted to know what made her feel like that? He wanted to know so he could help. Seeing her uneasy like that made something churn within his stomach. It made him want to beat up whatever was making her feeling like that. But how can you beat you something when you don't know what it is? Exactly. That's Natsu's current predicament. However while Natsu was so lost in his jumbled up mind full of unanswered questions he didn't notice that Lucy had said she needed to go home and left. When he escaped out of his thoughts he realized her absence and wondered where she went. Confusion was evident on his face.

"She went home, flame brain." Gray answered Natsu's unspoken question, as he was watching the whole scene while he was icing his own bruise. He knew the celestial spirit mage had feelings for the Natsu. It was hard to miss since he's best friends with them both. It was just so tragic that Natsu was born completely oblivious to love. Gray wasn't the best at the whole romance theme either, but at least he could identify some feelings. Key word there. Some.

"Why would she do that?" Natsu ignored the insult, wanting to know why Lucy left first.

"Well, it wasn't like you were providing much conversation. You were just stupidly staring off into space."

"I was thinking, you icy bastard! But I suppose that's something you would be unfamiliar with."

"What did you say, squinty eyes?!" Gray yelled taking the fighting bait.

"It appears you have hearing problems too."

"That's it!" Gray swiftly started to take off his shirt.

During mid-strip Gray was stopped by a threatening glare from Erza all the way across the guild. Natsu was about to taunt, when he was hit with Erza's mincing glare too. The two visibly shivered, backing off from the almost fight. Natsu went back to thinking a bit, only to be interrupted by Gray again.

"What are you even thinking about?" Gray earnestly asked, curiosity nibbling away at him. Natsu looked at him weirdly for a moment. Gray and him hadn't ever really been the thought sharing type. They both just dealt with their issues on their own, each obeying a unwritten oath to not discuss emotional topics.

But Gray is Lucy's friend too, so maybe he has some theories as to why Lucy is acting odd lately.

Natsu cautiously observed Gray, seeing if he was sincere in his offer. Surprisingly Gray lost his normally smug attitude and instead patiently waited for his response.

"Do you think Lucy has been acting odd lately?" Natsu finally asked seeking his opinion.

Gray smiled inwardly.

I guess crispy brain over here isn't as obvious as everyone thinks.

Gray had to choose his next words very carefully. He wasn't just about to spill the beans about Lucy's real conflicting feelings. That wasn't his place to say. If Natsu were ever to find out about his partners hidden feelings, he would think Lucy would want it to be from her mouth. On the other hand he didn't want to leave his friend hanging in ignorance.

"Why would you think she is acting odd?" Gray smoothly turned the subject towards Natsu's thoughts, in order to see how much he knew.

Natsu didn't notice that Gray never answered his question and instead started sharing the reason beyond his assumption.

"Lately she's been uncomfortable around me and distances herself. She won't go on missions alone with me, and she feels distressed at my touch. And her eyes. They are perplexing. More than normal. It's like her gaze is laced with disheartened specks."

So he noticed her longing. But not what she is longing for.

"Ever thought of asking her what's bothering her?"

"Of course I have. Im not that stupid."

"Could have fooled me." Gray whispered underneath his breath. With Natsu's dragon hearing he heard though.

Natsu glared at the ice mage.

"You can't just outright ask someone what's wrong. It doesn't wor-"

"Why not?" Gray's interruption stopped all of Natsu's current thoughts. Asking Lucy something like that, when she's been strong this entire time, was something Natsu didn't want to do. His acknowledgement towards it might loosen her restraints on herself thus letting her spiral down into a pit. Then what would he do? What could he do? What Natsu wanted was to bring back the normal Lucy without confronting her. Without widening the cracks within her demeanor, forcing her to break, all so he could see the reason for the cracks in the first place. He won't hurt her just to fix her. He was going to go about this the indirect way.

"I don't want to force her to tell me."

"Well then get her to tell you on her own."

"How?! " Natsu inquired. He had no idea what to do.

"Invite her out. Set the atmosphere. Maybe share something about yourself to invoke her to speak about herself."

"And you expect me to do that when she doesn't want to be alone with me?"

Gray thought long and hard. Natsu had a point. However, Gray had a solution. There was a banquet coming up wasn't there?

"Ask her out to the banquet."

"What?" Natsu wondered how that would help anything.

"The banquet. All of Fairy Tail is going to be there so you wouldn't exactly be alone, but you could dance with her. Not only will that, in a sense, get you two alone, but it would also set the atmosphere."

Natsu had to admit. This idea was better than any of his he would have come up with. He never would have thought about taking her to the banquet. He normally thought of banquets only as a food free for all. Now? He sees it as a golden opportunity.

"That's actually...a good idea…." Natsu offhandedly said still thinking it out in his head. Gray just smirked. He may have just pushed the snowball down the hill. "Alright! Let's do this!"

Natsu was even more excited now and couldn't wait for the banquet. The only thing left to do is ask the girl. He ran out of the guild and towards Lucy's house in order to set the plan in action. Gray just shook his head at the fire mages simplicity and went over to the bar for a drink.

Meanwhile Lucy's been at her apartment, belittling herself. All she had to do was ask him. Just one sentence. And she couldn't let it tumble out from the mouth.

But that intense stare of his, shook her. It was as if his eyes were looking straight through her. It took away her will to ask him sending her running out the door with her tail between her legs. She was so close.

Levy's going to be disappointed in me.

Maybe Lucy can tell her that she will ask him later. Like maybe tomorrow or the next day. She had until Friday and today was Wednesday. Thursday seemed like a good day to ask. But so does Friday.

How to choose….hmmm. The letter F comes before the letter T...so Friday it is!

Lucy had to smile at her extraordinary procrastination explanation. Friday first thing in the morning to get it over with. Rip it off like a bandaid.

She had almost a whole two days to build up confidence and plan what she's going to say. She rather not stumble around for words and make a fool out of herself. Her face will be red enough without embarrassing herself to add to that. Her face was blushing now just even thinking about it!

For now she decided she had to rest her heart a bit, and relax. Maybe read a book, or take a nap. She decided on the latter as she yawned. Just as she was about to lay down in her bed she noticed Natsu sitting outside her window seal. Her pulse raced again, but then she shook her head.

I must be seeing things.

Stressing out over the whole Natsu thing has her seeing hallucinations of the guy. Great now she's going crazy. She really wished she could just see him as a friend now. But nooooo. Whenever she sees him the sense of longing overcomes her.

It was when the hallucination didn't dissipate after a while did she realized that the Natsu was real and he opening her window to climb into her room. Lucy was caught off guard when Natsu was soon standing in her apartment. She had to gather her wits quickly and speak.

"NATSU! How many times do I have to tell you to use the door?! And why are you even here?! We just saw each other at the guild?!"

"But Lucyyyy~" Natsu wined, "I have something really important to ask you."

"And it couldn't wait until tomorrow?" Lucy rationally asked, trying to calm herself, seeing as she wasn't prepared to see Natsu until tomorrow or even Friday.

Natsu pouted. He guess it could've waited until tomorrow. But he was just so excited he ran straight out of the guild without a second thought. Lucy interpreted his pout, rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Alright, alright Natsu. You win. What was 'so' important that you had to ask me?"

Natsu grinned, as he knew he'd always win her over with his super skilled pouting technique.

'Here we go' Natsu thought as he walked closer to Lucy grabbing her hands, much to Lucy's dismay. He locked eyes with her. She resembled a startled deer with her large brown eyes widening at his stare.

"Lucy. Go to the banquet with me."

...

...

…...

Wait...what? What did he say?

Lucy's face was frozen in shock. Her mouth hung open as her eyes dilated. She felt very light headed.

Alright! Chapter 5 complete. What's next? Well Chapter 6 of course!

...

You know...after I finish my English paper...T-T