Natsu walked into the guildhall to find his blonde partner sleeping on one of the benches. She had a blanket over her and used her arms as a pillow. He smiled softly, assuming she drank too much last night and had passed out on the spot. He gingerly walked over to her for the first time and lifted her head up and set it down on his lap as he got her comfortable. He slowly let his fire seep through his cells to allow her to heat up when her teeth were chattering furiously.

The place was completely deserted with them being the only two in the room. Even Mira was nowhere to be seen but he didn't mind too much. He reached into his bag that he had with him and brought out a book. Yes, the great Natsu had a book.

He was fed up with not knowing things and for once would like to say he knew what something was and not just being the muscle but some brain, he flipped to where he last stopped off and began reading. He struggled to read the words and hissed in frustration waking his sleeping partner who looked up and smiled at him.

"Whatcha reading?" She asked as she sat up and turned round so that she could read the words. It was a book that she read when she was a little girl about a magic prince and a dragon. Natsu went to put his book back but was quickly stopped as Lucy grabbed his arm and shook her head, "Read it to me,"

"I can't, I don't know how to properly," Lucy nodded and opened the book and quickly read the first couple of pages to familiar herself with the very simple text. She flipped the page to where Natsu was at and helped him out.

More and more people came in but didn't mind the two being their reading quietly. Natsu ended up resting his head against her shoulder as she wrapped an arm around him and spoke to him softly on the book. The two were comfortable in the small space they took up in the guild, being in their own little world as they read together. For Lucy the book was a breeze but gave her a small whiff of her childhood and it made her forget that she was homeless and without her best contracted spirit. Capricorn was good - heck he was great - but he wasn't Loki. Loki was different to all her other spirits, she could put all her faith in him, she could chance all her keys and he'd still be victorious...but he let her down. She was ruined now, left with the small fragments of the good times and a small itchy smile that hid her pain.

Natsu flipped the page and saw that the book had ended and slipped it back into his satchel. When he looked up he realised that Gray, Erza and Levy had joined the table and had been staring at them for a long time. Erza nodded her head knowing full well what he was doing and could faintly hear the small Natsu from the past crying that he knew how to read, 'Igneel taught me,'

"Why was the great salamander reading about a little princess?" Gray chuckled.

"I got him to read it. We were talking about my childhood and I mentioned this book and was getting him to read it," Lucy interjected taking the hit for him. The ice mage nodded and backed off realising that she was taking the hit. He remembered that Natsu's skills were less than average and sometimes he did have to ask Mira to read the requests for him.

"So I am planing to snag that mission with the bandits, want to be my team?" Lucy asked showing them the poster. Erza shook her head and pulled out her own poster.

"I'm taking Levy on an S class job," The two stood up and left.

"Lucy I'd happily come along," Gray spoke softly slipping his hand into his pocket and stroking the celestial spirit key he stored there.

"Great! I'm going to sign us out. Natsu is obviously coming. Meet me here in about half an hour," she stood up and skipped over to Mira who was quietly drying a glass cup.

Gray stood up and dragged Natsu outside and round the corner so that they could speak privately. Gray waited for some people who were gossiping to pass before he spoke, "Listen, Loki is coming with us. He is still a spirit that wants to protect Lucy and he is going to do that,"

"She isn't some week girl that needs protecting. She can fend for herself," Gray growled softly, the sound rippling in the back of his throat. He didn't mean it like that. Natsu had a stern look on his face. It contorted angrily and some veins popped out.

"I didn't mean that. She is strong. She can hold herself but she needs her spirits and if wasn't obvious, she isn't eating or sleeping well. She needs the money from her job. Now, Loki is coming with us. And I am going in there to fatten up our homeless friend."

One more chapter. I know it's short but it's cute right? Well I hope it is. I didn't bring Erza on the mission as Lucy needs the money and Erza would want her share no doubt.

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