"Ooh they've got the new book!" Lucy said excitedly, she was actually jumping up and down. Natsu and Lucy were at the mall browsing at random stores, Natsu was mainly trying to get her mind off of things. They've gone to clothing stores (not Natsu's favorite), video game stores (not bad in Natsu's opinion, he was surprised when Lucy actually got a video game. It was Sims 4...but still it's a video game), candy store (Natsu's favorite), book stores, book stores, and more book stores.

Who would've thought Lucy was such a bookworm?

Then Natsu remembered all those messages he received about her going on and on about a certain book. Pfft it's an honest mistake to completely forget about those messages give a guy a break.

"Come on, I've been waiting all year for Charmed to come out! I can't believe the last one ended in a cliff hanger." Lucy said then walked into the book store cheerfully. Natsu was extremely happy to see HER happy. It's been a little while since he's seen her smile. He's always loved her smile. From the first day he met her. Well not officially. Sure Gray had made his profile on the dating website but it was Natsu who had gone looking around just for the kicks, when he saw Lucy. Right away he saw something special in her he couldn't tell what it was exactly, but it was there. He told Gray that too and Gray decided Natsu was too shy to make his own move so he did it himself. Natsu had never been more grateful.

"Is Charmed your favorite book?" Natsu asked looking around as Lucy already had three books in her arms. Natsu only remembered the name of the first book she mentioned. Natsu was actually holding about three bags, one with clothes, one with candy and video games. The rest had about 6 books in it. Lucy insisted on carrying one of the bags but Natsu wouldn't let her.

"I don't know, I haven't read it yet." Lucy said as if to say 'duh' at the end of sentence. She was enjoying herself. That was all Natsu needed to be happy.

"Then what is your favorite book?" Natsu asked a bit curious. It wasn't that he was curious about the book, he was curious about her. Sure Natsu knew a lot about her but he was always willing to learn more. It's what boyfriends would do.

Good boyfriends at least..

Not like Zancrow.

Natsu wasn't her boyfriend though and he knew that. He loves Lucy there's no question about that but he didn't want to tell her so soon after Zancrow. No he'd rather beat Zancrow up a few more times. Then maybe confess but now he just wanted to enjoy the Lucy he knows and loves.

"Well I don't know I've read so many." Lucy said then started to ponder out loud. She named off a few books that Natsu didn't exactly get the title of but he did hear ,Perry Hotter, Bitterlube, Glass of Thrones. He didn't really think the titles made sense but who knows what goes on in the head of an author? Probably crazy things, how else would they be able to write a book like uh..Fifty Shade of Grey?
Natsu never actually read the book but it was in the bestsellers section.
Hey maybe Lucy would like it!

"Here's a book Luce," Natsu said picking up Fifty Shades of Grey. Lucy looked away from the previous book she was looking at to look at the book Natsu was holding. He didn't usually suggest books to her so this must've surprised her. Instead of Lucy looking at the summary to see if it was good or not, she did something else. She turned bright red.

"Put that down.." Lucy stuttered staring at the book in shock. What was so wrong with the book? Natsu shrugged and put it down, then Lucy skipped on over to the cash with Natsu in tow.

000

"Are you hungry?" Natsu asked after his own stomach growled. It wasn't new he's always hungry. Always. But now he was concerned about Lucy because it was around 2 o'clock and they still haven't eaten.

"I guess, there's probably a food court around here." Lucy said then turned her head around, looking for a food court. Natsu smiled a bit and headed in the opposite direction that she was.

"Where are you going?" Lucy asked noticing he was walking in another direction.

"To the food court,"

"But I think it's over there." Lucy pointed to the direction she was headed in. A lot of people with food were walking away from there so it was the only logical answer, since there were no signs.

"Do you doubt my nose?" Natsu teased. Lucy looked in the direction he was going and the direction she wanted to go, clutching the book she insisted on carrying herself, because she felt a bit guilty about Natsu carrying all her bags so he couldn't deny her this one, to her chest. This book was also very special to her, it was the one her mother had read to her when she was younger. The book was apart of her childhood but it was burned when her father had burned most of Lucy's things for running away so when she saw the book at the bookstore, she was oh so happy.

Maybe she'll be able to share this book with her kids.

If she has kids, there was no certainty in that. Lucy wanted kids desperately but Zancrow never did. Not that Lucy had ever planned to have kids with Zancrow even back then she wasn't stupid enough to let Zancrow go near kids.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming." Lucy said walking in the direction Natsu was. She swore she could feel him smirking at his win.

000

"I love Chinese food!" Lucy exclaimed then shoved a bunch of noodles in her mouth. She knew she was probably making a fool of herself but she didn't care. Which was weird. Zancrow always got mad at her when she made a fool of herself so Lucy got used to not acting like herself, instead she acted like the quiet little trophy girlfriend he wanted her to be. Yet when Natsu was around she felt more like herself, she felt more alive. She felt that she could be who she was and not care.

So that was exactly what she was doing.

"Wanna try some of my Thai?" Natsu asked holding his fork up with a piece of chicken on it. The food court had tons of different types of food American, Japanese, Canadian, Thai, Chinese, you name it they have it. (Fiore is a country in here).

Lucy stared blankly at his fork. She'd never been offered to try someone else's food. Not even her friends did that. It wasn't that her friends were mean but Lucy was normally so quiet during lunch that they forgot she was even there. She didn't blame them though. Lucy knew she was easily forgotten. She pretended that it didn't hurt and that she was used to it but she always knew deep inside that she was hurting.

It was her own fault though.

If she didn't want to be forgotten she should talk more.

That's what her father always said.

Lucy wasn't quiet now. She was talking all she wants. Natsu...Natsu did something to her.

He opened her up.

He's letting her feel emotions again.

Just because he's Natsu. That's all he had to do.

"Sure," Lucy said then went to pluck the chicken off the fork with her hands since she didn't really know what to do. Natsu rolled his eyes and shoved his fork slightly in her mouth so she could grab the chicken with her teeth. Lucy did, even though it was kind of weird. Not uncomfortable just weird, different.

She widened her eyes as her tongue started to burn. Lucy grabbed her coca cola (No I don't own coca cola, I wish. I very much do. I would be so rich!) and started to chug it.

That only made it worst.

Lucy was smart she should've known that it wouldn't help. Yet when your tongue feels like it's on fire, you don't stop to think if your drink has certain oils in it or not.

"Awh crap that's my extra spicy chicken let me get you some milk!" Natsu said panicking then darted towards a salad place at the opposite end of the food court. Lucy breathed in and out as her mouth started to burn even more, her breathing was actually getting slower. How much hot sauce does Natsu use? Suddenly she saw someone hand her a carton of milk and without thinking Lucy opened it then chugged it down.

It could've easily been poisoned.

But eh you've gotta take chances in life when you're in a burning amount of pain.

Just as the creamy goodness fell onto her tongue, the pain started to dull almost immediately.

"Thank you," Lucy said when she was able to talk again while her taste buds weren't burning off. Lucy looked up to see her savior. It was a tall, busty woman with dark purple hair and brown eyes. Lucy didn't recognize her at first but then it hit her.

Ultear.

One of Zancrow's friends.

"Aren't you Zancrow's b^tch?" Ultear asked eyeing Lucy. Lucy stared at her blankly, hoping she would just leave. Or Natsu would come.

"Could you leave?" Lucy asked after a few minutes of Ultear just standing there.

"I think you are his b^tch," Ultear said with no expression on her face. This girl freaked Lucy out. Then she grabbed Lucy's hair and pulled her out of seat. Lucy didn't scream, considering they were in a public area and her throat still hurt.

"Leave me alone," Lucy whimpered, it wasn't supposed to come out as a whimper but the pain was pretty bad. If you think she's just a wimp how about someone comes and pulls YOUR hair. Then you won't be thinking that she's a wimp.

"Nah Zancrow would be mad at me if I just let you go, not that I care I just need to earn their trust to find him." Ultear said that last part kind of quiet as if she was speaking to herself. Then she widened her eyes and turned to Lucy.

"You didn't hear that." Ultear commanded and Lucy nodded as Ultear started to walk somewhere pulling Lucy's hair along with. Lucy didn't want to go back to Zancrow.

Ever.

So Lucy shoved the heel of her foot into Ultear's toes. Ultear flinched from the pain, and she lost her grip letting go of Lucy's hair. Lucy grabbed the opportunity and moved out of Ultear's reach.

"You little-" Ultear moved towards her but a large figure stepped in between Lucy and Ultear. And when she says large, she means large. This guy was huge, full of muscles, and black spiky hair. More spiky then Natsu's. She couldn't see his face since his face was towards Ultear but she didn't recognize the hair at all.

"Leave the girl alone," the man said. It was deep and scruff, but sounded a bit mad at the same time.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll back off." Ultear threatened obviously mad. Lucy was worried for a second that the man would leave. Lucy might've been able to pull of the trick once but she knew she couldn't do it again.

From the rumors she's heard lately, Ultear was the strongest of all of Grimoire Heart.

"And if YOU know what's good for you, YOU'll back off." A voice said in front of Lucy, she wasn't able to see the figure but she recognized the voice right away. Natsu.

Natsu was here.

He was always there.

He was her knight in shining armor...no he was her dragon.

"Hm, the Salamander and the Black Steel. I suppose I know when I'm outnumbered." Ultear said a bit more calm. Salamander? Black Steel? Who are they? Isn't Natsu there?

"But remember this," Ultear started and walked away so she could look into Lucy's eyes "You've become even more of our enemy now Fairies."

She said the word "Fairies" like it was a piece of crap.

Then she walked away, without another word.

Natsu ran to Lucy and brought her into a hug. Her face was slammed into his chest but he was warm, very warm.

"Are you alright?" Natsu asked rubbing his fingers in her hair. It felt...soothing.

"Yeah, I'm fine.." Lucy said but she didn't want Natsu to let her go..not yet at least. He seemed to understand that and held her closer. Lucy raised her head, resting it on Natsu's shoulder, and looked at the mysterious man.

"Thank you..." she said slowly.

"Don't worry about it, I'm pretty sure shrimp would've been mad at me if I didn't do that anyways." the man said smirking a bit. Shrimp? What's with all these weird names?

"His name is Gajeel he's apart of Fairy Tail too, one of Levy's friends." Natsu explained, one of his hands on her back the other in her hair.

"Normally I would yell and challenge him to a fight but I guess I've got to...thank you also." Natsu said the last part like it was the worst thing in the world. Gajeel laughed then walked away without another word.

"Now come on, let's get you a guard dog."

Oooh who's going to be her guard dog? Happy? It's totally Happy, except wrong species and everything hee hee. Also I have to fangirl here.

In English class we're doing creative writing and we have to write our own Greek myth! If you've read some of my other stories you might know a bit of my Percy Jackson love, it's not just that though. I love Greek myths completely. So does my friend Katie (I know more though ;D) so while our teacher was telling us a few myths Katie and I were sitting there correcting (whispering it) everything she got wrong. I spent the whole period answering my other friends questions lol.

The bad part is that it's only 250-500 words D:. Maybe if it was a year ago but I've gotten better (my old pieces are terrible) at describing and adding more detail so this is going to be so painful!

:'(

Anyways sorry for the long rant, see yeah later.

(P.S. All those books except for Harry Potter and Fifty Shades of Grey I have read or am reading. Except Bitterblue was stolen from me! Somebody has been stealing from Lady Chaos and they shall pay!)