Disclaimer: As we all know the amazing Hiro Mashima owns everything Fairytail!
A/N: Okay I know it's been ages since I last updated this story for you guys! So as a sorry I made sure it was an extra long one for you all! Again I apologise for how stupid I made Natsu, it just had to be done for the sake of the story, please don't hate me!
*Lisanna's P.O.V*
"Hey Happy, Carla." I called cheerily to the two exceeds. I needed them both to help with a small job request but I was hoping to use it as a match making scheme too. As they always say, seize the day!
"Aye." Happy cheerily replied and came floating over to me, followed by a grumpy looking Carla. Though Carla always looked unamused so I couldn't say if she was actually grumpy or not.
"What is it?" Carla demanded in her prim and proper tone. I had to physically stop myself from rolling my eyes at the white feline, I loved her dearly as I loved the rest of my family, but she could be hard to like at times. Especially with her, mightier than thou attitude, she liked to employ with everybody. I knew it was mostly an act and had seen her drop it once or twice but we all wished she would just drop it completely. She was A LOT nicer when she did.
"Well you see." I started, plastering my warmest smile over my face. "We've had a request come in asking for you both, personally."
"Oh." They responded in unison, although Happy's tone seemed a lot happier than Carla's did at this information. Why oh why did she have to be the personification of a Tsundere!
"The elderly lady who runs the bakery wants help going to her Grandson's wedding." I smiled. "And she's requested the both of you to help her, seeing one of you can fly her where she needs to be, as she struggles with her mobility, and the other can help with her belongings and what not."
"I am not a maid." Carla huffed, crossing her arms and looking away from me in disgust. And here I thought this would be an easier pairing...that showed me! So far in my scheming the easiest set up had been Wendy and Romeo, followed by Gajeel and Levy. In all honesty those pairs had only needed the gentlest of pushes, where as, the hardest by a long shot was poor Lucy. My mind drifted back to the night a few weeks back as I'd led my blonde friend out of the guild hall as she bawled her eyes out after that pink haired dunce's confession to me. I sighed internally, my head swimming with guilt all over again about that ordeal, I really needed to find someone to geniuenly love the celestial spirit mage. Though, thanks to Bix, I had a pretty good idea of who that could be.
"I'd be happy to help." Happy chimed, pulling me back into the present. He really was a sweetheart and he truly loved to help people from the bottom of his heart.
"Why thank you Happy." I beamed at him, now I'd just have to convince Carla to go with him...mean it was a direct request for them and if she was already objecting to the idea of the job, she'd freak when she heard where the location was gonna be...
"Well, I suppose if the Tomcat agrees," She softened a little and turned her head back toward me. "Where is this wedding taking place?"
I felt myself start to sweat...this is where it could all fall apart. Mean it was great as a set up idea as they'd be spending loads of time together getting there and back, plus weddings were great for making people, or in this case exceeds, realize their feeling for each other...but would Carla really agree to going so far away with just Happy?
"Bosco." I did my best to keep my face as smiley and relaxed as possible. But inside I was praying to the goddess of love that she's send some divine luck my way!
"That's so far away," Carla deadpanned me with an even more unamused face. "And what will Wendy say?"
That feeling of dread popped back up, I knew accepting a personal request for Carla, without Wendy being involved was a risk, as the pair were never separated but I'd not been able to think of another way to get my match making plans going for these two. I quietly watched the little white feline as she thought threw her answer. There was no point trying to force her into going, that kinda defeated the whole point. I was only trying to create situations where people could figure out their feelings for the other involved...not frog march them headlong into a decision that wasn't right for them!
"Carla?" Happy questioned, looking mildly dejected at how long she seemed to be deliberating her answer. I felt for the poor guy he was head over heels for the kitten but she never seemed to show much interest in return...the only pairing of mine where it wasn't the girl hopelessly in love and the guy being oblivious to it. Though from a few conversations with Wendy, I'd managed to gain the information, that she might pay more attention to him than I initally believed. Hence my meddling in the situation. I saw the young feline, staring in the direction that Wendy was sitting next to Romeo. The two mages seemed to be deep in conversation and had huge blushing smiles on their faces.
"But Wendy shall just have to bare with my absence, if I've been asked for personally. Do you not agree Happy?"
"Aye sir!" Happy yelled flying into the air in excitement. He'd go anywhere in the world happily if it was with Natsu or Carla by his side.
"Great, I'll let the lady know right away." I grinned with relief, glad it had all started smoothly. It was in their paws now and hopefully they'd return as a lovey dovey couple themselves. "The bakery where she lives, is the one where Erza get's her favourite cakes! But you don't need to go until tomorrow. That's when we can all officially get back to work again."
"Right." Carla nodded as she started to walk away toward her dragon slayer.
"Aye." Happy cheered again beginning to float back towards Lily. Oh that was interesting why wasn't he going towards Natsu? Oh well I could find out more later.
Extremely pleased with my success, I headed back towards the bar, ducked under the divide that lead to the back and pulled out the mission book and started filling in everything that had to be done before jobs were taken. I also told Mira-nee to call the client and let her know the request had been accepted, as that seemed to be one of her many duties she did to help Master out...personally I think he'd just pawned the job off on her as she was pretty and clients responded better to her than him. He didn't want the grief when members caused too much distruction. Now that I thought about it, I could fully understand why he'd made Mira-nee do the job.
"Lisanna." Bixlow's worried tone caused my head to snap up immediately. "We have a problem."
"Oh god, what?" I dashed back out around the bar straight to his side. That sinking feeling of dread sprang right back into my stomach, what ever was going on it must be bad for Bix to sound worried.
"Natsu's..." Before he could finish a huge crash of lightening struck inside the guild hall, we both dashed over to the centre of the guild hall to find Natsu convulsing on the floor with electricity crackling around him.
"What did he do? I whispered to Bixlow, knowing he was right by my side.
"No." Snarled the extremely pissed off Lightening dragon in front of us. I heard my seth mage gulp next to me and knew I wouldn't be getting an answer out of him right now...and I had to agree with him. The anger in Laxus' voice had caused my body to freeze up and the hair on the back of my neck to stand up. I'd forgotten how frightening he could be when truly maddened.
"No... what?" Natsu wheezed from the ground. I stared in awe at the Fire dragon slayer on the floor, he had taken a full blast Laxus bolt and was recovering extremely quickly, but I was still confused as to why these two where fighting in the first place...well fighting wasn't the way I'd put it, more like Pinky was getting a one sided butt whooping.
"You will NOT hurt Lucy like that." I couldn't fully see Laxus' face but his aura was radiating hatred. Just what had Natsu said...wait hurt Lucy?! What?! I turned to look at my boyfriend but he had his hand to his face and was shaking his head in dismay...
"But she won't..."My childhood friend panted as he slowly pulled himself up off the floor. "That's the whole point."
I heard several other guild mates muttered amongst themselves, they were obviously as confused by their converstation as I was...and curious too about just what had been said about our loveable blonde. Though if I knew Natsu like I thought I did, I got the feeling it had been something extraordinarily stupid but to him, he probably thought he'd found a brilliant way to fix everything...which caused my heart to drop into my tummy.
"Lucy-san will be incredibly hurt if she ever found out that you were pretending she was someone else while you were dating her." A shy voice piped up from the crowd that had surrounded our table. All the dragon ears must have picked up on his plan. As Wendy's words registered with me, I gasped out loud and felt my hand fly to my mouth automatically. Several other members gasped and seemed to be murmering their discontent as the information registered with them too. How stupid could he really be?
"She'd never know though." Natsu explained his face starting to regain some colour again. "That's the best part of it. She gets her happy end, whatever that means, her romance novels always confuse me with that. And I get sorta what I want too."
"Whatever that mean?!" I growled about ready to launch myself at the dimwit, until a strong hand grabbed my arm and pulled me to his side. "How could he be so, so..." Words failed me as I struggled to get free of Bixlow's grip.
"Stop Lis, I know you want to defend our friend but, I don't want you to get hurt." Bix whispered to me, wrapping his arms around me. I looked up at his face and saw the look of worry still plastered on his handsome face, then I looked back towards the two dragons, taking a breath to calm my temper.
"You rotten..." Laxus growled stalking toward Natsu. I saw now what Bixlow was so worried about, he didn't want me getting caught up in the fight that was obviously brewing, between our friends, in front of us. "Lucy deserves someone who will love her for who she is. Not be used by some jerk who isn't mature enough to know what he just said is totally messed up. "
I whole heartedly agreed with Laxus on that point! And after over hearing their conversation earlier, through the door, I knew he most definitely did love her! I felt another wave of guilt hit me for making him oversee the ruin trap they got stuck in the night before, that must have been heart breaking to witness, hear and smell...Oh god I really needed to find a way to apologise properly to him at some point about putting him threw that.
"Why do you even care?" Natsu's voice pulled me back to the situation before us, his head tilted to the side eyeing Laxus, with confusion spreed across his face. "Luce is my teammate, not yours so stay outta this!
"Why do I care?" The blonde man seemed taken aback for a second and I shuffled myself with my bix blanket around to the side a little to see his face. It had gone totally blank, his body language had also completely changed and his aura of hatred had disappated. He seemed to be debating something with himself internally as if, the usually cocky and self confident man, was unsure of what to say for the first time in his life... "Because I love her..."
I started in disbelief at the scene in front of me. "Did he just?"
"Yup."
"In front of everyone?" This was way too out of character for Laxus, had he been replaced by an Edolas counter part?
"Aheh." Bixlow had let go of me as he seemed to think any immenant danger had passed but was still right by my side, also staring in disbelief at his teammate and friend. "Can't believe he said it out loud."
"Did... I hear that right?"
I knew the voice that had just spoken all to well, and didn't need visual confirmation to know that the woman in question who had just spoke was none other that the Celestial Wizard herself, Lucy Heartfilia!
*Lucy's P.O.V.*
I'd woken up feeling rather dazed, wondering where on earth land I was, until I'd recognised the smell of Laxus' colgne on the blanket I was huddled under. It was a really nice scent, it reminded me of christmas somehow, it was cinnamony or some sort of spice like that...just then the memory of earlier flood back to me and I pulled the cover all the way over my face. Oh god had that really happened?! I made such a fool of myself! Laxus would probably never speak to me again! As I remembered our conversation and how tender he had been with me, I highly doubted he would avoid me after all. He's seemed so much softer recently, or that was how it had come acrosss to me, and he'd always made a point of coming and speaking to me even just for a few minutes whenever we were in the hall at the same time. Maybe he was in...
"Don't be silly." I scolded myself slapping my face as I sat up right. I couldn't finish that thought! I couldn't allow myself to be deluded, Laxus saw me as a cherished member of FairyTail, nothing more nothing less. Yes that's right, I nodded my head vigorously in agreeance with myself. I'd only just had my heart broken by my first love, there was no way in hell I could let myself misinterpret the actions of someone else and open my heart to possibly getting broken a second time in a month. I'd been hoping a good nap would have totally cleared my head up about all my inter turmoil, unfortunately that didn't seem to be the case. Yes I felt more with it but my feelings were still all over the shop.
All this doom and gloom really wasn't like me! I knew what I needed to help clear my head and get myself back to my usual cheery disposition. A job! Work always helped me clear my head and focus...But going on a job normally entailed Natsu and everyone joining me. With how much had gone down between myself and the fire dragon I definitely couldn't ask him. A, because he was half the reason for my needing to get away and B, I just wasn't in the mood to deal with his antics that would probably cost me all the reward anyway. I had bills to pay ya know!
Maybe a girls job only? But I ran the risk of Erza going overboard and losing all the reward money too, plus as much as I loved the red head she wasn't great at dealing with matters of the heart. But I did know two people who were experts in that department, Lisanna and Mira-Jane! I could ask them, nicely, to team up with me for a change, if they were free of course. With my mind made up, about something at least, I jumped up and started to head towards the door when I noticed my shoes were missing...
"Huh?" I mumbled looking down at my bare feet. I could have sworn I had them on when I came into Laxus' office. Turning back around I looked at the sofa and noticed my sandals neatly placed near where my head had been. "Oh."
He must have taken them off for me after I'd dosed off, so that I could sleep better. I felt my heart flutter a little as the kindness of the gesture washed over me, that was very sweet of Laxus. No, Lucy it was simply so you didn't damage his couch with your heels. I shook my head again trying to clear my mind of all these weird emotions that were running rampant.
Damn I really did need to have a good vacay from this place to sort my head out! I pulled my shoes back on and then headed back toward my original goal, setting up my girls work trip, when I realised that Laxus wasn't actually in the room anymore. I shrugged he must have gotten bored of just watching me sleep and headed downstairs himself to hang with everyone. Couldn't blame him tbh I must have been a hindrance to him getting anything done, Natsu always complained I snored...which I'm sure was totally untrue unless I had a cold!
BOOM.
"What the?" I gasped hearing the crash of lightening as I exited the room I'd been napping in. Guess I knew where Laxus was, but why on earth land was he causing lightening storms in the middle of the guild hall?
I started to hurry towards the stairs, wondering just what on earth land had provocate the stoic man, and knowing there was only one person in the entire guild who could cause him to lose his temper like that. Natsu!
"What's he done now." I groaned, out loud to myself ,as I started to push my way through the crowd that had gathered in the center of the guild hall. I heard voices mumbling and groaning but I couldn't quite make out what had caused the fight. No one was really saying anything distinct, it was times like this I really wished I had dragon ears! (Author: Believe me you really don't! Lucy: Why not? Author: Just take my word for it =.=")
"Why do you even care?" Yeah I called it, Natsu. "Luce is my teammate, not yours so stay outta this!"
I rolled my eyes at that statement, we hadn't teamed up since that disaster of an evening and had barely spoken more than a handful of words since Lisanna had escorted me outta the building. Hell, even last night we'd barely spoken...I desperately tired to push the events of yesterday out of my mind (bar the really good ones, like Mira-Jane getting proposed too of course). Focus Lucy, they seem to be arguing over you so you need to step in and stop them. Before they destroy the guild hall again! I had just managed to push threw everyone and was stood beside Bixlow and Lisanna, who were the closest to the two men, when I heard Laxus take in a deep breath. Please don't let that be a lightning dragon roar about to fly outta his lips...
"Because I love her..."
"Did...I hear that right?" I stuttered in utter bewilderment at the words I'd just heard leaving the blonde dragon slayers mouth.
I stood stock still as Laxus' words filled the guild hall, all earlier worry about stopping a possible fight all but forgotten.
He...Loved...me? That was impossible! He'd never shown any interest in me before...had he? I mean, sure he'd tried to make me his 'woman' as he put it that time during the phantom lord attack, but I just thought that was to mess with Mira. He'd also defended me during the tenrou fight with Master Hades...but again he was protecting us all not just me, per say. Though to be honest since the Grand Magic Games he had seemed to be around more often, whenever I was on Asuka duty, he had seemed to be in the guild just as much and had even oftered to help me with her a few times, his work allowing, which usually had turned into a competition with Natsu over who Asuka would have more fun with. Which had always made me laugh, but I'd always assumed it had been because he was looking out for me as a fellow member, nothing more... Though now that I really thought about it, we'd also been bumping into him and the thunder legion a lot too when we'd been out on jobs, but I'd also put that down to coincidence as it wasn't unusal to bump into fellow FairyTail members when out on jobs.
How was this possible? I felt my head start spinning all over again. Was I dreaming? This had to be a dream right? Then again the last few weeks had all felt like a bad dream so...least this was a nicer dream! Who doesn't want a hunky dude to confess their love to you...or more accurately in this case, about you.
"Lucy." A soft voice called to me.
I turned my head to the side to see Lisanna gently tugging my arm and noticed the entire guild's attention was turned on me...which caused my face to blush. Sure I liked attention but I did not like being the sole focus of over 100 peoples attention at once. Oh god what do I do?! Before I could totally flame up from embrassement I noticed that at least two people hadn't turned their attention to me. Which was surprising with their dragon enchanced senses...wow guess that showed just how entrailed they were in this fight of theirs.
"Love, Lucy?" Natsu chuckled. "But she's so weird."
"Ouch." I whinced as his words hit me. Several other people seemed to mirror my reaction, normally I'd have gone and argued with him about calling me weird and been all 'like your one to talk Natsu' but not today. He really didn't care about me as more than a friend, that much was evident. This realization caused a strange numbness to wash over my body...He didn't have the slightest interest in me, that reaction he's had to our kiss last night had been a fluke. He would never love me back, not in the way I'd hoped for.
"Says the guy who wanted to pretend she was someone else and date her!" "You're the weird one." "Asshole!" People started shouting at Natsu's words.
"Wait... what?" I felt the numbness disappear as what was left of my heart shattered into teeny tiny peaces as I gathered the missing information about what caused the fight, from those around me. So that was what had angered Laxus, and if he was truly in love with me like he had just stated...no wonder he'd lost his shit. He'd been trying to protect me.
"Lucy, we should go." Lisanna tugged at my arm again, I'd forgotten she was even there if I was being honest. I'd been too invested in what had been happening in front of me. But I couldn't move, my mind was racing with everything I'd just seen and heard. Laxus loved me, Natsu had been going to date me but imagine me as someone else?
Sadness welled up in my chest threatening to pull me under and cause me to break down in tears, but at the same time I felt a huge surge of anger rise up in me, both emotions were warring for dominance and knowing I got the final say in who won, I chose anger! An unusual choice for me, but I was tired of tears, I was tired of feeling not enough, unlovable, undesireable and so I let the red wash over me and gave in to my 'Scary Lucy' side as Happy called it! Though part of me wished the numbness would return, that at least seemed the least painful emotion currently.
"Take that back." I heard Laxus growl, the air getting charged with electricity again. It caused my own rage to halt in its tracks. "She isn't weird."
"Yeah, she totally is." Natsu dead panned in return. He really couldn't read a situation could he! My rage flared right back up with that statement...
"I'm what now?!" I called shaking Lisanna's hands from my arm and walking out from behind Laxus, going to stand right infront of the brainless oaf I'd once called my best friend. Right now I was too angry to even think about being friends with his dumb ass ever again!
"Ah Luce, you were here?" He gulped taking a step back, I guess my face must have been in full 'scary' mode. Not that I cared it had the desired affect of making him back up.
"Yes I was," I smiled as sweetly as I could at him, while not even trying to hide the intimidating aura I was letting off. "And I seem to have a pretty good idea of what you said."
"Luce," His face was covered in panic as he seemed to desperately try and find the words to say to calm me down. I could have laughted if I wasn't so annoyed. "It's not what you think!"
So original...not!
"Well from what I think." I cut him off as he tried to speak again. "You think I'm weird yet had some how dreamt up some half arsed scheme to use me as a substitue for you infatuation with Lisanna...is that about right?"
"Ah...well...you see..." It was utterly bizarre to me to see the usually so self assured guy fumbling with his words. But it was a little too late, I was done! Maybe in the future when my emotions had settled down I could consider being friends with him again, but for now I didn't want to have anything to do with him. I was just too hurt and too upset.
I turned my back on Natsu and looked up at the man standing behind me, he was staring back at me, shock shining in his blue-ish green eyes. He'd obviously been trying to save my feelings from getting hurt anymore and seeing me get in the middle of them both hadn't quite sunk in yet. I wasn't totally sure of how I felt and knew it would take some time for me to completely figure my own head out, but as I looked back at him I felt my face start to heat up a little. I owed it to this man who had been supporting me, silently, from the background to give him a proper answer not just one based in the heat of the moment. That wouldn't be fair to him! But I could start with showing him how much his defending me had meant.
"Thank you." I beamed at him with my brightest smile. It was the first time today I'd actually felt a smile reach my eyes. He seemed to snap out of his shocked state and tried to put on an his usual unfazed face...awww was he embarressed?
"Dunno what you're talking about." He huffed turning his head to look away from me. Why was he been shy now? Hadn't he just been declaring his love for me moments ago infront of the entire guild? Men, they really were alien to me. But it was endearing also, in its own way. I giggled a little and reached out for his hand, I may not have an answer for him, yet, but I could atleast repay his kindness with a nice meal somewhere, where he didn't have to put on a front.
"Come with me." I smiled again feeling how warm his hand felt in my own. He didn't seem to object to the request so I took that as a 'yes' and turned to lead us out of the guild.
"Luce, don't go." Natsu whined as we passed him. He was stood between us and the door. In that moment I felt my heart complete close off and once again my anger took over, I just couldn't deal with this anymore! I took a breath and turned slightly to the side to face him. He had hurt me for the last time!
"I'm done!" The words flew out of my mouth with an icy tone and seemed to hit Natsu harder than any punch I could have thrown at him. "Goodbye Natsu."