NOTE: This story has characters which do not exist in Hiro Mashima-sensei's work. They are my ORIGINAL CHARACTERS and they are mine. Everything else is not mine, but sensei's. Also, even if I do not write very well, please respect my work! Thank you!

P.S. Pray for those in Japan. I could see what was happening on TV. I believe that prayers are the best solution to every problem. EVERY PRAYER COUNTS.

-CHAPTER SIX: AWKWARD-
"Don't leave, Lucy."

Lucy hadn't gone out of her room in days. She just sulked on her bed, crying every now and then. She had asked Crux-jiji for a lot of times but it seems that there was only one way to completely avoid Natsu—leave Fairy Tail. But she knew better. Fairy Tail was her whole family, now—her whole life. She couldn't imagine a life without them and, probably, them with her.

Grumble! said her stomach. It's probably time for lunch already. Lucy looked for anything to eat in her cabinets. Nothing. She forgot that she already ate the last of her supplies this morning at breakfast. She didn't want to go to the guild either because Natsu would definitely be there.

Lucy sighed. Why was her love life being so rough on her? For a while, she forgot about her conflict with Natsu and concentrated on getting food.

"Somebody, save me~~!" she groaned.

Clunk! Her door opened and in came Erza and Gray. The three of them stared at each other, looking as if they were waiting for somebody to speak first.

"What, you're not going to say something about us trespassing?" Gray teased as he sat down on one of the couches.

"I'm not in the mood, Gray. I'm very hungry right now." Lucy said.

"You haven't come to the guild in days and we were all getting worried about you. So we decided to visit here ourselves." Erza said, taking out a small box that Lucy hadn't noticed when the two cam in. "It's not as good as the food in the guild, but at least it will reduce your hunger." Erza handed out the box that had food in it. She immediately opened the box, thanked Erza and stuffed her face.

Lucy swallowed before speaking. "Is this the only reason why you came?"

"Pretty much. Mira figured that you're starving and sent me here. Erza came along to see how you were." Gray stopped to stare at her intently. "Besides, without you we can't go on any missions."

"What Gray means is, you can't stay in here forever. Everyone in the guild misses you and is worried about you." Erza emphasized on the first word of the sentence. "So why don't you stop this nonsense and come back? Surely, whatever you're upset about is no match for you. You are a member of Fairy Tail, after all."

Both Erza and Gray stood up. "Well, we don't want to disturb you while you're eating." Gray said.

Lucy led them both to the door. Erza went out first, followed by Gray.

"Gray—"Lucy started.

"Hm?"

"I—Nothing. Go on." Lucy smiled, not even bothering to finish her sentence.

"He's fine. Seems to be missing you, actually." Gray said as if he could read Lucy's thoughts. "I couldn't convince him to come with us and see you himself. Maybe you did something to him?"

"I…" Lucy stammered as her heart began to race again. How could she finish her meal now? It looked to her like her appetite just went out the door.

"He'll—No, we'll…" Gray corrected. "...be waiting for you." He said as he and Erza walked away, leaving poor Lucy frozen at her own doorstep.

In order to avoid the annoying questions of a mob, Lucy decided it best to go in the guild using the back door. It leads to the guild's storeroom which, much to Lucy's relief is always deserted since only Mirajane goes in to collect supplies for the bar.

Slowly, Lucy opens the door hoping to run into Mira. But, alas! There were a lot of people in the storeroom, including (you guessed it!) Natsu. They seemed to be repairing something on the ceiling.

Lucy gulped. Why does this have to happen to her now? Couldn't they have just fixed that damned thing later, after she leaves? These circumstances of her running into Natsu after shouting at him only happens in romance novels, not in real life!

Darn it! Lucy thought as she took her chances, slowly and quietly opening the door. Please don't look this way, you guys! At least, not now!

Even when closing the door, Lucy was extra careful not to make the hinges squeak. When she was confident that no one spotted her, she tip toed her way toward the door that leads to the inside of the guild.

"Ara! Lucy-chan!" Mira yelped. All heads turned, even Lucy's.

Well, so much for discreet. Thanks, Mira-san.

"He-hello everyone. How've you been?" Lucy said nervously. She swore she and Natsu just met eye-to-eye. No mistake about it! Why must this moment be so novel-like?

"How've you been? You look tired!" Mira commented after seeing the black circles under Lucy's eyes.

"I-I'm fine Mira-san, everyone. I've been very good." Lucy was now being surrounded by a mob-like group. She backed up quickly and bumped into a ladder. The magnitude of the force that hit it was enough to topple the ladder over and send the toolbox on top of it falling over Lucy's head.

Again with the novel scenes? Lucy thought.

"Look out, Lucy!" Mira, and some others yelled.

Lucy lost concentration and looked at them, seeming to forget that a heavy toolbox was about to crush her head. But instead of panicking about it, Lucy was panicking about Natsu, who was running toward her, screaming her name.

"Lucyyyyy!" Natsu screamed as he ran to Lucy's rescue.

But Lucy moved away from her spot voluntarily, leaving Natsu in her spot. And, because of that, Natsu was crushed in her stead.

"Natsu!" it was now Lucy's turn to shout his name.

The people flocked around Natsu, who was now seeing stars.

"Everyone get out of the room, now!" Mira said. "Except you, Lucy. You stay."

"Why?"

"Because, Lucy, it was your fault that Natsu got hit! If you didn't move—"

"I know, I know. This wouldn't have happened." Lucy said apologetically.

"Actually, I was going to say, he'd be your hero and you'd finally make up but that was as good, I guess." Mira joked.

"Natsu… Natsu!" Mira said as Natsu started to open his eyes.

"Ugh… Mirajane, my head hurts." He said.

"Of course, it would! That was very reckless of you to go charging in like that!" Mira scolded.

"Lucy!" Natsu shot up, much to Mira's surprise. "Is she all right?"

"Well, you're recovery is speedy, as usual." Mira sighed, relieved. "She's just fine, aren't you, Lucy?"

Natsu turned his head to the foot of the couch he was laid in. Lucy was sitting on a stool beside him, looking away.

"Well, I'll leave Natsu in your care, Lucy. I still have a job to do upstairs."

"But, he could already—"

"No, trust me. He won't be able to stand up for a while with that strong a hit."

"But—"

"Bye! Have fun!" Mira closed the door. There was a clinking sound after she left, as if she was locking them in so they can talk earnestly. As expected from Mira.

But what Mira didn't know was that Lucy had no intention of talking with Natsu under any circumstance. Both were just sitting there, Natsu staring at Lucy and Lucy avoiding his gaze.

Well, this is awkward. Lucy thought as she fidgeted.

There was dead silence between the two. They didn't know for how long it was like that, but none of them seemed to want to speak first.

How to start? How to start? Natsu's head wasn't functioning properly.

Please stop staring. Lucy thought. Please stop staring! She could feel the blood rise up to her face.

"Lucy…"

Lucy's heart started thumping like crazy. She turned her head towards Natsu. Now, he was the one who couldn't look at her.

"Wh-what?" she said softly.

"I'm sorry… For spying on your date. But, I really didn't mean anything bad! I was just—" Natsu leaned closer. "Can you ever forgive me, Luce?"

"I…" How long has she wanted to hear him say her name like that? "I guess…"

"So, um… How've you been?" Ugh! That was very awkward.

"H-huh?" What did he just say? "I-I've been quite fine…"

What to do now? What to do? Natsu thought hard just so the discomfort of their conversation would go away. He thought so hard that his head hurt. And because of the injury he'd gotten from the flying toolbox, Natsu thought his head was going to break! He felt like vomiting, as if he was in a vehicle.

"Ugh!" Natsu pressed his head. I wasn't meant to be much of a thinker, I guess.

"Natsu! Gosh! Are you okay? Where does it hurt?" Lucy immediately sat closer to Natsu with the first-aid kit Mirajane had left. She went looking for any medicine that might work on his injury, like a pain killer.

"Why does Wendy have to be out at a time like this?" Lucy was panicking and couldn't look for anything at all.

"Lucy…"

"Not now, Natsu!"

"Lucy, I'm fine now!"

"You are?" Lucy stopped looking. She turned to look at Natsu to confirm if he was really okay—and she was shocked to see that his face was only inches away from her.

"I-I'll go and get Mirajane!" Lucy slowly leaned away from her embarrassing position. "Mira-san!" she shouted.

Just as she was about to stand up, Natsu pulled her sleeve. "Don't leave, Lucy." He rested his head on Lucy's shoulder which left the girl both embarrassed and stiff. She didn't move from that position, no matter how heavy Natsu's head was or how hot his breath was. She just sat there, with butterflies in her stomach.

The door slowly opens slightly and Mirajane peeked at what the two were doing. Natsu seemed to be sleeping, while Lucy looked extremely blissful.

"I can't wait to see what happens next! Good job, me!" Mira said as she walked away.

whew! longest chapter yet, right?

i hope this chapter isn't too predictable and CHEEZY!