Chapter 11: Back home.

Gray and I finished packing our things and were on our way to the train station.

"I'm glad they all forgave Ken. Now, he and Chouko can finally happily together."

"I'm even surprised it was settled that quickly, people in this town are very understanding." Gray commented.

"Well, the fact they know him since he was a kid helped too I think. How shocked they were when he confessed, he seemed to be very kind in the past." I reasoned.

"Yeah, and when he explained why he did it, I saw a lot of people cry a little." He added.

"Anyway, our clients and everyone in town is happy it ended, Ken and Chouko are happy to be together again, and we're happy since we got our reward, and we kept it entirely. We did a pretty good job." I grinned proudly. Finally, a mission where nothing was destroyed.

"Yes, we did." He smiled before asking me, "By the way, how did you know his ex-girlfriend's was Chouko? Her name alone wasn't enough to tell."

"Well, when you asked her about the incidents, she didn't seem to get it, so I thought she was new in town. But how she talked about the café and that guy asking her for the usual as if he'd known her for years made me think she initially lived here but then moved away and was back just since little time."

"I noticed this too, but didn't think it could be related to the incidents at all."

"I didn't, either. That's why it took time for me to get it. When I saw the red butterfly on my hand, I remembered the red one that was painted on the house, and then I remembered that the culprit used red paint too. Then, while thinking again and again about butterflies I thought about Chouko, and her speech about love and connected the dots." I finished explaining.

"Now that you say it like that, it seems really logical and obvious, but it's amazing you thought about all that just by staring at a butterfly."

"I know, I can be really smart when it's needed." I bragged, pretty proud of myself.

"That's my Lucy. Super cute and smart." Suddenly, he popped next to me, his arm around me.

"What are you doing here? I didn't call you." I asked Loke with bored eyes, not even bothering jerking his arm off my shoulders.

He moved by himself and replied, "I wanted to see you because I missed you, since I couldn't go out while you were under cover." He then looked at Gray, "Yo!"

"Hey, pal." Gray smiling back.

"Ok, now that you saw me you can go back to the Spirit World."

"No, no, no. I'm also here to have a talk with Gray, so if you don't mind…" He gestured for me to leave.

I gaped, and retorted ironically "Oh sorry for standing between you two."

"Come on, it's a man-to-man talk, it'll be embarrassing for you to hear. I'm being considerate here. So why don't you go sit on that bench over there for a few minutes?"

I eyed him, but decided to do as he said, but not without sighing loudly. If he was going to talk about his latest conquest, I wasn't interested.

xxxxxxxxxx

"So, what did you want to talk about that Lucy couldn't hear?" I asked Loke once Lucy was on the bench, pouting of course.

"Wait, I'm wondering if I should congratulate you or give you a lecture." He replied, looking serious.

"What's this? Did you drink in the Spirit World or what?" I chuckled.

"Of course not. I'm talking about your seducing skills, that became like that mostly because of me by the way, you're welcome."

"What about them?" I chose to ignore how ridiculous he sounded and still asked.

"As your teacher, I'm proud. You acted very well. But I didn't like seeing you using it to fake-flirt with my Lucy." He explained before moving his face closer, eyeing me suspiciously, "By the way, was it really fake? You acted a little too well."

"One, you are not my teacher or anything. Two, of course it was fake, it was our mission. As if I'd really do such cheesy things." I shivered while remembering our pet names or some really lame lines I used.

"Hey! I often used those cheesy things, because they work!" He shouted, a little offended.

"And I used them to look like we were a typical couple. Why am I even explaining myself to you?" I wondered out loud.

"Because I'm Lucy's protector." He answered me, crossing his arms. "So I want to know the truth. Have you used this mission as an excuse to seduce the naïve Lucy?" He was back at the eyeing thing.

"Of course not." I replied, deadpan. I used it to try to find out what were her real feelings. But as if I'd tell you that.

"Alright." He grinned. Then, he put his hand next to his mouth, as if he was gonna tell me a secret, "And just to be sure, you didn't get caught up in your acting and become confused about your feelings during your trip, right?

I looked straight at him, and told him, "I didn't fell in love with Lucy during our mission, if that's what you want to know." It was the truth. I felt like that since way before that.

"Not even a little crush? It'd be understandable since she's so cute." He insisted.

"Nothing changed." Still the truth.

"Alright. But don't forget, I may have a strong bond with Lucy, but I'm your friend, too. And as your teacher –"

"You're not my teacher." I interrupted him.

Of course, he stubbornly went on, "–As you teacher, I want to be able share my knowledge about girls with you, and help you get the one you like, whoever it may be. Alright?" He blinked at me.

Was he trying to give me his consent or something? "I really don't need that, thanks. I don't plan on becoming a player."

"I never said that. Anyway, I'm finished for now, see ya!" He did a salute with two fingers on his forehead to me before looking towards the bench Lucy was sitting on and yelled, "Call me soon, Lucy!" He finally disappeared.

I sighed out of relief. That conversation was tiring. Then I realized, "Wait, 'for now'? Come on man, give me a break!"

"So, what did he say?" Lucy had popped up just beside me.

"Some of his teacher to apprentice lecture crap."

"Since when can't I hear that? It's not like I'm don't know he's a total player."

"He must be thinking about his 'precious advices' as big secrets that can't be known by girls or something like that. Don't ask me, the whole conversation didn't make sense at all."

"Not surprised. Come on, let's go or we'll miss our train."

xxxxx

"Ken, Chouko! How come you're here?" Lucy asked as we saw the couple at the train station.

"We wanted to say goodbye to you, and to five you this." Chouko handed us something a present.

"A present? That's so sweet, thank you so much." Lucy replied happily and hugged Chouko.

"Thank you, you didn't have to." I said too, smiling.

"Don't mention it. It's thanks to you guys that we can be happy now, so we wanted to thank you." Ken explained.

"Open it." Chouko urged. Lucy did so. "I hope you'll like it. Ken drew it."

Inside the paper were two photo frames, one dark blue and one light pink. While looking at them, Lucy blushed a bit. I looked at them: in each frame, there was a drawing. It was the same one. Lucy and I lying down on the blanket in the park, looking at each other, my hand on her cheek.

"I saw you while I was hiding. I thought it was a beautiful scene so I decided to draw it. I hope you like it." Ken told us a little shyly.

"I suggested to make a copy so both of you could have one." Chouko added.

"It is beautiful, really. Thank you. But you know, we're actually not a real couple. We were pretending to be one for our mission." Lucy seemed sorry to tell them this.

"Eh? Really? I was convinced you were together for real. You two look so good together." Chouko exclaimed, surprised. "I'm sorry, it must be weird to have this then." She added, embarrassed.

"Oh no, don't worry! It's like having people photographing you when you're acting on stage. We'd be glad to keep those as a memory. Right, Gray?" Lucy retorted and looked at me with a smile.

"Of course. Ken must have spent time drawing it, it'd be a shame not to keep them." I agreed.

"Yokata. And who knows, maybe you'll become a couple and that'd become your first couple item!" Chouko cheered.

I looked at Lucy, she was blushing again.

"Chouko, you're making them uncomfortable." Ken told her.

She put her hand on her mouth. "Right. Sorry." She bowed her head.

I chuckled. "Don't be, it's nothing."

We heard the train arrive. "I guess it's time to take off." I declared. "Thank you for the gift." I told them once again before hoping in the train, Lucy following me.

"Bye bye!" Lucy shouted, waving her hand at them.

Ken and Chouko waved at us while they were still able to see us through the window.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Home, sweet home. I missed you so much." I said out loud while crashing on my bed. This mission was finally finished. It had been so exhausting.

But as soon as I closed my eyes, I started seeing things again. Gray looking at me dearly, saying "I'm glad to be here with you." Gray calling me "Beautiful" with such a gentle voice, his hand on my cheek…

I opened my eyes wide. "Lucy, stop it. It's even worse than remembering your dream. Come to your senses, girl!" I yelled at myself.

"What dream?" I jumped at the sound of his voice.

"Lucy's gone crazy and talks to herself now." Happy how-so-nicely commented.

"What are you two doing here?" I shouted, surprised. I'm sure they weren't there like ten seconds before.

"We missed you while you were on a mission. With Gray, and leaving us behind. Without even telling us." Natsu explained, looking dramatically betrayed.

"Lucy's a traitor." Happy was more direct.

"I'm not a traitor!" I yelled at him and added, "And I'm sorry, but it was a mission for two people only."

"You still shouldn't have lied to us." Natsu was crossing his arms and looking away, pouting like a child would.

"Hm, hm." Happy nodded frantically and did the same as Natsu.

"I didn't lie to you. I just… didn't tell you." I retorted even if I knew that wasn't an excuse.

"Why?"

"Because you would've wanted to come along."

"So?"

"It was only for two people."

"As if. Two people were needed but more wouldn't have been a problem."

"It was an undercover mission, so the more people there were the more it would have been difficult to keep it a secret." I explained.

"What kind of undercover?" He now looked curious.

I tried not to blush and answered, "A normal undercover. Acting as if we weren't mages. And you know how you cannot walk around without burning something or being literally all fired up, or without eating fire. Our cover would have blown in no time."

He stared at me blankly. "…" Then, he grinned and scratched the back of his head, "Haha, you're right. But don't go abandoning us without even telling us anymore." Apparently, he was trying to imaging himself in this situation.

I mentally sighed out of relief that I managed to convince him. I smiled and said, "I promise."

xxxxx

Natsu and Happy were now sleeping really soundly, on my bed. I was thinking more and more about buying something where guests (or me) could comfortably sleep on.

But I was actually glad they came, since they helped me think about something else for a moment.

After checking if they both were still sleeping, I took out the pink photo frame from my luggage. It was dangerous to have it out while they were next to me, but if they start to search through my stuff – like they often do, and it would be very likely since I was back from my mission, I wouldn't be surprised if they searched for gifts or food – it would be too late to hide it. And I didn't want them to find it because then I wouldn't hear the end of it. I can already picture it: they tease me, Happy rolls his tongue, they tell everyone in the guild, and everyone teases us forever with that. No, thanks.

I took a little time to look at it. We did really seem like a couple on it. I was so surprised when I first saw it. Because he drew it perfectly. And my expression at that very moment wasn't an act at all. Of course, what I was saying was fake, but the truth is, when he put his hand so gently on my cheek, I couldn't stop looking into his eyes, forgetting everything else. It was probably at that moment that I realized there was no going back. And when I saw the drawing, it confirmed my thoughts. It wasn't something that would go away after a few days like the flu. These feelings, my feelings, were real. And they wouldn't go away anytime soon. I couldn't deny them anymore.

I, Lucy Heartfilia, truly fell in love with Gray Fullbuster.

How it happened, I don't know. I could try to blame Ulf for making me have these thoughts in the first place, but it wasn't his fault I was like that. After all, Mira did the same thing as him long ago with Natsu, and it didn't give the same result.

I guess you just don't see these things coming. It builds up inside you without you even noticing, and when it's strong enough for you to realize it, it drops on you like a bomb. A bomb even Natsu couldn't swallow, and that's something. Well, if he had to, he probably could. Since he ate things like Etherion and lightning, but that's off the point. It's not even a real bomb but an image, so it doesn't even matter. Anyway, you got the point.

Speaking about Natsu, was he still sleeping? I turned my head. He was, and Happy too. Phew.

I was so deep in thoughts that I forgot about them when I still had the frame in my hands. I took a last look at it. This time, I looked at Gray's face. His eyes looked so sincere, just like when it happened. I wonder if...

"Aaaah" I jumped as Natsu yawned loudly. I urgently put the frame in my desk's drawer and looked at him. Fortunately, he didn't wake up.

Maybe it was a sign telling me to stop thinking too much and finally go to sleep.

Oh. I glared at them. "Where do I sleep now?"

xxxxxxxxxx

"Finally home." I said out loud before opening the door of my house. I didn't even bother turning on the light since the moonlight going through my window was bright enough, and crashed on my bed.

After a few seconds, I took out the frame Ken and Chouko gave us. I smiled slightly, it really was well drawn. I'm glad they took us as a real couple, because now I've got this. I wanted to remember that expression of hers, and with this drawing I'll be perfectly able to. By the way, I wonder how he remembered. He was watching us from a tree, and it lasted like two seconds. It was just before I almost screwed up, sayin' what I was thinking out loud.

I looked at my face. "Eh, so that's what I look like when I'm looking at her." It was kind of weird to see myself looking like this. I wonder if I often look like that around her. If I do, I don't know how people didn't notice. How she didn't notice.

Thinking about it again, maybe she did notice and was overreacting around me because of that. Then, her silence would mean something like "I just want to stay your friend and don't want to make you uncomfortable talking about it." Well, that could be something she'd do.

But something was telling me it wasn't the case. Don't ask me what, though. A feeling, I guess. Or maybe I was just hoping it wasn't like that.

That reminds me, I originally chose this mission to find out what was bothering her and what she was thinking about. I didn't learn much, though. Since we were most of the time acting and all. But at least she didn't space out while going back to Magnolia, unlike she did before our mission. I guess that's a win. She seemed less troubled now.

So, what did I learn during this couple of days?

One, my hand moves without my consent when Lucy's lying down and when her face is too close from mine. I'll have to keep that in mind if I don't want to seem weird in front of her. It was okay those times since she was either asleep or thinking I was acting. But now we're back here, it'd be weird if I did it again. Not that we were often in that kind of situation anyway.

Two, she was embarrassed to sleep in the same bed as me. At least until she fell asleep, then she had no problem coming closer. Well, nothing weird here. I just found it fun to tease her a little like that.

Three, she blushed a lot. But it must be because of the situation, which I understand. And even if she says we were awfully cheesy, I think she liked it a little. She's a girl, after all. I bet even Erza like cheesy things. Other than cheesecake, I mean.

Four, acting or not, she's able to look at me with those eyes. And I have this drawing as a proof.

Five, I don't want that to be acting.

And even if it was fake at that time, I'll make her look at me like that again, and for real. Because I can't just sit around anymore.