Rated M.

M is for MATURE people.

If I can pretend to be, then you can too.

DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING! *sob* However sometimes I wonder if Mashima-sama used to follow me around and take character ideas from my friends and I.

At least let a girl dream!

Chapter 9

Festival of the Dancing Sky

Funny how Lucy was only ever the first one up when they slept here, in her home. Any other time, Natsu would either be waking her up, or waiting for her to rise on her own. She had awoken earlier than usual because of the odd sensation of not being able to move. Rolling over to stretch had proved fruitless. Sleep still clouded her eyes when she located Natsu's arms wrapped tightly around her waist.

This guy has no understanding of personal boundaries. How I can ever get anything done with him around I can't fathom.

The blonde successfully unbuckled herself from his slumbering arms and rose from her bed. She turned to look at him. He seemed so peaceful, so sweet and cuddly. A part of her just wanted to crawl back in there and enjoy his warmth—and that's what scared her. She bit her lower lip at the thought and headed to her closet.

What am I thinking? This is Natsu! He's been with me for years now. Helping me, protecting me, ...irritating me. Even if he is sweet and cuddly, he's my partner. So much more so than Erza and Gray, he's my partner. Lucy picked out a red tube top with a white over shirt. She searched though her pants and chose a tan pair of shorts. Changing into today's outfit in the bathroom, she started thinking about the Ball.

If I asked Natsu, which Natsu would I get? I like Provider, and I can handle Normal Natsu, but Predator... A chill ran up her spine.

Lucy slipped her keys onto a white belt and buckled it. She looked at herself in the mirror, enjoying how the red top had a thin line of pale skin separating it from her tan shorts. She left the bathroom and her eyes fell on Natsu again, still sleeping, so content. Lucy couldn't understand how she felt about Natsu, she had lied about her feelings so much, she simply couldn't see that Natsu's feral side excited her. She was blind to the fact that she loved it when he acted more beast than man. All those feeling should have been embraced and explored—however, she didn't see it. Anything that made her feel so many different things at once needed to be avoided, lacking logic and reason. He was wonderful as a partner, but she needed to shove that dream of her and him ever being more out of her mind. *To put it plainly, Natsu was right, she thinks too much.*

::WAKE UP FAIRYTAIL:: Warren's voice inside their heads rang loud and true.

Lucy's squeak of surprise was nothing compared to Natsu's reaction. He scrambled and jumped, unclear of where he was, and ended up falling out of the bed, landing flat on his nose.

The star maiden giggled at her partner's strife and seated herself on her now liberated bed. "Serves you right! Falling asleep in a young woman's bed!" She glanced down at him and a sweatdrop came upon her hair. "Ehhhh.. Natsu...?"

He was asleep again!

::YALL UP YET? WAKE UP FAIRYTAIL!::

"AHHHH!" Nastu sat up rubbing his head. "Sheesh, WARREN! I'm gonna kill'em!"

Lucy giggled again and started pulling up her boots.

::I hope you're all up now! Listen up! We need everyone to get down to the guild asap! Tonight is the festival and Mirajane wants us all here so she, and I quote, "can make sure we all have a decent breakfast". Hop to it guys!::

"Craaaaaap!" Natsu laid flat on the ground with a hand on his forehead.

"Oh it's not that bad Natsu!" Lucy stood up and stepped over Natsu's torso, stopping at her bedroom's door. "Come on lazy head, I'm up for a free breakfast."

Natsu groaned and lifted himself up. "The breakfast is great, but that food will come at a price! Just you wait!"

^.^

"I'm so glad all of you made it this morning!" Mirajane stood on the stage, speaking to all of Fairytail. "As you know, tonight we are hosting the Festival of the Dancing Sky. This will give us a chance to uplift the spirits of our friends and neighbors here in our city of Magnolia. We have so much to do! Eat up Fairytail! You'll need the energy!"

"I knew she was gonna put us to work." Natsu sighed as he chomped down on his bun.

"Geez, it's not a big deal," Gray countered, sitting shirtless, enjoying a piece of bacon. "Putting on a festival is big. Of course she's gonna need our help."

"Feeding all of us at once couldn't have been easy." Erza added, not bothering to look up from her strawberry crepe. "It's the very least we could do."

"I think it'll be fun," smiled Lucy. "I've never run a booth before, and I get to watch Cana read her cards. Mira really gave me a great spot for the festival!" She clapped her hands in anticipation, "I'll bet Plue will be able to get Cana lots of customers!" Lucy elbowed Gray, "What are you going to be doing?"

"What else?"He smirked at her, "I'm setting up an ice rink right next to your little Tarot booth."

"What?!" Lucy made a teary face, "but then it'll be so cold!"

Cana had approached during their conversation and laid a hand on Lucy's shoulder. "Just do what I do! Booze keeps the blood warm!"

"You're going to drink while we're running the booth...?" Lucy asked, fretting the answer.

"Of course!" Cana smirked as a discontent Laxus stepped up next to her carrying a huge barrel for a backpack. "Master already said I could keep Sparky. So we both can get unlimited refills all night long! I wouldn't worry about the cold."

"LAXUS is gonna be with you guys?!" Natsu stood up to protest.

"Hey now, I'm only supposed to be filling up your cup! We never said anything about me being subject to your little friends!" Laxus said at the same time as Natsu.

The lightning dragon slayer looked over a Natsu and smirked. "How'd your juggling training go huh?"

"It went just freaking great! You wanna fight about it!?" Natsu yelled back at him.

Laxus was laughing when Cana poked Lucy. "Come on, let's go. I want to have plenty of time to set up before this afternoon."

Lucy smiled up at her friend, "Alright Cana." She stood and turned to Gray, "Are you coming, neighbor?"

"Nah. I'm on table duty with Hot Head here. We gotta move a bunch of these tables out to the fairgrounds after everyone's done eating." Gray folded his arms.

"What'd you call me, Powder Head!" Natsu seemed to be getting more mad than usual.

Lucy chuckled and put a hand on Natsu's shoulder. "Try not to break anything okay? We need those tables to make it there inTACT."

Lucy and Cana waved to them and headed out, Laxus trudging behind them.

^.^

A festival held by wizards is truly a sight to behold. There seemed to be a little miracle wherever you turned. Levy had gone around using her solid script magic to make bright, colorful signs above every booth there. A big stage was erected for Erza, who gave defense lessons to anyone brave enough to try and Elfman ran an arm wrestling table. Lisanna bounced around everywhere as a waist high talking bunny and Warren ran a mind reading booth. Bickslow's babies floated around giving children sweets, and Mirajane and Freed helped hand out refreshments.

Bisca and Alzack ran a sharpshooter booth on the other side of Cana and Lucy's space, which inevitably led their daughter, Asuka, playing with Plue in front of the Tarot booth for most of the day. In fact, Cana and Lucy sat on the ground in front of their little booth as well. If someone came to have their cards read, the brunette would have them sit on the ground with them. She had Laxus pinned up in the booth, her own personal bartender. Lucy's little white over shirt was not helping with the cold Gray was producing on the other side of them. It seemed the more she tried to ignore the cold, the colder she got! Thus, after about the tenth time of Cana offering her a drink, she accepted. And accepted again. And accepted again.

"Man Lucy, you've got some pink to your face!" Cana reached out and poked Lucy's cheek.

Lucy giggled and shooed her finger away, "Yea! Show's that I'm not cold anymore!" She turned and shook a fist over towards Gray and his ice skaters, "YOU LOOSE ICE MAN! I'm as waaaaaarm as ever!" A look of contentment came on her face.

"Easy Lucy, we have a problem here, and it'd be really great if you could find your legs long enough to help me out." Cana said, laying out her cards.

"Oh yea? Whaddya need Cana?" Lucy asked with an attempt at a sober smile.

Cana looked at her, "You think you can handle it?"

"Sure! I promise! I'm here to be your assistant after all!"

"Okay." Cana smirked, scooted in and whispered to her, "Sparky up there thinks he's off the hook since the barrel's empty. I need you to chaperone him while he gets a new one. You know, make sure he doesn't run off on our deal." She glanced over at him, "He's lookin' antsy."

Lucy shot up onto her feet, and spoke a little too loud when she said, "Sure! I can definitely do that!" She then exaggeratedly pointed to Laxus, just sitting on a stool with his legs propped up. "Hey you! Time to get off your ass! Cana wants more beer and it's YOUR job to get it for her! Lessgo!"

Cana snickered, she just couldn't help it. Drunk Lucy was so damn cute!

Laxus stood up and walked out of the booth and looked down at Cana, assuming she was laughing at him. "Your time is coming Alberona. Enjoy, soon our little agreement is going to be over."

"Okay, Okay, Laxus," Lucy cheerfully pushed him in the direction of Mirajane's set up, "stop hassling the talent and let's get this over with."

Despite Lucy's purpose of making sure Laxus stayed on point, it kinda turned out the be the other way around. The blonde was enchanted by all the lights and colors, and felt like she had to say hi to everyone she knew. Laxus stayed close to her, but as soon as they'd walked away from Cana, Bickslow met up with him and they started talking conspiratorially.

Soon Bickslow nodded and ran off, instructions understood, and Laxus looked around for Lucy. He found her at Levy's stuffed animal booth. She was admiring a cute little dragon plushie.

"Alright Blondie." Laxus grabbed her arm and slung it around his neck, "Sorry about that Levy, you know what happens when impressionable young girls hang out with Cana."

"LevyLevyLevy! Save that dragon for me! He's sooooo cute!" Lucy giggled, Levy sweatdropped, and Laxus hauled her away with his typical Laxus grimace.

Soon they came across a booth Lucy never thought she'd see in her life. In bright colorful letters, the top read, DUNK THE SALAMANDER. She heard a familiar voice yell and taunt the patrons, daring them to try their hand. When she and Laxus came into full view of the booth, she saw Natsu's body inflamed, grinning intently at the child trying to throw a ball at the target that would send the fire wizard down into the pool of water below. Jet and Droy were taking tickets and giving balls to the kids. When the little girl failed to hit the target after her three balls, Jet raced her over to the target and she hit it with all her might; which sent Natsu and his big mouth down into the water, extinguishing his flames. Even underwater he heard Lucy's laughter. Natsu brought his head out and saw Laxus supporting Lucy, her head reeling back in unrestrained laughter.

"You get your dirty hands offa her, DAMNIT LAXUS! What the hell do ya think you're doin?!" Natsu yelled at him, scrambling out of the pool. Jet and Droy grabbed hold of him, telling him he needed to get back up on the plank (There were many, many magnolians in line waiting to dunk the salamander). The flame tamer broke free of Levy's partners and stalked up to Laxus and a near hysterical Lucy. Natsu twitched his nose, "She's drunk! Where the hell were you taking her?!"

"I wasn't taking her anywhere! Your damn girlfriend is too damn drunk to even stand, YOU take her!" Laxus pushed her over to him and went over to Mirajane's area, only about twenty paces away.

Natsu caught her of course, but Lucy didn't like it much:

"EEEEK! NATSU YOU'RE FREEZING" Lucy started batting the soaking salamander away as if he were some kind of rodent and fell down on her ass. "ooooowww!"

Suddenly clashes and bangs were heard from Mirajane's makeshift bar and Bickslow and Laxus could be seen dragging Freed out.

"Sir! I'm so sorry Laxus-sama! I was only following orders! I did not know you would—ACK!" Bickslow and Laxus threw poor Freed into Natsu's pool of water. A choir of Fairytail's men were heard then, all cheering the revenge taken on the man who wrote the rules for the Gypsies and Thieves Ball. Laxus and Bickslow nodded to each other before Laxus returned to the scene with Natsu and Lucy.

Laxus raised an eyebrow at Natsu, "Aren't you supposed to be in there with Freed?"

Natsu couldn't help it, he growled at the Lightning Dragon Slayer.

This resulted in Laxus chuckling, "Settle down Pyro, we're just getting Cana more beer."

"Natsu! You're all wet! Heheheheheheh!" Lucy was pointing an laughing. "No piggy back ride this time! The salamander is slimy!"

Natsu glared at Laxus, a rival dragon slayer. Flames started coming from all around him and he spoke in a low and menacing tone. "Then you go run your little errand, and leave Luce outta it!"

Laxus only smirked, abandoning Lucy to her psycho partner, "I don't have time for this." He returned to Mirajane's to retrieve a new barrel of booze.

Fire dragon glared at lightning dragon until he was out of sight. Then he looked down at Lucy, now up on all fours, rambling about how she can get up to her feet if she just believed that she could. "Alright Luce. Climb on, I'm all dry now."

She eyed him for a second, then poked his back, then she laid a hand on his back, rubbed it up to his shoulder. "You're right! You're sooo warm now!" Lucy quickly latched onto his back holding tightly and contentedly.

Natsu stood up and nodded to Jet and Droy. "I'll be right back. Gonna run Lucy back to Cana."

Jet and Droy were making a disheveled Freed get up on the plank, so they happily gave him a thumbs up.

It didn't take long to get to Cana's booth. Cana raised a brow at Natsu, "What did you do with my errand boy?" Natsu glared at her.

"She's in no shape to be walking around." He set Lucy down beside Cana. Turned to walk away, then turned back to look at her again. She was already on all fours again, playfully poking Cana's arm.

She's playing! I wish I could stay..

With a sigh he turned away and ran back to his booth before Makarov came looking for him.

^.^

Eventually it was finally time to pack up, the festival having been a great success.

Gray quite literally had nothing to clean up, so he helped both Cana and Bisca pack up. They teased and laughed while doing so. Asuka was allowed to chase Gray and Lucy with one of Alzack's booth cork guns, giggling like crazy at the two of them when they gave dramatic performances from being shot when she'd finally managed to hit them.

Natsu and Happy arrived after they had finished. Everything was put away and Cana, Lucy, Gray and Laxus were sitting in a circle on the ground, joking and drinking. Even Laxus seemed to be enjoying himself. Happy perched on Lucy's head and she promptly grabbed him off and gave him a big squeeze.

"Oooh Happy! Where have you been! I missed you so sososo much!"

Natsu sat between Gray and Lucy, "He's been following Carla around! He even stayed at Wendy's Wak-A-mole all day today."

"She's close to accepting my fish! I just know it," rasped the struggling for air little kitty.

"You just keep at it little guy!" Cana slurred. "She's bound to come around!"

Gray stood up, still wearing his coat for a change. "I'll see you around guys. I'm outta here." He then turned to Lucy, "Get some rest Lucy, you're not lookin' too good." The ice-make wizard glanced at Natsu, then walked off, done with today's guild duties.

"Alright Lucy, you can let go of the kitty now!" Cana gently pulled Happy from her strangling arms. "I'm gonna do like Ice boy and get outta here."

She and Laxus stood up and Cana looked to Natsu. "Do you need help getting her home?"

Natsu looked to Lucy, who was now contentedly lounging, on the ground. He turned back to Cana, "Nah, Me and Happy will manage."

Cana chuckled and turned away. "Alright lover boy." She took her leave, Laxus beside her.

"Lucy?" Happy flew onto her lap, "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeeeees!" Lucy smiled smugly. "I got to spend the day with good friends, and now my FAVORITE dragonslayer is here to see me safely home." While she spoke, the blonde threw her hands in the air and pivoted her body so that she could cling to Natsu's neck. "Piggy back ride Natsu! Piggy back ride!"

Natsu blushed furiously, Lucy's flushed face not even an inch from his. He took her arms and unwound them from his neck, "You're still pretty out of it Lucy. Let's get you home so that you can sleep it off."

Happy watched as Lucy protested Natsu's efforts at trying to get her up, finally agreeing to go when Natsu said he'd give her a piggy back ride. The exceed flew around, "She liiiiiiiiiikes him!"

As they walked, Natsu was in turmoil. With Lucy slumped on his back, he could feel every breath she took on his neck, cheek, and ear. She would wriggle this way and that while commenting on how delightfully warm he was, sometimes tightening her grip on him. The trip to Lucy's house seemed to take forever. Once they arrived, he took her through the window with him and laid her on the bed.

Happy flew in and cuddled down on the chair Lucy kept at her desk. He was finished today.

Lucy smiled up at Natsu with tired eyes. "Thank you so much Natsu, for everything." She sat up and touched his cheek.

He sat down on the bed and placed his hand over her's, treasuring it, "Of course Luce. I'll always take care of you."

His partner closed her eyes and smiled. "I know." She then pulled her hand back and started removing her white over shirt, fully revealing her red tube top and a good portion of her glorious bosom.

Natsu's breath hitched, unclear of how he should respond. Lucy did him a favor though and simply laid down snuggling deep into her pillow after she discarded the garment. "Naaastu? I'm cold..."

Sounded like an invitation to him! He smiled, about to climb in with her and hold her close like he had last night, but something caught his eye. Natsu grabbed her wrist and was horrified at the rune he saw there. His mind turned numb. The only thing he could think to do was painfully pull the covers up to her chin, and back away.

Lucy... his Lucy had picked someone tonight, and it hadn't been him.

I LOVE YOU! DUN HATE ME!

Much love

Stay naughty

Seri!