I started this like… three months ago? Four? Time has no meaning anymore, so I'm not sure how long it's been. I've been distracted and busy, so it took too long is what I'm getting at. However, it's finished now! It's not what I was expecting, but I did work on it on and off for a long time.

I did do some editing this time to make sure it flowed, but just enough for that. Hope you enjoy! I have another version of this prompt coming soon.

As always, thanks for all the love and happy reading!

Prompt: The most wanted woman in town has announced that she'll only marry the one who can open her front door with the key around her cat's neck. Many men try to hunt the cat down, chase and trap it, but to no avail. The cat is simply too quick, smart, and clever, and always finds a way to evade and avoid them.

You are the first to figure out the obvious: Do not chase the cat. The cat is befriendable. Get the cat to trust you, to genuinely enjoy your company, and you can hang out with the cat. You may eventually be allowed to touch the cat. The cat will freely let you take the key.

"Levy? Stop chewing on your nails," Lucy scolded.

"I can't help it!" Levy yanked her hand away from her mouth only to start tapping her nails on the tabletop in a quick staccato. "What could it be? Do you know?"

"What could what be?"

"The surprise!" Levy groaned and flopped onto the table. "Lucy, I'm going crazy."

The blonde laughed and patted her friend's head. "You're just fine."

Recently, their town's Protector had decided that he was ready to settle down. As the town's strongest fighter and leader of the guard, he was the town's most eligible and sought after bachelor. Women, and even some men, had tried to catch his eye since he was given the title, but he'd never been interested. Even visitors from nearby villages and the capital city had tried to get into his favor, but none had ever succeeded. Those things together had made his declaration a surprise to everyone in the village.

Marriage wasn't the only thing he had promised either. There was a secret, something special as an extra incentive to try and win his hand- his words, of course.

There was one catch, however. The only way to earn his proposal was to catch his cat, Happy, and bring him the bauble that hung from the cat's neck.

Lucy had been flabbergasted when she'd heard. The man was so arrogant! Not only did he want to watch the town fight over him, he'd drug his cat into it! She'd met Happy a time or two. It was hard to miss him with that bright blue fur. He mostly seemed to come out at night, from what she'd heard, but she'd seen him a few times during the day. He was a troublemaker who snuck into shops and wreaked havoc before running off; he sometimes even stole food from vendors on the street. Natsu usually came by once he'd heard to compensate for the damage, so his shenanigans were usually tolerated.

Lucy's encounters with the cat had been slightly different. The first time had been while she'd been reading a book in her backyard. Happy had hopped out of her tree, landing right next to her and scaring her half to death. After she'd calmed down, she'd handed him a bit of her snack and then gone back to reading. He'd rubbed against her a bit before wandering off and bringing her back a flower. He'd ripped it off of one of the plants in her garden, but she'd appreciated the gesture nonetheless. After thanking him, she'd been surprised when he stuck around. He'd curled up next to her leg, and she'd spent the afternoon petting him when she read aloud.

The second time she'd run into him was while she was in town shopping. He'd been running from an angry shopkeeper and hid under her dress. She'd found it funny at the time, so she'd helped him hide until the gentleman had returned to his shop. After he revealed himself again, she'd found it odd that he wouldn't look at her. He'd merely rubbed against her in thanks before bounding off again.

Levy sat up. "Why aren't you interested?"

As calmly as she could, Lucy rested her chin in her hand and turned to the side, hoping to hide her blush. "Should I be interested?"

"Yes!" Lucy could feel her friend's eyes boring into her. "You're the mayor's daughter, he's the town's Protector, and you're both about the same age. Isn't that the type of match your father would want for you? Why aren't you even slightly interested?"

Because it's the match my father wants for me. Lucy sighed and picked up her fork. "It's… complicated."

Lucy was interested; very interested. She'd spoken with Natsu a few times, and she'd liked what she'd learned about the man. He was not typical Protector material; his personality did not suit that of a high ranked warrior, and he didn't dress the way a Protector should. Every time she'd met him, he'd been in loose pants with an open vest and a strange looking scarf, and his pink hair looked as though it had never seen a comb. He was strong, interesting, extremely handsome, and so different from the other suitors her father had picked, which she'd appreciated.

However, she didn't like the terms to 'win his hand,' and she didn't want to be with the man just because her father had convinced the man to marry her. She knew he'd tried, how many times she didn't know, but he was currently at the top of her father's suitor list.

Levy sighed and stared off across the room. "I know what you mean."

Lucy glanced over and saw Gajeel leaning on the back legs of his chair as he ate and listened to the other guards chatting. With a chuckle, she turned back and watched Levy stare for a while before she realized she was caught and cleared her throat.

"Well, guess I'd better get going," Lucy said as she stood.

"Off to work?"

"Yeah. Father has a few things he wants to discuss and then I have a lot of paperwork to take care of for him."

Levy waved as they parted, then went back to subtly staring at Gajeel. The thing was, Lucy had caught him doing the same more than once. If only they'd just talk to each other, she was certain their romance would bloom in no time.

Unlike her, with her uninteresting suitors and crazy cat man. She sighed as she headed home, already ready for the day to be over.

Lucy stormed through the streets, muttering every curse word she could think of as she let the night air try to cool her down. She wasn't sure why she was surprised by her father anymore. They had been fighting more and more lately, mostly due to her age and complete lack of interest in marriage.

"You need to start making babies," she said mockingly, imitating him. "You need to start making heirs before you get too old to attract any respectable man." She groaned loudly. "I am twenty years old. I don't want kids yet!"

With a swift kick, a small rock was sent flying down the road. "Is it so terrible I don't want to marry someone he considers 'a perfect husband' for me? He doesn't even know me! I want to choose my own husband, damn it!"

A ruckus behind her drew her attention and she turned in time to see Happy skid to a stop behind her. He stared up at her, his tail twitching back and forth happily as someone ran closer. Lucy cocked a hip as he watched her, curious what he was up to. Considering the sound footsteps she could hear approaching, she was surprised he was bothering to stop while he was being chased.

The cat looked behind him and then back at her. He meowed when she didn't do anything.

"What? Do you think I'm going to help you?"

Happy just continued to watch her.

Lucy looked around and then kicked over an empty crate on the edge of the road. She toed it so it was cockeyed with the opening facing away from Happy and then turned around to continue walking. "Sorry your owner is a dingus. That should hide you for now."

A moment later the footsteps made it to the road behind her. "Excuse me!"

Damn it, Lucy thought. She just wanted some quiet to calm down, was that too much to ask for? She plastered a smile on her face as she turned around. "Can I help you?"

"Oh, Ms. Heartfilia, it's you." It took her a moment, but she eventually realized that the girl before her was Laki. What was she doing out so late? Wasn't she a bit young to be trying to get together with Natsu?

Laki wrung her hands together. "Are you, uh, also trying to find Happy?"

"No, I'm just out walking," Lucy said before cocking her head to the side. "Isn't Natsu a bit old for you, Laki?"

The girl flushed so bright, even Lucy could see it in the dark. "Well, I'll be sixteen next week, so my parents thought it might be a good idea to… to try, you know." She glanced up. "Unless… you were, um-"

"Nope, not me. I'm just out walking," she reiterated. She pointed the opposite way down the road. "I saw Happy go that way, if you still want to find him."

A sigh exploded out of the girl. "Thank you," she said before turning and dashing off.

Lucy tried to walk away, but the cat dashed ahead of her a short while later and meowed at her. She sighed as she continued to walk, hoping if she ignored him, he'd leave. When he didn't, she growled and turned on him. "I already lied for you. Will you go now? I'm not having a good night, and your owner is half the reason!"

The cat hunkered down, ears back and tail tucked, instantly making Lucy feel bad. She ran her fingers through her hair, pulling on it to try and help focus her. "Alright, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you." She squatted down, and the cat instantly jumped back, looking excited and ready to run. "I'm still not chasing you," she warned.

"I just want my father to stop trying to marry off," she said. The cat perked up as she began to spill her guts to him. About her reservations about the work they were doing and her father's goal to have her run for mayor to take over for him some day. About the many suitors he'd been looking through, and her desire to not marry anyone he picked, even Natsu, who she actually liked. The cat became noticeably attentive when she was talking about his owner, but Lucy swore him to secrecy, not at all concerned that Natsu would somehow find out.

"Not only that, Plue got out yesterday and I'm worried about him because he's scared of the outdoors, so it doesn't make sense that he'd leave, and I think my father did it." She sighed. "Things are just getting complicated… I didn't expect this when I was younger."

With a last glance at the cat, she got to her feet. "Well, now that you've heard my whole sob story, I think I'm going to go home." Lucy gave the cat a half wave and turned to leave. "See you around, Happy."

She was pleasantly surprised when he didn't follow her. Sighing, she drug her sorry self home and went to bed, surprised to find that she actually felt a little better.

"Miss?"

Lucy finished writing and looked up. "What is it, Virgo?"

"You have a gift," the maid said, holding up a box. It was banged up a bit and had a few small holes torn in the side. "I thought you might want to open it right away."

Lucy frowned. "I don't really have time for-"

"Miss, you really want to open it right now." Virgo set the box on her desk, right on top of her work.

Confused, since Virgo was never this insistent, Lucy set aside her pen. "What's gotten into you this morning?"

Seeing that she wasn't going to just push the box away, Virgo nodded and then left, closing the door behind her. Lucy sighed as she finally looked at the box and noticed a note taped to the top. She pulled it off and opened it.

Happy brought a friend home this morning. I remember seeing him at your house when I visited a few months ago and wanted to make sure he made it back to you.

I hope he brightens your day,

Natsu

A sound drew her eyes to the box. When it wiggled she grew even more hesitant to open it, until she heard a quiet meow. She shot to her feet and quickly opened the top to find Plue, a little dirty and obviously terrified, but alive. The cat jumped out of the box into her arms, meowing and purring as he rubbed against her. Lucy sat down heavily, holding Plue close as she cried; relieved that he was finally home.

That evening, when she saw the shadow outside of her window, she went to the kitchen to grab the fish she'd bought at the market that day, and went out to walk with Happy again.

"I don't believe you," Levy said, gaping at her friend. They sat in Lucy's private library, basking in the warmth from the open windows while enjoying some tea and treats.

"Why would I lie?" Lucy said.

"I don't think you're lying," Levy said, "I just don't believe you."

The blonde shrugged and drank some of her tea. "I don't know what to tell you."

"But why?" Levy asked, stressing the word.

"I already told you, I don't-"

"Is his cat a familiar?" Levy's eyes lit up. "Natsu is a witch! That's how he did it!" She laughed. "That's what his surprise is! He's a witch and Happy is his familiar! That's how he figured out that he needed to find Plue! I bet the cat told him and he went out and found Plue for you!"

Levy practically fell out of her chair as she vibrated with excitement. "He must like you, too!"

Lucy cocked an eyebrow. "Too?"

"That's why he found Plue," Levy continued, ignoring Lucy's words, "and sent him to you like a gift! That's why Happy is friendly with you and not anyone else!"

With a shake of her head, Lucy stood and gathered the dishes onto the tray for Virgo. "That's crazy Levy, and you know it. Come on." She helped Levy to her feet and ushered her towards the door. "I have to clean up so I can get back to work. I'll see you tomorrow."

"But Lucy-"

"We'll talk about it tomorrow, okay?" Lucy firmly shut the door behind her friend and then returned to her chair, not at all certain she believed her own words.

"You know, Levy thinks your master is a witch." Lucy had avoided walking with Happy for nearly a week. There had been a surge of people looking for him recently, and she hadn't wanted to deal with it. It had nothing to do with what Levy had said.

Nothing at all.

The cat meowed in response, tail ticking spastically behind him. He had seemed rather depressed waiting for her that evening, but perked right up when she appeared. She had been surprised to find the streets empty for the first night since she'd last joined him.

She chuckled when the cat's ears flattened and he huffed. His reaction humored her, but she avoided letting him see the entirety of her amusement. "I can't really imagine your owner being a witch, though. Can you? Cackling as he threw his herbs and bat wings into a cauldron to brew up potions. Flying on a broom and wearing a tall pointy hat."

Chuckling again, Lucy stopped at the end of town, looking out across the fields that were lit by the full moon in the sky. "I'd pay to see him do that. Not that I think I'd need to," she added, glancing down to see that he was sitting closer than usual. Looking back up at the moon, she continued. "Since you can't talk to him, I feel comfortable telling you that I like your owner. A lot. And not just because he's gorgeous."

She let out a long sigh. "He's so different from any man I've ever met. He's arrogant in a way that isn't insufferable and selfless in his duties as Protector. He's boisterous without being annoying, and loud in a way that draws the eye and makes you smile. He's quietly involved in everything in a way that's not invasive, but allows him to keep an eye on things. He's… he's just so wonderful. If nothing else, I wish i could be his friend."

She sat down right where she was standing, on the edge of the road with the long grass tickling her legs. "I've never wanted to be friends with someone so much. I think he would be a great friend. He'd listen to what you had to say, and he'd try to fix everything, all the time, because he wants to make you happy. But when it really, truly mattered, I think he'd know when you just needed support, and he'd listen quietly. Maybe hold your hand, or let you put your head on his shoulder."

Lucy tipped her head sideways, imagining a strong shoulder underneath it as she continued to scan the sky. "I think he'd listen to me rant about my father's ridiculous expectations. He'd laugh at the things I say to my father when he's in one of his moods. He'd reassure me that it's my life and that I should marry who I want. When I want."

Her eyes burned, surprising her when tears formed and spilled over quietly. Quickly wiping them away, Lucy cleared her throat. "I have Levy to talk to, of course, I just think it'd be different with someone like him, you know?"

Lucy leaned back, placing her palms on the road so she could more easily study the sky. With her head tipped back, she didn't see Happy move, but she did notice when he leaned against her. She tilted her head carefully and found Happy sitting, pressed close to her thigh.

She didn't say or do anything to draw attention to it, but Happy turned his head and met her eyes. He meowed and then turned back, his head also tipped back to look at the sky.

Content, Lucy lifted her face once more and quietly watched the sky with him, marvelling at the strange moment.

A knock at the front door drew Lucy's attention from her work. It was the second knock and Virgo had not come to open it yet. If it was someone for her father, Capricorn would have already been waiting, which meant it was a citizen. Lucy quickly picked up her papers and flipped them before standing. She reached the door just as another knock started.

"I'm so sorry for keeping you wai- Natsu!" Lucy jerked back, feeling surprisingly vulnerable. Spending so much time with his cat, without his permission or knowledge, suddenly had her feeling like she was doing something wrong. Luckily, that insecurity rapidly disappeared as she drank in his visage once more.

It had been a long time since she'd talked to him. It had been that awkward dinner her father had invited him over for- just the three of them. To his credit, he'd given no hint of being uncomfortable, and even less that he'd figured out he was there as a test from her father to assess their compatibility.

She cleared her throat and opened the door wider. "Would you like to come in?"

"Sure, thanks." He gave her a wide grin, making her suddenly feel very warm.

Once she'd shut the door, he held out a small bag. "Here."

"Th-thank you?" She took the bag, nearly jerking away when his hot hand grazed her own.

"It's nothing special," he reassured her. "Just the blanket you left with Happy."

Brown eyes collided with dark green as she looked up and found him standing just a little too close. "How did you-"

"I saw it when I was here last time," he answered. His eyes distracted her, causing her thoughts to stutter. Train of thought gone, Lucy took a step away. Using her desk as a blockade, she set down the bag and pulled out her blanket. It was warm, and she lifted it so she could smell that it had been washed.

"Happy sheds, so I cleaned it for you," he explained. "I hope that's okay."

"No, uh, that's fine. Thank you." Lucy returned it to the bag and set it on the floor. "I didn't honestly expect it to come back."

"I had to go find Happy this morning and he was still curled up in it." Natsu put his hands in his pockets, content it seemed to stick around. "Isn't it getting a bit late for you to still be working?"

"A little," she admitted, "but I have something I need to finish today." Feeling more confident, she folded her hands and leaned forward on her desk. "How about you? You must have a lot of free time if you can spend the morning washing and drying a blanket, not to mention hand delivering it all the way to my house."

Natsu chuckled. "It's really not that far," he said. "And I was training some new guys while I waited for it to dry." He came forward, and instead of sitting on one of the chairs, sat on the edge of her desk. "Don't worry, Ms. Secretary. I'm earning my paycheck, promise."

Lucy felt her face heat up. "Oh, no. No, I wasn't- I didn't mean to imply-" She clenched her fists and sat back, increasing the space between them. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you."

He cocked his head, his smile slipping a little. "You didn't, I was just teasing you. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" she asked, trying to draw attention from herself. She made a show of moving the papers on her desk around.

"Actually there is. I wanted to ask if you wanted to get dinner with me. Tonight." Lucy was so surprised that the papers she was gathering slipped through her fingers as she slid them off the edge of the desk. When she squatted to pick them up, Natsu immediately joined her and helped her regather them. "I'm sorry, didn't mean to startle you."

"No no, it's fine." She cleared her throat as she stood, holding her papers against her chest. "Can I ask… why?"

He grinned and shrugged. "I think we'd have fun."

Virgo interrupted, giving Lucy a moment to try and line up her thoughts. "I'm sorry I wasn't available to get the door earlier, prin-"

"It's fine," Lucy said, cutting her off before she could finish that particular pet name. "I already answered the door."

"Do you need anything?" Virgo asked, eyes scanning Natsu.

"Yes, actually." Lucy swapped her papers for the bag with her blanket and walked across the room. Lucy lowered her voice and asked, "Do you mind taking this to my room?"

"Of course, miss."

"I have one more question," Lucy said, leaning forward slightly. "A request actually. Can you please ask Capricorn if my father has been in contact with Mr. Dragneel recently?" she whispered.

"I don't need to," Virgo answered. "I have already had him monitoring your father's activity when it comes to finding you a husband." That was new information for Lucy, but it was not a surprise. Her maid was very protective of her and her wishes. "He has not made any plans with Mr. Dragneel recently. I could ask him again when he's available if you'd like."

"Thank you." Lucy glanced over her shoulder and then back, an idea quickly forming in her mind. "When you do, can you also inform my father I will finish up the paperwork he asked for in the morning?"

Virgo frowned. "He said that it needs to be done today, miss."

"He won't mind," Lucy said with a smile. "When he asks, just tell him that Natsu asked me to go to dinner and I said yes."

The maid's eyes widened. "Are you-"

"It's not a date, but my father will think it is," Lucy said smugly, "and won't mind me not finishing my work."

"I will do as you've asked, miss." Virgo gave her a rare brief smile. "I will go fetch your jacket."

"Thank you." Lucy turned around, a smile on her face and butterflies in her tummy.

"So, what did you have in mind for dinner?"

Happy meowed, drawing Lucy's attention from the sky above. They'd been sitting silently for a long time, but for the life of her, Lucy couldn't find any words for the poor feline. He always seemed happy to listen to her talk about whatever came to mind, but she was having a hard time putting any of her thoughts into words.

Her father had come home that afternoon and informed her he'd chosen a husband for her. Just walked through the door and told her who he'd chosen and when the wedding would be as though they were discussing the weather before retreating to his office to take care of some business.

No matter what she'd done, he'd refused to talk to her, and Capricorn had not allowed her to enter the study, albeit with a regretful expression. She'd left soon after and had been walking aimlessly for hours. At one point, she'd found herself heading out of town, which direction she couldn't remember, and had very nearly continued walking.

She didn't even know the guy. She knew the Makarov name, of course, since the patriarch of the family was the governor of the state, but she'd never met him or his grandson. She knew the middle Makarov had been part of a large scandal several years prior, but it had not affected life in their little town so she hadn't paid much attention to it.

Lucy didn't care how well off Laxus was, or that he was 'from good stock' and 'was a prime specimen.' That didn't make a good marriage. Her father was treating her union like another business deal, and her like a bargaining chip. She knew he only wanted to set them up because it would allow him some sway over getting additional funding for their town for whatever projects he'd been cooking up recently, and she wasn't going to just go along with it.

She didn't want to be part of some merger; she wanted a marriage.

When Happy suddenly appeared near her face and rubbed against her chin, she realized that she was crying. Tears were running into her ears and hair since she was laying on her back. She used her sleeve to dry out her ears and sat up to clean off her face. "I'm sorry I'm not better company," she said to Happy. He meowed and in a move that greatly surprised Lucy, jumped into her lap.

"Are you sure it's okay to do this?" she asked, hands hovering uncertainly. "What if I swipe your bauble when you least expect it?"

Happy meowed again before leaning down and rubbing his head against hand, the little gem within an inch of her fingers. Lucy tilted her head so she could study it and found a small red crystal. Looking closely, she could make out some sort of shape inside it, but it was too dark to figure out what it was for sure. He continued to rub against her, always with that crystal within easy reach.

She grinned and scratched his chin. "You're hoping I'll try to grab it, aren't you? You just want me to chase you."

The purring intensified, but he didn't move away. He rolled over exposing his belly, his head nestled in her hand. Lucy sighed and pet his head slowly. For the first time, she found herself tempted to grab the crystal. Happy's eyes were closed, so if she could just wrap her arm around him, she could easily slip his collar off, and thus, have the crystal. Hell, he might even just let her have it, considering how little he bothered trying to get away from her lately.

Still, she refused. It was the coward's way out.

"I won't use your owner as a scapegoat," she whispered, causing Happy to open his eyes. "Even if he would be a better match. Even though I like him well enough, and he set this whole thing up and I could easily…" Her hand moved to settle against the cat's belly without her even thinking. He froze, eyes focused wholly on her as his body tensed.

"It would be so easy right now, but I just… can't." She grit her teeth and released Happy as she shot up to her feet. "I need to stand up to my father and just tell him no. There's no other way." Happy meowed, sounding concerned to Lucy's foggy mind. "I don't want to marry Laxus, or anyone else he's chosen. I want to marry who I want to marry. When I want to get married."

She looked down. "And if he won't let me… then maybe I'll just have to leave."

Happy meowed softly as she left. When he tried to follow her, Lucy held out a hand. "No Happy, stay. I need time alone, okay?" She hesitated. "Thank you, though. For being around."

Lucy let out a long breath and turned to leave. "Hopefully I'll see you later."

"Pri- miss?" Virgo pulled open the door to Lucy's office. "Miss? You have a visitor." The maid opened the door wider and stepped inside, disappearing from Natsu's view.

"Is now a bad time?" Natsu asked.

"I… guess it is." Natsu took a step forward and realized that the room was empty. The maid frowned, alerting Natsu to the likelihood of a problem. He'd never seen the woman's face give away any emotion before.

"Where is she?"

Virgo ignored him and hurried away, heading up the stairs. "Please wait here, Mr. Dragneel."

Natsu's instincts had him following her as soon as she turned the corner and disappeared from sight. By the time he made it to the top of the stairs, Virgo had already started talking to someone. He stopped next to the corner, where he could still hear without being seen.

"-thought she was in her office, but she is gone. Did she speak with her father again?" Virgo tried to remain emotionless like usual, but she'd never lost track of Lucy like this before.

"No," Capricorn answered, "she hasn't. They fought this morning just before lunch and then he locked himself in his office afterward. He's still inside, but no one else has joined him all afternoon."

Virgo's hands twisted in her skirt against her will. "Has she been upstairs at all? She is not in her office, and I just finished vacuuming the upstairs so I know she's not in her room or the library."

"I haven't seen her," Capricorn said. "I'm sure she just went into town or for a walk. You know how she likes her space after a fight with her father." He put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently. "Don't worry too much, I'm sure she's okay."

"I'm not worried," Virgo said, hoping her face was as neutral as usual. "I just don't know what to tell Mr. Dragneel about when she'll be back."

Capricorn arched a brow. "He's here again?"

Virgo nodded. "Yes."

The butler leaned forward and whispered, "Are he and the young miss…?"

"I don't know, but I believe he would be a better match than the man Mr. Heartfilia has chosen for her."

Capricorn glanced around as he stood again. "You know you should be careful about expressing your opinion like that where Mr. Heartfilia could hear you."

"I believe he knows it would be more hassle than it's worth to replace me," Virgo said, completely serious. "I will just have to tell Mr. Dragneel that I have no idea when she will be back. Thank you for your help."

"Let me know when she returns." Even though Capricorn looked as unruffled as usual, Virgo could tell he was worried.

"I shall." Virgo gave him a short nod before returning to their guest. "Mr. Dragneel, I am sorry, but I don't know… when…"

Virgo paused at the top of the stairs, surprised to find the foyer empty and the front door wide open.

"What do you think, Plue?" Lucy laid back, allowing her cat to stretch out against her side with his butt tucked against her armpit. He meowed quietly and then began to purr loudly in his uneven rhythm. Lucy chuckled. "I agree."

Sighing, the blonde curled her free arm under her head and stared up at the leaves above her, spying dots of blue where the sky peeked through. She'd fought with her father again, but this time, she'd refused to cave. What had followed was a shouting match like no other they'd had before. She wouldn't be surprised if she returned and found her things tossed onto the front lawn. Or thrown away.

Neither was very likely, since her father would never toss out her things on his own. He'd have the staff do it, and they would all probably box it up and hide it for her. She wasn't sure she cared one way or another, since she'd have to pack everything up anyway.

Because she had finally done it. She'd told her father no.

She suspected he'd been close to kicking her out until she'd pointed out how that would look to the town. Their mayor, turning out his only daughter because of a disagreement? Not only that, she was loved by the townsfolk. They were likely to riot if he were to act so rashly. For those reasons, he'd agreed to negotiate.

For agreeing to stay on as his secretary, she was allowed to move out into her own home. She would also start getting a paycheck, since he was cutting her off from his money so long as she refused to marry Laxus, or anyone else of his choosing. She'd already saved up a bit from doing odd jobs around town, but she would have to keep an eye on how much he was paying her. Her father was a businessman first and foremost, so he would do whatever he could to save a buck, even if it meant shafting her.

There was a lot to figure out, but for now, she was happy with her choice. She knew there were a few houses in town that were empty that she might be able to purchase. If she couldn't afford them, she could stay with Levy for a while until she got things settled. Feeling better than she had in a long time, Lucy closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax.

A loud meow in the distance startled Lucy just as she began to fall asleep. She lifted her head to find Happy standing nearby with his ears back, chest heaving as he panted. She lifted her torso and leaned on one elbow. "Hey Happy, are you okay?"

The cat bound forward and dropped something on the ground before backing away.

Lucy gasped when she realized what it was. "Happy… you can't give this to me!" She leaned away, as though it would disappear if she just didn't touch it.

It was the red gem.

Happy meowed and took more steps away.

"No no no no." Lucy pulled Plue close and scooted farther away from it. "I can't take that, Happy. I can't. I won't choose a husband this way. I just got out from my father's clutches, I'm not going to let someone else, no matter how adorable you are, choose my fate like that. I won't." She pointed at the gem. "Take it back now."

Happy began to meow, loudly and obnoxiously, nothing like she'd ever heard from him before. He paced as he did it, back and forth, tail swishing angrily behind him. Lucy didn't move as he yowled, just watched in confusion until he finally stopped, paws planted on the ground and eyes focused angrily on her.

"I really wish I could speak cat right now," she said.

A sudden blast of heat had Lucy flinching and closing her eyes. Before it had passed, an annoyed voice shouted, "I said you can't just leave because you're dad's being an ass, Luce!"

Shock had Lucy's eyes opening too early. She ignored the sting as she stared at where Natsu stood, in the exact same place Happy had been. Blinking didn't make the vision disappear. Instead, he moved forward to grab her by the arms. He shook her slightly. "You can't let him control you, Lucy, but you also can't run away because of him!"

Lucy's mouth slowly opened and closed as she stared at him. Natsu was there. In front of her.

Happy wasn't a familiar…

Happy was Natsu.

"You are a witch," Lucy murmured. "I can't believe Levy was right."

"Can you focus please," Natsu growled, exasperated. "And I'm a shapeshifter, not a witch."

"Levy will be so surprised," Lucy said. Shock had a firm hold over her, so she did nothing more than stare as Natsu continued to scold her. The words didn't stick, although she got the general meaning; he wasn't going to let her leave just because her father was being difficult.

Eventually Lucy managed to pull her thoughts together a bit and interrupt him. "Natsu, I'm not leaving."

"And I won't just- wait, what? You're not?"

"No, I'm not."

"But you said you were going to."

"I convinced my father to negotiate," she said.

Natsu released her and leaned away. "You did?"

"Yes."

"You're really not leaving?"

"No."

"Oh." Natsu sat back on his butt and stared at her. "Oh," he said again. Letting out a noisy breath, he ran his hands over his face. "I thought… when you weren't home I assumed… Gods, I feel like an idiot."

Lucy chuckled. "It's okay." Suddenly, his identity hit her like a ton of bricks.

It hadn't been Happy she'd walked and talked with, it had been Natsu…

Eyes wide, she leaned forward and socked him in the arm. Natsu yowled and wrapped his other arm around the injured limb. "What was that for?!"

"For lying to me!" Lucy gasped. "I told you things… I talked to Happy like I would Plue and you- if you ever tell anyone what I said, Natsu-"

"I won't, I won't!" He scooted farther away. "I won't tell anyone, I promise!"

"Good." She deflated, her emotions shifting too much for her to fully understand how she felt at the moment. "Why did you do it?"

"Not tell anyone I'm a shapeshifter? Because people get antsy about magic still-"

"Not that, I mean what you did with the town," she said. "Offering to marry whoever could catch Hap- you. Why did you do it?"

Natsu glanced away as he scratched the back of his head. "I heard what was going on with your dad, and I thought… I guess I thought that you might decide my offer was more appealing than whatever your dad had going on. I knew that you liked me at least a bit, even as just someone to be friends with. I thought it might be a better option for you."

Lucy raised an eyebrow. "So you were, what, just going to marry me and be friends so that I could avoid a marriage I didn't want?"

"Well no, I was hoping I could… well, you know… I was hoping to…" Natsu's face continued to grow redder and redder as he faltered.

Lucy's own face grew warm as she looked away. "Well, that was nice of you," she said, "but you didn't have to do that for me."

"I wanted to," he said firmly. He chuckled and fell back. His arm covered his eyes as he groaned. "It was dumb, I know. I should have just talked to you."

"Yes you should have."

With a small smile, Lucy set Plue aside and crawled closer to him. When she bumped his side with her hand, he lifted his arm, eyes widening when he saw how close she was. "I appreciate the gesture, though. No matter how ill thought out it was." She leaned down and kissed his cheek.

After sitting back up, Lucy grabbed the red stone and handed it to him. "I believe this is yours." He took it from her and smiled.

"You know what this means-"

"No," she said putting her hand over his mouth. "If you want to-" Lucy gestured between them. "If you want this to be something, you'll ask me out like a normal person. And you will stop this nonsense with your alternate form, too."

Natsu grinned at her. "Are you sure? Maybe I like being chased."

Was she sure? After she had finally gotten her father to lay off, was she really going to consider dating? It wasn't as permanent as marriage, but it felt close to being saved from drowning only to jump back into the water. Still, this time, she would be the one in control. The one to make the choice and decide who she was dating.

Looking at him, that choice grew even more appealing. He was a great guy, she knew that; hell, the whole town knew it. Literal hordes of people had thrown themselves at his cat- at him- in an effort to be with him!

And even though he'd done what he'd done, his ego had never been the reason for the chase. He'd been trying to help her. That had to count for something, right? Combined with the comfort he'd provided her over the last few months, and finding Plue when he'd been missing, the least she could do was give him a chance.

Even so, she wouldn't make it easy for him. She wasn't some soft willed little girl ready to fall into his arms at the slightest smile. If they were going to be together, they were going to do it the right way.

With that decided, Lucy leaned forward with a grin. Natsu's smile faltered as she fluttered her eyelashes at him. "Perhaps I'll chase you then," she said as she cocked her head.

"Uh wh- what? Really?"

"Pfft." Lucy hugged Plue close and got to her feet. "If there's going to be any chasing, it better be mutual, kitty boy."

Natsu blanched. "Please don't call me that."

She held out her hand. "No promises." He looked at her hand and then at her. With a smile, she said. "Tell you what. I won't call you that in public. Like say… when we have dinner tonight?" His eyes widened. "My treat?"

His eyes lit up as his smile returned. He grabbed her offered hand and let her pull him to his feet with a swift tug.

"You're on."

Plot Twist: The woman is a shapeshifter. She is the cat.

Happy November everyone :)