So, it turns out that Lucy should have been a bit more concerned when Natsu asked her out.

Don't get her wrong, she was absolutely thrilled. So thrilled that she annoyed Metal all night about it. But it wasn't long till he annoyingly tried to talk some sense into her.

"Chill, c'mon," he said for the tenth time. "You're giving me a fucking headache. And you're being confusing as fuck."

"What do you mean?" she asked, ignoring the headache comment.

"I thought this was all a cause for concern," he reminded her in a rumbling voice. "You said so yourself that the closer you get to him in real life the weirder it's going to be in game. And the weirder it'll be when he inevitably finds out."

"You don't know that – "

"When he inevitably finds out," Metal reiterated through grit teeth. Lucy hung her head back.

"I know, I know," she finally caved. "I know I'm being an idiot but what the hell am I meant to do?"

"Tell him the truth."

Lucy bit her lip and went quiet. He was right. Of course, he was. The only thing she was doing was overcomplicating things for herself in the future and watering her lie.

"…Fine," she said quietly. Metal 'Hm'ed in her headphones. "I'll tell him."

"When?"

Lucy went quiet again and Metal growled.

"The longer you leave it the harder it'll be," he reminded her. Lucy sighed and nodded to herself.

"I'll tell him at the end of this week," she shrugged, trying to ignore the knot in her stomach at the thought. "He only asked me today so that way I'm giving him an out before we get in too deep."

"Smart," Metal commented. "But this isn't about giving him an out. Maybe he won't care."

"Hah," Lucy scoffed and hung her head back to stare at her ceiling. "Imagine."

"Whatever, you all good now? I needa hit the hay."

"Kay, thanks for tonight. You know, you've turned into one of my closest friends, right?"

"Just threw up a bit in my mouth," and he hung up.

Lucy laughed lightly to herself, closing the chatroom tab, and turning off her computer. She chuckled evilly as she tied up her hair in a bun atop her head.

"Sucker," she giggled. "Like I'm gonna tell anyone."

Yeah. Hold onto that thought.

"Okay, so we're doing this again."

"Yup."

"So, Natsu came by your house and asked you out." Levy stated and Lucy nodded.

"Yes."

"And then you went on call with Metal, who convinced you to tell Natsu the truth before you make an even bigger mess of this situation." Cana continued.

"Uh-huh."

"But you lied because you're actually planning on just living out this lie as long as you can till you genuinely have no other choice but to tell the truth." Levy rounded up.

"That's right."

"Lucy," Cana groaned as she threw her head back. Lucy frowned and turned her eyes back to the path as they walked to class. "You're so hopeless. You know he's right."

"Not necessarily," Lucy shrugged and walked ahead of them. "You said so yourself - If I just act the same way, as Chill and Lucy, Natsu won't suspect a thing."

"I suggested that to give you more time," Cana hissed as Levy shot her a disapproving glare. "I didn't mean it was a permanent fix!"

"Well, it could be!" Lucy snapped as they reached their college. She stopped and spun around to face her friends. "If I tell Natsu, then I'll have to tell Ice – No, Gray, who is in some of my classes too, would you believe! It's double the humiliation."

"Uh – Lucy," Levy tried to cut in, but Lucy wasn't finished.

"And you're forgetting the little matter of Natsu actually liking me. Me. Lucy. Not some girl who pretends to be a guy and plays games with him on the internet."

"Lucy – "

"And another thing! You're acting like Metal's word is law! I'll have you know he makes a point to try and stress me out every time we play games by making girl jokes which is really immature. He doesn't know what he's talking about! I, however, do know what I'm talking about."

"Oh, do you now?"

"Yes, I – Oh."

Lucy's shoulders tensed so much she nearly got cramp. Her eyes froze on Cana and Levy, who were looking over her shoulder with wide eyes.

"So," Levy managed to croak before clearing her throat. "You say your friend's name is Metal?"

Lucy winced. "Yes."

"Huh," Cana pursed her lips and nodded, her gaze never leaving the spot way over Lucy's shoulder. "And you said that he assured you you'd know him when you saw him."

"Yeah,"

"Just by the name Metal." Levy added. Lucy closed her eyes and sighed before turning around slowly.

She looked the man before her up and down before grimacing and nodding slowly.

"Okay. I see what you meant now."

She should have known that, with her luck, Metal was going to be just as hot as Natsu and Gray.

Metal was so tall. At least six four. Lucy fell a step back as her eyes fell on the countless piercings that were dotted stylishly around his face and on his ears. Lucy could even see some poking out from behind his sleeves. She couldn't imagine how many he must have had.

He had an impressive mass of jet-black hair, that was messily pulled back into a lazy ponytail that fell down his back. His eyes were a shocking crimson red, the colour of wine. They were looking down at her in amusement.

"So…" He grumbled as he looked her up and down. Lucy sighed and closed her eyes in annoyance. "A blondie?"

"Shut up," she couldn't help but grin. "I suspect you heard me bad mouthing you."

"Obviously," he adjusted his bag on his shoulder but grinned at her. "I knew you were never going to do it. You're such a fucking coward."

Lucy just rolled her eyes and punched him in the chest. She winced before cradling her hand. "Ow."

"Woulda warned you." He nodded towards her friends. "You her friends?"

"Yeah," Levy answered for her and Cana, her eyes narrowed. Metal tilted his head and squinted his eyes at the small blunette.

"Yeah, I gotta bone to pick with you."

"Excuse me?"

"Blondie here keeps pretending I'm one of you when she needs to cry or be annoying," he explained dryly, ignoring Lucy's spluttering.

"Ah, I heard," Levy started to smile in amusement. "Apparently you make a lovely girl friend."

"Oh, God," Metal groaned.

"Okay, enough." Lucy interrupted, throwing a glare at Metal. "So, real name?"

"Eh?"

"I can't keep calling you Metal."

"Oh," he rubbed the back of his neck and nodded. "Gajeel."

"Weird," Lucy tilted her head ignored his glare. "I assume I don't have to tell you mine's Lucy since you're just going to call me Blondie."

"Yup."

"So predictable." She sighed. Gajeel laughed.

"Anyway," he tilted his head and looked pointedly at her. "You're really not gonna tell Dragon?"

"No."

"Lucy."

Him saying her name sent a slight shockwave through her, but she ignored it. "I need more time."

"Right," Levy rolled her eyes and Lucy glared back at her before frowning.

"Where's Cana?"

"You didn't realise? Everyone has made their way to class. I have another twenty minutes but you guys – "

"This is not over!" Lucy spluttered and she ran towards the doors along with Gajeel.

"Whatever." He sneered.

It was hard to avoid Natsu all day but not impossible. He fought with Gray every chance he got so it was easy to slip away unnoticed between classes.

"Oh, hey blondie,"

"Ugh," Lucy hung her head back as she turned to face a smirking Gajeel. They were the only ones left in the hallway as everyone else filtered off to their next class. Lucky (or unlucky) for Lucy, she had a free period. "Don't you have class?"

"Cancelled." He shrugged and Lucy frowned.

"That sucks." She folded her arms over her chest. "When's your next one."

"Three. Then I leave at five."

Lucy huffed. "Same."

Gajeel laughed and began to say something else when he was cut off by the sound of a brawl.

"I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD, FLAME FREAK, GET BACK HERE!"

"NO."

"RIGHT NOW."

"NO!"

Natsu and Gray tumbled through the halls, seemingly fighting over something when they nearly fell into Gajeel, who pushed them back roughly.

"Back the fuck up, you losers," he said but his voice held humour. Gray and Natsu pushed away from each other the round on Gajeel.

"How's about you mind your own business?" Gray squared up towards him and Natsu followed suit.

"Yeah! You big Metal – " Natsu jumped in, and Gray narrowed his eyes.

"Wait – "

"Freak – What?"

Gray turned his head at the taller male, but Natsu just watched on cluelessly. Lucy shook her head at him with a smile from her position at the side. He was literally the one who called him Metal Freak. Gray turned his head before smiling slowly and pointing at Gajeel.

"…Metal?"

"Mhm," Gajeel hummed with a smirk, his arms crossed over his massive chest. Gray laughed gruffly and held out a hand.

"Man, this is insane," he said as Gajeel grabbed his hand and slapped his back with a laugh.

"You got that right," Gajeel agreed as Natsu looked between the two in confusion.

"The fuck is happenin' right now?" Natsu finally asked. Gray cast him an incredulous look.

"Fire breath, you can't not know who this guy is."

Natsu shrugged. "He's a big, metal – Oh. Oh."

"Sup, Flame Brain."

"Metal Freak!" Natsu shouted cheerfully. They all laughed again, and Lucy had to fight a feeling of jealousy. She couldn't feel sorry for herself because they were all meeting. She made her bed and now she had to lie in it.

"Oh, Lucy," Natsu finally seemed to notice her presence. His eyes solely focused on her as he walked around his friends to greet her properly. "I didn't see ya there."

"It's okay," she waved him off, but had a sudden feeling of unease. "You were busy. Anyway, I gotta run – "

"Where ya goin', Blondie?"

Lucy froze on her heels as she tried to turn away. She winced before turning back to glare at Gajeel over her shoulder.

"Class," she answered though gritted teeth. Gajeel hummed and she had to stop herself from throwing something at him.

"You just said you have a free period," He frowned in confusion, but Lucy wasn't dumb enough not to see the evil gleam in his eyes.

"I meant the library." She snapped. Her eyes grew wide when she noted Natsu's confusion.

"You two know each other?" he asked from beside Gray, who was just watching them all through narrow eyes.

"Oh, yeah, known Blondie for quite a few months now," Gajeel said casually before she could get a word in. Lucy nearly nodded to herself mockingly.

"That so?" Gray murmured; Lucy could swear she could detect some suspicion in his gaze, but Natsu spoke again before she could ponder it.

"That's sweet," he grinned. "These are the guy's I've gamed with for years. We've never met in person before, so this is – "

"A lot." Gajeel finished for him. He cast Lucy another mocking smile. "Do you game, Blondie?"

It was physically painful to keep a smile on her face and not hit him. She nodded slowly. "Yep."

"You should see her set up," Natsu was eyeing her almost proudly. Lucy couldn't help but feel a little flutter in her chest at his gaze. "It's insane."

"Anyways," Lucy cut in, trying her hardest not to glare at Gajeel. "I gotta run the library. Gajeel, didn't you have to go there too?"

"Wait, hold up – Your name is Gajeel?" Natsu cut in and chuckled. "Weird."

"Oi, it's no stranger than Natsu!" Gajeel snapped.

"Like hell is my name – "

"How did you know his name was Natsu?"

Everyone went silent at the sound of Gray's calm voice. Lucy looked over to find him stood almost lazily, his hands in his pockets but his blue orbs were narrowed and focused on Gajeel, who seemed at a loss for words.

"I – I obviously heard one of you guys say it."

"No one said it," Gray frowned. "I only refer to this idiot with flame related insults, like you. And I didn't hear Lucy say it either."

"I did," Lucy cut in, trying to control her expression when their eyes fell to her. "When you guys were fighting, I said, 'Is that Natsu?' Gajeel must have overheard me."

"Yeah," Gajeel agreed gruffly.

Gray's eyes flickered between the two of them before his face curled up in a slow, amused smile. He shrugged. "Okay."

"Anyway," Lucy breathed for the last time. "I gotta run. Gajeel?"

"Coming – I'll speak to you guys tonight?"

"Sure – Hey, now we just have to meet Chill." Natsu joked. Lucy couldn't even force herself to laugh as she turned and started to walk as Gajeel said his goodbyes.

"Hah, yeah. Anyways, later."

"Bye."

As they rounded the corner, Lucy whipped around and punched Gajeel in the arm.

"'Ey!"

"You stupid, metal idiot!" She whispered furiously as she rounded on him. "What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking it was the perfect opportunity to mess with you." He frowned and rubbed his arm. "That stung a little."

"Good. Did you see Gray's face? He knows that something is wrong."

"No, he doesn't," Gajeel rolled his eyes. "You don't know these guys like I do. These things just go over their heads."

"Well, it didn't go over his!" She hissed. "Natsu I'm not too worried about but Gray knew that something was up. Why did you call Natsu Natsu? Are you stupid?"

"Alright, just chill out, Chill," He sneered, and Lucy recoiled.

"Was that meant to be funny?"

Gajeel scoffed.

"It was fucking hysterical."

"It really wasn't."

"I thought it was pretty funny."

That was it. Obviously, the universe hated Lucy. Her and Gajeel turned slowly to find Gray leant on the opposite wall of the hallway, his eyes alight with humour. Natsu was nowhere to be seen. Lucy just slumped against the wall at Gajeel's side, utterly defeated.

"But I am a little confused," he frowned, and his eyes found Lucy's directly. "You're Chill?"

"…Yes." She sighed. Gray looked to the ground and clicked his tongue.

"I don't understand," he began but Gajeel cut in.

"Guys gave her hell."

"Ah."

Gray nodded in understanding, all confusion suddenly absent from his expression and he nodded.

"Wait, so you're just cool with it?" She asked hesitantly. Gray looked at her at a loss before turning his gaze to Gajeel for help.

"She had this weird theory that we would treat her like shit if we found out she was a girl," Gajeel rolled his eyes and Gray rose his eyebrows. "I thought it was weird too."

"It isn't weird!" Lucy whined. "I lied to you guys for months – "

"Blondie, girl's pretending to be guys so they can game is common as fuck," Gajeel told her, her crimson eyes blazing. "It sucks, but it's not weird. Some guys are just dicks."

"That's true," Gray agreed, Lucy's eyes fell to him. "But the moment you realised that we were not dicks you should have said something."

"I was going to," Lucy muttered. "Things just got… Really complicated."

"Yeah, how?"

Lucy went quiet and Gajeel chuckled.

"You might wanna sit down for this one, man."

"Wait, WHAT?"

"Yeah, I know!"

Lucy let her head fall onto the table. The three of them walked to a nearby coffee place to tell Gray about her weird relationship with Natsu. She should have known it was going to take forever.

"I'm late for my next class…" she tried to mention, but the boys just talked over her.

"So Natsu genuinely likes Lucy," Gray recapped. "He even asked her out – And he has no idea that she's Chill."

"Yeah," Gajeel laughed.

"But Lucy has known this whole time and actually likes him back?"

"Told ya it'd take a while."

"It's fine. I'll skip class, I'll just say I was sick." Lucy told them but it fell on deaf ears.

"Shit," Gray laughed, his eyes softened as they fell on Lucy. "So, you really like the Flame brain?"

Lucy stiffened at the sudden seriousness in his voice. She nodded shyly. Gray hummed and stretched his arms over his head.

"Then, what you need to do is pretty clear then." He commented.

"It is?" She asked and leant forwards.

"Yep," he relaxed his arms and leant over the table. "You need to tell him."

Lucy deflated.

"Not you too…" Lucy groaned and leant back into her seat. "I'll tell him when I'm ready."

"Yeah right," Gajeel muttered, and Lucy thumped him. "Ow."

"I will!" She snapped. Gray's eyes suddenly looked conflicted as he leant back into his own seat.

"Okay, I'll make you a deal," he said suddenly and Lucy and Gajeel turned to see his expression suddenly serious. "You have until tomorrow night to tell Natsu the truth,"

Lucy titled her head, anxiety suddenly pooling in her stomach. "Or?

"Or I'll tell him myself."

"You'll what?" Lucy's chair slid back with a screech as she stood abruptly. Gray remained quiet as Gajeel slowly pulled her back down to sit.

"I'm not doing this to be a dick," Gray explained quickly. "I think you're really nice and I know we could be friends. But Natsu really likes you, and as much as I hate that guy, I don't want him getting hurt."

The anger slowly left Lucy's veins as she took in Gray's expression. He and Natsu were so obviously best friends. As much as she hated it, it made sense that Gray was looking out for him.

"I just don't know how to tell him," She confessed hopelessly. "It could go so many ways. He might be fine and laugh about it or he might – "

"Not like you anymore?" Gray scoffed. "Trust me – Don't worry. Just tell him the truth."

Lucy cast her eyes down and frowned despairingly. He was right. This was literally the advice she had been given since day one by several different people. It was obviously the right thing to do. She took a deep breath before looking up and squaring her shoulders.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay," she released a shaky breath. "I tell him tomorrow."