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It was just a normal day, at least what was considered normal in Fairy Tail. The smell of liquor, sweat, and food seeped through her nose.
But her nose was stuck between a book so it calmed the strong smells in the guild.
The smell of paper always calmed her nose in any situation; in the guild hall, in her own apartment, in Natsu and Happy’s little shack, and on the train.
When she and Levy had created the book club, she didn’t expect it to be so popular.
It was the polar opposite of the guild’s normal activity. In the beginning, it was just the girls of Fairy Tail but when they opened to all books besides romance.
Each month they did a different genre and more guild members joined in on the book club.
Lucy would often read to Asuka whenever she came to the guild hall about legendary snipers. Wendy learned about manga and instantly fell in love with the magical girl series.
Jet and Droy would try using multiple knock-knock jokes on each other. But they knew the punchline to each joke because they read the same book.
Erza found multiple cooking books and for weeks she had wanted Mirajane to make a spicy tiramisu. Elfman had instantly fallen in love with Dumbbell Nan-kilo Moteru and that it was a very manly series.
Whenever Shadow Gear went on missions Gajeel would join in on the romance series stating that he wanted to be a better boyfriend for Levy.
But all the girls knew he loved every romance series they read. Some book club days had even turned to give girl advice to the males in the guild.
Gray would join once a month and whenever Juvia wasn’t seen to be around the guild. He had asked questions and the girls happily gave meaningful answers.
He was still a bit shy with Juvia about public affection but he was understanding her feelings a bit more.
Gray really did love her but he needed a bit more time to be able to display it to Juvia.
Whenever Elfman and Evergreen would “fight” about something the other said instead of ignoring each other and letting their feelings fester they would use the book club as couple therapy and it worked for them.
Levy and Kinana gave good dating advice. Mirajane and Cana gave good sex advice.
Evergreen and Carla would call out the bullshit and tell them to woman/man up. Wendy and Lisanna were good shoulders to cry on.
Erza was still a spluttering mess about romance but she did finally ask Jellal on a legit date.
Laki and Juvia gave the best advice on whether someone wanted to display their love publicly.
Bisca gave logical advice, being married puts you in multiple different situations and scenarios.
But for some reason, most of the men who were less confident about romance would seek out Lucy. Or Lucy would just probe and poke the man into confessing with a simple look or threat.
“You’re not gonna join them… Laxus?”
“Not in the mood.”
“Hmm.”
Lucy continues to munch on her cucumber sandwich. The fight had settled down leaving a portion of the guild looking like it got hit by a tornado.
“You know I won that fight, you just won’t admit it, ice prick.”
“Oh shut it flame brain.”
“Droopy eyes.”
“Squinty eyes.”
Fists are raised and before the second fight begins that day Erza knocks them both out in one punch.
“That’ll teach, them” Laxus chuckles at the duo.
“Those idiots,” Lucy licks her lips off any dressing left on her lips.
“So did you like the poetry that Fried wrote? I heard he couldn’t concentrate on the last mission because of it.”
Laxus stops his chuckling and goes quiet.
“It was a love confession to you wasn’t it," Lucy gives a Cheshire grin toward Laxus.
Laxus dumbfoundedly asks, “How’d you know?”
“I put two and two together and I have a good eye for these types of things," she says matter-of-factly.
“It was the only thing to do in that mansion after mama died,” Lucy glumly says.
“Love is an emotion that has no logic behind it, but that doesn’t mean jumping on that emotion. It's okay to take it slowly. If you love him as much as he loves you then he’ll wait for you.”
Lucy moves closer and whispers into his ear, “But if I were you, I would tell him.” Lucy giggles and pushes him out of his seat at the bar.
Laxus nods and gives her a quick smile and moves towards where Fried was standing. If only she took her own advice but she would never tell him because he doesn’t have those types of feelings.
“Hey Luce,” an arm clasps her shoulder.
Lucy knows the owner of the husky voice and shivers at the thought that he could read her mind.
“What’s up Natsu?” Lucy looks over to Natsu and can see his eyebrows scrunched up.
“I need your advice on something,” he crosses his arms and stares deeply into her eyes.
“You need advice from me?” Lucy questions, still not too certain. Looking everywhere but deep gaze.
Taking his gaze away from her, and joins to sit at the ordering a spicy tiramisu. Mirajane finally added it to the menu after many weeks of Erza’s complaints.
"Sure, what's up?" Lucy fiddles with the bandages on her arm.
“Stop touching it, they need to heal properly." Natsu decides to hold her hands so she wouldn’t irritate her injuries.
But Lucy wanted it to be something more than just his desire to protect her.
“There’s this girl, and I wanna go on a date with her but I don’t know what to do,” Natsu mumbles, holding her hands a little tighter.
“Is this really Natsu?” Lucy was baffled in disbelief to think Natsu’s heart had lit a candle for someone (that wasn’t her).
He scoffs at that, “Who’d else I be?”
“I’m sorry it’s just you’re the last I thought would have advice about this, and I’m not the only one who thought this," Lucy bitterly chuckles.
“So who is it? When did you meet her? Do you know if she likes you? How come I haven’t met her? Does Happy know her? You have to let me hide in a bush and watch the date, I have a good judgment of character Natsu!” She spoke in such a forced cheery tone when she genuinely just wanted to cry away in her bed.
When did he meet someone? Was it when he would just abruptly go out into town whenever she got mad at him when he interrupted her while she was writing?
“Lucy!”
“I asked you because I thought you wouldn’t combust on me,” Natsu blushes deeply and mumbles the last part.
“Sorry,” Lucy brushes her fingers against his.
“I like her a lot and I think she likes me but I’m a mess whenever I think about telling her and I physically can’t! I can beat literal demons! But I can’t confess to someone who I love and it pisses me off! So please Lucy I need your help,” Natsu grows a deeper blush.
Lucy scoffs at his stupidity and his love for the poor girl who’d be dealing with him.
“In all the adventures I’ve been with you on, it’s better to just be yourself. If the date itself sucks, so what? As long as she enjoys your time with you then you know it wasn’t such a bad date.” Lucy tightly grabs his hands in comfort and reassurance.
“Remember on Tenrou Island, when you said to just leave you there to fight off a kin of purgatory and I said it’s better when we’re together. If the girl you like doesn’t appreciate you, then she’s the worst."
“Thanks, Lucy” Natsu manages to say in between bites of the spicy tiramisu.
She rolls her eyes and she watches Natsu with a sad look in her eyes.
| The Next Morning… |
Lucy curled her body into a ball never wanting to leave the bed until her heart didn’t hurt anymore.
She jolts up at the cool breeze hitting her neck and she grumbles knowing what caused the breeze.
A pressure dips into the bed beside Lucy, “C’mon Luce I know you’re awake I got a mission for us.”
Lucy sits up and rubs her eyes to get the sleep out of her eyes, “Let me sleep Natsu.”
“No can do Luce, your rent is due soon right?” Natsu grins smugly because he knows he’s right.
“How come you remember that, but nothing else!” Lucy grumbles a second time this morning.
“Meet me at the train station in an hour!” Natsu moves to the window and jumps down and runs towards either the guild or his and Happy’s home.
God she didn’t want to go on a mission and have to deal with the man that made her heart ache, but he did hit the nail on the finger when her rent was due soon.
| Later… |
Lucy came just a bit earlier than their supposed time, thankful she brought a book with her. She flips through the pages and the smell of paper settles her nerves just a bit.
“Lucy!”
The wind picks up and the breeze settles her beating heart when she sees the fire mage.
"Hey," Lucy closes her book and gives him a small smile.
“Isn’t Happy gonna join us?”
Noticing that Happy didn’t join them, the exceed very rarely didn’t join them on missions. Truthfully she loved the exceed even if it seemed she was tryna kill the exceed but he always knew when things were awkward around her and Natsu.
“He said something about a fish-eating contest… if I remember correctly,” scratching his chin to recall the conversation.
“You ditched an eating contest for me? How sweet of you.” She’s gone on solo missions before without Natsu’s knowledge but she wasn’t gonna tell him that.
“It’s fine, Happy said he was gonna win it anyways.”
Lucy hums remembering that Happy could eat 10 plates of fish (at least Natsu had variety in his meals).
“Let’s go then,” Lucy grabs her bag and walks to the train car.
| After a long Train Ride…|
“Natsu the train stopped” Natsu didn’t tell her anything about the mission only to wake him up when it stopped.
“Aye!” Natsu awakens from his nap on Lucy’s lap and goes to grab their bags.
Lucy giggles at his instant relaxation that the train wasn’t moving anymore, “Natsu you didn’t tell me what mission we’re doing.”
Natsu looked funny wearing his normal bag and her pink bag, “Just follow me, it’s a surprise!” he took her hand.
“Since when did missions become a surprise?” Lucy giggles and takes the hand.
“I promise you’ll like this one!” So they walked off into town holding hands.
| Later... |
They’d been walking for a while and her feet were starting to get sore. The mission was to fix the flooding river that caused problems for the town. Lucy had changed into her Aries Star Dress to cover the gaping hole with cotton. Natsu had turned the water to steam. It was such a simple mission but why was it a surprise?
“So what's the surprise exactly?"
"The reward!"
Lucy was confused, was the reward different this time? No Natsu said that they’d be getting a month's worth of rent.
“Don’t give me that face Luce, you’ll find out soon.”
He grabs her hand running towards the mansion owned by the mayor of the town. Ever since leaving the Heartfilia estate, every time she entered any sort of mansion she’d grown fidgety. She didn’t outright say it but her friends, especially Natsu, knew.
“You’ll really like the bonus reward!” dragging her towards the room they had met with the mayor when they started the mission.
Lucy quickly opens the door just in time before Natsu kicked it down in his excitement.
“We’re done with the mission!”
The mayor looks up from signing documents, “Yes yes sir Natsu, you’ve done the end of your bargain and I shall do mine.”
“Prepare the jewels for the mages,” he snaps fingers and a man with sunglasses opens the briefcase of so many jewels (it almost makes Lucy’s mouth water).
“I was surprised that you had wanted such a thing sir Natsu”, he went through a rusty drawer grabbed a small box, and placed it on the desk.
“But I can see why now, have a safe trip back home sir Natsu!"
Natsu grabs the box, “See ya!”
| Later… |
“This will be the only time I regret having too much jewel,” Lucy moans in exhaustion barely keeping her body upright.
“We can rest here tonight! I smell a creak nearby, this will do.'' Natsu plops on the grass, dropping all of his things in the process.
Lucy joins him on the grass, “So how'd you know the mayor?"
“He's the only mayor who's pretty chill about my explosive nature, and I've helped him a few times. His tailors make my clothes, resistant to fire as well."
Lucy had always wondered where he got his clothes when he would combust into flames and they’d be completely fine. His clothes would only get damaged if someone meant to kill Natsu or he was being too reckless.
"And the box?" Lucy couldn't help but wonder what was in the box wrapped around with a simple bow.
The silence was deafening between the pair and Lucy didn't know why.
"You got something in your hair Luce."
He was downright ignoring the box on purpose! Natsu touched her luscious locks and took the small puffs of pink cotton out of her hair.
“Why are you delaying the surprise so much?"
"Cause you're easy to rile up!"
He places the box within her palms and undoes the ribbon to open the small box revealing a familiar key."
Her tears started flowing the last time she saw this key was in the battle against Tartaros. To summon the celestial spirit king, to save the guild, to save Magnolia from demons. She had said goodbye to her oldest friend that fateful day, her heart had ached so much.
The conversation on the veranda, that her key was out there in the world. The 100YQ had made her more anxious to find the key, crossing many lands to defeat dragon after dragon and never finding her key.
But it had been Natsu who brought her back.
It had been Natsu who brought her to Fairy Tail.
It had been Natsu who gave her courage.
It had been Natsu who helped pay her rent.
It had been Natsu she loved the most, she really couldn’t deny the feelings that she felt for him anymore. She knew he liked someone, to go out of his way to ask for dating advice.
But Lucy loves Natsu, so she kissed him so softly as if her lips didn’t touch his. She burned red and she felt her whole body shaking, from the gesture. She lets go of his lips, wanting to see his face to find any indication that the girl he loved was her.
But god she wanted to hide away and never show herself to light again more than the little hope in her heart.
“Luce I was the one who’s supposed to confess first!” Natsu pouts and crosses his arms.
“I had this planned out. I created a fish-eating contest so Happy wouldn’t interrupt my plans, take you out on a mission, give you Aquarius, and confess to you under the stars."
“I didn’t say anything Natsu, you can still confess.” She blushes deeply at his plan.
He scoffs, “I love you Lucy” and unlike Lucy's soft kiss, this kiss was more passionate; it had lit a fire in her stomach.
They kissed until they were forced to breathe, and their lips chapped but god she wanted to taste Natsu more.
“C’mon Luce we gotta set up camp” his stomach grumbles.
Natsu rolls off the grass and sets to work.
Lucy hums staying on the grass, "I love you too Natsu."
When they would return to the guild she knew there’d be a crazy feast. But that was for later, it was just Lucy and Natsu for tonight.
+ Bonus
Lucy had gone to the beach alone to be able to reunite with Aquarius.
"Summon Gate of the Water Bearer, Aquarius!"
"How dare you interrupt my date with my Hunny?!" Aquarius grumbles and launches a water attack on the poor girl.
Lucy tumbles into the sand leaving a bump on her head, "Aye."
"Brat?" Aquarius instantly moves to her and squishes her, "So you've found me once again."
"Yeah." Lucy smiles and cries into the spirit's chest.
"So I've heard you got a boyfriend now huh?"
Lucy blushes a deep red and nods.
"You sure have grown."
The sound of running comes within Lucy's earshot, "Lucy!"
"Why didn't you tell me where you were going?"
"I didn't see you at the guild and assumed you and Happy were fishing. Besides I had something important to do without you".
Natsu finally noticed the spirit, "It's good to see ya again!"
"Oho, so it's him?" Aquarius teased Lucy causing her to blush.
Natsu shrugs it off, "C'mon Luce we haven't done it in so long."
Lucy's blush turns a deep red punching Natsu in the arm, "You can't say that in public."
"But people need to know you're mine," Natsu spews out confidently.
"Let's just go before Aquarius teases me more". Lucy grabs Natsu's hand leading them off to town.
"Ah young love," leaving Aquarius to form into golden dust.