Feelings Laid Bare

Feelings Laid Bare
A Fairy Tail NatsuxLucy fic for Gairon
Happy Birthday dood.  



Lucy sighed, scanning the Guild hall once more.  From her spot on the barstool she once again saw a sight that was both depressing and cheerful.  

Bisca and Alzack were sitting with Asuka between them.  She saw Gajeel and Levy sitting close together, arguing over some little thing.  (Much to the dismay of Jet and Droy.)  Evergreen was chewing out Elfman over something, but their body language told a different story than anger.  And of course, Gray was dealing with Juvia’s advances with a patience that was unusual for him.  The rest of the guild was being their loud and drunken selves.

And for some reason, all that made Lucy depressed today.  She sighed again and spun in her seat and placed her head on the bar.  

“Careful Lucy.”  A voice came from behind the bar.  “If you stay like that, you might get drunk off the fumes from all the drinks spilled there!”

Without lifting her head, Lucy turned to look at the voice.  “I don’t think that’s possible Mira.”  

Mirajane just giggled at her little joke.  “You know what Lucy?  Ever since you walked in here tonight, all I’ve seen you do is sigh!”  She pointed out.  “Is something bothering you?”  

“Yeah Lucy!”  A voice came up from behind.  It was Lisanna, Mirajane’s little sister.  (Who suffers from a case of “forced into the plot” syndrome in canon.  Which sucks, cause I like her character.)  She took the seat next to Lucy.  “Is there something we can help with?”

Lucy looked at both girls, sighed again, then lifted her head.  “I can’t really see how.  It’s a pretty personal thing.”  She stated.  

“…Well, if you don’t mind, could you tell us anyway?”  Lisanna suggested.  “I bet that, between the three of us, we could come up with something!”  She smiled a smile that was so wide; Lucy could have sworn she’d stolen it from the Cheshire Cat.

But she had a point.  Maybe someone else’s opinion would help.  “…It’s like this.  I’ve been living in this town for almost two years now.”  

“Well, the town directory would say it was almost nine years.”  Mira interrupted.  She giggled at her little joke, while Lisanna sighed and nudged her sister with an elbow.  

“Ever since I joined the guild then.”  Lucy continued.  “And in that time, so much has happened.  I’ve done a lot of good, and I’m pretty happy with my life!  But…”  She sighed again and propped her head on her hands.  “…I feel like I’m missing out on something.”

“And what’s that something?”  Mira asked.  

Almost unconsciously, Lucy stole another quick glance at Juvia and Gray.  The blue haired woman had managed to seat herself next to the man, and was slowly inching her way closer.  Gray, for his part, did not seem to mind at all.  

Mirajane followed he line of sight, and came to a stunning realization.  “My goodness, I never would have guessed it.”  Mira sighed this time.  “Lucy, you have a thing for Gray as well?”

Lucy almost fell from the barstool.  “That’s not it!”  She denied vehemently.  

“It isn’t?”

“Mira…”  Lisanna groaned in embarrassment.  “You need to think before you speak.”  

Mira thought for a moment.  “…A thing for Juvia then?”  

Mirajane giggled at the younger girl’s reactions.  Lisanna facepalmed, while Lucy slammed her head against the bar.  Sometimes it was just too easy to tease these people.  

“Sorry, sorry.”  Mira apologized.  “But I get the idea though.  You’re feeling a little lonely, seeing all your friends pairing off, right?”  

Lucy sat up straight.  “…Kinda, I guess.  Maybe a little jealous too.”  She admitted.  “I’m my own person, I told my father that a long time ago and I meant it, but…”  She looked around at the couples filling the room.  “Sometimes I just want someone next to me, ya know?”

Mirajane and Lisanna were silent for a moment.  They knew what she meant.  Heck, every adult could probably understand what she meant.  

“Well…”  Mira spoke first.  “At least you’ll always have Plue!”  

Lucy blinked in surprise.  She pulled out Plue’s key and summoned him from the Celestial World.  

The carrot nose dog appeared on the bar with a “pun pun”.  Lucy stared at him for a moment, before bowing her head in despair.  “Sorry Plue, but you’re not quite what I’m thinking of.”  She said.  “Even if you are loyal.”

Plue patted her head in understanding.  “Pun pun pun…”

“So is there anyone you ARE looking at?”  Lisanna asked.  

“Well, there’s one…”  Lucy admitted.  “But I think he might already be taken.”  

Lisanna leaned forward.  “Really?  By who?”  

“By you.”  Lucy gasped and slapped her hand over her mouth.  She hadn’t wanted to say that!

Lisanna and Mirajane stared in shock.  “What!?  But I’m not seeing anyone-Ohhh…”  She gasped in realization.  “You mean Natsu…”  She covered her mouth and turned away from Lucy.  

Lucy started to panic.  “Wait, wait!  I’m not planning on trying to steal him form-why are you two laughing?”  She asked.

Mirajane was giggling uncontrollably, while Lisanna was trying to stifle a laugh with her hands.

“What?”  Lucy asked.  “What’s so funny?”

Lisanna calmed down enough to look her in the eye again.  “Lucy, my relationship with Natsu isn’t like that.  It’s completely platonic!”

“Eh?”  Lucy blinked in surprise.  “But-but when I heard the story of Happy’s birth, you guys…”

“We were little kids!  We didn’t even know what we were talking about back then!”  Lisanna patted Lucy’s shoulder.  “It never went anywhere after that!”

“…Really?”  

“Really!”  Lisanna said firmly.  Mirajane had finally stopped giggling and nodded in agreement.  Then she went back to giggling again.

“What’s with the laughs?”  Cana walked up to the bar and placed an empty barrel on the counter.  “Something funny happen to you again Lucy?”  She asked.

“What do you mean again?”  Lucy asked indignantly.  

“Well what do you think I mean?”  Cana smirked at her.  “You’ve got the worst luck in the guild after all!”  She laughed as Lucy pouted at her.  “Mira!  Another barrel!”  She declared.

“CANA!”  A voice called out from the crowd.  “You’ve already hit your two barrel limit!  Don’t think you can get away with another just because the Master’s away!”  Everyone in the guild laughed at that.  Even Lucy chuckled a little.

Cana made a certain hand gesture in the voice’s general direction and sat at the bar.  “Fine, fine.  Just a pint then.”  She conceded.  “What is so funny anyway?”  

“Well…”  Lucy hesitated, not sure how much she wanted ANOTHER person to know.  

“Lucy’s in love with Natsu.”  Mirajane stated as she picked up the barrel and replaced it with a mug of Cana’s favorite drink.  

“MIRA!”  Lucy blushed.  “Don’t go stating it so bluntly like that!”

“You finally figured that out?”  Cana asked sarcastically.  “I mean, you two are almost joined at the hip anyway.  Everyone’s just waiting for you two to get it on with.”  She picked up her booze and chugged it in three gulps.  

Lucy stared at her.  “Wait, what?”

“Well…”  Lisanna scratched her head in shame.  “I won’t say who, and I won’t say what, but...  There IS a betting pool going on as to whether or not you guys will hook up…”  She admitted.  

Lucy headdesked- er, headbarred again.  “Mmmrrrgghh…  I don’t suppose any of you actually have some advice for how to handle it, do you?”  

“Hmm…”  Cana reached into her pocket and grabbed her cards.  “I could give tarot a try.”  She shuffled the deck and drew three cards, placing them on the bar right next to each other.  

She flipped them over one by one, examining each one closely.  Lucy and Lisanna looked too, but they couldn’t make heads or (Fairy) tails of the card’s designs.  (haha!  A pun!)

“Huh…”  Cana cocked her head in thought.  “Well Lucy, this card says that you’ve got a big choice coming very soon.”  She pointed to the first card on the left.

“A choice?  What kind of choice?”  Lucy asked.  

“Couldn’t say.”  Cana said.  “But this card,” She pointed in the middle one, “means ‘brutal honesty.’  So I guess you need to be completely honest with your choice.”  

“Aren’t you supposed to do that with all choices?”  Lisanna pointed out.  Cana ignored her and continued.  

“This one is the most tricky.”  Cana said.  “Normally it means ‘regrets,’ but it’s upside down.”  She tapped it.  

“Really?”  Mira asked from the other side of the bar.”  Looks fine from here.  

“...Yeah.  So it being upside down means that you might end of regretting whatever you choose, or regret neither choice.”  Cana deduced.  She scooped up her cards and tucked them away again.  “And that’s it.  Any help?”  

“I have no idea.”  Lucy admitted.   None of it made much sense.  A choice?  Regrets?  That could mean anything.  

“Pun…”  Plue said, just to remind everyone that he was still there.

While she contemplated, Cana ordered another drink and went back to the crowd.  Mirajane went to get some stuff from a back room, and Lisanna went to help her.  Each woman bid Lucy farewell, and Lucy gave each the same distracted answer.  

Eventually, she got tired of thinking and decided it was time to go home.  “Come on Plue.  I’ll probably feel better after a night’s rest.”  She scooped up the dog in her arms and headed out the door, leaving the bustling guild hall behind.

She walked the same route home she always did.  Though it was getting darker and darker, the road by the river was still very busy.  Stores were open, boats were drifting up and down stream, couples were walking past holding each other close.  

“I really can’t escape from all this tonight, can I?”  Lucy asked herself as she passed her sixth pair.  

Plue gave her a supportive pat on the arm.  “Pun pun.”  

She made it to her apartment without screaming in frustration.  It was empty inside (for once), so Lucy decided she’d take a bath.  “You want to join me Plue?”  

“Pun.”  Plue shook his head.  “pun pun, pun.”  Apparently he had something to do back home.  

“Okay.  I’ll call you if I make a snack then.”  She waved good bye as the dog(?) vanished back to his realm.  She filled her tub, stripped down, and had a rather unexciting soak.  She then got out and wrapped her body in a towel and wrapped one around her hair as well.  

“Maybe I’ll just go to bed early.”  She thought out loud.  “I’m not in the mood for any writing tonight anyway.”  She said as she entered her living room

“Well, what are you in the mood for then?”  Natsu asked from his seat on the couch.  

“Nothing.  I-GAH!”  She jumped in surprise, almost losing her towel in the process.  “Natsu!  What are you doing here?”  She tossed her hair towel at him, which collided with a <splat>.  “And why are you half naked?”

Natsu was indeed clad only in a pair of boxers and his scarf.  There was no sign of his vest, or even his pants.  

“I was on my way home from my last job and I got hungry!”  Natsu said, pulling the towel from his face.  “You usually have a snack this time of night, right?”  He asked, smirking.

“Go home and fix your own snack!”  Lucy snapped.  “I’m in no mood for you tonight!  And where are your clothes?  You turning into Gray?”  

“Hey!  Take that back!”  Natsu objected.  “My clothes were filthy, and you said I shouldn’t be here when I’m filthy, so I tossed them in your washing machine!”  He explained.  

Lucy listened and heard the sound of her machine going.  How had she missed that?  “Don’t use other people’s appliances without permission!”  She declared indignantly.  

“Well, would you have preferred I came into your bath to ask you?”  He asked.  

“Yes-no!”  Lucy sighed.  “Look, you can stay till your clothes are clean.  Then flame dry them and go home!”  She declared.  “I’m in no mood to deal with you right now!”  

“Why?  What’s wrong?”  Natsu asked.  “Is there something I can do?”

Lucy looked at him and sighed.  “If there was, you’d probably have done it by now.”  With that, she headed for her room.  

“What’s that mean?”  Natsu asked.  When she didn’t answer him, he got up and grabbed her arm.  “Lucy!  What is it?  Is something wrong?”  

Lucy looked him over again.  There was that serious face of his.  The one he only used when he was really concerned.  The one he had when he saved her the day they first met.  

The one that haunted her dreams almost as much as his smile did…

“It’s…”  She wanted to tell him.  But she wasn’t sure how he’d react.  What would he say if she told him?    

Finally, she just snatched he hand away.  “You’re half the problem, so there’s nothing you could do anyway!”  She opened her bedroom door and entered.  She was about to slam it shut when-

“How will you ever know if you don’t tell me?”  Natsu asked.

Lucy froze.  Her face was hidden by the door, so Natsu couldn’t see he shock, but he had just asked the very question she’d been wondering.  Was this the choice?  Would she regret this?  

“…Tell Natsu.  What am I to you?”  She asked.  

“What?”  

”We… we’ve been ‘friends’ for two years now.  And I’m glad for it.”   Lucy admitted.  “I’ve never been happier than I have at Fairy Tail.”  She could feel tears welling up in her eyes.  All these emotions she had been tossing around were finally coming out.

Natsu didn’t speak; he could tell she wasn’t done.

“I’m happy here.  I’m happy being ‘friends’.”  Lucy continued.  “But right now, think about you and me as simple friends is driving me crazy!”  She tightened her grip on the door handle as she felt tears run down her face.  

“Natsu, please tell me.  Am I just that?”  She finally asked.  “After all this time, am I just another friend?  A comrade?”  He didn’t answer right away, so she continued.  “If that’s so. Then I don’t mind.  I can get over these feelings and we can all be happy together as comrades.  But...  But I have to ask.  Could we…  After all this time together, could we be…”

She suddenly felt Natsu’s hand place itself over hers.  

“Lucy, I…”  Natsu started.  “…We’ve been fighting together for two years.”  He said.  “I’ve seen how brave and amazing you are.  At some point, I started to think you were the most amazing girl in the world!”  

Lucy didn’t speak.  She was shaking in anticipation.  Was he…?

“I’m not really an easy person to be around, but you always stuck with me.”  He scratched his head with his free hand.  If Lucy wasn’t hiding behind the door, she could have seen his face flushed in embarrassment.  “And I wanted to tell you this, but I kept think that such a great girl deserved someone better than me.”

He tightened her grip on her hand.  “But Lucy, if-if you’ll let me, I’ll be that ‘more-than-a-friend’ to you.”  He said.  “If you let me stay by your side, I…”  

“…I want to love you Lucy.  Like a man.  Not just a friend.”

Lucy wiped her tears away and opened the door.  Natsu was looking at her pleadingly, and she smile warmly at him.  

“...Natsu.  Come in here.”  She placed here other hand over his and led him into the bedroom.








The next morning…

The two of them walked to the guild, hands clutched together.  They didn’t talk, just held hands while walking, enjoying each other’s company.  But then silence got awkward when the people around you started to stare.  (And they were.)  So both started to come up with something to say.  

Natsu finally spoke, saying the first thing that came to his mind.  “…So, you aren’t a virgin?”  He asked.  To his credit, he regretted it immediately.

Lucy just sighed.  No one ever accused Natsu of being a clever conversationalist.  Still, she couldn’t think of anything to talk about.  “When I was sixteen, I dated this guy.”  She confessed.  “I only did it because dad hated him.  He was my first, but sex was all he was interested in.”  

“What happened to him?”  Natsu asked.  

“Last I heard he was in jail.”  Lucy said.  “His fourth girlfriend after me lied about her age.  But that was seven years ago, who knows?”  She shrugged, then looked at him.  “What about you?  That was a pretty good job if it was your first.”

“Well…”  Natsu scratched his head in embarrassment.  “A year before I met you, I took a job to catch a female thief.”  He explained.  “No one knew how she always got away after her jobs, but I found out the hard way that she used pheromone magic.”  

“Seriously?”  

“Yeah.  She hit me with a lust spell and tried to distract me with sex.”  Natsu blushed slightly.  “But I guess she underestimated my endurance.  By the time the spell wore off, I was on my sixth round and she was passed out.”

Lucy sweatdropped a little.  Maybe she should ask Erza about some stamina training.  She would need it if this relationship went as long as they hoped.  If Natsu could go like a cat in heat-

“Huh.”  A thought occurred to Lucy.  “I just realized something. Where’s Happy?”  She asked.  

“He found a job he liked.”  Natsu laughed.  “He, Carly and Lily said they found a job that was just perfect for them.”  He explained.  “Wendy went along to keep an eye on them.”  

“Oh.”  

By the time that conversation finished, they had reached the guild.  The two looked at each other.  

“…You know that they’ll be all over us if we walk in like this, right?”  Lucy asked.  

“Meh, I’m not worried.”  Natsu said.  “We’ll watch out for each other, right?”  He smiled at her.  She smiled back.  

Whatever happened next, they would face it side by side.  Together, they opened the doors.