I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters

Chapter 10

The succulent aroma of sausage, bacon and eggs wafted into Natsu Dragneel's nostrils, effectively waking him from one of the best night's sleeps he has had in years. Stretching his limbs to release all the built up tension over the night, he tossed the covers over his feet and instinctively walked in the direction of his bathroom to start his morning routine before officially starting the day. However, had he opened his eyes he would have seen his pants on the grounds. In mid-stride, his foot snagged against his pants and Natsu ungracefully tumbled to the floor, hissing in pain when his head hit the side of something hard. Keeping one eye closed and massaging his aching cranium, he turned to see what he had hit only for him to dawn a look of confusion when he found a nightstand where his couch should be. Something told him to look around, to gauge his surroundings and when he did, he discovered that he wasn't in his house at all. Rather than see his hammock, a weight rack, his memory board and few pieces of trash left here and there, he saw a bed similar to Lucy's, a nightstand, a vanity mirror, some stuffed animals in the corner and many other things that clearly indicated that he was not in his house. Rising to his feet, Natsu gently massaged the back of his head and leant down to pick up his discarded pants and his vest, the article of clothing not too far away from the door. As he reached for his vest, a plan formulating in his mind to jump out the window once he was fully dressed, the door to the room was opened causing Natsu to instantly look up to see who's residence he was in.

"Natsu, are you ok? I heard a noise downst-!" Once he saw who it was in the doorframe, the fog that had been over Natsu's mind since waking from his slumber lifted as wave after wave of memories flooded his mind, each memory playing before his eyes as if it were a movie. He remembered everything, from his team's mission, to his arrival in Magnolia, to the kick Mirajane greeted him with and finally the sex with the aforementioned model less than ten minutes later. Needless to say, it was a very choice welcome home present. His nerves from earlier fell away, replaced by relief, but when he heard the amused giggles of Mirajane he felt his skin crawl.

"Ara ara Natsu, I didn't know you were so bold in the morning. I haven't even had breakfast yet but you already want to give me some sausage," she teased, her big beautiful blue eyes sparkling with mischief and seduction.

He didn't understand her words right away but when a sudden draft blew in through the open window, Natsu came to realize that he was still naked.

'The hell happened to my underwear.' Choosing to look for his draws later, he spun on his heel to hide his decency, but it would do little to comfort him when he felt two soft and malleable mounds press into his chiseled back.

"It's not like I haven't seen it before," Mirajane cooed, her minty fresh breathe sending a delightful tingle down Natsu's spine. "Though I would love to have a quickie with you, something tells me that you're hungry. Come on, breakfast is ready. I think you'll like it," she sang, skipping out the door leaving the dragon slayer with just his thoughts and his clothes in hand.

"Ha geez, I can already tell that today is gonna be a long one." Exhaling a sigh, already exhausted after just waking up, the son of Igneel scrambled for his missing underwear.

Coming down the stairs, clean and fully dressed, Natsu entered the kitchen. The first thing that entered his line of vision besides the plates of food he was sure were delicious was the voluptuous body of Mirajane Strauss, the barmaid standing over the stove with a mitten over one hand. Taking in her appearance, Natsu had to keep himself calm lest he fall victim to a serious nosebleed. Despite having seen her wear skimpy bikinis and pose in them in the most alluring and sexual ways for the Sorcerer Weekly in all the years of modeling for the magazine company, the sight of her in a pure white tank top and slightly see through boy shorts got his motor running. Just the thought of slipping his hands under her clothes to feel her large magnificent globes and trimmed pussy were almost enough to make him forget that she made breakfast. Key word, almost.

Shaking his head off his depraved thoughts, Natsu took a seat at the table, his jaw gaping in awe at the sight of the spread laid about before him. On his plate was sausage, eggs, bacon, golden hash browns, and toast. In the middle of the table was a separate plate housing a stack of mouthwatering pancakes. So enticed by their fluffiness, Natsu failed to register that his hand was moving towards them, towards the treasure trove of breakfast foods.

"Come to papa," he said under his breathe, eyes wide in abstract wonder. His fingers were inches from the golden cakes before a hand swatted them away. Quickly, he retreated his fingers and looked up to see the bemused grin of Mirajane.

"Ah ah ah, it's rude to eat before the host does. And to think, I slaved over a hot stove to make us breakfast only for you to eat without me. Meanie!" Turning her face up into a pout, Mirajane looked at Natsu with eyes filled with hurt, but she couldn't fool him. Through the years, Natsu had begun to notice the various characteristics of Mirajane. It wasn't like he went out of his way to learn what he did about her but after being around someone for so long one picks up on the things that person does over time. And one of those things was Mirajane's penchant for crying, either by having her feelings be genuinely hurt or, the more likely reason given the S-class mage's mischievous attitude, she was acting to get what she wanted. Though it was still difficult to tell which was which as the model had more talent for acting than most gave her credit for, he was confident in his ability to discern when she was faking her tears. However, rather than challenge her on it, the best course of action when it came to Mirajane would be to go along with whatever she had planned.

"Sorry Mira, it won't happen again." 'That you know of.'

"Hmm, it's alright…I just needed to cut up the melons. See, don't they look delicious!" Indeed, the bowl of cubed cantaloupes she held did look delectable but they looked nowhere near as appetizing as the melons she hid behind her tight tank top. Judging by the way her nipples stretched against the fabric, it was clear that she neglected in wearing a bra. Gulping hard, Natsu found it close to impossible to avert his gaze from her alluring cleavage, his eyes widening ever so slightly at how deep it was. 'How did I just now notice this?'

"Natsu~"

Hearing Mirajane say his name in a teasing tone, he tore his eyes away from the milky white orbs to meet a pair of deep blue ones. The barmaid's eyes held a look of amusement that had Natsu sweaty under her heavy gaze. There was no doubt about it, he had been caught red handed.

"See something you like?" Casting him a knowing smirk, Mirajane knew she had him but she wanted to toy with him, to see how he would react in such a situation. It wasn't every day that one caught the infuriatingly dense Salamander being a regular hormonal male.

"I-uh-I just think the melons look tasty. Can't wait to try them out." Though he sounded relatively calm, the fact that he couldn't look Mira in the eye was a dead giveaway to how nervous he truly was. Placing the bowl down on the table, Mira wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her chest into his back. She ignored the stiffness of her nipples but given how Natsu fidgeted in his seat, it was apparent that he had noticed.

"If you want to try my melons so badly, all you have to do is ask. Just say the word and they're all yours. And much. Much. More," she breathed against his neck, her warm breathe passing over his skin to form goosebumps.

"Th-that's-uh-good to know. Thanks. Well, uh, why don't we start eating? Be a shame to let this stuff get cold and I'm pretty sure you don't want me reheating it." Smirking at his successful at changing the subject, Natsu reached forward to take a pancake. Pulling herself off him, Mirajane ran her fingers across his neck as she walked to her seat, the dragon slayer pausing mid-bite at her soft digits against his nape. Succumbing to temptation yet again, his eyes traveled to her supple derriere. The dark color of her panties complimented her ivory skin but rather than focus on boring color schemes, Natsu zeroed in on her butt, more precisely the cuff her butt made with her thighs. That along with how the top of her butt seemed to pop out from her back gave Mirajane's booty the appearance of a speed bump (sorry if this offends any women, but ladies for us guys, this is the stuff of dreams) and it brought Natsu to wonder, once again, as to how he missed something noticeable.

Taking her seat, Mirajane looked forward and smiled when saw Natsu staring down at his plate. Despite his attempts at hiding it, she could see the pink color of his cheeks. Smirking victoriously, the lovely pin up model puffed her chest in pride as well as cross one leg over the other, and then calmly, she took her utensils in hand before cutting into her eggs. All the while, she never dropped her gaze from her late night lover across the table, whom if one was wondering, was scarfing down her well-prepared dinner as it it was his last meal on earth. Although she would have preferred that the two of them would eat together with a conversation flowing between them, it warmed her heart to see him indulge himself in her cooking.

'Especially after I put a little extra love into it.'

Breakfast went by quick, though Mirajane anticipated this happening seeing as she was responsible for cooking a majority of Natsu's meals, which with his insatiable appetite the food on his plate never lasted longer than a few minutes. The same rang true in her kitchen. After roughly twenty minutes since sitting down, the dragon slayer cleaned not only his plate but the one housing the stacks of buttermilk pancakes. Fortunately for Mirajane she was smart enough to take two for herself before the gluttonous mage could, literally, take the plate.

"Ahhh, that (burp!)…was…awesome. Oh man, Mira, I don't know what you did, but that breakfast, it tasted amazing. Better than usual." Catching his slip of the tongue, Natsu opened his mouth to explain but the sweet sound of Mira's giggles made him pause.

"Its fine, Natsu, you don't have to explain. And I didn't really do much, you know. Just added a little extra something and I'm glad to see it paid off if this is how you react to my cooking," she smiled before standing up with her plate in hand and walking to the sink. Looking over her shoulder, she shot Natsu a slight glare and nodded her head towards the sink, the dragon slayer catching her meaning.

Standing beside one another, the atmosphere was thick and awkward. The whole time during breakfast Natsu busied himself with eating, too distracted to bring up what happened last night. Thinking back on it, Natsu was still baffled as to why of all places he decided to go, the Strauss house was his prime objective. He chalked it up to his wanting to apologize for breaking his promise to Mirajane for failing to appear for their date, but deep down, he felt that was only an excuse for coming to see her. Question is, an excuse for what.

Fed up with the lack of communication with one of his longest standing friends, Natsu opened his mouth, not sure on what to say but he knew whatever it was would be better than the perpetual silence they found themselves in.

"I love you Natsu," Mirajane suddenly announced, her attention fixed on scrubbing the plate in her soaping hands. Gob smacked, Natsu stared at her with wide eyes. That single declaration caught him completely off guard, no different from a deer caught in headlights. Although her words warmed his heart, it also caused him to feel slightly ashamed. Looking forward, he continued with washing his plate.

"Why?"

"Because you're you. Do I need more a reason than that?" she answered quickly.

"…" Natsu couldn't formulate a response to that if there was even one to give. Receiving silence, Mirajane decided to give him a proper answer.

"As I said before on the night you peeked in on me…" Trailing off there, Mirajane took the time to analyze Natsu's face and what she saw didn't disappoint. Face as red as her former rival's hair, the demoness internally cackled at seeing the unshakable dragon slayer become so flustered. "When I told you I thought you were strong, caring and determined, I was just touching the surface of my feelings and on who you are Natsu. You're all those things but also so much more. You're compassionate, loyal, energetic, rambunctious, sometimes a little foolhardy and reckless…wait, cross that, you are foolhardy and reckless. At times you're not too bright or insightful and-"

"Ok you had me at first, but now you're just being mean," grumbled the sulking fire mage.

"My point is you have a lot of qualities Natsu. Some that might repel or even scare girls off but that's just your surface. Underneath that rough exterior you have lies a man any woman would die to have by her side. The way you go out of your way to help others, friend or foe, is commendable. How you put the happiness and well-being of others above your own is automatically makes you a great boyfriend because if you do that for your friends, heavens know what you would do for the girl you love. And I…I want to be that girl." Placing her plate into the dish rack, Mirajane turned around to lean against the counter, her eyes hidden behind the curtain of her bangs. "But…before I can become that I need to know how you feel about me. So…"

Peeking through an opening in her hair, she regarded Natsu curiously. He couldn't face her, mostly because he didn't trust himself enough to give her a truthful answer if he were to see her inquiry gaze.

"…like I said before Mira, I like you and don't ever assume that I don't…" She smiled warmly at his words. "...but even with the way things are now between us, after we did…you know…I can't say that I return your feelings." His words brought a heavy lump to settle in Mirajane's heart. She should have known that after one date and two bouts of coitus that his feelings towards her wouldn't instantaneously shift in her favor. For years, she had stood on the sidelines, content with her relationship as his friend, but her hesitation to act on her emotions allowed the likes of Erza, her sister and Lucy to come in and burrow their ways into his heart. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that she somehow did the same but for Mirajane's case, where she stood with him was completely different from the other three aforementioned women.

"But what I can say is that my feelings for you have changed. That much I know."

Her breath caught in her throat. 'What did he just say?'

Slowly turning her head, the sight of his warm onyx eyes and radiant smile caused tears of joy to prick the corners of her eyes. Refraining from wiping them away, she stood straight and let out a soft hiccup, inwardly cursing herself for breaking her promise of not crying in front of him.

"So…do I have a chance?" she asked tentatively, her small hands clasps in front of her chest.

Drying his hands with the dish clothe, and cupping his chin in a sagely manner, Natsu looked up to the ceiling with a far off look in his eye. Peering at her through his peripheral vision, his smile grew in smile to the point of touching his ears.

"What do you think?" he smirked. 'Of course you do.' Is what he wanted to say but getting revenge on her for all of her teasing was a much better choice.

"Well…I guess I'll have to up my game then," she mused, but Natsu heard her, a lone eyebrow shooting up in curiosity.

"What do you mean by that?" he inquired.

When her tears finally dried up, Mirajane took a step forward until she was right up in Natsu's personal space. He stood his ground, not at all uncomfortable with her proximity to each other, but the alluring smell of her lavender and vanilla scent plus the fact that her low cut tank top gave him a bird's eye view of her chest was making it hard for him to keep his nerve.

"What I mean mister…" She emphasized the 'mister' by poking her nail into his chest. "…is that I am going to make you fall for me."

"Eh?"

"You heard me, I, Mirajane Strauss will make you, Natsu Dragneel fall in love with me. It's only fair since you had me fall in love with you so many years ago," she asserted with a grin.

"B-b-but I didn't even do anything! I didn't even know you were in love with me less than two weeks ago!" he blurted out.

"Doesn't matter, I fell in love with you so now I'm going to make you do the same. So you better watch yourself Natsu because I'm coming at you with everything I got," she said while dragging her finger down the middle of his chest and abs.

"Wait, why are you telling me this. If I know what you're going to do, won't I see it coming? Won't that make things harder for you?" he informed her, ignoring how her manicured nail brought a pleasure filled chill to run down both his front and back.

"Who says you'll see it coming?" He gestured to her finger that had stopped at the hemline of his pants. "Oh, this? This is just teasing. What I have in store for you is very, very different." Slipping her digit into his shorts, she pulled them back before letting them go to snap against his waist. "I hope you had a fun time with me these past few days, because until we start dating, it will be the last time you ever get me into bed. Understand?"

Natsu's eyes grew to the size of plates he and Mirajane just washed. Was she cutting him off? Granted he just went along with her wishes the both times they had sex, never really striking an argument as to why they shouldn't (as if any sane man would), hearing her say it brought a sour taste to Natsu's mouth. Rather than contest it, however, he decided to go along. He told her yesterday that he didn't want a relationship with her based solely on physical attraction and it would seem that she heeded his words.

"Ok, fair enough. You think you can handle it though? Last time I checked, both times we did it you were the one to force the issue." Smirking in mirth, Natsu found it amusing to see the fearsome and confident Mirajane blush in embarrassment as her cheeks and the tips of her ears burned a crimson red.

"B-baka! That's not going to happen anymore, got it? After its all said and done, you'll be the one banging on my door begging for it. Besides, rather than worry about me, you should take a . Don't think I haven't noticed where your eyes have been since you've woken up, Natsu." As if to make a point and to test his mettle, Mirajane folded one arm under her bust, lifting her pale twins and making her already large and perky bosom look even more desirable than it already was. Using the thumb on her other hand, she pulled the neckline of her tank top down thus exposing more of her already deep and captivating cleavage without revealing her stiffening pink nipples. Taking things one step further to entice her crush, Mirajane gave her assets a teasing jiggle in an effort to seduce the already flustered Natsu, a series of sweet yet devious giggles escaping her when she noticed his face become the same bright pink color as his hair.

To a lesser man, this would have rendered them catatonic due to the loss of blood, but for Natsu, it was nothing he hadn't seen before. He'd seen Lucy nude more times than the celestial mage preferred, Erza almost as much, the sight of a nude and developed Lisanna was something after two years of separation and growth, and he had slept with Mirajane twice. If anything, seeing the model's dirty pillows was nothing new; but in spite of all of that, he still found himself fighting off a blush. 'Damn it, what the hell is wrong with me.'

"Ara, I guess I was right. Seems like somebody won't be able to hold out," Mirajane cooed, leaning ever so slightly to give the dragon slayer an eyeful of what he will be missing.

Scoffing, Natsu shoved his hands in his pockets and turned away from the sniggering female.

"Whatever. But just because you're withholding sex, doesn't mean that will force me to love you Mirajane. You should know that," he commented seriously.

After fixing her top, Mira clasped her hands behind her back and leaned into Natsu's side, propping her head onto Natsu's shoulder.

"I know that. I also know that since it's you, doing this won't be easy…" she started.

"Uh, I don't know how to take that," Natsu interjected.

"…but I promise you this Natsu, I will make you fall for me. Hard. And when you do, I guarantee that you'll never regret it. Just like how I never regretted my feelings for you." In effort to show how serious she was to her proclamation, she placed a passionate kiss on his lips, making sure to savor it in case it would be the last time she would be able to sample them.

Once she separated from him, Mirajane stepped away from the sink and into the living room. Not far behind her was Natsu with his hands in his pockets and a hollow look in his eye.

"What's with such the long face? Was breakfast not as good as you said it was?"

"…no it was great, it's just…We aren't dating, obviously, but you can't exactly call us friends either after what we've done. I don't know much about relationships but I'm pretty sure I've never heard about a friend being denied sex by another friend," Natsu articulated while rubbing the back of his head, eyes fixed to the floor, unable to meet the warm gaze he knew she had on.

Finding it cute as to how he tried to piece everything together, Mira grabbed his chin with her thumb and index finger and lifted his head to look at her.

"Don't worry about it right now. All you need to know is that things between us have changed but everything is still the same. We're still friends, we still care about each other, we're still guild mates and the world is still spinning. Don't worry about anything else, ok? Can you promise me that, Natsu?"

Staring into her deep blue eyes, Natsu felt all his worries and troubles melt away. Even though their relationship was the definition of complex, Natsu could still find relax around Mirajane. Casting her a bright smile, he nodded.

"I promise. Thanks Mira."

"Anytime Natsu. Now, are you headed to the guild?" she asked, taking her hand back and placing on her hip.

"Nah, gotta swing by my place and check on Happy. If he's not there, then maybe Lucy's. After that the guild."

At any other time, Natsu going over to Lucy's house wouldn't have bothered Mirajane, the barmaid usually playing matchmaker for the two and giving words of encouragement to the celestial mage to snatch the dragon slayer before someone else came along. Now, however, the mental image of her crush alone with the beautiful busty blonde in the privacy of her home brought a sharp pain to the white haired model's heart, her petite hands clenching into fist, embedding her manicured nails into the soft flesh of her palm. Mirajane felt ashamed for wanting to keep Natsu all to herself, a thought shared by any person in love, but she couldn't help but be selfish when it came to him after everything they had been through, including the conversation they just had less than a moment ago.

Although Mirajane wasn't in favor of Natsu taking a detour to Lucy's, she bit her tongue, choosing instead to act as the supporting friend and confidant she normally was behind the bar.

"Well then, I shouldn't keep you. Happy is probably worried sick if since you didn't come home last night," she said through a mildly forced grin but luckily for her Natsu didn't notice.

"Tch, I doubt it. Knowing him, if he did go home, he probably went to bed without a care in the world, only thing swimming through his mind being fish and Carla," Natsu deadpanned while opening the front door. Peeking over his shoulder, he gave a heartwarming grin to Mirajane. "Thanks Mirajane. For yesterday…and for today. I really don't know how the guild would survive without you."

"Hey, I told you I was the one that was going to make you fall in love with me, not the other way around. Stop being so damn charming!" Mira joked, cheeks painted a rosy pink.

"Wha-? But I didn't even do-"

"Bye Natsu~! See you at the guild~!" After being shoved through the door, Natsu had it slammed in his face but not before blushing under the wink Mirajane gave him, whatever meaning it held caused the hair on the back of his neck to stand on end.

Raking his fingers through his spiky pink hair with his other hand taking refuge in his pants pocket, Natsu walked down the street towards Lucy's house. He figured there was a higher probability of Happy crashing at her place after the mission due to her bed being the softest thing either of them ever had the pleasure of feeling in their natural born lives.

'Well, second softest I guess. Maybe third. Mira does have a nice butt. ' Eye balling his hand, Natsu's mind fell into the gutter.

"Hey~! Natsu, over here!" Tearing his vision away from his open palm, Natsu's face lit up at the familiar voice.

"Yooo, Lisanna! Sup Elfman!" Bumping fist with the larger male, Natsu raised his hand for a high five but was blindsided by a flying hug courtesy of his childhood friend and self-proclaimed wife, Lisanna.

"Whoa! Hello to you too!" he laughed, tenderly rubbing her back while taking glances at the scowling behemoth of a male behind her. By no means did Elfman intimidate Natsu, but whenever it came down to his sisters, he knew to stay clear of the man. The word overprotective was taken to a completely new meaning whenever it came to them.

"Sorry about the hug, but it feels like I haven't seen you in forever," Lisanna chirped. Natsu took note of how red her cheeks and the tip of her ears looked, but saw it as something not worth questioning.

"Yeah, sort of feels like that doesn't it? So how was the mission?"

As the Strauss siblings spoke in detail about their mission, Elfman providing commentary on which part of their job was the manliest, Natsu couldn't help but notice that Lisanna was acting differently. It really wasn't anything to worry about but the way her eyes never strayed from him along with her hand that always seemed to find a way to touch his arm had Natsu feeling a little on edge. He remembered her doing the same thing before she was taken to Edolas but not to this extent.

"What about you Natsu," Elfman started conversationally.

"What about me?"

"Did your mission go well or did it go up in flames like usual?" Sneering at the taller male's taunt, Natsu crossed his arm and snorted derisively.

"As if big guy, things went off without a hitch. Easiest job I've ever taken." He didn't want to worry them as he did with their older sister by telling them that he had nearly met his maker while fighting Zeref's demon. What they didn't know won't hurt them.

"So I take it those scratches on your neck and arms plus the bandage around your stomach all happened while you were sleeping, huh?" Lisanna pointed out, a dainty finger poking into his bandaged abdomen.

'Ask your sister how my stomach ended up like this.'

"Ok, the mission was a little tough but nothing Team Natsu couldn't beat," he said boastfully.

"That reminds me, where's Happy? He went on the mission too, right? I thought he would be with you."

Remembering as to why he was on the streets in the first place, Natsu mentally face palmed, cursing his habit for being easily sidetracked. He couldn't tell them that he had left Happy at the house to go somewhere else in the dead of night without raising their suspicions, especially Lisanna's due to her being Happy's surrogate mother. He tried to think of a valid excuse to give but the weight of their stares, Lisanna's bearing more intensity then her larger sibling had the fire crumbling under the pressure.

"Nastu~!" Recognizing the high-pitch voice, Natsu exhaled a sigh of relief, thanking whatever up above for bestowing mercy on him.

"You're so mean! How could you leave me at the house like that? I stayed up all night waiting for you! Where did you go?!"

'Fuck!'

"S-sorry Happy, something came up last night so I had to leave." Arms folded, the blue flying cat didn't accept his apology. "What do you say I get Mira to cook you your favorite fish? How does that sound," Natsu bargained, smirking in satisfaction when the cat's sour expression turned joyous.

"You're the greatest Natsu!" he cheered, plopping himself on top of the teen's head, his tiny paw raised in the air.

"Yeah, yeah, tell me something I don't know. You guys coming?!" he called to the rooted brother-sister duo.

"O-oh yeah, we'll be at the guild later. We just have to drop off our stuff at home," Lisanna responded after coming out of her stupor.

"Aight, see you guys there. Elfman, fight me later you giant bozo!" he demanded with a smirk. Grinning at the challenge, the largest of the siblings thrust his fist forward, Natsu copying his action before walking away in the direction of the guild.

When he was out of earshot, Lisanna spoke up.

"That was weird, don't you think?"

"What was?" her brother responded.

"Natsu left Happy alone at their house last night and he didn't come back. I wonder what he was doing," she mused.

"Who knows with him? He could have been out getting some last minute training in."

"After just coming from a mission, even Natsu has an off switch."

"Maybe he was at the guild?"

"Without Happy? Nuh uh, I don't buy it."

"What does it matter Lisanna. Whatever he was doing last night is his business. If he doesn't want to talk about it, that's his right," Elfman snapped, finding his patience with his younger sister wearing thin. Why she was so focused on finding out where the dragon slayer went last night was beyond him.

Furrowing her brow at her brother's tone, Lisanna wanted to argue his statement but the truth was he was right. What Natsu did with his time wasn't her concern. Usually she could read him like a book, but as of late he seemed like an enigma and it both fascinated and frightened her. Thinking back on it, her suspicions started the day he went on his date.

'Wait, didn't Mirajane also go on a date that day? And now that I think about it, it's all a little too convenient that they would meet up and come to the house after their dates ended…Wait a minute, Natsu left on his mission before Elf-nii and I did and he just got back last night. How did he know that we went on mission if he was out of town?'

Although she didn't want to jump to conclusion too soon and accuse her sister of something that seemed too ludicrous of an idea, Lisanna felt that the two people closest to her were keeping secrets. Prying information from Mirajane would require more effort than Lisanna was willing to exert given how good the older female was at keeping her emotions and desires close to the chest. However, if she were to turn her attention to Natsu, a simple use of word play could be enough to force the gullible dragon slayer to slip up.

'I don't want to believe it, but I know something is going on between those two. And whatever it is, I don't like it.' Unconsciously, the shorthaired female's hand rose to her chest, more specifically over her heart right after a sharp pain shot through it.

Entering the guild, Natsu couldn't help but marvel at how amazing Fairy Tail was. Only in this guild could you find the members in an all-out battle royal for reasons unknown, if there was even a reason to be had. After being away from the place he had come to call home, Natsu took in a deep breath and charged head first into the mash pit of flying fists.

"I'm baaaack!" His flamboyant announcement came after sending some poor soul into a table with a fist cloaked in dragon fire.

"Boy, Natsu sure is lively this morning. I wonder got into him and if there's any left to go around cuz Mavis knows I need a pick me up. Now if someone were to bend the rules just a tad, then maybe…"

"Sorry Cana but it's only nine a.m. I can't serve you anything alcoholic until noon, sorry." Kinana, the bashful beauty operating the bar, felt sorry for the lush but she had to follow the rules. These being the same rules that had been instituted by the master in order to keep the brunette from consuming a third of the guild's inventory. Sure, her health and well-being played a factor in his decision, but it mostly came down to finances. Restocking inventory wasn't cheap.

"But you're right, Natsu seems a lot more energetic than usual. That must mean the mission his team went on was a success. Good for them," Kinana praised, green eyes traveling with the dragon slayer's movements before looking back to the dirty glass in her hand. The sound of someone clicking his or her tongue caught her attention and when she discovered that it was Cana she rose a thin purple eyebrow in question. "What?"

"Oh its nothing." Turning around in her stool, Cana focused her amethyst colored orbs on the dragon slayer, mentally analyzing and assessing every move he made. To most, the fire mage was acting as he normally would in the guild, leaving a sea of devastation in his wake with a shit-eating smile on his face. But for the select few who had grown up with the rambunctious fire mage since his joining of Fairy Tail, it was the little things they could pick up about him that no else could that told them something was different. And for Cana, she could tell something, or rather in this case someone left quite the impression on Natsu.

'The question that needs to be asked is who? I've only seen that look in his eye one time before, but it seems like this time it's stronger…much stronger.' The sexy lush scowled at the thought and at Natsu, but she didn't have the slightest clue as to why.

After unleashing a can of whoop on his fellow guild members and thanking them for a good fight, half of them responding with words of praise and the other half with curses, Natsu seated himself at a table. Happy had ditched him for Carla and Wendy, the blue ball of joy relentless in his pursuit of the white feline's heart, and though it still hurt Natsu to see his friend have his heart stepped on day in and day out, he couldn't help but admire his tenacity.

'That's right Happy, never give up!'

So caught up in his little buddy's quest for love, he failed to notice the presence of someone behind him. It wasn't until he felt a pair of slender arms wrap themselves around his neck and a modest bust press into the back of his head that he escaped the confines of his inner psyche. Before he and Mirajane had started their relationship, or whatever they were now, something such as this wouldn't have fazed Natsu. The lovable dolt would have just shrugged it off and greeted whoever it was with a bright smile and maybe an inquisitive stare regarding as to why they were being so handsy. However, now, the sensation on the back of his head and the person's smooth skin on around his neck put Natsu's nerves into a state of shock. It wasn't until he took an involuntary sniff of the air that he was able to calm down, the sweet scent of citrus filling his nasal passages.

"What do you need Cana," he smirked.

"Good morning to you too Natsu. Can't I just say 'hi' to my favorite dragon slayer," she cooed, sensually dragging her nails along his sun kissed skin. It didn't go unnoticed by her that he jumped against her delicate touch, a grin spreading across her beautiful face at knowing she still had somewhat of a hold on him.

"You never have before, why now?" Natsu questioned, head turning to meet her purple irises, gulping at the knowing gleam they held within them. 'Shit!'

"I wouldn't say never. Have you already forgotten about our night together?" Tightening her hold, Cana buried his side of Natsu's head, and part of his face, into her ample bosom, ignoring the looks the two were receiving from those around them. Well she was, Natsu was too busy trying to breathe while being simultaneously smothered to notice.

Finally escaping her grasp, he inhaled a lungful of air before fixing the card's mage with a glare. "I thought you said we wouldn't bring that up again."

"Meh, what's wrong with reminiscing a little," she said while shrugging her shoulders. Taking the empty spot on the bench, she sat herself next to him, so close that their shoulders and thighs were touching. "Don't tell me you feel squeamish. Or do you feel like it was a mistake."

"I…uh…" Turning fifty shades of red, Natsu couldn't find the answer.

"It's alright, you don't have to answer." 'Your expression is more than enough.'

"So…" Pressing her front into his side, letting her boobs engulf whatever they could of his defined muscular arm, Cana leaned into him, her mouth dangerously close to his ear. "…do you want to have another go at it? I know some new tricks that I'm sure you'd enjoy~!"

"Good morning Cana! Good morning Natsu! My, it's nice to see you two getting along so well." Hearing the sweet voice brought opposite reactions from the two mages. Closing his eyes, Natsu thanked not only his secret lover but whatever deity or universal force that chose to intervene. Cana on the other hand grimaced at having her good time spoiled. Shooting the older girl a glance, she felt her whole body become stiff. Behind Mirajane's bright smile and sparkling blue eyes lay a malevolent aura; an aura Cana hadn't been on the receiving end of since the barmaid's younger years when she terrorized the guild and proudly bore the title The Demon. Slowly pulling back from Natsu, she smiled up at her friend, trying desperately not to see intimidated but failing miserably.

"Y-You know, just wanted to say 'hi' is all. Natsu and I never really get to talk and I just wanted to see how he was doing." Cana hated lying but if it meant keeping her teeth in her head, she would gladly indulge.

"Oh, now isn't that sweet." Despite her sweet tone, it was clear that Mirajane didn't believe a single word that came out of the brunette's mouth.

"W-well, it was nice talking to you, Natsu. Maybe we can pick up where we left off, neh?" Quickly standing up from the table, Cana felt a wave of defiance wash over her as she winked at the baffled dragon slayer who had been shifting his eyes from the bikini model to the drunk.

"I think I heard Kinana go in the kitchen, Cana. If you act fast you might be able to snag a drink or two," Mirajane said, her smile never once fading.

Cana could read between the lines with the best of them and she knew Mirajane was using her vice as a polite way to say 'fuck off'. Not wishing to make a scene in front of Natsu and more than likely the whole guild if things played out the way she pictured them in her mind, she nodded her head in acknowledgment and walked towards the bar but not without giving the shorter female a knowing look when she passed. The way Mirajane's eyes widened when their gazes met was all she needed to know that she was why Natsu was acting the way he was.

'Little Miss Perfect isn't so pure no more.'

Watching the shapely brunette walk away, Natsu sighed in relief. However, he wouldn't have the luxury of relaxing for long knowing just who was standing directly in front of him.

"Look Mira, I didn't know she-

"Its fine Natsu, you didn't' do anything wrong," she soothed him. Giving him with a loving smile and a suggestive wink, Mirajane walked to her post behind the bar, a noticeable sway in her wide hips, her grin growing in size as she felt his olive colored peepers stare a burning hole into her backside.

When she received the orders from Kinana, the busty model snuck a glance at Cana who was seated at the far end of the bar, nursing a cup of juice and wearing a disgruntled sneer on her pretty face. Smirking to herself, Mirajane felt victorious but at the same time strangely apprehensive.

'I know Natsu said there was nothing going on between him and Cana, but it's obvious something is still lingering between them.'

Shaking her head of whatever feelings might still be between her two friends, Mira threw herself into her job, hoping that the day would end without any more unnecessary surprises.

[A/N: Well here you go! You've guys requested a new chapter for Our Little Secret and I have delivered. I hope the audience isn't too sore about my hiatus on this story. College has been rough but thankfully, it is coming to a close. Now I can focus on what really matters. NBA 2K16! And, yeah, my stories, whatever. Now on the matter of Cana…I have no idea where that came from. I wanted to introduce her character in a different way but I was like, 'Hey why only include Lisanna and Lucy, why not Cana. That should make things hella interesting.' Though I warn you know, there may or may not be a twist when it comes to her. So like always, read/review/favorite/follow this story and the others I have written. Rub a Dub Dub and Surviving Senior Year will be the next stories to be updated soon. An Act of Kindness will come later. Blaccdragon out!]