**I don't own Fairy Tail or the characters. I just write about them.

This story is being written in conjunction with one other story. I'll try to keep them fairly balanced, but no promises if one starts getting interesting.

This will have more drama and less action than some other stories. Especially with Brandish as part of the pairing, there's not a whole lot that could challenge them terribly.

So anyway, here's chapter 1. R & R please.

A few months after the Alvarez War

"I've decided to join Fairy Tail after all. Will you accept me?" Brandish asked the guild master, who sat near the bar with a drink in each hand.

"Umm, sure." Makarov looked up at the young woman. "What made you change your mind, though?"

"Let's just say this is the only guild where I might one day feel like I belong…"

~~~FLASHBACK START – during the war with Alvarez~~~

"Hey, I hear you went and saved my life! Thanks a lot!"

Does he really not remember? Brandish turned her head to make sure they couldn't see her face. The rest of their words were drowned out to her as she lost herself in thought. How can he not remember? How could he forget something so important?

Well, if he's not dead by the time this war is over, I swear I'm going to stick around and make him remember. He'd better not be with that blonde slut, or that's something else I can't forgive her for.

Suddenly she realized they'd said something that they expected an answer to.

"I never expected you to beat Jacob…" she didn't care if it sounded totally random. She just started talking, pushing away the feelings that threatened to overtake her.

~~~END FLASHBACK~~~

Brandish smiled as she got the Fairy Tail guild stamp on her right thigh. This guild is supposedly the most exciting guild in Fiore… but that's not really why I'm here.

"Welcome Brandish!" Lucy waved. Brandish put on a smile and waved back, making her way to the table. Not because of the blonde bimbo, but because of the pink haired dragon slayer who sat across from her.

She took a seat right next to him, across from the blonde-haired celestial mage.

"Hello Lucy. Yeah, I decided to join the guild after all. Just seems like the place that might feel most like home." She couldn't help looking at Natsu as she said that. "I'm surprised you would take me so readily, though, after everything I've done."

"Well, we like to say anyone's welcome at Fairy Tail," Lucy said with her same smile. "No matter what you've done in the past, you'll always have a place in our guild, so long as you want it."

"That's right!" Natsu said cheerfully.

"Yeah, there's always a place for hot chicks like you," Laxus leered, approaching the table. Suddenly he shrunk to the size of a fly and was backhanded across the room before returning to normal size. "Oooww…"

"Annoying insect," Brandish said as she turned her attention back to Natsu. "So Natsu, have you thought about what to do now that the biggest battle of your life is over?"

"Well, not really." The dragon slayer put his hands behind his head and laughed. "I just like to take life as it comes!"

"I bet," she couldn't help smiling a little. He really hadn't changed…

"Hey Natsu," the bimbo across the table broke in. "Why don't you come sleep at my place tonight?"

"Really?!" Natsu grinned. "You won't kick me out like you always do?"

"I'm inviting you, silly. Why would I kick you out?"

"Oh, right." The dragon slayer grinned at her.

Then he looked back at Brandish. "So where are you staying, Brandish?"

"Oh…" she had a hotel, but an idea came to her mind. "I'm not really sure yet. I guess I'll see if I can sleep at the guild for tonight."

"Well why don't you come too?" He asked. "Lucy's house has a nice couch, and I can just sleep on the floor. I'm comfortable anywhere!"

"Oh, that sounds wonderful!" Brandish put on her best smile, looking at Lucy. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course Lucy doesn't mind." Natsu grinned, though Lucy's face said otherwise. "She's cool like that."

"Natsu…" Lucy said.

Brandish feigned surprise. "Oh… I wouldn't want to cut in on your love life…"

"No, it's not like that!" Brandish noticed Lucy's dark blush as she spoke, but Natsu didn't have much reaction at all other than surprise. That was good to see.

"Oh… So you won't mind if I join you then?"

"Fine," Lucy muttered, glaring at Brandish.

~~Lucy's POV~~

Lucy couldn't believe she'd lost this argument. It was her house for Mavis' sake! And now this newcomer – who obviously wanted to steal Natsu – was breaking in on her attempt to get him to herself for the night.

Of course, if she was perfectly honest with herself, the only reason she'd even invited Natsu was because she could already see Brandish trying to throw herself at the dragon slayer. What kind of a slut did that after barely meeting a man anyway?

What annoyed her most was how she'd latched onto Natsu and swatted Laxus away like a fly. That meant it wouldn't be easy to redirect her attention to another guy in the guild.

No, she corrected herself. What really annoyed her most was how oblivious Natsu was to it. I'm starting to regret saving that bitch back then… She probably even has a hotel room or something that she could stay at tonight.

"Lucy?" She suddenly became aware Natsu was talking to her.

"What's that Natsu?" she asked, flustered.

"I said she'll fit in great around here, the way she just swatted Laxus like a fly."

"Yeah – she'll be a wonderful fit," Lucy said, forcing a smile. Then she got up. "Well, we should get going," she said. "I have a few things I want to do before I get home."

"Things like what?"

"Oh, you know, shopping… that kind of stuff."

Natsu grimaced. "I'll just stick around the guild for a while then."

"Aww, come on Natsu. Don't you want to come shopping with me?"

"Nah…"

"I'll buy you lunch!"

"Lunch?" Natsu seemed more interested suddenly.

"Natsu," Brandish smiled at the mage. "How much does Mirajane charge for her cooking? I've heard it's delicious…"

"Mira? She won't charge anything as long as you pay for whatever you want her to cook…"

"Great! I'll have her cook up something for me, and how about 10 giant steaks for you, and a few fish for your cat. All you have to do is accompany me to the grocery store and help me carry the food back."

"Alright!" Natsu pumped his fist in the air. "If it's for food, I can handle shopping!"

This one is going to be a problem… Lucy glared daggers at Brandish as she departed, arm in arm with the dragon slayer.

~~~Later that evening~~~

"You know," Lucy said as the three sat in her living room. "I think I'm going to take a bath. Why don't you come too, Brandish?" She shot the other mage a meaningful look.

"Sure, why not?" Brandish shrugged apathetically. "Baths are always enjoyable."

Lucy fumed silently as the green-haired mage started stripping on the way to the bathroom. She seemed to have very little concern about modesty.

"Look away, you pervert!" She yelled when she saw Natsu's eyes following Brandish's now naked ass to the bathroom.

Once they were in the bathroom, she slammed the door shut before getting undressed herself.

"What the fuck was that?" She asked, glaring daggers at Brandish.

"What?" The mage asked coolly. "It's not my fault your boyfriend likes my ass."

"He's not my boyfriend!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Then I don't see the problem."

Ok. This is it… I'm clearly going to have to stake my claim clearly here. "Alright, listen. Do you recall how you came in believing I'd wrongfully taken the Aquarius key that should've belonged to you?"

"You mean the one you still haven't acquired again yet? Yes, I remember."

"Well I have a feeling you're trying to take something else that is mine… and need to be reminded that it's not your place."

Brandish's facial expression didn't change. "I thought you weren't together."

"We're not!" Lucy said angrily. "Yet…"

"Then he's fair game," Brandish said.

"Look," Lucy said with a sigh. "I've known Natsu since I came to the guild. In fact – he brought me to the guild. And for the last 2 and a half years I've been building a relationship slowly. One that I know is built on trust and respect. So don't think you can come along and just seduce him for yourself because you happened to save his life once."

"2 and a half years, huh?" Brandish said.

"What of it?"

"Well, it looks like my claim on the dragon slayer goes back farther than yours."

"What's that supposed to mean."

"That's all I'm going to say, until he remembers…"

Lucy scowled, even more worried now. Was this hussy bluffing, or did she really have something on Natsu. She would have to grill him about this later.

"Whatever may have happened before, don't think you can just waltz in and take my Natsu away…" she retorted. Then she got up.

"Done so soon?"

"This bath isn't enjoyable anymore… maybe it's the company."

"That's too bad. Baths are never as much fun without company. Maybe I can convince Natsu to join me."

"Don't you even try it!" Lucy growled at the other as she dried off.

"Don't worry. Despite your obvious opinion of me, I'm not that kind of girl. But don't worry. Once he remembers, I'm sure he'll be more than willing to do much more than take baths with me…"

She is so dead the moment I get a chance…

~~~Natsu's POV~~~

Natsu sat on the couch, pondering the day's events. It had been surprising enough that Brandish joined Fairy Tail after her earlier refusal. But he really couldn't explain why she seemed to take an interest in him.

But most of all, he didn't understand why it seemed so natural. Almost like this was the way it was supposed to be. He felt even more comfortable with her than Lucy.

And it helped that she had a nice ass, of course. He wouldn't mind seeing that a few more times.

Since when did I become a pervert? He pushed the thoughts out of his mind. He was just here to enjoy an evening with his nakama. Nothing more.

"Hey Natsu!" He was surprised as Lucy came over, sitting quite close to him on his left side.

"Umm… Hi Lucy."

Brandish squeezed into the space on his right side, nudging his hips over a little to fit herself. She didn't say a word as she relaxed against him.

"So… I was thinking Natsu…" Lucy said again. "You could sleep in my bed tonight…"

"Well where would you sleep?" Natsu asked, surprised.

"In the bed too, of course." Lucy smiled.

"Huh?" Natsu blinked. Lucy had a slight smirk on her face, though she seemed to be looking past Natsu at Brandish.

What's going on here… "Umm… I don't think that would be very appropriate, Lucy."

"Since when have you cared about that?" She asked, frustrated.

"Aye Sir!" Happy interjected. The cat had been quiet most of the night, much to Natsu's chagrin. It was almost like he was enjoying the dragon slayer's situation.

"Umm… I don't know. I guess, you know…" Natsu shrugged. "It doesn't seem right."

Lucy scowled. What's going on… Lucy's been acting strange ever since Brandish showed up. What's gotten into her?

"Fine, be that way." Lucy shifted away from him a little bit, pouting.

"Maybe I'll just sleep at my house tonight…" Natsu said, looking from Lucy to Brandish in surprise.

"You have a house Natsu?" Brandish asked.

"Yeah – well… Sort of." Natsu said. "It's just a little home we built a long time ago, but I call it home." He gave her a toothy grin.

"I'd love to see it sometime Natsu," Brandish smiled, an expression that he'd rarely seen since she joined the guild.

"Sure thing!" Natsu grinned. "I'll show you tomorrow. For now… why don't you and Lucy talk some things out?"

And with that, he and Happy headed back to their home.