Chapter 1: The Beginning

Kingdom of Fiore. Magnolia.

It was a normal day like any other for Fairy Tail. Mages coming in and out of the Guild taking jobs or returning from them. And the brawling in the middle of the hall.

"What did you say flame face?!"

"Bring it on ice stripper!"

As always, Natsu and Grey started brawling in the halls, hoping to go up against one another. This time around, it seems like Natsu picked on Grey about his relationship with Juvia, since he still hasn't given her his answer on how he feels about her. Who likes who, is none of Natsu's concern (he doesn't really care), but he likes to tease Grey from time to time about it. Seems like this time he stepped over the line.

"Oi, stop fighting! Men don't fight over this—"

"SHUT UP!"

And with that, both guys punched Elfman in the face and knocked him down, which further infuriated the big muscle man with the white hair. Next thing you know, he's joined the brawl too.

"Ala ala, they're at it again"

"When will they ever grow up?"

Lucy sighed while sitting at the bar watching the fight. Mirajane was working and smiling at the brawl that included her younger brother.

"Don't you mean: will HE ever grow up, Lucy?"

Lucy's face turned into a bright shade of red after that comment from Mirajane, who had her devilish smile on.

"Don't tease me like that Mira-san! It's not like that! We… w.. we're just friends! We're comrades!"

"Ok, ok, I get it", said Mirajane with a big smile, "but you know, you two would make a really cute couple. And he hasn't kept his eye off you the whole time, even in that fight he's been looking at you when he had the chance"

"WHAT!?"

"You really are cute at times, Lucy, and sometimes as dense as Natsu is."

Chuckling at Lucy, Mirajane returned to work behind the bar, while Lucy was plunged into deep thoughts about what she was just told.

Natsu looks at me? Impossible! I'm not his type, definatly not! Am I? Why am I even thinking about this?!

With her head at war with her heart, she returned to look at the brawl that was still happening. This time, Gajeel had joined in, and he had the pink haired Dragon Slayer in a headlock.

"Give up, flame ball!"

"Over my dead body, scrap eater!"

Luckily for Natsu, he was being headlocked towards the bar, so he was able to get a glimpse of the blonde haired celestrial mage. The look on her face made the Fire Dragon Slayer change his face colour (not just because of him getting strangled). Since the end of the Grand Magic Games, his thoughts towards Lucy have changed dramatically. He still thought of her as his best friend, his teammate, his comrade… but there was something else that was creeping into his mind. Whatever he does, whatever mission he takes, Lucy creeps into his mind. Even now in a fight, he's thinking about her…

Stop thinking about her! Not now!

He managed to get out of the headlock and punched Gajeel in the face. By then Gray and Elfman were already k.o'ed, so it was up to the two slayers to settle this.

"That's it! Iron Dragon's—

"Fire Dragon's-

"QUIT IT!"

and BHAM! Both were knocked unconscious by Erza Scarlet. Erza was able to tolerate their fight until their dragon breath attacks; it would have destroyed the guild building. They just moved back into it, and no-one is going to destroy it again straight away.

"Geez, will you boys grow up for once?! Quit fighting!"

"Quit it Erza, we're grown-ups! This wouldn't have started if Gray-"

"Oi, don't put me into this, flame face!"

"What did you say ice pervert?!"

"Bring it on!"

"Bring i-"

"I SAID, QUIT IT!"

Next thing Lucy saw, was all the guys on the floor knocked out by the famous Titania. She sighed, but chuckled a little bit at the pink haired mage on the floor being knocked out. She felt guilty for laughing at him, but it's only Natsu. She went up to him and kneeled down:

"You ok, Natsu?"

"Yeah…"

"You shouldn't have teased Gray like that, you wouldn't have been beaten by Erza."

"Oh come on, I was only kidding!" getting up, he was still glaring at the ice mage on the floor. "If you could tell I was kidding…"

"Ok, but you can't tease people about stuff like that!"

"Stuff like that? Stuff like what?"

Sighing, Lucy face palmed. She knew Natsu was a bit dense with feelings, let alone understanding emotions, but she didn't know he could be THIS dense and naive.

"Stuff like feelings! Obviously Gray was pissed off that you teased him about Juvia. He still hasn't given his answer yet, you just can't come on and do that"

"Really?! He got mad at that?! How can he? It's not that impor—"

"Stop it there"

"Why?"

Natsu asked, but seeing the glare in Lucy's eyes, he stopped midway and shut up. God what is up with everyone?, he was thinking, Its just feelings! You don't need to think about it, It's just there! It's like me when I think of Lu—

He froze. When he thinks of who? Wait, what did I just think? When I think of… of… Lucy? What?! Now he was confused. He was never good at figuring out feelings like this, let alone understand emotions of caring for someone else deeply. He's always been the type of "action first and ask questions later". But now, it seems like he was realizing something he's been carrying for a while, but never thought about it properly until now.

"Natsu?"

The Dragon Slayer stopped thinking and came back into focus. He completely forgot he was thinking in front of Lucy.

"N- nothing."

He felt his face go up a couple of temperatures. He looked away, and ran out of the Guild. Lucy looked at his back running out, her head full of questions.

What was that about? His face before he ran out... was he blushing? That Natsu was blushing? I wonder what he was thinking…

Sighing, Lucy returned to the bar, picked up her belongings, and went to the job board, looking for a mission she could take on.

What she didn't realize, that the job she will take, would end in dire consequences…