My Chemistry Partner Chapter 36

Recently, Lucy had noted that Natsu had grown distant. Which was… uncharacteristic for him. After all, from the handful of months Lucy has known him it was always Lucy pushing away Natsu, and she already promised herself she wouldn't do that anymore. Did the universe constantly need one of them pushing the other away or something?

It's not like the pink haired boy could ignore her completely, they had two classes together. Except, now instead of being a ball of energy he would feign excitement for a few moments before seemingly detatching his presence from the conversation.

For example, in English Lucy was trying to talk to him before Cana walked in and the subject changed. As the brunette talked the blonde got swept away and forgot to notice how Natsu hadn't said a word. It was only by the end of class she realized he barely even looked like he was listening.

Then there was Chem 2, and when she and Gray walked into class she was surprised that the pink haired boy was already there talking to Gildarts, the latter was pinching his own forehead inbetween his fingers in frustration. Natsu just barely acknowledged his friends as they walked in before continuing to annoy the teacher. Then during class he barely said anything to them. Gray had filled the gaps of the conversation talking about Juvia and how baseball practice had been going, but even the black haired boy seemed slightly distrubed by Natsu's lack of energy.

"Uhm… Gray," Lucy asked after one, "Do you, uh, know what's wrong with Natsu? I mean, he's not acting like himself."

The black haired boy looked up from his worksheet and to the pink haired boy who was trying to balance a pencil on his nose. He looked back at Lucy and raised and eyebrow skeptically as if to ask 'you sure?'

Lucy frowned, "Well, yeah but lately he hasn't talked much right?"

"Really? I can't get him to shut up during practice," Gray looked back at his friend confused, "I guess he has been quiet after…" His hesitation frustrated the blonde.

"After?"

The black haired boy shook his head, seemingly having thought something through in his mind. Out loud he replied,

"No it's nothing," more to himself he mumbled, "He wouldn't get upset over that," before he spoke up again and looked at the blonde, "I wouldn't worry about it too much. Everyone gets moods sometimes, even that idiot."

Lucy sighed, but relented. Was that what this was? Just a random mood?

Well, if that was the case it didn't stop as the week went on. In fact Lucy started to notice Natsu avoiding her. Balling up her fists the blonde caught him in the hallway by his arm after a day of him being particularly too quiet.

"Hey," the blonde started after Natsu looked at her surprised, "Come with me."

She had begun pulling him away from their class when he pulled back,

"Uh, don't we have chem right now?" Lucy shot him a look,

"This can't wait."

The pink haired boy looked uncomfortable but let the blonde drag him along anyways. He blinked in surprise when she dragged him up the staircase to the roof top, opened the door like it was her home, and pushed him through before closing it behind herself.

For a second Lucy saw a moment of spark flash through him as he opened his mouth excitedly with a goofy smile, but then his eyes met hers and he quickly shut his mouth and looked away awkwardly.

Lucy crossed her arms and frowned. This was starting to worry her.

"Did I do something? I mean recently, have I offended you?"

Natsu looked like a fish the way his mouth opened and closed without any words coming out.

"Seriously Natsu!" Lucy averted her gaze, "Did you think I wouldn't notice you avoiding me?"

The pink haired boy admittedly looked pretty guilty as he rubbed the back of his neck, "I'm not avoiding-"

Lucy lightly shoved him back, "You're lying," the blonde pushed him back again, "You've been avoiding me for days now and you haven't told me why. What did I do?" She looked up and he winced.

"You didn't-" He cut himself off before taking a small step back from the blonde that had gotten close. It didn't to unnoticed by her and her frown deepened, "You didn't do anything wrong, and I'm not avoiding you. I just have been caught up with… school."

The excuse sounded lame to both of them. The blondes frustratation was building but she took a deep breath before saying anything,

"Natsu," he met her gaze sheepishly, "Are you okay? You know you can tell me if something is wrong right?"

"But nothing's wrong-"

Lucy took a step forward and he hesitated, "If nothing was wrong you wouldn't be acting like I just flushed your favorite fish down a toilet!"

He blinked a her owlishly and took another small step back, only to find he ran out of room. He swallowed again, well no running now.

Lucy continued, "I'm sorry if I offended you or said something… but please don't just ignore me, I thought we were friends."

Natsu jumped like he'd been shocked, "We ARE friends!" he said immediately making the blonde look at him wide eyed,

"Seriously are you okay?" Lucy reached out to touch his arm but Natsu side stepped and moved away from the wall he cornered himself in. Lucy looked confused, but more hurt at the action.

"I'm fine, anyways we should really get to class," Natsu was already walking to the door when the blonde let out a frustrated groan. She reached out and grabbed his wrist before he could turn the door knob.

"Stop it! Tell me what I did!" Lucy's patience had seemingly run out.

The pink haired boy grimaced as he tried tugging his hand away, "I already said-"

"You suddenly are super concerned about school? So much you can't look or talk to me? I'm sorry if I don't believe that! You won't even let yourself ask me if this is where I sit at lunch! What's going on with you?"

The pink haired boy flashed to when Gray had asked him the same thing. What was going on with him? Nothing! Nothing was wrong he just… he needed-

Natsu pulled his hand away roughly and said with more hiss than he probably meant to use, "Can you just leave me alone?"

Lucy flinched back as he opened the door and went back down the stairs. The door shut behind him soon after and the blonde stood still for a moment before she felt her face burn with embarrassment and anger.

Furiously, Lucy wiped at her face before any tears could fall and she opened the door roughly before following after him. He was already back in class getting scolded when she walked in and sat down. Mr. Clive said something to her but Lucy couldn't hear anything but her heart pounding in her ears.

Her eyes snapped up when a hand touched her shoulder and she meet Gray's eyes.

"Are you… okay?"

The blonde's face scrunched up as she held back tears. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Lucy told herself as she shortly answered Gray with a 'Fine.'

When class ended Mr. Clive stopped the blonde from leaving and pointed to the dirty science equipment, "You and your friend get to clean up here since I'm nice and decided to not give you both detention for ditching."

Lucy looked back at Natsu who didn't meet her gaze. Angry tears pricked back into her vision and she harshly turned back to her teacher.

"I'd rather take the detention, thanks." The blonde pushed past the chemistry teacher, who blinked shocked by her response, and walked down the halls out of the school.

For the first time in a while, Lucy really just wanted to go home.

-x-

Since then the two had been caught in a stalemate. One their friends had very quickly noticed.

Levy had tried asking the blonde about it, but Lucy simply bit out, "It's not my problem he made that clear."

Natsu didn't answer any questions better simply shrugging when anyone asked him what happened. Lisanna was over it after a week over continuously trying to nicely get an answer from the two.

"Lis, I'm really tired so we have to do this now?" Natsu whined as he followed his childhood friend to her house. The white haired girl rolled her eyes before replying,

"You are being ridiculous and you won't tell me or anyone why. You're talking with Mira. Today."

Natsu sighed as he followed her into the building, "I don't know what everyone means. Nothing's wrong."

Lisanna scoffed, "Nobody is asking if something is wrong anymore because it's obvious something is."

"Hey it's Natsu!" The two looked up to see the one and only Mirajane Strauss sitting in the living room, "I feel like its been forever since I've seen your face."

Natsu rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, "It hasn't been that long really."

Mira laughed and motioned for the two to come closer, "Well come on. My little sister wouldn't bring you to me if you didn't do something silly."

Lisanna chuckled as she pushed Natsu forward, "That's right. Now stop being all mopey and tell Mira what's going on!"

Natsu hesitated as he sat on the couch, "But nothing is going on."

Mira looked at Lisanna to explain, "He's was ignoring Lucy, then she got upset about it, and now they won't talk."

The long white haired girl looked at Natsu, "Why were you ignoring her?"

"I wasn't ignoring her," Natsu grumbled. The younger sibling sighed and the eldest smiled gently,

"Alright. I've got this little sister, you can go start on your homework."

The shorter haired girl gave her sister a grateful smile and left the room, not before sending Natsu a sastified smirk. The pink haired boy shrunk deeper into the couch.

"So Natsu," He slowly looked to the oldest Strauss sibling, "How have you been lately."

The pink haired boy blinked, caught off guard, "Y-You aren't going to ask me why I was avoiding Lucy?"

Mira chuckled, "Well you already told me you weren't. I thought I could take you for your word. Plus, it's been a while. So how are you?"

Guilt nagged at him, "I've been… tired I guess. You?"

Mira smiled, "Lovely, though I get sad when I hear about all this drama you seem to have going on."

"It's not-" The pink haired boy sighed, "Okay so I was avoiding her but just a little bit, alright?"

The eldest Strauss sibling looked patient as ever as she asked, "Why did you need to avoid her?"

He swallowed, "Uhm… because she…" He looked at Mira who just nodded kindly to indicate she was listening, "…and I… uhm…"

"Because you like her right?"

The two were silent for a moment before Natsu nodded stiffly.

"But," Mira continued, "Don't people try spending more time with the person they like?"

Natsu nodded slowly again.

"So, Natsu what changed in you?"

The pink haired boy grimaced, "A lot changed over the summer, she-"

Mira wagged her finger, "No, not what changed with her. I asked why you changed."

"B-Because after everything she-"

Mira 'tsked' at him, "Natsu I know what changed about Lucy, but I'm asking you about you." He seemed confused so she continued, "You changed your perspective on something. What changed?"

Natsu sat silent for a moment before he replied, "I just want to be her friend."

Mira hummed, "That's not going so well recently though."

"I just… needed time to stop liking her." He averted his gaze, "I don't want to make her hate me but it happened anyways."

The eldest Strauss sibling considered his words, "Do you think she would hate you if you told her you liked her?"

The grimace on his face was answer enough.

"Natsu I thought you thought highly of Lucy."

The pink haired boys head whipped up, "I do! She's smart and strong and-"

"But you doubt that she would be your friend no matter what. You don't have much faith in her."

His throat went dry and Natsu coughed, "I-I didn't…"

"Regardless of if she likes you the same way or not, she wants to be your friend right?" he nodded, "Then even if you tell her you like her, even if she didn't feel the same she wouldn't cut you off."

"I'm fine being her friend though, I don't need to tell her…" Natsu muttered slowly. Miras eyes twinkled,

"Are you sure you're okay without telling her? Look at what you've already been doing after deciding you would be fine how you are."

Natsu grimaced again, "Then what should I do?"

The white haired girl smiled, "You can tell her how you feel. Natsu no one is fine with keeping in their feelings," seeing the discomfort on his face she continued slowly, "either you tell her and she returns the feelings or you tell her and she doesn't. No matter what happens Lucy isn't going to hate you."

Natsu groaned, "Ya know I really hate all this feeling talk everyone has been trying to get me to do lately." Mira laughed in response,

"I think we're just concerned for you."

"There ain't any reason to be," he grumbled back, "I manage just fine,"

The eldest Strauss sibling smiled patiently, "You know as well as I do that people need their friends." she laid a hand on his shoulder, "Try to remember that friendships like the ones you have built are timeless, enjoy them alright?"

The pink haired boy really took in her words, sitting quiet for moment before shaking his head with a smile of his own, "Gah… yeah you're right." Suddenly he jumped up from the couch and fist bumped the air, "Alright! Even moping around I gotta go talk to Lucy!"

The younger boy nearly crashed through the wall as he quickly made an exit, reappearing after a half second to shoot Mira a cheesy grin and say,

"Thanks Mira! You're the best!"

Before running back out of the house in a hurry. Lisanna emerged from the hallway she was hiding in and stood behind the couch her sister sat on.

Mira waved her hand where Natsu once was, "You're welcome," she turned her head to her sister and gave a sympathetic smile, "How about you, are you alright?"

Lisanna chuckled and rested her head on her sisters shoulder, "Yeah I'm good. I think I realized a while ago what's really most important to me."

Her sister patted her head affectionately, "And what's that?"

Lisanna smiled contently, "My family."

In an instant the middle child of the Strauss family burst into the living room, "THATS MANLY!"

The two sisters giggled at each other as their brother tackled them in a huge hug.

Because… this too, was love.

-x-

Short chapter bc lol I'm inbetween hating everything about this fic because of the whole "Lisanna is evil! 1!1!" thing I did at the start and feeling the need to finish it. The whole cliche premise it was based on (nerd v jock) was totally forgotten and now I'm just trying to somewhat work around what I left for myself so many years ago LMAO anyways. (lol see me calling myself out on drawn out drama paragraph one)

Fairy tail has a sequel y'all. SMH Nah we all knew that was coming lol. I have to say at the end of FT I really thought the storyline fell flat and Repitive but I'm still all for the sequel Gah it's the nostiliga ya know. I shouldn't really bash on storyline tho bc what even is this fics storyline LMAO. Anyways, to anyone that made it past the cringy beginnings, welcome. I also love how when I read how I described literally any female in the past before I knew I was queer was just me being super gay for all these strong beautiful woman without realizing it. 10/10 in this house we love and appreciate the strong beauties.

So btw I may end this fic soon. It'll be cutting out a lot of what I had planned, but TBH what I planned is like three years old sooo. After I finish it I'll keep it up for a while, but I might ultimately take it down for good. With FT100 coming out though I might make new fics. Shorter for sure lmao no question there. Also, hopefully less OOC like guys we all know how ooc this fic is lloooll. Thanks for sticking along for this journey. ~R