Disclaimer: I neither own Fairy Tail nor the lyrics of this song.

Author's note: Please don't be scared - I've translated the lyrics as I went. If you want, you can listen to it (I strongly recommend it). I just thought it fits so well …

¨¨°º© ©º°¨¨°º© ©º°¨¨°º© Wie Es Geht – How It Works ©º°¨¨°º© ©º°¨¨°º© ©º°¨¨

Erza's head fell onto the tabletop with a loud thump.

"Erza?" Mirajane asked, softly putting a hand on the redhead's shoulder who just shook her head where it lay.

"I can't stand that anymore," she groaned.

Gray, who sat there with his arms behind the back of his neck and a bored expression, showed a small grin. He knew all too well about what his guild comrade was talking. They all knew it, without exception. Even Gazille knew. Even Wendy.

Mirajane smiled one of her way-too-beautiful-smiles and looked at where the objects of their attention were seated. "I know what you mean," she said. "Someone should give them a little push, that's what I think."

Erza's head shot up from its place and she looked at the white-haired beauty with a fierce glance. "What do you mean?"

"Isn't that obvious?" Gray said with a wink of his hand, which made Lluvia, seated next to him, flinch in surprise. "She means someone has to tell them how things are, or we'll all go puking every day as a habit."

Mirajane chuckled. "That's not quite what I said," she told him. "Perhaps not telling them, just … showing them, in a careful way."

"Careful?" Erza flared up, just at the moment when Lisanna arrived at their table.

"What is it?" the girl asked curiously.

"Them," Cana sighed from her barrel some feet away, and the blonde let out a sigh.

"Oh yeah. Them." She knew about them like all the others did, and really, she was glad they seemed to have found each other. But … at the same time she was a bit sad. Firstly because she could not help worrying that her deep friendship with Natsu was beyond restoration after her return from Edolas, and secondly because they both just didn't notice each other's longing. But everyone else did. It made her gloomy.

Lisanna winced when Erza stood up – that means, she jumped up so suddenly that her chair landed on its back.

"Um, Erza? What's the matter?" Gray asked cautiously, but the redhead just showed a demonic grin that made him shudder.

"Watch and learn," she sang.

Ich schau dich an und du bist unbeschreiblich schön – I look at you and you are beautiful beyond description
Ich könnte ewig hier sitzen und dich einfach nur ansehn – I could sit here forever and just look at you

He could look at her all day – if he was not scared as hell that she could notice. Watch the way her hair whirled around her head when she moved and the way her eyes shone when she listened to someone's talking. The way she smiled her oh so pretty smile, and the way her form-fitting top clung to her – uh, perhaps he should stop that.

Doch plötzlich stehst du auf und du willst gehn – But suddenly you stand up and you want to go

He had to stop staring anyways. She was just about to leave the Guild building, flashing him and the others one last smile before she turned towards the door. He noticed it was already late – probably he should go to bed as well. Would keep him from staring.

"She's going home," Happy remarked sadly, and Natsu smiled softly. He was not the only person who missed her every time she went away.

Bitte geh noch nicht – Please don't go just yet
Ich weiß es ist schon spät – I know it's already late
Ich will dir noch was sagen – I want to tell you something
Ich weiß nur nicht wie es geht – I just don't know how it works

How he wished to just call out for her and tell her everything … but that was not an option. He wanted to stop her, but what should he say? "Please stay because I'm head over heels in love with you and can't stand being without you for just one second?"

Ha, ha. Day of a hundred jokes. Even if it was not a serious risk, a risk he did not want to take – he had never felt like this before, and who knew what would come out of his mouth if he opened it to tell her?

Bleib noch ein bisschen hier – Stay here for a bit longer
Und schau mich nicht so an – and don't look at me like that
Weil ich sonst ganz bestimmt überhaupt gar nichts sagen kann – because otherwise most certainly I can't say anything at all

Who could assure him that he would not be at a serious loss for words if she looked at him with her beautiful brown eyes and waited for him to say something? He didn't know how to say such things. He had never done so before, never even considered doing something like that. To him, it was just weird. And scared the heck out of him.

Ich weiß selber nicht was los ist – I don't know what's going on myself
Meine Knie werden weich – my knees are getting weak
Im Film sieht es so einfach aus – it looks so easy in the movies
Jetzt bin ich kreidebleich – now I'm chalky-white
Ich weiß nicht was ich sagen soll – I don't know what to say
Mein Gott jetzt gehst du gleich – my God, you're going now

"Lucy!"

Every conversation in the room subsided. The laughter stopped. All eyes were becoming directed on Erza momentarily standing built in the middle of the room. And anyone in here could tell she was freakin' furious.

Lucy froze with her hand reached out for the door. She looked back at her companion with wide eyes, guessing about whether she should just run or stay and try to find out what she had done wrong, since nothing occurred to her.

"W-What is it?" she asked hesitantly, deciding for the latter.

The frown that furrowed her redheaded friend's brow was so deep it looked like Lucy was on her best way to getting killed now, and at the same time and even more worrisome, she wore a mischievous grin. Lucy suppressed a shudder of fear as Erza spoke again.

"Come. Here."

Lucy gulped. Should she do as her "friend" said – commanded –, or was now the time to turn and run for her life? But since she knew the armoured woman, she knew running was of no use. Sooner or later she would get her anyway …

She made some hesitant steps towards the woman everyone just called "Titania" (yes, running was really useless), and caught Natsu's worried glance from somewhere behind the S-class mage. Oh shit – if he's worried, then –

"Gray!" Erza called as she grabbed Lucy's wrist. "You know what to do, right?"

Lucy broke out in cold sweat by seeing that same devilish smirk on the ice mage's face who now stood up and came towards her. To Lucy, he looked like a predator at that moment – not that Erza was any better.

"What are you – hey!"

Natsu, who had made some steps forward so as to prevent Gray from grabbing Lucy's arm, jumped in surprise when Erza's attention – and hence her demonic super death glare – was now directed to him.

"You!" she boomed and took him by the neck as if he were a puppy that had to be taught some manners. "You go with me!"

"Hey! Leave it! What are you – Erza!"

But no matter how he struggled, he did not get free and had to watch helplessly how Gray started dragging Lucy across the room. And then Erza started to do the same with him, in the exact same direction.

Bitte geh noch nicht – Please don't go just yet
Bleib noch ein bisschen hier – stay here for a bit longer

"Where are you taking me? There's only the storage room –"

"Exactly," she said. And her smirk really scared him.

He heard Mirajane chuckle from somewhere behind them. "Oh my."

"What –?"

That was when he saw Gray pushing Lucy into the room in which Mirajane stored all their supplies. He heard a pained cry and was about to flare up with rage at the black-haired ice mage when Erza let go of his neck. "Relax," she smirked. "You'll have enough time to … examine her."

Natsu wanted to turn his head towards her and ask her what the heck they were doing, but she did not let him. With one forceful stroke, she shoved him right into the same room. Completely taken by surprise, he almost somersaulted into the storage room and only heard the door slam shut behind him.

Ich muss dir noch was sagen – I have to tell you something
Nur die Worte fehlen mir – only I'm at a loss for words

"Ouf!"

"Kyaaa!"

His relief at landing on something soft instantly changed to horror as he came to stare right in Lucy's surprised face below him. At the same time, he noticed the clicking sound of the door's lock being turned around.

"Sorry, sorry!" he stammered and jumped off her immediately. His face had a nice little blush by now, but without thinking, he offered her a hand to get up. When she took it, a spark similar to electricity went through both of them and Natsu almost jerked his hand back. He was well aware of the contact … and their closeness. Not that they had never stood together like this, but now was something different. They were alone in this room …

When she stood, he noticed she was blushing as well. Probably from anger, he thought and quickly let go of her hand. She turned her face away and pretended to brush off her clothes, a move that reminded him of embarrassment – but why should she be embarrassed?

"So then," a muffled voice came through the closed door, and Natsu walked towards it with clenched fists. Not only that they had quasi kidnapped them and locked them in, but they had also hurt Lucy, and he would not forgive them.

"Let us out!" Natsu commanded, but only laughter was heard from the other side of the door.

Bitte geh noch nicht – Please don't go just yet
Ich weiß es ist schon spät – I know it's already late

"Now none of you both can just walk away like you always do," they heard Erza's voice and looked at each other in confusion.

Lucy shrugged and made a face. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"You stay in there until you grabbed each other and – " Gray started but was interrupted by a softer voice.

"Until you made things up amongst yourselves." They heard a giggle from Mirajane as she finished her sentence. "No running away now."

"Bullshit!" Natsu cursed, but he just could not prevent his face from getting red as a ripe tomato. "There's nothing to be made up here! Let us out of here or I'll burn that freakin' door down to ashes!"

"Oh, you can make up as much as you like, nobody'll disturb you," Gray stated dryly. "Go ahead. You can start with burning Lucy's clothes off …"

"Shut your freakin' trap!" Natsu shouted, enraged now. A quick glance sideways told him that Lucy's face was even redder than his was about to become. He felt sorry for her, but taking her in his arms would probably be terribly counterproductive now. "Quit your stupid childish games and let us outta here!"

"If you burn that door now you'll be out of active duty for a month," a new voice joined the ruckus outside, and Natsu froze in horror.

"Grandpa!" he exclaimed and stared at the door. "You can't do that! Don't tell me you're joining that crap!"

Makarov laughed. "I, too, am unwilling to watch you two anymore. You're making us all sick. Just tell each other and we let you out."

"Tell what?" Lucy shouted and went ahead of him to bang at the door. "Just what do you want us to do?"

Ich will dir noch was sagen – I want to tell you something
Ich weiß nur nicht wie es geht – I just don't know how it works

"Well … you two dumbasses," Gray sighed. "You know so well what we want you to do. Just confess to each other, seal it with a kiss and –"

"You have to realise your feelings. We all know it, so it's not as much of a secret as you may probably think," Mirajane interrupted the ice mage again. "Just tell each other and get together. Dear, you are so annoying."

Hearing such a thing from Mira who was always so calm really surprised them. But what surprised them more, actually, what was she was saying. What they all were saying. It really seemed they knew, and oh, that was just so horrible.

"Wh-What are you talking about?" Lucy's voice shivered. She stared at the door with wide eyes.

"We're talking about you fools in love with each other and so blind that it's freaking us out," Erza stated.

"N-No!" Lucy yelled. "There's no such thing!"

Erza snorted. "Of course there is. Just confess. We'll be quiet from now."

Wie es geht – How it works

"That's not true!" Tears welled up in her eyes while Natsu just stared at the door in speechless terror.

No answer.

Wie es geht – How it works

"Natsu!" Lucy yelled and turned around without really facing him. "Tell them it's not true! They're wrong, yes?"

Wie es geht – How it works

Natsu gulped. He could lie now and everything would be fine … or wouldn't it? He would hate himself for his weakness for the rest of his life, but at least he would have kept his secret, and that was important ...

Or would he not?

Ich dachte immer dass es leicht wär – I always thought it was easy
Ich dachte immer, das ist doch kein Problem – I always thought that's no problem
Jetzt sitz ich hier wie ein Kaninchen vor der Schlange – now I'm sitting here like a bunny before a snake
Und ich fühl mich wie gelähmt – and I'm feeling like I'm paralysed

And it dawned on him. They really knew. There was no going back –

"Natsu!" Lucy shouted frantically.

Ich muss es sagen – I have to say it
Ich weiß nur noch nicht wie – I only just don't know how
Ich muss es dir sagen – I have to tell you
Jetzt oder nie – now or never

"Yes," he said silently and forced his eyes up to look at her. At his saying, she gave a quick glance as if she was confirming herself of something.

He cleared his throat, but his voice was hoarse like hell when he uttered the probably most difficult words of his life.

"They are right."

Lucy's eyes widened.

"At least when it comes to me."

He did not know where he was taking that courage from. It was just there, and as he had found a starting point, they seemed to bubble up from the depths of his heart, as if they wanted out now. He felt a certain relief, too. Even if these words could destroy everything … they were the truth. He just could not lie to her.

Bitte geh noch nicht – Please don't go just yet
Am besten gehst du nie – at best you don't ever go

Lucy looked stunned, as if she had just been backhanded, and remained silent as she stared at him wide-eyed. But he needed to go on. He needed it.

"There is something I have to tell you. I'm sorry if I'm scaring you, or destroying our friendship –"

A snort came from outside, followed by a hissed "Shhh!". Natsu did not care anymore. He had to say it now. Taking one deep breath, he made two steps in her direction and stopped in front of her. Her flushed face seemed so cute, he did not know why that occurred to him now.

Ich hab's dir schon so oft gesagt – I've told you already so often
In meiner Fantasie – in my imagination

This is so wrong, he thought. But he could not change anything. It was how he felt, and it needed to get out now.

Bleib noch ein bisschen hier – Stay here for a bit longer
Bitte geh noch nicht – please don't go just yet

He realised that this, really, was the very reason they were in here. Outside, she could have run away. He did not know what she would do now. He just hoped the others would let her out if she wanted to get away from him, after this was over.

Was ich versuche dir zu sagen – what I'm trying to tell you

"You know, it's already for quite a long time that I'm feeling this way, and –"

Today was just not the day for him to finish his sentences.

Lucy's eyes were still wide and her mouth gaped ever so slightly, making him want to kiss her. But that was not what stopped his confession. It was her words.

"I love you!" she blurted out.

Ist "Ich liebe dich!" – is "I love you!"

Natsu gasped before telling himself that he should clean his ears more often. That had been his imagination, right? That had been in his head, she had not just told him she loved him. That was unreal. Not. Freaking. Real.

His mind was as blank as freshly pressed paper. Her eyes seemed to drown him. He needed to get back to reality or she would think him stupid –

Her hands shot out to grab his shoulders, and she gave a fierce shake. She looked constrained, like she was in pain.

"I love you, idiot! Say something!"

There it was again. Again. She had said what he had thought she had said.

It was real.

He exhaled on a hard breath before taking his hands up to take her face between them.

"I love you too, Lucy."

And amid the applause and cheering of seemingly the whole guild outside the door, he bent down and kissed her, and it felt like heaven.

For both of them.