The Pain of Memories

Chapter 1.. Acalypha

What do you do when you think you are in love with your best friend? So many people have said Natsu and I like each other, or we would make a cute couple. Even Happy thinks so! But I don't know how I feel. I know I blush a lot when we talk, and sometimes there are butterflies in my stomach when we're together, but I don't know what true love feels like. I've never had a serious boyfriends before, never been on a real date. How would I know anything about that kind of stuff?

Hi! I'm a celestial mage, Lucy Heartfilia, a member of the greatest guild Fairy Tail. I'm also a part of team Natsu, the strongest team in Fairy Tail (if I do say so myself). Along with Erza, Gray, Happy, and, of course, Natsu, we work together to help the people who hire us with our abilities. Over the months that I've been here, I've recently started feeling different when I'm around Natsu Dragneel. Mirajane giggles every time I bring it up and mimics Happy. "You llllllllliiike him."

But do I?

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"Lucy!!" Natsu yelled over the chatter in the guild hall. No one stopped to pay attention to him, as the dragon slayer yelling my name across the building was almost daily routine. I paused in my conversation at the bar with Levy to face my idiotic partner and his flying cat, who were now running towards me full speed. "I found a job for us!" he screeched like a banshee. I calmly stood up and ushered Levy to take a few steps to the side with me. Gray stepped into Natsu's path at the last second, causing them both to go flying into the stools we were just sitting on. I was proud of my psychic abilities. I knew Natsu and my nakama well enough to know that if someone was running, something terrible was about to happen.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Squinty Eyes?" Gray hissed. They both hopped onto their feet and slammed their heads together viciously. They ignored the mess of snapped wooden stools beneath their feet and the incoming presence of Titania.

"Why'd you get in my way, Droopy Eyes?" Natsu steamed.

"Cut it out already," Erza snapped, shoving them away from each other. As she lectured the two on fighting and paying for the damages, I said goodbye to Levy and joined the rest of my team. Happy and I stood by snickering as Erza finished her speech.

"So, what's this job you picked up?" I asked, stealing the flyer out of Natsu's hand.

"It will just have to be the three of you, Lucy. Gray and I are needed here," Erza cut in.

"I am?" Gray asked. Erza elbowed him in the ribs suspiciously. "A-ah, yes I am! Master needed us for a mission!" I frowned at Gray clear lie. Of course, Natsu being who he is, didn't question it a bit.

"Fine by me! Now I don't have to hang around with the Ice Princess for a while!" Natsu laughed. Before Gray could punch him for the insult, Natsu hid behind where I was standing, reading the flyer.

"Mystery Mage is giving us Nightmares, Please Help. And the reward is 100,000 jewels each!" I read aloud. I was ecstatic to be returning, if only briefly, to our original team of three. Of everyone in the guild, Happy and Natsu are the ones I'm closest to. I'd deny it if anyone asked me directly, but how could they not be? They're the ones who brought me here and gave me a family. They're the causes of my happiness. I couldn't imagine my life had they just left me to be sold to whoever was the buyer of Bora's boatload of women.

"Sounds like a good job for you then," Erza commented. She took a seat on one of the stools that hadn't been crushed in the earlier collision and called for Mira, who was in the back room. When she emerged with her usually sunny smile, I leaned against the bar beside Erza.