Operation: Too Many Boyfriends

Dense

The next day, at the Guild Hall:

"Lucy!" Mira greeted the celestial mage. "How did it go yesterday?"

"Okay, I guess. I'm down one outfit, but," she shrugged, "at least rent's taken care of!"

"Yeah, you should have seen her!" Happy laughed, hovering over her. "She looked like a green slime monster!" He and Natsu gave high fives to one another.

Mira set a strawberry milkshake in front of the mage. "The reason I'm asking is that you got a delivery!" she grinned. Reaching below the bar, she brought out a large flower arrangement.

"For me?" Lucy asked, surprised. They were really beautiful!

"There's a card!" Mira said, pointing to it. "I promise I did not read it!"

Yeah, right, Lucy thought, but decided not to say anything. Instead, she took the card and opened it.

"For a job well done," she read aloud. "These flowers pale in favor of your beauty, but I hope you will accept them anyway." She blushed. "With greatest regards, Hiro Akinora."

"That dude sent you flowers?" Natsu yelled. You could hear the air getting sucked in by the guild members, wondering how the fire mage would take it. "I was there too - where are mine?" The air was let out, most people shaking their heads sadly.

"Natsu, you are a dense idiot," came a voice from across the guild.

"What, ice princess? You talking to me?"

"Well, I think it's sweet," said Mira. She glared at Natsu for a moment. "Natsu, what do you think of a handsome man sending Lucy flowers?" She leaned over to Lucy and whispered, "He was handsome, right?"

Lucy nodded. "He was pretty cute," she smiled.

Natsu frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean - when a man sends flowers to a woman, it usually means he admires her." At his blank expression, she elaborated, "you know, he likes her." She sighed. "Maybe wants to date her?"

Natsu finally got it. "Oh!" He smiled. "Yeah, Lucy's a nice person. A lot of people like her!"

Mira physically wilted. She looked over at Lucy. "I'm sorry. I just can't," she sighed.

Lucy nodded, slumping over the bar. "I know. Unfortunately, I think I'm getting used to it."

"Dense!" yelled Grey across the room.

Natsu balled his fists. "Listen, popsicle, it's on!" He ran over to Grey where they immediately started brawling.

"Lucy, I think it's sweet that a man has sent you flowers," Mira said with a smile. "Maybe," she paused, tapping her chin with her finger thoughtfully, "maybe you should think of going on more dates."

Lucy blushed again. She wasn't Mira - she didn't exactly have men knocking down her door! She told Mira as such.

"Oh, silly!" Mira giggled, waving her hand at Lucy. "I don't believe one word of that!"

"Well," Lucy said, picking up the vase of flowers and sniffing them. "I'll go ahead and take these back to my place." She glanced over where Grey and Natsu were still going at it. "Not like I'm going to get any action here," she grumbled to herself.