Jealous Much?

Untitled Part 1

Stealing another glance past his shoulder, Natsu frowned and made a face. The sight of his girlfriend Lucy Heartfilia conversing and laughing to every jokes his teammate/good friend/rival Gray Fullbuster cracked was jinxing the acidic jealousy already brewing in his stomach. Lucy felt his eyes on her, shot a smile which melted his heart and made her more irresistible to him, and waved before going back to topic. Natsu waved back hesitantly and quickly turned away, took a quick sip from his glass then heaved a deep sigh. Mirajane studied everything with those heedful peacock-blue eyes of hers. Being worried like this just wasn't the Natsu she knew.

"Dear oh dear. What is with the vexed face, Natsu...? Is something disturbing you?" Mirajane probed him gently, wiping at a wooden mug with a damp towel.

Natsu sat back in his chair and exhaled again. "Mira, you've known me for – What? – almost 8 years, right? Have I ever exhibited any feelings of hatred towards Gray before, do you think?"

Mirajane thought hard. "Well from what I see everyday, you two have a rocky relationship but generally a pretty healthy one. Besides, Gray is a friend whom no one can replace." She paused. "Why do you ask?"

"Don't think me crazy or anything but I have an instinct. Just call it a hunch from an overprotective boyfriend... That Gray's about to snatch Lucy right under my nose, even though he knows perfectly well she belongs to me," he revealed gruffly. He looked back at the two for millionth time. "And Lucy's been talking to Gray all the time but ignores me. She barely acknowledges me when I try to get a word in edgeways." Natsu's black orbs were begging her for an answer, or even just a friendly advice from a fellow acquaintance.

"I can see that you are jealous," Mirajane observed in her therapist voice. "You suspect she is becoming less interested in you and more into Gray." She stated further in a small voice, "But I reckon that's not possible..."

"You're right!" Natsu agreed, not hearing the former comment despite having excellent ears and sitting up straighter in response to the accuracy of those words. "And I don't know what's up with that Gray. Doesn't he know it's selfish and morally incorrect to two-time his best friend's girl?"

"Um, I don't really think that's –" Mirajane got broken off.

"And Juvia! She's his woman, isn't she now Mira? There's nothing too bad about her; she seems sensible enough. So why, out of all people, would he steal my Lucy when he's with someone else?

"... the case," she finished.

"I'd be a more faithful guy to Juvia," he added.

"Then Juvia will be at a disadvantage," Natsu heard someone behind him say. They watched as Water Woman, her pretty yet pale face longer than usual in distress, sat down in the vacant seat next to Natsu. "Such frustration! My rival in love is so bold, always finding new ways to seduce my dear Gray! Juvia is in shock!"

A voice was calling Natsu's name. It was Lucy with Gray at the entrance. "Natsu, I'm out on business with Gray so don't expect me back tonight or tomorrow morning. Breakfast you can sort it out with Happy, won't you?" She blew him a sweet kiss and then they were gone.

"Don't you see, Mira?" Natsu gestured to Mirajane in the direction they'd gone. "That's Gray prancing around with my Lucy!"

Mirajane chuckled a little, nervously. Natsu and Juvia were both taking this scenario the wrong way but she didn't feel like correcting them. She just wanted to see how the two will handle the situation themselves, and with what solutions? Would the results wind up disastrous for everyone, or would they guarantee a peaceful happily ever after?

"I have an idea!" Natsu leapt out of his chair with such energy and enthusiasm even Mirajane was taken by surprise. She had never seen him this excited, or determined since he made up his mind to ask Lucy out on their first date. He grinned at Juvia as if expecting her to know what he was thinking about. "I know a way to win Lucy's love back!" He rubbed his hands together with a triumphant twinkle in his eyes.

"I am a genius! No one can be more cleverer than me!" Pride and cockiness was sprawled all over his face.

"What's your fabulous plan?" Mirajane asked him.

He grinned. "Juvia and I will try to make them jealous and pretend to get all affectionate with each other." A series of images consisting of passionate kisses with Natsu's warm lips, and romantic candlelit dinners accompanied by red wine in sparkling wine glasses ran through Juvia's head. Her face whitened.

"No, no. No. NO!" Juvia protested. "There's no way Juvia is doing that! Juvia will never betray my dear Gray... He's the only one for her!"

"You won't be betraying him. It's just a show to make him jealous," Natsu explained, "so that way he won't hang around Lucy anymore. Let's go, we should be practicing our acting now!"

They hurried past Erza and when they disappeared out of sight, she came over and seated herself at the bar. "What's with Natsu and Juvia? They look like they're up to something."

Mirajane didn't say anything, just smiled and continued to clean the mug in her hands.