Fairy Tail: An Aqaurius Quest

Sabertooth

"Hey is that Natsu?" Rogue calls out.

"Sting!" Natsu shouts as we approach the light and shadow brothers.

"Hey! What brings you guys here?" Sting asks as we make our way inside the guild hall.

"We're actually looking for Happy," I answer.

"Happy? He's not with you?" Rogue asks clutching Frosh close to his chest.

"No. He and Lily and Charle are rounding up the Exceeds to reunite Earthland Exceeds with their Edolas parents. We just hoped he had stopped by here to get Lector and Frosh but it looks like he hasn't ma-"

"Natsu?" Happy hollers as he has a posse of cats behind him, most notably added to the group, Edolas Ichyia.

"Hey buddy, we were hoping we'd bump into you here," Natsu scoops him up.

"Why? I thought you and Lushee were on a quest?"

"We are," I interject, "we just decided to head back to Magnolia to research with Levy for more leads on the key."

"Oh," he answers, "why were you looking for me then?"

"Well we couldn't just not tell you," Natsu answers.

"Aye Sir! You don't think you'll go on a major quest anytime soon then?"

"No, not until you're done. We're a team too remember?" Natsu asks.

"Aye Sir!"

"We still have many more Exceeds to find. We are mostly going where the Exceeds locations we know first and then branching out from those leads," Lily explains.

"My visions tell me it will be another month until we find them all and meet with the Queen," Charle adds.

"You know where we'll be," I give the Exceeds a nod.

Minerva offers to cook for us before we head to Crocus and Natsu accepts immediately.

"Natsu you eat like a pig!" I scold him as he shovels dumplings in without even chewing them.

"Don't be obnoxious Lucy! I thought that's what you love about me!" He snaps back.

Minerva eyes us with a knowing look and states plainly, "something is different between you two."

My cheeks burn red. It's that noticeable?

"Lucy!" Yukino squeals as she slides on the stool next to us.

"Hi Yukino!" I match her excitement. If Minerva noticed and she barely knows us, then I can't help but wonder what the rest of our guild will think when we go back?

"Did you find it yet?"

"No. We're heading home and doing more research to get some solid leads before we start really looking. Have you heard anything from any other Celestial Wizards?"

"No. That is disappointing to hear. I can't imagine what kind of a mess I would be if I had to lose one of my spirits and potentially lose them forever," her face turns downward at the very thought of it.

"It's awful, but at least I have a great friend like Natsu to help me through it!" I smile at her.

Natsu's body language shifts from relaxed and cheerful to completely sullen when I say the word friend.

Without saying a word, or even looking at me, he gets up from the table and heads back outside the guild to strike up a conversation with Sting about the upcoming Grand Magic Games.

On the walk to the Outskirts of Crocus, Natsu keeps his silence. What should I have said? Partner? Team mate? Guildmate? I know he's much more to me than a friend but it's so new and fresh, I didn't feel comfortable being the one to attach labels to anything.