Piece by Piece

Chapter 7

Birthday Bash

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail. No copyright intended. I do own the story line, because I made that all up with my brain.

Levy and I walk back to our hotel room to get cleaned up, laughing the whole way there. Our floor is the 2nd one, hotel employees and the rest of our group follow behind shaking their heads at us as we penguin walk through the lobby to the elevator. Long story short, I finally caught up to Levy and tackled her in the sand and we rolled around into the water. We horse played throwing sand at each other and lets just say we both have sand in places where it shouldn't be. The others decided to call it a day and get cleaned up along with us and we all agreed to go out to dinner. All us girls are on the 2nd floor and the guys are on the 3rd. Our buddy system consists of Erza and Mira in a room, Lisanna, Juvia, Wendy and Carla in another, while Levy and I are in the last one. Bixlow and Laxus in a room, Gajeel and Jellal in another, Gray and Natsu in the last one. Everyone goes into their rooms to get ready, Levy and I end up having to shower together to get the sand out of everywhere as soon as possible as it was starting to irritate our skin all over. It's not weird, not like we haven't done this before, hell we bathe in a private women's bath house back at the guild this is no different.

Levy got done before me, I just loved standing under the hot water as it relieved some tension from earlier. I just about washed every part of me three times over, definitely clean now. I shut the water off and fling my hair to the side and ring it out, it's gotten so long, sometimes it's a pain to manage. I got dressed in my pink panties without a bra because this dress doesn't call for one, I'm wearing my light blue sundress which ties at the back of the neck. It reaches my knees and it's a lightweight twirlly kind of dress, it's one of my favorites and lastly as footwear I choose my tan wedges. I decided to leave my hair down, leaving it in golden waves reaching my mid back. I only put on lip gloss, mascara, and winged eyeliner before I grab my little purse that just has my cash and room key in it and leave the room to meet up with the others downstairs in the lobby. Once off the elevator I walk towards everyone else waving with a smile, Levy is dressed in her usual yellowish orange outfit, Mira in her magenta dress, Erza is surprisingly wearing a black dress that looks similar to mine, everyone else is in their usual attire.

"Why don't you look lovely, Birthday Girl."

I smiled back at Mira, "Thanks, Mira. You too."

"Well, shall we get going before the buffet closes? I'm starving." Natsu says holding his stomach for effect.

I roll my eyes and giggle, "You're always starving."

Natsu puts his arm over my shoulders, cocky as ever, "That's because my hunger is never satisfied."

I shook my head at him and smiled, "Good grief. Let's all just go."

Everyone agreed and we all were headed towards the buffet, Natsu and I falling short behind, he still has that arm around me. I blush a little at the touch but I try not to focus on it, Natsu has done things like this before, it's no different now that he confessed. O-or is it? Why is my heart feeling lighter than air and why does my breath catch? Why am I starting to react this way, like a typical school girl over her crush, when he does things like this. It's been happening when he hugs me as well, I'm feeling something that is almost forgotten. The way I felt about him before Sting and Lisanna got between us. I'll be honest, I did love Natsu more than a friend should ever love another friend. Ever since the day he and I first met and literally swept me off my feet, my heart was his. Until well Sting happened, he turned me around in a whole new direction and I grew to fall in love with him, forgetting about my feelings for Natsu. Now since the breakup, Natsu and I are both single and still the best of best friends, I fear that my long forgotten feelings for him are starting to resurface. And now knowing that he is in love with me in the same way, should make things easier, right? Wrong. In fact it makes things a whole lot more complicated.

"You look beautiful by the way Luce. But it's not like you ever have to try, you will always be beautiful in my eyes. Happy Birthday." Natsu whispered in my ear, his hot breath trailing down my neck, making me shiver.

I blushed at his comment knowing full well that everything that he says to me, he is being honest like he always has been. There has never been a time where Natsu ever lied to me, he's always honest even when I don't like it. He tells you what you need to hear not what you want to hear, it's one of the things that I admire about him. After a while Natsu, I and everyone else filled up their plates and we found a table. I look at him sideways as everyone takes their seats to eat, as always Natsu is stuffing his face and I can't help but smile at how adorable he can be sometimes. Time passed and before I knew it Levy and I were on stage of the karaoke bar that was ever so conveniently placed in the buffet restaurant. Levy messed up the lyrics to a song and burst out in laughter, I soon followed. And yes we had all been drinking, a bit too much but who cares? Its my 21st, I say partying is a right of passage.

Natsu's P.O.V

I shake my head as I watch the two girls on stage acting like complete dorks. I couldn't help by smile as I watched Lucy having fun with her friends. Levy swayed back and forth as she laughed for messing up the song she and Lucy were doing, she then waved her arms all over the place like a lunatic to get everyone's attention.

"Hey everyone, everyone shut up! Jussst shut up. I would like to say that this beauty right here is the most amazing besssst friend I could have ever asked for. I love you Luuuuucy, I hope this birthday was awesome! Whooooo!" Levy cheered throwing an arm over Lucy's shoulder.

"Hey Gajeel, I think maybe you should go get your girl before she hurts herself." Gray joked along with Laxus chuckling.

Gajeel grumbled then grabbed my arm to stand me up, "You too Salamander. Looks like your girl is about to fall over singing happy birthday to herself."

Lucy raised her arms up swaying, hugging Levy, "Oh my gosh, you are the best! Let's all have another round!"

The crowd and Lucy cheered as she downed the rest of her sake, staggering a bit, almost falling if not for me catching her in time. Yup, the girl is totally wasted. It would be adorable and comical if I weren't so worried about her wellbeing. She is totally going to have waking up in the morning, I can already picture moody Lucy with a hangover. I do not want to witness that, this girl can be scarier than Erza if she wants to be sometimes. Noticing it was me that caught her, she threw her arms up, happily, a big dopy grin plastered on her face.

"Natsu! Let's go get another drink." She flung her arms around my neck sloppily.

"Oh no birthday girl, I think you've had enough."

"Who made youuu the boss of me? I can have another drink if I wanna." She then stuck my tongue out at me, looking pretty adorable while doing it.

I sighed and rolled my eyes at the drunken woman that I love and squatted down and lifted her over my shoulder like a sack of flour.

"Not if I can help it."

She tried to fight me by kicking and punching my back but it soon grew tiresome so she gave up, I knew she'd stop sooner or later as the alcohol made her brain feel way too fuzzy to attempt this much effort and feel so loose, so free, not a single care, doubt or worry in the world. It wasn't long before I brought her up to her room, then plopped her on the bed and she bounced a bit, noticing how much fun she had and that her boobs jiggled. Man I love her boobs, I shook my head to get me out of those thoughts.

"Whoo, Natsu do that again it was sooo fun!" She laughed and stood back up to plop on the bed again.

I shook his head and chuckled at her then knelt down so I could take off her shoes, I then tried to stand her up and keep her steady so I could dress her for bed. All she needs is to sleep this off then deal with the after effects in the morning. But this was proving more difficult with her swaying and giggling at me, she leaned on me and wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me down.

"C'mon Luce, work with me here." I said getting a bit annoyed, reaching up and trying to un grasp her hands from my neck.

All she did was giggle and look up at me, "Don't you wanna have fun? I know you've been wanting to."

I blushed a bit and cleared my throat, "No Luce, you need to get ready for bed."

She whined and pouted like a little toddler not getting her way, "I want a kiss. Pleaaaase."

I sighed, "No-"

She cut me off by kissing me, her lips tasting of sake and jello-shots, I tried to pull her off me but her kiss was too intoxicating, I found myself getting lost in it. She untied her dress and it fell down around her, I pulled her closer to me, feeling her warm skin against my clothes and grabbing her ass to lift her up. She broke our kiss and moved her head to the side, which told me she wanted me to kiss her neck and so I did. Her sighs and moans were music to my ears, exciting me more and more, I just can't get enough of her. She then reached her hand under my pants and boxers, I opened my eyes and grabbed her arm from going down any further. What the hell am I doing? I can't do this to her, she's completely drunk, it wouldn't be right.

"Lucy, we can't."

"But why? I want you." She whispered and tried to kiss me but I turned away from her.

I hated doing that to her but I had to stop, I put her down and sighed backing away a bit. I can't stand to see that look of sadness and hurt even when she is drunk, that look kills me everytime that I see it on her face. That was the look that Sting would put there and now here I am doing just the same, I hate that but we couldn't do it. It's not right.

"I thought you wanted me." She said so quiet but I heard her, she sniffed.

I looked over at her as tears fell from her eyes, the moonlight from the window making her eyes shine the beautiful brown color that they are. I sighed and hugged her.

"I do want you Luce, I always have. But not like this, it wouldn't be right."

She looked up at me in confusion, in a drunken haze it doesn't surprise me that it takes her a while to get what I meant. Her eyes grow wide and she gasps as realization dawned on her, eyes welling up with tears all over again.

She then hugged me tighter, "You're right. I'm so sorry, Natsu."

I hugged her back as she cried, "It's okay."

"I'm sorry."

"Lucy, it's okay. Let's just get you ready for bed, yeah?"

She let go of the hug and sniffed looking up at me, I smiled and rubbed her back a little as I went over to the dresser and grabbed her some pajamas. I gave her the clothes and turned around for her to change, I stood there arms crossed and stayed there as she held on to me in times she needed to catch herself from falling over. When she said she was done, I turned back around to see her in a red tank top and black shorts, I then helped her get into bed. And like that she was out like a light, I kissed her forehead and left her room, heading to my own. We'll finally be together someday, it's just not this way and when that day comes, it will definitely be worth the wait.