YO!

I'm back! With a new chapter! Since I get comment that it's too short (which i think so too hehheh, but only after i submitted my document, but when typing it seems like eternity, I swear.) So I retaliated by making an EVEN LONGER chapter! For your benefit. End result? Super aching shoulders. T^T

Once again, thank you to those who story alerted/author alerted/favourited/etc My story! ESPECIALLY THE REVIEWS :D

kpopgurl88: YAY UPDATES! Haha Thankyouu! I'm feeling better already, after reading your comment. Hee (; Next one is here! :D

LeeSUP: Thankyou! Yeah i'm worried that Natsu and Lucy's character will be OOC, which scares me like crazy. Though I think I stray away sometimes~ But thankyou anyway! :D More is here! Please stay tuned for even more! (;

cOokIe-MOnzTa: Thank you for your love 3 right back at ya!

Senbei x Cup Ramen: HELLO! ^^ haha sims is awesome! New update is here, sorry for all the previous short chapters! It didn't seem so short when you're typing, you know (; Thankyou for your love! Many thanks to you two! :D All the best in your writings too dear! 3 Hee, update is here yo!

AND HERE WE GO AGAIN: This disclaimer = I don't own Fairy Tail. Too hectic. BUTBUT I can't wait for the Fairy Tail movie! Weee, and credits to Jennifer Laurens as well! Come on Minna! Read the chapter already! :D

Natsu was mercilessly direct. Lucy saw it with his friends, his enemies, and even those he barely knew. She admired that he spoke up for himself.

She couldn't meet his gaze anymore so she looked at the book in her lap. He wanted an explanation , but all she felt was guilt for having said the kiss stunk. But she wouldn't admit it. When he didn't say anything she wished somebody would come by and rescue her from the awkwardness. She finally looked at him when she realized a rescue wasn't going to happen. He studies her with a look that sent a luscious ribbon of heat to her middle.

"Hey Flame Brain." Gray was going over some of the choreography on the stage for the sword fight in which Paris is killed by Romeo. "Come here for a sec."

Natsu didn't get up, rather held her in that heated gaze for another ten heart-pounding beats. Lucy wondered if he wanted to say more.

Finally, he stood.

She couldn't help herself, she watched him join Gray. Every eye in the guild now shifted to the stage. Blowing out a sigh, Lucy gathered her things to go backstage.

She'd seen enough.

The next day:

Lucy was with Levy, Erza, Juvia, Lisanna and Mirajane, all silently pondering over a topic that Lisanna had brought up - "How do you feel about gossip?"

Which was ironic, really, when all they did when they got together was do nothing about gossip, or talk about anything that was worth talking about - which just about sumed up to everything under the sun.

Lucy adjusted in her seat so she could see Natsu. He sat up front. Always up front, she though cynically. He was arm wrestling with Elfman whilst arguing with Gray.

Lucy looked down at the table. Guilt consumed her. "

"Okay, let's talk about this," Erza started.

"Talk about what?" Natsu had came up behind Erza, causing Lucy to shoot up her head in surprise when she heard his voice.

"How do you feel about gossip.". Somehow they had managed to catch the attention of the rest of the guild, most of it probably through Natsu's loud voice. Several people had gathered round their table, listening intently. Others stopped what they were doing, straining to hear the conversation.

"Oh, gossip. It sucks," Natsu began, and everyone laughed. But Lucy didn't, feeling something build in her stomach. "Most of the time it's not true. And even if it is, why does the world need to know about it? Whose business is it?"

Erza nodded, hands crossed across her chest.

"But people live off it." a girl, whom Lucy recognised went by the name of Jennifer, tucked her jet black hair behind an ear punctured with half-a-dozen silver earrings. Her dark eyes were serious under heavy metallic shadow in electric blue. She reminded Lucy of a female Gajeel. "It's like they don't have lives of their own so they feed off the lives of others."

Some shifted, murmured, some in agreement, others in distaste.

"Juvia thinks people say stuff because they're bored," Juvia said.

"Or jealous." one girl added added.

"Or vindictive," Natsu's tone was sharp. The guild hushed. Lucy looked up and found him staring right at her.

Erza sat on the edge of her desk with a smile, and a nod at Natsu's comment.

"Yes. Why does revenge initiate gossip?" God, Erza's acting like a teacher in school, and this is some discussion in class. Lucy wanted nothing more than the end of this conversation. She wished Erza would stopped egging him on. She let out a frustrated sigh, focusing her gaze on the wooden table, slowly tracing her finger on the raised lines of wood.

"Because that person isin't there to defend themselves in the first place," Natsu went on. "When you think about it, it's pretty wimpy."

Murmurs of agreement and amazement followed at a peer so intuitive. Lucy felt the steady gaze of that peer still on her, even without looking up.

Erza looked for other comments and her gaze stopped on Lucy. "Any comments? Lucy?" Usually, Lucy and Natsu verbally sparred during such discussions, trying to one-up each other. The class now turned expectantly to face her.

"I just think sometimes things are said that are misconstrued as gossip when what they really are is just an opinion."

"So, what's the difference between gossip and opinion?" Lisanna asked, her head resting on one hand, eyes focused on Natsu.

Jessica with the studded ear sat forward and the chains on her black leather jacket banged against the wooden table, not far from them. "Even though our opinions are our right, gossip's started with malicious intent."

"So, let me see if i get this," Elfman shifted his bulky body in a table that barely held him. "If I run thirty yards as training, but Master only calls it at twenty-two and then everybody talks about it later, then that's gossip? THAT'S NOT MANLY AT ALL. IF ANYONE DOES THAT, YOU'RE NOT A MAN."

It took everyone a few minutes to stop laughing, while sweatdropping, and when they finally did, Natsu said, "If it hurts somebody, It's wrong. That's just it."

Almost everyone nodded in agreement. The guy sitting behind Natsu lifted his hand to slap Natsu's.

"Okay, one question." Mirajane had her chin thoughtfully held in her fingertips. "Is gossip gender specific?" Lucy puffed her cheeks. She wanted to leave now, but if she did, it would just make her more guilty in the eyes of Natsu.

"What's that mean?" Gray asked.

Dozens of voices filled the air at once, the whole room a hive until Erza held out both palms and pressed them down as if pushing out the disruption. That and her scary aura that had surrounded her.

"It's more of a girl thing," Natsu added.

"Both sexes gossip," Levy piped, and immediately the boys disagreed.

"Not like girls."

"Guys don't talk about stuff the girls do."

"Girls don't have any boundaries."

"Yeah, they're mean, man."

"Yeah - Cats." Laxus hissed, clawing at the air with fingertips. He earned several glares at that comment by the girls.

When the guild became finally grew silent, Lisanna glanced at Natsu, fluttered her eyelashes and said, "Not all girls gossip. Real friends don't stab each other in the back."

Lucy rolled her eyes. She couldn't take it any more. "People gossip when it's convenient for them, no matter who they are."

"Convenient?" Natsu's face twisted into sacarstic disbelief. He was looking at her again and the tight line between them pulled the guild into a hard silence. "So that makes it okay?"

"You never said something about somebody that isin't true?" Lucy asked. Her eyes in narrow slits.

"Why would I? There's plenty to say that is true without having to make up something."

"Oh, so it's better to spread stuff around that's true? It's the same thing."

"How about you try keeping your mouth shut?"

Lucy noticed the thick silence in the room. Every one was staring at the,. Her cheek heated and she turned and faced Levy, who sat beside her.. She suddenly found it hard to breathe. Hearing palms slap in conquest made her angrier, but she didn't look over to see if Natsu was a part of it.

He made her think. Good. The shocked way her eyes opened after he told her to keep her mouth shut was satisfying. Now Natsu wondered what rehearsal would be like.

Later:

The guild was almost empty with the exception of a few random students who'd snuck in. When they saw him. they watched. Natsu moved to the back of the guild into darkness. It wasn't easy being watched all the time. Sometimes the pressure crushed, like being caught in a giant garbage compactor.

He took a seat in the furthermost bench.

Paints on the sets was fresh, filling the cavernous room with the pungent scent of turpentine underneath the hot lights. Cast and crew worked late into the night over the past few days building and painting the walls of the city, the lattice that Romeo climbed to reach Juliet, and the tomb where the two lovers took their final breaths.

They would kiss again today. he's kiss Lucy every day from now until the play ended.

His body hummed.

But the sting of her words flatlined the pleasant buzz. Did she really think the kiss was lame? The kiss had been far from lame - from his angle anyhow. It was way better than when he'd kissed Lisanna . Lisanna had been his first. And even so, it was when they were kids. Even in front of everybody, kissing Lucy was unlike anything else. Natsu figured it was because they'd known each other for a long time, spent majority of their time together, even climbing into her house and having one of their many uninvited sleepovers. He thought that that would maketheir stage intimacy weird, but lately he couldn't stop thinking about her, especially after that mission.

Other cast members gathered in the darkened room and the usual scanning took place. Some saw him. Those who did looked eager to join him but didn't want company, so he kept himself in the dark and didn't meet any gazes. His stomach knotted. Four o'clock. He was within moments of facing Lucy again.

Any other girl didn't set his nerves on edge. It seemed every other girl went out of their way to agree with him. Sometimes he liked the convenience of that, most of the time he was bored by the predictability.

When Lucy entered, Natsu sat up. She didn't come in and look around like everybody else. Lucy Heartfilia didn't care if anybody watched her. Natsu liked that. She did what she wanted. Even as a fresh victim of her opinion, or gossip - whatever it was, he liked that she had a voice of her own, not once that got lost in the screams of the crowd or whisperes in unquestioning compliance with his.

She wore baby blue today. her rich blonde hair was down, melting around her shoulders. No expert on hairstyles, Natsu realized that he likd Lucy's hair just about any way she chose to wear it.

Her light laugh caused a ripple somewhere inside of him and he shifted in his seat. She hadn't seem him yet. He may like her self-confidence, but, hey, if she wondered where he was, she'd check around for him by now, wouldn't she?

Most of the cast had arrived and buzzed around the room. It would be only moments before Master Makarov would emerge from his office, and the energy level cranked up to high.

Natsu stood. A dozen head turned his direction. He wondered if he could make it backstage without being approached by somebody wanting something. He weaved through the rows and noticed that Lucy's head turned. Though he still didn't want to talk to anybody, not even her - yet, he forced himself to make eye contact with those watching as he walked don the center aisle of the guild.

"Natsu." Freed, the set manager waved.

A hard slap to his shoulder brought his face to Macao. Still touching up the sets, his face was splotched like a Dalmation with paint. "Hiya."

"Hey." Natsu slugged his arm and continued his stroll toward the stage.

"Hi, Natsu." The high pitch of female voices made Natsu cringe. He turned to his left. A group of girls cast as the citizens of Verona huddled in some of the seats, grinning and giggling.

He gave them a smile. "Heya"

When they dipped their heads together in quiet whispers he quickened his pace. Out of the corner of his eye he caught Lucy watching. A warm shot of pleasure went through his system. He jumped on stage with a little more finesse and stood under the fiery spotlight, ready for rehearsal.

Natsu's cool professionalism created angst in Lucy. She prided herself in able to read people - guys, especially. She had no idea what he was thinking. Long ago, she'd figured out what she could get away with, how much she could say, how far she could go. It worked with just about every boy she knew - except one. For having known him so well, she realized she hardly knew him at all now.

With the exception of an occasional non-scripted glance, he all but ignored her. The kiss was coming, and the gradual gathering of butterflies in her stomach caused her palms to sweat. When he touched her, her clammy hands would give her away so she rubbed them furiously against her clothing to keep them dry.

"Are you nervous?" Lisanna whispered as the scene played out. Romeo and Benvolio were coming in secret to the party where Romeo first sees Juliet. Lucy stood with Lisanna and watched the dancers - Juliet yet unaware of Romeo's presence.

"Not at all." Lucy didn't break character knowing that Makarov watched from the director's booth.

"I dare you to bite him."

Lucy's face twisted into shocked surprise at Lisanna's wicked smile.

"What? Never." Lucy concentrated on the scene so she wouldn't miss her cue. But a strange shiver ran along her spine. No way would she bite Natsu, that was just weird. Just before she stepped into the action she heard Lisanna whisper, "Do it."

Lucy searched the partying, dancing crowd for Natsu. He was easy to spot. That rose pink mop of skipy hair stuck out like a black bee in a hedge of flowers. He moved through the dancers with such purpose, the thrill racing through her pulse was not solely theatrical.

Juliet found her true love. He stood a few feet away admist the music, the laughter and joy, a mere mask for two families with a rivalry that nurtured pride and refused love. But even with obstacles seeped in tradition, even with resistance, Romeo's determination drove him through the crowd to her. When he stopped, his eyes locked on hers, Lucy told herself she was Juliet, feeling what Juliet felt for Romeo. But that wasn't all. Though they'd been there in that very spot in other rehearsals, it was as though they'd stood there for the first time. Only she couldn't make her eyes see Romeo. Natsu made her knees soft, her head light. When her lips broke into a smile, it was because her heart thudded one name.

Natsu made his way through the dancers to Lucy. Every nerve jittered. Within seconds he'd touch her. In a few more minutes he'd kiss her. His feet wanted to flee, but flowing in his blood was something he couldn't deny that he wanted.

He never ran from anything, least of all a girl. Still, everyone in the room was curious, titillated even by the physical romance unabashedly explored in Romeo and Juliet. That meant the spotlight that seemed to be his constant companion was heating up.

In this scene, he was supposed to go to her and take her hands. He was supposed to look into her eyes as if - why was it so hard to think it? For weeks, Makarov had forbiddened them to touch, insisting that the wait preserved the chemistry needed to make the love story alive for performance. But to look into her eyes as if she was the only girl on Earth, the one he wanted, needed - the nerves in his throat clutched. He wondered if he'd be able to deliver his lines.

"You okay?" Alzack asked. He played Benvolio, Romeo's friend and sidekick. Together, they were crashing the party in search of Juliet.

"Fine." Natsu swallowed. "Why?"

As staged, the two of them ducked behind four dancers. "Your face is white."

Natsu took a deep breath and made his move across the front of the stage to Lucy.

Juliet saw him and now waited. Natsu's heart skipped. Sweet eagerness lit her face. Her chocolate brown eyes were happy, excited. The sight of him calmed him some and he thought that Romeo was a pretty lucky guy.

The stage was hot under the lights, the smell of sweat and fresh paint intoxicating. Music urged him forward; he hoped she wouldn't feel his heart beating in his hands. Reaching out, he took hers and noticed for the first time how delicate they were. Without thinking, he looked at them, and ran his thumbs over her knuckles. Familiar hands. They'd went places together, fought together side-by-side.

He took her by surprise, touching her that way. A smile would have broken out on his lips had he not already had one - Romeo's. He stood under the heated lights, her hands in his, his voice ready.

And forgot his line.

Panic shoved euphoria right out of system. Sweat bled from his face. His mouth opened and nothing came. Thankfully, the dancers kept dancing, the citizens still played at being spectators. Unconsciously his grip on her hands tightened as his brain squeezed for the right words.

"What's my line?" he whispered.

The way her eyes danced, he knew he was screwed. She didn't tell him. Frustrated, he nearly shoved himself away. The music stopped, the dancers slowed, and silence fell like a bad smell over the stage.

The heat of humilation started in his neck and spread through his body. Turnning from Lucy, he hoped to hide what he knew would be a red face, but it was impossible to hide anything when you lived in the glare of a spotlight.

"I need the line, Master," Natsu barked into the darkness.

Makarov's heavy sigh spoke volumes of annoyance. "We're days away from show time, people." he began. Natsu felt every eye from the cast burn into his back, and sharp rays from Makarov hitting him in the chest, but he held up his head anyway.

"If you don't know your lines," Makarov came down the center aisle, "then I don't want you doing anything else, and I mean anything other than eating, sleeping and peeing, until you do. Get it?"

Murmurs of agreement, nodding heads followed.

Makarov now stood at the front of the stage, looking up into Natsu's face. "You," he said, "don't get to pee."

Natsu didn't smile or laugh, even when Makarov smiled at him first. He figured being unable to remember lines was inexcusable for him, a guy who had rented every version of Romeo and Juliet and watched each one to better understand what he'd gotten himself into. He memorized the whole script two weeks after he was cast - a feat for a guy who had problem memorizing.

It didn't set well that his mind was now so easily distracted.

Out of the corner of his eye, Lucy shifted. He didn't look over. It was callous she hadn't prompted him. Now, he was mad.

"Let's take it from where you come in again, Natsu." Makarov announced. "Places." Then he stepped back into the darkness.

Natsu looked over at Lucy and scowled. Her warm brown eyes teased. Yeah, I'm looking at you, Luce. You could have helped me and you didn't.

Storming back to his starting position, Natsu tensed. Why can't she ever forget a line? I'd love it if she was the one standing there with her mouth hanging open, looking dumbstruck. I'd friggin' love it.

Since she was Miss Perfect, he'd had to throw her off balance some other way. The ribbon of revenge dangled temptingly inside of him - a feeling he hadn't felt for her in a long time.

Music started. It's light, harmonious strains irritated Natsu as stormy frustration built. Dancers bowed to each other. As he watched her in preparation for his ove across the stage, he noticed that her back was to the audience. In her pretended excitement, her body moved as if she had an itch deep inside.

Natsu waved his hands above his head. Everything stopped.

"Natsu?" Makarov asked.

"Yeah, I was just thinking." He took a feigned, thoughtful pose. "When Luce's standing there with Cana, isin't her back to the audience?"

Lucy's eyes flashed; pink embarassment flushed her face. He made her think. Good. He almost smiled.

"You're right," Makarov said. "I missed that. Thanks. Lucy." Lucy squinted into the darkness. "Remember to cheat right there."

"And she's doing some wiggling thing," Natsu innocently added, his hands gesturing to her bottom. When Lucy shot around to him with a glare, it took everything he had not to break into a big grin. "Something with her, uh ... her rear."

Everyone on stage erupted into laughter. Natsu smiled. Makarov walked toward the stage again, lips twisted in thought. "Let me see you in your last position, Lucy."

Obediently Lucy stood ready. Only, with every eye pinning her, her body didn't move. "I don't think she knows she's doing it," Natsu observed. "She gets so into it, it's like she's an excited puppy."

Lucy's eyes opened wide. Red bled up her face.

That was too far.

In an effort to calm the laughter and talk, Makarov climbed up onto the stage and took Lucy aside. Natsu was instantly surrounded by the boys, all who made jokes about his comment. But Natsu couldn't take his gaze from Lucy and Makarov.

She looked - did she really look ready to cry? He felt like she was slugged in the stomach with a two-by-four labeled: Loser.

When Makarov finished talking to her, she returned to her mark. Her chin was up, her eyes were cool and Natsu saw no trace of the criticism anywhere. But Makarov glanced at him with a biting look before jumping off stage.

Lucy hadn't cooled down. When she walked through the front door of home two hours later, she slammed it. She stomped her feet across the living room toward the kitchen, even though she had no intention of eating. She hoped that she still had ten or more dozen eggs in the refrigerator she could huck at Natsu when she next saw him. If there weren't any eggs, she recalled that she might still have a container of cottage cheese. With a large spoon, she could fire at will and make a nice goopy mess that would harden and be impossible for Natsu to scrape off. Dinner was over hours ago, but the scent of roast, onions and garlic still hung in the warm air; comfort food that brought her no comfort tonight. The refrigerator was void of either item, and Lucy slammed it shut with a perturbed sigh.

Stupid Natsu. Idiot Natsu. Walking out to the front door, she decided to find Levy. Levy was the one she would find to talk to, especially on nights like this.

Walking in to Levy apartment with key in hand, the room was strewn with books, and Levy was surrounded by a pile of ancient texts, sitting on the kitchen table, utterly focused on her latest read.

"Levy-chan?"

"Oh! Lu-chan! Hello! How was rehearsal?" Levy managed to tear herself away from the book she was looking and looked at Lucy. Her short blue hair was tucked behind her ears, with some stray strands spilling over.

Lucy looked over the various strewn books. "Rehearsal was crappy."

"Oh, Lu-chan. What made it crappy?" Deftly, Levy bookmarked her page, shut it and stacked the surrounding books in prearranged piles and reached for the forty-five ounce soda she religiously kept at her side.

"I don't know." Lucy slumped into a nearby chair.

Levy McGarden sipped, studying her best friend. "You know all your lines, right?"

Lucy nodded. Cautiously she places her elbows on the table so they didn't disturbed any of the well-placed stacks.

Levy sat down her drink. "Problems with Master?"

"No, of course not." Lucy noticed a stack of books labelled: How to take care of your cat. Frowning, she said "You don't have a cat."

Levy shrugged. "You never know. I was always bringing home stray dogs, cats. Fish. Plus, some extra knowledge won't hurt right?"

Lucy laughed and it felt good. "Fish?"

"From all the various festivals and activities we have." Levy began to place her perfect piles inside a box. "Natsu?" When her best friend looked at her, Lucy averted her eyes. "Just a guess."

"I want to kill him."

"I haven't heard that for a long time."

"Yeah, well, that's because he's been out of my life for a long time."

"Lu-chan, he never was out. You see each other practically every day."

"Whose side are you on?"

Lucy reached over and grabbed Levy's cup, pausing for approval before taking a drink. Levy nodded.

"There are no sides. There's you and him."

"You make it sound like something it's not."

"You mean like a couple?" Their eyes met. For a moment, Lucy didn't like the way her best friend's eyebrows lifted in a pleasant smirk. "You're Romeo and Juliet," she teased. Then she took the drink from Lucy, sipped and handed it back.

Lucy took a slurp before plopping the drink to the table. "He insulted me at rehearsal today. You wouldn't believed what he said."

"What did he say?"

"That I looked like an excited puppy."

A faint smile creased Levy McGarden's lips.

"LEVY!" Lucy's insides burst. "That is so- so-" So typical. Levy thought Natsu could do no wrong, other than the usual destruction during missions.

"You're just like everybody else when it comes to him. You think he's perfect."

Levy quickly filed the books nearest Lucy. "He's not perfect. But he is one of the nicest, most polite, conscientious boys I know. Trustworthy, honest, help-"

"And the rudest." Lucy crossed her arms, frowning.

"He was trying to be complimentary."

"He was being critical and rude. You don't know the context of the comment."

"It was probably just his way of showing that he likes you."

Lucy's face heated. She turned, resting her chin on her crossed arms so Levy couldn't see. "He does not feel that way about me."

"Oh, he's liked you forever."

Because she couldn't believe what her friend had just said, Lucy lifted her head and looked at her. There was nothing telling in the way she gingerly stacked away the last few books, except the smile on her face.

Standing, Lucy took in a breath that warbled out with embarrassing contentment. She hoped her friend didn't hear it. "I'm going home. Thanks Levy Chan!" She turned, hearing her friend take another sip.

"Bye Lu-chan! Don't go murdering Natsu in your dreams okay?" Levy's sing-song voice teased.

Lucy let out a sacarstic growl and quietly shut the door behind her.

Back at her apartment:

Lucy remained in the dark, for she heard Natsu's voice in the distance. Happy was with him as well. Quietly, she unlocked her window, slowly cranking the shaft so it swung open.

"But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief. That thou, her amid, art far more fair than she. Be not ... Be not ... Here ... be .. Not here ..."

Peering over the ledge, Lucy saw Natsu down at the sidewalk, looking up to the moon, Happy was resting on his head. She squelched a giggle and stood back in the darkness so he wouldn't see her.

His soothing voice salved the cold night air. She'd noticed one day how calming, almost melodic the cadence was.

She leaned against the wall, her hand over her heart, listening to him. Her lips curved into a smile.

"Be not her ... "

Lucy heard the line he stumbled on in her head and thought about whispering it out through the window, but then she'd probably make him madder at her. He wasn't one to hold a grudge, but they weren't partners anymore. The social stakes were higher. He was unnecessarily mean at rehearsal, pointing out her cheat to Makarov. She almost closed her window, leaving him to his exasperating rehearsal alone.

He deserves it.

"Be not her ... crud."

But how could every bitter and angry though that had festered inside dissolve at just the sound of his voice? She leaned out of the window and looked down through the darkness at him.

Night brought a slight breeze into the street causing small ripples to dance across the river. The shrubs and rose bushes sleeping along the sidewalk rustled, as if refusing to wake from a winter dream.

Natsu's voice was soft, white, curling upward into the night.

"LUCYYYYYYYY! NATSU'S ANNOYING ME WITH HIS LINES. HELP ME LUCYYYYYY!" Happy's voice rang through the quiet night, and she found Happy hurling himself at her. She flushed red at having been caught watching Natsu. Shyly, she looked at Natsu, who, startled by Happy, turned and looked up to her.

"Oi Happy, don't be so noisy! People are sleeping!" Happy was now nestled in her chest, smiling happily.

She turned, looked at Natsu, as said "You have my lines down at least."

"Y-yeah, yours and everybody else's but my own" He said on a sigh. His right hand went to the back of his head, and Lucy's heart warmed at the sight of it.

"Thought you could use some prompting."

"I could have used it this afternoon."

She should have frowned at the reminder of the unpleasant rehearsal, but he looked every bit the part of Romeo. She smiled. "Sorry about that."

The next moment warm wonder and promise seemed to be in the air, even with the biting temperature.

A tree near Lucy's apartment twined it's leaves with a tree beside it and the soft rustling was the only sound.

Natsu took a step closer to the wall of her house. His gaze was intense. For a moment, Lucy was afraid he was going to confront her about what she said about the kiss. She readied for a fight.

"It is my lady," he began, his voice smooth and rich as melting honey butter. "Oh, it is my love. Oh that she knew she were! She speaks, yet she says nothing. What of that?"

"Ay, me!" Lucy replied, keeping from breaking into a giggle. Her insides spun.

Natsu took hold of the lattice the landlady had recently attached to the house. It was covered with some sort of Ivy. During the summer the growth was dotted with fragrant red blooms. With the chill of winter, the small green leaves browned and crisped, petrified by frost.

"see how she leans her cheek upon her hand. Oh, that I were a glove upon that hand. That I might touch that cheek!"

Natsu's face glowed with the blue haze of a winter moon. He felt for a spot of security in the lattice with his foot. His hands dove deep into the growth without hesitation. He looked driven, eyes focused, body determined. He pulled himself up.

"O speak again, bright angel!" He continued, slowly climbing. "For thou art as glorious to this night, being O'er my head, as a winged messenger of heaven."

Lucy gently sat the now snoring Happy on her bed, and reached out both arms to him, just like she did in the play. "O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name. O if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I'll no longer be a Capulet."

With each pull, Natsu drew nearer. Lucy's heart fluttered. "Be careful," she whispered on a laugh.

"Fear not, Juliet." He grinned. "Not only am I Romeo, but I have been known to morph into Spiderman."

Lucy leaned out further, extending her hand to help. They both heard a snap, followed by a sharp crackle. Natsu's eyes shot wide. He slid and tumbled down, falling flat on the hard ground below.

Lucy gasped and ran from her apartment.

"L-Lucy?" Happy sleepily rubbed his eyes.

"Be right back Happy! Go back to sleep!" She was out of the apartment before she took another breath. The breath she sought choked in her throat. She stopped, the sight of him freezing her.

"Natsu?" Her heart pounded. He lay like the dead, eyes closed, body still. His face, just moments ago a glow with the moon's milky reflection, now looked pasty.

Dropping to her knees, she knelt over him, unsure of what to do. Her eyes blurred. She blinked fast, her throat burning. "I - Natsu? Oh, no." Gently she reached out and touched her shoulder. "Natsu? are you okay? Natsu?" She nudged him with both hands. "come on, wake up. You can't be hurt."

His head moved a little and she sucked in a breath.

He grimaced, his dark lashes fluttered. Letting out a groan, he lifted his hands to his head for a moment before they trembled back to his sides. Panicked, Lucy grabbed the hand closest to her and squeezed it to her breast. "Are you hurt?" She leaned over his head. "Natsu?"

"My head." He rolled toward her. "Something ... my head ... it's .. "

"What? Natsu, talk to me." She pressed her hand to his forehead and stroked the side of his cheek. "I better go get Happy to get Wendy."

Snapping his hand around her wrist, Natsu shot up with a laugh.

Lucy fell back on her butt, her pounding heart robbing her voice. Fury and relief whirled inside of her. She wanted to slap him and hug him. And yet the indescribable warmth of gladness caused tears to spring from her eyes."

"You should see your face." His laughter died. He went perfectly still.

Unable to stop the cache of tears escaping her, Lucy scrambled to her feet, ready to escape back to her house when he shot up next to her.

"Hey." He set a hand on her shoulder. Comforting warmth shot down her arm, through her stomach and to her toes.

"That was so mean."

"I know. Sorry. Really, I am. Are you okay?"

"No, you retard. You scared me."

His hand left her shoulder and she felt a chill. Natsu lifted his arms for examination, then looked at the dirty, leaf-infested white scarf that dangled around his neck. "Oh man, Look at this. This thing is so hard to clean."

Lucy shoved at him lightly. Just touching made her feel better. "You could have broken your neck."

"Nah." He looked up at her window. "If that wood wasn't so old, I could climb up there anytime instead of the usual route to your apartment." His eyes lowered to hers.

Lucy took a deep breath. Somehow, she found herself recalling him in her apartment. She fought back more tears. "Yeah, well, it is old and you need to keep your neck in one piece, Romeo." The moon hid behind some stringy clouds and suddenly the night was very dark. Lucy heard him breath; smelled the faint scent that was uniquely his.

As partners they spent hours out in the mysterious world of night time. They talked about anything and everything, sharing laughter and smiles. But tonight he looked entirely different than the boy she'd talked with under the moon's watchful eye. Tonight he breathed erratically, not from the exertion of play, but from something that stirred her deep inside.

He took a step toward her. Afraid to move, she didn't. She didn't want anything to change. nothing could stop what she hoped in her heart he was going to do. But it didn't matter if he kissed her or not. She could stand there forever, just looking at him.

His arms moved, as if reaching out to her. They heard a soft yawn.

"Natsu? Lucy?" Happy.

Lucy whirled around. Happy was hovering near them, still trying to rub sleep away from his eyes.

"You two okay?"

Lucy nodded. A soft heat radiated into her back. Natsu. She hoped he wouldn't move, that after Happy left, she'd turn around and everything, the moment, the moonlight, would all be as if it was seconds ago.

"Natsu, I'm sleeepyyyyy." He flew to a small tree nearby and leaned against it, snoring gently.

Lucy turned back around and knew the moment was lost. Leave it to Happy to ruin it. She sighed. Looking up into Natsu's face, she saw by his sober expression Natsu knew it too.

"you sure you're okay?" She took a chance and touched his head, just above his left ear. The softness of his hair brushed her fingertips. Then she tucked her hands into her arms and folded them across her chest.

The way he held her with that penetrating gaze of his mystified her. Don't let it get to you, she thought. It doesn't mean anything. Neither spoke for a long time until she took a step back. "See you tomorrow."

"Bye, Luce."

She thought, as she walked back to her apartment, and took a deep, cold breath, that there might not be another moment like that one. But tomorrow was another day - another rehearsal. She turned, and say Natsu cradling the sleeping exceed, walking the opposite direction direction. "Bye Natsu .." She softly whispered.

Omg my shoulders are aching like mad after typing all of these.

Just submitted my application to my post secondary schools! Hope I get in to the ones i want D:

Right o! Please R&R once again :D Love you all! Hee.

This chapter alone is almost as much as the prev chapters combined. :O Happy now? (;