Chapter 1: A dragon's heart breaks

A year had passed since Fairy-Tail had reclaimed their title as the number one guild in all of Fiore. The guild had grown from strength to strength during that time. Using the prize money from the Grand Magic Games they were able to pay off all their debt and move back into the original guild in the centre of Magnolia. It took a while but eventually the days were just as they were eight years ago, everyday was a celebration.

Currently the guild was in state of merriment as they partied through the night. Drunken singing and dancing accompanied by the occasional brawl was the order of the day.

Natsu sat across the table staring at Lucy as she laughed. The blonde was so enthralled in reading her book she failed to notice Natsu gawking at her. Natsu nervously fidgeted with the mug of ale in his hand as if waiting for Lucy to finally notice him.

Lucy held the book in her hand and gazed deeply into the pages but something caught her attention, a faint radiance from across the table. It was warm and felt kind, she slowly glanced across the table and caught Natsu staring.

The pink haired dragon slayer immediately turned away and began chugging his ale. He waited so long for her to look up but now that she actual was, he was too nervous to actually do anything. He gulped down all the ale, but continued to act like he was drinking to try and hide his embarrassment.

Natsu looked around the guild, trying to take his mind off the strange sensation that consumed him every time he saw Lucy. He watched as Gajeel and Levy would steal glances at each other, Evergreen continued act tsundere towards Elfman and Juvia tried to force herself on Gray, though he was having none of it. Even Happy was trying his best to woo Carla, with the blue Exceed on his knees trying to get Carla to accept a rose.

Natsu looked back and saw that Lucy was staring at him. She was looking directly at him.

"Natsu, is something wrong? You look like you want to say something." Lucy spoke.

Natsu kept his eyes locked on Lucy's as he tried to speak. His mouth opened but no words came out as he struggled to find the right ones.

"Are you okay?" The blonde asked slightly worried.

"Lu…Lu…Lu…" Natsu began stuttering.

"What happened, cat got your tongue?" Lucy chuckled softly.

Natsu heard the gentle laugh with his keen sense of hearing and suddenly found his spirit diminishing and grew unsure of himself. His head fell and his eyes were now staring at the wooden table.

"Natsu, if you want to talk about something you can. We're friends after all." Lucy smiled.

'I feel excited whenever I'm around you. Just hearing the sound of your voice is enough to get me through the day. When you look at me I feel confused, energized, nervous and ecstatic, all at the same time. When you smile, it's the most beautiful thing in the world.' Natsu confessed in his heart. The thoughts were swirling around in his head but he just couldn't say it.

"If you're not going to say anything I'm going to get back to reading my book." Lucy shook her head as she picked up her book and started reading again.

Natsu picked up his mug and tried chugging his ale only to realize that it was empty. The realisation that he would get nowhere with Lucy sank in and he got up defeated and made his way over to the bar

XXXXX

Natsu rested under the shade of a Sola tree in South Gate Park. The dragon slayer was all alone with his thoughts. Natsu was madly in love with Lucy, so much so that he couldn't stop thinking about her.

As he relaxed under the tree the blonde celestial mage was all he could think off. He wanted to hold her hand. He wanted to embrace her. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to … Natsu shook his head violently pushing out the thoughts.

Natsu then remembered that the reason he decided to sit under the Sola Tree, was because he liked that specific spot because of the memories he had there. He had done a lot in the shade of that Sola Tree, beaten Gray, got beaten by Erza, got beaten by Gildarts, got beaten by Laxus, got beaten by Mirajane even Lucy had slapped him by that tree. Now that he thought back on it, the tree may have been bad luck.

"There you are flame brain." Gray scoffed.

"I'm not in the mood for your nonsense today Gray." Natsu mumbled.

"You look lost in thought." Gray noted.

"I am. I've got something important on my mind." Natsu admitted.

"Oh, you're thinking about Lucy." Gray teased.

"How did you know?" Natsu questioned defensively.

"It's obvious to anyone who's seen you look at her. You're madly in love with her." Gray explained.

"I just don't know what to do about it." Natsu mumbled.

"Stop being a baby and be a man. Tell her how you feel, go and confess your feelings to her." Gray exclaimed.

"I never expected you to say that. I thought you'd want to keep her all to yourself." Natsu scoffed.

"What are you talking about?" Gray got defensive this time.

"I'm a dragon slayer; my sense of smell is regrettably powerful. You used to have Lucy's faint scent on your body, the scent of Lucy's sweat on you." Natsu muttered.

"That was a while back, things were just casual. All we did was fool around. It wasn't anything serious." Gray confessed.

"You used to sleep at her apartment." Natsu retorted.

"Were you spying on us?" Gray demanded to know.

"I didn't need to spy. You used her shampoo idiot." Natsu growled.

"You have to let go. Whatever happened between Lucy and me is history. We were never in love with each other." Gray sighed.

"I know that but I just don't know what to do. I'm crazy about her but I'm too scared to say anything." Natsu gritted his teeth.

"I can't really tell you what to do. I'm not good at relationships. All I can say is that if you don't tell her, you might end up regretting it every day." Gray warned.

XXXXX

The next day Natsu walked home kicking the ground annoyed and upset with himself for not being able to talk to Lucy. He was never this nervous around her. It was only after he realised he had feelings for her that he found it hard to speak to her. He remembered his talk with Gildarts from a few months ago that started all this.

Flashback

Natsu pushed open the door to Gildarts' house and invited himself in. The dragon slayer found the guild ace sitting on the couch reading the bikini issue of sorcerer weekly.

"Ecchi…" Natsu mumbled.

"I see you still have no manners." Gildarts sighed.

"So what did you want?" Natsu asked.

"Cana tells me you're having a few problems with your love life, or should I say non-existent love life." Gildarts smirked.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Natsu replied defensively.

"Oh, I thought you'd be more excited than this. After all, you have the chance to get advice from a man who has conquered the hearts of Fiore's women." Gildarts boasted.

"So who is this man?" Natsu asked.

"It's me, you idiot. I know a thing or two about woman and I want to share that knowledge with you." Gildarts retorted.

"What knowledge do you want to share?" Natsu asked.

"I didn't think I would have to ever have this talk but you and her are both young adults." Gildarts began sweating.

"I don't see where you're going with this." Natsu complained.

"Did Igneel ever have the birds and bees talk with you?" Gildarts asked.

"Birds and bees?" Natsu replied confused.

"I'll take that as a no." Gildarts sighed. "Have a seat Natsu; we need to have a very important talk."

"A talk? Is this like training?" Natsu asked as he sat down.

"No, this is more like education." Gildarts responded.

"Boring…" Natsu murmured.

"Are you and her in a relationship?" Gildarts asked.

"I don't understand." Natsu answered.

"I can safely assume no but I'll still have to have the talk." Gildarts gritted his teeth.

"This is boring." Natsu complained.

"Listen, this is important. When a man and a woman have feelings for each other, sometimes they want to express those feelings physically." Gildarts explained.

"Oh, like a fight." Natsu nodded.

"NO!" Gildarts exclaimed. "Not a fight, it's a more intimate thing."

"I think I understand." Natsu grinned.

"I doubt it." Gildarts replied.

"They make babies." Natsu said.

"I guess that's kind of right. So do you know where babies come from?" Gildarts questioned.

"Off course, when parents want a baby they fight the stork demon and if they win they get a baby." Natsu answered proudly.

"I don't even want to know where you heard that." Gildarts groaned.

"That's the story Mira used to tell us when we were kids." Natsu explained.

"Figures…" Gildarts muttered.

"What's this all about?" Natsu inquired.

"I just wanted to make sure you were ready for life and love." Gildarts replied.

"Love…" Natsu's voice trailed off.

"That's what I said." Gildarts nodded.

"I feel happy whenever I'm around her. Just being around her, hearing the sound of her voice is enough to get me through the day. When she looks at me I feel confused, excited, nervous and ecstatic all at the same time. When she smiles, it's the most beautiful thing in the world. Ever since I've met her, I've felt this way." Natsu thought out loud.

"That sounds like love. I knew you loved Lisanna." Gildarts smirked.

"I was thinking about Lucy." Natsu confessed.

"I thought you were in love with Lisanna." Gildarts replied. "When Cana told me you were having trouble, I assumed it was with Lisanna."

"Lisanna was my first crush when we were kids but this is love. Gildarts, you have to tell me how to deal with this." Natsu pleaded.

"If you tell me more about your problem, then I can help." Gildarts sighed.

"I love her, I know I love her. I want to be with her. I want to be more then friends. I want to be able to hold her hand. Feel how soft, how warm, she is. I want to hold tightly and keep her safe. I want to taste her lips…" Natsu stopped when he realised what he was saying.

"I think you should tell her everything you told me. You can leave the last part about tasting her lips out." Gildarts laughed.

End flashback

"I was looking for you earlier." Lucy said appearing in front of Natsu.

Natsu looked up and realised he had unconsciously walked all the way to Lucy's house. The blonde was currently in her pyjamas, not the fan service one, and standing in her doorway.

"Did you need something Luc?" Natsu asked.

"No, I was just worried about you." Lucy smiled.

"Why?" Natsu spoke confused.

"You seemed like you wanted to tell me something important tonight but you couldn't." Lucy replied.

"There was something but I can't say it." Natsu admitted.

"Natsu, you can tell me anything." Lucy laughed. "No matter how crazy it is I'll hear you out."

"It's not easy for me to say." Natsu mumbled.

"I never thought I'd see the day you were reduced to mumbling." Lucy giggled.

"I'm going to go now." Natsu said red faced.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have laughed." Lucy said reaching and grabbing Natsu's hand.

The dragon slayer then caught a whiff of Lucy's natural scent. It was soft and sweet, it felt so perfect to his senses.

"You smell so pretty." Natsu's mouth moved faster than his brain.

"Err, thanks I think." Lucy said stepping back.

"I'm making a fool of myself." Natsu growled frustrated.

"Whenever I get stuck writing I like to look up at the stars and think." Lucy revealed.

"Think about what?" Natsu asked.

"You, Fairy-Tail, my mum, my dad, anything really." Lucy answered.

"When I think about you my head gets all fuzzy." Natsu responded.

"I never you I had that affect on you." Lucy smiled.

"Lucy, I love you." Natsu blurted out.

The dragon slayer couldn't control his mouth any more. He was just speaking and regretting it.

"Natsu, what are you talking about?" Lucy turned red.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Natsu continued.

"Natsu, I don't know what to say." Lucy mumbled flustered. "I need time to think about everything, give me a week to think properly about this, Natsu."

XXXXX

A week had passed painfully and slowly. Natsu had not spoken to Lucy during that time. In fact, the blonde and the dragon slayer both avoided the guild. Natsu had been racking his brains and emotions for a week, waiting on Lucy's response.

The sun was setting as Natsu and Gajeel leaned against the building that was directly across Lucy's on the other side of cannel. They were completely hidden by the long shadow of the building created by the setting sun.

"What the hell am I doing here?" Gajeel muttered.

"You think I wanted to ask you for help. I'm out of options, besides you help me with this and I'll help you with Levy." Natsu moaned feeling anxious about his decision.

"Who said I want anything to do with Levy?" Gajeel scoffed.

"Oh, is that so. That's good because Carl from the book store wants to ask her out." Natsu teased.

"I'll kill that bastard." Gajeel growled.

"Hi hi hi…" Natsu giggled.

"Okay, I'll help you." Gajeel gritted his teeth. "What do you want?"

"There's a chance that I'll lose my conviction when I see Lucy. I need you to stop me from leaving. It's been a week; I can't take this wait anymore." Natsu stated.

"I'll stop you by any means." Gajeel nodded breaking his knuckles in preparation of punching Natsu.

As they waited, they saw Lucy approaching her house accompanied by Gray. Lucy walked up to the door and unlocked it, but before she could open the door Gray grabbed her from behind and spun her around. The ice-make wizard and celestial mage then passionately locked lips before stumbling into the house and closing the door behind them.

"I was not expecting that. I feel like a peeping tom now." Gajeel spoke up.

"I… I… I… can't believe it." Natsu stuttered.

"What can't you believe, the fact that they're together or that they make skirts that short." Gajeel asked.

"I guess this is useless now." Natsu reached into pocket and pulled out a small gift wrapped box. The fire dragon slayer then tossed the box into the flowing water in front of him.

"Why'd you do that? We could have returned the ring." Gajeel complained.

"Oh sorry, I just lost it." Natsu apologized.

"This is the last time I lend you money." Gajeel grunted.

"I was an idiot to think that she could love me. Gray is… Gray is her type. He's cool, mature and confident when it comes to relationships. They have history." Natsu cursed.

"You're being an idiot now, there's no way that stripper is better than you." Gajeel replied.

"Gray and Lucy… I didn't see that. I should have… I should have known." Natsu moaned.

"Calm down, I'll take you to this bar I know to find another girl." Gajeel suggested.

"My chest feels so tight." Natsu gritted his teeth. "I guess she made her choice."

Natsu began walking away with a pained expression on his face.

"Oi, where do you think you're going?" Gajeel questioned.

Natsu didn't respond and continued walking.

XXXXX

Water dripped from Natsu with each step he took, as he entered Makarov's office. The dragon slayer's clothes were soaked and heavy, as they clung to his skin.

"Natsu, did you go for a swim?" Makarov asked as he examined the pink haired mage.

"No, I got caught in the rain." Natsu answered.

"You should have gone home and dried off instead of coming in here and dripping all over my carpet." Makarov sighed.

"I'm leaving Master." Natsu spoke.

"What are you talking about boy? Is this some kind of joke?" Makarov scoffed.

"It hurts too much. I can't stand it. It just hurts thinking about her." Natsu mumbled.

"You're in love with Lucy…" Makarov sighed. "When Mirajane told me that they were fooling around I was worried that you'd get hurt."

"I told her how I felt, I told her everything. She said she needed time to think but all she did was go back to Gray." Natsu growled putting a hole in the wall with his fist.

"You want to walk away from everything, your whole life because of a broken heart. I can't allow that. As guild master, it is my duty to keep you on the right path." Makarov refused.

"I didn't come here to get your permission master. I'm leaving. I just came here to say goodbye." Natsu responded.

"What about your friends? What about Happy?" Makarov questioned.

"I'm not really sure what everyone will think. As for Happy, he knows how broken I feel. Things are finally looking up for him since he got Carla to say yes to date him. He's going to stay with Lisanna while I'm gone." Natsu replied. "Good bye."