Hey there guys! I'm back or challenge #3 and don't forget to check out the other stories for this challenge as well!

Lucy sighed. What was she going to do? This was all Mira's fault.

This morning Mira put up a flyer onto every wall, table, and pillar, including Erza's pillar, for 'The Mage's Valentine's Day Dance'.

Ever since people started to realize the dance was in three days, girls have begun to smell more and more like perfume, guys have been acting nervous every second of the day, and no one wants to do jobs. Bad for Lucy since her rent was due by the end of the week.

Lucy took a second glance at the flyer and was ready to shoot Mira in the face. She totally did this on purpose; below the title of the paper, it explains what the theme was. She HAD to have the theme as Air, Earth, Water, and Fire. AND FIRE!

Mira and her damned fangirlism.

Fire or not, Lucy decided against the small voice in the back of her head and was not going to the dance. It wasn't like anyone was going to ask her anyway, right?

Passing through the guild on her way home, Lucy could see Juvia acting quite normal for Juvia's standards. She at least held somewhat of her cool around Gray. Obviously so he would ask her out to the dance. Like hell would she get him.

Back to Lucy's concerns, she quickly left the guild before Erza could pull her to the mall. Finally home, Lucy couldn't help but notice the absence of a certain dragon slayer. It was quiet…too quiet.

There was a small snore making the blonde jump. She raced to her bedroom only to find Happy alone sleeping on her pillow.

"Happy?" Lucy asked dropping her bag onto the ground.

"Aye?" he asked waking up from the bag's thud and wiped the snot bubble from his nose, "Oh hey Lucy. I was just taking a nap since you weren't home."

Yeah whatever that's fine. Where's Natsu? Isn't he like always here with you?" Lucy asked checking her bathroom only to find it empty.

"I don't know. I last saw him this morning. He said he had some stuff to do and meet here at noon." Happy said almost falling asleep again.

Lucy looked to the clock. "Its 3:27." She said bluntly.

Happy yawned, "Knowing it being Natsu, he can't tell the difference. I'll wait here for a few more hours. It that good with you?"

Lucy sighed, "I don't care right now. I have other stuff I need to do." She sat down to her desk and pulled out her papers for her story. It was almost Valentine's Day, besides the dance, Lucy could be writing her story instead. The season was bound to give her motivation.

Hearing a snore again, Lucy saw Happy yet again fast asleep. She didn't care right now, he wasn't being annoying right now so she was fine.

Then again before she could pick up her pen, she heard a loud knock on her door. She groaned and stomped to the door. She looked though the peep hole and opened the door.

"Gray? What are you doing he-mph!" Gray put a hand over her mouth and shoved her back inside before slamming the door behind him.

"What was that for?!" Lucy demanded pulling his hand away.

"Sorry, I can't let Juvia see me. She'd assume fake things." Gray said closing the curtains.

Lucy crossed her arms, "Acting like that just makes you even more suspicious, oh and your shirt is missing." She was not amused right now.

"Shoot! I'll look for it later!" he said shaking it off, "I have something more important to worry about right now!"

"Well then, why did you come here?" Lucy asked Gray whose pants were now gone.

"Um, it's about the dance…" Gray said and Lucy could see the small pink on his cheeks.

Her heart stopped for a second. He wasn't asking her, was he? How was she supposed to turn him down?

"Not you, about someone else. I just need advice because I'm stuck between three people." Gray said.

"Who?" Lucy asked feeling slightly relieved.

"Um…I'd rather not say…" he said stepping away from Lucy.

"You tell me right now or you are getting zero help. ZERO!" Lucy's curiosity took over.

"I'll tell you as long as you tell absolutely no one, got that?!" Gray said pointing at her mouth to keep it sealed.

"I'll keep it a secret, now who are they?" she asked the glint coming to her eyes.

He rubbed his neck, "Uh…E-Erza…Juvia…and…and…"

"Erza and Juvia? So you do like Juvia! And really, Erza even though you act scared in front of her sometimes?" Lucy couldn't hold back a small giggle.

"Don't laugh!"

"S-sorry. Now who was the last one?" she asked.

Gray stood as still as a soldier, "Did I say three? Oh I meant two. Ha!" his tone just dripped with lies.

Lucy sighed, "Gray you are fooling no one."

"Let's get to that part last, just help me with these two first? Please?" He pleaded.

"Alright, fine. I'll help you but you ARE telling me who the last person is, you got that!"

"Aye ma'am!" he said saluting her.

She smiled, it was so fun to boss people around! No wonder why Erza did it so often.

"First with Juvia. You know she really does love you Gray, and not just as a fan girl like you may think, she really does care about you. And then there is Erza, you two have been friends since you have been little so you two share more in common…" Lucy started.

"Yeah, so what should I do?"

"What do you like about both, and what do you hate?"

"Um…with Juvia, she is really pretty and yeah I can see when she is really nice to me, but she can get sometimes too clingy when anyone at all looks at me. And Erza is also very pretty and can be pretty cute sometimes, she really cares about her friends a lot, but then she can get REALLY scary at times."

Lucy nodded, "Ok, I see where you have a problem. Its ok, we have like two days left before the dance, we can think this through."

"I hope so…" Gray said trying very hard to not pace.

"And to maybe make a tie breaker, who's the third?" Lucy asked again.

"Lucy, don't go there."

"Why not? Is it so truly horrible you can't even share it with one of your friends?"

"Yes."

"Please Gray, tell me?"

"Never!"

Lucy pouted, "If I help you, will you tell me?"

Gray smirked, "Probably not."

She frowned, "Don't get cocky, Ice Boy."

"Ok! Never mind! Just help me soon ok? I gotta get out of here before Juvia tracks me down." Gray said and went to the door, "Talk to you later, ok?"

"Sure." Lucy said and watched him bolt out the door and down the street. Once she closed her door, she screamed. Who was the last person?! The curiosity was KILLING her!

…

The next day, Lucy and Happy went to the guild in hopes of finding Natsu. Entering the guild, they couldn't help but notice the lack of Natsu in the guild.

"Hey Lisanna, have you seen Natsu?" Lucy asked.

"Oh hey Lucy, no, sorry I haven't seen him but last I did, he said something about fish for Happy." Lisanna told her.

"Ok the, thanks anyway Lisanna." Lucy said and walked over to the bar with Happy.

"It isn't like him." Happy said.

"Maybe we should check his house and also that lake, like Lisanna said, he was talking about fish for you so maybe he went fishing or something?" Lucy wondered. If he was fishing, he'd always bring Happy along with him so this was really weird.

Just before Lucy and Happy could leave, Gray stopped her.

"Any ideas on what I should do?" he asked nervously eyeing Erza and Juvia.

Lucy turned to Happy to go ahead of her and he did worried about his partner.

"No, sorry Gray but maybe you should ask Erza if she has anyone in mind. If you ask Juvia, she'd just say you but try Erza and see who she would pick." Lucy said and followed Happy.

Gray nodded and quickly went over to Erza where she sat with Wendy and Carla eating the last of her strawberry cake so at least she was in a good mood.

"H-hey Erza, could I talk to you?" Gray asked.

"Yes? What is it Gray?" she said while quickly licking her spoon clean and had Wendy and Carla take it over to Mira and gave Wendy the 'get-out-of-here-for-a-while-thanks' look. She got the message and quickly left with Carla.

"So um…Lucy is doing this survey for her story, and um she was just wondering what kind of guys you were into? If you wonder why she isn't asking you and why I am is because she is busy right now and I'm being a great friend."

Her eyes shifted warily over him but she shrugged it off, "Well for her story purposes, I like men who can be caring, honest, and most of all, can cook me cake all day long."

"Is that all?"

"Yep. I hope I was a help."

"Y-yeah, thanks Erza." Gray said and quickly let the scene before anyone, like Juvia, started asking him questions.

…

"Nothing in the house." Happy said sadly as the two left for the lake. There was still no sign of Natsu.

They got to the lake to find it remotely empty. Just before they left back to the town, Happy decided to do a fly over. A few minutes, the blue exceed came back down with nothing. They went back to Lucy's house for Happy's endlessly moaning stomach and to not Lucy's surprise, the missing dragon slayer was sleeping on her bed with a bag full of fish next to him.

"FISH!" Happy squeed and jumped head first into the bag and disappeared.

"Natsu? When did you get here she asked poking his head.

"Huh? Oh like, and hour ago or something. I went on an overnight fishing trip and I didn't want Happy to know so here's your present Happy!" Natsu said now noticing Happy already had discovered his treat.

Lucy smiled before there was a knock at the door. She was going to go answer it when Natsu grabbed onto her arm pulling her back.

"Natsu! What was that for?!" Lucy asked angrily.

"I smell them. Its Gray, don't answer it!" Natsu pleaded still holding onto Lucy's arm.

She removed the boy's hand and stood again, "Actually I helping him with the Valentine's Day dance."

Natsu looked shocked, "YOU helping HIM!?"

Lucy rolled her eyes and went to answer the door, "Sorry about the wait, Natsu is here and he's very persistent on not letting you in."

"Oh, was I disturbing something?" Gray asked.

Lucy could tell her cheeks were some deep shade of pink, "N-no! H-he was just h-here for um…"

"Nah, never mind, I know you guys are friends, so Natsu's here?" Gray said entering.

Natsu was there in less than a second glaring at the ice mage, "And what do you want?"

Gray stepped away from the pinkette, "None of your business. Get out for a second ok? I don't want you eavesdropping with your crazy dragon hearing."

Natsu glared at Gray before grabbing Happy and the fish and hopping out the window.

"Anyway, have you decided on who you are taking?" Lucy asked.

Gray turned his attention back to Lucy, "Sorta. I've at least decided not Juvia because out of sadness and assumption, she thought I was going with you so she went off for a job. And by that she means stay home and sleep or something."

Lucy nodded, "So then it's Erza?"

Gray shook his head, "But I also have that last person."

Lucy's smile unconsciously grew, Oh right, so I might need to know who this person is."

Gray shook his head, "Never mind, I've decided on Erza! Bye!" H ran out the door leaving Lucy alone only for a second before Natsu and Happy with all the fish nearly gone back inside.

"What's with him?" Natsu asked.

"I don't know. But who are you going with to the dance?" Lucy asked.

Natsu blinked, "Aren't I going with you?"

If Lucy was drinking anything, she would have spit it out, "Wh-what!? N-no Natsu, th-that's not how it w-works…"

"But we're best friends with no dates so why not?" Natsu said, "Anyway, I gotta go, so see you at the dance!"

"Aye!" Happy shouted too busy with fish to even tease them right now.

…

It was the night of the dance and Lucy had finally decided on a dress. To match Natsu, Fire personality, she went for a red backless dress with draping sleeves. It ended right above her knees with a black belt to match with her black strappy heels. She put her hair up in a ponytail with a few strands hanging in front. She sprayed her hair with fire colored glitter to go with the low light of the dance.

Ready to meet her quote unquote 'date' outside her house, she checked her makeup one last time and grabbed a black bangle bracelet before she went outside to meet up with Natsu.

"Hey Luce. You ready?" he asked.

She nodded. She felt a bit shy for some reason. This was sorta like a date with Natsu.

"Y-yeah. But do I look ok?" she asked for a different opinion on her outfit.

He looked at her before grinning, "Beautiful!"

Her heart felt like it had melted. So convenient, he was a fire mage!

Already late, Lucy wanted to get to the dance as fast as possible. Just before they entered the guild Natsu grabbed Lucy's wrist.

"Hey Lucy, can I talk to you for a second?" he asked.

She stopped, "Yeah, what is it?"

He pulled out a small bag with one chocolate in it, "Lucy, will you be my Valentine for this year, and all years, forever?"

Lucy's breath shorted for a second. Was this really happening?

Lucy relaxed just enough to speak, "Natsu, I will be your Valentine! Forever, and always!"

He handed her the chocolate and into the dance they went, now official for the first time.

Done! So hopefully this one is good, I hope this wasn't too rushed with my word limit coming closer and closer…

And no, there is NO GrayLu in this…PM me if you'd like to know who Gray's last choice was…lovestarr you probably know! ;)

Anyway, good luck to you all and I hope you liked my story!