Mira was squealing whenever she saw Natsu for the rest of the day. I knew it was a bad idea. Why did I listen to Happy...? Natsu groaned and shoved his face into his hands. I can't even go near anyone anymore without feeling like the shippers are watching me. This was a bad idea this was a bad idea!

"Nastu! Where have you been?" Lucy sat down at the same table as the pinkette. He looked up and felt his face heat up at the girl's bright smile.

"O-oh hey Luce! I- uh, just got some lunch." Natsu said and held up the school lunch tray. It was an ugly yellow plastic with styrofoam dishes that held a grilled cheese sandwich and a sickly-looking plate of green beans. The food was actually decent at the school, and was cheap. That meant Natsu could save his money for other things like fish and repair money for their house in the woods.

Lucy frowned. "What's up Natsu? You seem upset. Something wrong?" Natsu shook his head, his pink hair shaking, even him knowing it was too quick and tense.

"Nah, just got something on my mind, heh."

"Oh. Mind telling me about it?" Lucy questioned, sitting down at the table across from him.

This isn't working. Natsu said nothing, staring intently down at his food and messing with it with his fork. He could feel his face being red, even if he couldn't feel any heat since he had fire dragon slaying magic.

Mira looked up from a little bit of paperwork. "Oh hi Natsu! What can I do for you?" she questioned cheerfully.

"So, um, I've had this thing going on with me lately, and I was wondering if maybe you could help me."

Mira blinked, before having an evil glint paired with her notorious shipping smirk. "Oh? Mind telling me?"

Natsu groaned. "I don't know! I'll tell you what I told Happy; I keep turning red whenever I'm around someone, and my heart beats really fast, and I feel like I'm always sick or something! I can't get them out of my head, and now I feel like my brain and my heart are saying two different things." His shoulders sagged, and then tensed again.

Mira started giggling like crazy. "Sounds like you really like~ someone Natsu~!" she sang, to which Natsu groaned again.

"That's what Happy said. But she's my best friend, and nothing's changed between us! What am I supposed to do? Ask her out to the dance on Friday?"

"Oh good, it's Lucy right? Either Lucy or Grey, and THAT would have been made things awkward with Juvia and all," Mira seemed to admire Natsu's shocked expression before continuing. "And why not? We've only got a few weeks left of school. You're both already practically planning to go to the same college, why not take your relationship a step further?"

Natsu facepalmed. "Maybe. Thanks, Mira."

Not that that was helpful at all. Natsu sighed, attracting Lucy's attention again.

"You SURE you're okay? This definitely is not you. Well, not unless you're upset about something. Hence why I keep bothering you?"

God, I forgot how smart she was. No matter how many times she helps me with homework.

"Yeah, I'm fine Lucy." Natsu snapped, sending Lucy reeling for a moment. "Okay, fine. I'm going to go sit with Levy and the others, okay? See you next class." the blonde announced and calmly-yet-coldly got up. Natsu's heart froze, forgetting they had science together next class. Well CRAP. I've definitely screwed up. Goddammit Natsu. He faceplanted into the table, not caring that it hurt his nose.

Lucy watched as Natsu shoved his face into his table across the cafeteria, somehow not getting icky green beans all over his face. "Have you noticed something different about Natsu today? He's been acting weird." she commented to Levy, Gajeel, Erza, Grey, and Juvia. Technically their friend Wendy Marvell would be here if she wasn't in one of the younger grades.

"Juvia has noticed something about Nastu. To Juvia he seems different only around you, Lucy." Juvia noted. Grey was staring intently at the pinkette, while Gajeel was looking at him as well as continually glancing at Levy.

I swear if he doesn't ask her to the dance, Jet or Droy sure will.

"Why do I have a feeling Natsu's having an internal conflict compared to someone just saying something rude to him in the hallway," Grey muttered.

Erza stood up to look over the others, seeing as she was sitting the farthest in, and scoffed. "I've never seen him look like that without someone beating the crap out of him in some way." she stated, before pausing. "I hope someone DIDN'T actually beat the crap out of him. I was hoping I could actually not have to do that this week."

The point of attention went from Natsu to Erza.

"Why would you want to do that?" Grey questioned.

Erza shrugged. "With the dance coming up I thought it might be a good idea to try and not send anyone to the hospital so they don't miss it." Gajeel smirked, and Lucy noticed a single bead of sweat roll down the redhead's face.

"If I knew anything I'd say you're trying to impress someone for the dance. What's going on with you, Erza~?" Levy teased. As Erza's face went from calmly tense to red in a matter of seconds,

Lucy snapped.

"That's it!" Attention went back to Lucy. "Natsu's trying to ask someone out to the dance!" Lucy exclaimed. As the others blinked at her, she sighed and elaborated. "He's been avoiding me- all of us, all today and yesterday, right? He must be trying to get a girl to notice him so he can ask her to the dance! It only makes sense, right?"

Lucy questioned, and then turned back to Natsu. "Now the question is, I wonder who he likes...?"

She didn't notice the others snickering and staring at her behind her back.

The bell rang and everyone jumped up from their tables to go throw away their excess food and then hurry to their next class. Natsu had already finished all his food in like two seconds, and was heading out the door of the cafeteria to run to his locker before science.

Maybe I should slow down eating like Lucy says. Natsu thought to himself as he unlocked his locker. Maybe she won't always get so mad at me.

Now he was hurrying to the science classroom, since they only had five minutes to get places. The pinkette sat down at his usual desk, with Lucy being to the left of him and ignoring everyone else in the class.

This was their only class they had together, and they were so thankful they at least had ONE class without being partnered with a bunch of strangers.

There was only a minute left when a certain blonde walked into the room, cradling her textbooks and binder in her arms.

"Hey Luce!" Natsu waved cheerfully. She blinked and looked a little hesitant, before smiling and making her way to sit beside Natsu in the back of the class.

"Glad to see you're better." Lucy grinned.

"Y-yeah, sorry 'bout that. Like I said, just got something on my mind." That something is you.

The bell rang and the teacher promptly started roll, then went on to start his lesson.

"No! Hydrogen is the lightest element, not air. I would think you would understand that air is made up of a munch of different elements, Natsu." Lucy scolded and pointed to the highest block on their periodic table of elements.

"Well sorry for all these names being hard to remember! On the test day I CAN just made a cheat sheet on the table..." Natsu muttered.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "For like 118 different elements? I don't think you can cover that up easily, dufus."

Natsu frowned and pouted. "Well I can try!"

Lucy at least didn't seem mad, and was more finding their conversation humorous. She chuckled and glanced off to the side, seemingly staring out the window.

I wonder what she's thinking about? Probably not about me.

"Class, please hurry and finish your assignments, alright? We've got fifteen minutes, and there's still a few things I need to cover." the teacher called, receiving a chorus of "yes sirs" from the other students.

Natsu glanced down at his paper, and found he only had the first five done. Crap. Thirty minutes have gone already? Most of that time had been spent occupied by Lucy, whether talking or thinking about her or trying to get his face under control.

Goddammit Mira and Happy. Now you've just made things complicated!

Lucy looked back at Natsu and their work, and lightly giggled. "Need the answers, flamebrain?" she teased and slid her paper in his direction.

Natsu nodded and smiled, looking down at his paper as he felt his cheeks flush again. When is this going to stop?

"Hey Happy-"

"Natzu! How'd the day go with Lucy~?" Happy asked suggestively.

Natsu pursed his lips, grabbed the cat, and threw him across the room. "NO HAPPY. YOU'RE NOT MIRA, GODDAMMIT!"

Happy's head popped up from the pile of clothes he had been thrown into.

"But I'm number one in her shipping squad! She said so herself! Because you loooooooove Lucy and she looooooooveees you too~!" the blue cat sang while sprouting his wings and flying around in circles as Natsu had an angry mark pop and started trying to grab Happy out of the air. "Natsu and Lucy sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

"SHUT UP YOU STUPID CAT OR I'LL TURN YOU INTO A CHARCOAL!" Natsu screamed, his face nearly as red as the fire he breathed. Happy saw this and fell backwards laughing, crashing into the floor but not caring as he pounded the floor with a fist.

"Aye, it's true Natzu! You can't deny it with a face like that!"

"I'll deny it as much as I want to! Whatcha' gonna do about it?"

Happy grew an evil Mira smirk. "I could ask her out to that dance on Friday for you."

Natsu paled drastically. "You wouldn't."

"Ha! Yes I will! I will do Mira proud! And turn your best friend into your girlfriend if you're too chicken!"

"I'm not a chicken! I just don't want anything to change between me and her!"

Happy stopped dancing around. "Natsu, you should at least try it! This is your last year before you start having real responsibilities! And if Lushee says no, then nothing happens!" his shoulders slouched, before raising again. "If you don't ask her out by Friday then I will."

"HAPPY!"

"It's settled! You've got three days Natsu! Now I BETTER GO BEFORE NATSU FRIES MEEEEE!!" Happy squealed again as Natsu started growling and lit his fist on fire.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, DAMN CAT! YOU GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT AND TAKE THAT BACK!"

Happy was long gone out the window by this time using his max speed, probably to take shelter for the rest of the night with one of his other exceed friends. Natsu stopped running and was slowly realizing the position his cat friend had put him in, and plopped himself onto the couch. I've got until Friday to ask Lucy to the dance? Or either Happy or Mira busts my secret.

...

I am so freaking screwed.  

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lololol I apparently suck at this kind of romance

Please forgive me for this being really cheesy XD