I kept on tossing and turning on my bed, looking all tired and sleepy. But I just can't sleep. I can't get Lucy out of my mind! It was really disturbing me already, and I really need to take a sleeping pill. Crap, I'm gonna wake Happy up if I'm gonna continue tossing and turning around.

Lucy was making me crazy. I mean, who wouldn't be? It was her first job alone. ALONE. She said she didn't want me following around, or else she's gonna get mad at me for a long time, and that she would quit our team. Of course I don't want her to quit our team, so I let her be. But as much as I tried to keep my thoughts away from her, I just can't! I'm so worried about her!

"Carla... thanks for accepting my fish..." Happy mumbled in his sleep. I envy him, he's sleeping peacefully, and I was like having a jet lag. Wish I could sleep like him.

Lucy's job was to fight a monster in Serendipity Beach. The reward would be 100,000 jewels. And based from the reward, I can tell that the monster can be pretty hard to fight on. But I believe that she can do it no matter what, because a Fairy Tail member doesn't give up that easily.

But even so, here I am, raiding food from our fridge, finding something to eat in the middle of the night. Because of worrying, I became hungry. Maybe I'm just hungry that's why I'm being like this.

I ate a bag of chips which Happy and I bought earlier. I took a handful of chips then swallowed them as rapidly as I could. Just then, an idea popped into my head. I looked for a paper and pen which was scattered on the living room. When I found them, I started to write.

Dear Lucy,

How have you been doing there? Well, me? Worried about you. Look, the job you're currently taking is really dangerous. As much as I wanted to come with you, you wouldn't agree with me; I'm afraid you'd quit our team! We've been together for 7 years (yeah, include the time when we were at the Tenrou Island and we slept for 7 long years.) and that'd been long enough, don't you think? I consider you as one of my family member, and I couldn't stand the fact that you'd be gone even just a second. Not even a day! But okay, I swear I'd wait for you until you finish your job. Please come back in one piece, all right? And also share the reward when you come back. :) We're gonna fish, too.

And yeah, I'll tell you one thing. But please don't freak out. Nor get even mad or anything. Most importantly, do not take this as a joke. I... have waited for a long time to say this, but... I... love you. Don't laugh! I'm serious! Not kidding,cross my heart. I don't need for you to love me back, I just need to tell you these feelings that are trapped inside me. Our first encounter was really silly, right? You thought I have saved you from Bora, which I did not really meant to do and treated us to food. Then I dragged you to Fairy Tail right away. Haha. Funny moment. Our first job, the Everlue one, remember that? One of my most memorable experience with you. I haven't expected we'd be closer to each other in the days passing and me falling in love with you. Well, it was because a rare thing. A rare feeling. I'm really weird right now, isn't it? Yeah, it's because of you. Jeez, I sound so cheesy, yet also a hopeless romantic, hahaha.

Well anyway, I don't expect any reply or comment. I just wanna tell these things to you. These are the things that I always have in mind. Sigh. Anyways, I know you could do that job, alright? Believe in yourself. Fight and fight. That's just a stupid monster. And when you beat up that monster, I have a surprise in store for you. Do your best in fighting if you still wanna see the surprise!

Kay, I'm effin crazy, but whatever. At least I got the chance to tell this to you, just even in this letter. I want you to read this, but I don't know how I could give this to you. You know I really hate transportations, right? Plus, you restricted me from following you. So I guess I have no choice but to keep this, yeah?

Whatever, I'm really crazy right now. I just... can't sleep without you by my side or me being worried for too much about you. Return ASAP, k?

Gah. I'm really tired of writing now, so bye. I mean, goodnight. I hope you'll have a good night sleep right there. See 'ya and take care!

Love,
Natsu (Salamander) :)

I am not kidding about what I wrote in the letter. It took me minutes (or maybe an hour or so) to think about and write that letter. I just... wanna let my HIDDEN feelings be out in that letter. Yeah, even Happy doesn't know it. I'm keeping this little secret of mine for awhile now, and I'd never gonna let anyone know about this, especially Lucy, the main topic of the letter.

I put down the pen and paper on the wooden floor then swiftly stood up and lazily headed beside Happy's bed. I plopped down on the soft bed and immediately forgot about my thoughts because of the comfortable bed. Sleepiness slowly crept towards me, making me soon drift off to sleep.

++

"Ne, ne, Natsu. Why did you wake up so late in the afternoon? Lucy have arrived already, you know? Oh, good morning by the way." Happy flied towards our window. I know he's gonna head off to Fairy Tail already.

I brushed my teeth and took a nice and quick shower. I'm so excited to see Lucy already! I bet she've already beaten up the monster! I'm so proud of her! I then put on my daily clothes and skipped happily towards our guild.

But before I could even reach her house (I have a feeling that Lucy and Happy are there; even Erza and Gray) someone tapped me on the shoulder and gave me a letter. Who wrote this? I burned the envelope, carefully not burning the letter inside of it. I took out a piece of paper.

Dear Natsu,

I've read your letter to me! Happy gave it to me. Well, I'm half reading your letter and half writing this letter for you, ehehe.

I miss you too! Everybody in the guild! So, did you know that I've beaten up that enormous monster? I'm strong, right? Right? Awesome too! Just kidding, hehehe. I'm happy anyways that you and Happy are doing well. I have taken care of myself very well, alright? Well, with the help of the celestial spirits too. I won't be able to survive without them so you must thank them, or else I'll be gone now. And don't worry, I'll share with you guys the reward. ;)

And yeah, I'm glad our friendship lasted for seven years. Can you believe that? For 7 years?

Oh! I wanna share with you my experience with the monster. :) So when I arrived at the Serendipity Beach, I was completely amazed. The place was beautiful; white sand, real blue beach (the water is really clear!), corals near the shore, and little fishes too! Just, wow. Just then-- while I was sight-seeing--, an enormous green one-eyed monster with huge lips appeared from the water. Then I ran for my life! I pulled my gate key Aquarius and ordered for her to vanish the monster. And you know what happened. I was completely washed away with the monster STILL STANDING. Then Aquarius returned to the celestial spirit world, with her uttering 'Tsk.' Then I was like 'Oh no! I'm dead!' Then I ran for my life again. I called Aries. She attacked with her magic but was also no use. I thanked her then thought of Loki! My most powerful celestial spirit came with a puff. Then he did what he must do. And I was saved!!

After that, the owner of the beach let me stay at the beach as a reward (of course with the jewels hehehe). And that's why it took me for awhile to return. And yeah, I had a good time there. Oh! And guess what? I also saw the Blue Pegasus! And we had a great time together. We had games... Jenny and Chelia became one of my friends actually. So... I believe all of the Blue Pegasus' guild members is now my friend (Uh... well I dunno about Sherry...) which is kinda an achievement for me. ^_^

Ok... I just read the confession part of yours on the letter. And about my reaction to the... you know... I'm just speechless. I mean, who wouldn't be? I just came back from a job then a surprising letter would welcome me? And you know what, I cannot fall for that same joke again. It's because... never mind. But really, I already have learned my lesson and would never fall for the same trick ever again, sorry. You can't fool me!! Happy was teasing me about 'I like you.' and 'you also like me.' but that was waaaay too far to happen. Maybe in a dream, yes? Hahaha. And about what Happy said.. I was pretty annoyed about it. Whatever.

So anyways, after my bonding time with Blue Pegasus (which was making me feel like an outsider because I'm the only Fairy Tail guild member) we wizards were invited to a party! The birthday party of Yukino! And we had a blast! Again! I just hoped Gray, Erza, Wendy, Carla, Happy and of course you was there. I felt lonely there.

I'm about to finish this letter, and I just finished reading your letter too. :) Thanks for worrying about me and for encouraging me. It made me smile a lot.

*yawn*

I got tired of writing my adventure and reply to you. I'm sleepy so... night! (Even if it's already morning hahaha.)

Your bestfriend,
Lucy Heartfilia

P.S. AGAIN I WON'T FALL FOR THE SAME JOKE! JUST A FRIENDLY REMINDER!! And I'm looking forward fishing with you and Happy when I'm alive again. :D

I wanna express my every emotion on every paragraph of Lucy's letter. First, my feelings are: happy, angry, sad, hurt, and excited. Include shy.

On the first paragraph of Lucy's letter, you know my feeling; angry and happy. The first time I read it I already have mixed emotion. You know the feeling when you badly wanted to strangle someone? Yeah, exactly my feeling. And I wanna strangle a certain blue flying cat, an exceed. Somebody please remind me to knock him out when I saw him. He's WANTED. And I felt gleeful at the same time too because she was reading my letter and writing a letter for ME! But mostly I felt like hiding in a mouse hole, ashamed and mad at the same time.

When I read the next paragraph, all I felt was pure joy. She misses me too! She was a lot braver than she is. And I am happy for her.

Then, I just smiled at the succeeding paragraph.

On the fourth paragraph, I felt nothing. I mean, I don't care about her adventures, alright! All I cared for was her reply to me! And I don't think she'll ever answer that 'one' in this letter. And I think I must consult her about it, or I might be crazy. But I'm really super nervous just thinking about it; it makes my knees go into jelly.

Fifth? Psh. I still don't care. What would I do about her adventures anyway? With Jenny or the Blue Pegasus? With Master Bob? But not to be rude and because I love her, I still read the paragraph anyways.

The next paragraph made my heart race, even the first sentence; it made my eyes so wide I think they'll bleed and rupture any minute. She's reading it! That very moment I became so nervous, my hands were shaking as I anticipated for her reply that I read it so fast. I really wanna know her reaction about it. And finally, I think she's gonna give it. On the fifth sentence, (yes, I counted it.) I became relieved and sad at the same time. Relieved because I don't need to find a mouse hole anymore and sad because she did not believe me. I was wondering why? Why is there a word 'again'? Did someone trick her before? I'm so confused. When I read the last sentences, my heart broke into million pieces. It's like, I wanna cry a river. Friendzoned. She saying that she only loves me as a friend (well, sort of..) ...my heart is crushed into little pieces.

On the last paragraph, I felt a bit happy. But mostly, all I felt was nothing. Nothing anymore because I'm feeling numb already. The reason is the pain.

Even before I could read the last paragraphs, I already crumpled the paper. The happiness inside me completely disappeared in a puff. Just like that. It hurts, you know?

I returned to our house, my face expressionless. I don't want to go to the guild anymore. I might cry there, and Gray would laugh at me. I don't know what to feel anymore. Happy because our friendship is still intact and I have told her my feelings already? Angry because of Happy because he gave Lucy the letter? Sad because Lucy considered me just a friend of hers, a family even, and she hurt me? I don't really know. And maybe once I reach home, I'll sleep and think of this as a nightmare. I'll try to relax my pained heart.

++

"Natsu, wake up." I heard a familiar feminine voice.

I groaned and sat up. I really don't need to open my eyes to know who owned the voice I just heard. "Mornin'."

Lucy hummed a single syllable. "Hm."

"What?"

"You believed the letter I gave you, right?"

I.. really don't get it. So I pretended I don't remember anything about the letter I gave her and the ones she gave me.

"Letter? What are you talking about?"

"Tss. Look, your eyes are red and puffy. Cried. Hahaha!" she laughed.

I looked away and she continued, "Look, all I said on the letter was true. I really don't believe you, because.. because of Mirajane. Don't ask me anymore. But there is one thing that I have forgotten to write there. I love you, too. And that's not a joke. That's for real, alright? Ok, I'm done talking to you." She turned away but before she could turn away, I pulled her into a tight hug.

"Don't. I love you."

"I love you too." I heard her sigh, a relieved ones.

________________________

Wee! The second nalu story of mine! I'm gonna update weekly! :D