Shall we dance? {LaxusXLucy} [By Sheyshen]

Chapter 19

When Erza had arrived at the bar she had found the guild in more of a frenzy than before. When she had brought her friends to check out the destruction of the guild master's office, most of the initial panic had begun to die down, and she had hoped that Laxus' presence in the guild would have extinguished the last of the concern. At least for enough time to figure out what was taken. But as she strode across the guild hall from the staircase to the bar, she had found total chaos had erupted.

"What did you see?" Natsu yelled as he held a floundering guild mate by the collar. The man was waving his arms in front of him, attempting to at the very least convince the pink haired man to keep himself from combusting.

"I-I-I-I..." The man gulped, keeping his hands in sight, "I don't-"

"Enough Natsu." Erza grabbed Natsu's arm, her voice as stern and commanding as she could make it. She was extremely concerned. The idea that a guild mate could have been the one to make a mess of the room had crossed her mind, but nearly strangling a guildiewasn't something they should do without proof of any treachery. Although, given enough proof she wouldn't think twice of assisting Natsu with the interrogation. "He doesn't know anything. Settle down."

Natsu glared over his shoulder at her, releasing the man and letting him fall onto the floor. Making quick with his escape, the startled man scrambled across the guild hall to the safety of a far table.

"Can I talk to you outside?" Erza asked, glancing around as concerned whispers began to arise.

Natsu nodded sharply, turned and stomped out of the guild with Erza trailing behind him. Once outside, he turned and faced her, his face set with a heavy frown, "What's wrong?"

"That was unnecessary. I know you're nervous with all that's going on in both the guild and with Lucy." Erza said, trying to smile comfortingly.

Natsu looked away, he was annoyed that she was right, "I just don't know." He said quietly.

"We'll get this sorted out, don't you worry." She pulled him into a hug, "And for the Lucy and Lisanna problem, you really need to make your feelings known to her. You don't have to be in the guild to tell her."

Natsu nodded slightly in understanding, his thoughts still wrapped around the theft as well as his feelings. "She's just getting so close to Laxus now." He shook his head.

"And that worries you, that she might choose him?" She asked carefully.

"Yeah. I mean we've been partners since she joined Fairy Tail, and he had been nothing but a jerk to her until we got frozen in time. It just doesn't make sense why she'd be alright with him after everything." He looked at Erza pleadingly. "He almost killed her during Fantasia, and he treated her like a thing when Phantom Lord attacked. But suddenly he's nice and she's all over him." Tears threatened to escape as Natsu poured out his worries. "What if he hadn't actually changed as much as we all think. What if he's just using her and-" He stopped himself.

Erza listened intently as her friend spoke, never interrupting him, but as she saw him begin to doubt the man he had stood up for so many times, she had to bite her lip to stop herself from speaking up. It broke her heart, Natus cared so much for both Laxus and Lucy, but his love for her had eaten him up so much that he had begun to break.

She couldn't take it anymore, and before Natsu could start talking again, she pulled him into a tight hug. "Natsu you are." She paused, searching for the right words, "you just care so much for everyone. Everyone here in the guild is your family, you brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles. We all love you just as much, even Laxus. So please don't go doubting us." Tears streamed down her face as she spoke, her emotions so strong that she couldn't keep them in, "Even with all that's happened with you and Lucy, she's her own person, and if she happens to fall for Laxus, you need to accept that with a smile for her."

"But-" Natsu went to speak, but Erza stopped him.

"But. She hasn't chosen yet. She still sees you both as her family right now. As fellow guildies. Only one of you has said something to her, and the other keeps avoiding it." She smiled at him, her expression momentarily hardening, "So you need to man up and tell her how you feel before you get upset that someone else is winning her love!" She grinned and slapped him on the back, encouraging him to go back in the guild and say something, "No time like the present!"

Natsu stared wide-eyed at her before nodding. He took two steps toward the guild hall and stopped. Looking down in worry, "But what if she rejects me, or worse."

"Worse? I can't believe I'm hearing this from you of all people," She smiled warmly, "What happened to the fire in your eyes that you had this morning? You aren't acting like the hot-headed, "act first think later" Natsu we all know and love." She huffed in fake annoyance, "You need to act like you always do, charge in there and act like you own the place. That's the Natsu we're all used to, not this worrisome love-sick dork."

Natsu looked at her in surprise, the grinned, "Right!" He then charged back to the guild, leaving Erza in the dust.

She smiled sadly as he ran off, "He's growing up. I hope he'll be alright."

^_^