Chapter 27

"Natsu? What are these baby shoes?"

*lucy asked as she came to help him unpack some of his things after her girls week was over. She was over at his house as he took a bath.*

"What?… what are what??"

"What are these baby shoes you have in this box?"

*lucy asked again as she brought them into the bathroom to have natsu hear her clearer.*

"Oh! A granny gave them to me for our baby.."

*natsu said it simply as he continued to finish his bath.*

Lucy went red in the face as she threw a bottle of conditioner at him through the curtains. She was flustered once again..

"Natsu!! We don't have a baby yet!!! And we aren't gonna have one yet!!! I'm barely 21!!"

"So? I'm 22… I don't think it's a bad time to start… why?~ do you plan to join me to get started luce~?"

*natsu laughed as he peeked out of the curtain as he saw lucy blush madly!*

"I'm just kidding lucy!.. we can have kids whenever your ready, I can wait until we are old and wrinkly~"

"That's not funny natsu!!!"

*lucy exclaimed as she ran out of the bathroom and violently slamming the door. She sighed as she looked at the shoes again.. she felt warm feeling how natsu was already thinking about having kids with her.. he really was romantic at times..*

Lucy finished up with the cleaning as she went downstairs to wait a for natsu to get changed and ready now. He was taking her out on a date today so she had told him she would meet him at his house at the time, he agreed as he overslept and was rudely awakened with a angry lucy kick.

"Alright! I'm all ready! Let's go luce!"

*natsu said as lucy nodded she followed him out as she thought they were going to a place in magnolia but only followed natsu deeper into the woods?*

"Natsu? Where are we going?"

"It's a secret!.. I found it when I came by here as a short cut.."

*natsu smiled as lucy looked worried about it..*

Finally Natsu came to show Lucy a hidden waterfall as it pooled into a clear pool of water below. Lucy was taken a back as she saw the water so beautiful.

"Natsu… it's so beautiful…"

"I know… I cleaned it up a bit because there was some old logs that didn't quite let it shine brightly.. but the end results where worth it.. do you like it lucy?"

*natsu waited as he looked at Lucy… Lucy looked back at him as she nodded her head… that's all he needed to know.*

"Good! Because we are going for a dip!!"

*natsu grabbed Lucy and he carried her from her waist twords the water.*

"NATSU!!! I JUST TOOK A BATH!!! NOOO!!!"

*natsu German surplexed her into the water as the cold water made her hyperventilate and gasp!*

"Ha Ha Ha Ha, Puu-!"

*natsu laughed but was shortly reprimanded by Lucy who gave him a karate chop on the head for dumping them both in the water.*

They soaked in the water for the rest of there 'date' as they decided to dry off before the sun began to set. Natsu had made a bonfire as he hung Lucy's and his clothes on a tree nearby to dry, they only wore their underwear that was easier to dry with natsu's body temperature and fire infront of them.

"Natsu.. thanks for this date… I had fun.."

*lucy said as she leaned on natsu's shoulder while she sat next to him watching the fire.*

"Sure thing.. I already knew you were going to love it.."

*he kissed Lucy's forehead as he decided to catch some fish to eat before the sun neared sunset. Lucy watched him go as she decided to check if there clothes were ready..*

As Lucy felt the clothes were finally dry toasty warm, she flapped them to make sure there wasn't any bugs inside but heard something fall out of natsu's pants pocket. She picked up the strange box as she opened it to see a silver ring..

"Natsu…"

*natsu heard lucy call for him as he brought back two good sized fishes to cook. He saw Lucy standing infront of the clothes now as she continued to speak.*

"Yeah luce?.."

"Natsu… what is this?"

*lucy said unfazed by what it 'could' be as she showed the box with the ring. Natsu patted his sides as he realized he had forgotten about the ring as he took off his pants when they came out to dry. He facepalmed himself as he thought of something to say now*

"Natsu? Is this yours?"

*lucy asked him with some hesitation in her voice as she waited for natsu to answer this time. It wasn't a engagement ring right?*

Natsu quickly catches on to what Lucy said as he panicked and decided to give her a white lie for now because her ring wasn't ready yet.

"Yes! It's mine haha! Sorry bout that!! I'll take that now!"

*natsu said as lucy gave it to him, it felt awkward so Lucy decided to let it slide with a joke*

"Oh! Haha! Sorry for putting you on the spot natsu, I thought it was some lame engagement ring you were planning to give me.. haha.. ha.."

*lucy stopped herself as she heard herself say some pretty harsh words.. she stopped as she looked at natsu only fake a smile as he forced a laugh too.*

"Haha.. yeah… it's too lame to give to ya luce.. sorry bout that.."

*natsu began getting dressed as he he quickly stuffed the sad ring in his pocket, he lost his appetite as he only cooked one fish to give to Lucy..*

"Aren't you going to eat natsu?.."

*lucy asked as she saw natsu's face hadn't changed but his aura was somewhat intimidating.*

"No not really, Haha.. I think the swim made my appetite go away… but you eat, I'll feel better watching you eat.."

*natsu said as he handed the cooked fish to Lucy.. she couldn't refuse him as she ate the fish while he packed the second one for happy.*

Lucy knew something was wrong now as he walked a bit further away from her on there walk back home and wasn't even waiting for her anymore. Wasn't because she said the ring was lame?

"Natsu. Let's talk.."

*natsu didn't want to talk, talking always meant that there was something wrong now.. had lucy sensed his uneasy feeling of disappointment for not getting her a better ring? Was the ring really that lame??!*

"Eh? No, I'm kinda sleepy now lucy… let's talk tomorrow, *fake yawn* I'm really REALLY sore from swimming today.. so let's-"

"No! Natsu! Let's talk now!"

*lucy hated when natsu would avoid talking or sharing things with her, but she knew if she could just push him enough.. he would open up like he did about his promise to future rogue about preventing present rogue turning evil.. she just needed to corner him.*

"Lucy.. please.. I'm not in the mood.. let's talk tomorrow.."

*natsu said as he stood at the front door of his and happy's house, he blocked lucy from entering as he looked at her with a soft glare.. he was serious now*

"No natsu! I can see your upset, let's talk about it.. are you upset because I found that ring? We're you really not planning on giving it to me?"

*lucy looked hurt now as she furrowed her brows unconsciously as natsu felt her lean up to his face, he knew what she was doing.. she was trying to make him open up, he pushed her back with his chest as a flame of anger twords himself being stupid arose in his chest as he snarled at her.*

"YES IT'S ABOUT THE RING!! AND DONT WORRY, IT WASN'T EVEN FOR YOU! SO GO HOME LUCY!"

*natsu panted as he felt his frustration finally got off his chest, but immediately regretted it as he saw Lucy's eyes fill up with tears.. he really was a stupid baka..*

"Luce.. I didn't-"

*natsu was cut off as happy flew out the door from inside smelling the fresh fish natsu had in his hand.*

"NATSU!! Your home! And you got me fish- oh.. lushi? What you doing here?"

*happy asked concerned about what situation he flew himself into as he watched the two in a standoff*

Lucy wiped her eyes as she glared at natsu but smiled at happy, she changed her attitude as she felt sorry for letting happy see them fighting.

"Yeah, I went on a date with natsu.. I was just leaving now.."

*gave a side glare at natsu as she bent down to hug happy and say goodbye. She didn't even care to say goodbye to natsu as she turned her head to flick him with her ponytails.*

"What did you do this time natsu??"

*happy asked after lucy finally vanished from their eyesight as natsu sighed.*

".. I lied about the stupid engagement ring.. also, she didn't seem to like it even though I had gotten it for her but wasn't finished.. happy? How big of a jerk was I now?"

Happy thought about it as he picked up his fish and stretched it from head to fin.

"This much!- wait… I think it would be thrice more then this…"

*natsu sighed again as he sat on his butt outside as he took out the ring again.. he glared at the ring as he tried melting it but saw it was no use because he had it customly made to coat it's owner with a fire protection spell that not even his flames could melt, burn, or destroy.*

"THIS WAS ALL YOUR FAULT STUPID RING!!!"

Happy only sweat dropped as he watched natsu bicker with himself playing both roles of the ring and him.. he was sure crazy for Lucy..