{LUCY'S POV}
Natsu has been, I shudder to think this, tolerable recently. Maybe it's because I keep comparing him to to my kinda-sorta online crush, E.N.D.

Who am I kidding myself? It's the other way around. I'm comparing E.N.D to Natsu, and I like him a lot, gosh damn it.

At work earlier today, I saw Natsu covering for one of the student interns, Wendy. She made a small mistake and he went out of his way to help her fix it. Not just fix it, they made it better.

Natsu had to stay overtime too, because he couldn't fill his daily quota. I even offered to help him, because I like Wendy too. But Natsu was so focused he didn't hear me, so I left.

Now I'm back at my apartment. I open the door, fully expecting to see Natsu chilling on my couch, until I remember that he's working late tonight.

So lonely.

No I'm not! Where did that come from?! I should be happy not to find that lousy trespasser in my place! I seriously need to get my priorities straight.

I should confess to E.N.D.

That might clear up some of this fog in my head. It's not like I want to date him. We don't even know each other. It's just a passing attraction and I want to get it out of my system.

I log in to Fairy Tail and head to the Tower of Despair. A couple demons pick a fight with me, but I crush them easily. I'm strong now.

I teleport up to floor 149 with the special access card Mira traded me for.

I interrupt her tea time.

Literally. Mira is sitting at a white table in a white chair, sipping green tea from delicate white china. She's positively angelic, which only proves the point I've learned with Natsu: looks can be deceiving.

Mira looks up in surprise, nearly dropping her teacup. Upon seeing my distress, she quickly makes our chat private and hugs me.

"What's wrong, Lucy?" Mira asks, worry permeating her voice.

I'm not ready to admit anything just yet. I point to her teapot. "Can I have some?"

"Of course." Mira beams, guiding me to the table. She pulls a second chair, teacup, and saucer out of her inventory. "My brewing skill is maxed out, so it tastes really good."

I find it funny that one of the most feared players in the game has a fun little non-combat-based skill like brewing. It's so Mira.

Mira pours me a cup and I take a sip. It's hard to believe that this isn't real green tea. She was right, the taste is really good. My body fills up with warmth. I take another long, relaxing swig, chugging the cup before coming up for air.

Mira links her hands in front of her on the table and smiles sweetly. "Did you know that, when you max out the brewing skill, you earn a recipe for truth serum? I mixed some into your cup. Now spill."

Of course, I should've known. Underneath that smile, she's still a demon after all. It's so Mira.

I feel the words bubbling on the tip of my tongue. I have an irrational urge to spill my guts. I sigh. I was kinda already planning on it.

"I should start from the beginning. College, the first time I met Natsu."

Mira's forehead crinkles. I don't think she expected this conversation topic.

"I was a loner back then, and there was this professor, Bora. Real douchebag. Anyway, Natsu saved me from him, and introduced me to his friend group." I take a deep breath, knowing that I'm going to admit my most deeply kept secret. "Did you know Mira? I had a huge crush on Natsu back then."

Mira spews tea. She beams suddenly. "You what?!"

"Back then." I emphasize firmly. "Natsu never noticed. I was only a friend to him, nothing more. He never told me about his family, I only learned who he is after getting hired by the company."

"Natsu doesn't like talking about it." Mira defends her friend, who's like a brother to her. "He wants to be judged by his own merits, not his father's."

"I know." I know Natsu isn't the stuck up, good-for-nothing bum I make him out to be. I know that he's really hard-working and strong and honest and funny. "But I felt so... lost. I realized I knew nothing about Natsu. Was the goofy boy I met and fell in love with real? Or was he merely a front for the next CEO of Dragneel Inc.? I knew nothing about Natsu's family, his past or his future, except that I'm not a part of it. How could I be? Seeing Natsu in high society with that stony look on his face, he was suddenly a million miles away from me. He could never be mine."

I reach out towards the mirage of Natsu's back, as he walks further and further out of my life. I suppress the urge to beg him not to go.

My hand drops. Tears well up in my eyes. "I didn't know what to believe anymore. My heart broke. So I crushed my feelings and forced myself to hate him instead. But with E.N.D, now everything's all messed up. I'm so confused!"

"How does E.N.D play into this?" Mira asks.

"I like him," I admit, "because he reminds me so much of Natsu. I want to be close with Natsu again. What a toxic reason to have a crush, eh?"

"So? What now?" Mira asks kindly.

"I'm gonna confess. No expectations." I laugh. "He'll probably think I'm a weirdo and reject me."

Mira lets me pass, warning me that E.N.D might not be logged in right now. I open the squeaky door, and know immediately that I'm faced with an NPC.

"Congratulations for making it this far, challenger. You're pretty good for a mage, but this is where your journey to the top ends, because I'll crush you." NPC E.N.D recites. "Prepare yourself, mage, for I will stomp you flat like the bug that you are!"

He immediately blasts fire at me, but an NPC's movements are much more predictable that the real deal. Still, E.N.D can one-shot me so I need to be careful not to get hit.

I feel so stupid. What are the odds that E.N.D will actually log in now? I should just take the L.

As if answering my plea, the NPC freezes. A loading icon appears above its head and E.N.D's avatar disappears for a second.

The real E.N.D appears standing in the same place that the NPC was before disappearing. He looks around in confusion. "I didn't spawn on my throne?"

I surprise attack, managing to wrap my whip around him. E.N.D finally notices me. "Lu?!"

Even the Super Super Rare item Fleuve d'étoiles won't hold E.N.D for long. He destroys the whip and shoots a fire blast at me. It's now or never. No time for decorum or easing him into it.

"I like you!"