Lucy started to avoid Natsu, for half of the day after what Natsu did yesterday. If you don't remember, Natsu teased her that made Lucy feel a bit harassed and embarrassed. Lucy didn't go out of her room for the whole day, it was afternoon and she didn't get to eat breakfast.

"Lucy." Mira gently stated as she softly knocked on her old wooden door. "You haven't eaten breakfast, are you okay?"

"I'm fine..." Lucy replied weakly. Her voice was so soft, as if she was hiding under something or something was blocking the way for Mira to hear her clearly.  

"Did something happen? You can always talk to me about it..." Mira smiled weakly, like Lucy would see it but she didn't. No reply was heard from her after that. "I'll leave your food on the dinner table alright? Be sure to eat something before the day ends." She said worriedly before going off on her daily chores.

As Mira enters the library on her way to the kitchen, she encountered Natsu silently reading a book.

"Hey Natsu," she called. Natsu, then, closed the book and turned to her attention. "Lucy's not going our of her room, do you know what's going on with her?"

Natsu covered Mira's view of his face with his book as he blushed behind it, reminding himself of his idiotic actions he called a joke.  "I have...no idea, Mira." He sighed and continued to read as he fixes his reading glasses.

"I...see," Her tone, obviously exaggerating disappointment. "do you think you can try talking to her?"

"What change can that make? You can't talk her out of it, what difference would it make if it was me?"

"I'm not talk about this 'Natsu'. I'm talking about the old one. Talk to her like the old Natsu I know." Natsu dropped his book, staring wide eyes at Mira. Removing his glasses his spoke with shock.

"What idea is that, Mira? Why would you ask that from me?" Natsu asked, standing from his seat. With that sensitive topic lurking at the back of their thoughts, it wasn't avoidable anymore.

"I'm just suggesting. Relax, Natsu." Mira said, said calmly as she raised both hands. "Look, give it a try? In this case you won't finish this job. You haven't been in a job with someone else for...what? Six months? A year?"

"So what? I'm already used to it. It's.....not my problem." Natsu said, pausing for a while, thinking about something. Mira raised and eyebrow and noticed that short pause in his sentence.

"You're not going to finish this if Lucy's going to be stuck in her room for the whole day. This is going to be your problem too, Natsu. And I suggest you fix this quickly. You need to apologize." Natsu was shocked.

'How did she know I needed to apologize? Does she know what I did? Did that girl tell her?!' Before Natsu could even think fast for a reply or even just a open his mouth, she quickly left the room. Natsu sighed and massaged his temples as he decided to do it. Climbing up, his heart started to beat after, not from romantic feelings, but because of stress, trauma, he didn't want to be his old self. He changed himself for a long time and stayed like that, even left happy just because of an incident. He didn't want to change in a snap just because a woman he was forced to work with locked herself in her room--mostly Natsu's fault anyway---It was threatening to him, doubting himself if he could do it, if he will do it just for the sake of getting Lucy out.

First, he tried to act normal, not fully decided on changing back. He knocked softly on her door and waited for awhile.  

"Ahem." He cleared his throat. "Ms. Heartfilia, are...you alright?" He hesitated. 'Of course not!' He thought. 'You just harassed her, technically wasn't harassment, but it was inappropriate, idiot! Why would you ask that???' Natsu was beating himself up in his mind before Lucy replied.

"What do you think?" She replied softly, not tone of anger or contempt.

"I know I've been rude to you lately and I deeply regret it. Can you not shut yourself in your room? We need to finish this job and I need your help with this." Lucy stayed silent.

"I'msorryokay?" He apologized softly and quickly.

"What?" Lucy asked from the inside of the room.

"I said...I'm 'sorry'..." The word sorry soften so much.

"Can you repeat that? I don't think I heard it very well."

"Look, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for acting that way yesterday."

Lucy walked towards the door, not opening it but leaning against it. "That's not sincere enough."

"What do you mean not sincere?! I just swallowed my pride for that! Just get out of that room! Yo! Lucy! We're finding a buyer not get outta there!!" He banged on door loudly.

Lucy smiled secretly, without Natsu knowing. "You're close." She opened the door with a big smile on her face. "But I accept it."

Natsu stared at her, surprised she quickly went out just because he shouted and knocked loudly at her door, and she's still smiling so happily.

"Don't worry about this mission, I'll finish this quickly, but I have another mission with me, so as long as it's not finished. The missions your referring to isn't going to finish either." Her smile didn't fade and the clues Lucy told him didn't get to him.

"Another mission? What mission?" Natsu asked, eyebrows meeting in curiosity.  

"Well that's a secret, but you're in that missions too so."

"And your not gonna tell me? You said I'm involved, so...?" He asked her continue but she didn't. Her only reply was a giggle and closed the door in his face.

"H-Hey! Don't close the door on me! Hey tell me that---" Natsu realized he actually turned back to his old self for a few seconds--or maybe more than that span in time.

"I mean...Fine. Just come out later, I've booked a meeting with a client who wants to buy this property, be in best attire. Not like the one you wore." He whispered the last thing, but Lucy heard it anyway. He quickly opened the door and was pouting. Natsu tried, but couldn't hide chuckling and smiling.

"And what's wrong with my previous attire?" Lucy asked.

"It wasn't appropriate."

"What wasn't appropriate about that??"

"The client was practically drooling all over you, we're suppose to get him to adore the house, not you and your anatomy."

"What are you talking about? I didn't wear anything revealing, nor was it inappropriate, I just wore a simple blouse and heels. You were noticing something weren't you?" She teased. Natsu backed away, blushing.

"Don't be ridiculous! Just wear something simple. That's it. See you later." He walked away quickly until he was out of Lucy's sight. Lucy giggled and went back to her room, feeling much better.

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Sorry if I haven't been posting much. It's really a rough year for me, a year stage in life. I'll do better, just please someone remind me by sending me a pm? If it's not much trouble that is. I'm a bit forgetful and stack all I need to do some times. Thanks for understanding. Anyway I'll update as soon as I can. Happy New Year guys!