Undying Love (FTTC Sequel)

Chapter 23: Mistakes & Realizations

~Natsu's POV~

"Natsu, I like you."

My eyebrows shot up in surprise as I tried to understand what had just happened. It didn't come to me as a surprise that she loved me, I already knew that. But I hadn't expected her to actually admit it so suddenly.

"You like me?" I asked, with a smirk.

"I-uh well yea I like you, I mean I don't hate you, you're a good friend and I like you a lot as friends do," she stuttered.

She was so cute when she was nervous. Clearly, she hadn't been expecting herself to admit it either.

My smirk remained. "Right. So when you said you liked me, you meant as a friend."

She took a breath of relief. "Yup exactly. As a friend."

I nodded, now with a smile. "I like you too."

She smiled back, probably thankful that I was playing along.

I took a step towards her. "But you know it's not as a friend."

She caught her breath as she looked up at me. It was nothing new what I had said but every time I openly acknowledged it, it seemed like she didn't know what to say or do.

I took her hand. "You know I like you a lot more than just a friend, right?"

She nodded as she stared into my eyes, not being able to move or speak. I moved closer, bringing my lips close to her ear.

"Good. I love you, Luce. Always remember that," I said quietly.

Then I backed up and started to walk away. After a bit I stopped to see that she was still standing in the same place I had left her.

I grinned. "Come on Luce, what are you waiting for? The wedding is tomorrow, we have work to do."

I chuckled as she snapped out of her trance to catch up with me. I knew what she had really meant when she said that she liked me.

She wasn't talking about friendship.

I had caught her at a moment of weakness in her wall that she put up to block out any feelings for me. She was grateful to me for helping solve the Romeo-Wendy problem so her true feelings were revealed.

And as soon as they were, she panicked and made it a friend thing.

I didn't mind though.

I was elated that she had at least admitted her real feelings for me that I knew were there all along.

It gave me hope to keep trying.

She cleared her throat. "So Natsu, hows the planning for the bachelor party going?"

I immediately understood what she was trying to get out of me but I wasn't going to give it to her that easily. What would be the fun in that?

I glanced at me and then looked ahead, a smirk on my face. "The planning is done, now all that is left to do is party."

"That's tonight right?"

"Yeah. Why are you asking all of these questions? Having second thoughts about allowing me to go?"

She rolled her eyes. "Of course not. I'm just curious as to what you guys plan to do."

"That's a secret."

"Right. Well whatever it is, it must be big right? I mean you're probably having it outside somewhere."

I grinned. "It's going to be huge. But that doesn't mean it has to be just outside, it could be inside and outside."