Chapter Thirty-Three

                                    

                                          
It started to  drizzle when Natsu pulled into my neighborhood. I was so sure he'd come inside to hang out with me while I got ready to go and meet his family for the game.
                          
However, my sureness left once I saw the faded red truck sitting in Jude's driveway. It dissipated completely once I saw Loke and Makarov waiting on the porch, Makarov looking stoic and comfortable. It came off as kind of smug.
                          
"This is crossing the line." Natsu growled, and I looked between him and the two visitors back and forth before I could put any pieces together. I gasped.
                          
"Is he here to tell Jude?!" I guessed, and Natsu sighed angrily before nodding and shooting daggers at the old man, "Let me handle this." I said desperately. I praised God that Jude wasn't home from work yet.
                          
"That's probably best." Natsu surprisingly agreed, "Get them inside," He started, turning off the ignition of my Beetle, "That way I can leave. I'll be back in half an hour." He instructed. I took off the baseball cap he gave me and handed it to him.
                          
"You don't want my Beetle?" I suggested, and he finally looked at me, his agitated expression softening into amusement.
                          
"I could walk home faster than this Bug drives." He joked, and I swatted his arm, "Be careful, the boy only slightly believes in the story about us. I wouldn't make any confirmations." He said, and I nodded.
                          
"You don't have to leave, y'know." I suggested, and he smirked.
                          
"Nah, I do. I wanna talk to Jude about taking you out with my folks." He said, and I sweat-dropped, "We've been slipping away two times too many. He'll be here in about twenty minutes, you should go." He warned, and I nodded before getting out of my car. I blew him a kiss through the window, and he acted like he caught it before I ran lightly up the driveway to the Lions.
                          
I took a deep breath, feeling like I was about to play a game of chess before I made it up to Loke and his father.
                          
"Hey, guys." I greeted as cheerfully as I could, "Jude's not back for another few, I hope you haven't waited too long." I said, fishing for the mat-key at the front door. I guessed it was time to get one of my own.
                          
"Not long." Makarov said, his eyes pointing at my Beetle still parked at the end of the driveway, "We just came up to drop this off." He said, gesturing to the brown paper bag Loke held. More fish fry.
                          
"Oh, sweet. Hang on let's get you guys inside to dry off." I beamed, trying to sound oblivious to Makarov's intensity, "I'll take that." I said to Loke, and he handed me the bag warmly, his attitude nothing like his dad's.
                          
I finally got the door open, and the guys entered the house with me. I looked out to Natsu one last time to see his expression solemn before I closed the door.
                          
"I'm really glad, y'know. I was running out of dinner options, and I'm sure he'll want some of this after work." I said with gratitude. Makarov smiled tightly.
                          
"He's at work? I think I'll stop by the office to see him." He said thoughtfully.
                          
"No." I said quickly, Makarov noticing my expression becoming hard, "He said he'd gone searching some more today, but I'm not sure exactly where."
                          
Makarov tilted his head. 
                          
"Loke," He called, still watching me, "Why don't you go get that new picture of Vironica from the car." The old man instructed, referring to Loke's older sister, "I'll leave that for Jude too." Loke blinked, obviously confused.
                          
"Sure, where is it?" He asked.
                          
"I think I put it in the trunk. You might have ta dig for it." Makarov said, and nervousness spread over me in realization. He was trying to get me alone.