Prologue: Otherworldly

In the middle of the night, as the world is enveloped in cool air and the cicada's sing to the moon, Lucy Heartfilia finds herself awake. No nightmares plaque her mind, there isn't a sound to be heard outside her apartment and there certainly is no talking cat to disturb her. She instead finds herself awake because of the pink haired boy sharing the bed with her.

Natsu lies asleep on his back, hands held up by either side of his head and reminding her of someone silently saying 'don't shot.' The rise and fall of his bare chest has bewitched her into content. It's a rarity to not hear him snore, as he must be thoroughly worn out. Their thin blanket ruffles at his navel where a line of champagne pink hair runs down his stomach and disappears beyond the fabric.

Lucy doesn't need to push the blanket aside to know that beyond that light blue fabric, he's naked. She's so highly aware of them both being naked under these sheets her entire body vibrates.

She hesitantly brings a small hand out from under the covers, cautious of disturbing Natsu. She's aware of his sleeping habits by now half-a-year into their relationship, the boy could sleep through an earth quake, yet she can't help but be cautious of every sound she makes. She doesn't want to wake him up. Not in this otherworldly moment.

She brushes her knuckles against his cheek, taking a chance in being able to touch him intimately again. His sun-kissed skin feels ten degrees hotter under her hand, keenly reminding her who exactly is sleeping next to her in the darkness that coats her room.

She can't explain this feeling spreading out from her chest and fluttering in her stomach. This is … not exactly new but more profound. Moments like this with Natsu have always felt out of reach, the boy too shy to give into any notion of romance.

Natsu might not be aware of it but he's romantic in his own sort of way. He'll keep her warm at night better than any blanket she has. He's able to bring her strength in a way none of the other guild members can. He gives her gifts, usually items that he finds funny, useless to Lucy, but it's the thought that counts. He makes her happy by the little things he does.

But being with a boy who has no notion of what it means to physically romance a girl can be quite frustrating. Especially when said boy has the muscles of a fighter and the rugged looks of a champion, driving Lucy insane.

Cuddling next to him, leaning her head against his shoulder and holding hands in public are things Natsu doesn't mind. The companionship is his favorite aspect in their relationship to shower upon Lucy. It's the physical contact that gave them trouble in the relationship.

If she showed any sign of wanting to go beyond satin-like kisses, he would stiffen and swallow his tongue. During those times, seeing her disappointment and frustrations, he'd reassured her on multiple occasions that he wasn't out-right rejecting her. At least, that's what she'd been able to translate from his stammering. Lucy didn't need to hear an explanation from him though, as it was effortless to realize that he couldn't help but react like he did. Being raise unconventionality, known for fighting and the atmosphere of a rowdy bar teaching him life lessons, means that being close to a girl, for a lack of better words, must have freaked him out.

While Natsu has seen other women naked—all by accident during wardrobe malfunctions or in the middle of a battle when a shirt would get torn in the wrong spot—none of those times intrigued him. He showed no interest and continued to be around these women as if they weren't naked in front of a full-fledged male. With Lucy though, because he finds her worth something more to him then a friend, the female body all of sudden becomes something to forebode.

On one hand, it's flattering that it's her, Lucy, which makes him choke on his words and become a nervous wreck. On the other hand, it's frustrating has all hell.

She wanted to move forward in their relationship. To have moments with Natsu that she only dreamed about in her wildest fantasies. To have his arms cage her against a wall like in her romance novels and to woo her into submission. His regular personality is already dominant; she knew that if he gained some confidence, he would be able to take control and assert their sex lives in a way she could die for.

She was ready for sex, and the more Natsu denied her, the more certain she felt in her decision. The thought alone made her breathing shorten and for heat to pulsate between her thighs.

Lying here in the dark, thinking about all those road-blocks, she's glad they're all things of the past, because they finally came to terms with those gentle kisses turning into sinful desires on this dead quiet night. They learned how to make their bodies sing to one another. She got to hear Natsu pant, groan and talk to her in ways she never expected, as it turns out he's got a thing for talking dirty to her. They explored new reaches of the heart and took a step further in their relationship.

Lucy gently lays her hand against Natsu's chest, his heartbeat thumping calmly under the tips of her fingers. She turns her eyes to the kitchen curtain where a glass bottle sits in hiding. It's thanks to that tinny bottle that she found the fearlessness to seduce him in a way only the dragon slayer could understand.

Before the after-glow of their union, turning back the clock a full day, Lucy was out in the market with Erza when inspiration struck her.

Authors Notes:

More to come as soon as I can upload!

There's a reason it's rated M after all.

My first smut fanfiction in years. I stepped away from doing this for a long time as I wanted to focus on the actual aspects of writing beyond the sex. Big thanks to Moerhoshi on Tumblr and for her inspirational headcannons and to Laviathan-rpc on Tumblr, as well. His insight to writing smut was a big help.