Disclaimer: If I owned Fairy Tail, the chapter updates would be practically non-existent.

Scorching Relationship

Natsu had two secrets.

The first was that his magic power could be greatly influenced by his emotions, though if those who knew him really thought about it, it would make sense.

The second was a secret he kept even from Happy, because even as his best friend, Happy had a big mouth.

The big secret: He was in love with Lucy Heartphilia, his partner.

He had once tried to confess, but when she showed up at the meeting spot, he chickened out and made up some crap about the possibility of a treasure hidden by the tree. He still didn't know why she slapped him.

His method of keeping his secret: be as inconsiderate possible without being a jerk. It was actually more brilliant than he thought. He was also pretty good at it. Not even Mirajane had caught on to his feelings. At least, he didn't think so.

However, it had been over a year since she had joined Fairy Tail and his pent up emotions were driving him crazy! So, he resolved to confess to her on Valentine's Day, which was only two days away.


That's what he thought two days ago, when he had bought the assorted flowers and heart-shaped box of chocolate that he was currently holding behind his back as he stood in front of her apartment. When she saw those, there would be no backing down.

Now that he had decided to stop hiding his feelings, he wasn't too far off from having a nervous breakdown. He was blushing and he was hot under the collar, in a much more uncomfortable way than usual.

He finally raised his hand to the door and knocked three times. He waited a few moments and heard silence. His nervousness increased. There was no way she could be away from home when he finally decided to tell her his feelings! He knocked five more times, a little louder and heard a faint, "Alright, alright, I'm comin'."

His heartbeat quickened as he heard small footsteps becoming louder and closer. At last, the door opened and Natsu's breath caught.

"Whadda ya want?" asked Lucy tiredly while rubbing her eyes with the hand that hadn't opened the door. She hadn't even checked who it was yet.

He took that moment to take her in. She obviously just got out of bed. She was still in her sleep clothes, a white T-shirt that was too big for her and pink comfy shorts. Also, her hair was messy, but Natsu thought she looked just as beautiful as ever, if not cuter.

When Lucy opened her eyes and saw who it was, her tiredness disappeared, her eyes widened, and she froze in utter surprise.

"N-Natsu?" she asked in shocked confusion, "D-Did you really just…just kn-kn-knock?"

It was now or never. Natsu mustered up his courage and brought the gifts out from behind him and held them out to her.

"H-Happy Birthday!"

She unfroze, but she was still shocked, and stood there, looking at the presents, blinking and looking back at him in puzzlement. Natsu flushed when he realized his mistake.

"Er…I mean…Valentine's Day! Happy Valentine's Day!" he corrected nervously.

Lucy finally regained her ability to speak.

"W-What are these for?"

Natsu blushed more. He had hoped she wouldn't make him say it outright.

"Isn't it obvious? I-I lo-…I love you."

Lucy's eyes couldn't widen anymore, so she just blinked.

"R-Really?" He nodded. She paused. "How long?

Natsu tensed even more. He wished she would at least take the gifts. He was beginning to feel ridiculous.

"A little over a year…" he said shyly, looking at the ground.

Lucy's jaw dropped.

"What? But that's-!" she exclaimed before stopping mid-sentence.

Natsu looked at her curiously.

"'But that's' what?"

Lucy realized what she almost said and her surprise was replaced with embarrassment. She looked around randomly and nervously fiddled with some strands of her hair as she flushed and smiled a little.

"E-Even longer than I've been in love with you."

Without warning, the flowers in Natsu's hand instantly burst into flame before going out just as suddenly. Natsu and Lucy stared at the charred remains before a breeze came and caused them to crumble into a pile of ash at their feet.

Natsu lost the remaining composure he had.

"I-I'm sorry! It was an accident! Seriously! This isn't a joke or anything!" he blurted out while waving his arms around in panic. His blush had disappeared. Then he remembered the other present he brought and held out the heart-shaped box to her. "Here! You can still have this!"

Lucy looked at the box before smiling brightly and letting out a laugh.

"Natsu, you may want to check the box."

Natsu looked down to find a thin, brown stream of liquid chocolate leaking out of the box.

"Gah! Dammit!" shouted Natsu in frustration as he cleanly threw the box into a slightly far away local trashcan.

Lucy burst into laughter. Natsu blushed all over again.

"It's not funny," stated Natsu with a pout. Lucy calmed herself down before giving him a tight hug and kissing him on the cheek.

"I'm sorry, but don't worry about it. You've already given me the best Valentine's Day ever."

Natsu's face finally broke into his famous smile as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He rested his forehead against hers, and for a while they just stayed that way enjoying each other's presence. After a while, Lucy's body remembered how tired it was and she ached to rest.

"Natsu, I'm still tired. Can we go inside and lie down for a while?"

"Sure, whatever you want, but can we go on a date later?"

Lucy beamed in delight.

"I thought you'd never ask."

"Woohoo!"

With that exclamation, Natsu quickly scooped Lucy up in his arms, causing her to let out a small "Ah!" in surprise and blush. He went inside, kicked the door shut behind them, and carried her to her room. He set her down on her bed and leapt to the other side, plopping down and putting his arms behind his head to relax. He let out a content sigh and Lucy giggled at him before getting under the covers. She set her head down on her pillow and turned to look at her new boyfriend. (She mentally squealed in joy as the word went through her mind)

"See you later, Natsu," she whispered as she let her eyes close. Natsu looked back at her and grinned.

"Sleep tight, Luce," he said softly. With that, he watched her as she slept with content until he eventually got tired and fell asleep too.


BONUS

"He WHAT?"

Lucy smiled as Gray and Erza looked at her as if she had grown three heads of multiple colors. Mira just smiled knowingly while she prepared drinks behind the counter and listened.

"Yup. He confessed. With gifts and everything."

"You sure it wasn't a dream?" asked Erza, her eyes still wide as saucers.

"If it had been a dream, I would've woken up before he kissed me," she replied with a blush and smile, and leaning against the bar counter they were sitting at, remembering their date.

Gray, who had been chugging a mug of beer to drown the thought of Natsu getting a girlfriend before him, choked on said beer and fell backwards off his stool. Erza smiled with amusement.

"Who knew he had it in him?" she asked rhetorically.

The guild doors suddenly opened to reveal the dragon slayer in question, with Happy flying close behind. He spotted Lucy waving at him and made his way to the bar with a bright smile. He opened his mouth to greet his girlfriend but was rudely interrupted.

"Natsu, ya boil-brained moron!"

The group of four turned to look at Gray. His face was flushed drunkenly and he was unsteadily pointing at Natsu with one hand and holding onto the handle of a large, empty beer mug with the other. Eleven identical mugs were in front of him on the counter, also empty. Lucy leaned close to Erza to speak to her.

"Wasn't he just choking on his first glass a second ago?" she whispered while staring wide-eyed at her wobbly friend.

"Yeah," replied Erza, also staring, "At this point, I think he may have surpassed even Cana."

Natsu frowned at Gray.

"What do you want, Gray?" he asked, "Can't you see I'm in a good mood right now?"

"Why dinya tell me dat you was in love wit Lucy?" he shouted, ignoring the question, "If I'da known dat ya wern' as dumb at romance as I tot, I'da been motorvated ta confess ta Juvia sooner!" He redirected his pointing finger to point at the pillar that the said blue-haired beauty was hiding behind. Juvia jumped at the revelation that he apparently knew she was there all along and blushed deeply at the indirect confession.

Happy flew over in between Erza and Lucy and whispered, "Is he aware that he's got the attention of the entire guild?"

Both girls shrugged.

Natsu gave Gray a weird look.

"Of all people, why would I have told you?"

"Shaddup! I'm not sober 'nuff ta deal wit yer logic!"

"Whatever. You should've confessed forever ago. She only has the biggest crush on you."

All eyes shifted from Gray to Natsu, staring in utter disbelief.

"What?" he asked uncomfortably, "It's only as obvious as Gazille staring at Levy's butt every time she walks by." Levy blushed a deep crimson that contrasted with her hair and flipped her head to look at Gazille, only to find him looking at her with a mischievous and almost evil grin. Happy clung tightly to Lucy's arm, shivering.

"Lucy, I'm scared! He's never been this perceptive before!"

"Hey! I heard that!"

Gray blinked and ignored everything after Natsu said to him.

"Yer pullin' mah leg arncha?"

"Why do you think she hides behind pillars and stares at you?"

"In't she juz shy?"

"Seriously. She completely has the hots for you."

Gray paused to think for a moment before turning to look at the water mage, causing her to flinch in anxiety. Suddenly, he stood up and walked towards her, only stopping when his face was an inch from hers. Juvia felt like she would literally melt into a puddle under his scrutinizing stare.

"Zat true?" slurred Gray.

"Y-Yes, Gray-sama," she replied proudly and embarrassedly at the same time, her previous blush still present. Gray smirked.

"Then I guess I'll juz hafta cool ya off, huh?"

Before she could answer, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her in the direction of the door.

"Gray-sama, w-where are we going?"

"Someplace private, I don' wan' dese guys watchin' us swappin' saliva."

Juvia's blush maxed out as she tried to stutter out coherent speech.

"B-B-But shouldn't Gray-sama at least be fully c-c-clothed?" she managed to ask after glancing at his masculine, boxer-clad body.

"Nah. The entire town's seen me like dis at some point."

"Oh, by da way," Gray continued as he opened the door and lead her out, "When I make ya moan my name, could ya drop da –sama?"

With that, the door shut behind them, leaving the entire guild bewildered. When the silence was broken, it was by Natsu.

"Does everyone really think I'm that oblivious?" He received a guild full of nods in unison. He sighed and moved to sit down next to Lucy before ordering a fire whiskey.

"That was crazy," said Cana, changing the subject, "It was as if the glaciers were vaporized at the same time that hell froze over."

"Lucy, what's Cana talking about?" asked Happy.

"I'm pretty sure she just made a pun about Natsu and Gray's magic that also referred to their surprising behavior."

The group heard a heavy 'hmph' and they looked at Erza.

"Gray had better not take it too far with Juvia on the first day."

Lucy laughed.

"I'm sure if it got that far that Juvia would definitely faint."

"True."

"Hey," they heard Droy call out to the guild, "Has anyone seen Levy?"

"I saw her sneaking out the back with Gazille," said Wendy.

Lucy's eyes widened.

"Whoa. I totally didn't see that coming."

"See!" shouted Natsu to the guild, "I'm even more perceptive than Lucy!"

"If you're so perceptive, why couldn't you tell I was in love with you?" Lucy asked scowling, but with a blush on her face.

"How in the world am I supposed to know what a weirdo's thinking?" he replied.

"I could say the same thing about you!"

The guild laughed as they watched what would be the couple's first lovers' quarrel. However, one white-haired barmaid was having conflicting emotions. Lisanna noticed her sister's distress.

"What's wrong, Mira-nee?"

"Don't get me wrong," Mirajane sobbed, "I'm happy for all of them. Actually I'm ecstatic. It's just that… I've been trying for months to hook these people up and in one day, Natsu of all people comes in, reveals a few embarrassing facts, and BAM! Problem solved."

Mira sighed as she rested her head in her arms.

"I know I'm not a real matchmaker, but it's still a shattering blow to my pride, you know?"

Lisanna chuckled nervously as she looked back to the bickering pair.


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