A/N: Basically, this is a Natsu Dragneel appreciation fic.
Natsu stirred in Lucy's bed, finding sleep wasn't really an option right now. It was already past midnight, but Natsu was too lazy to check the clock on the wall. The room felt peaceful with constant soft breathing beside him which was Lucy's. His eyes flicked to the side, landing on his beautiful girlfriend.
Girlfriend.
His heart sunk at that word.
He sighed at the umpteenth time since they went back from the guild, his own insecurities rising high.
Last noon, he and Lucy finally announced the guild that they had been dating for a month. Natsu wasn't an idiot, he might be oblivious but even he sometimes knew that their guildmates teased them a lot. He knew they made bets and talked about his relationship with Lucy behind their backs. He still loved the guild though.
Sure, everyone gave their congratulations, hugs, wolf-whistles, or punches in Gray and Gajeel's cases; but not with the recently new guild members who didn't know Natsu and Lucy well.
They were a whole trio of adults adorned with scornful faces all the time named Jack, Ben and Gorou. They had been joining the guild for weeks now. Natsu heard that they were jerks, but he had never talked to them. He didn't know why people like them entered his lovely, friendly guild, but he knew better than kicking them out. He wasn't like that.
"Are you serious?" suddenly one of them talked. Several heads turned to the source of the voice. The maleㅡJackㅡ gave Natsu a cocky smirk. "You good for nothing really date the Lucy Heartfilia?"
"What's wrong with that?" Cana suddenly interjected. Natsu looked at her in surprise. His eyes scanned his surroundings, his guildmates surprisingly had angry looks on their faces. Natsu smiled, feeling warmth on his chest.
"Everything is wrong," the other male, Gorou, said.
Erza frowned as she almost stood up if only Lucy didn't pat her gently on the shoulder. She shook her head.
"Firstly Miss Lucy here is a Heartfilia. She's respected and rich. She shouldn't even be here," Ben responded, gulping his beer. He smiled wickedly when Lucy's eyes widened. "Meaning she should have married another rich man. Natsu boy here ain't good enough."
Gray stiffened beside Juvia, glaring at Ben. "You-"
"I don't get why you defend someone like him. I mean, almost everyone in Magnolia knows that he's E.N.D!"
The glass Mirajane was holding fell down to the woodened floor, creating a loud crash; making the already quiet atmosphere more tense.
E.N.D.
Everyone had a silent agreement not to discuss that cursed topic again, let alone in front of Natsu. God knows the war with Alvarez still traumatize them enough, that was why Fairy Tail decided to move forward, making a new future.
Those trio had passed the boundaries, even Gajeel, Laxus and Elfman looked ready to beat them to pulp.
Natsu himself, stayed seated on one of the bar stool, his face hidden behind his bangs and scarf.
"You do NOT say that word," Erza threatened, seathing out her sword. The trio remained unbothered.
Jack laughed loudly, "Why? Got scared so much? E.N.D sure is a sin to Fairy Tail, right? He was the cause of many disasters in Fiore. He is Zeref's little brother. The whole timeline of the past and the future is messed up just because of Zeref wanting to revive him!" he stood up, pointing an angry finger at a quiet Natsu. "Look at him! Why would someone revive him? He's destructive, annoying, loud, reckless, dumb and perverted!" Jack shouted, making everyone wince.
"Lucy's too good for him, you know," Gorou leaned on his chair lazily, supporting a scowl on his face now. "That monster doesn't even deserve to live."
"Yeah," Ben agreed. "We're sayin' this for her sake. No need to get so worked up about it."
Natsu stood up, attracting everyone's attention. His bar stool squeaked in protest against the floor as Natsu pushed it away.
"Natsu," Happy said sadly beside Wendy and Charle.
Everyone glared daggers at the smirking trio.
"Natsu, you know it isn't true," Lisanna tried to convince him. "R-right, Lucy?"
She was met by silence because the Stellar Mage only stared at Natsu in concern, brows furrowing. She licked her lips, trying to say something, but all her words died down in her throat.
Giving her a slightly pained smile, Natsu spoke out loud enough for everyone to hear. "Aaah, I'm starving! I'm gonna head to your apartment earlier, Luce. Bye, everyone!" he grinned even though it didn't reach his eyes. It was enough. Maybe it could assure everyone he was okay, like usual.
Little did he knew as soon as he walked out of the guild, Lucy immediately transformed into Taurus Star Dress and punched the hell out of the trio.
A loud crash followed after, along with the sound of suspiciously broken jaws. Lucy's harsh breathing filled the room, ignoring the jawdropping audiences as she yelled, "you know nothing about Natsu Dragneel, so shut up!"
"Lu-chan!" Levy ran toward where she stood.
"He's the greatest man all I've ever asked for, he brought me into Fairy Tail and he genuinely sees me as Lucy of Fairy Tail, not Heartfilia!" Lucy rambled, not caring worried looks from her guildmates. By the time Levy had reached her, she broke down into tears. "He sacrificed his life to protect the guild, to protect me, so you have no right to say that! How dare you said he was a monster, you-"
"Lu-chan, enough," Levy hugged her as Lucy sobbed into her best friend's shoulder. Levy rubbed her back soothingly as Lucy detransformed from her Star Dress, while Levy was giving silent eye contact with Erza and the others.
Erza sighed, walking to the groaning trio. They flinched when the red head pointed the tip of her sword in front of their faces. "I demand to you to apologize to our friend Natsu, now, or-"
"Or what?!" Jack shouted irritatedly. "Or you'll kick us outta this shitty guild? Nice choice! Let's go, I'm sick of how foolish you all are." He stomped out of the guild followed by panicked Ben and Gorou as everyone still gave them death glares.
The air in Fairy Tail was still tense; everyone obviously had a hard time believing what had just happened.
"I'm going to go after Natsu," Lucy declared after a while.
"Look, Lucy, Natsu probably wants to be alone now," Gray said. "Maybe we should give him some time."
"Mm, he does that a lot," Happy agreed with a small voice.
True, that was what Natsu would probably do. He tended to think alone whenever things got complicated, and ended up never bringing up the topic again. He was always like that. He rarely discussed anything deep with her, he always avoided talking about his emotions.
That needed to change, because this time Lucy had to make sure he knew he was not a monster.
"No," Lucy said, determination in her brown orbs. "I need to talk to him."
Apparently, he fell asleep and the last thing he remembered was him rushing to any place his brain told him to, when in fact it was Lucy's apartment because it was his real home.
He remembered he had passed out on her bed, tired with unexpected events in the guild, his head filled with unwanted negative thoughts.
Natsu sighed again.
Did he really deserve Lucy? Now that he thought about it, what those trio had said were true. He was no prince charming; he was rambunctious, stupid, lacked of social ettiquette, and.. a monster. Maybe, maybe he really did only bring misfortunes to the people he loved. Maybe-
"Natsu, are you awake?" Lucy's eyes fluttered open, for a second they met his eyes as Natsu immediately shut his own, pretending to sleep. "You're a terrible actor, don't do that."
Natsu opened his eyes instead, snorting in amusement. "Ya got me," he mumbled, still not facing her.
She let out a soft sigh, cupping his cheeks to turn his head toward hers. "Natsu," she whispered.
Natsu's gaze was vurnerable. He was lost; confusion and uncertainty was showing through his facial expressions. Yet he did what he usually did: he smiled, waved it off, and pretended nothing happened.
It irked Lucy, honestly.
It saddens her to see him hogging all of his emotions by himself, he pushed everyone away whenever they tried to helpㅡwhenever she tried to help.
"Natsu, about the guild-" she began, but he cut her.
"I'm fine, Lucy, it's nothin'," he answered with a cheerful voice. When he realized Lucy's unweavered stare at him, he sighed, throwing all of his acts out of the window. "Alright, maybe I kinda get affected."
Lucy still glared at him.
"Okay maybe I get sooo affected by it so what?!" he complained, huffing childishly. At that, Lucy laughed.
"Natsu, did you remember when you turned into a half-dragon in that one mission?"
He only nodded.
"You asked me what you look like, and I said you look like Natsu. That still stands until now. You're Natsu in my eyes, and that's enough," she rubbed her palms agains his cheeks affectionately.
"Even if I'm loud, annoying, stupid?" he meekly asked.
"Yes," Lucy rolled her eyes as she smiled softly. Natsu shuddered, did he really deserve a goddess like her?
"Natsu, you may have annoyed me sometimes, you may have said and done stupid things, and you may have been the loudest person on Earthland, but I love you," Lucy said earnestly. This time, Natsu blushed lightly as he pulled her closer by gripping her hips firmly, her own hands resting on his chest. Their legs tangled down there, but neither seemed to care. All they felt right now was the warmth in each other's arms, and nothing felt more right.
"Even if I'm a demon?" he whispered hoarsely.
Lucy's eyes hardened. "Natsu," she warned.
"Even if I brought unfortunate shit into everyone's life? Do I really deserve Fairy Tail, Luce? Do I deserve you?"
"My answer is not going to change," Lucy frowned. "You can throw thousands of excuses in front of me but I'll still love you. Fairy Tail will still love you."
It was silent for a moment as Natsu absentmindedly making butterfly touches to Lucy's bare skin underneath her shirt. Lucy sighed contentedly, her own hands tracing circles on Natsu's hard chest.
"You know Natsu, being a demon doesn't matter much. Mirajane's magic is Satan Soul, but that doesn't make her any less human. The same goes for you," Lucy mumbled, gazing to his eyes.
"I see." The pink haired man sighed once again, swallowing a non existent lump down his throat. "So it ain't even an excuse, huh?"
"Yes, don't try to make me love you conditionally because I love you the way you are. Now let that sink into your brain or I'll call Erza to beat some senses to you."
Natsu blinked. Then he barked a laugh, earning a confused head tilt from his girlfriend. "W-what?"
"I don't know, you're just so..." Brilliant. Amazing. Wonderful. Spectacular. All of the words Lucy had used in her novel exploded in Natsu's mind. He wasn't sure how to describe her because he was no writer, but he knew one word that meant the world for him. "... you're so Lucy."
Lucy chuckled. "What does that even mean?"
"I love you," he told her suddenly, onyx eyes boring into her surprised honey brown one.
"Huh?"
"Don't make me say it again, weirdo," he groaned into her neck, his hot breath tickling the sensitive area there.
"Then how about you promise me something, Natsu."
"Mm, what is it?" he muttered tiredly.
"Promise me to love yourself."
Love himself.
Those words hit him like a truckㅡhis eyes widened in realization. It made sense. The reason why he thought if he deserved Lucy or not was all because of himself. He didn't love himself enough so he couldn't accept other's love. He was insecure, uncertain; but now he had his resolve. He might not be able to do that right away, but he could try.
"No, Lucy, seriously, I love you so much," Natsu suddenly hugged her body tighter, not wanting to let go.
"Natsu, what are you-"
"I love you, I love you, I love you-"
"Ah, Natsu, I get it, stop it! It's embarassing," she blushed beet red, which earned a smirk from the dragon slayer.
"I love you," he sang playfully, successfully making Lucy shove him away in embarassment.
"Natsu!"
Then he kissed her, deep and full of emotions that he couldn't say out loud. Yes, he sucked at voicing his thoughts, he struggled a lot to do that, but he could always tell her through his kisses until he was sure she got the message.
He was indeed the so-called annoying and destructive Salamander of Fairy Tail, but he didn't care. He didn't need other's acknowledgementㅡas long as he and Lucy loved each other, everything didn't matter. He still got Fairy Tail and Happy, too.
So, screw it.
A/N: Thank you for reading. A review a day keeps the author from retiring! Lol. (No really im serious, reviews lift every authors' spirit, i tell ya)