Disclaimer: Do not own Fairy Tail

Adorably Oblivious

Lucy breathed a sigh of relief as she let the cool night air wrap her warm body, giving her a much needed respite from the raging party inside the castle. The banquet that was in full swing had been thrown by the King as thanks for saving Fiore from the might of the dragons that had entered through the Eclipse Gate and nearly obliterated them all.

Lucy rested her arms against the banister of the balcony she stood on. Gazing out over the metropolis, she could still see the damaged parts of the city, smoldering buildings and all, a stark reminder of the hell they had all endured a mere twenty-four hours earlier. However, despite all the horrors the town had experienced, it seemed the people of Fiore were resilient and already resuming their normal day to day operations.

Far off into the outer edges of town, Lucy could clearly see the shopping district alive with strung up lights, people milling about, and a festive atmosphere celebrating Fairy Tail's victory in the Grand Magic Games. She couldn't help but smile to herself when she saw the brightly colored flags raised in celebration with the printed logo of the guild she loved so much.

Thinking of her guild, Lucy glanced down at her right hand to see the pale pink guild symbol imprinted on her flesh. She ran a thumb to trace the thin lines of the logo of the guild she called home and realized with a heavy heart how close she had come to losing it…to losing everything.

If not for her friends' courage, the rallying of the other guilds, and Natsu's overwhelming ability to always pull through in tight situations, her future would have been all but gone.

Seven dragons.

Seven dragon slayers.

And not a single dragon could be defeated.

A chill that was not attributed to the weather snaked its way up her spine. How strong were those dragons of old that the slayers could barely mark their scaly flesh? What would have happened had Natsu not found the strength to destroy the Eclipse Gate, ending this horrible nightmare and sending the dragons back into the past? So many what ifs and not enough concrete answers. The only thing she could think of was that they got lucky.

Lucy lightly slapped her cheek in reprimand. No, that wasn't true. Thinking that way would completely discredit her friends' efforts, bravery, and, ultimately, their victory. She owed them all too much to begin doubting them now.

"Whatcha up to?"

The sudden sound of a familiar voice startled Lucy out of her thoughts, causing her to turn towards the ballroom entrance.

There, leaning against one of the balcony's pillars, stood her best friend, donned in a black blazer with matching pants and a pale pink collared shirt, a cheeky grin on his tan features.

Lucy couldn't help the smile that appeared on her lips at how unlike him it was, though she had to admit that he looked quite handsome.

"Just needed some fresh air," she responded, turning her focus back to the twinkling lights both across the cityscape and in the sky.

Lucy could hear Natsu shuffle in her direction and flushed as she felt the warmth of his body plant itself next to hers. She gave him a side glance as he too gazed out over the city and stars and watched as his eyes trailed over the destruction that dotted the landscape. A sullen look escaped his usually optimistic eyes as he fixated on the remains of the Eclipse Gate.

"How do we keep getting ourselves into these messes?" he mused, that playfulness touching his eyes once again.

"Don't know," she giggled, "Maybe that's just the life of a Fairy Tail wizard."

He chuckled along with her, "Yeah, maybe. Destruction and Fairy Tail sorta go hand in hand, don't they?"

They allowed their soft laughter to diminish into the cool night air, letting a comfortable silence fall between them.

"Hey Natsu?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks again…for everything."

As she spoke the words, Lucy couldn't help but remember and think of her future self, the one that had risked everything for the sake of her own future…the one who had died protecting her former self, and thereby securing a future for them all. She thought about the tears she had shed that she knew belonged to her future self and how, had Natsu not intervened, she would have likely succumbed to Future Rogue's advances. She could never put to words how grateful she felt for Natsu's strength and determination in keeping his promise to her.

Lucy could feel the heat rise in her cheeks as she felt a warm hand come to rest on the side of her head and gently placing it against Natsu's own shoulder.

"I told you, didn't I…that I would protect your future."

At his words, Lucy could feel all the emotion from the past couple of days come spilling out as tears pricked at the corners of her eyes and a tiny sob escaped her lips. She could feel Natsu's hold on her tighten as he brought around his other arm to completely encircle her within his strong arms. Lucy brought up a hand in response to his actions, resting it gently over the soft fabric of his dress shirt, across his heart.

Scrunching up his shirt in the palm of her hand, she couldn't help the tiny smile that found its way to her lips as she buried her face further into his warmth.

He truly didn't know the effect he had on her.

"Come on Luce, no more tears," he whispered huskily, before pulling away slightly. Lucy watched as he brought a thumb to wipe away a stray tear and let his hand linger there just a tiny bit longer. She leaned into his palm, savoring the feel of his skin upon hers. It seemed too soon when he pulled away with his signature cheeky grin, "I mean, this is a party, after all."

"Yeah, sorry," Lucy smiled, wiping the remaining tears from her cheek and suddenly realizing how cold her skin felt without his own to warm it up.

"Whaddya say, wanna dance with me?" he offered, holding out a hand.

"Here? Now?" she asked, taken aback by his sudden offer.

"Sure, why not!" he quipped, grabbing her hand without waiting for an answer.

Lucy giggled as she let him lead her gently across the balcony, swaying to the distant sounds of the four string quartet that played inside, "Thought dancing wasn't your thing," she teased, secretly surprised how well he was keeping to the rhythm.

"I figured I could make an exception from time to time," he said, his eyes softening as he pulled her in closer.

Lucy could feel the natural heat that emanated from his body and flushed at their sudden closeness, heart pounding so loud she worried his sharp dragon slayer ears would pick it up. She took a steadying breath to ease her tingling nerves and let out of a small puff of air. Closing her eyes, she bravely let her head come to rest against his chest.

Lucy felt Natsu suddenly freeze at her actions and all at once felt self-conscious. How stupid of her to presume that it was okay to let herself fall into this false sense of security, to allow herself to fall for him when he most obviously only saw her as a friend. She felt her cheeks burn and her heart drop to the pit of her stomach. Her eyes suddenly felt heavy and a lump formed in her throat. She was about to pull away and apologize when she felt a pair of strong arms encircle her shoulders.

The breath caught in her throat as she tentatively looked up…

…and almost flinched when Natsu rested his forehead against hers.

Lucy flushed almost immediately and nearly missed the sound of Natsu's voice over the sound of her own beating heart.

"Love you, Luce."

Lucy's heart nearly stopped before she quickly realized that he merely meant it as a friendly sort of love, especially seeing how she nearly lost her life the day before. Of course, Natsu could never know the effect his words had on her or how adorably oblivious he could be when he was being sentimental. He could never know the true feelings she harbored for him, nor the inescapable pain she endured simply not knowing how he felt in return. She would never risk their friendship on a hope and a prayer, of course. He meant far too much to Lucy.

"Me too, Natsu…me too."

Fin

A/N: Eh? Probably not as in-character as I would have liked, as I find it difficult to see these two in this type of situation, however, I did try my very best to keep their personalities true to the anime. Also, this is my first crack at Fairy Tail anything fanfiction, so please be nice! Reviews or comments are always welcome!