(A/N: A bit of angsty fluff here! Not my usual forte, buuuuut when inspiration calls, you gotta answer! Still, NALU! *all cheer* Enjoy, my Nalu fans! Also, this is this first Nalu Scene I've published thus far that doesn't directly connect to any other. All of my other Nalu Scenes more or less connect in one way or another to my very first published Nalu Scene. But this one is completely random and all its own! Um, yay? Haha, enjoy!)

A Confession

By: xSteleAliniax

Lucy lay peacefully in her bed, wrapped up in a cocoon of blankets as she tried to go to sleep. She was pretty tired from her three-day job with Natsu and the others, and didn't think it would take too long to go to sleep.

She sighed deeply as sleep tendrils brushed against her. She was on the brink of loosing consciousness when something suddenly wrapped itself around her.

"Eek!" She squealed, jumping in alarm.

"It's just me, Luce," Natsu's voice breathed into her ear, low and breathy. Her eyes popped open wide, her heart hammered in her chest.

"Natsu?" Her voice shook slightly. He had scared her half to death! His chest was pressed right up against her back, arms wrapped around her as if in an embrace. She blinked rapidly in the darkness, trying to make sense of what he was doing there.

"Shh. Go back to sleep." He tightened his arms around her and sighed, warm breath on her neck.

"What are you doing here?" She hissed, though she didn't pull from the embrace, not yet.

"Luce," Natsu whined, already sounding half asleep. "Can we talk in the morning? I'm beat!"

"Then go sleep in your own bed!"

"But I'm already comfy," he argued. His hand slipped into hers under the covers, and he laced their fingers, murmuring. "Just... For... A minute..."

Soft snores was the only sound around them. Lucy lay there totally dumbstruck. Natsu was here. Natsu was in her bed. Natsu was cuddling her and holding her hand! What. The. Hell?!

She was so startled by everything that she just lay there stiffly in his arms while his whole body was relaxed around her.

"What an idiot," she hissed under her breath. She started to get up, to move out of his hold at least, but his arms tightened around her, trapping her there.

"Mmm. Luuucyyy..." He mumbled in sleep. His face pressed into her neck as he hugged her tight, hot lips brushing against bare skin. She growled low but accepted her fate.

"He'll pay in the morning." She promised, then closed her eyes as sleep took her...

Lucy woke up slowly, still groggy and a little disoriented. She let out a long sigh as she tried to force herself to wake up.

"Mm." She mumbled. Her fingers clutched around something soft in front of her. A pillow? She buried her face in the fabric, still unwilling to fully face the day.

"Lucy..."

She stiffened, eyes popping open at the voice. Natsu's bare chest stared her in the face. She clutched his scarf in her hands, which were trapped between her chest and Natsu's.

"Uh..."

His arms were still tight around her as he continued to doze. His face was in her hair. He moaned softly. Lucy shoved at his chest, but Natsu was strong, even in sleep. He stirred slightly in her effort to push him away.

"Natsu!" She grumbled, still shoving. "Let me go already!"

He suddenly gave a start, eyes flying open.

"Ugh..." His eyes squinted at the bright sun from her shadeless window. "What time is it?" He started to relax again, but Lucy wasn't having it.

"WAKE UP!" She shouted. He jumped again, and Lucy could feel his heart beat increase under her hands. She watched as he blinked several times to adjust his eyes to the brightness, then frown in confusion as they looked around the room, finally landing on Lucy.

"Oh. Hey, Luce!" He grinned down at her. She growled.

"Did you seriously stay here all night?!"

He thought for a minute. "Hm. Guess so."

"You don't sound too concerned about that." She observed dryly.

He shrugged. "What's there to be concerned about?"

"You're being in my bed all night! That's what!"

"What's so bad about that?" He looked disappointed for a moment, frowning down at her. She faltered in her next objection.

"Uh... Well..."

His eyes bored into hers. For an endless moment neither said a word. Then,

"Natsu?"

"Yeah, Luce?"

"Can you let me go now?" She asked, wiggling a bit for emphasis. His arms were still wrapped securely around her body, holding her so that practically no space was between them.

"In a minute." He promised, eyes still holding hers. He still kept a firm hold on her with one arm, but his other hand slid slowly up the side of her body. She sucked in a breath. Natsu's hand skimmed up her bare arm, then curved around her neck and into her hair. He tangled his fingers in the soft locks there. "You have such beautiful hair..." He breathed.

"Natsu-" She started to object.

"Shh..." He leaned down, agonizingly slowly. Lucy watched as his lips parted and his eyes closed. He pulled on her hair to tilt her face up, and then softly pressed his lips against hers. Her eyes fluttered shut, fingers tightening around his scarf. She couldn't help the shiver that worked its way up her body, or the soft moan that escaped her. His lips pressed harder against hers, and when she parted her lips he slipped his tongue inside.

Lucy pulled on the scarf at his neck and he shifted so that he hovered above her, chest to chest. He deepened the kiss, and Lucy slid her hands around to his bare back, pulling him even closer. She dug her nails into the skin there, and Natsu growled deep in his throat. He slid a hand down to her thigh and hiked it up around his hip.

"Mmm." She moaned as his hips pressed against hers. She could feel his desire pressing against her lower region, but still she didn't push him away.

He lightly pulled on her bottom lip with his teeth and then sucked it into his mouth. She moaned loudly and writhed, feeling him harden even more beneath her. She stiffened slightly.

What was she doing?! She pulled her lip free, but Natsu didn't pull back from her.

"Lucy," he whispered against her lips. "I lo-"

"Don't," she pinched her eyes shut and turned her face away from him. "Don't say it." She begged.

"Luce, what's wrong?" He asked, voice full of concern.

"Please don't say it..." Tears pricked at her eyes. She pulled her hands free and buried her face in them. "You're going to ruin everything." She whispered, body shaking.

"Lucy!" Natsu exclaimed in alarm. He sat up and pulled her into his arms. She tried to push him away but he held her tight. "It's okay, Lucy. You don't gotta cry. Just tell me what's wrong."

"G-get away from me!" She sobbed, still trying to push him away with feeble hands.

"I won't, Lucy." He said, voice firm but gentle. "Not until I know you're alright."

"Don't ruin it, Natsu." She begged, crying into his chest like a child. "Don't say it..."

"What are you taking about, Luce?" Natsu asked, holding her tightly. He was thoroughly confused now. What had he done to upset her in this manner? "What am I going to ruin?"

"Everything," she whispered, clutching on to him with tight fists. Then, quieter, "US."

Natsu finally grasped what was going on.

"Because I love you?" He asked quietly.

"Gah!" She cried out again. "Stop!"

"What?! It's that so terrible a concept?" Hurt laced his tone. He hadn't expected this sort of reaction from her...

Lucy pulled back and shifted so that she straddled his lap. She held onto either side of his face with both of her hands and stared deeply into his green eyes.

"No," she whispered, tears still falling down her face. "But only if you mean it."

Natsu looked confused again. "Why would I say it if I didn't mean it?" He asked. Lucy searched his eyes for deception, but found only sincerity.

"You really mean it?" She asked, just to be absolutely positive. He grinned at her.

"Well, duh! But I thought you already knew that."

She frowned. "How would I know something like that if you've never said it before?" Irritation was starting to creep back into her voice, but Natsu just grinned at her again.

"Isn't it obvious?" He winked and then pecked her on the cheek. She blushed a furious shade of red.

"You really are an idiot, Natsu." She said, but she was smiling.

"Hey, I'm not the idiot that doesn't know when someone clearly loves them." He defended himself. She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his neck. His strong arms went immediately around her as well.

"You're right." She allowed this once. "And, Natsu?"

"Yeah, Luce?"

She pulled back to look him in the eyes, smiling. "I love you, too."

A/N 1: Aw another Nalu one-shot! Woot! I have NO IDEA where the sudden inspiration for this came from, but I kinda just went with it ;-) I hope you all enjoyed this little bit off Nalu! Sorry for the bit of angst there, guys! But it all worked out in the end, as always!