Hey! How're you guys? This is my protect entry for NaLu week!^^ I had fun writing this. Hope you guys like it! NaLu is the best!^_^

Disclaimer: Fairy Tail and it's characters don't belong to me. They belong to wonderful Hiro Mashima-Sensei^^


Protect. That's what Natsu is always doing for me. Natsu is always protecting me. Why you ask? Frankly, I don't have any idea too. I suppose it's because I'm his mate. Or maybe it's because he felt obliged to do so. Or maybe he got a kick out of doing so. Or maybe because I'm so weak that I need someone to protect me and Natsu knows it? But I have no concrete answer as to why Natsu always protects me. Thus, this mystery continued to plague me. I continuously pondered this question for a few days. I wanted to know badly why Natsu always protect me. Why, I don't really know. I just felt like knowing. I decided to ask the people in the guild for the answer. After all, most of them grew up with Natsu so they may know the answer.
Thus, I am now in the guild searching for someone whom is free to answer my question. Most may think that it's really easy to find someone in the guild to ask. But they're wrong. In fact, it's the actual opposite. The guild is always in a mess and in party mood no matter what time of the day it is. Right now, there's a fight ongoing with Natsu and Gray right at the core of it. Their escalated fight has dragged about half of the members in the guild into it. Even Macao and Wakaba has joined in. Fortunately or unfortunately, Erza is out on a job at the moment and will only be back two days later. As for me, I am at the only safe zone in the chaotic guild, which is by the bar, currently pondering on who my target should be. I was about to pin my gaze upon Levy-chan who had sneaked away from the fight when Mira, noticing my disturbed expression, approached me and ask me if I'm okay."I'm fine Mira. I just had a question on my mind." I reassured the barmaid."Does the question have anything to do with Natsu?" The gravure model replied with an innocent look. In fact, it's too innocent that it looks suspicious. But I dismissed it as me being too paranoid. Mira never cease to amaze me with her ability to pinpoint the cause of a problem. Thus, when she mentioned Natsu's name, my face, for some reason, exploded into a blush that turned red at a steady since Natsu declared to everyone that I'm his mate, Mira, the one who was the happiest out of everyone other than the both of us, has constantly been teasing me about Natsu and our relationship and trying to get information about it out of the both of us. She have been trying to prompt us into taking our relationship into the next step, marriage. She was not very successful as Natsu kept insisting that there was no need for one since we're already mates which is equivalent to marriage. That's, however, Natsu's opinion. I can't help but feel a little disappointment when Natsu said that. After all, I do want to wear a beautiful wedding dress and become Mrs Dragneel. But I digress, deciding to answer her question, I mumbled out a yes while trying to will my blush to disappear. With a loud squeal of happiness, Mira clasped her hands together and looked at me with an expectant face. Deciding if I should tell her my problem, I gave the ongoing fight in the guild a glance and relented. "I was just wondering why Natsu is always protecting me. I've come up with certain theories but they don't seem to fit the bill."I sighed and looked at Mira. Since Mira is one of the many who grew up with Natsu, she may know the answer. At least that is what I , much to my dismay, Mira just looked at me with horror and exclaimed "That's because you're his mate!" Just as I was about to answer Mira, Levy-chan, who has finally made her way passed the chaos, approached us."Lu-chan! Finally! I wanted to come over but the fight..." Levy-chan exclaimed and huffed."I understand how you feel Levy-chan. I was going to ask you a question earlier too."I pat the seat beside my offer, Levy-chan replied, "well, what is it?""I have been wondering why Natsu always protects me. I can't seem to understand why."Blinking her eyes at me, Levy-chan replied"why don't you just ask Natsu?"Blinking back, stunned, at her answer, I thought, why didn't I think about this earlier? It makes total sense to ask Natsu why he protects me instead of asking someone else.

Deciding to heed Levy-chan's advice, I thanked her and made my way to the growing crowd of fight.

"Natsu! Where are you? Come here, I have something to ask you!"I shouted over the noise produced from the fight. As expected, I didn't have to wait long thanks to Natsu's super hearing. My pink-haired mate emerged from the cloud of dust, the fight formed, looking ragged but happy."What's up Luce?"He grinned and a small smile to grace my features, I grabbed Natsu's hand and pulled him out of the guild while saying "let's talk about this at home."Giving me a confused but still grinning look, Natsu allowed me to drag him back to our shared home.(I moved in with Natsu when we became mates)

When we reached, I sat down on the sofa and signaled for him to do the same. Once he sat down, I turned towards him and asked "why do you always protect me? Is it because I'm your mate. Or is it because you felt obliged to do so. Or do you get a kick out of doing so. Or maybe...maybe because I'm so weak that I need someone to protect me?" The last part came out in a whisper because I was afraid that it may be true. No matter how much I try to deny it, I know that I am not as strong as Natsu.

Confusion turned into determination then into a mixture of anger and love as Natsu heard what I said. "Lucy Heartfilia, take back the last part of your words. I will not allow you to demean yourself like this. You are not weak! You are a fairy tail Mage and one of the strongest celestial Mage I've ever known. Even though I do not know a lot of celestial mages but no matter, you are the strongest one in my eyes. So don't ever say that you are weak!"Natsu looked at me with a soft glare as he said this. He really is the best mate one can find. He's right, I shouldn't demean myself like this. Looking up at Natsu, I smiled and said"you're right Natsu, I'm sorry, I take back the last part of my words."

Beaming at my answer, Natsu said"Luce, there is only one reason why I protect you. It's not because of those reasons that you listed. It's because...I Love You. That is why I protect you. I both don't want and like the woman I love to get hurt. I don't like seeing you cry in pain or unconscious. I love to see you smile and laugh. I want to see you being energized to go in a mission. I want to see you talking animatedly with our guild members. I love to see your beautiful brown eyes shine with excitement and not closed. I protect you because I love you." With that, Natsu swooped down and claimed my lips while tears welled up in my eyes. I've found the answer to my question.

Natsu protects me because...He loves me.


That's the end! Thanks for reading this story. Hope you've enjoyed reading it:D please do me a kind favor and leave a review:) your review is greatly appreciated. No matter what type of review it is. well then, till next time! Ja ne!