Prompt Affection

'I found a man I can trust, and boy, I believe in us. I am terrified to love for the first time.Can't you see that I'm bound in chains? I finally found my way… I am bound to you… I am bound to you…' It's 7pm on a Saturday night, on Magnolia University's campus and Lucy is relaxing in her dorm room listening to music when her phone rings.

"Hey Natsu, what's up?"

"Lambda Fairy Psi is having a party tonight."

"Oh yeah, what time?"

"Starts about 9pm, wanna go? All Gray, Erza them are going."

"Sure Natsu, Levy mentioned she and Gajeel were gonna go too. Come get me on your way and we can walk over."

"Do you want me to text you, to let you know I'm getting close to your dorm?"

"Nah, I'll just leave my door cracked for you."

"Cool, see you soon Luce."

Giggling in excitement at seeing her crush, Lucy sets to work getting ready for the party, it's a big deal for her to try and look cute whenever she knows Natsu is gonna be around. The two of them have been close for almost 4 years now and while their friends often comment or tease about their relationship, the pair have never crossed the friendship line.

Neither had much success in dating others, and the times they try their friendship gets in the way. His dates will get mad when they see her photo pop up as his phone's lock screen or her name will come up too often in their conversations; her dates will get mad cause he's over at her place every time they call or he happens to pop up wherever they are, etcetera. The truth is Lucy is madly in love with her best friend but since he's never tried to ask her out, or made any kind of advances on her she figures he just didn't look at her in that way. So, for the last 3 years she kept it to herself, happy to have him any way she could get him.

'Maybe one day he'll finally see me…' she sighs at the mirror.

Knowing his favorite color is red and black, she chooses an outfit that she knows he'll like. The red ruffled skirt is a little short but she likes how it shows off her toned legs and the top is a black tube top that shows her midriff. With a light amount of makeup and black 3inch heels the outfit is perfect for the mild weather they've been having.

While she waits for Natsu she cranks up her music, fooling around and dancing to the beats. 'Shower by Becky G' comes on, a song she loves because it makes her think of him. "This is my jam! Come on Natsu!" she grabs a stuffed dragon doll he won her at a fair, "Let's dance!" Clutching it to her chest she starts bopping around the room acting goofy and singing to the song at the top of her lungs. "…it's just something about ya. Got me feeling like I can't be without ya. Anytime someone mentions your name, I be feeling as if I'm around ya…"

At that moment Natsu walks up and hears her singing in her dorm. He grins and silently creeps in standing with his back against the jamb just watching her, he chuckles in his head. 'She's so adorable!'

Holding the doll out she sings to it, "Can you tell that you drive me crazy? 'Cause I can't get you out my mind. Thinkin; of ya when I'm goin' to bed. When I wake up think of ya again. You are my homie, dreamlover and friend…" She kisses the doll and clutches him against her chest. "Exactly why, you light me up inside, like the 4th of July. Whenever your around, I always seem to smile and people ask me how well you're the reason why I'm, dancing in the mirror and singing in the shower…"

A slight blush falls over the young man's cheeks as he watches his crush acting so silly. Her outgoing personality was one of the first things that attracted him to her, of course it didn't help the girl was stunning too. Remembering it like it was yesterday, Lucy had just transferred into Magnolia High and through his friend Levy, she was brought into their group. She had fit in so easily; sweet, fun, and really smart too; just the perfect girl. But he had overheard her telling Levy something one day that kept him from making a move, so instead he decided to try and be her closest friend.

"…They ain't no guarantee, but I'll take a chance on we. Baby let's take our time, and when the times get rough, there ain't no given up. 'Cause it just feels so right, don't' care what others say. If I got you I'm stray…" She's got the doll held out again making it dance with her. "…You bring my heart to life yeah! You light me up inside, like the fourth of July. Whenever your around, I always seem to smile. And people ask me how, well you're the reason why, I'm dancing in the mirror and singing in the shower."

Now that the song is ending Natsu straightens ready to make his presence known when… Lucy plops on her bed hugging the doll. "This song is exactly how I feel… sigh… Natsu, I wish you knew just how much I love you..." She holds the doll in front of her, "But I don't think he sees me as girlfriend material…" and asks it a question, "I mean wouldn't he have asked me out by now?" The doll just stares blankly at her. "You're right, maybe one day…" That's when she feels the bed sink behind her and familiar arms wrap around her waist.

"Lucy…"

Her whole body stiffen, "N-Natsu! H-how long have you been here?"

"Awhile…"

The blood rushes from her face, "Did you h-hear…"

"I heard everything Luce." He feels her temperature spiking. "I wish I knew you felt the same way I did…"

She tries to turn around but he holds her tight, "The… Same way?"

"All these years… But I never asked you out cause you told Levy you didn't want to date anyone in the group."

"When did I say that?"

"It wasn't long after you started hanging out with us."

She thinks back, "Oh… Damn…" and hangs her head. "I was the new girl and didn't wanna just start dating guys cause I didn't want to look like one of those kinds of girls, you know the loose kind…"

"Luce?"

"…But now I feel like an idiot, I mean all this time..."

"Lucy." Natsu lets her go and moves around the bed to face her. "Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing." He grabs her hands, "Instead of rushing into a relationship we built a friendship first, got to know each other better, and grew closer than most couples…"

Her chocolate brown eyes brighten, "You think so?"

He nods, grinning his cheeky smile, "So, will you be my girl Luce?" Singing, "Cause you know you light me up inside like the fourth of July. Whenever your around, I always seem to smile. And people ask me how, well you're the reason why…"

"You are such a goof Natsu!" she tackles him on her bed. Sigh, "But I love you anyways."

He flips her over, "Goof? Says the girl who was just dancing like a weirdo with her doll…" His eyes soften as he brushes some stray bangs away from her eyes, "But it's what I love about ya too…" leaning in for a kiss…