A/N: Hello, lovelies! I wanted to do something for NaLu week, and somehow after having writer's block for like ever...this cute little one-shot popped out of my mind for me. :) I hope you all enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail!

Anywho...

Need

She'd never kissed more than once, she'd never made love, and she'd never had a boyfriend. However, despite that Lucy Heartfilia knew from the feelings she'd get, that she'd fallen. Somewhere along the line between the dangerous adventures, she'd fallen in love. It was a simple love that warmed her heart and life with a summer's glow, a tame love that was not needy and desperate to be met. It was quiet and continued to simmer with time, becoming richer as the days passed by. A mark of a mature relationship between two people, slowly evolving into something much more that she could almost taste on the tip of her tongue. Lucy longed for that flavor with patience, waiting for the day to come that the craving be satiated.

XXX

"Lucy, you need a boyfriend." Cana complained as she drank her booze. The celestial mage gave her a weird side glance.

"Cana, I think you've finally drank yourself drunk if you're worried about my love life." Lucy commented, leisurely looking through her new issue of Sorcerer's Weekly in her usual seat at the bar. The drunk sighed and shook her head, jumping up to sit on the bar counter in front of the blond. Her eyes travelled the guild, dazed for a moment.

"No, Lucy, it's not right to be so old and not to have even properly been on a date. You need that experience in your life." The brunette chuckled as she watched the girl blush, "You know, why'd you not accept that date from that one kid long ago, you know the one you made me go out with for the night instead? I mean you have to be getting offers, right?" Cana dug.

"I didn't go out with that boy because Natsu and Happy were so depressed—"

"Lucy, you'd gotten a date offer from that boy long ago? Why didn't I ever hear of this?" Mira cut in after eavesdropping down the way. Lucy twitched.

"Does it really matter now? It's been like what? Almost 8 years!" Lucy raised her voice without thinking, "Besides, I don't get that many offers because I'm usually going through life-altering, traumatic adventures and not available anyway!" She stood, slamming her hand onto the counter. After a moment she realized the guild was relatively quiet and that she'd caused a scene. The mage huffed and plopped back down into her chair scowling.

"You know, I know it's got to be bothering you too, Lucy. You can be honest; you want a boyfriend don't you?" Cana asked kindly, looking semi sober for a moment. Mira leaned over to the girls for more privacy and agreed.

"Lucy, dear, we just want to see you happy! Go out and find yourself a catch, have some fun!" The white haired woman winked.

"Yeah, of course I'd like to have someone in my life, but how do you go about that anyhow?" Lucy squirmed. The two older mages smiled.

"Well, you can always go hangout at places you like and see what happens. Sometimes guys will approach you if they know there is a commonality between you." Mira gave, Cana added.

"Hell yeah, I go to the alcohol store and get picked up all the time!"

"Maybe I'll try that at some point, but honestly I'm hardly ever alone you know." Lucy murmured, glancing over at her friends, Natsu, Happy and Gray. "Erza at least…I can ask for some privacy from."

The older women nodded knowingly, and looked at each other a moment before acting.

"Natsu! Gray! Happy! Would you come over for a moment?" Mira called the men, immediately being attacked by Lucy's hands trying to cover up her mouth.

"Mira Jane! Why?" Lucy cried, as her friends came over after a moment.

"What's up, Mira?" Gray asked coolly. Natsu simply fidgeted with unspent energy and waited for the answer.

"Lucy needs alone time so she can start dating, so you and Natsu need to give her some space! Got it?" Cana spit out threateningly. Lucy just about choked on her drink and died.

"What? Why the hell does she need to start dating all of a sudden?" Natsu exclaimed, looking annoyed. Gray simply shrugged.

"Alright, I'll try not to pop over unannounced as much on you." The ice mage complied. Lucy was shocked.

"Thank you, Gray." She paused as he walked off to beat on Elfman, "And why shouldn't I date, Natsu? It's about time I got a boyfriend." Lucy mumbled.

"Because you don't need anybody else you got all your nakama right here!" Natsu whined, seriously not seeing the issue.

"So, can I date guild members then? Maybe I'll see some allied guild's members? Hibiki or Sting?" Lucy goaded, seriously trying to get a rise from the thick headed boy.

"NO! No, I mean, why any of them, they're so weird, and you don't need a boyfriend, Lucy!" Natsu rushed, clearly upset.

The key mage ultimately didn't feel like having to explain herself to the fire dragon or getting in a pointless fight, because she got up to leave.

"It doesn't matter, Natsu. Forget about it, it won't affect you anyhow," She claimed, as she pulled on her jacket. "Mira, Cana, I'm heading home, thanks for…the advice I guess." The girl smiled gently as she turned towards the door. The pinkette looked genuinely confused and followed the girl to the door after a second of hesitation.

"But, Lucy we're a team, of course it will!"

"So, what? You afraid I might not be as convenient for you to drag around all the time?" She countered getting a little peeved.

"Well, yeah, but—"

"But, nothing! I'm sorry if my personal needs get in your way, but I have to do this for myself!" Lucy burst, running out of the guild without looking back. The man stood confused. Staring in disbelief as his friend ran from him.

"What is going on?" He voiced to his guild mates, most of which were also slightly surprised at the blonde's outburst.

"She's lonely, and wants more from her life. She just wants to be loved, Natsu." Mira explained quietly. The dragon-slayer turned to the Master near-by and listening in and then looked back to the demon lady.

"I know she's been lonely since her father died, but she's got Fairy Tail. She's got her Nakama and is loved!"

Mira grimaced and shrugged not knowing what to say or how to say it right for Natsu to understand the true problem between the friends. Makarov luckily chose to speak at this moment.

"Natsu, my boy, every woman would like to be married and have children at some point. Remember how little Lisanna used to want to marry you? Lucy doesn't want to be alone either. Lucy wants to go home to a family, even outside this guild."

"I know she wants that, gramps, but she's got…she's got…me you know. She can come to me." Natsu flustered, pulling on his scarf nervously. The elder simply smiled at the young mage.

"Well it seems to me then that the problem isn't her finding someone, the problem is her knowing that you aren't just playing house with her, you brat." Makarov chuckled. Natsu turned deep red.

"Playing house?" Natsu asked.

"Basically, what the Master is trying to say, is grow some balls dumbass!" Gajeel shouted across the room, evidently eavesdropping with his good hearing. Natsu hissed and turned to the iron mage quickly about to pounce. Makarov stopped him and pulled him close.

"Listen, Natsu. You don't have to do anything you're uncomfortable with, just tell her you're there for her. Tell her that you love her. Not that her nakama love her, or that you love her because she's nakama, or anything in between like you normally would. Just be honest and tell her how you feel about her alone. That will fix everything I promise." Makarov whispered.

"I, I have a hard time, Gramps, with the embarrassment of it." Natsu stuttered.

"This is part of growing up and becoming a man, Natsu! Now go after that girl, cheer her up!" Makarov beamed, slapping the mage as he ran for Strawberry Street. "Oh-ho! I feel a good party coming up, brats! Mira get me a beer will you?" The small man shouted, returning to his drunken, jolly ways immediately.

XXX

"Lucy, open up! Come on open the window, the door, something!" The dragon called from down on the street. He puffed, he'd been calling a while and now all nervousness had left him, might as well go for the forceful approach. He jumped up onto her window sill and easily broke through the window lock, rolling into her bedroom with ease. The celestial mage gasped and jumped to her feet from her couch, trying to make a run for it. However, the dragon-slayer was much faster and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her back to him. "Lucy." He admonished seriously. Her brown eyes widened as they met his stern ones. She squirmed and scrambled to get away but failed.

"Natsu, I don't want to talk to you about this. Not now." She whined, still fighting him. He grabbed her by both arms and set her down on the couch, sitting between her kicking legs, sick of the struggle. She squealed and fought harder a moment before stopping and giving up entirely, though looking very wary.

"Lucy," He started trying to get her full on attention without success, "Dammit, Luce!" He swore, affectively gaining her focus. He glowered down at her until she shook, not entirely out of fear. "I don't want you to date because I don't think you need someone else in your private life other than me." He spoke bluntly, causing the blond to balk.

"W-what?" She asked, completely disbelieving. Did he just seriously say something like that?

"I don't want you to date, because I think you already have everything you need in your life. You don't need some guy who doesn't know you or love you, because I already do. I care for you, and if you're lonely you have me. You don't need a boyfriend." Natsu growled out quietly. Lucy felt completely confused; did he realize what he was saying or what he meant?

"Are you saying…that you want to…fulfill that part of my life…Natsu?" She questioned meekly, turning crimson. He sighed and squinted at her.

"I'm saying, I thought that without saying it, we'd already been heading that way at our own pace." He rumbled. "I thought you already understood that I'd be here, and that I love you." He added, courage blooming. Their eyes met and melded together this time, their hearts racing as the conversation set in.

"Then why haven't you ever…" Lucy trailed off, not sure how to ask.

"Why haven't I ever tried to kiss you or touch you? Is that what you want to know? Because I respect you, and didn't want to hurt or scare you, not to mention if you hadn't noticed we go on chaotic life or death adventures an awful lot." He smirked. Lucy cracked a smile.

"Nope, hadn't noticed at all. I just thought you weren't interested at all." The girl laughed. Natsu looked confused.

"Are you kidding me? I'm constantly seeing you naked, feeling you up, sleeping with you, and I even stripped you in front of the guild once, what more did you need to see that I was attracted to you?" He asked bewildered. Lucy fidgeted and smiled tenderly a moment and without words he understood. Slowly he leaned into the blond pinned underneath him, and breathed in the scent of her. His hot breath trailed from her neck to her jaw to her cheek leisurely. Lucy breathed heavily in anticipation as the two shared another stare before Natsu's lips met her own. They gasped and pressed into one another simultaneously, their bodies hungry for one another as they breathed together. Biting lips, they delved into their partners mouths, exploring thoroughly the foreign feelings rushing through them.

They pulled away with an audible pop sound, as they sought out air. The man nuzzled the woman carefully and settled down on top of her, cuddling her to the side.

"No more talk of dating, right?" The male mage whispered in her ear, rubbing her back up and down in soothing circles. Lucy shuddered and relaxed in his grasp.

"Nope, lots more." She teased.

"What?" The boy got upset gripping onto her tightly.

"Lots more talk of it, if it means you'll kiss me like that again." She simpered. He growled and peered down at her.

"Oh, there'll be kissing alright, but no dating." He stole her tongue from her before she could reply, and as they came back up for air, sometime later, she finally agreed to no more talk of dating.

A/N: Please, let me know how I did! REVIEWS/Favs/Follows are love! :) It'll make my day!