They'd never had the chance to sneak around. When they'd first started dating, Lucy had had half a mind to talk to Natsu until she'd thought of a way to break the news to the guild. In truth, she'd thought many times, dating hadn't even been close to the right word-nothing about them or the time they'd spent together had changed in those days, aside from that first kiss they'd shared so long ago. Lucy had never even been sure which one of them had initiated it. The days that had followed had frustrated her, from Natsu's seeming lack of acknowledgement that anything at all between them had change to the anxiousness-and anticipation, she now knew-of when they might share another.
Keeping their relationship secret had never been an option. Between Natsu's lack of subtlety, Happy's always being nearby, and even the sixth sense some of the guild members seemed to have, the most Lucy had ever thought she'd be able to ask for was time before the truth was revealed. What that truth had been had taken her time to work out later still, and when it eventually had gotten around, Lucy was glad for the closure.
What she was less glad for was thinness of these walls. Even though she'd checked the lock twice, Lucy didn't trust that the two of them wouldn't be found out. Happy lived there too after all, and after a bit of debate revolving around Natsu's preferred method of entering the room they shared, the window had been left open to let in the cool, mid-afternoon breeze. The curtains that she'd pulled over it still drifted open slightly with every draft, letting slivers of sunlight dance along the opposite walls.
Lucy inhaled sharply, pressing her guild mark against lips. Outside, she could hear the water gently washing up against the walkway, the singing of birds, and the quiet and occasional bustle of a passerby or two. Those sounds blended with the creak of the mattress as she shifted, and the cool air that flooded over her was a sharp contrast to the way her skin burned where Natsu pressed his thumbs against her thighs.
"We should close that," she breathed, biting against her guild mark in anticipation at the slickness of her now-husband's tongue. His hum that followed hadn't even been necessary, she thought as her legs lifted higher, one draping lazily over his shoulder. "The window," she repeated softly, reveling in the way his hair tickled her inner thigh. Feeling him smile slightly against her, she knew her request lacked conviction. She let her free hand trace down her body, finding his hair and tangling her fingers tightly in it.
Once, she would've been embarrassed by this. With nothing but thin doors separating them from a friend and even thinner curtains separating them from the outside world, Lucy wondered if she should have felt exposed. Her mostly bare back pressed deeper into the sheets in protest as he pulled away slightly, letting his mouth replace where his hair had been and nipping at the tender skin. Stifling her whimper was impossible, and quickly she bit her lip in hopes of not letting another escape.
"Want me to?" he asked. She paused. Blushing at the interpretation that came before remembering her window request, she shook her head.
"Forget it," she said, pulling at his hair gently. "Don't stop."
He obliged, and at the heat of his mouth again Lucy felt her nearly-bare back pressing harder against the sheets. She wished she'd taken her t-shirt off completely when she'd had the chance. Instead it'd merely been raised at her own doing, the fabric bunched above the exposed parts of her that rose and fell with every breath. The skirt she still wore too had gathered itself at her hips, though it too covered little after she'd wriggled out of the lace beneath, letting it fall to the floor hours ago before Natsu's darkening eyes.
Lucy's head pressed deeper into the pillow as his tongue pressed and slid against her. Releasing his hair, she took firm hold of his wrist, guiding it up her body past her ribcage. The backs of her hands met the pillowcases as he cupped her breast firmly. His calluses were rough against her skin, and despite the slight discomfort they caused an approving moan escaped her as he pressed his thumb against her nipple.
"Luce."
Her response was barely audible and accompanied with a hurried nod, and she shivered as she felt him shift again, this time to stand and remove what little was left of his own attire. She half expected him to part her legs right then and there, but instead he hesitated, allowing her to reach for his arm with her foot. Hooking it behind him she pulled him onto her, inhaling sharply and blushing at the sudden feeling of him against her. He was burning in comparison to the rest of the room, and she bit her lip, shivering at the heat of his breath through the fabric that still covered her shoulder. She wriggled, reaching for the garments and removing them. Tossing both to the floor, she felt him bare his teeth in a grin.
She didn't have to see his expression to know the mischief it held. She wondered if he'd thought the same of hers when she'd first begun to drive him to this state. Lucy had been subtle at first, letting her hand linger on his chest just a bit too long when she'd kissed him that morning before they'd left for the guild hall; brushing against him just a few too many times seemingly on accident. She'd taken extra time to tie her hair up during lunch, circling the nape of her neck ever so slightly with her finger when she'd known he'd been looking. But Natsu was dense, she'd been reminded again, and even if she could tell her attempts had been somewhat effective he was the type who often needed things spelled out for him. She'd continued her game when they'd gotten home, leaving all room for guessing behind.
Wincing slightly at the suddenness of his fingers against her entrance, she slapped his back. "Not so rough."
"That's not what you said last time," he said, and though she couldn't tell by his tone, the nuzzle he gave her neck told her he'd been teasing. She let out a shaky breath as he continued more gently, one of his fingers circling her and the other beginning to find its way in.
She hadn't been able to bring herself to tell him the reasons for her mood. In fact, she barely understood it herself: she was used to his hot-headedness and the distance he'd go to protect his friends. She was used to the tactless comments he often made and for the often over-the-top ways he showed affection in all its forms for the people he cared about. In comparison his latest act had been mundane. Kids made mistakes all the time, and with so many other things Natsu was impatient, but when they'd happened across a little girl the day before who'd climbed after her pet cat up a tree, she'd been sure she knew what he might've done. He might've ripped up the tree, tilting it to its side so the girl could climb safely down. He might've simply climbed it himself and carried her down with him. But instead, he'd surprised Lucy-going up to her level and giving her a pep talk after they'd realized the cat had already climbed down. Lucy had watched and listened, holding the small calico in her arms as her husband and guildmate had shown the child the way down, keeping careful watch of her to make sure she didn't fall. She knew how fast his reflexes were-he'd have caught the child no matter what, but instead he'd let her find her own way, being the safety net the girl hadn't known she'd needed. He'd stooped to her level and high-fived her at the end, and Lucy had released the calico to be rejoined with its doting guardian. When the little ones had left, he'd caught her watching him. Raising an eyebrow, he'd asked her, "What?"
She'd replied with a quiet "nothing." She hadn't been able to sleep that night, her mind racing with the eclectic medley of adventures they'd shared over the years, from the battles she'd lost count of, to the mishaps, sadness, and triumphs. From their first meeting, to their first kiss and how the guild had reacted when they'd broken the news about their engagement. A few-mostly Gray-had teased them good-naturedly about it, asking her why the hell she'd chosen him and constantly insisting to the "flame brain" that she was too good for him. At some point, though, Lucy had thought she'd always known, and couldn't imagine being with anyone else.
A small gasp escaped her as he entered her, and he paused, muttering a quick apology. She shook her head, struggling to suppress the smirk that threatened to cross her face despite her brief discomfort. That discomfort quickly faded though, and she breathed out slowly, arms snaking around his neck as he began to move.
He was slower than usual, she thought, if not lazy. Dipping her head back deeper into the pillow she let out a contented hum. While slow to pick up on her hints, Natsu always had read her well when it came to the more physical side of things. In fact, he'd surprised her more often than not once they'd fallen into a more intimate routine. He was the first and only one she'd ever been with, and while Lucy never had quite known what was meant exactly when others referred to "good sex," she was certain she enjoyed these enough of these private moments for them to qualify; for the two of them to. Like all else, that'd taken time and practice too, and it was yet another journey they'd embarked on and grown on together.
She turned her head toward where his slow, hot breaths tickled her neck, tracing back down his shoulder and up the back of his neck with her finger. The first hints of sweat had begun to develop there, and she massaged the soft skin near his hairline. He paused mid-thrust, and she swore she could feel him growing hotter against her as he reached for her leg and wrapped around his waist. With that he continued sharply, and a cry escaped her before she could stop herself.
"Heh," he chuckled. "Should've closed the window after all."
"Don't you dare," she snapped, her face and body both flushing a deep scarlet. They began to move again as moments passed, her hips and body matching his his almost involuntarily. She moaned quietly at the heat growing inside of her, nearly threatening to overtake her once. He hadn't missed it either, shifting again and pushing deeper into her. She clapped her hand over her mouth in desperation as she choked back another cry. "Natsu!" To her surprise he took her wrist and pinned it beside her.
"Geez, Luce," he muttered, his voice tinged with amusement and arousal. "People can hear you."
"They can hear you too, genius," she said, digging the fingernails of her free hand into his upper back. She slid her hand upward, tangling her fingers in his hair and pulling him closer toward her. Letting her lips and breath graze his ear, she smiled against him. "Besides," she continued, her voice lower than a whisper. "It's your fault I'm all fired up." She nipped at his ear, giving a gentle tug with her teeth.
He responded instantly, the newfound intensity of his movements threatening to overwhelm her. She clung to him tightly, pressing her mouth against his skin to muffle her own voice. Natsu too had broken his silence, his heated breaths becoming labored pants and grunts. Those combined with the quickening creaks of the mattress only added to the feeling growing inside her, that strange, twisting fire that spread throughout her body and left her mind spinning. She felt herself weakening beneath him, her legs loosening around him and nails softening against his back no matter how hard she fought against it. She let out a breathless, incredulous laugh as she nearly succumbed completely.
He was nearing his peak too. What had been slow and intentional before had become almost sporadic, and the friction and heat between them had become nearly too much to bear. Beads of sweat formed and combined where skin met, heightening the feeling as she arched against him.
"Natsu," she breathed desperately, forgetting to fight the small cry that followed. He persisted, and with all the strength she could muster she clung to him again. Desperate for relief she forced herself to move against him, her own pants becoming labored gasps and moans as they drove each other to and past their limits. "Nat-" she struggled again as she felt the wave approaching. "I-ah!" The feeling ripped through her suddenly, her body clenching and releasing so violently she fell limp against the pillow. She rode out the smaller shakes and tremors that continued to follow as he reached his peak too. Lying in shock as he fell beside her she allowed her eyes to flutter open, struggling as they adjusted to the shade and coolness of the room. As they fought to catch their breaths, a cool breeze washed over them, sending a shiver down her still-trembling body. Reminded of her state, she carefully reached for the sheets and pulled them over her.
Lucy was silent as their breathing slowly returned to normal. The sound of her own heart pounding and ringing in her ears subsided, making way for the quiet and routine of the outside world. People and boats still passed by, and a bit anxiously, she listened for signs of Happy roaming the house's interior. Content with the silence, she glanced over at her husband. Natsu rested his head on his arm, his half-lidded eyes staring up at the ceiling. Amused, she turned to him, propping herself up on her arm and pulling the sheet more tightly around her. "What?" He glanced over at her curiously, and she continued. "You look like you're thinking about something."
"Nah. It's nothing."
She smirked. "When you think, it isn't about nothing."
"What's that supposed to mean?" The glimmer in his eyes told her he understood, and a grin crept across his face. "I don't know. A lot I guess."
Her smile softened at his tone. "Well, I hope they're all good things."
"They are."
She didn't miss the way he looked at her. Natsu never had been able to mask his emotions, and the way he looked at her now told her every thought he had had something-if not everything-to do with her. Feeling a blush tingling at her face, she leaned down toward him and kissed his cheek. "Still," she began, "don't think too much or you'll hurt yourself."
"Hey!" he wrapped his arm around her then, pulling her close and against him. She fell partly over him and smacked his chest playfully. She squealed with laughter as he dug his fingers into her sides, squirming in attempt to push away from him.
A small knock at the door made them both freeze, and Happy's muffled voice suddenly filled the room. "Hey, can you keep it down in there?" he asked, and Lucy covered her mouth and glanced over at her husband. Natsu smirked, giving her sides another squeeze again. She squirmed again and slapped at his shoulder, choking back a laugh.
"We're not doing anything, buddy," Natsu said, and Lucy shot him a look. "Anymore," he muttered, and she smacked him again.
"We're just playing around, Happy," she added, and through the door, she could hear the Exceed's groan.
"That's what I was worried about," he said knowingly, and Lucy's eyes widened.
"No, Happy." Mustering up her strength she pushed Natsu away and got up, wrapping the sheet tightly around her as she hurried to the dresser to pick out fresh clothes. "We'll be down in a minute."
"If you say so." With that, the small footsteps faded into the distance, and Lucy shot Natsu another look, her face flushing.
"Good job," she said sarcastically, and he beamed.
"Thanks!" he teased, and she threw a pair of boxers at him.
"Just get dressed," she said, gathering her own garments and heading to the bathroom. She could feel him watching her as she closed the door behind her, and taking one look at herself in the mirror, she couldn't help but smile.
It always was an adventure with him.