Summary: For a moment, Natsu gets serious. The only transportation that doesn't make him nauseous is his train of thought. Most of all, his destination is one thing that he didn't ever expect.
Pairings: Mainly Natsu/Lucy.
A/N: Lots of Fluff coming ahead.
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While You Were Sleeping
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It was a quiet and peaceful night in the town of Magnolia. Lights were slowly dying, a sign that the people are retiring in their own homes. The streets are almost bare, except for people who are working late night shifts or going home from a tedious day at work.
The air was crisp and cool. The moon shone brightly upon the river that passes through Magnolia. It was a lovely sight; the atmosphere was suitable for a late night stroll. No rain, no clouds.. it was perfect.
Natsu Dragneel was fortunate to have taken this opportunity. After waiting for Happy to fall asleep, he crept out of his covers and headed out for a quick walk. He didn't always do this; it isn't like him. By now, he should be sound asleep in his bed without a single worry. However, there are just times when he just cannot sleep on the things that he tried hard to bury in the far recesses of his mind. Some things just doesn't go away. Every night, memories, thoughts and unanswered questions always come to torment him. His curious mind is always at work. He may be a simple-minded hothead on normal circumstances but what other people don't notice is that he is also capable of diving into deep thought, too. Just like what he is doing now.
He continued walking, crossing the bridge near the river. He put his hands in his pocket as he glanced at the starry sky.
"Ahhh, what a beautiful night." He said. "No worries, no distractions."
He took a sharp intake of air, savoring the peacefulness of the atmosphere. At times like these, he is always thankful to be alive. It reminds him that this is the world he wants to live in. A world full of happiness, despite the fact that there is always evil lurking around. He is confident though, that he will always be there to fight evil anytime, alongside his friends.
His friends. He could not imagine a world without his friends. Fairy Tail.. his guild, his home. His world will never be complete without the people that he loves.
Love. The thought crossed his mind. A feeling of warmth swept through his body. His heart began racing, for a reason unknown to him.
Love. It was always just a platonic thing for him. For years, he always thought that love is something you feel for the people you care about the most. He never cared about those cliches of romantic love. After all, he never looked at anyone that way. Not yet, at least.
He is young, seventeen and very carefree. What more could there be in this world than just have fun?
Natsu stopped in his tracks. He looked around, and realized where he was.
"Oh, so this is where my feet brought me." He said, looking at the topmost window. The lights were out and gentle wind was moving the satin curtains back and forth, which meant that it was open.
Instinctively, Natsu leapt to the window with no hesitation. He opened the curtains carefully, trying not to make the slightest noise. He crept inside, careful not to disturb the owner of the room.
Lucy.
Natsu comfortably sat beside the sleeping Celestial mage. He stretched out his arms and crossed his legs into an Indian sitting position to conserve space. He checked Lucy for any signs of movement or arousal, because if she woke up, he'll be kicked out for sure. he didn't want that, since he was already getting so comfortable in Lucy's room.
"Hoh, not bad." Natsu said, drawing his face nearer. "So this is Lucy's sleeping face."
His face immediately changed into a naughty smirk. He looked at her intently, studying her features. He was initially trying to think of nasty stuff to draw on her face but then, something caught him off guard.
Lucy looked very serene. It was very different from her usual happy disposition. Not that Natsu minded; it was the very reason why he admired her the first time he saw her during that commotion with the fake Salamander.
"What a scumbag," Lucy said, referring to the Fake salamander. "But thanks!" She looked at Natsu with a hearty smile.
Natsu smiled, remembering the first time their paths converged. What started out as an ordinary day for him turned out to be extraordinary. It was not because he finally found the real Salamander, but because he gained a new friend and guild mate in the form of a beautiful and blonde Celestial mage.
Meeting Lucy was one of the things he'll ever treasure in his life. Other than Erza and Lisanna, she is the only other female who had seen him without his inhibitions. In other words, he and Lucy shared a bond that's different from the others. For some reason, his guard is always down when he's around her; something about Lucy just makes him very comfortable.
He pushed away a strand that was covering her face. Beautiful, Natsu thought. Undoubtedly, she holds the title of being one of the prettiest women in the guild, alongside Erza, Mira and Cana. It's a good thing that a kind heart came along with that pretty face of hers.
Natsu shifted his position and lay down beside her instead. He could smell her strawberry-scented shampoo, as a result of being so close to her. Though he tried hard not to move, he was very at ease. He felt like he belonged there right beside her.
Ah, if only I could stay here forever, Natsu thought. He turned towards a side-lying position, facing Lucy with one elbow propped up. He glanced at her. Why couldn't I just stay here? I love staying here beside you.
Natsu's heart was beating fast. Again.
Why was he feeling this way now? He had done this many times before. He'd been in this same room with her for so many times. He'd been alone with her on almost every mission. Why was he feeling this way towards her now?
He faced the ceiling and let out a sigh. How long has it been exactly?
In an estimate, it has been more than one year since Lucy joined the guild. More than one year since they have become friends.
And after more than a year, Natsu Dragneel just realized that he had feelings for his darling friend Lucy all along. Because of his strong belief in platonic love, he subconsciously denied his feelings for her to himself. Now that he was completely alone with her, he realized that the feeling when he was with her was not like anything he had ever felt before.
"So this is what love is, huh?" He said to himself.
He closed his eyes. He forgot that plan of drawing silly stuff on Lucy's face. Instead, he wanted to feel what it was like to sleep beside her for just one night and wake up next to her in the morning. He knows that Lucy will throw a humongous fit when she wakes up but then, it's worth the consequence.
He felt Lucy move. He quickly darted his eyes on her, checking if he woke her up. Please, not now.
Lucy shifted position. She turned towards her side, facing Natsu. Her head snugly fit into the crook of his neck, and her arms found its way to his chest.
Once again, Natsu closed his eyes. His breathing was slowing down, his senses were slowly fading away. He was drifting into slumber.
This is officially the best night ever.
Outside, neither were aware that a winged creature was watching over them. The creature pulled something of what looked like a camera and began snapping away pictures of what seemed to look like a loving couple, sleeping together.
"Natsu! You liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiike her!" Happy happily purred, smiling to himself. "This has GOT to be the best blackmail material ever, nya!"
OWARI.
Another story done! I hope you guys enjoyed this one! This scenario just popped in my head and I just had to write it before the idea disappears. XD
Anyway, don't forget to review! Comments, suggestions and constructive criticism are always welcome! :)