The Secret Key
They had just gotten home from our last job and once again we came back empty handed. No reward for Team Natsu meant no rent for Lucy or food for the whole group until they could get cash from somewhere.
But during that job Lucy had heard of a 14th key she had already seen the 13th gold key at the Grand Magic games when Yukino Aguria released Ophiuchus the mysterious 13th Key that Levy had looked into right after the drama of the games had finished. However that was a rather fruitless 'study' as there wasn't much information over it. But hearing of yet a 14th key had Lucy wondering where to find it.
She had asked Loke her strongest spirit about the possibility of a 14th gold key however even the head of the 12 spirits didn't know and he had asked the Celestial spirit king when Lucy had asked him too but even the king himself hadn't heard of it.
So those rumours though seemed to be just that but Lucy wasn't ready to give up on the possibility of a 14th gold key. Natsu seemed up with helping her as did Happy and Wendy in finding the mysteries key. Carla though was against it like usual but again she had reason to be or so she thought at the time.
"So where do you suggest we look first?" Natsu asked, Lucy sighed not really sure where they could start their search for this so called 14th key. That was until Carla had muttered four little words "Tower of Heaven ruins"
Natsu and Lucy's faces both turned pale at hearing those words, the tower of heaven was something that those too anyway would rather put behind them. But according to Carla it was the best place to start this crazy most likely worthless search for a key.
So they set off towards the ruins of the tower of heaven in their quest for this key. Little did the group know that really Natsu and Lucy could of stayed at home.
Natsu X Lucy
After a stomach nausea filled train ride and a further boat ride out to the ruins, Natsu finally started feeling better as they made it to stable and dry land. Lucy had been blushing a tomato red during the ride as Natsu leaned against her and even now on dry land he had clasped his hand in hers.
That had meant Happy wasn't shutting up about them liking each other, which was meaning Carla's remote possibility of being interested in him were even more faster slipping away and no amount of fish would help.
"Shut up Happy" Lucy screamed letting go of Natsu's hand and immediately missing the warmth of the Salamander hand in her own as she blushed an even deeper shade. It was awkward then between the celestial spirit mage and the dragon slayer, she wouldn't admit it but she liked actually she loved when they were holding hands. She and for that matter Natsu himself still couldn't work up the courage to tell each other their feelings.
So they walked in an awkward silence occasionally broken by a sniggering Happy or him attempting small talk with Carla until they reached the ruins.
When the ruins came into view the group breathed a sigh of relief they had walked further than they thought they would have to. So by the time they reached the ruins it was time for a rest and some food. Actually for the last 15 minutes Happy had been complaining none stop about how hungry was for the last leg of the journey and it was causing tension between himself and Carla. Natsu started a fire going before he and Happy left to catch fish leaving Lucy, Wendy and Carla alone.
It was Wendy to talk first and the subject she had brought up was currently the hot topic of most of the female members of the guild just now. Where Natsu and Lucy ever gonna get together.
"Lucy do you like Natsu?" Wendy whispered afraid that Lucy would lose it over the question. Lucy blushed deeper than the shade of a tomato at the question and if Happy had been there then he would of started with the whole 'you liiiiiiike him' which would of made the whole thing worse.
"So do you" Carla asked after a few seconds of prolonged silence.
"Um I er um ye- no Yes" Lucy finally huffed feeling her blush deepen even more.
"Aww are you going to tell" Wendy Squealed
"Um yes, no, maybe, I don't know" Lucy replied her blush still evident but her face looking sad.
"Why?" Wendy asked
"I'm scared" Lucy sighed dropping her head into her hands now.
"Why Lucy it's just Natsu?" Carla asked
"Because it is just Natsu, he's so dense I'm sure he won't even realise what I've confessed and that scares me not to mention Lisanna" Lucy sighed again.
"I say tell him, I mean he may be a little dense but it's not on purpose and he may feel the same way" Carla said straight forward as always.
"Okay I will once we've found the key" Lucy said finally brighten up especially with the weight of her confusing feelings weighing her down. Even though she hadn't told Natsu the actual act of telling someone or in this case a pair helped sort out her feelings.
Natsu X Lucy
Little did the girls know that Natsu was still within earshot, what with his dragon senses being higher of any other human the distance of hearing was also greater so he had heard just about every word. He had tried to tune them out but when he heard his name his ears were burning more than usual and just had to listen in and when he heard that Lucy like him his usual cheeky cocky smile lightened up his face. So the spirit mage liked him and he already liked her in fact he was wondering how to tell her.
The problem was he was scared himself of how he was going to tell her, it wasn't for fear of rejection no it was fear of not being taking seriously and also being kicked or punched by Lucy. Hell she was stronger than Gray as her kicks and punches hurt a lot more than Gray's ever did when Natsu and the Ice mage were at logger heads. However hearing that Lucy liked him too, okay he didn't know if she loved him like he did her but that helped he decided that tonight he would sneak into her tent and tell her. He grinned that plan sounded good, especially since Lucy's night clothes were just as skimpy as her day clothes. He couldn't wait.
Natsu X Lucy
Happy and Natsu returned with their catch, they had gotten quite a bit but of course Happy was already munching on a fish. Lucy and Wendy had already collected sticks so they could spear the fish over the roaring fire. They ate in a rather uncomfortable silence but as the meal drew to a close it was Wendy that asked the question that really should be on everyone's mind.
"Where do we start looking for the key?" Wendy asked
"Well I'm not too sure all I can think is digging" Lucy shrugged after all Carla had told them the tower of heaven but nothing else the rest was up to them to figure out where to start their search at least Lucy had a certain spirit that could help with digging.
So that after noon was spent in the sun digging up part of the ground that was covered in ruins hoping that they would find this key. However the first day turned out to be fruitless.
So as they ate their dinner Lucy had become more depressed, she wanted not only to find the key but admit her feelings to Natsu too. Natsu had kept glancing at Lucy feeling bad that they hadn't found the key yet even though it was just the first day. At least he hoped his confession tonight he hoped that would make her feel a little better.
Wendy and Carla retired early and when it was just Lucy and Natsu because Happy had already passed out on the ground next to Natsu. Lucy made an excuse and ran to her tent. Natsu sighed but he was glad Happy was already asleep so it made sneaking into Lucy's tent easier.
Natsu felt that the hour he waited to go and confess to Lucy took ages to pass but eventually he waited and when that time came he made his way over to the tent and let himself in. Lucy was lying on her back a book resting on her face as her chest lightly rose and fell with her steady breathing.
'Great she's asleep already, I'm so gonna get punched' Natsu thought and sighing he gently placed his hands on Lucy's shoulder's and gently shook her until she woke.
"Natsu?" she asked sleepily
"Sorry to wake you but I really need to tell you something" Natsu started as blush began to rise.
"Couldn't it wait until morning?" Lucy asked wanting to go back to sleep.
"Nope" Natsu Grinned
"So what is it then?"
"Well um I er I um I love you Lucy" Natsu stuttered as a fiery blush filled his face. Lucy blushed too; he loved her had he heard though what she and Wendy had been saying during lunch?
Lucy being so confused she slapped him, Natsu had expected something like this but a slap didn't sting as much as one of her punches or kicks.
"Sorry" she blushed
"It's okay but um how do you feel about me?" Natsu asked blushing deeply again.
"But what about Lisanna?" Lucy asked her heart aching slightly
"I've never had loved her, especially since I met you I've been in love with you" the Salamander stated. After a few moments Lucy finally replied.
"Well I um I um I love you too" Lucy blushed hiding her face behind her curtain of hair.
Natsu then brushed her hair out of her face and made her look up at him, making the spirit mage blush further and then without any warning to Lucy, Natsu pulled her close and kissed her. Lucy's eyes went wide and she raised her hand to slap him again but he sucked a little on her lower lip and she couldn't help but melt into the kiss and kiss back.
Suddenly though Lucy had to pull away not so much for air but for the pain and the light that was radiating from her chest. Natsu stared in horror, what was happening to his Lucy. This wasn't happening he had only just told her he loved her and now she looked to be slipping away. Natsu had begun frantically pleading with Lucy to stay with him. His lips hovered over kissing her lips, forehead, check, neck and as much skin as he could. He didn't want her to leave him. Tears were forming to his eyes but as a tear hit her cheek she chocked and sat up placing her hands on the fading light of her chest.
"Lucy are you alright?" Natsu asked as she looked to return to normal, her hands still clasping at her chest.
"Yeah I'm fine well I think" Lucy sighed finally dropping her hands.
What they saw in the palm of Lucy's hand shocked them. A golden heart shaped key. Just like her other celestial keys but instead of a Zodiac sign a heart in two different colours were in the centre of the heart itself.
"Luce you found the key" Natsu beamed
"Yeah and I think it was thanks to you" Lucy smiled back before pulling the pink haired Salamander closer and pressing a kiss to his lips which the dragon slayer immediately deepen.
Come morning the following day though the whole guild would know thanks to a little blue flying cat. Not that the couple seemed to mind too much but Happy did get a fiery telling off to say the least. But now Lucy thanks to being 'claimed' by Natsu, had found the 14th key that had come from their love. All though the guild had right out asked when the wedding would be.