It was Christmas.

With the gentle snow flakes that floated down and the merry mood that enveloped most, along with the typical cheerful and energetic temperament of the fire dragon slayer, Fairy Tail had not expected his loud proclamation that day.

"What's so good about Christmas? It sucks. Today sucks."

Startled by his negativity, the guild paused in their merry-making around the Christmas tree that they had erected, glancing over at Natsu who had his arms crossed, huffing as he stomped his way to the bar, demanding a drink from Mirajane. Unsure of the situation, Mirajane had offered him a glass of eggnog, eying the feline floating by his side for answers. It was not like Natsu to hate upon anything, and the man had been excited and high the past few days. What had happened?

Happy gave a shrug, before he plopped himself by the pinkette's side, retrieving a fish from his bag. "Natsu went to look for Lucy. Lucy wasn't at home." He stated plainly.

With that, the guild relaxed, resuming their laughter and pranks as his team approached the dragon slayer, the bulk believing that nothing was in fact, wrong. It was odd though, since Lucy was hardly one to wander around, either being at home or in the guild and the merriness was missing the young blonde. "Someone's got the cold treatment, eh?" Gray teased, laughing as he stole Natsu's drink from right under his nose. Despite that, Natsu did not react, and the ice mage frowned. It wasn't like Natsu. Natsu would throw a fuss, punch and then begin a fight!

"Gray.." Erza warned, sensing the quiver in their friend, one that he usually had right before a big fight.

"She said that she had something for me, that I was supposed to meet her." Surprisingly enough, instead of an explosive rage, the man deflated, letting his torso lay flat upon the bartop. "She kicked me out and told me to come back in the morning."

He sulked for another moment, before he lifted his head like it was several tons of weight. "Is she mad because she didn't like the present I gave her? She had the weirdest expression...is she going to leave?"

The team ( and Mirajane ) kept silent, not wishing to comment as they absorbed the information. Within her mind, the bartender wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that Natsu had given each and everyone the exact same gift; only with the slight difference of colour and shape. Lucy...Lucy had feelings for Natsu, Mirajane was sure of that. And if that were true, a gift that everyone had just...didn't seem to be as special. Inwardly, she sighed, regretting that she was not free to shop for the gifts with dense and daft man. A chance missed! Yet looking at the desolate male, she decided that she had to do something.

"Don't worry, Natsu. Lucy isn't the sort to walk away and disappear.. You were in her apartment right? All of her things were still there?"

He brightened up with a nod, straightening and looking more like the Natsu they knew.

"Natsu?" The soft voice wafted from the entrance, pale cheeks flushed pink from exertion; she had ran the entire way. Awkwardly, she shuffled her feet as she hugged a package in her arms, peering around the area for the man she sought. Her booted feet were cold due to the thick blanket of snow and little flakes clung to her coat and blonde tresses, and the Celestial mage shivered in her position, chocolate eyes slightly hazy.

Despite her soft voice, Natsu leapt to his feet without a word, marching towards Lucy with an expressionless face. She stuttered; part worried, part frightened. "I-I-I.. I'm s-sorr-"

Lucy never had the chance to complete her apology as warm lips came crashing down upon hers, as her voluptuous body was pulled into his muscular one. Silence filled the guild as their minds scrambled to understand this situation that was unfolding in front of their eyes. Natsu, their dense and stupid Natsu with no sense of attraction...had just kissed his partner in plain view. They moved, only to get a better view, to ensure that their eyes were not fooling them.

When they finally parted for air, the hoots and cheers filled everyone's ears. Their Natsu has finally grown up! Cana elbowed Macao with a grin, muttering words along the lines of Natsu finally seeing what he was missing out. "So that's why he was so upset when she wasn't there." Gray commented, with a laugh and a shake of his head.

But the two were in their own world, gazing deeply into each other's eyes. A hand clasped around her narrow waist, the dragon slayer brought the other to her cheeks, cupping them as he warmed the frozen flesh up. "I thought you were gone." He murmurs, lips brushing past hers as though unwilling to depart, warm breath tickling her skin.

"I went to retrieve your present.." Lucy confessed, breaking the eye contact to glance at the package she hugged. "I couldn't leave it at home, since you'd find it when you break in all the time.. I didn't think that you would come so soon, so...early..."

He spared no care for the package, tongue flicking out to catch the flakes in her hair before he buried his nose into her blonde tresses, taking a deep breath of her natural scent, ever so enticing. "You're shivering from the cold and you're breathless. What happened?" Right, cause Natsu completely forgotten why he was here instead of in her house.

"You weren't there when I got home! And you left the window and curtains wide open! I knew I closed them mostly, just enough for you to open them and come in, so I knew that you were there! I ran around searching for you!" Lower lip stuck out in a pout, despite her building annoyance at Natsu's lack of normal understanding, Lucy...could not maintain her anger, not when Natsu squeezed her within his arms, all the while peering down at her...neck. Yes, neck. Natsu was not one with the perverse mind, she told herself.

"You're wearing it."

"...Of course I am." She flushed, finally realizing that the two of them were still the centre of attention of the guild. "..Can we take this..somewhere private?"

"Why?" Ever the simple-minded one, Natsu only raised a brow. "Unless...you're ashamed?"

"Of course not!" Huffing, Lucy shoved the package into his arms, backing away and unbuttoning her coat. She shivered as a blast of cold air came from behind her; the entrance, but still she proudly thrust her chest out to prove her point. The guild stared, unsure of what Lucy was doing. She was not...showing off her body was she? It didn't seem to be a thing that Lucy would do unless she got the stripping habit from Gray. Juvia stared hard, hoping that that was not true, her fist tightly clenched.

It took several moments before a squeal resounded from the bar, thanks to Mirajane. "Natsu, you devil!" Around her neck, hung a claim of possession; Natsu's Christmas present to his partner was a necklace ( and they learned later came in a set along with earrings and bracelet ), clearly hand-crafted by the Salamander's own hands; of a dragon that curled itself around a crystallized heart. It wasn't what everyone else had received. Maybe Natsu wasn't so stupid after all.

"Does that mean that you two are dating now? Is Lucy off the market?"

"Oh yeah. We were dating since a couple of months ago. Did I forget to mention that?" He grinned sheepishly, scratching the side of his head before continuing. "Well then," He paused to take a deep breath, wrapping his arms around Lucy possessively before he bellowed. "LUCY IS MINE. I'LL BURN YOUR ASS OFF IF YOU DARE TO TOUCH HER!"

"...NATSU!"

A.N: This started out as a random excerpt just for Christmas, and isn't my first attempt at writing NaLu...just the first that I'm posting...cause I'm too lazy to finish the rest. Annndddd.. This is a sad little piece written at terrible timing and lack of brains...so...forgive bad English! I'll fix it...when I'm more alive w

...I think...I might...continue this XD