[Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Fairy Tail world, which is trademarked by Hiro Mashima.]

CHAPTER 4:

Lucy huffed through ragged breaths as she slid low on the ground, keeping a leg out as she kept the other bent. She kept crouched, staring at the fire enveloped dragon slayer before her. Her free hand gripped at the whip, the flow of stars flowing by her feet. She calculated her next move as she slowly rose to her feet and wiped the dust off her cheek. Her eyes focused on him.

He couldn't quite remember when the weekly sparring matches with Lucy began, but he found himself enjoying them from the very first match. At first, she couldn't keep up with him, and Natsu remembered how he never broke a sweat as he defended himself from her attacks. But, she grew stronger and their fights grew in intensity. Though today's battle marked a new level, one that he was sure to mentally note to himself. She hadn't held back, and he found himself using a bit more energy than he had planned and anticipated.

Natsu grinned, smiling cheekily at his friend. She stood there in the middle of the clearing, staring him down with an intensity that sent a quiet shiver up his spine. He did his best to ignore how her hair shimmered in the light as the ribbon that held it in its ponytail flew away. The edges of her hair lightly framed around her chin as the wind moved. His eyes flickered to the torn burgundy skirt and grey top. Her legs dirty with sweat and scratches and her chest heaving from exertion, Natsu felt a low hungry growl lingering at the back of his throat.

She gripped the key high and between her fingers as she called out, "Gate of the Lion, I open thee! Leo!" A light shimmered before her, and Loke appeared, wearing his slick dark suit. He glanced at her from behind his glasses with his signature smile on his lips, a smile that he noted she returned. In an instance, he took off to the right, running with amazing speed towards Natsu. She ran to the left, pulling out another key "Gate of the Golden Bull, I open thee! Taurus!"

The giant cow appeared, brandishing his Labrys. "Lucy! I shall protect your hot rockin' body!" he called out as he ran towards Natsu after Loke. Lucy grumbled a complaint as she dashed farther to the left.

Natsu blocked and dodged the attacks upon him, flaring up his flames as he punched back. From the corner of his eye, he saw Lucy dash towards him. He blasted Loke and Taurus away, before turning to face her. He threw a fist towards her and watched as she jumped high in the air to avoid his punch, her whip at the ready. He pulled his arm back as he caught sight of the flick of her wrist and her river of stars wrapped around his arm.

Lucy flipped slowly in the air. "Too slow," she complained in earnest to herself as she soared in the air. She tugged at her whip before landing behind Natsu.

He turned, grabbing the lash with his free hand and pulling her towards him. "Too slow!" he shouted at her. Natsu snarled dangerously at her, a deep hunger suddenly bubbling as he felt the tension of the magical lash on his arm. He pulled against her, attempting to pull her into him.

"Now!" Lucy screamed as she dug her heels into the dirt, willing her weight to an unnatural heaviness as she pulled against Natsu.

Natsu's eyes widened as Taurus and Loke rushed on either side of him. He heard Loke's call for Regulus and he caught the flash of Taurus about ready to swing his weapon towards him. He pushed off, rolling towards Lucy to avoid their attacks. He felt momentum carry him towards her as she pulled on her whip.

Lucy lost her footing as she felt the sudden release of tension. She landed on the ground and closed her eyes as she felt her body come into contact with his. "Omphf!" she exclaimed as the wind was knocked from her lungs. She opened her eyes to find Natsu laying over her, one hand on the ground to keep him above her and the other formed in fiery fist poised over her head. His eyes were dark with a recognizable fierceness that she found comforting. The earthly smell of him surrounded her.

"Give up?" he breathed out in a low and dangerous tone, with a bold smile in his eyes. Natsu caught her softly gasping under him and felt as her chest moved heavily with her breaths. She radiated heat under him, and the smell of her sweat invigorated him. He felt her leg bend and rest against his hip. His hand lost its flames and it lowered by her head. "Lucy," he began softly and he suddenly felt the need to taste the sweat on her skin. They stared at each other.

She smiled lightly as her hands absentmindedly moved to his bare chest. Lucy lifted her head off the ground, moving it closer to his. "No," she uttered to him, her eyes flickering to the side for an instance, before she let her head fall back to the ground as she pushed against his chest to push him away from her.

Natsu opened his mouth to respond as he turned his head to see what had caught her attention. He had no time to react to the swift kick to his gut that sent him flying off her. He grunted as he flew and rolled away from her body and looked up to see Loke lowering his foot. The two shared a tense look.

The spirit smoothly pushed the glasses up the bridge of his nose as he stared down Natsu, ignoring the glare the pink haired slayer directed towards him. He looked down to Lucy, who was smiling up at him, and took her outreached hand that she offered to him. Feeling Natsu's eyes on them, he pulled her up swiftly and into his arms, "Are you alright, love?" He felt her hand rest over his heart while the other remained on her chest. Loke made a show of pushing her hair behind her ear, feeling her shudder as his fingers brushed near her neck. He flashed his usual flirtatious smile as the hand on her lower back pulled her closer to his body. He noted the lack of rejection on her part, and it surprised him even more when her smile matched the mischievous spirit of his own.

"Yes," she responded. "Thank you, Loke. I couldn't hold Taurus here any longer. I'm guessing he had to go back?" she said before turning to Natsu, who stared at her with a look she couldn't quite describe.

"Aye." Loke turned to stare at him, smirking lightly at the heated look in his eyes. He tightened his embrace, pulling Lucy even closer. He felt her center press against his waist and felt the hand on his chest tighten to grip the fabric of his shirt. His senses heightened with the feel of her. Loke noted that he found particular pleasure in the increased hatred that seemed to flash in Natsu's eyes for one reason or another.

She nodded, still staring at Natsu who hadn't moved from the ground. A devilish smirk curled the corners of her mouth. "You," she pointed a finger at her pink haired opponent, "let your guard down." She dared him with her tone. "Stupid move, dragon."

His gaze softened as it moved from Loke to Lucy. "I won't let that happen again," he told her as he stood, dusting himself off. "No fair sticking your love-sick puppy on me though." He waved a hand nonchalantly in the air. He took note of her hand on Loke's chest, his hands quickly turning into fists by his side. He could also see her standing tall in Loke's arms as the wind moved her tattered skirt and his suit jacket. A twinge of jealously poked at him at how natural the celestial mage looked in the arms of her spirit. She glowed with a radiance he couldn't describe. He wondered if she ever looked that natural in his whenever he saved her.

Loke shrugged as he peered at Natsu through his dark glasses. "I am Lucy's," he said pointedly. "She may use me in any manner she wishes." He smirked as Natsu's lips formed a disapproving line. He listened to her soft chuckle, and he caught the sight of her cheeks reddening at the thought.

Natsu stood taller, squeezing his hands into tighter fists. He kept his eyes on Lucy, purposely avoiding Loke's stare. "Ready, mage?" he called out to her, bearing his teeth at her through a playful smile.

"Ready, dragon."

He smiled wildly, his hands flashing into fiery fists. He roared as he rushed towards her and her spirit, taking careful aim at the lion spirit as he forced them apart.