Prompt: Vacation. Natsu needed to get Lucy to focus. What better way than to take her away from her daily routine? If he could just get her to believe him - things would go sooooooo much smoother. 'Cause yeah, he knows he's not the most traditionally romantic guy around - but why should Natsu let a little thing like that stop him from winning his fair lady Lucy?
Lucy had fantasized about Natsu sweeping her into his arms, but there had never been clothes in that equation. Fantasy was meant to be fantasy: enjoyable and titillating. Lucy had to admit to a certain level of perversity. Natsu had nice muscles. They weren't over-exaggerated and bulky like Elfman's, imposing like Laxus' muscles, or even the cold sculpted beauty of Gray's body. Natsu had warmth and a natural ease of being in his skin. His muscles under tanned skin were delightfully strong in her imagination and reality.
"I know that, I'm surprised to hear you say that." Lucy slung an arm around Natsu's neck, resting her head against his body and savoured the view. Her brain started to pick over the other thing he'd said. "Are you calling yourself my boyfriend?"
"I'm not hung up on labels, but to be honest - no I wouldn't."
Lucy felt a sharp pang in her chest. "I wasn't asking you to be, just so you know."
"Y'might want to let me finish talking before you jump to conclusions." Natsu laughed. Lucy was so cute when she was embarrassed. Right now she was rubbing her cheek against his vest - and moving close to bare skin. "Maybe you should ask why before you get defensive."
"Well, why then?"
"Let's get inside first." Pouting Lucy was darn cute too. Natsu coughed and jiggled Lucy gently. "We're here. Thought you might like to walk up the stairs under your own power."
More reluctant than Lucy would ever admit, she stepped from Natsu's arms and muttered her thanks. Cheeks a dull red, she dashed inside her apartment building, Natsu keeping pace.
Lucy tried slipping inside her apartment without letting Natsu in behind her. He grabbed the doorknob and stuck his foot in the doorway. "Doncha want to know why I wouldn't call myself your boyfriend?"
Nervous and understandably on edge, Lucy frowned. "Sounds fun, let's have cake and tea and you can tell me why even you wouldn't date me."
"I'd rather have meat, got any fire chicken?"
"That was sarcasm! I'm not sharing any of my food with you right now!"
"Aw, don't be mad Luce." Natsu edged inside and closed the door. "I want to ask you something."
"What about me asking you why?" Lucy clutched her forehead. "Never mind, I'm getting a headache."
"Funny enough, Mira covered headaches on her list." Natsu led Lucy to her couch and gestured for her to sit. "Guess she knows how aggravating I can be."
"You, you're not that bad." Lucy admitted, "But what's so wrong with me?"
"Nothing!" Natsu dropped beside Lucy and slung an arm around her shoulders. "I wouldn't change one thing about you."
"Pffft. Not one thing? Prolly a dozen things a guy'd have to change about me before wanting to date me." Unable to stop her one woman pity party, Lucy pouted. "I'm tired of being alone and single."
"We're partners, aren't we? You have me." Natsu wanted to say things a little more plainly for Lucy, but it seemed like she wasn't listening. He could flat-out confess right now and in this mood she'd either ignore or misunderstand. Tch. Good thing he had a solid plan to fall back on - and no better time than right now to surprise Lucy.
Natsu knocked his knee against Lucy's knee, smiling as she jostled back. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Come on vacation with me?"
"Vacation?" Lucy echoed. "Where?"
Natsu grinned. Lucy was hooked - she wasn't blathering she shouldn't go, it wasn't proper or any other boring concerns. She wanted to know where. She must want to go on vacation with him. "Say yes and find out."
A/N: Many thanks to the reviews, favs and follows. It's great to write and not feel I'm shouting into an echoing void. ^^ It's sad that Fairy Tail has finished, but as long as we in the fandom keep motivated - there's no reason for our delight in the Fairy Tail characters to diminish. There's been a fair amount of interest in what Mira's list entailed - I'm thinking of including that in the last chapter as an extra - who's interested? Also - where Natsu has planned to go as a vacation is tied into the history prompt. ^^ These chapters have been short - but the payoff is coming!