AN:
And double digits! Hello everyone, I'm just going to give myself a small pat on the back for making it to chapter 10. It was so agonizing trying not to just push these two together from the beginning. Well, I suppose they're not together-together but it will slowly get there. Gah, slow burns are so agonizing to write. (angrily bites on handkerchief)
Anyways I hope you guys enjoy :D
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Lucy woke to a series of knocks coming from her door and a not so discreet, "Shit." that came hissing out of Natsu's mouth. More knocking persisted, quickly switching the pan he'd been holding to an unused burner, "I'm coming!" he whispered loudly hoping his volume wouldn't wake Lucy as he rushed to the door realizing after another round of knocks that the person behind it either didn't hear him or simply didn't care.
Natsu grabbed the knob swiftly and turned it with purpose, finding three ladies and the guy from last night. The three-ladies eyed him suspiciously with arms crossed until the taller of the party lashed out grabbing Natsu by the collar of his shirt with an angry overprotective stare, "You better not have hurt her." The woman growled.
Natsu stared between them in confusion, "Can you guys be quiet Luce is still sleepin we were up pretty late last night." He told them while wondering why they would possibly think he'd hurt her.
The tall woman suddenly looked enraged at his words and before he knew it, she had him on the ground in an arm lock submission move like in those wrestling shows he use to watch with his father, "What'd you say you little fucker?!" she spat meanwhile the other two cheered her on. Conrad behind them was too busy laughing silently at his torment to help.
Lucy yawned, "Hi guys, what are you guys doing here so earl…? Nina what are you doing to Natsu?" she asked eyes still droopy with sleep, rubbing at her eyes to try and remove the tiredness from her eyes. The way she'd stepped over to the door wasn't helping his case in the slightest. Lucy's sleepwear in complete disarray, a few buttons towards the top of her shirt had come undone and her shirt's collar was tilted more to one side revealing most of one shoulder and exposing more of her breast, her pants weren't in much better shape since the ties came undone in her sleep causing her pants to hang low enough for her underwear to peek out at them. But what caught his eye the most was how her hair was messy yet he couldn't remember a time where he thought she looked more beautiful.
Nina unlatched herself darting protectively in front of Lucy, "Don't worry Lucy I'll protect you from this sex fiend!" she told a confused Lucy as she stood in front of her with outstretched arms ready to brawl with Natsu.
Lucy broke out into a fit of giggles one side of the sleeves of her pajama shirt draping past her hand as she brought it up to laugh behind her hand, "Nina, what? Natsu would never…" she snorted back laughter. Lucy shook her head gently pushing Nina aside, "Natsu, I'm so sorry about her. She's like an overprotective helicopter mom." She said pointing towards Nina as she helped him back to his feet.
Nina blushed and growled lowly with an angered stomp having a mild tantrum at the accusation, "Hey!" she shouted as Natsu tapped at his clothes. Unable to stop himself as he helped Lucy fix her clothes in hopes of correcting his own wandering mind.
When the other two laughed at Nina Lucy turned to them, "Her little sister Mary and undeclared love interest Kylie are just as bad." She continued throwing all of them under the bus with little to no remorse. Earning another round of 'Hey's' and a laugh from Nina herself.
Then Nina and Kylie turned a bright shade of red as they realized what she said, "I'm not…" they both replied in union defensively. Both slowly looking towards each other only to turn redder and jerk their heads away stubbornly, bashful at being outed.
Lucy helped Natsu fix his now wrinkled shirt with the two momma pumas distracted, Lucy pulled Natsu back into the apartment by the hand, the others soon following behind them. Natsu frowned, "Sorry, I was trying to let you catch up on your sleep since we were up so late catching up." He apologized closing his hand gently around hers. They weren't sure how or why, but it felt like their hands belonged this way. As they went to pass the small kitchen Natsu remembered, "Oh right," he started subconsciously letting go of her hand as he rushed over to the stove, "I was making us breakfast." He remembered already missing the feeling of her small hand in his.
Lucy frowned at the loss of contact but shrugged it off, a smile came over her face, "I thought you couldn't cook?" she said.
Natsu's face reddened, "Um I ah I-I had to learn sometime, right?" he stuttered out a quick response. She didn't need to know he learned how to cook so could be a good husband and cook for his wife someday. For some reason as he remembered this… it was Lucy that came to mind.
"Natsu my boy… you've got it bad kid. I think you might be in love with this girl."
Natsu's face steamed in embarrassment, 'That can't be.' He thought as he absentmindedly reached for the food, he'd prepared only to release the handle of the pan when he grabbed too far up the handle the skin of his hand between his index and thumb fingers hitting the hot skillet. Natsu jumped back with a hiss waving his hand, "Son of a…!" he cursed causing everyone to look at him startled by his outburst.
Lucy caught his hand, putting the area that'd been burnt slightly into her mouth without much warning, While Natsu's head exploded at her actions everyone else's jaw-dropped. Nina was the first to speak, "Lucy, what in the hell?!" causing the blonde to pull away in confusion. Lucy pulled away, her saliva stretching away with her until it breaks and vanishes.
Natsu stared down at his hand embarrassed by the small display of innocent intimacy before taking on a look of confusion, 'Wait, my hand… it doesn't hurt anymore.' He thought staring at his open hand, her saliva still present. The red burn irritation was clearly there, but he noticed as he watched it… it was steadily vanishing before his eyes beneath Lucy's drool.
Coming out of his thoughts only when Lucy's hands grabbed his looking at him worriedly, "Are you alright now?" she questioned her eyes locked with his.
Natsu blushed bashfully with a nod, "Y-Yea-Yeah t-thanks." He stuttered out again flashing her a small lopsided grin.
~oooOOOooo~
After some introduction and an embarrassing how we met story later, "Awww, that's so cute!" Kylie gushed as Lucy explained how Natsu carried her to his mother for help while they all sat along one of the open walls in Lucy undecorated apartment.
Natsu chuckled rubbing at the back of his neck, "Yeah, my mom thought so too." He remembered the goofy teasing smile his mother had flashed his way. Back then he didn't quite understand the look, but now he knew what it meant. At the time, he'd just done what he'd seen his father do to his mother.
Nina pouted noting Kylie's giddy reaction, "You like sappy stuff like that Kylie?" she said dreading the idea of performing such moves herself. It wasn't that she couldn't do it…It just wasn't her style. Nina's eyes shifted to the beaming smile on Kylie's face, 'Damn woman!' she cursed knowing that she'd do it if she'd get to see that same smile on Kylie's face more.
Mary shook her head already seeing the non-vocal plans being drawn up within her older sister's head. Deciding it would be best to keep her nose out of it, she turned to Lucy, "So this is the first time you've seen each other since then?" she quizzed curiously.
Lucy stayed quiet deciding to let Natsu answer while she looked away blushing immensely as she recalled all the times she'd snuck over his house while he was sleeping. Natsu glanced at her for a moment before releasing a slightly nervous laugh, "Yeah," he stated as convincing as he could.
Mary turned her attention to Lucy, "Why?"
Lucy frowned, "Because,"
"Lucy! Where in the hell have you been?!"
The voice echoing in her ears as a look of fear shone in her eyes and she began to steadily hyperventilate, "Lucy?" Natsu called. Natsu touched her shoulder with the slightest of touches and she seemed to snap out of it with a jolt. "Lucy, you okay?" he asked stepping in front of her, a hand resting on either of her shoulders.
"This is what happens when you don't listen!"
She heard him again, "S-Sorry, I'm alright." She told him as she looked away from him noting the concerned faces around her.
"Now you'll stay in here until you can learn to listen to reason!"
Lucy shook her head trying to rid herself of the memories of seclusion. Her fingers felt phantom pain causing her to rub at them unconsciously, "I'm alright." She whispered more to herself than them, 'I'm alright.'
~oooOOOooo~
"Luce, you sure it's okay to have you out here?" Natsu asked as they walked down the street The spiky-haired pinkette holding an umbrella for Lucy, while Nina and Conrad held one for Kylie and Mary.
Lucy nodded, "Yeah, Kylie got me this suit to wear for when I go out and its raining." She told him covered in a yellow raincoat, cleaning gloves, and rain boots. She could see him still eyeing her worriedly despite the reassurance she offered. He was again like last night hellbent on making sure she had most of the umbrella.
Conrad coughed to get Mary's attention, "Does he not realize the reason for a two-person umbrella is to cover two people?" he asked.
Mary looked overseeing that about seventy-five percent of Natsu's body wasn't under the umbrella. Lucy seemed to be arguing with him about it, but he'd just shrug it off saying it was fine. "Judging from the story earlier he probably knows Lucy's allergic to water. He's most likely doing it to protect…" Mary told him.
"What?! What do you mean Lucy's allergic to water?!" Conrad screeched looking back towards Lucy. He's thought she wore all that simply to avoid getting wet, so she didn't get cold or ruin her makeup or hair or something, but he hadn't understood the severity of the reasons as to why she avoided it until now.
Lucy groaned, "Natsu, you're going to get yourself sick if you do that." She whined trying to coax him under the umbrella with her. Not that it would really help now… other than to give her a slight bit of peace of mind.
Natsu gave off a soft hum, looking thoughtful before looking towards her with a big bright charming grin, "Guess you'll have ta nurse me back to health then huh?!" he told her seriously.
Lucy's face reddened at this, 'I-I actually don't think I'd mind that.' She thought at first but shook her head furiously moments later. No, I can't think like that! Lucy's lips drooped down into a frown as she remembered her mother. Coming out of the blues when she felt Natsu's dry arm slip over her shoulder.
Lucy looked over to him, his cheeks beet red as he pulled her close to his side, "B-Better?" he fumbled.
Lucy smiled seeing him out of the rain and under the umbrella with her. Giving him a nod of approval leaning more against him. She could tell Natsu wasn't expecting her to do that when his blush touched his ears, "Yes-Yes, it is thank you." She told him basking in the warmth he provided. Natsu eyes his other hand which was now holding the umbrella cautiously seeing as it and most of his arm was wet from the pouring rain.
Natsu's heart pounded in his ears and he felt this strange happy feeling bubbling up to the surface of his mind. He'd never felt so happy! So… calm! Metalicana couldn't be right… but somehow holding her like this. He felt complete almost like the missing piece of the puzzle had finally been found.
"Sometimes kid, that's all it takes."
He remembered Metalicana's conversation with him at the bar, "Natsu," Lucy started tilting her head up towards him. Natsu's attention broke from his thoughts and he gave her a soft hum to indicate that he was listening, "Something wrong?"
Natsu's lips pulled back into a small smile. It couldn't hurt to give it a try, right? "A-Actually," he began coughing to clear his throat, "Would you… uh, go out with me on a date… this Saturday?" he asked his eyes darting around nervously. Not realizing till he said it how much turmoil these next few seconds would be on him. What if she says yes?! Where will I take her?! What if she says no? …?
Lucy looked at him curiously, her head tilted slightly, "What's a date?" she questioned.
Natsu had to stop himself to keep from doing a faceplant to the ground, Conrad and Nina's soft laughter could be heard as well as the gasps they gave off when their umbrella partners elbowed them in the side. "I-I ah… It's ah." Natsu stumbled over his words.
Kylie chuckled from not even a few feet in front to them, "It's an outing shared between two individuals who have romantic feelings for each other." She answered for him.
Lucy smiled as she processed Kylie's words, "Really?" she asked Natsu.
Natsu blushed giving off a slight nod, "Y-Yeah, if you want to! I-I mean if you don't want to that's o…"
"It's a date!" Lucy replied cheerfully cutting him off.