Part X
"…What are you doing?"
Natsu watched the little scene unfold in front of him with curious and amused eyes, as Lucy's wiggling butt came to a halt before she emerged from underneath the bed, her face red and beads of sweat on her forehead. She gave him an uneasy smile, before she shrieked and removed her hands from underneath the bed, and looked at the long scratch left on her forearm.
"I'm trying to catch your damn cat," she groaned out. "He was lying peacefully on my stomach while I was reading, and the second I mentioned his bath, he fled!"
"Why do you want to give him a bath?" asked Natsu, joining her and getting on his knees to look underneath the bed.
"Because he needs one," she declared, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "When's the last time you bathed him?"
"I don't remember," he shrugged, before yelping when his shoulder hit the bed. He had forgotten he was beneath it. "He's always whiny and incredibly grouchy whenever I do, so I gave up."
"Typical," mumbled Lucy.
He heard her get up, and he retreated back, sitting on his knees and sighing in annoyance. Happy was hiding very far, and Natsu's frame was too large to fit under the bed for him to reach the feline. Lucy would have more luck, but it seemed like Happy didn't want her close to him.
He heard her open the cupboard in the kitchen, muttering about a damn cat, before she came back, holding a can of sardines in her hands and a small plate.
"I forgot you bought this," she mentioned, opening it, and he instantly heard Happy meow.
"That's a good idea, Happy can't resist fish."
"Well, at least he likes something," she chuckled, emptying the can in the plate. "He's been impossible since he came back from Lisanna's."
"He likes a lot of things," said Natsu, offended. "He likes you a lot."
Lucy gave him a bored look, as both watched as the small feline came out from his hideout, sniffing the air and immediately jumping on the plate.
"Only when I feed him," she replied, picking the cat up. Happy hissed in protest, before he instantly calmed down when she grabbed the plate as well. "I'll wait for him to finish this in the kitchen. Would you please prepare his bath?"
"Of course," grinned Natsu, incredibly amused by the whole situation. "You're acting like Happy's yours, I don't recall anyone taking care of him as much as you do."
Lucy reddened, pouting at the pink haired man, and fidgeting in discomfort. "I like to take care of him, it makes me feel useful. I haven't done much because of my shoulder."
"I wonder who had been cooking all this time," said Natsu sarcastically, shaking his head. "You're only saying that because you're not running towards danger anymore."
Lucy glared at him, and he gave her a lopsided grin, before she huffed and left the room, and Natsu knew he had won that argument. He got up and made his way towards the bathroom, and turned on the faucet, plunging his hand underneath the jet to test its temperature. When he deemed it warm enough, he placed the stopper to fill the bath, and waited for Lucy to bring Happy.
She did not disappoint; soon enough, the feline's loud meowing reached Natsu's ears, and he stifled a chuckle when she entered the bathroom, holding Happy to her shoulder –the uninjured one-, as the cat's claws grabbed at her shirt. When she arrived in front of the bath, she bent over to put Happy inside, and noticing the water approach him, the cat started hissing loudly. Because his claw was digging into the front of her shirt, Happy stretched it and Natsu got a much appreciated view down her front. He averted his eyes, suddenly feeling hot under his collar, and grabbed Happy's paws to force him to release her. The cat fell into the water with a loud splash, and Natsu and Lucy crouched over the bath to watch him try to crawl out of it. His attempts were unsuccessful, as Happy only slid back down due to the water every time he tried to escape. Soon enough, the two occupants of the room were grinning down at the cat as he wailed loudly, his wet fur sticking to him. The sight was truly endearing, even a little pathetic, but Lucy couldn't help but relish the revenge for all the scratches Happy had left on her skin.
"You were right," observed Lucy, eyeing the water. "The paint isn't colouring the water, I think your cat's going to stay blue forever."
"I told you," pouted Natsu, grabbing a bottle of shampoo. "I've tried many times, but I think it's permanent."
He offered the bottle to Lucy, whose eyes drifted between Happy and the shampoo, and she ended up shaking her head, too afraid that the feline would bite her hands off. "I think I'll pass. Why don't you do it? He likes you a bit more than me."
"Wimp," murmured Natsu, pouring a generous amount in his palm, before gently rubbing Happy's fur.
Lucy gently elbowed him, huffing at the remark, and he laughed as her elbow made contact with his side. He froze in his tracks when he noticed her evil grin, and shuffled away from her in fear that she might try something unexpected. She did not deceive, because as soon as he attempted to move away, she had placed her hands at his side, and Natsu found himself hunched over the bath, laughing uncontrollably.
"Please…stop," he let out between breaths.
"I didn't know the almighty Salamander was ticklish," she teased, refusing to listen to his plea.
"Come on, this is cheating!" he exclaimed, waving his arms in an attempt to free himself from her clutches, but it only resulted in him retreating back and falling against the wall with Lucy crouching in front of him, her hands now on both of his sides. "I have to bathe Happy!"
"Don't ruin my fun," she giggled.
Before she could truly enjoy her position of power, she was suddenly yanked forwards into the man's lap as a scream left her lips at the suddenness of it. Soon enough, Natsu had her roaring with laughter, her chest pressed to his, and her head on his shoulder. Her hands were pressed against his chest as she struggled to push herself off him, without much success due to his tight hold on her.
"Looks like I'm not the only one with a weakness, miss vigilante," he snickered out.
"Natsu," she cried out, dragging his name and hollering uncontrollably. "I give! I can't anymore!"
"Only if you admit that you're a wimp because of my cat," he said.
"I'm not a wimp! I'm not scared of a cat!" she shrieked out.
"That's not what I asked you to say," he replied, tightening his grip on her.
She was suddenly pressed tighter against his chest, and despite the rapid movement of his fingers against her ribs, she felt the outline his chest against hers, and realized how tight her thighs were wrapped around his hips. Feeling the all too familiar desire awaken within her, she slightly panicked and pushed against his chest with more vigour.
"Okay, okay, I give. I'm a wimp, please let me go now," she said, a bit too seriously for Natsu's liking, who was taken aback by the panic in her voice.
"That's what I thought," he let out jokingly, attempting to lighten up the suddenly somber mood with well-hidden concern in his voice.
His grip on her loosened, as his hands came to rest on her hips, and she raised her head from his shoulder to replace it with her hand. She looked down at him, and their gazes met. Both felt the sudden change in the atmosphere, as it became more electrifying. Natsu's gaze trailed down her face to fall upon her chest, still heaving from the intense torture she had been subjected to prior to their little moment, before going back up and looking into her eyes once again.
There was a strand of hair that had fallen in front of her face, covering a part of her eye, and Natsu could not stop himself from reaching for it and tucking it behind her ear. Lucy drew in a sharp breath at the short contact, and one of her hands trailer down his chest to rest right above the waistband of his pants. She unconsciously licked her lips, her gaze fixed upon his slightly chapped ones, and Natsu felt a jolt of excitement travel up his form. He noticed the way she eyed his mouth, and the slight hesitation in her eyes that had been there since the day he had saved her in her small apartment. Against his better judgement, he brought a hand to the back of her neck, drawn by some irresistible force –he assumed it was her own charm-, and brought her head forwards until his lips were a mere centimeter away from hers.
Lucy could not comprehend what was happening until she was staring deeply into his eyes, and she quickly averted hers to the side, intimidated but the sudden proximity. Their previous similar encounters had been devoid of any emotional intimacy; they were only driven by their mutual attraction to each other. But after living with him for a few weeks, she had come to know him much better, and venturing down unfamiliar territory when feelings were starting to get mixed in was too dangerous for both of them.
Natsu noticed that way she seemed to be unable to look at him, and he vaguely wondered if he were making a mistake. But the way she unnoticeably ground against him assured him that the need to feel her was not one-sided. So when she looked into his eyes once again, he lunged forwards and tentatively brushed his lips against hers. He felt her freeze against him, and he retreated back only a breath distance from her to look at her expression, and give her the opportunity to push him away or to make the next move.
"What are you doing?" she mumbled with dazed eyes.
"I have no idea," he replied, his voice an octave lower than usual, and Lucy had to stifle a groan at the way its reverberation sent a jolt right down her lower stomach.
"We shouldn't do this," she continued, biting her lower lip, and disappointment washed over the pink haired man. "It's not going to work out between us."
"I know," he simply answered. "But I can't stop myself. I've wanted to kiss you since you woke up in my bed."
Lucy had felt the exact same urge as well, but had refrained doing it after that day when Lisanna had interrupted their little moment. So she threw all caution to the wind, and knotted her fingers in his hair before taking a deep breath.
"Fuck it," she groaned out, and her lips were immediately locked to his.
He was immediately kissing her back, his eager lips warm and soft against hers, exploring her inviting mouth as she drew in a shuddering breath into the intense lip lock. She gently tugged at his pink locks, pushing him further into the wall behind him, and he groaned in response, loving the slight pressure against his scalp. He mimicked the aggressive action by grabbing a fistful of her hair and biting her lower lip.
The tempo of the kiss was quickly becoming feverish, and more ravenous and primal as Lucy's hips ground unto Natsu's with energy, and he could not stop himself from invading the softness of her mouth and exploring every crevice with his tongue.
The hands there were holding her tightly against him fingered the hem of her –his- shirt, and she shuddered against him. He couldn't help but smile against her mouth, as his hands sneaked underneath the shirt, caressing the soft skin of her sides. She arched her lower back into him, and he slipped his hands over the curve of her backside, bringing her closer to his awakening member. She moaned softly as its contact with her aching chore relieved some of the intense pressure she felt.
Upon hearing the soft mewl leaving her lips, a flare of raw hunger jagged through Natsu, and he almost tore the top she was wearing in two. He opted for a slower approach, and grabbed the hem to slowly lift it up her form. His mouth was still connected to hers, and she raised her arms up to allow him easier removal.
Her head suddenly bumped into his, as she let out a loud shriek, and Natsu had to stop himself from letting out an embarrassing noise when he felt the cold wetness soaking through his shirt. They both separated, looking at the culprit, before they stared at each other once again. They burst into laughter, and Lucy got up from his lap.
"I guess we forgot Happy," she said, looking at the small cat as he wailed, jumping around in the water and splashing it everywhere. She plunged a hand in it, and winced slightly. "The water got cold," she concluded.
"I'll rinse away the shampoo in his fur. You should go change before you get sick," told her Natsu.
He offered her a crooked smile, and she flushed at the sight of his puffed lips and wild mane. A shiver ran through her form, and she looked down at the soaked top she was wearing, groaning in annoyance. She glared at Happy, who looked back at her with maliciousness, as if the feline knew what he were up to. She debated between thanking or cursing him, as she was both relieved and disappointed at the same time at being interrupted right when she was about to have a wonderful time with the equally wonderful man.
"Okay," she replied, cringing at how awkward she sounded, and scurried out of the bathroom, skipping towards his room.
She entered, and quickly closed the door behind her to lean against it, taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart. It was not normal for someone to be so good with their mouth, and make her feel so light headed with a simple kiss.
She rubbed her face in frustration, and ran a hand through her already ruffled hair. This was exactly what she had been trying to avoid, but her instincts had taken over as soon as he had brushed his lips against hers. She had craved the contact for so long that she could not help but have another taste of his sinful mouth, and it didn't disappoint. He had made her forget about everything; the bathroom, Happy, Hades, and even Aquarius, and she had a feeling it was distracting her from her real goal.
She sighed in defeat, and walked towards the closet to rummage through the shirts Natsu had told her she could wear, and blindly grabbed one to toss it on the bed. She removed the soaked shirt, wondering how a small cat like Happy could project so much water, and groaned when she noticed that the water had also soaked through her bra. She mindlessly removed it and tossed it aside, before pulling Natsu's shirt over her head.
She smoothed it down with nervous hands, and took a deep breath before exiting the room. She could hear Happy meowing happily in the kitchen, and she followed the sound to find him sitting on the table with Natsu hovering over him with a can in his hands.
"What are you doing?" she exclaimed, rushing towards him. "I just fed him!"
"But he's hungry," argued Natsu, putting the can out of her reach when she attempted to grab it.
"It's not good for him! It's unhealthy to eat so much fish!" she replied, jumping up to reach Natsu's hands. "He'll get fat!"
"I'm just trying to reward him for being a good boy in the bath," he said. "Positive reinforcement."
"Good boy my ass," sneered Lucy, giving up on the can as Natsu was a lot taller than her. "He almost ripped my shirt and soaked me! I should trim your claws, you stupid cat!" she exclaimed, staring at a smug looking Happy with anger.
"He's not the only person who almost ripped your shirt," mumbled Natsu, looking down at her, and Lucy stared at him with wide eyes, her mouth opening in surprise at his bold statement and at the sudden change in his demeanour.
"Wh-"
She couldn't finish her sentence because the pink haired man had pushed her against the table, caging her between his arms. She gulped noticeably under his heated stare, and opened her mouth.
"What are you doing?"
"Continuing where we left off before Happy interrupted us," he explained, his gaze fixed on her lips. "We've been interrupted enough times already, and I've wanted this for long enough."
"Wait," she stopped him, placing her hands on his chest. "We really shouldn't, this is a bad idea."
"I recall us working really well together last time," he teased, and she flushed. "You were the one who initiated it before, I'm just returning the favour."
"It's not the same thing," she said, her hands leaving his chest to grab the edge of the table, brushing against his arms on the way. Her back instinctively arched into his, and she let out a gasp as her chest brushed against his, the feeling accentuated by her missing bra.
"I want you," he replied boldly, putting a hand at her lower back to push her further against him. "I know you want me as well, but if you don't want this, then tell me to stop."
(I'm such a tease, also, consent is important!)
Hey guys!
This chapter was supposed to be way longer than this, but after I was done, I realized that it was way too long to fit in one chapter, and decided to split it in two. But no worries, the second part will be up way sooner than usual!
I hope you liked this, and don't forget to leave a review!
Thanks to FairyDemonDust, Kauia, Purtisharma5, RunningWithTheRiptide, sthokatrina, Unoyoko94, animequeen100, BlessYourStar21, cookie panda-roo, NaLuFTfanatic, Senbei x Cup Ramen, Lucyds21, TaylorNReed, silver light of dawn and other guests for reviewing. Y'all rock!