Under my hungry gaze, Lucy's face heats with a deep pink blush, it creeps over her delicate cheeks and as my eyes dip, I can see that her chest is flushed, and her pulse point is throbbing beneath her delicious looking skin.
A sharp pain crashes into me abruptly, it spirals through my entire body and as it rushes towards my head, I feel my eyes flutter close, "Am I falling?"
I can hear Lucy screaming my name, but I can't respond, there is a heavy weight on top of me and blackness swallows me whole.
"Am I floating? Where the hell am I?" my thoughts are scattered as I take in my new surroundings, a dense forest of dark leafy trees, I can smell dampness in the air. My bare feet land on the mossy ground, turning in a slow circle I try to pick up on any familiar scents to help me get back to Lucy.
A branch snaps in the treeline to my right, crouching into a defensive stance I will fire to my arms, but nothing happens. My anger is boiling over, I am getting really fed up with not knowing what the hell is going on! "Ok, come out now! I really want someone I can beat to a pulp cause I am in a foul mood!" I yell to the approaching figure, the fire might not be manifesting, but I sure as hell feel it burning in my veins.
"You must calm down Dragon Slayer, I have no wish to fight with you," the familiar voice from earlier growls at me, he has stopped moving and all I can see are two fiery orange eyes and the front set of some lethal looking talons.
"What do you want? I don't really think I'm in the right mood for a friendly chat right now," I growl back at the Dragon, my curiosity is stirring, but the anger is still winning.
The Dragon chuckles at my words, "Natsu, your spirit is a marvel. I did not plan to have this conversation, I didn't believe it would be necessary, but something has become apparent, and we must talk. Will you listen to me?" his eyes sharpen upon me as I weigh up my options.
"I don't really have a choice, do I? I have no idea where I am, I don't know how to get home and apparently you live inside me now so there isn't much chance of escape." I huff out, my arms crossing over my body, even to my own ears I sound like a stroppy child, but I am pissed.
Sighing, the Dragon speaks again, "I have been watching you Natsu, since I was awakened, I have watched every moment, waited for you to make a move, what is holding you back boy?"
"What the hell are you talking about you overgrown lizard?" I have no idea what he is on about, I never hold back, much to Master Makarov's continued dismay.
"The girl! You want her, I know you do, yet you have made no move to claim her. Why is that?" the Dragon demands, he is clearly getting angry as his growl gets louder, the trees hiding his form rustle with the vibration of his deep voice.
It feels like I have been doused with a tidal wave of cold water, why have I held back from making a move on Lucy? Truthfully, I don't even know where to start. I can feel my face heat up as I search for the right words. How can I make this Dragon understand that only moments ago I experienced my first kiss, I have no previous experience of these desires and feelings? Man, this is humiliating.
I can't help but picture Gray in my mind, there is no doubt that he would find this hilarious, "Poor flamebrain, he doesn't even know what to do with a girl, what an idiot," the phantom Gray mocks in my face. He would know what to do for sure, the massive pervert that he is, so why don't I? He isn't better than me!
"Focus Dragon Slayer!" the Dragon hisses in warning, pulling me from my imaginary beat down of the Ice Freak. "Have you ever been with a female?"
Looking away from the piercing orange eyes that appear to stare directly into my soul, I scratch the back of my neck absently, "No, um, you see, well…fucking hell this is difficult!" I stomp around the small clearing, raising my fist up to punch at a nearby tree.
"Look, I know how it works, Igneel made sure I was educated in that manner, but he always told me it should be special," I whisper the last part, grabbing a fallen stick I crouch to the ground and start to doodle in the dirt.
"I've been attracted to girls in the past," I continue, thinking back to my early teenage years when Lisanna and I had been so close, "but part of me knew that is wasn't meant to be, and I know that deep down Lisanna knew that too.
Then when I met Lucy, she was so different," a pleasant shiver rushes up my spine as I think back to our first encounter, "she sees the best in everyone and her fighting spirit could rival my own," I chuckle quietly.
"I was sure in the beginning that it was only because we were such good friends, but over the years I have found myself more and more attracted to her, I can't even remember the last time we weren't together.
Lucy is beautiful, inside and out and maybe I don't deserve her," I muse as a jet of crimson fire bursts into the clearing, it singes several of the surrounding trees. "Fire don't scare me buddy! I can't help if I feel like I am not worthy of her, but it doesn't mean I am going to walk away, like hell I will!" I rage at the Dragon.
"Listen here Dragon Slayer, I am willing to sit back for a little longer. You need some time to experience our mate before it is time to mark her. I do not wish her any harm, it goes against my usual nature, but I will hold back for now. DO NOT INTERRUPT!" he bellows as I open my mouth to question him further, scowling I close my mouth and wait for him to continue.
"I will not wait long, if you fail to do as I ask then I will be forced to surface again and take matters into my own hands."
On those last words I am sucked out of the forest and the darkness creeps over me once more.
~.~
"NATSU!" I scream as his body plummets forward and hits the floor hard. A booming crack sounds in the room, glancing at Porlyuscia, her face is ashen as she moves to roll the prone Natsu over.
We both gasp in unison, the rune marked restraints have a deep crack along both cuffs, the spell containing his magic has been broken.
"We may not have long girl; it is extremely important that you know what you will be faced with when he comes to. I need to know firstly, do you have feelings for the boy?" the healer asks, grabbing my shoulders to bring my gaze away from the Fire Dragon Slayer at my feet. My heart rate spikes at the abrupt question, stammering I search for an answer.
"There is no time for embarrassment, it is a simple yes or no. I can't help if I don't know what I am working with," Porlyuscia demands, shaking me roughly.
"Yes! I have feelings for Natsu, I have done for ages. What is going to happen when he wakes up?" I half yell the words, relief washes through me at finally voicing my long-hidden desires. Porlyuscia also appears greatly relieved with that knowledge as she releases a long breath.
"Let's move him somewhere more comfortable, grab his other arm," the pink haired woman says as she bends to take the other side of Natsu's dead weight. My gosh he is so heavy, we struggle with his unconscious form until we can release him on to my bed, I climb next to him and stroke his soft pink hair out of his face. I can feel his eyes moving behind their eyelids, "is he dreaming?"
As I continue to stroke Natsu's silky soft mane, Porlyuscia moves to the doorway, "I can only imagine what you are in for when he awakes, my guess is that things will…progress, let's say," she waves her hand as she thinks of the best way to say this. "Be prepared to witness a different side to the boy, one you will likely have never seen before. I must return home and start work on stronger magical restraints; it seems like these ones weren't up for the job. If you find yourself in need of them, I will ensure there are pairs available at the Fairy Tail guildhall."
Porlyuscia is almost out of the door before she turns and throws a small pink vial to me, "drink this now, you can thank me later."
"What is it?" I shout to the now vanishing woman, turning the small bottle round in my palm.
"Birth control," is the distant reply, my face instantly lights up as I stare open-mouthed at the bottle.
~.~
The first thing I am aware of is long delicate fingers stroking my hair and a faint humming sound, like someone is soothing a crying baby. My eyes fly open, and a loud gasp sounds next to my ear, I must be lying on a bed as I feel it dip quickly and the fingers retreat from my hair.
Groaning loudly, I move my hand to rub at my aching head, both hands move as I remember too late about the manacles, they clonk me in the forehead and I see stars dancing for a few seconds. "Ow!" I cry out, could things get any worse?
As my eyes move around my immediate surroundings, I spy Lucy kneeling on the bed by my feet, she appears to be clutching a small pink vial. "Hey, are you ok?" I ask as I wriggle my shoulders and hips, so I am more upright on the bed.
Her large round eyes stare at me for a beat before she replies, "I was so worried," she throws herself forward to wrap her arms around my shoulder, her head burrows into the crook of my neck and I can feel her tears dripping on to my skin. I can't stop myself from inhaling her sweet aroma, I long to wrap my own arms around her body but the restraints are preventing that, plus she is pinning me down.
"Talk to me Luce," I whisper, "did I hurt you?" I am more afraid of the answer to this question than anything else I have faced in my life. My forefinger strokes across her stomach as it is the only part I can reach in this position.
Lucy lifts from my body and I miss her warmth immediately, wiping her tears away she fixes me with a shaky smile. "No Natsu, you didn't hurt me you big dummy, what you did do is scare the ever-loving heck out of me!" she punches my shoulder lightly as I breathe a deep sigh of relief.
"Don't you think I've suffered enough; must you continue to hurt me?" I whine, my bottom lip sticks out as I give Lucy my best puppy dog eyes, her returning giggle makes my chest puff out just a little.
"Well, this is awkward," I think to myself as I consider what to say next. "How am I supposed to do this? I need to find out if she feels the same way as I do and I have no idea how," I muse as I stare at the ceiling, maybe I should try some more humour. "So, Lucy, are you planning to keep me chained up so you can do something wicked to me? I didn't figure you as the kinky type," I wink at Lucy who is getting redder by the second.
Her spine stiffens as she pulls herself upright on the bed, there is a strange spark in her eyes that I wasn't expecting, she starts to tip toe her fingers up my leg, making my breath hitch. "Well, I think these restraints are probably keeping me safe from you right now, don't you think?" she practically purrs at me, my eyes widen at her boldness.
Without further thought I grab her wandering hand with both of mine, pulling her off balance and on to my body. Before she can react, I roll with her, so she is now laying under me, my chained arms move to cage her head and I make sure not to bear too much of my weight on her body. "You need to tell me right now if you don't want this Lucy," I whisper huskily in her ear, I can hardly recognise my own voice. Inside I am praying she does not reject me; I close my eyes waiting for her reply.
My eyes fly open when I feel Lucy begin to trace her fingers ever so gently along the side of my face, I can't stop myself from nuzzling the hand as she cups my cheek. The forefinger of her other hand brushes across my lower lip and I gasp as a charge of electricity passes between us. Lucy's head lifts from the bed slowly, our lips meet in the softest kiss imaginable. It is over sooner than I want, Lucy smiles and whispers, "I want you Natsu, I have wanted you for a long time."
"Well, that was easier than I thought it would be," I chuckle, grinning my first easy grin in what feels like days, Lucy smacks my chest as she rolls her eyes at my childlike amusement. Working on pure instinct, I pull my wrists apart, the metal holding them together snaps and Lucy gasps at my feat of strength, "so where were we again?" I ask, lowering my mouth back for another kiss.
"You can do this Natsu, just don't fuck it up!"