For a Tumblr Ask - A Hot Kiss
Natsu leaned his elbow on the bar, watching Lucy, Levy and Cana dancing and laughing out on the hurriedly cleared dance floor. The trestle tables had been pushed back to the walls of the guild with chairs stacked haphazardly on top, and the space left was filled with happy guild members in various stages of inebriation. He couldn't even remember the reason for the party; possibly someone's birthday, maybe a successful mission - Fairytail never needed much of an excuse.
He scanned the crowd. There were quite a few new guild members who'd joined since the Grand Magic Games. He smiled wryly - strange how everyone wanted to join now they were acknowledged as winners by royalty and had a brand new guild hall, when just a month ago they were the lowest of the low.
"The girls seem to be having a good time", murmured Mira, bringing him over a second glass of fire whiskey. "Why aren't you out there with them? You'd usually be out there dancing up a storm with Lucy?"
Natsu sipped at the whiskey, appreciating the warm burn down his throat. "Nah, I hate the music Freed picks when it's his turn to DJ", he groused. "Too peppy."
Mira winked at him. "Just happy to watch huh?"
"Quit it Mira", he grumbled, taking another sip of his drink.
Ever since they'd returned from the games, the gossip about him and Lucy had increased tenfold. He heard 'Are they / aren't they' whispers all around the guild, even out amongst the civilians in Magnolia. And the thing was, he would be happy to take it to the next level, but Lucy always got so goddamn flustered every time they got too close.
So he kept backing off, keeping their friendship happy and light, just like always, at a level she was comfortable with. People thought him oblivious, but he was just biding his time. He was happy to wait until she was ready. He'd wait forever for Lucy.
"Don't watch for too long Natsu", said Mira, nudging his elbow, "looks like you got competition."
Natsu's eyes snapped to Lucy. One of the newer male guild members was dancing a little too close to her. Every time she shuffled to one side to get closer to Cana or Levy, he closed the gap, even when the other girls swapped places as they danced to move her away from him, making it blatantly obvious that she didn't want to be near him. Then he started touching her as they danced - a hand on her arm, a brush on her waist. He saw Lucy say something to the guy with a friendly smile, but the touches continued, increased even. Lucy was starting to look uncomfortable. He got up from his seat at the bar with a scowl, about to step in when Lucy caught his eye and winked at him.
Moving slower now, letting Lucy handle things herself, he walked onto the dance floor instead of storming over ready to solve the problem with his fist. He grinned from the sidelines as she 'accidentally' stumbled, her high heeled boot grinding directly onto the toes of the man who had just put both hands on her hips, ready to grind in behind her.
"Oh, how very clumsy of me", she giggled, hiding her smile behind her hand at the man's pained expression. "I did warn you not to get so close - I'm a very clumsy dancer. Isn't that right Natsu?"
"Yup", agreed Natsu, stepping forward to casually throw an arm around Lucy's shoulders. "You'd do well to back off buddy." His tone was friendly, but the threat was definitely there.
The man scowled and shrugged, disappearing off into the crowd.
"You okay Luce?", Natsu bent to whisper into her ear.
"Yup", she grinned, bumping her hip playfully into his. "He wasn't too hard to handle. Besides, I knew I could count on you to step in if things got dicey."
Natsu grinned at her. "Always, Luce." He began to walk back to the bar, but Lucy grabbed his hand as the music started up again.
"No, don't go, I love this song. Stay and dance with me Natsu!" Natsu grinned as she grabbed his arm, then threw her hands up above her head as her hips swayed to the beat. They danced around each other, each coming up with more and more ridiculous moves, until Lucy was giggling hysterically.
"I need some fresh air", she hiccuped as the song ended, dragging Natsu off the crowded dance floor and out the front doors of the guild hall.
The air outside was much cooler, and Natsu gave a sigh of relief. As much as he loved parties at the guild, a warm room full of sweaty drunk bodies wasn't as much fun for him if he weren't sweaty and drunk himself. He drew in a deep cleansing breath, looking upwards towards the stars. He could hear the music start up again inside, a swirling insistent beat.
"Hey Natsu, would you dance with me?"
He looked at Lucy with a puzzled expression. Didn't she just drag him outside because she needed a break and some fresh air? He shrugged, taking her hand to lead her back to the dance floor, but she tugged him over to the side of the guild instead, into the shadows.
"No, out here. Where we're alone."
Natsu looked at her quizzically.
A blush rose to pink Lucy's cheeks, and she huffed out an impatient breath, blowing her fringe out of her eyes. "I know I get embarrassed easily", she began, twisting her fingers together, "and a lot of that has to do with the fact that people are always watching us, waiting for us to be together. I know that you've heard people saying that too."
Natsu stepped forward to brush the long section of hair out of Lucy's eyes, tucking it behind her ear. "I have Luce, but that's not what's important."
"What is important Natsu?" Lucy whispered, her brown doe like eyes blinking up at him. They seemed to shimmer in the starlight, and he thought she'd never looked more beautiful.
"What's important is what we want", he said softly. "I care about you Luce, a whole lot, and I'll be by your side however you want me to be, for as long as you want me to be."
"What… what if I decided that I wanted more than what we have now?" said Lucy hesitantly, her hand reaching out to softly rest on Natsu's chest.
He grinned at her. "Then I'd say I'm ready to take that step with you, as slow or as fast as you want me to."
"Dance with me Natsu", Lucy smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. Natsu's arms slid down her sides to rest lightly on her hips as they rocked to the music, gradually finding a rhythm, gradually drawing closer, until Lucy's chest was pressed tightly against Natsu's, and his thigh was between hers.
Natsu's eyes kept drifting down to Lucy's softly pouting lips. He longed to taste them, wondering if they were as pillow soft as he'd always thought, wondering if she tasted as good as she smelt. Her small pink tongue darted out to wet her bottom lip and he almost groaned aloud. Did he dare kiss her now? Would she back away, startle like a frightened deer, or would she embrace their new closeness?
He tested the waters by rubbing his cheek against hers as they danced, breathing in her strawberry shampoo scented hair. He nuzzled his nose against hers, felt the tickle of her long lashes against his cheek, brushed his lips on her cheek near the corner of her mouth, then pulled back, leaving the next step to her.
With a blush and a self conscious giggle, she obliged, tilting her face up to kiss him softly. Butterfly kisses, fluttering, barely there, tickling almost. He was content to keep their kisses soft, not wanting to frighten her, but to his great surprise she deepened the kiss and her tongue hesitantly entered his mouth, sensuously prodding his own, gliding softly over his fangs. He felt like he'd died and gone to heaven, his blood rushing hot beneath his skin, like molten lava.
Lucy moaned softly into his mouth as he returned the kiss, their tongues now dancing instead of their bodies as they wrapped themselves tightly around each other. There was no space between them but Natsu didn't feel close enough, didn't feel like he'd ever be close enough.
A small cough had Natsu on full alert, pushing a flustered Lucy behind him, ready to berate whoever had interrupted this precious moment.
"Nice night for it", commented Master softly, hands behind his back, rocking on his heels. "Just wanted to warn you that the party's breaking up, so if you don't want an audience, you might want to take this elsewhere."
Natsu snarled, ready to rage. This is exactly what had been holding Lucy back, everyone poking into their business. He felt Lucy's smaller hand curl into his, entwining their fingers.
"C'mon Natsu, let's go. You can walk me home." She bit her lip, glancing at Master and then away again, her cheeks bright.
Natsu turned on his heel, only pausing momentarily to hear Master's parting words.
"I promise I won't say anything - they won't hear it from me."
Natsu shrugged, then allowed Lucy to draw him down the path that lead to the canal, and her small flat on Strawberry Street.
Master grinned at them, watching as they walked so closely they were almost on top of each other, hands tightly woven together. He had been beginning to worry that he'd have to come back from beyond the grave to see them finally together. He was happy. And besides, with all the gossips in the guild, he'd give them two days tops before somebody else found out and he'd be free to spill the beans to Mira.