"Alright, Natsu, I know you're excited about us, but I don't wanna make a big deal out of it at the guild, okay?"
Natsu nodded his understanding as they stood in front of the guild hall's doors, ready to go in.
Yes, Natsu and Lucy had finally confessed their feelings to one another the night before (and then ended up indulging in something more), and just as Lucy said, she didn't want everyone at the guild to get overexcited about their new relationship. They would tell them, but… quietly.
Happy had already found out, but they luckily wouldn't have to worry about him blabbing, as he was out fishing with Carla and Wendy.
"So be subtle, okay?"
Natsu nodded again, not even bothering trying to argue with her wishes. He wanted to announce how much he loved her to all of Fairy Tail, all of Fiore, now that he knew she loved him back, but he knew Lucy was prone to embarrassment with certain things. He squeezed her hand in his for reassurance. "I love you," he repeated softly for the umpteenth time that morning.
Lucy replied in turn with a smile before finally reaching for the door handle. The two walked in hand-in-hand, surprisingly unnoticed. Fairy Tail was too occupied in the current brawl going on and Mirajane specifically was too busy serving customers to notice the two new lovebirds.
Natsu ordered breakfast for the two of them, Mirajane still too frazzled to realize his dopey, lovesick grin, before meeting Lucy at a table, immediately taking her hand again.
"No one seems to have noticed," Lucy commented, leaning against her new boyfriend's shoulder.
"Natsu, come fight me!" Gray shouted from the pile of punches being thrown.
"No, I'm busy!" Natsu yelled back in reply, wrapping his arm around Lucy's shoulder to hold her closer.
"With what!?" Gajeel cried in indignance, breaking from the brawl to confront the fire dragon slayer directly.
Natsu groaned in annoyance. No one was seeing the "subtle" clues Lucy wanted to stick with and they weren't leaving them alone. For crying out loud, he had one of his hands clasped with hers and the other arm was wrapped around her body and holding her tight! Lucy was leaning against him! She was even wearing his scarf (to hide a certain gift he'd left last night)! What more did it take!?
"We're waiting for breakfast!" Lucy offered, starting to disentangle herself from Natsu, her embarrassment sudden and obvious to Natsu.
Natsu growled and squeezed her tighter. No. He wasn't letting the guild embarrass her into making him stop his affection.
"Natsu!" Lucy squeaked, blush growing.
"What is the matter with you?" Gray asked Natsu. "You're being especially annoying."
"Lucy, why are you so red?" The question came from Erza. "Are you getting sick?"
"No, she's not!" Natsu shouted, finally having enough. "If she was sick, we'd be at home and I'd be taking care of her! Don't you think I would know if my own girlfriend was sick!?"
Those within earshot of Natsu paused what they were doing, wondering if they'd heard right.
"What the hell do you mean, 'girlfriend'!?" Gajeel asked, irritated.
"I mean this!" was all Natsu said before cupping Lucy's face in his hands and meeting her lips with his. Lucy was wide-eyed with as hot a blush as she could have, but she didn't hesitate to melt into his kiss. She'd found Natsu's lips had an intoxicating effect on her somewhat quickly, and right then was no exception.
Not too far away, a crash was heard as Mirajane dropped the tray containing their breakfast.
Natsu and Lucy separated, Lucy still embarrassed but smiling.
"That… That wasn't very subtle," she stuttered to Natsu.