This is a birthday present for the awesome MissyPlatinum! Her stories always put a smile on my face, so hopefully I can return the favor. I know how much you like fluffy stories, so here goes! Happy birthday!

Summary: Lucy thought she was going to be babysitting Wendy. However, things take an odd turn when she finds out that Wendy's older brother Natsu made other plans for her.

Pairing: Natsu/Lucy

Genre: Romance

Word count: 7,305

Can you wait until fall?

Spring

A knock sounded on the door of the Dragneel' residence. Natsu hopped up from the couch, gladly ready to answer it. Once the door swung open, he greeted the two females outside. "Hello Virgo, Lucy." He kept his voice casual, not wanting to seem suspicious.

"Good morning, Natsu," the older woman said. She wore her usual french maid's uniform, her short pink hair gelled down to give her a serious look. "You need Lucy until six, right?"

'I need her for longer than that...'

He cast that thought away, knowing it was the most embarrassing answer he could give right now. "Yup, 'til six."

"Okay. Jude is out of town and I'll be gone at that time, so when she's done she'll just take the bus."

"I'll make sure she gets to the bus stop safely." He assured.

"That'll be fine. Well, have a good day. Lucy, behave yourself. If she acts up even a little bit please call me." The pink haired woman gave Lucy a little wink, causing the girl to blush.

"I'll keep that in mind." Natsu laughed, loving when Lucy got flustered. He preferred when he did it himself, but this was fun too. He watched as the older woman turned to walk away, not aware of the mischief the teenage boy was planning.

"Come in," Natsu said, scooting to the side for the girl to enter. He wanted to give Virgo some time to leave before making his move.

Lucy was beyond confused. Never had she babysat for Wendy on a Sunday, and never for this long. Eight hours were going to be so boring. She didn't have any homework, and she had already read all her books, so Lucy had nothing to distract her when Wendy would take her nap.

She didn't even bother bringing her backpack. All she had on her person was her clothes and her purse which was filled with her wallet, a small notebook, and a few pens in case she got inspired to write something.

The blonde entered the living room and looked around. She didn't see Natsu's baby sister anywhere, deepening her confusion.

"Oi, I thought I told Virgo to tell you to wear summer clothes?" Natsu's voice came over her shoulders. She turned to see him looking over her outfit for the day.

She was wearing a dark pink, button up shirt. The long sleeves were cuffed back to reach her elbows. Her long legs were covered in a pair of dark jeans, and her feet in a simple pair of black shoes. Her long blonde hair was hanging loosely past her shoulders.

Lucy averted his gaze, feeling her heart speed up. "I-I felt more comfortable in this..." She hadn't spent very much time alone with Mr. and Mrs. Dragneel's son, Natsu. Usually they only saw each other in passing when she would come over to watch their toddler, Wendy. They'd talked a few times, but not very often. She always felt flustered around the handsome teen.

Natsu just shrugged. "If you say so. You might sweat though. It's pretty warm in Hargeon today." He had prepared, wearing a short-sleeved white shirt with a red dragon on the front, paired with some black cargo shorts.

"Hargeon?" The teen questioned, meeting his eyes again.

"Yup!" His green eyes gleamed. "I thought maybe we could hang out today."

Lucy raised a brow. "Aren't I supposed to be babysitting Wendy? Which by the way, where is she?"

"Nope. She's out for the day with my parents." He said it nonchalantly, throwing her off.

Her brows furrowed. None of this made sense. "Then why am I here?"

"I just said, I wanna hang out with you." Natsu grinned. "You're acting so weird."

She just stared at him as she thought, 'I'm the weird one?'

Lucy gave a half-smile, deciding that it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to hang out with Natsu. He seemed like a decent guy, though she didn't really know. She wasn't allowed to hang out with people, her father being very strict. This might be the only chance she got to actually spend a day like a normal teenager. "O-okay..."

"Come on." He lightly grabbed her wrist and brought her outside. He led her down the stairs and through the parking lot. In no time they were already waiting a block away from his house for a bus.

Lucy looked at the pink haired teen. "What about your motion sickness? I thought your mom said you suffer from it?" It had been a minor detail in a conversation she had with Mrs. Dragneel, but it stuck out to Lucy. She'd never met someone before who had that issue.

"Ehh. I'll be fine. I'll try not to puke on ya." He laughed, although his voice didn't make it sound like a joke.

"What?" Her eyes went wide as she took a step away from him.

He didn't answer her since the bus was already arriving. One step onto the large vehicle and he was already wobbling. "I have a bad feeling about this..." Lucy sighed as she watched the pink haired teen pay for two fares.

Thirty bumpy minutes later they were disembarking the vehicle Natsu dubbed 'Satan's happy place'. He managed to not puke, but he did spend the majority of the ride groaning. She'd never seen his motion sickness in action, and didn't know it was so crippling. She understood now why his mother said he walked everywhere. She had wanted to help him somehow, but was nervous to touch him. She still wasn't sure what was even going on.

It took a few minutes for the pink haired teen to get over his sickness and act normal. Well, what she considered normal. She hadn't hung out with him enough to know how he usually acted.

When he bounced back to life, he looked around. "Alright... Which way do I go again...?"

"Natsu... What am I really doing here?" Lucy asked as she looked around the bus station. She guessed they were in downtown Hargeon, but she'd only been to the city a few times. Not enough visits to know her way around though.

He glanced over to the uneasy blonde. He internally cringed, realizing that maybe it was a bad idea to do this without asking first. "I told ya. I wanna hang out with you." Pink lightly dusted his cheeks as he admitted, "I thought maybe I could take you on a d-date..."

"A date?" She asked in disbelief.

"If that's okay with you." He sounded so nervous. He'd never been on a date before. No one ever caught his interest until Lucy. She was so kind and sweet to him, even if they didn't talk much. It made him want to get to know her better, but he quickly found out she didn't just hang out with people normally.

That's why he called up Virgo to ask Lucy to 'babysit Wendy'. It was his way of getting close to her. Admittedly it probably wasn't the best idea, especially since it was going to cost him a pretty penny in the end. Lucy's fees were high, but it was because she was certified in almost everything and had a long list of references. She could afford to charge so much.

"Well, I've never had a date before..." She felt the heat on her cheeks, but ignored it. She looked up at his green eyes, finding no reason to distrust him yet. She smiled, feeling a little excited now. "...I'd love to go on a date with you."

Lucy saw the way her words brought a smile to his face. "So... Do you have anything planned?" Her curious tone enthralled him, making him feel a little bit more confident about his plan.

"Actually yeah," he cautiously grabbed her hand. When she didn't protest, he led her towards the sidewalk. "We're gonna do something really fun!"

That intrigued her. "And what's that?" She felt her heart speed up from the simple hand holding. She'd never held hands with a boy before. In fact she'd barely talked to any boys. Sure there were boys at the private school she attended, but they were focused on their studies, not that she blamed them. Her priority when she was in school was her grades, so that left no room for boys, dates, or fun.

"Mini golf," he beamed.

The blonde paled. "I'm probably going to be horrible though... I've never played..."

Natsu laughed. "That's fine. I'm terrible at it too, but it's super fun. I promise."

Lucy smiled at the joyful expression he gave her. She nodded, following him to their destination. Even after they reached the building with dinosaur statues holding golf clubs outside, Natsu still held her hand. He'd even intertwined their fingers somewhere towards the middle of the walk. He couldn't believe how happy it made him when Lucy didn't move away from him.

"You ready?" He asked as they stood outside the Jurassic themed course.

"If I say no, would it make a difference?" She asked, making Natsu laugh.

He grinned at the pretty girl, tugging her along. "Trust me, it never does."

Twenty minutes had passed, and now Natsu was sweating as he stared at the hole in the ground. He held his breath, waiting until-

"No fair! You have to be cheating!" Natsu groaned when Lucy's pink ball went straight into the hole. "You've done this before haven't you?"

"I really haven't," she laughed at his accusation. "I guess I have natural talent."

Despite losing, he was glad to see she'd lightened up considerably since he first saw her that morning. He was worried she'd be quiet the whole time, but she was already joking around with him. Especially on the last hole when she flat out said he sucked at this game. She learned fast not to be a sore winner when that comment earned her a tickling by Natsu.

"I still have two more holes to catch up with you." He grumbled as he hit his red ball. This game required concentration and skill. He apparently lacked both. "Dammit!"

His ball brushed the edge of the hole, but continued on. Lucy patted his back, surprised that she didn't feel shy touching him like that. She tried to ignore her nervousness as she gave him advice. "You're hitting it to hard. Try to do it softer."

Natsu blushed at her touch, but tried to remain calm. "Like this?" He barely tapped the ball, watching it move and stop right next to the hole. "Huh..."

"That's better." Lucy cheered him on, not caring who really won or not. She was having so much fun, and was already forgetting about her real life filled with studying and babysitting. That's all she really did. Her boring life seemed to fade away with every giggle Natsu caused her to expel.

He tapped it again and the damn ball finally went in. "Awesome!"

"Great job!" The blonde teenager collected their balls and proceeded to the next course. "Do you have any plans after this?" She hoped their 'date' wouldn't be ending soon. Natsu was surprisingly a fun guy to spend time with.

"Actually yeah, but we need to kill some time before then." He purposely kept it vague, not wanting to ruin the surprise.

"What are we doing?" She asked, trying to contain her growing excitement.

Natsu could easily see the shine in her brown eyes. "It's a secret."

"Oh really? May I have any hints?"

"You may not." He plucked the red ball from her hand, giving her a coy smile.

She jutted out her bottom lip. "Please?"

The pink haired teen shook his head. "Your cuteness will not work on me." His eyes went wide when he realized he said that out loud. "Wait, I-I didn't mean that, well I mean you are cute, but- oh god! I'm sorry!"

Lucy laughed, finding his stammering adorable. "It's alright," she felt her heart skip a beat from his compliment. "I'll forgive you if you tell me what we're doing later?"

"What? No way!" Natsu wasn't going to be fooled that easily.

"Are you sure?" The girl feigned a sad expression that pulled on his heartstrings. "Pretty please?"

"Er..." His mouth twisted with confliction. He really wanted to tell her, but he also wanted to look at her expression when he surprised her. His only option was to turn away while his face scorched from the fierce blush. "N-nope... Not working me..."

"Alright," she sighed, letting him keep his little secret. She wouldn't have to wait that long to find out anyway.

"It's your turn." He stepped aside so she could do her magic. For someone who'd never played before, she was sure kicking his ass. The girl sank a hole in one before it was even his turn. "Shit. I'm gonna lose aren't I?"

"I believe so." She smiled as she waited for his turn.

"That's okay. If I'm gonna lose to anyone, I'd rather it be you." Natsu was a competitive person, but to see Lucy's smile, he'd lose a hundred times.

He tapped his ball and watched it stop an inch away from the hole. "Well... It's better than I've been doing."

"That's the spirit!" She had more faith in him than he did at that moment.

"Yeah yeah..." He hoped the blush he felt wasn't noticeable as he tapped the ball again, letting it sink into the hole. "One more hole."

They walked in peaceful silence while their hands kept brushing against each other. "Hey Natsu..."

"Yea?"

"Thanks for this. I'm having a lot of fun." She spoke honestly, letting her guard down. She realized it wasn't needed right now. 'Natsu's a good guy...'

He grinned, "I'm glad. Especially since we're not even close to done yet."

"We're not?"

"Nope. I get to keep bothering you until six, and I'mma make it worth it." Natsu didn't even bother hiding his blush now. He was feeling way too damn good.

The blonde smirked. "Good luck bothering me." She was having nothing but fun with him.

"Is that a challenge?" He raised a pink brow defiantly.

"I think so," she mused.

"You're on!" Natsu rose a fist in the air. "I'm all fired up now."

They both laughed as they made their way to the next hole. There, Natsu's fire was put out immediately. After Lucy -obviously- won, the duo left the golf course to return their equipment. That's when they left to go search for food, finding themselves in front of a cute looking restaurant.

The establishment appeared to be two stories, built out of tan-painted wood. Large windows reflected the outside, letting the people inside eat in peace without watchful eyes. There was a brick chimney that looked more for show than anything. A large sign decorated the building. The word '8-island' was centered on the sign, with a knife and a fork surrounding the word. There was an adorable little chef's hat resting on the corner of it.

"I've never been in, but I hear good things." Natsu jerked a thumb towards the building.

"I'm not really hungry." Lucy fibbed, but her traitorous stomach gave away her lie with a loud roar. Sarcasm infused with her voice as she added, "well that wasn't embarrassing at all..."

He gently held her hand, loving the way her soft fingers fit through his rough ones. "Come on. Let's eat."

He didn't give her a chance to protest as he already started walking to the entrance.

A perky woman smiled when they walked in. She was wearing an orange dress with the restaurant's name printed across her chest. Her legs were covered in thigh high, white stockings. "Hello and welcome to 8-Island. How many in your party?"

"Just two." Natsu responded while rubbing his thumb on Lucy's thumb, sending jolts through the girl's system.

The woman nodded. "Right this way."

Natsu continued to hold Lucy's hand as they followed the hostess to a booth in the back of the restaurant. He noticed that all the women who worked there wore the same uniform, while the men wore white, long-sleeve, button up shirts with black vests over them paired with black pleated pants, and black shoes.

The restaurant itself was pretty cozy. The hardwood floors complimented the pink booths. The wall was painted beige with light green trim. Natsu felt comfortable being surrounded by such a bright and friendly looking place. He hoped was hoping Lucy did too.

They sat across from each other, forcing Natsu to regrettably let go of her hand. He didn't have much time to worry about it since they were handed menus and told their waiter would be with them shortly.

"Do you know what you'll get?" Lucy said, glancing at the different leafy choices.

"Hmmm... I was thinkin' I'll get one of everything..." Natsu's voice didn't waver in the slightest.

Lucy's jaw went slack. "You're joking... Right?"

"I dunno. Guess you'll have to find out." His devious smile told her he probably wasn't messing around.

It wasn't long before the waiter came to get their drink orders. "Okay, so a coke for you sir, and a strawberry lemonade for you miss?" Their waiter smiled after they nodded. "I'll be right back. Take your time looking over the menus."

"So do you know what you want?" Natsu leaned in, already knowing what he would order.

Lucy pointed to a green option. "I'm going to get the house salad."

Natsu made a buzzer sound. "Wrong answer." He smirked when she cocked her head. "There's only one rule for eating with me. No salads. Well, unless it comes with a salad, but that's different."

Lucy looked puzzled. "I can't order a salad?"

"That's correct." He nodded, then her smile faltered.

"Oh..."

He cringed when he realized he probably offended her. "Eh, unless you really want one." He waved his palms at her frantically in a mock surrender. "Don't let me dictate what you can and can't eat. I was only joking. Well, kinda joking... But I can live with it."

"Oh, it's not that. I'm only allowed to order salads when I go out, so that's all I've ever known." Lucy glanced back at the menu with curious eyes. She'd long given up on even browsing other sections, knowing it would just make her stomach twist with want. Her father wanted her to be as healthy as possible, leaving her with limited options.

Natsu lifted a brow. "Wow... That sucks. I can't imagine eating just salads..."

Lucy could only shrug. "You get used to it after a while."

Natsu opened his mouth to speak, but another's male voice beat him. "Are you ready to order?" The waiter placed their drinks in front of them and pulled out a notepad.

The pink haired teen smiled, and Lucy started to get a bad feeling about the way his eyes glowed. "I'll have..."

"W-where did you put it all?" The blonde teenager asked as they walked down the street. She was referring to the large amount of food he ate, because his stomach was still flat.

"It's a secret." He smiled as he rested his palms against the back of his head, letting his fingers sink into his soft, pink locks.

Natsu had ordered a 9 oz sirloin steak, a half rack of baby back ribs, and a plate full of chicken tenders. It wasn't complete without a side of fries, a side of onion rings, and a bottle of their hottest hot sauce. Somehow he managed to eat everything, which baffled Lucy, who only ordered the chicken fettuccine alfredo and a side salad.

"High metabolism?" Lucy guessed with a laugh.

He practically shrieked. "Who told you?!"

That only made the blonde beauty crack up more. He was glad she was laughing. Things had gotten...a little awkward while they were eating.

Natsu had been in the process of shoving another piece of chicken in his mouth when a voice had resonated beside them.

"How is everything?"

Natsu and Lucy looked over to see a short, older man smiling at them. His eyes were squinting, and it was hard to tell if he could even see them. He had thick gray eyebrows and a small but thick mustache. A chef's hat with the restaurant's name adorned his bald head. He was in a white chef's uniform with an apron tied around his waist.

"Everything's great! Right Lucy?" Natsu said, then devoured the deep-fried chicken piece.

"Mhmm... It's very delicious." The blonde teenager agreed, loving the freedom of eating pasta without her overprotective father around to stop her.

The short man smiled. "That's good to hear. I'm the owner, Yajima, and I just couldn't help but come over. You two are the cutest couple I've seen in a while."

"Cutest..." Natsu started.

"...Couple?" Lucy finished.

"Yes. It's such a great thing to see young love. Well, I'll let you get back to your meal. Thank you for coming in today." The old man walked away before the other two could fully process what just happened.

"N-no p-problem..." Natsu sputtered, feeling his cheeks burn. Lucy blushed just as badly as him, which made him feel better and worse at the same time.

Things only got more awkward when the check came. Lucy tried to pay for herself, but Natsu refused, saying it was the gentlemanly thing to do. She huffed and said she could do it herself, but he continued to argue.

It was finally decided that Natsu would pay when he shoved his debit card at the frightened waiter without even looking at the bill. He only saw the price when he went to add a tip and sign the receipt. He didn't know why Lucy was making a big deal about it, seeing as her food price didn't even compare to his. Hell, the tip was almost as much as her pasta dish.

They had left the restaurant in silence while Natsu led her down the street. Only when she noticed his lack of belly did she break the uncomfortable silence.

She finished her fit of giggles, then straightened herself. "So... What's next?"

"Your surprise."

"I see." Her smile widened without her consent, not that she would have denied the urge anyway. Overall she was having an amazing day. She couldn't possibly imagine it getting any better.

Lucy daringly seized his hand, feeling him jolt at the action. He clearly wasn't expecting her to initiate anything with him, seeing as he'd been the one making all the first moves so far.

He laced their fingers together as they continued walking. After a few blocks, he stopped. "Well, we're here."

Lucy hadn't even noticed they arrived in front of a large theater. "We're going to see a movie?"

"Not just any movie..." He smirked as he tugged her along to the ticket line. The line was decent, with not a terribly long wait. When they arrived at the front, Lucy watched intently for which movie he'd pick.

"How can I help you?" A teenager girl asked behind the booth.

"Two for 'The Soul's Inferno'." Natsu said.

The employee nodded, accepting his card and swiping it at the register. She handed him his card back along with two tickets. "Enjoy the show."

"Thanks." Natsu nodded, pulling on Lucy's hand again. When they walked inside, he asked, "want anything from the concession stand?"

"What? We just ate." She eyed him suspiciously. There was no way he could cram more food into his stomach. It was impossible!

"And?"

Lucy had to force the words out because she was almost rendered speechless. "How are you still hungry?"

"I'm always hungry." That was the only explanation he offered as he walked towards the smell of butter. They gave their tickets to a short man, who ripped them in half and gave them back the bottom portion. After getting past him, Natsu got in line for more food.

Lucy was even more confused. She couldn't figure out why anyone would still want food after everything he ate. He ordered a medium bag and a large bag of popcorn with a large soda. He handed the medium one to her, even though she made it clear she didn't want anything else to eat.

It became obvious why he got them different bags after he pulled out a tiny bottle of cayenne pepper seasoning. He sprinkled it generously over the melted butter, letting it attach to the popcorn. If she changed her mind later about wanting some, she wouldn't have to deal with having her mouth set on fire from trying to steal from him.

With new food in hands, they walked to the theater designated for their movie. Luckily it had been out a few weeks now, so not a lot of people were present. He led her to the middle row to the center chairs.

Lucy couldn't even remember the last time she saw a movie in theaters. In fact, realizing how much freedom she had today made her aware that she'd been missing out on a lot of stuff. She'd been denied fun just because her father was so strict, and it didn't even make sense. She wasn't doing anything reckless today, so why were these things not allowed?

She didn't have to spend a lot of time in her head though, because the trailers for other movies started, and she got absorbed into the amazing scenes.

Natsu proved to be the biggest dork ever by doing the oldest move in the book. He nervously pretended to stretch so he could rest an arm around her shoulders. Lucy didn't mind his touch, but it did cause a slight flutter in her heart.

Since he didn't seem to mind touching her, she got bold. She snuggled in close, letting Natsu's natural body heat warm her up in the cold theater. She heard his sharp intake of air, but after a few seconds he relaxed. His thumb even started rubbing against her shoulder.

Once the movie started, the laughing was unavoidable. Two minutes. That's how long it took before the blonde let her giggles tumble out. Natsu was right along with her, enjoying the movie far more than he thought he would.

Natsu kept a tight hold around Lucy, loving the way she vibrated when she laughed. Needless to say, it was the most fun he'd ever had watching a movie with someone.

"THAT CREEP FROM THE HOSPITAL FOLLOWED ME HOME!" Natsu laughed as he wrapped an arm around Lucy. They were recounting their favorite lines of the amazing movie they'd just watched.

"Oii, you shouldn't be callin' your old man a creep!" Lucy put her hand on his, pulling him closer.

The pink haired teen made his voice lighter, almost sounding like a girl as he quoted, "I'm not calling my dad a creep! I'm calling you one!"

The blonde's eyes were tearing up as her face went red from the lack of oxygen.

Natsu tried to talk, but he couldn't start since he was dying from laughter as well.

Lucy breathed, filling her lungs with the necessary air. "Thank you for taking me to see that. It was so funny! Even if some parts were sad, I loved it!"

"No problem. I'm glad you enjoyed it." He grinned down at her before he felt nature's call. "Hey, I'll be right back, I gotta use the bathroom. Wait right here?"

"I'm not going anywhere." Lucy assured as they broke away.

She was still smiling, her cheeks were in pain from how happy she was. Throughout the whole movie, Natsu kept his arm around her. It was so comforting, especially since he didn't try to take it any further than that. He really was a gentleman.

Natsu was not gone for a whole minute before Lucy felt a presence behind her. She whipped around with beaming eyes. "That was fast Na- Who are you?"

The blonde teenager stared at a young man who was definitely not Natsu. He appeared to be a few years older than her. His crimson-brown hair and red eyes suited his tan skin. He stared at the girl with an expressionless face.

Lucy took a step away from the odd man. "Can I...help you?"

"Such beauty! Kapow!" The man's hands flew to his cheeks as his face warmed with a blush. "I've never seen someone as pretty as you! And what do they call this loveliness?"

"Uh... Lucy?" It sounded like she was unsure.

"Lucy! Lucy! Lucy! Stunning perfection has a name!" He twirled in a circle, causing her to take another step back. "May I call you Lulu?"

She deadpanned. "I dunno..."

"It's nice to meet you Lulu, my name is Dan Straight." The young man bowed. "I'd be honored if you'd give me your phone number."

"..."

Lucy had nothing to say to him, because currently her mouth wasn't working. It just hung open in utter shock.

"Who's this guy?" A familiar voice asked. The pink haired teen she'd been spending the day with stepped to her right side, taking in the sight of the new man.

"Natsu," Lucy smiled at her savior.

Dan cocked his head. "Who's this, your brother?"

The pink haired teen paled. "Do I look like her freakin' brother?" He knew they didn't look alike, so he was thoroughly confused by the question.

"Doesn't matter to me." The young man said, then turned back to Lucy, taking her hand. "Now, where were we?"

"Hey," Natsu carefully jerked Lucy's hand away from the unknown guy. "Hands off."

"What? Why?" The crimson haired man asked earnestly.

"B-because..." He didn't actually have a reason other than he was simply jealous. Surprisingly it didn't take much thought before he was daringly making a proclamation. "I'm her... Her...boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" Lucy and Dan asked simultaneously.

"Yeah..." Natsu rubbed the back of his neck just as he began to sweat. "Right?"

"Y-yeah." Lucy blushed, going along with the ruse. She only wished that it wasn't just a ploy to get rid of the guy.

Dan shook his head. "I'm confused. So you're not single?"

"Sorry, I'm not." The blonde looked into Natsu's emerald eyes. They easily captivated her, making her heart race.

The young man huffed. "I guess I can't be that mad. I just hope he treats you right."

Without another word, the man left the fake couple to greet a group of girls. They could faintly hear him asking one of them for her phone number as well.

Lucy was still gazing at Natsu. "Boyfriend, huh?"

His tan face turned scarlet in an instant. "Yeah... Sorry about that..."

"It's fine," she said nervously, feeling her palms sweat. She felt a little out of place, so she changed the subject before things got weird. "So... Where to next?"

The pink haired boy grinned wide, his sharp canines showing. His face was still red, but that didn't stop him from saying, "there's a really cool park a few blocks over. I thought we could take a break for a bit."

Natsu's suggestion sounded great. Lucy nodded, feeling better already. "I'd like that.

True to his word, the park was just down the street. Lucy had already decided that she liked downtown Hargeon. It was near the ocean, but it didn't look like they'd be going there today. It was probably for the better, seeing as she didn't have a swimsuit anyway.

'Maybe another time...' She thought, wondering if she should ask if he'd ever want to hang out with her like this again... She sure hoped so.

The pink haired teen pulled her along until they stopped in front of an ice cream cart. He was adamant about getting frozen treats, and with the hot weather, the girl really couldn't resist.

Lucy got a bowl of strawberry ice cream, while Natsu chose vanilla ice cream in a cone. They walked around the park, only one word coming to Lucy's mind as she saw the area. "Beautiful."

"Yeah." Natsu agreed, but he wasn't looking at their surroundings. He was watching the gorgeous blonde as she scooped up another spoonful of her pink treat.

When they reached the center of the park, Lucy couldn't help but gasp. Right in front of her was a old, stone water fountain. Despite its age, it appeared to be well taken care of. Children were throwing coins in the clear water, laughing and enjoying the warm temperature. Wooden benches lined the smooth, stone tile path that lead to away from the fountain.

Luscious green trees surrounded the park, creating enough shade from the harsh sun. Birds happily chirped away as pedestrians walked by. The wind was blowing just enough to cool them down, making the day even better.

Lucy hadn't had this much fun since her mother was alive. She had more freedom, more laughs, and more smiles than she could even fathom possible. She looked up at her boyfriend, knowing it was all thanks to him.

'If only he was my real boyfriend...'

Boldly taking his hand, she led them to a bench so they could eat and people watch. They sat in peaceful silence, enjoying the fresh air. Lucy was nearly done with her treat when she felt something ice cold against her nose.

"AH!" She flinched back, trying to figure out why she saw brown in the corners of her eyes, or why Natsu was laughing beside her. "What'd you do?"

Without words, he dabbed her nose again with his vanilla ice cream. A playful smirk rested on his lips, trying to tease the now frazzled girl.

All she could do was stare at him, wondering if that really just happened. "Don't just stare at me! Clean it up!"

Although she was yelling, he could see her trying to hold back a smile. "With what?" Natsu asked coyly. They hadn't grabbed any napkins, and he didn't want to get his white shirt dirty.

"I don't know!" She shot back as she gestured to her face. "It's so cold and this is your fault!"

"How about this?" He scooted closer, ignoring personal boundaries as he leaned his face to hers. She didn't even have a chance to ask why he was opening his mouth.

His hot tongue contrasted with the cold ice cream, sending a jolt through her body when he licked up the dessert. After swiping across her nose, he lingered for a bit. His mouth hovering a few inches away from hers. Her gaze was enough to transfix him. She wanted him to do something, but seeing that he wasn't going to move she decided to take action.

Her soft lips crashed into his surprisingly cold and wet ones. She felt him press against her lips, kissing her back. It was too brief for her liking, so when Natsu pulled away, she leaned in. He took the hint, seeing that she didn't want the kiss to end. At first he was worried that she hadn't meant to kiss him, but now he saw she wanted it just as much as he did.

Neither asked for permission as their mouths opened to deepen the kiss. Her tongue licked his as their saliva combined with the taste of their ice creams. It was hard to tell where her flavor began and his ended, and neither seemed to care as they kissed in the park.

It felt tantalizing to lip lock with a boy she liked. She'd never had a kiss until now. She'd never been interested before, but now she was hooked on Natsu's addicting lips.

The pink haired teen used his unoccupied hand to cup Lucy's cheek. She leaned into the touch, eyes closed as she simply enjoyed Natsu's kiss.

Their frozen treats when unnoticed. Natsu found that Lucy's mouth was far tastier anyway. He could taste her all day, but unfortunately they needed to stop for the dumbest of reasons: Oxygen. They broke apart, sucking in the precious air they'd been denying their lungs.

Natsu rested his forehead against Lucy's as he closed his eyes. A thin layer of sweat coated their skin, but he didn't mind. He felt comfortable being with her. He had to tell her how he felt before the moment slipped away.

"I like you, Lucy." The words felt so right rolling off his tongue, a rapturous feeling swelled in his heart because he had finally said it out loud.

When he opened his eyes, he was met with a stunned Lucy. Her own chocolate orbs were wide and her jaw went slack. He could see the confliction in her, and he wondered briefly if he should have just kept his feelings to himself after all.

"Natsu..."

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, feeling hurt from the rejection that was coming any moment. He dropped his head in shame. He knew a pretty girl like Lucy wouldn't like him back.

"Please don't be sorry. I... I like you too."

The pink haired boy looked up, shocked by her words. "You do?"

Lucy nodded, her own smile forming. "But, there's something you should know..."

"What is it?" He asked, still surprised that she liked him back. At this point he could handle anything.

The blonde sighed, taking his hands. "This was fun, but I can't do this anymore." When she saw his face fall, she quickly added, "at least not right now."

"What do you mean?" His eyebrows knitted together, not understanding what she said.

"I'm not allowed to date, at least not while I live under my father's roof. It's a stupid rule he has," she explained, hoping it would help. "I graduate in a few months, then I'll be free to leave home..."

Natsu waited, wanting to say something but remaining silent.

"If you're willing to wait..."

"I can wait," he said in a rush. "However long."

She giggled, happy by his enthusiasm. "I'm glad. I'm planning on going to Magnolia University. Freshmen have to live in the dorms, meaning I'm technically not under my father's roof anymore."

He smiled, realizing what she was saying. "So... When that happens, I can ask you out?"

"You can," Lucy saw the gleam in his deep green eyes.

He felt a spark of hope when he asked, "and you'll say yes?"

"Yes."

Natsu grinned, his sharp white teeth poking out. "Awesome!"

Lucy could only laugh and nod. 'Yes, awesome.'

"So... earlier with the whole boyfriend girlfriend thing..."

She sighed. "That was for show, but if I wasn't such a stickler for rules, it would be real."

"That's good to know." Natsu let out a little laugh. "Hey Lucy... Can I hug you?"

"Of course!" She opened her arms, happily accepting a hug from Natsu.

His warm arms wrapped around her, pulling her against his firm chest. She closed her eyes, feeling content in his arms. "It's only a few more months..."

"Yeah!" Natsu grinned, resting his cheek on the crown of her head. "Only a few more months..."

.

.

.

Fall

"Geez, how much stuff did you pack?" Natsu asked, holding a heavy box that he could only guess were filled with concrete bags.

"Only the essentials," Lucy assured, walking past the pink haired teen to enter her dorm room. Her roommate Levy was out with her parents, but Lucy got to spend a few minutes talking to her. Judging from the short conversation they shared, she could tell she was going to get along with the short blue haired girl.

Natsu shuffled into the room, placing the box on her bed. He opened it, gaping when he saw the contents. "It's just books!"

"I said essentials!" She walked over to take out a few. "These are all classics."

Natsu raised a brow when he lifted one of the books. "And Harry Potter is a classic?"

She snatched the book away, holding it protectively against her chest. "Yes!" She scurried away before he could take it away from her. Lucy had a short bookcase set up to hold all her books. She had many more at home, but she couldn't fit them in the small dorm room she shared with Levy.

Natsu shook his head, a smile rising on his face. "Alrighty," he grabbed some more books, handing them to her so she could fill the shelves. "You're still weird."

"You like it," she stuck her tongue out at him, drawing out another laugh from the pink haired teen.

"I can't deny that."

Natsu helped her unpack her stuff. After about an hour or so, the two went to the local cafe to get something to eat. They received their meals, eating happily as they glanced around. "Seems like a nice place," he commented, grinning when he looked back at Lucy.

"Yeah. I think I'll like college life."

"As long as you don't get too busy for me," he grinned, reaching his hand over to grab hers.

She intertwined their fingers, not bothered that she could only eat with one hand now. "I can't promise anything."

Her sheepish smile was enough to make his heart flutter. "I know. School is more important."

"I'll still make time for us," Lucy said before taking a bit of her food.

"Oh, speaking of 'us'..." Natsu pulled away, fishing in the pocket of his jacket for something. He revealed a small blue box. "I wanted to ask you something..."

Lucy's eyes widened when she saw him stand up from his seat, walking over until he stood in front of her. Her heart slammed against her chest when he got down on one knee. She looked around, seeing all eyes were on them. Her face flushed as she asked, "wh-what?"

"I wanted to do this a different way, but what the hell." Natsu paused, building anticipation.

"Lucy Heartfilia, I love you with all of my heart," Natsu began, opening the small box, revealing a pair of pink sapphire heart-shaped earrings. "Will you do me the honors of being my girlfriend?"

Lucy felt a sense of relief when she registered his words. "Oh thank goodness," she placed a hand over her erratically beating heart. "I thought you were about to propose!" She grabbed his arm, pulling him up to crush him in a hug. "Yes! I'll be your girlfriend!"

She heard a round of applause, followed by the chanting of, "kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"

Lucy pulled back, smiling up at her first -and hopefully only- boyfriend. She leaned in, pressing her soft lips to his. It was quick, not wanting to get too affectionate in public. When they pulled away their ears were filled with more cheers.

Lucy and Natsu sat back down, their faces burning red with embarrassment. He gave her the earrings, saying she should put them on now since they matched her shirt. She did, smiling at the reflection on her phone's screen.

"Thank you," Lucy bit her bottom lip, feeling nervous all over again.

"For what?" Natsu asked, cocking his head.

She paused before saying, "for waiting for me... for the earrings... and for taking me on that date..."

A toothy grin surfaced on his face. "You're welcome. Thanks for letting me bother you all this time."

"I wouldn't wish for anything else," she said honestly.

The newly formed couple finished their meal, stealing glances at each other and randomly laughing when they remembered how dorky Natsu was for that fake out proposal. After they left the cafe, they walked back to her dorm, hand in hand. Lucy wore her new earrings, signifying her new title as Natsu's girlfriend.

Natsu couldn't be happier, feeling lucky that Lucy and him were finally a couple. It had been a long wait, but it was worth it.

She was worth it.

"I love you," Natsu confessed, squeezing her hand.

She squeezed it right back, smiling up at the pink haired teen. "I love you too."

The End

Thank you for reading!

The lines they were quoting were from MissyPlatinum's story 'The Soul's Inferno', chapter 3, 'Fatal Encounters'. If you haven't already, you should seriously go check it out. Some parts are sad, but the comic relief from Natsu and Lucy's bantering makes it worth it!

Happy birthday again! Hope you liked it.

Let me know what you thought of this one-shot? Did you like all the fluffiness?