A/N: And the worst updater award goes to me...hi guys!
To make up for my absence, enjoy some very special Nalu time in this chapter, honoring this story's M rating
Charmed
o-o-o
Chapter Nine: Liquid Courage
o-o-o
The intoxicating scents of lavender and vanilla filled Lucy's nose as she scrubbed the perfumed gel onto her bare arms, mixing with the steam of her shower. The melodic beat of water spraying from the showerhead lulled Lucy into a content peace, the hot water cascading across her body in a steady beat. She smiled and relished in the sensation of caked on sand and dirt leaving her peachy skin, meeting their fate of travelling down the drain in one fell swoop. The mud dyed the white interior of her shower a faint brown, but it didn't trouble Lucy at the moment. Visions of smooth melodies soothed her thoughts as the idea of creme-filled pastries and sweet red wine excited her.
The last time that Lucy had been anywhere that required her to dress up for such an occasion had been a solo mission a couple of months back. She'd taken it on a whim, swiping the job post from the bulletin board in the guild after she practically drooled over how many zeros she saw stamped onto the piece of paper. She'd skimmed the details of the job quickly, words such as impersonate and etiquette catching her fancy as she folded the piece of paper up neatly and stashed it in her bag. It wasn't until she was tucked in her bed for the night that she really read into the details of the job, realizing that she was being requested to attend a sort of formal ball in the place of the daughter of a banker in Magnolia. The job had no explanation as to why the banker's daughter's attendance was to be severely lacking the night of the formal event, but Lucy had brushed the thought aside, knowing she'd find out more details from the client if she accepted the job. After all, rich clients usually had all different kinds of excuses and reasonings for skipping out on social events such as these. Lucy had heard them all growing up at the Heartfilia estate, though her younger self couldn't relate to the older women who blew off charity and social events simply because they no longer felt like attending, or the color of their dresses clashed with the color scheme of the event.
Upon mentioning the job to Natsu, he looked at her as if she had lost it.
"Are you kidding?" he questioned her, eyebrows raised as his eyes darted from the job listing she held out in front of him to her annoyed expression. "They want us to get all dressed up and be polite? Where's the fun in that?"
Lucy had rolled her eyes and folded up the job listing. "Not all jobs are designed to be fun, you know." she lightly tapped Natsu's pink head with the sharpened corner of the paper, the parchment balanced between her middle and pointer fingers. "This job could pay my rent for the next three months, and that's after we divide the money! You could buy more slices of that spicy cake, or perhaps a new vest?"
Natsu huffed and turned away from her, crossing his arms. "My vest is just fine."
"Besides, it's a solo mission." she told him, turning away and pivoting on her heel as her ponytail swished across her shoulders. She threw her hands up dismissively. "So I'm going whether you come along or not."
She began to make her way to the bar until she felt a hand clamp down on her forearm, warm and sturdy. It took all of two seconds for a mischievous smile to spread on her lips like butter on warm toast.
"Don't expect me to dress up, okay? We leave tomorrow night."
She chuckled to herself at recalling the memory, shaking her head as she rinsed the last of the soap off of her arms and legs, sighing as the hot water soothed her skin. Natsu's words at the time echoed in her head, realizing that the Dragon Slayer may very well have swapped his casual clothing for something more formal for the evening. Lucy hadn't seen Natsu in formal clothing since the ball after the Grand Magic games, and even then he looked completely out of his element, a fish out of water, or a dragon without fire if she were to be more precise.
Her excitement began to build throughout her body as she imagined her friends laughing and dancing around in formal attire, soaking up each other's good spirits as glittering organza and bowties flooded her jaded vision. She could practically feel everyone's glee and excitement buzzing onto her skin, or maybe it was the new setting on her showerhead, in any event she didn't care. She just knew that in a few short hours, she'd be dressed in the most gorgeous gown imaginable and living her own Cinderella tale, minus losing a shoe of course. She deserved it, they all did.
When Lucy decided that her body was free of soap suds, she reached for the silver knob that controlled the waterflow of her shower. As much as she enjoyed the perfect temperature of the water against her naked body, she knew that if she didn't move along, Natsu and the other boys would have eaten up all the food.
Her fingertips just barely touched the metal when it happened.
"Stop!"
Lucy's hand froze, the excited glaze over her eyes vanishing as a pulse of terror shot through her heart as a young girl's voice filled her ears. She suddenly couldn't feel the hot water on her skin as she felt her body grow cold, her knees locking together as bright flashes of green and red sent her into a dizzy blindness.
"What in the-" Lucy whispered to herself, her eyes trained on her shaking hand.
"You're hurting him!"
Lucy cried out as the walls of her shower melted away into a dark grass and a violent blue sky. The scene flashed vibrantly and switched from white tiles to open air. Pain seared through her temples as her mouth opened in a silent scream, the corners of her mouth twitching as a pair of menacing green eyes shook her to her very core. Loose, blonde curls hid her face as her lips spread into a frightening scowl. She felt her heart begin to physically burn, pounding ferociously in her chest to the point where she was afraid it would pop out. She wanted so desperately to look away from the blood that poured out in front of her and to block the screaming attacking her ears. She begged for it to stop, begged for the pain to end as the pair of eyes bore into her horrified ones with a glint of joy. The woman towering over her filled Lucy with dread as the knife she had tucked onto her hip sparkled threateningly. She enjoyed watching Lucy writhe in pain. She enjoyed it, Lucy knew, with every fibre of her being.
Her eyes darted to the left, and met a pair of the brightest blue eyes she'd ever seen. They looked back at her frantically, almost begging for her to do something, to help her.
But she couldn't.
"Onii-chan!"
Lucy felt her lungs fill up with hot air as the blue-eyed girl vanished and in her place was white tile. Water soaked up her eyelashes and blurred her vision as Lucy realized her cheek was pressed against the floor of her shower, her body curled up in a tight ball as she began to hyperventilate, the spray from her shower suffocating. She coughed violently as she accidentally inhaled some water, pressing her palms against the shower floor to push herself up shakily, inhaling hot steam. She kept her gaze to the ground as she frantically fumbled for the knob to cut off the flow of water. When her fingers finally brushed against the metal, she latched onto it and turned it sharply, the water stopping abruptly.
She brought her knees up to her chest, her breasts squishing against her knees as she continued to breathe heavily, her entire body shaking as the remnants of the pain in her head slowly began to fade to nothing. She stared directly between her knees, eyes wide with fear as she never thought she'd be so grateful to see the white interior of her shower, along with a few stray mud stains.
The silence that followed was deafening, mixed with her panicked huffs of breath. Lucy hugged her knees tighter to her chest, desperately trying to erase the horrid sound of the young girl calling out for her older brother, to drown out the nauseating scent of roses that came from the woman with the green eyes, to drown out the horror she felt as she realized that she'd dreamt of the same scenario that previous night.
And those eyes... the girl with the bright blue eyes...she could never forget them.
What on earthland was going on?
Fairy Tail was known for many things, and as they all would learn that night, they absolutely knew how to party.
The usual beer and woodsy smell of the building had somehow morphed into a sophisticated musk and evergreen, the walls covered in illuminating lights that cast a soft and orange glow upon the lively guests of the evening. Beautiful melodies of guitars and fiddles flowed smoothly throughout the air thanks to Reedus and his elaborate drawings. Laughter and loud chatter echoed throughout the walls, seemingly the only thing that remained the same as any other night.
The tables were covered in white cloth, and above them were flowers and plates rimmed with shining gold. Forks and knives rested peacefully atop the cloth in their respective spaces, ready to be used to consume the plethora of food that presented itself upon a large rectangular table. The scents of roasted turkey, fried potatoes, various vegetables, and chicken wings sent everyone into a hungered stupor as plates were filled and refilled within ten minutes.
Natsu felt the heat of the hot sauce permeate throughout his throat as he swallowed his food, satisfaction radiating throughout his body. There was just something magical about hot sauce, especially when it was drenched over his food. It gave him a small dose of splendor that he only ever felt during an exhilarating fight.
He felt a presence sit down next to him, then an elbow nudging his side.
"You keep this up and there'll be none left for anyone else." Gray's voice rang in his right ear, annoying and nagging, to which Natsu promptly rolled his eyes, then cast them upon his guildmate.
Gray was dressed in a similar outfit as Natsu, along with all the other men in the guild hall; dress shirts tucked into trouser pants and ties, while some of the men donned suit jackets for the occasion. Gray, who surprisingly had managed to keep his entire outfit on so far, had his jacket casually draped across his left shoulder, a royal blue that matched his pants. He reached for one of the wings and chomped down on it, only for his face to scrunch up in disgust.
Natsu snickered. "Always knew you couldn't handle the heat." he popped another wing into his mouth, then reached for the cup of water next to him and took a swig, only to begin violently coughing as he felt the water down his throat harden to cold and sharp ice. The fire he immediately summoned to his throat melted the ice within a second, and as he felt the now water slide down his throat, he turned to glare at a smirking Gray.
"Choking? Maybe you should drink some water."
"Fuck off." Natsu groaned, glaring down at his plate while grabbing another chicken wing. "Besides, these are too good for you to be making me throw them up."
"Mira really outdid herself on the cooking, huh?" a new voice chimed as Gray and Natsu turned to see Levy hovering near their table, smiling as she held a plate full of her own food. "She never fails to disappoint, that's for sure!"
Her tangerine dress sparkled under the lights of the guild hall, the tulle shining with gold. Blue curls bounced softly atop her shoulders, loose from the lack of her usual floral headband. Instead, she clipped her hair back in twists and tucks with sparkling sapphire barrettes, small chunks of curls hanging loose on her cheeks.
Natsu eyed her plate "Didn't know you liked spicy food." he told her, grabbing his drink and taking a swig.
"Oh, the-"
"Ain't hers." Gajeel's voice interrupted as he rested his elbow atop of Levy's curled head. He reached for a wing and plucked it from her plate, popping it into his mouth. "Girl can't handle the heat."
Levy glared ahead of her. "Remind me why I'm carrying your plate again?" she huffed as she swivelled her head to pointedly avoid Gajeel's mocking stare.
Gajeel chuckled. "Ya make it too easy for me."
Levy rolled her eyes, and without warning, flicked her fingers and the plate shot straight up into the air. Everyone's laughter rang into the air as Gajeel's eyes bugged out of his head, rushing forward to catch the plate before its contents left the china and sprawled out upon the floor around them.
"Oh?" Levy mocked, "Just like how easily we beat you guys today?"
"What?!"
Natsu crossed his arms and watched as Gajeel and Levy stared each other down, steam rising from Gajeel's temples as Levy looked snarkily up at him. She jutted her hip out and stuck her tongue out at him. "You heard me."
"Juvia has to agree." Natsu heard from his right as a flash of silver and blue as she appeared out of thin air, sitting herself next to where Gray stood and smiled brightly. "This was a great way to kick off Juvia's first game with the guild!"
Gray smirked as he picked up his cup and took a swig. "I do have to admit, that plan was very well thought out." He sat down on the bench, taking another gulp of whatever strong scented drink wafted from the plastic, Juvia staring intently at where his lips touched the cup. "Just watch out for next year. Whatever the game is, we'll blow you all out of the water."
Juvia huffed. "Not if Juvia has anything to say about that." she tossed her curls over her shoulder, crossing her legs at the same time.
The group chuckled, Natsu included as his eyes travelled down to his own drink of dark liquid that Cana had forced upon him the second he walked into the guild. She promised him a night of swimming stars and a rush of exhilaration. He personally didn't see the appeal of the stuff, especially since his body was extremely efficient in burning off alcohol. Whenever he drank, he'd only ever gotten mildly buzzed, if that. He'd learned to cease the drinking and just live off of his own eclectic energy when the gang touched alcohol, well, in the rare cases that they did. Then again, maybe it was a good thing that his alcohol tolerance was past normal elevation. He always liked to stay sharp and alert when needed, especially when his friends went a little too crazy with liquid courage and needed some...assistance.
"Natsuuu, make me purr!"
Speaking of..
His eyes swept across the guild, and he frowned when his target had not yet been acquired. "Hey, Levy?" he continued to search for that familiar blonde head he knew so well, but he was not in luck. "Where's Lucy?"
"Hm?" Levy replied, still smirking up at Gajeel, only to break out of her mocking stare and do a quick sweep of her surroundings. "Oh, Lu-chan? She told me that she'd be a little late." Levy reached up and grabbed a roll from Gajeel's plate and took a bite.
Natsu frowned at Levy's report. "Late?"
"The star of the winning team has to make an entrance, doesn't she?" Levy joked, leaning her back against Gajeel's side crossing her arms. "She should be here soon."
The music in the air rose to a crescendo, flooding the air with melodies of joy and exuberant celebration. Cheers throughout the guild echoed in Natsu's ears, and he felt the warmth of the evening drench his skin and his lips spread into a content grin. He watched as his friends took in each other's company and lose themselves in their joy.
He never outwardly spoke about being content with people watching, but Natsu secretly enjoyed watching his friends and their candid actions. This particular joy had been discovered shortly after Fairy Tail was reinstated. He enjoyed the sight of everyone being together again, the nostalgia hitting him in all the right places.
Erza, sitting atop the table in a glittering red gown munching on strawberry pie, eyes shining.
Lisanna, giggling alongside Mira as she braided her long curls.
Laxus and Freed watching Bixslow attempt to shove an entire turkey leg into his mouth.
Wendy, laughing as she watched Happy negotiate with Charle to allow him to lead her in a dance.
Everything was just so right, so in line. Sure, Natsu loved causing a good riot just as much as the next guy. In fact, he found it odd that he and Gray haven't tried to kill each other so far in the evening. Then again, the night was still young.
Natsu glanced down at the white dress shirt that hugged his arms, and he couldn't wait to take the cursed thing off. He wished he could show up in his usual casual attire, or even make things interesting and set everyone's fancy shirts ablaze. Now that would make for an interesting evening.
He needed a little excitement, and as if on cue, his wish would be granted.
A faint click registered in Natsu's ear, and his head swivelled towards the guild's wooden front doors as they flew open.
o-o-o
She wrapped her arms tightly around herself as the faint music and scents of food wafted around her nose. Her hurried breaths escaped her lips in small puffs, cheeks burning from the dropping temperature.
The melodic clicking of her heels on the pavement lulled her into a haze as her destination drew closer and closer. She felt the last bit of her nerves settle into her belly, and she threw her head back to halt the budding tears in her eyes and soothe the dull ache of her head.
Reaching her destination, she inhaled and exhaled slowly, her determination to put on her best performance of the evening, that absolutely nothing was amiss.
She pushed the doors open.
o-o-o
There were only five moments in Natsu's life that he could honestly say left him speechless.
The first was when he was a child, and he'd breathed fire for the first time. He remembered how invigorating his entire body felt as the fire left his lips, lighting up the blue sky to a bright amber. He remembered touching his fingertips to his lips, his eyes shining as his smile grew larger than the dragon who raised him.
The second was during the S-Class trials on Tenrou Island, falling onto his hands and knees as tears flowed from his eyes at Gildarts's power. He remembered feeling hopeless, defeated, and yet so utterly inspired to hold onto that feeling and grow.
The third was witnessing his partner being murdered right in front of him, her body falling to the ground with a deafening thud, the horrid screams of Happy and Lucy as they let their tears dampen their fallen friend's body, Lucy's future body.
The fourth was watching Igneel appear before his very eyes, only for him to be ripped away from his life once more.
The fifth was during his year long travel after Fairy Tail's disbandment, where he stumbled across flowing valleys of lava and magma; rivers of liquid hot energy spread in front of him that stretched for miles, the air tasting of sulfur and power, nature minding its own business. The volcanoes miles away hummed with power, cutting into the sky to assert their dominance. It had been the most breathtaking sight that he'd ever experienced.
He might, however, be kicking nature to the curb after tonight.
The wind rushed around her body and blew her silky hair around her shoulders and her brown smokey eyes, the tip of her nose shining with the faintest swipe of highlight.
Cascading strands of glittering gold hugged her hips and fell evenly around her ankles, the matte gold of her heels flashing as the wind blew the hem of her dress upwards. Her right hand reached up to brush strands of soft curled hair out of her eyes, a pair of emerald earrings sparkling against her peach skin.
The guests around the door ceased their dancing and turned their attention towards the new arrival, watching as she hurriedly grabbed the wooden doors and pulled them shut.
Her eyes dashed towards the doors behind her in worry, taking on a bashful look as she bit down on her lower lip in embarrassment. She began to laugh awkwardly as more onlookers joined in on the spectacle. "H-Hey everyone!"
Natsu felt his face grow hot.
The walls erupted with pomp and circumstance as chiffon and jacquard blinded Natsu's view of Lucy, voices cooing and cheering over her gown and her performance in the games earlier in the day. The tempo of the violins increased, along with the cheers of those who fell into the clutches of beer and champagne.
"Careful now."
Natsu felt a nudge against his arm, and he turned to a smirking Gray. "Look much longer and you'll burn the place down."
Natsu shot an embarrassed glare towards the ice mage, and immediately directed his attention to the ceiling. "Don't know what you're talking about, Icepick."
Natsu swallowed roughly with a dry throat, not bothering to reach for a drink. He shook his head and leaned back against the table, his shoulder blades leaning uncomfortably against the stiff wood. He crossed his arms tightly against his chest, secretly hoping to squeeze out whatever stupor had overcome him.
"Sorry I'm late!"
Everyone directed their attention to Lucy as she made her way towards their table, her dress clutched in her right hand as her heels clicked harmoniously against the floor. Her large curls danced across her shoulders, her breasts bouncing slightly above the heart-shaped neckline of gold. Her collarbones stuck out only slightly, framing her chest in a mature and sophisticated manner.
"Lu-chan! You look incredible!" Levy exclaimed as she trotted towards her friend and grabbed her wrists in excitement. "I knew that dress was perfect for you!"
Natsu's gaze was fixated, dozing out as he vaguely recalled Juvia leaping from Gray's side to join in on the girls' joy. He watched as they chattered excitedly, Lucy reaching out to touch Juvia's dress and gush over its silhouette, or whatever that meant. He just watched her, un-moving, growing perplexed as he tried to decipher why his heart rate was steadily rising.
He prayed to Mavis that the heat he felt on his face was not visible.
She turned her head, and their eyes laid upon each other's. She blinked at him slowly before her glossed lips spread into a soft smile, closing her eyes to chuckle softly in his direction.
The heat travelled down to his chest, and he welcomed it as he returned her smile.
The temperature of the evening air was cool on Lucy's skin, at least she was thankful enough to even recognize that the air had any effect on her.
Her eyes glazed over the grass that stretched out and beyond the back of the guild hall, the paved concrete steady and winding. The green blades teased her, bending side to side and tangling up in each other as if they relished in the fact that they were free of worries and could dance themselves into the night; just as she should be doing with all of her friends.
She hoped that nobody took notice of her absence, and she felt terrible wasting what was supposed to be a jovial evening, but her legs had taken her from the party before she could even realize what had been happening, less the click of her heels that increased in volume the more she escaped the music.
Nobody suspected a thing. She had years of formal galas hosted by Heartfilia Manor to thank for her outstanding performance thus far.
She brought the chilled wine flute to her lips and took a small sip, the tart liquid warming her throat and burning her lips simultaneously. She frowned at her reflection in the alcohol, her eyeliner was slightly smudged under her left eye, a mere minor detail that she couldn't care to correct. Lucy was shocked to have even managed to apply her makeup for the ball, let alone uphold a steady hand drawing a black line over her lashes and not poking her eye out applying mascara.
Lucy had to delay her arrival an hour and a half to the party, hell, it took her about twenty minutes to exit the shower and release herself from the fetal position she'd curled herself into. She couldn't tell if she was breathing properly, or even at all with the cries that forcibly escaped her. Tears blended into the shower water lingering on her cheeks as she tried to calm herself from...whatever had happened.
A dream? A hallucination? She didn't know.
She closed her eyes and inhaled the scents of the night, her gold gown floating around her legs and hips as her ponytail settled down the middle of her back. Alcohol, burning firewood, sandalwood; all the scents that defined her night began to settle her unsteady heartbeat. A brief kick of hot sauce from the wings managed to sneak its way into the equation, which triggered a pang of hunger.
That's right, she thought to herself as she took another sip of her glass, she hadn't eaten since the morning before the games. And it had been little at that, an apple and a quick cup of coffee. She was surprised that she could even stand without the proper nutrition.
Her thoughts of food were cut short as a sudden jab of pain flooded Lucy's head, the taste of the champagne leaving her mouth and the cool night air having no effect on her bare arms. She felt herself cry out, vibrations in her throat alerting her brain that some horrid sound had escaped her body. She heard a faint shatter behind the bone-chilling voice that danced around in her head, increasing her once calm breath into frantic huffs.
"Onii-chan!"
She wasn't sure how much time had passed before the pain slowly began to subside to a dull ache, and she was brave enough to slowly open her eyes to the sight of glass shattered upon the ground. The champagne darkened the stones beneath her to an almost black, the sight making Lucy exhale in defeat. There went a perfectly good wine glass, and better yet, expensive bubbly that probably cost them a pretty penny, something that would've been better suited floating in her stomach and head.
Then again, it was her fault for going straight to the alcohol and not the food. She'd experienced the same dizziness dress shopping with the girls. She hadn't eaten before that either.
Or at least, Lucy was trying to blame the alcohol for the pangs of pain.
"You're such a klutz."
Her head flew up and she met a pair of familiar eyes, shining with the taunt he'd delivered her way. He leaned against the doorway, the soft orange light from the main hall outlining him as if he were some kind of saint. It puzzled Lucy, but it was becoming of him.
She pushed her anxiety down to her core and immediately straightened herself out, brushing off the pieces of glass that had gotten caught between the sequins on her gown.
No use in worrying anybody about her vivid dreams. She'd deal with it later.
Lucy laughed softly, glancing back down at the soaked ground and smiled sheepishly, placing her palm at the base of her neck. "Looks like I gotta lay off on the champagne for now."
Gray smirked as he joined her outside, walking up next to her, careful to avoid the shards of glass. He propped his elbows up onto the ivory railing and rested his chin upon his knuckles, gazing outwards and taking on an almost similar stance that Lucy had been stuck in moments prior to his appearance.
"The stuff's strong. I had a glass and I think I'm good for the rest of the night." he told her, not making eye contact.
Lucy stared at him, her eyes tracing the black suit jacket that hugged his arms in all the right places. Her eyes travelled up to his shoulder and neck, frowning as she examined the perfectly tucked collar. The slightest flash of red made its appearance as he tilted his head slightly to the side, setting off a small warning bell inside Lucy's head.
"Hey listen," Gray started, turning towards Lucy suddenly, startling her only slightly. His cologne wafted up to her nose, a musk that vaguely reminded her of pine trees. "Do you have a few minutes to talk?"
Lucy frowned at him questioningly. "Is everything okay?"
He exhaled roughly, frowning down at her while scratching the back of his head. Lucy cocked her head, her hair spilling over her right shoulder as she took in the sight of her teammate looking troubled. She rarely ever saw Gray in such a state, and needless to say, he'd piqued her interest.
"Yeah, I mean-no-well erhm…" he stuttered, looking down at his shoes as he tried to find his words. Lucy wished that he would just come out and say it, but her concern for him rose as she watched his cheeks flush to a deep red that was visible even in the dark of the night.
She reached out and touched his arm. "Take it easy there," she told him "If your face gets any more flushed, Natsu is gonna have a field day with you."
Gray sighed. "Like I could talk to any of the guys about this."
The wind blew softly against their clothes as an uproar of cheers echoed from inside the guildhall, both Lucy and Gray momentarily distracted by the jovial sounds as they directed their attention to the warm glow of music and glittering gowns.
His words struck something in her, the sinking feeling of empathy growing for her friend as she allowed the words he spoke to process. Last time Lucy and the rest of the girls checked, the men of Fairy Tail were more connected than the stars of the Big Dipper. All of the inside jokes and silent communications between them were loud and clear, showcasing their tight-knit bond. Weren't guys supposed to have their own so-called Guy Code? A sort of secret understanding that even the most emotionally stable of men could have an occasional tantrum and bitch about their feelings over hot wings and sparring? Even Natsu, who at times couldn't be denser than a bar of lead, was always able to talk through an issue with anyone, even if his use of lingo wasn't the most articulate. She knew that Gray and Natsu would always butt heads and make trouble for each other out of boredom, but she also knew that they would die for each other, that they would do anything to help each other through their toughest moments.
So then...why couldn't he talk to Natsu? Or any of the guys for that matter? Of course, Lucy was happy to help any of her friends ease their minds. But she couldn't help but wonder why he approached her.
It was then that Lucy snuck a curious peek at Gray, and studied him briefly before his uncomfortable expression changed to a sullen one, his eyes softening to a dull onyx. He looked so defeated posing the question to her, ashamed even.
Lucy reached out and touched his arm again, and he looked down at her as she smiled softly up at him.
"Tell me what's on your mind."
"I don't believe you."
Cana glared down at Natsu from her seated position on the bench, the slit in her black evening dress high enough to expose her leg as she crossed her left over her right. Putting her cup down, she leaned down, almost touching noses with the dragon slayer. He glared at her right back, inhaling the scent of whiskey as she huffed in annoyance.
"And why not?" she asked him, sticking her tongue out. "If anyone's up for the job it's me."
Natsu rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue back out at her. Childish, sure, but also very on brand for him. "I promise you that it's not possible."
Cana laughed out loud, throwing her head back as if she'd heard the most ridiculous sentence of her life. In a flash, she uncrossed her legs and leapt off of her seat, sticking a perfect landing. She looked back at a surprised Natsu, and flashed him a smile. "You're on, Flame-o!"
She'd disappeared before Natsu could utter another word, leaving him standing alone around rowdy drinkers who stunk heavily of something that made his nostrils sting. Holding his breath, he wandered away from his original spot and found a bare wall to lean against, crossing his arms and frowning at the fabric tightening around them. He couldn't wait to get out of the damn shirt and actually move like a normal human being. He'd never admit it aloud, but he suddenly understood Grey's urges to strip off his shirt and walk around half naked.
The night had progressed pretty fairly, quicker than Natsu had expected it to go, not that he ever wished for time with his friends to pass quickly. He'd grown tired of standing around and chomping down on food mindlessly, waiting for something exciting to happen that didn't include drunk cheering or sexual tension.
And boy, had he been through both the entire night.
His nose twitched as a familiar pair of scents, musk and vanilla, alerted his senses. He glanced to his right and watched as Gray and Lucy emerged from the shadows of the back doorway, talking to each other softly. He frowned as Lucy uttered something to Gray, too soft for Natsu's ears to pick up. The ice mage frowned down at her, and sighed as she touched his arm and nodded at him, smiling softly as she urged him forward.
"It'll all work out. You'll see." Natsu was finally able to pick up, and he frowned as Gray's usual confident scent turned shaky and unstable. Lucy's remained a constant warm confidence, his favorite version, if he might add. He watched as Gray ruffled Lucy's hair softly, lowering his hand to gently nudge her cheek as he nodded back at her.
"I hope you're right."
Natsu and Lucy both watched, from their respective positions, as Gray made his way towards the rest of the guests, disappearing into the pomp and circumstance and vanishing from sight.
Natsu's frown deepened as he used his heel to move his body from his leaning position on the wall, his concern for his teammate heightening. Normally, Natsu would've just let Gray have his time to collect his thoughts, or better yet, let him ride out his temper. But there was something off…
He felt a hand touch his chest, and he looked to his right to see Lucy looking in the same direction Natsu had been. She turned to him then, and they locked eyes.
"It's better to leave him be." she told him, dropping her hand from his chest and patting down a few stray hairs on her head. Her eyes darted back towards the crowd in Grey's direction, focusing on the moving bodies and the hearty cheer initiated from someone deep in the crowd.
"Is he okay?" Natsu asked her, surprising himself with the current scenario of inquiring about Grey's wellbeing. He allowed himself to lean back against the wall once more. Had he gone soft? Perhaps so.
"He will be." Lucy told him, sighing as she followed suit, leaning her body against the wall as she let her head rest against Natsu's right arm. She sighed, her hair falling into her eyes as she crossed her arms against her chest. "He just needed some...female guidance."
A mischievous gleam twinkled in his eyes as he lightly tapped her cheek with his fingertips. "So? You gonna spill?"
Lucy jabbed him with her elbow, releasing a grunt of surprise from Natsu. "Not a chance, buddy." she huffed. "A lady doesn't gossip."
"Are you kidding? That's all you do!" he exclaimed, prompting Lucy to remove her head from Natsu's arm and smirk at him tauntingly. She poked his chest with her right pointer finger, jutting her right hip as she winked in his direction. "Only the juicy stuff." she told him. Her smile dropped however, and her expression turned soft. "I promised him I wouldn't say anything. Not until he...figures out what he's going to do."
They stared at each other, until Natsu huffed, smiling warmly as he reached for Lucy's waist and drew her closer to his side. She let him, letting her body melt against his as she rested her cheek against his arm once more. He felt her warmth against his body, and he welcomed it.
Natsu smirked down at her. "Female guidance, huh? Well, that's new." He rested his chin atop her head, bringing his arm away from her waist to rest his palm upon the top of her blonde head.
"You're telling me." Lucy told him, yawning softly as she nuzzled her cheek into his chest. "Mavis, I'm exhausted."
They stayed in that position for a few minutes, neither of them uttering a single word as they soaked in each other's company, her scent invading his senses as he allowed himself to relax and just be where he was. No fighting, no usual rowdy behavior, just silence.
He'd always hated silence, it reminded him of the moment that Igneel had first left him that day years ago, his knowing and calm voice exchanged for the tall grass blowing endlessly through the cold breeze. He hated it immensely, however this was...nice.
He let the violins flood his senses as he glanced down at his partner, feeling the rise and fall of her chest as she continued to lean on him. He listened to her steady heartbeat as more cheers erupted from the dancing crowd, everyone drunk from the energy of the evening.
Caught up in the calm of the moment, he adjusted his chin and inhaled the scent of her shampoo. He secretly loved smelling her hair after she'd washed it. He didn't know why, hell, he'd stopped trying to figure out why he enjoyed what he did. It was all too confusing, and frankly, it just didn't interest him. Why worry about what he enjoyed, when he could just enjoy it? They constantly found themselves relying on each other casually, gravitating towards each other with platonic body language, well as platonic as they'd felt it up to be. It felt as natural as breathing, easy as breathing.
His nose brushed against her air, and something triggered him to freeze in his tracks. Her scent was warm and pleasant, and yet…
His expression was neutral as he processed what was currently running through his mind. His eyes opened slowly, his expression growing in severity as his stomach grew a small pit.
He'd spent enough time with his friends to know what made them tick. He knew exactly what their joys and fears were, what they liked to eat for breakfast, what their favorite colors were. He spent years getting to know their scents, and especially their fluctuation when their moods changed.
Erza, spice and elderflower when her temper rose.
Wendy, cotton and seabreeze when she and Charle laughed together.
Gray, evergreen and winter whenever they'd have their daily tiff.
He let his senses come into fruition, and when his brain was able to name the scents that doused his partner, his lips parted.
Summer rain, something he hadn't smelled in a long time.
"Are you gonna tell me what's wrong?"
o-o-o
Lucy felt her body stiffen, her eyes flying open as his words vibrated on the top of her skull, feeling his breath tickle her hair.
"Are you gonna tell me what's wrong?"
She was so close, she almost had them all fooled. Him fooled.
Her relaxed viage dropped as she frowned ahead of her, watching as Levy gleefully twirled in her dress and emit a high pitched laugh as Gajeel pulled her into him. Dozens of colors of chiffon and silk and glitter weren't enough to let her escape into a mindset of zen, a mindset that she'd practiced being in the whole night.
She broke their contact as she turned around and looked up at him, feigning confusion. Her hair fell into her eyes, and she used it to her advantage as she channeled her innocent facade. Her lips parted in anticipation for her perfectly crafted lie, but the look in his eyes choked her up.
"What?" was all she could muster.
Oh sure, that'll convince him.
He stared down at her, eyes burning as he frowned at her with a knowing expression that never failed to make her stomach drop. Who was she kidding? He always knew when she was lying, she could peg it on that damn nose of his and whatever scientific scent escaped her body that gave her away. The last thing she wanted was to put a damper on their evening with her psychological hallucinations and headaches. Lucy inwardly cursed at the invisible barrier she'd thrust against her inner turmoil as she felt it crack.
Damn it! She'd been so careful!
"I know you." was all he said to her after a few more seconds of staring. She blinked at him, watching as his expression turned hard. "You don't have to lie."
She started her rebuttal, but stopped herself as she watched something shift in his eyes. Natsu studied her, taking her in as she felt her heartbeat increase. She felt almost violated, as if Natsu could ever make her feel that way. The man had groped her more times than she could count on all of her fingers. Sure, she'd slapped him hard enough that folks all the way in Alvarez could hear it, but he had his morals.
This was a different type of violation, a type that gnawed on their unspoken trust.
But how would she even begin? Hey, I've been having strange visions of myself getting brutally murdered, little girls' skulls being crushed, and by the way, I'm living in someone else's body while it happens. But don't worry, let's have a great night!
She brushed her hair out of her eyes slowly, biting down on her bottom lip. Then again, her and her friends experienced travelling to alternate worlds and met double versions of themselves, met dragons, experienced versions of themselves from the future. Would any of them really have trouble taking her new issues seriously. They were just dreams, illusions even.
Illusions that scared her.
She looked down in shame, and for the first time that night, allowed her mask to fall and shatter to the ground.
"I-"
"Game on, Flame-o!"
Her words were interrupted by a screeching Cana, bursting through the crowd and almost shoving Lucy out of the way, making her topple in her heels. She yelped in surprise, and her palms pressed onto the wall for support. Her hair fell into her eyes once more, and she swiftly flipped her Hollywood curls over her shoulder and turned to see a very drunk Cana holding a glass of brown liquid out in front of Natsu, who looked very taken aback.
"Bottoms up!" she exclaimed, winking at him. "If this doesn't get you absolutely hammered, then I'll give up drinking for a week."
Now, Lucy was curious.
"I told you, it won't work." Natsu glared annoyingly at her, scroffing. "My body'll burn that up as soon as it hits my stomach."
"What's this about?" Lucy asked them, frowning as Cana forced Natsu to take the glass from her hands, grinning cheerfully. They both watched as she rummaged through an apparent hidden pocket in the bronze lamee ruffles of her gown.
"Cana is convinced she can get me drunk." Natsu sighed, rubbing his temple with his free hand annoyedly.
Lucy looked at the mysterious liquid in the glass, and frowned. This night sure took a complete turn. "What?"
"Tell her, Lucy!" Natsu looked down at his drink in disgust. "Tell her it won't work!"
Lucy suddenly felt like a mother of two toddlers fighting over a toy. Only this toy had quite the buzz.
"I don't know Cana." Lucy said, glancing over at Natsu. "He's got a pretty high tolerance. I'd even say he's immune."
Mavis knew she, on the other hand, wasn't immune.
"Not until I'm through with him." Cana said, finally finding the object she had been searching for in her pocket; a small metal object that Lucy quickly recognized as a lighter. "Aha!" she exclaimed, and flicked the device to life with her thumb. Without warning, she brought the flame to the top of the cup, and fire engulfed the entire top. Burnt cinnamon invaded Lucy's nostrils as she saw Natsu's eyes light up in excitement.
"Drink!" Cana demanded, flicking the cap back onto her lighter and concealing it once more into her dress. While Lucy expected this to be the end of Cana's surprises, the card mage scurried away frantically. She was back in a flash, carrying another glass of something thick and white.
Lucy blinked in confusion as the glass was placed in her unsuspecting hands. "And one for you too!"
Lucy grimaced. "I-I don't know."
"Relax! It's just a little something sweet. Not strong at all." Cana winked. "One of my specialities."
Lucy frowned into the cup, examining the small pink crystals floating innocently around the small ice cubes. She brought the cup up to her nose and inhaled slowly. Strawberries. Seemed innocent enough, that is until she allowed her body to process it.
Natsu scoffed. "One of your specialties, huh? Must be safe." he said sarcastically, scooting over to glance at Lucy's drink.
"You're only young once, my friends." Cana told them. "And what good's a party without a little buzz?"
Lucy and Natsu glanced at each other, then each looked down at their respective drinks slowly.
"The fire did look cool…" Natsu said slowly, sniffing his drink and raising it up to examine the contents in the light. He stayed like that for a minute until the familiar mischievous glitter returned to his eyes. "Okay, I'll play your little drinking game." he smirked at Cana. "And since it's a party, why don't we make it a little interesting?"
Lucy stifled a laugh. "Hey now, look who you're challenging."
Cana remained unfazed. "Now we're talking!" She tossed her hair behind her shoulders, her gold hoops shining under the guild light. "Name your terms."
Natsu laughed as if he were the smartest man on earth. "If this stuff gets me even the slightest bit tipsy, you're gonna have to quit drinking for a year."
Lucy's eyes widened, shooting back and forth from Natsu and Cana, their poker faces remaining steady and strong. For the first time that evening, she was able to forget about her troubles momentarily, and focus on what might be the most anticipating bet of the night.
Cana's face was neutral, then slowly melted into an excited grin. "Oh, you're on!"
They reached out and shook hands, their grips firm.
"And if I lose?" Natsu asked her.
Cana waved him off. "I'll come to collect when the time is right. Now then," she took her hand back from Natsu's grip and nudged Lucy. "You too, Lucy. Time to have some fun!"
"Cana I don't-" Lucy began, but cut herself off as Cana dashed off into the dancing crowd and disappeared. She glanced down at her drink once more, and saw her nervous reflection stare right back at her. She remembered the champagne she had earlier that evening, and the pang that forced her to drop her glass onto the ground and hear it shatter. Alcohol was the last thing she needed.
"Well? What are you waiting for?" Natsu asked her, nudging her side softly as he held his drink close to him. "Aren't ya in the mood to puur?"
Lucy's mouth dropped, and she instantly smacked his arm, Natsu feigning pain. She hated whenever he brought that up, her face never failing to grow hot as her subconscious allowed her to remember her drunk actions of wanting her chin tickled like a cat and wanting to hand feed her friends.
"Stop it!" Lucy exclaimed. "Make fun all you want, but I know you hate it when I drink."
"Eh, I'm feeling generous." Natsu stated. "Have some fun tonight! Besides, Cana said it wasn't that strong."
Lucy raised her eyebrows. "And you believe her? The girl could outdrink a chain gang."
A loud uproar filled their ears as everyone's attention was directed to the center of the guild. Cana herself stood atop a table, holding up a green bottle as she threw her hands up into the air. Her usual buddies who drank with her surrounded the table and cheered her on, even those who were dancing abandoned their rhythm to join in on the cheer.
"Cheers to the best guild in Fiore!"
A deafening cheer erupted throughout the walls, and a jovial energy and power flowed through each guest as they drank to their family. Lucy smiled as she watched her friends, and now family, cheer to the evening and to each other's company .
Which is exactly what she should be doing.
She smiled as she lightly tapped her glass against Natsu's in a silent cheer. He smirked down at her and nodded, both of them bringing their glasses to their expectant lips.
"Bottoms up!"
Their glasses tilted back, and their drinks were gone.
If the town hadn't been empty, several noise complaints were sure to be filed in their names.
Natsu and Lucy laughed uncontrollably, waltzing down the cobblestone road as Lucy attempted not to trip over her trailing dress. The cold air bit into her skin, leaving red patches tattooed on her fair arms, but she paid it no mind. She couldn't feel any of it.
She was also pretty sure she wouldn't remember the night when she woke up in the morning.
"S-Stop!" Lucy exclaimed, walking in zig-zag lines as she held onto Natsu's arm for support. "I needa breathe!"
Not that Natsu had much support.
"Who's breathin' these days?" he slurred, trudging forward. "Not me!"
Neither of them noticed when the bodies around them began to blur into faceless shadows, her tongues numb to the tastes of the air. Foggy laughter and dancing swam behind their eyes as flashes of distinct conversations came and went. The technicolor of the evening swirled into a galaxy of colors and sounds, all sealed by their fourth and fifth glasses of liquor.
"It's a holiday! Drink up, bitches!"
Lucy felt warm as stars floated behind her eyes, giggling as she continued to waltz down the road, just a few more strides away from her apartment door. The cobblestones swam below her, as if she were swimming. She really wished she could go swimming.
Her eyes glanced over to the rushing river, and they glazed over as the water enchanted her vision. Mavis, she could really go for a swim.
"Hey," she tugged Natsu's arm slightly, her eyes darting from the rushing water to Natsu's glassy eyes, her own swimming with stars as the action made her dizzy. "Let's go swimming!" she urged him, her grip on his arm loosening as her fingers traced his skin all the way down to his wrist, tightening her grip once more.
His glossed eyes looked down at her in amusement. "Huh?" he laughed as she pulled him towards the water, her heels clicking against the cobblestones urgently. He let her lead them towards the water, Lucy giggling as she let the alcohol dominate her head.
"Swim, swim!" she encouraged jollily, reaching the ledge of stone. She looked down into her reflection into the water, and secretly admired how great she looked, despite her flushed cheeks and her blonde hair spilling messily over her shoulders as she turned her body to examine herself.
Lucy felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist, and she suddenly felt herself be lifted up off of the ground and away from her reflection. Blinking slowly, she turned towards the warm body pressed against her back to meet a pair of glossy eyes.
He laughed at her, Lucy feeling his laugh vibrate against his chest as he stumbled slightly on his feet to adjust to carrying her weight. "I may be very drunk, but I know ya would kill me if you ruined your dress." he slurred out, laughing between his syllables.
She stared directly into those eyes, before a spark of foggy realization jump started her intoxicated brain.
"Bi-kini!" she hiccuped, wiggling out of Natsu's hold and darting back towards the main path, reaching her front door in what felt like mere seconds later. Her fingers clumsily slipped against the brass of the doorknob, and the door slammed into the wall as Lucy stumbled through it. She heard a faint shatter, and cringed as she quickly swept her eyes over the glass window panel on the main entrance to her apartment. She saw the small crack that spread across half of the bottom section of the glass, and a small pit formed in her stomach as she imagined her landlady ripping her and her bank account in pieces once she returned. However, the pit was short lived as giggles swallowed her up once more as she trotted up the stairs and reached her door. On any other occasion, she would have been hard on herself for not locking her door upon her departure to the evening's events, however she had more pressing matters to attend to.
Lucy trotted over to her couch as she stretched and bent her arms to grab onto the zipper on her dress, her fingers fumbling aimlessly for the small piece of plastic. Why in the hell did they make zippers on dresses like these so small anyway? Certainly not for convenience that's for sure.
She heard her door shut as she was finally able to grab hold of her zipper, only to curse out loud as she felt the fabric bunch up in the teeth of the zipper. She yanked the tab in an attempt to free herself, and cursed again as she felt her efforts go to waste.
"I've never heard ya curse before." she heard someone mock her from across the room, sighing as her triceps began to burn from straining. "I like this drunk you much better!"
Lucy paid no attention to his comment, and continued in her efforts to free herself from her chiffon prison. She resorted to a sort of hop-and-tug dance as her dress continued to stubbornly hug her body.
"Help me." she stated, more so than questioned. "I wanna swim."
"You're serious about that?" she could hear the eyebrow raise in his voice.
Lucy felt more giggles bubble up from her chest. "If you're questioning a spontaneous adventure, then you're definitely drunk."
She felt his body behind hers in an instant, almost scaring her if the alcohol hadn't muted her quick reactions. If she was willingly allowing Natsu to assist her with taking her clothes off, she was more than just drunk. She had to be delirious.
"Who said I was questioning it?"
She felt his words, sultry and hot, flow through her ears and overtake her senses. Her eyes widened in confusion, a small blush filling up the apples of her cheeks as she felt him take hold of the stuck zipper. She felt him grab hold of her hair and gently brush it to the side to expose the zipper, Lucy frozen as her hair spilled down the right side of her neck.
A few moments later she heard the smooth gliding of the plastic down to allow the air of her apartment to tickle her lower back. She gently brought her hands up to the front of her dress, crossing her arms in an x and clutching onto her dress so it wouldn't drop.
She daringly turned to face him, and the blush immediately left her face as she took in the sight of him.
Dripping wet.
She blinked, and then glared at him.
"You went swimming without me." she growled softly.
Natsu glared right back at her, the alcohol swimming red on the tip of his nose and cheeks. "No, you pushed me in when you ran away." He leaned forward and poked her collar bone accusingly. "A guy tries to do something nice for his friend and she screws him over."
Lucy's mouth dropped at his accusation, her eyes dropping momentarily to his wet shirt pressing into his abs and arms, accentuating them in all of their sculpted glory. Her vision was still fuzzy, she knew for sure because the flower design on her sofa next to Natsu was splotched and melted into blobs of pink and blue. She found herself drawn into the hypnotic colors. She sure had a pretty couch…
Then again, she thought that she'd heard a splash outside when she darted away.
"You're an idiot." she mumbled, "Feel free to change too." she added, turning on her heel and pointing her nose up towards the ceiling as she strutted away, dress trailing behind her. She hiccuped once more, and tripped over her dress, falling onto her bed. She burst out laughing then, rolling onto her back and staring up at the mural of stars her and Levy had painted last summer. They danced before her eyes hypnotically, lulling her further into her drunken stupor.
She raised her right arm, and waved it. "C'mere!" she called excitedly, signaling her partner.
"But I wanna swim!" she heard him complain from across her room. She heard a dull thud, and could only assume that Natsu had abandoned his wet shirt onto the floor. "Ya made it sound so fun!"
"But the ceiling is so pretty." she cooed, stretching her fingers towards Natsu's voice and wiggling them. "Come see!"
She thrusted herself up off of her bed, and hopped up onto her feet.
She barely registered that her dress had slipped from her hold, and it fell straight to the floor.
o-o-o
His mind was fuzzy, but he knew that he was going to kill Cana the next time he saw her.
Natsu could honestly say this was the first time he could properly experience what it felt like to be very intoxicated. He couldn't for the life of him figure out how Cana could be in this state each day without any repercussions.
And now he was staring at his partner in her underwear.
Her hand was outstretched, giving him that familiar puppy dog look that strangely contrasted with her usual drunk requests to make her purr like a kitten, however she had yet to request this from him so far in the evening.
Not that he was keeping track of the events that led him to her bedroom, the lights dancing against his usual perfect vision made that extremely difficult.
He braced himself for her to slap him for staring at her, however she seemed completely indifferent to the fact that she was half naked. But it never came, watching the urgency in her eyes as she beckoned him to join her to look at her...ceiling?
She really is drunk.. He thought to himself, secretly wishing that they could just go swimming like she wanted.
She began to walk towards him, until she tripped over her dress. On instinct, he darted forward and caught her before her forehead could slam into the floor. Stars swam in his vision as the alcohol moved quickly through his bloodstream and made him sink back into the depths of intoxication.
He felt her laughing against the crook of his arm, and she grabbed onto him to push herself up from his skin. She slipped her hand into his, and he felt their fingers intertwine as she pulled him up from the ground and dragged him to her bed.
"Lay down!" she instructed energetically, sitting down on her bed and bringing him along with her. He still had his pants on, and they transferred dampness onto her pink comforter. She pressed her palms against his bare chest and he let her push him onto his back, watching her in a blurred curiosity.
"Now, look up." she instructed, laying down on her back next to him, their arms touching.
Natsu obliged, frowning as he wondered why her ceiling was so enchanting. He'd seen her ceiling way too many times, he'd lay on Lucy's bed while she packed up some supplies for any jobs that they would go on, and he'd zone out staring up at the white hand painted stars while he waited for her to scold him for lying in her bed without her permission.
He soon, however, quickly fell under the spell of her ceiling as the stars lulled him into a calm trance. He watched as the purple and blue swirls popped out at him and flowed like the mouth of a river. Each time he exhaled, a new stream flowed and danced before him, creating a form of tunnel vision.
"Woah." was all he could say.
"Isn't it neat?" Lucy commented, stretching her arms over her head and sighing. "Whatever Cana gave us to drink sure did its job, huh?"
"You could say that again." he replied numbly.
The two mages were hypnotized, lying in silence for the next several moments. Their chests rose and fell with each breath, their arms growing warm with their increased contact. Natsu could feel Lucy's steady breathing next to him, and his brain no longer registered the scent of summer rain that he noticed back in the guild. He couldn't smell anything at the moment, which was certainly a strange sensation for him.
"Are Gajeel and Levy hooking up?"
And suddenly, his serene sensation vanished.
Natsu blinked back into focus, and turned towards his partner with a confused look. "Huh?"
Lucy huffed. "I think she's avoiding telling me, and I wanna know. I'm her best friend, I'm supposed to subconsciously pick up on this stuff, and support her from the sidelines and act like I don't know when she finally gets the courage to tell me."
Natsu frowned at her. "Why are ya asking me? Gajeel doesn't talk about that stuff."
Lucy blushed then, closing her eyes halfway. "Word on the street is, you can smell pheromones."
"Phero-what?" Natsu asked her, crossing his arms above his head and mimicking Lucy's. He pressed his head into her comforter, and his head swayed him back and forth, as if he were on a ship out at sea. He bit on the inside of his cheek as the nausea began to hit.
"You can smell when people are turned on." she stated bluntly, closing her eyes in annoyance and sighing roughly, her breath flicking her bangs up into the air for a split second.
Natsu scoffed at her suggestion "What? Thats-" he began to reply, though stopping his retort to
let those words sit on his mind, blinking at her choice set of words, but also slowly working through a puzzle that he'd stored in the back of his head and almost forgot about.
He burst out laughing, turning his head back up towards the ceiling as he felt his abs strain from the joy of realizing why things went the way they did.
"That's why that bastard Gray's scent changed! The guy's turned on by Juvia!" he exclaimed in joy, "Thank you, pherathorns!"
"It's phero- You know what, nevermind." Lucy giggled. The bed creaked as she shifted her weight onto her left elbow, flipping onto her side and resting her head in her left palm. "So? Can you confirm that Gajeel and Levy are a thing?"
Natsu turned to face her, and he smirked as her eyes sparkled with anticipation. "I thought you said a lady doesn't gossip."
Lucy smirked at him. "I don't screw around when it comes to my best friend. Now, spill!" She inched closer to him, poking his collar bone playfully.
Natsu chucked, hoisting himself onto his elbow and mimicking her position. "Well, you don't need to bring phero-whatevers into the picture to know they've been fooling around."
A sober voice in the back of Natsu's head mocked him then, helping him realize that he'd reached a new low.
Gossiping with a half naked girl in her bed, poking fun at their guildmates' sex lives.
"I knew it!" she exclaimed in glee, letting her elbow give in and rolling onto her back once more and hugging herself with glee. "That's my girl!"
Natsu watched her, smiling to himself as her silhouette grew fuzzy, his eyes tracing her curves and shoulder blades. Sure, he'd seen them far too many times, on account of her fashion choices and his personal choices to walk in on her changing more times than he could count. He felt his veins pulse with alcohol once more, and his face flushed.
"That's my girl…" he heard Lucy exhale softly, her weight shifting next to him, the covers beneath him bending in her favor. He watched as she faced him, her entire body blurred behind his eyes. It wasn't something that he enjoyed in the least bit, his eyes betraying him and not giving him his usual sharp visual. He could tell that her hair had spilled over her left cheek and hid her big brown eyes from him. He hated how he couldn't see her plainly and fully. He hated how bad the alcohol dulled his senses and prevented him from seeing her body.
"When are we gonna do that?"
Wait, what?
Natsu froze, his muscles struggling to tense up, however failing terribly as his heart pounded from hearing the words that had just slipped off of his intoxicated tongue.
Desperate to avoid seeing what Lucy's reaction was, he focused in on a strand of her hair pooled onto her shoulder, since he couldn't for the life of him move from his spot on her bed. His heart pounded in his chest as words banged through his skull.
Maybe if I stay still, she'll forget I'm here! He convinced himself as he tried to wrestle with the current situation at hand.
"Who knows."
He finally looked at her, as she was intently staring at his face, her hair still covering half of her own. Her lips were pouted only slightly, cheeks slightly puffed out as they were dusted pink. Looking serious as a heart attack, they continued to stare at each other before the most amazing sound echoed throughout her room.
They burst out laughing, chests rapidly rising and falling as they both flopped onto their backs, the sheets rustling and tangling under their bodies. The serotonin was intoxicating, mixing with the alcohol in his bloodstream as he allowed the light feeling to take over his body. His mind swirled in a cosmos of purple and blue behind his closed eyelids, and he relished in his newfound release of any tension he once had.
Neither of them noticed how much closer their bodies gravitated towards each other, Lucy's legs lightly tapping his damp pants and Natsu's elbow touching her forearm, as they'd both brought their hands to their shaking chests to try to contain themselves, not that they were trying too hard.
And like twilight to night, they hadn't noticed when the laughter faded away as their noses touched softly, as her hair was brushed away from her glistening eyes, as their skin burned on contact.
And neither of them knew when their lips met.
It started off soft, almost hesitant even, a test to see how much of a chemical reaction would occur from mixing two compatible chemicals. This gentle pastime lasted only a short time, as they pressed themselves deeper into each other, her body fully sinking and melting into his as his hand caressed her cheek and jaw. She snaked her hands up his chest and traced his skin up the side of his neck to grasp his messy hair.
The kissing grew more intense as their bodies began to adapt to this new sensation. He relished in the feeling of her weight as she rolled on top of him, kissing him deeply as her hips rocked against his own. He bit down on her lower lip softly as he willed himself to rise from the comforter, using his ab muscles to lift them both as they continued to kiss passionately. His rough palms were pressed onto her back, toying with the plastic clasp of her bra as he felt her nails dig soft indents in the muscles on his own back. An intoxicating heat coursed through his body as her lips left his briefly to kiss his neck. He inhaled sharply as he felt her hands leave his back and inch down to unbutton his dress pants, her fingertips teasing the nerves on his chest just before going to work on his button and zipper.
Just as she had volunteered to assist in his undressing, he grabbed onto her bra clasp and undid it swiftly, squeezing the soft and warm foam as he tossed it across the room, both of them ignoring a soft crash as it had landed atop her perfume display.
They rocked back and forth in a new addictive rhythm, the temperature of their bodies increasing as mild pleasure radiated through his body.
He didn't stop as he kicked off the damp hindrance of fabric that stuck to his legs, kissing her deeply as he brought them back onto the bed. Her naked chest pressed against his as she stuck to him like glue, refusing to break contact.
And of course he had no issue with that whatsoever.
It was when she found her hand wandering below the final barrier of fabric preventing their complete union that he felt all logical thoughts leave his brain. A feral sort of hunger pulsed through his body as he let out a deep moan of satisfaction. He let the hunger take over, black clouding his senses as he heard her begin to pant and gasp frantically, having found his own way past her silk underwear and allowing his fingers to roam and press every single nerve that released these delicious sounds from her body that he'd never heard before.
And he wanted to hear more. So much more.
Gone suddenly, were any remaining clothing or undergarments between the two, and they exchanged their hidden desires until they were finally united.
And just as the sun succumbs to the pull and rotation of the earth to become nightfall, they let themselves go.
A/N: And we have a winner!
To be transparent and not sugar coat things, my life has been pretty hectic, so updates are sporadic. Thank you to everyone who's sticking with me, and hugs to all who reviewed the last chapter!
Love you to Fiore and back, and I'll see you soon with the next chapter, a jump into the main arc of this story if you will.