Rating has been changed in advance.

"Yummy, right?"

"Mmhmm."

"…"

"How are your noodles?"

"Yeah, they're fine."

"…"

Lucy awkwardly picked at her food with a spoon then scooped up some vegetable stir-fry. Next to them, the TV screen continued flashing colours and voices droned on in the background. However, neither one was paying any attention. She tensed when a tanned arm suddenly reached into her line of sight.

"Can I have some of your chicken?"

"G-go right ahead."

Lucy pulled her legs closer to her chest when he leaned over for a better peek into the box she held. For a second, the white takeaway container shook, the direct consequence of the tremble rippling down her arms. Her fingers clutched the paper bottom so tightly the cardboard folded inwards.

"Thanks."

"Mm…mm."

This was so painfully awkward. Lucy wanted to dig a hole, hide in it and bury herself over.

Natsu returned just as she turned off the water. By that time, Lucy's heart had been racing at a breakneck speed for so long, and her body was wound up so tight that the slamming of the door caused her to jump. His return was more abrupt than she had planned! She still hadn't worked out what she was going to say to him.

The blonde hurriedly towelled herself dry and put on her clothes. In her panic, she forgot one crucial piece of clothing.

Lucy cast a nervous glance at the toilet. There, sitting on the sink just a few metres away… were her panties.

She chewed numbly. On the bright side, the baggy cotton capris hid everything perfectly but that didn't ease any of her tension. The acute awareness of cloth chafing at her bare skin tormented her. At one point, the cloth caught between her butt-cheeks and Lucy was forced to do an odd wiggle just to untuck it. Thank Mavis he had not seen it otherwise she might have melted on the spot.

Natsu suddenly shifted and she jumped again. Her toes only uncurled when she realised he just needed to stretch.

But… the man hadn't gone into the restroom the entire time since they reached his place. If he were to enter right now, he would see her black undies right there on the sink. For the life of her, Lucy could not think of a suitable excuse to duck into the toilet to rectify her slip-up. Logic told her she could be in and out again really quick, but the whole situation was so embarrassing she couldn't muster up the courage to just do it!

Natsu put down his dinner.

"Hey, I'm gonna-"

"Not the toilet!"

The pinkette paused, his left hand in mid-reach towards the remote. One eyebrow arched as he stared at his flustered companion.

"I… Uh… was just going to change the channel. You can use the toilet first if you have to."

Her eyes widened at her embarrassing rejoinder and Lucy sputtered, "No, no. I don't need to!" then instantly gave herself a painful mental smack.

God damnit, Heartfilia! That was your chance!

"Uh… Is everything okay, Luce? Your face is all red."

"Eep!"

Smack!

"…Luce?"

The blonde gasped when her frazzled brain registered what she had just done. Natsu's expression was a mix of confusion and slight hurt. Drawing his reddened hand back to his side, he paused for a moment. "I'm… uh… sorry?"

"No, no, that was my fault. I wasn't… I mean, I'm sorry. Did it hurt?"

He laughed and waved his hand. "I've been hit worse. I'm going to get some ice for the beer, 'kay?"

She stifled a pained groan. Lucy wanted to shoot herself in the mouth. A quick death would solve everything.

She watched him disappear behind the open fridge door, the ice-white light illuminating the spiky locks of pink sticking out from the door edge. As he rummaged through the drawers, she leapt to her feet.

She had to fix things quickly.

Lucy sprang towards the restroom and stuffed the flimsy slip of cloth into a pocket. There was no time to put them on, but at least he would not be chancing upon her underwear anytime soon.

Lucy flashed a bright smile and dropped back down on the couch panting heavily. At that exact moment, he put two glasses down.

"You're back!" she chirped.

"I never left," he remarked amusedly. "You're being weird, Lucy."

Her grin widened. "I'm just happy to be with you."

"You really suck at this game."

Natsu rolled his eyes. "Did you really think a game of online Pictionary was fair for me?"

The blonde peeked at him from behind the sofa cushion she hugged and giggled.

"I didn't hear you complain when I suggested it earlier."

"I didn't think I was going to lose this badly…" he whined. "There are others in the game room, so I figured it'd all balance out but…"

The pinkette glared at the infuriating screen, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the device.

"How am I in last place three times in a row?!"

Lucy burst out laughing then clamped her mouth shut the second he directed that glare at her. "I tried to help you. You were the one who said you didn't need it."

"I didn't need it when I played this with the guys a long time ago."

"That's because all of you suck equally bad and…. Ee-yaaaah! Na-Na-Natsu! That's not- Dear Mavis, please st- hahahhahaha!"

"Take that back," he growled.

"No way, pinky…Eek! Ge-get off me! Hehehehe! I can't bre- Yahahah!"

He hitched his left leg over her and increased the speed of his attack. "I'll stop when you take that back."

"You're such a petty lose- Haha! Ow, my stomach hurts. Stop, stop… I give. I GIVE!"

He flashed a sideways grin and rested his hands on either side of her waist. "What was that?"

Lucy's eyes instantly gleamed. Then, pressing her palms against his shoulders, she declared, "I said, you're such a sore loser and… Eh?"

She shoved him again but the man barely budged an inch. "Darn it! Why are you… you… Gah!"

The pinkette snorted. "Did you really think you could push me off even if you catch me off-guard?"

To the blonde's consternation, he grabbed one of her wrists and effortlessly tugged it between them. For emphasis, he shook it and watched her hand flop back and forth uselessly. Then, he slanted a mocking gaze at her and commented dryly, "You… With your skinny arms?"

"That's 'cause you're fat," she grumbled.

"Fat…?" he drawled. Keeping his eyes trained on her, Natsu guided her hand to splay her fingers across his chest. "You've seen me without my shirt a couple of times. You know as well as I do these aren't fats."

A victorious grin played on his lips when he got the reaction he had been hoping for.

The blonde instantly flushed. Her amber eyes went wide and she turned away slightly before grumbling, "Now, you're not playing fair. You're so much stronger than I am."

"Unfair was your choice of post-dinner entertainment," he commented. "I'm done with Pictionary. How about we play a different game now?"

Seizing her moment of distraction, he leaned down till their faces were inches apart. Lucy's lips parted and he caught a whiff of the sweet ale they had shared.

"I promise it'll be fun."

At his proposition, her doe eyes went even larger and Lucy ducked her head slightly. However, she did not push him off.

He took that as his green light.

Bending at the waist, Natsu trailed his lips across her cheek and up to her left ear. A slow breath escaped her lips when his teeth grazed her earlobe. Careful not to puncture the skin, he dragged his tongue across the soft flesh and sucked it into his mouth. His keen ears instantly picked up the thundering of her heartbeat.

"Mmm…"

The sound, so soft but so powerful, ran down his own body. His excitement began beating out loudly in his ears. His cock jumped eagerly as well, but hell if he was going to rush his first time with her.

His own breath came out shaky as he continued the trail of kisses back down her neck. And just when he reached her collarbone, Natsu bit down. The bite was hard enough to leave faint teeth marks but not enough to break the skin.

"Natsu!"

Lucy bucked her hips when he pressed his lips to the mark and began sucking away avidly. The wet sounds of his lips on her flesh made her body burn and she clutched his shirt so tightly she wondered if there would be a permanent crease.

Oh, I'll just get him a new shirt if that happens, she mused. Then, she was unable to continue the line of thought, for the weight on her suddenly lifted away.

"My couch is narrow so it's a little hard to move," Natsu mumbled. "Can we uh…"

Lucy flushed at the implication. She paused for a moment then stood up. Despite knowing the exact path through his house, she squeaked, "You first."

"Okay."

Her body was all a-tingle and she didn't trust herself to walk properly. Rather, she didn't trust herself to be able to walk at all. Thankfully, she had her guide. Natsu laced their hands together and led them away.

With each step that brought them closer to his bedroom, Lucy's heartbeat accelerated another tier. Her face was burning and she kept her stare trained on his back. The T-shirt he wore was cotton and rather worn, so it outlined the muscles of his broad back perfectly. The man was easily the most athletic out of all the guys she had been with. Although she already knew what he looked like out of clothing, she hadn't really felt him before.

A tiny thrill ran down her belly as she imagined what his bare skin would feel like. She already knew he ran hotter than average. Against her own body, he would probably feel absolutely wonderful to hug, especially in the cool air. Her vivid imagination raced and the memory of when she had held him in that quiet mall stairwell leapt into her mind. The feeling of his length in her fingers, the warmth of his arousal in her palm…

Lucy shuddered. At this rate, she was going to come even without any help from him.

There was a soft click when Natsu turned on a single bedside lamp. With the moon and starlight flooding the room, the place was already well-illuminated. For a moment, the shy girl in Lucy wanted to turn the light off, but the question died on her lips when he suddenly pulled off his shirt.

Suddenly, she was very thankful for the extra light.

She had seen him before in brighter light than this, but how was it that the man looked even more gorgeous than before? Alas, she didn't have much time to appreciate his toned figure, for he now drew her towards him.

His mouth was warm and gentle and ever-moving. His hands came forward and within seconds, undid the line of buttons holding together the shirt she wore. Lucy trembled when he reached his hands under the cloth to hug her waist. Wiggling a little, Lucy sighed as the clothing slid off her shoulders to pool at her ankles.

One hand, she wasn't sure which, slid up her back and his fingers touched her bra clasp. Then, he stilled, and Natsu lifted his lips off hers.

Lucy laughed softly.

They had already done a fair bit together, yet the endearing man still felt the need to ask for permission. Lucy undid her own bra clasp and quickly slid the underwear off both arms. Then, she grabbed his hand and pulled them around the bed. Even without looking, she knew his eyes had never left her, even for a second. Just knowing that he was watching made more desire pool down south.

Biting her lip, Lucy turned to him. "What now?"

Her voice was mildly teasingly and a mixture of nervousness, anticipation and fear – all the emotions of a half-naked woman sitting on the bed of the man she was in love with.

Natsu smiled and sat down next to her. With one hand around her waist as support, he lowered her into a reclining position and caged her within his arms.

"Now, I'm going to kiss you again. You'd best be prepared… Because this time I'm not going to stop."

I'm prepared. Are you?

Sam.