AN: Long break in between but I delivered. Fyi there's a lemon.


After paying the cabbie, Lucy stepped out of the car and started her trek to campus. At this time of night there were hardly any lights and fewer people, but of course almost every guy she passed would stare at her lewdly and cat call. One guy in particular wouldn't leave her alone after she ignored his request to take her home. He lagged behind in the distance, following behind her far enough to be a coincidence if not for the fact that he completely changed the direction he was going after their exchange.

Lucy walked quickly, bracing herself against the harsh bite of the wind with her hands crossed and gripping her biceps. Her heart picked up speed and perspiration crawled down her skin as the crunch of the man's feet against the gravel of the path she was walking on grew louder.

Seeing the bright lights of the dorm's entryway, Lucy decided to book it. Running as fast as she could in her wedges (luckily as an heiress she had a lot of practice moving in tall shoes no matter the situation), Lucy sprinted towards the door. The sound of the man's feet behind her also picked up speed into a run.

Biting her lip, she pushed herself even harder, praying that she didn't trip on a rock or something. That would add onto her shoddy luck of recent times. Right when her lungs felt like they were going to burst, she made it to the doors, pulling them open and throwing herself into the building.

Panting harshly, Lucy looked up to see two girls at the entryway staring weirdly at her. The blonde looked behind her outside the glass doors to see the guy following her was nowhere in sight. Clearing her throat, Lucy tried to even her breathing as she walked towards the elevator, avoiding eye contact.

Stepping into the lift, Lucy's ears tuned into the two girls talking to each other. "Was that Lucy Heartfilia?"

The other girl snorted, "I guess so. I can't believe she's what everyone's always talking about on campus."

"Right, nothing impressive about her at all."

With the doors finally closing on the last bits of their conversation, Lucy felt her face grow hot, but not from exertion. Taking a deep breath, she fixed her bangs behind her ear and eyed the glowing panel above the doors stating what floor she was on.

When she finally reached the fifth story, Lucy stepped out into the hallway. With dull sounds of music or conversation coming from some rooms, the kept girl walking until she reached a familiar set of numbers.

A small bit of relief flooded her chest as she thought about talking to the girl inside. Despite the grilling she got earlier that day thanks to the petite woman wanting to know everything that Lucy was keeping from her, Lucy felt no amount of discomfort at seeing her. The blonde had only given answers to what she could without revealing too much about her situation, but it seemed to be enough for her small friend as she had left the gym satisfied. Lucy lifted her hand to knock, stopping herself in the last moment as noises filtered through the door to her ears.

"C'mere shrimp. It feels good, doesn't it?" Lucy heard a deep, gruff male voice say.

"Gajeel…! Oooh." She heard her blue-haired friend moan in reply. Quickly dropping her raised hand, Lucy drew closer to the door, cheeks pink as she tried to listen for more.

"Hehehe. You want more?" The man asked.

"Ye-yeah…" Lucy jumped away, equal parts wanting to respect her friend's privacy and in no way wanting to hear the metal faced Goliath and her tiny pixie-like friend have s-se-sex. Just the thought of it was unbelievable as she imagined how their opposite sizes would go at it. Sending prayers that her small friend would be okay…

Turning sharply from the door, Lucy was so stuck in her imagination of the two that she didn't notice that there was someone walking up behind her until her nose ran smack dab into a hard chest.

'This happens way too much.' The girl thought.

Just before she could fall, cool hands grabbed her and held her still.

"Well, if it isn't Lucy."

With hands still gripping her injured nose, brown eyes looked up to find mirth filled slate-colored ones staring down at her. "Gray?"

"Yo." Gray brought his chin up in a motion of greeting, releasing his hands and stepping away from the girl to give her space.

Lucy smiled in thanks to the small gesture.

"So, what are you doing here?"

"Visiting Levy. What are you doing here?" Lucy raised a suspicious brow.

"I'm also visiting Levy." Gray smirked at Lucy furrowing her brows. "Why'd you turn away from her door, then?"

All other thoughts ran out of Lucy's mind at the question. She was keenly aware of being too close still to Levy's door, and the possibility of overhearing her and Gajeel again made her feel extra awkward in Gray's presence. Her imagination started to run wild again at what they could be doing. Levy did read 50 Shades, but said she preferred if the girl was the one to enforce the punishment. Maybe she was tying Gajeel up and whipping him?!

Gray raised his brows at the concentrated look on Lucy's face. Her brows were furrowed and her eyes were focused on something behind him as if her thoughts were pertaining something important, but the red that blossomed in her cheeks and the cute pout at her lips gave her away to something a little more insinuating.

Deciding it wasn't his problem, whatever it was, Gray edged away from the girl in the direction of the door. That seemed to get Lucy out of her reverie. Before he could make it there she quickly called out.

"Wait!" Lucy scrambled in front of him, blocking the way to the door with her hands out wide.

"What's wrong?"

"The-they're doing something right now!"

Gray frowned, "Like what?"

Lucy's face bloomed further, "…s-sex."

Lucy stared at his face, waiting for him to react like she had. Maybe a little embarrassment, or a suggestion to give them space. Lucy was still wondering why Gray was there in the first place. Coming to visit Levy this late, especially when she was with Gajeel. But instead of responding like she expected, his face only stayed blank for moment before he snorted. His face slowly cracked with chortles until he was downright bent over the waist with laughter.

Lucy hadn't felt so embarrassed in a while, and tonight sure as hell wasn't one of her proudest. If she were to look in the mirror she was sure she would resemble a tomato with blonde hair. She'd never seen someone laugh so hard before, and definitely not at her. It was even more disconcerting that it was coming from the always stoic Gray.

"Shut up." Lucy quickly crossed her arms and stomped a foot indignantly. This only caused Gray to laugh even harder, forcing Lucy to stew in her embarrassment longer. Steam seemed to come off her in waves.

After a couple minutes, the man finally calmed down. His face still glowed red from laughter as he let out little snickers.

"Are you done?"

"Lucy," Gray sighed from getting himself so worked up, forcing himself to calm down enough to speak, "They aren't having sex. Gajeel and I came over to borrow a couple books from Levy. Metal head told me the girl was basically a library and that she agreed to let us borrow some stuff whenever we wanted. I was down and Gajeel definitely needs some stuff, so we came over. He lost a bet with me on the way and I told him to give Levy a massage as thanks." A smile broadened on his handsome face, but he refrained from laughing further. "If you're hearing weird sounds, that's why."

Lucy stood stunned. It was a misunderstanding on her part? "Why did you leave then?"

Gray lifted his hand in the air, showing off two soda cans. "Wanted a drink and metal head doesn't like pop, so I only got one for me and your friend."

Lucy just stared at him, not knowing what to say.

"That's cute that you thought they were having sex though."

"Please shut up." Lucy didn't think she could be any more embarrassed. It was only by luck that the two in question didn't come outside to hear all about her dirty thoughts, after all that ruckus Gray was making.

Stomping away from the door, and from Gray, Lucy headed towards the elevator. She still didn't feel comfortable enough to be in the same room as the two even if she was wrong. Misunderstanding and being called out on it was just as bad! The multitude of problems that she still couldn't get off her chest formed a dark hole of emotion inside, but she forced herself to get over it, just like every other time.

"Hey," Gray ran to catch up to her, grasping her arm softly before she got too far away. "Let me take you back home," he said, twisting her back around to face him. That was when Gray got an eyeful of the blonde's outfit. It was eye catching to say the least, especially at night. A blush threatened to bloom onto Gray's pale face, so he cleared his throat and stopped himself from staring. He was simultaneously ragingly jealous at Natsu for having such bombshell (as Gray typically had a preference for blondes and Lucy on a normal day was easily a ten), and mad that the man let her walk around by herself that way. There were all kinds of creeps out and about right now.

Gray was surprised when the blonde yanked her hand from his hold, hissing "I don't want to go back." He furrowed his brow and listened to her rant.

"That disgusting pig. He can fall in a ditch for all I care, I don't want to be anywhere near him." Lucy growled, crossing her arms.

"O..kay. How about we just walk around then? Get some fresh air?" Lucy looked up, thinking it over. She didn't feel safe going outside alone again and sitting in the lobby for people to walk in and out felt too pathetic. Looking into his dark blue, almost black eyes, she took in the seriousness there. Gray seemed like a good enough listener and she definitely needed someone to talk to, even if it was about his boss/friend.

"Alright," Lucy sighed, releasing her arms and standing straight. "Just don't laugh at me again. I've had enough embarrassment to last me a lifetime today."

Gray nodded his head without a word, moving to push the button for the lift with his knuckles. He leaned back on his heels then fell back on his feet as he waited for Lucy to come stand beside him and the doors to open.

Lucy thought that action was a little too playful for him, but the girl was quickly learning that Gray was a rather more complicated of a person than she'd given him credit for. Just like she learned that Natsu had an innocent, soft-side to him, too. She wondered if Gajeel was a closet romantic and liked to karaoke smooth RnB. Lucy giggled, causing Gray to raise an eyebrow at her. He didn't get to ask why she laughed before the doors to the elevator opened and they made their way on.

On the first floor, Lucy was unhappy to note that the girls from earlier were still there. Turning her head away from them Lucy marched on, determined to not let them add onto her crappy night.

"Hi Gray-sama!" The girls chirped, and Lucy wanted to barf, chancing a glance their way to see them both googly eyed at the sight of him.

To Lucy's surprise, Gray completely ignored them, instead slinging an arm over Lucy's shoulders and pulling her forward towards the door. Lucy looked back at the girls and saw them with their mouths comically agape and eyes bugged out. It brought another giggle to Lucy's lips. She wasn't normally so vindictive, but oh, it felt good tonight.

Once they were outside the doors and a few paces away from the view of the girl's, Gray released her. "Sorry, those girls are really annoying. They've been standing down there waiting for me ever since Gajeel and I got here." Gray sucked on his teeth. He kept his gaze ahead as he talked but Lucy didn't mind. She watched as he cracked one of the cans of pop open before tipping his head back for a deep gulp.

Lucy turned away from his profile, noticing that campus didn't seem as ominous as before, when she was walking alone. Now it was rather calm and tranquil. The sound of cicadas and grasshoppers added to the atmosphere. "It's fine." Lucy shrugged, shivering a bit when the wind hit her suddenly.

"Here." Gray handed her his jacket, placing it on her shoulders before she could refuse.

Lucy sighed, pulling the larger article of clothing tighter over her. It smelled nice, a crisp and cool kind of musk, dark like an expensive cologne. Nothing that she could put her finger on though. It reminded her of Natsu. Natsu's scent was definitely one of those smells you'd never find anywhere else. It wasn't a cologne or anything that could be made artificially—it was his essence.

Lucy sighed wistfully, wondering why she was thinking of him after everything he'd put her through.

"You gonna tell me why Natsu is such a 'disgusting pig that you wouldn't care if he falls in ditch' because you don't want to be near him?" Gray asked, fingering his button up as if he were going to undo it. "Besides the obvious, you know."

Lucy brushed his hand away from his shirt without thought, placing her hand back in the realms of his jacket when Gray looked at her surprised. "Your friend seems to not have ruined just my life, but another girl's as well."

"Really?"

"Yes, do you know a Lisanna Strauss?"

Gray's eyes widened as he turned to her, stopping them in their languid stroll.

His reaction was all Lucy needed as confirmation to what Lisanna insinuated and her own guesses. Tears gathered in her ducts and the cool outside suddenly felt stifling. "I knew it."

"What did she tell you?" Gray asked, grabbing her wrist before she could run away. Even as emotional as Lucy was, she knew better than that. She wasn't going to worsen the situation by getting in trouble with other people, rather she was going to pull Gray along with her until she found a safe place to stay. Away from Natsu.

"She said her and Natsu had a relationship before me. That would have been easier to handle if I didn't know that she was kidnapped a while back and that Natsu usually does the kidnapping." Lucy shook, "I've long known he wasn't a perfect guy, but I won't stand to be with someone so disgusting."

Gray shook his head, "No Lucy, you have it all wrong."

Lucy clenched her fist in his hold, trying to pull it away, not trusting what he was trying to say. "What do you mean?"

Gray stared deep into her eyes, not letting go even as she pulled away. "That Lisanna girl is Elfman's sister."

"What?" Lucy knew Lisanna's older brother, but how did Gray know Elfman or his connection to Lisanna?

"Elfman works for Natsu. When his sister went missing he begged Natsu to go looking for her."

-Flashback (A couple years ago)-

"Natsu, please I'm begging you. I need your help to look for my sister." The man of men, as he liked to call himself, knelt down on his knees in front of his boss. Natsu raised his brows at the guy, wondering where this came from all of a sudden.

Here they were, in the middle of the day, out in the woods where Natsu liked to practice. He had been in the midst of his workout, hands and legs wrapped as he practiced moves on a couple of trees, the wood hard and sturdy so as to make his muscles the same, when his head of security had burst in through the foliage. He didn't think anything of it until the man collapsed onto the ground with his head bowed down to the floor.

Natsu stood there, panting after an especially exerting bout of training, staring down at his friend. He saw the man's large shoulders shake.

Walking past the large man, Natsu placed a palm on his hulking form to calm him. "I'll find her."

"He told me he'd never seen Elfman like that before. He couldn't deny the man even if he'd wanted to. I saw it, too. Elfman wasn't the same since Lisanna left. He blamed himself for what happened, even though it wasn't his fault. The girl was just at the wrong place at the wrong time."

Gray looked away from Lucy then, standing straight with his arms crossed as he thought over what he should tell her. "We were going to help anyways. We'd never been that close to Elfman's family, but Natsu and Lisanna had been good friends for a while when we were younger; before she started going to the all-girls academy and Natsu went off to train all around the world. They never reconnected, they were just kids, but he never lost his fondness for her.

Lucy blinked a few times, looking away herself. "What happened after that?"

"Natsu did as promised, he found her." Gray sniffed, shrugging his shoulders and catching Lucy's eye. "She had been passed around a couple times. Even in the span of the few months that she was in the system, from an older guy to a notorious women trafficker. That guy kept her as one of his favorites, but Natsu convinced him to hand her over." Lucy assumed that Natsu didn't use just money if the twitch in Gray's eye meant something.

"Then he handed her back over to her brother the next night, safe and sound."

"Elfman didn't go with him?"

Gray frowned, "Elfman took a lead on his own and got hurt. He wasn't able to do much at the time."

Lucy nodded, remembering how hard that was for Mirajane. If she did come to school, she was just a soulless shell of her old self. The at one time spit-fire had become disturbingly quiet.

"Did anything ever happen between them?"

-Flashback-

Gray strode out of a small room filled with wild screaming and occasional sobs, his steps annoyed. "I don't know what to do man. She woke up just now and she won't let any of us near her." Gray sighed, stuffing his hands into his pants pockets. Although he was sympathetic to the girl, the background of hysterical crying brought a tick to his forehead. "Can't we just call Mira and have her calm her down?"

Natsu glared at the black-haired young man in front of him as he typed quickly on his laptop. "Mira can't learn anything about the business. She'd have a fit if she knew why Elfman was in a coma."

"Then can we give her one of those tranquilizers?" Gray asked. "She probably needs to see another woman, but Erza's not here to calm her down. Something about her father needing her in Bosco." Lisanna wasn't the first girl they'd saved, but the other girls were more coincidental than on purpose and they'd always had Erza around to help before.

"We're not going to tranquilize her." Natsu focused back onto the screen, adding another paragraph to his business assignment for class.

"Then why don't you do it then? The girl's screaming her head off in there." The black-haired man growled, rounding on his boss's desk and getting an eyeful of what he was typing. "Are you doing homework?! Really, Hot head?"

"What you say to me popsicle dick?" Natsu grabbed a handful of Gray's shirt, ready to brawl if he had to.

Gray reciprocated, grabbing onto Natsu's collar as they always did before a fight. "Just what you heard, meat for brains. No wonder you're doing your homework at such a terrible moment, you're too stupid to do it any other time."

"Don't touch me!" A shrill voice yelled, staunching the rise of the pink haired man's fist.

Even with the challenging intensity still burning in Gray's eyes, Natsu sighed, relinquishing his hold and stepping away. Something he almost never did.

"Tell everyone to go home. It's late." Gray arched a brow, wondering if he actually was going to try and help. Gray knew Natsu and Lisanna had been friends in the past, but he wasn't sure it was strong enough after everything that happened to her.

Watching Natsu walk into the room, he didn't question it further. He cleared everyone out, including the two befuddled men who'd been staying in the cramped room with Lisanna when she'd yelled.

When that was all said and done, and he was alone, Gray walked to the door. It was open a crack; the underlings hadn't closed it all the way. Inside was Natsu, his back leaning against the wall as he sat with his eyes closed, mouth pursed as he made shushing sounds. Gray could barely believe it, but he was relieved to see Lisanna lying with her head in his lap, crying softly as Natsu stroked her hair.

Gray sat outside the door to make sure no one disturbed them. Natsu didn't emerge until the middle of the night.

Gray yawned, taking in his equally exhausted friend. "Look who's gone soft." Gray jeered, taking the hand offered as Natsu helped him to his full height.

"Shut up." Natsu frowned, but it was halfhearted.

Gray chuckled. "I'm just happy you got her to be quiet. The cops probably would've been called on us if she didn't shut up," he exaggerated. "We both know that's the last thing we need."

"Gray." He shut up at the serious tone of the pink-haired man's voice, looking up to him and seeing just as serious a façade.

"I don't want her to be the last." Natsu spoke. "There were so many girls in that man's house. They don't all have an Elfman strong enough to get them home."

Gray's eyes widened, realizing how much Lisanna's situation had affected his boss.

"I want to continue to help them."

His right-hand man nodded, "And I'll help you." Natsu nodded back, reaching out to clasp his hand until they pulled each other into a hug.

Pulling away after a moment, Natsu pulled a sleek black phone out of his pocket before staring with a blank face at the lit screen. Gray was confused until he realized who would call Natsu at such a time if it wasn't an emergency.

"It's your dad isn't it?"

"…Yeah." Natsu blinked his gaze away from the screen his usually vibrant emotions still unreadable.

"He's really trying to fix your guys' relationship huh?"

"I guess so…"

"And that was it. I'm sure Natsu appreciates Lisanna because her situation pushed him to want to really help against trafficking, but their relationship never picked up from there. She tried to insist that there was something between them but Natsu never reciprocated. She was a different person afterwards, cruel. He saw how it affected Elfman and Mira so he tried to help people even more. Lisanna didn't see that, she thought she was his only case. It got to the point where he blocked her from his life."

"Why do you guys choose to go to auctions, why not go to the police or save those women in other ways?"

"We do! We just busted a few prostitution rings that Acnologia held, and we give information to the police about people we see from the auctions through an untraceable source. We have to keep on the down low though or everything could go up in flames. No one has any tangible evidence against us yet, but suspicion is enough to get people squirming. We were already under a lot of heat before we captured you, but Natsu had a gut feeling that that day would be important." Gray turned fully back towards her, "And lo and behold."

"I don't know what you're doing Lucy—well, besides the obvious" Lucy glared, her embarrassment easily shown, luckily Gray moved on, "but just in these past few days Natsu has changed. He showed about as much emotion as a bag of sand after his father was murdered, and that's coming from me." Gray stated, giving her a look. "Now, somehow...somehow he doesn't seem so lost."

Lucy stared at Gray, taking in his words as she replayed her memories of Natsu in her mind. She thought about their recent interactions, thought about today, and realized that he was becoming more emotive. Maybe not into a full-on person with readable feelings, but she could say he was now an open bag of sand with pebbles falling out onto the concrete.

The soft look he kept giving her tonight floated back into her mind. Compared to his usual emotional fare, that one stood out. It was deep and intimate in a way she didn't understand. It scared her.

Lucy blushed. Turning away from Gray before he could get a full view of it, Lucy continued to walk down the path. She squeezed the jacket around her for comfort once she felt a sudden bloom of insecurity. She felt a little bad for accusing Natsu after Gray's revelations, but the negative ball of feelings she had towards him wouldn't fully abate. At least she thought it was negative, it could've been her reaction to hearing about Natsu comforting Lisanna. Gray said nothing came out of it and that everything the girl insinuated tonight was wrong, but Lucy couldn't help but feel bad about Natsu showing Lisanna so much warmth and care while he treated Lucy as a means to an end most of the time. Sure, he was kinder tonight, but it was only after they had sex, and it was also probably to warm her up for the cameras when they started kissing. They would never have a real relationship, never even a foundation for one like he and Lisanna had.

The blonde sighed. She didn't notice the look that Gray gave her as he kept in step.

"Lucy."

She blinked, coming out of her thoughts before turning to look up at Gray.

Her thin frame was hidden under his jacket, but he was able to find her arm and pull her to a stop. His dark eyes looked deep into her brown ones. Her gaze became transfixed as she noticed the intensity of his thoughts.

"Lucy, just remember that he wants you to hate him."

The girl frowned, not completely understanding what he meant.

"I know it feels like he's fighting you, but he's actually fighting himself. The Natsu you know isn't the Natsu that I know or that his father knew." Gray sighed, "Just…just keep that in mind."

.oOo.

Walking into the penthouse, Lucy sighed at her newly acquainted surroundings. Gray had somehow convinced her to go back to Natsu despite having no intention of doing so when they left the dorms. Although she supposed having no other place to go helped with her final decision, too. If she went back to Erza's they'd find her before she took off even one shoe.

The warmth of the apartment made her remember the jacket on her shoulders, the girl quickly turning back to the door until she realized the owner was probably long gone. Gray had left her at the first-floor elevators with a two-finger salute and a somewhat pleased look in his eye after getting his way.

Lucy held back an eye roll at that. To her annoyance, she was finding the teasing man slowly growing on her.

Digging her small hands into the deep pockets, she found the other can of pop that Gray seemed to have forgotten. As she brought the can to her face, she discovered a grape flavored generic brand. Interesting. She knew her blue haired friend didn't like the taste, likening it to medicine, so it was a probably a good thing that Gray had left it.

Lucy placed the can on the counter before fully shrugging off the rest of the jacket and throwing it over one of the love seat cushions. Sighting the couch, Lucy's mind raced to last night, remembering her fight with Natsu and the rough sex that came after. Then she remembered Lisanna bringing up a similar narrative. Her comment had riled Lucy to her breaking point with its accuracy. After listening to Gray, she decided to chalk it up as a terrible coincidence.

Lucy walked away from the furniture, quickly heading in the direction of some dimly lit doors that she'd not yet entered. On the way, she pulled her blonde strands out of their mussed bun, letting it all fall down her back like a waterfall with its air dried loosely curled waves, the ends swishing against her tail bone in time with her steps.

As she continued on, her heart beating a little fast at the prospect of the discussion she and Natsu would have to have, she followed the only source of light down the darkened hallway into an open room.

It was a plainly decorated office: only a chair, desk, set of computers and office machines. In the midst of it sat none other than the man who stayed a constant in her thoughts.

Creeping closer, she saw there was only one soft amber light aglow on his desk. As he sat bent over, she noticed how it turned the pink strands of his hair into a warmer, darker color.

Her hands fidgeted with her dress, giving her fingers something to do, as she thought of what to say to him. Her steps were soft as she peaked around the desk...to find the man utterly and fully asleep.

Lucy's eyes grew wide at the sight. She'd never seen him asleep before. It was even more surprising to see him passed out over worksheets and a still processing computer. His pen still hung in his hand, even. Lucy bit her lip, moving closer to take in the document on the screen, cursor still blinking to life waiting for a continuation of his thought. Business jargon flourished on filling reports, stocks, and investments. It all seemed confusing to Lucy, even though her own father was a businessman. She realized then how much Natsu did for his father's company. With all the work in front of him, that must be why he woke up so early in the mornings, why he took online classes rather than going to the university campus.

Looking back at Natsu softly sleeping at the desk, Lucy felt her heart constrict. He looked so vulnerable. There was no other way to describe him. The cocky arrogant looks, impassive glares, angry frowns, it all melted away from his face to something new. He almost looked childlike, Lucy thought, noticing how the dim light lit his features delicately. His cheeks seemed softer and rounder. She regarded his long lashes and how the blushing hair on his head dusted across his eyes with every breath he took.

Lucy didn't know what pulled her to move closer, his face captivating her so that she didn't realize herself when she reached out to brush his hair away from his face.

In the space of a snap of your fingers or a blink of an eye, Lucy found herself tossed onto the desk with arms gripping her tightly and forcing her head down against the cold wood.

"Euh!" Lucy yelped as her arms were brought tightly behind her back and she felt the flush of a larger body behind her.

Natsu growled, and the sound sent a spark of fear straight up Lucy's back. One moment she was moving to touch the man and the next he had her shaking under him. "N-Natsu." Lucy mewled under him.

He stilled. Lucy panted, unsure of what he was doing or thinking, worried that he wouldn't recognize her in his tired frame of mind. Or maybe he would, and he'd come to the conclusion that he was tired of her for once and for all and decide to get rid of her.

"Lucy?"

The girl whimpered, at the thought more so than his recognition, blinking once before being turned over and lifted up.

Surprise lit Natsu's green eyes but when Lucy looked at the darkened shadow under them and the slight tinge of red she saw the tiredness there. "Lucy what are you doing in here?"

Lucy tilted her head, less annoyed at that question than she normally would be after seeing his exhaustion. "What do you mean? You won't let me leave."

Natsu sighed, bringing his hands from her arms down to her hips and pulling her closer. She hadn't realized he'd been massaging the soon to form bruises away. "That's not what I mean, why aren't you in bed?"

Lucy bit her lip, seeing the same soft look in his gaze he'd had earlier. His face came closer to hers. Thinking he was leaning in for a kiss, Lucy felt her heart rush further despite the already quick beat from the recent adrenaline rush. She was surprised when he leaned his head tiredly over her chest instead. He sat there for a long moment, breathing her in. Lucy didn't know what to do but stay still as her heart continued to beat rapidly.

"Lucy." He suddenly pronounced her name gravely, breaking the calm silence that had engulfed them. Having him so close made her skin prickle. His scent disoriented her and flushed all thoughts from her mind. She felt her breath catch when his hands tightened around her and his head shot up. His gaze was the most intense she'd ever seen. It was haunting and angry, the daze from his presence faded and the fear from earlier slowly crept back into her system at the sight of it. "Why do you smell like another man?"

The power in his gaze was so heavy Lucy felt dimly that she should be intimidated, but instead she was indignant. "As if you have the right to ask me that." Lucy glared.

Natsu growled, pulling her flush to his body and glaring deep into her brown eyes. His stomach clenched at the defiance he saw there. Despite being angry himself, he wasn't a stranger to her beauty when she was angry, the quality of it not lessening even after so many times. "We have an agreement Lucy. If I find out you were with another man…"

"You'll what?" Lucy challenged, keeping her gaze steady with his, even as she felt his anger grow to the boiling point. His hands around her body fisted into her clothes, daring to rip them. She couldn't believe what he was insinuating after what she'd gone through tonight. She shouldn't be the one having her integrity questioned.

"Then I'll show you that you could never want anyone else." Natsu snarled. The two had an intense stare down with the other making the air in the room seem warmer and more stifling than a sauna. Lucy didn't know what to think beyond her anger as she looked deep into his sea green eyes. So powerful and demanding in this moment that she was blindsided when indignation flew out the window and the abrupt desire to submit under him came to her mind. Natsu must have noticed the change as a spark lit his eyes, dominance taking over his larger form while bringing him closer to Lucy. They moved like magnets, Natsu breathing deeply out of his nose to display his anger, his breath hot against her skin that Lucy couldn't help but react, so when she shivered from the feel of it on her skin is when he made his strike. Natsu simultaneously grabbed a fist full of her hair, bending her back as her chest pushed taut against his own while smoothly sliding his hand up her dress and rubbing the wet spot forming over her clothed center, forcing the blonde to moan out brokenly.

"No one will ever be able to please you like me Lucy." He watched expectantly as she pushed her chest out to him, breathing deeply from the pleasure he was giving her while grabbing hold of his arm playing with her quickly soaking center as she ground down on it, while her other hand whipped behind her to hold her up, the most salacious smirk crept onto Natsu's lips.

Ripping her thong away, Natsu hiked her ass up fully onto his desk, before rubbing his fingers deftly along her clit viciously. "Ah!" Lucy yelped at the sudden pressure. Before she could look down at his fingers, his hands in her hair pulled her back further causing the girl to cry out. Her full creamy thighs were nudged apart to let him in between her even more, feeling them shake against him as he played with her.

"Look at that Luce, I'm able to get you this wet so quickly, and you try to go to another man for pleasure?" Natsu whispered huskily, growing closer until he leaned fully down over her, licking her from the deep crevices of her breasts to her sensitive neck before forcing two wet fingers into her pulsating, lava hot pussy. Lucy squeaked, holding tighter to the large hand stroking deep inside of her. She was suddenly forced to remember how thick and deliciously rough his fingers were. His caresses became more brutal as she started gushing against said limbs and moaning louder. "How did he touch you Luce? Was it as good as me?" Natsu growled roughly into her ear. The man nipped at the lobe, tasting her sweetness as he expected a just as tender of a response.

Lucy whimpered, her chest heaving as his fingertips hit a soft spongy area inside of her while his thumb mercilessly rubbed her clit. Her walls drenched his fingers as the sound of sloshing hit her embarrassed eardrums, paired with the crude sound of his own hums of pleasure as he continued to suck on her lobe. It tipped her over the edge quickly. "I-I'm going to cum!"

Natsu bit at her ear, licking at the lobe before rasping "You gonna cum Lucy? You want me to let you cum?"

"Yesssss!" Lucy cried, wrapping her arm around his neck as she held on for dear life. Just as she hit her peak, Lucy was forced all the way down onto Natsu's desk. Papers and laptop be damned as they toppled onto the floor unnoticed.

Lucy gasped as his fingers left her leaking pussy lips. She was moaning loud enough that Natsu wondered if the rest of the apartment building heard her despite the sound proof walls. He didn't focus on that thought for long before he thrust his hurriedly whipped out cock between Lucy's open thighs and into her sopping pussy lips.

"Ooooh!" Lucy's eyes dazed over, cumming even harder once his cock was added in, feeling her body fill to bursting. The pain of his sudden rough entry bit at the back of her mind as her legs were hiked up by rough hands and her walls clicked down harshly on his thick flesh. She felt her chest tighten, finding it hard to breathe as she fought to come down from her high. Once she did, Natsu didn't hold back.

He started a rough pace that rocked her against the desk, but she didn't mind, her hands flying to find purchase so that she wasn't knocked off as Natsu forced his cock in and out of her soaking folds.

"How did he fuck you Lucy? Just like this?" Natsu growled, glaring down at the enraptured girl. Seeing her curled blonde strands falling across and over the edges of the desk, her glossy eyes gazing tearfully up to the ceiling and rosy lips opened in a long moan, it wasn't enough. He wanted her with her eyes on him and him only. He bent her legs until they were pressed together and flung them over his shoulders, all the while never slowing his pace. Natsu closed his eyes for a moment at the feeling of her delicious walls sucking him in deeply, her warmth trying to melt him. He glared down at her, pulling her so that her ass was hanging off of his desk before leaning over her and pushing her knees to her chest as he pounded down into her.

Lucy's eyes bugged then, feeling his cock go too deep too fast. The girl yelped, bringing one hand to his shoulder and one to pull on his hair. Her eyes had no choice but to stare into his own, piercing her. This angle was hitting her deep, forcing choking sobs out of her mouth. "A-A—" But he was merciless. She could hardly breathe with her knees to her chest. His cock hitting her so fully made it even worse.

Natsu glowered into her, "Was it just like that?" He sneered, grunting when she clamped down on him harshly after one particular thrust. At the same time she cried out, the sound of her pussy squelching loudly and dirtily entered their ears. He watched as Lucy gasped. "No one can make you cum this hard, baby."

Lucy ripped hard at his hair as her orgasm overcame her. Distantly she heard Natsu groan when her walls completely collapsed down on him. Lucy cried out, sobbing dirtily as his length kept going deeper and deeper, her ass shaking against the frame of the desk with each powerful thrust.

Natsu came soon after, his tip hitting her deepest parts as he ground himself all the way in to the hilt with a deep growl. "Lucy." He forced her teary eyes to him with her name. Allowing her walls to milk himself dry, he ground himself down into her as far as he could go as he held tightly to her clasped thighs, forcing her to take all of him. The angle of her ass hanging over the desk working very much to his advantage so that her womb excepted every last drop.

Lucy panted, staring back up at him tiredly. Her stomach felt full as she felt his hot cum continue to squirt inside of her. One particularly hot spurt made her whimper as she jumped away, along with the intense look in his eyes. He held her down firmly before she could fall.

"We may not have a real relationship, but you will not fuck other men while you're with me." He stated, his green eyes glowing hatefully. She was scared, not of him per se, but of this angry, hateful emotion she'd never seen in his gaze before.

Lucy shook her head, ignoring the fact that he was still inside of her. "Natsu, I didn't sleep with anyone." Pink brows furrowed as he stared down at her, but she continued on. "I was only with Gray."

If Natsu wasn't so caught up in his emotions, he would have snorted and said that wasn't any better. Instead, he closed his eyes, trying to calm himself. His ears processed what Lucy said but his brain continued to try and relapse.

After a few more minutes, Lucy staring worriedly up at Natsu, he gathered himself before pulling himself off of her and his half hard cock out.

Lucy closed her eyes, biting her lip at the feel of their mixed fluids, mainly his as he'd released so much, warm and gooey as it started dribbling out of her. Before she could feel uncomfortable, she felt warm large hands spread her legs apart and tissues clean her intimate area. Lucy felt a little embarrassed but allowed it, somewhat feeling touched by the action.

In the middle of cleaning, Natsu stopped. Lucy's eyes went to him questioningly. Natsu pulled a gasp from the girl when he placed an open palm to her heated core, eyes staring down at her possessively, "I meant it Lucy, this is mine."

His long fingers tickled her hypersensitive clit as he spoke. "Until you give me what I want." Lucy bit her lip, forcing herself to not jump at the feeling of his touches. It was embarrassing enough that her passage was clamping down on nothing just with his hand so near. The convulsions of her sex made Natsu's semen leak from her further. "I do not share what is mine, Luce."

When he was done, Natsu's hands were on her again, pulling her off of the desk and helping her fix her dress. She was grateful because her wedges were still on her feet and she knew before long her butt would've been numb.

Seemingly having got himself together, Natsu looked deep into her eyes while holding her at her waist. His anger from earlier had completely floated away. Although she wouldn't have blamed him if it stayed, knowing that she should have nipped his suspicion at the bud instead of egging him on. It seemed even after what Gray told her she was still affected by what happened with Lisanna.

"I'm sorry Lucy." He seemed to mean that for a number of things, not just the misunderstanding. She felt his earnestness, taking in the meaningful look in his viridescent eyes.

"We have things to discuss, Natsu…"

And just like that, it seemed the soft look she was coming to know was gone.

Natsu pulled away from her, sliding his hand down from her hip to her thigh in the same motion as he sat in his seat. The last lingering touch he made before he folded his arms around himself, that cold gaze she found synonymous to himself back in place.

"You're right, we do."


AN: So how was that? Despite using it as reference a couple times, I really don't like 50 shades, but for some reason it comes up in my mind as a reference. What do you guys think about Lucy and Gray's talk? The lemon? I contemplated leaving it in there but it just came to me as I was writing and I will never deny lemon inspiration. It's comes too few and far between, haha.

BTW, those flash backs are before Natsu and his dad start to fix their relationship so Natsu's personality is more like it normally is in the manga if not a little hardened from helping run a crime organization and feeling abandoned by his parents, haha. He doesn't become the hard wall of emotions we know now until after his father is murdered.

Sorry it took me so long to post this. School has been getting to me and I've been really trying to focus on that. I'm going on another vacation (I'm actually leaving for it right now) so I wanted to get this out as soon as possible. I've never posted a chapter on my phone before today, but it was going to happen sooner or later with as unorganized as I am.

Next chapter is going to the next step in the plot for those of you let down by another lemon haha. But what can I say I like to write them. I have a big test coming up for my japanese proficiency soon so I'll be really busy but after the test is July my updates should be a little more smooth.