Summary: Natsu is in search of perfect term of endearment for Lucy

Pairings: Mentions of Laxus/Mira, Gajeel/Levy and Alzack/Bisca, some implied Juvia/Lucy friendship, but really it's just lashings of Natsu/Lucy and nothing else.

YouTube Prompt: A Natsu/Lucy video to 'Hell and High Water' by Black Stone Cherry.

It was a rare, quiet, evening in Lucy's apartment as Happy dozed on the sofa, Lucy sat at her desk trying to write, and Natsu sprawled himself out on Lucy's bed, soaking in the last rays of the sun setting, as he watched Lucy mutter to herself. He had a slight frown on his face as he tried to figure something out and eventually let out a frustrated sigh.

"I don't get it," Natsu spoke up breaking the silence, "why does Laxus call Mira babe?"

"Seriously?" Lucy asked amused. "That's what you're thinking about?"

"It's been bothering me," Natsu shrugged, "since they've started dating he has stopped using her name and I don't get why."

"It's a term of endearment," Lucy explained, "a nickname that only a boyfriend or girlfriend would use for their partner, or a parent to their child," she elaborated when Natsu just looked even more confused and bewildered. "It's a way to show affection."

"Oh!" Natsu's eyes widened with realisation. "I see…hey, Luce," he said slowly, "We're dating, aren't we?"

"…Yes," Lucy said slowly.

She wasn't quite sure she was going to like where this was heading because usually when Natsu asked something like that he then wanted her to cook or clean something.

"So doesn't that mean I should give you a term of endearment?" Natsu asked. "And you give me one?"

"If you want," Lucy smiled, her cheeks burning slightly with pleasure and a sudden shyness, "I wouldn't mind."

"All right!" Natsu grinned, "so are you going to stop being so boring and come over for a cuddle, babe?"

Lucy dropped her pen at that. It landed on the desk with a loud clattering sound. "Oh no!" she said disgustedly. "You are not calling me babe."

"Why not?!" Natsu whined.

"Because that's what Laxus calls Mira," Lucy explained shortly, "I'm not having a term of endearment another couple use so blatantly. Pick another."

"What one?!"

"I don't know!" Lucy threw her hands in the air. "Any. Just not babe."

"All right then," Natsu frowned, "Darling," he said slowly, "Dear, Dearie?" Lucy sniggered at the last one and Natsu abruptly shook his head as he thought back to all of the other terms of endearments he had heard other people use…mostly Bisca and Alzack who had got to be the most loved-up, icky, gushy, couple Natsu had ever met. "Sweetheart or sweetie or sweeting or, oh, I know! Sweet-cheeks!" he cried out triumphantly.

"Hell no!" Lucy barked. "You are not calling me sweet-cheeks. That's just inviting Macao and Wakaba to leer at us."

"All right then," Natsu agreed with the smallest of scowls. He didn't need the reminder of what perverts Macao and Wakaba were. Ever since Natsu and Lucy had started dating the pair never stopped bugging Natsu about what it was like to touch Lucy's boobs. Seriously. He was going to incinerate them one day and no one will tell him off. "Love?" he suggested lightly as he tried not to think of the smirking, smug, faces of the perverts he'll punch later. "Precious? Sunshine? Princess?"

"Not Princess," Lucy rejected gently but firmly, "that's Virgo's and occasionally Loke's, term of endearment for me. You're not stealing from my spirits."

"I thought you said only partners and parents use term of endearments?" Natsu frowned. "So why do they get to use a term of endearment for you?" he asked with just a hint of jealousy.

"Friends use terms of endearments too, you know," Lucy rolled her eyes, "like Juvia calling me and the others Love Rival."

"How is that a term of endearment?!"

"Just is," Lucy shrugged, "she doesn't use the threatening, jealous, tone when she says it anymore. It's become a pet name."

"Girls are so weird," Natsu muttered. Lucy looked offended but before she could argue Natsu sat up with a radiant grin. "I know!" he cried out delighted. "Because I'm a Dragon you should be my treasure!"

"Pfft!" Lucy snorted. "That's so corny. Try again, please."

Natsu immediately deflated at that which lasted the total of three seconds before he perked up. "Angel," he suggested and Lucy immediately shook her head at that. Memories of….well Angel, had definitely tainted that one for her. "Cherub?" Lucy pulled a disgusted face at that one. "Ducky?" the look of disgust deepened. "Pet?"

"That…..just sounds creepy," Lucy shook her head, "like an old lady that's trying to fatten me up."

"Petal, flower, not wait honey!" Natsu suggested. Lucy looked amused but she didn't agree to any of them and Natsu took it as an invitation to keep coming up with some new ones. "Honey-bun, honey-pie, pumpkin, cupcake, cookie, sugar, sugar-lips, sugar plum, sugar crumpet-"

"Oh my God!" Lucy interrupted. "Enough with the food! People are going to think that you want to eat me or something."

For some reason Lucy went really red at that though Natsu didn't understand why. He had a feeling he just missed an innuendo or something. Either way…..he still had an argument. "But Gajeel calls Levy 'Shrimp'!" he whined. "That's a food!"

"Yeah well I don't want to be referred to as something Happy would eat either," Lucy muttered as she crossed her arms defiantly, "and that's a reference to her height. He's teasing her not being romantic."

"Okay, okay, I get it," Natsu grumbled, "no food…." A mischievous smirk played on his lips, "Baby-cakes," he drawled out.

Lucy groaned at that. "No!" she moaned piteously.

"But love muffin…" Natsu's smirk fell off of his face when Lucy looked up and levelled him with her most terrifying glare. If he didn't leave the food thing alone he'll be in for a Lucy Kick very soon. "All right, all right… Doll-face?" Lucy scrunched her nose up in disgust. "Okay, no then, how about beloved? No, wait! Dearly Beloved!"

"We're not at a funeral Natsu!"

"Snookums."

"God no!"

"Pookie, poppet, cuddles, snuggles, lady, sweet thing, bunny – no wait Gajeel calls you that sometimes – erm, gorgeous, beautiful, lovely, darling, no I've said that before, jewel, erm, ah, sex kitten?"

Lucy, who had been incredibly unimpressed for the last few suggestions, looked extremely frustrated and irritated. Her eye had begun to twitch, especially at sex kitten, and she crossed her arms even more to fight back the urge to just slap Natsu. "Not unless you want to be Lucy-Kicked to the other side of the country," she said tightly, barely able to keep her temper in control.

"Well then," Natsu scratched the back of his head, "what about-"

"Oh God!" Lucy interrupted, having lost all patience, she immediately stood up. "No more! I've changed my mind!" she declared. "I don't want a term of endearment, you idiot. I just want us to be us."

Natsu blinked, bewildered, and then snorted. "You weirdo," he smiled, "we would've always been us with or without the pet names."

Lucy slid into Natsu's lap and his arms immediately wrapped themselves round her waist, anchoring her to him, as her own entwined themselves round his neck. Her hand played with the curl at the back of Natsu's neck as Lucy leaned in close, her nose brushing against his, "Idiot," she whispered hotly against his lips.

"Weirdo."

And then they forgot all about terms of endearments as they focused on much more pleasurable things.

(Meanwhile Happy rolled his eyes against the cushion of Lucy's sofa having heard everything. he couldn't believe how stupid Natsu and Lucy were sometimes. Everyone knew that Idiot and Weirdo were their weird little pet names for each other. Honestly!)