Hellooo :] Here's the new chapter, hope you enjoy it!

I really appreciate all the reviews so far, especially the few who have brought up some good points. It's really helped me understand where my story can go.

Just to be clear, I'm trying to write the progression of their relationship. As mentioned in the summary, the idea is that both Natsu and Lucy tentatively explore the lines of said relationship. They are learning, and with the war over, they have time so this is not a story of denial, whiff, bang, voila.

Having said that, it's also about trying to portray a natural flow, hopefully in keeping with their characters. Again, this is my first fanfic so all constructive criticism is welcome (and dare I say it, probably much needed).

I'll expand a bit more on some of the points made at the end of the chapter, I'm sure you want to get reading already! xx


In the kitchen, Lucy set about to get dinner ready, knowing full well the boys would pester her about food all night. She pulled out a fish from the freezer much to Happy's delight, as well as some meat to appease Natsu's monstrous appetite.

"…and then Charle said she didn't mind having me around!" Happy finished.

"That's wonderful, Happy. Have you considered what your next step might be?" Lucy prompted, chopping up a few vegetables to fry.

"Fish!" The exceed said in excitement.

Lucy giggled at his enthusiasm, warmth blooming in her chest at Happy's innocence. She almost envied how freely he admitted his affections for Wendy's Exceed, when she herself had trouble coming to terms with her own situation.

Not wanting to delve any further into that subject, she thought a little advice for the blue Exceed wouldn't hurt much.

"That's cute but we both know Charle isn't too keen on fish," she hinted while turning on the frying pan.

At his lack of response, Lucy turned to look at Happy and took note of his dismay at her statement. Her eyes widened slightly in panic, not intending to wound him from her words. "Th-that's not to say she doesn't like fish at all!" She hurriedly added. He looked up at her in confusion, head slightly tilted to the side.

"Have you ever considered there could be something other than fish she might like?" She asked him gently.

Happy put a paw on his chin and looked up thoughtfully. "Hmm… she did mention she liked chocolate… maybe I can get her some and wrap it up for her as a gift!" He perked up at the idea. "Thanks Lucy, I never knew you were so smart!" he exclaimed.

Lucy felt her eye twitch, her hand gripping the spatula tighter to contain her annoyance at his comment. She put some oil in the pan and threw in the vegetables.

"Well, I am a girl so you're welcome?"

Happy floated close to her face with a serious look, causing her to step back a little in apprehension.

"Are you sure you're a girl? I thought girls were meant to be pretty and skinny, Lucy." He quipped.

This time, nothing held her back from grabbing the winged cat by the neck, a tight smile in place and veins throbbing on her forehead in unchecked rage.

"Getting bored of life, are you?" She threatened him. "I can help you with that."

"No, no, Lushi! I meant you're a super neat woman pleasedontkillme… NATSU!" Happy hacked out, seeing his pink-haired friend in the doorway into the kitchen. "Save me!" He cried out.

Lucy's grip on him lessened at the mention of the dragonslayer, allowing Happy enough space to squirm out of her hold and dash behind the safety of his friend.

"Natsuu! She tried to kill me," he wailed.

Natsu chuckled lightly and reached up to scratch Happy behind the ears. "I don't know, you did walk straight into that one, didn't ya?"

He looked over at Lucy, still puffing from anger as she continued with her cooking. He took a seat at the table and watched her work diligently over their meal.

It was moments like these where Natsu would trouble to picture her as an ex-heiress to a multi-million Konzern. He was there alongside Erza, Happy and Grey when they rushed over to the Heartfilia residence in order to stop Lucy from leaving the guild.

She came from a life full of riches, with maids and stuffy butlers, chefs and silver platters, fancy clothing and expensive jewellery.

Yet here she was, cooking in her kitchen, movements confident and sure. Natsu was proud of Lucy. She grew to be incredibly strong and independent, without so much as a single glance to the past and the luxuries left behind.

He sometimes wondered if she ever missed it.

"Natsu? Are you alright? You're being oddly quiet." He heard Lucy say. He was met with her concerned eyes, though he didn't fail to see a flash of caution too. Maybe she thought he was up to no good again?

He grinned at her widely. "Nah, Luce. Just thinking about some stuff."

Lucy eyed him suspiciously. "Okay, then. Can you help thaw this fish out, please?" She asked while handing over the frozen item.

Natsu rolled his eyes playfully. "Sure, make a heat slave out of me why don't you."

"Hey! I can't be the only one pulling all their weight here. In fact, Happy please set the table for us. Dinner won't take much longer." She laughed.

"Aye, sir!"


Their meal went by pleasantly, accompanied with the occasional conversation and usual banter.

Lucy had long finished her plate, not a rarity considering the smaller portions she consumed compared to Natsu and Happy's limitless stomachs. She waited patiently as they continued to wolf down their food, bits flying due to their reckless manners. Lucy never minded though – if anything it was a testament to how much they enjoyed her cooking.

"That was awesome, Luce, thanks!" Natsu said happily, giving his stomach a few pats.

She blinked, surprised by how fast he managed to inhale his food. Where exactly did he put it away?

Shaking her head in wonder, Lucy smiled and picked up the plates to wash. She set the dishes in the sink, not noticing the warm presence behind her.

"I can help with that."

Lucy jumped, startled from her task as he gently pried her away to start the chore. A soft blush rose to her cheeks from their close proximity, and she chided herself for acting like a teenager. She mumbled a thanks to him and helped grab the rest of the plates from the table.

They worked in silence, him washing and her drying, both relaxed in the comfortable quiet of each other's presence. Lucy appreciated these moments and basked in the warmth Natsu exuded from his body.

So engrossed in her task, she took a wet glass he proffered and startled as their hands touched. She glanced up at him and noticed his gaze on her, curious but unwavering, and flushed under the intensity.

"I'm saying he's your soulmate."

Her blush increased, rooting her to her spot. Her eyes never left his, and Lucy realised her hand was still resting on Natsu's extended one, glass all but forgotten.

The very hand she had been fantasising about not long ago…

Lucy squeaked, grabbing the glass and wiping it furiously to distract her mind.

Natsu was about to question her erratic behaviour when a sudden whiff had him stiffen in surprise.

The sweet, spicy scent was back. And this time, it came directly from Lucy.

The revelation puzzled him – she hadn't smelled any different before. He took a moment to analyse the woman stood next to him, now moving away to put the dried dishes in their allocated cupboards.

Natsu opened his mouth to ask her about it, only to come up short when he saw her attempt to place one of the serving dishes on a shelf out of her reach. Figuring he could wait a little longer, he approached her from behind and grabbed the item off her hands, easily storing it away.

"Seriously, Luce, just ask for help if it's too high -" He trailed off as she let a startled shriek. He grabbed her waist in an effort to keep her steady and waited for her to slowly turn around so he could ask her why she was being so scatty.

His question died off on his lips as he took note of her flustered state.

"Sorry, Natsu, I didn't expect you there." Lucy tried to calm her pounding heartbeat as a result from his sudden presence and berated herself on being so skittish. This was Natsu, for Mavis' sake – she had no need to be all nervous around him!

His hands on her waist did nothing to ease her tension, only serving to plunge her mind further in the gutter now that she realised how much better they felt than her irrational fantasy. Especially with her backed up (deliciously) against the counter.

Lucy looked up, only to find herself caught once more under his stare. Her breath hitched; eyes fixated by his deep green orbs. Maybe it was her imagination, but she could swear there were golden flecks in them too…

She trailed down his face, past his nose and angular cheekbones, before resting on his chapped lips. Lucy had a sudden inexplicable urge to see what they would feel like against hers.

Natsu, for his side, was baffled by the mysterious scent making itself known again. There was no mistaking it now, it definitely came from Lucy. Slowly, he leaned down towards her, not paying any mind to her eyes widening.

As for Lucy, her mind went frantic when Natsu inched closer towards her face. He couldn't possibly be –

She screwed her eyes shut, mouth pursing tight and heart beating wildly as she desperately tried to understand what was happening.

His breath fanned her cheeks as he dipped lower still, nose plunged into her collarbone. She shivered at the sensation, her grip on the counter behind her hardening.

Wait, what?

Confused, Lucy opened her eyes to demand what he was doing (because damnit, she really thought he was going for a kiss and she didn't know if that was good or bad), when Natsu's next action floored her.

He sniffed her.

And not a small, tentative sniff – though why he did so stumped her nonetheless – but a deep inhalation.

"Um…Natsu?" Lucy tried tentatively.

Natsu, for his part, was utterly caught up in the intoxicating scent he didn't hear her. It was enrapturing and he could feel the tell-tale signs of addiction settling in.

Lucy attempted to wriggle out of his hold but to no avail, his grip on her waist almost increasing as he let out a low, warning growl. Her eyes widened in surprise – did Natsu just growl at her? She put her hand against his chest as means to maintain what small gap was left between their bodies.

Her breath hitched as Natsu pushed his nose further into her neck and gasped when he inhaled again, this time followed by a shuddering groan from the dragonslayer.

"Luce… your smell, I can't explain it…," Natsu strained.

He lifted his head to meet her eyes and Lucy breathed in sharply; his eyes took on a sharper, almost animalistic edge, iris slit in what she could only describe as a draconic fashion.

"Natsu your eyes," Lucy breathed out, transfixed by his orbs. She slowly reached a hand up towards his face and gently caressed around his eyelids in wonder.

"NATSUUU! LUUUSHII!"

At the sound of Happy's shrill cry, both mages snapped from their daze. Lucy took the opportunity to forcefully push Natsu away, creating a much-needed distance between them. She flinched at the surprised look he gave her and silently promised herself she'd apologise about it later.

Happy flew in from the living room (Lucy wondered when he'd even left), stopping mid-air in mild confusion as he took in the agitated tension in the kitchen.

"Hey, bud. What's up?"

Lucy shot up at Natsu's casual tone and observed his relaxed posture, bewildered by his nonplussed state – like nothing had just happened.

"You tell me," Happy sassed, arms crossing as he looked between the two of them. Damn him and his random moments of perceptiveness, Lucy cursed. His eyes glinted mischievously. "Because from what it looks like, maybe -"

"Mission!" Lucy interrupted. She knew that look all too well, and so help her if he continued with his love accusations. "We were just talking about the new mission I got from the guild." She added in clarification.

Natsu opened his mouth to negate her but her glare stopped him cold.

Happy, though, seemed to need a bit more convincing. "What mission?"

Lucy was super glad she wasn't lying (as a celestial mage, it always left a bad taste) and thought back to the flyer Mirajane gave her earlier that day.

"It's a request to help out at Hargeon port. There's an extensive amount of new shipment arriving, and they need help with the unloading. They're providing free accommodation and money isn't bad. I was thinking we could leave tomorrow? We could take the fast train in the morning." She said.

Natsu paled at the mention of transport but took a moment to carefully read Lucy. It sounded like a nervous excuse to Happy at first, though one sniff and he knew she was telling the truth. One of the many perks of a dragonslayer, he supposed.

Not that it did much to help earlier…

Thankfully, he didn't have to dwell much on that as Happy took the chance to speak first. "Bummer, I already promised Wendy and Charle we'd go see the other Exceed tomorrow." He looked down in disappointment.

Natsu blinked. "When did you do that?"

"This morning."

"And you didn't tell me because…?"

"Must have forgotten."

Natsu facepalmed at Happy's blunt answer. "Don't worry Natsu, I'm sure Lucy will actually do some work and help you out!" Happy added cheerfully.

"And again, with the insult…" Lucy lamented, hands thrown in the air.

Natsu laughed softly. "I guess we'll have to make do without you, Happy. Just make sure you don't cause Wendy or Charle any trouble." He warned.

"Aye, sir!"

He turned to Lucy with a wide grin. "Well we better be off, them bags ain't gonna pack themselves!"

Lucy felt a small flush at his smile, flashbacks of the recent few minutes fresh on her mind. She pushed them back for now, focusing on bidding them farewell. "Yeah… I'll see you bright and early tomorrow."

Happy flew straight into her arms for a hug. "I'll miss you, Lucy." He muffled out between her breasts.

She returned the embrace fully and gave him a little scratch behind his ears. "Don't be silly, we'll be back before you know it!" She giggled as he let go.

Lucy watched them turn to leave and waved them away.

"FOR THE LAST TIME – USE THE GODDAMN DOOR!"


They both sniggered as they slowed their pace once clear of Lucy's wrath.

"She's never gonna learn, is she?" Happy asked rhetorically.

Natsu laughed heartily at the joke, a mutual amusement shared between him and his companion. "I suppose not, but that's what makes her so fun."

The blue Exceed perched himself on Natsu's pink hair. He leaned forward to grab the dragonslayer's attention.

"Ne, Natsu?"

"Hmm?"

"What happened in the kitchen earlier? You guys looked super nervous…" Happy remarked.

Natsu cringed as he thought how best to answer the question. Happy had always been there for him, through thick and thin. While Natsu trusted him never to be judgemental, this was something he needed to figure out himself first.

"Nothing, buddy. We were talking about the mission, but I think I ate too quick and had a stomachache." He decided to say.

Happy stayed quiet, and for a minute Natsu thought he was gonna get called out.

"You did shovel that food pretty hard."

Natsu snorted, careful not to give away his relief. They continued down the path in peace, listening to the calm trickling of the canal stream along the way.

It soothed him, helped sort through his cluttered mind.

Admittedly, Natsu wasn't the best when faced with emotions. Hell, he never needed to! He was perfectly content with his situation. He had a home, a family at Fairy Tail, Zeref was gone (R.I.P brother), Acnologia was defeated and the world had finally achieved peace.

As far as he was concerned, he was happy.

Never one to shy away from a problem though, Natsu tried to resolve it the only way he could: head-on. He thought back to see if he could find the root of the problem. What started all this?

That scent.

The one Lucy emitted. The one that took him by surprise in the bathroom, and again in the kitchen.

For dragons - and by natural extension, dragonslayers - their keen olfactory senses were paramount for survival. They determined the hunt for food, identified and forged nestmates, helped sense any impending danger and revealed any surrounding deceit.

He relied heavily on his nose, which was why this new odour had him beyond puzzled.

Natsu could vividly remember the smell, and with it, the sudden heat that coursed through him. Even the taste had him burning. He tried to chalk it up to 'that time' (the one-not-to-be-named, unless he were to have half the female population maim him if they knew he knew) but quickly dismissed the thought.

This was distinctive. It was tantalising, addictive and it drew him to Lucy in a way he had never experienced before.

He felt it awaken something deep inside him. It stirred his inner instincts, but why?

Looking ahead, he saw they were nearing their house. He shook his head, intent on leaving the matter for the meantime. He can think more about it tomorrow.

One thing he did know for certain…

… Natsu liked it.

And he craved more of it.


Phew!

Hopefully you enjoyed this, please review and let me know your thoughts!

Big thanks to Sairey13, mdot911, fox0920, Pinky Ziel, Ember Reverie, savwafair, valerioux, jajayare, Nalusmutlover, cookienom, Reader, AvidReader & Dragonslayer-secret a!

As for some of the points mentioned:

Sairey13: I really like the relationship between Lucy and Happy. While I wouldn't necessarily label it as mother/son, there is a strong familial attachment that can't be denied. Chapter 367 where Lucy hugs happy deeply resonated in me. Maybe when this is over I might write something about them two?

mdot911: PARFUME! Your comment made me laugh so hard! I agree about Natsu, he's shown on several occasions not to be completely oblivious to women but this is something I'm going to address eventually.

savwafair: Oops, you caught me! I'd been wrestling with this for a while but after doing a little research I've decided to stick to it. In the Alvarez battle (SPOILER ALERT IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED THE MANGA!) when Rahkeid used his pleasure power, neither Lucy or Natsu were affected in the least. I'm basing my theory off that, which is why Natsu has never come across such... smells and why Lucy hasn't...well, you know. ;) Furthermore I want to think that they've been busy recuperating after the war, with maybe Lucy having been on a few dates but no such interests have really come up? I don't know. Still need to fit that in somewhere lol.

I will endeavour to answer any questions or theories to the best of my ability as the story goes along (without giving too much away, of course), but one step at a time.

Until next time! xx