Cute little story I thought of instead of trying to sleep...

Pairing: Nalu (obviously)

Cute and fluffy short.

"Hey Lucy! I thought I could smell ya, whatcha doing sat out here?" Natsu asked, stepping speedily over to his blonde partner who had made herself comfortable by Fairy Tails pool.

Face deep in a book, she didn't even look up at the man that was now looming over her. Tilting his head slightly, he deduced that her silence meant she just mustn't have heard him and so tried again.

"Luce? I've been looking for you all day, why're you out here all by yourself?" He asked again, frowning curiously at the girl who had barely even noticed his presence.

"Lucy... Lucy! Hey, I'm talking to you, why're you ignoring me?" Starting to feel a little frustrated by her silence, he raised his voice, even though he knew she could hear him perfectly. "Have I done something wrong?"

It was the only plausible explanation he could come up with. Lucy was highly stubborn and this was one of her ways to get at him if he'd upset her in some way.

Even if he had, Natsu wasn't about to give up that easily and reached his hand out to poke her on the shoulder, maybe that might invoke some sort of reaction? As his finger made contact with her skin, she batted it away and turned her head, a cute little pout adorning her features.

So she was angry at him? That was obvious now, but what had he done to upset her so? He didn't like it when Lucy ignored him, he always preferred it when she was happy and smiling. Thinking back over the last day or so, he tried his hardest to remember what they had done together, what could've possibly set her off?

"Is this because I interrupted that 'date' you had with that scrawny little weed yesterday?" He asked, watching her eyes widen a little then turn to him, a scowl present on her pretty face.

Bingo.

"Because honestly, I was doing you a favour, Lucy. He wasn't worth your time!" He shrugged nonchalantly.

"Oh yeah! And who are you to decide that? He was perfectly nice and sweet and you just had to ruin it!" She felt her blood begin to boil, he had a habit of doing this. Every time she got friendly with someone, Natsu would swoop in and scare the poor, unknowing soul away. Without fail.

"You deserve better than that. Plus, he was only after you for your body, his eyes were focused on your ass more than your face." Natsu never did understand her obsession with dates and guys, especially sleazy ones.

Were their adventures not fun enough? They were like going on dates, right?

"And how would you know, maybe I like it when a guy pays attention to me? Maybe I like it when they look!" Throwing the book in her hand down, she crossed her arms over her chest and turned away again, not in the mood to have this argument with the dense dragon slayer.

Raising his brow at her, he knew she was lying and he was about to take great joy in proving her wrong.

"I know that because I know you, Luce. You like it when someone pays attention to who you are as a person, your stories, your mind, your adventures. You'd much prefer a compliment on how cool your magic is or how pretty a smile you have than what a nice ass you've got." Natsu crouched down so that he was eye level with the dazed blonde. Her scowl replaced by a look of shock and awe at just how accurate he was being. "Guys that don't notice those things, aren't worth your attention."

"You think I've gotta nice ass?"

Natsu deadpanned. Shit! Had he just said that? How was he supposed to answer that? Why did he never think before speaking? "Well, sure, anyone can see that, but I like your smile more." Mentally face palming himself, now he'd gone and done it!

"You do?" Lucy's face tinted pink but just for him, a small smile played on her lips, in the hope she'd understood him right.

Eyes widening, he realised then that she'd cornered him and now he had no excuse but to tell her the truth. Blushing a little himself, he nodded and grinned back at her, what was the harm in her knowing he liked her smile anyway?

"Of course. You got a lot of pretty things, but your smile is the best."

"Let me get this straight" Lucy felt a surge of joy enter her system now that she knew Natsu thought she was pretty, but he'd obviously not meant for such information to leave the confines of his brain and she felt like getting a little pay back. "I shouldn't go on dates with other guys because none of them are like you?" She smirked at his little confession, her stomach filling with butterflies. "And that you think I'm pretty?"

"Exactly! Who needs all of them, when you got me?" Inwardly cursing as the words left his mouth, for once Natsu didn't know what to do other than wait nervously for her reply.

"Hmm... I guess as far as an apology goes, it works for me." She giggled at his flustered face.

"Hey! Who's apologising?! I didn't do anything wrong-"

She silenced him with a small peck on the cheek, turning his stunned features redder than a boiled lobsters. "Thanks, Natsu. For always being there for me."

"S-sure... er, anytime, Lucy!" He stuttered, maybe one day he'd work up the courage to kiss her back, but for now they were content and who knows, maybe his little confession would make that sooner than he thought.

Thanks for reading!