The Training Bet
Chapter 2
This is it, Lucy thought. Last chance.
She wondered if Natsu would fall for the little trick she'd devised. Going head-to-head with him, she'd have no chance of winning. So she'd taken the liberty of evening the odds a bit last night on her way home. Using Virgo's powers, she'd drilled several more spica holes into the dirt of the clearing, then cleverly camouflaged them.
She had a few tricks up her sleeve to make Natsu fall into one. But knowing him as well as she did, she doubted she'd need to use them. His eagerness to brawl would be his undoing. The quicker she could put an end to their little sparring match, the better. A longer contest would not be in her favor.
All's fair in battle, she reminded herself. Hopefully her plan would work! Anxiously, she waited for the Dragon Slayer to enter the glade. He'd told her to go on ahead while he dropped off the sushi Mira'd made them for dinner. Watching nervously from behind the tree where she crouched, she smoothed the fluffy, pink miniskirt of her Aries Star Dress.
Any moment now. She had to be ready. She'd have mere seconds to get the timing right.
XXX
After stowing the food in the fridge, Natsu hurried towards the clearing where Lucy waited. He had to admit, he was curious to see what she'd do. His girlfriend was crafty and he wondered what other tricks she had up her sleeve. That Star Dress combination-thingy had been awesome! Its power had caught him off guard, that's for sure. Plus, it'd been super sexy, too.
Inwardly, the fire mage groaned. He'd been right.
Sparring with Lucy was hella distracting.
No wonder his battle instincts went crazy around her. But at least she'd been okay with his reactions. Welcomed them, even. If he'd freaked her out, he had no idea what he would've done. Good thing his Luce was a perv, just like him. He chuckled.
"What's so funny?"
She stood across the clearing, hand on her hip. He saw that she still wore regular clothing: a blue-jean miniskirt paired with a green, patterned sleeveless top that bared a triangular sliver of flesh over her belly. It had a small zipper clasp holding the fabric closed right between her breasts. Her long legs were bare, except for white ankle socks and tennis shoes. Out of habit, he lifted his chin, testing her scent.
Even without her Star Dresses, she's so damn sexy! And she smells good, too!
He liked the top, in particular. Mostly because he knew from experience that he could get it off of her using only his teeth.
Idly, he wondered what she'd ask for if she somehow managed to beat him. He figured he'd make her sing him a love song on the stage in front of the entire guild. It would be both adorable and hilarious! She had a good voice and he liked listening to her sing on the rare occasions she did so—usually at guild parties when she was drunk—so he was really looking forward to watching her cheeks flame as hot as his fire later tonight.
But he was still curious about what she'd make him do on the outside chance that she won.
"Oh, just thinking 'bout what I'm gonna make you do tonight," he told her, grinning. "I hope you know some good love songs, 'cause you're gonna be singing one to me on the guildhall stage in front of everyone later."
Her jaw dropped. "How about...no."
He laughed. "We'll see, won't we? You ready?"
She smirked at him, then curled a finger provocatively. "Bring it."
"You got it! I'm all fired up now!"
Firing up his fists for show—and to be ready just in case she pulled out Sagittarius's Star Dress again—Natsu leaped forward, heading straight for his girlfriend.
She braced herself, falling into a battle stance he'd seen her use many times, usually while wearing that pervy bull's Star Dress. Oddly enough, she didn't call on Taurus's strength, nor Capricorn's martial arts abilities.
She can't seriously be thinking of taking me on like that, can she?
"Look out, Luce. Here I come!" he cried.
Right fist pulled back for a punch—but ready to change things up and just tackle the blonde mage if he had to—Natsu leaped and landed right where Lucy stood.
Or where she'd been standing.
As he came down from his leap, she bent at the knees and took a forceful jump backwards, out of his reach. Instinctively, he pressed forward as he landed, only to have the ground in front of him collapse as soon as he put weight on it. Dimly, he heard Lucy call out, "Open, Gate of the Lyre! Lyra!"
Based on the sound of her voice, she was further away than he thought she should be. He didn't have time to think about the ramifications of that as he landed face-first in the soft, pink wool of the celestial mage's Ram spirit. He struggled to right himself while Lucy's face peeked over the rim of the hole. Strains of a lullaby drifted down to him as she grinned cheekily, then disappeared with a popping sound. The twins, Gemi and Mini, waved down to him.
"Piri piri!" they chanted before disappearing in a shower of golden light.
Natsu smirked. "Very funny, Lucy. You really think this'll hold me?" he called up to his girlfriend. He knew she had to be close by.
Approaching the edge of the shaft, she leaned forward slightly, peering down at him, hands on bent knees. The twin pigtails adorned by two rams' horns swung forward, dangling over her shoulders. He tried—not very hard, admittedly—not to notice how her cleavage almost spilled from the form-fitting, spaghetti-strap top of Aries' Star Dress.
She shook her head. "No, but it only needs to contain you long enough."
He arched a brow. "Long enough for wha—aaht...?" His jaw audibly cracked on the yawn that emerged from his throat. All of a sudden, he felt super sleepy. Vaguely, he realized the pink wool gradually enveloping him wasn't Lucy's typical Wool Cushion that she'd used many times to buffer a nasty fall, but a combination of that and her offensive Wool Bomb spell.
Wool Bomb was designed to surround an opponent and send them into a relaxed state so they wouldn't fight back. It could easily shift the advantage in battle to its caster. Natsu grinned at his girlfriend's cleverness, even as he flopped back into the fluffy pink mass.
But fire burns wool, he thought lazily. He struggled to muster the will to summon flames to the palms of his hands, but the strains of Lyra's lullaby, plus Aries' magic wool made it hard for him to focus enough to do more than spark a few random flames from his fingertips. Trying to gather his thoughts, he looked up at Lucy.
"No fair..." he pouted, then sighed happily. "You're so cute in your Aries form. Fluffy..." His lids fell to half-mast.
The pigtailed blonde smiled down at him. Her pink and white mini-dress was the softest of her Star Dresses. "Just relax, Natsu. Be good and I'll sing you a love song right now. Would you like that?" Without waiting for an answer, Lucy lifted her voice, delicately weaving it around Lyra's exquisite harp playing.
The combination of the lullaby with his girlfriend's soft, crooning melody relaxed Natsu even further. "Love your voice, Luce. So pretty..." he murmured. He was so very comfortable, leaning back against the wall of her trap, that he didn't even flinch when Virgo tunneled in through the dirt beside him and snapped magic-sealing cuffs onto his wrists.
"Hey... Whadja go an' do that for?" he objected mildly. He yawned again.
Still singing softly, Lucy beckoned her earth spirit to lift him out of the pit. As the pink-haired maid jumped up and passed his limp body over to the celestial mage, Virgo asked, "Is it his punishment time, Princess?"
Wrapping Natsu in more of Aries' pink wool as he leaned against her, nuzzling her neck, Lucy flushed. "What? No! I mean...well, maybe..." she mumbled, cheeks flaming. Quickly changing into her Taurus Star Dress, she hoisted the sleepy Dragon Slayer onto her back, tossing his shackled arms over her head to dangle in front of her. "Thanks, Virgo. You can go now."
"Have fun, Princess." The spirit disappeared back to the celestial realm with a knowing wink.
"We goin' somewhere?" Natsu's breath was warm against her skin as his head drooped over her shoulder. "You smell sooo good..."
Ignoring the shiver that coursed through her body, Lucy dismissed Lyra with her thanks and hurried quickly in the direction of Natsu's house. The pink wool wouldn't last much longer now that she had switched Star Forms. Hopefully she'd get him home before its effects wore off.
She still needed to make him yield to her, after all.
XXX
Less than twenty minutes later, Natsu awoke to the sound of humming and a feeling of delicious warmth pressed to his side. The soft melody triggered vague memories from so far back in the Dragon Slayer's childhood, he instantly felt safe and loved. After a moment, he blinked open sleepy eyes to find his girlfriend resting her chin on a slender hand over his pec. Letting the melody she'd been humming taper off, Lucy smiled at him softly.
"Welcome back, sleepyhead. How do you feel?"
"That song..." He swallowed. "I've heard it somewhere before, but I can't remember..." his voice trailed off.
She smiled. "Anna taught it to me. She said she used to sing it to you and the other Dragon Slayers when you were little. She thought I might like to sing it to our children some day. And since you're such a big kid yourself, I thought I'd sing it for you."
He felt warmth spread from his head down to his toes at her mention of their future children. They weren't ready to have them now—or get married either, for that matter—but it always made his heart throb to know she thought of him as the eventual father of her kids. It was such an important part of the future he imagined them sharing and he dearly looked forward to it. The second half of her comment struck him a moment later.
"Hey! I'm no kid! Lemme show ya!" He moved to grab the teasing blonde and roll her underneath him, but abruptly realized he was shackled to the bed. By magic-canceling bracelets. She'd run the chain behind the vertical wooden slats of the headboard, leaving him just enough leeway to scratch his nose if he needed to.
His memory of their battle in the clearing came flooding back.
"Hey! You cheated!" he accused. "You used Gemini to trick me! But...I was sure...they smelled like you..." his voice trailed off, confused.
She laughed lightly as he jiggled the long chain between his shackles, testing the bindings. The headboard creaked.
"Don't break the bed, Natsu," she warned him. "I didn't cheat. I used strategy. How else could I ever hope to win against you? And besides, we never agreed I wouldn't use my spirits. I only said I wouldn't use Aquarius's Star Dress, remember? The reason Gemini smelled like me is because I made sure to hide in the woods directly behind them and the pit I dug."
He narrowed his eyes at her. "Hmph. Tricky Lucy. Just wait till I get out of these things and we'll see who's the tricky one then."
Her lips curved into a sultry smile. "About that..." She ran light fingertips along the bare flesh of his thigh, over his hipbone, up sexy, washboard abs, all the way to his chin.
Belatedly, Natsu realized he was naked.
And Lucy wasn't wearing much either, as far as he could tell. Plus, she smelled fantastic! He knew the particular scent she was giving off very well, and it never failed to affect him.
She moved closer until her face filled his vision, long, blonde locks tickling his chest. "Before I let you out of these, Natsu...do you yield?" Her breath puffed lightly over his lips.
He swallowed and tried to look away. "What if I don' wanna?" He tried to sound tough, but her hand was stroking him deliciously and his voice came out breathier than he wanted.
She pressed silk-covered breasts against him, sucking lightly at his upper lip, but pulled back before he could deepen the kiss. Her tongue flicked out, teasing his lower lip as she squeezed his shaft. He bucked into her hand.
"You sure?" She drifted over to suck on his earlobe. "Your body wants you to yield..."
He stifled a groan, unable to deny it. "Wh-Whaddya gonna make me do if ya win?" he asked desperately. If he didn't like the answer, he could always break the slats in the headboard. Her throaty chuckle made his belly tighten in anticipation.
"If you yield..." she kissed the scar on his jawline, "I get to have my way with you." Her tongue trailed down to suck at the scar along the right side of his throat. "Whatever I want," she breathed in his ear and he groaned aloud this time.
"Sounds like my kinda punishment," he gasped, as she worked the head of his cock with her closed fist.
"Do. You. Yield." She pulled at his lips lightly with her teeth between words.
His eyes closed and he let his hands, which had tensed, flop back onto the bed beside his head. "I-I yield."
She smiled. "Good." As a reward for his agreeableness, she kissed him passionately, sliding her tongue against his own as she ran the fingers of her free hand through his hair. After a few moments of this, she pulled away, pleased with the way his lips followed after her. She stroked him firmly a few more times, then removed her hand, leaving him aching and standing at attention.
"I'm hungry. Let's have a snack. I'll be right back."
"Wha—?" he started to protest, but she sat up and for the first time, he got a good look at what she was wearing. All other thoughts flew out of his head. "That's—"
"Yes," she gave him a coy smile. "It's the lingerie you stare at every time we go in that store. I picked it up this morning, just for you. So you better enjoy it and praise me," she teased.
"Goddess Lucy, thank you! You're beyond gracious to your poor boyfriend. I'm not worthy to lick your toes," Natsu played along, grinning at her blush. He could not get over how well the short, crimson babydoll played up her lush curves. Small, silk triangles veiled her breasts—although they couldn't quite hide the blonde's aroused state, he noticed with satisfaction. In the valley of her cleavage, a silken ribbon tied the garment closed, almost as if it were begging to be undone by his teeth. Gauzy panels draped down from under the bust line of the nightie to hover just below her hips. He eyed the tiny, string bikini that barely covered her, licking his lips.
She laughed at his expression. "Yes, well, we'll see about the toe-licking later. And licking in general." Her brown eyes darkened. "But first things, first."
She slid gracefully off the bed, slipping around it to the doorway. "Be right back."
He watched her hips swing as she walked away. The thong panties gave him an excellent view of her ass. Listening intently as he lay there, naked and bound, Natsu heard her rifling around in the kitchen. Eventually, she returned, bearing a small, rectangular plate and a bowl with a spoon. Slowly, she sank down onto the mattress, setting the tray on the fire mage's stomach. The bowl, she set aside on the bed's other pillow.
"Mmm...sushi. Looks good." Natsu jiggled his chains. "You gonna feed me, too, or do I just get to watch you eat?"
She considered him as she reached for a piece of tuna nigiri with her fingers. Dipping it into the soy sauce, she popped it into her mouth. Sushi was one of her favorite foods and she chewed slowly, enjoying the morsel. Holding out her hand to Natsu, she waited for him to lick the dark, salty liquid from her fingertips. Which he did obediently, drawing them into his mouth and swirling his tongue around them thoroughly. When he finished, he released her with a gentle nip.
Pleased with his work, she picked up another piece, dipped it and brought it to his lips. Along the way, some of the soy sauce dripped onto his chest.
"Oops," she said as he opened his mouth to receive her offering. "Let me get that." Leaning forward, she trailed her tongue along his sternum, lapping up the drippings. A few drabs of liquid had dribbled down to pool in the hollow of his throat and she nudged his chin up to delve into the space, letting her breasts rub against him seductively. He chewed quickly, wanting to swallow the food before he choked on it. The motion of his Adam's apple attracted Lucy's attention and she spent a few moments laving the area with her teeth and tongue while absently stroking one of his nipples.
He groaned at the sensual torment, wondering just how much of her teasing he'd be able to withstand. Already, he wanted to touch her so badly his hands twisted against their bonds, making his shackles rattle and the headboard creak in protest.
Pulling back to look at him, the blonde smiled. "Patience. We haven't finished our snack yet." She dipped and ate another piece of sushi.
"I jus' wanna eat you," Natsu told her bluntly.
She blushed at his bold words, but offered him another bite from the small plate. Setting the rest aside on the night stand for later, she reached for the bowl on the pillow.
"And now, some sweet dessert." Slowly, she twirled the spoon around in the bowl, then brought it to her lips. The cherry vanilla ice cream had softened, and she made a show of seductively licking it off the spoon with her tongue. "Mm...yummy," she enthused, taking another spoonful.
Natsu followed her every motion avidly.
"Would you like some?" she asked. "It's really good."
He nodded and she gathered a heaping spoonful, bringing it to his lips. He took it from her, making sure to lick the spoon clean. Drawing closer to him, she set the bowl on his chest and fed him another mouthful. Reclining along the length of his body, she pressed her breasts against him as she leaned forward to kiss him firmly on the mouth. Swiping her tongue sensuously over his bottom lip, she nibbled on the swollen flesh, begging for entrance. Willingly, he granted it, letting her taste him.
"Mm..." she murmured, "delicious."
"But not as tasty as you," he countered, enjoying the delicate flush that washed over her face.
She dipped her spoon into the bowl once more. The single scoop of ice cream, warmed by the heat of his body, had mostly melted. The creamy dessert dripped over the top of Lucy's breast as she brought the spoon to her mouth. "Oh no! How clumsy of me!" Setting the bowl and spoon aside, she shifted so that she could straddle him. Leaning over, she asked, "Clean me up? It'd be a shame to get this sexy nightie dirty."
"Yes, Goddess Lucy!" Eagerly, he reached out to trail his tongue over the cold sweetness coating her skin. Her nipples were hard through the silken fabric and he could feel the dampness of her panties as she sat on him. Her fingers fisted into his hair as she pressed her plump globes to his mouth, moaning as he licked and sucked at the soft skin. The throaty sound went straight to his groin and prompted him to take one end of the nightie's ribbon tie in his teeth. Pulling on it steadily, he undid the fastening, freeing her breasts for his greedy mouth. Nosing the silk aside, he kissed and sucked the sensitive flesh, tasting everywhere except the place he knew she wanted him most.
Two can play this teasing game—even if I'm all tied up, he thought wickedly.
He switched to her other breast, giving it the same deliberate treatment as the first. Unable to bear his delightful torment, Lucy let out a strangled groan. Tensing her fingers in his hair to hold him still, she pushed a taut, pink nipple into his mouth. He suckled it firmly, letting his teeth close around the aching bud.
"Ah! Natsu...!" she cried, writhing wantonly over him.
Getting the response he wanted, he switched to the other breast, abusing its peak until she moaned with pleasure. He released her with a "pop" and she moved to kiss him hard on the mouth, threading her fingers with his own where they lay beside his head on the pillow. Stroking her moist tongue against his lips, she enticed him to open to her, tasting him thoroughly. When she finally broke away to breathe, they were both panting.
"Lucy...please..." He rattled his chains, begging her to free him with his eyes.
Visibly, she struggled to bring herself back under control.
"Not yet," she told him. Sitting up, she shrugged off her nightie and traced a slender finger along the low-cut waistband of her panties. The crotch was visibly damp where she straddled him.
"I want you to watch me, Natsu."
Onyx eyes locked on her finger as it quested downwards, sliding the moist, crimson fabric aside. Delicately, she parted herself and began to draw small circles against her clit. He could see that she was very wet, as her finger moved effortlessly over the tender flesh. Her sweet scent enveloped him.
"Gods...Luce," he breathed. She's so hot!
Just when he thought she couldn't blow his mind any further, she reached behind herself with her free hand to stroke his very excited member. "Do you like watching me touch myself?" she asked, voice low and breathy.
As if his dick being hard as a rock wasn't answer enough.
"I love it," he growled huskily as she squeezed him. "But I really wanna eat you out right now. Can I?" Hungry eyes flicked up to her face, then down again.
"Mmm...that sounds like a fantastic idea. Too bad I can't have your cock and your mouth at the same time," she pouted. Looking down at him thoughtfully, an idea occurred to her. "Or can I?"
Squirming underneath her, he chuckled. "I know I'm good an' all, Luce, but even if you untie me, I think that's physically impossible."
Laughing lightly, she removed her hand from him. Temporarily dismounting from his body, she hooked slender fingers underneath the strings of her panties, sliding them down and off her legs. "Let's see," she exclaimed, before turning to straddle him, facing his feet this time.
Natsu got the idea instantly. As she hovered her sodden core over his face, he grabbed her ass with both hands—the chains gave him just enough reach—and spread her open. Diving in eagerly, he licked her from clit to slit, pulling a moaning gasp from her throat. Her breasts dangled, teasing his abs, and she grasped his shaft with one hand, warm, wet mouth closing over the tip of his cock. He struggled to focus on pleasuring her, trying to ignore how wonderful her lips felt wrapped around him. He took it as a personal challenge to make the beautiful blonde come first.
Lapping at her center, he shifted to work her sensitive nub more directly, prodding her entrance with two fingers from one of the hands gripping her ass. She moaned around his cock, but kept sucking him off deliciously, swirling her tongue around the head of his penis from time to time. But he could tell that she was quickly losing composure. The way she started pressing against his hand and mouth more insistently gave her away. Shoving his fingers deep inside her pussy, he finger-fucked her as he rubbed his tongue furiously against her clit.
After several long moments of curling his digits over her g-spot in just the right way, Lucy finally broke. Pulling off his cock, she gasped, "Oh my god, Natsu... I can't...!"
She didn't finish what she was going to say. Instead, she let out a low moan and squeezed a breast roughly, pinching the nipple between her thumb and index finger. To send her over the edge, Natsu pulled on the sensitized flesh of her clit, sucking firmly until she shattered with a wail, juices dripping from her center into his hungry mouth. He pumped his fingers a few more times as she throbbed and pulsed around him, until she gradually stilled.
"You... You're way too good with your mouth," she panted, rolling off of him to one side. "I just...I couldn't concentrate."
He chuckled, wiping his face on the back of one of his hands. "I'll never get enough of that, Luce. You're way better than any dessert."
Pushing herself up to a sitting position, she trailed light fingertips over the lean muscles of his abdomen. "I think you deserve a reward," she told him with a sexy smile. "What would you like?"
He rattled his chains. "Lemme outta these, for starters. Then we'll see."
She gave a soft hum of agreement as she swung a leg over his hips, straddling him. He was still hard and she slid down onto his shaft easily, pulling a moan from his throat. Resting a steadying hand on his chest, she rolled her hips against him sensually. His hands bunched into fists beside his head as she bent down to tease his nipple with tongue and teeth. Painting his skin with small bite marks, she made her way up to the sensitive scar on his neck. Sucking it firmly, she pressed her breasts into his chest as she rode him.
"Luce..." his voice was gruff. A warning. "I can't take much more of this."
He bucked underneath her, pulling against his restraints. The headboard creaked alarmingly and Lucy ran caressing palms over his arms to settle at his wrists. Kissing him passionately, she undid the cuffs, freeing him.
With a surge of strength, Natsu sat up, holding her tightly to him. Showering open-mouthed kisses down the slender column of her throat, he gripped her ass, lifting her off of him slightly. "Wrap your legs around me," he growled, bending his knees to cradle her as she sat in his lap.
Once she shifted into a lotus position, he slammed her back down onto him, making them both groan with pleasure. Feverish with desire, Natsu thrust deeply, feeling the head of his cock brush the top of her channel. The delicious pressure drove Lucy to distraction. She clutched at his shoulders, blunt fingernails leaving crescent moons in his flesh.
"N-Natsu...!"
Arching against him as he pounded into her, Lucy threw her head back, baring her throat. He took advantage, swiping a wet tongue along the smooth skin. He could see the faint marks of their previous lovemaking in her pale flesh. The sight sent a shock of desire straight to his groin. He breathed against her neck, "Touch yourself, Luce. I wanna feel ya come wrapped all around me." He kept up his forceful thrusting, lifting and plunging her down onto himself over and over again.
Sliding her left arm around his shoulder, Lucy threaded slender fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck. Working her right hand in between their bodies, she swirled small circles against her clit, desperately urging herself upwards toward that wondrous, explosive peak she craved. It wasn't long before he felt the walls of her pussy clenching around him and he grunted with effort, struggling to hold back his orgasm.
Her soft whimpers drove him wild and his hand drifted up to tangle in her long, blonde hair. Tugging her head back, he felt her legs tighten around him as his mouth searched for the perfect spot along her throat, licking and sucking. Feeling her arch her breasts into him with a low moan, Natsu laved his tongue over the sensitive flesh, then bit down right where her pulse throbbed under the skin.
The action pushed Lucy over the edge, moan escalating into a sudden wail, and she spasmed, pulsing repeatedly as she writhed in his lap. Tightening his arms around her, Natsu swiftly reached his limit, squeezing her ass as he came and muffling his groans in the soft flesh of her throat. Light-headed from pleasure, they held onto each other, both of them gasping for breath in the aftermath.
Eventually, Lucy shifted off of him, withdrawing her legs from behind his back so they could lie down. He flopped backwards, pulling the blonde with him into a more comfortable position. Lying with her ear to his chest, listening to the steady throb of his heartbeat, Lucy murmured, "Thank you."
He kissed her hair, hugging her more tightly to him. "For what?"
She turned chocolate eyes up to him. "For going along with this. Sparring with me. I know you didn't want to. So thanks."
He smiled and shrugged. "Nah, you were right. I'm glad we did this. All this time, I'd been avoiding it for fear of hurtin' ya. Feels good to finally let go of that worry." Thinking about it for a moment, he added with a laugh, "Only problem is...now, whenever I think about sparrin' with ya, it's gonna make me horny."
She laughed. "That's not such a bad thing in my book."
"You say that, but ya better not ask me to spar at the guild or when there are people around—unless ya wanna give 'em a show," he teased.
She colored at that. "Um, no thanks. I'll keep it in mind."
He chuckled. "Good girl."
"Take a bath with me? I'm all sweaty and sticky. You can wash my hair—you're so good at that," she enthused.
"Sure." He gave her a devilish grin. "After all, I haven't gotten around to licking your toes yet, Goddess Lucy." He laughed at the crimson blush on her face. Abruptly rolling her underneath him, he hopped up off the left side of the bed and made a mad dash for the bathroom. "Last one in's a rotten egg!"
"No fair! You cheated!" she whined, chasing after him, stark naked, into the bathroom. As she settled across from him in the steamy water of the rapidly filling tub, Natsu gazed at his girlfriend's smiling face.
He had to admit, he actually really loved it when Lucy asked him to spar with her.
The End
Hello, everyone! This little fic started off as a simple one-shot, but by the time I got to 11,000 words, I realized I should probably break it up into two chapters. I thought it would be interesting to play around with the idea of Natsu sparring with Lucy. He's always avoided it whenever it comes up in the anime/manga so I thought it would be fun to explore the possible reasons behind that by having Lucy force the issue. I've been following 100YQ, but didn't get too many ideas from volume 4, other than the Star Dress Mix Lucy surprises Natsu with during their battle.
The Aldoron arc is long and didn't have too many NaLu moments sadly, since they weren't near each other on the battlefield, but at least we got some Jerza and Gruvia moments! (I caved and had to read ahead online, since it seems to take forever for the volumes to come out.) Some of the chapter cover pics were adorable, too. I love the one where Gray is the focus, but Natsu and Lucy are dancing in the background. Natsu's got the biggest grin on his face and Lucy's expression is hilarious! I'm really hoping the Moon dragon arc will give me some inspiration for another NaLu story, but we'll have to wait and see. Until next time, and thanks for reading!