A/N: Yes, a little late for a New Years story, but better late than never.
Lucy was a bit buzzed. She giggled. Perhaps a little more than just buzzed. Five sheets to the wind. Plastered. Shit-faced. Drunk as a skunk...as a Lord. Her laughing got louder and louder, but didn't draw stares from any of her hard partying guild mates. Levy sat flushed, leaning against Gajeel who was pretending not to notice the solid script mage's wandering hands.
The blonde elbowed Levy and drunk-whispered, ""Touch his ass!" You'd think that would be very quiet, but in fact it was comically loud. The massive New Year's party currently going on inside the guild made it a moot point though, as each conversation competed with each other and resulted in a cacophony of confusion.
Perhaps demonic ears were a cut above the rest. As though responding solely to that, Mirajane appeared at the table with her order pad in hand. She smiled with a predatory glitter in her eyes. "Did I hear someone with an order?"
Lucy continued to giggle, "I need another drink. It evaporated."
Gajeel smirked, "Bunny girl is two drinks away from liver failure."
Keeping her eyes trained on her pad, Mira scribbled furiously and then lifted her eyes to ask Levy and Gajeel if they had an order. They responded and Lucy pouted, gesturing to her empty glass. "Don't worry, I've got you covered!" Mira giggled and flounced over to the bar. A scant minute later, Lucy was turned around in her chair, watching Natsu trade punches with Gray.
Juvia exited the ladies washroom, having brushed her teeth one more time in case she was lucky enough to snag Gray for a New Year's kiss. Usually she preferred to position herself so as not to be noticed, but tonight that wouldn't be at all good. She had monitored his alcohol intake and silently gloated. He'd consumed enough tequila and assorted mixed drinks to float a barge, and would be paying for that decision for days to come.
Out of the corner of her eye, Juvia noticed Lucy and friends sitting at a half empty table. Juvia took note of how Lucy was angled in her chair and wrongly suspected her of ogling the ice mage. Juvia clenched her hands into fists and marched over to the table.
"Love Rival!"
Smiling, Lucy replied. "Where?"
At a bit of a loss; Juvia lost steam, relaxing her fists and instead tugged her skirt down. Taking another tack, Juvia greeted her best friend. "Gajeel-kun! Juvia wishes you a Happy New Year!"
"Happy New Year Juvia. You got any resolutions?"
Juvia shook her head in negation. Levy scooted a little closer to her favourite slayer and glared as hard as she could at the water mage. It wasn't very successful, Levy just wasn't intimidating. Her daggers were nowhere near sharp enough to cut Juvia.
Lost in a fog of alcoholic confidence, Levy slipped her dainty hand onto Gajeel's thigh and moved it two inches away from heaven. She curled her lip at Juvia, but it was all a waste of time. Juvia only had eyes for the ice mage at this point. Gajeel was paying attention to Levy though, he could not help but pay attention as he was being publically groped by the woman who'd starred in all of his XXX rated dreams since joining Fairy Tail.
Mira set down the drinks for the table and gave a giant thumbs up to Lucy with an accompanying unsubtle wink. Lucy took hold of her strawberry blitz drink and took a satisfying slurp. Levy removed one hand off of Gajeel to take possession of her gin and tonic while Lily accepted a pitcher of beer for him and his partner. "Good luck everyone!" Mira smiled beatifically at each mage, lingering longest on Lucy.
At a quarter to midnight, Evergreen waded into the pile of fighting mages and dragged Elfman out by his ear. Unsurprisingly, the last thing heard from him was the word, 'man'. Shortly after that, Max exited the scuffle pile and slipped into the broom closet for some private time. The next mage to realize female companionship could be vastly rewarding was Bickslow.
Normally, the Raijinshuu tribe liked to set itself apart from the lower echelons of the guild, but if you pour enough liquor down their throats, certain social barriers were softened. Bickslow had finally noticed Lisanna sitting on the corner of the bar, cross-legged, tapping her fingers on her knee, staring at him. He removed his helmet and slicked his hair back as he turned his back to the last few idiots fighting, his 'babies' floating behind him.
With ten minutes until midnight, Natsu and Gray were the recipients of a miracle. They noticed Erza walking purposefully through the guild before she noticed them. They sprang apart and whistled innocently as two guys could who had just been trading punches two seconds earlier. This killed the mood for the rest of the brawlers. Erza ignored all of them to march up to the counter and drum her fingers until a bakery box was plunked down in front of her. She bared her teeth in thanks and whirled away to worship her piece of strawberry cake in private.
Natsu plopped down beside Lucy. He gave her an easy grin and stole her glass from her hands, gulping down the rest of its contents. Smacking his lips, Natsu set down the empty container. "That was pretty good tasting!"
Lucy's lip quivered. "That was my last drink of the year!"
"Don't worry Lucy! Natsu can get you another!" Levy slurred her words, but not so badly the fire mage didn't understand.
"I'll be right back!" Natsu elbowed his way to the bar and signalled for drinks.
Gray rolled his eyes and removed his flask from one of the many pockets of his cargo pants. Unscrewing the flask, Gray shrugged and took a slug of tequila straight. Full of drunken friendliness, he waggled the container in offering at Juvia. Before he could release it into her grasp, she practically had her lips wrapped around the neck and tipped a generous amount down her gullet. With a shy smile she handed it back.
Natsu reappeared with a tray of tall fizzing glasses. "Mira insisted on these." He sulked but perked up a bit as Lucy gave him a broad smile as she picked the lone drink with a strawberry floating. Every other mage at the table reached for a glass as Mira shouted a five minute warning. The boisterous fun quieted (as much as Fairy Tail could) and the lacrimavision broadcasting the countdown was turned up.
Natsu grimaced, "I wish they'd buy a new set. That really hurts my ears." He turned to Gajeel, "Doesn't that hurt you? That static is getting on my last nerve already!"
"I'm tough. I'm fine where I am." Gajeel smirked as Levy pressed ever firmer against his side.
Even drunk, Lucy was concerned for her partner's well being. She leaned over to speak into Natsu's ear. "You want to go outside? It's gotta be quieter." She turned around to hug Levy and drunk-whispered at her, "You go get you some, okay?"
Levy replied just as loudly, "Aw yiiiss!" The two girls laughed as if everyone at the table hadn't heard. Juvia flushed; some of it was from the tequila (and it felt like she'd main lined the damn stuff), some of it was from her wild imagination (it's not like she wanted anyone but Gray-sama, but hearing Levy agree to 'get some' had a full colour movie playing in her head - Juvia wasn't adverse to watching some action go down) and the rest of Juvia's flush was generated by Gray's now pants-less and shirtless body.
Juvia had witnessed his magical stripping many times, but never had Gray flung his clothes directly at her.
Lucy jumped up from her seat and grabbed her drink in one hand and tugged Natsu off by the scarf. He smirked at Gajeel and flipped off Gray. "See ya next year!"
"Lame." Gray patted his legs, "Where's my flask?"
Juvia smiled and held it out to the ice mage. "Juvia has it."
Gray reached over to take it back. "Thanks."
Juvia could only look at her Gray with unexpressed love in her eyes.
Gajeel grunted, "You two are crampin' my style. Go find a dark corner or somethin'." Levy burrowed under his arm and cuddled into his side. She hummed, beyond forming words. Lily snickered and flew off, giving Levy a broad wink.
In two minutes the old year was going to end.
Gajeel scowled at Gray and Juvia. The water mage sighed, "Juvia will leave then." She collected her flute of champagne and placed Gray's neatly folded pants on the table in front of him. "Happy New Year!" She waved at Levy and Gajeel and smiled as bright as she could at Gray.
Another thirty seconds ticked by and Gray scurried after Juvia. He caught up to her fast, she had brought her drink with her and she didn't want to spill after all. The countdown was announcing the last minute in the year when Gray reached out and placed his hand on Juvia's shoulder.
"Huh, lookit that. We did find a dark corner."
Juvia turned around and gave a timid smile. "This might be the very first time Juvia has obeyed an order from Gajeel-kun." She held her drink like a shield in front of her body, shifting her weight from foot to foot as the countdown moved closer to year end.
Gray shuffled a little closer and reached for the glass. "Oi, midnight calls for a champagne toast. You willing to share with me?" Was it the tequila? Was it how cute Juvia looked in that moment? Or was the culprit Mira's special rimming sugar she liked to dust on certain tsundre's drinks? Juvia didn't much care why Gray-sama was being so nice, she was filled with gratitude that he wasn't running from her.
Gray took a swallow of the fizzing wine and held the flute up to Juvia's lips. She accepted the glass, downing the contents. Gray bent his head forward and pressed his lips to hers. At first Juvia actually thought all of the extra noise and fireworks sounding off were in her imagination, because only in her imagination had Gray kissed her. No, she realized, the old year was gone and only the new remained.
In the middle of a guild shouting well wishes and throwing streamers, drunk mages handing out lots of sloppy hugs and kisses, Gajeel and Levy were remarkable quiet. Mira's special rimming sugar had made its way into most of the iron dragon slayer's drinks courtesy of Pantherlily. (An exceed can only take so much of their dragon slayer partner bellyaching over a certain petite, blue haired girl for so long before deciding to give a big helping kick in the ass.) Midnight found Levy straddling Gajeel's lap, both hands burrowed into his hair and kissing him passionately. They only broke for air when Gajeel's super dragon hearing became subjected to loud supersonic wails.
Mira waggled her finger at Jet and Droy. When they didn't quiet soon enough, she gave them a Sitri smile. She turned back to Laxus and wiped her lipstick off his mouth. "We're shutting down in an hour, be ready to officially celebrate the New Year in an hour and a half."
"Damn right we are."
Lucy led Natsu out the back entrance of the guild and over to a wooden bench. She brushed the snow off and sat down, shivering. Natsu settled beside her, pressing close to share his ever present fire dragon heat.
"Thanks Natsu." Lucy toyed with her glass of champagne.
"No, thank you. The static coming off that old set was seriously bugging my ears." He took a sip of the wine and grimaced. "I asked Mira for fire whisky and she wouldn't give me any."
"It's just traditional to drink champagne." Lucy smiled, "Like having a New Year's party, singing 'Auld Lang Sine', a countdown and a kiss at midnight." Her voice trembled a bit as she spoke. If Lucy hadn't already been sporting a flush from drinking, she would've started a blush right now.
"Oh, things that people like to do become traditional? Because I love parties."
"Kind of, in a way I guess." Lucy could hear the thirty second countdown begin. "Get ready to toast the New Year."
"I'm ready."
Lucy held up her glass and Natsu obligingly clinked his against hers. From inside the guild they could clearly hear each shouted number being counted down. At 'three' they both took a sip. At long last, 'one' was reached and Lucy sat waiting. Her heart was pounding, so excited and unsure. She felt hot and then cold. Should she go ahead and kiss Natsu? Should she just go in for a friend hug?
The noise from the guild hall reached a crescendo and then relative quiet was achieved. Lucy dropped her glass, startled to hear the shrill wailing coming from inside the building. Her mouth started to form the word, 'what'. She never finished that word, or the accompanying thought.
Natsu had bridged the gap between them with his mouth. Lucy let her eyes drift shut, her whole being concentrating on pinning down exactly what she was feeling. She wanted to always remember the cold of the bench stealing the warmth from her backside, the cool night air laden with sudden snowflakes, and the muffled bangs of fireworks.
Lucy also very much wanted to remember the learning curve Natsu experienced. At first it was just lips pressing lips. Lucy was breathing out as her partner initiated the kiss and it was the work of a curious second for him to open his own mouth and glide his tongue out and taste her lip gloss. Her startled 'oh' led to his next discovery; Lucy was actively participating in their endeavour, reaching out her tongue as his voyaged into her mouth.
Natsu had long since dropped his glass as well, deciding his hands would prefer to touch Lucy. Matter of fact, his hands should just bring her closer - he had a free lap just begging to be used. Mission accomplished, Natsu had Lucy sitting much closer and in a position where he could sink one hand into her hair and settle the other lucky sonovabitch onto her delightful ass.
Who's to say how long they might've kissed and groped each other that beautiful starry, snowy night? The long standing love and affection they felt for one another had built itself into a bit of a pressure cooker. The sweet New Year's kiss Lucy had dreamed of was over. Right now, fast-learner Natsu was moving onto the advanced make-out lesson.
Despite the cold, Lucy was feeling quite toasty warm and even through her tightly closed eyelids, she became aware it was getting brighter. It wasn't just brighter and warmer than she expected, it was noisier too. She opened one eye first and then slammed it shut. Lucy wriggled on Natsu's lap and pulled back from his now black-belt level kisses.
"Aww, Luce!" Natsu blinked and smiled sheepishly at a large amount of Fairy Tail Mages. He noticed his flames dancing and glowing powerfully bright, casting a large circle of light. Lucy and himself were covered yet remained unscathed. The bench was lightly scorched and the snow had evaporated in a ten meter radius.
Lucy held out an arm and tried to shake off the flames. "Do something!"
Gradually Natsu was able to pull in his flames. Lucy knew she was red, maybe even more red than Erza's hair. Mira helped shoo the rest of the gawking people inside the guild hall. She turned and gave Lucy a giant wink before she closed the door.
"What was that?" Lucy used her whisper-shout. People already knew what her and Natsu had gotten up to, so there was no real point in keeping quiet. "You set us on fire!"
"Not really all the way on fire, my flames just got a bit carried away." Natsu ruffled his hair and had the grace to look a bit shame faced. "I wanted to start a tradition for us."
Gobsmacked, Lucy raised her eyebrows and tilted her head. "Where you set us on fire and glow so bright the guild comes and interrupts the best kiss of my life?"
"Don't be mad," Natsu settled his hands on his partner's shoulders, "I really like teasing you, and I wanted that to be part of our tradition."
Lucy shook her head, "Setting us on fire is teasing me?"
"More like making you think I wasn't going to kiss you and then kissing you. Getting my flames out of control was not part of the plan." Natsu fully processed everything Lucy had just said, "The best kiss of your life?"
"Don't make me any madder Natsu! Everyone who was out here knows what we were doing, and they're going to tell everyone else! I won't be able to go anywhere without being hassled!" Lucy flushed and glared in turns at Natsu.
"Let me apologize with something I just learned." Natsu leaned into Lucy's personal space and just waited for a response.
Realizing he wasn't about to do anything until she agreed, Lucy sighed. "Okay, go and apologize."
Natsu graduated summa cum laude that night with a master's in kissing and Lucy had never enjoyed an apology so much.