A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it's taken me so long to update! Finals are turning out to be a real monster. But break is just around the corner, and hopefully more chapters with it. That being said, here's a longer one! Thanks so much for all the support and follows! As stressful as this week is, it's nice to know that my destressing project can make someone else smile. :)

Five Years Ago

"Natsuuuuuuuu," Lucy drew out his name in an attempt to soften his resolve.

The fourteen-year-old Protector crossed his arms firmly. They'd both been growing in the past two years, but Natsu especially had hit a growth spurt in the last couple of months, gaining four inches on Lucy and the ability to stare down at her sternly though she used her wide, doe-like eyes on him.

"No," he growled. "Why would you even need to learn to fight? I'm here to protect you," he said, pointing towards himself. "Just go do… princess stuff."

Her bottom lip wobbled. "But all I do with Madame Aquarius is etiquette and dancing and needlepoint, and it's so boring! And I always prick my finger!" she added, holding up a pointer finger for proof. "Please, Natsu! Fighting can be princess stuff, too!"

"No, fighting is dragon stuff, Luce," he said, turning away to indicate that was the final word on the matter.

Her eyes welled up with tears that pricked his nose immediately so he swiveled around, running back to her. "What are you doing?" he asked. "Stop crying!"

She only started sobbing louder, letting full, fat tears roll down her cheeks faster than the frantic dragon could wipe them away. "But… I just… wanna… be your training… partner… to help you… beat up the… bad guys!"

He softened at this. At eleven-years-old, she may have been old enough to hear what hear intention here was, but he still didn't have the heart to tell her. As far as she knew, the men that were coming were bad guys here to hurt her that he had to protect her from. On the list of other things he hadn't told her? The fallen kingdom and her mother's death. He kept Gray closely guarded in case she ever got curious.

Still, it wasn't that she had lost faith in him protecting her. She just wanted to help him. He knew it hadn't been easy for the princess adapting to her new life and guardian. He did all that he could, but he wasn't her mother or father. He'd never had to take care of anyone, let alone a little girl. And while Madame Aquarius covered most of the important stuff, she was still sealed away in a baton. When Lucy needed human touch or human comfort, the closest she was going to get was him.

Natsu sighed. "I could use a training buddy. Alright, Luce, you've got yourself a deal. Starting after lunch, I'll turn you into a real fighter!"

"Yes!" she cheered, her tears immediately ceasing as her face turned to a looking of gloating glee.

He looked after her in shock as she ran away giggle. "Hey - ! Did you just - ? Did you just play me, you little brat?"

"Now, now, Natsu," Mirajane giggled, coming up to hover by his ear. "You can't speak to a princess that way."

"A princess, huh?" he asked, steam almost coming off of him as he shook his fist after the little girl bounding up the stairs. "More like a menace! I can't believe she tricked me!"

Mirajane laughed again. "It's only because her Highness knows you so well that she's able to do that, you know."

"Mmm," he grumbled, crossing his arms.

"Oh, you two make the cutest little couple!" the pitcher said sweetly.

"WHAT?" Natsu said, turning to Mirajane.

She giggled gleefully.

"Jeez, don't say stuff like that, Mira," Natsu grumbled, scratching the back of his head. "I'm her Protector, and she's my princess."

"If you say so," she hummed.

"Hey, Natsu," Lucy said a few days later. Though she had only been just picking up a sword and learning how to hold it and the basic movements of it, she was persistent in wanting to study. She wanted to learn to use all manner of weapons and really fight against him. Her tenacity was impressing him.

"Yeah, Luce?" he replied, popping open an eye.

She put her book down. They were sitting in the library in front of a fireplace. Winter was fast approaching Heartfilia, and even in a castle surrounded by lava, it could get drafty. As always, while she laid on the floor, absorbing page after page, he sat in a leather chair and took a cat nap. The girl tore through books like he and his growing body tore through food so it was a pretty normal activity for them. The dragon was always ready at a moment's notice to rise for Lucy though, explaining his quick response.

"I think because you're teaching me something, I should teach you something," she said, twisting around to look at him.

"Oh, yeah? Like what?" he asked, ready to humor the princess. Anything but needlepoint, he thought.

"Dancing!" she said, pointing to a diagram in the book she was reading where a couple was pictured. The man had his hand on the woman's waist, and she had a hand on his shoulder. Their other hands clasped tightly to each other as their feet were paused in an elegant stance that indicated the man was about to dip his partner.

"Dancing?" Natsu echoed her, blinking.

"Won't it be fun?" Lucy asked eagerly, her coffee brown eyes shining.

He squidged his eyes up a little. "Aren't you too young to be dancing?"

Her eyebrows creased together as the familiar Lucy fire came into her eyes. "No," she said vehemently. "Madame Aquarius has been teaching me, but it's different without a partner. Besides, I'm very grown up for my age," she mumbled, two spots of color coming to her cheeks as she glanced at him.

He cocked his head, smiling at her wide enough to show his sharp little canine teeth. He reached out to tousle her blond hair. "Alright, Luce. We'll have it your way. When do lessons start?"

She positively beamed at him.

Lucy wiped her sweaty palms on the sides of her pink dress. Madame Aquarius said dancing in pants made Mavis cry and kittens die so Lucy always slipped one of the uncomfortable things on when she had dance lesson. Now was different though.

True to his word, Natsu met her in the ballroom later that evening, and seeing the pink-haired young man made her heart crawl up in her throat. She didn't know quite what that meant, but it had been happening every time she saw him the past couple of months.

The dragon looked apprehensive as he approached where Lucy stood beside the lute and piano off to the side of the ballroom. As he did, the lute, Gajeel, stood as much as a lute can.

"Back for another world of hurt, Flame Brain?" he instrument demanded.

Natsu held up his hands. "Look, I told you before, that was an accident!"

"What was an accident?" Lucy asked.

"I accidentally picked up his girlfriend," the dragon mumbled.

"You went on a date with his girlfriend?" Lucy asked, her brow furrowing as her heart gave a painful little tug of jealousy.

"No, I mean…" he sighed. "I literally picked up his girlfriend. Levy? The book in the library?"

Lucy's jealousy turned into amusement as she giggled. "You picked up Levy? I bet that gave her a scare!"

"I didn't know," Natsu grumbled in his defense, crossing his arms. "It had dragons on the cover, so I thought-"

"You thought nothin', punk!" the lute exclaimed angrily. "It's only because I respect the princess so much that I don't hit you again!"

"Again?" Lucy mused, turning to her dragon. "Did you get beat up by a stringed instrument?"

"Obviously not," he muttered darkly, glaring at her. "Otherwise you'd be engaged to that stringed instrument."

"Nonsense!" Gajeel agreed. "I gave him a hit to the back of the head, and now we're square. He ain't going to be settin' foot in the library for a long time."

Natsu's fist balled up, and he raised it, looking ready to blow. Lucy raised her hands quickly though and caught his wrists. She gave him her sweetest smile. "C'mon, Natsu, let's dance!" she urged him.

His anger fizzled out, and he allowed Lucy to lead him to the floor. Once there, she nervously placed his hand on her hip, taking his other hand with her own. Finally, she put a hand on his shoulder. It was warm and broad beneath her hand, finely muscled from years of training. Blushing, Lucy glanced back at the piano and lute. "Lyra, Gajeel, if you would."

"My lady's wish is my command," Lyra responded sweetly.

"Just follow my lead, sweet cheeks," Gajeel said, playing a low chord.

"Whatever you say, Maestro," Lyra giggled.

Lucy held her breath as they played a beautiful introduction, setting a slow but graceful tempo that Lucy began to pull Natsu gently around the floor to. Then, Gajeel began to sing.

"Sparklin'... colorful… shoobi-do-bah," the lute crooned.

At Natsu's pained look, Lucy smiled. "Better not let him catch you doing that," she whispered. "He's very proud of his songs. He writes them himself. It's all he does besides talking to Levy."

"Yeesh, you'd think he'd be better at it then," Natsu complained.

She giggled, earning her favorite grin from her dragon. "So, do you hate me?"

The smile was wiped off his face, replaced with one of concern and confusion. "Why in Mavis' name would I?"

She looked down, feeling her cheeks warm. "I… well, I sort of made you dance."

"Are you kidding me?" he said, causing her to look at him. He had a warm smile on his face. "It's an honor to dance with you, Princess."

Lucy's breath caught in her throat, leaving her at a loss for words. Her heart was hammering in her chest. Was… was this love? She had only known what her parents could show her or what the scullery maids at the Palace would brag about in their May Day frolics. But this… this felt like she was weak in the knees and only his hand on her waist was keeping her suspended. At the same time, she felt as though without him there to hold her to the ground, she would float all the way to the ceiling. Everything about him seemed so very dear, all of a sudden, even the more annoying habits he had.

As the song progressed, Natsu's body began to understand the dance even if his mind couldn't wrap around it all the way. He began taking the lead from Lucy, swirling her around the floor with enough energy to cause her full skirt to billow out. She got lost in the way he would smile as he spun her out and then reel her back into his strong arms.

Oh, by Mavis, she was sure of it. Even if this wasn't love… this was something different than she had ever felt for him before. And she liked it very much.

The song drew to a close, and as the last few notes slowed down, Natsu brought her to a slow dip, suspending her from falling to the ground just by the one strong arm that had been at her waist. The sound petered out, and still they stayed frozen just like that, looking at one another, slightly out of breath.

Finally, Natsu brought her back up to her feet, his cheeks a little pink. "Whoa, Luce. You're good at this dancing thing. You'll be a regular queen someday with a bunch of different partners."

Her heart plummeted. Oh. Of course. Someday, she would have to leave Fairy Tail Keep. With a start, she realized what he was just implying was his own defeat. Then and only then would she leave… on the arm of some other man.

She withdrew from him. "I… um, I'm going to go," she said hastily, grabbing her skirt and turning quickly so he didn't see the tears pricking her eyes.

She couldn't trick his nose though. "Luce? Are you crying?"

"I'm fine, Natsu," she said, quickening her pace as he followed her. "It's, uh, woman stuff," she lied quickly.

That stopped him dead in his tracks. "Okay," he said uncertainly. "Are you sure you're-"

"I'm fine, Natsu," she said as cheerily as she could muster. "I just need to lie down for a bit, that's all."

With that, she took off at a most unladylike run up the stairs and out of sight. A silly part of her wondered if he watched her go.