a/n: some people have told me that i should stop advertising this book as a "lemon" novel because there isn't much smut in it yet, which has upset me. in case you didn't know, some kind of relationship must be built before the frick frack can happen. excuse me if your thirsty fangirl a** isn't enjoying a healthy build up. for those of you who are enjoying it, thank you, and more smut is coming (within this chapter? huehue) soon xox

Emily's hair was the color of mud. Lucy wasn't exactly sure how that happened since her parents had the brightest hair on the spectrum, though it was clear that some red and blue had shown through, making it look like someone had thrown mud at the night sky. She certainly had her father's eyes-and his mischief.

"Emily, set the table, please." Erza told her daughter. The redhead moved back to the kitchen to grab a few dishes of food almost ready to be served.

With a small hum, Emily moved away from her mother and grabbed the plates in her arms. She was so small still-maybe three or four-the round dishes in her arms looked like alien saucers.

Emily maneuvered around the table, surprisingly coordinated for a toddler, Lucy thought. However her foot caught on the leg of the table, and Emily let out a small squeak as she toppled forward.

Bracing herself for the shattering of some dishes and a very angry Erza, Lucy felt herself tense up in preparation. However, before Emily could fall over, Natsu crouched down and caught the little girl in his arms. The plates spilled over from her hands and into his.

Smiling softly, the pink hair boy said in a hush, "I think mom meant just hand out silverware maybe?" He suggested, and both he and Emily nodded their heads in agreement.

Now setting the table, Natsu dished out plates as the dark haired girl weaved between his legs-he wasn't exactly phased that she was running around his feet holding pointy forks. Lucy couldn't help but smile.

"Sometimes I think he's better with her than I am." Jellal grinned softly as he stood beside Lucy.

His sudden appearance made her look him over, only to feebly smile as well. Her arms across her chest, Lucy played with the cuffs of her sweater sleeves anxiously. "Yeah. He always seems to make people smile."

As if speaking too soon, Natsu accidentally knocked over a glass of water as he set down the last plate. Erza spun around like she was waiting for it, and immediately scolded him. Jellal and Lucy snickered under their breaths. "Most people, at least."

"Only Erza." Jellal confirmed. He walked away from Lucy, going back to his daughter and taking a seat at the table. For a moment, she thought she saw a faint flashing light, and her eyes were drawn to his ankle. A thick black device was attached to his leg.

Jellal was on house arrest? Maybe that would explain the two different apartments. But even with a child, it confused her. Lucy was able to pry her eyes away before they lingered short enough to be just shy of staring. Finally willing herself to move, Lucy took a seat at the table as well.

Natsu and Jellal each sat at a head of the table. Erza and her daughter on either side of Jellal, Lucy and Gray beside Natsu. Occasionally, Lucy would look down at her left and see Emily staring up at her, green eyes filled with childlike curiosity.

"I didn't know Natsu would be bringing company, or else I would have made more food." Erza attempted at conversation. Emily tried to grab a bowl of potatoes, but Jellal was able to take it from her before she spilled it everywhere.

Lucy just forced a smile and shook her head. "I didn't really mean to invite myself."

Erza huffed in agreement, narrowed eyes locked and glaring at Natsu. "Yeah, I know. Some people just have a habit of letting themselves in."

The pink haired boy looked down at his plate before shoveling food into his mouth. Apparently stuffing you face with food was a good way to avoid conversation.

"You're not eating, Lucy?" Jellal asked. His eyes looked blankly at her still empty plate before up at her.

The last thing Lucy wanted to do was seem rude. She was hungry-her growling stomach confirmed-but she could hardly remember the last time she ate food that wasn't hers. Despite the occasional coffee-to-go, she never had other food like this.

Her hands in her lap, Lucy felt her fingers twiddling with her sleeves. "I'm alright for now, thank you." She said, her smile feeble.

Erza said something, probably offering to make Lucy something else if she didn't like it or had allergies, but Lucy was too focused on the emptiness of her plate to listen. The fear of consuming something so foreign made her queasy.

Emily sneezed, causing Lucy to tense up and scoot slightly in her chair away from the little girl. That was when Natsu cleared his throat and said, "Lucy, can I talk to you?"

Jellal didn't pay them much attention. He and Gray were too busy silently eating to really care. Yet the whole time Lucy stood up and let Natsu lead her away down the hall, she could feel Erza's red eyes on her.

"What are you doing?" Natsu asked. His voice was low to keep quiet-something Lucy never expected he could do.

Lucy leaned against the wall, her arms folded behind her back. "What? I just don't want anything."

Natsu placed his hand beside her head. He leaned in to keep his voice audible but hushed. "I know this must be uncomfortable, but I made you come for a reason, Lucy. We want you here."

"I know. Thank you." Lucy murmured sincerely.

She could tell her quietness made Natsu grow impatient. "She's just a little kid. You don't have to be scared of her. You used to be a toddler once, too." He smiled softly.

Lucy could only imagine what vision he had of her as a kid. "I'm not scared of her, Natsu. I scared of this."

Obviously, Natsu was much too dense for that. "Explain, please."

Lucy stared at him, both holding back a spark of aggravation. "I've never been here before. These aren't even my friends, they're yours. It's like I was just pulled out of my own world and dragged into yours because that's what you wanted."

"And you're unhappy about that?" Natsu retorted. "If you weren't here, what would you be doing? Sitting alone, reading stories about life experiences instead of going out and making them for yourself?"

Frantically nodding her head, Lucy said, "Yeah, duh. I'd be safe, away from embarrassment from your friends who may not even like me and chances of getting sick, or hurt, or-"

Natsu groaned pathetically before pressing his lips up against hers. The hand by the side of her head curled into a fist, pushing against the drywall to release some stress. Lucy contemplated pushing him away, but knew it would be useless.

After a moment of waiting for her to submit or fight back, Natsu took that as a submission. His other hand rose up to rest on her hip, fingers ducking under her clothing and tracing along her flesh softly. Her hands wrapped around the fabric of his scarf.

"I'll take you home...and buy you a box Ramen or something." Natsu mumbled between kisses. "I don't know what's more boring and safe than that."

Lucy realize just how screwed up she was when those words made her melt into him as if he just presented her with a bouquet of roses. "I'd like that." She said softly.

Natsu nodded his head, the hand he placed on her hip moving forward to the small of her back. It dipped down softly, moving underneath the fabric of her jeans. Lucy's lips stopped moving as his hand roamed over the flesh of her ass, and he just grinned to himself.

"Why are you smiling?" Lucy asked worriedly. Usually, that was not a good thing. Her hands tightened around his scarf even more.

The pink haired boy just shook his head. "You just confuse me so damn much I don't know what else to do."

If that didn't sum it up, Lucy didn't know what else did. Hell, she confused herself. "I want to be closer to you." She admitted. Her hands let go of his scarf and trailed back down to her sides. "I just can't bring myself to do it."

Natsu pulled back his hand, rubbing it along the nape of his neck. "Yeah. Yeah, that's kinda ruining the majority of things here."

Lucy nodded. "Yeah."

"Yeah."

"Are we just going to keep saying 'yeah'?"

"Probably."

"You were supposed to say 'yeah.'"

"Oh. Yeah." Natsu said feebly. The smile had returned to both of their faces as he leaned back in for another kiss.

His other hand retreated from her body, but not before he could tug down the corner of her sweater and make sure she was fixed properly. She mouthed a 'thank you' to him, but Natsu just grabbed her hand and dragged her back out to the dining room.

They both took their seats, rejoining the rest of their makeshift family mid-conversation. Gray and Natsu seemed to have found a reason to fight over the last bread roll already. Turning to Emily, Lucy pointed and asked, "Pass me those potatoes?"

She could feel Natsu turn his attention away from Gray. His smile was so bright she could see it in the corner of her eye. She wondered if this made him proud.

Emily reached over and grabbed the bowl, balancing it awkwardly in her clumsy hands. She was about to drop it yet again, but Jellal's hand darted out and caught it. Reaching across his daughter, he gave it Lucy. She accepted it with a small laugh.

"Nice save, dad." Emily gave her father a cheesy smile, swinging her legs back and forth under her chair.

"I know, right?" Jellal said. He smiled back as he swiped some food off his daughter's plate.

Suddenly Lucy remembered her own childhood like Natsu said, and things didn't seem too bad. The innocence of youth had yet to disappear.

By the time Natsu walked her home, Lucy was itching to ask about Jellal's ankle monitor and the two different homes. She refrained knowing it would probably lead to another "It's not my place to tell you."

Just as Natsu promised, they stopped by the convenience store on the way home. Natsu tossed the package of Ramen noodles back and forth in his hands as he kicked off his shoes. "Pots?"

"Bottom cabinet by the fridge." Lucy pointed into the kitchen. Her and Natsu parted ways, he disappearing to go cook for her and she going to curl up on the couch.

There was some questionably loud rattling as Natsu fished out a pot from the cupboards, but everything else sounded fine: the rushing of faucet water, the buzz of the stove as it turned on. At least Natsu could manage that much.

Laying her head back, Lucy closed her eyes tiredly. As much as she hated to admit it, today could be counted as a successful social encounter. All thanks to Natsu and his promise for high-sodium instant noodles.

Things had gotten quiet. Lucy was about to open her eyes and look back to check on Natsu, but she felt his lips press down on hers before she had the chance. He hovered over her from behind, his hands running along her shoulders and down her arms.

When she did open her eyes, all she saw was the smooth valley of his neck. He still smelled clean from his shower earlier. "Did you have fun today?" He asked.

Lucy shrugged. "Could've been better. There was this annoying boy who thought grabbing my butt would help calm me down."

Natsu scoffed, his lips still trailing over hers. "Damn, I really don't like you hanging out with Gray."

The blonde just laughed. Her hands rose up, hesitating wrapping around the back of his neck or not. She went against it, her hands falling to her shoulders. "As if Gray would be as daring as that."

"Yeah, you're right. I don't even think he likes girls." Natsu laughed in return.

Lucy shook her head at him. "Natsu?"

"Hmm?"

"I see steam in the kitchen. Turn the water down before my smoke alarms go off?"

Natsu didn't even say anything; his lips pressed firmly against hers again before running back into the kitchen.

Nalu Lemon Novel
Exy Koroleva © 2016
Thank you for reading.
Some triggering scenes
to be included, so please
do not report. Comments
& votes are appreciated.

this chapter wasn't exactly
smut but there were spicy
moments. hehe i'm a troll.