Will probably edit this chapter later. I hope you'll enjoy it, not much progress though but I wanted to post something since I haven't updated for ages. Also yay for FT Chap 294 & the anime's Op. NaLu 3

"S-Sala…man…der…" a voice whispered, darkly and painfully. Curled up in a ball with closed eyes, the person with the long, dark pink hair endured the physical and mental pain she went through, somewhere in the middle of an endless darkness.

"I won't…for…get… Sala…mander…." She said again as some sort of magic symbols covered her body, intoxicating her, making her suffer. Suddenly, a man appeared behind her, clothed with a dark cloak.

"So you somehow survived that spell… heh, admirable…" he commented, an interest in his voice and a sly smile on his half hidden face. Alarmed by his voice, the woman's eyes widened and she turned to look at him.

"Roosevelt!" she exclaimed, her exhausted face almost crying out of happiness. "Pink suits you, Oneiria…much to my liking…" he greeted her without shame. "Why…re…you here?" she tried to ask. "I need your help..." he replied in a cool voice. "I still have some plans for this cocky Dragon Slayer…what do you say?" he continued.

Oneiria closed her eyes again and didn't speak.

Leaning forward, towards her, Roosevelt lifted her chin up and stared deep into her silver eyes. "Make me happy and… I'm all yours." He whispered as he came closer and closer to her lips. That man was aware of the Illusion mage's weakness very well.

Thump… thump…

Convincing her was an easy task. "I…understand…" she replied, a weak smile on her face. She brought her hands up and tried to touch the dark mage's face but he slowly backed away, leaving her unsatisfied. He turned her back at her and slowly stepped away from her.

"Dragon Heart… you'll soon have a taste of it, Natsu Dragneel!" he said, his laugh echoing in the darkness, leaving the mage with the magenta hair alone, once again.

Dragon…Heart… Dragon…Hea—

The dragon slayer suddenly woke up with a loud gasp. Some drops of sweat had formed on his forehead and bare chest, his breathing had quickened.

A nightmare…?

Sitting up, he looked around, noticing that it was daytime, probably early in the morning.

Quickly, he turned to his left, checking if his partner was still beside him. He let out a sigh of relief and calmed down as he found the blonde girl sleeping peacefully, close to his form with a smile on her face. She felt him shift a little on the bed and she moaned softly beneath the white, hotel sheets.

"Natsu…" she murmured and sighed blissfully.

The said Dragon slayer couldn't help but think she was adorable. Dismissing any thoughts off his head, he lied down again. He slid a warm hand around her body and brought her closer to him, softly kissing her forehead before sleep started to take over him again.

The sounds of her long yawns would almost irritate him if she wasn't so cute. Somewhere in the streets of Magnolia, a couple of mages clad in shades of blue were walking towards the train station. The female then yawned again.

"Why did Juvia have to wake up so early in the morning?" the blue-haired mage complained with a sleepy voice.

Stopping on his tracks, he turned to look at the blue haired mage following him. "Weren't you the one who was eager to get into that maid outfit and seduce Gray-sama?" Gray teased her. The water mage blushed and brought her hands on the sides of her face.

"That's right… Juvia will also get dressed in that sexy outfit Lucy- san is probably already wearing. Shining with confidence, she's going to serve Gray-sama. "

"What would you like to have, sir?" she asked the sparkling young man before her, holding a server. "What would you like to serve me?" he replied to her with an innocent smile. "Oh my, what indeed…" she said dramatically. Gray browsed through the cafe's catalogue. "I don't want any of these…" he started. "…can I have you instead, beautiful?" he told her as he tossed the catalogue away and took her hand in his. Juvia was beyond excited. "Yes! Eat me, please! Gray-sama!" she said and they were suddenly on the table with Gray on top of her, discarding her underwear…

"J-Juvia has no idea what you're talkin' about!"
"Don't deny it after all of this!" Gray exclaimed at her, freaking out with his girlfriend's imagination.

Juvia didn't really mind him though. Making up such stories in her head was her favourite hobby after all and Gray had to admit how amusing it could be, especially when she narrated it out loud. Chuckling a bit, he took her hand in his and dragged her forward.

"Come on, we have a train to catch and a pair of idiots to find." He told her softly as he walked beside her.

The blonde stirred up on the bed, her eyes slowly opened, only to find her favourite partner's face close to her own. Smiling, she leaned forward and brushed the tip of her nose on Natsu's, her eyes closing again. He didn't react though, still breathing quietly in and out, half covered with the bed's light covers. Lucy didn't want to disturb him, so she turned to softly get off the bed when a hand suddenly stopped her.

Turning around she saw Natsu's hand touching her own, his breathing couldn't be heard anymore. "Stay…" he almost whispered. "I thought you were asleep?" she responded, her voice low. "I have good hearing…" he replied slowly, his eyes still closed. "Come back." He requested, now looking in her brown eyes and she obeyed him. Crawling back under the sheets, she hugged him tightly as he hovered above her now before her lips found his for a short, sweet, good-morning kiss.

Lucy couldn't think of a better way to wake up. Being with Natsu and kissing him first thing in the morning was all the happiness she could ask for. She felt so blessed to be in his arms. She didn't want to think of ever leaving him for any reason. It was something out of question. If she was with him she could stand anything. Even so, though, she wondered from time to time if they would stay together forever.

Lucy's favourite story about lovers was the one about the red strings of fate, binding two people together for eternity, naming them soul mates. Was Natsu really the one at the end of it? Did she find him so early or was he just a stop? Had the string tangled maybe and the dragon slayer wasn't really the person meant for her? You can never be sure when it comes to fate. You can't escape it after all and Lucy didn't know how to feel about this. She couldn't help but hope though that Natsu would never leave her. She couldn't imagine a life without him.

Her thoughts were distracted when Natsu broke their kiss. "Slept well, Princess?" he grinned at her and she laughed at the way he addressed her. "Just fine. You, Dragon?" she replied as she stroke his cheek with her hand. "Fine." Lied the dragon slayer. He didn't want to trouble her more since last night, she didn't look very happy, although he could tell she was alright now.

"What do you want to do today?" he asked. Lucy was taken a bit aback. "Eh? Aren't we going home since we finished the job?" Natsu started to slowly stroke her hair. "I thought we could go to the beach today or something, this town is by the sea, you know? What do you say…?" he suggested.

"Natsu…what do you think about the red strings of fate?" she asked all of a sudden. Natsu stared at her like an idiot. "Huh?" was his reply. "What are you talkin' about?" Lucy laughed at him.

"Never mind…" she said, thinking it was a stupid question. "You're weird..." he told her, giving her a questionable stare. "Don't call me weird!" she exclaimed lively and gave him a punch at the cheek she was stroking a few seconds ago. "Ouch!" he faked pain and pinned her hands above her head with one of his own. He looked at her face and then at her body, noticing how she was only in her underwear.

"You want punishment, don't you Luce?" he suddenly spoke, seductively, and she provoked him with her gaze.

"My, my…" he said in a low voice as he dove in for a wet, fiery kiss. Lucy felt his warm, wet tongue entering her mouth. She allowed him the access he wanted and she moaned as he devoured her. Without breaking the kiss, he started uncovering her form off the bed sheets. His hands traveled at her back, on the clip of her laced bra as he now kissed her rich cleavage, making her sigh his name. He was about to unclip the bra from her arched back when the room's phone rang, a call from the reception.

Growling, Natsu stopped his ministrations and picked the phone up. "Hello?" he said, trying to hide his annoyance. "Sorry for bothering you, a guy named Gray Fullbuster says he's come to see you." The woman informed him through the lacrima phone.

"That bastard."