Since many liked the story I will continue. Chapter two was already finished when I uploaded the first chapter but I didn't want to upload it since I didn't know if people were interested. But I'm happy some of you are. And yes. This will be a Nalu but I think I'll also have them pair up with other people since it will be an eventual Nalu – they need to fall in love with each other before anything can truly happen. And there will be other pairings mentioned; Jerza, Gale, Miraxus, CobraxKinana, as for the twin dragon slayers I don't know who I should pair then with. Obviously I want Yukino to be a mate as well but I can't decide if it should be Sting or Rogue :/
And I know Lucy seem cruel but I can't really blame her though I did make her a bit too cruel and selfish. If I was suddenly asked to become someone's make without having feelings for the person I would decline as well since being claimed just seem so harsh. A bit contradictory since I love mating stories. Heh. But that's why I tried something new. xD
Anyways, this is chapter two. Tell me what you think and I'm open for ideas as well. Review, fave and follow.
Disclaimer. I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.
Chapter two: Fall in love with me
"I… I'll do it..." She muttered shakily. Natsu stopped thinking about his past with Igneel and spun around to look at the blonde with wide eyes. Had he heard correctly? Had she agreed to this after all?
"What?"
"I said I'll do it…" She repeated with tears falling down rapidly. She didn't want this. This wasn't what she wished for when she finally found The One. The man who would sweep her off of her feet and make her fall head over heels over. But she had to. For Natsu. She couldn't stop the guilt and fear. What if he died because of her? She couldn't even imagine a life without him. No. She had to do it.
"But?" Natsu asked warily. He knew there was a but coming, how could he not? This was Lucy. She loved negotiating and not to forget; bossy.
She sniffled and wiped her tears away before pushing every regret and emotion away and gave him a stern look. "But I have conditions." She stated seriously. She had many conditions if she was going to do this wholeheartedly.
"I understand. So tell me, what are these conditions?" As he thought. Lucy had a but waiting for him but it made him happy since she was serious. He felt relief wash over him. He wasn't going to die after all. It made him smile appreciatively at blonde.
"I have many but I'll tell the important ones first. To be honest I don't want to do this bond thingy. How do we even do that?" She had forgotten to ask how they mated. The things he had told her had been that she was his mate and the benefits. Not that she gave him a reason to finish because of she had plainly rejected him.
Natsu blushed. It was so awkward to tell her how they would have to perform the ritual. And he was sure it would freak her out. Why shouldn't it. It was an act of intimacy which two best friends shouldn't act upon..
He smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head biting his lips nervously. He had to avert his eyes from hers as it was just more embarrassing. "By having sex and me marking your body.." He muttered and buried his head in his scarf. Damn it was embarrassing!
Lucy blushed crimson hearing his words. They h-had to have sex? This was almost too much for the poor blonde. This day was far most the most emotional day she had had in a long time. She couldn't look at him in the eyes and a long silent pause ensued.
"Uh, okay… that makes sense.. I guess.." She finally broke the silent after slightly calming herself. Natsu looked at her and saw her sporting a look mirroring his own. Embarrassment. Both mages cheeks were still tinted pink.
"Yeah…" An another pause.
"Okay, back to my conditions.." Natsu nodded and was thankful that she spoke before it got more awkward. "First let's try to find another way. Let me have a look at the book." She wasn't going to go through with it if she was to find another solution, which she was silently hoping there was. Her mind still couldn't process everything she had learned today. Simply, too much info.
"Sure but I've read it and there is none but if you want a look I'll have Metal Head give it to you." She just gave him a sharp nod and continued.
"Secondly, make me fall in love with you. I… I can't do… you know… that.. without having feelings for a guy.." She confessed rather awkwardly and blushed scarlet. She didn't want to lose her virginity to Natsu solely because he had to claim her. God she started to hate that word. Claim..
"Okay, fall in love with me." He deadpan, staring at her deep brown eyes. Lucy stared at him blinking a few times. Her mind must be playing tricks on her right? He was kidding right? Apparently not. She couldn't find any traces of humor in his eyes.
"Are you stupid? You have to court me, woo me. This just makes me want to slap you." She couldn't believe him. Had he never ever attempted to flirt or woo a woman? He was a healthy 19 year old male for crying out loud!
"Court you? Woo you? What the fuck does that even mean. You said 'make me fall in love with you' and that's what I did. Fall in love with me. Simple." He wasn't understanding why she was calling him stupid. He didn't deserve that insult.
"Are you kidding me?! This is just too much. I can't do this. I take it back. I can't accept." He was testing her patience and this was her limit. She can't go through with it. She had to be bound to this guy for the rest of her life? Nope. Never. She seriously felt the need to punch herself for thinking that maybe just maybe he would succeed but now. Nope.
"What! You can't just take it back! I'll try to do it your way! I promise!" He hurriedly told as the blonde began retreating. He was desperate. He would do anything to avoid death. He would change for her if he had to.
Lucy halted her movement and turned around to watch him. She felt guilt seeping in as she saw his face. Hurt, sadness and fear. He was scared of dying and she couldn't really blame him. So was she. She was scared of death as well. But most importantly she was afraid to lose her best friend. She truly felt like a stubborn bitch for being so heartless.
She walked back and apologized for being insensitive. She should at least give him a chance to learn. She knew what she had asked for was perhaps too much for the Slayer who had claimed earlier to not have a romantic bone in him. She was being too hasty.
"Okay but then you will have to learn about the things you lack. And I'll also do my best to make you fall in love with me so when the times comes… it won't be awkward.." She ended with a mutter. It would most likely be awkward as her mind quickly flashed her an image of her and Natsu. They were best friends for fucks sake! And it will take a miracle to make him fall in love with me, she thought inwardly, definitely a miracle..
Natsu sighed in relief once again and hugged the blonde. "Thank you. Thank you Luce… I knew I could count on you." Lucy felt her cheek burning hot and quickly pushed him away in a gentle manner. "Whatever.." This was getting too awkward for the blonde.
Clearing her throat she continued, "My third condition is that this will stay between us. I don't want the guild to interfere. They'll meddle too much." Especially Mira, Lucy mentally added as she thought about how the barmaid would react if she found out. She would definitely plan a wedding. Lucy shuddered thinking about the barmaid and her plans.
"Sure but the other Dragon Slayers knows everything but I'll tell them to stay quiet about it. Anything more?" Lucy thought about if there was more conditions to set and one suddenly formed.
"Yes, one last one. For now. In the meantime it's okay to date other people. Never know if we can find another solution or not. So dating is allowed." Natsu didn't know how to accept that. He was never too pleased with Lucy dating especially when he knew nothing of the guy but they weren't an item yet so he couldn't say anything.
"Sure."
"Perfect. I'll write a list of my conditions and give it to you later. If I can think of more that is. And you should date too and get experience. I like romantic and thoughtful gentlemanly guys." She told him with a smile. Natsu grimaced as he knew he would never be like that. Hah! Natsu a gentleman? He didn't even know what it was but it sounded too boring.
"Fine." Not like he would go on a date since he'd just pester the guys at he guild about dating and stuff and use their advice to make Lucy fall in love with him. That was his grand master plan. A bulletproof plan.
"Great. Let's go back inside. I'm sure everyone's worried about us." She was ready to end this conversation and let her mind loose from this awfully long talk. Almost three hours had they been gone talking about mating and whatnot.
Natsu gave her a nod and then both began walking back inside the guild. The guild and their many members and guests were having a blast and many were already down for the count as alcohol had seeped into their blood.
Lucy hurriedly left Natsu's side to sit with Levy and some of the girls and Natsu walked over to the men's corner. Gajeel glanced at him and received a nod from Natsu. He smirked and looked back to Levy and Lucy talking animatedly.
"Where have you been, Lu-chan? I was getting worried." Levy said frowning at the blonde. She could see something was bothering her and the way she looked with puffy and sad eyes made it known that she had cried. Levy always knew when Lucy cried.
"Natsu just had to tell me something important and we ended up talking for a long time. Sorry." Lucy smiled forcibly at her friend who was looking at her intently.
"It's not something bad, I promise so don't worry. How's things going here?" She assured and changed the subject not wanting to tall about it. In fact she wanted to forgot it ever existed in the first place.
"Ar-"
"Let's get some shots!" Lucy suddenly exclaimed interrupting Levy and shot up from her seat. She ran up to the bar where Mira stood refilling some mugs. She smiled brightly when the blonde approached.
"Hi Lu-"
"I want 20 of your strongest shots, Mira!" She cut her greeting hurriedly. Mira frowned by Lucy's sudden eagerness to drinking. Lucy never was the one to drink so much. And especially being so overly enthusiastic about it. Something was definitely wrong.
Lucy noticed the frown and quickly smiled. "Sorry. Hi Mira." She knew she was acting weird but she wanted to get drunk, fast. It was the only way to escape reality. Or just forget her conversation with Natsu. Her heart beat picked up thinking about how she had acted. She had down been cruel to him and he hadn't deserved that. Lucy slowly began to feel depressed.
"Somethi-"
"Make it 50. I'm paying." Cana announced as she swung her arm around the blonde grinning at them both. "Since Lucy here is eager to drink I will pay for all her drinks tonight. Let's have a little contest. Just for fun."
Lucy was happy for Cana's timing before the barmaid would ask her questions and her emotions going whacky but a drinking contest with Cana? Did she really want to die of alcohol poisoning? Fuck it. She grinned back and nodded. "Sure. Who is the fastest to chug down the shots?" She asked and received a wider grin and nod.
"50 shots of your strongest then." Mira didn't say anything and lined 50 shot glasses around the bar – she had to shoo some away to make room – and poured in the strong liquor. Lucy grimaced of the line up but she didn't regret it. This would only do her some good. Alcohol is mans best friend – Cana's motto not hers.
"Add 50 more." her eyes widened at Cana's sudden announcement. They had to consume 50 shots each? She will definitely not remember anything tomorrow. Hey that was the whole idea of her doing this. 50 shots it was..
"What are you doing?" Gray asked as he eyed the barmaid adding more shot glasses.
"Lucy and Cana are having a little drinking match. 50 shots each." Mira told pouring the liquor in. Gray spun around to look at the blonde incredulously. "You're kidding, right? You accepted that drunk's challenge?"
"Yeah and now beat it. We're about to begin." Lucy walked up to her end of the glasses when Mira finished. Cana was by her end.
"What's going on?" More people gathered around the bar to watch the little contest. Gray and Mira told them.
"Ready?" Mira asked the two mages who nodded and was ready to sprint. It was like they were in a real life tournament competing against each other. People behind them began placing bets on who was going to win. Cana. No one bet on the blonde since Cana was Fairy Tail resident drunk.
"Okay. Ready, set, go!" They both chugged down the shots immediately upon contact. Their pace was almost the same but Cana was just a tad bit faster. Lucy just wished for the effects to come fast and let her erase the day.
"Go Lu-chan! You are almost there!" Levy cheered.
"Bunny girl doesn't have a chance against The Drunk." Gajeel stated gaining the petite bluenette's attending, her sporting an annoyed scowl.
"If Lu-chan sets her mind into something she can do it!" Levy retorted. She hadn't bet on her but she still defended her best friend. For emotional support.
"But she won't win Shrimp. This is the the Drunk's game. Has been from the start." While the two began to bicker back and forth the rest of the guild watched the game slowly coming to an end as there was only five shots left each.
Lucy saw them both having equal amounts of shots left so she decided to chug two at once down. And the two again and then the last one.
"And the winner is Lucy!" Mira announced happily. Cana was only two seconds behind. Levy and Gajeel turned around shocked to hear the announcement and shouted in unison, "WHAT?!"
Lucy grinned before staggering. She was feeling the effects which made her more happy. She achieved her goal. She began giggling senseless and had a hard time standing on her feet. She felt so flight as a feather and began flapping her arms trying to fly only to stumbling and fall to her knees. Yup, definitely drunk.
"And Cana won on making her drunk." Gray sighed as he helped the blonde stand on her feet and helped balancing on her feet.
"I don't see a problem with that. Hey Mira, the bet. Lucy won every cent." Mira giggled and handed her the sack of jewels the blonde had won.
"On the other hand keep them. She is too drunk to even remember about winning." Cana grinned handing the barmaid the sack back. Drunk Lucy was fun. And even Cana felt drunkish after all those shots.
"Woooooow! Pweety!" Lucy exclaimed looking at the ceiling where she spotted the lamps. She pointed at them giggling making Gray groan.
"Natsu! Take Lucy home!" He called the Slayer over.
"You do it. Drunk Lucy is not fun! She wants you to make her purr and all kinds of shit." He had sworn to stay away from Drunk Lucy after that time the girls gotten drunk at the inn. Just remembering made him shudder.
"Don't be a pansy and do it! I can't leave her with Loke, he'll take advantage of her and she'll kill us both if we leave him in charge." Gray didn't trust Loke one bit with Lucy even though he was her loyal and most trusted spirit, still, the man was a player.
"But you found her first! She's your responsibility so you take care of her!." Natsu retorted and finally saw how badly drunk his friend was. He inwardly groaned at how bad it was.
"But she is your partner! And partners take care of each other." Gray countered with a strong argument and smirked triumphantly when he saw the Slayer's face of defeat.
Natsu groaned annoyed by the Ice Make mage as he accepted the blonde in her arms. Why was it always him that ended up in these situations? And why the hell did she have to drink so much? As if his day hadn't been dreading enough now this situation.
"Luce, I'm taking you home. You're drunk." Natsu told her and gained the blonde's attention.
Lucy pushed him away. "No!" She cried. "I'm wot bonk. I'm aaaapppy!" She giggled loudly twirling around till she fell down flat on her face. Natsu froze and winced slightly 'til he saw her slowly push herself up without crying. She was clearly drunk since she had no sense of pain.
The Slayer groaned aloud and pulled her up by her arm. "You are clearly too drunk. Let's go." Why was it always him who had to suffer? It felt the Universe was conspiring against him.
"Nooooo!" The blonde wailed trying to push him away but Natsu wasn't having it so he lifted her up over his shoulder and began moving away.
"You all owe me." He grumbled as he glared as his friends who just sniggered at his misery.
"Better you than me." Gray smirked earning a growl from the Slayer. All the while Lucy was squirming around trying to get down from Natsu's hold.
"Stay still!" But she ignored him and kept squirming. Natsu's patience was wearing thin and he hurried away from the guild with a annoyed scowl plastered onto his face.
And this woman was his mate? A stranger would definitely had been better. No scratch that. If it was a stranger it could very well be worse than Lucy. He would manage. Somehow
They arrived at her apartment a few minutes later and for once Natsu used the door instead of the window as he always did. He grabbed his spare key which she had given him long ago and finally opened the door.
He closed the door with a little push from his elbow and proceeded to walk inside her apartment, straight to her bedroom. She had long stopped resisting and was quiet which made the Slayer very pleased.
Once inside her bedroom he gently lay her on the bed and finally noticed she had fallen asleep. Sighing in relief he took her shoes off and pulled her comforter over her.
He was contemplating if he should stay with her or if he should just go home? Her bed was much more comfortable than his hammock. So staying it was. He took his sandals off and moved over to the other side of the bed.
He felt immediately at ease with her scent washing over him. Another thing about that mating stuff. Lucy's scent always calmed him down from whatever he was doing. It was truly a weird thing but he had grown accustomed to it and to her scent. He actually liked it. A lot more than he would be willing to admit.
The blonde beside him sighed as she turned around pushing the comforter away from her body. Natsu couldn't help but wonder why it had to be Lucy of all people. Why was she his mate when they were best friends. He valued their friendship more than anything and this whole mate thing just ruined it.
He remembered her earlier struggles and guilt when she had accepted it. It wasn't fair to neither of them. She was a free soul and she had ambition in her life. She wanted to find a man of her liking and fall in love with him while Natsu just wanted to get his revenge on Acnologia and Zeref. He just wanted to end this stupid war and then he could focus on his future and what it entails.
Letting out a deep sigh he moved closer to the blonde and gave her a kiss on her forehead before pulling her into a hug. "I'm sorry Luce. Wish it wasn't like this." As if Lucy had heard him she squeezed him back, making the Slayer gently smile and pull back to lie next to her and fluttered his eyes closed, letting sleep consume him.
Yep. They were best friends and understood each other even in their sleep. It would definitely be a long adventure of them falling in love with each other but was it really that hard to fall in love with your best friend? It shouldn't be especially for the two partners that shared a bond others strive to achieve.
Yep. It will be an adventure for the two friends to find love in one another. Let's just hope it doesn't ruin anything between them. Nah. It won't. They are Natsu and Lucy – Fairy Tail mages and best friends. Nothing can go wrong.
Or can it?