Characters: Lucy Heartfilia, Natsu Dragneel

Genre: Romance, friendship

Rating: K+

Summary: The tiny stuffed toy was her treasure - a little demon that had helped her through good times and bad. And suddenly there he was, breathing, walking, talking, emoting. And asking for a kiss.

Notes: Based on this adorable art by liku-bears on Tumblr. You can find it here ( just remove the spaces!) liku-bears. tumblr post /156394068102 /lets-go-lucy

Familiar

It was probably the only really meaningful gift from her father in recent times. It wasn't much — just a tiny little demon plushie. It could have easily been lost in thousands of other dresses and jewellery that he had also sponsored for her.

Had it not been for the fact the toy was a small reminder of happier times. And of her parents' love.

One of her fondest childhood memories were of when they would all cuddle together in bed while her mother told stories. In particular, one of a tiny demon that saved lost little kids, only to be misunderstood by the children's parents when they saw him with them. Her father would supply the dialogues for the angry people, while her mother would do those for the little children and the demon.

Lucy felt for the demon, and protested, insisting that she would have done her best to protect it had she had the chance. Her mother had been so pleased with the suggestion, that she would weave a Lucy into the story to do just that - and she would get to do her own dialogues. And they would go on and on until Jude reminded them of it being past bedtime.

Storytime had been her favourite way to spend time with her family - it was the one time her father and mother could take a break from their royal duties and spend time with her.

Her mother's sudden loss had been very hard on her and her father, and his subsequent attempts to cope had really dented their relationship. Lucy, now at sixteen years, still couldn't remember the last time she and her father had really spoken.

The plushie, gifted to her on her tenth birthday, two years after losing her mother, was a small reminder that despite all the evidence that went against it, her father really did care.

She had taken extremely good care of the soft toy ever since. It had a special place beside her pillow at night-time and was the last thing she saw when she went to bed and the first when she woke up. She would talk to it every day — share tales of her day, people she met, things she learnt. She would laugh with it and cry holding it. It was her closest friend, and had been for years now.

Even if it never had it replied back.

Not till right now anyway.

Lucy, the ever graceful celestial princess of Magnolia, fell rather clumsily on her bum when it — he — suddenly spoke.

"Woah, there! You okay?" came the tiny voice again, as the now animated toy (person?) leaned over the bed to ensure she was okay.

"Y-y-you're talking!"

"Hell yeah I am!" he grinned. "Finally."

"B-b-but you're a toy!"

"Oi, I'm a demon!" His face tilted to one side. "And you've always told me you're a polite person. Lies!"

Lucy blinked disbelievingly, as the little toy crossed his arms and huffed.

She crawled on her knees back to the edge of her bed to peek at the toy, see for herself if he really was…real.

And while the demon kept his back to her, pouting sulkily, she brought a finger to poke him in the side.

"Hey," he warned.

Poke.

"Hey!" His back still faced her.

Poke.

"Would you— " he got cut off as Lucy — in a bid to try and confirm once more that felt had indeed given way to flesh — unintentionally began tickling him.

"S-sorry," she said, not really that sorry. His laughter was heart-warming.

"Oh, you're gonna pay," he said, once he'd caught his breath.

"And what are you going to do about it?" Lucy challenged.

He pouted again and Lucy couldn't help but giggle.

"I didn't intend to tickle you, if that helps," she added.

"You're mean, Luce," he grumbled.

Lucy raised an eyebrow. "Luce?"

"Well yeah, that's what I've always called you," he said, rolling away to make room for Lucy to climb and sit on her bed.

"You were listening the whole time?" she asked in wonder.

"Yup," he replied.

Lucy took a moment to think back and all the times and all the things she had shared with the not-a-plushie, and while the thought of having spoken so intimately with a sentient, male being did bring a blush to her cheeks, for some reason she still trusted him.

"W-what do I call you?" she asked, wondering if she had ever offended him by deciding a name for him all on her own.

'Hello, Lucy! Normal people don't ask their toys what they would appreciate being called,' she reminded herself.

"Natsu," he replied promptly, as if it were obvious.

"But that's what I named you," Lucy observed.

"Exactly," Natsu said, smiling at her. "I like it."

Lucy was about to ask for his real name, when Natsu decided, "I wanna see the outside! You keep telling me about the sun and the rain and the flowers in your lawns but I never got to see them!"

Lucy was taken aback by the accusation. "That was because I didn't want anything happening to you!" she defended, thinking of all the times she wanted to, but had chosen not to.

"Yeah," said Natsu standing up on her bed, a wee five inches tall, "well now you can," he said before running up her arm in full speed, sliding down her collarbone and tucking himself into the front of her dress before she knew it. "See? You won't lose me from here. Now forward march, my lady!" He said, pointing enthusiastically towards the window.

Lucy couldn't help but find the whole situation pretty funny. "Okay, but we'll head out through the door. Like normal people."

"Boo normal," Natsu muttered, much to Lucy's amusement.

This tiny thing was so cute!

After two hours' worth of a tour across Castle Heartfilia and its grounds, it was dusk time, and Lucy finally headed to the place she had reserved for last.

Her mother's garden.

Full of beautiful white lilies, the garden was now named after the late Queen. In the middle was a huge fountain, at the centre of which was an angel.

"Hey," Natsu said softly when they approached it, aware of where he was. "She looks like you."

Lucy smiled gently. "Yeah, though if I could be even half the human being she was, I'd find myself worthy of wearing those wings," she mused.

They walked — as in Lucy walked — around the beautiful garden, past the swings and Royal Reading Nook and the many many lilies before returning to the fountain.

After one attempt, she had realised that Natsu's past was a bit of a sensitive subject, and chose his feelings over her curiosity. So instead, she told him more stories, some of them not for the first time. Lucy found that talking to him was just as easy as before, only maybe a little warmer with him replying back.

They finished their rounds by sitting beside the fountain, leisurely appreciating the view of the beautiful statue underneath the cover of the stars.

Lucy took the pleasantly quiet moment to appreciate how she had a real friend in him now — a living, breathing, responding friend.

"Natsu," she said after a while. "You really are a warm person," she confessed. "Even before you could speak, you…helped me through some tough times." She looked down, only to find him looking quite seriously up at her through beautiful dark eyes.

"I can't thank you enough."

Natsu observed her quietly for a few moments before wiggling himself out of his perch in her dress and leaping onto the cold stone of the fountain.

"Can I ask for something?"

Lucy's answer was immediate. "Please."

"Can I get a kiss? I wanna check something."

Despite everything, she felt a strange warmth grace her cheeks. "What—"

"Aw, come on, Luce! Just a little peck. And look at me," he gestured to all of his tiny body, "even that little peck would be huge!"

"B-but why?"

"Trust me, please? It won't hurt you or anything, I swear!"

Lucy — still quite red — pondered it for a bit, her heart picking up pace the whole time.

Natsu, reading signs of her discomfort, was just about to take back the request when —

"Okay," she whispered, standing up as though proving her seriousness. 'It's like he said. A little peck, is all.'

She offered him her palm, which he enthusiastically jumped on, and raised it to her lips.

'I'm going to be "pecking" his entire face oh my goodness,' she thought wearily. But a promise was a promise.

And gently, she kissed him.

The next thing she knew was heat.

Not warmth.

Heat.

Softness pressed against her lips, strong arms wrapped around her, and heat was all she knew. Pressed against her. On her cheeks. Inside her.

Pure, consuming.

The arms pulled her closer, she felt gentle nipping at her lips, and all Lucy wanted to do was drown in everything she was feeling.

'Was kissing always this pleasurab—'

The lips pressing against hers pulled back, and Lucy lazily opened very dazed eyes.

Only to see a fully-fledged demon.

Lucy had to look up to meet his eyes now, and took in the threatening sight he was. His eyes were piercing, his fanged teeth glinting in the moonlight, but behind the scales, horns and unruly hair, she could see who he really was. His appearance startled her a bit, but elicited no fear.

Like her, he was panting too, and around it he managed to sigh a greeting.

"Hey there, Luce," he breathed, and Lucy's heart skipped another two beats at his wonderfully rich, deep voice.

"Hi," she replied, barely.

"You freed me," he said, smiling at her. "I knew you could."

"Freed you?" she asked, not making a single move to step out of his embrace.

Natsu nodded, "From this super lame curse. Some kid's jackass dad thought no one could ever love me, and banked on that for me to stay a toy forever."

"Why would he curse you?" Her worry apparent in her tone.

The demon shrugged, smiling wryly. "Probably thought I was taking his kid away. I'm sure my looks didn't help matters."

Lucy's heart panged for him, easily reading the sadness in his dark eyes. Out of its own accord, her hand found its way to his cheek, touching it tenderly.

"But you wouldn't have hurt them," she said, tearing up as she recognised just who the demon was. All those stories, but the same bottom line. "You simply wanted to make friends."

Natsu's eyes widened, before furrowing against his own emotions. He brought his forehead to hers, his eyes still locked onto her auburn ones. They stayed that way for a moment, the demon savouring the privilege of being where he was.

"Only love could have set me free," he rasped.

Lucy immediately felt what were surely her cheeks blushing violently. Did she really love him?

Natsu read her silence well. "It doesn't have to be the marrying kind," he said, despite how much he would have wanted it to be that way.

Lucy, on the other hand, felt a flood of relief at that. She nodded shyly. "I would..." she paused before beginning again, less shakily, "I would like to get to know you more"

Natsu took a moment to register her wish. Grinning, he stepped back to kneel before her, hand over his heart. "Anything my Princess desires," he vowed.

'My Princess.' She found that she really liked how that sounded when he said it.

But she wasn't one for formalities with friends, and hence she dropped to sit in front of him, surprising him yet again.

"Likewise, Natsu." She smiled.

Natsu enjoyed how she made him feel. And how she made him feel. He knew things wouldn't be easy, he was a demon and she a celestial princess.

Even their friendship would face so much opposition.

But none of that mattered as long as she was smiling at him, as long as he made her happy. And now that he was more than a stuffed toy, he really could try to do so.

Natsu offered her his hand, helping her rise to her feet. He watched her thank him, smile at him, with no remote sign of fear or judgement, and his resolve cemented further.

She would decide the nature of their relationship henceforth. And no matter what that ended up being, he would be there for her, by her side no matter what.

Because what Natsu had forgotten to mention was that the kiss would have worked only if the condition was met both ways.

And he had long since fallen in love with her.

Ahh, it's been a while since the last drabble lol, with all the other oh-so-on-time updates. I hope you guys are doing awesome and that you enjoyed this. Do let me know what you thought!

For those of you who enjoy Soulmate AUs, it would mean so much to me if you took a look at "Colourist" and let me know what you thought of the one-shot. I tried to do a thing.

Finally, special thanks to Martyn, asian-simbae, ShyBookworm33, quite-a-riot, MagicFangirlHS (I hope you're doing much better now, lovely!) and Juliastes for your reviews and to everyone else who favourited and followed! :D