Lucy watched Natsu's back rise and fall with his gentle breathing. She was relieved that he had fallen asleep-it would spare him the sensation of his motion sickness. They were about an hour into their journey and about a half an hour or so remained. She had been surprised at how quickly Natsu had fallen asleep. It had taken him less than ten minutes. Her leg was starting to fall asleep under Natsu's head, but she loathed to wake him for the mere purpose of shifting positions. So she let him sleep. He really was so cute. Natsu rolled slightly in his sleep, almost falling off the bench. Gently darting her hands forward, Lucy caught Natsu before he could tumble over the edge and helped him ease into a new position. His face was now facing the opposite direction as before, directed towards her. His closed eyes aimed towards her face.
Lucy's breath caught slightly as she lifted a tentative hand up to brush away a fallen lock of hair. Her fingertips gently brushed against his forehead and he stirred slightly at the contact. She moved her hand away stiffly, praying he would remain asleep. Within seconds he eased back into his deep slumber. Lucy stayed frozen only a moment before her hand once more found its way to his soft hair. She continued to stare at him as his little breaths warmed her thigh, taking in everything about him.
"Lu-cy," he whispered in his sleep. She didn't know how she knew he was still sleeping, but she did. The way her name slipped through his lips caught her by surprise. There was so much tenderness in his tone. The fire mage who continually was burning things and yelling at people and endlessly picking fights had just whispered her name in a way that brushed against her heart. Staring at his face Lucy became, once more, aware of a no longer deniable fact. She was in love with Natsu Dragneel. She loved him. But she wasn't sure how he felt about her. And she didn't possess the courage to find out. But, she thought with a smile, she did have the courage to press her lips to his forehead. Knowing full well that Natsu was beyond rational thought and stuck in dreams she bent forward and brushed her lips against Natsu's head.
A whistle sounded somewhere and the train started slowing down.
"Ladies and Gentleman, we are now approaching Hargeon station. Please remain seated until we have reached a full and complete stop."
Lucy pulled back from Natsu before he could wake, praying that the sound of the speakers didn't wake him. Relieved to see that he was still sound asleep she relaxed into the back of the seat. As the train completed its descent, Lucy held on to Natsu tightly, preventing the momentum of the vehicle from depositing him on the ground. When everything was still once more she eased her grip on his body. He was still sound asleep.
"Natsu!" She whispered, trying to be gentle but loud enough to wake him. He didn't stir. "Natsu," she tried again. Still nothing. "Hey!" she began to shake his shoulders, "Natsu! Wake up!" She was shocked to observe that his nap was still undisturbed. She started running through ideas of how to wake him. Everyone else in the train car had almost completely exited. Growing a little desperate Lucy slid his head from her lap and towered over him. Even that had no effect. She started shaking him roughly. "NATSU!" Despite the impossibility of the fact, Natsu remained unaffected. Lucy was getting desperate. If she couldn't wake him soon, the train would turn around before they would be able to get off. She knelt by Natsu's sleeping form, observing his sleeping face once more. His lips were parted slightly and an absurd idea popped into her head. Before she could talk herself out of it, Lucy bent forward and placed her lips against Natsu's. They were warm and soft, everything she had imagined, and at their touch Lucy felt her world spinning around her. She moved her lips against his, urging them into motion, and, hopefully, his mind into consciousness. It worked. After a heated, tense, second, she felt Natsu stir. She jolted away from him, praying that her kiss would be lost in the delirious limbo between the conscious and unconscious minds.
"Natsu!" She boomed once more, "Get up right now! Or you'll end up riding back to Magnolia alone!"
His eyes flashed open in a single instant. He looked confused. He sat up quickly, observing their surroundings.
"Where'd everyone go!?" he cried as he shot to his feet. Lucy didn't miss that hand that slowly raised to his lips. She blushed, crimson, as he skimmed them for something unknown.
"Everyone got off the train five minutes ago when it stopped! And if we don't do the same we'll end up going right back home." Before he could say anything else, Lucy grabbed her bag and headed for the door. As she exited the train and walked into a chilly twilight the only thing Lucy could think of was how warm Natsu's lips had been, and how desperate she was to kiss him once more, only this time fully conscious.