Authors note: I'm sorry if this seems a little disjointed as I get back into the swing of the story. I'm going to try and finish it up within the next few weeks so look forward to a rush of chapters. Personally I'm rather proud of this one. Happy reading!

~Lucy~

"How did you know I was your mate?" How long had he known we belonged together? Why hadn't he said anything? Was he sure? The questions swirled as I waited for his response, what Natsu liked to call my addiction to overthinking things grasping me in a choke hold.

"Honestly it was probably when Macao got turned into a vulcan at Mt. Hakobe."

"That long ago?" We'd wasted so much time...

"Yup. When he went after you my inner dragon erupted. There was like this chant in my head. It just kept saying 'mate'. Wasn't too hard to put things together after that, even for me."

"Why didn't you say anything?" His eyes hold mine, dark and fathomless and unreadable in the fire light. When he does finally answer there is a wistful tone in his voice that has my breath catching.

"Luce...I hadn't ever even considered ever having a mate and you literally knocked me over just by existing. I took you back with me to make you happy but I also couldn't just walk away from you. I needed to keep you safe. When it hit me who you were and why I cared so much I still didn't feel ready. So I figured I'd just keep you close and not say anything about it. How do you tell a girl shes your mate anyway? But then I couldn't sleep without you, I craved your presence all that time, needed your smell to keep me sane...everything about you called to and it was too hard to stay away. And spending all that time around you as your friend...jeez Luce your perfect. How could I not fall in love with you? Suddenly not only my dragon wanted you but so did the man but by then we were so close and I was so scared telling you would drive you away...it was torture."

I sit in stunned silence, mind whirring at all the information. Natsu wasn't a deep guy. He isn't stupid by any means, he just doesn't do emotional talks. I'd actually never heard him say so much in one sitting before. Once again I am reminded that Natsu can still surprise me after all this time. "Oh Natsu..." Moving around the fire I kneel between his legs and set his skewered meat aside before bringing his fist to my chest and cradling it with both my hands, those dark eyes watching me with a banked fire that sends a shiver down my spine. "It was torture for me too."

~Natsu~

"Yeah?" I sure hope it had been. Not that I like that she'd been unhappy but its was nice to know that the wanting hadn't been one sided.

"Yeah. I'd overcompensate by acting like you were just a bother but I wanted you near me all the time. I'd dream of you touching me and wake up to see you there and want it to be real so bad I knew that if I didn't do something Id take action and ruin everything." Her cheeks flush prettily as she confesses, eyes falling to my mouth when a wolfish grin spreads over my lips.

"So...you dreamed of me huh?" Lucy turns so red I'm worried she might faint. A deep chuckle turns her embarrassment into a smack but I don't mind it as I snag the arm she used to hit me and pull her solidly into my chest to breath against her ear. "Answer the question Lucy."

"I did. Every night. Id dream of you then ache for days."

"Tsk tsk Lucy. You shoulda just taken what you wanted. I wouldn't have complained." Every puff of breath against her ear would send shivers that were driving me nuts and I take the opportunity to dive my calloused hands into her ethereal hair like I'd been dreaming of doing for years. So soft...

"I thought you were innocent and dense! I wasn't sure you even knew what sex was!" My face heats up and I move to hide against her neck as I wrap a hand in her locks to tug playfully.

"I'm not that dumb."

"No. Your not. I'm sorry I ever thought you were."

"I don't know, I feel like I deserve something to prove how sorry you are." My teeth nip at her collar bone and drag upwards, sensitive hearing catching the gasp turned to sigh that she couldn't control.

"Like what?" Shes all breathy and I can feel my blood starting to boil.

"Hmm...how about a kiss? That might convince me."

"Well I suppose that's not so bad..." She tries not to sound eager but her mouth says differently. Its almost desperate the way we devour and we're both clutching at one another and panting when we surface for air. Its quiet for a few moments before she speaks, tone hesitant. "Natsu I know I've already asked this but...your sure? You really want me forever?"

This again? I thought I'd made myself pretty fucking clear. Apparently not clear enough. With a growl I surge upward and press Lucy down to the cave floor, hips pinning her own and one hand holding her slender arms together over her head. The words come out clipped, annoyance and desire warring in my head. "Ill say this one more time Lucy. After that you'd better not second guess me again. You are mine. Both parts of me are madly in love with you, so in love that when you left me I thought I'd go insane. Now that you've told me you love me too there will be no going back. You. Are. Mine."

Lucy's pretty chocolate eyes go dark and for a moment I watch the knowledge sink deep with a heady sense of satisfaction. Then she's pulling and nipping and the tension snaps.

~Shared~

Heat, sound and pleasure...would it always be like this? Natsu's hands are like fire as he holds her arms steady despite her struggles to free them. Shes wants to touch him and this new dominant side only makes the ache to touch worse. Lucy's head thrashes as she tries to suck, kiss and bite every part of him that her mouth can reach. A husky chuckle against her skin makes her thighs clench.

"Natsu!" The mewl is an entreaty, begging for something and anything as desire spirals out of control so fast it leaves her grappling. A needy grind of hips alerts Lucy to his own arousal, the jolt of pleasure and gasp she hears from him making her smile. Turnabout is fair play after all. Wrapping one slim leg over Natsu's hips she deliberately grinds against the hard ridge of him, her own gasp escaping as she feels every exquisite detail rub up against her clit through their clothing.

She was going to drive him mad. Natsu's remaining sanity was all that leashed the desperate need to rip her clothing to shreds and show Lucy just who she belonged to. Each deep grind made it harder to hold his baser instincts in check. He didn't want to hurt her.

Lucy wasn't having it. She could feel him holding back and something dark in her head whispered that if she could just drive him over that edge...just push a little harder...

She bit him. Hard. Natsu wasn't sure what drove her to do it but as her teeth sink into his pulse point hard enough to break skin he could hear a snap echo in his head and roared as he dove at her. They were both biting and scratching as they rolled, hands removing articles of clothing faster then his mind could even process the desire to do so. Her breathy chants of his name weren't helping any. "Fuck Lucy."

Fingers curled around him and as she explored him with her hands Natsu cupped one breast and lavished the other with his tongue and teeth, leaving love bits scattered across the mound. She tasted so fucking good. When his nose alerts him to her rush of arousal he nipped one last time at her nipple before removing her hand from its play so he could lay her back and slide a hand between her thighs. Lucy babbled as he tested her readiness, hips undulating with each movement of his hand. So gorgeous splayed and dazed in pleasure. He couldn't wait anymore.

It was primal. Natsu strove not to hurt her. Lucy strove to break his sanity.

Even as he tore his way into her body, senses screaming because she smelled so damn good and was so wet and hot and tight...she made noises that made his head spin, he tried not to hurt her. But the scream that tore from her throat and rang in his ears had him freezing, petrified. "Shit shit shit. Luce...baby I'm sorry."

She has to fight the haze of pleasure to really look at him, propped up and body twitching as he fought not to pound into her. The guilt in his eyes called to her and she raises her hands to cup his face to bring him down for a sweet kiss. "Natsu please. You wont hurt me, I promise. Please!" She rolls her hips to emphasize the point, a rush of pleasure making her heat quiver around him.

It may have been the begging. Or maybe the feel of her rippling around him. Either way the fear is lost as he watches her eyes close in delight when he moves. Its dizzyingly fast, intoxicatingly good and the flames blazing over his skin make her body glow gold as she throws her head back and screams over and over again.