Disclaimer: I do not own fairy tail or any of it's characters.
"So what are we doing Natsu? Do you want me to cook something? We could run by the grocery store." The cab of the truck was chilly and though it was just the two of them, Lucy sat in the middle of the bench seat so her body could suck up Natsu's warmth. How was he not freezing?
Natsu looked at her like she was crazy, "It's Valentine's Day, I can't let you cook. Let's go pick up some Chinese. We can run over to Macao's place, he's sure to get us hooked up quick."
"Okay, and if you run by the bakery I have a cheesecake and a chocolate cake left that we can grab, if you want," Lucy offered.
"Alright! " Natsu pumped his first in the air, then pulled Lucy closer with a squeeze. "That sounds fantastic! Let's run by there first, it's on the way."
"Are we going to eat at Macao's?" Lucy asked, looking for some clue about what Natsu had planned.
"No, we're going to my place. Now no more questions, geez Lucy, let me keep a few surprises," he winked at her and put his eyes back on the road.
After Lucy grabbed the cakes, they headed over to Macao's restaurant, Purple Flare Asian Bistro. "I've never been here before," said Lucy as she looked up at the neon purple sign.
"Oh man, you don't know what you're missing then, this place is the best! You've probably seen Macao or Wakaba a few times though; they go to Mira's often." He opened the door and guided her in, his hand on the small of her back. The place was packed full of happy, chatty customers. It smelled of ginger and garlic, Lucy's stomach rumbled, as if reminding her of what she had missed out on earlier in the day.
Natsu walked past the crowd waiting in front near the hostess desk and right up to the bar. Behind it stood a man with a mustache who Lucy had seen quite a few times sitting at Mira's bar. She had also often seen the brown haired man who was currently nursing a scotch while slumped over on one of the barstools. When the mustached man saw Natsu he raised an eyebrow, "I hope you aren't here looking for a last minute table because we're full to the brim Natsu. Best I can give you and your lady is a seat at the bar."
"Nah, I'm not that crazy," Natsu said with a smile, shaking the man's hand and patting the brown haired scotch drinker on the back. "Macao, Wakaba, this is Lucy, we just wanted to get some stuff to go, if you could swing it."
Lucy waved shyly and Wakaba gave her a big grin, "Hey there pretty lady," he said with a wink.
"Yea Natsu, of course we can," Macao pulled out a pad of paper, "What do you want, I'll take it back to the chef." Natsu proceeded to order basically half the menu and Macao didn't even flinch. This must be what he had been surviving on before he met Lucy.
"You looked all dressed up to go out on the town, how did you kids end up here?" Wakaba asked when Macao disappeared to the back to hand over the order.
"Well, we were over at the Hibachi place but Erza knocked out the chef," explained Lucy.
Wakaba doubled over in laughter, slapping his knee in joy, "That Erza is such a firecracker! What did the chef do to deserve that?"
Natsu grinned real big and held out his hands like he was holding two melons, "He threw a shrimp right in the middle of the twins!"
Wakaba smiled big and looked off with a dreamy expression, "Ah, to be that shrimp." Lucy gave out a shocked snort and covered her face embarrassed at the unladylike noise. Natsu looked at her with a mischievous grin as if he knew that was exactly what Wakaba was going to say
Macao reappeared from the back room, "Just give the guys a few minutes and your stuff will be right out, I had them push it through."
"Thank you so much, that's so kind of you," said Lucy.
Macao waved his hand, "Oh it's nothing, Natsu's my best customer. He orders so much he basically keeps me in business. 'Cept this last month of course, I'm guessing you have a little something to do with that," he gave her a wink.
Natsu grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close. "Sorry Macao, 'fraid I've got a new favorite chef these days."
"Yea it doesn't really look like I can compete," teased Macao.
"Where's Romeo tonight? I expected you to have him behind the bar," Natsu looked around the restaurant.
"The old man gave him the weekend off, the big softy," Wakaba grinned.
"He went off to see Wendy for the weekend. Can't have him losing his girl to those chumps at her college," Macao explained.
"Ah to be young again," said Wakaba with a wistful look in his eye.
"Your son dates Wendy? She worked for me at Christmas, she the sweetest thing ever!" said Lucy, glad to make the connection.
Macao smiled, "She really is, Romeo is a lucky guy. And that means you're the lady with the delicious sweets, Wendy brought us one of the trays you sent home with her on Christmas. It was tasty!"
Lucy blushed at the compliment, "Thank you, I'm so glad you enjoyed it."
"Any time you wanna send that kind of stuff over, we're glad to have it," Wakaba gave her another wink.
Lucy was thoughtful for a moment, "One second, I'll be right back." She grabbed Natsu's key from his pocket, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek with a giggle when she saw his surprised face. Lucy ran out to the car and grabbed the cheesecake. When she arrived back there were two large paper bags on the bar, it looked like their food was ready. Natsu leaned back on the bar and watched her approach, head tilted with a small smile.
"Oi, don't give these old farts my cheesecake, I was looking forward to that!" he whined, but she could tell from his smile that he was joking.
"Don't be greedy Natsu, we still have the chocolate one," she smacked him playfully on the arm. "Here, for you, Happy Valentine's Day!" she said cheerfully, setting the cake on the bar counter.
Both men stared at the cake with looks of glee. Wakaba leapt up from his seat and gave Lucy a big hug. "You're an angel! Don't ever let this one go Natsu!"
Natsu grabbed the bags from the bar and grinned, "Don't you think I know that already? Now stop drooling on her!" He turned back to Macao, "Thanks for getting us the food so fast, I'll see ya all later."
Macao waved, "No problem, you guys have fun tonight!"
Lucy waved and they were out the door.
Natsu paused at his front door and said a little prayer that he had tidied enough to not embarrass himself. He had planned from the beginning to bring her back here after dinner, so he had worked hard to make sure everything was presentable, but he wouldn't exactly call cleaning his strong suit. "The house is still a little bit a work in progress." He gave a nervous grin and rubbed the back of his neck.
Lucy smiled sweetly up at him, "I'm sure it's great Natsu."
Taking a deep breath Natsu opened the door and let Lucy into his tiny two bedroom cottage. She wandered in and after a moment exclaimed, "Natsu it's so cute!" Cute was not a word Natsu would pick to describe it. One of the rooms had all the walls torn out; he was in the process of putting in new electrical and insulation. His bedroom was basically just a futon since he hadn't had much of a need for anything else; luckily he kept that room shut. She stood in the living room which was probably the best part of the house; it only needed a coat of paint. It had a couch, coffee table, and TV. If she wandered into the kitchen she would see that half of the cabinets no longer had doors, he hadn't finished making new ones yet. Luckily if she had to use the restroom that was finished, when you only have one you make sure it's in good repair.
"Yea, it's a little small but it works for me," Natsu said. "I have to get something ready outside, do you mind hanging out here just for a moment? I want it to be a surprise."
"Okay," Lucy sat down on his worn couch. Natsu hoped she would stay right there. He wondered if maybe he should just bring her with him.
"I swear I'll be right back," he said. She looked so out of place in his ramshackle house, especially dressed up in her pink dress, like a flower in the mud. He really hoped she didn't mind.
"Natsu stop worrying!" Lucy waved him off, "I've got my phone, I am perfectly fine spending a few minutes on my own."
Natsu smiled and gave her a kiss on the cheek, "alright." He ran outside and further up the hill to the large clearing where he had the fire pit. It was a perfect night for it, the sky was clear and the stars were all out. Lucy was going to love it. He worked on getting the fire going and took stock in his head of all the things he needed. He had the food, he made sure the large log bench was clean, he had a nice warm blanket for Lucy since, as expected, she had worn something completely impractical for being outside, her gift was properly hidden, and he had the sparkling wine and plastic cups. The fire was blazing now, he just had to get Lucy, and stop being so tense. Natsu didn't get how she could make him so nervous!
When he opened the door she turned to him with a grin, "All set?"
"Yea, come on," he said warmly. She hopped off the couch and came outside with him. He led her up to the clearing where she gasped in awe at the fire. "I really like it up here because, on a clear night, it's such a great view." He pointed up to the sky.
Lucy looked up, "Wow Natsu! You can see so many stars here! It's so beautiful!"
"I figured you liked stars since most of your appliances are named after constellations," Natsu said. "Not many people name their appliances, and they certainly don't name them after stars. You're a special kind of weirdo."
Lucy was still looking upward and grinning, "Yea, I like stars," she breathed out.
Natsu grabbed her hand and pulled her to him, giving her a deep kiss and snapping her out of her daze. He grinned, "Come on Luce, let's go eat, I'm starving!"
Lucy laughed and let him drag her towards the fire, "Of course you are! You probably haven't gone this long without eating in your entire life," she teased.
Natsu got her situated on the bench, with a blanket tucked around her legs, and started to pull out the food from the paper bags. Lucy was back to looking at the sky, her beautiful face illuminated by the firelight. He couldn't help but apologize, "sorry this isn't some fancy restaurant."
"No, this is better," she looked at him, joy obvious on her face, "this is perfect."
He sat next to her, relieved, and gave a big grin. He opened a container and offered her a set of chopsticks. "You say that and you haven't even tried to food yet!"
Lucy grabbed a piece of chicken and brought it to her mouth, "Oh, wow," she moaned, covering her mouth, embarrassed that she spoke with her mouthful. She swallowed, "You were right Natsu, this is better than perfect!" She grabbed another piece of chicken and hummed happily as she chewed.
Natsu opened the wine and poured them each a cup. The two ate in happy silence, enjoying the warmth of the fire, the view of the stars, and the comfort of each other's company. Occasionally Natsu would glance over at Lucy and smile, a warm overwhelming feeling of joy coming over him. He couldn't believe his luck that she could fit so perfectly in his life.
When they were finished, Natsu packed up the containers and pulled his present for her from behind one of the other benches. He handed the wooden box to her with an embarrassed flush to his cheeks, "I made this for you, I hope you like it. Happy Valentine's Day Lucy!"
She looked at the small jewelry box with a look of wonder, running her fingers over the burned image of a cherry blossom tree that matched the one she had hanging in her home. "Natsu it's beautiful!"
"Look inside," he said excitedly.
She opened it up and found the sterling silver star studs that he had placed inside. "They're adorable!"
"Do you like em? I don't know why but when I saw them I thought of you."
"I love them!" Lucy pulled the earrings she had in out of her ears and replaced them with the stars. She grinned real big up at him but suddenly her face dropped. "Now I wish I had gotten you something more," she said with a frown. Lucy pulled over her purse and pulled out a small box. She gave him a small smile and opened it, revealing a bunch of chocolate balls. "They're truffles. I made half of them a little hot with some cayenne; the others are like chai spice so some cardamom and cinnamon. You know both spicy, like you like it."
"You didn't have to get me anything more, these look fantastic!" Natsu took the offered box and popped a cayenne truffle in his mouth. He closed his eyes and moaned in contentment. "Oh man, that's good."
Lucy stood, her eyes big and eager, "So you really like them."
"Of course I like them, you make the best stuff! You seem to know the way to my heart is through my stomach." He chuckled and pulled her close. Setting the box down on the bench, he kissed her sweetly and asked, "So what stars are we seeing tonight Lucy, can you tell me?"
Lucy's eyes sparkled, excited about his interest, "Yes!" She turned in his arms so that he stood behind her, chin on her shoulder and she pointed straight above them. "Look right up there; see those three bright stars in a row?"
Natsu followed her finger and found them, "yea, I see them."
"That's Orion's belt, part of the constellation Orion the hunter. The bright star that has a reddish tint above the belt is Betelgeuse. It's a dying star and it's like five hundred times larger than our sun."
"Well that's cool," Natsu murmured in her ear. "So like, if I say its name three times will it magically appear?"
Lucy rolled her eyes, "no, it's not spelled the same as the movie Natsu, it's a little different. I'm afraid nothing will appear if you say its name three times."
"Bummer," Natsu hugged her tighter.
"And over there is Canis Major, he's Orion's faithful dog. The bright star that is basically his chest, that's Sirius, it's the brightest star in the sky because of how close it is," Lucy explained.
"Well that's cool," Natsu said, starting to nuzzle into her neck. The smell of her was intoxicating.
"And just below Orion is Gemini, the twins," Lucy began, but she didn't finish because she obviously had lost his attention since Natsu had started to nibble on her ear.
She turned in his arms and placed hers around his neck, he looked down at her noting the heated look in her eyes and grinned slightly, "Sorry, you just smelled so good, I couldn't help myself."
Her lips were on his, her body pressed tightly up against him. He ran his hands through her hair and down her back. He wanted her so bad, but he began to see some flaws in his plan. Did he want his first time with her to be out in the cold air? The fire was dying and the only thing he had to protect them from the cold ground was the old blanket she had left on the log. He would have built the fire up more but he knew she had work in the morning and he would have to bring her home, unless he wanted to suggest she sleep on the futon. Damnit, he was going to have to buy a bed, and put cabinet doors on in the kitchen. Tomorrow he would buy a bed and finish the cabinets. Then he could build a fire the gods would be jealous of and give her a night she would never forget! He cursed himself for not having better foresight.
He kissed her deeply one more time, pulling her close to him, practically growling in frustration, and then pushed back. He pushed her hair behind her ear and asked "Wasn't there chocolate cake?"
Lucy sat in Natsu's truck on the ride home feeling conflicted. On one hand the night seemed perfect, the fire, the stars, the gift, the dinner, the guy, that kiss, all great. On the other hand, now they were heading home and she was feeling extremely sexually frustrated. Lucy had never really considered herself someone with a voracious sexual appetite, being single for so long hadn't really been a problem for her. However, since the night in his garage, Natsu seemed to be treating her with kid gloves. They had been together over a month now and Natsu was always gentle and considerate, and Lucy was sick of it. She wanted to be grabbed and kissed senseless, she wanted passion, she wanted his hands and body everywhere.
"Is everything okay?" Natsu asked, looking at her strangely.
"Yes, I'm fine," Lucy said, trying to hide her blush and wondering if he sensed her thoughts.
"Sorry, I didn't realize how late it got; I hope you don't have to get up too early tomorrow," Natsu rubbed her thigh in what seemed like an attempt to be reassuring, but Lucy almost flinched at the way it made her feel.
She smiled sweetly at him in an effort to hide her thoughts, "Really Natsu, it's not a problem. It's totally worth it. That's what caffeine is for after all." She was going to have to take matters into her own hands or else the next time she saw Natsu she was liable to tear his clothes off in public.
When they pulled in front of her building Natsu grinned and said, "I'll walk you up." Lucy was thankful she didn't have to come up with a reason yet. She wrapped herself around his arm as they walked in together and tried to hide the way her body was tense and her breathing irregular.
They arrived at her door and Lucy turned to him, "Do you want to come in for a bit?"
Natsu looked at her as if he was trying to figure her out, "Yea, I'd love to."
She opened the door and he wandered in, tossing his coat on the couch and stretching his arms above his head. Lucy closed the door and stood there biting her lip, admiring the way the muscles in his back pulled on the fabric of his shirt. How was she going to this?
He turned a smiled, "What do you want to do now Lucy?" She decided the direct approach would be best.
Lucy walked straight towards him, dropping her coat and her bag, never losing eye contact. His smiled fell and his brow furrowed as he watched her come to him. She grabbed the back of his head with both hands and pulled his face to hers, kissing him firmly and urgently, pulling him in the direction of the bedroom.
Afterwards Lucy laughed, her cheeks flushed, a feeling of contentment and satisfaction taking hold of her, "I don't know what that noise is!"
Natsu lifted his head and grinned at her, kissing her nose. "I love that noise!" he buried his face in her hair and sighed, "I love you."
Lucy's eyes widened at his confession. She smiled, Natsu loved her. Should she say it back? Would she mean it if she said it back? It was a word she no longer doled out easily. He didn't seem to notice her hesitation; Natsu lifted his head and kissed her sweetly, then climbed off the bed. As he stood and stretched, Lucy couldn't help but miss the feeling of him right next to her. Then he turned to her and held out a hand with his big goofy grin, "Come on Lucy, let's go have some fun in the shower."
She grabbed his hand with a grin, but then her face turned to surprise as he threw her naked body up over his shoulder. "Natsu!"
Natsu laughed with mischievous glee, lightly smacking her backside all the way to the bathroom. When he let her down on the tile floor she scowled up at him, "You're going to pay for that."
Natsu grinned, "I was counting on it," and he kissed her deeply as he kicked shut the door.