So I did a thing, and it was going to be short, but it ended up being rather long… but it was fun to write. This is loosely based on an experience of mine from college and it gets a bit intense towards the end. PG-13 for sure, maybe boarding M. Also, I didn't edit, so I hope it's still okay.

As always, thanks for all the love and happy reading!

Lucy readjusted her shirt before knocking on the door in front of her. She pulled her ponytail over her shoulder just as the door was pulled open to reveal Natsu. "Hey! Glad you could make it!"

"Why do you sound so surprised?" she asked as she entered and then put her bag on his couch. "You knew I… was…" She looked around them as he closed the door and went into the kitchen. "What's going on?"

Natsu turned away as his cheeks began to heat up. "The power went out in the building. Landlord said someone was comin' in the morning to fix it, so for now this is all I've got."

Lucy completely missed his blush as she looked around at all the candles he'd set up. There were a few in jars, a few skinny ones that looked like they'd been set in hot wax to stay upright (possibly directly on a few surfaces, if she wasn't mistaken,) and about a million tealights scattered around the room. "Don't you think you went a little overboard?"

"Well, we're gonna be reading and I didn't want us to hafta strain our eyes. Here," he said as he pushed a cold can into her hand. "As you requested." Lucy looked down to find her favorite soda in her hand, her one stipulation for helping him.

They'd been in the same English class all semester and had been hanging out off and on outside of class and done a few projects together. Lucy loved her English class and had offered him help if he ever needed it, but he'd insisted that the class was a piece of cake and he didn't need it. Their most recent paper, though, had Natsu terrified he wasn't going to pass the class, since it would count toward 35% of their grade. In an effort to avoid failing, he'd begged Lucy to help him, and she'd been nice enough to agree with only a slightly mocking smile.

"Sorry it's kinda small, but it's the only thing Gray and I could afford." The living room was the largest room from what she could see, but even then, Lucy thought it might be about the size of her bedroom back home. It was connected to the kitchen with three doors leading to the bathroom and she guessed the two bedrooms, although one door was closed at the moment. The other one looked like a tornado had hit- definitely Natsu's bedroom.

"Uh, where do you wanna do this?" Lucy tried not to think about how they were in the most romantic setting she'd ever been in in her life as she noticed the pile of books on the living room table. Taking that as an invitation, she moved to sit on the couch and began to pull out a few books and packets of paper. "So what parts of the assignment were you hoping to get help on?"

Natsu loitered as long as he could in the kitchen, not at all sure why he was so nervous about sitting next to Lucy on their little couch. He sat there with Gray all the time without a problem, so why did he want to avoid it with her? He grabbed his own drink and moved back into the living room and before he could think too hard about it, he went to turn on Gray's stereo. "You mind some music?"

"Oh please," she said with a smile. "It's easier for me to work on things with background noise."

He turned on the stereo first, but he couldn't seem to pick up anything but static. With a frown, he pulled the device away from the wall and found that the antennae had been broken off. That's odd… They had just been listening to it the night before. With a sigh, he put it back and turned it to the CD function. His cord for his phone had disappeared that morning, so not only was he unable to use his dead phone, he couldn't plug it into the stereo to listen to anything on it.

When music began to play, Natsu felt his entire body heat up and he quickly turned it down. It was a random CD he'd picked up that only had piano pieces, but most of them were… well… rather romantic sounding, he thought.

He tried to remove the CD but the damn thing wouldn't come out, no matter what he did. "Damn it…"

"What's the matter?" Lucy asked.

"Something happened to the stereo. The antennae is missing and the CD is stuck."

"Oh, so no music?"

"Well…" His face heated up even more, but he turned up the volume so she could hear the CD that was already playing. "It'll play the one in it already."

When he met her gaze, he couldn't help but think she looked a little embarrassed herself. "I don't mind the piano. You can leave it on if you want."

He wasn't so sure it was a good idea, but Natsu nodded and then adjusted the volume before standing and moving to join her. He glanced at the couch, but instead moved to sit on the floor instead.

Lucy blinked at him before looking beside her. "There's enough room here if you want."

"That's okay," he said, "I prefer the floor when I'm doing homework."

"Okay." She finished pulling out her papers and then fished through them until she found the assignment requirements. "So I think we should talk about what you're going to be writing about first and then we can break up the assignment from there."

She was quiet as he looked through his own books and paper to find the same sheet. When he finally did, he looked up to find her squinting around the room at the candles. "What?"

"I was just wondering where you got them all from," she mused.

"Got what from?"

"The candles."

"Uh, the closet? Is that a trick question?"

She finally looked his way with a small smile. "You two college guys just happen to have a whole shit of candles lying around?"

No way was he admitting they were his. "Gray stocks up. He likes to do all that romantic shit for Juvia."

Her eyes instantly softened. "Really? That's really sweet."

Perhaps he should have admitted they were his… "Yeah, well, a few of them are mine, but I just like them because I like fire."

"I've noticed," she said with a laugh.

Of course. She must remember what happened the first day of classes.

Not even half an hour into the first class, the entire school had evacuated from a fire alarm going off because he'd managed to start a fire in Chem. He rubbed the back of his head as he chuckled. "Yeah, well, the professor didn't bother telling us how to turn the burners off once they were on and I didn't see the flames getting close to my paper because I was trying to turn the damn thing off."

Lucy laughed some more, causing Natsu's stomach to flip. She had an adorable laugh. "Yeah, well, our teacher thought it was just a drill, so he kept us inside, until the principal came and had to shoo us out. He wasn't happy about having his class interrupted for something so trivial he said."

"Who was that?"

"Gildarts."

Natsu snorted. "He would think a fire was trivial. The building could be coming down around him and I don't think he'd bat an eye, just assign extra homework to anyone trying to leave the class."

The pair laughed together and soon found a rhythm. They would talk about their homework for a bit and then get sidetracked for a while talking about school before falling into a comfortable silence as they each worked on their own papers.

Lucy found that she rather liked spending time with him. He was a bit reckless and got more excited about things than she thought he should, especially when it came to his roommate and their many fights, but he was more than she was expecting, even after having hung out before. He was engaging, and funny, and even if he didn't seem to care much about paying attention in class, he cared about his grades and wanted to learn.

She was a little ashamed it had taken her so long to try and really get to know him.

"So what are you majoring in?" she asked.

"Not sure yet," he answered.

She froze with her drink halfway to her mouth. "What do you mean you don't know?"

He shrugged his shoulders, but she could see his cheeks darkening as he avoided her gaze. "I just don't know yet."

"How… how could you not know?"

"We're not that old," he said. "I haven't had enough time to figure out what I like or what I'd like to do the rest of my life. I've been taking a bunch of different classes trying to figure out what I wanna do."

Confused, she looked around her again. How was he affording to pay for college when he lived like he did? It surprised her that he was so nonchalant about his class choices. Her family was very well off, and she wouldn't even consider taking a class she didn't need.

"My, uh…" He cleared his throat and looked embarrassed. She realized he must have read her thoughts on his face. "My dad was in the military. He died and had something in the works that helps me pay for college. Not indefinitely, of course, and I have to keep my grades up, but he was a big believer in doing what you enjoyed doing, so it's because of him that I'm trying to find my passion."

She gave him a soft smile before taking a drink. She couldn't quite understand, since she'd wanted to be a writer for almost as long as she could remember. "It's nice that you're able to try out a few things."

"I'd rather still have my father," he murmured, and then suddenly shook his head and leaned towards the table to continue working on his paper.

Lucy licked her lip, not sure at first she wanted to say anything, but the look in his eyes helped her make her decision.

"So about the body portion-"

"I know how you feel," she said suddenly.

He looked up at her with a frown. "What do you mean?"

"My mother passed when I was still young." How funny that they had so much in common. "I know what you mean, about wishing your father was still around." She looked away. "I still have my father, but things between us have been… strained since my mother passed. Probably because I look so much like her."

"I'm sorry," he said. She gave him a smile and then returned to their work.

It was a while later that Natsu laid back on the floor and stretched out. "Ugh… why does writing take so long?"

Lucy laughed. "You're barely two pages in."

"And it's taking forever…"

Lucy continued to chuckle until she glanced his way and noticed the small stretch of stomach exposed by his shirt riding up. She was surprised to see the thin trail of hair that ran between his shirt and the top of his jeans. She'd thought he dyed his hair, not that the color was natural. As he groaned and sat up again, she looked away, blushing that she'd nearly been caught staring.

"What the- how?!"

"What?"

He leaned forward and rifled through the stack in front of her. "How have you written nearly ten pages already?!"

She shrugged. "I like writing." Lucy failed to mention she'd already had four of them done before coming over.

"Uuuuggghhh," he groaned. "I'm never going to finish."

"That's not true," she said. "You just have to make the time to do the writing, and write about something that you care about. It makes a world of difference if you like the subject matter you're writing about."

"I suppose, but still…" He glanced at the clock, surprised to see how late it was. He wondered if Lucy noticed and hoped she didn't.

He liked having her there, a lot. Even if it had been Gray's idea to invite her, he was glad he'd done it. Lucy was even more amazing once he started getting to know her. Those few times outside of class hadn't revealed to him just how amazing she actually was.

"Alright, break time," he said getting to his feet.

She blinked up at him and then chuckled. "You just took a break a little bit ago."

"Need another one," he said and then moved to sit at her side with a grin.

Lucy found that she liked sitting next to him, but she was also very aware of just how handsome he was when he was so close. The heat in her belly seemed to increase every time she met his gaze, and at that moment, when he was a mere couple feet away, she saw that his eyes seemed to simmer as well.

They were both silent for a little while, the silence thickening between them as they watched the other… and wondered.

She said something then, although she wasn't sure what it was. Natsu responded, but his words didn't register as all her attention had focused on how his mouth moved to make the words rather than on the words themselves. They continued back and forth a few times before Lucy realized he had moved closer. Or had she?

Natsu wasn't sure who was leaning towards who, but he suddenly really, really hoped it was mutual, because there was nothing he wanted more in that moment than to know just how soft her lips were.

Lucy watched as his eyes heated and stared at her lips. He seemed to stall, his gaze burning into her, and she realized he wanted her to close the distance.

It wasn't her first time kissing someone, but she couldn't remember being so nervous before, even with her first one. Loke had been charming and sweet, and even though it had been nice, she hadn't been nervous with him, since they'd known eachother so long. A part of her had hoped that he'd be the one for her, because even though he was a lady's man, he was devoted to her. She would have enjoyed having his undivided attention, but they'd known as soon as their lips parted that it wasn't the path for them.

He was still one of her best friends, but she'd never thought twice about trying again.

Now, though, she was nervous. She didn't even know Natsu all that well just yet, but she was learning, and she'd like to keep learning. With that thought, she leaned the last couple inches and pressed her lips against his. The kiss was soft, tentative, and she wasn't sure at first that he was kissing her back.

A quiet groan in the back of his throat was her only warning before he was cupping the back of her head and kissing her fiercely. Lucy gasped, but the sound was swallowed by his mouth on hers. Even though she had started the kiss, he had quickly taken the lead, and she couldn't find it in herself to be at all upset about it.

Natsu felt his control splitter when Lucy's lips landed on his, and then shatter when he felt her hesitate. Before she could pull away, his arms were around her, one on her waist, one up her back and neck. She tasted like her soda, and the vanilla chapstick he'd seen her put on, and her lips were softer than he could have ever imagined. He tried to hold himself back, but the more he tasted, the more he wanted. When he gently tugged on her bottom lip, making her gasp, he felt like he had just entered heaven.

Lucy didn't try to fight Natsu as he continued to overwhelm her. His kisses were hungry, and the longer he kissed her, the hotter she felt. She met him, kiss for kiss, and when he still didn't initiate anything deeper, she carefully, ever so slightly, slipped her tongue out enough to run along his lower lip.

The groan that spread through Natsu vibrated along every part of them that touched. Feeling bold, Lucy threw a leg over his lap and kissed him with renewed vigor while his hands dug into her hips and travelled back onto her butt to pull her closer. With her in his lap, he pulled her even closer and then delved past her teeth to meet her tongue with his. He groaned and barely remembered to breathe through his nose as he kissed her; her smell and touch were so intoxicating, he found he didn't mind the loss of air.

Lucy, it seemed, did though, and after a few minutes, she had to pull away to try and catch her breath. Her efforts nearly proved futile as Natsu took the opportunity to trail kisses and hot breath over her neck, causing her to gasp and moan as she slowly rocked her hips against him. When she felt his canines, those strange, too sharp canines, slide along her neck, she hissed out a breath, certain she would go insane if they did not continue.

When Lucy suddenly grabbed the bottom of her shirt and tugged it over her head, a part of Natsu cooled, and wondered just what was happening. The sight of her beautiful breasts exposed to his gaze in her lacy -why did it have to be red?!- bra distracted him, though. He ran his hands up and down her sides and he leaned forward and kissed and nibbled on the exposed skin of her breasts.

Lucy's head fell back and she sank her hands into his surprisingly soft hair as Natsu lavished her breasts with attention. Honestly, she hadn't planned on taking off her shirt. Her hands had run away from her and before she'd known it, the garment had been on the floor. Natsu had frozen for a moment, his expression shifting ever so slightly, before the heat returned and he focused his attention on her breasts.

Not for the first time, she wondered what she was doing. This wasn't like her, and Natsu had never struck her as a 'bang the first time we're alone' kind of guy. Although, to be fair, she'd never been alone with someone who she felt so much chemistry with. When Lucy suddenly felt fingers tugging on one of her nipples, she decided she needed to be an adult and talk about what they were doing.

"Natsu?"

"Mmm?" He slowly slid those sinfully sharp teeth across one breast, making her quietly moan once more, before he looked up at her with dark, dark eyes.

"What are we doing?" she asked.

"Uh…" His expression instantly changed, suddenly becoming shy. "I, uh, I don't know, honestly. Do you wanna stop? We can. I don't wanna-"

"I don't want to," she said, surprised by her own words. No, this wasn't like her, but she wanted this, badly. And after, she was pretty sure she would want more. And more after that.

Perhaps he felt the same?

"I like you," she blurted out. "A lot. I… I know we don't know each other super well, but I'd like to. Get to know you that is. If you want."

As her cheeks turned the most adorable shade of red he'd ever seen, Natsu felt himself nearly burst with happiness.

Lucy-Freaking-Heartfilia, the most gorgeous woman he'd ever seen -with a personality to match- had just said she liked him. It didn't matter that they'd been making out on his shitty couch, or that she'd started undressing in front of him, it was her words that made him the most happy in that moment.

"I like you, too," he said rather lamely, but the smile she gave him lit up her face in a way that he hoped he could replicate time and time again. "Honestly, I've liked you for a while, and when you actually agreed to help me with my paper, I about had an aneurysm."

She laughed, a delightful, genuine laugh, and he couldn't help but smile. She looked a little flustered when she met his eye again. "So, uh, do you… wanna keep going?"

She gasped when his fingers dug into her hips and he suddenly stood up. Lucy flung her arms around his neck as he wrapped her legs around his waist. "Absolute, but not on this couch. Gray has had Juvia over here, and I can't guarantee he hasn't done things on it. Plus, it's ancient and disgusting."

Lucy gasped. "Natsu! Why did you let me sit on it?!" He laughed when she swatted at him, but then his mouth was on hers again, and he had her pinned against the wall, and he was telling her the floor was still clean, and they were suddenly throwing clothes everywhere…

Gray cursed and moved as far from the door as he could get in his small room. This had not gone according to plan.

Suddenly, he wondered if Natsu had any sort of protection and wondered if the pink haired idiot would try to get in his room to take any of his stash. As carefully and quietly as he could, he went to the door, turned the lock and then moved back to the opposite corner. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and desperately tried to find help.

Gray: Hey I need your help pronto

Gajeel: What is it?

Gray: I need you to come to my apartment and ask to borrow something

Gajeel: Eh? Why?

Gray: I got Natsu some alone time with that blonde girl in his english class and now i'm stuck in my room. This is going farther than I thought it would.

Gajeel: Gihi, sucks to suck

Gray: I'm not kidding I need help

Gajeel: Levy says I'm not supposed to interfere in Bunny Girl getting her rocks off, and she's offering a lot more to keep him here than you can to get me over there.

Gajeel: Sorry

Gray groaned quietly and then shot a text to his girlfriend.

Gray: Hey, you know the thing you suggested yesterday about Natsu's study date? I did it and now I need help getting out.

His phone began to buzz in his hand and when it began to ring, he just about jumped off his bed as he quickly answered it. Before he spoke, he listened hard but didn't hear any disturbance in their activities outside of his room. "Hello?" he whispered.

"Gray, what on earth did you do!" Cana's voice came through loud and clear and Gray rushed to turn down the volume on his phone.

"Cana, stop yelling. Why do you have Juvia's phone?"

"I'm sorry, my love!" Juvia's voice came through from the background as Cana spoke again. "What exactly did you do, Gray? And be careful how you answer. Lucy has become a really good friend recently and I'd hate to have to hurt you."

Gray looked at the blackened butter knife on his bedside table. Feeling guilty, he grabbed it and the rubber gloves and shoved them into the drawer. "Nothing terrible."

"Lucy texted me a while ago telling me that her study date with Natsu included an apartment full of candles and some pretty romantic music. Did you have something to do with that?"

Gray thought about his poor, recently-broken stereo and decided that Natsu was going to owe him. As a rather breathy moan made its way through his door, he decided his friend owed him a lot.

He pulled his comforter over his head and sighed as he sat down on the floor. "Alright, so you know how he's had a crush on her for, like, ever? I suggested that he invite her over to help him with the paper he was working on, which he did, but when I told him to just ask her out, he got all fidgety so… I may have taken some action to help him…"

Later, when Natsu found out what Gray had done, he thanked his friend profusely.

And then socked him and warned him that he'd beat him bloody if he ever told Lucy.