Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.

Fairy Tail—The Master and the Dragon

Chapter 20

Lucy sighed as she collapsed face first on her bed in the room she and Natsu were sharing. The mission was simple, so it wasn't a sigh of exhaustion; no, it was a sigh of boredom. Although she would never admit it out loud, especially to Natsu, she kind of missed the crazy destruction. The pay may get deduced, but at least there was excitement. That was definitely not the case for this mission. All she and Natsu had to do was sort some filing room for a stingy businessman. It was a lot of tedious work, so she felt that the guy could cough up a few more Jewels, but he seemed content to give them minimum wage. Nothing about the mission was worthwhile in her mind.

Lucy heard the shower turn off in the bathroom. She had let Natsu shower first because she wanted to lie down for a while. She felt her energy drained from the monotonous labor earlier in the day so she just wanted to rest a bit. She rolled over onto her back and stared at the ceiling while spreading her arms out to the side. How could Natsu of all people pick such a boring mission? Granted, he wasn't looking when he picked it, but still.

Then another thought crossed her mind. If she was bored then Natsu was bored for sure. He thrived on fighting and action. And yet, he didn't complain once. The only one complaining other than her was Happy and he wasn't really doing any work. Natsu just sat and quietly did his work, barely moving and barely talking. She never expected that from Natsu. She never thought he could ever show patience. He didn't show any signs of being bored. What was that all about?

Natsu walked out of the bathroom with just a towel around his waist. "Done. It's all yours, Luce."

Lucy blushed slightly from his lack of wardrobe. "Alright, thanks." She stood from her bed, grabbed what she needed from her bag, and walked into the bathroom. Once the door was closed, she pressed her back against it and sighed. Something about seeing Natsu half naked like that made her feel…weird. But why? Natsu is almost always half naked. Why does she feel so excited now of all times? She shook her head and walked over to the shower to turn it on. It didn't take long for the hot water to come out and as soon as it did, she stripped down and stepped in. She released a soft, satisfactory sigh as the water trickled down her skin. She closed her eyes and smiled. The water was so warm and comfortable, just like Natsu.

Her eyes snapped open. 'Where did that thought come from?' She shook her head violently. Why was she thinking that way about Natsu? What was coming over her? Natsu was her best friend. How could she be thinking of him any other way? Besides, there was no way Natsu liked her. She took a deep breath as she tried to enjoy the rest of her shower.

Outside of the room, Natsu was dressed in nothing but his boxer shorts for sleep as he sat on the end of his bed. He listened to the sound of the water running in the bathroom while his mind wandered.

The entire time he was working on those files, his mind was on the words Nikolias spoke to him a few days ago. "Natsu, what can you tell me about Lucy's scent? Do you find yourself drawn to it? Does it call to you? Do you find the need to be around it all the time?" It's all he could think about. He was thinking about each question and how he would answer for the entire time. Hell, he wasn't even sure of what he was filing or where he was filing it. He was too engrossed in his thoughts to be paying attention. He was only snapped out of his thoughts when Lucy gently shook him and said that they were done. However, with that time of silent filing, he was able to answer each question with 100% confidence.

He loved her scent. Her scent made him feel happy and relaxed. Her scent made him feel like no matter where he was, he was home and with the people he cared about. No one else's scent had this kind of effect on him. He could get lost in her scent. Yes, it drew him towards her. Yes, it called to him whenever he was near her and even when they were miles apart. Yes, he felt the need to be around it all the time.

Even though the mission was the perfect opportunity to deeply ponder these questions, Natsu never stopped thinking about them ever since Nikolias asked them. He started to get a good idea of his answers yesterday, which was why when Gramps lifted the ban on missions, he wanted desperately to go on a mission with Lucy. He wanted to see if his answers were right or at least on the right track. And they were right. Even through the smell of the shampoo, soap, and steam, he could still pick up her scent. It was intoxicating. How had he never noticed before how much of an effect her scent had on him?

There was more to Natsu's plan than just figuring out the answers to Nikolias' questions. Believe it or not, Natsu had a follow up plan just in case he was right about the way he felt. In case his answers were right, he was going to take the opportunity to figure out how Lucy felt.

"When you find the one you want to be with, don't wait around. Act on it because you never know what could happen in the future." Nikolias' words really stayed with him and he realized that there was a lot of truth to them. He had to know. If she had any feelings for him beyond friendship, he knew he would be extremely happy. However, if she didn't feel the same way, then he would just have to accept it and try to move on. But no matter what, at least he would confess. He wouldn't run away from this, no matter how unfamiliar or scary it was. After all, he was never one to back down from a challenge, no matter how daunting it was.

The shower stopped running and Natsu found himself unconsciously holding his breath. Although it would take her a while to actually leave the bathroom, he still stared at the door, waiting for it to open so that he could do this.

Nearly half an hour passed and the door still wouldn't open. Natsu, despite his anxiousness, found himself growing drowsy. He kept catching his head dropping down as sleep tried to claim him. He fought as hard as he could, but he was fighting a losing battle. He glanced over to his pillow to see Happy already curled up and snoozing soundly, lightly mumbling about delicious fish. Natsu sighed, realizing that talking to Lucy tonight may not be the best idea. Disappointed, Natsu crawled over to the front of his bed, got under the covers, turned off the light, and closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep.

However, his anxiety fought back with a vengeance against the fatigue when minutes later, he heard the bathroom door open and Lucy tiptoe out. He kept his eyes closed as he listened to her place her things by her bag and slowly walk over to her bed. He listened to her get under the covers and release a soft but cute sigh. He wanted to talk to her, but was now really the time? No, of course not. She was clearly tired from the mission (even if he wasn't sure why or even how) and he didn't want to disturb her sleep. Besides, he had learned from his countless experiences that ticking Lucy off when she's trying to sleep is not a wise thing to do. Of course, there were a lot of things that he did that made Lucy mad.

Like sneaking into her room and snuggling into her bed. A bed that was thick with her incredible aroma…

No, he had to know and he had to know now. Consequences be damned, he had to have closure to this emotional turmoil that he had only been experiencing for a few days. He didn't want to even think about waiting longer.

"Lucy? You awake?" Natsu whispered, trying to be as quiet as he could.

"Obviously. I mean, I just got into bed," she responded.

He took a deep breath and rolled over to face her. "Listen Lucy, there's something I really need to talk to you about."

"Can't it wait until the morning, Natsu? I'm kinda tired."

"No, it can't wait anymore."

Lucy was intrigued so she turned over to look at Natsu. "Natsu, what's wrong? You've been acting strange all day."

Natsu met her eyes through the darkness as Nikolias' words once again rang through his head. "When you find the one you want to be with, don't wait around. Act on it because you never know what could happen in the future." Natsu felt his face flush. He had to know. He had to ask. "Lucy, how do you feel about me?"

The question was so direct and so sudden that Lucy was completely caught off guard. "How…How do I what?"

"How do you feel about me, Lucy?"

"Natsu, you're my best friend. You know that."

"That's not what I'm talking about!" he said a bit loudly as he sat up in bed.

Lucy sat up as well. "Natsu, are you okay?"

"I need to know."

"You need to know what?"

"I need to know how you feel about me!" he said. 'Damn it, why is she making this so difficult for me?'

"Natsu I'm sorry, but I don't understand."

"Do you see me as…as more than a friend? Have you ever? Could you ever?"

Lucy blushed. 'Is he…?'

Natsu took another deep breath. "Lucy, I'm drawn to your scent."

"You're…what?"

"I'm drawn to your scent. Everything about it drives me crazy. I want to be around it all of the time. It reminds me of you and that's why I love it."

Lucy was stunned as memories from a few weeks ago came to her mind, from back when the girls had a slumber party to welcome Gracie. Words that Gracie spoke were loud and clear in her thoughts. "It's because he's drawn to your scent. Nikolias told me that when a dragon finds the one he or she wants to be with for life, they are attracted to the scent of the person. They can't get enough of it. Natsu is intoxicated by your scent so he keeps showing up at your place where the scent is everywhere. Trust me, he's into you, whether he's consciously aware of it or not. And if he's not yet, he will be soon since he's maturing."

Natsu waited, but her lack of response was making him uncomfortable and anxious. "I just wanted to say that and ask if you felt the same way."

Lucy snapped out of her stupor. "I…I don't know what to say, Natsu. I never knew you felt this way."

He laughed nervously. "I never knew either until I talked with Nikolias. He helped me put the pieces together."

Lucy felt at a loss for words. Natsu had pretty much confessed to her that he liked her as more than a friend, but she had no idea how to respond. How could she when she was so unsure of how she felt for him? She had always felt close to him, but did she actually like him as more than a friend? Was that possible?

Natsu took her silence as her answer. He looked down at his lap. "I get it. You don't feel the same way. Sorry for springing that on you so suddenly. I just had to get that off of my chest. But now that I know I can try to forget it. Thanks for hearing me out. Goodnight, Lucy." With that, he lay back down with his back to Lucy and tried to fall asleep. He didn't want to think about the strange pain in his chest anymore.

Lucy stared at the Dragon Slayer. "Natsu…," she whispered. Had she rejected him? That's not what she wanted. Or was it? She felt so frustrated about the lack of control she had over her feelings that she could swear that she was on the verge of tears. She didn't want to hurt Natsu but she was fairly certain that she just did. But how did she feel? She thought back to all the memories of her and Natsu, all of the adventures they shared. She thought about all of the times Natsu saved her and protected her. He was always there for her. Isn't that what she always wanted? Someone to always be by her side through thick and thin? Someone who wouldn't turn tail and run when things got a little bit out of control? Someone who could show kindness and compassion, but also show strength and courage? The more she thought about it, the more she realized it; Natsu was perfect. In every sense of the word, he was perfect. And it was then that she had her answer.

Slowly, she got out of bed and walked over to Natsu's bed. She looked down at him before carefully lifting the covers and getting into bed beside him. She pressed her body against his, smiling at the warmth that radiated from his back.

"Luce, I don't need pity. You don't feel the same way. It's fine," Natsu said, his voice deep and sounding a bit hurt.

"Natsu, you never gave me a chance to answer," she said softly.

"You didn't know how to answer, meaning you don't feel the same way."

"You caught me off guard was all."

"Luce…"

She didn't give him a chance to finish. She grabbed his shoulder and pulled, forcing him onto his back, and climbed over him so that she was hovering above him. She looked down at him, seeing confusion all over his face. "Just shut up Natsu and let me try something." With that, she slowly lowered herself until her lips were touching his. The kiss was very gentle, but to Lucy, the excitement she felt from the tender act sent chills through her body. Heat spread to every inch of her from the feeling of his soft lips. It was like nothing she had ever experienced before. She lifted herself back up and looked down at Natsu, who was blushing a deep red. She smiled at him. "Natsu, I feel the same way. I'm sorry I didn't answer right away, but I was just unsure. But that kiss proved it to me. I really do feel the same way about you, Natsu. You're perfect for me in every way and you've always been right there. I was just too blind to see what was right in front of me."

"Luce…," Natsu whispered. "You really mean it?"

She nodded. "Absolutely."

Natsu felt an incredible warmth flow throughout his entire being as a wide toothy grin appeared on his face. "You don't know how happy that makes me."

She giggled. "I have a good idea based on that smile."

Natsu reached up and pulled her into a hug. "Will you stay with me tonight?"

Lucy cuddled into his chest. "I'm not going anywhere anymore."

"Lucy?"

"Yeah Natsu?"

"I…I love you."

Lucy felt happier than ever with those three simple words. "I love you too, Natsu."

The two mages snuggled together and fell into a peaceful sleep, smiles on their faces as they slept in each others' arms for the first time.


Nikolias looked out the window of the two bed hotel room that he was sharing with Lisanna. He had just finished showering and was dressed in a white t-shirt that clung to his strong body and a pair of loose black pants. It wasn't the most comfortable sleep attire for him, but he remembered how uncomfortable Mira had gotten when they went on a mission together. The last thing he wanted was to make Lisanna uncomfortable, too, even if they weren't actually sharing a bed.

Speaking of Lisanna, Nikolias couldn't help but think about how strange she was acting all day. Starting with the walk over to the train, she was standing strangely close to him. She was very talkative and he was happy to keep the conversation going, but the topics she came up with were so random. Then, while on the train, she insisted on sitting next to him instead of across from him. He didn't understand why, but he didn't really care that much.

While helping the Captain with his cargo, Lisanna kept up the small talk and was constantly commenting on his strength. He complimented her on her efforts as well to be kind, but he didn't really see why she needed to continuously compliment his work. However, he just shrugged it off as Lisanna being friendly.

It was when the work was finished and they headed to a hotel for the night where Nikolias really started to think something was up. He went to the clerk and asked for two rooms, but Lisanna was adamant that they just share a room. He tried to explain to her that they had enough money for two rooms, but she wasn't budging. In the end, he lost the discussion, but was at least able to get her to agree to rent a room with two beds.

Things got even stranger when they got to the room. Lisanna let him shower first and then as soon as he got out, she sneaked by him and into the bathroom, closing the door in a hurry. He had no idea what had come over Lisanna. She was acting very suspicious.

He let out a sigh as he left the window and headed to his bed. He could hear the water was still running in the bathroom as he sat at the edge of his bed. He figured he should just stop worrying about Lisanna. After all, it was probably just as Gracie said; she was probably just a little overexcited to do a mission with him.

He then let his mind wander to Mira. He had kind of wanted to ask her out again tonight, but Lisanna had asked him to do this mission with her and he had already promised to go. He was hoping to correct his mistake from the first date, but he figured he could just ask her when he got back tomorrow. Hopefully she was available tomorrow night.

He heard the water turn off and stretched. 'Good, I can turn off the lights soon and go to sleep. I'm exhausted.' He didn't want Lisanna to struggle finding her way back to her bed, so he had decided to stay up and wait for her to finish before turning out the lights. He just hoped she was a quick changer because he really was tired. The manual labor from that mission was oddly exerting for him. Perhaps his wound hadn't healed as much as he had thought.

The sound of the door opening caught Nikolias' attention. He looked up and turned his head. "Hey Lisanna, you all d…" His words caught in his throat as he took in the sight before him.

Lisanna was wearing skimpy white lingerie that barely covered any of her, especially her breasts which were practically spilling out. She was striking a pose as she leaned on the door frame of the bathroom, her hip sticking out to the side while her right hand was resting gently on the front of her right thigh. "Were you saying something, Nikolias?" she asked in an oddly smooth and seductive tone.

"Lisanna, what are you wearing?" he asked, still a little bewildered. He definitely wasn't expecting to see that when Lisanna walked out.

"What? This is what I wear to bed," she said, trying to act innocent.

Nikolias didn't really believe her. He had never seen anyone wear that to bed. Of course, it's not like he was an expert in women's sleeping attire. He had only ever slept near a few women, after all. Michelle had always worn a nightgown, Mira had worn a nightgown, and Gracie…well, Gracie slept naked most of the time, so she was more of an outlier. He shrugged. "If you say so. You ready to sleep? I can turn off the light when you're ready."

She nodded as she slowly walked towards her bed, swinging her hips sensually as she went. Nikolias reached behind him and turned off the light, watching her with confusion the entire time. Once the light clicked off, Nikolias straightened up and stretched.

However, Lisanna passed her bed and made her way towards Nikolias.

He raised an eyebrow when he noticed that she passed her bed. 'What is she doing? She's really been acting weird today.' He followed her path with his eyes, only to find himself looking up when she stopped in front of him. "Umm…Lisanna? Your bed is over there," he said while pointing behind him.

She giggled. "Is it?"

"Umm…yeah it is. You said you wanted the bed by the door."

"Oh, silly me. You're right."

Nikolias sighed. "Okay Lisanna, what's going on? You've been acting strange all day."

"Have I?" she asked.

"Yes!" he said. "So seriously, what's going on?"

She leaned forward, causing Nikolias to move back a bit. "I've just enjoyed our quality time together. That's all."

"I'm glad. I like hanging out with you, too, but that doesn't quite explain your behavior and is there a reason you're getting even closer?" Lisanna was leaning closer and closer and before Nikolias knew it, she was straddling his lap. "Okay, what the hell are you doing now?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Nikolias, I think it's unfair that Mira has been stealing all of your time. You haven't even gotten to see that there are other girls in Fairy Tail who would like to spend quality alone time with you."

Nikolias suddenly felt very hot. 'Shit, is that what's going on? Did she only want to do a mission with me because she wanted to seduce me or something?'

She leaned in even closer until their noses were practically touching. "So I've made it my mission to show you that Mira isn't the only girl worthy of your time."

"Lisanna, look. You're great, but…" He never got to finish his thought, for the next thing he knew, Lisanna's lips were crashing onto his own. She pushed on his shoulders and he fell back on the bed. He felt her run her hands over his chest and abs over his shirt while she continued the kiss. Nikolias, however, was trying as gently as possible to push her off. However, Lisanna was stronger than she looked and Nikolias was being a bit too careful with her so he wasn't having much success keeping her off. All he could manage was to keep her off for a second at a time before her lips found his again. "Lisanna…you're…awesome. But…you need…to stop." She wasn't stopping. In fact, she was only getting more passionate. He could feel her tongue poking at his lips, begging for entrance, but he was holding firm. "Seriously, Lisanna…I can't…do this." Finally, she ceased the kiss, allowing Nikolias to breathe a sigh of relief. However, that relief was very short lived as Lisanna started kissing down his neck. "Lisanna, cut it out. Please, I can't…"

"Oh, but you can. C'mon, just have a little fun, Nikolias," Lisanna said in a soft voice.

"No, really. You need to sto…" He couldn't finish that sentence either, for Lisanna was on his lips again and because his mouth was open, she easily got the access she so desperately wanted. Nikolias felt her tongue explore his mouth and move sensually over his tongue. And now, he had had enough. With just a little more force, he pushed Lisanna off of him to break the kiss and flipped her over so that he was above her.

Lisanna giggled. "See, there you go. Take a little initiative."

"Lisanna, that's enough," Nikolias said as calmly as he could. "Look, you're a great person, but hear my words; I cannot do this."

"Look, if you're nervous, it's okay."

"That has nothing to do with it!"

"Then what are you waiting for?" she asked as she wrapped her arms around his neck again. "I'm all yours."

"Lisanna, cut it out and go to bed," he said as he peeled himself from her arms and stood up. "I'd like to have breakfast and then head back to the guild. We don't know when Bloody Moon will attack."

Lisanna propped herself up on her elbows. "So you won't take me?"

"No, I won't take you," he replied.

"Why not? Am I not attractive enough?"

"No, that's not it at all. You're very beautiful, Lisanna," he assured.

"Then what? I thought this outfit would seal the deal for sure."

"It's definitely a very sexy outfit."

"Then what?" Lisanna asked as she looked at him. He could see the hurt in her eyes. "If it's not that you don't find me attractive, then what? I'm giving myself to you and you're rejecting me!"

"Lisanna, it's more complicated than that. It's just that…"

"I don't get it. This should have worked. You're a guy."

"Well yeah, but I…"

"All I'm asking for is a chance. Why won't you give us a chance?"

"Lisanna, it's not that simple. I…"

She stood up and began walking towards him. "Why can't you give me a chance?"

He was backing away now. "I'm trying to explain that…"

"Is it because of Mira? She stole you, didn't she?"

"What? No, she didn't…"

"She tricked you somehow or brainwashed you, didn't she?"

"Not at all. It's not…"

"She made you believe that she's the only one worthy of you, didn't she?"

His back hit the wall. He had nowhere else to go. "It's not like that. Just let me…"

Lisanna pressed herself against him. "I can help you, Nikolias. Just let me show you that there are more fish in the sea than my devious sister."

"Lisanna, you don't understand."

She took his hand and put it on her breast. "Just take a chance on someone else. Who knows, you may like it."

"Lisanna, just let me explain…"

"There's nothing to say."

"Well actually there is if you'd…"

"Just let yourself have some fun. I'm more than willing to give myself to you completely."

He tried to pull his hand away, but she was holding it in place. "Lisanna please, let's just go to bed and forget this whole thing."

"Please, Nikolias. Just let me feel what it's like to be with you. That's all I want."

"Look Lisanna, it's not happening," he said. He was starting to lose his patience with this whole thing.

"And why not?" she demanded.

"I've been trying to explain it to you, but…"

"We can have fun together," she said seductively.

"If you'd stop interrupting, I can explain…"

"There's no reason to deny me. You're not married."

That made him snap. "I'M IN LOVE WITH MIRA! THAT'S WHY!" he shouted at her.

Lisanna took a step back. "You're…what?"

Nikolias was panting from anger, but soon calmed down once he realized his slip up. He blushed slightly, but realized he couldn't take it back. "I'm in love with Mira. Okay? That's why I can't do this."

Lisanna seemed to lose all emotion as she slowly turned and walked to her bed. She sat down and stared into space. "I can't believe it."

He sighed and walked over to her. "I'm sorry that you had to find out this way."

Lisanna buried her face in her hands. "It's not fair!" she cried.

Nikolias sat opposite her on his bed. "I'm sorry, Lisanna."

"You didn't give anyone else a chance," she said.

"I didn't plan on this, Lisanna. It just happened"

"Oh God, I'm so embarrassed."

He sighed again. "I did try to get you to stop."

"I know. I'm sorry that I didn't listen."

"Apology accepted. Now let's get some sleep. It's been a long day and I think some sleep would do us both some good."

"Nikolias?"

"Yeah?"

She lifted her head to look at him. He could see tears rolling down her cheeks. "Can we please keep this between us? I'm not happy with the way I acted."

He smiled at her. "Of course. It'll be our little secret."

She wiped away the tears and forced a smile. "Thanks, Nikolias. Good night." She crawled over to the head of the bed and slipped under the covers.

"Good night, Lisanna," Nikolias said as he too made his way to the front of his bed, ready to close his eyes and move past this crazy day.