hiiiiii omg it's been a hot minuuuute

tbh I was gonna wait till I finished this story before I posted it,, but like the urge to supply content is irresistible! I think it worked better for Sleeping Beauty and Touch of a Gangster since I had been working on those for so long, but I've been too busy to try and stick to that plan!

anyhoosies, please enjoy this new story!


"Ugh! I hate this place!" Lucy shrilled for the thousandth time that day, though I didn't mind. She swatted at the mosquito that'd sat on her arm, killing it in an instant before it could prick her skin. "Mira's bug spray is losing its effect! We've been walking in circles for hours!"

I nodded absentmindedly, concentrating on the faint scent that carried through the trees. "This guys good at hiding,"

"I just had to let greed get the best of me," She sighed, hanging her head as she stopped in her tracks. "But the reward was just too good to pass up…two hundred thousand jewel to catch one guy holding out in the woods? I thought this was going to be easy…"

"We've covered a lot of ground today, why don't we take a break? It's going to get dark soon, smarter to make camp now, yeah?" I suggested, watching as Lucy pursed her pink lips and let her shoulders relax, slowly nodding her head in agreement. When she got upset, it was always easiest to be the calm one so she had the time to ground herself. We were stopped in a clearing a little ways away from the edge of the river, out of sight from any of the nearby monster dens. The trees that surrounded us were tall with a thick amount of leaves, enough to keep the smoke from trailing too high in the sky.

"Good idea, we should while we're close to the river too. Geez, I really thought we'd be able to do this in one day. I guess it's a good thing you always bring a tent with you, I didn't think we'd need it,"

"'Course, Luce, I'm a seasoned adventurer," I smirked as I unfurled the tent, handing her half of the sticks to create the tent base. "I figured we'd be on our way back to town by now too, but this guy must be hiding his scent with a spell of some sort. I'm only getting a string when I can usually sense a stream."

"It's too bad Happy had to stay home, I didn't think he could get a cold, but it's nice that Wendy offered to take care of him," Lucy sighed, stabbing her sticks parallel to the pair I stuck into the ground. "We'd be able to cover a lot more ground, at this point, he could really be anywhere."

"He's probably got a hideout somewhere, but don't worry, I'll sniff it out in the morning! We haven't been led in a circle yet so I'll take that as a good sign."

"Agh, well no use in stressing about it anymore today, how about I get the firewood and you catch something to eat?" She asked as we laid the blanket tarp over the sticks to finish off the tent. The corner of my lips twitched; I wanted to go with her, of course, but I couldn't be with Lucy every second of the day. She could take care of herself, there was no doubt about that. But I always felt more comfortable knowing there was another set of eyes on her back at all times.

Stuffing that thought back from where it came, I forced a broad smile and nodded, turning toward the river. "Yeah, call me if you need me, okay? Shouldn't take me more than a few minutes to catch something."

"Sure," She smiled, turning toward the line of trees, the keys on her hip jingling with every sway in her step. "I will!"

I groaned to myself, rolling up the legs of my pants as I stood at the river's edge. It was getting harder and harder to hide my feelings for Lucy. I wanted more and more each day to have the right to stand by her side and worry unconditionally about every nonsensical thing I could think of. I was already pushing it by trying to take on as many of our enemies as I could, but she needed the experience and not my unwarranted help.

She could handle anything without me, there was no doubt about that. She had more than enough eyes on her back if I really thought about it too. Her spirits would be out in a flash if they had the opportunity to help. And I knew she was an incredibly independent person, always wanting to take charge of any situation and planned ahead when the going got tough.

It was the dragon side of me that felt the urge to be so in her hair, wanting any second I could manage to show her that I was her perfect match.

I could protect her, love her, provide for her. I didn't want Lucy to do anything but stay safe in the town of Magnolia, waiting for me to come home with that warm smile I absolutely adored.

But of course I'd only keep that sentiment for myself. Locking her up in my house sounded nice every so often but I'd be no different from her father if I denied her the freedom to exist. Lucy was the type of woman who flourished in all environments and I wouldn't do anything to stand in her way.

I groaned at my contradicting thoughts as I tossed another salmon onto the shore, a few already flopping a ways away from the waters edge.

I honed one ear on the movement underneath the river's surface and the other on Lucy's gentle hum. I would rather be distracted by her than my own thoughts.

I was finished catching enough fish by the time Lucy returned with the wood. She set it in a patch of dry dirt and I spat a bit of fire to warm our enclosure.

She sighed happily, warming herself by the flames as I prepared the fish for roasting.

""Now I wish I could take a warm bath." Her lips pursed cutely as she rested her chin on her knees. "That's always my least favorite part about camping."

I nodded, swallowing the salivating thought of being able to warm the river water to a satisfying temperature for her. The thought of her skin raised with goosebumps because of me was entirely too enticing.

"You seem kind of quiet today, Natsu, are you okay?" Lucy asked as I settled the skewered fish comfortably around the flames.

"Just tired I guess," I faked a thin smile and signed for dramatic effect, hoping that would stop her curiosity. "Having to sort through so many scents in a day's kind of exhausting."

"Do you want to rest while the fish cooks?" She stretched out her legs and pat her hands on her upper thigh. "I want to help if I can, you did a lot of work today."

Absorbing her scent was a gUilty pleasure of mine, one that thankfully Lucy seemed to overlook.

She always offered a comfortable seat on her lap if I ever felt ill or exhausted, the scent of her body always able to put me at ease.

I nodded and held back my smile; I'd never refuse the opportunity to be close to her if I could. I was grateful for that aspect of our friendship in general, since I often took advantage of her unlocked window.

I wanted to moan as my arms encircled her midsection, the feel of her soft skin under the roughness of my palms enough to provoke a confession from my lips. Her hands were quick to settle at the base of my skull, working in a light massage that vibrated a purr from my throat.

"Thanks, Luce," My nose rubbed against her stomach and enjoyed her scent to the fullest, her silent nod and rosy cheeks going unnoticed.

She began to hum a soft song, the contemporary atmosphere accompanied by the crackling of fat sizzling almost lulling me to sleep.

But my ears were sharp and looking for any out of place chirps or rustles. Not to say it wasn't harder with the way her fingers ran through my hair.

We ate with a similar peace, Lucy talking about what she wanted to spend her portion of the reward on. Clothes, skincare, and rent of course. And she eagerly added that we'd have to make a grocery list and split the cost when it came to shopping for food.

I wish I could have this talk with her in my arms, the two of us leaning against the trunk of a tree, staring up at the starry night sky. Instead we were sitting on opposite sides of the fire, though laughing and smiling we were still too distant.

"I'll take the first watch," I said, motioning my head toward the tent. "Get some rest while you can,"

"Are you sure? I can have Sagittarius or Scorpio take watch instead." She shrugged her shoulders, opening the front flap of the tent, silently asking me to join her. I tightened my jaw and swallowed the lump forming in my throat. Under the low light of the dwindling fire she looked absolutely irresistible. It'd be wrong to confess to her in anywhere but one of those fancy restaurants that she always gabbed on about with Cana and the girls. I wanted to take her right then and there, smother her lips with the kiss I'd been dying to give her for years.

"Don't worry about it," I shook my head. "Save your strength for the morning. I'll wake you up in a little while."

"Liar." She laughed before dipping her head inside. "You never do."

I laughed back and ignored her statement, although she wasn't wrong. I couldn't let that part of myself go, it was instinct. I wanted the honor of being her protector. She'd always be my priority if we were on our own.

I folded up my scarf and laid my head down, closing my eyes to focus in on the low hum of the forest.

There were hours of nocturnal animals and distant beasts, nothing dumb enough to attack with my scent marking where we'd been.

I let myself indulge in the sounds of Lucy's light snore and sleepy mumble, the shuffle of her pulling my blanket closer to herself. I wanted to be with her, to watch as she slept, to count every breath she took.

A twig in the distance snapped and I sat right up, knowing whatever was out there didn't belong in these woods.

My eyes darted between the trees, my fists carefully clenched and ready to ignite with flames. That bastard's thin scent trail wafted in the wind, the impact rising with an incoming wave of his magic.

"Horologium!" I shouted as a spark lit beside the tent before I could reach Lucy.

I gnashed my teeth and glared at the source of the attack, the sweet scent of Lucy's spirit letting me know that she was saved in the knick of time. The spray of the smoke rolled out in a quick wave that stung my nose and clouded my vision, smothering the thin trace I barely had on him.

"Show yourself!" I shouted, feeling myself calm as the dust cleared and a confused looking Lucy was pressed against the glass of her spirit.

"Why not?" A gentle voice answered back, a figure emerging from the darkened woods. "You made yourself vulnerable, Fairy Tail wizard. "

"Didn't think you'd be dumb enough to let yourself get distracted," He hummed, motioning toward Lucy who narrowly evaded his attack. "Hm? Mr. Dragon? I thought you'd see me coming for sure, but I guess everyone has their weakness. I'm lucky that yours is so easy to target."

"Want to think about threatening me like that again?" I grit my teeth, feeling steam seethe through my teeth as he laughed.

"I'm just sharing the information I have on my supposed captors. You both know so much about me, I think it's only fair if I learn something about the two of you. I had a lot of time while you followed that fake trail I made."

"Fake trail, what does he mean by that, Lady Lucy asks." Horologium repeated as she rearranged herself, moving to prop herself on her knees. My glare hardened at the sight of her worried expression; just who was this guy? As far as we knew he was a member of a dark guild who was avoiding being questioned by the castle guard. There wasn't much known about him to go off of, but the request was filed under D-Class. He wasn't supposed to be dangerous at all.

"I've been working on a special concoction, hoping I could mass market it under the table, of course. I needed the right specimen, and who better than a dragon slayer from the famed Fairy Tail to appear right in front of me? Hiding my scent was just a minor experiment of mine, I have something I think you'll do much better at testing for me."

"If you think you can—" The mage cut me off with a villainous laugh and a shake of his head.

"Oh, but I already have! You didn't think twice about that smoke you inhaled, hm?"

My heart dropped as his smile spread even wider, Lucy's hands moving to cover her mouth in shock.

"Unscented, I think it's my best work yet! Don't worry, the effects should settle in soon enough. But I think I'll get going before they do, I wouldn't want to interrupt the results of…why spoil the surprise! You'll figure it out soon enough, and I'll give you some time to enjoy it. Maybe about three days? As soon as you two walked into these woods, my rune trap activated to keep you both here for a little while. No harm in that, now is there?"

I gnashed my teeth and exploded in a swirl of burning flames, ready to spit out a roar hot enough to burn him to ashes. But he was quick enough to cast a spell of his own first, slipping through a magic circle that spawned beneath his feet.

"Have fun, you two!"


it's been a while since I've written a story in first person, I've been wanting to do it for a while now!

I hope i can make another update to something else since I have 3 days off from work eeeek

I really wanna write a smoochy kiss so I think I might work on a smut fic! It's still been kind of hard for me to connect with that subject since but I try to make the effort to keep doing what I love!