Natsu didn't remember the last time he had feelings for anyone. It has been way too long since he had been around people or women in general he kind of forgot what it was like to have feelings for someone. He's never really had a girlfriend before and the last time he was with a girl was probably sometime in high school. He fucked a couple dozen girls back in his day but since graduation he never really left the house to meet anyone. The couple of women who came by to work for Zeref all left within a couple days so they were really the only women he was in contact with so he didn't really care or worried about them.

He didn't know how to handle such emotions and he felt like a ticking time bomb. Trying to control his anger and his feelings for Lucy was making him overwhelmed as he tried to understand what it really meant to him. Did he actually like Lucy or was he just interested in her for her body?

It has been a while since he's been last inside of a girl and he kind of forgot the feeling of being intimate. Having Lucy to hold and touch was electric for him as his body tingled in ways it felt so good but his mind screamed at him that it was wrong and different.

But different didn't mean bad. It was a good different where he could feel his heart pound and his cock twitch in excitement, wondering if Lucy could feel his energy.

There was no doubt that she couldn't feel the tension between them. He certainly did and they used to say he was thicker than a brick wall.

Zeref only laughed at him last night when he confessed and it made him feel so much worse—like a little school boy confessing his feelings for the first time. His older brother was so energized and happy to the idea of him having feelings for his caretaker but in a way, it made him happy, too.

But now the idea of having to be around Lucy and trying to mask his feelings and emotions made it hard. His heart told him to be around her and enjoy her while she was here but his mind screamed at him to block it off. To protect himself before the worst happened and he wasn't sure how to handle this kind of battle. It made his stomach twist and turn and his heart pound as he felt like he was going to throw up last night's dinner all over his room. He was itching to see her again and he laid in his bed all last night staring at her contact, wondering if he should text or call her but kept fighting with himself that it wasn't worth it.

He was so close to her last night he could have kissed her. And a part of him wanted to think she wanted him to. She kept looking at him in a way he felt nervous and he knew he couldn't be the one to do it first. She was afraid of him and he hurt her. In more ways he could account for and he felt disgusted in himself that he can't even hold himself back for her.

He barely slept as he kept replaying yesterday in his mind. From the time they held each other to watching a movie, Natsu's body felt warm as he could feel her arms around his torso and how her small cold hands molded into his. He couldn't get the thought of his rampage out of his mind as he remembered how Lucy sat there and cried, taking care of his wounds as if he didn't try to scare and hurt her.

He cried last night for her as he laid in bed, wondering to himself if this is going to be worth it.

With only a couple hours of sleep, Natsu was up early, aching to see Lucy as he tried to listen for her car to come through. He could only hear Zeref walk around downstairs as he got ready for work.

He didn't want to see Zeref since he knew he would just tease him and he wasn't in the mood to defend himself. He just wanted him to leave so he could spend the day with Lucy, again. But he was scared she was going to feel some type of way with him now after what happened.

She was so kind and so understanding that it made him want to punch himself in the throat for treating her that way. She even tried to lie for him so he wouldn't get his shit rocked by Zeref.

Remembering that he had a hole in the wall downstairs, Natsu sighed and sat up in his bed as he tried to remember where he even put the spackle from the last incident. He decided to get up as he threw on a shirt over his naked torso, making his way over to his door to walk down the stairs. He rubbed his tired eyes as he came around the corner, smelling coffee and buttered toast as he entered the kitchen.

"Well, good morning lover boy."

"Fuck off," Natsu grumbled as he came over to the coffee pot to pour himself a cup. "Where's the spackle and shit?"

Zeref hummed as he thought about it, too. "I think it might be in the basement. Lucy might know—she was cleaning it the other day, right?"

Natsu grunted in response, sipping on his cup of joe as he turned to look at his brother who stood on the opposite side with a grin on his face.

"What?"

"Nothing," Zeref had a grin on his face. "Just think you look super cute, today."

"Fuck you," Natsu shot him a look, a small blush on his face.

"Oh, Natsu, you haven't seen or talked to a girl in god knows how long!" He rolled his eyes, following Natsu who tried to walk away from him. "You need to up your game."

"I don't need advice from you."

"That's why I have a girlfriend and you don't."

Natsu only rolled his eyes, making his way over to the front door as he wanted to begin his morning routine. "Don't you have work to go to?"

"I'm waiting for Lucy, thank you." He said smugly. "Which I assume you are, too?"

Natsu glared at his brother, telling him to shut up with his eyes which the brother got the hint. Zeref went back to his morning newspaper as he sipped on his coffee, leaving Natsu to tend to whatever business he had as the pink-haired Dragneel made his way to the front porch. He sat down on the swing as the morning breeze blew through his odd colored hair, the male leaning his head back to look up to the blue sky.

As he sat there swinging, he heard the tire tracks come up the dirt road and he looked behind him to see Lucy's car pulling up to his house. He felt relieved as he saw her, smiling to himself as she came back yet another day.

She came out of her car and had a smile on her face, the two waving at each other as they saw one another. The blonde had a dress on with a fluffy cardigan, thigh high brown boots riding up her long creamy legs as she came walking over to the porch. A thick cream colored scarf was wrapped around her neck as she came up the stairs, the two locking eyes as she began to smile.

Natsu felt enchanted as she walked over to him, smelling like her usual fruity floral smell.

"Good morning," she smiled as she took a seat next to him. The swing swung a bit as she sat down, Natsu looking over at her to give her a small smile.

"Morning."

"You're up early."

"You say that every day."

Lucy flushed as she realized she did, smiling to herself as she kicked her legs back and forth. "I guess you're right. How are you?"

"Kind of tired," he shrugged as he took a sip of his coffee. "You alright?"

"Kind of tired," she shrugged, smiling at the male who couldn't help but smile back. "Zeref is still here?"

"Yeah," he frowned a bit. "He's inside, getting ready to go."

Lucy nodded as she stood up, throwing her arms up as she stretched and moaned. Natsu watched how her dress rode up her legs, seeing the roundness of her butt cheeks as he almost got a peek. He flushed a bit, looking away as he drank his morning coffee.

"See you inside." She said, turning to give him one last smile before walking over to the front door. Natsu watched her disappear into the house, staring at the door as it shut close.

Moments later, Zeref was coming to the door while waving goodbye behind him. "Bye, Lucy! Have a great day!"

"Bye!" Lucy's voice sang through the house as Zeref turned to look at Natsu sitting on the porch. The brothers got eye contact, making Zeref smirk while Natsu narrowed his eyes, already knowing what his brother was implying. "And no more deer in the home!"

"Roger!"

Zeref made his way down the stairs as he made it to his car, waving goodbye at his brother who returned the gesture. He got inside before starting his car, Natsu watching as the car disappeared down the road making him sigh in relief. He finished the last sip of his drink before standing up, making his way back inside where Lucy was already getting to work, running the dishwasher. He eyed her small body as she worked, rubber gloves up to her elbow as soapy water dripped down.

She noticed him come into the room and she smiled at him. "Do you have anything I can use to fix the hole in the wall?"

"I was actually coming to ask you if you saw spackle downstairs when you cleaned the other day."

"I know I tossed one because it was all dried out." She frowned as she tried to think back. "And that was the only one I think."

"Could you give me a ride to town later? I can pick some up at the store."

"Sure," she brightened up a bit as she pulled the gloves off. "When do you want to go?"

"Whenever you're free."

"We can go right after I'm done." she offered as she went over to where the fridge was to open it. "Actually, if you don't mind, do you think we can make a pit stop at my place? I forgot my phone."

"S—sure," Natsu blinked in surprise, his heart racing as he realized he was going to go to her place. He felt nervous as his palms began to sweat, looking at Lucy who only smiled at him as she went back and forth from one end of the room to the other. "I'm going to go get dressed." He said as he disappeared from the room.

He made his way over to the hallway to run up the stairs, bursting into his room as he looked around. Piles of dirty clothes laid on the floor as he eyed the pile of clean clothes in a basket on his floor, realizing Lucy had done his laundry the day before. He silently thanked her as he went over, digging through to see if there was anything good enough for him to wear.

Natsu held shirt after shirt up to stare at it before tossing it to the side, reaching the bottom as he couldn't find something decent enough to wear.

He cursed himself as he was panicking about what to wear to the store, making him grow red and bang his head against the wall as he felt crazy. He didn't want it to seem like he was trying but he also didn't want to make it seem like he didn't care.

Did that make any sense?

Natsu shook his head again as he came to his closet, opening the double doors to look into his plain looking clothes where they hung black or white.

Accepting defeat, Natsu pulled on some gray sweats and a black t-shirt, ruffling his hair in the mirror as he had bed hair. He quickly brushed his teeth and splashed some cold water on his face, drying himself with a towel that hung as he looked at himself in the mirror. Staring at his face, Natsu took in a deep breath and sighed, making his way back downstairs as he patted his pockets for his phone and wallet.

He made his way back to the kitchen where Lucy was, seeing how she was sitting at the counter waiting for him. She had her scarf loosely on her neck as Zeref was gone now, the blue and purple bruises darker than yesterday as she started to heal.

This made Natsu frown again as he looked at her, the blonde looking up to smile as she realize he had come back down.

"What's wrong?" She furrowed her brows when she realized he was standing there looking sad. She looked down to see what he was looking at and frowned herself when she realized what he was doing. "Natsu…" she sighed as she wrapped the scarf around her neck to cover her bruises. This made Natsu look up at her as she stood up. "Stop feeling sorry for yourself and let's go!"

"I feel more sorry for you, actually." He said as he trailed behind Lucy. She turned around to look at him, her eyes brows furrowed.

"Why?"

"You were the one attacked."

"I wouldn't say that," she rolled her eyes as she came to the front door. She bent over to grab her boots and put them on, Natsu's face growing red as she bent over in front of him. He quickly moved around her, trying his best not to look or react to her as he slipped his foot in some shoes. "They're just bruises, they'll go away."

Natsu only grunted as he buried his head into his scarf, following the blonde to her car as she unlocked her vehicle to hop in. He hopped into the passenger side as he buckled himself in, looking over at Lucy who just buckled herself in. Her dress ran up her leg and Natsu couldn't help but take a peek at her slender legs, swallowing thickly as he turned his head towards the window.

"There's a store near my house. We can go to mine and then to the store and wrap around back here. Should be back by lunch time." Lucy hummed as she began to drive, putting her car in drive. Natsu hummed right back as he watched the scenery, his arms crossed against his chest as small tunes played from the radio.

The car ride was a comfortable silence as they rode back into town, Natsu looking out the window to absorb the day. He recognized some areas as he hasn't been back in town in a while. It took almost thirty minutes before Lucy pulled into a parking spot, putting her car in park to make Natsu realize he was zoned out for the majority of the time. He blinked in confusion and looked over at Lucy who was already unbuckling herself as she reached behind her to grab her purse.

He inhaled some of her scent as she leaned in close, his heart skipping a beat as he could smell her so clearly.

"Come on," she smiled, making Natsu blink at her in confusion. "What? You thought I was going to just leave you in the car like a dog?"

"Well…"

"You don't have to come in if you don't want to."

"I'll come." He said as he unbuckled himself to quickly come out of the car. He was out before she was making her watch him in amusement.

"I'm on the second floor." Lucy said as she locked her car and came around. Natsu trailed behind her as he wasn't familiar with where he was, looking around to scan the area that had a small canal flowing down the middle. There were many small shops surrounding the area and he could see a couple of people walking around, talking and sipping on coffee. He held the door open for Lucy as she walked inside, following her up the stairs to stop at a door. He waited for her to fish her keys out and unlock the door, watching how it unlocked with a click and the door opening for him to look in awe.

He didn't remember the last time he was invited to a girls home, let alone coming back with her. It made him feel a bit nervous as he realized they were alone in a house together that felt so much smaller than his.

"You live by yourself?"

"No, I have a roommate." Lucy said as she kicked off her boots, looking around for her cellphone. "Come in, make yourself comfortable."

Natsu felt awkward as he took his shoes off, gently putting them by the door as he walked into her apartment. He made his way over to the living room where photos hung, looking at the pictures of Lucy with her friends. It made him smile to himself as he could see her bright smile in the photos.

"I live with my high school best friend. We moved down to the city when we graduated college together and have been roommates since. She's mainly at her boyfriend's house so I usually have the house to myself." Lucy shrugged as he heard her voice echo from the apartment. She was going from room to room as she looked for her cellphone.

Natsu only nodded as he looked around her house, seeing the decor she had to the cute photos she had hung around the place. There were a bunch of fake flowers in vases placed in awkward places and he noticed the mountain of shoes that laid by the front door.

Somehow, this place felt more homey than his.

Jumping in his spot, Natsu whipped his head over to hear Lucy scream, running over to where she was to see what was going on. Rushing down the hallway, Natsu came over to where Lucy was, the blonde covering her eyes with her hands. "What the hell are you guys doing?!"

"S—sorry Lu! I didn't think you'd be home!"

"Don't you have some decency?!"

"Close the door!" he heard a deeper voice as he came around to where she was to peek into the door. He saw a small blue-haired woman with a towel wrapped around herself and a taller pierced dark-haired male who was looking away with a towel around his waist. Natsu furrowed his brow as he stared at the couple.

"Who the fuck are you?" The blue one asked, her brows furrowed.

"Levy!" Lucy hissed as she pushed Natsu away from the doorframe. "This is Natsu," she gave her a look. "Get decent first."

Lucy closed the door shut and pushed Natsu down the hall, a sheepish smile and nervous laugh coming out from her lips. "Sorry, that's my roommate."

"I figured."

"And that's her boyfriend. I guess they were… um," Lucy flushed as the couple came into the living room. "Anyways, I guess you're going to meet my roommate! I'll be right back." Lucy said as she rushed out of the room leaving him standing awkwardly in the living room again. He heard her footsteps and then a door open before it closed moments later, the blonde coming back with her phone in her hands. "I got it!"

Natsu gave her a nod as he watched her come over to the couch, taking a seat as she patted the seat next to her. He walked over to where she was to sit down, the couple awkwardly quiet as they sat on opposite sides of the couch.

Soon, Levy came back into the living room dressed in an orange dress with a headband in her hair. Her hair was fluffed up like a bird as a taller man followed behind her shortly.

"Lu, what are you doing at home?" She asked, hands planted on her hips as she eyed Natsu on the couch.

"I can ask you the same thing." Lucy said, arms crossed her chest. "And in the bathroom? Really? You have a bedroom!"

"Since I have been working overtime, they allowed me to have the rest of the week off."

"It's Wednesday!"

"Gajeel?" Natsu's voice interrupted them as the two roommates looked over at the pink-haired male. Natsu stared at the dark-haired male who also stared right back, silence slicing between them before Gajeel's eyes got wide.

"Hey, you're Natsu Dragneel!"

"Yeah, you're Gajeel Redfox."

"I haven't seen you since high school," Gajeel came over to where Natsu sat. Natsu stood up as the two grasped hands to come in for a shoulder bump, the pierced male grinning at his counterpart.

"You know him?" Levy whispered, her eyes darting from her boyfriend to the pink-haired male.

"Yeah, we went to highschool together. Same football team." He said back as he looked back at Natsu. "You still look the same." Gajeel said, nodding. "Ugly."

Lucy looked at Gajeel with wide eyes, her eyes darting to look at Natsu who narrowed his eyes, a small smirk on his lips.

"Look who's talking you metal-head freak."

"Um…" Lucy hummed, a bit nervous as she stood next to her roommate. "Well, since you guys know each other… This is Natsu." Lucy said while pointing at Natsu. Natsu turned to look at Levy, holding his hand out to the petite woman.

"Hey, nice to meet you."

Levy slowly reached out and grasped his hand, shaking it as she looked uneasy. "Hi, I'm Levy. Nice to meet you." Her eyes darted to look at Lucy who offered her a small smile back, his eyes going back to look at Natsu who towered over her. Suddenly, she felt a bit shy as she let go of his hand, clearing her throat as she took a step towards her boyfriend. "I heard a lot about you, Natsu."

"All good I hope."

"Wait," Gajeel said as he got in between Levy and Natsu. "Are you and bunny-girl fucking or something?"

Lucy flushed red as she gawked at Gajeel. "W—w—what! No!"

"Bunny-girl?" Natsu echoed, looking at Lucy who was beet red.

"And I told you to stop calling me that!"

"What are you doing here, then?"

"Excuse me!" Lucy growled, trying to get Gajeel's attention but he was focused on Natsu more.

"Uh, just friends," Natsu shrugged, eyeing Lucy who was only pouting as she tried to calm herself down. "We were running errands together and she said she forgot her phone so we came here before going to the store."

Gajeel hummed, nodding his head as he looked at the blushing blonde to the pink-haired male. He could only smirk as he looked at Lucy who just grew redder. "So you are fucking."

"Gajeel!"

"Gajeel, stop it." Levy smacked his arm, grabbing him to yank him away from the couple. "They said they're just friends." She looked over at Lucy before looking at Natsu who had a blank expression. She started to push him away, looking back at her roommate with a small smile. "Alright, well, I'm sure you have a busy day. I'll see you later, Lu! And great to meet you, Natsu!" She offered a wave before the two disappeared down the hall.

"And use protection!" Gajeel laughter roared through the house making Lucy steam red as she tried to look anywhere else but Natsu.

Natsu could only stand there in amusement as he had his hands shoved in his pocket, staring at the spot where Gajeel stood before he turned to look over at Lucy. He noticed how red she was and how she looked embarrassed, seeing how adorable she looked he couldn't help but smile softly.

"You ready?" He asked, catching her attention. Lucy looked flustered as she cleared her throat, throwing the end of her scarf over her shoulder as she made her way to where she left her purse.

"Let's go," she muttered, shoving her phone in her purse before making her way back to the front door. He followed her as she zipped on her boots, the couple leaving the apartment as they went back down the stairs to the car.

Lucy unlocked her car door and got in as Natsu followed suit, the male peeking over at Lucy who still looked hot and bothered as the ride was silent. They sat there in uncomfortable silence as Natsu wasn't sure how to approach the subject, fidgeting in his seat as he stared outside the window. He couldn't help but notice how red Lucy was as she gripped the steering wheel and drove, the blonde breathing in and out loudly.

Clearing his throat, Natsu sat up straighter in his seat. "So… Bunny-girl?"

"I knew you were going to ask," Lucy sighed, cheeks growing redder.

"Should I not?"

"Gajeel's a fucking asshole."

"I know that. He's always been that way."

"How come I didn't know you knew each other?"

"How was I supposed to know you knew him?" He scoffed, making Lucy press her lips into a tight line. "We went to high school with each other, nothing crazy."

"Levy and him started dating when we were sophomores in college. They've been together since." Lucy sighed, as she started to pull into a plaza. "That's how the nickname stuck because I first met him at a Halloween party. I, obviously, dressed as a bunny, came to this party but I got super drunk and did some…let's just say things and uh… he's been teasing me about it since."

Natsu nodded as Lucy pulled into a parking spot in the plaza, thinking about her dressed in a bunny costume as they got out of the car. He silently followed her inside the store as Lucy went straight to customer service.

"Hi, we're looking for spackle and stuff to fix up a hole in a wall, do you know where I could find that?"

"Of course," the male almost purred, brightening up as he looked at Lucy and her only. Natsu felt a bit ticked off as the associate came around the desk, walking Lucy over to a section as he followed behind. "We have a wide range of options here as you can see," he looked over at Lucy, smiling. "My name is Dan and I can assist you in any way." He paused, looking her up and down hungrily.

An awkward silence passed by the three as they stood in the aisle.

"Um, anyways, thanks for your help, Dan."

"Anytime! I can't say no to a beautiful woman like yourself."

Lucy blushed as she looked at the brown-haired male, taking a step back as she laughed nervously.

"T—thanks."

"And if I may—"

"You may not." Natsu talked over him, stepping in between Lucy and Dan to shoot him a look. He put a hand on the small of her back making her jump slightly, looking up at him while blushing red as Natsu glared at the associate. "Thanks for your help, bud. I think we got it."

Natsu and Dan stared at each other for a minute before Dan took a step back, his hands raised in front of him. "Sorry, boss, didn't know she was taken." And with that, he turned around and sped-walked out of the aisle till he disappeared behind some walls leaving the couple standing there in silence.

"You alright?" Natsu asked, looking down at Lucy who was squirming.

"Um, yeah," she replied, offering a smile at him. "Thanks for that. He's always super creepy. It's my first time actually talking to him but he usually just stares at me when I come in here."

"What a fucking creep."

Lucy nodded as she agreed silently, the two staring at the wall that had many options from spackle to dry wall to paint and tools as they decided on what they should collect. Deciding it was best to get the cheapest option and what Natsu knew to use, the two made their way to check out before heading back to the car outside.

"Anywhere else you'd like to go before we head home?" Lucy asked as she buckled herself in while Natsu did the same.

Natsu shook his head as he placed the plastic bag behind them in the backseat. Lucy blushed slightly as she could see his bicep bulge in front of her face, looking away quickly as she cleared her throat.

"I'm good, thanks."

Lucy hummed in response as the two drove back to the Dragneel's residence, comfortable silence surrounding the couple. By the time they were back home, the clock blinked twelve ten. Lucy made her way inside to start lunch as Natsu went straight to the hole in the wall, getting to work so it could be patched up before his brother got home.

Natsu felt like he was living a married couple's life with Lucy. Running errands with her and helping her shop as she cooked food for them while he did housework. It made him feel a bit weird, wondering if one day he would be able to marry someone.

His encounter with Gajeel made him overthink a lot more as Gajeel was able to put that into his and her mind.

Did Lucy ever think about him like that, too?

She did, now, and he was kind of grateful that he did mention something because Lucy has been squirming for the past couple hours and he was aching to touch her. He wanted to feel how soft her skin was and if she tasted as sweet as she smelled.

Now Natsu was squirming as he tried adjusting himself, his cock twitching as he started to grow a semi. Glancing at the blonde who had her back turned to him, he could only admire her as he worked on the hole in the wall.

The smell of food and spice lingered in the air and Natsu's stomach growled as he layered on spackle on the wall. Laying it flat, he closed the lid tight so it didn't dry out like last time. He walked over to the kitchen, sitting down on the chair at the counter as he watched Lucy get to work.

Lucy blushed when she noticed Natsu staring at her, the blonde feeling bashful as he sat there. "What?"

"Nothing, just hungry."

"It'll be done in five minutes. We're going to have chicken curry and rice—Indian style."

"I'll set the table." Natsu said as he got up to come around the counter. He opened the drawer to dig for utensils, feeling Lucy's body heat as he stood behind her. He felt at ease as he stood by her, wanting to linger longer so he could take in her scent and warmth.

Once he had the table set, Lucy was plating their lunch and they enjoyed a nice, quiet lunch together.

Lucy sat on the swing porch as she took in some fresh air, her shoulders feeling lighter as she now had a chance to relax.

She never realizes how tense she truly is until she gets a moment like this, feeling all her energy and worries wash away as she gets to embrace some time.

She spent a lot of time with Natsu lately and she wasn't sure how to feel about the situation. In ways she could see the growth in him but days like yesterday night she can see the angry monster in him overpower him. She was scared out of her mind but she knew she had to save him.

She wanted to be the person for Natsu in ways she hoped someone could be for her. It made her feel incredibly sad but also grateful that she was able to meet someone like him. But lately, she was starting to see a different side of him where it made her feel like a schoolgirl, blushing and giggling like she had some kind of crush. And maybe she did—was she wrong for it?

She really thought Natsu was going to kiss her last night but he kept holding back in ways that irritated her. It was her fault that he went on that rampage last night but she really had to tell him.

In some ways, Lucy felt like she could just go for it and risk it all but the idea of being rejected and having to go back to day one where it was just awkwardness and bitterness made her not want to. She wanted him to make the first move to prove that maybe she wasn't crazy for thinking Natsu wanted her, too. She caught him staring at her one too many times and last night he even held her. He was incredibly warm inside and out and if he let her, she would have kissed him.

It's been a while since she was with someone making her wonder if she still had it in her. Her last boyfriend and her had such a messy break up, it made her stay away from men for years and now as she was approaching her twenty-fifth year, she was realizing that maybe she had to get back into the dating pool.

But was Natsu someone she could trust to be that person for her? She knew he had anger issues and he isn't good with his emotions so how could she make that a reality if he couldn't understand.

Feeling frustrated, Lucy could only kick her feet as the metal swing screeched with her weight. She just wanted to try and maybe she would have a chance if she did but the fear inside of her made her not want to.

Her insides squirmed and she felt the fear overshadow her thoughts, wondering if she should just start dropping hints at him.

Maybe it was just a crush and she could get over it, soon. But with Natsu spending more time with her, it made her want to pursue him further as he made her feel all bubbly and warm.

Lucy could only sigh as she looked up at the evening sky, watching how the sun started to set behind the trees. Hearing the door open, she snapped her neck to see Natsu coming out of the house, a surprised look on his face as he locked eyes with Lucy. He made his way over to where she was, leaning against the railing as he took the joint from behind his ear to start lighting the end.

"So you were hiding out here."

"Were you looking for me?"

"Just wondering," he said, looking away from her in embarrassment.

Lucy only smiled as she watched him do his routine, seeing how he puffed on the end as he lit the other, smoke coming out of his mouth moments later.

She always found Natsu so attractive when he smoked. Maybe it was because he looked so at peace when he did it or because of how he handled himself while doing it. But whatever the reason was, it made her squirm as she watched him inhale and exhale.

He soon held the joint out to her, making her reach for it and puff on it herself, watching how the smoke pooled out of her mouth as she exhaled.

"So… you played football in high school?" Lucy tried to start a conversation as she inhaled.

Natsu nodded as he took the joint she held out towards him. "Quarterback."

"Wow, must have been pretty popular back in school."

"Nah," he said as he inhaled sharply. "Zeref thought sports would help with my anger management. Sometimes it did, sometimes it didn't." He shrugged, leaning against the railing as he looked at the blonde. "I also played basketball during the winter and then hockey in the spring."

"Wow," Lucy nodded her head, swinging back and forth. "I didn't know you were so athletic."

Natsu shrugged again as he took his lighter out to even out the burning on the joint. "Like I said, Zeref."

Lucy nodded in silence as she watched him, feeling like a little girl with a knot in her throat and butterflies in her stomach.

"You do any sports in high school?" Natsu asked, making Lucy shake her head.

"I was a nerd back then," she smiled bashfully, making Natsu snort as he handed her the joint. "Serious."

"That's kind of hard to believe."

"No, really. I didn't really care too much about my appearance in school… I wanted to get into a good college with a full ride so I dedicated a lot of my time into studying. I didn't know anything about makeup until senior year…" Lucy hummed, trying to remember her youth. "I was on the debate team all four years and I also did math-lethes. I volunteered most of my time at the library when I could and I was also a teacher's aid."

"Huh," Natsu crossed his arms, looking at Lucy who blushed. "Would have never guessed that."

"Well, it helped me get into a really good school. Magnolia University."

Natsu nodded in satisfaction, his eyebrows raised in surprise as he puffed on his joint. "What did you study?"

"Astrology with a minor in English." Lucy giggled shyly, looking down at her feet. "I know, it's stupid. But I really like the idea of stars and space. I also like reading."

"I figured that much."

"Yeah," Lucy nodded, looking up at Natsu as he passed her the joint. "What about you?"

"I never went to college, thought it was a waste of time and money. Just graduated and then kind of been here since…" He trailed off, feeling a bit embarrassed as he realized how pathetic it sounded when he said it out loud. "I was able to work here and there but I think it just got too much for me… I wanted to do boxing or maybe physical training."

"I think that would be great for you!" Lucy smiled, brightening up to look at him. "You should look into that. Nowadays they have so many virtual things you can do that."

"Yeah," Natsu snorted, taking the joint from her hands to put it to his lips and inhale. He exhaled a puff of smoke as he looked back at Lucy who was smiling at him like a puppy dog. "Maybe."

A comfortable silence snuck in-between the couple and Natsu watched how Lucy shivered slightly. "Cold?"

"Yeah," she said bashfully as she looked behind him. "Sun is set."

Natsu turned to look at the orange sky, seeing how it was starting to get dark around them. "You want to head back inside?"

"Once you're done."

"It's alright," Natsu took a couple more puffs before he started crushing the end out. "I'm done." Lucy stood up from the swing, walking past him as he followed behind, the couple making their way inside as the warm air swallowed them.

"You hungry? I can start dinner. It's almost six."

"Not really," He said as he walked with her to the kitchen, coming around the counter to lean against it as he watched her look in the fridge. "I'll eat if you're hungry."

Lucy just shook her head, closing the doors to the fridge as she turned to look at Natsu. He saw how her eyes were low, red from the marijuana as she smiled at him.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Uh, sure." He said, feeling nervous as she stood there fidgeting. Silence went by them again as Lucy stood there, trying to figure out how to speak as Natsu stared at her weirdly. "So?"

"Uh," Lucy sputtered, her face growing red. "I just… I just wanted to know if you… you know," she looked down at her feet, squirming around. "If you've ever had a girlfriend or something…"

"Or something?" Natsu echoed, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked at the blonde.

"Well, I don't know if you're gay or bi or whatever… I didn't want to discriminate."

Natsu snorted, standing up straight as he pulled the chair out to sit down. "I'm not gay or bi or whatever," he said, crossing his arms across his chest. "But to answer your question, no, I've never had a girlfriend."

"Like… ever?"

"No," he admitted. "I just never really cared. I've been with girls if that's what you're asking but I was never someone's boyfriend."

Lucy nodded, silently standing in the kitchen as she casted her eyes down. She felt shy as she absorbed all this information about Natsu, wondering how different he was back in high school and how many girls he's been with.

"Why do you ask?" His voice brought her back, making her look up at him.

She blushed as she shrugged, coming over to the counter Natsu was sitting at to lean towards him across the table. "I just wanted to know."

"What about you?"

"I've had a couple," Lucy smiled coyly, making him quirk a brow at her. "Like two. But they weren't anything. One was middle school so that was nothing and the other one was in college. We were serious for a year but we kind of broke it off towards the end of my junior year."

"Why?"

"We wanted different things." She shrugged, smiling sadly as she looked down at the counter between them. "He was really into partying and I was getting tired of it. So… we ended things. I've been single since."

Natsu nodded, pressing his lips into a tight line as he looked at the blonde who was drawing shapes with her finger on the counter. She looked a bit sad as she talked about her past but at the same time he felt relieved in some kind of way. Like he had some kind of chance but his mind was just laughing at him.

"So… you never wanted a girlfriend?" Lucy asked, looking up at him. "Like… ever?"

"Seems like a lot of work."

"I guess," Lucy shrugged, standing up straight as she ran her finger back and forth on the counter. "But like… don't you wonder what it's like to be someone's boyfriend?"

"Not really," he shrugged. "You miss being a girlfriend?"

Lucy shrugged again, looking at him and at the counter, a small smile on her lips. "It was nice, I guess. Just having someone to yourself… being able to sleep with someone, eat with someone, laugh with someone…" Lucy peeked at Natsu to see his face. "Kiss someone."

Natsu raised his eyebrow at Lucy, watching her draw on the counter with her finger.

"So, you've never had a girlfriend but you've been with girls?"

"Yeah."

"So… like… sex?" Lucy asked, trying to cover her shyness and face.

Natsu only snorted. "Yes. Sex."

"I mean, how is that possible?"

"You just have sex with them… and not date them."

"You kind of sound like a player, Natsu."

Natsu shrugged. "I guess you can say that."

Lucy smiled at him, making him smirk at her, the tension in the air thick as they looked at one another. The mood in the room felt heavy as they silently stood there, Lucy moving her finger around the counter as Natsu sat there watching. He felt like she was trying to imply something and he felt a bit nervous, wondering if she was just trying to get information out of him.

Lucy sighed as she leaned against the counter again, looking up at Natsu with hooded eyes making her look inviting. "Do you ever miss it?"

"Miss what?"

"Being with someone."

Natsu stayed silent for a minute as he processed her question, looking at the blonde who stared right back at him. "Sure," he shrugged, moving his hand up and down to rub his bicep. "But life is lonely."

"It doesn't have to be."

Natsu could feel his heart pound in his chest as he looked at the blonde who stared right back at him. His eyes were wide as he tried to see what she was trying to say, watching how her eyes sparkled like it did last night.

He felt the strong urge to kiss her, breaking eye contact to look away in embarrassment.

This made Lucy frown as she watched him cast his eyes down, avoiding her eyes. It made her pout as she didn't know how obvious she had to get to make him try to pull the first move on her. Or maybe she was just that stupid and thought maybe Natsu felt something towards her, too.

It could be the drugs that were pumping in her veins or her frustration but she felt bold. Her body ached for his touch and she could feel her chest rapidly beating inside, her adrenaline flowing through her body.

Kiss me! Kiss me! Kiss me!

Lucy let out a sigh as she stood back up, shaking her head in disappointment making Natsu look back at her in confusion.

"I think I need some air."

"You want me to come with you?"

"If you want to." Lucy said as she walked away from the kitchen. His eyes followed her as she rounded the counter and went to the sliding door. He hopped off the chair and followed behind as Lucy stepped outside. He closed the sliding door behind him and the two stood in the cold darkness as the night crickets sang and the moon started to make its way up.

A comfortable silence was pillowed between the couple as Natsu had his hands shoved in his pocket, rocking back and forth as they stood there. He couldn't help but glance over at Lucy who had her hands in her pocket, the blonde looking up at the sky as cold air escaped her mouth. She turned her head to look over at him, their eyes locking once again.

"Natsu," she said, making him tingle. "How long has it been since you've been with a girl?"

"Huh?" He said, looking over at her in surprise. "Uh…" he trailed off, trying to collect his thoughts. "I don't know… high school maybe. It's been a couple years."

"Were you always the one to pull the first move?"

"Sometimes," he shrugged, watching his breath in front of him. "Most of the time they just came to me."

"So you are a player."

"Call it what you want."

"Guess that does it then."

"What?" He looked over at Lucy who was staring up at him with those sparkling wide eyes, his stomach twisting in nervousness as she looked so ravishing.

"Since you're so used to women throwing themselves on you and you not having to do any of the work," she paused to see if he was still paying attention. "I'm going to have you work for it this time."

"What?" He said again, raising his brow at the blonde who smiled at him. "What are you—?" He tried to say but stopped when Lucy leaned in and gave him a peck on the cheek. This made his face grow red with embarrassment as he looked at Lucy with wide eyes, his heart pounding in his chest as he could feel her hot lips linger on his cheek.

Lucy just giggled as she gave him a wide smile, pink painted on her cheeks from the cold and emotions.

He could only just stare at her, his hand pressed against his cheek where she kissed him.

"Well, I'm going to head back inside. Maybe make some dinner for you and Zeref before I head home." She said, opening the sliding door to give him one last look. "Take your time." She said before she disappeared into the house. He watched how she closed the door behind her, her slim body making its way to the kitchen to go straight to the fridge.

He could only watch her as she went from one corner to the other, a small smile on her lip as he felt completely lost.

He kept replaying the scene in his head and he could still feel her hot lips on his cheek. He was trying to regulate his breathing as his heart pounded inside his chest, the male wondering what in the world was going on. He hadn't felt like this before and he was shell-shocked as he tried to wrap his head around the situation.

He felt like his opportunity was walking out the door with this one and he wasn't sure how to approach the situation without being weird about it.

Did she want him to pursue her? What was she going on about?

His fingers twitched with excitement as he so desperately wanted to go inside and kiss her. Hold her. Fuck her.

Natsu didn't know what to do as he pulled the joint out of his pocket, hands shaking as he tried to light it up. He felt like he was seeing double as he tried to calm his nerves, inhaling deeply as he let out a huge puff of smoke. He stood there staring up at the sky, calming himself down as he continued to smoke the rest of his joint.

So many thoughts went inside his head and he imagined scenarios where he could go inside and do oh so many things to her. But is that what she really wanted? She didn't want him. He was nothing for her. She deserved a lot better than him.

But why did he want her so badly?

He fought with himself as he debated if he should go inside and kiss her or pretend it never happened. He also thought if he did that, would she let him? Would she let him go further than a kiss?

Somehow, with his mind spiraling, it made him angry as he felt like he was being played. Like Lucy and Zeref were playing tricks on him so they could catch him in the act. He felt like he was embarrassing himself, going back and forth with himself as he remembered how Lucy was just inside, possibly waiting for him to come to ravish her.

Finishing up the last bit of his joint, Natsu felt calmer as he threw the end bud into the nearby bush. He ran his hands through her hair, taking in a deep breath of air as his eyelids felt heavy. He gave himself one last pep talk before he walked into the house, looking up to see Zeref was already home talking with Lucy. His body felt heavy again as he felt defeated, his eyes darting from Lucy to Zeref who both turned to look at him when he came inside.

"Oh, there you are, Natsu!" Zeref chirped excitedly, smiling widely. "I got home early today because I've been putting in some late hours lately. Isn't that great? I can have dinner with you two for the first time in a while!"

"Yeah," Natsu sounded disappointed. "That's great."

"Well, Lucy here was just telling me about the day you two had! I'm so glad you got to reconnect with an old friend!"

"He ain't a friend," Natsu huffed, coming over to the counter to lean against it. He made eye contact with Lucy for a second, the blonde blushing slightly. "He just happened to be dating Lucy's roommate."

"Well, what a small world." He said, making Lucy giggle. "Natsu, why don't you set the table for us?"

"I'm good, I'm not hungry." He said, annoyance laced between his words as he stood back up. "Later." He said, ignoring Zeref's voice of protest as he walked away.

He felt angry at himself and angry at Zeref for coming in early, stomping up the stairs to go into his room and slam the door shut. He paced around as he groaned in frustration, grabbing his hair as he stomped around his room in anger.

He had his chance and Zeref ruined it. He bombed it. He felt embarrassed and defeated, knowing he just had a chance to get with Lucy and he didn't know when the next time he would be able to.

Flopping on his bed, Natsu just laid there staring up at the ceiling, listening to the muffled voices of his brother and caretaker.

He fucked up, again.

Notes: thanks for reading! Leave a nice review.