I've wanted to write something that gives vibes like my story Our Room for the longest time! But the kind of emotion I created in that story seemed hard to mimic without just rewriting the story in its entierty.
So I hope you like this! I was going for a dark and desperate romance
Natsu's eyes wandered to the ceiling of the abandoned classroom he frequented, the sweat dripping down his forehead starting to annoy him.
The old leather couch he laid on stuck to his bare back, his head craned against his arm in an uncomfortable position.
The girl bouncing up and down on his lap; what was her name again? She was crooning his name and doing all the work, really. He was too exhausted to put any effort into screwing her.
Her hands cupped her breasts, squeezing them as she looked down on him, licking her lips.
The sensation of his climax didn't come from anything in particular. Maybe it was the way she looked, the way she felt, the way she smelled. He never could tell. For him, when it was over, it was over. Natsu couldn't care either way if she didn't get her release; they always came back to him either way.
Like now, she clung to his arm as he sat to readjust his pants, overglossed lips moving to spout a string of compliments he didn't have the time to care about. Re-buttoning his uniform shirt was hard enough work.
Sometimes, he made them get dressed and leave, so he could finally enjoy a peaceful moment to himself. Other times it was crucial to draw a hard line. Leaving without a word as she stared at his back in confusion left his admirers with a deep, sinking feeling they would struggle to navigate. They were lucky to feel anything at all.
But he made her leave first, empty words promising to see her tomorrow, bright and early.
Natsu was better at doing what others expected of him. His mother and father expected good grades, so he made the effort to pass. Gray expected a challenging rival to stick by his side, though that task was one of his few joys. And the girls who went after him all expected Natsu to give them what they thought he wanted to give.
Incidentally, he became a playboy that rarely ever turned a girl down for sex. Sex most assumed would always blossom into something more.
He didn't want the responsibility of a girlfriend, and the girls policed themselves. No one person could have him, otherwise, who was going to be the backup for them all?
It should have said something by now that he never cared to put in the work, only so much as offering a brief makeout before waiting for them to undress.
He sighed and closed his eyes, laying back down in a much more comfortable position to nap. It was already some time past four, but going home would provide the same empty comfort. He didn't want to stir in more quiet loneliness, maybe he'd just spend the night at Gray's.
The sun long set over the horizon when he stirred from his sleep, yawning and stretching his arms above his head. His phone rested on his stomach, Natsu slowly reaching to pick it up, the blue light irritating his eyes. He ignored the missed messages from admirers trying to get him to come over, Gray coincidentally asking him to come over to play a new video game.
Loafing himself off the couch and grabbing his bag, he walked toward the door, letting the icicle know he'd be over in a few minutes.
Before pulling the handle, he stalled to hear another door in the hall slide open and close, soft footsteps retreating a ways away.
He raised a brow, poking his head out to make sure it wasn't a teacher doing room checks. Though he was positive no one bothered coming into this old building anymore.
His eyes settled on the back of a slightly shorter blonde, hair tied in two low ponytails. He wasn't sure if he recognized her, wondering who else would still be at school at this late hour.
Natsu went to inspect the classroom she occupied as she turned the corner to leave, the lights flickering when he flipped the switch. It was just another forgotten storage room, shelves of old and dusty books filling half the space with an old armchair pushed into the corner. The seat had looked cleaner than it should, grime obviously cleared from the space she previously occupied. There was a semi-small tea table centered in between the clutter, probably where she sat to do her homework.
Aside from the dust, his nose subconsciously took in her scent; a slight tinge of curiosity sat in his mind as he left, wondering just who else needed a place to escape.
He spent the next school day curious as well, having memorized the subtly soft undertone of her presence. But he couldn't go around smelling every girl on campus, as much as he wanted to know who she was.
Maybe Natsu would catch her after school, rarely spending that time elsewhere.
His texts were already flooded with interested girls dying to occupy his attention, even for a second.
"You good, dude?" Gray asked as they silently ate their lunch, Natsu's chopsticks lax in his grasp.
"Just tired," He nodded back, popping a piece of chicken between his lips. It wasn't a lie. though distracted, Natsu often found himself in a constant state of awkward exhaustion. Not too tired to function, but too tired to care to do it properly. "Might go take a nap in the nurse's office,"
Which he did after Gray agreed to take his notes for the next class.
Natsu felt uneasy lying in bed. He never did like the smell of the nurses office, its strong medicinal odor annoying his nose. It didn't help either that he was already annoyingly overstimulated.
Flitting back and forth between mental exhaustion and a subtle overstimulation was getting on his last nerve. Why couldn't he just feel normal? Was it too much to ask his own body to relax?
As soon as the nurse left to run an errand did one of Natsu's many admirers slip in behind her and peter their way to his bed. Sitting down and not bothering to draw the curtains, she smiled at him familiarly.
"Touka told me she has a 'date' with you after school?" Lisanna asked, mimicking air quotes, the dragon shifting himself into a seated position.
"It's been a while, so I told her we could," He shrugged his shoulders, bored eyes looking into hers. Lisanna knew better than anyone else that he didn't care either way who he slept with. He gave to those who asked and didn't think twice about why.
"Tell her you can't today. I want to see you instead." She wrapped her arms playfully around his neck, tilting her head to the side cutely. "Is that okay?"
She knew he would agree, her advantage as his childhood friend having its perks. Natsu answered by pulling his phone out and texting her without regret. What were friends for?
The white-haired shape shifter felt happiness bloom in her chest, regardless of how manipulating her undertones might be. It made her feel good to be at the top of his list, hoping one day there wouldn't be one to compete with.
She leaned in for a celebratory kiss, a mental grin gracing her lips. He rarely liked to kiss anyone, but never turned hers away. Because in her mind, she was special to him.
"Nurse Bisca, I–" Natsu stilled as his nose twitched, recognizing the scent of his mysterious corridor mate. Lisanna let out a dramatic gasp, a blush crawling on her cheeks as she removed herself from his person. The blonde stepped further into the uncomfortable atmosphere, Lisanna making the wise decision to continue her antics later.
She avoided his eyes as she walked towards the nurse's desk, rifling through the top drawer for whatever she needed to get. Natsu took in her features now that he had the opportunity, making note of the way he liked her hair in a high ponytail, to expose the alluring curve of her nape. He followed the line of her jaw to the straight yet pointed tip of her nose. Then he met those brown eyes that made his heart jump; she was looking right at him.
"If Bisca asks, I took a couple of ibuprofen." She jiggled the small bottle as he nodded, watching her shortly leave the room.
Natsu put in a good amount of real effort when he was with Lisanna, driven mostly by his care for her as they'd grown up together. He wouldn't push her out like he would to the rest, giving her a moderate amount of attention when she wanted it.
His wires were deathly crossed, giving him an odd mix of overly intimate relationships. Thanks to the influence of his older brother and blurred lines of friendship. Lisanna was an enabling example.
If he was going to sleep around anyway, then why not with her? Even better that they could stay friends and have the occasional hookup. He didn't invite many into his social circle, so keeping the few he had was ideal for Natsu.
Lisanna hoped for the best despite his apathetic personality. They were more than close, so Natsu should logically come to the conclusion that there's no one better to stick by his side.
Right?
He never showed interest in anyone, never bothering to remember the name of a one night stand even if they were in the same class. So, she was safe. If she was the one asking, he would stop sleeping around and commit himself to her, there was no doubt.
But if that were true, why was she still too scared to ask for something more? And why did it make her stomach sink when she watched Natsu fix his eyes on that random girl?
~000~
Lisanna's insecurities were momentarily forgotten when she found herself underneath the dragon, reveling in the warmth of his body against hers.
The attention he gave her was overwhelming, the shapeshifter reveling in the moment they shared as if it were special. Natsu was here for her and no one else, calming the anxiety in her heart.
His lips kissed her body, tracing her curves and leaving dark pink marks she would admire later in the mirror.
Their breath mingled and mixed, his name rolling more and more off her tongue as Lisanna came closer to her climax.
Natsu wasn't likely to ejaculate, his still hard self pulling out as she came down from her high, painting and reaching for him to lift her up.
Usually she'd slide off his condom to finish the job with her hand and a few deep kisses, but he was unusually quick to stand up and look for his pants instead.
"Have somewhere to be?" She held back her disappointment and pulled up the covers, suddenly feeling too exposed as he shrugged his shoulders.
"'S almost dark, Gray said I'd better be at his place before dinner or he wasn't giving me his notes."
"Oh," The word felt stuck in her throat; what could she say to make him stay? Nothing came to mind, though she'd be too scared to voice it if she could think of something. "I guess I'll see you at school, then."
"Yeah, see ya, Lis." His wave and smile were nonchalant as he jumped out of her bedroom window, leaving the room much colder than it'd been with him there.
Laying back down, she rolled over, quick to reach out for the body pillow resting against her wall. Cuddling after sex was important to her, only now realizing how sick and empty she was feeling without it. It made her feel wanted, not used like all the others.
They used Natsu and he used them, it was a harmful cycle. But when he held her, it helped her forget that she was just as manipulative. Maybe even the worst out of them all.
More than reassuring her Natsu would one day want something more from their relationship, holding him made her feel, well…good. Secure. Lisanna was anything but in this moment, insecurity welling in her stomach as she dug her face into the pillow.
~000~
Gray's room was dark and quiet, the low hum of his inhale and exhale serenading Natsu as he stared at the empty ceiling.
His best friend anticipated that Natsu would probably spend the night, having set up his usual futon in advance. Half of his closet contained miscellaneous items that Natsu left over their many years together, so there wasn't a need to worry about needing a change of clothes.
Gray's scent was relaxing in a way Natsu didn't like to admit to strangers. It carried a subtle hint of winter's embrace, a blend of clean, cold air that tingled the tip of his nose. It was reminiscent of a fresh breath of air, untouched by odd concentrations or heavy with soap.
He closed his eyes, finding that his mind felt too blank to allow him to rest peacefully. He wanted to think about something, but had nothing to think about if he really thought about it.
He wanted to think about that blonde girl, but there wasn't much that connected them. He saw her, what was it, twice? And they spoke once, if he could even call it that.
It made his lip twitch thinking about how she walked in on him and Lisanna. He didn't want her to think…well, usually it didn't matter to him what other people thought.
And again, they weren't even acquaintances. So how could he feel soured about the last way they met?
Natsu let out a quiet huff, turning over and pressing his cheek into the pillow. He wasn't going to get any sleep at this rate.
It was easy enough to slip out through the window, landing on his feet with a soft plop. He hoped a walk would help, the soft sounds of the city a comforting background noise.
It was only a couple of blocks until he was out of the neighborhood, walking towards the nearby shopping district.
There were a few nice stores and restaurants mixed up near grocery and convenience stores, creating a comfortable space so there wasn't much need to travel elsewhere.
Seeing the twenty-four hour sign flashing in the distant window of the conbini, Natsu decided it wasn't too late for a snack, and a rice ball sounded like it would hit the spot.
Approaching the store, his ears perked up at the sound of two voices echoing from the adjacent side of the building.
"What's a cute girl like you doing out so late?"
"Shouldn't kids like you be in bed about now? Or did you sneak out, sweetie?"
The infliction of their voices made his skin crawl, Natsu's sense of justice encouraging him to intervene. It was late and he didn't want to leave whomever they were speaking to alone, especially if he could be of help.
"I was waiting for my boyfriend," A familiar voice spoke up as Natsu turned the corner, her eyes landing on him with apparent urgency. "He's here, so you can leave me alone now,"
Pushing past them, the blonde girl was quick to approach Natsu's side, his heart jumping in his throat as she wrapped herself around his arm.
"Boyfriend?" They repeated simultaneously, a sour expression morphing upon their lips. One of them scoffed after not too long, shaking his head.
"Yeah right, this guy looks like he has no idea what's going on." The man laughed, gesturing to Natsu's somewhat surprised expression. "If you two are dating, then why don't you go ahead and kiss? Hm? Then I'll really believe ya."
She let out a huff, grumbling out why they'd have to prove anything; shouldn't these weirdos just believe her? Before moving to stand in front of him, looking up with a raised eyebrow as if to give Natsu a signal.
He wasn't sure what kind, but noticed her head crane up to meet the tilt of his. His nerves were bound to bottom out, panic reaching the tips of his fingers.
They were a hair's breadth away, a whisper passing between them before she connected their lips.
"Just play along, Dragneel,"
He could barely register that she knew his name, worried that she'd hear the harsh pounding inside his chest more than anything. Natsu never paid attention, not really, to the way a girl's lips felt before. Maybe if they were ever over-slicked with gloss, or caked with lip balm, but he didn't find himself curious about the subject.
But something about her lips, her scent, the way she leaned into him for effect…Natsu's mind was buzzing with an emotion he wasn't used to. He was becoming overwhelmed by the simple touch, wanting to focus on her softness, but wondering how exactly to describe how sweet she smelled up close.
It was light, familiar to the room next door to his on campus. More concentrated now, sweeter, like vanilla and raspberries? Maybe strawberries, but raspberries gave her more depth. The scent made him almost want to sink to his knees and get swallowed whole by a mass of it, finding himself entirely intoxicated.
Natsu couldn't help but moan when she opened her mouth to prod into his slightly parted lips. Fuck, she tasted better than she smelled.
He moved too eagerly, letting their tongues slip together and tangle in a heated mess, his eyes rolling back in his head.
This had never happened before, Natsu wasn't even sure a kiss could feel good until now. He'd always done it to get it over with, never wanting it like he did at this moment. He practically wanted to drink her down, his hands holding her steady at the base of her neck as he deepened the kiss.
Her hands bunched in his shirt, grasping for purchase as he barely gave her a moment to breathe, breaking away for just a second before chasing after her lips.
Natsu managed to take his attention off of her for one second, to glare at the two men already awkwardly wanting to take their leave. Watching two teenagers make out was definitely not on their agenda for the night.
His lour was predatory, Natsu mentally threatening to burn them to ash if they even looked at her for one more second. His eyes were a fierce golden tone, fire lacing his gaze. The pair ran off without another word, shaking off the sudden fear cast upon them, and wanting to drink the memory of it away.
Natsu went back to focusing on their kiss, his mind still thinking of the sweet things he could combine to recreate her scent. Dandelions and sunlight? Caramel and cinnamon? Maybe even cherry blossoms and pomegranates; something delicious he needed to take a bite of.
They didn't need to be kissing anymore, but Natsu had no reason to stop, though he would if she asked him to. There just wouldn't be an opportunity like this again, she was only asking for his help. If anyone else had shown up the moment he did, she would have run into his arms. A thought which proved to piss Natsu off and continue the kiss to soothe himself.
When they finally parted for air again, Natsu's eyes were glazed over, watching the string of saliva that connected them break off against her bottom lip.
The blonde let out a soft giggle combined with an intake of breath, undoing her grasp to lay her hands flatly on his chest.
"W-Wow…now I know why all the girls talk about you," Her voice was soft and breathless, Natsu watching her puffy lips with a slight hunger. "You really know how to kiss a girl."
"People talk about me?" His voice was a little hoarse, his hands reluctantly dropping from her person as they stepped apart.
"Yeah, what else would they talk about? No one's as popular as you are," She scoffed, looking up at him curiously. "I feel like that should be obvious, no?"
"I didn't think to pay attention," Natsu shrugged, warmly taking in the sight of her smile spreading.
"Well, anyways, thank you for showing up when you did. I wasn't in the mood to fight those guys off. I know it's not the best idea to walk around in the middle of the night, but I really wanted some gummy worms." She revealed the pack stuffed into her small purse, Natsu's lips twitching to smile.
"You should be able to get a snack without getting harassed." He said and she laughed, making his smile spread a little more.
"You would think, right?" Her laugh was bubbly and made his heart swim, it was a wonderful sound to listen to. "Mind walking me home? I don't live far from here."
She was already pulling him along before he could answer, but there was no reality in which he wouldn't take her home. It was an inescapable destiny, he could feel it in his soul.
Natsu swallowed the lump in his throat as he walked alongside her, wondering what they should talk about. She seemed to know he had a reputation but wasn't put off by the knowledge, so how much did she know about him? It was unfair that he didn't even know one thing about her. Well, he did know a couple of things. That she liked their kiss, hopefully, and liked gummy worms.
"I'm sorry," Natsu broke the silence between them to address the biggest question hanging over his head. "I don't know your name."
He turned to her with his confession, worry obvious in his gaze as she snapped off half of the gummy in her mouth. She snorted and stifled another laugh, slapping a hand against his bicep as she finished chewing.
"I'm Lucy, Lucy Heartfilia," Her lips quavered with a snicker, the sound of her name like bells going off in his head. "You know, we should have started with that. I only happened to know your name, since you're famous and all."
"Lucy," Natsu tested the way it felt to say her name, the hum it produced reminding him of their deep embrace. "I don't mind if you call me Natsu."
"I think I've earned that much. I mean, you did take my first kiss." She sang softly, a sharp shiver running up the column of his spine. Natsu felt his cheeks burning a bright red, excitement and shock coursing through his veins. Her first kiss? He was her first kiss?
Natsu couldn't explain the giddiness that threatened to come out in an exclamation, his body wanting to jump up and celebrate somehow.
She was…god, she was just…
"We're here!" Lucy interrupted his internal dialogue as she gestured to the townhouse they approached on the side of the street. She punched in the code to her front gate, swinging it open before turning back to face him.
"Thanks again, Natsu," Lucy leaned towards him, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek before he could register her movements. "This was nice. Don't be a stranger, okay? I think we can be friends now after tonight."
Her gate closed with a thud, Natsu glued to the concrete as a shaky hand came to touch the phantom of her kiss.
"Gray!" Natsu shouted as he threw himself onto the edge of his best friend's bed, scaring the winter wolf out of his deep sleep, a dog-like startled yelp breaking past his lips.
"W-What the—Natsu! What the fuck, man! What the hell is your problem?!" Gray whisper-shouted, straining and rubbing his eyes as he dragged himself to sit up. "Are you trying to wake Mom and Dad? What's got you so—"
Gray cut himself off as his eyes adjusted to the darkness of his room, finding himself at a loss for words as he absorbed the expression Natsu sported.
He looked happy. Genuinely happy, with a smile Gray hadn't seen since they were kids. It almost hurt to look at, the brightness of it stinging his eyes. It almost made him smile, seeing a part of his best friend he thought had been lost to the world.
"...Did you have a good dream or something?"
"I went on a walk," Natsu shook his head; if his tail were out, it'd be wagging gleefully behind him. "And I ran into that girl from school, Lucy Heartfilia, do you know her? She's blonde and smells like an angel."
"Dude, creepy," Gray chuckled and shook his head. "Juvia knows her, I'm pretty sure. They have lunch together, they're in the same class."
"I kissed her," Natsu said, already dying to replay the moment in his head. "It's a long story but we kissed, man, and I don't know what's different about her, but I never thought a kiss could feel so good. And she smelled so good, and tasted so—"
"I don't need to hear it all!" He smacked a hand over Natsu's mouth, groaning at the already detailed image. "But…that's a good thing, right?"
Natsu nodded, flopping down to lay on his back, legs hanging off of the edge as he stared dreamily at the ceiling. "More than good. It was amazing. She's amazing. She's all I can think about, Gray. Why do you think that is?"
Gray rolled his eyes, knowing Natsu's dense nature would always find a way to impede a rational line of thought.
"How about you ask me that question again when you get to know her a little better."
~000~
Natsu never had a better night's sleep, feeling refreshed for once as he rolled out of bed. Food tasted better, even the sun looked brighter in the sky. He didn't hear the usual buzzing that quelled his thoughts, or feel annoyed for any reason in particular.
His elated state of being was somewhat of a mystery, his care for discovering his change in demeanor nowhere near the front of his agenda.
He was looking forward to seeing Lucy that morning, especially now that she said they were friends. Maybe he was a little too eager, but he couldn't ignore the siren song in his heart telling him to run to her side. It was definitely bordering on obsessive, but he didn't care.
Especially so when she seemed happy to see him too.
Natsu approached her as she was changing her shoes, one hand against the lockers as she slipped on the left pair.
"Long time no see," She smiled at him, Natsu nodding with warmth blooming in his chest. "Sleep well last night?"
"Y-Yeah, really well," He nodded, her melodic giggle enticing him again. "You?"
"I had a good dream for once," Lucy answered wistfully, closing her locker and picking up her bag. "Probably thanks to my knight in shining armor."
Natsu blushed as she tapped a hand against his chest, finding his throat dry as he attempted to ask the question he'd been mulling over all night.
"...Think it'd be okay if we hung out after school?" He swallowed; Lucy probably knew what he got up to since the empty rooms they used were literally right next to each other. Not that he wanted to do anything more than sit with her, of course. Just being close to her was enough for him.
"Sure," She nodded, turning on her heel with a wave, catching up to someone ahead of her in the hallway. "I think you know where to find me."
Natsu let out a sigh of relief, feeling his knees wobble as he stepped away to get his own shoes on for the day. It wasn't likely that many would want him around, knowing rumors most spread weren't the most savory. But Lucy was turning out to be someone that wasn't like other people. The thought made his smile spread even more.
It wasn't long before the last bell of the day was ringing, Natsu almost knocking his chair to the ground as he stood up in a flash. He wanted to get to the other side of campus as fast as he could to wait for her, so he could spend every possible second they'd have together, together.
He couldn't run in the halls, so he briskly walked a good amount, trying not to make it obvious to any of the staff he passed where he might've been going.
Crossing the quad outside, Natsu heard his name from a distance, turning around to see Lisanna running toward him with a wave.
"Hey, I called out to you like three times!" She forced a laugh, catching her breath as she slowed up to him. "Cancel whoever you're meeting up with, I want you to come over,"
Her request was laced with a silent anxiety, Lisanna knowing something was already different about her childhood friend. He looked more expressive than usual, a slight frown and waver pursing on his lips as he shook his head.
"Sorry, Lis, I promised to meet up with a friend today. We're about to meet up to hang out."
"Oh yeah? If you're just hanging, then maybe I can—"
"No!" The pair jumped at his sudden exclamation, even Natsu startled by the strength in which the word surfaced. "I-I mean, it's not that kind of hang out. Um, they're a new friend, so, I, I just want to get to know her. Alone."
Natsu rocked on the balls of his heels as he tried to explain himself further, wincing slightly at the dejected expression shadowing over Lisanna. She tried to hide it with a smile and words that she understood, but walked away in a way that left her demeanor wide open for interpretation.
He wasn't trying to be rude, but he didn't want anyone to interfere with this moment. He'd been dying to talk to Lucy, and barely understood that sentiment himself. Something about her just drew him in, and Natsu wanted to chase the new high of emotions that made him feel normal again.
He didn't have to wait at her door for long, Lucy approaching with a smile and a tilt of her head.
"You could've sat down, you didn't have to wait for me," She said as she pulled the door open, Natsu following in behind her.
"I didn't want to mess with your space." He shrugged, setting his things down across from hers as she knelt to sit at the small table in the room.
"Understandable, I suppose." She answered, watching him with a look of mirth before rifling through her bag. "Want some snacks? We made sugar cookies today in cooking class."
She unraveled a plastic bag tied at the top with a pink ribbon, laying out the pile in between them.
"Figure we can get to know each other a little better over something sweet."
The more time Natsu spent with Lucy, he felt the stress of his continued routine roll off of him in heavy waves. She was a remedy he didn't know he was in need of, something utterly healing encompassed in her aura.
They were similar in a few ways; both an only child, having lost their mothers at a young age, currently living on their own while their fathers worked elsewhere. Which made the two moderately good cooks, though Lucy's cookies were an indicator she might be superiorly skilled.
They didn't touch base on their kiss again, but Lucy did have a question that made Natsu just a little self-conscious.
"I hope you don't mind me asking, but why do you sleep around so much?" She asked, biting into another one of her cookies. "You're pretty sincere for someone who I thought was a playboy this whole time."
"I…I don't go looking for partners or anything," He wanted to clarify for her. "Things kind of just ended up this way after a while. Girls will ask me, and I'm not the best at saying no if I can't think of a reason to get out of it.
"It started around the time my dad had to move for work, I was pretty lonely and one of the seniors at school found out I had a place to myself last year. She…what she did…I don't really like thinking about that night."
"Don't force yourself," Lucy quickly shook her head with a concerned frown. "That must've been hard, I'm so sorry."
"Thanks, Lucy." He offered a half smile, twisting his hand to take hold of the one she offered. Their fingers were lightly intertwined, the smooth feel of her hand calming his rising anxiety.
~000~
Much to the chagrin of his former partners, Natsu was becoming increasingly unavailable after he started spending his time with Lucy. From the moment the bell rang until he walked her home; he wasn't giving his time to anyone but her and Gray.
It was increasingly noticeable as Natsu cheerily greeted her every morning, wearing a smile that made most pause and do a double-take.
Who was she to Natsu that he wasn't even returning their text messages anymore? Even Lisanna, who knew Natsu would come running if she asked, was being side-stepped.
Always with a,
"Next time!" or, "Sorry, Lis, I can't today."
And they knew they couldn't spy, Natsu's superior senses bound to get in the way of anyone wanting to eavesdrop on them.
They watched as Lucy continued to become the object of his affections, the way his eyes watched her in a crowd, the way he lit up whenever she turned to look his way.
He was clearly in love.
Most chose to move on, their needs could always be met by someone else. There were a handful of others that stewed in their growing jealousy, wondering why Natsu never looked at them like that, even though they'd gone further past simply talking to each other.
He never wanted anything to do with them after they had sex for god's sake. They were ignored in the halls while Natsu seemed to take every chance he could get to talk to her.
Was she just his favorite now? What was it about her that was so special?
Natsu couldn't figure it out himself, but found himself too happy to care.
Lucy was so easy to talk to and vice versa, for the blonde towards the dragon. They were two peas in a pod, an unlikely friendship that slowly healed Natsu of the wayward darkness that shrouded him.
~000~
It was about three months into their friendship when the second-year students went on a combined field trip with the third-years to a resort at the base of Mt. Hakobe.
Natsu was content with their relationship, as they were practically attached at the hip by now.
Gray was probably the only one extra excited to be going to one of the coldest places in Fiore, ready to roll around in the snow with his thick fur, Juvia ready with a camera to snap pictures of him when she could.
Their trip was only for the weekend, three days and two nights. Some planned to try skiing and snowboarding, others just ready to abuse the hot tubs and spend all weekend playing games in their room.
Natsu hoped to spend a little time with Lucy if he could, but as they were in different classes, their schedules weren't bound to line up until dinner. But even then the teachers were strict about keeping the boys and girls separate when in the hotel.
He mostly followed Gray and Juvia around, staring off into the distance as he wondered what Lucy was up to.
Lisanna, however, knew what Lucy was up to on the second day of their trip. It had been a long plan in the making, with some of the other girls that wanted to confront Lucy about her relationship with Natsu.
There was no way the two were just friends with the way he looked at her, so they wanted to know; were they exclusive?
It was a simple enough plan; a girl from Lucy's class would ask for help looking for a lost earring, taking her for a walk into the farther end of the nearby forest they were supposed to approach under no circumstance.
Scaring and roughing up the girl wasn't the worst idea, after all, she did have it coming to her. Everyone agreed at one point in time that Natsu was for them all, and if one girl ever crossed that line, there would be hell to pay.
Touka was the one who got Lucy's attention first, begging her to help them find an 'earring' she'd gotten for Christmas and lost on a stroll in the woods with Michelle.
Meredy, Lisanna, and Millianna would be following a ways behind, where all five of them would surround and confront her with the question burning in their chests.
Lisanna had chewed her nails to the quick, she was so anxious. The reality that Natsu had found someone, a partner, made her stomach turn in odd knots and her heart clenched in a way she didn't want to think about. It was painful enough that the dragon pushed her aside, when she thought it'd be no time at all before he was settling for her.
Michelle had managed to find a small cliff edge they could corner her against when Lucy spoke up, a worried tone lacing her voice.
"Did you guys really take your walk all the way out here? We're already on the edge of the restricted area, I think we should head back…" Her words died off as the other three approached from the trees they hid behind, everyone crossing their arms and facing her with a scowl.
"So, tell us, are you and Natsu going out?" Meredy asked first, her glare forceful and upset.
"Yeah, who do you think you are, coming out of nowhere and stealing him from us? We had an agreement, if you didn't know," Millianna added, taking a step forward for emphasis. "He belongs to everyone!"
It was a moment before Lucy spoke, her eyes wide and unblinking before a slow laugh started to rise out of her.
"O-Oh! You can't be serious! Please tell me this isn't why you dragged me all the way out here," Lucy doubled over as she laughed, the girls flinching back at her reaction. She didn't even seem intimidated; was that not the aura they were giving off? "This isn't a movie, what were you guys thinking!"
"S-Stop that!" Lisanna frowned, knowing that she felt worse than the others. She was in love with Natsu, no one else would understand the pain of an unrequited love, how much it hurt just to see Natsu smile with another girl. "We're being serious here! We want an answer!"
"Oh, well, if you're being serious." Lucy rolled her eyes as she wiped away a stray tear, unknowingly taunting them with her continued chuckles. "I hate to break it to you, but Natsu doesn't belong to anyone. He's his own person, he's a person,"
"And honestly I don't think you should be trying to take advantage of him. He's in a better place right now, and I—"
A mental rope snapped in Lisanna's mind. Of course she knew Natsu was a person. He had his own wants and needs, but he never prioritized or even thought about them until he started talking to her. If Lucy had never spontaneously wormed her way in between them, then Natsu might still be with her, making her happy.
"Lisanna!" There was a sharp screech behind her, the white-haired girl only just noticing how hard she was breathing.
It all happened so fast, she just wanted to teach Lucy a lesson, to make herself feel better. To make Lucy just shut up and stop talking like she knew Natsu better than the rest of them!
But she went too far. And pushed Lucy off the cliff.
~000~
Natsu's and Gray's ears perked up as they heard shouts and screams for help, other students turning from where they were playing in the snow. Five girls ran out of the woods, the teachers running towards them as they tried to calm them down.
"Gray-sama, what's…what happened?" Juvia looked at the crowd forming in concern, her boyfriend morphing out of his wolf form as he felt his stomach drop.
"Oh god," His hearing was just as good as Natsu's, ears trained on Lisanna as she sobbed through her story, all of the girls pointing into the trees they came from. "It's…"
"S-She, She fell! T-The snow, it shifted, and she fell off the cliff! L-Lucy! Lucy, she's down there and we don't know—"
A teacher shouted for Natsu to stop, that it wasn't safe, but he wasn't listening. If anything, he was the only one that could get to her in enough time and bring her to the infirmary if she was gravely injured.
He ran without thinking, feeling near sick to his stomach at the thought of Lucy in danger. She'd been such a source of comfort for him recently, moreso, making him feel things he thought lost with the way he'd lived his life.
It wasn't hard to track their scents through the snow, the white powder melting before his foot even touched the ground.
The run took him five minutes, and for five crying girls in the snow, who knew how long it had been since Lucy went over the edge. Looking down, he couldn't gauge how far up it was, but below was a massive stretch of snow. He went diving with unfurled wings, feeling his heart pound wildly inside his chest as her mitten-clad hand stuck out from under the snow that fell on top of her.
It was quick work digging her out, Natsu melting the snow as he tried to keep his panic under control. She'd be okay, anyone would pass out falling from a cliff they slipped off of. The snow didn't help, turning her lips a slight blue that matched the deep puddle of snow dyed red from her head wound.
Natsu felt himself choke, his body freezing in place as he looked at her blood spilled onto the slush. A sick, churning feeling overcame him, the dragon quick to turn his head, letting out the contents of his stomach in the opposite direction of where she laid.
"Fuck…oh my god…shit…Luce," He whimpered, shaking as his body forced him to throw up one more time. He couldn't be weak, not now, not when she needed help. "I-It's okay, it'll be okay, you'll be okay."
He reassured himself as he gathered her in his arms, taking in a deep breath before launching them both into the air.
It was a blur once Natsu touched base and handed her over to the teachers. Gray and Juvia quickly followed him as they all rushed back to the hotel for help. There was an emergency room on site for skiing accidents, Lucy put on a gurney and rolled away before Natsu could ask if she was going to be okay.
"Woah, dude," Gray caught his best friend as his knees gave out, Natsu still shaking in the snow as he tried to process his thoughts. "She'll be okay, there are a lot of doctors here. You need to get checked out?"
Not answering, Gray and Juvia gave each other a sympathetic look before helping Natsu to his feet, finding a nurse to give him a quick look over.
Hours passed as Natsu was made to sit with an IV in his arm to replenish his electrolytes, Gray sitting by his side as Juvia nodded off on his shoulder.
The teachers came by once in a while to make sure he was okay, giving the same news that Lucy was still unconscious every time.
Head wounds tended to bleed a lot, so the loss might've looked more significant than it was, but she had to be under the snow for at least thirty minutes.
What probably kept her from getting hypothermia was her lineage as a fallen star, her normal temperature higher than most. Ten to twenty minutes for any normal person could result in much worse. Which only made Natsu worry more. He was dying to go see her, but couldn't until he finished his bag and got the okay from his nurse.
Gray and Juvia went to bed by the time he was free to go, his nose quick to lead him towards the room Lucy was staying in.
"...when she wakes up, we'll learn the truth. So, I'm giving you a chance, Lisanna. Did Lucy really fall, or did something else happen out there today?" Macao-sensei asked before Natsu passed the corridor the two stood in, Lisanna facing the floor as her shoulders shook.
"It all just happened so fast…" She started, her tears landing against the linoleum in quick succession. "I didn't mean to! Lucy, Lucy took Natsu away from us, and I—"
She lifted her head as she cried out, trying to explain herself. Her eyes were stiff and wide as they landed on the boy in question, who didn't stick around to hear the rest of her excuse.
Did that mean this was his fault? Lucy would've flicked him between the eyes for asking a question like that, but his curiosity was valid. His apathy toward others created a rift he hadn't noticed was going on, but their anger was misplaced. It wasn't Lucy's fault, how could it be? Maybe they were owed an apology for the way he moved on without any explanation, Natsu was just too focused on his new friendship to think about others. He was finally thinking of himself for once.
It wasn't long before Natsu found Lucy's room, opening it quietly as he stepped inside the dimly lit room. She was laid under a couple thick blankets, shivering through the pain of her near frostbite.
"Luce?" Relief washed over him as she opened her eyes a little, a stiff smile gracing her lips.
"Thank goodness, please get under the covers with me," She begged, haphazardly trying to push her blankets down. "I've been freezing for hours and I can barely feel the heater they have on for me."
He snorted, reassured by her usual personality surfacing even when she wasn't feeling her best. He wouldn't think to deny her request in a million years, thankful there was room to spare once he fit himself in at her side. Natsu wrapped his arms around her as she quickly snuggled against his chest, the chattering of her teeth quieting as she sighed pleasantly.
"You're always just what I need," She groaned, rubbing her cheek against him as she cozied herself. "Oh, I feel so much better."
"Yeah?" His chuckle was quiet, Natsu bending to settle his chin on her crown as they held each other.
It was silent for a few moments before Lucy spoke, somewhat hushed.
"I hope you don't blame yourself," She murmured, poking her fingers into his chest. "They were just emotional."
"You got pushed off a cliff, Luce. They stuck you in the middle of all this…whatever the fuck, and…and pushed you off a cliff!
"You're as much in the middle of it as I am," He could hear the pout in her voice as she continued. "They used you, they didn't even care about the way you were feeling all that time, Natsu. I'm glad they stuck me in the middle of things so I could at least defend you, hm? Ugh, if I could, I would just, just—"
"Push them off a cliff instead?" Natsu laughed as she slapped him lightly, sinking further into his person. "I know, I get what you mean, Luce. I won't blame myself."
"I won't forgive them so easily either, so don't worry."
Her quiet laments played a mellow symphony, the dragon closing his eyes and toyed with the ends of her hair. It stayed silent for the next following moments, Natsu focusing on Lucy's breathing as he slowly raised his personal temperature to soothe her.
"You know what was really warm?" Lucy's next sentence was quiet, a pink tinge returning to her cheeks as she pulled back to meet Natsu's gaze. "That kiss you gave me when we spoke for the first time."
Natsu's own blush surfaced as she spoke, her eyes wavering as she continued.
"You kissed me like you'd been dying to for a long time. I never knew you could feel someone's desire like that."
"Desire?" The word felt foreign on his tongue, one he never thought he'd attribute to himself.
"Yeah, dummy," She teased him, trying to smother her own embarrassment. "Was I wrong?"
"N-No, I wanted to kiss you," Natsu confessed, his throat tight as he tried to find the right words to express himself with. "I-I mean I didn't know what I wanted to do, at least I wasn't thinking about kissing you when I saw you for the first time. I saw you walking down the hall once before you saw me in the nurse's office. And then I ran into you that night and…that was the first time a kiss felt so good that I didn't want to stop."
"There's such a thing as being too honest…" Her flush darkened as she looked away, scrunching the front of his shirt in her palms again.
"If you liked it so much…does that mean you…like me?" Her words felt slow and unsure, eyes trembling just as much as the rest of her.
"Of course I like you," Natsu's voice was desperate and genuine, his nose coming down to rub against hers. "You're a really good friend. And I trust you a lot with myself. I never want to leave your side, and I don't think there's anyone who understands me more than you do, Luce."
"I like you too," She spoke with shaky words as their lips were entirely too close to each other. "I really like you Natsu. You're so sweet, and honest, and you're always the best part of my day."
Catching her lip between her bottom teeth, Lucy hoped he could sense her words were a confession. He could be so dense, but where his hands were, and how his eyes followed the trace of her lips, there was unlikely room for error.
Natsu moved to lay her gently against the pillows, straddling himself above her before quickly claiming her lips.
She wrapped her arms around his neck to hold him close, letting out a soft moan as their tongues pressed together familiarly.
Desire, there was a word to describe what made him burn with want for more of her. Lucy was incredibly intoxicating, his thoughts roaming again as she pulled his tongue into her mouth with a swirl of her own.
He tasted her as she sucked on him, feeling his inhibitions weaken as he fell victim to the complexity of her flavor.
"Fuck," He whimpered between them before regaining her with a kiss, pulling her closer and deepening the embrace. "You're fucking perfect."
Lucy smiled against his lips, letting him go for a moment as she picked up his dominant hand.
Her hospital gown had already risen to her hips as she guided Natsu down the plane of her stomach, stopping at the waistband of her panties.
He shot her a questioning gaze, but affirmed it with a kiss on the tip of his nose.
"I want to see how it feels," He could hear the nerves in her voice match with the stutter of his heartbeat. "I want to feel good with you, Natsu."
Natsu held her gaze as he slipped his hand underneath the fabric, already feeling her shudder as he centered his palm over her sex.
He almost moaned himself, feeling how slick and warm she was already.
"We can't be too loud or they'll think something's wrong." Natsu warned her, beginning to explore her more with a kiss to hide her sounds.
He let his thumb press against her clit, swallowing the mewl she shuddered with as he began to work the sensitive bud.
"Feels good?" He asked in a hushed whisper as she nodded, arching her back ever so slightly.
"I-I like how hot your hands are," She stuttered back, Natsu silencing her again as he began to turn up the heat.
Once he felt her begin to slick his fingers, he moved to prod her entrance, Lucy letting out a gasp against his lips.
"Just tell me if it's too much," He comforted her, pressing gingered kisses along the column of her neck as he pushed two fingers in.
His heat was nothing in comparison to hers, Natsu moaning at the sensation of her pussy taking his fingers. His thumb continued to rub circles on her clit, the dragon taking a moment to watch Lucy enjoy the friction of his hand. Her hips bucked as her eyes fluttered shut, quick pants and breaths encouraging him to go faster, to make her cum.
He licked his lips, feeling his own excitement bulge at the sight of her enjoying herself. He wanted her to feel good, to feel so fucking good and come undone on his hand.
Feeling her squeeze down on his fingers as she came made Natsu swell with an unfamiliar inner instinct, one that made him purr as she rode out the unsteady high.
Slowly pulling out of her, their eyes met as he tasted her fluid that dripped from his fingers, a guttural moan reverberating through him. Lucy watched as his body racked, writhing almost, just from one lick.
"Did you just…?"
He huffed, eyes slightly bulged as he took in the sensation that overcame him, his head dipping to fall in the crook of her shoulder.
"I've never...oh, I've never done that before," Natsu breathed out, almost astonished that his body was able to climax so suddenly and without warning. "That was...fuck, you are..."
"You've never had an orgasm?" Lucy blanched, turning to watch his head shake as he caught his breath. "Never? But you—"
"What about me?" Her lips pursed together playfully as he chuckled, lifting his head to press their foreheads together.
"You made me feel good," He groaned, kissing her cheek. "I've never felt so good before. I didn't think that could feel so good."
Lucy raised a hand to rest against the curve of his chin, a slight frown diminishing her mirth. "Never? All this time, and never? Not even once?"
He shook his head again, meeting her concerned eyes as she motioned, asking for another kiss.
"I meant it when I said I liked you, that I trust you. You're so much more to me than anyone else in my life, Luce."
She hummed, beginning to laugh when he began to pepper her with affection. "How did it feel for you?"
"Oh," She answered playfully, wrapping her arms around his neck as he snuggled against her. "Wonderful, of course. I knew I'd love the way it'd feel to have you touch me."
He blushed at her poetic sounding words, pulling them both to lay back on their sides. "Yeah? Were you thinking about me?"
"It'd be pretty hard for me to think about anyone else," She hummed, sinking into his chest once again. "Will you stay with me? I don't want to be alone tonight."
"Let me clean up first? And I promise to never leave your side again."
I hope the transitions weren't weird, that's also something I wanted to work on more but I feel like is so hard with this format
ANYWAYS please please please tell me what you think! Like I want to know your fave parts, typos, literally ANYTHING