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Challenging a Dragon

January 29th, X795

So many wants, so many leads, and yet so many dead ends. She just didn't have enough brain power to function properly like she would have preferred at the moment. Her mind kept running into an impenetrable steel wall. One she desperately tried to scale in any form possible. The aggravated blonde-haired woman chewed slightly on the back of her pen, lost deep within the jungle known as her thoughts, before she huffed in annoyance at the blank piece of paper in front of her. That usual spontaneous creativity was nothing but a burning pile of mush today.

Pressure was on as her first novel, The Adventure of Iris, had been a massive success. The book, which took nearly a total of ten years to complete, had finally reached store shelves and to her surprise was immediately out of stock by the end of the first week. At first she believed people purchased it just because many citizens practically bought any Fairy Tail related item for the sake of it, whether to support their guild's cause or those who were identified themselves as super fans. But the overwhelming amount of praise she received regularly while walking through town or out on a job slowly changed that mindset. Before she had even known it, her writing had turned from just a simple hobby to a second line of work. Lucy realized she had real potential to make it in this new industry. And she was determined to not become another one-hit wonder. So, how was an author supposed to avoid that dull fate which has claimed many before?

The Celestial mage had come up with an answer. They had to keep writing! She had to keep writing. Lucy had been in the process of that very thing before her intellectual hardwiring malfunctioned. Now Fairy Tail's established author leaned tiredly into the back of her swivel chair. Somebody might've thought that the sudden squeak of the chair components was some great door having been opened which would reveal a room full of unexplored ideas. Instead that imaginary gateway remained sealed and she stared into oblivion. Lucy sighed from exhaustion. That first book was published nearly two years ago and here she was only a quarter way through the second.

It wasn't physical fatigue that plagued the aspiring writer. It was more mental fatigue. Brown-doe eyes ditched the paper momentarily as she focused on finding something of interest. Something that might set off a spark. Big or small, it didn't really matter to her, anything would work as an idea at this point. She noticed it was another beautiful day in Magnolia, chilly but peaceful, and the scene outside her apartment window obviously proved that. It was to be expected too. No rain for the fifth straight day meant people were out in abundance despite the cold. The desperate woman watched them walk alongside the road and by the river. She imagined that the water must have been freezing.

"Come on, Lucy…" She muttered as she spoke to herself. "You can do this."

The blonde had always been proud of her brain, in part for its ability to churn out brilliant ideas in a timely manner, however now she couldn't help but be disappointed by it as that glory was all locked away for the time being.

She went back to glaring holes at the untouched material. Perhaps if she stared at it long enough it would catch on fire? Should she set it on fire? Those pyromaniacal thoughts were placed on hold as a literal pyromaniac appeared through her window.

"Hey, Luce!" He spoke in greeting before flinging himself onto her recently made bed. The fire mage yawned rather loudly. "I forgot how comfortable this thing is. It's soft. Just like a cloud!"

The key wielder again sighed, this time rubbing her eyes. Natsu was always like this. Always stealing her thunder. Always showing up when she was trying to get something productive done. Always—

"Natsu!" She spoke incredulously, pulling herself out of the internal rant, as it finally dawned on the blonde that her best friend had just unceremoniously destroyed all her morning progress. "I just fixed that!"

His head turned slightly as he propped himself up on his elbows and gazed at her with an unreadable expression.

"I know." He suddenly smiled playfully. "That's why I did it!"

Her brow furrowed. There it was. That smile. That infuriating, charming, and smug expression that she knew so well. For she saw it every day. Luckily Lucy had become an expert on how to handle it. Some say she was a member of a very exclusive club. S-Class when it came to putting Natsu Dragneel in his place from time to time. One of Fairy Tail's best outside of a certain redhead and the occasional platinum scolding.

Unbeknownst to Natsu, for he somehow forgot about the secret weapon every intrusion, his friend's fingers had already grasped onto the object of his nightmares. A convenient fluffy, pink pillow which lay idle around the corner of her desk. It was now firmly in her hands.

She chucked the pillow at him, aiming for his head. But this time a rare outcome transpired. Lucy Heartfilia missed! The blonde blurted a curse before freezing up out of embarrassment. She had actually just expressed a swear word for something so miniscule. At that his tempered laughter only skyrocketed. It was a genuine sound and yet still it made her want to punch him. She thought better of it. With how her luck was going today, she'd probably miss that mark too and end up hitting herself somehow.

Natsu swatted the pillow as he sent it flying off the corner of the bed. Yeah, she had missed that bad.

"Come on, Lucy! You know you love it when I'm here." The fire dragon slayer smirked and she saw a glint radiate from his sharp canines. "Plus, you know I'd never let anyone else touch this bed." He paused and Lucy inclined her head now obviously interested by that statement. "It's ours."

Lucy's curiosity swiftly turned into shyness. She felt her cheeks flush and imagined her face must have looked like the outer layer of a strawberry. Nevertheless, a tiny thrill shot through her at the thought that he viewed them sharing a bed like some sacred treasure. Natsu always had a way of making her feel special. Even when endlessly driving her up the wall with his antics. To be fair he did often show a sweet side that only few saw on full display. So, she knew she was special to him. Maybe, just maybe… this goofball wasn't as dense as everyone thought him to be?

"Because if you break it with those little tantrums you occasionally have then I'm not replacing it!" He pointed out and she groaned at how his childishness really soured that last thought.

Forget everything nice she just said about him. He was the worst. He was the bane of her existence. He was a nightmare come to life. She rolled her eyes at his teasing and returned to glance at the blank paper waiting patiently in front of her. If only it knew about how her patience was running thin.

Natsu noticed the tension between his special writer and her tools and couldn't help but speak on it. "Want me to light it on fire?"

A giggle escaped that boiling reactor. The Celestial mage rotated herself in the swivel chair as she stared at her partner desperately.

"I can't think of anything." Lucy admitted. "I'm stuck. All out of ideas."

Surprise graced his features. "Seriously?" She nodded. "But you've always been able to come up with something."

The blonde threw up her hands to express the severity of her writer's block. "Well, obviously not today, Natsu! I'm burnt."

She leaned back into the bulk of the chair, enjoying its support, and sighed for the third time that day. Lucy had a feeling that wasn't the last time she'd do so either. The pinkette lifted himself off the very thing he vandalized. He stared at her considerately.

"Maybe you just need a little break?"

"What good would that do?" She asked tiredly. "That'll only slow the process down further."

Natsu was taken back at how fast his suggestion had been shot down. He frowned as he stood next to her deep in thought. Lucy had just now become aware that he had gotten up from the bed.

"Take a break, Luce." Natsu again tried, putting more emphasis into his words this time around. "I'm sure it'll give you a refresher. Maybe all you need is just some time to relax?"

She was eager to follow his line of thinking. Rest was definitely warranted for how much she'd worked the last few weeks but a greater side of her wanted, no, needed this chapter to be completed. If she stopped now it might as well never get finished. So, stubbornly, Lucy turned away from his peering eyes and began to write the first thing that came to mind.

"Natsu can't make me do anything." He sounded out aloud, partially amused, as he carefully read that sentence over her shoulder. A squeak escaped her at his close proximity.

Lucy groaned at her new dilemma. That's what she had written?! Of all things… God, she was so stupid!

"You're right." He nodded, this time to himself. "I can't." Another glint caught Lucy's eye as she just so happened to look over her shoulder. Scratch that, it wasn't a glint. A sparkle now filled those mischievous black eyes. She had just invoked the wrath of Igneel's prodigy!

A shiver went down her spine. He had been challenged and if anyone knew anything about the heart of Fairy Tail, it was that he never backed down from one. Not even when it came to women. But Natsu didn't hurt women. Hell, he rarely ever grazed them with a finger. No, he did something far worse with them. The dragon slayer made them laugh. Alarmingly, Lucy observed her current position. She was wedged between the desk and her chair. There was no out besides sliding backwards. And if the sudden weight on the back of her headrest spelled anything, well, all it spelled was doom.

"I-I'm not afraid of you…" The blonde spoke courageously despite the fact she had already started to shake out of nervousness.

"I know." He quipped.

His hands glided through the space below the chair's armrests. She hated being tickled. He knew that too.

But Lucy had something up her sleeve. They both knew he wouldn't force the move. As long as she just remained leaning forward he couldn't act. From there all she would have to do is wait him out until he got bored. He always gave up after a short amount of waiting. She was for once grateful for his poor attention span. Unfortunately for Lucy, at that very moment, a draft of air courtesy of her wide open window, brushed against her exposed skin and she shuddered backwards instinctively. Right into his awaiting hands. Big mistake.

Within seconds those warm hands had wrapped firmly around her waist. Normally she would have been at ease at his sudden touch. His company always helped soothe her worries away, but Lucy knew better than to think comfort was coming her way on this special day.

"Thanks, Wendy." She heard him whisper next to her ear and the woman in question could only assume he was referring to the wind gust that had spooked her. "Should've stayed still, Luce. Now it's game over." He murmured, his voice soft and yet still frighteningly dangerous.

Her heart beat faster. The Celestial wizard had already started to sweat and he hadn't even done anything yet! She was so screwed. To add to her demise, Lucy did the unthinkable.

"Do your worst."

She wasn't exactly sure why she had said that. It was quite possibly the worst thing she could have muttered to a prankster such as Natsu. All she could think as his hands unlatched from her waist and those fiery fingers spread over her ribs was that it must have been the Heartfilia pride running through her veins.

Or maybe it was just plain stupidity.

Natsu let out a hearty chuckle as he began his assault on her ribs. It started out as just a soft touch, barely connecting with her skin, but after just a single minute he'd increased his pressure tenfold. His fingers soon dug into her flesh. She tried to squirm away, but his grip on her was unyielding and it wasn't like she could have gotten away if she wanted to. Her attempts to escape only fueled his mischief. As the minutes ticked by, he tickled her harder, faster, and more mercilessly.

Her mouth opened to tell him to stop, but she closed up once his fingers darted up and down her sides. Lucy couldn't voice her disapproval due to the constant laughter that her friend evoked. He primarily targeted her ribcage but bombarded her sides just as much. Natsu knew all her weak spots. He worked her over to the point that her muscles burned and her breath came out in ragged gasps.

"You did say you were already burnt. So, I'm just trying to rekindle your fire." He whispered slyly as his relentless attack on her fragile figure gradually decreased until the torment finally dissipated altogether. Lucy was almost a hysterical mess by the end of it as he backed away and allowed her room to maneuver. He waited a few seconds for the still woman to make motion, any motion, before he carefully approached her. "Luce?"

The dragon slayer was mentally prepared to either be glared upon, punched, Lucy Kick'd, or all of the above… so when he pulled her chair backwards and spun her about, it's reasonable to say Natsu was shocked at the sight. His friend's eyelids were shut and she was slumped rather unladylike in the seat. His mouth parted slightly. He had tickled her plenty of times, but never to the point where she had fallen asleep!

Fairy Tail's strength trembled in front of its famed author as fright from the implications set in. Not only was Lucy going to kill him when she woke up. But so were the rest of her friends! And maybe the rest of the guild! It took every ounce of willpower to not hightail it out the window and sprint to his home in the woods, but Natsu knew there was no way he could just leave her sprawled out like that. Gildarts would definitely kill him! He might have been raised by a dragon, but he knew the basic qualities of a gentleman. So, Natsu for once put that knowledge to good use as he carefully hauled the unconscious woman out of her chair and carried her to the bed. He quietly chuckled thinking back to that earlier conversation. The mutual agreement had been that it was their bed. They voluntarily shared it.

"Alright. Let's get you situated; I suppose." Another new word she'd recently taught him.

Tucking the blonde in was a simple task. It was something he'd done from time to time specifically whenever she was drunk and could barely stand on her own. Cana had been so nice as to give him some pointers on how to properly do it, although he wasn't quite sure why he needed to know that in the first place. Sleeping was, well, sleeping. How could such a basic thing have rules to it? Why did she have to be undressed when asleep? He slept in his clothes all the time!

"I'm not doing that." Natsu frantically shook his head of any impure thoughts. "You're crazy, Cana. In fact, my whole family is!" That last line referred to the Strauss sisters.

Part of him believed there was some double meaning to their words. Scratch that, he knew there was a hidden motive to their advice. Natsu just wasn't sure who or what it was meant for.

"Sometimes I feel like we might be the only normal ones in this guild." He spoke amusedly. "Oh, and I guess Happy too. But he's sometimes just as wild as the rest of them."

Feeling one last spark of playfulness in him the content fire mage picked up the once discarded pink pillow and placed it in her empty hands. She unconsciously clutched it tighter to her chest, beaming up at him in her sleep.

Natsu silently watched her for a few moments before he spotted a small blue ribbon which held up a portion of her now staticky hair. He would never admit it to anyone publicly, but he enjoyed seeing his friend more whenever she was sporting just her natural beauty. She didn't need any fancy or glamorous gadgets in his eyes. Lucy was perfect just the way she was. So, acting on his interests for once, he reached his hand out and removed that clipped ribbon. Like dominos falling, those once tied golden locks slipped free and fell loosely around her shoulders.

"There you go. That's much better." He smiled.

The slayer was glad he'd been able to help her achieve peace despite the peculiar circumstance. Her howling laughter still rang faintly in his ears. It was a new memory that he'd likely cherish to the end of his days. For Natsu didn't know how to get any closer to his best friend. Or maybe he was just too scared to mess up an already great relationship.

"Enjoy your rest, Luce." He spoke sincerely. "Sweet dreams."

Thank you to everyone who favorited, followed, and reviewed last chapter. Feel free to leave suggestions for future chapters, you never know, I might just tap into and use some of your bright imagination!

If all goes as planned: Chapter 16 "Blue Peril" for Dragon Rage should be updated by the time this story gets updated. If it's not... I don't know. Maybe I fell asleep or something and forgot to hit publish, haha.

NOTE: This story will be going on a two week break so I can finsih up my entry for Day 5 (July 5th/Protective prompt) of Nalu Week 2024 hosted by all those wonderful people in The Nalu Archive community. So that will be the next time this story is updated. Sorry to keep you all waiting but hopefully this chapter was enough to end the month! Go check out Dragon Rage too if you haven't! It's a cool story, trust me :)