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Natsu inhaled deeply, a feeling of contentment crossing over him as her scent filled his nose.
He'd woken up earlier than usual, giving him some time to enjoy this moment. Lucy was fast asleep, and she didn't so much as stir when he pulled her towards him by the waist.
He could get lost in her for hours, regardless of the circumstances. On jobs, at the guild, hanging around her apartment, or just early mornings like this, being together with her was his favorite thing to do. Lucy had an effect on him like no other, and it was clear that his feelings for her were far different than his feelings for anyone else.
The guild was in his heart, he'd protect every member with his life, but it was no secret that the blonde in his arms gave him feelings that even Happy hadn't.
She was like a drug, he found himself being drawn towards her without even realizing it. Every little thing about her drove him crazy, and he fought to keep his transparency. Nothing could best Fairy Tail's Salamander, and he refused to give in to her temptations. Even so, he could let himself be weak every now and again, at least she was asleep, and Happy was in the other room, so there would be no witnesses.
His grip around her waist loosened when he heard her mumble under her breath, afraid of getting caught. She'd probably freak out and kick him out of the bed if she knew he'd been cuddling so close to her, and that'd be no good. Not that it made any sense, they've definitely gotten to a point in their relationship where they're much more than friends.
Between the hand-holding, rainy day cuddles, and letting him and Happy stay over more, Natsu was sure she'd opened up to him in a way both of them had been too shy to do so before. Of course, Lucy would always be Lucy, and she was just too quick to fluster up.
Natsu learned that the hard way, too, when he pulled her flush against him and buried his face in the nape of her neck at the guild that one time. Lucy had flinched away from him so hard, he almost toppled over. Later, in the privacy of her home, they had a talk about it- Lucy said she'd just been startled, but Natsu knew she wasn't ready for that type of affection yet, and he'd give her some time before trying anything like that again, at least in public.
He knows he loves her, but it surprised him to find that he would want so much more from her in their relationship. They'd spent ages as just friends, and even when he realized his feelings, Natsu was fine with what they had. It wasn't until she started getting more comfortable with him did he realize what he was missing.
Natsu longed to be able to tell the world that she was his, to be able to show her off and claim her. He wished to have her in the way Erza has Jellal, to be able to kiss her in public like Gray does with Juvia, and maybe, to be able to start a family with her like Gajeel and Levy.
It didn't help that Natsu had no idea how she felt about any of this. Yes, she had been the one to initiate these affectionate, private moments, but they'd never openly spoken about it. Maybe he was just misinterpreting her actions? Maybe there was nothing special about what they had, that she only saw him as no more than a best friend.
"Natsu?"
The dragon slayer froze at the sound of her voice, closing his eyes and evening his breath to pretend to be asleep. He'd been so caught up in his thoughts, he hadn't even heard her wake. Hopefully she'd think he'd only cuddled up to her in his sleep and wouldn't be too mad.
Lucy turned to face him, quietly eyeing him up and down. She was testing him, he knew, and he struggled to keep still.
She lowered her face to his, her lips meeting his own in a soft peck. It was too much and not enough at the same time, they hadn't done anything like that before. Natsu couldn't help but open his eyes, the sight of Lucy hovering above him was just breath-taking.
"...Hey." She mumbled, a soft smile quirking at her lips as she looked down at his dazed expression.
"Hey." He grinned up at her, threading his fingers through her hair and pulling her back down to his lips. The kiss was just as soft as the first but much longer, the two savoring the intimate feeling. As they separated, Natsu nuzzled into her neck, her airy giggles like music to his ears.
"Lucy…"
"Hm?"
Natsu inhaled her scent as he thought over his words. He didn't want to offend her or scare her off, but he had to know.
"...What do you want from me?"
She laid back down, facing him and idly running her fingers up and down his chest. "What do you mean?"
"I mean… um… do you want more ?" This was harder for him to explain than he thought it would be, and he hoped she'd catch on to his meaning on her own.
Of course, just as she always does, Lucy understood him, and she rested her head atop his pectoral as she thought. "...I do want more."
Natsu caressed her cheek, motioning for her to look him in the eyes. "Like what Gajeel and Levy have?" His voice sounded a little more excited than he'd planned, and he hoped he wasn't making her uncomfortable when he noticed her face redden.
"Um… yes, but…"
"But?"
Lucy bit her lip, looking away from him as she flushed darker. "But… I dunno, I'm kinda scared…"
"Scared of me?" Natsu pouted, he'd hate for her to be afraid of him.
"No, of course not. It's just… I've never had a boyfriend before, I'm scared this'll be too drastic of a change… or, if something bad happens, I'm afraid of our relationship being ruined…"
Despite her words, Natsu found himself smiling at how cute she looked. "I was scared at first, too, but we'll be okay, I know it. 'Sides, you're basically my girl anyway, we just haven't talked about it." He grinned widely, she meant too much to him for him to let their relationship be messed up, and he needed her to understand that.
"I wanna be yours, Luce, and I want you to be mine. Does that make sense?"
Lucy smiled up at him brightly, leaning up to peck him on the cheek. "Yeah… I want that too, Natsu…" The two got lost in each other, their lips connecting in kiss after kiss, each one more passionate than the last. Lucy separated for air before leaning in to kiss along his neck, her hand coming up to feel along his abs.
"Natsu…" Their eyes met, her hungry look betraying the dark red flush of her cheeks. "I-"
"You loooooooove each other!" The two jolted away from one another at the sound of Happy's tease, Natsu groaning in irritation and Lucy squeaking in embarrassment.
"Happy! What- How long have you been there!?" Lucy jumped off the bed and began chasing the taunting cat as he zipped out of the window, chanting something along the lines of, "Wait'll I tell the guild about this!"
Natsu sat alone on the bed, over the moon about what just happened and a little afraid that this was all just a dream. That'd been easier than he'd thought, and he sighed happily as he crashed back down on the covers, inhaling Lucy's scent off of the pillows.
She was like a drug, drawing him in and making him lose himself in her brilliance, and although Natsu hated being bested, she was his favorite battle to lose.