Hello boys and girls. I'd like to tell a story.

It's very unusual for me to do request stories. But an deviantartist by the handle FuckingCute7 asked me to write a story for her picture. I agreed and asked her for the basic outline. This story is a nice change of pace from the Fairy Tail project. I hope you enjoy. Or don't. I won't tell you how to feel.

(Fairy Tail belongs to Mashima. I'm just borrowing his characters for a while.)

Natsu's Sorcerer's Weekly Special

"Another great shoot. Cool!" Jason shouted in delight, as he went through his roll of film. "Lucy-san, you are amazing."

The blonde smiled wearily, glad to be finished.

After Fairy Tail's disbandment, Lucy Heartfilia got a job as both a reporter and a gravure model for the publication Sorcerer's Weekly. This job served several purposes. First and foremost, it gave her a steady stream of income, for both her articles and especially her photoshoots. Second, it gave her valuable writing experience, building her résumé. Third, her schedule was lax so the blonde had time to train herself and her spirits. And finally, because her job requires travel, she could find information on her fellow guildmates.

They had just finished an all day shoot where Lucy was required to wear several high-end outfits. She and Jason celebrated the success of their shoot, sharing a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, when they started talking about the good old days when Fairy Tail was still around.

"I miss Fairy Tail." Jason sighed. "They were always so lively."

"Yeah, that's one way of putting it." Lucy said, taking another sip of her wine. "But I miss them too."

"Have you seen any of them?" The reporter asked.

"I saw Wendy several months ago." She told Jason. "She joined Lamia Scale to be close to her friend Chelia. But other than her, I haven't seen anyone. Though I did write letters to them, I have yet to hear a reply."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Jason sighed.

Lucy smiled sadly. "There are days where I miss them so much that it's hard to function." She admitted. "But I know that one day I'll see them again."

"I'm sure you will." The reporter smiled.

The two lifted their glasses and drank deep. The wine made Lucy feel warm inside. She was more of a social drinker than a heavy one but speaking on Fairy Tail made her drink a little more than she normally would. Cana would be proud.

"So Lucy-san, you must know all of the guild's dirty little secrets, right?" Jason smirked.

The blonde, feeling the effects of the alcohol already, nodded, causing her to be slightly disorientated. This made her giggle.

"You mean like Erza-san having a terrible case of stage fright whenever she performs in front of strangers?" Lucy laughed.

"Cool! Cool!" Jason squealed joyfully. "What else?"

Lucy, a bit intoxicated, rattled off some lesser known facts of her guild, like how Juvia's entire room is filled with handmade Gray dolls and other Gray-stitched items, that 30 percent of all the alcohol in Fairy Tail is drunk by Cana, or Gajeel once made her and Levy dance while he play the guitar. The more she drank, the more she told the reporter. And she had revealed embarrassing secrets about nearly every guildmate except one.

"What about Natsu?" Jason asked in a none too subtle way. The Stellar Spirit magic, giggled tipsily, knowing that her reporter friend was a huge Natsu fanboy. Very well, she figured that she could indulge him.

"Natsu, hmm?" Lucy hummed, a bit drunker than she liked to be. "There isn't much that is secret about him. Well, except for sleeping with me." She hiccupped, giggling in an inebriated manner.

Jason's jaw dropped to the floor. "You ... slept with ... Natsu?" He stuttered.

Lucy waved her hand in a dismissive manner. "Not like that." The blonde laughed. "He likes to crawl in my bed and sleep, sometimes while I'm sleeping. He doesn't sleep with his shirt on so I wake up to his naked chest." The Stellar Spirit mage smiled a bit. "Though there are times when he holds me in his sleep, I feel safe in his embrace."

"Wow." The reporter gasped lightly. "You must really like Natsu."

"Natsu can be so childish at times." Lucy huffed. "He goes overboard when he fights, destroying pretty much everything, he doesn't know how to read the atmosphere, he invades my privacy, he eats all my food, he keeps calling me weird."

Lucy took another drink of her wine.

"But he's also kind and brave." The blonde sighed. "He gives me courage whenever we are in a fight. He always knows what to say or do to make me laugh. He has protected me so many times. I guess that's why I love him."

Even in her drunkenness, Lucy realized what she had just admitted. "And you will never repeat that or write that down." She said in a very dire voice.

Jason raised his right hand. "I promise." He vowed. Lucy seemed satisfied by his promise. However, what she didn't know was that the reporter and crossed his fingers behind his back.

One year after its disbandment, Fairy Tail had been reestablished under the watchful eye of their seventh guild master, Erza Scarlet. Jason had been sent by Sorcerer's Weekly in order to document the guild's comeback. It was his dream come true. Fairy Tail is his favorite guild in Fiore and covering them was never a chore.

Jason was on fanboy overload from the moment he walked into the guild. There was a huge brawl with Natsu, Gray, Gajeel and Elfman. He took an exorbitant amount of pictures, shouting COOL loudly. As he was taking pictures, he noticed Lucy.

"Lucy-san!" He shouted at the top of his lungs.

The Stellar Spirit mage turned around and saw her coworker. "Ahh, Jason. How are you?" She greeted with a smile.

"I've been great." He said with a joyful shout. "My editor loved the article I wrote on Natsu crushing the winners of this year's Grand Magic Games."

Lucy sighed ruefully. She read that article on how he interrupted the winner's ceremony, defeated the champions singlehandedly and nearly burned down the stadium. It also followed Natsu's hearing when he was charged by the royal government and the subsequent burning of the words Fairy Tail on the castle. The article wasn't very flattering to the Dragon Slayer but it described him to the T.

"So they sent me to cover the restoration of Fairy Tail." Jason squealed in a very unmanly way. "And the first thing I see when I come is the guild brawling. COOOOLLL!"

Still the same Jason, Lucy thought, shaking her head.

"You!" Natsu roared, pointing an accusing finger at the reporter after noticing his presence. "I know you. You're the one who wrote that terrible article about me."

"Cool! Cool!" Jason cheered, taking pictures of the pink haired mage. "Give me more of that anger."

"I want an apology for the article." The Dragon Slayer's aura started flowing around him, flames licking his body. "I didn't like it."

The three other guys dog-piled Natsu and the fight began anew with Jason photographing the incident.

Just then, Erza Scarlet stepped into the fray and knocked the males out with one punch.

"COOOLLL!" Jason shouted, taking more pictures.

Erza noticed the flashes from the reporter's camera. "Ahh, you're from Sorcerer's Weekly." She said calmly, as if she didn't just lay the smack-down on those guys.

"Erza, the Queen of the Fairies." He gushed, snapping pictures of the redhead. "I must get pictures of her for my article."

"You are doing an article on Fairy Tail's revival?" The master asked. "If I may, I would like to volunteer one of my guildmates for your article."

Stars formed in Jason's eyes. It looked like he was about to explode in happiness overload.

"I volunteer Natsu." Erza stated.

"What!" The pink haired mage shouted, indignant that he was conscripted into doing something like this.

"You're doing it." She said, using her patented scary face. "We need the positive exposure."

"But..." Natsu protested. But that was the only word he got out as the Knight pounded him into unconsciousness.

"Are there any more objections?" She asked, using her scary face.

Needless to say, there were none.

Jason's studio was just as Lucy as she remembered it. There was a white tarp on a stage, a green screen hanging on the wall, and multiple lights strewn about. There were racks with multiple outfits for men and women. She saw several of the outfits that she wore for the magazine and smiled (or grimaced, it would be hard to tell) at the memories.

"Why do I have wear this?" Natsu complained.

Lucy looked at what her teammate was wearing and it knocked the breath out of her. Natsu was dressed in a form-fitting black blazer with matching black slacks. His scarf was gone, showing off the scar on his neck. His blazer had one button on and he also wasn't wearing an undershirt so she could see glimpses of naked skin. His hair, which was normally spiked upwards, was matted down in a very messy look that somehow made him look absolutely sexy. She could feel her cheeks heating up. The blonde had to admit that Natsu cleaned up nice.

"Because I said so." Erza commanded. "Now get on the stage."

With zero enthusiasm, Natsu stomped onto the stage, still indignant that he had to do this.

"COOL!" Jason shouted, shooting photos of the pink haired mage. "Now show the camera some love."

Natsu frowned, not liking the fact that he was being photographed. The flashes were irritating him. And Jason's exuberant attitude wasn't helping.

"Natsu." The photographer whined. "The camera loves you. Don't give it a sour face."

"I don't want to do this in the first place." Natsu yelled, sharp teeth showing and fire spitting, causing Jason to fanboy and take more pictures.

"Natsu." Erza said in a low voice. "This is for the guild. I will not allow you to mess this up."

The Dragon Slayer sighed. He took several deep breaths and then...

Natsu gave Jason a confident smirk, the one he gave his opponents when he wanted them to attack him. Jason squealed and resumed his picture taking. The pink haired mage lifted his right hand and created fire.

Lucy flushed as she watched the Dragon Slayer pose. Her heart started being faster. This was a side of Natsu Lucy never got to see. Well, that's not entirely true. The blonde had seen him grin that confident smirk, the one he usually showed his enemies. She never took to time to admire that look. That look, she thought, could make a girl fall head over heels in love.

When the traitorous thought crossed her mind, Lucy blushed hard. In the safe recesses of her mind, the blonde could freely admit to herself that she could see herself falling for her pink-haired teammate. Okay, to be fair, Lucy had been imagining herself in a relationship with Natsu for more than a long time. But looking at him pose, it struck her like a lightning bolt all over again, stunning her.

"COOL! COOL!" Jason shouted. "We've got enough."

"Alright." Natsu cheered, ripping the blazer off his body and grabbing his regular clothes. After putting on his shirt, he went over to his teammate. "Hey Lucy. I'm done. How did I do?"

The blonde didn't respond. Natsu waved his hand in front of her face but that didn't get her out of her daze. That was when he noticed Lucy's faraway glance. She looked stunned.

"You're such a weirdo, Lucy." Natsu laughed. He left Lucy standing there as the Dragon Slayer went to the casting table to partake in the free food that the publication offered Fairy Tail.

Two weeks had passed after the photoshoot when the newest edition of Sorcerer's Weekly was published. Advanced copies of the magazine was sent to Fairy Tail, adorned with Natsu's picture. The guild was unusually quiet as everyone in the guild was reading the publication. Lucy, curious as to how Natsu was portrayed, grabbed a copy of the magazine. The picture that was used for the cover was the one with him grinning with his hand raised and flames on his index finger. She had to admit that he looked good like this.

The text under Natsu read Natsu Dragneel: Hottest Man Alive. There were other texts on the cover.

SUPER COOL! Natsu's secret past revealed! Exclusive: His future plans.

Secrets & Relationships: His teammates talk about him

Fairy Tail's Comeback! All the details about their disbandment and revival!

Destructive! Everything Fairy Tail destroyed so far

Lucy laughed under her breath. She knew that Jason had a hand with the texts. After collecting herself, she turned the page to the gallery. As usual, the blonde had to hand it to Jason for creating excellent pictures of her teammate. They really brought out a side of Natsu that Lucy had never seen before, that of a desirable and attractive man, a man who was so the opposite of what he actually is.

Lucy went through the magazine. She skipped the part about Natsu's past and future because Natsu had already told about his plans. The blonde already knew the reason behind Fairy Tail's disbandment and subsequent revival so she skipped that as well. And she didn't need to be reminded of what Fairy Tail has destroyed. That is something she wanted to forget. So curiosity led her to read about what everyone in the guild has said about him.

You may know Natsu Dragneel as Fairy Tail's loudest, hottest and most destructive member. But what do his teammates say about him? This reporter has interviewed many of his teammates and guildmates to see what they say about the mage known as Salamander.

Erza Scarlet: Natsu is an instrumental part of Fairy Tail. He is our main rally man who fills us with courage and strength. He has saved the guild and myself numerous times. There aren't many I trust wholeheartedly in battle than Natsu.

Happy: We are the best of friends.

Gray Fullbuster: An idiot to the Nth degree. Can't think of anything beyond food and fighting. But still, loyal and strong.

Gajeel Redfox: Salamander is my rival. I'm gonna kick his sorry dumbass from Magnolia to Crocus.

Lucy Heartfilia: Natsu can be so childish at times. He goes overboard when he fights, destroying pretty much everything, he doesn't know how to read the atmosphere, he invades my privacy, he eats all my food, he keeps calling me weird. But he's also kind and brave. He gives me courage whenever we are in a fight. He always knows what to say or do to make me laugh. He has protected me so many times. I guess that's why I love him.

You read it here first. Part time gravure model and reporter Lucy Heartfilia of Fairy Tail has feelings for Natsu Dragneel. Can this be the creation of the newest power couple? COOL!

The magazine shook in Lucy's hands. She had to read the article multiple times to comprehend it. She went through a whole range of emotion. The first was shock at reading those words. Disbelief came next, forcing her to read the article again. Anger soon followed, directed at Jason for betraying her confidence. Then there was embarrassment having her feelings printed and displayed for all to see. Finally, there was fear of both Natsu and Fairy Tail reading her secret.

What was Lucy to do? Right now, everyone at the guild would be reading this article. They would see this and... Wait! What if Natsu reads this? The blonde had hardly admitted her feelings to herself. How was she going to explain this when he came asking?

"Lucy!" Natsu shouted at her.

Of course, the Dragon Slayer would come right now. She felt like a cornered animal, trying to escape from a predator. Unfortunately for her, the blonde legs chose that exact moment to turn to jelly. Soon, she found herself staring into those onyx orbs.

"Lucy! Did you read the article?" The pink haired mage asked. Lucy noticed a strange look on his face.

"Which one?" Good going, Lucy. Play ignorant. Let him come to you.

"The one where everyone in the guild says things about me." Natsu said.

Lucy had three options. She could lie and pretend that she didn't read it. But she knew it would be wrong of her. Natsu didn't deserve a lie. She could play it off, either like a joke or a trick on her. Or the blonde could say that it's the truth and play it off from there. However, that came with the risk of ruining what they had of their friendship. There were pros and cons to everything she did. Lucy was about to make a decision when one was made for her.

"I read what you said." Natsu told her, making Lucy's heart stop momentarily. "That asshole photographer keeps making stuff up about me." That last part was punctuated with a growl.

Lucy was flabbergasted. Here she was, worrying about what she was going to say when Natsu took away that card, giving her an out.

"He always does this stuff when he writes about me." The pink haired mage continued. "Trying to sell more copies by printing lies. I know that you would never say those kinds of stuff about me."

Lucy didn't know whether she should be relieved that she didn't have to admit her feelings or insulted that Natsu wouldn't believe her. Then he grabbed her hand, giving the Stellar Spirit mage an unusual warm feeling.

"We are great friends and nakama." Natsu grinned. "We don't need to worry about what some magazine says about us."

A strange happiness bubbled inside of Lucy. Leave it to Natsu to have a way to make her forget her worries. That trait of his was probably one of her favorites. It reinforced those feelings she had of her friend and teammate. It's just so easy to fall for him.

"Yeah." Lucy smiled back, unconsciously grabbing his hands. "We are our own persons. We decide what is true between us."

The moment that Lucy grabbed Natsu's hand, the mood changed. The way that he stared at her with those dark eyes, the heat that his body generated, the way that everything got so intense. The world had dissolved to just them.

"Lucy." Natsu whispered.

"Natsu." She whispered back.

Without any warning, Natsu felt something shatter against his back. Shards of glass fell onto the floor.

"If it isn't the hottest man alive." Gajeel said derisively.

The guild erupted in laughter. Natsu snapped towards the direction of the thrown bottle and saw the Iron Dragon Slayer standing there with a savage grin on his face and his arm outstretched. The pink haired man knew that it was Gajeel who threw the glass mug.

"Come on." Gray joined in mocking Natsu. "Strike a pose for us."

That was all it took for Natsu to charge at the two, throwing the first punch. Gray and Gajeel threw their own punches. And thus, the daily brawl began. Soon, Elfman attacked, joining the fray. And when one of the guys knocked into Cana's beer barrel, she decided to take her revenge for her precious booze.

Lucy could only watch as the ruckus became louder and more expansive. Yep, like that whole conversation with Natsu never happened.

"My, my." A voice behind Lucy gasped in mock horror. "They are just so lively today."

Lucy didn't even need to look to know that Mirajane was behind her.

"This is the same thing every day." Lucy sighed.

"I suppose." The barmaid said with a shrug of her shoulders. "By the way, I read what you said about Natsu."

By the tone of Mira's voice, Lucy could tell that she was implying something even without looking at her. Better not to play her game. "You know how Jason likes to embellish." The blonde told the white haired woman.

"Hmm." Mira gave Lucy a look that said that she didn't believe a word of that. But she let the matter drop as the two watched Erza discipline her guildmates.

It was late in the evening when Natsu and Happy got home. The Exceed was exhausted from eating a whole bunch of fish so he flew to the couch and immediately fell asleep. As for the Dragon Slayer, he went to his room and closed the door. He furtively glanced around his room to check for intruders. After finding none, the pink haired mage reached behind his back and grabbed the Sorcerer's Weekly magazine.

Flipping through the pages quickly, he found the part where everyone said things about him. Natsu ripped out the page with Lucy's words with unusual care. Then, he walked to his bed, dropped to his knees and reached for his duffel bag. The Dragon Slayer dug around and found a giant portfolio.

It may surprise everyone, especially to those in Fairy Tail, that inside the portfolio were magazine pages. They were all of Lucy. When he had learned that she worked for Sorcerer's Weekly, Natsu had found every issue published in the year he had gone to train. On the left side, there were her gravure pictures; on the right, her articles. Except for being ripped out, they were actually in good condition. He carefully placed that article on the right side.

When he was done. Natsu went to put his portfolio away but a page had fallen out. It was a picture of Lucy in a red bikini with stars emblazoned on each piece of fabric. This was his favorite. It wasn't just because she looked good but that was a big part of it, but also because of the article on the back. It was Lucy's words. She was asked what was her favorite moment.

If I had to choose my favorite moment in Fairy Tail, it would have to be the day I received the guild stamp. But after that, it would be the day before when I was quite literally dragged off my feet by someone from the guild. With a smile as we ran, he told me that he would take me to Fairy Tail. And that's when my life truly began. I'll never forget that moment and I am so happy to have met him.

Natsu smiled at the memory. It was only on reflection when he realized how happy he was that Lucy came into his life.

"I'm happy to have met you too, Lucy."

With a careful finger, the Dragon Slayer traced Lucy's cheek. Afterwards, he returned the portfolio back where it belonged. With his precious possession secured, Natsu hopped into bed and drifted off to sleep, a smile on his face.

And that's the end of the story.

The original request had Lucy admitting that she could see herself marrying Natsu. I felt like that was a bit much and so I changed it to what you just read.

Anyways, liked it? Hated it? Have no opinion one way or the other? Leave me a review I'd love to hear from you.

I'll be starting chapter 18 of the NaLu project tomorrow. Until next time...

A. Angel