How To Play The Player
"So let's start for the monthly gathering to catch up on Operation: How To Play The Player!" Cana grinned, throwing herself at Lisanna's bed, a bottle of what seemed to be wine on her hand.
Lucy smiled nervously, her hands twisting the hem of her T-shirt. May weather has been hot this year, summer coming soon. That meant school finished, and Lucy waited anxiously for it.
"Yes!" Levy said, sitting at the desk chair with a fluffy teddy bear in her hands.
Lucy scanned over their smiling faces, until she spotted Lisanna. The white haired girl was sitting in her bed, her fingers intertwined, as she frowned deeply. Her gaze was fixed on the floor, a look of determination in her face.
Lucy gulped down, her eyes bugging out. She's been nervous about these meetings since she's discovered that, in fact, she had a massive crush on Natsu since the graveyard incident, and the great night they spent together at her little apartment. The bastard had stayed for pizza -and maybe a little longer.
How could she tell her best friend that she had fallen for her ex-boyfriend who was now her best friend in the entire world too?
"So, you can start, Lucy," Erza asked. "What did you do? How's Natsu reacting?"
"Uh… he's good," Lucy said lamely. She cursed herself for being a bad liar. But she couldn't hold this much longer. She needed to do something.
"Good?" Juvia asked, frowning. "What does that mean?"
"It means... " Lucy stuttered. "The plan is good?"
"Lucy? Are you okay?" Mira asked. Her blue eyes were filled with worry directed to their blonde friend.
"It's okay, Lucy." Lisanna interrupted. She was smiling stunningly now, all of it for Lucy, who sucked in a breath. "I know."
And in that moment, Lucy knew Lisanna just knew. Who knows for how long, but those blue eyes told Lucy everything she needed.
She felt tears itching her eyes, and she bit her lip in an attempt to hold them back. For the corner of her eyes she could see the rest of her group of friends sharing weird and confused stares, but she only focused on Lisanna's bright smile. It looked so sincere and happy and understanding.
Unable to hold herself anymore, Lucy ran to her and fell on her knees before Lis, hugging her and crying on her shirt. She felt Lis' hands caressing her blonde hair like a mother.
"Don't cry, Lucy." Lisanna said softly, "I guess I should've warned you."
Warned of what? Of his adorable personality that made her laugh and cry from happiness and fall in love in the blink of an eye? Of the cute face he made when he asked her for things? Of that big smile that brightened her world for the whole day? Of the way his tongue twirled when he said her name and it made him look so sexy?
Lucy sobbed, grabbing her friend's shirt in her fist.
"Wait, hold on." She heard Cana said. Oh right, there were people in the room. "What the heck is going on?"
"Juvia would like to know, too."
"Yeah," Erza, Mira and Levy agreed.
Lucy could picture Lisanna giving them a soft smile. "I think our little friend fell hopelessly in love,"
Lucy frowned and broke the hug, trying to give her a stern look, despite her red eyes and her sniffling nose. "I'm not hopelessly in love!"
"Sure," Lisanna mocked, rolling her eyes.
"Seriously!" Lucy argued, pouting.
"I would appreciate it if you clear it up, damn it!" Canna shouted, now angry at being ignored.
Lucy bit her lip and turned around, sitting in the floor, under Lisanna. She brought her knees closer and hugged them, resting her chin over them. How could she say this? That she had failed on their mission?
"Lucy is in love with Natsu," Lisanna sang, clearly amused.
"WHAT?" the others five shouted in unison, shocked.
Lucy understood them. It was similar to her reaction when she realized her true feelings. She'd thought Lisanna would react like that too, but that girl was a box of nice surprises. Literally.
"When did that happen?"
"Why didn't you tell us sooner?"
"Poor thing."
"Lucy! You should've tell us before! And you had to stick to the plan all this time,"
"You really are stupid."
Lucy scoffed. "Thanks, Cana. I needed that."
The brunette shrugged, "You really did. What is wrong with you? Falling for a jerk?"
"He's not a jerk!" Lucy shouted, blushing at her own outburst. "It's not like that… really. I thought that too when I came up with the plan, but… I got to know him more than I'd liked, he's my best friend. I… I don't want to hurt him."
The room fell silent after her words, so quiet Lucy could hear the gears working on their minds, processing the information.
"But!" Mira said, confused. "He broke up with my sis without reason!"
Lisanna giggled. "He sent me some messages too, telling he was sorry and that he wanted to be my friend too." She sighed, throwing her head back and looking at the ceiling. "I was mad at him for months, I admit that. But… I guess I calmed down recently, and besides… Bickslow may be helping me cope with it,"
Now all eyes were on her, "WHAT?"
Levy sighed, shaking her head. "Really, you two. Is there anything else we should know?"
"Yes." Lucy said, licking at her lower lip. "I don't want to continue with the plan."
She closed her eyes as she felt her friends' gazes on her. A weight lifted from her chest the moment she pronounced those words -it's been ages since the first moment she wanted to say that, but she never found enough courage to do it. She's felt like she'd be betraying Lisanna's trust.
"Great," Lisanna sighed. "I didn't want you to do it, actually."
Lucy's eye twitched. "Why didn't you say that?"
"Well," Lisanna said, amusement dripping off her voice. "I really liked how Natsu and you looked together, and I feared you two would stop hanging around if I told you so,"
"Now that you say it," Erza said, placing her hand on her chin. "Lucy's been happier lately."
"Ohh," all of them echoed, as Lucy buried her reddened face into her hands.
"I hope everything turns out great for you, Lu," Levy smiled.
"Juvia agrees! Lucy deserves love!" Juvia grinned. Cana and Erza nodded in agreement.
"Why didn't I notice it earlier?" Mira cried. "I'm seriously losing my touch!"
"Maybe it was because you were too busy hooking up with Laxus to notice the world around you." Lisanna rolled her eyes. Everyone laughed.
Lucy felt relaxed and content now -just leave it to her lovely friends to cheer her up. They were right, she should've just said it sooner, and everything would've been easier. Now that Lisanna told her she was now into Bickslow and that she really didn't care if Natsu made a move on her -she even said she would cherish for them both, to what Lucy blushed.
She loved her friends.
"What'cha doing Lucy?" Natsu asked curiously, eyeing her amused as she stared blankly at the blue cat purring in her lap.
Lucy rolled her eyes, ignoring him. He'd invited her over to his house right after she'd left Lisanna's house that day. While her heart had made a weird flip in her chest, she couldn't help but think that maybe, that day something would change.
She didn't think she'd been imagining the change in mood that happened when they were alone, or the way his eyes sparkled differently as his gaze wandered over her. It was something that wasn't present before, at least, not as much as it was now.
"Stop staring at my cat." Natsu joked. "I know it's blue and cute but with your face you'll scare him off."
Lucy death glared at him -seriously, what part of him had made her fall for him so hard? Oh yes, everything.
"Shut it," Lucy said, returning her attention to the small animal. Happy, the blue cat Wendy got for Natsu on his birthday weeks ago.
"Stop it," he whined, biting his bottom lip. "You're looking at him more than you look at me. It's annoying."
Lucy rolled her eyes, though blush spread on her cheeks. What was with him all of sudden?
"Of course he is."
"Hey!"
Happy meowed and buried its little face into her chest, rubbing it. Lucy watched him in amazement until big hands grabbed him and pulled him off. Lucy frowned at Natsu, who had the little cat in his hands and looked at it with envy.
"You pervy cat." Natsu murmured.
"You're so childish," Lucy joked, trying to hold back a smirk.
"Am not." Natsu argued, sticking out his tongue out at her.
In that moment Wendy and Grandeeney decided to step in, both of them dressed up fashionably, ready to go out. The little girl smiled sweetly at the arguing couple in the sofa, and Grandeeney just snorted.
"We're leaving," the woman announced. Both teens turned their heads to them.
"Bye!" Lucy smiled.
"Okay," Natsu grinned. "Buy me something,"
"As if." Grandeeney rolled her eyes, and shut the door behind them.
He laughed as Lucy watched him. She really liked his laugh.
"Hey, wanna play PlayStation?" he asked, his eyes shining as they always did whenever he asked her to play some kind of game.
And how could she say no to that? "Okay," she said.
"Yosh!" Natsu bumped his fist in the air, before standing up and placing the kitten in the floor cautiously. He ran towards the TV and the console, pressing some buttons Lucy still didn't catch before throwing himself in the sofa with two joysticks. He gave her one, smiling excitedly.
She grabbed it, gulping loudly. He'd sat too close to her.
"What are we playing?" she asked, her mouth suddenly dry.
"Call of Duty!" He shouted, giving her his signature grin. If he only was a bit aware of the effects it had on her.
She forced a smile in her lips, "Figured," He always picked that game, and she admitted it was great. His random shouts always made it all the funnier.
Their shoulders brushed as Natsu leaned back at the time the game started. She knew it was a matter of time before he lost his cool and started moving and yelling at the screen. Not that she was much different, actually.
And so, they started their game, being soldiers and killing others. As she predicted, five minutes later, both of them started to move desperately along the joystick, as if the character would move with them. Note; it didn't work.
What really happened was that their shoulders bumped into the other, and their tights brushed. Once, Natsu kneeled on the sofa and jumped over her like his soldier. She had to yell at him to get off because she couldn't breath.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING COWCAT?" he yelled.
Lucy blinked at him, "Huh?"
"I don't even know. Don't ask."
Lucy shook her head and continued to try to focus on the game, but it was so difficult with him at her side, moving and causing friction between them. She'd love if he just stopped doing it. She was losing her own control.
It was as if he could read her mind, because at one moment, he started to slow down his moves, being more quiet and calm as time passed. Lucy eyed him worriedly; quiet and calm were not words that fitted him.
"Lucy." He said, pausing the game. He never paused a game.
"What's wrong?" she asked, frowning.
Natsu took a deep breath, obviously uneasy. He licked his lips, "I…"
Her heartbeat increased considerably. "Yes?"
"I want to tell you something about Lisanna."
Her hopes were crushed with simple words like that. A knot formed in her throat, but she forced herself to swallow it. It wasn't like the world would end if her said he still loved Lis, or that he wanted to make up with her, or that he never wanted to leave her in first place, and that he only saw Lucy as his best friend. No, things would continue to live happily.
Expect for her, of course.
"Yeah?..." she asked in a whisper, preparing for the worst.
Natsu scratched his cheek and tugged at his scarf, obviously nervous. Oh no.
"When I dated her," he started, "It wasn't because I… loved her or anything. It's just that she was my friend, and I like her a lot, but only as a friend. But my friends kept telling me that she saw me other way and all that, and I guess I knew it too…"
Lucy arched her eyebrow at him, expectantly, letting him go on.
"So I felt like giving it a try wouldn't do much damage, and I know now I was so wrong because I practically screwed it all up but…"
"So you're telling me you only asked her out because your friends told you so?" Lucy narrowed her eyes. It wasn't what she'd been expecting, but it wasn't better either. She would not forgive anyone who hurt her friends.
"No!" Natsu yelled, alarmed. "It's not like that,"
"Then?" Lucy asked. "I don't get what you're saying."
"I'm saying…" he yelled in exasperation and buried his face in his hands, groaning. "You know I'm not good with words, Luce…"
"Apologize to Lisanna right now." Lucy ordered. "Really, she isn't mad at you anymore. She'll answer your call. But you need to do it."
"I know!" Natsu said. "That's why I told you. But I wanted to say something else too-"
He didn't get to finish his phrase, because suddenly Lucy felt something moving near her lower back, causing her to squeal and jump in surprise. She landed over Natsu, who fell on his back over the couch.
"What the heck," he said, looking at her with wide eyes from below. His hands naughtily found their way to her waist, making him gulp hard.
Lucy blushed as she stared at him, her eyes wider than ever. He was so close. Her golden hair fell like cascades around his face, tickling him. Her hands were on his chest, and she could feel the hard muscles beneath his shirt. Damn it.
"Uh…" she stuttered, unable to process a coherent thought.
So they stayed there, big eyes, all blush and no thinking. Just feeling their body heats, their breathing mixing with other, legs a mess, chests pressing together. Who knows for how long before Natsu decided to do something.
"Lucy…" he murmured.
Her breath stuck in her throat when she saw his half-opened eyes, his green eyes darker than ever.
"Natsu?" she asked, her own eyes threatening to close, lowering her face.
"I made that mistake with Lisanna," he caressed her cheek, his warm, big hand touching her soft, pale skin. "But I definitely am not doing it with you. I like you, Lucy."
All she could feel was happiness coming from the bottom of her heart. "I like you too."
So he kissed her.
It was a soft touch of their lips together, but it was better than any of them had felt before. It sent shivers through their spines, a volt of electricity that impulsed them both to go further.
Lucy moved her hands to his jaw, feeling how strong and manly it was. It was… arousing. And more were the growing hairs of his beard. She tilted her head and deepened the kiss, biting at his delicious lip before sucking on it. It elicited a moan off him, and it was music to her ears.
She took it as a chance to let her tongue in, and he happily obliged. The contact ignited a weird fire on her lower belly, one that she's never felt before. But she liked it, because it was warm like him. Natsu obviously won the tongue war, and he just did something that made her moan too, much to her shame.
But he seemed rather proud by it, as she felt his lips form into a smirk. His hands travelled up and down her back, in a soft caress. It was sweet.
But she didn't want sweetness now. She needed him to be Natsu. And that meant hot and rough.
That fire inside her asked for it, and she wasn't in position to say she didn't want it either.
Experimentally, she bumped her hips into his.
He hissed in the kiss. But Lucy was busy blushing to care. She'd felt a bulge there.
She fucking felt his groin.
Even if she was still virgin, she was old enough to know what it meant. And even if it made her blush madly, it fueled her. All of him made her fearless.
"Lucy…" he murmured between the kiss. "If we keep going…"
"Shh," Lucy silenced him with a peck and a secure smile, "I want to."
His eyes were shocked. "You sure?"
She nodded, "Do you think I'd be doing this otherwise?" To prove her point, she rolled her hips, locking eyes with him. The way his face contracted and he squeezed his eyes shut as he bit back a moan, it was so beautiful.
"Damn, Lucy. You're so naughty." He smirked. She squealed when his hand slipped under her shirt, lifting it up as he slowly traced patterns in her back, giving her chills.
"Natsuu," she whined, tugging at his hair.
He chuckled as his fingertips ghosted the clasp of her bra. "What?"
"Stop teasing." Lucy said.
"Like you're the one to talk," he rolled his eyes. He pushed her down into another hot kissing, so hot that when he broke it to kiss her jawline and neck, he left a trail of drool behind. She moaned over him, her hands tugging harder, more pleadingly.
Seeing that he wouldn't go any further anytime soon only to tease her, Lucy decided to act quickly. One of her hands dropped to his lower stomach and got under it, touching his toned abs. She'd only see him twice shirtless and she remembered it all too well. She touched him up and down, feeling the hard muscle clench under her touch. Now now, she liked that kind of power over him.
"Fuck…" he said. And with a twist of his wrist, he took of her shirt, making her squeal in surprise. She blushed when his eyes wandered over her body as if he wanted to eat her right there -and she guessed it was it, after all- but the pressure was overwhelming and she crossed her arms, covering her chest. She blushed hard as she sat on his lap.
Feeling ashamed, she looked at everything but at him. She felt his worried look over her.
"Lucy?" he asked slowly, carefully. "Wait -are you virgin?"
Why didn't the Earth swallow her right now and right there? She's never felt so embarrassed in her entire life.
"Maybe…" she mumbled.
"Oh God Lucy." Natsu said. She shot him a quick gaze, but instead of finding him laughing at her, he looked at her with a soft smile. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to, you know?"
"I know," Lucy bit her lip. "But I want to! I really want this with you."
"We can wait-"
"No!" Lucy said, gulping down her shame and breathing in courage. "I want this with you now."
He may had understood her determined face, because he didn't argue with her anymore. After all, he knew that Lucy would never do something she didn't want to or felt insecure about. Happiness clouded his heart. What did he do to deserve such a girl like her?
"Okay." He said, and took his shirt off. "Now we're the same."
Lucy gave him a grateful smile. Her eyes shone with lust as she moved her hips again. "Woah, it's bigger."
"Shut up!" he groaned, blushing furiously.
Lucy giggled before kissing him happily. He put his hands on her tiny waist, holding her still. If she moved like that again he would completely lose his mind and he didn't want it to happen. Not yet, anyways.
He left her mouth again and kissed his way to her jawline, and then to her neck and collarbone, where he bit and sucked, making sure it would leave her a hickey. Her hands roamed his shoulders and the muscles of his back. So much training was finally worth it.
The tightness of his pants was becoming painful as time passed.
His hands player with his hair until he felt brave enough to tease the clasp of her bra, waiting for her approval to unclasp it. She nodded against him, murmuring a low do it, and it was all he needed to find heaven.
Lucy didn't know if she should laugh or be ashamed at his ogling eyes when he pulled back to take a full view of her naked breasts. It was like a little kid looking at the candy his mother didn't want to buy.
"You're beautiful."
She blushed, but she snorted too. "It's the first time you tell me that and it's because of my boobs. Are you for real?"
He seemed to snap out of his trance. "I never told you that?"
"No," she rolled her eyes.
"But I thought it was so obvious," he stated bluntly. She blushed, even if she's heard it before. But with him, the look on his eyes, it seemed so sincere. He said it because he felt it, he was a simple as that. But so complicated too.
"Oh." Was all she could say. He looked tempted to touch her, but he held back one second before.
"Wanna go to my bed?" he asked.
She blushed furiously and hit his arm. "Don't say it like that!"
"Like what?" he looked into her eyes.
"L-Like that." It was all she could master under his intense gaze.
Before she could notice what was exactly happening, he had grabbed her by the waist and lifted her, obliging her to wrap her legs around his torso for support. Their bare chests touched.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Carrying you to my bed," he smirked mischievously. It was enough to leave her speechless.
But as they went there, an idea crossed her mind. It made her heart sting, but she wouldn't let it ruin what they had. It was just that, she needed to be sure about this first.
"Are you gonna break my heart?" Lucy asked, looking at him through thick eyelashes as he let her in the bed, climbing on top of her.
"No," he murmured, kissing the corner of her lips, "I will treasure it forever if you let me. Are you still gonna break mine?"
"No." Lucy said, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall. Why was he so kind to hear after what she had tried to do? "How did you know it?"
"I'm not stupid," he kissed her lips. "It's pretty rare for the best friend of your ex to invite you to ice-cream after you dumped her. But you know what? I don't care. I forgive you. I love you too much to let you go."
He kissed her tears away, carefully brushing his nose against his neck in a caress. She had to smile at that.
"I love you too." She said, placing her hand on her jaw and looking at him with all the love she had.
He smiled at her.
Deciding that yes, she loved him and trusted him with all her might, she wanted to continue with what they started.
Swallowing her pride, he took her hand in his and placed in in her breast. "Do it."
He blinked a couple of times before a smile crept on his lips, and he gladfully continued with his job. He squeeze it, savoring the feel of the softest skin in his calloused hand. He kissed his way down to her other breast, where he kissed her nipple and sucked on it, gaining some delicious sounds from her. He continued his ministration for a while, until she couldn't take it anymore and bumped her hips into his forcefully, making his moan on his own.
"Natsu." She begged. He decided he liked that voice when she said his name.
"Eager much?" he teased, leaving her mound with a plop.
"Stop it."
"You know you love it," he winked at her.
"Player."
He rose to her face and smirked cockily. "Yeah. And I'm playing with you now."
Word Count= 4015.
Ahh, last chapter. Well, it's been a fun ride with you guys acompaniyng me. I hope you liked the story, and I have no words to thank you all enough for what you did for this. You guys are all beautiful and I love each one of you!
AND GUYS! stolenfruitsnack (on Tumblr, go follow her) made amazing art for this fic and it's the first time someone draws for me and I'm so happy! Go check it out at my blog! (bookalchemist).
I was thiking of making an epilogue but I don't know... I can't promise anything.
Shout outs to: shy anime girl - fanakatsuki - NaLu x Buckets - Mrs. Limited Edition - FairyTail555 - nicole143mb - NoraRabbit - CelestialGoddess - Fanfic Lover - Guest.