Phew! *cracks knuckles* Guys! This one really took it out of me. Just like Lucy in this story, I'm only decent at flirting under the right circumstances, so this took me a while to feel comfortable enough to post. I'm still not 100% satisfied, but let me know what you think!

Aren't they precious though? Things definitely heat up towards the end of this chapter, so get your fans ready!

Just so you know, a cashout is a piece of paper servers print out at some restaurants that tell them a bunch of information like their total sales, an estimation on what they should have made in tips, and how much they owe the store.

Am I supposed to do a disclaimer every time? I don't know. Anyway!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of it's characters. All rights belong to Hiro Mashima (bless him)

TRIGGER WARNING: A description of physical abuse is present in this chapter. If you do not feel comfortable with this type of content, please do not read. I'll make a mark in the chapter where the scene begins and ends.

On with the story!

"Alright ladies," Lucy called out from behind the bar, "its power hour. Time to start your side-work if you haven't already!"

Satisfied with the few nods she got from the servers, she turned to scoop up empty pint glasses that had been left at the bar by her last couple of customers and placed them next to a stack of plates she needed to bring to the dish pit. For what seemed like the thousandth time that week, Lucy found her mind slipping to a pleasant memory of an unfairly handsome pink-haired man smiling brightly at her.

…

They had been talking quietly for a few minutes, friends forgotten as they completely blocked out the bustle of the restaurant around them. Lucy was mystified at how she had managed to keep up the conversation for so long. In any other situation, she would have taken the first excuse she could find to escape, but something about him made her want to keep talking. It was just so easy with him.

"You smell amazing by the way."

Lucy sputtered a little, not expecting the strange compliment. "I'm sorry, what?"

He gave her a knowing smirk as he turned his body more towards her, a light chuckle playing on his lips as he continued, "I said, you smell amazing. I gotta say though, I never would have pegged you as the smoking type."

She tensed at his change in posture, but only for a moment. She was determined to keep up the simmer that was slowly building between them. Steeling her nerves, she echoed his movement before she flashed him a coy smile and continued "I guess I'm full of surprises." Her voice came out so smoothly she almost didn't recognize it as her own. Something about this man made her feel powerful.

"Speaking of surprises, you never answered me earlier." He looked her up and down with a mischievous smile, his eyes tracing her curves as his tongue peeked out to wet his bottom lip; Lucy shivered slightly under his gaze. "How the hell is it that someone like you is single?"

"I guess I'm just picky." She hummed as an uncharacteristic confidence overtook her, most likely brought about by her escalating crossbuzz paired with his predatory stare. "I can't go around dating just anyone, now can I?" A sly smirk graced her lips as she leaned in to get a better look into his deep green eyes, chin resting on the palm of her hand.

"No, I guess not." His voice was a low rumble as he reciprocated her movement, the back of his hand coming up to stroke her arm at a deliciously slow pace. Goosebumps riddled her skin. His olive orbs bore into her, making her pulse thud loudly in her ears as an intense heat gathered in her gut. "So, what do you say? You gonna come party with us?"

…

Lucy groaned at herself when she thought back to that night. Even though she had really been enjoying their banter and she really wanted to throw caution to the wind and let Natsu lead her on a wild late-night adventure riddled with pleasure and ecstasy, she couldn't ignore the sirens wailing in her head. At the end of the day, they were strangers; going off into the night with two men she just met with no way to get home on her own just wasn't responsible. She had to consider her own safety first, and it simply wasn't a risk she had been willing to take. And so, offering lame excuses of being tired and needing to go home and feed her dog Plue, Lucy turned him down before taking the last swig of her beer and gathering her things to leave for her walk home.

…

"Maybe I'll see you again sometime then!" He had called to her as she made her way to the dark hallway leading to the back door.

"Maybe." She giggled as she turned around to face him one last time, walking backwards as she spoke. "You know where I work." She winked before turning away and walking out the door.

…

Though she had feigned confidence that night, Lucy and her ever-present anxiety had really blew it.

It had been a week since she met that beautiful man, and she hadn't seen hide nor hair of him since. Lucy wanted to kick herself for rushing out of the restaurant the way she had. She had felt uneasy about saying no, and knew that if she stayed, he would have inevitably been able to talk her into joining him. Her desperate need to avoid disappointing people—something she had clearly done based on the way his sexy smirk had fallen to a pout—would have eventually broken her down. So, rather than stick around and allow her resolve to be whittled away at, Lucy did what she does best; she ran away.

Idiot, she thought to herself, you could have at least asked for his number!

As if she of all people would have ever had the guts to do something like that.

Heaving a sigh, Lucy glanced up to scan the dining room. Two tables remained, their occupants visiting with each other leisurely, already paid in full. Things in Hargeon seemed to come to a standstill once 8 o'clock hit, almost as if the town were under a spell. The last two hours they were open were usually unbearably slow with a couple stragglers trickling in here and there, but never anything dramatic enough to help the time go by faster. Shifting her gaze, she stole a glance at the clock for what seemed like the hundredth time in the past hour.

9:26 P.M.

"Thirty more minutes and we can close." She whispered to herself, before grabbing a rag out of a nearby bucket filled with soapy water to use on the sticky surfaces of her bar. She was facing away from the dining room as she began to wipe down the station where extra glasses were stored when she heard the familiar chime of the front door, signaling the entrance of a new customer. She stifled a groan moments later when she heard the scrape of a barstool being pulled out and the plop of someone bellying up to the bar.

Great! Of course I get landed with the last damn table of the night!

She forced herself to keep moving as she issued a greeting. "How you doin' tonight?" She knew it sounded strained, but at this point she really didn't care.

No response.

Letting out a small sigh, she plastered a strained smile onto her face and prepared to put on the charm as she willed her body to turn. If she was going to be forced to tend to the new comer, she was at least going to try to get a decent tip out of it.

Natsu made his way up the ramp to the entrance of the restaurant. Peeking through the large front windows he scanned the dining room until his eyes fell on a head of long golden hair. Sweet! She's here! Finally!

He was pissed at himself for not getting her number last week, and had since tried a few times to catch the blonde while she was at the restaurant. It seemed like every time he stopped by though, Levy was the one manning the bar. As he approached the door, he noticed the white decals on the glass giving the business hours for the establishment. He skimmed through them to find the times for Friday.

11:00 AM – 10:00 PM. Damn. They're about to close. Oh well, he shrugged, no turning back now.

Natsu knew that entering the restaurant this close to closing time might dampen his chances with the gorgeous bartender, but it was a risk he was willing to take. He had to see her again. Steeling his nerves, he grabbed the handle of the door and pulled it open, a high-pitched chime announcing his arrival. He noticed her still at the sound for a moment before she returned to methodically wiping down the surfaces of her bar. She stilled once again as he pulled out the barstool to have a seat, never once turning around to see who had entered.

He could tell from her body language she was annoyed. Her body was rigid, and he could almost visualize the scowl on her face as she forced herself to continue moving and issued a greeting. I bet she's really cute when she's mad, he thought to himself as an amused smile lit up his features.

"How you doin' tonight?" She called out, her voice slightly strained with annoyance despite her attempts to sound jovial. He didn't respond. He wanted to mess with her a little more, getting amusement out of how flustered she seemed.

Lucy let out a quiet sigh as her muscles seemed to relax somewhat. When she finally turned, his heart stilled for a moment. Even though her smile seemed forced, it still lit up her face in a beautiful way. Her cheeks bunched up to show off their natural rosiness, and her eyes sparkled like the stars in the night sky, unencumbered by light pollution. His face cracked into a wide grin as he raised his hand into a motionless wave; her eyes widened as she sputtered in astonishment.

She's adorable.

Natsu watched her face light up as she registered who he was, a light blush dusting her cheeks, "Oh! H-hey there!"

"Hey yourself!"

"Natsu, right?"

"I'm glad you remembered," he exclaimed as his smile widened impossibly with boyish glee, "and you're Lucy!"

"Yep! I sure am!" Her smile seemed relaxed, but it never fully reached her eyes; her body still held a tenseness to it.

Natsu furrowed his brow slightly as he watched her fidget nervously. Uncertain of what to say she put her head down to stare at the counter. His eyes shifted to watch as her hand idly moved a rag back and forth over the same spot of the surface in front of her. She almost looked afraid to speak. "S-so uhh, do you need a menu?"

He pulled his gaze back up to meet her russet eyes as he smiled at her warmly. He didn't like seeing her, or any woman for that matter, look so nervous and was determined to ease her apprehension. "Yeah! I wanted to try something new today. You seem like you know everything there is to know about this place. Maybe you could help me out?"

"Yeah, of course!" She walked over to a stack of menus that she kept behind the bar as she rolled her shoulders forward a few times; the movement easing a little more tension out of her spine, but some still lingered. Walking back over to where he sat, she slid the menu in his direction, a blush still noticeable on her cheeks as she continued, "But first, what are you sippin' on tonight?"

Well, at least she isn't stuttering anymore.

He ordered the same fiery beer as last time and chuckled slightly when she raised an incredulous eyebrow. He knew it was an unorthodox choice, but he loved the feel of a good capsaicin burn.

As she turned to grab a chilled pint glass from the cooler behind her, he took advantage of the opportunity to take in her features fully. She wore her golden tresses half-down with the top half pulled into a messy top-bun. Her t-shirt clung tightly around her full breasts before falling loose as the swell curved inward at the bottom. It was tucked into the hem of her high-waist shorts, drawing his gaze automatically to skim over her deliciously curvy hips before finally landing on her perfectly rounded cheeks and thick thighs.

Fuck. She's hot.

She twirled the glass in her hand. Her movements were methodical and fluid, as though they came as naturally to her as breathing. As one hand held the pint glass at an angle to keep the foam to a minimum, her other hand reached behind her to grab a notepad and pen from beside her computer. Not a drop was spilled.

With a sweet smile on her face that left his breath hitching, she made her way back over to him, hips swaying. "So, is there anything specific that you're craving?"

He wanted to say 'you' with a devilish smirk on his face, but since he was trying to avoid making her nervous, he opted to ask a question instead. "What do you guys have that's got a lot of meat in it?"

She smirked at his request. "A lot of meat? Hmm…" she gently tapped her index finger on her lower lip as she contemplated the question. He was starting to recognize this as a cute habit that showed she was mulling something over in her head. "You could try the Barnyard. It's our meat lover's pizza."

"Nah. I had pizza last time. What else is there?"

"No pizza, huh? Well, how about a sandwich? There's the Philly sub. You can get it with shaved steak or grilled chicken mixed with sautéed onions, peppers, and mushrooms; it's dressed with mayo and provolone. The cooks are usually pretty generous with the meat."

"That sounds perfect!"

"Great! Chicken or steak?"

That's a tough one. "Umm, can I do both?"

"Both?" She voiced in confusion.

"Yeah. Chicken and steak. You can never have enough protein!"

Lucy giggled, and Natsu sighed in relief as he watched the last bit of tension finally leave her body. "I can't see why we wouldn't be able to make that happen. I can run back and ask the cook before I put it in. It comes with fries. Is that okay? Or did you want another side?"

"Fries sound great. Thanks Lucy!"

She gave him a wink, and turned to hustle back to the kitchen, giving Natsu another satisfying view of her rear end, bouncing lightly as she jogged away. He licked his lips subconsciously as she rounded the hallway to the kitchen, yelling a quick 'corner' as she went.

Lucy couldn't believe this. She could feel the blush burning her cheeks as her heart thudded in her chest violently. Right on the other side of the wall was literally the most attractive man she had ever met; the same man she had been shamelessly daydreaming about and fantasizing over for the last week. He was just as charming as she remembered; a perfect mixture of child-like enthusiasm and sultry flirtation.

She took one final breath to calm herself before exiting the kitchen. "Corner! Hey, good news! Looks like the cooks are feeling generous tonight. You sir, are getting yourself a custom sub!" She stopped at the computer and started putting in the order.

"Yus!" Natsu raised his right fist into the air in victory, flashing her his signature boyish grin.

In the silence that followed, she opted to pick back up on her side-work, determined to still make good time. There were 20 minutes left. If she just hunkered down, she would still be done with breaking down the bar by the time they officially closed at 10. Grabbing five liquor bottles between her fingers, she made her way over to the liquor cabinet where the spirits would be locked up overnight. She could feel Natsu watching her as she moved, but she opted not to comment on it, enjoying the attention she got from the pinkette.

"So," he began, "I know your name, I know you're a bartender, and I know you're pretty hot. What else is there to know about you Lucy?"

She sputtered at his assertive compliment as her cheeks burned viciously, completely taken aback by his newest line of questioning. "Well uhh- wha-what did you want to k-know?" She rolled her eyes internally at her shaky speech. Fucking wow. Way to be smooth.

Rather than rephrase his question though, he only raised a brow in confusion. He studied her for a moment, seeming deep in thought about something before he finally spoke. "Why are you so nervous all the time? I'm not gonna bite you, you know."

I'm not gonna bite you, you know.

Lucy's body froze as a memory she had desperately tried to repress sprung to the forefront of her mind.

…Trigger Warning: Physical abuse and in this section...

She had been pissed when he didn't come home until 4 o'clock in the morning once again, and had threatened to leave. Next thing she knew, Dan had her pinned to the wall, his hands on her wrists as she desperately flailed her arms in an attempt to escape his firm grasp. She was screaming, begging him to let go. He didn't like her thinking she could question him though, so he didn't comply; he wanted to teach her a lesson.

She freed one hand and pressed her forearm into his face, doing everything in her power to push him away. A snarl ripped from his mouth as he bit down into her flesh, hard, drawing blood from her skin and a scream from her lips. Taking the opportunity as she pulled back in pain, he backhanded her across the face and shoved her to the ground, her head slamming into the wall behind her as she fell.

A fresh bruise was beginning to form just under her right eye as her body slumped in defeat, knowing full well there was no chance she could overpower his hulking form. She just shut up and shut down, pulling her legs to her chest as he continued to scream, his words never fully reaching her ears as the same phrase looped through her mind over and over. 'I'm stuck.'

…End of section...

Her heart thundered in her chest, seeming to shake her entire body with each powerful thud as she lost the ability to breathe properly. All sound in the restaurant was silenced by the blood gushing behind her ears like the rushing rapids of a river after a steady downpour, and she could feel sweat starting to seep out of every pore on her body. She was looking directly at him but she saw nothing, only able to focus on the thoughts rushing through her mind. No! Not here! Not in front of him! Shit! Breathe! He's gonna think you're crazy! Breathe! Lucy, you have to pull it together! BREATHE DAMNIT!

"Lucy?" Natsu called to her, concern clearly lacing his voice. She sucked in air noisily though her nose before releasing it in a jagged exhale. The fog in her eyes began to clear as she focused on his face again, the panic in her mind clearly reflected in his green hues.

Silently, she thanked the stars above that his voice had been enough to free her from her mental hell before the damn could break. The last thing she needed was for him to witness a full-blown panic attack. She took another slow breath before responding. "Yeah?"

"Hey! Shit, my bad." He exclaimed. It was his turn to sputter and fumble. "I didn't mean to freak you out. I-I just think you're really pretty, and- I don't know. I just-"

"No, no, no! It's fine! Really!" Lucy put her hands up in front of her, waving them frantically as she plastered what she hoped was a genuine looking smile on her features. "Sorry. I'm just awkward, and I wasn't expecting the compliment, so I kinda froze up on what to say." It wasn't a lie. "I-I think you're really, um- handsome too, so I guess I just got a little choked up." She finished with a glorious blush. A timid smile graced her lips as her face turned away in embarrassment. She was relieved to see his body relax again in her peripheral, her words seeming to ease the tension.

When she finally allowed her gaze to cautiously drift back to the pinkette, her heart stilled at the warmth that radiated from the smile on his face. She almost felt the urge to cry as she smiled back. Any previous hesitation she may have had about conversing with the man before her dwindled away as time sped up around them. Before she knew it, he had finished eating, and she was wrapping up her breakdown of the bar, a steady conversation flowing between them the whole time. She knew it was nearing time for him to go, but she didn't want it all to end.

She made a decision then and there that if he didn't make a move tonight, she would. He made her feel comfortable for the first time in ages, and she didn't want to let that go. She knew in her heart she was ready; ready to give this relationship thing a try again.

Natsu stared fondly at the gorgeous woman in front of him. She was laughing at a joke he had made as she gracefully moved about the bar, cleaning as she went. She seemed so much lighter than before.

Admittedly, it had freaked him out when she stilled and seemed to stare right through him, not breathing. He was convinced he had completely blown any and all chances with her, but she had more than bounced back since then, now moving with a vivacious vigor. Lucy had shed her nervous sputtering and averted gaze and traded them in for flirtatious winks and playful banter.

His heart thudded lightly in his chest when she leaned forward into his space and booped his nose with her finger while he smiled back at her. She had just playfully accused him of distracting her from leaving work on time.

Fuck. I really like her.

"Alright, alright. I can tell when I'm not wanted. Before I go though," he started, a sly grin on his face as he slid his phone towards her, "let me get your number. Otherwise, I'll spend a whole 'nother week kicking myself for not askin'."

She blushed slightly, but returned his grin as she greedily grabbed the phone and started punching her number into it. "There," she cooed, "now you have no excuses not to stay in touch."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that princess." He got up and started gathering his things when he got an idea. A confident smirk crossed his features even though his heart pounded with uncertainty. Making direct eye contact before speaking, "I'm parked out back; red Dodge. I'll be waiting for you to come and kiss me goodnight." Despite his best efforts, a not-so-subtle flush appeared on his cheeks as he held her gaze.

Blushing furiously, but still determined to keep up with the playful banter, Lucy responded with, "Well, I still have a lot of work to do around here. I'd hate for you to have to wait around on little ol' me."

"Based on what I've seen so far," he looked her up and down languidly, "it'll be well worth the wait."

He was expecting to see her to turn around, blushing furiously while stumbling on her words. She was adorable when she got all embarrassed. Instead, she took him by surprise, leaning further into his space from the other side of the bar as her eyelids lowered seductively and a single finger ran down his chest between his pectoral muscles, "I'll see you in a little while then, Natsu." She was practically purring.

Oh fuck.

Lucy was looking at him in a way he didn't even think was possible for the blonde. The sensual look in her eyes lit a fire in his belly that traveled all the way down to his loins where it pulsed longingly, driving him crazy. Gulping loudly, he passed her a fifty-dollar bill to pay his tab and then some, then turned to walk towards the front door before his growing blush could spoil his cocky persona. She had bested him at his own game, the cat becoming the mouse.

I really, REALLY like her.

The servers were taking longer than usual to finish their side-work. It had been a busy shift, and everyone was exhausted. Lucy had just finished up her cashout, pleased with the impressive amount of money she had made that day. She was placing the money from her cash drawer into one of the restaurant's money bags when she checked the screen of the computer for the time.

10:42. Shit! I didn't mean to make him wait that long! She hurriedly placed the money along with her cashout into the safe in the office before sneaking away to the back door through the kitchen, knowing she had at least another 10 or 15 minutes before her servers came looking for her to turn in their own cashouts.

She shoved the heavy back door open, filling the dark gravel parking lot with a loud screech. Once on the porch, she took in a big breath of fresh air as her eyes scanned the nearly deserted parking lot. Her heart jumped into her throat with excitement when she spotted a large maroon Dodge Ram sitting perpendicular to her own car, which was parked in the manager spot. It took everything in her power not to skip over to him like a giddy little girl. Forcing herself to appear nonchalant, Lucy sauntered up to the driver side of his truck where a deliciously pungent scent wafted towards her in clouds of smoke through his half-open window.

God, that smells good!

She was greeted with the most adorable dopey smile as Natsu rolled his window down the rest of the way. "Sorry it took so long. Turns out it's hard to work quickly when you mind is focused elsewhere."

He let out a chuckle as he shrugged, "Like I said, it's worth the wait."

"So…are you going to share the wealth, or are you just gonna keep torturing me with the smell?" She pointed to the glass piece half-hidden by his hand before returning to his gaze with a playful smirk.

"Maybe I just wanna see you squirm a little first." His eyes darkened and his voice was a low rumble that caused her body to involuntarily take part in the movement he described. Lucy blushed violently at how easily he affected her. Natsu softened again at her reaction and let out a bark of laughter before passing the piece in her direction. "I'm kidding. Here, have a hit."

"Oh! What a cool looking piece!"

Natsu's face lit up with excitement. "You like it?! I just got it a couple of days ago. I call it my dragon dick!"

"…I don't get it."

"Look. This part here," he pointed to the largest piece that if you looked at it just right looked like a lizard with wings, "is the dragon, and this part is its dick." This time he pointed at a small piece that jutted out from the bottom that looked like it was meant as a rest for a finger. "Dragon dick!"

Lucy let out a guffaw as his enthusiasm, rolling her eyes before taking a hit. "Whatever you say, Natsu," she wheezed out breathlessly, refusing to let the smoke escape her lungs until the right moment.

It was his turn to crack up when she choked on the harsh substance and sputtered, smoke escaping out of her mouth and nose in tiny clouds. "Strong shit, huh?"

"You can say that again."

"Strong shit, huh?" He repeated with an impish grin.

"Smartass."

"So which car is yours?" He asked as he swiveled his head around looking at the few possibilities that remained in the lot.

Lucy passed the piece back before responding. "That one over there," she pointed directly in front of her towards her 2014 Chevy Malibu, her arm stretching through his window and across his chest without touching him, "with the 'Be a Nice Human' sticker"

She watched him as he turned his face slightly and a grin creeped up on his face. Satisfied with his reaction, she began to pull her arm back towards her body, only to have her hand captured by his warm callused one. Her chest ached with how fast her heart was beating as he rubbed the top of her hand with his thumb, his strikingly deep green eyes flicked across her face, studying her reaction with an intensity that made her entire body buzz-or was that just the weed kicking in?

He must have seen what he was looking for because in the next moment he leaned forward and she couldn't help but mirror him as her eyes fluttered shut. "I like it." He muttered just before they met, his lips brushing hers gently, causing her breath to hitch. She felt rather than heard his satisfied smirk before his mouth finally covered her own in a slow languid kiss that sent waves of euphoria through her system, separating slowly after a few moments of contact.

Lucy pulled back first. A grateful smile lit up her face as she pulled her bottom lip into her mouth and nibbled on it gently before releasing it slowly, catching on her teeth it went. The kiss didn't feel like enough, but beggars can't be choosers, right? "Goodnight, Natsu."

Fuck. I really like him.

She tried to turn and leave but stalled her progression when she heard the crunch of shoes on gravel between the sounds of his car door opening and closing, "Wait."

That's all she needed to hear. Before her anxiety could have any say in it, Lucy turned around and crashed her mouth into Natsu's, the smiles on both of their faces making it hard to move together at first. As the kiss deepened, they found their rhythm; she brought her hand up to run her fingers through his hair, squeezing slightly to pull him closer to her, her other hand fisting into the material of his black t-shirt. When she a felt his wet hot muscle brush against the seam of her lips, she was more than happy to grant him passage. Their tongues danced together, fighting to take the lead, the heat of his mouth melding with her own as she let out a desperate sigh.

Growling in approval of her sounds, Natsu began moving his hands to run up and down her sides, grip tight, reveling in the curve of her waist before slowly moving down to the swell of her ass. When he reached his destination without any complaint or signs of hesitation from the blonde, he gave it a hard squeeze, pulling a high moan from her, which he effectively muffled as they continued to battle for dominance. All the sensations that Natsu was causing her body were making her melt as a delicious heat pooled in her gut; she was desperate for more.

God, he tastes so good. I could stay like this forever.

They explored every crack and crevice of each other's mouths as her mind became muddled with lust. Hell, she wasn't even sure if she could remember her own name at this point. It could be Banana for all she knew, as Natsu continued running his hot hands up and down her body.

Walking forward, she made her way back to his truck as he followed her lead, pushing the pinkette up against his driver-side door. Natsu moved his hands to where one splayed across the small of her back, pulling her to grind against his hardened member, while the other fisted harshly in her hair, tilting her head back to gain a better angle. "Fuck Lucy."

Lucy...I'm Lucy. Shit! I'm Lucy! I'm managing tonight!

"Shit!" Lucy ripped herself away from Natsu, both panting loudly, a string of saliva stretching between them from the sudden departure as she remembered the crew of 5 servers who would no doubt come looking for her any second. "I have to go." She groaned, her clear displeasure at the fact evident in her whiney tone and pouty swollen lips.

"I mean…you don't have to."

"I'm the manager," she replied with a giggle, "pretty sure I have to."

"Oh well," he drawled placing another drawn out kiss on her lips as they both inhaled deeply through their noses, "I guess you're just gonna have to go on a date with me to make up for it."

"Well," kiss, "you have my number now." Kiss, "I trust you know what to do with it." Kiss.

"Aye." Natsu gave her a warm smile as he placed his forehead on hers and loosened his hold on her body.

Walking backwards, she smiled sweetly back at him as she waved, "Have a good night, Natsu."

You too, Luce. I'll talk to you soon."

Biting her lip, Lucy widened her grin before turning and jogging back across the parking lot, up the steps, and into the restaurant, the sound of his engine rumbling to life meeting her ears as she slammed the door shut. She took a few steps and leaned against the wall in the dark hallway leading to the dining room, desperately trying to catch her breath as the biggest, goofiest, most genuine smile lit up her face. She really hadn't meant for their kiss to turn so steamy, but she couldn't help but admit that she was happy it had.

I really, REALLY like him.

*fans self* Right? Just...ugh! I love them so much.

Natsu makes her feel powerful and at ease. Lucy makes him feel flustered and out of breath. They're just so great.

What to look forward too: Next chapter our little love birds are going to go on their first date in Magnolia Gorge! Natsu is going to give her a glimpse into his side of life! Adventure awaits! Eeep! I can't wait!