Maybe he couldn't see just what he meant to her, but she didn't really care about that.

After all, it was just a part of him. One of the parts of the man she had fallen deeply, and hopelessly, in love with. And if she couldn't love this minor character flaw, then she didn't really have the right to say she loved him at all, right? Besides, a little obliviousness can be so easily overcome by the right words said at the right time with the right setting. Can't it? Aside from that, though, there were just so many things about him to love, like the way his eyes lit up when he was excited or happy, or that childlike grin that captivated her so when it spread across his features. Even in the midst of battle, when he smirked in that confident way he had, she learned anew that it was possible to fall in love a little more each time.

Natsu Dragneel was the only one in the eyes of Lucy Heartfilia.

And so what if he was a little loud, a little too rambunctious at times? Who honestly cared, when in Fairy Tail, they were always surrounded by people who would join in on his fights with Gray in a heartbeat? She knew that she never cared, just as long as he was having fun - and as long as he wasn't getting hurt. Because if Natsu was getting hurt, Lucy might have to be her old, whiny self and jump in, complaining about all the noise and how she was going to go home, just so Natsu would skip out on the rest of his fight and be in her apartment before she even got there herself. And that way, she could make sure he got some proper first aid, and make sure he sat still so he could heal, and maybe even scold him a little. But honestly, what girl wouldn't try to keep the man she loved all to herself?

…Exactly.

She couldn't help it if she wanted to smother him, even just a little. Maybe it would get him to notice her a little more, even if she wouldn't admit that fact out loud. The fact that she so desperately wanted - or needed? - to be seen by him. Not just seen, as in he could walk by and realize she was standing there, so he would stop and say hi and chat, because that was already happening since they were best friends.

She wanted to be seen by him in the way that meant he realized she was a woman, that she was capable of being loved, and oh, how she wanted him to be in love with her! Lucy couldn't even begin to comprehend just how much she wanted him to see her in that aspect, but she knew it was a heck of a lot more than she'd ever thought about any other guy.

Any other guy just paled in comparison to Salamander of Fairy Tail.

Maybe he wouldn't realize that she was in love with him for a while, but it could be better that way. If he didn't feel the same, it would just be awkward. But she could give him time, if he didn't realize that she was so abso-freaking-lutely in love with him that she could hardly stand it, and if he couldn't tell that she just wanted to kiss him senseless, to figure things out. He might even develop feelings for her in return and oh, wouldn't that just be the greatest thing that could ever happen? She'd be a member of the guild of her dreams, and have a smokin' hot (literally) boyfriend who was also very kind, and very sweet, and very loyal, and just oh so perfect.

Lucy didn't like to think about a future where he didn't return her feelings, because wouldn't that just hurt way too much? So instead she dreamed of all the possible futures where he did, and oh, weren't they just so wonderful? And really, who couldn't love that cute, adorable, childish smile that everyone could see? But even more so, how could she not love that softer, more subdued smile that only she had seen? The one that let her keep dreaming that she would one day have a prince of her very own, who loved her just as much as she loved him and would even slay a dragon for her.

But then, she knew she'd much rather have the dragon, anyway.

…

Here's a NaLu drabble. I thought it was kind of cute and fluffy and I just had to add that last few lines. More fluff. But it's NaLu fluff, so that just makes it all better, right? Haha.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you liked!

No matter how much I wish I owned Natsu Dragneel and Lucy Heartfilia and the entire world of Fairy Tail, I don't. The honor belongs to Hiro Mashima, and I thank him for the creation of my most recent obsession. ;)

R&R if you want. Doesn't matter to me, but I do like to know who likes it! Haha.