Dragon's Mate

Chapter 1: What Happened Again?

A/N: Hope you all enjoy this!

She couldn't sleep anymore, the feeling of not accomplishing anything in her life was driving her crazy. The first, and last, big thing she had done was run away from home and join a wizard's guild. Shouldn't her life be moving now? Sure she had fun in Fairy Tail with all of her friends that were as close as family, but she wasn't any stronger as a wizard, while all her friends continued to improve.

As a hobby she had a constant writer's block. As a girl about to hit the big one eight she had never even kissed a boy, let alone told one how she felt when she did have a crush. She sighed to herself and smacked her head down on the bar of the Fairy Tail guild hall.

Restless nights and complete lack of sleep were really starting to get to her. However, she had to take a job today, rent was due by the end of the week and she barely had enough to cover it.

She began to sink further and further into depressing thoughts when it just so happened that a white-haired, positively cheerful, bartender noticed the downtrodden Lucy.

"Good Morning, Lucy!" Mirajane chirped brightly. Seriously, was Mira ever in a bad mood?

Tilting her head up and positioning her chin on the bar she replied with mumbles.

"Oh my, what is troubling our little celestial spirit mage today?" Mirajane asked innocently enough but she had been watching the little blonde becoming more and more depressed over the last week. So, in secret she hatched a little plan with the hall's one and only ale drinking champ. Well, more like she asked for a favor and forced her into it with a bit of blackmail. Hey, what works, works?

"I'm just so boring!" she whined, "There's absolutely nothing at all special about me or my magic! I love my spirits, but without them I'm just useless! I can't do anything right or well on my own! I'm just so, ugh!" A resounding smack sounded from her forehead hitting the bar again.

During that outburst, Canna (said ale drinking champ) walked up and slid onto the stool next to Lucy's. Canna gave Mira a look and mouthed, 'We're even.' And turned toward the blonde.

"Oh, what's wrong Lu? Need a little pick-me-up? If so I definitely got you covered! You, me, and my barrel, tonight at your place!" She would make an excellent saleswoman if she ever wanted to.

Lucy turned her head to the side to stare up at the brunette, wondering exactly why she wanted to drink with her of all people, now. Was her wallowing in self-pity that obvious? The thought made her slip farther into it.

"I've never had a sip in my life Canna, I doubt you'd have much fun with me." She turned to finish staring at the bar.

"Lu, I won't care if it's fun! I'll be drunk so everything will be fine!" Her cheerfulness was making Lucy uneasy. "I'll be by your place at 8! See you then." Canna slid off her barstool and retreated back to her previous seat.

"Wonder what's up with her." Lucy sat up pondering, mostly to herself.

"Well I think you should do it Lucy! Give yourself a little break and time to just have fun!" Mira encouraged, finishing wiping down the table where Lucy's head had left a smudge.

"Blah, what the hell? Maybe it'll help…" If anything it'd help her sleep.

-Break-

Natsu walked into the guild hall with a spark in his eye and a cat on his shoulder. He had the perfect job to do but he needed his partner before he could set out. It was getting late but he figured that maybe she'd be up for leaving out that night to be in the next town over when morning came.

He glanced around the guild hall looking for his bubbly partner but didn't see her anywhere. He spotted Mira and quickly made his way to her.

"Hey Mira, have you seen Lucy? I've got this job I'm all fired up about but I need her to come too! I thought she'd be here." He asked, still glancing around for Lucy.

"Oh, well she had plans with Canna tonight, she should be back at her place. I doubt she'll be up for leaving out tonight though. If you want I can tell her first thing in the morning. She should be coming by to get a job then." Mira replied sweetly.

"OoOoO, she's with Canna? Drunk Lucy alert! Drunk Lucy alert!" Happy chirped and hopped down from Natsu.

"Really? You think she's getting drunk with Canna, Little Buddy?" Natsu asked surprised and clueless. Leave it up to Natsu to not notice his partner getting depressed as of late. Seriously, he needed to have a lesson in social ques. Mira shook her head and sighed.

"Well thanks Mira! Guess we'll see if Lucy wants to go now!" Natsu called heading toward the doors. Did that entire conversation just go over his head? Mira couldn't be sure.

Natsu arrived at Lucy's place and had Happy fly him up to the window like usual. It really was just the fastest way in. He cracked open the window and his sensitive nose was bombarded by the smell of booze. Opening the widow further until he could get in, he crawled until he was sitting crisscross on Lucy's bed. "Lu~cy!" Natsu called.

He didn't get a response, but from the lack of Canna's barrel, she must have already left. The steam rolling from under the bathroom door could only mean that Lucy was in the bath. He decided that he'd just wait for her to get out and stretched out on her bed. She really did have the most comfortable bed he had ever slept in.

A half hour had passed and she was taking forever, enjoying her bath he guessed, and at that point he was become drowsy. Happy had already passed out, curled up on her pillow. How much longer could she possibly take? He played with the corner of her blanket until he heard the bathroom door open. He sat up a bit to say something but his voice was lost on the half-naked Lucy stumbling to her bed.

"Lucy?" he asked as she pulled the bed covers back and got it, pushing him against the windowsill. Her hair was wet and smelled very strongly of her favorite shampoo as she reached around attempting to find what he could only guess was her pillow. He always liked the way she smelled.

He was trying to figure out exactly what he should be doing to get out of his situation. With Happy asleep the window was out. He couldn't just hop out and leave the guy. At that moment the mostly asleep Lucy found his arm and dragged it down to the bed, laying her head on it. Natsu was in trouble now. He pulled back from her gently, trying to dislodge his arm from her grip. In her sleep induced state she just followed his arm, seemingly to frown when he got too far.

Finally he gave up, deciding to wait it out till she completely passed out. She surprised him though, snuggling into his side real close and after a quick sniffed, smiled and muttered his name. And now that stroked his ego. She knew his scent too.

Well, it stroked his ego until he remembered that her sense of smell was completely normal. Why would she have his scent memorized enough to recognize it in her drunken sleep? His drowsiness once again set it while he was pondering his partner, and after a bit more time he too drifted off to sleep.

A/N: So, I'm just now trying my first Fairy Tail fanfic. So just let me have it! I want to know what you guys think! Just please don't be rude. Oh, and as usual, I don't own Fairy Tail in any way, shape or form, I just like to play with characters and ideas! Chapter #2 with more of the actual plot coming soon to a screen near you! Happy Until!