Happy NALU day!

I wanted to write a one-shot for nalu day, but this idea quickly grew into a multi-chapter story. So, you get chapter one for nalu day! :) I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.

Rated M for foul language, adult situations, and sexual content in later chapters.

Chapter One: Proposition

Lucy frowned as she slipped her phone into her pocket. "That's the last one," she mumbled to herself, mentally crossing a name off the list. "Now what am I going to do?"

She wanted to see her favorite band, Fairy Tail, in concert for ages, and now they were finally coming near her town. Well, it was a three hour drive, but Lucy was more than willing to make it. She just had one problem.

She didn't want to go alone.

It seemed like she could solve her problems easily. She had a lot of friends, so why not just ask one of them to go with her? However, that plan didn't exactly work either.

Every single one of her friends was either busy, or didn't enjoy that type of music.

Lucy couldn't completely blame them. At first glance, she didn't look the type to enjoy heavy metal music. However, that didn't stop her from cranking the volume all the way up and headbanging when the moment felt right.

She was a closet metalhead who just wanted to see her favorite band live. She knew the option of going alone was there, but she didn't like it. Not to be conceited, but Lucy knew she was pretty. It put her at a disadvantage some times when it came to male attention.

She could only imagine what would happen at a concert, considering the majority of metalheads were guys, and most of them enjoyed drinking. She didn't want to get herself into a situation that made her uncomfortable.

Hell, she had been tossed around and groped a few times before at past concerts, and that was when she had friends with her! She didn't want to find out what would happen if she didn't have a friend there to help her out.

Sighing, Lucy gathered her supplies for class before heading out of her dorm. She quickly made her way across the campus towards the science building, not wanting to be late.

While the teacher continued with his lecture, Lucy alternated between taking notes and browsing the internet on her laptop. Tickets were still on sale, meaning she still had a chance to go. The concert was two weeks away though, so she had to make a decision fast.

She hated waiting until the last minute, but in her defense, she didn't find out about this tour until a week ago. Since then, she had been scrambling to find someone to go with.

Levy and Gajeel were visiting Levy's parents that weekend, Erza and Jellal were going out of town, and Juvia didn't like that type of music. She had a few other friends who she didn't hang out with as much, but even they couldn't go.

'I'm surprised Loke didn't take me up on my offer...' He had been asking Lucy out on dates for the better part of this last semester, but she turned him down every time. When she finally asked him to hang out -as friends, he said he met a girl he really liked, and apparently going to a concert with Lucy would be 'too tempting'.

She didn't know why he couldn't just keep it in his pants. It wasn't like she was going to jump into bed with him anyway. She just wanted a concert buddy. Was that really too much to ask for?

Lucy zoned back into the lecture, knowing she would have to figure out something after class ended. She wasn't going to learn if she spent all her time thinking about an event she may or may not go to.

By the time class let out, Lucy's mind was nearly numb. She barely grasped the concept of what the teacher was saying, hoping her notes would help her when it came time for the next test.

As Lucy started making her way out of the classroom with everyone else, her eyes caught sight of something familiar. She did a double take, her eyes widening when she saw the symbol of her favorite band on someone's backpack. She looked up, seeing the left side of a guy's face who wore the Fairy Tail bag.

A lump formed in her throat as her heart started pounding. Tan skin complimented the messy, pink spikes on top of his head. His eyes were dark, their color unknown due to their distance. From what she could tell, he had a lean figure. His jacket looked slightly baggy while his dark jeans hugged his legs just right. Not too loose, but not too tight.

She had to force herself to swallow when her eyes flitted to his firm backside, her pulse racing as she bit her bottom lip. 'Damn,' she thought, admiring his ass for way longer than was socially acceptable. She knew what the saying meant before, but now she really felt it.

She hated to see him go, but she loved to watch him leave, his hips giving a slight sway with each step.

Lucy was mesmerized as he walked up the stairs and out the door. Only then did she blink, realizing he actually left. 'Shit!'

She squirmed in place while waiting for the line in front of her to move forward, wishing she had exited on the opposite side of the aisle now. 'Fuck it.' Lucy cut across an aisle, now leaving out of the same doors the mystery guy went though. 'Where is he?'

Lucy rushed down the halls of the science building, anxiety quickly bubbling up in her chest. This wasn't like her. She didn't single out men then try to talk to them. She didn't know what she was supposed to say when she found him.

'If I find him! How big is this stupid building?!'

Lucy went outside, a gust of hot air fanning over her face immediately. She forgot it was summer, the air conditioner inside keeping her cold. Shaking the thought away, Lucy looked for the guy, her head snapping left and right until her eyes landed on that same shade of pink, about thirty feet in front of her.

He was sitting at a bench, pulling out a pair of headphones before popping one in his left ear. She started walking towards him as he put in the other one. She watched as he secured it before pulling out what appeared to be a notebook.

Lucy already hated what she was about to do. She easily recognized that he didn't want to be disturbed, but she couldn't stop herself. She needed to talk to him before she either missed her chance or chickened out.

She had to see that concert, and now there was a chance she might not have to go alone.

"Hey," Lucy said as she tapped on his left shoulder, causing him to jolt.

He yanked out his left bud before looking up, his gorgeous dark green eyes finding hers. She could see his entire face now, her breath hitching as she took in his features.

An angry, jagged scar ran over his right cheek, starting from his jawline and tapering off an inch under his right eye. Half of the right side of his head was shaven while the rest of his pink locks flowed upwards or to the left side of his head. She recognized his haircut as a half-undercut.

He had three piercings in his right ear, two silver bands adorning the shell of his ear while the third was his standard lobe, taking the shape of a long, silver, upside down pyramid.

She hoped she didn't offend him by staring, because honestly, that wasn't her intention. His appearance had caught her off guard, but in a good way.

He was the epitome of beauty. She actually felt herself a little envious, wishing she had that sun-kissed colored skin and stunning emerald eyes.

"Hello?" he spoke, and she swore her heart flipped in her chest.

"Whoa," she whispered, blinking a few times to clear her head. She was tempted to look away from him while she talked, afraid she might get captivated again.

The man furrowed his pink brows as he leaned a few inches back. "You okay?"

"Yes," Lucy blurted out, her chest tightening as his voice thrummed through her mind. 'Even his voice is sexy!'

Her eyes fell to his lips, a shiver running down her spine when she saw a silver and black ring on the right side of his bottom lip. 'I'm in trouble,' she thought, knowing piercings were one of her weaknesses. She was always a sucker for them, literally.

She let silence fall between them, forgetting momentarily that she was the one who interrupted him before reality hit her. "Oh! Right, umm..." Normally Lucy didn't get tongue-tied, but she also didn't normally approach strangers. "Hi, umm, you— you're b-backpack is— Can you close your eyes?"

He blinked at her, dark lashes only making her knees weak. "What?"

Lucy gulped, feeling her face burn up. She wasn't prepared for this. He was dripping with good looks, and here she was making a fool out of herself. She had only managed to say one sentence correctly, and truthfully, it sounded more like an insult.

"They're distracting," she murmured, her throat feeling tight as she looked off to the side, his wild pink locks still in view. "Sorry, fuck. I'm not normally like this, I promise."

"What are you normally like?" he asked, his amused tone causing her to steal a glance at him again.

Bad idea. It was like looking at a rare gem, beautiful and priceless. "Not this," was all she managed to say, and that was iffy. She hadn't even heard herself, lost in his gaze. "Has anyone ever said you have pretty eyes? Because damn, are they distracting."

He chuckled, pulling his other bud out of his ear. "Yeah, a few times." His lips parted and stretched into a wide, toothy grin, revealing his abnormally sharp canines.

She was positive he was going to be the death of her. She was never seeing that concert.

"Fairy Tail," she said, trying to keep her voice firm. "You like it?"

He raised a brow as he looked down at the table, the name of the band in bold letters on the straps to his backpack. "Yeah. Why?"

"It's m-my favorite band." Lucy almost wanted to pat herself on the back. She was doing well to keep her cool for the most part, though her quickening pulse told her she couldn't keep it up for long.

"Cool." He didn't give her much of a reaction, allowing her to breathe. If he did another one of those grins, she was sure to lose it. "Mine too. What's your favorite song?"

'Shit!' Despite listening to Fairy Tail constantly, suddenly every song's title was coming up blank. 'Work brain! What are you doing?!' Lucy never reacted like this with people. She had seen hundreds of beautiful women and men throughout her lifetime, yet she didn't get flustered by them.

She guessed it had something to do with his overall appearance. She doubted she would be this transfixed if he had a regular haircut and no piercings. Then again, his eyes would be the same, and they seemed to be the thing that kept making her forget things, like how to talk properly.

The man's shoulders shook a few times with a silent laugh as he spun a pencil with his fingers. "Mine's 'Dragon Slayer'."

"I like that one," she said quickly as she nodded. 'Why am I nodding?!' She stopped, gulping as she tried to think. 'Fuck it.'

Lucy closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she let herself relax. "My favorite is a tie between 'Crimson Lotus' and 'Starry Sky'." She opened her eyes, proud of herself for getting through that.

The man gave her a questioning gaze before asking, "Am I really that distracting?"

Now Lucy was okay with herself when she nodded, admitting the truth. "Very."

He seemed to think about it for a moment. "I was scared of the dark until I was fifteen."

It was Lucy's turn to blink, her brows pinching together as her lips parted. "What?"

"I also love hot sauce to a fault. I can't eat a lot of things that don't have hot sauce on them, and even then, usually they're spicy on their own."

Before Lucy could ask why he was telling her that, he added, "I cried when I was thirteen 'cause my dad said I couldn't be a dragon when I grew up."

Lucy shook her head, trying to make sense of this. "What? I don't understand. Why are you telling me this?"

"Well," he started, running a hand through his pink locks, making her wonder for a second if they were as soft as they looked. "You're already getting a little better at talking to me. I figure a few more embarrassing stories and you may be able to look me in the eye for a full minute."

"Sorry," she rushed out, feeling her blush spread down her neck. "I promise, I'm not usually this... Well, bad with words."

"It's cool. One of my exes was like that. Had to tell 'em I used to play with dolls until I was eighteen before they could have a full conversation with me."

"You did?!"

He laughed, the sound music to Lucy's ears. "Play with dolls? No, that was just something I said. But yeah, I really told him that."

"Him?" Lucy repeated, cocking her head. "Oh, you're gay?"

"Pan," he said, voice never wavering as his eyes narrowed. "You got a problem with that?"

Lucy shook her head quickly, feeling her chest flush. "No, I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean to offend you or anything. I promise that wasn't my intention. I'm actually..."

"What?" he asked, furrowing his brows.

"I'm, umm..." Lucy swallowed hard, anxiety washing over her. "I'm... bi."

A few seconds passed before the man's eyes softened. He nodded, gesturing with a hand for her to take a seat at the picnic table he was at. Lucy sat down immediately, blaming her blind obedience on his charming personality.

' Seriously, is he even human? '

"I'm guessing you don't go around announcing it?" he asked, causing her to shake her head.

"No. Do you?"

He shrugged, the white scaled scarf around his neck slipping. She didn't know why she didn't notice that before. "Only when people ask. Not a lot of people ask though, so it's cool."

Lucy placed her hands on the bench, fingers curling around the metal side. "My father doesn't know..." She thought long and hard before admitting, "I'm not going to tell him though. He's... old fashioned. He wouldn't understand."

"Ah, I know the type."

"Are your parents like that?" she asked, gazing into his eyes. She swore she never seen any as pretty as his.

He shook his head, the tip of his tongue running over his lip ring before he spoke. "Nah. My dad took it well. Don't have a mom to speak for."

"Then who—?"

"Third grade teacher was the first," he answered her unspoken question. "She separated me and this other boy 'cause we kept holdin' hands. Said it was weird or something. I don't remember all the details, but I still remember that boy."

"Because he was your first crush?" Lucy asked, causing the man to bark out a laugh.

"I guess, but that's not why I remember him. That little shit stole my crayons. I don't fuck around with people like that."

The smile he wore let her know he was joking, though she didn't know which part was the joke, but that was okay. "I think I understand what you mean."

"Yeah?"

She nodded. "Yeah. In fifth grade," Lucy started, covering her face with a hand. This time it wasn't so she couldn't see his reaction. She was genuinely embarrassed over her actions. "I let my friend hold a CD case for one of my CD's, but I told her not to open the case because the artwork wasn't appropriate for school."

"Let me guess. She looked at it."

She stole a peek at him, seeing his cheeky grin. "Yup."

"What'd you do?" he asked, leaning in as he rested his arms against the picnic table.

She momentarily looked down at his covered arms, wondering how he was able to wear a jacket and scarf in this weather. She was in a thin shirt and shorts and she could already feel herself sweating.

'Or maybe it's because I'm nervous?'

Despite her starting out as a train wreck, Lucy found herself easing into the conversation, feeling relaxed around this guy.

"I stopped talking to her," Lucy confessed, covering her face again when he asked her how long she went without talking to her. "I never spoke to her again."

"Are you serious?" He laughed, causing her to laugh at herself.

"Yes. I know, ridiculous, right?"

"I'd say so."

She uncovered her face, positive it was a dark shade of red. "She didn't go to the same high school as me, so I never got to apologize."

He scooted to the edge of his seat, getting closer to her. "That sucks. Maybe you could Facebook her?"

"Maybe," Lucy started, chewing on her bottom lip, "but I think it would be weird after all this time."

"Probably. Damn, that's funny though." He paused as he grinned. "Guess I shouldn't do anything to piss you off. Won't ever get to talk to ya again."

A lump formed in Lucy's throat as she tried to swallow. She thought she couldn't get more nervous, but she was proven wrong when he added, "Can't have that, can we?"

"N-nope. Can't."

She wanted to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Was it possible this gorgeous man was actually flirting with her? She bit her inner cheek, trying to conceal her utter joy over the thought.

"Anyways," he started, breaking her out of her thoughts, "you shouldn't let other people make you afraid to be who you are, but at the same time, I understand why you don't wanna tell your dad."

He scratched at the shaven part of his head, as if mulling over his thoughts. "Honestly though, you don't owe him an explanation. Hell, you don't even have to tell him. It's none of his business who you're attracted to. You're more than just a label."

Lucy felt her heart warm, the tension she didn't know she was holding in her shoulders slowly fading. "Thanks... uh?"

"Natsu," he said, holding out a hand. "Natsu Dragneel."

She couldn't help but think the name suited him.

"Lucy Heartfilia."

She accepted his hand, marveling over the natural heat from his body for a moment as she shook his hand. Heat wasn't the only thing she felt. Rough callouses brushed against her soft skin, causing her to shiver. She hoped it wasn't noticeable.

Their hands separated, Natsu immediately grabbing his pencil to tap against his sketchbook. She realized it wasn't a notebook now that she could see it properly, not that it made a huge difference to her. "So, Lucy," he tested the name out, "what brings you to my table?"

Lucy still struggled to hold his gaze, but it was a easier than before. "Oh, umm. I was going to ask if you could talk."

He snickered, his eyes turning sharp. "Think we've been doing that?"

She nodded, feeling a little silly. "Right. Well, I was wondering if you knew Fairy Tail was coming to town."

He raised a brow as his pencil stopped tapping. "I know they're going to Clover Town?"

"That's what I meant," Lucy said, shaking her head. "It's only a few hours away. I want to know if you were going?"

The corner of Natsu's lip twitched. "I'm planning on it. Just gotta wait until Friday when I get paid to buy my ticket."

"What if I buy yours for you?"

Natsu furrowed his brows, the teasing glint in his eyes no longer there. "Why would you do that?"

Lucy swallowed, trying to summon her courage. She decided to just get it over with, seeing as that was the reason she started talking to him in the first place. "I don't have anyone to go with. I was wondering if you might want to go with me?"

"Really?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes." Her eyes widened as a thought occurred to her. "Unless you're already going with someone else. Shoot, your probably with someone." There was no way a gorgeous creature like Natsu was single. No way in—

"I'm not dating anyone," he said, making her brain go dead silent for a moment.

"O-oh."

Natsu chuckled, his hand running through his hair to pull it over towards the right side. "I'm not going with anyone either. I was gonna go with one of my friends, but he's busy that weekend." Clicking his tongue, Natsu added, "Honestly, it's probably for the best."

"Why do you say that?" Lucy asked, finding herself more interested than she should be.

He shrugged, sounding indifferent as he said, "The new girl he's dating doesn't like me very much. Keeps calling me a love rival." He let out a laugh as he cupped the back of his neck. "I dunno why she thinks that. We only dated two weeks before we realized it just wasn't what we wanted, and that was back in high school."

"She sounds kind of like one of my friends. She can be a bit insecure when she starts a new relationship. Oh? Wait, you hang out with your exes?" The thought seemed weird to Lucy because she had never done that. Exes were just that, exes.

Natsu shrugged. "Not usually. You?"

She shook her head. "I've never ended on good terms with an ex before. I've only dated a few people anyways, nothing serious."

Natsu didn't appear shocked or surprised by the news. "I get what you mean." Smiling, he continued with his train of thought. "This guy's not so bad. We were friends for years before. Seems stupid to throw away that friendship just 'cause we didn't work out. It was awkward for the first week or two after we broke up, but we're good now."

Lucy blinked in amazement. "That's really mature of you."

He snorted, something clearly amusing running through his mind. "Trust me. If you saw us together, 'mature' would be the last word you'd use for us."

Lucy shared a laugh, curious about what they could possibly do to make her think they were immature, but she decided she could ask that later. "So anyways, I've never been to a concert by myself. If you promise to accompany me, I'll buy your ticket. You can't ditch me though."

"Huh..." Natsu looked as if he was considering her offer, but after what he said next, Lucy realized it was an act. "So wait, you're saying you'll buy my ticket and I'd get to hang out with you all night?" He chuckled, the skin around his eyes crinkling as he smiled. "I feel like I'm taking advantage of you."

"If you want, you can drive," Lucy offered.

His green eyes lit up. "Have you ever ridden on a motorcycle before?"

"Never mind," she said without answering his question. "I'm driving."

"Fine," he grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. "Is there anything I can do though?"

Lucy didn't have to think long before she nodded. "Just keep me company and make sure no one tries to grope me."

"Has that happened before?" Natsu asked.

"Unfortunately, yes."

"Can't say I'm surprised," he said honestly. "I've been groped before too. So you're not alone."

Lucy had to press her lips into a tight line so she didn't accidentally say 'lucky people'. When she didn't say anything, Natsu cocked his head.

"How am I supposed to make sure no one gropes ya though?"

She shrugged, slowly releasing the breath she was holding. "I don't know..."

A wolfish grin consumed Natsu's face. "I could always try to intimidate them. Say I'm you're boyfriend or something."

Lucy knew for a fact her face was red. There was no way it wouldn't be after hearing something like that. "S-sure. You could d-do that."

"I gotta ask though, why me?" Natsu scratched over his cheek scar with a finger while he kept her gaze. "Was it 'cause of my backpack?"

Lucy swallowed, heart feeling like it was beating in her throat. If she was more bold, she would tell him his fantastic ass had something to do with it too, but thankfully she kept that to herself.

"That's part of it," Lucy started, hand grabbing at her blonde ponytail, fingers playing with the ends. "It helps that you go to my school."

"Kinda," Natsu admitted, his smile soft. "I only have two classes."

"What's your other one?" Lucy asked, assuming the first was the same class he had with her.

"Art Appreciation and a graphics design class."

She furrowed her brows, shaking her head. "Then why were you in my class just now."

"I audit a few classes," he admitted, cupping the back of his neck. "Wanted to learn a few things without having the hassle of taking the courses. I just like science, but with what I wanna do, I don't really need any courses over it."

"What do you want to do?" Lucy asked, scooting the tiniest bit closer. It was getting easier looking at Natsu, even if his eyes were still as beautiful as before. The more they talked, the more she saw he was just a regular guy.

Well, maybe not regular, but that wasn't a bad thing.

Grinning, Natsu asked, "Short term or long term?"

"Both?" she said, heart fluttering when his canines peeked out.

"Short term, I wanna be a tattoo artist." The way Natsu said it made it sound like he had no doubts that was what he was going to do with his life. Lucy envied that confidence, hoping she might be like that one day.

"And long term?"

"I wanna own my own shop. I already got a name picked out and everything, even designed a logo."

"What's the name?" Lucy asked, cocking her head when he snickered.

He smiled coyly at her as he leaned in an inch. "Can't tell you that. It's a secret."

For some reason, Lucy really wanted to know what that secret was, but she bit her tongue so she wouldn't let him know that. "Well, good luck."

"Thanks!" He pulled back, grabbing his pencil and flipping his book open. "Wanna see my latest sketch?"

Lucy's eyes widened, stunned by his enthusiasm. "Y-yeah."

He turned to a page towards the middle, shifting his sketchbook so she could see his drawing. She gasped, shocked by the detailed drawing of a dragon, fire blazing around it's large wings.

"Wow."

"Pretty cool, huh?" Seriously, Lucy wanted to steal some of Natsu's confidence.

"It's amazing. You did this?" she asked, looking up to meet his eyes.

He nodded as he flipped a few pages back. "Yup. Wanna see more?" Before she could answer, he already turned to a new page, this time with a drawing of a grim reaper. "Everyone's gotta have at least one signature grim reaper. It's almost like an unspoken law."

"I see," Lucy mumbled, lost in the shadings of the cloak. "How long have you been drawing?"

"Since I was a kid," Natsu said, turning to another page. "My dad taught me a lot."

"He draws too?" she asked, admiring a drawing of a fairy.

"Yeah. He's a tattoo artist."

"Really?" Lucy finally tore her gaze away from the drawings so she could look at him. "That's cool. Is that why you want to be one?"

Natsu nodded. "That, and I really love tattoos."

"This is probably the dumbest question, but I'm going to ask anyways. Do you have any?"

"Yup. Wanna see?"

Lucy didn't know what to expect when she said yes, but she was pleasantly surprised with what she saw. Natsu unzipped his jacket before taking it off, one tan arm revealing at a time. She was thankful he wore a grey tank top, letting her see every inch of his defined arms.

On his right forearm, he had a solid black tribal dragon tattoo. Over his left bicep, he had a tattoo that looked as if his skin was ripped open, red dragon scales revealed underneath. She noted he had a few smaller scars on his arms, but one deeper one stood out under the dragon scale tattoo. She would've asked him about it, but her mind short-circuited when he started flexing.

"It wraps around to the back," Natsu said, twisting so she could see what he meant. The tattoo did reach around his arm, but Lucy was too busy looking at the sliver of back she could see where his shirt didn't cover. She gulped, realizing he really was going to be the death of her.

She had to keep her mouth closed, otherwise she might actually drool.

When he moved again, he made it so she could clearly see his right shoulder, a familiar red symbol inked on his flesh. "You got a Fairy Tail tattoo?" She reached a hand out to touch it, but quickly pulled it back before she got the chance. She didn't want him thinking she was weird. "That's awesome."

"Yeah? My friends said I was dumb for getting it, but I think it looks cool!"

"It does," she admitted, her lips curving into a small pout. "I want one, but I'm too scared of the pain."

Natsu closed his eyes for a second as a blissful smile graced his lips. "I love the feeling of getting a tattoo. It's painful, but in a good way."

"Are you a masochist or something?" Lucy half-joked, part of her wanting to know the answer.

"Nah, but tattoos are different. I love that pain."

"I'll take your word for it," Lucy said, raising her hands in a mock surrender. "I'm still too chicken."

"Well, if you ever change your mind, you can swing by the shop."

"Oh, are you already a tattoo artist?"

He shook his head, chuckling. "Not yet, but I'm close. I'm in my second year of my apprenticeship. I got a ways to go to get as good as my dad, but I'm up for the challenge."

"Oh," Lucy started, feeling slightly disappointed. "I thought you were going to offer to give me my first tattoo or something." She didn't know if she would take the offer seriously or not, but she wished he would have said it anyway.

Natsu's shoulders shook as he chuckled. "Even if I was, I wouldn't give you a tattoo. I'm worried I'll fuck up if I do a friend's ink."

Lucy's eyes widened as she asked, "I'm a friend?"

He shrugged. "Why not? You seem pretty cool, for a weirdo."

Lucy wanted to whine. She tried hard not to sound weird, but he still thought she was! Instead of commenting on that, Lucy rolled with it. "Are all your friends weird?"

"In their own ways, yeah."

Lucy allowed herself to enjoy Natsu's smile, finding it oddly peaceful, even if it made her heart race. He was too cute for his own good. "So, who were you going to suggest do it then." As an afterthought, she added, "Not that I would get one, just curious."

"My dad. He's the best in Magnolia."

Lucy raised a brow, a smile growing on her face. "I don't know. The way my friend talks, his shop has the best artist in Magnolia."

"Oh yeah?!" Natsu grunted, but his playful smile didn't match his voice. "Who's your friend? I wanna have a word with them."

"He doesn't go here, but he works at a tattoo and piercing shop out in town. I think it's called dragon's place, or maybe it was dragon shop..."

"Dragon's Den?" Natsu asked, Lucy's eyes lighting up a second later.

"Yes! That's it!"

He barked out a laugh, shoulder muscles bunching together as he leaned forward. "That's where my dad works! Who's your friend? Is it Gajeel? I bet it's Gajeel."

"It's Gajeel," Lucy said, finding herself laughing because of Natsu, thinking it must be contagious.

Natsu laughed harder, not caring if he drew anyone else's attention. "That's my cousin! Well, not blood cousin, but our dad's are best friends."

"Wait," Lucy shook her head, slowly coming down from her fit of laughter. "How come he's never mentioned you."

Natsu's smile turned teasing as he said, "Because he's a dick."

That answer made Lucy laugh so hard she snorted, quickly covering her nose and mouth as she struggled to control herself. "Yeah, he can be." When she calmed down a bit, she added, "I don't talk to him a lot about his personal life though. He's dating one of my friends."

"Levy, right?" Natsu asked, eyes going wide when Lucy answered, her voice sharp and low.

"No. Who the fuck is Levy?" Lucy's eyes narrowed, causing Natsu to flinch.

"Shit, I- I coulda sworn she said her name was Levy. Fuck, he's not dating two girls is he? 'Cause if he is, I'mma—" Natsu stopped talking when Lucy started laughing again, bending at the waist as she pressed a hand to her side.

"It hurts!" she yelled, a cramp forming from laughing too much. She looked up, beads of tears in the corners of her eyes. "You should see your face! You were so scared!"

"What's going on?" Natsu asked, brows pinching together. "Did I get the girl's name wrong or something?"

Lucy shook her head as she tried to talk, her voice cracking from lack of air. "H-her name's Levy. I was j-just fucking with y-you!"

After a second of absorbing that information, Natsu started to chuckle. "Damn. You did have me scared. I thought you were really pissed."

"Oh man," she sighed, wiping at her eyes. "Damn. I haven't laughed like that in ages."

That seemed to make Natsu happy, his lips pulling into a smile. "Well, glad I could witness it then. You have a pretty laugh."

Lucy choked when she tried to breathe, thrown off my his compliment. No one had ever told her that before. "Th-thank you?"

"No problem."

Lucy wished she was better at saying what was on her mind like him. Natsu radiated confidence, in his appearance and in his personality.

"So," she started, fighting off a blush, "are you doing your apprenticing thing at Dragon's Den?"

Natsu nodded. "Yeah. My dad's doing it. Figured I might as well learn from the best."

"You're an amazing artist," Lucy said, looking down at his opened sketchbook. "I'm sure you'll be an amazing tattoo artist too."

"Thanks, Lucy!"

She swore her nerves sizzled when she heard him say her name, the urge to pinch herself to see if she was dreaming becoming stronger by the second.

"Hey, do you have anywhere you need to be right now?" Natsu asked, putting his stuff away in his backpack. "I work at six, but do you wanna get something to eat before then? I'm hungry."

Lucy blinked, surprised by how fast he changed the subject and mood. "Umm, yeah, I can eat." She didn't expect him to invite her out. 'Is this a date?'

She shrugged the thought away, remembering that they had just met. However, the way he was able to make her relax had her wishing she met him sooner.

"Cool." Natsu stood up, putting his backpack on, not bothering to wear his jacket. Lucy definitely didn't mind, appreciating the view of his arms and chest, thankful his tank top was a little tight around his pecs. "Let's go."

Lucy swallowed before nodding, following him as they walked through campus. While they walked, she brought up the subject of the concert again. It seemed like the best topic to discuss seeing as she wanted someone to go with, and that someone was Natsu.

"I'm not too much into Sabertooth, but their music's good."

Natsu laced his fingers together before placing his joined hands behind his head, slowing his pace so they could walk beside each other. "I like Sabertooth, but I'm really excited to see Fairy Tail. Hell, I'd go even if they didn't play with anyone else."

"I love their music. I have every album they've released, even the greatest hits one."

Chuckling, Natsu said, "Damn, that's dedication. I have all but that one. Figured if I wanted the greatest hits, I can just rip 'em to my computer and make my own mix."

"True. I just couldn't help myself."

"Yeah, I get it." Natsu let his hands fall back down to his sides. "I'm looking forward to seeing Tartaros. I saw them once a few years back, but it was for a huge music festival, so there were too many people."

"Crocus Revolution?" Lucy asked, smiling when he nodded. "I went last year! Did you?"

He shook his head. "Nah. Didn't have the money to go out that way. Plus, I hate long drives."

"Is three hours too long?" Lucy asked, thinking of the trip to Clover Town.

"I can do that. It's when it gets to be five or more I get, umm, I just don't do well." He left it vague, only sparking her curiosity.

"Where do you work?" Lucy forced herself to ask, hoping it would take her mind off what he said. She worried he wouldn't be okay with the drive, even though he said he could do it. Something in his tone made her wonder if he was trying to hide something, or if he really just didn't like long drives.

"At the shop. When I'm not in class or doing my apprenticeship, I work the front desk. Or I clean up. You wouldn't believe how much has to get cleaned in a tattoo parlor. I almost thought my dad was joking when he told me all the stuff I'd have to do."

Natsu chuckled, readjusting his backpack before saying, "My dad's gonna hire me once I finish my apprenticeship, so I don't gotta worry about finding a job after this is over."

Lucy nodded, humming to herself before saying, "I don't have a job... My umm, my dad helps me out."

When Natsu looked down at her, she thought he was going to say something about her being spoiled. Instead, he smiled. "That's pretty cool. What are you planning on doing after college?"

Lucy didn't know why she flushed. She thought she had gotten used to talking to him face to face, but he kept making her heart race at inopportune times. "Uh, oh, umm. I want to be an... an author."

Natsu's brows lifted as his smile grew. "That's awesome!"

"I-it is?"

He nodded, flashing a glimpse of his sharp teeth. "There's a ton of people who love reading. What type of books are you thinking of? Kids? Mystery? Fantasy?"

Lucy blinked, overwhelmed by his excitement. "I was thinking adventure. It's my favorite type to read."

"Really?" Natsu said before stopping, making Lucy realize they were already in front of a restaurant.

She didn't remember walking off campus. Then again, she found herself getting lost when talking to Natsu. He was surprisingly fun to talk to, easily distracting her with more than his good looks.

"I woulda pegged you for a romance girl."

Lucy shrugged, her smile small as she kept his eye contact. "It's nice to read, but it's hard for me to relate."

Natsu lifted his chin just an inch, as if observing her. "What? You've never been in love before?"

She shook her head. "No, have you?"

He gave her a little smirk as he said, "Nope, but I'm okay with that. We're still young. What's the rush to settle down?"

Lucy's smile grew, feeling her chest warm as her heart raced. "I like that idea."

Natsu acknowledged her with a nod before reaching forward, opening the door for her. "After you."

Lucy bit her bottom lip as she fought the large smile that threatened to consume her face. "Thank you," she mumbled as she walked past him, slipping into the air conditioned building.

Natsu was a few steps behind her, a jolt running through her nerves when he accidentally brushed past her, the back of his hand grazing her wrist. She swallowed hard, thinking once more that this man was going to be the death of her.

But, she didn't think she minded.

She just hoped she made it to the concert before it happened.

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know what you thought. The picture I drew is what Natsu looks like.