Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters (I wish). I just enjoy writing about them. They all belong to Hiro Mashima.

This was my first ever attempt at FanFiction and things kind of got carried away from there. I was inspired to write this after watching the final episodes of the anime. I hope you enjoy!

The past year has been hard on Lucy. After the toughest battle of her life, a battle in which she lost one of her dearest spirits, she then lost her best friend. The very next day, the guild broke apart. Master Makarov had his reasons for disbanding the guild, saying it was time for everyone to follow their own paths. She suspected Natsu leaving had something to do with it. Regardless, everyone took his advice and seemingly scattered. It has been a year since Lucy has been in contact with anyone. That was part of the reason why she took up the job at Sorcerer's Weekly. Not only did it gave her some much needed cash in a hurry, and open the door for her to become an editor in training (eventually) – it also gave her more tools at her disposal to track everyone down and check up on them. This meant she had more resources to try and find the two she missed the most, the two she could not find a single trace of: Natsu and Happy.

Leaning on the railing of the coliseum in Crocus, Lucy blandly looks at the sands below. It is hard to believe a year has passed since she competed on the very same sands in the Grand Magic Games – competed and won. It had been a happy time for Fairy Tail, but the memory is now bittersweet, as her heart aches for her friends. The final battle is about to begin, her boss, Jason, is asking for her opinion, but she honestly doesn't even care. Her heart's heavy and a lump is in her throat. She is surrounded by people and yet completely alone.

The battle is over quicker than anyone could have thought, Scarlet Leone' claiming a victory that shocks everyone but her. Heaving a heavy sigh, Lucy pushes herself off of the railing and turns her back to lean against it, facing away from the arena. Beside her, Jason is freaking out, jumping and shouting, "Cool!" with his spikey hair bouncing around. The cheers only make Lucy want to cry and she forcefully swallows around the lump in her throat and closes her eyes, willing the tears and memories away. She is in the middle of mentally talking herself out of the sudden sadness when she gasps, her eyes snapping open, her heart fluttering in her chest, and the hair on her arms standing on end. "So much power," she breathes as she spins around to look behind her just a moment before the entire crowd sucks in a surprised breath. A cloaked figure is making their way confidently across the sands toward the surprised winning guild. The black and tattered cloak covers the new arrival's face, but something feels familiar to her, familiar and yet foreign. "Everyone needs to get out of here!" she shouts, an ominous feeling squeezing her chest.

Lucy can't hear the conversation between the hooded figure and the winners of the Grand Magic Games, only sees the sudden burst of flames appear and feels the immense heat that comes with them. About half of the crowd heeds her advice and follows suit of the others, bailing, while the other half stands as she does – rooted in place, their eyes wide, heat flushing their faces. Despite the sudden wave of heat, a chill creeps down her spine as her mouth falls open. "No way," she breathes, just as a familiar shout erupts from the cloaked figure and the winners are all blasted with a fire attack.

"So hot!" Jason exclaims, his face red from the heat.

"Hi Lucy!"

Scarcely able to pull her eyes from the spectacle before her, Lucy turns over her shoulder at the familiar voice. She can't help the smile that crosses her lips as she pulls the hovering blue Exceed into her arms. "Happy!" she shouts, squeezing him so hard he mumbles into her chest about how he can't breathe. "What are you doing here?" she asks once she releases him. Tears are shining in her eyes.

Happy smiles his broad smile. "Natsu wanted to challenge the winner of the games," he answers as though it made perfect sense.

Lucy's lips turn up in a smirk when she realizes it's exactly like Natsu to do something like this and she turns her eyes back to the sands. The hood has been blown off from the force of the fire attack and Lucy's heart skips a beat when she finally gets a glimpse of the surprisingly long spiky salmon-colored hair. Her excitement is short lived as Natsu, the man she has been waiting to see for a year, hollers again. The members of Scarlet Leone' that can still stand crouch in fear as his voice thunders through the air, bringing goose bumps to Lucy's arms. The magic power emanating from him is exponentially greater than anything she has witnessed before and as his flames envelope the whole coliseum, making the entire mountain tremble, it is an attack unlike anything she has ever seen. The flames are so scorching and intense that the coliseum begins melting around them. The rest of the spectators scream and run, while her shirt is suddenly melted away. With a screech she looks down at her suddenly exposed skin and clasps her arms over her chest to cover herself, just in time for the smoke to clear.

Natsu, standing triumphantly in the sands with his hands on his hips catches a scent in the air and turns over his shoulder, his cloak billowing out behind him. His eyes are immediately drawn up to the balcony Lucy is standing on, scarcely able to cover her half-nakedness. He doesn't notice. His onyx eyes are drawn to her chocolate brown ones, drinking in their wide shock. He's too surprised to see her to wonder why she's even there without the guild. Lucy, he breathes in his mind as his stomach clenches and his heart kicks it up a notch. Her scent is something he has longed for, but he hides the depth of his relief by cracking his famous winning grin. "Hey! Good to see ya Lucy! How's it going?"

Lucy's mouth is still hanging open and oddly enough the only thing she can think of is that he called her Lucy. Natsu used to only call her Lucy when he was serious. Regardless, hearing her name come from his mouth makes fresh tears spring to her eyes but she doesn't want him to see her cry. Shaking, she struggles to take in a deep breath, allowing the tumult of feelings battling in her chest to come to the surface. "Natsu!" she screams, the relief, hurt, excitement, and anger clear in her voice.

The power and emotion behind her cry makes the fire dragon slayer take a surprised step back, his smile immediately falling as his eyes widen. Behind Lucy, Happy jumps in surprise, his eyes wide and wary as he looks at her. "Luce?" Natsu breathes, his voice easily carried away. All Lucy can see on his face is a look of utter confusion.

Without warning, Happy picks her up and flies her toward the middle of the arena. For such a large place, it cleared out quickly. Only the announcers and Jason remain, staring at them with their mouths hanging open. Yajima is suppressing a smile. "Happy!" Lucy shouts as she clenches her arms tighter. She can't be going to see Natsu half-naked!

While Happy brings Lucy closer, Natsu finally realizes that Lucy's shirt has been melted away. Scraggles of the light green fabric remain, a thin piece still looped around her waist, and his eyes widen, immediately searching her for injury. He lets out a relieved sigh when he sees none. As Happy brings her closer, he tries to read her expression and can't. There are so many emotions being reflected through her chocolate eyes that he feels remarkably inept. Why is she so upset? Is she struggling to figure out how she feels as much as I am? The closer she gets, the more intoxicating her scent becomes, no matter how she's looking at him, her long blonde hair catching his eye and making it hard for him to think. Her hair is longer than I remember it, he thinks in his distraction.

Happy deposits Lucy without ceremony in front of Natsu, moving to hover just over Natsu with concern on his face as the two mages stand staring at each other. Lucy still can't close her mouth, her extremities feeling numb as her brain struggles to catch up with what she's seeing. Her heart has no question as it hammers so hard against her ribs that she's afraid Natsu's powerful hearing will pick up on it. Before she can talk herself out of it, she lets her hand fly, the resounding smack echoing across the deserted coliseum. She hits him harder than she means to, (or maybe just as hard as she wanted), as he staggers to the side in order to keep his balance, a red handprint immediately forming on his cheek. His hand immediately goes up to his stinging face.

"Luce?" Natsu asks, both confusion and hurt evident in his voice before she slaps him again.

"You," she can't even finish, tears welling in her eyes as she raises her hand to strike him again.

"Lucy!" Happy shouts as she swings.

This time, Natsu catches her wrist, his grip firm but gentle, stopping her hand inches away from his face. "Damn it, Lucy!" he hisses. He's breathing hard when he looks down at her, his brow furrowed in frustration as she glares up at him, her chest also heaving while she struggles to conceal herself with one arm.

"Hey you!" someone shouts as the sound of clanking metal greets them. Mercurious guards are racing onto the sands.

Natsu grinds his teeth and quickly releases Lucy, pulling the cloak from his shoulders to sweep over her. He says nothing and doesn't look away from the depths of her eyes until the cloak is safely tied around her. Her cheeks flush at this simple gesture and she's suddenly glad when he turns his back to her, stepping slightly in front of her as though protecting her. Just like he used to.

"You're coming with us!" the guards shout. Natsu turns and flashes another smile at Lucy over his shoulder, this one a lot less sure of himself, before obediently following them, Happy hot on their tails. What the hell was that, Natsu wonders.

Lucy is left alone, smoke from his attacks still being carried away by the breeze. Her eyes wide and on his retreating shoulders, her knees buckle and she drops to the sand. "Natsu," she breathes, her right hand, the hand with her guild mark, the hand she had used to hit him, fluttering to her chest. He smiles softly as he hears her soft voice.

Lucy's not sure how long she sits there, confused and alone, on the coliseum sands. She has no idea if the guards are even going to let Natsu and Happy go – they could be locked up for all she knows. With a heavy sigh, she pushes herself to her feet, clutching Natsu's tattered cloak around her, and makes her way home to change as though in a fog.

As she walks, more than a few curious gazes coming her way, Lucy keeps her eyes on the ground in front of her. She doesn't want to admit it, but the cloak has done something to her. It's been a year since she's seen him. A year since she's seen that winning smile of his, that disarming smile that makes it impossible for her to stay mad at him; the smile that always made her heart feel lighter. A year since the scent of smoke and spices has reached her. A year since she came home to find him raiding her cabinets or passed out on the couch. A year since she's had to kick him unceremoniously out of her bed (or at least threaten to). Now, he's back.Now, his cloak surrounds her with his essence. It still radiates warmth, still has the pleasant scent of smoke and spices that come from his flames, reminding her of cinnamon. Blood rushes to her cheeks as she realizes how warm her chest feels and her eyes drift closed happily. Natsu…

No! She angrily snaps her eyes open.

Within twenty minutes Lucy is home and she immediately jumps into the shower. As the hot water runs over her body, she watches as the water turns a shocking shade of dirty brown before clearing. Natsu did more damage than I thought, she thinks to herself. What has he been doing to get that much stronger? His power is incredible… Even though she had felt like she was on the verge of being boiled alive at the time, she can't help but smile at the memory of his flames exploding around her, circling and whirling as though they had a life of their own. Hearing his cry after so long had made her want to cry, made her heart ache with longing, and it still makes her tremble as goose bumps break out on her skin from the memory.

Why'd I have to slap him so hard, she suddenly berates herself, the look of utter shock on his face burned into her memory. I'm relieved to see him, right? I've wanted nothing more than to see him again this past year! I've been searching for him! So why did I hit him? He damn near fell over… With a sigh, she turns to quickly finish bathing, anxious to get back to the palace and find out what became of the fire dragon slayer.

"Luce?" Natsu's voice suddenly calls uncertainly from the other room.

So startled she slips in the tub, Lucy shrieks before falling onto her butt with a crash. "Ow!"

Without thinking, Natsu throws the door open to the bathroom, thinking only of Lucy's safety until he finds her sprawled in the tub with her legs hanging over the edge and one hand at the back of her head. The moment Lucy realizes he's in the bathroom, she shrieks and pulls the shower curtain to cover herself. "Get the hell out!"

His cheeks darkening, Natsu quickly averts his gaze, but not quickly enough. "I'm sorry! I heard you," he began.

"Get the hell out of here, Natsu!"

He obeys, his head down, and pulls the door closed behind him. For a moment, Lucy panics, thinking he's going to leave for good, and she throws herself from the tub, quickly throwing a towel around her, and bursts into the living room. "Wait!" she calls, tears in her eyes.

Natsu was preparing to leave, his hand on the doorknob with a lump in his throat and tears in his eyes. Lucy's never talked to me like that before is all he can think. His heart had swelled damn near to bursting at seeing her, but she had done nothing but push him away, and quite forcefully at that. His Lucy was pushing him away. "If you want me to leave, I'll leave," he grumbles, his voice so deep and soft Lucy almost can't hear him. "I just needed to see you," he whispers so quietly she can't hear him.

"Please," she begs, the tears finally spilling over.

The moment he smells her tears, Natsu turns to face her, a mixture of surprise, fear, and relief on his face. She won't look at him; her eyes squeezed shut as tears roll down her cheeks. He wants to go to her, but is no longer sure of what she'll do. Cautious, he approaches slowly, his hands held in front of him almost as though to defend himself. Words cannot express the relief that courses through him when she takes a step forward – just the smallest of steps, into the awaiting circle of his arms. Tears stinging his own eyes, he pulls her close, one arm wrapping around her back protectively, like he used to. The other rests at the back of her head in her still dripping wet hair. She trembles in his grip, the power of her emotions surprising both of them as she grips his tattered one sleeve shirt in her hands, burying her face in his chest, and lets the tears come unabated as she sobs.

Her knees going weak, Lucy feels herself falling, but Natsu simply guides her to the floor, keeping her tightly against him the whole time. She's drenching his clothes and bandages, she can tell, but he says nothing. Once her sobs begin to die down, she pushes herself back and brushes her hair from her face. "They let you go?"

Smiling, he doesn't release his grip on her in the slightest. "Of course!" he answers, as though surprised she would think he could possibly get into any trouble.

"How did you know where to find me?" she asks suddenly.

Caught, a hint of pink darkens his already tanned cheeks and he takes one hand from her to scratch at the back of his neck. "I, uh, followed your scent," he admits, averting his eyes. He never would have felt nervous about admitting such a thing before, but today it makes his stomach do anxious flips. A soft smile curls at the outside of Lucy's lips before she practically forces it away. Something's off, he can sense it. "Hey Luce," he murmurs, waiting for her to look at him once more. "Something," he hesitates, "happened, didn't it?" Lucy averts her gaze and pulls her hands from his shirt to clasp them in her lap. She can all but feel the dark aura coming over Natsu as his hands clench into fists, smoke emanating from between his fingers. "If someone hurt you," he snarls.

Lucy scoffs and wipes a persistent tear away. "It's not that," she breathes, forcing herself to look into his eyes. His brows are furrowed, a worried crease appearing as his onyx eyes look down at her with concern. Tears still shine in her eyes and he has to fight the urge to crinkle his nose at them. Lucy crying is unacceptable. Heat radiates from him in his anger and she attempts to shut it out by wrapping her arms around herself. There were so many things she wanted to tell him, so many things she had needed to tell him over the past year. So why was it so hard to say anything now?

When she says nothing, Natsu continues. "What are you doing here, Luce? You live here now? Where is everyone?" His voice is still gruff.

Lucy's heart stutters as she looks up at him, fresh tears wanting to well up in her eyes. "Natsu, there's a lot I need to talk to you about." Her eyes fall to her towel, scarcely concealing her nakedness, and heat rushes to her cheeks.

Something about her demeanor reminds him of a cornered animal. "Lucy?" he finally asks, his eyebrow rising in question when she simply sits in silence.

Taking a deep breath, Lucy forces herself to look him in the eye. "The day after you left, Master disbanded the guild."

Natsu's eyes widen and Happy jumps into the air in surprise. "What?!" they both shout.

"Fairy Tail," she breathes, "broke up."

Natsu jumps to his feet, his arms pulled out to his sides with clenched fists. "What?! How could this happen?! Didn't anyone try to stop it?!"

Her anger returns. "I don't think you have any room to talk, Natsu. You weren't there."

Natsu's eyes fall to her face, her bangs darkly concealing her eyes. There was venom in her words – he isn't so dense as to miss that. "Say what?"

Lucy looks up at him and allows her hurt and anger to truly show once more. "Can you honestly say you were thinking about the guild when you decided to run away for a whole year?" She doesn't give him a chance to respond. "You just took off! You didn't even talk to any of us about it!"

"It wasn't like that," he growls, dropping to his knees in front of her.

The anger has left her. Now she only feels hurt. The ache goes so deep she's not sure her heart will ever feel whole again. "Did you even stop to think what it would do to us if you left?" Her voice drops. "What it would do to me?"

Her words hit him like another slap in the face. Pain radiates from her in waves so fierce that his own heart begins to ache. He would prefer any sort of physical pain to this; he wishes she'd slap him again. The fire she had shown just a moment before is gone, leaving her to sit before him, slumped forward with the weight of her burdens. Had he done that? Was he responsible for this pain Lucy is feeling? Did he make Lucy cry?! "I had to leave," he breathes, waiting for her to look up at him. Tears sparkle in her eyes and he has to look away. "I had to train. I had to get stronger." His voice deepens and roughens with each word. "So I could protect my friends. So I could protect you." Although her heart lightens at his words, Lucy says nothing, making Natsu fidget uncomfortably as he scratches the back of his head. "I lost you once," his voice is harsh and quiet, nearly choking, as he shakes his head. The image is still too fresh in his mind. Future Rogue took what was most precious to me, and I didn't even realize it until it was gone... "I-I can't do it again." He's shaking from the memory.

Lucy opens her mouth to reply and then shuts it, thinking of the last moments she had with her future self. The memory still brings chills to her spine. "Then why couldn't you just tell me?"

Swallowing, Natsu forces himself to gaze into her eyes. Their chocolate depths feel like they are drowning him. "Because I knew you would either try to stop me or try to come with me. And I wouldn't have been able to say no."

"Natsu," she breathes, heat rushing to her face as her heart quickens in her chest. He's never talked like this before…

"If you want to hit me again, hit me," he laments, closing his eyes against the pain in her gaze.

To his surprise, her hand cups his cheek, soft and warm. Breath he didn't even realize he was holding rushes from his lungs as he leans into her touch, his hand coming up to rest on top of hers. "I don't want to hit you, Natsu. I'm sorry. I overreacted at the coliseum."

He shrugs, taking her hand from his face to hold in his own. His eyes fall on her guild mark, still as bright as ever, and he rubs his thumb over it. Her hand trembles in his but he doesn't let it go. How can Fairy Tail not exist anymore?

Lucy hesitates, enjoying the feel of her hand in his but then her mind sabotages her. He still doesn't know… Just thinking about Aquarius shoves an invisible knife into her chest so hard she feels as though she will collapse. The pain of losing Aquarius is still nearly more than she can bear. Her other celestial spirits did their best to cheer her up, but she was still reeling from the loss. Losing Aquarius and then Natsu and then the whole guild had been too much for her. "It's just, I couldn't have lost you at a worse time," she admits reluctantly.

Her voice catches at the end and Natsu can feel the pain radiating from her with a new force. When her shoulders tremble and her head droops he moves back to her side, pulling her into the circle of his arms. She trembles in his grip and he closes his eyes, resting his cheek against the top of her head as her hands grip the front of his tattered one sleeved shirt, pulling him closer.

"Lucy?" Happy asks softly, his small paws squeezing her shoulder. Natsu and Happy exchange a concerned, nervous look.

"You don't even know," Lucy mumbles into his chest as tears fall freely once more.

"Don't know what?"

"I-I l-lost Aquarius," she breathes. Her voice is so quiet and so muffled against his chest that any normal person would not have been able to hear her.

Natsu stiffens at her words. "What do you mean you lost Aquarius?"

Her hands trembling, Lucy releases his shirt and slips her arms around his waist. Her towel parts some, high up on her thigh, but she ignores it. His heart skips a beat regardless. "I had to break her key so that I could call upon the Celestial Spirit King when we were fighting Tartaros. She sacrificed her contract so we could live."

Natsu is quiet a moment as he lets her words sink in. She broke her key? How was that even possible? And to lose Aquarius, the spirit she had had the longest… He wasn't good with things like this. Emotions other than rage and concern for his friends evade him more times than not, and so he often doesn't know the right things to say. Regardless, he was beginning to see the selfishness of his leaving. He never felt more inadequate. "I'm sorry," he murmurs. "I had no idea." I didn't stick around long enough to find out, he berates himself. The real question is would he have still left had he known what Lucy was going through?

When he raises his eyes to Happy's, the blue Exceed is freely crying, but his gaze reflects the same lamentable thought. Taking a deep breath, Natsu's eyes drift shut at the smell of Lucy's hair. The fluttering returns to his stomach, and it's not because he's hungry.

For a moment Lucy doesn't move. His embrace surrounds her in comforting warmth, providing her with a sense of security she hasn't felt in a year. His closeness brings a soft smile to her face when she squeezes him tighter, pressing herself closer to him and he returns the squeeze, repositioning his arms to hold her tighter. She's almost reluctant to leave the warm circle of his embrace, but she closes her eyes and takes a deep cleansing breath anyway.

"Say, are you two hungry? My treat," she suddenly asks, a soft smile playing with her lips. The tumult of emotions winding down, she pulls just far enough away to look up at him, finding herself peering into the onyx depths of his eyes that have always shown with such brilliance. Their faces are surprisingly close together…

Natsu's grin is back as he almost shyly pulls away from her. He pointedly looks at her towel, but does it for the shortest amount of time possible. "How bout I let you finish your shower first," he begins.

Hot blood rushes to Lucy's face. She forgot she was still in her towel! Hell, the shower water was still running! "If I haven't used all the hot water," she says with a soft laugh. Wait, Natsu is foregoing food for me?! Is this the same man that left a year ago?

Natsu's grin widens. "I can always take care of that for ya, Luce."

Smiling, Lucy's eyes move from his to his salmon-colored hair. It's much longer now, falling down nearly to his chin in places. Steeling herself, she runs her fingers through the locks, amazed it's just as soft as it used to be. "I can call Cancer to take care of this if you want."

Natsu reaches up to pat his spikey hair. "Sure," he answers with a shrug.

With only the slightest hesitation, Lucy rises to her feet, Natsu not far behind. She has to retrieve her keys from the bathroom and once she returns with Cancer's key, she braces her feet wide. "Open! Gate of the golden crab," she whips the key in front of her and a golden magic circle appears under her feet, "Cancer!" There's the sound of a ding-dong and a bright flash before Cancer appears before them.

"Hey Baby!" he smiles with a flick of his scissors.

Natsu's cheek twitches.

"Natsu needs a haircut," she points at the shabby mage. "Can you help him out please?"

"Sure thing, Baby!" he exclaims before jumping to do as asked. Lucy smiles and disappears into the bathroom.

Back in the shower, Lucy turns to quickly finish bathing so Natsu can have a turn while she cooks dinner. He was always sensitive to her moods before, but the concern and restraint he showed earlier was surprising to her. She was seeing a more gentle side of him than she even realized existed and the thought brings heat to her cheeks. Her eyes close as she scrubs her hair and lets her mind run. He's changed in many ways during their time apart – his maturity being one of them – but there were physical changes too. Not only was his hair long and unkempt (he looked downright feral), but he had been covered in bandages, like Gildarts used to be. His clothes were tattered like he hadn't had new clothes in who knew how long. And his muscles, she breathes as she remembers the way he pulled her into his arms, the way he felt when she wrapped her arms around him. "Oh Mavis!" she yells, slapping her cheeks at her thoughts and feeling them burning beneath her palms.

"Luce?" Natsu yells from the other room with a hint of an edge to his voice.

So startled she almost slips in the tub again, Lucy claps a hand over her mouth in surprise. Curse you and your dragon hearing, Natsu, she grumbles before calling, "I'm fine!"

Her cheeks still burning, she hurries through the rest of her shower only to find that she forgot to bring clothes in with her – habit of being used to living alone. The towel wrapped tightly around her, she searches the bathroom frantically for anything that she might be able to throw on other than a towel, and comes up empty handed. True, she had just been in his arms in nothing but a towel, but that was because she had been afraid he was leaving again. Now, it suddenly seemed like such a bad idea to go streaking through her apartment in naught but a towel. Her heart hammering in her chest, she takes a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm down. It's ok. It's nothing he hasn't seen before, she admonishes herself. She used to come out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel and find Natsu staring at her in surprise from the couch at least once a week, if not more so. She never learned to bring her clothes into the bathroom with her then either. There's no reason to be so nervous, she reminds herself as she turns to look at herself in the mirror and make sure there isn't too much skin being shown.

Why am I freaking out like this? she asks herself as she wipes her sweaty palms on her towel. This is Natsu we're talking about. Natsu. Nothing going on there. But the pounding in her heart and the butterflies in her stomach say something else. A year ago, even before the Grand Magic Games, things had felt like they were changing between them, evolving. At least they had felt that way for her. She had been starting to see him in a new, different light – a light that made her feel light and happy and sometimes nervous. But Natsu was Natsu, completely oblivious.

Shaking her head to clear her muddled thoughts, Lucy takes a deep breath and cautiously opens the bathroom door. I can't make it seem like a big deal. She steps out softly, trying to be quiet even though she knows it's pointless, and makes a beeline for her room. "Bathroom is all yours!" she calls with a wave and a smile.

Natsu's head turns at the sound of the bathroom door opening, but Lucy avoids his gaze, her eyes on the pink curtain before her. When he sees her step out clothed only in a towel, and a short towel at that (he had been too distracted earlier to really pay much attention), a familiar lump forms in his throat that he has to struggle to swallow around. Her scent hits him like a slap as she all but runs to her bedroom, but he can't move. It's not until Happy chuckles at him from the seat next to him that he realizes he's gripping the armrest so hard his knuckles are white.

"You liiiiiike her," Happy taunts with his paws pressed together in front of his chest and his eyes tilted with an evil smirk.

Releasing the couch, Natsu's cheeks darken. "Shut up, Happy!" he hisses through his teeth as he gets up and all but runs into the bathroom. Happy follows him, planning on joining him in the bath. He can only smile wider at the fire dragon slayer's reaction. In the past, Natsu would have yelled at him. His hissed words only add fuel to the fire.

Rather than hurry through a shower, Natsu takes a long, hot bath with his head relaxed against the side of the tub. It has been a long time since he or Happy have even stayed indoors, let alone had a good bath. His clothes show it. Cancer had taken care of his hair, snipping and slashing away until it was clean, soft, and spikey like it used to be. Natsu had taken the time to ask the celestial spirit some questions while he worked. "Hey, Cancer?"

"Yes?" He would never call the fire dragon slayer 'Baby'.

"Lucy," he hesitated, his eyes being drawn to the closed bathroom door. He could hear the water of the shower running beyond it. The question had been formed when he opened his mouth, but it suddenly evaded him.

Cancer paused in his vigorous scrubbing of Natsu's hair and scalp. "It's been hard on her," he answered honestly. He had to be careful what he said because he didn't know how much Lucy wanted the other mage to know.

"Has she," Natsu had hesitated, feeling his heart rate pick up a notch, "been alone this whole time?" He did not think he was asking for romantic reasons, but because he didn't know where anyone else was. Cancer, however, knew otherwise, being able to see into Natsu's heart, but Natsu had forgotten all about that ability of celestial spirits.

"Yes," Cancer had answered simply, purposely pulling roughly on Natsu's hair. Lucy's spirits were aware of how hard she took losing Aquarius and her friends. Natsu's departure couldn't have come at a worse time.

"Ow! Watch it Crab Legs!" Natsu shouted, only to get a snarky smile back from Cancer with a snip-snip of his scissors. Grumbling, Natsu had folded his arms across his chest and turned back forward. "She hasn't seen anyone from the guild?" he asked again, pain in his heart as he once more gazed at the bathroom door.

"They all went their separate ways," the crab replied, intrigued by Natsu's sudden concern.

Natsu remained silent while Cancer finished his handiwork, brooding. He did not take his eyes off the bathroom door until Cancer jumped back and yelled, "Finished!"

Standing up, Natsu ran his fingers through his clean, dry, trimmed, and once more spikey hair. "I feel like I've got a whole new head! Thanks Cancer!"

Cancer bowed with a smile and disappeared with a puff of smoke.

"So Lucy's been alone all this time?" Happy asked once they were alone, his voice sad.

"Yeah," Natsu breathed. "Why hasn't anyone even bothered to stay in touch?" he asked, moving to take his place on the couch.

"She must have been so lonely," Happy whined, tears welling in his eyes once more.

"Yeah," Natsu sighed, feeling the pain in his chest deepen. He had not said another word until he heard Lucy shout "Oh Mavis!" from the shower.

Now, sitting in the tub with the hot water easing the tension in his muscles, Natsu sighs, "Ah, this hits the spot!"

"Aye," Happy answers wistfully. The blue Exceed is about to fall asleep. The only thing that wakes him is his rumbling tummy.

Natsu eyes his blue companion with a smirk, surprised his own stomach hasn't been more of a bother. "Guess that means it's time for dinner!" he exclaims as he launches out of the tub.

By the time Natsu and Happy are dried and dressed, the sun has moved far to the west since Natsu made his explosive entrance at the coliseum and the sky is turning pink and purple over the mountains. Delicious smells are more than tempting them from under the door. Natsu comes out of the bathroom dressed only in his pants (heat cleaned) with some fresh bandages applied, running his warmed fingers through his hair to dry it again. "Did you learn to cook, Luce?" he teases with a smile. At the same time, Happy flies over to Lucy's side and says, "Smells delicious!"

Lucy's eyes widen momentarily at the sight of Natsu and she quickly looks back at her work in front of her, her cheeks flushing and her ears burning. Her heart resumes its frantic pounding in her chest. "I may have picked up a few things here and there," she answers with a soft smile

They are seated and working on the food Lucy prepared moments later. She had some fish she cooked up for Happy, and some steaks she cooked for Natsu and herself. Steamed vegetables and mashed potatoes accompany the meal and she gratefully found some sake and beer. "Did you do all of this just for us?" Natsu asks in between stuffing bites of food in his mouth like he hasn't eaten in years.

Smiling, Lucy shrugs, keeping her eyes off Natsu's naked upper half. He was going to quickly eat her out of house and home. "I figured a nice home-cooked meal would do you boys some good." She looks directly at Happy. "And I couldn't let that fish go to waste!"

"Aye!" Happy mumbles around the fish he's chewing on.

They eat in silence for several moments, the mages ironically unsure of what to do or say in front of the other. "So what have you two been doing the past year?" Lucy finally asks, breaking the silence.

And so, in between mouthfuls of food, Happy and Natsu recap what they have been doing in their year of training. They tell her how they started their training with a trip to Master Mavis's grave on Tenrou Island and how they walked around seemingly aimlessly for a long time. Happy complains about how Natsu spent most of their money on food almost immediately and so they had to clean dishes to pay off their bill. Then he tells her about the time they were so hungry Natsu ate some mushrooms that he shouldn't have, making him act even crazier than normal, and fighting a small group of mages that stole their fish (Lucy suspects Happy tried to steal it from them and got busted). Natsu had unleashed so much power on them that the entire mountain melted.

"So you melted Mount Ultana? Everyone thought it was some strange natural disaster."

Natsu rolls his eyes and shrugs his shoulders. "I don't remember any of it."

Happy giggles and continues rehashing the story of how they ran into Gildarts (and consequently brought down another mountain). "What did you do when you saw him?" Lucy asks.

"What do you think? Fought him of course!" Natsu grins. Lucy rolls her eyes and giggles as Natsu mumbles, "It still hurts a little," and rubs his bandaged side. "What about you? You live here, in Crocus now?"

"New job, new city, new apartment," she answers with a shrug. "With everyone gone from Magnolia, I had nothing else keeping me there." Although her words are sad, Natsu is relieved to see her eyes are light.

The apartment is much larger than her last apartment in Magnolia, with a higher rent to come along with it. The living room is spacious with a pink loveseat before the fireplace and a bay window. Her kitchen table is small, chairs for two since she rarely has company. There still is just one bedroom and one bathroom, Lucy's bedroom separated from the living room with a heavy pink curtain that's pulled shut. Natsu's still in awe of the place.

"What have you been doing?" Happy asks. "Why were you at the games?"

A soft smile touches Lucy's lips as she proudly answers, "I am an editor in training at Sorcerer's Weekly."

"Wow!" the two exclaim in unison.

"That's great, Luce!" Natsu continues with a wide grin.

Lucy looks at him with warmth in her heart and has to swallow before asking, "Hey, you guys probably don't have a place to stay, do you?"

Natsu and Happy both look at her with slightly downturned faces and shake their heads.

"Well, you guys can crash here for a while if you like," she offers with a shy smile. Why do I feel so nervous?! she admonishes herself. "But don't mess anything up and I better not find you in my bedroom!" she threatens, pointing her knife at them as though it were a weapon.

"Thank you Lucy! Yes Lucy!" the two proclaim as they bow furiously.

When dinner is finished, Lucy puts the food away and turns around to see Natsu and Happy scrubbing the dishes in the sink. "What?" she whispers, her hands falling to her sides in shock. When the two simply look at her with smiles, she can't help but smile back, warm blood flushing her cheeks pleasantly.

Once everything is picked up, they sit on the floor to play a game. The sky is now completely dark outside, the navy skies housing the many stars. Lucy finds herself laughing like she used to, her mind and heart at ease in Natsu and Happy's presence. Natsu smiles and laughs just as easily as ever, only Happy aware that it's the most at ease he's been in a year as well. It doesn't take long before the two mages find Happy snuggled into a ball fast asleep.

"Poor little buddy," Natsu murmurs, rubbing the Exceed's head between the ears affectionately, "he's had a long day."

Lucy yawns and stretches. "I think we all have." With a twisted smile, she moves her piece up and sits back with a grin. "And I win again!"

Natsu's eyes narrow at the board game and he pushes back from it with a huff. "This game's rigged," he grumbles.

Giggling, Lucy slowly rises to her feet, stretching her legs and grabbing her glass of sake. Steeling herself, she roughly runs her fingers through Natsu's hair (soooo soft, she thinks to herself) before roughly grabbing his head and shaking him. A shock goes through Natsu at her touch but he covers it with a laugh before lithely following suit, grabbing his beer. Without realizing she's doing it, Lucy looks at him with a coy smile and heads out to the patio. Natsu follows her with mixed emotions roiling through his chest.

Once outside, Lucy leans her forearms on the railing, dangling her glass above the drop to the ground below. Natsu hesitates behind her, watching with barely hidden interest as she crosses her legs and leans forward, her short skirt higher in the back as she leans. She had left her hair down and it now reaches nearly all the way to her butt, the blonde locks gently swaying to the side in the breeze even as they cascade over her shoulders. She's so beautiful, is all Natsu can think. Realizing what he's doing, he clears his throat and forces himself to look away, nervously scratching at the back of his head as he moves to stand beside her.

"This place sure has a pretty view, but it doesn't compare to Magnolia," Lucy all but whispers with a hint of longing in her voice.

Blinking slowly, Natsu follows her gaze to the city lights beyond. It has grown quite late and so the city is fairly quiet, hardly anyone on the streets. The palace of Mercurios is brightly lit not far in the distance, lights all but shooting up into the sky to light up the citadel. The coliseum is still smoking to the west. He smiles with pride when he notices the place is still smoldering, his smoke still drifting away on the breeze. Without realizing it, Lucy's eyes have moved in the same direction, and she likewise smiles. "You really did a number on that place."

Chuckling, Natsu takes a swig of his beer. "I suppose I could have held back some."

Smiling, Lucy turns to lean her hip against the railing with her head cocked to the side. Even now that he wasn't geared up for a fight, the amount of magical power emanating from him is almost too much for her to comprehend. How had so much changed in just a year? "Don't sell yourself short, Natsu. You were holding back."

His chuckle deepening, Natsu's signature smile breaks out across his face. "Okay, you got me!"

Still smiling, Lucy takes a drink of her sake and turns back to face the railing. Her hands want to shake but she's not sure why. Sensing her discomfort, Natsu follows suit and turns, taking his eyes off of her with some difficulty. With a sigh, he looks at the beer bottle in his hands. Both of them have been drinking, but not a lot. Even so, he feels his toes tingling pleasantly from the beer. Good thing Cana isn't around or I'd never hear the end of it for being such a lightweight. His inhibitions lowered, there's another reason he's glad Cana, and especially Mira Jane aren't around – he's allowing himself to think and feel things he's tried so hard to suppress – and both of them are far too perceptive for their own good.

Despite the trail of his thoughts, Natsu can't get one out of his head. "So I talked to Cancer," he begins, aware of the sharp look Lucy turns on him, "and he told me you've been alone all this time." Part of his mind tries to think of that factoid in relation to something other than the guild, but he brushes it off. "Has no one been in contact with each other?"

At his words, Lucy grows very still. She swallows and takes a long drink before she answers softly, "We haven't." Her eyes sting like she's about to cry and she furiously blinks them back.

His heart feels even heavier and Natsu finds himself actually wishing Erza were there to corner him with her Heaven's Wheel and beat him senseless. It would be preferable to how he felt.

"I think we are all just giving each other space, like Master suggested," she tries to explain, but something in her voice tells him there's more to it than that, and he notices her gaze on her pink guild mark.

Taking a deep breath, Natsu swallows as he looks at Lucy out of the corner of his eye. Her shoulders are rounded as she's slumped forward, leaning her forearms on the railing once more. She's absentmindedly swirling the sake left in her glass over the railing and Natsu's surprised to find himself trying to remember how much she's had to drink. Before he can give himself time to change his mind, he side steps closer to her, his hip nearly touching hers, and throws his arm around her shoulder. It's something he used to do all the time without a thought, so why does the idea scare him so much now? "I don't know about you, but I've had about all the space I can stand," he mutters softly. Happy would never let me hear the end of it if he heard that!

When his arm comes down across her shoulders, Lucy at first stiffens in surprise, sucking in a surprised breath as her eyes widen, but are thankfully hidden by her bangs. Is that… a pick up line?! she finds herself wondering. Who am I kidding? It's Natsu. Of course it isn't. Sighing, she takes a small side step closer so their hips are touching, and allows herself to lean into him, his warmth immediately surrounding her and comforting her. "Me too," she admits softly, her voice low, warm blood darkening her cheeks.

Later that night, Natsu lies on his back on the couch, staring at the ceiling of Lucy's new apartment. It feels the same as her old apartment and yet different. Lucy is the same Lucy, and yet different. The more he thinks about it, the more he realizes that the same is true for him – he is also the same and yet different. The old Natsu would have made himself at home in her bed, whether she yelled at him or not, until she gave up and went to sleep anyway, or gave him a Lucy Kick out of the room. The old Natsu would have been able to pass out the moment he laid down horizontally, not find his mind and heart churning so much that sleep eluded him. The old Natsu wouldn't have thought twice about comforting his friend in need, wouldn't have been afraid to touch her and yet want so strongly to touch her. The old Natsu wouldn't have been concerned with how much she drank and how that affected his actions. What's wrong with me?

Unable to find any solace staring at the ceiling, Natsu growls and sits up, throwing the blanket off of his lap. Happy continues to snore in peaceful oblivion from his spot perched on the back of the couch. Rolling his eyes, Natsu shoves himself to his feet, not sure what he should do. Without thinking about it, he finds himself making his way to Lucy's bedroom.

She told you not to come in here, he cautions himself as he approaches the pink curtain. He can hear her deep and steady breathing from the other side – she's fast asleep. Swallowing nervously, Natsu quietly brushes the curtain aside and crosses the threshold.

Lucy's bedroom is set up much like her old bedroom was. Her bed is the same, situated with the head against the external wall. A window is just to the right of the bed, and on the other side of the window sits her desk, nestled into the quiet corner with a small lamp sitting on top. There are papers and pens scattered about the space, but it is organized chaos. What's she been writing about, he asks himself and turns to head to the desk. That's when his eyes catch the wall.

Sucking in a surprised breath, Natsu's eyes widen as he turns to view the wall adjacent to the desk. It is completely covered in newspaper clippings and notes in Lucy's own hand. Pictures are spread throughout, along with thick writings of names and sometimes places. In numerous places, colored strings connect dots between different articles and different people. Amazing, he thinks in utter awe. She's been keeping tabs on everyone. His eyes continue to roam the wall, picking out several names easily: Erza, Gray, Juvia, Wendy and Carla. Lisanna, Mira Jane, Cana, and Elfman. Laxus, Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen. Gajeel, Levy, and Lily. Those three are traveling together? He almost wouldn't believe it if there wasn't a picture of the three of them. Then his eyes fall on a note that seems to ooze pain and heartbreak. "No sign of Natsu or Happy".

The consequences of his actions have been raining down on him all day, and seeing that note only drives it home that much more. She'd been trying to find them… His throat constricts and his heart drops into his stomach when he realizes there are dried tears on that note. What have I done?!

Moving purely on instinct and driven by the anguish he knows she feels 100 times more, Natsu makes his way to Lucy's bed. She's sound asleep on her stomach, her head turned to the side with her hair fanned out across her back. With how she's laying, he honestly can't tell if she's wearing any clothes, but with her scent filling his nostrils, he realizes he doesn't care. "I'm so sorry, Luce," he breathes, an unfamiliar sensation taking root in his gut. Fully preparing himself for screams and a Lucy Kick, he moves to the other side of the bed, pulls the blanket up, and slips into the bed behind her.

Once in the bed without waking her, Natsu finds himself staring at the back of her head with fear and something else eating away at him. He's never wanted to hold her so intensely before, never felt such pleasure just by catching her scent. But he's never been more afraid to touch her for fear of her reaction, never felt so unsure about what more would come from simply touching her. His heart racing, he simply stares at her dumbly, trying to force his mind into action.

"No," Lucy mumbles in her sleep, shifting her legs, and Natsu freezes like a thief caught in the act. Should he pretend to be asleep? Her sigh quickly reassures him she's still sleeping. But now his interest is piqued. "Natsu," she breathes, but her voice is strained.

Natsu finds himself reaching toward her, meaning to pull her into his arms, but his heart is racing and the pain in her voice gives him pause.

"Don't leave me," she whimpers, a pleading tone in her voice that cuts through him like a knife. Then it hits him, the soft smell of salt tanging the air, and he can't stop himself. Tears well up in his own eyes as he scoots forward, wraps his arms around her, pulls her tightly to him, and squeezes gently, burying his face in her luxurious hair.

At the feeling of arms slipping around her, Lucy's eyes flutter open, her breath catching in her throat. As soon as she's pulled tight against a solid chest, the arms holding her tightly and protectively, she finishes breathing in, the intake ragged. Heat immediately surrounds her, enveloping her in a pleasant, intoxicating swirl of comfort. Even Natsu's legs have been brought up to the back of hers, her short shorts against his boxers. "I promise I won't," he whispers against her neck, his breath warm, but bringing goose bumps to her skin. She shivers pleasantly.

Natsu?! Her eyes move to the wall that she had been trying to hide from him. He's seen it, her mind races. But wait, what is he doing in here in the first place? Despite her command given to him earlier, at present she can't even be mad at him. Her bed has been too big, too cold, and too lonely since he left.

Natsu feels Lucy stiffen the moment she awakes, and his heart freezes, preparing for a swift kick from the bed. The moment she relaxes, his heart lights back on fire, racing away as though it were flying through the heavens. A moment later, when he's trying to figure out what her shiver means, he registers that although she is wearing some clothes, the shirt must be short as his hand is pressed against her bare belly. Unless he's under it! Panic seizes him for a moment as that strange feeling in his gut returns with a vengeance, but he forces the panic away when she actually nuzzles her head against his arm; his arm that is curled up across her chest to grip her shoulder possessively. Wait, what?! What the hell do I do now?! "Luce," he breathes, trying to calm the tumultuous feelings roiling through him. "Why are you crying?"

Lucy blinks, not realizing that her cheeks are wet until she processes his words. She wipes them away quickly, having no recollection of her dream, but having a good idea of what it was – it was recurring, and she often awoke with tears in her eyes. "Must have been a dream," she answers softly, feeling his arms tighten in just the slightest. She hesitates for but a moment before resting one hand on top of the arm draped over her waist and pressing against her belly. His arm tenses for a moment, as though afraid she is going to pull it away, but quickly relaxes as her fingers glide down his forearm, between the tendons of his hand, to nestle between his fingers. She's breathing faster than she normally does, her stomach flipping nervously.

Her reaction catching him off guard, Natsu can scarcely hear anything over the roar of his own blood in his ears – a phenomenon that startles him. Her touch on his arm is unlike any other touch from her before. This is a soft touch, delicate almost to the point of being sensual. Is she fighting with the same feelings he is? Does she understand what exactly it is he's even feeling? "I'm so sorry, Luce," he repeats his lament from before, his grip on her tightening once again. This time when he nuzzles against her neck, his nose brushes her skin. Her scent is both overwhelming and intoxicating, and his eyes drift closed on their own accord.

Feeling like she won't be able to breathe if he squeezes her any tighter, Lucy can only squeeze his hand in affirmation. Part of her wants to cry, let the tears flow that she's been fighting and holding back for so long, but the other part of her doesn't want to put Natsu through that. She knows how much seeing her cry hurts him, how much her tears from earlier tore at his heart. He should be sorry, a teeny part of her brain tries to tell her, but her heart screams no. She forces all these thoughts aside and instead focuses on the moment, the feel of being completely enveloped in his embrace, his heat at her back and surrounding her completely. Pressing her lips together to keep her nerves in check, she slips her fingers fully between his and gently pulls his hand away from her belly, moving it to her chest, where she can clasp his hand at her heart. Her belly suddenly feels cooler, but it's so tight and anxious she scarcely notices. "If you squeeze me any tighter I won't be able to breathe," she murmurs, her cheeks warming so much that she's grateful for the darkness.

When Lucy starts moving his hand, Natsu has no idea what is happening and his heart jumps into his throat. Sure, he's touched her breasts before, although not exactly on purpose, but is that really what she wants? What would he do if she did? When she stops with their hands between her breasts, over her heart, he relaxes some, but feels his gut clench as each of her breaths seem larger than normal, the soft silkiness of her nightshirt brushing against his forearm with each breath. Even so, her words bring a smile to his lips. "Sorry," he whispers, his breath now hot on her neck.

The heat on her neck causes Lucy to close her eyes pleasantly, a soft smile on her lips even as a tremor works its way from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Natsu feels this tremor from his chest to his thighs and every muscle tightens in response. His eyes open, suddenly faced with the curve of her neck before him, the smell calling to him like never before. Without thinking, his lips brush the skin where her neck meets her shoulder in a soft kiss. When Lucy's entire body grows shock still, her breath sucking in in surprise, he immediately removes them, his cheeks and ears burning as he pulls his head away. What the hell is wrong with me?! Why the hell did I do that?! Oh, Mavis, tell me why everything about her is pulling me closer!

Lucy's initial shock turns into wide-eyed panic. Was that his lips?! Did Natsu just kiss my neck?! Images she had been pushing from her mind all day come crashing in with such force that she has to swallow to calm her nerves and remind herself to breathe. Even so, the moment his lips are gone, she wants them back. Wait, what?! she screams at herself the moment she realizes that.

Natsu has no idea what to say or do as he feels Lucy's shock retreat with the tension in her body. Was that okay?! Should I do it again?! He certainly wants to do it again. What would she say if I asked her? Should I even ask her? Question after question races through his mind as he suddenly finds himself wishing he had paid more attention to Gildarts when he tried to explain all of this to him. Regardless, Lucy is still in his arms, still pressed against him in a manner that he can no longer see as strictly friendly, and still has his hand clasped in her own, so it can't be that bad, right? Even as he allows himself to acknowledge this, a flood of thoughts and images crash through his mind unlike anything he has ever truly considered outside of his dreams. Now when he looks at the gentle curve in her neck, her scent tantalizing and sweet, he can think of nothing other than her body and his body.

Sucking in a breath for courage, his grip on her tightens as he moves forward, her hair surrounding his face as he places his lips to her neck more firmly this time. This time, Lucy's body does not tense in response, but does quite the opposite – it's as though she melts into him, her eyes closing as her head rolls slightly to the side, as though to give him more access. At the same time, her hand gripping his squeezes gently.

Lucy's skin is softer than Natsu could have ever imagined, and tastes just as sweet as it smells. His body moves without conscious thought as his lips move higher up her neck, now feeling her pulse bound beneath her skin. His lips curl back slightly when he realizes her heart is racing just as fast as his. That realization comes as he moves his lips even higher, now at the corner of her jaw. He feels like someone must be using marionette magic on him, for how else would he know what he's doing? Am I dreaming? When Lucy makes no move to stop him, he loosens his hand from hers and places his fingers gently on her chin. He's afraid to look in her eyes, afraid to look at anything other than the lips he suddenly can't take his eyes off of. He's never kissed anyone before…

When Natsu turns her head, Lucy's breath catches in her throat. Her entire body feels like it's a humming thread. Moonlight is shining brightly in through her window and so she can see that he isn't looking in her eyes, but lower. Her lips part of their own accord in surprise. Oh Mavis! Is he going to kiss me?! Her stomach flips and her heart jumps into her throat. She's never kissed anyone before…

Pressing forward just the slightest, Natsu brushes his lips against Lucy's and both of them gasp softly at the contact. They gasp, and then reconnect a moment later, Lucy turning even more as she presses her lips up into his. Neither of them knows what they are doing, but their lips part at the same time, and they both instinctually deepen the kiss, making Lucy's heart soar and Natsu's stomach flip as a wave of heat overtakes them both. As they become more confident exploring each other's mouths, Lucy's hand makes its way to the back of Natsu's neck, pulling him closer while he lets go of her chin, his hand moving to her hip.

They separate when they have to, both feeling light-headed and breathless. Natsu rests his forehead against Lucy's, his eyes still closed. Did that really just happen?! both of them shout at themselves in surprise. Now that this deeper, somehow more and yet less animalistic side of Natsu has been awakened, he's painfully aware of the swell of Lucy's breasts, her nightshirt stretching over them as she's twisted, the roundness of her hip in his hand and her butt pressed back against him. These thoughts bring with them a sudden rise in temperature, the heat increasing off of him in a wave that brings a smile to Lucy's lips as she reaches up to pull his lips back down to hers and turns so she's facing him.

Her renewal of the kiss pleasantly surprises Natsu as he quickly returns it, a growl making its way up from deep in his throat when her body presses against his. She throws both her arms around his neck, no longer shy about pressing against him as his arms wrap around her waist. Again moving by some unseen force and unknown knowledge, Natsu breaks off the kiss, making his way down the other side of her neck to the hollow at her collarbone. Lucy ensnares her fingers in his hair as a shiver makes its way pleasantly down her spine.

Lucy's shiver brings another wave of heat from the fire dragon slayer as he kisses lower, his hand moving from her hip to her belly once more, this time sliding upward. This can't be happening, he thinks to himself as she lets his hand slip under her shirt and cup her breast.

Natsu's warm hand on her skin causes a soft sound of pleasure to make its way from Lucy's lips. She doesn't know how he knows what he's doing, but she knows she's enjoying it. When his hand releases her breast and slips behind her, pulling her up so she's partially sitting, she does as he seems to want. They find themselves both sitting, their legs pointing to different ends of the bed. Lucy is leaned back, supporting herself on her hands, while Natsu leans over her, supporting himself on his right hand while holding her back with his left. For the first time, his eyes meet hers in the darkness and both are relieved to see their emotions mirrored in the others – fear, excitement, and passion. As Lucy's chocolate eyes seem to beg into his, some of Natsu's courage dissipates. Almost shyly, he brings both hands to her sides, sliding his hands up under her shirt and lifting the entire garment up. When Lucy sits up straighter and raises her arms as he pulls it over her head, something new flips in his stomach. When her hair flips down against her back and he tosses the shirt unceremoniously aside, her scent assaults him anew, something different but even more pleasant about it. His heart hammering away at his ribs, he cups her cheeks in his hands and brings her to him, pressing his lips against hers with a new tenderness.

Lucy melts against him as his lips press softly against hers. He's no longer shy, just gentle as the kiss quickly deepens. When a soft groan escapes her, he releases her cheeks and presses her back, covering her body with his as she throws her arms around his neck.

Never having been in this position before, Lucy marvels at the feel of Natsu completely against her. His legs fell between hers without her remembering how they got there, his corded muscles pressing into her with a not unpleasant weight. His hands, large and rough, are surprisingly gentle in how he touches her, his touch bringing goose bumps to her skin. Now that Natsu is laying on top of her, her breasts now press against his naked chest, his warmth surprising and soothing at the same time. As their kiss deepens, Natsu's hand once more returning to her plentiful breast, their hips inexplicably press together, startling both of them with the new sensations that movement brings.

Unlike Natsu, Lucy did pay attention to all talks of love and life when she was younger. Erza's novels and Mira Jane's books had filled in the rest. Even so, she still felt completely inexperienced in any of this. She knows what is supposed to happen and how, but the thought still fills her with trepidation. Sure, she had started having fantasies like this before the Grand Magic Games, but then all hell broke loose. Literally. She didn't think Natsu would return her feelings, especially with how seemingly easy he left. And he had only just returned. There is a lot trying to convince her this is wrong, but every nerve in her body screams it's right. Giving in to her desires, Lucy drops her hands to Natsu's sides, her fingers tracing and caressing the muscles that ripple with each of his movements.

Still unaware of how he knows what to do, Natsu once more makes his way to Lucy's breast, his mouth covering the soft nipple as though he has done so a hundred times. The way Lucy arches her back and grips his hair tells him what he is doing is right, and when her nipple hardens into a pleasant peak between his lips, he can't help but smile before moving to the other side. Meanwhile, his hand moves lower.

The lower Natsu's hand gets, the shorter Lucy's breath becomes. Are we going to do this? Is this really happening? Her mind races and yet feels void of all thought except Natsu's hands on her and her hands on him. His hand moves down her waist, spreading warmth and fire (not literally) with his touch. He glides past her hip and along the outer edge of her thigh, feeling just how short her shorts are and pulls Lucy's leg up by the back of the knee. Without thinking, he turns his attention to her leg, kissing the side of her knee before playfully nipping at the soft skin of her thigh.

Gasping, Lucy fights the urge to yell at him, remembering Happy sleeping in the other room. She can see Natsu's smug grin until he turns to plant kisses along her calf, causing her breath to pleasantly catch in her throat and her fingers to grab his hair. He makes his way back up to her, his lips and hands teasing her in their gentle touch until his lips once more find hers and his hand slips just barely on the inside of her shorts and panties. The scents and sounds coming from her are now enough to nearly drive him crazy, but he successfully restrains himself from downright attacking her, the effort making his whole body tremble.

The moment Natsu's lips meet hers once more the battle is won. Their actions might forever change their relationship, but neither of them is in the state of mind to think of that. As his tongue slips into her mouth, gently probing hers, his hand slips inside her panties and Lucy's breath is taken away.

Smiling at her reaction, Natsu does the only thing he can think of, and slides his hand forward until he feels something that's nearly as hot as him, only wetter. When Lucy shivers at the touch, he kisses her again, a finger slipping inside her without thought from him.

Natsu's touch not only surprises Lucy, but takes her breath away. The heat alone is a surprise but what he's doing is even more so. Her hands plunge into his hair, gripping it nearly painfully as he slips another finger inside her and she lets out a soft moan into their kiss. Wanting only to make him as happy as he's making her, Lucy's fingers trail down Natsu's powerful sides to the top of his boxers. When she moves her hand inward, he sucks in a surprised breath, and now it's her turn to smile. She scarcely slips her hand inside his boxers before coming in contact with him. When her fingers gingerly close around him, Natsu breaks off the kiss breathlessly, burying his face in her shoulder as he shivers with delight. As her hand starts to move, gently and unsure at first, then growing more confident, Natsu grips the top of her shorts in his hand, ready to burn them or rip them off. Sensing the rising tension in him, Lucy pulls her hand from his boxers and presses them down.

The second Natsu realizes what Lucy is doing, he props himself up on one elbow and looks into her eyes. Her eyes are hooded, looking up at him with a fierce desire and wanton need that are mirrored in his. He's never wanted, never needed anything so much before in his life. He's consumed by a hunger he's never experienced before, and something tells him that the only way to sate that hunger is to have Lucy. But he can't do anything to hurt Lucy, not his Lucy. "Luce," he breathes, his voice ragged as he cups her cheek in his hand. Her eyes close at his touch and she gently presses her cheek more firmly into his palm while covering his hand with her own.

"Natsu," she breathes in return, her eyes opening.

"We," he begins, not entirely sure what to say. Damn it!

Raising only one eyebrow, Lucy uses her feet to press his boxers down to his knees – as far as she can get them with his current position. "I know," she somehow manages to answer his unknown question.

Her words and actions give him a sense of permission and Natsu all but rips her shorts and panties off her legs, throwing them across the room just as they burst into a quick flame, disintegrating in midair. He doesn't even notice, while Lucy senses the sudden onslaught of heat and flash of light, bringing a soft smile to her lips as he kicks out of his boxers the rest of the way. Once his weight is resettled comfortably back onto her, he hesitates once more. He can feel her, and she can feel him; Natsu pressing gently against her like a surprisingly large hot rod, and Lucy just barely touching him, beckoning him into her sweet, hot, wetness. Their hearts hammer away at their ribs like they mean to break free and fly away together. Each breath Lucy takes presses her breasts into Natsu's chest and he can feel her trembling beneath him, but he's also trembling above her. Lucy can sense his hesitation; sense the concern for her battling with his want for her in the waves of heat coming off of him. Like him, she's never been faced with such strong feelings before. She's never felt a desire and need so strong that she's sure to die without it. Sucking in a breath, she reaches up and cups his cheeks in her hands, the small action settling the turmoil in his eyes, before pulling him down to capture his lips with her own. He takes the hint and presses into her then, both of them breaking off the kiss and gasping in surprise.

The heat and warmth only beckon Natsu for more as he presses onward, feeling Lucy tense beneath him as she exhales with a shiver. The moment her breath sucks in painfully, and a small cry escapes her lips, he freezes, ice running through his veins in fear of hurting her.

Trembling beneath him, Lucy is indeed in pain, but knows it will pass. Ignoring the concerned look he's giving her, she presses her hips up and pulls him back down for another kiss, plunging her tongue into his mouth with a soft moan. The pain immediately begins anew as Natsu presses his hips into hers, taking her cue and returning her kiss just as passionately. She cries out into the kiss as he seems to never end, but keeps pulling him in until he can go no further.

Panting and trembling as he restrains himself from ravishing her, Natsu breaks off their kiss and looks into her eyes. She looks up at him with a slight pained squint to her eyes. "Did I-" he begins, but she cuts him off by gently pressing a finger to his lips.

"Yes, but that's normal, Natsu," she whispers, the pain already receding and being replaced with something more pleasant.

Confusion momentarily flits across Natsu's features as he looks into her eyes, but the moment she reaches up and pulls him back down to her lips, he forgets it. As he slowly starts moving, her hands fall to his hips, and she matches his movements. Lucy had heard the first time would be more pain and fumbling than anything, but the sensations flickering through her body are anything but. The more Natsu moves within her, the more she wants and the quicker her toes begin to tingle and curl. She digs her fingers into his back, bringing a pleasant groan from his throat.

Unlike Lucy, Natsu can't remember exactly what he had been told the first time would be like, but he has a feeling it was not the extreme burning pleasure he's experiencing. Each movement Lucy makes sends him higher and higher as she hugs him like a moist glove that's too small. The small sounds of pleasure that escape her only make him want more as he fights to suppress even louder cries of ecstasy, muffling his cries with her mouth, or by gently pressing his teeth into her shoulder.

The moment Natsu bites her shoulder, Lucy's back arches and she digs her fingers into his back so much so that Natsu would flinch if he weren't so distracted. "Natsu!" she breathes forcefully, pulling his face to hers as she tightens exponentially around him. At the same moment, Natsu thrusts as fully into her as he can, every muscle in his body tightening as they climax together with muffled cries. If she hadn't pulled him down for a passionate kiss, he feels as though he might yell as loudly as he did at the coliseum. The intense pleasure rippling through his body is so strong, he's afraid he's going to hurt her, so he grips the headboard. His release is hot, causing Lucy to suck in her breath even as the sensation makes her clench him even more. Smoke emanates from beneath his hands on the headboard.

Suddenly smelling burning wood, Lucy's eyes snap open. "Natsu!" she whispers harshly, now overly afraid of waking Happy.

Natsu opens his eyes to see the wood smoking and glowing a soft orange beneath his hands. He immediately removes them, collapsing onto her, panting and trembling. "Sorry!" he whispers with a chuckle. He's grinning like a cat with a big fish.

Lucy wraps her arms around him with a pleased smile, her eyes drifting closed. It was well worth a little singed headboard.

Reluctant to leave, Natsu stays where he is, fully enveloped by the woman below him. Part of him can't believe what has just happened, another part of him can't believe they waited so long.

Completely content, Lucy struggles with the same thoughts below Natsu. Part of her can't believe what they just did, another part of her is annoyed that it took them so long to get to this point, and yet another part of her realizes just how many pieces had to line up in order to make this reunion possible. The stars must be in proper alignment, she thinks to herself with a content smile.

Spent, sleep threatens to overtake them moments later and Natsu rolls to the side, pulling Lucy so that he can curl up against her from behind. Lucy rests her head on his arm comfortably, holding his hand between her breasts once again, only feeling much less awkward about it. Her eyes find their way to her wall and the little note that says, "No sign of Natsu or Happy." Smiling, she squeezes him gently and lets her eyes drift shut. Well we certainly found each other.

Feeling Lucy's breathing deepen and slow, Natsu grips her tighter in the slightest. Now that Lucy is in his arms, he feels more content and happy than he has during the entire past year. He never would admit it before now, but Happy often had to correct him, especially in the beginning, reminding him that Lucy wasn't with them. Any time they saw something interesting, or something Natsu thought Lucy might like, he would turn behind him and call out to her to make sure she saw it. When he'd remember her absence, the pain in his chest was akin to an arrow in the heart. Every village or town they came to found Natsu looking for a gift for Lucy, only often times he couldn't afford anything he thought was good enough for her. He found himself looking in random shops for celestial spirit keys, even though he never found any. More often than not, he found himself staring at the flames of their campfire at night, thinking about the celestial spirit mage and partner he had left behind. Happy had always been able to tell when he thought of her because the smile would leave his face and be replaced with a deep, thoughtful, brooding. All of those paled to the dreams… Nightmares that plagued him about Future Lucy's death that he had witnessed, possible ways that Lucy could die while he wasn't around, or ways she could die with him while he was still too weak to save her. Happy often woke him up from those nightmares if he didn't wake himself up screaming first.

Now, his heart feels ready to burst for the celestial spirit mage he now holds. He does know something about lust, Gildarts had drilled that into him based on the embarrassing number of women he had rattled off as possible mothers to Cana, and while Lucy definitely elicits lust from him, there is a deeper feeling below that, one that began well over a year ago, more like years ago, he had just been too dense to see it. "Luce," he breathes, testing to see if she's awake.

A soft "Hmm?" is his only reply.

"I love you."

Although sleep is already dragging her down, a soft smile flirts across Lucy's lips. "I love you too."

Neither of them notices the blue Exceed peering in from around the pink curtain with pink cheeks and a wide smile. He has no idea what just transpired between the two mages (no, he did not see anything), he just sees how they are now lying, so completely entwined with each other they look like one solid lump under the blankets. Their proclamations of love were not lost on his sensitive ears. It's about damn time! Still smiling, his heart light, he quietly makes his way to the bed and jumps up at their feet, curling up into a ball and immediately falling back asleep with his two favorite people now back in each other's lives. Now we're complete. Now we're home.