My very first attempt at a lemon. I hope it didn't turn out too horrible.

To clear up the time-line of this story: it takes place on the eve of the Alvarez War, that is to say the night after the one in this story Zeref's army attacks Fiore.

What sparked this story is what came in the manga during the war. I don't want to spoil anyone who didn't read the manga, but a couple of scenes involving nudity between Natsu and Lucy and their reactions to it made me think that they were very comfortable around each other with no clothes on. Here's my take as to why.

The eve of the war with Alvarez was the proverbial calm before the storm. The entirety of the Guild was together, just spending time with each other, taking comfort and strength from the knowledge that their nearest and dearest were right there. Battle preparations and strategy sessions were over, thoughts of what's yet to come shown aside as the need to connect to each other became more pressing.

Fairy Tail's biggest strength was their unity after all. As long as they were together they could overcome anything.

Even something as terrifying as Zeref and his army.

It wasn't the first time that the odds were so completely against them, but they'd pulled through time and again and they all believed that this time would be no different.

Still a certain level of unease hung over the hall like a shadow and most members of the rowdiest wizard guild ever known to men were unusually subdued. Even Natsu, Gray and Elfman.

In fact Natsu was quietly sitting beside Lucy and half-heartedly listening to her conversation with Cana, but mostly lost in thought which was highly unusual for the energetic dragon slayer. Across from him Gray was quietly brooding and hardly paid any attention as Juvia almost climbed on his lap. Elfman was nowhere to be seen.

That little fact was what finally managed to catch Lucy's attention and she looked around the guild hall.

Mirajane was behind the bar, but leaned against it and deep in conversation with Laxus, further down from them Lisanna was laughing at something Bickslow was saying, and Freed was in an isolated corner lost in a book. Evergreen wasn't there.

Lucy smiled slowly as she realized what that probably meant and turned towards the entrance, almost as if someone had told her to look. There she was greeted with the sight of Levy and Gajeel sneaking out.

That surprised her slightly more and she glanced around once again to see if anyone else had noticed the pair's exit, but if someone did they paid it no heed. In fact, to her right further down the table, the three Exceeds were planning a sleepover in Wendy's room. Lily either knew exactly what was going on between his partner and the petite solid script mage or was able to guess and opted to give them some privacy.

It wasn't really surprising. Giving and receiving comfort was something everyone looked for at times like these. That and being as near as possible to those most important to you.

It was also times like these that made Lucy miss her parents something fierce. Even her father. The father he'd been when her mother was still alive and the father he'd returned to being after losing his fortune. So she clung to the family she'd made for herself and immersed herself in its folds, reluctant to be separated from them for even a moment.

Especially Natsu. The year she'd spent all alone was still fresh in her mind, the painful empty spot in her soul that opened up when her partner left without her and widened to a chasm as the Guild was disbanded wasn't fully healed yet.

She knew that Natsu felt guilty for abandoning her, could see the remorse in his dark eyes when he looked at her. This made him and Happy cling to her as they had never before after they'd rebuild the guild. She didn't complain, quite the contrary, in fact. She clung to them just as fiercely.

But tonight she needed some time for herself. She needed quiet, needed to organize her thoughts and get a grip on her fear. She would be utterly useless in this war if she gave in to the terror bubbling way too close to the surface.

So with a last fond look around the guild, she slowly stood up. Murmuring something about being tired, she inched away from the table and was turning to the door when she heard Natsu speak.

"Hey Happy, are you staying at Wendy's tonight?"

The blue Exceed chirped a quick 'Aye Sir! ' before resuming his conversation with Carla. A moment later Natsu was at Lucy's side and walked out of the guild with a wave to everyone.

Knowing that solitude wasn't going to be an option for the night and not in the mood to argue with Natsu, she just walked home at an even pace, her partner for once staying silent.

They still didn't talk when they came to her room, turned on lights and Lucy headed towards her bathroom for a quick shower while Natsu stuck his head in the fridge. This was a practiced ritual, something they'd done time and again. It was also something Lucy had stopped fighting after they came back from Tenrou Island.

Natsu spent more time in her bed than his own, and she'd made her peace with that. Some time before their epic showdown against Tartaros Natsu had been pushing for them to just move in together because having separate houses made no sense to him. It had been an appealing thought, especially since she would move to his and Happy's house and that would mean no more rent.

He hadn't mentioned anything about it since they rebuild the guild though, and Lucy still didn't feel comfortable enough to bring the topic up on her own.

A year ago she wouldn't have hesitated to talk just about anything with Natsu. Hell her partner had been so attuned to her he'd even kept better track of her periods than she could. He also had no qualms talking about it, being raised by a dragon has left Natsu with very few inhibitions. He simply didn't perceive some things as inappropriate.

Now though, everything was different. The year they've spent apart has left Lucy feeling insecure and sometimes even awkward in Natsu's presence. One year had managed to wipe away all the comfort and trust they'd built over the years. It was frustrating.

Shaking her head to clear away the depressing thoughts Lucy quickly dried off and slipped into a pair of loose sleeping shorts and a light tank top. If Natsu was in bed with her she'd cook if she put on more clothes. The man was a living furnace.

That thought made her smile slightly. It's been so long since Natsu had sneaked into her bed. During their year long separation there were times when she'd wake up in the middle of the night and could feel him curled around her, his chest hard and hot against her back, his face buried in her hair, his arm a vice around her waist. Then the haze of sleep would clear and she'd find herself alone and suddenly cold in her bed. Those nights were the worst. The best she could hope for was tossing and turning till morning, but more often than not the loneliness would hit her so hard she'd spend the rest of the night sobbing.

Missing Natsu was the worst feeling in the world. But knowing she might never see him again killed her a little bit more as each day without him passed.

It was over now, she reminded herself. Natsu was back, Fairy Tail was back. Everything could go back to the way it was before.

Well, at least after they beat the snot out of the Alvarez Army and sent Zeref to his long deserved hell.

Piece of cake, really.

A slightly hysterical giggle escaped the blonde before she managed to get her nerves under control. It was no wonder normal people thought that wizards were all crazy. They had to be, it was a job hazard.

With a deep breath she opened the curtain that separated her bathroom and her main living space and was greeted with the sight of Natsu clad in sleeping shorts and a light t-shirt sprawled on her bed, with his feet still on the ground and she smiled. Natsu had started leaving his clothes at her place years ago and when Lucy had moved to Crocus she'd taken his clothes with her, and again brought them back to Magnolia. He'd found the clothes in the last drawer of her dresser, almost like he'd known they would be there.

Seeing her best friend so comfortable in her space was one of the best things in the world. Not that she would ever admit that to Natsu.

Still, she wasted no time in joining him on the bed in the exact same position.

When she plopped down next to him, Natsu turned his head and grinned at her. For the first time in well over a year Lucy felt like she'd finally come home.

"I missed your bed, Luce," Natsu said through his grin and for a moment Lucy's heart froze. Then pain spread through her entire body and she had to close her eyes against the wet that threatened to spill. Stupid Natsu. He was the one who left. If he'd stayed… If he'd taken her with him…

But there was no use thinking about it then. She had to let go. Natsu hadn't meant to hurt her, she knew that. Natsu would sooner cut off his own arm than hurt her or any of their nakama. Intentionally, at least.

There was no sense dwelling on it any more. She had to get over it and forgive him. If she didn't and it continued to hang over them like a cloud, one day it could destroy their relationship and Lucy would never let that happen.

Hesitantly she asked what had been plaguing her thoughts for several days now. "Natsu, can we really win this?"

Natsu closed his eyes and looked at the ceiling when he opened them again. "I honestly don't know," he finally whispered and Lucy whimpered quietly. "I want to say that we can win anything, and that beating those assholes will be a piece of cake, but not even I am dense enough not to know that our chances are slim." His voice was low and gravelly, like it always got when he was serious and Lucy sucked in a breath. "All I know," he continued, "is that we will have one hell of a fight on our hands and none of us can afford to pull our punches. We have to give it our all, for once disregarding the one rule we never broke before."

Beside him, his partner solemnly nodded. "Yes, this fight won't let us be lenient enough to spare lives."

Natsu stared at the golden haired girl by his side. They have been through thick and thin together, fought countless battles alongside each other, protected one another and stood their ground against each and every opponent. This next battle might end up being their last, but Natsu vowed to himself, then and there that he would do absolutely everything to protect her. Lucy was the most precious person in his life and he'd be damned if he let anyone harm her.

As if she knew his thoughts, Lucy grasped his hand and squeezed. "You can do it, Natsu," she whispered fervently. "You can win even this fight."

For a moment he could only stare at her. Lucy's faith in him never failed to amaze and humble him. As he looked into those straightforward, determined brown eyes, he could see that she believed her words with all her soul.

"You really think that, don't you?" he whispered hoarsely. "You really think I can do anything."

Lucy smiled and shook her head. "I don't think, Natsu. I know. I know you can do anything."

The strength in her voice and eyes floored him. Had anyone believed in him as much as she did? It didn't really matter, because looking at her Natsu felt like he really could do anything.

In a fluid movement he turned to lay on his side facing her and grasped her hand. "Luce," he started, intent on conveying just how much her never wavering faith in him meant, but he never got so far because Lucy shook her head and smiled.

"I know, silly," she whispered and he was left once again to stare at her with his mouth hanging open. Had he ever as much as dreamed that he'd find her when he'd set out to follow a rumor on Igneel all those years ago?

Even if someone had told him back then that he'd meet a pretty, bubbly, sweet blonde who wanted to be a part of Fairy Tail and that soon enough his entire world would revolve around her, he would have scoffed. Or laughed. Or punched the idiot.

Natsu used to have a hard time connecting with people. If they didn't actively seek out his company like Lisanna had done when they were children, he didn't go out of his way to talk to anybody. That all changed with Lucy. From the moment he met her Natsu had felt drawn to her. Taking her home with him had been a forgone conclusion, in the end. Making a team with her, likewise was a decision that had already been made before he ever actively thought about it.

In hindsight, meeting Lucy that fateful day in Hargeon had been the best thing that ever happened to him.

Mind clouded in memories, Natsu didn't think when he drew closer to the girl laying next to him, her scent calling to him.

Lucy always smelled so good. He used to sneak into her bed just to bury his head in her pillow and breathe in her scent. After some time, he'd realized that pillows were a poor substitute, especially when he had the real thing right there. So he'd started wrapping himself around Lucy and burying his face in her fragrant hair.

Waking up like that had been worth getting Lucy-kicked out the window when his partner woke up and found him again in her bed.

Come to think of it, she hadn't actually kicked him out since they came back from Tenrou Island. She grumbled and scolded him but she let him snuggle in her sheets and even made him breakfast. Most mornings they went to the guild together and would get a knowing look from Mira. What Mira thought was going on was anybody's guess, but Natsu hadn't ever bothered to set the take-over mage straight.

Lucy not kicking him out was also the reason he had brought up the idea that she move in with him and Happy. It made a lot more sense to him to just live in his house than in her apartment where she had to pay rent. He was in her bed almost every night anyway so paying 70000 jewel a month when they could just all live together in his house for free was utterly stupid.

Unfortunately Lucy didn't see it his way and reacted somewhat violently whenever he brought it up. Although she'd seemed almost receptive to the idea before they got tangled up in the war with Tartarus and everything went to hell.

Looking at her now, her beautiful face at peace and only inches from his own, Natsu felt something stir in his chest. Something that had always responded to Lucy. Beyond thought, he turned completely to his side, placing one forearm on the bed above Lucy's head, he raised up on his elbow and looked down at her.

She didn't as much as twitch at his sudden proximity, just squeezed the fingers still holding her own and looked into his eyes. Those eyes of hers always got to him. She didn't have the world in her eyes, she had entire galaxies, countless constellations, millions of stars. Since the moment he met her, those eyes had captivated him. It was as if she could look straight into his soul and he could hide nothing from her. He didn't want to hide anything from her. Lucy was the one person he had no secrets from. Others didn't know nearly as much about him as Lucy did. Not even Grey or Erza. Not even Lisanna.

It was always Lucy. That thought resonating in his mind, Natsu leaned down, drunk on her scent, lost in her eyes. His nose brushed against hers and Lucy's breath caught, her heart started beating faster.

"Luce," he whispered and a shudder run through his entire frame when his lips brushed against hers.

Lucy didn't pull away, she didn't push him off as she might have done once. She just stared at him, the look in her luminous eyes unreadable.

Lost to the magnetic pull between them, Natsu closed the scant millimeters separating them and his lips captured hers in a slow, brief, chaste kiss.

He had no idea what he was doing. This was the first time he was in such a situation. But he wanted this, wanted it with Lucy so much that it overshadowed any reasoning. Instinct overtook him and his body screamed to be closer to her.

Lucy didn't seem to mind his inexperience and smiled briefly before her free hand cupped his cheek gently and drew him to her for another kiss. This one was longer, and Natsu couldn't keep in a moan as her lips moved gently but insistently against his. This went on for a while, lips meeting again and again, drawing apart only to come back together like two magnets.

"Natsu," Lucy whispered after a couple of minutes and Natsu tensed. "Open your mouth," she finished and he flinched lightly. When his lips parted in confusion, she smiled. "Just like that."

When she let their lips touch again, hers were open too and in seconds he felt the wet glide of her tongue on his lower lip before it lightly slipped into his mouth, fleetingly brushing against his own before retreating.

Heat rushed through him at the brief touch and he instantly wanted more. Drawing closer to her he sealed their open mouths together and his tongue slipped between her parted lips, twining sensually with hers.

She tasted like heaven, like fire, and Natsu wanted more of it. The hand still gripped in hers tugged gently away and he planted it on the other side of her head, leaning more fully over her, lips and tongue devouring hers.

Lucy didn't mind in the least and both her hands glided over his chest to his shoulders, neck, before finally burying in his hair.

Neither one of them had much experience in such matters. In fact, Natsu was completely clueless, never having kissed someone before. Lucy had dated a few boys here and there over the years but she never let anything go beyond a simple peck on the lips. Her first real kiss and first real everything with the exception of actual sex had happened just five months ago. With Loke.

She'd been unable to sleep one night, unbearably lonely and missing Natsu and everyone else so much it actually hurt, her loyal, over-protective Lion had summoned himself to her side, out of his mind with worry and furious with Natsu for abandoning her. He'd raged and paced her bedroom for what seems like hours before Lucy had gotten up and hugged him.

What had started as mutual comforting evolved into something beyond their expectations when Loke had started kissing along her face and finally kissed her lips. Lucy simply didn't have the will to push him away. So they'd made out on her bed, quite heavily for some time before Loke had withdrawn at some point, kissed her tenderly on the forehead and told her to get some sleep before vanishing. She'd summoned him the following day, demanding some answers and he'd explained that while he would jump at the chance to really be with her if that was truly what she wanted, it wouldn't have been fair to either one of them had they done something they couldn't take back.

That was the extent of Lucy's experience.

But that didn't matter with Natsu. They'd learn, and they'd do it together. Lucy knew, felt it deep in her bones that this was something they both truly wanted. Had wanted for quite some time now.

Deep kisses soon gave way to Natsu slowly trailing kisses down her neck and up the other side, swiping with his tongue at her slightly salty skin whenever her scent threatened to overwhelm him and he simply had to taste her.

He was operating solely on instinct and a couple of things he'd heard the other guys in the guild talking about. He knew girls like to be kissed and caressed a lot, Gray said that. They liked being held tightly but touched softly, something he didn't truly understand and suspected was bullshit anyway since it came from Macao. But something Reedus had said a few years back had stuck with Natsu. He'd said that when a girl liked a boy, really liked him then it didn't matter if they knew what they were doing. The important thing was that they were doing it together.

So he concentrated on Lucy and her reactions, if he paid enough attention she'd tell him everything he needed to know. This little piece of information had come from Loke actually.

And Lucy did tell him everything. Her sighs, squirms, quiet moans and small sounds of surprise as well as her fingers clenching occasionally in his hair spoke volumes of what she liked, what felt good.

So Natsu abandoned thinking as he often did and let his gut lead him. And his gut was telling him to be as close to her as possible to kiss and touch and smell and taste every single inch of her skin. And he set out to do just that, trailing his tongue down to her collarbone, sucking on the soft skin every now and then. The red marks that appeared on her milky skin made him shudder with pleasure. Those marks showed she was his now even if he didn't really understand why that was important.

The swell of her breasts came next and he hesitated slightly before he continued licking and sucking. Lucy had no qualms showing her displeasure with him with a punch or a kick, so if she didn't want him to do something, he'd know definitely.

After a couple of moments Natsu ceased wondering about boundaries altogether and just did what he felt like. Lucy didn't protest when he pushed the straps of her tank top off her shoulders to taste the skin there. She didn't protest when one hand left the bed and started caressing her stomach. She didn't protests when that hand slipped under her tank top to draw slow circles on the skin of her belly.

She just kept running her own hands all over his head, shoulders and back, laying there under him completely at ease and enjoying every single kiss and touch.

So when Natsu pushed her tank top up and over her heaving breasts, Lucy just took in a shuddering breath and opened her eyes to look at him.

Natsu drew himself up a little and drank in the sight of her exposed, creamy mounds. It wasn't the first time that he he saw her topless, but this was different. Even as ignorant as Natsu usually was, he recognized that seeing Lucy with her clothes off in this situation was poignant. He may not have participated in activities such as these before, but that didn't mean that he was completely ignorant. Gray had shown him magazines and movie lacrima, explained what sex was in a somewhat stilted way, but enough that even Natsu understood it.

Natsu had been astonished that there were movies that had people doing that in them, but he'd watched. And later on he'd dreamed about these things. And since the very first time he'd always, but always dreamed about Lucy. At first this had shocked and confused him. Lucy was his partner, his best friend, and dreaming about her like that had felt somewhat wrong. So he'd sought advice from Gildarts. The older male had listened attentively to Natsu and whistled afterwards. Then he'd assured Natsu that it was completely normal. Lucy was a beautiful young woman, Natsu was close to her, it was perfectly understandable that he found her sexually appealing.

Dreams, Natsu realized, paled in comparison to reality. And all those girls in the films he and Gray had watched, were nowhere near the breathtaking sight of his partner, laying under him, completely trusting and welcoming.

Almost hesitantly he let his hand cup one perfectly rounded globe, gently squeezing before weighing it in his palm. Oh yeah, dreams couldn't compare, especially when his thumb pressed against the hardening peak and Lucy arched her back and moaned.

Again with instinct guiding him, he leaned down and drew a nipple in his mouth sucking softly, flicking his tongue over it till it hardened completely and Lucy started squirming and moaning steadily under him. After a few minutes he switched to the other nipple, Lucy's fingers clenching almost painfully in his hair, holding him to her.

With the way she was squirming Lucy raised her hips at one point and brushed against his length, hard and ready and Natsu barely suppressed a growl. Lifting himself off her a bit more he looked down and almost moaned at the sight.

Her hair, disheveled and messily spread across the bed, her face flushed, eyes full of passion and lust, lips swollen from his kisses, neck and chest dotted with marks he'd left on her perfect skin, those amazing breasts of hers exposed to his appreciative gaze, stomach bare and smooth and her shorts had slipped down to almost her tights due to her squirming, exposing a tiny pair of red panties with ties on the hips. He'd never in his life seen anything as beautiful or erotic as her in that very moment. And she was his.

With a possessive growl he leaned over to capture her mouth in another deep kiss, her arms slipping around his shoulders as he held her hip tightly. This was really happening. It was finally happening.

The thought sobered him slightly and Natsu drew away from her tempting mouth and shifted so that he was kneeling in the middle of the bed and extended his arm to Lucy.

"C'mere Luce," he whispered huskily and Lucy quickly scrambled up to kneel in front of him.

Without a trace of hesitation he grabbed the edges of her tank top and slipped it up, over her head and finally slung it away from the bed.

Lucy just smiled and inched his t-shirt up and took it off when he raised his arms. Both now naked from the waist up they stared at each other for a for moments before they came together again in another searing kiss.

Natsu's hands found Lucy's breasts and massaged them lightly, flicking, pinching and tugging on her nipples in the process. Soon her heady moans filled the room again and Natsu broke the kiss to lean his forehead against hers and watch the pleasure on her face, knowing he was the only one who got to see her this way.

Lucy let her hands wander too, caressing his hard pecs, shoulders and arms, briefly pinching his small nipples, which caused him to groan hotly, before her fingers glided along the planes of his sculpted abs. Natsu had a drool-worthy physique. He wasn't all that tall, but he was lean and compactly muscled. His arms, chest and abs were the best Lucy had ever seen. Simply put, for her tastes he was build perfectly.

She indulged in this chance to explore the hard flesh and soft skin to her heart's content. Soon her questing fingers brushed against the waistband of his shorts and she looked down to see a sizeable tent in the fabric. Curious and turned on beyond belief, she let her hand gently press against the straining organ and flinched when Natsu squeezed her breasts a bit too tightly.

When his fingers loosened on her sensitive flesh, she stroked her hand against the bulge and watched as Natsu grit his teeth and his hands left her breasts to curl into fists. Emboldened by his reaction she wrapped her fingers around the length and as best as she could with his shorts and boxers still on. She squeezed gently and watched as Natsu's eyes closed in pleasure.

"Shit, Luce, that feels so good," he ground out and Lucy released his length to slip her hand in his shorts and touch his bare flesh.

Natsu moaned loudly and his head fell to her shoulder, hands slipping around her waist as she encircled his erection with her hand and pumped slowly up and down. This was something Cana had told her one night eons ago. "Guys love it when a girl is bold," the brunette had advised. "So when things start heating up, don't just lie there and do nothing. Be aggressive. Trust me, every guy loves it when a girl shows incentive in the bedroom. So don't be shy, touch him and don't hesitate to go below the waist. His dick needs your attention too." Back then Lucy had blushed a bright scarlet and refused to look at Cana the following days, but now she was grateful. Judging by his moans and shuddering Natsu was enjoying the slow glide of her fist up and down his hard member.

And she was enjoying herself too, seeing him in such a state, especially knowing that she reduced him to a moaning quivering mess with just her hand was an incredible rush. Pride and arousal rushed through her in waves and she moaned in tandem with Natsu. He wasn't even really touching her anymore, but she felt as if she could come just from watching him and listening to his moans.

Suddenly a strong hand grabbed her wrist and stopped the slow, steady pumping. She looked up when she felt Natsu lift his head and was greeted with dark, lust-filled eyes.

"You gotta stop, Lucy. Or this is gonna end pretty soon."

Realization dawned and Lucy blushed again, releasing his length as he let go of her wrist and withdrew it from his shorts. He took her hand again and brought it to his face, kissing her palm.

She melted into him, leaning her forehead against his and smiling. Natsu smiled back before his hands trailed down her sides and slipped beneath the waistband of her shorts.

"Let's get these off," he whispered and Lucy quickly nodded, all for moving things along.

He slowly slipped her shorts and panties down her hips and to her knees and Lucy sat down to slip them completely off and kicked them away. Then she lay down and watched as Natsu remained on his knees, now straddling her legs and staring down at her. The look on his face told her he wanted to devour her completely and she shivered as she thought about what was to come.

She was finally going to become one with Natsu. She was going to be the person closest to him. No one but her would know this side of Natsu. The side that was sexual and sensual and almost completely different from how he usually was. That made this even more special than it already was. Doing these things with the person she felt as much for as she did for Natsu was pretty damned special. But knowing that Natsu would show this side of himself only to her was almost overwhelming in intensity.

The dragon slayer smiled at the celestial mage and slowly lowered himself to hover over her reclining form.

"You're so beautiful, Lucy," he whispered hoarsely and Lucy cupped his cheeks.

"So are you," she whispered back and an almost bashful grin blossomed on his face.

In that moment Lucy loved him more than she'd ever thought possible to love another person.

"Lucy…." his deep voice caressed her name and he leaned further down, kissing her neck, licking and eventually softly biting a sensitive spot that had her squirming under him. It was going to leave a bruise, but Lucy was far beyond the ability to care at the moment.

He moved leisurely, lapping at her skin, sucking and softly biting here and there, from her neck, to her chest, down to her belly where he blew a raspberry in her belly button and Lucy giggled in surprise.

He shot her a grin before continuing down and kissed the swell of each hip, before biting the right one softly. Down there her scent was overpowering. He was drowning in it and shuddered almost every time he inhaled it. It wasn't her usual scent, it was somewhat tangy, but he already knew that it was going to be different. A while ago Gajeel had told him that a woman's scent changed when she was aroused.

The other Dragon Slayer had also told him that women liked to be licked and kissed down there. It hadn't made much sense to him until Gray had shown him those movies. And if he could believe them, than Lucy was in for a treat.

Despite having only a limited idea of what he was doing, Natsu spread Lucy's legs gently and moved to lay between them, his head just above her groin.

She'd tensed slightly but didn't protest and Natsu took that as permission to proceed. He moved her legs up by the knees until her feet were on the bed and spread her thighs apart.

What greeted him was a small patch of groomed blonde hair above intimate lips, slightly parted and glistening with moisture. It really was fascinating and he let go of one knee to touch the soft, quivering flesh gently. Lucy let out a slight moan and he slowly parted her nether lips, seeing her opening and the small nub above it. That was the spot he needed to touch, and he pressed a single finger lightly against it, before moving it in a circular motion and above him Lucy almost sobbed as her hips jerked.

Taking that as a good sign, he proceeded to rub the small nub, alternating pressure and speed, noting what she seemed to like the most and at one point he even heated up his finger. That got an impassioned reaction from Lucy as she bucked her hips and cried out.

Kissing her inner thighs, he let his finger trail to her opening. Just as he was slipping it inside, his tongue started slowly lapping at her clit and Lucy cried out.

He was driving her crazy. Having his finger inside her was a strange sensation. It wasn't a bad feeling but the unfamiliar fullness would take some getting used to. Then his tongue came in play and Lucy lost almost all rational thought.

The feeling was indescribable, small shocks of pleasure rocking through her body and as her inner walls started convulsing, the finger slowly gliding in and out was starting to feel good.

When he started gently sucking at her clit, while tapping it with his tongue, Lucy thought she'd lose her mind in the pleasure. Then he added another finger in her entrance, stretching her and her hips started moving in rhythm with them.

The pleasure was rising, coiling in her lower stomach and when Natsu crooked his fingers in a come hither motion and scrapped along her upper walls, that coil snapped and Lucy arched her back, a low keening moan escaping her as she came.

While Lucy tried to catch her breath and get her quivering limbs under control, Natsu was left shuddering as well. The heat, the wetness and the tightness on his fingers when she'd climaxed were incredible. If Lucy didn't put a stop to the proceedings a far more sensitive part of him was going to be buried in that heat. Just thinking about it made him feel as if he was about to burst.

He made his way up Lucy's body, slowly, trailing kisses and licks along the way, enjoying the feel and the taste of her skin as he tried to calm down some. Up to her chest again, he buried his face in her soft mounds and sighed. Seriously, he could just stay there all night long if he had the chance. Lucy giggled slightly when he rooted around her cleavage, and blew raspberries on her breasts. He grinned at the sound and looked up, meeting her sated, soft brown eyes. She really was something else, his Luce. So beautiful, so smart, so strong. No matter how much he and Happy liked to tease her, Natsu was well aware of exactly what Lucy was capable of. He'd chosen her as his partner because he'd known she was more than up to it and not because she caused something of his to go up like Macao had once suggested.

Keeping his eyes firmly on hers, Natsu scooted up the rest of the way and kissed her again. After several deep kisses, he finally drew back and smiled at her.

"You ready, Luce?"

Lucy knew what he was talking about and even though she was nervous, she was also ready. There wouldn't be any pain, she knew. There was nothing left to tear after all the fights she'd been through. Porlyusica had confirmed as much to her some time before the war with Tartaros. At the time she wasn't exactly sure how to feel about that. She'd been taught that a girl's virginity was something precious and she knew that in the circles she'd grown up in it was paramount that a girl remain a virgin until marriage. In fact some families even went as far as demanding to see the sheets of the wedding bed the morning after. If there was blood it proved the girl had been a virgin. It was a barbaric tradition and she'd always been appalled by it, but she'd still felt a pang when she'd realized that if she ever got married she'd have no proof of virginity to offer her husband. Not that it mattered anymore. Natsu knew that they'd both be giving up their virginities that night and all that truly mattered was that they were together. He was the only one she'd ever wanted to do this with.

So she nodded to his question and watched as he grinned. Then he stood up from the bed and got rid of his shorts and boxers unceremoniously and Lucy was left staring. She'd held his member in her hand, but she was still not prepared for the full sight of it. He was bigger than she'd thought and she squirmed around a little as her arousal spiked again. He was beautiful everywhere and he was turned on because of her. He wanted her. That was a rush like she'd never experienced before.

Natsu climbed back on the bed and made himself comfortable with his back against the headboard before he turned to Lucy again.

"It's supposed to be easier for you this way, Luce," he said through a grin. "So climb on my lap."

Lucy didn't hesitate and sat up before throwing one leg across his lap and positioned herself to straddle him. His hands gripped her hips and she took hold of his erection, giving it a few strokes before she guided it to her entrance.

The moment skin touched skin they looked at each other. It was finally happening.

"Wait, Luce," Natsu suddenly remembered something Gildarts had stressed over and over during 'the talk' they'd had about this exact topic. "Protection…?" he muttered, not exactly sure what he was talking about, only that they couldn't go any further without it.

But Lucy just smiled and leaned down to kiss his cheek. "It's okay," she whispered against his cheek. "Porlyusica insists all the Fairy Tail girls take a special potion she's mixed up. It wards against pregnancy as well as sexually transmitted diseases. She doesn't care if we're sexually active or not, we have to take it." She giggled slightly at this and Natsu relaxed.

Slowly, he raised his hands to cup her cheeks and kissed her sweetly and tenderly as she slowly lowered herself on his erection.

It was almost surreal, the heat and the girth of him slowly sliding inside her, stretching her beyond anything she'd felt before. There was no pain, but the sensation of her walls being stretched was still uncomfortable. The fullness when he was finally completely in was foreign but not unpleasant.

For a long moment both were still, panting in each other's mouths, Natsu trying to calm himself and Lucy trying to get used to the feeling of having him inside her.

Soon though Natsu had to move and lifted up her hips a bit, pulling out slightly. When she winced, though, he stopped and looked at her with concern.

"I'm fine," she smiled reassuringly and raised her hips on her own, till just the tip of him remained inside. Then she took a deep breath and lowered herself again. It was still slightly uncomfortable and she knew she'd be sore come morning, but it was worth it. She'd take any kind of discomfort and pain to be this close to him.

Natsu had always been a tactile being and this was no exception. With Lucy on top, her hands gripping his shoulders for stability, it left his hands free to wander. He touched her everywhere, stroking her pink cheeks, tangling his fingers in those golden locks, kneading her breasts, caressing her belly, gripping her hips and round behind.

Lucy was slowly getting used to his girth and started moving earnestly on his lap. It was awkward at first. One angle of her hips made it feel so good she moaned out loud, but when she shifted just a fraction of an inch to the left it suddenly hurt. Even though she holding on his shoulders, she lost balance at one point and planted her elbow in his gut. Another awkward twist of hips and his knee dug into her side.

But soon they found a rhythm and started moving in tandem like they'd been doing this for years. Pleasurable tingles were shooting up and down Lucy's spine and gathering in the pit of her stomach. When Natsu sat up to kiss her, she wrapped both arms and legs around him and he started thrusting up in her from below.

His movements were stronger and faster than hers and Lucy could only hold on to him and bite his shoulder and neck to keep from crying out. She'd never felt anything like this before. Being as close to Natsu as two people could possibly get, feeling him move inside of her, was like a dream come true.

After a few more minutes of fervently moving against each other, all thoughts left Lucy as the pleasure took over. She could only concentrate on what he was doing to her body.

Natsu too, was beyond thought. All he felt, heard, smelled, tasted was Lucy. Her moans and soft cries filling his ears, her taste on his tongue, her enticing smell all around him, the most intimate of her muscles squeezing around his member. He couldn't take much more of this. The stimulation was too strong.

"Luce," he ground out, pressing her closer to his chest, thrusting faster. "I'm gonna come soon," he warned and Lucy moaned in his neck.

Almost at his limited he flipped them over and Lucy cried out from the sudden movement, clutching him tighter to her as his thrusts suddenly increased in speed and strength. With every movement of his hips, his pubic bone ground against that sensitive bundle of nerves and soon Lucy was writhing under him, starting to convulsed with pleasure.

When her walls started tightening even more around him, Natsu couldn't hold it in anymore. With three more strong, uncontrollable thrusts and a cry of her name he released inside her.

His release triggered her own and she cried out in his neck as she clutched him close while her inner muscles milked him for every last drop of his cum.

For long moments they stayed shivering and shuddering in each other's arms, trying to slow their hearts and steady their breaths. Only when he felt like his heart wasn't going to jump out of his chest did Natsu move. He slowly and carefully pulled out of her and flopped to his back. No fight in his life had every left him so tired. But it was good tired. A tired that came with completely limp muscles and a feeling of satisfaction deep in his gut. Turning his head to look at Lucy, he smiled and reached over to press her against his side. She snuggled for a moment before she winced and started squirming.

When she noticed him eyeing her in confusion, Lucy blushed. "I'm… leaking," she stiltedly said and Natsu just blinked at her before realization dawned and he blushed.

"Oh," was all he managed to get out and Lucy flushed an even darker red.

"Yeah," she winced again and pushed away from him. "I'm gonna go clean up."

With that she rolled out of bed and he watched as she slowly limped to the bathroom. When she disappeared behind the curtain he put an arm under his head and looked at the ceiling. He'd never forgotten the lesson in fear Gildarts had taught him all those years ago on Tenrou Island. Fear was an ally he'd used well over the years. But the fear that tightened his gut every time he thought about the upcoming war was something completely different. He wasn't scared for himself. He rarely ever was anymore.

Lucy, she was the biggest source of his fear. Thinking about her going up against Zeref and the monsters he called his army made cold sweat break out all over him and his gut churn. She was strong, stronger than even she thought she was, she could handle herself. He knew all that. But at the same time he couldn't help but remember the horrifying image of her future self dying in a puddle of her own blood.

If he lost Lucy again, especially after what happened between them tonight, he'd go insane for sure. Lying in her bed, the scent of sex saturating her sheets, he vowed he'd do anything to protect her. Nothing and nobody was going to take her away from him.

A few seconds later Lucy came out of the bathroom and shuffled to the bed after she'd turned out the lights. He watched in the moonlight as she picked up his t-shirt from the floor and slipped it on. Then she came to the bed, nestled against his side and raised the covers over them. He wrapped his arm around her and sighed. She gently kissed his chest before she nestled closer.

"Good night, Natsu," she whispered.

"Good night, Luce," he responded just as softly and kissed the top of her head.

Soon her breathing evened out and she fell asleep. Natsu didn't sleep. Holding the most precious of treasures in arms he stared out the window the entire night. Looking at the stars he asked them to watch over her.

They'd get out of this war alive, he'd make sure of that. And when they did, he'd never but ever be apart from Lucy again.

Together forever. That was his last thought as sleep overtook him and the sun slowly rose on the horizon.

Author's note: And that's it, my very first lemon. I hope you enjoyed reading it. I'd really love to hear your opinion on this, so drop me a line or two.