The Nudity Theory

Summary: "What is nudity to you, really?" Lucy asked Natsu who just stripped his vest due to the Strip Poker game he was currently playing with Happy. "I still remember when you walked into the girl's hot spring as soon as Erza called you. Naked." And then Lucy smirked as Natsu's eyes widened, "Now tell me, Natsu." NaLu Pre-Alvarez War.

Magnolia city was quiet. People had been evacuated, leaving only magic guilds in the town. Lucy had stopped writing her novel after Natsu and Happy suddenly popped out uninvited and teased her. The celestial mage sighed, old habits die hard.

Laying down on her mattress, Lucy let out a small sound of satisfaction as she smiled and opened her novel. It had been awhile to feel so relaxed like this even though a war was going to occur. In Sorcerer's Magazine, she rarely had free times because she just had to go to some place due to Jason's energetic nature to catch hot news.

She had never expected to meet Natsu in this year's GMG, leading them to revive Fairy Tail again. She glanced at her partner who laughed with Happy for some silly jokes. She couldn't help but smiled—yes, this was what she missed during those lonely days after Tartaros.

After he left her.

Lucy shook her head. Stop it Lucy, you know that he has his own reason. I shouldn't have felt this way. That's selfish...

"Hey Lucy, you wanna join strip poker with us?" Natsu asked from his sitting position on the floor. Lucy blinked from her trace of minds.

"Um, no. You know you'll just end up losing again and I don't want to see you naked later." Lucy said calmly, ignoring how her cheeks felt hot at the word naked. Hurriedly, she changed her laying position and now her back was facing Natsu.

"Why is that, weirdo?" asked Natsu, confused.

"Aye! Lucy llllllikes you!" Happy chirped.

Both Natsu and Lucy ignored his usual teasing, having used to it ever since their battle with Kain.

"Well," came Lucy's reluctant reply. "Friends... aren't supposed to get naked so comfortably in front of each others!"

"Why not?" Natsu challenged. "We're not friends anyway. We're best friends right? No, wait, we're even a family! See, I told you that me and Gray even bathed with Erza." Natsu then shivered, "even though it was a bad memory."

"You were still a kid," Lucy pointed out, now sitting on her mattress. She put her book down, realizing that Natsu was just a naive man who had a five year's old mind. As a girl who grew up in a decent environment, it seemed that she got some teaching to do about the rules of being nude.

"That ain't makin' any difference." Natsu said as he started to shuffle the cards.

"Natsu," Lucy sighed. "So you're saying that you can bathe with everyone you considered as a family? Especially with the females?"

"Yeah, technically." Natsu replied, "we're just bathing, geez."

"You're.. you're comfortable with the thought of some random female guild members scrubbing your back?" Lucy asked, surprised. That was just too much! Even if Natsu was dense when it came to females, he should've felt something! What about his hormones? That was just almost crossing the lines between friends! Or in his case, family!

"I didn't say that!" Natsu growled. "I guess.. it depends on the person. Like you. For Erza, she forced me okay? It was scary enough that Gray once refused, and you know what happens next." He mumbled.

Like me? She thought. He surprised her for a second time. Smiling, Lucy said, "oh, you're not as naive as I thought you were."

Natsu pouted, "what do you take me for, Luce?"

"A dense guy who is willing to get naked in front of his family, males or not, without any shame?" asked Lucy, grinning sheepishly. She just hoped that her honest words didn't hurt Natsu.

"I'm not like that..." Natsu growled. "I trust Fairy Tail. That's it. That's my enough reason to show myself, inside or outside." He then grinned.

Happy suddenly spoke up, "Lucy, maybe you're not used to get naked in front a guy?"

Lucy turned to Happy, wondering a bit. Yeah.. maybe that was why she never approved Natsu or Gray getting naked nonchalantly. Well, for Gray, she was kind of used to his nudity... why didn't she feel the same for Natsu?

She supposed that it was because she was more interested in Natsu's body than Gray's so when Natsu got naked Lucy was unprepared enough to handle his naked glory resulting in her blushing so much.

Like now. Just the thought of her partner naked, she blushed. Hard. Not to mention there was a fluttery feeling in her stomach. That was not normal. She closed her eyes.

Think about nude Gray.. think about nude Laxus.. think about nude Gajeel...

The fluttery feeling in her stomach was gone. Sure, she still blushed, because who wouldn't? She was just a virgin—she had never touched, let alone saw a guy's body from a closer angle. Heck, she was single since she was born, until now! She had never been kissed, she had never showed her naked body in front of a man—

Wait, she had. Though unintentionally.

She glared at Natsu.

What was more, Natsu was the first man to touch her breasts! No, grope them!

"I got a royal flush, Natsu." Happy said.

"Damn. Gotta strip huh?" Natsu scowled.

"What is nudity to you, really?" Lucy asked Natsu who just stripped his vest due to the Strip Poker game he was currently playing with Happy. "I still remember when you walked into the girl's hot spring as soon as Erza called you. Naked." And then Lucy smirked as Natsu's eyes widened, "Now tell me, Natsu."

"What do you mean? Didn't I tell you earlier that I just trust the guild?" Natsu placed his vest beside him.

"No, no." Lucy shook her head. "I'm sure that I was missing something based on that memory... well, then, you wouldn't mind to hear out my theories, would you? Because geez, Natsu, figuring out what you have in your mind is a real work!"

Natsu gulped.

"First! You're taking advantages of the situation, aren't you?" Lucy exclaimed, making Natsu's jaw dropped. "For you, you don't care about people, especially girls, seeing you naked, but you care enough to see a certain naked girl." Lucy smirked. "Erza."

"What?!" Natsu gawked, "Why the hell would I want to see Erza naked?!"

"You didn't even realize I was there! You said that yourself! That was the only clue I got." Lucy defended.

There was a pregnant silence.

"I don't get your point, but I'll have you know that I ain't a pervert like Ice Princess." Natsu growled as he resumed his game with Happy. Happy himself just stayed quiet, clearly amused. Oh, he couldn't wait to tell Mira and be rewarded by so many fish!

Lucy let out a frustrated groan, "Natsu, don't be such a closet pervert. Do you really like Erza that much?"

"I'M NOT!"

"So you don't like Erza?"

"Why would I?!" Natsu yelled, frustrated.

Lucy searched the lie in her partner's eyes, then she found none. Damn, she thought she was close. She tried to think again for a second. "How about another theory. I knew that you weren't exactly aware of a female's body, for instance, me," Lucy nodded to herself, while Natsu put up his best nonchalant face. "But there were times that your curiousity led you to do something inappropiate."

"Like.. like what?" he asked.

"You groped my breasts when we were learning Transformation Magic with Mira." Lucy smirked. "Oh, you're still a kid alright. Curious of your opposite sex's body. Sorry Natsu, I shouldn't have scolded you. It's normal for someone who just hit puberty. That explains a lot why you have no shame on getting naked, because every kid does that, right? In your case, you call it trust."

"Seriously, what do you take me for?" Natsu muttered. "I'm not a kid, dammit."

"Say what you want," Lucy giggled as she waved her hand in front of her face.

Natsu stood up from his sitting place. He had had enough of this nonsense. He gotta hear another theory, and deny as he usually did. Or Lucy will hurt his pride as a man. Because damn, she was smart and dense at the same time.

He sat on the edge of Lucy's mattress, forgetting his game with Happy. "Now tell me your other theories."

Lucy blinked. Natsu's face was serious.

"Uh.. huhㅡwhat?"

"Your other theories," he repeated. "Let's see if it's actually closer to the truth. I won't deny it if it's true. But if ya can't figure it out, I'll never tell ya."

At his words, Lucy blinked owlishly. Did he just challenge her? Into a game of thinking? Theories, which she actually good at? The Lucy Heartfilia who had solved many puzzles and cases in their missions?

"Oh, you're on," she replied confidently, "but please let me think first." She added.

"Sure," Natsu smirked. He smirked, not grinning or smiling like he usually did. And Lucy found his smirk sexy and mischievous.

She mentally slapped herself. This wasn't the time!

"So basically I need to remember every events where we're both naked?" she muttered to herself. Natsu quirked an amused eyebrow. God, he secretly loved how determined she was whenever she tried to solve something. She'd unconsciously nibble her lower lip, frowned, or even bit her thumb. Her facial features would change, especially when she figured out somethingㅡlike now.

I'm doomed, aren't I, Natsu inwardly cursed.

"I know! Do you remember when you accidentally knocked Erza off in the hotspring? You were scrubbing her back-"

"Lucy, she forced me, she made this really scary face!" Natsu interjected with a whiny voice.

"- that's not the point. You said that you weren't fazed by my naked body back then, and I'm pretty sure you've proved yourself," she grinned.

"Well, how exactly did I do that?" Natsu grumbled. He didn't understand where this theory would goㅡin fact, it was as if she was trying prove something that just was not there.

"D-do you remember our incident at the bell? Where I was stark naked, colliding into you?" she had no choice but to bring this certain incident.

"..yeah," Natsu tried to respond unenthusiastically, but Gods be damned if he didn't remember that incident. He remembered that clearly, after all, a very naked Lucy was pressed against him.

"W-well, you.. oh, this is awkward. Alright. You see, I don't think you even had a boner back then. Even when a naked female pressed against you. That was just very weird, wasn't it?" she concluded, ignoring the choking sound Natsu made and a cackling Happy on the carpet, thus she clapped her hands eagerly, "so, if you've been saying that no females had caught your interest, and you don't even feel anything towards a naked female body, does that mean..." she trailed off, unsure how to say it.

"What?!" Natsu impatiently asked. This was getting more ridiculous and crazier! And Happy certainly didn't help, either!

"Natsu, I'm sorry to assume your sexuality, but are you gay? Or even asexual?" she asked bluntly.

A very, very, uncomfortable silence between them. Happy's laugh grew louder, he even cried.

"I can't- take this-" he managed to say between laugh. "I'm going to the guild. I'll leave the rest to you guys!" he spread his wings and flew out of Lucy's opened window.

Natsu, himself, wasn't in his best shape. His eyes were blank, dull, emptyㅡhe couldn't believe his partner had said that-

"Oh, Natsu, I'm sorry! Did I just say all of the secrets you don't want anyone to know?" Lucy grasped his hands between hers.

Natsu all but growled though. Oh, she'd see the truth after this. Once he set his eyes to something, he'd do it rightㅡshe knew that he disliked half-assed things. "My secrets are still save with me, Luce. But," he spoke lowly, "I'm sorry to say that not all of your theories are right."

Lucy's eyes widened. "O-oh.. are they? Okay, nevermind them. This whole nudity theory is just for fun, after all." She mumbled, not bothering to hide her disappointment.

"But since all of them seem to downgrade my male pride, so I'm gonna tell you the whole truth because you asked for it."

"Huh, what- Natsu!"

He pinned her to her mattress, making her abandoned novel fell down to the carpeted floor. His face inched closer to her own, she could feel his warm breath and she shuddered at the feeling.

"First theory, right and wrong."

"So I got some of it right, then!" Lucy beamed proudly. Damn, she was trying so hard to ignore Natsu's hard body pressed against her; he was even shirtless because he stripped for Happy's Royal Flush earlier.

"Don't get too happy," Natsu frowned. "I was taking advantages of the situation indeed. To see a certain girl like you said."

"Oh, right," Lucy finally realized, "there are a lot of girls who were bathing that day. But they all ran away when you came. In the end, there were only me, Erza and The First Master." She gasped afterwards, "you tried to peek on The First Master?!"

"Lucy, god dammit not again!" Natsu slapped his forehead. "You're always leaning away from the truth, are you stupid?!"

"Stupid?!" Lucy tried to break away from his pinning, "sorry to break it to you, but you're the one that is always so unpredictable and weird-"

"I was fucking searching for you, okay?!" he ended up yelling.

Lucy almost forgot what they were talking. Right. It was her first theory. Natsu basically said that he was searching for her and she was freaking out internally.

Natsu ran his hands through his spiky pink locks. "I lied when I said that I didn't see you there. Also the second one, when we were learning the Transformation Magic with Mira. Yeah, I did grope myself which was you at the moment but technically they were your breasts! And I don't really wanna say anything about your third theory but I don't give a damn anymore- yes! I had a boner in the bell but I hid it! And after that I purposefully touched your boobies and I know it was bad and I swear I lied once again in the hot spring about not being fazed by your body but now you know the whole fucking truth. Alright, dammit, fuck, I wanna dig a hole for myself."

At the end on his little speech, for once, Natsu's face was burning scarlet. Releasing a frustrated groan, he released his grip on Lucy's wrists, then plopping down beside her. After that he covered his face with his arms while muttering curses.

To say that Lucy was shocked was an understatement. She truly didn't know what to feelㅡthe fact that her partner was secretly attracted to her and somehow succeed at hiding it made her feeling things.

A smile made its way to her lips. It all made sense now! She felt like some heavy burden was lifted off her shoulders, because she was also relieved about one thingㅡ it's okay to be attracted to Natsu.

Because he felt the same.

"Why the hell are you silent Lucy? Earlier you were being so noisy about this," Natsu glared at her under his arms, the rosiness of his cheeks had not gone.

"I find it funny," she smiled so wide it hurts.

"The hell is so funny about me being attracted to you?" Great, Natsu became kind of grumpy like a certain iron dragon slayer and Lucy was going to change that.

"No, not that. It's just the fact that I am also attracted to you, and neither of us realize it." she said as she removed his arms from his face. "It must be frustrating for you to hide it so long."

"Well, yeah, whenever I did something you'd punch me, so," Natsu reasoned, his thumb tracing her upperlip gently. "Now that this shit is finally out, can I kiss ya?"

The beautiful blonde mage responded by capturing his lips, their hands touching everywhere and pulling their bodies even closer. She bucked her hips against his, earning a growl from the male.

As Natsu whispered "I love you" between kisses which she eagerly responded with her own "I love you too", Lucy thanked the stars that something as stupid as The Nudity Theory came from her brain that day, if it meant to be with Natsu like this.

Notes: Lol I just found this old story in my old files and I decided to edit and continue it a lil' bit 'cause why not?

Anyway this was set right before the war between Alvarez and Fairy Tail. Do yall remember that one chapter where all FT members are taking a break before the 'doom?' Lol. I vaguely remember Natsu in Lucy's apartment playing strip poker with Happy (even though Happy has nothing to strip besides his bag and shirt?). And the three theories, lol two of them came from the omake. The first is Natsu and Mavis, the second one is when they learned Transformation Magic with Mira, I forget which chapter is that. And the third theory.. ofc yall know that.

Alright, this author's note is too long, see if you have criticism and comments, you can drop it below, I like reading feedbacks! Thanks!

ㅡSugarpolis.