Fairy Tail belongs to Mashima sensei.

Like many things in her life, it was all Natsu's fault, really.

Everything was going in its usual order. Lucy was spending her days hiding her feelings and desires behind books and anger, while the object of said feelings and desires busied himself with his usual fights, as oblivious as ever. Their feline friend was busy with finding the right fish for his white lady cat, but he always found the time to mock with Lucy of course.

A couple days ago they took a simple mission, something quick to solve Lucy's rent problem, as the time for the payment got close. Mission went as usual; almost costing more than half their prize for the repairs thanks to a certain slayer, earning him a yet another lecture from the shrieking blondie until he caved in and apologized from their client until he saved at least some of the money.

But what changed everything started when Natsu dragged her to a close by restaurant because he was, as he claimed "starving"; nearly half an hour after he ate their last bit of food. Lucy was almost certain that he had a bottomless pit instead of a stomach. But she was also hungry and tired, so she didn't resist truly. She never resisted him truly.

Natsu was busy making a mess on their table while Lucy was cringing at him when they got interrupted. A child came running towards them, only to stumble on her own loose shoelace and fell to the floor flat on her face. She immediately started crying of course, but before Lucy could reach her, Natsu was already there, taking the little girl up his arms and shushing her.

As he calmed the little girl down, Lucy realized yet again how much he has changed. He was still that loud trouble of a boy of course, but he now had a stance of a man on him. He got even taller, much to her displeasure. (And secret pleasure. She liked her man tall, sue her.) His voice was much deeper, his shoulders broader, making him everything she wanted and everything she couldn't get. Because no matter how attractive he was, he wasn't attracted to her, or anyone. Still though, she sometimes imagined confessing her feelings for him, but he was her best friend, their relationship meant too much for her to ruin over one-sided feelings.

So, as she always did, she just buried the image of him snuggling a little girl, a blonde little girl to top it off because universe shared the same sense of humor with Happy of all beings, ad started looking for the child's parents, soon finding them rushing around with concerned expressions. The entire encounter lasted less than 10 minutes but it apparently was enough to mess with her brain.

Because now she couldn't stop thinking about how a great father Natsu would be. She was busy imagining blonde and pink haired little girls, running from her to their "DADDY!", while she cuddled her pink haired baby boy and waved together as "look, daddy is home!", so she didn't notice as Natsu actually got out of the shower and came to kitchen to see what she was doing. He took one glance at her as she did the dishes while smiling stupidly, and for some reason decided to mess with her instead of leaving to room to get dressed.

"Hey there, weirdo." He said amusedly, lips curving upwards as he tried to not to smile.

"Hey daddy." She replied, still smiling.

The heavy silence that followed was only disturbed as Lucy dropped the dish in her hand. Water splashed everywhere but it all went unnoticed as her eyes widened, brain finally back on and catching up with her actions. 'Did she… Did she just…?'

"Did- Did you just- "his voice was rough with an emotion she couldn't identify.

"No." She replied, a little too quickly. He just looked at her and she swore his eyes kept getting darker the more they stared each other. She couldn't breathe, was frozen on the spot as her cheeks started to burn, highlighting her embarrassment. He licked his lips and she thought she saw a glimpse of a fang for a second.

"I thought you- "he started, slowly taking a step towards her with his hand reached forward as if to grab her and she finally lost it.

She shrieked, "I am going to take a shower!" and basically run past him. When she was safe and slumped on to the door of the bathroom, she feared her face might melt due to heat.

She was screaming in her mind 'Oh my God. I called- I called him daddy!' and she realized she would have to move. Change her name. Change her clothes, her hair… Maybe even colored contact lenses… Would black hair look good on her?

When she was done losing her mind probably a couple more times in her bathroom, she managed to calm down enough to take an actual shower. After taking a shower she was close to decide on her new name, as she still was sure there was no way she could face the slayer ever again. So of course, when she exited the bathroom Natsu was still there.

Not only just there, but also still only wearing the towel she gave him for his bath. He was leaning on the back of the couch, facing the bathroom. Making him a few steps away from Lucy and her no longer beating heart. Well, she thought, no longer need to change my identity, good bye world.

She tried to say something, opened her mouth but his eyes got darker, black almost covering the green and giving him a dangerous glint. She felt her throat clamp up as he took a deep breath and straightened.

"Why?", he nearly snarled, backing her up until she was trapped against to now closed door and his body. "Why are you always running away?" He leaned his face into her neck, his warm breath raising goosebumps all along her skin. She tried to say something again only for her voice to crack as he followed her jawline with his nose up to her ear. She put her hands on his chest, trembling a little. "N-Natsu- "He took a deep breath, his exhale warming her entire body as it caressed the back of her neck. His big hands slowly encircled her wrists, parting her hands so he could press their bodies together. But before he could take that last step,

"NATSU!" Happy cried from outside, breaking the heavy spell they were under as he came flying towards the window. "CARLA IS GONE!"

For a split second, his hands tightened on her wrist, only to release her abruptly and wrenching open the door to push her back into the bathroom. He managed to close the door just in time for Happy to come in and fail to see them together, only in their towels. "Hey buddy. I am sure she will be back." Lucy heard him say from the door she still stood facing, frozen. "But!" Happy cried, "But she didn't tell me they were leaving for a mission and I- "he stopped abruptly. Lucy could almost see him cocking his head to the side. "Why are you in a towel? Where is Lucy?" he snickered, his whining forgotten momentarily to mock with his friends as usual.

"I dropped food all over me, so I had to take a shower. And she got in to take one herself, after I got out." He mumbled, surprising Lucy with how smooth he lied. Hearing Happy go back to whining somehow unfroze her, and she found herself back on the floor, face aflame for a different reason this time.

It was all Natsu's fault, really.