Hey everybody. Yeah, I'm still alive. Woohoo! I apologize for suffering from chronic hiatus status. This has been one of the hardest years of my LIFE, and I'm ready to chuck it out of a window and ring in a new one soon.

Believe it ir not, I outlined most of this story a while ago, so yes, it has been more or less thought out until the end. Writting is a fickle hunger.

Thank you all SO MUCH for all your sweet reviews. It's unbelievable. If there were no one to read this I probably wouldn't bother with it. But sometimes it's that one extra push that makes it easy to keep going.

Happy Holidays to all of you. This is my meager gift to you :)

Get her alone.

Suddenly it sounds like my heartbeat is talking to me, and that's the idea that's pumping through my veins.

I catch up to the others and we begin the walk to the place that old man Regal mentioned. Jupiter inn, was it? Oh well. Erza will remember. I look around at the quiet little town and all of the candy-colored houses. Even the sky is starting to look like a cotton candy blanket of pink as the sun sets. There are people walking home with baskets full of food. Other people look like they've had a long day's work. But what they all have in common is that they've never seen us before. So they stare.

Some blond haired guy in a brown cap glances at Lucy. She notices and smiles, trying to be friendly. The stranger nods back with a grin, damn near making me snarl. It takes a guy to know a guy, and I know that red on his cheeks and sparkle in his eye too well. Part of him is being nice… the other parts are imagining Lucy in a way that he's lucky I'll never be able to see. Or I'd rip his damn head off.

"I see it!" Happy squeals, distracting me from some pretty violent thoughts. He flaps white wings and floats up just a little higher to point one blue paw at a big purple building. It looks like an overgrown dollhouse. But as we get closer we can see a sign covered with painted flowers. Juniper inn.

"It's gonna feel good to sleep on a bed," Lucy sighs softly.

Erza smiles, "Agreed. A good night's rest is just what we need to get us ready for tomorrow."

"If we don't have another pillow war that is," Gray chimes in. His shirt is unbuttoned and waving in the breeze. Some women nearly pass out as we walk by. I laugh when an older lady covers her kid's eyes and yelps "Oh dear!"

Luce shakes her head. "I think I'll skip that part. You guys are the only people who could probably leave me bruised from a pillow."

A thought hits me like a rush of fire: Lucy, with wild golden hair and pale skin shining with sweat as I grip her hips hard enough to leave bruises that look like jewels.

Fuck.

Aw hell no. Like Luce is gonna take me seriously if I try to talk to her with a monster pointing at her from inside my pants. Think of something else, Natsu. Gray in a speedo. Master Makarov in a bikini… aaand got it. Yuck.

When we walk into the inn we're greeted by a woman with curly brown hair beneath a purple bandana. She stands behind a wooden counter that puts a barrier between us and a wall of silver keys tagged with numbers. "Welcome travelers! Are you looking to stay the night?"

"Aye!" Happy answers before anyone else can.

"We'd be happy to have you!" The woman nods. "How many rooms would you like?"

This time Erza explains. "Two would be most appreciated."

"At the moment we've only got one double and one single. They're on opposite ends of the same hall. Does that sound agreeable to you?"

We all look at each other then back up at Erza. I don't know if the others can see the almost evil little smirk on her face but before I can ruin her plotting she nods. "We'll manage."

"Excellent," the woman smiles and turns to face the wall. She picks out two keys, labeled 40 and 47. "These will get you into your rooms. Forty is the double, and forty seven is the single. If you need anything my name is Pollyanna. Just give me a holler and I'll have things sorted right out. Enjoy your stay!"

"Thank you," Erza smiles as she takes the keys that Pollyanna holds out to us. "And what does that amount to?"

"150 and 200 jewels."

Erza slides some cash over before anyone can even think to reach into their pockets. The lady smiles and nods. "You all have a good night's sleep!"

We head down a candle-lit hallway to check out our rooms. Ill probably wind up bunking in one with Gray and Happy. Question is which one...

Erza hands one of the silver keys to Lucy and declares out of no where: "Let's do a little exploring. I rarely get to spend time with the two of you!" She's smiling at Naked-Lad and Happy, who exchange twin looks of horror.

"B-but you just saw me yesterday," Gray croaks out like a frog that's been smacked with a book. Ha. "You can see me now."

"Are you saying you're denying me the pleasure of your company, even though I've asked so sweetly?" The look in her eyes is as sharp as one of her blades. If Erza's warning glare was capable of physically hurting people, they'd be crippled. It's that serious. "It'll be fun," she says again. There's a signature do-what-I-say-or-die twitch of her brow; the battle is over before it even starts. She grabs Happy by the tail just before he can float out of reach and yanks at Gray's shirt collar. Except his shirt is gone and she gets a handful of neck instead. Shit looks downright painful.

"Agh!" Gray hisses. Erza lets go with a little jump. Then she huffs. "We're going!"

Gray's got no choice; he grabs his shirt off the floor while he and Happy are both dragged away.

"Natsuuu," the little guy groans. So dramatic. I'm not sure why Erza's leaving me behind though. How come I can't go? Red hair bounces out the front door with two zombies sliding along before I can ask out loud. And that's when it hits me.

She only gave Lucy ONE KEY.

Where the hell am I supposed to sleep? Lucy hates me right now! And we can only open one room!

Oh. OH.

Erza, I may just have to name a baby after you someday.

I follow Lucy quietly till she reaches the single room at the end of the hall. She looks a little out of it as she presses the key into the door knob and twists before finally noticing me. "W-what are you doing?" Lucy FINALLY speaks to me directly. I never thought that four words and a stutter could ever make me feel so relieved.

"I don't have the key to the other room."

She looks kind of nervous. Her hand goes white on the knob. Dammit Luce. I don't care how worried you are; I'm gonna make it illegal for you to lick your lips. Do all girls do that for no reason? "Cant you just ask Pollyanna? They must have a master key or a spare. I'll go and-"

"Lucy."

Her name comes out like a plea and a threat. It reminds me of this soft crackling that Igneel would suddenly get in his voice when he really, really wanted me to listen. Maybe it's a dragon thing. But I put my hand over hers and push the door open with my free one, pulling her in with me before she can change her mind as I shut the door behind us. It's a pretty nice room.

It's got dark green curtains, a bed to the left side, and a little brown desk and chair. There's even a huge round carpet on the floor that looks thick and fluffy like snow. I can't smell any people, but a scent of dried flowers lingers and my eyes follow my nose's directions straight to a glass bowl on a nightstand that's full of them. Lucy keeps little bags of dried flowers in her drawers to make her stuff smell nice. Even her underwear. Not like I had wanted to know at the time. It was just so damn funny watching her freak out whenever me or Happy tried her stuff on.

"What's wrong with you?" Lucy nearly shouts.

"What the- with me?" Is she joking? She's been avoiding me for way too long now! There's a small sigh as she walks further into the room with her arms crossed. She finds a lamp by the bowl of girly stuff and turns it on.

"We'll just split the room. You can have the right side."

"The side with no bed?"

"Exactly."

Well damn.

"Listen, Luce, I have no idea what I did wrong-"

"I know you don't."

"Well then why don't you tell me!?" I stomp over to her to grab both her hands and pin them to the closest wall, pulling her up from what would've been a fall as she trips over the white rug. Now I'm just fucking frustrated. I'm not a mind reader, Lucy, and I've had enough of this. What. Did. I. DO. "You're driving me crazy, y'know that?" I'm louder than I meant to be. But I can't help it. "You've been ignoring me all day and won't say anything! Can't you just tell me why Lucy?"

And then she does that thing.

Our breaths are way too close together and there's a celestial mage looking up at me like

I'm tearing her in two. Her wide brown eyes kind of sparkle in the light. Lucy hasn't even tried to struggle out of my grip, so I drop her hands and hug her. She's so warm. Smells better than anything in the history of ever (and I've smelled a lot of things, lemme tell ya).

"Dammit… how am I supposed to know what to do?"

My heart is beating like it's gonna explode as I rest my chin on the top of Luce's blonde hair. I wonder if she can feel it. I've had adrenaline rushes before. Plenty. Battling evil psycho guilds will definitely do it to you. This is just like that, but somehow worse in ways I can't explain. How is it possible to feel this many things at once?

I'm sorry. I don't know what for. You're so fucking pretty, Lucy. Even when you look like you're about to cry. Don't cry though. Please.

"What am I to you, Natsu?"

"Huh?"

"Everything's been happening so quickly… seems like that's always the case for us in Fairy Tail." She laughs, but it's low and dry and downright miserable. "But after that night at your house… was it just a one time thing? Was that it? You never said. And then what you did at the guild house. I don't want to be just friends, Natsu."

"We aren't."

"But… you've never asked me to be your girlfriend." Her voice cracks on that last word. Now that I think about it, she's right. I never explained to her.

"Dragon slayers don't have girlfriends."

Lucy shakes herself out of my hold and I think I should go take a class on how not to crush a girl's soul- like now-'cause it looks like I just did. "W-what?"

I'm immediately flailing my arms and trying to finish. This woman is gonna turn my world upside down. But hasn't she already?

"Listen. Let me tell you a story. It's not… like that. You don't get it."

She sniffs and follows me to the floor where I sit cross-legged on the carpet. This thing feels like a cloud. It's awesome. But back to the important stuff. I hold onto one small, pale hand and start rubbing my thumb against the wrist. And tell her a story only Happy's ever heard.

"When I was real little I asked Igneel that if he was my dad, where'd my mom go. He looked sad. I think part of me knew even back then that I'd asked a bad question. But he answered it anyway. He said she had been gone for a long time. When I asked why we couldn't get another mom, he told me that dragons only have one true mate. There aren't any more after that.

I didn't really get it back then, Lucy. Maybe she was slain. I don't know. After that he pat my head and told me one day I'd find my mate, too, and then I'd understand. So… yeah. I don't think you're just a girlfriend. I really think… you're the mate he said I should look out for."

"Natsu," Lucy sucks in a breath and laces her fingers with mine. "I had no idea."

"Yeah well," I can feel myself blushing like a moron so I look away. "I never got a chance to tell you. And you were acting all dramatic and weird and… you're really special to me, alright? You're my mate. If you leave I'll probably never be the same again. So don't go trying to go on dates with someone else unless you want me ripping some idiot's head off. You're mine now."

"I didn't mean to act like that. I'm sorry. It's just... If you had decided that was it, I

would've been heartbroken. Just thinking about it made me feel like... Like things would never be right again, somehow. And then what happened at the guild made it worse, because I had no idea what you were thinking. We hadn't stopped to talk about it till, well, now."

Her voice is full of truth. That's another thing about being raised by a dragon; you learn to notice things most people don't. Or maybe people just choose not to, who knows. It's a lot of different things- the pitch of someone's voice, the speed of their breathing, and the pupils of their eyes. Igneels pupils would shrink to slits when he was angry and grow rounder when he was really happy. It's harder to see on people, and it's not like I'm gonna go staring at 'em just to be sure, but it is there

Lucy's eyes are safe to look into though. Round and shining... She better not cry. Her breathing is steady. And despite how low the pitch of her voice is it never wavers. I'm not surprised; her heart is right on her pocket, or however that saying goes.

Oh. Whoa. Speaking of pockets-

"Close your eyes."

"Why?"

So I can hide the body without you seeing Luce. Dammit, can you stop making things so hard?

"Just do it. Don't you trust me?"

Teeth bite at her lower lip and I try my hardest not to stare. I can't help it. Everything about Lucy that I already liked is even more amazing to me now. Warm brown eyes finally close shut. She sits still like a statue and mutters, "Well?"

A high metallic sound scrapes against my pocket as I pull the necklace out. The stone shines like all of the colors of a flame swirling together. It even feels warm to touch, and I wonder if it's supposed to. I undo the little silver clasp and Lucy jumps when the metal touches her neck. "What is that?" So sensitive, I chuckle to myself. The warm colors stand out on her skin and it suddenly looks like something she's worn her whole life

"You can look now."

Could her head have tilted down any faster? I chuckle, watching her get a hold of the chain until her fingers find the stone.

"How did you know which one I was looking at?" She gasps and turns it over and over. "Was it expensive? Natsu, it's beautiful!"

Shrugging and scratching the back of my neck, I answer, "I didn't. I took a good guess. Why did you like this one though?"

Aha! I see a blush! No way she's getting away without telling me!

"It reminds me of you. Rough around the edges and dangerous. But also warm and strong."

The way this girl talks about me... People have called me terrifying, one of Fairy tail's strongest, the fearsome salamander, clueless, foolish, and destructive. They've called me a million things that didn't matter, because none of it was said like this. Lucy's voice is soft and sweet and sure of itself-like there's no way she could ever speak a lie about me.

Three sappy words start bubbling up my throat like vomit. But before I can throw them up and out and into her, Lucy's attacking me with her lips. And damn… it's a fight I'm willing to let her win.

You'd be surprised how many thoughts happen when this girl kisses me. All of them at once: I want to eat her. Lick her from head to toe and make her lose it. Lucy's mouth tastes so good. Hands on my chest, neck, grabbing my hair- fuck. She's moaning. Smells amazing. Tits pressing to my chest. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

I open my eyes for a second while I'm in the process of nipping her lower lip and suddenly the sight of her hair tie just pisses me off. So I get rid of it, watching golden hair spill everywhere. Oh, Luce. You're not allowed to wear your hair out. Not ever. Something about the way it frames your face and runs over your shoulders makes you look awesome.

My eyes dilate like they would in a battle. I hear blood boiling in my ears. I need her. Have to make her mine so she knows it.

The sound Lucy makes when I nip her neck and run my fangs along the sides makes me hard as hell. I don't know what I'm doing… I sink them into her skin just a little, enough to make her drag her nails on my arms and toss her head back and cry out. I need more of that sound.

"Natsu… mmm… ah!"

I rub her nipples through her shirt and then wonder why it's still on her. I wanna see some skin and I want it now. I start by tearing off my scarf and vest first, and Lucy seems to get the idea. Everything besides her under-stuff comes off in a blur.

"Let me?" she asks in a whisper while she kneels on the carpet. Her hands are already on the waistline of my pants.

I nod, watching, her fingers tracing the skin the fabric slides over. Boxers and all it goes (you slick little perv, Lucy) and I shiver once my dick sees the light of day. Or glow of lamp. Whatever. For a second the look it gets is a little fearful. Until Lucy asks a question that changes my life.

"Can I taste it?"

I'm sorry. Did I hear that right? You wanna… she's gonna…

I nod and suck in a deep breath. "If you want to. You don't have to if you don't wanna Lucy."

A celestial mage in nothing but a lacy set of light blue and a stone of fire buried in between her cleavage looks up at me, huffs, and then closes her lips around me.

And I die.

"Aaaaah… Fuck!"

"Am I hurting you?!"

Lucy practically spits me out and hold her hands in the air like a criminal.

"N-no. Damn, Lucy, that felt sooo good. Please don't stop. Well, I mean if you wanna it's okay, but damn…"

A pale hand wraps around me again before she cocks (hah) her head and licks the very tip. "It's… a little salty," Lucy whispers. But it must not be a bad thing since she puts me back in her mouth and starts to slowly move her head back and forth.

My hands have a mind of their own and decide to make all her blonde hair their resting place. Meanwhile her tongue keeps sliding against my dick and oooh god is it good.

"Don't stop Luce, mmm…" I feel no shame in begging her. Well, maybe some, but then I see those pink lips around me and feel myself twitch. Hard. Yes, just like that, daaaaaammit…

"Ow!"

Again Lucy scrambles back and leaves my dick cold, alone, and afraid.

"What?!"

"Uh… your teeth. You scraped me a little."

"Oh gosh, oh gosh, Natsu, I'm so sorry!"

I kneel down and grin. "Don't be. That was amazing. Is that what it felt like for you?"

"What do you mean?"

"When I licked your… well… your pussy."

"Eek! Don't call it that!"

Frowning, I pull her hands away from her face. The blush on her cheeks is practically glow-in-the-dark.

"Why not? That's what all the other guys call it! And your books too. That last one you read definitely said something about 'Erik licking Felia's pink, wet pussy.'"

Lucy almost chokes on her own spit. "I-it was Erin and Felicity, first of all. And why would you remember that of all lines?!"

"I knew you read dirty books, Luce, but I wasn't sure how dirty. Aww, are you embarrassed?"

"No! Just… let's go to bed!"

"But Lucy…"

I grab both her wrists and lead her onto the fluffy cloud-rug. Her brown eyes shine like amber as I lean into her ear. "What if I lick yours instead?" A quick glance and I see her thighs rub together before her eyes go hazy and she sighs, "Y-yeah."

"Oh no you don't," comes a quick growl from beneath me as I reach for the blue bra getting in the way of my happiness. "If you rip this one I'll kill you. I'll do it." Then Lucy performs an underappreciated kind of girl-magic known as unclasping bra hooks and I watch the stupid thing slide off.

Lucy, you have the kind of boobs that make eyes go wide and men want to shout 'TITS!' at the top of their lungs like twelve year olds. They're just so big. And maybe I'm just weird, but something about your pink nipples makes them even cuter.

"Mn, yes, Natsuuu."

One breast to my lips and the other cupped in my hand, Lucy groans long and loud. Arches her back in a way that's ridiculously sexy. Whimpers and shivers while I run a hand along her belly and flick her nipple with my tongue. Kissing my way down her skin, I sigh and stop at her panties. Then an evil smirk hits me along with an idea.

I press my lips between her legs without any warning, inhale, then breathe out and run my tongue over her. The fabric down here is already soaked and tastes so Lucy: sunny-sweet-and-spicy.

"Oh, yes, yes, just-!"

I keep at it, searching for-

"Aaah! Theretherethere!"

Found it.

"Take them off," Lucy pants. She sounds like she might pass out. "My panties, Natsu. Please." Aye, ma'am. I shimmy them over her knees and off of her legs and toss them to kingdom come, which actually sounds like the place I'm trying to get Lucy to go… ha. In it to win it in seconds flat, I flick at her with a thumb before replacing that with wet circles and little sucks. She's bucking underneath and getting harder to control. And then some crazy urge to reign her in grabs hold of me.

I need her beneath me. Back bowed. Screaming.

"Luce." My voice sounds like I need a drink of water. 'Cept it looks like the complete opposite; my lips are shining with Luce-juice.

"Why'd you stop?"

Tracing my fingers against her inner thighs, I sigh. "Let me mate you."

"Huh?"

"Do you trust me?" I ask for the second time.

I stare down at her and my dick throbs. Pale skin flushed pink, a beautiful body wearing nothing but a necklace. My Lucy. All mine. Warm eyes look back and a smile damn near lights my heart on fire.

"I trust you more than anyone."

Mine.

"Get on all fours for me Lucy."

And she does. That amazing ass faces me like an invitation. I can see everything all at once; even the wetness between her legs. It turns me on in a way that's different from before. It's all instinct. I know what happens next.

Lucy makes a nervous little sound into the rug and mutters, "This is embarrassing."

"It's amazing. You're so pretty, Lucy."

I kneel behind her and caress her back.

"I want you, Lucy."

Grab strands of her hair and gently tilt her head back so I can whisper into her ear while I rub myself against her.

"You're mine now, Lucy."

And I'm in.

"Natsu!"

"Shh… you okay?"

"It's just so deep," she sobs as she arches her back. Lucy's body already knows what to do. So does mine. I start off slowly. Letting us both get a feel for this. But the sight of her ass slapping against my hips… that deep, wet sound… all those sexy little sounds she's making…

"Ah, fuck, Lucy…"

"Mmm!"

Faster now. Deeper. Grinding against her like I'm possessed.

"Do it harder, Natsu! Please…!"

Lucy's face buried into a sea of white as soon as I do what she asks. The more her back bows the tighter it feels inside of her. It's insane.

"No one else can have you Lucy," I growl at her as my hips pound against her skin.

"This is mine. You're my mate."

"Yes!"

"No one."

I thrust deep.

"Not ever."

Harder.

"Only you, Lucy!" I practically roar.

She's squeezing me so tight. I'm swimming in her, drenched, listening to her moans get louder and louder. Like a song no celestial spirit of hers will ever be able to copy. One she'll only sing for me.

I can feel myself getting close and somehow I know she's gonna get there before I do. I pull her hair again and Lucy gasps. Her eyes clench shut and her mouth goes wide and silent before that sweet finale scream-

"NATSUUU!"

Then I feel it; fire being swept from me, curling around and into her like a breath that will never leave her. It holds for a second before I almost collapse from how hard I come.

"Lucy, Lucy, LUCY! Shit! Ahh… Lucy..."

We both heave. Too tired to move. For a minute or two I can't even think. I feel myself grow soft inside her and watch what I've marked her with slowly seep out of her. I bet she'd find the sight of it gross, but it's weirdly satisfying to me. A soft noise comes between us when I leave her body to lie next to her on the rug we've basically ruined with tears and sweat and epic mating.

I reach out and grab one of her hands.

"Crap."

"What?" Lucy's voice is hoarse.

"No condom thing again."

"It's okay. To be honest, I started taking something to keep from having a baby. Just in case… well, you know."

"In case what?"

A small smile tilts her lips upwards. "In case this happened again."

"Good thinking. But I already told you. One day we're gonna make one." And it's wierd, but the idea just sounds right. Makes a deep purr rumble in my chest.

Sleepy eyes roll at my words. "Don't start that again. You can go lay your own babies if you want one that bad." I laugh.

Must. Find. Strength. To move.

I pick up one limp, pleased body and carry her to bed. And then pile myself on top of her. What? I'm sure some dragons must've been cuddlers.

"Mmm.. You smell so good afterwards," I tell Lucy while I take a good whiff of her skin. She giggles and then gets shy. "So… can I still say girlfriend?"

I pull her closer while she drapes clean white blankts over us.

"Yeah. Whatever you want, as long as it means I have you, Luce," I mumble. I'm so close to falling asleep when I hear her get up, turn the lamp off, and press right against me. It's a quiet whisper but I still catch it. "You do."

As I fall sleep I smell sunshine…

And fire.

Hmmm, that necklace seems special, dontcha think? TBC! Your reviews are life :)

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