Chapter Text
prompt twenty six: Acceptance
rate: M for Mature
Twenty six out of one hundred.
"Everything begins with accepting oneself. Without self-acceptance, one cannot accomplish anything." – Xuan-Thu Nguyen.
x
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If there was one thing Natsu was, it was miserable.
Ever since he tried to confess his feelings to Lucy and she bolted out of his place as if he asked her to spend the rest of her life with him, he had been feeling like sh*t. All he did was tell her he was in love with her and she literally ran out of his house like some batsh*t crazy woman who was running from the cops. It was baffling to him and he couldn't say it didn't hurt him because it hurt like hell being abandoned by the one woman he wanted to be with and the one woman he has loved for so many years of his short life.
And all because he had to get himself involved in this mess that had his heart twisting in pain and his mind racing at a million miles per hour.
He knew he shouldn't have ever gotten involved with Lucy and never told her that he had been wanting her for nearly a decade. It had trouble written all over it and yet he was insistent on all this.
Especially when he asked her out on a date and asked her to try things more romantically… why? Why did he have to do that? Why did he have to fall in love with someone like Lucy? Why did Lucy have to be his best friend's little sister? Why did he have to act this way as if he was sixteen again?
He's a grown man with his own place and a job and yet here he was, in shambles because the one girl he desperately wanted ran away from him while he was trying to tell her how much he loves her.
He really was stupid for that one. He can openly blame himself for that but the moment was just so f*cking perfect, how could he not?
From the way she cooked him a Christmas meal and decorated his place with him to the way she laughs and kisses him on the cheek as they cooked… he felt as if he had to confess at that time. His heart was so f*cking full and had been so full for a while now that he thought it was time. He truly thought Lucy would have accepted his feelings but it shocked him to the core to see Lucy suddenly high-tail it out of his place.
So much so that she was gone before he had a chance to find her and he was incredibly pissed that she ignored him for days on end. She was lucky he was busy and wasn't able to hunt her down and every time he tried, she wasn't around and he had no idea how she was able to do it but she successfully avoided him for a week and it did nothing to help his anger.
He only grew angrier and by the time new years were days away, he had ditched work early to go bang on her door.
He hated how much she was affecting him and he was incredibly sad that she had resorted to this. Was she going to ghost him? After everything they've been through? There is no way he was going to let that happen. If she didn't want him anymore then… then there's going to be a problem.
But by the time he had left her place, he was angrier and even more miserable as he kicked the walls and smashed a poor innocent flower vase on the side of the road.
He's never felt this way before, even when he had girlfriends, and it f*cking sucked. It sucked the energy out of him, he couldn't concentrate, and not to mention the piercing twisting pain he felt in his chest.
He was going crazy and all because of a bobble-headed blonde brat who he couldn't help but love.
He wished he didn't have to love her. He wished he didn't have to be in this position at all.
But Lucy has always been Lucy and if her stubbornness and bratty attitude didn't do it, then was she really Lucy?
And he hated how much he still loved her after everything.
Lucy had tried to contact him afterwards but he let her go to voicemail. He ignored all her messages just how she ignored him but he didn't trust himself right now. He was pissed beyond relief and if he did talk to her, he knew he would say something nasty or do something he didn't mean so he turned his phone off and went to the bar to drown his sorrows.
This wasn't even about Gray anymore and he really did mean it that he didn't care about anyone else's opinion. If Gray had a problem with him dating his sister then he and Gray can brawl it out because at this rate, he wasn't going to let Lucy go.
No matter how much she denied that she didn't have feelings for him or resisted his charm, he knew deep down that she liked him, too. He could feel it and most certainly see it when they were together. The way her eyes would brighten as she smiled and the blush on her cheeks as they shared sweet kisses. The way she would curl into his arms and pepper him with love and affection. Even through her cooking and cleaning he could see how much she adored him and he really did think he had a shot.
So why was she resisting so much and why was she making this much more complicated than it had to be?
Or maybe she really didn't want to be with him and was actually using him as a rebound. It hadn't been long since she had been dumped and he did take her when she was vulnerable so was he the one at fault here? Did he push her too fast?
He felt heartbroken and he didn't know how else to describe it as he drowned his sadness in a massive amount of alcohol. He even shed a couple of tears because he really did feel like an idiot.
All because of dumb lying Lucy f*cking Heartfillia.
Pulling up to Gray's place, Natsu put his car in park and pulled his phone out to send his friend a message. The soft tunes that played in his car reflected how he was feeling as he had only been listening to sad, heartbreak music but he couldn't bear to listen to anything upbeat. It's been two days since he had last seen or heard from Lucy and today was New Year's Eve so he would eventually have to see her.
His anger had sizzled down into disappointment and frustration but he was no longer pissed off. He got so wasted the other night that he woke up hammered at four in the morning halfway in the canal near Lucy's house and he realized he had to get home immediately.
That and the raging hangover that came the next morning really f*cked with him so he had paid his dues in his own way.
He really did want to reach out to Lucy but he had made himself very clear and she hadn't reached out to him after that one night he went and saw her so now he was drowning in the pits of his own emotions.
Lucy Heartfillia had rejected him and it stung more than it should have but he was a bitter baby about it all.
He had decided to be the mature one and pretend as if nothing had ever happened and he would be civil with her if they were to run into each other but no more than that. He had to get over her, it's been way too long and he honestly hadn't dated anyone in five years so he really had to get his own sh*t together. He can't wait forever. He's been waiting forever and now look where he ended up.
Heartbroken over someone he never even really had and now he was the lone idiot who had to deal with the consequences.
"What's with the breakup music? You in your feelings?" Gray snickered as he hopped into the car and buckled himself in.
"Shut up," Natsu muttered, not wanting to get into this with him at all.
"No need to bite my head off. I'm not the one who broke your heart."
Yeah, it was your stupid goddamn sister.
But of course he couldn't say that so he bit his tongue and made his way to Erza's.
Erza used to throw bigger parties back in the day but now as everyone got older and especially since some of their friends had been raising families, it had turned into smaller gatherings. But smaller gatherings still meant a lot because Erza's parties went from two hundred plus down to one hundred. And sometimes he didn't even understand how Erza knew this many people but for once, he was grateful because this meant he had a higher chance of not running into Lucy.
He definitely was going to try his hardest to avoid her but he had to keep his sh*t together.
Until he remembered the pre-game when Gray had mentioned it on the ride there and he was cursing up a storm inside his head.
Erza liked to do intimate pre-games with her closest friends before the others came and he hoped to God Lucy wasn't going to be there but of course he had to speak a little too soon.
Because she was the first goddamn person he saw when he and Gray walked into the place and his mood instantly turned sour.
Why did she have to look so good? Why is she so dressed up? Did she miss him as much as he missed her? He could literally smell her perfume from where he stood and it made his stomach twist in knots as he greeted those who were there.
He even gave Lucy a small half wave and smile before he hightailed it out of there and grabbed himself a drink.
He downed two full cups of wine before Lucy had found him and he nearly choked as he smelt her before seeing her.
"Hey… can we talk?" She asked in a small voice, her eyes darting around to make sure nobody heard them.
"I'm a little busy right now," he swallowed the lump in his throat, not even daring to look at her. He poured himself one last cup before he turned and left her there at the drink table, making sure he created space between them so he didn't have to deal with all this sh*t.
He now wished he didn't come but Gray was persistent (mainly wanted a ride) and Erza would kill him if he flaked on her. Now as he stood around the island with some of his other closest friends, he tried his best to keep his eyes elsewhere but they kept finding the golden head of hers.
It irritated him and he hated feeling so bad but nothing could help him as he felt her burning stare on his back.
She was probably fuming about him brushing her off but he really did not want to hear how she did not want to reciprocate his feelings and how it would be best if they just remained 'friends'. He's heard it all before and he didn't have to hear it from her and if she honestly thought lying to herself and lying to everyone was the best decision for her then so be it.
He had successfully dodged Lucy for the first two hours, avoiding her at all cost and turning the other way when he would notice her coming over. He would even ignore her and it didn't raise any type of suspicion considering they have been like this since kids and for him to give her the cold shoulder hurt more than it should.
Especially when he would see how upset Lucy would get when she saw him walk away or ignore her but he didn't trust himself to keep it together if she did have a chance to corner him.
Because all he could think about was her sweet soft lips against his and how plush she felt in his hands and or how perfectly she fit into his arms.
Thankfully, more people started to show so he had lost her in the crowd sometime later in the evening. He didn't know if he was relieved or not as he kept finding himself looking for her in the crowds but he always caught himself as he cursed and downed more drinks in record time.
He tried his best to have fun, drinking with his friends, laughing at jokes they made, and even posing for many photos.
By the time it was an hour before midnight, he was wasted and he had completely gone back to his sad, heartbroken self as every blonde person would catch his eye. He even tried to talk to some women who came up to him but he felt sick as he would catch them batting their eyes at him and or brushing up against him so he excused himself and forced himself to go somewhere else that didn't have girls that weren't Lucy.
He was getting aggregated and bitter the longer he stuck around and he wished time would go by faster so he could get the hell out of there.
Last time he snuck out before midnight he had to call out of work for two days because of the nasty bruise that Erza inflicted on him.
"Give me a cig," Natsu came up behind Gray to grab him by the shoulder, slurring into his ear.
"You? Smoking a cig?" Gray barked out into laughter as he turned to see Natsu looking like some zombie. "What's going on with you, bro? You've been like this since you picked me up."
"Just give me a f*ckin' cigarette." The fireman snapped and Gray held his hands up before digging into his pocket to grab at his pack. Natsu snatched the stick out of his hands along with his lighter before he was storming outside where the cold winter night nipped at his overly heated flushed skin.
He thought he was crazy. Everything and everyone reminded him of Lucy and he just wanted to scream bloody murder.
Because as much as he wanted to bend her over and f*ck her till she was begging him to stop, he also just wanted to hold her and tell her how f*cking beautiful she is.
How much he loves her. How long he had loved her.
From the way her brown eyes twinkled when she spoke about something she loved or to the way her laughter sounded like tinkling bells in his ears. Or how she made his heart race whenever she would smile at him or how her kisses could literally cure his pains.
But dreams will always stay dreams because Lucy was not the one for him and she made it very clear that he was nothing more than a rebound and someone to have fun with.
He should have never opened his mouth. He should have never told her he was in love with her. Maybe then, things would have been the same and if this was the outcome of his confession, he really wished he could turn back time so he could stay in that blissful state with Lucy. His Lucy.
Natsu didn't smoke often because he knew what these cancer sticks did but at a time like this where he was drunk and upset, he just had to. The nicotine buzz would be enough to numb him and relieve him of some type of stress and he truly needed to do something because obviously having sex is off the table.
He felt so f*cking drained. He just wanted to get over this feeling and he didn't know how long he could do this for.
When was the last time he's even ever felt like this before?
Setting his beer bottle down on the ground, he stuck the cigarette in his mouth to cup his hand around the end to light. Sucking in the smoke, Natsu let out a cough the first hit before he was getting the hang of it again. He hadn't smoked one of these since college but he remembered the tingles he got whenever he did and he shuddered as he felt the shiver rush down his spine before he was feeling the buzz.
It did kind of help him in his sad state of mind but nothing could wipe the bitter taste of heartbreak out of his mouth.
Especially when he wished he was sucking on something else beside this cancer stick.
He took a couple more drags before he tossed the thing off her balcony and he was content enough that he was a lot calmer than before. The dull aching pain in his chest was still present but it didn't hurt as much as he inhaled deeply to exhale. His thoughts were on Lucy and all he wanted to do was be with her but he knew that wasn't possible.
If Lucy couldn't be honest, he had to be, and he did not want to mess around anymore. He had to be the bigger person and he was never the bigger person but for her, he will be. He just loved her that much and if she didn't think she could find happiness with him then he would have to let her find her own.
As much as it hurt him.
Natsu leaned over the railing and let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose as he squeezed his eyes shut.
It'll be a new year in the next hour and he will get his resolve. He would eventually move on and he would have a happy life one day with someone with kids and the white picket-fence house. And as much as he wished it could be with Lucy, he had to come to terms with that it wasn't going to be her.
And did that f*cking suck.
Bending down to scoop up his beer bottle, he took a large swig as the cool carbonated liquid slid down his throat. A slight tingle followed and he let out a burp while he leaned back over the railing, hanging his head as a sign of defeat and exhaustion. His bangs fell over his eyes and he let out a large sigh, staring at the bushes down below him.
He misses her. So goddamn much. And it wasn't even about the sex. He missed her. Her gentle touches and sweet laughter. Her intoxicating scent. Her annoying tendencies where she liked to act like a brat. The way she would stick her tongue out at him as if she was getting him back in any way.
"Natsu?"
And dear god he was starting to hear her now! He was really growing delusional. And it's literally been two days! Okay and that week but is this really how weak his conscience was? Was Lucy really this powerful?
"Really? You're still going to pull this crap?"
Oh my God and he knows her so goddamn well his brain knows exactly what she would say. How can he possibly move on from this hellish nightmare?
"Natsu!"
Jolting in his spot, Natsu tossed his head over his shoulder to spot the said devil haunting him. His stomach twisted into an uncomfortable knot as he took her in and it pained him so much to know he'd never know what it'd be like to be hers.
"What do you want?" He sighed, clearly tired and irritated at his failed attempts of dodging her all night, turning his head back around to avoid looking at her any longer.
"I've been asking to talk to you all night."
"I really don't want to hear it, Lucy." He spat, her name coming out bitter on his tongue. "I don't think it's appropriate for you to be out here with me right now. What if someone sees?"
"I don't care, we need to talk."
Running his free hand through his hair, Natsu let out a deep sigh as his hand eventually dragged down his face. "Fine. Let's hear it."
He heard the clicks of her heels as she approached him and he tensed up just a bit when she came beside him. She kept her distance as she mirrored his stance, leaning against the railing while looking up at the moon.
He kept his eyes away from her, hearing her sigh deeply before speaking.
"Natsu, I… I haven't been completely honest with myself or even with you."
He scoffed at her words but didn't say anything else, washing away the taste in his mouth with his beer as she continued.
"And I want to apologize for everything."
"Alright, thanks for the apology." His response came curt.
A silence had mushroomed itself between them and he still couldn't look at her so he just stared down at the bushes below them, the slight glimpse of her shoes shimmering underneath.
Even with the apology, he didn't feel any better. Her apology actually made him feel even worse as he didn't think it would hurt any more to hear that she was sorry about everything. Did that mean she was sorry she ever got involved with him? Sorry she couldn't reciprocate his feelings? Sorry she had been putting him in a downward spiral this entire time?
Natsu was exhausted and he didn't have it in him to fight anymore. The alcohol and nicotine in his body was buzzing and kept him at a leveled state but all he really wanted to do was grab her and shake her back and forth till one of them exploded.
The silence was killing him more than the fact that he was right beside her and his body was burning up in a lick of scorching flames.
Why did he have to be so weak and pathetic over her? How did she get him so tamed so easily?
"And…" She started off, trailing off into silence again.
And he honestly didn't care what else she had to say because he didn't want to hear any more of her sad cliche breakup excuses.
"And I think I'm in love with you."
Okay, well, that wasn't what he was expecting to hear.
The silence was extra loud between them even with the nightlife partying away inside and the winter night.
It felt as if his heart had finally gotten the strength to stand up on its own two feet after being beaten to near death and it throbbed inside his chest very obnoxiously. His free hand came up to clutch his chest and he continued to stare out into the night as he tried to process her words.
He swallowed the lump in his throat, forcing the last bits of his beer down to help with it.
"That's good." His voice almost came out shaky, unable to form any other type of words at the moment.
He could hear her shifting in her spot and he knew she was probably fuming at what he said. It almost made him smile but he covered it up by pushing the opening of the bottle to his lips to mask it.
"That's it?" She sounded annoyed and he finally allowed himself to peek over at her.
He wished his heart could calm down but it picked up speed once he got eye contact with her and he cursed inside his head for loving her so much because she was so breathtaking in this moonlight.
She was absolutely stunning in her golden dress, her long golden hair curled to frame her small pale face. He was glad she had at least brought a cardigan with her to come outside since it was cold and the corners of his lips curled lightly at the annoyance stretched across her face.
At least she kind of knew what it was like to just get their confession brushed away like nothing. And at least he stuck around to hear it all instead of running out of there like she did to him.
"That's all you have to say to me?" She huffed, crossing her arms across her chest. "That's good?"
And now his smile was full and he couldn't help but feel so much better about all of this because now he knew she felt the same way about him. He just knew it and she wanted to be such a difficult brat about it all.
Somehow, it felt refreshing and he was now standing up taller and he didn't feel so weak anymore.
"I've been in love with you for years," he said, looking at her surprised, flustered expression. "So, yeah, it's good that you finally 'think' you're in love with me."
She was gaping at him like he was the crazy one and he couldn't help but burst into laughter.
He knew he was growing crazier by the day but now he really felt crazy. He didn't even know if he was really hearing her right or if this was just a dream but dear lord, did he feel all bubbly inside. As if someone had finally cracked the ice barrier around his heart and it came back to life in a roar of flames.
He was doubled over laughing his ass off as if someone had gassed him with laughing gas and he couldn't stop as he continued to picture her flabbergasted expression in his head.
Even though she was sputtering and yelling at him to stop laughing, he only laughed harder till he was merely shaking and no sounds were coming out.
"Natsu! Seriously! Stop laughing at me!"
"I—I'm not l—laughing at you!" He wiped at the tears that spilled from his eyes and he calmed himself down, gasping for air. "I'm laughing because this is just hilarious!"
"How is this funny to you?!"
Turning to face her, his laughter finally died off as he resorted to a grin. He slowly reached for her and he watched her wince briefly before her eyes were slowly opening up to look up at him and he felt his chest burn for the look she was giving him. He tucked the strain of hair behind her ear and softly caressed her cheek, feeling the hotness of her blush against his knuckles.
"I'm in love with you, Lucy Heartfillia." He confessed softly and he watched how her face grew crimson, her eyes widening. "And I'm tired of hiding my feelings. From you and from everyone else. I want to show the world how beautiful you are and how much I love you. I want everyone to know you belong to me and me only and I want to show you what I can do and more."
Her bottom lip wobbled with his confession and he could see her eyes growing glossy in the nightlight. Her cold hands came up to touch his own against her cheek and he watched how she leaned into his hand, tears spilling from her eyes.
"I have loved you for nearly half my life and I don't think I can stop anytime soon," his thumb wiped at the tears that continued to fall. "So, I'm really happy to hear that you think you love me, too."
"I love you, Natsu, I love you, too." She cried, wiping at her own tears that began to blur her vision. "I know I love you. I—I meant to tell you the other night," she sounded so broken up as she sobbed and hiccuped in his arms, leaning into his embrace as he held his arms open for her. "But I just… the words… the words couldn't come out. I tried! Really! I really wanted to tell you then but—but it just… I'm really sorry."
Her small body trembled against his own, his arms tightening around her as he held her against his chest. Her sobs made his own body tremble and his chest tighten but he honestly was just so relieved to have her back in his arms. To hear the words coming from her mouth.
"I know," he whispered to her. "I'm really sorry, too."
A comfortable silence followed once more and he allowed Lucy to finish crying, the small blonde sniffling and wiping away the salty tears. She looked so small and adorable in his arms as he looked down to see her pouting and looking back up at him. A grin stretched across his face as she scoffed, turning her head away while wiping at her cheeks but he still saw the small curve of her smile underneath the facade.
"So what does this mean, now?" She asked, pulling away from his embrace a bit so she could clearly look at him.
"I guess this means that we're officially dating now."
"But you didn't ask me out," she frowned, pouting at him again and he resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "It's the right thing to do!" She whined, swatting at his arm as he laughed out loud. "Seriously! Ask me out!"
He really did roll his eyes this time, stifling a snicker as he cleared his throat and reached down to grab at her hand. Her small hand was cold in his palm so he held onto it tightly, wrapping his warm fingers around hers.
"Lucy, will you do the honors of being my girlfriend?"
The squeal she produced before she launched herself in his arms was almost deafening as he staggered backwards from her attack. He caught himself on time against the railing and he let out a sigh of relief before he was wrapping his arms around her to hug her back tightly.
He finally felt whole again as his heart was back with him. He nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck and inhaled her sweet savory scent and he could finally relax once again.
The girl of his dreams was now officially his girlfriend and he hadn't felt this giddy in so long. It felt like a fresh breath of air and he couldn't wipe the grin off his face nor could he let this woman go as she fit so perfectly in his arms. He pulled his head away from her to reach up and grab at her face, forcing her to look at him as he took in her delicate features.
"Does this mean you will be my new year's kiss?"
She giggled as she leaned against him, her fingers coming up to his collar to fiddle with it. "I never said no, did I?"
"No, you just kind of ran out of my apartment after I tried to tell you I was in love with you."
Her face popped pink and she swatted at him, scowling at his snickering. "T—that was because it came out of nowhere! You didn't even give me time to process!"
"Well, have you had the time to process, now?" He asked, leaning down to bump noses with her and he enjoyed the way she got flustered and almost went cross-eyed trying to maintain eye contact with him.
She swallowed thickly and he could see her practically trembling in her spot, a slow nod of her head giving him the response he wanted.
Her hand came up to cup his face and he also leaned into her palm, his eyes fluttering and his expression growing soft as he smiled down at her.
"You are so beautiful," he whispered, tightening his grip around her waist as he pulled her head closer so he could finally feel her lips against his again.
It felt explosive, tingles rushing down his body and warming him up an extra hundred degrees. She was so soft against his own body and he wanted more of her, pulling her closer so he could feel her entire existence.
She was his, finally. He could finally call her his and hold her like this without worrying and kiss her whenever, wherever. She was his girlfriend and he didn't doubt that she wouldn't be his wife, either. If he could love her for this long and wait for her to be his girlfriend for nearly ten years, he definitely wasn't going to waste any time in claiming her as his own.
His life. His wife. His partner in crime. The love of his life.
Nothing could ever stop—
"What the f*ck is going on here?"
His body grew rigid at the sound of the voice he knew way too well and he could feel Lucy growing stiff in his arms, too. He was quick to pull away even though that was the last thing he wanted to do but he knew some sh*t was about to go down. And as he lifted his head up to see Gray standing by the doorway, he suddenly remembered the most important thing that mattered between them.
"Gray!" Lucy squealed in surprise as she ripped herself away from him and looked at him with a wild, flushed expression. "Wh—what are you doing here?"
"That should be my line," he hissed as he glared at her before his deadly eyes locked on his own. "What are you doing?"
"Gray, it's not—I—we—" Lucy rushed over to him to wave her hands around frantically and Gray pushed her to the side, maintaining his eye contact with him instead.
"Shut it, Lucy," her brother hissed, prowling towards Natsu as he continued to stand there blinking stupidly. "Why the f*ck are you out here making out with my sister?"
He really should have thought about this sooner because now it looked so bad and he didn't really know how to justify the fact that he was just feeling up his little sister with his tongue down her throat.
"Gray, please, listen!" Lucy came running over to grab at his arm. "It's not like that! Natsu and I… We're…"
"You're what?"
"I'm in love with Lucy." Natsu spoke up between the siblings and this caught both of them off guard as Gray whipped his head to look at him along with Lucy. "I've been in love with her. For like, ten f*cking years."
"It's true!" Lucy shouted, trying to get through to them and Gray turned to look at her with confusion and disbelief. "Not me, him! Um, we, we just started this, it's not like we've been hiding this for ten years of course! It started when I got back to Magnolia!"
Gray just stared right at her, face scrunched up and red in anger. Natsu could see the way his jaw clenched and how his hands curled into tight fists before he hissed out at her. "Did you sleep with him?"
"Wha… What?" Her face grew crimson and she was looking back at Natsu and back at Gray with such a mortified expression.
"Did you sleep with him?" Gray repeated, slower and more intense than the first time.
Lucy looked right at Natsu with a panicked expression and he decided to step in.
"Dude, don't get mad at her. It's me. I pursued her."
"So you did sleep with her." Gray turned around, anger flashing across his face. "You motherf*cker—!"
Lucy shrieked in horror when Gray reeled his arm back and smashed his fist right across Natsu's face.
Natsu couldn't say he didn't expect this one as he knew it wouldn't end so well when Gray found out and he honestly couldn't blame him. He would be furious too if he found out one of his closest friends was sleeping with his little sister.
So he took it like a champ and he staggered backwards to cup his bruising cheek and he watched as Lucy grabbed at her brother so he couldn't pound down on him any more.
"Gray! Stop! Please!" She cried out, trying to hold him back as Gray thrashed angrily.
"Get off, Lucy! This bastard deserves to get his sh*t kicked in!"
"Gray! No!" Lucy screamed as she tried shoving at him but Gray was much stronger as he pushed her to the side. She latched onto his arm, tears spilling from her eyes. "I love him! Stop it! It's not entirely his fault! I love him! I love Natsu!"
Hearing it over again made his heart flutter with butterflies and he couldn't even really feel the punch on his face as much as he felt the love for her soar.
His girl was sticking up for him and shouting out how much she loved him.
Nothing could wipe the grin off his face. Not even Gray's fists.
"You… what?" Gray stopped to look at her, panting harshly. "You… you love him?"
"Yes! I love him! So don't hurt him!" She shoved him away to rush over to stand between the two. "We're in love! He just asked me to be his girlfriend so don't you dare hurt my boyfriend!"
If Natsu thought he was in love before, he was definitely madly in love with her now. He didn't think it would feel so good to have someone tell him they loved him this much. No, not someone. Lucy.
"Is this true?" Gray's eyes pinned on him and Natsu swallowed hard before nodding his head.
"It's true." He spoke, voice barely a croak. "I'm in love with your sister and I asked her to be my girlfriend."
The silence was deafening around them and Natsu felt utterly uncomfortable with the way things went down. He really did want to tell Gray in a whole different way and he didn't want him to find out like this but now it was out of his control. They had to come clean.
"You know me, Gray," Natsu spoke up, pulling Lucy closer towards him so he could step forward. "You know I wouldn't ever hurt Lucy or take advantage of her in any way… she means the world to me. I always cared for her. I would never do anything to hurt her and I mean that. I love her." He swallowed the lump in his throat as he eyed his best friend down. "On my entire life and being, I love her."
The slight wobble of his voice was cringeworthy but he had to let Gray know that this wasn't as it seemed. He had to know because as much as he wanted Lucy, he didn't know if he could live without his best friend, either.
Gray seemed distracted, his eyes darting from his face to Lucy's, back and forth as his chest heaved with emotions. His hands weren't fisted in anger anymore but he still seemed stiff and confused, silence being the only thing he could muster for the time being.
It felt like an eternity of just standing around in silence and staring at one another and then finally Gray inhaled deeply to exhale loudly.
"So… you two are in love?"
"Yes."
"And you're now boyfriend and girlfriend."
"Yes."
Gray inhaled deeply once more and he finally let out one last sigh that had his shoulders relaxing.
"Alright."
"Alright?"
"Alright." Gray hissed back and he clicked his tongue in disapproval, turning his head away to glare at the ground. "But just know this, Dragneel, if you ever hurt her… make her cry… do anything to make Lucy question your relationship or integrity… I'll kill you with my bare hands. Consider this your first and final warning. Got it?"
The grin that stretched across his face was instant as he registered this as Gray's blessing. He turned to look at Lucy who was blinking in surprise, mouth ajar as she looked from Gray to him.
"If there is ever a time I'm dumb enough to let her slip away, I give you my permission to bury me six feet under." Natsu mock saluted his best friend and Gray scoffed, a slight smile curling on his lips. His face melted into a softer one and he gave Gray his most sincere smile. "Thanks Gray… I won't let you down."
"You better not," Gray huffed before he turned around, his arm coming around to rub at the back of his neck. "I came out here to tell you there's ten minutes before the ball drop but that's probably over."
Natsu pulled his wrist up to look at the watch he had on and he grinned as he noticed the time.
"Two minutes before midnight. You better get in there and find your new year's kiss," He smirked at the way Gray threw a glare over his shoulder. "And Gray?"
"What?" He spat as he stopped at the door, turning his head to look at him again.
"I… thanks." He said softly. "I wanted to tell you for so long… but I…"
"Save it." Gray shook his head, hand gripping the doorknob. "I knew something was up with you ever since you took Lucy to prom. I never thought you two would ever get together but… I sort of knew."
"You knew?" Natsu asked, his own jaw dropped in disbelief as the ink-haired one scoffed once again.
"You think I'm f*cking stupid?" He turned to smirk at his best friend once more before leaving the two on the balcony.
A silence ticked by for a minute longer before Natsu turned around to look back at his girlfriend who had been silently standing there. She looked like a goddess with her golden attire and her flushed expression that was highlighted in the moonlight.
He approached her slowly, reaching for her hands that were tucked underneath her armpits to keep warm and he smiled as he felt her cold hands reach for his own. He wrapped his arm around her waist and brought her near as he held her face with his other, gazing down at her lovingly while she shyly looked back up at him.
"I guess this is it now. Gray knows and he's fine with it."
"I don't know about being fine with it," Lucy pursed her lips. "He still hit you."
"That ice-princess hits like a bitch, it didn't hurt at all," he lied, brushing her hair from her face. "And I kind of deserve that one."
"You did," she giggled as she reached up to cup his own face. "That was from me and him."
"And what did I do?"
"You made me fall in love with you."
His soft chuckle echoed into the night as he leaned in, lips barely touching. "That was all you, Heartfillia. I just gave you a push."
"Just shut up and kiss me already." She leaned in to close the distance between them and the kiss was another set of fireworks exploding in the air.
The kiss started off soft and sweet, gentle pecks being exchanged as they smiled against one another's lip till Natsu tilted his head and deepened it. He had missed her far too much to just accept soft kisses and innocent touches and she moaned into his mouth as he slipped his tongue inside.
She tasted like wine and the way her tongue strokes his had him groaning, pushing his body against hers as he held her close.
When they pulled away with only a string of spit connecting them, his eyes fluttered and met hers while his forehead leaned against hers.
"You want to get out of here?"
Her soft giggle had warmth rushing through his body as if he was dunked into a bath of hot water.
"As long as I'm with you, I'll go anywhere."
Bringing her back to his place, Natsu didn't bother turning on any of the lights as he closed his door and locked it. He was on her before she could even utter another word and she was giggling against his lips as he hungrily attached himself to hers. He pushed her further into the room, palming her exposed back while he kicked his own shoes off in the process.
The two stumbled to his room, already aware of where it was even in the dark and midst of their heated kisses and there was a trail of clothes that followed them.
He gently pushed her onto his bed, pulling her dress down her body as she lifted her arms above so it could slip right off.
She laid back on his bed, eyeing him seductively as he drank in her nude body. Her full breasts with her nipples pebbling and how adorable her flushed face looked as she looked up at him shyly had him sucking in a breath as he leaned down to press a kiss against her shoulder, feeling the coldness of her skin against his lips.
She squirmed underneath him as he trailed kisses down her body and her soft pants filled the dark room, slipping his hands down and hooked his fingers under her panties before slowly dragging them down her legs.
She whimpered as he peppered kisses down her stomach and gently nipped at her skin.
Being used to each other's bodies was comforting as Lucy didn't shy away from him anymore. And while he desperately just wanted to feel her and have her at his mercy, he wanted to take his first time with his girlfriend as sensual and loving as much as possible.
He wanted to make love to her and relive his dream of taking her as he was finally able to call her his.
She didn't hesitate to spread her legs for him, desperate for his touch like he was. He peppered soft kisses and bites against her inner thighs, watching her squirm and whine as he neared her honeypot.
"Natsu," she whined, bucking her hips at him. "Please. It's been too long."
"Patience, Luce," he murmured as he came closer to her core, his breath breath fanning against her ever growing wet c*nt. "Let me properly worship you like you deserve."
Her cry of pleasure sent shivers down his back as he licked up her lips, tasting the sweet nectar he had been craving for a week long now. He didn't know when he got so addicted to this woman but he was fully on board with being obsessed with her and her body till the end of time. He was willing to do anything and everything in order to be with her and if this was what victory tasted like, he could drown in between her legs.
Her legs trembled on either side of his head as he continued his task, swirling his tongue around her growing cl*t as she moaned brazenly in his bedroom. He could taste her arousal on his tongue, gushing out of her core as she whined for her release.
She was bucking her hips and grabbing at his sheets, twisting in her spot. She cried out loud when he inserted a finger inside of her, slipping right in as her wetness coated his fingers.
Natsu couldn't help but moan against her c*nt as he felt her walls grip around his digits and he was sucking and licking as if his life depended on it. And with the way Lucy was grabbing onto his hair as if it was her own lifeline, he knew he had to finish the job or else he might be bald in the new year.
Curling his fingers upwards and nudging at her sweet spot, he felt even more suffocated as her legs wrapped around his head and her fingers yanked at his hair. Her body was trembling with bliss and he knew she was close as her walls continued to throb and he gave a harsh suck against her cl*t before she was screaming his name and arching off the mattress as if she was possessed.
He didn't stop any of his movements as he thrusted his fingers into her rapidly, feeling her nectar squirt out and baptize him in the best way possible.
When he pulled away from her with his face, chest, and fingers dripping, he was grinning triumphantly at his spent girlfriend who laid breathless underneath him.
"You so f*cking beautiful," he said as he licked his lips and twisted to kick off his last remaining clothing. "And you're all mine."
She giggled as he leaned down to trap her between his arms, kissing her hungrily as she tasted her own c*nt against his lips. She moaned into his mouth as she wrapped herself around him, pulling him closer to her.
"I love you, Natsu," she said softly and he felt his heart race at her confession. "I'm sorry it took me so long to tell you."
"That's alright," he whispered back at her, brushing her hair out of her face to see her better. "I knew you'd come around eventually."
Her eyebrows knitted together and she pouted at him. "And how would you have known if I didn't even know myself?"
"Oh, Luce," he chuckled as he pulled himself away from her to sit up on his knees. The sight alone was enough to fuel his fire and he licked his lips as he adjusted himself between her legs and lifted her thighs up. "You're an open book. It's so easy to see how you really feel versus what you say."
"And how did I look?"
She hissed as he grabbed at his length and began to rub it up and down her wet folds, lubricating himself to nudge his tip against her entrance. She opened for him naturally, the heat of her core making goosebumps rise on his own skin. He pushed himself inside of her, easing into her slowly as he felt her walls swallow him.
A low groan spilled from his lips as his own eyebrows pinched together, "I told you that you can't lie to me," he leaned back over her to plant his hands on either side of her head. "I've known you for nearly twenty years. You can't hide anything from me."
Natsu let out a sigh as he finally bottomed out inside of her, her tight wet puss* practically strangling him. He leaned down to press his forehead against hers and he looked in her hooded eyes, drinking in her harsh pants and the feel of her wrapped around him.
He was slow to move, pulling himself out before sinking back in and she moaned along with him at the tortuous speed. He peppered her with soft kisses, stroking her cheeks down to her hips and groping her chest while she whimpered. He took her all in, mapping out the way her body felt. With months of experience with experimenting with their bodies, he knew what she liked and what she didn't and he knew any minute she would be begging him for more.
But he couldn't resist just taking his time to feel her and their connection as he felt all his misery leaving his once exhausted body.
His thrusts became faster and she was growing wetter, their skins slapping against each other in the echo of the night and her voice grew louder with every passing breath.
Their harsh pants and frantic thrusts grew heavier and faster as Lucy latched onto him, digging her nails into his shoulders while she whimpered out.
He kissed her hotly, sliding his tongue into her open mouth to swallow all her cries while he held her close and pumped his hips. He could barely breath himself with how hot everything felt, his body overheating in the midst of their love making. He pulled away from her to catch his breath, grabbing at her hips to lift them off the mattress before he was pounding into her.
Lucy's entire back bowed at the new adjustment, her fists grabbing onto the sheets as Natsu relentlessly hammered into her wet core.
"f*ck, Lucy," he groaned as he watched her massive tit* bounce in his face. "You feel so good."
"Natsu, please! Oh my God—please!"
He grabbed at thighs and pushed them inwards, bending her like a pretzel while giving him better access to her c*nt. Lucy inhaled sharply before she was screaming once more, clawing at him and everything around her as she could barely utter any words. Sweat was starting to outline his forehead and drip down his face as he thrusted into her, spreading her wide for his co*ck to slip in and out easily.
His own arms trembled in his hold as he felt her throbbing against his shaft and he let out a groan as he felt his seed spill out but it didn't stop his pounding as he reached down and furiously rubbed at her cl*t.
Watching Lucy reach her org*sm was always something he enjoyed as her eyes would roll back and her mouth would open wide in a scream. Her body would tremble and her nipples would harden as she would cum all over his co*ck and the fluttering of her walls felt like heaven as she would milk him dry.
The room felt hot as they both recovered from their org*sms, harsh panting and gulps of air being sucked in while they laid in bed still connected at the hip.
Lucy held onto him as tight as she could, pushing Natsu's head into the crook of her neck while she buried her own into his.
"I love you," Lucy confessed breathlessly, hugging him tightly.
"I love you," Natsu whispered back, holding her for a second longer before pulling away to look at her flushed face.
Her post-org*smic glow was bright and so beautiful as he stroked the side of her face and he felt his heart skip at the way she looked up at him so gingerly. He could see her emotions as clear as day reflecting on her face and he knew that this woman would be his for the rest of his life.
He didn't care about anything or anyone else. Gray knew and that was the only person that truly mattered and if anyone else wanted to give him sh*t for dating Lucy then they could brawl it out like he wanted to with Gray. He deserved that one punch and if Gray wanted to go at him even more, then they could figure out their differences the old fashion way.
But Gray's blessings were clear and he said if he were to ever hurt Lucy then he would kill him and he understood that much.
And the very next day, Natsu went out to go buy an engagement ring because even though Lucy may not be ready to outright marry him right afterwards, he knew what he wanted and if that meant he had to wait a little while longer to claim her as a Dragneel, then so be it.
He waited ten years for her to say yes to him, he could wait a couple more. As long as she ended up as Lucy Dragneel, he would wait.
X
.
Fin
