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It was a day like any other. The guild was on its usual nonsense, tussling and rough-housing all about. Natsu and Gray were arguing over anything and everything. Happy and Gajeel offering their opinions here and there. It was getting later in the day. Not quite evening but not so much afternoon. They had been at it for what seemed like hours.
Lucy had decided that it was time to go. She had one or maybe it was two cocktails and now the writing juices were flowing. It was just the thing she needed to help her iron out the one plot point holding up a scene.
The walk home was pleasant if not a little quiet, having left Natsu and Happy behind to do whatever it was they were doing. She told herself she needed to leave right now before she lost her thoughts.
Finally sitting down to write having showered, had a snack, and jumped into her pjs, Lucy cracked open her notebook determined to get the scene in her head on the paper. Bridging the gap between scenes was not always the easiest.
After a while, there was shuffling in her apartment. Having known a certain someone who was prone to break in she had little concern. She had a feeling that he would come over to check on her seeing as she hadn’t told him she was leaving and thus he didn’t walk her home.
It had become this pattern for them. A dance almost. Lucy was never quite sure what they were doing or where they stood when it came to friendship or perhaps more. A small part of her knew that she loved him, she had learned that long ago. She wanted to leave that part behind when she was younger but now in their current state, she knew that part would never leave. She was comfortable with the way things were, at least that's what she had to tell herself. Sometimes though on the rarest of occasions, she would have this thought that maybe just maybe he liked her as more. The dance therefore felt natural, comfortable, even so much as rehearsed at this point.
She knew the steps and she knew them well. This middle ground where they stood. Perhaps that's why she knew that he would come, almost tasting it in her mouth.
He had come in but he had decided to wait. This was the next part in this dance they had. He was going to wait for her to finish as best as he could knowing Lucy wouldn’t leave him waiting for long. But tonight Lucy had too many thoughts and too many words flowing through her.
It had been a minute since she had felt this motivated to write. Refreshed and full of pride in what she would be able to finish soon. Levy would be so excited to read the newest chapter (or three) now that there was a way to avoid the plot holes and chase those plot bunnies.
“Where did you go?” came a soft voice.
It was a bit surprising as the sun had just been starting to set when she left and she normally waited for Natsu to walk her home.
“I had to fill in this plot” She replied. Not looking up but feeling as though maybe she should have.
“Okay.” came the soft reply followed by a rustle that Lucy knew to be Natsu getting comfortable on the couch.
After another hour, or maybe it was a little less, of writing Natsu had decided that he was bored enough watching Lucy at her desk. Getting up and walking over to her he started to read over her shoulder. He knew she didn’t mind him doing it but would make a big huff about it after a minute or two.
“Natsu.” short and concise, a warning came out.
“What?” he said, placing his head on her shoulder to make it clear that he knew what he was doing.
“Are you reading?” It came out softer than she would have liked. The closeness always made her a little more tender.
“Only a little… I’m bored.”
Lucy looked at what she had written down for the day. It had been a lot. She had fully ironed the plot out and was moving on with the story. The creativity was dropping out of her and she didn’t really want to stop. In their dance this should have been where she would say five more minutes and take ten and then they would hang out. But Lucy had already disturbed the dance for the day. Already changed the pacing as apparent by the softness Natsu seemed to be giving off. What would changing the pace a little here lead to?
“I just have so many ideas.” Lucy finally said.
A low whine came out of Natsu, clearly displeased with that answer.
Lucy brushed him off and continued on with her task.
It was clear that he wanted to spend time with her, that she knew, but she just needed to finish her thoughts. She needed to write everything down.
Natsu stayed there watching Lucy write content in the way she pushed and pulled at her quill, the way her brows pinched slightly, and how she bit on her lip when she needed to think on a sentence. He liked the way she looked when she was so passionate and confident. Whether it was on the battlefield or here at her desk with her hair up and cozy clothes on he just loved to look at her in her element. And boy was this where she was most fearsome.
Eventually standing started to bother him so he decided to sit on the floor, and sitting on the floor naturally led to leaning on Lucy. She seemed okay with that he determined when she shifted slightly but didn’t push him away. It was the little moments like this that let him know she was comfortable with him and his presence. Something he took advantage of when he could and respected when she needed it.
He started to rub her leg gently, finding the intimacy comforting, he always had, and something that was able to hold him over for a little longer.
Lately, he had been finding himself craving Lucy’s company more. The way that they were was fine, great even, but right now, he felt like he needed more. More time with her, more touching her, more of her laughs, just more.
Lucy seemed to not want them to change. She seemed so content to just stay the same. And for a while that was enough for him too. He was bad at change, he would never admit that he was afraid of change, no. It just was different and different meant bad… or so he thought. Different, he has come to learn, didn’t always mean bad.
In fact, different was great when it came to Lucy. She was different. She had this weird way about her where she tried so hard but was never able to cook as well as Mira. She was uptight and down to get dirty all at once. She wanted to have kids and get married and go on dates but she never seemed to want to go out with other guys. He secretly hoped it was for his sake. Lucy changed his life for the better and now he wanted her to change it for the best.
He had been trying to show her that he wanted more but it seemed as if they got stuck in this pattern, in this rut, and he was unable to break out of it. They would get close like this and she would seem so happy all for what seemed like a wall to come up as if she couldn’t allow herself the comfort. He wasn’t sure why that was so he never pushed. He wanted to respect her boundaries as much as he was known for destruction and his not-so-graceful tongue, Lucy was different. She needed extra care. This was one thing Natsu had vowed to not fuck up.
He started to massage her calf at this point. Tired of thinking about what ifs and where will they be and enjoy the now. He heard a hum of approval so he kept going. Content to touch her in this way because that’s what matters. This was what she was allowing and he was going to enjoy it.
“Hey Lucy,” he chimed softly and so uncharacteristically, just like before he seemed to have something right on the tip of his tongue but Lucy wasn’t sure if she wanted to ask.
“Yeah Natsu?” she paused. Finally putting her quill down. She thought maybe she’d gotten enough down to decipher it later. Natsu was being kind and patient with her. Something that was rare and not to be questioned.
A moment passed as Lucy looked down at him, finally making eye contact.
“Can I stay the night?” It came out before he could really decide if that’s what he wanted to say. In their one-two step, this is where they would push and pull, deciding on where the newest boundary was and trying not to go backward. And right now Natsu wanted to push. He needed to see what Lucy was thinking and feeling because gods he wanted to change. He wants nothing more than to stay every night and in every challenge, Lucy seems to relax more. Even welcome it on the rare occasion.
She seemed almost shocked by this question. It was so simple of a request but the meaning behind it weighed on her heavily. Her face was frozen looking at his. At everything in front of her. He had finally broken through their invisible line in the sand.
The steps here were unfamiliar. Lucy knew she wanted nothing more than to say yes but what would that mean for her? For them? She had to answer him soon. He was looking at her softly trying to put on his best smile because he knew that she needed encouragement.
In the beginning, he would have asked as a joke but right here right now she needed to know it was no joke to him.
As the seconds, really minutes, passed his smile was beginning to waver. Had he pushed Lucy too far? Was she not ready to do this? To change? Natsu was trying so hard to show her that he was. He needed to know where they stood but it was becoming harder to breathe, when had he started holding his breath? It was getting hotter, he could tell. He needed her to give him a sign. Anything really.
She finally smiled. It was so soft he would have missed it on any other person but her. She didn’t have to say anything for him to relax even the slightest amount.
“Sure” she finally breathed. She was shaking a little at this point. She needed to know what he meant. Was he going to sleep on the couch because he was tired and didn’t want to walk home? Or was this finally him asking to take a new leap forward? Change the music.
“But you have to shower first, you smell like the guild hall” Normal. That was a normal move. That was an invitation to slip backward if he needed it.
The smile that broke out on Natus’ face could have lit up the entire sky.
“Okay!” He nearly bolted to the bathroom he was so excited. Lucy couldn’t help but let out a small giggle. She got up to grab his emergency pajamas and a towel and set them outside her bathroom door for him.
She sat back at her desk and jotted down any other notes that she knew she wanted to use tomorrow. She had two more chapters for Levy to read over.
She was putting those in her pack for tomorrow right as Natsu got out of the shower.
“Hey,” was all that she could say. She turned to look at him and there he was, shirtless with just his sweatpants on. She should be used to this by now but tonight felt different.
“I’m getting pretty tired. I think I’m going to lay down.” it came out breathier than she had wanted. She didn’t want to imply that he should join her but she hoped that he would. She couldn’t ask that though. That would expose her heart raw and she wasn’t sure if she was ready to face those consequences.
They had this routine to uphold. One where she tells him to sleep on the couch and he inevitably sneaks into her bed and she pretends to be upset even though she snuggles into his warm comforting embrace.
He seemed not to know what to do. He seemed to hesitate but he knew it was now or never. Taking in a deep breath he walked with her to her room hoping she would understand the message.
She got into bed and looked up at him. There he was leaning against her door frame looking like he wanted to hop right in. Now was the time to be bold. Now was the time to push. He clearly has. She moved over and held open the covers. A clear welcome in. An offer and one that Natsu would not refuse.
He laid down softly with more care than he had shown her before (but she suspected he did when he snuck in all those other times). It was now his turn to make a move. To draw the new line. To say anything as she laid there next to him looking at him with a question hidden behind her eyes.
He knew the question, he knew he needed to formulate his answer and he knew he needed to do it quickly. The tune was changing in their relationship and Lucy was looking at him anxiously. This change though, he knew felt right, it gave Natsu this sudden surge of confidence. He took a breath, a hope, and a prayer before leaning in closer.
He lightly brushed his lips over hers, testing the new waters and wanting to know what this whole kissing thing was about anyway.
He didn’t stay for more than a second.
Natsu pulled back, keeping his eyes closed. He needed to keep this moment untarnished for just a little bit longer before he needed to open his eyes.
Lucy was a blushing mess. Natsu not only had crawled into bed with her but she looked at him with so much longing and hope because, wow, he didn’t hesitate to sleep in her bed. This was semi-normal so she wasn’t too shocked. What did shock her though was he kissed her. There was no way to deny what he had done.
The floodgates had opened. The dance floor was flooded and now here they were floating together. She looked at Natus’s face and couldn’t stop the giggles as they poured out. He was there eyes closed and lips puckered like a fish.
Upon hearing her giggling Natsu opened his eyes. What he saw was nothing he could have prepared for. There Lucy was in her pajamas, the moon shining behind her making her messy hair look like a halo. She had the softest touch of blush and the brightest smile he had ever seen on her face. He wanted to kiss her again and again if it meant she would do that again.
“What? Why ya laughin’?” he said trying to hold back a laugh himself.
“Your face! That’s not how you kiss someone.”
He knew he had to take this chance, she was setting him up. “Well… how do you then?” It came with sass so she could take it as the joke it was but gods he hoped she would show him.
Her giggling stopped and the blush returned tenfold. She cleared her throat a little before she got closer and whispered, “Try this”. She pressed her lips into his with a little more force and a lot less puckering.
He gasped a little. This kiss felt better, felt more intimate. Lucy’s lips were soft and pliable but firm and warm and oh man he felt like his head was spinning and time had stopped and fuck he was mad at himself for never doing this before. He had been missing out on this? He’d be kicking himself for years.
She pulled away, the redness in her cheeks was even darker than before but the smirk she held meant the world to him.
“Wow… you’re right, my kiss sucked” it was his turn to giggle a little at the little stunt he pulled.
Lucy looked at him with a satisfied grin. He looked so happy and at peace. They both let out a content sigh. Natsu pulled Lucy closer which caused her to cuddle into him.
They laid like that for a while getting comfortable in their new normal. The music had changed, it was now a new dance that they fell comfortably into, ready to dance their life away.