Lucy’s exhausted herself after using too much of her magic and Natsu is more than happy to take care of her. Lucy was too tired to complain.
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He could see her eyes fluttering shut before she’d force herself awake again. They had missed the first train due to the mess that Natsu had created at the restaurant they had dined at earlier today – what could he say? The food was too good to eat slowly – and now had to wait another hour. Natsu didn’t mind that much in the moment, because it was another hour he could prolong being off the train.
He felt a little guilty about it, now, watching Lucy fail at hiding a yawn behind her hand. The job they’d just completed had taken a lot out of her. She’d summoned so many spirits that it had taken a heavy toll on her magic stores, leaving her lethargic and hazy. They’d been awake since the crack of dawn, too, and Lucy loved her ‘beauty sleep’ as much as Erza loved her strawberry cake.
Natsu was perfectly fine after he inhaled some fire and good food, but Lucy didn’t work that way. She’d have to spend a day to recover.
It was getting late now and the air was slowly becoming crisper and colder, so he made sure to press his arm against Lucy’s side so she’d stay warm. Her clothes didn’t provide much protection from the weather so he was her resident walking heater.
Natsu grinned at her content hum of thanks and the way she snuggled further into him, head lolling against his shoulder. Her golden hair tickled his jaw a little, as he looked down at her, but he didn’t mind as much. He’d do whatever he could to make sure Lucy was comfortable.
He shuffled a bit, laughing softly at her quiet, irritated grumbles of protest, before he freed his arm from its confinement between them. Lucy’s grumbles quickly turned into a relaxed sigh once he placed it over her shoulder and tugged her body closer to his. If Lucy was more lucid, no doubt she’d been giving him a swift ‘Lucy Kick!’ so Natsu took what he could get.
Natsu loved being close to her. It settled the nerves that were always creeping at the back of his mind. He’d never tell her or anyone that – he'd rather lose to Ice Princess. He craved physical contact in almost all of his friendships but Lucy was different. Natsu had never wanted to keep someone so close before until he had met her. It’s why he always crept into her bed, even though she’d always scold him for it in the morning, because the way her body curled against his made him satisfied in a way he’d never been before.
They stayed like that for a few minutes, Lucy taking in his warmth, until the telltale whistle told him that the train was arriving. With a groan, Natsu nudged Lucy, watching as she awoke, blinking softly and yawning. “C’mon, Luce, the train’s here.”
She only hummed tiredly, shakily getting to her feet – he reached out to steady her until she caught her balance, swatting his hand away halfheartedly – and grabbed the handle of her suitcase. “I can’t wait to get home.” Lucy sighed, rubbing at her eyes.
“I can’t wait ‘til I’m off this train.” Natsu groaned, face tinged green, as they hopped onto the train. Already he could feel his head spinning from nausea. This would be a long, long trip for him.
Lucy dragged her suitcase in one hand, him in the other, before dumping both once she had found a carriage. Natsu whimpered at the sudden movement, face pressed against the floor uncomfortably. The celestial mage ignored him and immediately curled up on the seat, eyes fluttering shut.
Natsu wished he could just fall asleep like her but instead, he covered his mouth as the train lurched, his skin a sickly shade.
-
He almost cried when the train finally stopped. He laid there for a few, sweet moments just being grateful to not be moving, before getting up to rouse his sleeping partner. It took a couple of nudges and whispers of her name to get her to wake up. Lucy groaned loudly and blindly reached for his arms to push him away.
“Five more minutes…” She whined, already curling back to herself.
“Not gonna happen Lucy,” he grinned, “not gonna spend another second on this damn thing. C’mon, I’ll carry you.”
Lucy only mumbled insults at him but let Natsu reach under her arms to pick her up. He hooked his hands under the thighs and she immediately crossed her ankles behind his back.
Grateful that she wasn’t wearing a skirt, Natsu adjusted her so that the position was a little more comfortable for the both of them. Lucy purred gently against his throat, sending vibrations tingling across his skin. He shivered and sucked in a sharp breath.
“Warm…” She sighed, reaching down and pressing her palm again his chest, nails lightly grazing his skin.
“Aw, c’mon Lucy. You’re killin’ me here.” Natsu choked, quickly grabbing the wandering hand and placing it around his neck. Lucy got handsy when drunk and now, it seemed, when she’s exhausted.
With a tired sigh of his own, Nastu hiked her body up, and grabbed the handle of her suitcase. It was a little difficult to hold onto it without letting Lucy go but he managed.
The walk was slow due to the combined weight of Lucy and her heavy suitcase – he never knew why she insisted on packing so much stuff for a two day job. Then again, at least she wasn’t Erza-level. There’s be no way he could carry that with Lucy clinging to him tightly.
“Natsu…” Lucy breathed, her lips brushing against his skin, making his grip on her thighs tighten instinctively before loosening, in case he hurt her accidentally.
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
Natsu grinned so wide his cheeks started to hurt. “I love ya too, Lucy.”
The remainder of the walk to her place was silent, save for the sound of Lucy’s soft breathing against his skin and his happy humming.
He sped up once Lucy’s apartment came into view, ready to get Lucy to bed. After going through the window so many times, it felt a little weird going through the door.
He shut the door with his foot and let the suitcase fall the floor. She’d have a fit about him making a mess but whatever.
Lucy groaned at the loud thump and clutched on tighter. He murmured a quiet “sorry, Luce” and carried her over to the bed. Even with the promise of a comfortable bed, Lucy still clung on tightly.
“C’mon, Lucy.” Natsu chuckled softly, “Let go.”
She still held on stubbornly, refusing to let him out of her clutches even when she was asleep. He tried peeling her fingers off him but she had an iron-grip. Her legs pressed tight around his waist, ankles crossed like a lock.
After a few seconds more, her grip relaxed somewhat, and gave him the opportunity to gently place her body onto the soft mattress. What he hadn’t expected, however, was the way that Lucy pulled at his scarf to bring him down with her.
He landed with a quiet oomph, body caging in hers. Before he could even think of getting back to his feet, her legs intertwined with his, pulling his body flush against hers.
“Stay… Warm…” Lucy mumbled, pressing her face into the crook of his neck, breathing deeply.
Lucy would go crazy in the morning but… who was he to deny her? Natsu grinned, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear.
