Understanding My Heart

Chapter 10

**Important note: Since this chapter jumps back and forth between Natsu's and Lucy's points of view, I decided that I would have Natsu's POV in bold and Lucy's POV in italics. Normal text means general POV.

Lucy hummed as she sat at her desk and wrote. She felt happy for some reason. She knew that she had been upset recently, but she couldn't remember why. It was if all her worries and problems had become faded and indistinct. She was content to simply sit there and write. The quiet tick of the clock and the scratch of her pen sounded like music to her ears and her heart was filled to the brim with contentment.

The minutes trickled by, the light outside fading into a lovely evening. A light breeze flowed into the room, filling the room with a pleasant scent. It was partly a mixture of the cooking from many different restaurants, and something a little stronger...cinnamon? Wait... Had she left the window open? She got up and turned towards the window, wondering when she had opened it, but she froze when she saw the dark shape crouching on the windowsill.

She wasn't afraid. She knew that shape better than anyone. That tousled pink hair, strong arms that always comforted her when she was upset and protected her when she was in danger, the sculpted abs she ached to run her hands over... She slowly moved over to the bedside, stopping and looking him in the eyes.

"Natsu..."

He loved the way she said his name. Her voice sounded like beautiful music to him. He would never ever get tired of hearing it. He wanted to hear that sweet voice every day for the rest of his life. He leapt into the room, his movements lithe and graceful. He stood in front of her and looked into her eyes. Her dangerously lovely eyes... He could get lost in them and never find his way out, but he would be happy for all eternity. He raised a hand tentatively, his eyes searching hers for something... He wasn't sure what it was but he knew he had to wait. He had to wait for her approval.

His obsidian eyes seemed to bore into hers with an intensity that left her breathless. Oh how she loved that look. She could see many emotions swimming in the depths of those eyes. Excitement, anticipation, curiosity, fear, longing, lust....love....

She watched as he raised his hand, stopping it a little ways from her cheek. He seemed to be asking her permission, uncertainty and a little bit of fear becoming the most dominant emotions in his eyes. He wouldn't do anything unless she gave him permission. If she said no, she knew he would leave without a fuss and they would go back to their normal lives the next morning.

She didn't want him to leave. She wanted him to stay. A small smile touched her lips, warmth filling her heart and tears of happiness threatened to fill her eyes. She gave the smallest of nods.

His hand moved slowly, gently. It seemed like hours before she felt his fingertips finally brush against her cheek. She sighed into the touch, closing her eyes and bringing her own hand up to cover his. Just that simple touch gave her all the happiness in the world.

"Natsu..." she whispered, as she opened her eyes. She caught a brief look of utter joy and love on his face...before his lips were suddenly on hers; kissing her with so much tenderness it caused her heart to flutter and her legs to go weak.

Nothing in the world mattered anymore. Nothing else existed for him except for her. This wonderful, beautiful woman. She hadn't pushed him away. She had given him the one thing he had longed for, the one thing he couldn't live without.

Her lips were plump and luscious, and he pulled her into his arms and clung to her as if he were a drowning man who had been moments away from death only to be saved at the last instant. He didn't make any other moves just yet. He just held her, exploring her lips with gentle movements. She responded to his kiss eagerly, but also with some shyness. He wasn't going to rush this. Not this.