Her Dragon Slayer (NaLu)

3 - STEPS

Lucy sat slumped in her chair, deep in thought. Natsu was no where in sight, and she longed for the touch that was there moments before. She wondered how even a slight brush of his arm against her neck could mean so much. With anyone else, it would hardly mean anything, but with Natsu...

No, she couldn't afford to think like that. She had accepted long ago that Natsu was her friend. Only her friend. He never gave any indication of ever wanting to be anything more.

Lucy wondered if he was even capable of love at all. She knew he cared deeply for all his friends, including her. But what about that different type of love? The kind that only two people can share?

She shook her blonde head to clear the thoughts. It didn't work. She couldn't stop thinking about the embrace they shared earlier. She desperately wanted to be back in his arms like that, clinging to her like she was the only thing that mattered.

"Natsu seems really...off," Levy says, knocking Lucy out of her daydreams.

Lucy nods in agreement. "He's been like that since he got back. I wonder what happened to him on his job that he's not telling us about."

"Well, if anyone will figure it out, I'm sure it will be you," Levy says with a small smile. Lucy returns it, though she didn't really feel like smiling at all.

She excuses herself from the table, heading over to the job board to take her mind off of things. She saw a few that could be interesting, but ones that she probably couldn't do alone. She decided that if Natsu and Happy wouldn't come with her, she would either go alone, or with just Gray and Erza. Or maybe even Wendy, if no one else.

Having a well thought out plan in her mind, she headed home after saying her goodbyes. The next time she saw Natsu, she would ask him.

Once home, she shut and locked the door behind her. She sighed, utterly exhausted, both mentally and physically.

She hated to see Natsu like this. He wasn't himself, not the happy, cheerful fire-eater that she was so fond of. She couldn't help but wonder if he was always so sad, and that she was just a terrible friend who didn't notice.

Guilt blossomed in her chest at these thoughts.

She dragged herself into her bedroom, more then ready for sleep. She was about to collapse on her bed when something -- or rather, someone -- came flying in through her bedroom window.

She knew who it was, not only by his pink hair, but because he was the only one who ever came into her house uninvited.

"You should really start closing this, someone could get in."

"And by someone you mean you?"

His lips twitched upwards slightly.

"What are you doing here, Natsu?"

The dragon slayer sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I wanted to see you again. I went back to the guild but...you weren't there."

"Oh."

They could only stare at each other, both of their hearts beating frantically in their chests.

Now was her chance, Lucy decided.

"I was thinking of taking a job tomorrow, do you want to join?"

Natsu didn't know what to do. He already messed up by coming here. The more time he spent around her, the harder it was to stay away.

"I-I don't know if that's a good idea," he says, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"Why not?" Lucy asked with a puzzled expression.

Natsu struggled to come up with an excuse. "Happy and I have been gone for a while and we thought we'd spend some time at the guild."

Lucy wanted to sigh with disappointment. "Oh, it's okay. I'll just ask Gray, Erza or Wendy to come along," she said, trying to mask her sadness with a smile.

Natsu mentally flinched when she mentioned going on a job alone with Gray. He didn't want her going alone with any guy, not even Gray.

But it wasn't his place to say anything. He knew her going on a job with him was worse then any other guy from the guild.

He nodded at her response, forcing himself to do so.

"Where's Happy?" She asked him, reminded of his absent friend.

"Asleep," Natsu replied curtly. This was one of the few things he couldn't do with his cat.

He was finding it exceptionally hard to keep himself at a safe distance. Her smell was drawing him to her and it was getting increasingly harder to keep his feet planted.

"So um...did you want to talk about anything in particular?" Lucy asks, the tension in the air still thick.

Natsu takes an involuntary step forward. "Not really, no."

Another step.

He knew he shouldn't be moving closer, but his body wouldn't have it. It craved her.

So he took the last step forward, now standing incredibly close to her.

She couldn't breathe with him standing this close. All of her senses were focused on him, him, him.

Completely unable to keep the lid on his feelings any longer, Natsu closed the gap between them.

He runs his finger along her jaw, tracing the curve. A shiver runs through both of their bodies at the contact. The air is practically crackling with electricity as he tilts her chin, draws her closer.

Both of their breaths catch, and then...

Their lips meet.

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Oooooo next chapter coming soon!! More on the kiss!!