Camp Crush |✔️|

The Watch Sirens

Okay, don't panic, Lucy. Breath. No need to freak out.

But as Natsu loomed into sight, pulling on the string of a bow, her heart went into overdrive and the state she went into could easily and accurately be described as panic.  And of course, she'd stopped carting Erica around weeks ago, so she no longer had a kid in her arms to hide behind—a fact she was greatly lamenting at the moment.

He released the arrow, which of course hit the center of the target (she didn't even bother to look), and then turned to face her and the approaching group, grinning when he saw them.  Lucy turned red from her roots to her toes and gravely considered turning back and running for the hills.

But Natsu never gave her the chance.  High-fiving a few of the kids as they passed him on their way to the equipment, he walked right up to Lucy, stepping directly into her space and grinning down at her.  "Hey," he said.

Lucy swallowed nervously, her face burning as she leaned on her crutches to keep from crumpling into a heap of goo.  "Hi."

"Did you have fun avoiding me this weekend?"

"I wasn't avoiding you."

"You saw me on Sunday, then literally turned around and ran off in the opposite direction."

"I forgot something in my cabin."

"Uh huh."

"I did."

"So you weren't avoiding me."

"No."

He smirked.  "Good."

Thunder rumbled overhead, and a few of the kids let out small screams in surprise.  Lucy  jumped, and Natsu glanced up.  "Yeah, we should get started," he said.  "Something tells me things might get cut short today if that doesn't blow over us."

Lucy followed his gaze and saw a massive, ominous-looking cloud looming toward them, lighting illuminating it, quickly followed by another crack of thunder.  "Yeeaaah," she said slowly.  She turned back to him, and he was still standing too close.  "You should go," she said.  "And...teach.  Archery."

Natsu was looking at her in a manner that was very reminiscent of the moment right before he had kissed her on Friday, so she hobbled back a step with her crutches.

"Seriously.  Rain.  Kids.  Teach.  Go now."

Natsu repressed a laugh and did as she instructed, leaving Lucy to deal with the butterflies wreaking havoc in her stomach.  Natsu started working with the kids, and she tried not to openly stare at him, or relive the way his mouth had felt against hers—something she had been unable to stop doing all weekend long.

But as she replayed the exact feeling, taste, and sensation of Natsu molding his lips to hers for the twentieth time that half hour, the storm was beginning to pick up, the air crackling with electricity and the wind frantically gaining momentum.

Her hair was whipping violently in her face when the sky started to spit a few drops of rain at them.

"Natsu," she called over the wind, "I think we need to get the kids inside.  This looks like it's going to get nasty."

Natsu looked up and met her eyes, nodding grimly in agreement.  "You guys go ahead," he said.  "I need to collect the equipment."

"I'm not leaving you out in this mess," Lucy argued.

"It'll only take a minute."

She was going to tell him not to be stupid, but then she remembered overhearing some of the other counselors talking about Natsu getting told off for leaving the archery equipment lying around in the middle of the grass—the same day he'd gone to help her when she'd been hurt.  Sighing in frustration, she shouted instructions to the campers.  "I want everyone to head to the mess hall.  Wait for instructions from one of the camp leaders.  Natsu and I are going to stay and collect the equipment."