Forever Yours || NALU

25. "my heart will always belong to you"

Natsu Dragneel

After that long walk back to the Inn, I dropped Lucy on her bed and sighed exhausted. She's getting heavy. I couldn't even get a second to breathe as I already heard Lucy begin to whine, tossing and turning. I groaned, great now she's awake.

Lucy abruptly got up, looking around her surroundings with her hair messy and a confused look on her face. She faced me and squinted her eyes, "well good morning Natsu!" she smiled crawling her way towards me. As she inched closer to me, I could smell the booze radiating off of her, and she reeked.

"Jeez Luce, you're still drunk?!" I grabbed a glass of water and poured the drink down her throat. I laid her down my bed and felt her head, as I thought she was burning up. I rushed to her luggage, grabbing her a large shirt and her underwear. I ran a cold bath and stripped her naked, leaving her in only her underwear.

No matter how many times I've seen Lucy's body naked, she always beats me up for looking.

I threw her in the bath and she whined, saying it was way too cold. I rolled my eyes and dipped my palm in the water, creating a small fire heating the bath quickly. Guess Luce was satisfied by the temperature cause she moaned in happiness. She turned to me and grabbed my scarf pulling me closer to her face, making me flush red at her sudden action. "Come shower with me."

"W-what? Luce I don't think that's a good idea-" before I could finish my sentence she pulled my shoulders downwards into the tub, causing me to lose balance and fall in the tub altogether. "DAMMIT LUCE!" I roared. She gasped, surprised at my sudden outburst at her. She pouted her lips and turned away, resembling a child about to cry. "Wait no, don't cry I'm sorry."

"So you'll take a bath with me?" I stared at her for a second, the pleading look in her eyes, I couldn't resist that beautiful face. I sighed, slowly taking off my pants and vest, leaving me only in boxers.

I was nervous.

Sure, Luce has seen me naked countless of times, but we were in a different situation. We were both in a respectable relationship with other people, but here I was, in a bathtub half naked while she was drunk out of her mind, scrubbing my back with a wet towel. But if I were to refuse the bathe with her, she would cry and make me feel guilty. But nonetheless, even if I could... I didn't want to.

Being with Lucy again felt right. The meeting with Bolt, fighting those sneaky bastards, going back to the guild and party. It all felt right. I would trade the world just to be with her again and go on an adventure, become how we were before she had left the guild. No, deep in my heart, I knew that even I wouldn't be content with just that. It screamed for something more.

But I knew Lucy didn't feel the same anymore. It took a while to figure out this now, but I lost everything the moment I accepted Lisanna. Everything.

"Jeez Natsu," Luce giggled. "What're you spacing out about? It's your turn to scrub my back." She handed me the towel and we switched sides. As her back faced me I couldn't help but stare. Her smooth toned shoulder, her flawless neck and her silky wet hair pushed to the side. It was beautiful.

My arm reached out to start rubbing the cloth, but instead it was like it had a mind of it's own. I snaked my arms around her waist, bringing her closer to me as I laid my head on her shoulders, clenching my teeth while inhaling her signature smell. "I am so sorry Luce." I wasn't drunk. I had sobered the walk over here. These were my true thoughts. "I made a mistake. But no matter, you... love James now. And I'm just gonna have to live without you in my life."

I wasn't sure if it were tears running down my face or the water from the shower raining over us. But my emotions got the best of me. The only thing on my mind was that... I lost Lucy.

She paused, probably taking in my feelings. Did she finally sobered up? It didn't matter if she did, she had to know how I felt. Slowly, she turned to face me, her eyes covered with a sadden expression. "Natsu," she inhaled softly. Her words stammered a little, meaning she was still quite drunk. "Married or not. My heart will always belong to you."

"What?" A drunk heart speaks a sober mind. My inner thoughts yelled out at me.

"At the end of the day, I will only love y-" her words started to soften and her body started falling down. She passed out again.

"Damn you Luce," my breathing became heavy and my heart wanted to just jump out of my chest. "What are you doing to me?"

I hurried with the shower and undressed her soaking wet underwear, with my eyes closed of course. After changing into boxers and shorts,  I was too exhausted to change her into her sleeping clothes so I wrapped her with a robe that the Inn provided and carried her to her bed.

As I laid her down, I couldn't help notice her peaceful face. She looked amazing. I didn't understand why I hadn't noticed before, but she was stunning. No wonder why James fell in love with her.

My eyes couldn't look away. I stared at her charming features until my gaze finally met her lips. Pink and soft, moist and perfect. I could feel my chest start to throb again. My lips wanted to feel hers. My head was telling me to stop, while my heart told me to just kiss her. I could feel myself slowly closing the gap between us, every inch I took closer to her face, was another piece left on my sanity telling me to back off.

Just as my lips had almost touched her lips, a small hum was heard from her. "Natsu." she whispered. Is she awake?! She began to toss around in the bed and began to shiver in her sleep. "I need you."

I stared at Lucy, a small loving smile placed on my face. She needs me. "If you insist Luce." I was overcome with joy. I joined Lucy on the bed, laying the blanket over us. My arm laid flat under her sleeping head and my other arm hugged her waist bringing her as close to me as possible. Her feet entangled with mines and her hand touching my bare chest. Her soft breath blowing on my neck sent me shivers down my spine but her cold body finally started to warm with my heat radiating off to her.

I better wake up early in the morning before she sends me straight to the afterlife.

I had slept at Lucy's apartment with her many of times. While she did sleep on the floor from me and happy kicking her off the bed. Today was different. We were cuddling...

The unsettling feeling in my stomach had finally calm down and my heart content with only this. "This felt right. This was what I needed."