Fairy Tail: An Aqaurius Quest

Taking The Fiery Plunge

We've made it to the town. Empty shacks all over the place. We pick one and he makes a fire in the fire place and roasts a couple of fish. Happy would be ecstatic. I bet he's eating fish now with Lily and Charle.

I don't say anything as he hands me the fish on a stick.

As if reading my thoughts he scoots closer to me and puts his arm on my shoulder.

"I wonder what Happy is doing right now?"

I can't help it. I shove his arm off of me and scoot away.

"Luce?" His voice sounds sad and hurt. I look over at him and his eyes drop down breaking his gaze. I don't know why he's sounding hurt. It's not like I don't do this almost every time he does this in the guild hall. You'd think he'd be used to it.

"I'm fine Natsu, I'm just hot," I lie. He knows me too well. I guess we are like family.

"I didn't mean to earlier Lucy, I would never-"

He would never want to kiss me. I know that already. Just like he wouldn't tell me he loved me. Because he knows I would want clarification on that too. It just hurts hearing it out loud.

Tears start creeping their way down my face but I turn away from him so he can't see me.

"You idiot!" I interrupt him. "Just shut up Natsu!"

His chest deflates and his stops trying to diffuse the situation. He's a fire dragon. No point in trying to diffuse anything, all he knows how to do is add more fuel to the fire. Or in his case, more fire to the fire.

Maybe he's like Gray. For the longest, Juvia declared her love for Gray openly daily and Gray just didn't care. He knew exactly where she stood and he did not care. It wasn't until she demanded a clear cut explanation that they got anywhere.

Maybe it's the first step. I can't demand a clear cut anything until he knows exactly where I stand.

"I love you Natsu," I whisper.

"I love you too Lucy," he responds neutrally.

He still doesn't get it. I face him now and look him straight in the eyes. He matches my seriousness and his face is only centimeters away from mine.

"No you dummy, I don't love you like you love Cana and Happy. I don't love you like you love Gildarts and Igneel. I love you how Levy loves Gajeel. Like Juvia loves Gray. I love you Natsu."

My confession jolts him from his steely composure and he puts his hand on the top of my head.

Gazing down at me he says softly, "I know."

"You know? Then why haven't you ever-"

"I was waiting for you to know too," he smiles his trademark smile.

"Natsu," I murmur. His hand glides from the top of my head to the back of it and he pulls me against his chest.

Resting his chin on the top of my head he says, "I told you we would be together forever. It doesn't matter if we say it all the time. I know you love me. You know I love you. We're a family."

That's as romantic of a declaration of love I'll ever get from Natsu. No kissing in the rain. Or kisses period. No spotlight or piano music. Not even a straight up I love you too. Just an 'I know.'

I'm okay with that. Natsu's made it clear all along in his own special way. He loves me.

He cranes his neck down and rests his forehead against mine, inhaling my scent with his eyes closed.

I can't help it, I pull him down the rest of the way and seal the deal with a kiss. An intentional kiss.

His skin is so warm against me, and his lips feel like fire as they melt against mine. My hands creep up to his face and I tip his chin up to deepen the kiss.

My cheeks are on fire. He's kissing me back. Flames lick the inside of the abandoned fire place next to us with the same intensity that Natsu kisses me back.

It's so hot in this tiny house and the mini inferno that's metastasized next to us isn't helping but I don't care.

He's straddling my hips on top of me while my back is against my sleeping bag, kissing me like he's never kissed anyone else before.

Maybe he hasn't.

He and I were one of the few people who weren't affected by Larcade's spell that day.

He's never kissed anyone either! Not even Lisanna!

His kiss is messy and eager but I don't mind. My hands press against his abs and they're practically on fire.

There's a fire in my belly too.

I don't know what I expected him to taste like, but he tastes like smoke. Not the bad kind of smoke that comes from burning materials that aren't meant to be burnt, but just a rich smoky flavor.

Might have something to do with the roasted fish we just ate actually.

My fingers are gliding through his salmon hair as his tongue slides against mine.

The heat and pressure from his touch feel so much better than I ever could have anticipated.

I break away from his kiss abruptly, "Natsu?"

Dazed and confused, "yeah?"

"You meant what you said?" I ask him, looking into the green slits of his eyes.

"What did I say?"

"That we would always be together forever?"

The side of his mouth turns up as he looks down at me, and my blonde hair fanning all around me on the floor.

He nods, "yeah Luce. Forever."

I pull him all the way against me and his face is nestled in the crook of my neck. His body is laying on top of me completely but his weight isn't crushing me. It's the perfect pressure, I've never felt safer.

After a few heavy moments of holding me like this, he shifts his weight completely off of me and he lays on his back.

I rest my head on his chest and hike my leg over his. I haven't been this close to him since the day he almost died and Ms. Porlyusica told me to hold him.

This is so much better than last time. He's warm, and his heart is beating so strongly. We aren't naked either and we don't have to be because he's very much alive. His breath tickles my hairline as I drift off to sleep but it doesn't bother me.