Lessons in Love » NaLu A.U.

chapter » thirty one

Natsu laid stomach-down across Lucy's lap while they laid in bed together. His legs were up in the air, rocking like a teenage girl. "What are you getting everyone for Christmas?"

The blonde girl he was laying on contemplated a moment. "I'm not sure. I might go shopping over the weekend. But it probably won't be anything special."

He let out a small scoff. "Anything you get will be special. I think Erza bought gifts for us the second you became our friend. She always gives really great gifts, I need to do better than her this year."

Lucy cocked her head at him. "Erza got me something?"

"Well, yeah." Natsu nodded his head lamely. "So did Gray, but he's a suck-up. Trust me, if you're invited to Erza's super-secret-white-Christmas party, you get a gift from all us."

Something warm sparked in Lucy's chest. "I wish they didn't. Now I'm going to have to see if any of the shops still have anything good left."

Natsu sighed and rolled over on his side to face her. "It's not like they bought you a diamond necklace. Who knows, maybe it's a pretty pair of sterile satin gloves." He winked an onyx eye at her.

Lucy flushed and nudged him lightly. "That'd be nice. Though I don't think many things have been bothering me as much lately."

The college boy narrowed his eyes at her with intent interest. "Are you becoming less of a weirdo, Lucy Heartfilia?"

She nudged him again. "Maybe. I went from eating nothing but plastic wrapped foods to going out to eat with you guys once a week."

Natsu inhaled deeply. "Isn't restaurant quality soup better than gas station microwave readies?"

Lucy couldn't help but laugh. "It gives them a run for their money."

That was as far as she was willing to go with talking about her journey. She knew it was a mind game; she would pick and choose was to touch, and it would make no difference except for making her feel physically ill. She had shook Loke's bare hand the day she met him yet told Natsu he was disgusting. It was unfair, and recalling that was not something she wanted, not now.

He was the farthest thing from disgusting. "Did you like the fact that there was something for you to fix about me?"

Her words had caught Natsu's attention and he looked up. "I liked that you had something real about you. I think only you can fix you."

Lucy's tongue ran along her dry lips. "Then why were you so adamant about making me fall in love with you?"

"I still am." He clarified first. Natsu shifted his body onto all fours, crawling up to her. "And I was just hoping to Mavis that you'd get your head out of your ass one day."

"I hate you." Lucy ran her fingers along the hair on the side of his head and playfully pushed him away.

Natsu laughed as he came right back like a boomerang. "I didn't want to leave and then have you start loving anyone other than me."

Lucy's fingers paused in his hair, gently grabbing a fistful to pull him closer. "It worked. It worked really well."

Natsu made a face like he wanted to smile but couldn't focus on it quite easily enough. "Are you trying to tell me you love me?"

The blonde's eyes roamed up to his eyes once she mustered up the courage. "I think I am."

Natsu didn't have the willpower to resist kissing her. He rushed forward, his lips immediately locking with hers. His heartbeat was already racing; she could tell from the short breaths that warmed her neck.