Tail Of A Fairy

07.

As Lucy left the kitchen, she felt her cheeks heat up. Natsu had just been genuinely sweet. It was still swirling around her head as she made her way from the kitchen. Her eyes didn't really see what was ahead of her, she just went where her feet took her.

When she recaptured her consciousness, she found herself outside. There was a wood behind the old well and the front path led down a hill and back into Magnolia. Lucy turned her back to the town and went into the woods.

So many of their adventures had taken place in places like this — Tenrou island itself was pretty much a giant tree with little trees growing out of it. Lucy felt herself lost in thought as she wandered deeper into the woods. The trees steadily grew thicker and the underbrush wilder. Lucy considered taking out Cancer to cut through it, but cast off the thought. She needed time alone to think.

Lucy leaned against a tree and slowly dropped down. Her head rested back and her palms faced up beside her legs. Closing her eyes, she took a few breaths. She found herself tracing the ring band with her thumb. It really happened. Natsu proposed.

When did I fall in love? When did he fall in love? These two questions fluttered around her mind. With each new cycle she found her eyelids felt heavier and heavier. Soon she was fast asleep.

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"Oof." Natsu grunted as he let himself flop onto the couch.

Wonder where Lucy went... she seemed pretty out of it. With a sigh, Natsu laid down on his side. He propped his head up on his hand and looked at the blue exceed across the room from him.

The exceed had finally stopped crying but his wet face was still covered with ash. As the little cat looked up at the mage, he tried a smile. Natsu smirked back.

"You, my little friend, are in need of a bath. C'mon."

Natsu pushed himself off the couch and headed out. The little cat followed.

They went out of the cabin and into the woods. Keeping to the outer edges they stayed close. Natsu leaned his head back on his arms without a care in the world. Happy was a little more introspective. He hadn't ever seen Lucy like that; all scared and hesitant — and it scared him.

"Natsu, you don't think Lucy is sad, right? We didn't scare her away?"

Natsu stopped. His hands came down and bundled in his pockets. He hadn't thought of that. He traced circles in the dirt with his foot, staring and thinking deeply.

"I don't know, Happy. What if we did?"

The two boys looked at each other. With a sigh they continued forward, almost at the creek.

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It was two voices that woke her. Two voices that she knew extremely well.

"Natsu, you don't think Lucy is sad, right? We didn't scare her away?"

After a pause, the most familiar voice answered. In a solemn tone, Lucy could almost feel his remorse.

"I don't know, Happy. What if we did?"

As the voices stayed silent, Lucy could hear their movement. All the wild undergrowth helped her. Plus the fact that Natsu is no silent person. So Lucy decided to follow them.

They walked a few minutes in silence before stopping. When they stopped, Lucy hid behind a tree. She peeked around to see where they were. The two ashen-faced boys had stopped in front of a small creek. It was about two yards wide and maybe two feet deep. Three at most.

Happy went up to the stream and dropped his backpack by the edge. His little feet touched the top of the water and drew back quickly. It was cold.

"Natsu, it's all cold!" He whined.

The dragon slayer laughed with no fear. "Cold? Since when has that stopped us?"

Lucy watched as the cat scowled, the tense air suddenly warm and welcoming. Looking back at Natsu, she froze.

She had looked at him midway taking off his jacket. As he slipped off the sleeve, his large biceps were displayed proudly. Lucy couldn't tear her eyes away. She had always known he was fit, but since he had switched from his open vest Natsu had gained more muscles.

His hands went down to his belt, and Lucy quickly turned around, hiding her entire form behind a tree. Her breathing was shallow and rushed. He was... I almost... Unable to think clearly she clamped her eyes shut. But her ears picked up where her eyesight failed. She could hear the sound of his buckle hitting the ground, along with his pants.

"Happy, make way! I'm gonna heat up this water!"

"Wait!" The little exceed cried. But he was too late.

Natsu had already dropped a fiery hand into the water. Lucy could hear the bubbling from behind the tree, as well as the screaming of the cat.

"NATSU! That hurts!" The cat quickly ran away from the creek, barely passing Lucy.

"Wait, Happy!" The pink haired dragon slayer went to chase after his cat.

Lucy decided it was time to move. She didn't want Natsu to see her, and she didn't want to see Natsu. Just as she turned to sneak away, Natsu barreled into her.

She screamed as she clamped her eyes shut. Natsu tackled her unexpectedly and took her to the ground. He ended up trapping her underneath him. Looking down below him, he was suddenly very glad that he hadn't yet taken of his boxers.

He quickly rolled off Lucy and turned his back to her. "You know... Lucy. You can open your eyes now."

She didn't at first. But she did sit up, slowly and carefully. "Natsu, are you wearing something?"

He glanced down at his boxers. They were a ratty pair with little white wings on a blue background, but at least they covered him. "Uh... yeah. It's nothing you haven't seen before."

Slowly, Lucy opened one eye then the other. She could see Natsu's bare back facing her, but in relief she could also see his boxers were still on.

"I -"

"I'm sorry!" Natsu said first as he turned around. "I didn't know you were out here."

"No, I should apologize." Lucy said sheepishly. "I didn't let you know that I was here."

Natsu awkwardly looked back to his pile of clothes by the stream. Turning back to look at Lucy, he could see the ash in her hair and on her face.

"Um... do you maybe... I dunno... want to wash up with me? A — and Happy of course."