Lucy's POV
Tears of joy flowed down Lucy's face as she listened to Natsu's confession. She had been ready to give up on him...and now here he was...telling he that he loved her...that he'd always loved her... Her hands covered her mouth as she struggled to contain her sobs. With every word he spoke her heart clenched tighter and tighter, as she desperately held herself back from throwing herself into his arms. When he had finished speaking he went quiet, and she could see tears falling on the backs of his hands as they rested clenched on his knees. He was trembling, she was sure out of fear of rejection from her... She couldn't hold back the little sniffle as her hands lowered ever so slightly.
Natsu looked up at her, his expression fearful. She looked at his dirty, tired, tear-stained face and it felt like her heart burst. She flung herself down at him and crushed her lips desperately against his. Memories were flooding through her mind as she kissed him; memories of their dreams together... They all came flooding back and she clutched him as tightly as she could...never wanting to let go...
They broke for air, both panting heavily as they stared into each others eyes. Lucy's heart swelled as she saw the pure joy in Natsu's tear-filled eyes. She had never seen him cry like this... His shaking hands came up to cup her face and he pressed his forehead against hers as he cried uncontrollably, sobbing the words "I love you" over and over until his voice was hoarse. Lucy too had tears in her eyes as she held the man that she loved more than anything.
"Natsu... I love you... I love you so much..." she cried and clung to his chest, not caring that he was covered in filth. He wrapped his arms around her and he slowly began to calm down, breathing in her scent. She took a deep breath and managed to sit back upright, wiping her eyes. "Oh Natsu... I'm sorry... I never should have doubted you..." she whispered, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his lips. He returned the kiss eagerly, almost desperately, as if he'd die if he didn't. They broke apart again and he stroked her face gently with the back of his bloody hand.
"Oh Luce... Don't apologize... It was all me... But that's all over now... I love you so much..." he said. He suddenly noticed that he was getting mud and blood all over her. "Crap... Lucy I'm getting blood all over you... I'd better clean up..." he said, surprising her with his concern over the state of her clothes and house. He struggled to his feet and slowly headed for the bathroom, wincing as some muscle or injury pained him. She giggled at the look of surprise on his face when he turned around to find her closing the bathroom door behind her after she followed him.
"You're exhausted... Let me help you," she said, smiling at him warmly. He blushed a little but nodded. He slowly stripped out of his ruined clothes as she filled the bath. Out of the corner of her eye she saw just he beat up he was... There was hardly an undamaged patch of skin on his body and only the parts that had been covered by his clothes were mostly untouched by grime. Even as she took in his sorry state she felt her body respond to the sight of him... Her eyes hungrily moved over his toned skin and hard muscle...lingering on his length, which was semi-erect as he stood there, watching her fill the bath.
"Lucy?" he said questioningly as she absentmindedly ran her hand through the hot water. She was yanked out of her reverie as she realized that the tub was almost full. She hurriedly shut off the water and hoped that he hadn't caught her staring. She moved out of the way as he stepped over the edge into the tub, sighing as the warm water enveloped him. Lucy hurriedly shed her clothing as well and waited by the side of the tub for him to fully settle into the bath. His eyes were closed and he apparently hadn't noticed her moving.
"Natsu..." she whispered quietly, shyly covering herself as she waited for his attention. He opened his eyes slowly and turned them on her. He inhaled sharply when he saw that she was naked.
"Luce... What are you..." he began but she pressed a finger to his lips. She smiled and motioned for him to make room for her. The fire dragonslayer blushed, but moved back in the tub so that she'd have room between his legs. She gingerly stepped into the hot water, nervousness making her hands shake a little. She settled herself between his legs before carefully turning around to face him. His eyes were wide and hazy with a combination of curiosity and lust, and his lips were slightly parted as he waited for her to do whatever she was going to do. She smiled gently at him and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips.
"Let me help you get cleaned up," she said softly. The slayer nodded and she went to work, gently scrubbing the caked mud and blood off of him. The bath got dirty very quickly. Noticing this, Natsu rose and drained the water, turning on the shower head instead. The warm water pelted them both as Lucy continued to clean away the dirt and blood. She was intensely aware of his gaze on her as she worked... Even as she cleaned away the blood from the various scratches on his back she felt him looking over his shoulder at her... She hesitated before she began on his front. In her dreams Lucy had been confident and eager to touch him...and while she was no less eager now, she was a little nervous when it came to touching him for real...
Hesitantly she reached out, one hand holding the soap-covered sponge and the other empty. Her fingers gently brushed across his chest and she heard him inhale slightly at the touch.
Natsu's POV
He inhaled sharply as her fingers brushed against his chest. Her touches had been so gentle along his back that he had barely felt them, just a soothing pressure running along his back and washing the grime away. Now she was becoming a little bolder, and her touch on his chest was more confident than before. He didn't take his eyes off her as she slowly began to clean away the filth on his chest, taking care not to open any cuts she found further. He sighed as her free hand wiped away the soap and dirt...
"Lucy..." he murmured, as she finished getting him cleaned up. She looked up at him shyly, trying to cover herself as they stood naked in the shower. He caught her wrists in his hands and he shook his head, lowering them to her sides. "No... Let me see you..." he said quietly, almost in a whisper. Her breathing quickened as he looked her up and down, taking everything in. She was so beautiful...
Lucy shivered as the water began to get colder. Seeing this, Natsu shut off the spray and grabbed two towels from the rack beside the shower, making sure to grab an older one for himself in case any of his injuries were still bleeding. He followed Lucy into the bedroom once they'd dried and wrapped the towels around themselves, his heart beating rapidly. It was dark outside, the only light coming from the pale moon as it rose over Magnolia. Natsu watched as she turned slowly towards him... She moonlight made her look truly angelic... Her skin glowed softly and her hair shone in the pale radiance of the moon...
"Beautiful..." he murmured as he took a hesitant step forwards. He took another step when she didn't move. Then another. After a few moments he was directly in front of her, looking down into her upturned face as she gazed up at could see the lust in her eyes, and knew that she could see the same in his. He slowly leaned in and pressed a kiss to her lips... She responded almost instantly by wrapping her arms around his bare neck... (He had left Igneel's scarf at home the previous day because Mira and Lisanna had insisted that it wasn't romantic at all) She tasted ever sweeter than she had in his dreams... He groaned into the kiss and pulled her flush against his body. She whimpered and clung to him ever more tightly, her nails digging into his back.
Gently Natsu picked her up and set her down on the bed. He straightened up and just looked at her as the moonlight fell on her... She was heartbreakingly beautiful in that moment... Every detail of that one perfect moment was etched into his memory until the day he died...
"Natsu..." said Lucy quietly, holding out her arms to him. He sank slowly into her embrace, wrapping his arms around her as he climbed on top of her. His knee gently nudged her legs apart and he kissed her passionately, trying to put all the love he felt for her into that kiss. She moaned and kissed him just as hard, sending him whirling into a world of love and lust. Natsu pulled back from the kiss and stared at her beautiful face for a few moments before slowly feathering soft kisses along her cheek and down her neck. Lucy moaned softly as Natsu's kisses became more heated, each one a gentle suck on her skin. When he reached her collarbone he bit down gently, earning a gasp from her that turned into a moan as he brushed his tongue soothingly over the spot.
"Lucy..." he murmured as his hand slowly slid down her arm and down to her breast. She whimpered and pressed herself into his hand, and he squeezed the soft mound. She gasped again when he gently rolled her pert nipple between his thumb and forefinger. He continued to assault her neck with gentle bites and kisses, making her pant and squirm between the combination of his hand and mouth. His mouth began to drift lower, down her chest to the tops of her breasts, where he sucked greedily on the pale skin, leaving dark red marks. He nuzzled one of her breasts gently, enjoying the warm feeling of her skin against his cheek. His gaze rose to meet hers and he saw that she was looking down at him with a dazed expression, her cheeks flushed. He smiled softly and flicked his tongue out across one rosy nipple, not taking his eyes from her face.
He loved the expression she made. Her eyes squeezed closed and her lips parted as she gasped, biting her lower lip gently. His manhood throbbed when she bit her lip... He wanted her so badly... He didn't want to wait anymore... He wanted to claim her as his... But he knew that he had to do this right... Right for her...
He flicked his tongue across her nipple again before gently enveloping the bud with his lips. He sucked greedily at her, spurred on by her moans and trembling. His hand came up to play with her other breast as his mouth worked on the first. She cried out as he gently bit down and squeezed both her nipples. He switched his hand and mouth, giving the other breast the same treatment, earning low moans from her. He continued to lave her pink bud with his tongue as his hand slowly stroked down her hip... Slowly making his way down to her center.
"Ah...Ahhhh!" she cried out as his finger brushed against her warmth. He groaned at the feel of her... The real thing was a million times better than his dreams. She was warm, and as he gently pushed his strong digit into her he felt her wetness. She cried out, almost a sob of joy, as he slowly pumped his finger in and out of her. He added another, eager to make her feel more and cause her to make the noises that he loved. She moaned loudly as he pushed his fingers in a little deeper, curling them to hit her sweet spot. "Natsu!" she cried, as his thumb gently brushed against her clit. A rumbling purr emanated from his chest as he crawled down her body to lay between her legs. He watched his fingers pumping in and out of her soaked core, entranced by the sight. It made his arousal spike impossibly higher, and as he inhaled the scent of her arousal he groaned and leaned forward to taste her.
If she had tasted amazing in his dreams, there were no words to describle how she tasted to him now. He greedily licked and sucked at her center, desperate for more of her sweetness. She bucked against his mouth and her moans filled the room as his tongue swirled over her clit, before pushing gently into her tight entrance. She wailed as his fingers replaced his tongue and he moved his attention to her swollen clit. He swept his tongue over the bundle of nerves over and over, making her cry out and tremble. She spasmed as his lips closed over the bud and he sucked gently at it, his fingers still pumping in and out of her.
"Ah! Natsu! I'm... Clo-Ah!... NATSU!" she screamed as she toppled over her peak and came. He greedily lapped up her juices as he held her to the mattress, trying to stretch out her orgasm as long as possible. She thrashed and moaned, her face a picture of loveliness as she rode out her release. He gave her entrance one long, slow lick before moving back up her body to gaze at her flushed face. She panted as she came back to herself, a thin sheen of sweat coating her body. He stroked a hand across her belly lightly as she opened her eyes and smiled weakly at him.
"Lucy... Are you sure you want this now?" he asked quietly, leaning down to press gentle kisses to the corner of her mouth. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she pressed her lips to his as she gently urged him on top of her again. They broke the kiss and she nodded at him, her eyes tender and still filled with lust.
"Yes... Natsu... Please..." she whispered, kissing him again. Natsu moaned into her mouth as she gently sucked on his tongue. Her hand glided down his trembling body until it reached his throbbing arousal. He groaned and dropped his head onto her shoulder as she gently stroked him.
"Lucy..." he rasped, fighting to keep himself from plunging into her roughly. He lifted his head and captured her lips in a rough kiss as he maneuvered himself to her entrance, stopping with just his tip pressed against her. He shook with the effort of holding himself back. This would be her first time... He had to be gentle with her. He would never...ever...hurt her... At an agonizingly slow pace that threatened to drive him insane, he pushed into her warmth. He groaned at the feeling... It was almost too much... She was so warm, so tight, so wet... He felt himself reach her barrier and paused, letting her get used to the feeling of him. Once she had adjusted to his length she nodded slightly. He sank to his elbows, his arms bracketing her face as he stared into those beautiful brown eyes... "I love you Lucy..." he whispered, before kissing her and thrusting forward quickly. She felt her wince as he broke her barrier, and he swept his tongue into her mouth to distract her as the pain faded away. She gradually relaxed, her hands coming up to tangle in his hair as he slanted his mouth across hers.
"Okay... I'm alright now," she said softly when the kiss finally broke. Natsu fought hard to keep himself under control as he slowly pulled back, almost all the way out of her, before sliding himself back into her. She gasped, not in pain but in pleasure as he filled her. He continued to gently thrust in and out of her, making them both pant and gasp. "Natsu... Faster..." she whimpered, her small hand gripping his hip and pulling him deeper into her. He shuddered and moaned, gradually increasing the pace of his thrusts. Lucy's eyes fluttered shut and her nails gently dragged down his back as he continued to speed up, his thrusts getting harder and harder. "Ahh... Natsu..." she moaned as he pulled up her leg and hooked it over his shoulder, allowing him to hit deeper inside her. He was shining with sweat, breathing hard as he pumped himself in and out of her. He had never imagined that it would feel this good... He was utterly lost in the feel of her around him, and all he thought of was sending them both over the edge of ecstasy.
"Lucy... Oh Lucy..." he moaned as he pushed himself deep inside her tight passage. She was whimpering loudly, her hands clutching the bedsheets and her chest heaving. "I'm getting close," he said hoarsely, feeling his body begin to shake and the base of his spine tingle.
"Me too!" she cried out as he struck a sweet spot. He felt her begin to clench around him as she teetered on the edge of her climax. His hand slid down the inside of her thigh to her clit, but he paused before he touched it.
"Lucy... Look at me!" he cried out, desperately fighting off his release. He had to see it again. Her face as he made her his... Her eyes shot open and his finger descended on her clit as he pumped into her even harder. He had only brushed the sensitive bundle of nerves once when she shattered underneath him, screaming his name as she climaxed. He roared her name, his face burried in her shoulder, as she spasmed around his length, sending him over the edge. He continued to thrust roughly as he emptied himself into her, wanting to keep both of them in this world of pleasure as long as he could. She wailed in pleasure as his teeth bit into the flesh at her neck, his long canines piercing her pale skin. There was only a faint taste of her blood as he pulled his teeth out of her skin, his tongue laving over the punctures, which closed almost instantly leaving two red marks.
They panted heavily as their orgasms died away slowly... Natsu shook as he held himself above her, sweat dripping from him as he felt the last of his energy drain away. He fell to the bed next to her, reaching out and pulling her tightly against his chest. She sighed contentedly and tucked her head under his chin, kissing his chest tenderly.
"I love you Natsu..." she said quietly, and he felt his heart swell. He kissed the top of her head, his hand gently stroking her back.
"I love you too Lucy... I love you so much... Forever..." he whispered back, giving her a gentle squeeze. He felt her stiffen before sitting up, bringing up her hand to stare at her guild mark. Natsu's eyes widened as he saw a faint golden glow coming from the center of the mark. He too started when he felt a warmth spreading on his own Fairy Tail mark.
"What... What's going on?" said Lucy, sounding a little afraid. The glow didn't hurt... In fact it was warm and soothing... But not knowing what it was made them nervous. Slowly the glow faded... But something remained in the center of each of their marks...
A tiny, red-gold dragon now rested at the center of Lucy's Fairy Tail mark... Natsu stared at it in wonder, almost forgetting that his too had now changed. He felt Lucy's hand touch his red guild mark and he looked down at his shoulder at it. He gasped when he saw a small golden key in the center of his. He and Lucy's eyes met, understanding flooding through them.
"It's...a Mark..." he said in amazement as he brushed a finger over the tiny dragon on the back of her hand. "I mark that says you're my mate..." He placed his hand over his own mark. "And that says I'm yours..." Tears filled Lucy's eyes as she looked at the back of her hand.
"It's beautiful..." she said, trying to hold back a happy sob. Natsu smiled and pulled her into his arms, completely at peace for what felt like the first time in his whole life.
"You're beautiful Luce..." he murmured, fighting a losing battle as he tried to remain awake. Lucy yawned as he pulled her down to the mattress and held her close. The claim had been made. They were bonded together forever now...
"I love you Natsu..." Lucy mumbled as her eyes closed and she fell asleep.
"I love you too Lucy..." Natsu whispered into her hair as he drifted off into a deep and peaceful sleep...