Hello! It's been quite some time, but I do have an update for you! And not only an update, but the finale of the story! So hold on to your seats, folks, cause you'll finally get the answers you've been looking for. Oh, and read the end for some fun news!

Warning: LEMON LEMON LEMON -puckers lips- and it's quite sour!

Disclaimer:-reads Fairy Tail special chapter- I...I don't own Fairy Tail...I don't even know what to think right now...O.O

Chapter Five: Winning; a Double Edged Sword?

The first race that they had was an epic defeat. Lucy had barely been able to drive her go-kart, which was completely different than her normal car. Natsu had done laps around her, while Lucy managed to crash into each barrier that was put up to keep them on course. At one point, she even went backwards! The worker who helped get her kart back on track barely hid his laughter, making Lucy blush. She got the hang of it toward the end of the run, but Natsu was already waiting for her on the finish line with a giant grin. She had finished the round three minutes after him. If it wasn't so dead, they probably wouldn't have even let her go around the last time. Mentally, she swore off go-karts for the rest of her life.

Well, after she won this bet of course.

The second race, Lucy managed to catch a break. On the last lap of the course, Natsu got his cart stuck on a turn he took too sharply. Lucy had been trailing behind him for most of it, but she had kept him in sight. Her slow and steady method seemed to benefit her, and Lucy made sure to wave as she passed the stuck kart. Natsu managed to get it out with a few tries, but at that point Lucy was already in the clear. His technical mess-up was her ticket to a second round victory, Lucy feeling the third round was hers to win. The two best friends were tied, and Lucy felt her hands tighten on the wheel as they lined up for the last match.

Part of her wondered why she was trying so hard. She knew that Natsu was the guy she wanted to be with. After their little talk in the car, he made it pretty evident that he wanted to go the distance with her too. Their sexual desire from the parking lot said a lot about their physical chemistry. Natsu, throughout the years of high school, had tried to use her body to get things he wanted. Whether it was an extra slice of pizza at lunch, more time on a test, or an excuse to get out of a detention, Natsu always offered her body as his first method of persuasion. Though it was very embarrassing, it gave Lucy the hint that Natsu thought she was hot. Not only hot, but probably more sexually appealing than the other girls they hung out with. He never suggested Juvia (whose legs were the talk of every swim meet) or Mirajane (the senior that won every male's attention on the rare days she wore a mini skirt). It was always Lucy.

Lucy managed to keep the pace that Natsu was driving at, even while she weighed the pros and cons of letting Natsu win. Though she was scared to rush their relationship, she wasn't sure this would be considered fast-paced. They had both been silently watching the other for years. Not to mention that Lucy knew almost everything there was to know about Natsu. Sure, the bet was still burning in the back of her head, but was it worth it to win? She was never the kind to hold grudges or be super competitive. She left that to the boys. So her pride really wouldn't be hurt if she lost this to Natsu.

The real problem was the consequences of her win. She didn't specify what he would win, but if definitely involved the showing of her panties. She could always find a loop hole; she was quite smart. Words weren't Natsu's specialty, so if she wanted to, she could trip him up that way. Natsu would probably complain about it, but she knew that he wouldn't press her. He wasn't the first to pull out a chair for a girl and he had let his fair share of doors hit her in the face. But Natsu wasn't a heathen, either. He would never push her into doing something that made her feel uncomfortable. So the ball really was in her court. Even if she did lose, nothing would go past the line if she didn't desire him. Or, if she wanted to think of it a different way, she could push the envelope as far as she wanted. And what she wanted...

"Yes!" Before she knew it, the race was over. Lucy slowed her kart down as she moved over the finish fine, not having to look up at the time to see who had won. She glanced over to her friend, who was practically vibrating in his seat from his excitement. "I won! Nothing can defeat me on the road! I am the king of the go-kart track!"

"And quite humble, too," she replied, rolling her eyes through a smile. The loud cheers of Natsu quickly cut out at her laugh, and Lucy saw a rare look of modesty.

"Just excited, I guess." Natsu had a different tone to his voice, which surprised her. She swore he was going to boast for the rest of the date, but the softer level of his words was a game changer. Part of him seem embarrassed, but he never took his eyes off of her. And in that stare, she saw a flicker of desire directed her way. Her own blush was rising to her cheeks, knowing exactly what he was thinking of. She only broke eye contact when the employee came to her kart, offering to help her get unbuckled. Fearing her own hands were too shaky to do it, she let him undo the restraints. Natsu was getting similar treatment from the other worker, but Lucy could still feel his eyes on her.

"Do you need help up?" She thanked the guy for his extended hand, swinging her leg over the side of the kart.

"Watch your dress, Luce!" Her eyes widened as she glanced down at the garment, which had started to bunch toward the top of her legs. Her free hand quickly slammed on the front of the fabric, pinning it between her thighs to hide any chances of flashing her panties. The employee claimed to seeing nothing, Lucy apologizing several times for the wardrobe malfunction. Inwardly she cursed at Natsu for bringing her here despite her previous fears. Didn't she say her dress was going to cause problems? Now she could barely meet the employee's gaze as they walked out of the building. A burst of cool air hit the two of them, Lucy shivering while pressing closer to Natsu. After getting over the initial cold, Lucy realized the weather had changed.

"Natsu, it's snowing!" The white snow decorated his car, as well as the untouched parking lot. It was coming down steadily, Lucy ignoring her shiver as she ran in front of her quiet friend. Her arms extended as she laughed, twirling in the glow of the parking lot light. The snow stung her cheeks, but it didn't diminish the smile covering her face.

"I hate this type of weather." Lucy paused in her spin, glancing back to Natsu. His hands were shoved in his coat pockets, yanking a familiar scarf up to his cheeks while staring up at the sky.

"I've never heard you complain when it gets you out of school," Lucy teased, placing her hands on her hips. He quickly looked back at her, an exasperated look on his face.

"Because then I don't have to deal with school! It's the lesser of two evils."

"School is not evil; you just make it so much worse for yourself than you need to." He waved her reply away as he went to his backseat, yanking out his snowbrush with a grumble.

"Maybe if they'd just let me eat in class, then I wouldn't be such a pain." Lucy laughed at him, watching the grumpy guy try to brush off his windshield off.

"For someone who just won, you're quite the sour puss." He paused in his cleaning, slowly glancing up at her. A spark of mischief in his smile was her only indication of his next move.

"I guess you're right." She squeaked when he reached out for her, yanking her into his body. Her flats slipped a bit on the snow, Lucy grasping at his shirt to keep herself balanced.

"Natsu," she complained, glaring up at him. He didn't seem affected by her look, Natsu tightening his arm around her waist.

"Help me clean my car off; I want to get to your house quickly." She wasn't sure if her flush was from anger or embarrassment. She went for the prior, smacking his chest. Not wanting to see his response, Lucy turned toward the car and crossed her arms. Despite the cold-shoulder, Lucy kept her back pressed to his chest.

"What kind of date makes their partner clean off their car?"

"An eager one." Natsu didn't want to be as excited for his win as he was. He had really just been teasing Lucy in the parking lot earlier. Though many thought Natsu wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, he did have some instinctual intelligence. He tended to be able to tell when people were affected by something before they said anything. Erza made a certain face before she was about to lay in on him about his grades. Gray's lip twitched before he insulted Natsu. Lucy's nose got a wrinkle when someone really irritated her. These simple things were like guides to Natsu, and he had picked up on several of them throughout the years.

Yesterday, Lucy's physical reaction to his body surprised Natsu. So caught up in Lucy's confession, Natsu hadn't noticed his change in attitude. He probably wouldn't have, either, if not for Lucy's response. Feeling Lucy's body tremble against his had caught his attention. Curious, Natsu had continued to touch Lucy's body in different places. From pressing himself against her, to letting his nose drag down her neck, Lucy's responses entranced him. They were quite interesting. He had to hold back his snicker when he pulled back from her, seeing how lost she seemed from his change of persona.

Their second encounter in the parking lot had resulted in similar results, with one giant surprise. Lucy had teased him back. It had left him surprised, but exhilarated. Having her counter was something Natsu never really expected. It urged him on, despite the physical problems it caused. Lucy's fingers playing with the back of his neck sent shivers straight into his groin, something that rarely happened. He found Lucy very attractive, but Natsu was not a slave to his libido. Well, he hadn't been, until he had seen the peek under Lucy's dress.

One of the things that both Gajeel and Gray had always teased Natsu about was how little action he had gotten when he had seen Lucy naked quite a few times. Really, he never meant to! Sometimes she just forgot to close her door when she was showering, and he didn't bother to knock when coming in her room. That got him more than a few slaps in the face. Other times, it would be circumstantial, like Lucy forgetting to tuck her shirt in when trying to do cartwheels. More than once her bikini top had fallen off when he threw her into the pool. Still, despite these random acts of nudity, Natsu never looked more than a second before turning his attention somewhere else. It was respect for his best friend, as well as the best way to keep himself from getting aroused. But when Lucy had lifted the hem of her dress, Natsu couldn't pull his eyes away. Lucy willingly letting him see her naked skin was more sexual than any accidental walk in.

The flash of pink panties had been on his mind throughout the rest of the night. It was the cause of his crash in the second lap, though he would never admit it. Part of him felt perverted for focusing on it, while another side reasoned that if it was Lucy, it was okay. He wanted to be with her, and only her. That included sexually.

"Na-Natsu..." The shiver in Lucy's voice made Natsu smirk, brushing his lips against the back of her ear. The soft touches accomplished Natsu's task of teasing her, learning quickly which spots affected his date more. Lucy's breath hitched, and a hand grasped the arm around her waist tightly. He felt himself smile at her touch, happy that she wasn't pushing him away. A shiver wracked through him when her hips tilted her ass back into his hips. Natsu pulled himself away from Lucy, though he really had no interest in putting space between them. If he hadn't, he was positive they weren't going to move from that parking lot for a while. That wasn't how he wanted this night to end.

"Let's get the car cleaned off." His normal voice was hard to control, but it was worth it when Lucy sent him a shocked look. He snickered to himself while he resumed cleaning the car. She may have gotten a point from earlier, but he just tied it up with ease. Natsu took peeks at her while he pushed the snow off his windows, seeing her cheeks were still dark from his earlier embrace. With the soft glow of the streetlight, and the snowy background, Lucy looked beautiful. Her eyes were always full of life, something that had first attracted Natsu to the fiery girl. The blond hair framed her rosy cheeks, her lips full and tempting to many more people than she knew.

But there was more to her than just her looks. He saw her for everything she was. Lucy could be manipulative and lazy, as he had been a victim to both sides of her. Her temper wasn't always hidden, and she never shied away from something that could make her some extra money. And yet, Lucy's intelligence and kind heart always tugged at his soul. The beauty of her laugh or the passion she held for the things she loved rocked him to the core. She was his best friend, not because she could deal with his highs and lows, but because she was everything good in the world. He wasn't sure if he would have turned out the same if Lucy hadn't been in his life. Honestly, he didn't want to know a world without her ever again.

Natsu and Lucy weren't talking as much on the ride home, but Lucy was sure it was nerves. Unlike last time, Lucy could feel Natsu continually glance her way throughout the drive. She kept her own gaze out the window, admiring the snowy scenery. She really did love this time of year. The cold could be a disadvantage, but Natsu's body always kept her warm. It wasn't the only time that Lucy relied on Natsu, either. No matter the weather, season, or situation, Lucy always enjoyed having Natsu by her side. He was her protector when people tried to push her around. A shoulder to cry on when her mother's death came back to haunt her. Someone she could count on for a good laugh, but also a friend that wouldn't be afraid to tell her the truth. No matter the circumstances, Natsu never let Lucy deal with things on her own. Was that what made her fall in love with him? She smiled at her own thoughts, a warmth building in her chest at the idea.

"Seems like the snow has stopped." Lucy pushed her door open while Natsu cut the engine, glancing up at the cloudy night sky. Though the moon was still covered, the storm seemed to dissipate.

"That's good; any more snow and I would worry about my dad's health," Lucy replied, sending Natsu a smile. The two sauntered up the walkway together, Lucy glancing through her set of keys. "Last year it rained all night, and my dad was sick for three days after. It seems not even the weather can tell my dad what to do."

"Your old man is quite stubborn."

"Coming from you, that's probably a compliment." He stuck his tongue out at her while she laughed, the two pushing into the warm house. She shrugged off her coat to hang it up, glancing over to him. Though he had been in her house more times than she could count, his tense shoulders told her that he felt unnaturally uncomfortable. She gave him a moment to relax by yanking her flats off, tossing them toward the corner of the hallway. "You want to hang your coat up here? You can leave your shoes near the welcome mat, too."

"Huh? Uh, yeah sure!" He smiled her way, but she could tell that he wasn't completely committed to it. She glanced toward the kitchen when he followed her instructions, remembering their ruined plans from earlier.

"Since we didn't get dinner, would you like me to make you something? I am quite handy with a pan and a-" She stopped her self-praise when she looked back to Natsu, the serious expression in his eyes catching her off guard. He rarely looked that way unless he was about to fight someone at school. She could see the fire in his eyes, but it wasn't from anger.

"Maybe later," he mumbled, taking a small step toward her. Instantly Lucy knew where his mind had travelled, but she felt her mouth moving regardless.

"Then what would you like to do, Natsu?" The way his name rolled off her tongue made him shiver, his earlier nerves disappearing when her eyes glanced down his body. Though this was uncharted territory for both of them, Natsu wasn't sexually inept. Sex didn't control his brain, but even he had his moments of curiosity. He assumed that the porn he explored was exaggerated and staged. Still, it gave him a weak starting point.

He also knew Lucy wasn't lily white in the slightest. She was a virgin, yeah. But it didn't make her innocent. One day, he had snagged one of the books that Erza, Levy, and Lucy exchanged. Lucy protested when he tried to read it at her house, and it quickly learned why. Their detailed descriptions of sex made him blush and quickly leave Lucy's house before she noticed his physical reactions. He was also pretty sure that Lucy had explored her own desires throughout the past few years, as well. There were times when Lucy took longer to reply to his texts when she was home alone. Whenever he questioned it, Lucy always made up an excuse that never quite satisfied his curiosity.

"Can we go up to your room?" Normally, the question wouldn't make Lucy blush or Natsu's breath shaky. They had hung out in Lucy's room plenty of times, even when her father wasn't home. Hell, he had snuck into her room in the middle of the night! Of course, most of those nights were correlated to Lucy's depression, so sex wasn't the first thing on his mind. Now it was a loaded question, and both knew it. Lucy's eyes didn't stray from Natsu's, and the young man quietly waited for an answer. He tried not to show his impatience. He never did well in silence, normally shifting around or causing noise of some sort. But here, he knew neither were an option. Lucy had to make the first move before he could let go of his restraint.

Lucy gave him a faint smile before she snagged his hand, her body sliding to press against his.

"A bet's a bet, right?" She whispered, Natsu's eyes widening at her hushed tone. She started to walk up the stairs toward her room, Natsu hesitantly trailing behind her.

"Luce, about the bet-" He tried to get his tongue to work, but he wasn't sure how to say what he needed to. She paused at the top of the stairs, glancing back down at him with concern. His brows furrowed together as he thought over his next sentence, torn between body and mind. He could already feel himself getting aroused as he glanced to her door, knowing what was awaiting him. Despite that, Natsu glanced back to his best friend and squeezed her hand. "Can we..."

"Natsu?" She questioned quietly, Natsu moving up the stairs before she could blink. His arms were around her again, but it wasn't tinted with the sexual tones from before. Instead, Natsu's face was buried into her shoulder, his hand resting against the back of her head. The other pressed to her back, as if afraid she was going to try and pull away. She blushed at the way her heartbeat pounded against her chest, knowing Natsu could probably feel it as well.

"I don't want you to do anything with me because of a bet." His voice was muffled into her shoulder, but Lucy could hear him regardless. "It feels wrong if we're just fooling around because of who drove go-karts better."

"Then do you not-"

"No, I want to!" His quick reply was accompanied by his arms hugging her closer. "But if we do this, I want it to be because you love me, and..."

"And?" She asked quickly, her hands now clutching the back of his shirt. He didn't respond at first. Lucy felt like her lungs were going to burst from the way he was leaving her breathless. Despite that, she refused to breath until he lifted his head to look down at her.

"I want to do this because I love you." His face slowly discarded his serious tone for a smile, as if saying those three words broke something inside of him. His eyes lit up with clarity, his hands quickly coming up to capture her cheeks. "I love you so much, Lucy. You, and only you."

"A-Are you sure? I mean...yesterday you didn't even know-" He shook his head at her insecurity, refusing to let her change his mind.

"If I look at my life in five years, ten years, or even fifty, it's mostly some blank space. I mean, I know I'll probably fight Gray again at some point. And I guess maybe Erza...that's probably not the most impressive thing to say, but it's true! Maybe in the future I can ever beat her. Definitely, I can!" She felt herself smile at his off-topic rambling, tugging his shirt lightly to catch his attention again.

"Natsu," she whispered quietly, feeling his back muscles tense under her hands. The annoyed look from before was gone, his features relaxing.

"I know nothing about the future, which doesn't bother me. I love living in the moment, and planning stuff ain't really my thing, you know? But...if there's one thing I know I have to have in my future...it's you. It's always going to be you. That's what love is, right?" He asked, refusing to move his eyes off Lucy's.

"I-I don't know," she admitted quietly. "This...this is the first time I've ever been in love."

"Do you want to be with me?" She went to answer, but Natsu didn't let her. "And I don't mean just tonight. I mean, I'm sure tonight's going to be pretty awesome, but it's not just about seeing your panties again."

"I-Idiot!" She shouted, but he only gave her an apologetic smile before leaning closer to her.

"It's about this, too." That was the only warning Natsu gave before his lips pressed to Lucy's. For a second, Lucy was sure her heart stopped. Her brain tried to catch up with her body, which was already responding to the gentle sweep of his thumb against her cheek. His kiss was soft, calm, and nothing like Natsu. He took his time kissing her, as if discovering something beautiful for the first time. Her hands trembled in his shirt as she kissed him back, unsure of the health of her heart. Seconds ago it was still, but now it burst with intensity as she felt his tongue gently swipe her lower lip. She parted her lips without question, but Natsu continued his exploration by tracing her upper lip. She was sure that their kiss on the hill was something like this, but it was so new as well. She couldn't explain it, but the warmth filling her chest was different. Natsu stepped into her, as if he couldn't be close enough. Lucy didn't mind, happy to stay like this for as long as she could hold her breath.

They parted slowly, neither seeming to want to move more than a few inches from the other. Lucy's eyes fluttered open slowly, wondering when she had shut them.

"I want to do that every night. If I had the chance to do that, for the rest of my life, I would. That's love, right?" She stared at him, realizing that for some reason, he expected her to know the answer. Her lips pulled back into a smile before she laughed so hard, her shoulders shook. Natsu looked shocked at her display of emotion, but Lucy didn't give him a chance to hesitate in his admission.

"How am I supposed to know? I just told you I've only been in love with you! But, if I had to guess..." she moved her arms to wrap around his shoulders, enjoying how his hands felt slipping onto her waist. "Yeah, Natsu. That means you love me."

"So then let's be together." He tilted his head as he thought over his statement, sending her a cheeky smile. "I should rephrase that. Will you go out with me?"

"On one condition." He blinked, not expecting her coy smile. He yelped when she jumped up, instinctively catching her under the thighs straddling his waist. He let out a quick breath, glancing down at the stairs that they were teetering near. If his reflexes had been any slower, Lucy could have really hurt herself. He went to yell at her, but stopped when he felt a set of hot lips pressed to his ear. "You take me to my room, and we spend the night together."

"W-Way to toss our romantic moment in the gutter, pervert." Despite his response, Natsu tilted his head to accommodate her curious lips while walking toward her room. He nudged the door open with his elbow, but stumbled slightly when Lucy sucked on a sensitive part of his ear. She didn't seem to notice the hiccup in his motions, her hands now tugging at the shirt on his shoulders in impatience. He shrugged off the shirt easily, but it got hung up on his biceps. The growl showing his frustration vibrated in his neck, Lucy's lips swiping along the tan skin to try and sooth her upset partner. She wiggled against his hold, succeeding in getting Natsu to release her legs. His arms dropped to his sides, the shirt slipping down to the floor.

She glanced down at his chest, only covered in a black tank top, and let her fingertips explore the newly exposed skin. Lucy knew Natsu was strong, but she had never taken the time to truly admire the lean muscle he had built over his body. His arms felt firm to her touch, and though she never thought muscles were one of her turn ons, she could feel the warmth between her legs heightening with each timid touch. His slanted eyes watched her silently, but he made no move to stop her curiosity. His chest shook with his shaky breathing when she grasped the bottom of his shirt, glancing up at him while biting her lower lip. Her question was clear, despite the lack of words exchanged between them. He easily obliged her, helping her yank the last piece of clothing covering his chest. Though Natsu wasn't as loose with his clothing as Gray, he wasn't afraid to show off what he had.

Lucy only caught a glimpse of Natsu's body before he pulled her back into a kiss. He had lost the timid nature of their first encounter, this kiss resembling Natsu's personality much more. It felt like he was breathing life into the exchange, Lucy's mind melting with every swipe of his tongue against hers. He was passionate, refusing to let her mind catch up with his movements. She grasped his arms to keep herself balanced, but Natsu had other plans for them. A second later she was pressed against her bed, their kiss never dislodging despite their change. Natsu's hands finally made their move, slipping the hem of the dress over her thighs with ease. She pulled her head back from their kiss, her gasp filling the air. She didn't fight his touch, dropping her head to the bed and enjoying the fire his fingertips scorched across the inside of her thighs.

The cold air nipped at her stomach, Lucy realizing that Natsu had urged her hips to rise unconsciously. She glanced down, a sliver of panic hitting her for the first time since they entered the room. His hands instantly froze, as if reading her mind, and left the fabric resting under her breasts to trail back over her stomach. Natsu sunk lower on Lucy's body, glancing up to her when he gave her belly button an affectionate nuzzle. She blushed at the gesture, though she couldn't understand her embarrassment. Natsu placed a soft kiss to her stomach, his nose dragging down to meet the lining of her panties.

"You're so beautiful," he mumbled into the lace, Lucy's breath leaving her in a moan. Her hands fisted into the comforter under her while she watched him with uncertainty. In response he sent her a casual smile, then kissed over the front of her underwear. She yelped at the movement, and the twist of pleasure it caused in her stomach. Natsu rested his hands on her thighs, pulling back to admire her body. The pink panties that had been teasing his mind all night rested on curvy hips, the lack of fabric making his arousal twitch. He had never understood why women wore such seductive underwear until this very moment. Now, seeing his best friend looking so delectable in her skimpy garment, Natsu blessed Victoria for keeping so many secrets. It gave Lucy a mixed look of innocence and seduction that encompassed her body and soul. He loved the way the lace curved to her thighs, and barely covered the warmth that was dampening the front of the undies. It made Natsu's body throb, but he couldn't say he hated the feeling.

The lace was hot, but it had to go.

When Lucy felt his fingers hook under the lining of her panties, she felt her whole body shiver. Some part of her wondered if she should have been fighting his advances, or telling him to slow down. In all her novels, the women felt the desire to try and stop the advances of their lovers. But seeing the pleasure reflected in Natsu's face when finally seeing her body, Lucy didn't feel the need to struggle from his teasing touches. She lifted her hips for a second time, allowing him to yank the skimpy fabric down her smooth legs. She was bare to him, yet she didn't feel vulnerable. Maybe it was because it was Natsu, someone who she trusted with every piece of her. It could be the way he seemed completely blown away by every inch of skin she exposed to him, or how his fingers touched her like she was precious to him. Even when his lips dropped down to kiss the inner part of her thigh, Lucy could only stroke his hair and moan in encouragement.

Natsu tried to keep his cool, despite the strong desire striking his stomach repeatedly. Distracting himself from his slight nerves, Natsu peppered Lucy's milky thighs with soft kisses. He felt her fingers combing through his hair, and he took the motion as a positive. He peeked a look back up to Lucy, surprised to see her struggling to yank her dress over her head. It dropped to the ground, leaving her in nothing but the pink bra that matched her discarded panties. His hands grasped her thighs tighter at the new view. Though his body really appreciated the way her bra cupped her breasts, Natsu found himself enamored by her face. He couldn't tear his gaze from her dark eyes or her cheeks flushing with passion.

"I love you." The words came out of his mouth so effortlessly, he wondered how he had never told her before tonight. Instantly she smiled at him, and Natsu returned the gesture with one of his own. "And you're really hot."

"Now whose ruining the moment?" She asked, Natsu snickering before he glanced back down her body.

"Guess I should occupy myself, then." Lucy tensed when Natsu dropped his head down, pressing her lips to the top of her warmth. Skipping the traditional route of foreplay, Natsu allowed his tongue to slide along Lucy's trembling body. Her legs parted further as pleasure coursed through her, Lucy's fingers now tightening on the pink locks below her. Natsu ignored the tug, his fingers parting her enough for his tongue to explore.

By the whimpers above him, and the twitches he could feel in her legs, Natsu knew he was doing something right. His tongue rubbed against her nub slowly, Lucy's body trembling in immediate response. He wasn't the most perverted guy in the world, but Natsu had seen enough to know what he had just discovered. He didn't relent in his movements, Natsu continuing to stroke the bundle of nerves while his girlfriend cried out above him. He dipped his tongue slightly lower, feeling the wetness of her excitement lining her with each teasing touch. He slipped a hand under his chin, easily maneuvering a pair of fingers into her. Instantly her muscled clamped onto the intrusion, making Natsu's body twitch. If she was reacting so eagerly to just his fingers...

"N-Natsu!" Lucy's back arched as she gasped out his name, unable to control her quivering body. With each second that passed, Lucy felt the pressure in her body grow. He was too talented with his tongue; she couldn't stop her hips from pressing closer to him. A slight sting of pain went through her as Natsu introduced his fingers into the situation, but Lucy easily forgot about that with another swipe of his greedy tongue. It felt unlike anything she had ever felt before! When the fingers started to move in sync with his tongue, Lucy couldn't stop herself from chanting his name. Warmth and white-hot pleasure hit ever nerve in her body, and she needed to feel more of him. Every movement he made beneath her was pushing her closer to the edge of her orgasm. Part of her wanted to fight the feeling, to hold onto this moment for as long as she could. But when she felt his tempo pick up, the feeling overwhelmed her.

Natsu felt her body clamp around him, a grin coming to his face when Lucy whimpered his name. If he had known making Lucy orgasm would feel this good, he would have jumped her years ago! Not to mention he could get high off the look etched into her face right now. Natsu tried not to stare at her lips, while now silently parted through her waves of pleasure. Despite his best efforts, he felt his whole body twitch in excitement. He felt his pride surge while he continued his exploration of her lower body, only stopping when she let out a sharp gasp.

"Too much!" She cried out, hands now grasping his shoulders in an effort to stop him. He chuckled as he wiped his face with the back of his arm before crawling back up her body, only pausing to nuzzle his nose into her breasts.

"You're body is so much softer than mine. It's like you're made of pillows or something." Natsu's compliment was muffled into her skin, Lucy sighing through a smile at the childish comparison.

"Will you ever grow up?" Her mumble was answered with him lifting his head, giving her a smirk that quickly reminded her of the wetness between her legs.

"Well-"

"Never mind!" She quickly hit him with her pillow, momentarily stunning her partner. Taking the opportunity, Lucy pushed Natsu onto his back and crawled over him. If he was surprised by the action he didn't show it, Natsu resting his hands on her hips while peering up at her.

"I kind of like this view of you," he said, Lucy feeling his approval from the pulse just under her ass. She didn't hesitate to lift her body, hand trailing between their bodies to rest on the button of his jeans. His teeth clenched together with a hiss, his hands helping hold her hips up while she worked on his zipper.

"Then you'll really like what happens next." Though Lucy sounded sure of herself, it was quite the opposite. She managed to hide her shaking fingers when yanking his jeans and down, but her whole body let out a tremor when her eyes caught sight of his manhood. He was big! She paused at the thought, wondering if her assessment held any water. She had never really seen one this close; she wasn't quite sure what she was looking for.

Hesitantly she swiped her hand along the soft skin, enjoying how quickly it jumped at her touch. Lucy glanced to Natsu, who had his eyes glued on the attention being given his arousal. He was resting on one elbow, the other still clenched around her hip. She turned her gaze back to the task at hand, her fingers fully grasping him with a soft stroke. He shivered under her, but Lucy was sure it wasn't cause he was cold. Her hand started to move with little mental encouragement, Lucy feeling her confidence grow with each groan he produced. It was still a little embarrassing to be touching him like this, but she pushed through it. She was enjoying how his hips squirmed under them, easily pushing into her hand to feel more of her touch. Lucy pressed her free hand to Natsu's chest while she worked on his body, feeling her own arousal start to return. Fingertips slid up the tight skin to rub the head of his cock, feeling his excitement had already started to leak out.

"Shit!" He eagerly arched his hips at the touch, Lucy nearly losing her balance on his thighs. Realizing he enjoyed the touch, Lucy started to rub the tip with her thumb berfore sliding her palm along his base, finding a rhythm after a few awkward strokes.

"Is this good?" She asked quietly, Natsu eagerly nodding his head to show his appreciation. He had given up on holding himself up, his hand clenched in the comforter as he shamelessly thrusted his hips into Lucy's welcoming hand. His chest heaved with the pleasure he was experiencing, knowing that he was going to have to stop her soon. If she continued to tease his body like this, he was going to fall apart before they got to the final act. Though he knew this, Natsu couldn't get the words to come from his throat. Instead, he submerged himself in the way her hands urged his hips to rise, stroking him better than he had ever done to himself.

A particularly good stroke from her soft hand had his eyes shooting open, his hand reaching out to grasp her wrist. She gasped at the touch, fearing her touch had hurt him. She peeked a glanced to Natsu, whose eyes were now fixated on the ceiling above them. His teeth were now worrying his lower lip, making Lucy tilt her head. His body was throbbing in her hand, yet his steel-like grip on her wrist hindered her from helping ease his sexual tension. It seemed like he was thinking about something from the furrowing of his eyebrows. Lucy wanted to ask, yet she felt like she already knew the answer. It was pretty obvious why he didn't want her to finish him off. Though the thought of taking the final step left her emotionally torn, the look on Natsu's face showed way more nerves than she expected he'd have.

When Natsu had gone down on her, he had exhibited no fear. He treated her body like he was a pro, even if she knew that wasn't true. He had played her body like a well practiced instrument. She thought he was going to be even more confident when they had sex. Yet now, with Natsu kicking his final garments of clothes to the end of the bed, it seemed his virgin nerves were finally showing themselves. She wanted to giggle at how cute his cheeks looked when they were flushed, but she knew that wouldn't help ease his erratic heartbeat. He probably had the same amount of 'experience' as she did. Having your first time with someone you loved was probably even more intimidating.

She knew, because she was feeling the same way.

"Natsu." She kept her voice soft, hoping to help the tense air around them. Hesitantly Natsu looked back down at her, Lucy holding a hand out to him. "I'm a little nervous."

"You are?" He asked, Lucy nodding.

"I kind of feel like I'm going to mess up, or something." She pushed some hair behind her ear as she glanced away from him. She could hear him sit up on the bed, closing her eyes when his warm hand ran up her back.

"It's not like I'd really know if you were doing something wrong; I've never really done this either." She nodded, but didn't open her eyes. She could feel his chest pressed to hers, his erection snug against her belly. Though the feeling was a little embarrassing, she made no move to pull away from him. Instead, she leaned into the warm embrace he gave her. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course," she replied, nodding her head against the shoulder she had pressed her forehead into.

"Then there's no reason to be nervous. Even if this is a disaster, I still love you." She felt herself smile at his soft snicker, his arms tightening around her. "But so far, you've really turned me on. I don't think I've ever been this hard before."

"Pervert."

"Yeah, probably," he admitted, his lips pressing to the bare skin of her neck. His fingers now toyed with the back of her bra, his arousal twitching between them. He spoke between his nips against her neck, enjoying her quiet moans of approval. "I can't help it; your body's amazing."

"You're not half bad, either." She laughed when his nip got harder, the bra becoming loose around her when he finally undid it. Lucy was pressed back to the bed, Natsu quick to follow with a soul-stealing kiss. She wiggled out of the straps of the last piece of clothing, letting Natsu throw it across the room. Their kiss was deep, Lucy's moan muffled when Natsu settled his body between her parting legs. His hands cupped her breasts gently, seeming curious in their exploration. They only lingered there for a few moments before slipping down, one resting on her thigh while the other aligned his hardened arousal with her entrance.

The kiss only broke so Natsu could glance at what he was doing, slowly pressing into his best friend as slow as his excitement would allow him. Lucy's hands were grasping at his back, nails digging into the skin when Natsu started to stretch her. Her head instantly tilted upward, grimacing at the slight pain there. It wasn't as painful as she thought it would be, yet it was by no means comfortable. She could feel Natsu's hurried kisses on her breasts, yet she couldn't pull her head back down. The pain increased when he broke through her final barrier, Lucy sure she broke the skin on his back. If he felt it he didn't complain, simply taking the pain to pamper her nipple with attention. And they stayed like that for a few minutes, both unsure how to push forward.

"It's okay." She wasn't sure if it really was, but Lucy wanted to feel the pleasure so many had promised happened after the initial pain. Natsu nodded at her approval, the lean man moving his hips back slowly. Lucy held her breath in anticipated pain, but she wasn't prepared for the mix of pleasure that came with it. Natsu's hips weren't gentle, which she was sure was a mixture of inexperience and build up. Whatever the reason, Lucy couldn't say it bothered her. In fact, she felt her legs parting wider at the delicious pace. Lucy's hands had moved up to grasp his shoulders, the blonde moaning when his hips pushed into hers quicker than before.

"Fuck, I'm really inside you." Natsu's breathless voice sent shivers through her body, Lucy quick to wrap her legs around his unstoppable hips. His hands snuck up her shaking arms, Natsu grabbing her hands and shoving them back onto the bed. He intertwined their fingers, grasping them tightly while panting into her ear. "Do you feel me, Luce? Can you feel us?"

"N-Natsu!" She cried out, unable to stop her back from arching. Feeling the passion of his erratic body movements paired with the amazed tone of his voice was hitting her with strikes of pleasure. She loved the way he kissed her shoulder, as if unable to believe they were really joined. Though their hands were sweating from the rigorous movements, she refused to let his go. Instead, she clung to his grasp while she tried to lift her hips to his. They moved fast, their heavy breathing filling the room. Natsu refused to relent speed or force, leaving Lucy submerged in pleasure. It was their first time; neither expected it to last long. It didn't take away from how amazing the experience was. With his concentration on the way their hips rubbed into each other, Natsu's mouth continued to fill Lucy's ear with loving words.

"Forever, I want this forever. No matter how much we fight, don't forget tonight." She nodded at his words, knowing his heart was being filled with the same undeniable feeling as hers.

"I love you." It was all she could get out before his body shuttered into hers, his muscles tensing. Lucy's own orgasm came when Natsu's hips pounded into hers, riding out his orgasm with her name trembling through his lips. Lucy was unable to hold her own back, and fell into the white abyss with little complaint. Her mind went white for a few seconds, Lucy allowing herself to come back to earth when feeling a pressing weight on her chest. She opened her eyes slowly, realizing it was Natsu's body resting against her. She could feel the sweat sliding between their skin, making her grimace. Nobody told her how sweaty sex could get!

"You're still alive, right?" She glanced up to Natsu in shock, who was giving her a proud smile.

"Don't get too cocky," she answered, slapping his arm and laughing. Natsu snickered himself, then pushed off of Lucy. They both shivered when he pulled out of her, a dull spark hitting Lucy's stomach. Who would have thought that after two orgasms, she'd still be tempted to go again? She glanced to Natsu, who seemed to be thinking the same thing with the quick once over he was giving her body. He seemed to dismiss the idea when he flopped back down on her bed, letting out a loud yawn.

"Do you still have some of my sleep pants here?" She blinked at his question, realizing what he was asking.

"Wait, you're sleeping over?!" He shrugged as she rolled onto his stomach, starting to weakly push down the comforter.

"Why not? Your dad's going to be gone all night and we don't have school tomorrow. Besides..." he lifted up to his elbows, lazily kissing Lucy's cheek. "I'd like to stay with you tonight."

"...Okay," she whispered, feeling herself smile at the idea. She moved to her dresser, pulling out the pants he was asking about before tossing them his way. She had managed to yank on a nightgown before a hand grabbed her wrist, yanking her back toward the bed. She yelped when she was pulled to the mattress, possessive arms quickly circling her. "Natsu-"

"You won't be cold, promise." He burrowed his face into her hair, refusing to give up his new cuddling partner. She sighed loudly in protest, though she didn't pull away. Instead, Lucy yanked up the covers and settled herself into the pillow on her side. Lucy could feel her eyes sagging as soon as her head hit the pillow. It wouldn't be long until she fell asleep. She felt Natsu squirming behind her before finding a comfortable place against her back and settling in. It seemed even Natsu could get tired out from a good round of sex. She closed her eyes completely, falling asleep much easier than she had before.

Driving into school Monday morning was a little more confusing than Lucy had expected it to be. Then again, Sunday hadn't been quite normal either. When she woke up, she had been surprised to see that Natsu was nowhere to be seen. He had left a note on his side of the bed, explaining that he had some things to do. He explained that he had to get it done before Monday morning, and that he would be busy all day. When she had tried to call him, he didn't answer, worrying her. What if Natsu was having second thoughts? Then again, he had ended the note with a confirmation that he loved her.

Her curiosity was peeked when she got a phone call from Gray, demanding to know where Natsu was. When she told him she didn't know, Gray didn't seem pleased. In fact, he almost seemed frantic. Before she could ask what the problem was, Gray had hung up. What was going on with everyone? She asked her other friends, but Levy and Erza both seemed out of the loop. She couldn't even get a hold of Juvia, which she found strange. She was sure that Juvia would be blowing up her phone to tell her about her date, yet Juvia didn't even send her a text. The whole thing was weird. Even Mira, the girl who seemed to know everything going on in the school, wasn't helpful. The only lead that Lucy could get was Gajeel, who only scoffed when she told him about Natsu and Gray's strange behavior. His noise turned into a full grown snicker when Lucy told him Juvia was also M.I.A

"You'll find out tomorrow morning." That was the only thing Gajeel would give her before he hung up. It did little to calm her nerves, and she struggled to sleep that night.

"It's so cold out here!" Lucy whined as she blew into her hands, trying to warm them up. She shut her car door, quickly walking toward the school to get warm. Before she could enter, she noticed a large group of students gathered in front of the school. Realizing this was unlikely a coincidence, Lucy hurried her steps and started to push to the front of the crowd. People let her through quite easily, which only increased her sense that this had something to do with her.

"Who do you think is going to freak out more; Lucy or Gray?" Levy's voice was heard from the front of the group, Lucy pushing through the final set of people. She saw Levy and Gajeel staring up at the school, a smug look on Gajeel's face showing he was enjoying something way more than he should. His eyes were staring at something above him, his grin nearly as big as Natsu's.

"Both will be pretty funny."

"Gajeel!" Levy said, turning to smack him. The turning of her body made Levy catch a glimpse of Lucy, the shorter girl instantly turning to her friend. "Lucy! When did you get here?"

"Just now...what's going on?" Lucy asked.

"Well...remember how Natsu and Gray got the same amount of hearts?" Lucy nodded, Levy slowly pointing up behind her. "Well..."

"Natsu took it upon himself to complete both of their punishments...with some help from Juvia." Lucy glanced up at Gajeel's explanation, her eyes widening in pure shock. There, in front of her, were two huge banners strung up on the top of the school. One, written with red paint, read 'Lucy Heartfilia gets me fired up!' with Natsu's name proudly showing at the bottom. The other was in blue, with feminine hand writing reading 'My heart only melts for Juvia Lockser'. Gray's name was quite legible on the end of the banner, making sure nobody mistook who wrote the sappy quote.

"What...are..." Lucy couldn't find her words as she stared up at the displays, feeling her cheeks darken when she heard some whistles behind her. "How did they do this?!"

"You're going to have to ask them that one," Gajeel said, glancing behind them with a chuckle. "And here comes the man of the hour."

"Good morning, Gray!" Levy tried to sound cheerful when the quiet man stepped in front of them, his eyes instantly looking up to where Lucy's eyes had refused to leave. One of his hands instantly came to his eye, as if seeing the banners gave him an immediate headache. Despite this, she could see the blush starting to spread over his pale cheeks.

"How did I know he was going to rope Juvia into this?" Gray glanced over to Lucy, sending her a side-smile to show she wasn't in this alone. "This is the guy you're choosing to be with...you still have time to back out, you know. Give me the word, and I'll kill the bastard."

"No that's alright. Because..." Lucy felt herself smiling as she laughed, her chest warm despite the cold around her. She looked back up at the banner affectionately, slowly walking away from the crowd to stand under it. She turned back to face the group, cheeks bright with color. Her hands clasped around her lips to make her voice echo. "I love you too, Natsu Dragneel!"

"Lucy!" Lucy gasped when someone jumped down behind her, arms quickly wrapping around her waist to pull her back into the overheated body. Where the heck did he jump from?! She felt the scratchy texture of Natsu's scarf against the back of her neck, lips pressing to her ear. "You like your banner?"

"A little flashy..." she mumbled, feeling his lips pull back into a grin.

"Well, we were drunk when we made the bet." She laughed and turned around to face him, her arms quickly wrapping around his neck.

"Gray knew you loved me before you did," she teased, Natsu pouting while he rolled his eyes.

"Who cares? I know now!"

"Where's your partner in crime, anyways?" Lucy asked, glancing around. Gray had disappeared, making the blond blink. Wasn't he right behind her?

"Gray just dragged her inside. Probably because she was showing him the matching shirt we made for him to wear." Lucy glanced down at Natsu's outfit, laughing at the bright pink color of his shirt. The words 'property of Lucy Heartfilia' was written in red print, and Lucy realized why Natsu had chosen Juvia for his project. Natsu was never good with arts and crafts, while Juvia was a pro. After making so many unique ways to show her love for Gray, it was quite obvious Juvia had gotten handy with an iron and glitter.

"Another part of the bet?" She asked, arching an eyebrow at his sheepish smile.

"We were really drunk."

"Please tell me his isn't pink."

"No way, pink's my color. Juvia picked out blue, cause it reminded her of her hair or something." She nodded as the two walked into the school together, hands intertwining as they entered the cafeteria.

"And you really think he's going to wear it?"

"He has to; otherwise he's basically admitting I win." She laughed as the bell rang, signaling the students to start heading to class. Lucy sighed at her boyfriend's over-the-top antics, kissing him gently before she pulled away.

"I've got to get to class."

"Want me to walk you there?" She shook her head, grinning when he sent her a confused look. She let go of his hand, looking over his head a familiar scowl marching toward the two. "Why not?"

"Because-"

"Natsu." The growl made Natsu's shoulder's tense, the wide-eyed guy glancing over his shoulder at the red head. Erza was staring the teenager down, anger pooling around her body in waves. "Did you convince Juvia to break into the school last night to hang those banners up? Banners, which I may remind you, are considered vandalism?"

"…see you in history, Luce!" Natsu left a quick kiss on her cheek and bolted out of the lunchroom, Erza right on his heels. Lucy sighed as she watched them run down the hall, Natsu passing Juvia and Gray. The love-struck girl didn't notice Natsu at first, watching Gray tug the shirt on over his now naked torso. Natsu was quick to snag the dazed Juvia's wrist along the way, and it didn't take Juvia long to snap out of her daydream. When realizing Erza was chasing them, the blue haired girl cried out her apologies to her unforgiving pursuer. Gray was left alone in the hall, shaking his head despite the slight smile he wore watching Juvia's fading form.

Lucy sent a silent prayer for her two comrades as she went to class, tossing her bag to the ground as she plopped into her chair. She glanced down to her desk, surprised to find a heart-shaped paper taped to her desk. It looked like an extra from the Steal-A-Heart event, her nickname already written on it. A safety pin and a post-it sat next to it, catching her attention. She glanced to the writing, which resembled the banner with her name on it.

Here's a do-over for Friday; I'll be sure to get it this time! -Natsu

Looking back at the heart, Lucy felt herself unable to stop smiling. Yup, she knew it.

Natsu stole her heart, and she never wanted it back.

The End! I'm so sad this is over! I really enjoyed this little story, and having this one end right around 'The Astrologist' ending, I don't know how to feel! I hope that it was everything that you guys wanted. Which couple did you like the most? Did you expect the bet to end that way? Let me know in a review!

OH ALSO! Since these two stories will be ending soon, I wanted to announce that I will be starting some one-shots for a bit, then I have TWO multi-chapter stories coming out soon! So look out for them. They'll be coming out soon! Let me know if you're interested!