First there was four.

"Yeah, I'm folding and getting out of here. I think I'm done losing jewel and clothes to Lucy."

"But Gray- you were almost naked before the game even started!"

"Shut up, will you? I still need to head out!"

It turned to three.

"I should leave as well. The Master asked me to come to the Guild early."

"What? You too, Erza?! Come on, you were about to lose!"

"Perhaps, but it wouldn't have been to YOU, Natsu."

Suddenly, it was two.

Not that Lucy truly minded- with the pile of Jewel next to her lap and a gleeful grin. It was getting late and no matter how much fun she was having, everyone had to sleep eventually. (Including her- goodness, when did it get so late?!) Humming, the blonde mage looked at her hand, triumph just simmering beneath her skin. Even if Gray and Erza had already folded (losing their earlier bets in the process) there was no time to let her poker face drop!

Especially with Natsu's eyes still firmly on his own hand, pouting in earnest. His competitive streak certainly did him no good in a game of poker. Out of all of them, he had honestly lost the most jewel and then some- Sitting perfectly still in nothing but his boxers, the pile of clothes he had lost sat to the side like a tiny mountain of failure.

As much as the sight of his tan muscles was distracting, her skills in poker were certainly not to be sniffed at.

Natsu's on the other hand… "Okay, okay- I think I'm gonna raise it!"

Wait, seriously? Lucy blinked, incredulous,while eyeing the small pile of jewel he had left. "Are you sure about that? I mean- you're down to just your boxers. Another big loss is going to, well- maybe we can NOT bet the clothing this time."

She was trying to be nice. Honest! (Also save herself from further, tempting, distractions.) It was bad enough she could see the outline of him through the fabric of his undergarments. She didn't need to SEE the real deal when Jewel was at stake! 'Also, who told Natsu that Boxer/Briefs were a good thing to wear tonight? Absolutely cheating!'

If she looked too long, she might lose focus. Lucy Heartfilia was not about to let that happen. Oh no, she was WINNING and Natsu, like so many other card games before, was going to EAT IT.

Except, instead of backing down, or accepting her change to the rules, the Dragonslayer merely grinned, mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Ah no, I wasn't gonna raise ya' more Jewel- kinda don't have enough for that. I was thinking we-... finish the game with a big finale, what do you say?"

She didn't like that look in his eye. As if he thought he was going to win. Absurd. Absolutely inconceivable. Not only did he have junk hands for the past hour and a half, but he was terrible at bluffing when he managed a decent one. Natsu Dragneel was not the type to play Poker well. It just didn't work for the man. Lucy knew it. Everyone else did too.

So then, why was the way his teeth glinted through his smirk and the smolder in his eyes, making her apprehension grow? Leaning forward, stomach muscles clenching and relaxing as he moved- her eyes were drawn to the way the lines of his abdomen quivered with each change of position. Halfway over the pile of Jewel between them, his dark eyes narrowed as a wisp of steam escaped his mouth.

"So-?" He drawled, waiting for her answer. She was almost lost, near to nodding her head to ascent to his idea, before reality sank in and Lucy mentally slapped herself. FOCUS!

"Wait, wait!" She cried out, voice breathier than it should have been as she realized her face had become quite hot. How had he managed to make her so flushed in as little as five seconds? Clearing her throat, Lucy waved a hand between them and quickly struggled to reorient herself. "I'm not agreeing to anything until you tell me what you've got planned, Natsu!"

He almost looked disappointed. Almost. Instead, a low chuckle echoed from deep in his chest, and the Fire Breather leaned back into place, fingers tapping the current hand of cards he held. "Okay- so, you got a full set of clothes on- " A fact she was very proud of, thank you- "And I'm almost naked. It's just us now so- how about loser of this hand has to remove everything."

"Well THAT's not much," Lucy argued, bottom lip protruding in the beginnings of a pout. "You only have ONE article of clothing left!" Natsu didn't reply, lips only thinning into a wider smirk as he watched her. Clearly, the slayer had already decided on how this round would go, he just needed her consent first. Well, tough luck for him! "Seriously, I hardly see how that's a big finale for me-"

Oh, wait. She still had ALL of her clothes on- this technically would make them completely equal on things to lose. (Minus the current pot sitting between them.) If she lost, she'd not only become even with him, but one less. That is, if she lost.

Lucy was absolutely assured of her victory, eyes sweeping towards her hand again. A flush. Not a bad hand- not the best either. However, with Natsu's current record, and the way the hands had gone earlier…. She was completely positive towards her win. After all, they didn't know the hands Erza and Gray had set aside, did they?

Eyes moved towards the folded hands set on the floor. Erza was a decent player, and Gray- … almost her equal. It was true that had been losing to her, but it was a high possibility their hands weren't absolutely junk and they had fallen for her earlier bluffs, but Natsu-?

The way he was looking at her seemed confident, lounging lackadaisical against the nearby couch while arms stretched over head. His smirk was still making her insides churn in a delicious manner, but she had to ignore it. Natsu actually thought he was going to win, didn't he? Her own lips quirked into a tiny smirk. Well, let's see if she could bluff him down…

"That's it? Just losing our clothes?" Lucy wanted to give the impression that it wasn't enough. Hardly befitting a finale. Attack at his weaker points in his naturally large ego and strike the moment he faltered.

"Kahah- that's more like it." His confident aura only simmered in his eyes, a low, pleased growl escaping his throat. "Course that's not all. They have to let the winner take it off them."

Oh.

O h….

Did the room just get five degrees hotter? Swallowing thickly, Lucy felt her hands falter, almost dropping the cards she was desperately holding on to. Was he- was he serious? Did he SERIOUSLY think she'd agree to that? Or was he trying to bluff her in return? Call her challenge? Did he not think her capable of removing that last bit of fabric on her own? Brown eyes swept over his well-toned body, freezing at his waistline where the tell-tale happy trail he sported, teased right at the waistline.

Not only was the room hotter, but she found it a little difficult to keep her breath, heart pounding in her ears. Another chuckle caught her attention, eyes darting back towards the slayer's face- her own heating up under the realization she'd been caught ogling.

"Looks like you're willing~" That son of a - he was enjoying this!

Cursing her own hormones, Lucy clenched her eyes shut before the cards in her hand slammed to the floor, still hidden. Oh fine! If he thought he was going to get to her when she knew his hand was crap, he'd have another thing coming. She'd take those boxers off- and she'd do it in a way that had him BEGGING for mercy! (Oh yes, slow and teasing with her teeth before a sudden pile of ice cubes would hit him. It would be the greatest revenge to that cocky smirk!)

"Fine." She replied, voice thin.

He clicked his teeth and finally sat straight again- no more lounging, all business. "You agree?"

"Do I need to repeat myself?."

"Hah, great!" Why, oh why, did she suddenly feel like she'd been trapped; hook, line and sinker?

The room grew tense in the moments that followed- Lucy staring at Natsu and Natsu staring at Lucy. Almost poetic- if the stakes weren't clothing optional and jewel on the line. Lucy was only thankful that Happy had fallen asleep two hours ago and wasn't going to be witness to what came next. Though, maybe she'd wake him up after it was all said and done, just to make Natsu's mortification all the sweeter.

Well, then again, maybe not. Flipping her cards over, Lucy's eye lit up as she gave up the secrets of her hand. "Look at that, I have a flush. Maybe you should have taken my offer, Natsu!"

Nose scrunching, the Dragonslayer watched her triumphant cry, leaned forward as if he wasn't sure what he was looking at while his unoccupied hand rose to scratch the hair on the back of his neck before moving to scratch right above the his boxers. A pleased hum escaped him and Lucy's shout of victory was drowned by the distraction of his body, yet again. Was he trying to distract her still?!

"Oi, I think it's a good hand, yeah?" so lost on focus, she hadn't realized he'd revealed his cards over, wrenching her eyes from the sight of his briefs being slightly lowered by his absent minded scratching. Expecting a pig, or something as small as a pair, the Celestial Mage felt her heart leap into her throat.

Four of a kind.

Lucy felt as if her entire soul had left her body. The words he spoke sounded innocent, almost as if he wasn't sure if he held the winning hand or not. But those eyes- he knew full well how good a hand it was. "-How… how did you-" Unheard of.

Absolutely impossible. Did Natsu actually… win?

The cackle that followed confirmed her suspicions. He falling back to brandish teeth as a burst of flame escaped in his moment of glory. Natsu Dragneel, one of the most terrible Poker Players Lucy had ever met, had somehow, some way, pulled out a victory she had not been expecting. It was impressive, all things considered. Unfortunately, the blonde couldn't bring herself to be ecstatic. If it had been an earlier round, she may have actually been proud of his achievement.

"Hah! Looks like- " Now, as she watched his triumphant gaze turn on her, heat practically scintillating through dark irises, "I get the full pot after all, huh Lucy?" She realized her error.

Arrogance. Pride. Assurance she could win- and despite watching her final bet of jewels be dragged off towards his pile of clothing, the blonde couldn't bring herself to attend. She had won most of the Jewels for that night either way. Any small loss at the final round was nothing in comparison to that. With a low hum of humor and stare turning even more heated- she realized she'd been the prey all along.

And Natsu the triumphant predator.

He didn't even pay any mind to how his winnings scattered across the floor once he'd forcefully slid them towards his discarded pants. Grin turning feral as he eyed her. He'd won all right. "So- will ya' kick me if I just b u r n it off or should I take my time?"

"Don't you even think about - !" Of course she'd deny any damage done to her clothing- as was a good habit to have. Clothes were expensive! - but the implications weren't lost and the celestial mage's face warmed up to the point of possibly catching fire. "Natsu-!"

"Come on, Lucy- you lost fair and square~!" An amused chuckle followed and Lucy's hear thumped in the worst of ways when his body moved, almost lazily, towards his hands and knees, approaching her position with ease. "You can call my name all you want later."

Oh gods, "D-don't be such a pervert!" She managed, body instinctively moving backwards- a few shuffles and her back struck the nearest wall and she swallowed. "And quit crawling towards me like that, you're making me nervous!"

If she thought that would make him stop, then she certainly didn't know her boyfriend very well.. Another laugh and that steam escaped his mouth again, entire countenance changing from playful to dangerous in a millisecond. If she hadn't been so distracted by how dangerously attractive it was, she may have thrown something at him. Anything, just to ease the tension in the air. Instead, her body froze as he continued his approach, breath crossing her skin like a heat wave as he finally caged her.

Lucy had nowhere to run and he relished the fact.

She wasn't a sore loser. No attempts to brush him off or say no followed. (In fact, she'd never even considered that idea. As much as his change in character made her apprehension grow- it also made her stomach churn, her toes curl and mouth water just waiting for it to continue.) With a shuddering breath from the heat Natsu emitted, Lucy slowly succumbed to the loss she owed him. Though, with a more clear headed mind, she was going to question this win for the rest of the day later.

Hot fingers trailed along her shoulders, kept her in place as the strings of her top were slowly undone- teeth moved to graze the skin he uncovered before meeting with hands to nip at the fabric being removed. He decided to take his time, after all- much like unwrapping a long awaited prize. By the time she was reduced to only her underwear and bra - matching his boxers) - her body was already a quivering mess of lust and need.

He was far too good at hitting all the right buttons- and he'd barely even kissed her! A low whine escaped while fingers teased along the edge of her panties, muscles spasmed, waiting for the slow build of pleasure that was to come- and when his mouth covered the silk of her bra, she threw her head back to gasp.

"Hyaaah- boy was that a good nap! Hey, are you guys still playing cards or is everyone done?"

Time froze and the Slayer and Celestial Mage's eyes widened in surprise as a sudden shout of a newly awakened Exceed echoed through the room.

"GROSS!"

If you'd like to see more, or updates on my current work: Fine me on tumblr at RougeScribe!