I was inspired by Mashima's Recent, Nalu Twitter Sketch.

It was their moment.

It wasn't the most romantic, but it was theirs. Talking led to laughter, which trickled down to comforting silence as they stared into their partners eyes. When Natsu's arms wrapped around Lucy, pulling her close: she made no attempts to resist. She stepped into it, arms resting against his strong chest, comfortable and secure.

What moments conglomerated together to end in this moment? She couldn't be sure. Lucy's mind was a fractured mess of hidden and obvious moments that jumped back and forth in her memory. The world around them was melting, blurring together until all that existed as her in Natsu's arms and the angle of his head as he moved to meet her.

Slow, uncertain. They'd never done this before. Never crossed that line. It was strange and new and yet, somehow so natural. Lucy felt herself leaning up, eyes slipping shut, ready to meet him, but her body…

Her body was tense. Nervous. What if she wasn't good? What if she messed it up? What if they kissed and realized it was something that neither of them wanted and they were lost to awkward attempts at friendship after? What if it ruined everything? What if it didn't? Did her breath smell? Why hadn't she thought to check that earlier… Why was this happening so fast?! Was it fast?

The thoughts tumbled through, shouting louder and louder into her mind. Lucy became distracted. Her brows knitted together as she waited for the inevitable moment that Natsu and she would share their first kiss: finally. She didn't notice the seconds tick by or the silence between them.

She didn't notice Natsu pause, eyes half-lidded as he watched her. The thoughts, though silent, were clear on her face and he read them like a Job request. His consideration took only a moment longer than necessary before he leaned in, closing the horrible distance that stayed between them and….

Licked her nose.

"Uh, what," Lucy sputtered, eyes shooting opened as she jerked back. The tip of her nose was warm and wet and now cold and Natsu's snicker through her brain into overdrive, "Did you just LICK me?!"

His laughter spilled out. No longer contained as it boomed from his chest and resounded off the walls of her apartment. Natsu tightened his hold as he giggled, he smiled wide as it split across his face.

"What?" He asked, still snickering, "Isn't that how kissing works?"

No. Absolutely not. Lucy couldn't believe it. Refused to believe it. She attempted to wipe her nose, but Natsu's hold kept her arms in place as he laughed, the mischievous twinkle in his eye unnoticed in her exasperated struggles. "No! It's not! Whatever gave you that idea you- "

She paused as a sudden realization hit her. It was obvious, when she stopped to think. Of course Natsu knew what a kiss was. He'd seen enough of it from random passersby on the street. From Alzack and Bisca! From Gajeel and Levy that one time they had the unfortunate timing to turn down a nearby alley and find them pinned up against a nearby wall. The moment was still seared into her brain. There was no reason, what so ever that Natsu would mistake kissing for licking unless-

"You did that on purpose!" The accusation echoed across the room and Natsu's laughter continued, but he stepped back. Enough to give her room: air. Still chortling, he ruffled her hair and smiled affectionately.

"Yeah," He said, "Yeah I did."

"But, why would you," Her sentence trailed off, uncertainty spilling between her words, "- do you… not… want to?"

The laughter ceased. Natsu's smile never left, but it shrank to something almost calm and he shook his head, "No, you were just so tense. I was worried you were gonna pass out. Did you forget to breathe, ya' weirdo?"

Oh! "I- no, I just, that wasn't…" She stammered, embarrassed by her own thoughts and covered her face, "I was just so nervous! I'm sorry!"

His arms returned to soothe her, drawing her claws while chuckles shook his frame. "Hey, " Natsu said, happy and content, "It's okay. We got all day and the rest of our lives to try again."

And wasn't that the perfect thing to say to relax her?

"That or I'll just lick you again." He teased.

"NATSU!"

I'm not sorry!