Heya, Everyone!

This one-shot was originally published in another story of mine, but I removed it. So here it is, hope you enjoy!

Be sure to tell me how this story was in your reviews! ^^

More Fairy Tail stories will be published soon in my account!

- CelestialScript

Chapter One: Just the Right Moment

It was midnight, and Lucy Heartfilia was trudging down the dimly-lit streets of Magnolia, eagerly humming enthusiastically to herself. Her snowy Nikora celestial spirit, otherwise known as Plue, lumbered by her, nervously glancing around every few moments, screeching "Pun-pun!" when he noticed a shadow following them. His own.

It had been a hectic they in the wizard guild Fairy Tail, and the golden-ringed woman was exhausted, she wanted nothing better to do but unlock the worn, wooden door of her comfortable chambers, soak in burning water, and collapse into bed.

Her flaxen curls swinging as she tilted her elegant neck, conversing with Plue, who staggered alongside the curb that she balanced herself on, pale, bare arms outstretched.

A lone canoe lazily swept itself down the silent river, the men residing in it cupping their hands over their mouths, shrieking out their usual warnings. Like she would always do, she raised a dainty hand and waved, ignoring their warnings.

"I'm so tired, Plue," She sighed, kneeling to scoop up the little dog, straightening to continue skipping along the water's, still speaking. "I just want to go home and sleep for days…"

Smiling warmly at the spirit snuggled in her embrace, Lucy reached down to run her fingers through the soft fur. "But not before I take a hot, burning shower, of course. Just feeling the warmth of the hot water cascading over my skin... " Shuddering with pleasure, she twirled around with Plue, forgetting for a millisecond that she was walking upon the curb.

Lucy slipped, Plue cried out, and she desperately attempted to clutch a hold of the edge, but failed, and her legs splashed into the freezing, gelid water of the canal, soon to soak the rest of her clothing.

Or would have, if two warm hands had not lashed out to grip her waist and pull her up, her body pressed against another living, breathing form.

The celestial wizard's eyelids had been squeezed together, preparing for the worst when she realized that she had not plunged into the frozen liquid, but rather, was grasping onto a warm being, who was now grinning down at her.

"Yo, Luce. What'cha doing here, swimming at twelve o'clock?" The man's, as she had identified, onyx eyes gazed into her own, and Lucy did the only thing that was circulating her mind.

Shrieking and screaming, she dropped the white bundle of fur onto the ground, kicking the man with all her strength her leg, hand coming in contact with his forehead. He shouted out in pain and rage, doubling over as he clutched his stomach, and Lucy, who had her Aquarius key hovering in the air, stopped short when she processed the shade of his hair.

Pink, or as he claimed, salmon. She immediately unclenched her curled palms, smacking a hand over her mouth to restrain giggles as she ran over to him, dropping to her knees.

"Natsu, you didn't tell me it was you! If you had, I wouldn't have struck you!" She exclaimed, pushing aside his messy, salmon bangs to examine the bruise she had left on his head. Natsu replied by mumbling something incoherent and incomprehensible, hand reaching up to gingerly touch the same wound that Lucy had been checking. Their fingertips brushed past each other, and she immediately pulled back.

"Ouch, Lucy. Is that something you do to someone who just saved you from drowning?" Sending her a crooked smile, he pushed back his disheveled tresses, wincing as his hand brushed past the injury.

Oh, right.

Glancing down, Lucy confirmed what she already knew; her legs and short azure skirt were completely soaked, drops of water dripping from the frayed ends of the fabric. But she was in luck because Natsu had swooped in and saved her before she could get any wetter.

"My prince in shining armor, huh?" She murmured, and immediately flushed, dismissing the thought from her brain. Clearing her throat, she pushed back the heat in her cheeks, swiveling around to stare back at the flame dragon-slayer, who had already leaped back up, dusting his clothes.

"What are you doing here, Natsu?" She questioned, watching as he wrapped his snowy, scaled scarf back around his neck, concealing the scars beneath. Looking back up at her, he snorted.

"Saving you from your pathetic death, obviously. What else?"

A frown made its way to her rosy lips. "Shut up Natsu, unless you want me to kick you again. Are you stalking me?"

"Nope! The group thought that we could party a little more, so I volunteered to use my home as an after-party area. I came to get you."

Her jaw fell and the celestial mage gaped at him, mouth ajar. "Are you being serious?"

Confusion swept into Natsu's expression. "Yeah, course I am. Why?"

Stomping her feet into the ground, she leaned forward and gripped onto his white scarf. "You idiot, we've been partying for the entire freaking day, and I'm so tired and you want me to come and celebrate more?!"

"Yes-"

Hissing, Lucy turned away, her back on him, nose upwards. "Well, too bad. I am going to go straight home and rest. Goodbye-"

"Aw, but it's not fun without you Lushee, pleeeeease just come today? I promise I won't tell you to come anymore."

Stopping short, she swiveled around, her coffee orbs locking with his onyx ones. Immediately, she regretted doing so. Natsu was kneeling down on the cold stone floor, palms in front of his face as he clasped them together, widening his large coal eyes, sending Lucy the most pained, pleading expression.

"Please, Luce? For today? I won't bother you anymore." (False) Tears welled up in his watery pools of ink, threatening to slip and cascade down his face. Lucy froze in midstep, vision locked onto Natsu, her upper teeth nervously biting down on her lower lip.

How could she say "no" to that face?

A bead of sweat slid down the side of her head, soaking into her sapphire collar as she trembled, unsure of what to do. Both sides could feel a growing tension, the atmosphere becoming thicker and thicker-

"Fine! I'll tag along to your house! Happy now?" Lucy burst out, embarrassed and ashamed for falling for such a cute and innocent act.

The fire wizard's beam lit up the dark world, and she was sure she had done the right thing by agreeing to him.

...At least, she hoped she did.

"Yosh, Lushee! C'mon, let's go-!" Before he could race off, Lucy reached forward, snagging his collar, pulling him back to her side.

"Idiot, I can't have you running off in these dark streets! W-what if someone does something weird to me?" She muttered, hesitantly releasing the energetic being and awkwardly fingering the crimson rings that adorned her ears. Natsu peered at her, then smirked.

"Want me to be with you so badly?"

Crimson rushed into her visage, and she leaned and slapped him, seething. "It's not that!"

"O-ow! Luce, sorry!" Rubbing his stinging cheek, he winced. "You are so violent."

"Who're you calling violent?!"

Ignoring her demand, he continued. "And even if anything happens to you, you're strong, and a member of Fairy Tail. You can get yourself out of every situation."

Gawking at him, she processed what he just said.

Did Natsu Dragneel, King of Cool and Awesome, just compliment Lucy Heartfilia?

Shocked and slightly surprised, she replied. "T-thank you Natsu."

They fell into a comfortable silence shuffling through the worn, cobblestone path, walking side by side. Lucy resumed her singing from before, humming contently as her feet created soothing melody.

Tap-tap-tap. Tap-tap-tap. Tap-tap-tap. She paused as a thought swam into her head; they were walking down a dim street, by the water's, side to side. If even saw them, they would surely think they were a couple. Everything about this setting and how they were playing in it reminded her too much of a romantic novel.

Which, for some reason, she did not mind.

A warm brush against her knuckles. Lucy faltered, her hymn coming to a screeching halt.

"W-was that-?" She glanced down, and confirmed it; Natsu's large, tanned hands swung by his side, only a minuscule distance from Lucy's smooth, pale ones. Gulping, her sight shot up, but the dragon-slayer gave no reaction, him staring determinedly ahead.

So she continued, this time, no music flowing from her lips as she quietly ambled with him.

Hot fingertips pressed against hers if only for a millisecond, pulling away too quick for her to comprehend the action he had just proceeded with.

She made up her mind in a few moments; if that was what he was going to do, so be it.

Shy and soft, the stellar mage bumped the back of her hand against the fire dragon-slayer's, letting her slender fingers graze the rough surface, just as she moved back, Natsu tips gently gripped her knuckles, twisting her hand so her palm faced his hand.

Her breath-hitched and a dust of vermillion coated her nose and cheeks, as the fire-breather slowly turned his own to her palm, letting their fingers meet.

Slender, pale fingers easily sliding with rough, calloused ones, Lucy gawked down, shocked and bewildered. Natsu's hand was larger dwarfing her small one and was abnormally warm, a result surely of his peculiar body temperature. She marveled how beautifully and perfectly their fingers fit together as if his hand was the puzzle piece that connected them both together.

Quickly glancing up, Natsu still had his sight trained in front of him, but now a sprinkle of scarlet dashed across his face, and an enthusiastic and exhilarated smile stretched across his appearance. He slowed down, falling into a steady pace with the golden-haired girl, fingers intertwined, their hands swinging between them as they walked down the road, perfectly content in the void silence.

They stopped right by Natsu's door without letting go, the shrieks and screams of Gray, Gajeel, and many other Fairy Tail members vibrating from inside. The Etherious heaved his palm away from Lucy's. She cradled her hand carefully with her left arm, as her hand had become numb, clammy, and sweaty from holding his.

Pushing the wooden door open with a creak, just as Natsu lumbered in, a light whisper wafted and curled into her ears.

"H-hey, Lucy, let's hold hands more, okay?"

The celestial spirit wizard smiled.

"Of course."

The End