Disclaimer: Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail.

.. .. .. .. ..

These one-shots (err, one-shot now... will be plural, hopefully!) are part of a project I'm working on, so please review and let me know if you guys want me to continue it. They will be unrelated to each other, and each chapter will explore a different facet of Natsu and Lucy's relationship.

.. .. .. .. ..

The following story is rated K+.

.. .. .. .. ..

01: Sociable Suffering

.. .. .. .. ..

"Careful, miss! You'll fall in!"

Lucy looked up, casually waving the passing fishermen along. She leaned back onto her elbows, sinking into the soft patch of luscious, green grass growing on the edges of the city's riverbank. She idly kicked her legs, softly splashing the cool, soothing water with her feet.

"What a day…" She breathed, raising an arm to cover her eyes from the sun's heated glare. Even though it was already late into the day, the sun was still out and shining incessantly, forcing the denizens of Magnolia to take shelter from the sweltering heat. The city streets, typically bustling with travelers and villagers alike, was unusually quiet; the only source of sound coming from Lucy's sporadic splashing and infrequent humming. Normally, she welcomed the city's industrious, noisy atmosphere, and found comfort in the ensuing hubbub – a rush of voices united together. As it was, however, she discovered the river's gentle yet fluid flow to be an unexpected relief, relaxing her senses and assuaging her thought-ridden mind. Nevertheless, as peaceful as it was, the blonde mage was still overcome with feelings of anxiety and worry, her heart riddled with tension.

As the sun waned ever lower, relentless in its perspiring intensity, the silence soon became deafening. Repeatedly, Lucy would glance up from her position, eyes straining against the light, seeking familiarity. Lethargic, she fell back down to the ground unceremoniously, throwing both arms across her eyes. She had been here for the duration of the entire day. Fueled by an empty stomach and a yearning heart, she contemplated returning home for now.

As if on cue, the almost tangible silence was broken by the steady, rhythmic sound of sure footsteps. Lucy lay where she was – unmoving – although her heart now hammered against her chest, a vociferous beating of her feelings. The footsteps, firm and reassuring, drew deliberately nearer, until Lucy could sense the person's figure standing right behind her. She exhibited no outward signs of acknowledgement, save for her traitorous fingers tensing in anticipation.

"If you keep lying out here like this, you're going to get burnt," an amused voice spoke, deep and smooth.

Inside her chest, Lucy's heart beat ever faster, with a vehemence defined only as acute intensity. Beneath her arms, her eyes shut together tightly.

"Yeah, well. Play with fire and you're bound to get burned," she answered softly. The figure behind her let out a pleasant hum, and proceeded to plant themselves beside her.

"And in a skimpy bikini, no less. I'm glad to know you haven't changed one bit."

Lucy felt a shadow loom over her, and then suddenly, her forearms were gently pulled away. She blinked against the harsh glare of the sun, warm chocolate orbs clashing with sharp, amber irises (1). Playfully, she attempted to keep her expression stoic – a mask of indifference – but her facial features belied her true feelings, and she promptly broke out into a radiant smile, affection dripping leisurely down her cheeks, adding sparkle to her eyes.

"Hey," the boy above her grinned. She laughed, her throat strangely raw and constricted, and threw her slender arms around Natsu, basking in the now reassuring heat of his body.

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

Minutes later, the pair were seated next to one another in the same spot, fingers intertwined.

"I waited for you all day in this damned heat, you know," Lucy chided mockingly, resuming her steady splashing in the river. She looked up at him quietly, expression now somber. "Did you find him? Igneel?"

Looking straight ahead, Natsu slowly shook his head in response.

"He was gone by the time I got there," he revealed quietly. Noting the solemn, distant look in her nakama's eyes, Lucy refrained from saying anything, simply tightening her hold on his hand.

"Ah, well, you know! There's always next time! And besides, I thought it was about time I should be heading back home anyway. Gotta help a certain needy damsel-in-distress pay her rent," brimming with an accustomed cheerfulness, Natsu stood up abruptly, pulling the girl with him. "Hey Luce, I'm starving. Let's stop by the guild? I still haven't seen anyone. I decided to look for you first."

The blonde in question furrowed her brows together in slight irritation. "First of all, don't change the subject. I am not a damsel-in-distress. In fact, I've been doing missions quite frequently. That, and the fact that Erza and Gray have been very helpful have attributed to a roof over my head. Secondly, don't go around ruining a perfectly beautiful moment with your cavernous appetite. Have you no sense of artistry or appreciation?" Lucy huffed out, crossing her arms. The rosy haired boy laughed loudly, throwing his hands up in mock surrender.

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

"It feels kind of strange… Everything looks the same though…" Natsu stared at the large, wooden doors towering above him.

"Yeah. But… it doesn't feel so strange. You know, you haven't been gone for that long," Lucy bit her tongue carefully, balancing on one foot. That long. Yeah, right. He had no idea how long he was really gone – at least, how long it felt for her.

"Three years? I think you need to get your definition of 'long' rechecked, Luce," Natsu muttered, eyes fixated on the room before him.

No. An eternity. She thought to herself, eyes downcast. The dragonslayer's jerky movements brought her attention back to him.

"Hey, where's Happy?" Natsu questioned, slightly annoyed.

"Oh, don't worry about that. He's with Wendy right now! But I think he said he was going to stay at her place for the night… something with Charle, I don't know," Lucy wondered, moving a delicate finger to her chin. "Maybe we could se –,"

"…Natsu? NATSU. NATSU DRAGNEEL!" Lucy paused midsentence, just as Natsu was bombarded by Fairy Tail's mages.

"It's been too long, friend!"

"We've missed you!"

"Did you find anything?"

"And your health?"

"You look shorter…"

"Let's fight!"

"I can't believe it's been three years! You're so grown up now…"

"Did you bring me back a souvenir? Did you!"

From the sidelines, Lucy giggled as she watched Natsu's arms flailing around frantically, under attack by their friends and loved ones. She noticed Gray thumping him on the back in a congratulatory manner and Erza standing with her hands on her hips, approval etched onto her smiling face. Mirajane, aloft with happiness, tripped over a napping Macao in her attempt to reach Natsu. Cana, in a drunken stupor, threw herself upon him, effectively dropping her barrel (2) and splashing alcohol on everyone present. Gajeel, outraged, turned around to find the culprit of the sticky mess, and promptly banged foreheads with Levy. In retaliation, Team Shadow Gear (minus Levy, who sat on the floor rubbing her face dazedly) sent a table flying towards the iron dragonslayer, who deftly dodged it. Said table, en route to Gray, was quickly intercepted by a frantic Juvia, desperate to protect her idol. However, forgetting that hostile projectiles had no effect on her and would therefore pass through her liquid form without interruption, Juvia watched in horror as the table flew right by her and slammed into Gray. Erza, noting all that had happened, proceeded to punish Natsu, who was, at the moment, engaged in an arm wrestling contest with an alcohol drenched Elfman. When she descended upon him, Natsu ran away in terror, dragging Elfman with him and barreling into dozens of guildmembers along the way. Inevitably, Fairy Tail was yet again drawn into another fight; this particular fight, however, was overly rambunctious and joyous, as the guild's biggest – and most beloved – problem child had now returned.

Grinning from ear to ear, Lucy cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled out, "Welcome home, Natsuuu!" A pair of hands shot up from the entanglement of mismatched limbs and body parts and flashed her a fiery thumps up sign, before being dragged back down into the brawl.

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

"Ahh, that was fun!" Natsu raised his arms over his head and stretched, sighing contentedly. "Crazy bastards, all of them."

"You guys are seriously demented," Lucy observed, shaking her head. The sun had set quite a while ago, and now the city's streets were drenched in an ephemeral, bluish light. As the pair walked by the riverbank again, the moonlight timidly peeked out from above the towering rooftops, and lightly splashed the river's waters in a cerulean glow. A myriad of fireflies danced on the water's surface, their tiny bodies casting fleeting shadows all around. They had stayed at the guild until everyone had left, at which point Lucy pointed out that it was already past midnight. Natsu begged her to allow him to stay the night, and she freely relented, seeing as how his place had to "air out" before it was inhabitable again (or so he claimed).

The walk was quiet and very comfortable; the pair took solace in one another's presence, perfectly content to simply be. When Natsu stepped foot into the threshold of Lucy's living room, a rush of nostalgia attacked him, memories as vivid as yesterday dancing in his mind.

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

"No. Let me come. I can help."

"Lucy, we've gone over this before. This isn't like any mission we've ever taken."

"Natsu." The stellar spirit mage backed away from him, eyes panicked and filled with fear, apprehension, and an underlying tenderness. "Don't mess with me. Don't you dare."

"I'm not. Calm down, Luce, it'll be okay," he reassured soothingly, inwardly surprised at his partner's forceful reaction. "It'll only be for a few years; I'll be back before you know it!"

"Only?" She snorted with derision. "Right. So, I suppose I'm just supposed to find a new partner while you're gone? Spend my days alone? Lonely…" She looked down at her feet, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. Alarmed, Natsu reached out a hand beseechingly.

"Ah… well… Lucy, you'll still have everyone else at the guild…! I'll make sure Happy and Erza and Mira and Levy – even that round-eyed ice freak – I'll make sure they spend time with you!" He placed a hand on the crown of golden hair nestled at the top of her head, awkwardly patting the sniffling girl. Really now, he hadn't expected her to act so emotional. But, in a way, he was happy.

"Lonely again. I don't want to be lonely again," she whispered, her voice laced with unspoken fears. And then, he made a promise with himself – to get back to her as quickly as possible. He would go out, find Igneel, conclude his business, and return to her. His heartstrings pulled at him venomously, his resolve to embark on his journey gradually ebbing away. And so, the pair stood there well into the night: the girl, shivering with worry and longing, silently weeping into his shirt, and the taller boy, eyes marked with soft affection, whispering sweet nothings into her ear.

The next morning, Lucy saw him off with the biggest smile she could muster, waving her arms encouragingly. Walking off into the distance, he slowly faded out of sight.

His resolve hardened.

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

As Lucy sat beside a drowsy Natsu, she ran her fingers through his hair affectionately, reveling in the warmth that he gave off. Suddenly, her eyes took note of a long, nasty scar running down the right side of his arm. In a daze, she lowered her fingers to the botched, uneven skin, and traced the contours of his injury tentatively, tenderly. And it was then that she noticed all of his other scars – both old and newly acquired alike. Confused and sleepy-eyed, he looked down at her, wondering why she had stopped playing with his hair.

"You… Was it difficult? In the mountains, Natsu?" she whispered, continuing to trace her slim fingers along the elaborate network of injuries permanently etched onto his body.

"Mm, yeah. Mostly… being alone," he replied in the same hushed tone, leaning back to allow her further access.

Lucy smiled ruefully, remembering how pitifully she had clung to him for the same reasons. Selfish, was what she was. She was still here, at the guild, safe and warm in the confines of her home. And yet, she chose to burden him with her own fears and misgivings – burden him with her own suffering, which now seemed insignificant in the face of his own. He had probably traversed the entire mountainside, sleeping in little to no shelter, eating God knows what. He was gone for three years, and for her, just sitting here, day after day, it had been an eternity. How had it been for him? Had he even talked to people while he was searching? And how had he felt, after having been unsuccessful in locating his father? When he came to the spot that Igneel had just vacated, was his own heart torn asunder by despair and hopelessness? She marveled at his sheer willpower and strength. Truly, only Natsu would have been able to look forward with his usual lopsided grin and shining eyes after having faced such dejection and desperation. If it had been her in the middle of the wilderness, secluded from humanity for three years, she would have given up and let herself wallow in her own self-pity and abject worthlessness. She figured, however, that the loneliness would have been the worst part for him. He had always surrounded himself with boisterous friends and an energetic atmosphere. To seclude himself in such desolation… it was a wonder that the sheer fact of being alone did not drive him mad. And to think, she had been so selfish, so self-indulged and absorbed in her own feelings, she had completely cast his aside. And yet, he had not uttered a single word about his trials or his hardships. He had chosen not to burden her with his misgivings, and how he had suffered for it, alone and afraid. She didn't deserve to be sitting near him, to be touching him, right now.

Lucy stood up from the bed silently, and turned away from Natsu, who was by now, almost nearly asleep.

"I'm so sorry," she apologized softly, shaking her head.

"For what, Luce? Come back to bed…" he mumbled, clearly not focused. She stayed rooted in her spot, and shook her head again.

"I wanted to help you. I wanted to be there, standing beside you when you found your father. Why don't you ever let me help you?" She questioned, her words ringing through the night. Unfortunately, at this point, Natsu had his eyes closed and was barely lucid. He once again beckoned to her, asking her to come back to bed.

"Cause… what kind of partner would I be if I let you get hurt?" He chuckled drowsily. "When Igneel left… I was sad. But Lucy, if you left me, I don't think…" Natsu breathed out slowly, snuggling deeper into the pillows. "I don't think… I would be able to stand it."

She listened as his breathing deepened and evened out. Unbeknownst to the sleeping dragonslayer, warm, salty tears were traveling in parallel, fluid streaks down her cheeks, slipping down, hidden, into the dark recesses of her nightgown. Lucy wiped her tears slowly, pensively, and climbed into bed beside her more-than-friend. Smoothing his unruly, rosy locks away from his forehead, she pulled him to her, clasping his head against her heart – silent, comforting, protective.

She felt his left arm sling over her waist possessively, enveloping her in a warm curtain of familiar heat. Lucy smiled serenely, and murmured into the night, "I can't promise to fix all of your problems, but I can promise you'll never have to face them alone again."

Outside the window, the near translucent moon gleamed brightly, as if in approval of the two sleepers.

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

(1): I have noooo idea what color his eyes are. Random speculation! If anyone finds out, I'll be happy to edit things.

(2): Cana's… barrel? She's frequently shown chugging alcohol from a giant, life-sized barrel in both the anime and the manga. Blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol.

A?N: Well, so instead of studying for my psychology midterm (which is tomorrow, btw), I decided to write this…! Ta-dah? But no really, I saw some other people complaining about it, but it's true! This fandom lacks a sufficient amount of LucyxNatsu stories! THIS SADDENS ME. Anyway. Reviews are greatly appreciated. If I know people want me to continue these one-shots, then I'll keep working on it! But otherwise, I'll scrap this project in lieu of another one or something… So please and thank you.