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1.
The first thing that Natsu liked about her is how she loves their guild so much during their first meeting. Remembering how her chocolate brown eyes sparkled due to excitement from talking about Fairy Tail brings warmth deep inside his heart, something that he hasn’t noticed after years of being with her.
“Thanks for saving me back there.” Lucy says after Natsu unknowingly saved her from being hypnotized by the fake salamander during their first encounter in Hargeon. It was the start of a magical adventure that was filled with surprises.
Bringing her to Fairy Tail was one of the things he is proud about, reminiscing how brave she was during their tough times as a guild, never giving up when it disbanded as she took note where everybody was, and staying true to herself as a loyal member of their family.
“Even so, I still want to be in the guild…” Lucy cries in front of Natsu for the first time after being captured by ‘Phantom Lord’, as she tells him about her desire to stay in her dream guild. “I love Fairy Tail!”
Natsu’s eyes trembled upon realizing the fact that he doesn’t know how to calm the once bright girl whose dream was to be a part of this guild.
“Then just stay with us. What’s the deal?” Natsu questions her but couldn’t receive a reply as she was crying out loud already, releasing the pent-up frustrations and guilt deep inside her heart. Even with Happy beside him, Natsu doesn’t know what to do.
He sighs. “I’ll carry you on my back then, okay?”
That’s how much Lucy loves Fairy Tail, as Natsu is to it as well.
2.
The second thing that Natsu liked about her is her love towards her nakama. After seeing how kind and appreciative she was towards her celestial spirits, thinking of them as partners instead of weapons became the main reason why Natsu decided to ask her to join his team.
Witnessing how she battled alongside with them, side by side, is something Natsu has admired about her for a long time now. He started believing in her abilities and wanted to protect it for as long as he can do so.
Just remembering how broken she was during the grand magic games due to her magic being depleted by a member of the master’s son brings pain in Natsu’s chest, wanting nothing more but to avenge her in that place.
“Don’t cry, Lucy.” Natsu says to Lucy as she cries in the middle of the stadium, wounded, and defeated through illegal means.
“I can’t help it…” Lucy whispers in between her sobs. “It’s just not fair.”
“No, it’s not. That’s why we’ll pay them back a hundred times over.” Natsu stretched his hand out, offering to help her stand. “You were amazing. You proved that seven-year gap means nothing. We still got a fighting chance!”
“Zero points means nothing to me. This is our chance to make an epic comeback!”
“Yeah.” Lucy grabs his hand as tears continue to fall down her wounded face. “I’m fired up now.”
Natsu gently pulls her up, wishing for the day where he can fight comes sooner.
3.
The third thing Natsu likes about Lucy is her selflessness. Just remembering how he failed in protecting the future Lucy from death brings pain deep inside his chest, choking him, torturing him, until he can’t endure it anymore.
“Protect… the future…” Future Lucy says, entrusting everything to the present fairy tail members.
Filled with sadness and pain, Natsu can only grit his teeth after witnessing the death of a member of their guild, his precious friend.
“Then I’ll just turn fate into a pile of ashes!” He screams after countering an attack from future Rogue which was directed again to Lucy. “I won’t let anyone take Lucy’s future from her! “
“I promise.” He says as a tear finally escaped from his eye.
Being selfless has its own consequences. Natsu may like that kind of value present within her, but it pains him to see how it can negatively affect her instead. Just like how she sacrificed her first celestial spirit, Aquarius, to summon the Celestial King who was the only spirit that can fight equally to Mard Geer.
This was done just to save her dear friends in the guild that was trapped by the ‘Alegria’. If only Natsu had held her hand when they were being separated at the time, maybe he too might have been unaffected by the alegria.
But that was only a huge ‘what if’. He can only hope for Lucy to find Aquarius’ key during their future travels. Natsu is willing to stay by her side if it takes, wishing for her to achieve happiness.
4.
The fourth thing that Natsu loves about her is her smile. The smile that lights up the whole room as warmth continues to fill his heart.
Here inside the guild hall where laughter can be heard at every corner of the room, Natsu couldn’t help but notice her laugh first. That gentle and elegant smile that captures her beauty can’t be compared. It took him a while, but eventually, that smile melted something inside Natsu that he wasn’t even aware that existed.
“Oi Natsu.” Lucy calls out to him in the guild hall as he was munching down a fire chicken, her figure leaning towards him. “Want to go out with me?”
It took him a full second before responding back to her. “We already are though?”
“N-not that!” Lucy stutters as her face eventually became as red as a tomato making the young dragon slayer smile. “It’s a rare day off, I’m just asking you out on a date… is all.”
Natsu couldn’t stop himself from widening his smile that was already plastered on his face. Ever since he ‘told’ Lucy that he liked her, there has been some awkward moments, but nonetheless, there has been a shift in their relationship.
Like how she initiates their dates or how Natsu places his arms around Lucy’s shoulders or waist, implying to the passerby’s that she’s his, and his alone.
So, with that thought in mind, Natsu deliberately placed his arms around her waist while placing his chin on top of her shoulder. “Where do you wanna go?”
Lucy gulps. “J-just a stroll near the river. I heard from Levy-chan about the new spot there that became popular just a few days ago.”
“Hmm…” Natsu sniffs a part of her neck, making the young celestial wizard flinch. It wasn’t enough for Natsu to tease her from just that kind of action, but seeing where they currently are, he decided to postpone such an act for later evening. “Gotcha. Lead the way.”
“Where’s Happy by the way?” Lucy asks him as they were walking out the guildhall, hands linked together. Natsu could only shrug his shoulders, wishing that his partner has at least gone up a step to his romantic endeavors.
Seeing his oblivious response, Lucy laughed, telling him to be more mindful as to where his partner goes.
“At least he’s understanding to the point of knowing that I wanted to be alone with you today.” He smirks upon noticing how his words affect Lucy so much. “Do you not feel the same?”
“I do!” Lucy quickly replies, gripping his hand more firmly than ever. When she finally noticed the little grin that Natsu has on his face, she pouts. “I mean, you already know that though. You became such a tease. Bring me back my idiot Natsu.”
“He’s still here.” Lucy’s smile widened, warming both or their hearts from this small yet meaningful interaction. “And I’ll never leave you again, Luce.”
5.
The fifth thing that Natsu loves about her is how she can make him feel complete just by being beside him in his daily life. From morning upon waking up only to feel her body pressed against him, and until later evening when they go to sleep.
Natsu hasn’t thought about anything romantic in the past, but now that she’s here beside him, all he wants to think is how to keep it that way.
Teasing her by breaking into her room, littering her floor from the chips they brought just to see her mad, and pulling her whole body to start their morning with a job in mind.
“We’re always gonna be together now!” Natsu boldly proclaims in the past just before taking up the hundred-year quest, assuring Lucy for more adventures to come. If they are together, side by side, this long and everlasting journey will be filled with merriment and joy.
What a beautiful world that would be.
“Hey Natsu?” Lucy whispers underneath the bedsheets, calling his name for his attention. “What are you thinking about?”
Natsu roamed his eyes on his lovers features just before responding to her question. “About the things I like most about you.”
“How romantic.” Lucy chuckles, making him laugh as well. “How many have you thought of?”
“Currently five.”
Lucy raised her eyebrows. “Just five? You have to give me more credit you know.”
Natsu kisses her forehead before diving underneath the sheets to cuddle. Lucy can’t help but groan, and eventually pulled him in for a more comfortable position.
“I love you.” Natsu says, surprising the celestial wizard.
She smiled, wrapping her arms around him. “I love you too.”