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Lucy’s never been one to believe in fate. After all, she denounced the idea of her fate of being an heiress. Natsu, too, was completely against the idea of fate. He fought against the notion that he was just some being his brother had designed to kill himself. So both Natsu and Lucy destroyed the idea of destiny altogether.
“I’m going to burn fate into a pile of ashes,” Natsu had said.
So then, why was Lucy sitting on a mat in the middle of the forest watching the fire dragon sleep with thoughts of fate running through her head.
About a week ago she picked up a book on neutralizing magic and other spells, thinking it may serve some purpose for the rest of the 100 year’s quest. As she was reading it, her eyes fell to one line:
'Love spells prove to be so powerful that they are only able to be neutralized if the caster is defeated or if the victim is in the presence of their soulmate.'
“True love breaks the curse, huh?” she giggled. After all, it sounded just like any old fairy tale.
But there was something gnawing at the back of her mind. She started thinking about her and Natsu’s very first encounter in Hargeon, how one look at his face broke the love spell Bora cast on her.
She blanched. It couldn’t be right. There’s no way that reckless dragon, who was completely clueless about romance, was her soulmate. “What a load of bull,” she uttered while closing the book.
Sure she loved him, but she knew those feelings would forever be unrequited and she had made her peace with that a long time ago, before they even left for this quest. Natsu isn’t into romance and all that stuff, so how could he be her soulmate, anyhow?
But there she was watching him sleep a week later, and still thinking about the words written on that page.
Could it be? Was his and her relationship really written in the stars. Was their meeting and friendship pre-determined long ago? Does this mean that there is any chance Natsu and her are going to fall in love? Real romantic love?
She shook those thoughts off, but she still couldn’t help but keep thinking. 400 years ago. He’s from 400 years ago. He was dead and then brought back to life. 400 years ago. Her own ancestor was the one who knit the scarf he loves so much. She brought him here. He traveled 400 years into the future, and her own mother opened up that gate for fuck’s sake. Then he happened to join the one guild she had dreamed of joining as a little girl.
And when that fateful fucking day in Hargeon came, he broke that spell and took her to her new life. He gave her a new family, and a new purpose. And he loved her. He may not have ever said it out loud, hell, she hasn’t either, and it may not be romantic, but after all this time she would be stupid to think he didn’t.
He caught her when she fell. He protected her with his life. He turned into E.N.D for her for God's sake.
She must have been thinking too loud, because she felt Natsu stirring beside her. He leaned up on his elbows and opened his eyes.
“Lucy,” his groggy voice pulling her from her thoughts, “what time is it?”
His hair was disheveled and anyone could see just how tired he was by the look of his eyes.
“Late. Go back to sleep.”
He chortled. “Say’s the one who’s been up all night.” He sits up next to her. “Is everything ok?”
Lucy sighs, “Yeah everything is fine, let’s go to sleep.”
Before she can go to lie down, he grabs her arm and puts his other around her waist pulling her to his side.
“Come on, I can tell when something’s bothering ya. Besides you’re the one always pushing me to talk about my feelings and stuff. Kinda- fuck what’s the word uh- hip- it was somethin’ like hippo-”
“Hypocritical.”
“Yeah that!” he grinned, “See, you’re better with words than I am. It makes more sense why you should be the one usin' them.”
His grin was contagious so she found her smiling too.
“Nothing’s wrong. I was just thinking.”
She wasn’t sure if she wanted to share what she had discovered yet. She didn’t want to scare him off, after all she knew he was content with the way things were, and honestly she couldn’t say she minded either.
Teetering on the edge between friends and lovers didn’t have to be a bad thing. It was kind of the best of both worlds. Of course, she would have to live in constant fear of other girls taking him away, like when she thought Touka liked him. And she definitely couldn’t have a kid with him like Edo-Natsu and Edo-Lucy.
And, worst of all, she definitely couldn’t kiss him on nights when he looked particularly handsome.
On nights when the moonlight reflected off of his perfect face. When anyone could forget that this boy could be anything but gentle. On nights when you would never think he would be a dragon, but rather expect him to be a prince.
On nights like this one.
The intensity of his eyes were almost too much to bear. So she looked away, and asked something she may soon regret.
“Natsu, do you believe in soulmates?”
He let out a chuckle before ruffling her hair. “Of course I do, you weirdo. We’re soulmates.”
She looked up at him with her jaw ajar only to see him gleaming down at her with a smile that he could melt the world with if he wanted to. She quickly regained composure. Surely he didn’t mean it.
“Do you know what a soulmate is, Natsu?”
He huffed and looked away. “Yes I know what a soulmate is. It’s when two people are meant to be together.”
He looked up at the stars and smiled. “Igneel used to tell me all the time. He used to say that there’s someone out there who was made for me and I was made for them too.”
He then looked at Lucy who was still tucked away at his side. “Igneel told me that when I met them, I would know that they’re my soulmate because I would know that I would do anything for them.”
He squeezed Lucy a bit tighter and smiled when he watched her blush. Softly he said, “I would do anything for you.”
Lucy, on the other hand, was beet red. She was sure he could hear her heartbeat because hell, she could hear it.
She opened her mouth to say something, but after that, what could she say?
Finally, she breathed. “And you said you weren’t good with words.”
He barked out a laugh and settled down, looking at her again with a soft smile on his face. “Ya know I love you, Luce.”
She felt her face get hotter.
“And I know I’m not some Prince Charming, and I’m not great at the romance stuff, and maybe I haven’t really said it out loud all that much. But,” He stared into her eyes so deeply, that she was sure he could see the essence of her soul, “I love you.”
Lucy was pretty sure that if Natsu hadn’t been holding her to his side she would have melted right onto the ground like a puddle of goo.
She didn’t know what to say or do, but with Natsu’s gaze still on her with so much fearlessness, genuineness, and something she could only describe as maybe adoration. She decided to be brave too.
She lifted the hands she had been fiddling with from her lap and moved them to gently cradle Natsu’s face. Her thumbs moved back and forth against his cheeks to make sure to herself that he was real, that this was real.
And without hesitation she pushed forward and pressed a soft and delicate kiss to his lips. She held her lips to his for a while, but, noticing his lack of movement, she decided to pull away.
However, just as she was about pulling back, he lifted the hand that wasn’t on her waist to push her lips back to his. Kissing her with such intensity, in a way that was both ferocious and gentle at the same time. In a way that silently sent a message of “I love you. I have always loved you. I will always love you.” to her.
He pushed her down on the flimsy mat they were sitting on and removed his lips from hers to continue to pepper soft kisses all over her cheeks, forehead, and nose.
In between his kisses, he whispered, “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this.”
She giggled. “I’m sure it hasn’t been longer than me. I didn’t think you were into this sort of thing.”
Natsu snorted. “Lucy, if it’s with you, rest assured I have always been ‘into it’.”
She directed his face back to where his lips would meet hers and left a short, sweet, and delicate kiss before grazing her nose against his.
He leaned his forehead against hers. Allowing each other to gaze aimlessly and lovingly into each other’s eyes.
Softly, she spoke, “I love you too.”