With the movie Mean Girls playing in the background, the main attention was Lucy's endless sobs, the makeup she'd put on for her "date" with Gapri running down her face.

"C'mon Lu, all you need to do is have a few drinks and get a man wrapped around your finger tonight!" Cana wrapped her arm around the Celestial Mage's shoulders, shaking her body. "If the  man can fight you on Facebook but can't confront you bout it, he ain't worth it." 

Lucy didn't bother listening, the words going in one ear and out the other. Nothing else intoxicated her brain other than the Dragon Slayer, her hand shaking as she reread his replies in the comment section over and over. 

It's not like he ever left her mind, and he was damn right about it, and she despises it. She wish she could hate him. Yes, she screamed and felt herself crash in her getaway car from every word he wrote, no matter how far she tried to escape, he knew her like every trail on the back of his hand. 

He never left her mind; he's always there. Mentally, if not physically. 

But she was frightened. Every time she'd run off on a date, she'd find herself crawling back into his warm embrace, drying up stray tears and placing delicate kisses on her hair, and every now and then found her hands tangled up in his salmon locks, remembering every trace of how good his lips met hers. She was infatuated, wondering how she was able to live without him before they met between four and five years ago, and how she'd do it now that he was gone. 

He was her best friend and so much more, and she loved him in more ways than she could ever love herself, much less accept herself for breaking his heart just to stitch it back together. 

Levy put a plate in front of Lucy, sadly glancing at her. "The cake's done, here's a slice." 

Everything just reminded her of him, reminiscing to his goofy gestures of swiping his finger on the edge of the frosting bowl to have a taste only to run away before she could deliver a kick. He'd sly back soon enough, never able to keep his hands away as he hugged her from behind, watching her bake while humming a soft tune. 

"Lucy, you're spacing out again," Erza piped from the side.

Lucy blinked a few times, the tears rolling down her cheeks reminding her of her mistakes. "O-Oh, sorry about that it's just.." her voice gave up, breath shaky with a trembling heart. 

Evergreen place a hand on her shoulder, as away to secure her with any comfort, "We know, you don't have to say anything, we're here for you." 

"But he was right." Lucy mumbled. 

"Lucy, it's okay to realize a mistake," Mira gently pressed, taking a bite of cake. "I'm really happy that you cancelled your date with Gapri, even if he is a nice guy. I don't know you like Natsu does, but take the time to think things over, this'll pass by soon."

Lucy silently nodded her head. 

He was her stable force, a stability in the chaotic world they lived in, something she desperately needed. It's a strange feeling, and it's lingered for too long. It's overwhelming, yet made her feel complete to content without her mother's love at her side. It has no bound nor length or depth; only absolute. She felt as if she was in a dangerous fire, yet calm as being enveloped in a warmth that only shielded her. Her heart danced around her chest, and a hole that she'd been living with her whole life was now full. 

Lucy didn't want to hurt him like this, he was the one completing her life. 

And damn did Hell know she regrets ever accepting Gapri's offer after he'd held her heart for the night and years beforehand. 

  __________ ∙∘✧❀✧∘∙__________

"Natsu." 

"Natsu, I didn't mean what I said on my post."

"Natsu!" 

Natsu finally gazed his eyes on the exceed desperately trying to grab his attention, big tears endlessly flowing down from his regretful eyes. "What is it, Happy?"

Happy lowered his eyes, a flash of regret in his voice, "I don't want you and Lucy to fight."

"It's not your fault, don't worry bout it, buddy." Natsu could've eaten those words alive, heck, how could the blue cat not be concerned? He blew up online before he could stop himself.

Then again, when it comes to her, most likely nothing could've stopped him from displaying his jealousy. Dammit, he couldn't imagine seeing the bastard with his best friend for life. 

"If you really love her, Natsu, you'd go do all the things you commented. You should go to her apartment." 

"She's probably with him," He reminded, a bitter taste in his tone to emphasize his reference. 

Happy anxiously flew around the room. "You never know, Lucy could've changed her mind about the whole thing! There's no harm in trying, I don't wanna see her avoiding us tomorrow at the guild." His tail wagged back and forth. 

Natsu closed his eyes as he laid on the couch, arms stretched behind his head. 

He'd never been in love, but by gods was it killing him inside out. He kept falling harder as time passed, and it fucking scared him. There wasn't a thing he wouldn't do to keep her safe, but there was times when he wanted to caress her face in the palm of his strong hands and melt into a kiss everyday. He wanted, needed more of her, and to nobody else. 

His breaths got heavier each moment he imagined her delicate finger running through tuffs of aqua, tracing darkening tanned skin, soft pink lips meeting another mans' inside instead of them replaying endless nights under the stars, his own hands holding hers as if he promised her the world. 

Tears pricked the corner of Natsu's eyes, each one slipping down the sides of his cheeks. 

Just the past couple weeks, he almost couldn't breathe. 

His hands reached for his phone, rereading that one certain comment section that set his heart ablaze and mind spinning. 

Gapri: Blonde goes a lot better with teal instead of pink ;)

Gray: Yeah, a pink-haired dumbass

Lucy: Who're y'all talkin' bout? Learn your shade names because there isn't a pink-haired dumbass anywhere

Gray: Don't play around wtf

Lucy: Pretty sure Blonde and salmon have a nice ring to it

Natsu: Luce

Natsu: You're being serious? Please don't be fucking joking

Lucy:..Maybe ❤️

Did she truly mean that? 

If it was a lie, at least it made him feel like he still held a part of her heart in his. 

But he wanted to know the damn truth. There were nights she'd run off with a tinder date, and he'd be waiting inside her apartment for the beautiful woman to come rushing back in his embrace, tears staining her cheeks, amber eyes trusting him. Times when she'd held onto him like he was the one thing existing, and he used his tricks to get her to finally smile. Because of him. 

Those few times when Natsu didn't regret showing his affection, his desperate heart temporary healed and his mind fogged of love. He could barely hold back from her delicate kisses on his cheek, remembering how soft her plump lips felt on his skin, her intoxicating vanilla scent driving him wild. 

"I don't know when I'll be back, Happy," Natsu wiped his face, suddenly getting up from the couch and heading towards the door, "but if I don't come back by tomorrow morning, just go to the guild." 

Natsu left, noticing that it was almost past midnight, but he didn't care. 

He didn't check how much time passed as he hurried his way to his second home, the person he loved more than anything running through his mind. He messed up before when he left for a year; he should've taken her along the ride. 

He remembers the moment he knew he was truly, madly, and deeply in love with his best friend, and he thought he'd lost her again. It was before he'd irrationally stormed out and fought Gray like he wanted to murder him, his demonic anger taking over his body before Erza stepped into their murderous battle, reminding them that they were family.

His eyes flashed blank when he held her limp, motionless body in his shaking arms, screaming her name over and over. Tears shed down his face when she didn't answer, chocolate eyes refusing to open. 

Natsu thought Lucy was dead. Gone. 

After Juvia and Gray had fell to the ground, he remembers the familiar arms holding his head against her chest, silently thanking Igneel and all the gods above she was safe. 

Natsu realized that he was already climbing up to her window, glancing in to see Erza, Levy, and a bunch of others just leave her apartment. He raised an eyebrow in question, wondering why they'd be there if Lucy wasn't. 

Silently, he slid the glass open and slipped through into her room, ears perking to hear light footsteps approaching. Who the hell?-

Bronze eyes met emerald, frozen for a long moment. 

"O-Oh, it's y-you," Lucy mumbled, snapping her gaze to the ground, hurrying to her bathroom. 

"Lucy, wait." 

Natsu's hand grabbed her wrist gently, his thumb rubbing circles against her skin. "I just wanted...wanted to know h-how it went with..him." 

"I cancelled on him." 

Did he hear her correctly, or was his mind playing games? 

"You what?" Natsu asked, his hopes slowly rising in his chest. 

"Nothing."

"No, tell me." He said, more agitated by the second. 

She barely shook her head, a small whimper escaping.

"Lucy, just tell me, damnit!"

Lucy spun around, tears already streaming down her cheeks again, "I said I-I c-cancelled on him!" Her voice quivered before her body stumbled into his, cried racketing against his hard chest. "I couldn't i-if you were-!" She pounded her fists against him, fingers tangling into his thin vest. 

Natsu didn't miss a second before wrapping his arms around her into a secure embrace, palm pressed against the small of her back, promising to never let go. "Lucy, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Luce I'm so sorry," He whispered, placing light kisses on her hair between each apology. The simple touch of her clinging to him sent a coursing fire in his veins, swelling up inside. He loved her, he loved her so deeply, and he'd do anything to make her sobs diminish. 

Lucy clenched his navy vest harder. "Y-You were r-right, you're right, I-I'm scared, I-I can't-please don't go." Her desolate sobbing was muffled by his scarf, her heart taking a sporadic jump when Natsu placed a kiss on her neck, her shoulder, caressing her in ways she longed for from him. No other man could hold her and truly care for her mind, body, and soul, and she wanted him more. "It's j-just not the same w-with anyone else." 

"I'm not leaving, ever." Natsu huskily mumbled, his cheek grazing against hers. 

"Natsu, I don't want to waste my time.." 

His hand reached up to gently caress her cheek, his empowering gaze taking ahold of hers, "What do you mean?" 

She bit her lip, feeling his hot breath against her. "Take me somewhere, I know the best nights of my life happen with you, nobody knows me like you." 

That trusting smile again, her burgundy eyes glimmering with a lust that captured his, something he knew all too well. "Well, at times like this.." He gently smiled, "I wouldn't want anything except to see you smile, Luce. Not just from anything, but 'cause of me. I didn't mean to get angry, but I..." his voice trailed off, touching their temples together.

Her hands rested against his chest. "Natsu?"

He audibly gulped. "I'm sorry, it's nothing, I just...couldn't stand the thought of an asshole like him makin' ya laugh, that's all." 

Lucy nuzzled her nose against his, both blushing as she smiled with teary eyes, "Thank you, and I don't think anyone could. Who could beat the most closest person to me, anyways?" 

Gods, did he love it when she whispered sweet nothings into his ear, enchanting in such a way that drove him mad while calming the untamed scorches of flames in his chest. It lit his heart on fire to be cliché, her lustful ombre eyes making it hard to catch a breath. He savored each precious thing about her, and he wasn't going to stop this time. 

No words were said, but they could hear it in the silence, seeing the lusting gazes in the dark with the little light the moon peeked through the window. 

Lucy let her eyes flutter closed and hands grip his shoulder and hair when he tilted his head, anticipating more than his embrace. 

His lips finally touched hers, gently pressing together. Sparks flew in all directions, time seemed to slow down, the world was slowly disappearing along with their worries when they became lost in each other. She made him feel like none of that mattered, the kiss warm and deeper the longer it lingered. The past few kisses were light and delicate, but this was a new depth. It was intimate and electrifying, more passionate than he could take as her lips moved against his. 

Lucy ran her hands along the sides of his face, hair, not noticing her fingers slipped off his vest. No, he wasn't her first kiss, but nothing would compare to the passionate feeling he gave her. A soft moan escaped when his hands trailed from her hips to under her thighs, tenderly squeezing to pick her up and press her against her bedroom wall. 

A smile grew on his face when they parted for a moment, his face cheekily red from his neck  to his hairline. He loved the way she looked at him, soft chocolate orbs gazing in his, pink swollen lips asking for more with a gentleness. Gods, was she beautiful. 

"Can anyone make you feel like this?" Natsu gently asked, but with a hint of seriousness.

Lucy almost sighed in pleasure when he pressed his hips and chest against her, biting her lip to hold back. "No, not at all."

"Good, 'cause I'm very possessive what belongs with me," Natsu husked, but grinned when she smiled back at him. 

"I'm sure you are," Lucy wrapped her arms around his neck, meeting his lips again with more burning passion and sparks than before. All the drama from online, her insecurities and troubles vanished, her feeling his every emotion through their kisses while losing track of time. 

She wasn't surprised to see him fall asleep next to her the next morning, his arms holding her close to his chest, but a small smile appeared on his lips when she gave a gentle kiss on his hair. 

  __________ ∙∘✧❀✧∘∙__________

Author's Note! Since the last update, I figured I'd try to add a tiny bit of drama and spice, and I wanted your feedback. Did you guys enjoy this part? Should I stick to Facebook comments? I figured it would be sort of difficult for them to resolve online, and maybe doing this every once in a while will make the story more interesting. Let me know what your thoughts are! Thank you for supporting me with all your laughable jokes and commentary, I read all of your guys' replies <3