#phantombones

Natsu watched her carefully, remaining silent before quirking his mouth up in a mischievous grin. "Since when do you go around picking fights?"

Lucy flashed a challenging smile, spreading her feet and crouching in a fighting stance. "Since when do you go around denying one?"

Natsu snickered, cracking his knuckles with a spark in his eye. "I never said no."

Lucy smiled wider, "Good. You better not go easy on me!"

"You saw what I did to that coliseum," Natsu grinned.

Her cheeks dusted pink when his eyes flashed down, but she held her determined stare. "I know, but don't hold back! Fight me like you'd fight Gray!"

Natsu laughed, thrusting his fist into the air and igniting it with flames. "Alright! Get ready, I'm all fired—whoa!"

His body crashed to the floor, his wrists pinned on either side of his face as Lucy's weight sank on his leg. He grunted from the fall, his back throbbing against the soil of the forest as the flames dwindled from his fists. He felt her fingers squeeze his wrists, locking them in place, and his eyes opened to her body above his, her legs straddling his thigh and her torso hovering over his.

He stared blankly as the blood rush receded from his head, and then his eyes widened.

Lucy was panting softly, strands of blonde hair coming loose from her ponytail and framing her face. Her weight on his leg was heavy—was she gaining weight again?—but it was tight, and warm, strikingly warm as her body heat seeped through his clothes. His face grew hot at the thought as he snapped his gaze elsewhere, but his eyes fell to her cleavage, her breasts on perfect display for his wandering eyes as it rose and fell with her quiet breaths. He snapped his gaze away once more, whipping her face, but the look in her eyes made his stomach drop. They were blazing, gleaming with pride, her cheeks faintly pink from the adrenaline rush and her rosy pink lips curving into a satisfied smile.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a second. What just happened? A moment ago, he had summoned flames to his fists, and the next thing he knew, Lucy had him pinned. When did she—?

His mouth pursed as the recollection hit him. When he dashed forward, Lucy sprinted forward with an even faster speed, swooping to the floor and swinging her leg around in a full circle. She hit the back of his ankles, sending him crashing backwards, and she swiftly straddled him then, securing his wrists by his face and immobilizing his lower body.

She did all that in a matter of seconds.

Whoa.

Lucy gave a small huff, tossing her hair out of her eyes. "Well," she began, "can't go burning down a coliseum with your wrists locked, can you?"

Natsu snapped out of his thoughts, shaking his head and scowling at her. "Oh yeah? We'll see about—ow!"

She twisted his wrists before he could combust his hands into flames, sending a rush of pain ripping through his arms.

"Locked," Lucy repeated, flashing a proud smirk.

"I get it!" Natsu grumbled, struggling beneath her grasp. "Can you quit—Lucy!"

"Squirming makes it worse!"

"I ain't squirmin'!"

"Yes you are!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too—!"

"They liiiike each other~"

The two glanced to the side, finding Happy sniggering behind some pieces of fish. Lucy flushed pink while Natsu furrowed his brow.

"This—we're not—kyaa!"

She squealed when she suddenly found herself on her back, Natsu rolling on top of her and crossing her wrists above her head.

"HA!" he shouted, flashing a triumphant grin. "I win!"

Lucy wriggled beneath him, vainly tugging her wrists from his grip before blowing her hair out of her eyes. "Not—quite!"

She swung her leg over his opposite foot, hooking it in place before sliding out from beneath him. Natsu blinked when he felt her arms latch around his neck and chest, throwing his shoulder to the ground and pinning him in place. Her other leg came up and locked around his waist, restraining him once more.

Natsu growled in frustration, struggling vigorously beneath her grasp. "Again?! How do you do that?!"

"Can't move, can you?!" Lucy beamed, tightening her hold.

"Just kiss already!" Happy chirped, earning an embarrassed glare from Lucy and puzzled look from Natsu.

"Shut up, cat!"

Lucy untangled herself from Natsu, pushing herself up on her feet and dusting herself off. Natsu swiped the dirt from his cheek and sat forward, sliding a knee to his chest and resting his elbow against it.

"Jeez, Luce. Where did you learn to do that?"

"Yukino taught me," Lucy replied, wiping her hands together before extending her hand to Natsu. "Impressive, huh?"

Natsu beamed at her, rubbing beneath his nose before slapping his hand in hers. "Awesome!"

She helped pull him up, blushing faintly at the compliment as she twirled a lock of her hair. "Thank you. It took some practice, but—"

"Let's do it again!"

"Eh?!"

"I've never lost to Gray! It's always been a draw! But you—I have to beat you! To make it even!"

Lucy laughed nervously at the flames burning in his eyes. "U-Um, maybe we should call it a day—"

"Here I come! Fire Dragon's—ow!"

His face hit the dirt, his knees against the ground with his waist in the air. Natsu quickly scrambled to his feet, shaking off the stars spinning around his head.

"I ain't givin' up! Fire Dra—ow!"

He fell on his back with his legs over his head, eyes swirling in dizzy whirls. Standing up once more, he gathered his footing, swaying side to side.

"O… One more ti—damn it!"

He gasped for air under Lucy's vice grip, her elbow locked around his neck and pressing into his throat. He smacked the ground and she released her chokehold, flashing an apologetic smile as he drew in deep breaths.

"H… How?!" he panted, tugging at the scarf on his neck. "Some kind of new magic?!"

"Not exactly," Lucy replied kindly, wiping a smudge of dirt from his cheek. "It's called Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu."

Natsu's eyes widened at the name. "Will you teach me?!"

Lucy flinched as a warm blush spread across her cheeks. "Eh?!"

"Please?!" Natsu asked, shuffling in front of her before bowing a few times. "Please, angel Lucy?!"

Lucy's face flamed at the thought. Teaching required body contact—close, intimate, crossing personal boundaries contact, and to teach him—she blushed darker at the thought. Natsu, panting and sweaty beneath her, her hips straddling his or him straddling her, his breath on her neck and his hands on her skin—

"Lucy? Hello?" Natsu called, waving a hand in front of her face. "Is that a yes?"

"Um—" Lucy stammered, trying to rid the images flooding her mind, "u-uh—"

"Yes!" Natsu shouted, engulfing her in a choking hug. "Thanks Luce! You're the best!"

Lucy squeaked, growing rigid as he swayed her side to side. "I—never said—!"

"We'll start training tomorrow! I'll get up super early! Catch us the best fish ever!" He suddenly dropped her from his arms, making her squeal as her backside hit the floor. "Speaking of fish, I'll grab us some right now! What kind do you want Luce? Salmon? Trout? King trout?"

He wiggled his eyebrows, leaning close to her face while Lucy nervously leaned away. "Um—whatever you can find!"

"Alright! I'll be back, sensei!" Lucy twitched as Natsu sprang to his feet, immediately dashing away. "Happy!"

"Aye sir!"

"The biggest fish for Lucy!"

"But what about us?!"

"We'll get big ones too, but Lucy gets the biggest!"

"But won't she gain weight?"

"Huh, she did feel heavier—"

"I can still hear you!" Lucy shouted, flinging rocks after the two.

"Ow! Sorry, sensei!" Natsu chortled, his laughter echoing down the path he sprinted down while Happy drifted behind.