Chapter Text
The driver shut the door behind Natsu as he ripped the tie from his neck. “Ugh, finally, this thing was really starting to strangle me.” We snuck out of the reception early just after deciding to go on vacation together to the Spirit World. I thought we were pretty conspicuous about it, until I made eye contact with Bolin while hailing a cab who, upon realizing we were leaving together before the party was even over, gave me a little thumbs up. As soon as I’m back in Republic City, I’m going to take him out to eat as a thank you.
I slid all the way along in the backseat to create some space between us. We had agreed already that we didn’t want to risk making out in the back of the cab. We didn’t want the world to find out about us via tabloid headline: Avatar Natsu and CEO of Future Industries Caught Kissing the Cab! We wanted to have a little time for ourselves. We wanted to tell everyone ourselves. So as much as I wanted to spend the drive kissing him, I refrained.
But, I did prop my leg up onto the seat, and Natsu slid towards me, lying on his back between my hips. I felt his ribs press against my thighs, and down again, press, and down, as he breathed. As I swept the hair of his face I noticed the colours shining from the Spirit Portal in the distance reflecting in his eyes. This was all his doing, his creation, and it was beautiful.
Not wanting to say anything that would tip off the driver, I said “The lights from the new portal are beautiful.”
“I can’t seem them from down here.” Natsu gazed up at me and noticed I wasn’t even looking out the window, but at him. “They’re shining in your eyes, though.”
“Yours too.”
Several hours later, in the dead of night, we left for the Spirit World. We nearly let ourselves sleep after the long ride back to my apartment, but decided it would be best if we left before the world awoke tomorrow and dragged us both back to work. We needed a vacation, and we knew that if we left until morning, we would never get to go.
As we approached the Portal, I saw Natsu look at me out of the corner of my eye. I turned to him, saw he was already smiling, and I smiled back. We helped hands as we walked into the portal, and turned to face each one another. It felt like simultaneously melting into the ground, and evaporating into the clouds above us. I held tighter onto his hands as the light became so bright that I couldn’t even see him anymore. He squeezed my hands in return, almost to say,
I’m right here. I got you.