A/N

I really wanted my next story to be a one-shot about the guys at the guild getting drunk before the girls. However recent events kinda put me down, so this was more or less a reflection of how I feel about...issues right now for me. Not the context so much as the tone. Sorry if it's not cheery :{ This is also a story I came up with to kind of honor one of my favorite writers on here, named, AcidRain1698. This is something I came up with after reading "Eyes Wide Open" A truly beautiful story that this author has going on. I highly suggest you check it out, as well as Acid's other works they're really well done and I've read most of them multiple times. A really gifted author that I hope to be able to write as well as one day :) So without further adue...here ya go

Floating...No...He was gliding, the descent was slow but he was definitely falling...

The stars were especially bright that night. The milky cloud around them was easily visible. The moon was crescent, in a position that would inspire dreams.

The lake was cold but crystal clear. Just deep enough to submerge your body, but shallow enough so you could stand up in it without trouble. The lake surface was a beautiful mirror of the sky above.

There was only a disturbance in the middle, causing ripples to form from it's epicenter. Natsu. The ripples perfectly echoing the chaos in his heart. Closing his eyes he recounts what brought him here..

Earlier that day...

Team Natsu was in the middle of battle. They were contracted to do a job rounding up a large group of bandits who've been terrorizing a town neighboring the woods they were hiding in.

This was the beginning of everything. Natsu had recently been aware of something he felt for Lucy, but he couldn't exactly talk it over with anyone. He already knew it would be teasing, someone pointing out that a "dense guy like him" wouldn't get anything like this, or some form of harassment that wouldn't get anywhere.

He had to shake off his thoughts about the subject to focus on the mission though. Him and Happy were making short work of some of their foes. He kept half a gaze fixated on the beautiful stellar spirit mage in-case she needed help.

Gray and Erza easily took down their foes before scanning around and watching Lucy finish up her work while Loke was out to battle with her. "Lucy Kick!" The man was sent flying away. "Regulus Impact!" The last of them were taken down. Lucy wipes her brow and smiles, "Nice work, Loke!" He smiles back, "You can call on your charming prince anytime." He finishes pushing his glasses up to the bridge of his nose.

Natsu always thought of Loke as a friend, and he did like him, so he was used to his womanizing perverted ways at this point. However, what Erza and Happy said was like someone stabbed him in the heart. "Those two make a good team. It's a shame Loke is a spirit he could use someone like Lucy." Erza thinks aloud. "Ffufufufu they lllllllike each other." Happy finishes with a tease.

Ordinarily these things wouldn't bother Natsu. Heck, he would typically ignore most of it and get distracted halfway through the sentences. This time though, it stung. It was like venom started to seep it's way into his troubled heart.

Then while Erza was tying the bandits up he overheard Gray and Lucy talking. Deep down Gray was his friend, like a brother almost. He'd never admit it out loud of course, but it was there. He just didn't really get along with the guy like friends traditionally do.

They were talking about nothing in particular but he noticed how engaged Lucy was into the conversation. He knew he had no right to say anything about it so he didn't. It didn't stop him from wanting that gaze fixed onto him. It didn't stop him from wanting to be the one making her laugh right now, or watching all the cute faces she makes when he would tease her about something.

Now it felt like a stabbing pain in his heart in addition to the venom pumping through it. However the damage wasn't done there. Next was Erza's turn to directly insult him with a bit of Gray's help.

Having finished tying up the bandits Erza decided it was time for the group to inventory what they had stolen by checking their cargo. "Let's see what they've gotten away with. I was going to ask Natsu to do it, but I think it'll be best if we all work on it." Gray chimes in, "Good call, wouldn't want that flame brain to break something."

Now the stab felt like cracks were coming around it. He was really trying to tone it down and be careful this time since Lucy cried a lot about losing jewel due to damages he caused, which cut into her rent money.

Sure he could be reckless, and sure he broke a lot of things but he didn't think they really thought that low of him. He wasn't helpless when it came to fragile things he just felt it was boring dealing with that prissy fancy stuff. He was a dragon slayer after all.

Not noticing how upset he was feeling some of his magic had flared out causing some of the stolen goods to catch on fire, as well as some nearby trees. "S-shit!" He cried out trying to stamp out the fire, only finding success after he crushed the objects on fire to snuff out of the flames. The trees had been a lost cause.

"Natsu, get a-hold of yourself!" Erza called out. Gray didn't hold back, "Good job hothead! That was probably something important to someone, and look at what you're doing to the forest! Don't you have any sense or is your brain just a pile of ash?" Lucy attempted to defend him, "Come on you guys it's not his fault. He might be a little dense and impatient but he's still here trying!"

Instantly he felt a little better that Lucy was defending him, even if it was backhandedly. Then Gray spoke up again, "You know Lucy, you're absolutely right, he is dense and impatient, you also forgot stupid, uncaring, and the reason we lose money most of the time."

Now the cracks were shattering and before he could blink he was pinning Gray to the ground screaming at him as his hands lit up in flames, and his eyes had a flicker of flame to them. "WELL GRAY, IM SORRY TO BE SUCH A BURDEN. MAYBE YOU SHOULD OF THOUGHT TWICE ABOUT TAKING A JOB IN THE WOODS WITH A F-I-R-E MAGE."

Before the fight could escalate any further Erza broke them up, "Boys let's wrap it up we have important things to do." Natsu scoffs, "Tch, do whatever ill be at camp." Then he proceeds to stomp off in his intended direction after sending a glance at Lucy, to least take in a pleasant sight before he broods alone for a bit.

Lucy noticed everything. Her eyes were a little glassy, she didn't know why but it felt like someone placed a heavy weight on her heart. Was it the pain in his voice when he was yelling at Gray? Was it the faraway pained look in his eyes where an expression of excitement once was. Was it the way his lips seemed like they had no emotion behind them when he was usually grinning widely about something. She attempted to call out to him but a lump was solidly in her throat. The weight would only get heavier with his retreating frame.

After everything had been accounted for and everyone met back at camp the teasing didn't end there. By this point he had been left alone long enough to brood to where he almost felt numb. Everyone took their spots, Happy was passed out next to Lucy after eating a fish. Erza was next to Lucy, and Gray was about to take a seat next to Natsu.

Gray couldn't stop himself, "Well at least our camp site isn't on fire." Just as he sat down, Nastu stood up. "I'm going for a walk." Then turned around and started heading out. He faintly heard a female voice, "Nat-" was all he got before it seemed like his world had tuned out.

Strolling along a path he could smell different things. Plants, animals, various other creatures. They all stayed away though, almost as if sensing danger, like if they crossed his path they wouldn't leave it alive. Then he caught a whiff of a nearby lake. "Maybe that'll help." He thought.

Arriving on the bank of the lake he sat down leisurely tossing in some pebbles here and there trying to push out all these negative thoughts, so he could go back to being the carefree, happy Natsu Dragneel of Fairy Tail. Eventually he knelt down at the water splashing some in his face. It felt a little relieving so he decided to go all in...

Now at the present...

So here he is...floating atop the water. Thinking...thinking...of everything...of nothing. So much has happened it was hard to pinpoint a single thing. What he would give to hear Igneel's advice right now...

He let out a aggravated sigh keeping his eyes closed as he sinks slowly into the water. It felt liberating in a sense. It drowned out the sounds of the world. It left him in total silence. It seemed like the longer he was down there the more he was being free'd from the pain in his heart. It was as if a force of will was dragging him down further, trying to coax him into it's sweet embrace of it's depths.

Everything was fading...light...smell...thought...breath...He was struggling to breathe? "Gotta get air!" "Why are you struggling?" "Get back to the top!" "Why are you moving?" His heart was waging war with itself as the venom was flowing through every vein in his body as his chest burned for oxygen. The darkness started to close it's curtain..

"Warmth...? I'm a fire dragon slayer...how do I feel warmth?" Yet there it was. A protective warmth had snaked it's way around his body. "Air? I'm...breathing?" He was breathing..then it hit him. "This smell...tears?"

He opened his eyes to see what happened, then it all became too clear. It was right in front of him the whole time, but he was too blind to see it. Now it was as clear as the moonlight shining down on him. There it was all along...

It's soft porcelain skin wrapping it's arms around him holding him out of the water. It's long soft blonde hair nuzzled into the crook of his neck. Those big beautiful chocolate brown eyes crying their way into a puffy haze.

It was truth, it was everything right in the world. Even when he didn't feel like he belonged it would be there to reign him back in. Before he knew it the pain in his heart was gone, the venom flowing through his veins disappeared without a trace. This was all he needed. In a single word he had found purity.

"...Lucy?"