Ohayou, minna! Otaku-chan here. This is a story I started about a year ago. It's set back before the 7 year gap. It is definitely a NaLu story. Kinda cheezy plot, but oh well. I hope you like it!
I OWN NOTHING! EVERYTHING BELONGS TO HIRO MASHIMA-SENSEI!
Lucy sighed happily as she turned the key to unlock her house. She looked down and smiled at Plue. "Thanks for your help today, Plue. You did good."
Plue smiled up at her and then disappeared into the Celestial Spirit World.
Humming to herself, Lucy opened up to the door to her house and walked in. She slipped off her shoes and headed up the stairs. When she opened the door, a yell escaped her throat.
Sitting at her table was Gray, no clothes on, of course. She walked up behind him and hit him on the head.
"What are you doing in here? Why do you always sneak in? Out!" Lucy shouted, exasperated by yet another break in into her house.
Gray held steadfast while Lucy tried to futilely push him out of the chair. "You may want to wait and hear what I have to say before you desperately try to kick me out. I have news." Lucy paused for just a moment before resuming to push Gray at no avail. Upon her resumed attempts, Gray added, "About your father."
Lucy immediately stopped pushing. Numbly, she sat down in the chair next to Gray. "What did you hear?"
Gray viewed her, amazed how her countenance could fall after the mere mention of her father. "I heard," he hesitated, "That he is being attacked by thugs repeatedly. No one knows why."
"When'd you learn this?"
"I was out on a job and I decided to stop by our father's guild, and when I went in, there was talk everywhere about the attacks."
For a long while, Lucy didn't say anything, just sitting there, like a stone statue. Just as Gray was beginning to worry, she spoke, her voice so quiet he could barely hear her. "Why'd you tell me this?"
Startled, Gray started to defend his actions. "Well, since he's your father, I though - "
"What? That I'd want to go rescue him?" she interrupted. "That man is not my father. He hasn't been for a long time. He is no longer my concern." Lucy's shoulders started shaking and Gray realized that she was crying.
"Lucy..." The words stopped in his throat. He desperately wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know how. Though his parents had died when he was very young, they has still had a good relationship. He started when she spoke.
"Gray, can you do something for me? Don't tell this to Natsu. He'll only want to go save my father, thinking he was helping me. But I don't want him to do that. This doesn't concern him." Seeing the concern in Gray's face, she smiled, wiping the tears off her cheeks. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. And it's not like I'm stupid enough to go and find him on my own. Now Gray, can I ask you to do something else, too?"
Gray looked at her with eyes full of pity and said, "Sure, anything."
Lucy once again resumed yelling, acting as if nothing had happened, though Gray knew that's all it was. Acting. "Get out! Seriously, this is not a hotel and I would like to come home and be alone for once!"
Slowly, Gray got up. Throwing one last look at Lucy, Gray jumped effortlessly out the window.
Lucy ran up to the window and shouted after him, "I meant through the door!" Exhausted, she fell down on her bed. Her father was being targeted by attackers. She didn't know why, but her father would tell her. While she still hadn't forgiven him, she didn't like the thought of him being attacked. She felt bad for deceiving Gray and keeping Natsu out of the loop, but this was something she had to do on her own.
As she drifted off into unconsciousness, Lucy mumbled just one last thing. "Please forgive me, Natsu."
When Lucy woke up in the morning, her first thought was that she had to leave before Natsu got to her house. She got up and quickly and packed her bag. Once she was sure that she had sufficient supplies, Lucy exited her apartment and closed the door behind her, locking it for good measure, though her nakama would probably break in anyway. She sighed and slid the key back in her pocket.
"Hiya, Luce." Lucy jumped and let out a small shriek as she heard Natsu's voice. She spun around quickly and, seeing Natsu and Happy, silently yelled at herself for not leaving sooner. Natsu eyed her suitcase and then looked back at her. "Where are you going Lucy? You're not trying to take a job request without us, are you?" Natsu and Happy both took a step closer.
Lucy took a step backward and winced as she hit the door. "No, of course not. I was just going off on a little vacation."
Natsu's face brightened a little bit "Oh, if that's all, then we'll go with you."
Lucy's reply was immediate. "No!" At their raised eyebrows, she continued. "I just want to be alone sometimes, without you hanging on me like lost dogs. Quite frankly, it's annoying and I'm sick of it." At that, she slid past them, but not before Natsu saw the tear that slid down her cheek. He and Happy slowly turned around and looked at her running form until she was no longer visible.
"What's up with her?" Happy asked.
"I don't know, but I have a feeling I know who does." Natsu had seen that Gray had gone to Lucy's last night. Something he had said had done this to her, and Natsu planned on finding out. He ran off towards the guild, and to where he thought he would find answers, Happy following along just behind.
Lucy wiped the tear from her cheek. I really hope Natsu didn't see that, Lucy thought to herself. "I'm sorry, Natsu; Sorry, Happy."
Lucy slowed to a walk once she was sure that Natsu wasn't following her. She hadn't wanted to hurt Natsu like that, but she had had no other choice. This was something she had to do on her own, without Natsu's help.
She picked up the pace slightly when Magnolia station came into view. While she wasn't sure what she would do when she got there, Lucy knew that she had to go and at least make sure her father was all right.
She walked up to the conductor to get her ticket. "One ticket to Acalypha town, please."
Shortly after purchasing her ticket, she went and boarded the train. She smiled, remembering Natsu's motion sickness. They practically had to drag him off the train every trip.
She let out a sigh, and focused her mind on the trip ahead. Her imagination was already running wild with the possibilities of what could be happening; That's what you get when you're a writer. Her father could owe a debt to some bad people. Maybe he had made some bad business deals. Maybe someone was getting revenge for harsh treatment in the past. Whoever it was, they were going to pay for making her hurt Natsu. She knew that much.
Gray didn't even bother to look up when Natsu burst through the doors. What did catch him off guard was what Natsu next said, to him, no less. "What did you do to her, Gray?"
Gray looked up at him curiously. "Who do you mean? Where's Lucy?" As soon as the words left his out, he knew exactly what had happened. "When did she leave?"
Natsu still glared at him. "What. Did. You. Do. To. Her!" Natsu slammed his fist on the table; He was determined to make whoever had made Lucy cry pay dearly.
Gray looked away. "She told me not to tell you. She said it was something that didn't involve you in any way." But she also said she wouldn't go off alone, he thought to himself.
Natsu yelled vehemently. "Listen, Ice-princess! When Lucy left, she was crying! I don't care what she said. What did you do to her?!"
Gray sighed, realizing that there was no way he was going to avoid telling him. "I told her about how her father was being targeted by attackers. But she said she didn't care and wouldn't go after them on her own..."
"And you believed her? It's her father! I don't care how bad their relationship is, if you knew Lucy at all, you'd know she would go and try to help him. It's just who she is. Remember when she went and took on an entire crime guild by herself when she found out his guild had been attacked?" Natsu picked Gray up by his collar, pulling him up until they were face to face. "Gray, why did you leave her alone?"
Erza walked up behind Natsu, resting her hand on his shoulder to calm him down. "What's going on? Why are you so upset?"
Pushing Gray away, Natsu turned to face her, eyes bright with fury. "Gray told Lucy that her father was being attacked, and then he believed her when she said she wouldn't do anything. And when I saw her this morning, she had her bag packed and was heading on a 'vacation.' She's going off to take on those guys by herself, even though she doesn't know anything about them! It's stupid, it's reckless, it's -"
"Just like you?" added a voice from behind the three. They turned to see Master Makarov standing there. He turned to Gray and asked, "Is all of this true?" At his nod, the master continued. "Very well, then. You three are to go after her and assist her. Go now, before she gets hurt."
Each of them nodded and as one, they ran towards the station, forgoing stoppping to get their bags, except Erza, who somehow had hers on her.
Only one thing was on Natsu's mind. I must get to Lucy. I have to save her!
That was Chapter One. Well, what do you think? Please let me know. The next chapter will be added soon, so please stay tuned! ~ 3 Otaku-chan