Day One of FT angst week. Have some NaLu for your soul.
Lucy felt empty inside. She couldn't believe what had happened. She was so upset that she had run all the way home from the guildhall. She was planning to ask Natsu out on a date and finally tell him how she felt, but then she saw him holding Lisanna's hand. She knew he wasn't hers, and she had had all the time before Lisanna came back from Edolas to tell Natsu that she loved him, but she had thought she'd have more time. Apparently she was wrong, because there he was flirting with Lisanna and not her. How could she have been so stupid? She missed her chance and now she had to watch the love of her life love someone else. Lisanna and Natsu had history, her "death" had killed Natsu and he was so happy to get her back. Did he ever look that happy just to see her? Lucy wondered. She couldn't help but wonder what could have been if she had just told him sooner. He had saved her so many times, she had had umpteen opportunities to tell him, to kiss him, and she hadn't done it. She just didn't know whether or not he liked her, and she didn't want to ruin her friendship by making things awkward. Lucy sprawled out on her bed and stared up at her ceiling. Yep, she was an idiot. Now he was going to spend all his time with that white-haired girl from his past that probably knew him better than Lucy ever could. She should be happy for him, but instead she felt lonely and sad. Before Lisanna came back, Natsu would've been here, in her apartment with her. He would be laughing and joking with her and Happy about whatever happened recently or he'd be making fun of Gray. Now, her home was empty and all she heard was silence. Her home wasn't a home without Natsu, it was just a house. Lucy rolled over and hugged her pillow to her. She was a wreck.
Suddenly, she felt someone tapping her shoulder. She lifted her head up to see Plue looking at her with concerned eyes. She wiped away tears that she didn't know she had shed.
"Plue, what are you doing here?" she sniffed. Plue just hugged her in response, which caused her to cry harder.
"Oh, Plue, what have I done? I've lost him forever," she sobbed as she held onto the small celestial spirit.
Plue stayed by Lucy's side for the rest of that day and well into the night before she sent him home. She didn't want him staying too long or else he might hurt himself.
She barely left her apartment for the next three days. Her spirits took turns watching over her, but she wouldn't tell them what was wrong. Whenever they asked why she was upset, she would just tell them she was stupid. However, on the fourth day, Loke had finally had enough. He decided he would get to the bottom of why his mage was in ruins. He had lost one master, he wouldn't lose another. Lucy hadn't been eating; she hadn't had a good night's sleep in days. She was having nightmares. Even now as she slept and he stroked her hair to comfort her she was crying in her sleep.
"Lucy," he murmured as he gently shook her, "you need to wake up." Lucy woke with a start, but sighed when she saw it was just Loke.
"Lucy, you need to tell me what's wrong," Loke prodded.
"I'm an idiot," she replied.
"No, you're not. Why do you think that?" Loke asked.
"I let him slip through my fingers," she whispered.
"Who?" Loke asked. Lucy looked to the side and avoided his eyes.
"Lucy, tell me who it is," Loke demanded, but she looked down at her hands in her lap.
"Is it Natsu?" he asked with a soft tone. Lucy snapped her head to look up at him, her eyes were already rimmed with unshed tears.
"Oh, Lucy," Loke sighed as he pulled her to him and comforted her as she cried. Loke had thought it was weird that he hadn't seen Natsu here all week. He was going to have to have a talk with the dragon slayer.
When Lucy had fallen asleep, he asked Virgo to look after her while he went out. It was late in the afternoon by then and he was tired, but Loke didn't care. He was going to do whatever it took to get Lucy to smile again. He quickened his pace, his anger at rising with every step he took. Eventually he reached the guildhall and pushed open the door.
"NATSU, WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?" Loke demanded. The guildhall went silent.
"What's up, Loke?" Natsu asked casually.
"What's up? WHAT'S UP? I'LL TELL YOU WHAT'S UP," Loke yelled, "Lucy hasn't eaten anything more than a couple of bites in days. She hasn't slept in days. She has not left her house in days!"
"WHAT? What's wrong with her?" Natsu asked with concern.
"You. You're what's wrong with her. For the past three days, whenever we asked what was wrong she would just tell us that she was stupid, but today I got real answers. Do you know what she said? She said this was about you. That she let you slip through her fingers. So, what the hell did you do?!" Loke interrogated.
"I didn't do anything! I don't think…" Natsu frowned. He really hadn't been a good friend to Lucy. He should've checked on her the second he realized that she hadn't been in the hall in a while, but he didn't. He had been too preoccupied catching up with Lisanna that he had completely ignored Lucy.
"Why would she be this upset over me?" Natsu asked.
"Because she loves you," Lisanna piped up.
"What?" Natsu asked confused.
"She came in the other day with a big smile on her face and was about to head over to you, but then she saw you with Lisanna and she ran out," Mira explained.
"Why would she do that?" Natsu asked.
"You really are clueless," Gray added, "You two were holding hands. I think Lucy walked in during Lisanna's palm reading session, got the wrong idea, and ran out because of it."
Natsu felt his stomach drop. He had to get to Lucy. He sprinted towards her apartment. He never could have anticipated what he found.
Natsu crawled into the dark apartment through the window and made his way towards her bedroom. He slowly opened the door and saw her, Lucy. She was looking small and pale curled up in a ball under her covers. He walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge before stroking her hair. There were tearstains on her pillow and that's when Natsu lost it.
"Aw, Luce, what happened?" he murmured. Lucy began to stir before opening her eyes.
"Natsu! What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Loke told me you haven't left your house in days and that you were in rough shape," Natsu told her.
"He did?" Lucy frowned.
"He also told me that it was because of me," Natsu added. Lucy looked away from him. Natsu cupped her cheek and turned her head back to him.
"Lucy, what did I do?" he asked her in a soft voice.
"It's not you, it's me," she told him.
"Lucy, I don't want anything to happen to you. You're my best friend. I know I haven't been very attentive lately, and I'm sorry. It's just, I thought Lisanna was dead. There's just so much that we needed to catch up on. That doesn't mean I should have neglected my friendship with you," Natsu told her.
"It's not that," she told him.
"Then what is it? What could possibly be upsetting you so much that you stopped taking care of yourself?" Natsu demanded. Lucy flinched at his tone, but took a deep breath.
"Natsu, I love you. I know you don't feel the same way, but I still thought I should at least be honest and tell you. I went to the guildhall the other day and I saw you and Lisanna holding hands, so I panicked. I ran and hid away for days," she told him. Words continued to spill out of her mouth, but Natsu could only focus on the first four words. Natsu, I love you. Natsu cut her off as he leaned down and kissed her. Lucy's eyes went wide before she closed them and kissed back. They broke apart and Lucy searched Natsu's face for any hint of emotion.
"Lucy, you are an idiot, but not for the reason you think," Natsu told her with a small smirk, "Lisanna and I were holding hands because she was reading my palm. It was something she learned how to do in Edolas and wanted to show off. I love Lisanna, but only as a friend. You're the one I'm really in love with. I saw you run off that day, but I didn't run after you. That was my mistake. I promise you that from now on I will always find you."
Lucy smiled for the first time in almost a week, "Promise?"
"Promise."