"You're going down, ya freak!" roared Natsu, flying through the air and landing a dazzling array of fiery punches on his enemy's face. The look of surprise was unmistakable as his foe plummeted to the earth, a resounding crash ringing out as he slammed into the ground. Natsu landed, his stern expression quickly shifting into a victorious grin. "We beat him, guys! Behold the power of Fairy Tail!" was heard before Natsu fell unconscious alongside his opponent.
"That battle was too close for my liking. We were nearly all wiped out," sighed Erza, de-quipping her armor and falling to her knees. She felt a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. So long as we're together, no one can stand in our way!" Lucy smiled, though it was evident that she was severely weakened from the fight. Hair askew and clothes tattered, her body was littered with cuts and scrapes. Erza returned her smile. "You're right. We're lucky that we have each other."
Gray, exhausted, pushed himself to his feet. He surveyed the scene. A crumbling tower holding a shattered lacrima was visible behind the craters in the ground before him. In one lay his pink-haired ally; in another, his defeated enemy. "Happy! Can you fly?" he asked, looking at his blue furry friend. Happy nodded, though he looked as tired as the rest of his team. "Will you carry Natsu?" inquired Gray. " I don't think he's going to be moving for a while." "Aye sir!" said a weary but resolute Happy, saluting Gray before grabbing an unconscious Natsu.
...
Lucy exhaled deeply. She sank into the hot waters of her bath. She basked in its warmth, feeling the sensation of the soothing heat on her skin. Her wounds stung as they soaked, though she didn't mind. Her worries melted away with each breath, the steamy vapor clearing her head. She reflected on the nightmarish force with which she had just battled. Dream magic was particularly powerful; Lucy found herself trying to forget both the horrors she had just fought through as well as the uneasiness she felt about falling asleep after her bath.
Though she was paying careful attention to the assuaging warmth of the waters, phantasmal images flickered through her mind. The ruins of Fairy Tail, littered with the bodies of her comrades, surrounded her. Lucy's breath caught in her throat as she beheld the lifeless forms of Elfman and Levy. She felt her heart skip a beat and a surge of dread as her gaze shifted to Erza's crumpled body.
Lucy jolted back to the present, startled by a sudden knock at her door. A sense of malaise came over her. It was late, and she wasn't expecting visitors. She cautiously rose from her bath, unplugging the drain and wrapping herself in a white towel. She found herself nervously grabbing Loki's gate key off of her dresser. There was another knock at the door. "C-coming!" stammered Lucy, steeling herself for the approaching confrontation. Her heart pounded as she reached for the doorknob. She grabbed it and jerked the door open.
"Erza?" A sudden wave of relief washed over her. Erza blushed, eyes widening before shifting her gaze away from Lucy. "I'm sorry, Lucy. I didn't mean to interrupt you. I'll return to the guild-" "No, come in. It's alright," welcomed Lucy, her heart rate slowly normalizing. Erza stepped into Lucy's home, looking uneasy. Lucy closed the door, locking it before turning to Erza.
"Is everything alright?" asked Lucy concernedly, looking upon Erza with care. "I couldn't sleep. I was feeling restless because of our earlier encounter, and I needed to get out of the guild hall," replied Erza. Her eyes met Lucy's before looking away again. Realization dawned on Lucy as she glanced down at her towel. "Oh, I'm sorry, let me change into some pajamas," she said, walking over to her dresser. She placed Loki's gate key back on the dresser as she grabbed her change of clothes. "You weren't the only one who was feeling restless," she mentioned before stepping into the bathroom.
In the living room, Erza sat, feeling a subtle calmness slowly entering her mind. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled. She closed her eyes. It felt as if she was finally able to catch her breath. In the guild hall, Erza had found herself unable to get the visions caused by the dream magic out of her head. The scene of her receiving a fatal blow was stuck on repeat. In the illusion, a feeling of utter helplessness came over her. She, Erza Scarlet, had fallen and failed to defend those about whom she cared the most.
As these images faded from her thoughts, she heard the bathroom doorknob click. She opened her eyes to see Lucy emerging in pink short-sleeve pajamas. She smiled, observing the patterned Fairy Tail emblem covering the pajamas. "I'm really glad you came over, Erza," Lucy confessed. "I just couldn't shake what happened earlier, you know? That magic we fought was horrible." "I understand the sentiment," concurred Erza. "I don't know what drives a person to commit such atrocities against their fellow wizards."
For a moment, Lucy was quiet. "Can I ask you something?" she questioned shakily. "What did you see? I just-" Erza's eyes widened in surprise as Lucy flung her arms around her. "It was so terrible, Erza!" Lucy's voice cracked. "Everyone I love was dead! Their bodies were everywhere. A-and then I saw you, and I, I-" Lucy burst into tears. Erza wrapped her arms around Lucy's body, holding her as she sobbed. "It's alright," consoled Erza, pulling Lucy in closer. "I too had a truly terrifying experience. It's why I'm here now, with you."
"What did you see?" repeated Lucy, pulling back enough to look at Erza. She wiped the tears from her face. Erza, seeing Lucy's expectant eyes, shifted her own downward. "I died," she said, her gaze returning to Lucy's. "I watched myself fall, unable to protect the ones I love the most." She traced her hand down Lucy's arm, sliding her hand into Lucy's. "It was unbearable."
Lucy squeezed Erza's hand. A fresh wave of tears rolled down her cheeks, the drops falling and staining her pajama top. "I'm so sorry," she quavered. Erza sighed, her expression sorrowful. "I had to come see you. I couldn't rest without knowing you were alright." Lucy's tear-filled eyes seemed to soften. A passionate yet gentle warmth radiated from her gaze. "Thank you," said Lucy. "I don't think I would have gotten much sleep tonight either."
Lucy caressed the top of Erza's hand with her thumb. "Would you want to sleep here tonight?" she asked. As the words left her lips, she felt her heart begin to beat harder. She inadvertently drew in her breath and held it as her heart rate quickened. Erza tightened her grip on Lucy's hand. "I would like that very much," she replied, smiling softly. Lucy exhaled, feeling her pulse course throughout her body. She sat, her hand in Erza's, basking in the sensation for a moment.
"I, um, shall we?" said Lucy shyly, rising to walk to her bed. "Of course," Erza responded. As she stood up, she re-quipped into her lavender pajamas. Lucy pulled back her covers, climbing into bed. Erza followed suit, draping her arm around Lucy's torso. Lucy turned slightly, looking back at Erza. "I feel so at peace right now," she whispered. "I feel safe." As she turned to face the wall again, Erza whispered back, "I wouldn't have it any other way."