"Thanks for doing this. Thank you for supporting me. I love you so much."
Those were the last words that she had heard before his onyx eyes were covered by the dark sunglasses and his warm touch went away, disappearing along with the figure.
She had sworn not to cry. It was his dream, after all. He had been dreaming about it since forever, and when the chance came, he took it. His little YouTube channel provided him the escape and the chance for him to meet the world, and grace it with his voice.
He wanted her to come with him. She HAD participated in a few videos and everyone adored seeing those two sing together. But, when the opportunity came, she refused. Because that was his thing. Because singing was his future. His career. His life and, while he went, she stayed back, taking care of her future.
But it wasn't her fault when, in the middle of the night, tears found their way down her cheeks, wetting her hair and pillowcase. She muffled her sobs on the pillow; she didn't want her mom to find out. The last thing she wanted as her mom barging in and telling her to shut up, it was just a crush anyways.
But it wasn't. She was truly in love with that obnoxious, airhead YouTuber that took her heart and left with it. She rolled over in her bed. She needed to change. She needed to leave Magnolia, to meet someone new, because all of her friends were his friends as well. She closed her eyes and called out for Sandman. She needed to rest for the next day.
~.~
"Hey, Lucy. Are you okay?" a voice called out, waking her up from her thoughts.
"Yeah, yeah! Why do you ask that?" the blonde asked, turning around.
She met Levy McGarden, a pale short bluenette girl with brown eyes. She looked concerned.
"Well, you seem a little bit off today. Are you sure?" she tried again.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just have a lot in my mind."
"Wanna talk about it?" she suggested.
"No, it's fine. I'm fine." Lucy replied. Levy sighed and placed her hand on the blonde's shoulder and declared:
"Look Lucy, I understand that you don't really to talk about yourself, but keeping things bottled up isn't good."
"Speaking of bottled, shouldn't you be at work? It's almost 5 pm."
"I hate it when you know my schedules. Gotta go! I love you, okay?"
"Okay. Now go! Today's money is to blow it on shopping and McDonalds!"
"I'd ask you to marry me, but I keep assuming you have a boyfriend. Don't know why. Well, bye!"
And, as soon as Levy stepped out of the door, Lucy let her body fall on the couch, her sadness taking over her body one more time. He had called the night before. He was excited as always. The cheers of the crowd could be heard around him. The voices that called out for him. The told her he wished she was there. He would be so happy.
And she listened. She let him talk, happy about his present and hopeful about the future. Where she'd be. He rambled about his shows, how people from all ages came to see him. He talked on and on about his crew, the staff, the dancers. He babbled about the fans that yelled his name.
And she listened. Because she knew that, if she talked, she would cry. She would mourn and whimper and pout and he didn't need that at the moment. A lonely, sad, weeping girlfriend that missed his warmth in the cold nights. The phone call had ended with 'I miss you's and 'I love you's and Lucy was left to a sleepless and cold night.
~.~
At 7pm she was leaving for work. She grabbed her guitar and walked to the restaurant where she performed every night. It was an expensive rich fancy restaurant with live music. She asked for a job there and the owner, some guy called Gordon Ramsay, put her on experience for one night. And Lucy had such a beautiful voice that he hired her. For 200 bucks a night plus dinner, drinks and tips.
And he agreed. Lucy worked and sang what the costumers were pleased to hear. Rock, classic, pop… Anything. She was dedicated and her boss liked it. Her job was good. Her roommate was awesome; they had so much in common. Her life… Not so much. And that was what she explained when her phone started ringing at 1am.
"Hello?" her tired voice surprising her.
"Hey, Luce! Did I wake you up? I'm sorry…"
"Natsu… You're so not the person I want to talk to right now…" she breathed out, not realizing that she had said that out loud.
"What's going on?" his voice changed tone immediately. It went from the cheerful and careless voice to the protective and worried tone.
"Nothing. Just keep living your awesome life, Natsu. I'll be here, hanging on." She declared, closing her eyes.
"Talk to me, Lucy. What's going on?" she asked. Of the blonde could see him, she would remember his frustrated pose, hand entwined in his salmon locks and his onyx eyes shut firmly.
"Too much, Natsu. And it's too late in the night for me to be yelling at you for breaking your promise of being there when bad stuff happen."
"Yell at me. At the top of your lungs. Just please, tell me what's wrong." He begged, defeated. He cursed himself for leaving her alone, for not bringing her with him.
"What's wrong? WHAT'S WRONG?! WHAT THE F ISN'T?! My life is the worst, Natsu! My mother died on me! My father won't talk to me! The friends that I left behind hate me! I get beat up AND verbally bullied at school and my boyfriend is halfway across the globe and I miss him‼"
"Luce…" he whispered "I'm so sorry."
"For what?! Not being here? Not whipping my tears?! Not defending me from the punch?! PUNCHES?! Which one, Natsu?!" she yelled, sitting on her bed.
"Every single one of them. I should have been there. I'm sorry, Lucy. I'm so sorry."
"I don't want to forgive you. But I do. Because you're living your dream and I'm not the person to lock you inside a tower and forbid you to come. I can't ruin that for you."
"My dream is to stand on this stage with you. You, Lucy." He told her.
"Just… Leave it alone, Natsu. Get some sleep. You need it." She whispered, lying back down and looking at the ceiling "You have a big day tomorrow."
"Luce, don't make me hang up on you. Not when you're like this."
"I won't…" she yawned "I won't force you into anything…"
Lucy closed her eyes for a second. Just a mere second. But when she opened them again, it was like something had changed. The air… Was fresher. Her eyes were lighter. She looked over to her alarm clock and it read 4:36am. She swallowed hard. She had fallen asleep listening to his voice. Like she used too. She tentatively placed her phone back on her ear and called:
"Natsu?"
"Luce, hey." He immediately responded, his voice strained and raw like he had been crying. "Sleep well?"
"I thought you hung up." She breathed.
"I was listening to you sleeping. Do you know you still whisper my name in your sleep?" he asked. Lucy smiled and answered "Yeah, Natsu. I know. I love you."
"I love you too, Luce. So much."
~.~
"Gray, come here for a sec." Natsu called out. Soon after, a tall muscled tanned navy haired man with blue eyes walked inside the room, shirtless "What's up?"
"Cancel my last two shows. I'm going home." He decided, packing his bag.
"Dude, if Erza finds out, she will impale us!"
"I'm sorry, man. But she's my girl. And she needs me."
"Pyro, you can see her every day on YouTube singing in that restaurant! Two more weeks, Natsu! Can't you wait two more weeks?"
"No. I can't. I'm sorry." Natsu apologized, returning to pack his stuff.
~.~
"Are you sure you don't mind working double shift?"
"Yes, I'm sure, Mr. Ramsay. Don't worry. I'll be there in twenty." Lucy answered with a smile. She hung up the call and turned to her best friend and roommate.
"I guess we're not going to the movies tonight." She sighed.
"I'm sorry, Levy… It's a rich kid's birthday party and they asked for me." Lucy explained, walking to her bedroom to pick out her clothes. With a little help from Levy, Lucy grabbed a pair of skinny dark jeans, a sparkling grey top, a black leather jacket that belonged to Natsu, ankle boots and a green and silver scarf, tied around her neck in a loose wrap.
"I understand, Lulu. I'll stop by when my shift is over, okay?"
"Okay. Thank you for understanding. See you later, Levy!" Lucy exclaimed, walking out of their apartment.
It was after five minutes of walking that she got to the restaurant. She entered through the kitchen doors and said hello to the chefs, tasting a little of the risotto they were serving. After complimenting the food and shaking her boss's had, she entered the elegant dining-room. She sat down in front of the piano and saluted the people, beginning to sing.
You shout it out,
But I can't hear a word you say
I'm talking loud, not saying much
I'm criticized but all your bullets ricochet
You shoot me down, but I get up
I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose
Fire away, fire away
Ricochet, you take your aim
Fire away, fire away
You shoot me down but I won't fall
I am titanium
You shoot me down but I won't fall
I am titanium
I am titanium
Cut me down
But it's you who'll have further to fall
Ghost town and haunted love
Raise your voice, sticks and stones may break my bones
I'm talking loud not saying much
I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose
Fire away, fire away
Ricochet, you take your aim
Fire away, fire away
You shoot me down but I won't fall
I am titanium
You shoot me down but I won't fall
I am titanium
I am titanium
Stone-heart, machine gun
Firing at the ones who run
Stone heart as bulletproof glass
You shoot me down but I won't fall
I am titanium
You shoot me down but I won't fall
I am titanium
You shoot me down but I won't fall
I am titanium
You shoot me down but I won't fall
You shoot me down but I won't fall
I am titanium
You shoot me down but I won't fall
I am titanium
I am titanium
Ooh
"Sing Stay, by Rihanna!" someone from the table exclaimed. Lucy smiled and proceeded.
~.~
Natsu banged on the door like a mad man. He was still wearing the clothes from his last concert, a black muscle shirt, black skinny jeans and apricot orange Timberland boots. After three more violent knocks, he turned his back to the door, passing a hand through his hair.
"Can I help you?" a voice called out, making Natsu turn around. It was a tall, pale, curvaceous bluenette woman with blue eyes.
"Yeah. Is Gramps here? I need something from him. Now."
"Okay." She said, turning around and yelling "MIRA! GET MASTER!"
"What is wrong, Juv-NATSU!" a small old man called out.
"Where's Lucy?! Where's my girl old man?!"
"Why do you want to know?" he asked, crossing his arms.
"First, she's going through a rough time. Second, she's my fucking girlfriend! So tell me where she is before I set this place on fire! AGAIN‼"
"Okay, okay! Hargeon Town, Strawberry Street! Number 31, second floor!"
"Thanks old man!" Natsu grinned "Still nice as ever."
The salmon haired teen hopped on his motorcycle and drove, leaving behind the woman and the old man wondering about what was he going to do. Thirty stressful minutes later, he finally arrived her new house. It was indeed strawberry red. He climbed up the stairs, ignoring the landlady when she yelled at him and started banging on her door too.
"Did you forget something, Lucy? Or are you here to take out Happy?" a voice called out, opening the door with a blue cat on her arms. "Who are-wait. OMG! You're BurningFlame! The YouTuber! What are you doing here?"
"Hey Happy." He said, caressing the cat's head, smiling when he saw that Lucy had kept him "Where's Lucy?"
"She's at her work. Wait, how do you know her?" Levy asked, yelping when Natsu dragged her by her arm.
"Remember the phone calls and texts in the middle of the night?"
"Yeah?"
"It was me." He declared, giving Levy a helmet and driving away.
~.~
Like every single wish we ever made
I wish that I could wake up with amnesia
And forget about the stupid little things
Like the way it felt to fall asleep next to you
And the memories I never can escape
'Cause I'm not fine at all
No, I'm really not fine at all
Tell me this is just a dream
'Cause I'm really not fine at all
Lucy finished, receiving a loud applause from the people there. She smiled and got up, bowing to the crowd. She was about to leave when the girlfriend of the birthday boy asked her to sing another.
"Okay, one more." She accepted, not seeing Natsu and Levy standing at the entrance of the dining room. Natsu wanted nothing more than grad the blonde and pull her into his arms, but was held back by Levy, whom shushed him and pointed at Lucy.
Six weeks since you've been away
And now I'm sayin' everything has changed
And I'm afraid that I might be losing you
And every night that we spend alone
It kills me thinking of you on your own
And I wish I was back home next to you
Oh, every day
You feel a little bit further away
And I don't know what to say
Are we wasting time
Talking on a broken line?
Telling you I haven't seen your face in ages
I feel like we're as close as strangers
Won't give up
Even though it hurts so much
Every night I'm losing you in a thousand faces
Now it feels we're as close as strangers
Natsu just stared at her. He knew she was singing about them. The time apart, the pain and the angst. All the nights that they had spent alone, looking at the ceiling and thinking about each other. Every single lonely moment that, in the last months, that were occupied by the thoughts of the other. And he swallowed hard because he knew that the tears behind her eyes were his fault. So, spotting a microphone over the table, he took his chance and grabbed, continuing:
Late night calls and another text
Is this as good as we're gonna get?
Another time zone taking me away from you
Living dreams in fluorescent lights
While you and I are running out of time
But you know that I'll always wait for you
Oh, every day
You feel a little bit further away
And I don't know what to say
Are we wasting time
Talking on a broken line?
Telling you I haven't seen your face in ages
I feel like we're as close as strangers
Won't give up
Even though it hurts so much
Every night I'm losing you in a thousand faces
Now it feels we're as close as strangers
Her mouth fell open at the view of her boyfriend standing there, singing to her. He was back, and he was apologizing her for being away for so long. All she wanted was to hold squeeze him and never let him go. But they both needed to let it all out. So she pulled the microphone back up and sang:
On the phone
You can tell that I wanna move on
Through the tears
You can hear that you shouldn't have gone
Every day gets harder to stay away from you
So tell me...
Are we wasting time
Talking on a broken line?
Telling you I haven't seen your face in ages
I feel like we're as close as strangers
Wasting time
Talking on a broken line
Telling you I haven't seen your face in ages
I feel like we're as close as strangers
Won't give up
Even though it hurts so much
Every night I'm losing you in a thousand faces
Now it feels we're as close as strangers
Both stared at each other, hearts on their throats. Their skins ached. The feeling of being, once again, inches away from each other was overwhelming. Lucy wanted to touch him, but was too afraid that it was only just a dream. And Natsu took the opportunity himself. Raising his other hand to cup her cheek, he finished:
Six months since I went away
And I know everything has changed
But tomorrow I'll be coming back to you
And, with that line, Natsu dropped the microphone and pulled her to him, kissing her.
Epilogue
Natsu and Lucy were in his bedroom, back in Magnolia. After the little show they had pulled, two weeks before in the restaurant, Natsu had decided to bring the girl back home, with the condition that Levy would come too. It wasn't the only one, though. Gray, Natsu's main dancer and Erza, his manager, had come too. They had made new friends and possibly new romances, since the girl that had answered Natsu, Juvia, was head over heels with Gray, Erza found her childhood crush and Levy was crushing on an old friend of Natsu, the name being Gajeel.
And, at that moment, Natsu was lying with Lucy on his bed, with his head on her stomach and was talking, holding a video camera. There was a video of them on YouTube kissing and that had generated a lot of polemics, some saying that was fake, others claiming to know that it was real. So Natsu decided that he was going to come clean, and tell his fans the truth.
"So yeah, guys. That video that went viral about me kissing a girl after a duet is real. C'mon, you've seen her here in my channel! It's Lucy! Say hi, Lucy!" he exclaimed, pointing the camera at her. She waved and smiled and Natsu continued "So yeah. Lucy is my girl and be ready, 'cuz that kiss will be repeated. I'm sorry about the last two shows I missed, I promise I will make up to you. And…" Natsu stopped talking suddenly. He looked at Lucy and asked "What are you singing?"
"Partition, by Beyoncé. Take all of me
I just wanna be the girl you like
The kinda girl you like
Take all of me
I just wanna be the girl you like, girl you like
The kinda girl you like is right here with me" she sang with a seductive voice, moving her hips along with the song.
"Oh my god…" Natsu groaned "Guys, 27th July in LA and 3rd August in Miami. Me and Lucy will be there to give you your well-deserved concert. Do NOT throw away your tickets, those are still valid. If you haven't gotten your ticket go to my website burningflame dot com slash tour and buy your ticket there. I gotta go, guys. This bitch under me got me horny and now she's gonna pay the price. Peace!"
And, with that, he turned off the camera, getting up and turning to Lucy. She had a sly smile on her face and placed her phone on her bedside table, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down, kissing him with all the power in her body. He kissed her back and, when they parted, he whispered:
"I love you, Luce."
"I love you too, Natsu…"
A/N: Read and review, please! The songs are Titanium, from Christina Grimmie (cover), Amnesia, by 5SOS, Close as Strangers, by 5SOS (female cover and original) and Partition by Beyoncé.
LoneeWolf :)
