Chapter 1 of 1

It was a rough battle. He had almost died fighting off an enormous dragon. Now, with lots of blood stains on his horns, wings, and claws, he went looking to find refuge.

Trudging along the beaten path he thought to himself, 'Master Zeref and I got separated… again. *sigh* I told him that we shouldn't just rush headlong into that battle… He just never listens. '

His claws becoming regular hands as he walked, his wings unable to hold his weight with how weak he was,retracted into his body,and his horns, receding back into his head. He didn't seem to notice. As he trekked along, he spotted a building in the distance.

...a temple?

He didn't want to take the chance that there was someone inside, but went anyway. The temple looked abandoned so he didn't think anyone was in there. It was yellowish brown with moss growing around the sides.

Upon getting close, he suddenly felt a searing pain rip across his chest. 'A Holy Barrier. He thought. Silly Humans.. Even though I may be severely wounded from battle, I am still the strongest demon Master Zeref created. I still have

enough power to break your silly barrier.' Placing his hands side by side he pushed through the barrier, it broke with a loud crack.

Plowing along, he hissed at the pain he received when he broke through. By the time he got to the entrance, he didn't even have enough power to kick the doors down so he just pushed the door open and collapsed onto the ground.

Panting heavily, he could barely make out the sound of feet coming closer quickly. 'Those steps…' He thought. 'They sound like they belong to a woman…..'

….A priestess?

She probably had felt her barrier break, and was coming to see who had broken through, since you're really not supposed to be able to.

When her footsteps approached,he heard her give a sharp intake of breath.

Instinctively, he covered his wound as to not let her touch it.

"You are injured." She said. The woman walked up to him and said "You are injured. Let me help you or you will not live to see morning."

She started to take off his clothes aiming to bandage him up.

'This mortal is lecturing me?!

He, forgetting his pain over his indignation, let out a nasty snarl and swiped his claw, aiming for her heart. The priestess, sensing this attack lept back from him. Fear written in her face as she was about to be gutted. But that disappeared quickly as she said,

"You want to bleed to death here? That is fine by me, but do so outside as you should not stain my temple grounds." she paused to look at him." Or do you say that you broke my barrier just to die here from your pride?"

He glared at her, pride warring with his need to survive.

Slowly, without breaking his stare, he removed his hand from his wound, relaxing for her. The priestess was on him in a second.

The demon watched as the priestess carefully mended his wound, listening to her soothing words as she fought to save his life. Apparently, her name was Lucy Heartfilia. A villager from the Village of Stars. A place where the people have the ability to communicate with the Zodiac and the stars. She had been hand picked by the village elder to be priestess.

"What is your name m'lord?" She asked. So far each time she asked a question, he would not respond, he more liked to listen than to talk. When it had appeared that he would not respond,she smiled sadly, getting up to fetch a new bowl of water.

"Etherios" She heard him speak, " My name….Etherious Natsu Dragneel. I am END." He had a rough voice, but Lucy decided she liked it.

"END hm?" She asked as she got up to and went to the door. She stopped at the door.

"I think I prefer Natsu."

And so she called him Natsu. For the duration of his time spent there she called him by his middle name. One day when he was lying in bed and as she changed his bandages, he asked her why she called him that. "It is a beautiful name."

When it had looked as if he did not understand, she grabbed his hand with more daring than any human had ever had and dragged him outside then sat him on the bench. "Natsu means summer." She said. When she saw his still puzzled face she smiled, gestured to the crops of abundance, and said, "Summer is not the time for love and beginnings." She looked up at the sun. "But it is life. And life's a beautiful thing."

'If she says so'. He thought.

Looking at the sun he closed his eyes and felt the summer heat on his face. Unconsciously, a ghost-like smile came onto his face. He thought he quite liked the summer. It was the kind of smile that could only be seen at just the right angle. Being the one at this angle, Lucy saw it and smiled super big, deciding she quite liked his smile. Of course she never said anything.

Natsu had not been planning to stay very long. But he soon found himself spending many harvests with Lucy. Her innocent demeanor intrigued him. He thought of her as a puzzle that was complex. One night, Natsu and Lucy were sitting under the stars while Lucy showed him her friends and told him about their personalities. "This is Lyra and Taurus." She said as she showed him their constellations. "Lyra can play the harp well and is a amazing singer, while Tauros is a perverted bull but with a mighty swing." Natsu, having no clue what she was talking about, thought he should ask her a question,

"So…..You enjoy the night?" He asked. She smiled at him,"Yes…..It is my favorite time." "But…...Why do you like it so much?" He asked as he looked at her with a puzzled face. "I'm not quite sure why. I guess it's just because I can talk to my friends at night. Also I really enjoy the full moon. It seems to give me a lot of power." 'A lot of power?' He thought. 'Well, just as she prefers the darkness of night, I enjoy the light of the day.'

The next winter, Natsu and Lucy were walking through the town below the temple. Lucy was pressed up against Natsu's back for warmth. Natsu, of course, had that warmth because he was a flame demon. He also had no trouble being out there in the cold because of his warmth. Lucy pressed more firmly up on his back before peeling away and ran away screaming, "Natsu! Come over here quickly! You must look at this!" She went over to one side of the street to a little pillow on the road. Natsu came up to the pillow, looked at the thing inside of it and said "A demon." That remark earned him a knock in the head by Lucy. "NO you moron it's a little kitten." Natsu recovered and growled slightly. But stopped and looked down at the "kitten". The kitten was blue and had two pure white small , stubby wings on it's back. It was shivering. "Awww, look Natsu! it's shivering! You have to warm it up!" Lucy said as she promptly thrust the kitten into his arms. Natsu's eyes widened a little bit as he was met with the warm, soft sensation of fur. Looking at Lucy he shrugged as he raised his body heat to a higher level. The kitten immediately stopped shivering. Instead of jumping out of his arms like he thought it would, the cat flew up and landed on his head. "Aye!" It said. Natsu's eyes widened and he looked at Lucy, who busted up laughing,"Aww, Natsu! Look he likes you! You made him happy!" Natsu, who was just trying to understand that emotion, looked down to the ball of blue fur and said, "Well that is what I shall name him. Happy."

Many harvests past, and Natsu was STILL living with Lucy and Happy.

He had no idea why, but her reasoning intrigued him. He had often asked her why she did not fear him. She had always answered, "I have no need to. You have had every chance to kill me yet you have not. So I see no reason to fear you." The thought made him laugh 'Silly Human…..you are just a puzzle that I am trying to put together. As soon as I figure you out, I'll have no more use for you.

As soon as this is over, I'll dispose of you like mere trash.'

XOXO

Some time later, Natsu and Happy were out playing in the fields. They were rolling around laughing and having fun. When they were done, they fell on the grassy ground panting. Suddenly, Happy asked him a question, "Hey Natsu?" he asked. "Yea?" Happy rolled over onto his stomach. "You're real name is END right?" This time, it was Natsu who rolled over,"Yea,why?" He asked. Then Happy said this, "Why are you good? I mean not to be rude, but aren't all demons bad? Did Lucy do something to you?" He asked. Natsu looked confused. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"Well…I've heard that Lucy was different from other priestesses. Like, some priestesses use runes of magic to destroy demons, but Lucy uses celestial magic. Do you think she could've done something to you because she's different?" Happy asked quizzically. "That's-" Natsu trailed off. Happy was right. What DID That priestess do to him? Falling silent, Natsu started to think. I once was a proud demon. The strongest demon of Master Zeref. I showed mercy to no one...So…What then could have made me like this? Was it that priestess? She HAD to have done something… How else could she not be afraid of me? Yes. That MUST be it! That priestess has been manipulating me every day! Slowly turning me into a lovable person! Well no more! If I don't do something, I'll be just like any other human before I know it! I have to do something NOW!

"Natsu? Are you ok? You got really quiet." Happy said as he looked at the troubled demon. Natsu put on a strong face and said, "Yea! I'm fine! Hey! I'm hungry. What about you?"

Natsu was grinning.

"I am a little hungry. Maybe Lucy made dinner already!" Happy exclaimed happily.

"Of course! I bet she made a whole bowl of fish for ya!" Natsu said. "Really?" Happy asked with wide eyes. "Aye sir!"

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

"Aye!"

XOXO

That night, when Lucy,Happy, and Natsu were eating dinner, Natsu was silent the whole time.

"Natsu? What's wrong? You haven't even touched your food yet!" Lucy asked worriedly. Natsu suddenly looked up and remembered where he was. "I-I-I'm fine. I'm just thinking about something." He lied. Lucy looked at him, not believing it but decided not to push him. "Ok,Natsu…" She said. Suddenly, Natsu got up from the table. "Please excuse me." He said as he quickly walked off to his room.

Lucy watched him go than turned to Happy. "Do you know why he looks angry and sad at the same time?" She asked. "I was just about to ask you the same thing…" Happy quietly said. "Well maybe you should go and talk to him. It might help him." Lucy said thoughtfully. "Aye sir!" Happy said with a smile.

As Natsu walked back to his room, he clutched his heart in pain. 'Why? Why do I feel like this? I feel….saddened and betrayed…' He thought. 'I feel as though my heart is being ripped out of my chest...What are these new feelings i am experiencing? What did that priestess do to me?'

In anger he kicked over the cabinet in his room and fell on the bed. "Natsu?" Happy asked timidly as he came into the room.

Natsu didn't say anything but grunted in response. "Are you okay buddy? You seem mad at something...Did I say something wrong?" Happy asked nearly in tears. Natsu rolled over and put on a fake smile. "No Happy. You didn't say anything wrong. I've just been thinking about...Things…" He said. "Do you wanna talk about it? You seem really mad about whatever you're thinking about…" Happy said looking apprehensively at the fallen cabinet. "Nahh. I'll be just fine buddy. Don't worry bout me." Natsu said patting Happy's head. Happy turned and started to walk out. "OK….But just remember you can talk to me whenever!" He said. Natsu sighed. "Yea...I know buddy. It's just..Personal. I promise I'll be OK." He said. Happy nodded and then walked out. Leaving Natsu alone with his thoughts. 'But why would she go so far as to use her magic to manipulate me? Why not weaken me and then dispose of me right from the start? I bet she just wanted the satisfaction of knowing that she was able to tame Zeref's most powerful demon. Well no more. I shall dispose of her tonight. She will NOT make a mockery of Zeref's strongest demon.

XOXO

That night, when Lucy was asleep, Natsu snuck into her room. As he approached her bed, his anger swelled. His claws began to extend, thirst begging to be satisfied with her blood. All of a sudden, a hand grabbed his clawed one. He jumped, startled as the figure below him sat up. "You wish to end my life, yes?" Lucy asked him. Natsu looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "Of course I do. You have been manipulating me with your priestess powers." he sneered. Lucy looked upon him with a soft smile. "You are mistaken M'lord." she said softly. "I have not been manipulating you. I have simply given you that which you have never had." Natsu narrowed his eyes. "And what, pray tell, is that?" he asked. Lucy leaned closer to his face, nose touching his. "I have given you Love." she said simply as she kissed him softly. Natsu's eyes widened all the way and he stiffened. 'Love? Demons cannot love...can they?' he searched his heart for the meaning before thinking. 'Yes. I may not have felt it before, but I can say with certainty now. I may not have had feelings for this strange human before, but I do now.' With that, he relaxed, closed his eyes, and kissed her back.

XOXO

A few years later, Natsu and Lucy were happily living together. Happy had moved away to start his own family. But they had decided not to have kids, for they knew that they wouldn't be able to raise them correctly. But they were happy, just the way they were.

But, dear reader, perfect moments do not last…

One day, Natsu was out in the field, tending to the crops, when he heard an earsplitting scream. "Lucy!" he shrieked as he ran as fast as possible back to the temple. What he saw when he got there was the most horrific thing he'd ever seen. Lucy, covered in scratches and bruises, was lying in a pool of her own blood. Huge vines had ripped through her stomach making it bleed even more. And standing over her, was none other than his own master and brother, Zeref. "What have you done?!" he roared at him. Zeref looked at him with sympathy. "I have simply done YOUR work. Such a shame too. The girl had so much to look forward too." he said. Natsu growled loudly, red blurring his vision. "I'll make you PAY!" he roared as he charged Zeref. Zeref merely shook his head and disappeared, his voice echoing throughout the area. "Demons cannot love Natsu. Remember that." Natsu hurriedly ran over to Lucy, kneeling down and cradling her fragile body. He tried to burn off the vines, but three more just grew in their place, and it was obvious that they were draining her life force. Suddenly, Lucy's eyes opened and she weakly looked up at Natsu. "N...atsu…" she said hoarsely. Natsu looked down upon her with a straight face. "Come on weak human. Let's get you fixed up." he said. "We still have to go see Happy and his litter.." he tried to move her body, but Lucy gave a shout of pain and weakly laughed. "I...don't think I am going to be able to go N...atsu.." she said. "But you must. Happy would be sad if you didn't come." he said as his eyes began to tear up. Lucy smiled softly at him. "You can say hello for me….can't you?" she whispered. Natsu nodded, tears finally pouring down his face. "You...you will be here when I get back...won't you?" he asked as his voices choked up. She shook her head. "I'm afraid I won't...I...I'm tired…" she said weakly as she began to close her eyes. Natsu's own eyes widened and he bent over her body, crying into her shoulder. "But you cannot die Lucy! I...I love you…." he declared as tears rolled down his cheeks, mixing with her own. Lucy's eyes widened. In all the years they were married, not once had he said that he loved her. Crying even more, she put a hand to his cheek. "I...will always be with you Natsu...remember me...in your...heart.." she said as she drew him in for a kiss. He kissed back with as much desperation as he could muster. When he pulled back, Lucy's eyes had closed and she had stopped breathing. Natsu shook her gently. "Lucy..? Come on...Wake up..." he pleaded. When he realized that she would not open her eyes again, he tilted his head back and roared the loudest he ever had. He roared at the dawning sun.

It truly was, the dawn of an END.

The End