DA: Hey! So, I realize that angst week has been over for like two weeks now and I've already submitted all of my fics on tumblr, but now, I felt like compiling them into one anthology so I don't lose them. I'll also post one of my other stories that's been posted before as a little extra of sorts… Plus, I had no idea where else to put it. But anyways, without any further ado, here's my first submission for angst week!

Disclaimer: You all should be thrilled that I don't own Fairy Tail. You'll see why in later submissions….

Again, THESE WERE POSTED ON TUMBLR FIRST! Also, as a warning, there is implied rape in this fic.

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FT Angst Week Day 1 – Scars/Bruises

There was a thin, pale scar that ran up Lucy's right thigh.

It shone slightly if the light hit it just right and indented her otherwise flawless skin. It didn't follow a straight path, but rather it twisted and curved as if whatever had made it had intentionally done so. Lucy never mentioned it, nor did she offer any explanations when he asked, rather shrugging off his question with a hesitant smile.

And that frustrated the hell out of Natsu.

He wanted to know. No. He needed to know. It travelled up high enough to vanish beneath the hem of her skirt, but whether it continued up even higher than that was a mystery. She never let him see her naked anymore, not even 'accidentally'. Had someone hurt her? If so, he needed to know who to aim his fist at. Nobody got away with hurting his Lucy. But again, she never gave answers. But there were clues.

Sometimes she woke up in the middle of the night, screaming. Her hands scrambled to get the blankets off her, her chest heaving and gasping. Whenever he tried to comfort her, she shoved him away, often times with a panicked scream. Now, when she had those nightmares, he left the bedroom to go sleep on the couch. Though, Lucy had a tendency to find him there later on and curl up next to him, whispering tearful apologies. He never really slept much on those nights.

Then there was her new habits. She flinched whenever he hugged her from behind, inhaling sharply as if to scream. His magic was regarded with fear, her brown eyes dark and wide in the flickering light of his flames. In fact, her eyes always had this hard, weary look to them these days, something she tried valiantly to hide. She was never quick enough. It hurt him to see her so worn down, so fearful. He wished she would tell him.

She never needed to tell him.

It came to him one day when they were lying in bed, the tip of his finger gently tracing the length of the scar. He knew its path without even having to look down at the nearly glowing mark on her leg. It was only when he reached the hem of her pajama shorts that she stiffened and shoved his hand away. But that's when he remembered it, what he had done. He remembered in vivid detail, about the blood spattered claw, about the brutal manner in which he had completely unraveled her very being.

He practically launched himself off the bed, eyes wide and his blood roaring in his ears. His chest heaved with the force of his breathing, staring at the now confused blond on the bed. She slowly stood, eyebrows furrowed, and reached towards him. He stumbled back, shaking his head, until his back met the door of her closet.

"Natsu?" she asked, frowning slightly.

"I-I…I did that…" he whispered, fingernails digging grooves into the wood as his hands curled. She froze, her eyes impossibly wide. "Oh-Oh god. I-I hurt you." She didn't say anything, brown eyes shattering as she watched him. He collapsed to his knees, pressing the heel of his hand against his forehead. Tears blurred his vision, dripping down the bridge of his nose.

She settled herself down next to him, still silent. He flinched, suddenly understanding her new quirks. Wrapping warm arms around him, she rested her cheek against the soft salmon locks of his hair. He wanted to force himself away, to run, but he couldn't, not when her touch was what he had been yearning for. "I'm sorry, Lucy. I'm so goddamned sorry." He continued rambling apologies to her, pressing his forehead against her collarbone. She still didn't speak, but let her arms tighten around him. "How can you even stand to be around me?" One of her hands lifted to run gentle fingers through his hair. "How can you forgive me?"

"I forgave you a long time ago," she murmured, pressing her lips to the crown of his head. "Because that wasn't you. I know who you are, Natsu, and that monster wasn't you."

"But I-" He lifted a hand and rested it on her thigh, cupping the pearlescent scar. She shook her head, lowering her own hand to grasp his own. "What if…?"

"It won't."

He fell silent, still uneasy. Fear writhed within his chest, his grip tightening on her. She might be certain, but he wasn't. Because he could still feel it. That sick pleasure that arose from the memory, the craving for her blood. The monster wasn't gone; it was merely hiding, waiting for its chance to strike once more. And that terrified him. But he was certain of one thing, now so more than ever with her scent surrounding him and her soft touch brushing against his skin.

He would die before letting the demon touch her again.

DA: If I might say, this one was rather tame in comparison to my other submissions, though this was the fic that was the best received on tumblr. No apologies, at all. Anyway, I'll be posting a submission a day on here, though if you want to find all of them before then, my tumblr URL is thisisthee-n-d . tumblr . com (remove the spaces as normal).

Leave a review if you liked it!

May your hearts stay strong,

DarkAngel555