Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail

Really... I just had to write this xD

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Confrontation

Lucy had been sitting in silence now for a longer time and it worried him. Since they got Gray back and he explained the whole situation to them she had been so happy, the smile on her face the smile he had longed for to see. With those slightly flushed cheeks and the genuine grin of hers.

But now it was different.

Gray and Happy had long dozen off and Natsu himself was pretty tired but the look on her face, the expression which held something he couldn't quite read, worried him.

She had been sitting a few meters away from the campfire. It was the night before the purification ritual and it was a chilly night. The wind nothing but cold and tingly.

The air was tensed, had been from the moment they settled here to rest a bit.

She hadn't spoke to him, neither paid him one look ever since.

And it made him wonder if he did something wrong?

Maybe she was still shocked since she almost died back there. And he again hadn't been able to do something... It still budged him that he almost lost her.

Lucy sighed and stood up.

''Lucy?''
She turned around and looked at him, smiling gently.

''Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up.''

Oh, right. She had been sitting with her back facing him. Sure she would think that she woke him up. Natsu only shook his head.

''I was awake.''

Lucy's lips formed a soft 'o' before she turned around and left for the forest. But Natsu wouldn't let her and she knew that. He was behind her in an instant, following her in the depths of the darkness in the forest.

The trees prevented the slightest light from the moon to enter the thick fog in the forest and Natsu was starting to get worried.

Why would she go here in the middle of the night? And would she also have gone here if he had been sleeping?

''Lucy, where are you going?''

''Just a little walk...''
The absence in her voice made something stir inside of him. Something really was up with her and he kinda knew that it not only had to do with her previous near death experience.

He caught her wrist before she slipped further away from him.

''What's wrong, Lucy?''

The blonde completely startled by his touch and his question. So he was right. Something was wrong. Just what?

He turned her around so she would face him. Even in the darkness he could see her shocked as well hurt expression. But why was she shivering? Was she cold? Or scared?

But if she was scared she wouldn't have run into the forest like this...

''You seriously ask me what's wrong...''

It was a muttered sentence, it sounded almost like she couldn't believe what he just said.

Outrage, disappointment, hurt. All things in her voice he couldn't explain why she was feeling them. But he was sure she would tell him by the way she shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other.

Was he making her feel uncomfortable?

''Natsu... Have you ever once considered my feelings?''

So it was going to be that talk... He had known it from the very beginning when he came back. There always had been a glint of sadness in her eyes, a hidden feeling in her expressions whenever he was saying something about Fairy Tail or when he was close to her.

She would always turn away, always try to hide it but he had recognized it every single time.

But he couldn't overcome his own self to talk to her about it.

''Have you ever wondered how I felt?''

Lucy grasped her hand away from his and took a shaky step backwards.

She was close on losing control he could tell, her breathing was fast, her expression concentrated, like she was trying to suppress her outburst which would come. He knew.

And he was to blame.

Carefully, he neared her again, waiting for her to react in some way but she only sucked in a breath when his hand rested at the back of her head and pulled her forward against him.

''I never meant to hurt you.''

He couldn't look at her right now, not like this. Never had he been a man of words or freely be able to express his feelings. And normally he wouldn't do things like this but he wasn't able to look into her eyes, her hurt eyes.

''But you did.''

She slightly wriggled out of his grasp and for a moment he thought of holding her back. What good would that do? The longer he tried to run away from this the more it would hurt, both of them.

''I know I'm selfish, I know I'm stubborn for this but... but you never said anything. When you came back it was just like always and I was happy but every time you say something about how Fairy Tail had always been there, how you never stopped believing... Or that I shouldn't ask things... It hurts... It hurts to know you're keeping things from me, just like that time when you told me about what would happen to Gray.''

Her hands were now on his shoulders, shaking him slightly.

''Why don't you talk to me?!''

Ashamed, he looked away. Why didn't he talk to her? Was it really only to protect her? Only to keep her out of things he didn't understand for himself?

''I know you had your reasons and I accept that, really... But it still... It still hurt.''

Great, now she was crying. Good going there, Natsu.

Bitterly, he thought that if maybe he took her with him she wouldn't have been so sad.

Why did all of this had to be so complicated?

But it was good for her to tell him all of this. It wasn't that he didn't know how she felt – he always knew how she felt, even when she tried to hide it – but now it would be better. He didn't plan to leave again, anyway. So there was no problem. Or so he thought.

Again, Lucy pushed away from him, her anger clearly rising to this point now.

''But you... You keep on scolding Gray for leaving Juvia without saying a word! How can you, Natsu Dragneel, of all people seriously go so far and say that it is wrong!?''

Her index finger tapped against his chest with every single word she said. And the anger in her voice didn't really help with thinking that this would be over any time soon.

''You of all people! You did the freaking same!''

''But I left a note!''

Maybe it was wrong for him to defend himself like that but it was true. He left a note after all, telling her that everything was okay and he only needed time to train. Wasn't that enough? What else did she want?

''Yeah, that's right... . .''

Oh yes, she was trying hard not to shout and scream and charge at him. He could see it, and he was scared. Though her tears didn't stop her voice was firm with resolve. Resolve to tell him everything that was making her so incredible mad. But he would endure this till the very end. Because in the end... This was what he deserved.

''One simple note...''

She repeated again, her voice fading, an edge to it he didn't know.

''Lucy...''

He was surprised to hear his own voice, it was slightly hoarse. Maybe it was due to the fact that a gigantic lump had been gathering in his throat during her time scolding him. But maybe it was also only because he was nervous.

Why was he nervous again? Oh right, he tried now to calm her down, somehow. After all, seeing Lucy cry was still something he couldn't handle that easily.

''How could you...?''

But now it was enough. Didn't she know what he lost? Couldn't she understand?

Before he also lost his temper though, Natsu caught himself and took a deep breath. This was Lucy, easy to hurt and even easier to upset. She knew exactly what he felt a year ago and he knew that she didn't mean all of this in any accusing way but still, it got on his nerves in some way. They had way more important things to worry about at the moment.

''Lucy, listen... I-''

''I don't want to hear any explanation, Natsu!''

And now even his temper went through. She didn't want to hear an explanation? She had been throwing things at him non stop just a few minutes ago and now she didn't want him to enter on that?

What did she want then?

''Then what do you want me to say?!''

''I want an apology!''
Silence. Complete silence. He couldn't even hear her fast breathing. An apology? That was all?

He should apologize for leaving for a year for his own reasons? Yes, that defiantly was selfish.

Still, he kinda owed her one, didn't he?

With a sigh, he calmed himself down and looked at her again.

The moon light now shone through the leaves of all the trees and drowned her face in a beautiful gray and blue light.

And he couldn't do other than admire her beauty. That was also one thing he had always been aware of. Her beauty. She was really astonishing. Not that he would ever say that out aloud but seeing her like this, how her dry tears left a stain down her cheeks in the light made her even more beautiful. Like raindrops in the sun, they were shining and gleaming.

Her tears. Right, his apology.

''I'm sorry.''

There could have been a million words to explain what he felt when he left, also why he didn't see her and told her personally, a million words to express just how much regretted it but at the same time not. And he simply said that he was sorry.

Like said, he wasn't a man of words. Obviously. And Lucy also recognized that.

''You're sorry?!''

''You said you wanted an apology!''

''Yeah but not one like that, you didn't even mean that!''

''Of course I did!''

''Liar!''

''You're the liar!''

''Wha- Why am I a liar now?''

''Because you said that you understood why I left but then you threw all those things at me.''

He crossed his arms over his chest when she pouted at him. They glared at each other a few more minutes before Natsu broke their eye contact and gazed up at the sky of trees.

''This is getting us nowhere.''

''Your fault.''
''Lucy...''

It was an annoyed, low growl but Lucy didn't mind. What would he actually do? He'd never raise his voice against her or actually use physical force against her, that had always been up to her and would always be.

''I am really sorry.''

He had no idea why he said that now but he felt that it was right. And he was. Not for leaving her, okay also because of that, but mainly because she simply was hurt because of him.

Lucy's eyes were soft by now again and a smile tugged at her lips.

''Yeah, I know.''

There was something in her voice that let him wonder if she knew it all the time and just wanted him to say it or if she simply was happy that he said it.

He startled slightly when she took his hand and walked back to the camp.

''We should rest a bit.''

Natsu snickered when he closed his hand around hers.

''Don't forget that you were the one who ran into the forest in the middle of the night.''

Lucy also smiled. And that made him happy.

''You know...''

''Hm?''

The Dragon-Slayer titled his head a bit to the side to look at her.

''When all of this is over... I'm gonna treat you and Happy to the biggest meal ever.''

Lucy squeaked when he threw his arm over her shoulders and pulled her against him, still walking.

''You're the best, Lucy!''

''You could say that more often.''

She looked up and met his eyes which were shining with happiness and amusement.

''I'll keep that in mind.''

–-

Okay. I really need a confrontation. I want Lucy to go all out on him because I really think that all the time Natsu says how Gray could do that to Juvia I think Lucy ironically thinks that he did the exact same... I just jhfzusjhbdsaoh

I need help! XD

Hope you liked this :3

Bye :*