Chapter One
Twenty-Two year old Natsu stood up upon the scaffolding of the apartment building, ready to take his own life. No one would notice anyway. This was the only way he could alleviate his pain. He couldn't run anymore. He couldn't keep living his life like he did. If his parents didn't want him, then who else would? He grew up in a foster home. He saw how the happy couples came there, young and old. How they would stop, and give judging stares at his pink hair. He saw how they witnessed his outrageous and disturbing thoughts. Natsu was born a corrupted child. He grew up seeing things he shouldn't. Now, there he stood with his hair dyed black as night. He dyed it over the years, to avoid bullying, which would then lead to him getting into useless brawls.
"This is it. I wonder if I'll go to hell." Natsu mumbled to himself as he took a deep breath.
"You don't have to do this." a soft voice assured. Natsu scowled as he continued to stare at the sunset. Why did the good voice of conscience decide to tell him something now? Wasn't this the part when the angel of death took him away? "You don't have to do this, every person has a purpose on this world." the voice said again. Natsu finally decided to turn around. Standing on the safe part of the roof was a young blonde woman. Her hair was long and shiny, her eyes a glowing brown. She was an angel, but he didn't think she was the angel of death. She was a real life, beautiful breathing goddess. She wore a flowing light blue sleeveless sundress that blew in the wind showing her feminine form.
"Who are you?" Natsu asked.
"I'm Lucy Heartfilla, and you are?"
"Natsu Dragneel."
"Natsu, let's talk this over." Lucy said as she walked closer to him.
"Don't walk any closer if you're not gonna push Me." he retorted harshly. Was he crazy? Lucy then stopped in her footsteps.
"Please, just step down." she pleaded as she stepped to him as slowly as she could so he wouldn't notice.
"Why should I, you don't even know me?"
"I'd like to get to know you; if you'd let Me." she smiled. He was hesitant. However, he decided to step down. Lucy took his hand, and helped him down. At that moment, he just broke down, crying hysterically. He could've been splattered across the streets, people screaming and shouting. "See, was that so hard?"
Natsu's eyes were shut tightly. "Do you have somewhere to stay?" she asked him. He nodded in the negative. "Anyone to call?" he nodded no again. He averted his gaze away from Lucy, staring at the now vanishing sun.
"It's late, would you like to stay at my place for a while?" she asked. He shrugged his shoulders. How could she allow a stranger into her home? He could've been a rapist or murder, or a complete psychopath. Did that not concern her? Maybe she was a lonely, desperate girl.
"But, I'm a complete stranger."
"I-I know it's bizarre, just take this kind gesture."
The very rooftop they were standing on was the building where the strange girl lived. It was very luxurious. She must've been rich.
"I'm assuming you don't have any clothes, but you can borrow some of my boyfriend's."
'BOYFRIEND!? If she was my girlfriend, I'd be furious! Letting a strange man inside, and allowing him to wear my clothes. Not to mention this crazy guy almost killed himself.' Natsu thought to himself.
"I also have a guest bedroom and bathroom. Stay as long as you like."
"What about your boyfriend?"
"Oh, no worries. He won't be back in a week." Natsu stared at the end table by the couch, seeing the picture of her and a bluish-black haired slanty eyed guy. "Gray, his name is Gray." Lucy said, handing him the clothes. "You can take a shower if you'd like." Natsu nodded. He wasn't a guy of many words, huh? She pointed him to the guest bathroom, and headed to the kitchen.
Meanwhile, in the shower, Natsu began to recollect himself. Maybe it wasn't' meant for him to end his life. He couldn't have really wanted to kill himself, otherwise he wouldn't so will to go with Lucy. This was all a scattered blur. As he opened his eyes, he noticed the black hair dye leak from his hair. "Dammit!" he sweared. It must've been a rinse; oh well. After taking a much needed shower, he got out, and wrapped a towel around his waist. He wanted his clothes washed.
He grabbed another towel, drying his damned natural pink hue hair. Lucy stood in the living room, flabbergasted. First thing she noticed was his sharp abs and cuts. Then his pink hair.
"Yes, this is my real hair color." he said before she could say anything. She had her mouth wide open. "You should close your mouth before a bug fly in." Natsu said slyly.
"Ummm...W-what do you need?" she asked, still staring at his hunky muscles. He was more ripped than Gray. She couldn't quite catch why Natsu wanted to kill himself. He was obviously very handsome. She was just waiting for that towel to drop, secretly.
"Can you wash my clothes?" he asked as he handed them to her.
"Sure. Oh, and I brought a new pack of undies for ya." she said
"They're too small." Lucy began blushing wildly. Geez, how big was he packing?
'Stop Lucy! You have a boyfriend! You shouldn't be thinking of another man's package!' she thought. But she was curious.
"I'll just wear the sweatpants." Lucy's face practically turned red as a tomato. Sweatpants, without underwear, ON A MAN! A very poisonous mix. She could feel a nosebleed brewing up.
"Okay, I-I-I fixed some soup." she said as she took off her apron, going to take a shower herself.
After her own shower, Lucy returned to the kitchen and fixed herself some soup. She sat across from Natsu, who was now dressed. 'Dear god!' "So tell me, why you tried to kill yourself?" she asked.
"I just...had a breaking point. I couldn't keep living how i lived. I was homeless, jobless. My parents gave me up as a child. I could remember how they would argue, over me. They didn't love me, or want me. They didn't play with me like the other kids' parents. Or pick me up after school. They have even abandoned me before...I..." he started to cry.
"I know what it's like to want to take your own life. Five years ago, when i was only fifteen, i wanted to be the popular girl. My father was rich, but i wanted to have friends, who were friends for me; not because i had money. I did drugs, whatever possible, but one time...I was...drugged and raped." She started crying herself. "It was filmed and broadcasted online. I was so...Embarrassed. I felt...disgusted with myself, and the people who did that...I trusted them. Thinking they were my true friends. Even though that was a while ago, it's still a sensitive, traumatic subject..."
"I just wanted to kill myself. "She started again. "I took a lot of pills that night, but my dad rushed in not long after that, and saved me. Looking back... I'm glad he did that. Those kids were charged with Child pornography. They're still in prison." Lucy Sobbed. Natsu placed his hand on hers'. He wiped her eyes with his thumb. He felt that her story was WAY worse than what he went through, or at least equaled the same pain. You would've never thought such a beautiful girl went through what she did. Natsu then found his other hand on her cheek, their faces close. Their lips were inching closer and closer. Lucy then heard keys at the front door. She backed away quickly, nearly jumping out of her stool. She began eating her soup hurriedly; wiping her tears away. Then, the door opened.
"Lucy! I'm Home!"
"Gray!" she rushed to the front door and jumped on Gray, kissing him all over his face. "Wow, what are you doing here a week early?"
"Well, our job got canceled, so..." when they walked into the kitchen, there was Natsu rubbing the back of his neck. "Who the hell is he?"
"Natsu, this is my boyfriend Gray, Gray, this is a friend of mine, Natsu." Lucy said nervously. "He'll be staying with us as long as he likes."
"Is that my T-Shirt, and my Sweatpants?" Gray asked, his scowl full formed. "Can I speak to you in private?"
Gray closed the den room door harshly, then, the bickering began. "How can you let a man into our home?!"
"What the hell Gray! I told you he's a friend, so you're the only man allowed in here?!" Lucy belted.
"Well, yeah, when I'm not home!"
"How do I know you're not fucking some other woman? And don't forget that this is MY condominium! And MY father is sponsoring your low-life business!" she screamed.
"Ugh! The Nerve of you!"
"The Nerve of you!" it was silent for a while. Lucy then stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. She went into her room, and slammed that door too.
Gray then came out, and apologized to Natsu. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me. I'm Gray Fullbuster." Natsu snickered.
'Gray Fullbuster?' he thought childishly.
"Something funny?" he asked.
"No, some soup went down the wrong tube." he said sarcastically.
"Whatever. Tell Lucy I'm leaving please." Gray said. Natsu nodded as gray exited the condo.
"Hehe, Fullbuster..."
