Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail in any way, shape or form.
DOUBLE UPLOAD TIME. Yes. Double upload time. Feel free to check out the other story I posted, serendipity, after reading this story (if you haven't already)
This was made because my favourite numbers are 'five' and 'twenty-eight'. This is my 'twenty-eighth' story, entitled 'Five'. You see what I did there? Yeah. I know you did.
This was also supposed to be for my TWWOW readers to celebrate its first birthday, which was January 21. That didn't work out as well as hoped. Once I realised I wouldn't get this story up in time for that, I chose Valentine's Day instead. But, looked like that wasn't gonna happen either. So in the end, I decided to post it up on some random Saturday in March and hope that you all enjoy!
Five
The first was when they were at the tender age of five years old.
She flocked under the shade provided by the large cherry blossom tree after having run around the majority of the park. She had sprinted among trees and curved around families enjoying the picturesque day, one aim in mind. However, even after going around what she believed to be the entire park – it had felt like it to her – she had no luck in finding it.
What was she so desperately looking for? It was the precious charm bracelet her mother had given her to wear just for that day. The silver bracelet had precisely one charm on it – an oddly shaped, yet uniquely beautiful, key – but even so, she had grown attached to it.
Her mother wished to follow her, but had instead chosen to ask around among the various people who milled around the park who she hoped had some clue about where the missing piece of jewellery could be.
After a futile search, the two females had sat on the park bench. The elder of the two looked upon concern on her daughter, who was absolutely disheartened at losing something she thought so precious. The girl's head was bowed down, her blonde tresses curtaining her face as her eyes blinked back tears which threatened to fall and make an utter mess of the bright blue summer dress her mother had also given her.
"Lucy," her mother spoke, her voice so soothing that Lucy couldn't help but look up, bright brown doe-like eyes looking at the woman with a faint hope. Her mother smiled softly, picking her daughter up so that Lucy was seated in her lap. "I'm sure that we'll be able to find the bracelet somewhere. A nice person probably found it and is hoping that the owner will come and take it back. Don't worry sweetie, we'll find your bracelet."
Lucy shifted in her mother's lap so that she could see her better. She was still smiling, trying to reassure her daughter that hope wasn't lost yet
"But Mama!" Lucy retaliated, her lower lip jutting out and her eyes tearing up again. "What if no one finds it and a doggie or kitty take it? Or what if the person who finds it is a meanie? What if they steal it Mama? Then I won't get it back! And you got it for me! And I'll feel so bad and –"
Layla continued smiling, a small chuckle slipping from her lips as she placed a slender finger in front of Lucy's lips. She fell hushed as her mother's eyes moved to focus at something behind her. Curious, Lucy followed, shifting until she could see what her mama was looking at.
Two people were approaching them, the pair in the midst of an argument. A little boy was shouting at the man whom was presumed to be his father. From what Lucy could see, the two had vivid rose-pink hair, dark eyes and - from when they opened their mouth to either grin and shout - sharper-than-normal teeth. As the boy raised his hand up, most likely to exaggerate a point by gesturing, something he was holding glinted in the sunlight. Some type of hope fluttered through her, though she didn't know what for.
When they finally reached her and her mama, the large man spoke as the boy stood behind him. She tried to peek over the side to see what the boy was holding, but he had moved his arm to hide it behind his back.
"Excuse me," the man spoke, prying her attention away from the boy. She had managed to move away from her mother's lap and was seated on the space left on the worn bench. "My son had found something which we heard belongs to you. It looked to be precious, so we hoped that you hadn't gone yet without it."
The man then moved away to the side. The little boy shot a glare at his father, who grinned back, as he shoved the missing charm bracelet towards the woman, who looked surprised.
"Here you go lady," he murmured disinterestedly. His father glared at him, who immediately looked to shrink in size as he fixed his words. "I mean, here you are ma'am."
Layla leaned forward to see the boy eye to eye. His eyes were looking at anything else but her, a sure-tell sign that even with his passive façade, he was quite nervous. She found it endearing.
"Sweetie," Layla said, glancing at her daughter who was watching the scene unfold with confusion. The boy still avoided her eyes. "I'm glad that you found that bracelet, but I think the proper thing to do is give it to the right owner."
His eyes finally met hers, and she could see bewilderment flash across them. An intelligent 'huh' had passed his lips as he looked to his father, who had shrugged, and then back to the woman, who was smiling sweetly, and then to the third person who he had barely noticed was there. He grumbled something under his breath before moving his arm to have the bracelet offered to Lucy.
"Here ya go," the boy said, words more colloquial. Lucy looked at the bracelet for a moment before hesitantly picking it up with her thumb and pointer finger. She continued staring at it, her eyes wide in disbelief. It was as if the bracelet was something strange rather than the gift her mother had given her earlier. "Hope you're happy. Now dad, can we go get some ice-cream or somethin'?"
Before he could take a step, he was tackled down. Lucy had all but pounced on him, her arms wrapping around his torso as words of gratitude tumbled out of her mouth in a rush. It was the boy's turn to be surprised again, freezing as his slanted charcoal-eyes stared at her.
"Thank you! You found it! I thought it was lost forever but you found it! I can't believe it! Thank you! Thank you so much!"
And before he could even process the events that were happening, with his father, her mother and the cherry blossom tree as their witnesses, she placed an innocently sweet peck of the lips against his cheek.
His earlier flush had turned even redder, if it was even possible. Taking the looks on the parents' faces, his face most likely resembled a cherry tomato. Lucy was completely oblivious to any happenings which could be considered embarrassing, more focused on the fact that someone had found her precious object.
"O-Oi!" the boy cried out, pushing the girl away from him and running to his father's figure. The man was by then laughing heartily at his son's awkwardness. The boy was half-infuriated and half-wanting for a hole to swallow him up so that he could escape. "Why the heck did you kiss me? That's icky!"
Lucy was appalled, all semblance of gratefulness for the boy dissipated and replaced with anger. The flush on her face was by no means out of embarrassment, for the most part. "Hey! I was saying thank you! You didn't have to act like that! Meanie!"
"Weirdo!"
Lucy's face scrunched up even further, nose crinkling and mouth pursing as if she had sucked on a very sour lemon. "My name isn't weirdo! It's Lucy!"
Natsu poked his tongue out cheekily, pointer finger pulling down at the bottom of his eye in a mocking gesture. "And my name ain't meanie! It's Natsu!"
Lucy released a frustrated growl and began her chase. Natsu only had a split-second to figure it out before he started running; he missed Lucy's outreached hands by a hair. Sprinting past the cherry blossom tree, Natsu ran for the life of him, Lucy hot on his tails like a predator. However, one couldn't mistake the wide grin spread out on his face; he was enjoying the chase immensely.
Both parents watched their children run around like hilariously escaped zoo animals before turning to each other. Both had similar smiles on their faces, foreseeing something in the future that the two children couldn't even comprehend.
Layla began the proper introductions. "I do believe that we'll be seeing each other many times soon Mr…"
"Dragneel, though you can call me Igneel if you wish," he replied, smile growing ever wider. "And I do agree with the fact that we'll come to be familiar with each other in the near future, Mrs…"
"Heartfilia. Layla Heartfilia."
With formalities finished, the parents glanced back at their children, noting that Natsu's infectious smile had already wormed its way to Lucy's face as the continued their little game.
..O..
The second was when both were the age of ten.
True to their parents' words, the meetings between the Natsu and Lucy and their families didn't conclude after the initial charm one. Instead, as if fate was playing them out like puppets, chance meetings for the two had become frequent. At first, both had bickered over the matter, claiming that the other was 'following them – how can you do such a thing you weirdo'. Funnily enough, when the children entered elementary, fate by then having too much fun with the two children together, they had found themselves not only in the same class, but seatmates too.
The animosity between the pair lessened, the friendship strengthened. A month in when school started and they were already joined at the hip.
By their fifth year of school, nothing had changed between the two best friends. Children around them had steadfastly agreed that the two would be together forever. Lucy was 'The Princess'. Natsu was her 'Dragon', after he insisted that knights were stupid. There was no Princess without a Dragon. There was no Dragon without a Princess. There was no Natsu without Lucy. There was no Lucy without Natsu. That was just what they knew.
Though the fantastically romanticised vision these ten year olds held had all but shattered after 'The Fight'.
'The Fight', or so it had been dramatically dubbed, was, to say the least, terrifying. It was one of the largest threats to Natsu and Lucy's friendship anyone had seen. Sure, the pair fought on a daily basis about daily trivialities, but 'The Fight' was just… a normal fight of theirs, a hundred times worse.
What instigated it was an accident. His scarf had landed in a muddy part of the riverbank on the dreary morning that the fight occurred. Not only did it land there, but tangled in a branch as well, thus causing the marred state it was in when Lucy had presented it to Natsu when she arrived at school, face distraught and eyes seeking forgiveness.
There was no massive blown up fight. No shouting matches or punch ups. God forbid that they were that violent against each other. Instead of all that, an even more shocking thing had occurred, one that left all the students frightened at the fate of the Dragon and the Princess' relationship.
Natsu, no smiles or scowls – no expression at all really, which was the frightening bit - took the scarf in his hands. He gave them a confessional - the scarf was a family heirloom, given to him from his father. His father had received it from a grandfather that Natsu had never known. After that, he left class without a word, not even a scathing glare. He had left completely emotionless. Lucy, dumfounded, was a wreck for the rest of the day, unable to pay attention in class and always staring at either Natsu's empty chair or outside the window in the faint hope that he'll come back.
Nothing of the sort ever happened. The school day had ended, commencing the start of Spring Break, which all the students had been so eager for. Their excitement had dimmed, sympathy going to their peer.
Spring Break was the longest time Natsu and Lucy had gone without speaking to each other, ever since they entered school. Even so, both children had the other on their mind. Natsu was brooding, Lucy was hopeful. The latter was going to reignite the friendship, staying up into late hours of the night to complete what she was making to absolute perfection.
Natsu walked into class the first day back and immediately felt the glares from his fellow classmates. Well, their reasoning was understandable. Lucy was practically the most adored girl of their class, possibly even their grade. With the fact that he upset The Princess on the last day of school, no matter if he was her best friend and known as her 'dragon', he had become Public Enemy Numero Uno.
It wasn't the most exciting thought to gauge as the bell rang and he seated himself down. Surprisingly enough, Mr. Conbolt was on time, walking through the door with a cup of coffee in hand one minute after the bell had rung. Everyone was worried when role call began.
"Lucy's not here."
"Why isn't she? I hope she still doesn't feel bad about the… 'The Fight'."
"Well, The Dragon was being pretty mean then. He seriously brushed her off then."
"Good job Dragneel."
The scathing glares continued for the next fifteen minutes.
That is, until someone blundered their way into class just as Mr. Conbolt was in the middle of ranting his life story. Even he fell hushed at the sight that greeted them, the figure standing at the door in surprising conditions.
Her hair was messy; Natsu could've used the words 'rat's nest'. It was tied in a ponytail, though it didn't help make it look neater in the slightest bit. Her clothes, which were usually perfection to a T, were rumpled as if she had slept in them. Her brown eyes had been spoiled by the dark bags under them, which hadn't been there a week earlier. They looked watery too, and her nose was red as well. Overall, Lucy… Lucy's seen better days.
She muttered some half-hearted apology to the teacher before she walked in, approaching one specific desk with determination. Like what had happened during 'The Fight', everyone couldn't help but freeze and stare. However, instead of something foreboding, the situation they were in seemed optimistic.
The Princess reached The Dragon's desk, and that's when the majority of the audience noticed the package in the girl's hands. It was something white. It was something that looked to have scales. It was folded delicately in a small bundle and was cradled in her arms like a baby.
She offered it to him her eyes meeting his and holding his gaze steadily. He'll accept it Lucy. Don't worry. He will. You know he will. Don't doubt your best friend. That is, if he still is and – no! Think straight! He'll accept it. He'll be your friend again.
"And what could this be… Heartfilia?"
She flinched at the sound of her last name coming out of his lips. It wasn't supposed to be that way. He was supposed to say 'Lucy', or 'Luce', or even 'weirdo'. But not… Not what he said just then.
Even with her courage wavering, she still stood strong, knowing that the fate of their friendship was at stake.
"A present. Please accept it!"
For a moment, it was as if the world had stopped turning. No one moved. No one breathed. Lucy was frozen in place, arms outstretched and eyes solely on the boy's face, searching for any semblance of a reaction. He was looking at the item cautiously, as if she were holding out to him a ticking time bomb.
His movement to pick up the item from her hands felt so painstakingly slow. Any moment, she feared that she would collapse from the sheer amount of nerves. She held strong, gulping when she felt the weight of the object out of her arms. He unfolded it delicately, like what he held was a precious treasure than anything else. The hope that he might have liked it fluttered through her, warming her insides.
"Y-You…" Natsu murmured, struggling to find words as he stared at the valuable garment in his hands. It was his scarf. It was his scarf. Every part of it was his scarf, from the same colour of white down to the size of the scale pattern and even how it felt. He tore his eyes off of it (albeit with great resistance for he still wanted to continue admiring the piece) and looked up at Lucy, knowing that she hadn't magically cast a spell and fixed his old scarf back. No… He knew that the old scarf was lying on his desk in its marred state. What he held in his hands, Lucy made herself.
"It took me all Spring Break," she muttered, her hands wringing her wrists alternately. Natsu recognised it as her nervous tick. She was nervous? What for? Whether or not he would like it?
Natsu stood up, promptly letting the scarf flutter to the ground. Lucy watched it fall, heart clenching and threatening to crack. So she was right. He didn't like it. Her efforts were wasted, with a single drop of something that she put her heart in. Oh gosh… She was so tempted to start crying again, no matter whether or not everyone was staring at her.
Before anything of the sort could happen, Natsu had brought his arms forward and pulled her close to him, enveloping her in a warm hug. She blinked momentarily, taking a deep breath as the moment registered in her mind. Natsu was hugging her. He was hugging her. Did that mean that she was finally forgiven?
Uncaring about the people watching, Natsu shoved his pride down and placed a small gentle peck on her forehead. He could hear her sharp intake of air, others mimicking the sound. He buried his head down, having a mental screaming match with the part of him that was saying he'd be embarrassed for the rest of his school life. But at that point, he didn't care. Lucy had made him such a precious thing. Any teasing he'd get would be more than worth it.
"Hey Lucy… Thank you."
..O..
The third was when both were at the turbulent age of fifteen.
It had been nearly ten years since they first met. In all that time, the two had barely separated. Rather, it seemed that they had welcomed more and more people to become their friends. Even so, they were still the closest that anyone had ever known. Even after Lucy had faced tragedy in her life, Natsu had never strayed. Nothing, they believed, would ever separate them, and they were content knowing that fact.
Until the day came when Lucy was standing in the pouring rain, staring back at the only house she's known for the entirety of her life. Behind her was a black limousine, ready at any moment for her to enter it and take her away to the airport, where she'd be shipped off to some European boarding school by decree of her father. He had decided it after their major spat a week prior. Sure, after her mother had passed away a year beforehand, many fights had cropped up between the two, but the most recent one had sent them to desperate measures.
He had told her to give up all of her friendships, especially Natsu's.
There was no way that she'd been willing to give up such a thing. They fought for hours, their arguing leading to no clear end. That is, until he picked up a bottle of alcohol that had been placed on a nearby desk and threw it near the wall where she stood. She had been petrified to say the least, and without another word left the house, staying with her friend Erza, for the night. She could have chosen Natsu, but she didn't want him to enter a fit of rage and commit murder to the first degree.
As much as she hated her father, she didn't think she'd be able to cope with another parental loss. Not after her mom.
She came back the next morning and discovered that her father had stayed up the night, finalising the papers which would allow her to be enrolled at a select, upper-class boarding school for females. With a bottle of wine in his hands, multiple others strewn around the room, he had justified to her that it was to 'refine' her, also mentioning in his drunken slur that, "Layla wouldn't want this. She wouldn't."
Whether he was talking about her seemingly 'rebellious' nature or the actions he had made that night, she wasn't sure.
She'd kept quiet about the major change for the entire week, acting as if life was still as normal as it should've been. Sometimes, out of the corner of her eyes as she chastised Gray on his stripping habit for what could have been the millionth time, she would see Natsu watching her, a confused look across his face. Now, she knew that her best friend wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed; however, Natsu was perceptive when it came to his friends and the way they acted. Especially her. She only hoped that it was just her paranoia.
She'd decided to tell him she was leaving the day of her departure. She had called him but was directed to his voice message. She had replied to it with a small voice, saying the two simple words of: "I'm leaving".
That had been fifteen minutes ago.
There was a honk from the driver's seat of the car behind her. Time's up.
With a heavy sigh, she pivoted her heel, taking the first step to the limo. It almost felt like she was a convict walking to the gallows. The comparison managed to make a wry smile appear on her face. Looking down at the cracked pavement, she calculated that she had another two steps left. Her heart felt heavy. Her throat was parched. Her eyes had begun tearing up, like clouds preparing to give way for a rainstorm. The icy touch of the raindrops that pelted her didn't help at all.
She didn't wanna leave. She had friends here. She had memories here. Someone please stop her. One-and-a-half more steps. Someone? Anyone?
There was a monstrous cry from somewhere in near distance. She halted, head flying up and looking round for where the sound came from. Through the myriad of monochrome that met her vision, something bright pierced through – bright, spiky and pink.
Natsu.
She heard another cry as he burst down the pavement, sprinting as if demons were on his tail. He was calling for her. Her hands cupped her mouth as she felt the tears coming out from her eyes. He was here. He had made it. He hadn't abandoned her at their final farewell.
He came to an abrupt stop a metre away from her, almost tripping in the rush. He crouched low momentarily to catch his breath before jumping back up, staring her dead in the eyes with seriousness she hadn't seen in him before. Seeing him was absolute relief, like an oasis in the desert. But with that said, it also told her the last decision that she was to make in whether or not she would leave.
"Why don't you stay?"
"I can't."
He growled, grabbing her by the shoulders and letting his hands grip there tightly. His seriousness had melded with ferocity, to show her a wholly different side to Natsu than what was normal. She couldn't say that she was frightened though. Rather, she felt comforted by his presence, however menacing it may have been.
"Stay."
"I can't."
"And why the hell not?"
"I don't want to lose another family member again," she replied back with a certainty that she hadn't known she held at that point. A flash of understanding passed over Natsu's expression and his hands stopped squeezing, dropping to his sides awkwardly.
"H-How would you be losi-"
"Because if I don't follow my Papa this time round, I'll probably never talk to him again. For all I know, he'll most likely disown me from the Heartfilia family," she replied, her voice growing quiet with each word. "Natsu… You know out of all people that I can't lose any more family members. Mama… When she left us, it was too much. I sound crazy because just a second ago, I was screaming in my head that I didn't wanna leave. But now, surprisingly, I'm more than okay with leaving."
He nodded, but the expression on his face was so heartbroken that her mind started playing with her again, earlier determination uncoiling slightly.
"I…" Words left him. He felt so helpless. He wanted her to stay… But if she wanted to leave, then what did he have against that? But, she's his best friend. They've been together forever. They're not supposed to ever be apart. Why does she want to leave like this? "Do… Do what you want…"
Her expression grew soft. "Natsu…"
He turned away from her, cursing himself for not being able to think of anything. Had their friendship become meaningless? The thought angered and confused him to no end. He felt like a child. He didn't want to let go of his best friend.
She took a step forward, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and pulling him down (because the idiot had grown much taller than normal), so that she could give him a soft kiss on the corner of his lips. She could feel him tense when she let go of him, opening the door behind her. He was in a dazed state.
"If I don't follow what Papa told me, he'll never come back." She opened the door and slid into the seat. Before she closed it, she stared up at Natsu, taking in his entire distraught form, and smiled with melancholy. "Even if I don't follow what you tell me, I still know that you'll come back for me. So Natsu, I hope my belief is true."
He heard the sound of her the three charms on her bracelet jingling. Even with the tinted window, there was some empathic link between them that allowed him to perceive her face, tears and raindrops running down, that same sad little smile on her face as she spoke her last word to him.
"Goodbye."
..O..
The fourth was when both were estranged at the age of twenty.
After their last farewell, they lost all means of contact with each other. It was difficult for both to cope. Lucy had many days where she wondered if her decision was wrong. Natsu had many days where he wondered if he should have put more effort in making her stay. But their worries weren't forever. The world kept turning, and with it, they had to learn to move on, without the existence of the other.
Lucy lived her life to the best she could, ensuring that she made decisions that she'd never have to regret. Her life was fast and fun. However, from time to time, she recalled the grave mistake her fifteen-year old self had made. Doing so always made her question 'what if?'.
She shook away the thoughts, letting herself giggle at whatever Levy was saying. Both had decided that it was high time for them to let loose... (It was more her idea. Her blue-haired partner-in-crime was trepid about it.) Getting dressed in their best, they stepped out into the cold, unwelcoming night, ready to let go of their worries for one night and just do whatever.
They found themselves being let into a nightclub foreigners loved frequenting, or so Lucy heard from a coworker. She and Levy were giddy about it, heading straight for the bar to get buzzed before heading out to the dance floor. The music was deafening, beats lively and sounds tantalising. With her first drink done, Lucy began to feel a hell of a lot looser than she was earlier when she was thinking about…
Not the time. She could reminisce another day. She took another two drinks for good measure and told Levy that she was going to dance. Levy nodded, giving her a slight worrying-mother look before going back to staring at some tough looking pierced guy on the other side of the bar. Maybe Levy would brave herself to go to him. She stopped, once she began to think of him again. It was becoming more frequent recently. Something in her didn't mind.
Bodies pressed up against her. Personal space wasn't an option. She swayed her hips to the rapid music, letting them move seductively whenever she felt someone behind her. Maybe a little fun for her would take her mind off of him. Part of her didn't want that.
Undoubtedly lost in the music that surrounded her, she didn't pay much heed to any partner she was with. That's why she didn't care much for the next man that found their way behind her, oblivious to the fact that he was more familiar than she would have ever realised.
The way his body was against hers exhilarated her more than the others. She could feel his hot breath against her ear; his toned arms around her and calloused hands sweeping across her body. Her senses were on overdrive. His touch left her craving. He smelled musky, and warm, and oh-so-nostalgic. Her hands moved up to reach for his head. His hair felt spiked, but soft too. She pressed harder against his entire body and he groaned. The sound of his voice was divine. All that was left was sight and taste – the two best parts.
The man behind her kissed her wrist, more specifically, her charm bracelet decorated with four unique charms. She found the action curious, but was more curious about his appearance. She slowly turned, in order to tease him a bit, head moving forward so that there would be little space in between them once they were face to face. Her eyes were closed in order for her surprise. When she felt their noses brush, she opened her eyes…
And were met with ebony black ones that she could recognise in a heartbeat.
Before she could make any move, he had enclosed her securely in his arms and pressed his mouth against hers in such a passionate way that the breath she was holding flew away from her throat. His lips were deliciously hot, enough that her body felt like it was on fire. Whatever aversion she'd previously had vanished. Her mind was blank, all argument gone. She was drowned in euphoria.
They broke apart, and he grinned that stupidly lovable grin of his that she missed so much.
"I knew I'd find ya."
..O..
The fifth was when they were both twenty-five.
It wasn't really their fifth. They had passed that number a long, long time beforehand.
There was nothing really especially different about their 'fifth'. It was a sweet brush of the lips; still enough to make her heart flutter like butterflies' wings. She had then proceeded to return the kiss. Moving her arm, the bracelet with five charms jingled. There was a glint of gold from her left hand with the movement. The scene seemed to embody pure contentment.
They weren't finished with the game that was known as life. The Princess and the Dragon had a lot more left for them. But, they would just continue living it, numbering every single part of it that made it more than wonderful.