I DO NOT OWN FAIRY TAIL. If I did, there would be a lot more sneaking off to broom closets, I can promise you that.

It was just a wristband.

A simple, boho accessory commonly used by the younger generations. Lots of people wear them. They correlate the colors and patterns to match their fashion choice of the day, or even adorn the simple accessories with rhinestones and beads. Lucy wore one every day. It was simple, and black so it went with nearly everything. In fact, the times she was seen without it were few and far between.

"Why, Luce?" The young dragon slayer asked quietly from the bed. Lucy Heartfillia looked up from her work on her novel with a surprised "huh?" She turned around to look at the rose-headed boy laying on the bed on his side, head propped up by one hand while the fingers of the other plucked at the comforter mindlessly.

"Natsu, what're you talking about?" The blonde celestial mage crossed her legs, looking at him curiously. She watched his face as his eyes met hers, and then flicked down to her wristband. She touched the material on her right wrist and raised an eyebrow.

"It's a wristband, people wear them t-"

"Bull." Natsu looked her dead in the eye, now sitting up and seemingly peering into her soul. Lucy made a noise of protested, but soon quieted, lowering her hands onto her lap.

"How do you know?" Lucy didn't meet his gaze as she asked this question, her cheeks a light pink color, her eyes finding a focal point on the bedroom rug. The dragon slayer said nothing, but gently grabbed her right hand in his.

"Natsu, ple-" she was cut off as Natsu removed the wrist band, and clenched his teeth.

"You never answered my question," Natsu threw the wristband across the room. He stared at the newly made cuts on her wrist, not possibly more than a few days old, "Why, Lucy?" The blonde stared at his face, his eyes not leaving the marks that, to her, represented the weaknesses she had yet to conquer. She read anger, sadness, and...dare she say helplessness in the young man's face.

"Natsu..." He looked up at her, a single tear brimming at the corner of his eye, his eyebrows furrowed and his teeth gnashing.

"WHY THE HELL DO YOU DO THIS TO YOURSELF, LUCY? YOU HAVE A FAMILY. FRIENDS WHO CARE ABOUT YOU AND WANT TO PROTECT YOU FROM HARM. HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO THAT? WE CAN'T PROTECT YOU FROM YOU! I can't protect you." The pink-headed mage had released her wrist and was standing, staring down at her, fists clenched and breathing heavily after the outburst. Lucy had grasped her arm in her left hand and pulled them close to her chest, eyes fearfully studying Natsu for any further words before she spoke herself.

"I'm not worth your worry, Natsu," he relaxed his body, and stood up straight eyeing her with curiosity, "I have been told from a very young age that the only thing I was good for was my body. Father would take me along to business meetings with him, before I ran away that is, and would strike up a deal: 'give me what I want and you'll have a shot at marrying my daughter'. I mean, even when I went back to him to right my wrongs, the first things he talked about was marrying me off...I suppose it was good for my self confidence. After all, that's not something I'm lacking in. But after these past few days, when Phantom Lord nearly killed every single one of my friends...the entire guild...and even Mira, disguising herself as me to try and buy time knowing full well she could've been killed. I'm not worth the hundreds of lives that make up the Fairy Tail guild..." Lucy trailed off sadly, looking at the floor.

"Gih..." Natsu was starting to catch fire, his fists balled and shaking. The celestial spirit mage, looked up through her silent tears, gasping lightly.

"Hundreds of lives...haven't you learned yet?...Fairy Tail is one guild...one family...ONE LIFE. We all fight for each other and we all put ourselves on the line for one of our own. DAMMIT LUCY, WE WOULDN'T HAVE FOUGHT FOR YOU IF IT WASN'T WORTH IT," Seeing her tears, the fire dragon ceased his flames and took a strangled breath, "please, Luce," he kneeled in front of her and gently took her right hand, kissing the marks on her wrist, "I can't lose you...especially not to yourself."

She cried out, flinging her arms around his neck, and falling into him. She sobbed into his shoulder and he, although surprised at first, wrapped one arm around her waist pulling her close, and placed his other hand gently in her hair.

Lucy pulled back, and looked at him with tear-brimmed eyes. The dragon and the princess eyed each other with such ferocity, Lucy swore she felt the room on fire. The two somehow drifted closer to each other, and Lucy whispered a feeble 'thank you,' their lips mere inches apart.

"AYE, SIR!" Lucy shrieked and toppled to the ground as Natsu shot up and threw his fist in the air, giving an impression that would put Happy to shame. Lucy gave a sweet smile as he then made his way to her kitchen.

'Wow. I lucked out with this one, mom...' The thought slowly disappeared as the blonde heard crashing and a very un-manly scream.

"NATSUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"

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Well? What'd you guys think? This is my first time writing, so please leave me a review of what you thought!