Okay, this was the last straw.
Not only did Natsu set her beloved manuscript on fire, but he also wrecked the entire house in twenty seconds flat after sneezing a burst of flame from his nose.
It would've been almost funny if she wasn't so damn angry.
"NATSU DRAGNEEL YOU STUPID SON OF A BI-!" Lucy ground to a stop and quickly swallowed the curse word. Innocent Wendy was present, endeavoring to heal Natsu's cold or whatever had caused him to sneeze with her magic.
"Lucy-chan, I'm sure he didn't mean to burn it down." The young girl said meekly, hands outstretched to Natsu as magic flowed from her fingers. Natsu was prone on the ground, actually looking guilty and like a mess.
The firemen had just finished their work, and one of them paused to talk to Lucy, rubbing his red face from the heat. "Sorry ma'am, but only a few items are salvageable. This was a big one, let me tell you. Do you have anywhere you can stay for the night?"
"Well…" Lucy was about to say she could room with Levy or something but Natsu groaned something like "Shtay ah mah hoose."
"Excuse me?" Lucy said coldly. Natsu lifted his head from the pavement a couple inches and said more clearly, "Stay at my house."
"Now why would I do that?" Lucy crossed her arms and smiled a deadly smile that sent the poor fireman scurrying for his truck. "You just burned my house down, including everything in it. My manuscript, my books, my clothes, EVERYTHING, NATSU!" She exploded, making Wendy squeak in fear. "You burned everything." She continued in a suddenly very hurt tone, bordering on tears. "Even the things my father sent me are gone."
"Lucy-chan…" Wendy murmured timidly, but Natsu's face looked stricken. "I'm sorry, Lucy. I didn't mean to, honest. My head just feels so funny…" He shoved at the ground, trying to push himself up. "But it's all the more reason for you to stay at my place. Happy and I can take you in for a while…"
Lucy huffed, about to come up with a stinging retort, but then she suddenly realized how pale he was. And he was shaking. "Hey, Natsu, you okay? You're looking kind of -"
"LUCY-CHAN!" Wendy was suddenly shrieking with fear. Natsu had slumped to the ground, blood pooling from his mouth. And all at once, the fire was the last thing on Lucy's mind.
Porlyusica was worried. And she looked like it, too.
That alone was enough to send the entire Guild Hall into terrified hysterics.
"I swear I will kill him if he croaks." Gray growled, punching the table with his fist. Juvia, for once not being his unrelenting fangirl, just shook her head. "Juvia is scared…."
"OI! SALAMANDER! IF YOU DIE, I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!" Gajeel thundered, marching towards the infirmary, but Porlyusica's broom met him in the face with enough force to send even the Iron Dragon Slayer staggering. "Do not touch him." She enunciated sternly. "His condition is serious, and if you cause him to have a relapse I'll kick you out myself."
Gajeel sighed and sat down grumpily by the infirmary. Levy timidly sat down next to him and put her hand on his, and for once, he let it stay there.
Porlyusica sighed and rubbed her eyes, looking grave. "He is afflicted with a sickness called Hell's Sleep. It's a virus, and it's easily contagious, so no visitors."
Lucy buried her head in her hands. "I'm such an idiot. He came to my place saying he had a cold, and I thought he was bluffing."
"It's not your fault." Erza put her hands on the trembling blonde's shoulder. "Remember what Miss Porlyusica said? The first symptoms look very much like a common cold, only milder. No one can blame you for doubting him."
"But if I had noticed sooner he won't be like this." Lucy mumbled. Erza fell silent, for that fact was sort of true. If one had taken the patient to a doctor quickly before the second stage had set in, the patient might have a higher chance of recovery. But the symptoms were so hard to recognize that it was a difficult feat to do so.
Happy whimpered, "Will Exceeds get sick too? I want to see him…"
Warren suddenly looked up. "A visitor?"
A figure in black stood at the doorway, a very familiar one.
"MYSTAGON!" Wendy cried out happily. Pantherlily exclaimed, "My liege!" and fell to one knee. Indeed, it was the Edolas prince, or more specifically, king now.
He had a faint smile on his face, looking around the guild hall. "You've certainly changed the place." He remarked. Despite the gravity of the situation, everyone gathered to speak with the former S-class mage.
"How's Edolas holding up?"
"Is Coco and the others alright?"
"How's Knightwalker?"
Mystagon smiled and shook his head. "I'm not here for a round of catching up." His face became grave as he dropped the bag he was carrying on the ground. Lisanna, the nearest one to it, rummaged inside and withdrew from the bag a vial of white shimmery liquid. "Eh?"
"That is extract from Stellaflos, or the Starflower. It grows plentifully in Edolas." Mystagon directed his gaze at the guild members. "I believe it will heal Natsu."
"It will?" Lucy leapt to her feet. "Oh, Mystagon, thank you!" Mystagon held up a gloved hand. "However, there is a very specific way to use it properly." He paused, and everyone waited with bated breath while Mystagon lowered his head and…chuckled?
"According to my herbalists, the cure will only take effect if the patient's true love applies the Starflower's extract."
The guild hall fell dead silent.
Happy called out, "Lucy liiiiikes him…"
Lucy stood stock still as everyone slowly turned their gaze to her. A blush crept up over her cheeks. Lisanna walked over and put the vial in her hands. "Go on." The white-haired girl winked. "Go heal our Natsu."
Lucy flushed even redder as Lisanna gently pushed her in the direction of the infirmary.
Somehow, her feet propelled her further towards the infirmary. Somehow, she opened the door with shaky fingers. Somehow, she saw Natsu laying prone on the white sheets. Somehow, she sat down next to him. Somehow, she forced open his mouth and poured the entire vial down his throat.
Lucy set the empty jar on the bedside table and looked at her nakama's white face. Behind her, Porlyusica was watching the whole procedure with a curious face. And behind her, the guild watched with napkins over their noses (after all, it was contagious.).
Natsu coughed, and rolled over, until he was looking blearily at her. "Lucy…?" He croaked.
Lucy smiled as tears flowed from her eyes. "Morning." She murmured.
"You look…." He began, and Lucy clasped his hands in hers.
"You look like a mess, Luce. Did you not shower all day?"
She face planted into the mattress. "God, Natsu, I save your life and acknowledge myself as your true love and that's all you have to say?"
Natsu choked. "What?"
Oops.
"Er, that's what Mystagon said…..I…uh…." Lucy fumbled around as Natsu suddenly burst out laughing. "You're kidding! You? Me? A pair?"
Lucy glared at him as he wiped his eyes, still giggling. "Oh, man…" He looked at her as she practically burned holes through his head with her glare. "What?"
"Honestly, Natsu!" She stomped to her feet, brushing past a startled Porlyusica and a disappointed guild hoping for a romantic kiss.
Natsu scratched his head. "Did I say something?"
1 day later
Lucy hung her feet from the bridge, kicking despondently and feeling as gloomy as the weather. Plue trembled beside her.
"He's an idiot." She told the shivering Celestial spirit. "He's so dense! He doesn't even see a romantic confession when it's in his face!"
"Boy problems, Lucy?" The men in the boat called as they sailed under the bridge. She ignored them, throwing her head back as she gloomily watched as her house, or what remained of it, was being rebuilt.
"Hey, Lucy?"
She spun around, breath hitching as Natsu swung himself over the bridge to settle himself next to her. "Mind if I sit here, Plue? Okay, thanks." Plue made his funny little "pun-pun!" noises and waddled off to play with Happy.
For a moment they sat in slightly awkward silence. Natsu was staring off into space, and Lucy was seriously considering whether to jump the bridge.
All day, she'd been avoiding him. Now that it can't be done, she couldn't help but think that the river water looked mighty appealing…and that's saying something from the girl who has to face Aquarius' wrath and Juvia's jealousy on a daily basis.
"Lucy? Can I say something?" Natsu broke into her thoughts. She turned to look at him steadily, though inside she was going OHMYGODJDHFWOEUFHOIWHOIWEH.
"What is it, Natsu?" She said belligerently. "Make it quick."
"Um…okay." Natsu threw his hands behind his head. "Mirajane told me what happened, what with all the true love and all that whatnot."
"Mhhmm." Lucy mumbled, looking at a part of his face and not his dark dark eyes.
"I just want to say sorry. That was really thoughtless of me." He looked at her shyly, smiling a little. "At least we won't have to beat around the bush about our relationship anymore, huh?"
Lucy relaxed, and smiled. "I suppose."
They sat in comfortable silence a while longer, letting the evening sun bathe them in pale color. Suddenly, Natsu turned abruptly to Lucy. "Lucy, can I kiss you?"
"EXCUSE ME?" Lucy erupted, turning red, pink, then red again, then white. "Why on earth would you want to do that?"
"Well, Igneel told me that when a dragon finds its true mate, they close the bond with an act of physical affection or something." Natsu dead-panned. "And I assume you don't want to have sex or anything, right?"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT." But Lucy was flushing because her active author's imagination was already supplying her with plenty of forbidden images that made her heart start to race. "Well, if you insist…." She stuttered, shutting her eye tightly and offering her cheek.
"Okay….here goes…" Natsu put his hand on her neck and leaned in, lips gently pressing onto hers instead of the cheek. Lucy's eyes flew open as she registered the slightly chapped feel of Natsu's lips on her own, then cautiously closed her eyes again as Natsu pulled her closer, hands roaming to rake through her hair.
Wow. This was actually really really good. Like mind numbingly good. Like so good she actually started to reconsider the abstinence 'til marriage idea…wait what?
As Natsu finally let go, breathing a little more heavily, he grinned at her. "See? Wasn't so bad!"
Lucy flushed and looked at her feet. "Yeah…" She admitted, ears flaming red. "Wasn't so bad…"
"And look at our guild marks." He grabbed her right hand with his own, marveling. A spot of flame, like a tattoo, was shining from her Fairy Tail guild mark, in the heart of the emblem. It was red.
"Your arm!" She exclaimed, touching his shoulder. A golden tattoo of a tiny key rested in the heart of his guild mark.
"Are we mates?" She asked, wondering a little at her own question. "Since you're a dragon and all…?"
"Do you want another kiss to prove it?" Natsu smirked, grabbing her arms and pinning her down onto the stones that made up the bridge ledge. "Because if that's so, I gladly comply…"
Lucy smirked back, threading her arms around his neck. "Alright then."
And they somehow managed to make out on top of the bridge without falling.
A black haired shirtless man and a red haired armored woman watched from the shadows. A gaggle of other guild mates watched as well. They were silently smirking. The red haired woman spoke. "Cana, you owe me 1,000 Jewel."
"Fine."
Mystagon was silently chuckling to himself. "They really believed my little fib about the 'only true love can heal' bit… with 'til I tell Erza at home all about it….
Next up, Gajeel and Levy!