Will you stay by my side
Will you promise me
If I let go of your hand, you'll fly away and break
I'm scared scared scared of that
Will you stop time
If this moment passes
As though it hadn't happened
I'm scared scared scared I'll lose you
- BTS "Butterfly"
Lucy Heartfilia
From the very first moment that she had met him, Lucy had known that there was something unexplainably special about Natsu Dragneel. Upon first meeting, she hadn't known that he was the Salamander from Fairy Tail but even after learning that, she had determined that that wasn't what made him special. No, it was something else. She couldn't tell you what it was exactly. It was just a feeling that she had.
Lucy looked up from the table that she was sitting at and her chocolate colored eyes locked on Natsu, who was sparring verbally with Gray.
No, what makes Natsu special is his personality…his disposition. Every part of Natsu defies what you would expect from him, Lucy thought. Natsu is special. I'm lucky to have him as my friend aren't I?
No matter how frustrating Natsu could be sometimes, Lucy did truly feel honored to be his friend. She looked back down at the table, sadness settling deep in her chest. Even if they weren't meant to be anything more than best friends, she felt truly happy to be in Natsu's life. The doors to the guild burst open and in walked the Strauss siblings. Lucy couldn't say she didn't like the Strauss siblings – she was close to Mira, and Elfman – but it was Lisanna that she was unsure about.
She felt a sort of kinship toward the white-haired girl because they were both part of Fairy Tail, but Lisanna caused a well of insecurities to well up inside her. Primarily concerning her relationship with Natsu. Lucy sighed, her heart feeling heavy as Lisanna called out to Natsu and he replied joyfully that contagious smile appearing on his face. Lucy knew that it was a little silly to feel jealous since Lisanna and Natsu weren't anything more than friends, but Lisanna was extraordinarily beautiful and she had known Natsu when they were children.
She took a sip of water, brown eyes drifting toward Lisanna and Natsu who were talking animatedly with only a few interjections from Happy.
It's silly to be jealous, isn't it? Natsu and I are just friends…I have no claim to him. But, I like him. Maybe even love and I guess that I've grown a bit possessive of my relationship with him, Lucy thought setting her glass down back on the table. I don't want our relationship to change because Lisanna is back. I don't want to lose him. She sighed. What do I do?
"Lucy," Erza said standing at the table. "We were thinking of taking a job."
"Oh, really?" Lucy asked looking up and smiling at the redhead. "All of Team Natsu?"
"Yeah," Erza confirmed with a smile. "Lisanna might come too, she wants to gain more experience."
The excitement that Lucy had been feeling dimmed. "Ah, I see," she murmured. She looked up at Erza giving her best attempt at a smile, "Maybe I'll sit this one out, eh? My spirits need rest and I don't feel good."
Erza looked at her suspiciously, finding this kind of behavior unusual in the blonde. Typically, Lucy was jumping for more jobs with Natsu, especially when she really needed the rent money for her apartment. Lucy looked away from Erza's knowing gaze her cheeks flushing.
"Are you sure Lucy?" Erza pressed.
"Mm," Lucy hummed. She stood up, "I think I'm going to go home now. Later."
As much as she wanted to go on the mission, knowing that Lisanna was going to be there ruined any excitement she had felt. As childish as it was, she didn't want Lisanna going on the mission or being anywhere near Team Natsu; but she knew it was something that she had no control over. She didn't want to show her jealousy to anyone else, much less Natsu, so she decided it would be best to remove herself from the situation.
Besides, what she had told Erza hadn't been a complete lie. Her Celestial Spirits weren't fully recovered from their last mission, and Lucy felt that they needed more rest. The clouds over Magnolia had darkened, hiding the sunlight that had been shining earlier this morning, and as small raindrops began to fall Lucy was glad. They hid the tears that begun coursing down her cheeks for a reason she couldn't explain.
By the time she had reached her apartment she was sobbing. She closed the doors, leaning against it, her heart feeling heavier than before.
Will it stop now? These raindrops, these tears? When the rain stops, let's meet again. We will smile again and be together. This is only a passing downpour, Lucy thought closing her eyes as tears slid down her face. She slid down onto the ground, wrapping her arms around her legs and burying her face in her knees.
Natsu Dragneel
Something was nagging at Natsu. Lisanna had just arrived, and the two of them had been talking like they always had but something didn't feel right. When Erza came over to inform them of a job she thought might be a good fit for Team Natsu, he realized what was wrong.
"Where's Lucy?" Natsu asked, looking around the guild for one of his closest friends. Erza looked away and Natsu stared at her suspiciously. "Erza, where's Lucy?"
"Ah, she wasn't feeling well so she decided that she should probably go home." Erza stammered, seeming caught off guard.
"Oh really? Well, Team Natsu can't go on a mission without their Celestial Mage," Natsu said with a smile. "The job can wait until, tomorrow right? Lucy should be feeling better by then."
Erza looked uncomfortably at Lisanna. "Um…Lisanna, can I talk to Natsu in private?" Lisanna readily agreed, smiling broadly and bounded over to her sister Mira. When Lisanna was gone, Erza turned to Natsu a small frown on her elegant features. "Natsu, I don't think that Lucy will be feeling better tomorrow."
A frown crossed the Dragon Slayer's face. "Why?"
"Ah…" Erza looked lost for words. "Natsu, Lucy was excited to come until I mentioned Lisanna. I know that you and Lisanna are close, and I know that Lisanna really wants to gain more experience but maybe it would be for the best at least this time if she doesn't come with us." Natsu looked confused, not quite understanding what Erza was trying to get at. "On missions, you and Lucy are inseparable, right?" Erza prompted and Natsu nodded. "Well, I think Lucy is afraid that it will change if Lisanna comes with us. Oh God, I'm not good at these kinds of talks…" Erza sighed.
"I think I can help Erza," Levy said the blue-haired girl popping up next to Erza's right shoulder. Behind Levy, stood Gajeel an impassive look on his face. "Natsu, you and Lucy are close. But, you and Lisanna are really close too. The first mission Lucy went on with you, and she's only gone on missions with you. Like Erza said, on missions, you and Lucy are practically inseparable. Perhaps Lucy is afraid of losing that closeness if Lisanna is there, but she didn't say anything because she didn't want to cause any trouble and she knows how close you and Lisanna are. If Lisanna going on a mission with Team Natsu makes you happy, Lucy doesn't want to change that. She doesn't want to make you unhappy or hurt your feelings. So, maybe she thought it best if she doesn't go. Do you understand?"
"No." Natsu deadpanned. Levy and Erza stared at him, dumbstruck and then he grinned. "Just kidding, Levy. I think I understand what you're trying to stay, but I want Lucy to always go on missions with Team Natsu. Our team isn't complete without our Celestial Mage."
Levy smiled gently, "I think that's something that you should tell Lucy, Natsu."
Natsu nodded, and without a word, to anyone else, he was heading out of the guild and into the rain. Within minutes he was soaked but it didn't matter – Lucy was more important. Natsu sped up his pace until he was running with Happy flying closely behind him. Lucy's apartment came into his view and he skidded to a stop. He knocked on the door and then without waiting for a reply, he walked into the apartment.
Sniffing the air, he could smell Lucy's familiar soothing scent and salt. The scent was still so fresh so he determined that Lucy was still there, and she had been crying. The floorboards creaked slightly under his weight as he moved through the apartment searching for Lucy. Natsu headed out of the bathroom and padded over to the bed. A figure was huddled under the blankets, and Natsu slowly moved them off the figure, his heart softening when he saw Lucy curled up like a kitten.
She wasn't asleep, he could tell that by her breathing, but she was studiously ignoring him.
"Lucy," Natsu sighed. "Come on, Team Natsu has a job to go on and we need our Celestial Mage." He smiled, but she didn't move. He frowned, "Lucy?"
She shifted, rolling over and turned teary eyes to him. "You guys can go without me." She tried to muster a smile but failed.
"Move over." Natsu ordered her.
Her cheeks flushed a little but she did as he had asked, shuffling until there was just enough room for him on the bed. Natsu climbed onto the bed, back resting against the headboard and put his hands behind his head in a relaxed pose.
"What's wrong Lucy?"
"Nothing," she murmured, pulling the blankets up toward her face.
"Don't lie," Natsu scolded her his tone unexpectedly soft. "I know you're lying Lucy because you aren't the same happy Lucy, right now. What's wrong?"
"I don't want to talk about it Natsu," Lucy murmured, sounding as if she was about to cry.
"Eh?" Natsu said feigning confusion. "But Lucy, we're a team. Partners." Then he snapped his fingers, "Ah! I got it. It has something to do with Lisanna, doesn't it?" She rolled over, looking at him unamused. Natsu laughed, "Haha, guess I didn't fool you did I, Lu?" She shook her head, rolling over onto her side, her back to him. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"No. Lisanna's your friend Natsu," Lucy answered her voice soft.
"I know. But, Lucy you're my friend too." Natsu answered. "You know Erza and Levy talked to me earlier, and told me that they thought they knew what was wrong. Erza didn't quite know how to explain, but I think Levy was right. Lucy, do you not want Lisanna coming on the mission?"
A pause and then she nodded. "It's stupid, but yes," she eventually muttered.
"Lisanna only wants to gain experience," Natsu told her looking up at the ceiling. "She and I are close, but she's been out of commission for a while and she wants to gain experience so she can go on more jobs by herself or with a small team of her own." He could feel her eyes on him. He grinned, but didn't look away from the ceiling. "Besides, no one can replace you Lucy. Our favorite Celestial Mage, and one of my best friends. Lisanna coming on a mission with us, wouldn't change anything, you know?" He looked down at Lucy smiling infectiously. "I want Lucy to always go on missions with Team Natsu. Otherwise our team isn't complete. So, will you go on the job tomorrow with us?"
He waited with bated breath as she considered his words. He still didn't quite understand why Lucy was so against Lisanna coming with, but he wanted to make Lucy happy. A sad Lucy, wasn't something that he was used to and he was willing to do anything to put a smile back on her face. He wasn't sure when he had started feeling something deeper for his best friend, but he wasn't going to question it. Although he wasn't going to act on his burgeoning feelings either, because he didn't want to mess up what he had with Lucy.
Finally, Lucy smiled her eyes light. "Fine, idiot, I'll come with."
Natsu beamed, "Great!" He patted Lucy's head, "I'm glad."
She looked up at him, flushing. The two looked away from each other quickly, cheeks scarlet.
