Saving Lives
Snow lightly fell from the dark abyss above, crying gently onto Earth's surface. A sign winter had already arrived, and wasn't planning on leaving anytime soon. Couples snuggled together, watching flames dance to their own beat. Families laughing at the comical answers in Apples to Apples and raging over Monopoly when they've gone bankrupt. All seemed peaceful, tranquil even.
At least, it would've been.
Living on your own is a mind-blowing experience and a huge milestone. Away from imperious parents and nosey siblings. And into the harsh reality, the need for money higher than ever. Food, rent, taxes; once taken for granted. Without a stable supply of money you'll never make it in the real world.
All too familiar for Lucy Heartfilia leaving her father's house was a godsend, until the world fell upon her shoulders. Hardly 23 and already homeless. What would her mother think of her now?
No. Her mother was nothing like Jude. She'd love Lucy, homeless or not. Then, why'd she feel as if she'd let her mother down?
Sitting on the metal bench, the cold seat engraving its revenge upon her legs. She was lucky enough that she'd found a pair of jeans, this time only with a few minor rips and tears. Well, what she called a few and minor.
Snuggling the little blue puff ball to her chest, whispering soothing words into tiny sapphire triangles, light whines and murmurs escaping the creature's mouth. Only for the wind to whisk away into the sea of falling water.
Brown eyes glancing up at the silent road, hoping one of the few cars that pass by every so often could spare her a glance.
She desperately needed help, the little kitten snuggled against her chest might not make it without medical attention. His leg seemed more than broken, far beyond repair to the untrained eye.
Suddenly, the dimly lit street gradually grew brighter, headlights lighting up the entire pavement. Luck was on her side, for once 'Lucky Lucy' was finally paying off. Just before Lucy could straighten her legs, standing up from the chilly metal, the car passed her.
And kept driving.
Hope vanishing from doe brown eyes, Lucy slowly settled back into a 'comfortable' position on the ice cold bench. Sorrow finding its home inside her heart, Lucky Lucy couldn't of been further from the truth.
As if sensing the sudden mood swing, the little kitten lifted his tiny head, peering at Lucy. Smiling down at the feline, she softly kissed the crown of his head, whispering a gentle It'll be alright, I'm alright. Acknowledging his owner's words, his rough tongue gave her nose a little lick.
Giggling and rubbing noses, Lucy's full attention was set on the blue puff ball in her arms.
A large screech echoed off of empty shops, flowing into the air for miles. Tire tracks etched into pavement for what would seem like eternity.
Jumping into the air, Lucy whipped her head towards the stentorian sound, chocolate eyes widening.
A man, no older than herself, stepped out, well more like leaped out of the vehicle. Pink hair jutting out in all directions, seemingly untamable. Slamming the door closed, he quickly made his way towards the blonde.
"What're you doing out here? And without a jacket!"
Not letting the opportunity slip through her fingers, Lucy ran towards the pink-haired stranger, the white snow contrasting beautifully with his pink hair. Ignoring his question, she stopped a few feet away, slightly extending her arms to show him her injured cat.
"P-Please, my cat! He- his leg- he needs help!" Lucy begged, stumbling over words as her eyes filled with unshed tears.
The stranger's eyes slightly widened, in an instant his brow straightened, nothing but serious painted on his face. Without a second's hesitation he stepped forward, lightly touching the feline's injured leg. Gently pressing along the tibia, all the way up to the femur.
When the stranger's hand reached about the middle of the kitten's femur, his hands stilled. Pressing in small circles around the damaged bone, until he'd made his conclusion.
"Yeah, definitely broken. I can't do much about it here, if we go to my office I'm sure we can get him all taken care of." Pinkie replied, still studying the limb, slightly looking into Lucy's eyes, a gentle smile decorating his handsome face.
"Office?" Lucy asked, skeptical about the man in front of her. He seemed far from anything involving office work, seemingly more like an outdoorsy person rather than someone stuck in a suffocating cubical. But looks could be deceiving.
"Hmm? Oh, yeah. I'm a veterinarian. Work on all sorts of animals, mostly household ones though. Now 'common, we gotta get this little guy some help." He replied, flashing her a breathtaking, toothy grin.
Lucy swore she could see the stars reflecting off of his pearly whites.
"Wait!" Lucy interrupted, just before Pinkie could turn around and get into his car.
"I, I have no money. How am I supposed to pay you?" Lucy admitted, eyes glued to her tattered shoes. A few new scrapes and scuffs had appeared, but nothing major.
"Money? Who said anything about money?" He inquired, turning slightly around to face the blonde a little better. Pink brows furrowing, proof his pink locks were natural.
Rose dust decorating Lucy's cheeks, she opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, mimicking a fish out of water.
"You think I became a vet for green paper?" Pinky scoffed slightly, "It's all about the animals, Miss."
Doe eyes widening, never had Lucy seen anyone care more about animals than money, anything but money for that matter. He was perfect. Handsome, nice, and wasn't obsessed with money? Lucy was never one for fate or destiny, but she sure believed in it now. She was in love, and she didn't even know his name.
Well, maybe not love, but something close.
"If you keep your mouth open like that you might catch a few flies." He snickered, fully turning around and heading towards his car, turning his head slightly, calling out "You comin'?"
Quickly shutting her trap, Lucy made her way towards his pristine car. She hadn't even realized her jaw was hanging open for the world to see. Opening the passenger side door, she cautiously peered into the dark interior, instincts screaming at her to run and never turn back. But she didn't. She would risk her life for her cat.
One word. One single word could destroy the future of her cat.
Leather.
Everything in his car was leather, from the seats to the steering wheel.
Troubled brown eyes searched all over for somewhere Lucy could sit without destroying the car. She was pretty close to being labeled as 'soaking wet' and the last thing she wanted to do was ruin some handsome stranger's car.
"I can't get in here; It's leather, and I'm soaking." Before Lucy could shut the door Pinkie was by her side, hand on the car door prepared to stop her. Startled, Lucy almost dropped her cat, and would of if it wasn't for Pinkie.
"So what? Like I said earlier, I don't care about money. It's just a car, now are you going to hop in and let me help you?"
Glancing skeptically at the car once more, Lucy was starting to get serious doubts about going with this guy. He seemed all too eager to get her in that car. And what person, a man nonetheless, has pink hair and doesn't care about money? A slim amount, if any.
Against her better judgment, she jumped into the car. Her cat's health and wellbeing the only thing on her mind.
She'd been alone most of her life, when she had had a place to call home her father never gave her a second thought; she doubted he even knew she'd left. Her first few months on the street giving her no sense of company, until she came across her blue cat.
Scared out of his mind, he'd ran from Lucy and straight into an alley full of starved strays, waiting for an easy meal. After saving the poor creature from his near death experience, they'd stuck together through everything. Sharing every meal Lucy had been able to come across and snuggling up for the best sleep either of them had had in a very long time. Making every moment the best, even on the worst of days.
He was the only thing that gave her life where life was nowhere to be found. When every human Lucy had come across betrayed her one way or another, her cat would always be there for her, through thick and thin.
Once both doors were closed and the car ready for take off, Pinkie tried striking up a conversation. "We never introduced ourselves, I'm Natsu Dragneel."
Debating the pros and cons of revealing her name, Lucy decided that she had nothing to lose now that she's officially labeled as homeless.
"Lucy Heart-, just Lucy. And this is Happy."
"Well, it's nice to meet you Just Lucy and Happy!" Natsu joked, showing off another one of his breathtaking grins.
A few minutes passed without Natsu getting a reply, awkward silence filling every space in the car.
"You're probably cold huh?" Natsu didn't wait for a reply, he turned on the heater and seat warmers. Lucy hadn't realized how cold she was till she felt the hot air, it felt amazing against Lucy's ice cold skin. It had been months since she had felt this warm. With one hand on the wheel and green eyes glancing between the road and his passenger, Natsu took off his jacket and gently laid it over the cold cat.
"Here, try to warm him up as much as possible." Taking his advice, Lucy twisted and turned the cat trying to wrap him in the jacket and avoid as much pain towards the feline as possible.
"We're almost at my office, then I can give this little guy a real check up," Allowing his worrying eyes one last glance to the feline, "do you know what happened to him?"
Startled out of her imagination and pulled back into the harsh world, "Wh-what?"
Chuckling, Natsu repeated himself. "I said, do you know what happened to Happy? How'd he break his leg?"
"O-oh, I-I don't know, I think he was hit by a car, a-a few days ago I woke up to him sc-screaming and lying next to t-the road."
Noticing Lucy stumble over words and trying not to sob, Natsu reached over and gently rubbed her shoulder. "Hey, it'll be alright. I'll do everything in my power and beyond to save Happy, alright? You can count on me."
A few minutes later Natsu pulled into a rather small parking lot, stopped the car engine and stepping out of his car. Speed walking around to the passenger side, he opened the door and helped the blonde step out. Slightly running to the cover of the clinic to escape the downpour of a mixture of cold rain and bits of snow. Natsu pulled out a pair of shiny silver keys, the moon glistening off of them.
Finding the right key, he shoved it into the lock, jiggling the key around until the door unlocked. Stepping inside, the ran his tan fingers along the wall until he came across the light switch, quickly flicking it on.
Along the walls were pictures and paintings of all types of animals, from common house pets to wild animals. A small tv sat in the corner with a few rows of blue couches giving off a nice homey feeling.
"Alright, follow me. I'll need to do a few x-rays to see just how bad the break is."
Walking down the hallway across from the check-in counter, Natsu paused in front of an examination room. "Mind if you wait here real quick? I promise I'll take good care of your little guy." Natsu quietly asked Lucy.
Lucy was hesitant at first, Happy was all she has had since her mother pass. Without him there was no way she would be able to cope with the horrors of life. There was no way she was letting some stranger run off with her cat, not without her there. Hearing a soft whine Lucy looked at the ball of matted fur, realizing just how horrible he looked. He needed a bath and a nice grooming; they both did.
Reaching her hand out, Lucy ran her fingers down Happy's back. He desperately needed help. Here was a wonderful man offering his help to a poor homeless girl and she was about to turn him down, for what, not wanting to part with her cat?
Looking into his onyx eyes she saw nothing but honesty. Unwillingly, Lucy nodded, allowing Natsu to take Happy out of her arms and away from her, away from her only source of comfort.
"Thank you, I'll be as quick as possible. There are some blankets in the bottom right cabinet if you get cold."
With that Natsu briskly walked off, leaving the blonde without her best friend. Holding in her tears, she sat down on one of the uncomfortable chairs hugging her knees to her chest and mentally trying to calm herself.
It'll be okay, it'll be okay. He'll be okay, he's just down the hallway.
After what felt like hours, but in reality took less than twenty minutes, Natsu returned, but without her cat.
Where was her cat?! He was alone with him for twenty minutes, surely that's not enough time to kill and dispose of her Happy! Who was she kidding, that's plenty of time! She knew she couldn't trust men! To think she was fooled by a generous, handsome man! That's how they lure you in, charm you with their looks then swoop in and steal your prized possession!
"Lucy, hey Lucy calm down! Happy's all right, I left him in the other room." Laying a hand on her shoulder, Natsu bent down in front of the shaking girl, gently whispering to her. "He's okay, alright? Nothing bad happened to him."
He was alive? How could he still be alive? This must be a joke. She needed to see him.
"Can I, can I see him?" Lucy quietly asked, fearful of his answer.
Seeing desperation shine in her eyes, "Of course, of course you can see him. Follow me." Standing up, Natsu held his hand out for Lucy to take, which she hesitantly took. Out of the room and down another hallway, Lucy was lead to the room her baby was held captive.
"He's still a bit sleepy, I had to give him some anesthesia to keep him from moving around. Poor guy missed you, huh?" Natsu stated before entering the room. With rushed footsteps Lucy entered the room and found Happy laying in a cat bed on the floor.
He was alive! Of course he was alive! How could she of doubted such a magnanimous man! All he wanted to do was help a poor girl and her cat, how could such a man exist?
Bending down next to the feline Lucy ran her fingers through his fur, or tried to without getting caught on a knot. "His leg's pretty beat up, but nothin' I can't handle. I think I'll be able to fix it within an hour." Natsu told the girl while watching her from the doorway with a gentle smile. This was why he wanted to be a vet; he wanted to help pet owners who needed it the most, just like Lucy. No amount of money in the world would make him change his mind.
Shocked, Lucy looked up at Natsu. An hour? There was no way she'd be able to seperate from Happy for an hour. Glancing down at the cat again, she realized she needed to wait an hour for her baby. It couldn't be that hard, could it?
"Don't worry Lucy, like I said, I'll take good care of him. I won't let anything hurt him, not even a fly."
"Can I, give him a hug first?" Lucy pleaded, looking back up at the pink haired man.
"I bet he'd love one." Natsu agreed, watching as Lucy carefully picked up her cat and gave him a gently squeeze while whispering her love for him. She'd miss him, that's for sure, but she had faith Natsu would look after him. She would just have to wait the agonizing sixty minutes till she could hold him in her arms again.
Carefully taking the blue ball from her hands, Natsu gave Lucy a quick hug, letting her cry into his shirt, which she quickly latched onto.
It'd been years since she'd last gotten a hug.
"It's okay Luce, just think, once I'm done with him he'll be all happy and out of pain!"
A few seconds painstakingly passed before Lucy responded. "Please take care of him, he's all I have." she whispered into Natsu's chest.
"I promise I will, and I never break a promise." Giving her one last squeeze he left the room.
Lucy silently watched him leave, taking her best friend with him. The next sixty minutes were going to be torture.
Bleary eyes blinked open after what seemed like an eternity, trying to adjust to the dark light. "Finally you're awake, I was starting to wonder if you'd ever wake up." Startled, Lucy scanned the room looking for danger. Landing on Natsu, she left out a quiet sigh, relieved it was only him.
"Is, is Happy alright?" Lucy quietly asked, hoping and praying nothing happened to her baby. If he got hurt again she'd never forgive herself. She already consistently beats herself up over letting Happy get hit.
Smiling, "He's as good as new. When animals get hit by cars we worry about internal bleeding. Lucky for you and Happy it was just his leg that took the hit." Natsu replied.
Allowing herself to relax, Lucy let out yet another sigh. Happy was safe and sound, and if what Natsu said was true, which probably was considering he hasn't lied to her, Happy's leg was fixed. Before she could ask to see her cat Natsu stood up and offered his hand to the blonde. "Common, the little guy misses ya. He's a little scared, waking up in a strange room without his best friend."
Grabbing his hand Lucy allowed Natsu to help her stand, unconsciously squeezing with every step closer to Happy. Understanding her nervousness, Natsu squeezed back trying to give her a little bit of comfort. Leading Lucy out of the room and down yet another hallway they entered a room full of cages. After what seemed like an eternity Lucy spotted Happy lying in the largest cage covered in blankets.
"Happy!" Lucy shouted, running towards her friend. Bending down to get a better look at him Lucy couldn't help but stick a few fingers into the cage, desperate to feel his soft fur. After weeks of living on the streets and he was still somehow able to keep his fur nice and soft.
Seeing his best friend desperate to touch him, the cat tried to stand up to get closer but failed, falling flat on his side. Not giving up hope he scooted his way over, finally meeting her wiggling fingers. He missed her just as much, if not more, than she missed him.
"Hey little guy, take it easy. We don't want you breaking your leg again, huh?" Natsu worriedly walked over and opened the cage door, allowing the pair to reunite. As soon as the metal bars blocking the pair disappeared Happy jumped, or tried to, into Lucy's arms and rubbed their faces together. Giggles and meows filled the room.
Natsu couldn't help but watch the two interact with a gentle smile, loving every minute of it. He definitely made the right decision to stop and see what was wrong with the helpless blonde and her blue cat.
"You can pick him up if you want, just be mindful of his leg. The cast should keep the bone stable but you should always be cautious. He's on some pain medication right now, so he shouldn't be hurting. I'll give you some that he needs to take every twelve hours. Come back in a few weeks so I can check out how his leg is healing, then I'll be able to decide how much longer he needs to wear the cast."
Looking over at Natsu, Lucy noticed how close they were. Not so close as to be considered too close, but a, sort of, reasonable distance. They were both sitting on the floor in front of Happy's cage, their knees brushing against each other. Lucy had never been this close to a man before, aside from their hug earlier, unless you count the few drunk men who tried to get her into their bed.
"Thank you so much, you don't know how much this means to me. There has to be some way I can repay you, you've been so nice to me and Happy." Lucy asked, looking into Natsu's dark eyes.
"No worries Lucy, you don't need to repay me. All I need is for you two to be happy." Natsu replied, showing off yet another smile.
"Please, there has to be something I can do!" Lucy begged, there was no way she was going to let this man do so many generous things for her without doing something in return. Her mother taught her better than that.
Studying her pleading expression, "Hmm, there is something you can do for me." Natsu concluded.
"What? Anything! Please I need to repay you!"
"Anything?" Natsu asked, giving off a cheeky grin.
"Anything." Lucy earnestly replied. And she meant it; this man did so much for her. She owed him her life.
"How about," Natsu paused, "you move in with me? My house is kinda lonely so I could use some company." Natsu shyly asked, scratching the back of his neck.
"You, want me to live with you? As in, sleep and eat, in your home?" Lucy slowly asked, pausing her hand on Happy's back. She stared into Natsu's eyes, making sure she heard correctly.
"I-I mean if you want, you don't have to. I just thought, maybe-" Natsu cut himself off, not knowing how to continue. "That way, I'd be able to look after Happy, y'know? Make sure his leg doesn't get worse, and if it does I'll be right there to help!"
Still staring at him, Lucy hesitantly responded, "Okay, but! Only if I cook dinner and help you clean." A small smile plastered itself on her face.
Perking up, Natsu looked back at Lucy, "Of course! And maybe, I can show you around the office? You can work at the front desk or help around in the back! I can show you how to do some simple check ups, though you wouldn't be able to do too much without me getting sued." Natsu joked, flashing a toothy grin.
Smiling, "I'd love that, thank you." Lucy quietly responded, eyes shining with unshed tears. Seriously, how nice could he be?
"Don't mention it Lucy, it's what I do. I save lives."
WOW! That took me like, 2 years to write? I had half of it done 2 years ago but lost my enthusiasm for writing. If you noticed a change when they get to Natsu's office that's why. ANYWAY! Hope you enjoyed! Not sure if I'll ever write anything again, I, sorta, like to write and have a lot of ideas but it takes sooo long to write everything out.