Disclaimer: Don't own Fairy Tail or any of its characters or plots. Hiro Mashima does. (:

Genres: Romance, Drama, Hurt, Humor and Angst.

ATSU x LUCY, Gray x Juvia, Jellal x Erza, Gajeel x Levy.

Author's Note: Hello, guys. I'm sorry about the spelling and the grammar mistakes. English is not my first language. I hope you'll enjoy my story. :)

Make Me Feel by ollussa

Chapter One: Numb

"In blink of an eye, one year passed. Elie and Plue were in the city of Eter..."

Lucy tapped with her pen on the wooden table. She was writing the last chapter of her novel and was currently having a writer's block. Her story was called 'RAVE' and was about two teenagers, Haru and Elie, and their adventures as they travel around the world. The plot was quite interesting and the whole novel turned out pretty good, but Lucy was having some serious problems writing the last chapter. She wasn't sure if she wanted to make a sad end or a happy one.

"Ugh! I don't know what to write next." the princess frowned and threw her pen on the floor. She closed her brown eyes, trying to calm herself. The young woman was having a headache now. This story was seriously getting on her nerves. Maybe she should take a break for a little because her head was going to explode very soon.

"Princess." a familiar voice was heard and seconds later there was a loud knock on the door.

"You can come in, Loke." Lucy answered and turned her head sideways when her cousin and best friend, Loke, entered her chamber. "Can I help you?"

"Actually no, my highness." the young man bowed like a gentleman and smiled. "I'm here to tell you what happened this morning."

"Really? How interesting." Lucy smiled in return and pointed at the free chair. "You can take a sit and start your tale."

Loke followed her orders and sat on the big golden chair. "First I have to ask you a question. Have you ever heard about a dangerous criminal which kills and tortures people in Magnolia?"

Lucy thought for a moment and answered hesitantly. "You mean Salamander?"

"Exactly." Loke nodded in approval. "This morning before sunrise a villager of Harageon saw Salamander near the forest and informed King Jude, your father. He sent soldiers to caught him. And guess what?" Loke paused and smiled smugly. "They really captured him."

"Really?" Lucy almost jumped from her chair. "I've heard so much stories about Salamander."

"Yes, my highness. He is well known for his crimes around our lands. Right now he is here in the palace. They are going to lock him in our dungeon." Loke explained with enthusiasm. "If you want you can see him."

"Yes!" princess Lucy clapped her hands. "I always wanted to see a real murderer. Maybe if I can talk a little with the guy, I'll get good ideas for my next stories. Isn't that amazing?"

"Good idea." the man smiled, seeing how excited the young woman was. "I'll give you ten minutes to get ready." Loke stood up from his chair and bowed.

"Wait me outside the door." Lucy informed when her best friend opened the door and exited her chamber. The princess hurriedly looked in the mirror. With her elaborate hairstyle and blue satin gown, she felt like she just came out from one of her fairytales. She twirled in front of the mirror, filled with anticipation at the thought of the meeting with someone so known in her country.

There were rumors that was ugly as a demon and attacks you violently when you come near him. Others said he was a beautiful young man with a fearsome demeanor. The princess didn't know what to believe, but she accepted it.

Lucy swallowed. She was ready for the meeting. With confidence she started to walk towards the door, but little did she knew that this meeting would change her life forever.

Lucy followed Loke towards the crypt of the castle, the place where the dungeon was. When they finally reached a big wooden door, they stopped. Loke turned around to face Lucy. "Are you ready?" he asked.

Lucy's breath hitched in her throat.

The village people always spoke of Salamander. They told such stories to their children, frightening them off and preventing them from ever venturing too far from town and into the looming forest on its outskirts. They spoke of a man, cruel and heartless that killed without thinking. They told stories of his demeanor and actions, most of them could only be described as evil and ruthless.

They said he liked to hide in the shadows and if are not careful enough, he'll appear and torture you until you die. It was unavoidable that every time something went amiss, Salamander was to blame.

Lucy shook off their stories, never paying much attention to the nonsense. She didn't believe the villagers and their stories because she thought that they were only legends made up from them so they could scare the little children. But now when Loke told her that Salamander was caught, she finally started to believe.

"Princess, if you are scared you don't need to go." Loke warned, worried.

"N-no, I'm not afraid. Thank you for caring, but I'm ready to see him. And I would wish that I would get the chance to see him alone."

"As you wish for, my highness." The young man nodded and pushed the door open. Lucy stepped hesitantly inside. The room was large and dark. Lucy could barely see the staircase that leaded to Salamander's cage. The air was still and quiet. It was warm, but that didn't stop the goose bumps from raising on her arm as she took another step.

"Hello!" Lucy called, her voice echoing off the wide expanse of the walls. There was no answer and she gulped, already regretting for coming here. She slowly stepped down the stairs when she heard the faint sound of coughing and gasped. After some minutes she reached a room.

The place was entirely made of stone, cold and damp, hay was scattered across the floor and piled in the corner. Lucy blinked a few times, looking around the room. Her gaze stopped when she spotted metal bars. There was the cage.

"Is someone there?"

"Who is there?" A voice boomed in the darkness. Lucy scanned the piercing darkness but couldn't see him, only a faint outline of his silhouette as her eyes adjusted to the dim light. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice was monotone and emotionless.

"My name is Lucy Heartfilia. I'm the princess of Fiore and I've come here to see you. Are you the real Salamander?"

A low chuckle was heard. "The one and only," was his short reply. "What is someone like you doing in a place like this, princess? You don't belong here."

Her eyebrows creased in anger at the notion. If there was one thing she hated, it was being told where she belonged. "You can't tell me where I belong? This is my own castle, not yours. "Who do you think you are?"

"Who do you think I am?"

Lucy opened her mouth to say something but after a second she closed it. The young woman remained silent as she gazed back up at the dark figure. After a moment and without warning, he lit a candle, moving to the wall to hold it against a torch hanging there that ignited quickly. He took the torch in his hands and stepped forward, his eyes appraising the princess.

She audibly gasped at the sight before her. The man gazing back at her was incredibly more beautiful than anything she'd seen in her entire life. His eyes were dark as the night, staring at her with such cold calculation that she had to glance away. His jaw was firm and strong, and his hair; soft short pink locks framed his face in a way that quite literally took her breath away.

He was wearing only pants and Lucy could clearly see his well-built body. She caught herself staring at the guy and drew her gaze away, a warm blush on her cheeks. Lucy's never seen a half naked man before. Nor a man with abs and muscles. That's exactly why the whole situation was really awkward for her.

"How old are you, woman?" Salamander asked, the sound of his voice sent shivers down her spine, something dark and intimate that caused her to stop thinking. He was staring at her, the light from the torch made his eyes glow. His lips set into an irritated line. The scowl on his face turned her stomach into knots.

"I'm seventeen." Lucy voiced out, softly, as to not set any kind of emotion. "But it's not fair. You know about me but I don't know your real name, nor your age."

"Do not ask questions. I have no desire to give you answers."

"Why?"

"Because if I tell you I would have to kill you."

"I'm not scared of you." the blonde said with a smile. "Please, tell me what is your real name, Salamander."

"Natsu."

"I like your name, Natsu." Lucy whispered softly. She saw how his brows furrowed but he didn't say anything. It felt weird being with him, as if it was natural. The silence was comfortable. That's why it was so strange. "Do you ever smile?" Lucy asked after some minutes of silence.

The question caught him by surprise," Rarely." and then he smiled at her, but it wasn't real.

"No, smile like you mean it." she said but what she got as an answer shocked her.

"I don't have a reason to smile in my life." Natsu mumbled, his eyes boring into Lucy's as he stood, shooting her one last glance before walking away from the light in his cage and disappearing into the darkness. "Now please, leave me alone. I want to sleep."

"Yes." Lucy answered and turned around towards the staircase, walking as fast as she could towards the exit. She was going to come back tomorrow and talk more with this guy. Definitely.