Cross my heart…
They meet among the crisp white roses that make up her garden.
She sees him in the shadows of the apple tree, her soft pink lips parting in surprise when she sees the quiet teen with hair as rose-colored as the sky as the sun that sets behind him. She asks of who he is; he answers that he is the King of Demons, dubbed such by the brother that loves him enough to bring him back from the dead. He tells her that he doesn't really have a name anymore, that many call him by the hair-raising title his brother has given him, one that she knows well.
When he returns the question, she replies with simple words: "I am Lucy. I'm the woman who lives in this place, alone, because my father is away with my mother, working on their company to try and get us more money so that we may live in a nicer home. One that isn't falling apart."
He replies, "Why wouldn't you leave?"
"Because it's my home and I must wait for Mother and Father," she replies calmly. She tucks a lock of blonde hair behind her ear, her actions thoughtful. "Mother told me to beware the man who goes by E.N.D. But I don't believe that you're someone to fear...you look tired. Why?"
He bares his teeth almost playfully, showing their sharpness, and Lucy notices the black markings that creep up his face as he does so before fading away again. "I'm tired of having to kill. I don't like it. But I have to."
She questions why he has to; E.N.D. holds no answer.
So she asks him another question, a secretive smile on her gentle face. "Well?" she urges. "Tell me your name. Not your title, but your name."
He is honestly startled by this. "You want to know the name I had before?"
"The one you were given by your parents, yes," she confirms.
"...Natsu," he says hoarsely, unable to believe what this kind girl is saying. Her blonde hair glows like that of a fairy's as she smiles, her dark eyes delighted. "Natsu. My name is Natsu."
Hope to die…
Her parents are horrified when they learn of who she has spoken with. Her mother is understanding, though, recognizing her daughter's ridiculous need for kindness. Her father is less understanding and screams at her, threatening to disown her should she do such a thing again.
"Do you not understand who that bastard is?" he shouts as she presses a hand to her mouth, hiding her sobs. She's never been shouted at before, doesn't understand why he is doing so. She is the precious heiress to the company he has worked so hard for; she is the princess among his world, where female heirs are so hard to come across. "He is the definition of evil! He is the one who killed your mother's parents!"
Her mother is fierce and swift in her defense. "That's not true," the older woman argues. "Zeref ordered such, that evil man. He is the one who ordered their deaths - E.N.D. was merely the one who did as he was told, like you did in the war. That is like accusing you of being a murderer. And I won't allow such flying accusations."
"I will not have her conversing with demons," he warns.
She doesn't listen.
Because dancing with the devil is far more interesting than her previously dull life.
Stick a needle…
He finds her again, sitting among the flowers of her garden.
Her mother's garden, she corrects him when he reluctantly joins her under her demand. He doesn't know why he's come back; he only knows that he has, and that she is determined to befriend him. He doesn't mind. It's a nice change of pace from the daily life he goes through on a usual basis.
"My father hates me," she says suddenly, plucking a flower and twirling it.
Onyx eyes glance to her, curious as to why she would say such a thing. He says nothing, as quiet as he usually is, remembers the times when he was loud and rambunctious as he played with his friends.
"I mentioned that I'd met you," she explains quietly. She gives a wry smile, one bitter and full of pain that he doesn't like on her face. "He blames you for the deaths of my grandparents. Our old home. My mother doesn't though." She tilts her head. "I trust you. You may be the King of Demons, named such by the Emperor, but you're Natsu, too."
His lips kick upwards. He's touched by her words, but says nothing, instead mentions, reaching out to pluck the white flower from her fingers with his black talons, "This would look better in your hair, weirdo."
She is pleased by this, her eyes warm with affection for her newfound friend as he tucks it behind her ear.
Her father may have demanded that she think of her actions and stop, but she doesn't. She simply takes the Demon King's hand and touches the talons that have been used to kill so many people. He lets her, unused to such gentle touches.
"I hope," she muses, "That we can meet again, Natsu."
He mumbles his agreement, what looks like a blush on his cheeks.
In my eye…
Time passes. He comes, he goes, and she stays. Lucy enjoys his presence in secret when he comes, listens in horror and understanding when news of his murderous rages crosses their ears. Her face pales when her father reports that he is returning to war, determined to help the rebels put a stop to all of this, and she says nothing, doubting anything would make a difference, because he's going for one reason and one reason only.
She knows her father is set on killing E.N.D.
But she says nothing.
Because she doubts his mind, so fragile now that their hard work has been turned to flames and dust, could handle her protests. Her father has always had a deranged mind, unhealthy after the first war, but now…
It hurts him to know that his daughter doesn't see as he does.
He doesn't know that she's far closer to E.N.D. than he thinks.
Her mother knows, however, though she doesn't approve. She simply shows her disapproval in a look when Lucy suddenly excuses herself from the quiet house once her father is gone.
Lucy wanders thoughtfully among her garden, seeking out her friend. "Natsu?" she calls thoughtfully, and nearly jumps out of her skin when a voice calls from the branches above her head.
"Up here."
She looks up and discovers that Natsu's in her apple tree, grinning down at her. His eyes glint playfully, knowing that she hates when he does such things. She only smirks up at him and urges him to come down so that she doesn't hurt her neck from looking up. He slips expertly out of the apple tree and drops to land in a crouch only a breath away, grinning up at her.
"You missed our meeting the other day," Lucy says questioningly, careful not to demand why, because she knows why.
She knows of the village that burns to the south. She knows of who started it, of who ordered its destruction.
She know whose blood stains his cheek, still not taken off from his work, but she doesn't care. He is Natsu, he is E.N.D., and he is her friend - possibly more. He touches her cheek with a gentle talon upon straightening. "Sorry," he replies. "Work. My brother made me."
Lucy murmurs her understanding and glances towards her house, aware that her mother watches from the window, anxious. She's worried that Natsu would hurt her, harm her, tear her to pieces or incinerate her like he did the village to the south, but Lucy knows better.
Natsu would never hurt her.
She trusts him with her life.
'Cause life is gone…
When the demand comes, he doesn't know how to respond, his mouth gaping as he stares at his usually calm brother. He demands to know why his brother is asking; Zeref merely gives a calculating smile and muses, "You've been distracted. Tell me why. You left survivors yesterday."
He contemplates how to answer without giving his secret away. He knows how his brother's mind works. He knows that he'll demand that he kill Lucy, and he refuses to do such a thing to her. Lucy is his friend, the one he adores more than life itself. He detests what he has to do and she knows that, understands that he has no choice.
Without Zeref...he is dead.
So he does as his "god" commands, because if he doesn't, again. Death.
"Natsu," his brother says softly. It's the first time that he's used his true name in nearly a decade, and his heart twists at the use of it. "Tell me." The book in his lap cracks as he tightens his grip on it. Similar cracks cross and splinter across his face, a threat.
But Natsu doesn't flinch. He barely bats an eye when his skin splinters, shards falling to the ground. Zeref has tried this thousands of times when things don't go his way and it pisses him off, though he doesn't do anything about it.
"Natsu," he begins again, "Tell. Me. Before I decide that you're more trouble than you're worth."
Finally, Natsu cracks.
"There's...there's a girl…"
Quick as dreams…
Zeref doesn't appreciate what Natsu says and it isn't long before he receives the order that threatens to shatter his heart. His heart and the heart of the woman he cares so much for.
Burn them.
She greets him with a warm smile when he arrives. She calls his name, reaches out to capture his hand. "We've received fantastic news," she tells him, beyond happy over something that he doesn't know of yet. "My father sent word that we've gained some upper ground on Zeref! Surely that means soon, you'll be free?"
His mouth goes dry.
He can't disobey Zeref.
But he can't kill her. He can't kill the one he loves.
And yet...if he doesn't do it…
Zeref will send someone else from Tartarus. Someone who will torture her, rip her apart and keep her alive while doing so...if he does it, he can make her death quick and simple…
Tears rise to his eyes as he cuts her off. His gentle talons brush over her cheek. "Lucy," he rasps softly, "Zeref told me to kill you."
She pauses, studies his miserable expression. "...oh," she muses. She's silent, and then her fingers tremble, her smile faint. "I see. I understand. You...have to kill me, or Zeref kills you. Hm?"
He shakes his head. "If I don't do it, someone else will, and...I don't think I'd like that. Nor would you." He gives a bitter laugh, the sound choked. "I don't want to. I don't want to." He repeats this a few times, until she smiles sweetly and says in her soft voice that she knows and understands.
Natsu, not for the first time, hates who he is.
Kill me now…
There is only silence.
He sits among the bloodbath with a wry smile, his fangs showing in his darkened smirk.
He hears the armies marching.
He sees the ash.
Smells the death.
But he doesn't care.
Because she is gone and nothing matters anymore.
Because Zeref is dead and he is free.
Not that he cares. Nothing matters anymore. Nothing that once mattered means anything to him. That was washed away when he took her life months before. A simple snap of the neck had reassured him that she'd died in no pain, though his heart had been full of it.
Her mother had told him he was a monster. He'd told her gravely that he knew before doing the same for her before burning their home to the ground, turning it into nothing with ashes.
Natsu wonders what he did wrong to deserve the pain he is dealt.
Why don't they hear him? He pleads silently for someone to notice his agony like she would have, but there is nothing.
There is only silence.
Silence as the blade descends.
Hear my screams.
Author's Note: Well! FT Angst Week is starting on the first, and today is the first bonus day, so guess who decided to write for all of it? The prompt was "cross my heart" for the first bonus day!