Hello everyone! Thanks for all of the favorites and follows! Chapter 2 is considerably longer than chapter 1. I'll stop blabbing now.
The next morning I woke up and stretched. I yawned, and wondered why my face was stiff. And why I was on my couch. Oh, I had been crying, crying about- The reality came crashing back to me. Natsu and I had made out, then I had told him to leave my house. And he had actually listened.
I laid back in bed, suddenly not as eager to go to the guild. I just wanted to curl up and die. Natsu and I never really fought before. I'd gotten mad at him, obviously, but he'd never been angry back. I didn't know how to respond to an angry Natsu, as he was normally angry at people for hurting me. It was sweet, really, how protective of me he was.
I dragged myself out of bed at nine in the morning, and went to take a shower. After getting dressed, I clipped my keys and Flueve D'Etoiles to my belt. I took a deep breath, my hand on the doorknob. I was going to the guild, and if Natsu was there I would face the consequences.
I walked into the guild-hall at eleven, and called, "Ne, minna!"
"Good morning, Lucy-san!" Wendy called back.
"Lucy," Gray nodded.
"You're late this morning, Lucy," Erza said.
"Yes, Lucy, you are late! Is everything ok?" Levy asked.
It took every ounce of willpower I possessed to smile and reply, "Yes, everything's fine! I just overslept."
Gray and Erza seemed to accept my answer, but Wendy and Levy looked at each other, then at Mira, who was innocently cleaning a glass behind the bar. Seeing nowhere else to sit, I slid into the booth where Levy and Wendy were sitting.
"You don't look good, Lu-chan."
"Lucy are you ill?" Wendy asked.
I smiled sadly, "No! Of course not. What gave you that idea?"
"You smell… is different than usual," Wendy replied, still looking concerned. "Are you sure that you're ok?"
Levy looked from me to Wendy. "Let's drop it, Wen," she advised. I took that to mean, 'Let's interrogate her when other people aren't around'. I was relieved. 'They don't know anything', I thought. Levy then went back to her book, and Wendy became preoccupied when a certain young fire mage walked into the guild with his father.
Sensing that there would be no conversation with Levy other than an intense interrogation session, I decided to sit at the bar, and maybe talk with Mira.
I wandered over to the bar and ordered a glass of water. "Mira," I said, "Has Natsu been here today? My rent is due soon." I used my rent as a cover up. Never had I been so happy to have a rent; it was an obvious problem, and something I complained about constantly. No one would be suspicious.
Mira looked at me strangely. "No, Natsu hasn't been here. I'm beginning to get worried about him. He hasn't taken any jobs, so he's not working. It's almost noon already. He's normally already picked a fight with Gray by now."
Right on cue, Natsu walked in to the guild hall. I stared at him. He looked just as awful as I felt. Of course, he was probably also dealing with a terrible hang-over. There were bags under his eyes and he stumbled as he walked. Happy was supporting almost all of his weight. I wanted to run over to Natsu and help him to a chair, and maybe get him some ginger ale. He made it to a booth table, and slumped down over it, his head in his arms. Mira left her station behind the counter, carrying a ginger ale. She set it down in front of Natsu. As she took her place behind the bar again, I asked, "How did he get so hung over?"
Mira laughed, "I suppose you weren't here last night. Cana challenged Natsu to a drinking contest. You know Natsu. Even when there's no hope of winning, he takes a challenge. He stumbled out of here last night and went Mavis knows where."
'I know where', I thought. Looking at him, I was so heartbroken that he was sick, but I didn't know if he'd accept my help. And I certainly didn't want another encounter like last night. There were still four days left in mating season. 'We'll talk when mating season is over', I decided.
The rest of the day at the guild was miserable. Happy gave up on a conversation with Natsu and went to find Carla. I sat at the bar, stubbornly not looking at Natsu. If I talked to or about him, I think that I would have broken down. I picked at the lunch I had ordered, earning a concerned glance from Mirajane.
"Lucy, are you sure that you're ok? You have looked down all morning," she finally asked.
I sighed. I was going to have to tell her. She wouldn't accept 'no' for an answer, and I needed advice. "Well," I started.
As if she had been listening for me to start talking, Levy sat down next to me and set her chin in her hand. Gazing at me with concerned and curious eyes, she motioned for me to continue.
"You know how you said Natsu got drunk last night and 'wandered off to Mavis knows where'?" I asked. Mira's face brightened in interest.
"Yeeeeeees?" Mira asked, impatient. She looked like she would burst from excitement.
Levy nodded for me to go on. I took a deep breath. Glancing warily behind me, I saw Natsu supposedly sleeping. I couldn't be sure that he was truly asleep. I decided to risk him hearing me.
"Natsu came to my house last night."
Mira squealed, and Levy whispered, "I knew it!"
I breathed, "I'm not done. I have to tell you what really happened."
Levy kept her voice low, "It's mating season, Lu-chan. Did you, you know-"
"WHAT?" I screamed, bright red. Erza turned from her conversation with Gray to look at me. She must have decided that it wasn't important, because she turned back to Gray. 'Thank goodness,' I thought, 'Erza would beat the crap out of Natsu and tell him to apologize. I want to take care of this myself.'
I went back to my fervent denial of what Levy and Mira thought that Natsu and I were doing.
"Levy-chan!" I rebuked, "NO! He climbed in my window, like he always does. We-" I paused, and braced myself for fangirl squeals. "We made out."
I winced.
Mira can really scream.
"Oh my gosh, Lucy I'm so happy for you!" she gushed.
Levy smiled. "Now we're both with dragon slayers!"
I nodded, then realized what Levy had said. "Levy! You and Gajeel?"
She nodded, blushing. She pulled her dress aside to show a healing bite mark just below her collarbone. It would obviously leave a scar. Gajeel had marked her as his own, forever.
"I'm officially his mate," she whispered.
I smiled, but sadly. I wanted Natsu to do the same for me. I wanted him to look at me with love in his eyes, to tell me he loved me, to tell me that he wanted me to stay with him forever. I had had that opportunity last night, but I had turned him down.
"Congratulations, Levy," I murmured.
"Thanks, Lu-chan. Now back to your story."
I looked at both of them, brimming with excitement. "I stopped him from going further. I- I wanted to go, you know, all the way, but-" I was cut off by a small sob that rose from my chest without permission. I took a deep breath and continued, "He was drunk. I didn't want to risk him regretting it, or me getting pregnant. I also wanted him to be himself the first time. It sounds so selfish." I gave a humorless laugh. I wiped a stray tear off of my cheek. I couldn't cry here.
"He stomped out, he was really angry. I don't know what to do! It's still mating season, and I don't want another 'incident'. We've never fought before! His hormones are raging right now. I can't talk to him, but not being around him for just one day is eating me up inside."
I finished my rant. I looked behind me. Natsu, oh no, Natsu. He was awake, and looking right at me.
Please Rate and review! I will be trying to post updates every Saturday and Monday. Thanks in advance for your help with my writing!
~EmmyBear
