Natsu stood to the side of the guild, quiet, watching the others before he smelt a familiar scent as a young woman came to stop at his side. "What are you doing in the shadows?" She asked. "Why aren't you running around like you usually do? Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine." He said as he turned away, leaving the guild.
"But… Natsu…" Lisanna said worried.
She felt a hand on her shoulder. "He's just a little lost right now." She turned and looked at a smiling face. "Natsu always looks for the future and what to live for but its never easy to let go of the past, especially the most painful memories."
"What could bother Natsu so much that he acts like that?"
"There's actually a lot more in that head of his then everyone thinks." Lucy said softly. "Tonight, it's Igneel. It's the anniversary of his death."
Lisanna gasped. "I completely forgot. How could I forget something like that? I should have… oh no… maybe I should go talk to him."
Lucy shook her head. "He'll be okay. He's Natsu after all." She watched Lisanna nod before Lucy walked passed her and towards the exit, saying good night to everyone. She sighed, how could she have forgotten such an important thing?
Lucy walked the streets and made her way to the park where she found a certain pink haired dragon slayer looking at the sky. "Do you remember any of the constellations?" She asked as she stopped behind him.
"Only the one." He said before he turned and looked at her. "Igneel taught it to me when I was a little kid. He said it was the very first dragon looking over us." He looked back up at the sky. "It's hard to see in the middle of Magnolia though."
"Most of the stars are. I wish I knew a place that I could really see them." She said with a soft sigh as she walked closer to him.
He smirked and looked at her. "I know a place." She gave a smile as he took her hand.
Lisanna walked the streets thinking about how horrible she must be to not remember something that was so important to Natsu. She was his friend and maybe one day they could be more. She sighed sadly as she reached the park. It was one place that she always seemed to be able to sit and really think things through. She stopped in her tracks when she saw the two standing in the middle. Lucy was several steps behind him as they looked back at the sky. She couldn't hear what they were saying but she could see a small smile come to Natsu's face as he turned back to look at Lucy who moved to his side. They smiled at each other and he took her hand, pulling her away.
Lisanna felt her heart constrict. How was it that even on the painful days Lucy could always manage to pull a smile from Natsu when she could barely get him to look at her before he isolated himself. she decided to follow and see what was going on. She watched them as he helped her through the woods and to a tall over hang, several miles away from town.
"Wow, you really can see them much better out here." Lucy smiled as she looked up at the stars. Natsu watched Lucy admire the sight as he gave a small smile. "What one was the one Igneel taught you again?" She asked snapping him from his thoughts as he walked up behind her, searching for the bright stars that light of the first dragon.
"There." He said as he bent slightly to make her follow exactly where he was pointing. "See the head and wings and that really bright one is the eye. Igneel said it was the dragon's soul."
"I still can't believe I never knew that one." Lucy said with a smile, seemingly unaffected by how close they were. "My mom taught me the zodiac." She said before she started pointing the stars out, showing him where each on was. The two fell silent as they looked at the sky together before Natsu dropped his head on Lucy's shoulder.
Lisanna watched, she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Lucy turned around and let him rest his head on her as she wrapped him in a hug. "He told me to stand up and think about what I will live for, but… even though it's been five years… I can't stop…"
"I know." She said softly as he hugged her back.
"I'm sorry Luce." He said as he sniffled, trying to control himself. "I know you miss your parents too and with everything you don't need me being a mess."
Lucy shook her head before she gently took his face in her hands, making him look at her. "Don't you even think like that. You know I'm here for you. I've always been here, just as you've been at my side through everything." He looked at her. "You promised me that we'd be together forever right?"
"Yeah." He said with a slight nod.
"Well all of this goes with it. I gave you my heart and you gave me yours. The good and the bad, the strong and the weak. We do it together, okay?"
Natsu managed a sad chuckle as he nodded, and they pulled each other back into a tight hug. "Together, forever." He said. "I love you, Luce." He whispered before he kissed her temple.
"I love you too, Natsu." She smiled and held him in her arms. "Don't push me out okay?" He just nodded and the two stood for a moment longer. "Come on, let's head home. I'm sure Happy wandered home when we weren't in the guild hall and he's probably going crazy, worried about where we are." Natsu nodded and let Lucy lead the way back to her apartment. Lisanna stood in complete shock before she took off back to the guild hall. She knew she saw and heard things she shouldn't have, she knew deep down that Natsu had fallen for Lucy, but it still hurt. She took off to her room, running passed Mira and Laxus who both looked after her confused.
"I wonder what that was about." Mira said softly.
"She's your sister, you deal with it." Laxus said earning a hard look before Mira wandered off to find out what was going on with her sister. Once Lisanna broke down she couldn't help but let it all fly. She told Mira everything from how she had forgotten about Ingneel's death to what she had seen and heard on the cliff.
"I'm sorry." Mira said as she held her heartbroken sister. "I know you liked him but I'm sure you even saw that his heart was with someone else. Even when he didn't even know it." She held Lisanna who nodded.
"I know it just… hurts…"
"I know." Mira said softly as she shushed her sister and just held her, letting her vent and get it all out.
Lucy couldn't help the smile on her face when she felt arms snake around her waist as they entered her apartment. He picked her up and laid her on the bed next to the sleeping Happy before he joined them. "Natsu, I need to change first." He sighed and let her climb from the bed to head in the bathroom and change before she came back to bed. She found Natsu shirtless as he gently moved Happy into a little bed they had made for him for when they stayed at her apartment.
She smiled as she walked up, looping her arms around his waist. "Thanks, Luce." He said as he turned to look at her. "For everything."
"Of course." She smiled before she tugged at his arm. "Now come on, we need to get some sleep." He just nodded and laid down beside her as she covered them both. She saw him look out the window. She leaned over pressing a kiss to his cheek. "He's so proud of you, just like me and Happy and everyone of your friends. We're all so proud of who you grew up to be." He looked at her as she smiled. "And never forget that he will always be with you, no matter what he's always in here." She touched his chest. "And even your magic is a part of him, fighting at your side."
Natsu gave her a small smile. "I know. You remind me every year."
"Well until you remember it, I'll have to keep telling you every time." She smiled. "Now sleep, Natsu." She said as she cuddled into his side, resting her head on his chest. She knew she had a trouble night ahead as she did every year. A night of calming his nightmares of losing Igneel all over again right in front of his eyes.
The next day Natsu and Happy went to the guild Hall while Lucy was getting ready. He still didn't feel like himself, but Lucy always knew how to help him through that painful day and night. He sat at the bar where Mira handed him a drink while the other guildmates continued their loud laughing and talking. "You okay, Natsu?" She asked making him look back at her as he nodded.
"Yeah, I'm great." He grinned as Happy caught sight of Carla and took off making him smirk.
Mira gave a small smile. "I bet Lucy knows how to make you feel better." Natsu nearly spit out his drink as he looked at her in complete shock. They had been together since soon after they started on their hundred-year quest. Erza, Gray and Wendy were the only ones who knew how close the two had gotten but he knew those three wouldn't go and announce it to the guild. Mira smiled at him. "Lisanna was worried. She went for a walk and saw you talking with Lucy."
Natsu looked at his drink in his hands. "Oh." He said as he remembered his conversation with Lucy as his face tinted red. Lisanna had been there, she had heard everything he said, she watched him cry.
"Don't worry. Lisanna told me what she witnessed but neither of us will say anything." She said softly. "I know how much you loved Igneel, and how much it hurt when he passed. And I know how much you love Lucy." She laid her hand on his making him look at her before she smiled again and turned to help the other guild members who wanted more drinks.
It took another hour before Lucy arrived and walked over to the bar, sitting next to him with a small smile. "You okay?" She asked watching him scan the room.
He nodded. "Yeah, just…" He looked at her. "Mira told me Lisanna saw us talking last night."
"She did?" Lucy was surprised.
"Yeah, she apparently came back and told Mira." He looked at her worried, but Lucy gave him a loving look that always calmed him.
"I'm sure she understands you missed Igneel."
"She apparently heard everything." He said with a smirk making her look at him and her face started turning red making him chuckle before she slapped his shoulder.
"Don't laugh at me." She squeaked before she gasped. "Oh no."
"What?" he asked confused.
She glanced around. "She must be so hurt." She looked sadly as she looked around for Lisanna but didn't find her, Lucy stood up.
"Where you going?" He asked still completely confused.
Lucy sighed. "I'm sure her seeing us and hearing us must have broken her heart."
"Why?" He asked oblivious making her sigh and shake her head at him.
"She loved you, Natsu." She told him making him look shocked.
"What? No way!"
Lucy gave a small smile, he was always so oblivious. "You need to talk to her."
"Why?"
Lucy heaved a sigh as she pulled him her his feet and tugged him towards the staircase that led to the rooms for guild members who wanted to live there. "Because you need to tell her that it wasn't her fault. You remember that story you told me about when you were a kid and she helped you hatch Happy?"
He nodded. "But, Luce, we were kids. We didn't know anything."
"Sometimes those feeling don't just go away because you got older. Some people still hold onto them." Lucy said looking at him. "Talk to her, okay? Just trust me."
"It's still stupid, but fine. I trust you." He said.
Lucy smiled at him and kissed his cheek. "Thank you." She turned leaving him in the hall where he went to the door labeled Lisanna and knocked.
Slowly the door opened, and he heard a squeak. "Natsu… what are you… why are you up here?" She asked as he stood in the doorway looking at her.
"Mira told me you saw me and Lucy." She gasped and tried to stutter through an explanation. "Lucy said I should talk to you." She looked at him. "She thinks you liked me and all from when we were kids and took care of Happy." Her face went red. "Lisanna, we were just kids."
"I know." She looked down. "I just…" She shook her head. "It's silly. I thought that when I came back we could be like we used to be. But when I came back and saw you with Lucy… after all this time I saw it, that you loved each other. I just…" She shook her head. "I'm sorry."
Natsu pulled her into a hug as she tried to hide the tears. "I'm sorry Lisanna." She looked up at him. "I can't keep that promise from back then. But we'll always be family." She slowly gave a small smile and nodded. "Don't be upset, okay?"
She gave a little laugh. "Right." She nodded.
Natsu grinned before he left her alone and went back to find Lucy sitting with Levy. He dropped in the seat beside her. "Is Lisanna okay?" Lucy asked him.
"Yeah." He nodded. "She's strong."
"She is." Lucy agreed with a small smile as Levy looked between them confused.
"What happened to Lisanna?" She asked making Natsu and Lucy look at her.
Lucy gave a soft sigh as she looked at Natsu who grinned. She shook her head. "Go ahead. Everyone's going to find out eventually I guess." She sighed, knowing this was going to be one of the most embarrassing moments in her life.
"Lisanna found out about me and Lucy." He grinned making Lucy look at him slightly surprised he didn't yell it to the guild.
"What? You and Lucy?!" Levy yelled looking between them shocked. Lucy's face turned red as everyone turned to look as Natsu just grinned and laughed.
"Finally!" They heard Gray say.
"I was getting so worried I was going to slip." Wendy said with a relieved sigh.
Erza stood up. "Now we can celebrate!" Lucy turned even more red before grabbing the end of Natsu's scarf and trying to use it to hide her face while he grinned proud and laughed. The guild broke out in cheers and used it as an excuse to celebrate and drink even more.
Natsu smirked as he felt Lucy lean into his side watching their guild mates so laughing and joking and drinking together so happy. "It's good to see them so happy." She said with a small smile. Natsu nodded as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. She watched as he sat looking at the others making her smile. "Go be you, Natsu."
He looked at her as she smiled. He smirked and kissed her cheek. "I love you, Luce." He said in her ear before he was off starting brawls with the others leaving others to laugh at the antics as she smiled and shook her head, watching Natsu be himself. She felt her heart swell as she looked at all of their friends. After all the hardships and world ending events they had faced over the years they could all still smile and laugh, they could all still bond together and celebrate their family.
