Year After
"Lucy?" a voice flitted in my ears as I was shook vigorously. I groaned and opened my eyes slowly. A salmon pink haired idiot with deep onyx orbs greeted my eyes before a lively voice beamed a 'Good Morning'.
"Natsu? Happy? What the hell's wrong with you? Waking me up this early." I grunted and rolled to my side, trying to sleep again.
"You were having a nightmare, Luce. You were murmuring things in your sleep as you cried. I could only make out the words 'Mama', 'Papa' and a 'Bloody red eyed man' though. What did you dream about, Luce?" Natsu asked and took a seat on the edge of my bed, making the mattress cave in and he rolled me.
"I forgot Natsu so will you please let me have my sleep?" I told him, already annoyed and rolled again.
"No can do, Luce. We have a job today and Erza's going to be mad if we are late." He said as he effortlessly lifted me up in a princess carry and walked to my bathroom.
It's been a year since I left from my life as the lone princess and heir of the Heartfilia Konzern and left my control freak of a Father. After I left the mansion, I somehow ended up in Fairy Tail after meeting Natsu. I didn't have the slightest complain about it even though they were a nettlesome, garish, inelegant guild, but they were the best mages this damned world had. A mage who cares, loves, helps and does everything they can for someone that is helpless.
I had learned Celestial Magic from my Mother before she died since I really loved the celestial spirits. I had inherited her keys and gained new ones too. I had formed an unbreakable bond with everyone here and I am really happy for that.
I watched Natsu as he paced through my room with me frozen stiff on his arms and he opened the door to the bathroom. He looked at me, puzzled, before he set me down and peered closer on my face.
"Wh-What?"
Gosh. I just had to stutter. Great.
"Why are you red? Do you have a fever?" He asks as he placed his forehead on mine, making me blush even more.
"Hey! You're burning!" He exclaimed.
I'm overheating, alright?
"Are you sure it's not your temperature, Natsu?" Happy pointed out as he munched on his fish and watched us.
"Hahaha! Yeah! Maybe it's just me. Well then, we'll wait for you Luce so go and take a shower already." Natsu said before he walked back to Happy.
I went in the room and stripped out from my PJ's and turned the shower on. I let the warm water drench my body and tried to calm my beating heart.
Yes, I know it's bad but I'm in love with this idiot. I don't know how it came to be or when I started feeling this but all I know is that I am falling for him. I noticed it back when the New Oracion Seis ravaged Magnolia and they took me as a sacrifice for activating the Infinity Clock for their own selfish reasons.
"Hey Luce! Do you have anything to eat here? Why aren't there any fire on?" Natsu complained as the utensils on my kitchen chimed, probably from him ransacking it.
"Don't throw things around my house now, Natsu. Please don't mess my house again." I said from the bathroom and heard the rustles stop.
I turned the shower's faucet off and wrapped a towel around my well-shaped body. I'm quite confident about it actually. I know I'm not as well blessed like Erza, Mira and Cana but at least I am on par with Juvia and Evergreen.. or so I see.
"Natsu? Happy?" I called to the empty room. "That's strange." I thought aloud and walked to my wardrobe, letting the towel that wrapped my naked body drop to the ground as I took my undergarments and wore them while looking through my wardrobe for a cloth to wear.
"Lucy~~! Hurry u-! I heard Natsu's loud voice as the doors to my room banged open and he was cut.
I froze on my position, about to wear my skirt, and stared at his shocked expression before an ear splitting scream escaped my lips.
"YOU IDIOT! OUT! GET OUT!" I screamed as I threw anything my hand could grab.
"I'm sorry!" He exclaimed and dashed out while dodging the objects I threw his way.
I seethed as my face burned red and hurriedly put my upper shirt on. I pulled my hair up into my usual hairstyle and tied it with a blue ribbon. I checked over myself before I walked down and saw my two best pals waiting by the door. They seemed to be in the middle of a conversation as I went down and they snapped their heads at me.
"I'm ready." I said and smiled. Natsu stared at me for a second before he averted his gaze and adjusted his back pack on his back.
"Le-Let's go then." he said and started to walk out. I followed after him and locked the door before we went to the train station where we would be meeting up with Erza and Gray.
"Hey guys!" I heard Gray's voice as soon as we arrived at the train station. They were so easy to spot given that Erza's luggage stood out like a sore thumb.
"Oh, there they are." I said to Natsu before I waved at Gray. "Sorry for making you wait!" I apologized while I jogged towards them.
"We didn't wait that long so it's fine." Erza said and stood up. "Shall we get going then?" She added and pulled her cart with her luggage behind her.
"So Lucy, Is flame-head giving you problems again?" Gray suddenly asked. Him asking me that question suddenly brought back the events that happened just hours ago back to my mind that I unconsciously blushed.
"N-No. H-He.. He isn't." I answered but I didn't turn to him.
"Hmm.." I heard him hum softly before he held my shoulders, made me halt, and spun me to face him. "You do know you can always confide to me right?" He asked. I nodded at his question and he gave me a warm, gentle, and sweet smile.
"Great. Is anything bothering you then?" He asked again. I hesitated on answering him as I wandered my eyes around the station trying to distract myself from his earlier question.
"Luce." Gray called my name. I stiffened and suddenly felt complied to tell him.
"We-Well.."
"Oi! Ice Princess! What are you doing to her?" Natsu's voice suddenly intervened and I am suddenly snatched out from Gray's grasps. I was encased in something warm and solid and I looked to its owner. Natsu's sharp gaze was kept on Gray as he tightened his hold on me.
"I'm doing nothing to her ash breath! We're having a conversation so could you please?" Gray asked and held my wrist, trying to pull me out of Natsu's grasp.
"Well sorry snow queen, but no can do. No touching either." Natsu said and pushed me towards the train.
"My, aren't we possessive today? What's the matter flame brain?" Gray asked and had a smirk on his face. Somehow, Natsu suddenly covered my ears and after a few seconds a surprised expression decorated Gray's face. I looked up to Natsu and saw him wearing a proud smirk. Gray said something back to Natsu and that's when he took his hands off my ears.
"Oh! I'm not backing down you ice pervert!" Natsu exclaimed and his fists burned in flames. I gasped audibly and grabbed his parka before he could dash towards Gray.
"Would you guys.. urgh.. stop it!" I cried and pulled Natsu back, rather strongly as I caught him off guard, and he tumbled into the train, his motion sickness immediately kicking in.
"Oh gosh! Natsu!" I dashed towards him and helped him up.
"Train.. a train.. save me.." He murmured as he walked wobbly.
"Gray? What are you standing there for? Come on. The train's leaving soon." I called him as my voice seemed to have snapped him off of his reverie and he hurriedly hopped into the train.
"Let me help you." He said and took Natsu from me and helped him to our seat.
Somehow seeing Gray carry Natsu like that is weird. He rarely cared for Natsu when he's sick to his gut.
I noted as I watched their backs, slowly making way to where Erza was sitting.
"What took you guys so long?" Erza asked as soon as Gray placed Natsu beside Erza and he plopped on the seat opposite of her while I sat beside him.
"Well the idiot was causing a ruckus outside." Gray mumbled which I barely heard.
"Speaking of that, what did Natsu tell you that you seemed so shocked?" I asked Gray and turned to him. He jolted and looked out the window and ignored me as if he didn't hear me ask.
"Gray?" I called him.
"I-It was just nothing." He said, quite the weird tone.
There's something not right here. He's keeping it a secret from me.
"I demand that you tell me right now Gray or I'll call Juvia and who knows what she might do to you if she finds you right now." I tried to threaten him.
"No really, there wasn't anything in particular and also, please spare me from Juvia." He said.
"I will really call her if you keep that cover on." I pushed further, picking up a communication lacrima from my bag.
"I swear it was nothing!" Gray defensively said and reached his hands out trying to take the lacrima away. I leaned back, avoiding the lacrima from his reach when he suddenly lost his balance due to the train turning a sharp curve and he fell on top of me.
I blushed upon seeing his eyes staring back at me and seeing his really handsome face on close parameters. Gray suddenly shivered and jolted. He quickly scanned the surroundings before he got off me and took on a fighting stance as well as Erza and Natsu, who was still unstable.
"What was that just now?" Erza asked.
"What?" I asked her.
"Did you feel it too, Erza?" Gray asked her. She just nodded.
"Damn! That aura was so disgusting I almost forgot we're on a train.. Ughh.. Train.. wobbly.." Natsu said and lost his balance again and fell on the floor.
"What did you feel guys?" I asked them.
Okay, I may be a mage but I'm not as strong as them that they need not a sensory type of mage to pinpoint their enemies and just trust their own instincts. I cannot feel their so called aura or whatever they call it. I don't know why but even if I tried learning it, I just couldn't do it.
"A dark.." Gray started.
"Hideous and disgusting aura." Erza finished as she stood in front of me.
"Ca-Can you tell where it is?" I asked them, my voice faltering a bit. Erza only shook her head.
"As quick as it came, it suddenly vanished without a trace." Gray said and sat beside me again. I stared at him and back to Erza feeling anxious about this mission. Gray must have noticed me restless as he held my hand and squeezed it.
"Its okay, Lucy. I'll always be here by your side. We all will protect each other, right?" Gray said and turned to Erza as she nodded in agreement and smiled sweetly. I smiled in understanding before I closed my eyes, trying to calm myself.
I didn't notice sleep had taken over me as someone shook me softly while calling out my name.
"Luce. Luce. We're here." I heard his voice. I slowly opened my eyes and stared at the man who captured my heart.
"Oh." I murmured and sat up straight. I heard Natsu's low growl and looked up back to him. He was staring at my side. I turned and found Gray also sleeping with his hands still holding mine.
"Why are you two holding hands?" Natsu suddenly asked.
"I.. uhmm.. I-It's because.. I.. I got.. scared." I answered him quietly. Knowing Natsu and his capabilities, I'm sure he heard what I just said. I heard him snort before he chuckled softly and held my other hand, warming it almost instantly.
"Oh well, It's just like you, you weirdo." He said with his mesmerizing childish grin before he violently shook Gray.
"Oi! Ice princess! Wake up! We're here!" He cried. Poor Gray was jolted out from his sleep and hurriedly rubbed his sleepiness away before he turned to me.
"Let's go?" I asked with a smile. He smiled in return before he stood up.
"Ermm.. Gray?" I called. He stopped and looked down to me and answered "Yeah?"
"Uhmm.. M-My hand." I told him and turned to our STILL linked hands with a tiny blush.
"It's fine, right? besides, it'll keep you warm." He said with a smirk. I looked to my side when I suddenly felt my other hand heating up incredibly fast.
"Let her hand go!" Natsu exclaimed and yanked my hands off from Gray's hold.
"What is wrong with you? I was just being courteous to Lucy!" Gray suddenly snapped.
"Oh? Wanna go at it, Snow Queen?" Natsu asked with an excited smirk as his body got wrapped in flames.
"O-Oww! Natsu you idiot! My hand!" I screamed and ripped my burnt hands from his.
"I-I'm sorry, Luce." He apologized.
"Geez you two. Instead of fighting yet again, why don't we head off to our mission first then finish it so you can fight each other to your heart's content?" I scolded and held my hand. I picked my luggage and dragged it behind me and followed Erza while they followed, for once, SILENTLY.
I quite loved the walk to our client's house when suddenly I fell to my knees gasping for breath. An unbearable pain shot through my whole being as I clutched my throbbing chest.
"Ahh.. Ahh.." I cried in pain.
"Luce? Lucy!" Natsu kept on calling my name.
Natsu.. Help!
"Lucy! What's wrong?" Erza asked as she rushed beside me.
What's going on? It hurts so much!
"Hurts.. It hurts.." I mumbled in between my sharp intakes of air.
"Lucy! Pull yourself together! What on earth just happened? What's wrong?!" Gray cried as he checked me for wounds.
"He.. Help." I managed to say before darkness enveloped my world.
.
*Lucy.*
Who.. Who's there?
I called to the endless and boundless darkness that surrounded me.
*Lucy..*
Show yourself!
I called, trying to be brave and tried to summon one of my spirits when no key was dangling on my hips.
Whaa-!
*Lucy, my dear.*
Dear? The hell-!
*Lucy.. I'm coming back.. I'm coming to get you back.. I missed you.*
The mysterious smooth, sweet and deep baritone voice said before a pair of the loveliest shade of bloody red eyes gazed into my chocolate ones. It held so many emotions as it stared at me. It was so enchanting that I felt myself being drawn to it.
Who.. Who are you? Why.. Why do.. Why do you seem so familiar?
I asked and a man with jet black locks suddenly appeared before me, gone were the eyes. He cupped my cheeks before he planted a kiss on my lips and smirked before he vanished again.
*I'll be coming for you, My love. I'll be seeing you again. Very soon.*
..
.
I jolted awake with large beads of sweat trickling down from my temples. I sat up and found Happy sleeping beside me, murmuring how Natsu was stealing his fish. Natsu, Gray and Erza was there too. They all stayed beside me. Natsu stirred awake and opened his eyes.
"L-Luce!" He exclaimed, startling our two teammates.
"Wha.. Lucy! What the hell happened to you a while ago?" Erza shot straight to the point.
"I.. uhh.. I don't know. Somehow, pain coursed through my body and it hurt too much as I had difficulty in breathing." I explained to her and she sighed in relief.
"I thought you were attacked or something. It scared the hell out of us." Gray said, exasperated, as he ran his hand through his midnight blue locks and sighed.
"I'm.. I'm sorry guys.. for worrying you." I said softly and hang my head. I felt a hand pet me and I looked up to see his cute loop-sided smile.
"Its fine, Luce. Cheer up." He beamed and I felt my cheeks burn slightly and I smiled back, nodding my head in the process.
His smile, warmness, presence and loudness was enough to make me forget that weird dream I just had. I decided not to brood over it thinking it was nothing too important and it'll soon vanish to the oblivion, but boy was I wrong. I shouldn't have been too lax. Things would not have ended that way. HE would not have been hurt so badly.
And Here I am~! Thank you for the review guys. I'll try not to drop this. So please support me throughout. Thanks again.
xoxo,
Halloween Godspell