xX Picking Up The Pieces Xx

Xx Chapter 2: So This Is My Home... xX

It was awkward, to say the least.

She didn't speak, only stared at her hands, picking at her manicure as he drove to his house. Natsu didn't even try to spark up a conversation either for fear she would either close herself off more than she was now, or she would remember something and they would have to go back to the station.

He was fucking tired, and didn't feel like doing that shit, so he stayed quiet.

Which was odd, considering he never shut up.

When they pulled up to his little apartment, climbed the three thousand stairs (or what felt like three thousand to his charge, for she was panting like she spent weeks in a desert) he wasted no time in pulling off the key taped to his door underneath a sign that said 'this is the key'. Lucy tilted her head with a confused sound. He looked at her.

"What?"

"Why would you tape your house key to your door?" she asked, and he shrugged.

"Why not?"

"Because they could use it to rob your place!"

"Nah," he said, unlocking his door and pushing it open. "People are too smart, so they'll think it's a trick and look under the mat or in the light or some shit like that. You wanna hide something? Put it in plain sight."

"But what if they find out it's the actual key?" Lucy asked, and removed her shoes when he took off his own.

"It's not like I have shit for them to take," the detective answered. And it was true. He only had a couch, a small TV, a coffee table, and two nightstands in his living room. No knickknacks or plants, no figurines, his pictures were hidden in his bedroom, and a mean ass cat, who was now clawing at the bottom of his trousers. The most expensive thing in his place (not counting the appliances) had to be all of the groceries in his fridge and cabinets.

He only ate name-brand foods. He didn't fuck with that generic shit.

He grabbed onto her sleeve, detaching his blue feline from his pants and shoving him into her arms. Happy needed to get used to her if she was going to be staying there. "That's Happy. He's a little shit." The cat hissed.

Lucy held him at arms length, staring him in his big eyes and blinking her own. "...why's he-"

"Blue? Long story short, don't make bets and don't trust your friends. They're little shits too." She pulled him back to her chest. "He used to be a nice orange until I gave him to Gajeel for a day. Motherfucker." She gasped, and he rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry, I'll try to manage the shit that I say." She gasped again. "Shit, I'm sorry! Shit! Goddammit - you know what? Fuck it."

She giggled, and he grinned. Placing his hand on the small of her back, he pushed her into the living room, gesturing to the dull room.

"It certainly has character," Lucy grumbled sarcastically. Her eyes widened, and she looked at him before covering her mouth. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean it offensively!"

He waved the apology away. "It's fine. I agree with you, it is boring, but only because I'm practically never here. Work and all that." She nodded, and he noticed Happy took an immediate liking to her. "If I could, I'd decorate this place with bright flames and stuff like that! Clutter and bright stuff describe me. This place just feels cold and lonely, not me at all, ya know?" Lucy nodded again with a small smile, and he pushed her into the kitchen. "This is where I eat of course. Here are the plates, cups, forks are in this drawer, and knives, in case you need to cut a bitch, are in this one here. Don't worry about food, I always keep this place stocked up. I eat a lot."

He all but dragged her to the bathroom. "Piss and wash yourself in this room here. We can go to the store tomorrow and buy you your own body wash, shampoo, toothbrush, clothes and all that good stuff. Toilet paper and towels are under here, toothpaste and medicine are behind the mirror. Loofah is on the shower handle because all real men use loofahs. Don't worry, it's new and unused, just bought it yesterday."

This time he pushed her to his bedroom and shoved her inside. All that was in there was a bed, two nightstands on either side and a small radio/alarm clock. A picture of his father and him as child rested on one nightstand, and a picture of his friends sat on the windowsill. "You'll be sleeping in here. That's obviously the bed and you'll be sleeping on that."

"What about you?" Lucy asked, looking up at him. "This is your room, isn't it?"

"Yeah, but I got the couch for the night."

"But-"

"Nope! Ain't hearing it today. You're sleeping on the bed whether you like it or not. Deal with it." She pouted and he grinned. "Wanna shower?"

"That'd be nice..."

He walked over to his closet and yanked out a shirt and a pair of shorts, tossing them in her general direction. She caught them without dropping Happy, and he idly thought she was agile. "Remember where the towels are?"

"Under the sink?"

"You got it. Go ahead and hop in, I'm gonna make a few calls and be right back okay?" She nodded, and he saw her shaking slightly.

"Where will you be?" she asked quietly, and he almost had to strain his ears to hear her. Lucy was practically clutching Happy to her chest. "You won't leave me alone, right?"

He raised an eyebrow at her actions. "No...I'll just be right outside." She nodded, more to herself than in response to his words. Natsu frowned. "Right out front, okay? No one will get past me."

This time, she nodded more firmly, reassured by his words. Something made her feel uneasy, and he doubted that she heard the conversation in the station.

"I...Thank you for letting me stay here. I don't mean to be a burden."

To be honest, she was a burden. He wasn't used to sharing his space, especially with a woman, but she was a special case. That special case being amnesia, and not knowing where she lived. He still didn't understand why she couldn't stay with Mira or Erza or Levy, someone who wasn't him, but it was too late to change it now. Natsu shook his head and grinned.

"Nah, it's fine. You cook?"

She nodded hesitantly. "I think so. I recalled being able to make some dishes while we were in the car..."

The information was minuscule, but it was still progress nonetheless. "Then that's how you'll repay me. I want to eat something good, so all you have to do is cook, alright?" She nodded again, more enthusiastically this time, and his grin widened. "Now that that's settled, go shower. Shout really loudly if you need anything, my neighbors won't care. I scream all the time and they don't do shit." He opened his mouth to demonstrate, but Lucy just giggled.

"Please don't! I'll just take your word for it," she said, moving from the door towards the bathroom. She popped her head back in a moment later, smiling. "I really mean it. Thank you. It's...hard not remembering anything, and I'm glad you're not treating me any differently than a person with their memories. I really appreciate it, you feel like a friend already."

"Good, because that's what I was going for. I hate being awkward." She laughed softly and looked at him with a fond expression before heading to the bathroom once more. He waited until he heard the shower start before going outside and whipping out his phone, immediately calling Mira.

The sweet lilt of her voice graced his ears (look at him, being all poetic and shit) and he spoke first. "I need bras."

"Natsu...What on earthland do you...is this some kind of hobby I need to know about?"

"No! Not for me, Lucy needs them. And panties. And shirts. And pants. Do girls wear scarves? And scarves. Hats? And hats. And socks. Some shoes would be nice. Do they still sell corsets? Pick up a few of them too. How about-"

"Natsu, calm down. You say Lucy needs clothes?"

"Well seeing as how all she had was that sundress, and that's being used for evidence and then being trashed because it's all tore up and shit, she needs to wear something other than my old gymshorts and a maybe-clean shirt."

"Natsu, what have I told you about washing your clothes?"

"To wash them?"

"And what didn't you do?"

"Wash them?"

"Exactly. You have a lady in your house now, and it's prudent to be as clean as possible. You don't want her to think you're a slob, right?"

"Frankly, I don't care-"

"You don't want her to think you're a slob. Right?"

He could hear the threatening tone, and immediately changed his own. "No ma'am."

"Good boy. How about I take Lucy shopping tomorrow, and you work on cleaning the dust from the corners of your living room, okay? And for the love of all that is holy, clean Happy's litter box."

"Maybe. Thanks Mira! You're doing me a huge favor. I'll tell her to be ready by two!" He hung up before he heard her response, and quickly went inside.

It was odd, seeing a girl wearing his old clothes. But somehow, she made them look good. The shorts brushed past her knees, emphasizing how small her calves were. The shirt touched past her hips and settled somewhere around mid-thigh. Her hair was wet and fell past her shoulders and down to her mid back, dampening the fabric underneath it.

She looked...good. Cleaner, he meant.

Very, very clean. And clean was good. Therefore meaning she looked good.

Natsu cleared his throat. "Feel better?"

"Much better," she sighed. "I needed that, thank you. I hope you don't mind, I used your shampoo. And the purple loofah you were telling me about." She grinned, and he chuckled.

"it's yours now, so use it as much as you like." He tapped his phone. "Just got off the phone with Mira, the white-haired woman you were talking to at the station. She'll be talking you shopping tomorrow to get you some things since I don't know a thing about what girls like. That okay with you?"

Lucy pursed her lips and Natsu tilted his head in confusion. "You mean you won't be coming with?"

"Nah, she told me I have to worry about cleaning my walls. Why?"

The blonde rubbed her shoulders, as if trying to wipe something off. "I just feel like...someone's watching me. Like I'm not really safe..."

Well that was a problem. She shouldn't be feeling that way when she was in a house, the place of a cop no less. Erza was right in that she was most likely in danger, but then again, maybe Lucy was just imagining things. Natsu wouldn't entertain either idea until he had more evidence to support the claim.

Shit, Natsu mentally cursed. He was actually doing his job.

Time to fix that.

"Just sleep it off. Maybe the feeling will go away by tomorrow, and if it's still there, Mira knows how to protect herself and others. You'll be safe with her."

Lucy still looked reluctant, but she nodded and fiddled with the hem of the shirt she was sporting. "I...Thank you again for housing me."

"Wasn't really my choice," he grumbled, but then perked up. "But it's no problem. Just go get some sleep since we'll both be busy. See you tomorrow."

She nodded again, a small, shy smile gracing her face before she backed into the bedroom and shut the door with a soft click. Natsu flopped on the couch, face deep in the cushions.

God. Dammit.

1. I am currently upside down in my chair because I very nearly gave up on this chapter. But it's here, so take it.

2. You know the world is ending when Arizona gets more and more rain. Like what is this shit?

3. I don't know how or why, but my dog pissed on my little cousin. I'm laughing so hard. Hodges is a big ass dog, and my cousin is small. Did he confuse him with a tree or something? Like why did Jay just stand there and take it? He comes walking into my room, arms out like he's perched on the cross and goes "Book, Hodges piss on me." Oh God my ribs hurt.

4. Yes. He calls me Book. I do not expect you all to call me that as well.

5. I would go on and on about why he's not being delicate with her in her condition, but since when has Nasty been delicate? Exactly. Plus I highly doubt Lucy would want to be treated like a child when she has amnesia. I sure as hell don't. But whatever, complain if you want. Makes no different to me.

6. Fuck humidity.

7. Just drop a review and explain to me why dogs pissing on kids is so funny to me. Clyde, go bathe him. I'm injured.