Disclaimer: Troll Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail, and sadly, he will continue to keep trolling. (THEY WERE SO CLOSE TO KISSING!)

Title: Tears Don't Become Us

Rating: K+

Description: Lucy contemplates the weakness of her magic, and the weakness left behind from her mother's death. But, wait? Natsu actually says something reasonably smart.

Dear Mom,

Natsu got us into trouble, again… I'm starting to worry the master will never forgive us. You wouldn't believe the damage he caused to that townhouse! It was completely scorched! I had to reassure the owner several times that we'd cover the expenses, and even then, he was still boiling with rage, sheesh! Fairy Tail really is reckless, but somehow, it's the most fun I've ever had. Not that I'd admit it to anyone but you! Though, Natsu sure is strong...

-Lucy Heartfilia

Lucy really didn't particularly enjoy missions. Sure, sometimes (and only sometimes!) the blonde girl shivered with excitement on what they'd choose to do next; battling thieves, Lucy saving the day with her signature Lucy Kick! But most of time her team tackled the hardest request on the board, and she would continuously complain, well, because, because…

"Luce~eee," an obnoxious voice slurred, echoing from behind her desk chair, "Fish?" It questioned. The humming beats of wings stuck inside her ears, however, Lucy refused to snap her head back, continuing to write, write, write… The sound of pencil scratching paper soothed her flaring temper. Losing your temper in front of other people is rude, she noted, bobbing her head. Yes, she had decided kindness was the morally correct thing to do, rather than the alternative option of drop-kicking certain people into another dimension.

"Eh, is that your book-thingy? That Reedus guy didn't really die, did he? That'd be lame," another familiar voice mused in a familiar tone, and even the markings of a pencil couldn't lull her unconscious now.

"DON'T READ MY NOVEL WHEN I'M NOT HERE!" Lucy screeched, resisting a Lucy Kick. She wanted to screech even more, but: losing your temper is unladylike.

Natsu clucked his tongue, flopping onto the floorboards in an X-shape. Happy circled around her head chanting. Fish, fish, fish…

"So?" she asked eventually, twisting her wooden chair to face the figure below, two arms folded with annoyance, "What brings you here? Oh, I see… You're here to make fun of last night's chapter! No wait, you're here to eat all of the food out of my refrigerator! Well too bad, I don't have money; I'm broke!"

His mouth quirked, whether with amusement or guiltiness, the Celestial Mage was unsure. Natsu's thoughts had always been an enigma, foreign compared to any other character Lucy had met in her lifetime. She wasn't even completely sure if he liked her or not! Was she really that weird? Vain, as well? Happy seemed to comment on the vanity quite often.

"Hmm? I didn't come here to make fun of your book," he grinned, flashing that childish grin, "Right, Happy?"

The blue sidekick looked up briefly from digging in her drawers, "Aye!"

"Oh? Is that so?" Her chocolate eyes narrowed, eyebrows arched with suspicion. She shot a heavy look at Happy. The blue cat slowly closed her underwear drawer, offering an uneasy smile.

"We took a request!" Natsu sprang up, Happy fluttering wings to his side, "So we figured you ought to come with."

Lucy risked a glance at the worn paper he flopped into her sight: Eliminate a pack of Gorians from a nearby forest, please! These pests won't leave our townsfolk and crops alone!

This was the part where she'd complain, because…

"What's wrong, Luce?" The rosy-haired boy frowned, his eyebrows stretched with concern.

"Maybe she's hungry…"

Lucy didn't want to think with a negative mindset, but it always tickled the inside of her thoughts; always tucked away inside the vowels of her mind.

"Well, she did say something about food…"

And so she let herself think it: I am too weak for Fairy Tail.

"Oi, Lucy! What's the matter? You have a funny looking expression on your face."

But wasn't it the truth? She'd dreamt a thousand dreams when she was little; dreams of being a famous Fairy Tail Mage, that'd she'd get better with a little practice. When? Suddenly, something felt very wrong with her eyes at the moment, and Lucy sniffed loudly.

"H-Hey, hey… Your eyes are squirting water!"

She wiped her nose with the hand that bore her Fairy Tail Guild mark, "I'm crying, you idiot!"

"Lucy…" Happy mumbled, frowning.

"Talent really does run through your genes, doesn't it? People say you can get better with practice, and sure, maybe that's true…"

"H-huh? What's wrong Lucy? What's running through jeans?" Natsu cried, flailing his arms around, oblivious to the situation unfolding before him. All he knew was Lucy, his weirdo teammate, was crying and somehow he had caused it.

"But you'll never be better; you'll never be as good as the people who possess talent!"

Lucy threw herself down on the chair, burning holes into the wooden flooring. She saw brief images of her youthful and cheery mother; a star in all of its beauty. How she would stroke Lucy's long blonde hair, brushing away leaked tears. How she would lean down and whisper tears don't become us into her tiny ear. Oh, how Lucy missed her mother...

Natsu exchanged a quick glance with Happy, a voiceless what's going on? His brain clicked into gears when he finally put together the words.

He stepped towards her, "What're you spouting? The Lucy I know isn't weak!" Natsu gripped Lucy's thin shoulders, "The Lucy I know is not weak," he repeated, sending a stern look into her eyes; onyx meeting brown.

She recalled the words, the words Layla Heartfilia had said, so, so many ages ago to her daughter, Lucy Heartfilia, to the point that she had almost forgotten them. Lucy, do not think of yourself as weak. Magic comes from the heart. You must also embrace yourself to use magic.

The Celestial Mage sniffed once again, wiping her eyes with a palm, "Aye," she smiled, teardrops forming still lines down her cheeks.

Dear Mom,

Natsu did it again! We were sent to move some Gorians from a town's nearby forest, and somehow, Natsu managed to engulf another cabin in flames! At least the young couple found it more humorous than the last guy… Oh, boy. I hope Master doesn't make us do that again.

Anyways, Natsu said something to me today that reminded me of you. He can be somewhat considerate when he chooses to be. I really like that trait of his…

I am still missing you, everyday, every month. But since joining Fairy Tail I've come to realize, the past is the past, and the future is now. I want to continue my future with my friends inside the Guild. What was that line you used to say? Ah… Tears don't become us. I've caught myself using that line more and more often.

-Your daughter, just Lucy

AN: Just watched the first episode of Fairy Tail 2014, and I got these serious Nalu feels. I had to write something down. Oh, anyways, if anyone actually cares, this is based on earlier in the series. Now, excuse me, I need to go weep myself to sleep.