Thank you Tenma360Warrior and Loso for Following/Favoring this story.

Day 4: Secrets

Lucy was hiding something.

No one else seemed to notice, they were all just glad everyone had made it out alive from their fight with Tartaros. Gray had disappeared, only telling Gramps he needed time away. It had been Juvia who'd told them about his dad before setting off after him. Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel were still dealing with the shock of finally seeing their parents again, only to have them die bringing down Face. They had been inside them all this time, helping them build up enough immunity that they wouldn't turn into dragons themselves.

It was just a string in the tangled web of secrets that came with anything dealing with Zeref.

On the outside, Lucy was still her cheery self, bringing light to the rest of the guild in their time of need. On the inside… something was wrong. It was like a part of her had died during that fight. He could feel it in his heart. She wouldn't talk about it, not even with him. There were times he would wake up to her crying. It made him feel useless.

Natsu was starting to get worried. They'd gone on a mission together, a fairly easy one, for her rent. She hadn't even called out her spirits, relying on her whip, even when calling on her spirits was the wiser choice. She'd been reckless that day, and hadn't even cared. Loke had come out on his own to yell at her about it, but she'd force closed his gate faster than he could open his mouth.

He didn't know what to do. He had been thinking about going on a training trip, but he couldn't leave her now. Not when she was so… fragile.

Fragile was not a word he thought would ever apply to Lucy.

They were sitting in her apartment in awkward silence. There was tension. He knew she wanted to be left alone, but didn't have the heart to tell him so. If there was thing he knew Luce would never do, it was intentionally hurt someone.

Looking at her keys she had yet to take off, he was wondering if he could call Loke out to find out what was going on when he noticed it. One of her keys was broken. He didn't think it was possible. Celestial keys were basically indestructible. Mavis knows, they'd been scorched by his fire enough times to know that.

Treading carefully, he said, "What happened to Aquarius?"

Lucy stiffened noticeably. "Aquarius is fine."

He peered at the destroyed key. "No, I'm pretty sure she's not. What? Did you two get into a fight, and she decided she didn't want to be called out anymore?"

"Aquarius did not do this to herself!" Lucy snapped, turning furious eyes on him.

He hadn't realized it until now, but he'd missed that fire. "I thought you said she was fine."

Lucy looked away. "Can you just leave it?"

Natsu shook his head, "No, I will not leave. Something's wrong with you Luce. I feel it," He thumped a fist to his heart. "I feel it right here. Can't you see I know something is eating away at you, something not healthy?"

Lucy's eyes began to water. "Please, Natsu. Don't make me tell you. I can't take the pain."

He pulled her into his arms, holding her tight. "You're already in pain."

The dam broke with those words. Sobbing, Lucy proceeded to tell Natsu the secret she'd kept from the world.