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Because logicat is awesome, I shall do my best!

Prompt 4: Fear

Summary: Everyone had a fear. His was scary in his need for comfort.

It was after midnight when Lucy awoke because of the sound of rustling in the darkness. She squinted as she sat up, barely making out through the moonlight pink hair that sat at the foot of her bed.

"Natsu?" She murmured.

A slight movement told her he was looking at her, amber eyes startling in the dim light.

She moved forward on her knees, dragging the comforter off as she drew closer. "Natsu, what's wrong?" She asked concerned. At this distance, she could almost see he was… shaking?

Natsu looked at her in the darkness, dark eyes shadowed. Before he suddenly grabbed her and pulled her forward unto his lap, squeezing her tightly.

She gasped, and stilled, before she heard the sound of… sniffing.

She felt her tank top get soaked as Natsu shook as his head was pressed against her neck. She stared at him over his head, and then slowly moved her own arms around him in an embrace. She rested her head on his own shoulder as she rubbed soothing circles on his back as he tightened his grip on her.

"Shh Natsu… calm down." She murmured.

They stayed there for a few minutes, Lucy mumbling comforting words into his ear as Natsu tried to calm down from his tears. Lucy felt her legs start to cramp as she tried to adjust her position when she heard him start to speak.

She stilled as she gently spoke. "Natsu, what happened?"

"…you left me…" She heard softly.

Lucy cocked her to side, confused. "Left you?"

Silence as he breathed, obviously trying to calm down. "I came… here. And it was…deserted. Your bags were gone, your scent was fading… you didn't even leave a note." He told her. "I searched for you. You went home, to your father. You… had a fiancé... You… you turned me away. Like… you didn't know who I was…"

Lucy froze at his words, as he tightened his arms even more that she almost had difficulty breathing. She understood though. His reaction.

With Igneel having left him, it's only natural for him to think he'd be afraid of all his other friends leaving him as well. It gave him dreams that produced images of his worst fear. It hurt too think he'd be so sad if anyone were to just leave him. It gave her insight on to why he always tried his best to protect his Nakama.

She sighed as she took his face between her hands. She scanned his tired amber eyes, his sadness that seemed bone-wrenchingly deep. "Natsu, you gave me that promise, remember? About how you wouldn't leave me?"

She watched as he nodded frantically. "Of course! I promise Lucy! I-" He stopped as Lucy placed a fingertip on his lips.

"Then it's my turn." Lucy inhaled. "I, Lucy Heartfilia, promise to do my best to never to leave you, Natsu Dragoneel, because through thick or thin, I will follow you, whether you like it or not!" She told him, brown eyes staring into his own. "Because you're my best friend. Because you're my Nakama. And mostly because I know you'd do the same for me."

Natsu stared at her as tears over flowed his eyes again. "You…promise?"

"Of course I do!" She told him, winking and giving him one thumbs up. "I'm a Stellar Spirit mage you know. I can't break my promises ever!" She told him before she suddenly got serious.

"But Natsu, I want you to understand one thing."

Natsu nodded, alert at her change in attitude.

"Since no one can predict what will happen, should I ever disappear or turn away from you, I want you to understand that I'm not doing it of my own accord." She told him, gaze serious. "I… no, rather, We would never willingly leave you." She told him, as she held up her right hand with the pink Fairy Tail insignia standing out even in the darkness, lit up by the bright silver moonlight.

"I can't promise we can always stay with you even though we want to, but even if were gone from you, you'll still find us here." She told him as she placed her hand on his chest, where his heart beat fast under her fingertips. "And I promise you this much with certainty. We will always come back to you."

And as Lucy finally managed to coax Natsu to lie down next to her on the bed, he smiled at her as she fluffed her pillows, tears long gone.

Because it was only Lucy who could calm his fears like that.

Because he believed Lucy.

Because Lucy always kept her promises.

He didn't think he'd ever be truly alone again.