AN: Oh jeez, it feel like forever since i've produced a decent fic *screams*, but hey i'm back! And of course, it's angst week, ANGST week, i ain't missing this for the world man, oh hell no! Time to get my angst engine revved up again!

Summary : Her voice. That was the only thing he wished to hear. But of course, wishes are a double edged sword. Nalu. FT Angst Week Day 1: Silence

Who Am I?

The first time he met her, was in a rowdy bar by the corner of the street where he lived, sitting by the counter with a drink in hand and smiling brilliantly.

Despite the dim lighting, she was simply radiant – emanating an aura of pure warmth and light that drew all eyes to her.

Mira was the first to notice him gaping openly at her, giggling, she nudged at the girl with an elbow, making both her and her blue haired friend look over in the direction she pointed at.

"Oh Natsu!" Levy exclaimed excitedly, hopping off her stool and grabbing his arm, dragging him over, "Say hi to my new friend!"

"I-I-I'm Natsu, nice to m-meet you!" He blurted out, sticking out a hand rigidly.

The girl smiled at him, taking his hand in hers and shaking it.

Next thing he knew, she pushed her phone into his hands.

Typed into it and blinking back at him in bold, black font, were the seven words that changed his life.

"Nice to meet you, Natsu. I'm Lucy!"

The second time he met her, he spilled coffee all over her.

Waking up late was bad enough.

But waking up late when Erza's in the office was tantamount to instant death.

"Shit shit shit!"

Cussing as he weaved past the morning crowd, Natsu balanced his coffee and suitcase in one hand while fumbling to wrap his scarf around his neck with the other.

Seeing the gleaming doors of Fairy Tail Corp in sight, he picked up his speed, brushing past security and hopping over the gates, and managing to slide into the elevator just in time.

The doors snapped shut, and Natsu let out a sigh of relief, till a steely voice sent chills down his spine.

"Natsu Dragneel…."

Cloudy brown liquid dripped from the tips of her blond hair, as Lucy stared back at him open-mouthed in shock, her once crisp white top stained brown with spilled coffee that splashed out from his cup that he still held out in front of him.

But no, it was not her voice that made cold sweat break on his brow, nor was it her deadly gaze that sent chills down his spine.

The scarlet demon stalked towards him from beside the blond, eyes gleaming with a murderous intent that's almost palpable in the air, "How dare you do this to Lucy when she's visiting…"

"E-Erza!" Natsu squeaked, his heart at his throat when he felt the cold metal doors at his back, the numbers on the elevator display flickering a countdown to his death.

The blond shook her head, typing furiously into her phone as she grabbed onto Erza's sleeve in an attempt to grab her attention.

But one simply does not escape the demon's wrath with just words.

Wielding a metal ruler before her like a blade, Erza's roar could be heard from throughout the whole building, as the elevator doors opened with a happy ding.

"I shall have your head!"

The third time they met, it was back at the bar.

Since that 'incident', they've been texting each other non-stop, even catching glimpses of each other in the office, but never close enough to look each other in the face.

But those little exchanges, small gifts and messages left on their desks or phones were good enough for them.

However, the moment Natsu stepped through the door, he knew something was wrong.

The blond woman still smiled, communicating with her ever present mobile phone.

But she lost some of her glow- her smile strained and her eyes so hollow and filled with such deep sorrow, as if she might just break down into tears at any moment.

And for some reason, seeing that expression on her face made him feel positively livid.

She noticed him marching straight up to her, cocking her head to the side in an inquisitive manner at the tight expression on his face. But before she could type anything down, he wrapped his arms around her, making her freeze up in shock as he held onto her with a hand at the back of her head.

"I don't know what happened, or which fucker it is that made you this way." He said, his voice pinched with anger and worry, hands trembling slightly with restraint, "But please don't have that kind of expression on your face, I don't know what I'd do when I see you in this state.

She shook in his arms, before breaking down into soundless sobs in his arms, hugging him back tightly as she buried her face into his scarf.

That day, a connection bound them together by a similar fate and sorrow.

The television buzzed to life at the click of the button, and the remote fell from Mira's fingers as she covered her mouth in shock.

"At 7 this evening, Mr Jude Heartfilia of Kozern Holdings passed away from…leaving his entire empire and fortune to his only child…recovering from laryngeal surgery…"

"LUCY!"

Natsu woke up with a jolt, hands outstretched.

Breathing heavily, his bloodshot eyes looked dully from side to side, before landing on a particular photo framed up on his wall – the only frame that survived his random bouts of violence throughout the months.

Stepping over glass shards and fallen furniture, he made his way over to the frame, trembling fingers tracing the brilliant smile frozen in time.

He still remembered that day as clear as day, the heavy weight of the box in his breast pocket as he waited for her outside her clinic, walking in circles while nibbling on his nails.

A loud banging on his door jolted him out of his reverie, and a muffled voice shouted from behind it, "Natsu! Get your ass out here at once!"

"E-Erza, maybe he could use a gentler approach?"

"This has gone for far too long Mira! It's been three months since Lu-"

He slammed open the door with a feral snarl, "Don't you dare say her name."

Mira flinched back at the almost bestial look in his eyes, taking in his haggard state and the utter carnage of the apartment was in with a horrified gasp.

Erza, on the other hand, remained unfazed, marching in without so much as a second word, and wordlessly picking up the fallen items and setting them upright.

"Leave. Now." He growled, stalking towards Erza, "You've no right-!"

In one swift move, Erza grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the wall, eyes narrowed menacingly at him, but gleaming wetly with unshed tears, "I've no right? No. You have no right, Natsu."

"Who are you to hog all of Lucy's possessions to yourself?"

"Don't say her name…" He moaned weakly.

"Who are you to treat yourself as if you are the only victim here?"

"No…Stop…"Natsu tried to cover his ears, but one sharp sentence cut him in his tracks.

"Who are you Natsu? Look at yourself right now and tell me."

She released him, and he flopped onto the floor, back against the wall, as she continued, "Cause I'm looking at you now, and you are not the Natsu that Lucy once loved. You've lost that right the moment you decided to lock yourself up here in her apartment."

Mira rushed over to his side, bringing him into her arms, "Erza! You're being too harsh on him!" She chastised.

"He needs to hear it, Mira, it's the only way he's ever going to get over-"

"I wanted to propose to her."

Natsu muttered, bringing his hands up to his face, as both Erza and Mira looked at him with mixed expressions of shock and horror.

"I was there at the clinic, waiting for her in one of the waiting rooms, I had the ring, the flowers, I even wore a damn suit." He laughed bitterly, running a hand through his unkempt hair as he continued to recount.

"But even after an hour, she never came out, it was only when I saw another patient enter the room, that I realised something was wrong."

He could almost feel the paper wrapping in his hands once more, the way the flower petals scattered when he tossed the bouquet onto the floor, taking off in the direction of the exit.

He could feel the way his blood froze in his veins once more, when he discovered her fallen purse by the sidewalk, and her cracked phone.

And he could feel, the all-encompassing silence that followed, after the shot was fired, the feel of her warm blood splattering onto him as she fell into his arms, jumping just in time in front of the bullet before him.

"I could have saved her." He finally said, grabbing at his hair, laughing hysterically, "Instead what did I do? I stood there staring like a complete idiot, her blood flowing from my hands, and I simply stood there!"

Looking up at the two women before him with haunted eyes, he smiled - a smile so filled with sorrow, bitterness and anger, that had the two of them recoiling back a couple steps.

"I finally got to her her voice, and do you know what were her first and last words, do you know what it was, Erza, Mira? Do you?"

"Of course you don't, no one ever will, because her last words, will forever be trapped in the void she created within me."

"The void only she can fill."

Natsu met Erza's eyes, and he grinned bitterly, "So tell me Erza, who am i?"

.

.

.

.

.

.

Her hands trembled, as she struggled to reach for his face, her lips tilted upwards in a gentle curve as she stroked his cheek, trying to convey her message to him with her eyes.

Pressing her bloodied lips to his cheek, she whispered with her last dying breath, making his eyes go wide in both wonder and denial.

And finally.

Pure agony.

"Natsu…"