notes: I'm back with my procrastination—I mean, update.
notes2: This one-shot is pretty short, but think of it as a relief from last chapter and the next chapter. Woops, did I just say that the next one's gonna be an AU? *evil smirk*
notes3: Thank you, thank you, thank you to people who put this in their Favorites/Alerts list and to those who reviewed (GoldenRoseTanya, Xx shimmering starlight xX, xBluieLovex, Disappear500, Puma, LuckyLifeSmile, .xX, Squirrel Singer, and km28ave)!
notes4: I just thought of another meaning to AU (well, my AUs anyway): AU=angsty and hard to understand.
notes5: (8/25)
disclaimer: Yes, because clearly, Fairy Tail's own mangaka, Hiro Mashima, would write a non-canon fanfiction instead of actually doing it in the canon manga.
summary: Because no matter how many houses he had destroyed, he could never destroy Lucy's house.
A wince contorted his face, pain evident in his features, as Lucy dabbed the cotton soaked with antiseptic on one of his wounds. Seeing this, she apologized and tried to be more gentle. Still, with half of his body covered in wounds, he didn't think she'll be able to maintain the gentleness. She was still mad at him after all, and anger sometimes made her unintentionally more rash with her actions.
Setting the bloodied cotton down, she surveyed his wounds, a displeased expression on her face. A sigh escaped her lips. "How did you get wounded this badly?"
"I got him, Luce," he said, voice becoming softer than usual, "I-I almost got him."
"You shouldn't have gotten this much wounds if you proceeded with that final attack," she scolded, "Why didn't you?" Her hands were already on her hips, a stance he recognized as the one she always used when she interrogated him.
"Because. . ." he started, but didn't know how to continue without the next words sounding stupid, "because there were houses where I was going to send my attack."
Her piercing stare didn't waver. "That didn't stop you before." Her face came closer, looking at him in the eye. Natsu could tell she just knew he wouldn't be able to lie with those big, brown eyes staring right into his soul. "Tell me the truth, Natsu."
He squirmed under her gaze, a dead giveaway of him withholding the truth. Averting his eyes, he mumbled his response. "Your house."
"What?"
He said it louder. "I could've hit your house."
Her brows furrowed. "Well, it's either that or this." She touched one of his wounds, making him wince. "It's okay for me to lose my house rather than you almost getting killed."
"It's not okay for me!" he shouted like a child, bringing a small smile to Lucy's lips, "You go on missions because you have to pay the rent. Without your house, you won't go on missions with us anymore." He sulked.
His reasoning—albeit wrong—made Lucy smile. He should've stopped right there. Really. But he didn't.
"And I often have Happy fly me up to your window so I could get into the house."
"That's why I don't lock the win—"
"And I usually crash at your house to do push-ups."
"Well, Natsu—"
"And Happy and I always eat your food."
"Natsu—"
"And your bed is soooo comfy and I could only sleep there."
"Nat—"
"And sometimes, on the couch, we ki—"
"Natsu!"
He stopped his rambling to look at the red-faced Lucy. She let the blush disappear before sitting beside him, a tender look on her face. "It's so sweet how you treasure the house."
"Of course," he said, "It's where everything happened." He valued the memories, really, just like how he collected a keepsake from every mission they went on.
"But, you know. . ." Her eyes held a meaningful glint as she leaned closer. "If my house was broken down, I would've stayed at your house." There was an overwhelming suggestive intent in her voice that it was hard for even someone as dense as him to miss.
His eyes widened in realization. Lucy would sleep over at his house if her house was destroyed. At the thought, he felt giddy with excitement. "Then I'll just burn the house dow—"
"Nice try," Lucy said, "But if you break my house now, I won't speak to you until it's fixed."
The pout naturally appeared on his face, but it turned into the grin moments after as he thought of something.
Because it might sound cheesy, but he considered Lucy's house his home, too. No matter what, he wouldn't be able to bring himself to destroy it. Paying for the rent or kissing on the couch just wouldn't be the same if it wasn't done inside her apartment, because everything about her home felt like Lucy and he wouldn't trade that for anything else.
notes: Short, I know.
notes2: But don't worry, the next one-shot is going to be long (translation: I haven't even finished it).
notes3: But don't worry (this is getting pretty repetitive), you know what would make me finish it and the next one after?
notes4: You guessed it right, you smart reader, reviews, of course!
notes5: So keep 'em coming! I really appreciate them.
notes6: Then proceed to boost up my ego (jk).
