A/N: Hello again faithful readers! Woot the updating on a regular basis is officially kicking off again. Once more, I'm really sorry for my extended absence and I love all of you who supported me and waited patiently for me to return. So I don't know how well this chapter is going to go over-Natsu may seem a little ooc but I promise I am going somewhere with all of this craziness. I really do like this chapter though, mostly because Natsu is officially back! Thanks for following/favoriting and keep reviewing! It makes me want to write more and more! 3
Enecs: haha well that would be a little obvious...I think there'd be no way for Lucy to hide it then...well unless I decided to be evil and make Jason a fire mage :p haha no worries. I promise it will all work out!
Everyone is a Friend: So I've been meaning to look into the whole creepypasta thing, but I've had my hands full between school, friends and my other obsessions(I have wayyyyy too many and its becoming a serious problem.) But next time I have a set amount of free time I will definitely introduce myself to creepypasta. I'm leaving little hints about Jason's power, but he obviously isn't one for strength so it may take another few chapters for it to be revealed. There's a teaser in this chapter though ;)
Once again thanks to every single one of you who expressed concern about my friend. He's doing...better but it'll take time for him to recover. Keep him in your prayers!
"Luuishi..." Jerking, I turned to see that Natsu was awake and both of his eyes were glued to my face. "Why are you crying?" His eyes narrowed to slits as he practically growled the question, flashing behind me to Jason and then back.
For a moment, I froze. If he was asking that, it must mean that he hadn't been awake for the rest of our conversation. Right? "I-I," as I stuttered, my mind grasped wildly for an appropriate explanation. "Jason and I were talking and he reminded me of something I have to do. And...it made me sad." My words sounded weak and unsure even to me, I just hoped that Natsu's normal obliviousness would cover for that.
He was silent, as if contemplating my answer and in that moment, everything was still. Until suddenly, Natsu had launched himself off my bed and landed directly next to Jason. Gripping him in one hand, Natsu held back the other threateningly. "You made Lucy cry?!" His voice was almost a roar and I sat still, to shell-shocked to think properly, let alone move. I'd never seen Natsu get so defensive over me. I'd cried before, and never had he reacted so violently against because of it, unless they were an enemy. But even then, there'd been something else to ignite the fire that drove him.
Jason scoffed at him. "I made her cry? Maybe if your ead wasn't stuck so far up your ass, you'd realize why she's really upset!"
I bit my lip as the two men stared each other down; one furious and the other sneering. Too fearful of what my interference might cause, I remained motionless, hoping that Jason knew what he was doing. He was doing his best to stand up for me without outright saying that Natsu was the whole reason I was upset at all, but I was worried he may have gone too far. If Natsu caught on, everything we had worked to set up would blow up in our faces.
"And what," Natsu spoke slowly. "Is that supposed to mean, bastard?" Jason sighed and looked pointedly at me.
"It means, Lucy is supposed to be your best friend and yet you don't even know why she's upset. You're too busy doting over your girl-" I shook my head sharply and he quickly rephrased. "Your friend then, Lisanna, to even notice. She shouldn't have to tell you what's going on. You should know already!" Bit by bit, Natsu relaxed his grip on Jason, as his words sunk in. Turning to face me, Natsu's face was akin to that of a wounded puppy and it tore me up to think that I had caused him to feel so much guilt.
"Luce...?" He spoke at the same time I said, "Natsu." We stared at each other for a moment longer,; each seeming at a loss for the right words.
"Lucy, if this is about what happened before the mission..." I smiled softly and shook my head before he could continue.
"It's not about you guys replacing me with Lisanna." Natsu opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. "To be honest, that was almost a blessing. I need time away from our Team and it's good to know it was a mutual choice. At least, of sorts..." His expression was in total shock, as if I had slapped him.
"You wanted to be off our Team? You didn't want to be my partner anymore?" His expression sent a shock wave of pain through my heart.
"No that's not it Natsu, at least not really. I loved having you as my partner, but it just won't work anymore. I can't do it." His eyes widened even further and again my heart dropped. "No, no I'm not saying this right!" I threw my hands up to cover my face. "Why is this so hard, talking to you?!" I already knew the answer to that question. Because unlike all the other members of the guild Natsu was the only I was truly terrified of telling my lie to. So often he could see right through me and always seemed to know what I was really thinking. If he saw through this lie, everything would be over and I'd ruin his life and happiness. I dreaded the reaction I would get once I told him.
"Lucy," Natsu's voice was so soft that I couldn't help but glance out from between my fingers at him. "What can't you tell me? We're partners remember?" I fought the urge to correct him on his last statement. He'd ended our partnership. He'd replaced me with another girl after stomping all over my heart. He had no right to call us partners anymore.
Suddenly, my mind filled with rage, and I snapped back at him. "Partners? Partners! We are not partners and honestly, I don't think we ever were. All I was to you was a filler. Someone to pass the time with until she came back! Why can't I tell you what's bothering me? Because I can't trust you! Everything we've been through together and it's gone in one day! All the happiness I found at Fairy Tail got taken from me, by the very person who brought me there in the first place! If it wasn't for all the other friends I now have there, I would have left the day you kicked me off the Team! All I have ever been to you is a hindrance! I know that now." As quickly as my anger had taken a hold of me, it vanished and in its wake, all the sadness and grief I'd been keeping at bay poured in. So many people had left me in my life, whether by their own choice or not, but I'd never expected Natsu to be one of them. His loyalty towards his friends had made me believe that he would always be there for me. It was part of what I'd fallen for. But in reality he was one of the people who'd abandoned me.
"Lucy..." As my name slipped carelessly from his mouth, tears formed in my eyes and spilled over onto my cheeks.
"Alright, that's enough you two." Jason stood and walked over to where I was sobbing. "You, Princess, are a hormonal wreck and need some more sleep. And you, Mister Sexy Dragon Slayer, need to apologize. I don't care why you did what you did or whatever excuse you want to come up with. Apologize. NOW." Grasped in Jason's arms, I could feel his magic begin to surface; making my hair stand on end.
"No." I managed to choke out through my tears. Both men turned their gazes from one another and back to me. Taking a deep breath, I shakingly spoke. "Natsu, you don't have to do that. I'm not mad, honest."
"Says the hyperventilating, half-drowned woman." Ignoring Jason, I slowly raised my eyes to Natus's.
His face was scary calm. The way he used to be when anyone brought up Lisanna or Igneel. But despite the wall he was trying to put up, I could see through it. I knew him well enough to see it: the self-loathing he was desperately trying to hide. Like with the other two, he was blaming himself for failing in protecting his nakama.
"Natsu, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it, any of it. I promise. It's just a lot of things have been happening all at once recently, and its overwhelming. Even if I'm currently not a part of the Team, Natsu, I know you and I will always be partners." Finishing, I watched him, waiting for his wall to drop; praying to Mavis I hadn't closed him off to me forever.
Thankfully, I hadn't. "Lucy, you know that I've never thought of you as weak. You're one of the strongest people in Fairy Tail!" I smiled at his utter conviction. "And you're my best friend, my nakama, my m-..." he stumbled over his words for a second and I furrowed my brow in confusion. "My Lucy. You could never be a replacement or be replaced." A smile stretched across my entire face at his words. Without even pausing to consider that only a half hour earlier I'd decided to let Natsu go, I bounded forward and wrapped my arms around his broad chest.
"Gag me. You two are sickening." Releasing Natsu, I turned to tell Jason to 'fuck off' when I felt Natsu's arms tighten around me.
Half turning, I opened my mouth to ask what he was doing, but froze as he brought his face to my neck and sniffed.
"Luce, why do you smell weird?"
