Chapter 10: Devil's Invite
A hushed breath, a gulp to swallow his nerves.
For another minute, Natsu taps his fingers emptily against Lucy's keyboard.
And meanwhile the file continue to stares back at him, mockingly in a light glow of the dark room.
In the end, he can't destroy it. This hard work Lucy's compiled…
'She's a part of the school's newspaper team. It's practically like a second job for her to do things like this, deleting the file would only encourage her to search further, to delve deeper…'
Lucy stirs and turns over in her sleep, hands subconsciously reaching for the vacant space he once occupied.
His heart feels like it stops for a second, thumping wildly as she shifts again; time evidently isn't on his side tonight.
He doesn't hesitate much longer to simply shift the mouse key to the shutdown option, watching as the screen flickers again momentarily before going completely black.
"Where'd you go?" Lucy slurs out drowsily to his surprise as he sinks back under the covers. Had she'd been awake this whole time?
'No, Lucy's a light sleeper; it's just her insomnia acting up.' He reminded himself.
Still, his body is stiff and cautious as his mind fumbles for an excuse.
"Ah, just to the bathroom." Natsu mumbled. The lie comes out much more muddled than he pictured it would, but Lucy simply yawns in reply, not seeming to notice or even care.
He doesn't get much sleep the further the night goes on, mind dizzily spinning over the image of the articles.
"Dragon is just another family alias we go by occasionally. There's no reason to be so ashamed of it or try to hide it from your friends...unless they try to get in our way that is." Zeref mused.
Natsu clenched his fists then, expression hardening at his cool façade.
"It's not such a cute little 'pet name' when people look at you in fear when they start to realize or notice our connections…"
"Good. Fear stops people from being nosy where they shouldn't be. And anyways, it's in your blood already Natsu. You can't run from me or our family ties forever by pretending going off to college will stop everything." Zeref interrupted, and it's impossible to miss the growing malice now in his tone.
"Watch me."
"BUZZ, BUZZ!"
Natsu cracked open one eye before closing it slowly, for once Lucy is the one who's awake first. Her hands reach for her phone in a horrible attempt to botch the noise, sighing quietly when it's just a new text message.
"Sorry about that." She whispers into him and he flutters his eyes open once more to look at her. Her blonde hair is in disarray, sticking out in practically every direction, but then his gaze drifts down to cream skin exposed in the sunlight and her cheeks fluster.
"How sorry are you?" He emphasized in return.
Lucy shrugged, waiting for a half-hearted perverted joke, not-so-subtle grope, or even a lazy good morning kiss thick with the haze of agonizing morning breathe.
But Natsu is falling asleep again.
And it's hard not to hide the swift flash of disappointment that sweeps over her.
"Natsu, you okay? I'm supposed to be the one that has trouble sleeping; not you." Lucy laughed quietly, she traced the faint outlines of bags under his eyes and frowned.
Her joking stopped as Natsu began to squirm at her behavior.
'What's wrong with him?'
Were they awake too early perhaps? A quick glance at her phone again shows it's already past 9:30. The blinds in her room are still closed, trapping any light from seeping in.
"I saw it." Natsu states, breaking her from her thoughts.
His voice is scratchy and muffled by the sheets, but she heard him.
"Saw what?" She murmurs back.
Her stomach flips and coils at his silence, her heartbeat begins to grow so loud she can begin to hear it in her ears.
"You wanted to know so badly why in certain circles I hold the nickname 'Dragon', didn't you?" He instigated further.
And Lucy wished she had looked away before his dark eyes shot her such an accusatory stare.
But she refused to back down.
"Yes, I did! I'm not going to apologize for being worried about you or wanting to help if I could!" She shot back.
Natsu paused, sitting up slightly. His head instantly pounds from the lack of sleep, but he needs to clarify things.
"Luce, don't be mad." He starts, though Lucy is already rolling over in childish stubbornness and he breathes in slowly to think and not to create any more tension.
"I have my reasons for not telling you know, I don't want you to get mixed up in it all." He says after a while and immediately he bit his tongue as the words left his mouth.
He sounds too much like his brother.
Lucy turned back over to face him and he winced.
Hypocrite.
Pink lips are sealed tightly together, but he knew that was what she was going to say, or at least it was what most likely was running through her mind.
He intertwined their fingers despite her resistance, pressing their foreheads together. Auburn eyes bore at him with a mix of confusion and frustration he longed to ease without spilling the complete truth.
"What…what would you say or do if I told you to stop trying to look up the meaning behind that old nickname?" He muttered slowly.
And Lucy cracked a wry grin then.
She was going to double her efforts now, despite his protests and seriousness over the manner and he scowled in return.
"I would say hell no."
-X-
'That stupid, infuriating, self-centered, annoying, jerk!'
Oh, there were plenty of other adjectives she could've used as well to describe Natsu at the moment, but that would only keep her further distracted from the rest of her homework.
"Lucy, you've been groaning and huffing to yourself over there for the past hour. Are you sure you're okay or don't need my help with something?" Levy asked.
She smashed her hands a bit too unnecessarily loudly against her desk in surprise, pushing herself back from the table.
"Yup, just fine!" She chirped out, ignoring the throbbing pain running through her reddening fingers.
Levy rolled her eyes.
"So…you and Natsu have any plans for Spring Break?" She began casually.
Lucy restrained back the snort itching to bubble up. The last thing she really wanted right now was to spend any more time near Natsu after their earlier squabble, but…
She couldn't go back to home to her father either.
Natsu had stated he had so many ideas in mind for them to do though. Even last year, he had attempted to beckon her to come with him and a few other Fairy Tail members to some retreat in the mountains, but at the time she had still been dating Loke…
Her stomach twisted at the memories, shaking them away hurriedly.
"I don't really know yet." She answered honestly enough.
Levy lit up excitedly, holding up a pamphlet. "Really, good! You can convince Natsu then to come with us!"
"With you where?" Lucy murmured, reaching to get the pamphlet from her hands.
"South Shore Resort and Spa at Fiore!" Levy practically squealed as Lucy read over the information.
"It has these perfect sandy beaches and an aqua park on site that we can even go to! Oh, Juvia was telling me all about it and even showing me pictures of it when she went there with Gray during the holidays last year! And I was looking up packages yesterday with Gajeel and they have this exclusive couples one when you-"She paused at Lucy's silence.
"What's wrong?" Levy questioned.
Her chest squeezes at how much the fervor is suddenly gone from her voice, dropping low and nervous.
And Lucy flashed her best fake smile, already knowing it's unconvincing.
It wasn't that she didn't want to go, the pictures and Levy's descriptions already made the area sound breathtaking. Beaches that went on for miles surrounding by crystal blue waters and lush gardens could appeal to anyone.
But…
"I-I don't know Levy, Natsu's been a bit lately, err I wonder how I could put it…" Lucy trailed off.
"Asinine? Assholey? Annoying?" Levy guessed, smiling a bit at Lucy's giggling.
"No, but you can move on to all the negative B words you can think of next." She mused.
Levy swerved in her chair, sapphire locks bouncing with the motion as hazel eyes widened in realization.
"He found out about the Dragon search, didn't he?" She breathed in a hushed tone.
Lucy swallowed the knot in her throat before nodding.
"He was mad, however…I'm not sorry for trying to do research on it. He tried to convince me otherwise to stop, but he refused to go into details over the nickname and why I should even stop in the first place!"
Levy smiled sympathetically then, plopping up out of her chair. "Well, he can just stay angry then! It's not like he didn't resort to such sneaking around when trying to find out about your insomnia!"
Lucy shrugged, gulping down some of her mint tea distractedly. Her stomach refused to untangle itself from the guilt weighing on her that they were arguing over something that may have truly been so petty.
'It's probably just some embarrassing story behind it he doesn't want me to know yet…I'm just jumping to worse case scenarios…'
"Lucy, just call him and clear the air the between you two! I want you guys to come with us to take advantage of the special deals!" Levy hummed, tossing her phone to her from her bed.
Lucy fiddled with her phone for a moment, peering outside. It was late into the afternoon, streaks of light orange and red ran across the sky as the day grew darker.
Maybe Natsu was just now getting out of his final class of the day?
Her heart fluttered as her face burned at the image of him leaving his emergency fire safety class. Sweaty from the singe of smoke on him, exhausted, and probably hungry…
'No, no you're still mad at him.'
"Anyways, I'll leave you to your thoughts! I'll be back in an hour or so you can out head out to dinner at the student center without me!" Levy chimed knowingly, swinging her backpack over her shoulder and fishing for her keys from her pocket.
Lucy pouted, getting up as well to almost trail after her. "Where are you going?"
And this time Levy smiled sheepishly, cheeks gaining a pinkish hue.
"Oh, nowhere really. Just this late evening welding class with Gajeel. He wanted us to have at least one class together and you know how he is about reading anything for too long."
Lucy smirked, waving off her blatant lies. "Whatever you say…"
Though when she's truly gone and she's alone to the silence of their room, she picks up her phone once more and fingers trembling, presses Natsu's name.
Natsu's voice is rough and thick with fatigue and she tries so so hard to ignore a giddiness rising up in her.
"Luce, what's wrong? I thought you said you weren't going to talk to me for a month."
Giddiness broken.
There's no mistaking that mischievous, charming tone of his. He couldn't have expected her to call him first, especially not with the bickering they had done after he had left the other night.
And with gritted teeth, she bites back a curse or giving into his silly games.
"No, geez don't be a smartass with me right now! I just had a question to ask you."
The line goes quiet and for a second Lucy almost thought Natsu had disconnected, but then his heavy sigh comes and she can tell he's scratching his cheek in his usual uncomfortable fashion.
"Well, you're persistent so shoot."
She's pretty sure her question was the last thing he expected out of her.
"So…did you have any plans for Spring Break…For us?"
-X-
"I see it's finally happened." Gray spoke as he munched on his sandwich.
Natsu shot him a look, but Gray continued on. "You're fascination with flames and what not has finally messed with and melted your brain."
Natsu leaned back in his chair, eyes bearing towards their off white ceiling. Honestly, why did he think Gray would have anything positive to say about this whole situation?
"I'm surprised you even still have all your limbs knowing how much you like to plummet into freezing temperatures for the sake of 'research'."
Gray chuckled, scraping away at bread crumbs on his lips. "Hmm, not your best comeback, but I'll take it."
Natsu snorted, sitting up straight again. "I'm tired."
Gray arched a brow then as he gulped down the rest of his drink. "From what? You just woke up from a 3 hour nap."
He made an irritating point.
It was nightfall now, the apartment cooler than he last imagined from all the nights he had been away at Lucy's and Gray refused to use any form of heat to warm the place.
And he dodged all of his questions of why he wasn't at her place.
Fingers pull through his fuchsia locks once more in frustration, he still hadn't properly given Lucy an answer; instead telling her he would call her back.
'Am I not allowed to help you or be worried? Why…' Lucy's trailed off.
Lips tightened as tears shimmered in her eyes.
"It's not like that Luce, please understand." Natsu muttered to himself, Gray studied with him a stern look and he sighed as he gazed up at once more.
"You know…you've never given me much of a good explanation either." He warranted.
Natsu arched a brow.
Gray scoffed, crossing his arms. "Don't feign stupidity. I mean why exactly is it that you get so annoyed and bothered when people bring up that nickname Dragon? I know you said the history behind it is negative and you don't like to talk about it, but you can't put it off or hide it forever, especially if you want things to be serious with Lucy."
Natsu grunted, a whirl of images passing through his mind. The sound of bullets going off, men and women's screaming alike.
The permeating scent of blood on him and others…
"I have a good reason not to, this underground business my brother's created was one I never wanted to get into, but it seems like he was right. I can't escape doing bad behavior." Natsu mused.
Gray snorted, pointing to the fading bruise he had given him weeks ago for Fairy Tail's anniversary party.
"If you're spooked because you've gotten in trouble with administration a few times-"
"No, you don't get it!" Natsu hissed in interruption, banging a fist down against the table.
The sound quakes into the silence of the room, even the buzz of crickets outside seems to momentarily stop at his action.
Natsu stiffened, coughing a small apology.
"Look, Zeref believes there's no escaping from me eventually heading down the same paths of crime like him. He always creeped me out when he said things like that, mentioning things like experimenting, manipulation, hypnosis." He shivered as goosebumps prickled his skin.
"I don't want Lucy to know about such grizzly things, but…I'm scared she's already started to see the signs. The changes when we're intimate, or when I'm seriously pissed…maybe she'll up and leave me now with how much I keep screwing things up." Natsu finished.
He expected Gray to laugh or sneer, but all he hears out of him is a soft groan.
"When shit started getting bad when I was dealing with my old man's death who do you think was there for me?" He calmly asked.
"Juvia." He responded simply. Why was he telling him this?
But then it soon clicks and he wants to punch himself.
"This isn't the same type of situation though, Lucy wouldn't want to, I mean this type of thing could get her killed being involved." Natsu stopped himself.
He's just fumbling over excuses.
Gray smirked, standing up to wash his plate. "Guess you have your answer now. Now stop being a wimp and call her to tell her you want to go with her on that trip you were mentioning before and that you're sorry you've been such a pathetic loser up until now though thanks to Gray you snapped out of it!"
Natsu rolled his eyes, despite the smile itching to rise up. This moron…
His phone is still in the same spot he left it as he approaches back into room, moonlight drifting over the edges lighting up the fire charms he had attached to it.
He slowly relaxed his breathing, tightening and untightening his fingers at their growing numbness, he can feel his phone growing hotter as his compressing it.
A trip away from the university could be what they needed after all, away from prying eyes and gossip so they could reconnect and truly talk.
"No more putting this off."
-X-
"Levy, are you sure this was the best way for us to travel?!" Lucy complained.
Levy smiled weakly, one hand brushing through Gajeel's spiky hair while the other kept their belongings close.
"Yes, you know air travel would be too expensive and going by car would take too long! Besides, it's not so bad, right? We have our boyfriends here to keep us company!" She attempted.
Lucy glowered, making her seem to shrink back even more.
The sound of retching echoed through the air once again.
"Natsu, I told you to take your anti-nausea medicine before we left." Lucy huffed, rubbing her hands against his back slowly.
"You never told me we were going to go by train though; I'd rather walk!" Natsu slurred burying himself into her lap much her embarrassment and annoyance.
"Gajeel's not complaining, I don't see why you are." Lucy grumbled, feeling her face flush more so when Natsu moved his snuggling upward. Part of her was starting to wonder if he was really feeling that motion sick…
"Gajeel fell asleep awhile go, that's probably why." Levy hummed, turning her slightly towards the window to observe the scenery.
It was a clear day out as a slight breeze passed over them, the train whizzing by endless fields of grasslands overlooking Magnolia. Spring break had come at the perfect time, it wasn't too cold or hot for them to wear shorts and forgo their jackets and long sleeves for once.
"Attention passengers, we will be arriving at the South station of Fiore in approximately 30 minutes. Please make sure you have all your belongings with you before leaving the train." A voice announced over the intercom.
Levy nudged Gajeel hearing that, earning her a soft growl as crimson eyes flickered open briefly before closing almost immediately.
"Hey! I'm trying to wake you up! We're going to be arriving soon!" Levy snapped, poking him a bit rougher than before until Gajeel grunted out a fine.
"You'll have to pay me back for waking me up early." Gajeel yawned out and Levy scoffed to hide the reddish tinge rising on her cheeks.
Lucy restrained back a smile, this mix of bickering and flirting they had going on…
She peered back down to Natsu, surprised to see his gaze already on her. There's a hint of a smile in his expression that makes the butterflies return to her stomach.
Perhaps she truly will get the answers she wants out of him by the end of this trip.
"Let's hit the buffet before it closes up shorty, you and salamander coming?" Gajeel grumbled once they had finished checking in.
Lucy barely murmured out that they would catch up, still enthralled with all the scenery around them. Pristine marble tiles shine brightly under the glow of an array of chandeliers surrounded by fanciful art structures and plants.
'I've never seen anything this lavish since leaving home…'
"I already called Gray even though I know he's been a pet-sitter for me before to make sure he properly put out some food and water for Happy. So what do you want to do first? The pool? The spa? The bedroom?" Natsu suggested eagerly.
Lucy whacked him lightly, beaming nonetheless. "We can go to the bedroom to drop off our luggage and only that for now. I want to take a stroll around the area, unless you're hungry?"
Natsu shook his head, intertwining their fingers. "Nah, we don't have to do everything Gajeel and Levy do at the same time. It's better that we spend some alone time together."
Her heart jumps inevitably, hope gathering in the pit of her chest.
'Is he…?'
She isn't sure what to make of him at times, just mentioning the word 'Dragon' now sends him on high alert. Maybe if she does broach the subject, she should do it when he's full from eating or half asleep.
But for right now she pushes those thoughts aside. Natsu is happy and worry-free, just like she should be.
Their room is just as decorative as the main lobby, satin blue and white sheets fresh with the scent of lavender and jasmine.
A note falls to the ground as Natsu hops into the bed while Lucy opened the curtains to look at their beachfront view.
When she turns back to look at him though an unease settles in her throat.
She frowns as the smile leaves his face at reading the fallen note.
"What's wrong? Isn't that just a welcome letter they give to all guests?" She questioned.
Natsu is quiet for a moment, anger flashing in his expression before he crumbles the note.
"Uh, well yes and no I suppose. It wasn't really from the hotel…it was from my brother." He responds slowly, as if deciding whether or not he should say more.
Lucy is clearly confused, chestnut eyes wide and perplexed. He hardly ever speaks of his brother after all, so how does he know there even here?
It's a question he wants to know too.
Though he swallows down the ball of knots in his chest aching to keep quiet. He promised himself he would be more open to Lucy on this trip about his problems, about his secrets…
So he has to come clean.
"What did he want?" Lucy continues on, already sensing this tightness in his tone, this growing apprehension. She plops down beside him, eyes never leaving his.
"He requests my presence back home at my soonest possible chance."
-x-
After getting sick over this past week with a sore throat (turned out to be my tonsils were inflamed, still have an annoying runny nose), I wasn't sure if I was properly going to be able to get this chapter out on time, but I'm glad I did; I hope you guys enjoyed it and it turned out okay, I'm always open to suggestions and almost to 100 favorites, yay! Thanks to , Soul-of-glass, fafou14, maxridelover for your responses last chapter and everyone for reading! :)