After the door shut behind Levy, Natsu walked to the kitchen. "So it's still my job to do your dishes right?" Lucy chuckled while she followed him. "Ah but I didn't make you breakfast this morning. Want me to make you something now?" Natsu flashed her his smile, making her insides feel all gooey. "Sure Luce. Thanks!" Lucy giggled again, restraining herself from wrapping her arms around his middle while he stood and washed her dishes. She settled with reaching up and ruffling his hair, that was a friendly gesture right? "Any requests? Although we don't have much food here." He flicked some water at her playfully. "I'll eat anything you make."
She thankfully had the ingredients for his favorite meal. She whipped together the spicy sauce and coated the chicken to put on the pan. She had made this recipe for flaming chicken accidentally, experimenting to find something hot enough for Natsu's taste. He loved it, said it tasted just like actual fire. Lucy couldn't even stand one bite of it, it was incredibly spicy. But she didn't mind making it for him, usually making extra and leaving it in the fridge so he could eat it whenever he came over next.
Once he finished he stood there and watched her work. Lucy felt her spine tingle just by feeling his eyes on her. She felt so hot with just his gaze. Before she could place the chicken in the pan, he grabbed it from her hands and lit it on fire. "I'll just do this. I don't want to wash more dishes." She huffed and started to put things away. He always burned it to a crisp when he did that, but apparently he liked it better that way. Weirdo. "I'm getting in the shower now. I want to go to the store soon."
As Lucy was getting ready, Happy flew in the window. "Natsu!" Natsu turned to the blue cat, catching him as he flew into his chest. "Happy! Where've you been little buddy?" Happy snuggled into Natsu's chest. "With Carla and Wendy. Everyone at the guild has been telling me to leave you two alone!" Natsu blushed slightly. His nakama were always trying to give him a chance with Lucy, but he could never take it. Such a coward. "Well you can stay with us now Happy." Happy shook his head. "No I'm going to visit the Exceeds for a few days with Carla and Lily. Lily keeps saying he can't stand being home for some reason." Natsu imagined why the cat wouldn't want to stay with Gajeel, and he felt nauseated again, thinking of Levy and the screw-for-brains. Poor Lily.
"Well alright Happy. Say hi to your parents for me." "Aye sir!" Happy had flown to the window but then stopped. "Where's Lucy?" "She's in the shower. She'll probably be out soon if you want to stay and say hi to her." Happy shook his head, "I have to get going since they're waiting for me, I just stopped by to tell you. Natsu?" Natsu looked up at the serious note in Happy's usually cheerful voice. "I'm really glad you and Lucy are okay." Natsu beamed at the blue cat. "Of course we're okay Happy! We're Fairy Tail mages!" "AYE SIR!" And with that, Happy sped out the window.
Shortly after Happy exited, Lucy came out of the bathroom in her towel. "Did I hear Happy? Where is he?" Natsu sucked in a breath at how the towel wrapped snuggly around her curvy figure. He wanted the rip the towel off of her. He forced himself to look away, she was going to notice his staring. "Uhh, yeah. He dropped by for a minute. He said he's happy we're okay. Then he went to visit the Exceeds." Lucy smiled warmly. "I'm glad he's getting away to visit. I'm sure it hasn't been very relaxed the past month or so.." Natsu's hands clenched into fists. He noticed Lucy's hand resting on her stomach.
"Lucy." She looked up at him. "Hmm?" "Come here." Lucy scowled at the demanding tone his voice took, but she started towards him anyway. When she got near he reached his arm out towards her towel. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?" She immediately backed away. Truthfully she wouldn't have minded if Natsu ripped the towel off her and took her right then and there. But, in reality.. she didn't want him to see her stomach again. She had stared at the scars lining her body in the mirror for too long. They marred her body, they were hideous. Natsu noticed her gripping her stomach tighter. "Lucy." She glared at him, why did he have that tone with her?
"Luce. Come on. Show me." She gasped and flushed, "W-w-what?" Was he talking about her scars or...? Natsu rolled his eyes, "I'm not bein' a perv right now. Show me your wounds." Lucy wrapped her arms protectively around her abdomen. "No." He narrowed his eyes at her. "Luce. Show me." She backed away. "I don't want you to see. You'll only get mad." He shook his head, his arms reaching out and keeping her in place. "I promise I won't be mad. Just show me. I need to make sure that you're okay." Lucy gulped at his sincerity. It wasn't that she didn't want to pull the towel away because of her nudity, he'd seen her naked plenty of times, she didn't even feel that vulnerable or uncomfortable anymore. But the ugly scars... He would think she was hideous. He'd never want her then.
He pursed his lips, as if knowing what was passing through her mind. He gently pulled her closer to him. She was worried; he'd probably remove the towel and see for himself whether she gave him permission or not. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Slowly, she untied the towel and let it drop to the floor. She heard Natsu gasp softly. She kept her eyes closed, she didn't want to see the disgust on his face. She felt her eyes stinging with tears. She was hideous now.
Lucy flinched slightly when Natsu's fingers barely brushed over the healing stitches. She sucked in a breath when she felt him lean in and kiss one of the scars. She felt heat spread out from where his skin contacted hers, settling into a pool in her lower stomach. "Luce... it's okay. Scars are just evidence that you are stronger, that you survived, that you've lived. They are like a badge of honor- don't be ashamed of them." Tears were definitely falling down Lucy's cheeks now. She whimpered, "They're so ugly... my body is ruined...I-I'm hideous now.." Lucy felt his hands tighten on her hips. "Hideous? Ruined? Ugly? No. That's wrong Luce. You're beautiful. Every part of you. No amount of scars will ever change that." Natsu leaned and kissed another scar, being extremely gentle.
Lucy's tears flowed. She cracked her eyes open and looked down at him. He wasn't looking at her face, but she noticed the scar along his neck. She thought of all the scars that trailed around his body... scars new and old, the ones she knew the stories behind because she had been there, some she didn't know when or why they popped up. His scars didn't ruin his body. Lucy still thought he was one of the finest men she had seen, scars and all. Her tears had stopped. She reached out and traced his scar, noting that he leaned into her touch a bit. If the current situation weren't so serious, she would be tempted to run her hand further down his neck, tracing the hard outlines of his muslces.. But it was serious. No time for sexual thoughts. He was worried for her, trying to comfort her as always. She chuckled and ruffled his hair. "You're right." Now Natsu looked at her face, his brows furrowing. Then his face spread into a wide smile, "I don't think you've ever said that to me!" She laughed louder, "That's because it never happens!"
He rolled his eyes while pouting and picked the towel up from off the ground, holding it out to her so she could cover herself again. He didn't want her body to be covered, but it was the gentleman thing to do, plus it might stop the images and scenarios popping into his mind. Just seeing her naked before him was still tough, when he had touched and kissed her scars he had wanted to ravish her whole body in touches and kisses, but it wasn't the time. And she'd be mad for sure. What he was more concerned about was her well being- emotional and physical.
"So what about internally? I mean like your organs and all that stuff?" Lucy sat next to him on the bed, the towel covering her body again. She had briefly thought to not cover herself at all, but she was a lady, and she must be decent. Funny how she thought wrapping up in a towel was decent after she had readily dropped it in front of the man next to her. Oh how her parents must be rolling in their graves- their polite and strictly raised lady of a daughter, nude in front of a man whom wasn't her husband? Lucy pushed away the thought and the guilt. She was glad she escaped the mansion and manners and fancy dresses.
"Well internally I'm fine. Wendy and Porylusica had a lot of work to fix me up since apparently my insides were spilling out. Gross. But yeah they said I should be totally fine. Just minor pain for now and eventually scars." Natsu let go of a big breath, relieved. Lucy noticed his reaction, "Why?" Then Natsu blushed slightly, "Uh you know. Just making sure you're okay." Lucy narrowed her eyes, she could hear his lie. "Natsu Dragneel stop lying to me." He huffed out in annoyance, he never could lie to her, she always caught him red handed.
"Okay! I just... I was worried that you wouldn't be able to have kids later on, ya know?" Lucy gasped and grabbed her stomach. She hadn't even thought of that. Suddenly she was thankful all over again towards her saviors. What would she do if she wasn't able to carry a child in the future? Lucy shuddered, she wanted to be a mother badly and this could have ruined that. "Oh." She said simply. "Y-yeah. Cause I know you'd want to later on. So I was just worried.." Natsu was indeed relieved, he had the gut feeling that he would be the father of Lucy's children, he knew for certain now that's how things would play out between them. He was elated that Lucy could still bear children, he wanted many. Distracted in his thoughts about a future family, he didn't notice Lucy had wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're always worried about me. I'm sorry." He returned her hug, resisting the urge to move his hands along her body. "Don't be sorry Luce. Worrying is what you do when you care about someone." Lucy smiled and kissed his cheek lightly. Even if he only cared for her as a friend, his sweet words still brought her joy. They held each other for a while, thinking over their long friendship and their feelings, their recent near death experience that was bringing them even closer. Lucy thought of how his sweet words had healed her doubt and her pain and her self-loathing so easily... "Thank you Natsu."
Okay here it is! Someone had asked me if Lucy's wounds prevented her from carrying a child, it was a good point so I decided to put it in the story. Yay, Lucy can have mini Natsus running around! Their bond has gotten even stronger, but what unexpected thing happens next?! Stay tuned my lovely readers! Feel free to leave encouragement or complaints! Thanks for reading!