Chapter 25

Hello beauties! it been forever! sorry for the long wait bit it is now summer! yayyyy! i have all the time in the world for you guys! i love you and i hope you enjoy!

It felt like hours had passed but in the cruel reality, it had only been a few minutes. A few minutes of silence between two mages in the kitchen of a busty, blonde maiden. The air was still in those few minutes before the nothing ness was broken by the sobs of a pink haired dragon slayer, his body crumpled onto the floor, shaking in an unsightly heap of cries. He was panicking and angry and sad all at once, everything hurt and he couldn't figure out what's was wrong. The voice was screaming at him and Lucy's words wore mocking him. He couldn't take it anymore.

"N-Natsu…" Lucy knelt down beside his heaving body, placing a soft hand on his back. He shuddered at the gentle touch before crumpling in her arms, curling up beside her as he tried to calm the sobs. As he tried to stop his tears. She sat there with him calmingly rocking him in her arms, tears streaming down her face as well.

"I'm sorry...i'm so sorry Luce…" Natsu hiccuped, repeating those words over and over again. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. The sight of this broken boy crumpled in the palm of her hand, she realized she wasn't angry. She was just hurt, hurt for him. She realized she was angry at herself. Angry at herself for not seeing the signs and for not trying harder. At everything. She was hurt because she never wanted him to have to go through anything like this. Not him, he didn't deserve this.

"Natsu..I love you more than anything. You should have come to me." Lucy choked on her words. The tears that hung themselves off her jawline splattered onto ther shirt as she held the boy closer in her arms.

"How long?" Lucy was quiet now, tears slowing to a drip every so often.

"W-what..?"

"How long have you been cutting?" she seethed, her heart, breaking into a million peices

"S-since, I left…." his head fell, tears continuing to slip from his onyx eyes.

She didn't say anything. She couldn't. The words wouldn't form on her tongue. They wouldn't spill from her lips and fall to his ears. She just sat there quietly as she held him. But her grip wasn't soft and caring, now stiff and unwelcoming. Natsu sat up to look in her eyes, they seemed grey and lifeless.

"L-Luce?" he questioned, she didn't answer, she only sat there, before she stood, robotic movements as she headed to the door. Before he could get an answer, the door slammed shut and the blonde mage was gone.

~outside~

Fear, anger, and strangely.. Confusion filled the blonde as she stormed her way out into the streets. The bright, morning light glared at her through the wispy clouds. Lucy didn't know what to think. Just like her, the boy she loved had been taking a razor to his skin for so long, not saying a word to anyone. She didn't know how to feel. She wanted to scream, and cry and hug him all at the same time. Her brain was running at a million miles an hour and it was killing her. The throb making it hard for her to see.

She found a bench and sat, letting her head fall into her hands as she bit her cheek, holding in her tears. She didn't know why she reacted the way she did, but, it happened and there was no changing that. As she sat there, she gave herself time to think and slow her heart and gave her head the chance to stop raging.

"What is gonna happen?" she asked herself, aloud, she raised her head and looked toward the blinding sky and couldn't stop the few tears that slipped from her eyes. "I can't just sit here. I need to talk to him. We can get through this together." The blonde stood and walked back toward her apartment. Going back to find the boy she loved and help him through the same thing he helped her with.

Since she wasn't that far away, she made it to the door quickly, making her way up the stairs and entering the home to find no pink haired boy sitting on the kitchen floor. She searched for a hot minute before finding him in her bedroom, sulking on her bed, mumbling words she could barely make out.

"I'm so s-s-sorry Lucy. P-please. I-I love y-you…" he hugged her pillow, soaked with his sorrow. "Natus, cmon, let's go out and we can talk. Okay?" he looked up at her and sat up. "I'm sorry Luce, I-" he was interrupted by a small, delicate digit against his cracked lips. His onyx eyes traveled up the arm attached to that finger and landed on a soft, smiling face, a small tear tracked down her soft rosy cheek.

"You don't have to apologize Natsu, no matter what you do, i will always love you," she places her hand on his thigh, "whether your skin is scarred or in perfect condition, you mean the world to me and i would never, in a million years, think of you any differently." one tear track turned into a hundred. But her smile never faltered.

"I-I love you so much Luce, and i'm so sorry, I failed not only myself, but you as well. I only wanted to help you, but i guess i'm the one who can't stand on my own two f-" his words were swallowed by the lips of the stellar mage. The lips that pressed against his own.

The soft kiss filled his chest with warmth and his hands found themselves cupping her cheeks. The tips of his fingers laced ever so gently into her golden locks while his thumb glided over her soft skin. He could still feel her hand resting on his scarred thighs.

When the kiss ended, Lucy rested her forehead against his, her eyes fluttering shut, her heart beating in rhythm with his. She stood there, holding him close to her before pulling back, standing up and holding out her hand. "Come, Let's go eat some breakfast."

Natsu happily took her hand and wiped his tears. The two walked out together and headed down the paved path. Still hand in hand, the tread into a small cafe at the end of the block, seating themselves in the smallest booth in the very back corner, the most secluded from all the rest. A younger woman handed them each a small, neat menu, encased in fancy leather covers, beautiful designs mapping over the material.

"Our special this lovely morning is a chocolate chip croissant topped with cream cheese and chocolate drizzle. It also comes with a free coffee drink and side dish of any fruit you choose. I'm lola, If you need anything, just holler." the brunette maid gave a warm smile and walked off. Leaving Natsu and Lucy to search their options and Decide on what they want.

"What are you gonna get Luce?" The pinkette spoke over his menu, mouth full of drool as he gazed over all the delicious items. "I think I might go with the special. It looks so yummy!" she smiled , setting down her menu, resting her head over top her folded hands, her gaze locked on the boy sitting across from her. She loved how his eyes were full of excitement, even though it was just food, she knew it was sincere. It was always sincere.

Then, her chocolatey orbs traveled to his arms, they once were full of power and strength, but ever since he got back, he had been drained of his bulk, none the less, he was gaining it back, slowly but surely working hard to gain his fighting muscles back.

From his arms, she moved back up to his face, his once hollow cheeks, now beginning to fill with life and color, the dark bags under his eyes faded and the old natsu was coming back.

From his face, she gazed at his head of once spiky pink hair, the hair that is now, sort of flat, and dull that no longer holds his fiery personality. As she scanned over his features, her heart slipped just a bit, seeing as how this was not the Natsu she knew when he was the spunky fire mage that dragged her along, and introduced her to the place she now calls her family, her home, Fairy Tail.

Her eyes then fall to the marble table top, tracing the zigs and swirls of the browns, blacks and whites. She doesn't notice that Lola had returned with a notepad until the brunette cleared her throat. "Are we ready to order? Or do we need more time?"

"O-Oh, um, i'll have the special. With a side of strawberries and the cinnamon, gingerbread mocha." Lola scribbled away on her pad before turning to Natsu who was still indulged in his menu. "I think i'll take the 8 pancake supreme with a cup of coffee, black, and I'd also like the special as well with a side of blueberries."

Just like every other time they go out somewhere to eat, the waitress bugged her eyes at the large order. She scribbled away then turned and left, an anxious, judging smile on her face as she quickly turned away and headed back behind the counter and to the kitchen. Off to tell the cooks of the big eaters sitting in their breakfast hall.

The duo sat and talked while they waited for their meal was cooking. Lola brought out their drinks, Lucy's mocha and Natsu's coffee, both accompanied by a small glass of water. They drank and talked and laughed, just like old times. Even planning on when they want to go on another job.

Since there wasn't many people in the cafe their food came out fairly quickly and they began to chow, Natsu scarfing down his pancakes and Lucy slowly savoring her delicious croissant. Occasionally sipping on her gingerbread mocha.

They chatted, once more. Well, as best as they could but, Natsu was too busy stuffing his face to say much, so she gave up on words and just focused on her food, picking delicately at her fruit, sipping lightly on her mocha and enjoying small bites of her chocolate chip croissant.

The fire mage, on the other hand, was eating, what seemed like 12 whole pancakes at once. There was only eight of them but they were fairly large, seeing as how they were on the challenge section on the menus. The description read "test your stomach and try out large breakfast meals. If you can eat all of it within an hour, you get an award!" and in fine print, please see your server for details. Although, Lucy was sure Natsu wasn't eating for a prize, he was eating for himself. That boy is always eating large meals.

Again, not surprisingly, Natsu finished before Lucy did. Licking the syrup off his fingers and chugging the rest of his still-hot coffee. The teen never ceased to amaze the blonde.

"Quit looking at me like that Natsu. You're not getting my food." The bust mage had to pull her plate closer and shoot a glare at her lover for he refused to accept the fact that he couldn't eat anymore food because it was gone. He gazed at her meal with predatory eyes, licking his lips and looking like he was about to pounce.

"Please Luce! Just one bite! I'm still hungry. Can I order more?" he gave her puppy dog eyes. Folding his hands like a beggar.

"No Natsu. This is mine. You shouldn't have ate so fast. And No, you can eat when we get home, i'm not made of money." she ignores his pout and finished her food, wiping off the chocolate from the corners of her mouth and finishing off the last sip of gingerbread goodness. Still paying no attention to the drained face of the flabber gasted dragon boy who, dramatically walked with her up to the counter to pay.

After every cent was gone from Lucy's wallet. The two set off for the Fairy Tail guild, up to find a new job and make some money so the stellar mage could pay her rent by next month on due.

Well? did ya like it? i hope Natsu and Lucy are able to stay together through this shit show. do you think something is gonna go wrong on the job? i hope not. keep reading to find out!

Byeee