Chapter Thirty-Six: Morning after
(December 26, 2017, Tuesday Morning)
Lucy's eyes squeezed shut when she felt herself waking. She didn't know how long she had slept, but it wasn't long enough, exhaustion weighing heavily on her. However, she couldn't bring herself to care about her tired state when she felt the heat surrounding her, making her nice and cozy. She wanted to curl into a ball and purr like Happy, pleasantly surprised by how warm it was despite it being the beginning of winter.
She could hear Natsu snoring, the sound familiar and welcomed. It brought a soft smile to her face as he breathed deeply. It sounded closer than normal, but she could get over it, as long as she could get back to sleep soon.
The light from outside bothered her, so Lucy tried blocking it out. However, an attempt to pull her covers over her head proved fruitless once Lucy's hand started moving, hitting something warm and solid in front of her.
Lucy's eyes shot open, a gasp threatening to escape her throat when she was met with nothing but pink. Natsu's wild hair was in her face, the man's back to her, snoozing away in his bed. The blanket on him moved up and down evenly. He was still fast asleep, blissfully unaware of their close proximity.
With wide eyes, Lucy looked down, panicking when she saw she was not under her blanket anymore, but under his. She flipped the cover off without thinking, trying to get a hold of herself while also wishing she hadn't done that. The warmth faded immediately, letting the biting chill swarm her body. Her toes curled as goosebumps dotted her arms.
Lucy whimpered, trying to figure out what she should do. Her brain screamed, telling her to move away from him as fast as possible, but despite that, she found herself sinking back onto his mattress, pulling the covers up to her shoulders.
'Why is he so freaking warm?!'
It had been months since she felt warm. She had felt hot during the summer months after the outbreak, but never comfortably warm. The last few months had been cold, something odd to Lucy since Crocus was always tolerable until January, but Magnolia had its own way of doing things.
Lucy craved the warmth seeping into her skin, her body relaxing in no time. If she could somehow bottle up Natsu into a personal, portable heater, she would. She hesitated before ducking under the covers, trying to rationalize her staying instead of going back to her respective bed.
'It's cold over there, and it's been so long since I've felt this warm.'
She found herself wanting to snuggle closer, to press herself against his bare back to see if his skin was as hot as the heat radiating off him. She resisted, of course, but the thoughts were still there, the urge to see for herself thrumming at her mind.
Lucy knew it would cross a line. Hell, she was already crossing a line by staying. She needed to move, but no matter how much she told herself that, she didn't budge.
'How did I end up over here anyway? I must have crawled over in my sleep?'
Lucy opened her eyes, realizing someone was missing from the equation. He was the reason she was that close in the first place.
Lucy lifted her head from the covers, glancing around the room until she spotted Happy on the desk, his tail hanging off the edge. It swished back and forth as the cat slept, ignoring both humans in the room.
Lucy swallowed, her eyes falling back to that head of pink hair. She bit her inner cheek, slowly reaching out a hand to touch one of the longer locks by her nose. As soon as she felt it, she jerked her hand back, scolding herself for touching him in his sleep. While it wasn't the worst thing she could have done, it wasn't necessary. Her curiosity didn't give her a pass to touch without asking.
'Could I even ask that? Or would he think I was weird?'
She didn't need to answer herself. Of course he would think she was weird.
Lucy hadn't said anything out loud, but she had been curious about his hair, and now she knew. It was soft, but kind of stiff as well. It didn't help that it had been a week since he took a shower last, Natsu due for another one today. He always took them on Tuesdays while she took hers on Wednesdays.
Lucy held her breath for a moment, wondering what had gotten into her. She had a strange urge to sniff him to see if he smelled bad, but she managed to control herself. If she hadn't smelled anything bad on him yet, she doubted she would. He smelled like his normal self. A bit of deodorant mixed with sweat. It wasn't disgusting in the least bit, at least not to her. It was like a natural musk with a hint of spice.
Natsu smelled the best on his days off, the morning after his shower. She had grown used to the type of body wash he used since it had been the same one since she arrived at Fairy Tail. A comforting scent that made a wave of something spread over her every time she got a strong smell, and that wave only grew more intense the better she got to know him.
Lucy's stomach fell when she realized how creepy she was sounding in her head. 'Why the hell am I thinking about showers and scents and ugh!'
She clenched her teeth, trying to summon the strength to move. She couldn't, ironically frozen in place despite feeling warm and content. She wondered how long she could get away with soaking in his heat before she had to leave. Part of her wanted to find out where that thin line laid.
Then guilt swept over her, the corners of her mouth pulling into a frown. She doubted Natsu would like knowing she was in his bed, especially after she made a fuss when people got too close to her.
She didn't understand herself half the time, so she knew Natsu was just as lost when it came to what she was and wasn't okay with. Sometimes she wanted to go the whole day without anyone talking to her, then the next, she felt herself craving human contact, a physical intimacy that went far beyond just touches. She wanted to feel safe, loved, and warm.
She wanted to feel accepted and secure.
Lucy's lower lip trembled as she closed her eyes, trying to picture the last time she hugged her family. She envisioned her father, his weary smile and sunken eyes as he congratulated her on her catch. Virgo had been there too, patting Lucy on the back before she took the rabbit to be cleaned.
That had been the last somewhat peaceful day she had after the outbreak started. It was the next day when those monsters came, taking away her father and enslaving Virgo for their demented pleasure. Sometimes, Lucy wished they had just killed her and her family, ended their suffering before it began.
It would have been a better fate than what she was subjected too.
What Virgo had been subjected too.
Lucy found herself scooting closer to Natsu, her shaky breath hitting his back. She didn't dare touch him, merely wanting to get closer to his heat. She dipped her head under the blankets, the warm surrounding her once again.
A few minutes was all it took for Lucy to regain her composure, gently wiping at the stray tears that fell while she let herself feel broken. Sometimes it was better to just cry, to let it out. She felt lighter, just like she had last night when she finally said his name.
'Ivan.'
He had haunted her dreams for months, but, no matter how hard Lucy tried, she couldn't remember dreaming last night. It wasn't missed. If she could, she would go every night without dreams, but she knew they would come back. She wasn't lucky enough to have all her problems vanish after one night.
Lucy inhaled deeply, red tinting her cheeks when she realized she did exactly what she was trying to avoid early. She smelled Natsu, and damn, it did something weird to her body. She felt herself flushing from face to chest, oddly liking his scent. It wasn't strong, but enough to make something inside her stir. She allowed herself another deep inhale before scooting back, feeling dirty yet sated after what she did.
'I really am a freak.'
She wanted to apologize for her behavior, but she kept quiet. Bringing it to his attention would surely make it worse. In fact, Lucy realized she couldn't make any more excuses. She needed to go back to her bed now, otherwise she was going to make Natsu uncomfortable.
However, as soon as Lucy poked her head out from under the covers, her eyes snapped towards the desk, hearing the mix between a purr and a meow as Happy spotted her. They locked eyes, Lucy's heart sinking as soon as Happy jumped to the floor, scurrying over towards them as he meowed at the top of his lungs.
Lucy panicked, struggling to pull the blanket off her without causing too much motion. She didn't want to wake Natsu, but it was too late. She felt him shifting on the mattress, Happy's calls pulling him away from sleep.
Lucy wished she knew what to do in that moment, but her mind went blank, terrified of being caught and scared of him seeing her flee. As soon as an idea popped into her head, Lucy went with it, cursing herself for not coming up with something better.
She fell back onto the mattress, closing her eyes as she let go of her tension, trying to make her body as relaxed as possible. Lucy played possum, hoping Natsu would chalk everything up to an innocent accident.
It was, but Lucy felt she needed an excuse since she had enough time to leave yet didn't.
She waited with bated breath, hoping the deep blush on her face would fade before he saw.
When Natsu felt himself waking up, he let out a long groan before rolling on his back. If he didn't know any better, he would say his head was full of sand, heavy and uncomfortable. He didn't want to move, every part of him sinking. He wondered if he left an imprint in the mattress, but he pushed that thought aside when he felt small paws dancing on his legs then chest.
Happy wailed on top of him, not caring if his owner was trying to sleep. He pattered all over his body, failing to make Natsu get up.
"Hold on," Natsu whispered, his voice raspy. He tried clearing it with no luck, his mouth and throat dried out. He figured he slept with his mouth open, his tongue feeling thick as he moved it in his mouth, trying to conjure some saliva.
"Fuck," he mumbled, slowly opening his eyes. He stared at the ceiling until his vision became clear, his eyes flitting over the stars up above. He didn't get a chance to admire them, Happy's face coming into view, the cat meowing directly at him, letting Natsu get a whiff of his breath.
'Yuck.'
Natsu managed to get one arm out from under the blankets before petting Happy, hoping that would keep him distracted while he woke up. He figured his cat wanted to use the bathroom or be fed. Either of those required Natsu to get up, but he was not ready for that.
He thought a hangover was bad, but this was worse. He felt drained, exhausted beyond belief. Just blinking felt like exercise, everything about him slowed down.
'At least I don't go to work until later. I can nap after breakfast.'
A lazy grin surfaced on his face as he sighed, running over what he had to do today. He would wash the dishes, take a shower, visit the commissary to get some basic toiletries that he ran out of, then relax until he had to go to work.
Natsu frowned, his brows pinching together when something in the back of his head started throbbing. At first he thought it was a headache, but then a feeling spread over his mind. He was forgetting something, but he couldn't remember what.
'Was it important?'
He closed his eyes, squeezing them together as he struggled to remember. Nothing came up, so he released his breath, eyes slowly opening before he sighed. If he couldn't remember, clearly it wasn't that important.
"Mroww!"
Despite being exhausted, Natsu couldn't help but chuckle at his cat. "Fine," he groaned, gently pushing Happy off him so he could sit up. He immediately regretted moving, his head swimming as he righted himself. The chilly air hit his skin, but it wasn't unbearable, merely annoying.
He looked over, expecting to see Lucy sleeping or reading, only to have his eyes blown wide when he had to look down, spotting her curled on his mattress, mere inches away from him.
"Oh shit," he whispered, fear flashing through him as he covered his mouth with a hand. The first thing that popped into his head was how Lucy would react when she woke up, worry flooding Natsu's chest. 'Will she scream? Will she attack me to get away?'
Natsu swallowed hard, trying to get a grip on himself. He looked over her face, seeing she was sleeping with no signs of waking up. His tense shoulders fell as some relief filtered in. Lucy sleeping was good. He could use that to his advantage. She never had to know, if he could just get her on her mattress before she woke up.
As soon as Natsu's hands reached for her, he stopped, realizing touching her might make it worse. What if she woke up with his hands on her? There was no way he could talk his way out of that one.
With a deep sigh and a hand running over his face, Natsu realized he had to be honest with her. Anything else was bound to be a mistake.
He slowly got up, deciding it would be best if he were dressed first. He threw on a shirt and jeans, deciding to deal with his socks and boots later. Natsu made his way back to the bed, pulling his blanket off Lucy's body before letting it fall into a pile against the wall.
Natsu crouched down, one hand on his mattress to keep himself balanced while his other landed on her shoulder. He swore he felt her tense, but he figured he imagined it. He hesitated before slowly moving her shoulder as he whispered, "Hey, Lucy. Time to wake up."
Lucy had to keep herself from opening her eyes too quickly, faking a grunt as she pretended to rouse. "Hmm?"
"Lucy, you gotta get up."
Lucy wasn't sure if he was right or not. She forgot to look at his watch, and his phone was still at Cana and Levy's, so she had no idea what time it was. She twitched her nose and scrunched her face, hoping to sell her act.
Natsu believed her, watching as she slowly woke up. Relief flooded him when she simply looked up, not reacting violently towards his presence.
"Wha?" Lucy asked, realizing her own throat was dry too. She coughed, wishing she had a lozenge to soothe her.
"So, don't freak out," he started, offering her a strained smile. "I guess last night, umm, you kinda..." His voice trailed off, Natsu struggling to get the words out.
Lucy realized his problem immediately, deciding to help him out. It was the least she could do.
As she sat up, Natsu pulled away, giving her space. Lucy couldn't help but appreciate it. Here she was, in his bed uninvited, and he was trying to make her comfortable. 'He really is a great friend.'
Lucy pretended to notice she wasn't in her own bed, pulling out all the stops with a gasp and widening of her eyes. She looked up at Natsu, covering her mouth as she pushed out, "I'm so sorry!" However, her voice was a little higher as she held back a chuckle, seeing Natsu's hair mashed on one side while the other stuck out wildly. He really needed a haircut.
"No, no it's fine," Natsu insisted, raising a hand to get her to stop. He didn't want her apology, happy she wasn't angry at him. Rationally he knew there was no reason for her to be upset at him, but in his head Lucy was fragile, she needed to be treated with care.
"No reason to be sorry. It was an accident," Natsu said, moving to sit on his mattress while Lucy moved to her own. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to get his bangs out of his eyes. 'Maybe that's what I was forgetting? I need to go see Jenny.'
Despite knowing he needed to seek out the ex-hairdresser, Natsu couldn't help but think that wasn't what he was supposed to remember. He resisted the urge to frown, not wanting Lucy to think he was mad at her.
He wasn't, not even a little bit. Accidents happened, and there was no harm in her sharing his bed, even for one night. Honestly, he hadn't even noticed her while he slept, but to be fair, he slept heavier than normal, most likely because of the marijuana he consumed the night before.
Lucy waited until she was situated on her bed before releasing her breath, her eyes finding Natsu's a second later. He looked concerned, worried even, which only made Lucy's guilt swarm back, infesting her chest with a heaviness she wanted to shrug off.
"Promise you're not angry?" Lucy asked, seeing Natsu's brows raise as his eyes widened.
"Of course I'm not angry," he said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips as she relaxed. "It's not like you did something wrong." He scratched the back of his head, his fanged smile surfacing as he held back a chuckle. "I don't mind, really. I mean, it was surprising, don't get me wrong, but not bad."
He almost told her he didn't mind if she did it again, but he stopped himself, feeling heat seep into his face. He didn't want to make an open-ended offer like that, unsure if she would take it well or if he really meant it. To be honest, that was the first time he ever had a girl sleep in his bed. He hadn't even done that with his other friends, and they had known each other most of their lives.
Deciding to keep his mouth shut about it, Natsu put his hands in front of him before pushing himself up, feeling his sore muscles protesting the movement. "Well, we should probably get ready. I think breakfast starts soon."
"It does?" Lucy asked, looking around before her eyes landed on Natsu's watch.
He was already in the process of picking it up, brows furrowing as his eyes squinted to look at the time. His head still felt fuzzy, but not the same way it had the night before. He blinked a few times, needing a moment to process what he was seeing. "Uh, yeah. We got like twenty minutes 'fore we usually head out."
Natsu put his watch on his wrist as he moved towards the closet, Happy's meows starting back up in an instant. While he fed his cat, Lucy got up, deciding it wasn't too early to get ready for the day.
She still missed the sweet warmth she felt when she was in Natsu's bed, but she told herself she had to get over it. That was a one time thing, and she couldn't let it happen again.
Even if part of her wished it could.
Lucy bit her bottom lip as she shrugged on her jacket, her stomach twisting as her emotions mixed with her hunger. She tried ignoring it, knowing she was lucky to get fed in the first place. If it wasn't for Fairy Tail, she would be on her own, out there in the dangerous world. She didn't know how long she could scavenge for food, but that wasn't the tough part she would face.
If starvation and the elements didn't get her, the zombies surely would. Lucy's skin crawled just thinking about them, wondering what could cause such a grotesque disease.
"Is the thing," Lucy started, frowning when she didn't know how to world her question.
"Hmm?" Natsu looked up from where Happy was munching on his breakfast, his eyes landing on the woman currently fiddling with her shoes.
"The... I guess, the zombies out there..." Lucy leaned against the desk, slipping one shoe on at a time. "Is it a disease... or what?"
Natsu didn't react much, already having heard that question more times than he could count. "I'm not sure, honestly. There's some theories floating around, but that's all they are." He headed to the closet to put away the cat food, passing Lucy in the process. "I dunno what I believe. There's no way to know, I guess. I mean, I bet when all this is over we'll have some answers."
As Natsu closed the closet door, Lucy looked over her shoulder, catching his gaze. "When it's over?" she asked, surprised to see a smile cross Natsu's face, as if he didn't have a care in the world.
"Well, yeah." He said it with a confidence that made Lucy believe him too, even if it sounded farfetched. "The world's not gonna stay like this. Someone's bound to fix it."
The two held their eye contact for a few seconds until Natsu turned, his head held high despite the tiredness he felt in his bones. "I'm gonna take a leak. Be back in a minute."
Lucy didn't respond, looking away just before he slipped out of the classroom. She didn't know what to think, her mind battling with which thought to focus on. The one where they all could have a real life after all the chaos, or what happened that morning, and how close she got to being caught.
While Lucy got ready for breakfast and debated her thoughts, Natsu paused in the hallways, his smile slowly dropping until his lips pressed into a tight line.
'There will be an end to this,' he told himself, fingers curling into fists as the determined man nodded. 'And we'll all live to see it.'
The corner of Natsu's mouth quirked before his lips parted, his voice raspy but strong.
"We have to."
"Hey!" Levy called, waving as Lucy and Natsu approached the table.
Lucy offered her a small smile before taking her normal seat, happy she was able to eat now. Her rumbling stomach wasn't brought up by anyone, their own stomachs growling from time to time. It was their normal, even if it shouldn't have been.
Lucy looked over, noticing Cana slumped over in her seat. The brunette looked drained of all energy, her eyes barely opened as she poked her food with a spoon.
"How are you two feeling?" Levy asked, eager to talk to someone. Cana had a hangover and insisted she needed a good hour before she was ready to deal with people, and their other friends had yet to join them. "Did you sleep alright?"
Levy's brow raised when she noticed both Natsu and Lucy's faces turning red in an instant. Before she could ask if they were okay, Natsu looked over, giving her a quick grin as he spoke with his mouth full. "Just fine. You?"
"Ugh!" Levy frowned, forgetting about their blushes as she let herself think about her morning. "I slept awful. I woke up like two times last night. The first time I was still high, the second time I wasn't." She closed her eyes, her shoulders falling in exhaustion. "You think I'd learn by now, but I can't help it."
As her eyes opened, the woman peered down at her food. "Being high's kind of a relief, you know?"
"Before last night, I woulda said no," Natsu started, swallowing before shoveling another scoop of food into his mouth. "But yeah, I see whatcha mean now. Last night was pretty wild."
"What was wild?" Gray asked, sliding into his seat, Erza and Jellal joining right after.
"Last night," Natsu said, shrugging as he added. "Getting high."
Gray gave him a subtle nod before looking over at Lucy, then Cana. "You okay?"
Cana gave him a soft groan before laying on the table, her eyes flitting shut as she let sleep take over. No one stopped her, letting the woman get some shut eye. It wouldn't be long before they had to go to work.
"So," Erza started, turning to Gray to get the attention off their sleeping friend. "Did things smooth over last night after you left?"
Gray sighed, pushing his fingers through his hair before glancing across the arena, trying but failing to spot his brother and sister. "I dunno. Lyon didn't come to the room last night. Me and Ultear were gonna look for him, but we figured that'd probably make it worse."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
He looked over at Erza before shaking his head. "Not your fault. This shit'll get worked out..." His tone suggested he didn't believe himself, but no one called him out on it.
Natsu listened as Erza, Gray, and Levy continued talking, occasionally adding in his two cents when he felt like it. He was busy stuffing his face, which caused him to finish his food well before everyone else.
Instead of being upset about it, Natsu pushed his plate aside, standing up before dismissing himself. "I'll be right back."
Lucy didn't try to make him stay, her mind not immediately telling her there was danger because of his absence. In fact, that thought didn't cross her mind, even after he was gone for twenty minutes. Despite not being as close to them as she was Natsu, Lucy found herself trusting his friends.
They had shown her they weren't a threat. They were nice, even funny and entertaining. She even managed to crack a few more smiles while Natsu was away, but she still stifled her laughs. She liked his friends, but Lucy still had her limits.
However, every week she felt those limits changing, some even fading away. Every day wasn't a step in the right direction, but overall, Lucy felt she was on the right path. She didn't know where that path was leading, but her gut told her to keep moving forward.
She was heading to where she needed to be, even if she couldn't see the finish line, she was doing what she was supposed to do.
She was getting better, one baby step at a time.
"And... now you can look!"
Natsu opened his eyes, a fanged grin spreading on his face when he looked over his reflection in the mirror. He moved his head side to side, admiring the short pink locks. "That's awesome! Thank you!"
"No problem," Jenny said, putting away her scissors and makeshift cape, which happened to be made out of a trash bag. It wasn't the best set up, but she couldn't complain. "I should be thanking you," she said, looking over her handy work. "For a few minutes it let me forget about all this, you know?"
Natsu nodded, standing up before turning towards her. He handed her the mirror, watching as she put it away with her other supplies. Just like Jenny used cutting hair to feel better, he used his phone to escape from their horrid world.
'Speaking of my phone, I need to get that back from Levy...'
"If any of your friends want their hair cut, let me know." Jenny smiled to herself before heading towards the door, opening it wide to let Natsu out before leaving her room herself.
He stuck around as she locked up, figuring it was the least he could do after she helped him out. "Will do, thanks."
Despite being excited his hair was short and manageable again, the walk back to the arena was a bit awkward. Jenny and him didn't talk much before, so most of the walk was silent aside from Jenny mentioning how far she was in school before the outbreak started.
When they reached the arena, they parted ways, Natsu thanking her once again before finding his friends right where he left them. He had gone to find Jenny to ask her if she could cut his hair, and when she said she could knock it out before work, he couldn't turn down the offer. He needed that haircut bad, and he felt a lot better now that it was over.
He was happier knowing he could wash away the loose hairs on his neck later, using his shower to deal with that slight annoyance. Natsu continued making plans in his head as he sat down, asking what he missed before his friends complimented his haircut.
Natsu couldn't help but grin, ruffling his shorter hair as he recommended Jenny's services to anyone who needed it.
Lucy kept quiet as she smiled at his hair, knowing she didn't want her own hair cut at all. Even if she was okay with someone being that close to her face with scissors, she didn't want to lose her long locks. They weren't as long as they had been in the past, but she had been working on growing her hair out before the outbreak started.
'Why does it matter what my hair looks like anyways?'
Lucy's eyes fell to the table as she thought about how silly it was worrying about her hair when there were bigger things to think about. Despite that, she couldn't bring herself to feel bad. As strange as it sounded, she felt good thinking about something as normal as a haircut or style. For the longest time she forgot what normal felt like, but every time she got a taste of it, she found herself wanting more, relishing in its small comfort.
Lucy let her mind wander as they finished up breakfast, relaxing before it was time to get to work. Her dream job involved writing novels, but she was stuck in a manual labor position, mostly digging holes and cutting grass.
Of course, the grass hadn't needed cutting in some time due to the cold weather. That was probably the only good part about it. Despite having a little less work, Lucy would gladly trade it in for some warmth. She found herself having to mentally prepare herself just to go outside half the time.
"Ready?"
Natsu's voice entered her thoughts just as a warm hand settled on her shoulder. She glanced up, seeing his raised brow as he stared down at her. Lucy blinked twice before looking around, realizing everyone else was getting up too.
She held back a snort as she nodded, not minding the little weight on her shoulder. "Guess I zoned out."
The toothy grin Natsu flashed her made her stomach do a weird flip, but she quickly dismissed it, deciding to focus on moving. As soon as she started scooting her chair back, Natsu stepped away, giving her enough space.
The group walked back to their rooms, Lucy silent as she listened to Natsu and Gray bicker over who was the strongest before Erza told them to cut it out. She was content with staying out of the conversations, but as soon as they reached the stairs, Levy moved closer to Lucy before giving her a large smile.
"So, would tonight be good for stargazing?"
Lucy's eyes widened, her mouth falling open to reply, but no words escaped. She almost looked at Natsu for guidance before stopping herself, knowing she couldn't rely on him for everything. Besides, she already knew what she wanted to do, even if some anxiety accompanied the decision.
"Yeah," she whispered, clearing her throat before giving a solid nod. "That sounds... good."
Lucy swore Levy's eyes sparkled for a moment, elated by their new plans. "Great! Cana and I can come get you when it gets dark tonight, that way we can see all the stars."
Lucy glanced over to Cana, seeing the woman's weak smile. She was still drained, but that didn't stop her from giving them a thumbs up. "Wouldn't miss it."
Warmth seeped into Lucy's face as she blushed, holding back a smile as she looked back at Levy, listening as she told Lucy about a time she stargazed with her Astronomy class back in high school.
While Levy did that, Natsu frowned, looking up at the ceiling for a moment before his head fell. "Man, I wanna look at the stars too."
"Dumbass," Gray snickered, shaking his head. "You're gonna be on the roof anyways. You'll see all the stupid stars."
Natsu bared his teeth, wishing his hands were free so he could wave a fist. "I gotta keep a look out for the base. I don't got time to be stargazing!"
"I'm sure a few peeks won't hurt anything," Jellal said, breaking Natsu's concentration.
He was trying to look assertive, but once he heard Erza agreeing with her husband, he couldn't keep up the act. Erza followed the rules most of the time, so hearing her say it would be fine surprised him.
"You think it'll be okay?" he asked, earning nods from most of his friends.
"You get a break anyways," Erza pointed out. "Do it then if you're really worried about it."
"True," Natsu said, nodding to himself. He turned his head towards Lucy, surprised when she was already looking his way. "What do you say? Can I use your telescope tonight too?"
Lucy opened her mouth, but before she could say yes, Levy interjected with a laugh.
"No way! No boys allowed to our girls night!"
"What?!" Natsu gaped, but they didn't relent.
Even Cana joined in, ignoring the throb in her head as she said, "You heard the lady. Find your own telescope!"
"You guys are mean," Natsu mumbled, unable to stop himself from smiling when he caught Lucy's shoulders shaking. He couldn't hear her, but he could tell she was laughing. He could handle all the teasing in the world if it meant making his friend happier.
"See you later," Cana said as soon as they reached the hall leading to her room, her demeanor changing now that the jokes were over. "If I survive that long anyways."
"I know you mean because you're feeling sick," Gray started, a frown adorning his face, "but be careful out there. I don't think any of us could take it if you really didn't make it back."
Natsu couldn't help but agree, his heart already pained at the thought of losing any of them. He didn't want to picture it, thankful when Cana waved her hand, distracting him from the idea.
"Stop getting all sentimental. I didn't survive this long to get coddled by anyone."
Gray couldn't help but shake his head and sigh, a small smile resting on his lips. "Whatever. Just don't die, alright? Otherwise we'd have to kill ya."
"Yeah, yeah," she said, turning towards her room. "Like I said, later losers!"
"She really has a way with words," Levy whispered before looking at Lucy. "So, tonight?"
As if the plans weren't already decided, Lucy nodded. "Yes."
"Awesome! I look forward to it!"
With that, their shortest friend made her way to her room, but not before reaching into her pocket to pull out a dead phone. "I forgot, this is yours." She handed it to Natsu, giving the rest of her friends a wave before leaving.
The rest of the group disbursed, Natsu and Lucy heading to their room to put their dishes in a plastic bag. Natsu's usual Tuesday morning consisted of his weekly chores, which included washing their dishes.
He said goodbye when Lucy left for work, the man waiting a moment before getting his morning started. "Let's see," he mumbled to himself as he looked around the room. "What to do first."
He snorted before taking off his shirt, stretching his muscles a moment later. "Right. First I nap, then I go be productive."
Natsu plugged his phone up to charge before setting an alarm on his watch, a yawn tearing from his throat as he made his way to his bed. He needed another rest, his body exhausted beyond belief.
Beads of water dripped down Natsu's forehead, the cold clinging to his skin for dear life. Despite the chill, he preferred that water over the sweat he felt earlier. In an effort to combat the cold shower, he ran around the track prior, hoping to raise his body temperature so the cold wouldn't bite as bad.
He dried his face before getting the rest of his body, feeling refreshed after his shower. It was nothing like the nice hot ones he would take at his apartment, but it was better than nothing. He was pretty sure his body odor would kill him if it wasn't for their weekly showers.
"Much better," he whispered before getting dressed. The longer he was awake, the better he felt after last night. His body still felt a little sluggish compared to normal, but he was getting back on track.
However, there was still something lingering in the back of his mind, telling him something was wrong, but he couldn't figure out what was the cause. He had tried racking his brain a few times, but nothing had worked so far. He kept wanting to shrug it off, say it wasn't important if he couldn't remember, but deep down he knew that wasn't right. Whatever he was forgetting was important, he just couldn't bring it to the surface.
As Natsu walked to the commissary, he thought about the night before. Most of his memories were a little hazy, but he didn't think he was forgetting any key details. He remembered the games, the drinking and smoking, and even his talk with Lucy in the hall. His memory got worse when they went back to their room though. He vaguely remembered Lucy being upset and him holding her, but he didn't think his hug was the reason she was crying.
'Or maybe it was? What do I know?'
He thought about asking her later today, but if she hadn't brought it up to him this morning, surely she wasn't still upset. 'Right?'
Natsu furrowed his brows as he concentrated, trying to piece together the last bit of the puzzle. When he hit a brick wall again, he dropped it, only to pick it back up again when he finished at the commissary.
'What was it? What the hell am I forgetting? Maybe it was my truck? I know I gotta drive it around so the gas doesn't go bad... Hmm, that doesn't seem like it though.'
He would continue trying to ignore it if the curiosity in him hadn't started burning. Natsu grumbled to himself as he made his way down the main hall downstairs, unable to figure out what was nagging at his brain.
His eyes shot up when he saw a door opening, recognizing it as the nurse's office. A woman stepped out, waving at the occupants of the room before shutting the door. It took less than a second for Natsu to realize it was Lisanna, Mira and Elfman's younger sister.
"Hey," Natsu said, giving her a nod since his hands were full. In one he held a bag full of supplies. The other held his shower caddy. "You okay?" He saw the fresh bandage wrapped around her hand. It was hard not to notice considering she had it tucked close to her stomach, as if protecting it.
"Hmm?" Lisanna looked up, realizing Natsu was talking to her. "Oh, yeah." She glanced down at her hand before sighing. "Cut it washing dishes. Stupid sharp knives."
Natsu couldn't help but chuckle until he saw the woman wince. "Sorry. Is it painful?"
"Yeah, but I can handle it." Lisanna forced a smile before walking closer to him, stopping when he paused a few paces in front of her. "I do want to call bullshit on TV shows and movies now though."
Natsu cocked his head, prompting her to explain. "I can't count how many times I saw someone cutting their palm to make some kind of blood sacrifice or something. I call bullshit. They never talk about the cut every again. There's no way they would go about what they were doing without mentioning it at least once."
Lisanna held out her hand before dragging her finger lightly over her palm. "This is only a small cut and I already see myself complaining about it for the next week. Those shows are totally unrealistic."
Natsu laughed before shaking his head. "Can't argue with you there. Lots of stuff on TV would never happen." He looked around the dark, empty halls before sighing. "Well, I always thought zombie shit wouldn't really happen, but..."
"Yeah," Lisanna whispered, tucking her hand against her stomach. "Anyways, I gotta get back to work. See you at dinner."
Natsu stepped aside, giving her a small nod before saying, "See ya."
The two parted ways, Lisanna heading back to the arena while he went towards his room. However, he hadn't made it to the stairs before he heard voices echoing down the hall. Normally he wouldn't have thought anything of it, but when he recognized one of them as Makarov's, he felt his stomach churning.
Natsu clenched his teeth as his forehead creased, his brain throbbing like it had that morning when he first woke up. He closed his eyes, trying to get the sickness to leave his body, but nothing he did helped.
His eyes snapped open when he heard the footsteps accompanying the voices, his gaze landing on the three figures turning a corner. Makarov, Mavis, and Zera walked and talked, oblivious to Natsu's disorientation until they came closer.
It was Zera who noticed him first, her eyes widening when she saw the pure shock written on his face, as if he had just seen a ghost. She looped an arm around Mavis' without thinking, causing the girl to look up and notice Natsu as well.
"Oh, hey there," Mavis said, ready to give Natsu a smile until she saw the man's face paling, which said something considering he was one of the tannest people she had ever met. "Are you feeling alright?"
Makarov almost asked what she was talking about before he looked over, seeing Natsu as well. As soon as their eyes locked, Natsu's grip on his stuff loosened until he almost dropped his stuff, but he quickly recovered before it was too late.
Natsu took a deep breath, trying to suppress the chills running over his body. They had nothing to do with his earlier cold shower, his fear chasing away his usual warmth. He opened his mouth when Makarov called his name, but it took a moment for him to get any words out.
"I..." His voice was hoarse as he spoke, his mouth feeling more dry than it had in his entire life. "Talk, um... I need to talk to you."
"Me?" Makarov asked, raising a brow when Natsu gave him a stiff nod. "About what?"
Natsu wasn't one to get easily rattled, but his hands shook, panic coursing through his veins. He thought he was stronger, but the sudden rush of emotions he felt when he saw Makarov's face, when he finally remembered, it was too much for him to take.
Tears pricked at his eyes as he swallowed, his heart pounding against his chest enough that it began to hurt. His throat tightened for a moment, but he managed to get out two words.
"Your son."
Be honest, if you had the chance to sniff Natsu, would you? Because I know I would. :P
HELLO! I am so sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out! I apologize now if this chapter was all over the place. It feels like it's been ages since I've actually written, so my inner writing voice feels off. Let me know if this chapter seemed like it was a different style than normal. (Then again it's been so long since I updated you probably forgot my style, lol)
On a serious note, I am going to try to update more, but it won't be as much as I used to. My goal is to update this and FTGO! once a month. I know that doesn't sound like a lot, but that sounds like a lot to me considering everything going on in my life. I'm starting to work full time (this week alone I'm on track to work 51 hours), and I'm trying to get my head sorted out. I'm in a weird place where I want to be around people or have something on (TV/movie/game) so I can distract myself. I really hate being alone right now. Like, it fucking sucks, but I can't do anything about it. I'd rather be alone and miserable than with someone who doesn't respect me or want me, thus making me miserable.
Speaking of which, my divorce is finalized. I'm not thrilled about it, but it is a positive step in my life. My marriage was unhealthy for both of us, so it's better that we parted ways before things got ugly. It took two months to go from separated to divorced, which felt like a short amount of time. I'm still getting settled into my new life, trying to figure out who I am. I feel like doing a lot of reckless things, but I don't know if I want to do them because I can do them or because I really want to. Until I figure that out, I'll just stay muddled in my head. Kovu is doing pretty well. He's in the process of losing weight with me since the vet said he needs to lose 10 lbs, so more walks for him! I've lost 17 lbs since Nov 10th. The more I accept what's happening, the more my appetite returns, but whenever I get stressed or anxious it goes away, but I'm trying to eat enough. Anyways, I hate being alone, which is why I've been out and about as much as I can be, or hold up in my room distracting myself with shows, etc. When I'm truly alone with my thoughts I usually can't handle it, but I obviously need to fix that, otherwise I'll never get anything productive done. I'm also supposed to be applying for college for fall at some point in time. That's definitely gonna take up my time as well. Ugh.
Anyways, enough about that. There's something I need to address about this story. I'm gonna be honest. There's a chance there won't be any smut in this story now. I'm not doing it to punish anyone or be mean, I'm just not feeling it, if that makes sense. Hell, writing about Lucy having a crush on Natsu is hard enough, I can't imagine writing them fucking. I may feel differently when we get to those parts, but I wanna give a heads up that I might not be able to write it. Romance and sex are kinda leaving a bad taste in my mouth lately, and it's most likely because of the divorce. (By the way, if you didn't know, the divorce was finalized January 2nd, 2019) I'm supposed to be falling out of love right now while also writing about Natsu and Lucy falling in love? I'm trying to shut down my emotions to just write it, but that's making things feel awkward. I dunno. I'm gonna keep focusing on Natsu and Lucy's friendship for a while. They need to get closer that way first anyways. I'm also gonna focus on the other friendships, that way Lucy's not completely relying on Natsu all the time. She needs more true friends to spend time with.
Thank you for being so patient and for being supportive! I appreciate every single favorite, follow, view, and review! Shout out to those lovely people who reviewed last time: mumof4, Loore1990, Lodemai04, MissSparklyPink, Screeney, deboome, sarahelle04, Raquenzel, Meow Orbit, AnonDr, Shonix13, MidnightFox890, stranger1999, noseinabook145, Flameboy's girl, dragonmusic, sthokat, positive vibes only, Guest, Guest, Guest, Guest, Guest, Guest, TSG1996, BrokenAngelWings83, mautrino, shootingstarssel, Ashnmarley, Guest, VoidNinja, Lizxcliff11, Sam, valerioux, they. call. me. Bridge, ThaDesperado64, Emoelmo41212, Xfangirl123X, Weevilcat, reindeerpoop, Satyrykal, TheUniqueFangirl, sofiesticated, Duchixx, FartsnickleNalu, AlchemistLyn, imyoursun, ShanaDumblond, Guest, ElementalMiko12, Guest, CathJorda(x2), CodenameMise, randommess1, XxxNaxxxx, Mandapandaa, firelover11, Sydneste, Animeforlife1412, Guest, Guest, TerraBell(x4), crazi4muzik, Guest, Guest, and Guest!
Up next, Chapter Thirty-Seven: Ivan
Remember, let me know what you thought of this chapter! Hope to see you soon!